Shalom,


 Psalm 30:1-4:


 ¹I WILL extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me.  ²O Lord my God, I cried to You and You have healed me.  ³O Lord, You have brought my life up from Sheol (the place of the dead); You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit (the grave).   ⁴Sing to the Lord, O you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.  AMP


This Psalm is a "Psalm of David". What is David doing here? He is praising the LORD for what He HAS DONE! This is how David "encouraged himself in the LORD"! Remind yourself of all that the Lord has done for you and those you love. Then when you face adversity, you will NOT faint and give up because you will remember, and then expect the God of the Bible to come through for you again! And then you can say, with David, verses 11-12:

    ¹¹You have turned my mourning into dancing for me; You have put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, ¹²To the end that my tongue and my heart and everything glorious within me may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever. AMP

  

Hallelujah!  Here is Hillsong with another oldie! "This Is How We Overcome"!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


2 Peter 1:10 says this:

10 Brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:  KJV

"Diligence" is the Greek word "spoudazo". Strong's Concordance says: to use speed; to make effort; be prompt or earnest. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: to exert oneself. The Amplified Bible says it very well:

10 Because of this, brethren, be all the more solicitous and eager to make sure (to ratify, to strengthen, to make steadfast) your calling and election; for if you do this, you will never stumble or fall.  AMP

The thought of never stumbling is very exciting to most of us! BUT, what is the condition for never falling and failing? That would be the aforementioned DILIGENCE! It takes work to get the Word of God into our souls in the abundance that is necessary to be able to walk in the assurance of God's Divine protection, provision and safety, leading, guidance and direction! But, what ELSE would you choose? I like this from Kenneth Copeland's Faith to Faith Devotional for today, which is where I got today's Scripture!


"Listen, this is a daily thing. The devil's out there 24 hours a day devising ways to make us fall. Jesus is on the throne 24 hours a day giving us power to resist him, and we need to be exercising our faith all the time.

If you're going to stand in the days ahead, you're going to need a lot more than Sunday school faith. You're going to need some full-grown, mountain-moving faith, and there's only one way to get that: By giving yourself to the Word more diligently than you ever have before.

Give diligence to make your calling and election sure; and no matter how slippery the situation gets, you won't have to fall!"

There you have it! There is no need for any born again believer to ever slip, fall, or fail! The same diligence we use for this will bring us through any and every situation we face with VICTORY!!! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "I Surrender":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 28:7-9:



⁷The Lord is my Strength and my [impenetrable] Shield; my heart trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song will I praise Him.  ⁸The Lord is their [unyielding] Strength, and He is the Stronghold of salvation to His anointed.  ⁹Save Your people and bless Your heritage; nourish and shepherd them and carry them forever.
   

This Psalm is a Psalm of David. I believe that David was referring to himself and his faith, trust and confidence in the LORD in verse 7. Then in verse 8 and 9 he switches to the needs of his people. This is also a picture of the heart of a true, Biblical Pastor for their congregation! They first of all must see to their own spiritual growth and well being, and then they must see to the needs of the people. They pray and intercede for them and then feed them the Word of God so that they can continue to grow in faith and in the things of God. I thank God for my pastor and his faithfulness in prayer and in the Word of God. I hope that YOU have a true, Biblical Pastor! If not, I invite you to The Spoken Word Church! Check out our website through the link on the left! Let us know if we can be of help too you! Here is a very old worship song from our early days at The Spoken Word Church called "In Your Presence":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,



I saw something in a new way from today's entry in "Morning Moments with Bob Yandian"! It is called "Be Fruitful" and used this Scripture: Genesis 1:28 NKJV.


28 Than God blessed them, and God said to them Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.


Then he goes on to say this:


"Imagine being Adam. Your spirit has just been created by God and your body formed out of the dust of the ground. At the time God breathes into your nostrils and you draw your first breath, you are a full grown person. You have never gone through the process of birth and growing up. Next of all, you have never had a thought. Your mind is a clean slate."


