Shalom,

From today's reading in Psalms through our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan!  Psalm 61:1-5:

1 Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth will I cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting; lead me to the rock that is higher than I [yes, a rock that is too high for me]. 3 For You have been a shelter and a refuge for me, a strong tower against the adversary. 4 I will dwell in Your tabernacle forever; let me find refuge and trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! 5 For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear, revere, and honor Your name.

We have been taught sinve ther early days of The SPoken Word Church that we should NEVER share things (tests, trials, and problems) with those who are unqualified to help us! What kind of 'help' arte we speaking of? The HELP that comes from GOD by His WORD and through His Spirit! Above we see WHO we should be trusting above all others! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "What A Beautiful Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's devotional on The Spoken Word Church website syas this:

Study Champions

David was a champion. Samuel was a champion. They walked the path of obedience. Learn from their mistakes, successes and lives. Losers build their lives around their weaknesses. Champions build their lives around their strengths.

You are destined for greatness, too. Talk it. Believe it. Live it. Champions simply use the key of obedience.

"And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae, of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens." (Hebrews 11:32-34)

So many times people like to point out those who have failed or fallen short in their particular position, whether it be in ministry or in some other professional capacity. I have never understood that! It does not make YOU higher to belittle another! Instead, we should be a DOER of the Word we see here! Remember the champions! Celebrate victories! Learn from mistakes. Your own (experience) or that of others (Wisdom)! Make it YOUR habit to encourage, lift up and be a blessing to everyone you come in contact with! GOD will reward you accordingly! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "Uncomplicated":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

What is happening in some of our cities and in other areas around the world is nothing new to the God of the Bible! Look at today's Psalm from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan! Psalm 59:6-7:

6 They return at evening, they howl and snarl like dogs, and go [prowling] about the city. 7 Behold, they belch out [insults] with their mouths; swords [of sarcasm, ridicule, slander, and lies] are in their lips, for who, they think, hears us?

God's response? Verses 8-10:

8 But You, O Lord, will laugh at them [in scorn]; You will hold all the nations in derision. 9 O my Strength, I will watch and give heed to You and sing praises; for God is my Defense (my Protector and High Tower). 10 My God in His mercy and steadfast love will meet me; God will let me look [triumphantly] on my enemies (those who lie in wait for me).

And OUR response? Verses 16-17:

16 But I will sing of Your mighty strength and power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy and loving-kindness in the morning; for You have been to me a defense (a fortress and a high tower) and a refuge in the day of my distress. 17 Unto You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; for God is my Defense, my Fortress, and High Tower, the God Who shows me mercy and steadfast love.

I LOVE it when the Word of God addresses every aspect of our current lives, though it was written so very long ago! Never forget that this written Word came from the LIVING WORD of God! JESUS! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with a new song called "World Outside Your Window":

Shalom in  Him!

Shalom,

I really love today's "Faith Food" devotionalby Kenneth E. Hagin that we read at Morning Prayer!

Doing Philippians 4:6

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. — PHILIPPIANS 4:6 (Amplified)

A minister once came to me for advice. There were many storms in his life, and I felt sorry for him. He couldn’t eat or sleep.

Just to sympathize with him wasn’t enough, so I had to read Philippians 4:6. “But everyone doesn’t have the faith you have,” he told me. “Yes, but they have the same Bible,” I replied, “and it’s a matter of practicing the Word.”

Then I showed him how to practice the Word: I read a verse aloud and then told the Lord, “Your Word is true, and I believe it.” When I first started practicing this verse, I believed I could make my requests known to God, but it was hard for me to believe I could keep from fretting. However, God won’t ask us to do something we can’t do. So when God said not to fret, this means we can keep from fretting.

So I say aloud, “I refuse to fret or have any anxiety about anything.” Then I bring my requests to the Lord and thank Him for them. This quiets the troubled spirit the devil tried to make me have. If the devil tries to get me to worry again, I simply go back, reread this verse, and keep claiming it.

Confession: I am a doer of Philippians 4:6!

AMEN! Be a DOER of the Word of God! Allow HIM something to work with to bless you abundantly! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "Best Friends":

Shalom  in Him!

Shalom,

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

Living Your Theology

Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you… —John 12:35

Beware of not acting upon what you see in your moments on the mountaintop with God. If you do not obey the light, it will turn into darkness. “If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23). The moment you forsake the matter of sanctification or neglect anything else on which God has given you His light, your spiritual life begins to disintegrate within you. Continually bring the truth out into your real life, working it out into every area, or else even the light that you possess will itself prove to be a curse.

The most difficult person to deal with is the one who has the prideful self-satisfaction of a past experience, but is not working that experience out in his everyday life. If you say you are sanctified, show it. The experience must be so genuine that it shows in your life. Beware of any belief that makes you self-indulgent or self-gratifying; that belief came from the pit of hell itself, regardless of how beautiful it may sound.

