Shalom,

I was really blessed today with the devotional on our Spoken Word Church website. Here it is:

Embrace True Prosperity

Don't misunderstand prosperity. Your future depends on it. Let's define it. Prosperity is simply having enough of God's provisions to complete His instructions for your life. Prosperity increases your ability to bless others.

"Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers." (3 John 1:2)

"Prosper" here is the Greek word "eudoo", which means:  to succeed in reaching, to grant a prosperous and expeditious journey, to help on one's way. I especially like this from The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: to lead on a good path, to bring to a good conclusion, and this special note {probably because this is a less secular term and carries the thought that all health and success, both material and spiritual, depend on God}! AMEN! HE desires that we be prosperous! WE should desire that also! It is only when our own obligations are met that we can be free to help others, whenever He brings them to mind or directly into our lives. Learn to prosper in every area by prospering your soul (mind, emotions and will) first! Right thinking is of utmost importance in this walk with God in our new and better Covenant! If you don't know what belongs to you, and how to appropriate it, you will never walk in the fullness of it in this life. AND, it will never be God's fault! Choose THIS day to put His Word first place in your life and BE that Light of HIS Life to those around you! It IS your destiny! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with an older song called "Free":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I encourage you, as you read through the New Testament along with our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan, to pay particular attention to who is speaking and who they are speaking to! ALL of the Word of God is anointed and inspired (2 Timothy 3:16), but how we apply that Word is determined by the answers to these questions! I also encourage you to ask questions yourself about what you are reading. THAT is meditation (Joshua 1:8)! For example, look at Matthew 11:10-11:

10 This is the one of whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, who shall make ready Your way before You. 11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Here Jesus was telling the people that John was the fulfillment of prophecy that one would come who would prepare the way for the Messiah to come. He said not one person who had been born was greater than John, but that EVERYONE born into the kingdom of God was GREATER!  How would they be greater? Under the Old Covenant, which John and Jesus were both born into, ONLY the Prophet, Priest and King were anointed by the Spirit of God. Under our new, and better, Covenant, every single born again believer has been recreated by the Spirit of God, with perfect spirits created in His image. HE lives IN every believer! We HAVE the Spirit of God living IN us, and then we CAN be filled to overflowing with this same Holy Spirit so that we can operate with the wisdom, power, authority and anointing that was also on JESUS! WE can do what HE did, and ever greater things are possible! The way to get in position to walk this out in our lives is found in verse 12:

12 And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize—a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion].

How is YOUR zeal level? How passionate are YOU about the things of God, the Word of God and your intimate fellowship with HIM? You are the ONLY one in your life who can decide that! Let's get to it, so that we can be busy about our Father's business when JESUS comes for us! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Like Incense - Sometimes By Step":

Shalom in him!

Shalom,

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's "From Faith To Faith" for today is very good advice for parents! 

And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. Isaiah 54:13

Too many Christian parents today are wasting time worrying about their children. Years ago, Gloria and I saw the devil trying to get a foothold in our children's lives, so one weekend we got our concordance and four or five translations of the Bible. We began to search out scriptures and write out agreement prayers concerning them. We tore into the devil with the Word of God and started saying, "Thank God, our children are not going to hell. Thank God, they are taught of the Lord and great is their peace!" 

Instead of walking the floor and worrying about the problem, we walked the floor and praised God for the solution. Things didn't change instantly. We still had to go through some tough times, but the Word began to turn things around. Today, our children are serving God with all their hearts.

If your kids are headed for trouble, don't waste time worrying. Start believing! Get the Word working in their lives. Bind the devil with it and tell him he can't have them. Then follow the instructions in Matthew 9:38: "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, the he will send forth laborers" into the field who can reach your children. 

God knows who they'll listen to, and He knows how to bring those people into your children's lives at just the right time. Grab hold of God's Word, refuse to let go where your children are concerned—and sooner or later, that Word will grab hold of them.

AMEN! If you are EVER tempted to think that what you are doing is having no affect, or that your children SEEM to have no interest, I want to encourage you with THIS from Proverbs 22:6:

6 Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.

When we do our part, and then stand in faith, God WILL do His part, in HIS perfect timing!  I am going to add my agreement with yours that it will be SOONER instead of later! Amen! Thank You, Jesus! Here, to encourage you in this, is Hillsong United with "The Stand":

Shalom in him!

Shalom,

In reading about the woman with the issue of blood in Matthew 9 today, I am again reminded of the incredible passion and hunger to receive her healing that caused this woman to disobey the religious laws that forbade her from being in public and from touching anyone. Matthew 9:20-22:

20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment; 21 For she kept saying to herself, If I only touch His garment, I shall be restored to health. 22 Jesus turned around and, seeing her, He said, Take courage, daughter! Your faith has made you well. And at once the woman was restored to health.

Touching the fringe of the garment of Jesus would have been especially forbidden, as this was part of the tallith that religious Jews were required to wear! She was so very bold and so very convinced that He would heal her! And HE did! BUT, His response to her is very important to note! Jesus told this woman that it was HER faith that made her whole, and not the faith of Jesus! Yes, He had the power and authority by the Word of God to heal her, but HER faith in HIM was what caused that healing power to enter her body and completely heal her of this ailment with which she had suffered for twelve years, going through all of her money and continually depleting her body of vital nutrients! She BELIEVED the reports of what Jesus was doing. She MADE HER WAY into His presence. She SAID what she wanted. She dared to reach out, in disobedience to the law, and to touch HIM! She was instantly healed! Now, my question to you, and to myself, is: How desperately do YOU desire those things that the Word of God and our Covenant with Him supplies? Are you willing to put it all on the line to get into the Word of God and meditate on what belongs to you as a child of God? Are you ready and willing to be obedient to what you see in His Word that HE desires YOU to do? Find what the Word says about each situation in your life that concerns you. Meditate on that Word (Joshua 1:8 AMP) until it become so real to you inside that you refuse all doubt! Now speak that promise out of your own mouth and declare it as TRUTH over your body, or anything else that your situation concerns. NOW, receive it because the Word says it belongs to you and EXPECT to see the results show up on the outside that you have seen and received on the inside! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "WAKE", because I am believing that each of you will wake yourself up to the promises that belong to you as a born again child of the Living God!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

As born again believers in Jesus Christ, we MUST understand the authority that we have over all the power of the enemy, so that we can exercise that authority to set people free and point them to HIM! From our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today we read THIS in Matthew 8:5-10:

5 As Jesus went into Capernaum, a centurion came up to Him, begging Him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant boy is lying at the house paralyzed and distressed with intense pains. 7 And Jesus said to him, I will come and restore him. 8 But the centurion replied to Him, Lord, I am not worthy or fit to have You come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant boy will be cured. 9 For I also am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my slave, Do this, and he does it. 10 When Jesus heard him, He marveled and said to those who followed Him [who adhered steadfastly to Him, I tell you truly, I have not found so much faith as this with anyone, even in Israel.

This centurion had no Covenant rights to stand on, but He had faith, trust and confidence in the mercy, love and compassion of Jesus, AND His authority, that he knew that Jesus need only speak a word and sickness, disease, and all the works of darkness MUST obey Him! Do YOU have that kind of faith? It only comes from HEARING the Word (Romans 10:17). When you realize YOU have the same authority, as a born again child of the Living God as Jesus did, then YOU will begin to use that authority in your own life, and in the lives of those who come to you for help! I suggest reading "The Believer's Authority" by Kenneth E. Hagin to assist you in finding out just who YOU are - IN HIM, and what right of authority you have! It is past time to take back what the enemy has stolen and to render him useless against your life! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Children of the Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really LOVE today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers! This is exactly what the Church needs to seek and develop for these last days!

