His Word goes forth to sozo...

RECEIVE AS YOU HEAR THE GOOD NEWS

By Joseph Prince – Posted February 27, 2017

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…

If you have been to motivational seminars, you would probably have heard the speakers say, “If you follow these five steps, then you will come to a place of financial increase.” They would probably have told you also that if you don’t succeed, it is because you did not follow the steps correctly or diligently.

Thank God that the gospel or good news does not work like that! The minute you hear or read the good news, and you believe and receive it, His Word goes forth to sozo (the Greek word for “save”) you, making you whole in every way, “for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes”.

What is the good news? It is that God loves us so much that He gave us His Son to take our beating so that we can have His blessings without having to work for them. Right now, as you are reading this devotional, listening to a preacher or watching a sermon DVD, as you hear God’s Word, His power is released into your situation, working things out for you and turning your situation around for your good.

In Acts 14:8–10, we see Paul preaching the good news in Lystra. A man who was crippled from birth was listening to Paul. Paul, seeing that he had faith to be healed, said, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And the man leaped and walked! He heard the good news, believed it and was healed.

At a leadership conference in Oslo, Norway, where I was speaking, a pastor there shared how a well-respected businessman in his church was healed while listening to one of my sermon CDs. This man was deaf in one ear. And when he was listening to my teaching on the CD, his deaf ear popped open without anyone laying hands on him or praying for him! He was just listening to the good news when his ear opened. Now, that is what I call the power of God unto his salvation, sozo-ing him, making his hearing whole!

My friend, these miracles happen not because we follow some kind of formula faithfully, but because we hear the good news preached and simply believe it!

Thought For The Day

Miracles happen when we hear the good news preached and simply believe it!

Love Through the Ages

By DR. David Jeremiah - Posted February 27, 2017

Jesus replied, “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”
Matthew 22:37, NLT

Recommended Reading: 1 John 3:16-18

Two wings of a bird; two halves of scissors; two sides of a coin. Sometimes two things go together so well that, alone, they are only part of the picture. That is true of the Old and New Testament revelations of God’s love.

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word hesed—“loyal-love” or “lovingkindness”—illustrates the central theme of God’s love. God’s loyalty to, and compassion toward, Israel was demonstrated by His hesed toward them. But there were conditions to be met: the requirements of the Mosaic Covenant. By the time we get to the New Testament, Israel’s failure to walk in God’s covenant resulted in discipline. God’s loyal love was then extended to all the world in an expanded way. Agape is the New Testament word that means unconditional, sacrificial love—love “in spite of.” Even while we Gentiles were sinners, Paul wrote, God loved us unconditionally and sent Christ to die as payment for our sins. Loyal, unconditional, sacrificial love—that is the full expression of God’s love for us.

Toward you, God is loyal and faithful and unconditional. Meditate on how life-changing His love is and what your respond should be to Him.

God’s love for his people is infinite and unconditional. 
John Blanchard

 Read-Thru-the-Bible: Deuteronomy 20 - 22

  

Enter His Rest

By Joel Osteen – Posted February 27, 2017

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"For we who have believed do enter that rest…"
Hebrews 4:3, NKJV

TODAY'S WORD:

God promises that there are set times in our future, but He doesn’t tell us when they will be. Your set time may be tomorrow morning at 9:47. You’ll get the phone call you’ve been waiting for. Your set time may be two years from now. You’ll get a good break and that will thrust you to a new level. My question is, “Do you trust God enough to believe that your set times are coming?” Are you willing to wait with a good attitude? Are you willing to get a new perspective? 

Remember, that set time is already in your future. Don’t let the negative thoughts talk you out of it. The way you know that you’re really believing is that you have rest on the inside. You’re at peace. You know the answer is on the way. You trust that God is working things out. Today put your faith and trust in Him and enter into rest. Know that He is good, and He is for you! Your set time of favor is on the way!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father, today I choose to enter into rest. I choose to trust You. I choose to put my faith and hope in You knowing that You are good and that You have good things in store for my future in Jesus’ name! Amen.

Fellowship with the Lord

By Joyce Meyer - Posted February 27, 2017

Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
—Jeremiah 29:13 

No matter how many principles and formulas you and I learn, we will never have lasting victory in our Christian life without spending time in personal, private fellowship with the Lord. The victory is not in methods; it is in God. If we are to live victoriously, we are going to have to look beyond ways to eliminate our problems and find the Lord in the midst of our problems. 

The good news is that when we set aside time with God, He meets with us. We can be grateful, knowing that when we seek Him, we will find Him. God has a personalized plan for each of us, a plan that will lead us to victory. That is why principles, formulas, and methods are not the ultimate answer, because they do not allow for the individual differences in people. As good as all these things may be as general guidelines, they are not substitutes for personal fellowship with the Living God. 

Prayer of Thanks: Thank You, Father, that I can meet with You at any time of the day or night. You’re always here for me and You desire to spend time with me. Your Word says that when I seek You, I will find You. So help me, Lord, to find You in every part of my life today.