Shalom,

James 5:176b says this:


16b The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  KJV

That sounds nice, but what does it REALLY mean? Let's look at the Amplified Bible:

16b The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. AMP

As a born again believer in Jesus of Nazareth, YOUR prayers WORK! You just have to DO IT! Amen! All the power of God in Heaven has been made available to us through the New Covenant which has been sealed in the Blood of Jesus! Learn the different types of prayer and then PRAY!!! HE is waiting on YOU to speak out in faith! This should encourage you! 
  

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share a portion of the Daily Devotional from Jerry Savelle today.

Devotional:
"I am your constant companion. I am your biggest helper or I am your greatest burden. I will push you forward or I will drag you down. I am completely at your command. I am the servant of all great men and I am the servant of all failures as well. I can cause you to succeed or I can bring you to ruin. Who am I? I am your habits." - Author Anonymous

God created you to be a creature of habit. Habits can actually bring great success or great destruction to your life. Successful living is primarily the result of habit, just as drug addiction and alcoholism are the results of habits. We all have habits. We have good habits and we have bad habits.

I want to help you understand and acknowledge the habits that have brought confusion, torment and negative results in your life. As a result of this understanding, you will learn how to develop and maintain good habits that will bring success in all areas of your life.

What is a habit and how is it formed? A habit is defined as the result of the frequent repetition of a certain act; routine; practice; pattern; tendency. Something becomes habitual when it is repeated so often that you don't even have to think about it before you do it. You just do it!

So how can we develop GOOD habits? A very key Scripture in developing good habits is found 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

Meditating on the Word of God is a GOOD habit! We develop that habit by DOING IT! Spend time everyday reading and studying the Word of God. The best way to do that is to have a Bible reading plan. We offer an excellent, chronological plan on The Spoken Word Church website (link on the left).  Spend time reading this everyday and thinking about what it means to you and your life. Share what you are learning with like-minded believers. Write your thoughts and notes in a journal and keep track of your growth. Bible Study is the very best habit you can develop! Praise and Worship is another powerful habit! Remind yourself everyday of how God has blessed you and your family. Thank Him and praise Him for it! Find Praise and Worship music that ministers to you and that makes you more aware of the presence of God! Use it daily to develop a lifestyle of Praise! Another very valuable habit to develop is the habit of Prayer, especially praying in the Spirit, which is praying spirit to Spirit! Prayer is communication with the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! There IS no better person to communicate with on a daily basis! A moment-by-moment basis! Amen! Here to encourage you in developing good habits is an older song from Hillsong called "Everyday"(lyrics below):

What to say, Lord? It's
You who gave me life and I
Can't explain just how
Much You mean to me now
That You have saved me, Lord
I give all that I am to You
That everyday I could
Be a light that shines Your name

Everyday, Lord, I'll
Learn to stand upon Your word
And I pray that I
I might come to know You more
That You would guide me in every single step I take, that
Everyday I can
Be Your light unto the world

Everyday, it's You I live for
Everyday, I'll follow after You
Everyday, I'll walk with You, my Lord

Everyday, Lord, I'll
Learn to stand upon Your word
And I pray that I
I might come to know You more
That You would guide me in every single step I take, that
Everyday I can
Be Your light unto the world

Everyday, it's You I live for
Everyday, I'll follow after You
Everyday, I'll walk with You, my Lord

It's You I live for, everyday
It's You I live for, everyday
It's You I live for, everyday
It's You I live for, everyday

Everyday, it's You I live for
Everyday, I'll follow after You
Everyday, I'll walk with You, my Lord

Everyday, it's You I live for
Everyday, I'll follow after You
Everyday, I'll walk with You, my Lord

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

God gave this warning to His people in Isaiah 31:1:

 ¹WOE TO those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses and trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they look not to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek and consult the Lord!

Why did HE NOT want them to turn to Egypt for help? Look at verse 3:

³Now the Egyptians are men and not God, and their horses are flesh and not spirit; and when the Lord stretches out His hand, both [Egypt] who helps will stumble, and [Judah] who is helped will fall, and they will all perish and be consumed together.

