Shalom,

I felt that I had to share THIS from Jerry Savelle's devotional for today. SOMEONE really needs to see this clearly!

Just Passing Through

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is he man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. Passing through the Valley of [Baca] … (Psalm 84:5-6 AMP)

Psalm 84 talks of a place called the Valley of Baca. The Hebrew meaning of the word baca is “weeping, tears, or misery”—something we can all identify with. While times of sorrow are a certainty in life, the Valley of Baca is not a place where we are to linger. It is not a place where we should establish residence. It is a place that we are to pass through.

I don’t know what you may be going through today; I don’t know the difficult place you may be in. But whatever it is, you don’t have to stay there. You can choose to pass through your valley. Verse 7 of this Psalm 84 goes on to say of those who pass through, “They go from strength to strength [increasing in victorious power].”

Any time I find myself in the Valley of Baca, I purpose to keep my eyes on Jesus and stand firm on the Word of God. I can do this because I know I’m only passing through. I know that when I get to the other side, I’m going to increase in victorious power. Anything Satan may be trying to do to me is only going to add to my glorious testimony—glory to God!

Confession: I am strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. I fix my eyes on Jesus as I stand on the Word of God, knowing that I go from strength to strength, increasing in victorious power.

AMEN! I keep this in mind whenever I confess Psalm 23 over my life and that of my family and loved ones. Verse 4 is what I am specifically referring to:

4 Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me. AMP

Notice that we are NOT supposed to settle down and LIVE in this valley, but to walk on through it! Whatever circumstance or situation you are presently facing, HE has made a way for you THROUGH it to the other side! The place of VICTORY! AMEN! Never settle for an evil report. Never give up before you have the answer! Never quit before you reach the finish line! GOD is, and always has been, the God of VICTORY! So let's GO FOR IT! And then give HIM all the GLORY! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Have you ever noticed how very angry and aggressive people can be when you make a stand on the Word of God? In these recent years the very mention of Jesus, the Bible, Heaven, prayer or creation can set some people off in such a rant that they can't even contain themselves or their emotions! I noticed THIS in today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan in John 17:14:

14 I have given and delivered to them Your word (message) and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world [do not belong to the world], just as I am not of the world.

Jesus, in speaking to the Father, was warning His disciples that the world, influenced and driven by the devil, would hate them every bit as much as they hated Him. Even some of those whom Jesus had previously healed and delivered ended up deserting Him in the end. So I am SURE that Jesus prayed for the Father to hide us all out in some safe place where we wouldn't have to deal with the world's hate, right? NO! THIS is what Jesus prayed in verses 15-18:

15 I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), [just] as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth. 18 Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

WHOA! Not only did Jesus NOT ask that we be hidden in a safe spot away, He actually sent them, and us, out into the world! Just in case you don't think that He was also referring to us, look at verse 20-21:

20 Neither for these alone do I pray [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching, 21 That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me.

No, we are not to live AS the world, but we ARE to be available TO the world so that they can see HIM in and through us! How else will they ever see or ever know that they CAN have eternal life (Romans 10:13-15)? So, don't ever take it personally when people rant and rave at you, simply pray that their eyes be open and that they be blessed according to the Word. That leaves THEM in God's hands and YOU walking in the love that will NEVER fail (1 Corinthians 13:8)! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Tell The World":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's devotional from Jerry Savelle's website was one of the first lessons I learned as a born again believer! It is essential for every believer to know this Truth from the inside out in order to truly be successful and victorious in this life:

Revelation of Righteousness

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

It is impossible to live a victorious Christian life if you are constantly mindful of your sin. If you’re going to live a life of victory, it is essential that you have a revelation of the fact that you are the righteousness of God. To be righteous simply means you have the ability to stand in the presence of your Father God without a sense of fear, guilt, or inferiority—with absolutely no consciousness of sin.

If you’ve made Jesus Christ your Lord, then you already have been made the righteousness of God in Him. In fact, you are as righteous as Jesus is, because He gave you His own righteousness. Perhaps you’ve not yet taken advantage of this revelation, but it is nonetheless true.  Until you have a revelation of your own righteousness in Christ, sin and sickness will reign over you. Satan will maintain the upper hand.

