WHAT THE LORD FAVORS

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
You save the humble, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.

2 Samuel 22:26-27

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

In yesterday’s passage, we learned that the Lord deals with us in accordance with our righteousness and according to our cleanness in His sight. (2 Samuel 22:21, 25)

In today’s passage, we learn some of the things the Lord favors…things that can lead to us being dealt with by blessing vice correction. Let’s look at three things that the Lord favors:

1. Faithfulness.

“To the faithful you show yourself faithful…”

God requires our faith in Him…not just some of the time but all of the time. He has assured us that He can do all things (Matthew 19:26)…that nothing is impossible with Him (Luke 1:37). Indeed, scripture tells us that great is His faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23) and so we should have no problem trusting Him with our full faithfulness, knowing He and He alone is our ever-present help in times of need (Psalm 46:1).

2. A Blameless and Pure Life.

“…to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure…”

There’s no doubt that God demands and expects our full obedience to His commands, expectations and will for our lives. When we turn to Him, seek His guidance and then respond in obedience, we can be assured that we are living a life that is blameless and pure…the kind of life that the Lord favors.

3. Humility.

“You save the humble…”

This trait is maybe the hardest one to stay in. I say this because we too often are negatively impacted by our personal pride…pride that leads us to rely on ourselves instead of trusting the Lord…pride that can lead us to destruction and disgrace (Proverbs 11:2, 16:18) The Lord expects us to fully submit to Him in humbleness, knowing that we are nothing without Him.

OK…so we know we need to be faithful, blameless and pure as well as humble. So how can we consistently do these things and find ourselves in a place that God favors?

We need only turn to Jesus…to His life and to His ways…and adopt them as our own. After all, as Christians, aren’t we supposed to seek to be Christ-like in everything that we do…mimicking His life through the way we live ours?

Friends, this Lenten season, let us focus on the One and only One through which we can find ourselves to the Father (John 14:6). Let us focus on Jesus…the faithful source of our salvation…the blameless, pure Lamb of God who shed His blood to cover the cost for the sins of the world…and did so in full humility as He died a criminal’s death on the cross, refusing to save Himself so He could instead save us all.

What does the Lord favor?

Anyone who comes fully to Him in the name and manner of His Son Jesus…faithful, blameless, pure and humble. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/

Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com