Blessed to Be a Blessing

I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.

Genesis 12:2

What does it mean to be an heir of the world? Let’s take a look at Abraham’s life to see what the Lord did for him. God’s Word tells us that Abraham did not just become rich. He became very rich.

“Well, Pastor Prince, being an heir of the world refers to spiritual riches.”

Hang on, that is not what my Bible says. According to Genesis 13:2, Abraham was “very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.” Now, if financial blessings are not part of the blessings of the Lord, then are you telling me that the Lord cursed Abraham with wealth?

I am so glad that God defined Abraham's riches very specifically. God must have foreseen a generation of people who would argue that He is against His people experiencing financial success, so He said clearly in His Word that Abraham was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. Abraham wasn’t just rich spiritually.

Beloved, God is not against you having wealth, but He is definitely against wealth having you.

The Lord blessed Abraham so that he could be a blessing to others. He told Abraham, “I will bless you . . . and you shall be a blessing.” Similarly, He will bless you financially, so that you can be a blessing to others. You cannot be a blessing to those around you—your loved ones, local church, community, and the poor—if you are not blessed by the Lord first.

Now, you already know that finances alone don't make you a success. There are a lot of “poor” people in the world today who have a lot of money. They can have fat bank accounts, but their hearts are empty without the revelation of Jesus’ love for them.

You and I have something from Jesus that is far more superior. The success that we, as new covenant believers, can believe God for is good, holistic success that permeates every aspect of our lives!

What keeps you safe for financial success is when you know that your blessings come by Jesus’ unmerited favor. When you have that revelation, you will no longer be preoccupied with having money because you will be preoccupied with the Lord.

Amazingly, you will realize that the more occupied you are with Jesus, the more money follows after you! Now, why is that? It is simply because when you seek first the kingdom of God, and put Jesus, His righteousness (not your own righteousness), His joy, and His peace as your first priority, God's Word promises you that ALL the material things that you need will be added to you (Matt. 6:33).

The Lord always gives you money with a mission and prosperity with a purpose. He blesses you and when you are blessed, you can be a vessel to bless others.

The gospel of grace can be preached, churches can be built, precious lives can be touched, sinners can be born again, marriages can be restored, and physical bodies can be healed when you send out the Word of Jesus with your financial support.

Don’t love money and use people. Use money to love people. May it be settled in your heart once and for all that it is God’s desire for you to be a financial success and to have more than enough to bless others!

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

You Are Qualified

Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:12–14

Years ago, when I first started preaching, one of my spiritual heroes back then had said, “There’s nothing wrong with God and nothing wrong with His Word. When you don’t receive from God, there’s something wrong with you.” So that’s what I taught my church too. I wanted my people to be healed and whole, and that’s why I taught them a list of reasons they were not receiving their healings, but that list just kept growing.

One day, I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit on the inside of me saying, “Stop disqualifying My people!”

I countered, “But Lord, I am not disqualifying them. I am trying to qualify them for Your healing.”

As I said that, my eyes were opened, and I repented. I cannot qualify anyone for healing, and neither do I need to try. God has already qualified us through the blood of His Son. The Word of God states this so clearly in the verses above.

Today you and I can give thanks to the Father who has qualified us. We are already qualified to partake of every blessing. And not only that, He has already delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. That means the devil no longer has any hold over us. He has no power over us. He has no authority to rob us of our health.

Whatever sin you might have committed, whatever mistakes you might have made, stop disqualifying yourself. Maybe you don’t think you deserve to be healed because of all the junk food you have eaten for years or because you haven’t been exercising. Nothing you can do is so powerful it can wash away the finished work of Christ.

Yes, we should eat healthily and take care of our bodies. But what I am saying is that even if you have made mistakes, you don’t have to disqualify yourself. That’s what grace is about—grace is for the undeserving!

There is nothing wrong with God, nothing wrong with His Word, and definitely nothing wrong with you because Jesus has effectively and perfectly removed all your sins through His blood. He has already qualified you to freely receive His healing. You can boldly declare “Yes” and “Amen” to this promise of God in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20). Now receive your healing!

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

Personalize God’s Favor in Your Life

Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.

John 13:23

I used to think that among Jesus’ 12 disciples, John was the Lord’s favorite disciple and the one who was the closest to Him because the Bible calls John “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” I was under the impression that John had a special favor with Jesus, and always wondered what made him so special that he stood apart from the other disciples. Don’t you want to be known as the disciple whom Jesus loves? I do!

Then one day, when I was reading God’s Word, the secret of John’s favor dawned on me. The Lord opened my eyes and showed me that the phrase “the disciple whom Jesus loved” is actually found only in John’s own book! Check it out for yourself. You will not find this phrase being used in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. It is found only in the Gospel of John. It is a phrase that John used to describe himself!

Now, what was John doing? He was practicing and personalizing the love that Jesus had for him. We are all God’s favorites, but John knew the secret of accessing Jesus’ unmerited favor for himself. It is your prerogative to see yourself as the disciple whom Jesus loves, and to call yourself that!

When I started to teach that the secret of John’s favor lay in his personalization of God’s love, the people in my church literally stepped into a new dimension of experiencing God’s unmerited favor in their lives. I have seen how some of them really took this revelation and ran with it. Some of them customized the wallpapers of their cell phones to say “The disciple whom Jesus loves,” while others signed off their text messages and emails with the phrase.

