Shalom,

Today I want to share Rick Renner's website devotional:

Is It Time To Get Creative?

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. — James 1:22

Let’s talk about what James meant when he said, “But be ye doers of the word….” The word “doers” is taken from the Greek word poietes, the same Greek word used for a poet. This word carries with it the idea of creativity, such as a poet whose personality includes a creative flair. James is telling us that if we can’t easily think of a way to do what has been preached to us, we must get creative! We must find ways to do the Word.

Ephesians 2:10 is another place where a form of this word poietes is used. Paul writes, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.…” The word “workmanship” is the Greek word poiema, which comes from the same root word as poietes.

This tells us that when we were saved, God put forth all His best efforts and creative powers to marvelously fashion and create us in Jesus Christ. Because the word poiema is used in Ephesians 2:10, it unmistakably means that God wielded His fullest, greatest, and most creative powers when we were born again. We weren’t just mildly saved; rather, God took us into His hands and marvelously made us new in Jesus Christ as He released His most powerful creative forces and made us a workmanship that would be worthy to bear His name.

Whether the word poietes is used to depict a poet, as mentioned above, or (in another form) to describe God’s creative power, as in Ephesians 2:10, it always depicts someone putting forth his fullest creative abilities to achieve something. Now James uses this word poietes in James 1:22 to tell us that we must put forth our fullest efforts and most creative abilities in doing what we have heard preached! We cannot passively hope that the Word becomes a part of our lives; we have to get creative and find ways to make the Word a practical part of our lives.

Thus, you could translate these words in James 1:22 to mean:

“If you can’t easily think of ways to do what you’ve heard preached, it’s time for you to get creative! Put all your heart and soul into finding a way to act on what you’ve heard….”

You could also translate it to read:

“It’s time for you to get creative in the ways you do the Word of God….”

It could be that you’re thinking, But I don’t know how to do what has been preached to me!

Don’t worry — the Lord isn’t short on creativity! If you will listen, the Holy Spirit will say, “Here’s an opportunity to apply what you’ve been hearing. Do it!” If you have a heart to truly act on the Word of God, the Holy Spirit will show you ways to do it.

Seek the Lord and allow Him to show you how: To pray for the sick.
To share Jesus with your lost friends.
To bake a cake and take it to the lady next door.
To help your neighbor repair his car.

Spiritual maturity isn’t measured by the number of meetings you’ve attended, how many speakers you’ve heard, how many books you’ve read, or how many tapes you’ve listened to in the past year. You have to take that Word you’ve heard and find a way to make it work in your life. God is looking for people who actually do what they’ve heard preached!

So if you can’t seem to think of practical ways to apply the Word to your life, ask the Holy Spirit to help you. Here’s one thing you can be sure of: The Holy Spirit is never short on ideas about how you can become a “doer” of the Word!

AMEN! I hope that YOU are drawing closer to JESUS every day through prayer, praise & worship, study & meditation of His Word and through intimate fellowship with HIM! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I simply want to share the devotional from The Spoken Word Church website!

Respect the Law of Sowing and Reaping

When a farmer plants corn, he reaps corn. When he plants apple seeds, he produces more apples. When you sow love, you will reap love. If you sow hatred, you will reap the harvest of hatred.

This scriptural law of sowing and reaping is universal. Fools deny it. Rebels defy it. The wise live by it.

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." (Galatians 6:7)

AMEN! Almighty God put the laws of giving and receiving into practice and HE instructs US to continue in it! Here is Brandon Lake and Benjamin William Hastings with "More":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional!

Your True Identity in Christ

“He shall say, ‘Surely in the LORD I have righteousness and strength.’” Isaiah 45:24

I want to share with you this moving praise report from Melissa, a lady from Texas. I believe that you will be greatly blessed and inspired by the journey that she has taken to discover her true identity in Christ.

From a young age, her mother told her she was a nobody like her father and would amount to nothing. She always felt worthless and even more so when she was molested as a child. Without having the love of her father, she desperately sought love in many relationships and partners, which led to a destructive lifestyle of sin, and feelings of deep unhappiness, confusion, and constant emptiness. Here’s what she said:

I didn’t think of going to God and church because people I knew told me, “You’re going to go to hell because of your choices and how you’re living. God’s angry with you. He’s disgusted with you.” This was what I believed about God, and thought there was no way I could come to Him.

Thankfully, I came across your television program when I was channel surfing. You were talking about the finished work of Jesus at the cross, and how much He loves me just as I am. I found that I couldn’t stop listening to the sermon. It was the start of my discovering how God gave His best—His Son, Jesus—for me, so that I could have a relationship with Him as my Daddy God and come into His presence without fear or shame.

At the end of the sermon, you invited us to pray and ask God into our lives if we’d never done it before. I prayed that prayer, and as I was praying, I felt Jesus’ love just overwhelm me, and all the bitterness, confusion, unhappiness, and pain in my life just melted, as you like to say, “like butter.” The dull ache, the frustration, and the gnawing emptiness all just left, and for the first time, a joy I couldn’t explain came in.

Since that time, so many amazing things and blessings have happened. Through experiencing Jesus’ love for me, I’ve been able to forgive my mother, and I’ve come to genuinely love her. I’ve also been able to forgive other family members who had told me I was worthless.

Everything is so different now. I know that Jesus loves me and that He has great plans for me. I see His favor in my life. When I get a little frightened about things or situations in my life, I remember to cast all my cares to God. Even when I make a wrong turn, He always finds a way to bring me back. Whenever I’m in a negative situation, Jesus tells me the outcome is going to be good because He’s there and He’s working on it.

