Opposition To The Gospel

 'Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to

send peace, but a sword.'

MATTHEW 10:34

This statement seems like a contradiction to some prophecies concerning Jesus and some of Jesus' own statements concerning peace, as well as what was written of Him in the New Testament Epistles. However, the peace that Jesus purchased was peace between God and man. We have peace with God (Rom. 5:1). We are exhorted to take this peace and extend it to all men, but it is also made very clear that not all men will receive it.

Peace can only come when we relate to God on the basis of faith in what He did for us, instead of what we do for Him. A person who is thinking that he must perform up to some standard to be accepted by God will have no peace. That puts the burden of salvation on our shoulders, and we can't bear that load. We were incapable of living holy enough to please God before we were saved, and we are incapable of living holy enough to please God now that we are saved (Heb. 11:6). We were saved by faith, and we have to continue to walk with God by faith (Col. 2:6). Not understanding this has made many Christians, who love God, unable to enjoy the peace that was provided for them through faith in Jesus.

The Gospel will always produce opposition from those who don't receive it. This 'sword of division,' even among family members, is not God's will, nor is it God that causes it. But, it will inevitably come, and Jesus was simply preparing His disciples for that time. As much as we would like everyone to receive the good news, we must not think it is strange when even our loved ones don't receive it. Jesus was rejected by His own, and we will be also. We must remain faithful to continue preaching the Gospel, for there are others who will receive. Keep sharing the 'Good News!' Andrew Womack

Get Your Life Back

And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

Luke 6:19

Trembling at the thought of being seen and stoned by the crowds, the man with leprosy crouched beneath one of the many stone slabs dotting the slopes of the picturesque hills that framed the Sea of Galilee. He had come to see the man they called Jesus, Who he had heard was a healer.

People had talked about how Jesus healed—how everyone who had gone to Him for healing received their healing. He turned none away. Whatever their conditions—fevers, paralyses, deaf ears, or demonic oppression—He healed them all.

All. That little word gave him hope that perhaps even he might be made whole. By the time he reached the hills, a large multitude had gathered on the slopes to listen to Jesus teach. This poor diseased man couldn’t see Jesus from where he was hiding in fear, but because of the unique acoustics of the hills, he could hear every word that Jesus was speaking to the multitudes:

“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you” (Matt. 6:28–30 NLT).

He listened attentively—the timbre of Jesus’ voice and every word He spoke carried an immeasurable depth of understanding and empathy for his everyday fears. Embers of hope that he had thought long dead suddenly flared to life, fanned by the authority of Jesus’ words. Whereas he had initially trembled from fear of being exposed, now he began trembling with a different emotion that made him listen even more fervently.

As the meaning of Jesus’ words sank in, the man with leprosy began to weep. For the first time in years, he wondered, Is this possible? That God wants to be a Father to me? A heavenly Father Who would clothe me much better than the lilies, which are better clothed than Solomon in all his glory, if I put my trust in Him? Is it possible that God is reaching out to me with kindness, acceptance, and love, and inviting me to taste and receive His goodness? After all the years of being rejected and living as an outcast, something deep within his heart broke at these new thoughts and brought on a fresh flood of tears.

Galvanized by the unmistakable compassion in Jesus’ voice that caused hope to race along every still-intact nerve in his body, the man crawled out of his makeshift shelter the moment Jesus finished speaking. All thoughts of staying hidden were gone. All he wanted to do was to go to Jesus and ask Him to take his disease away.

As he began to make his way to Jesus, there, coming down the hill, a man walking slightly ahead of a few others caught his eye. He realized it was Jesus, coming straight toward him.

Instead of having gone straight down to the crowds after preaching to them, the Lord had turned another way to go toward the lone, afflicted man, as if He already knew all about the man’s need and where he was. Unable to hold back his feelings, the man fell at Jesus’ feet and worshiped Him.

In a voice still choked with tears, he whispered, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Without hesitation, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” He said, with the same compassion and warmth the man had heard earlier in His voice. “Be cleansed” (Matt. 8:2–3).

As he felt the touch of Jesus’ warm hands, the man closed his eyes involuntarily and his body shuddered under that touch. It had been so long since he had felt the touch of another human being, let alone a warm and loving touch.

Then he opened his eyes to look at Jesus, and found Him smiling at him with love in His eyes. Sensing that something was different about his body, the man looked down at his hands, which a moment ago had been covered with open sores and had ended in stubs for fingers. His eyes beheld healthy hands with fingers fully formed and skin completely whole.

Like one in a dream, he began lifting the sleeves and hem of his robe and watched in amazement as the cloth rolled upward to reveal smooth, unblemished skin covering his arms, legs, and feet. He was cleansed! The power of Jesus had, in an instant, swallowed up his uncleanness.

He looked up into the face of the One Who had made him whole, overcome with gratitude. Even as he turned to go, the man knew he would never forget the compassion and encouragement he had seen in our Lord Jesus’ face, nor His warm and affirming touch.

He has not just healed and cleansed me, the elated man thought as he walked away in wonder. He has given me back my life!

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

All Your Needs Supplied

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm 23:1

A well-known picture of God as our Shepherd and healer is articulated in the beautiful Psalm 23. It was written by David, a shepherd who saw the Lord as his Shepherd. Take a moment and read the psalm for yourself in your Bible.

When you see the Lord as your Shepherd, you will not lack, and that includes not lacking for health. Whatever needs you have, you will not lack because your Good Shepherd provides.

You don’t have to run yourself ragged trying to take care of everything and live as though you have no God. Whatever medical condition you are faced with, stay close to the Shepherd and allow Him to provide for you.

And did you notice the first thing the Shepherd does? The psalmist wrote, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures” (Ps. 23:2).

