Shalom,

Today I want to share Jerry Savelle's devotional!

HE IS ABLE

When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord” (Matthew 9:27-28 NKVJ).

People often wonder if it is God’s will to heal. The only source of truth we have on this or any other matter is the Word of God. Throughout the gospels we see time and time again that everywhere Jesus went in His earthly ministry, He healed and delivered people. Clearly, it is God’s will to heal all who come to Him.

One thing we need to understand about healing is this: just because healing is God’s will doesn’t mean it comes to us automatically. Notice in the story from Matthew 9 that when the blind men came to Jesus, He turned the responsibility for their healing over to them. When He asked, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”, He was in essence getting them to draw upon their faith.

We know “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1 NKJV). On numerous occasions when Jesus healed someone He was quoted as saying, “Your faith has made you whole.” Our faith is a substance, an essential ingredient for miracles.

There is no doubt that it was God’s will that the two blind men be healed. But in order for them to experience the miracle they desired, they had to take the responsibility for the manifestation of the miracle by exercising their faith.

Jesus is asking the same thing of you and me in this day and hour. If we are going to see the extraordinary become the norm in our lives, then we must be responsible for exercising our faith, expecting God’s Word to come to pass in our lives. After all, the Word says He “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20 KJV).

Confession: Lord Jesus, I believe you are able to work miracles in my life today just as you did for others in your earthly ministry. I draw upon the power of faith that is within me, and I declare victory in my situation because you are able!

AMEN! The GLORIOUS Good News is that our God is BOTH ABLE and WILLING to do GOOD for us! Here is Hillsong with "God Is Able":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is POWERFUL! 

By Thy Words

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt
be condemned. — MATTHEW 12:37

Jesus Himself made the above statement.

Words are much more important than many people realize.

Do you remember Job — and his three so-called “friends” who came to comfort him? Job’s cry to those who came as comforters and stayed as tormentors was, “How long will ye vex my soul, AND BREAK ME IN PIECES WITH WORDS?” (Job 19:2).

Words make us or break us.

Words heal us or make us sick.

According to the teaching of the Bible, words destroy us, or words make us full of life, happiness, and health.

Words that we spoke yesterday make life what it is today.

That agrees with what Jesus said in Mark 11:23, “. . . he shall have whatsoever he SAITH.”

Those things which you say are words. In fact, you could read that last phrase like this: “He shall have the WORDS that he speaks.”

Confession: By my words I shall be justified. I know that I shall have whatsoever I say. I shall have the words that I speak. Therefore, I speak words full of life, happiness, and health. I speak words that make, rather than break!

SPEAK THE WORD of GOD! ALWAYS! Here is Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this "From Faith To Faith" by Gloria Copeland!

He Will Lead You

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

Walking in the spirit. That's the key to overcoming the flesh. If you follow the prompting of the Spirit of God within you, you won't be dominated by the pressure your flesh tries to put on you.

As you listen to the written Word and the Holy Spirit telling you what to do, you'll constantly be making little adjustments in your life according to what He says. And those little adjustments will keep darkness from overtaking you.

You see, God knows just what you need. He can look ahead in your life and see the traps and pressures the devil is laying for you. So follow the Holy Spirit's leading and He will maneuver you safely around them to victory.

AMEN! TRUST Holy Spirit within you to DO exactly what He is here for! You will find yourself walking in more Wisdom, power and anointing than you ever have before! HE is waiting on YOU! Here is Hillsong with "Upper Room":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I was really encouraged by this devotional from Joseph Prince's website. 

Set Apart for Life and Health

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 NIV

Some people are thrown off by the word holy when we talk about the holy Communion. To them, it feels antiquated and maybe even irrelevant. But did you know that to be “holy” simply means to be “set apart for God” and to be uncommon?

This speaks of the special nature of the Communion. Every time you partake of the holy Communion, you are allowing the Lord to set you apart from the world, and allowing Him to have a private time of intimacy and communion with you! Look at what God did for the children of Israel when the plagues came upon the land of Egypt. He declared:

“And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the land. I will make a difference between My people and your people.” —Exodus 8:22–23

In the same way, when you have divine insights on the power and significance of the holy Communion, the Lord Himself sets you apart and makes a difference between you and the people of the world. That means you are not like the people of the world.

That means it may be common for the people of the world to catch the “common flu,” or common for people in a particular age demographic to experience certain symptoms or to develop certain conditions. But you don’t have to accept any “common” ailments because God has set you apart to be uncommon.

In a world that is decaying and dying of illness, He has paid the price for you to be uncommonly healthy, whole, and healed. While the rest of the world can weaken with age, the Bible declares that “as your days, so shall your strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25), and that even as you advance in age, you can return to the days of your youth (Job 33:25).

I pray that over you right now: as your days increase, may your strength and your health also increase, and may the Lord return the days of your youth to you, and cause your flesh to be young like a child’s. Amen!

AMEN! Partaking of the Communion elements according to the Word of God is a declaration of all that JESUS has done for us! Spirit, soul and body! Do it in remembrance of this! Here is Hillsong with "Remembrance":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from Jerry Savelle's website devotional!

GRACE WILL GIVE YOU WHAT YOU DON’T DESERVE

For by grace you have been saved [[blessed, healed, delivered, made whole]] through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV, brackets added).

The biblical definition of grace is “unmerited favor.” It is something you didn’t earn; it is the gift of God. So when you see the word grace in your Bible, you can accurately interchange it with the word favor.

God’s grace, His unmerited favor, is simply God giving you something you don’t deserve. The Bible says, “Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” (Romans 4:4-5 NKJV). Simply put:

Grace makes a way for God to bless you in life—regardless of your merits.

Grace will give you what you did not earn.

Grace will qualify you for what you do not qualify for.

Grace will give you what you do not deserve.

Have you ever wondered why some believers are more blessed than others? Is it because of their spiritual performance, the hours spent reading the Word, praying, and fasting? No! They are blessed because they actually believe God has justified them. And they’ve received His grace, knowing that grace will give them what they don’t deserve.

Confession: Through faith in Jesus Christ, I have been saved by the grace of God. I did not earn this grace. It is a precious gift that has given me what I don’t deserve: God’s favor, blessing, health, and wholeness—spirit, soul, and body.

AMEN! I hope that this has helped YOU understand God's great GRACE more! NOW I hope that you will choose to receive and to walk in what JESUS has already provided for you! Here is Hillsong with "Grace To Grace":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today SOMEONE needs to hear and BELIEVE this from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today! 

Psalm 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will have confidence in and put my trust and reliance in You. 4 By [the help of] God I will praise His word; on God I lean, rely, and confidently put my trust; I will not fear. What can man, who is flesh, do to me?

Psalm 56:9 Then shall my enemies turn back in the day that I cry out; this I know, for God is for me. 10 In God, Whose word I praise, in the Lord, Whose word I praise, 11 In God have I put my trust and confident reliance; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? 12 Your vows are upon me, O God; I will render praise to You and give You thank offerings. 13 For You have delivered my life from death, yes, and my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life and of the living.

WHAT can MAN do to us when GOD is on our side? NOTHING! I really love this quote: "SInce GOD is FOR me, it doesn't do ANYONE, ANY GOOD to be against me! It WILL NOT WORK! HALLELUJAH! We can count on Him! Here are Hillsong Kids with "I Give You My Hallelujah":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share again today from Oswald Chambers' devotional, "My Utmost For His Highest":

The Delight Of Sacrifice

I will very gladly spend and be spent for you. — 2 Corinthians 12:15

When the Spirit of God has shed abroad the love of God in our hearts, we begin deliberately to identify ourselves with Jesus Christ’s interests in other people, and Jesus Christ is interested in every kind of man there is. We have no right in Christian work to be guided by our affinities; this is one of the biggest tests of our relationship to Jesus Christ. The delight of sacrifice is that I lay down my life for my Friend, not fling it away, but deliberately lay my life out for Him and His interests in other people, not for a cause. Paul spent himself for one purpose only – that he might win men to Jesus Christ. Paul attracted to Jesus all the time, never to himself. “I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” When a man says he must develop a holy life alone with God, he is of no more use to his fellow men: he puts himself on a pedestal, away from the common run of men. Paul became a sacramental personality; wherever he went, Jesus Christ helped Himself to his life. Many of us are after our own ends, and Jesus Christ cannot help Himself to our lives. If we are abandoned to Jesus, we have no ends of our own to serve. Paul said he knew how to be a “door-mat” without resenting it, because the mainspring of his life was devotion to Jesus. We are apt to be devoted, not to Jesus Christ, but to the things which emancipate us spiritually. That was not Paul’s motive: “I could wish my self were accursed from Christ for my brethren” – wild, extravagant – is it? When a man is in love it is not an exaggeration to talk in that way, and Paul is in love with Jesus Christ.

If we TRULY love JESUS, then we will LOVE what HE LOVES! Above all else! Let's show our LOVE for HIM by sharing His LOVE with others! Let's "seek and save" the lost. His most prized possession is PEOPLE! Be the LIGHT in your world and let's WIN SOME! Here is Hillsong with "No Reason To Hide":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

Today I want to share Rick Renner's "Sparkling Gems From The Greek Volume 2".

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. — Ephesians 4:29

Some of the “dirtiest talk” I’ve ever heard used to happen almost every week at the end of our living room couch as I was growing up. About once a week, a certain member of our church would drop by to visit with my parents. She was the church gossip, and she always came loaded with the “latest scoop” on people’s personal matters that were absolutely none of her business to know or to discuss. Although my parents loved her, I can still see my dad rolling his eyes when he realized it was her ringing the doorbell of our house. She’d plop down on the end of the couch and within seconds, the verbal garbage would begin to flow about everyone and everything — absolutely no one’s personal business was off-limits! If a person attended our church, then like it or not, that person was a potential victim of this woman’s tongue.

This woman’s fairly regular visits to our house represented some of the ugliest moments of socializing I’ve ever witnessed in my life. Outright cursing would have been totally inappropriate for any believer, much less for a leading church member. Yet what this woman did in our living room almost every week was as distasteful to God as cursing — if not more so.

Talking badly about others behind their backs, such as the outpouring of gossip that proceeded from this woman’s mouth, is a type of nasty conversation too often tolerated in the Church. The apostle Paul called this kind of talk “corrupt communication” — and he strictly forbade it when he said to let no talk of this type proceed out of our mouths!

In the Greek text, the word “corrupt” is the sapros, a word that depicts something that is putrid or rotten. The word “putrid” describes meat that has gone so bad that it emits a foul smell. The decomposing meat reeks of a noxious and rancid smell that nearly makes a person sick to his stomach. The word “rotten” describes fruit that is spoiled, decayed, and sickening to the taste. It can also be described as putrid. Either way, whether meat or fruit, if something is putrid, it is disgusting to taste or smell. So when the Holy Spirit inspired the apostle Paul to use the word sapros to describe “corrupt communication,” he was describing communication that is really nasty.

The word “communication” is the Greek word logos, which simply means words. But when it is used in conjunction with the word “corrupt,” the Greek phrase describes words or forms of communication that are putrid or disgusting to the recipient. As far as God is concerned, this type of communication reeks. And those who consume this type of talk find it to be so putrid that it sickens them, just as spoiled meat would do. And just as a rotten apple must be removed from a bucket of apples or it will eventually spread and ruin the entire batch of good apples, this is how ruinous “corrupt communication” can be to those who listen to it, as far as God is concerned. Everything about corrupt communication has a putrefying effect on others.

Paul says instead of spreading corrupt communication to others, we must learn to speak that which is “edifying” to hearers (see Ephesians 4:29). The word “edifying” is the Greek word oikodomeo and, as used here, means to build others up. These words never result in tearing someone down, but rather cause others to be left in an improved state after we are done talking to or about them.

Have you ever known a person who always had something good to say about someone else? Doesn’t that person leave a sweet taste in your mouth? You feel good about the time you spend with such a positive, sweet-speaking individual. In fact, you feel challenged to rise higher and be better every time you leave that person’s presence! What a difference that experience is from an encounter with a person who tears others down and leaves a bitter taste people’s mouths!

The Holy Spirit is urging us to become a wellspring of good words when we talk to and about others. Rather than have the putrefying effect that a gossiper has on his or her listeners, we must determine that our words build others up and leave them in a much-improved state of being! That is the Holy Spirit’s message in Ephesians 4:29.

The woman I told you about earlier was someone who never missed church and served faithfully, but she had never learned to control her tongue. Had she really understood the stench her words were releasing into the atmosphere and into the ears of her listeners, I’m sure she would have asked the Holy Spirit to help her change.

I believe that today the Holy Spirit is speaking to you about your tongue and your words. Ask yourself this: Does God commend me for leaving others in better shape because of my words, or is He saying that I need to get a grip on my tongue and stop talking in a way that puts others down and harms their reputations? Only you know the answer to these questions!

Why don’t you make the determined decision that from this day forward, when you leave a room or a conversation, you leave it with the sweet fragrance of Jesus lingering behind you? Let people remember you for the kind words you left behind. You can be known as one who leaves a sweet taste in people’s mouth every time you leave a conversation or walk out of a room!

I LOVE this! Our WORDS are powerful, so we MUST make them be HIS WORDS that PRODUCE GOOD THINGS! Here is Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today is my Birthday, so I am going to share two of my very favorite Scripture portions with you! The first is Philippians 3:10:

[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

THIS is my goal throughout my time on this earth! The more that I KNOW HIM, the more that I will TRUST HIM, LOVE HIM, OBEY HIM and REPRESENT HIM! I hope YOU will choose this, too! The second of my favorites is 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).

GOD'S will for us is ALWAYS measured in ABUNDANCE! There is NO lack in HIM! I hope that YOU  will mediate on this {Joshua 1:8 AMPC} until it becomes SO REAL to you! THEN you will be truly blessed! Now here is Hillsong with one of my favorite worship songs! "Every Breath":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I was really inspired by Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest".  I want to share it with you!

Have You Ever Been Carried Away For Him?

She hath wrought a good work on Me. — Mark 14:6

If human love does not carry a man beyond himself, it is not love. If love is always discreet, always wise, always sensible and calculating, never carried beyond itself, it is not love at all. It may be affection, it may be warmth of feeling, but it has not the true nature of love in it.

Have I ever been carried away to do something for God not because it was my duty, nor because it was useful, nor because there was anything in it at all beyond the fact that I love Him? Have I ever realized that I can bring to God things which are of value to Him, or am I mooning round the magnitude of His Redemption whilst there are any number of things I might be doing? Not Divine, colossal things which could be recorded as marvellous, but ordinary, simple human things which will give evidence to God that I am abandoned to Him? Have I ever produced in the heart of the Lord Jesus what Mary of Bethany produced?

There are times when it seems as if God watches to see if we will give Him the abandoned tokens of how genuinely we do love Him. Abandon to God is of more value than personal holiness. Personal holiness focuses the eye on our own whiteness; we are greatly concerned about the way we walk and talk and look, fearful lest we offend Him. Perfect love casts out all that when once we are abandoned to God. We have to get rid of this notion – “Am I of any use?” and make up our minds that we are not, and we may be near the truth. It is never a question of being of use, but of being of value to God Himself. When we are abandoned to God, He works through us all the time.

