Full transcript
0:00[Music]
0:00Join me in the book of Proverbs. When
0:03you have the book of Proverbs, would you
0:04stand to your feet for the reading of
0:05the word if you can? Um,
0:09and then you don't have to stand anymore
0:11else during the message. If you do,
0:12that's on you.
0:15Uh,
0:17Proverbs chapter number three.
0:20If you don't have the Bible, Bible app,
0:24don't even trip.
0:26I don't see many paper Bibles here
0:27today. What's going on? What's But what
0:29y'all digital? There we go. We got one
0:30paper Bible. Two. Is there anybody?
0:33Okay, we got one. All right. All right.
0:35Long as we have somebody in each section
0:37holding it down.
0:39[Music]
0:41All right, let's get into it. Man, I'm
0:42excited about this. Proverbs chapter
0:44number three, verse number three says
0:46this. Watch what it says. Do not let
0:48mercy and truth leave you.
0:54Fasten them
0:56around your neck.
0:59Write them on the tablet of your heart.
1:04Then
1:06you will find favor. Y'all say favor.
1:08>> Favor
1:09>> and much success
1:11in the sight of God
1:14and humanity. If you knew how good that
1:17was. Watch what it says. Do not let
1:19mercy and truth leave you. Fasten them
1:21around your neck. Write them on the
1:23tablet of your heart. Then you will find
1:26favor. One more time y'all say favor
1:28>> and much success in the sight of God and
1:31humanity. I want to put a tag on this uh
1:34uh text and teach in the first
1:37installment of our brand new series
1:38entitled favor. I want to put a tag and
1:41teach from this topic. Tag your it. Tag
1:46your it. You may have your seat in the
1:49house. Tag your
1:52it.
1:54Family. Many of you under the sound of
1:56my voice uh understand what I'm about to
1:59say is going to be foreign and others of
2:02you it's going to sound almost profane
2:07or maybe even insensitive.
2:10But there was a time before iPads,
2:14iPhones, tablets, Androids,
2:17and screens and Fire Sticks and laptops,
2:22AirPod Pros, Dre Beats, Meta Glasses,
2:27Xbox, and even PlayStation.
2:32It was a time, again, I told you many of
2:34you going to think that what I'm saying
2:35is is insensitive or even profane. There
2:37was a time before iPads and iPhones and
2:40tablets and all of that when kids had to
2:43actually go outside
2:50>> and and and the crazy thing uh is that
2:54it's exactly what's called watch this.
2:57You would actually go to your parent and
3:00you would ask them, "Ma, can I go
3:05outside?
3:07That's all you had to say. We We didn't
3:09have to say exactly where we were going
3:11because we didn't know.
3:15>> We didn't know whose house we were going
3:16to be at. We didn't know. All we knew is
3:19that we were going to be outside.
3:23We didn't have, watch this, an AI
3:25generated outline of the day. Chad GPT
3:29didn't give us a structure of our day.
3:32All we knew is that we were going to be
3:34outside.
3:36Yeah. Yeah. Playing games wasn't so
3:38organized at all. We We actually had to
3:41make up games.
3:44>> Yeah. Y'all just download apps nowadays.
3:47No, we had to make up games. I love my
3:50kids generation. I do. I tell you the
3:52truth. I do. I love them. I love some of
3:54your generation. But y'all issue is you
3:57didn't have to make up games. That
3:59That's the problem. You don't know the
4:02level of boredom you had to be in to
4:07make up a game. And y'all, there was a
4:10game that swept playgrounds and parks
4:12all across this nation. This game was
4:14played inside of schools all over. This
4:17isn't PlayStation. This is not Xbox.
4:20This game is better than all of those
4:21put together. This game is called Tag.
4:28>> Somebody tell your neighbor what Tag is.
4:30They like tag. What is it's a name tag?
4:32I don't know what that is. It's a name
4:34tag.
4:36The game of tag is interesting. The
4:37rules of the game is so simple that
4:39anybody could play it. Watch this. You
4:41don't understand the level of boredom
4:42you had to have in order to play tag.
4:46>> Before you can start the game, all the
4:48participants had to decide who is going
4:51to be it.
4:53>> This side too young. Let me talk to
4:55y'all. Y'all understand. Before you got
4:58ready to play, you got around in a in a
5:00huddle with your friends and you all
5:02said, "All right, not it.
5:05>> Not you didn't say not it."
5:09>> Because
5:11the person see y'all didn't never have
5:13to make up games, man. Y'all too young.
5:16See? So, so the goal of the game is for
5:19the person that's it to go and tag the
5:22other people so that they can be it.
5:26It
5:29What was it? Okay, let me unpack. What
5:31was it? It means you're the person that
5:34has to go and find the other people or
5:37catch the other people. And when you tag
5:39them, they are it.
5:41>> And it's their job to go tag somebody
5:44else.
5:45>> All right. I had to do a whole Wikipedia
5:47search on. Then we got fancy with it
5:51because we were outside all day. So we
5:54got so fancy that we didn't just play
5:56tag. We put a nuance on it
6:00>> and we started playing freeze tag.
6:14Come on, man. Come tag me.
6:17You couldn't move. You got tagged. You
6:18couldn't move until somebody came and
6:21tagged you.
6:24I'm about to go play freeze tag after
6:26church. Meet me in the parking lot.
6:27Freeze tag. I'll play freeze tag right
6:30now.
6:32So, all in all, both of the games put a
6:33major focus on the player being it.