Your theology must work itself out, exhibiting itself in your most common everyday relationships. Our Lord said, “…unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). In other words, you must be more moral than the most moral person you know. You may know all about the doctrine of sanctification, but are you working it out in the everyday issues of your life? Every detail of your life, whether physical, moral, or spiritual, is to be judged and measured by the standard of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.

I have known so many people who once were eagerly learning, and DOING, the Word of God and were growing consistently in their faith, and then something causes them to take their eyes off of the 'prize' from Philippians 3:14:

14 I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.

When this happens, people do not often realize that there is NO standing still in the things of God! We are either consistently moving and growing, or we are slipping back! Some of those I spoke of above pulled themselves up and got right back into being DOERS of the Word of God and growing up consistently! Sadly, many others simply quit and fell by the wayside, no longer believing what they once believed and getting no good results. This was NOT the will of God for them, but HE will NEVER force His will on any one of us! WE must decide! WE must choose HIM! Choose LIFE! Choose the WORD! And choose FREEDOM! It will not happen any other way! But YOU are not one to stop and slide back because you are right here, reading this and learning and growing and becoming a great DOER of God's Word! Great results await you! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Grace Inspirations" devotional by Joseph Prince is really intriguing to me! 

HEALTHIER, STRONGER EACH DAY

Acts 2:46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

Back then in the early church, Christians would meet each other every day, either corporately in the temple or from house to house in smaller groups. And when they met in their homes, the Bible tells us that they would break bread. That’s the Holy Communion, and they took it every day!

Now, I am not saying that you must take the Holy Communion every day. But if you feel led to and you want to, go ahead! The thing about taking the Holy Communion daily is this: If you are sick, you can be made well on a gradual basis. This means that you get healthier and stronger from day to day—first thirtyfold, then sixtyfold, then a hundredfold!

You see, while you can receive healing through the prayer of faith (see Mark 11:24), it sometimes puts pressure on you because it requires you to believe that you receive it all—complete healing—the moment you pray. There is nothing wrong with the prayer of faith, but you may find yourself saying, “I must believe I receive it all, now! I must believe I have it all, now!”

But the Holy Communion allows you to receive a measure of healing every time you partake in faith, so that you get better and better. The more you take it, the better you become. There is no pressure to believe that you receive it all at once. Isn’t God good? He meets you at your level of faith!

Now, there are cases I know of in our church, in my family and in my own life, where the manifestation of healing is immediate and complete. If it happens that way, praise God! But if not, don’t worry. The more you partake, the better you will become.

I know of people who take the Holy Communion three times a day, just like they would medicine! Why not? My friend, if you are very sick and you are diligently taking your medication three times a day, why not give the Lord’s Supper the same amount of attention? Why not boost your recovery rate? And the next time you eat the bread and drink the cup, you may just find your disease totally gone!

I LOVE the TRUTH that by taking Communion, we are becoming, step by step and moment by moment, more SURE of the healing power of God's presence IN us and in His Word and prayer! We can NEVER go wrong in the REMEMBRANCE of all that HE has done and provied for US! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Remembrance":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I am sharing from Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional again today because it goes right along with yesterday's lesson!

My Meditation

O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. — PSALM 119:97

A minister told me how he’d been trying to make a success of his church. If he heard of a pastor who was doing well, he would visit him and see what kind of program he had. Then he would try to put that man’s program into action in his church — but it never worked. And he’d fly all over the country doing this.

Then the pastor decided he would meditate in the Word the way he’d heard me teach. So he took a little time out each morning to meditate on the Word. He told me that after thirty days of meditating on the Word, one Sunday they had a landslide response. More people were saved than in the previous two or three years; his people were revived— and he began to have good success.

The ministry was this pastor’s life. That’s where he needed to have good success. Your life calling may be different. But it is certainly true that your way can also be prosperous, and you can have good success. Take time to meditate in the Word. Shut yourself in alone with your spirit. Shut the world out.

Confession: I will meditate in God’s Word. I will observe to do what His Word teaches. My way shall be prosperous. I shall have good success in life. I shall know how to deal wisely in the affairs of life. For the Word of God says so.

AMEN! Don't copy others, hear from the God of the  Bible by His Spirit within you as you mediate on His WORD in your heart! THAT is HIS will for each of us! Be your best self! THAT is what HE has called you to be! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I have been reading Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional for many years now, and I still love it! Today's lesson really set me free and on a course of learning and knowing how to hear from God and understand His Word more every day! I hope that it does the same for you! 

Day And Night

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. — PSALM 1:2,3

If you ever want to do anything great in life — if you ever want to amount to anything in life — take time to meditate in the Word of God. Start out with at least ten or fifteen minutes a day, and build up.

For many years, I held two services a day while in the traveling ministry. And in earlier years of field ministry, I would teach in the mornings, pray aloud all afternoon, and preach and minister at night. Because I ate only one meal a day during my meetings, I would grow weak expending all this physical energy.

Then the Lord spoke to me. He said, “Don’t spend all that time praying and wearing yourself out for the night service. Lie on the bed and meditate.” When I began to do that, my spiritual growth was greater than ever before.

Well, that’s what God promised: “. . . for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success” (Joshua 1:8). I wanted to prosper and have good success in the ministry. But this works whether you are in the ministry, raise cows, or sell automobiles!

Confession: I take time every day to meditate in God’s Word!

AMEN! Sucha a valuable lesson and Joshua 1:8 from ther Amplified Bible is even better!

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan takes us to Psalm 53. Verses 1-2 are especially REAL for today!

1 The [empty-headed] fool has said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt and evil are they, and doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good. 2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any who understood, who sought (inquired after and desperately required) God.

GOD calls anyone who denies that HE is, or denies HIM His rightful place in their lives, is an "empty-headed fool"! Why does He say that? Because He has already declared in His Word that there is no such thing as a true 'atheist'! God has said that all of creation declares His glory! They are without excuse who deny the existence of the very ONE Who created all that they see! SO, knowing that they do KNOW that HE IS, then they are very, very 'foolish' to pretend otherwise and to deny themselves access to the ONLY ONE Who loves them with everlasting love! Now THAT sounds like the epitome of foolishness to me! Pray that those whom you know who deny the existence of GOD or who refuse to acknowledge Him will have their hearts prepared by Holy Spirit to receive the right laborers into their lives who will be able to present the Gospel too them in such a way that they will be able to BELIEVE and RECEIVE the precious GIFT ever given! JESUS! Here is Hillsong with "Heres To The One":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share the way to receive salvation from Andrew Womack's devotional!

Receive The Gift Of Salvation

Mark 10:21 'Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.'

Notice that the scripture makes special mention of Jesus loving this rich young ruler. This is stated after this young man said he had kept all of God's commands, which was not the truth. Jesus was showing him that he had broken the very first commandment that states, 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me' (Exodus 20:3), and also the tenth commandment that says, 'Thou shalt not covet...' (Exodus 20:17). Jesus' tough answer of 'sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor' was not intended to hurt this young man. It was said from a heart of love and intended for his own good. This man's money had become his god and it had to be dethroned before Jesus could become Lord.

The one thing this young man lacked was faith in Jesus as his Savior. This young ruler was trusting in his goodness and not in the salvation that Jesus offered as a gift. Millions of people are making the same mistake today. They trust in themselves instead of God.

Jesus only came to save sinners. Unless an individual acknowledges that he is a sinner, he cannot be saved. Because the whole world is guilty before God, He has provided one way of salvation for everyone. In the same way that everyone is guilty, everyone also has been justified free

That does not mean everyone is saved. Everyone has had the sacrificial offering of Jesus made for their sins by grace but grace alone doesn't save.

We have to put faith in what God has provided for us by grace. Although the price has been paid for the sins of the whole world, only those who receive it by faith will benefit from the salvation that Jesus offers.

The whole key to receiving salvation is found in the very last paragraph! JESUS provided salvation for all of mankind, BUT, only those who will BELIEVE and RECEIVE will be saved! If you haven't already, I invite you to BELIEVE that JESUS died on the cross for YOUR sin, that He rose from the dead to life again, and RECEIVE Him as your own personal SAVIOUR! Pray THIS prayer:

Almighty God, I am a sinner. I believe that Jesus Christ came to this earth, died on the cross for me, was raised from the dead, and is now seated at Your right hand. I accept and receive Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour and I invite Him to come into my heart and become Lord over my life. I thank You now Father, for welcoming me into Your family. You are my Father. I am Your child. Jesus is my Lord. Amen!

AMEN! NOW you are a child of God, a member of the Body of Christ on the earth, and have all of HEAVEN rejoicing! AMEN! Now get into His Word so that you can really get to know HIM as YOUR 'Best Friend'! Here are Hillsong Kids with "My Best Friend":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to sharre again from The Spoken Word Church website devotional! 

Examine the Rewards of Obedience

Obedience is doing whatever God instructs you to do. Each instruction is linked to a miracle in your future. Each act of obedience shortens the distance to any miracle you are pursuing.

Remember God only feels obligated to the obedient. The obedient always receive answers to their prayers.

"And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." (1 John 3:22)

This is SUCH an important lesson to learn! We have SO very many wonderful blessings under our new and better Covenant, but there is always a part for US to play! For many of them, there is only the matter of BELIEVING with our whole heart (spirit/soul combination). Our spirit ALWAYS believes God's Word, but our souls are where the choices are made. If we are not continually renewing our minds with the Word of God, then we will not even be able to believe! THEN we must RECEIVE! How do we do that? We act as though we already have it when we pray, THEN we WILL receive! THAT is FAITH! The SUBSTANCE of what we are promised! In other situations, the promises are attached to an act of obedience! Tithing is one example! WHEN we 'tithe' our 10% by presenting it to JESUS our High Priest, then bring it to a Scriptural storehouse in worship, we can fully expect the windows of Heaven open for us and every other promise carried out on our behalf! EXPECTATION is the key word here! Let's be active DOERS of this lesson and see our GOD fulfill His promises! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I was given a copy of "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers a few years ago and it has been a tremendous blessing! This book was first published in 1924, so the words used and writing style is somewhat different than what we are used to, but this serves as incentive to really pause and meditate on what is actually being said! Today's message is excellent!

Christ-Awareness

…and I will give you rest. —Matthew 11:28

Whenever anything begins to disintegrate your life with Jesus Christ, turn to Him at once, asking Him to re-establish your rest. Never allow anything to remain in your life that is causing the unrest. Think of every detail of your life that is causing the disintegration as something to fight against, not as something you should allow to remain. Ask the Lord to put awareness of Himself in you, and your self-awareness will disappear. Then He will be your all in all. Beware of allowing your self-awareness to continue, because slowly but surely it will awaken self-pity, and self-pity is satanic. Don’t allow yourself to say, “Well, they have just misunderstood me, and this is something over which they should be apologizing to me; I’m sure I must have this cleared up with them already.” Learn to leave others alone regarding this. Simply ask the Lord to give you Christ-awareness, and He will steady you until your completeness in Him is absolute.

A complete life is the life of a child. When I am fully conscious of my awareness of Christ, there is something wrong. It is the sick person who really knows what health is. A child of God is not aware of the will of God because he is the will of God. When we have deviated even slightly from the will of God, we begin to ask, “Lord, what is your will?” A child of God never prays to be made aware of the fact that God answers prayer, because he is so restfully certain that God always answers prayer.

If we try to overcome our self-awareness through any of our own commonsense methods, we will only serve to strengthen our self-awareness tremendously. Jesus says, “Come to Me…and I will give you rest,” that is, Christ-awareness will take the place of self-awareness. Wherever Jesus comes He establishes rest— the rest of the completion of activity in our lives that is never aware of itself.

I LOVE this! The only way to operate in the supernatural realm is to see ourselves as IN HIM! Kenneth E. Hagin wrote an excellent mini book called by that name that shows the importance of knowing who we are IN HIM, and lists the Scriptures that reveal that! We can never reach our full potential as HIS ambassadors until we DO know who WE ARE - IN HIM! I hope that you will meditateon this and allow Holy Spirit to show you these wonderful and very powerful TRUTHS! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

THIS, from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today, is US! Psalm 49:4-8:

4 But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man [as man] appeared, 5 He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by [the] cleansing [bath] of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 Which He poured out [so] richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 [And He did it in order] that we might be justified by His grace (by His favor, wholly undeserved), [that we might be acknowledged and counted as conformed to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action], and that we might become heirs of eternal life according to [our] hope. 8 This message is most trustworthy, and concerning these things I want you to insist steadfastly, so that those who have believed in (trusted in, relied on) God may be careful to apply themselves to honorable occupations and to doing good, for such things are [not only] excellent and right [in themselves], but [they are] good and profitable for the people.

AMEN! Never forget that GOD's plans for YOU are wonderful beyond your comprehension! DARE to DREAM big! DARE to BELIEVE that all of the promises of God for His people are YOURS! Right NOW! Right HERE! IN THIS LIFE! Here is Hillsong with Desert Song so that we never forget that we are THIS BLESSED in order to BE a BLESSING! AMEN! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Jerry Savelle's website devotional! 

FORGIVENESS IS A CHOICE

Be gentle and ready to forgive; never hold grudges. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. (Colossians 3:13 TLB)

There isn’t a person alive who hasn’t been wronged at some point in their life. Whether the wrong is the result of a minor offence or a major trauma, we all have a choice to make. We can either let the wrong that was perpetrated against us cause us to sit down and wallow in pity, or we can choose to get up, dust ourselves off, forgive, and keep going.

Forgiveness is a choice, and it’s never too late to make the right choice.

You cannot expect any significant growth in your life until you release yourself from the effects of the wrong that was committed against you. Give it all to God: the anger, the resentment, the hurt, the shame, the guilt—and whatever else it is that has kept you an emotional prisoner of the past.

I realize it’s not easy to forgive when you’ve been treated badly or abused in some way, but forgiveness is the very key to your freedom. It is a powerful tool that God has provided for us so that we can remain free from our past and in right standing with Him. That’s why Jesus said, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your sins” (Mark 11:25 NKJV).

You do not have to suffer the rest of your life for your own past mistakes or the mistakes of others. What happened in your past does not have to define your future. God is in the business of restoration, and He will restore all you have lost if you will seek Him and believe His Word. Choose today to forgive—not only others, but yourself as well.

Confession: Today I make the choice to forgive. I choose to let go of the situation or person whose actions have held me captive. I forgive by faith, by an act of my will. I refuse to be influenced by my feelings, and I release all the anger, resentment, shame, guilt, and pain that I have carried. I declare that I am now free!

AMEN! Fogiveness always sets a prisoner free! YOU! The enemy would like nothing better than to keep us in the bondage of unforgiveness. Refuse to give him any place in your life! More than anything, he hates it when we walk in forgiveness because it causes us to look like our Father! And it shows that he has no hold on us! I LOVE to show off God's infinite goodness by forgiving as I have been forgiven! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "Uncomplicated":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share a very vital message from the "Faith To Faith" devotional by our partners, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland:

Give God a Way In

And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land. Malachi 3:11-12

God is vitally interested in your finances. He wants to multiply and protect them. But He won’t be able to—unless you open the door for Him to do it.

How? Through tithing.

When you tithe, you give God the legal right to intervene in your financial affairs, to bless you richly, and to defend you against the destruction the devil brings. When you tithe, you lay a foundation for success and abundance. You establish deposits with God you can draw on when you need them.

But don’t wait until your back is against the wall to start. Begin now. Start developing your faith when things are going well by meditating on the blessings God’s Word promises you as a tither. Learn to act on that Word now, and when Satan tries to put you in a financial corner, he’ll fail. His power over you financially will have already been broken. Because you’ve established yourself on the covenant of God, Satan will have no chance against you. God will rebuke him for your sake.

If you haven’t yet opened the door and given God a way in to your finances, don’t wait any longer. Do it today. Then, when the pressures of tomorrow come, you’ll be prepared and protected by the special privileges that are guaranteed to those who tithe.

Amen! Tithing, and then giving offerings above the tithe, are a very vital part of MY worship of my Lord Jesus! HE has blessed my life beyond compare, and I know that He will do the same for you! Here, to encourage you in all that you do in obedience to His Word, is Hillsong Young and Free with "Indescribable":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

As you know by now, we are going through Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotionals during Morning Prayer at The Spoken Word Church every morning. Today's selection is another very vital one to me!

His Guiding Word

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. — PSALM 119:105

Don’t seek guidance when the Bible has already told you what to do. Just go ahead and do it!

The Bible tells you how to act under every circumstance in life.

It tells the husband how to treat his wife.

It tells the wife how to treat her husband.

It tells parents how to treat their children.

It tells children how to respond to their parents.

It tells all of us to walk in divine love. Divine love seeks not its own. It’s not out for what “I” can get, but what “I” can give.

We have God’s Word, and we can walk in the light of it. I go as much by what God doesn’t say to me by the Spirit as by what He does say. If He doesn’t say anything, I just keep going in the direction I have been going. I just keep doing what I have been doing. I know God will tell me when to change. If He doesn’t give me new directions, I don’t worry about it. I don’t “seek” anything. I just keep going.

Confession: Lord, Your Word is a lamp unto my feet. It is a light unto my path.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 45, which is considered one of the Messianic Psalms, in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today. Look at verses 1-7:

1 My heart overflows with a goodly theme; I address my psalm to a King. My tongue is like the pen of a ready writer. 2 You are fairer than the children of men; graciousness is poured upon Your lips; therefore God has blessed You forever. 3 Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O mighty One, in Your glory and Your majesty! 4 And in Your majesty ride on triumphantly for the cause of truth, humility, and righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God); and let Your right hand guide You to tremendous things. 5 Your arrows are sharp; the peoples fall under You; Your darts pierce the hearts of the King’s enemies. 6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 7 You love righteousness, uprightness, and right standing with God and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your fellows.

THIS is our JESUS! KING of all kings and LORD of all lords! His Name is higher than any other, and His Word is exalted even above His Name (Psalm 138:2)! Get to know JESUS through His Word and your confidence in His Beautiful, wonderful and powerful NAME will grow, and continue to grow! Remember, WE have been given His Name in order to exercise HIS authority over the enemy here on earth! Let's do our 'homework' in order to be effective in our obedience! 2 Timothy 3, also in today's Bible Reading Plan, gives us further instruction! Verses 1-5 speak of OUR times!

1 But understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. 2 For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane. 3 [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good. 4 [They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God. 5 For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].

Recognize these things? OUR instructions can be found in verses 14-17:

14 But as for you, continue to hold to the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced, knowing from whom you learned [them], 15 And how from your childhood you have had a knowledge of and been acquainted with the sacred Writings, which are able to instruct you and give you the understanding for salvation which comes through faith in Christ Jesus [through the leaning of the entire human personality on God in Christ Jesus in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness]. 16 Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action), 17 So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

AMEN! Notice that by doing this we will be THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED to DO the work that HE has called us, anointed us, and appointed us to do! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong with "What A Beautiful Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We are reading 2 Timothy 2 in today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan, and verses 14-15 are exhortations to very born again believer!

14 Remind [the people] of these facts and [solemnly] charge them in the presence of the Lord to avoid petty controversy over words, which does no good but upsets and undermines the faith of the hearers. 15 Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.
The very fact that Holy Spirit caused Paul to write that we should "correrctly analyze and accurately divide, rightly handle and skillully teach, the WORD of TRUTH, tells us that WE CAN! He is NOT asking us to do something that we are unable to do! Never allow the enemy to get a foothold in your thought life that you are less than Almighty GOD says that you are! The enemy is the one who is NOT equal to the task that he has set for himself! Be BOLD! Be STRONG! For the Lord your God is WITH you and He is IN you! There is NOTHING that you cannot do when HE lives in YOU! AMEN! Her is Hillsong with "This Is Living Now":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I LOVE Gloria Copeland's take on 1 Corinthians 2:16 in today's "Faith To Faith" devotional!

Heart to Heart

For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. 1 Corinthians 2:16, The Amplified Bible

Isn’t it exciting to realize that you can hold the thoughts and feelings and purposes of God’s very own heart in your heart? Isn’t it thrilling to know the Creator of heaven and earth wants to be one spirit with you and transmit His thoughts to your mind?

First Corinthians 6:17 says that when you were joined to the Lord you became one spirit with Him. He came into union with you so that He can talk to you heart to heart. God wants you in this harmony with Him so that His thoughts can become your actions. He wants you to walk so closely with Him that you never lack power to overcome the evil of this world. He wants you to be so in tune with His Spirit that you are able to feel His heart of compassion toward those around you who are hurting or bowed down with sickness and pain. He wants to be one with you, so He can reach out through your hands and fulfill His purposes in the earth.

Make a fresh commitment today to walk in union with your God. Give your attention to His Spirit in your inner man. Determine to yield to His voice and not to the voices of the world or the flesh! Allow the mind of Christ to flow through you!

AMEN! That IS who we are to be in this world! Ambassadors of Heaven, bringing the same message that JESUS would be bringing if He still ministered physically on the earth! AND HE DOES! Remember, WE are HIS BODY! We are carriers of His glory, power, anointing, Word, message and presence while HE sits at the right hand of the Father, waiting for his enemies to be MADE HIS FOOTSTOOL! That's our job! Let's get to it! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Children of the Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

This message from "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is very important for mainting our joy and confidence in times of trial!

The Theology of Resting in God

Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? —Matthew 8:26

When we are afraid, the least we can do is pray to God. But our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His name have an underlying confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the ones who are reliable. Yet our trust is only in God up to a certain point, then we turn back to the elementary panic-stricken prayers of those people who do not even know God. We come to our wits’ end, showing that we don’t have even the slightest amount of confidence in Him or in His sovereign control of the world. To us He seems to be asleep, and we can see nothing but giant, breaking waves on the sea ahead of us.

“…O you of little faith!” What a stinging pain must have shot through the disciples as they surely thought to themselves, “We missed the mark again!” And what a sharp pain will go through us when we suddenly realize that we could have produced complete and utter joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, in spite of what we were facing.

There are times when there is no storm or crisis in our lives, and we do all that is humanly possible. But it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him.

We have been talking quite a lot about sanctification, but what will be the result in our lives? It will be expressed in our lives as a peaceful resting in God, which means a total oneness with Him. And this oneness will make us not only blameless in His sight, but also a profound joy to Him.

AMEN! Maintaining our confidence in God and His Word will take a diligent commitment to spend time in the presence of BOTH! Praise and Worship in the face of tests and trials will help to keep our soul renewed to the TRUTH and to confidence IN HIM! Here is Hillsong with "In Control":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers contains another very vital message for any born again believer who wishes to fulfill their calling, run their race with success and hear "Well done"! 

This Experience Must Come

Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha…saw him no more. —2 Kings 2:11-12 It is not wrong for you to depend on your “Elijah” for as long as God gives him to you. But remember that the time will come when he must leave and will no longer be your guide and your leader, because God does not intend for him to stay. Even the thought of that causes you to say, “I cannot continue without my ‘Elijah.’ ” Yet God says you must continue.

Alone at Your “Jordan” (2 Kings 2:14). The Jordan River represents the type of separation where you have no fellowship with anyone else, and where no one else can take your responsibility from you. You now have to put to the test what you learned when you were with your “Elijah.” You have been to the Jordan over and over again with Elijah, but now you are facing it alone. There is no use in saying that you cannot go— the experience is here, and you must go. If you truly want to know whether or not God is the God your faith believes Him to be, then go through your “Jordan” alone.

Alone at Your “Jericho” (2 Kings 2:15). Jericho represents the place where you have seen your “Elijah” do great things. Yet when you come alone to your “Jericho,” you have a strong reluctance to take the initiative and trust in God, wanting, instead, for someone else to take it for you. But if you remain true to what you learned while with your “Elijah,” you will receive a sign, as Elisha did, that God is with you.

Alone at Your “Bethel” (2 Kings 2:23). At your “Bethel” you will find yourself at your wits’ end but at the beginning of God’s wisdom. When you come to your wits’ end and feel inclined to panic— don’t! Stand true to God and He will bring out His truth in a way that will make your life an expression of worship. Put into practice what you learned while with your “Elijah”— use his mantle and pray (see 2 Kings 2:13-14). Make a determination to trust in God, and do not even look for Elijah anymore.

AMEN! THIS is SO vital! I have seen so many born again, Spirit-filled believers who have been taught the Word of God, know who they are IN HIM, have been in powerful services where God's supernatural power has set people free, and yet have not been able to see themselves doing what the men and women of God that they have followed have done! ALL of the teaching, training, demonstration, and manifestations that we have experienced are all to prepare US to also go about the WORK of the ministry that HE has called us to! The above message does NOT mean that you will necessarily go out on the road, off on your own, or never need the ministry of your teacher or pastor again. It MEANS that YOU, and ONLY YOU, can DO the work that GOD has called YOU to do! He did NOT call your pastor or teacher to fulfill YOUR calling! Take all that you have learned and experienced and get alone with GOD. Find out where HE wants you to go and what HE wants you to do, and DO IT! HE will work with you, confirming HIS Word that YOU speak. (Mark 16:20) THAT is when we will hear WELL DONE! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with a song that I have always been inspired by! "No Reason To Hide":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really love today's devotional on The Spoken Word Church website!

Remember, Obedience Begins at Wake-up

Begin this day with prayer. Ask yourself, "Is my schedule for today truly the agenda God has chosen for me?" If not, change it.

Yesterday is in the tomb. Tomorrow is in the womb. The most important day of your life is today. Concentrate on walking in total obedience for the next 24 hours. Keep your ear next to the mouth of God every single hour.

"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." (Psalms 5:3)

This is SO very important in the life of a born again believer! Never forget that we EACH have a unique and individual calling from God as we walk out our parts in the Ministry of Reconciliation that HE has called us to! Our only reason for being HERE rather than in Heaven with our Heavenly Father is to reach the lost! WE are JESUS' hands, feet and voice in the earth today! When WE speak HIS WORD, He confirms it with signs, wonders and miracles (Mark 16:20), drawing the lost to Himself! Let's make obedience to our Heavenly calling our top priority in life, knowing that THIS is what pleases the Father most! Here is Hillsong with "Tell The World":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

FRESH GRACE EVERY DAY

Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

“I am concerned about the big business deal that I have to close tomorrow.” “I am worried about tomorrow’s job interview.” “My medical test results will be out tomorrow. I am afraid it won’t be good.”

God does not want you to worry about tomorrow. He wants you to know that He gives you all the help you need for today, and when tomorrow comes, so will fresh help from Him.

This is God’s principle even in the Old Testament. When the children of Israel were in the desert, God gave them fresh manna from heaven every morning (see Exodus 16:13–16, 31). They did not have to worry about tomorrow because when tomorrow came, there was fresh manna again. He was their provision every day.

Today, God’s manna is the grace He gives you every day. If you are worried about a situation tomorrow, know that there will be sufficient grace for that situation when it comes. God wants you to simply rest in His ability to heal, deliver, protect and provide for you every day.

In the Old Testament, when the armies of Moab and Ammon came against King Jehoshaphat, God told the anxious king, “Do not be afraid nor dismayed…for the battle is not yours, but God’s…You will not need to fight in this battle…stand still and see the salvation of the Lord…” (2 Chronicles 20:15–17).

When the next morning came, King Jehoshaphat saw how God caused such confusion to come upon his enemies’ camp that it brought about their own slaughter. Amid all that fighting in the enemy camp, God’s people merely stood still and saw Him fight the battle for them just as He had promised.

My friend, when you see a problem looming in your tomorrow, don’t be afraid or dismayed. Look to the Lord, and see His grace and salvation deliver you.

God wants you to live a stress-free life, not one filled with worries about tomorrow’s problems. When tomorrow comes, His grace will be there for you as your help, protection, favor and enabling!

AMEN! GOD is expecting US to trust HIM! With our lives! We CAN because the Greater One lives IN US! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "No One But You":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

THIS, from Jospeh Prince's "Grace Inspirations" devotional is POWERFUL!

GOD IS IN IT WITH YOU

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Do you feel misunderstood and forsaken by the people you love? Have you been falsely accused and stripped of everything, without a dime to your name? Maybe today, you feel that you have hit rock bottom and you wonder if you can ever rise again.

Joseph, who was sold by his brothers into slavery (see Genesis 37:28), went through all these experiences and emotions. Still, he was conscious that God was in it with him every step of the way. Though his life was a “mess,” he believed that it was not an accident. Though the things that were happening to him were not good, he believed that God was making all things work together for his good. And it was indeed so—Joseph eventually rose to occupy the most powerful position in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh (see Genesis 41:40).

Probably, this consciousness that God was in it with him was the reason he forgave his brothers when he met them again later in his life. Joseph told them, “But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:5).

So like Joseph, whatever you are facing now, be conscious that God is in it with you. Be Jesus-conscious. Though you may have nothing or not much now in the natural, the truth is that you have everything when you have Jesus!

