Daily Devotional for Wednesday April 16, 2025

Two TV programs no longer worth watching! and, Jesus or Barabbas?

DAILY DEVOTIONAL WEDNESDAY APRIL 16, 2025

(Matthew 27:15-21)

***PERSONAL MESSAGE FOR YOU FROM BILL KELLER: We weren't in the mob when Pilate gave them the choice between setting Jesus free or setting the criminal Barabbas free. We didn't get to have our voice heard that day. However, I tell you that how you live your life each day is literally you casting your vote for Jesus, or casting your vote for Barabbas. Remember throughout the day that if you would have called for Jesus to be set free, let your life show it!!!

**DAILY PERSONAL PRAYER FOR YOU: Lord, help me to not be like the people who called for Barabbas. Give me the strength to live my life for You today. The greatest way I can show my love for You, the greatest way I can call for JESUS and not Barabbas, is to live my life for You this day. May my thoughts, words, and deeds be pleasing and acceptable to You! In the name of Jesus...AMEN!

***THE DAILY LIVEPRAYER TV NUGGET: Two iconic TV programs are not worth watching any longer. This past Sunday was Palm Sunday, the start of the holiest week on the Christian calendar. So what does the once funny Saturday Night Live program that launched the careers of people like Belushi, Steve Martin, Radner, Eddie Murphy, Dan Akroyd, and dozens of others? In their cold open, they portrayed President Trump as being Jesus, along with an actor playing Jesus. Suffice it to say it was not funny, it was pure blasphemy! My question to Executive Producer Lorne Michaels is why do you continue to mock and blaspheme Jesus, yet you NEVER mock and blaspheme Mohammed? We know that answer. Christians pray for those who mock, demean, and blaspheme our Lord, while Muslims would burn down 30 Rock where SNL takes place. I only pray God is as merciful when these blasphemers stand before Him as we all will one day, as they are to those of the Christian faith. The other program that was once a Sunday night must see is 60 Minutes. CBS is currently facing a $20 billion dollar lawsuit from President Trump for how they deceitfully edited an interview with Kamala Harris weeks before the 2024 election. So what did 60 Minutes do this past Sunday night? They ran a segment on the Ukraine/Russian war that laid the blame for the conflict on President Trump! THERE WERE NO WARS WHEN TRUMP LEFT OFFICE, THIS WAR WAS 100% THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION! However, that wasn’t enough. They ran another segment, this time on Trump’s desire to acquire Greenland for national security purposes. They dishonestly slanted to segment to make it look like Trump was a power hungry two-bit dictator planning on taking Greenland by force if need be without even trying to make the case why there is such interest in Greenland. Nobody should be shocked by either of these programs, since they have both gone downhill over the years and are virtually unwatchable. Sadly, both programs still have an audience that is likely to believe what amounts to nothing more than propaganda.

*Don't miss the Liveprayer TV program, airing “LIVE” every Monday thru Friday from 11pm EDT to Midnight! For details on viewing options for the Liveprayer TV program, “LIVE” or “On Demand,” go to: https://liveprayer.com/liveprayer-show-about.cfm

***APRIL FINANCIAL UPDATE: I need your help today! We ended the month of March still requiring the final $20,000 from our February ministry operations and the $55,000 we required for March. So far we have covered $15,000 of that final $20,000 from February. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO COVER THIS LAST $5,000 FROM FEBRUARY ASAP!

That would than leave the $55,000 from March and the $55,000 for April’s ministry operations or $115,000 to end the months with all of our ministry operations current! OUR GOD IS ABLE!!!

The Bible teaches us to “give according to our ability to give.” For some that may be $10 or $20. For others it may be $50 or $100. Still others it may be $200, $500, $1,000, $10,000 or more. GOD WILL BLESS YOUR GIFT NO MATTER WHAT THE AMOUNT!!!

