If we could get God’s perspective of people then we would win the world, but we see people through our own eyes. We like to keep records on people and hold the books.  We know who is a sinner and who is a saint.  God looks on the heart while we look on the outside, but we still think we know people better.  We look at a prostitute, an addict, or a hardened prison inmate and label them with a big sign that says, “Sinner.”

Have you ever asked how much that ‘sinner’ is worth?  How much God paid for him or her?  It was the price of His Son.  How much are you worth?  The same.

There is no difference in value between the criminal and the evangelist. The mafia boss is called of God as much as a pastor, and probably is a pastor but just doesn’t know it!

All are already paid for. The only difference between them and you is that they don’t know it and you do.  When we truly understand this, we will be motivated to tell them.

When your motive is love the world will listen to you. Love is the most talked about subject on TV.  Love is the theme of most movies in Hollywood.  Love is what the world is drawn to, yet they are looking in the wrong places. Jesus laid a foundation for our faith by saying it requires the right motive to get the right results.  Faith works by love.  Jesus said that if we love as He loved then all the world would be drawn to him.

He also said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all people know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34).

This type of love is not understood by the world, but the world is drawn to it because it comes full of forgiveness and acceptance.  This love believes in you and wants the best for you.

The world has forgotten what God is like, so God became flesh and dwelt among us and showed us what He is really like.  God needed flesh to show off His love.

Let’s give our flesh to God’s purpose—being examples of love.

We all are familiar with sitting down in a restaurant and placing an order. We look at the menu and enjoy making our choices. I have seen some people get very anxious about it, and I have seen others wait and wait and wait because they can’t make a choice.

Years ago in Russia, where the food was rather bland, I recall looking forward to working on the border of China and going to a Chinese restaurant in the city of Khabarovsk. I was excited to eat spicy food, and with over 200 items on the menu, I was ready!

I asked for a certain type of rice but was told they didn’t have it, so I asked for another.  They replied, “Don’t have it,” so I asked for another.  They again replied, “Don’t have.” I gave up and asked what they did have.

“No rice, only potatoes.” Then I ordered Peking chicken. “Sorry, don’t have.”  So I switched to Szechwan chicken. “Sorry, don’t have.” Hunan chicken? “Sorry, don’t have.” I finally gave up and asked, “What do you have??”

“Only Russian chicken legs.”

What would you do? I tell you this because some people believe it doesn’t matter what they really want in life. Many people think there is only one thing, opportunity, or flavor on the menu of life, just like I experienced. It might feel like you have no choice—but you always do!

Joshua 24:15
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

You may not immediately get what you ask, but you can respond in a way that keeps your faith alive and an answer coming. Anger, disgust, frustration, or even hate is NOT the response that will bring a miracle. Forgiveness, mercy, joy, patience, and love toward others will turn the decisions of others into a triumph for Christ.

When Paul and Silas were thrown in prison, they could have responded with great anger because it was Jesus who told them to go to that city. They could have responded with tears, depression, resignation, etc., and everybody would have agreed to their sob story…but they chose to sing!

When the presence of Jesus is fresh in you, then you will have a good response to whatever is on the menu of life, or not on it. Your response is what makes you different, because you know you have a different source. The jail shook and doors flew open, and Paul was led out of the city as a dignitary, because he saw beyond the situation!

Several years ago while conducting meetings in the Philippines we met a middle-eastern dignitary in our hotel lobby. My husband Kevin noticed that this man’s eyes were intently fixed on Kevin’s bible.

As Kevin looked over at this dignitary, the man moved in very close and began to whisper. He told how his wife had found him reading the bible and had turned him in to the authorities. His only hope to get out of prison and back to his family and position had been to renounce Christ. He was so discouraged, convinced that there was no hope for him.

My husband asked him a simple question. “Do you believe in Christ?” The man immediately responded “Yes, I believe!” Kevin prayed with him and he openly wept, knowing his faith had been restored.

He continued to stare at my husband’s bible, and Kevin slowly slid it across the table saying, “Here take my bible – but this time don’t let your wife find it!”

You may find yourself in a similar scenario where you have denied Christ. You are not alone, the Apostle Peter, one of the original disciples of Christ and author of two books of the New Testament, denied Christ three times after promising he would stand with Him to the end.

Regardless of where you find yourself today, Jesus said, “I will never leave you and never forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). You can come to Him right now! He is waiting for you with arms wide-open!

When reasonable adults decide to have children, they normally aren’t under the delusion that there won’t be any misbehavior on the part of those children. Before the conception process ever begins they are fully aware that their decision to have children will bring problems and challenges with it…but the relationship is worth it to them.

It would have been easy for God to create us without the freedom of choice, but how meaningful could a relationship of that nature be? God knows full well the complexity of what is involved in the process of our obedience becoming genuine and from the heart, rather than something motivated by the fear of reprisal. And He is willing to endure “whatever it takes” to see that happen. Who’s to say that the wait doesn’t contribute to the joy for Him? I’m persuaded that nothing else is able to satisfy His great heart!

For many, salvation through Christ means an escape from eternal judgment. Often as I stand on the open fields of world evangelism, whether I am preaching or standing among the crowd, I find myself declaring the salvation prayer as if it were the first time I said it. Why? Because I understand the value of this word “Salvation.”

I am not simply uttering a religious prayer, but I am making a proclamation of my deliverance from fear, my redemption from sin, my discovery of healing, and the reality of God’s peace! This most simplistic Salvation Prayer opens my heart and my mind once again to the reality of God’s promises for me — His child!

One day as I was speaking to our partners via the internet, I sensed a strong presence of the Lord as together we made this simple salvation confession. Not an elaborate religious prayer, but a confession of the heart and a trust in the reality of Jesus and what He promised for you and me.

I cannot explain how such a simple prayer can transform people, churches, and even nations. Yet—I can declare to you that I have seen God respond to a simple heart desiring to know Him as Savior, healer, protector, deliverer, and comforter time & time again!

Let’s not make prayer difficult! Keep it simple! That’s how He designed it! Religion is the extra ingredient of unbelief added to the simplicity of Christ’s cross. Faith is the simple confession of a heart trusting in what He has done for us!

I’m trusting . . . are you?

As a young person I faced relentless teasing for my size, name, and abilities. No one seemed to understand, not even my mother. I remember her saying to me, “Leslie you are beautiful and gifted, what are you so upset about? Straighten up!” Those words, although intended to bring peace, only drove my shame deeper and placed an unseen wedge in my heart.

Several years later I realized that whenever I was in my mother’s house, we would automatically disagree and sometimes argue. There was no one else in the world I loved more at that time, yet we could not dwell in peace! I wanted help. My friend suggested that I ask God to forgive me for judging my mother, and if possible, seek her forgiveness. When I asked my mother to forgive me for not being the daughter I should have been, I remember her response. “Leslie,” she said, “You’re my daughter! Forgive you for what? I love you!”

My mother had no memory of any wrong, which is often the case. This is the reason we must learn to guard our hearts, because as the Proverb says, the issues of life flow out of the heart (Proverbs 4:23). My release did not come in knowing that my mother understood. My release came when I understood that I was forgiven by God, and I had forgiven both my mother and myself!

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!

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!