When you allow Him to be your Good Shepherd, He will bring you to green pastures and make you lie down. You can rest, for He will provide for you. He will lead you beside still waters where you can drink and be refreshed. The Hebrew word for “still” is manuka, which means “rest.” He wants you in a place of resting in the victory He has already won at the cross.

It is not by coincidence that many of Jesus’ healing miracles took place on the Sabbath. He healed a man with a withered hand (Matt. 12:10–13), a woman bowed down for eighteen years (Luke 13:10–13), a man with dropsy (Luke 14:2–4), and another man with a thirty-eight-year infirmity at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:2–9), all on the Sabbath.

God told His people to observe the Sabbath as a day of rest (Ex. 20:8–11). When we rest, God works; when we work, God rests. I don’t know about you, but I can’t afford not to have God working in every area in my life!

Maybe you or your loved ones have been dealing with a chronic condition. Allow me to explain that “rest” doesn’t mean you don’t do what your doctors have advised or don’t carry out the physiotherapy exercises prescribed to you, and you simply sit at home in denial. Rest is not inactivity; it is Spirit-directed activity where you allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in what to do, and you do it without worrying because you know He is in control.

Do you want to know the result of allowing the Lord to give us rest?

Let me show you what King Solomon said:

But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence.

—1 Kings 5:4

Don’t you love that? I pray that you will experience that in Jesus’ name—to come to a place where there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence in your life. Amen!

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

The Fuel for Right Living

But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God….For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Hebrews 10:12, 14

Many believers are worried that when people receive the revelation of their total forgiveness in Christ, they will grow lax, take sin lightly, and go on to lead godless lives. They are worried that such teaching places no emphasis on sanctification or the desire to live holy, God-glorifying lives.

So allow me to explain here that while you have been justified and made righteous by the blood of Jesus or perfected forever, sanctification is an ongoing process in your growth as a Christian. This is why the author of the book of Hebrews says that we are being sanctified even though we are perfected forever by Christ’s one act of obedience at the cross (see today’s scripture).

As a believer you cannot become more righteous but you can become more sanctified or holy in terms of how you live your life. Justification by faith happened instantaneously—the moment you received Jesus, you were forgiven, cleansed, perfected in righteousness, and saved. You were also sanctified in Christ (Heb. 10:10).

However, it is important to understand that the revelation and outworking of your sanctification in Christ is progressive. This means that the more you grow in your relationship with the Lord Jesus, the more holy you will become in every area of your life.

I remember a precious brother writing to my ministry describing how the revelation of our forgiveness in Christ brought him into an intimacy with God that he had previously only dreamed about. “Previously, when I was trying to be a good Christian,” he said, “I was only crawling along, inch by inch. But now that I’ve got hold of grace, I’m running in my relationship with God! The more I learn about God’s amazing grace, the more I desperately want to glorify Him with my life!”

What a beautiful, true-life picture of what really happens when a person sits under teaching that uncovers the undiluted gospel of glorious grace! The revelation of forgiveness does not detract from nor is it at the expense of right living. Instead, it is the fuel that makes right living happen.

Merriam-Webster Online describes sanctification as “the state of growing in divine grace as a result of Christian commitment after conversion.” You see, it is all about growing in grace.

Establish yourself in the gospel of grace. Paul told Timothy to be “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:1). Peter encouraged believers to build a strong foundation with these closing words in his last epistle: “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18).

My friend, grace produces true holiness. The more you grow in grace—the more you are washed, again and again, by the water of the word of God’s grace—the more you grow in sanctification and holiness, and the more you allow the Holy Spirit to correct habits and thinking that keep you in bondage.

Beloved, when you experience the grace of our Lord Jesus, the allure and passing pleasures of sin fade in the light of His glory and grace. It will set you free to have the kind of relationship you’ve always longed for with God, one that is intimate, powerful, and full of peace, joy, and good fruit!

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

Pursued by God

But He needed to go through Samaria. So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar...Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

John 4:4–7

I encourage you to read the remarkable story of the Samaritan woman in John 4. Considered a woman with a shady past, she was gossiped about in her village and probably shunned for being a home wrecker, a “stealer of husbands.”

Now, hers is not a fictional story. She was a real person, just like you and me. Her problems and pain, like many of ours, were real and hounded her every day . . . until she encountered a very real Savior!

Despite the custom of the Jews of that day to avoid any contact with the Samaritans, whom they perceived as spiritually inferior, John records that as Jesus was traveling from Judea to Galilee, “He had to go through Samaria” (John 4:4 NLT).

Pause with me and think about these words for a moment: Had to. Needed to. Must. Words that speak not just of necessity but underscore a steady resolve and even urgency! Jesus had deliberately scheduled a divine appointment with the woman at the well, though she knew nothing about it.

We know from the account that this ostracized, lonely woman had a life-transforming conversation with Jesus at the well. But make no mistake—it wasn’t she who sought out Jesus to talk to Him. It was the Savior who pursued the one whom others shunned.

Do you know that He is still doing that today? Do you have a past that you are ashamed of? Are you struggling to overcome something that you know is destroying you? Do you feel all alone and that no one understands the pain you are going through?

I want you to know that Jesus hasn’t changed. As He was for the Samaritan woman, the loving Savior is still your very present help in your time of need (Ps. 46:1).

He knows the suffering, shame, and struggles you are going through right now. And even if what you are going through is a consequence of bad life choices and mistakes of your own doing, He doesn’t abandon and forsake you. No—a thousand times, no!

He goes out of the way to have a personal appointment with you, to restore and rescue you. The fact that you are reading this right now is a confirmation that Jesus is reaching out to you with His love, grace, and forgiveness.

