Shalom, 

We read Hebrews 11 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan today. Many of you know that this is the 'faith' chapter! A word study of "faith" shows us that this is the Greek word "pistis", which means: persuasion, credence, conviction of  truthfulness, reliance upon, trust. That is the meaning of general faith! Hebrews 11:1 tells us exactly what true Bible faith is!

11 Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

Faith has substance! When we have true Biblical faith, it is as real to us as though we actually had the confirming or substantiating paperwork proving that what we are believing for is actually ours! Romans 10:17 tells us how to get this faith!

17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. KJV

AMEN! The ONLY way to develop the kind of faith that will be able to move mountains (Mark 11:23) is to continually and consistently 'hear' the Word concerning your particular mountain. How much is enough? When you begin to know that you know that you know that it belongs to you, then hear a little more and start speaking into being what you are praying for! Thank and praise the Lord for what He has done, even before you see it, because THAT is how faith operates! Romans 4:16-17:

16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickens the dead, and calls those things which be not as though they were. KJV

So, keep going after that 'title deed' for what you need! When the faith rises, speak it out and stand steadfast and you WILL see the manifestation of it! It takes WORK and it takes PATIENCE, but the end results are well worth it! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Faithfulness":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Gloria Copeland has an excellent message in today's "From Faith To Faith " devotional!

The cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless. Mark 4:19 The Amplified Bible

Did you know that the seemingly innocent things in your everyday life can suffocate your spiritual life if you allow it? A friend of mine said the Lord told her in prayer one day that this nation had become a nation of maintenance men. You have so many things to maintain, He told her. You maintain your house. You maintain your car, your yard, your machines, your hair....

It’s true. You can become a maintainer of so many natural things that you don’t have any time left to maintain your own spirit! When you find yourself in that situation, it’s time to simplify your life. I’ve had to learn that myself. Now when I’m considering something I think I need, I don’t just count the cost in dollars and cents. I think about how much time it will take to maintain it. I check to see if I can spiritually afford it.

Second Timothy 2:4 tells us not to get entangled in the affairs of this life. One thing I’ve learned over the last 45 years: Nothing is as important as spending time in prayer and in the Word with the Father. Absolutely nothing in my life is as vital as that.

AMEN! Pastor Bill Novak of The Spoken Word Church has shared many times over the years that some have come for prayer and counseling to receive healing, a job, a better job with better benefits, or any number of other needs. He has taught them the Word of God and how to operate in faith for what they needed. They became diligent in the Word until their faith became strong and the favor of God brought into their lives what they had been believing for. After a time, the job, the things that were able to be purchased with the financial prosperity, the GOOD things that God blessed them with, began to take priority over the Word of God, fellowship with God and their local church. If they did not make the necessary adjustments, they soon lost what God had blessed them with, and even more than they had before! Many left church and the Word and went back into the world and its ways! Be diligent to count the cost before you add THINGS into your life! Maintain your 'First Love' at all costs! You DO want to hear "Well done, good and faithful servant" one day, AND to enjoy God's presence and purpose here, in this life! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "One Thing":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers speaks of a TRUTH that even many born again believers do not really understand! Here is a portion of it: 

The simplicity that is in Christ. — 2 Corinthians 11:3

Simplicity is the secret of seeing things clearly. A saint does not think clearly for a long while, but a saint ought to see clearly without any difficulty. You cannot think a spiritual muddle clear, you have to obey it clear. In intellectual matters you can think things out, but in spiritual matters you will think yourself into cotton wool. If there is something upon which God has put His pressure, obey in that matter, bring your imagination into captivity to the obedience of Christ with regard to it and everything will become as clear as daylight. The reasoning capacity comes afterwards, but we never see along that line, we see like children; when we try to be wise we see nothing (Matthew 11:25).