Can you imagine that? Have you ever even thought about that? There was no sin yet. Everything in the garden was perfect. God just breathed His very life into you and the only influence you have in and on your life is HIM! What a tremendous time that must have been! BUT, Adam also had no idea what sin would do! He had never observed disobedience and the result of it! He had no opportunity to learn from the mistakes of others! The next time you are tempted to be angry with Adam for putting us in this predicament, remember that! I am so very thankful to be alive at this time when we have so much Wisdom and knowledge of the Word of God available to us! Don't take the Word lightly! Remember that His Word IS Truth (John 17:17)! Make it YOUR top priority! Here is Hillsong with "Hope Of The World". That would be JESUS! Amen!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Here are some Scripture verses that speak of Jerusalem:

Deut 1:6 The Lord our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount: 7 Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates. 8 Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them. KJV

Ps 116:19 In the courts of the Lord's house — in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) AMP

Ps 122:1 I WAS glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord!  [Isa 2:3; Zech 8:21.] 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. AMP

Ps 128:5 May the Lord bless you out of Zion [His sanctuary], and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life;6 Yes, may you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel! AMP

Ps 147:2 The Lord is building up Jerusalem; He is gathering together the exiles of Israel. AMP

Ps 147:12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! 13 For He has strengthened and made hard the bars of your gates, and He has blessed your children within you. AMP


With all of the controversy going on about who will and who will not recognize the city of Jerusalem as the capital of the nation of Israel, I thought you may want to see what the One, True God has to say about it! Don't be found in disagreement with HIM! Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel! NO other nation has the right to a say in the matter! AMEN! Here is a picture of the city:

Here is "Shalom Jerusalem" by Paul Wilbur:

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Psalm 25:14 contains the key to operating successfully in the Kingdom of God! Remember, the Kingdom of Heaven is a PLACE and the Kingdom of God is a METHOD! It is operating on earth as an ambassador of Heaven! Verse 14:


  ¹⁴The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its [deep, inner] meaning.


Notice that it is those who operate in the fear of the Lord who will understand the Covenant and how to operate in it! The fear of the Lord is the reverence and respect for His presence! It IS the very beginning, or first step, toward walking in Wisdom (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7). It also results in close, intimate fellowship with Him where He can open the eyes of our understanding to be able to operate in the Word. We have been given authority and we MUST learn how to walk IN it! Amen! So, fear Him! delight in Him, fellowship with Him, honor Him, put HIM first place in your life! You CANNOT go wrong by doing so! Here is an older Hillsong song called "God Is Great":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Matthew 24:1-2:


 ¹JESUS DEPARTED from the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to the buildings of the temple and point them out to Him. ²But He answered them, Do you see all these? Truly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.


This is part of our Bible Reading Plan for today. It concerns the prophetic words of Jesus concerning the coming (at that time) destruction of the temple. Please read this article concerning the destruction of both temples and the date that it happened. I am sharing this (link below) today as a call to prayer for the Olympics and the specifically for the Israeli delegation! Please read! Remember, He WILL bless those that bless Israel and those that do not will find themselves living  with the results of the curse! Be NOT one of those! Amen!


http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/946703/jewish/What-happened-on-the-Ninth-of-Av.htm

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


We read Psalm 23 in the Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today. We are all pretty familiar with that Psalm and most of us can quote it, even from the Amplified Bible! Are you ready to learn something new-to-you about it today? Verse 6 says this in the Amplified Bible:

6 Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.

We have already studied the Hebrew words for "goodness" and "mercy" and we KNOW that they are words of awesome provision and blessing for us! The word for "goodness" is "towb" (#2896 Strong's) and "mercy" is "checed" (#2617 Strong's), which involves His wonderful and never-ending loving-kindness! But today we will be looking at the phrase "shall follow me", which is the Hebrew word "radaph". This word means: to run after; to chase; to pursue; to attend closely upon. Can you just picture all of that goodness, mercy and loving-kindness actually chasing you down? Allow the Holy Spirit to show this to you! HE will never give up trying to get all of those blessings to you! Will YOU give up and quit when you know THAT Truth? 