 But the instant you realize you are the righteousness of God in Christ, that you are in right standing with God, the works of Satan in your life are forever destroyed. Fear of your circumstances will be a thing of the past as you face even the most adverse situations with a sense of authority and dominion. Just as Jesus reigns over sickness, death, and the laws of nature, so you can now reign in life in Him.

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

AMEN! You ARE, right now, the Righteousness of God IF you are born again! We have been made righteous with HIS righteousness, not our own, which is as "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6) in the eyes of God! There is nothing good about us except GOD, so fully accept and receive all that He has already done for you! BE who HE has made and called you to be! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "Go", which we CAN do now, IN HIM! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I am sure that most of you have heard someone pray and end the prayer with "in Jesus' Name". Jesus Himself said to pray this way in John 16:23:

23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. KJV

There is so much more involved here, though, than simply saying "in Jesus' Name"! Look at this verse from the Amplified Bible:

23 And when that time comes, you will ask nothing of Me [you will need to ask Me no questions]. I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that My Father will grant you whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]. AMP

What exactly are we doing when we pray in the Name of Jesus? We are acknowledging THIS from Philippians 2:9-11:

9 Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, 10 That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 And every tongue [frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. AMP

We are also acknowledging THIS from Hebrews 1:4:

4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. KJV

HE has received this by inheritance and WE are equal heirs WITH Him! Romans 8:17:

17 And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory. AMP

That means that we, who have received Jesus as Lord and Savior, have as much right to use His Name as He does! HALLELUJAH! When we ask in His Name, we are presenting our Covenant before the Father, and He WILL answer! Prepare yourself, though! Along with this tremendous Blessing, privilege and power comes THIS from John 15:19-21:

19 If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection and would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world [no longer one with it], but I have chosen (selected) you out of the world, the world hates (detests) you. 20 Remember that I told you, A servant is not greater than his master [is not superior to him]. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word and obeyed My teachings, they will also keep and obey yours. 21 But they will do all this to you [inflict all this suffering on you] because of [your bearing] My name and on My account, for they do not know or understand the One Who sent Me. 

Do NOT expect everyone to welcome you or your message, because they didn't all welcome Jesus! But know that you have His protection, provision and safety to come through every situation as MORE than a conqueror (Romans 8:37) and as a carrier of His Light and Life, you have great rewards waiting for you in Heaven! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong with "O Praise The Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today  we read John 14 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Verse 6 is one of the most important verses in the entire Bible! Jesus Himself said this to His disciples, specifically to Thomas, who had asked Him how they could know the way to the place where He was going. 

6 Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.

Jesus is the ONLY way to ever get to the Heaven of the Bible! The Old Testament believers put their faith in the Messiah that they knew was to come because of the promises given to them. Most of them expected a conquering king to come. He DID! Jesus came to conquer sin and death and the enemy of our souls, satan! He accomplished it all when He died in our place and rose again from the dead, guaranteeing that anyone and everyone believing in and receiving Him as Lord and personal Savior would one day rise with Him. He IS the WAY! have YOU received Him yet? If not, I invite you to pray this prayer and know for certain that you have Heaven as YOUR home when you leave this earth! 

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 have found THE WAY! Now get into a good local church and dive into the Word of God so that you can, in turn, lead others to "THE WAY"! Here is Hillsong United with "One Way":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

If you ever feel weary or are tempted to think "I can't take it anymore", I would encourage you to read Psalm 136 out loud! It is a wonderful declaration of faith and confidence in the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible and a psalm of praise TO Him! Taking control of your thought life in this way will cause you to view your entire situation in a whole new, and very powerful and positive light! After that, I would encourage you to take to heart THIS from Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's "From Faith To Faith" devotional for today:

And now abides faith, hope, charity (love), these three; but the greatest of these is charity (love). 1 Corinthians 13:13

What do you do when you're facing a particularly stubborn problem? A problem that resists your every effort to solve it? Put the power of love to work on it! The power of love is the greatest power in the universe. It's beyond defeat. It never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8). The Bible says God is love. So when you release love into a situation, you have released God into it. Think about that! When you start releasing love into a situation, Jesus becomes responsible for its success. What is this love I'm talking about?

