Shalom from a very tense Galilee! Iran said that one of their revenge strategies is to create uncertainty within Israel. The resultant fear of many of my fellow citizens as they wait for the missiles to come flying over our borders causes great satisfaction for the ayatollahs and their minions.
The question is whether Iran will decide to do more. There are many reasons why they should think twice. Israel has already promised severe retribution if Tehran strikes. These are not empty threats as we have already proven multiple times that whether it is flying in for an airstrike or carrying out a targeted killing, there is no place in Iran that is out of our reach. Other nations have also warned the Islamic regime against attacking Israel. Chief amongst these allies is the United States, who have brought the fresh USS Abraham Lincoln strike force into the region to give the USS Theodore Roosevelt strike force a break.
As the ayatollahs consider their next move, there is one truth that I now believe might stay their hand to an extent. They are not going to risk their existence just because some Arab Hamas leader got blown up in their capital. In fact, this really has nothing to do with Hamas. It’s all about the Ayatollah saving face. When Persian Iran strikes, it will be in a manner that they believe will show that you can’t just waltz into Tehran and kill someone, even if it is just an Arab.
Where I think that Israel needs to be most focused right now is in Lebanon with Hezbollah. There is no other path to a lasting peace except through war with the terrorist organization. I pray that one morning very soon I will wake up to discover that Israel has made a preemptive strike. Undoubtedly, it will lead to at least two difficult months ahead. There are ten times more tunnels in Lebanon and ten times more hostages, although the hostages there are the innocent Lebanese people. But if we are eventually going to be able to send our 80,000 refugees back to their homes along the northern Israeli border, then Hezbollah must be gone.
The problem we are facing is that everyone is tired of war. Hamas and Hezbollah are tired of it. They were sure that Netanyahu would be gone by now and that his replacement would have signed some sort of agreement putting everything back to how it was before. That’s how it was always done in the past. Why wouldn’t it be that way now? But October 7 crossed a line. Israel is not going to surrender, and we are not going to settle.
But it isn’t just the terrorists who are tired of war. Israelis have serious war fatigue also. It has been ten months that this has been hanging over us. The wars of the past were over in days or just a few weeks. For a majority of Israelis, though, those battles belonged to the previous generation. This is all new to them. They’ve never experienced this kind of constant stress, wondering if today will be the day that a horde of terrorists pours over the borders and they are now the ones who are being attacked in their homes. Or, more likely, whether they will go to bed one night and never wake up because a rocket will land on their house.
Everyone just wants this to be over. However, once again, in a post-October 7 world we realize that it will not be over until Hamas is wiped out and Hezbollah is either destroyed or seriously crippled. I strive to remain calm. But I am also a husband and a father of four children, one of whom is active service and two others who are reserves, called up every few months. It is a heavy burden to bear, but only when it comes to the small picture. When it comes to the big picture, though, I know the end of the story. I know how this is going to work out. That knowledge sets me apart from a vast majority of those around me, because most Israelis are not sitting and reading the Bible. They are watching television and listening to news sources and reading social media. That kind of click-bait, fake news input only brings fear and anxiety.
Thousands of people have lost their jobs, particularly in the tourism industry. Tens of thousands remain evacuated from their family homes. It sounds surreal to say, but many of us in Israel are looking forward to another war. Actually, what we are really looking forward to is the peace that will finally come after the war. But to get to “after the war”, you’ve got to go through “the war”.
Lord, if it’s going to come, please let it come now.
Exodus 15:6-7
“Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power;
Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.
And in the greatness of Your excellence
You have overthrown those who rose against You;
You sent forth Your wrath;
It consumed them like stubble.”
Mideast Update
Just a reminder that you can find the most complete coverage of the Middle East and the rest of the world on my Telegram channel. Updated throughout the day and much of the night, you’ll find all the news that you need to know. Just make sure you sign on to the one with more than 560,000 subscribers. Any others are scammers.
Gaza
Last Friday, Israel conducted a surgical strike on the Al-Taba’een school compound in Gaza City. The world went nuts. The United Nations immediately condemned Israel for bombing children, while other countries were quick to condemn the Israeli Defense Forces’ (IDF) actions. What these dogpilers failed to notice was, first, the time of the attack. At 5:00 AM, how many schoolchildren are sitting in their classrooms? They also neglected to take a look at those who were killed in the strike. Thirty-one senior Hamas members were eliminated on those school grounds. However, it’s no surprise that these facts were ignored. If it’s the Israelis who are behind the strike, it’s got to be evil.
Speaking of evil, Hamas continued to torture the families of hostages by claiming that in two separate incidents a hostage was killed and two others were injured by the terrorist soldiers. On the opposite side of the good vs. evil coin, the IDF continues to be very busy in all of Gaza. In the Rafah region alone, Givati forces have killed more than 100 terrorists in recent days.
Lebanon
As I mentioned above, the tensions to the north of Israel increase daily. Many countries have pulled officials from Lebanon in preparation for a war between Israel and the terrorist group, Hezbollah. The United States government says that it has plans to evacuate up to 100,000 citizens from the nation.
Last Friday, Hezbollah launched a massive barrage of rockets and missiles toward the Golan Heights and Upper Galilee. Since October 8, the terrorist group has launched more than 7,500 missiles and 200 drones at Israel which killed 43 Israelis, 19 of whom were soldiers, and wounded 271 more. These projectiles also started 790 fires which have burned 40,000 acres of land.
In preparation for a possible attack, Israel has increased intelligence measures over the skies of Lebanon and Iran. The strikes by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) have been well-planned and persistent as it seeks to soften the capabilities of Hezbollah prior to full-blown war. The ground of northern Israel shook Tuesday when, just across the border in Kfarkela, Lebanon, the IAF dropped three MK-84 bunker buster bombs from an F-35 jet. This was the first time since the beginning of hostilities that these munitions were used. Interestingly, Kfarkela is the southern Lebanese town into which Nir Tavor and his team snuck when they came across the border in my upcoming thriller, The Sick Man’s Rage, releasing December 3.
Syria
A 5.0 earthquake on Monday, and a 4.5 on Tuesday. Yesterday saw a 4.1 temblor. Maybe if God can’t get ahold of the Syrians’ attention through guns and bombs, He’ll choose to shake them up another way. That also sounds like a recent novel of mine.
West Bank
The battle against terrorism is not just to the north and south of Israel. It is within the country. Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ) all have active fighters in the West Bank. Wednesday, in a rare instance of the IDF, border police, the Israel Prison Service’s elite Metzada Unit, and Shin Bet all operating together, five terrorists were eliminated in operations against cells in Tubas, Tamun, and the Far’a refugee camp. Four Israeli troops were wounded in the operation when an IED exploded near their light armored vehicle.
Iran
Last week, it was reported that Jordan said no to both Israel and Iran using their airspace in an attack. A couple days later, Jordan amended their statement saying that Israel would be allowed to fly over the nation if it was to defend itself against an Iranian barrage. Immediately, they were harshly criticized by many in the Islamic world. So, they took it back and said again that neither country could fly across their borders. What both Jordan and Israel understand, however, is that there is a gap between public denials and what is actually allowed.
A report from Iran International yesterday said that Tehran has begun for the first time active secret development and testing on an explosive device for the warhead of a nuclear weapon. This is greatly concerning. Unfortunately for the ayatollahs, they may have a hard time paying for the research. Yesterday also saw a major cyberattack against the Central Bank of Iran and other banking institutions. It caused a major disruption in the system and could be the largest attack ever against Iranian infrastructure.
The Temple and Tisha B’Av
Tisha B’Av, the remembrance day for the destruction of both the Solomonic and Herodian temples, was observed last Monday night and Tuesday. Despite warnings and threats, nearly 3000 Jews visited the Temple Mount to mourn the loss of the holy sites. Last year, the number was only about 1900.
The United States
Secretary of State Antony Blinken approved a deal Tuesday that will supply to Israel F-15 fighter jets and other materiel worth almost $19 billion. In addition, other agreements were made that would supply $774 million worth of shells and $583 million worth of vehicles. Unfortunately, with the U.S. it is always a blessing and a curse. They willingly send us the war materiel, then ask us to promise not to use it without their approval.
While that was taking place in Washington, in Los Angeles on Tuesday a group of antisemitic, pro-Palestine protesters decided to block the 405 Freeway. Nine people were arrested, and, surprisingly for California, no one got run over.
