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Priceless in the Fathers Eyes
The Bible makes it clear: every person is unworthy because of sin. Yet, being unworthy does not mean we are worthless. Our value is not based on our own merit, but on the extraordinary price God was willing to pay to redeem us.
Today, we often call something “priceless” when no amount of money could ever buy it.
That perfectly describes you in the eyes of God. All the gold, diamonds, and riches of this earth combined could never purchase mankind’s redemption. Even the treasures of heaven—precious stones, streets of gold, and pearly gates—fall infinitely short.
Only one thing was valuable enough to pay the price for our salvation: God’s own dear Son, Jesus Christ. The Father willingly gave His most precious possession so that we could be forgiven, restored, and brought into His family.
Because of the infinite worth of Jesus, God now sees that same infinite worth in you. Nothing on earth could buy you back. But the value God placed on His Son is the value He now places on you.
“For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20).
Ed Elliot
STAND STILL
“Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s…You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed, tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:15,17
Faced with a troubling report of an impending war, King Jehoshaphat set himself to seek the Lord and pray with hope before all the assembly of Judah. It was then that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, who spoke the words of the Lord that we read in 2 Chronicles 20:15, 17. On hearing these words of hope, all Judah humbled themselves before the Lord, bowing before Him and worshipping Him.
Today, the Lord is saying the same words to you in your situation. Hope in Him, for He loves you! You don’t have to live in fear and discouragement when you know that the battles are not yours, but the Lord’s.
Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. The battle is His, and you will not need to fight in it.
What do you do when you don’t know what to do? The best thing you can do is to stand still. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord in your situation.
. . . And as you center yourself, your thoughts, your beliefs, and your hopes on Him, He will lead you concerning what to do, just as He led Jehoshaphat to a triumphant victory over his enemies.
Joseph Prince
Why 490 Times a Day Will Set You Free
Jesus didn’t tell Peter to forgive only when people apologize.
He told him to forgive 70 times 7-that’s 490 times in a single day.
“Then Peter came to Him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” (Matt. 18:21-22).
This command wasn’t just about relationships. It was about protecting our hearts from bitterness and resentment. Forgiveness may or may not restore the other person, but it will always keep your heart free.
Here are two powerful truths often overlooked in Jesus’ words:
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Peter immediately realized he couldn’t do this in his own strength.
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God never asks us to do something He isn’t already doing for us.
The ability to forgive over and over comes from one source: understanding how radically and repeatedly God has forgiven you. When you live in the reality of His forgiveness, you become empowered to extend it freely to others. Forgiveness isn’t something you earn or beg for. It’s something you receive.
“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins” (Acts 26:18).
God isn’t holding your sins against you. He has already forgiven you through Christ.
“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12).
“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.”
(2 Corinthians 5:19).
“He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:10).
When you practice the 7×70 principle, you break the power of bitterness and step into the freedom Jesus died to give you.
When Condemnation Knocks, Let God’s Love Answer
How to Keep Your Heart Free from Condemnation
Your confidence before God is never based on how good your heart feels or how well you perform. It rests completely on knowing God’s heart toward you and what He accomplished through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemns us not, then have we confidence toward God” (1 John 3:20-21).
The only thing powerful enough to silence condemnation in your heart is the truth of God’s character—He is love—and the reality of who you are in Christ.“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18).
Your heart does not get the final word. God’s heart for you does. When you anchor yourself in His perfect love, condemnation loses its voice and fear loses its grip. You can walk in bold confidence toward God every single day.
Prayer: Heavenly Father,
Thank You that You are greater than my condemning heart. I choose today to believe the truth of Your perfect love for me. Silence every voice of condemnation with the reality that there is now no condemnation for me in Christ Jesus. Cast out all fear with Your love and fill my heart with confidence toward You. I rest in Your finished work. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Grace Runs to the Broken—Not the Boastful
The Prodigal Got the Party—Why the “Good” Son Missed Grace
Who Truly Receives God’s Grace?
The Prodigal Son dragged himself home, expecting nothing more than a servant’s job and a roof over his head. Instead, he ran straight into the arms of a wildly loving, extravagantly forgiving father who threw a celebration feast in his honor.
Meanwhile, the father went searching for his oldest son and found a bitter, boastful, pride-filled servant—standing outside, angry that grace had been given so freely to his broken brother.
Today many in the church still lift up the commandment-keeping elder brother as the gold standard of faith while quietly (or loudly) condemning the Prodigal. But Jesus’ parable forces us to ask a piercing question: which of the two sons actually received and experienced the love and grace the father had longed to give them both?
The answer is clear: only the humble one. The one who knew he was lost, undeserving, and bankrupt. The one who came home empty-handed and broken.
“For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12).
Grace doesn’t go to the proud performer. Grace runs to the honest failure who simply comes home.
The Only Truth Powerful Enough to Free You
The truth that sets people free isn’t a doctrine, a verse, or a theology. It’s a Person. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Knowing Jesus personally is what breaks chains. Only He has the power to deliver you from sin, shame, and bondage. Apostle Paul understood this deeply when he wrote:
“That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10).
This is the invitation today: move beyond simply knowing about Jesus to truly knowing Him. Make a quality decision in your heart to pursue an intimate relationship with the living Christ. You will never be disappointed. The truth that brings freedom is found in a real, daily relationship with Jesus.
“Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
Prayer: Jesus, You are the Truth. I will never again settle for knowledge about You instead of knowing You intimately. Draw me closer today. Let me experience Your resurrection power and freedom in every area of my life. My heart’s desire is to know You more. Amen.
6 reminders from all 6 chapters of Galatians
1. Don’t live for others’ approval. (Gal. 1:10)
2. Your past does not define you. (Gal. 2:20)
3. Your worth is in Christ, not your job. (Gal. 3:27)
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You are no longer a slave; you are a child of God. (Gal. 4:7)
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Don’t be led by feelings; be led by the Holy Spirit. (Gal. 5:26)
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Don’t grow weary in doing good. When the
time is right, you will reap what you have sown. (Gal. 6:9)
@saltandlight.words
God Isn’t Looking for Perfect– He’s Offering Perfect Love
Is it Possible to Be Loved Perfectly?
Yes–and that changes everything. We all know there’s no such thing as a perfect person. Only Jesus walked the earth in perfect sinlessness, yet He loved imperfect people with a perfect love that began to make them whole.
God isn’t searching for perfect performance. He’s looking for people who will simply receive His perfect love.
“There is no fear in love (dread does not exist). But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves (the expectation of divine) punishment, so the one who is afraid (Of God’s judgment) is not perfected in love (has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love). We love, because He first loved us.”
I John 4:18-19 (AMP)
God isn’t waiting for you to become flawless before He loves you. He wants to pour out His perfect, complete, and fear-destroying love on you right now–with all your flaws, failures, and fears still showing.
When you truly receive this perfect love, fear loses its grip. Shame, dread of punishment, and insecurity begin to melt away. You start loving others naturally because you finally understand you are loved perfectly by Him. Ed Elliot
Garbage in Garbage OUT
When I got my first computer many years ago, there was a common expression used called “Garbage in and garbage out.”
This term referred to erasing old information on the hard drive to be able to reformat the computer with new information. The principle also applies to us as believers. We are instructed by Scripture to renew our minds with God’s Word. In fact, Jesus said those who would be identified as His disciples are those who continue in and follow His words.
“Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed in him, if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free: (John 8:31-32).
When we renew our minds to God’s Word, we start a process that aligns our hearts with His truth, and our lives are transformed!
This transformation is known as freedom.
Ed Elliot
WHY LIVE HOLY
If the only reasons you pursue a holy life are fear of punishment or hope of bigger blessings and rewards, something is seriously off.
That kind of “holiness” exposes a shaky foundation built on fear and greed, not on truth and love. It turns God into a cosmic scorekeeper instead of a loving Father.
True holiness isn’t manufactured through gritted teeth and white-knuckle discipline. It’s the natural overflow, the beautiful fruit, of a vibrant, healthy relationship with God. You can’t force fruit to grow by yelling at the tree. It grows when the tree is rooted in rich soil, bathed in sunlight, and watered consistently. The same is true for us. Holiness blossoms when we stay connected to the Vine.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
The Pharisees wore holiness like a costume. They looked the part, talked the talk, and impressed the crowds, but they didn’t know God. They tried to impress Him with their rigid rules and self-righteous sacrifices.
Real holiness is the opposite: It flows from being utterly impressed by God, captivated by His beauty, overwhelmed by His love, and transformed by His presence. You stop trying to earn His approval and start living from it.
Beloved, let us (unselfishly) love and seek the best for one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves (others) is born of God and knows God (through personal experience). The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God (does not and never did know Him), for God is love. (He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His nature.) I John 4:7-8 AMP
Ed Elliot
Knowing His Name
“I will protect those who trust in my name.” Psalm 91:14
Our Lord Jesus came to reveal the name “Father.” Father speaks of family and of closeness and intimacy.
You can know God as Elyon, the Most High. As El Shaddai, God Almighty. As Yehovah, the Lord, the covenant-keeping God. As Elohim, the mighty Creator of the heavens and the earth.
Every name is significant, as each one reveals a wonderful aspect of our God. But when you know God as Father, all His virtues, attributes, and power work for you to set you on high and deliver you.
Our Lord Jesus prayed, “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You, Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are”(John 17:11).
The Greek word for “keep” here is the word tereo, which means to attend to carefully, to take care of, to guard, to watch, and to preserve. What is the name through which you can be kept guarded and protected?
Beloved, I want you to know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have a heavenly Father who loves you, who gave up His all for you, and who is vigilantly watching over you!
He is your Father. Your Daddy. Your Abba. Joseph Prince
God’s Love Makes You a New Creation
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!”
2 Corinthians 5:17
God’s love doesn’t just forgive your past; it rewrites your identity. You are no longer defined by your mistakes, addictions, or old labels. In Christ, you are a brand-new person: forgiven, adopted into God’s family, and empowered by His Spirit His love transforms you from the inside out, turning shame into sonship and fear into freedom. Never forget who you now are because of Him.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for making me new. Help me live out of this new identity instead of the old one. Fill me with Your love so I can walk in the freedom You’ve given me. Amen
The truths I have shared this week are worth memorizing and returning to often. Meditate on the Scriptures, speak them out loud, and let them reshape how you see yourself and your heavenly Father.
