Felecia's Favorite Verses
Speaks to my heart
382 verses
peaceat55
Aug. 8, 2020
English
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1 Corinthians 1:30
30 It is his doing that you are united with the Messiah Yeshua. He has become wisdom for us from God, and righteousness and holiness and redemption as well!
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1 Corinthians 15:10
But by God's grace I am what I am, and his grace towards me was not in vain; on the contrary, I have worked harder than all of them, although it was not I but the grace of God with me.
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1 Corinthians 15:51—58
Look, I will tell you a secret- not all of us will die! But we will all be changed! It will take but a moment, the blink of an eye, at the final shofar. For the shofar will sound, and the dead will be raised to live forever, and we too will be changed. For this material which can decay must be clothed with imperishability, this which is mortal must be clothed with immortality. When what decays puts on imperishability and what is mortal puts on immortality, then this passage in the Tanakh will be fulfilled: "Death is swallowed up in victory." Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin; and sin draws its power from the Torah; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah! So, my dear brothers, stand firm and immovable, always doing the Lord's work as vigorously as you can, knowing that united with the Lord your efforts are not in vain.
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1 Corinthians 15:9—10
For I am the least of all the emissaries, unfit to be called an emissary, because I persecuted the Messianic Community of God. But by God's grace I am what I am, and his grace towards me was not in vain; on the contrary, I have worked harder than all of them, although it was not I but the grace of God with me.
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1 John 4:16-19
16 Also we have come to know and trust the love that God has for us. God is love; and those who remain in this love remain united with God, and God remains united with them. 17 Here is how love has been brought to maturity with us: as the Messiah is, so are we in the world. This gives us confidence for the Day of Judgment. 18 There is no fear in love. On the contrary, love that has achieved its goal gets rid of fear, because fear has to do with punishment; the person who keeps fearing has not been brought to maturity in regard to love. 19 We ourselves love now because he loved us first.
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1 John 4:17-19
17 Here is how love has been brought to maturity with us: as the Messiah is, so are we in the world. This gives us confidence for the Day of Judgment. 18 There is no fear in love. On the contrary, love that has achieved its goal gets rid of fear, because fear has to do with punishment; the person who keeps fearing has not been brought to maturity in regard to love. 19 We ourselves love now because he loved us first.
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1 Peter 1:5
Meanwhile, through trusting, you are being protected by God's power for a deliverance ready to be revealed at the Last Time.
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1 Peter 1:8
Without having seen him, you love him. Without seeing him now, but trusting in him, you continue to be full of joy that is glorious beyond words.
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1 Peter 1:9
And you are receiving what your trust is aiming at, namely, your deliverance.
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1 Peter 2:24-25
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the stake, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness-by his wounds you were healed. 25 For you used to be like sheep gone astray, but now you have turned to the Shepherd, who watches over you.
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1 Thessalonians 4:13—18
Now, brothers, we want you to know the truth about those who have died; otherwise, you might become sad the way other people do who have nothing to hope for. For since we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, we also believe that in the same way God, through Yeshua, will take with him those who have died. When we say this, we base it on the Lord's own word: we who remain alive when the Lord comes will certainly not take precedence over those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a rousing cry, with a call from one of the ruling angels, and with God's shofar; those who died united with the Messiah will be the first to rise; then we who are left still alive will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we will always be with the Lord. So encourage each other with these words.
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1 Timothy 1:14
Our Lord's grace overflowed to me with trust and love that come through the Messiah Yeshua.
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1 Timothy 2:1—3
First of all, then, I counsel that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all human beings, including kings and all in positions of prominence; so that we may lead quiet and peaceful lives, being godly and upright in everything. This is what God, our Deliverer, regards as good; this is what meets his approval.
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1 Timothy 2:4—6
He wants all humanity to be delivered and come to full knowledge of the truth. For God is one; and there is but one Mediator between God and humanity, Yeshua the Messiah, himself human, who gave himself as a ransom on behalf of all, thus providing testimony to God's purpose at just the right time.
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2 Chronicles 20:29
A panic from God was on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that ADONAI had fought against the enemies of Isra'el.
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2 Chronicles 20:30
So Y'hoshafat's rule was a quiet one, because his God gave him rest all around.
