Come to Jesus Just As You Are April 25, 2021 bizadmin Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven. . . .Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” Come to Jesus Just As You Are 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 worshiping the Lord. I felt as though I was entering a dark and dingy storeroom full of cobwebs each time I did so. 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. 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, I would have my hands, 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, 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 book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs.
The Waterfall of Forgiveness April 11, 2021 bizadmin But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7 THE WATERFALL OF FORGIVENESS Let me tell you a story about a little boy who used to play in the woods just a short distance away from the dilapidated hut that he lived in. His parents were too poor to buy him any toys, so he had to make do with whatever he could find. One day, he chanced upon a stone that was unlike any he had ever seen. The polished surface of the stone glistened in his hands and winked at him each time he turned it around in the sunlight. It was his very own treasure and he loved it. The boy did not dare to bring it back to his home as there was nowhere in the hut he could hide it. He decided to dig a deep hole under some bushes and hide his precious possession there. The next day, the boy couldn’t wait to retrieve his stone and ran to its hiding place as soon as the sun arose. But when his fingers finally found the stone in its muddy hideaway, it was all mud-caked and dull, without any of the luster that he loved so much. The boy took the stone to the stream and carefully dipped it in, allowing the dirt to be washed away. Finally, it was clean again and the boy’s heart swelled with pride at his treasured find. But all too soon, the time came for the boy to head home and he had to return the stone to its hiding place. Every day, the boy would rush to the spot where he had hidden the stone. And every day, he would find its shiny surface smeared with mud and he would trek to the river some distance away to wash it. This happened for a while before he decided to solve the problem permanently. That day, when it was almost time for him to head home, the little boy took his stone to a small waterfall and wedged it carefully between two rocks, right in the middle of the steady flow of the waterfall. That night, the stone experienced a continual washing. And that little boy never had to wash the stone again. Every time he retrieved it, it gleamed in his hands, completely cleansed. Beloved, when you were born again, you became a living stone whom God placed right under the waterfall of His Son’s blood. And today’s scripture shows us the effect of that continual cleansing of Jesus’ blood—it keeps us walking in the realm of light that His death has translated us into. If you were to dig deeper into the rich treasures of God’s Word, you will find that in the Greek, the tense for the word cleanse in 1 John 1:7 denotes a present and continuous action, which means that from the moment you receive Christ, the blood of Jesus keeps on cleansing you. This is why believers who have been translated from darkness by Jesus’ death are kept walking in the light even when they miss it and fail. As a believer, you are truly under a perpetual waterfall of His blood that keeps on cleansing you from all your sins. You know that negative thought that you had a few minutes ago? Well, that has been cleansed too! Every thought that is not right, every action that is not correct, is washed away! You are always kept clean and forgiven and always walking in His light because of the continuous cleansing of Jesus’ blood! Beloved, believing that you need to confess your sins all the time to be right with God will only make you more sin-conscious. But knowing that you are constantly under Jesus’ waterfall of His cleansing blood will keep you forgiveness-conscious. And knowing that you are forgiven of all your sins will give you the power to reign over every destructive habit and live a life of victory! This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs.
