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.

More with Us Than Against Us

“Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

2 Kings 6:16

In the days of the prophet Elisha, the king of Syria seized upon an opportunity to capture Elisha who was in the city of Dothan. He mobilized a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city one night. He wasn’t prepared to take any risk of the prophet escaping.

Early the next morning in Dothan, when Elisha’s servant went outside, he saw troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. He and Elisha were completely surrounded by enemy forces intent on killing them. The servant flew into a state of panic and cried out to Elisha, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:15).

Put yourself in the shoes of Elisha’s servant. You (and I) would probably have been filled with fear too. But here’s where I want you to pay close attention, because there is a powerful truth I want you to catch. Without faltering, Elisha calmly told his servant, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16).

I can just imagine how the servant must have felt. There was absolutely no logic in what Elisha had just said. There were just the two of them against a whole army! Had his master gone mad?

Before the servant could work himself into an even greater panic, Elisha prayed a simple prayer: “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see” (2 Kings 6:17). And the Lord opened the eyes of the servant. Then he saw that the hillside all around them was filled with blindingly magnificent horses and chariots of fire.

God’s army of angels was flanking them on every side, ablaze with the glory, beauty, and majesty of the Most High. As the servant marveled, he realized that the Syrian forces were utterly dwarfed by the angelic army.

Why had the young servant been fearful while Elisha was fearless? The answer is this: They saw different things. The young man saw the great Syrian army. But Elisha saw an even greater angelic army on chariots of fire. Elisha had spiritual insight.

My dear reader, would you commit the above scripture to heart? If you are in a constant fight with fear, meditate on this scripture and fortify your heart with this promise.

Whether you find yourself besieged by debts, attacked by what doctors call a terminal illness, or constantly anxious over the safety of your children, remember this powerful verse. The God of angelic armies is with you. No weapon formed against you shall prosper (Isa. 54:17)!

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

This Is Our God!

God is love.

1 John 4:8

How we see God is important because a faulty perception of God can result in a lifetime of fear and bondage. Too many people have a wrong impression of God because for generations people have portrayed Him as hard, angry, unfeeling, and condemning, just waiting for man to trip up.

These portrayals of God cause many sincere people to have an unhealthy fear of God. And when they believe that God is against them and out to punish them, they find it impossible to break out of their sins, addictions, anxieties, and fears.

My friend, if you’ve been shown a God of judgment and anger all your life, let the Scriptures reveal to you His true nature:

• “But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Ps. 86:15 NIV).

• “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving” (Dan. 9:9 NIV).

• “O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your loving-kindnesses . . . they are from of old” (Ps. 25:6).

This is our God! Our God is love! He is slow to anger, gracious, and patient. He is full of forgiveness, loving-kindness, and tender mercies. Thank God we can go to the Holy Word for the truth!

If you want to further understand the true nature of God, just look at Jesus. He said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father. . . . The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works” (John 14:9–10).

Have you ever seen Jesus provoked and angry with sinners, prostitutes, or tax collectors? Did He berate the woman at the well who had five husbands, or the woman who was caught in adultery?

Now, He was at times angry with the self-righteous, hard-hearted, grace-resisting scribes and Pharisees, but He was always kind and loving toward the sinners and outcasts of society. That’s the nature of your heavenly Father!

Jesus demonstrated such graciousness that His haters sarcastically labeled Him “a friend of sinners” to cast aspersions on His integrity (Matt. 11:19). But what was intended to be a derogatory label is really a beautiful picture of His grace.

Grace doesn’t shun the sinner; grace pursues the sinner. Grace doesn’t picket against those who fall short; grace embraces them into wholeness and brings about real inward transformation for them. Grace does not condemn those struggling against sin; grace produces holiness in them.

Sinners found hope, joy, and liberty in Jesus. He showed them His grace and His grace transformed them from living a life of sin to living a life of holiness. He never condoned their sins. A thousand times no. How could He, when He gave His life to save them from their sins!

We see an example of our Lord’s love for sinners when He befriended the corrupt tax collector, Zacchaeus. He invited Himself over to Zacchaeus’s home, loved him, and showed him grace. Before the night was over, Zacchaeus stood in the presence of all his dinner guests and said to Jesus, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold” (Luke 19:8).

That’s the power of grace! Grace changes people’s lives from the inside out. Jesus gave Zacchaeus no commandments, no condemnation, no laws . . . just grace, grace, and more grace. And Zacchaeus’s heart was forever transformed. Grace produces true holiness.

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

The Power Of God's Word

'Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.'

