The Holy Spirit Convicts Believers of Righteousness

“And when He [the Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”

John 16:8–11

Are you among the many believers who wonder how to differentiate between the enemy’s condemnation and the Holy Spirit “convicting them of sin”? That is a question that confuses a lot of believers and the answer is really simple.

Now, pay attention to today’s scripture because it will liberate you. The bottom line is that the Holy Spirit never convicts a believer of his sins. He never comes to point out your faults. I challenge you to find a scripture in the Bible that tells you the Holy Spirit has come to convict believers of their sins. You won’t find any!

The body of Christ is living in defeat because many believers don’t understand that the Holy Spirit is actually in them to convict them of their righteousness in Christ. Even when you fail, He is ever present in you to remind you that the blood of Jesus has made you totally forgiven and eternally righteous. That’s the Holy Spirit.

Remember, it is important to always read Bible verses in their context. Many people end up misinterpreting Bible verses because they fail to do this. One way to read Bible verses in their context (and this is a key Bible interpretation principle) is to identify who the verses are talking about. So was Jesus talking about believers or unbelievers in John 16:8–11?

When Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would come to “convict the world of sin” because they do not believe in Him, it is clear that He was referring to unbelievers because they are of “the world.” And notice that the Holy Spirit does not convict the world of “sins” (plural). It is only one “sin” (singular) that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of, and that is the sin of unbelief, the sin of rejecting Jesus and not believing in His finished work.

But when people take John 16:8 out of its proper context, they start to believe erroneously that the Holy Spirit is here to convict believers of their sins. Jesus says that the Holy Spirit convicts you “of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more.”

Clearly, with the use of the second person pronoun “you,” Jesus was referring to His believers to whom He was talking. This tells us that the Holy Spirit was sent to convict believers of righteousness, not sin!

Now, are you made righteous by your works or by faith in Jesus? By now, you should know that you are made righteous by faith, for righteousness is not right doing, but right standing before God because of your right believing!

So when you miss it, the Holy Spirit comes to convict and remind you that you are the righteousness of God because of Jesus Christ. He is present to remind you of the main clause of the new covenant—that God will be merciful to your unrighteousness, and your sins and your lawless deeds, He will remember no more (Heb. 8:12).

Beloved, the Holy Spirit is your Helper (John 14:16). He was sent to live in you to help you, not to nag at you and point out all your faults. Nobody can live with a nag.

The Holy Spirit is not a nag. No, He was sent to help you by convicting you of your everlasting righteousness in Christ. God’s inexhaustible grace in your life and the power of the cross can only be understood by the revelation the Spirit brings.

Right now, you need Him to show you that even if you have just failed, you are still the righteousness of God in Christ. This is why the Holy Spirit is called the “Comforter” (John 14:26 KJV). He is here to comfort you and to point you back to the cross of Jesus every time you fail. The only thing that He will convict you of is your righteousness in Jesus Christ!

This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs.

Set Apart for Life and Health

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Peter 2:9 NIV

Some people are thrown off by the word holy when we talk about the holy Communion. To them, it feels antiquated and maybe even irrelevant. But did you know that to be “holy” simply means to be “set apart for God” and to be uncommon?

This speaks of the special nature of the Communion. Every time you partake of the holy Communion, you are allowing the Lord to set you apart from the world, and allowing Him to have a private time of intimacy and communion with you! Look at what God did for the children of Israel when the plagues came upon the land of Egypt. He declared:

“And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the land. I will make a difference between My people and your people.”

—Exodus 8:22–23

In the same way, when you have divine insights on the power and significance of the holy Communion, the Lord Himself sets you apart and makes a difference between you and the people of the world. That means you are not like the people of the world.

That means it may be common for the people of the world to catch the “common flu,” or common for people in a particular age demographic to experience certain symptoms or to develop certain conditions. But you don’t have to accept any “common” ailments because God has set you apart to be uncommon.

In a world that is decaying and dying of illness, He has paid the price for you to be uncommonly healthy, whole, and healed. While the rest of the world can weaken with age, the Bible declares that “as your days, so shall your strength be” (Deut. 33:25), and that even as you advance in age, you can return to the days of your youth (Job 33:25).

I pray that over you right now: as your days increase, may your strength and your health also increase, and may the Lord return the days of your youth to you, and cause your flesh to be young like a child’s. Amen!

This devotional is taken from the book The Healing Power of the Holy Communion—A 90-Day Devotional.

What the New Covenant Hinges On

“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Hebrews 8:12

Today, because of the cross, you are under the new covenant of grace. Now, what does the new covenant hinge on? Beloved, God is so good.

The new covenant that God has made is not dependent on anything that you and I must do because He knows that we will always fail. Listen carefully. The new covenant works because of one thing only, and it is the last clause of the new covenant—“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

To the measure that you have a revelation of this clause and all its blessings, to that measure you will walk in it. The new covenant works because God says that He will be merciful to our unrighteousness, and our sins and lawless deeds He will remember no more!

Note the word “For.” It means “because.” The new covenant works because God says that He will be merciful to our unrighteousness, and our sins and lawless deeds He will remember no more! “No more” means that there was a time God remembered our sins, even to punish them to the third and fourth generations (Ex. 20:5). This is found in the Ten Commandments.

However, today, God says emphatically, “No more!" (It is the double negative that is used in the Greek.) "No more" means that God will never again remember our sins against us because He remembered (to punish) all our sins in the body of His Son.

Jesus bore God’s punishment of our sins on the cross. Now, we can walk in the new covenant and hear God say, “Your sins and lawless deeds I remember no more.”

My friend, the new covenant works because of the last clause. In other words, because of Hebrews 8:12, God can put His laws in our minds and write them on our hearts, and all of us can know Him and be led by Him. It is His mercy toward us that enables us to hear Him and be led by Him to victory in every situation!

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor.

Jehovah Jireh

Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide [Jehovah Jireh].

