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Showing posts from December, 2012

Ignore The Winds And Waves

But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” Matthew 14:30 Peter got out of the boat and walked on water at the command of the Lord. But when he felt the boisterous winds, he panicked, started sinking and cried, “Lord, save me!” Immediately, the Lord stretched out His hand and saved him. Let me ask you this: If the winds weren’t boisterous that night, would Peter have been able to walk on water? Of course not! Peter’s feat had nothing to do with how strong the winds or waves were. It had everything to do with Jesus. As long as he fixed His eyes on Jesus, Peter was able to do what he saw the Lord doing. In the same way, my friend, when the boisterous winds of painful symptoms or bad medical reports clamor for your attention, remember that receiving your healing has nothing to do with how bad they are. It has everything to do with how Christ has already paid the price for your

Rich Through Jesus’ Poverty-Joseph Prince

2 Corinthians 8:9 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. When we think of God, we think of the most powerful and richest being in the whole universe. But do you know that our Lord Jesus was actually born into a poor family? We know this from the offering His mother Mary brought to the temple after Jesus was born, according to the Law for purification. (Luke 2:22–24) She brought a pair of turtledoves or young pigeons, which was the only type of offering the poor could afford. (Leviticus 12:2, 8) But with Jesus in their lives, Mary and her husband Joseph didn’t remain poor. Wise men came to Jesus with treasures — “And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, fra

Why Jesus Became One Of Us

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 and truth. John 1:14 Have you ever wondered why, when God came down to us, He had to take on the form of human flesh? My friend, it’s so that He could become our kinsman Redeemer. You see, in ancient Israel, if you had lost your land or something through poverty or bad debts, it’s possible to have someone buy it back or redeem it for you. However, that person had to meet three conditions. Firstly, he had to be a relative of yours. Secondly, he had to be wealthy enough to buy back the land. Thirdly, and most importantly, he had to be willing to do it. My friend, Jesus came down to us in human flesh so that He could fulfill the first condition, that is, become our relative or one of us. Now, do you think that as King of the universe, He had the means to buy back all that we’ve lost? Yes, of course, but most importantly,

God’s Glory Has Been Restored To You-Joseph Prince

John 17:22 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: When God made man, the Bible says that God crowned him with glory and honor. (Psalm 8:5) The word “crowned” here means to encompass or to surround like a glorious circle. The glory of God was therefore man’s clothing. In other words, Adam’s whole being was gloriously radiant. When man sinned against God, he forfeited the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) But when Jesus Christ was born, the glory of God came down. (Luke 2:9) And many years later, Jesus, before He died, said to His Father, “The glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.” So the glory of God which man forfeited has now been restored to him because Jesus has come. When He died on the cross, He took our shame, gave us His righteousness and restored the glory of God to us. But what exactly is the glory of God? Doxa , the Gr

God So Loves You

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 A bell is not a bell until you ring it. A song is not a song until you sing it. Love is not love until you give it. And God gave us His only beloved Son, Jesus Christ, some 2,000 years ago, all because He loves you with every fiber of His being. Every time you think of or celebrate Christmas, remember this: Christmas is a sure sign from heaven that God loves you. God so loved YOU (you can put your name here) that He gave you Jesus. So you are loved, my friend. Every pain you feel in your heart, every disappointment that you go through, every tear that falls, God knows all that you are going through because He cares deeply about you. Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Because the Lord so loves you, He came and died to give you life more abundantly.

Fear Not, Your Savior Is Here! Joseph Prince

Luke 2:10–11 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. My friend, if all is silent and dark in your life now, and you feel like you have been left out in the cold, just know that Jesus came to be your Savior at such a time as this. He was not born in the comfort of a warm, cozy room, but in a cold manger. There was no room for Him in the inn (Luke 2:7), so that there will always be room at the cross for your healing, deliverance, wholeness and prosperity, and a mansion in heaven waiting for you! Jesus was born very quietly, so quietly that the Bible says that only a group of shepherds came to Him, while the rest of Bethlehem slept. (Luke 2:8–9) Like manna falling quietly from heaven in the Old Testament, the true bread from heaven came quietly. It wa

