Bring Jesus into the Picture

So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.Exodus 15:25

- APRIL 15 -
BRING JESUS INTO THE PICTURE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It Is Written

Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”Matthew 4:10

- APRIL 14 -
IT IS WRITTEN

When negative thoughts come your way, you must not give them time to take root in your heart. This correlates with the wise saying that you can’t stop birds from flying over your head, but you can surely stop them from building a nest on your head.

We can’t stop the enemy from attacking our minds, but we can surely defend ourselves with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17). God’s Word is infallible, unshakable, and everlasting (Isa. 40:8, 1 Pet. 1:25).

Our Lord Jesus Himself showed us what to do when we are under attack by the devil. Three times He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Each time, His response was the same—He quoted the written Word of God. Against each attack, His response was to say, “It is written” (Matt. 4:1–11).

I know of believers who say, “God spoke to me and told me that He will do that for me.” I want to encourage you not to go by what you think the Lord said to you. You cannot fight the devil by saying, “God spoke to me,” apart from the written Word. Please understand that I am not at all against God speaking to you, but coming against the enemy and his attacks with “God spoke to me” is not what our Lord Jesus did.

My friend, if you want to combat the enemy’s attacks, stick to the pattern that our Lord Jesus showed us. In the first temptation, the devil challenged our Lord Jesus to prove His identity, saying, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” (Matt. 4:3).

Don’t you think it is interesting that our Lord did not rely on what His Father had audibly spoken over Him at the River Jordan? A voice had come from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17).

Yet, the Lord did not point Satan to the spoken word of God. Over and over again, He declared, “It is written.” Now, if the Son of God used “it is written” to defeat the devil, how much more you and I need to.

When fear grips your heart or evil thoughts plague your mind, quote His written Word!

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

Tares Among the Wheat

Tares Among The Wheat

April 13

Matthew 13:25, 'But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.'

MATTHEW 13:24-30

Satan has secretly infiltrated the Church with some of his followers for the purpose of hindering the influence of the Church. This has been a more effective strategy than direct opposition.

These tares that are spoken of refer to the Old World variety of darnel, which is poisonous. Virtually all grains are almost indistinguishable from tares when they send up the first blade from the ground. By the time the tares become distinguishable, they are so well rooted that, if growing in close proximity to a productive grain, uprooting the tares would also mean uprooting the productive grain. Therefore, verse 30 admonishes us to let both grow together until the harvest. The grains of the tares are long and black in contrast to the wheat, and are easily recognizable at harvest time. Many will profess Christianity, but 'by their fruits ye shall know them.'

There will be those who are deceived and unaware that they are not born again, who will remain among the Church. Jesus warns us against trying to root them out especially since it is not always possible to discern other people's hearts. In an effort to destroy these tares, we might offend one of Christ's 'little ones' and cause his or her profession of faith to waver.

It is important, though, for our own personal benefit that we be aware that the children of the Wicked One are placed among the true believers. Our best defense is to preach the Word of God without watering it down. False brethren will not endure sound doctrine. They leave when the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, begins to expose the thoughts and intents of the heart. Stick to the Word! Andrew Womack

Worldly Cares Are Thorns

Worldly Cares Are Thorns

April 11

Luke 8:14, 'And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.'

LUKE 8:5-14

This third type of ground is characteristic of a large part of the Body of Christ today. These are people who have received God's Word, committed themselves to it to the degree that they are able to remain faithful in persecution, but because of being occupied with the affairs of this life, the Word sown in their heart is choked and no fruit is produced. Just as weeds in a garden will steal all of the nutrients and starve the plant, so the pleasures of this life, if we allow them to dominate our thinking, will stop the fruit that the Word would have produced.

Throughout history, the Church has always grown in size and strength during persecution. This is because during persecution we get our priorities straight. We realize our life is in Jesus (Jn. 14:6) and not in things (Lk. 12:15), and we focus all of our attention on the Lord. However, prosperity has been far more damaging to the Body of Christ for the exact reason stated here in this verse. God wants to bless His children with things (Ps. 35:27; Mt. 6:33), but a preoccupation with these things will choke God's Word and make it unfruitful. If we would follow God's formula for prosperity found in Matthew 6:19-34, we would have the Word bringing forth fruit and we'd enjoy the physical blessings of this life, too.

