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

- MARCH 25 -
THE POWER OF IDENTITY

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. Joseph Prince

The Power of Hearing the Gospel

And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked.Acts 14:8–10

- MARCH 24 -
THERE IS POWER IN HEARING THE GOSPEL PREACHED

Have you ever wondered how the crippled man in today’s scripture, who had never walked, came to be filled with faith when he heard Paul speaking? What words generated such faith?

Let’s look at this closely in today’s reading. The Bible only says that Paul was “preaching the gospel” (Acts 14:7). It doesn’t say that he was teaching divine healing.

The Bible also states that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17 NASB). So the man at Lystra was filled with faith because he heard the word of Christ!

I know that in most Bible translations, it says that faith comes by hearing “the word of God.” But if you study the original Greek word for “God” here, it is not Theos for “God,” but rather Christos for “Christ.”

You see, faith does not come by simply hearing the word of God, because the word of God would encompass everything in the Bible, including the law of Moses. There is no impartation of faith when you hear the Ten Commandments preached.

Faith only comes by hearing the word of Christ—teachings that have been filtered through Jesus’ finished work and the new covenant of grace. That means hearing preaching of the Word from Genesis to Revelation as long as it is from the perspective of Jesus and His grace.

After all, Christ is in the Old Testament concealed, and in the New Testament revealed. In the Old Testament, you will find shadows of Christ in the five Levitical offerings, the tabernacle of Moses, and even in the high priest’s garments, but it takes a new covenant understanding to draw Christ out. Only when Christ is preached will faith be imparted.

I can just imagine how the man at Lystra responded when he heard Paul proclaiming that he could be justified from all things if he only believed in Jesus. When he heard the good news of Christ, faith came and filled his heart to believe that he was forgiven of all his sins.

And at that very moment, he heard Paul commanding him in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” Before he had time to hesitate, he found himself leaping to his feet with joy, and for the first time in his life, he walked! Hallelujah!

This is so similar to a praise report I received from Lizzy, who lives in Virginia. For ten years she had been praying for a young woman who was molested as a child and developed anorexia as a teen.

The girl’s condition worsened and she was placed in a ward for cardiac patients because her heart became too weak to function properly. In spite of the counseling and treatments she received, her condition did not improve and the doctors pronounced her as “dying.” Then, this happened:

Too weak to even read, this young woman began to watch Joseph Prince and hear the messages of God’s love and grace. Shortly before Christmas, her permanent feeding tube fell out on its own and she began to do what the doctors said she would never do again—eat solid food! She said she had heard Joseph Prince saying that when her spirit got stronger, her body would follow, and it has!

She is now able to attend church. Her pastor has even placed her to minister to the family of a fourteen-year-old girl who is anorexic. She is telling the girl that nothing worked for her except the grace of God. Hallelujah!

My friend, faith for healing or any other breakthrough you need comes when you are simply hearing the gospel of grace preached, as the crippled man of Lystra did. The Bible declares that the gospel is the power of God unto your salvation (Rom. 1:16), which includes total wholeness, preservation, and well-being.

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

Middle East Report

Shalom from the Jezreel Valley! I have had a wonderful week filled with interviews. First, I had the opportunity to join Tony Perkins on his show “Washington Watch”. We had a great discussion about what is taking place today in Israel and how it fits into God’s plan for His chosen people. If you have not seen it, you can watch it here. Immediately following, I took time with Chris Mitchell, who is an excellent reporter with CBN.

On Monday, I sat down with Dr. Einat Wilf, who is a very strong advocate of Israel in the political and academic realm. As the Jerusalem rain came down in the background, we discussed our love for our nation, but we did so from disparate points of view both politically and spiritually. While a great thinker, Dr. Wilf has no place for God in her philosophy. She views Zionism as a secular movement, which I strongly disagree with. Removing God from of the story of the Jews’ return to their ancestral homeland is like a child going to the cupboard, removing a package of crackers, then feeling proud that they were able to feed themselves. It is a woefully limited perspective with no vision of the bigger picture. Still, just as a father will continue to provide for that child whether or not the little one acknowledges his part, God will progress in His plans to bring His people home without our help and without us acknowledging His part. That is why the Bible says that first He will bring them back, and then He will pour His spirit on them. I look forward to the coming release of this video, because often Christians can find themselves in an echo chamber, forgetting that most of the world has a very different foundation from which they build their worldview. This interview will be most enlightening.

Finally, last night I had the opposite experience from Monday’s interview as I met via video with a man who has a solid grasp on Scripture. My dear friend, Pastor Barry Stagner, invited me to join him on his weekly show “The Lineup”. When Barry and I are together, it is always a good time of looking into current events and funneling them through the lens of Scripture. Last night was no exception. If you have time to check out the video when it releases tonight, I would encourage you to do so.

Sadly for Hamas, they didn’t enjoy as good as week as I did. In fact, theirs started out very poorly. Eighty thousand Muslims journeyed to the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. They were there for the first Friday prayers of Ramadan. The worshippers came, they prayed, then they went home. Hamas was crushed. They were desperately hoping for riots or protests or some sort of violence to break out – anything that they could point to that would show how the evil Israelis were determined to keep Muslims from worshipping at their holy mosque. Instead, it all went off without a hitch. Sorry Hamas. Better luck next Ramadan.

The Middle East

As I summarize some key happenings from the last week, please make sure to check out and subscribe to My Telegram Channel if you haven’t already, as this is the platform I use to provide real-time updates concerning Israel, the region, and events happening around the world on a daily basis. 

Hezbollah, Hamas, and Other Militias
A major criticism of the IDF has been the number of civilian casualties in Gaza and in the north in Lebanon and Syria. What these critics are failing to realize – or, more likely, failing to admit to – is the immoral human shield philosophy of Hamas and Hezbollah. The whole reason the IDF is in civilian neighborhoods and hospitals and humanitarian areas is because that is where the terrorists have placed their soldiers, their weapons and armament storehouses, their rocket and bomb making factories, and their military headquarters. When the IDF goes in, it does all it can to protect innocent lives. That is the opposite of the terrorists who hope for high civilian casualty numbers. For them, the public relations boost from a picture of a dead baby more than makes up for the loss of the child’s life.

