Here's Pastor Alan Wright with today's blessing, a biblical faith-filled vision for your life. Open up your heart to receive today's blessing rooted in Philippians 4.
Sometimes we must grieve.
Sometimes we must cry.
Sometimes we must lament.
Sometimes. But there is and always an assignment for every day. A gift for every moment. Rejoice in the Lord always again. I say rejoice.
So I bless you to enjoy the always-ness of joy. May you rejoice, have joy again and again and again. May you find deep cause in Christ for rejoicing in His grace, no matter today's hurdles. You're made. for rejoicing.
And that's the gospel. Pastor, author, and Bible teacher Alan Wright. He makes a people for himself. Eventually, they're called Israel. And what God does for this special people is he shows them preferential treatment.
and favor. He gives them revelation that other people don't have. You know, some scholars think the reason that Israel, that tiny nation, survived so much amongst all the ancient empires that were constantly ransacking them and amidst warfare was they're the only ones that had an idea to wash their hands. We didn't discover germ theory until a couple hundred years ago. And they're out there washing their hands and people made fun of them and they weren't getting diseases that other people were given.
They were given laws to quarantine sick people and to not touch dead bodies and nobody even understood why back in the ancient time. That's Pastor Alan Wright. Welcome to another message of good news that will help you see your life in a whole new light. I'm Daniel Britt. Excited for you to hear the teaching today in the series Nehemiah, Dreamer, Builder, Warrior, as presented at Renolda Church in North Carolina.
If you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire program, I want to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now. For a limited time, this can be yours for your donation to Allen Wright Ministries. As you listen to today's message, go deeper as we send you today's special offer. Contact us at pastorallen.org. That's pastorallen.org.
Or call 877-544-4860. Again, by phone, 877-544-4860. More on this later in the program, but now let's get started with today's teaching. Here. is Pastor Alan Wright.
Justice means that good is rewarded and evil is punished. And we want that.
So we'll watch a movie that's nothing about anything other than that. I mean, It's just that. Go kill all the people. because they did a bad thing. Yeah, but he was an assassin.
Yeah, but that's not as bad as killing a dog.
So. And so why Do we feel this way? It's because there is an invisible Law of right and wrong woven into the fabric. of this world. C.S.
Lewis, in his classic masterpiece of logic about the truth of Christianity, C.S. Lewis, a former atheist, writes, My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. Which is most people that don't believe in God say, Yeah, how could there be a God? There's so much injustice in the world. That's what people say.
But Lewis says, but how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked. unless he has some idea of a straight line. And when people say there's no real right or wrong, Lewis. wrote in Mere Christianity, he said, Well, Just steal their seat on the bus, and he says, They'll say, That's my seat.
I was there first. Or he even said, we make appeals to things like someone saying, give me a bit of your orange, I gave you a bit of mine. And so we long for this sense of justice. And thankfully, we see in the scriptures that God. is both merciful and just.
that he is both holy and righteous. and utterly loving. And so we're glad to know that. It's Because of this longing for justice, that if you really look at it. And it's ground level Most man-made religions, I'm talking about religion in the negative sense of just religious systems that are created and The thoughts of man.
Most Humanly created religious systems, in one way or another, are trying to make this fairness thing work out.
So in the Eastern ideology, there's karma. You do a bad thing and a bad thing is going to happen to you. You do a good thing and a good thing is going to happen to you. And in other religions there's a jihadist mentality of we're going to make it right by killing the people that we say are the wrong side of the thing. But the whole story of the Bible, when you might expect, since God is a God of justice, you might expect it to be about everything being fair.
What you come to in the Bible is shocking. It is almost the opposite of fairness. Have you ever thought about that? It starts with the story of God calling a man named Abram. that we don't know why he was called.
He was just chosen out. And he's old. And he has a old wife and they're way beyond childbearing years. And yet the thing they wanted most was to have a child.
So God called someone who was too old and frail to be a father. and said, I'm going to make you a father. And we don't know why him. But through that, he says, I'm going to... Make your descendants as numerous as the Skies are the stars of the sky.