Notice Jesus said that no fruit was brought to perfection. This type of person will exhibit some fruit, but it will always be small and far short of what it should be. Do you feel frustrated because you are just getting by and are not really experiencing the abundant life that Jesus came to give? (Jn. 10:10) Examine your lifestyle and see if the cares of this life, deceitfulness of riches, or pleasures of this life could be choking God's Word. Andrew Womack

The Priceless Gift of Righteousness

Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.Romans 3:20

- APRIL 10 -
THE PRICELESS GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

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. Joseph Prince

Last Days

If you put your trust in government, in military, in constitutions, say goodbye to those things. This world will never be the same. The world is getting more and more and more progressive and liberal by the second. That is exactly why we’re not of this world. That is exactly why we were told that our citizenship is in heaven, not here. If it’s so good here, how about being a citizen of Earth? No. And more than ever before, I hope you polish and shine your heavenly passport because soon you’re going to use it. If there is anyone here this evening who doesn’t know Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior, I’m telling you, you’re up for a very rough ride. This world is going to get worse and worse. I did not even mention yet, and it’s not for this message, the rising number of earthquakes – Israel in the last 12 hours had two – of natural disasters, of eruption of volcanoes. 

There’re so many things that this world is going to go through, and I’m not saying that to scare you. I’m quoting the birth pangs that Jesus Himself talked about. “These things I tell you that in Me you will have peace,” He says. In this world you will have what? Tribulation. “But be of good cheer. I have overcome this world,” He said. He said, “Look, in this world, the only thing you have to rely on are the things of this world, and it’s getting worse and worse and worse. But believers, you switch those serious long faces with the smiley ones. He says, “Be of good cheer, for I have overcome this world.”Amir Tsarfati

GOD IS NOT PRESENT TO FIND FAULT WITH YOU

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.Proverbs 3:6

- APRIL 8 -
GOD IS NOT PRESENT TO FIND FAULT WITH YOU

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. Joseph Prince

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

- APRIL 7 -
MORE WITH US THAN AGAINST US

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. Joseph Prince

Naturally Holy

Naturally Holy

April 6

Matthew 13:15, 'For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.'

MATTHEW 13:14-23

The word 'waxed' means 'to become gradually more intense or to increase' and shows that this condition of the heart is not something we are born with or that strikes us suddenly. It has to be nurtured over a prolonged period of time. This is why we should not violate our conscience, even in small things. Guarding our conscience will keep us sensitive to God and will stop our hearts from becoming hardened. If we will stay faithful to God, even in the small things, then we will be faithful in the more important things also.

Keeping the commandments doesn't affect God's willingness to love us, but it affects our awareness of how much He loves us. If we live in sin, our conscience becomes defiled and it condemns us. It's not God condemning us, but our conscience. God still loves us. John was speaking of this same thing in 1 John 3:20, when he said, 'For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.' However, as far as this earthly life goes, our awareness of God's love is everything. Therefore, we must keep Satan from blinding us to the love of God.

The most effective way of doing this is to give no place to the devil through sin. John went on to say in 1 John 3:21, 'Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.' Holiness is essential in keeping our hearts assured of the love of God (1 Jn. 3:19). It's the nature of a Christian to walk in the light and not in darkness. When you are rightly informed of who you are and what you have in Christ, holiness just naturally flows out of you. That's your nature. Andrew Womack

Come to Jesus just as you are

Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven. . . .Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”Come to Jesus Just As You Are

- APRIL 5 -
COME TO JESUS JUST AS YOU ARE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jesus, Teacher and Savior

Jesus, Teacher And Savior

April 4

Mark 4:2, 'And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,'

MARK 4:1-12

The Greek word used here for 'doctrine' means 'teaching' and occurs a total of 30 times in the New Testament. The four gospels refer to Jesus teaching 43 times and preaching 19 times, and six verses refer to Him preaching and teaching in the same verse. This would indicate that Jesus spent twice as much time teaching as He did preaching. Jesus' teaching is the basic building block of making disciples and a stumbling block to the religious.

