One Thing is Needful August 23, 2018 bizadmin My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; Proverbs 4:20–21 ONE THING IS NEEDFUL George Müller, who lived in the 1800s, cared for about 10,000 orphans in total in his five large orphanages. But he never allowed his huge responsibility to take him away from the Word of God. He said that every day, he would set aside time to study the scriptures until his inner man was happy in the Lord. Once, Müller met a man who worked between 14 and 16 hours every day. He told the man, “You are destroying your health. You don’t have time for your family and, most importantly, you don’t have time to nourish your inner man with the Word of God.” The man replied, “I hear you, but I can’t see how I can cut down my working hours and spend time in the Word because even with the 14 to 16 hours I put in each day, I still can’t put enough bread on the table for my family.” As the man walked away, Müller said, “He doesn’t believe that if he gives time to God’s Word first, God will take care of all his needs.” Likewise, do you really believe that every day, only one thing is needful? Even if the bills don’t get paid, the children are not making any headway in their studies and the office work is not completed, all these things can wait. Only one thing is needful—that you spend time in the Word of God. When Martha complained to Jesus that her sister Mary had left her to serve alone (Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet and hearing His Word), Jesus defended Mary by saying, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41–42). My friend, you will not lose out when you take the time to sit down and listen to God’s Word. Even your health and well-being will be blessed (see Proverbs 4:22). So take time today to meditate on His Word. It will make your way prosperous (see Joshua 1:8–9), and give you divine health and good success! – Pastor Joseph Prince Incidentally, today is mum’s birthday.
The Success Indicator August 9, 2018 bizadmin Time and again, there are repeats of similarities of successful people versus unsuccessful ones or self-made millionaires vs poor people and such. The infographics above summarizes everything and compares trait by trait for the successful people versus the unsuccessful ones. Right at the top, the character trait is to compliment others while the other side is to criticize others. It is so close to the home of someone that I know having all these negative traits and being too possessive. There are no intelligent social conversations, other than to gossip or talk of others and their weaknesses. If you double click on the infographic above, you can see al the summary which I won’t mention all of them in this blog post. Afterall, a picture is worth a thousand words. Successful people also easily forgive others while the unsuccessful ones hold a grudge and easily envy others while trying to bring them down to their level of failure. Successful people have a sense of gratitude while the other side has a sense of entitlement! Successful people read every day, while the unsuccessful people watch tv everyday. In short, rich people have a large library, while poor people have a large tv. Successful people develop goals and plans while the unsuccessful ones do not know what they want to do and do not set goals and secretly hope others fail. Okay, I can go on and on, but I have to stop here and you can see more details in the infographics, as done by MetEdge, LLC.
The Power of the Body and Blood of Christ July 28, 2018 bizadmin For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 1 Corinthians 11:26 THE POWER OF THE BODY AND BLOOD Some time ago, one of our church members developed deep vein thrombosis (DVT) while on a flight to Israel. As she was disembarking from the plane, she collapsed. She was rushed to the hospital. But on the way there, her heart stopped beating. Apparently, the blood clot in her leg had gone to her heart, causing it to stop beating. The doctors managed to revive her heart after a few attempts, but she remained unconscious. When I arrived at the hospital with some of my church leaders a few days later, I was told that her condition had worsened. She was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). My leaders and I decided to partake of the Holy Communion in the ICU, proclaiming that Jesus had borne all her diseases, including DVT, and that His blood had already redeemed her from all curses, including diseases and death. The next day, she regained consciousness! Her recovery was so supernatural that after a week of observation, she was discharged and was soon touring Israel with the next tour group that arrived there. In another case, a church member’s elderly mother underwent a series of operations and her condition deteriorated to the point where the doctor told the family to prepare for the worst. The family took Holy Communion in the ICU. They even put a small crumb in their mother’s mouth and poured a little grape juice in. On the third day, something miraculous happened—their mother regained consciousness, got well and was discharged not too long after! You see, each time you eat the bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death for you. You discern that the Lord’s body was broken so that your body can be whole. You discern that His healthy body has borne your diseases and pains, so that your body can be well. So when you eat the bread, you say that by His stripes you are healed. And when you drink the cup, you are drinking the life of Jesus which is in His blood. Beloved, the life of Jesus is pain-free, disease-free and poverty-free. It attracts the favor and blessings of God. And because you have that life in you, it causes good things to happen to you! – Pastor Joseph Prince
