JESUS WORE THE CROWN OF THORNS FOR YOU

By Joseph Prince – Posted May 23, 2017

John 19:2

And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head…

If hard work is the formula for prosperity, then everyone who works hard should be prosperous. But this is certainly not the case. Many people who work very hard are still in lack!

I am not advocating laziness. What I am saying is that working hard by the sweat of your brow is not how God’s provision comes. In fact, if you have to work overtime all the time and are stressed out, you are probably operating under the curse.

What curse is that? It is this curse: “In the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread…” (Genesis 3:19) And it refers to the stress, struggle and anxieties that come with working hard and yet producing little. Now, work itself is not a curse since God gave Adam work before the fall—Adam was to tend the garden of Eden. It was only after he sinned that the land was cursed and it brought forth thorns, and man had to toil to eat of it. (Genesis 3:17–18)

But praise God, Jesus wore the thorns on His head to show you that He has borne this curse for you and redeemed you from it. He wore the crown of thorns so that you can work stress-free and yet have the results. You don’t have to be worried and stressed out day and night like the people of the world just to get ahead in life. Your heavenly Father can get you there without the worries and stress. (Matthew 6:31–33)

Beloved, every curse that was supposed to fall on your head fell on Jesus’ head, typified by the crown of thorns. He wore the crown of thorns for you so that you can have peace of mind. He wore the crown of thorns for you and took your curse so that you can wear the crown of glory and take His righteousness, and all the benefits of that righteousness!

Today, don’t labor and toil like the people of the world. Instead, expect to see the blessings of God come into your life without blood, sweat and tears because Jesus wore the crown of thorns for you!

Thought For The Day

Your heavenly Father can get you ahead in life without the toil and stress of the world.

Only God Can Change You

By Joyce Meyer - Posted May 23, 2017

The Lord will sustain, refresh, and strengthen him on his bed of languishing; all his bed You [O Lord] will turn, change, and transform in his illness. I said, Lord, be merciful and gracious to me; heal my inner self, for I have sinned against You.
—Psalm 41:3-4 

Don't obsess over your faults, or you will never enjoy the life that Jesus died to give you. Only God can change you, so talk to Him about your desires. The Word says that those who wait on the Lord will change (see Isaiah 40:31). 

Meanwhile, quit taking your flaws so seriously. Don't let discouragement or depression rob you of your energy and make you angry. If you do, you may take that anger out on other people and miss the blessings God has in store for you today. Enjoy yourself, and lighten up! Take the right steps today toward the change you want to make by asking God to help you all day long. 

The Sacrifice of Praise

By Joel Osteen – Posted May 23, 2017

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name
Hebrews 13:15, NKJV

TODAY'S WORD:

Have you ever thought about what it means to continually offer up a sacrifice of praise? That word “sacrifice” means that it cost you something. It means doing something when you don’t feel like it. It’s when you say, “God, I’m hurting, but I give You praise.” “God, I’m lonely, but I give You praise.” “God, it wasn’t fair. They did me wrong, but I give You praise.” 

When you praise God beyond your feelings, that’s when praise becomes your faith at work. That’s when praise becomes a weapon. Nothing gets God’s attention any more than when you call on Him in your time of trouble. When most people would become negative and bitter, you have a song of praise. You’re thanking God for who He is and what He will do in your life. You’re not talking about how big your problems are; you’re talking about how big your God is! 

Today, understand that praise activates God’s power. He commands us to praise because it opens the door to His victory and blessing. No matter what is happening around you, worship Him! Declare His goodness and see His restoration in every area of your life!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father, today I choose to praise You. I choose to give You glory no matter what’s happening in the world around me. I know that You are good and faithful, so I give You all the praise in Jesus’ name! Amen.

This Rings True

By DR. David Jeremiah – Posted May 23, 2017

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Psalm 150:6

Recommended Reading: Psalm 150

Last year, a Georgia man bought a $5,000 engagement ring and hid it in a kitchen drawer while waiting to propose to his girlfriend. When his parents came for Christmas, his mother went to work discarding and throwing away debris from the kitchen. When the man looked for his ring, it was gone—and hasn’t been found since. Apparently his mother inadvertently tossed it out.

Meanwhile in a separate case, workers at a garbage dump in Long Island found a $5,000 wedding ring belonging to a New York woman who had accidentally tossed it in the trash while cooking. It was returned, and the grateful woman rewarded the sanitation workers with pizza and brownies.

Dr. A. W. Tozer called worship “the missing jewel of the evangelical church.” Since the Church is simply made up of individual believers, many Christians have lost the ring of worship from their lives. If we don’t praise God as we pray, we’ve lost the whole point of prayer. Praise lifts our prayers from our gripes to His glory. So here’s a verse that rings true for every one of us: “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!” (Psalm 150:6)

I would rather worship God than do any other thing I know of in all this wide world.
A. W. Tozer