6:35Meaning, you are the focal point of the
6:37game in a real sense. family. I'm not
6:39just talking about uh a game that we
6:42played outside. I'm really homalytically
6:45hovering
6:46uh over the text that I'm about to teach
6:49and about our God. Because all week God
6:52has been tapping me on the shoulder,
6:54y'all telling me to tell somebody, watch
6:57this for the few people that receive it
7:00that this is your season and uh you're
7:03it.
7:05>> Yeah. Let me I'm Don't worry about it.
7:07Pause. Rewind. Let me play it again. God
7:10has been tapping me on the shoulder all
7:11week to tell somebody that you're it.
7:15You might be facing it, but God told me
7:18to tell you that you're it. In other
7:21words, you're the person that will
7:23change it. You're the person that will
7:25overcome it. You're the person that will
7:28break through it. You're the person that
7:30will be healed from it. You're the
7:32person that will be delivered from it.
7:34You're the person that will
7:35generationally change your family.
7:37You're it. Somebody shout, "Amen. Amen."
7:41In in essence, what I'm saying is that
7:43this idea of being it means that God has
7:47marked me for a specific purpose and for
7:51a specific season. And this is Lord, I
7:54feel like preaching. And this is my
7:56season to walk in everything that God
8:00has for me. Look at somebody. I'm sorry.
8:01Look at somebody and say, "I'm it."
8:03That's all I'm trying to say. I'm trying
8:04to I'm trying to I'm trying to Now Now
8:08Now Now Now there's an aspect of our
8:09faith, y'all, that has been overlooked
8:11and under acknowledged. It it it's the
8:13most left out aspect on all of our
8:15prayer list. I promise you this, that
8:17that we don't often pray about, watch
8:20this, being tagged because it's not
8:22something that simply comes to mind. And
8:24I get that. I understand that. But but
8:26the idea of being tagged that I'm
8:29referring to is, watch this. This
8:30understanding of being tagged is
8:32actually, watch this, what's called
8:34favor.
8:38>> The the reason that your neighbor didn't
8:40shout because they don't understand how
8:42powerful favor is.
8:45Some people are praying for finances,
8:48and I love it. We should uh I'm just
8:50suggesting that favor is more
8:52comprehensive than finances. Some people
8:55are praying for a spouse and a good
8:57family, and we should. That's beautiful.
8:59But I'm suggesting that favor is even
9:02more comprehensive than a good family.
9:05Some people are praying for purpose and
9:08for peace. And that's good and we should
9:10do that. But what I'm suggesting is is
9:13that favor is more comprehensive than
9:17purpose.
9:19Some people are suggesting or they're
9:20praying for influence and impact and
9:24income. And we should. I'm not mad at
9:26that at all. But what I'm suggesting is
9:28that favor is more even comprehensive
9:31uh than that favor. Watch this. Lord
9:34have mercy. I'm trying to teach but I
9:36feel a preach creeping up. Favor is an
9:38allincclusive yes from eternity based on
9:42an allincclusive yes from earth.
9:46>> You knew how good that was. You would
9:48have snatched your neighbor's wig clean
9:50off.
9:51Favor is an allincclusive
9:55yes from eternity based on an
9:59allincclusive yes from earth. Favor is
10:03not relegated, watch this, to one
10:06specific area.
10:08Favor is comprehensive.
10:11>> In essence, inside of favor includes
10:15multiple areas. So if all you're praying
10:18for is money, that's all you ever get.
10:23>> And I'm saying that we need to raise our
10:26rhetoric and we need to raise our speech
10:29and we need to pull up our prayers to
10:32include not just stuff, but favor.
10:37This is all I'm trying to say. God, I'm
10:40supposed to teach today. Y'all got me
10:41preaching. Favor. Watch this. Watch
10:43this. This is why I get so excited about
10:44favor. Favor is an all-inclusive yes
10:47from eternity based on an all-inclusive
10:49yes from earth. Watch this. Favor does
10:52not make God do anything.
10:57>> So I'm not suggesting that because I
10:59have favor on my life that God is my
11:02heavenly genie and then if I rub him the
11:05right way, he'll give me everything I
11:06want. That's not what the Bible says.
11:10Favor doesn't mean that God's got to do
11:12it. Here's my shout for 15 people
11:14that'll catch it. Favor means that God
11:17wants to do it.
11:19[Music]
11:21I'll come back and get you. Favor does
11:23not mean that God has got to do it.
11:26Favor means that God wants to do it. He
11:30wants to heal me. He wants to deliver
11:32me. He wants to set me free. He wants to
11:36help me. He touch somebody and say, "He
11:38wants to do it."
11:39>> He wants to do it. So then favor is
11:43interesting. Lord have mercy. Oh, that's
11:46good to me. That's good. Cuz when I know
11:49I serve a God that doesn't bless me
11:52because he's got to. He bless me because
11:54he want to.
11:56>> He doesn't heal me because he got to.
11:58>> He heals me because he wants to.
12:00>> He doesn't promote me because he has to.
12:03He promotes me because he wants to. He
12:05doesn't elevate me because he has to. He
12:07elevates me because he wants to. He
12:09doesn't heal me because he has to. He
12:11heals me because he I'll wait till you
12:12catch it. He doesn't open doors just
12:14because he has to. He open doors because
12:17he wants to. He doesn't step in because
12:19he has to. He steps in because he wants
12:22to. He doesn't mend my heart because he
12:24has to. He mends it because he wants to.