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2 Corinthians 12:9
but he told me, "My grace is enough for you, for my power is brought to perfection in weakness." Therefore, I am very happy to boast about my weaknesses, in order that the Messiah's power will rest upon me.
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2 Corinthians 2:1
But thanks be to God, who in the Messiah constantly leads us in a triumphal procession and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of what it means to know him!
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2 Corinthians 2:14
But thanks be to God, who in the Messiah constantly leads us in a triumphal procession and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of what it means to know him!
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2 Corinthians 4:1
God has shown us such mercy that we do not lose courage as we do the work he has given us.
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2 Corinthians 4:13—15
The Tanakh says, "I trusted, therefore I spoke. "Since we have that same Spirit who enables us to trust, we also trust and therefore speak; because we know that he who raised the Lord Yeshua will also raise us with Yeshua and bring us along with you into his presence. All this is for your sakes, so that as grace flows out to more and more people, it may cause thanksgiving to overflow and bring glory to God.
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2 Corinthians 4:16—18
This is why we do not lose courage. Though our outer self is heading for decay, our inner self is being renewed daily. For our light and transient troubles are achieving for us an everlasting glory whose weight is beyond description. We concentrate not on what is seen but on what is not seen, since things seen are temporary, but things not seen are eternal.
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2 Corinthians 4:7—9
But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it will be evident that such overwhelming power comes from God and not from us. We have all kinds of troubles, but we are not crushed; we are perplexed, yet not in despair; persecuted, yet not abandoned; knocked down, yet not destroyed.
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2 Corinthians 5:14-15
14 For the Messiah's love has hold of us, because we are convinced that one man died on behalf of all mankind (which implies that all mankind was already dead), 15 and that he died on behalf of all in order that those who live should not live any longer for themselves but for the one who on their behalf died and was raised.
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2 Corinthians 5:16—17
So from now on, we do not look at anyone from a worldly viewpoint. Even if we once regarded the Messiah from a worldly viewpoint, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is united with the Messiah, he is a new creation- the old has passed; look, what has come is fresh and new!
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2 Corinthians 5:21
God made this sinless man be a sin offering on our behalf, so that in union with him we might fully share in God's righteousness."
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2 Corinthians 5:7
for we live by trust, not by what we see.
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2 Corinthians 8:9
9 For you know how generous our Lord Yeshua the Messiah was-for your sakes he impoverished himself, even though he was rich, so that he might make you rich by means of his poverty.
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2 Corinthians 9:8-15
8 Moreover, God has the power to provide you with every gracious gift in abundance, so that always in every way you will have all you need yourselves and be able to provide abundantly for every good cause- 9 as the Tanakh says, "He gave generously to the poor; his tzedakah lasts forever." 10 He who provides both seed for the planter and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your tzedakah. 11 You will be enriched in every way, so that you can be generous in everything. And through us your generosity will cause people to thank God, 12 because rendering this holy service not only provides for the needs of God's people, but it also overflows in the many thanks people will be giving to God. 13 In offering this service you prove to these people that you glorify God by actually doing what your acknowledgement of the Good News of the Messiah requires, namely, sharing generously with them and with everyone. 14 And in their prayers for you they will feel a strong affection for you because of how gracious God has been to you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
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2 Peter 1:3KJV
God's Power
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: -
2 Thessalonians 1:6—8
For it is justice for God to pay back trouble to those who are troubling you, and to give rest along with us to you who are being troubled, when the Lord Yeshua is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in a fiery flame. Then he will punish those who don't know God, that is, those who don't listen to the Good News of our Lord Yeshua and obey it.
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2 Thessalonians 2:16—17
And may our Lord Yeshua the Messiah himself and God our Father, who has loved us and by his grace given us eternal comfort and a good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen you in every good word and deed.
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2 Timothy 1:14
Keep safe the great treasure that has been entrusted to you, with the help of the Ruach HaKodesh, who lives in us.
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2 Timothy 1:7
For God gave us a Spirit who produces not timidity, but power, love and self-discipline.
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2 Timothy 2:23—26
But stay away from stupid and ignorant controversies- you know that they lead to fights, and a slave of the Lord shouldn't fight. On the contrary, he should be kind to everyone, a good teacher, and not resentful when mistreated. Also he should be gentle as he corrects his opponents. For God may perhaps grant them the opportunity to turn from their sins, acquire full knowledge of the truth, come to their senses and escape the trap of the Adversary, after having been captured alive by him to do his will.
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2 Timothy 4:8
All that awaits me now is the crown of righteousness which the Lord, "the Righteous Judge," will award to me on that Day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for him to appear.
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A BRAND NEW BODY AT THE BLAST OF A TRUMPET!
1 Thessalonians 4:16
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
All over the world, Jews celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Occurring usually in the month of September, this feast is celebrated with the blowing of trumpets—the shofar or ram’s horn. That is why it is also called the Feast of Trumpets.
The Jews observe seven feasts: The Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles. The first four have been fulfilled literally by Jesus. He was the Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), the bread of life (John 6:35) and the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20) And when Pentecost had fully come after His ascension, He sent us the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:1–4)
So the next feast that we are waiting for Jesus to fulfill literally is the Feast of Trumpets. Why is this feast significant to us? Because when Jesus fulfills it, it means that we are going up to meet Him in the clouds!
I am talking about the rapture of the church. When the trumpet sounds, “in the twinkling of an eye”, we who are alive will be changed. We will put on new bodies that will be like Jesus’! Those who are dead in Christ will rise and also receive new bodies. They will go up first followed by us who are alive, and we will all meet the Lord in the air. (1 Corinthians 15:51–55)
This means that there is a possibility that you might not see death! The Bible says, “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17) It is one thing to happen to be alive, but quite another to remain alive.
I believe that there is a generation of Christians who know the resurrection power of the Lord. They know how to walk in their inheritance and put off sickness and death until the coming of the Lord. My friend, may you be counted as one of them as you take the Lord Jesus and His finished work as your victory over sickness and death! -
Accessing God’s Unmerited Favor
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1–2
How do you access God’s unmerited favor? How do you walk in a greater measure of it?
Romans 5:2 clearly spells out that “we have access by faith into this grace unmerited favor in which we stand.” So to gain access to and increase in God’s unmerited favor, the key that we need to have is faith—faith to believe that we are indeed highly favored by God!
Why can we believe that we are highly favored by God?
Ephesians 1:6 tells us that by God’s grace (unmerited favor), God “made us accepted in the Beloved.” In the original Greek text, the word “accepted” is the word charitoo, which means “highly favored.”
So because God has placed you in Christ the Beloved, you are highly favored! Look at yourself in the mirror every morning and boldly declare, “Because I am in Christ, I am highly favored! So I expect good things to come my way.” Beloved, live life conscious of the fact that God highly favors you and you will experience even more of His favor! -
A GREATER BLESSING IS IN STORE FOR YOU
Romans 8:31
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Whenever the devil throws something at us, we need not lose hope. In fact, we can be sure that God will turn it around for our greater blessing because He is for us.
When God first made man, He gave man dominion over everything on earth. (Genesis 1:26) But when Adam fell, sin and death entered the world, and man lost his authority to the devil.
So did the devil win? No, God executed His redemption plan by sending His Son Jesus to die for us. And He wants us to know that Jesus’ death did more than just restore us to the same position that Adam had—it placed us in a much higher position!
When the Father raised Jesus from the dead, we who are in Christ were raised with Him. In other words, we are now seated with Him at God’s right hand in the heavenly places, “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come”! (Ephesians 1:21) Adam never had this position. So through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we have received so much more.
In the Old Testament, we read of how God brought the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt into a land flowing with milk and honey. The devil thought that he could foil God’s plan by putting giants in the promised land to stop the Israelites from inheriting it. But God outsmarted the devil. He allowed the giants to build their homes and cities, dig wells and cultivate crops until the right time came. Then, He brought the Israelites into the land and evicted the giants!
So the Israelites ended up inheriting large beautiful cities which they did not build, houses full of all good things which they did not fill, hewn-out wells which they did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees which they did not plant! (Deuteronomy 6:10–11) Although the devil tried to prevent God’s plan for His people from coming to pass, they ended up receiving so much more!