As they kept reminding themselves that they are the disciple whom Jesus loves, they began to grow in the consciousness of the Lord’s love for them. At the same time, they began to grow in being favor-conscious! I have piles of praise reports on how our congregation members have been so blessed just by being conscious of Jesus’ favor in their lives. Some of them have been promoted, some have received spectacular increments to their paychecks, and many have won various prizes at company functions and in other contests, including all-expense-paid vacations.

A brother from my church signed up for a certain credit card during a special promotion in which new applicants stood to win a range of prizes. There were probably hundreds of thousands of people who participated in this promotion, but this young man just believed that he was highly favored, and because of that, he would win the top prize.

The day of the draw came and true enough, this young man won the top prize—a stunning black Lamborghini Gallardo! When he wrote to the church to share his testimony, he enclosed a picture of himself smiling from ear to ear, posing with his brand-new Lamborghini.

He said that he knew that he had won the car by the unmerited favor of God, and after he had sold off the car, he brought his tithe to the church, giving all glory and honor to Jesus. The world calls this “luck,” but for the believer, there is no such thing as luck. There is only the unmerited favor of Jesus!

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

Message from Amir Tsarfati

Believing in replacement theology does not automatically make you an anti-Semite, don’t get me wrong. It actually makes you something maybe even worse, someone who denies the promises of God. Forget about us. What about God? I want to tell you, your stance on Israel matters. It matters today. It’ll matter tomorrow, and it will cost you. You understand? It will never be easy. Not on social media, not in the street, not in much of your church surroundings and church gatherings. It will never be easy, but it matters. Are you aware that God has predetermined a mass judgment specifically for how people treat Israel during the tribulation? Do you understand that as bad as what people did to Israel until now before they enter into the tribulation, the liberty to slaughter the Jewish people will be even greater then. 

We, the church, we are the salt of the Earth. What is the salt? What is salt doing? Preserving, yes, and giving taste. I heard all about that. But what is the main thing? Slowing down the decay. Do you understand that Roman soldiers that died in the battlefield and had to be carried for two weeks back home were put in a sack full of salt to preserve the body until burial? It’s not making them alive, but it’s slowing down the decay. This world is not going to be happy-clappy accepting Jesus. It’s going down. But as long as we’re here, we slow down that process. We are the restrainer. There is the Holy Spirit that is in us, and that makes us the temple of the Holy Spirit. It’s a restrainer. Only when the restrainer is taken out of the way, the antichrist can show his face. And then, one of the first things he’s going to do is persecute the Jews. To the point that Jesus tells them, when you see the abomination of desolation that Daniel spoke about, don’t even go home to pack. Run. Flee. Pray that it’s not on the Sabbath. Pray that it’s not in the wintertime, but flee, run.

And anyone who will belong to the antichrist by default will be anti-Jewish and anti-Christian, because there will be saints during the tribulation that will accept Jesus. And anyone who is against the antichrist by default is accepting Christ. And if he does, he will be for the Jews. Do you understand that?

The verses that refute Replacement Theology and the belief that modern Israel has nothing to do with the Israel of the Bible are many. None, however, are more conclusive than Joel 3. These verses are the proverbial nail in the coffin of such thinking: 

Joel 3:1-2
“For behold, in those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have also divided up My land.”


The fact that Joel 3 opened with the phrase, “in those days and at the time”, tells us that the time period is a future season – “in those days” – and specifically, “at that time.” In other words, this is a prophecy about a specific time in the future for the nation of Israel. 

Joel 3:14-16
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will diminish their brightness. The LORD also will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; the heavens and earth will shake; but the LORD will be a shelter for His people, and the strength of the children of Israel.


The “Day of the Lord” clarifies “in those days and at the time” as the 70th week of Daniel, or the Great Tribulation, and the final battle when the Lord returns to fight against those who fought against Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:3).

If God has cast off His chosen people, what do we do with those verses and the events they describe? Since He hasn’t cast off His people, we must learn from this that He opposes those who oppose Israel and that believing that modern Israel is not biblical Israel or that the church has replaced Israel are both in opposition to the will of God clearly spelled out in His word.

If God defended Israel against those who came against them in the past and we know He will do so in the future, how ridiculous it is to think He acts differently in the present.

Modern Israel is biblical Israel, and no Christian should deny it.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,

One Thing Is Needful

She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was continually listening to His teaching.

Luke 10:39 AMP

If you have followed my ministry, you know that one of my favorite verses is Romans 5:17: “Much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

Unfortunately, there are people who mock what the Word of God says, thinking that receiving is too simplistic and insubstantial. Their focus is on doing, on duty, on what is man’s responsibility.

My dear reader, don’t ever underestimate the power of receiving. Man’s greatest doing—his greatest duty and greatest responsibility—is to humble himself to receive from the Lord Jesus!

Look at what Mary did—she sat at our Lord’s feet and just pulled, drew, and received from her Savior. But Martha came along and complained to Jesus, saying, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me” (Luke 10:40).

What was Martha consumed with? Duty, responsibility, serving, and doing!

I believe that the Martha-type of believers we have today who are constantly complaining against believers like Mary are precious, beloved, and deeply sincere. But they can be so committed to their duties that they forget the person it’s all about. Martha was zealous about serving the Lord, but she ended up being hopping mad with her sister and even chided the Lord.

Mary looked beyond the exterior and saw a fullness in the Lord to draw from. Martha, on the other hand, saw Him in the natural, as needing her ministry. Which sister do you think made the Lord feel like God? Whom was the Lord more pleased with?

Can you see how Martha completely missed the point of all her service? She was utterly consumed by her duty and missed the divine deity, the Lord Jesus Himself, Who was sitting right in her living room!

And listen to our Lord’s response (and I believe that He said this tenderly and with a loving smile): “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41–42 KJV).

I believe that when Martha heard that, she had a revelation immediately. Instead of buzzing around and fuming at the Lord and her sister, she put down her pots and pans, removed her apron, and sat with her sister to receive from the Lord. Never underestimate the power of receiving from our Lord.

The more you receive the abundance of grace and gift of righteousness, the more you will reign, the more you will perform, the more you will be responsible, the more you will glorify the Lord, and the more you will fulfill your call, duty, and destiny. Because Mary did the one thing needful and focused on receiving from the Lord, she ended up performing the right ser- vice for Him.
We read in John 12:1–8 that she anointed the Lord with costly fragrant oil for His burial. All the other women who wanted to anoint Him for His burial were too late on resurrection morning (Luke 24:1–3). Mary was able to do the right thing at the right time because she kept her heart centered on receiving from the Lord. So keep receiving from Jesus. Every day, receive His Word, His grace, and His gift of righteousness. And keep confessing your righteousness in Him—it will result in you doing the right thing at the right time.

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

Consent to Be Rescued

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’”

Luke 15:4–6

Do you remember the parable of the lost sheep Jesus told in Luke 15? When the shepherd found the lost sheep, he lifted it up and laid it upon his strong shoulders.

What did the sheep do? Nothing. It just consented to be rescued by the shepherd. Jesus calls this consent on the part of the sheep “repentance”—“there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).

That is what God invites us to do today—to consent to be protected. He wants us to be on His shoulders, in the safety of Himself as our impenetrable fortress. In this place, no predator can attack His sheep.

On His shoulders, you are highly exalted above all your troubles, above all danger, all attacks, and far above all principalities and powers. Yes, far above Satan, above all the powers of darkness and the snare of the fowler. On His shoulders, you are far above every sickness, disease, and every name that is named. What a great place to be!

And does the Lord do this grudgingly? Absolutely not. The Bible tells us that the shepherd lays the sheep on his shoulders “rejoicing” (Luke 15:5). Our Lord rescues us with great joy in His heart and a big smile on His face.

Beloved, the safest place you can be today is on His shoulders. Jesus is your city of refuge. In your day of trouble, run to Him!

I pray you’ll anchor your heart on the wonderful verse that encapsulates this: “The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, who shelters him all the day long; and he shall dwell between His shoulders” (Deut. 33:12).

When you make the Lord your refuge and dwelling place, you shall dwell safely in Him and no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling!

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

Self Seeking Not God Seeking

'Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.'

John 6:26

Jesus knew the hearts of all men and therefore, He did not commit Himself to this crowd. Just the day before, these same people tried to take Him by force and make Him their king, but He withdrew and spent the night in prayer.

 

This crowd looked like they were seeking Jesus, but they were actually trying to use Jesus to seek their own end. It is true that there are many personal benefits to be reaped through serving the Lord, but the benefits are never to become our object. In all things, Christ must have the preeminence (Col. 1:18).

 

Jesus exposed the true intentions of the people's hearts by preaching a strong message of commitment. Those who were self-centered were offended and left while those who were willing to lay down their lives to experience God's abundant life remained. Commitment to God Himself (not what He can produce) is what always separates the true worshippers of God from the false.

 

As Jesus began to explain in these verses that He was the only way to the Father (Jn. 14:6) and that they would have to come through Him, the people grew angry. It always angers the flesh to think that all our righteous acts can't save us, but Jesus made it clear that our only part in salvation is to believe. Believe what? Believe on Jesus and His sacrifice - not ours. Salvation is a gift and cannot be purchased (Rom. 10:2-3).

 

Many times, we get so intent on seeking God in one area that we forget the greatest miracle of all, which is the love and redemption given to us from God through His Son. God loves us so much!

God’s Robust Peace

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7

I want to talk to you today about experiencing God’s kind of peace in the midst of fearful circumstances. My friend, peace is not the absence of trouble in your life. It is not the absence of turmoil, challenges, or things that are not harmonious in your physical environment.

It is possible to be in the midst of the biggest crisis in your life and still experience peace. That’s the true kind of peace that you can experience with Jesus—peace that surpasses understanding. Naturally speaking, it does not make sense for you to feel completely at rest and at peace when you are in dire straits, but supernaturally, you can be filled with peace!

The world defines peace, harmony, and tranquility based on what is happening in the sensory realm. The world’s notion of peace would look something like this: A man lying in a hammock on a white sandy beach in Hawaii with luau music playing softly in the cabana, coconut trees swaying in perfect unison, and warm, blue waves rolling languidly along the shoreline. The world calls that peace—until reality kicks in and the transient peace that was experienced just moments ago dissipates into thin air!

You see, my friend, you cannot use your external surroundings to permanently influence the turmoil that you are feeling inside. Only Jesus can touch what you are feeling inside and turn that turmoil into His peace. With the Lord by your side, and from that abiding peace within, you can influence your external surroundings. It's not the other way round.

With Jesus, transformation is always from inside out and not outside in. He puts a peace and rest in your heart that is so secure, you can face any challenge without worry or stress, regardless of your negative circumstances and environment.

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

Overcoming Fear

And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to ask help from the LORD; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

2 Chronicles 20:3–4

Have you been in a situation where your circumstances appear to be completely hopeless? Where you felt immobilized and overwhelmed by the challenges surrounding you, with no way out or even a temporary respite in sight? Perhaps under the accumulated weight of it all coming against you at once, you feel as if your entire life is spiraling out of control and falling apart.

