Shalom,

Today I want to share with you from Philippians 3:10-14 from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan!

10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] 11 That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]. 12 Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own. 13 I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.

THIS is my continued goal! I hope that YOU will also make it yours! Here is Brandon Lake with a song from his new album called "Watch This!":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

“The Son! The Son!”

I will hear what God the LORD will say; for He will speak peace to His people. Psalm 85:8 NASB

There once was a wealthy man who loved his one and only son above all things. Together, they spent ten years building one of the rarest, most valuable art collections in the world, with everything from Picasso to Raphael.

Then war broke out and the son went off to fight. One day the father’s worst fears were realized when the war department informed him his beloved son had been killed while attempting to rescue another soldier.

About six months later, a young soldier with a large package under his arm visited the wealthy man and said, “Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the man your son saved the day he died. Your son was my friend and we spent many nights talking about you and your love for art.” Then he held out his package and said, “I’m not much of an artist, but I wanted you to have this painting I’ve done of your son as I last remember him.”

The father found himself gazing at a portrait of his one and only son. Fighting back tears, he said, “You have captured the essence of my son’s smile in this painting and I will cherish it above all others.” The father hung the portrait of his son over his mantelpiece and showed it to visitors before any of the other masterpieces.

When the father died, his entire collection of masterpieces was offered at an exclusive private auction. Collectors and art experts from around the world gathered and were surprised when the first painting on the auction block was the soldier’s modest rendering of the man’s son.

The auctioneer asked someone to start bidding, but the sophisticated crowd scoffed and demanded for the Van Goghs and Rembrandts to be brought forth. The auctioneer persisted, but when no bid was offered, the crowd hissed for the auction to move on. Still, the auctioneer asked, “The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?”

Finally a voice from the back said, “I’ll bid ten dollars for the son.” The bidder was none other than the young soldier whom the son had died saving. He said, “All I have is ten dollars to my name, but I’ll bid it all for the painting.”

The auctioneer continued to seek a higher bid, but the angry crowd shouted, “Sell it to him and let’s get on with the auction.” The auctioneer pounded the gavel and sold the painting to the soldier for the bid of ten dollars.

“Finally, we can get on with the auction,” someone from the second row bellowed. But right at that moment, the auctioneer announced, “The auction is now officially closed.” The crowd gathered there was shocked and demanded to know why.

The auctioneer simply replied, “According to the wishes of the deceased, only the painting of the son was to be sold today. And whoever gets this painting gets it all—every piece of art in this priceless collection and the entire estate in which it is housed. The auction is closed.” And with the swing of his gavel, he left the crowd sitting in stunned silence, staring at the young soldier.

Every time I think about this story, I think of how, like the father in the story, God is looking for people who value and appreciate His Son. Whoever receives the Son receives all of God’s blessings. To the one who values His Son, He gives every good thing He has.

And how do we value His Son? One of the primary ways is by taking time to hear Him. Hear His words of grace to us and hear what He has done for us through His sacrifice at the cross.

In today’s scripture, the psalmist says, “I will hear what God the LORD will say; for He will speak peace to His people.” The Hebrew word for “peace” here is shalom, which means completeness, soundness, well-being in body and mind, safety, contentment, and peace in our relationships with people.

My friend, if you desire to experience an increase in these blessings in your body, family, career, and ministry, then focus on hearing Jesus and growing in the knowledge of Him and His grace. The Bible tells us that grace and peace (and every good blessing) are multiplied to us when we grow in the knowledge of Jesus our Lord (2 Peter 1:2).

AMEN! Make THE SON your top priority and everything else will follow! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Bless God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I simply want to share a new song from Brandon Lake for you! The title is "As For Me And My Home":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional for today is a very important one!

Knowledge And Skill

"As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams" (Daniel 1:17).

"God gave them knowledge and skill."

God gave Daniel and the other three Hebrew children, knowledge and all skill. Eternal life is the nature of God. You've got God's nature in you. Know that! Believe that! Confess that! Then that nature will begin to dominate you!

Learn to walk in the light of life. Learn to put that life into practice in your being. Walking in the light of that life will enhance your entire personality, and will increase your intelligence.

Confession: I am a new creation. I am born again. I am a new creature. I have the life and nature of God in my spirit. That life is the light of men. I purpose to walk in the light of life. God's life is in me. God's knowledge is in me. God's skill is in me. God's ability is in me. God's wisdom is in me. He is instructing me. He is leading me. I am a child of God. The Spirit of God in me is leading me. I'll follow His leading. I'll walk in the light of life.

AMEN! Never forget that you ARE what God's Word says you are! You CAN DO what God's Word says you can do! So declare over yourself what GOD says about you and you will see it come to pass! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Who You Say I Am" with subtitles

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

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

Friendship With The World

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that friendship with the world is enmity with God…?
— James 4:4

As we saw yesterday, James began James 4:4 by calling his readers “adulterers” and “adulteresses” — which is strong language to use when addressing believers! James obviously wanted to get their attention. In some way, they had violated their relationship with Christ. They had been unfaithful; they had crossed the line and given a part of their hearts and souls to the world around them. By calling them “adulterers” and “adulteresses,” James was saying that whatever they were doing was the equivalent of spiritual adultery.

James probingly asked his readers, “…Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God…?” The word “know” is oida. It refers to firsthand knowledge that these believers should have already possessed. In this case, it means, “Don’t you know?” “Don’t you understand?” “Haven’t you grasped by now?” Then he continued, “…Know ye not that friendship with the world is enmity with God…?”

The word “friendship” is the word philia, a noun taken from the word phileo. The word phileo describes affection, attachment, devotion, endearment, or familiarity. It can be used to portray the intense sentiment between two or more people. It was most often used to denote a relationship that was dear, precious, and valuable. In fact, it carried such a feeling of endearing affection that the word philema comes from it, which is the Greek word meaning to kiss. There is no doubt Paul meant that these believers’ tie to the world had never been fully severed. In some manner they were still being attracted to the world — to such an extent that its influence was encroaching on their relationship with the Lord.

Worldliness is a serious thing with the Lord, and it tries to wrap its arms around all of us. If we begin edging in on worldliness with the way we live our lives, the Holy Spirit will warn us to break that wrong relationship with the world and return to Him.

If you want to have a quick wakeup call, just take a little time to think of the things you tolerate in your life today that you would never have tolerated ten years ago. For example, do you watch movies today that you would have considered a sin ten years ago? Are you more permissive in your thinking about sin now than you used to be? Are there any areas of your life where you used to be more on fire and less compromising than you are right now? Do you pray and witness as you much as you once did? You may as well be honest with God because He knows your real spiritual condition anyway.