Why is it that a person who is seeking so hard to please God can be rejected, while a person who has not sought God at all can come into a righteous relationship with Him? This is an important question and its answer is one of the most profound doctrines in scripture. The answer is faith and its object.

The Jews were zealous for the things of God, but their faith was in themselves. They were trusting that they could earn God's favor by their acts of righteousness. On the other hand, the Gentiles had no holiness to trust in. So, when they heard the Gospel message that Jesus paid our debt for us, they readily accepted His 'gift' of salvation, while the religious Jews could not abandon their trust in themselves for salvation.

The same problem exists today. Millions of church people are trying to live holy lives, but they do not have a true faith in Jesus as their Savior. If they were to stand before God and He was to ask them what they had done to deserve salvation, they would immediately start recounting all their acts of holiness such as church attendance, giving receipts, etc. Regardless of how good our actions are compared to others, they always come short of the perfect standard of God. The only response to this kind of question that would grant us entrance to heaven is to say, 'my only claim to salvation is faith in Jesus as my Savior.' Let Him be the object of your faith today. He is all you need. Andrew Womack

Meditate on Jesus and have Success

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God [Christ].Romans 10:17

- APRIL 3 -
MEDITATE ON JESUS AND EXPERIENCE GOOD SUCCESS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Just Words

Just Words

April 2

Matthew 12:37, 'For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.'

MATTHEW 12:34-37

God created the heavens and the earth and everything that is in the earth by His words (Heb. 11:3). The whole creation was made by, and responds to, words. Our words, when spoken in faith, release either life or death (Prov. 18:21) and will affect people, things, and circumstances. We can release the power that is in faith by our words.

Every word counts. There is no such things as an 'idle' word which will not work for us or against us. Our words can be our most powerful weapon against the devil, or they can become a snare of the devil (Prov. 6:2). Faith-filled words can move mountains.

The faith that made Jesus marvel was a faith in the authority of the spoken word (Mt. 8:8, 10). We are to believe in the power of our words. If we begin to speak words in faith that line up with God's Word, then we will have the positive results that follow. But if we continue to speak words of doubt, we will eventually believe them and have the negative things that these words produce. Death or life are in the power of every word we speak.

Faith is released by speaking words. Jesus encouraged us to speak to mountains or to whatever our problem might be. Most people speak to God about their problem, but few follow Jesus' instructions and speak directly to the 'mountain.' God has put certain things under our authority and we must exercise it. When a problem stands in our way, we must speak to the problem and command it to get out of our way in the name of Jesus. Speak God's Word today. His Words will produce life. Andrew Womack

God So Loved Us

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.”Psalm 91:14

- APRIL 1 -
GOD SO LOVED US

What qualifies you for God’s protection?

I ask this question because I have heard many ministers whose teachings make it seem like you have to qualify for God’s blessings. They make it sound like God blesses you only if you are able to love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

This also applies in the area of your protection. When they read, “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him”, they conclude that God’s protection is dependent on us fulfilling the condition of loving the Lord perfectly.

Unfortunately, such teaching robs you of the faith to believe God for divine protection over yourself and your loved ones. Anything that is dependent on our efforts is on a shaky foundation, because no matter how “good” a Christian we think we are, our love for the Lord will fail.

That is precisely why God sent His Son. He knew that man would never be able to fulfill all His commandments. In sending His Son, He was saying to us, “I know you can’t, so let Me love you with all My heart, all My mind, and all My strength.”

Therein lies the beautiful love story we call the gospel of Jesus Christ.

God SO loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son to save and ransom us. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself fulfilled all the requirements of the law. Today, even when our love for Him wavers, even when we fail, He still delivers us from evil!

One Scripture that beautifully encapsulates the crux of the new covenant of grace is 1 John 4:10: “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation [the atoning sacrifice] for our sins.”

I pray that your heart will be anchored on this revelation. The emphasis of the new covenant is God’s love for you, not your love for God.

Am I saying that your love for God is unimportant? Of course not. What I am saying is that our love for Him will always waver, but His love never fails.

The Bible declares that “the steadfast love of the LORD never ceases” (Lam. 3:22 ESV). I am so grateful that we are under the new covenant of God’s amazing grace, where we can depend on His unconditional, unchanging, and irrevocable love for us!