That is exactly what happened to King Jehoshaphat and the small tribe of Judah when they were besieged on all fronts by three powerful and blood-thirsty armies rapidly advancing toward Jerusalem (2 Chron. 20). With their enemies mercilessly bent on annihilating them and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, they were facing a forlorn and hopeless situation, and it looked as though they were bound for a tragic end.

When Jehoshaphat was informed that a great multitude was coming against him, his first reaction was fear! I don’t know about you, but this gives me hope! I’m so glad that the Word of God gives us an authentic portrait of who Jehoshaphat was.

He wasn’t a valiant warrior king who was always full of faith and endowed with a disproportionate dose of fiery courage, always ready to take down his enemies. No, he was a regular guy. He did what you and I would have done—he panicked.

But what set Jehoshaphat apart was that even when he was fearful, the very first thing he did was to “set himself to seek the Lord” (2 Chron. 20:3). That is something you and I need to learn to do as well whenever we are fearful. Instead of spiraling deeper into the abyss of self-defeat, know that when you are feeling overwhelmed by your circumstances, that is the time you need to set yourself to seek the Lord.

It’s certainly not the time to run away from God or get bitter, angry, frustrated, and disappointed with Him. Hey, God is not the author of your troubles. He is the author and finisher of your faith, victory, and success.

Jehoshaphat shows us that it’s quite all right to experience bouts of fear from time to time. God doesn’t condemn you when you are afraid. But when you receive a negative medical report or some bad news about your family or business, set yourself to seek the Lord. Jesus is your answer! His perfect love for you will cast out all fear.

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

Keep Speaking Your Righteousness

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son.

Romans 8:3

I love today’s scripture. The answer, my friend, is found not in the law, but in the Son. The law was given by a servant, Moses; grace came through the Son, Jesus.

The grace revolution begins with a person and His name is Jesus. When you have Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and a revelation of His grace, you have everything. You have, most importantly, a new and righteous identity in Christ.

Many believers don’t realize this but revelations can be stolen and forgotten. That’s what happened to the Corinthian church and Paul had to step in to remind them of their righteous identity in Christ.

This is also why it is so essential for you to be part of a local church where you can keep on hearing and hearing messages that are full of the person of Jesus, and be surrounded by Christ-centered leaders and friends who will always point you back to the Lord and your righteous identity in Christ.

I want to encourage you to have a daily consciousness of your righteousness in Christ by speaking and confessing your righteousness out loud. Believe that you are righteous in Christ, and that righteousness is a gift you cannot earn. While knowing this is fantastic, I want you to take a step further with me today and begin to practice confessing your righteousness in Christ daily.

My dear friend, when you are stressed out and a thousand things are screaming for your attention, say quietly under your breath, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.” When you read some horrible news in the morning papers and your heart is gripped with fear for your loved ones, just say quietly under your breath, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.” And when you are feeling a temptation to indulge again in a past addiction, now you know what to do: say quietly under your breath, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.”

Your remaining in victory is directly related to how conscious you are of your righteous identity in Christ. If you truly desire to see lasting breakthroughs in your life and live above defeat, speak! Speak out, speak up, and speak without doubt. And I promise you that you will live more stress free, more fearlessly, more boldly, and more victoriously than ever before!

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

Grace Is a Person, Not a Doctrine

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

John 1:17

Do you know what makes Christianity unique and gives it the power to free people from all fears, condemning thoughts, and addictions? Many of the world’s belief systems are governed by moral codes, rules, and laws.

But Christianity is unique in that it is not about an impersonal list of dos and don’ts. It is about having a relationship with Almighty God. And it is God working in us and for us through this relationship that brings transformation in our lives.

Beloved, God is all about having a relationship with you today. The apostle John tells us that “the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).

Notice also that the law was given. This implies a sense of distance. In contrast, grace came! Grace is personal and came as a person—the person of Jesus Christ.

The law is hard, cold, and impersonal. You cannot have a relationship with two tablets of stone. But grace is gentle and warm. Grace is not a teaching or doctrine. Grace is a person, and you can have a relationship with a person.

God is not interested in mere obedience and submission. He is a God of love and He longs to have an intimate relationship with you.

Jesus came and died a cruel death on the cross, paying the full debt of sin with His own life so that you and I can reign in life today. His sacrifice fulfilled every requirement of the law perfectly on our behalf (Matt. 5:17 NIV). All that we were unable to do, He did on our behalf.

When you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are made holy and righteous by His blood once and for all. You can enter into a relationship with Almighty God and come boldly into His presence without any guilt, condemnation, or expectation of punishment.

You see, when you have fulfilled your debt to the lender for the mortgage on your house, you stop sending in your monthly payments because the debt has already been fulfilled. If the lender sends you a letter demanding additional payment, all you have to do is produce the title deed to your home. In the same sense, the debt that you and I owed to the law has already been fulfilled by our Savior, Jesus Christ! Hallelujah!

When the devil comes to accuse you with the law and shows you how you have fallen short and failed, turn your eyes away from yourself and point to the payment that Jesus made on the cross. Christ is your title deed, which is why you are called a “Christian” today.

You are not your own. You have been purchased with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. His blood, shed for you, is what makes your relationship with God secure. It is what gives you the basis to reach out and receive your freedom from your loving Savior today!

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

Message from Amir Tsarfati

I see Christians who are now flocking to the new best thing on podcasts where they cannot even complete one sentence without five times the F-word and three times the S-word. A new hero of all of us.

Where are we? What fight are we fighting? This is it. It has everything we need. We don’t need to come up with new things. We don’t need to be seen as cool if we listen to this or do that or do this. No. We need to be the salt and the light in this world. We are in this world, but not of this world.

So, I hope and I pray that tonight, not only that we understand who really controls the Middle East, but we understand that God is in full control of everything that is happening all around the world, and that we are the most blessed generation ever, ever to live, since the first century.

We have more knowledge, more understanding, more comfort, more hope than any living creature that doesn’t have Jesus. We must give them hope. We must give them salvation. Through what? Through Jesus.

At a time when it seems for many that acceptance and tolerance have replaced reverence and holiness, we need to remember what the word of God has to say about such things:

Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.


Note that speaking and hearing are both mentioned in this passage that talks about the words that come from the mouth. The things that are said and heard by the body of Christ are to be absent of corruption. The word “corrupt” in this passage means, “rotten, morally worthless, putrefied, or unfit for use”. This last definition tells us that there are things that should not come from our mouths or enter our ears for they are unfit to say or hear.

While it needs to be said that there are some things we hear that are outside of our control, that is not the context of this verse. Paul is talking about things within our control, things that are not fit for us to say or to hear.

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.


While many would argue today that cuss words or dirty jokes are just words, King David states clearly that our words are to be of an acceptable nature to the Lord. This is important because it highlights that fact that the words that exit our mouths come from the heart. When we put rotten, morally worthless, putrefied, and unfit words into our ears, they are going to have an impact on our hearts if only in sense of having a comfort level with them. And we will wind up with a polluted resource of our words.

We need to remember that the Lord gave Israel 613 commands and ordinances for the single purpose of distinguishing them from the rest of the world. The same is true for us, only without the specifics of the Mosaic law. 

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.


I am sure we have all had some commercial jingle or song from the past get stuck in our heads at one time or another, but consider if what you put into your head is true, noble, just, pure, and lovely. Are they things of good report? If so, then the next time something gets stuck on repeat in your brain, it won’t be unfit, rotten, or morally worthless.

Philippians 2:5
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.


I am sure there were many unfit and morally worthless words spoken at the time of Jesus, and I am equally sure that they never found their way into his heart or out of His mouth.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus 

Just a Groan Will Reach the Throne

Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

Exodus 2:23–24

There is an enemy who wants to keep you enslaved to that medical condition in your life. The enemy wants to keep you in a place of despair and to keep you so focused on your disappointments you cannot lay hold of God’s promises for you. That is what he did to the children of Israel. When Moses told the Israelites that God would rescue them from their bondage, the Bible tells us “they refused to listen” as they had “become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery” (Ex. 6:6–9 NLT).

But God did not abandon them even though they refused to listen. He knew they were in a state of despair because they had suffered under the yoke of slavery for so long. Do you want to know what the children of Israel did that caused God to rescue them so mightily?

Read this for yourself in the verse above. The children of Israel were so oppressed all they could do was groan. There was nothing left in them to compose any prayers. And the Bible tells us God heard their groaning and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

I am sharing this with you because I want you to know that you do not need to craft impressive declarations of faith or do anything for God before He hears you. Just a groan will reach the throne. A simple sigh from you will reach the throne room of your Abba in heaven. If just a groan from the children of Israel could activate the covenant God had cut with their forefathers, how much more would your cry accomplish, oh child of the Most High!

If you are in a place of discouragement about your medical condition, cry out to Him and take this additional insight from the Passover as an encouragement. I love it that God told the children of Israel to partake of the Passover lamb in this manner: “And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand” (Ex. 12:11).

Why did they have to eat with belts on their waists, sandals on their feet, and staffs in their hands? God was telling them to be ready for their physical deliverance even as they ate the roasted lamb.

In the same way, when we partake of the Lord’s Supper, let’s partake with faith and expectancy. Our compassionate Lord Jesus has heard our groans and He is both willing and able to deliver us from any oppression.

Let’s partake expecting our miracle to take place, expecting our deliverance. That’s what the Israelites did despite their suffering, and they came out with not one sick, not one feeble.

I want to see that happening for my church and for you. We may not yet have come to the place where we can say there are “none feeble,” but I believe we are on our way.

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

Opposition To The Gospel

 'Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to

send peace, but a sword.'

MATTHEW 10:34

This statement seems like a contradiction to some prophecies concerning Jesus and some of Jesus' own statements concerning peace, as well as what was written of Him in the New Testament Epistles. However, the peace that Jesus purchased was peace between God and man. We have peace with God (Rom. 5:1). We are exhorted to take this peace and extend it to all men, but it is also made very clear that not all men will receive it.

 

Peace can only come when we relate to God on the basis of faith in what He did for us, instead of what we do for Him. A person who is thinking that he must perform up to some standard to be accepted by God will have no peace. That puts the burden of salvation on our shoulders, and we can't bear that load. We were incapable of living holy enough to please God before we were saved, and we are incapable of living holy enough to please God now that we are saved (Heb. 11:6). We were saved by faith, and we have to continue to walk with God by faith (Col. 2:6). Not understanding this has made many Christians, who love God, unable to enjoy the peace that was provided for them through faith in Jesus.

