Well, I have good news...

GOD WILL SURELY SHOW YOU KINDNESS

By Joseph Prince – Posted May 22, 2017

2 Samuel 9:7

So David said to Him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.”

When the people in the palace heard that King Saul and his son Jonathan had died in battle, they panicked. Fearful that David was coming to seize the throne, and kill all the sons and grandsons of Saul, they ran for their lives. A nurse took Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, and ran. But as she fled, the five-year-old boy fell and became lame in both feet. (2 Samuel 4:4)

The poor boy would not have been crippled if they had known that David actually loved Jonathan and Saul, and would have looked after Jonathan’s son because he had made a covenant with Jonathan. (1 Samuel 18:3)

In this story, King Saul represents the human race. He is like Adam who sinned against God and forfeited all that God gave to man. He had the position, but not the power anymore because of sin. Jonathan, who came after Saul, represents Jesus, who came as a human. Jonathan was not like Saul—he was good, just as Jesus is not like Adam—Jesus is the perfect Man. David represents God. So Jonathan’s covenant with David speaks of Jesus’ covenant with God. Mephibosheth represents believers today who are “lame” in some way—sick, depressed, fearful, poor and so on.

Now, Mephibosheth became lame because of bad news that was based on a lie. Many believers today are suffering needlessly because they believe the wrong things about God. They think, “My sin has found me out! God is coming after me!”

Well, I have good news for all Mephibosheths: David is not after your life! When David looked for Mephibosheth, it was to show him kindness, to take care of him and restore to him the land that had belonged to Saul his grandfather.

Likewise, God is not out to get you. He knows all about your sins and still loves you. That is why He sent Jesus as the payment for your sins. And because of Jesus’ covenant with Him, He says to you, “Don’t be afraid, I will surely show you kindness. I will restore all to you and you shall always eat at My table!”

Thought For The Day

God is not out to get you, but to show you kindness, and to give you provision and restoration.

Faith & Grace: Working Together

By Joyce Meyer - Posted May 22, 2017

For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God.
—Ephesians 2:8

Let me give you an illustration of the way that faith and grace work together to bring us the blessings of God. In my meetings I often take along a large electric fan that I set up on the speaker's platform. I call up a member of the audience and have her stand in front of the fan, telling her that I am going to cool her off. When the fan doesn't run even though I turn it on, I ask the audience, "What’s wrong? Why is this fan not running?"

Of course, the audience sees right away what's wrong: "It's not plugged in!" they yell. "That's right," I say, "and that's exactly what's wrong many times when our prayers are not answered." I explain that we get our eyes on faith (the fan), expecting it to do the work, but we fail to look beyond the fan to its source of power, which is the Lord.

Jesus had faith all the time He was suffering. He had faith while in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had faith before the high priest and Pilate. He had faith when He was being ridiculed, abused, and mistreated. He had faith on the way to Golgotha. He had faith while hanging on the cross. He even had faith while His body lay in the tomb; He had absolute faith that God would not leave Him there but would raise Him up, as He had promised. But do you realize that for all His faith, nothing happened until the power of God came forth to bring about the Resurrection? 

His faith kept Him stable until the Father's appointed time for His deliverance. We can have all the faith in the world; but it will avail us nothing until it is "plugged in" to the source of power, which is the grace of God. Keep your eyes on God to deliver you—not your faith.

Say What?

By Joel Osteen – Posted May 22, 2017

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"Since we have the same spirit of faith…we also believe, and so we also speak." 
(2 Corinthians 4:13, ESV) 

TODAY'S WORD:

Scripture says, “The spirit of faith is in our words.” My question today is, “What’s coming out of your mouth?” Are you talking about how big your problems are, or are you talking about how big your God is? 

As believers, our attitude should always be an attitude of praise—“Father, business may be slow, but I want to thank You that You’re supplying all of my needs.” “My circumstance may seem impossible, but thank You, God, that all things are possible with You!” We should always find a reason to give thanks! 

This is what Jonah did. After complaining for eight verses, he had a change of heart in verse nine. He said, “God, in spite of my difficulties, I’m going to offer unto You the sacrifice of praise with a voice of thanksgiving.” While sitting in the belly of the whale, instead of complaining, he began to worship.” The next verse says that the whale spit him out onto dry ground, and he went on to fulfill his destiny. 

If you feel like you’re in the belly of a whale, if you feel trapped, if things seem dark, remember, praise always precedes the victory! Open your mouth and declare His praises! Say what the Word says and watch the breakthrough come to pass!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father God, I humbly come to You in the precious name of Jesus Christ. I commit my words and thoughts to You. I choose to say what the Word says. I choose to speak the truth and trust that You are working for my good in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Deliverance

By DR. David Jeremiah – Posted May 22, 2017

You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.
Psalm 32:7

Recommended Reading: 2 Corinthians 1:8-11

When Jesus prayed, “Deliver us from the evil one,” He used an Old Testament word that often found its way into the prayers of the biblical heroes. Jacob prayed, “Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother” (Genesis 32:11). The Israelites prayed, “Do to us whatever seems best to You; only deliver us this day” (Judges 10:15). David said, “Our fathers trusted in You… and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered” (Psalm 22:4-5). In Psalm 39:8, David prayed, “Deliver me from all my transgressions.” In Psalm 59:2, he prayed, “Deliver me from the workers of iniquity.”

Have you incorporated the word deliver into your prayers? In today’s culture, deliver is more often used when referring to sending packages or giving speeches. But in the Bible, it conveyed the idea of rescue and protection. Every day we need to be rescued from our sins, needs, trials, temptations, and enemies. We need to be protected from our enemy, the devil. Many versions of the Lord’s Prayer say, “Deliver us from the evil one.”

Ask God to save, protect, deliver, and rescue you and yours from the evil that envelops our world and from the evil one himself. The Lord specializes in deliverance.

How quickly we forget God’s great deliverances in our lives.
David Wilkerson