Talk to Him as the woman did. Taste and touch His grace and compassion for you as she did. And like her, discover Jesus’ forgiveness, freedom, and strength to walk into a bright new future.

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

Message from Amir Tsarfati

People have asked me, “What is the prophetic significance of the war in Ukraine?” I said, “Look, there is nowhere in the Bible where the war in Ukraine is mentioned.” But in the Bible, there’s no mention of any war between other countries. It’s always the relations of other countries and Israel. And what do we see in the last year? A record number of Jews returning back to their land from Russia and the Ukraine. Isaiah 66 reads, “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.” 

Israel was born in a day. I don’t know if you know that. The British declared that they’re leaving. Nobody believed them. Then they left, and we didn’t know what to do. So, we declared statehood, and we’re a state since then. Overnight. We didn’t have time to write our Declaration of Independence on one piece of paper. We wrote it on different pieces, then we sewed it all together. Look, it’s beyond a miracle because the day we said that, the day we declared statehood, we were attacked by five armies.

When the judgment of God targeted Israel, it was always either drought or expulsion from the land. And when God was restoring the nation, it always involved bringing the people back. The land is an integral part of the life of the nation under God. So why do we still have Jewish people residing anywhere but the land of Israel? Look, only in the last few years, the number of Jews living in Israel surpassed the number of Jews living elsewhere. It’s quite interesting.

So what is Judaism? It’s both biological and theological. I mean, you’re born a Jew. You know, I did a DNA test. You can trace a Jew by a DNA test. It’s a seed, remember. But then it’s also, in the eyes of rabbis, it’s also a theological thing. According to Britannica, it’s a monotheistic religion developed among the ancient Hebrews. Judaism is characterized by a belief in one transcendent God who revealed himself to Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew prophets and by a religious life followed in accordance with scriptures and rabbinic traditions. Judaism is the complex phenomena of a total way of life for the Jewish people comprising theology, law, and innumerable cultural traditions.

Paul posed a question that many ponder today when they think of the Jews and that is:

Romans 3:1-3
What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?

Later in that chapter, Paul would begin his march down the Romans road when he launched with this:

Romans 3:21-23
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Again, he wrote:

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Back to the question, what is the point of being a Jew if there is no difference between Jew and Gentile in that all have earned the wages of sin and require the gift of God through Jesus Christ?

Why the 613 commands contained in the law? Why circumcision? Why the feast days? Why the Holy Convocations? Why the dress code and food restrictions if the Jew still needs what every person needs, which is a Savior? 

2 Corinthians 6:17-18
Therefore: “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.”

The Greek word translated “separate” means “to mark off from others by boundaries.” In other words, what God said to the Jews is what He says in different terms to the church. “Live in a manner that identifies that you have a relationship with Me and are My people.” 

We might say that God’s people are to be a sanctified people, a marked people identifiable by their beliefs and practices. What we can also learn from the Jews is that being “marked off from others by boundaries” doesn’t exempt you from needing a Savior. Simply put, we should live in a manner where no one would be surprised to find out we’re Christians. How we live would say it, what we do would say it, what we don’t do would say it. Those things wouldn’t save us, just like being a Jew doesn’t save them. But, those around us would know without a doubt that we are of the people of God.

This is important for us to understand because there are far too many today who claim to follow Christ but whose behaviors don’t line up with their professed beliefs. While it is true that we are not under the law and live in the age of grace, the following is also true:  

Titus 2:11-14
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

In these last of the last days, we should stick out like the proverbial sore thumb in this ever darkening world. God wanted His chosen people, the Jews, to be different from the rest of the world, and He wants the same from the church. He’s not calling us to be weird or obnoxious, but to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation, and all the more as we see the day approaching. 

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus 

A Picture of a Blessed Man

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7–8

Let’s look at some of the pictures that the Bible paints for us in Jeremiah 17. God’s Word is amazing. He speaks to us through word pictures and imagery in the Bible.

For example, Jeremiah 17:5–6 paints us a picture of a cursed man—“a shrub in the desert.” What a dismal image of a man! A person who is always trusting in himself is like a dried-up shrub, looking old, tired, and haggard.

But thank God the Bible didn’t just stop with the description of the cursed man. It goes on to paint a beautiful picture of a blessed man: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.”

Wow! I know which man I would rather be. Truly, a picture is worth more than a thousand words! I want you to see yourself as this tree planted by the waters today!

When I was on vacation with my wife, Wendy, in the breathtaking Canadian Rockies, we spent a lot of time just roaming around and soaking in the splendor of our heavenly Father’s creation. As we wandered along the bank of a tranquil river that we chanced upon, we found a majestic tree anchored by the water’s edge. Its trunk was sturdy and strong, and its branches stretched out to form a perfect canopy above it. In contrast to the other trees that were further away from the river, its leaves were refreshingly green and luscious. This was because the tree was constantly nourished by the river.

Looking at that impressive, beautiful tree, I couldn’t help but recall the blessed man described in Jeremiah 17, and I remember saying to myself then, “I am like this tree in Jesus’ name!” When you depend on and trust in the Lord, you are like this tree too.

Jesus will cause you to be a picture of robust strength, vitality and good success. See yourself like a beautiful tree planted by the waters. God’s Word says that even when heat comes, you will not fear it!

Did you notice a crucial difference between the blessed man and the cursed man? While the cursed man cannot see good when it comes (Jer. 17:6), the blessed man will not fear even when heat comes!

The King James Version says that the blessed man “shall not see when heat cometh.” This is amazing. It means that heat comes even to the blessed man but he is not conscious of seasons of heat, but continues to be strong and to flourish. He will be like a tree whose leaf continues to be green.

