God’s Favor

Proverbs 3:1-12

: My prayer thought message and emphasis for this last Sunday in 2019 has to be with seek and obtaining God’s favor.

What is favor? What does it look like? How is it attained? Can it be substituted/manufactured or imitated? Can it be lost if once had?

: something done or granted out of goodwill, rather than from justice or for remuneration; a kind act:

friendly or well-disposed regard; goodwill:

the state of being approved or held in regard:

excessive kindness or unfair partiality; preferential treatment:

– Favor basically equals grace, acceptance, charm.

In the most practical of ways we relate it to being blessed! Having God on our side and as a result not just having and finding all that we need but even more than that.

: So Pastor kind of the Midas Touch?’ The son of Gordias and Cybele – or at least their adopted child – 

 was the not-so-smart king of Phrygia who is today popularly remembered as the man with the golden touch. Supposedly, until he realized its disadvantages and renounced it, 

 possessed the capacity to turn everything he touched into gold, a gift given to him by 

 after the king had helped the god’s most beloved companion, 

. 

 is also famous for another divine gift: the asses’ ears, which he got from 

 as a reward for his resolution to decide in favor of 

 at the 

 vs. 

 musical contest.

 was the king of Phrygia, who ruled over his people from a lavish castle encircled by a beauteous garden, in which – to quote history’s first historian, Herodotus – “roses grow of themselves, each bearing sixty blossoms and of surpassing fragrance.”

One day, some Phrygian peasants found a drunken old man in the garden’s vicinity and, after capturing him effortlessly, brought him to their king. 

 recognized him almost immediately: it was 

’ oldest, wisest, and merriest reveler, the satyr 

!

So, instead of punishing him,

 welcomed him in his palace, where his servants fed and entertained him for no less than ten nights. On the eleventh, 

 personally took 

 back to his master, 

, who, in gratitude for 

’ hospitality, granted 

 one wish.

Now, 

 could have asked for almost anything, but he opted for a somewhat strange (though, at first sight, also imaginative) thing: he asked 

 that he should be able to turn into gold everything he touched.

His wish granted, 

 went away trying it out. He first turned some twigs into gold and then some stones. Afterward, he did the same to an ear of corn and some apples. There was no end to his rejoicing.

Well, at least not until he got home and felt some hunger and some thirst. He suddenly realized that it was all but impossible to satisfy them: both his food and his drinks turned into gold as well, the minute they touched his mouth, his teeth, or his tongue.

So, 

 had no option but to go back to 

 and ask the god to take away his gift. “No problem,” said 

, “you just need to wash yourself in the River Pactolus.” 

 went to Sardis, ancient-day Lydia – where Pactolus still flows today (near the Aegean coast of Turkey) – and did exactly that, passing on his gift to the river. In fact, this is why the sands of Pactolus are golden-colored to this very day.

 God blessed us by giving us His Word, but not everyone makes it a priority. We should recognize Scripture as our most valuable earthly possession because it is God’s revelation of Himself and His instructions for us.

 Following His commands is about far more than just external rule keeping; it involves not only our actions but our attitudes and thoughts as well.

 When we are wholeheartedly living in obedience to God’s commands, the effect will spill over into our relationships, as kindness and truth become the guardians of our words and actions.

Proverbs 3 (Our Text) also provided lots of direction:

My position? The answer is yes, of course! Hard work does pay off!

As opposed to this 1 Corinthians speaks of how we build, what elements we use to build and the advantage and disadvantage of our building.

:

I believe yes and yes.

Salvation is by grace….always and only. Can it be lost? Great debate between Calvinists and Armenians.

But God’s favor…..I believe so!

More in the spiritual laws of sowing and reaping.

: So, God’s favor? To whom? How much? What for? Many a question with not so any cross-the-board; always the same answer but… God’s favor… definitely what we seek!

Repent

Obey

Seek / Pursue

Trust

Enjoy

Rest