I’ve learned to say, “I’m a new creation. I’m the righteousness of God in Christ. It’s not about what I’ve done but what Jesus has done.” Amazingly, the temptations that held me in the past have all lost their hold. It feels like I’d never lived a destructive lifestyle.

Today, my life testifies that Daddy God loves and saves. More importantly, the change has been effortless—it’s all by the grace of Jesus. It’s had nothing to do with my willpower but the divine power of Christ at work in me. Thank you, Pastor Prince, for unveiling Jesus’ beauty and love for me. I feel so loved by Him and I’m so grateful for His finished work at the cross!

My friend, the lies Melissa believed are the lies that the enemy wants you to believe. When you believe that you are truly a worthless nobody, you will start behaving as if you are a valueless and worthless nobody. That is the negative power of wrong believing.

I have a word in season for you, and I want to challenge you to cultivate a robust revelation of your righteous identity in Christ by repeatedly confessing your righteousness in Christ.

Throughout the day, whether you are driving to work, shopping for groceries, or preparing a meal for your family, just say quietly under your breath, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ. All the promises, blessings, and protection that belong to the righteous are mine” (Proverbs 10:6). This is the key for you to experience lasting breakthroughs in your life!

AMEN! Now go be a DOER of this WORD and watch your heavenly Father work out your BLESSED LIFE! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Bless God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Jerry Savelle Ministries POWERFUL devotional!

God Has Provided Healing

Today, I want to talk about being thankful for God’s provision of healing. We have a covenant right to walk in divine health!

Some people say that God puts sickness and disease on people to teach us something. That is not in the Word! Jesus never said, “I’d sure like to help you, but God told me that He is trying to teach you something.” In fact, the opposite is true.

The Word says that when multitudes of people came to Jesus, He had compassion on them and healed them ALL (Matthew 14:14). Acts 10:38 says, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil.” Not once did Jesus refuse to heal anybody. When a person said, “Master, I know you can heal me if you will,” He didn’t answer, “I know I can too, but I won’t.”

Notice that Mark 16:17-18 says that these signs shall follow the believer; “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” In Exodus 15:26 it says: “I am the Lord that healeth thee.” If you’ll read Psalm 103:2-5, you’ll see that it says He forgives all of our inquities and heals all of our diseases.

When Jesus died at Calvary, He did what Isaiah said He would: bore our sin, our sickness, and our diseases. Jesus became a curse for us. He bore every sickness and disease listed in Deuteronomy 28. After naming all kinds of sicknesses and diseases, it says, “Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law” (Deuteronomy 28:61). From the common cold to cancer – every sickness is under the curse. And, we have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!

God wants you to receive your healing. He doesn’t care whether you go to the physician or to the minister as long as you put His Word first place in your life. According to Proverbs 4:22, the Word is “health to all their flesh.” Begin to put the Word in your heart, confess it, and allow it to be medicine to your flesh.

Jesus Christ is the High Priest of our confession, and He will back His Word. Your symptoms may tell you that you are sick, but God says that you are healed.

Aren’t you glad God doesn’t want you sick? Today, be thankful for God’s provision for healing!

Confession: Thank you Father for providing my healing at Calvary. Health and healing are mine because You have redeemed me from the curse of the law.

AMEN!!! Here is Brandon Lake with "Tear Off The Roof" which is the kind of tenacity and fatih that HE is looking for in US! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Here is Joseph Prince with a GREAT teaching of God's Word concerning "God's Love"! 

It’s All About God’s Love

“Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Luke 7:47

Her story is heartrending. In the Bible’s account, this woman in Luke 7 was described as “a sinner.” Many believe that she was a prostitute. When she came to Jesus, He did not chase her away, humiliate her, or condemn her for her sins. He knew how guilt had been eating her up on the inside and had compassion for her.

As she neared Jesus, she began weeping. Then, she washed His feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, and anointed them with the precious ointment that would have cost her an entire year’s wages. Without hesitation, she lavished it on Jesus’ feet and worshiped Him.

In response, Jesus said that those who know and believe how abundantly God truly loves and has forgiven them will end up loving God very much. Simply put, those who have been forgiven much, love much. Those who have been forgiven little, love little. That’s why the emphasis of the new covenant is not about your love for God; it is about God’s love for you.

Do you see that your love for God in the new covenant is birthed out of a genuine and authentic relationship with Him? It is not a groveling display that is birthed out of the fear of punishment or religious obligation. Under grace, we are able to love God because He first loved us.

That is why people under grace become the holiest people you will ever meet. Their holiness flows out of their love relationship with Jesus! They have experienced His unconditional love in an intimate and personal way that transforms them. They just want to live lives that glorify and honor the name of Jesus.

Friend, we have all been forgiven much, but many don’t know and don’t believe this. Give up on trying to overcome your own failings, mistakes, addictions, and bondages, imagining that God requires this of you before you can come before Him.

When you fail, come to Jesus with boldness and confidence as this woman did. Feel free to weep in His sweet presence and simply worship Him. Pour out everything that is on your heart to Him.

Don’t worry, He will not heap more guilt and condemnation upon you. He will remind you of the cross and say, “Your sins are already forgiven. I have already paid the price for your sins at Calvary. Rest in My forgiveness and love for you.”

HALLELUJAH! We are, of ALL PEOPLE, MOST BLESSED! Here is Brandon Lake with "Fear Is Not My Future"

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I am again going to share Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional!

Spiritual Service

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. — ROMANS 12:1

“You” are to do something with your body. For if you don’t, nothing will ever be done with it. “You,” the inward man, have become a new man in Christ. “You” have received eternal life. When eternal life — which is the life and nature of God — is imparted to your spirit, it changes “you.”

