Week 1, Day 1

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney, based on his book
Finding Favor with the King

Run to Daddy

  Some forms of worship only release their sweetest fragrance to God when offered from the fires of trial and adversity.
Finding Favor with the King, p. 25  

It is taught by some in the modern church that believers can expect an easy road in life if they will only have faith. It is good—even absolutely necessary—for true believers to believe and have faith in God. But the Christ of the Bible has never said “Life should be a breeze!”

Christians— good Christians —sometimes go bankrupt. Christians get cancer. Christians lose their jobs. Trials and adversity are real, even for believers—perhaps especially for believers. They touch every one of us and they hurt (and they usually have nothing to do with our faith level).

So how do you handle adversity in your life? Do you gripe and complain, saying, “Oh, woe is me!” Do you challenge or question God? “Why are You letting this happen to me?” Or have you learned to view trials as an opportunity to grow and to draw closer to your heavenly Father?

Children who get a cut or a scrape run to Mommy or Daddy for comfort—somehow their comforting and reassuring kisses make life better. The pain offers yet another opportunity to exchange love and deepen the bonds of unconditional love between children and parents.

In the same way, trials and hard times should propel us into our Father's arms. Rather than run from Him, we must run to Him and find comfort, strength and direction in His presence. Our faith is in Him, in His abiding love, and in His Word; not in the false expectation that all trouble and adversity will leave our lives.

Jesus said, “A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you…” He also gave us this great promise: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” You are on assignment in enemy territory, and trials and adversity are part of living in a fallen world. As God walks through the hard times with you, the problems serve as purifying fires burning away your impurities and strengthening you for service— if you embrace the process of growth. Your trials tend to either make you or break you—it all depends on your response.

Paul and Silas were thrown into the Philippian prison, with their feet in stocks and their backs bruised and bleeding from wrongful beatings. They could have moaned and groaned, but at the midnight hour they were too busy “praying and singing hymns to God”! They transformed their pain into praise and their stripes into songs of joy. The jubilant worship birthed in the midst of fierce tribulation became a sweet fragrance in the nostrils of God. The presence of the Father arrived with such force that it shook the earth and brought deliverance to His worshipers. The sweet fragrance of their worship even affected the lives of the jailer and his family and changed their lives forever.

Athletes know that in order to grow stronger their muscles must be stressed and stretched in exercise so even stronger tissue will generate. This principle of “no pain, no gain” even applies to the Christian life. We cannot grow without pain and resistance.

God uses the trials and hardships of life to draw us closer to Him and to develop greater maturity in us so we can go on to greater things. Willing worship in times of tribulation becomes the sweet fragrance that brings God near.

It's easy to praise God when things go well. Have you learned to worship Him in hard times as well? Your trials and adversity are fresh opportunities to praise and worship God—and to experience new growth. When life hurts, don't run away— run to Daddy!

Week 1, Day 2

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney, based on his book
Finding Favor with the King

Be Prepared

      Protocol of the Palace #1
Never underestimate the potential of one encounter.
Finding Favor with the King, p. 26  

This Ethiopian's encounter with Philip lasted a matter of hours; perhaps only a matter of minutes. Yet that one encounter changed his destiny because in that encounter he met Jesus Christ. It is possible that that single divine appointment profoundly influenced the spiritual destiny of his people. Ethiopia has a Christian tradition that stretches back almost 2000 years, and many scholars believe it all began with this one encounter with Philip the Evangelist.

First impressions are lasting impressions . You only have one chance to make a good first impression, so prepare yourself.

No one in their right mind tries to “wing it” without preparation when going to a job interview, a first date, or when making presentations at work or in school. No, we try to prepare in advance. We do our best to put every detail and element in place for maximum impact.

Nobody likes to be embarrassed or humiliated, so we try to be at our best for significant events in our lives. If you were invited to meet the King or Queen of another nation, would you just walk in to meet royalty totally unprepared?

The Bible tells us Esther prepared herself intensively for an entire year for her one encounter with the king. She faced certain disaster otherwise. Even one slip-up or accidental error in protocol could have cost Esther her life. She would have missed her destiny and her people would have perished.

Esther had no idea about the divine appointment that lay ahead for her. Nevertheless, she diligently prepared herself; because she had heard the rumors. Never underestimate the potential of one encounter with the king.

The protocols of royalty seem totally foreign to those who live in democratic societies. Yet the protocols for meeting modern heads of state are similar in many ways. In the summer of 2005, a national champion women's lacrosse team was offered the honor to meet President Bush in the White House and have their picture taken with him. A minor controversy arose when four of college women wore “flip-flops” to the meeting. A number of observers suggested to the national media that flip-flops were inappropriate footwear when meeting formally with the President of the United States .

Regardless of your opinion about the “flip-flop flap,” we know that certain protocols do apply when meeting people in authority—particularly heads of state.

Why are preparation and protocol so important? You should n ever underestimate the potential of one encounter.

The Ethiopian official on his way home from Jerusalem had no idea that one encounter would soon change his life. Even so, he was still prepared for it. First, he had worshiped God in Jerusalem . Second, he had faithfully read and studied the Scriptures—in this case, he was trying to understand Isaiah's prophetic portrait of the Messiah who would come. God was attracted by his worship and honest hunger for truth, and He sent Philip to explain the gospel to him.

Life is full of strategic encounters and divine appointments . Too many of us miss our moment because we aren't looking for Him in every opportunity, or we fail to prepare.

Don't miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by being too lazy or too shortsighted to prepare? Even one encounter with the right person may change your life! On the other hand, you never know when you will become the “Philip” God sends to change the life of another in one divine encounter!

Never underestimate the potential of one encounter! Don't take the events and “coincidences” of life for granted. Prepare for your tomorrow by immersing yourself today in the fragrant perfume of worship, in prayer and careful attention to God's Word. Be prepared for every strategic encounter and divine appointment that God brings into your life. Be prepared!

Week 1, Day 3

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney, based on his book
Finding Favor with the King

What Do You Want?

Whatever impresses you attracts you. Whatever you pursue becomes your purpose.
Finding Favor with the King, p. 28

He who dies with the most toys— still dies .

What do you want out of life? What attracts you, and drives you to get up and get going every day?

Are you living for your family, for fame, money, or a bigger house? Or are you living for the honor and glory of the King of kings?

Egypt's “Great Pyramid of Giza” is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It's immense mass and precision of construction still impresses us today. An early Pharoah of Egypt built the Great Pyramid over 4500 years ago as his personal tomb, and it remained the tallest man-made structure in the world until the 19 th century.

The pharaohs had vast stores of gold, jewels and other priceless treasures buried with them to provide for their needs in the afterlife.

The Great Pyramid was supposedly the greatest of all of the Egyptian tombs, so when Western explorers painstakingly unearth the tomb centuries later, they expected to find a “king's ransom” of wealth. They actually found nothing . Even the mummy case containing the embalmed body of Pharoah Khufu was gone. Unknown grave robbers had long since stripped the burial chamber bare of gold, jewels, and precious treasures.

Even mighty Pharaoh couldn't take his wealth with him! Anonymous thieves stripped his grave of everything, leaving only an empty and outwardly impressive tomb for a dead king whose body had long since turned to dust.

Most people spend their lives chasing things that do not last. They waste their most productive years pursuing wealth, pleasure and fame—only to reach the end of their lives with nothing to show for it all.

What good are riches, possessions or fame if you have nothing waiting in the hereafter ? It has been said that “you will never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul.” The writer of Ecclesiastes said, “ As he came from his mother's womb, naked shall he return, To go as he came; And he shall take nothing from his labor Which h e may carry away in his hand.” Jesus said, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Most people have it backwards. They pursue things and possessions thinking they are building security for themselves and their families. Jesus described a man who built bigger barns to hold all his grain so he could relax in luxury. But when God required his soul, he was not ready.

We find true security in seeking the kingdom of God. Seek the things of the Spirit and everything else will be supplied. Be careful about what you allow to impress you. Whatever impresses you attracts you. Strong attraction produces persistent pursuit. And whatever you pursue becomes your purpose.

Pursue the King, let Him become your purpose. This way you gain His kingdom and everything that goes with it . Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Pursue the King and He will give you everything else you need.

Jim Elliott, a missionary martyred in the jungles of South America in 1956, said, “ He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. ” The choice is yours. Will you spend your life pursuing things of the world that pass away, or will you pursue the King and His kingdom, which never passes away?

Week 1, Day 4

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney, based on his book
Finding Favor with the King

Bread? Or the Bread -giver?

Protocol of the Palace #2
Seek the heart of the King, not the splendor of His kingdom.
Finding Favor with the King, p. 31

What does it mean to pursue the King ?

It means wanting to know Him , not just hang around Him.

Have you met people whose sole purpose in life was to get as close as possible to people of power and influence? Their goal was to see what they could get from their association with the rich and powerful—they couldn't care less about really knowing them. The only sought the prestige or personal benefits won by saying, “I'm on the inside track” or “I'm in the loop.”

Jesus also had His share of “hangers-on.” He was surrounded by people who followed Him seeking only what He could do for them, not for who He was. They “hung out” with Him only for what they could get from Him.

This attitude even showed up in His own inner circle. James and John, the “sons of thunder,” boldly asked Jesus of they could sit on His right and left hand in glory. This made the other disciples angry. (Probably because they hadn't thought of it first!) Jesus taught them that the measure of true greatness in the kingdom of God is found only in the heart and attitude of servanthood .

People who always jockey for position aren't interested in serving but in being served. Christians who do this really know nothing of the heart of the King. Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

In John 6:26-29, on the day after Jesus fed 5000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish, the same crowd had followed Him to Capernaum. Jesus bluntly confronted them about their attitude. “…you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you…”

He was talking to the people who weren't there because they loved Him or believed He was Messiah but because they wanted another free meal! They wanted to see Him do more amazing things and bask in the aura of His popularity so they could say, “Hey, I'm with Him !”

Jesus plainly told them He was the “Bread of life” and removed any illusion about what it meant to be “with Him.” It wasn't about a free ride or a free lunch. He called them to a life of faith and commitment to Him leading to everlasting life. Unfortunately, all they wanted was free bread.

“ From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” They weren't interested in knowing the Bread-giver, they wanted free bread and the splendor of the spotlight. When its luster faded so did they.

If you're serious about pursuing the King, then seek to know Him. Seek His heart and love Him for who He is , not for what He can do for you. Become like Him, begin to think as He thinks, love as He loves and do as He does. Hang on His every word for the sheer joy of just being with Him! When you are with the King, nothing else matters!

Are you seeking the heart of the King or merely the splendor of His kingdom? Do you love Him for who He is or for what He can do for you? There is one way to know. Ask yourself: If I lost everything and all I had left was my relationship with the King, would that be enough?

Would you be satisfied? What are you after? Bread? Or the Bread-giver?

Week 1, Day 5

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney, based on his book
Finding Favor with the King

Press in Deeper

Protocol of the Palace #3
One day of favor can be worth a lifetime of labor!
Finding Favor with the King, p. 36

“Would you do me a favor?”

How often do you hear this question? How often do you pose this question to others? Probably nearly every day in one form or another. The very form of the question tells us a lot about favor .

When you ask someone for a favor your request is based on relationship , not on merit. A favor is granted to you not because you have somehow “earned” the right to receive it, but because of a relationship that exists between you and the one granting the request. It is relationship and not “right” that makes you confident that your request will be granted.

The Bible often interchanges the word grace for favor . In fact, grace is often defined as “God's unmerited favor” . We know that God gives His grace freely to all who ask in faith. When we come to Him in repentance He forgives us of our sins and accepts us into His kingdom. This is not because we deserve it or have earned it, but because He chooses to do so . This is God's favor.

Most people in the world who hold any kind of religious belief or practice religious rituals spend their lives working to earn the favor of their “god” (however they perceive him), or to earn a higher position when they somehow “evolve” in the next life.

Unfortunately, many who describe themselves as “Christian” have fallen into the same trap. Here's the problem: You cannot earn God's favor. He must give it. And even then it is at His sole discretion .

A lifetime of religious “labor” may yield legalism and self-righteous religious pride, but little else. As the apostle Paul wrote, “ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works , lest anyone should boast.”

The Pharisees and other Jewish religious leaders of Jesus' day thought they were God's “favorites” because of their rigorous attention to the letter of the Law. What God wanted all along was for them to seek His heart , but their hearts were far from Him. As long as they were satisfied in their own self-righteousness, they would never know the true favor of God.

David was Israel's greatest king, but he knew that his success was due to God's favor, not to his own merit or goodness. In Psalm 30 he wrote: “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Now in my prosperity I said, ‘I shall never be moved.' Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong…”
Favor trumps works . The story of Joseph in the Book of Genesis is one of the Bible's most beautiful examples of God's favor. Sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, Joseph served ably and with integrity in the household of Potiphar, Pharaoh's captain of the guard. Then a false accusation of rape sent Joseph to prison for several miserable years.

During that time spent in dungeon-like conditions, God was preparing Joseph for his moment. When Joseph's moment before the king finally arrived by divine intervention, he found favor in the eyes of Pharaoh (as well as in the eyes of God, his heavenly King).

In one moment Joseph was transformed from slave-turned-prison inmate to Pharaoh's second-in-command! For Joseph, one day of favor was worth more than a lifetime of labor .

Joseph could easily have spent the rest of his life laboring faithfully as a lowly slave to a secondary Egyptian official. Yet God's favor was upon him, and that made all the difference. God honored Joseph's faithfulness to man, but in the end it was God's favor , not Joseph's labor, that elevated him!

God's grace is His unmerited favor freely given to all who ask. There is also, however, a deeper level of God's favor that is more selective. It cannot be earned but is available to anyone who will “pay the price” or go to the “trouble” to seek and know the heart of God. God freely gave you His grace for salvation. But if you would really know Him , then you must make the choice to press in to know God's heart . It is an open invitation.

As a Christian, you don't have to earn God's favor—you already have it! You are a beneficiary of His grace—His unmerited favor freely given . And He loves you with an everlasting love. Greater favor and deeper intimacy with Him await you. Be willing to make it your goal to press in and pursue the heart of God rather than simply enjoying the benefits of His grace. Press in deeper!

Week 1, Day 6

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney, based on his book
Finding Favor with the King

Be All that You Can Be

You are chosen for potential but kept because of passion.
Finding Favor with the King, p. 37

Everybody has potential.

Within each of us lies the potential for success or failure, good or evil. That is how God created us. Fortunately failure does not disqualify us from enjoying the love and favor of God.

Often we fail to realize our full potential because we don't understand the full range of what God has placed within us. As a race we have been falling short of our potential ever since Adam and Eve came up short in the Garden of Eden. The story of the entire Bible is the record of God's plan and efforts to reverse that failure. God could have written us off and started over. But He didn't. He loved us. He created us in His image. That's a lot of potential and He is determined to see us fulfill it.

God's grace and favor bases our fellowship with Him on relationship and not on anything we do or fail to do. We all have failed to fulfill our God-given potential, but God never gives up on us! He keeps right on working patiently with us, picking us up when we fall, lovingly helping us to try again.

Our relationship with God does not stand or fall based on how well we succeed . There is no minimum standard of “performance” we must meet to gain His approval and acceptance. God already accepts us beyond any doubt, on the basis of what His Son Jesus did on the cross. Paul stated it this way: “ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

What dreams and desires has God planted in your heart? He wants to see you achieve them or He wouldn't have placed them there. As He did with Esther, God has a unique and special destiny for you; He has something in mind that only you can do. It doesn't matter how many times you have failed. God's plan and destiny for you never change. No matter where you are in your life, He can help you become what He has always wanted you to be.

Sound scary? Take heart from this promise: “You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

God chose you for the potential He placed in you. But He keeps you because of His passionate love for you. He loves us so much that He can't stand to have us out of His sight! This means He will never abandon you. He will never give up on you. He will never rest until He elevates you into the fullness of the person He created you to be. Don't settle for less than the best. Be all that you can be!

Week 1, Day 7

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney, based on his book
Finding Favor with the King

Is the King in Residence?

The King's palace without the King is just a big empty house.
Finding Favor with the King, p. 38

Imagine the shock and fear prompted in the disciples at Jesus' announcement that the Temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed. They thought nothing could be more cataclysmic to their world than the destruction of the Temple . Looks can be deceiving, and sometimes we are too easily impressed by the wrong things. God looks at things differently than we do.

The Temple that Jesus and His disciples knew, was a grand enlargement and renovation of the second temple built. Four years later, this grand Temple was destroyed by the Romans along with the entire city of Jerusalem —just as Jesus had foretold.

