Monday, March 18, 2024

Joseph Prince (March-18-2024) Daily Devotional: Jesus, the True Bread of Life

“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.” - John 6:48–50

I trust that you are excited to see Jesus in the Scriptures, so I want to unveil Jesus to you in Old Testament scriptures through the use of typology. If you are not familiar with the use of typology in interpreting the scriptures, I hope the examples you will read here will give you a good understanding of it.

The Bible says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter” (Prov. 25:2). God has hidden the mysteries of His beloved Son and His finished work throughout the Bible, and it is our glory as kings to search out all these things concerning Himself. Are you ready to see Jesus?

Let’s first look at the account of the children of Israel as they journeyed in the wilderness. The Bible tells us that “the soul of the people became very discouraged,” and they began to murmur and complain against God and His appointed leadership, Moses, saying, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread” (Num. 21:4–5).

Can you imagine this? God had delivered them from a life of slavery in Egypt with His mighty hand, protected them from Pharaoh’s army with a pillar of fire, and parted the Red Sea for them to pass through. Instead of being grateful, they complained and even referred to the manna from heaven as “worthless bread.”

According to the psalmist, the manna was “the bread of heaven . . . angels’ food” (Ps. 78:24–25). For forty years in the wilderness, God provided them with food for champions, food that kept them free from sicknesses and diseases, food that descended daily from heaven.

All they had to do each morning was to collect enough for their consumption. Yet, they despised the manna.

Jesus said in today’s scripture that the manna God gave them was a picture or type of Himself. The church today needs to be careful not to make the same mistake that the children of Israel made when they called the manna from God “worthless bread.”

In many places, there is an underemphasis on Jesus Christ and an overemphasis on all sorts of doctrines and principles that can be extracted from the Word. Churches must be careful not to consider Jesus as “worthless bread” by relegating Him to the periphery of their teachings.

Anybody who doesn’t focus on Jesus Christ and His finished work has neither the power nor the wisdom of God, because the Bible says that Christ crucified is the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:23–24). He is the true bread from heaven and only He satisfies!

The devil is afraid of any church that preaches Jesus Christ on the cross because he knows that when people know how God sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross for them, they will see that they have a merciful God who loves them unconditionally. They will know the truth, and the truth will set them free (John 8:32)!

Let me add one more thing. Do you know that every morning, the children of Israel had to go out to collect fresh manna?

The manna could not be stored overnight for consumption the next day as it would turn stale and breed worms. Ever wondered why God didn’t just give them a week’s supply of manna?

Well, it is because God wants His people to open the Scriptures every day to collect fresh manna of Jesus and be satisfied with His grace. He doesn’t want us to live on past revelations of Jesus, for His mercies are new every morning. He delights to fill your heart with His grace, peace, wisdom, and joy every day. Hallelujah!

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Joseph Prince (March-17-2024) Daily Devotional: We Don’t Have All the Answers

“I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope.” - Hosea 2:15 NLT

Maybe you are going through a difficult valley. Maybe you are disappointed with God because you have lost a loved one or because you have been battling that medical condition year after year.

I want to encourage you not to ask, “Why?” Asking why will only lead you on a downward spiral into depression. Don’t ask, “Why did this happen to me?” Don’t ask, “Why is my child not healed even though I have trusted You for years?” or “Why is my loved one going through one tragedy after another?”

The fact is, in this fallen world, we don’t have all the answers. One day, we will receive our new bodies, where the corruptible will put on incorruption, and the mortal will put on immortality (1 Cor. 15:53). But until then, I recognize that sometimes bad things happen and I don’t know why.

But what I do know is this: God is a good God. He loves us, and He is never behind any pain we go through. Our faith in Him is not based on our experiences; it is based on the unchanging, eternal Word of God, which cannot lie.

Even when things didn’t go the way you wanted them to, don’t remain in your disappointment. The devil wants you to get angry with God and to give up on His promises. But keep believing that God is for you and not against you.

Even if the enemy has destroyed something in your life, and even if years have been lost as you waited for the manifestation of your healing, or the days of your youth have been stolen from you, keep believing that God can restore to you what you have lost (Joel 2:25, Job 33:25).

My friend, “let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23). Keep on looking to the Lord for your breakthrough. And if you find that you are too tired to believe anymore, I pray that this promise will carry you through:

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

—Isaiah 40:31

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Joseph Prince (March-16-2024) Daily Devotional: Forgiveness Opens the Door

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” - 1 Corinthians 2:9

Cruel words spoken in anger. A betrayal of trust. Promises broken. A destructive relationship you knew you should not have entered into.

Have you been down those dark paths before? There are so many people who are living in the shadow of guilt and condemnation. The mistakes of their past haunt them and it is a painfully lonely and arduous journey for them.

Perhaps the paralyzed man who was let down through the roof by his four faithful friends in the book of Mark understood a little of this. The Bible tells us he was paralyzed to the point where he could only lie on a mat, which was how his friends carried him to the house Jesus was in.