And the whole idea seems so unfair. He makes a people for himself. Eventually they're called Israel. And what God does for this special people Is He shows them preferential treatment. and favor.
He gives them revelation that other people don't have. Do you know some scholars think the reason that Israel, that tiny nation, survived so much amongst all the ancient empires that were constantly ransacking them in amidst warfare was they're the only ones that had an idea to wash their hands. We didn't discover germ theory until a couple hundred years ago. And they're out there washing their hands and people made fun of them and they weren't getting diseases that other people were given. They were given laws to quarantine sick people and to not touch dead bodies and nobody even understood why back in the ancient times.
He gave them revelation about how to live life in relationships. He taught them about a rhythm of life to have a Sabbath. Everybody laughed at him about that. He gave them proverbs that gave wisdom for life. He gave them prophets that gave them hope of a future day to live by this hope.
God gave them miracles. He gave them provision. I'm just saying He formed a people, starting with Abraham, and he said, I'm going to treat you like my people, and I'm going to show you favor. And so everything within you, if you just read the Bible, go, well, this thing is not fair at all. Why them and not somebody else?
Were they so much better than other people? And you read your Bible and you go, no. In fact, They committed idolatry? They practiced even Cultic Horrible pagan rituals alongside others on the high places. They They didn't trust God.
They didn't obey God. They broke the Ten Commandments. I mean, all in all. But he just was showing them favor. And they would say, Could a mother nursing her baby Quit showing Rachem to her baby.
Of course not. I can't forget you. Because you're mine. And he said, out of this people is going to come a Savior, a Messiah.
So, not only is the story, the whole sweep of this Old Testament narrative, about something that's crazy unfair. It's about favor. That's Alan Wright. and we'll have more teaching in a moment from today's important series. Ever wonder why little children wish they didn't have to go to bed and adults look forward to it?
Ever notice how children see mealtime as an intrusion in the midst of a fun day, but adults see mealtime as the most fun part of the day? What happened on the path to adulthood that robbed us of the simple freedom and wonder on display in a child's heart? If you've ever longed to be a child again, here's good news. You can. When Jesus told his disciples that the greatest in the kingdom were the little children, he was pointing to a huge spiritual truth.
The abundant life is on display in the simple faith of little children. When you make your generous gift this month, we'll send you Alan Wright's timeless book, A Childlike Heart, as our way of saying thanks for your partnership. Call or visit us online today to make your gift and get your copy of A Childlike Heart. The freedom and wonder of childhood awaits you. And we are in our final days of offering this special product.
This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you give today, we will send you today's special offer. Call us at 877-544-4860. That's eight seven seven five four four forty eight sixty. Or come to our website, pastorallen.org.
Today's teaching now continues. Here once again. is Alan Wright. But within that big story, All, it seems like all the individual stories are also scandalously unfair.
So Abraham has This promise that you're going to be a father, and yet. The promise doesn't come, and so they bring in the maidservant Hagar as a surrogate mother. And Abraham fathers a child. named Ishmael.
Well, when the child of promise, the miraculous child Isaac, is actually born to Abraham and Sarah, Isaac.
Well, Sarek detests Ishmael and says, Get rid of the slave woman's son, and they cast him out.
So the firstborn son. is cast out of the house, and the favor is given to the secondborn son. And Isaac has these twin boys, Jacob and Esau, and Esau's born first. And according to the customs of primogeniture in that culture, the firstborn son should get a double portion of the inheritance. and should enjoy a special blessing from his Father.
and status in the family and society. But because of a deceptive conspiracy between Rebekah, who favored the younger Jacob. They, Jacob, deceived his aged father. and pretended to be his brother and stole Esau's blessing. It's so unfair.