Russia/Ukraine
The incursion of Ukraine into Russia’s Kursk region continues. Since it began last week, Ukraine has taken 74 villages and small towns, even swapping some of the Russian road signs with Ukrainian. Meanwhile, in Moscow, the alert level has been raised and the number of police has been increased in fear of infiltration of Ukrainian special forces into the city. This is following Sunday’s swarm of Ukrainian drones which struck Moscow and a nearby airfield. For his part, President Vladimir Putin has officially ended all peace talks with Ukraine, which is disappointing because they were going so swimmingly before.
Turkey
No matter how much you dislike the grumpy old man, sometimes he does something that will make you smile. On Saturday, the sons of the now defunct Hamas political bureau leader, Ismail Haniyeh, met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who offered his condolences. However, according to some reports, what he didn’t offer them was their father’s $3 billion that was stored in Turkish banks. That kind of money can come in handy to a country whose economy has been failing. The last thing the grumpy dictator was heard saying to the empty-handed brothers as they walked away was, “And stay off my lawn, too!”
Ministry
If you watched my Q&A CONNECT with Pastor Barry Stagner a couple weeks ago, then you know that you absolutely do not want to miss our time together this Monday. When we get going, we fit together like pitas and hummus. Tune in this coming Monday, August 19, at 10:00 AM PDT, and bring your questions with you!
And speaking of great times with my friends, this past Monday saw our first Round Table CONNECT with Jan Markell, Pastor Barry Stagner, Pastor Mike Golay, and me. Entitled “Antisemitism in the Church”, our time together had us diving deep into how the enemy has gotten a foothold into the church causing pastors and other church leaders to turn their backs on God’s people. If you missed it, I’d encourage you to check it out. Also, don’t forget about Explore the Bible CONNECT with Dr. Rick Yohn and me as we dig deep into what makes the Bible the incredible book that it is. While you’re at it, check out our Explore the Bible webpage where you’ll find slides and more information about our topics.
This Wednesday, August 21, at 10:00 PDT we will broadcast live the approximately 20-minute-long video “October 7th – Unfiltered”. Let me warn you in advance, the content will be graphic and very hard to view, so please consider whether you wish to allow your children to watch it. It can only be seen on my Telegram channel, because social media will not allow its on its various platforms. Again, it may be difficult to view, but we must make sure that we never forget.
Our Weekly Prayer Meetings have been moved from Monday to Friday. Join us at 10:00 AM PDT live on Zoom for this special hour of intercession each week. You’ll be blessed as you spend time praying with fellow believers from all over the world! Also, don’t forget about our Public Reading of Scripture that takes place every Thursday night at 6:00 PM PDT. It’s a blessed time where we pause from the busyness of our daily lives just to enjoy listening to the Word of God being read out loud.
I conclude this newsletter the same way I do every week, and that is by thanking you from the bottom of my heart. Your persistent prayers and generous gifts are what keep this ministry going. I am so grateful to you, and I pray that God blesses you with His peace and joy in the week ahead.
Awaiting His Return,
Confession of Sin
Confession of Sin
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
A question I’m often asked about total forgiveness of sins is, What about the confession of sins spoken of in 1 John 1:9? Don’t we have to confess our sins in order to be forgiven and cleansed of all unrighteousness?
I have shared on several occasions about my own past struggle with 1 John 1:9—to the point of obsession with trying to confess every sin and living so sin-conscious that I believed I had lost my salvation. For now, I want to share with you a fresh and powerful revelation that the Lord opened my eyes to at the time of this writing. In my study, He asked me to examine the word “sins” in 1 John 1:9 and to see if it is a noun or verb in the original Greek text. Are you ready for this?
In the two instances where we see the word “sins” in 1 John 1:9, it is the Greek noun hamartia that is used. According to well-known Bible scholar William Vine, hamartia (“a missing of the mark”) indicates “a principle or source of action, or an inward element producing acts . . . a governing principle or power.” In other words, it refers to the sin principle, or our sinful state on account of Adam’s sin. By using the noun form of this word, John was clearly not referring to our committing of individual acts of sin, or he would have used the verb form, hamartano.
In the light of this, can you see how 1 John 1:9 is not talking about confessing our sins every time we sin in thought or in deed? John was speaking of the need to acknowledge and confess to God that we are sinners because of Adam’s sin, as well as to receive the total forgiveness for all our sins through Jesus’ finished work.
How often do we need to do this? Only once. That’s why 1 John 1:9 is primarily a salvation verse, one that encourages the sinner to acknowledge and confess his sinful state or “sinnerhood,” get born again by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and have his sinful state through Adam replaced with a new righteous state through Christ.
In the first chapter of 1 John, the apostle John was addressing the heretical Gnostic doctrine that did not subscribe to a belief in man’s sinful state. John was encouraging the Gnostics to confess their sinful state and receive the Lord’s complete forgiveness and total cleansing from all their unrighteousness through His finished work at the cross.
Now, what does John say then, about our committing of sins after we’ve become believers? Just two verses later in the second chapter of 1 John, John answers this question as he begins his address to believers: “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). This time, the words “sin” and “sins” are the Greek verb hamartano. John is now referring to believers’ committing of sins—their sinful thoughts and deeds. What does John say regarding this? He reminds us that when we fail as believers, we have an Advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ.
Because of our Lord Jesus and what He has accomplished at the cross, we have forgiveness and we still stand righteous before God even when we’ve missed it. As the apostle Paul reminded the Corinthian believers who had failed that they were still the temple of the Holy Spirit, John reminds us of who we are in Christ and Who we have representing us at God’s right hand.
Can you see that the Bible’s answer to overcoming sin is always to remind believers of their righteous identity in Christ? This is not to encourage us to sin but to encourage us to look to our Lord Jesus, to see our sins punished at the cross and to live victoriously and gloriously for Him. Remember, that is what true repentance is all about—turning to the cross and returning to His grace!
When you fail today, know that you can talk to God honestly about your failing, but do it with a revelation of the cross of our Lord Jesus. See your sins punished in His body and receive afresh His forgiveness and unmerited favor to reign over your sins.
This devotional is taken from the book Glorious Grace—100 Daily Readings from Grace Revolution. Joseph Prince
Wisdom and Protection
Exercise Wisdom and Walk in Protection
For He will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
Psalm 91:11–12
When it comes to the Lord’s protection, there are some who read Psalm 91:11–12 and see in these promises an invitation to live recklessly. But this scripture is not encouraging you to throw yourself in harm’s way. It is saying that as you go about the course of your daily life, “in all your ways” the Lord will protect you. The Hebrew word for “ways” in verse 11 shows this clearly—it is the word derek, which means path, road, or journey.
As you go about your daily path, there are times when the enemy may have put snares ahead of you that you are unaware of. But God will give His angels charge over you, to go ahead of you to protect you from those snares. It doesn’t mean that you should go and do something foolish and harmful to yourself to test God’s protection! Even as we trust the Lord for His divine protection, let’s exercise wisdom as well.
You may be familiar with Mark 16:18, which says, “If they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them.” Now, if someone challenges you to drink poison and you willfully drink it to show that it will not hurt you, that’s just being foolish. Psalm 91:11 is talking about the paths you take as part of your normal life. Drinking poison intentionally is certainly not part of your normal life. What Mark 16:18 is saying is that should you drink something harmful without realizing it in the course of your day, the Lord will protect you from being harmed!
I have a missionary friend who told me how someone had tried to poison him while he was in the mission field. In the end, the person became a believer in the Lord Jesus because he saw the missionary innocently drinking the entire glass of poison—and suffering no ill effects. That’s how Mark 16:18 applies!
And I hope you realize that God’s protection does not always have to come in the form of spectacular angelic interventions. I believe that every day, His protection over us is so supernaturally natural that many of us don’t even realize that we have been protected. Perhaps as you were stepping off the curb, you felt something hold or pull you back, and right then, a car sped past you. What do you think held or pulled you back? It may well have been an angel, not necessarily spectacularly, but supernaturally protecting you (Heb. 1:14)!
This devotional is adapted from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times. Joseph Prince
Spiritual Warfare
The Whole Armor of God
. . .above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:16–18
Today I would like to share with you how each piece of the armor of God found in Ephesians 6 is actually a weapon of right believing by which we experience His victory over the devil’s mind games.
Let’s look first at the piece of armor the Bible calls the shield of faith with which to defend yourself and stand strong when the enemy comes against you with thoughts of fear, doubt, and confusion.