The Voice Of The Comforter

Meditate On But the Helper, the Holy Spirit… John 14:26 Have you ever mistaken voices of criticism of yourself for the voice of God? My friend, I want you to know right now that that critical, judgmental and condemning voice is not God’s voice! God isn’t a faultfinder who lives in you by His Spirit to highlight and nag all day long about your imperfections. No, He is in you to encourage you, strengthen you, love you and point out all the things that are right about you because you are in Christ Jesus, the altogether lovely one. As Jesus is, so are you in this world (1 John 4:17)! The one who condemns and makes you feel filthy and unworthy of God’s love and blessings is the devil, the accuser of our brethren (Revelation 12:10). But the warm, friendly voice on the inside that lifts you up and cheers you on when you are discouraged and downcast is that of the Holy Spirit. That’s why Jesus described Him as the “Comforter” or “Helper” (John 14:26, KJV,

If You Can Believe

…Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 When a poor demon-possessed child was brought to Jesus, the father of the child, obviously desperate, said to Jesus, “…if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus’ replied, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:22–23). Now, many of us have been taught that Jesus was saying that as long as you have the necessary faith, all things are possible for you. In other words, if you can produce the faith, you can have your miracle. But is this what Jesus meant? If you study the Greek structure of this verse, what Jesus was actually saying was that all things are possible for Him who always believes. Jesus is the only Man who always believes, who always has perfect faith. And because He is Lord, all things are possible for Him! My friend, simply hook your limited faith to the perfect

Jesus’ Authority Has Been Given To Us-Joseph Prince

Matthew 28:18–19 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore… When God created man, He gave man authority to have dominion over everything on earth. (Genesis 1:26) But when man sinned, he gave this authority to Satan. And when man’s authority was transferred to Satan, Satan brought in diseases, poverty, strife, bitterness, pain, loss and death. He messed up everything on earth for man. “Pastor Prince, why didn’t God just grab the devil by the neck and throw him out of the garden?” God did not do that because He is a judicial God. It was a man who gave away his authority to Satan. So it had to be a man who would legally take it back. And God has done this through a Man. His name is Jesus! By His death on the cross, Jesus righteously restored all that man had lost. That is why, just before He went back to heaven, He said, “All authority has been given

Blessed At God’s Command!

Then I will command My blessing on you in the sixth year, and it will bring forth produce enough for three years. Leviticus 25:21 Let me show you something about God’s principle of rest today. God told the Israelites to sow and reap their land for six years, but on the seventh year, they were to rest their land (Leviticus 25:1–5). You might ask, “What were the Israelites supposed to eat in the seventh year if they couldn’t do any sowing or reaping in that year?” Well, God said, “…I will command My blessing on you in the sixth year, and it will bring forth produce enough for three years.” In other words, God would so bless their sowing in the sixth year that what they reaped would be enough to last them for three years! Isn’t God so practical? My friend, when you observe God’s principle of rest, your needs will be more than met. When you cease striving and worrying, and simply rest in God’s goodness and promises made sure by the finished work of His

Pray Up Your Immune System!

1 Corinthians 14:4 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself… Many Charismatics believe that when you speak in tongues, you edify or build up your spirit man. Well, that is only one-third true. The Bible does not say that the speaker edifies his spirit. No, it says that the speaker “edifies himself ”. This means his entire self — spirit, soul and body. So he who speaks in tongues builds up his spirit, soul and body. Does this include building up your immune system? Yes, it does! Brain specialists at Oral Roberts University’s hospital found out through research and testing that when a person prays in tongues, his brain releases two chemicals that are directed to his immune system, giving it a 35 to 40 per cent boost. Interestingly, these secretions are triggered by a part of our brain that has no other apparent activity and which is activated only when we pray in tongues. Now, your immune system is your first line of defense

Pray Up Your Immune System!-Joseph Prince

1 Corinthians 14:4 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself… Many Charismatics believe that when you speak in tongues, you edify or build up your spirit man. Well, that is only one-third true. The Bible does not say that the speaker edifies his spirit. No, it says that the speaker “edifies himself ”. This means his entire self — spirit, soul and body. So he who speaks in tongues builds up his spirit, soul and body. Does this include building up your immune system? Yes, it does! Brain specialists at Oral Roberts University’s hospital found out through research and testing that when a person prays in tongues, his brain releases two chemicals that are directed to his immune system, giving it a 35 to 40 per cent boost. Interestingly, these secretions are triggered by a part of our brain that has no other apparent activity and which is activated only when we pray in tongues. Now, your immune system is your first line of defense