This temple, like the second temple it was based on had no ark of the covenant in the Most Holy Place . For centuries the ark had represented to the Jews the literal presence of God in the temple. Great and impressive rituals and formal observances took place at the Temple every day. But few of those involved were aware that the Master of the house was not in residence. We gain some sense of the spirit of the place in the Gospel accounts of Jesus driving out the moneychangers for turning the “house of prayer” into a “den of thieves.”

We must come to realize the same truth that the disciples had to learn: the presence of the King is not found in buildings of stone and mortar but in the hearts of His children! Paul said, “ God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.” The important thing is not the building or its trappings, luxury or elegance. The important thing is the presence of the King. It is the presence of the King that makes the house a palace. Apart from His presence, the house might as well be a shack. In fact, even the simplest, shabbiest, drabbest shack becomes a beautiful palace if the presence of the King is there.

The true palace of the King is wherever the King is in residence. As Christians, each of us is the King's palace because He resides in us through the Holy Spirit. Paul says that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. In this sense at least, we take the King with us wherever we go. This is the difference between being the King's concubine and being His bride . As I wrote in Finding Favor with the King , “Concubines may have had an experience with the King. His bride would have the King!” (p. 38)

As Christians, we do not simply experience the King. We have the King as a living daily presence within us! We are His holy Bride! And no matter where we are, we are in a palace because we are with Him!

Week 2, Day 1

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney, based on his book
Finding Favor with the King

Intimate but Not Familiar

You cannot worship what you dethrone!
Finding Favor with the King, p. 41

Intimacy does not necessarily mean familiarity.

Those closest to the King will never presume familiarity with Him. Instead, they will exalt, honor, revere and worship Him more than those who are farther away. Why? Because the King's intimates know Him for who He really is. And that knowledge leaves them awestruck!

Worship fosters intimacy. But those who truly worship never take their intimacy with the King lightly. Even as his wife, Esther did not presume to approach King Xerxes uninvited or unannounced. She could have been executed. This is why her decision to go to him on the behalf of her threatened people was such a courageous act. Esther understood the awesome power and authority of her husband. She willingly risked her own life and future to intercede for her people.

Parents and children share an intimate relationship. Yet at the same time a certain “distance” exists between them. I love it when my daughters call me “Daddy.” No one else in the world but them have that privilege. My girls enjoy an exclusive relationship with me. Yet that title “Daddy” preserves a certain distance between us. They are my daughters; I am their father. They are intimate with me but not familiar.

In the same way God loves us and invites us into intimacy with Him. But there will always be a certain “distance” between He and us. The more intimate we become with the King the less familiar we will be with Him. As we grow in the knowledge of who He is, we will better understand the reverence and awe and worship that are due Him.

Isaiah discovered this as he honored and worshiped God. But it took a vision of the Lord on His throne for Isaiah to see Him as He truly is. And that vision overwhelmed him. In a moment, Isaiah's perspective changed as to who God is. He saw His power, majesty, glory and holiness. And his response? He worshiped.

You cannot worship what you dethrone. The old saying “familiarity breeds contempt” is true. The more we get to know someone, the more freedom we feel to treat him or her casually. Familiarity cuts the lofty down to size. It takes a person off the pedestal in our eyes.

Some churches and Christians affect a casual familiarity toward God that is completely unbiblical. Those who appear the most familiar with God are actually the least intimate with Him. Their very familiarity reveals that their view of God is too small and limited. Otherwise, they would know better.

As children of God we have the right to be intimate with Him. At the same time there is a definite and infinite “otherness” about God that is utterly supernatural. And that otherness deserves our honor, our respect, our reverence, our love and our worship. The King invites you into His inner chamber. Go ahead! Be intimate! Just don't be familiar!

Week 2, Day 2

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney, based on his book
Finding Favor with the King

RSVP (Part 1)

Protocol of the Palace #4
Worship is the protocol that protects the King and qualifies the visitor.
Finding Favor with the King, p. 42

“Formal attire required: evening gown; black tie. RSVP.”

Have you ever received an invitation like that? There is a protocol to attending. You've been invited, but to get inside you must be properly dressed.