In apostle Paul’s time, a shield referred to the huge shield that was used by the Romans, which was as big as a door! See your faith as a mighty shield and picture this—as long as your shield of faith is up, you are untouchable. No matter how many fiery darts the devil may pitch at you, ALL of them shall be quenched. Too many Christians are taking up the shield of doubt and quenching the blessings of God instead. Don’t let that be you—face your future with boldness with the mighty shield of faith.
Another area the devil likes to attack in your mind is the area of your salvation. When you come under attack, apart from the shield of faith, be sure to have on the helmet of salvation. The word “salvation” comes from a beautiful Greek word soteria, which definitely includes eternal life, but is an all-encompassing word that means deliverance (from your enemies, diseases, depression, fears, and all evils), preservation, safety, and salvation. So put on the helmet of salvation by meditating on Jesus, and be filled with God’s wholeness, protection, healing, and soundness. Let His soteria insulate your mind against the enemy’s lies.
Lastly, you have also been equipped with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Wield the sword of the Spirit by praying in the Spirit and speaking out God’s “now word” into your situation. Declare His promises and the truth of His grace over yourself and your circumstances to guard your heart against thoughts of hopelessness, despair, and fear.
My friend, the whole armor of God has everything to do with what you believe in Christ. When you believe rightly about His grace and His finished work, every evil strategy the enemy has against you will surely fail. So be strong in the Lord’s love for you. Believe that God is for you and not against you. His truth, His righteousness, His faith, His gospel, His salvation, His Word, and His Spirit are all weapons of right believing to overcome all the devil’s attacks.
This devotional is adapted from the book 100 Days of Right Believing—Daily Readings from The Power of Right Believing. Joseph Prince
Message from Amir Tsarfati
It’s very interesting because Ezekiel in that prophecy continues and is hinting at a strong friendship with the Arabian Peninsula and, of course, also a weak America and Europe. And it’s very interesting what he says. He says, “Sheba and Dedan.” These are the names of the Saudi Arabian Peninsula today. Sheba and Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, Western Europe, and all the young lions, which are considered to be what America was born of, will say to those that come against Israel, “Have you come to plunder? To take plunder and to gather your armies to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, and to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?” It is the moderate Sunni Muslim countries as well as the European and the Americans that will criticize the radical attack on Israel from the side of Russia, Iran, and Turkey.
And it’s very interesting because they will identify the fact that they’re coming against stuff that we have, such as natural gas, oil, and all of our technologies. And now comes the point, and I want to make it very, very clear. October 7th was a point where many Israelis were shaken to their core because for us, the military was always something almost holy. Something that we trust in levels that we don’t trust anything else in the country. We don’t trust the judicial system, the political system, the executive branch. We don't trust anything even remotely close to how we trust the military. And the crisis was, for many Israelis, that the military failed to defend its people. And it’s interesting because if you think that in the war that Ezekiel describes that is coming next that it is the military of Israel that is going to be so strong and so good in order to bring about a victory, you better kiss that thought goodbye. This will be a victorious ending of a war, but it will be a divine victory.
Nothing is more important to any type of relationship than trust. When trust is broken there are always companion issues that follow. In marriage, heartbreak is often the outcome. In friendships, a severed relationship is usually the consequence. In politics, suspicion is the end result of a breech of trust.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
There has to be significant trust in order to acknowledge the better understanding of someone else to the degree that you allow them to direct your path. That level of trust is not just extended while still unproven. It is the end result of consistent faithfulness to the relationship.
While trust is often broken in this life, there is still one place where we can be assured that will never happen. That is in the word of God and the God of the word, and, yes, they are inseparable. God is never wrong and His word is always trustworthy and true.
As we watch the world spiral out of control we know the end of the story. Israel will not be destroyed, and the devil and his two servants during the tribulation will be defeated by the returning Lord. There will be peace on earth when the Prince of Peace rules it for a thousand years. The best part about all that is that we can live with those assurances even before they happen.
Psalms 119:160
The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.
His word says He’s coming back for us, and then later with us. Trusting in that fact alone should change how we view everything we encounter and endure until He comes.
Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,
From Dead Works to a Living Relationship
From Dead Works to a Living Relationship
Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.
Hebrews 6:1
Ever kept your eye on the clock while you prayed or read your Bible? Ever felt relieved when the clock showed that you could stop (because you have diligently done your part to merit God’s righteousness) and get on with the rest of your day?
My friend, if you pray because you think that praying makes you right with God, that’s a dead work. But if you pray because you are right with God and you know that He loves you, there is power there. Can you see the difference? It is the same activity—prayer—but the bases and motivations for doing it are completely different. One is a dead work while the other is a living work born of grace.
Similarly, if you study the Bible because you think that doing so makes you right with God, you have missed it. That’s a dead work. There will be no revelation because you are not flowing with the Spirit of truth, who bears witness with your spirit that you are already right with God. But if you study the Bible because you know that you are right with God and that the Bible is a love letter from the One who made you right, treasures from His Word will open up to you.
Look again at today’s scripture. Of all the things that make up the foundation of our faith, the Bible exhorts us to “repent from dead works.” Dead works are the so-called “good works” that people do to try to gain righteousness with God. And whether you live your Christian life in dead works or in faith toward God through a revelation of God’s grace can mean the difference between life and death.
Wilson is someone who can testify to this. Writing to me from Australia, he told me how he was handed one of my books by a woman he did not know. She just walked up to him and said she felt led to give it to him. Imagine how that must have sounded to someone who had been burned by legalistic teachings and was trying to get as far away from God as he could for the last two decades. His curiosity piqued, Wilson opened the book . . . and embarked on a precious journey that has brought healing, wholeness, liberty, and a new, loving relationship with God. Here is Wilson’s story of that journey in his own words:
Pastor Prince, what can I say? Your book changed my life! After running from God for the last twenty years, I finally stopped and turned back to God because of the way this book explains who God really is and what Jesus did for us on the cross. I now know (and am still learning daily) who I am in Christ.
Through your book, I have discovered that Christianity is not a religion like I thought it was and experienced before. Now I know that God is alive, He truly loves me, and is for me. This is the best thing that has happened to me!
Furthermore, I have given up smoking by following the ways you mentioned in your book and on some DVDs—to look to Jesus as my righteousness and declare I am righteous in Him even if that is the last thing I feel at that moment. You showed me that no matter what I have done or do, Jesus still loves me, and it’s because of this that I have been able to give up smoking. I couldn’t give it up through my own efforts before, but through resting in Him—His love, His righteousness—I have. Besides the cigarette addiction, I have also been set free from twenty years of drug and alcohol abuse and am now free of paranoid thoughts too.
I have also just enrolled in an online Bible college because now I’m hungry to know Him. I get your teachings on Facebook every day, which help me a great deal. Thank you for being obedient to God’s call on your life. You have helped make the doors to the church even wider for new Christians and also for those who have walked away.
Do you see what an amazing change knowing and believing right about God (and how He deals with us today) can bring? Listen, my friend, God does not want you in dead works—depending on your own efforts to please Him and qualify for His blessings. God wants you having and operating out of a personal and loving relationship with Him, not out of a sense of religious obligation. Dead works will bring you into bondage because it’s all dependent on your own efforts to please God. It will steal the life and joy right out of your Christian walk, like it did for Wilson many years ago.
Today, realize that God’s Word exhorts us to repent (change our minds) from dead works and believe the gospel. How do you do this? See the cross. See how God loves you so much that He sent Jesus, who came down to where you were to bring you up to where He is—something no amount of your self-effort can ever do.
Like Wilson, see Jesus’ obedience making you righteous (Rom. 5:19), and praise Him for His marvelous grace! Enjoy His wonderful presence today when you come to Him in prayer or read His Word. Let Him fill your heart, mind, and body with His grace, peace, wholeness, and life.
This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs. Joseph Prince
Every Condition in Every Part
Every Condition in Every Part
“Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire—its head with its legs and its entrails.”
Exodus 12:8–9
If you’re trusting the Lord for your healing breakthrough today, I want to arm your heart with this simple but critical truth: There are no exclusions and conditions to God’s healing power, because there are no exclusions whatsoever in the finished work of Christ. Its coverage is all-encompassing and perfectly comprehensive, and every condition has been covered!
I want to highlight a powerful truth in the verses above. Why did God specifically mention that the lamb should be roasted in fire with its head, legs, and entrails? I believe He wants you to see that Jesus, your Passover Lamb, bore every condition in every part of your body. There is no disease, injury, or sickness He did not carry in His own body on the cross.