Blessed Easter, Everyone April 4, 2021 bizadmin View this post on Instagram A post shared by Joseph Prince (@josephprince) The above message by Pastor Joseph Prince on healing is very pertinent to me and many others on Easter Sunday Day. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes, we are healed.” ~ Isaiah 53:5 NKJV What is Easter? Without a doubt one of the most important celebrations in the Christian calendar, Easter is a holiday that celebrates the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. After his crucifixion, death, and burial, three days later, he arose from the grave. In doing so, he conquered death and redeemed us from sin if we believe in Him. Jesus’ resurrection power delivered mankind from the curse of sin and death. Now, we as believers and His children can have eternity in heaven with a mansion built for each of us. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Joseph Prince (@josephprince) Check out the Blessed Easter message by Jean Thomason from Momentum Influencers. See her happy and inspiring message this Easter. Christian Meaning of Easter The significance of Easter is Jesus Christ’s triumph over death. His resurrection means the eternal life that is granted to all who believe in Him. The purpose of Easter also means the full confirmation of all that Jesus taught and preached during His three-year ministry. If He had not risen from the dead, if He had simply died and not been resurrected, He would have been thought just another teacher or prophet. However, His resurrection rebuked all that and provided final and undeniable proof that He was really the Son of God and that He had overcome death once and for all. Here’s wishing all my readers, A Blessed Easter this Sunday. 👨👩👦✝✝✝💥💥💥💦💦💦
What God Sees When He Looks at You March 28, 2021 bizadmin But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 WHAT GOD SEES WHEN HE LOOKS AT YOU One of our key ministry partners, Ron, shared how he had a dear friend named Tyler, who was from a good Christian family, was great at sports, and was living the “American Dream.” After college, however, Tyler started hanging out with the wrong crowd and developed a severe drug and drinking problem, which in turn led to a series of devastating mistakes. Within a twenty-four-month period, Tyler lost everything he held dear in his life. Ashamed and miserable, Tyler dropped out of church and almost gave up on life, God, and grace. But God, in His grace, was still reaching out to Tyler (through Ron), as Ron related in this story: One night, while jogging at a park and listening to a message by Pastor Prince, I felt God prompting me to send Tyler a text message. I felt that God wanted me to ask Tyler, “What does God see when He looks at you?” So while running, I texted him exactly those words. After a long time, I received his text reply: Tyler: “Are you serious?” Ron: “Yes.” Tyler: “Well . . . I’m sure it’s not good.” Ron: “Jesus.” Tyler: “What do you mean?” Ron: “I mean, when God looks at you, He sees Jesus!” Thirty minutes later, I got this message: Tyler: “Thanks, man, you don’t know how badly I needed to hear that!” Would it bless your heart to know that this is the very message God wants you to receive today? If you are like Tyler, then you believe God’s love for you depends on your actions. You honestly believe God is ashamed of you because of your mistakes and failures. Well, you may have either not heard or have forgotten that the payment for your sins has already been made in full upon the body of Jesus at the cross. Therefore, when God looks at you today, He doesn’t judge, esteem, and measure you according to your imperfections. He sees you in the Beloved—He sees you in Christ, and He sees the blood that has been shed for you by His dear Son. When God looks at you today, He sees Jesus. Because of this, His thoughts toward you are thoughts of loving-kindness, forgiveness, blessings, and favor. Jesus paid an immensely heavy price on the cross so that you can live life completely accepted and unconditionally loved by God. Knowing and believing this will make all the difference in how you live your life—no matter what is staring you in the face. This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Right Believing—Daily Readings from The Power of Right Believing.
We Don’t Have All the Answers March 18, 2021 bizadmin “I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope.” Hosea 2:15 NLT WE DON’T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS Maybe you are going through a difficult valley. Maybe you are disappointed with God because you have lost a loved one or because you have been battling that medical condition year after year. I want to encourage you not to ask, “Why?” Asking why will only lead you on a downward spiral into depression. Don’t ask, “Why did this happen to me?” Don’t ask, “Why is my child not healed even though I have trusted You for years?” or “Why is my loved one going through one tragedy after another?” The fact is, in this fallen world, we don’t have all the answers. One day, we will receive our new bodies, where the corruptible will put on incorruption, and the mortal will put on immortality (1 Cor. 15:53). But until then, I recognize that sometimes bad things happen and I don’t know why. But what I do know is this: God is a good God. He loves us, and He is never behind any pain we go through. Our faith in Him is not based on our experiences; it is based on the unchanging, eternal Word of God, which cannot lie. Even when things didn’t go the way you wanted them to, don’t remain in your disappointment. The devil wants you to get angry with God and to give up on His promises. But keep believing that God is for you and not against you. Even if the enemy has destroyed something in your life, and even if years have been lost as you waited for the manifestation of your healing, or the days of your youth have been stolen from you, keep believing that God can restore to you what you have lost (Joel 2:25, Job 33:25). My friend, “let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23). Keep on looking to the Lord for your breakthrough. And if you find that you are too tired to believe anymore, I pray that this promise will carry you through: But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. —Isaiah 40:31 This devotional is taken from the book The Healing Power of the Holy Communion—A 90-Day Devotional.