When you are like the blessed man, you will be evergreen! This means that you will enjoy divine health, youthfulness, vitality, and dynamism.

When you are blessed, your body will be full of life as the Lord renews your youth and vigor. Your health will not fail you nor will you lose your youth. There will be no stress, fear, and panic attacks because the blessed man “will not be anxious in the year of drought.”

A year of drought speaks of a severe famine, and in our modern vernacular, it would be no different from the global financial meltdown, the subprime crisis, the collapse of global investment banks, the volatile stock markets, and rising inflation. While it may be bad news for the world, the blessed man can remain at rest and not be anxious because God has promised that even in the midst of a crisis, he will not “cease from yielding fruit.”

Beloved, be the blessed man who puts his trust in the Lord and this will also happen to you!

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

Come to Jesus Just As You Are

Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven. . . .Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Imagine this: you are about to enter into a time of worship in church and as the leader gives the invitation, he asks you and all the other believers to first search your hearts for any sin that would keep you from the Lord’s presence. Tell me, what happens to your heart when you begin to search for sin? And what happens to your worship?

One of the things that I was taught during my formative years as a Christian was that I had to search my heart for sin before I could worship the Lord. Each time I did so, I felt as though I was entering a dark and dingy storeroom full of cobwebs. I pictured myself peering around and searching for all my sins with a little torchlight. Been there? And the more I searched, the more I found and the more I felt unworthy to enter God’s holy presence.

So instead of being more conscious of the beauty and love of my Savior, I became more and more conscious of my sins, uncleanness, and guilt. Initially, my hands would be raised and I would be all ready to praise and worship God. But the more I searched my heart for sin, the more my hands would hang down with dejection.

How could I worship God? How could I have the courage and audacity to enter His courts with praise?

As I grew and matured in the things of God, I realized that the idea that you had to be “right” before you could worship Jesus is man’s tradition. For instance, the woman in Luke 7, who came to Jesus with an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, simply fell at His feet and worshiped Him. She washed His feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair before anointing them with the oil.

The Bible clearly records that the woman was a sinner, and many believe that she was a prostitute, but it says nothing about her stopping to search her heart or confess her sins before she worshiped Jesus. She worshiped Him just as she was, and after that, Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

I believe that the devil has tried to rob us of this tremendous truth. Whatever your need is, whether you are mired in debt, trapped in a particular sin, or fearful for your future, come to Jesus.

He is your Savior. He is your healer. He is your provider. He is your peace. He is your forgiveness. He is your “I AM” (Ex. 3:14), which means that He is the great “I AM” for whatever you need Him to be in your situation.

Whatever lack you may be facing right now, He loves you and He is your solution. Come and worship Him just as you are, and He will meet you at your point of need. You don’t have to worry about the mistakes you have made because you are worshiping your forgiver. You don’t have to worry about your sickness because you are worshiping your healer. If believers really knew this truth, even wild horses would not be able to stop them from coming to worship God!

Beloved, come and worship with the boldness and confidence that this woman did. You will hear Jesus say, “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

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

He Gives His Angels Charge over You

For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Psalm 91:11–12

What a wonderful promise we have in the above passage! Did you know that angels are surrounding us and protecting us today, because God has given them charge over us to protect us! When we choose to make Him our habitation, He charges His angels to watch over us and to surround us with His divine protection.

Now, did you know that Psalm 91:11–12 was quoted by the devil when he tried to tempt our Lord Jesus? He brought our Lord to the pinnacle of the temple and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” To this Jesus replied, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God’” (Matt. 4:5–7).

The temptation of our Lord Jesus in the wilderness is the only instance in the Bible where the devil is recorded quoting Scripture. But the devil deliberately misquoted verse 11. The devil misquotes the Bible because he is the father of lies. Verse 11 actually reads: “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.”

I asked the Lord why the devil left out the words “to keep you in all your ways” and He directed me to Proverbs 3:6–7, which says: “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil.”

You see, the devil didn’t want to say the words “to keep you in all your ways” because that would be tantamount to reminding believers of Proverbs 3:6–7—to acknowledge God in all our ways. So he conveniently left out that whole portion.

But praise the Lord, we know that this is what the Lord has promised: “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways”. Our part is to simply acknowledge Him in all our ways, and He shall direct our paths, protecting us along the way!

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

Meditate on Jesus and Experience Good Success

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God [Christ].

Romans 10:17

Under the new covenant, we get to meditate on the person of Jesus when we meditate on the Word. Jesus is the Word made flesh and as you meditate on His love for you, on His finished work, on His forgiveness, and on His grace, God guarantees that you will have good success.

You can just take one verse and meditate on Jesus’ love for you. For example, you can begin to mutter Psalm 23:1 under your breath: “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” As you meditate on this simple verse, you begin to realize that the Lord is (present tense) your shepherd.

A shepherd provides for his sheep, feeds them, and protects them. Because Jesus is your shepherd, you shall not be in want for anything. You shall not lack wisdom, direction, provision—anything. You begin to see that Jesus is present with you, providing for you, watching out for you, and making sure that you and your family will have more than enough.

Now, right at that moment, in that short period of meditating on Jesus, faith is imparted and your heart is encouraged with the reality that Jesus is with you, even when you are facing some challenges.

Whether you are a homemaker, salesperson, or business owner, your soul will be nourished and strengthened when you meditate on Jesus. In fact, every time you meditate on God’s Word, Jesus will propel you into success without you even realizing it! Without you having to scheme, devise, or make all sorts of plans, Jesus will direct your steps, lead you to the place that you are supposed to be at, and cause doors of opportunity to supernaturally open wide for you.