With the man lying inert on his mat, his four friends lowered him through the roof, right in front of Jesus—the only way they knew how to bring their crippled friend before Jesus and secure his healing. Scripture tells us that when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you” (Mark 2:5).

To all who were watching this scene unfold that day, that must have been a very strange thing for Jesus to say—“your sins are forgiven you.” The man was clearly paralyzed. He was obviously there for healing. What had forgiveness to do with his condition or healing?

But Jesus knew it was exactly what this poor man needed to hear for his healing to manifest. And indeed, at Jesus’ next words, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home,” the paralyzed man “jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers” (Mark 2:11–12 NLT).

What had transpired? Jesus saw, when no one else could, that the man needed to hear he was forgiven, that God was not condemning him. And those words opened the door to his healing and broke him loose from his paralysis.

No wonder the onlookers were stunned—the man went from being immobile and helpless to being active, strong, and completely whole right before their eyes!

My beloved friend, if you are paralyzed by a heavy sense of condemnation over something in your past, I want you to know beyond any doubt that God is not withholding your breakthrough from you. He loves you, understands your pain and suffering, and has forgiven you through the cross. He wants you to know that your past does not have to poison your future.

No matter how many dark days you have experienced, God has prepared many wonderful open doors of opportunity, favor, and good success for you to walk through in the days ahead. Your brightest and most glorious days are still ahead of you.

Friday, March 15, 2024

Joseph Prince (March-15-2024) Daily Devotional: “Abba, Father!”

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. - Romans 8:15–16

I love it when I’m in Israel and I hear little children running around in playgrounds, calling out, “Abba! Abba!”, and jumping into their daddies’ embraces. To the Jews, Abba is the most intimate way in which you can address your father.

It’s a beautiful picture of the truth that through Jesus, you have received the Spirit of sonship by whom you cry out “Abba, Father.” Did you notice that the Holy Spirit refused to translate the original Aramaic word “Abba” into English?

In Abba’s arms, a child is most secure, protected, and loved. No enemy can pull a child out of his or her Abba’s strong arms.

That’s the image God wants us to have when we pray to Him and call Him “Abba.” Of course, you can call Him “Daddy” or “Papa,” or whatever term helps you to see God as a warm, loving, and caring Father.

Unless you can see Him as your Abba Father, you will continue to have a “spirit of bondage again to fear” (Rom. 8:15), referring to the Old Testament fear of God. It’s a slavish fear of judgment and punishment that brings you into bondage and makes you afraid of God.

But God doesn’t want you to fear Him. He wants you to have a Spirit of sonship! Too many believers are living with an orphan, fatherless spirit. If you are entangled with all kinds of fears, guilt, and worries today, what you need is a good heavenly dose of the Father’s love for you!

Something amazing happens in your spirit when you see God as your Father. If my daughter, Jessica, has a nightmare, all she has to do is cry out, “Daddy!” and Daddy is there!

Jessica doesn’t have to go, “O Father that liveth and inhabiteth the next room, I plead with thee to come to me at this time of peril, that thou mayest rescue me from this nightmare!” All she has to do is to cry out, “Daddy!” and I’m there.

Similarly, in your moments of weakness you don’t have to approach God with perfect prayers. You just cry out, “Daddy!” and your heavenly Father runs to you!

You are not coming before a judge. You are coming before your Father, your Daddy God, who embraces and loves you just the way you are.

Take time to come to your Abba Father today. Believe that He loves you unconditionally today. See Him welcoming you with a smile on His face and with outstretched arms. Run into His embrace, bask in His perfect love for you, and let it melt away every worry, fear, and insecurity.

When you believe and receive your Father’s love for you, it will put unshakable peace and strength in your heart!

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Joseph Prince (March-14-2024) Daily Devotional: You Have God’s Presence and Favor Regardless of Your Circumstances

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. - Psalm 139:7–10

Hebrews 13:5 says that God’s presence in your life is a guaranteed constant. But I want you to know that you cannot evaluate God’s presence and His unmerited favor in your life based on your circumstances. To help you understand what this means, let’s look at the life of Joseph.

Joseph refused the advances made by Potiphar’s wife, and as the common saying goes, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”! She maliciously accused Joseph of attempting to rape her, brandishing as “evidence” the garments that Joseph had left in her hands when he fled from her. When Potiphar heard his wife telling her version of the story, his anger was aroused and he seized Joseph, stripped him from the place of authority he had given him and threw him into prison.

Just put yourself in Joseph’s shoes. What is happening here? It sounds all too familiar, doesn’t it? With the painful memory of his brothers casting him into the pit still fresh in his mind, here he is once again, cast into a dungeon even though he was innocent.

Any average person would be bitter and angry with God! Most people would ask, “Where is God? Why had God brought him this far, only to abandon and forsake him? How could this happen? Where is the justice against this false accusation?”