Intimate With Jesus
Have I been so long with you, and yet hast thou not known Me? — John 14:9

These words are not spoken as a rebuke, nor even with surprise; Jesus is leading Philip on. The last One with whom we get intimate is Jesus. Before Pentecost the disciples knew Jesus as the One Who gave them power to conquer demons and to bring about a revival (see Luke 10:18-20). It was a wonderful intimacy, but there was a much closer intimacy to come — “I have called you friends.” Friendship is rare on earth. It means identity in thought and heart and spirit. The whole discipline of life is to enable us to enter into this closest relationship with Jesus Christ. We receive His blessings and know His word, but do we know Him?

Jesus said — “It is expedient for you that I go away” — in that relationship, so that He might lead them on. It is a joy to Jesus when a disciple takes time to step more intimately with Him. Fruit bearing is always mentioned as the manifestation of an intimate union with Jesus Christ (John 15:1-4).

When once we get intimate with Jesus we are never lonely, we never need sympathy, we can pour out all the time without being pathetic. The saint who is intimate with Jesus will never leave impressions of himself, but only the impression that Jesus is having unhindered way, because the last abyss of his nature has been satisfied by Jesus. The only impression left by such a life is that of the strong calm sanity that Our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him.

So many born again believers have tried to alter their lifestyle through determination and will power,  only to get discouraged, depressed and down on themselves because it CANNOT be done! THAT is why Jesus had His disciples wait in the Upper Room until they were "endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:49)! Holy Spirit was given for just that purpose! HE will continue working His "good work" (Philippians 1:6) IN us when WE make it our determined purpose to know Him intimately! Philippians 3:10 AMP tells us that when we get to know HIM intimately, we will, in that same way, get to know the POWER! We will be able to have faith and confidence in Philippians 4:13 because we will KNOW how the power works! Philippians 4:13:

13 I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].

Rather than be discouraged with yourself because of the weakness of your flesh, begin to have intimate fellowship with Him so that HE can continue that work in you that is making you more like Jesus! Remember Zechariah 4:6:

Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, “This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ saith the Lord of hosts.

Get to know Him better so that you can rely on Him and His work IN YOU! YOU will be blessed and HE gets the GLORY! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "I Surrender":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I love that one of the changes made to our original Bible Reading Plan was to read the Book of Job right here, in context of the time in which it occurred. Many of the commentaries about Job have completely missed it concerning the conversation between the God of the Bible and the devil. Job was upright before God and honored God with his life and his possessions. When satan challenged God (access that he no longer has because of the victory that Jesus Christ won over him!), he told God to put His hand against Job and see what Job would do. Job 1:11-12:

11 But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face. 12 And the Lord said to Satan (the adversary and the accuser), Behold, all that he has is in your power, only upon the man himself put not forth your hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.

Contrary to some, God did NOT give permission to the devil to steal everything from Job! God simply revealed the Truth. The devil was the god of this world because of Adam's sin. The devil had access to all that Job possessed. When Job lost everything, he still did not curse or blame God (something many believers need to understand and learn!). Satan returned to challenge God again to hurt Job and God did not. Look at Job 2:7:

7 So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with loathsome and painful sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

Satan is the liar, the killer, the thief, the smoter, the doer of all evil. HE is the source of all evil and WE are the ones who give him permission by our actions and the Words of our mouths. This was true in Job's case as we see in Job 3:25:

25 For the thing which I greatly fear comes upon me, and that of which I am afraid befalls me. AMP

Job operated in the fear that either his children or he himself would do something that would cause these things to happen. He was forever giving sacrifices just in case his children had sinned against the Lord (Job 1:5). Here are some things we really need to learn from this. 

1. God does NO evil to us (John 10:10)!
2. Satan is the one who attacks, hurts, steals, kills and destroys (John 10:10).
3. Fear will open the door to satan and his evil hosts to attack us (1 Peter 5:8; Job 3:25).
4. Standing strong on the Word will always bring us to victory (read the rest of the story) (1 Corinthians 15:7)!
5. God will see to it that we have replaced, multiplied, all that the enemy has stolen (Proverbs 6:31).
6. WE have an even better Covenant than Job had (Hebrews 8:6)!
7. GOD gets all the glory for the good things in our lives (James 1:17)!