You can’t bluff God by making up excuses. At least when you’re honest with God, you put yourself in a position where He can deal with your heart. Once you’re being truthful with yourself and with Him, you can begin to repent and return to being on fire for Him the way He desires you to be.

We could all admit worldliness in some area of our lives, but if we don’t deal with the areas as the Holy Spirit leads us, over time we will become more conformed to the world than to Jesus Christ. Being a friend of the world doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time. It’s a very slow, seductive, and methodical process as our thinking, behavior, and outlook on life grows to look more and more similar to the world than to that of Jesus.

The Bible says that a Christian who is entangled with the world is at “enmity” with God. The word translated “enmity” is the Greek word echthra, meaning hostility or enmity. Allowing the world to encroach on your relationship with God is a very serious thing in His view. The word “enmity” tells us that this is very serious!

Today I want to ask you: Are you on fire for Jesus as you once were? Or have the things of the world slowly begun to douse the flames that once burned so brightly for the Lord? Are you free of the world, or has its attraction lured and seduced you from Christ? Would Jesus say that you are completely committed to Him, or would He say you are sharing His rightful place with other things? Who or what is the central focus of your life? If you consider yourself to be a serious Christian, these are very important questions for you to answer today!

AMEN! Ask yourself those questions, and if your answers are not what they should be, MAKE THE CHANGE! There is no other way to stay right in the middle of GOD'S will for YOU! Here is Brandon Lake with "God Is Not Agsainst Me":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's "From Faith To Faith" devotional:

Put the Word First

For skillful and godly Wisdom is the principal thing.... Prize Wisdom highly and exalt her, and she will exalt and promote you; she will bring you to honor when you embrace her. Proverbs 4:7-8, The Amplified Bible

I want to tell you the only real secret to getting ahead in this world. It’s simple. Put the Word of God first place in your daily life.

“Well,” you may be saying, “I’ve heard that before. It’s no secret.” But when you understand what I mean, it could be a revelation to you.

You see, the Bible is not just a textbook, a storybook or a history book. It’s a handbook for living. It’s the wisdom of Almighty God written down so that you can apply it to your everyday circumstances.

God says that wisdom is the “principal thing.” Principal means “first in importance.” That means the Word of God needs to occupy the place of highest importance in all of your activities. I know from experience what an impact that can have on your life.

Twenty years ago I decided to read the Gospels and the book of Acts three times in 30 days. It seemed an impossible task at the time. With two small children and my house turned upside down from a recent move, I couldn’t see how I could possibly spend that much time reading the Word and still get everything done. But I set myself to put other things aside and do it anyway.

Surprisingly enough, at the end of the first day I had accomplished more than I would have under normal circumstances. And by the end of that 30 days, I’d not only read the Gospels and Acts three times, I’d kept all my housework done, taken care of my children, and refinished several pieces of furniture to boot! I was amazed.

You’ll be amazed at what happens in your life too, if you give God’s Word priority. But let me warn you, don’t wait until you think you have the time. Satan will see to it that you never do.

Just do like I did and set other things aside. Invest your time in the Word first and that investment will soon be paying off in every area of your life.

AMEN! You CANNOT outgive GOD! Whether it is finances, time, energy, prayer, meditaint on His Word, whatever YOU put into it, HE will MULTIPLY back to you! Here is Brandon Lake and Brooke Ligertwood with "Honey In The Rock":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's devotional by Jerry Savelle Ministries is just what YOU need to hear today! 

Sickness and Disease is Part of the Curse

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. Galatians 3:13

Sickness and disease were never part of God’s plan for mankind. When He created the garden and placed Adam in it, life was perfect just as God planned it to be; there was no sickness or disease. But because Adam sinned and opened the door to the devil, mankind was subjugated to all that was part of the curse.

Until, that is, Jesus broke the power of the curse when He died on the Cross and rose again, destroying all the power of the devil. This is good news, because sickness and disease no longer have a right to be in your body.

Just as sickness and disease had no right to come on Jesus’ physical body when He walked on the earth, so it has no right to come on your body today. However, the devil will attempt to bring the curse upon your life and he will push you as far as you will allow him to. He will stay as long as you let him.

The devil will not leave you voluntarily—you must evict him from your life! It will be necessary that you tenaciously voice your rights as a child of God, enforce God’s Word against him, and use your faith and the authority Jesus has given you to cast the devil out. Then, speak to that sickness and disease and command it in the name of Jesus to leave.

Jesus paid the price for you to live in freedom from sickness and disease. So stand firm, speak God’s Word, and enjoy the fullness of your redemption from the curse.

Confession: Because Jesus Christ has redeemed me from the curse, I have been set free from all sickness and disease. I am full of the life and power of God.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Can't Stop Talkin":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I LOVE today's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional by Joseph Prince!

Do Great Exploits

The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. Daniel 11:32

Have you ever wondered what gives a person the strength to become a champion, such as Daniel or David in the Scriptures? The book of Daniel tells us that “the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits” (Daniel 11:32).

Daniel himself started out as a young captive taken from Jerusalem to serve in the courts of Babylonian and Medo-Persian kings. Yet Daniel stood out among his peers.

Over his lifetime he interpreted dreams by the wisdom of God and demonstrated an “excellent spirit” people around him could see (Daniel 6:3). He always found favor in the eyes of the Gentile kings he served and experienced supernatural deliverance when there seemed to be no way out. Daniel walked out of the lions’ den unharmed because he knew his God, His power, and His heart for him.

Dear reader, is this what you desire today—to walk in strength, wisdom, and favor that is undeniable and irresistible? Do you desire to see the God-kind of miracles and breakthroughs in your life?

Then I encourage you to keep hearing and growing in your knowledge of God’s grace and mercy toward you. In Daniel’s story, the Lord, through an angel, addressed him as a “man greatly beloved” (Daniel 10:11). So the more you hear about and are confident in His love for you, the more you will live life with boldness and a different, excellent spirit that sets you apart from others and testifies of His power in your life.

Consider also young David, the shepherd boy who was bold enough to challenge and take down Goliath when others were cowering in fear. David knew God as a covenant-keeping God who loved him. David would have been reminded of God’s love for him every time he heard his own name called, for David’s name means “beloved,” the beloved of the Lord.

I believe David became such an amazing worshipper, a leader beloved by His people, and a man after God’s own heart because he knew and was conscious of how much the Lord loved him. Even when David failed, I believe it was his revelation that he was still beloved of the Lord that kept him going.