Another Truth to realize is that the devil is NOT "radaph"-ing you! HE is like that nasty little mosquito or annoying gnat that keeps popping up and trying to distract, discourage, and disengage you from following hard after God. Give him NO place! He has NO authority over you except what YOU allow! Speak the Word over your life, including Psalm 23, every day, and all day! Remember who's listening! If you don't know what I'm talking about, go to the SWC website at the left and listen to the series on Angels! It's an eye opener and a real blessing! Amen! Here is Hillsong with an older song called "Lord Your Goodness". Click through to You Tube and click on "more" to see the lyrics!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


The last song I want to share is "It Is Finished" by Sarah Hart Pearsons. This is my favorite part!

It is finished, it is done

You have risen, I have won

It is finished, it is done

Now I'm singing hallelujah

And then this:

It is finished, it is done

Jesus said it, the work is done

It is finished, it is done

Now I'm singing hallelujah, hallelujah

AMEN! Here is the song!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


The song I want to share with you today is one that is very special to me! Here is the chorus:


This is a church on fire
This is the Holy Spirit flame
We have a burning desire
To lift up Jesus' name
Let the fire burn in every heart
To light the way, defeat the dark
Let the flame of love burn higher
This is a churchThis is a church on fire 


This is the God-given goal of The Spoken Word Church, and should be for every church! We should be "aglow and burning with the Spirit", bringing glory to HIS Name! We ARE a Church On Fire! Amen! Here is Hillsong  with "Church On Fire":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

One of my new favorite songs is from the Hillsong "Cornerstone" album. It is called "Running". One of my favorite verses is this:


Letting go of every mistake
Throwing off the chains of restraint
And all that will remain
A passion for Your name
Burning as we run this race
We're never gonna stop
We're never gonna stop
We're never gonna stop
We're never gonna stop

1 John 1:9 was given so that we can walk in the continual forgiveness of this sins we commit. Once we receive that forgiveness, we need to forgive ourselves, forget the mistake and get back in the race! Don't allow anything to distract from our God-given calling! Be like Paul in Philippians 3 and make it YOUR determined purpose to know Him more everyday! Then keep yourself stirred up to finish your race and choose to never, ever give up! Amen! Here is the song!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Another wonderful day with family! The song I want to share today is "No Reason To Hide" from Hillsong United. As the Church of Jesus Christ, we are SUPPOSED to shine as bright lights in the world and to the world! THAT is the goal and vision of The Spoken Word Church! To train believers to be and do just that! THIS is why we are here: Philippians 2:15-16:

¹⁵ That you may show yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent anduncontaminated, children of God without blemish (faultless, unrebukable) in the midst of a crookedand wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the [dark] world, ¹⁶ Holding out [to it] and offering [to all men] the Word of Life, so that in the day of Christ I may have something of which exultantly to rejoice and glory in that I did not run my race in vain or spend my labor to no purpose.

Enjoy the song!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Another day with the grandchildren, another favorite song! Today I want to share Hillsong's "Love Like Fire". When we rely on the Spirit of God to complete that good work in us, He will operate like fire! He will burn out the "dross", all of the "stinking thinking" that we have accumulated over the years. IF we allow Him free reign, He WILL expose those things that need to be changed or adjusted. Then He will wait on our consent to begin the process of leading us each step of the way to becoming the best person we can be! I LOVE relying on Him! How about you? Enjoy the song!

Shalom in Him

Shalom,


Time with the grandchildren! I will be sharing some of my favorite praise/worship songs over the next few days! I will also share the reasons behind my choices! Today I want to share this song from Hillsong called "From The Inside Out". For as many years as I have been a born again believer, I have heard other believers speak of how hard they were trying to be a "good" Christian. The problem with that idea is that it takes backwards from a purely supernatural New Birth, to relying again on the flesh and the strength of our own human will. Epic FAIL every time! We are not ABLE to do this on our own! The promise we have from the Word of God is this in Philippians 1:6:


⁶ And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.