I have been asking myslef if I am doing what I do out of a sense of duty, or because I am SO grateful, thankful and appreciative of WHO HE IS that I can't help but do what brings joy to HIM! AND Glory to His Name! Check yourself and make sure that you pour yourself into your intimate fellowship with Him so that YOU can discern what really brings joy to Him and makes His heart glad! There is no greater joy than that! Here is Hillsong with "For Your Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

The Initiative Against Dreaming

Arise, let us go hence. — John 14:31

Dreaming about a thing in order to do it properly is right; but dreaming about it when we should be doing it is wrong. After Our Lord had said those wonderful things to His disciples, we might have expected that He would tell them to go away and meditate over them all; but Our Lord never allowed “mooning” When we are getting into contact with God in order to find out what He wants, dreaming is right; but when we are inclined to spend our time in dreaming over what we have been told to do, it is a bad thing and God’s blessing is never on it. God’s initiative is always in the nature of a stab against this kind of dreaming, the stab that bids us “neither sit nor stand but go.”

If we are quietly waiting before God and He has said – “Come ye yourselves apart,” then that is meditation before God in order to get at the line He wants; but always beware of giving over to mere dreaming when once God has spoken. Leave Him to be the source of all your dreams and joys and delights, and go out and obey what He has said. If you are in love, you do not sit down and dream about the one you love all the time, you go and do something for him; and that is what Jesus Christ expects us to do. Dreaming after God has spoken is an indication that we do not trust Him.

There is a time to "dream"! To seek guidance and direction from Holy Spirit for what HE will have us to do next! THEN it is time to GET GOING! Be a DOER of the Word that we are hearing! THIS is action that HE can work with ! Let's be DOERS! ALWAYS in obedience to Holy Spirit's leading and direction. When we do, we will NOT fail! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "GO!":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we read Psalm 50 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Look at verses 1-6:

1 The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks and calls the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. 3 Our God comes and does not keep silence; a fire devours before Him, and round about Him a mighty tempest rages. 4 He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that He may judge His people: 5 Gather together to Me My saints [those who have found grace in My sight], those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice. 6 And the heavens declare His righteousness (rightness and justice), for God, He is judge. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

THIS IS OUR GOD! Never doubt the magnitude of GLORY, POWER, WISDOM and STRENGTH! Rely on HIM to be true to HIS WORD in every situation and you will begin to enjoy the BLESSINGS of our NEW and BETTER COVENANT! And then YOU can be a DOER of verse 23!

23 He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me; and he who orders his way aright [who prepares the way that I may show him], to him I will demonstrate the salvation of God.

Here, to help you with that, is Hillsong with "This Is Our God":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is SO needful! 

The Initiative Against Despair

Rise, let us be going. — Matthew 26:46

The disciples went to sleep when they should have kept awake, and when they realized what they had done it produced despair. The sense of the irreparable is apt to make us despair, and we say – “It is all up now, it is no use trying any more.” If we imagine that this kind of despair is exceptional, we are mistaken, it is a very ordinary human experience. Whenever we realize that we have not done that which we had a magnificent opportunity of doing, then we are apt to sink into despair, and Jesus Christ comes and says – “Sleep on now, that opportunity is lost for ever, you cannot alter it, but arise and go to the next thing.” Let the past sleep, but let it sleep on the bosom of Christ, and go out into the irresistible future with Him.

There are experiences like this in each of our lives. We are in despair, the despair that comes from actualities, and we cannot lift ourselves out of it. The disciples in this instance had done a downright unforgivable thing; they had gone to sleep instead of watching with Jesus, but He came with a spiritual initiative against their despair and said – “Arise and do the next thing.” If we are inspired of God, what is the next thing? To trust Him absolutely and to pray on the ground of His Redemption.

Never let the sense of failure corrupt your new action.

We ALL miss it at one time or another. It is important that we NEVER allow the enemy to gain ground just because we made a mistake! THAT is what 1 John 1:9 is all about! 