Don't be afraid to read the rest of Job's story in expectation! You WILL learn something that you can apply to your own life that will carry YOU through to victory! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Alive In Us":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

"From Faith To Faith" by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland is very good again today!

YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS

...not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. {Philippians 3:9}

I don't care how badly you may have messed things up yesterday or how many mistakes you have made, I want you to begin this day knowing you are righteous! Not because of anything you've done but because you've received, by faith in Jesus, the very righteousness of God. Just look at the kinds of benefits the Word of God says that righteousness will bring:

"The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree" (Psalm 92:12).

"When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices" (Proverbs 11:10).

"The seed of the righteous shall be delivered" (Proverbs 11:21).

"For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers" (1 Peter 3:12).

"For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield" (Psalms 5:12).

"The righteous cry, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles" (Psalms 34:17).

"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" (Psalms 37:25).

"The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever" (Psalms 37:29).

"The Lord loves the righteous" (Psalms 146:8).

Don't let the devil rob you of even one of these blessings by telling you you're unworthy of them. Run him off. Shout out loud, "I am the righteousness of God!" Then step out in faith and enjoy the privileges God has prepared for you!

Understanding who WE are, because of what Jesus has already done for us and in us, is the first step to walking in His authority in the earth so that WE can do those works that He did (John 14:12), bringing glory to His Name! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "No Reason To Hide":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Jerry Savelle's website devotional for today contains another very good, basic Truth that will make your life much simpler to know!

Knowing God

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. (Ephesians 1:17 NKJV)

When you really know and love God, everything else pales in significance. Your love relationship with Him becomes your driving passion, and pleasing Him becomes your greatest desire. The apostle Paul said, 

“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8 NKJV). 

When Paul refers to the knowledge of Christ Jesus, he is not talking about head knowledge. Rather, he is talking about heart knowledge. Having only head knowledge of Jesus makes the life of faith hard and dry; heart knowledge reaches every part of your being and makes living by faith joyful and exciting.

Without knowing God and his character, the Christian walk would be difficult. God wants to be everything to you. He wants to meet your every need. He wants you to know Him:

• He isn’t hard and aloof; He is your loving heavenly Father.
• He isn’t devising trials and tests for you; He is your Comforter.
• He isn’t out to hurt you; He is the lover of your soul.
• He isn’t concerned about your performance; He looks at your heart.
• He doesn’t give you what your sin deserves: He’s the God of abundant grace.
• He doesn’t want you to be just a servant; He longs for you to be His friend and child.

Most of all, God wants you to know that He is good, and His mercy endures forever.

Confession: Father, I ask You to give me today the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You. I believe You are opening my eyes to see more of Your goodness and Your heart of love toward me.

AMEN! Pray this prayer over yourself and others every day and you WILL see changes in the way you think, speak and act. BE the best YOU by knowing HIM more each day! Here, again, is Hillsong Kids with "My Number One":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

The beginning of a new year is always a good time to get back to the basics! Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" for today does just that for the born again believer!

Know You're New

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

Today's text is one of my favorite scriptures. I got ahold of it while I was still a bedfast teenager. And when I came off that bed healed, I told everyone I met, "I am a new creature!" 

Meditate on this verse today, because if you do not understand the truth of what the New Birth is, it will hinder your faith and will keep you from receiving the blessings God intends you to have. The spiritual nature of man, you see, is a fallen nature - a satanic nature. Man received this satanic nature from Satan when Adam sinned. And no man can change his own human nature. But God can! 

When you were born again, something went on inside you - instantaneously! That old, satanic nature went out of you. And the very life and nature of God came into you! God created you as a brand-new creature - a new creation. The man on the inside - the real you, which is a spirit man - has already become a new man in Christ. 