He, the Spirit of Almighty God, has been given to us to complete the work He began when He recreated our dead human spirit into a new creation, made in the image of God! When we give Him something to work with: our choice, our reliance, His Word and faith, then HE will complete that good work! Amen! Enjoy the song and rely on HIM!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


I want to share Matthew 16:15-19 today so that we can see what Jesus was actually saying. You may have heard this all before, but this will give you something to use when you want to share it with others! First of all, Jesus asked His Disciples who the people were saying that He was. When the disciples gave all the different people that He was rumored to be, He asked them who THEY thought HE was! 

¹⁵He said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am? 


Peter was the one to answer:


¹⁶Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. 


Then Jesus said this to him: 


¹⁷Then Jesus answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood [men] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven. 


Jesus was explaining Revelation Knowledge to Peter! Do you remember this from 1 Corinthians 2:14:

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

Jesus was explaining that we, as natural human beings, are incapable of understanding the depths of the Word of God. It isn't until the Spirit of God reveals them to us, once we are born again,  that we can truly understand the Word! And yes, I absolutely am saying that a person who has not been born again cannot understand the Word! They can understand their need for a Savior, but that is all. That is why we should never try to TEACH unbelievers, but preach the Gospel to them! THAT is the purpose for the Church (as a whole), and that is what Jesus was saying here: 

¹⁸And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros--a large piece of rock], 

This is sort of like saying "a chip off the old block"! 

....and on this rock [Greek, petra--a huge (massive) rock like Gibraltar]... 

The revealed knowledge of the Word of God that comes from the Holy Spirit, NOT Peter!

...I will build My church, ...

 The whole Church, or Body of Believers in Jesus, NOT the Catholic Church or any other denomination! 

...and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it]. ¹⁹I will give you ... AMP

Again, the entire Church

... the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” CJB

THAT is how we, the born again believers, the body of Christ, the CHURCH, is supposed to operate! He has given us both the authority and the responsibility for what happens in our lives! It is imperative that we immerse ourselves in the Word of God so that the Holy Spirit has something to use to teach us the ways of the Kingdom! We are His voice, His hands, His feet, and His authority in the Earth! Let's commit to do a much better job of it from now until He appears for us in the sky! AMEN? SO BE IT!  Here is Hillsong with "Children Of The Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


I LOVE how Jesus handles this criticism from the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 15:1-3:


¹THEN FROM Jerusalem came scribes and Pharisees and said, ²Why do Your disciples transgress and violate the rules handed down by the elders of the past? For they do not practice [ceremonially] washing their hands before they eat. ³He replied to them, And why also do you transgress and violate the commandment of God for the sake of the rules handed down to you by your forefathers (the elders)? AMP


John 17:17 tells us that God's Word IS Truth! These "leaders" were very religious, but they weren't operating in faith! They followed to a tee the traditions handed down through the generations, but paid no attention at all to the Word of God! Jesus said that THIS was the result of doing that in verses 6-9:


   ⁶So for the sake of your tradition (the rules handed down by your forefathers), you have set aside the Word of God [depriving it of force and authority and making it of no effect]. ⁷You pretenders (hypocrites)! Admirably and truly did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said: ⁸These people draw near Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts hold off and are far away from Me.  ⁹Uselessly do they worship Me, for they teach as doctrines the commands of men. AMP


Remember that Jesus said THIS to the woman at the well in John 4:24:


²⁴ God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. AMP


Don't be involved with "useless" worship! In fact, don't do ANYTHING out of habit and ritual, which results in no power and authority. Know the Word and the "why" behind everything that you do so that you can do it in faith, being pleasing to God! Amen! Here is Hillsong Live with "Unending Love":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Psalm 114:1 says this:


¹THE [empty-headed] fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable deeds; there is none that does good or right.


We've looked at this before, but I wanted to remind you of this, since it IS in our Bible Reading Plan for today! I know that YOU are NOT an empty-headed fool, or you wouldn't be reading this blog! We are NOT fools! We KNOW that their IS a God and that HE LOVES us so very much! The next step is finding out how God wants things done, and then doing them HIS way! Amen! As you go through your Bible Reading each day, try to make special note of each reference to His Word and to something that HE is telling YOU to do! Remember, in God's eyes, obedience is WAY better than sacrifice! 1 Samuel 15:22:

22 Samuel said, Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. AMP


God wants obedience! Amen! Today, at The Spoken Word Church , Pastor Bill Novak continued his series on "Angels". It was very informative! Do YOU  know which of the angels have wings? Do YOU know that there is only ONE Archangel actually called that in the Bible? Do you remember that THESE angels are sent to minister FOR us? Hebrews 1:14:


14 Are not the angels all ministering spirits (servants) sent out in the service [of God for the assistance] of those who are to inherit salvation? AMP

How DO we get them to minister? How do we get them to move? Psalm 103:20 gives us this insight:

20 Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His commandments, hearkening to the voice of His word. AMP

If we want to activate the angels that have been sent to  minister FOR us, then we MUST continue to speak God's Word! Speaking the Word of God into a situation enlists the help of the angels to bring it to pass!  Speaking something contrary to the Word of God will stop these  mighty and powerful beings in their tracks! DON'T do it! Speak the Word consistently and you will be, of all people, MOST BLESSED! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "Stand In Awe", just because HE IS! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Psalm 13:6 shows the attitude we should all have, every day!


 ⁶I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me. AMP

Notice that it doesn't say "because of what He's going to do for me"! He has ALREADY given us everything we need to be successful in this life! Ephesians 1:3:


³ May blessing (praise, laudation, and eulogy) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual (given by the Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm!  AMP


Look also at 2 Peter 1:3:


³ For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue).  AMP


Do you see that? HE has already done it all! Now it is up to us to, first of ALL, to thank and praise Him for it! THEN we need to find out how to appropriate these things! The local church is the very first place that God ordained for us to gather and to be taught! If you don't have a church that teaches the Word of God boldly, confidently, uncompromisingly, and exhorts YOU to check it out for yourself, then I invite you to mine! Check out our website at the left and come visit us! You'll be glad you did! Here is Hillsong with "Praise Him":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Matthew 12:35-37:

35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. KJV

"Justified" here is the Greek word "dikaioo". This means: to render just or innocent. It also means: to render righteous; to declare righteous; to declare guiltless. "Condemned" here is the Greek word "katadikazo". This means to pronounce guilty. It also means: to give judgment against. Notice what it is that determines whether we will be justified or condemned! Our WORDS! Verse 37 specifically says "THY words"! No one else is responsible for controlling what comes out of our mouths but US! The Amplified Bible says it this way:

   ³⁵The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things. ³⁶But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak.³⁷For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced.

It looks to me like our words are very vital to our walking in the fullness of the Life that God wants for us! Look at the promise found 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. 

AMP

Speak the WORD! Then believe that the Word you speak will come to pass, and you WILL HAVE IT! Amen! That's not MY promise! It comes straight from the heart of the One, True God! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


 Psalm 11:3  If the foundations are destroyed, what can the [unyieldingly] righteous do, or what has He [the Righteous One] wrought or accomplished?


