I’d like to share a story with you about a man from the Congo who was only one step away from a very tragic decision in his life. However, in just a matter of moments his world was changed instantly.

How? He heard words. Simple words of Good News opened the door to a new world. Do you need doors opened in your life? Today is your day!

In one of our meetings in the Congo, a young father was distraught and very upset about how life had treated him. I don’t know what situation you are facing—maybe you find yourself like this young father.

He had just purchased poison at a local pharmacy and was on his way home to take his and his family’s lives that night. As he walked, he heard words in the distance over loud speakers and decided to see what was happening. As he listened, he heard a new idea. The words began to penetrate his heart, and he had an overwhelming sense of God’s love and presence.

This young father later made his way to the platform to tell the audience what had happened. He stood weeping before 100,000 people, telling them the evil he had planned and how God had freed him and forgiven him. Suddenly, the crowd began to part as a woman with several children made her way to the platform. She was crying and shouting, “Honey, honey! We are here too!”

The couple embraced on the platform, forgave each other and committed their lives to the LORD. In an instant the question of who God is was answered—God is love! God is forgiveness, peace and restoration!

Do you need God’s presence? We have seen Him touch the masses around the world. Jesus is here for you right now. Wherever you are, just stop and turn your thoughts to God. He loves you. He believes in you. And today, He offers you forgiveness!

It is as natural for a human to pray as it is for a fish to swim. We see that strong atheists are more a product of unanswered prayer than of intellectual conviction. It is to our benefit to discover how we can tap into a spiritual source for all we want to accomplish in life, rather than rely on the whims of man or the limited knowledge we have.

Let me encourage you to ponder one thing. We are without a prayer without the blood of Jesus shed for us. His blood still speaks for us from the mercy seat of heaven. God looks at that blood shed by God the Son and will respond. How can He not respond to what Jesus did? He washes our sin with that blood. He heals our body with that blood. He keeps us from the accusation of guilt that our enemies use by the blood. We are without a prayer if we don’t understand that HE established the way, not us by our goodness, piety, or eloquence.

Do we pray? Yes. Why? Because God answers.

Why does He answer? The BLOOD.

Think about that the next time you pray!

After we have accepted Jesus Christ’s gift of salvation and are enjoying the freedom of the redeemed, we would be wise to do a little checkup to make sure we haven’t unconsciously slipped in any way from redemption into religion.

The following are 5 differences between Redemption and Religion:

1. RELIGION is a “got to” way of life; REDEMPTION is a “get to” way of life.

2. RELIGION is a door you must pass through in order to get into God’s presence;

REDEMPTION is an open door that is held open by Jesus, and no man can

shut it.

3. RELIGION is man’s attempt to satisfy a holy God; REDEMPTION is God’s

attempt to make us holy by the sacrifice of a holy substitute.

4. RELIGION is a shadow of the things to come without substance or power;

REDEMPTION is the reality of things to come through the substance of our

flesh and our words.

5. RELIGION is form, a ritual, a tradition that acts like an empty shell, containing

no life or revelation within itself; REDEMPTION is an inner realization of the

Kingdom of God in the temple of our bodies that needs no form, ritual, or

tradition, because the King Himself resides within us!

James 3:4
“Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.”

There are very few Christians that would blatantly ignore the will of God if they knew what He wanted them to do. Does God speak to people? Yes! Have people heard His voice? Yes, I believe they hear His voice. Why then do people often say they knew what to do but just didn’t do it? The problem is not in the speaking or in the hearing—the problem is in the doing.

If we believe that the God has a destiny for each of us, then it is important to connect with Him and not waste our time. Once we connect it is important to hear the direction, desire, peace, word, counsel reading, or whatever other way you picked up His signal. The third part is the hard part: acting out that direction.

James the Apostle says we are like ships at sea. When we get instruction on where we are to go then we are to set sail for it. But if the rudder on our ship is broken, then we are at the mercy of the wind and water. Most people live at the mercy of the immediate circumstance. They rarely reflect on where they want to be 10 years from now, or what their heart is calling them to be.

We must fix our rudder in order to reach what is in our heart. What is the rudder? James says the tongue is the rudder of your ship. Broken rudders speak of today’s problem and today’s bad news. Use your rudder (tongue) to guide you to your destination. Shipwrecks are not in God’s plan!

Yesterday the world recognized the Christian holiday of the Lord’s passion and death on the cross. At the time of his death there was no recognition. There was resignation from His followers. There was revenge from the religious leaders. There was retribution by the Roman government for crimes against the state.

