Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV...Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy path.
My mother gave me this passage of scripture when I was a kid and I live by it today. It has taught me if you chase after what this world say's you have to have to be blessed or have God's favor you will be in a never ending search for it. The reality? If you want to be blessed and have God's favor simply be obedient to Him and read His Word. The Bible will give you God's truth about any and everything we will need in life.
"Bless" or "Blessed" means the action of pronouncing good things upon someone. When God Blesses, it is not an impotent wish but the empowering and transforming word that accomplishes its purpose. We can Bless God, when we do so, we Praise Him for who He is, for what He has done and for what He will do.
People can Bless one another. Melchizedek "Blessed" Abraham, Jacob "Blessed" the sons of Joseph. The Blessing may involve material Blessings but they also involve an attitude of human kindness and acceptance. You and I being Disciples of Christ not only have the responsibility to "Bless" other Christians but enemies as well. (Luke 6:27-28, Romans 12:14, 1st Corinthians 4:12 and 1st Peter 3-9).
Proverbs 3:1-10 KJV...My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:The Blessings? "For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee". 3...Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4. The Blessing? "So shall thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man". Verse 6. The Blessing? "He shall direct our path". Verse 7... Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord and depart from evil. The Blessings? "Health to the navel (where baby's receive their nourishment) and marrow to thy bones (keeping them moist to they don't break)". 9...Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with thy firstfruits of all thine increase. Verse 10 The Blessings? "So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
God's blessings are not hard to get and all he ask's is that we will be obedient to what He asks. OK so what about His Favor? Defined as showing mercy or be gracious describes that which is favorable or pleasing and especially the favorable disposition of one person toward another.
Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8), Moses found God's favor (Exodus 33:12 & 13) and Exodus 34:9) and Abraham found favor with visitors to his tent (Genesis 18:3). In our lives, favor can be recognized by our interacting with people we know, just met or don't know.
I have a customer that has bought several vehicles from me. He will occasionally come by to visit and when we shake hands, I feel money in my palm. We embrace as he is passing through and when I open my hand there is cash money in my hand. That is favor. I did not do anything special, we are great friends not because he puts money in my hand but because we will spend time sharing the goodness of the Lord when he has time and we Bless each other talking about our relationship with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
There are times I will Bless someone with money not because of anything they did, the Holy Spirit tells me to give this and I do it. They are surprised, sometimes in tears because they did not expect it but it Blessed them. And it happened because of obedience to what The Holy Spirit leads us to do.
There undoubtedly times when you have done the same for someone because they have found favor in your Spirit.
In this new year, my prayer will be that you will become closer in your relationship with our Father and become more obedient to what He leads you to do. For those who already do this, keep it up because you will be tremendously Blessed for your obedience,
Happy New Year to you and your families, may God's Favor forever cover you as He continues to richly Bless you.