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].

TRUST His Word and receive your forgiveness! Now get up and get going! NOTHING can EVER separate you from HIS LOVE! NOTHING! Here is Hillsong with "The Passion":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from Andrew Womack's daily devotional!

The Chosen Ones

Mark 1:16, 'Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.'

Jesus never chose an apostle from among the religious system. Every one of his twelve disciples were men that He chose from the secular world. It wasn't because God didn't have faith in those who were religious. It's just that most of those who were part of the religious system didn't have any faith in God.

One of the most common mistakes religious people make is to put faith in themselves. They think God will use them because of their great holiness or special abilities.

Paul said, 'But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are' (1 Corinthians 1:27-28).

People who recognize their own inabilities are of necessity more dependent on God. That is the way God wants it. The Lord is constantly searching for someone who recognizes they are nothing so He can do something through them (2 Chronicles 16:9).

Instead of thinking of your responsibilities, just respond to His ability.

AMEN! All the good in us comes from God! When we acknowledge that, and look to HIM, HIS WORD and HIS PRESENCE in us, THEN we will see more clearly, hear more clearly and be better able to respond to HIS directions and instructions! Here is Hillsong with "Search My Heart":

Shalom  in Him!

Shalom,

This devotional from The Spoken Word Church website is very simple, yet profoundly important!

Acknowledge Your Limitations

Don't play God. Know your weaknesses. Admit your mistakes to God. Confess your sins, your selfish decisions which displease God. Then forget them. Utilize the strength of others. Humility is accepting things you do not deserve. It is recognizing personal limitations and resting in the power of God to compensate.

"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." (Romans 12:3)

No human being is a 'superman'! BUT, every born again believer has all the power they need right inside of them! Holy Spirit Himself lives IN us and HE supplies all that we will ever need to be successful and victorious in this life! Call on Him! Believe Him! Trust Him! He is ALWAYS working IN us and FOR us! Here is Hillsong with "Behold (Then Sings My Soul)":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Jerry Savelle's devotional!

ALWAYS TRIUMPH

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place (2 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV).

The key word in the scripture above is always. Knowing that we always triumph in Christ gets rid of the false philosophy, “win a few—lose a few.”

Just because it is God’s will that we always triumph doesn’t ensure we will never be attacked or have adversity.

I’ve heard people say, “Well, I haven’t always triumphed.” That’s not God’s fault. His Word says He always causes us to triumph—and God is always right. In God’s mind, victory belongs to you. No matter what kind of persecution, adversity, or attack you may be under, God’s planned result is triumph.

Of course, you can choose to give up before victory comes; you can get weary of doing well before victory comes; you can even get discouraged and quit before victory comes. But I am totally convinced that God already has your victory planned out for you.

I’ve learned that what I do during an attack will determine whether or not I triumph. I made up my mind years ago that I’m not going to accept failure. I’m not saying I’ve never had an opportunity to fail or I’ve never had a setback. I’ve had plenty of these situations, but it’s never over until God has the opportunity to turn things around and lead me into triumph.

I don’t know what you may be going through today, but I do know this: If you won’t give up God will always lead you in triumph.

Confession: I believe God will turn every adversity into victory. I believe God has a victory plan for every negative circumstance I face. I always expect victory because God has promised I can always triumph in Christ.

AMEN! God's promises are ALWAYS for our benefit and blessing! Learn to trust HIM and HIS WORD in every situation and you will begin to see victory on every front! Here is Hillsong with a victory song that puts the devil on the run!  "Not Today":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom, 

On this Valentine's Day I think it is very appropriate to share what Kenneth E. Hagin had to teach on Love in His "Faith Food" devotional!

Love Atmosphere

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is born of God, and knows God. He that loves not knows not God; for God is love. . . . If we love one another, God dwells in us, and his love is perfected in us. — 1 JOHN 4:7-8, 12

Husbands and wives need to let the love of God dominate them — and not just natural human love — because natural love is so shallow.