At the end of January, Newsweek published an opinion piece called “Israel Implemented More Measures to Prevent Civilian Casualties Than Any Other Nation in History”. The title says it all. And this isn’t just some biased rant by an Israeli sympathizer. Its author is John Spencer, chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute (MWI) at West Point and codirector of MWI’s Urban Warfare Project. In his article, Spencer wrote, “To be clear, I am outraged by the civilian casualties in Gaza. But it’s crucial to direct that outrage at the right target. And that target is Hamas.” Both Hamas and Hezbollah know they have no conventional weapons that can defeat the Israeli military. So, they will resort to their one ordnance powerful enough to bring them victory – public opinion.

Five senior leaders of pro-Iranian militias were eliminated in a targeted airstrike by the IDF in eastern Syria. One was a senior commander of Hezbollah. Last week also saw two attacks on Hezbollah weapons depots in the same area north of Damascus just two days apart. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, IDF airstrikes continue on Hezbollah sites.

Hamas
Once the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had cleared Gaza City of Hamas, they directed their efforts south. As the battle raged in Khan Yunis, the terrorists sensed an opportunity. Quietly, they began sneaking back into Gaza City, reestablishing a secret base at Shifa Hospital. What they didn’t realize was that they were being watched. Once Hamas was settled in, the IDF sprung their trap. Military and Shin Bet forces surrounded the hospital and moved in. What they found inside was a lot of terrorists and a massive amount of weapons and armaments. Thus far, at least 90 Hamas members have been killed and 350 suspects have been arrested. Fa’ak Mabhouh, the head of the internal security operations department for the terrorist organization, was among the dead. This surprise attack was a major disappointment for Hamas.

In the West Bank, the battle continues to rage against Hamas. Yesterday, in Jenin, a car carrying three terrorists was destroyed in a surgical airstrike. In Tulkarm, more than 50 military jeeps, three bulldozers, and three Caterpillar D9 armored bulldozers entered the city for an operation. There were also reports of an aerial attack on the city’s militants. It is essential for the IDF to quell the terrorist tide building in the West Bank.

A growing number of Gazans are turning their backs on Hamas due to the terrorists’ penchant for stealing aid. A week ago, armed Palestinians began shooting at civilians who were waiting for a delivery of humanitarian relief. The armed gunmen continued to shoot at innocent men, women, and children after the aid trucks had arrived at the Kuwaiti roundabout in Gaza City. Dozens were killed and at least 150 were injured. Some of the dead had been run over by the aid trucks. More recently, a huge amount of humanitarian aid flour was discovered in a warehouse that had been recently bombed by the IDF. It is no wonder that cries of “May God protect you, Netanyahu” and “May God protect the Jewish people” were heard among those who had discovered the flour.

Israel
While Hamas has experienced major disappointments at home, they’re encouraged by what they are seeing overseas. The Canadian government announced Tuesday that it will halt future arms exports to Israel. While disappointing, it is not surprising. With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in charge, it was not a matter of “if” but “when”. The sentiments of much of Western Europe are trending strongly in the same direction as Canada.

Of greatest concern is the intentional drift of the United States from Israel, led by the woke liberal left. Last week, in a speech highly critical of Israel’s handling of the war, US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he better straighten up his act. Otherwise, “the United States will have no choice but to play a more active role in shaping Israeli policy by using our leverage to change the present course.” He also included in his speech a call for early elections in Israel. This prompted Netanyahu to remind the senator that Israeli elections fall under the purview of the Israeli people, adding, “We’re not a banana republic.”

But it is not just Schumer who is trying to insert the United States into critical Israeli decision-making. Both President Joe Biden and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan made it clear that the IDF going into Rafah would be a big mistake. Biden even went so far as to call it a “red line” before backtracking and saying, “So there is no red line…”, and then adding, “But there’s red lines….” Um, thanks for the clarification. Netanyahu responded by assuring the US administration and the Israeli people that Israel will be going into Rafah. He added, “You know, I have a red line. You know what the red line is? That October 7 doesn’t happen again. Never happens again.”

Yemen
Early Monday morning, an explosion was heard in an open area near Eilat in the south of Israel. The cause of that explosion was a cruise missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The Israeli Air Force tracked the missile the whole way and, once it was determined that it was bound for open space, chose not to waste a rocket to shoot it down. Still, this marked the first time that a projectile fired by the Houthis has reached Israeli territory.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) issued a press release Monday telling of a successful engagement against the Houthis in which seven anti-ship missiles, three UAVs, and three weapons storage containers were destroyed. These weapons posed an immediate threat to both merchant and navy ships.

Russia
Vladimir Putin won reelection to the Russian presidency on Monday with 87% of the vote. This was a surprise to absolutely no one. His closest opponent, Nikolay Kharitonov, who received 4%, was last seen walking through the Duma headquarters, mumbling, “Why did I insist on the tenth-floor balcony apartment?”

Not all is rosy for President Putin. Saturday saw drone hits on two oil refineries, one in Krasnodar region and one in Samara oblast. These refinery strikes are happening more and more often, and the Russian military has yet to figure out an answer to stopping them. The next day, explosive drones hit Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow forcing it to suspend operations for a time. Amir Tsarfati

About Those Scribes

About Those Scribes

March 22

Luke 6:7, 'And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day, that they might find an accusation against him.'

MATTHEW 12:1-14; MARK 2:23-3:6; LUKE 6:1-11

The scribes were copyists of the holy scriptures. They preserved in written form the oral law, and faithfully handed down the Hebrew scriptures. In New Testament times, they were students, interpreters, and teachers of the Old Testament. Their functions regarding the law were to teach it, develop it, and use it in any connection with the Sanhedrin and various local courts. They were ambitious for honor, which they demanded, especially from their pupils, as well as from the general public. This homage was readily granted them (Mt. 23:5-11).

Ezra was a scribe during the Babylonian captivity of the Jews, and he was a very godly man. The office of a scribe was a worthy one, but the scribes of Jesus' day were often rebuked by Him for having gone beyond the job of copying out the scriptures. They had a large volume of interpretations that they had added to the scriptures based on traditions, and had thus made 'the word of God of none effect' (Mk. 7:13).

The scribes became an independent company of interpreters of the law and leaders of the people. Even they, themselves, sought to evade certain of their own precepts (Mt. 23:2-4). They clashed with Christ for He taught with authority and condemned the external formalism that they fostered (Mt. 7:28-29). They persecuted Peter and John (Acts 4:3-7) and had a part in Stephen's martyrdom (Acts 6:12). However, although the majority opposed Christ, some did believe (Mt. 21:15).