Then they saw Him as a criminal hanging among criminals. Now we see Him as a substitute slain from the foundations of time for the sins of mankind!

Then they cried out of loss of a leader, friend, and source of blessing. Now we rejoice in His eternal friendship, blessings, and guidance!

Then they felt the earth shake and the sky turn black. Now we feel our lives shake and our sky turn bright with expectation of a better day!

Then He was recognized as a prophet. Now He is recognized as God and the Savior of the world!

Then He laid down His life for the world. Now He lifts up the world with His resurrection life!

This is Good Friday, and there is a good God to celebrate as we recognize the price that was paid so we could be free!

As we approach Easter to celebrate the resurrection, let’s take a look at what happened afterward.

For 40 days Jesus stayed on the earth and taught in His resurrected body. What did He do and teach?  Here are a few things He did not do. He did not raise the dead. He did not heal the sick. He did not deliver anyone.

Why not? What was the first thing He did do?

He appeared to Mary.

John 20:16
“Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”

What does this mean? It means that Jesus is personal. I believe He makes Himself known to each of us in a personal way. He knows your name and He comes to each of us on a personal basis.

For example, at one of our meetings in Guntur, India, a young Muslim man and his mother were attending the night meetings for 5 nights.  On the 4th night he came forward and testified that he had seen a cross coming to people each night and when it got close to the people, it turned into a man. On the 4th night that cross came to this young man and turned into Jesus. He gave his life to Jesus and his mother was healed of tuberculosis. The extreme shyness left him and he boldly spoke of this new personal relationship with Jesus!

Regardless of the state of the economy, I look to a different news report, one that is not tied to the stock market. It is God’s economy—one of listening and obeying.

Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written… so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go… (1 Kings 2:3 paraphrased).

First, we must walk. This indicates that regardless of how difficult the crisis is that you may be facing, continue! God will guide you in your everyday affairs. He is committed to you more than you could ever commit to Him!

Have you considered recently that He gave His Son to die on a cross so that you might be justified just as if you never sinned? This is amazing love.

Second, remember that you must keep His ways. God’s way is the LOVE way! What does love say? It does not remember a wrongful hurt. It does not seek its own. It is not easily provoked. It speaks no evil. Love does not envy. Love is kind. Love endures all things. Love is the force from which faith flows! No LOVE = no FAITH!

My faith works today because I have love. I do not have love because I have faith… I have faith because I love. I love because He first loved me!

As I travel it is interesting to see the number of people who have a sense of destiny in their heart, but a lack of clear direction to make that destiny a reality.

Jesus told us to pray “Our Father…..Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).  I am not looking for the best that the government can give on earth or the best that Wall Street can give on earth. I want heaven’s standard for my earth! Heaven is abundantly blessed and healthy, as well as full of wonderful trusting and loving people. That’s a good destiny for earth.

Scripture tells us that we are “ambassadors of heaven” (2 Corinthians 5:20). It’s interesting to note that an ambassador does not live by the standard of the country he is in, but the country that sent him. An ambassador is under the law of the country that sent him and is also financed from the country that sent him.

Those who have called on Jesus and received His life are sent from God’s country to not only inhabit this earth, but to occupy it until He returns. I like what General Patton said in World War II: “I don’t like to pay for the same real estate twice.”

We can see in many parts of the world where the church has done a poor job of occupying the land, they are now attempting to re-establish the kingdom of God where there was once a great reality of God’s presence and power. We are sending teams and tents to Europe to again evangelize in regions that once were a great voice for redemption and new life. Time and money must be spent to do what a failed church should have done.

We are given the destiny and opportunity to influence every sphere of society and be the salt of the earth. Bring truth to your world so those you influence can rest in assurance that heaven is their home on earth as well as the life to come!

Love is a much greater motivator for men and women than any dollar or any discipline.

Love inspires every creature to be more than just a creation.

Love believes—when all evidence says it should not.

Love sees a bright future, even when dark clouds suggest storms on the horizon.

Love is the power of God.

Love lays down its life for the unloved.

Love pays the price others will not pay.

Love—the weapon of God—has conquered armies, won nations and made disciples of the vilest of men.

Hope always expects the next idea to make the difference!

Hope declares that despite all the contrary evidence, your future is secure!

Hope prepares for the unseen and unexpected opportunity.

Hope is the raw material of your faith. It is the laboratory where all great works of faith are incubated.

The greatest crime of an oppressive government is not the theft of individual wealth or the physical pain inflicted, but the stealing of a person’s hope!

HOPE exists because GOD exists!