And the favor came down upon Jacob. And you would think, well, just undo that, or surely the Lord in His Word would condemn that whole thing, you know? But It's so odd. Because He doesn't ever really... Rebuke Jacob for it, and he becomes known: the Lord is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
And later, the writer of Hebrews looks back on Esau, who was the one who had kind of cast out. And didn't get the favor on him. And the writer of Hebrews says, Don't be like Esau. who became insanely jealous and bitter. Yeah, why not say, don't be like Jacob?
He was the deceiver. And Jacob then has all these boys. And it's a messy house. He's got two wives. He's got these two maid servants and babies everywhere.
And Finally, his beloved Rachel, that he'd fallen in love, loved at first sight. I think he'd almost made an idol out of her, you know. She had a son named Joseph, so he loved Joseph. And he made him a special Coat. And Joseph wore it around, and of course his brothers hated him for it.
That's why they sold him into slavery. Joseph. After all this great story and reunion with his family thing. He has these boys, Ephraim and Manasseh. and takes them to his their grandfather, Jacob, who's now called Israel, To bless.
And Jacob Crosses his hands and puts the right hand on the younger son's head, who doesn't deserve the blood. Do you see what I'm saying? I could go on and on and on, the meta-narrative, the big story, and the individual stories. Keep pointing to the very opposite of fairness. They keep pointing to unmerited favor.
Why? Why? Why is the Bible like this? What is this story about? Where is God going with all of this?
It's because God was showing his hand. He was revealing ahead of time the gospel. What he was saying in Abram. Was you might think that the way that I'm going to fix the world Is I'm going to just suddenly start punishing all the evil and rewarding all the good, and I'm going to make everything level out, and it's just going to be this wonderfully fair world. He said, but instead, that's not the way I'm going to do it.
Instead, I'm going to take someone, one man, and I'm going to intensify the power of my blessing, and I'm going to fortify a favored life upon him. That through him, there's going to be a blessing that gets released to anyone who's in his lineage and legacy. Here's the way I'm going to do it: I'm going to bless an individual when it looks scandalously unfair, but then anyone who's connected with that one begins to reap of the very same blessing, and that's the way I'm going to do it. I'm going to take a one people and I'm going to call them my people. And even though they rebel and even though they sin, I'm going to continue to love them with Rachem.
And I'm going to show favor to them. And I'm going to discipline them when they disobey. But even then, I'll restore them and I won't forget them because I'm going to make them a light unto the nations. And I'm going to bring forth from this people an individual who is going to be a savior. I'm going to save the world, he said, not by making things fair, but by doing the most unfair thing imaginable.
I'm going to save the world by favor. And the reason this is so important And thus the reason to frame your life by praying for favor. is there is no other way. Because As we learned when we studied Romans, all have fallen short of the glory of God and all have sinned. And if we cry out for fairness and justice, beloved, we're all sinners, and apart from Christ, we're on the wrong side of justice.
We are the ones who deserve to be punished, all of us. There's no one righteous, not one. And so God can't save us by doing the fair thing. God has to save us by doing the unfair thing and showing us favor.
So, the one sinless man who's ever lived was born. a son of a Nazarene carpenter and a humble mother. And as he began his ministry, he was baptized, and as the Holy Spirit descended upon him, a voice came from heaven and said, This is my beloved Son. in whom I'm well pleased. He has all the favor of heaven upon him.
Marachem My love. By kindness. and by assignment and his own choice. to obey the Father's will. that beloved son, Who was the firstborn of all creation and the firstborn of all who are in Christ?
The Bible says. chose to go to a cross. where instead of that favored blessing, He took our curse. And in a great exchange, he who knew no sin, became our sin. that anyone who trusts in him would be the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ.
And God Through this exchange and this miracle, takes the Christian, therefore. and engrafts them into the Holy One of Israel. The true Israelite Jesus. the fulfillment of all the promise that was foreshadowed through the chosen people. And we, when we're in Christ, by a mystery, become chosen in him.
And blessed in him with every spiritual blessing, and thus by the mercies and the rachem of God. We, beloved, have become the favored of the Lord. Yeah, we didn't deserve it. and we could have never bought it or earned it. And we could have never made it happen.