So don't look at yourself from the physical or the natural standpoint. Look at yourself from the spiritual standpoint. See yourself as a new creature in Christ. That's how God sees you! 

Confession: I am a new creature. Old things inside me passed away. All things inside me became new. I have a new life. I have a new nature. I have the life of God! 

AMEN! You are NO LONGER who you were before you received Jesus as Lord and personal Savior! You are NOW a new creation, from the inside out! You have been recreated in the image of Almighty God! It is no longer just you living in they body! The Spirit o f God lives IN YOU! HALLELUJAH! One of the greatest TRUTHS about the born again believer is that they can do ANYTHING, and EVERYTHING, well, if they choose to take advantage of who, and Whose, they are! Philippians 4:13 give us this fantastic promise:

13 I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].

AMEN! Dare to believe that your loving Heavenly Father has already taken care of providing for you in every area! Get into the Word and find out what all belongs to YOU, and use it! Here is Hillsong with "All Things Are Possible":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 2:1-3 shows us that there really is "nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9)!

1 Why do the nations assemble with commotion [uproar and confusion of voices], and why do the people imagine (meditate upon and devise) an empty scheme? 2 The kings of the earth take their places; the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and His Anointed One (the Messiah, the Christ). They say, 3 Let us break Their bands [of restraint] asunder and cast Their cords [of control] from us.

Does this sound familiar? When people come against born again believers, they are actually coming against God Himself (Matthew 25:40). In these times we have leaders of nations, individuals, groups of people, and religions speaking out against, making laws affecting, imprisoning, torturing and murdering Christians in every part of the world. This has always happened to those who dared to follow the One, True, God of the Bible. The entire verse of Ecclesiastes 1:9 says this:

9 The thing that has been—it is what will be again, and that which has been done is that which will be done again; and there is nothing new under the sun.

So, I have shared all of this to encourage you to remember that GOD'S GOT THIS! None of it has taken Him by surprise. The same devil and the same demonic spirits are operating on the earth now that were all the way back to the Garden of Eden. Another thing that never changes is that we, as born again believers in Jesus Christ, have the same power and authority to bind them up and cast them out that Jesus used when He did so! Refuse to be intimidated by this thoroughly beaten foe! Jesus destroyed satan's hold over us and gave us His Name to use in every situation. Dig deep into the Word of God and find out who you are IN HIM, what you have IN HIM and what you can do IN HIM! HE does this concerning them in Psalm 2:4-5:

4 He Who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision [and in supreme contempt He mocks them]. 5 He speaks to them in His deep anger and troubles (terrifies and confounds) them in His displeasure and fury,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Learn to laugh at circumstances and situations that contradict the Word of God. Dare to believe what the Word of God says concerning them. Declare THAT over your life and family and watch HIM confirm His Word with signs, wonders and miracles (Mark 16:20) that will proclaim His greatness and lead people TO Him! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Children of the Light", which WE are!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I LOVE the start of a new year when we begin going through the Bible with our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan again! {Purchase one through our website link on the left, or follow along daily directly from the site.} We have been reading through the Bible with some form of this very plan for over 30 years and I learn something new and inspiring every single day! This is due first of all to the fact that I CHOOSE to! I fully expect to add something new every time I open the Word of God. It is limitless, so make it YOUR goal to begin adding knowledge everyday! I have four words for you to begin this year, and they come directly from our reading in Genesis 1:

1 In the beginning God .. !

Make the One True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible your top priority to begin not just the year, but every day of your life! Make acknowledging Him, speaking to Him, thanking Him and praising Him the very first thing you do the moment you wake up every day and I can guarantee that things will begin to change for you and YOU will never be the same again! 

My next encouragement for you comes directly from our reading in Psalm 1, the first three verses:

1 Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. 2 But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. 3 And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity].