In Jesus' parable of the wedding, one guest is thrown out because he was not wearing a wedding garment. The implication, of course is that everyone else was properly dressed for the occasion. This man stood out because he was out of place.

The proper “attire” for admittance to the presence of the King is worship . True worship is possible only for those who are in relationship with the King. A king relates to the subjects and citizens of his realm differently than he does to visitors from outside. Worship, then, is based on relationship. Relationship provides access, but foreigners are stopped at the door.

Also, worship is the protocol that protects the King. How do you protect the King of kings? Certainly it does not mean providing physical security as with an earthly king. But there are other ways…

First, we can protect His reputation. We are ambassadors for Christ. As His ambassadors we are charged to speak His Word openly, honestly and accurately, “rightly dividing the word of truth.” Just as with an ambassador of any earthly realm, we represent our King and our word should be His Word. If we say we represent the King and then speak contrary to His Word, we impugn His reputation.

Second, we can protect His name. As children of God we carry the family name. WE protect that name by living according to His standards rather than the standards of the world. This means living honestly, with the highest standard of character and moral and ethical integrity. If we live contrary to the standards of our Father and His house, we bring dishonor on His name.

Third, we can protect His glory. We do this by giving Him praise at all times. Also by publicly and privately acknowledging Him in all our ways, trusting Him to direct our paths. God has said that He will not give His glory to another. Whenever we take for ourselves credit that is due Him, we steal His glory.

Week 2, Day 3

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney, based on his book
Finding Favor with the King

RSVP (Part 2)

Protocol of the Palace #4
Worship is the protocol that protects the King and qualifies the visitor.
Finding Favor with the King, p. 42

“Do you have an appointment?” “Please have a seat. Mr. ______will be with you shortly. ”

Protocols are a part of life. We face them every day in one form or another. From security checkpoints to reception areas, standards and procedures are in operation to screen callers, clients or visitors. This is not only for protection. It is also to help ensure that people with legitimate business get where they need to go and that others are either redirected or turned away.

Just as worship is the protocol that protects the King, it is also the protocol that qualifies the visitor. Remember that worship is based on relationship. In Jesus' parable of the wedding, the king spots a guest who has no wedding garment. The wedding garment was a sign of relationship. It was proof that the guest had been invited and had the right to be there. Somehow an interloper had gotten inside. A “gate-crasher” had invaded the party. When he was unable to answer the king's challenge, he was evicted.

Relationship gives us the right of access to the King. Worship is the garment that gets us through the door.

Part of the protocol for qualifying visitors is the protocol of waiting. As I wrote in Finding Favor with the King (p. 42), waiting is worship . Many of us don't handle waiting very well. This is especially true when we have been praying for something for a while and God seems to be silent. Our fast-paced, microwave-speed, instant-everything society has conditioned us to expect immediate gratification of any desire. Sometimes God lets us wait so that we can learn patience. At other times He delays His answer because He is preparing to give us something better.

Waiting on the Lord rearranges our priorities and reorients our perspective to those of the King. It also gauges how hungry we are for Him. Many would-be visitors to the King's presence disqualify themselves by being unwilling to wait. If their request for an audience is not answered promptly, they leave. They're either too busy or not hungry enough to hang around. And so they miss their opportunity. When their turn finally comes, they are already gone.

Don't let impatience cause you to forfeit your opportunity to see the King. Content yourself with waiting on Him. If you wait long enough your patience will be well rewarded. You will be drawn into an intimacy with the King that is experienced by very few. “ Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Week 2, Day 4

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney, based on his book
Finding Favor with the King

Divine GPS

There is a roadmap to God's presence…and love stamps your visa.
Finding Favor with the King, p. 43

Where am I? How do I get where I want to go?

Have you ever gotten lost trying to get to a particular destination in an unfamiliar part of town? Or trying to find a new address in the dark? Or missing an exit during a road trip?

Navigation in the physical world has always been a challenge for man. Over the centuries our skills in this area have grown more and more sophisticated. Today they are nothing short of phenomenal.

One of the most remarkable devices to appear in the technological explosion of the last thirty years is the “GPS” (Global Positioning System). With the help of an array of satellites, this device can pinpoint our location anywhere in the world with an accuracy error of no more than a few feet.