But this is who we are as Christians. We are the Nehemiahs. who have access to the king. direct access to the king. And God has told us when you come into that throne room of His grace.
to come in boldly. and ask big. and ask for favor. It's not an entitlement. Doesn't mean that you're guaranteed to have success in every little thing you do.
But beloved, our life is not a life Of entitlement and earning by works righteousness, our life is a life lived in the favor of God. That's why we can ask them and expect. The favor. of the High King. And that's the gospel.
Pastor Alan Wright in our good news message, praying for favor in the series, Nehemiah. Stay with us. Pastor Alan is back joining me in the studio, sharing his parting good news thought for the day in just a moment. Unlock the power of blessing your life. Discover God's grace-filled vision for your life by signing up for Alan Wright's free daily blessing.
If you want to fill your heart with grace and encouragement, get Alan Wright's daily blessing. It's free, and just to click away at pastoralen.org. Ever wish you could be a child again? Ever long for the simpler days when your biggest financial worry was counting the money in the shoebox of the lemonade stand? Ever long for the more carefree times when you wish the long summer days would never end?
If you've ever longed to be like a child again, author Alan Wright has some good news. You can. Because Jesus commanded us to become like little children in order to enter the kingdom, it must be possible. When you make a gift this month, we'll send you a copy of the first book Alan Wright authored. It's called A Childlike Heart, and it will lead you once again into the freedom and wonder of childhood.
If you long for fresh, childlike faith, Alan's book will help you find adventure and joy in your grown-up walk. And remember, when you make a gift, you're broadcasting the love of God to thousands of people every day.
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Call us at eight seven seven five four four forty eight sixty. That's eight seven seven five four four forty eight sixty. Or come to our website, pastorallen.org. Back here now with Pastor Alan in the studio. Praying for favor is the teaching.
And I think I do a pretty good job of that. What about you, Pastor Alan? I pray for favor a lot. Lord, help me. Give me your blessing on this.
I think sometimes it's one thing to ask the Lord, it's another to be. in a sense, expectant of it. I have friends who You know, you'll say, How are you doing? And they'll say, I'm blessed and I'm highly favored.
Well, that is a truth statement. And it's maybe best to state that over your life when you least feel it, but it feels like doors are not opening. Because it is true of the Christian's life, the position that we're in. Is we are recipients of the favor of God. It's like saying we're recipients.
Of the grace of God.
So the notion of favor is intimately related to essentially the idea of grace. That it is God doing for you not what you deserved. But what he wants to do because of his affection, because of his good intentions to use you in your life. And so, favors not this sense of kind of entitlement or like we're just somehow more special than other people. Instead, it is something that.
Fills us with gratitude and expectancy of the good things of God. It was a bold request that Nehemiah made of the king. It was risky. but he asked for favor and God showed it to him.
So this is something that we can pray and ask for, and there's an expectancy that comes with that, I suppose, right? I think every other religion, as we're saying today in this message, it In some way, every other ideology is built on. Things Being fair, like you, you did more good works than someone else, so you get to. have a reward in paradise, you know. But not so the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We're not out trying to make things fair. We are reveling in the unfairness of a perfect God who died for a wretched humanity. and the odd unfairness of it all. is what makes the Gospel so beautiful. Everything comes by Favor.
So, whatever you're facing today, whatever situation and and and At a moment like this, there are countless people that are listening that you've got some big moments in front of you. Dare to be Nehemiah and ask God for favor. based on the merits of Christ and Christ alone. This is the position you have with God. It doesn't make you selfish.
It makes you faithful. Ask for the favor of God. Thanks for listening today. Visit us online at pastorallen.org or call 877-544-4860. That's 877-544-4860.
If you only caught part of today's teaching, not only can you listen again online, but also get a daily email devotional that matches today's teaching delivered right to your email inbox. Free. Find out more about these and other resources at pastorallen.org. That's pastoralan.org. Today's good news message is a listener-supported production of Alan Wright Ministries.