Beloved, I pray that as you continue to read the word of His grace and listen to messages of His glorious grace, you will come to truly know the Lord’s love for you and embrace it heart and soul. His love will make you strong and cause you to do great exploits.

When you know how much God loves you, you will bring down the giants in your life, and your life will testify of His goodness and glory!

AMEN! Here is Benjamin Hastings and Hillsong Worship with "That's The Power":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional by Oswald Chambers is a great lesson for all of us!

Don’t Think Now, Take The Road

And Peter…walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid. — Matthew 14:29-30

The wind was actually boisterous, the waves were actually high, but Peter did not see them at first. He did not reckon with them, he simply recognised his Lord and stepped out in recognition of Him, and walked on the water. Then he began to reckon with the actual things, and down he went instantly. Why could not our Lord have enabled him to walk at the bottom of the waves as well as on the top of them? Neither could be done saving by recognition of the Lord Jesus.

We step right out on God over some things, then self-consideration enters in and down we go. If you are recognising your Lord, you have no business with where He engineers your circumstances. The actual things are, but immediately you look at them you are overwhelmed, you cannot recognise Jesus, and the rebuke comes: “Wherefore didst thou doubt?” Let actual circumstances be what they may, keep recognising Jesus, maintain complete reliance on Him.

If you debate for a second when God has spoken, it is all up. Never begin to say — “Well, I wonder if He did speak?” Be reckless immediately, fling it all out on Him. You do not know when His voice will come, but whenever the realisation of God comes in the faintest way imaginable, recklessly abandon. It is only by abandon that you recognise Him. You will only realise His voice more clearly by recklessness.

AMEN! JESUS walked on water! PETER walked on water!!! UNTIL ...! Dare to really BELIEVE God's WORD to you! Then never look back! You will accomplish great things in your life if you refuse to look back, around or down! Simply keep moving forward toward the goals and dreams that JESUS put in your heart! He delights in showing Himself strong on our behalf! Here is Brandon Lake with "Count 'Em":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Todya's "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional by Oswald Chambers is SO vital for born again believers to know! 

The Uncritical Temper

Judge not, that ye be not judged. — Matthew 7:1

Jesus says regarding judging — Don’t. The average Christian is the most penetratingly critical individual. Criticism is a part of the ordinary faculty of man; but in the spiritual domain nothing is accomplished by criticism. The effect of criticism is a dividing up of the powers of the one criticised; the Holy Spirit is the only One in the true position to criticise, He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into communion with God when you are in a critical temper; it makes you hard and vindictive and cruel, and leaves you with the flattering unction that you are a superior person. Jesus says, as a disciple cultivate the uncritical temper. It is not done once and for all. Beware of anything that puts you in the superior person’s place.

There is no getting away from the penetration of Jesus. If I see the mote in your eye, it means I have a beam in my own. Every wrong thing that I see in you, God locates in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-20). Stop having a measuring rod for other people. There is always one fact more in every man’s case about which we know nothing. The first thing God does is to give us a spiritual spring-cleaning; there is no possibility of pride left in a man after that. I have never met the man I could despair of after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.

AMEN! I am actually shocked at the number of people I have come across over the years who will fight for what THEY consider their right to judge others! Matthew 7:1 is very simple and exceedingly clear about this! DO NOT DO IT!!! Here is Brandon Lake with "King Of Hearts":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

The King Came Down

“ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:38

When Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, He said, “Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44). Today we have problems loving our neighbors, let alone our enemies.

Jesus also said, “If your right eye offends you, pluck it out, throw it away from you. If your hand offends you, cut it off” (Matthew 5:29–30). Have you seen anyone who’s fighting for the law do that? Have you seen any church practice that? Come on, that church would look like a huge amputation ward!

So what was Jesus doing when He said those things?

Jesus was bringing the law back to its pristine standard, as the Pharisees had brought it down to where it was humanly possible to keep. For example, the Pharisees thought that unless you physically commit adultery, you have not sinned, but Jesus said that if you look at a woman to lust, you have already committed adultery with her (Matthew 5:28).

Jesus demonstrated to those who boasted of their law keeping that it was impossible for man to be justified by the law. He also said that the moment you are angry with a brother in your heart, you have committed murder (Matthew 5:22)! You see, Jesus’ definitive and impeccable interpretation of God’s holy laws brings man to the end of himself so that he will see his need for the Savior.

Now, I want you to catch a beautiful picture of God’s grace: the good news is that Jesus didn’t stop there. He preached the Sermon on the Mount and then He came down. Spiritually speaking, if the King had stayed on the mountain, there would have been no redemption for us.

Are you getting this? If Jesus had stayed high up in heaven and decreed God’s holy standards from there, there would have been no hope and no redemption for us. But all praise and glory to the King Who chose to come down from heaven to this earth! He came down the mountain. He came down into suffering, crying, and dying humanity.

At the foot of the mountain we see how He met a man with leprosy, a picture of you and me before we were washed clean by His precious blood. Imagine: an unclean sinner, standing before the King of kings. There was no way the standards of the Sermon on the Mount could have saved him. There was no way the pristine and perfect standards of God’s holy commandments could have saved us. The King knew that and that’s why He came down to where we were.

In those days, people with leprosy were considered unclean and wherever they went they had to shout, “Unclean! Unclean!” (Leviticus 13:45) so people would know to run the other way lest they became defiled by the disease. Needless to say, those with leprosy were not welcomed in public places. Yet here the man with leprosy was before the King saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean” (Matthew 8:2). Notice he didn’t doubt that Jesus could; he doubted that Jesus would.

Without a moment’s hesitation, our Lord Jesus reached out and touched the afflicted man, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed (Matthew 8:3).

Now watch this: under the law those with leprosy—the unclean—make the clean unclean. But under grace Jesus makes the unclean clean. Under the law, sin is contagious. Under grace, righteousness and God’s goodness are contagious!

HALLELUJAH! i am SO GLAD that our GOD is the same HGOD as He always has been! Here is Brandon Lake with "Kids":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" dvotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is another powerful lesson that many have never heard!

Divine Nature

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: thatby these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped thecorruption that is in the world through lust. — 2 PETER 1:4

When you became a child of God, God imparted His own nature — eternal life — to you. This life, this nature, this being, this substance of God, instantly changed your spirit.

You passed from spiritual death — the realm of Satan — into life, which is the realm of God (1 John 3:14). You passed from the dominion of Satan into the dominion of Christ.