You won’t have any trouble with “you,” but you will have trouble with the flesh. People say, “You have to die out to the old self.” No, you don’t. That old self is dead, and you have a new self in its place. But what you need to die out to is the flesh.

Isn’t the flesh the old self? No, it isn’t. Your flesh is the outward man, the body. And it’s the same old flesh it was before you were saved!

Your body is the house you live in, and “you” — not God — are the caretaker of that house. “You” do something with your body. You are to present it to God as “. . . a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God . . . .” Another translation concludes this verse with the phrase “. . . which is your spiritual service.”

Confession: I am a new creature in Christ. I hold fast to this confession. And the new man on the inside of me is being manifested on the outside and through the flesh. I dominate my body. I present it to God as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to Him, which is my spiritual service.

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share wagain from Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional. These are some of my favorites and they NEVER get old! 

Spiritual Service

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. — ROMANS 12:1

“You” are to do something with your body. For if you don’t, nothing will ever be done with it. “You,” the inward man, have become a new man in Christ. “You” have received eternal life. When eternal life — which is the life and nature of God — is imparted to your spirit, it changes “you.”

You won’t have any trouble with “you,” but you will have trouble with the flesh. People say, “You have to die out to the old self.” No, you don’t. That old self is dead, and you have a new self in its place. But what you need to die out to is the flesh.

Isn’t the flesh the old self? No, it isn’t. Your flesh is the outward man, the body. And it’s the same old flesh it was before you were saved!

Your body is the house you live in, and “you” — not God — are the caretaker of that house. “You” do something with your body. You are to present it to God as “. . . a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God . . . .” Another translation concludes this verse with the phrase “. . . which is your spiritual service.”

Confession: I am a new creature in Christ. I hold fast to this confession. And the new man on the inside of me is being manifested on the outside and through the flesh. I dominate my body. I present it to God as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to Him, which is my spiritual service.

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "God Is Not Against Me":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

I really love today's "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional by Oswald Chambers!

Does My Sacrifice Live?

And Abraham built an altar…and bound Isaac his son. — Genesis 22:9

This incident is a picture of the blunder we make in thinking that the final thing God wants of us is the sacrifice of death. What God wants is the sacrifice through death which enables us to do what Jesus did, viz., sacrifice our lives. Not “I am willing to go to death with Thee” but, “I am willing to be identified with Thy death so that I may sacrifice my life to God.” We seem to think that God wants us to give up things! God purified Abraham from this blunder, and the same discipline goes on in our lives. God nowhere tells us to give up things for the sake of giving them up. He tells us to give them up for the sake of the only thing worth having, viz., life with Himself. It is a question of loosening the bands that hinder the life, and immediately those bands are loosened by identification with the death of Jesus, we enter into a relationship with God whereby we can sacrifice our lives to Him.

It is of no value to God to give Him your life for death. He wants you to be a “living sacrifice” to let Him have all your powers that have been saved and sanctified through Jesus. This is the thing that is acceptable to God.

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Rest On Us":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional!

Intimate With Jesus

Have I been so long with you, and yet hast thou not known Me? — John 14:9

These words are not spoken as a rebuke, nor even with surprise; Jesus is leading Philip on. The last One with whom we get intimate is Jesus. Before Pentecost the disciples knew Jesus as the One Who gave them power to conquer demons and to bring about a revival (see Luke 10:18-20). It was a wonderful intimacy, but there was a much closer intimacy to come — “I have called you friends.” Friendship is rare on earth. It means identity in thought and heart and spirit. The whole discipline of life is to enable us to enter into this closest relationship with Jesus Christ. We receive His blessings and know His word, but do we know Him?

Jesus said — “It is expedient for you that I go away” — in that relationship, so that He might lead them on. It is a joy to Jesus when a disciple takes time to step more intimately with Him. Fruit bearing is always mentioned as the manifestation of an intimate union with Jesus Christ (John 15:1-4).

When once we get intimate with Jesus we are never lonely, we never need sympathy, we can pour out all the time without being pathetic. The saint who is intimate with Jesus will never leave impressions of himself, but only the impression that Jesus is having unhindered way, because the last abyss of his nature has been satisfied by Jesus. The only impression left by such a life is that of the strong calm sanity that Our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him.

AMEN! NO ONE will EVER love YOU more than JESUS does! So give HIM all of yours! When you and I give 100% of ourselves to JESUS, we end up with so much more for all of the people in our lives! Here is Brandon Lake with "KIDS" because GOD loves HIS so much more than we even realize! And WE are HIS! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspiratsion" devotional!

God’s Wisdom Brings You Promotion

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you." Genesis 41:39–40

In Genesis 39:3–4, we see how when Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph, and that everything he touched prospered, Potiphar immediately promoted Joseph and placed him in charge over all the affairs of his house. Similarly, when Pharaoh saw that the Spirit of God was in Joseph and that there was none who was as wise and as discerning as Joseph, Pharaoh placed him in charge of the whole of Egypt (Genesis 41:38–41).

My friend, I want you to note this: Joseph knew that God was the source of his wisdom. When Pharaoh said, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it,” Joseph immediately replied, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace” (Genesis 41:15–16).

Joseph knew that his wisdom was a result of the Lord’s unmerited favor and would not take any credit for it. Clearly, here was a man who understood grace, and could be trusted with increase, promotion, and more good success.

Observe the wisdom of Joseph in action. Joseph did not just interpret Pharaoh’s dream. He went on to advise Pharaoh on how to take advantage of the seven years of abundance to prepare for the seven years of famine that were revealed in his dream. Did you notice how Joseph’s wise advice led to the creation of a position of influence for himself?

That is how the wisdom of the Lord operates. Proverbs 18:16 says, “A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” Joseph knew that his wisdom was a gift from the Lord. He knew that he did not earn it and that it flowed from the Lord’s unmerited favor toward him.