12:27And I wish I had about 15 people that
12:30will stand up and sit back down and say,
12:31"God, I thank you for wanting to. I
12:33thank you for having my good intentions
12:35in mine."
12:37Open your mouth and give him glory
12:39because he wants to.
12:43>> Favor
12:46uh favor is interesting because it shows
12:52that God wants to do it. Well, what
12:54would make God want to do it? Great
12:56question. I'm glad you asked. Great
12:57class.
12:59Favor. Oh, I think this is good. Um,
13:03favor is not simply about God liking me.
13:07Favor means, watch this, that God trusts
13:10me.
13:14>> Okay? That's who he wants to do it for.
13:18God can use a person that's not perfect,
13:24but he can't use a person that he can't
13:26trust.
13:30>> Saul was a king. David uh Saul ended up
13:34being fired. David being put in
13:36position. The argument can be made that
13:39David did way worse than Saul when he
13:41was in he when he was king. But Saul got
13:45fired for way less.
13:49Let me back that up. Saul was king.
13:53Got fired.
13:56David replaced Saul.
13:59David did as king worse than Saul did.
14:05But then the Bible still describes David
14:07as a man after God's own heart
14:10>> because God can use people who are not
14:12perfect.
14:13>> But he refuses to use people he can't
14:15trust.
14:20>> God says, "I can't promote you if I feel
14:22like when I put you in position, you
14:24have a vendetta on the people that
14:26you've been trying to get over."
14:28Oh, I can't wait till it's my when I'm
14:30in charge. Ooh, I pro God says for
14:33people like that I can't trust you.
14:39>> Somebody shout favor.
14:41>> Favor is not about God simply liking me.
14:45It favor means that God trusts me and
14:48you get to a point in your spiritual
14:50maturity where you don't just want stuff
14:53from God. You want God to be pleased
14:55with your life.
14:57Because when he when he's pleased with
14:59your life, there are things he gives you
15:01without you asking him.
15:03>> When he's pleased with your life, you
15:05don't have to know all of the words of
15:07the perfect prayer. And he'll see the
15:09desire that's in your heart and he'll
15:11begin to rain down blessing. Is there
15:13anybody in here? God will bless you with
15:16things you haven't even prayed for. Now,
15:18if I was promised you a car or crib or
15:20some clothes, you will be running around
15:22this church flipping over chair. But is
15:24there anybody in here that can say,
15:26"God, I want more favor on my life. Uh,
15:29I want you to favor me. I want this next
15:32season to be a season of favor, a season
15:35of fruit, a season of forward progress."
15:40>> Somebody shout favor.
15:42>> So, so, so favor is interesting, right?
15:45Uh uh at any given moment, God reserves
15:48the right, watch this, to do what he
15:50wants to do from eternity based on what
15:53he sees on earth.
15:56He has the right to interrupt all
15:59regularly scheduled programming.
16:03>> God res God reserves the right
16:07>> to take you from the bottom of the pile
16:10and move you to the top of the pile. God
16:13reserves the right to move your resume
16:16from the bottom of the pile to the God
16:19reserves the right to put your name in
16:21the minds of people that don't even know
16:24you. God deserves the right to make the
16:27whole company create a position just for
16:29you. God deserves the right to interrupt
16:33and it
16:36>> because when his favor is on me,
16:40>> I got to Touch somebody and say, "It's
16:43on me. It's on me. It's
16:47>> It's on me. It's on me. It's on me. It's
16:50on me." Favor, Lord have mercy. Favor
16:53is, Here's our working definition. Favor
16:56is God's approval. Lord have mercy.
16:59God's acceptance and God's acceleration,
17:03not earned by man, but impossible to
17:06ignore and irresponsible to resist.
17:12Y'all going to catch that Wednesday at
17:13noon. I promise you.
17:16>> Favor is God's approval, acceptance, and
17:18acceleration. Not earned by man, but
17:21impossible to ignore
17:24and irresponsible to resist,
17:29man. Okay.
17:31God, favor is God's approval. Y'all say
17:34approval.
17:34>> Approval.
17:35>> Approval is when God says yes. Favor is
17:38God's acceptance. Y'all say acceptance.
17:41Acceptance is when God says you.
17:44>> Favor is God's acceleration. Y'all say
17:47acceleration.
17:48>> Acceleration.
17:50>> Acceleration is when God says now.
17:54>> Now,
17:55>> man, I wish I had the fresh church here,
17:58de I don't know where the fresh church
17:59at. Favor is when God's I'm sorry. is
18:03God's approval, acceptance, and
18:06acceleration, not earned by man, but
18:10impossible for man to ignore.
18:12>> You might not like me, but I'm still
18:14favored.
18:16>> You might not want me here, but I'm
18:18still here.
18:19>> Who do I know that got me in the room?
18:21Jesus.
18:22>> Who do I know that got me the position?
18:24Jesus.
18:26>> Who do I know that healed my body?
18:28Jesus. Who do I know that mended my
18:30marriage? Jesus. Who do I know that
18:33mened my mind? Jesus. Is there anybody
18:36in here that can say, "God, thank you
18:38for favor,
18:43>> his approval." In other words, in other
18:46words, it does not matter who rejects
18:49you if God approves you.
18:52>> God does not need a co-signer for his
18:54promises.
18:57>> God does not need their approval in
18:59order to bless you.
19:02y'all, man.
19:03>> His acceptance, God's acceptance. That's
19:06when God says you.