God is with You, Upholding You July 25, 2018 bizadmin Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10 GOD IS WITH YOU UPHOLDING YOU It is easy to say, “Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!” when times are good. It is easy to believe that God loves you when you are on the mountain top enjoying the sunshine. But what happens when you are down in the dark valley surrounded by your enemies? Perhaps today, you are in the valley of marital, financial or bodily trouble, and you are asking, “Where is God?” My friend, He is right there with you. The God of the valleys says to you, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” When King Jehoshaphat was surrounded and outnumbered by his enemies, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel and he said to the king, “Don’t be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you. Don’t fear or be dismayed. Tomorrow, go out against them for the Lord is with you.” (2 Chronicles 20:14–17) What King Jehoshaphat did next was brilliant. He acted with wisdom from on high. Instead of putting his commandos in front, he put worshipers in front! What did the worshipers sing? They sang of God’s love for them—“Praise the Lord for His love endures forever!” And God utterly destroyed their enemies! (2 Chronicles 20:21–23, NIV) Beloved, it is not the trials that make us strong, but our responses in those trials. The devil wants us to respond by asking, “Where is God?” But God wants us to respond with faith in His love for us. We are more than conquerors not because of our love for Him, but through Him who loves us. (Romans 8:37) So whatever valley you are in today, don’t be afraid. God is there with you strengthening and upholding you. Just sing of His love for you and let Him fight your battles for you! – Pastor Joseph Prince
Believe Your Debt is More than Paid July 23, 2018 bizadmin let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22 BELIEVE YOUR DEBT IS MORE THAN PAID! I would like you to imagine this scenario: You borrow a huge sum of money from a friend and promise to pay him back in six months’ time. When the time comes, you feel really bad because you cannot repay him as you don’t have the money. A year rolls by without you repaying a cent. Now, you feel extremely guilty. You try to avoid your friend because you are too embarrassed and ashamed to see him. Let’s say that your best friend hears about your plight. Out of the goodness of his heart, he goes to your creditor and says, “Look, I understand that my best friend owes you money.” “Yes, he owes me US$50,000.” “Here is US$100,000. I am paying you on his behalf.” Your creditor says, “No, no, no! He owes me only US$50,000.” Your best friend says, “I know. But take the US$100,000 so that you can never say that he still owes you money.” Now, your debt has been paid, in fact, more than paid. But if you don’t know or believe this, that debt will still be on your conscience. You will still be afraid to see your creditor. And you will avoid him because he reminds you of your debt. My friend, you need to know that Jesus was an overpayment when He offered Himself as your sin offering, because of the quality and worth of the Man Himself. My friend, He overpaid for your sins when He became your sacrifice on the cross. But if you don’t know or believe this, you will suffer as your unbelief will rob you of assurance, joy and peace. You will still have debt on your conscience. Even though God is not imputing sin to you (Romans 4:8), sin is still on your conscience. And as long as sin is on your conscience, you won’t dare to draw near to Him. Beloved, the truth is that your sins have been more than paid for. Jesus was an overpayment. So draw near to God today with no sin on your conscience! – Pastor Joseph Prince