When you meditate on Jesus, your ways always become prosperous. Now, don’t be afraid to use the word “prosperous.” It’s God’s promise in the Bible. When you meditate (mutter) on Jesus day and night, the Bible says that “you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Josh. 1:8)!

Some people think that they are prosperous once they have made their first million. But when you examine their lives, you find that somewhere along the way in their struggle to make more and more money, they have lost the very things that are really important.

They may have built up an impressive investment portfolio, but their children want nothing to do with them anymore and they have hurt the people who once loved them. That is not true prosperity or good success.

When God blesses you with prosperity, financial blessings are included, but only as a small part of the whole. Good success from Jesus will never take you away from your church. It will never take you away from your loved ones.

Most of all, it will never take you away from yourself. You will not wake up one day in the midst of your pursuit of success and find that you no longer know the person looking back at you in the mirror.

My friend, learn to meditate on the person of Jesus. He is your good success. When you have Him, you have everything.

The Bible tells us that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” The word for “God” here in the original Greek text is Christos, referring to Christ. In other words, faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of Christ.

Faith does not come just by hearing the Word of God. Faith comes by hearing the Word of Jesus and His finished work.

In the same way, meditating on God’s Word is about meditating, muttering, and hearing about Jesus. This does not mean that you read only the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. No, every page of the entire Bible from cover to cover points to the person of Jesus!

If you desire to experience good success in your life, then I encourage you to meditate on messages preached by ministries that are all about exalting the person of Jesus, His beauty, His unmerited favor, and His perfect work for you on the cross.

Listen to new covenant ministries that do not mix law and grace, but which rightly divide the Word of God and preach the unadulterated gospel of Jesus. The more you hear of Jesus and the cross, the more faith will be imparted to you and you will experience good success in your life!

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

Message from Amir Tsarfati

I want you to know that God is not done with Israel. Israel is a miracle, and Israel is a picture of God’s faithfulness. And Israel is your insurance policy that God is faithful to His covenants. And if you do not follow Him today, time is short. I want to tell you something. The rapture can take place any minute, and I want you to know that today, today is the day of salvation. Not tomorrow. Don’t push it. Israel is a picture of God’s faithfulness. God wants to get your attention. He’s using His nation over there to tell you, “I love you in the same way I love Israel. Now you are My people. You who were once not My people are now My people.”

And I called you also from bondage to the freedom that we have in Christ, from darkness into His marvelous light. But you cannot find that light, unless you believe and put your faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross who came to die for you. He’s the king of Israel. He will come to save Israel, but He came two thousand years ago to save you.

Romans 11:16-18
For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

This arboricultural metaphor is a beautiful reminder of the relationship between Jews and Christians. At the same time, it is catastrophic to the Replacement Theology heresy. Replacement Theologists hold that the root we are grafted into has been severed and is no longer representative of God’s chosen people, the Jews. Thus, the root is now the church. But that would mean the church is grafted into itself because no branch can survive with severed roots.

Romans 11:29-31
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy.

While there are a multitude of takeaways we can glean from God’s ongoing relationship with the land and His chosen people, one of the most significant is that God is merciful. Another important reality is that if God is omniscient (knows everything), then what would be the purpose of choosing the Jews knowing He would later cast them off forever?

The only lesson we could learn from that belief is that God will choose you because He loves you at the time, but then will later stop loving you and reject you. It is also curious that many who believe the church has replaced Israel also believe in eternal security, that those chosen by God cannot be lost. Yet, they depart from that position when it comes to Israel. 

If we are going to learn anything about God from His relationship with the Jews it is this:

2 Timothy 2:13
If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

The Jews are back in the land today because God is faithful. They are also back in the land today because there is one last week of the 70 weeks prophesied in Daniel 9 which is yet to be fulfilled. Israel today is living proof that the entirety of God’s word is true!

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,

Not Self-Occupied but Christ-Occupied

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

To see the power of right believing in your daily life, I want to show you some practical ways in which you can be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Right believing is all about renewing your mind and uprooting the wrong beliefs that shape your thinking and behavior. That’s why the Word of God says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Rom. 12:2 NLT).

God wants to change the way we think by shifting our thoughts from self-occupation to Christ-occupation. Our human tendency is to be focused on ourselves. We are prone to excessive self-introspection and are easily susceptible to becoming preoccupied with ourselves rather than with Jesus.

Many of our greatest pains, struggles, failures, and miseries stem from us being “I” centered. Oftentimes, we are engrossed with thoughts such as, “Have I done enough?”, “What is wrong with me?”, and “Why do I have so many weaknesses?” Unfortunately, when we become overly occupied with self, we become obsessed, oppressed, and inevitably depressed.

My friend, is your mind filled constantly with thoughts of how you have failed, how you have missed it, and how unworthy you are? That is symptomatic of someone who is clearly self-occupied.

Thoughts like that cause a person to develop an inferiority complex. People who suffer from this are ever ready to condemn themselves. Their minds are clouded with negativity and pessimism.

But self-occupation can also manifest at the other end of the pendulum’s swing as a superiority complex. There are people who think they are always better than everyone else. They are painfully arrogant, and they think their perspectives and opinions are always right. Whether you are feeling superior or inferior, your focus is still on yourself, and in the end that causes you great pain, misery, and heartache.

Only in Christ will you experience true transformation and walk neither in pride nor in false humility. When you are Christ-occupied, the flesh in you becomes inconsequential and you begin manifesting all the lovely, wholesome, and beautiful attributes of Jesus unconsciously.

The fruit of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, and kindness, flow through you effortlessly when your mind is renewed and occupied with the person of Jesus. It’s an inevitability! You cannot touch His grace and not become holy any more than you can touch water and not get wet.