Right Place, Right Time March 14, 2021 bizadmin I returned and saw under the sun that—the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. For man also does not know his time: like fish taken in a cruel net, like birds caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them. Ecclesiastes 9:11–12 RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME I want to share with you the scripture above which talks about the fowler’s snare. Sometimes, the best way to interpret Scripture is to ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and revelation, look for recurring themes in the Bible, and allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. What I am saying is that there is a powerful truth here waiting to be unlocked. Did you notice that the number 911 occurs in both Psalm 91:1 and Ecclesiastes 9:11? The number 911 is very significant for our times. It is a number that marks the largest-scale terrorist attack on American soil to date. Our hearts were broken that day, the world changed, and we will never forget what happened. While I know that chapter and verse markers in our Bible aren’t inspired, it is my personal opinion that the prayer of protection in Psalm 91 marks the times we are living in and gives us a crystal clear reason why we don’t have to live in fear. In Ecclesiastes 9, King Solomon tells us that the winner of the race is not necessarily always the fastest one, and the person who wins the battle isn’t necessarily always the strongest. He points out that men of understanding are not the only ones who gain riches and men of skill do not always experience favor. And then he says this: “Time and chance happen to them all.” Solomon then goes on to talk about those who are “like fish taken in a cruel net” or “birds caught in a snare.” (Notice that he’s saying this of the “sons of men” and not the “sons of God.” As believers, we are the sons and daughters of God.) There are therefore two categories of people—those who are blessed because they find themselves at the right place at the right time, and those who are caught off guard in an evil time and find themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time. I don’t know about you, but I know which category I want to fall under! As a son or daughter of God, rest assured that the blessing of being placed in the right place at the right time is yours because of our Lord Jesus! Despite the dangerous times we live in, you can expect Him to protect and deliver you from every snare of the enemy. This devotional is taken from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times.
Unveiling the Value of Jesus February 20, 2021 bizadmin Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. John 12:3 UNVEILING THE VALUE OF JESUS Our Lord Jesus loved to frequent Bethany where He could be among His closest friends, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Bethany was a home away from home for our Lord. There, His friends loved Him, honored Him, and truly valued His presence. On His part, He cherished their company dearly and always felt comfortable and relaxed with them. Six days before He gave Himself up to be crucified, He gathered His friends together in Bethany, about two miles away from Jerusalem. They had prepared a feast in His honor, but their reunion was overshadowed by the looming Passover, which was less than a week away. His friends understood to some degree what the Lord intended to do, and their hearts were heavy because they cared deeply for Him. As our Lord Jesus was eating, Mary brought out a spikenard jar, a very costly fragrant oil. So costly, in fact, that it was worth a whole year’s wages. But it wasn’t the hours she had toiled to earn the oil that Mary thought about as she cradled the jar in her hands. It was Jesus. It was her Lord. She had come prepared to worship Jesus, and her heart overflowed with a love that could not be expressed in words as she drew near to Him. Gratitude and adoration welled up inside her as she knelt quietly beside Him. Not sparing a drop of her exquisite tribute, she anointed the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. And the entire house was filled with the opulent fragrance of her worship of our Lord Jesus Christ. Upon witnessing this lavish and extravagant gesture, one of Jesus’ disciples, Judas Iscariot, lashed out indignantly, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” (John 12:5). The sad reality is this: Judas could tell the oil’s value straight away, but he couldn’t see the value of our Lord Jesus. He is like so many people today who know the value of the real estate, commodities, and publicly traded companies in the stock market, but not the value of our Lord Jesus. Mary understood the value of our Lord implicitly. Because she esteemed Jesus so greatly, anointing Him with her most valuable possession was simply an outward representation of just how much she loved, valued, and cherished our Lord Jesus inwardly. What Judas Iscariot saw as waste, Mary saw as worship. To her, the person of our Lord Jesus was priceless. Have you ever been told that reading the Bible is a waste of time? That serving and being engaged in your local church is a waste of time? That bringing your tithes to your church is a waste of money? My dear reader, there will always be such accusatory voices in the world. Why? Because these voices do not understand the value of our Lord Jesus. I am so glad that you appreciate our Lord Jesus’s value, which is why you are taking time to read this devotional that is all about the person of Jesus. The grace revolution is all about unveiling the value of Jesus. When you know the value of Jesus, Who He is, what He has done, and what He is still doing in your life today, you will experience a grace revolution in your life. You will begin to live above every defeat, sin, addiction, fear, doubt, and challenge in your life when you have a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus and keep receiving teaching that is full of the abundance of His grace and the gift of righteousness. Value our Lord Jesus accurately in your life, and you will be unstoppable. This devotional is taken from the book Glorious Grace—100 Daily Readings from Grace Revolution.
True Rest for the Weary Soul February 16, 2021 bizadmin “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 TRUE REST FOR THE WEARY SOUL 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.