Luke 8:11

It is through the reading of the Word and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit that Christ in His fullness is known. What a privilege it is today to have God's Word in our own language. Six hundred years ago there was no English translation of the whole Bible. Thanks to the efforts of John Wycliffe (1384) and William Tyndale (1523), today we are able to read and understand the writings of the apostles for ourselves. Men gave their lives to bring us God's Word. We should take advantage of this wonderful privilege.

The piece of armor known as the 'sword of the Spirit' is the only piece of armor that has the ability to cut, wound, and hurt our enemy, the devil. It's not the Bible lying on your coffee table that makes the enemy flee, but it is the Word of God hidden in your heart, activated by the power of the Holy Spirit, and spoken in an appropriate situation. It's similar to what is spoken when Jesus said in John 6:63, that '...the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.' The Word by itself doesn't make us free. It is the Word we know and speak that will deliver us (Jn. 8:32).

Why is the Word so effective? It's because it is the WORD of God. It has authority, because it is indeed the WORD of God. God's Word supersedes all authority of the church, of reason, of intellect, and even of Satan himself.

It is the Holy Spirit that wields this Word as it is spoken in faith. Speaking God's Word in faith brings the Holy Spirit into action. In Luke 4, when Jesus was tempted of the devil for forty days, it was the Word of God, that Jesus used to defeat the enemy in the time of His temptation. Jesus constantly met His temptation by quoting from God's Word as He repeatedly stated the phrase, 'It is written.' Likewise, the Christian soldier must avail himself of God's Word by placing it in his heart, so that the Holy Spirit may bring it forth at the appropriate time to accomplish a complete and total victory. It's yours! Andrew Womack

What God Sees When He Looks at You

But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

1 Corinthians 6:17

One of our key ministry partners, Ron, shared how he had a dear friend named Tyler, who was from a good Christian family, was great at sports, and was living the “American Dream.” After college, however, Tyler started hanging out with the wrong crowd and developed a severe drug and drinking problem, which in turn led to a series of devastating mistakes.

Within a twenty-four-month period, Tyler lost everything he held dear in his life. Ashamed and miserable, Tyler dropped out of church and almost gave up on life, God, and grace. But God, in His grace, was still reaching out to Tyler (through Ron), as Ron related in this story:

One night, while jogging at a park and listening to a message by Pastor Prince, I felt God prompting me to send Tyler a text message. I felt that God wanted me to ask Tyler, “What does God see when He looks at you?” So while running, I texted him exactly those words. After a long time, I received his text reply:

Tyler: “Are you serious?” Ron: “Yes.”

Tyler: “Well . . . I’m sure it’s not good.” Ron: “Jesus.”

Tyler: “What do you mean?”

Ron: “I mean, when God looks at you, He sees Jesus!” Thirty minutes later, I got this message:

Tyler: “Thanks, man, you don’t know how badly I needed to hear that!”

Would it bless your heart to know that this is the very message God wants you to receive today? If you are like Tyler, then you believe God’s love for you depends on your actions.

You honestly believe God is ashamed of you because of your mistakes and failures. Well, you may have either not heard or have forgotten that the payment for your sins has already been made in full upon the body of Jesus at the cross.

Therefore, when God looks at you today, He doesn’t judge, esteem, and measure you according to your imperfections. He sees you in the Beloved—He sees you in Christ, and He sees the blood that has been shed for you by His dear Son.

When God looks at you today, He sees Jesus. Because of this, His thoughts toward you are thoughts of loving-kindness, forgiveness, blessings, and favor.

Jesus paid an immensely heavy price on the cross so that you can live life completely accepted and unconditionally loved by God. Knowing and believing this will make all the difference in how you live your life—no matter what is staring you in the face.

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

Message from Amir Tsarfati

God says that Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, is going to come. And Persia and Ethiopia, which is Sudan of today, and Libya will join them. Gomer and Togarmah, which is Turkey of today, many people with you. So you can see all the countries, and I bet you you will see that happening either during Trump’s administration or right after that.

These are the countries that are going to rise up against Israel. These are the countries that are in the Ezekiel 38 war that will come. And right after that war, following the supernatural victory of God in that war, Messianic aspirations will continue to increase, which will unfortunately lead to the acceptance of a false Messiah based on the false understanding of who and what Messiah is all about.

And when you don’t think the Messiah is God and that He didn’t come to die for your sins, it’s very easy to choose a man promising prosperity, peace, and above all, the temple in Jerusalem. And that is exactly what Daniel chapter nine says that the last seven years will bring upon Israel: “He shall confirm a covenant with many for one week,” seven years, “but in that middle of that one week, he shall bring an end to the sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined.” It’s determined. You cannot change it.