19:08That That's when God looks around and
19:12says,
19:13"You that that's when everybody else is
19:17more qualified and God looks at them
19:21>> and he says
19:25that that's when everybody else is vying
19:28for the position and and and kissing
19:30butt." Can I say that? and trying to get
19:33in rooms and do you need anything
19:35running behind the supervisor and that
19:38that and God looks at them and say
19:42>> cuz if I give you the position I can't
19:45trust you in it.
19:47>> So accept this is when God looks around
19:50and says you and then and then this is
19:53how you know if you're really on a
19:55pursuit towards God and God's favor.
19:58When you get picked, you feel like you
20:00shouldn't be.
20:04Now, when God taps you on the shoulder,
20:06you feel like by time, shoot, cuz I've
20:08been God's like, "Okay, hold on. Hold
20:10on." But when you get picked, you think,
20:12"Oh my goodness, this is too big for me.
20:14Who am I to do this?" You mean you
20:16you're talking to me. You you tapping me
20:19on the shoulder and you start thinking
20:21about all the people that's more
20:22qualified than you. You start thinking
20:24all the people that got more degrees
20:26than a thermometer. You start thinking
20:28about all the people with more
20:29experience. You start thinking about all
20:31the people with more expertise and more
20:32education and then you start thinking,
20:34God, are you sure you got the right one?
20:37And God says, that's how I know I got
20:40the right one. Because favor does not
20:42demand arrogance. Favor breeds humility.
20:46And
20:49favor does not say, "I know I'm favor.
20:51It doesn't matter what y'all say." No,
20:52that's not favor. That's arrogance.
20:54Favor says, "God, I don't deserve it,
20:56but God, you've been good to me." So if
20:59you open the door, I'll walk through it.
21:01If you open the opportunity, I'll walk
21:03through it because the favor of God is
21:05on my life. Is there anybody in here
21:08that can say, "God, thank you for favor.
21:11[Applause]
21:12[Music]
21:14>> I don't have time, but if I did, I would
21:17tell you how in John 5, there was a a
21:19man uh at the pool of Bethesda. And
21:22while he was at the pool of Bethesd, the
21:24uh the Bible says that many people were
21:26there. They were blind, sick, lame,
21:28crippled. Um everybody there was blind,
21:32sick, lame, crippled, right? Uh then, uh
21:36as he was there, Jesus walks up on this
21:40man who was just like everybody else
21:42that he was around. It's crazy, right?
21:44He's at this pool. Jesus walks up on him
21:47and uh starts having a conversation with
21:49the man. And the man says to Jesus, John
21:52five, the man says to Jesus, he says,
21:54"Do you want to be healed? Do you want
21:55to be well?" And and the man says, "I
21:57don't have anybody to put me in the
22:00pool."
22:01He says, "I don't have anybody to put me
22:04in the pool." Jesus like, "I didn't ask
22:06you that." I said, "Do you want to get
22:07well?
22:08>> You want to get healed?" Like, "What's
22:09up with that?" He's like, "No, but you
22:11don't understand. I don't have anybody."
22:14So, what the man the man was limited in
22:16his thinking. He was thinking that
22:18somebody was gonna come help him.
22:24>> He the man was saying everybody else who
22:28got healing got it because a a person
22:30helped them.
22:33>> Jesus said, "I didn't ask you who helped
22:36them."
22:38>> I'm asking you to see if you know who's
22:41getting ready to help you
22:43>> because favor doesn't need man's
22:45approval. because it has God's
22:48acceptance.
22:49>> So he the man got healed and he didn't
22:53Oh Lord and he didn't use the route that
22:56other people took in order to get their
22:58healing
23:01>> because often times the route that favor
23:03takes you is going to be unfamiliar.
23:07>> Yeah. Yeah. Often times the route that
23:08favor takes you is going to be
23:10unfamiliar. You're not going to you're
23:12not going to go the same route that
23:13everybody else took. your your GPS, your
23:16God positioning system is gonna take you
23:17a different route. It might take you
23:19longer, but just because it takes you
23:21longer doesn't mean that favor is not on
23:22you.
23:26>> Then he says, I got to get to the text.
23:28Uh so as favor is God's approval,
23:31acceptance, watch this, and
23:33acceleration. Y'all say acceleration.
23:35>> Acceleration. If approval is when God
23:38says yes and acceptance is when God says
23:41you, then acceleration is when God says
23:45now.
23:49>> Y'all don't know how good that was. It's
23:51when, watch this. Watch this. Favor will
23:54take you places preparation alone can't.
24:00>> Favor will take you places preparation
24:03alone can't. Favor on your life is when
24:08God, watch this. Lord, I pray that
24:10you'll receive this by faith. Favor is
24:12when God speeds up the path just for
24:16you.
24:18>> It is when it doesn't take you as long
24:20as it took them to do what God is
24:23calling you to do.
24:24>> And some of us feel like we got more
24:26years behind us than in front of us. But
24:29I'm getting ready to prophesy over you
24:31that God will redeem the time. In
24:34essence, what redeeming the time is,
24:36it's not always that he gives you more
24:38time, but he does more in the time you
24:40do have than the than the time you
24:43thought you lost. Now, I wonder if there
24:45was about 15 people in here that would
24:47high-five somebody and say, "God is
24:49going to do more in the time you have
24:51left." Oh, y'all ain't saying nothing. I
24:53say, "God is going to do more in the
24:56time you have left." Don't let the world
24:58trick you into rushing. Don't let social
25:01media speed your process up. Don't you
25:04let comparing and competing speed you
25:07up. God will do more in the time that
25:10you have. I wish I had 15 people that
25:13would stand up and sit back down and
25:14say, "Do more. Do more. Do more. Do
25:16more. Do more. Do more. Do more in my
25:18family. Do more in my life. Do more in
25:21my mind. Do more in my heart." Somebody
25:23shout, "Do more."