I have seen this verse used by many to speak of the things that are now going on in this nation. If the foundation of God's Word that the Founding Fathers based this new FREE nation on is taken from us, then the entire nation will crumble to dust! Every nation that ever failed, failed because of their moral behavior! The GOOD NEWS is that it only takes ONE Righteous person, who will stand and not give up, to turn this all around! Abraham bargained for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah with the One, True God and got within 10 people of saving them (Genesis 18)! If he would NOT have quit, would they have been spared? I believe that Abraham, who did NOT have a Covenant as good as ours, would still have the "pull" with God to have saved them! BUT HE GAVE UP! Our Covenant is based on the authority of the Word of God, the Blood of Jesus, the Name of Jesus and the Spirit of God IN US! Speak up and speak out! Dare to proclaim and decree and declare what God's Word says, and NOTHING else, and you WILL have it! Amen! We are told to stand in the gap for our nation  (2 Chronicles 7:14) and to pray for all of those in authority (2 Timothy 2:1-3). Are YOU doing so? If you are, then YOU have all the authority of Heaven backing you as you declare God's Word over it! Remember, "When we want what God wants, for the same reason He wants it, we cannot fail!" - Jerry O'Dell. Amen! Here is a picture to inspire you and a new song from Hillsong to encourage you! "Children of the Light". We've used it before, but it's appropriate!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Jesus gave this instruction to His disciples when He sent them out to minister. Matthew 10:16:


    ¹⁶Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves; be wary and wise as serpents, and be innocent (harmless, guileless, and without falsity) as doves.  AMP

One of the things that many believers have been over the years is gullible! We KNOW that the Word of God says that we are to be "ever ready to believe the best" of others. This is the BEST way to walk in the "love never fails" walk! BUT, along with love, we MUST have wisdom operating! This Scripture tells US to BE wise! Do you remember where wisdom comes from? Look at Proverbs 9:10:

10 The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning (the chief and choice part) of Wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight and understanding. AMP


Putting the One, True, Most high, Living, Almighty God of the Bible as our #1 priority in life will put us on the path of WISDOM!  Then we see this in Joshua 1:8:

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


Your fellowship with the Lord and your daily meditation in His Word will give you the Wisdom you need in order to operate wisely in this life! Being "harmless as a dove"  simply means to walk in love, free from judgement and filled with blessing! So what we are saying here is do NOT be ignorant of the schemes and tricks of the enemy (2 Corinthians 2:11) so that you can be easily ticked or tripped up into following his lead. Then, use the knowledge you gain to be a blessing to everyone you come in contact with, whether they choose to receive it or not! YOUR blessing and reward come from YOUR obedience, NOT from someone else's choice! Every step that you take in love is recorded in Heaven and God DOES keep track of our obedience! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "Hope Of The World"

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


We read Matthew 9 today in the Bible Reading Plan. Look at verses 36-38:

36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 

37 Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 

38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest. KJV

When Jesus saw the lost, His first reaction was to be moved with compassion! Compassion differs from sympathy in that compassion will ALWAYS produce action! What is to be our first "action" when we see the lost? We are to CARE enough to pray for laborers! Be ready in case YOU are the laborer that He wants to send this time! If not, then continue to ask for the right ones! The KJV is pretty mild in these verses. Let's look at the Amplified Bible:

 ³⁷Then He said to His disciples, The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. ³⁸So pray to the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust laborers into His harvest.

We are to ask the Lord to THRUST them out into the field! That sounds a little violent, but then He DID say this in Matthew 11:12:

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]. AMP

So let's be "violent" for the things of God! Don't settle for one bit less than God's very best! Here is Hillsong with "Break Free":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Ecclesiastes 3:1 says this:


 ¹TO EVERYTHING there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven:


There is a proper time for everything and 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 says this:

6 As God's partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God's kindness and then ignore it. 2 For God says, "At just the right time, I heard you.  On the day of salvation, I helped you." 

Indeed, the "right time" is now. Today is the day of salvation.

"Salvation" is the Greek word "soteria". Strong's concordance says: rescue or safety. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: deliverance; preservation; safety; salvation. So TODAY is the day for YOU to TAKE BACK everything that the enemy has stolen from you! TAKE your health, healing, wellness and fitness! TAKE your prosperity! TAKE your favor in very area! TAKE your family back! Do you get the picture? God has ALREADY done HIS part! It's time for US to do OURS! We need to become Matthew 11:12 "men":

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].  AMP

No one else can do it for you! Find out, from the Word of God, what belongs to you as a child of God! Then TAKE IT! Amen! Here, so encourage you in the VICTORY is Hillsong with "Salvation Is Here":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Matthew 7:1-2:


 ¹DO NOT judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves.  ²For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you.

