How to Receive Favor?

^{Genesis 4:3} When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. ⁴ Abel also brought a gift—the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, ⁵ but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.
⁶ “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? ⁷ You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

Every human being is given the potential and privilege to offer (give). What makes the offering accepted or rejected is the thin line - attitude, the conditon of the heart. What matter is not "what you give" but "why you give", not "what you do" but "why you do". Because it reflects the kind of relationship we have with the Lord.

 God has no favorites...but He looked favorably to those who give their best.

1. When it was time... Ever since we are conceived in our mother's womb we received the gift of time. Our productivity depend on it. How we use it will determine our fruitfulness.

2. Cain presented some of his crops... Cain gave his some and not his best that's why his offering did not received favor from God. He offered the "spare" from his produce. Anything less than the best or left overs are unacceptable to God.

3. Abel brought a gift - the best of the first born... Abel offered to God the best of his first. God looks at the attitude of the giver. We can give anything yet without quality. Giving is always related to relationship. Abel knew God, he acknowledged Him as the Excellent Being who deserved nothing but the best. God Himself offered the Best of the First...no other than His one and only Son.

4. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift...what we give represents who we are and expresses what inside of us. God did not measure the gift but it is our capacity to give that is being measured. Jesus commended the widow who put coins in the collection bag, for she gave everything even what she needed to live on (Mk. 12:44). God did not offer His spare...He offered His ONLY ONE.

5. Why are you so angry...You will be accepted if you do what is right....His own pride resulted to jealousy, anger and murder. He lost his respect to God, others and even to himself. Pride is self-desctructive. It fails to see its own failure and start blaming others, or maybe seeing it but deny to admit. BUT IF OUR CONDUCT AND ATTITUDE ARE RIGHT, WE WILL BE ACCEPTABLE. WE WILL AUTOMATICALLY RECEIVE GOD'S FAVOR WITHOUT ASKING FOR IT.


 Time and opportunity are both placed on everyone...how we accept and utilize them makes the difference. Are the works of your hands acceptable? Do they reflect how much you love God? Apostle Paul give emphasis on the attitude of gratitude in 1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." In this way everything we offer unto God become acceptable. And His joy shall be our strength (and happiness).