Shalom,

Here is Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional for today!

Spirit Walk

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. — ROMANS 8:1

Conscience is the voice of the human spirit.

Reason is the voice of the soul, or the mind.

Feeling is the voice of the body.

The Holy Spirit does not bear witness with our reasoning. The Holy Spirit does not bear witness with our feelings. The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirits.

I’m very careful about using the word “feeling.” When we sense the Presence of God in a service, people often say, “I felt it.” But we really don’t feel it physically so much as we sense it spiritually. So I am careful to differentiate between the two, because people slip into the feeling realm so easily. Then, when they feel good, they say, “Glory to God! Hallelujah! I’m saved! I’m filled with the Spirit! Everything is fine!” But when they feel bad, they get a long face and they say, “I’ve lost it all. I don’t feel like I did, so I must be backslidden.”

If we go by feelings, we’ll get into trouble. That’s why so many Christians are up and down, in and out. (I call them yo-yo Christians.) They don’t walk by their spirits. They don’t walk in faith. They go by their feelings.

Confession: I walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. I don’t follow feelings. I don’t follow reason. I follow the voice of my spirit, my conscience!

This is a most important message! Praying in the Spirit will help to become familiar with the spiritual realm so that we can differentiate between our mind thinking something and our spirits confirming something! Practice your heavenly prayer language everyday until you become used to using it. You will be so blessed with the confidence that you will have or the awareness of the presence of God INSIDE of you! Here is Hillsong with "Still":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 29 is our Psalm for today in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan and it is a great one!

1 Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of the mighty, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2 Give to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness or in holy array. 3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is upon many (great) waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. 5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion (Mount Hermon) like a young, wild ox. 7 The voice of the Lord splits and flashes forth forked lightning. 8 The voice of the Lord makes the wilderness tremble; the Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the Lord makes the hinds bring forth their young, and His voice strips bare the forests, while in His temple everyone is saying, Glory! 10 The Lord sat as King over the deluge; the Lord [still] sits as King [and] forever! 11 The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.

There is NO ONE like our GOD! He speaks and moves on our behalf, and is ALWAYS worthy of our praise, thanksgiving and worship! Here is one of my favorite songs for worship of this wonderful and worthy GOD of ours! Hillsong with "Like Incense (Sometimes By Step)":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

From our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today comes this declaration! Psalm 28:7-9:

7 The Lord is my Strength and my [impenetrable] Shield; my heart trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song will I praise Him. 8 The Lord is their [unyielding] Strength, and He is the Stronghold of salvation to [me] His anointed. 9 Save Your people and bless Your heritage; nourish and shepherd them and carry them forever.

Encourage your self every day with Who HE is to you! Then exhort yourself to be a DOER of the Word we also read today in our Bible Plan from Matthew 28:18-20:

18 Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).

Let's be about our Father's 'business' as we are running our race, finishing our course and fulfilling HIS calling on our lives! There is no greater success than being found WHERE God wants us to be, doing WHAT He wants us to do! Here is Hillsong with "Children of The Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share with your from our Spoken Word Church website deovotional!

You have planted your seeds. You have waited patiently for a harvest. It is time. Delay is not denial. Like an unborn child in a mother's womb, you have been carrying the seed of your miracles within you. Faithfully. Expectantly.

God always keeps His appointments. Expect something incredible to happen today.

"For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry." (Habakkuk 2:3)

ALWAYS have a vision for YOUR future! Our God wants us to make plans that are according to His purposes! That way He CAN confirm them and make them happen! Stir up in yourself the vision that God has already given you. Be faithful in that and HE will lift you up and increase your responsibility! FAITHFULNESS is what GOD is looking for first of all! BE FAITHFUL! Here are Hillsong Kids with "I Give You My Hallalujah":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom, 

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers for today is one of the most important lessons for every born again beleiver to understand! 

The Way To Know

If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.… — John 7:17

The golden rule for understanding spiritually is not intellect, but obedience. If a man wants scientific knowledge, intellectual curiosity is his guide; but if he wants insight into what Jesus Christ teaches, he can only get it by obedience. If things are dark to me, then I may be sure there is something I will not do. Intellectual darkness comes through ignorance; spiritual darkness comes because of something I do not intend to obey.

No man ever receives a word from God without instantly being put to the test over it. We disobey and then wonder why we don’t go on spiritually. “If when you come to the altar,” said Jesus, “there you remember your brother hath ought against you…don’t say another word to Me, but first go and put that thing right.” The teaching of Jesus hits us where we live. We cannot stand as humbugs before Him for one second. He educates us down to the scruple. The Spirit of God unearths the spirit of self-vindication; He makes us sensitive to things we never thought of before.

When Jesus brings a thing home by His word, don’t shirk it. If you do, you will become a religious humbug. Watch the things you shrug your shoulders over, and you will know why you do not go on spiritually. First go — at the risk of being thought fanatical you must obey what God tells you.