Later on, we'll read how Jesus exposed the hypocrisy of the scribes by dealing with issues of the heart. They appeared to be holy outwardly, but their hearts were far from God. It is important for us to keep our hearts tender and receptive to His Word, and give ourselves to Him in worship. Think about the good things he has done for you today and be thankful. Andrew Womack

God or Man Pleasers

God Or Man Pleasers

March 21

John 5:43-44, 'I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?'

JOHN 5:28-47

This is in reference to the fact that Jesus came in the power and authority of His father to point men to 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 (Phil. 2:6-8).

He did not come to promote Himself but to give His life to provide the way to the Father (Jn. 14:6). In the same way, the Holy Spirit does not exalt Himself, but points all men unto Jesus. Jesus came, meek and lowly, totally submitted unto and seeking only to please 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).

If we are concerned about what people think in an attempt to gain their approval (or honor), we will never take a stand in faith for anything that might be criticized. This one thing has probably stopped as many people from receiving from God as anything else. You cannot be a 'man-pleaser' and please God at the same time. Commit your all to Him - every thought, word, and deed. Andrew Womack

Follow the Lord

Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb . . . because he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.Joshua 14:14

- MARCH 20 -
FOLLOW THE LORD

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. Joseph Prince

God will never be angry with you

“For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has mercy on you.Isaiah 54:9–10

- MARCH 19 -
GOD WILL NEVER BE ANGRY WITH YOU

A warning is issued in 1 Peter 5:8—“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” I know that a lion roars to intimidate and to bring fear, but I used to wonder what kind of fear the devil tries to instill in the believer.

We must let the Bible interpret the Bible. We can’t base our interpretations on our denominational backgrounds or our experiences.

One day, I was reading Proverbs 19 when I came across verse 12: “The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.” Who is the king that this verse refers to? It is our Lord Jesus!

So when the devil goes about like a roaring lion, he is trying to impersonate the King. He is trying to make you feel as if God is angry with you.

Every time you hear preaching that leaves you with a sense that God is angry with you, guess what? You have just been roared at!

But know this, beloved: God will NEVER be angry with you ever again. He only has to tell us this, but He wanted us to be so sure that He swore in His Word that He would never be angry with us again.

Today’s verses are from Isaiah 54, which is right after the famous messianic chapter of the sufferings of Christ in Isaiah 53. Therefore, Isaiah 54 is spelling out the triumphs and spoils of His sufferings.

Do you know why God will never be angry with us again? It is because of what Christ has accomplished for us!

On the cross, God poured out all His anger on the body of His Son. Jesus exhausted all the fiery indignation of a holy God against all our sins, and when all of God’s judgment of our sins had been completely exhausted, He shouted, “It is finished!” (John 19:30).

And because our sins have already been punished, God, who is a holy and just God, will not punish us today when we believe in what Christ has done. God’s holiness is now on your side. His righteousness is now for you, not against you. You are His beloved, in whom He is well pleased because of Jesus' finished work!

The next time the devil tries to rob you of your sense of being beloved by making you think that God is angry with you, just ignore him. Ignore him when he says, “How can you call yourself a Christian?”

You are a righteous, accepted, and beloved child of God! When you believe this, you will have the confidence to face every challenge with boldness, knowing that you have God’s unmerited favor on your side!

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

Jesus Is The True Bread Of Life

“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.”John 6:48–50

- MARCH 18 -
JESUS, THE TRUE BREAD OF LIFE

I trust that you are excited to see Jesus in the Scriptures, so I want to unveil Jesus to you in Old Testament scriptures through the use of typology. If you are not familiar with the use of typology in interpreting the scriptures, I hope the examples you will read here will give you a good understanding of it.

The Bible says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter” (Prov. 25:2). God has hidden the mysteries of His beloved Son and His finished work throughout the Bible, and it is our glory as kings to search out all these things concerning Himself. Are you ready to see Jesus?

Let’s first look at the account of the children of Israel as they journeyed in the wilderness. The Bible tells us that “the soul of the people became very discouraged,” and they began to murmur and complain against God and His appointed leadership, Moses, saying, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread” (Num. 21:4–5).

Can you imagine this? God had delivered them from a life of slavery in Egypt with His mighty hand, protected them from Pharaoh’s army with a pillar of fire, and parted the Red Sea for them to pass through. Instead of being grateful, they complained and even referred to the manna from heaven as “worthless bread.”

According to the psalmist, the manna was “the bread of heaven . . . angels’ food” (Ps. 78:24–25). For forty years in the wilderness, God provided them with food for champions, food that kept them free from sicknesses and diseases, food that descended daily from heaven.

All they had to do each morning was to collect enough for their consumption. Yet, they despised the manna.

Jesus said in today’s scripture that the manna God gave them was a picture or type of Himself. The church today needs to be careful not to make the same mistake that the children of Israel made when they called the manna from God “worthless bread.”

In many places, there is an underemphasis on Jesus Christ and an overemphasis on all sorts of doctrines and principles that can be extracted from the Word. Churches must be careful not to consider Jesus as “worthless bread” by relegating Him to the periphery of their teachings.

Anybody who doesn’t focus on Jesus Christ and His finished work has neither the power nor the wisdom of God, because the Bible says that Christ crucified is the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:23–24). He is the true bread from heaven and only He satisfies!

The devil is afraid of any church that preaches Jesus Christ on the cross because he knows that when people know how God sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross for them, they will see that they have a merciful God who loves them unconditionally. They will know the truth, and the truth will set them free (John 8:32)!

Let me add one more thing. Do you know that every morning, the children of Israel had to go out to collect fresh manna?

The manna could not be stored overnight for consumption the next day as it would turn stale and breed worms. Ever wondered why God didn’t just give them a week’s supply of manna?

Well, it is because God wants His people to open the Scriptures every day to collect fresh manna of Jesus and be satisfied with His grace. He doesn’t want us to live on past revelations of Jesus, for His mercies are new every morning. He delights to fill your heart with His grace, peace, wisdom, and joy every day. Hallelujah!

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

We don't have all the answers

- MARCH 17 -
WE DON’T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS

Maybe you are going through a difficult valley. Maybe you are disappointed with God because you have lost a loved one or because you have been battling that medical condition year after year.

