By His Stripes We Are Healed

By His Stripes You Are Healed

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 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 53:4–5

One of the most evil teachings that I have heard is that God will chastise His own with sicknesses, diseases, accidents, and tragedies.

When I was a teenager, one of the youth leaders in my previous church was involved in a horrible accident that nearly killed him. A church leader gathered some of us youths to go visit that youth leader and began to lament, “Why did this happen to him? What did he do to cause God to chastise him this way?”

Can you imagine how I felt when I “realized” that God was behind the accident? Honestly, it frightened the living daylights out of me to think that God would chastise a believer using such a harsh method!

I remember praying, “God, please don’t ever chastise me this way. Whatever it is, please, just tell me, all right? I will listen, I promise!” I didn’t want to draw near to Him also because I was afraid of Him, afraid that if I made a mistake, He would not hesitate to chastise me with an accident that could leave me crippled for life or even dead!

Do you know that this erroneous teaching is actually based on the old covenant and not the new covenant? In Leviticus 26:28, God says to those who fail to obey His commandments, “I will chastise you seven times for your sins.”

But guess what? You are no longer under the covenant of law. You are under the covenant of grace! Jesus has already borne all your chastisement and punishment on the cross. Read it for yourself in today’s scripture, then reread it and reread it once more.

The prophet Isaiah saw a prophetic vision of our Lord Jesus on the cross, bearing the punishment for our transgressions. He declared that the chastisement that we deserved came upon Jesus so that you and I will never have to go through what He endured on our behalf. And by the stripes laid on Him as He bore our chastisement, we are healed! Hallelujah!

So how can anyone have the audacity to say that God will still chastise us with sicknesses, diseases, and accidents today? To say this is to negate the finished work of Jesus Christ! Under the new covenant, God will never again chastise the believer for his sins!

Whatever condition you have today, it is not from the Lord! Look to Jesus on the cross. See Him beaten and scourged for you, and receive healing and wholeness from Him. He has paid the price for your total healing. By His stripes you are healed!

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

Safe in the Ark

Safe in the Ark

Then the LORD said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.”

Genesis 7:1

Remember how Noah was safe in the ark when the floodwaters came? While Noah was not perfect, God saw him as righteous because of his faith in God (Heb. 11:7).

When the flood came, everyone outside the ark died, but Noah and his family were protected and saved. Why? Because they were in the ark, which is a type of Christ, who is our salvation (Acts 4:12).

The ark didn’t have windows along its sides, only near the roof. The truth here is that God does not want you to focus on all the darkness, terror, and evil that are around you and in the world. He wants you to look up and know that His Son is coming back for you.

I want you to see something else: I believe there were times when Noah might have lost his balance and fallen as the storm waters crashed against the ark. But Noah fell in the ark; he never fell out of the ark.

Similarly, for the believer today, when the devil tempts you and you fall, you don’t fall out of your position in Christ; you are still in Christ. In the book of Proverbs, it says, “For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again” (Prov. 24:16).

You see, a believer doesn’t fall in and out of righteousness. Our righteousness today is a gift from our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:17). This means that even though we may fail from time to time because we are imperfect human beings, we are still in Christ our ark and do not forfeit His blessings of protection.

Now, in case you are wondering, does this make someone want to live recklessly? Certainly not! I believe that knowing you are righteous in Christ makes you live responsibly and in honor to the Lord (Rom. 6:10–14).

The revelation of our righteousness in Christ produces righteous living (Titus 2:11–12).

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

Message from Amir Tsarfati

Shalom from the Beloved Promised Land –

Do you know why we can call it the Promised Land? Not because we pass it along from generation to generation. Not because Israel is superior to all the nations of the world. And it certainly has nothing to do with our faithfulness as a nation. The land of Israel is the Promised Land because the Creator God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham 6,000 years ago and reiterated that promise to Abraham’s descendants, Isaac and Jacob. Moreover, the promise was assured to Jacob’s descendants for the generations that would follow (Genesis 28:13). It’s the Promised Land because the God of Israel is not a man, that He should lie (Numbers 23:19). It’s the Promised Land because despite my nation’s perpetual disobedience, He brought us back just as He promised He would do:

Ezekiel 36:24
For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.

The faithfulness of God is such a firm foundation and incomparable source of hope. And it’s the scarlet thread that is intertwined throughout the decade-long story of Behold Israel. It was ten years ago this week that the Lord “officially” opened the door for Behold Israel to become a registered non-profit organization. But that’s not where the story begins…

From Tours to Teaching
Following my completion of duty in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), I became a licensed tour guide. Even as a young believer, God had given me a passion for bringing Christians from all over the world to the Promised Land to expose them to the relevance of that same descriptor – His living promises. And as time went on, I became greatly burdened for the need to take the prophetic truths of the word of God from a tour bus to the rest of the world. It wasn’t long before I began periodically traveling to different parts of the world to share the truth about Israel with different churches. I met many pastors as a tour guide, so my contact list grew quickly. The more I traveled to teach, the more I realized how asleep most of the international church is when it comes to God fulfilling His word in this very generation!

The Birth of Behold Israel
Among the contacts I had made in my time as a tour guide were two of the ministry’s founding board members, Gale Frank & H.T. Novak. Both men were instrumental in the early stages of the ministry. God gave me the burden and vision. Gale & H.T. helped bring it to fruition. Of course, there were many logistical mountains that needed to be climbed, and God helped us navigate that process. And while there are so many stories I could share, I think it’s fitting to tell about the miracle God worked that paved the way for us to become a registered non-profit faster than we could have ever imagined. The first barrier God broke down was related to the IRS. After submitting our initial request, the IRS responded in less than 30 days, which is amazing. But it was the even greater miracle that followed that served as a confirmation of God’s calling. 

When the board was pursuing final approval for Behold Israel to become a registered non-profit, we were informed that it would likely take a minimum of 18 months for this to materialize, which was the longstanding norm at the time. But just three weeks later – in what was an unheard-of outcome – we received word that Behold Israel was officially approved!

Ephesians 3:20
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

During the foundational seasons of Behold Israel, there were some dear friends and churches that were incredibly influential in helping us get up and running as a ministry. You know who you are and I’m forever grateful for your love and support.

2014 – 2024
The last 10 years have been astonishing. There’s really no other word to describe what God has done. While Behold Israel began with tours and eventually morphed into an international teaching ministry, what God has enabled us to do online has birthed far-reaching spiritual fruit! 

God's Perfect Law Perfectly Fullfilled

God’s Perfect Law Perfectly Fulfilled

And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Colossians 2:13–14

When we consider the account of the woman caught in adultery in John 8, interestingly, the Bible is silent on what Jesus wrote on the ground with His finger in response to the Pharisees on the matter (John 8:6). But I believe that when He stooped down, He was writing the Law of Moses.

I have been to Jerusalem many times. During one of my visits many years ago to the temple precinct where Jesus would have met this woman, the Lord opened my eyes to see that the floor of the temple precinct was made of hard cobblestone. This means Jesus was not writing on soil. He was writing with His finger on stone.

Then, in a flash, I saw that Jesus was writing the law on stone. He was effectively saying to the Pharisees, “You presume to teach Me about the Law of Moses? I am He who wrote the law.” Jesus wrote twice on the ground with His finger, thus completing the typology, as we know that God wrote the Ten Commandments with His finger twice.

The first set of the Ten Commandments was destroyed by Moses when he saw the Israelites worshipping the golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai. God then wrote another set on stones and gave it to Moses for it to be placed under the mercy seat in the ark of the covenant.

I had never heard anyone preach this before—it was a fresh revelation straight from heaven. I love it when the Lord opens my eyes to see His grace!

Do you know why it’s so exciting to know what Jesus wrote on the ground that day? It’s so significant because it shows us that the very author of God’s perfect law does not use the law to judge and condemn us today. And it’s not because God simply decided to be merciful on us. No!

It’s because Jesus Himself fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the law on our behalf and took upon Himself every curse and stroke of punishment for our sins on His own body at the cross. We are forgiven because He was judged. We are accepted because He was condemned!

Whatever your challenge today, your answer is found in receiving a fresh revelation of how much you are forgiven in Christ.

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

The Bath That Makes You Clean

The “Bath” That Makes You Clean

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.

Titus 2:11–12

Do you know what the Bible says produces character, godliness, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life? Contrary to what some preachers of the law are saying, today’s scripture clearly tells us that it is the unadulterated gospel of the grace of God that will produce all these good fruit.

Let me say once more that grace is a person—not a doctrine or biblical topic—and His name is Jesus. The “grace of God . . . has appeared to all men,” teaching us the secret to godliness, character, and holiness.

Jesus showed us that the life we want to live is all found in Him and His work on the cross. When you have Jesus, you are godly. When you have Him, you are made righteous. When you have Him, good character will manifest. When you have Him, you are made holy!

Does this really work? Listen to a praise report I received from James in Kentucky, who was raised in a Christian home and knew about Jesus since his earliest memories. By the time he was ten years old, he was in bondage to a sexual sin.

Over the years, the consequences of this secret sin became very public. By the time he was forty-eight, he had lost two professional jobs, had been asked to leave three different churches, and was even shamed publicly in his community because of his sexual addiction.

James consulted many Christian counselors and ministers for help. However, the secret sexual thoughts and actions did not stop. He went for secular counseling and bought into the lie that he would always be addicted.

Finally, when James listened to my teachings on the gospel of grace, he found the freedom he was longing for. He said:

I realized that my heart was broken and wounded. I learned that Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted, and I also professed with my mouth that His precious blood covers my heart.

I discovered that freedom from this addiction is His will for me and became completely set free. The Lord healed my heart and my emotions, cleansed my will, and gave me a deep revelation of His righteousness.

I truly love Him with all my heart . . . I am so different now from the person I had been for forty-eight years. Now, I see the fruit of His righteousness manifested in my life without my relying on willpower or recovery programs.

Jesus has healed my marriage and my wife actually trusts me now. I am an overcomer, highly blessed and greatly favored. Praise Jesus!

James was restored to wholeness by the Lord and able to see fruits in his life. The lie that is told to so many believers, such as James, is that before you come to Jesus you need to straighten things out first, or clean yourself first.

If that is what you believe, the sad truth is that you will never come to Jesus, because you will never come to a place where you can make your life right.

Come on, Jesus is the “bath” that makes you clean! He is the solution, and He will help you to straighten out what you will never be able to straighten out on your own.

Come just as you are with all your weaknesses and imperfections, and Jesus will wash you clean of all guilt and condemnation and set you free to reign in life through His righteousness.

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

Message from Amir Tsarfati

We need to accept the fact that there are appointed times by God and He has the authority to decide when, what, and how things are going to be. God the Eternal created the concept of time. God is eternal, but He created the concept of time, and when He commenced to create this world, that’s when time was invented basically. John 1 says that in the beginning was the Word. In the beginning. There was a beginning that... And you know, Stephen Hawking, the scientist said, oh, I know exactly how the world came to pass, but I really don’t know why.

Well, God knows why, because He created it for His purpose. And God created the world, and that world that He created already had the Word because it wasn’t a created thing. It was the Word in the beginning. Colossians says, “For by Him, all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Jesus was there from the creation of this world. He was always there. He’s always been there because He is not part of the creation. He’s part of the Creator.

One of the hardest aspects of the Christian life is when the answer to our prayer is either no or wait. It is a common experience among us all. Sometimes it seems that God’s timing is out of sync with our petition or need. Yet while He is the One who instituted time, He dwells outside of time and moves according to His planning and timing.

Peter mentioned this very fact in his 2nd epistle:

2 Peter 3:3-4
Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

In other words, a time was coming when people would doubt the return of Christ because it hadn’t happened yet. And from a human perspective, it has been a long time since the promise of His return was made.