There is going to be an invasion of Israel. There’s going to be an antichrist. There is going to be a great tribulation. We are not part of it. The entire description in the of Book of Revelation, the church is not even mentioned once during the tribulation. We will be out of here while Israel will be the focus of God’s dealing with the world.

There will be a great tribulation, and Israel is going to seek the Lord during that time. “Alas! For that day is great,” Jeremiah 30 says, “so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.”

Daniel chapter 12 says, “At that time Michael,” there is a specific angel in heaven whose job is to protect the nation of Israel. Did you know that? That’s his job. “Michael, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time.” 

Basically, Daniel was given news by Gabriel that the tribulation will be far greater than the Holocaust. And then Michael said, “And at that time your people shall be delivered.” Who? The Jewish people that will see and acknowledge Messiah, believe in Him – “everyone who is found written in the book.”

Zechariah says, “‘It shall come to pass in all the land,’ says the Lord, ‘that two-thirds [of Israel] shall be cut off and die, but one-third shall be left in it: I will bring the one-third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, “This is my people”; and each one will say, “The Lord is my God.”’”

Remember, Israel of the present is Israel of the past, and it’s the same Israel of the future. It’s the same promise.

2 Peter 3:3-4
Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

While scoffing at the word of God is never a good thing, you could understand, to a degree, why some would wonder about the promise of His coming since a thousand or so years have passed since His ascension. The curious thing, however, is that Peter associates this scoffing specifically with the last days.

The reason this is strange is that the last days in which we now live are not a time absent of prophetic activity, like many of the previous centuries of church history. Things are as they were in the days of Noah – people are lovers of themselves and headstrong and haughty traitors abound, as Paul said they would in 2 Timothy 3 when perilous times have come.

Today, the nations of the Ezekiel war are in coalition together for the first time in history and Israel has become a burdensome stone to most – soon to be all – nations. There has been a mass defection from truth, good and evil have exchanged definitions, and sound doctrine is not tolerated in much of the church. 

We have an overwhelming amount of prophetic evidence to indicate that the transition to the 70th week of Daniel may not be far off. And yet, scoffers, which means false teachers or mockers, are all around us. This is also prophetic. They are saying that either the church needs to get the world ready so Jesus can return, or that He’s not coming back to get us like He promised in the book of John:

John 14:2-3
In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Jesus said He would come again and take us to where He is, and to scoff at that is to mock the word of God and expose the scoffer as a false teacher or faux follower. 

The evidence is clear, the world is about to experience a shift from the church age to the time of Jacob’s trouble. Before that can happen, Jesus will come for His bride and take us to the Father’s house just as He said He would do!

And to that we should all say: 

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,

Listen to No Other Voice

“To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”

John 10:3–4

There are many today still fighting for the voices of Moses and Elijah—the law and the prophets—not fully understanding that in the new covenant, it is all about hearing the voice of the resurrected Son of God.

Why does the Father want us to hear only the Lord Jesus? Why are we to focus on Jesus and grow in the knowledge of His grace? Because neither the law nor the prophets hold the answer to our deepest cry for intimacy and peace with God, and to enjoyment of His presence and power in every area of our lives. If you look at Scripture, you will see that while Moses and Elijah did mighty exploits, both great men of God still failed in the end.

Toward the end of his life, Moses hit the rock twice in disobedience, yelled at the people, spoke unadvisedly with his lips out of anger and impatience, and wound up not being allowed to enter the promised land. That’s how his ministry ended.

Why were the consequences of Moses’ actions so severe? Because he misrepresented God. In his anger, he represented God as angry and judgmental toward His people, when God actually loved and cared for them. This tells us that as preachers of God’s Word, we need to be very accurate in how we represent God.

What about Elijah? Despite amazing victories and evidence of the power of God in his ministry, in his last days, Elijah thought Jezebel was greater than God and fled from her. His ministry ended in depression and discouragement (1 Kings 19), with his mantle going to Elisha.

In comparison, where the law and the prophets failed, our Lord Jesus succeeded. Look at this beautiful prophecy of the Messiah in Isaiah 42:1, 3–4:

Behold! My Servant whom I uphold,
My Elect One in whom My soul delights! . . .
A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench;
He will bring forth justice for truth.
He will not fail nor be discouraged.

Whereas Moses failed and Elijah became discouraged, the Scriptures tell us that our Lord Jesus, the altogether lovely One, “will not fail nor be discouraged.” Whereas Moses was impatient, our Lord Jesus is patient with you and me today especially when we make mistakes and fail. And whereas Moses failed to bring God’s people into the promised land, our Lord Jesus finished the work His Father sent Him to do and has ushered us into all of God’s blessings and promises (Eph. 1:3, 2 Cor. 1:20). Whereas Elijah became discouraged, Jesus was not discouraged even by people’s repeated rejection of Him.

He is your rock and your fortress when you are feeling discouraged. All the greatest men of God in the Old Testament put together cannot compare with our beautiful Lord Jesus Christ!

This is God’s beloved Son and today He says to you, “Arise. Stand in My righteousness and be lifted up from defeat.” In the same way that our Lord Jesus could touch a man with leprosy and make him whole, He can touch any area of deformity, weakness, or shame in your life and transform it into wholeness and strength by His grace.

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

Completely Forgiven, Always Accepted

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

Romans 6:23

When I was a teenager, I got hold of a teaching that said a Christian could commit the “unpardonable sin.” Have you heard this “unpardonable sin” teaching before? This erroneous teaching says that all sins can be forgiven, but if you commit the sin of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31), there is no forgiveness.

As a young Christian, it really frightened me. The more I thought about the possibility of committing the unpardonable sin, the more I was convinced I had committed the sin! My thoughts became increasingly negative and I even started to doubt God, giving me even more reason to believe that I had indeed blasphemed against the Holy Spirit.

I went to my church leaders to seek counsel, but instead of leading me to the new covenant of grace, they told me that it was indeed possible for a Christian to commit the unpardonable sin.

By then, I was getting more and more depressed. The devil was oppressing me with thoughts of guilt and condemnation. The more I believed that I still had unforgiven sins, the more I believed that I had used up all of God’s grace in my life.

No one taught me about the blood of Jesus, or showed me that my thinking and believing were actually dishonoring the blood of Christ and negating Jesus’ work on the cross for me. I really thought that my sins were greater than God’s grace. I felt like I was losing my mind and on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

It was through this tumultuous journey that I began to understand the grace of our Lord Jesus. I now know beyond the shadow of a doubt that a Christian cannot commit the unpardonable sin.

Here’s why. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit came to testify of and witness about Jesus Christ (John 15:26). To blaspheme the Holy Spirit is therefore to continually reject the person of Christ whom the Holy Spirit testifies of.

Study the Word of God carefully. Who was Jesus speaking to when He spoke of the unpardonable sin? He was speaking to the Pharisees, who continually rejected Him as their Savior and even accused Him of having an unclean spirit.

Jesus’ response was, “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven . . . but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation” (Mark 3:28–29).

Why did He say that? The next verse tells us that it is “because they said, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’”

Therefore, in the context of the Bible, Jesus was warning the Pharisees to stop committing the sin of rejecting Him, the only Savior, and depending on their own efforts to be saved. This clearly does not apply to the believer.

You see, in reading the Bible, it is important to note who the words were spoken to and to ascertain if the words are relevant for the believer. In this case, Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees who had rejected Him and who even made claims that He had an unclean spirit. Imagine their audacity!

As for you, my friend, have full assurance in your heart that it is impossible for a believer to commit the unpardonable sin. Today’s scripture shows us that a believer (who is in Christ) has already received the gift of eternal life and will never be “subject to eternal condemnation.”

Beloved, do not be deceived. Because we are in His Son, Jesus Christ, we will never experience God’s anger or rejection.

Be anchored and secure in the Father’s love and your complete acceptance in Christ. His finished work on the cross has wiped out your entire life’s sins—past, present, and future—once and for all, bar none!

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

Already Beloved, Already Qualified

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!

1 John 3:1 NLT

I received an awesome testimony from twenty-five-year-old Nathan from New York, who grew up with no father figure in his life except a man whom his mother married and who beat him regularly from the time he was three. Nathan struggled with his identity, his addictions, and his anger. But his turning point came when he learned that his Daddy God loves him. He wrote:

I heard a sermon of yours about being God’s beloved. I had never heard someone speak about Jesus as someone who died for my sins because He loved me so much. I thought there was no way anyone would die for me if they knew what I’d done. But the love I felt as I listened was something I’d never experienced before.

I had to know more, so I bought your book Destined To Reign, and the Lord’s words through your book changed my life . . . I’ve dropped every bad habit—everything—in my past and have given myself to the Lord Jesus Christ. Every day seems new to me, and I see life in a different light now. I know that I have a Father in heaven who loves and accepts me. I know that He hears my prayers and won’t be slow to answer them.