Genesis 22:14

If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with a medical condition, chances are, you are also being confronted with mounting medical bills. Maybe your take-home pay is just enough to cover your monthly living expenses and what you have been diagnosed with has put a strain on your finances. You have maxed out your credit cards to pay for hospitalization, medication, and all the scans you had to undergo, and you are now mired in debt.

Perhaps you have no health insurance because you are between jobs and cannot afford it. And now, you have not seen a doctor as the potential cost of seeing one worries you even more than your condition.

Did you know the Bible records the story of a woman who found herself in a serious financial crisis because of her long-term health condition (Mark 5:25–34)? She suffered from a hemorrhage or “flow of blood” and had been constantly bleeding for twelve long years.

We also know she had gone to many doctors in her bid to be cured and had endured much suffering at their hands. Over the years, she spent everything she had to pay for her treatments, but her condition only grew worse.

As you read this, maybe you can identify with this woman’s predicament. Maybe you have been battling a medical condition for years, and your bank account has been completely depleted because of undergoing all the treatments the experts said would help you get better but haven’t.

Perhaps the ballooning debt has you discouraged to the point of giving up. Let me share with you a word about your finances to encourage you.

Beloved, do not be dismayed by all the accumulating bills. The Lord is not just Jehovah Rapha, the Lord your healer, He is also Jehovah Jireh, the Lord your provider. The Bible promises that He “will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19 AMP).

I pray that you will be so much more conscious of the abundance of His inexhaustible supply than of the demands on your finances. Don’t ever feel like you have to handle the pressures all by yourself and take care of all the medical bills while ensuring your family has food to eat.

Do not worry, for your heavenly Father knows you need all these things (Matt. 6:32). Let go of your worries and keep your eyes on Him. He will take care of you.

This devotional is taken from the book The Healing Power of the Holy Communion—A 90-Day Devotional.

What a Savior!

“He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.”

Psalm 91:15

We have a God who wants us to run to Him. And the moment we do, He has promised that He will answer us. Not “might,” or “perhaps,” but a definite “will.”

And He does not stop at merely assuring us that He will answer us. He goes on record for all eternity, saying, “I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.”

Do you know why we can have the assurance that when we call on Him, He will answer us? It’s because of the divine exchange that took place at the cross, where our Lord Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46).

He was forsaken—left helpless, totally abandoned, and deserted—so that today, we can have the confidence that our heavenly Father will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5). What a Savior!

Don’t you feel so loved and so cherished by our Lord?

And He made it so easy for us to receive His promises—our part is to simply call upon Him and let Him be our God. Whatever you may be going through today, call upon Him right now and He will deliver and honor you!

Whenever I am troubled, I tell the Lord, “Lord, I am worried about this situation, but I place it in Your nail-pierced hands right now. I surrender into Your hands all my worries, concerns, and cares in this area.”

Then, I receive His peace, and when the enemy tries to fire new arrows of fear into my heart and mind, I remind myself that the situation is already in the Lord’s hands. I remind myself of His promise that He will deliver me!

Are you living with panic attacks, fear, and chronic anxiety? Don’t allow the devil to cripple you with all kinds of negative mental pictures or by replaying all the worst-case scenarios in your head.

Call out to your Savior, Jesus Christ! He wants you to cast “all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7). You are not a sheep without a Shepherd, so stop trying to carry all your cares upon your own shoulders.

Whether it is a physical symptom, a financial challenge, or a family situation that you are anxious about, call upon Him and allow His peace to supernaturally guard your heart in every area that you are troubled (Phil. 4:6–7).

This devotional is taken from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times.

The Waterfall of Forgiveness

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 1:7

Let me tell you a story about a little boy who used to play in the woods just a short distance away from the dilapidated hut that he lived in. His parents were too poor to buy him any toys, so he had to make do with whatever he could find.

One day, he chanced upon a stone that was unlike any he had ever seen. The polished surface of the stone glistened in his hands and winked at him each time he turned it around in the sunlight. It was his very own treasure and he loved it.

The boy did not dare to bring it back to his home as there was nowhere in the hut he could hide it. He decided to dig a deep hole under some bushes and hide his precious possession there.

The next day, the boy couldn’t wait to retrieve his stone and ran to its hiding place as soon as the sun arose. But when his fingers finally found the stone in its muddy hideaway, it was all mud-caked and dull, without any of the luster that he loved so much.

The boy took the stone to the stream and carefully dipped it in, allowing the dirt to be washed away. Finally, it was clean again and the boy’s heart swelled with pride at his treasured find. But all too soon, the time came for the boy to head home and he had to return the stone to its hiding place.

Every day, the boy would rush to the spot where he had hidden the stone. And every day, he would find its shiny surface smeared with mud and he would trek to the river some distance away to wash it.

This happened for a while before he decided to solve the problem permanently. That day, when it was almost time for him to head home, the little boy took his stone to a small waterfall and wedged it carefully between two rocks, right in the middle of the steady flow of the waterfall.

That night, the stone experienced a continual washing. And that little boy never had to wash the stone again. Every time he retrieved it, it gleamed in his hands, completely cleansed.

Beloved, when you were born again, you became a living stone whom God placed right under the waterfall of His Son’s blood. And today’s scripture shows us the effect of that continual cleansing of Jesus’ blood—it keeps us walking in the realm of light that His death has translated us into.

If you were to dig deeper into the rich treasures of God’s Word, you will find that in the Greek, the tense for the word cleanse in 1 John 1:7 denotes a present and continuous action, which means that from the moment you receive Christ, the blood of Jesus keeps on cleansing you.

This is why believers who have been translated from darkness by Jesus’ death are kept walking in the light even when they miss it and fail. As a believer, you are truly under a perpetual waterfall of His blood that keeps on cleansing you from all your sins.

You know that negative thought that you had a few minutes ago? Well, that has been cleansed too! Every thought that is not right, every action that is not correct, is washed away! You are always kept clean and forgiven and always walking in His light because of the continuous cleansing of Jesus’ blood!