This same kind of thing can happen in our lives, though not from doubting the Lord is coming for us someday. Sometimes, though, when the answer to prayer is long in coming, our minds can begin to wonder and wander. We wonder if He ever heard us or has maybe forgotten us, neither of which is possible.

Jeremiah 33:3
“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

God is the One who told us to call out to Him and God is the One who said He will answer. Yes, Jeremiah wrote to the Jews but the God of Israel is the God of the church, and He doesn’t change. 

Maybe the answer to your prayer was no, maybe it was wait, but the promise we have from Him is great and mighty things will be revealed to us in His time. So whenever God’s response includes us waiting, remember and hang onto this immutable truth:

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

This is true when He says yes, it’s true when He says no, and it’s true when He says wait. It’s even true when that wait seems too long. Hold fast to Him, things will work together for our good, in His time.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus 

True Grace

Test for Counterfeits

And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.

Romans 16:17 NLT

Even as God restores the glorious truth of the gospel of grace to the body of Christ, be aware that the enemy also produces a counterfeit grace to try to confuse people and make them wary of the true ministry of God’s grace.

But don’t be discouraged or afraid that you might be misled by counterfeit grace. Just be skillful in God’s Word and learn how to discern what is scriptural by reading God’s Word for yourself. Build a strong foundation on the true gospel of grace.

The simplest way to know if someone is preaching the gospel of grace is to evaluate whether the teaching glorifies our Lord Jesus. Does the teaching cause you to want to live a life that glorifies Him? Does it emphasize your works or the work of our Lord Jesus? Does it cause you to be occupied with yourself or occupied with our Lord Jesus?

You may have come across a teaching that claims everyone will ultimately be saved. This is called “universal reconciliation,” which is heresy. Such teachings do not exalt or glorify our Lord Jesus.

You CANNOT talk about eternal salvation without the person of Jesus and His finished work at the cross. Jesus is the only way! Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

There are also those who teach that being holy and receiving correction are not important since we are under grace. Let me just say this: such “teachers” are propagating error!

True grace produces true holiness. The more you are under grace and established in your righteousness in Christ, the more you will want to live a holy life and be open to God’s correction.

So is there correction under grace? Absolutely. But I want you to be established in the fact that under the new covenant of grace, God does not correct His children by using accidents, sicknesses, and diseases.

Correction in the new covenant takes place through His Word. Paul tells us, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16 NASB).

Notice how correction through God’s Word includes “training in righteousness,” which is believing right that you have been justified or made righteous by faith in our Lord Jesus. I have found that oftentimes the Holy Spirit uses God-appointed leadership to accomplish this (Gal. 6:1, 2 Tim. 4:2, 2 Thess. 3:15)—to point you back to Jesus’ finished work and who you are in Christ. That is why it is so vital that you be a part of a local church with good leaders.

Observe how the apostle Paul corrects those in the Corinthian church who got entangled in sin and sexual immorality (1 Cor. 6:15–20). In saying, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?” he corrects them by firmly reminding them of their righteous identity in Christ. He then goes on to remind them that their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.

What does all this tell us? It tells us that anyone who is reminded of and has a revelation of his or her righteousness in Christ will have the power to overcome sin!

It is those who have forgotten or who are not established in their righteous identities in Christ that get trapped by the destructive forces of sin. Under grace, we are called to walk in newness of life as the righteous children of God.

We are called to reign in life through the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness. We have been purchased with a price, a heavy price at the cross, and are now called to live for the glory of our Lord Jesus!

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

None Feeble

None Feeble

He also brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among His tribes.

Psalm 105:37

Do you know what happened when the children of Israel ate the Passover lamb on the very first Passover night? That very night, God liberated the Israelites from severe oppression and freed them from the captivity of the Egyptians. But that wasn’t all.

The Bible also says there was none feeble among the six hundred thousand men who left Egypt on the night of the exodus (Ex. 12:37). But when you include the women and children, scholars estimate about two to three million Israelites were freed that night.

Out of these, none—not a single one—came out feeble!

Think about the backbreaking work the Israelites were forced to do and the beatings and whippings they suffered under their slave masters (Ex. 1:13–14 AMP), not to mention malnutrition from the poor diet they probably had to scrape together and the abject living conditions they must have faced. Despite years of harsh and severe labor they had to endure, there was not one who came out sick, not one who stumbled, not one who lacked strength or had mobility problems.

Do you think that in the natural, every single one in this nation of slaves could have been completely strong and healthy? Of course not. And among so many of them, I am sure there would have been elderly slaves as well. So how is it possible the Bible records that “none were feeble”?

I submit to you that something happened to their bodies on the night of the Passover as they ate the roasted lamb. I believe many among them were weak and sickly before the night of the Passover.

But something happened that reversed all the effects of repetitive stress injuries, muscle and ligament strains, incapacitating work injuries, age-related conditions, and infectious diseases that could have plagued the Israelites because of the conditions they lived under.

Something happened that night that caused them to supernaturally become healthy. The children of Israel were filled with divine strength for the journey ahead that God knew would be long, and I believe their youth was renewed like the eagle’s (Ps. 103:5, Isa. 40:31).

If that could happen for the children of Israel when all they had was a natural lamb (the shadow of the true Lamb of God that you and I have), how much more should we see our bodies healed, our strength rejuvenated, and every weakness reversed when we partake of the holy Communion?

We have the true Lamb of God, the substance and the reality of the shadow the Israelites believed in. How much more should we have none feeble and none sick among us!

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

Play Offense

Get Ready to Play Offense

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

1 John 4:4

Whatever team sports you follow, you know that defense is vital. A good defensive strategy keeps you in contention, but defense alone doesn’t win championships.

The prayer of protection in Psalm 91 has many defensive elements, such as dwelling in the secret place of the Most High, abiding under the shadow of the Almighty, and taking the Lord as our refuge and fortress. We can also see how we are covered under His wings and protected by an angelic army.

Knowing that we’ve got our defensive game covered, are you ready to play some offense?

Certainly, there are times and seasons when the best thing to do is to take cover and to allow ourselves to be sheltered. The Lord is our safe house, our hiding place, and our impenetrable fortress, and I love that we get to take refuge in Him.

But the prayer of protection also declares this in verse 13: “You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.”

That’s taking an offensive position. That’s going on the attack. That’s taking authority!

In the Gospel of Luke, we see our Lord Jesus sending seventy disciples out against the kingdom of darkness, as “lambs among wolves” (Luke 10:3). Have you ever seen a lamb overpower a wolf?

Of course not. You see, this authority that we are talking about is not natural authority. Like the lamb, you and I have no power in and of ourselves. This is a supernatural authority that comes from our Lord Jesus Christ, just as the strength that enabled Samson to tear apart the young lion was a supernatural strength.

The portrayals of Samson I have seen depict a massive and muscular man. I think he could have been small and scrawny, but endued with supernatural power and might from God.

Naturally speaking, for Samson to take on the lion with his bare hands was like a lamb taking on a ferocious wolf. But we know that He who is in us is greater than any predator that is in the world. Amen!

My friend, in Christ, you are far stronger than you think you are. You may not look it or feel it, but God always uses the weak things of this world to confound the wise and mighty (1 Cor. 1:27).

Remember, the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. It is the Lord who ultimately determines who shall emerge victorious. And since the Lord is for you, who can be against you (Rom. 8:31)!

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

Israel News from Amir Tsarfati

The Middle East
 
As I begin, let me remind you to subscribe to my Telegram channel if you haven’t already. This newsletter is just a snapshot of some of the events of this past week. The Telegram format allows me to take you on a deep dive of what’s happening around the world.
 
 
Assassination Attempt of President Trump
The world quite literally dodged a bullet when former president Donald Trump turned his head at precisely the right moment, causing the projectile that had been fired at him to take away part of his ear rather than pass through his skull. If you think mayhem has ensued since this failed attempt, imagine what would be taking place in America and around the world if it had succeeded. There is no doubt that we have God to thank that the former office holder and current Republican candidate for president was not killed or more severely wounded.
 
By saying that, do not read into it that I am formally endorsing Donald Trump. I am an Israeli. I don’t have a vote. After the insanity of the 2020 elections, I promised myself and my staff that I would not get too deep into U.S. politics again, except as it relates to Israel. That is why I will limit myself right now to saying that I highly doubt that there will be prayers from the stage at the DNC in Chicago for the safe return of the October 7 hostages as there have been at the RNC in Milwaukee. One more truth that I know – both Donald Trump and J. D. Vance are great friends of Israel.
 
There is a serious investigation taking place into how the shooter was able to get such a clear shot on the former president from such an obvious perch. The leadership of the head of the secret service, Kimberly Cheatle, has come under serious scrutiny for her commitment to equality over competency. There is one thing that we have apparently learned from the higher-ups in the organization – slopey roofs are kryptonite to secret service agents.
 
 
Gaza
It’s been 9 months since the war in Gaza began. Let’s look at some statistics. Half of Hamas’s military leadership has been eliminated. More than 14,000 terrorists have been killed or apprehended. There have been 37,000 targets struck from the air and 137,297 buildings destroyed, leaving 40 million tons of rubble that will need to be cleared at a cost of $500-600 million. Was all that on your Bingo card, Hamas, as you planned out your attack?
 
And speaking of planning the October 7 attack, Muhammad Deif, head of Ezzedeen al-Qassam, the military wing of Hamas, and the architect of the massacre, was eliminated on Saturday. Like a very patient game of Whac-A-Mole, Israel waited for Deif to pop up out of the tunnels in Gaza. When he finally did last week, they bopped him on the head with some very large bombs and now he’s gone. This is a huge blow for the terrorist group. U.S. Intelligence officials still believe that Yahya Sinwar, leader of Hamas in Gaza, is hiding in the tunnels beneath Khan Younis. Let’s hope that he peeks his head out, also. We have a large mallet waiting with his name on it, too.
 
For those who may think I’m being a little harsh on these terrorists, please look back and remind yourself of what they did. Actually, you don’t have to look back, because the effects of October 7 are still being felt today. On Tuesday, a survivor of the Nova Music Festival massacre snapped mentally. Taking an axe, she killed her six-year-old, then walked to a mall where she attacked a security guard. Seeing her walking along the street with a huge smile and her son’s blood on her face and on the axe is a vision I won’t soon get out of my mind. There are so many wounded survivors. Many have committed suicide, while others have lost their minds.
 
One last story related to the Palestinian conflict. Norway’s foreign minister, Espen Barth Eide, presented a formal request to come visit Israel. That request was immediately denied. Why? Because on May 28, Norway formally recognized a Palestinian state. Sorry, Norway, we’ll happily accept your fish exports, but you can keep your politicians.
 
 
Northern Conflict
At least 20 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward the Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona Monday night. Most were intercepted, but some made it through and hit the ground. There were no injuries. In response, fighter jets of the Israeli Air Force hit Hezbollah targets in Houla, Kafr Kila, and Bani Haiyyan. Preparations are still being made on both sides of the border for a potential invasion south into Israel. For now, it seems like the most likely way to avert an all-out war in the north is for the Lebanese people to find a way to take away the power Hezbollah has over their country.
 
 
Houthis
The Houthi rebels of Yemen continue their piratical tyranny in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. On Monday, the Greek owned Chios Lion was struck on the port side by an unmanned water vessel. This opened up a leak in the oil tanker which has left a 220 km long slick near the coast of Egypt. The attack on the Chios Lion was the second of the day. Earlier, two manned and one unmanned craft attacked the Israeli-owned MT Bently I near Yemen. The ship was able to fight off the Houthis who eventually abandoned the attack.
 
 
United States
I know we discussed the United States earlier, but that was centered around the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. However, I could not let this newsletter pass without addressing a bill that was signed here in the state which I am now visiting. On Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1955, a bill which prohibits California school districts from informing parents if their child claims to have changed their gender identity. This outrageous infringement on parental rights denies parents the knowledge that would allow them to address any struggles of this sort that their child may be going through. Billionaire Elon Musk went so far as to say that this bill was the final straw causing him to move SpaceX from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas. My call to Americans throughout the nation is that you please don’t forget this when Newsom’s name potentially shows up on the presidential ballot in 2028.
 