God intended for His people to look to Him only for protection, provision, safety, leading, guidance and direction! When we look to man, especially unbelievers, to help, before or instead of God, then we become partakers of their lives instead of the life and light of the Word of God! Men will ALWAYS fail you, even the best of them! God will NEVER fail! Amen! Put YOUR faith, trust and confidence in the ONE Who has both the ability and the desire to deliver you and you shall NOT fail! AMEN! Here is Bob Fitts with an old song called "Some Trust In Chariots". Lyrics below.

Some may trust in horses, some may trust in chariots

But we will trust in the name of our God

Some may trust in horses, some may trust in chariots

But we will trust in the name of our God

In the name of Jesus our salvation lies

He will hear from heaven to answer every cry

By the blood of Jesus, sins are washed away

We sing for joy to God our strength

His banner we wave, we wave

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Mark 8:31-33:

  ³¹And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must of necessity suffer many things and be tested and disapproved and rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be put to death, and after three days rise again [from death]. ³²And He said this freely (frankly, plainly, and explicitly, making it unmistakable). And Peter took Him by the hand and led Him aside and then [facing Him] began to rebuke Him. ³³But turning around [His back to Peter] and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get behind Me, Satan! For you do not have a mind intent on promoting what God wills, but what pleases men [you are not on God's side, but that of men].

Who was Jesus rebuking when He said this? It SAYS that "He rebuked Peter", but He SAID "Get behind Me, Satan!". The dictionary definition of "rebuke" is: an expression of sharp disapproval or criticism; to scold; to express sharp disapproval or criticism of someone because of their behavior or actions. Jesus WAS rebuking Peter, but He did it by exposing that the idea had come from satan! THAT is our real enemy and adversary! He IS a defeated foe, but he continues to fight the battles as though he still has a possibility of winning! We need to stay alert to his tactics so that we don't get blind-sided into accepting anything less than God's very best! Peter had good intentions, but he was listening to the wrong source of information! The devil can try to make something sound like the Truth, but all he can ever really do is LIE! Don't fall for it! Know the Word so very well that you CANNOT be fooled! Amen! Here, to help you with this, is Hillsong United with "One Way":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really like reminding myself of this from Kenneth E. Hagin's Faith Food for today:

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Phil. 4:6). 

The Amplified translation of this verse begins, "Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything…." 

Christians usually practice only part of this verse—the part that says to pray. But if we practice that part and not the part about not having anxiety, we're not practicing the Word. We're not being a doer of the Word. 

First, God's Word says, "Do not fret…." If you're going to fret and be anxious, it won't do you any good to make requests. Your prayers will not work. 

"Careful" is the Greek word "merimnao". It means: to be anxious about; to be troubled with cares; to have a distracting care. The Amplified Bible says this:


Phil 4:6 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. AMP

Don't allow yourself to pray BEFORE you cast every care, worry, fear or fret over on Jesus! If Jesus tells us to do something, then He has already provided us the way to do it, and given us the ability to do it! You CAN live your life free from worry, guilt, fear, anxiety, condemnation and every other fretful emotion! Cast them on Him and THEN  pray and stand on God's Word for the answer! A blessed life indeed! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "I Stand In Awe":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We had a wonderfully Spirit-led and Spirit-filled, Word-filled Worship Service and The Spoken Word Church today! Pastor Bill Novak taught his second lesson on "Peace". He taught on the difference between the "atonement" provided by the Old Covenant and the "remission" and "reconciliation" provided by the New Covenant. Exodus 29:36a says this:


Ex 29:36 And you shall offer a bull every day as a sin offering for atonement. NKJV

"Atonement" is the Hebrew word "kippur", which means: to cover or conceal. The sacrificing of an innocent and perfect lamb was the a picture of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God that would happen in their future! How much better to be alive now when we can look back on that wonderful sacrifice knowing that our sin has not been merely covered, but wiped away forever! Look at Matthew 26:28:


Matt 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. KJV

"Remission" is the Greek word "aphesis", which means: freedom, deliverance, release, dismissal, to send off, to hurl, to release, to let go. Those of us who have received Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Saviour have had OUR sins completely dismissed! They no longer exist! They are washed away by the Blood of Jesus and HE remembers them no more! HALLELUJAH! What a great and wonderful message we have been commissioned to deliver! Let's DO IT! Amen! Here is Hillsong with a new song from their new Cornerstone album called "Children Of The Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we are going to look at what the Word of God has to say about homosexuality. I am so fed up with all of the untruth that is being spewed about this subject! Here are some of the verses that address this directly:

1 Tim 1:8 We know that the law is good when used correctly. 9 For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. 10 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God. New Living Translation 

Lev 20:13 If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination.  NKJV  [Lev 20:13 If a man lies with a male as if he were a woman, both men have committed an offense (something perverse, unnatural, abhorrent, and detestable);  AMP]

1 Kings 14:24And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. KJV

Jer 6:15 Are they ashamed of their disgusting actions? Not at all—they don't even know how to blush! New Living Translation

Rom 1:26 For this reason God gave them over and abandoned them to vile affections and degrading passions. For their women exchanged their natural function for an unnatural and abnormal one, 27 And the men also turned from natural relations with women and were set ablaze (burning out, consumed) with lust for one another — men committing shameful acts with men and suffering in their own bodies and personalities the inevitable consequences and penalty of their wrong-doing and going astray, which was [their] fitting retribution. AMP

These Scripture references are to show us unequivocally what GOD thinks about this! Romans 1 shows us that this did NOT change with the New Covenant! To God sin is, always has been, and always will be, SIN! The GOOD NEWS of the New Covenant is found in John 3:16-18:

16 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. 18 He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation — he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already [he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ's name.] AMP

What IS the Good News? Jesus already paid the price for sin. The ONLY sin that will keep someone from Heaven when they leave this earth is the sin of rejecting Jesus! Does Jesus hate homosexuality? YES! Does Jesus hate those who practice it? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! He loved them enough to die for them, AND YOU! Does He condone it? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! Sin will always keep us from intimate fellowship with Him and may cause people to turn their back on Him altogether. Sin will affect this life and everything to do with it, but it has no effect on the eternal destiny of those who have received Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Saviour. You may not like to hear that, but it IS the TRUTH! AMEN! Here is a new song from Hillsong about the New Birth and Baptism called "Beneath The Waters (I Will Rise)"! Let's RISE!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Mark 4 contains the "Parable of the Sower" and the explanation that Jesus gave to his disciples. For those who have prepared their hearts well to receive the Word, for the purpose of obeying it, this is the promised result, found in verse 20:

    ²⁰And those sown on the good (well-adapted) soil are the ones who hear the Word and receive and accept and welcome it and bear fruit--some thirty times as much as was sown, some sixty times as much, and some [even] a hundred times as much.

Acting on the Word we know (obedience) will result in the :"fruit-bearing" above! First, though, we must FIND the Truth hidden in His Word! Proverbs 25:2 says this:

2 It is God's privilege to conceal things and the king's privilege to discover them.  New Living Translation

What does that mean to us? Look at Mark 4:22-23:

   ²²Things are hidden temporarily only as a means to revelation.] For there is nothing hidden except to be revealed, nor is anything [temporarily] kept secret except in order that it may be made known. ²³If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him perceive and comprehend.

God hid precious Truth in His Word so that those of us who are serious about doing things HIS way can search it out, obey it and prosper in every area! Verses 24-25 says this:

   ²⁴And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you--and more [besides] will be given to you who hear. ²⁵For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away [by force],

Joshua 1:8 is the key to acting on this:

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

It is up to US to "work the Word" by obeying it, and it is up to GOD to cause the Blessings to come, in His perfect timing! Make sure that YOU are putting YOURSELF in position to receive God's riches and best by searching the Word, meditating on the Word, obeying the Word and then expecting the result. Then what? PRAISE HIM!!! Here, to help you with that, is Hillsong's "Running":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 53:1 is a reminder to us to pay attention to who it is that we are listening to!

¹THE [empty-headed] fool has said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt and evil are they, and doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.

When people come against believers because they make a stand on the Word of God, the WORD says that those people are empty-headed FOOLS! Don't get your news or take advice from fools! Pay attention to the source and act accordingly! Then I noticed something in Mark 3:1-5 today:

 ¹AGAIN JESUS went into a synagogue, and a man was there who had one withered hand. ²And [the Pharisees] kept watching Jesus [closely] to see whether He would cure him on the Sabbath, so that they might get a charge to bring against Him [formally]. ³And He said to the man who had the withered hand, Get up [and stand here] in the midst. ⁴And He said to them, Is it lawful and right on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to take it? But they kept silence.  ⁵And He glanced around at them with vexation and anger, grieved at the hardening of their hearts, and said to the man, Hold out your hand. He held it out, and his hand was [completely] restored.

Did you notice that very first word? "Again" refers to an action that is being repeated! Jesus was doing something that He had made a habit of doing! This was how He operated! He went AGAIN into the synagogue! This passage tells me two important things TODAY! (I will surely learn something new from this tomorrow!) First, it is important to be regularly attending church! Jesus did! Second, He went there looking for people to help! You and I have been given gifts, talents, strengths and abilities for the purpose of being a blessing to our local church family, and then taking those same things out into the world to "seek and save those who are lost" (Luke 19:10)! Your realm of influence is your responsibility! They need to see the Life and Light of God in YOU! SHINE while there is still time in this life for you to SHINE! Amen! Here is a fun song from Hillsong Kids called "Let Your Light Shine":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Isaiah 17:1 says this:

 ¹THE MOURNFUL, inspired prediction (a burden to be lifted up) concerning Damascus [capital of Syria, and Israel's bulwark against Assyria]. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins.

 Here it is in some other versions of the Bible:

17 This message came to me concerning Damascus:

"Look, the city of Damascus will disappear!

It will become a heap of ruins. 

New Living Translation 

17 The burden against Damascus.

"Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city,

And it will be a ruinous heap. 

NKJV

17 A Message concerning Damascus:
"Watch this: Damascus undone as a city, 

a pile of dust and rubble! 

 THE MESSAGE

Have you ever paid attention to this verse of Scripture before? Did you know that Damascus is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world? Do you think that it will make much of an impression when Damascus disappears? I do! There is so much that is going on in the world today that we don't have time to blink without missing something! God is working His plan and it will be extremely well with us IF we choose to get with HIS program! Amen! Find out God's plan for YOU, then set your entire being to seeing that it is carried out! Soon and VERY soon, we are going to be seeing the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords appearing for us in the sky and calling us HOME! Come quickly, Lord Jesus! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "We Will See Him":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really like the teaching that Bob Yandian does on "Doubt, Unbelief, or Faith?" in today's Morning Moments devotional! I will share some of it here. He begins with James 1:5-6:

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  NKJV

Do you see that doubt tosses us back and forth between the Truth of God's Word and the lies of the enemy and circumstance? I like this part from the devotional: 

.......Doubt is different from unbelief. Unbelief has made up its mind and is settled. Doubt looks at both sides and wavers back and forth. James tells us a wavering man will not receive anything from the Lord. The only good thing about doubt is there is still hope. Faith stands on one side and unbelief on the other. Unbelief is the opposite of faith. Faith has made up its mind to believe God's Word. Unbelief has made up its mind to reject the Word of God and go with the symptoms, circumstances or emotions. Doubt stands in the middle and looks at both sides, not sure what to do. We all have had moments of doubt. We have looked at the promises of God and then looked at the symptoms in our body. ....... How do we stop doubt? Make up your mind that God's Word is sure despite what you see, feel or think. Once you have made up  your mind to trust God fully, doubt is defeated and unbelief gone. Faith in the promises of God will bring the answer.