First Corinthians 13 tells us it's patient and kind. It's not jealous or haughty or conceited or rude. It doesn't insist on its own way. It's not touchy or resentful and it pays no attention to a suffered wrong. Love rejoices when right and truth prevail and it bears up under anything and everything that comes. It's ever ready to believe the best of every person. Its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances and it endures everything without weakening.

The person who refuses to love is missing out on the very best God has to offer. Don't you miss out on any of it. Release love every moment into every situation, every prayer and every thought until it totally consumes your life. It will strengthen you and cast out every fear that has robbed you of God's greater blessings. It will drive the devil out of your affairs and set you free from every torment of darkness. Put love to work on the stubborn problems in your life. It's the one solution they'll never be able to resist.

Love NEVER fails! Making this choice to walk in love puts us in position for the Divine intervention of the Most High God! Galatians 5:6 tells us that our faith works by love. Just as a car "runs" on gasoline, our faith "runs" ONLY on love! Without choosing to walk in love towards everyone, our faith will be inactive and ineffective. So, after you have built yourself up reading Psalml 136, then take a gauge of your own love walk. See what you've been doing right and keep it up! See where you may be lacking and make the necessary adjustments. Once you do that, you cannot fail! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Faithfulness":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

"My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers today has a line that I really like! Here is a portion:

We  have to be so one with God that we do not continually need to ask for guidance. ... When He gives the check, we have to stop at once and be renewed in the spirit of our mind in order to make out what God’s will is. ... “The Lord led me,” and on looking back we see the presence of an amazing design, which, if we are born of God, we will credit to God. We can all see God in exceptional things, but it requires the culture of spiritual discipline to see God in every detail. 

The line that I really love is this: We can all see God in exceptional things, but it requires the culture of spiritual discipline to see God in every detail.

When you and I begin to really recognize the hand of God in every little detail of our lives, our faith in Him and in His Word will grow so strong that NOTHING will seem impossible to us! THAT is what HE is waiting for! AMEN! Notice that Jesus said THIS in Mark 11:23:

23 Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him.

We MUST meditate on the Word of God so that the understanding can come and then WE will dare to believe that what Jesus said about us is exactly what He meant to say! It is TRUTH! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with the title song from their new album "Open Heaven/River Wild":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In Mark 12:30 Jesus Himself gave us this command:

30 And 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.

The MOST important commandment for us to obey is THIS one! When we do this, every other area of our lives will fall right into place! I want to share a portion of today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers:

We have to get out into faith in Jesus Christ continually; not a prayer meeting Jesus Christ, nor a book Jesus Christ, but the New Testament Jesus Christ, Who is God Incarnate, and Who ought to strike us to His feet as dead. Our faith must be in the One from Whom our experience springs. Jesus Christ wants our absolute abandon of devotion to Himself. We never can experience Jesus Christ, nor ever hold Him within the compass of our own hearts, but our faith must be built in strong emphatic confidence in Him.

It is along this line that we see the rugged impatience of the Holy Ghost against unbelief. All our fears are wicked, and we fear because we will not nourish ourselves in our faith. How can any one who is identified with Jesus Christ suffer from doubt or fear! It ought to be an absolute psalm of perfectly irrepressible, triumphant belief.

Loving HIM with everything within us will require spending time in His presence, getting to REALLY know Him! Every person in your life that you know well required that same commitment from you. How much more should we all invest in knowing HIM! Remember that Paul said THIS in Philippians 3:10:

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 

There is a price to pay if you really want to know the Lord your God in that way, but the rewards FAR outweigh the const! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "One Thing":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Have you ever been involved in a discussion about who REALLY killed Jesus? I remember when I  was very young thinking how wonderful it would have been if they had NOT killed Jesus because He would still be alive and I could see Him! After I received Jesus as Lord and personal Savior, I would hear that it was the Jews who killed Jesus. Others would say that it was the fault of the Romans. When I realized that He had died for my sins, I thought that I was responsible! Though all of the above were involved, NONE of them were responsible! Look at John 10:17-18:

17 For this [reason] the Father loves Me, because I lay down My [own] life—to take it back again. 18 No one takes it away from Me. On the contrary, I lay it down voluntarily. [I put it from Myself.] I am authorized and have power to lay it down (to resign it) and I am authorized and have power to take it back again. These are the instructions (orders) which I have received [as My charge] from My Father.