The Israelites had lived under the stressful, cruel oppression of their slave masters and the horror of infanticide. Perhaps some of them suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder or had recurrent panic attacks. Perhaps some had chronic pain and physical disabilities from being brutally treated by their slave masters. But whatever condition they might have suffered from, I believe they were healed as they ate the roasted head, legs, and entrails of the lamb.
Whatever affliction you might have in any part of your body, I want you to know every condition has been borne by Jesus on the cross. While God specifically instructed the children of Israel to eat the Passover lamb’s head with its legs and entrails, the whole lamb was roasted. This means no matter what disease you are battling today, Jesus has taken it on Himself.
Today, I encourage you to receive the holy Communion remembering the perfect love of our Lord Jesus and what His finished work of has accomplished for you.
Your part is to keep partaking of the channel of divine health He has given you until you see the manifestation of your victory. Your part is to lift up your hands to Him and say, “Lord Jesus, I receive Your healing. By the stripes that fell on You, every part of my body—every cell, every organ—is healed and functions at peak efficiency. Thank You, Jesus, for Your healing.”
This devotional is adapted from the book The Healing Power of the Holy Communion—A 90-Day Devotional. Joseph Prince
God is Satisfied with You
God Is Satisfied with You
He made us accepted in the Beloved.
Ephesians 1:6
When I was a teenager, I used to belong to a Christian fellowship group. We would sing this song which you may be familiar with. It went like this: “Is He satisfied, is He satisfied, is He satisfied with me? Have I done my best? Have I stood the test? Is He satisfied with me?”
Let me just say that ten out of ten times when we sang this song, I would always believe that God was not satisfied with me. When we look to ourselves, all there is to see is the inadequacy and futility of our ability and performance. In and of ourselves, we will never meet God’s standard for Him to be satisfied with us. We will always fall short!
You can imagine how condemned we felt each time we sang this song. After all, we had never been taught that God was satisfied with His Son's sacrifice at the cross, and we did not understand what the new covenant of grace was all about. We were young and zealous for God, but defeated by our lack of knowledge.
With all due respect to the songwriter, whom I believe had the best intentions when he wrote the song, this song is not based on the new covenant of God’s unmerited favor. It negates the cross and places the emphasis back on you—what you must do, what you must perform and what you must achieve for God to be satisfied with you.
But the question to ask today is not if God is satisfied with you. The question that we need to ask is this: Is God satisfied with the cross of Jesus? And the answer is this: He is completely satisfied!
At the cross, our acceptance is found. There, Jesus cried out with His last breath, “It is finished!” (John 19:30) The work is complete. The full punishment for all our sins was exacted on Jesus at the cross. God will not punish the believer again, not because He has gone soft on sin, but because all our sins have already been punished in the body of Jesus. God’s holiness and His justice are now on your side!
Today, God is not assessing you based on what you have or have not done. He is assessing you based on what Jesus has done. Is God satisfied with Jesus today? Yes, of course He is! Then, to the same extent that God is satisfied with Jesus, He is satisfied with you.
God’s own Son had to be crushed at Calvary for this blessing to become a reality in your life. The gift of His unmerited favor and His righteousness is only a free gift for you today because the full payment for this gift was exacted upon Jesus’ body. The cross made all the difference! Don’t let anyone hoodwink you into thinking that you need to pay for your own sins. Don’t let anyone deceive you with the lie that your eternal salvation in Christ is uncertain and shakable!
This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor. Joseph Prince
Message from Amir Tsarfati
Shalom from the beautiful, summery Israel! It has been warm and dry, and it seems that all that’s fallen from the sky lately had its origins in Lebanon. Actually, they were just launched from Lebanon. We have Iran to thank for our nightly fireworks display. But more about that below.
As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t worry about Israel. God has us safely in His hand. He has mapped out our future and He will carry out His will. I am much more concerned with the United States, the United Kingdom, and the rest of Europe. I see them spiraling down as the result of terrible domestic and international decisions they have made over the recent years. I also worry as I see them separating themselves from Israel, some countries faster than others. The Scriptures make it clear that God watches these relationships, and He acts accordingly. In Israel, we recognize who our friends are and who are merely pretending to support us. We’ve been burned before, and we won’t allow ourselves to be burned again.
I don’t normally give you too much behind the scenes here at Behold Israel. However, we have been in a very difficult season physically. We don’t have a large staff, but of our small number we have had an unusually high rate of ailments. For those of you who follow Telegram, you know that I also have just dealt with a sickness. Thankfully, I’m back in the office today, but we’ve seen physical struggles affecting our ministry in various ways, delaying some activities and canceling others.
I tell you all of that so that you will know the background to the request that I now give to you. Please pray for the Behold Israel staff. We need strength, protection, and health. God has given us amazing opportunities, and we would be devastated if physical problems got in the way of us accomplishing His will. The enemy is attacking us hard. But he has yet to beat us. With God’s hand of protection, we know that we will always prevail.
Philippians 4:11-13
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Middle East
What a week it has been with wars and rumors of wars – threats by Iran, airstrikes against Lebanon, a U.S. aircraft carrier group shifting to the Middle East. If you are sitting there thinking, “Wait, how did I miss all that?”, it’s because you’re not subscribed to my Telegram Channel. Sign up today, and you’ll be kept up to date with what is going on in Israel, the Middle East, and around the world. Remember, there are a lot of fake accounts using my name. Only sign up for the one that has over 550,000 subscribers.
The Offended Ayatollah Khamenei
There have been constant threats issuing from Iran ever since Hamas political bureau head, Ismail Haniyeh, was blown up while sleeping in Tehran. Hamas is just a pawn on Ayatollah Khamenei’s chessboard, so his heart is not broken over the loss of the terrorist. What he and all the other ayatollahs in the regime are upset about is the embarrassment of it happening on their soil – right in the heart of their capital city. Immediately after Haniyeh left this life, Iran promised revenge. In the past, that may not have meant much. But after Iran’s “Operation True Promise” back in April that saw more than 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles, and 120 ballistic missiles launched at Israel, people are taking this threat seriously.
Other countries have gotten involved to one extent or another. The Saudis have told Iran that they better not send anything over their airspace, while Jordan has said the same thing to both Tehran and Jerusalem. Just this past week, the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group was ordered into the Gulf of Oman to relieve the USS Theodore Roosevelt.
Tensions in Israel are very high as we wait for the Iranian response. Just two days ago, Tehran called a special meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to take place yesterday. The anticipation has been that nothing will happen until after that meeting takes place. To satisfy their bloodlust as they wait, the regime has executed 36 people in the last 24 hours in two prisons outside of Tehran. Meanwhile, Hamas has replaced Ismail Haniyeh as head of the political bureau with tunnel rat Yahya Sinwar. Immediately following the announcement, Sinwar could be seen in the corner of his underground office scribbling out his last will and testament.
By the way, if you are intrigued by the possibility of a Mossad-led targeted killing in the middle of Iran, preorder a copy of my next thriller novel, The Sick Man’s Rage. I can promise you that not every Hamas leader makes it out of Tehran alive.
The Offended Hassan Nasrallah
As angry as Ayatollah Khamenei is about the Mossad killing someone he didn’t like, Hassan Nasrallah, secretary-general of Hezbollah, is even more furious about Israel killing someone he did like. On July 30, an Israeli airstrike in Beirut sent Fuad Shukr, a long-wanted Hezbollah terrorist and the man responsible for the killing of twelve children in Majdal Shams three days earlier, to his eternal destination. Nasrallah, as he is prone to do, vowed revenge.
Once again, people took the Hezbollah leader seriously. Many countries have pulled their officials out of Lebanon and are warning their citizens to get out fast. The UK even has forces on standby in case their civilians need their help. Many are concerned that whatever retaliation Nasrallah comes up with very well might kick off the war in the north.
But for now, no one knows what Nasrallah has planned. “We will respond to the assassination, but carefully,” he said. For now, he says that the fear Hezbollah’s retaliation is causing in Israel is part of the payback. In the meantime, the back and forth between the two sides continues. Israel is heavily striking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. Yesterday, senior military commander Amir Badreddine was killed in an IDF strike in Maifadoun, southern Lebanon. Badreddine was the son of key Hezbollah leader Mustafa Badreddine who had been in charge of the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri in 2005 and was himself killed near the Damascus Airport in 2016. Hezbollah also remains active sending on Tuesday its biggest rocket barrage since the beginning of the war at the Israeli cities of Metula, Kfar Giladi, and Kiryat Shmona.