In the same way, I pray you will have a revelation that you are right now loved by the Father and close to His heart. That your Daddy God always hears your prayers and is more than able and willing to lift you out of every dark pit and set you in His love and light.

Right now, I want you to do something: close your eyes and just say, “Daddy.”

That’s a prayer right there. In fact, that’s the deepest, most intimate prayer you can pray. Call upon your Daddy God because He loves you and cares for you. You never did anything to make Him fall in love with you. And beloved, there is nothing you can do, nothing you could have done, that will ever take away His love for you.

I want you to know today that as a child of God, you don’t need to qualify for His love in any way. You are already His beloved. You may feel that you are far away from Him, but your Father sees you. He has been watching and waiting for you to come home, ready to sprint toward you to embrace you. He wants to lavish His love and kisses on you, over and over again.

You don’t need to earn your Daddy’s love. ALL that He has is already yours. He’s not asking you to serve Him in order to earn His blessings. ALL that He has, He has already freely and unconditionally given to you.

He gave up His only Son to die an agonizing death on the cross for the chance that you might one day accept His love. So come. Come to the Father. Come with all your failings, with all your brokenness, with all your inadequacies.

Come as you are. As you realize that you are the object of His love, I pray that whatever is negative or destructive will be flushed out from your life and you will experience breakthrough after breakthrough like never before.

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

Hold On to God’s Promises

“Behold, all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; they shall be as nothing, and those who strive with you shall perish. You shall seek them and not find them—those who contended with you. Those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing. For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’”

Isaiah 41:11–13

Let me share with you a testimony I believe will greatly encourage you. One of my leaders was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease when he suddenly suffered bouts of intense vertigo that completely incapacitated him for hours. Whenever a vertigo attack occurred, waves of nausea would overtake him, and he would find himself throwing up uncontrollably. He would also experience symptoms of tinnitus regularly, where every sound around him became magnified or distorted, and he could not hear what people were saying to him.

It was terrifying for him because the attacks were sudden and unpredictable, could happen while he was driving, and left him retching and vomiting until he was exhausted. It felt like he was trapped in the churning waters of a violent storm. His doctors told him that medication could help manage the symptoms, but there was no cure for his condition and the symptoms were, in fact, likely to get worse.

Then one day the Lord led him to the above passage from Isaiah 41. He said, “When God gave me that word, I kept meditating on it and kept it in my spirit. The words ‘shall be as a nonexistent thing’ kept jumping out at me, and I knew that I had it. I was healed.”

He did not see the full manifestation of his healing immediately, but he had faith he was already healed because of the word he received. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, “the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). So even before he saw the reality, he knew he was healed.

He continued to partake of the holy Communion regularly, but he no longer did so out of any sense of fear the symptoms would become increasingly debilitating. Instead, he partook knowing he was already healed, and after some time, he “stopped experiencing the symptoms altogether.” As I write this, he has been completely symptom-free for well over a year. All glory to our lovely Savior!

Isaiah 41:11–13 is such a powerful passage to meditate on if you are faced with the enemies of sickness and disease today. Doesn’t it remind you of what the Lord did for the children of Israel when He split open the Red Sea for them even though it appeared like all was lost?

The Lord is no respecter of persons. Put your trust in Him. He can make a way when there seems to be no way. If He did it for the children of Israel, and He did it for the brother in my church, He can do it for you too.

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

You Are an Heir of the World!

God’s blessings are part of our inheritance in the new covenant of grace, which Jesus died to give us. God’s Word tells us that “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us . . . that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

Isn't it interesting that the Lord is very specific in mentioning that Christ became a curse for us on the cross, so that we can experience and enjoy the blessing of Abraham? He does not want us to simply experience any kind of blessing. He wants us to experience the blessing of Abraham. I think it behooves us then to find out what “the blessing of Abraham” is and who can receive it.

The Bible tells us that “if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:29). Are you Christ’s? Do you belong to Jesus? Then that makes you an heir according to the promise.

Every believer in Christ is an heir. Whenever you hear the word “heir,” it speaks of something good. It speaks of an inheritance that you don’t work for, an inheritance that is yours not because of what you do, but because of whose you are.

In this case, as a new covenant believer in Jesus, you belong to Jesus and you have a blood-bought inheritance in Christ as the seed of Abraham. You, beloved, are an heir according to THE promise!