God is a Giver, not a Taker July 20, 2018 bizadmin He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Romans 8:32 GOD IS A GIVER, NOT A TAKER Some Christians mistakenly believe that God gives and also takes away. At funerals, we sometimes hear the minister say, “The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” I remember an occasion when I was looking at a baby who was suffering from cancer. I heard one of his family members comment, “You can’t be sure what God’s will is. He may or may not heal.” What that person meant was that although the Lord had given the parents this baby, He might later take the baby away from them. Job displayed this very same attitude when he received the news that he had lost his property and children. Thinking that God was the source of his problems and not knowing that it was actually Satan who had come against him, he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21) Such a statement seems to honor God, but in reality, it reveals an erroneous view of our heavenly Father. As children of God, we know what the Father’s will is for us. He is a giver, not a taker! Jesus said, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32) It is the devil who is the thief. He comes to steal, kill and destroy. But Jesus came to give us life more abundant. (John 10:10) Jesus met every need and healed every sickness brought before Him, and at the cross, He gave His own life. Never once did He take anything away from the people who came to Him. And the Bible says that whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father. (John 14:9) Beloved, your heavenly Father wants you to know today that He is the one who gives you all good things. And if He has already given us heaven’s best—Jesus, “how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things”? – Pastor Joseph Prince
Just a Groan will Reach God’s Throne July 16, 2018 bizadmin Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26 JUST A GROAN WILL REACH GOD’S THRONE Once, when my father was hospitalized, I remember driving as fast as I could to the hospital to see him because his condition was deteriorating rapidly. I was just sobbing in my car on the way there. I didn’t know what to pray. So I just cried and prayed in tongues, groaning in my spirit. I believe that at that very low point, the Holy Spirit was helping me in my weaknesses—“For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered”. The events that soon unfolded in the hospital convinced me that just a groan or sigh will reach the throne of our Abba Father. I managed to reach the hospital just in time to clasp my father’s hand before he was wheeled in for surgery. The surgeons came out of the operating theatre sometime later to inform my mother that they didn’t need to do anything after they had opened him up because they discovered that “surgery” had already been done on him! Surprised, my mother answered, “He has never been operated on. I am his wife. I should know.” Not convinced, the surgeons told my father when he regained consciousness, “We opened you up and found that surgery had already been done. Whoever did it did a perfect work.” Equally surprised, my dad told them, “I have never had surgery done on me.” “No, you have!” the surgeons insisted. As my parents and the doctors continued arguing, I found myself thinking, “My goodness, I didn’t even pray for a miracle on my way to the hospital. Yet, a miracle has just happened!” My friend, when we who are God’s children groan as we pray in the Spirit, the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings which will reach the throne of our Abba Father, and cause Him to move powerfully on our behalf! – Pastor Joseph Prince
Set your Love upon Jesus July 14, 2018 bizadmin “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 SET YOUR LOVE UPON JESUS Jesus was in a house in Bethany when a woman came to Him with an alabaster flask containing very costly fragrant oil. She poured the oil on His head. (Matthew 26:6–7) This woman loved the Lord. She had set her love upon Him. But those who were present considered what she did a great waste because the oil could have been sold for an amount equal to one year’s wages, and the money given to the poor instead. Even Jesus’ disciples were indignant and asked her, “Why this waste?” (Matthew 26:8) But Jesus defended her, saying, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me.” (Matthew 26:10) Not only that, He accorded her the highest honor when He added, “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” (Matthew 26:13) Two thousand years have passed since this woman anointed Jesus with the expensive oil. She never expected in her wildest dreams that her act of love would be told down through the ages. Many kings and rulers have come and gone. Their great acts have faded from the memories of men. But what this woman did for Jesus is still told today around the world as a memorial to her! When you get a revelation of how much Jesus loves you, you will set your love upon Him. And when you act out of love for Him, though others may see it as a waste of time, energy or money, He will defend you and deliver you from your critics. He will also set you on high. Your ministry will become powerful and life-changing. Your work will be highly esteemed among your peers. Your company will be prominent and highly successful. And it will not just be a job that you have, but a position of influence to impact many lives. So set your love upon Jesus. Make Him the love of your life today, and He will defend, deliver and set you on high! – Pastor Joseph Prince