Terrorist Attack in Israel
A senior couple were taking their morning walk when a 34-year-old Palestinian, in the country illegally, attacked them with a knife. Rina Daniv, 66, was killed and her husband Shimon, 68, was seriously wounded. The terrorist continued through a park entrance where he confronted a man in his 70s, mortally wounding him. Finally, he attacked 26-year-old Yakov Libertov, moderately wounding him, before a police officer put the man down. A statement from Hamas said that the attack was a “natural response” to Israeli attacks on Palestinians. And people wonder why there will never be peace.
United Nations Admits Terrorist UNRWA
Nobody who knows anything about UNRWA is shocked that at least nine of their employees took part in the October 7 massacre. What we’re all shocked about is that the United Nations actually admitted it. Maybe it’s time the UN starts thinking about disbanding this antisemitic, genocidal group.
Kamala Harris picks Tim Walz as Running Mate
Oy! Please, America, for the sake of Israel and for the sake of the world, please do the right thing come November.
Political Violence in Bangladesh
Protests had grown over the past couple months against Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina. When they began to get out of hand, she ordered her army chief to enforce a lockdown. He refused. That was when she realized that she no longer had the military behind her. She fled the country on Monday. Once she left, many in the Muslim majority began violently attacking the Hindu minority whom they perceived as supporters of Hasina. In some areas, the brutality has turned into a massacre with Hindu men, women, and children being slaughtered, with many being hung up for public display or dragged through the streets. But what have you heard about this brutality? Nothing, or at least very little. And what you may have heard has been a watered-down version. Once again: no Jews, no news.
Ukraine on Offensive Inside Russia
Yes, you heard it right. Ukraine has breached the Russian border and is now advancing on a nuclear power plant in Kursk oblast. They’ve already destroyed a gas pumping station that is the largest transferrer of natural gas to Europe. The area around the incursion is in a state of emergency and Russian President Vladimir Putin has called Ukraine’s move a “large-scale provocation”. From whom might Ukraine have learned about large-scale provocations?
God Satisfies You With Long Life
He Satisfies You with Long Life
“With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”
Psalm 91:16
This is the final but, I think, most important verse in Psalm 91! If you ever had any doubt that God desires for you to live a long, good life, let this verse be your answer. You may be battling with a health condition right now, but by faith let’s hold fast to this verse together. In Jesus’ mighty name, I see you healed, healthy, and whole. I see you strong in Christ and ready to take on any giant that is ahead of you.
One of my favorite pictures of long life is found in the biblical character Caleb. When he was eighty-five years old, he said, “I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war” (Josh. 14:10–11).
The faith picture here of long life is not just in terms of quantity—the number of days—but also quality—health and strength. Caleb remained as strong at eighty-five as he was when he was forty-five. Which means in the last forty years in the harsh wilderness, his strength, youth, and vigor didn’t diminish. There was no leaking, no receding, and no fading away of his strength!
If perhaps you think that Caleb was just talking big, look at what he said next: “Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said” (Josh. 14:12).
At 85, Caleb was ready to fight with giants to gain possession of a mountain! And Caleb did as he said! Read the evidence for yourself: “Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel” (Josh. 14:14).
You were impressed when a teenage shepherd boy picked a fight with one giant named Goliath? We should be completely blown away by this eighty-five-year-old, who took on a whole mountain packed with giants! Caleb was zealous for the Lord’s glory. As far as he was concerned, there was unfinished business because the Lord had promised them the mountain forty years ago.
My personal belief is that his biological clock stopped ticking and he basically stopped aging because he kept his eyes not on himself, but on the promises of the Lord. As you meditate on and find strength in God’s promises, the same can happen for you!
This devotional is taken from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times. Joseph Prince
The Secret to Overcoming Condemnation
The Secret to Overcoming Condemnation
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1 NASB
I don’t know about you, but when I read the Bible, I feel encouraged that the apostle Paul—the trailblazing apostle of grace that he was—faced the same struggles with the flesh and with condemnation that you and I face today. Who among us cannot totally identify with his frustrated cry of “ . . . the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice . . . O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Rom. 7:19, 24). When Paul was struggling under the law, he was condemned again and again (you can read Paul’s account of his struggle in Romans 7).
But thank God, Paul does not stop there. He goes on to show us in today’s scripture that we can counter the accuser’s attacks because there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! That is it, my friend—even when there is sin, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, period. There are no conditions and no prerequisites. Jesus has already been condemned for all our sins. It’s all about His finished work and none of man’s efforts. He Himself is the answer to Paul’s cry for help. Hallelujah!
When the accuser comes to condemn you for all your faults, declare yourself righteous because of what Jesus has done and because His blood cleanses you continually. Remind yourself that the Holy Spirit was sent to convict you of your righteousness apart from works. The declaration is true every moment, every day. It is true in the morning. It is true in the night. And when tomorrow comes, it is still true. There is presently, continuously, no condemnation for you because you are in Christ!
Here’s how liberating God’s grace is. A brother named Jeff wrote and told me of how he had been severely depressed for almost 10 months, and became so introspective and self-conscious that he had anxiety attacks. He focused on his actions and failures and allowed his condemning thoughts to define his identity and sense of worth. Hungry and desperate for answers from the Lord, he read the Bible and many books on theology, listened to sermons by various preachers, and researched Bible topics online. Yet, when he tried to apply all this knowledge to his life, none of it worked. He still felt depressed, defeated, and worthless.
Then, he discovered the gospel of grace through one of my books, and this is what he experienced:
Pastor Prince, the huge burden of trying to live up to the law for almost a decade, and which led to my depression, was finally lifted! I was already a Christian, but I was only set free after I discovered the true meaning of grace and being saved. It was such a simple shift in perspective that I can’t believe I didn’t know this before! It’s not our ability to obey in our thoughts, but it’s Christ’s obedience.
Because I now know that I’m righteous in Christ and that God no longer condemns me because of Jesus, I have no more fears as my focus is now on Him and not me! I am now even more confident and joyful than I was before the depression had even started!
Beloved, what will give you the boldness to go to God is the knowledge that today, He is ever gracious and He sees you completely righteous. What will cause you to go boldly before His throne of grace is the knowledge that He will never condemn you because you are in Jesus Christ! Praise be to God, there is therefore now—presently and continuously—no condemnation for those who are in Christ. This is the Word of God for you today!
This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs. Joseph Prince
Notes from Amir Tsarfati
The land was dead. The land was sold for pennies for the dollar. The land was deserted, basically. And God says, “There is a point in time where I’m going to say this is it. It’s time for my people to come back to their land, but the land is dead so I’m going to speak first life into this dead land.”
So you, oh mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield what? Your fruit to my people, Israel. God says this land belongs to the people of Israel, His people Israel. And God is going to make sure that the land will be sustainable for them to be able to return and live in it. And then he says, “I will have to do it before they come, because,” look what He says, “for they are about to come.”
So once the land had life spoken into it, then comes the return of the people. And it’s very interesting because the Bible says in the same chapter, “For I will take you, the Jewish people, from among the nations and I will gather you out of all countries and I will bring you into your own land.” This is what the Bible says regarding the ownership of the land of Israel. This is what the Bible says regarding the plan of God for the people of Israel, that He will heal the land, bring the people from wherever they were.
Anyone who has visited Israel has experienced the awe and wonder of the land that is home to God’s chosen people, the Jews. The history, the culture, Mount Carmel, The Valley of Tears, Magdala, and a host of other places and things remind us of what a special place Israel was in the past and still is today.
One of the most awe-inspiring sights in Israel, however, is not built with ancient stones, and it’s not a site that has a significant historical event associated with it, like the valley of Elah has with the story of David and Goliath.
This amazing site is called the Jezreel Valley. A rich and fertile farmland that is indisputable evidence that God is true to His word and faithful to His promises. This lush and fertile valley had remained dormant for nearly 2000 years, and yet today it is teeming with crops and flowers.
Ezekiel 36:34-36
“The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. So they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it.”
In light of all we see going on in the Middle East surrounding the nation of Israel, we can take heart in two amazing evidences of God’s faithfulness. We can recognize that since God brought the Jews back into their national homeland and since He has blessed the land and it has flourished as He promised it would, we can rest assured that the enemies of Israel will not prevail! For no man, country, demon, or devil can cause God’s promises to be thwarted or reversed.
There is also a personal reminder here for us and that is when life seems like a long, dry season and it feels like what we have prayed for and sought after is never going to happen, God will always keep His word and our enemies cannot do anything to change that.