Beloved, believing that you need to confess your sins all the time to be right with God will only make you more sin-conscious. But knowing that you are constantly under Jesus’ waterfall of His cleansing blood will keep you forgiveness-conscious. And knowing that you are forgiven of all your sins will give you the power to reign over every destructive habit and live a life of victory!

This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs.

Middle East News from Amir Tsarfati

Shalom from a nation which is once again on the brink of war! Another week has passed as Israel has remained in a holding pattern while other people posture over our fate. No matter what is decided between the United States and Iran, we will be affected. If America strikes, we will be drawn into the ensuing conflict. If President Trump settles for negotiations, then it will be left to Israel to do what’s necessary to protect ourselves against an Iranian assault. Undoubtedly, an Iran left restrained only by words and promises will eventually come against us. We will not sit back idly and wait for that to happen.

There is an irony to the timing of all of this. Next Monday evening will begin Purim, an annual reminder of how the Jews were threatened with annihilation by the evil Haman. But one woman, Queen Esther, risked her life exposing the plot, thereby saving her people. The term “Purim” refers not to the genocidal plans, but the lots that were cast to select the date. To Haman and the Persians, it was never about the many lives that would be lost. It was just the Jews, no big loss. Instead, they were more concerned about the proper timing for the slaughter so that it could be done right.

When the October 7 attack was planned, the same pattern of thought was followed. The question was never whether to massacre the Jews. That was a given. The strategic calculation revolved around timing and coordination. When Hamas launched early, the ayatollahs’ regime was not upset about the deaths and brutality. They were angry that their broader plan that involved many of their other proxy militias was undercut. In other words, they weren’t upset at how many had been killed, but at how few.

Now, 2,500 years after the events of the book of Esther, the Jews are alive and thriving. We survived the plans of ancient Persia carried out through Haman, and we survived the plans of modern Persia (Iran) carried out through Hamas. And now, it is the ayatollahs who find themselves on the chopping block. I am a man who can appreciate poetry, and there is a beautiful poetic justice at this turn of events.

So, Happy Purim to you all! Am Israel Chai!


MidEast & Beyond

On Monday, I held a Bible Prophecy Round Table Discussion with Jan Markel and Pastor Barry Stagner, then yesterday I was back online with Barry again for a MidEast & Beyond Update. I highlight in this newsletter some of the topics we covered, but you can find a more detailed discussion in both of those programs. In addition, I update my Telegram channel throughout the day on news as it happens, and I post current events, ministry updates, and some fun stuff on my Instagram. Subscribe to both today!


War by the Weekend?
We are coming upon a critical weekend. Today, a third round of indirect talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva have already temporarily halted. Both sides say they want negotiations to work. I wouldn’t put money on it. Abbas Araghchi, foreign minister of Iran, said they will not give up their “peaceful” nuclear purposes. He went on to threaten the targeting of US bases in the region, “even if they are on the territory of Arab countries.” On the American side, President Trump, in his State of the Union address, said he will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror to have a nuclear weapon. As US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said, Iran is a threat to the US, not just to Israel. “Many Americans don’t think about it because Iran is thousands of miles away from them. But for 48 years Iran has brought death to America, killed thousands of Americans, and is working to build a global nuclear threat,” said the ambassador.

In the State of the Union, the president also demanded a limitation to Iran’s ballistic missile program. Currently, Tehran’s military has missiles that can reach Europe. Soon, their range will extend to the United States. When asked if President Trump sees Iran as a threat, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded, “Iran chants ‘Death to America’. You tell me if that’s a threat.” On Iran’s side, they’ve said that they will not even discuss ballistic missiles. They are totally off the table. To me, that sounds like an impasse.

That brings us to now. All of America’s needed forces have arrived in the area. Countries around the world have pulled their people from Iran. Tehran is rapidly loading their oil into tankers at a clip three times quicker than this time last month. For the past five days, protesters are back out in Iranian universities in the tens of thousands, calling out “Death to the Dictator!” The time for the ayatollahs’ stall tactics is coming to an end. When today’s Geneva talks collapse, as they inevitably will, is that the moment that Trump will finally pull the trigger?

This is a time for prayer, my friends. Pray for wisdom in Washington and a reality check in Tehran. Pray for the US military stationed in bases around the Middle East. Pray for those of us in Israel, because thousands of Iran’s missiles are pointed at us. Pray for the Iranian people who desperately want this Islamic regime gone and who, once more, may become innocent victims of the ayatollahs’ sins.


War Worries in Lebanon
Amongst those hoping that war does not break out in the Middle East are those within Lebanon’s government. It’s not because they are worried that something bad might happen to Israel or America, nor do they hold any love for the Islamic regime in Iran. Their fear derives purely from self-preservation. If Iran goes to war, the ayatollahs will activate their proxies. Suddenly, Hezbollah’s rockets will all begin flying toward Israel. The Lebanese government has seen how that turns out. So, to avoid the heavy toll that Israel will exact from their country as they destroy the terrorist militia, the administration is pleading with Hezbollah not to join the fight if war indeed does break out. Youssef Raiji, Lebanon’s foreign minister, said in Geneva that the administration has received warnings that any involvement by Hezbollah would push Israel to strike infrastructure. “We are acting by all means to prevent this,” he added.


Trump’s State of the Union
Apparently, the Democrats were a little unhappy at some of the things that President Trump said in his annual State of the Union address. Texas congressman Al Green had to be removed from the congressional floor, while Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib heckled the president throughout. For Trump’s part, he heckled them right back calling them cheats and terrible people and blaming them for the rough shape that United States was in when he took office. At one point, it appeared that Speaker of the House was about to bring the gavel down on the unruly Democrats, but he ultimately decided to stay his hand. “I thought, you know, let them put that on display,” he said. He made the right move. The partisan antics were churlish and childish.

The theme of the speech was very patriotic and extremely “America First”, as a presidential speech should be. As an outsider, there are some things I wish had been said differently, and I would have preferred he had emphasized Iran’s ballistic missiles to a greater extent. But his goal was America First, not Israel First, as it should be. It was a very smart move to leave the Iran situation to the latter part of the speech. In Iran, it is “the” thing that is going on; in America, it is “a” thing. While the ayatollahs are sweating while they are being surrounded by a third of the US’s military, the American people are more interested in celebrating war heroes, brave rescuers, and their gold medal hockey team. That is the kind of arrogant attitude that speaks to the Middle East mind. “Yeah, we may level your country tomorrow, but before we get to that we want to recognize this 10-year-old girl for doing some cool AI stuff in her school.”

It’s interesting to note that Israel wasn’t mentioned even once when the president talked about Iran. This is because the potential conflict is not about Israel anymore. It’s about America as a superpower that promised the protesters that help is on the way. It’s about an America that wants a quiet and prosperous Middle East. It’s about an America that doesn’t want the country that calls it the “Great Satan” to have missiles and nuclear warheads that can reach its shores. Israel has already shown that it can strike its enemies when necessary. Now, America is being watched by its own adversaries to see whether it has the chutzpah to do the same.


IDF Launches AI Task Force
Speaking of cool AI stuff, Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, IDF Chief of Staff, unveiled a five-year plan focusing on AI, robotics, and space defense. Already, Israel is among the technology leaders when it comes to defense, and our knowledge and hardware are being sought out by other nations. On the positive side, this will help revolutionize the way Israel defends itself. On the negative, for countries like Russia, Turkey, and Iran, it shortens the timeline they have for dealing with Israel before technological advancement makes their weapons obsolete. Which takes us back to the positive side, the Ezekiel War may be sooner than any of us think. I recognize that AI can be a controversial topic. For my view of the pros and cons of AI, watch yesterday’s MidEast & Beyond Update.


The Blossoming Friendship Between Israel and India
On Wednesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a rousingly warm welcome as he stood before Israel’s Knesset. Modi is the leader of the most populous country in the world, with 1.44 billion people, and he oversees the fourth largest national economy. In the past, India found itself leaning more toward nearby Russia and Iran. But Modi has brought a new focus to his nation with a view to a new “Silk Road” that will help to make his country even more prosperous. The time Modi and Netanyahu have spent together on this trip thus far has already been very productive with the two of them signing 16 memoranda of understanding on bilateral matters.

Called the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), this trade route brings goods manufactured in India to the United Arab Emirates, from where it travels through Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and into Israel. Eventually, these goods will be loaded onto ships in Haifa destined for ports in Europe. This alternative to the traditional Suez Canal route is safer and allows goods to arrive at their destinations 40 percent faster. As you can imagine, this does not sit well with Russia, Turkey, and Iran who are left out of the process and, thus, out of the money. Once again, we see a motivating factor for these nations to come up against Israel, a country that keeps getting safer and growing more prosperous. Like with the last story, in the MidEast & Beyond Update you’ll get a deep dive into the importance of India and IMEC. 


The Huck vs. the Hack
Rarely have I witnessed such a mismatch of intelligence, deportment, and class as I did when I watched Tucker Carlson conduct his “interview” with US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Carlson came with a long list of traps in which he hoped to catch the ambassador, but Huckabee not only dodged them all but turned many around on his interviewer. At times it was embarrassing to watch Carlson default to his trademark laughter as he attempted to think on his feet. What quickly became evident is that facts don’t matter to Tucker; the narrative does. His narrative is that the Israelis of today are not the Jews of the Bible. He went so far as to suggest a 23-and-me style inquest in which all Israelis would submit to a DNA test in order to prove their semitic ties to Abraham. In Nazi Germany, Jews were accused of not belonging in Europe because they were Jews. To Tucker, Israelis don’t belong in Israel because they are not Jews. This is the antisemitic, anti-Zionist rhetoric of a growing portion of the conservative right. If Republicans hope to have a chance of maintaining power in the November elections, they need to get a rein on this quickly. I can say the same thing to the Jew-hating segment within Christendom. If Christians ever hope to make a true impact on this world, this doctrine of hating that which the Bible clearly states God loves must be left behind.

Unveiling the Value of Jesus

Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

John 12:3

Our Lord Jesus loved to frequent Bethany where He could be among His closest friends, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Bethany was a home away from home for our Lord. There, His friends loved Him, honored Him, and truly valued His presence. On His part, He cherished their company dearly, and always felt comfortable and relaxed with them.

Six days before He gave Himself up to be crucified, He gathered His friends together in Bethany, which was about two miles away from Jerusalem. They had prepared a feast in His honor, but their reunion was overshadowed by the looming Passover, which was less than a week away. His friends understood to some degree what the Lord intended to do, and their hearts were heavy because they cared deeply for Him.

As our Lord Jesus was eating, Mary brought out a jar of spikenard, a very costly fragrant oil. So costly, in fact, that it was worth a whole year’s wages. But it wasn’t the hours she had toiled to earn the oil that Mary thought about as she cradled the jar in her hands.

It was Jesus. It was her Lord.

She had come prepared to worship Jesus and her heart overflowed with a love that could not be expressed in words as she drew near to Him. Gratitude and adoration welled up inside her as she knelt quietly beside Him.

Not sparing a drop of her exquisite tribute, she anointed the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. And the entire house was filled with the opulent fragrance of her worship of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Upon witnessing this lavish and extravagant gesture, one of Jesus’ disciples, Judas Iscariot, lashed out indignantly, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” (John 12:5).

The sad reality is this: Judas could tell the value of the oil straightaway, but he couldn’t see the value of our Lord Jesus. He is like so many people today who know the value of real estate, commodities, and publicly traded companies in the stock market, but not the value of our Lord Jesus.

Mary understood the value of our Lord implicitly. Because she esteemed Jesus so greatly, anointing Him with her most valuable possession was simply an outward representation of just how much she loved, valued, and cherished our Lord Jesus inwardly.

What Judas Iscariot saw as waste, Mary saw as worship. To her, the person of our Lord Jesus was priceless.