THIS is why the religious leaders who had desired to get rid of Jesus could never touch Him before this! NO ONE could TAKE His life! HE alone had the power to lay His life down and until He did that, He would not have died! So WHY would He do that? FOR YOU! Look at Hebrews 12:2:

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. KJV

He did this, in obedience to the Father, so that WE could belong to Him in such a way that the enemy would have no legal hold over us! Adam had dominion over the whole earth, but he gave it up to satan when he disobeyed God in the Garden. JESUS bought it all back when HE, Who was sin-LESS became sin with OUR sin and suffered the penalty for it! Because He did this, WE {who choose Him} are now forever free from that penalty and HE {Who was unlawfully executed for sin He did NOT commit} is forever given that Name that is above every Name, that at HIS Name every knee WILL bow and every tongue WILL confess that HE IS LORD (Philippians 2:10-11)! HALLELUJAH! It was unfailing LOVE and the perfect will of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit that allowed Jesus to suffer the horrendous in order to bring us the GLORIOUS! HALLELUJAH! Have YOU praised Him and thanked Him for so great Salvation (Hebrews 2:3) today? DO IT NOW! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "Unending Love":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

John  9:1-7:

As He passed along, He noticed a man blind from his birth. 2 His disciples asked Him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind? 3 Jesus answered, It was not that this man or his parents sinned, but he was born blind in order that the workings of God should be manifested (displayed and illustrated) in him. 4 We must work the works of Him Who sent Me and be busy with His business while it is daylight; night is coming on, when no man can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the world’s Light. 6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground and made clay (mud) with His saliva, and He spread it [as ointment] on the man’s eyes. 7 And He said to him, Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam—which means Sent. So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

I hope as you read and meditated on this portion of Scripture today that you noticed the MOST important message in it! The MOST important message was NOT how this man came to be born blind, but on what "the works of Him Who sent Me" are! Immediately after Jesus declared that He must do these works, HE HEALED THE MAN! These are the works of God!  THIS is the 'business' of the Father! Remember that the Word of God IS the will of God. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us this:

14 And 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. 15 And 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. AMP

Once you know what the will of God is concerning you and your life and family, then you can boldly and confidently pray the Word and stand strong in faith EXPECTING it to come to pass! What a glorious life He has provided for us to live, HERE and NOW! And SO MUCH MORE in the next life. We will NOT need to fight the fight of faith in the next life, so let's pour ourselves into it now! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Young and Free again with "Say The Word", which is OUR job to do!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read John 8 today in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. I am certain that you have heard the account of the woman "caught in adultery" being brought before Jesus. I have something for you to think about the next time you hear or read this account. John 8:2-6:

2 Early in the morning (at dawn), He came back into the temple [court], and the people came to Him in crowds. He sat down and was teaching them 3 When the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. They made her stand in the middle of the court and put the case before Him 4 Teacher, they said, This woman has been caught in the very act of adultery 5 Now Moses in the Law commanded us that such shall be stoned to death. But what do You say [to do with her—what is Your sentence] 6 This they said to try (test) Him, hoping they might find a charge on which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger.

Of course the very first question any thinking person asks is "where is the man, who had to have also been 'caught in adultery'"? Remember than any REAL "war on women" has been instigated by satan because God said THIS to him in the garden in Genesis 3:15:

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. KJV

So, the man was left and the woman was brought for "judgment" . What did Jesus do? Verses 7-8:

7 However, when they persisted with their question, He raised Himself up and said, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. 8 Then He bent down and went on writing on the ground with His finger.