ALSO, DON'T FORGET A GIFT OF $1,800 COVERS ONE DAY OF MINISTRY AT LIVEPRAYER!!! I received this email recently, “Pastor Bill, My wife and I have just sold our last rental and God told us to tithe $1,800.00 to pay for a day of your ministry. Not looking for accolades, just that you know when you receive the check. Rest assured that we will still be making our regular weekly tithes."

TO GIVE A GIFT TO LIVEPRAYER, you can use your major credit card at: http://liveprayer.com/donate.cfm or you can mail your gift to: Liveprayer, 6660 46th Ave. North, St. Petersburg, FL 33709. All gifts to Liveprayer are 100% tax deductible!

*STOCKS! A great way to help Liveprayer is by donating stock. The transfer can be made in a way you get the full credit for your donation without having to pay any of the taxes you normally would on gains your stocks may have enjoyed. Contact me for information about this incredible way to help God's work here at Liveprayer: bkeller@liveprayer.com

*LIVE ON AFTER YOU ARE IN HEAVEN!!! By remembering God's work here at Liveprayer in your will/estate planning, you can still help me share His Truth with the masses, be here for people in their time of greatest need, and help lead the lost to faith in Jesus even after God has called you home!!! God has led many of our friends in the Liveprayer family to remember His work here in their will. Please pray about this opportunity to continue and partner with me in the Lord's work at Liveprayer, even after you are enjoying your rewards and the eternal peace of Heaven! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me at: bkeller@liveprayer.com

***Here are the social media sites where you can find Liveprayer and what is posted there: Facebook (1, 2, 3), Twitter (1, 2, 3), GAB ( 2, 3), Parler (2, 3), Clouthub (1, 2, 3), Rumble (2), TPN (2, 3), Gettr (2, 3), Telegram (2, 3), ROKU (1, 2). WE ARE ALSO NOW ON Sovren Media (2, 3), Mr. Pillow Mike Lindell's Frankspeech (2), Truth Social (2,3), and Frank Social (2,3). *Content posted: 1) Liveprayer TV “LIVE" Mon-Fri 11p-Mid EDT 2) Recent Liveprayer TV programs for “On Demand” viewing 3) Liveprayer Daily Devotional

***THE AUDIO OF THE TV PROGRAM IS NOW AVAILABLE ON MAJOR PODCASTING PLATFORMS!!! APPLE/I-TUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/liveprayer-with-bill-keller/id1696186297 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/75xloMRrL3azW89aKpR3h0

***ALEXA! You can now listen to the audio of the TV program on your ALEXA. The first time you need to tell ALEXA to "enable Liveprayer." After that, simply say, "Play Liveprayer"

***Please watch and share the exciting new Bill Keller Docudrama at: https://www.liveprayer.com/bill.cfm

***How you can help Liveprayer! 1) Pray for Bill and the ministry team each day. 2) Encourage people you know to sign-up for the Daily Devotional at: https://www.liveprayer.com/signup.cfm 3) Share the TV program with people you know: https://liveprayer.com/liveprayer-show-about.cfm Here are the social media sites where you can find Liveprayer TV ‘live”, Liveprayer Facebook, Liveprayer Twitter, and the Liveprayer Church ROKU channel. For ON-DEMAND viewing, Liveprayer GAB, Liveprayer Rumble, Liveprayer TPN, Liveprayer Gettr, Liveprayer Telegram, Liveprayer Sovren Media, and Liveprayer on Mr. Pillow Mike Lindell's Frankspeech and Frank Social and Liveprayer on Trump's Truth Social. 4) Pray about helping Liveprayer with a gift at: http://liveprayer.com/donate.cfm

***REVIVAL TOOL!!! Do your part in helping to bring revival to our nation each day in less than 15 minutes and without costing you one penny! Join others by making this part of your daily routine! Visit the Liveprayer Revival Tool and share it with others at: www.liveprayer.com/revival.cfm *ALSO, THE DAILY REVIVAL TOOL IS MY WAY OF DISCIPLING YOU TO HELP YOU GROW IN YOUR FAITH. SO IT SERVES A DUAL PURPOSE! HERE IS A SPECIAL LINK THAT GIVES YOU THE PAST 30 DAYS OF THE REVIVAL TOOL VERSE FOR THE DAY, DAILY TASK, AND PRAYER: https://liveprayer.com/bill/revivalcheck.cfm