Christians have an advantage over other people. Not only can they love their spouse with natural affection, but they can add to it divine love which never seeks its own, but always seeks the other’s welfare.

In all the years of our marriage, my wife and I have walked in love. I never consider myself or what I want; I consider what Oretha wants. I never want to be self-seeking; I always want to put her first. And Oretha reciprocates. We always try to outdo one another in love. And how blessed it is! Praise God! Our home is like Heaven on earth.

A troubled person who had visited us once said, “When I visit in your home, it’s like heaven. You can feel a presence there the minute you go into the house.”

We create atmospheres in our homes.

Confession: I will walk in divine love toward those I love. I will let the unselfish love of God pour through me to them, creating an atmosphere of love!

AMEN! Create the Godly atmosphere of LOVE in YOUR homes! You will be so glad you did! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "This is Real Love":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

Today I want to share the devotional from The Spoken Word Church website because it is SO vital!

Listen

It is an art, a science and an incredible tool for growing. Productive listening is vital to success. It demands discipline and effort. Listen. Take the time. Listen to God, His Word, His ministers. Listen to those around you who are hurting. Listen to your own conscience. It is a key to real success.

"A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:" {Proverbs 1:5}

"Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding." {Proverbs 17:28}

Listening to Holy Spirit as you pray and commune with Him in YOUR secret place is vital in learning to KNOW His voice and to be able to receive His instruction, correction, leading and guidance! The most important conversations that you can ever have is with HIM! No one loves you more! Here is Hillsong with an older song called "Holy Spirit Rain Down":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

Today I want to share this from our partner, Rick Renner, from his "Sparkling Gems Volume 2".

Presenting Every Man Perfect In Christ

Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.— Colossians 1:28

After reading a book on the subject of church leadership and the need for every organization to have a “purpose statement,” I realized that the purpose statement for our church and ministry was too long for anyone to remember it, and it was certainly too long to be able to repeat it to someone else. So I started praying for a short, concise way to state the purpose of our ministry.

After a lot of prayer, my heart kept going back to the simple statement the apostle Paul made in Colossians 1:28, a verse that has been the theme of our ministry since its earliest inception and remains the purpose of our ministry after decades of service. However, I had never thought of a way to present it to people as a purpose statement until I was challenged by that book. Colossians 1:28 speaks of Christ’s glorious presence in each of us and of our need to declare truth in various ways to others with the ultimate goal of presenting every person perfect in Christ. It says, “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”

I can emphatically say that our ministry has always been, is, and will always be a preaching, warning, and teaching ministry — just as Paul described in Colossians 1:28. And like Paul, we have an audience of “every man.” The word “every” is the Greek word panta, an all-encompassing word that embraces all people with no exceptions. To the lost, we preach. To those who are saved, we warn and teach. But Paul said the ultimate goal is to present every man perfect in Christ. “Perfect” sounds very hard to attain, if not almost unreachable, so what was Paul really referring to when he spoke of presenting people “perfect” in Christ?

The word “perfect” in this verse is the Greek word telios. Paul used this word only five times in the New Testament — each time to describe full-grown adults (see 1 Corinthians 2:6; 14:20; Ephesians 4:13; Philippians 3:15; and Colossians 1:28). It describes how, as a person develops, he or she transitions from being youthful and immature to an individual who is full-grown and mature.

In addition, Paul used telios twice (see Romans 12:2; Colossians 4:12) to denote spiritually mature individuals who are living in accordance with the will of God. For this reason, the more recent translation of The Amplified Bible states, “…that we may present every person mature (full-grown, fully initiated, complete, and perfect) in Christ….” Thus, we see the word “perfect” that Paul referred to in Colossians 1:28 as one who is spiritually mature and endeavoring to live out his or her life in accordance to God’s perfect will.