When you received eternal life, the satanic nature passed out of you. The corruption from which you have escaped is spiritual death, the satanic nature (2 Peter 1:4).

The satanic nature passed out of you, not theoretically, but actually. Second Corinthians 5:17 states, “. . . old things are passed away . . . .” And God’s nature came into you.

Now you are a partaker of God’s divine nature — the nature of God — the life of God!

Confession: God’s life is in me. God’s nature is in me. God’s ability is in me. God’s wisdom is in me. For me to fail, God would have to fail. And God can never fail! I am a partaker of His divine nature.

AMEN! What a WONDERFUL and BLESSED promise! And it is all for us! Here is Brandon Lake with "Plans":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional by Oswald Chambers is SO good!

Get A Move On

Abide in Me. — John 15:4

In the Matter of Determination

The Spirit of Jesus is put into me by the Atonement, then I have to construct with patience the way of thinking that is exactly in accordance with my Lord. God will not make me think like Jesus, I have to do it myself; I have to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. “Abide in Me” — in intellectual matters, in money matters, in every one of the matters that make human life what it is. It is not a bandbox* life.

Am I preventing God from doing things in my circumstances because I say it will hinder my communion with Him? That is an impertinence. It does not matter what my circumstances are, I can be as sure of abiding in Jesus in them as in a prayer meeting. I have not to change and arrange my circumstances myself. With Our Lord the inner abiding was unsullied; He was at home with God wherever His body was placed. He never chose His own circumstances, but was meek towards His Father’s dispensations for Him. Think of the amazing leisure of Our Lord’s life! We keep God at excitement point, there is none of the serenity of the life hid with Christ in God about us.

Think of the things that take you out of abiding in Christ — “Yes, Lord, just a minute, I have got this to do; Yes, I will abide when once this is finished; when this week is over, it will be all right, I will abide then.” Get a move on; begin to abide now. In the initial stages it is a continual effort until it becomes so much the law of life that you abide in Him unconsciously. Determine to abide in Jesus wherever you are placed.

*bandbox: in Chambers’ day, a small, round box made to hold neckbands or collars for shirts; metaphorically, something small, narrow, cloistered, self-contained.

AMEN! Make the LORD your GOD your top priority and everything else will fall right into place! Here is Brandon Lake with "Praise You Anywhere":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional. This is SO good!

Jesus Is Your Answer

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life . . . If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” John 14:6–7

When I was growing up as a young Christian, I was told that the more I knew about God, the more God would hold me accountable and my punishment for falling short of His expectations would be more severe than someone who knew less.

My response was to stay away from the Bible, since the more I knew, the more I would be punished by God. Come on, my mama didn’t raise no fool!

I was also taught that the closer I drew to God, the more trials and tribulations I would experience. From that point on, I didn’t want to draw close to God. If you have been taught these or similar lies about God, you would very likely also have been robbed of any desire to build a more intimate relationship with Him.

As I grew in the Lord, He opened my eyes to see that the teachings I had received were not true. Contrary to what I had been taught, I found that the closer I drew to God, the closer I was to the answer to all of my problems. I was drawing close to the miracle worker. I was drawing close to the healer. I was drawing close to the provider, my Jehovah Jireh!

My friend, the more of God’s truth you know, the more the truth will set you free from erroneous beliefs that are not based on His Word. It is the devil who would love for you to fear God (in an unhealthy way), so that you would stay away from your best source of help. The devil would love for you to stay away from the Bible because it is the book of your inheritance and it tells you what belongs to you through the blood of Jesus Christ. The devil would love for you not to find out the truth so that he can keep you in bondage, sickness, and poverty.

Distortions and lies about God lead us away from Him and ultimately into the depths of despair and fear, like they did for Tina, who lives in Florida. Tina had been involved with a religious, cult-like organization for twelve years and became gripped by the terror that the devil was going to kill her.

However, when she started watching my television program, listening to my sermon CDs, and immersing herself in the good news of Jesus Christ, her fears started to dissipate. She said, “Despite my erroneous beliefs, my awesome heavenly Dad lavished such tremendous love on me, all through hearing and reading about the glorious gospel of grace!

"He unveiled Jesus to me through your teaching, brought me out of spiritual darkness, and gave me the courage to walk away from the cult. As I face each new day, I know His presence is always with me, that I am His beloved and He loves me dearly. This is just the beginning of a greater restoration that God is bringing into my life. He is just that good, and there is no other like Him! Hallelujah!”

I add my hallelujah as well! My friend, the moment you begin to have the right perceptions of God and draw near to Him, the devil cannot keep you bound in a life of defeat. All the lies, distortions, and erroneous teachings about God will collapse like a house of cards when your eyes are opened to His grace.

You will realize that the Lord is not your problem but your answer—to every problem. Your freedom and victory are found in Him. He is your security, your righteousness . . . your all in all!

HALLELUJAH and AMEN! Only the enemy would want to keep you away from close fellowship with the LORD your GOD! Don't give in to him! He is a LIAR and the father of LIES! Instead, put all of your trust in JESUS! Here is Brandon Lake with "Adoption Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this devotional from our partners at Jerry Savelle Ministries! 

Right Attitude Principles

No one can make you have a positive attitude; you are the only one who can make that decision. Remember that God’s Word is the foundation of a right mental attitude. Study these principles and allow them to become strong on the inside of you.

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (Philippians 2:5 NLT). A right mental attitude is more than wishful thinking. It is actually facing each day with a positive expectancy based on God’s Word.

A right mental attitude is having a proper understanding of the problems you face, their source, and knowing how to approach them with God’s Word. You need to know your enemy and how he operates. You need to know his weaknesses. I’ll tell you two of them:

(a) He cannot stand it when you praise Jesus;
(b) He cannot stand the Word of God.

He has no refuge from them. He has to flee from them. He cannot tolerate either.A right mental attitude enables you to possess peace, calmness, self-control, and the determination to win no matter how difficult your situation may seem.

A right mental attitude demands that you drive out all negatives from your consciousness and focus on God’s Word.

Confession: I choose to have a good attitude and expect the best today knowing that God is good, and He is for me.

AMEN! CHOICES! HE gives us the responsibility of choosing to serve Him - or not! CHOOSE JESUS! CHOOSE LIFE!!! Here is Brandon Lake with "Praise You Anywhere":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really love today's "From Faith To Faith" devotional by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland! 

From Desperation to Devotion

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2

Things, things, things! A better job. A bigger house. New clothes for the kids. Tomorrow’s luncheon date. A better television. Get the picture?