Next Monday will see Prime Minister Netanyahu meeting one-on-one with President Joe Biden at the White House. With the DNC coming in August and questions about the president’s health, it is likely that he will keep the prime minister at arm’s length. Then, two days later on July 24, Netanyahu is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress. It will be interesting to watch the reaction of some of the more antisemitic members of the United States government.

Israel News

I used to guide a lot of tours in Israel, and at some point along the Via De la Rosa, a tourist will come to me and say, "I'm a little bit confused. Was Jesus Catholic or Orthodox?" And I always said, "I'll confuse you even more. He was a Jew." Was Jesus a Christian? No. He cannot be a Christian. He's the Christ. He cannot be the follower of Christ. He is the Christ. Jesus is not a Christian. I know it's a shocker, but Jesus is not a Christian. God is not Jewish, by the way. And by the way, Jesus never ever quoted the New Testament even once in the entire Gospel. Paul never used the New Testament to preach. I'm not trying to put down any, I'm just trying to tell you. Going to church today with only the New Testament and the Psalm is half the Bible, and I hope you paid half the price for it.

Galatians 4 says, "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His son, born of a woman born under the law." He was a Jew of the tribe of Judah to redeem those who were under the law, that we... Say we. We.

That we might receive the adoption as sons. We're all adopted. You understand that in the rabbinical writings, adoption is even stronger than being born of your own mother and father? Do you know that being born to your own mother and father could be a planned thing or accident? Hello? Something happened. There is no accidental adoption. You don't live your life and accidentally you have adopted someone. To adopt someone is to choose someone as he is and to say, "I want him." That's the adoption that we all have.

We often hear in defense of lifestyle choices and immoral actions that, “We are all God’s children.”, which is not true.

John 1:12
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.

God’s children are those who have received Him as Savior and Lord. They alone have the right to “become” His children. If you must through belief in His name “become” His child, it reveals that prior to that decision, you were not His child. We are all born in sin and alienated from God (Colossians 1:21). But through Christ, we are adopted as sons and daughters of the Most High. 

At the time of Jesus, the Roman practice of adoption was very common and significant as it was customary for a father to leave his wealth to his son(s). If a suitable heir was not among them, then a young man who could manage the father’s wealth was sought out and adopted. All of his debts were forgiven and he would be given all the rights and benefits of a son. An adoption was irreversible.

This is what happened with us. Through Christ, our sin debt was forgiven, we became sons and daughters of God, and we now have all the rights and benefits as His children. It was also true in Roman culture that a father could disown his son, but an adopted son’s status could not be reversed.

Galatians 4:4-5
But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

We have been A adopted by God. And we, as born-again believers, can say with assurance that we are children of God - and nothing can change that. Nothing can separate us from His love and no one can snatch us from His hand. That’s the best news we’ll hear all day!

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus! Amir Tsarfati

Walk in Wisdom

Walk in Wisdom to Stay Safe

Get wisdom! Get understanding! . . . Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.

Proverbs 4:5, 7

It gives me such assurance to know that the Lord can deliver us from trouble. But do you know what’s better than being delivered from trouble?

Not getting into trouble in the first place.

My friend, don’t just seek miracles and protection from God without seeking the wisdom from Him to stay protected and out of trouble. There are times when the challenges we face are beyond our control.

But I’ve found that often, we experience His protection when we follow the Holy Spirit and lean on His wisdom when making decisions. Every day, we need His wisdom, just as we need His protection. After all, Proverbs 4:7 tells us that “wisdom is the principal thing,” and in all our getting, we need to get wisdom.

The Bible tells us that Christ has become for us wisdom from God (1 Cor. 1:30). So what we really need is the Lord Jesus. We need to lean on Him and draw close to Him daily. He is our wisdom and only He can cause us to always be at the right place at the right time. I believe that many troubles and dangerous situations can be completely avoided when we don’t depend on our own wisdom and planning, but involve the Lord in all that we do (Prov. 3:6).

Oftentimes, wisdom and divine protection work hand in hand. Knowing that we can trust God for His protection certainly does not mean that we should willfully put ourselves in precarious situations.

We need to apply wisdom and heed the Lord’s leading through the wise counsel of the people around us, such as our leaders in the local church and our spouses. Proverbs 11:14 tells us, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” For instance, if your spouse has been telling you that you have a problem with speeding, please take heed.

While there can be divine protection, do not be foolish and think that you can do whatever you want and nothing untoward will ever happen to you. I pray that as you involve the Lord and learn to walk in wisdom, you’ll begin to walk in a greater measure of peace, protection, and good success.

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

No Safer Place

No Safer Place in the Universe

But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

John 20:11–12

Do you know what Mary saw as she looked into the tomb? She saw the substance of the ark of the covenant.

Just as we saw that there were two cherubim or angels on the mercy seat, there were two angels sitting where Jesus had lain—one at the head and the other at the feet. It was an empty tomb that our Savior was laid in after He had paid the full price for our sins with His own blood.

Today, this tomb remains empty because all our sins are forgiven and our Lord is risen! Our hope, confidence, and assurance of salvation are found in the nail-pierced hands of our resurrected Savior.

The mercy seat is a picture of the throne of grace (Heb. 4:16). That is where we want to be—at the throne of grace, under the protective covering of His feathers and His wings.

I want to encourage you with this praise report from Veronica, who lives in New York City.

A few nights ago my husband, Casey, and I were stuck in a traffic jam for five hours. So we put on a sermon by Pastor Joseph Prince titled The Secret Place Where You Find Protection and Long Life.

Later, we found out that a fatal accident had taken place just five seconds ahead of us before we got stuck. Five seconds. The Lord had protected us from the accident!

Today, Casey was again protected miraculously. It appeared that a driver had had a heart attack while driving and passed out. It led to a chain collision and all the cars in front of and behind Casey got hit. And the drivers were taken to the hospital.

Despite all this, Casey’s car was completely untouched. Everything happened so quickly that he had no time to react.

It was the Lord who protected him once again because that very morning, Casey was reading a devotional by Pastor Prince that drew Bible references from Psalm 91. . . . “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.”

Truly, there is no safer place in the universe than under the protective shelter of our Savior’s wings. What blessed assurance we can have today, knowing that even if destruction rages around us, there is always refuge and comfort in the Lord, our unfailing peace, protection, and supply.

I completely agree with Veronica that there is no safer place in the universe than under His wings, and I rejoice that the Lord’s protection over her and Casey is for us as well!

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

Faith Comes By Hearing

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.Romans 10:17 NASB

- JULY 15 -
FAITH COMES BY HEARING

How does one change his mind from hiding from God to running to God? Well, today’s scripture tells us that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

In Matthew 8, the man with leprosy had enough faith to come out of his hiding place and head straight for Jesus to seek healing because of the gracious words he had heard while Jesus was preaching to the multitudes. If our Lord had preached a hellfire-and-brimstone message of condemnation, do you think the man would have dared to approach Him for healing?

Of course not. He would have walked away fearful of punishment, and feeling more condemned and hopeless than ever. But because he heard words of grace—how God wanted to be a loving Father to him and provide for all his needs—faith arose in his heart, giving him the confidence to approach the Lord Jesus for his miracle.

My friend, what you hear about God is of utmost importance. It can mean the difference between receiving your miracle and remaining where you are in your lack or bondage. It can draw you close to God, or drive you further away from Him. Faith comes by hearing, but fear also comes by hearing.

If you’ve been hearing about a God who is mostly angry and out to get you for your sins, how can you have faith to look to Him for help? If you’ve been hearing that He gives people (even believers) sicknesses and punishes them with horrible accidents for their sins, how can you look to Him for healing?

If you’ve been hearing that He wants you and your family in poverty to keep you humble, how can you believe Him for financial breakthroughs or deliverance from mounting debts? How can you possibly trust God for anything good to happen to you if all you’ve been hearing are sermons that make you feel more condemned and fearful of His judgment?

It’s sad, but the things I’ve just mentioned are the very things people are hearing about God. Just look at the movies made about God today—God is always portrayed as mean, judgmental, petulant, destructive, and even murderous! How they’ve perverted Who God really is—“compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love” (Ps. 103:8 NLT)!

Don’t misunderstand me. God does have anger, but the Bible never defines God as wrath; it defines God as love (1 John 4:8, 16).

Did our Lord Jesus ever condemn the prostitutes and tax collectors, those despised and rejected by society? No, He was a friend of sinners! Did He ever take away from the poor, or inflict the sick with more diseases? No, He fed a hungry multitude with twelve baskets full of leftovers and healed everyone who sought Him for healing wherever He went!

The Bible tells us that Jesus “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). What does that tell us? God wants to do good, not evil, to us!

If this were not true, God would not have been with Jesus, backing Him up. Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works” (John 14:9–10).

If you want to know what God is really like (and not what man portrays Him to be), look at Jesus in the Gospels. He is God’s will in action, and He went about doing good—saving, delivering, healing, restoring, providing, guiding, and loving the unlovable. That’s our God!

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

Intimacy with Jesus

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

- JULY 14 -
SWEET INTIMACY WITH JESUS

Unfortunately, many sincere and well-meaning believers fall into the devil’s trap, and they end up with the wrong belief that they have fallen short of God’s expectations and have angered Him. They live in a constant state of trying to appease and please this angry God. Instead of enjoying a sweet, intimate relationship with Jesus, they feel like they are hypocrites or they feel as if they are always treading on eggshells when it comes to their walk with the Lord.

If you have experienced such thoughts about God before, I would like to share this very important principle with you: Fear and love cannot coexist in a healthy relationship. Insecurity and love cannot coexist in the truly intimate relationship that God wants with you and me, His children.

Let me share with you this letter I received from Lorraine who lives in Louisiana. I’ll let it speak for itself as you soak in how you and your relationship with God can be completely changed by believing the right things about your heavenly Father. All I can say is, Hallelujah!

I have been a born-again Christian for twenty-two years. Today, at forty-four years old, I have a wonderful husband and beautiful daughter. I love my life!

As far back as I can remember, I have always loved Jesus. But I had lived my entire life feeling guilty as I believed that God was always mad at me. I had always felt that I could not do enough “right” or “good” things.

After I gave my life to Christ, that feeling of not being good enough actually got worse because I felt a greater responsibility to live up to a higher standard to be right with God. I was always repenting, always feeling that I’d done wrong and that my best was never enough.

I am in the process of reading Destined To Reign and am only at chapter 9. I have to read this book very, very slowly so that I can digest its contents. I cannot tell you how my life has changed since I began reading your book.

It was not until I began reading it that I felt relieved of the weight of not being good enough. It has shaken the very foundation of my world and dissolved the insecurity I’ve had about Jesus and His love for me.

Forty-four years of my previously painful existence and mind-set are GONE. I am CHANGED forever. I am forgiven. I can’t get through the rest of this book without stopping to thank the Lord for you and for giving you the message of grace to spread worldwide.

That’s what it is all about, my friend. Winning the battle for your mind is all about your freedom and liberty in Christ Jesus, your Lord and Savior. When you start to believe right about His love and grace toward you, permanent, liberating change happens!

So be strong in God’s love for you and don’t let wrong believing rob you of a life of great joy and peace. Remember, God is not mad at you; He is mad about you!

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

A Very Present Help

If God wants us to be healthy, and Jesus’ body was broken for us, why are there Christians who are sick? I personally know believers who are battling severe illnesses, and I am sure you do too. You or your loved one might even be facing a health challenge right now.

If you are fighting a medical condition, please know that it is okay for you to have doubts and questions. The Lord knows the confusion and pain you feel, and He wants you to know He is with you through it all.