Have you ever been told that reading the Bible is a waste of time? That serving and being engaged in your local church is a waste of time? That bringing your tithes to your church is a waste of money? My dear reader, there will always be such accusatory voices in the world. Why? Because these voices do not understand the value of our Lord Jesus.

I am so glad that you appreciate the value of our Lord Jesus, which is why you are taking time to read this devotional that is all about the person of Jesus. The grace revolution is all about unveiling the value of Jesus. When you know the value of Jesus, Who He is, what He has done, and what He is still doing in your life today, you will experience a grace revolution in your life.

You will begin to live above every defeat, sin, addiction, fear, doubt, and challenge in your life when you have a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus and keep receiving teaching that is full of the abundance of His grace and the gift of righteousness. Value our Lord Jesus accurately in your life and you will be unstoppable.

This devotional is taken from the book Glorious Grace—100 Daily Readings from Grace Revolution.

Jehovah Jireh

Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide [Jehovah Jireh].

Genesis 22:14

If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with a medical condition, chances are, you are also being confronted with mounting medical bills. Maybe your take-home pay is just enough to cover your monthly living expenses and what you have been diagnosed with has put a strain on your finances. You have maxed out your credit cards to pay for hospitalization, medication, and all the scans you had to undergo, and you are now mired in debt.

Perhaps you have no health insurance because you are between jobs and cannot afford it. And now, you have not seen a doctor as the potential cost of seeing one worries you even more than your condition.

Did you know the Bible records the story of a woman who found herself in a serious financial crisis because of her long-term health condition (Mark 5:25–34)? She suffered from a hemorrhage or “flow of blood” and had been constantly bleeding for twelve long years.

We also know she had gone to many doctors in her bid to be cured and had endured much suffering at their hands. Over the years, she spent everything she had to pay for her treatments, but her condition only grew worse.

As you read this, maybe you can identify with this woman’s predicament. Maybe you have been battling a medical condition for years, and your bank account has been completely depleted because of undergoing all the treatments the experts said would help you get better but haven’t.

Perhaps the ballooning debt has you discouraged to the point of giving up. Let me share with you a word about your finances to encourage you.

Beloved, do not be dismayed by all the accumulating bills. The Lord is not just Jehovah Rapha, the Lord your healer, He is also Jehovah Jireh, the Lord your provider. The Bible promises that He “will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19 AMP).

I pray that you will be so much more conscious of the abundance of His inexhaustible supply than of the demands on your finances. Don’t ever feel like you have to handle the pressures all by yourself and take care of all the medical bills while ensuring your family has food to eat.

Do not worry, for your heavenly Father knows you need all these things (Matt. 6:32). Let go of your worries and keep your eyes on Him. He will take care of you.

This devotional is taken from the book The Healing Power of the Holy Communion—A 90-Day Devotional.

Worldly Wisdom Versus God’s Wisdom

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly.

Psalm 1:1

Today, I want to talk about how you can depend on God’s wisdom to succeed. Wisdom from the Lord comes by God’s unmerited favor. It is not something that you can study for or acquire with your efforts. Wisdom from the Lord is something that the world cannot have.

This is not to say that the world does not have wisdom. Step into any bookstore today and you will find shelves full of books containing experts’ theories and methods on all sorts of subjects. The majority of these, however, stem from human wisdom, which strengthens and builds up only the flesh.

Whether they know it or not, the people of the world are crying out for true wisdom from the Lord. Just look at the constant demand for self-help books. But what we need is not more “self-help.” What we need is the Lord's help! Read books that are written by Spirit-filled believers and Christian leaders who encourage you to look to Jesus and not to yourself.

Psalm 1:1 tells us this from the start: "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly.” Beloved, this means that there is counsel in human wisdom. But the man who does not walk according to the wisdom of the world is the man who is blessed.

At the same time, if his delight is in Jesus, and he meditates on Jesus day and night, Psalm 1:3 says, “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”

My friend, make a decision to walk in the counsel of the godly and not in the counsel of the world, and you will see whatever you do prosper. God has raised up men and women who are established in the truths of the new covenant, and who will help you keep your eyes on Jesus. In Him, you will find all the wisdom that pertains to life.

The Bible tells us that in Him “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:2–3) for your success. Keep looking to Jesus, draw on His divine wisdom, and see the difference it will make to you!

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor.

God Honors Our Faith

Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies . . . for the LORD fought for Israel.

Joshua 10:12–14

Joshua, Moses’ successor who led the children of Israel into the promised land, was someone who dared to ask big. When Joshua was caught in the thick of battle with his enemies and the sun was about to set, he cried out for the sun and moon to stand still, and the Bible goes on to record that God answered his prayer.

I love this story. When my leaders and I were in the plains where this battle took place, we could see the sun over Gibeon on one side and the moon over the Valley of Aijalon on the other side. Both the sun and moon could be seen at the same time from that location.

Standing there, I could just imagine Joshua in the midst of the battle, raising his voice and pointing to the sun on one side to stand still and then turning to the moon to issue the same command. Joshua was asking God for more daylight because the momentum of the battle was to their advantage. He wanted to completely rout his enemies and not give them time to regroup.

When you think about what Joshua asked, it was both an audacious and inaccurate request! If you were attentive during your science classes in school, you would know that the earth orbits around the sun, not the sun around the earth!

So technically, when Joshua called for the sun and moon to stand still, God made the earth stand still instead. Joshua’s request was scientifically inaccurate, but nevertheless, God honored Joshua’s chutzpah faith! He understood that what Joshua needed was more daylight, and He made it happen.

Isn’t it encouraging to know that God didn’t correct Joshua and give him CliffsNotes on how the solar system that He built actually functions? It gives me great encouragement to know that even when our faith confessions may not always be perfect, God still honors our hope and faith in Him.

He loves it when we ask Him for big things. My friend, you can ask of Him, knowing that the battle truly belongs to the Lord, and that He will fight for you the way He fought for Israel because you are His covenant child.

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Right Believing—Daily Readings from The Power of Right Believing.