25:28>> Favor. FA favor favor is interesting
25:31because favor is God's approval. Favor
25:35is uh I is God's acceptance and favor is
25:39God's acceleration. It's interesting
25:41because in our text in the book of
25:43Proverbs, a sage named Solomon starts
25:44pinning some powerful principles as it
25:47relates to how are we to obtain such
25:49favor. It's interesting, right? Because
25:51Solomon uh the book of the book of
25:53Proverbs is written by Solomon in a
25:55section of the Bible called wisdom
25:57literature. It is it is in wisdom
25:59literature. In essence, in the book of
26:01Proverbs, it is a it is a compilation or
26:04a combination of wise sayings, wise
26:08teachings that span across several
26:11different topics. Right? So, so the book
26:13of Proverbs is not so much a
26:15chronological type of reading as much as
26:17it is uh something that we go to for a
26:20specific wisdom regarding a specific
26:23thing. Right? That makes sense. So, the
26:25sage named Solomon, the most wise
26:28individual the Bible says that has ever
26:30lived, uh, so wise in fact that when uh
26:33when when God gave him a blank check
26:36about what did he what did Solomon want
26:38God to do for him, Solomon said, "I want
26:44wisdom."
26:48>> I want you to see something. the most
26:50wise man the Bible says to have ever
26:52walked the earth. God gave a blank check
26:55to him and said Solomon Solomon said
26:57what's up? God says you know you've been
26:59rolling with me for a minute. And uh
27:01Solomon say for real I have. What do you
27:05want me to do? God says Solomon says uh
27:08what do you mean? Then name God says
27:10name anything. Anything you ask for you
27:13can have. Solomon says anything I ask
27:16for. Now you got to understand who
27:18Solomon is. So Solomon has a father. For
27:22those of you who know who's Solomon's
27:24father,
27:25>> David. David had issues. Many of David's
27:29issues came with women. Right. Okay.
27:32That's okay.
27:36So here Solomon is son of David getting
27:40a blank check.
27:42I would think Solomon would ask for
27:45something else,
27:47but he says, "I want wisdom."
27:51And then watch this.
27:53God says to Solomon, "Because you ask
27:56for wisdom and not that other stuff, I'm
27:59not only going to give you wisdom."
28:06>> I'm trying to I'm trying to expand our
28:07thinking. He says, "Because you asked
28:10for the principal thing,
28:12>> I'm going to give you the things that's
28:13in your heart that you don't know to
28:16pray for yet.
28:18>> Because you got the order right.
28:24>> Because you got the order right,
28:25Solomon, I'm going to bless you in what
28:28you asked." Uhoh. And for the stuff you
28:31didn't.
28:33It is that Solomon that pins this
28:36passage in the book of Proverbs. It is
28:39Solomon giving us advice um about how to
28:42walk in favor. What what does favor look
28:45like for us? Because the question has to
28:46be asked. I hear about all this favor
28:47talk and and and be clear, favor doesn't
28:50apply to everybody. I'm just trying to
28:52make sure I'm the right body that favor
28:55applies to. Can I get an amen right
28:57there?
28:59>> Solomon opens up Proverbs chapter number
29:00three by saying this. He writing this
29:02this p he says, "My son, do not forget
29:04my teaching."
29:07Okay. The first thing that I see in
29:08there, it's not on the screen, but I
29:10think it's worth uh worth m uh uh
29:12mentioning is that Solomon put a premium
29:15on living a life wherein we keep the
29:19commands of God.
29:21Watch this. He says, "Do not forget my
29:24teaching." He's not talking about his
29:26teaching. He's talking about God's law.
29:28Your version might say, "God's law."
29:29He's saying, "Do not forget God's law.
29:33Do not forget my teaching, the teaching
29:35that I've taught you." Because why?
29:37Because Oh, here's why. Here's why. Look
29:40at your neighbor and say, "Here's why.
29:41>> Here's why. Because disobedience will
29:44disqualify favor."
29:49>> That's not I just want you.
29:51All right. So, he says, "You want to be
29:53favored?" Yeah. First things first, do
29:56not forget God's law.
29:59Then he says, "But have your heart
30:01comply with my commandments." Right?
30:04Have your heart comply with my
30:06commandments. In other words, be
30:07obedient. I'm walking through real
30:09quick. Uh for for verse number two, for
30:11length in days and years of life and
30:14peace, they will be added to you. Okay.
30:17Okay. He says he's given us the secret
30:20sauce to long life and peace, and that
30:24is obedience to God.
30:27He's given us the secret sauce on how to
30:29position ourselves for the favor of God
30:31to rest on us. And the first thing is
30:33obedience to God. He says, "Have your
30:36hearts comply with my commandments
30:41and many days of your life and peace
30:45will be added to you." Peace will be
30:48added when we obey God's word.
30:52>> Tell the truth. Look straight at me.
30:55Much of the drama that we have had
30:58occurred in our life is because we did
31:02opposite up.
31:05>> Go on this side.
31:07[Laughter]
31:10I our when we do our way often times it
31:14leads to a bunch of toxicity.
31:17>> It might start off good
31:19>> but then it ends up bad. And he's saying
31:22you do it God's way, you can still get
31:25there with peace.
31:29>> His blessings will add no sorrow.