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

The Power of God’s Word

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow.

Hebrews 4:12

The Bible declares that the Word of God is the opposite of death—it is living and powerful. No wonder our Lord Jesus, when explaining the parable of the sower, tells us that when the sower sows the Word, “Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts” (Mark 4:15).

Did you notice that the enemy comes immediately? Jesus was referring to the seeds that “fell by the wayside,” but the principle I want you to see is that the enemy wants to steal the Word from our hearts because he does not want you to “believe and be saved” (Luke 8:5, 12).

The devil knows that if you receive the Word and believe it, you will be saved. This is why he will do all he can to stop the Word of God from taking root in your heart. He knows that if it stays long enough, it will be your victory and his defeat!

The word used for saved in the original Greek is the word sozo, which means “to save one from injury or peril; to save a suffering one from perishing, for example, one suffering from disease; to make well, heal, restore to health.”

The enemy knows how potent the Word of God is. Do you?

No matter what channel you use to spend time in His Word, make sure you are well watered with the Word. As you keep yourself drenched and watered with the Word of God, I believe you will unconsciously and effortlessly get stronger and stronger, healthier and healthier.

While the healing you are believing for may not be immediate, believe that it is on its way. If you have been waiting for a while for your healing and you are feeling discouraged, let this promise from God strengthen you:

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

—Isaiah 55:10–11

God’s Word of healing is so powerful that it will not return to Him void, but it shall accomplish His purpose. Maybe you have partaken of the Communion, and you have prayed, but nothing seems to be happening. You may even feel like you are just going through the motions because discouragement has set in. What do you do?

Keep on watering the seed of the Word of God with the rain of His Word. Don’t give up. The harvest is coming!

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

Bring Jesus into the Picture

So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.

Exodus 15:25

When you study your Bible knowing that the Lord is with you, you will be amazed at how God’s Word comes alive. That is how I read the Word. I don’t study it just to prepare for messages to preach on Sundays. I come to the Word to drink of the living waters from Jesus.

I am conscious that Jesus is by my side, teaching me, speaking to my heart, and I can tell you that we have the best conversations during these times and I always come away from such times feeling refreshed and energized.

Reading His Word has become a great personal time of intimacy between Jesus and me. I get completely lost and absorbed in His presence until I lose track of time. I can’t tell you the number of times when I had looked up at my clock after digging into His Word and realized that it was already five in the morning!

You know what it's like when you are enjoying a steaming cup of latte in a café with friends that you love, and you are having so much fun, laughing and sharing, that time just seems to disappear? Well, you can enjoy Jesus’ presence in the same way!

Once you are conscious that Jesus is with you, reading the Bible no longer feels like a chore or duty. You won’t catch yourself watching the clock going tick . . . tick . . . tick . . . tick . . . tick . . . and feeling as though an eternity has passed even though only five minutes has lapsed!

That is what a chore feels like—as if time is standing still and you can’t wait to get it over with. Bible study divorced from His presence is a dead work. But when it is like catching up with your best friend, there never seems to be enough time!

So see the Lord in the midst of everything that you do and learn to bring Him into the picture. He makes everything beautiful in your life. When you look at your past, the scars of yesterday may still be throbbing in your memories.

Perhaps you were sexually abused as a child or you were emotionally hurt by someone you trusted. As you look back now, you may still feel angry, frustrated, and disappointed all at the same time, and the hurt still pierces your heart.

But in the midst of your pain, I want to challenge you to start involving Jesus. See the Lord holding you, gently healing your wounds. Jesus is right there restoring you, putting courage into your heart, and taking away all the sense of shame and guilt.

Beloved, He wants you to know that your past will not determine the future that He has for you. Once you involve the Lord and put Him into your bitter waters, He will turn the bitterness into sweetness.

That is what the Lord did for the children of Israel. When they came to a place called Marah, they could not drink its waters because they were bitter. Moses cried out to the Lord and the Lord showed him a tree, which Moses cast into the waters. When he did that, the Bible says that “the waters were made sweet.”

Why did the foul-tasting, undrinkable waters become refreshing and sweet? The answer lies in the tree that was cast in. The tree is a picture of the cross on which our Lord Jesus hung, bearing every broken heart and every sting of betrayal.

When you bring Jesus into your situation, He can cause every bitter experience to become sweet! Talk to Him and allow His presence to restore you to wholeness today!

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

Servant Power

'And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?'

Mark 4:41

When God created this physical world and all of its inhabitants, He gave mankind authority to rule and subdue His creation. Although God still owned the universe and all that was in it, He gave control of the earth to man.

When man sinned, he began to use this power against God's wishes. God did not ordain all the terrible things that have happened throughout history, and yet He did not take back man's right to dominate the earth. Instead, He became a man and took back that authority to Himself by conquest. After Jesus' resurrection, He said in Matthew 28:18, '...All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth,' and then He gave the great commission to His disciples, thereby conferring that authority upon them, also. Jesus becoming flesh was absolutely essential for gaining all power (or authority) in heaven and in earth. Jesus was a 'God-man.' As stated in 1 Timothy 3:16, He was God manifested in the flesh, which is a great mystery.

Jesus came in the power and authority of His Father to point men to the Father God. Jesus existed before His advent on this earth in the form of God and was equal with God; yet, He humbled Himself and became a servant while here on earth. He did not come to promote Himself but to give Himself as the way unto the Father.

This is radically different from the way so called 'great men' present themselves. The Roman Caesar of Jesus' day proclaimed that he was God and demanded worship. Lesser leaders ruled by exalting themselves over the people they governed. But, Jesus showed us that 'whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many' (Mt. 20:26-28).