Come Under His Wings of Mercy and Grace

He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.

Psalm 91:4

It is wonderful when the Lord delivers you from the snare of the fowler. But Psalm 91 tells us that God wants us to step into something even better. Verse 4 goes on to say, “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.” There are so many powerful truths hidden in this simple line!

The Old Testament was written predominantly to the Jewish people, who would understand words such as “His wings” and “feathers” as pointing to the ark of the covenant, namely the cherubim on top of the ark.

Of all the furniture pieces in the temple, the ark was the most holy. It was placed in the Holy of Holies and typifies our Lord Jesus Christ. It was made of incorruptible wood and overlaid with gold. The wood represents His incorruptible and sinless humanity, while the gold speaks of His perfect divinity and deity. Our Lord Jesus was one hundred percent man and yet one hundred percent God.

The lid of the ark of the covenant, where you find the cherubim, was hammered out of one solid piece of gold. It is called kapporeth in Hebrew and is usually translated as “mercy seat.” To understand the significance of the mercy seat, we have to understand the contents within the ark of the covenant.

Three items were placed inside the ark of the covenant: the stone tablets on which God had inscribed the Ten Commandments, a golden pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod that had budded. The three items typify man’s rebellion—man’s rejection of God’s holy standards, man’s rejection of God’s provision, and man’s rejection of God’s appointed leadership.

God took these symbols of man’s rebellion and failure, placed them in the ark of the covenant, and covered them with His mercy seat. It’s a beautiful picture of His unmerited favor over our lives, of how mercy triumphs over judgment.

This is the secret place where God wants you and me to live each day—not under the claws of judgment, punishment, and condemnation, but under His wings of mercy, grace, and favor. This is the place of intimacy with our Lord Jesus; this is the place of divine protection.

This devotional is taken from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times.

True Rest for the Weary Soul

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28–30

Perhaps by now you are wondering whether the grace teaching you have been reading or hearing is doctrinally sound. Here’s the litmus test, my friend: the preaching of the new covenant of grace should always exalt Christ.

It should always reveal more and more of Jesus—His beauty and the perfection of His finished work on the cross. Jesus and what He has done are always glorified when true grace is taught.

There is no proper grace teaching without Jesus Christ. So ask yourself, have you been hearing about Jesus and what He has done, or have you been hearing about man and what he must do?

Now, what is the effect of hearing Jesus and His finished work exalted? It leads to a life of rest and good success, because His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Today’s scripture explains this very simply. Jesus was speaking to people who were weary and worn out by the requirements of the law of Moses.

The yoke of the law is hard and heavy. The yoke of grace is easy and light because it involves none of you and all of Christ. He has borne the burden of sin on your behalf. Under grace, your part is to only believe on Jesus Christ, and when you believe, you are made righteous and blessed!

I love this testimony from Nadia in South Africa that showcases the amazing grace that Jesus brings. This is the undeserved, unearned, and unmerited favor of God that leads to rest, joy, and true success for the weary soul:

Three years ago, I had a high-powered career with plenty of financial resources and a wonderful family. The flip side was constant exhaustion from a ridiculous schedule, guilt from not spending time with my young son and husband, and stress from trying to balance it all on my own. On top of everything, I had been taught that Jesus expected a perfect performance from me in order for His blessings to flow in my life. I was burned out and very deficient in many areas of my life, including joy.

As I read one of Pastor Prince’s books and listened to his CDs, I began to see how Jesus paid the price for my sins to give me His righteousness and freedom, and that it was His will for me to live an abundant life, full to the brim and overflowing. Very gently, Jesus began to move me away from the “success” that was making me so unhappy.

My husband and I made plans to change our circumstances so that I could be with my children on a more permanent basis. Despite the financial implications for our family, Jesus gave me such a shalom-peace about our decision. So I left my high-powered, financially stable job to begin my own consultancy. Jesus was amazing in providing for us throughout the year, not just financially, but also in quality time. I had time to draw infinitely closer to Him, time for my family, and even time for my hobbies, which included finishing the writing of my first novel.

However, being still involved with corporate life through my consultancy, I struggled to walk in the peace that Jesus promised us. The old habits I’d formed with regards to stress and worry still intruded into the new space Jesus had provided for me. Then, unexpectedly, the doors in my business began to close. Confused and uncertain, I felt as though I was in the middle of a hurricane as I tried to open the doors that would lead me deeper into corporate consulting. But through Pastor Prince’s sermon, “The Key of David—God Opens Doors That No One Can Shut,” Jesus reassured me that He was in control, and that I could trust Him because He loves me.

I stand in awe of Jesus because He has closed doors that weren’t good for me and opened doors beyond my grandest dreams. He opened the door to having my book published by one of the biggest international publishing houses in the world. In just five months, Jesus turned my situation around, giving me a new career in which I can reach and inspire many more people than I would ever have dreamed possible. He has provided me with family time and time to be with Him. I know from His Word that He will bring me good success. I now wake up looking forward to the day with such joy and expectation of His goodness—not because of anything I have done, but all because of Him!

When I look back on the journey Jesus has brought me through, I can see His grace at every turn. Jesus is so kind, magnificent, and altogether lovely! He has delivered me into a truly rich and bountiful life that is full of His joy and abundance!

That, my friend, is the grace of God. It provides rest and freedom from all your self-efforts. It is the unshakable basis on which you can expect God to provide for you and lead you to good success.

If you are weary and heavy laden, come to Jesus, the gracious one, and learn from Him all that He has done for you. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. By His grace, find rest, yes, true rest for your soul. Start receiving the treasures that were purchased for you by His blood and begin reigning in every area of life!

This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs.

Start Your Day with Jesus

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night.

Psalm 92:1–2

Do you know that God has promised that no weapon formed against you shall prosper (Isa. 54:17)? Now, He did not promise that weapons would not be formed against you. He promised that even if weapons were formed against you, they would not hurt or defeat you.