31:35>> Watch this. How much money would you
31:37have if you can have all your stupid
31:39money back?
31:45>> No. No. How much money would you have on
31:47birthday presents for people you don't
31:49even like anymore? trips to Cancun and
31:51Dubai.
31:55>> Say financial aid checks, income tax,
31:59splurging on people when you found text
32:02messages about
32:05>> lending money to people you found out
32:08was talking about you.
32:15But but how how much money would you
32:17have if how much not just money, how
32:21much peace would you have
32:23>> if you didn't waste six years of your
32:25life with that fool?
32:30>> They cut my microphone off. I was going
32:32to keep going.
32:38>> Somebody shout, "I want my money back.
32:40That's all I want. I want I don't even
32:42need new money. I want the old money
32:43that I spent on them. I want that money.
32:50>> I don't even need a financial
32:52breakthrough. I need repayment.
33:00>> I want my money back. Some of us are
33:03upset, not because they left, but
33:07because of what you lost when they were
33:09here.
33:11>> I want my money back. I want my time
33:13back. I want my peace back.
33:15>> I want my tears back.
33:17>> I want my mind frame back.
33:19>> I want my joy back.
33:21>> I want my strength back.
33:25>> Solomon says,
33:27um, long years will be added peace, but
33:31it's only added when you obey God's
33:33word.
33:35Then here's what he says. Proverbs, uh,
33:373 and 3 says this, do not let mercy and
33:39truth leave you. Bind them around your
33:42neck. Write them on the tablet of your
33:46heart. Your version might say mercy,
33:49mercy, mercy. Uh the original word for
33:51that word mercy is meaning
33:55uh God's loyal love.
34:00>> He says, "Keep mercy
34:04fastened around your neck." God's loyal
34:06love and truth close. Here's where I'm
34:10gonna lose the whole church.
34:12He says, "Keep mercy on one hand and
34:16truth on the other.
34:18Mercy means I love you. Truth is, I know
34:23you."
34:29>> The Bible says, "You shall know a tree.
34:35by the fruit
34:37>> it bears.
34:39>> I'm about to get in trouble. I promise
34:41you. He didn't say judge the tree.
34:46>> You just need to know it.
34:48>> So when a person Thank you, my my
34:50Angelo. When a person shows you who they
34:52are,
34:53>> believe them.
34:55>> Stop calling red flags orange.
35:01>> It's burnt orange. It ain't really like
35:03red like
35:05Like
35:08>> he says, "Mercy,
35:12>> I love you.
35:15>> Truth, I know you." So there has to be
35:19some distance
35:21>> because I don't want your presence to
35:23pollute God's favor.
35:26>> And there are some things God is like, I
35:28want to give it to you, but you got too
35:30many people around you.
35:35All right. All right. Watch this. Oh my.
35:38Here we go. Um
35:43um I I believe many people settle for a
35:46few when favor is available. Some many
35:48people settle for some when surplus is
35:50available. And the reason we settle is
35:53because we are satisfied. We are
35:55satisfied with what we think we can
35:58have. And God says he can do more than
36:01we ask, think or imagine.
36:05>> On the other side of that, imagine is
36:08favor.
36:09So I want to expand our thinking to
36:12include what we have not included in our
36:14prayer. Watch this. When we walk in
36:16favor, we don't let our eyes tell our
36:19hearts what it can have or who we can
36:22become.
36:24We don't let our current situation tell
36:27us what God can do. It does not matter
36:31if you grew up in a family where you've
36:32never saw God do that. It does not
36:35matter if you'll be the first in your
36:37your generational line to have ever done
36:39this. It does not matter if you feel
36:41like you're the right gender for that or
36:43you feel like you're the the wrong
36:44gender for this position in an office or
36:46in a business. God simply says, "When I
36:49favor you, don't let your eyes talk your
36:52heart out of what God put in your
36:54heart."
36:58>> Don't Don't let your eyes talk your
36:59heart out of it. Because often times
37:01he'll drop something in our in our
37:03hearts that our eyes have not seen.
37:06>> He'll he'll put a passion in our hearts
37:08>> for something.
37:09>> It's like, I don't know why, but I just
37:10can't stop thinking about I don't know
37:12why, but I feel like God is pushing me
37:14in this direction. I don't know why, but
37:16this people group is so I don't know
37:17why. And God says, because sometimes
37:18I'll drop a seed in your heart, but you
37:20got to be careful not to allow what you
37:22see with your eyes to to to stop what
37:25God is planting in your heart. It does
37:26not matter if you don't think you have
37:28what it takes. If God put the passion in
37:30your heart, he never shows you something
37:32he doesn't want to do. He only gives you
37:34glimpses of glory. He only gives you
37:36what he ex
37:40he So then how do I obtain favor? Great
37:45question. I'm glad you asked. It's right
37:48here in the book of Proverbs. Number
37:50one, it says this. Proverbs uh 35 and 6
37:53says this. Trust in the Lord with all
37:54your heart and do not lean to your own
37:57understanding.
37:59>> In all your ways acknowledge him
38:01>> and he will direct your paths. Look at
38:05that. Trust in the Lord. Uh and do not
38:08lean to your own understanding. The
38:11first thing that we got to do in order
38:12to position ourselves or or to obtain
38:15favor is this. I have to trust his word.
38:20I have to trust his word. I have to
38:21trust uh I have to trust his word.
38:24Understanding God's word unlocks God's
38:27favor.
38:29You It's It's the idea of you don't know
38:34how much God has in store for you if the
38:37book is always closed.
38:42If if we never crack open the book and
38:46put our face in the book and read what
38:50the promises of God that are for us, you
38:54will leave lots out there on the field
38:58that was for us. So, so when we hear
39:01these promises go forth, you have to
39:04trust God's word. You have to believe
39:07that whatever God said is so in spite of
39:11what I see.
39:13So in order to have favor, you have to
39:16have a level of trust that if God says
39:20it,
39:21>> that settles it.
39:23>> It does not matter what I see. It does
39:26not matter what was. It does not matter
39:29who's against it. It does not matter
39:31what I've ever been through. If God's
39:34word says it's mine, then it's mine. If
39:38he said that he'll open up the windows
39:40of heaven and pour me out a blessing,
39:43I'm trusting not in my word, but I'm
39:46trusting in his word. If he says that
39:48I'm the head and not the tail, I'm not
39:50trusting in my word.
39:55>> You got to trust in his word. First
39:57thing is you got to trust in his word.
39:59Understanding God's word unlocks God's
40:01favor. Number two, second thing you have
40:02to do is trust his wisdom.
40:07Because if we're not careful, here's
40:09what we do. We'll try to manufacture
40:11favor.
40:15>> We'll try to manufacture favor. We we
40:18we'll be doing all type of backdoor
40:19deals. Uh feeling like we got to do this
40:22in order to get this because you've seen
40:24other people compromise their character
40:27in order to get certain spaces, right?
40:29So when you trust God's wisdom, you look
40:31at God, you look at the Bible as a
40:33blueprint for living,
40:35right? You look at the Bible as a
40:37blueprint for living. So in any area
40:39that I want to be accelerated in, I want
40:42to experience God's favor in. Here's
40:44what I got to do. I got to go to God's
40:46word and trust his wisdom. Right? So
40:49that means when I'm in a season of
40:50hardship, I got to go to God's word if I
40:53want to have favor on my life. Favor
40:55does not excuse us from problems. Favor
40:58does not excuse us from pain. Favor does
41:00not excuse us from storms and rain. But
41:04here's what favor does. Favor and
41:06trusting in God's wisdom prepares us for
41:08it.
41:10>> He tells us things like endure hardness
41:13>> as a good soldier.
41:15Why would he tell us that except for we
41:18would have to deal with hardness? Right?
41:21>> He says uh uh uh uh this world is is
41:25full of trouble but be of good cheer. I
41:28have already overcome the world.
41:30>> Why would he give us that wisdom except
41:32for the fact that we would have to deal
41:33with trouble in the world.
41:35>> So when I say trust his wisdom, it's
41:37right here in the Bible. It says this, I
41:38got to go. It says this prover uh three
41:40uh verse number seven and 8 says this.
41:42Do not be wise in your own eyes.
41:48Fear the Lord. Here we go. Turn away
41:50from evil.
41:52And doing that, what will it do? It will
41:54bring healing to your body.
42:00>> Wisdom positions you. Favor promotes
42:03you.
42:05Wisdom position you. Positions you.
42:08Favor promotes you. Your little degree
42:11is good, but I'll take favor all day
42:13long.
42:18There are some rooms that only favor is
42:22going to get you in.
42:26>> Lastly, I'm done.
42:29Not only trust his word, not only trust
42:32in his wisdom, but number three, watch
42:35this. When we want to be positioned for
42:40favor on our lives, not only trust in
42:42his word, not only trust his wisdom, but
42:46trust him with your wealth.
42:51So, one area we all want to be blessed
42:53in the most, but it's the same area
42:56God's got to fight to to get to the
42:57most.
43:02And it's like it's like God bless me.
43:06And God's like, "You want me to open my
43:07hand, but yours closed?"
43:10>> Like, imagine that.
43:13Imagine that.
43:15Imagine you being in a relationship and
43:17asking somebody to only give to you.
43:20What would you call that person?
43:22He says, "You want to be favored?"
43:26Cool. God says, "You want to be favored?
43:28I want you to be favored."
43:30This is when God wants it to happen. And
43:32he says, "But now be clear, there are
43:35things what God wants to do is God's
43:38preference.
43:39Whether we experience or not experience
43:42it or not is our choice.
43:45If God God wanting to bless us is God's
43:49preference. That's what he prefers to
43:51do.
43:52Whether or not we get blessed is based
43:55on whether or not we do what puts us in
43:58position for him to do what he said he's
44:00going to do.
44:02>> So he said trust him with your wealth.
44:06What do you mean? Let's look at that
44:08same particular passage of scripture.
44:10This is what s Solomon says this the
44:13wisest then the most richest because he
44:15didn't even ask for riches. God gave him
44:18double everything. Watch what he says.
44:19Verse number seven says this. I'm sorry.
44:21Verse number nine says this. Honor the
44:24Lord
44:26with your wealth
44:28and from the first of all your produce.
44:31Then this is the if then if then
44:35promise. Honor the Lord with your wealth
44:39and with the first of all your produce.
44:42Then y'all say then.
44:44>> Then your barns will be filled with
44:46plenty
44:48>> and your vats will overflow with new
44:50wine.
44:52He says, "You want to be favored,
44:57be faithful."
45:00You want to be favored,
45:02be faithful. Then you will overflow.
45:08Faithful,
45:11favor.
45:13Faithful first,
45:16favor follows.
45:19then your barns will be filled with
45:21plenty. He's talking about pastor my
45:23barns. Y'all don't have a farm or
45:25anything. That's not what he's referring
45:28to.