I want to encourage you not to ask, “Why?” Asking why will only lead you on a downward spiral into depression. Don’t ask, “Why did this happen to me?” Don’t ask, “Why is my child not healed even though I have trusted You for years?” or “Why is my loved one going through one tragedy after another?”

The fact is, in this fallen world, we don’t have all the answers. One day, we will receive our new bodies, where the corruptible will put on incorruption, and the mortal will put on immortality (1 Cor. 15:53). But until then, I recognize that sometimes bad things happen and I don’t know why.

But what I do know is this: God is a good God. He loves us, and He is never behind any pain we go through. Our faith in Him is not based on our experiences; it is based on the unchanging, eternal Word of God, which cannot lie.

Even when things didn’t go the way you wanted them to, don’t remain in your disappointment. The devil wants you to get angry with God and to give up on His promises. But keep believing that God is for you and not against you.

Even if the enemy has destroyed something in your life, and even if years have been lost as you waited for the manifestation of your healing, or the days of your youth have been stolen from you, keep believing that God can restore to you what you have lost (Joel 2:25, Job 33:25).

My friend, “let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23). Keep on looking to the Lord for your breakthrough. And if you find that you are too tired to believe anymore, I pray that this promise will carry you through:

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Joseph Prince

Let Christ live through us

Let Christ Live Through Us

March 16

Matthew 9:9, 'And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.'

MATTHEW 9:9-10, MARK 2:14-15, LUKE 5:27-29

To 'follow' means to come or go after; move behind in the same direction; to come or go with; to accept the guidance or leadership of; to adhere to the cause or principles of; to be governed by; obey; comply with (Jn. 10:27-29; Rom. 10:9-10, 13).

When a person first comes to Jesus, it is impossible to know everything that following Jesus entails. No one, however, should be fearful of making a total commitment because of some imagined problem that may never come to pass. There should be a willingness to forsake everything to follow Jesus. Once we make that decision, then Christ begins to live through us and we find a strength that is not our own, equal to whatever test we may encounter (Gal. 2:20).

It is Christ living through us that is the secret of victorious Christian living. It is not us living for Jesus, but Jesus living through us. Failure to understand this simple truth is at the root of all legalism and the performance mentality. The law focuses on the outer man and tells it what it must do. Grace focuses on the inner man and tells it what is already done through Christ. Those who are focused on what they must do are under law. Those who are focused on what Christ has done for them are walking under grace.

Just as the life of a root is found in the soil, or a branch in the vine, or a fish in the sea, so the believer's true life is found to be in union with Christ. The Christian life is not just hard to live, it's impossible in our human strength. The only way to walk in victory is to let Christ live through us. Andrew Womack

Middle East updates

Shalom from Northern Israel –

I’ve said it before and I will say it again – My region of the world never takes a holiday. This has become all the truer since October 7, 2023. The past five months and counting have resulted in greater levels of stress than I’ve dealt with in a long time – maybe my entire life. If the massacre of that Saturday wasn’t enough, we’ve been at war with Hamas for five months now. Adding to that, we’re dealing with an imminent war in the north with Hezbollah seemingly any day now. On top of both of these realities, there is a never-ending battle with the global bias against my beloved country…

…but God. 

Even in this tragic season, I see the faithfulness of the Lord. And one of the primary ways I see this is through the preservation of His people, Israel. He’s preserved us throughout the ages and He’ll preserve us now.

Malachi 3:6
“For I am the Lord, I do not change;
Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”

I can’t thank you enough for all of the wonderful pictures and words of encouragement you’ve been sending over the past several weeks. They’ve had a greater affect than you know. Despite the circumstances, Behold Israel is moving full steam ahead in pursuit of the ministry God has entrusted to us for 2024.

Current Events

As I summarize some key happenings from the last week, please make sure to check out and subscribe to My Telegram Channel if you haven’t already, as this is the platform I use to provide real-time updates concerning Israel, the region, and events happening around the world on a daily basis. 

Gaza & Hamas

Adding insult to injury, the US began supplying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip last week. If it’s not enough that the people of Gaza were seen throwing some of the aid in the trash because it came from the US, some locals were also killed in the process. Apparently, some of the aid was incorrectly dropped from the sky leading to fatalities. And don’t be fooled, there’s plenty of evidence revealing there’s no food shortage in Gaza. The people have plenty of access to food.

Sadly, the news doesn’t get better regarding US involvement in our war with Hamas. In a recent interview, President Biden explained that he would never cut off defensive weapons. This means the current administration would be willing to cut off offensive weapon supply as leverage against Israel in the future in an attempt to prevent further operations in Gaza. Both the US and Hamas share at least one thing in common – they have completely unrealistic expectations regarding what it will take to bring an end to this war. 

Tragically, Israel has learned that at least 34 abductees of the 134 taken to Gaza on October 7 have died. On a positive note, #3 in the Hamas hierarchy is believed to have been eliminated over the weekend.

The US is slowly but surely becoming our greatest obstacle when it comes to obliterating this terrorist organization. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu even had to correct Biden in a recent statement saying, “When he says that my policy is against Israeli interests and against Israeli public opinion, he is wrong on both counts.” No matter what, Netanyahu remains determined to win this war. I’m glad to have a strong leader at such a time as this.

None of this should surprise us, as the Biden administration has gone out of its way to save face with the pro-Palestinian audience over the last several weeks, especially since the beginning of Ramadan.

Lebanon & Hezbollah

With Hezbollah increasing its aggression, Israel has been the recipient of a multitude of rocket barrages from Lebanon over the last several days, which has forced the IDF to respond with a number of strikes in Southern Lebanon and Syria. While our primary military conflict has been with Hamas in Gaza, we’ve been dealing with these terrorists north of our border as well. At least 240 of them have been killed as a result of Israeli strikes since October 2023, which have happened in multiple cities and towns.

Tensions are only on the rise. Given recent developments, Israelis are expecting an imminent war with our enemy in the north. I encourage you to watch my most recent breaking news segment concerning this very issue!

The United States

It’s of no small concern to see what’s happening in the United States. Its sympathy towards the Muslim mentality is extremely alarming. Look no further than Times Square, where Muslims gathered for prayer at the onset of Ramadan. Beyond this, amid the war in Gaza, disgusting pro-Palestinian fliers were seen in New York City stating, “Rape is resistance”, and “Babies are occupiers too”. This is the direction the west has been heading for years. It’s no surprise that NYC is seeing a rise in Islamic terror propaganda.

