Where is the Lord's favor?

Where is the Lord's favor? 

The answer in a simple form is in the heart's of those who seek to please Him. But I must expound on this. 

Let's go back to the beginning of time, to the life of Cain and Abel, found in Genesis, chapter 4. 

Verses 2b-7

"Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Here we see 2 brothers. They both brought offerings to the Lord. And they both brought from what they had. They both sought to please God. However, only one brother offered something that pleased the Lord. 

At first glance, one might side with Cain. He brought an offering to the Lord. He worked the field, that was his "career" and he was giving of what he had to God. He was a farmer and he had grown some fruits and wanted to give these as a gift. 

Have you ever given a gift to a child? Children are very honest. You can usually identify whether they like or dislike the gift they have been given. Usually a young child hasn't learned yet that it's poor manners to announce that the gift received was unwanted. 

Cain brought fruit to God as a gift. He thought God would like his gift. But we see here that Cain didn't please God, because perhaps he didn't know God. He didn't know what would please God. He gave him a thoughtless gift. Maybe others would have liked his gift of fruit, maybe he had given fruit to his mother and she happily received it. We do remember how much she enjoyed fruit. But God wasn't pleased. 

Abel gave the finest fat portions of his firstborn flock, and that pleased the Lord. Abel knew God would enjoy the fat portion of his firstborn. How did he know that? How did he know that God would be pleased? He must've known what God enjoyed. 

Now, how does this apply to the Lord's favor? 

In order to receive the Lord's favor, we must do what is right, but how do we do what is right by God? What if we have no idea, like Cain what God enjoys. The answer is simple - We must first know God, so that we can then do what is right. 

We need to know God in order to please Him. When we please God, we will be looked on with His favor. 

• If we draw close to the Lord, in body, mind, and soul, we will learn what pleases him.  James 4:8(ESV) "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

• If we read and study the Word/the Bible, God will show us what pleases him. 

  Psalm 119:11(KJV) "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."

• If we are filled with God's Holy Spirit, he will show us what pleases him. It is our choice whether or not we obey God's word and His spirit and offer to him what pleases Him. 
• Seek the gift of the baptism in the Holy Spirit - Luke 11:13 AMP "If you, then, being evil [that is, sinful by nature], know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him!”"
• His Spirit helps us know him better - Ephesians 1:17 NIV "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, theglorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better."

• If we pray and ask God - he will tell us what pleases him. James 1:5 NIV "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

So again, before we begin to try and please God, we must first know Him. We can't please someone we don't know. We can't give a great gift to someone without first knowing them. The more we know a person the better idea we will have on giving them something with their interests and their personality in mind. In a similar manner, if we long to please God and win His favor, we must first learn to know him with the above mentioned steps. 

I encourage you to draw close to the Lord, read the word, study the Bible, seek Him with the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, pray and ask Him. If you do the fore mentioned things, you will know God's will for your life. You will be able to live in a way that pleases him.

If you refuse to do these things, well then sin might have you, and you will know why. If sin has dominated you and you not it, then it's not too late. You can repent and ask the Lord to forgive you. 

Here is a simple prayer you can say. 

Dear Heavenly Father, 
Please forgive me. I have chosen the path of sin and have not lived according to your way. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins so that I may be forgiven and walk in unity with you once more. Please help me to walk in your way and apply the truth of your word to my life. I want to know you more. Please reveal yourself to me. Please speak to me through your word, through your Holy Spirit. Please deliver me from my sin and the evil one. In the name of Jesus, I ask. Amen. 

My prayer is that this short teaching will help you along in your path with God today. Stay in the word. Draw closer to God each day. Many blessings, Sarah