God's Favor is Greater
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5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.
There’s some good news and some bad news. Many people like to hear the bad news first . . . so let’s start there
God can get angry. God can be big mad.
We need to be reminded of this from time to time. As we talk about God‘s love, grace, mercy, kindness, and patience . . . We must not forget to discuss that God can also get angry.
There are examples in the Old and New Testament
The rainbow is a reminder that God can get angry. The Bible teaches that God put it their as a self reminder of his promise not to destroy the world by flood again, because of its wickedness
in other words, God gets so angry sometimes, he is like, “rainbow, rainbow, rainbow”
To me one of the scariest passages in the Old Testament, is when the people of Israel thought Moses was taking to long, while talking to God on the mountain. So they decided to make and serve an idol god, and made a golden calf to worship. Saying, “this golden calf is the god that freed us from Egypt”
10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
every been so angry that you said, “just leave me alone?”
but Moses interceded for them, and God did not destroy them
In the new testament, even Jesus got angry at how the people were treating the temple, and he grabbed whips and beat people out of the temple.
also in the New Testament, in the book of Revelation, we read about bowls of God’s wrath being poured out on the earth
And I am not comfortable, nor at ease around angry wife, or angry children, or angry church members, or certainly not angry coworkers in these days and times . . . . but I am certainly not comfortable being around and angry God.
10th chapter of Hebrews says, “its a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of a living God.”
because when El-Shaddai, the all mighty God is angry with you . . . there’s no one you can turn to for help
God can get angry, God can be big mad.
Now one reason we forget that fact that God can get angry, is that God is slow to get angry
that’s even how God describes himself
and In the Bible you can see a pattern of where you have really mess up big time, and/or continually mess up for a long time before God gets to that anger flash point
we should remember that just because it takes God a while for God to get angry, does not mean God will not get there.
What type of things make God angry?
in the Bible we see things like continued disobedience, rebellion, wickedness, violence against the innocent, ill-treatment of the helpless
Also, we often forget that a lack of faith makes God angry . . . a lack of faith cost the children of Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness
In verse 6 of this Psalm, David describes how his pride made God angry.
prosperity gave him the big head, “I will never be moved”
I’m strong, I’m powerful, nothing can stop me, I am the man!
God was probably thinking, you were a forgotten shepherd boy, from a small forgotten town, I am the power behind your throne
and David describes how God “hid his face” . . . in other words “God took away his protection”
since you are the man, be the man! . . . and David almost died
God can be angry. God can be big mad
and as we let that reality soak in, I ask that you think about you . . . and not your spouse, or your ex, or that relative, or so called friend, or politician, or notorious criminal
Though they may have made God angry. This sermon is for you. This sermon is for me
Think about your disobedience, rebellion, wickedness, your mean treatment of some people, your unkind words, your lack of faith, your pride
and the possibility that God has been angry, is angry, or getting angry with you
some things we go through, and you don’t know why . . . but other things . . . you know why, you know!
throw in reap what you sow
that’s the bad news, the scary news, that’s the reality check . . . but there is good news
God can get angry. God can be big mad . . . But God’s favor is greater
because the scripture says . . . .
His favor is for a life time
anger - last a moment, favor - last a lifetime
God anger may not feel like a moment, but when you step back and look at the big picture, God’s favor (loving kindness, tender mercies, patience, blessings), far outweigh his discipline
anyone who loves their children, understands
your kids can make you so mad, so angry . . . “I’ve just about had it with you!”
“I’m not putting up with this anymore!”
“you’re trying to make me go off!”
and you punish them, discipline them
yet you still say . . . “come and eat your dinner”
“look on on the night stand, and you will see that folder you need for school”
“let me make sure that you are dressed warm enough”
that same weekend, you are out buying them new shoes because the old one have worn out
you were truly angry, but that’s your child, and your favor is greater than your anger
even when a parent grounds a child, they are still being good to that child
I will take away your phone for a week, but . . .
you will still get 3 meals and snacks
shelter, a bed, electricity
water, and transportation . . . and eventually get your phone back, and sometimes you let them have it back earlier than you first said
they can disappoint you, hurt you, sadden you, anger you . . . but that’s your child, and since you love them so, they get favor for a lifetime . . . and your heavenly Father feels the same about you, and that’s why God’s favor is greater
whatever discipline you must endure, whatever repercussions you must face, whatever punishment you must deal with . . . God’s favor is greater you have to go through
So we need to take this awesome news, and respond the proper way when God disciplines us
let’s talk about the wrong way, some have a
bad attitude
your attitude doesn’t fit the situation
parent plainly says don’t play in the street, kid plays in the street and gets caught, parent says you can’t go outside for the rest of the week . . . kid responds, “they make me sick”
won’t even admit that they were in the wrong
bad attitude!
instead of being thankful that the parent is trying to save your life, the child has the nerve to respond in anger because they think the parent is trying to take away their fun,
or even if they admit that they were wrong, they feel they should be able to move on without consequences, just another verbal warning
so when they see the consequences of their actions . . . it results in muttering under their breath, slamming doors, rolling of eyes, things that strain the relationship with their parent . . . now maybe get a whooping too
and some of you don’t like God’s system (not fair, too restricting, too narrow) . . . so you rebel, or you quit walking by faith, . . . or like David, pride has grown in your heart
and when the consequences come, you have the nerve to be angry, will have the nerve to say about some obvious things, “why is this happening to me?”
and so you do the equivalent of muttering under breath, slamming doors, and rolling yes
you won’t praise, won’t praise, won’t read your bible, won’t come to church . . . you distance yourself from God, straining the relationship . . . bad attitude
children need to understand that discipline is a form of love
God’s children need to understand that discipline is a form of love
and the bible teaches that the Lord disciplines those he loves
and the Bible goes on to say that it is a sign that you are God’s child
if you are acting up, and are just getting by with it, you don’t have a heavenly Father . . . discipline is a sign that you are saved
so don’t have a bad attitude
if you go back and read Psalm 30, you will see that David didn’t get a bad attitude, but instead drew closer to the Lord when he suffered consequences
the Bible says He called on the Lord, made supplication, that’s asking for help, admitting that he was wrong and needed the Lord
God’s favor is greater, so don’t let consequences cause you to have a bad attitude
then others have a . . .
sad attitude
they don’t understand that once you’ve been corrected, now you can move on with your life because God’s favor is for a lifetime
so instead of moving on, they just dwelling on the discipline, dwelling in the guilt, staying sad
I should of, could of, would of
this is what I get, this is what I deserve, it won’t get any better, it is what it is
yes, you deserved some consequences, but IT WILL GET BETTER! . . . because the anger of God is just for a moment, God’s favor is for a lifetime! God’s favor is greater
this scripture encourages us to not dwell on past mistakes, but to move on, and move on with Joy! David did! He wrote . . .
weeping endured for a night, but joy, shouts of joy in the morning
I had to go through some things but I’m forgiven, I am restored, I am renewed, I am revived, I am healed, favor is still all over me! . . . . God’s favor is greater
weeping time won’t last always, it only last for the night . . . . morning has come, morning will come, and in the morning time there will be shouts of joy
it’s time to stop being sad of admitted mistakes: as a youth, as a young adult, as an adult, as a parent . . . let it go and rejoice, God’s moment of anger is over, and his favor continues
so don’t have a bad attitude or a sad attitude, have a glad attitude!
because God more than forgives, he restores
11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,
in other words, I did wrong, you allowed me to suffer, but you also turned it all around
I was crying but now I’m dancing
I went around looking sorry and sad, but now I look strong and glad
because your Favor is greater
God is so awesome that he can turn your mess into a success
he can turn your mistake into a miracle
weakness into a witness
tears into a testimony
God changed Paul from a persecutor of the church, to an apostle of the church
from a problem of the church, to now his words are still helping CHristians today
he said, I forget what’s behind, and press forward
he also said, “there’s a crown of righteousness that awaits me”
so don’t have bad attitude, get rid of that sad attitude . . . if you have accepted Jesus Christ, you have favor all over you, around you, above you, below you, in front of you, behind you
that’s that goodness and mercy following you all the days of your life!
that’s that all things work together for good
your faith should be increased, when you pray
that’s why the bible says we can come boldly before the throne of grace
we can expect help in the time of need . . . because God’s favor is greater
so don’t be mad, don’t be sad, be glad, because God’s favor is greater
is every suffering because of sin? NO
so if God will turn it around when you mess up, you know he’ll turn it around when you are going through something tough through no fault of your own
Salvation
God does not force his favor on you
he gave his son, but does not make you accept him
announcements
We have Bible Study this Wednesday on Zoom! There will be another guest teacher!
Next Sunday, November 21
we will worship and fellowship with the Greater St. James Baptist Church. We will meet at WMBC at 10:30am, conduct some brief church business, and then head over to our sister church. They will feed us afterwards!
Also, next Sunday is our Benevolence Sunday. We will once again give to Beautiful Feet Ministries, a ministry for the homeless and downtrodden.
Want to add something different to your Thanksgiving meal? Two recipes are available on the foyer table. On one side you will see a recipe from Pastor Caver, and on the other side, you will see one from Sis. Jones. If you have a recipe you would like to share with your church family, please email or text it to Pastor Caver.