Beloved, the devil may throw obstacles and evil circumstances at you, but God will turn those evil schemes around for your greater blessing because He is for you! -
Always Remember You Are God’s Beloved
And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” Luke 3:22
Immediately after Jesus was baptized, He was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. The devil came to Jesus and said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” (Matthew 4:3). Now, don’t forget that Jesus had just heard the voice of His Father affirming Him with the words “You are My beloved Son.” Years ago, as I was studying Jesus’ temptations by the devil, the Lord asked me, “Did you notice that the devil dropped one word when he came to tempt My Son?”
I had never heard anyone preach this before or read this in any book, but God opened my eyes to see that the devil had omitted the word “beloved”! God had just told Jesus, “You are My beloved Son.” But shortly after that, the devil came to Jesus, saying, “If You are the Son of God...” The word “beloved” is missing! The serpent had cunningly left it out!
The Lord then showed me that for the devil’s temptations to work, he cannot remind you that you are God’s beloved. The moment you are reminded of your identity as God’s beloved in Christ, he will not be able to succeed! It’s no wonder that the devil wants to rob believers of their sense of being God’s beloved. So don’t fall for the devil’s trick. Remind yourself today and every day that you are God’s beloved! -
A Matter Of Spirit
God sent forth His Son…to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Galatians 4:4–5
As an heir of God, you have a rich inheritance. All the blessings of your heavenly Father are yours!
“Well, Pastor Prince, if it’s true that I am an heir of God because I’m His son, then why am I still not seeing the blessings?”
I asked the Lord the same question once. I said, “Lord, why is it that there are believers who don’t seem to be blessed despite the fact that they are Your sons and heirs?” The Lord said this to me, “It’s a matter of spirit.” Then, He pointed me to Romans 8:15, NIV—“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” He was telling me that walking in His blessings has to do with having a spirit of sonship.
How does the spirit of sonship operate? By the cry, “Abba, Father!” The Holy Spirit left the word Abba, meaning “Daddy” or “Papa,” untranslated in Romans 8:15 so that we will know that God wants us to have an intimate relationship with Him. Seeing God as Daddy and calling Him “Daddy” or “Papa” removes any distance and breaks down every barrier between you and God. It brings you into an intimate relationship with God and that’s how the spirit of sonship operates.
So beloved, have a spirit of sonship. Don’t see God as an impersonal, distant being who doesn’t really care how you feel. He isn’t just Almighty God, He is also your Daddy! Have this sense of intimacy with Him all the time and start to walk in a greater measure of your Daddy’s blessings! -
Arise And Shine!
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
2 Corinthians 1:20
Beloved, because of Jesus’ perfect finished work at the cross, all of God’s promises of provision, protection and good success are yes and Amen! Meditate on this unchanging truth. Say these words out loud:
I declare that I am special in Jesus’ eyes, and He loves me unconditionally. I have an awesome destiny. Jesus has equipped me with gifts, talents and abilities. Today, I receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness to reign in life. I give thanks that His favor surrounds me like a shield and opens doors of opportunities for me. Because of Jesus, I shall be the head and not the tail, above and not beneath, the lender and not the borrower. I shall not suffer lack but be surrounded by His abundance, His wisdom, His peace and His protection.
Thank You, Jesus, for Your finished work at the cross for me. I receive a fresh revelation of Your love right now and thank You that everything my hands touch shall be blessed! I believe with all my heart that I am greatly blessed, highly favored and deeply loved! Amen! -
A Table In The Presence Of Your Enemies
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:5–6
Heartbroken and devastated when her 18-year-old daughter told her that she hated her and left home, a mother from Texas developed high blood pressure and started hemorrhaging badly.
One day, she tuned in to one of my broadcasts and heard me preach about Jesus’ finished work at Calvary. She got my series on the Holy Communion and took it every day as she looked to the Lord’s finished work to heal her body and restore her relationship with her daughter.
Six months later, this same mother wrote to tell me that she was healed of high blood pressure and no longer bleeding. God was also restoring her relationship with her daughter who had returned home. Today, she is taking Communion daily with her husband and children, and experiencing the blessed family life she had once only dreamed of.