As our war in Gaza rages on, it’s becoming clearer by the day that Biden is living in a fantasy world when it comes to his perception of the Middle East. He appears to think that Palestinians are eager for peace and Israel’s government is at odds with its people. Both are anything but true.

Russia

Since the onset of the war, Russia has stood by the side of the Palestinians. Just days ago, they denied the report of the special envoy investigating the sexual crimes committed against Israeli women throughout the massacre – crimes that left an overwhelming trail of evidence. If the Russians hadn’t already made their position clear concerning who they side with, they’ve now left zero room for doubt. 

Yemen & the Houthis

After sinking a British-owned ship, the Iranian-sponsored Houthis continue to initiate terror in the region. Late last week, the group fired a pair of ballistic missiles at a Singapore-owned ship. Thankfully, the missiles missed their target. Within 24 hours, coalition forces and the US Navy intercepted 15 Houthi drones in the Gulf of Aden. Furthermore, the Houthis announced that they targeted a US container ship in the Red Sea with several naval strike missiles. The Houthis are now reportedly testing hypersonic missiles and are preparing to produce them as well.

Israel

Needless to say, Israel has its hands extremely full right now. In addition to what I’ve mentioned above, we have approximately 15,000 troops deployed in the West Bank for the month of Ramadan in order to counteract and prevent terror. The IDF has been extremely proactive in dealing with terrorists coming out of the West Bank throughout this war. Sadly, our readiness doesn’t stop those who love violence. Even today, we’re dealing with the aftermath of multiple isolated acts of terror.

I have zero doubts that my country demands strong leadership right now. The polls reflect this, as Netanyahu is overwhelmingly desired in contrast to his opponent(s). Amir Tsarfati

Touched by Love

Touched By Love

March 14

Mark 1:41, 'And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him.... and he was cleansed.'

MATTHEW 8:1-4, MARK 1:40-45, LUKE 5:12-15

Only Mark records this important statement that Jesus was 'moved with compassion' in the healing of this leper. There are three other instances in the gospels when Jesus was moved with compassion which resulted in healing (Mt. 14:14; 20:34; Lk. 7:13; and once in deliverance - Mk.5:19). The difference between seeing a person healed or not healed many times is this all-important ingredient of love.

All three of the Gospel accounts record Jesus touching this leper. This not only illustrates the doctrine of 'laying on of hands', but was probably included because according to Numbers 19:22, this action would have made Jesus unclean. This illustrates the New Testament ministry of the Spirit versus the Old Testament ministry of the letter of the law (2 Cor. 3:6).

Jesus did not have to avoid the ceremonial uncleanness that would come from physical contact with a leper because He came to bear our sins in His own body. As can be seen from Mark's account, two things happened: (1) the leprosy departed and (2) the man was cleansed. Jesus not only removed the disease but restored the damaged parts of his body. This leper was healed as soon as Jesus spoke.

The Word of God is the will of God, and it reveals that it is always God's will to heal. Jesus often healed people by touching them, and others received their healing as they touched Jesus. You can transmit the power or the anointing of God through the laying on of hands. Let Him use you today to touch others. Andrew Womack

Right place, right time

I returned and saw under the sun that—the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. For man also does not know his time: like fish taken in a cruel net, like birds caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them.Ecclesiastes 9:11–12

- MARCH 13 -
RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME

Today, I want to bring your attention to Psalm 91:1 and Ecclesiastes 9:11. Did you notice that the number 911 occurs in both passages? The number 911 is very significant for our times. It is a number that marks the largest-scale terrorist attack on American soil to date. Our hearts were broken that day, the world changed, and we will never forget what happened.

While I know that chapter and verse markers in our Bible aren’t inspired, it is my personal opinion that the prayer of protection in Psalm 91 marks the times we are living in and gives us a crystal clear reason why we don’t have to live in fear.

In Ecclesiastes 9, King Solomon tells us that the winner of the race is not necessarily always the fastest one, and the person who wins the battle isn’t necessarily always the strongest. He points out that men of understanding are not the only ones who gain riches and men of skill do not always experience favor. And then he says this: “Time and chance happen to them all.”

Solomon then goes on to talk about those who are “like fish taken in a cruel net” or “birds caught in a snare.” (Notice that he’s saying this of the “sons of men” and not the “sons of God.” As believers, we are the sons and daughters of God.)

There are therefore two categories of people—those who are blessed because they find themselves at the right place at the right time, and those who are caught off guard in an evil time and find themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time. I don’t know about you, but I know which category I want to fall under!

As a son or daughter of God, rest assured that the blessing of being placed in the right place at the right time is yours because of our Lord Jesus! Despite the dangerous times we live in, you can expect Him to protect and deliver you from every snare of the enemy.

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

PERFECTED FOREVER THROUGH JESUS’ PERFECT WORK

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

- MARCH 12 -
PERFECTED FOREVER THROUGH JESUS’ PERFECT WORK

As a believer, have you ever been plagued by thoughts of how you haven’t been good enough or haven’t done enough to deserve God’s blessings? That your imperfection disqualifies you from receiving anything good from God?

If you’ve been struggling with these thoughts, I want you to read and reread today’s scripture and let it saturate your heart, mind, and conscience. Let the knowledge of how you are completely forgiven and forever perfected by Jesus’ finished work at the cross sink in.

You are not going to be forgiven and perfected one day through all your hard work. No, my friend, the good news is, you already are forgiven and perfected—once and for all time—through Jesus’ sacrifice.

And how long is forever? I checked the original Greek word for forever in the verse and guess what? “Forever” means forever! You have been totally forgiven and perfected forever by Jesus’ cleansing blood, not by the blood of animal sacrifices that can never take away sins.

Pastor Prince, how can I be fully assured that all my sins have already been forgiven?

Good question! Notice that after Jesus offered His life as a sacrifice and payment for all our sins, He “sat down” at the Father’s right hand. Jesus sat down to demonstrate to us that the work is indeed finished!

Under the old covenant, the priest who served in the tabernacle of Moses never sat down, but “stands ministering daily” because his work could never be finished. The blood of bulls and goats could “never take away sins” (Heb. 10:11).

Interestingly, in the holy place of the tabernacle of Moses, there was not a single piece of furniture prepared for the priest to sit on. You would not find a single chair in the holy place. You would find the altar of incense, the menorah, and even a table of showbread, but not chairs.

This was because the work of the priest was never finished. Only Jesus’ work is a finished work.