 

The Gospel will always produce opposition from those who don't receive it. This 'sword of division,' even among family members, is not God's will, nor is it God that causes it. But, it will inevitably come, and Jesus was simply preparing His disciples for that time. As much as we would like everyone to receive the good news, we must not think it is strange when even our loved ones don't receive it. Jesus was rejected by His own, and we will be also. We must remain faithful to continue preaching the Gospel, for there are others who will receive. Keep sharing the 'Good News!' Andrew Womack

Get Your Life Back

And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

Luke 6:19

Trembling at the thought of being seen and stoned by the crowds, the man with leprosy crouched beneath one of the many stone slabs dotting the slopes of the picturesque hills that framed the Sea of Galilee. He had come to see the man they called Jesus, Who he had heard was a healer.

People had talked about how Jesus healed—how everyone who had gone to Him for healing received their healing. He turned none away. Whatever their conditions—fevers, paralyses, deaf ears, or demonic oppression—He healed them all.

All. That little word gave him hope that perhaps even he might be made whole. By the time he reached the hills, a large multitude had gathered on the slopes to listen to Jesus teach. This poor diseased man couldn’t see Jesus from where he was hiding in fear, but because of the unique acoustics of the hills, he could hear every word that Jesus was speaking to the multitudes:

“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you” (Matt. 6:28–30 NLT).

He listened attentively—the timbre of Jesus’ voice and every word He spoke carried an immeasurable depth of understanding and empathy for his everyday fears. Embers of hope that he had thought long dead suddenly flared to life, fanned by the authority of Jesus’ words. Whereas he had initially trembled from fear of being exposed, now he began trembling with a different emotion that made him listen even more fervently.

As the meaning of Jesus’ words sank in, the man with leprosy began to weep. For the first time in years, he wondered, Is this possible? That God wants to be a Father to me? A heavenly Father Who would clothe me much better than the lilies, which are better clothed than Solomon in all his glory, if I put my trust in Him? Is it possible that God is reaching out to me with kindness, acceptance, and love, and inviting me to taste and receive His goodness? After all the years of being rejected and living as an outcast, something deep within his heart broke at these new thoughts and brought on a fresh flood of tears.

Galvanized by the unmistakable compassion in Jesus’ voice that caused hope to race along every still-intact nerve in his body, the man crawled out of his makeshift shelter the moment Jesus finished speaking. All thoughts of staying hidden were gone. All he wanted to do was to go to Jesus and ask Him to take his disease away.

As he began to make his way to Jesus, there, coming down the hill, a man walking slightly ahead of a few others caught his eye. He realized it was Jesus, coming straight toward him.

Instead of having gone straight down to the crowds after preaching to them, the Lord had turned another way to go toward the lone, afflicted man, as if He already knew all about the man’s need and where he was. Unable to hold back his feelings, the man fell at Jesus’ feet and worshiped Him.

In a voice still choked with tears, he whispered, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Without hesitation, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” He said, with the same compassion and warmth the man had heard earlier in His voice. “Be cleansed” (Matt. 8:2–3).

As he felt the touch of Jesus’ warm hands, the man closed his eyes involuntarily and his body shuddered under that touch. It had been so long since he had felt the touch of another human being, let alone a warm and loving touch.

Then he opened his eyes to look at Jesus, and found Him smiling at him with love in His eyes. Sensing that something was different about his body, the man looked down at his hands, which a moment ago had been covered with open sores and had ended in stubs for fingers. His eyes beheld healthy hands with fingers fully formed and skin completely whole.

Like one in a dream, he began lifting the sleeves and hem of his robe and watched in amazement as the cloth rolled upward to reveal smooth, unblemished skin covering his arms, legs, and feet. He was cleansed! The power of Jesus had, in an instant, swallowed up his uncleanness.

He looked up into the face of the One Who had made him whole, overcome with gratitude. Even as he turned to go, the man knew he would never forget the compassion and encouragement he had seen in our Lord Jesus’ face, nor His warm and affirming touch.

He has not just healed and cleansed me, the elated man thought as he walked away in wonder. He has given me back my life!

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

All Your Needs Supplied

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm 23:1

A well-known picture of God as our Shepherd and healer is articulated in the beautiful Psalm 23. It was written by David, a shepherd who saw the Lord as his Shepherd. Take a moment and read the psalm for yourself in your Bible.

When you see the Lord as your Shepherd, you will not lack, and that includes not lacking for health. Whatever needs you have, you will not lack because your Good Shepherd provides.

You don’t have to run yourself ragged trying to take care of everything and live as though you have no God. Whatever medical condition you are faced with, stay close to the Shepherd and allow Him to provide for you.

And did you notice the first thing the Shepherd does? The psalmist wrote, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures” (Ps. 23:2).

When you allow Him to be your Good Shepherd, He will bring you to green pastures and make you lie down. You can rest, for He will provide for you. He will lead you beside still waters where you can drink and be refreshed. The Hebrew word for “still” is manuka, which means “rest.” He wants you in a place of resting in the victory He has already won at the cross.

It is not by coincidence that many of Jesus’ healing miracles took place on the Sabbath. He healed a man with a withered hand (Matt. 12:10–13), a woman bowed down for eighteen years (Luke 13:10–13), a man with dropsy (Luke 14:2–4), and another man with a thirty-eight-year infirmity at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:2–9), all on the Sabbath.

God told His people to observe the Sabbath as a day of rest (Ex. 20:8–11). When we rest, God works; when we work, God rests. I don’t know about you, but I can’t afford not to have God working in every area in my life!

Maybe you or your loved ones have been dealing with a chronic condition. Allow me to explain that “rest” doesn’t mean you don’t do what your doctors have advised or don’t carry out the physiotherapy exercises prescribed to you, and you simply sit at home in denial. Rest is not inactivity; it is Spirit-directed activity where you allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in what to do, and you do it without worrying because you know He is in control.

Do you want to know the result of allowing the Lord to give us rest?

Let me show you what King Solomon said:

But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence.

—1 Kings 5:4

Don’t you love that? I pray that you will experience that in Jesus’ name—to come to a place where there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence in your life. Amen!

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

The Fuel for Right Living

But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God….For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Hebrews 10:12, 14

Many believers are worried that when people receive the revelation of their total forgiveness in Christ, they will grow lax, take sin lightly, and go on to lead godless lives. They are worried that such teaching places no emphasis on sanctification or the desire to live holy, God-glorifying lives.

So allow me to explain here that while you have been justified and made righteous by the blood of Jesus or perfected forever, sanctification is an ongoing process in your growth as a Christian. This is why the author of the book of Hebrews says that we are being sanctified even though we are perfected forever by Christ’s one act of obedience at the cross (see today’s scripture).

As a believer you cannot become more righteous but you can become more sanctified or holy in terms of how you live your life. Justification by faith happened instantaneously—the moment you received Jesus, you were forgiven, cleansed, perfected in righteousness, and saved. You were also sanctified in Christ (Heb. 10:10).

However, it is important to understand that the revelation and outworking of your sanctification in Christ is progressive. This means that the more you grow in your relationship with the Lord Jesus, the more holy you will become in every area of your life.

I remember a precious brother writing to my ministry describing how the revelation of our forgiveness in Christ brought him into an intimacy with God that he had previously only dreamed about. “Previously, when I was trying to be a good Christian,” he said, “I was only crawling along, inch by inch. But now that I’ve got hold of grace, I’m running in my relationship with God! The more I learn about God’s amazing grace, the more I desperately want to glorify Him with my life!”

What a beautiful, true-life picture of what really happens when a person sits under teaching that uncovers the undiluted gospel of glorious grace! The revelation of forgiveness does not detract from nor is it at the expense of right living. Instead, it is the fuel that makes right living happen.

Merriam-Webster Online describes sanctification as “the state of growing in divine grace as a result of Christian commitment after conversion.” You see, it is all about growing in grace.

Establish yourself in the gospel of grace. Paul told Timothy to be “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:1). Peter encouraged believers to build a strong foundation with these closing words in his last epistle: “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18).

My friend, grace produces true holiness. The more you grow in grace—the more you are washed, again and again, by the water of the word of God’s grace—the more you grow in sanctification and holiness, and the more you allow the Holy Spirit to correct habits and thinking that keep you in bondage.

Beloved, when you experience the grace of our Lord Jesus, the allure and passing pleasures of sin fade in the light of His glory and grace. It will set you free to have the kind of relationship you’ve always longed for with God, one that is intimate, powerful, and full of peace, joy, and good fruit!

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

Pursued by God

But He needed to go through Samaria. So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar...Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

John 4:4–7

I encourage you to read the remarkable story of the Samaritan woman in John 4. Considered a woman with a shady past, she was gossiped about in her village and probably shunned for being a home wrecker, a “stealer of husbands.”

Now, hers is not a fictional story. She was a real person, just like you and me. Her problems and pain, like many of ours, were real and hounded her every day . . . until she encountered a very real Savior!

Despite the custom of the Jews of that day to avoid any contact with the Samaritans, whom they perceived as spiritually inferior, John records that as Jesus was traveling from Judea to Galilee, “He had to go through Samaria” (John 4:4 NLT).

Pause with me and think about these words for a moment: Had to. Needed to. Must. Words that speak not just of necessity but underscore a steady resolve and even urgency! Jesus had deliberately scheduled a divine appointment with the woman at the well, though she knew nothing about it.

We know from the account that this ostracized, lonely woman had a life-transforming conversation with Jesus at the well. But make no mistake—it wasn’t she who sought out Jesus to talk to Him. It was the Savior who pursued the one whom others shunned.

Do you know that He is still doing that today? Do you have a past that you are ashamed of? Are you struggling to overcome something that you know is destroying you? Do you feel all alone and that no one understands the pain you are going through?

I want you to know that Jesus hasn’t changed. As He was for the Samaritan woman, the loving Savior is still your very present help in your time of need (Ps. 46:1).

He knows the suffering, shame, and struggles you are going through right now. And even if what you are going through is a consequence of bad life choices and mistakes of your own doing, He doesn’t abandon and forsake you. No—a thousand times, no!

He goes out of the way to have a personal appointment with you, to restore and rescue you. The fact that you are reading this right now is a confirmation that Jesus is reaching out to you with His love, grace, and forgiveness.

Talk to Him as the woman did. Taste and touch His grace and compassion for you as she did. And like her, discover Jesus’ forgiveness, freedom, and strength to walk into a bright new future.

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

Message from Amir Tsarfati

People have asked me, “What is the prophetic significance of the war in Ukraine?” I said, “Look, there is nowhere in the Bible where the war in Ukraine is mentioned.” But in the Bible, there’s no mention of any war between other countries. It’s always the relations of other countries and Israel. And what do we see in the last year? A record number of Jews returning back to their land from Russia and the Ukraine. Isaiah 66 reads, “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.” 

Israel was born in a day. I don’t know if you know that. The British declared that they’re leaving. Nobody believed them. Then they left, and we didn’t know what to do. So, we declared statehood, and we’re a state since then. Overnight. We didn’t have time to write our Declaration of Independence on one piece of paper. We wrote it on different pieces, then we sewed it all together. Look, it’s beyond a miracle because the day we said that, the day we declared statehood, we were attacked by five armies.