Like the Lord’s promise to Israel and to the land that it would flourish in preparation for the Jews to return en masse, so too He may be preparing something for you that is yet unknown. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. He has told us nothing can separate from His love and no one can snatch us from His hand. That means the dry times are not our destiny, but are only temporary.
So what do we do in times such as these, when Israel is surrounded by enemies, when much of the church has lost its way, when evil and good have exchanged definitions? Remember the Jezreel Valley. A place that was once marshland and infertile is now rich in agriculture and farming. All this is based on the fact that the One who promised is faithful, and He will do it.
We have a home awaiting us that is even more lush and beautiful than the Jezreel Valley, or any other place on earth. God has promised that, through the shed blood of His Son, we can spend eternity there with Him. There will never be another dry time or shed tear or experienced pain. There will never be any sorrow or death. If He is faithful to a piece of land, how much more will He be faithful to us, His children!
Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus
Fruit is Produced Under Grace
Good Fruit Is Produced Under Grace
But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:3
There is something I would like you to be cognizant of today. The enemy, although he has been defeated at the cross, is a cunning adversary. He gets people to depart from the simplicity of the gospel into works because he knows that many believers are sincere in wanting to please God.
He knows that they have an enthusiasm or zeal for God. But he also knows that man has something called pride. So what does he do? He takes advantage of their pride and misdirects their zeal by using the law. He tells them, “You want to get right with God and please Him? Then here are His laws to obey and obey perfectly.”
In the book of Romans, Paul talks about this misguided zeal, which was prevalent among his Jewish brethren:
Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.
—Romans 10:1–3 NLT
The same thing is still happening today. Many believers, in their zeal for God or their pride, are trying to please God and become righteous through trying to keep the law. They don’t understand that God makes an individual righteous solely by grace through faith. They reject God’s way and cling to what they think makes them righteous—their obedience to God’s laws.
Yet the irony of it all is that in trying to keep God’s laws to be righteous, people produce works of the flesh such as adultery, fornication, hatred, heresies, and drunkenness (Gal. 5:18–21). Why? Because “the strength of sin is the law” (1 Cor. 15:56). The law arouses or stirs up the sinful passions within our flesh (Rom. 7:5).
Galatians 5:22–23 lists the fruit of the Spirit as “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Notice that Paul mentions the fruit of the Spirit only in the fifth chapter. In the first four chapters, he talks about grace, contrasting it with the law and contending earnestly for justification by faith, because the Galatian Christians were going back under the law. Paul was essentially bringing them back under pure grace, before talking to them about the fruit of the Spirit.
Can you see how the fruit of being under grace is the fruit of the Spirit? Notice also how Paul calls it the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. What’s the difference between “works” and “fruit”? Works are a result of self-effort that comes from being under the heavy demands of the law. Fruit is a result of life! Just as a tree will naturally produce good fruit when it is well watered and receiving the right amount of sunlight, so a Christian will produce good fruit without self-effort when he or she is well watered by the word of His grace and exposed to the sunshine of God’s love.
Beloved, if you want to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, make sure you are hearing the unadulterated grace of our Lord Jesus that reminds you you are justified by faith in the Lamb Who died for you. This will help you to build your life upon the solid Rock of Christ and the firm foundation of His finished work. Contend earnestly to hear and to live by the real gospel, by grace through faith. It will usher you into the promised land, for the gospel is the power of God unto your salvation in every area of your life.
This devotional is taken from the book Glorious Grace—100 Daily Readings from Grace Revolution. Joseph Prince
Grace and Truth are One
Grace and Truth Are One
For the law was given through Moses, but grace [unmerited favor] and truth came through Jesus Christ.
John 1:17
Did you know that God sees grace (unmerited favor) and truth as one and the same thing? Notice in John 1:17 that truth is on the same side as God's unmerited favor and both grace (unmerited favor) and truth came through Jesus Christ. When I did a study of this verse in its original Greek, I found out that “grace and truth” are actually referred to as a singular unit, since they are followed by the singular verb translated as “came.” In other words, in God’s eyes, grace and truth are synonymous—unmerited favor is truth and truth is unmerited favor.
Sometimes, people tell me things like, “Well, it’s good that you preach grace, but we also have to tell people about truth.” This makes it seem as though grace and truth are two different things when, in fact, they are one and the same. You cannot separate truth from grace and grace from truth as they are both embodied in the person of Jesus Christ. In fact, just a few verses before this, John 1:14, referring to the person of Jesus, says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace [unmerited favor] and truth.” Grace and truth came together through the person and ministry of Jesus. Grace is not a doctrine or teaching. Grace is a Person.
This is contrasted with the old covenant of law that was given through Moses on Mount Sinai. We can see that God is very precise in dealing with the two covenants and does not mix them together. Grace is grace and law is law. Grace came by Jesus whereas the law was given through Moses. Jesus didn’t come to give us more laws. He came to give us His unmerited favor, which is His truth! It would be of immense profit to you to keep in mind that every time you read the word “grace” in the Bible, you translate it mentally as “unmerited favor,” because that is what it is.
My friend, “grace came.” It is one thing to give, but it is another thing to come. You see, I could send a DVD of my sermon to you instead of coming to you. But if I come to you, it’s personal. The law was given by Moses, but grace came by Jesus Christ. Every system of morality is about man trying to reach God with his discipline and good works, but in Christianity, God came down to where we were to lift us up to where He is!
This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor. Joseph Prince
Healing and Forgiveness go Together
Forgiveness and Healing Go Hand-in-Hand
When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you . . . But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
Mark 2:5, 10–12
I encourage you to start today with this thought: the way out of being sin-conscious is to hear more teaching on the finished work of Jesus and how His blood has cleansed and forgiven us of all our sins. When you believe that your sins have already been punished on Jesus’ body and receive Him as your sin offering, your heart will be sprinkled with His blood from an evil conscience. As you listen to Christ-exalting teachings, instead of carrying sin-consciousness and condemnation in your mind and heart, you will be washed with the pure water of God’s Word. This will in turn affect your physical body and bring healing to every part that is not well!
Some Christians are not able to receive healing for themselves or within their families because they are not able to receive forgiveness. They are still sin-conscious and doubt their forgiveness. They believe that God may have forgiven their past sins, but not the sins of their whole life. God knows that people need the assurance that their sins are forgiven before they can receive healing in their bodies, so the Bible makes His forgiveness of our sins very clear. In Psalm 103, when the psalmist lists the “benefits” from the Lord, he starts with “who forgives all your iniquities” before moving on to “who heals all your diseases.”
Not so long ago, I received this praise report from Patricia, who lives in South Africa. Her husband was diagnosed with cancer, and they were getting ready to go to the hospital for his positron emission tomography (PET) scan when she read one of my daily devotionals on the holy Communion. Feeling consumed by worry for her husband and condemnation for not being able to entrust the situation completely into the Lord’s hands, she took Communion and for the first time, discerned that the body of Jesus was beaten so that our bodies might be healed and made whole. She also meditated on how Jesus’ blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. After that, Patricia said, “I felt a peace only God could give. I was able to enter into a state of rest and faith without any effort on my part. I am proud to say, my Savior reigns. No cancer was found in my husband’s organs and the doctors could not explain why.” What an amazing testimony of the power of knowing you are forgiven in Christ!
In Mark 2:1–12, we read the account of the paralytic man lowered through the roof and placed before Jesus. Jesus said to the paralytic man, “Son, your sins are forgiven you,” before He said, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Why? Because Jesus knew that unless the man had the assurance that all his sins had been forgiven, he would not have the faith to jump up, grab his mat, and walk out of that house.
Beloved, your sins are forgiven you. Stop punishing and condemning yourself. Believe the truth of the gospel and let your conscience be satisfied! Start enjoying all His benefits because they are your blood-bought rights. Forgiveness is yours. Healing is yours. Redemption from destruction is yours. Being crowned with loving-kindness and tender mercies is yours. Hallelujah! Simply believe that your sin debt has been settled and walk in these blessings today!
This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs. Joseph Prince
Message from Amir Tsarfati
Shalom from northern Israel! Last week I flew home after a wonderful and productive time in southern California. But, I’ll tell you, as much as I love visiting my California friends, did I ever come home at the right time. Only a few days after I arrived, the eastern Mediterranean started going crazy. There were errant missiles, major bombings, and a couple unbelievable targeted killings. But I’ll tell you all about those in the stories below.