The Lord’s ways are amazing. See the extent of Joseph’s promotion in Genesis 41. In the space of less than an hour, he rose from a lowly prisoner to the highest possible office in all of Egypt. That, my friend, is the unmerited favor of God! No striving, no self-effort, no compromises, and no manipulation, just pure grace and grace alone made all the difference in Joseph’s life!

Remember that when the Lord is with you, you are a successful person. It may feel like you are in a prison now, stuck in a hopeless situation, cast away and forgotten like Joseph was, but the story is not over yet! The Lord’s promotion is around the corner. Whatever situation you are in right now, do not give up.

If you are caught in a situation where you don’t know what to do, it is time to humble yourself and ask the Lord for wisdom. The Bible says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).

To ask the Lord for wisdom is to say, “I can’t, Lord, but You can. I give up on my own efforts and depend entirely upon your unmerited favor and wisdom.” As you receive His wisdom, riches and honor, as well as long life, will follow after you (Prov. 3:16). Run to Him right now!

AMEN! Our GOD delights to give us HIS Wisdom! After all, HE is the  One Who said "Get wisdom" and "Wisdom is the principle thing"!

Proverbs 4:7 The beginning of Wisdom is: get Wisdom (skillful and godly Wisdom)! [For skillful and godly Wisdom is the principal thing.] And with all you have gotten, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and interpretation).  AMP

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Tear Off The Roof":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I we read Psalm 5 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan and I want to encourage you with these verses from that Psalm!

Psalm 5
To the Chief Musician; on wind instruments. A Psalm of David.

3 In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord; in the morning I prepare [a prayer, a sacrifice] for You and watch and wait [for You to speak to my heart].

7 But as for me, I will enter Your house through the abundance of Your steadfast love and mercy; I will worship toward and at Your holy temple in reverent fear and awe of You. 8 Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way level (straight and right) before my face.

11 But let all those who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever sing and shout for joy, because You make a covering over them and defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You and be in high spirits. 12 For You, Lord, will bless the [uncompromisingly] righteous [him who is upright and in right standing with You]; as with a shield You will surround him with goodwill (pleasure and favor).

HALLELUJAH!!! We have a GOOD, GOOD GOD Who cares for us, provides for us, protects us and leads, guides and directs us by His SPIRIT! I pray that you are entering into HIS presence more this yeaar than ever before and learning and growing so that HE can use YOU to do GREAT THINGS for HIS KINGDOM! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "A Thousand Hallelujahs" because HE is WORTHY of them ALL! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional from New Years Day!

You Matter to God!

He calls his own sheep by name. John 10:3

Do you sometimes feel like you are just a face in a crowd or a number in a system? You are identified by your social security number. Even when you see the doctor, you are called by your queue number. If you feel depersonalized and dehumanized, that is exactly how the devil wants you to feel—that you do not matter much to anyone, especially to God.

But you do matter to God! He calls you by name. He knows exactly what you are going through and where you are hurting. He sees you and cares for you, just as He cared for the people when He first walked on earth.

My friend, He will do for you what He did for the woman in Samaria. The Bible says that “He needed to go through Samaria” to get from Judea to Galilee (John 4:4).

Now, any Jew of His day would have taken a different and longer route to avoid going through Samaria because they hated the Samaritans, though the way through Samaria would have taken much less time. But Jesus deliberately took the shorter, avoided route, just so He could stop by Samaria to speak to the woman who had been searching for something in her life to satisfy her.

This woman had had five husbands and the man she was living with was not her husband. Clearly, things had not been going right in her life. She was probably looking for answers and fulfillment, and must have felt ashamed about her failed marriages and current lifestyle.

Yet, in spite of all this, she mattered to Jesus! He needed to go to her to minister to her. And indeed, after she met Jesus, the perfect Man, she was transformed. She was no longer ashamed, and went into the city to tell the people about Him (John 4:28–29).

Beloved, Jesus wants to meet you wherever you are at in life and minister His grace to you. You certainly matter to Him. He came to give you life and life more abundantly (John 10:10).

You are not just a face in a crowd or a number. No, He knows you by name and has a personal love for you. And in spite of the mess that you might be in, He wants to meet your every need and make your life beautiful!

AMEN! THAT is the MOST exciting thing asbout belonging to JESUS! HE loved ME FIRST!!! Here is Brooke ligertwood with "What A Wonderful Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Rick Renner's "Sparkling Gems From The Greek - Volume 2" devotional.

Taking Authority Over Your Flesh

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. — Romans 6:12

Since this is a week when you’re thinking about New Year’s resolutions, I want to go ahead and hit hard on the subject of losing those extra pounds you might think about all the time!

Have you stood in front of the mirror and lamented about the double chin that has appeared under your face in the past few years? Perhaps you spend time each morning despairing over the roll around your waist that bulges over your belt. Instead of enjoying your clothes as you once did, you may find yourself turning this way and that way as you look in the mirror to see if the bulge shows through your clothes. Or you may be one who has shifted to wearing dark colors because you’re trying to hide your real size. How many times have you asked your spouse or someone else whether you look too fat in the outfit you’re wearing?

It is amazing how long human beings will tolerate something before they finally decide to take action. I can personally vouch for what I am writing because I struggled with my weight for many years. Day after day, I’d look in the mirror, feel disgusted with myself, and then ask Denise how I looked — expecting her to confirm how terrible I felt about my appearance. When I got out of bed in the mornings, I’d run to the bathroom to step on the scales to see if I was bigger or smaller than the day before.

This fixation on weight completely controlled me. I felt trapped. Instead of exercising restraint, I felt hopeless to overcome. So when it was time to eat, I’d eat anything I wanted, which resulted in gaining more weight and feeling even more down in the dumps about my physical appearance. The truth is, I was in a prison in this area of my weight, like so many others are in today, and I didn’t know how to get out.

Instead of accepting responsibility for my condition, I’d blame my weight gain on pastors who wanted to take me out to eat and enjoy a time of fellowship after evening church services. Night after night, I would find myself eating in restaurants late in the evening. But instead of exercising self-control, I’d order hamburgers with extra mayonnaise, French fries with “tons” of ketchup, and a large-size Coke, topped off with a dessert — and then I’d head to my hotel to go to bed. Then before I fell asleep, I’d mentally beat myself up for eating so badly and would swear before God that I was going to start doing better and losing weight the next day.

But time after time and year after year, I kept struggling with my weight. It was up and down, up and down! And when people would see me for the first time in a few years, I’d think they were looking me over to see if I was bigger or smaller than the last time they had seen me. It was a tormenting thought that deeply bothered me.

I was totally disgusted with myself regarding this area of my life. I was exhausted with fretting about how my clothes fit or what others thought of my size. But at long last, I came to a place where I decided enough was enough!

The big change in me started one day as I was looking in the mirror and thinking about how terrible I looked and how food had been ruling my life. Suddenly the Holy Spirit quickened Romans 6:12 to my heart: “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”

It was like a bolt of divine revelation shot through me — and in that split second, I knew that my allowing food to control me and to lord itself over my life was a sin. Until that day, I had called it a personal problem, a hang-up, and a struggle. But in that moment, I saw it as God saw it. It was much more than a personal hang-up — it was sin calling the shots in my life. The day I recognized this truth was a landmark day in my spiritual walk, for I realized God was calling me to repent and to change. He didn’t want me to feel badly about myself — but, most importantly, He didn’t want anything ruling my life other than the Lord Jesus Christ. That day I repented — and when I did, those wrong eating habits immediately began to lose lordship over my life.

I’m so thankful the Holy Spirit reminded me of Romans 6:12, where it says, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof,” the word “reign” is the Greek word basileuo, which is the very old Greek word for a king or one who rules supreme. It is the picture of a mighty ruler who makes all the decisions, calls all the shots, and controls and completely governs his subjects. This verse described my situation well, for I was definitely being ruled by food. Even though I loved Jesus with all my heart, it was simply a fact that He was not Lord over my eating habits!

But in Romans 6:12, God tells us, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body.…” Notice it says, “Let not.…” The Greek tense used for “Let not” is an authoritative prohibition ordering us to put an end to something immediately. A correct interpretive translation could read, “I want you to stop this and stop it right now!”

When I understood that God was saying, “Stop it and stop it right now,” I knew I had the power to change my behavior. God wouldn’t tell me to stop something if I didn’t have the power to stop it. Therefore, He was making me responsible to do something about food ruling as a king in my life. It was time for me to quit complaining, moaning, fretting, and condemning myself about how I looked and to finally take action.

Instead of listening to the commands of my flesh to overeat and to eat the wrong types of food, it was time for my flesh to listen to me! It was up to me to make a firm, heartfelt decision to repent from this wrong lordship in my life and allow Jesus to step back on the throne of my life to rule my flesh in the area of food. As I did my part, the Holy Spirit would rise up inside me, and His grace would enable me to make sure this sin never ruled me or called the shots in my life again!

How about you? Does this discussion sound personally familiar to you? If it does, I’m wondering if you are weary of feeling badly about yourself or being constantly fixated on your weight. If so, it’s time to ask yourself, Am I ready to put an end to the way food has ruled me physically and emotionally?

“Yes, that’s me! I’m ready for a real change!” If that’s your answer, today Jesus wants to assume His position over your appetite and physique. He wants to be Lord in this area of your life. If you’ll confess that you’ve allowed this sin to rule your flesh — and then genuinely repent of it — I assure you that the Holy Spirit will help you carry out that decision. And as Jesus takes control, it won’t be long until your body will begin to return to its God-ordained size and you’ll begin to feel good about yourself again. It makes such a huge difference in our lives when we allow Jesus to rule our mortal flesh!

I shared my personal experience with you today because I know many people are making New Year’s resolutions at this time of year about losing weight. Jesus can give you the same victory He has given to so many others. All it takes is a decision to turn from what you have been doing and let Jesus be Lord in this area of your life. You may have to follow a diet or learn to eat the right kinds of foods, but it all starts with a decision.

Just determine today that you are going to willingly obey, step by step, whatever Jesus asks you to do to get your appetite and your physical condition back under His control. If you’ll make that heartfelt, sincere, and firm decision today, the Holy Spirit will empower you to eat right and to take the right steps on the road to a healthier lifestyle in your walk with God!

AMEN! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Bless God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this from Jerry Savelle Ministries!

Rejoice!

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV

When we are in the midst of a trial, we are oftentimes so focused on what is happening to us that we aren’t looking for the way out. We spend our time talking about the problem rather than doing what God’s Word instructs us to do: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4 NKJV).

You may ask, “Why does God want us to rejoice?” Because, according to Nehemiah 8:10, the joy of the Lord is our strength. If we don’t have joy, we won’t have strength.

Joy comes from the Word of God, and we must read the Word constantly to maintain that joy. As human beings, we have the physical need for sleep, but the devil doesn’t. The moment we open our eyes each day he’s sure to be there waiting to say, “You’re not going to make it. This trial is too much for you. You might as well just give up.”

But guess what? The devil doesn’t have any defense against joy.

Let me tell you what it means to rejoice. One meaning of the Hebrew word rejoice is “to brighten up.” In other words, put a big smile on your face whether you feel like it or not. Another meaning of the word rejoice is “to spin around,” and a third meaning is “to leap.” So, the next time you are facing a trial, here’s how to respond: smile, spin, and leap. Or simply put—rejoice!

Confession: My God is a faithful God who has already made a way of escape for me in every trial and temptation. Therefore, I choose to always rejoice in the Lord, knowing the devil has no defense against the joy of the Lord, which is my strength.

AMEN!!! mStir up YOUR JOY and put the decvil on the run! Here, to help you do that, is Brandon Lake with "That's Who I Praise":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this New Years Day message fromour partner Kenneth Copeland!

A Happy New Year

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13

Today people everywhere are gathering together to celebrate the first bright moments of the new year.

Yet, for thousands of others, this day will be the toughest 24 hours of their lives. For those people, New Year's Day will serve only as a dim reminder of loneliness and loss. It will simply mark the beginning of another year of failure.

What about you? What's this year really going to be like for you?

You may appear to be happy enough. You may be passing out seasonal smiles and holiday greetings just like everyone else. But inside, you may hurt. You may be disappointed. You may even feel like you can't go on.

If so, I want you to know something. All of that can change in an instant. You can start your life over today and make this New Year's Day the most joyful day of your life!

How many times have you said to yourself, "If I could just start over, I'd do it all differently"? That doesn't have to be simply an idle wish. Jesus Christ has actually made it possible. That's His Christmas present to you. He paid the price for all your sins. He paid the penalty for all your mistakes.

That's the reason He came to earth. That's the reason He was born—so you could start over!

You may look at your life and say, "But I've made some terrible mistakes. I've done some despicable things." That doesn't matter. Jesus paid the price for them all!

How can you make a new start? Romans 10:9 says that "if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." It's as easy as saying, "Jesus, I'm turning my life over to You. From this day forward I'm Yours."

What better time to turn your life around than on this first day of the new year. Right now, wherever you are, just give your life to Jesus. Then jump up and down and holler, "Praise God, I'm starting all over!" And find out what it really means to have a happy new year!

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Gratitude":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin builds on the one I shared yesterday! 

Lover

For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. — JOHN 16:27

Nothing can be stronger or more comforting than the fact that the Father Himself knows you, loves you, and longs to bless you!

In fact, John 17:23 says that God loves us as He loved Jesus. What a staggering thought! Yet it is true! Jesus said it!

God the Father is your Father! He cares for you. He is interested in you individually — not just as a group, or as a body of believers, or as a church. God is interested in each of His children, and He loves each one of us with the same love.

Get acquainted with your Father through His Word. It is in His Word that you will learn about your Heavenly Father, about His love, His nature, how He cares for you, how He loves you. He is everything the Word says He is. And He will do everything the Word says He will do!

Confession: I love Jesus, and I believe He came out from God. Therefore, the Father Himself loves me. God knows me. He cares for me. He longs to bless me. He is interested in my well-being. I get acquainted with Him through the Word. God is everything the Word says He is. He will do everything the Word says He will do.

AMEN! HERE is what YOU can do with GOD'S LOVE that is shed abroud in YOUR heart by HOLY SPIRIT Who LOVES you, too! GIVE IT! Here is Brandon Lake with "Hard Fought Hallelujah!":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I REALLY love today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin!

Husbandman

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. — JOHN 15:1

My Heavenly Father is the Caretaker.

He is the Protector.

He is the Shield.

He is the Sustainer.

He is the Trainer.

He is the Educator.

The Greek word translated “husbandman” involves all those shades of meaning. As the husbandman trains the branches of a vine, so God trains the branches of the Body of Christ.

And remember, God is love!

Confession: Jesus is the true vine. I am a branch. My Father is the husbandman. He is my Caretaker, my Protector, my Shield, my Sustainer, my Trainer, my Educator. I will bear much fruit!

AMEN! He IS LOVE, He HAS LOVE, He GIVES LOVE, and He RECEIVES OUR LOVE! Let's make a concentrated effort to LOVE HIM more than ever before! Here is Hillsong with an older song called "Love Of God Can Do":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we read Philippians 2 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan and these verses are what I want to share with you!

12 Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ). 13 [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight. 14 Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves], 15 That you may show yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish (faultless, unrebukable) in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the [dark] world, 16 Holding out [to it] and offering [to all men] the Word of Life, so that in the day of Christ I may have something of which exultantly to rejoice and glory in that I did not run my race in vain or spend my labor to no purpose.

THIS is GOD'S plan for US while we are waiting for the soon coming of our KING of all kings! JESUS! Let's be found by Him doing exactly this so we need not be ashamed at His coming! Here, to encouage you in all of this, is Brooke Ligertwood, with "Ancient Gates":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from Jerry Savelle Ministries daily devotional.

Knowing God

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Ephesians 1:17 NKJV

When you really know and love God, everything else pales in significance. Your love relationship with Him becomes your driving passion, and pleasing Him becomes your greatest desire.

The Apostle Paul said, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord…” (Philippians 3:8 NKJV). When Paul refers to the knowledge of Christ Jesus, he is not talking about head knowledge. Rather, he is talking about heart knowledge. Having only head knowledge of Jesus makes the life of faith hard and dry; heart knowledge reaches every part of your being and makes living by faith joyful and exciting.

Without knowing God and His character, the Christian walk would be difficult. God wants to be everything to you. He wants to meet your every need. He wants you to know Him:He isn’t hard and aloof; He is your loving heavenly Father.
He isn’t devising trials and tests for you; He is your Comforter.
He isn’t out to hurt you; He is the lover of your soul.
He isn’t concerned about your performance; He looks at your heart.
He doesn’t give you what your sin deserves: He’s the God of abundant grace.
He doesn’t want you to be just a servant; He longs for you to be His friend and child.