Many of us have learned to believe God to prosper us to such a degree that we have too much to keep up with. We end up spending so much time and energy taking care of the legitimate “things” of life that we unconsciously give the attention and affections of our heart over to this natural world instead of to God.

When Kenneth and I first heard about living by faith, we were in desperate circumstances. We were sick and broke, so it was easy for us to dedicate ourselves to prayer and to the Word. But as we honored God’s Word, He honored and prospered us. We came to the place where we were no longer desperate. Then came the real test of our faith. Would we serve God out of our love for Him instead of our desperation?

Well, praise God, we did. But in the process we found out one thing: It takes a lot more dedication to serve God when you’re prosperous than it takes when you’re desperate! There’s a constant temptation to get so caught up in the earthly things that your desire for the things of God fades into the background.

As the material blessings of God come your way, remember, God has not trained you in His Word so you can consume it on your own lusts. He has revealed His Word to you so you can walk in the spirit and do the job He’s called you to do.

Don’t let the things of this world cause you to miss out on the glorious things of the spirit. Get your priorities in line with God’s Word. Set your mind on things above, and you’ll discover just how heavenly life was really meant to be!

AMEN! I choose to live from HEAVEN'S perspective and provision! I hope that YOU do, too! Here is Brandon Lake with "Coat Of Many Colors":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Here is another "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional by Joseph Prince!

Transformed by God’s Favor

The goodness of God leads you to repentance. Romans 2:4

Let me share with you a testimony of a youth whose life has been wonderfully transformed by the unmerited favor of God. This young man smoked his first cigarette when he was only 9 years old. By the time he was 14, he was already a seasoned gangster, peddling as well as taking drugs, and selling pirated movies.

With the money earned, he would treat his gang members to fancy clothes or meals, and even cover transport expenses for them to congregate for gang fights! At 15, the law caught up with him and he was sent to a boys’ reformatory home where he realized that his life needed to be turned around. And that was when God came into the picture. He said:

The home was where I first encountered God, even though I did not know it was Him then. One of my counselors, a Christian lady, prayed for me and for the first time in my life, I felt that there was “someone” watching over me. I did not think much about it then, but that’s when my heart and my perspective on life began to change.

I started attending New Creation Church (NCC) in September 2005. A friend had invited me to NCC earlier, but I declined. However, one day I happened to oversleep on the train and missed my stop. The platform I got off on was completely deserted, but I noticed a plastic bag left on one of the benches. I looked at its contents to see if I could tell who it belonged to and realized that inside it were actually sermon CDs from NCC!

So even when I didn't want to attend NCC, God sent the church to me! It was no coincidence. It was God-directed! When I played the CDs at home out of curiosity, the presence of God was so real. I experienced such intimacy with God. As I listened to Pastor Prince’s teachings, I knew that this was the God I had always believed in, a God who loves me regardless of who I am or what I do!

Pastor Prince’s teachings have set me free and given me a supernatural strength and passion to do His work. I don’t feel any more bondage when it comes to communicating with God, knowing that He can lead me in every situation.

The most significant change I have experienced has been my inward transformation. I used to have a very bad temper, which got me into a lot of fights because I was easily provoked. Being conscious of His love for me has delivered me from that. I also went from failing in high school to doing well enough in the polytechnic to qualify for a place in a university.

This young man is now a confident, cheerful person with a bright future. He gives talks at schools and at the boys’ reformatory home that he was in to share his journey with the youths and to encourage them. His life has been so incredibly transformed that even a government agency has enlisted him to speak to troubled youths.

He says that ever since Jesus entered His life, he has seen the Lord's grace and favor superabound in his life. Many doors have opened for him and his life has really been enriched, with breakthroughs in areas such as his work, studies, family, and relationships. Let’s give Jesus all the glory!

That’s what our young people need—a revelation of Jesus’ perfect love for them! There is a lost and dying world out there.

My friend, the Ten Commandments cannot be the only thing that youths know about Christianity anymore! How can they help but think that Christianity is nothing but rules, laws, and regulations on what they should or should not be doing? How can they help but imagine God to be someone who is angry with them and looking for opportunities to punish them?

If the young people in your community are to come to Jesus, they will need to know that Christianity is an intimate relationship with a loving God. Once they know this, they will be banging down the doors of churches every Sunday to get in to hear Jesus and His grace preached!

Beloved, I pray that like the young man whose testimony you just read, you will continue to allow Jesus to show you more and more of His perfect love for you every day.

AMEN! This is SO powerful from our AWESOME, SUPERNATURAL GOD! Believe and receive all that GOD has for YOU in His Word! Here is Brandon Lake with "Miracle Child":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional buy Kenneth E. Hagin is another basic and very important lesson for us the learn to walk in!

Three Dimensions Of Man

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. — 1 THESSALONIANS 5:23

It will help your spiritual growth immeasurably to know the difference between your spirit and your soul.

Many people believe that “spirit” and “soul” are the same thing. Even preachers believe this! They preach about the soul as if it were the spirit.

But they can’t be the same thing. It would be just as scriptural to say that the body and the soul are the same, as it would be to say that the spirit and the soul are the same. But Hebrews 4:12 says that by the Word of God, soul and spirit can be divided.

To help you understand the three dimensions of man, go through this
process of elimination:

(1) With my body I contact the physical realm.

(2) With my spirit I contact the spiritual realm.

(3) With my soul I contact the intellectual and emotional realms.

Man is a spirit. The spirit is the part of man that knows God. Man possesses a soul — the intellect, the sensibilities, the will. And man lives in a body.

Confession: I am a son of God. I am a child of God. With my spirit I contact my Father in the spiritual realm.

AMEN! Keep meditating on these Truths and you will find yourself operating in a level os Wisdom and understanding than you have never experienced before! HE desire this for you! Here is Brandon Lake with a new song that I have been listening to lately called "Daddy's DNA":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin covers something that many beleiovers have never heard before! 

Our Choice

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith. — PHILIPPIANS 1:21-25

Paul is talking here about physical death. Of course, the real Paul, the inner man, is not going to die. He’s going to go on living either way: departing and being with Christ, or abiding in the flesh.

Paul said he hadn’t decided yet. “I’m in a strait,” he said, “between the two. I want to go on and be with Christ, which is far better.” (If Paul had just said it would be better, that would have been wonderful, but he said it’s even better than better!) Then he said, “Yet I know to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.” If Paul was present in the flesh, he could teach and minister to these people. That was more needful for them.

Notice that Paul is making the choice. He didn’t say, “I’m going to leave it up to God, and whatever God chooses, I will accept.”

We have more to do with deciding to live or die than we have thought!