No Distractions, Please

 'And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;'

Mark 4:16

The second type of person Jesus describes is one who does receive the Word, even with great joy, but his commitment to the Word is shallow. Just as a plant must establish a strong root system to sustain its growth, so we must become rooted and grounded in God's Word. Too much attention on visible growth will cause us to become impatient and not take the time to become firmly established in the truths of God's Word. This will always result in fruitlessness.

A seed planted in shallow earth will germinate and grow faster than a seed planted in deep soil. The seed in deep soil will put all of its energy towards the roots first while the seed in shallow soil has no choice but to put its effort into the growth of the plant above the ground. The plant in shallow soil will look like it is far ahead of the other seed for a while, but that will not last. It soon withers and dies, while the seed with roots grows and brings forth fruit.

Notice that afflictions, persecutions, and tribulations are instruments of the devil and are used to stop God's Word from bearing fruit in our lives. They are not good things that God brings our way to improve us. They are instruments of Satan. These things are designed to take our attention off of God's Word, thereby stopping the Word from taking root in us. It's like the runner who spends all of his time in the grandstands arguing with the hecklers over the way he's running the race. He may win an argument, but he will lose the race.

We must not let anything distract us from meditating on God's Word day and night, for only then will we make our way prosperous and have good success (Josh. 1:8). By consistently putting God's Word in first place in every area of your life, you will let that Word become so rooted in you that nothing can get it out. Andrew Womack

The Priceless Gift of Righteousness

Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:20

Beloved, understanding the purpose of the law is critical to your relationship with God. He gave the law for one purpose: that you would have the knowledge of sin and recognize your need for a Savior.

Without the law, there would be no sin (Rom. 4:15). For example, if there is no law on how fast you can drive on a particular road, that is, if there is no speed limit, the state trooper cannot stop you and give you a ticket for speeding. In simple terms, no law equals no sin. No recognition of sin equals no need for a Savior!

The law was thus given to bring man to the end of himself so that in his despair, he would see his need for Jesus. Because of the law, no man can say that he is not a sinner and no man can say that he doesn’t need Jesus. That is the purpose of the law. It was not designed to make you godly, but to expose your ungodliness.

What the devil wants to do is keep the law over your head all the time so that you constantly feel condemned and guilty. That is how he keeps you trapped in a cycle of defeat. The devil is the master legalist who constantly reminds you of how unworthy you are of God’s blessings. Known as the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10), here are some of his common attacks:

You call yourself a Christian? You are a hypocrite!

Forget about praying. God will never listen to your prayers.

Look at your life. How dare you step into church?

My friend, these are lies, all lies! The devil is using the law to make you conscious of all your shortcomings. But through Jesus Christ, you are no longer under the condemnation of the law. The devil has been disarmed by the power of the cross!

Jesus, who knew no sin, was condemned on your behalf on the cross. Through Jesus Christ, you are now made righteous apart from the works of the law.

So when you hear the voice of the accuser condemning you, remind yourself that you are the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). Declare it out loud! Come on, say it with me three times, each time louder than the first:

I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ! I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ! I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ!

Righteousness is a gift. It is not a reward for perfect obedience to the law. You are clothed today not in your own righteousness, which is self-righteousness, but with the righteousness of Jesus Christ. God sees you as righteous as Jesus Himself. This is your permanent, eternal standing before Him because of what Christ has done for you.

And hey, when you are clothed in Jesus’ righteousness, any obstacle that tries to obstruct you from living your life to the fullest, whether it’s an addiction, sickness, fear, or depression, has to go!

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

The Father’s Correction

For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

Proverbs 3:12 NLT

Let me teach you how to test every doctrine, teaching, and scriptural interpretation. Just ask yourself—how is our Lord Jesus valued in this teaching?

Does it make you want to worship, praise, and glorify the Lord Jesus with your life? Or does it put more value on you and what you have to perform? Does it cause you to be centered on and occupied with the person of Jesus? Or does it cause you to be centered on and occupied with yourself and whether you have failed or succeeded?

Pastor Prince, are you saying that performance is unimportant?

Absolutely not! I am sharing with you that the key to performance comes by the power of His love, grace, and unmerited favor in your life! You will be able to perform when you know you are perfectly loved.

Look at children who are bold, confident, and secure. They come from families that are full of love and affirmation. Families that free them to succeed. These children are not afraid to fail and they stand out in the crowd because they dare to be different for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

They dare to say no to the influences of the world. They are not ashamed when their peers mock their Christian values. At the same time, in an environment of love, grace, and affirmation, the child’s parents are also able to discipline, correct, and guide the child in learning to make good decisions for himself without crushing his spirit.

Some people have the erroneous idea that when you are under grace, there is no correction and every and anything goes. There are those who argue that if we are indeed always highly favored by the Lord, then there is no need for Him to correct and to discipline us.

My dear friend, let me help you understand it from the perspective of a parent. When my kids do something wrong, Wendy and I certainly correct and discipline them. But in our hearts they are always loved and favored by us even when they have failed and even while being corrected by us.

Why? Simply because they are our children! No matter how they perform, we will always love them and they will always be favored in our hearts.

How highly favored they are to us is a matter of their identity, not their performance. It is based on who they are and whose they are, not what they have or have not done.

In the same way, our state of being loved and favored by our Father in heaven is a result of our identity as the sons and daughters of God through the finished work of Jesus Christ. We can call God our Father and God can call us His children because of what Jesus has done on the cross on our behalf!

As we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, He will correct, discipline, and guide us. But it is vital for you to know that our Lord will never correct us with tragic accidents, sicknesses, and diseases.