But Joseph was literally no “average Joe”! He knew that the Lord would never leave him nor forsake him. Joseph considered not his circumstances but kept his focus on the presence of the Lord. Regardless of whether he was a common slave, an overseer in Potiphar’s house, or now a prisoner facing the prospect of life imprisonment for a crime he did not even commit, Joseph did not evaluate God’s unmerited favor in his life based on his circumstances.

Instead of getting bitter, he kept his hope in the Lord. Instead of throwing in the towel and giving up on God and on life, he kept his confidence, knowing that all his success was wrapped up in the presence of the Lord.

And boy, did the Lord deliver him! I want you to read this for yourself to see what the Lord did for Joseph:

But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper. —Genesis 39:21–23
 

What does this tell you? If you refuse to bow to your circumstances and continue to be conscious of the Lord’s presence, wherever you are placed, whatever your environment, you will rise to prominence. You will have favor with your bosses and they will promote you to man-in-charge. And whatever you do will prosper!

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Joseph Prince (March-13-2024) Daily Devotional: Right Place, Right Time

I returned and saw under the sun that—the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. For man also does not know his time: like fish taken in a cruel net, like birds caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them. - Ecclesiastes 9:11–12

I want to share with you the scripture above which talks about the fowler’s snare. Sometimes, the best way to interpret Scripture is to ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and revelation, look for recurring themes in the Bible, and allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. What I am saying is that there is a powerful truth here waiting to be unlocked.

Did you notice that the number 911 occurs in both Psalm 91:1 and Ecclesiastes 9:11? The number 911 is very significant for our times. It is a number that marks the largest-scale terrorist attack on American soil to date. Our hearts were broken that day, the world changed, and we will never forget what happened.

While I know that chapter and verse markers in our Bible aren’t inspired, it is my personal opinion that the prayer of protection in Psalm 91 marks the times we are living in and gives us a crystal clear reason why we don’t have to live in fear.

In Ecclesiastes 9, King Solomon tells us that the winner of the race is not necessarily always the fastest one, and the person who wins the battle isn’t necessarily always the strongest. He points out that men of understanding are not the only ones who gain riches and men of skill do not always experience favor. And then he says this: “Time and chance happen to them all.”

Solomon then goes on to talk about those who are “like fish taken in a cruel net” or “birds caught in a snare.” (Notice that he’s saying this of the “sons of men” and not the “sons of God.” As believers, we are the sons and daughters of God.)

There are therefore two categories of people—those who are blessed because they find themselves at the right place at the right time, and those who are caught off guard in an evil time and find themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time. I don’t know about you, but I know which category I want to fall under!

As a son or daughter of God, rest assured that the blessing of being placed in the right place at the right time is yours because of our Lord Jesus! Despite the dangerous times we live in, you can expect Him to protect and deliver you from every snare of the enemy.

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Joseph Prince (March-12-2024) Daily Devotional: Perfected Forever Through Jesus’ Perfect Work

 Joseph Prince (March-12-2024) Daily Devotional: Perfected Forever Through Jesus’ Perfect Work

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

As a believer, have you ever been plagued by thoughts of how you haven’t been good enough or haven’t done enough to deserve God’s blessings? That your imperfection disqualifies you from receiving anything good from God?

If you’ve been struggling with these thoughts, I want you to read and reread today’s scripture and let it saturate your heart, mind, and conscience. Let the knowledge of how you are completely forgiven and forever perfected by Jesus’ finished work at the cross sink in.

You are not going to be forgiven and perfected one day through all your hard work. No, my friend, the good news is, you already are forgiven and perfected—once and for all time—through Jesus’ sacrifice.

And how long is forever? I checked the original Greek word for forever in the verse and guess what? “Forever” means forever! You have been totally forgiven and perfected forever by Jesus’ cleansing blood, not by the blood of animal sacrifices that can never take away sins.

Pastor Prince, how can I be fully assured that all my sins have already been forgiven?

Good question! Notice that after Jesus offered His life as a sacrifice and payment for all our sins, He “sat down” at the Father’s right hand. Jesus sat down to demonstrate to us that the work is indeed finished!

Under the old covenant, the priest who served in the tabernacle of Moses never sat down, but “stands ministering daily” because his work could never be finished. The blood of bulls and goats could “never take away sins” (Heb. 10:11).

Interestingly, in the holy place of the tabernacle of Moses, there was not a single piece of furniture prepared for the priest to sit on. You would not find a single chair in the holy place. You would find the altar of incense, the menorah, and even a table of showbread, but not chairs.

This was because the work of the priest was never finished. Only Jesus’ work is a finished work.

My friend, you can rest easy in your heart and mind today. You can relax because Jesus has finished the work. In God’s eyes, you are forever perfect, spotless, and washed whiter than snow by the precious, eternal blood of His Son. And it’s permanent!

Your part is simply to believe and receive all that Jesus has done for you. That’s how you reign in life over sin, addictions, and whatever the enemy throws at you. That’s how you come up tops in all of life’s challenges!