GLORIOUS GRACE! - 69

1 John 4:18 - There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear…

Actually, our bodies are designed for faith. Fear was foreign to man until Adam sinned against God. For the first time, Adam knew fear, and he hid from God and said, “I heard Your voice…I was afraid…I hid myself.” (Genesis 3:10)

Since then, man has been living in the realm of fear—fear of the future, fear of what others might say, fear of diseases, fear of flying…Actually, every fear is born out of the feeling of being cut off from God. If you think that God is angry with you, that He is out to punish you, how can you trust God for your blessings and miracles?

But there is good news for you. There is a sure antidote for fear. The apostle John says that “perfect love casts out fear”. When you know that God so loves you that He gave His Son to take on your sins, so that you can take on His blessings, then you will stop fearing.

And if God did not withhold His “beloved” Son Jesus from being crucified for our sake, why should we think that He will withhold lesser things like healing, children, career, finances or a blessed marriage from us? (Romans 8:32).

Thought for the day!
Today, you don’t have to hide from God, but you can run to Him without fear because He is not out to punish you but He is out to protect and provide for you, so fear not! 

GLORIOUS GRACE! - 68

Luke 15:20 - So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.

In the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–24), the father did not say one word about the loss or waste, though his son had indeed wasted his inheritance on riotous living. The father only saw his son’s home-coming as an opportunity to show him how much he loved him and to restore to him what he had lost.

Like the father in the parable, it is your heavenly Father’s desire to embrace you when you return to Him and show you how much you are loved. And it is His good pleasure to restore to you what you have lost. (Lk 15:22-23)

The truth is that the moment you come to Him, He immediately restores to you the robe of honour to cover your sins, the ring of authority to declare your position of power and dominion, and the sandals on your feet (which servants do not wear) to reinstate you as a son in His house.

Thought for the day!
The heavenly Father reassures you, if you return to Him, that you had never lost the position of son-ship. And He celebrates your return to Him because you are His beloved child. 

GLORIOUS GRACE! - 67

Luke 7:13 - When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

There is no trial, difficulty or challenge we face today that our Lord Jesus cannot identify with. The moment we experience a trial, right there and then, He feels it too, because He “in every respect has been tested as we are” (Heb 4:15), and He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses.

Jesus’ compassion for you is the same compassion He felt for the widow at Nain. (Luke 7:11–15). When Jesus saw her, He was moved with compassion and said to her, “Do not weep.”

Now, some people might also be moved to approach her, but only to say, “Look sister, something is terribly wrong. Why such things are happening? You must find out what is wrong. You better ask God what sin you have committed, and repent. Or perhaps there is a curse in your life that needs to be broken.”

Isn’t it beautiful that Jesus did not extend more confusion or condemnation towards her? He only extended His compassion to her, telling her, “Don’t weep.” This same Jesus will also come to us when we are distraught and say, “Don’t cry.” He is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Heb 13:8). His sympathy will move Him to give us the miracle we need in our life.

Thought for the day!
Jesus, who understands what you are going through, will also breathe life into your dead situation!

GLORIOUS GRACE! - 66

Romans 5:5 – and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Today, some express hope as if we can’t be sure what will really happen. We say, “I hope I will win that prize. I hope it won’t rain tomorrow. I hope everything works out well.”

But “hope” in the Bible is a confident and positive expectation of good. God wants you to have a confident expectation of good because as His child, He favours you. Because Christ is in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27), you can expect the glory of God to shine into every area of your life, including your family, job, ministry, health and finances!

God’s Word says, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” You may have experienced disappointed hopes, but there is a hope that does not disappoint when you are conscious of how much God loves you. It is a hope that springs from the heart of God, who loves you very much.

When you are in a doubtful situation or going through a trial, you can say, “Jesus loves me this I know,” you can then say, “I believe that I will get / pass / be healed / be reconciled...” as per your situation.

Thought for the day!
When you believe that God loves you, you will have a positive expectation of good. Being conscious of how much God loves you, gives you a hope that does not disappoint. 

GLORIOUS GRACE! - 65

Proverbs 18:21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

The truth is that every word you speak has power — to build or destroy hopes and dreams, to restore or cause loss, to heal or break the spirit, to bring delight or despair, to bless or curse — for God’s Word says that death and life are in the power of the tongue.

So stop lining your words up with the negative circumstances. Instead, start lining your words up with God’s Word and release the power of His Word to work for you.

For example, instead of speaking lack and poverty, say, in the name of Jesus, I pronounce my life blessed. I pronounce my life successful. I pronounce my life great. Darkness and gloom, poverty and sickness, defeat and depression, will not be in my life!”

Instead of speaking sickness, say, God’s Word declares that no evil befalls the righteous. So no evil will come on me now and in the future!”

God wants you to have a life filled with good days and an abundance of every good thing. So say, “In the name of Jesus, I command blessings, favour, health, provision, protection, dominion and power to fill my life!”

Thought for the day!
Line your words up with God’s Word and release the power of His Word to work for you.

GLORIOUS GRACE! - 64

John 10:4 - When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

Have you ever seen a farmer trying to drive a bunch of geese from one location to another? He goes behind the geese, doesn’t he? Compare this to a shepherd who leads his sheep. He goes before them and the sheep simply follow him. Jesus is our shepherd and we are His sheep. He does not drive us, but He leads us. He goes in front of us.

In the Old Testament, God led the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. Do you know how God appeared back then? He appeared in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to keep them cool by day and warm by night. Where was that pillar? It was in front of them.

As long as they followed Him, the Israelites did not have to worry about anything. God took care of all their needs. He gave them water when they were thirsty, and bread and meat when they were hungry. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. They were kept in good health throughout the 40 years of their wandering in the wilderness.

Yes, Jesus our shepherd goes before us.. He is the great “I AM”... I AM your provider, healer, counsellor, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification… He is everything we need Him to be!

Thought for the day!
Jesus our shepherd wants us to just follow Him. If we know His voice and follow Him as He leads us, all our needs will be taken care of. 

GLORIOUS GRACE! - 63

John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.

Jews greet each other with the words “shalom, shalom” (we can do that too)… “Shalom” does not just mean peace of mind, but also wholeness for your entire being—spirit, mind and body. It means having a sense of completeness and soundness. In other words, shalom encompasses your provision, health and total well-being.

When Jesus spoke He would have used the Hebrew word “shalom”, and not the English word “peace”, saying, “Shalom I leave with you, “My shalom” I give to you…” Interestingly, the word “leave” here actually means “bequeath”, the way a rich man bequeaths his estate to his beneficiary. The disciples understood that having “Jesus’ shalom” meant having His abundance.

His peace was different.. It would change whatever trying circumstances that beset them. Even if it was a mega storm, it would have to bow to His peace. The Prince of Peace merely spoke, “Peace, be still!” and the winds and the sea obeyed Him. (Mark 4:39).

That is the kind of peace that Jesus has bequeathed to us. Therefore, believe that His shalom which He has left with us will change all our difficult situations, taking us from sickness, lack and mental anguish to health, provision and total wellness!

Thought for the day!
Jesus has bequeathed us His shalom, which does not just mean peace of mind, but also wholeness for your spirit, mind and body.