In the context of discerning our ministry purpose, this verse gives very clear direction. It tells us that we are not called just to win masses to Christ and then leave them behind as spiritual infants. Rather, our God-given task is to help people walk out of immaturity while leading them onward into spiritual maturity. Bringing people up to this level of maturity is an undertaking so huge that Paul acknowledged it could only be done with the power of God. He said, “Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily” (Colossians 1:29).

The word “labour” in Colossians 1:29 is the Greek word kopos, which describes the most physically and mentally exhausting type of labor. By using this word, Paul reminded us of the extremely hard work that is required to help a person attain spiritual maturity. According to this, Paul worked very hard to bring people from spiritual infancy into spiritual adulthood. In fact, the next word he chose, the word “striving,” drives this point home. It comes from the Greek word agonidzo, from which we get the word agony.

The use of these two words “labour” (kopos) and “striving” (agonidzo) tells us that the task of helping individuals move from spiritual infancy to spiritual adulthood requires focus, effort, and hard work — and that it can often be as agonizing as raising a natural child to become a level-headed adult. And we’re not just spiritually raising one person, but many people at one time. This would be humanly impossible if it were not for “his working,” which, as Paul said, works in us mightily.

The word “working” here is the Greek word energeo, which, of course, is where we get the word for energy. Furthermore, the word “mightily” is the word dunamis, which Paul used to describe Christ’s divine ability that resides in each true believer. So Paul was acknowledging that it is only possible to present every man “perfect” in Christ because of His divine, supernatural energy that works mightily in us. We are insufficient in ourselves for such a task. We can only accomplish it because of the infusion of Christ’s mighty dunamis power that works in us. Hence, the task of helping someone grow from spiritual infancy into spiritual adulthood is a supernatural feat that can only be accomplished in cooperation with Christ’s mighty power that works in us and through us.

If you feel that you have failed to stick it out to the end with the individuals you’ve been called to help mature, take heart! Yield to the Holy Spirit’s presence in your heart, for you are only up to the task if the Holy Spirit’s power is working in you and through you. And should you be looking for a purpose statement for your church, your ministry, or your personal walk with God, consider Colossians 1:28: “…that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus….”

As believers, this should always be our purpose. We must not only win people to Jesus but also disciple them to maturity so they can live the balance of their lives as fully grown spiritual adults who live to do the will of God.

AMEN! Our Scripture foundation for The Spoken Word Church is Ephesians 4:15: Speaking the Truth in Love.

Our purpose statement is: Teaching and training believers to be bright lights in the world and to the world!

BE the LIGHT in YOUR world by growing up in all things unto HIM! {Ephesians 4:15 AMPC: Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).}

Here is Hillsong with "Behold":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom, 

We read THIS from Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional at Morning Prayer today and I want to share it with you!

Maturing Fruit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love . . . . — GALATIANS 5:22

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit . . . . — JOHN 15:5

Love is the fruit of the recreated human spirit, produced because of the life of Christ within.

Picture a fruit tree. Where does the fruit grow? Fruit grows on the branches. Jesus used the illustration of the tree. Who are the branches? We are.

How does natural fruit grow on the branch? It receives nourishment from the trunk — the vine — of the tree. Life from the trunk flows out into the branches. It’s the same in the spiritual realm. God is life. God is love. His life and love flow out to the believers — the branches.

Fruit grows. It doesn’t come fully mature. The Bible says, “But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected . . .” (1 John 2:5). The word “perfected” means matured. John was talking about maturing in the fruit of love. (I don’t think any of us have completely matured in it yet, but some of us are making progress.)

Confession: The fruit of the spirit is love. Christ is the vine. I am the branch. I abide in Christ, and Christ abides in me. Therefore, I bring forth fruit. As I keep God’s Word, I mature in the fruit of love. I am making progress.

As a born again believer, YOU have the fruit of the Spirit working IN YOU! Never doubt that! Remind yourself daily! Here, to help you with that, is Hillsong with "Fruit of The Spirit":

Shalom in Him!