What he is saying here is that if we try to understand the Word of God with our minds without committing to obey that Word, the Word will remain unclear. Kenneth E, Hagin gave the example from his own life of  rejoicing in the revelation he was receiving from the Word of God every day, UNTIL he came to the instruction to not worry. He laughed that off as impossible for him because he had always been the greatest worrier! From that moment on the Word began to be dry and lifeless to him. When he asked the Lord about this he was told to go back to his last act of obedience. When he did, and repented of deciding that he couldn't obey, committing to NOT worry, with the help of Holy Spirit, then the Word again came alive to him! We have the instruction to meditate the Word of God in Joshua 1:8:

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

Notice that the meditation of the Word (reading, hearing, speaking, pondering, imagining) is for the purpose of seeing (observing) how you can obey it! When we DO the Word we understand, greater Wisdom and understanding will result, layer upon layer! THAT is how we are able to make our way prosperous (being in control of our lives and not under the control of others), to deal wisely in every area, and have GOOD success! Remember, true success is being WHERE God wants you to be, doing WHAT He wants you to do! It all comes through a combination of prayer, praise and worship, study and meditation of God's Word and simple and prompt obedience to it! AMEN! Let's get busy being DOERS of the Word! Here is Hillsong United with one of my favorite songs called "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

The MOST important decision for anyone to make is the decision to receive JESUS as Lord and personal Saviour. The SADDEST thing that I have found among born again believers is the fact that MANY have little to no idea of what actually happened in them at the very moment of their decision! Kenneth E. Hagin has covered this very well in today's "Faith Food" devotional!

New Creation

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature [creation]: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17). 

I'm glad I'm a new creature. I was only fifteen when I was born again, but I remember exactly what happened. Something took place inside of me. It seemed as if a two-ton load rolled off my chest. Not only did something depart from me, but something came into me! 

The moment you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and confessed Him as your Lord (Rom. 10:9-10), you, too, were recreated. 

At that moment, the redemption which Jesus provided two thousand years ago became a reality to you. At that instant, the very life and nature of God were imparted to your spirit. You were recreated - born again! 

The New Birth is not an experience. It is not a religion. It is not joining a church. It is the re-birth of your spirit. 

When you were born again, old things passed away. In the sight of God, all sin and all of your past life were blotted out. All you had been - spiritually speaking - was blotted out. It ceased to exist. And you became a new man in Christ Jesus. God sees nothing in your life before the moment you were born again! 

All things inside you became new. Your spirit was recreated. You passed from death unto life (1 John 3:14)! 

Confession: I am a new creature in Christ. I am a new creation. I am recreated. The life and nature of God are within me. I have passed from death unto life! I am a new creature! 

AMEN! Never again say "I'm just an old sinner, saved by Grace". You WERE a sinner! Once you were 'saved by Grace', you became a SAINT! A saint is not some extraordinary person who has done 'good things'. A true New Testament saint is someone who has become new creature in Christ! A completely reborn human spirit, born in the image of GOD Himself! MADE the Righteousness of God, NOT by doing righteous or good deeds, but by realizing that we could NEVER be good enough in the eyes of God on our own! The price that MUST be paid for sin is death! Eternal separation from God! JESUS Himself TOOK upon Himself our sin. He BECAME sin with our sin so that we could become righteous with HIS righteousness! Why would He do such a thing? Because He LOVES us and He desires fellowship with those who will WILLINGLY choose HIM! John 3:14-18:

14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must [so it is necessary that] the Son of Man be lifted up [on the cross], 15 In order that everyone who believes in Him [who cleaves to Him, trusts Him, and relies on Him] may not perish, but have eternal life and [actually] live forever! 16 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. 18 He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation—he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already [he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ’s name.]

Is there ANY reason that you cannot receive this wonderful free GIFT of SALVATION right now? Pray this prayer, believing:

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

AMEN! NOW you are a NEW CREATION! The old you is dead and gone and the new you is created in the image of Almighty God Himself! NOW you need to renew your soul (mind, emotions and will) every day with the Word of God so that your outer man can become like your new inner man! It takes time, it takes diligence, but the Spirit of God is right there to help you! Get yourself into a good local church that teaches the WORD and learn to grow so that YOU can go out and share this Gospel with others! God's desire is that NONE should perish, be lost and end up in the hell of the Bible! Let's do OUR part in this! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Beneath The Waters: I Will Rise":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do. — John 17:4

Surrender is not the surrender of the external life, but of the will; when that is done, all is done. There are very few crises in life; the great crisis is the surrender of the will. God never crushes a man’s will into surrender, He never beseeches him, He waits until the man yields up his will to Him. That battle never needs to be re-fought.

Surrender for Deliverance. “Come unto Me,…and I will give you rest.” It is after we have begun to experience what salvation means that we surrender our wills to Jesus for rest. Whatever is perplexing heart or mind is a call to the will — “Come unto Me.” It is a voluntary coming.

Surrender for Devotion. “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself.” The surrender here is of my self to Jesus, my self with His rest at the heart of it. “If you would be My disciple, give up your right to yourself to Me.” Then the remainder of the life is nothing but the manifestation of this surrender. When once the surrender has taken place we never need “suppose” anything. We do not need to care what our circumstances are, Jesus is amply sufficient.

Surrender for Death (John 21:18-19). “…another shall gird thee.” Have you learned what it means to be bound for death? Beware of a surrender which you make to God in an ecstasy; you are apt to take it back again. It is a question of being united with Jesus in His death until nothing ever appeals to you that did not appeal to Him.

After surrender — what? The whole of the life after surrender is an aspiration for unbroken communion with God.

Surrendering our will to HIS will is the greatest act of faith that we can perform! When we TRULY believe that God is GOOD, then we will freely accept that everything that He instructs us in His Word to do is for our ultimate well-being and blessing! Do YOU trust Him enough to surrender, fully expecting that what He gives in return will be better than anything that we release to Him? You SHOULD! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "I Surrender":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In Rick Renner's original "Sparkling Gems From the Greek" devotional, he has been covering 1 Corinthians 13. Today he covered verses 4-5. I highly recommend this book, and particularly this teaching! Here is a small portion of what he covered today: 

Charity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly…. — 1 Corinthians 13:4,5

When Paul wrote First Corinthians 13:1, he alluded to “super-spiritual” people in Corinth who boasted of great spirituality but who exhibited very little love in their lives. He said they were like a “sounding brass” and a “tinkling cymbal.”

As noted earlier (see September 9), these particular phrases indicate that these people talked incessantly, annoying and aggravating others with their never-ending, self-consumed chatter. In fact, the words “tinkling cymbal” were the very Greek words used to depict the clashing of cymbals that announced the onset of a war. This gives us the impression that the ceaseless talking and bragging of these “super-spirituals” often made their listeners fighting mad!

Could this be the reason Paul makes his fourth point on the characteristics of agape by saying that love “…vaunteth not itself…”? The word “vaunteth” has lost its meaning in today’s vernacular, but in Greek it is very powerful! This word comes from the Greek word perpereuomai, which means a lot of self-talk. In other words, it describes a person who endlessly promotes himself and exaggerates his own virtues. His self-promotion is so outrageous that he is usually prone to exaggeration that borders on lying. One Greek scholar has said that the word perpereuomai pictures a person who is full of hot air. Another expositor has said this word refers to a windbag!

The word “vaunteth” is Paul’s strong warning to let us know:

“…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.…”

As Rick covers these 'love' verses, he takes them apart, verse by verse, and explains the word meanings in clear language of today so that we can put it into practice for ourselves! He has put together an expanded, interpretive translation that I LOVE! Here are verses 4-5:

“…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….”

Please check out the rest of these from his website or, better yet, get Sparkling Gems for your own personal study! You'll be blessed! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "Real Love":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 55:1-3a is an invitation for us to partake of the 'food' that money cannot buy! 