Confession: The real me is an eternal spirit being.

AMEN! Refuse to let the ignorance that the enemy desires to keep you in decide for your life! Find out what GOD'S Word says and then order your life by that! Here is Tauren Wells with "Take It All Back":

Shalom in Him!

 Shalom,

Today I want to share a very important message from Rick Renner's "Sparkling Gems From The Greek - Volume 2".

THE HEAVENLY COACH

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter…. — John 14:16

Today as we discuss the ministry of the Holy Spirit, I’d like to give you my favorite translation of the word “Comforter” that encapsulates all the meaning we’ve learned thus far. There are many possible translations for the word “Comforter,” but the one that seems to satisfy me the most is the word “coach,” because it conveys the meaning of the Greek word parakletos so well. Jesus’ words in John 14:16 could read: “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Coach….”

The word “Coach” perfectly describes Jesus’ role toward His disciples during the three years they had walked with Him. He had been their Leader, Teacher, Mentor, Revelator, Prophet, Miracle-Worker, Healer, Pastor, and Lord. They did nothing without Him, and everything they did, He had shown them how to do. He was the center of their lives, the focal point of their attention, and their Mentor in everything.

Jesus was the One who sent the disciples out to spread the message of the Gospel, and He imparted the message they preached. He gave them authority to cast out demons, and He taught them how and when to address demon spirits and lay hands on the sick. Jesus showed His disciples how to deal with religious leaders and how to conduct themselves as ministers of the Gospel. He taught them how to build a ministry and even how to handle money in the ministry (see Matthew 10:5-14). For three years, the disciples carefully followed the Master’s orders and dared not take a step without consulting Him first. In the truest meaning of the word, Jesus had been their Coach.

But at that Passover Supper, Jesus was letting the disciples know it was time to leave them and fulfill His divine destiny on the Cross. So He told them, “I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter….” Or as we’ve seen today, we can paraphrase it to say, “I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Coach….”

The good news is that the Holy Spirit has come to teach us everything we need to know — if we’ll listen to Him as the disciples listened to Jesus. As we cooperate with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to do what He was sent to do in our lives, He will coach us as Jesus coached the disciples.

Just think! You have a Partner residing inside your heart who knows all the answers you need. He is ready to give you not only the winning game plan, but also the strength and courage you need to achieve victory!

So many people have known the Lord for years — which means the Holy Spirit has been living in their hearts all that time — yet they didn’t know they were supposed to have this kind of dynamic partnership with the Holy Spirit I’m describing. But God wants us to know the Holy Spirit in a personal way. He wants us to begin relying on the Holy Spirit in the same way the disciples relied on Jesus. Just as Jesus was a Coach to His disciples during His time on this earth, we must think of the Holy Spirit as our Coach.

So what exactly does a coach do? Let’s look at few common examples:A baseball coach teaches you how to swing that bat and hit the ball. He shows you how to run from base to base and how to use your glove to catch the ball. He says, “Hold the bat at the base with your hands wrapped around it like this. Then when you see that ball coming, swing as hard as you can and hit that ball as far as you can!”

An acting coach teaches you how to become an actor. He will coach you on how to become more convincing, more dramatic, or more comical, and he will even teach you how to cry when tears are necessary for a certain scene.

A vocal coach will teach you how to sing, how to make your breath last longer, how to push air from your diaphragm, how to make a sound stronger, how to sing on key, and to how to sing in a way that truly represents the emotional content of the music. If you make a mistake while you are practicing, a vocal coach will stop you right in the middle of a song to correct you, instruct you, and then tell you to go for it again.

Fundamentally, a coach teaches, advises, corrects, instructs, trains, tutors, guides, directs, and prepares you for your upcoming assignment. If you are new at what you are doing, his coaching may include a little coaxing as you develop your confidence. A coach will encourage you as he shows you what you did wrong so you can do it right the next time.

Furthermore, a coach isn’t there to hit the ball for you, sing the note for you, or play the scene for you. He’s there to coach you so you can hit the ball, sing the note, and perform as you should. Like an apprentice learning a new job, if you will listen carefully, the Holy Spirit will direct and guide you. He’ll show you what’s needed. He’ll open your eyes; impress your mind with supernatural direction; bring you up by the hand; and develop, foster, improve, and “break you in” on the things of God and the things of life.

As believers, we must learn to take the Holy Spirit’s advice and follow Him implicitly, taking each one of our cues from Him. He must become our Heavenly Coach, and we must learn to accept His leadership and be willing to yield and concede to His divine guidance with no objections. If we will open our hearts to the ministry of the Holy Spirit, He will do everything that Jesus did. He will coach; He will teach; and He will be a Helper. He will be there to teach us how to pack our bags, how to travel, what to say, and how to pray for the sick. He will do everything that Jesus would do, because He is a Coach to us in the same way that Jesus was a Coach to the disciples.

Today I urge you to open your heart to the coaching ministry of Holy Spirit. Simply say, “Holy Spirit, be my Coach.” The truth is, He was sent to be your Coach whether you recognize it or not. But as you open your heart to the Holy Spirit — listening to Him and diligently following every aspect of His instruction in His role as your Coach in life — this I can promise you: It won’t be long until you look back on who you were before you made the decision to allow the Holy Spirit to be your Coach, and you’ll know beyond a shadow of a doubt that your decision started a process that has completely changed your life!

HALLELUJAH and AMEN! Allow Holy Spirit to BE your COACH! He will help you to NEVER FAIL! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Bless God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share a  very important message from Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's "From Faith To Faith" devotional.

High Priest of Your Confession

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession [or confession], Christ Jesus. Hebrews 3:1

Very few believers today understand the mystery of the apostleship and priesthood of Jesus. We think that an apostle is some kind of supersaint. But apostle actually means “sent one.” So, Jesus has been sent from God to do something for us.

He’s been sent to serve as our High Priest. Again, many believers don’t have the first idea what a high priest does. They picture a person walking around in strange clothes performing religious rituals.

In reality, a high priest is much more than that. He is one who is authorized to administer, to execute, to implement and to carry into effect. Now, you may wonder what it is that Jesus is authorized to administer, execute or carry out on your behalf. Hebrews 3:1 says that Jesus is the High Priest of our confession. He’s been sent to put into effect, to execute, to carry out the words that you say.

But, chances are, you’ve been speaking what you feel, instead of speaking words of faith. If, for example, you’re speaking sickness, what’s He going to do with that? He’s not High Priest over sickness. He can’t execute that. If you’re saying, “I’m so weak, I’m so tired,” He can’t carry that out. The Bible says, “Let the weak say, I am strong!” The minute you say that, Jesus can administer strength.