Doesn't is help to look at doubt this way? Sometimes doubt seems like a real force that comes against us to try to get us to stop standing! It is so clear here that doubt is just a wavering between the Truth and the lie! THAT should make it SO much easier to go the way of the Word! HE never fails! Amen! Here is Hillsong Live with "The Greatness Of Our God":

Verse 1: 
Give me eyes to see 
More of who You are 
May what I behold, 
still my anxious heart. 
Take what I have known 
And break it all apart 
For You my God, are greater still.

CHORUS
No sky contains,
No doubt restrains,
All You are,
The greatness of our God.
I spend my life to know,
And I'm far from close 
To all You are, 
The greatness of our God.

Verse 2: 
Give me grace to see 
Beyond this moment here. 
To believe that there 
Is nothing left to fear.

That You alone are high above it all.
For You my God, are greater still.

CHORUS 2x
No sky contains,
No doubt restrains,
All You are,
The greatness of our God.
I spend my life to know,
And I'm far from close 
To all You are, 
The greatness of our God.

Bridge: 2x
And there is nothing
That can ever separate us.
There is nothing that can ever 
separate us from Your love.
No life, no death, of this I am convinced.
You my God, are greater still.

2x:
And no words can say, or song convey,
all You are the greatness of our God.
I spend my life to know,
And I'm far from close 
to all You are, 
the greatness of our God.

 Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

God says this to His people in Psalm 50:14-15:

   ¹⁴Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High,  ¹⁵And call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall honor and glorify Me.

Then He says this in verse 23:

  ²³He 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.

This "salvation" is the Hebrew word "yesha`". which means: liberty; deliverance; prosperity; safety; rescue; welfare; victory. Continually bring to Him YOUR offering of praise, thanksgiving and worship! Order YOUR life according to HIS Word (His will) and He will rescue, deliver, save, heal and prosper YOU! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "Salvation Is Here":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Pastor Bill Novak began a new series today at The Spoken Word Church called "Peace" or "Perfect Peace"! So many people think that the peace that God wants us to have is freedom from war! That is just not so! Matthew 24:6; Mark 13:7; and Luke 21:9 all say that wars will, and must, take place! Matthew 10:34 says this:

34 Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. AMP

But then Jesus ALSO said this in John 14:27:

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. KJV

He also said this in John 16:33:

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. KJV

Romans 8:6 was one of the Scriptures Pastor used today:

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. KJV

What is this peace that Jesus was speaking about? It is the Greek word "eirene" which means: peace, prosperity. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: after the Hebrew "shalom": security, safety, prosperity, felicity (intense happiness). Jesus came to bring peace between God and man! He came to pay the price for sin, once for all time and for all people! The ONLY sin that will keep someone from peace with God is rejecting Jesus! Have YOU received Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Savior? If not, go to our website (link on the left) and find out how! You WANT that peace! Amen! Here is Hillsong with an older song called "Let The Peace Of Go Reign":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 48 tells of the city of Jerusalem and how the nations of the world saw it when the people of Israel were faithful to the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! Verses 1-5:

¹GREAT IS the Lord, and highly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, ²Fair and beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth--Mount Zion [the City of David], to the northern side [Mount Moriah and the temple], the [whole] city of the Great King! ³God has made Himself known in her palaces as a Refuge (a High Tower and a Stronghold). ⁴For, behold, the kings assembled, they came onward and they passed away together. ⁵They looked, they were amazed; they were stricken with terror and took to flight [affrighted and dismayed]. 

Here are two pictures of what Solomon's Temple MAY have looked like!

This looks rather impressive, but can you imagine the presence of God being known? The nations of the world KNEW that the God of Israel was POWERFUL! When the people forgot their God, He allowed them to be scattered, but He NEVER gave them up! Psalm 48:8-14 says this:

    ⁸As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it forever. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! ⁹We have thought of Your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of Your temple. ¹⁰As is Your name, O God, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness (rightness and justice). ¹¹Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of Your [righteous] judgments! ¹²Walk about Zion, and go round about her, number her towers (her lofty and noble deeds of past days), ¹³Consider well her ramparts, go through her palaces and citadels, that you may tell the next generation [and cease recalling disappointments]. ¹⁴For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide [even] until death.

God has called His first chosen people home and they will never leave again! If you are ever presented with "Replacement Theology", stating that the Church replaced Israel and that God is done with them, reject it immediately! There is NO Scriptural support for that and numerous Scriptures, like these, that promise otherwise! Amen! Make sure that YOU are on God's side by supporting Israel and it's eternal capital of Jerusalem! Here is a picture of a Menorah that has been made for the future Third Temple!

Here is an artist rendering of the New Jerusalem that is spoken of in Revelation!

Soon and very soon! Are YOU ready? 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We started in Titus today in our Bible Reading Plan. Titus was a young man, like Timothy, who had been born again through the ministry of Paul. Titus 1:1-4:

1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. 2 This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began. 3 And now at just the right time He has revealed this message, which we announce to everyone. It is by the command of God our Savior that I have been entrusted with this work for Him. 4 I am writing to Titus, my true son in the faith that we share. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace. New Living Translation 

Here are the same verses in the Amplified Bible:


 PAUL, A bond servant of God and an apostle (a special messenger) of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) to stimulate and promote the faith of God's chosen ones and to lead them on to accurate discernment and recognition of and acquaintance with the Truth which belongs to and harmonizes with and tends to godliness,  2 [Resting] in the hope of eternal life, [life] which the ever truthful God Who cannot deceive promised before the world or the ages of time began.  3 And [now] in His own appointed time He has made manifest (made known) His Word and revealed it as His message through the preaching entrusted to me by command of God our Savior;  4 To Titus, my true child according to a common (general) faith: Grace (favor and spiritual blessing) and [heart] peace from God the Father and the Lord Christ Jesus our Savior. AMP

Paul is showing here that the role of the pastor of a church is to teach the Truth so that the people can know and understand, from the Word of God, how to conduct THEIR lives to be pleasing to God and to reach the world for HIM! The vision of the pastor of The Spoken Word Church is to "Teach and train believers to be bright lights in and to the world!" Make the job of YOUR Pastor easier by becoming a true student of the Word! That is someone who chooses to hear and obey the Word of God! Amen! And, just to give you something else to meditate on, verses 5-6 do NOT say men, but elders! These are born again believers, male or female, who are called of God to be responsible for a congregation of other born again believers! It does NOT say the "husband of one wife", but, without all the added punctuation, it really says "shall have one husband wife"! That means a woman pastor will not have more than one husband and a male pastor will not have more than one wife! AND, they will raise their children properly! AMEN!!! "I" am not called, at this time, to be a pastor, but many wonderful ladies are, and I support them completely as long as they teach the Word of God! Here is Hillsong with an appropriate song for yielding to the will of God in YOUR life! "I Surrender":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's devotion in "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is entitled "Does He Know Me?". MY question to YOU is, "Do YOU know HIM?"  Here is the first portion of the devotion:

He calls his own . . . by name . . . —John 10:3

When I have sadly misunderstood Him? (see John 20:11-18). It is possible to know all about doctrine and still not know Jesus. A person’s soul is in grave danger when the knowledge of doctrine surpasses Jesus, avoiding intimate touch with Him. Why was Mary weeping? Doctrine meant no more to her than the grass under her feet. In fact, any Pharisee could have made a fool of Mary doctrinally, but one thing they could never ridicule was the fact that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her (see Luke 8:2); yet His blessings were nothing to her in comparison with knowing Jesus Himself. “. . . she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. . . . Jesus said to her, ’Mary!’ ” (John 20:14, 16). Once He called Mary by her name, she immediately knew that she had a personal history with the One who spoke. “She turned and said to Him, ’Rabboni!’ ” (John 20:16).