1 Wait and listen, everyone who is thirsty! Come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Yes, come, buy [priceless, spiritual] wine and milk without money and without price [simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing]. 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [the profuseness of spiritual joy]. 3 Incline your ear [submit and consent to the divine will] and come to Me; hear, and your soul will revive;

The Message Bible makes this even more clear and simple!

 "Hey there! All who are thirsty, come to the water! Are you penniless?
Come anyway — buy and eat! Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk.
Buy without money — everything's free!  2 Why do you spend your money on junk food,
your hard-earned cash on cotton candy? Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best,
fill yourself with only the finest.  3 Pay attention, come close now,
listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words.


The 'food' that comes freely from God, His Word, is the most important life-giving force that there is! When Martha wanted Jesus to tell Mary to get busy with housework instead of listening to Him teach, Jesus replied in this way in Luke 10:41-42:

41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. KJV

The ONLY needful thing in the life of a believer is spending time in fellowship with HIM, through His Word, praise and worship, prayer and simple one-on-one communion with Him! When we don't choose the Word, as Mary did, then we will hear this that the Hebrews heard from Paul in Hebrews 5:11-14:

11 Concerning this we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have become dull in your [spiritual] hearing and sluggish [even slothful in achieving spiritual insight]. 12 For even though by this time you ought to be teaching others, you actually need someone to teach you over again the very first principles of God’s Word. You have come to need milk, not solid food. 13 For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]! 14 But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law.

The Message Bible, again, makes things a little clearer, especially going on in to Hebrews 6:1-3:

11 I have a lot more to say about this, but it is hard to get it across to you since you've picked up this bad habit of not listening. 12 By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one — baby's milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago! 13 Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God's ways; 14 solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong. 

6 So come on, let's leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on "salvation by self-help" and turning in trust toward God; 2 baptismal instructions; laying on of hands; resurrection of the dead; eternal judgment. 3 God helping us, we'll stay true to all that. But there's so much more. Let's get on with it! 


AMEN! So, let's receive the exhortation, AND correction, where necessary, and move on up to the higher levels of Wisdom, knowledge and understanding of the Word of God so that we may become increasingly more effective Ministers of LIFE! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Here is a great instruction and exhortation for you today! Psalm 70:4:

4 May all those who seek, inquire of and for You, and require You [as their vital need] rejoice and be glad in You; and may those who love Your salvation say continually, Let God be magnified! AMP

The Amplified Bible does a great job, above, on the word 'seek'! The word 'rejoice' is the Hebrew word "suws". which means: to be bright, cheerful, to DISPLAY joy! Guess what! This is NOT something that you do in the quietness of your own heart! DISPLAY means this can be seen (and heard) by others! Along with this we are told to 'be glad'! This is the Hebrew word "samach", which means: to brighten up, be gleesome! It also means this: usually refers to a spontaneous emotion or extreme happiness which is expressed in some visible and or external manner. It does not normally represent an abiding state of wellbeing or feeling. The emotion represented in the verb is sometimes accompanied by dancing, singing, and playing musical instruments. Now add this to that: (1) a spontaneous, feeling of jubilance (jubilation), (2) a feeling so strong that it finds expression in some external act, and (3) a feeling prompted by some external and unsustained stimulus. In other words, when WE pursue HIM as our vital necessity, THESE are the expected results. If we are not experiencing, and displaying, these results, then most likely we are NOT really pursuing Him VITALLY! Let's make the necessary adjustments in our own personal lives so that HE shines forth from us as the LIGHT that draws all mankind to HIM! AMEN! ONE way to begin to do this is to spend more time in His Word! Hebrews 4:12: 

12 For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.

In those times when you 'feel' as though you have missed it, remember, and DO, this from Hebrews 4:15-16:

15 For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning. 16 Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].

AMEN! There is no reason for any born again believer to spend one moment out of fellowship with the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! We have the privilege, the right and the exhortation to do so! Let's GO! Here is Hillsong United with "GO":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I LOVE today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers! As you read this, remember that Jesus FULLY paid the price for our redemption - ONCE and for ALL! One time, for all people, for all of time! The only thing left to do is to believe and receive! BUT, until we leave this earth for Heaven, we will each still have to deal with our flesh nature that does NOT automatically desire to do right! This is what he is addressing here! 

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. — 2 Corinthians 10:5

Determinedly Demolish Some Things.

Deliverance from sin is not deliverance from human nature. There are things in human nature, such as prejudices, which the saint has to destroy by neglect; and other things which have to be destroyed by violence, i.e., by the Divine strength imparted by God’s Spirit. There are some things over which we are not to fight, but to stand still in and see the salvation of God; but every theory or conception which erects itself as a rampart against the knowledge of God is to be determinedly demolished by drawing on God’s power, not by fleshly endeavour or compromise (2 Corinthians 10:4).

It is only when God has altered our disposition and we have entered into the experience of sanctification that the fight begins. The warfare is not against sin; we can never fight against sin: Jesus Christ deals with sin in Redemption. The conflict is along the line of turning our natural life into a spiritual life, and this is never done easily, nor does God intend it to be done easily. It is done only by a series of moral choices. God does not make us holy in the sense of character; He makes us holy in the sense of innocence, and we have to turn that innocence into holy character by a series of moral choices. These choices are continually in antagonism to the entrenchments of our natural life, the things which erect themselves as ramparts against the knowledge of God. We can either go back and make ourselves of no account in the Kingdom of God, or we can determinedly demolish these things and let Jesus bring another son to glory.

When we receive Jesus as Lord and personal Savior, we become members of God's family, and that relationship cannot be dissolved! When we miss it, we don't cease to be a member of God's family, we simply get out of fellowship and out of the flow of communion, and communication, with HIM! HE did not move, we did! Now we must restore that fellowship by being DOERS of 1 John 1:9, receiving His forgiveness and the cleansing from all that is not righteous before Him! Once we do that, fellowship is full and real again! Press in! BE who God made you to be - IN HIM! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "Heart Like Heaven":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" for today contains another very simple, yet extremely important, Truth that every born again believer must know in order to walk in the authority that has been given to us as members of the Body of Christ!

"Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet [able] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power [authority] of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood" (Col. 1:12-14). 

Darkness is the kingdom of Satan. And in that word "darkness" is everything Satan is. 

Light is the Kingdom of God. 

By means of the New Birth, you were translated out of the kingdom of darkness - and into the Kingdom of God's dear Son, the Kingdom of God, and the kingdom of light. 

Our Heavenly Father has fitted His children (or made them "meet") to partake of an inheritance - "the inheritance of the saints in light!" 

Part of your inheritance is that God has delivered you out of Satan's authority of darkness, and He has now translated you into the kingdom of His dear Son! 

God has made you meet - He has delivered you - He has translated you. Thank God, you can partake of your inheritance now. Don't relegate it to the future. 

Confession: Thank You, Father. You have made me able to partake of my inheritance now. I am redeemed. I am delivered from the authority of Satan now. I am translated into the kingdom of Your dear Son now. I am a citizen of the kingdom of light. I live in the light. I walk in the light. I am a saint in the light! 

NOT knowing and understanding who we are, and what belongs to us, as children of the Most High God, has robbed believers of so much that God has already blessed us with, HERE, in THIS life (Ephesians 1:3)! Refuse to live below what God has intended for you! Find out what the Word of God says about you, and then walk in it! HE will be glorified, people will be drawn to HIM, and YOU will receive the rewards intended for you! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "When The Fight Calls":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In the first chapter of Hebrews we see answers to all of the arguments of those who refuse to believe in what the world calls the Trinity (that our God is a Triune Being! One God in three distinct Persons!) Let's looks at this chapter:

1 IN MANY separate revelations [each of which set forth a portion of the Truth] and in different ways God spoke of old to [our] forefathers in and by the prophets, 
2 [But] in the last of these days He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order]. 
3 He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God's] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high, 
4 [Taking a place and rank by which] He Himself became as much superior to angels as the glorious Name (title) which He has inherited is different from and more excellent than theirs. 
5 For to which of the angels did [God] ever say, You are My Son, today I have begotten You [established You in an official Sonship relation, with kingly dignity]? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He will be to Me a Son?  [2 Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7] 
6 Moreover, when He brings the firstborn Son again into the habitable world, He says, Let all the angels of God worship Him. 
7 Referring to the angels He says, [God] Who makes His angels winds and His ministering servants flames of fire;  [Ps 104:4] 
8 But as to the Son, He says to Him, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever (to the ages of the ages), and the scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of absolute righteousness (of justice and straightforwardness). 
9 You have loved righteousness [You have delighted in integrity, virtue, and uprightness in purpose, thought, and action] and You have hated lawlessness (injustice and iniquity). Therefore God, [even] Your God (Godhead), has anointed You with the oil of exultant joy and gladness above and beyond Your companions.  [Ps 45:6,7] AMP

We see here two of the separate and distinct Persons within the Godhead! John 17:5 verifies that Jesus was with the Father in Heaven BEFORE He was born into the earth as a human being, capable of sin! He had no sin nature, as we did, but He was still capable of sin (a selfish decision to do things our own way, rather than God's way), or He could not have been tempted as we are (Hebrews 4:15)! Jesus said that Holy Spirit could not be sent from Heaven until HE returned to Heaven (John 16:7)! Now, in our time, God is present on the earth in the Person of Holy Spirit! Study these verses, meditating on them by asking Holy Spirit to teach you. As you do, you will develop complete faith in the Godhead (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), along with a working knowledge of the Word of God and the authority that He has given us through His Word! God's job is then to confirm the Word that WE speak into the earth! He delights in doing so! Amen! Here is Hillsong Worship with "What A Saviour":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 66 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today has some great instructions for us in verses 1-6. Here it is from The Message Bible:

1 All together now — applause for God! 
2 Sing songs to the tune of his glory,
set glory to the rhythms of his praise. 
3 Say of God, "We've never seen anything like him!"
When your enemies see you in action,
they slink off like scolded dogs. 
4 The whole earth falls to its knees — 
it worships you, sings to you,
can't stop enjoying your name and fame. 
5 Take a good look at God's wonders — 
they'll take your breath away. 
6 He converted sea to dry land;
travelers crossed the river on foot.
Now isn't that cause for a song? 

In the KJV translation verse 2 says to MAKE His praise glorious! It is OUR responsibility as children of the Most High God to let our praise of HIM be heard and known so that others will be drawn to Him for Who He is AND for what they need! He IS all they need! AMEN! Then in Mark 16 we read these instruction from Jesus before He ascended to Heaven in verses 15-20:

15 And 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]. 16 He who believes [who adheres to and trusts in and relies on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] and is baptized will be saved [from the penalty of eternal death]; but he who does not believe [who does not adhere to and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] will be condemned. 17 And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; 18 They will pick up serpents; and [even] if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well. 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and He sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied [it]. Amen (so be it).

I have had some people tell me that these verses were not in the earliest manuscripts, therefore we can't quote them. Well, since NONE of us were they to witness the 'earliest manuscripts', how do we KNOW that they were not? We don't! So, what DO we do? We study the rest of Scripture to see if there is any other place where these things were said. Look at John 14:12-14:

12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. KJV

Then, as we go through the Book of Acts, we SEE the early church DOING exactly what Mark 16 tells us to do, with continuous and amazing results, JUST AS JESUS HAD! AMEN! Refuse to get caught up in the questions of people who do not believe! Preach the Gospel, do what Jesus did, and EXPECT the same results that Jesus had! AMEN! THAT is why we are here! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "Tell The World":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Psalm 65 from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today is a bold declaration of the GOODNESS of the God of the Bible!

