RR Favor and Calling By David Harwood
Shabbat Shalom,
Barnabus and Saul were sent to the nations by the Spirit of Holiness through human agency.
Then after fasting, praying, and laying hands on them, they sent them off. So, sent out by the Ruach ha-Kodesh, they went ... (Acts 13:3–4a)
The leaders were witnesses to when the Ruach spoke.
Now in the Antioch community, there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen (brought up since childhood with Herod the Tetrarch), and Saul. While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Ruach ha-Kodesh said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:1–2)
In Acts 14 we read that the emissaries reported in to let the disciples know about the fruit of their service.
(At the completion of their first journey) they sailed back to Antioch (where they had been entrusted to the gracious care (charis/favor) of God for the work now completed). When they arrived and gathered together Messiah’s community, they began to report all that God had done in helping them and that He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. (Acts 14:26–27)
Barnabus and Saul were sent after they had “been entrusted to the gracious care (charis/favor) of God for the work” (Acts 14:26b). They accomplished their work through the enabling favor God provided. The Lord’s charis empowered their ministry, opened doors, preserved them (i.e. raising Paul from the dead), established discipling communities, and enabled these Apostles to persevere, and encourage the disciples to be faithful, in spite of persecution and resistance.
All this was done according to the smiling favor of God.
“... Entrusted to the grace (charis/favor) of God...” That language should be familiar to us. We’ve considered Paul doing the same thing for the elders of Ephesus.
Now I commit you to God and the word of His grace (charis/favor), which is strong to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who have been made holy. (Acts 20:32)
I find the correlation to be interesting. What was the type of favor to which Paul entrusted those elders? Paul most likely had in mind the same charis/favor he’d received. The Lord’s authority resided in the sending community which released this enabling grace. Similarly, Paul acted according to the authority he’d received through charis/favor.
He wrote of this favor.
But by the grace (charis/favor) of God I am what I am. His grace (charis/favor) toward me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than them all—yet not I, but the grace ((charis/favor) of God that was with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)
Please allow me, once more, to work with the language. Paul wrote:
By the favor of God I am what I am. His favor toward me was not in vain. I worked harder than all of them through God’s enabling favor that empowered me.
Paul knew God’s delight. He had found favor in Yeshua’s eyes and the Ruach of God imparted enabling favor for him to respond to, and then release, the favor on his life.
Favor is an important aspect of fulfilling one’s calling. Paul was called to lay the foundation of the person of the Messiah in the Messianic communities.
According to the favor (charis/grace) of God which was given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each consider carefully how he builds on it. For no one can lay any other foundation than what is already laid—which is Yeshua the Messiah. (1 Corinthians 3:10–11)
How did he succeed in fulfilling his ministry? He attributed the results to the favor of God.
There’s enabling favor on your life. Rely on it.
Yeshua favors you.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat31-Jan-202613th of Sh'vat, 5786 Parashat Beshalach
Ex 17:1-16Jdg 4:4-5:31Rev 19:11-21
Barnabus and Saul were sent to the nations by the Spirit of Holiness through human agency.
Then after fasting, praying, and laying hands on them, they sent them off. So, sent out by the Ruach ha-Kodesh, they went ... (Acts 13:3–4a)
The leaders were witnesses to when the Ruach spoke.
Now in the Antioch community, there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen (brought up since childhood with Herod the Tetrarch), and Saul. While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Ruach ha-Kodesh said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:1–2)
In Acts 14 we read that the emissaries reported in to let the disciples know about the fruit of their service.
(At the completion of their first journey) they sailed back to Antioch (where they had been entrusted to the gracious care (charis/favor) of God for the work now completed). When they arrived and gathered together Messiah’s community, they began to report all that God had done in helping them and that He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. (Acts 14:26–27)
Barnabus and Saul were sent after they had “been entrusted to the gracious care (charis/favor) of God for the work” (Acts 14:26b). They accomplished their work through the enabling favor God provided. The Lord’s charis empowered their ministry, opened doors, preserved them (i.e. raising Paul from the dead), established discipling communities, and enabled these Apostles to persevere, and encourage the disciples to be faithful, in spite of persecution and resistance.
All this was done according to the smiling favor of God.
“... Entrusted to the grace (charis/favor) of God...” That language should be familiar to us. We’ve considered Paul doing the same thing for the elders of Ephesus.
Now I commit you to God and the word of His grace (charis/favor), which is strong to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who have been made holy. (Acts 20:32)
I find the correlation to be interesting. What was the type of favor to which Paul entrusted those elders? Paul most likely had in mind the same charis/favor he’d received. The Lord’s authority resided in the sending community which released this enabling grace. Similarly, Paul acted according to the authority he’d received through charis/favor.
He wrote of this favor.
But by the grace (charis/favor) of God I am what I am. His grace (charis/favor) toward me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than them all—yet not I, but the grace ((charis/favor) of God that was with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)
Please allow me, once more, to work with the language. Paul wrote:
By the favor of God I am what I am. His favor toward me was not in vain. I worked harder than all of them through God’s enabling favor that empowered me.