Now, there are many promises in the Bible, but what is THE promise that God made to Abraham? We can’t claim this promise if we don’t know what it is. We need to go to the Word (use the Bible to interpret the Bible) to establish what the promise is. And we find the answer in Romans 4:13—“For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.”

The promise to Abraham and his seed (you and I) is that he would be “the heir of the world”! In the original Greek text, the word “world” here is kosmos. Its meaning includes, “the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments, riches, advantages, pleasures.”

Now, that is what you are an heir to through Jesus' finished work! In Christ, you are an heir of the world—its goods, its endowments, its riches, its advantages, and its pleasures.

This is THE promise that God made to Abraham and his seed. Don’t apologize for it. It is your inheritance in Christ!

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

The Power of Identity

Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? . . . know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1 Corinthians 6:15, 19–20 KJV

I read the story of a businessman in New York City who was rushing to board a subway train on his way to work when he saw a beggar with a cup of pencils in his hands sitting on the platform. Without thinking too much about it, he quickly grabbed some money from his wallet and dropped the bills into the beggar’s collection plate before boarding the train.

Just before the train doors closed, the businessman jumped back out onto the platform and took several pencils from the beggar’s cup. He apologized to the beggar, explaining that in his haste, he had neglected to pick up the pencils he had purchased. “After all,” he said, “you are a businessman just like me. You have merchandise to sell and it’s fairly priced.” After that the businessman boarded the next train and went about his day.

At a social event several months later, a well-dressed salesman approached this businessman and introduced himself. “You probably don’t remember me and I don’t know your name,” he said, “but I will never forget you. You are the man who gave me back my self-respect. I was a ‘beggar’ selling pencils until you came along and told me that I was a businessman.”

I share this story to highlight to you the power of identity. The businessman gave this beggar a renewed sense of meaning and identity by simply speaking over him and calling forth a latent potential that was in him.

By calling this beggar a businessman, he awakened in him a renewed sense of worth, value, and importance. The words gave the beggar a new perspective. And they gave him a new belief and vision that propelled him to walk away from the lie that a beggar was all he could be.

We can draw many parallels in this story for believers of our Lord Jesus. I believe that many who are struggling with sin, addictions, and destructive bondages don’t have the revelation of their new covenant identity in Christ. When you see a believer struggling with sin, it is often a case of mistaken identity.

The best way to help him is to point him back to his righteousness in Christ, as the apostle Paul did to those in the Corinthian church who had fallen into sin. Paul didn’t point these believers back to the law of Moses. All he did was to remind them of who they truly were.

Reread today’s scripture. Paul knew that if they were reminded of their righteous identity in Christ, they would repent. They would return to grace and turn away from their sins when they were reminded of their value according to the heavy price Christ had paid on the cross to ransom them.

I encourage you to use Apostle Paul’s method to encourage and lift up believers whom you know are struggling with sin. Point them back to their identity in Christ. They probably do not know, or have forgotten, how they have been made the righteousness of God through Jesus’ blood.

Because of this, like the beggar in the story, they are living a life of defeat. They are living far below the high place God has called them to. Believers in Christ are called to be the head and not the tail, to be above and not beneath, to reign over sin and not be defeated by sin!

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

Message from Amir Tsarfati

The one thing I can get from this whole book about the Jews is failure. We fail God all the time, yet He’s still there and never, ever forsook His people. So it makes me humble to come as a Jew who comes from a nation that failed God for the most part, but yet is also a nation that God chose and used to bring forth so many amazing things. And it’s amazing to me to think about Paul 2,000 years ago, a zealous Orthodox Jew who wanted to kill Christians. He spread havoc – the Bible uses that word – I mean, people were afraid of him.

And one day Paul realized, “Everything I’ve learned, everything I thought I knew, everything I studied, all the great knowledge of the rabbis and the sages, everything is just like rubbish compared to knowing Christ. But as a Jew, he realized he needed first to take the message to the Jews because the Bible says to the Jew what? First. “Oh, I don’t like that.” That’s a verse in the Bible. Deal with that.

To the Jew first is the blessing and to the Jew first is the curse. In Romans 1, to the Jew first, it’s about the gospel, but in Roman 2 come the curses also. In other words, to the Jew first is not because they are better. It’s the order in which God is progressing. But God is not just the God of the Jews that cares only about the Jews and Israel. You must understand that. The Gentiles are not secondhand, they’re not second option, you’re not plan B. This has never been the case. It’s just that the Gentiles never thought that they needed to worship one God.

Romans 3:1-4
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? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are judged.”