Despite our incredible capabilities in navigation in the natural world, mankind as a whole still stumbles around in the darkness trying to navigate in the spiritual realm. How do I find God? That is the universal question of man.

God Himself has made the way clear. The Bible is the roadmap . It points us in the right direction—to Jesus. The cross is the tollgate , where the love of God stamps our entry visa. Jesus has already paid the toll—with His blood. Faith is the access ramp that places us onto the highway of eternal life. Worship is the rest area where we can wait and rest in God's presence and renew our strength for the continuing journey.

The human race runs itself ragged trying to find God. People pray elaborate prayers, chant mantras and perform sacrifices and rituals in an effort to win favor from the god of their own making. Meanwhile, the one true God has made the way clear.

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus invited all who “labor and are heavy laden” to come to Him, take up His yoke and receive rest for their souls. Jesus' yoke is easy because it is the yoke of grace not of works-based salvation. His burden is light because it is the burden of joyful discipleship and obedience not of guilt and fear.

How do you navigate in the darkness? Dispel the darkness with the Light of the world! Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” He is the Light that fills our lives. This is the light that all who stumble in the darkness need to see shining in us.

Week 2, Day 5

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney, based on his book
Finding Favor with the King

No Strings Attached

Praise takes you into God's courts.
Finding Favor with the King, p. 46

When was the last time you thanked God for something He gave you or did for you? This morning? Yesterday? Last week? Last month? Giving thanks to God daily is always appropriate because God is always giving. An unthankful heart is a poison to your spirit. Over time it will make you bitter, cynical and broken. It may even make you physically sick. Thankfulness, on the other hand, will fill you with joy and cause your spirit and body to prosper. A thankful heart is a cheerful heart. The Bible says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” So take a look around. See what God has done. If you can't find something in your life to thank God for, you're not looking hard enough!

Thanksgiving is a form of worship. When you thank God you acknowledge Him as your Source and Provider of all things. You also express your gratitude for what He has done. Yet thanksgiving, as wonderful and appropriate as it is, is not the highest level of worship. That place belongs to praise. As Psalm 100 says, thanksgiving gets you through the gate. Praise carries you all the way into the King's inner court.

What's the difference? Thanksgiving acknowledges God for what He has done. Praise acknowledges God for who He is. So many times our worship is diluted with worldly desires and selfish motives. We worship because we want something from God. God is so gracious, however, that he often honors and blesses us anyway, even when our motivation is not what it should be.

Praise is worship with no strings attached. We come into the King's court with no agenda. Our only motive is to be with Him and enjoy His presence.

When was the last time you truly praised God? How long has it been since you simply acknowledged Him for who He is, with no other motive? Praise will reorient your thinking. It will give you a whole new perspective. When you are in the King's court you will see things the way He does.

We all have times when we don't feel like praying. Times when it's hard to feel thankful. Those are the times when it is most important of all to praise God. You can literally praise your way into a thankful and joyful heart. Try it!

Do you want to draw God near? Then praise Him, no agenda - no strings attached - no ulterior motive, just praise Him. David the psalmist wrote, “B ut You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel .” God always turns His ear to undiluted words of love from His children. Let your praise go up and He will draw you into His inner court!

Week 2, Day 6

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney, based on his book
Finding Favor with the King

How Far Will You Go?

Protocol of the Palace #4
The deeper you go into the palace, the fewer the people.
Finding Favor with the King, p. 49

Are you a leader or a follower? Do you like blazing new trails? Or are you more comfortable a well-defined path? Do you regard difficulties as challenges or as setbacks? Are you the kind of person who will keep pressing in to get what you’re after? How far will you go to realize your dreams?

A disciple is one whose dream is to be like Jesus.

Don’t confuse being a Christian with being a disciple. Every believer is a Christian but not every believer is a disciple. Disciples are believers who are committed to going deeper and deeper with the Lord—as deep as they can go. Most believers are content just to be saved. They’re just happy to have their ticket to heaven. The demands of the deeper life in Christ don’t really attract them.

And with good reason: those demands are high. In Luke 14:25-33 Jesus sets out the demands of discipleship in such terms as bearing a cross, counting the cost and forsaking all. Not for the faint of heart!

The deeper things of the Spirit are reserved for those who are willing and determined to press in and claim them—to plunge headlong into the wellspring of the very heart of God!

Paul was this kind of person. He was a trailblazer: “…I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation…” And he was willing to pay any price to touch the heart of Christ: “…I…count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord…and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death…” He understood that this would require single-minded determination: “…one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

You don’t have to be a trailblazer to be a disciple. You don’t have to be a natural leader. All you need is an abandoned love for Jesus and a heart that yearns to be like Him. It’s what Jesus calls hungering and thirsting for righteousness—and He promises satisfaction.

The deeper you go into the palace, the fewer the people. Why? Because few people are willing to pay the price of moving deeper. The demands of learning the protocols are too high. What about you? Are you willing? Let me challenge you, as I wrote in Finding Favor with the King (p. 49): “Go where few dare—into the lap of the King.” The cost is high but the reward is worth it. How far will you go?

Week 2, Day 7

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney, based on his book
Finding Favor with the King

Just Ask?

Position and petition often shout their demands, but passion need only whisper.
Finding Favor with the King, p. 50

Access is everything.

Have you ever noticed how people are always trying to get the ear of the important and the powerful? How they jockey for position in hopes of gaining the advantage over a rival?

Worldly wisdom says that the way to get ahead in life is by outworking, outwitting or out-shouting the other guy. This is not the way things operate in the palace of the King. The King's ear is not reached by shouting demands from a position of “legal” access. His ear is tuned instead for the whispered request of a passionate lover. Passion trumps position.

A religious mindset believes that God must be coaxed through persuasion or force of argument. Those who know the King know better. Someone said that prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance but laying hold of His willingness . Relationship is the key. Relationship trumps religion.

Relationship gives a level of access that no legal claim could ever hope to match. An old Scottish proverb says, “A pennyweight o' love is worth a pound o' law.” Those who are comfortable in their love relationship with the King know that they don't have to plead or beg or shout louder than someone else. All they have to do is ask .

Consider Jesus' words in Matthew 7:7: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” What could be simpler? There is nothing here about shouting – nothing about a legal claim or demand – nothing about an attention-getting demonstration. Just ask, seek and knock. Jesus goes on in verse 10 to say that the Father willingly gives “good things to those who ask Him.”

The King loves to give gifts to His children. Jesus said, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” He also gave us this promise: “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

There is more power in the whispered word of a passionate lover than in the loudest legal claim. Nothing stirs the heart of the King like the quiet voice of one of His own spoken in love.

Do you want to draw the ear of the King? Relationship gives you access and access is everything. His heart is already inclined toward you. Don't beg or plead. Don't shout or demand. Simply speak from a heart of passionate love and He will answer. Just ask!

Week 3, Day 1

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney, based on his book
Finding Favor with the King

The Protocol of Humility

  How do you move from “powerless” to “powerful”? Learn the protocol of the palace!
Finding Favor with the King, p. 53  

If you want to succeed, you've got to play by the rules.

Only those who master protocol will wield power and influence. And the secret to mastering protocol is learning to play by the rules. Here's one of the rules: Everything in the palace is set up to advance and fulfill the will of the King! The King's palace is no place for personal agendas. Power in the palace resides with those who are totally committed to doing the King's will and attending to the welfare of His kingdom.

As I wrote in Finding Favor with the King (p. 53), “Jesus Christ, our high priest, has torn the veil that separates us from God's presence. Now we can enter His presence through a new and living way (or ‘protocol')—through the blood of Jesus and through his finished work.” This is the path from powerless to powerful.

Our next step is to understand where our power comes from. We have no power of our own. Just like an electrical appliance has power only when it is plugged into an outlet, we have power only when we are connected to Christ. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” Acts 1:8 says that we receive power from the Holy Spirit. This power is not our own. Nor do we receive it for our benefit or blessing alone. The Lord gives us power so that we can be His witnesses and bless others in His name.

The posture of power in the King's palace is humility . Esther found herself in a place of great power and influence. Yet she did not use her power to advance her own wealth and prestige. Instead, she put her life on the line and used her influence to save her people.

The truly powerful do not use their power to show off or to impress people. Jesus never performed a miracle on demand. He never used His power and influence for His own ends but only to accomplish the will of His Father. Practice the protocol of humility.