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

The Reason for the Ressurection

[Jesus] was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.Romans 4:25

- MARCH 31 -
THE REASON FOR THE RESURRECTION

The Bible tells us that Christ was delivered up for our sins and raised from the dead for our justification. You may already know why Jesus died for our sins but do you know the significance of God raising Him from the dead?

Let me give you an illustration to help you understand the significance of Jesus’ resurrection.

Let’s say that you are living in a foreign country. One day, you happen to break a major rule of the land. You appeal to the king for mercy. He says, “A rule is a rule. I cannot bend the rule for you. What will others say about my integrity? However, if you can find a substitute to take your punishment—three months in jail—I will allow it.”

By God’s grace, you find a willing substitute. He goes to prison on your behalf and you don’t see him for some time. Days, weeks, and months pass by.

Now, how or when will you know that your crime has been fully paid for? When will you be able to rest easy regarding your crime? It is when you see your substitute walking free again!

When you see him out of prison, you will know that the sentence has been fully served. You will know that you are now justified and no one can bring a charge against you for your old crime. No longer will you be afraid of the king or his guards coming after you because you know that the one who was punished in your place is now walking free.

Beloved, Jesus, your substitute, paid the debt you could not pay. On the cross, He bore the sins of your entire life. God put it all on Jesus and then He punished Jesus for every single one of those sins until He was fully satisfied. And because He was so pleased with what Jesus had done, He raised Him from the dead.

Today, Jesus’ tomb remains empty. He is not there for He has risen! His resurrection and empty tomb will forever be our assurance that we have been fully justified. You no longer have to be afraid of God judging you for your sins. His justice is on your side today!

This devotional is taken from the book Destined to Reign Devotional—Daily Reflections for Effortless Success, Wholeness and Victorious Living. Joseph Prince

No Peace for the Wicked

No Peace For The Wicked

March 30

Luke 9:7, 'Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some that John was risen from the dead.'

MATTHEW 14:1-12: MARK 6:14-29; LUKE 9:7-9

Others may have thought Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead, but as can be clearly seen by looking at Matthew's account and especially Mark's record, Herod was convinced of this personally. This illustrates Herod's own conviction of the sin John had rebuked, his guilt and torment over his even greater sin of beheading John, and his fear of John and the God he represented. As revealed in Mark 6:20, Herod once listened to John gladly. It is certain that John was preaching his favorite message of, 'Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' For Herod to hear him gladly, he must have been under deep conviction from God.

Herod feared his wife and the opinion of others more than he feared God. Herod was not as Festus, who told Paul he was mad for speaking of the resurrection from the dead. Herod knew the truth personally, was exceedingly sorry, and yet chose death - both John the Baptist's and his own spiritual death. Apparently, seen in this instance, Herod lacked peace after his fatal choice.

According to the world's mentality, peace is the absence of problems. However, God's peace is not dependent on circumstances. It is dependent only on God Himself who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). A Christian can have great peace even in the midst of terrible problems because his faith is in God. 'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee' (Isa. 26:3). Let His peace rule in your heart today. Trust Him. Andrew Womack

Middle East News

Shalom from Israel! It has been a very busy week. Pastor Mike Golay has been here with me, and we have been involved in meeting after meeting as we progress with the development of CONNECT. I am excited to tell you that not only is the construction work going exceedingly well, but our Israeli team is coming together.

Some have asked me, “Amir, with the war going on, why are you working on creating a ministry hub in Israel? Won’t it be a waste if things go badly for Israel?” I have two answers for that. First, we must always progress in ministry. If God gives a call, it is not our place to question it based on the circumstances around us. Second, because I read the Bible, I have confidence that it will not go badly for Israel right this moment. That difficult time will come, but it is not now. You see, my hope is in the Almighty God who has given us His plans for the world in general and Israel in particular. We will survive this war, and we will end up safer than we were before. This will happen. I have no doubt because my hope is in the Lord.

As believers, we carry a different perspective from the world. We do not allow ourselves to be bogged down in fears, conspiracies, speculations, and “What ifs”. Because our Heavenly Father is all-powerful and in control, we have the blessed luxury of dwelling above the fray. Sure, we may physically experience pain, struggle, deprivation, and violence. But because we have the example of our Savior on the cross, we can emulate Him, keeping that attitude of “This, too, shall pass and in the end there will be glory.”

Much of the world will memorialize the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ this weekend with Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. It is a time to recognize that our forgiveness, our hope, and our eternity rest in the work that our Messiah accomplished by dying on the cross and three days later emerging alive once again from the tomb. We believers who are in Israel still have a few weeks until Passover and then the Feast of First Fruits. It is at this time that we will remember Jesus offering Himself as the sacrificial lamb for our sins, then rising again as the first fruit of the resurrection. If you do not have the hope, peace, and eternal life that come from having received the free gift of salvation that Jesus’ sacrifice has provided, what are you waiting for? Let today be the day you receive Him as your savior. Let today be the day of your salvation.

1 Corinthians 15:20-23
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.


The Middle East
There is so much going on in the world, that it is impossible for me to cover it all in this newsletter. That is why I greatly encourage you to subscribe to my Telegram channel, which I am constantly updating throughout the day. The details of what you read in the newsletter are found on my Telegram.

USA
This has been a very disappointing week as Israel has watched the United States separating itself from us. Through ultimatums, threats to withhold arms, vote abstentions, and condescending rhetoric, the Biden administration has made it clear that it believes that “peace at all costs” between Israel and Hamas is necessary for a November reelection.

This is in spite of a recent Harvard CAPS-Harris survey that showed Americans overwhelmingly back Israel. Nearly four out of five questioned expressed support for Israel over Hamas. More than two out of every three believe that Israel is seeking to do all it can to minimize casualties. Of course, you wouldn’t know that if you follow the news or pay attention to the words of the party in power in Washington. If those are your sources of information, you’d think there was a pro-Palestinian protest on every street corner populated by concerned citizens heartbroken over the genocide the evil Jews were perpetrating on the helpless Gazans. There is no mention of massacres or torture or systematic rapes or women and children being held hostage.

This is all part of the drift that I warned you about months ago back in the halcyon days when everyone supported Israel avenging October 7. “Go get them,” they said. “They must pay, and you must make yourself safe!” So, Israel did. But now that these people see what Israel has to do to make itself safe, they are all screaming, “Wait! We thought you’d just go in and arrest a few leaders. Maybe bomb a few buildings. You know, like you used to do in the good old days.” What they failed to realize – and, quite honestly, what Israel had failed to realize, also – was that the old way of doing things was nothing but dealing with the symptoms of the disease. For Israel to be safe, the cancerous tumor of Hamas has to be removed. The difficulty has been that the cancer spread throughout Gaza, garrisoning in civilian and humanitarian centers, like schools and hospitals, and burrowing in a vast and intricate underground tunnel system.

Israel was confronted with a new form of urban warfare that had never been experienced before. The leadership of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was confronted with the dual charges of destroying Hamas while protecting the human shields behind which the enemy had hidden. They have succeeded on both counts to an amazing degree.

It is not just me saying this. Last week, I linked you to a Newsweek opinion article written by John Spencer, chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute (MWI) at West Point and codirector of MWI’s Urban Warfare Project entitled, “Israel Implemented More Measures to Prevent Civilian Casualties Than Any Other Nation in History”. This week, Mr. Spencer followed up with another article called, “Israel Has Created a New Standard for Urban Warfare. Why Will No One Admit It?” He writes, “In my long career studying and advising on urban warfare for the U.S. military, I’ve never known an army to take such measures to attend to the enemy’s civilian population, especially while simultaneously combating the enemy in the very same buildings. In fact, by my analysis, Israel has implemented more precautions to prevent civilian harm than any military in history.”

Still, the U.S. attempts to dictate how Israel should prosecute the war. Vice President Kamala Harris warned, “Any major military operation in Rafah would be a huge mistake,” adding that Washington had been “very clear in terms of our perspective on whether or not that should happen.”

Perhaps most telling of all was the recent United Nations Security Council decision, led by Russia and China. It demanded a ceasefire in Gaza. There was no condemning of Hamas for initiating the war, and the mention of a hostage release was not linked to the ceasefire. Essentially, it was handing Hamas a victory in the war, telling Israel that the fight is over and to go home. Rather than vetoing the resolution, the U.S. abstained from the vote. Nothing could have more clearly communicated this administration’s view of Israel. As a result, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a state delegation that was scheduled to leave for America. What would be the purpose?

