Today’s Scripture “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” Psalm 50:15, NKJV
In the Day of Trouble It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with anxiety over a trouble that we’re facing, what might happen. At other times, we’re anxious over past mistakes we’ve made, regrets that come back to haunt us. Those can become lingering worry, lingering anxiety, that the enemy will try to convince you will never go away and keep you in fear and depression.
Don’t be complacent. Don’t just accept it and say, “My anxiety is high today. My depression is really bad.” No, don’t take ownership of it. It doesn’t belong to you. The moment you say “my,” you’re inviting it in and giving it permission to stay. Instead of inviting it, you need to start casting it away. See that anxiety as foreign, as not welcome, and as temporary. If you call upon the Lord, He will give you the strength you need until the deliverance comes. Every morning you need to call. “Lord, thank You for strengthening me today. Thank You that anxiety cannot stay in my life. I am a temple of the Most High God. Anxiety, you are on foreign territory. You are not welcome here.”
A Prayer for Today “Father, thank You that I can literally call out to You in a day of trouble, knowing that You will deliver and protect me. Thank You that I can invite You into my circumstances and receive the strength I need to overcome. I am casting any anxiety away and calling on You for deliverance. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
SECTION TWO
My friend, God is with you today because of His precious Son, Jesus. For God so loved the world, He gave His only Son, and His name is Immanuel.
God gave us Jesus. The presence of Jesus in your life is a free gift from God. There is no amount of good that you can do to earn the presence of Jesus. There is no number of good works that you can perform to merit His favor. His presence in your life is a free gift.
Now, because you did nothing to deserve His presence in your life, there is nothing you can do that will cause His presence to leave you. Once you have received Jesus into your heart, He will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5)!
“But Pastor Prince, when I fail, doesn’t Jesus leave me?”
No, Jesus is right by your side to encourage you and restore you to wholeness. You may say, “But I don’t deserve it!” That’s right. That’s what makes it His unmerited favor in your life.
There is a beautiful psalm that says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand” (Ps. 37:23–24).
When you fail, Jesus is there to uphold you. Unlike some of your so-called “friends,” He does not just take off. You can count on Him. He is a faithful, dependable, and trustworthy friend. Even when you have failed Him, He is right there with you, ready to pick you up and restore you to wholeness.
The Bible talks about a friend who “sticks closer than a brother.” That’s Jesus! Beloved, lean on His constant presence. Draw on His unfailing strength and support for you today.
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Christ-occupation makes you bold but not superior, humble but not inferior. When our minds are occupied with Jesus, we don’t have to try to be humble.
In the presence of the Servant-King, our hearts become supernaturally transformed, and we will carry His servant heart. In other words, when you hang out with Jesus, all that He is will rub off on you.
Your thoughts and your words will be full of the fragrance of His sweet presence and grace. All your inferiority and insecurities will melt away in His marvelous love for you. It takes people who are truly secure in Christ to be able to bow down and serve others with genuine humility.
Similarly, when you are courageous and bold in Christ and in His love for you, it doesn’t manifest as fleshly pride and arrogance, but rather as complete dependence on Almighty God.
Think of how young David charged down the Valley of Elah and challenged the giant Goliath, while the rest of the well-trained and full-grown men of the army of Israel cowered in fear. Was that simply a display of youthful bravado or a genuine dependence on God?
To the untrained eye, David could have appeared like an impudent little brat. But we know where this steely chutzpah comes from when these bold words of a mere teenager resonated throughout the valley: “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (1 Sam. 17:45).
From his words, we can tell that young David was clearly occupied with the Lord of hosts and not with himself or his abilities.
When your thoughts are occupied with the Lord, you become a giant slayer! Are there giants in your life today that need to be slain?
Like young David, occupy your mind with the Lord, and God will fill you with the courage and audacity to overcome all your adversities. Listen to the words of David in Psalm 18:29: “For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall.” Let these words of faith and boldness be established in your heart. With God on your side, nothing is impossible!
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Take time to reread today’s scripture. They are precious words, and they reveal how God sees you and me today.