When the judgment of God targeted Israel, it was always either drought or expulsion from the land. And when God was restoring the nation, it always involved bringing the people back. The land is an integral part of the life of the nation under God. So why do we still have Jewish people residing anywhere but the land of Israel? Look, only in the last few years, the number of Jews living in Israel surpassed the number of Jews living elsewhere. It’s quite interesting.

So what is Judaism? It’s both biological and theological. I mean, you’re born a Jew. You know, I did a DNA test. You can trace a Jew by a DNA test. It’s a seed, remember. But then it’s also, in the eyes of rabbis, it’s also a theological thing. According to Britannica, it’s a monotheistic religion developed among the ancient Hebrews. Judaism is characterized by a belief in one transcendent God who revealed himself to Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew prophets and by a religious life followed in accordance with scriptures and rabbinic traditions. Judaism is the complex phenomena of a total way of life for the Jewish people comprising theology, law, and innumerable cultural traditions.

Paul posed a question that many ponder today when they think of the Jews and that is:

Romans 3:1-3
What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?


Later in that chapter, Paul would begin his march down the Romans road when he launched with this:

Romans 3:21-23
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.


Again, he wrote:

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Back to the question, what is the point of being a Jew if there is no difference between Jew and Gentile in that all have earned the wages of sin and require the gift of God through Jesus Christ?

Why the 613 commands contained in the law? Why circumcision? Why the feast days? Why the Holy Convocations? Why the dress code and food restrictions if the Jew still needs what every person needs, which is a Savior? 

2 Corinthians 6:17-18
Therefore: “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.”


The Greek word translated “separate” means “to mark off from others by boundaries.” In other words, what God said to the Jews is what He says in different terms to the church. “Live in a manner that identifies that you have a relationship with Me and are My people.” 

We might say that God’s people are to be a sanctified people, a marked people identifiable by their beliefs and practices. What we can also learn from the Jews is that being “marked off from others by boundaries” doesn’t exempt you from needing a Savior. Simply put, we should live in a manner where no one would be surprised to find out we’re Christians. How we live would say it, what we do would say it, what we don’t do would say it. Those things wouldn’t save us, just like being a Jew doesn’t save them. But, those around us would know without a doubt that we are of the people of God.

This is important for us to understand because there are far too many today who claim to follow Christ but whose behaviors don’t line up with their professed beliefs. While it is true that we are not under the law and live in the age of grace, the following is also true:  

Titus 2:11-14
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, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.


In these last of the last days, we should stick out like the proverbial sore thumb in this ever darkening world. God wanted His chosen people, the Jews, to be different from the rest of the world, and He wants the same from the church. He’s not calling us to be weird or obnoxious, but to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation, and all the more as we see the day approaching. 

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus 

A Picture of a Blessed Man

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7–8

Let’s look at some of the pictures that the Bible paints for us in Jeremiah 17. God’s Word is amazing. He speaks to us through word pictures and imagery in the Bible.

For example, Jeremiah 17:5–6 paints us a picture of a cursed man—“a shrub in the desert.” What a dismal image of a man! A person who is always trusting in himself is like a dried-up shrub, looking old, tired, and haggard.

But thank God the Bible didn’t just stop with the description of the cursed man. It goes on to paint a beautiful picture of a blessed man: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.”

Wow! I know which man I would rather be. Truly, a picture is worth more than a thousand words! I want you to see yourself as this tree planted by the waters today!

When I was on vacation with my wife, Wendy, in the breathtaking Canadian Rockies, we spent a lot of time just roaming around and soaking in the splendor of our heavenly Father’s creation. As we wandered along the bank of a tranquil river that we chanced upon, we found a majestic tree anchored by the water’s edge. Its trunk was sturdy and strong, and its branches stretched out to form a perfect canopy above it. In contrast to the other trees that were further away from the river, its leaves were refreshingly green and luscious. This was because the tree was constantly nourished by the river.

Looking at that impressive, beautiful tree, I couldn’t help but recall the blessed man described in Jeremiah 17, and I remember saying to myself then, “I am like this tree in Jesus’ name!” When you depend on and trust in the Lord, you are like this tree too.

Jesus will cause you to be a picture of robust strength, vitality and good success. See yourself like a beautiful tree planted by the waters. God’s Word says that even when heat comes, you will not fear it!

Did you notice a crucial difference between the blessed man and the cursed man? While the cursed man cannot see good when it comes (Jer. 17:6), the blessed man will not fear even when heat comes!

The King James Version says that the blessed man “shall not see when heat cometh.” This is amazing. It means that heat comes even to the blessed man but he is not conscious of seasons of heat, but continues to be strong and to flourish. He will be like a tree whose leaf continues to be green.

When you are like the blessed man, you will be evergreen! This means that you will enjoy divine health, youthfulness, vitality, and dynamism.

When you are blessed, your body will be full of life as the Lord renews your youth and vigor. Your health will not fail you nor will you lose your youth. There will be no stress, fear, and panic attacks because the blessed man “will not be anxious in the year of drought.”

A year of drought speaks of a severe famine, and in our modern vernacular, it would be no different from the global financial meltdown, the subprime crisis, the collapse of global investment banks, the volatile stock markets, and rising inflation. While it may be bad news for the world, the blessed man can remain at rest and not be anxious because God has promised that even in the midst of a crisis, he will not “cease from yielding fruit.”

Beloved, be the blessed man who puts his trust in the Lord and this will also happen to you!

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