I’ve had people write to me with questions regarding my reaction to the deaths of many terrorists. I can understand why you ask, because I don’t have time to explain my underlying point of view with each Telegram post. So, let me just say that I am fully in line with what Paul wrote to Timothy when he said God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). In my mind, the best-case scenario would be for an evangelical revival to sweep through Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, and Iran. I would love to see Gazans on their knees, repenting and giving their lives to the Lord. That is the ideal, and I know that God could accomplish that should He choose to.
However, I also know that without a saving knowledge of the Messiah, so many people do horrendous things. So, my prayer is that God stops them from carrying them out. If that costs them their lives, then so be it. Throughout Scripture we see judgment being brought on those who hurt innocents, be they Jews or Gentiles. Do I wish that Ismail Haniyeh had given his life to Jesus before he was violently blown into His presence? I do, although he would still have to pay a price on this earth for his evil deeds and treachery. But the fact was that his conscience had been seared decades ago, and he had no interest in the love and peace found in the Messiah.
You also must understand that I am a Jewish Israeli follower of Christ. There have been horrendous acts carried out against my people, and they still continue with the hostages in the tunnels, the terrorist attacks on the streets, and the constant barrage of rockets from the militias. I am angry and I am disgusted that people can do these things to innocent civilians. I only need to go back and read some of David’s psalms to know that this trait runs rich in the blood of the people of Judah. So, when that emotion sometimes comes to the surface, I’d ask that you forgive me and understand the deep source from which it originates. My nation is still small enough so that when one person is hurt, we all hurt.
Psalm 69:27-28
Add iniquity to their iniquity,
And let them not come into Your righteousness.
Let them be blotted out of the book of the living,
And not be written with the righteous.
The Middle East
What you are about to read below is a summary of some of the stories that I have covered this past crazy week. It would truly be impossible to deal with all of them in depth. To fully understand all that is going on, I would encourage you to do two things. First, subscribe to my Telegram channel. That’s where you’ll find updates on what is happening in Israel and around the world nearly 24/7. There are many fake channels out there, so make sure you only subscribe to the one that has over 550k followers.
Second, subscribe to the Behold Israel YouTube channel. Just this last week, not only did I post a full MidEast Update, but I also added two impromptu Breaking News Updates, one from CONNECT and one from my living room at home. Between those two sources, you can be sure you will be completely up to date with what is happening in the Middle East and beyond.
Middle East
The Children of Majdal Shams
While other incidents happened on Thursday and Friday, the real insanity of the week began when Hezbollah fired a poorly aimed rocket which landed on a group of Druze schoolchildren in Majdal Shams, along the Golan Heights in Israel. It was as bad as you can imagine. Twelve children were killed, and many others were wounded. At first, the terrorist group celebrated the murder of the children, which was the worst death toll since October 7. But once they realized that the children were Druze and not Jewish, they immediately took it back. “Look what we did!” was rapidly changed to “Actually, it wasn’t us! It must have been the Iron Dome misfiring.” But there is no way out for Hezbollah with this one. Pieces of the Iranian truck-fired Falaq-1 rocket were scattered all around the site of the massacre.
What will Israel do to retaliate? That was the question that ran through everyone’s mind. Sure, these were not Jewish children, but they were still Israelis and our hearts are broken for the families. A price had to be paid. Nations began pulling their officials out of Lebanon in anticipation of a massive strike. Panicked countries like Iran, Turkey, Syria, and, of course, Lebanon warned against strong action. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was still in the United States when the attack occurred, boarded his plane five hours ahead of its previously planned departure. Once back in Israel, he immediately met with the war council and the world held its breath.
The Killing of Fuad Shukr
While I would still not rule out a major attack in the north, it appears that Netanyahu and his war cabinet have held back on quantity in favor of quality. On Tuesday, Israeli fighter jets raced towards Beirut, where they fired missiles that killed Fuad Shukr, the most senior military commander of Hezbollah. Also known as Sayyid Mohsen, he was considered the Qassem Soleimani of the Hezbollah terrorist group. Not only was he responsible for the rocket that killed the 12 children in Majdal Shams, but he also directed Hezbollah’s attacks against Israel post-October 7. Shukr was an arms agent, responsible for bringing in the terrorist groups most advanced weapons. The U.S. State Department also took close notice, because four decades ago Shukr was a key operative in the planning and launching of the 1983 attack that killed 241 marines at their barracks in Beirut.
The Killing of Ismail Haniyeh
For many, that may have been enough. But these were 12 innocent children cut down while playing. Only six days after the Iranian outgoing minister of Intelligence said, “Dismantling the Mossad’s infiltration network in Iran is the greatest achievement during my tenure,” an Israeli-made Spike anti-tank guided missile was fired from a Tehran rooftop. On the receiving end was none other than Ismail Haniyeh, the chairman of Hamas’s Political Bureau. It seems the wealthy terrorist left his cushy hideaway in the safety of Qatar to attend the inauguration of Iran’s new president. Big mistake! That is when the Mossad took him out – allegedly. Israel has not claimed responsibility for Haniyeh’s death. There are those times when despite the facts that it looks like Mossad and acts like Mossad and quacks like Mossad, it’s just a rogue Iranian element that hates Hamas and hates the Islamic regime. Whoever it was who pulled the trigger on that anti-tank missiled, I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important was the removal of this man from the chessboard. Already there are demonstrations in the West Bank, and the threats have begun from President Erdoğan in Turkey and Ayatollah Khamenei in Iran, a country that now has egg on its face due to the incident. It will be interesting to see if anyone makes good their threat.
In a speech from the IDF Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv last night, PM Netanyahu reminded the nation of the importance of the battle we are in. It is a fight for our very existence against Iran’s axis of evil: Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. He recalled the targeted killing three weeks ago of Hamas chief of staff, Muhammad Daf. He brought up the massive bombing of the Houthis two weeks ago following their drone attack on Tel Aviv. Then, after the despicable murders of our children in Majdal Shams, he told how we took revenge on Fuad Shukr, a notorious terrorist wanted for crimes committed against Israel and the United States. Yes, it is taking time, he said, but that is something about which he warned from the beginning. But if this fight for peace in our land is to be done right and done permanently, we must be patient and tenacious. He also warned anyone with thoughts of taking revenge, saying, “We will settle our score with anyone who harms us. Everyone who takes aim at our children, everyone who murders our citizens, everyone who harms our country – their blood is on their own head.”
President Erdoğan’s Threats
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan would do well to heed Netanyahu’s warning. His threat against Israel following Haniyeh’s elimination was his second of the week. The first was spewed Sunday, when he said, “We must be strong so Israel won’t be able to do these things to the Palestinians. Just as we invaded Karabakh and Libya, we will do the same to Israel.” These bombastic words don’t surprise me at all. With what I know about the Ezekiel 38 war, they are expected. In fact, along with the gruesome attacks and deeply lingering aftermath of the October 7 massacre, Erdoğan’s unhinged hatred of Israel makes up the plot of Steve Yohn’s and my next Nir Tavor novel, The Sick Man’s Rage. You can preorder it now before its December 3 release.
Killing of Girls in England
Three little girls who were enjoying a Taylor-Swift-themed dance workshop Monday were cut down by the blade of a 17-year-old. Five other children remain critical, as do two adults who tried to protect the victims. Media have been quiet about the identity of the perpetrator, but protests did break out Tuesday night with much of the anger being directed at a local mosque.
Election in Venezuela
The thing about tyrants, especially failed tyrants, is that they never want to go away. Case in point is Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. By all accounts, except those of the Maduro-ites, challenger Edmundo Gonzalez won an overwhelming victory with nearly three-quarters of the vote. But Maduro wasn’t having it. He began to send out his thugs to steal ballot boxes and beat down protesters. But this time it may not be enough. Powerful street gangs, as well as members of the armed forces, who were always Maduro’s heavy fist, were seen switching sides. A growing coalition of Central and South American countries say that they will not recognize a Maduro government.
It is very important for Americans to keep their eyes on Venezuela. Many of the same tactics that skewed the 2020 election in the U.S. are being used to the south. What was missing back then were the armed soldiers boldly roaming the streets. But if November’s election does not go the way of the Left, it is very possible that this may change. Remember, tyrants, especially failed tyrants, never want to go away. We are already seeing the tools of the Left as they reveal themselves in the blatant censoring of Google searches and social media surrounding the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
The Olympics
Antisemitic athletes, transgender competitors, blasphemous opening ceremonies, pagan rituals, polluted water in the Seine, terrible food and uncomfortable accommodations for the athletes all based on a green agenda. I bet you all can’t wait until the radical, green lefties take over your country.