Jesus is not going to administer sickness or disease or poverty or sin. He’s defeated all that. He is High Priest over deliverance and righteousness and freedom.

Consider that. Then as you come before Jesus, don’t speak words of defeat. Speak words He can implement—words of victory. That’s what He’s been ordained by God to bring to pass in your life.

AMEN! WE are responsible for the words that WE speak! Not satisfied with your life, check wgar YOU have been saying about your life! Then make the changes that YOU need to make so that you can be in position to receive ALL that JESUS has provided for you! Here is Brandon Lake with "Kids":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Jospeh Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional on Jehovah Shalom!

Jehovah Shalom Is Your God

Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. Romans 15:33

I’m sure you want the Lord to manifest Himself as the God of peace when you are fearful. So let’s go deeper into what the “God of peace” means.

Don’t forget that Paul was Jewish, so when he said “the God of peace be with you,” he was saying “Jehovah Shalom be with you.” “Jehovah Shalom” is Hebrew for “the God of peace.” Now, the first appearance of the name Jehovah Shalom is in the Old Testament story of Gideon in Judges 6.

As we read Gideon’s story, we discover that the Midianites terrorized Israel day and night, descending upon them like a swarm of marauding locusts and destroying their crops and pillaging their livestock. Fearful of their cruel enemies, the Israelites hid in dens and caves in the mountains.

It is no wonder Gideon was petrified and hid himself at the bottom of an abandoned winepress to thresh the measly stalks of dry grain he had somehow managed to scavenge. He was bound by fear and overcome by all the news of terror that surrounded him.

In the midst of Gideon’s fear, “the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, ‘The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!’” (Judges 6:12).

When you find the expression “the Angel of the LORD” in the Old Testament, it usually refers to our Lord Jesus in His preincarnate state. Jesus Himself appeared to Gideon when he was in the pit of fear and called him a mighty man of valor. Isn’t that amazing?

Are there moments when you feel besieged by fear? When you hear reports of terror or exposure to some virus, do you feel fearful and anxious? Has fear driven you into hiding? The truth is, regardless of how you feel, when our Lord Jesus looks at you right now, He sees you as a mighty man or mighty woman of courage.

Isn’t it amazing how our Lord looks at us? It’s not how we see ourselves that defines us; it is how our Lord Jesus sees us that defines us. That’s why we read His Word. We read it to discover what His Word says about us. My friend, no matter what state you are in right now and how messed up your life might be, the Lord Jesus sees the best in you.

He sees your potential, your gifting, your call, and your destiny to do great things in this life! And as the ending of Gideon’s story shows, He will guide you and cause you to be a testimony of His protection as you trust in Him and see yourself and your situations through His eyes.

AMEN! We can COUNT on HIM! ALWAYS! Here is Brandon Lake with "Gratitude":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Jerry Savelle Ministries devotional!

Revelation of Righteousness

Those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17 NKJV

It is impossible to live a victorious Christian life if you are constantly mindful of your sin. If you’re going to live a life of victory, it is essential that you have a revelation of the fact that you are the righteousness of God.

To be righteous simply means you have the ability to stand in the presence of your Father God without a sense of fear, guilt, or inferiority—with absolutely no consciousness of sin.

If you’ve made Jesus Christ your Lord, then you already have been made the righteousness of God in Him. In fact, you are as righteous as Jesus is, because He gave you His own righteousness.

Perhaps you’ve not yet taken advantage of this revelation, but it is nonetheless true. Until you have a revelation of your own righteousness in Christ, sin and sickness will reign over you. Satan will maintain the upper hand. But the instant you realize you are the righteousness of God in Christ, that you are in right standing with God, the works of Satan in your life are forever destroyed.

Fear of your circumstances will be a thing of the past as you face even the most adverse situations with a sense of authority and dominion. Just as Jesus reigns over sickness, death, and the laws of nature, so you can now reign in life in Him.

Confession: I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, not because of my own works, but because of what Jesus has done for me. Today I receive a new and fresh revelation of God’s grace, and what being in right standing with God really means.

AMEN! Realize and remind yourself every day who GOD says YOU are! Here is Brandon Lake with "Turnaround":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food devotional again. This is one of my favorites!

Man Of The Heart

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the HIDDEN MAN OF THE HEART, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet SPIRIT, which is in the sight of God of great price. — 1 PETER 3:3-4

No one knows what you look like! They may think they do, but they don’t. You — the real you — are a hidden man. You are a spirit; you have a soul; and you live in a body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). What people see is only the “house” you live in.

I’ve heard ministers quote two-thirds of First Peter 3:3 and say that women shouldn’t fix their hair and shouldn’t wear gold. But if that’s what Peter meant, then women shouldn’t wear clothes, either! Because if Peter told women not to plait their hair and not to wear gold, then he also told them not to put on apparel. (Apparel is clothing.)

No, Peter is really saying — probably because women are more prone to do this — “Don’t spend all of your time on your hair, on your clothes, and on the outward man. See to it, first of all, that the hidden man of the heart — that’s the spiritual man, the real man, the inward man — is adorned with a meek and a quiet spirit.”

Confession: I am a spirit. I am a child of the Father of spirits. I have a soul. And I live in a body. I see to the adorning of the real me — the hidden man of the heart.

AMEN! Here is what we REALLY need each and every day: Hillsong Worship "Song For His Presence":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I LOVE today's "From Faith To Faith" devotional by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland.

Begin to Praise

Rejoice in the Lord, O you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you upright, in right standing with God]; for praise is becoming and appropriate for those who are upright [in heart]. Psalm 33:1, The Amplified Bible

Praise. According to the Word of God, that’s the most appropriate, becoming thing that you as a believer can do.

Let me warn you though, God’s idea of “appropriate” praise and your idea of appropriate praise may well be two very different things. The praise He calls for is joyous and uninhibited. And, at times, it’s just plain loud!

If you don’t believe it, look in the Bible and see the kind of praise that goes on in heaven. Read Isaiah 6 and find out how they act in the throne room. The seraphim shout in there until the doorposts shake! And when they do, the glory of the Lord fills the house.

When you get to heaven, you’re going to be praising like that too. You’re going to be leaping and praising God with every part of your being. But don’t wait until then to start. Begin now.

Decide today that instead of praising God the way you like, you are going to start doing it the way He likes. Begin to release those praises joyously, uninhibitedly. Don’t wait until you get to heaven to praise God with all your being. Do it now. He deserves it!