Paul challenged the Jews in Romans 2 that since they see themselves as enlightened and teachers of those in the darkness, why do they not teach themselves? Earlier, he wrote:

Romans 2:23-24
You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.

The rhetorical question arises, “What advantage then has the Jew?” Paul said, “Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles (sayings or scriptures) of God.” In other words, the Jews had the word of God before the rest of the world. Where they failed was by keeping it to themselves and seeing themselves as above others, instead of fulfilling their responsibility to share the word of God to the world.

It seems as though many Gentile Christians today want to become a part of the “to the Jew first” crowd by observing the Sabbath, keeping the feast days, etc. What they seem to overlook is the fact that if Gentile in the Old Testament means a non-Jew, then Adam was a Gentile when God called him, Enoch was Gentile, Noah was a Gentile, and even Abraham was a Gentile when God called him out of Ur of the Chaldees. So if you’re a Gentile, you’re in good company, too! 

There were no Jews until Jacob was renamed Israel. It was then that the oracles of God would be committed to the Jews. 

Philippians 3:3-8
For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

God gave His word to the Jew first. He called them His own special people first, because He wanted the world to see how knowing Him and following His word makes you distinct from the world, so that others may want know and follow Him, too.

The Jews have the advantage of having the word of God committed to them, but it is only an advantage to those who came to the knowledge of the One who is the Holy One of Israel.

Don’t make the mistake many Jews made by thinking that keeping the Sabbath, the Law, and feast days makes you acceptable to God. Paul said those things are rubbish in comparison to the work that Christ did for us on the cross!

Paul said this of his own life, and we would do well to do the same:

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.

If you love Jesus, your ethnic background, gender, or status in life is of no consequence spiritually. For it is no longer you who live, but Christ who lives in and through you. 

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus 

The Mountain Where God Dwells

For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place: “This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.”

Psalm 132:13–16

My dear reader, I want to announce to you today that God has moved mountains. He is no more on Mount Sinai, which only breeds fear and insecurity in your relationship with Him and drives you deeper into destructive behaviors with no hope of freedom.

Because of the cross of Jesus, where God’s wrath for all our sins was poured out, He has moved to Mount Zion, the mountain of grace, the place of reconciliation, relationship, and closeness with His people. On this mountain you find yourself running to God to experience intimacy with Him that gives you strength and changes you from the inside out.

In the Psalms alone, you will find many scriptures about how God loves and has chosen Zion, and will bless those on Zion. Reread today’s scripture, for example, and then consider Psalm 125:1 KJV:

They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

It is Mount Zion, and not Mount Sinai, that cannot be removed. It remains forever! What does this mean?

If you establish your life on Mount Zion, you will enjoy true liberty and stability. Build your life on the mountain of grace and you will be like the man who built his house on the rock—unshakable and rock-solid in the face of adversities and life’s storms. If your blessings and breakthroughs come from Mount Zion, they will last!

My friend, because of Jesus’ finished work on Calvary, God has moved to Mount Zion. And today, Mount Zion—the place of His grace—is where He wants both your feet firmly planted.

He loves you more deeply than you realize. He values, treasures, and loves you. It is time to let go of your own works and allow the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to completely revolutionize your life from the inside out.

When Christ in His glorious grace is of full effect in your life, that breakthrough you have been believing for shall come to pass swiftly in the name of Jesus. That destructive addiction you have been battling for years will come crumbling down and no longer have a grip on your life.

And I am believing with you that that health condition you have been trying to beat shall be no more. I pray for you to receive supernatural healing right now in your body.

I declare that by His stripes, you are completely healed in the name of Jesus. I am standing in faith with you that cancer and all terminal diseases have no hold over your body. I speak health, healing, longevity, and wholeness in Jesus’ mighty name. May your youth be renewed like the eagle’s, and may you be satisfied with the promise of long life and good days in Jesus’ name. Amen and Amen!

As I was writing this, God’s spirit of faith to believe with you for your healing and health just arose in me. We have a miracle-working God and He can go above and beyond anything the doctors might have said about your condition, so let’s lean in to His love, His grace, and His peace. May His healing power be of full effect in your body, in Jesus’ name!

I can’t wait to hear from you about what God has done in you, so be sure to write to me at JosephPrince.org/Praise. I look forward to rejoicing and praising the Lord with you!

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

Jesus Shared His Father's Glory

 'Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.'

John 5:18

When the Jewish authorities heard Jesus call God 'my (own) Father', they immediately understood that Jesus claimed for Himself deity in the highest possible sense of that term. That claim was either blasphemy, to be punished by death, or else Jesus was who He claimed to be.