My friend, you can rest easy in your heart and mind today. You can relax because Jesus has finished the work. In God’s eyes, you are forever perfect, spotless, and washed whiter than snow by the precious, eternal blood of His Son. And it’s permanent!

Your part is simply to believe and receive all that Jesus has done for you. That’s how you reign in life over sin, addictions, and whatever the enemy throws at you. That’s how you come up tops in all of life’s challenges!

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

Been toiling all night?

The goodness of God leads you to repentance.Romans 2:4

- MARCH 11 -
BEEN TOILING ALL NIGHT?

Famished and fatigued from working all night at sea and catching nothing, Peter and his crew of fishermen carried their fishing nets to shore as the golden sun rose over the Galilean horizon. As they began washing their nets, large numbers of people began to throng the waterfront. Then Peter saw the man everyone was crowding to see.

Before Peter knew it, this man headed in his direction and got into his boat! He then gestured to Peter, and Peter and his crew instinctively grabbed their nets and went back into the boat. The man smiled warmly at Peter and asked if Peter could push the boat out some distance from the shore.

By this time, the waterfront was blanketed with people eager to hear this man speak. Peter turned to his seasoned crew and instructed them to push the boat out. The crew responded swiftly to their captain and watched as the man sat down by the edge of the boat and began teaching the multitudes gathered on the shore.

When he was done speaking, he turned to Peter and requested that Peter and his men launch out into the deep and let down their nets for a catch. The request stung Peter’s heart and he explained to the man that they had been fishing all night and had caught nothing. Nevertheless, he was willing to comply with the man’s request.

Peter found himself wondering, What would a carpenter from Nazareth know about fishing? Peter had been fishing in these waters since he was a youth and knew the most opportune time to fish—definitely not this late in the morning!

As the boat reached the deep waters, Peter just went through the motions and cast one net into the water. One net, he thought, was enough to prove his point that there simply weren’t any fish to be caught!

Had it been anyone else—anyone but this man who carried himself with quiet authority and a warm friendliness—he would have scoffed at the request. But this man . . . something in his voice and carriage just made Peter acquiesce to his request more readily than his head knew why and despite every instinct telling him nothing was going to happen.

What happened next stunned Peter.

It was as if the net suddenly became a fish magnet! Massive schools of large tilapia rushed into the net from every direction, straining its capacity until it began to tear as Peter and his men began to haul up this unprecedented load of fish.

The amazed and frantic fishermen quickly hollered to their friends in another boat to come and help them. Now two boats were lined up side by side, with both crews hauling fish into their boats. The men worked furiously, loading onto the boats the thrashing fish with their silver scales glistening in the sun . . . until both boats were so full of fish that they began to sink!

Blown away by what he was witnessing, Simon Peter knelt before Jesus and proclaimed, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5:8).

Let me ask you this question: which came first—Peter’s repentance or God’s blessing? Under the new covenant of grace, God blesses you first, and His blessings, favor, and overflowing love lead you to repentance!

Peter and his crew of mariners had toiled painstakingly all night and caught nothing. Then, when Jesus stepped for the first time into his boat, Peter’s business suddenly experienced a surge beyond his wildest imagination.

Today, the same thing can happen to you in your career, family, or health, as you open your heart to receive the Lord’s goodness and love.

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

The real fountain of youth

Now on the first day of the week . . . the disciples came together to break bread.Acts 20:7

- MARCH 10 -
THE REAL FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

Let me tell you why I believe the holy Communion is more powerful than any medicine, any medical procedure, any antibiotic, and any chemotherapy used to heal our bodies. Let me tell you why I believe the holy Communion is the proverbial “fountain of youth” mankind has been in search of for generations and why I believe every time we partake of it, we are causing our youth to be renewed like the eagle’s (Ps. 103:5).

The earth has been under a divine judgment ever since Adam sinned. Aging, disease, and death are all part of this divine sentence.

The reality is, we live in a fallen world and these effects of the divine sentence are happening to our mortal bodies. But God never intended for His children to suffer any of it.

That is why He sent His Son to bear our sins and sicknesses on the cross. That is why He provided the holy Communion as a way to escape the divine judgment that is on this world, to offset its effects.

The holy Communion is a supernatural channel for His health and wholeness to flow into our bodies. While the world is getting weaker and sicker, I believe we are getting stronger and healthier each time we partake of the Communion by faith!

The early church clearly understood how powerful the Communion is. That’s why the Bible tells us they broke bread “from house to house” (Acts 2:46).

When they met on Sunday, the main reason wasn’t to hear preaching and teaching—“The disciples came together to break bread” (Acts 20:7). Even though the apostle Paul was the guest speaker that weekend, the main reason they gathered was to break bread.

If people today knew the magnitude of the power contained within the Lord’s Supper, they would be like the early church, partaking of the Lord’s Supper as often as they could and receiving as many of His benefits as they could. We have been robbed, people! It’s time to wake up!

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

Righteous judgment

Righteous Judgment

March 9

Matthew 7:1, 'Judge not, that ye be not judged.'

MATTHEW 7:1-5

There are many examples of people judging others in the scriptures. Paul prayed that our love would abound more and more in all judgment (Phil. 1:9). In light of the scriptures where Jesus and the disciples spoke of judging, it is evident that there must be a right and a wrong type of judging.

In Luke 12:56-57, Jesus uses the words 'discern' and 'judge' interchangeably. A dictionary definition of 'judge' can mean many things from 'condemn' to 'appraise, to form an opinion about; to think or consider.' There is certainly nothing wrong with discerning or appraising a situation or person. Quite the contrary, we need to try the spirits (1 Jn. 4:1). Judging when done as discernment, is good.

It is the condemning type of judgment that is wrong. We can defer passing sentence on people to God, and know that He will make a perfect judgment (Rom. 2:2, Rev. 20:13). God is ultimately the only qualified judge.

Jesus is not forbidding judgment, but rather He is warning to be careful with our judgment because we will be judged accordingly. There are certain cases where we have to pass a condemning sentence as Paul did or as a judge would do today. Pastors and elders are charged with rebuking and even disciplining church members, but it is not something to be done lightly. Judging is not aimed at the person, but the actions of that person. This warning constrains us to be certain that we have heard from God. We must not simply vent our own frustrations.