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

Shalom  in Him!

Shalom,

I am continuing today in sharing Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional.

Continue in God’s Grace

Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Galatians 3:3

How were you first impacted by Jesus? Was it through the law or was it His grace in your life that touched your heart? We all began our relationship with the Lord because we were impacted by His love and grace. Let us then continue in that grace.

Paul warned the Galatians against turning back to the law after beginning in grace. He said, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace [unmerited favor] of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6–7).

Paul takes this very seriously. He calls any gospel apart from the gospel of grace (God's unmerited favor) a perversion. Attempting to be justified by the works of the Ten Commandments is a perversion of the gospel of Christ.

Paul asked the church in Galatia point-blank, “Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh [self-effort]?" (Galatians 3:2–3).

Paul was saying to them, "You began by believing in His grace, why are you now depending on your works? That is foolishness! You should be continuing in His unmerited favor!” These are strong words by Paul.

Don’t start with grace and end up with the law. Don’t start with the new covenant, only to turn back to the old covenant! There are those who say that they are not justified by the law, but believe that they should keep the law for sanctification. My friend, both justification and sanctification come by our faith in Jesus' finished work alone.

When you are established in the new covenant of grace, you will experience a tremendous sense of confidence and security in Christ. When your confidence is in His unmerited favor and not your performance, you will not feel as if you are constantly jumping in and out of His favor and acceptance.

It is unfortunate that some believers have put themselves back under the old covenant without realizing it. Sometimes, they feel that God is on their side, but at other times, they feel that God is far away from them. Sometimes, they feel that God is satisfied with them, but at other times, they feel that God is angry with them.

All these feelings are based predominantly on their own evaluation of how they have performed, how they feel about themselves, and not how God sees them. Because there is no new covenant scriptural basis for such evaluations, they end up arbitrarily deciding if they are deserving of God’s blessings and favor in their lives or not, when in fact, they actually have access to His blessings all the time, simply because of Jesus and His finished work at the cross.

Today, think, talk and act knowing that it is not about you or your works—it is about Jesus and Him alone, and step out into His blessings for you!

AMEN! One of the biggest fallacies among born again beleivers is that we can ever cause GOD to stop loving us! He is incapable of that because HE IS LOVE! Through and through! So stop believing the enemies' lies and BELIEVE that GOD is the ONE Who loves YOU MOST and BEST! Here is Brandon Lake with "Too Good To Not Believe":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional by Joesph Prince is powerful!

Who You Are in God’s Eyes

We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Do you believe that God loves you with an unchanging love today? Even if you’ve just failed or made a mistake? This, my friend, is where the rubber meets the road in our Christian walk every day.

I’m here to tell you beyond the shadow of a doubt that God loves you with an everlasting love. His love for you is unconditional (Titus 3:3–5 NASB). It is a love that is so pure, pristine, and marvelous. It has nothing to do with your performance, but everything to do with who you are in His eyes—His beloved.

The emphasis of the old covenant of the law was all about your love for God, whereas the emphasis of the new covenant of grace is all about God’s love for you. The sum total of the law under the old covenant is, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37, 40).

Let’s be honest here. Have you ever met anyone who can love God this way? Of course not. It’s a human impossibility. The law was designed to show us that we are incapable of loving God perfectly.

Knowing that man wouldn’t be able to fulfill His commandment to love Him with all his heart, all his soul, all his mind, and all his strength, do you know what God did? He demonstrated how only He could love us with all His heart, all His soul, all His mind, and all His strength when He sent His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem us from all our sins with His own blood.

That is why the new covenant is all about God’s love for you and not your love for Him! Under grace, God doesn’t want you to focus your thoughts on, “Do I really love God?” That’s not the focus of the new covenant. Under grace, God wants you to focus on His love for you. Therefore, the questions you should be asking yourself are:

“Do I know how much God loves me today?”

“Do I really believe that God loves me right now?”

Choose to believe right about how God loves you today. It makes all the difference in the world to how quickly you are able to get back on your feet, and go from faith to faith and strength to strength in your walk with Him.

AMEN! Your Heavenly Father LOVES YOU with HIS everlasting, never ending, all POWERFUL LOVE! NEVER EVER FORGET THAT TRUTH! Here is "Jon Foreman" with "Your Love Is Strong":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 149 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today. 

Psalm 149
1 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, praise Him in the assembly of His saints!
2 Let Israel rejoice in Him, their Maker; let Zion’s children triumph and be joyful in their King!
3 Let them praise His name in chorus and choir and with the [single or group] dance; let them sing praises to Him with the tambourine and lyre!
4 For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation and adorn the wretched with victory.
5 Let the saints be joyful in the glory and beauty [which God confers upon them]; let them sing for joy upon their beds.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and a two-edged sword in their hands,
7 To wreak vengeance upon the nations and chastisement upon the peoples,
8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron,
9 To execute upon them the judgment written. He [the Lord] is the honor of all His saints. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

When WE put GOD first place in all that we do, HE is able to keep US lifted up above our circumstances! Here is Brandon Lake with "Miracle Child":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Undisturbed Relationship

At that day ye shall ask in My name….The Father Himself loveth you. — John 16:26-27

“At that day ye shall ask in My name,” i.e., in My nature. Not — “You shall use My name as a magic word,” but — “You will be so intimate with Me that you will be one with Me.” “That day” is not a day hereafter, but a day meant for here and now. “The Father Himself loveth you” — the union is so complete and absolute. Our Lord does not mean that life will be free from external perplexities, but that just as He knew the Father’s heart and mind, so by the baptism of the Holy Ghost He can lift us into the heavenly places where He can reveal the counsels of God to us.

“Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name…” “That day” is a day of undisturbed relationship between God and the saint. Just as Jesus stood unsullied in the presence of His Father, so by the mighty efficacy of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, we can be lifted into that relationship — “that they may be one, even as We are One.”

“…He will give it you.” Jesus says that God will recognize our prayers. What a challenge! By the Resurrection and Ascension power of Jesus, by the sent-down Holy Ghost, we can be lifted into such a relationship with the Father that we are at one with the perfect sovereign will of God by our free choice even as Jesus was. In that wonderful position, placed there by Jesus Christ, we can pray to God in His name, in His nature, which is gifted to us by the Holy Ghost, and Jesus says — “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you.” The sovereign character of Jesus Christ is tested by His own statements.

THESE are the PROMISES of GOD for YOU if YOU belong to HIM! And her is another great encouragement from Brandon Lake called "Tear Off The Roof":

Shalom in Him!