How many stones were thrown at her by these 'self-righteous' men? Not one! Verse 9:

9 They listened to Him, and then they began going out, conscience-stricken, one by one, from the oldest down to the last one of them, till Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing there before Him in the center of the court.

They all, each individual person, KNEW their own sin! We ALL sin (make selfish decisions to do something our own way, rather than God's way). That's why we needed, or in some cases, still need, a Savior! {If you are that position, please look further down this blog to November 5 to see how to receive Jesus as Lord and personal Savior!} Once we are born again, WHEN we sin, we go to 1 John 1:9 to receive forgiveness and be set free from any and all sin and unrighteousness that we have allowed into our lives! How did Jesus respond to this woman? Verses 10-11:

10 When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you? 11 She answered, No one, Lord! And Jesus said, I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more.

He did NOT condemn her, but neither did He EVER say that now it is okay to do this, or any other sin that the Bible defines. Loving and forgiving does NOT change sin! Adultery is STILL wrong in the eyes of God, but the born again believer can receive forgiveness. Lying, stealing, cheating, murdering (including the unborn) is STILL wrong in the eyes of God, but forgiveness is available for the born again believer! You KNOW where we could go with this, so I will let YOU meditate on that! And no, I am not condoning sin or making it easy for people to sin. There will always be a consequence for continuing in sin. Jesus said this to a man that He had healed in John 5:14:

14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. KJV

What YOU allow into YOUR life will determine the quality of life that you have! No one controls your decisions but YOU! Make wise decisions that line up with God's Word, which IS His will, and have the wonderful results that HE desires for you to have! John 10:10:

10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). AMP

AMEN! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "Back To Life":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" for today is a very basic teaching on faith.

"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth" (Mark 9:23). 
There is just a shade of difference in what you believe when you say it, and when you pray it.  Look again at Mark 11:23 and 24. Jesus didn't say, "Just believe." He told us exactly what to believe. Faith by saying is: "…believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass…" (v. 23). 

When you are believing that those things which you say shall come to pass, then that means they haven't come to pass yet. But keep on believing that those things you said - be sure you've said it - shall come to pass. I always keep saying right in the face of contradictory circumstances, "It shall come to pass." What will happen then? "…He shall have whatsoever he saith." Sooner or later you shall have it! 

Faith by praying is: "…When ye pray, believe that ye receive them…" (v. 24). You must believe when you pray, not after you pray or next week. But when you pray - that very moment - believe. Believe what? Believe that you receive your requests. Begin to say, "I believe that I receive." And what will happen? "…Ye shall have them!" 

Yes, the having will come, but the having doesn't come first. Believing comes first; then the having follows. 

Confession: I am a believer. When I pray, I believe that I receive. When I say, I believe that what I say shall come to pass. 

AMEN! What YOU receive of the promises of God depends only, and completely, on what YOU believe! Spend time every day studying the Word of God to find what belongs to YOU as a born again child of the Living God! Once you find those promises, then begin to meditate on them daily so that they become a part of you. THAT is where faith comes from. THEN you can believe and, whether you pray or say, you WILL have it! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong with "I Believe":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to remind of something that we can sometimes forget in the midst of tests, trials and persecutions. Hebrews 13:5-6:

5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  6 So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"  NKJV

Here it is from the Amplified Bible:

5 Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]  [Josh 1:5.] 6 So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?  AMP

AMEN! From the best places to the worst places, where YOU are, HE IS! AMEN! As a born again child of the Living God, you could NOT escape His presence if you tried (Psalm 139:7-10)! We have also been promised a way of escape from every situation (1 Corinthians 10:13)! Don't fall into the trap of comparing your situation with that of anyone else. God's Word is TRUTH, whether people understand and choose to walk in it or not! Realize that you do NOT know the intimate circumstances of another person's life. Only the God of the Bible knows the whys of another's successes and failures. These are NOT our business. OUR business is attending to what HE has called us to! Here is Hillsong Worship with another song from their new album. This one is called "Here With You":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "From Faith To Faith" by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland is a very good exhortation to keep ourselves always ready to make our stand on the Word of God and the promises of our Covenant with Him.