Forget the Former Things-Joel and Victoria Osteen

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TODAY’S SCRIPTURE “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” (Isaiah 43:18, NIV) TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria Too often, people spend so much time and energy dwelling on the past, dwelling

See Jesus Doing It Through You

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 Under the old covenant of law, man works for God. That’s why the law states very clearly, “You shall not…you shall not…you shall…you shall…” (Exodus 20:3–17). The focus is on you working. Under grace, God works. That’s why, in reference to the new covenant, God said, “I will…I will…I will…” (Hebrews 8:8–12). You rest in His “I wills” as He works in you, through you and for you. Today, the question is, how do we rest in His “I wills” on a practical basis and see the Lord doing what He wants to do in our lives? My friend, it’s simple. Let’s suppose that you have an important sales presentation to make and your boss expects you to clinch the deal. Instead of worrying, bring Jesus into the picture. See Him giving the presentation. See Him clinching the deal. Just tell Him, “Jesus, this is Your assignment. This is Your project.” Involve Him and allow Him to work in you, through you an

A Way Of Escape-Joseph Prince

Psalm 23:5 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. The table is set. The bread and wine are there, and Jesus says to you, “Come, My child, partake.” But you tell Him, “Lord, I am unworthy!” You are afraid to come to the Lord’s table perhaps because you have been taught that if you partake in your “unworthy” state, you will come under God’s fiery judgment. My friend, Jesus has washed you whiter than snow and qualified you with His own blood, so you are as worthy as worthy can be! The most humble thing you can do now is to acknowledge His perfect sacrifice and accept His invitation with gladness. In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul tells the church how to partake of the Lord’s Supper so that they will not drink judgment to themselves. The word “judgment” in verses 29 and 34 is krima in the original Greek text. It refers to a divine sentence. And in the context of th

A Love Everlasting And Unconditional

I have loved you with an everlasting love… Jeremiah 31:3 At the best of times, between even the best of people, the love we have for one another is often conditional. We still expect something in return. We expect our love to be reciprocated. But the love that God has for us is not like that at all. His love for us is everlasting and totally unconditional. “What if I’ve fallen into sin and stayed away from church? Does God still love me then?” Yes, my friend, God still loves you and if you would open up your heart to His goodness, His goodness will lead you to repentance (Romans 2:4). Even when you have turned your back toward God, His love and light still shine on you. You only have to turn back to Him and receive His love. You will find His grace right there to help you overcome whatever sin you are struggling with. Beloved, He waits patiently for you to turn back to Him, just like the father in the story of the prodigal son. He is not just a God o

Reach Out-Joel Osteen

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TODAY’S SCRIPTURE “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40, NIV) TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria The way to tell how

Forgiven And Forgotten!

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. Hebrews 8:12 Under the new covenant of grace, your sins and lawless deeds are forgiven and remembered no more because of the sacrifice of Jesus! And because God’s holiness and righteousness have already punished your entire life of sins in the body of Jesus, today, His holiness and righteousness will not remember your sins to punish you. They don’t exist anymore in His memory bank. I like what the psalmist says: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). Aren’t you glad that God isn’t keeping an itemized account of your sins? You can live free with no fearful expectations of judgment from God, and be bold in His presence. You can talk to Him as you would your best friend. You can trust Him to provide for all your needs and give you good success. Beloved, the price has been paid f

Feed On God’s Word Daily-Joseph Prince

Matthew 4:4 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” The Bible tells us that God breathed into man and he became a living being. (Genesis 2:7) It also tells us that all Scripture is God-breathed. (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV) This means that when you read the Bible or listen to God’s Word preached, you are imbibing the very breath of God which gives you life. That is why there may have been times you walked into church feeling tired at first, but left at the end of the service feeling refreshed and energized. God’s Word had breathed life into your body! I have also seen many of our church members becoming healthier, stronger and even younger-looking because they spend time in God’s Word. It is no wonder that Proverbs 4:22 tells us that God’s words are “ life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh ”. So if you are under the

The Price Has Been Paid!