Jesus never associated Himself with His disciples by using the plural pronoun 'our' Father. Rather, He always used the singular 'my' Father, since His relationship was unique and eternal, whereas theirs was by grace and regeneration.

We should ponder carefully our Lord's own conception of who He was. He said 'I am from above' (Jn. 8:23); 'Before Abraham was, I AM' (Jn. 8:58); 'I and my Father are one' (Jn. 10:30); 'He that hath seen me hath seen the Father' (Jn. 14:9); and 'I am not of the world' (Jn. 17:16). He also declared His eternal pre-existence and that He shared the Father's glory (Jn. 6:62; 17:5).

We can't just honor Jesus, but we have to honor Him 'even as' (in like manner or the same way) we honor the Father. This is what separates true Christianity from the religions of the world. Most religions honor Jesus as a great man (examples: Islam, Unification Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc.), but they are violently opposed to making Jesus equal with Almighty God (1 Jn. 2:23). The names and titles given to Jesus in John's gospel clearly present Jesus as being equal with God. He is all you need Him to be. Andrew Womack

Follow the Lord

Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb . . . because he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.

Joshua 14:14

What are your eyes fixed on today? Are they focused on the darkness that is in the world? Or are they fixed on the Lord’s promises for your life?

My chief intention in this devotional is to turn your eyes away from the destruction you see every day, and to turn them to our beautiful Lord Jesus.

Do you know what Caleb’s secret to long life was? The passage above tells us that it was found in simply following the Lord.

Hebron was the name for one of the cities of refuge instituted by the Lord. In Hebrew, Hebron means fellowship or “association.” This speaks of intimacy, closeness, and connection with the Lord.

There is no formula to long life. The prayer of protection is not a mantra. What we need to note is the importance of having an intimate relationship with Jesus.

Our Lord Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Follow Him and find the path to a long and abundant life.

Don’t forget that everything Caleb experienced was under the old covenant. His renewal of youth and unabated strength and vigor were all experienced under the old covenant.

How much more should we be experiencing this renewal of youth, boundless energy, and length of days under the new covenant of grace that is established on better promises (Heb. 8:6)! Amen!

In a psalm that Moses wrote, it says, “The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years” (Ps. 90:10). Some people have used this to teach that our expected lifespan is therefore between seventy and eighty years.

But it is important we interpret this psalm in the context of the children of Israel being in the wilderness and under God’s wrath. We have also seen that even under the old covenant, Caleb transcended this lifespan and was still going strong at eighty-five years old.

So dear reader—you who are under the new covenant—I encourage you to aim high. Don’t settle for living till just seventy or eighty years old, when God has promised, “With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation” (Ps. 91:16).

Your satisfaction is the limit and according to your faith, be it unto you. I pray that as you stay close to our Lord Jesus, you will live long, live strong, and live under the protective covering of His wings.

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

Rest In His Love

 'And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him because he had done these things on the sabbath day.'

John 5:16

The Sabbath was first mentioned in Scripture in Exodus 16, when the Lord started miraculously providing the children of Israel with manna in the wilderness. The Israelites were commanded to gather twice as much manna on the sixth day because God would not provide any on the seventh day.

Shortly after this, the Lord commanded the observance of the Sabbath day in the ten commandments that were communicated to Moses on Mt. Sinai on the two tablets of stone (Ex. 20:8-11). In this command, God connected this Sabbath day with the rest that He took on the seventh day of creation.

As revealed in Colossians 2:16-17, the Sabbath was symbolic. According to Exodus 23:12, one of the purposes of the Sabbath was to give man and his animals one day of physical rest each week. Today's medical science has proven that our bodies need at least one day of rest each week to function at our peak. Deuteronomy 5:15, also clearly states that the Sabbath was to serve as a reminder to the Jews that they had been slaves in Egypt and were delivered from bondage, not by their own efforts, but by the supernatural power of God.

However, in the New Testament, there is an even clearer purpose of the Sabbath stated. In Colossians 2:16-17, Paul reveals that the Sabbath was only a shadow of things to come and is now fulfilled in Christ. Hebrews 4:1-11, talks about a Sabbath rest that is available to, but not necessarily functional in, all New Testament believers. This New Testament Sabbath rest is simply a relationship with God in which we have ceased from doing things by our own efforts and are letting God work through us (Gal. 2:20; Heb. 4:10).

The Sabbath is not a day, but rather a relationship with God through Jesus. Rest in His love and let Him use you today. Andrew Womack