Topic: Divine Favor III [Open Heavens 4 Sunday February 2018]
Memorise: “The king's favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.” – Proverbs 14:35
Read: Genesis 39:1-6 (KJV)
1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.
6 And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.
Bible in One Year: Exodus 26-27, Romans 9:1-18
MESSAGE
Do you know that you can attract divine favour through your attitude to work? When we diligently carry out our duties, whether secular or spiritual, as unto the Almighty God, we are bound to be divinely favoured. It is the will of God that every employee does the right thing to justify the wages he or she earns. This was the reason why the Holy Spirit moved Paul to instruct us to be diligent in our service to our employers, be they private or government institutions (Ephesians 6:5-7). We all need divine favour, not only to succeed but to succeed without stress. What can we do to attract divine favour in our chosen careers? The answer is diligence and faithfulness to the terms of our agreement with our employers. There was nothing extraordinary in what Joseph did in Potiphar’s house; the only difference between him and other slaves was the divine favour operating in his life through diligence. No wonder the wisdom of God in Proverbs 22:29 says,
“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.”
The first time I travelled overseas, it was to Canada for a conference of applied mathematicians. I knew no one there, and neither did I know what kind of food I would be eating over there. All my wife could do at home was to pray that God would take care of me. Meanwhile, someone in Canada went to see the list of mathematicians coming to their university for the conference. As he was looking through the names, he saw my name, Enoch Adeboye, and he mused to himself that he never could tell if the owner of the name was French or not. He therefore decided to locate the room where I was staying, and resolved within himself that when he got there, he would speak Yoruba and that if I responded, he would know that I am Nigerian. On getting to my door, he knocked and I asked “Who is that?” His response was “Emi ni”, meaning “It’s me.” I therefore responded in Yoruba language that he should come in. Long story short, before the end of that day, I was eating pounded yam in Canada. My wife, who had been worried about the type of meals I would be eating, knew it was nothing but divine favour that granted me access to pounded yam in Canada. You need to understand that divine favour can come in any way or form. The danger is that, more often than not, most people take some forms of divine intervention for granted especially when such intervention does not affect them the way they expect. One more lesson we should learn here is that there is nothing too small or too big to pray about, especially when it requires divine favour. May the Lord show you divine favour today in Jesus’ Name.
Action Point: Father, I need Your divine favour in my vocation, business and home in Jesus’ Name.
Hymn 11: O God, Our Help In Ages Past
1. O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
2. Under the shadow of Thy throne,
Still may we dwell secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defence is sure
3. Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same
4. A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone,
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
5. Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away:
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.
6. O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while life shall last,
And our eternal home.
Open Heavens 4 February 2018, Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries. If you missed yesterday’s devotional click to read Open heavens 3 February 2018.
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