AMEN! If being "Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous and enviable)" isn't enough incentive to obey these verses, then look at the last three (on your own) to see what happens to the lives of those who do not! As for me and mine, we'll concentrate on those wonderful "DOs"! I pray that you will make the choices that will cause you to look back on 2016 as the year that you learned more, grew more in the things of God, walked in more favor, mercy, protection and blessings than ever before, AND reached more people with the Good News of the Gospel! Let's get this year started RIGHT! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with a song that I hope will inspire YOU further in the things of God! It's called "Energy"!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Philippians 4:6 is as much a command from God as any other one that we know about! 

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

Being anxious, fearful, worried, agitated or stressed out about any situation in our lives is NOT God's plan for us! In fact, it IS sin (a selfish decision to act in a way that is contrary to God's Word). Remember, everything that the God of the Bible instructs or commands us to do is out of His incomparable and irresistible love for us, so that we can stay in position to receive all of His wonderful blessings! Verse 7 tells us the result of obeying verse 6!

7 And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

In order to walk in this great peace we will have to make a decision concerning every thought that come TO us! We must receive the thoughts that come from God and reject the thoughts that do not. If it is contrary to the Word of God, then reject that thought and replace it with one that does! I like this quote by Kenneth E. Hagin:

Thoughts may come and persist in staying, but thoughts that are not put into word or action die unborn.

AMEN! Refuse to speak a negative thought and never act on one! Actively replace those thoughts with what the Word of God has to say! Philippians 4:8 covers this very well!

8 For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].

When we do this, THEN we will operate in that wonderful peace of God that will attract the attention of all those without it! Here is Hillsong United with "Prince of Peace":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Anyone who knows me well knows that Philippians 3 is one of my most favorite chapters in the entire Bible, especially verse 10 in the Amplified Bible. But there are a couple of other verses that really lay the groundwork for understanding verse 10! Look first of all at verse 1:

3 For the rest, my brethren, delight yourselves in the Lord and continue to rejoice that you are in Him. To keep writing to you [over and over] of the same things is not irksome to me, and it is [a precaution] for your safety.

First of all, Paul is encouraging them to delight in the Lord, which has THIS as a promise from Psalm 37:4:

4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.

When we delight in Him, then He will put desires in our heart so that HE can fulfill them! What a wonderful promise! Paul then proceeds to explain the "bragging rights" he COULD have in the natural, but reveals his true heart in verses 7-9:

7 But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [one combined] loss for Christ’s sake. 8 Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One), 9 And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law’s demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith.

We should each have it as our own personal goal to get to the point where there is nothing in this life that will EVER become more important that our relationship and fellowship with HIM! When Paul compared all of his earthly accomplishments, things that people strive all of their lives for, to His fellowship with the Lord and truly KNOWING Jesus, He found that the very best things of the world were as rubbish in comparison! Remember that every good thing in your life came from God (James 1:17), but never let those good things take HIS rightful place! AMEN! Here again, to help you remember this, is Hillsong Kids with "My Number One":

Shalom in him!

Shalom,

I really enjoy sharing little nuggets from my Bible Reading Plan and from various devotionals and notes that I meditate on each day. Sometimes, though, I find an entire devotional posting that is important to share all of. Today's devotional from Jerry Savelle's website is one of those.

Free to Enjoy Abundant Life

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they my have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10 NKJV)

Jesus came to set you free from every form of physical, mental, or emotional bondage so that you can experience the enjoyable, rewarding, and satisfying life that has been prepared for you. It is not God’s will that you put up with anything that robs you of this full and blessed life. He is a good God, and He wants you to enjoy your life.

The Bible says, “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36 NKJV). If you are in bondage to any detrimental habit or deadly emotion, Jesus wants to set you free from the power of that thing. He doesn’t want you to be crippled in your emotions, tormented in your mind, or sick in your body. He doesn’t want you bound by insecurity, fear, or sin. He wants you to be free to fulfill the assignment He has for you, and to live the abundant life that belongs to you.

So, how do you get free from bondage? Jesus said, “If you abide in My word … you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31 NKJV).

As you spend time reading and hearing the Word of God, He will show you the truths you need so that you can walk in your freedom. He will expose the hidden lies of the enemy that you have believed, and that have held you in bondage. He will speak to your heart, and His Word will set you free.

Confession: Jesus has set me free from every bondage and evil scheme of the enemy. I receive the life He has already provided for me: a full, blessed, and abundant life.

If there is one thing that we need to get very clear from the Word of God, and our Covenant with Him, it is that WE have a part to play! He has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3), MADE us to be heirs of God and joint (equal) heirs with Jesus Himself (Romans 8:17), declared that WE are MORE than conquerors through Him (Romans 8:37), has declared His desire that we be blessed (3 John 2), shared that His purpose in coming was so that WE may have abundant life (John 10:10 MP), and given us strength to overcome every situation (Philippians 4:13 AMP)! So, TRUST HIM! AMEN! Be a DOERS of all that you see in the Word of God to do and stand back and watch HIM operate on your behalf! HALLELUJAH! Here is an older song by Hillsong called  "Mighty To Save":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "From Faith To Faith" by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland contains another key for walking in the continual Blessing that the God of the Bible, the God of the Covenant, has provided for us:

...I beseech thee, show me thy glory.  Exodus 33:18

You can find that answer in Exodus 33. There Moses is asking God to show him His glory.

Now the word glory could literally be translated "heavy weight." It refers to the heaviest, biggest, grandest thing about someone. It's the sum total of their worth.

So what Moses was actually saying was, "Lord, I want to see the weightiest thing about You. I want to know Your grandest attributes." What did God say to him in response?

Exodus 34:6-7 tells us, "The Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin."

Just think about that! When Moses asked God to show him the most important thing about Himself, God showed him His mercy.

That means if you and I are to imitate God (Ephesians 5:1) we must major in mercy too. Mercy, goodness, forgiveness and compassion must mark our behavior above all else.

Major on mercy and others will see the glory of God in you.

This "mercy" that is spoken of here is the  Hebrew word "checed", which means: goodness, faithfulness, kindness, steadfast love, grace, devotion. Receiving His mercy and then giving His mercy out to others is one of the keys to spiritual growth and to getting your own needs met! Remember, Job's situation was dealt with after he prayed for his friends. HE received way more than he had before! THAT is God's mercy at work! AMEN! here is Hillsong with "Mercy, Mercy":

Shalom in him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food". 

A Father's Part

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof  (Matt. 6:31-34). 

Added to you! Not taken away! That proves that the Father cares for His own. Another translation reads, "Be not therefore anxious for the morrow." You see, God doesn't want His children to be anxious, or to worry. 

In today's passage, God is saying, "Have no worry, no fret, no anxiety. Because I am your Heavenly Father, I know you have need of these things. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." 

That's what God our Father is saying! If God is your Father, you may be assured that He will take a father's place and perform a father's part. You may be certain that if God is your Father, He loves you, and He will care for you. Praise God, I'm glad He's my Father! Is He yours? 

Confession: I do not worry about what I shall eat or drink, or what I shall wear. My Heavenly Father knows I have need of all these things. I have sought first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things are added unto me.

AMEN! We can have full and complete confidence that our God WILL DO what He says He will do WHEN we do OUR part! We are NOT responsible to make it happen. WE are responsible to obey the Word and HE is responsible for the outcome! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "In God We Trust":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I absolutely LOVE today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers! 

If we walk in the light, as He is in the light,…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. — 1 John 1:7
 To mistake conscious freedom from sin for deliverance from sin by the Atonement is a great error. No man knows what sin is until he is born again. Sin is what Jesus Christ faced on Calvary. The evidence that I am delivered from sin is that I know the real nature of sin in me. It takes the last reach of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, that is, the impartation of His absolute perfection, to make a man know what sin is.
The Holy Spirit applies the Atonement to us in the unconscious realm as well as in the realm of which we are conscious, and it is only when we get a grasp of the unrivaled power of the Spirit in us that we understand the meaning of 1 John 1:7, “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.” This does not refer to conscious sin only, but to the tremendously profound understanding of sin which only the Holy Ghost in me realizes.
If I walk in the light as God is in the light, not in the light of my conscience, but in the light of God — if I walk there, with nothing folded up, then there comes the amazing revelation — the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses me from all sin so that God Almighty can see nothing to censure in me. In my consciousness it works with a keen poignant knowledge of what sin is. The love of God at work in me makes me hate with the hatred of the Holy Ghost all that is not in keeping with God’s holiness. To walk in the light means that everything that is of the darkness drives me closer into the centre of the light.

So many times well-meaning Christian parents have unintentionally given their children a sin-consciousness when they SHOULD be training them in being God-inside minded! For the born again believer, sin is no longer the problem! Yes, born again believers still sin, but that sin will never keep us from the Heaven of the Bible! Jesus paid the price for OUR sin by BECOMING sin, when He had none of His own! The sin that Jesus took upon Himself was MINE and YOURS! When He took that from us and  paid the price for sin that was required by the Law, He delivered us FOREVER from that penalty! We no longer have a sin nature! We are recreated in the image of God with HIS nature in us! That is speaking of the spirit man (we ARE spirits, we HAVE souls [mind, emotions and will], and we live in human bodies while on the earth). In our souls and bodies we still must contend with the nature of the flesh which can, and does, still sin. THIS sin will NOT separate us from God! When we understand this TRUTH, then it will become easier to stop sinning in those areas. Our "remedy" for known and unknown sins after the New Birth is found in 1 John 1:9:

9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].

When we who have been born again confess the sin that we know we have committed, then His forgiveness goes into affect for that sin AND for any other sin we have committed in thought, word or action! THAT is how 1 John 1:7 works!

7 But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].

AMEN! So, stop getting down on yourself for your weaknesses, short comings, missteps, falls and failures! Simply get yourself back up, go to 1 John 1:9, RECEIVE by faith what HE has already provided for you, and then get right back into fellowship with HIM! This is how we continue to grow up to where we stop sinning in all of these ways and begin to look more like JESUS! This is also how we keep our LIGHT shining bright that draws people to HIM! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Children of the Light" to remind you just who YOU are, IN HIM! Refuse to let the enemy steal that from you ever again! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

My message for today is very simple! Make it your determined purpose to remember the REAL message of Christmas every day, and to share that message at every possible opportunity! THAT is the very best BIRTHDAY present that any of us can give to our wonderful Lord and Saviour! AMEN! Here is one of my favorite newer Christmas songs again! Hillsong's "We Have A Saviour":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Merry Christmas Eve! I consider Proverbs 25:2 to be one of the most important verses for growing up in the things of God and in the Word of God! Here it is along with verse 3:

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a thing. 3 As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, so the hearts and minds of kings are unsearchable.

"Glory" here is the Hebrew word "kabowd", which means: glory, honor, splendor, riches, abundance, dignity. We see here that it brings God glory to conceal, or hide, something in His Word. Who is it hidden from? The Truth of the Word (John 17:17) is hidden FROM the enemy and all those who serve him INSTEAD of the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! They CANNOT know the Word! The secret things are hidden in God (Deuteronomy 29:29) and only revealed to those who know their God (1 Corinthians 2:14) and who will search it out (Joshua 1:8 AMP). Verse 3 tells us that the minds of the kings (us - Revelation 1:6 and 5:10) are also unsearchable! If you feel that the people around you don't really understand you, you are probably right! Unbelievers and unbelieving believers (those who do NOT follow on to know the Word) cannot understand the Word of God! The answer for ministering to the unbeliever is to share the Gospel of Salvation through Jesus Christ. THAT they CAN understand! For the believer who does not know the Word, pray the prayers of Paul in Ephesians 1 and 3 for them! The answer for YOU is to fellowship with like-minded believers so that you can continue to meditate on, obey and see the results of the Word in your life. Those results will be a witness and a testimony to the others that there is something in YOUR life that they WANT! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Here With You":

Shalom in Him!