Worldly Wisdom Versus God’s Wisdom

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

Psalm 1:1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Message from Amir Tsarfati

Some of the last words of Jesus and even Paul were actually words of warning to the church. And remember, when Jesus gathered the disciples on the Mount of Olives, and when they asked Him about the signs of the end of the age in Matthew 24, it says, “Now, as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately.” It’s something that didn’t really cause the rest of the Jews to even think that Jesus would have an answer to. But the disciples came to Him privately without anyone around and asked Him, “Tell us when will these things be and what will the sign of your coming end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “Take heed that no one deceives you.” In other words, there’s going to be the things that I’m going to tell you that will be, but I want you to know that deception is the first thing you’re going to encounter.

When considering Bible prophecy, the first thing we need to remember is to not approach what we read like we would a weather prediction, as if there is simply a percentage of a chance of it happening.

Everything the Bible says about the last days will happen exactly as written, including both the clearly stated and the only implied.  

Matthew 24:4-8
And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

Remember, the question the disciples asked was about the end of the age and the signs of His coming. Thus, the context of the answer is the same as the question. Jesus clearly stated there will be false Christs, wars and rumors of wars, international and ethnic tensions, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. And all of this is preceded by an admonition to not be deceived, which implies there will be efforts to spread lies concerning the signs of His coming and the end of the age.

That means that in the time of the signs Jesus mentioned, there will be deceivers who say the increase in those things means nothing. The deception is also much broader in that some will deny that modern Israel is Biblical Israel. Others will deny that the rapture is a Biblical doctrine. The apostle Peter said that some will even scoff at the idea that Jesus is coming again at all (2 Peter 3:3).

The truth is that if God said it is going to happen, it will happen just as He said. We also know there will be a comparatively short duration of time during which the signs that His coming is soon will be evident. 

We are living in such a time today. The deception concerning both the Bible and the evidence of the last days is in full swing, and the scoffers and deniers are all around us. The tragedy of all this is that during this time when they ought to be more confident than ever that the Bible and its end times prophecies are one hundred percent true, they scoff at the idea of of His return instead.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,

Come Under His Wings of Mercy and Grace

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

Psalm 91:4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

True Rest for the Weary Soul

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

Matthew 11:28–30

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our Debts Have Been Cancelled

Luke 4:19, 'To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.'

This scripture had been written prophetically by the prophet Isaiah about 650 years prior to this time. It was read in Jewish synagogues thousands of times. But the one this verse was speaking of had never spoken it before. With this pronouncement, Jesus began the year of Jubilee.

The Year of Jubilee was described in Leviticus 25. It was a year when everyone left their fields unworked and kept a sabbath unto the Lord. The Lord gave the people a miraculous provision the year before this jubilee started that sustained them for three years until their crops could once again be harvested.

This jubilee was different than the other sabbatical years in that every debt was cancelled. All property was returned to its original owner and anyone who had been sold into slavery was set free. It was a year of new beginnings.

Jesus proclaimed a spiritual jubilee. We now live in a time when all our debts to God have been cancelled and all the things the devil stole from us have been returned. Even our slavery to the devil has come to an end through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a time for rejoicing.

Jesus is our jubilee. Andrew Womack

Eating Fresh

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.

Hebrews 10:19–20

When God provided manna for the children of Israel in the wilderness, Moses told the people, “Let no one leave any of it till morning” (Ex. 16:19). When some of them did not heed Moses’ words and kept some till the next morning, it bred worms and stank.

This reminds me of the law that the children of Israel had to observe when they brought the peace offering for thanksgiving: “The flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offering for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day it is offered. He shall not leave any of it until morning” (Lev. 7:15).

These two verses speak of partaking fresh and not leaving the manna or the meat from the sacrifice to turn stale. In the same way, whenever we partake of the holy Communion, let’s ask the Lord for a fresh revelation of what He did for us at the cross.

Let’s not ever become so familiar with the holy Communion that we start to see it as common and ordinary. We are holding the broken body of the Son of God and drinking of His shed blood.

Would you like to have a fresh revelation of the holy Communion? In today’s Scripture passage, God’s Word tells us that through the cross, our Lord Jesus consecrated a “new and living way” for us to draw near to God not with fear and trepidation but with boldness. He allowed His own flesh to be torn so that we can have free access to our loving Father today.

I want to draw your attention to the original Greek word used for new here. It is the word prosphatos and it means “lately slaughtered, freshly killed.” Why did the Holy Spirit use this unusual word here?

Because whenever you partake of the holy Communion, God does not want you to partake as though you are commemorating a historical event that took place long ago. The cross transcends time. As you partake of the holy Communion in remembrance of Him, see your Lord Jesus before you, as though you are right there at Calvary.

See your Lord Jesus freshly slain, bearing all your sicknesses and carrying all your pains. Don’t partake ritualistically, but press in for a fresh revelation of His love that was demonstrated at the cross.

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

The Lord Jesus loves spending time with you.

"My heart has heard you say, 'Come and talk with me.' And my heart responds, 'LORD, I am coming.'"—Psalm 27:8 NLT

He's calling for us to come talk to Him. And, He's thrilled every time you choose to be with Him!

Now, there are no hard and fast rules for spending time with Him. One beautiful way to do so is through journaling. Whenever you have the time, whether during your day or even before you sleep tonight, take a moment to journal to the Lord. Be present with Him—be yourself and share what's on your heart with Him.

As you journal, know that He is also speaking to you and let Him saturate you with His love. Take time to pause, listen, and write what you sense Him speaking to your heart through His Word!

From Joseph Prince

Under the Care of the Good Shepherd

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

Psalm 23:1–4

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

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

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

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

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

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

Message from Amir Tsarfati

Paul to his beloved Timothy in 2 Timothy 1 says, "Timothy, hold fast." The pattern of what? Sound words. Why? Why did he have to use the words, “sound words”? Because a lot of junk is going to be thrown in the air. He says, "Hold fast the pattern of sound words." But what words can be sound? "Which you have heard from me." On what? "In faith and love." What kind of faith and love? "Which are in Christ Jesus." In other words, all the words that I gave – it was all about Jesus. They have to produce love and faith. And those are the things that I want you to keep. Hold fast to these things.
 
"That good thing which was committed to you keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. This you know that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Figelus and Hermogenes, and the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain. But, when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me. The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that day." “That day.” Paul loves to use that phrase for the day we're going to see Jesus.
 
"And you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus."
 
Paul is warning Timothy, telling him, "Look, hold on to the words that I told you that could only be from Jesus. But I want you to know, first century, first Church, everybody left me.” Look what he said. "All those in Asia have turned away from me." They didn’t turn away from Paul because he's an obnoxious person. They turned away from the message of Paul. They heard the message from Paul directly and they just left. And he said, "Look, in this, I can see we're not going to be the majority. Look, a lot of people are going to turn back on us. Look, these are the days of deception."

The consequences of not holding fast (meaning, “to retain or remain joined to”) the word of God is clearly visible in our world today. It has impacted the definition of faith and expressions of love that are far from how they are described and what they are defined as in scripture. Paul warned Timothy that such a time would come. In the same letter, he told him to hold fast to sound words.

2 Timothy 4:3-4
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”

To many in our world, the Christian faith is “what you think it is” and is subject to cultural trends and societal values. Love has also been redefined in two directions: 1) The love of many has grown cold (Matthew 24:12) - meaning it has died. Mothers being willing to take the life of their own child while it is still in the womb is the greatest evidence of this. 2) Love has been broadened to the acceptance of everyone’s opinions and feelings. And those who do not accept what someone thinks or feels is an unloving, hateful bigot. Both directions are in error.

The Greek word translated as “sound” in 2 Timothy means, “free from mixture with error”. Since we’ve all made mistakes and formed wrong opinions, we have to recognize that a source of sound words greater than our own is needed to keep our actions and opinions free from error.

Psalm 19:7-11
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.

The law, the testimony, the statutes, the commandments, the enlightenment, and the judgments of God are all contained in His word, which is unmixed with error, and thus, perfect.

Paul told Timothy to hold fast to sound words and that a time was coming when many wouldn’t. His counsel should be heeded by us today, as it will define faith and love as God sees it. It will also keep our lives from looking more like the world than the word.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Thirsty?

John 4:14, 'But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.'

Jesus painted a beautiful picture of salvation in this passage. The salvation Jesus brings is like an artesian spring which doesn't have to be pumped. It bubbles up constantly.

Unfortunately, not every Christian's experience matches Jesus' description. Many people relate more to an old pump which has to be pumped and pumped. Just as a trickle of water comes, they have to rest. They lose their prime. The water stops. Then they have to start all over again.

Yet, Jesus said we would never thirst again. This doesn't mean that one drink satisfies us forever. But, as we continue to avail ourselves of this water of life daily, we will be constantly refreshed. The well of His life is there, but we must partake.

The dryness in a Christian's life comes when we substitute other things for the living water that only Jesus can give. Anytime a Christian begins to thirst again, it is not a reflection on the living water that Jesus gives, but rather an indication that we have been drinking from some other source.

'Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation' (Isaiah 12:3). Andrew Womack

Authority over the Enemy

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

Psalm 91:13

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Come As You Are to Jesus

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

Psalm 30:11

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our Unshakable Foundation

If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! . . . 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.

1 Corinthians 15:17, 20–22

The apostle Paul proclaims Jesus Christ is risen from the dead in today’s scripture! And because He is risen, you are no longer in your sins. Jesus’ resurrection is the living proof that all your sins have been completely and totally forgiven.

Our forgiveness is not contingent upon us and what we have or have not done, so no one can boast that they earned their forgiveness through their own efforts. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9).

Through faith in Jesus’ finished work at the cross, we have received the gift of salvation. When something is a gift, it means that you cannot work for it, earn it, or merit it. A gift is lavished upon the recipient by the giver, and Jesus gave of His own life to ransom yours.

But Pastor Prince, I don’t deserve forgiveness.

You are absolutely right. We deserved punishment for all the sins we have committed and will commit in our lifetime. We deserved death, but Jesus took that death for us and gave us eternal life. He took what we deserved and gave us what we didn’t deserve. That is why we are saved by grace—His unmerited, unearned, and undeserved favor—through faith.

Now, always remember this: How are you saved? By grace through faith. How have all your sins been forgiven? By grace through faith. How have you been made righteous? By grace through faith. This is your unshakable foundation, built upon the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Don’t allow any teaching to diminish the cross of Jesus in your life and make salvation, forgiveness, and righteousness things you have to work at in order to maintain and keep. You received salvation, forgiveness, and righteousness by grace through faith in Jesus’ finished work, and they are secured by His obedience to the Father at the cross:

“Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”

—Romans 5:18–19

Righteousness is not about right doing. Righteousness is about right believing. You are made righteous in God’s eyes when you believe or put your faith in Christ and His sacrifice for you. It is through Jesus’ obedience that we have been made righteous and justified from all our sins. Justification is our Lord Jesus removing all the guilt and penalty of sin and proclaiming that we have been made righteous by His shed blood.

Beloved, when you are buffeted by the voice of accusation and condemnation over your failures, believe and learn to declare that you are saved, forgiven, made righteous (justified) by grace through faith in Christ. You’ll see His favor, wisdom, power, and every benefit of His finished work released into your situation to turn everything around for His glory.

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

God's Idea Of Greatness

Luke 3:20, '....he shut up John in prison.'

John spent 30 years preparing for a six month ministry, followed by one and a half years in prison before he was beheaded. Many people would not consider his life very successful, yet Jesus said John was the greatest man who was ever born (Mt. 11:11).

John's greatness didn't lie in his own success, but in the success of another. John stirred up the hearts of an entire nation in expectancy of their Messiah. The ministry of Jesus owed much of its success to the work of John. John had prepared a people to meet their God (Mal. 3:1).

In our celebrity conscious society, few people want to be the backup singer or the announcer who introduces the main speaker. We have adopted a mentality that unless we are in the limelight we have failed. That's not the way the Lord looks at things.

When the Lord passes out rewards in heaven, we may be shocked to see how He evaluates greatness. Many people who did not receive recognition while on earth will shine like the stars in eternity. The Lord will judge our works on what sort they were and not what size they were (I Cor. 3:13). Andrew Womack

The Secret of David

And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Colossians 1:17–18

Have you ever wondered why God called David “a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22)? What made him so special, and how can we also be a man or woman after God’s heart?

I believe David was special because he got hold of something that was of the greatest importance to God’s heart. He got hold of a divine thought and objective in God’s heart and made a vow to God in the wilderness to bring back the ark of the covenant to its rightful place among God’s people in Jerusalem (Ps. 132:1–5). Because David placed such importance on bringing back the ark, God considered him a man after His own heart.

For more than twenty years, King Saul had left the ark in a hilly place called Kirjath Jearim (1 Sam. 7:2). So David made it his passion to bring the ark to Mount Zion in Jerusalem, for the Lord had chosen Zion (which represents God’s grace, as opposed to Mount Sinai, which represents His law) as His dwelling place. God Himself said of Zion, “This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it” (Ps. 132:14).

When you understand the typology of the ark of the covenant, you will see that bringing the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem is the same as bringing Jesus Christ back into a place of prominence and making Him and His finished work the center of all our teaching and preaching and lives.

This was the secret to David’s blessings. He pursued the ark of the covenant and God called him a man after His own heart. Today, you too can be a man or woman after God’s own heart. You can pursue Jesus and bring Him back into the center of your life. Make Jesus the centerpiece of every aspect of your life.

When Gillian from New Jersey and her husband started doing this, not only did it make their relationship stronger, but one blessing after another came into their lives. Round about the time they were introduced to the gospel of grace through my television broadcast, Gillian and her husband were struggling to conceive after being childless for all eleven years of their married life. They had tried all means, including in vitro fertilization, and Gillian was finally told that between her system being “so messed up” and her husband being diagnosed with a low sperm count, diabetes, and other diseases, they could never have a child on their own.

“But we watched you every morning,” Gillian told me, “and as we listened, we got a better and better understanding of God’s grace. Your sermons always teach us to put Jesus in the center of our lives, and so we started doing that. We began to believe that Jesus has paid the full price for us to have whatever we need through Him. We would see Him and His finished work in our relationship with each other and in our challenges.”

Well, as Gillian gave the Lord center place by giving heed to the hearing of His Word, she heard me speak in one of my sermons of an anointing to have children. She shared, “Instantly, I believed it and received it into my spirit. Pastor Prince, I am now six weeks pregnant. What medical science could not do, our beautiful Savior did! Praise the Lord! Not only that, but God has also been increasing my business to the extent that I need new equipment now, and I have no doubt He will supply it all. We know we are truly God’s beloved.”

What an awesome testimony! My friend, like Gillian and her husband, make Jesus, His finished work, and His grace, the center of everything in your life. Make Him the center of your marriage, family, career, and finances, and allow the fullness of His blessings to flow in your life today!

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

Message from Amir Tsarfati

We must be Bereans. Which means? Who were the Bereans? Remember Acts 17? “The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. And these were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica.” How? “In that they received the word with all readiness. And searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” You see? We must search the Scriptures, not watch YouTube. Search the Scriptures, not round corners. Search the Scriptures and that’s when you’re ready. When you see that the Scriptures, when the Bible talks about the return of the Jews to the land in the end times – and you see the Jews return to their land – hello, it’s true then! “Oh, I don't think they are the real Jews.” Who are they? Eskimos? Tell that to Hitler. He knew exactly their names, their addresses. He went after them one by one. 

Unless you know what the Tribulation is, you'll never know when it has begun. And that’s the problem. People make the Tribulation a lockdown. Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Do you know what the Tribulation is all about? It’s a set of events considered to be God’s judgment on what? Look. “Satanic host of heaven and the wicked people here on earth, also preparing Israel to accept Jesus as Messiah upon His return.” That’s not what we see right now. And we must remember the difference with the day of Christ speaking about the return of Christ to earth and the Day of the Lord speaking about the judgment of God upon this world. We must remember that, because it appears so many times and we must not mix the two. 

The Tribulation is the Day of the Lord, ladies and gentlemen. It has many names, by the way. The Great Tribulation, it speaks on Planet Earth in general. The Wrath of God, the Wrath of God upon the wicked people. The Hour of Trial, it’s for the saints of that era. And Jacob’s Trouble, that is, of course, regarding Israel. We must remember that and not confuse those things. The Day of the Lord has three layers. First, God’s dealing with Satan and his demons. Then, God’s dealing with the nations. And then, God’s dealing with Israel. Remember that it’s a span of seven biblical years that can be clearly seen through the Scriptures. And according to Daniel, as I said before, “It is going to be the 70th week, namely, seven biblical years of 360 days each, exactly 2,520 days.” Now why am I saying that? Why are numbers so important in this case? Because those who say that the Rapture can happen in the middle of the Tribulation, they actually know the day because we know exactly the length of the Tribulation. And if it’s 2,520 days, then 1,260 days after it begins, we’re being raptured. But we don’t know the day and the hour. You see, understand, even at the end of the Tribulation doesn’t make sense. What’s the story of God? Bungee jump? Taking us up and throwing us down immediately? It doesn’t even make sense because Jesus went to prepare a place for us there. So why would we not even spend time there? Hello! Plus, we’ve got a wedding to attend and we happen to be the bride.

Among the many Bible verses that are either misquoted or taken out of context is the famed statement of Jesus in John’s gospel:

John 16:33
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

The word “tribulation” here means “anguish, burdens, persecutions, and troubles”. It does not mean “wrath”. Jesus was not saying, as many propose, that the church will go through the Great Tribulation. We know this because the Great Tribulation is a time of God’s wrath, which we do not have an appointment with (1 Thessalonians 5:9). 

The purposes of the Great Tribulation are well-defined in scripture. To finish the years determined for Daniel’s people and holy city (Daniel 9:24) and to punish a Christ rejecting and disobedient world (Colossians 3:6). The Bible also states that there are plans for the church during the Great Tribulation that are “out of this world,” quite literally. 

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Revelation 19:6-9
And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

The judgment seat of Christ is in heaven as is the marriage of the Lamb and the next thing John records in Revelation 19 is the bride returning to earth with the Lord. To return with the Lord requires already being “where He is”. Thus, when the Lord ends the Great Tribulation with His return, the church will have already experienced the marriage of the Lamb and have stood at the judgment seat of Christ. Therefore the church cannot be on earth during any of the Tribulation.   

The Great Tribulation, the Day of Jacob’s trouble, the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord are not in the church’s future. The Day of the Lord centers on Israel and a Christ rejecting world.

We will be safely in heaven, forever to be with the Lord, “in that day”. And in that, we can greatly rejoice!

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.

He Uses The Usable

John 2:24, 'But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all [men].'

This was the first time Jesus had ministered in Jerusalem. Multitudes believed on Him when they saw the miracles He performed (v. 23). This looked like a perfect opportunity for Jesus to take these people and use them to spread the news far and wide that He was the Christ. Instead Jesus did just the opposite. He didn't want people proclaiming His gospel in their own ability.

This reveals an attitude of Jesus which is lacking among many Christians today. Jesus is more concerned with the quality of ministry than the quantity of ministry. In contrast, today's Christians often feel that 'the end justifies the means.'

We take new converts and place them in leadership--which is directly opposed to the Bible's instructions (1 Tim. 3:6). Many times movie stars or other famous people who have come to the Lord are made spokesmen for the Christian faith. This works to the harm of these people and the Body of Christ as a whole.

Some of you can't understand why the Lord hasn't used you, but rest assured the Lord is using everyone who is usable. Instead of looking at the need and begging God to use you, take a hard look at yourself and ask the Lord to make you usable. Andrew Womack

Your Refuge and Fortress

I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.”

Psalm 91:2

What are you saying of the Lord today? If you are saying He gave you the trouble you are presently in or an illness to teach you humility, it’s time to change what you believe about Him. If you really believe that God is the author of your problems, would you really be running to Him for help?

My friend, let’s be like the psalmist who declared, “I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust’.”