Mary KNEW Jesus! She walked with Him, talked with Him, and, most importantly, listened to Him! THAT is where she developed that intimate fellowship with her Lord! Paul says this in Philippians 3:10-11:

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 [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] 11 That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]. AMP

Paul did NOT walk with Jesus during His earthly ministry, but he DID spend intimate time with Him AFTER the Resurrection! Look at Galatians 1:15-16:

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: KJV

You and I can KNOW Jesus in the same way that Mary and Paul KNEW Him! How? Look at Philippians 3:12-14:

12 Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own. 13 I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward. AMP


We MUST pursue knowing Him the same way we would go after hidden treasure that we KNEW was there! Make it your #1 priority to learn something new about Jesus every day! You will be surprised how very much He desires to fellowship with you! Start today! Here is Hillsong with "To Know You More":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

2 Timothy 3, from today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan, couldn't be more appropriate for the times we are living in if it had been written today! Here are verses 1-5:

¹BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. ²For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.  ³[They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.  ⁴[They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.  ⁵For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].

This applies to many in the so-called "occupy" movement and to many politicians! Verses 8-9 explain even more AND give us hope!

  ⁸Now just as Jannes and Jambres were hostile to and resisted Moses, so these men also are hostile to and oppose the Truth. They have depraved and distorted minds, and are reprobate and counterfeit and to be rejected as far as the faith is concerned. ⁹But they will not get very far, for their rash folly will become obvious to everybody, as was that of those [magicians mentioned].

OUR instruction? Verses 14-17:

  ¹⁴But as for you, continue to hold to the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced, knowing from whom you learned [them], ¹⁵And how from your childhood you have had a knowledge of and been acquainted with the sacred Writings, which are able to instruct you and give you the understanding for salvation which comes through faith in Christ Jesus [through the leaning of the entire human personality on God in Christ Jesus in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness]. ¹⁶Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action), ¹⁷So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Amen! God's Word WORKS!!! Continue to seek HIM and to pray for this nation and HE will hear and answer! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

2 Timothy 2:15 says this:

 ¹⁵Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.

Paul is instructing Timothy to be a student of the Word of God! He is also, at the same time, giving this instruction to US! We have a responsibility, as born again believers in Jesus of Nazareth, to KNOW the Word so that we can walk in it! Many people have set out to "study" the Word of God who have no hope whatever of actually knowing it! How can I say this? Look at 1 Corinthians 2:12-14:

12 Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God. 13 And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit]. 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

Only those who have been born again by the Spirit of God, after receiving Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Saviour, can actually KNOW the Word! The Word is supernatural, the Holy Spirit is our Teacher, and THAT is why we MUST set our hearts to KNOW the Word! What a priceless privilege that we have been given, that we CAN know HIM! Amen! Let's get to it!  Here is Hillsong with "To You":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share, from Faith Food for Summer by Kenneth E. Hagin, a prophecy that Brother Hagin gave at a seminar he taught to born again believers concerning being led by the Spirit:

Look inside, inside your spirit. For your spirit is the candle, the lamp of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly. And so ye shall know, and ye shall walk in the light of that which ye know. 

No one will be able to gainsay thee, for thou wilt say, "There is light in my dwelling. I am the temple of the Holy Spirit. He dwells in me. He enlightens my spirit. Yea, I walk in that witness that's within my spirit. I do that which I know by an inward intuition. I follow that deep premonition in my innermost being. And so I am being led by the Spirit. 

"I am rejoicing and I'm glad. Yea, I sound forth His praises evermore. I look to that which in me does reside. For residing in me is the potential of all that God has and is. 

"All the attributes of even the Father God Himself reside within my spirit, and are potentially mine. For He has declared, 'I will walk in them. I'll live in them. I'll be their God. They will be My people.' 

"My God is not in a far-off distant land, out of reach and not at hand. My God sits not on a pedestal; nor can He be seen with the physical, or touched with the hand. My God is a Spirit who resides in man!"

Amen! Now if you have never received Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and Saviour, then this is NOT true of you! The Holy Spirit is ONLY for believers! HE is the ONE Who does the work of "birthing" us as this new creation! If you have never received Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and Saviour and would like to, please pray this prayer and then let us know about your decision! 

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

Shalom in Him!