I spoke about this in our Adult Bible Study Service at The Spoken Word Church. You don't have to search very long for a well-known name on the internet before you find someone who disagrees with them, dislikes them, even down right hates them! This is especially true of ministers of the Gospel! Nowhere, in all of the New Testament, do we see a "Ministry of Correction" ordained! In fact, there are many more Scriptures like the one above where we are told how NOT to treat those with whom we disagree. We are told to bless them, to pray for them, and even, if they are preaching something contrary to God's Word,  to avoid them (Romans 16:17). If you ever come across a website that slanders or mocks or accuses a minster of the Gospel, pray for those who have done this that they come to their senses, repent (change their thinking to agree with God), confess their sin, and begin to be about their actual calling from God! God has said to NOT "touch" those whom He has anointed (1 Chronicles 16:22; Psalm 105:15)! That would included every born again believer, because we have ALL received the Anointing (1 John 2:20)! Sow mercy, ALWAYS! You never know when YOU will need mercy for YOUR life! Amen! Let's be "Children of the Light" and bring glory to HIS Name! Here is Hillsong Live with that song! :

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Matthew 6:5-7 is speaking of prayer and things NOT to do in prayer!

 ⁵Also when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward in full already.  ⁶But when you pray, go into your [most] private room, and, closing the door, pray to your Father, Who is in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open.  ⁷And when you pray, do not heap up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking.  AMP

The born again believer in Jesus of Nazareth has the same right and authority to speak the Word of God and to use the name of Jesus in prayer! We should be praying His Word, speaking His Word and declaring His Word! Do you know that the angels of God have been given instructions to minster FOR us? Look at Hebrews 1:14:

14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? KJV

They minister for us, but they are ONLY moved by the Word of God! Psalm 103:20:

20 Bless the Lord, you His angels, 

Who excel in strength, who do His word,

Heeding the voice of His word.  NKJV

So what are we to do? We are to speak His Word with faith, trust and confidence that the angels of God are ON IT! Amen! Pray, speak and declare with confidence! Here is Hillsong Live with a new song called "Stand In Awe":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


We read Matthew 5 today in the Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Most of you will recognize this as the "Beatitudes", but did you notice to whom Jesus was speaking these things? Look at verses 1-2:


 ¹SEEING THE crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him. ²Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:


Jesus went up higher on the mountain when He saw the crowds of people. His disciples joined him and he began to teach THEM! Later, at the end of chapter 7, we see that a crowd has again assembled  and they follow Jesus. Some of them followed Him because they wanted to see some of the miracles that they had heard about. We don't know what motivated them to come, but we DO know this: No one who stayed away heard! If YOU want to hear from God, either through His Word or by His Spirit, YOU will have to come to HIM! James 4:8a says this:

8 Come close to God and He will come close to you.  AMP

The only one who decides how close YOU get to the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible is YOU! Make the choice, with Paul (Philippians 3) to make it YOUR determined purpose to KNOW HIM! Amen! You will be blessed beyond measure, in this life AND the next! Here is a brand new song by Hillsong Live called "I Surrender":

Hillsong Live - I Surrender

Here I am
Down on my knees again
Surrendering all
Surrendering all

Find me here
Lord as You draw me near
Desperate for You
Desperate for You

Drench my soul
As mercy and grace unfold
I hunger and thirst
I hunger and thirst

With arms stretched wide
I know You hear my cry
Speak to me now
Speak to me now

I surrender
I surrender
I want to know You more
I want to know You more

Like a rushing wind
Jesus breathe within
Lord have your way
Lord have your way in me

Like a mighty storm
Stir within my soul
Lord have your way
Lord have your way in me

Shalom in Him!