Ministry
PLEASE NOTE – Our Weekly Prayer Meetings have been moved from Monday to Friday. Join us at 10:00 AM PDT live on Zoom for this special hour of intercession each week. You’ll be blessed as you spend time praying with fellow believers from all over the world!
This Monday, I’m very excited to premier the first edition of Explore the Bible at CONNECT. The purpose of Explore the Bible is just what the name implies. I’ll be joined each episode by Dr. Rick Yohn, my contributor on Revealing Revelation and Discovering Daniel, and together we’ll look at subjects like why we can trust the Bible, how did we get the Bible, and what is the Bible saying to me. Along the way, I think you’ll fall in love with my dear friend’s humility and humor as he brings more than eighty years of wisdom to his analysis of the Word of God. Join us this Monday at 10:00 AM PDT as we answer the very practical question, “What is the Bible?”
Explore the Bible will be followed up by another MidEast Update on Tuesday at 10:00 AM PDT. And allow me to humbly suggest that you do not want to miss this. There is simply too much going on in the world right now – especially in my neck of the woods.
Thank you to everyone who has prayed for and supported this ministry over our ten years of existence. It is because of you that we are able to accomplish the calling that God has given to us. May God bless you.
Awaiting His Return,
The Power of His Love and Grace
The Power of His Love and Grace
And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Romans 16:20
Grace is the only thing against which the devil has no defense. If you are living by your self-effort to earn God’s approval, the devil has power over you because he can always point to something that you have not done. This gives him dominion over you. If you claim God’s protection and healing based on what you have done, the devil, who is a master accuser, just has to point to one of your failures, and all your faith implodes. You will disqualify yourself mentally and inwardly from receiving whatever you might be trusting the Lord for.
But grace qualifies us for protection. Because Jesus paid the price, we who are in Him have a right to walk in divine health and protection. When the devil accuses you, saying, “How dare you believe God for protection, when you are (he goes on to list your failures),” you just have to point to Jesus’ blood, which has paid for all your failures. With grace as your basis, the God of peace can reign over your fears and impart to you unshakable faith for His protection!
Something else happens when you understand His grace—you will also grow in your understanding of how perfectly loved you are by your Father in heaven. God so loved you and me, He sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross on our behalf, carrying all our sins upon His own body so that today, we can come boldly to His throne of grace. He did it so that today, we are not as sheep without a shepherd, but we are so deeply loved and cared for by our Abba Father. We are His children and when we call on Him, He WILL answer. We have a God who demonstrated His love for us while we were still sinners—when we had nothing to offer Him but our brokenness, our shame, our sins, and our disqualifications! Oh what perfect love!
The Word of God says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:18–19). Are you fearful today? Ask yourself this question: Do you know how much God loves you? You see, you can’t reason away fear. But when you have a revelation of His perfect love for you, every fear in your life will be cast out. To the extent that you understand His love for you, you will live fearlessly in dangerous times!
This devotional is taken from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times. Joseph Prince
Ask Big
Ask Big
“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
John 14:13
I want to begin this devotional by giving you this challenge: ask God for big things!
What do you desire to see in your life—in your family, health, finances, and career? What would you ask God for if you knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that He is good and that His love for you endures forever?
Ask God for them! Jesus came so that you might live a life that is marked not by lack, but by abundance; not by despair, but by the fullness of His love, joy, and peace.
I would like you to write down in your journal what you would ask God for if you knew that He hears your prayers. What are your dreams, hopes, and aspirations? What would you like to see come to pass in your life? What are you battling with today? Which area of your life would you like to see God’s power work in?
Write it down. Write it all down. Write what you want to see happen with Bible hope in your heart that He hears you and will supply. Write with a certain, joyful, positive, and confident expectation of good.
Don’t just ask God for small things. Ask Him for big things! For instance, don’t ask Him for just a job. Ask Him for a position of influence. Don’t just ask Him to restore your health. Ask Him for a long and healthy life filled with many good days.
Enlarge your faith to believe in God’s goodness. He is pleased when our faith is big. He is not offended when we ask Him for big things.
Would you do that right now? Just take a few moments and pen down your requests to God—God, who is almighty and more powerful than we can ever imagine.
God, who hung the planets in their places and spoke order into the world. God, who led His people in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God, who rained manna from heaven and brought forth water from dry rock.
God, who turned bland waters into the finest wine. God, who made the lame walk, the blind see, and the deaf hear. God, who multiplied five loaves of bread and two small fish to feed five thousand men. God, who raised the dead and conquered the grave.
Ask what you need of God, who loves YOU with an everlasting love!
This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Right Believing—Daily Readings from The Power of Right Believing. Joseph Prince
Jesus Saves
Saving You Is Jesus' Job Description
But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:20–21
The name “Jesus” is Yeshua in Hebrew, which contains an abbreviation for Yahweh, the name of God in Hebrew. So the name “Jesus” literally means “Yahweh is our Savior” or “The Lord is our Savior”! What a beautiful name!
Every time you call the name of Jesus, the name that is above every other name, you are calling God Himself to save you. Saving you is Jesus’ job description!
Whatever the challenge or circumstance, whatever crisis you are in—physically, financially, or emotionally—you can call on the name of Jesus and Almighty God Himself will save you!
My friend, you can take time to know the names of God, which He revealed under the old covenant, such as Elohim, El Shaddai, El Elyon, Jehovah-Jireh, Jehovah-Rophe and Jehovah-Nissi. You can do a complete study on the names of God.
I am not against that at all. I teach on the names of God in my church as well, but all these names will mean nothing to you if you don’t know that God Almighty Himself, Jesus, wants to save you first from all your sins, then from all your challenges.
God can be all powerful, but if you are not confident that He is interested in your success, His power would mean nothing to you. So, you don’t have to memorize all the names of God from the old covenant. What you need is a full revelation that Jesus, in the new covenant, is your Savior!
What is Tiger Woods famous for? Golf! What is David Beckham famous for? Soccer! (He's also famous for product endorsements!) What is Jesus famous for? Saving you!
What do you need saving from today? See Him in your situation, rescuing, protecting, and providing for you!
This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor. Joseph Prince
Partake of the Tree of Life
Partake of the Tree of Life
Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
Luke 24:30
In Luke 24:30–31, the resurrected Christ partook of the holy Communion with the two disciples at the village of Emmaus. What a divine honor the Lord Jesus has put on the breaking of bread, on this wonderful sacrament He has given to the church.
This is why in my church, we receive the Communion every week. That’s what the early church did as well. The book of Acts tells us that the disciples “came together to break bread” on “the first day of the week” (Acts 20:7). Shouldn’t we emphasize what our Lord Jesus made central?
We know that God made Adam and Eve complete except for one thing: their spiritual eyes were not opened. God wanted their spiritual eyes to be opened by the Tree of Life, but instead they partook of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and their eyes were opened to see their nakedness. Their eyes were opened to see their failures and shortcomings, their lack and their inadequacies, their sin and their shame.
But our Lord Jesus was restoring all that was lost in that garden. I believe when He broke bread for the two disciples, He was letting them eat from the Tree of Life, the tree that God had wanted man to eat from. Our Lord Jesus is the Tree of Life, and when we partake of His broken body, we are eating from the Tree of Life.
That is why the moment the two disciples took the bread, their eyes were opened, and they knew the Lord Jesus. The apostle Paul also prayed that our eyes may be opened, that we may see Jesus, that we may truly have a revelation of His love (Eph. 1:17–18, 3:18–19). I had been searching the Scriptures for years to find out more about the Tree of Life and was so excited when the Lord showed me this.
After the two disciples partook of the Tree of Life, I believe something happened to their bodies: they were infused and energized with the resurrection life of Christ. This was why they could rise up that very hour to walk back to Jerusalem (Luke 24:33), covering fourteen miles in one day (Luke 24:13). Today we can rejoice because that same resurrection life flows into our bodies each time we partake of the Lord’s Supper.
By the way, after Adam and Eve sinned, their hearts became cold with fear, and they hid themselves when they heard the voice of God in the garden (Gen. 3:10). But as the resurrected Christ walked with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, their hearts burned with love for Jesus (Luke 24:32), and they wanted to stay longer in His presence (Luke 24:29).
Our Lord Jesus has restored the relationship with God that was fractured and lost when Adam and Eve fell, and today we don’t ever have to be afraid of the Lord. Whatever challenges come our way, we can have the confidence that He is for us (Rom. 8:31), and we can come boldly to His throne of grace (Heb. 4:16).
This devotional is taken from the book The Healing Power of the Holy Communion—A 90-Day Devotional. Joseph Prince