Beloved, no matter how bad things may appear to be now, rest in Jesus’ finished work by coming to the Lord’s table, and receive your victory, restoration and wholeness! -
Be Changed By Beholding Christ
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18
If you go to any good bookstore, you will find a section called “Self-Improvement”. Here, you’ll find all kinds of books describing various principles and methods you can follow to improve yourself. In all these books, the focus is on you using yourwillpower and self-discipline to apply the principles to improve yourself.
But God does not want you focusing on yourself. That’s self-occupation, which can only take you so far, with results that last only as long as your willpower lasts. God has a higher way. He wants you to be Christ-occupied. When you look to yourself to improve yourself, you are putting confidence in your flesh. But the Bible tells us that in our flesh dwells nogood thing (Romans 7:18), and that we should putno confidence in our flesh (Philippians 3:3).
My friend, the best way to change yourself is to forget self and be occupied with Christ. When you read the Bible, see His beauty, His majesty, His compassion and His grace. As you keep beholding and meditating on His glory, the Holy Spirit inside you goes to work in you. He will transform you into the very same image of Christ. You will be changed from glory to glory, experiencing true and lasting inward transformation! -
Behold Jesus And Be Transformed
…because we continued to behold in the Word of God as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord…
2 Corinthians 3:18, AMP
Up in the branches of the sycamore tree, Zacchaeus had a good look at Jesus. “So this is the One everyone has been talking about,” he said to himself. And right on cue, Jesus looked up and saw the tax collector. “Zacchaeus,” Jesus called out, “make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (Luke 19:5).
Jesus extended grace to Zacchaeus, a man considered a cheat and a sinner by the crowd. And Zacchaeus’ response to the Lord’s goodness was, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold” (Luke 19:8). Zacchaeus was transformed from a cheat to a generous man by beholding and spending time with a gracious God!
My friend, when you with all your shortcomings come to Jesus to spend time with Him, you won’t find Him saying, “You lousy sinner!” No, He will call you by name and say, “Come, let’s go over to your place. I want to hang out with you.” And the more you behold Him and spend time with Him, the more you become transformed from glory to glory.
So come to Jesus and ask Him to show you His grace every day. Talk to Him like you would a friend. When you open your Bible, for example, say, “Lord, speak to me. Let me have this personal encounter with You.” When you behold Him through the Word, there is no way you are not gloriously transformed! -
BELIEVE THAT GOD IS YOUR REWARDER
Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Most people quote only the first part of Hebrews 11:6—“without faith it is impossible to please Him”. Yet, it goes on to say, “for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”. In other words, the faith that pleases God is the kind of faith that believes that God exists and that He is a rewarder.
The Bible also says that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. (Hebrews 11:1) So even in times of difficulty, when we don’t see good things happening in our circumstances, we are to believe that God will turn things around and reward us.
God turned things around for Ruth, the Moabite widow, when she believed the Lord and made Him her God. (Ruth 1:16) The Bible tells us that she was given a “full reward” by the Lord when she came under His wings for refuge. (Ruth 2:12) Not only did He give her protection, He also gave her abundant provision, exceeding favor and a glorious redemption. (Ruth 2:9–17, 3:11, 4:10–13)
When Rahab, the harlot of Jericho, heard reports of how the Lord had opened up the Red Sea for the children of Israel, she believed that “He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath”. (Joshua 2:9–11) Though Rahab had not personally witnessed the miracles, she believed God and hid the Jewish spies from their pursuers. (Joshua 2:4–6) Because of her faith, she not only did not perish with those who did not believe (Joshua 6:25, Hebrews 11:31), but she was also given a place in the “hall of faith” in Hebrews 11.
God was so pleased with the faith of these two Gentile women that He not only blessed them in their lifetimes, but He also put them into the genealogy of His Son Jesus Christ, the great Redeemer and rewarder.
Beloved, when you come to the Lord with your needs, believe that He is God, and that He is a rewarder. God has pleasure in this kind of faith. He wants to be the rewarder of your faith in Him! -
BELIEVE YOUR DEBT IS MORE THAN PAID!
Hebrews 10:22
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
I would like you to imagine this scenario: You borrow a huge sum of money from a friend and promise to pay him back in six months’ time. When the time comes, you feel really bad because you cannot repay him as you don’t have the money. A year rolls by without you repaying a cent. Now, you feel extremely guilty. You try to avoid your friend because you are too embarrassed and ashamed to see him.
