NOTHING CAN STAND UP TO GOD’S LOVE

The pastor of our Hokkien and Mandarin congregations, Pastor Mark, used to suffer from certain health problems before he became a Christian. His doctor told him that he had to be on medication for life. He also had a huge financial debt. But when he caught hold of the teaching that he is God’s beloved, he believed it totally. He also believed that nothing could be greater than God’s love for him.

Today, Pastor Mark is off medication and completely delivered from that debt. God caused him to triumph over his sickness and debt because he cannot be defeated when he knows that he is God’s beloved.

Tribulation, distress or persecution cannot stop your heavenly Father’s love from working on your behalf. His love for you is bigger and stronger than your financial woes, marital problems or health concerns. And when God’s heart of love moves for His beloved, He opens doors that no one can shut and He makes a way when there seems to be none.

Even during lean times, you will never find the righteous forsaken. King David said, “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread” (Psalm 37:25). Can famine or recession stop God’s love from providing for His beloved? No! So don’t think to yourself, “I must provide for my family. If I don’t, who is going to take care of them? How are they going to survive?” God wants you to know that His love will continue to provide abundantly for you and your family.

What about deadly pestilences such as bird flu and mad cow disease, natural disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes, or terrorist bombings? My friend, these things cannot devour you because His love protects you. You will enjoy His protection when you know that you are His beloved.

Because God’s love is greater than all the evil put together, we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us (see Romans 8:37). We always win in the fight of life not because of our love for Him, but because of His love for us!  (Article & Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission).

SATISFIED BY GRACE EVERYDAY

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”  John 6:35

I want to encourage you to make listening to the good news of Jesus a daily priority. Listen, I know just how crazy and busy our days can get. But when the day is over and we have heard nothing about Jesus, we feel empty, stressed out, worried, fearful, and depressed.

My friend, Jesus is the bread of life and the living water. No matter how busy we get, it is prudent not to neglect feeding on His person. I know that in the natural, this can sound simplistic. You may be asking yourself, “How can simply listening about Jesus change things in my life and circumstances?” The truth is, the things of God are really not complicated. Just think about the woman who suffered from hemorrhaging for twelve years. Simply hearing about Jesus and His grace infused her with so much hope, so much faith, and so much courage that she was able to receive the healing she had started to believe for. Don’t underestimate the power of hearing about Jesus just because it sounds simple.

There is a beautiful verse in the psalms that says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps. 90:12). Do you want to know the secret of numbering your days and not allowing a single day of your life to be put to waste? The key is found in verse 14, where it says, “Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy.” The word “mercy” here is the Hebrew word hesed, which means God’s grace. God is telling us to be satisfied every day with His grace.

I suggest that before you do anything—read the papers, check your emails, or make that important phone call—start the day with Jesus and be satisfied with His grace. You can read a devotional about God’s grace, feed on the Father’s love, meditate on His grace, listen to a message that is all about Jesus, and open up His love letter—His Word—to you.

But Pastor Prince, my mornings are crazy! How long do I spend doing this? How much must I read, listen, or pray?

Beloved, the key is not to be legalistic about it. If morning doesn’t work for you, then find a time that best suits your schedule. It could be during your lunch break or just before you go to bed. The key principle here is to be satisfied daily with His grace. Feed on Him until your heart is full and satisfied with His grace. It’s really not about the duration or how much, but your level of satisfaction.

Enjoy God’s presence daily. He loves having a relationship with you and wants to fill your heart with His grace, peace, wisdom, and joy.  (Article & Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission).