Shalom,

We saw in our last post that Jesus said the greatest commandments were to love the Lord our God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength, and then to love our neighbor as ourselves. Today I want to look at what the Bible says love looks like:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NKJV)
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

That sounds good, but what does it actually mean? We've been taking Scriptures apart verse by verse and looking at the meanings of the words used. Now we'll see how it sounds in the Amplified Bible:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (Amplified)
4Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. 5It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. 6It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. 7Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. 8Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].

Now that translation makes things a little clearer! Do you know that meditation can make it even clearer to us than that? Let's look at this passage this way:

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXPANDED, INTERPRETIVE TRANSLATION OF FIRST CORINTHIANS 13:4-8

“Love patiently and passionately bears with others for as long as patience is needed;

Love doesn’t demand others to be like itself; rather, it is so focused on the needs of others that it bends over backwards to become what others need it to be;

Love is not ambitious, self-centered, or so consumed with itself that it never thinks of the needs or desires that others possess;

Love doesn’t go around talking about itself all the time, constantly exaggerating and embellishing the facts to make it look more important in the sight of others;

Love does not behave in a prideful, arrogant, haughty, superior, snooty, snobbish, or clannish manner;

Love is not rude and discourteous–it is not careless or thoughtless, nor does it carry on in a fashion that would be considered insensitive to others;

Love does not manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage;

Love does not deliberately engage in actions or speak words that are so sharp, they cause an ugly or violent response;

Love does not deliberately keep records of wrongs or past mistakes;

Love does not feel overjoyed when it sees an injustice done to someone else but is elated, thrilled, ecstatic, and overjoyed with the truth;

Love protects, shields, guards, covers, conceals, and safeguards people from exposure;

Love strains forward with all its might to believe the very best in every situation;

Love always expects and anticipates the best in others and the best for others;

Love never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up;

Love never disappoints, never fails, and never lets anyone down.”

Now that makes things even clearer and easier to understand! How did someone come up with this expanded, interpretive translation? They meditated on the Word. They studied the meanings of the words in the original text and allowed the Holy Spirit to teach them what that would mean to us today! That's what makes meditating on the Word so fun and fulfilling! To be able to look at the Bible and apply it to MY life, right now! That's what our heavenly Father intends for us to do. That is why He gave the Holy Spirit to us to be our Teacher! Allow the Holy Spirit to make the Word of God come alive to YOU by spending time reading, studying and meditating. I guarantee that you will never be the same!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

When Jesus was ministering on the earth, going about teaching, preaching and healing, He was asked by someone to tell them which of the commandments was the greatest. He replied:

Mark 12:29-31 (KJV)
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

The Amplified Bible says this:

Mark 12:29-31 (Amplified)
29Jesus answered, The first and principal one of all commands is: Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord;
30And you shall love the Lord your God out of and with your whole heart and out of and with all your soul (your life) and out of and with all your mind (with your faculty of thought and your moral understanding) and out of and with all your strength. This is the first and principal commandment.
31The second is like it and is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

Jesus said that the "first", the Greek word, protos, which means: foremost (in time, place, order of importance), best, chief, first in rank, influence or honor, the principal thing, "commandment", the Greek word, entole, which means: an injunction, an authoritative prescription, an order, is "Hear", which is the Greek word, akouo, which means: to give an audience to, to attend to, to consider what is or has been said, to understand, to perceive, to learn, to comprehend. What are we to learn, to pay attention to, to understand? That the Lord our God IS "Lord", the Greek word, kurios, which means: supreme in authority, Lord, Master, He to whom a person belongs, the Owner, the Sovereign One. We are to come to know that the Lord our God is "one" Lord, the Greek word, heis, which means: primary numeral. Our Lord is THE #1 Lord and besides Him, there is NO OTHER!

We also see here that it's not even enough for us to know these things about Him, but we must continue to obey the next verse! We must love the Lord (love is agape, the God-kind of love!) The same love that God loves us with, we are to love Him back with! And not just a little bit, either, but with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength! Just what does that mean? Well we can break it down briefly this way: Our heart is the spirit/soul combination. The Bible refers to the spirit of man as the "hidden man" of the heart (1 Peter 3:4). Our real self is a spirit being that, when we were born again, was recreated in the image of God. We have, or possess, our souls, our mind, emotions and will. Then He breaks it down even further by saying that we need to love the Lord with all of our "mind", the Greek word, dianoia, which means: deep thought, the mind, the imagination, the understanding. We are also told to love the Lord with all of our "strength", which is the Greek word, ischus, which means: force, ability, might, power. And THEN and ONLY THEN, can we do the rest of that commandment and love our neighbor, or fellow believer, as ourself!

It starts with the "ability" to make the choice to renew our "minds" with the Word of God, so that we can know and understand Who He is. When we renew our minds to think like the Word, then we'll be thinking like Jesus thinks! We will understand the great love that He has for us. When we really understand that love, it won't be hard for us to love Him back! THEN He wants us to "love Him forward" by loving other people in the same way that He loves us! That may seem hard now, but His love IN US, by the Holy Spirit Who lives in us, will do the work.

Just fall in love with Jesus everyday and meditate on His Word until it becomes real to YOU! Then you can be a doer of the Word and cause other people to see Jesus through you!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We'll continue in our verse by verse study of Psalm 91 today. We will be looking at the last 4 verses:

Ps 91:13-16 (KJV)
13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

"Thou shalt tread" is the Hebrew word, darak, which means: to walk, to tread upon, to march, to bend (as a bow). Upon "the lion" is the Hebrew word, shachal, which means: to roar, a lion (fierce) or wicked men. "And adder" is the Hebrew word, pethen,, which means: to twist, an asp, a snake, a venomous serpent. The young lion "and the dragon, the Hebrew word, tanniyn, which means: a marine or land monster, a sea serpent, a jackal,a dragon, a venomous snake. "Shalt thou tample under feet, is the Hebrew word, ramac, which means: to tread upon as a potter, to stamp upon, to tread down. WE are the ones who are to be exercising our God-given authority over ALL the works of the enemy!

The next verse talks about God's part. He says because "he has set his love", the Hebrew word, chashaq, which means: to cling, to join, to love, to delight in , to be attached to, to long for; upon Me, "therefore will I deliver him", the Hebrew word, palat, which means: to escape, to deliver, to carry away safe, to bring into security. He continues by saying "I will set him on high", the Hebrew word, sagab, which means: to make lofty, to make especially inaccessible, to make safe or strong, to defend, to exalt. He does all of these things because "he hath known", the Hebrew word, yada', which means: to know, to learn to know, to perceive, to find out, to discern, to know by experience, to recognize, to be acquainted with; My Name. If you have never studied the Names of God you should do so as soon as possible. Every Name that God is called by in His Word reflects an aspect of His character and the promise of Who He will be for us in our time of need.

The next verse starts with something else that we are to do. "He shall call upon Me", the Hebrew word, qara', which means: to call out, to cry out, to proclaim, to utter a loud sound, to call unto, to call (with the Name of God), to call for. When we understand the Names of God, we will be able to "call" Him by the Name we need at the time! And God says, "and I will answer him", the Hebrew word, 'anah, which means: to heed, to pay attention, to respond, to announce, to shout. Don't you know that we really DO want God Himself shouting on our behalf when we're faced with ANY kind of trouble! He goes on to say; I will be with him "in trouble", the Hebrew word, tsarah, which means: tightness, adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble. Whatever problem we may be facing, He is more than enough to see us through to victory! He says, "I will deliver him", the Hebrew word, chalats, which means: to pull off, to deliver, to equip for a fight, to strengthen, to arm for war, to rescue, to set free, to make strong, to invigorate. He will deliver us Himself or prepare us to fight the fight with HIS weapons so that we win, ALWAYS! Then He says also, "and honour him", the Hebrew word, kabad, which means: to be made numerous, rich, honourable, abounding, glorious, abundant. What Powerful promises! And He's not done!

The last verse says, With long life "will I satisfy him", the Hebrew word, saba', which means: to be filled to the full, to have enough, to be fulfilled, to have in excess, to enrich. Don't ever let anyone tell you that God has set a time for your death. That is simply NOT TRUE! He says when we know Him, we will call on Him and He will keep us protected until WE are satisfied with how long we've lived on this earth, then He will welcome us home to heaven! He also says, "and show him", the Hebrew word, ra'ah, which means: to cause to see, to show, to present oneself, to cause to look intently at, to be exhibited to. What will He show us? He says, "My salvation", the Hebrew word, yeshuw'ah, which means: deliverance, aid, victory, properity, health, welfare. It is also the Hebrew Name for Jesus! Jesus IS salvation!

Do YOU know Him yet? If not I invite you to go to The Spoken Word Church link at the left of this blog and learn Who He is and how to be born again. We also covered that earlier on this blog. You can access that teaching and also the prayer to become a member of God's family by making Jesus your Lord and personal Saviour! He wants YOU to know Him, He already knows you!

For those of you who are already born again, get to know Him more every day. Get Psalm 91 inside of you until you get to the point where you never fear anything or anyone again! Then you will be free to minister in the Spirit and power that God wants you to so others can be set free!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We will continue looking at the 91st Psalm today. The reason we are going verse by verse is so that we can show meditation at work in one of it's forms. Looking at the meanings of the original words helps us to get a clearer picture of what is actually being said. That will help to increase our understanding of the Word so that we are able to act on it, which produces Godly results!

Ps 91:11-12 (KJV)
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

The "he" referred to in this verse is the Lord (Jehovah) that we looked at in verse 9. "He shall give" and "charge" are the same Hebrew word, tsavah, which means: to command, to charge, to give orders, to appoint, to ordain, to send with a command. It is His angels that the Lord is giving orders "to keep thee", which is the Hebrew word, shamar, which means: to hedge about (as with thorns), to guard, to protect, to attend to, to watch, to take care, to preserve. They are to guard us (along with all of the other meanings) "in all", which is the Hebrew word, kol, which means: all, any, every, the whole of, everything, totality, "thy ways", which is the Hebrew word, derek, which means: a road, course of life, mode of action, manner.

Continuing on to verse 12 we see that, still speaking of His angels, "They shall bear thee up", which is the Hebrew word, nasa', which means: to lift, in a great variety of applications, to bear up, to carry, to support, to sustain, to aid, to assist. They are sent to lift us up in their hands so that we don't so much as "dash", which is the Hebrew word, nagaph, which means: to push, to gore, to defeat, to strike, to smite, to stumble, our foot against a stone. The Amplified Bible says it this way:

Ps 91:11-12 (Amplified)
11For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service].
12They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Our heavenly Father wants, above ALL things, that we renew our minds with His Word so that we can think like Him, talk like Him and act like Him. (3 John 2) Then we will have HIS results and He will be glorified. How do we bring glory to our Father and our Lord Jesus? By being DOERS (obeyers) of His Word.

Keep meditating, you're getting there!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We will look at the next two verses in the 91st Psalm today:

Ps 91:9-10 (KJV)
9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

The word "because", is the Hebrew word, kiy, which is a consequential word that means: because, forasmuch, therefore, since. "Hast made", is the Hebrew word, suwm or siym, which means: to set, to ordain, to establish, to determine, to set in place. The LORD is referring to Jehovah, the eternal, self-existing One. He is our "refuge", the Hebrew word, macheceh, which means: a place of refuge, a shelter from storm. WHEN we make the "most High", Hebrew, 'elyown, one of the many Names of God, our "habitation", the Hebrew word, ma' own, which means: abode, dwelling, refuge, THEN there shall NO evil "befall" us. This is the Hebrew word, 'anah, which means: to meet, to encounter, to befall or approach. Neither shall any "plague", Hebrew, nega", which means: a blow, an infliction, a stroke, a plague, a disease, a wound, "come nigh", the Hebrew word, qarab, which means: to approach, to come near, our "dwelling", Hebrew, 'ohel, which means: tent, dwelling, home, habitation.

Do you see that if you meditate on this Psalm until it becomes real to you, (that means you will have the faith to believe that it is true and that it will happen) then NOTHING can by any means hurt you! That is exactly what your heavenly Father wants you to understand. HE HAS provided complete and total protection for any of His children who dare to believe His Word and act like it's true! Remember, now, where faith comes from:

Rom 10:17 (KJV)
17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

You and I will have faith to believe all the promises in this powerful Psalm of protection and safety, WHEN we hear it and hear it and hear it until it becomes real to us. Meditation in the Word is more than just reading and much more than just memorizing. You can memorize the entire Bible and it will be of no benefit to you UNLESS you meditate on those verses. Remember Joshua:

Josh 1:8 (KJV)
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

To "meditate", which is the Hebrew word, hagah, which means: to murmur, to ponder, to imagine, to speak, to study, to utter, is to allow the Holy Spirit Who indwells every born again believer, to teach us the Word. Only then can we begin to know and understand how to obey that Word. Continue to meditate on Psalm 91 and your faith for God's protection over your life will get stronger as you do!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I hope you've been understanding more about God's protection, provision and safety through our study of Psalm 91. Today we will continue with the next two verses:

Ps 91:7-8 (KJV)
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

This verse tells us that when we are under God's protection, even when a thousand "shall fall", the Hebrew word, naphal, which means: to fall, to fail, to fall short, to desert, to fall away, to fall into the hand of, to waste away, to fall (used of violent death), at one side of us, and ten-thousand at "thy right hand", the Hebrew word, yamiyn, which means: the right hand side, the stronger side, locally (near us), "it shall not come nigh thee". This phrase is another that in the Hebrew actually says this: "thee not shall it come nigh". This means that it will NOT "come nigh", the Hebrew word, nagash, which means: to be or come near, to make approach, to attack, to overtake. It CANNOT touch us, IF we are dwelling in the secret place of God's divine protection!

Verse 7 says that only "with thine eyes", the Hebrew word, 'ayin, which means: eyes (physical and mental image), "shalt thou behold", the Hebrew word, nabat, which means: to scan, to cause to behold, to consider, to look intently, and "see", the Hebrew word, ra'ah, which means: to see, to perceive, to learn about, to discern, to find out, to consider, the "the reward of", the Hebrew word, shillumah, which means: retribution, recompense, reward, "the wicked", Hebrew rasha, which means: morally wrong, condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked. We will ONLY be an observer, NOT a partaker, of what happens to the wicked, those without God in this world. Bad things WILL happen in this world, but if we stay in that secret place of the Most High, we will be UNTOUCHABLE by calamity! The Amplified Bible says this:

Ps 91:7-8 (Amplified)
7A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you.
8Only a spectator shall you be [yourself inaccessible in the secret place of the Most High] as you witness the reward of the wicked.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus and precious Holy Spirit for teaching us to abide in this powerful Word you have given us so that we can ALWAYS be MORE that conquerers in every situation! Keep studying, there's still more to come in this powerful Psalm!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We continue in Psalm 91 today with verses 5-6:

Ps 91:5-6 (KJV)
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

In the Interlinear Bible (Hebrew/English) the word "not" comes first and means exactly that, we should not do what comes next. Then is the phrase "Thou shalt be afraid", which is the Hebrew word, yare', which means: to fear, be afraid, be astonished, to dread or to be terrified. We are told that when we trust in God's Word (previous verses) then we won't fear the things mentioned next. "For the terror by night" is the Hebrew word, pachad, which means: sudden alarm or object of dread that comes at night. Nor "for the arrow", the Hebrew word, chets, which means: a piercer, an arrow, a wound, or the shaft of a spear, that flies by day, or in the daylight.

We shall also not be afraid "for the pestilence", the Hebrew word, deber, which means: a destroying pestilence, a plague or disease, that "walketh", or gets around, moves around (is contagious!) "in darkness" the Hebrew word, 'ophel, which means:darkness, obscurity or spiritual unreceptivity(being blinded to the Truth ofGod's Word). We will also NOT be afraid of the destruction that "wasteth", the Hebrew word, shuwd, which means: to devastate, to destroy, to ruin, to spoil, at noonday or midday.

Ultimately, what this is saying is that we don't have to fear ANYTHING at ANY TIME, WHEN we stay in that secret place! The Amplified Bible says this:

Ps 91:5-6 (Ampified)
5You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day,
6Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday.

Stay in the "secret place" of being aware of God's presence and you will have confidence in the complete and powerful protection that is at your disposal AT ALL TIMES as a believer! I hope you're getting these Truths of the Word of God inside of you and that your faith is growing!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We will continue in our study of the 91st Psalm today with verse 3:

Ps 91:3 (KJV)
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

Remember that we are talking of the Lord (Jehovah) from verse 2. Verse 2 ended with "In Him will I trust. We continue on here to see that surely He "shall deliver thee", which is the Hebrew word, natsal, which means: to snatch away, to deliver, to rescue, to save, to preserve. What will He deliver and save us from? We're told here that He will deliver us "from the snare", which is the Hebrew word, pach, which means: a trap, a snare, calamities or plots and their source! The next phrase, "of the fowler" is the Hebrew word, yaquwsh, which means: the trapper or bait-layer! The one who sets the traps for us, our enemy, the devil! He will also deliver us from the "noisome pestilence", which are the Hebrew words, havvah and deber, which mean: an engulfing ruin, destruction or calamity and a destroying pestilence or plague. How will He do this? Verse 4 tells us this:

Ps 91:4 (KJV)
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

First of all we are told that "He shall cover", the Hebrew word, cakak, which means: to hedge, fence about, overshadow, protect. He (the Lord) will cover us with His feathers and under "His wings", the Hebrew word, kanaph, which means: an edge or extremity, as in a wing, a border, corner or overspreading, "shalt thou trust", the Hebrew word, chacah, which means: to flee for protection, to confide in, have hope, make refuge, put trust. Then we are told that "his truth", the Hebrew word, 'emeth, which means: stability, trustworthiness, certainty, testimony, judgement, instruction, knowledge and doctrine. Remember that John 17:17 says "...Thy Word is Truth". So we can say that His Word is our "shield and buckler", the Hebrew word tsinnah, which means: something piercing, a hook or barb and the Hebrew word, cocherah, which means: something surrounding a person as a shield. Both of those words mean a shield, a protection, both defensively and offensively! That's our Lord and His protection.

Keep studying and meditating on what you have learned so far in Psalm 91 and start confessing it over yourself and your family! It is a very powerful promise of protection, provision and safety to all who have the faith to believe it and stand strong on it!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We began to look at Psalm 91. I will post the entire Psalm again here:

Ps 91:1-16 (KJV)
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Verse 2 begins with the phrase, "I will say", which is the Hebrew word, amar, which means: to speak, to utter, to avow, to boast, to command. It is a strong word that is NOT meant to be whispered! I will say "of the LORD", which is the Hebrew Name, Yehovah or Jehovah, as we say it, which means: the Eternal, the self-existing One! We are supposed to be boldly saying some things about our Lord. We are to say that He is our "refuge", which is the Hebrew word, macheceh, which means: our shelter, our place of refuge from danger. We are also to say that He is our "fortress", the Hebrew word, matsuwd, which means: castle, defense, net (as a hunting instrument), stronghold or strong place. He's "my God", Hebrew elohiym, which is a plural word that refers to the complete Godhead that includes the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In my God will I put my "trust", Hebrew, batach, which means: to trust in, have confidence in, be bold, be secure. As we meditate on what the Word of God is really saying, faith will begin to grow so that we will have confidence that God meant what He said and said EXACTLY what He meant! We have to make sure that what we are saying about the Lord or about every situation in our lives lines up with the Word of God. I want to look briefly at the importance of what we say according to the Word:

Prov 18:20-21 (KJV)
20 A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Prov 18:20-21 (Amplified)
20A man's [moral] self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; and with the consequence of his words he must be satisfied [whether good or evil].
21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].

Also:

Mark 11:23 (KJV)
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

These verses show us that what we say is vitally important and can and will impact our entire lives! We will have to be satisfied with the results of the words we speak, so say the RIGHT things! Say GOD'S Word rather than what the world says. We need to develop the habit of speaking God's Word boldly, expecting it to happen! That's the ONLY way it WILL happen in our lives! Spend time meditating on what the Word of God says about you, about Jesus, about your spirit, soul and body, about church, about money, about EVERY area of life. When it becomes real to you, you will start to say the things that Jesus would say if He were here! And THEN you will have the same results Jesus did when He ministered!

Have a great day in the Word today.

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we will begin to look at Psalm 91 for the purpose of understanding how to appropriate the promises for our own lives. First we'll look at the entire Psalm:

Psalms 91:1-16 (KJV)
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.


Now we will begin to look at it verse by verse so that we can understand how it applies to us. Verse 1 says that the promises apply to "He that dwelleth", which is the Hebrew word, yashab, which means: to sit down, to remain, to settle, to abide, to have one's abode. We must make this secret place our "living place", where we spend most of our time. The "secret place" is the Hebrew word, cether, which means a shelter, a hiding place, a place of protection. The person who finds this secret place of the Most High and dwells there, "shall abide", the Hebrew word, luwn, which means: to stay permanently, to dwell, to remain. That person will always be "under the shadow", the Hebrew word, tsel, which means: a defence, to shade with the idea of hovering over. The One doing the hovering over is the "Almighty" which is the Hebrew word, Shadday, which means most powerful and is one of the many operative Names of God! So just in this first verse we see one of the most powerful promises in the Word of God! If we will spend time habitually in that secret place, then we will be living our lives continually in the protective covering of our Father's presence! How do you find that secret place? I like to say it this way:

"Heavenly Father, I choose to live and dwell in the secret place of the Most High, that place of being aware of Your presence through prayer, through praise and worship, through study and meditation of Your Word and through intimate fellowship with You"

The secret place is not a physical place, although you need to find the physical place that is most conducive to you getting alone with God. The secret place is when you get to that point when you are really aware that He is IN you and WITH you and FOR you! I can't tell you where to find it, you'll have to find your OWN place! But you WILL know it when you get there! And it starts with you scheduling your private time with God as your most important appointment of the day, because it really is! Spend that time with Him consistently, daily, and at the same time every day, if possible. You will find that you will be more aware of His presence inside of you and you will recognize His still, small voice more clearly every day!

This is a good place to stop and let you get about finding or rediscovering YOUR secret place! Then, as we proceed into the rest of this powerful Psalm of protection, provision and safety, it will really come alive and be real to you!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we will look at another of Paul's prayers. This one is found in Colossians chapter 1:

Col 1:9-14 (KJV)
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

When you insert someone's name in this prayer, you are praying (proseuchomai: petitioning, supplicating, asking God) and desiring (aiteo: begging, calling, craving, desiring and requiring) that they would be filled (pleroo: made replete, crammed full, made full, fully supplied) with knowledge (epignosis: layer upon layer of accumulated, progressive precise and correct knowledge) of God's will and also of wisdom (the proper use of that knowledge) and spiritual understanding (sunesis: a mental putting together)!

This is so that they may walk (paripateo: to regulate one's life, to conduct one's self) in a worthy (axios: appropriately, suitable, after a godly sort) manner. That's a manner that is pleasing to the Lord and that is fruitful (karpophoreo: productive) in every (pas: individually and collectively) good (agathos: excellent, honorable, useful) work! And that they would also be increasing in knowledge!

We are also praying that they may be strengthened with all might (both come from the Greek word, dunamis: miraculous power) according to His glorious (doxa: magnificence, excellence, preeminence) power (kratos: dominion, might, power, force and strength). This will result in patience (hupomone: steadfastness, constancy, endurance, perseverance) and longsuffering (makrothumia: forbearance and fortitude) with joyfulness!

Then we can be thanking the Father Who has made us meet (hikanoo: enabled, qualified, equipped with adequate power) to be partakers of our inheritance as saints in God's Light, recognizing that it is He Who has delivered (rhoumai: rescued, drawn to one's self) us from the power (exousia: authority, jurisdiction, mastery, power of rule) of darkness and translated (methistemi: removed, transferred) us INTO the kingdom (dominion, rule, kingship) of His dear Son, Jesus!

In Jesus we have received redemption (apolutrosis: liberation procured by the payment of a ransom) through His blood and that includes the forgiveness (aphesis: deliverance, release from bondage, remission) of sin! Hallelujah! Let's look at the Amplified Bible here:

Col. 1:9-14 (Amplified)
9For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things--
10That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].
11[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy,
12Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light.
13[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
14In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins

You couldn't pray a more powerful prayer for someone that you want to see grow in the things of God than that one! Now WILL you pray this for them consistently? IF you will, you WILL see God's results!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Have you begun to pray Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1 for people that you know and care about? I hope you have! Today we'll look at the second prayer of Paul in Ephesians chapter 3:

Eph 3:14-21 (KJV)
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Paul prays here that God the Father would "grant" (Greek word: didomi, which means to give, to bestow, to furnish necessary things, to endue) you, or whoever you are praying for, (out of HIS abundance, fulness, richness) to be strengthened (empowered, invigorated, made strong) with might (dunamis: miracle working power!) which comes by His Spirit, Who lives in you!

Paul also prays here that you would have the faith and trust and confidence that He really does live in you, by His Spirit. Then he prays that you will be rooted and grounded (be firmly established with a solid foundation) in love (Greek: agape). This love is the God kind of love. It is unconditional love, seeing others just as God sees them, through HIS eyes! Treating others the same way that God treats us! Looking at every person as precious and valuable, because we ALL are to Him!

Paul goes on to pray that we (all the saints, God's people) would be able to comprehend (to perceive, understand, possess) that love that God has for us. To understand the awesome power of His love for us and in us! To know (ginosko: learn to know, come to know, become acquainted with and understand) this force of agape love that CANNOT fail, so that we can be in a state of being filled to overflowing (replete, crammed full and complete) with all of HIS fulness!

Paul finishes this prayer by giving glory and praise back to the Father, recognizing that He is able (and willing!) to do, for us, so much more (exceedingly and abundantly, far beyond) than we can even ask, think, dream or imagine! He does it by that same power of the Holy Spirit, living in us, that raised Jesus from the dead!To Him be ALL honor and glory forever! Amen! Here is the Amplified Bible on these verses:

Eph. 3:14-21 (Amplified)
14For this reason [seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ], I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15For Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named [that Father from Whom all fatherhood takes its title and derives its name].
16May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].
17May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,
18That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];
19[That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!
20Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]--
21To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

Add this prayer to the one in Ephesians chapter 1 for all those you would like to see set free, delivered and living a life that is powerful in the Lord! Remember that His Word IS His will. If we pray according to His will, then He hears that prayer and we have the answer! Hallelujah!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to take the next few posts to share some very powerful and effective Scriptural prayers. After praying in other tongues (my heavenly prayer language that I received when I received the infilling of the Holy Spirit--see earlier blog posts for the teaching on this subject) I have found these prayers to be invaluable in praying for other people. These are some of the prayers of the Apostle Paul. The first one is found in Ephesians chapter 1:

Eph 1:16-23 (KJV)
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

The first verse here says that I "cease not", meaning that I will not stop, "giving thanks for you", meaning that I am grateful and thankful to the Father for this person I am praying for and what they mean in my life. Then we see "making mention of you in my prayers", meaning that when I spend time in prayer, I am bringing that person before the Father and making requests of the Father for them. The next 3 verses detail what I am requesting of the Father for this person: that they may receive the spirit of wisdom (how to use knowledge) and revelation (enlightenment and understanding) in the knowledge (Greek "epignosis" that we talked about in a recent post, progressive knowledge, layer upon layer) of Him (our Lord Jesus Christ)! Then verse 18 goes on in more detail to specifically ask that their understanding be enlightened (illuminated) so that they may know what is the hope (joyful and confident expectation) of his calling (the invitation to salvation) and be made aware of the riches (wealth, abundant provision, and valuable bestowment) of the inheritance we have received as saints ( those who are born again have been made saints!). The verse 19 goes on to ask that they be made aware of the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe. That power that is so great that it was able to raise Jesus from the dead and elevate Him to that place that is so far above any other place of power and authority and any other name that is named, in any and every realm of authority and also gave Jesus that Name that is above every name! Not only that, but He was also made the head of the body (that's US!) and put all things under His feet. If all things are under His feet as the head of the body, then they are also under OUR feet as parts of that Body! And His presence FILLS that Body, all in all, which means individually and collectively! What a powerful, Godly prayer to pray for anyone!

I like to pray this prayer from the Amplified Bible, because it uses and brings to mind all of the above explanations and shades of meaning of the Greek words. Here is that translation:

Eph. 1:16-23 (Amplified)
16I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.
17[For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him,
18By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones),
19And [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength,
20Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places],
21Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come.
22And He has put all things under His feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the church [a headship exercised throughout the church],
23Which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all [for in that body lives the full measure of Him Who makes everything complete, and Who fills everything everywhere with Himself].

Now pray whichever version of that prayer that YOU are comfortable with, replacing the "you" in all of these places with the person's name that you are praying for. I pray for every member of my family, my church, and our ministry partners this way. 1 John 5 tells us how to know that we have the answers to our prayers:

I Jn 5:14-15 (KJV)
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

The Amplified Bible says this:

1 John 5:14-15 (Amplified)
14And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.
15And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him

If we ask for anything that is according to His will, He hears us and IF He hears us, we have what we have asked for. Praying God's Word back to Him is the surest way to pray according to His will! Then we KNOW that we have the answer! Now we can just continue to praise Him for what He is doing that we can't see yet, knowing that it is accomplishing exactly what we have asked Him for! Now continue to pray in the Spirit for these people and watch God work HIS work! Hallelujah!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We talked about the Greek word, epignosis, on the last post. We found out that it means layer upon layer of knowledge. Getting to know, progressively, day by day, what God's Word has to say! That is so important to do! We have stated that the purpose for this blog is to share nuggets of Truth to add more layers to your foundation in the Word because:

John 8:31-32 (Amplified)
31So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples.
32And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.

The Truth that we KNOW will be what sets us free, and, if we continue in that Truth, it will KEEP us free! So let's look a little more at what the Word has to say about knowing:

Hosea 6:3 (KJV)
3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

We will "know", (the Hebrew Word, "yada", learn to know, come to know, find out, discern, perceive) IF we follow on to know. "Follow on" is the Hebrew word, "radaph", which means to pursue ardently, to chase, to run after, to attend closely upon, to aim eagerly to secure. We need to have that kind of attitude in our pursuit of the Truth of God's Word in order to get to "know" Him the way He wants us to know Him! How is it done? Like this:

Isa 28:9-10 (KJV)
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

It is layer by layer, precept (commandment) upon precept, line upon line. Feeding on God's Word by meditating on it daily, and all day long, is what will cause the knowledge to come. We have to start with the deep desire that Paul talks about in Philippians:

Philippians 3:10-11 (Amplified)
10[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]
11That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

Paul MADE it his determined purpose to know the Lord. To get to know Him more and more, progressively, through the Word of God. Chase after, pursue, aim to secure a more intimate knowledge of Him and you will! The more you know Him, the more you will think like He thinks, talk like He talks and act like He acts! THEN you will have the same results He had when He walked on this earth! That's what we, as believers, are meant to do. So let's get to know Him, it's the best thing we could ever do!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

One of my favorite Greek words is the word: epignosis. It is translated knowledge in several places in the New Testament. Here are a few:

Rom 10:1-2 (KJV)
1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

Eph 1:17 (KJV)
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

Eph 4:11-13 (KJV)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Phil 1:9-10 (KJV)
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

Col 1:9-10 (KJV)
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Col 3:10 (KJV)
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

1 Tim 2:3-4 (KJV)
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

2 Tim 3:7 (KJV)
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2 Pet 1:2-3 (KJV)
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

2 Pet 1:8 (KJV)
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This Greek word, epignosis, means: recognition, full discernment, precise and correct knowledge. It gets even more interesting and enlightening as we break it down further. Epignosis comes from the Greek word, epiginosko, which means: to become fully or thoroughly acquainted with, to know accurately, to understand. It is a compound word made up of the two words epi and ginosko. Ginosko means: to learn to know, to come to know, to understand, to become acquainted with, to have knowledge of. Epi is a primary preposition which means superimposition of time, place, order as a relation of distribution. What does that mean exactly? It means that one thing is placed positionally on top of another thing and on and on, in a layering affect! What are we layering? The "knowledge" of the Word of God! Remember one of the Scriptures that is key to this blog is Romans 8:31-32:

Romans 8:31-32 (Amplified)
31So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples.
32And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free

By meditating and acting on the Word of God, we enable our Teacher, the Holy Spirit, to bring understanding of the Word. Each new layer of understanding builds on the strong foundation you already have, making you even stronger in the Word! THIS is "knowing" the Truth! The Truth you know will set you free and, if you keep "knowing" it every day, it will keep you free! And remember that Jesus IS the Word of God and also this promise:

John 8:36 (KJV)
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

John 8:36 (Amplified)
36 So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free.

No question about it! The Truth of God's Word IN you and obeyed BY you will bring the freedom you are really looking for! So let's get at it! Until our next post,

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In order to walk in the authority that Jesus walked in, and that He told US to walk in, we need to understand that authority. These verses should help:

Phil 2:5-11 (KJV)
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.(KJV)

The Amplified Bible says this:

Phil2:5-11 (Amplified
5Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:]
6Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained,
7But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.
8And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!
9Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name,
10That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11And every tongue frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This tells us that Jesus was and is God, but, for our sakes, He left His deity in heaven with the Father and came to earth to operate as a human man. Everything Jesus did on earth He did as a man (without sin!) not as God. Then we are told that AFTER He offered Himself as the ONLY sacrifice for our sin, He was given by the Father that Name that is above EVERY name ever given! That is a powerful Name and we are told to use that Name like this:

John 14:12-13 (Amplified)
12I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father.
13And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son.

...and this:

Mark 16:15-18 (KJV)
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.(KJV)

So we see here that the Name that Jesus was given is more powerful than ANY other name! But there is something that has been lifted even above the Name of Jesus! Do you want to know what that is? Of course you do, that's why you're here! This verse will tell us:

Psalm 138:2 (Amplified)
2I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness; for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word and You have magnified Your word above all Your name!

There we have it! The Word of God is exalted BY God to a place even higher than the Name of Jesus! How can that be? Because it is by the Word of God that Jesus was conceived as a baby. The Word of God is what Jesus used as His authority here on earth. The Word of God is what Jesus came to fulfill through His death, burial and resurrection. John 1:1 tells us that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word WAS God! Jesus was the Word of God MADE flesh! So now we have the Word of God, the Blood of Jesus and the Name of Jesus as the basis for our authority on earth! There IS no more power and authority available than that! You and I are equipped by God to be WAY more than conquerors! (Romans 8:37)

So how do we get to a place of understanding and confidence in that Word? We need to obey Joshua 1:8:

Joshua 1:8 (Amplified)
8This 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.

We need to meditate on the Word of God until the understanding comes! But we know from previous studies that the word must be spiritually discerned:

1 Corinthians 2:14
14But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated.

In order to understand the Word of God we need to be born again so that the Spirit of God lives in our spirit. This promise is to believers:

1 John 2:20, 27 (Amplified)
20But you have been anointed by [you hold a sacred appointment from, you have been given an unction from] the Holy One, and you all know [the Truth] or you know all things.
27But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do].

You and I, as believers, have received the anointing, the Holy Spirit, Who is our teacher. People who teach us the Word give us an advantage, but only the Holy Spirit can make it real to US! So what should we do? Every time you study the Word of God, pray this prayer:

Psalm 25:5 (Amplified)
5Guide 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.

When you do this in faith, the Spirit of God will be free to make the Word of God real to YOU! You will be able to understand and operate in all the authority of a child of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords! And HE will receive all the glory! Hallelujah!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Once we understand from the Word of God that we have been given authority over all the power of the enemy, we need to know how to use that authority. Remember that when Jesus first gave authority to His disciples, when He was still ministering here on earth, He said:

Luke 10:19 (KJV)
19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

The Amplified Bible is a little more accurate here because it shows that the two Greek words translated power in the KJV are two different words. The first "power" is the Greek word "exousia" which means authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right and strength. The second "power" is the Greek word "dunamis" which means inherent power, the power that resides in something or someone. The verse is here:

Luke 10:19 (Amplified)
19Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you.

Remember that before Jesus ascended into Heaven after His death, burial and resurrection, He said this to His disciples:

Matt 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.(KJV)

That word "power" is again the Greek word "exousia".

The Amplified Bible says this:

Matt. 18:18-20 (Amplified)
18Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
19Go 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,
20Teaching 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).

All power and authority has been given to Jesus and we now, as part of His body, have that SAME power and authority over the enemy here on earth. How do we use that authority? Jesus gave us this example:

Mark 11:22-23 (KJV)
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Verse 22 should more accurately be translated ..Have the faith OF God, not IN God. Jesus was telling us to operate in the same kind of faith that He operates in. How does that faith operate? Jesus goes on to tell us that. He said we are to exercise our God-given authority by SAYING! You and I need to be speaking to things, situations and circumstances in our lives to MOVE! Whatever mountain of circumstance we may be facing, Jesus said to handle it this way. SPEAK TO IT! What do I say? Say "Be removed!"

The reason many born again believers feel that their prayers are not heard, is that they are continually asking God to do something that He specifically told US to do! What is Jesus doing in Heaven now? Let's find out:

Heb 10:12-13 (KJV)
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

Rom 8:34 (KJV)
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Rom 8:34 (Amplified)
34Who is there to condemn [us]? Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who died, or rather Who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God actually pleading as He intercedes for us?

Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father, interceding for us, and waiting for US to use the authority He gave us to put HIS enemies, who are also OUR enemies, under His feet! Under the "foot" of our God-given authority! We need to be continually meditating on the Word of God, finding out what belongs to us as children of God. We cannot operate in something we know nothing about!

What SHOULD we be asking God for? We should ask for the things we need and don't have. We need to ask for His specific guidance and direction for our lives. This comes AFTER we have followed the general guidance found in the Word. We are told to ask for wisdom for any given situation when we need it. (James 1:5) We are told to ask for the Lord to send laborers into the harvest. (Matt. 9:38) Ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit baptism (Luke 11:13) so that you can pray in other tongues, praying spirit to Spirit with God, so that you can develop a better understanding of His Word, which must be spiritually discerned. (1 Cor. 2:14) THEN you will begin to understand how to operate in YOUR God-given authority over YOUR life!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to look at "authority" in the Word of God. Jesus operated in authority:

Matt 7:28-29 (KJV)
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Matt 21:23 (KJV)
23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

Mark 1:27 (KJV)
27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

Luke 4:36 (KJV)
36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.

John 5:26-27 (KJV)
26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

The word "authority" in all of these verses is the Greek word, exousia, which means: ability, competency, capacity, mastery, delegated influence, jurisdiction, power, liberty of choice, physical and mental power. We all agree that Jesus had and operated in authority! He commanded and demons fled. He spoke and sickness and disease disappeared. He turned water into wine, a lunch into a banquet, opened blind eyes, made crippled legs whole and many more. Remember the story of the centurion? Jesus just spoke and it was done:

Luke 7:6-9 (KJV)
6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.8 For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.9 When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.


Then we see where Jesus gave His disciples His authority:

Luke 9:1 (KJV)
1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

Luke 10:17-20 (KJV)
17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Notice the first word, power, in verse 19 above. It is the same Greek word, exousia, that was translated "authority" in the other references. The second word "power", is the Greek word, dunamis, which means, force, power, inherent power. So Jesus gave the disciples the "authority" over all of the power and influence of the enemy! They, operating in the authority given to them by Jesus, did what Jesus did! They went about teaching, preaching and healing, casting out demons and setting people free!! That brings us to the commandment that Jesus gave to the church before He ascended into heaven. He said:

Matt 28:18-20 (KJV)
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Jesus says here that ALL power belongs to Him and notice what the Amplified Bible says:

Matthew 28:18-20 (Amplified)
18Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19Go 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, 20Teaching 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).

Jesus says, "Go ye"! We are individual parts of His body, of which He is the head. The whole body has the same "authority" as the head! Jesus fully expects His people, His body, His church, to go into all the world, armed with HIS authority over all the power of the enemy, and use that authority to set people free from the bondage and control of the enemy!

We'll talk more about how to exercise that authority in a future blog post.

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to look at some Scriptures concerning the Gospel today. The word "gospel" is only found in the New Testament. That tells me that it pertains specifically to the New Covenant that we believers have through the Blood of Jesus Christ. The word translated "gospel", is the Greek word, euaggelion, which means: a good message, good tidings, glad tidings, the proclamation of the grace of God manifest. We will look at several Scriptures that refer to the gospel:

Matt 4:23 (KJV)
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Matt 9:35 (KJV)
35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Matt 11:5 (KJV)
5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Mark 1:1 (KJV)
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

Mark 1:15 (KJV)
15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Luke 4:17-19 (KJV)
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Luke 9:6 (KJV)
6 And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.

Acts 8:25 (KJV)
25 And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

Acts 14:7 (KJV)
7 And there they preached the gospel.

Acts 15:7 (KJV)
7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

Rom 1:9 (KJV)
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

Rom 10:15 (KJV)
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Rom 15:19 (KJV)
19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Rom 15:29 (KJV)
29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

1 Cor 1:17 (KJV)
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

2 Cor 4:4 (KJV)
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

What we see through all of these verses is that from Jesus, to His disciples, to the church (that's us!), the most important thing that they did and continued to do, is to preach the Gospel! The last thing that Jesus told His disciples before He ascended into heaven was this:

Mark 16:15 (KJV)
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

The Amplified Bible says this:

Mark 16:15 (Amplified)
15And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature [of the whole human race].

We are to be about the business of preaching the Gospel, the good news, because Jesus said so! The word "preach" is the Greek word, kerusso, which means: to herald as a public crier, to publish, to proclaim openly and always with an authority which must be listened to and obeyed. We are to preach the Gospel, because it is the Gospel that will change people's lives. Look at this Scripture:

Romans 1:16 (KJV)
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

The word "power" here is the Greek word, dunamis, which means: miraculous power, strength, ability, abundance, inherent power. The Gospel contains the miraculous power of Almighty God Himself! This Gospel, when received by faith, will result in "salvation", the Greek word, soteria, which means: deliverance, preservation, safety, rescue and health. It is the deliverance from all the works of darkness, beginning with the New Birth and eternal salvation, and continuing into every area of our life here on earth! When John said:

3 John 2 (NKJV)
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

..that is what he was referring to! When we meditate on the Word of God, the Gospel, until it becomes real to us, then we will be able to walk in all the fullness of life that our heavenly Father intended! He wants the best for us and He has provided the way for us to have it. The rest is up to us! How much "soteria" will you have in your life? Get into the Word of God. Study it, love it, meditate on it, believe it, obey it and you will see deliverance happening in every area of your life! Jesus said so!

Shalom in Him!