It used to be, “As America goes, so goes the world.” Now that is reversed. As I look around the globe, I see the Palestinian flag flying over the town center in Luton, UK. In the British parliament, 130 MPs sent a letter to the foreign minister urging for an arms embargo against Israel, citing the country’s non-compliance with the ridiculous UN Security Council ceasefire resolution. In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez agreed with the leaders of Ireland, Malta, and Slovenia to work towards the recognition of a Palestinian state. The global trend is away from Israel, and I fully expect this U.S. administration to follow lockstep behind.

Gaza
The end of last week saw furor over a story alleging the rape of Palestinian women by IDF troops in their operation targeting Shifa hospital in Gaza City. Soon, word spread throughout the gullible branch of the international community that the Israelis were no different than Hamas. Meanwhile, anyone with common sense smelled a rat. Sure enough, on Sunday night Al Jazeera had to retract their gleeful reporting of Israeli sexual abuse admitting that the accuser, a woman named Jamila al-Hissi, had made up the accusations in order to “arouse the nation’s fervor and brotherhood.” Great journalism there, Al Jazeera.

The battle in Shifa hospital continues. Again, it’s not where the IDF wants to fight. It is where Hamas is forcing them to fight. The terrorists intentionally chose the battlefield hoping for the maximum number of civilian casualties. This is the same reason that the IDF was forced to break into the Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis and is possibly also operating at Nasser Hospital. At Al-Amal, large numbers of terrorists have been killed or captured, and the IDF is now working on leveling the ground around the facility.

Lebanon and Syria
Airstrikes continue by the IDF against terrorist outposts and warehouses in Lebanon and Syria. Tuesday night, jets hit a building in southern Lebanon killing seven, including members of the al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya terrorist group who had been planning to infiltrate Israel for an attack. In response, Hezbollah fired 30 rockets at the Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona. Most were downed by the Iron Dome or fell harmlessly. However, three hit their marks, with one resulting in the death of 38-year-old Zaher Bashara.

Earlier in the week, the IDF launched a Saturday night strike destroying a Hezbollah weapons storage location in Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley. The terrorist group retaliated by firing 50 Katyusha rockets toward an IDF base in the Golan Heights with little effect. The rocket launches alerted the IDF to the launchers’ location, and the Hezbollah soldiers consequently received a loud and fiery recognition of their actions.

Russia
On Friday, four Tajiki Muslims entered the Crocus City concert hall outside of Moscow and opened fire with automatic weapons. By the time they were through, 137 people were dead and more than 180 are still in the hospital. It is unimaginable the fear the victims endured. Immediately, the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) claimed responsibility, releasing a video of their actions inside the hall. Despite the admission of ISIS-K, Moscow knows a good opportunity when it sees it, and is now desperately looking for any links the perpetrators may have had with Ukraine. All four suspects have already pled guilty before a court. At the hearing, each showed signs of torture, and videos have leaked clearly showing members of the Russian Spetsnaz brutally extracting the confessions. Imagine the uproar if it was an Israeli torturing a Muslim suspect. But no Jews; no news.
Amir Tsarfati

Being Yoked to Jesus

Being Yoked To Jesus

March 28

Matthew 11:28-30, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.'

MATTHEW 11:20-30

Yokes were made of wood with two hollowed out sections on the bottom portion that rested on the necks of oxen, which used to plow or to draw a cart. Figuratively, a yoke symbolized servitude or submission. Jesus is admonishing us to submit ourselves to Him, for true rest comes from serving Him - not ourselves.

A new ox was often trained for plowing or drawing a cart by yoking him with an experienced ox. The yoke kept the young ox from 'doing his own thing' and he soon learned obedience to his master. In like manner, we are to commit ourselves to being yoked to Jesus. 'It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps' (Jer. 10:23). Therefore, we have to 'bear the yoke in our youth' (Lam. 3:27) if we want to become mature Christians. The comparison ends at this point, though. Unlike the, sometimes, harsh treatment oxen are given to bring them into subjection, Jesus is 'meek and lowly in heart,' and wins us by love. Jesus pulls more than His 'share' of the load; therefore, our burden is light.

The most loving father in the world cannot compare with the love our Heavenly Father has for us. And yet, many times we find it easier to believe in the willingness of a father or mother or mate to help us than in the willingness of God to use His power on our behalf. Relatively few people really doubt God's ability, but rather, it is our doubt of His willingness to use His ability on our behalf that causes most people to do without. Jesus assures us that God's love, and His willingness to demonstrate that love, is far greater than we can ever experience in any human relationship. Not only does He want our love, but wants you to let Him love you today. Andrew Womack

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

- MARCH 27 -
HOLD ON TO GOD’S PROMISES

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. Joseph Prince

The Blessed Hope

These are dark days, but our hope is not in anything in this world. The Bible says in Colossians 3, “If you indeed were raised with Christ, and seek those things which are above where Christ is at the right hand of the Father, and do not seek those things which are on earth….” I want to tell you that according to what the Bible says, things are only going to get rougher. But why is he saying seek those things which are above? Because greater things are still ahead for us, the believers. Can you imagine? We are going to be taken up at the last trumpet with the sound of the archangel, and we are going to be escorted into the throne room. You think that I like anything in this world when I know I’m going to be in the throne room? Hello? You know, I walked in here and I saw a coffee machine. And I’m like, “I’m in heaven.” And then I was reminded, “No you’re not. Heaven will be even better.” Coffee machine. Isn’t that great? Coffee is amazing, but heaven is even more so. 

And I also want to remind you that in these last days, the whole world is looking at you. Look, if you behave as anxious, fearful, and confused, if you are into conspiracy theories, if you are an angry person, if you are fighting all day long, if you are hateful, I’m not sure you’re ready. The Bible says He never gave us the spirit of fear. But of what? Of power and love and sound mind. Not of conspiracy theories and not of anger and not of fear. And I’m going to tell you something, you think that COVID is the worst thing you’ve seen. It’s nothing. It’s nothing. It’s almost over. We are going to see more and greater and more terrible things. Not that I’m wishing to see that, but I know where this world goes. And you should too.Imagine one day you received a legitimate notification. It’s not one of the scams that float around today, but a real and proven true notification that you had inherited a large fortune. The notifying entity told you that the process time necessary to transfer the funds to you was going to take three-to-four weeks. Think about how you would view any current financial woes you may have during that time. Let’s say that your personal financial situation was dire, even perilous. Would the notification change how you lived, felt, and thought for the next three-to-four weeks?

Obviously we all wish this scenario would actually happen. But what we need to remember is that in a far more important way than temporal financial freedom, we have received notification from the King of heaven that a pain and problem free existence is in our future. Our feet will walk streets of gold. Our eyes will behold ultimate beauty. Our ears will hear things unimaginable to our finite minds. And, most of all, we will see the King of Kings and Lord of Lords face to face!

1 John 3:2
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

This notification we have received is not spam. There are no catches or hidden fees. It is a promise from God, who cannot lie (Titus 1:2) that someday we will see Him as He is. In order for that to happen, we need to remember another promise from the author and finisher of our faith:

John 14:1-3
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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.”

Whether through death or rapture, our future is nothing like our present. When we are absent from the body we are present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). This should remind us of another truth:

Psalm 16:11
You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Over and over the Bible directs our minds to the future. This practice enables us to face the present without being overwhelmed by temporary circumstances that are unpleasant or painful. Our future is one of fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore. It’s not like a vacation you wish wouldn’t end or a place you long to visit someday again. It is our eternal existence through Christ who has promised all this to be true.

Until our future becomes our present and permanent experience, we would do well to heed to words of the Psalmist:

Psalm 121
I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.

Our fictitious fortune notification we began with may actually happen for a few people here on this earth, but our promise is much bigger and is true for us as many as received Him. For to them He gave the right to called the sons and daughters of God (Acts 4:12) which makes us welcome in the Father’s house when Jesus comes to receive us unto Himself.

Until then, let’s keep our eyes lifted up and not let circumstances get us down. This life is not all there is and the next one is far better and way longer, and with all that is going on in the world today, it seems possible we are heading to the Father’s house soon!

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,