OBEDIENCE is ALWAYS the key! When Holy Spirit, Who is our Teacher, makes the Word known to you, obey Him instantly and the Word of God will continue to be revealed to you and come alive! Here is Hillsong with "Beneath The Waters (I Rise)":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

We read Psalm 25 in today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Verses 1-3 are a declaration to the Lord:

1 Unto You, O Lord, do I bring my life. 2 O my God, I trust, lean on, rely on, and am confident in You. Let me not be put to shame or [my hope in You] be disappointed; let not my enemies triumph over me. 3 Yes, let none who trust and wait hopefully and look for You be put to shame or be disappointed; let them be ashamed who forsake the right or deal treacherously without cause.

David had faith that the LORD would absolutely perform every one of His promises! THEN David prayed THIS in verses 4-5:

4 Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. 5 Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long.

I hope that YOU will pray this, too, every time you open up the Word of God! Allow Holy Spirit, your Teacher, to teach you what the Word of God is ACTUALLY saying! So many translations are wrong, BUT GOD is ALWAYS right! And it IS HIS WORD, after all! Pray to know and understand, then commit to GO and DO! THAT is what brings rewards, honor, glory and people to you! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

One of the best accounts of God's hand moving on behalf of His people is found in the Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today in 2 Chronicles 20:1-3! 

1 After this, the Moabites, the Ammonites, and with them the Meunites came against Jehoshaphat to battle. ² It was told Jehoshaphat, A great multitude has come against you from beyond the [Dead] Sea, from Edom; and behold they are in Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi. ³ Then Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself [determinedly, as his vital need] to seek the Lord; he proclaimed a fast in all Judah.

THIS was the report that was given to Jehoshaphat! He sought GOD for help! Here is God's response! Verses 14-17:

¹⁴ Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. ¹⁵ He said, Hearken, all Judah, you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat. The Lord says this to you: Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. ¹⁶ Tomorrow go down to them. Behold, they will come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the ravine before the Wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You shall not need to fight in this battle; take your positions, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord [Who is] with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.

And here is Jehoshapat's response to GOD'S response! Verses 18-19:

¹⁸ And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping Him. ¹⁹ And some Levites of the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

And verses 20-24 have God's ultimate response to their FAITH!

²⁰ And they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established; believe and remain steadfast to His prophets and you shall prosper. ²¹ When he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers to sing to the Lord and praise Him in their holy [priestly] garments as they went out before the army, saying, Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! ²² And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were [self-] slaughtered; ²³ For [suspecting betrayal] the men of Ammon and Moab rose against those of Mount Seir, utterly destroying them. And when they had made an end of the men of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another. ²⁴ And when Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked at the multitude, and behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none had escaped!

AMEN! You can COUNT on JESUS! ALL the time! Here is an older music video that does an excellent job of portraying this event! "FEAR NOT!"

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 23 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today and I would encourage you to read this EVERY day fromthe Amplified Bible! Make it your confession of faith over your life! Faith will rise and you will begin to EXPECT and RECEIVE what you declare from God's Word! AMEN! Now I want to share our partner Jerry Savelle's devotional for today, which goes right along with Psalm 23!

VICTORY IS INEVITABLE

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:35, 37 NKJV).

Do you know that the problem you are facing right now has not taken God by surprise? God is not scratching His head, saying, “I didn’t bank on this happening. How am I going to work this one out?”

When a believer is walking in submission to the Word of God and listening to the Holy Spirit, it is impossible for the devil to win or end up with any advantage in that individual’s life. Why? Because faith is a shield that completely encompasses the believer. Faith and obedience to the Holy Spirit’s instructions make victory inevitable.

It is never God’s will that you be defeated; victory and success are always God’s plan for you. Jesus has already paid the price for your victory when, at the cross, He secured your position in Him as more than a conqueror in every situation.

Although complete and total victory is always God’s perfect will for His people, not all will experience it. Some will remain defeated throughout their lives because they doubt God wants them to have victory.

Only those believers who are absolutely convinced that God offers continual victory in every circumstance and situation will experience the overcoming lifestyle that Jesus has made available for them.

You no longer have to consider defeat as an option. You can walk boldly through this life knowing that, by faith in Jesus and His work on the cross, victory is always inevitable.

Confession: I am more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ and His atoning work done on the cross. It is God’s will that I experience victory in every situation in life. As I walk in faith and obedience to the Holy Spirit’s instructions, victory in inevitable.

AMEN! Now here, to further encourage you in your faith, is Hillsong with "Always Will":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 22 in today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan and here is a quote from Charles Spurgeon on it!

Psalm 22:1 “This is beyond all others ‘The Psalm of the Cross.’ It may have been actually repeated by our Lord when hanging on the tree; it would be too bold to say so, but even a casual reader may see that it might have been. It begins with, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ and ends [with the thought], ‘It is finished.’ For plaintive expressions uprising from unutterable depths of woe, we may say of this psalm, ‘There is none like it’” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Treasury of David)

Meditate on these verses and watch your knowledge and understanding grow of just what JESUS accomplished on that cross! ALL for YOU! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Know You Will":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Nothing to Lose

Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. Isaiah 3:10-11

Have you ever been afraid to give yourself totally to the Lord because you think you might be deprived of some pleasure in this life? Chances are, you have. That's because Satan is working overtime to convince you that he can really make your life worth living. But don't believe him for a minute. The real truth is, yielding completely to the Lord won't cost you anything that's worth having. It will only cause you to live life to its fullest!

Jesus' life on earth was a perfect example of a totally yielded life. He was a walking example of the benefits godly living brings. Everywhere He went, Jesus made the deaf to hear, the blind to see, the lame to walk. He lived in perfect peace and absolute victory.

That all sounds pretty good to me. All He missed out on was the devil getting dominion over Him to steal, kill and destroy. In fact, the devil couldn't do anything to Him until, by the Father's will, He laid down His life. Until that time Jesus walked in total victory over the enemy.

Do you think you would miss out on a lot if you lived that way? Of course not! You can walk in that same anointing and power and glory of God that Jesus did.

Do you have to give up your whole life to do it? Yes! You have to trade your life for the life of God. You have to trade your sickness for His healing, your poverty for His prosperity, your anxiety for His peace, your sin for His salvation.

So why hesitate? When it gets right down to it, you really have nothing to lose.

AMEN! It doesn't COST to serve God! It pays! Blessings in abundance are to be found in His presence and in obedience to His Word! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "I Know You Will":

When the road runs dead

You can see a way I don't

And it makes no sense

But You say that's what faith is for

When I see a flood You see a promise

When I see a grave You see a door

And when I'm at my end

You see where the future starts

I don't know how You make a way

But I know You will

I don't know how You make a way

But I know You will

You've been good on every promise

From Eden to Zion

Through every dead end

And out of that grave

I don't know how You make a way

But I know You will

When the world's on fire

It's not like You don't have a plan

And when the earth gives way

On this rock Your church will stand

And nothing has ever once surprised You

Nothing has ever made You flinch

And when it all shakes out

The gates of Hell don't stand a chance

I don't know how You make a way

But I know You will

I don't know how You make a way

But I know You will

You've been good on every promise

From Eden to Zion

Through every dead end

And out of that grave

I don't know how You make a way

But I know You will

You pulled my heart from Egypt

You carved a road through sea

From all our chains

To endless praise

The story ends in You

And when we cross that Jordan

Look back at where we've been

From all our chains

To endless praise

The story ends in You

I don't know how You make a way

But I know You will

I don't know how You make a way

But I know You will

You've been good on every promise

Eden to Zion

Through every dead end

And out of that grave

I don't know how You make a way

But I know You will

I know You wil

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we are looking again at the "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional by Oswald Chambers:

The Gateway To The Kingdom

Blessed are the poor in spirit. — Matthew 5:3

Beware of placing Our Lord as a Teacher first. If Jesus Christ is a Teacher only, then all He can do is to tantalise me by erecting a standard I cannot attain. What is the use of presenting me with an ideal I cannot possibly come near? I am happier without knowing it. What is the good of telling me to be what I never can be — to be pure in heart, to do more than my duty, to be perfectly devoted to God? I must know Jesus Christ as Saviour before His teaching has any meaning for me other than that of an ideal which leads to despair. But when I am born again of the Spirit of God, I know that Jesus Christ did not come to teach only: He came to make me what He teaches I should be. The Redemption means that Jesus Christ can put into any man the disposition that ruled His own life, and all the standards God gives are based on that disposition.

The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount produces despair in the natural man — the very thing Jesus means it to do. As long as we have a self-righteous, conceited notion that we can carry out Our Lord’s teaching, God will allow us to go on until we break our ignorance over some obstacle, then we are willing to come to Him as paupers and receive from Him. “Blessed are the paupers in spirit,” that is the first principle in the Kingdom of God. The bedrock in Jesus Christ’s kingdom is poverty, not possession; not decisions for Jesus Christ, but a sense of absolute futility — “I cannot begin to do it.” Then Jesus says — “Blessed are you.” That is the entrance, and it does take us a long while to believe we are poor! The knowledge of our own poverty brings us to the moral frontier where Jesus Christ works.

AMEN! The most important lesson that we can learn from this is that no matter what things LOOK like, God's Word WORKS! Stick with JESUS and HIs Word and YOU will NEVER fail! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Shadow Step":

Shalom in Him!

 Shalom,

Psalm 19 from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan is another favorite of mine! Verses 1-6 speaks of God's creation and how IT speaks of HIM!

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows and proclaims His handiwork. 2 Day after day pours forth speech, and night after night shows forth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor spoken word [from the stars]; their voice is not heard. 4 Yet their voice [in evidence] goes out through all the earth, their sayings to the end of the world. Of the heavens has God made a tent for the sun, 5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; and it rejoices as a strong man to run his course. 6 Its going forth is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the ends of it; and nothing [yes, no one] is hidden from the heat of it.

Then verses 7-11 speaks of the WORD of God!

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the [whole] person; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and bright, enlightening the eyes. 9 The [reverent] fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even than much fine gold; they are sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them is Your servant warned (reminded, illuminated, and instructed); and in keeping them there is great reward.

Make sure that YOU are giving God's Word first place in your life! By doing so, you are putting JESUS first! When we do this, then HE is given free reign in our lives to pour inthe BLESSINGS! And then we declare with David in verse 14:

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer.

AMEN! KEEP His Word first place and you will see a new consistency show up in every area of your life! NOW you can go forth in freedom and joy, expecting the extraordinary manifestations of HIS glory and grace! Here is a fun new song by Hillsong Young and Free called "Phenomena Da DA":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In Psalm 18 from today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan we see these powerful words of praise in verses 1-3:

To the Chief Musician. [A Psalm] of David the servant of the Lord, who spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said:

1 I love You fervently and devotedly, O Lord, my Strength. 2 The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower. 3 I will call upon the Lord, Who is to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.

David gave continual praise, thanksgiving and worship to the One, True God for all of His delivering power and rescue in David's life! Now let's look at verses 13-35:

13 The Lord also thundered from the heavens, and the Most High uttered His voice, amid hailstones and coals of fire. 14 And He sent out His arrows and scattered them; and He flashed forth lightnings and put them to rout. 15 Then the beds of the sea appeared and the foundations of the world were laid bare at Your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. 16 He reached from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. 17 He delivered me from my strong enemy and from those who hated and abhorred me, for they were too strong for me. 18 They confronted and came upon me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my stay and support. 19 He brought me forth also into a large place; He was delivering me because He was pleased with me and delighted in me. 20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness (my conscious integrity and sincerity with Him); according to the cleanness of my hands has He recompensed me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God. 22 For all His ordinances were before me, and I put not away His statutes from me. 23 I was upright before Him and blameless with Him, ever [on guard] to keep myself free from my sin and guilt. 24 Therefore has the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness (my uprightness and right standing with Him), according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight. 25 With the kind and merciful You will show Yourself kind and merciful, with an upright man You will show Yourself upright, 26 With the pure You will show Yourself pure, and with the perverse You will show Yourself contrary. 27 For You deliver an afflicted and humble people but will bring down those with haughty looks. 28 For You cause my lamp to be lighted and to shine; the Lord my God illumines my darkness. 29 For by You I can run through a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. 30 As for God, His way is perfect! The word of the Lord is tested and tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him. 31 For who is God except the Lord? Or who is the Rock save our God, 32 The God who girds me with strength and makes my way perfect? 33 He makes my feet like hinds’ feet [able to stand firmly or make progress on the dangerous heights of testing and trouble]; He sets me securely upon my high places. 34 He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand has held me up; Your gentleness and condescension have made me great.

These verses are telling what the GOD of the BIBLE did for one who dared to stand on His Word and EXPECT HIM to move on their behalf! When WE do the same, He will NOT fail to move on our behalf, in HIS perfect timing! Verses 46-50 should further encourage you to EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED, because HE has NEVER given up, NEVER lost and WILL NEVER! Be encouraged to stand strong in great expectation of all that HE is about to do!

46 The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted, 47 The God Who avenges me and subdues peoples under me, 48 Who delivers me from my enemies; yes, You lift me up above those who rise up against me; You deliver me from the man of violence. 49 Therefore will I give thanks and extol You, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to Your name. 50 Great deliverances and triumphs gives He to His king; and He shows mercy and steadfast love to His anointed, to David and his offspring forever.

AMEN! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong UNITED 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, 

Today I want to share two things to encourage you! First is Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional for today:

On The Inside

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle . . . . — PSALM 32:8-9

I knew by the inward witness that I should go back to that church. And I knew my wife also had the inward witness to go back. But I still wanted the Lord to move in some “supernatural” way to confirm it. (I was only twenty-three years old at the time.) I wanted God to give me a word, tongues and interpretation, prophecy — or maybe even write up in the sky, “GO TO THAT PLACE!”

So I fasted and prayed three days. The third day I was on my knees, bawling, squalling, and begging, because I didn’t know any better, “Ohh, dear God . . .”

And God said to me — for He leads by an inward voice as well as by an inward witness — “Get up from there and quit acting like that!”

I got up! But I said, “Lord, if You would just give me a supernatural sign, I’d feel better about going back to that church.”

He replied, “You have all I’m going to give you! You don’t need any sign. You don’t need any writing in the sky. You don’t need tongues and interpretation, or prophecy. You know on the inside what to do. Now do it!”

Confession: The eyes of my understanding are being enlightened. I know on the inside what to do. God leads me by that wonderful inward witness. And I listen to it!

AMEN! I KNOW on the inside and YOU know on the inside, so let's JUST DO IT! Amen! And here is Psalm 17:15 from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan:

15 As for me, I will continue beholding Your face in righteousness (rightness, justice, and right standing with You); I shall be fully satisfied, when I awake [to find myself] beholding Your form [and having sweet communion with You].

Behold HIS form in intimate fellowship with HIM by His SPIRIT Who lives in YOU! The answer to every need will will ever have is to seek HIS face and hear HIS voice! He will NEVER fail us! Here is Hillsong Young and Free  with "New Thing":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

Psalm 16 is powerfully positive about the plans and purposes that Almighty God has for each of us who belong to HIM! Verses 7-11:

7 I will bless the Lord, Who has given me counsel; yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons. 8 I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory [my inner self] rejoices; my body too shall rest and confidently dwell in safety, 10 For You will not abandon me to Sheol (the place of the dead), neither will You suffer Your holy one [Holy One] to see corruption. 11 You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Remind yourself always that GOD ALWAYS has YOU on His mind! Everything that He has ever planned has been with YOU on His mind! And He does the same for eacvh and every one of us! HIS LOVE is THAT GOOD! ALWAYS! Here is Hillsong with "It's Your Love":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Joseph Prince's devotional!

No Safer Place in the Universe

But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. John 20:11–12

Do you know what Mary saw as she looked into the tomb? She saw the substance of the ark of the covenant.

Just as we saw that there were two cherubim or angels on the mercy seat, there were two angels sitting where Jesus had lain—one at the head and the other at the feet. It was an empty tomb that our Savior was laid in after He had paid the full price for our sins with His own blood.

Today, this tomb remains empty because all our sins are forgiven and our Lord is risen! Our hope, confidence, and assurance of salvation are found in the nail-pierced hands of our resurrected Savior.

The mercy seat is a picture of the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). That is where we want to be—at the throne of grace, under the protective covering of His feathers and His wings.

I want to encourage you with this praise report from Veronica, who lives in New York City.

A few nights ago my husband, Casey, and I were stuck in a traffic jam for five hours. So we put on a sermon by Pastor Joseph Prince titled The Secret Place Where You Find Protection and Long Life.

Later, we found out that a fatal accident had taken place just five seconds ahead of us before we got stuck. Five seconds. The Lord had protected us from the accident!

Today, Casey was again protected miraculously. It appeared that a driver had had a heart attack while driving and passed out. It led to a chain collision and all the cars in front of and behind Casey got hit. And the drivers were taken to the hospital.

Despite all this, Casey’s car was completely untouched. Everything happened so quickly that he had no time to react.

It was the Lord who protected him once again because that very morning, Casey was reading a devotional by Pastor Prince that drew Bible references from Psalm 91. . . . “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.”

Truly, there is no safer place in the universe than under the protective shelter of our Savior’s wings. What blessed assurance we can have today, knowing that even if destruction rages around us, there is always refuge and comfort in the Lord, our unfailing peace, protection, and supply.

I completely agree with Veronica that there is no safer place in the universe than under His wings, and I rejoice that the Lord’s protection over her and Casey is for us as well!

AMEN!!! Here is Hillsong with "GO":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers reveals at attitude that every born again child of the Living God should have!

The Point Of Spiritual Honour

I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians. — Romans 1:14

Paul was overwhelmed with the sense of his indebtedness to Jesus Christ, and he spent himself to express it. The great inspiration in Paul’s life was his view of Jesus Christ as his spiritual creditor. Do I feel that sense of indebtedness to Christ in regard to every unsaved soul? The spiritual honour of my life as a saint is to fulfil my debt to Christ in relation to them. Every bit of my life that is of value I owe to the Redemption of Jesus Christ; am I doing anything to enable Him to bring His Redemption into actual manifestation in other lives? I can only do it as the Spirit of God works in me this sense of indebtedness. I am not to be a superior person amongst men, but a bondslave of the Lord Jesus. “Ye are not your own.” Paul sold himself to Jesus Christ. He says — “I am a debtor to everyone on the face of the earth because of the Gospel of Jesus; I am free to be an absolute slave only.” That is the characteristic of the life when once this point of spiritual honour is realised. Quit praying about yourself and be spent for others as the bondslave of Jesus. That is the meaning of being made broken bread and poured-out wine in reality.

Our ONLY reason for being here on this earth is to be a LIVING WITNESS to the GRACE, LOVE and FAVOR of Almighty God! HE desires that NONE should perish and it is our responsibility to make sure that everyone in our lives KNOWS the WAY! Then cast the care of them over on GOD and allow Holy Spirit to do what only HE can do! Here is an older song by Marty Nystrom called "I Am Not My Own":

I am not my own I was bought with a price 

I was purchased with the precious blood of Jesus Christ

 All my debts were paid by His sacrifice 

Singing hallelujiah to the Lamb Who redeems my life

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Joseph Prince's devotional. 

Sweet Intimacy with Jesus

“For as I have sworn that the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has mercy on you. Isaiah 54:9–10

Unfortunately, many sincere and well-meaning believers fall into the devil’s trap, and they end up with the wrong belief that they have fallen short of God’s expectations and have angered Him. They live in a constant state of trying to appease and please this angry God. Instead of enjoying a sweet, intimate relationship with Jesus, they feel like they are hypocrites or they feel as if they are always treading on eggshells when it comes to their walk with the Lord.

If you have experienced such thoughts about God before, I would like to share this very important principle with you: Fear and love cannot coexist in a healthy relationship. Insecurity and love cannot coexist in the truly intimate relationship that God wants with you and me, His children.

Let me share with you this letter I received from Lorraine who lives in Louisiana. I’ll let it speak for itself as you soak in how you and your relationship with God can be completely changed by believing the right things about your heavenly Father. All I can say is, Hallelujah!

I have been a born-again Christian for twenty-two years. Today, at forty-four years old, I have a wonderful husband and beautiful daughter. I love my life!

As far back as I can remember, I have always loved Jesus. But I had lived my entire life feeling guilty as I believed that God was always mad at me. I had always felt that I could not do enough “right” or “good” things.

After I gave my life to Christ, that feeling of not being good enough actually got worse because I felt a greater responsibility to live up to a higher standard to be right with God. I was always repenting, always feeling that I’d done wrong and that my best was never enough.

I am in the process of reading Destined To Reign and am only at chapter 9. I have to read this book very, very slowly so that I can digest its contents. I cannot tell you how my life has changed since I began reading your book.

It was not until I began reading it that I felt relieved of the weight of not being good enough. It has shaken the very foundation of my world and dissolved the insecurity I’ve had about Jesus and His love for me.

Forty-four years of my previously painful existence and mind-set are GONE. I am CHANGED forever. I am forgiven. I can’t get through the rest of this book without stopping to thank the Lord for you and for giving you the message of grace to spread worldwide.

That’s what it is all about, my friend. Winning the battle for your mind is all about your freedom and liberty in Christ Jesus, your Lord and Savior. When you start to believe right about His love and grace toward you, permanent, liberating change happens!

So be strong in God’s love for you and don’t let wrong believing rob you of a life of great joy and peace. Remember, God is not mad at you; He is mad about you!

There is NOTHING in THIS world for you! Center on JESUS and you will see things that you have only ever dreamed of! Here is Hillsong with "New Thing":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's devotional from Andrew Womack is one that I am excited to share with you today!

Hypocrisy Is.....

Luke 12:1 'In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.'

This is the biblical definition of a hypocrite, 'someone whose words and heart (actions) don't agree.' A hypocrite may act the part of a Christian or talk like Christ, but he or she won't do both. Hypocrisy is defined by the dictionary as, 'The feigning of beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; insincerity' (American Heritage Dictionary). In the Greek, the word is 'hupokrisis' and means 'the playing of a part on the stage.'

Hypocrisy is often said to be doing something even though you don't want to or feel like doing it. It is true that God demands that our motive and reason for doing things be right, but this does not mean that we always want to, or delight in, doing something. To do what God wants you to do, or to do unto others what you would want them to do unto you, is not hypocrisy (Matthew 7:12)- even if you don't feel like doing it. It is hypocrisy only when your motive for doing it is wrong and you're not genuinely seeking the welfare and benefit of others. Remember, Jesus didn't feel like going to the cross, but He went anyway to seek the welfare and benefit of the world.

Agape love is described as the, 'love (that) can be known only from the actions it prompts.' This is not the love of complacency or affection, that is, it was not drawn out by any excellency in its objects (Romans 5:8).

Christian love (agape), whether exercised toward the brethren, or toward others generally, is not an impulse from the feelings. It does not always run with the natural inclinations. It (Agape) seeks the welfare of all (Romans 15:2) and works no ill to any (Romans 13:8-10). '(Agape) seeks opportunity to do good to all men. . .' Let God's love flow through you today.

Be really REAL in your fellowship with JESUS by the Spirit of God within you! HE is ever ready to cause some 'suddenlies' to take place in your life! BE READY to walk them out! Here is Hillsong with "Are Your Ready?":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 11 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today and it is a very encouraging one for those who choose to be on God's side! 

1 In the Lord I take refuge [and put my trust]; how can you say to me, Flee like a bird to your mountain? 2 For see, the wicked are bending the bow; they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they [furtively] in darkness may shoot at the upright in heart. 3 If the foundations are destroyed, what can the [unyieldingly] righteous do, or what has He [the Righteous One] wrought or accomplished? 4 The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven. His eyes behold; His eyelids test and prove the children of men. 5 The Lord tests and proves the [unyieldingly] righteous, but His soul abhors the wicked and him who loves violence. 6 Upon the wicked He will rain quick burning coals or snares; fire, brimstone, and a [dreadful] scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. 7 For the Lord is [rigidly] righteous, He loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold His face, or He beholds the upright.

Our God is NOT ignoring what has happened recently in our nation and in others as it pertains to the evildoers and the evil that they have continued to perpetrate on HIS people! HE is about to show them just how wrong they were, and continue to be, to go against HIM! I pray that YOU will continue to seek HIS face each and every day to know HIM more and to give HIM praise, thanksgiving and worship for all that He has already done, and for all that He is about to do! For US, it is ALL GOOD! For those who repent, it can be GOOD! For those who persist in their evil ways, it will NOT be good! Here is Hillsong with a message for the enemy of our souls! "Not Today":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is another one that really speaks to me!

The Spiritual Saint

That I may know Him. — Philippians 3:10

The initiative of the saint is not towards self-realisation, but towards knowing Jesus Christ. The spiritual saint never believes circumstances to be haphazard, or thinks of his life as secular and sacred; he sees everything he is dumped down in as the means of securing the knowledge of Jesus Christ. There is a reckless abandonment about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we shall realize Jesus Christ in every domain of life, and He will bring us back to the same point again and again until we do. Self-realisation leads to the enthronement of work; whereas the saint enthrones Jesus Christ in his work. Whether it be eating or drinking or washing disciples’ feet, whatever it is, we have to take the initiative of realizing Jesus Christ in it. Every phase of our actual life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realised His relationship to the Father even in the most menial work. “Jesus knowing…that He was come from God, and went to God;…took a towel,…and began to wash the disciples’ feet.”

The aim of the spiritual saint is “that I may know Him.” Do I know Him where I am to-day? If not, I am failing Him. I am here not to realise myself, but to know Jesus. In Christian work the initiative is too often the realisation that something has to be done and I must do it. That is never the attitude of the spiritual saint, his aim is to secure the realisation of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances he is in.

I LOVE this because my very favorite verse has always been Philippians 3:10, especially from the Amplified Bible!

 [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

"That I may KNOW HIM!" THAT is my greatest desire! To know JESUS more every day! I hope that YOU have dreams and goals that involve your own calling and anointing! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with some inspiration for you! "Indescribable"

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is one that bears repeating often!

Look Inside

What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. — 1 CORINTHIANS 14:15

In every crisis of life, I’ve learned to look to my spirit inside of me. I’ve learned to pray in other tongues. And while I’m praying in other tongues, guidance comes up from inside of me, because my spirit is active when I pray in tongues. My mind is not active then; my spirit is active. And it is through my spirit that God gives me guidance.

Sometimes while I’m praying in tongues privately, I’ll interpret what I’ve said; and through the interpretation, I’ll get guidance. But this doesn’t happen most of the time.

Most of the time, while I’m just praying in tongues, from somewhere way down deep inside, the knowledge of what God wants me to do will rise up in me. (It’s difficult to explain spiritual things in natural ways, but I can sense something rising up within me.) It begins to take shape and form, and although I can’t always put it into words (because my understanding has nothing to do with it), I know exactly on the inside of me what direction I’m to take.

Confession: I listen to my heart. I look to my spirit inside me. I am spirit-conscious, because the Holy Spirit indwells my spirit. He gives direction to my spirit. He guides me through my spirit.

AMEN! Holy Spirit desires to have intimate fellowship with us, revealing JESUS to us through His Word! Take the time that is necessary to begin, and maintain, a close, intimate fellowship with the ONE Who loves YOU, MOST and BEST! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "All My Life":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 8!

1 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory on [or above] the heavens. 2 Out of the mouths of babes and unweaned infants You have established strength because of Your foes, that You might silence the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I view and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established, 4 What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings], and You have crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet: 7 All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth!

Our God IS GOD and there IS no other! Make it your goal for the rest of this year to get to know HIM mmore each and every day! You will NEVER be the same! Here is Hillsong UNITED with a new song called "Know You Will":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom ,

In our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today, we read Psalm 7. These verses below tell us what it willbe like for the wicked, those who turn their back on the God of the Bible and who refuse to receive Him into their hearts and lives. 

14 Behold, [the wicked man] conceives iniquity and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. 15 He made a pit and hollowed it out and has fallen into the hole which he made [before the trap was completed]. 16 His mischief shall fall back in return upon his own head, and his violence come down [with the loose dirt] upon his own scalp. 17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His rightness and justice, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

AMEN! HE alone is worthyt of all glory and honro and praise! Give Him thanks continually for all that He has already done, and all that He is about to do! THAT is FAITH and God responds to FAITH! 

We also begin in Ecclesiastes today, where we see the results of Solomon's fall from intimate fellowship with faith, trust and conifdence in the God of the Bible! As you read through this today, remind yourself that THIS was written by the same man who wrote the Proverbs! He had been given all Wisdom, but he neglected his fellowship with the Lord to the extent that he no longer trusted in HIM! Make sure that YOU never let that happen in your own lives! The key to success in this life is being WHERE God wants you to be, doing what GOD wants you to do! You CAN handle it all because you ARE - IN HIM! Amen! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "Best Friends":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

A few years ago I was given a copy of Oswald Chambers' devotional, "My Utmost For His Highest", by a precious warrior prayer sister in JESUS. Because of the time in which it was written, it sometimes takes a while to understand fully what he is saying, but that extra time in meditation and contemplation has been extremely valuable to me! I am sharing today's selection with you because it blessed me and I hope that it blesses you, too!

All Noble Things Are Difficult

Enter ye in at the strait gate…: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way…— Matthew 7:13-14

If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all noble things are difficult. The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but the difficulty of it does not make us faint and cave in, it rouses us up to overcome. Do we so appreciate the marvellous salvation of Jesus Christ that we are our utmost for His highest?

God saves men by His sovereign grace through the Atonement of Jesus; He works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure; but we have to work out that salvation in practical living. If once we start on the basis of His Redemption to do what He commands, we find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not practised. The crisis will reveal whether we have been practising or not. If we obey the Spirit of God and practise in our physical life what God has put in us by His Spirit, then when the crisis comes, we shall find that our own nature as well as the grace of God will stand by us.

Thank God He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a glad thing, but it is also a heroic, holy thing. It tests us for all we are worth. Jesus is bringing many “sons unto glory,” and God will not shield us from the requirements of a son. God’s grace turns out men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not milk sops. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the noble life of a disciple of Jesus in actual things. It is always necessary to make an effort to be noble.

I hope that YOU will make it your goal to fulfill the calling on your own life every day! We don't have to wait until we see JESUS face to face to hear from Him, "Well done!" Our daily interaction with Him through His Spirit and His Word will keep us in position to hear His voice continually, maintaining our intimate fellowship with the ONE Who loves us SO much! HE will tell us well done whenever we have done well! That is a very exciting and fulfilling fellowship that we should all crave! Here are Hillsong Kids with "I Give You My Hallelujah":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we read in 2 Chronicles 5:11-14 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. We see in these verses that the Solomon who asked of the Lord Wisdom was still operating in his God-given anointing! He was still after God's heart and God's plans and purposes for his life and for his position! The results were spectacular!

11 And when the priests had come out of the Holy Place—for all the priests present had sanctified themselves, separating themselves from everything that defiles, without regard to their divisions; 12 And all the Levites who were singers—all of those of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, with their sons and kinsmen, arrayed in fine linen, having cymbals, harps, and lyres—stood at the east end of the altar, and with them 120 priests blowing trumpets; 13 And when the trumpeters and singers were joined in unison, making one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and other instruments for song and praised the Lord, saying, For He is good, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever, then the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud, 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

When we read in Ecclesiastes, we see the results of the once-anointed who has let his eyes be turned from the Lord and His Word and His ways. Beware in your own life of ever allowing people, places, things or events turn your eyes from the ONE Who loves YOU MOST and BEST! No one in this life even compares to the LOVE that the Father, JESUS and Holy Spirit have to offer you! Keep HIM as your #1 and everyone else will fall right into their proper place and will be extremely BLESSED to be a part of YOUR life! AMEN! Here are Hillsong Kids with "My Number One":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share with you THIS from 2 Chronicles 1 concerning King Solomon!

1 Solomon son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.

2 Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every prince in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ houses.

3 And Solomon and all the assembly [a united nation] with him went to the high place that was at Gibeon, for the Tent of Meeting of God, which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness, was there [where the Canaanites had habitually worshiped].

4 But David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place which David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.

5 Moreover, the bronze altar that Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was there before the tabernacle of the Lord, and Solomon and the assembly sought [the Lord].

6 Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the Lord at the Tent of Meeting and offered 1,000 burnt offerings on it.

7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, Ask what I shall give you.

8 And Solomon said to God, You have shown great mercy and loving-kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place.

9 Now, O Lord God, let Your promise to David my father be fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.

10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this Your people who are so great?

11 God replied to Solomon, Because this was in your heart and you have not asked for riches, possessions, honor, and glory, or the life of your foes, or even for long life, but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may rule and judge My people over whom I have made you king,

12 Wisdom and knowledge are granted you. And I will give you riches, possessions, honor, and glory, such as none of the kings had before you, and none after you shall have their equal.

13 Then Solomon came from the high place at Gibeon, from before the Tent of Meeting, to Jerusalem. And he reigned over Israel.

14 Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, which he placed in the cities [suited for the use] of chariots and with the king at Jerusalem.

15 And the king made silver and gold in Jerusalem as common as stones, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamores of the lowland.

16 Solomon’s horses were brought out of Egypt; the king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price.

17 They imported from Egypt a chariot for 600 shekels of silver, and a horse for 150; so they brought out horses for all the Hittite and Syrian kings as export agents.

Notice that wehn Solomon was a young king, his heart was completely turned towards the Lord and he was putting his trust in the Lord His God! Our GOD appreciated the heart of Solomon so much that He promised to bless his natural life, as well as his rule. As we continue in the Old Testament readings, we will find out that the heart of the  YOUNG Solomon did not carry over as he grew  up and experienced all of the blessings that the Lord had given him! Instead, this wise young man who had only asked for WISDOM, began to go against all that he had been raised to know! If you want an example of just how far Solomon the WISE had fallen, simply read and meditate on the book of Ecclesiastes! The one good outcome? Solomon, in his old age, recognized his mistakes and began to speak the Truth to hinself again! The main point here? GOD is ever ready and ALWAYS desiring to BLESS His people with prosperity, heath, favor, anointing and Wisdom, when they follow after HIM! Make sure that YOU stay in that position! Here are Hillsong Kids with "All Of My Best Friends!":

Shalom in Him!