They were spoken by a prophet named Balaam, who had been hired by Balak, the king of Moab, to invoke a curse to drive his enemy, the Israelites, from his territory. However, when Balaam opened his mouth to curse, blessings from God flowed out upon the Israelites instead (Num. 23:21–24)!
Do you know that when God blesses you, no one—no prophet, no sorcerer, and no devil—can reverse it? You are irreversibly blessed! You can never be cursed! No generational curse or any other curse can come upon you because God has already blessed you!
That includes being redeemed from the curse of the law as recorded in Galatians 3:13: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’).”
When your enemies say negative things about you out of envy, jealousy, and fear, or if there are people spreading nasty lies about you to assassinate your character, know this: the Lord is your defender. It is God who gives influence to words, and He can cause their words to fall to the ground. He can even, as we have just read, turn their curses into blessings.
You don’t have to get all flustered, agitated, and angry. Just know that the Lord is on your side and that when He has blessed you, no one can reverse it.
I want this right belief to sink deep into your heart: in Christ Jesus, you are irreversibly blessed. No matter how dire your circumstances may seem right now, put a smile on your face and a spring in your step. Whom the Lord has blessed, no one can curse!
God is going to see you through this difficult patch. Things are going to turn around for your good. You don’t have to live in disappointment, discouragement, and despair. As you can see in the biblical account of Balaam, if God is on your side, who can be against you?
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Today’s Scripture “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8, NIV
Release It It’s easy to be bitter because you had a bad break or somebody walked out on you, but bitterness is an impurity in the heart. Why don’t you release it so it doesn’t infect the rest of your life? Don’t let a disappointment, a divorce, a layoff, or a loss poison your future. You may be worried about your health or finances, but worry is an impurity that keeps you from seeing God. You have to release it. You may be angry because someone lied to you, but that’s an impurity you need to remove by forgiving the person.
Are you holding on to impurities? Are you jealous, sour, or discouraged? The problem is that if you’re holding on to infections, there’s no place for the good things God wants to fill your life with—the joy, peace, confidence, creativity, contentment. Because we’re not emptying out the impurities—the regret, anger, bitterness, jealousy, worry—we’re not living blessed and excited about our future. If you get good at releasing impurities every day, you’ll be strong, vibrant, full of faith and joy.
A Prayer for Today “Father, thank You that I can have a pure heart and see You today. Thank You that I can release any worries, any doubts, any guilt and bitterness and flush them out of my life. Help me to empty out any impurities, forgive whatever needs forgiving, and let go of the past. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
SECTION TWO
Whenever you find a promise or blessing for the righteous in the Bible, grab hold of it by saying, “Father, I receive this blessing in Jesus’ name!”
Let me show you how to practice this. When you read in Proverbs 10:6 that blessings are on the head of the righteous, say, “Thank You, Father, this promise is for ME because I have been made righteous through faith in Jesus and His finished work!”
So every day, instead of fearing that lack will devour you, expect God’s provision and blessings to hunt you down and surround you! Expect good things to happen to you. Say, “Father, I thank You that Your blessings crown my head. Your bountiful provisions are upon me and my household!”
Beloved, the more you begin to believe and speak words of abundance, provision, and increase, the more you will experience the full blessings of the righteous!
Today’s Scripture Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. Galatians 6:7, NKJV
Extraordinary Seed Every time you’re obedient to what God says, you’re sowing a seed. When it’s difficult, when you don’t understand it, when you’re uncomfortable, but you do it any way, you’re sowing an extraordinary seed. You’re going to reap an extraordinary harvest. When He asks you to walk away from a friend who’s pulling you down or to give up a bad habit that’s ruining your health, He’s not trying to take something from you. He’s trying to get something better to you. When He asks you to forgive someone who hurt you, He’ll give you beauty for ashes and make you whole. When He shows you to take a step of faith when you don’t feel qualified, He’ll give you a new beginning. Don’t try to figure it out, don’t overanalyze it, just do what you know God’s asking you to do. The obedience activates God’s power. If you trust Him and do what you know you need to do, you’ll reap a new level of your destiny. When you sow that extraordinary seed, you’re going to see God’s favor in extraordinary ways.
A Prayer for Today “Father, thank You for speaking through Your Word and for giving me an inner ear to know right from wrong and what the best path is. Help me to be sensitive to Your still small voice, to hear it with clarity, and to be quick to obey. I believe that I will reap an extraordinary harvest when I obey. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
We do not need to fear because even in times of turmoil and trouble, God is our very present help, our refuge, and our strength!
Our part is to call upon Him and He will answer and deliver us. Melinda, a lady from our church, experienced this for herself and wrote to me to share her testimony
As I was driving my six-year-old son to school, I exited the freeway and approached a traffic light junction. At that time, we were listening to Pastor Prince’s sermon CD in the car and I was amazed by how God had saved Noah and his family from the flood.
Suddenly, I heard a loud bang as something hit the back of my car. The next thing I knew, my car was flung into the air. It overturned, landed on its roof, and spun a distance to a halt.
As the car was spinning, I started screaming, “Jesus!” at least five times until the car finally came to a halt. Even though we had spun upside down and my son only had a seat belt strapped across his body, he had been miraculously held to the contour of the seat. His head and legs were not dangling from his seat. His neck could have been broken from the impact of the crash, but he was okay.
My son and I crawled out of the wreck without a scratch or whiplash. We stood by the side of the road and a lot of passersby came to our aid.
After we had gotten out of the car wreck, the picture of Jesus bleeding on the cross kept flashing in my mind. I knew that my son and I didn’t have to bleed on the road that morning because Jesus had shed His blood for us.
When my husband came to get us, he shared that he had also been driving to work around the time of the car accident, and how he felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to switch off the radio and pray in tongues. He also confessed the Lord’s favor over our lives, something that we had learned in church the day before.
Jesus turned a possibly tragic accident into a victorious outcome. No amount of safe driving could have saved our lives, only Jesus and nothing else!
Praise the Lord! In her time of trouble, Melinda cried out the name of Jesus and He answered her. No matter what situation you are in, the Lord is with you and will surely deliver you when you call upon His name!
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Son of nobody that became somebody—flip side of Livy-Elcon Emereonye By Chioma Favour
While commemorating Elconist’s Day on February 14, 2025, let’s delve into the story of ‘the son of nobody’ who rises to become somebody.
Livinus Emereonye ( The Elconist)
During a series of blackmail attempts in a full display of dirty politics, an elderly pharmacist in an attempt to justify his contract questioned why it had to be him again, to undermine his supporters. He called him the son of nobody, which felt like an insult, but instead of being discouraged by the harsh words, he used it as motivation and committed himself to the campaign, finishing strong in the end. Having lost the election in an uplifting manner, he pledged to triumph over history: and now, the son of nobody stands tall as somebody, having carved a niche for him and paying his dues to make the world a better place.
It is exciting to share a few captivating stories of strength with you. Excluding the randomness of birth, life is a product of our choices. To make innovative strides in your career and empower many with your boldness and commitment, exceed expectations.
One can achieve prominence by overcoming difficulties, showing resilience, and having a strong passion. They motivate us to pursue excellence, advocate for our beliefs, and persist in chasing our dreams. Success comes from a journey that requires hard work, determination, and a desire to expand one’s knowledge and skills.
Some of the essential elements one needs to steer himself towards greatness which turned out as building blocks for Livy Elcon Emereonye can be highlighted below.
Set a distinct vision by identifying your aims and desires. What are you hoping to achieve? What impact do you aspire to have? Discover your passions and connect them with your purpose. When you follow your spirits, your motivation to perform at your best grows.
Effort and persistence are essential for reaching greatness. Get ready to encounter challenges and difficulties, but keep pushing forward. Keep your curiosity alive and pursue knowledge continuously. Seek new insight, knowhow, and experiences to foster your growth.
Cultivate self-discipline and enhance self-awareness. Recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and focus on self-improvement. Develop a positive mindset and outlook. Have confidence in yourself and your skills, and keep your attention on your objectives.
Build a network of individuals who uplift and motivate you. A robust network can keep you motivated and inspired. Stay flexible and willing to accept changes. Greatness does not come in a straight path, highlighting the importance of being able to pivot and modify plans.
Be real and align with your principles. Being honest is essential for establishing trust and credibility with others. Nurture both gratitude and humility in your life. Acknowledge the individuals and experiences that have supported you throughout your journey, and remain humble about your achievements.
Greatness comes through a journey that is different for each person. When you make your choice, remain dedicated and engaged, seeking knowledge and improvement.
Livy-Elcon as a great mind: Cultivating an exceptional intellect is both difficult and captivating, as it relies on the interplay of innate qualities, environmental influences, and personal effort. Many important factors influence the growth of a brilliant mind.
Childhood Experiences: Interest and examination: A brilliant mind emerges from a childhood fueled by curiosity, where exploration and education thrive. A nurturing atmosphere that encourages creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving creates the basis for an exceptional mind.
Intellectual Capacities: An elevated intelligence quotient (IQ) can establish a solid base for cognitive skills, yet it isn’t the sole determinant. He possesses many other qualities.
Creativity: Having the ability to think divergently, generate novel concepts, and devise creative solutions is critical for a remarkable mind.
Enhancing critical thinking abilities, including analysis, evaluation, and reasoning, sharpens ideas and improves decision-making.
Character Traits: A genuine enthusiasm for learning and a powerful drive to succeed inspire him to strive for excellence.
Tenacity and changeability: Resilience, adaptability to new circumstances, and the ability to handle uncertainty are crucial for personal development.
Gaining insight into oneself by reflecting on experiences. Cultivating self-awareness, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and taking part in reflective practice promote ongoing learning.
Instruction and Training: Quality education, along with mentorship and guidance, establishes a structured basis for effective learning in formal educational settings.
Engaging in informal learning through self-study and diverse readings nurtures a love for knowledge beyond traditional schooling.
Coaching and inspirational leaders: Having mentors or role models can inspire you and provide valuable advice and direction. This was prominent in the rise and rise of the Elconist.
Ongoing Education and Development: He embraces a growth mindset, maintains his curiosity, and actively seeks continuous learning opportunities while working tirelessly to offer answers and solutions.
Encouraging a culture of experimentation and calculated risk-taking, while also learning from mistakes, sharpens his concepts and strategies.
Engaging in regular reflection on experiences helps him pinpoint areas for growth and make necessary changes, promoting ongoing development; he finds lessons in everything, including reading and writing while in the restroom. By naming what cannot be named and rendering the improbable believable, he explores territories that others fear to enter. Not only is his pen more powerful than swords, but it also terrifies those who do evil.
The journey to becoming a great thinker spans a lifetime and is shaped by genetic factors, the environment, personal qualities, educational experiences, and continuous pursuit of knowledge.
The tale of the Elconist is both powerful and inspiring! This tale illustrates how someone can emerge from humble circumstances to become an essential and powerful individual, highlighting the infinite nature of human resilience. It showcases determination and resilience.
Rising from anonymity to prominence, the child of no one, lacking any special connections or benefits, encounters many obstacles and difficulties. With a strong sense of determination and resilience, he persists and puts in hard work to fulfill his ambitions, gaining success while maintaining good health.
Fundamental qualities of the Elconist
Steadfast enthusiasm: He feels a powerful urge to learn, develop, and create a significant impact.
Strength in challenging times: He encounters many challenges, yet rather than surrendering, he transforms them into chances for growth and learning. He perceives all obstacles as exceptional opportunities for exploration and tackles every issue with the wonder of a champion, which is why he can draw water from rock.
Diligence and commitment: He treats work like a religion, dedicating himself to honing his skills and knowledge, frequently exceeding expectations.
Unceasing learning process: He understands how crucial it is to remain curious and pursue knowledge, allowing him to adjust and grow in a fast-paced world.
Realness and simplicity: In spite of his rising prominence, he keeps true to himself and his values, realizing that his success involves more than just his individual efforts.
The Consequence of the Vital Figure: As he expands his presence and authority, he acts as an agent of positive transformation, significantly affecting those in his vicinity. His tenacity and strength motivate those around him, generating a ripple effect that reaches well beyond his personal achievements.
An Emblem of Encouragement: Dr. Emereonye’s transformation from an unknown individual to a vital person serves as a strong reminder that our conditions do not dictate our worth. By maintaining strong determination and resilience, we can conquer even the toughest obstacles and reach greatness.
With a keen interest in multiple economic sectors and relentless effort to drive progress, Livy-Elcon Emereonye exemplifies the qualities of a jack of all trade and master of all.
It is all of the above summed up in the character traits, qualities, strategies and creativities plus natural intelligence which has transformed our quintessential gentleman into a man of many things rolled into one. He is a pharmacist by training, an Integrative Healthcare Practitioner, an activist, an author, writer and newspaper columnist, drug manufacturer, social critic, blogger and kind hearted fellow ever ready to address other people’s challenges.
He is a role model. We wish him more fruitful years ahead as he journeys through life.
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Today’s Scripture Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus. Luke 5:10–11, NLT
Come and Follow In today’s Scripture, Peter had been so awestruck by a net-breaking catch of fish after he obeyed Jesus’ word that he fell at Jesus’ feet and said, “Lord, please depart from me. I’m too big of a sinner to be around You. I’m not worthy of Your favor. I’ve lived a rough life and use bad language.” But God was showing us that His blessing is not based on our performance. We don’t deserve His favor, healing, freedom, or mercy. We can’t earn it. It’s the gift of God to be received by faith.
I love Jesus’ response to Peter’s reasons to not accept it. He said, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” Beyond the gift of fish, Jesus offered Peter the opportunity to be His disciple. He was saying, “You’re forgiven. You’re worthy. Accept this gift and I’ll make you a history maker.” No wonder Peter left everything and followed Jesus. As with Peter, you may not feel qualified, but don’t let fear or doubt keep you from receiving the greatness God has for you. It’s His gift.
A Prayer for Today “Father, thank You for not just bringing me net-breaking blessings but for calling me to come and be Your disciple. Thank You that Your blessings are not based on whether I am worthy enough to deserve them. I will not let fear keep me from receiving all the gifts You have for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
SECTION TWO
Each of the names of God has a divine attribute, and understanding and believing that He is each attribute will cause that attribute to flow into our lives. The first name of God mentioned in Psalm 91 is “Most High” (Elyon), which means He is the Most High God and there is no one higher than Him. He is the possessor of heaven and earth (Gen. 14:19).
The verse goes on to refer to God as the “Almighty.” In Hebrew, it is Shaddai—the God who blesses you with more than enough, more than you can contain. Man has limitations but we have a God who is abundantly unlimited.
Now, the second verse of Psalm 91 contains another two names of God. Isn’t this so powerful? When the psalmist declares, “I will say of the Lord,” he is referring to Yehovah or Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God. It is the holiest name of the Lord, the name Jewish scribes treat with great reverence.
Do you know that Jesus’ name in Hebrew, Yeshua, actually means “Yahweh saves”? It is not “Yahweh judges.” The name Jesus means “Yahweh SAVES.”
If you are broke, Yahweh saves. If you are sick, Yahweh saves. If you have enemies that are coming against you, Yahweh saves. Whatever saving you need, Jesus is the answer, for His name means “Yahweh saves.”
The psalmist in verse 2 goes on to say, “My God, in Him I will trust.” Now, the word “God” here refers to Elohim, the God of power, the Creator. The God who created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1). This is our God! He is the One we put our trust in.
In just two verses, you find four names of God mentioned. Knowing, believing, and saying He is all these to us gives us protection in our everyday situations. He will deliver and rescue the one who knows His name.
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Today’s Scripture And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7, ESV
Peace That Surpasses Understanding If you’re going to live in peace, it’s not going to happen by accident. Every day we have opportunities to get upset, to be worried, to live offended. Life happens. People get on your nerves, unexpected bills come, a friend is rude. If you wait for all your circumstances to calm down and then you’ll have peace, then you’ll quit worrying, you’ll be waiting your whole life. God never promised to keep us from difficulties. He didn’t say we wouldn’t have storms, but He did say He would give us peace in the midst of the storm. He calls it “a peace that surpasses understanding.” That means in spite of what’s going on around you, you can still be at peace. “The medical report wasn’t good, but I’m not going to worry. I didn’t get the promotion. A coworker was rude to me, but I’m not offended. God is fighting my battles.”
You have to protect your peace. You weren’t created to live worried, upset, on edge. You have to turn it over to God and leave it in His hands.
A Prayer for Today “Father, thank You that You didn’t create me to live weighed down by the worry, hurts, offenses, and frustrations that creep in and limit my life. Help me to guard my heart and mind and leave issues in Your hands. I declare that I have Your peace that passes understanding. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
The Old Testament cities of refuge reveal a beautiful picture of Christ as our protection. Now let me show you another type hidden in the teaching on the cities of refuge, and that is the picture of the local church.
The six cities are scattered across the land so a person can flee to the nearest one to take refuge. It is a picture of local churches scattered all around the world. The local church, my friend, is a place of refuge.
The church is not man’s idea; it is God’s idea. It is a place where all the guilty, where all who are suffering from condemnation, and where those who are being pursued can come and take refuge.
You see, it is not God’s heart for you to take this journey of faith on your own. Certainly, you can learn a lot by reading books or watching sermons online, but God’s heart is for you to be part of a community of faith.
In the Father’s house, people experience healing, breakthroughs, protection, and other blessings. God the Father raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named” (Eph. 1:21). This means that Jesus is far above all sicknesses, all diseases, all terror, all snares, all cancers, all depression, and all addictions.
We all agree that our Lord is above every name, but on this earth, where does this power and dominion reside? The apostle Paul declares, “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Eph. 1:22–23).
Where is this power today in our broken and fallen world? It is found in the church! His power, His authority, and His fullness are all found in the church—our city of refuge where we can run to and find divine protection!
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Today’s Scripture Those who hate you will be clothed with shame. Job 8:22, NKJV
Don’t Let the Poison In It’s easy to get upset and try to set the record straight when someone is talking behind your back, trying to make you look bad, spreading rumors on social media. Some may be saying hurtful, critical things to try to make you feel small, unattractive, not good enough. Don’t let the negative chatter get inside you. There will always be people who are jealous, envious, bullies, haters. Not everyone is going to like you or be for you. Some will jump on every fault and treat you badly. Don’t let that poison in. Let it go. If you keep thinking about it, reliving the hurt, dwelling on what they said, it’s going to contaminate your life.
Change Your Bad Ways,Jesus is Coming Soon
You don’t have to defend yourself. God is your vindicator. Keep Him on the throne of your heart and He will take care of those who try to bring your down. Just run your race and stay focused on your goals. Keep doing the right thing, keep honoring God, stay in peace, and He will protect your reputation and take care of your enemies.
Your Tomorrow Is Greater Today
A Prayer for Today “Father, thank You that I can shut the door on the negative that comes against me and keep what You have promised and said about me close to my heart. Thank You that You are my vindicator and none of these things need move me. I believe that I will rise above the negatives. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
SECTION TWO
You’ve got to love the story of short, little Zacchaeus, who had climbed a sycamore tree hoping to catch a glimpse of Jesus as He walked by (Luke 19:1–10). Zacchaeus was a corrupt tax collector, a rich sinner.
But when Jesus spoke to him, instead of giving him the Ten Commandments, Jesus showed him grace (undeserved favor) and invited Himself to Zacchaeus’ house. Of course, the religious people in the crowd were displeased and gossiped among themselves saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner” (Luke 19:7).
Now, observe what happened in Zacchaeus’ house. Before the dinner was over, Zacchaeus was giving his wealth away to the poor and making restitution to those whom he had wronged, and Jesus was proclaiming salvation over Zacchaeus’ house.
I believe that it was the Holy Spirit who put this story side by side with that of the rich young ruler. I don’t believe that the two stories in the Gospel of Luke happened chronologically. But I believe that the Holy Spirit placed them in this divine order to show us the contrasting effects of being under the covenant of law and being under the covenant of grace.
When the rich young ruler came boasting in his law keeping, Jesus answered with the law, and the young man walked away sorrowful (Matt. 19:22). But when Jesus gave no law and showed His grace, it not only opened Zacchaeus’ heart, but also the wallet of a once corrupt tax collector.
That’s truly the power of grace! It leads one to true repentance. You see, when you experience God’s grace, you can’t help but be generous.
After Jesus lavished His unconditional love and grace on Zacchaeus, his heart overflowed with the undeserved, unmerited, and unearned favor of God. Zacchaeus knew deep in his heart that as a sinner and corrupt tax collector, he did not deserve to have Jesus come to his house.
But God’s goodness far exceeded his expectations. And just as Peter was brought to his knees when he saw Jesus’ goodness, Zacchaeus was led to repentance when he experienced Jesus’ goodness.
Unlike the young ruler, Zacchaeus knew that he was undeserving and that is why Jesus was able to shower grace on him. You see, the role of the law is to bring you to a place where you know in no uncertain terms that you cannot do anything to deserve God’s salvation and blessings, and how you can only rely on His grace.
His grace will give you all the blessings you need and transform your life. My friend, our heavenly Father is waiting for us to give up on our own efforts. The moment you begin to repent from all the dead works that you have been doing to try to qualify for and deserve God’s acceptance and blessings, God will lavish on you His abundant grace—His undeserved, unearned, and unmerited favor.
Today, turn your eyes away from yourself and see yourself enjoying the undeserved favor of God under the new covenant of grace. See yourself forgiven and righteous with Jesus’ righteousness. Be occupied with Him and His grace, and like Zacchaeus, you will be transformed from the inside out.
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Because of the completed work of our Lord Jesus, we can dwell “in the secret place of the Most High,” having free access into the presence of our Elyon, the Most High (Ps. 91:1). We can “abide under the shadow of the Almighty,” or Shaddai.
These two Hebrew names of God—Elyon and Shaddai—in the first verse of Psalm 91 alone help to put our problems in perspective, don’t they? In and of ourselves, our present challenges may appear insurmountable.
But when we are resting in the presence of El Elyon—God Most High, the possessor of heaven and earth (Gen. 14:19)—and abiding under the shadow of El Shaddai—God Almighty, the all-sufficient One—all of a sudden, our adversities don’t seem so intimidating after all!
My prayer for you is that your perspective of God will be enlarged as you see Him and His attributes in the Scriptures and discover the power of His living Word, as Carina from North Carolina did:
My grandson, Caylen, was born three months premature, weighing 1lb 7oz. He was in the hospital for almost six months. We were told that his survival rate was low. Even if he did survive, he would have significant development delays.
At the time of his hospitalization, his mother was asked if there was a Bible verse that she wanted to be placed above her son’s incubator. She gave them Psalm 91. I don’t know if my daughter had any idea of the power of putting that psalm above his incubator. I did not realize how powerful it was until later.
Caylen had surgery for his heart and also two more for his stomach. He did well in all his surgeries, so much so that the doctor commented, “I don’t think he realizes he is supposed to be sick.”
My grandson is now six years old with no developmental delays and advanced in almost every area. Praise the Lord!
God took little Caylen into that secret place where he was safe and received healing. I saw firsthand how the world could not harm him and he is now a walking testimony of the power and love of God.
My friend, there is no doubt that there is power in the Word of God. There is healing power in the prayer of protection! I pray that you’ll also let His Word strengthen you and cause you to rest in the protection and might of our El Elyon and El Shaddai.
Dara Network TV 