He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. 1 John 2:2, NLT When guilt and condemnation weigh heavily on their conscience, many feel the need to pay for their sins. To appease the sense that they have failed, they punish themselves by mentally berating themselves repeatedly for their failings, and some even go so far as to cause injury or harm to their own bodies. And when things don’t work out in their studies, work or relationships, they tell themselves that they deserve the negative outcome. They don’t feel that they deserve to succeed in what they do. My friend, the answer to our consciousness of guilt, failure or inadequacy is the cross. The cross declares, “Jesus, the sinless, spotless, beloved Son of God, died in your place. There is your punishment! He was pierced. He was cut. He was wounded for your transgressions. He was crushed so that you don’t have to be crushed. He died young s

Call It The Way God Calls It!-Joseph Prince

Romans 4:17 17 … God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; Many a time, when we look at ourselves, we don’t see what we can become. But when God looks at us, He sees what we can become by His grace. When Jesus first saw Simon, whose name in Greek means “reed”, He changed his name to “Peter”, which means “rock”. But did Peter instantly become someone with the characteristics of a rock — solid, stable and unshakable? No, for a long time, he continued to act like a reed that bends every which way the wind blows. Once, when Peter saw Jesus walking on water, he took a bold step of faith and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Then, as he was walking on the water, he saw the boisterous wind, got scared and when he began to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:28–30) Another time, he said, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison an

Jesus—God’s Overpayment For Our Sins

Meditate On …come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 Can you imagine paying your creditor 10 times the amount you owe him? How about 100 times that amount? Who does things like that? God did on your behalf. Why? It’s so that when you know this, you’ll never have debt on your conscience again. Beloved, Jesus is God’s overpayment for your sins. Let me explain what I mean. Let’s say that I owe somebody $10,000. Along comes my best friend. He knows about my debt and out of his love for me, he pays my creditor not $10,000 but $100,000! Now, when I look at my creditor, I am no longer embarrassed or afraid. In a sense, it’s because of me that he is now richer. He is more blessed than before because my best friend paid him an extra $90,000. In the same sense, our Lord Jesus is an overpayment. If you know the value of Jesus, you will know that He is God’s overpayment for our sins. S

Divinely Arranged, Beautifully Timed-Joseph Prince

Ecclesiastes 3:11 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time… Nothing happens to you by accident when you have God in your life. Even a “chance” meeting with someone is part of His plan to set in motion His blessings in your life. Such was the divinely arranged meeting of the Shunammite woman and Prophet Elisha. It led to the prophet pronouncing over her the blessing of a miracle child even though she was barren and her husband was old. (2 Kings 4:8–17) A few years later, it was this friendship with the man of God, which saw her through a crisis when her son fell seriously ill and died — Elisha raised her son back to life. (2 Kings 4:18–37) When God is the one orchestrating the events in your life, neither lack nor danger nor destruction can affect you. When famine hit the land, the Shunammite woman’s family did not suffer because through Elisha, God had told them to leave the land. They went to the land of the Philisti

The Day You’ve Been Waiting For-Joel Osteen

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TODAY’S SCRIPTURE “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19, NIV) TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Daddy!

…you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” Romans 8:15, NASB ‘’ The Lord told me once that walking in His blessings was a matter of spirit—walking in the spirit of sonship. And beloved, this is how the spirit of sonship operates—by us turning to God and crying out, “ Abba , Daddy!” like little children. Today, I want to encourage you to call upon God with the greatest sense of intimacy. Call Him Daddy, Papa or Abba and just speak to Him right from your heart. When the going gets tough, go somewhere quiet and talk to Him. Say, “Daddy, I want to tell you about this problem at work that I am facing.” If you have a sickness in your body and you need healing, come to your Father and say, “Daddy, Daddy, I need to hear Your words of life and promises of healing for this condition.” Let me tell you, He will surely speak to you! When you feel so overwhelmed that you don’t know what to pray, just call out to your Daddy