Blessed is the man that fears the Lord, that delights greatly in his commandments.... He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. Psalm 112:1 & 7

The man who makes a habit of delighting in God's Word will have a heart that's fixed! He can make it through disastrous situations without losing his balance. His mind's made up before he ever gets to the disaster. He's victorious before he ever gets there. A person like that is hard to whip!

The sad thing is that most believers wait until the disaster hits before they start trying to establish themselves on the Word. They wait until their back is against the wall. Then, suddenly, they get real spiritual and start fasting and praying...and all too often they find they've started too late.

That's like a guy who finds out a burglar is in his house and then starts looking for the barbells, so he can build up enough muscle to throw the burglar out. He's not going to make it! If he'd been working out instead of watching television every night, he'd have been ready. But as it is, he's headed for a painful defeat.

Be ready before the devil breaks into your house. Get your heart fixed. Turn off the television. Turn off the distractions of the world and turn on the Word. The time to start establishing yourself on it is right now!

AMEN! Remember that "preparation time is NEVER wasted time"! The time you spend in daily study & mediation of the Word; daily praise, thanksgiving and worship; daily prayer and communion with HIM ; and daily fellowship with like-minded believers will put YOU in position to be MORE than a conqueror in EVERY situation. Don't you think that those results are definitely worth your time? YES! Here, to encourage you in that, is a new song by Hillsong Worship called "In God We Trust":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I hope that THIS from Jerry Savelle's website devotional for today inspires you to fight for everything that belongs to you as a born again child of the Most High God!

Fight For What Is Yours

And the devil said to Him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’” (Luke 4:3-4 NKJV)

What bread is for your body, God’s Word is for your spirit. It is through His Word that you come to know who you are in Christ Jesus. Once this becomes revelation to you, no one can ever take it away. When you know who you are in Christ, your days of weakness and defeat are over.

The devil will always try to challenge the revelation of who you are, just as he tried with Jesus. But, just as Jesus did, you can boldly declare to the devil, “It is written!” He cannot steal from you any longer. Tell him, “You’ve defeated me or the last time. I’m entitled to be blessed. I’m entitled to health. I’m entitled to prosperity. You’re not stealing from me any longer!”

Although the devil is a worthy opponent, he is a defeated foe. Jesus has already defeated him. He has been stripped of his authority and power. You, however, are a world overcomer. You are no longer a loser; you are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. All you have to do is shake your Bible at the devil and declare, “It is written, I am more than a conqueror in Jesus name!”

Confession: I know who I am in Christ. I am a new creation. I am the righteousness of God. I am a joint heir with Jesus. I am more than a conqueror. I am a world overcomer, and from this day forward I am a winner!

I want to share one thing that may help you in your quest to understand the Word of God better. Where Jerry says that the Word of God is food for your spirit, what it really means is food for your soul! Remember that we are triune beings. We ARE spirits, who HAVE souls (mind, emotions and will) and we LIVE in these physical bodies (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Our born again spirits have been recreated in the image of God (2 Corinthians 5:17) and they do not NEED food! It is the soul that is desperately in need of nourishment! THIS comes from hearing and meditating on the Word of God (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2; Joshua 1:8). Your born again spirit, as led by the Spirit of God Who lives IN you, will ALWAYS agree with the Word of God and the Spirit of God. It is the soul that must be "fed" the Word so that understanding will come and we can make those right decisions that lead to the life that God desires us to live (John 10:10 AMP)! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "All My Hope":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I have always thought it rather funny when denominational people who call themselves Christian separate themselves from "those born agains"! They don't really understand that unless you ARE "born again" you are NOT a Christian! Proof? John 3:3 & 7:

3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'  NKJV

Jesus said this! That means that it is pretty important for us to find out what He means and to obey this instruction! Here are these verses from the Amplified Bible:

3 Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God. 7 Marvel not [do not be surprised, astonished] at My telling you, You must all be born anew (from above).

He tells us in verse 8 that being born again is being born "of the Spirit". That means that the New Birth is the work of the Spirit of God. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us this:

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. KJV

So how does someone get to be born again? Look at Romans 10:9-10:

9 Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation.  AMP

Have YOU done so yet? If you have, then you ARE born again! If you have not, is there any reason you can't do so right now? Pray THIS prayer with me right now, believing in your heart, and know beyond doubt that you ARE a born again child of the Most High God! 

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 need to get yourself into a good, solid local church where the entire Word of God is taught so that you can grow in an environment of unconditional love and support! The Spoken Word Church is such a church! If you are in our area, I invite you to come! If you are not, then contact us through the link to our website on the left and let us help you find one in your area. And NOW, if you overhear someone mocking the "born agains", you can let them know that you ARE, and that they had better be! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with  a great song called "Alive":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Of all the "deep teaching" we could hear, THIS from Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" for today is a foundational teaching for anyone truly desiring to grow up in the Word and in faith.

"Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth"(Prov. 6:2). 

Many Christians blame certain things on the devil, when actually they are taken captive by the words of their own mouths. One writer expressed it this way: 

You said you could not - and the moment you said it you were whipped. You said you did not have faith - and doubt rose up like a giant and bound you. You are imprisoned with your own words. You talked failure, and failure held you in bondage. 

Our words dominate us. That's what Jesus was saying in Mark 11:23: "...he shall have whatsoever he saith." 

Never talk failure. Never talk defeat. Never acknowledge for one moment that God's ability or power cannot put you over. If you do talk failure or defeat, you are acknowledging that God cannot and has not put you over in life. But thank God, He can! And He has! If you will believe right and talk right, you will walk in the reality of it! 

Confession: I refuse to talk failure. I refuse to talk defeat. God puts me over in life.

We can be prayed over, prophesied over, encouraged, exhorted, taught, mentored and shown by living example how the Word of God works, but until we change the words that come out of our very own mouths, we will never see the fullness of the provision of our new and better Covenant! WE can have what WE say, and we do! Look at Proverbs 18:20:

20 A man’s 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].

While it is true that only faith-filled words will produce a harvest, do you remember where faith comes from? Look at Romans 10:17:

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

Faith comes by hearing (and hearing and hearing)! Faith in the Word of God comes by hearing the Word of God over and over again. Faith in something negative comes from hearing something negative, over and over again. It has been said that we believe what we hear ourselves say over what we hear others say. So, if YOU are continually SAYING something contrary to the Word of God, THAT is what you must be satisfied with, because THAT is what you will have faith for! Once you find something in the Word of God that belongs to you, refuse to even speak of anything contrary! Continue to speak the Truth to yourself, over and over, until it becomes more real to you than anything you see or feel. HE is waiting for your faith filled WORDS to confirm in your life. AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 124 is another of the psalms that were sung by the Jewish people heading for Jerusalem to celebrate the Feasts. {WE call them feasts, but to the Jews they are known as "Moeds", or divinely appointed times.} Here is this Psalm:

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

1 If it had not been the Lord Who was on our side—now may Israel say— 2 If it had not been the Lord Who was on our side when men rose up against us, 3 Then they would have quickly swallowed us up alive when their wrath was kindled against us; 4 Then the waters would have overwhelmed us and swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us; 5 Then the proud waters would have gone over us. 6 Blessed be the Lord, Who has not given us as prey to their teeth! 7 We are like a bird escaped from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped! 8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

They were reminding themselves of the promises of their God to preserve and protect them when they followed Him! At this present time, almost every Islamic group is calling for the total annihilation of the nation of Israel. They are lying by claiming that Muslims have prior claim to Israel when the God of the Bible gave this land to the Jewish people long before Muhammad was even born. In fact, Muhammad formed Islam as a religious entity, a political entity and a civil or cultural entity by combining aspects of Judaism, Christianity and other elements during the 600 AD period. THIS is the promise of God given through the prophet Amos at about 760 BC {yes, almost a thousand years BEFORE Muhammad!}. Amos 9:14-15:

4 I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel,
    and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine,
    and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.
15 I will plant them on their land,
    and they shall never again be uprooted
    out of the land that I have given them,”
says the Lord your God.