The same Jesus who went around blessing others with 12 baskets full of leftovers, a net-breaking, boat-sinking load of fishes, and who never impoverished anybody, will empower you to succeed in life. The same Jesus who went about doing good will cause good to explode in your life. The same Jesus who went about healing the sick and never giving anyone sickness will keep you in divine health and protect you from harm.

Beloved because “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8), as He was with Joseph, He is with you right now. And He will empower you to live the high life—the abundant life in which you will see God’s promises manifest!

AMEN! here is Hillsong with "Here's To The One":

VERSE 1: Here’s to the One who made the morning bright Here’s to the One who taught the stars to shine Here’s to the One who graced the dead of night Pulled me from the dark set my heart alight VERSE 2: Here’s to the One who made my heart to sing Opened up my eyes washed away my sin Here’s to the One who gave His life for mine Broke all my chains and set me free alright CHORUS: To the Way To the Truth To the life I live in the light You give Jesus here’s to Your Name over everything VERSE 3: Here’s to all the things that Your love has done Here’s to the way You wiped away my past Here’s to the future and the things to come Here’s to my Saviour’s everlasting love BRIDGE: Here’s to Your kindness Here’s to Your goodness Here’s to Your freedom Here’s to the day I see You Jesus Here’s to Your glory Here’s to Your greatness Here’s to Your kingdom Here’s to the Name of Jesus TAG: Here’s to our Saviour Here’s to the Name of Jesus

Shalom  in Him!

Shalom,

The very best encouragement that I can share with you today is found in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan in Psalm 37!

1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness (that which is not upright or in right standing with God). 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. 3 Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed. 4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass. 6 And He will make your uprightness and right standing with God go forth as the light, and your justice and right as [the shining sun of] the noonday.

Refuse to be moved by anything that you see or hear from the lying media! Believe only what the Word of God and the Spirit of God reveal to you! THIS, above, IS the promise of God for the times in whcih we are currently living! Those who are perpetrating evil all over the world are very soon to be dealt with by Almmighty God Himself! And YOU, IF you do things God's way, shall be blessed beyond measure and safe and secure from harm! There is no better place to be right now than in the center of God's will! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Bright As The Sun":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin contains another very vital lesson for every born again believer!

Fleeces?

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you . . . . — EZEKIEL 36:26,27

To receive guidance, some people put out what they call a “fleece” before the Lord. The New Testament, however, does not say, “As many as are led by fleeces, they are the sons of God.”

“Yes,” someone may say, “but Gideon put out a fleece back in the Old Testament.”

Why go back under the Old Covenant? We’ve got something better under the New Covenant. The Old Covenant was for spiritually dead people. I’m not spiritually dead — I’m alive! I’ve got the Spirit of God in me!

Remember, Gideon was not a prophet, priest, or king. Only men who stood in those three offices, under the Old Covenant, were anointed by the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God was not personally present with the rest of the people. That is why every male had to present himself once a year at the Temple in Jerusalem.

The Shekinah glory — the Presence of God — was kept shut up in the Holy of Holies. But when Jesus died on Calvary, the curtain that blocked the way into the Holy of Holies was ripped in two from top to bottom. God moved out — and He has never dwelled in an earth-made house since! He dwells in us!

Confession: God’s Spirit dwells in me! He is the Greater One, and He dwells in me!

HALLELUJAH! We do NOT need to guess at, put out a 'fleece' for or 'cast lots' to find out God's plans and purposes for our lives! All we REALLY need to do is to ASK HIM! Prayer is really simply fellowshipping with the God of the universe, according to His Word! Remind Him AND yourself of the promises of God in His Word to YOU! Then fully expect that GOD will pick the very best way and ther very best time to get the answer to you! he NEVER fails! So pick up your intimate fellowship with Him so that you don't 'miss a beat'! HE is waiting on YOU! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "I Surrender":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

This from Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional is POWERFUL! 

Direction

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. — PROVERBS 3:5,6

It is not for us to tell the Lord how to lead us. We are to let Him lead us any way He wants to!

But it is for us to find out from the Word of God how He does lead. And He leads, first of all, by the inward witness.

We can also see in the Book of Acts and elsewhere how at times some believers received guidance through a vision; others received guidance from an angel who appeared to them and told them certain things. Such phenomena, however, didn’t happen every day in these people’s lives. They occurred once or twice in the entire lifetime of some of them. So that’s not the ordinary way God leads — but He can if He wants to.

Often God is trying to bear witness with our spirit — trying to guide us — but we won’t listen, because we want something spectacular, such as a vision, or an angel. But we must remember that anything God does is supernatural!

Confession: I trust in the Lord with all my heart. And I lean not to my own understanding. In all my ways I acknowledge Him, and He directs my paths.

AMEN! Trust HIM more everyday and you WILL see some fantastic results! Here are Hillsong Kids with "JESUS my Super Hero!":

Shalom in Him!