Paul knew God’s delight. He had found favor in Yeshua’s eyes and the Ruach of God imparted enabling favor for him to respond to, and then release, the favor on his life.
Favor is an important aspect of fulfilling one’s calling. Paul was called to lay the foundation of the person of the Messiah in the Messianic communities.
According to the favor (charis/grace) of God which was given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each consider carefully how he builds on it. For no one can lay any other foundation than what is already laid—which is Yeshua the Messiah. (1 Corinthians 3:10–11)
How did he succeed in fulfilling his ministry? He attributed the results to the favor of God.
There’s enabling favor on your life. Rely on it.
Yeshua favors you.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat31-Jan-202613th of Sh'vat, 5786 Parashat Beshalach
Ex 17:1-16Jdg 4:4-5:31Rev 19:11-21
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RR Psalm 42:12(11) Part 8RR Psalm 43:1 Part 1RR In Praise of Milk By David HarwoodRR Psalm 43:2 Part 2RR Psalm 43:3 Part 3RR Psalm 43:4 Part 4RR Psalm 43:5 Part 5RR Psalm 44:1-5(1-4) Part 1RR “The Priority & Power of Relationship” by Jerry MillerRR Favor on top of Favor By David HarwoodRR Psalm 44:6-9(5-8) Part 2RR Psalm 44:10-13(9-12) Part 3RR Psalm 44:14-17(13-16) Part 4RR Psalm 44:18-22(17-21) Part 5RR The Throne By David HarwoodRR Psalm 44:23-27(22-26) Part 6RR Psalm 45:1-3(1,2) Part 1RR PPsalm 45:4(3) Part 2RR Psalm 45:5(4) Part 3RR Psalm 45:6(5) Part 4RR Psalm 45:7(6) Part 5RR “Guarding our Relationship with the Lord” by Jerry MillerRR Doubting Favor by David HarwoodRR Psalm 45:8(7) Part 6RR Psalm 45:9(8) Part 7RR Psalm 45:10(9) Part 8RR Psalm 45:11-13(10-12) Part 9RR Favor and Calling By David HarwoodRR YESHUA BEYOND THE BIBLE By Dr. Raymond Finney RR Psalm 45:11-13(10-12) Part 10
2025
May
RR Psalm 28:5 Part 5RR Psalm 28:6 Part 6RR Psalm 28:7a Part 7RR Psalm 28:7b Part 8RR Psalm 28:7c Part 9RR Psalm 28:7d Part 10RR Psalm 28:8 Part 11Rabbi’s Reflections - Saturday, May 10, 2025 by David HarwoodRR Psalm 28:9 Part 12RR Psalm 28:9 Part 13RR Psalm 28:9 Part 14RR Psalm 28:9 Part 15RR Psalm 29:1 Part 1RR Psalm 29:2 Part 2Favor From a Fooled Philistine By David HarwoodRR Psalm 29:3 Part 3RR Psalm 29:4 Part 4RR Psalm 29:5 Part 5RR Psalm 29:6 Part 6RR Psalm 29:7 Part 7RR Psalm 29:7 Part 7Favor/Grace in 2 Samuel and 1 Kings By David HarwoodRR Psalm 29:8 Part 8RR Psalm 29:10 Part 10RR Psalm 29:9 Part 9RR Psalm 29:11 Paert 11RR Psalm 30:1,2 Part 1RR Psalms 30:3 Part 2RR Psalm 30:4 Part 3Favor (Chen/Charis) in the Psalms By David HarwoodRR Psalm 30:5 Part 4
June
RR Psalm 30:6 Part 5RR Psalm 30:7 Part 6RR Psalm 30:8 Part 7RR Favor (Chen/Charis) in Proverbs By David HarwoodRR - Psalm 30:9-11 Part 8RR Psalm 30:12,13 Part 9RR Psalm 31:1,2 Part 1RR Psalm 31:3 Part 2RR Psalm 31:4 Part 3RR Psalm 31:5 Part 4RR Psalm 31:6 Part 5RR Psalm 31:7 Part 6RR Kohelet By David HarwoodRR “Taking Our Thoughts Captive – Part 2” By Jerry MillerRR Psalm 31:8 Part 7RR Psalm 31:8 Part 8RR Psalm 31:9 Part 9RR - Psalm 31:10 Part 10RR Psalm 31:11 Part 11Zechariah and Favor By David HarwoodRR - Psalm 31:12-14 Part 12RR Shalom SpecialRR Psalm 31:15 Part 13RR Psalm 31:16,17 Part 14RR Psalm 31:18 Part 15RR Psalm 31:19,20 Part 16RR Adonai-Tzva’ot and End-Time Favor By David HarwoodRR Psalm 31:21 Part 17RR Psalm 31:22 Part 18RR Psalm 31:23 Part 19