Even though Jesus never ran for political office, he was involved in one election during his life. It was actually an election where the winner would be allowed to live and the loser would literally be killed. It is clear that Pontius Pilate who ruled Jerusalem for Rome during the day of Jesus had no desire to put Jesus to death as the Jewish leaders wanted him to do. As a way of escape, Pilate used a custom at the time of the Passover where one prisoner would be pardoned for his crime and released.

Pilate brought before the people a criminal by the name of Barabbas. Most likely, Barabbas was not a common thief, but a violent political revolutionary. Next to Barabbas was Jesus. Pilate then asked the crowd to vote. Vote for the one he should have mercy on and release. I have no doubt Pilate expected the crowd to choose Jesus. The votes were cast and the winner by a landslide was Barabbas!

Afterwards, Pilate called on the Jewish custom of washing his hands, signifying that he was not responsible for condemning Jesus to death. The fact was, Pilate knew Jesus did not deserve death. He was warned by his sense of justice, he was warned by his conscience, and he had been warned by the dream of his troubled wife. But he did not have the guts to stand up against the Jewish leaders of the day, nor did he have the guts to stand up to the people that had chosen Barabbas.

Let me share this with you my friend. Washing your hands may be a nice symbolic act, but the one thing you can never rid yourself of is responsibility! Nobody, no act can take that away. Pilate is actually a very pathetic person, not one to be loathed but rather pitied for not having the guts to stand up for what he knew was right. I want to challenge you today. In your life, you are called from time to time to take a stand for righteousness. Often, that stand may not be popular. You may suffer personally for taking that stand. But never forget, it is God, not man, that you have to please. It is God, not man who will ultimately judge you.

A good question to ask is why did that crowd vote for Barabbas over Jesus? Why did they vote for a man of violence over a man of peace? Why did they vote for someone that had clearly chosen a life of rebellion to God over someone that had chosen a life of obedience to God? People have not changed since the Garden of Eden. They chose Barabbas over Jesus for the very same reason they would choose Barabbas over Jesus today!!!

Jesus believed God's Word to be inspired, inerrant, representing absolute truth and our final authority in all matters. Most people reject the Bible since it is the truth of God's Word that condemns them. Jesus called sin what it is, sin. Most people love their sin more than they love God. When confronting the people of His day with their sin, some repented, others mocked and rejected Him, and still others sought to silence Him. Most people today when confronted with their sin mock and reject Christ or do all they can to silence the truth of His message.

*It is not surprising that when asked to vote, the people voted for Barabbas over Jesus in a landslide. If that same vote would be held today, sadly the result would be the same.

I love you and care about you so much. In the day He lived, there were people that came to know Jesus for who He really was, the Son of the living God and the Savior of all mankind. However, the majority of the people rejected Him. It is no different today. There are those who acknowledge Him as their Savior, but the majority of the people today have made the choice to reject Him.

During the 2024 Presidential election cycle billions of dollars were spent. Add to that millions of man hours that was invested in electing the next President of the United States. As important as it is who the President of the United States may be, how much more important is a person's eternal soul? People give time and money to elect a person to a political office, but will they give that same time and money to see a lost soul won to Christ?

Even though Jesus is not on the ballot, how can YOU vote for Jesus? You cast your vote for Jesus each morning as you get up, die to self, and surrender afresh your life to the Lord. You cast your vote for Jesus when you spend that time each day in prayer and in His Word. You cast your vote for Jesus as you share His hope and love with those God brings into your life each day. You cast your vote for Jesus when you stand for Him despite what the world may say.

We did not get to vote when the people chose Barabbas over Jesus. We will never get an opportunity to vote for Jesus to be President. However, you can still vote for Jesus every day through how you live your life!!!

In His love and service,

Your friend and co-laborer in His work,

Bill Keller