Every Christian has a need for wisdom in making judgments about how to live from day to day. How wonderful to know that God through His Word has already equipped us to judge. Andrew Womack

Latest News from Israel

Shalom from London! I love England. It is beautiful, historical, and, when they’re not marching through the capital city in support of terrorist Hamas, the people are wonderful. And may I give a shout out to whoever is in charge of your weather? It had been rainy in London before I arrived. But once I got here, you cleared it right up for me! So, a proper tip of the hat to you, Mr. Weatherman. Cheers!

My time here has certainly been worth the trip. Today, I am finishing the recording of the audiobook for Discovering Daniel. As I’ve read through every word one more time, I am reminded of how much I love this book. Daniel’s tales of being kidnapped away to a royal court in a foreign land is an adventure story in itself. Then, in the second half of the book he transports us into his dreams and visions, which could be confusing except that God provides him with an angelic interpreter.

Reading through the book also reminded me just how closely tied Daniel is to the Book of Revelation. So much of what Daniel’s visions promise, Revelation fulfills. Dr. Rick Yohn’s incredibly rich understanding of the Scriptures are a great addition to the context and theology of the book. The result is a fun-to-read, easy-to-understand work about an Old Testament book that is surprisingly relevant and applicable to our modern world. If you haven’t preordered your copy of Discovering Daniel, which releases on May 7, I’d encourage you to do it today!

The Middle East

My Telegram Channel is a constant flow of news throughout the day. Subscribe to my channel to catch all the headlines as they happen.

The United States

It used to be that the United States stood with Israel in saying that a plan for the hostages to be released needed to be solidified prior a ceasefire being considered. That all changed with a tweet from Secretary of State Antony Blinken Tuesday, in which he wrote, “While meeting with Israeli War Cabinet Member @gantzbe, I underscored the urgency of reaching a temporary ceasefire to facilitate the release of hostages and surge humanitarian aid and reiterated the need for Israel to take steps to improve delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza.” Later, he doubled down on this strategy in another post in which he is pictured with Qatar’s prime minister, writing, “We will continue to urgently pursue an agreement for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to enable the release of all hostages, the protection of civilians, and the increased provision of critical aid to Gaza.”

Notice what changed? Now the U.S. is saying that Israel must agree to a ceasefire first. Only then can we can facilitate the release of hostages, in addition to surging humanitarian aid and improving Israel’s delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Essentially, he is saying that Israel must stop fighting and give Hamas all it is asking for. Washington is trying to force the Netanyahu government to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. This is asinine!

But as crazy as it is, it is not surprising given who is standing next to Blinken in the picture accompanying the first tweet. The @gantzbe is Benny Gantz, the primary figure in the opposition to Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. Without permission, he traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with Blinken and the Biden government. Biden’s administration is desperate to find someone to run with their two-state solution, and Gantz is their useful idiot. Biden knows that he desperately needs a success in the Middle East, particularly after seeing the enthusiastic sweep Republican voters gave to former president Donald Trump on Super Tuesday. As far as Gantz goes, his excursion is a direct attempt to undermine Netanyahu and can easily be seen as an act of treason against the State of Israel.

Gaza

Fighting continues throughout the Gaza Strip. In Khan Yunis, dozens of terrorists have been arrested over the past week. On Sunday, the IDF launched a major airstrike on Khan Yunis destroying more of Hamas’s infrastructure. Also, that day, an airstrike killed the leader of Hamas’s recruiting efforts Mahmoud Muhammad Abed Khad. An Israeli reservist, Sgt. Maj. Dennis Yekimov, was killed a day earlier in Khan Yunis bringing the number of IDF troops killed in the Gazan war to 246.

Last week, a group began marching in a call for the return of the hostages. They launched from Kibbutz Re’im, near where the Nova massacre occurred, toward Jerusalem. Over the next four days, more and more people joined the procession. Finally, on Saturday, the assembly that now numbered over 15,000 arrived in Jerusalem. Included in the numbers were quite a few members of the families of the abductees. I feel deeply for the pain of these people. I can’t imagine the anguish of not knowing the situation of your loved ones, particularly after hearing the many stories of the abuse and torture these hostages are experiencing.

And, yes, the torture is happening. Despite the efforts of Hamas apologists to downplay what the terror group has done and is doing; the violence is real. Even the United Nations, after a thorough investigation, had to admit that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that rape and sexual torture were and are being perpetrated on women and children.

But this march is not the answer. This is the Benny Gantz strategy of a victorious army running in retreat (see above story). Yes, pressure must be asserted, but not at the Netanyahu government. It must instead be directed at Hamas until they finally break and release all those they are illegally and inhumanely holding.

The West Bank

As I’ve said before, the West Bank is a very dangerous place. The Al Aqsa Brigades, the military wing of Fatah, are very active. Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party tries to portray itself as peaceful, but in actions they show they are terrorists – regularly shooting at Israeli villages and military bases.

In the Hebron area last month, the Shin Bet thwarted a terrorist cell that sought to carry out an ISIS-inspired bomb attack. Using information provided by online videos and ISIS contacts, these men constructed 100 explosive devices. If this plot had not been discovered, the results could have been devastating.


The Northern Front

The clash between Israel and Hezbollah is evident for all to see by the rockets fired south and the airstrikes launched north. On Monday, thirty rockets were fired over the border toward Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel. Thirteen were intercepted and the rest fell in open areas. Hamas claimed responsibility for 16 of the rockets; it is assumed that Hezbollah fired the rest. For its part, the IDF regularly sends planes, missiles, and weaponized drones at strategic targets in Lebanon. Friday night into Saturday morning saw seven Hezbollah terrorists killed by airstrikes. One drone strike killed Abbas Ahmed Halil, grandson of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Halil was a member of the pro-Iranian Imam Hossein Division. Two of his compatriots were also killed in the attack. According to Hezbollah, 226 of its fighters have been killed since the beginning of the war.

Syria is also preparing for war. Last week saw a combined land and sea exercise by the Syrian military. This week, the Syrian army is following up by carrying out a huge military exercise. Yesterday saw rockets fired from Syria toward the Golan Heights. Israel immediately retaliated with an attack into Syria.

Iran

Elections in Iran told the story of a disappointed and disillusioned populace. In a system where there is no chance of the ruling party being defeated, popular attitudes can be surmised from the voter turnout. Saturday’s election saw only 41% of those eligible coming out to vote. That is the lowest turnout since the Islamic Revolution. Part of the reason for the citizens’ frustration is the tanking economy. The black-market rate of the Iranian Rial, known as the world’s least valuable currency, is now approaching 600,000 rials to one U.S. dollar on the black market. This is the lowest value the currency has ever held.

Russia

Yesterday, a Russian missile struck the Ukrainian city of Odesa killing five people. Approximately 500 meters away from the blast, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was giving Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis a tour of the area. No one in their entourages was harmed. Russia claimed they were aiming at a hangar where there were unmanned army vessels.

Ukraine, for its part, took aim at a manned Russian vessel. Drone boats were directed at the Russian corvette, Sergey Kotov, sending the patrol boat to the bottom of the Black Sea near Crimea. If a Bloomberg report is to be taken seriously, Ukraine should celebrate every victory while it still can. The study claims that Russia should be able to break through Ukraine’s defensive line by summer.

The Ministry

For those of you in Arizona and surrounding areas, we’d like to invite you to join Pastor Mike Golay, Pastor Barry Stagner, Pastor David Guzik, and Gary Kah for the Prophecy 24 Conference! In this one-day gathering on Saturday, April 13, Pastor Mike and the others will open up the Scriptures to address the days we’re living in and the hope that lies ahead. For more information and to register, follow this link! 

Past, present, future: The nation of Israel has a timeline that was initiated when God called out Abraham to make a people for Himself. The promises God made to Abraham endured through his descendants and the prophets, and they continue to stand true alongside the church's existence today. Why did God see fit to make a nation for Himself? While the nation of Israel has a beginning, does it also have an expiration date? Join me on a journey from Genesis to Revelation in my teaching, “Israel's Prophetic Timeline”, premiering Friday, March 8, at 12:00 PM PST. In this fascinating video, I’ll reveal how the word of God displays the fullness of the Lord's plans for His chosen people.

After the amazing success of our Alaska Cruise conference in 2023, we are preparing to take our teaching back on the water! For these opportunities, we will be presenting our Discovering Daniel & Revealing Conference in two very different venues. The first will be a cruise through the Mediterranean, which will take place from October 19-29, 2024. Our second opportunity to present these teachings will be on the waters of the Caribbean on January 18-25, 2025. Registration for both cruises is currently open! Make sure to register soon, as we anticipate these events to fill up quickly.

Thank you for your prayers and your support of this ministry. Over these past months, the Behold Israel team has seen the enemy attack us where we are most vulnerable – in our health and that of our families. We are dealing with a full range from minor illnesses to life-threatening issues. It is evident to us that the attacks are coming because God has some amazing ministry planned, especially with CONNECT. Please pray for health and protection for our team. As the wife of a member of our team is fond of saying, “Not today, Satan!” God bless you!

Awaiting His Return, Amir Tsarfati

Singleness of Vision

Singleness Of Vision

March 7

MATTHEW 6:24, 'No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.'

MATTHEW 6:22-24

Jesus is speaking of spiritual vision. If we keep our attention (eye) single upon Jesus, the Word, then all that we will be filled with is the light of His Word (Jn. 1:1-14; Ps. 119:105). The key to victory is this singleness of purpose (Phil. 3:13). The strength of the laser lies in the fact that all of the light is concentrated on one single point. Likewise, the strength of the Christian lies in how single his or her vision is upon Jesus, 'the author and finisher of our faith.' (Heb. 12:1-3)

You may have God and riches, but you can only serve one of them. In Matthew 6:24, the Lord amplifies this by saying that we cannot serve two masters. Why is this so? Because we do not have the capability of faithfully serving both of them. You will cleave to one more than the other. You cannot serve both with all of your heart. We just don't have the capacity to do our best in two areas at the same time. God wants singleness of vision, singleness of purpose. He wants us to serve Him with all of our heart.

You may be wondering how you can still make a living without always thinking about money. Where will it come from? How will you get more of it? In verse 33, Jesus goes on to say that He will supply all of your need when you seek first the Kingdom of God. All of these other things (food and clothing etc.) will be added unto you. If we will simply put God and His Kingdom first in every area of our lives, He will add to us all the wealth that we need. It's when we covet after money that we 'pierce ourselves through with many sorrows' (1 Tim. 6:10). Put God to the test today. Put Him first in every area of your life and see if He won't provide all the other things for you. Andrew Womack

Break the cycle of defeat

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.Romans 8:1 NASB

- MARCH 6 -
BREAK THE CYCLE OF DEFEAT

People who believe erroneously that God is hard on them for their failures will inevitably be hard on the people around them, and most of all, they will end up being really hard on themselves. They cannot forgive themselves for the mistakes they’ve made in the past and end up punishing themselves, whether they know it or not.

It’s a vicious cycle of defeat. The more they can’t forgive themselves, the more they hurt themselves with all kinds of behaviors and the more they end up bound by various destructive addictions. This leads to even more guilt, which in turn drives them to punish themselves even more—and the cycle continues.

I believe the root cause of many sinful habits, fears, and addictions can be traced to condemnation. I want to talk to you today about going after condemnation as the root to help you receive God’s forgiveness in those areas so that you can break out of your cycle of defeat and step into a new cycle of victory.

Are you living with some unresolved guilt and condemnation today? I have great news for you. When you realize that God’s heart is not in condemnation but in forgiveness, your entire life can be turned around for His glory! I have personally witnessed so many lives transformed when they just take a small step of faith to believe in His grace and receive His forgiveness in their lives.

Instead of punishing themselves for their mistakes and disqualifying themselves, these people began to correct their beliefs and receive God’s forgiveness by seeing Jesus taking on their punishment. They began to see their Savior qualifying them to receive every blessing from God for their marriages, families, and careers.

Right now I want to encourage you to release the built-up guilt and condemnation for whatever mistakes you’ve made over the years to the Lord. Would you pray this prayer with me?

“Lord Jesus, I don’t want to live under guilt and condemnation anymore. Today, I release all my failings, sins, and mistakes into Your loving hands. And I receive Your forgiveness right now into my heart. Thank You for Your precious blood that washes me whiter than snow. Right now I stand in Your righteousness, favor, joy, and peace. Amen!”

It’s a simple but powerful prayer. I encourage you to pray this prayer every time you fail and experience guilt and condemnation in your heart.

Stop punishing yourself—your answer is found at the cross of Jesus. I promise you that when you turn to Jesus and remind yourself just how forgiven and righteous you are in Christ every time you fall short, you will start living like the forgiven and righteous person Jesus has made you.

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