Blueprint - Created by Design, Part 4: The Favor

(John 16:13) (NLT) “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.”Title of my message is: The Favor (James 4:17) (NLT) “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.”(John 14:15-17) (The Message) "If you love me, show it by doing what I've told you. I will talk to the Father, and he'll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can't take him in because it doesn't have eyes to see him, doesn't know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!" (John 14:1) (NIV) "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”How do we live in the favor of God?   1.    Give God my attention. (Psalm 139:1-3)  “You have looked deep into my heart, Lord, and you know all about me. You know when I am resting or when I am working…You notice everything I do and everywhere I go.” (Romans 8:7) (The Message)  “Focusing on yourself is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, and ends up thinking more about self than God.”(Romans 12:2)  “Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God.” (Matthew 6:6)  “Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God.  Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.” (Isaiah 26:3 NLT)  “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, whose thoughts are fixed on You!”2.      Express my affection to God.(Luke 19:37-40 (The Message)  “The whole crowd of disciples burst into enthusiastic praise over all the mighty works they had witnessed… Some Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, get your disciples under control!”  But he said, “If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise.” (Psalm 96:1, 6)  Come, let us sing to the LORD!  Let us give a joyous shout to the rock of our salvation!  Come, let us worship and bow down.  Let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”(Isaiah 29:13)  “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.” (Hosea 6:6 LB)  “I don't want your sacrifices—I want your love! I don't want your offerings—I want you to know Me!”3.     Use my abilities for God. (Colossians 3:23 TEV)  “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people.” (Romans 12:1) (The Message)  “Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.”WORSHIPWhat are you worshiping?  (2 Corinthians 5:9)  “So we make it our goal to please Him...”