THIS is the time being spoken of! Since Israel was again declared a nation in 1948, Jews from every part of the world have been coming back to the land that the God of the Bible had given them. NO nation or people will EVER be able to remove them from the land again! WHEN they try, they will find themselves fighting against the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible and His mighty hosts! Guess who will win THAT fight! Don't get caught on the wrong side of this issue. If you do, YOU will also be on the wrong side of God Himself! What SHOULD you do instead? Agree with the God of the Bible and pray for the peace and prosperity of the nation of Israel and her capital city of Jerusalem! {Psalm 122:6-9; Genesis 12:3} AMEN! Here is Lamb with one of my favorite of their songs, "Dancing In Jerusalem":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

If you love Me, ye will keep My commandments. John 14:15

Our Lord never insists upon obedience; He tells us very emphatically what we ought to do, but He never takes means to make us do it. We have to obey Him out of a oneness of spirit. That is why whenever Our Lord talked about discipleship, He prefaced it with an IF — you do not need to unless you like. “If any man will be My disciple, let him deny himself”; let him give up his right to himself to Me. Our Lord is not talking of eternal positions, but of being of value to Himself in this order of things, that is why He sounds so stern (cf. Luke 14:26). Never interpret these words apart from the One who uttered them.

The Lord does not give me rules, He makes His standard very clear, and if my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without any hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love some one else in competition with Him, viz., myself. Jesus Christ will not help me to obey Him, I must obey Him; and when I do obey Him, I fulfil my spiritual destiny. My personal life may be crowded with small petty incidents, altogether unnoticeable and mean*, but if I obey Jesus Christ in the haphazard circumstances, they become pinholes through which I see the face of God, and when I stand face to face with God I shall discover that through my obedience thousands were blessed. When once God’s Redemption comes to the point of obedience in a human soul, it always creates. If I obey Jesus Christ, the Redemption of God will rush through me to other lives, because behind the deed of obedience is the Reality of Almighty God.

*mean: as used here, something or someone ordinary, common, low, or ignoble, rather than cruel or spiteful.

Remember that 1 Samuel 15:22 tells us that to obey is BETTER than to sacrifice! Our obedience to the Word of God and the Spirit of God will put us in the best possible position to walk in that abundant fullness of life that is promised in John 10:10:

10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). AMP

Let's renew our commitment to love the Lord our God with everything that is within us, being DOERS of His Word. He will be pleased and WE will be blessed! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Faithfulness":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Anyone who actually studies the Word of God and gives the Word top priority in their lives are left with absolutely no doubt who the city of Jerusalem belongs to! Look at Psalm 122:1-4:

1 I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord! 2 Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!— 3 Jerusalem, which is built as a city that is compacted together— 4 To which the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed and as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. 5 For there the thrones of judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David.

This Psalm was written by David and was sung by the Jewish people as they made their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feasts of God. When you encounter a person who claims to be a Christian but still says that God is finished with the Jews or that anyone else has a legitimate claim to Jerusalem as their capital, then you have found a person who does NOT know the Word of God! Refuse to accept any "theory" (a supposition based on ignorance of the subject at hand) that is contrary to the Word of God. What are we supposed to do in the face of such a contradiction to the Word of God? Verses 6-9 tell us exactly what to do!

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they prosper who love you [the Holy City]! 7 May peace be within your walls and prosperity within your palaces! 8 For my brethren and companions’ sake, I will now say, Peace be within you! 9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek, inquire for, and require your good.

Pray! Pray for the peace and prosperity of the nation of Israel and it's capital city of Jerusalem! Pray for their protection, provision and safety. Pray that the people of Israel will come to know Jesus (Yeshua) as their Messiah and Lord! YOU will be in God's perfect will and HE will reward your obedience! AMEN! You also have THIS promise from 3 John 2 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today!

2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers.

Putting the Word of God as your top priority and final authority will cause you to have a prosperous soul! Everything else falls into place! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with another new song called "In God We Trust":

Shalom in Him!