Today’s scripture says, “For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.” In other words, the Lord corrects those whom He highly favors, just as an earthly father would correct a child he loves.

Would a father correct a child in whom he delights by inflicting pain and suffering on that child? Of course not!

In the same way, our heavenly Father corrects us not by inflicting pain and suffering but with His Word (2 Tim. 3:16). Correction may come through the preaching of His Word, or through godly leaders whom He surrounds you with in a local church, leaders who love you and who care enough to speak into your life.

The truth is, when people know that their heavenly Father loves them, they can receive correction and discipline with gratitude and humility. That is why it is so important for every child of God to experience the grace revolution—to become established in His perfect love and anchored in His unconditional grace toward them.

Grace imparts to us the power to perform and to live a life above defeat. Grace is the key to holiness.

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

Message from Amir Tsarfati

I believe that many, many people who call themselves Christians, they are a bit confused about what Christianity is all about. They think that just because they go to church, they’re Christians. Well, try standing in a parking lot and see if you turn into a car. The thing is that Jesus was very clear about what you should be if you call yourself a follower of Him. But that’s not the only thing. One of the things that always literally shocked me when I read in Scripture is not just the fact that you say that you know Him or you love Him, but the very fact that He wants to find you eagerly waiting for Him. 

The Bible says in Hebrews 9:27-28, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.” And look at this now. Let’s read together. “To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” Do you understand what we just said? There’s a group of people for which Jesus will come back but it won’t be when He descends on the Mount of Olives. Instead, He will appear in the clouds. 

It’s a different story. To them and them only, He will appear a second time. What for? To save them from their sins? No, He already came to save us from our sins. It’s for the salvation found in Romans 8, the salvation of the body. Look at you. Look at yourself right now. Pathetic. Most of us here reach the point where we stop admiring what we see when we look at the mirror, and it’s a free fall. If you put a photo of you from twenty years ago, you can tell you’re dying. This is a tent. It’s not a building. This is a sinful body that cannot and will not enter the kingdom of God. In order for us to change, He needs to come and appear in the clouds. And for that, He’s going to come, and it is for those who eagerly wait for him.

While there are many debated topics within the church today in regards to the proper interpretation of one issue or another, there is one that is seldom addressed despite there being two very staunch groups and beliefs. The issue is the difference between evidence and efforts. We might also put it like this, it is the difference between works of righteousness by us and the righteousness of Christ at work through us. Not understanding the difference is dangerous:

Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

These false teachers were confused about the difference between evidence and efforts. They thought their efforts done in Christ’s name should grant them access to the kingdom of heaven. Yet Jesus said to them that the evidence of saving faith was not present in them, in spite of their works, and their separation from Him was revealed by their practice of lawlessness.

This is where we need to gain understanding in this age of ear tickling and heretical teachings in the church. Many today say that seeking to live a righteous life is “efforts” when the truth is it is “evidence”. Evidence of what?

Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

When Christ is at work in you, He is going to be doing good works through you. This is not works righteousness, this is the righteousness of Christ at work. It is evidence that a good work has begun in you. 

2 Peter 3:11-12
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?

The word “hastening” doesn’t mean to make it happen sooner. It means to “desire earnestly” the day of God, which concludes with the creation of a new heaven and a new earth. Until then, as we desire earnestly for that time to come, we should live in holy conduct and godliness. That means those things are not efforts, they are evidence. They’re not works righteousness, they are righteousness at work.

Don’t confuse evidence and efforts. Getting up and going to church, serving at church and even doing things in the Lord’s name can be efforts or they can be evidence. The difference between them is the holy conduct and godliness which goes along with those things. God is not looking for efforts from us but evidence through us. This truth is summarized by one who understood the difference between them, the Apostle Paul.

Galatians 2:20-21
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.

The evidence of Paul’s crucifixion with Christ was expressed by the life he lived in the flesh and by Christ living through him. It wasn’t effort, it was the evidence of a transformed life by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in and through him.

Make sure the evidence is present in your life and not just effort. For those in whom Christ is evident are eagerly awaiting His return by living in holiness and godly conduct.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus 

God Is Not Present to Find Fault with You

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:6

Something very unique and precious happens when you see that the Lord is with you. Trust the Lord to open your eyes to see Him in your situation, and the more you see Him, the more He manifests Himself.

If you are in the midst of committing to an important business agreement, I assure you that if you can see the Lord there with you, His wisdom will flow through you, and He will give you supernatural insight to locate any loopholes, details, or exit clauses that are missing from that contract that you are about to sign.

Once you involve Jesus and acknowledge His presence, you will sense Him intervening in any decision you are about to make, through the absence or presence of His peace. Sometimes, everything can appear to be in order on the surface, but somehow, you may sense a discomfort rising up in you every time you think about your decision. My advice to you would be to not rush into it.

You see, once you have involved the Lord, the lack of peace that you feel is often His leading to protect you. You can even be in the midst of an argument with your spouse, but the moment you become conscious of the Lord’s presence, your words will change. Somehow, there will be a supernatural restraint that you know is not from yourself. That is also the Lord!

Beloved, it is important for you to eradicate the notion that the Lord is present to find fault with you. You may have been raised in an environment where your parents were constantly picking on your faults and pointing out your mistakes, but don’t project this characteristic onto the Lord.

God knows every idiosyncrasy about you, yet He loves you perfectly because He sees you through the lens of the cross, where His Son has removed every failing from your life. This means that even your current argument with your spouse is washed by the blood of Jesus.

The Lord’s presence is with you not to judge you or smack you on the head with a giant bat the moment you fail. No, my friend, His presence is with you to direct you, guide you, lead you into becoming more like Christ, and to make you a success in every endeavor you undertake.

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