The Favor Factor

My January message series was called The Favor Factor. I know it's hard to believe, but God wants to bless and favor his people.
Psalm 5:12--For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.
Divine Favor is defined as having special privileges or advantages. It superceeds natural circumstances. People will go out of their way to bless you! When you believe what the Word says about you it releases the favor of the Lord to shine in your life. Divine favor can break through any barriers set before you, and is available to every child of God.
GOD WANTS YOU TO BE BLESSED AND MAKE YOU A BLESSING TO EVERYONE YOU MEET.
When you believe and activate your faith for Divine Favor, it will go to work for you. Someone may not like you or your personality, but that doesn’t matter. Your faith in God’s ability to influence them and His favor over you is supernatural! God wants to favor us in ministry, in finances, and in relationships.

Psalm 84:11--For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly.

God doesn't withhold His blessings and favor from us, but there are things that can be done to block the favor or God from flowing in our lives. Think of Divine Favor like you would a garden hose connected to a facet, with water flowing freely out the end of the hose. As long as there are no kinks in the hose the water will flow freely, but if the hose gets kinked on something the water flow will slow down to a trickle, or totally stop. Now to mention a few things that will put a kink in your favor factor hose....
1. Don't keep your word.
2. Be rude & pushy.
3. Have a negative attitude or critical spirit.
4. Curse yourself by speaking death over your life & circumstances.
5. Not being a good employee---you represent Christ at your job.
6. Complaining about your church or church leaders, bring involved in gossip.
7. Withholding tithe and offerings from God or failing to keep your commitments.
8. Taking people for granted.

PLEASE POST YOUR EXAMPLES OF HOW THE FAVOR FACTOR IS WORKING IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE, MINISTRY, ETC....

This entire message series is available in video at www.thehavenchurch.com or in audio on the mainpage of this blog.

Conscious Craziness

Sunday night on the way home from church I ran over a "live" opossum. Funny thing is, I never felt one ounce of remorse for the little creature. I've ran over squirrels, birds, dogs, cats and felt horrible, but when I ran over the opossum I felt fine, almost as if I had done the world a favor by elminating another one of these terrible creatures. There have been times in my driving career when I've nearly crashed trying to avoid hitting one of those precious little creature such as a squirrel, but laughed when I ran over the opossum.

Is not a opossum one of God's precious little creatures like a rabbit or anything else we would consider cute? Why would I feel remorse over hitting a little bird, but none when I kill a opossum? Am I a terrible person?