Most of all, God wants you to know that He is good, and His mercy endures forever.

Confession: Father, I ask You to give me today the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You. I believe You are opening my eyes to see more of Your goodness and Your heart of love toward me.

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Count 'Em":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from Jospeh Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional!

Be Led by the Holy Spirit

Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. Acts 16:6–7

The more areas of your life you involve the Lord in, the more you can experience His protection. You can even ask the Lord to guide you in something as seemingly natural as your travel itinerary. In fact, read the passage above. The apostle Paul allowed the Holy Spirit to lead them at every step.

We see from those scriptures that closed doors are not necessarily negative, and could be signs of God’s protection over our lives. The challenge for some of us is that we are so adept at planning and scheduling our busy lives that many times, we don’t make room for the Lord to intervene and to guide us to be at the right place at the right time.

Let’s not put our trust in our intelligence and planning, but in His wisdom, leading, and counsel. There is a proverb that says, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (Prov. 16:9). Even as we plan, I pray that we will always remember to commit all our ways to the Lord, and allow Him to direct our steps.

Being led by the Spirit does not have to be something complicated. When you walk close to the Lord and have a close relationship with Him, He can lead you in supernaturally natural ways.

Some years ago, a couple in our church were vacationing at a beach resort on Penang Island in Malaysia, when the wife felt like eating something in another location on the mainland. Because of that “prompting” in her belly, they headed off earlier than they had originally planned. While they were loading their vehicle, a man kept hurrying them and asking them to move off as they were apparently blocking the hotel driveway, and that had really irritated them at that time.

In any case, just fifteen minutes after they had crossed from the island to the mainland, they heard the news that an earthquake in the Indian Ocean had triggered a killer tsunami that crashed onto the beachfront they were at, killing more than fifty people.

Had they left just a little later, they could have been among the casualties of the tragedy that day. Looking back, the couple believes that the man at the hotel might even have been an angel sent by the Lord to get them out of harm’s way quickly.

I don’t know about you, but I want the Lord to direct all my steps! Call upon Him today and He will answer you.

AMEN! Here is Brooke ligertwood and Brandon Lake with "Honey In The Rock":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional!

Our Father

. . . For your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father . . . . — MATTHEW 6:8-9

Although God had given to Israel as clear a revelation of Himself as it was possible to give spiritually dead men, they still didn’t really know Him. They didn’t recognize God manifested in the flesh when Jesus stood in their midst. (Under the Old Covenant, God’s Presence was shut up in the Holy of Holies.)

Thus, it was into a hard, harsh atmosphere of Justice that Jesus Christ came. And the Jews of His day could not understand Him. He talked about God as His Father. He told of the Father’s love and care for His own! It mystified them. When Jesus introduced God as a Father God of love, His words, for the most part, fell upon unresponsive ears.

Yet we must admit, as we meditate on Jesus’ words about the love of God, that even born-again children of God sometimes fail to see the love side of God. Israel never grasped it. They didn’t understand who it was Jesus was talking about. It was new to them. To tell the truth, it’s new to most church members today! They have been taught to fear God, and to shrink from a God of Justice. They’ve never really seen the love side of God that Jesus came to reveal.

Confession: I hereby make a quality decision to see and know the love side of God that Jesus came to reveal. I will meditate on Jesus’ revelation of God until I really know Him as my Father God of love.

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Coat Of Many Colors":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share our partner Rick Renner's "Sparkling Gems From The Greek Volume 2" devotional:

What You Must Seek

…Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. — Matthew 6:33

“Merry Christmas!”

Those were the first words we heard on Christmas Day when we were children. We were awakened when Dad would turn on the floodlights attached to his Kodak camera, and all three Renner kids would crawl out of bed in our pajamas, rubbing our eyes in the bright lights that were glaring down on us as Dad filmed practically every movement of the Christmas morning for us.

Today we still have those films that Dad took of all three of us as we scampered from our beds into the living room to begin the process of opening gifts. Those films are now decades old, and I am thankful for the thoughtfulness of my father to film those precious memories, which otherwise would have been completely lost. Now that they’ve been transferred to a digital format, we can enjoy them for years to come. Dad is in Heaven, but these are his treasures that he left for the rest of us to watch and enjoy.

Every so often, we watch those films and remember our childhood Christmases and the gifts that Daddy and Mother gave us. The greatest gift my parents ever gave me on Christmas was a study Bible — a very nice, leather-lined study Bible. I was so proud of it! They hit it right on the target when they gave me that Bible, as my heart was aflame to know more about God’s Word at that time in my life. I still have that Bible today. Dad wrote his favorite Bible verse right in the front of the inside cover. There, in Dad’s handwriting, it says, “…Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

Dad would quote this verse to us kids all the time. He wrote it in birthday cards, in letters that he occasionally wrote to us when we were at the university — and, of course, in the front covers of every Bible he ever gave to each of us. He really believed this verse, and he wanted to embed it in our souls.

Dad quoted Matthew 6:33 so often, and wrote it to us so many times, that one day I decided to pick up my Greek New Testament and look at the word “seek” to see what it means. It is the present imperative active form of the Greek word zeteo, and it depicts a constant attitude to actively and constantly seek for a thing.

Furthermore, zeteo is a command. Jesus was literally commanding us to actively and constantly be seeking after the Kingdom of God. Jesus promised that if we did, everything else we needed in life would be supplied to us. No wonder Dad wanted to get that verse into our hearts! He knew that if we got this right, everything else would be okay in our lives.

So I want to ask you: Are you obeying Jesus’ command to habitually, constantly seek the Kingdom of God? Are you on-again, off-again in your spiritual passion, or would Jesus say you are consistent in your seeking of Him and His Kingdom? All those other things you need to be supplied for life will come if you’ll place Jesus first and never stop seeking the purposes of His Kingdom. Jesus truly is the Gift that keeps on giving!

This is Jesus’ promise to you — and these are my words of encouragement to you on this Christmas Day!

Here is Hillsong with another favorite Christmas song called "Born Is The King":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

THIS is the meaning of CHRISTMAS!!! From Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional!

His Glory

And the Word became flesh. And pitched his tent among us, And we gazed upon his glory, — A glory . . . Full of favour and truth. — JOHN 1:14 (Rotherham)

I love Rotherham’s translation of John 1:14 — it is so beautiful.

We’ve tended to think of Christ’s coming to the earth as a man only in terms of His self-denial in leaving glory, or else in terms of His suffering on this earth. But I believe it was a joy to Christ, who so loved man and so desired man’s fellowship, to “pitch His tent” among us so that He might give to alienated man — who had never known his Creator— a true conception of His Heavenly Father.

It was good tidings of great joy which the angel proclaimed to the shepherds — and to all people everywhere. Man, separated from God for four thousand years, could now gaze upon God’s glory, could now see God, could now know God as He is, and could now be reunited with Him!

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. — LUKE 2:10-11

The Word has become flesh!

Confession: Like the multitude of the heavenly host, I, too, am praising God. Praise God for sending GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY! Praise God for sending a SAVIOR! Praise God for CHRIST THE LORD! Praise God for allowing us to gaze upon HIS GLORY!

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with one of my favorite Christmas songs called "We Have A Saviour":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I LOVE this from Kenneth E.Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional!

Incarnate Revelator

Jesus saith unto him [Philip] . . . he that hath seen me hath seen the Father . . . . — JOHN 14:9

Man born into a world ruled by Satan did not by nature know his Creator. Since Adam’s sin — when man died spiritually — God and man had been spiritually separated.

Man desperately needed an Incarnation. The Incarnation of Jesus Christ — God manifested in the flesh — gave to the world the true knowledge of the nature of God.

Spiritually dead men couldn’t know the nature of the Creator without a revelation from Him. God had been conceived as weird, cruel, grotesque, immoral, aloof, or perhaps, an impersonal energy, but He was never thought of as a God of love — a loving Heavenly Father.

“What’s he really like?” people will inquire about some movie star, TV personality, politician, etc. And sometimes those close to that celebrity will attempt in an interview to tell what he is really like.

“What’s God really like?” people want to know.

Friends, if you want to know what God is really like — just look at Jesus!

Confession: I have seen Jesus in the revelation of God’s Word. Therefore, I have seen the Father. I know what the Father is like. He’s just like Jesus! He’s a God of love. He’s a Father God. And because of Jesus, He’s my very own Father. I am His very own child. I’m so thankful for this great plan of redemption which included revealing my Father to the world.

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Graves Into Gardens":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share another devotional from Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations.

Intimacy with the Lord

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28–29

The Lord does not want you to simply claim His promises of protection. He wants you to come close to Him. Running to Him and coming under His feathers speak of closeness. It’s not about how many times you have recited Psalm 91; it’s about having an intimate relationship with Him.

As a child, if it was thundering at night and I was afraid, I would run into my parents’ room, jump into their bed, and hide in my mother’s arms. After a while, I would fall into a deep sleep even if the storm was still raging outside.

You see, you don’t have to learn the seven steps of overcoming fear. Having the presence of a loving parent right with you is enough to drive out fear. Our Lord Jesus who loves you wants you to come close to Him and to take shelter in His love. Will you do that today?

I heard the story of a farmer whose farmhouse got burned down. As he walked around the smoldering wreckage, he saw the burned carcasses of his chickens. He happened to move the blackened body of one of the hens with his foot, and to his astonishment, little chicks came running out from under the body. What happened? They had taken refuge under the wings of their mother, who had given her life to save her little ones.

That’s a picture of what our Lord Jesus did when He took upon His own body the full punishment for our sins. The fire of God’s judgment fell, not upon the scribes and Pharisees who had rejected the Messiah, and not upon the Roman soldiers who nailed Him to the cross, but upon His own beloved Son—for the nation of Israel, for the Gentile nations, for you, for me, so that whosoever believes in Him would be saved.

But here’s something I want you to see: when Jesus was offered on the cross, He absorbed the judgment of God in His own body, and, as the sacrifice, He was greater than the fires of judgment. The Offering was greater than the judgment because the Offering was not consumed.

On that cross, our Lord declared, “It is finished!” before He gave up His Spirit (John 19:30). The Offering remained after all of God’s judgment was exhausted. Hallelujah! That is why we can come boldly to His throne of grace today!

Here is Benjamin Hastings with "That's The Power":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is another powerful TRUTH!

That We Might Be Sons

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. — GALATIANS 4:4-7

The object of the Incarnation was that man might be given the right to become a child of God (John 1:12).

Man could become a child of God only by receiving the nature of God; therefore, Christ came that man might receive eternal life (John 10:10; 1 John 5:11-12).

And man could receive eternal life only after he had been legally redeemed from Satan’s authority (Colossians 1:13,14).

Confession: God sent forth His Son to redeem us, that we might become sons of God. I have received Christ; therefore, I have life. I am a son of God. And because I am, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into my heart, crying, “Abba, Father.” I am no more a servant; but a son. I am an heir of God through Christ.

AMEN! HALLELUJAH! We are, of ALL people, MOST BLESSED! Here is Brandon Lake with "That's Who I Praise":

Shalom in Him!