There are all kinds of weapons formed against humanity, especially in these last days. Just think of the many kinds of deadly viruses, sicknesses, and diseases in the world. When you turn on the television and watch the news, all you seem to hear about are wars, unrest, disasters, financial collapses, violence, unemployment, famines, and new strains of deadly viruses.

It is amazing how many people wake up in the morning and the first thing that they do is grab the newspapers and read bad news before heading to work. Then, just before they go to bed, they watch the news!

Now, please understand that I am not against reading the newspapers or watching the news, or watching television for that matter. But I want to encourage you to start your day with Jesus instead, practicing His presence, acknowledging Him, committing your plans to Him, and trusting Him for His unmerited favor, wisdom, and strength for the day.

Remember to be like Joseph in the Bible. The Lord was with Joseph and he was a successful man! Your success does not come as a result of you being updated about the latest virus or you being cued in to the latest disaster. No, your success will come as a result of your being tuned in to the presence of Jesus in your life!

There are many people in my church who start the day each morning by partaking of the holy Communion, not as a ritual, but as a time to remember Jesus and the power of His cross.

They look to Jesus for His strength, receiving His divine life for their physical bodies as they partake of the bread. They renew their consciousness of their free gift of righteousness purchased by the blood of Jesus on the cross as they partake of the cup. What a way to start the day!

I have also come to realize that the last thought before you go to sleep is very important. I have tried this before and you can try it too—go to bed thinking about Jesus, giving thanks to Him for the day.

You can also meditate on one of His promises, such as the one found in Isaiah 54:17. Just say, "Thank You, Father. Your Word declares that no weapon formed against me shall prosper!” Most times, I wake up feeling rejuvenated, energized, and refreshed even though I did not sleep for many hours.

Conversely, if I go to bed with what I have just heard on the news swirling in my mind, I could sleep many more hours than usual, but still wake up feeling fatigued. Sometimes I even get a headache. Have you been there before? Well, you don’t have to experience that again.

Sandwich your day with the presence of Jesus. Start the day with Him, enjoy Him during the day, and end the day with Him on your mind!

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor.

Use Your Words to Bless

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For “He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.”

1 Peter 3:8–10

Beloved, I want you to see that your words are powerful. What you speak over yourself can change your life.

Allow me to draw your attention to today’s scripture. God’s Word is so beautifully clear. If you desire to love life and see good days, all you need to do is to refrain your tongue from speaking evil.

It sounds simple. In fact, you may even contend that it is too simple. How many of us truly believe that our tongue wields so much influence and power over our future, even our day-to-day living?

The tongue seems minute and insignificant compared to the rest of our body. How can such a little organ, which doesn’t have any skeletal support, have such a direct and pronounced effect on our future?

Yet the Bible reminds us not to despise the tongue simply because it is small: “Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things” (James 3:4–5).

In the book of Proverbs, Solomon also declares, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Prov. 18:21). It is evident that God does not want you to underestimate the power of your words!

Notice that Apostle Peter’s quote was made in the context of our relationships with people. As you have been transformed by the gospel of grace, God also wants to transform your relationships with people. These people would be your spouse, kids, parents, relatives, friends, colleagues, employers, and business associates, and any other person you come in contact with!

I believe that people who have been touched by the grace of God are carriers of His Spirit of humility and graciousness. We are not people who render evil for evil, reviling for reviling. We are people called to be a blessing everywhere we go. That’s the grace revolution in action. Our Lord Jesus first transforms your relationship with God from the inside out, and that grace that you have experienced overflows into all your earthly relationships like a mighty tidal wave.

Let me show you something very interesting. The original Greek word for “blessing” in 1 Peter 3:9 is eulogeo, which means “to speak well of” and is where we get the English word “eulogy.” That is the key to speaking a blessing! Every time you speak well of something, you are blessing that thing and being a blessing!

So speak well of your marriage, your children, your family, and your friends. That’s how you bless and become a blessing everywhere you go. Bless your body too, by speaking well of it—don’t keep saying it’s getting old!

Speak well also of your relationship with the Lord. Call yourself the beloved of the Lord. Declare His protection, favor, and righteousness over you and your loved ones and begin to experience His blessings like never before. Every time you speak His blessings over your life, you are taking possession of your blessed place in Christ.

This devotional is taken from the book Glorious Grace—100 Daily Readings from Grace Revolution.

Under the Care of the Good Shepherd

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:1–4

If we’re honest, we all have some measure of wrong believing in our lives. Just ask yourself, “Have I often felt anxious, worried, or fearful that the worst would happen to me and my loved ones?” These negative, exhausting emotions are merely flags that indicate what we truly believe about ourselves, our lives, and God.

When we are fearful and worried all the time, we are living as if we don’t believe that we have a strong and able Shepherd who is tenderhearted toward us, who leads us to good places, who protects us and lovingly watches over us. So if worrying or being fearful seems to be your natural default mode, what you need to do is to keep hearing and learning about how much God loves you, and how precious you are to Him.

That is why the way out of constant worrying is not a matter of just thinking positively; it’s birthed out of knowing you have a personal and intimate relationship with a loving Savior who watches over your needs and tends to you as a loving Shepherd. The more strongly you believe that He is taking care of you, the more it will change your thoughts and feelings, and the less you will fall victim to unhealthy emotions and behaviors.

Today, if you need freedom from a bad situation, see Jesus, your good Shepherd, leading you out of it by His Word that brings life and illumination. The psalmist says it this way: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105). In The Message translation, it says, “By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.”

My friend, the Lord wants to throw a beam of light on your path today. Whatever you are struggling with presently, no matter how insurmountable your challenges appear, when you start believing right, things are going to start turning around for your good!

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Right Believing—Daily Readings from The Power of Right Believing.

Go for Jesus Himself

So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.

Luke 24:15

I love the fact that of all the words God could have chosen to call this beautiful meal, He chose the word Communion. It speaks of the relationship God wants to have with us, the closeness and intimacy He desires to have with us.

I know it can be easy to lose sight of that and even see the Communion as a means to an end, especially when you are battling symptoms in your body. But as you continue to come to the Lord’s Table, don’t just go after the healing and miss the One who prepared the table for you.

Pursue the healer and not just the healing. Pursue the blesser and not just the blessing. When you have Him, you have everything.

Today, I want to encourage you with one of my favorite stories in the New Testament. I pray that you do not go away with mere information about what the holy Communion is, but you experience what the two disciples did on the road to Emmaus when Jesus Himself drew near and walked with them.

That journey to Emmaus took place the same day our Lord Jesus rose bodily from the grave. What was so important to the Lord that He would do it on the day of His resurrection?

The resurrected Christ did this:

“And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”

—Luke 24:27

Later the two disciples said to each other, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32).

As a pastor, that is what I endeavor to do every Sunday, and I pray that by the grace of God, you will see in the Scriptures, not a list of rules and regulations, not knowledge that puffs up the intellect, but things concerning Himself.

I pray that your heart burned within you as you see Jesus in the Scriptures and you experience His deep, personal love for you as never before. I pray that you will feel Jesus Himself drawing near to you, lavishing His love on you, and imparting to you all you need. And beyond what He can do for you or your loved one, beyond healing for that condition you might have been battling with, I pray that you have an encounter with the Lord Jesus Himself.

This devotional is taken from the book The Healing Power of the Holy Communion—A 90-Day Devotional.

Spiritual Food

 'But he saith unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.'

John 4:32

Food is essential for life. Without it we couldn't grow. We get strength and vitality from food. Yet food can kill us. Improper diets kill more people than any disease.

Our soul needs nourishment too. The things we think on and the desires that we have are food to our souls. Jesus said, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God' (Mat. 4:4).

Jesus valued spiritual nourishment more than He valued physical nourishment. He was thrilled to see this woman and the people of this town respond to His gift of salvation. Likewise, we should set our desires on the things of God so that spiritual matters are more important to us than our physical food.

The wrong diet for our souls is the leading cause of failure and depression in Christians. Being spiritually minded produces life and peace. Being carnally minded produces death (Rom. 8:6).

In our health conscious society, many of us wouldn't dream of abusing our bodies with bad diets. Yet in our soulish area, we are killing ourselves by feeding on the wrong things. Treat yourself to a healthy spiritual meal today. Andrew Womack

Authority over the Enemy

You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

Psalm 91:13

Do you know that as a believer in Christ, you have authority over the enemy?

It is true that the devil is the god of this fallen world (2 Cor. 4:4 NASB), who “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). But we, as believers, are not called to cower in fear like the people of the world, for God’s eternal Word proclaims that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

In Christ, we have authority over the devil and all his cohorts. In Christ, we have authority to tread upon the lion and the cobra. The fowler’s snares shall be foiled and the hunter shall be the hunted. Our role in this increasingly dangerous world isn’t to be passive and indifferent, waiting to be devoured by the roaring lion. We are endued with power and authority to hunt down the roaring lion!

The Bible records the account of how Samson was in the vineyards of Timnah when suddenly “a young lion came roaring against him” (Judg. 14:5). Now, what would you do if you were suddenly ambushed by a lion?

Psychologists tell us that there are essentially three possible responses that are instinctively triggered when a person is unexpectedly thrust into an extremely dangerous situation—fight, take flight, or freeze. While most of us would probably either take flight or freeze, Samson instinctively rose to fight: “the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand” (Judg. 14:6). Now, that’s taking authority! The hunter came at Samson but found itself the hunted!

Sometime later, Samson passed by the lion’s carcass and saw a swarm of bees and some honey in it. So he scooped out some of the honey and ate it. It was from this experience that Samson came up with this riddle, “Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet” (Judg. 14:14).

There is a beautiful picture here for all of us. Instead of being eaten by the lion, Samson obtained something sweet to eat. What is the spiritual truth for us today? Out of every evil and negative thing the devil throws at you today, God will make something sweet for you. Your giants will be as bread to you. God will turn every bitter adversity into sweet honey for you!

This devotional is taken from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times.

Come As You Are to Jesus

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.

Psalm 30:11

My friend, you are favored and accepted by God today because of His unmerited favor. Even if your life is a mess, He can take your mess and make it into something beautiful. Come to Him just as you are.

Years ago, one of my church members suddenly stopped coming to church for a long time. I met up with him to find out how he was doing and to see if everything was alright. He was very honest with me and told me that he was going through a lot of problems in his marriage and that he was now addicted to alcohol. Then, he said this: "Let me get my life right, then I will come back to church.”

I smiled and asked him, “Do you clean yourself before you take a bath?” I could tell from his expression that he was taken aback by my question, so I told him, “Come as you are to the Lord. He is the bath. He will cleanse you. He will get your life in order for you and He will cause every addiction to lose its hold on you. You don’t have to use your own efforts to clean yourself before you take a bath!”

I am glad to share that this precious brother soon returned to church and Jesus turned his life around. Today, he is happily married, blessed with a beautiful family, and is one of my trusted, key leaders. That is what the Lord does when you come to Him as you are and allow Him to love you into wholeness. He will make all things beautiful in your life.

There are many people today who are like this brother. They want to get their lives together by themselves before they come to Jesus. They are under the impression that they need to make themselves holy before they can step into God’s holy presence. They feel like they are being hypocrites if they don't sort out their lives first before coming to church.

Nothing could be further from the truth. You will never be able to make yourself holy enough to qualify for God’s blessings. You are made holy, righteous, and clean by the blood of Jesus Christ, and it is His righteous standing that qualifies you—nothing more and nothing less.

So stop trying to clean yourself before you go to the Lord. Come to Jesus with all your mess, all your addictions, all your weaknesses, and all your failures. God loves you just as you are.

However, He also loves you too much to let you stay the same. My friend, when you come to Jesus, He becomes your “bath.” He will wash you clean, whiter than snow! Jump into the bath today and allow Jesus to make you perfect, righteous, and holy in God’s eyes!

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days Of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor.