07/01/24

I like how the King James Version translates Ruth 2:3: “and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz” (boldface mine). The Hebrew word for “to come to” and “to light on” is qarah. And the Hebrew word for “happened” and “hap” is miqreh, which comes from the word qarah.

Incidentally, the word happy comes from the old English word “hap,” which is why when happenings happen the way you want them to happen, you are happy!

I don’t know how many times I have heard testimonies from people who happened to meet an old friend in need and were able to minister to the friend, or who happened to have been delayed or who happened to change their original plans and, because of that, were protected from danger.

My friend, none of those things happened by accident or coincidence. It was the Lord giving them eth and qarah—putting them at the right place at the right time!

This is reflected in a praise report from Sandy, who lives in Singapore.

Before I drive, I always make it a point to pray for protection. On March 31, I prayed as usual before I started driving toward the city.

I got stuck in heavy traffic and the cars were inching forward toward a major traffic junction. Like many motorists, I got impatient and was disappointed when the traffic light turned red just as I was approaching the junction. Then, I heard a strange sound of something cracking, and I was shocked as a huge old tree fell and hit the roof of the car right in front of me, creating a huge dent in its roof and shattering the rear windscreen.

By God’s grace, the driver of the car emerged unscathed. Needless to say, I was very grateful to God when I realized that He had placed me at the right place at the right time so that I wasn’t hurt.

I am very thankful to Jesus for His divine protection. Without His wings of protection over me, I may not even be alive today. Thank You, Jesus!

Even with something as mundane as driving on the road, which many of us do every day, we need to make it a point to pray for the Lord’s protection. Let’s not put our trust in our daily routines, our skills, or our limited ability to foresee danger. Our trust must be in the Lord’s protection.

06/01/24

Jesus was the apple of God’s eye. He was God’s darling Son, His infinite joy and delight.

Yet, God gave Jesus up for you. That’s how much God loves you.

Just think about it: If you knew you could save a dying person by giving up something precious to you, would you go as far as to give up your only child whom you dearly love for that person?

Yet, that is exactly what God did to save you. Jesus, His beloved Son, died on the cross to cleanse you, heal you, and redeem you—spirit, soul, and body! That is how precious you are to God!

PRAYER

As You Begin To Appreciate God better,the lines will begin to fall for you in pleasant Places .

In this New Year 2024 , the Mercy And Protection Of God will Journey with you all the way in Jesus Name

06/01/24

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
TODAY’S WORD

Today’s Scripture
“I am the LORD; when the time is right, I will do this swiftly.”
Isaiah 60:22, ISV

IT’S ALREADY BEEN SCHEDULED
We’re all waiting for something—for a dream to come to pass, to meet the right person, for our health to turn around. When it’s been a long time, it’s easy to get discouraged and think it’s never going to work out. But when God put the promise in your heart, He’d already scheduled your healing, your breakthrough, your promotion. He’d determined the right time to bring it to pass. There are right-time moments in your future where things will fall into place. When you understand that it’s already been scheduled by the Creator of the universe, you won’t live worried and frustrated. You’ll stay in peace, knowing that your right time is coming.

God says, “I will make it happen.” The beauty is that you don’t have to make it happen. You don’t have to manipulate things, force a door to open, make yourself get well. God is going to make it happen. You may have big obstacles, but you’re not on your own. At the right time, God will open the doors, cause you to succeed, turn your child around.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You have already determined the right time to bring to pass the healing, breakthroughs, and blessings in my life. Thank You that You’ve scheduled what You’ve ordained for me. I am going to stay in peace and know that it is in Your hands to fulfill, not for me to try to make happen. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO

Do you believe that Jesus is interested in your success?

Take a moment to reflect on this.

My friend, I want you to know that Jesus delights in blessing you. It is His good pleasure to see you blessed in every area of your life!

Now, don’t put a limit on His blessings in your life. The blessings of the Lord are not (as some may erroneously believe) just seen in material things.