The Hebrew word for “refuge,” machaceh, refers to a shelter from storms and danger. This shelter is like the bunkers that many Jews have in their homes in Israel today to shelter them from small-scale attacks. In the figurative sense, when you say the Lord is your machaceh, you are also declaring that He is your place of hope.

The Lord is also your fortress. In Hebrew, the word used for “fortress” is matsuwd. It refers to a castle or stronghold, a place of defense and protection against large-scale attacks. Isn’t that a beautiful picture? Whatever you might be going through right now, you can declare that the Lord is your refuge and your fortress—your protection in both small as well as big attacks.

Perhaps you have not been saying that God is behind your troubles. Perhaps you are not saying anything about the Lord at all. Perhaps God seems far away and you feel cut off from Him.

If that is you, can I encourage you to take a break today from whatever you have on your busy to-do list, and simply take time to dwell in His sweet presence? God is not distant; sometimes we are just too distracted to hear His voice or sense His loving presence.

Take a moment and see yourself in His secret place. Abide under His shadow. Savor His favor. Receive His wisdom. And find rest for your troubled soul. The feeling of being distant from God is only a feeling, nothing more. He has promised in His Word that He will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5).

Our Lord Jesus paid for you to have access to God’s constant presence. At the cross, He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” when God turned His back on Him (Matt. 27:46). He took our place and was rejected by God when He carried our sins so that today, we can take His place of being in the constant presence of the Father and take Him as our refuge and fortress.

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

God Is Not Cheap!

John 2:6, 'And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.'

God has been represented as a God who is on a tight budget and who disapproves of us asking for anything more than just the necessities. However, this first miracle of Jesus disproves that.

Scholars suggest that a firkin was equal to about nine U.S. gallons. This would mean that six of these water pots would hold 162 gallons of wine. That's a lot of wine!

In a similar instance when Jesus was asked to provide food for the multitude, He once again supplied more than the need (Mt. 14:15-21; Mk. 6:33-44; Lk. 9:11-17).

These examples show the Lord's willingness to meet our needs with plenty to spare. God is not cheap!

Today, don't limit God to barely meeting your needs. If you have enough, then believe for extra so that you can bless someone else. 'Let God be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servants' (Ps. 35:27). Andrew Womack

Message from Amir Tsarfati

The MidEast and the World

How did we get to this point where we are releasing such a great number of criminals for just a handful of hostages? Two words – bad policy! Every government and law enforcement agency in the world knows that you do not bargain for hostages. If you do and the bad guys actually hold up to their end of the deal, then you get a momentary dose of joy. But while you’re celebrating, the terrorists are plotting the next time when they’ll up the ante for a release. 

It used to be that Israel was known for not negotiating with terrorists, but that began to change a number of decades ago. In 1968, an El Al plane in Algeria with 48 passengers on board was released in return for 24 terrorists who had no blood on their hands. Forty-one years later, the same price – 24 terrorists – was doled out simply to get video footage of a single kidnapped Israeli soldier. Talk about a horrific inflation!

Giving in once means you’ll be forced to give in again and again at ever-increasing prices. The depths to which we sank was evidenced when Israel was forced in 2011 to turn over 1,027 Palestinian prisoners for the return of a single IDF soldier, Gil Shalit. Don’t get me wrong, I wept when I saw the helicopter flying overhead returning Shalit to our land. I am so grateful to have him and all hostages home. But our short-term gain has caused us long-term pain. In fact, Yahya Sinwar, the late, bloodthirsty leader of Hamas in Gaza, was among whose exchanged for Shalit’s life. For all the strength of our army, the terrorists know our weak spot. They take our people, and we’ll eventually cave.

The most frustrating part about this is that I can see no way out of the mess we’ve gotten ourselves into. At least not with the way our government is now structured. We have a Supreme Court that puts hostages over safety. Worse, they put terrorists over Israel’s safety. Israel’s Supreme Court is filled with liberal left radicals who are self-perpetuating because they have the power to appoint one another. As long as we keep this insane judicial system the way it is, Israel will always be in danger. October 7 will just be the appetizer to what is likely ahead.