1 To You belongs silence (the submissive wonder of reverence which bursts forth into praise) and praise is due and fitting to You, O God, in Zion; and to You shall the vow be performed. 2 O You Who hear prayer, to You shall all flesh come. 3 Iniquities and much varied guilt prevail against me; [yet] as for our transgressions, You forgive and purge them away [make atonement for them and cover them out of Your sight]! 4 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You choose and cause to come near, that he may dwell in Your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple. 5 By fearful and glorious things [that terrify the wicked but make the godly sing praises] do You answer us in righteousness (rightness and justice), O God of our salvation, You Who are the confidence and hope of all the ends of the earth and of those far off on the seas; 6 Who by [Your] might have founded the mountains, being girded with power, 7 Who still the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples, 8 So that those who dwell in earth’s farthest parts are afraid of [nature’s] signs of Your presence. You make the places where morning and evening have birth to shout for joy. 9 You visit the earth and saturate it with water; You greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; You provide them with grain when You have so prepared the earth. 10 You water the field’s furrows abundantly, You settle the ridges of it; You make the soil soft with showers, blessing the sprouting of its vegetation. 11 You crown the year with Your bounty and goodness, and the tracks of Your [chariot wheels] drip with fatness. 12 The [luxuriant] pastures in the uncultivated country drip [with moisture], and the hills gird themselves with joy. 13 The meadows are clothed with flocks, the valleys also are covered with grain; they shout for joy and sing together.

Knowing WHO He is AND what He has already provided for us will cause us to operate with a strongly grateful and thankful heart! The first rule in receiving anything from God is to appreciate what He has already done! This Psalm does just that! Spend time meditating on these verses and then begin to write your very own tribute to the God of the Bible for everything that HE means to YOU! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "You Crown The Year":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Catching up tomorrow!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers has a unique way expressing what our attitude SHOULD be towards the THINGS that God has blessed us with: 

Nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord. — 2 Samuel 23:16

What has been like water from the well of Bethlehem to you recently — love, friendship, spiritual blessing? Then at the peril of your soul, you take it to satisfy yourself. If you do, you cannot pour it out before the Lord. You can never sanctify to God that with which you long to satisfy yourself. If you satisfy yourself with a blessing from God, it will corrupt you; you must sacrifice it, pour it out, do with it what common sense says is an absurd waste.

How am I to pour out unto the Lord natural love or spiritual blessing? In one way only — in the determination of my mind. There are certain acts of other people which one could never accept if one did not know God, because it is not within human power to repay them. But immediately I say — “This is too great and worthy for me, it is not meant for a human being at all, I must pour it out unto the Lord”; then these things pour out in rivers of living water all around. Until I do pour these things out before the Lord, they endanger those I love as well as myself because they will turn to lust. We can be lustful in things which are not sordid and vile. Love has to get to its transfiguration point of being poured out unto the Lord.

If you have become bitter and sour, it is because when God gave you a blessing you clutched it for yourself; whereas if you had poured it out unto the Lord, you would have been the sweetest person out of heaven. If you are always taking blessings to yourself and never learn to pour out anything unto the Lord, other people do not get their horizon enlarged through you.

This passage is in reference to the wonderfully bold and completely loyal and unselfish move by three of David's mighty men who, when they heard that David desired a drink of water from the well at the wall of Bethlehem, risked their very lives to go through enemy lines to bring David this water! When David saw what they had done, he poured the water out on the ground as an offering to the Lord because he felt that only the Lord God deserved such devotion! We should each cultivate this type of commitment and submission to the Lord our God! AMEN! After all, HE has NEVER failed us! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Jesus, I Need You":

JESUS,   I NEED YOU

Verse 1

Hope be my anthem Lord, when the world has fallen quiet

You stand beside me, And give me a song in the night

Chorus

Jesus, I need You       Every moment I need You

Hear now, this grace bought heart   Sing out Your praise forever

Verse 2

Beauty for ashes, You find the weak and contrite heart

Shoulder its burdens and carry  it into the light

Chorus

Bridge

Remember love, remember mercy     Christ before me, Christ behind me

Your loving kindness has never failed me   Christ before me, Christ behind me              

   |4x|

Chorus

Bridge

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We are reading Psalm 63 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today. I love this Psalm for the example that David is giving us of how he kept his attitude adjusted during times of testing and trial, trusting in the One, True God to deal with his enemies! Look at verses 1-8:

A Psalm of David; when he was in the Wilderness of Judah.

1 O God, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You; my inner self thirsts for You, my flesh longs and is faint for You, in a dry and weary land where no water is. 2 So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary to see Your power and Your glory. 3 Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.4 So will I bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. 5 My whole being shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips 6 When I remember You upon my bed and meditate on You in the night watches. 7 For You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings will I rejoice. 8 My whole being follows hard after You and clings closely to You; Your right hand upholds me.

David did not pretend that there was no problem. He simply refused to give the problem a place that it did not deserve! We are told all through the Word of God to NOT hold on to fear and worry! {Fret not, Fear not, Be anxious for nothing}. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us this:

7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

That is our New Covenant promise, but David had confidence in God under the Old Covenant that HE would deal with David's enemies! Look at verses 9-11 to see what confidence David had!

9 But those who seek and demand my life to ruin and destroy it shall [themselves be destroyed and] go into the lower parts of the earth [into the underworld of the dead]. 10 They shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a prey for foxes and jackals. 11 But the king shall rejoice in God; everyone who swears by Him [that is, who binds himself by God’s authority, acknowledging His supremacy, and devoting himself to His glory and service alone; every such one] shall glory, for the mouths of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

AMEN! Now that WE have a new and better Covenant (Hebrews 7:22 and 8:6), let's refuse to be intimidated by father of lies and instead be encouraged by the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14 and Revelation 19:16) to move forward with all confidence - IN HIM! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with a powerful song called "Like Incense/Sometimes By Step":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I REALLY love this from Jerry Savelle's devotional for today! 

Set Your Expectations High

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23: 5-6 NKJV).

God wants you to set your expectations in Him as high as you possibly can. He wants to do things in your life that are so extraordinary that some people are not going to believe it. Extraordinary means “remarkable, uncommon and rare.” If you will stand in faith for the extraordinary to come to pass, then the extraordinary will become the norm in your life.

God is good, and He is continually looking for opportunities to express His goodness in your life. It is up to you to position yourself to receive this goodness. The way you do this is by eliminating any wrong thinking that you may have allowed into your life.

Don’t allow yourself to doubt God’s goodness or His love for you.
Don’t question God’s desire to give you good things that you think you don’t deserve.
Don’t limit God by expecting so little from Him.

If you limit God to conventional or usual methods of provision, you will not be in a position to receive from unusual sources. God wants to bless you in ways that are remarkable, uncommon, and rare.

If you don’t expect the extraordinary to happen, your life will remain as it is. However, if you expect God’s goodness and mercy to follow you every day of your life, you will start to see a positive change in your circumstances.

So dare to set your expectations high and see the extraordinary things God will do when you put your faith in Him.

Confession: I choose today to set my expectations solely in God. I refuse to doubt, question, or limit God with small thinking. Instead, I expect the extraordinary to be a normal part of my life.

AMEN! Stop limiting the God of the Bible in YOUR life! Refuse to listen to people who do not know the Word and cannot walk in Bible faith! KNOW what belongs to you as a child of the Living God and then surround yourself with like-minded believers who can agree with you for God's very best! Pray for the rest, but stop giving time to those who will only tear down your faith! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with a fun and exciting song called "Real Love":

Shalom in Him!