Jesus is infinitely interested in your total well-being. He is interested in your family, career, fulfillment in life, marriage, ministry, and boy, does the list go on!

When it comes to your desires, hopes, and dreams, there is no detail that is too minuscule, minute, or insignificant for Jesus. Trust me, if it matters to you, it matters to Him!

Even if you go to Him in prayer to remove that small pimple on your nose, He is not going to look at you and reply mockingly, “Hey buddy, don’t you know that I’ve got a whole universe to run? Come to Me when you have a bigger prayer request.”

No way! A thousand times no! Jesus will never ridicule or deride your concerns as petty. He is never dismissive or condescending. He is not like some of your so-called “friends,” who may delight in poking fun at your shortcomings. If it bothers you, it “bothers” Him.

You are important to Jesus. Know with full assurance in your heart that Jesus knows you perfectly, and yet accepts and loves you perfectly. When you begin to understand that, you will realize that it is truly that unmerited favor, that favor from Jesus that you know you do not deserve, did not merit, and cannot earn for yourself, that will perfect every imperfection and weakness in your life.

If you are facing challenges, such as lack in any area, addictions, fears, sicknesses, or broken relationships, Jesus’ unmerited favor will protect, deliver, prosper, bring restoration to, and provide for you. His unmerited favor will transform you into wholeness, and it is the goodness of God, not your striving and self-efforts, that will lead you to live victoriously for His glory.

04/01/24

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
TODAY’S WORD

Today’s Scripture
“And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”
Mark 2:22, NIV

CHECK YOUR MIND-SET
It’s easy to get stuck in life and think that we’ve gone as far as we can. We can’t break an addiction, we can’t get well, or we’ll never accomplish a dream. What’s holding us back many times is our own thinking. Jesus says that no one puts new wine into old wineskins. When a wineskin gets old, the leather becomes hard and rigid. If you put new wine in it, the wine expands and bursts the wineskin. Jesus is saying, “You can’t have a new life with old thinking.” If you think you’ve reached your limits, then you have. If you think the problem is too big, then it is. If you think you’ll never meet the right person, you probably won’t. It’s not that God doesn’t have blessings, favor, and increase. It’s that your wineskin is old. You have to get a new mind-set. Start believing bigger, dreaming bigger, expecting bigger. You’re not limited by your circumstances, by the setback, by your boss, by how you were raised. One touch of God’s favor will catapult you ahead.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You created me to live an abundant life, not a life that’s stuck in the old. Thank You that You are a God of increase, and You always have something bigger in my future. Help me to get rid of the old wineskin of a limited mind-set and to believe and expect bigger. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO

Do you remember the parable of the lost sheep Jesus told in Luke 15? When the shepherd found the lost sheep, he lifted it up and laid it upon his strong shoulders. What did the sheep do? Nothing. It just consented to be rescued by the shepherd.

Jesus calls this consent on the part of the sheep “repentance”—”there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7, boldface mine).

That is what God invites us to do today—to consent to be protected. He wants us to be on His shoulders, in the safety of Himself as our impenetrable fortress. In this place, no predator can attack His sheep.

On His shoulders, you are highly exalted above all your troubles, above all danger, all attacks, and far above all principalities and powers. Yes, far above Satan, above all the powers of darkness and the snare of the fowler. On His shoulders, you are far above every sickness, disease, and every name that is named. What a great place to be!

And does the Lord do this grudgingly? Absolutely not. The Bible tells us that the shepherd lays the sheep on his shoulders “rejoicing” (Luke 15:5). Our Lord rescues us with great joy in His heart and a big smile on His face.

Beloved, the safest place you can be today is on His shoulders. Jesus is your city of refuge. In your day of trouble, run to Him!

I pray you’ll anchor your heart on the wonderful verse that encapsulates this: “The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, who shelters him all the day long; and he shall dwell between His shoulders” (Deut. 33:12).

When you make the Lord your refuge and dwelling place, you shall dwell safely in Him and no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling!