Author: Matthew Ball

It’s that time of year again!  It’s time to change the calendar on the refrigerator, start writing 2014 on our checks and oh, and don’t forget – time to make those New Year’s resolutions!  My wife shared a picture she found on Pinterest.  It pretty much sums up my past success with New Year’s resolutions:

I’ve made plenty of them – lose weight, be more disciplined, maintain a better prayer or study life, get out of debt, finish my book – the list goes on.  As I look back over the past, I must confess, my resolutions have not had a great success rate.  But I’m not alone.  Research shows 25% of people abandon their New Year’s resolutions after one week and the average person makes the same New Year’s resolution ten separate times without success!

I heard someone recently say they would definitely NOT fail in their resolutions because they weren’t going to make any! Well, I am actually going to make some New Year’s resolutions for 2014.  I’ve been thinking and praying a lot in the last few days about changes I want to make and things I want to accomplish in the New Year.  And I believe this year I will see greater success!

Why do I believe this year will be different?  It won’t be the result of my greater will power, determination or because I have a New Year’s resolution iPhone app.  I believe my success will come because I’ve had a fundamental change in my thinking and approach.

My New Year’s resolutions have usually been about me trying to change me.  I’ve looked within to find the determination or will power to change things that really needed changed in my life.  I’ve come to realize that if I had the power to change myself, I would have done it by now.

It was the work of the Holy Spirit that transformed my life when I was born again.  God’s Spirit made me a new creation.  How ironic that after God miraculously changed my life when I was first saved, I would now revert to relying upon my own strength to make further changes and adjustments .  I’m reminded of Paul’s question to the Galatians, “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” I don’t want to take that verse out of context, but it makes me think: God is the one who radically transformed my life through His Spirit. Do I really think I can be perfected through my own strength?  I think the only way a New Year’s resolution will be successful is if we allow His power to change us!

I admit – I’m weak.  I don’t have a lot of will power.  I have good intentions, but seem to lack follow-through.  So this year, rather than looking inward, I’m going to look upward.  I’m going to surrender myself to Him, as clay in the hands of the potter, and ask Him to mold and shape me.  I’m going to pray and seek His strength and power to make the needed changes in my life for 2014.

– Pastor Ball

2 Cor 12:9 – “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness…”

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“Believe and Receive.”  “Heirs of Everything.”  “The Anointing to Prosper.”  “Explosive Blessings Are Coming Your Way.”

These are just a few recent sermon titles by prominent U.S. Christian pastors.  And the list of similar sounding titles goes on and on. And on.

While I believe that God wants us all to prosper and be blessed, I think we all know the underlying message of many of these sermons: if we are living in God’s favor, we should own extravagant homes, drive fancy cars, enjoy a fat bank account, and delight in a lifestyle made complete by Rolex, Louis Vuitton, Bentley, and Armani.    I’ve even heard it said and frequently implied that if you don’t have these “blessings” you’re not walking in favor and must be lacking in faith.

Last night was the premier of “Preachers of L.A.” I didn’t see the show (nor do I intend to watch it) but I did see some preview clips.  The message seemed clear: Christian success is equated with having an abundance of material things – the same things that unbelievers equate with success.  I was flabbergasted to hear one of the preachers say, “P. Diddy…Jay Z – they’re not the only ones who should be driving Ferrari’s and living in large houses.”

I know God blesses people financially – especially those who are good stewards and honor God with their finances.  I’m not opposed to Christians having nice homes, great jobs and new cars – I’m thankful for my own nice home and new car.  What I am saying is many people misunderstand what it means to be “favored” of God.

The angel said to Mary in Luke 1:28, “thou that art highly favored.”  Wow!  She wasn’t just favored, but “highly favored!”  What was the result of Mary being “highly favored?” Her entire life was turned upside down.  She was thrust into a season of hardship and pain.  She was misunderstood and ridiculed.  Her fiance wanted to “put her away privately” because it appeared she was pregnant out of wedlock.  When it came time to give birth, she was alone.  There was no fancy hotel available – not even a room with a bed.  She gave birth in a stable.  Her only companions were Joseph and the stable animals.  She and Joseph were so poor, they didn’t even have clothes for the child.

Later, when she took baby Jesus to the temple, she was met by a prophet.  Simeon took Jesus into his arms and proclaimed that the child was the Christ, who had come to bring salvation.  Then he looked at this young girl who was “favored” by God and declared, “Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Mary, you are walking in divine blessing.  You are “highly” favored of God.  Oh, by the way, a sword is going to pierce through your soul.  Your son will die as a young man.  You will watch Him suffer torture and death.  All this because you are walking in divine “favor.”

Favor is not about cars and houses and a big bank account.  Favor is not about God spending on us.  It’s about God spending us.  Mary was highly favored because she was a conduit of God’s purpose and plan.  She was blessed because she was used by God to bring the Savior into the world.

The disciples walked in divine favor.  John the Baptist was so “favored” that Jesus said there’s never been a greater man in human history.  They were all favored, yet they all suffered persecution and hardship.  They were ofttimes destitute.  They all died without the things our American society equates with success.  But they died rich! – Rich because God spent them.  Rich because they were channels of God’s glory.

The unfortunate consequence of espousing an erroneous concept of “favor” is that many people, when going through trials, tests or a season of scarcity, buy into the lie that they are not “blessed” or favored of God.  Sometimes being used of God leads to seasons of sacrifice.  You can’t always equate your lack of material possessions with a lack of God’s favor.

A further distortion of “divine favor” is thinking that when God does bless us with financial blessings it is for us to live in self-indulgent luxury.  In James, God pronounced judgment upon those who “hoarded wealth in the last days” and “lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence.”  Whenever God blesses us with financial resources it is not for us to lavish things upon ourselves – it is for us to use those resources to further the Gospel.  The favor is not the “things” – the favor is that God has chosen to use us.

I have traveled overseas and seen many of my Christian brothers and sisters who are living a meager lifestyle.  They have little, if any, material possessions.  But they are so favored.  They are being mightily used of God.  They are instruments in the Hands of God.  To think they are lacking in faith or God’s favor because they don’t have the material possessions of the “Preachers of LA” is ridiculous.

God’s favor is more about us being used in His purpose than it is Him blessing us with material things.

-Pastor Ball

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