I know it can be hard to keep trusting Him when you are going through a fiery trial. But keep trusting Him, my friend. He is, right now, your very present help. Keep fixing your eyes on Him. He is faithful, and He will never leave you nor forsake you (Deut. 31:6).

Daniel 3 records the story of three friends (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego), who were bound and thrown into a fiery furnace when they refused to bow to and worship the gold image set up by King Nebuchadnezzar. The furnace was so hot that the men who threw them in were killed by the heat.

But the king saw the three friends walking in the midst of the fire, and he saw a fourth man with them who was “like the Son of God” (Dan. 3:25). Amazed, the king called them out, and he and all his officials saw that the fire had had no power over them. Not a single hair on them was singed, their clothes were not scorched or damaged, and there was not even the smell of smoke on them.

Why? Because the Lord was with them, protecting and delivering them. As a result, the king acknowledged that there was no other god who could deliver like their God, and the three friends were not only released, they were also promoted.

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

Israel News

Shalom to you this Thursday –

What can I say? Some weeks are just difficult. This last week has been no exception. My country is hurting. We’re in a very precarious circumstance given what’s happening internally, in Gaza, and in the north with Hezbollah. It’s been confirmed that our good friend, Yitzhak Cohen, as well as his fiancée, Geneva Lopez, were both murdered in the Philippines for unknown reasons. It’s during dark times like this that I’m forced to remind myself and find refuge in the fact that Jesus will one day have the final say:

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 reality is that we were never promised that we’d always understand every circumstance. We were never assured that there would not be seasons of chaos and doubt. As the late J. Vernon McGee once said, “You can’t live on yesterday’s spirituality.” You and I need to seek God’s face every day when we rise and every night when we lie down. It’s a beautiful thing to know He’s always ready to be our safe place:

Nahum 1:7
The Lord is good,
A stronghold in the day of trouble;
And He knows those who trust in Him.

The Status in Gaza
Following the return of the head of Israel’s Mossad agency from Qatar last week, it appeared a ceasefire was on the table. However, only the opposite has appeared to be the case up to this point in the week. Earlier this week, approximately 150 terrorists were killed in an IDF operation in Gaza City. In the same operation, our troops destroyed nearly four miles of the underground tunnel system. While this is a great achievement, IDF lives are still being lost in the Gaza Strip.

As I’ve said before and I’ll say again now, there’s no hunger in Gaza. Is Hamas monopolizing as much aid as possible and killing anyone who tries to gain access? Yes. But there’s no region-wide famine. These psychopaths beat a group of people in public, breaking multiple limbs, and then killed them in broad daylight after these people tried to take food. My question – Where is the international outrage? No Jews, no news! And yes, almost each and every week we find new evidence revealing UNRWA’s participation in the October 7 massacre. But we have other serious internal issues here in Israel. For example, guess what the head of Israel’s top human intelligence gathering unit was busy with in the months prior to October 7? Writing his book on the danger of climate change. The climate change cult is not only stupid but dangerous! In my opinion, ALL of Israel’s top generals must go home now!

Increased Tension in the North
As a result of the daily rocket launches across our northern border from Hezbollah, fires have been a common occurrence throughout the Galilee region. I’ve commonly said that, “Northern Israel is on fire.” Well, it’s no understatement. But fires aren’t our only issue. These terrorists are already hitting civilian areas in Northern Israel. Just days ago, a home was directly hit in the town of Kiryat Shmona.

Of course, Israel continues to carry out targeted attacks in Lebanon in an attempt to take out key Hezbollah personnel and military sites. In fact, we killed a senior engineer behind the terror proxy’s air defense system. That said, we’re still dealing with multiple barrages of rockets on a weekly basis. And despite Hezbollah’s claims that war with Israel is not imminent, that couldn’t be further from the truth and their readiness actions show that they know this to be true. Moreover, escalations continue to take place. Just days ago, the personal guard of Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in addition to a senior commander for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This took place when the IDF destroyed the vehicle they were driving in from Syria to Beirut, Lebanon.

However, Israel is mourning the loss of two civilians who were killed this week when a Hezbollah rocket hit their vehicle on the Golan Heights. The married couple left three children behind.

Action in the West Bank
With all that’s happening, it’s easy to forget that the IDF and other Israeli special forces are operating in the West Bank on a daily basis. Our troops are killing terrorists there on the regular as well. The IDF killed seven terrorists in one day in Jenin in Northern Samaria.

Iranian Activity
Don’t be fooled. While the world has been distracted with Israel and Gaza, Iran is still making moves. When the Islamic Republic isn’t preoccupied funding anti-American and anti-Israel protests with the US, it’s more than busy enhancing its activity at its nuclear sites throughout the country.

France – Coming to a Country Near You
Following the dangerous and disappointing French election over the last week wherein the conservative party lost and the significant expansion of Muslim influence increased, thousands of French Jewish families have opened aliyah files. Furthermore, requests from French Jews to relocate to Israel have soared by 430% since October 2023 amid skyrocketing antisemitism and post-election uncertainty. Antisemites make life impossible for Jews around the world. They are exactly why we need a Jewish state. But on a broader level, what is taking place in France with the rise of the progressive movement and Islamic influence is not an isolated issue. And just like ruling, globalist elites came after the candidate the people wanted in Israel and the US, the same is now happening in France. 

Standing with Israel
Who you are identifying and standing with is far more important than who the mob is standing for! God has judged Israel for its sins. But God has, is, and will always judge the enemies of Israel for their hatred of His people! Don’t ever let the spiritual state of the people of Israel serve as an excuse to hate them and come against them! 

Zechariah 2:8
“For this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye.’”

The Lord allowed the Babylonian conquest and the captivity of His people. But guess what? He then judged the Babylonians for what they did:

Jeremiah 51:24
“‘And I will repay Babylon
And all the inhabitants of Chaldea
For all the evil they have done
In Zion in your sight,’ says the Lord.”

Christians are (or at least should be) far above any emotional or intellectual-based arguments regarding the conflict in the Middle East. It is essential that you are holding a biblical belief empowered by the Holy Spirit who is in you. Without Him, you’ll NEVER be able to discern correctly and hold your ground. Standing with Israel’s right to exist, right to own its land, and right to defend itself is biblical! It was true before October 7, and is most definitely so after! Stand firm in these last days!

Awaiting His Return, Amir Tsarfati

Be Led By Peace

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.2 Thessalonians 3:16

- JULY 11 -
HOW TO BE LED BY HIS PEACE

I want you to know that when God becomes Jehovah Shalom, the God of peace, in your life, He doesn’t just soothe your emotions. He will lead you with His peace.

For example, you may be making some decisions at your work, for your children, or perhaps even where and when to travel for your vacation. Talk to Jesus about it. He will lead and guide you with His peace.

If there is peace from the Lord, go with that decision. If there is an absence of peace and you feel a sense of restraint, back away from it.

You will find that guidance from the Lord comes very easily when God manifests Himself as Jehovah Shalom. In His peace, decisions don’t feel forced and full of strife. In His peace, there is a rest. His peace will guide you supernaturally to be at the right place, at the right time, with the right people.

In Judges 6, the Midianites were terrorizing Israel day and night, destroying their crops and pillaging their livestock. The Lord assured Gideon, who was hiding from the Midianites, that He was with him and called him a man of valor, to which his response was: “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites” (Judg. 6:13).

Doesn’t Gideon remind us of ourselves? Instead of hearing what the Lord had just called him, he began to complain. “Why has the Lord forsaken us?” Astoundingly, the Lord simply turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” (Judg. 6:14).

What? First, the Lord Jesus calls this man who is in hiding “a man of valor.” Now, He calls this complaining man, who is mad at God, to go in that might of his and save Israel? Shouldn’t it be, “Be gone from My presence, you stinking complainer, I must have found the wrong guy”?

I am so glad that the Lord is not like you and me. He always calls the things that are not as though they are (Rom. 4:17).

And I believe that as you receive a revelation of how the Lord is the God of peace in your life, you may be fearful and complaining now, but like Gideon, God will send you to be a testimony of His protection. He will send you to all your friends, coworkers, and loved ones who are bound by fear, and He will use you to deliver them from fear!

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

Come Boldly

“With God all things are possible.”Matthew 19:26

- JULY 10 -
COME BOLDLY TO THE TABLE

Some years ago, doctors discovered a huge cancerous tumor in my uncle’s throat. After a more detailed scan, a pathologist told him the cancer was aggressively spreading all over his neck and behind his tongue.

In that moment my uncle said he gave up hope he would live. But before his surgery to try to remove the tumor, his daughters approached him and said, “Let’s have Communion together, Dad. Let’s pray and believe God.”

He shared that as they partook of the Communion, he felt hope rising in his heart for the first time, and he partook, believing that Jesus was his healer and believing that the body of Jesus would make a difference in his body right there in the hospital ward.

After the doctors removed the tumor, amazingly the biopsy showed absolutely no trace of cancer in the tumor even though multiple scans before the surgery had confirmed it was cancerous and of an aggressive nature. Somehow the Lord had caused the cancer to supernaturally disappear, and I believe it happened when my uncle and his family partook of the Communion.

In the same way, if your doctors have given you a negative prognosis, do not fear or despair. Don’t live as though you don’t have a Savior. We may not know how our healing can take place, but let’s have faith in the finished work of Jesus. He has paid the price for you to be well and made it easy for you to receive not just His love and forgiveness, but His healing power as well.

I pray that you are now excited to receive the benefits of the holy Communion freely. I want to invite you to the Lord’s Table. The table has been prepared, not by human hands that can falter and fail, but by the perfect One whose hands were nailed to the cross for you. He invites you to come to partake of His body broken for you and His blood shed for you. Come boldly to the table and partake by faith and receive your healing.

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

Notes from Amir

Nehemiah was in the palace. He could have stayed there. He could have said, "You know what? Land, schmand, this is a great place." No, he chose to do this journey to be ridiculed by everybody along the way and to build the walls and the city and the temple because the connection between the people and the land brought the blessing. It brought their identity. It brought their destiny. It brought who they are. That's what God meant them to be to begin with. God never told Abraham, "I'll make you a religion." He said to him, "I will make you a great nation." And this is exactly why Satan is messing up with the minds of so many people. To love the Jews, but to hate the... Whenever they come back to the land, that's a crime. Think about it. It's exactly the opposite.

Nehemiah is one of a select group in Scripture who runs in the company of men like Joseph and Daniel, and women like Deborah and Ruth. The Bible records nothing negative about this group though we know they were all sinners in need of a Savior. All we read of them are of the wonderful things they did for and in the name of the Lord.

The book of Nehemiah is a story of courage, boldness, steadfastness, and faithfulness in spite of incredible and growing opposition to the work of God. His story begins in the palace of the king of the Persian Empire, Artaxerxes. Having heard of the condition of Jerusalem, Nehemiah could not hide his despair from the king and appeared before him with a sad countenance, which was a violation punishable by death or banishment.

Yet, because of his proven faithfulness to the king even as a captive, he asks the king to show him favor. He asked that the king allow him to rebuild the wall and much of the city of Jerusalem, and that he finance the project, which he did.

Nehemiah 6:1-4
Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates), that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they thought to do me harm. So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?”
But they sent me this message four times, and I answered them in the same manner.

This reminds us that opposition to the Jews returning to their national homeland is nothing new. Nehemiah teaches all of us some vital lessons when opposition comes our way as Christians. There are two things we can always count on when seeking to answer God’s call on our lives: 1) There will always be opposition and 2) The power to do what He’s called us to do is greater than any and all of those who oppose His plans.

Answering God’s call is not always easy and can even involve perils, as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:26, but no matter what the task or the number of those who oppose it, this will always be true:

1 John 4:4
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Remember, the One in and with you is greater than all who are after you!

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!