Let’s say that your best friend hears about your plight. Out of the goodness of his heart, he goes to your creditor and says, “Look, I understand that my best friend owes you money.”
“Yes, he owes me US$50,000.”
“Here is US$100,000. I am paying you on his behalf.”
Your creditor says, “No, no, no! He owes me only US$50,000.”
Your best friend says, “I know. But take the US$100,000 so that you can never say that he still owes you money.”
Now, your debt has been paid, in fact, more than paid. But if you don’t know or believe this, that debt will still be on your conscience. You will still be afraid to see your creditor. And you will avoid him because he reminds you of your debt.
My friend, you need to know that Jesus was an overpayment when He offered Himself as your sin offering, because of the quality and worth of the Man Himself. My friend, He overpaid for your sins when He became your sacrifice on the cross.
But if you don’t know or believe this, you will suffer as your unbelief will rob you of assurance, joy and peace. You will still have debt on your conscience. Even though God is not imputing sin to you (Romans 4:8), sin is still on your conscience. And as long as sin is on your conscience, you won’t dare to draw near to Him.
Beloved, the truth is that your sins have been more than paid for. Jesus was an overpayment. So draw near to God today with no sin on your conscience! -
BE MINDFUL OF CHRIST’S OBEDIENCE AT THE CROSS
2 Corinthians 10:5
casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Have you ever felt condemned because of the bad thoughts you have had? You could be in the middle of a prayer meeting when suddenly a dirty thought enters your mind. Actually, it is the devil who puts such thoughts in your mind. Then, he steps back, looks at you and knocks you on your head, saying, “How can you call yourself a Christian and still think such thoughts?”
I used to be in bondage over the bad thoughts I had because I felt that I had to confess every one of them and seek God’s forgiveness. But that is not what God’s Word exhorts us to do. You see, God wants us to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”. Now, whose obedience are we to focus on? Christ’s obedience and not our own obedience!
But what is “the obedience of Christ”? It is His obedience at the cross, where “by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous”. (Romans 5:19) Jesus shed His blood for us at the cross. This means that when our thoughts condemn us, we are to focus our thoughts on Jesus’ obedience at the cross.
My friend, the devil can only make inroads into our minds when he gets us to focus on our obedience instead of Christ’s obedience. His strategy is to point us to our obedience or the lack of it to determine our standing before God. But just as our position as sinners is not based on what we do, but what the first Adam did, in the same way, we are forever righteous today not because of what we do, but because of what Christ, the last Adam, did on the cross.
So the next time your thoughts seem to condemn you, say, “I am righteous whether I have good or bad thoughts. My righteousness has nothing to do with my obedience. Jesus’ obedience at the cross made me righteous.” Then,go ahead and pray, knowing that you have access to God and His favor, and that He hears the prayer of the righteous. (Proverbs 15:29) -
Be Righteousness-Conscious
“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord. Isaiah 54:17
If you are familiar with today’s verse, you’ll know that believers usually quote only the first part: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.”
Now, do you want to know the secret to unleashing this promise of protection, and walking fully in your inheritance in Christ?
It is actually right there in the second part of the verse: “‘…every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,’ says the Lord.”
You see, it’s when you know that your righteousness is from the Lord that no weapon formed against you will prosper, and every tongue of accusation, judgment and condemnation that rises against you will fail!
My friend, use your faith every day to believe that you are indeed righteous in Christ, and that this righteousness is of the Lord’s doing, not your own doing. This is how no weapon formed against you shall prosper. This is how you live an overcoming and victorious life! -
Be Rooted In Jesus’ Love
…And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17–19, NIV
Can you imagine a young child growing up and always wondering in his heart, “Am I pleasing to Daddy? Am I pleasing to Mummy? Do Daddy and Mummy accept me?”
This child will grow up emotionally warped if he does not have the security and assurance of his parents’ love and acceptance.
Beloved, that is why Jesus wants you rooted, established and anchored in His unwavering love for you. He demonstrated His love for you when He became your sin on the cross so that you could become His righteousness. And when you meditate on and are rooted in His love for you, you will be filled with the fullness of God. How can you not be successful then?
IMPORT