Ed Elliot
It’s Written on Your Heart
For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13
God has made it so easy for us in the new covenant to be directed by His wisdom and love. We no longer have to run to prophets to find out His will for us. He Himself leads us!
For those of you who want to serve the Lord, but don’t know where to start, just ask yourself what is in your heart. If you have a desire to work among children, then do so. As a new covenant believer, that’s how your Father leads you. He puts His laws in your mind and writes them on your heart!
Perhaps you feel a prompting to bless someone financially, even though the person looks prosperous. Follow that prompting because today, God speaks directly, and He has made it easy for you to know His will through His promptings in your heart.
We all know how looks can be deceiving. For example, many con artists believe that church folks are gullible. Therefore, they dress down with a well-rehearsed sob story so as to move you to give to them.
On the other hand, there are noble people who dress on Sundays to honor the occasion, but they may be in dire straits financially. Hence, we need to follow the promptings of our hearts and not the sight of our eyes.
So when you feel a desire to do something good for someone, do it, knowing that you have a brand-new heart that hears God, and that it is God who works for you with both the willingness and the ability to do it!
Joseph Prince
What Broken People Need to Know
Jesus proclaimed that He came to heal the brokenhearted (Luke 4:18). I have met many believers in Jesus who have had their hearts broken. They may have been betrayed, or they may have failed in life somewhere and now struggle to forgive themselves.
A spiritual reality that can heal their broken hearts is trusting in the righteousness they were made to be when they first believed the gospel. Being righteous doesn’t mean you will never fail again. What it means is that when you fall, you have the power and confidence to get back up again and move forward with life, knowing that God is for you, not against you.
“If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).
We have all fallen, made mistakes, and yielded to sin at times, but none of that has ever caused God to change His mind about us, nor has it stopped Him from loving us.You are never so broken that God can’t fix, restore, and heal you. Leave the pity party, rejoice with Him, and fellowship in His goodness toward you. Ed Elliot
A BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY
Living by faith is a glorious journey God invites us to walk with Him. What makes it so exciting and enjoyable is the fact that He loves us as we are, and He loves us too much to leave us the way we are.
When you understand this freeing truth, you can rest in the peace it supplies, knowing that His love for you transforms you from the inside out.
So enjoy the journey!
Let me hear of your unfailing love every morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. Psalm 143:8
Cast Down or Get Cast Down!
When we entertain or meditate on thoughts from our past that give birth to negative emotions within us, and we do not cast them down as Scripture instructs, those thoughts can cause us to disconnect from our true identity in Christ. We take these negative thoughts captive so they don’t capture us.
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
The knowledge of God reveals who we are in Christ. Understanding our identity empowers us to take negative thoughts captive and reject them–casting them down because they are contrary to what God’s Word declares about who we are and what we possess in Christ.
Ed Elliot
GOD BLESSES YOU, THE RIGHTEOUS
Blessings are on the head of the righteous.
Proverbs 10:6
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!
The Local Church as a Place of Refuge
“For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20
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, those who are suffering from condemnation, and 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!
Joseph Prince
Anoint My Head with Oil
A good friend of mine shared this recently and I thought it was too good not to share it with you.
“Thou anointest my head with oil” (Psalm 23:5).
Sheep can get their heads caught in barriers and die trying to get untangled. There are horrid little flies that like to torment sheep by laying eggs in their nostrils, which turn into worms and drive the sheep to beat their heads against a rock, sometimes to death. Their ears and eyes are also susceptible to tormenting insects. So the shepherd anoints their whole head with oil. Then there is peace. That oil forms a barrier of protection against the evil that tries to destroy the sheep.
Do you have times of mental torment? Do the worrisome thoughts invade your mind over and over? Do you beat your head against a wall trying to stop them? Have you ever asked God to anoint your head with oil? He has an endless supply!
His oil protects and makes it possible for you to fix your heart, mind, and eyes on Him today and always! There is peace in the valley! May our good Father anoint your head with oil today so that your cup overflows with blessings! God is good, and He is faithful. Ed Elliot
I Touched God Today
I touched God today.
She sat across from me in a chair,
despair on her face, dye in her hair,
An unborn child in her womb,
and her hopes in some forgotten tomb.
I touched God today.
He wore a baseball cap.
It was red, I think.
He had sad blue eyes and dingy blonde hair.
His wife had left, and he wondered…
Who cares?
I touched God today.
He smiled at me with a missing tooth.
He was nine years old and aloof.
In his jeans was a little hole, and
There were freckles on his nose.
I touched God today.
Many times, I’m sure.
At the school where I work,
On the street, in the department store.
Yes, I touched God today,
And tomorrow–
I’ll touch God some more.
“For as you have done it unto the least of these…you’ve done it unto me.”
By Darlene Campbell
(dedicated to Pastor LaVerne years ago)
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