45:30What he's referring to is
45:33everything that you own,
45:36the things that you steward,
45:39the things that you you you have your
45:41hand on will be filled with plenty.
45:47I'm done, y'all. But I'm telling you
45:49this because this is one of the aspects
45:52of favor that we often times miss.
45:56Then you will find favor verse number
45:58three and four. And much success in the
46:02sight of God and humanity.
46:11So that means when God's favor is on
46:14you, there are people that's going to
46:17give you a yes and they're not even
46:19going to know why.
46:22There are people that's going to bring
46:23your name up
46:24>> and they're not even going to know why.
46:26Because the favor is on you. Tag.
46:30You're it.
46:32You're it. You're it.
46:36You're it.
46:38You're it.
46:40You're it.
46:42You're it.
46:44You're it.
46:46You're it. It's not an accident. You're
46:48it.
46:50You're it.
46:52You're it.
46:55You're it. I know you're in the back and
46:57you're not you're not trying to be in
46:58the front and all that stuff. Hey, you
47:00move. Y'all move out of the way. Move.
47:02Everybody move. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You.
47:04Yeah. Yeah. You. Yes. You. Yes. Yes.
47:07You're in.
47:10Yeah. I know. I know. I know. You're
47:11like, "Oh, this is a good word. I need
47:13to take this word for somebody." Yeah. I
47:15I I I believe I got I got a friend that
47:18this will this will bless them. And
47:19God's like, "Hey, you hey, right here on
47:22the back in uh on the computer. Hey, you
47:24in the back. On the computer. Yeah.
47:25You're serving and all that. And I see
47:27that you've been faithful, but God told
47:29me to tell you something. God told Hey,
47:32you in the back." Yep. Yeah. Right there
47:34with your hands lifted. You didn't even
47:36know I was looking. God says, "But I
47:38send your yes from eternity."
47:42>> Come here.
47:43Come here.
47:46I'm trying to move.
47:53Stand right here. He said, "I've been
47:55watching you
47:57because favor is an allincclusive
48:01yes from eternity." based on an
48:04all-incclusive yes from earth. He said,
48:06"I've been watching you. I know you you
48:09never have the microphone. You don't
48:11even want one." But he said, "I've been
48:13watching you. I've been watching you.
48:16I've been looking at you. I got you.
48:18Come here." Hey. Yeah. You. You. Yeah.
48:21Come here. You. Yeah. The one that's in
48:24the back. The one that just says, "Hey,
48:26I'm just here. Whatever you need me to
48:28do." So, I've been watching. Is that Is
48:30that my girl? Is that Selena? Come here.
48:35Don't hide. This is God speaking. Stop
48:38hiding from me.
48:43I know. I know this. Whatever. Whatever
48:45it is, pastor. Just Just cool. That my
48:48boy. That's Irvin. Come here. Come here.
48:51Come here, Irvin.
48:54Come here.
48:56Come here. Yeah. That That's my guy. I
48:59saw you.
49:01I saw you. I saw you. I saw you. I saw
49:07you. I saw you. No, no, nobody else saw,
49:10but I saw you. I saw you being faithful.
49:14I saw you having opportunities to do
49:16anything else. I saw you. I saw you. An
49:21all-incclusive yes.
49:25an all-inclusive yes
49:28on earth based on a yes, I'm sorry, from
49:31eternity based on a yes on earth.
49:35Father, in the name of Jesus,
49:38we pray
49:40for these individuals
49:42and not only them,
49:44God, I couldn't call everybody that you
49:46you've shown, but even the people in
49:49their seats,
49:51God, that the favor of God is on them.
49:55In the name of Jesus,
49:58God, we thank you for their secret
50:01yeses.
50:02>> Would you come?
50:05>> We thank you
50:06>> for their secret yeses.
50:09>> Yes, Lord.
50:10>> We thank you.
50:10>> Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.
50:12>> For their secret yeses.
50:13>> Yes, Lord.
50:14>> Where there has been opportunity to say
50:16no.
50:17>> Yes, Lord.
50:18>> There's been opportunity,
50:20>> but God, you pull them.
50:22>> Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. You Lord. Yes,
50:24Lord. And you said to them, "Had your
50:28it."
50:29>> Yes, Lord.
50:30>> That's why the warfare is strong.
50:32>> Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.
50:33>> Because you're it.
50:34>> Yes, Lord.
50:35>> That's why the warfare is intense.
50:38>> Because you're it.
50:40>> God says, "I've marked you in this
50:42season.
50:43>> I've marked you with favor.
50:46>> I've marked you with purpose.
50:48>> I've marked you.
50:50>> Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Yes,
50:52Lord. Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.
50:55Yes, Lord.
50:57>> He says you're it.
50:58>> Yes, Lord. He says you're it, Lord. Yes,
51:00Lord. Yes, Lord.
51:00>> That's why your family calls you.
51:02Because you're it.
51:03>> Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.
51:05>> That's why they call on you to pray.
51:06Because you're it.
51:07>> Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.
51:08>> That's why they call you with their
51:10issue. Because you're it.
51:11>> Yes, Lord.
51:12>> You're it. You're it. You've been
51:14chosen. You've been called for such a
51:16time as this.
51:17>> Yes, Lord.
51:19>> You're it.
51:20>> Yes, Lord.
51:22That's not a target,
51:25>> Jesus.
51:26>> That feeling that you feel is not a
51:28target from the enemy.
51:31>> That's a tag
51:33>> from God.