Our past doesn’t determine our future

Gospel Corner

18/04/25

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
Today’s Word

Today’s Scripture
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:42–43, NIV

It Is All by Grace
When Jesus was dying on the cross, there were two thieves crucified on each side of Him. One mocked Him and said, “You can’t even save yourself.” The other thief said, “Jesus, when You come into Your kingdom, please remember me.” He believed Jesus was the Messiah, that He was the King of God’s kingdom. Jesus didn’t respond, “I don’t know you. You didn’t follow Me or My teachings. You’re a thief.” No, Jesus said, “This day you will be with Me in paradise.” Down to His last breath on this earth, Jesus was showing us that He chooses strangers, that our past doesn’t determine our future, that when we’re at our worst, God is at His best. That’s when His mercy shows out. Jesus was saying, “By grace you are saved, through faith—it is a gift from God.”

The tragedy is to go through life being chosen and never recognize it. You have to accept that God has a calling on your life. He’s put seeds of greatness in you. He’s given you a purpose, a divine assignment. And it’s all by grace.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that there is nothing I have to do to earn Your love and approval because of the grace and gift You have brought me in Jesus. Thank You that I can rest in who You made me and feel good about who I am. I believe that Your calling is upon me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Once, the Lord showed me a vision of what happened at the cross. I saw how all the sins of the entire human race (lies, deceit, envy, bitterness, adultery, addiction, bondage, murder) and all the consequences of sin (fear, sicknesses, guilt, disease, and condemnation) swirled around Jesus like evil spirits and demons, laughing heinously, taunting and tormenting Him. Jesus became like a magnet for all sin and of His own volition accepted all this sin into His own body.

You and I will never be able to imagine the excruciating pain that tore through His body at the cross. Every malignant cancer, every tumor, every sickness, and every disease came upon Him at the same time.

He who knew no sin took upon Himself the mountainous weight of all men’s darkest and foulest sins. He took it all Himself.

The Word says that “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses” (Matt. 8:17). “Himself”—a singular, reflexive pronoun that signifies the exclusion of you and me.

Since He Himself has taken the full punishment, judgment, and condemnation for all sin, you and I are excluded from every punishment, judgment, and condemnation for all sin when we receive Him as our Savior.

But the story did not end there. Jesus did not die on the cross in the middle of receiving upon Himself all of humanity’s sins. He took it all and accepted it all in His body. Then the fire of God’s judgment was unleashed upon His own precious Son, and only when every last sin had been punished did Jesus cry out, “IT IS FINISHED!” moments before breathing His last breath (John 19:30).

Can you see that? Jesus held on at the cross until every single sin that you have ever committed and will ever commit was punished in His own body. That is why we call what Jesus has accomplished at the cross a “finished work.”

Now, what is your part today? Your part is to believe with your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord of your life and that all your sins have been paid for at the cross.

If you believe that all your sins have been forgiven, sin will have no more power over you. You don’t have to walk around with “a mountain of sin” on your shoulders anymore because this “mountain of sin” was laid squarely on the shoulders of another—Jesus. He Himself has already paid the price for your sins, so stop condemning yourself!