Shalom,

Psalm 31 also reinforces what we saw in Psalm 91 on Sunday! Look ate verses 19-21:

¹⁹ Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men! ²⁰ In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots of men; You keep them secretly in Your pavilion from the strife of tongues. ²¹ Blessed be the Lord! For He has shown me His marvelous loving favor when I was beset as in a besieged city.

The most important thing for us to do in these last days is to stay in intimate fellowship with the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! Spend quality AND quantity time in the "secret place" where you are aware of HIS presence continually! THAT is the place of awareness that will cause you to be able to plainly and clearly hear the voice of the Lord as He leads, guides and directs you by His Spirit, moment by moment and day by day! Then we can say this from verses 23-24 and really mean it! 

²³ O love the Lord, all you His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful, and plentifully pays back him who deals haughtily. ²⁴ Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!

Courage is something we will need much of in these last days of life as we know it on the earth! Here, to encourage you, is Hillsong United with "Take Heart":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

A very good Scripture to meditate on until it lights up on the inside of you is Isaiah 54:17 AMP:

17 But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord. AMP

Do you believe this? You MUST if you are ever going to go on with the things of God with any effectiveness! Once you really "get" this one, then begin to meditate on this from Romans 8:37-39:

37 Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, 39 Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. AMP

There is not a thing you can't accomplish or a test or trial that you can't gain the victory over, IF you will meditate on these! Get GOD'S Word in your heart in abundance so that HE has something within YOU to work with! Amen! Now fully expect His manifested presence to meet the needs of the people that YOU pray for, preach to, or lay hands on for healing! Here, to encourage you again, is Hillsong United with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Acts 1:1-2 says this:

¹ IN THE former account [which I prepared], O Theophilus, I made [a continuous report] dealing with all the things which Jesus began to do and to teach ² Until the day when He ascended, after He through the Holy Spirit had instructed and commanded the apostles (special messengers) whom He had chosen.

Did you notice that Luke said here that his Gospel account was of what Jesus "began" to do and to teach? Jesus ministered on the earth or three years before His death, burial and resurrection and Luke is saying that this was the beginning! Do you know why there is an account of what Jesus "began" to do, but not an account of Him finishing? Why do you think that might be? Look at Matthew 28:19-20:

18 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. KJV

Jesus said that because all power now belonged to Him, we, as His representatives, were to take that power and DO something with it! Jesus said this in John 14:12:

12 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father. AMP

He is fully expecting that those who have been born again by receiving Him as our Lord and personal Savior will go out and continue to work the same things He did! What did He do? He went about teaching, preaching and healing (Matthew 9:35)! We are to be doing this, at the very least, and then even more as we are led by the Holy Spirit Who lives IN US! We needn't bother asking what the "greater things" are until we are at least doing the works that Jesus did! So, LET'S GO! Amen! Here is a song I have shared several times, but it is most appropriate today! Hillsong United with "Go":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Here is another Biblical proof for the God-given boundaries of the nation of Israel! Genesis 15:18-21:

¹⁸ On the same day the Lord made a covenant (promise, pledge) with Abram, saying, To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates--the land of ¹⁹ The Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, ²⁰ The Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, ²¹ The Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

Notice the That it is the "LORD" (Hebrew Yehovah - the Covenant Name of God) Who said "I have given"! That is past tense! God called it as already done long before Joshua, Caleb and the other Israelites possessed the land! God sometimes had to separate them from the land so that their ungodly actions didn't completely destroy it, but He NEVER gave it to another nation or people! He allowed some to be temporary residents in HIS land until the time when He would bring His people back into the land! This began in 1948 and continues to this day! The nation of Israel currently possesses only a part of all that God ordained for them. There is coming a day when the God of the Bible will return ALL of the land to them! Soon and very soon! In the meantime, NEVER find yourself on the opposite side of the nation of Israel or you will find yourself opposite God Himself! THAT is a place that no person should want to be! Amen! Here is Paul Wilbur with "Shalom Jerusalem"for the only REAL peace and prosperity that will come to Jerusalem will be at the second coming of Messiah Yeshua - Jesus! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We covered Psalm 91 in Adult Bible Study at The Spoken Word Church this morning, and Psalm 27 is similar! Look at verses 1-6:

¹ THE LORD is my Light and my Salvation--whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid? ² When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. ³ Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, [even then] in this will I be confident. ⁴ One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for, and [insistently] require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple. ⁵ For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock. ⁶ And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me; in His tent I will offer sacrifices and shouting of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

How can the psalmist offer up shouts of joy in the  middle of a crisis? Because he has spent time in the presence of God (the "secret place" of Psalm 91) getting to know the Lord, and his trust and confidence in the God of the Bible has grown strong! He has all confidence that the God of the Bible will hide , shelter and protect him! Make sure that YOU are spending time in that secret place of being aware of HIS presence, through Prayer, praise and worship, study and meditation of His Word and intimate fellowship with HIM, so that you, too, can sing and shout for joy in the middle of a trial, bringing glory to HIM! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "Open My Eyes":

                                         

[Verse 1]
In the stars I see Your majesty displayed
In the heavens all Your wonders are proclaimed
I see Your fame in all of the earth
And I seek to know the ways of Your heart

Through the seas and open skies I hear Your praise
As the shout of all creation lifts Your Name
I hear Your praise in all of the earth
And I seek to know the ways of Your heart

[Chorus]
So open my eyes oh God
Open my heart to see
All the wonders and the power of Your name

By Your grace I'll live
By Your grace I'll see
For my life and my salvation is in You

[Verse 2]
For You take the sinner's heart and bring new life
Through the cross we are restored within Your Light
I know Your love is all that i need
And I seek to know the ways of Your heart

[Chorus]

[Bridge]
I know Your love is all that I need
And I seek to know the ways of Your heart

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share some from Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest" for today:

If God so clothes the grass of the field . . . , will He not much more clothe you . . . ? —Matthew 6:30

A simple statement of Jesus is always a puzzle to us because we will not be simple. How can we maintain the simplicity of Jesus so that we may understand Him? By receiving His Spirit, recognizing and relying on Him, and obeying Him as He brings us the truth of His Word, life will become amazingly simple. Jesus asks us to consider that “if God so clothes the grass of the field . . .” how “much more” will He clothe you, if you keep your relationship right with Him? Every time we lose ground in our fellowship with God, it is because we have disrespectfully thought that we knew better than Jesus Christ. We have allowed “the cares of this world” to enter in (Matthew 13:22), while forgetting the “much more” of our heavenly Father.

“Look at the birds of the air . . .” (Matthew 6:26). Their function is to obey the instincts God placed within them, and God watches over them. Jesus said that if you have the right relationship with Him and will obey His Spirit within you, then God will care for your “feathers” too.

“Consider the lilies of the field . . .” (Matthew 6:28). They grow where they are planted. Many of us refuse to grow where God plants us. Therefore, we don’t take root anywhere. Jesus said if we would obey the life of God within us, He would look after all other things. Did Jesus Christ lie to us? Are we experiencing the “much more” He promised? If we are not, it is because we are not obeying the life God has given us and have cluttered our minds with confusing thoughts and worries. How much time have we wasted asking God senseless questions while we should be absolutely free to concentrate on our service to Him? Consecration is the act of continually separating myself from everything except that which God has appointed me to do. It is not a one-time experience but an ongoing process. Am I continually separating myself and looking to God every day of my life?

The reason that I wanted to share this today is because I have been asked so often, by believers who KNOW that God answers prayer that is according to His Word and that He has given US authority in the Name of Jesus, why it seems that prayers go unanswered. The answer is very "simple" and is found above! We try to make things so complicated sometimes when Jesus Himself said "...only believe" (Mark 5:36)! The problem is that so many believers do NOT separate themselves from the world and worldly thinking long enough to develop their faith. Remember, faith comes by hearing (and hearing and hearing) the Word of God (Romans 10:17)! Take the time to grow YOUR faith and you will see your prayers answered every time and all the time! The you can give HIM all the glory! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "Where We Belong":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I have prayed Psalm 25:4-5 many, many times in my study of God's Word! Why is it so very important for us to know the Word of God? Romans 10:17 and Hebrews 11:6 show us the importance of the Word of God in one area!


Rom 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. NKJV

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. NKJV

If we don't "hear" the Word, we won't have, and be able to operate in, faith! We cannot then be pleasing to God! Another reason that we MUST learn to know the Word of God is so that we can be a DOER of that Word, bearing fruit in the calling with which we have been called! Look at Matthew 25:29:

²⁹ For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will be furnished richly so that he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away.

Make it YOUR determined purpose to more of the Word of God today than you did yesterday! Become a knowledgeable DOER of the Word and receive rewards, in this life AND the next! Amen! Here is Hillsong with an older song called "Take It All":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's devotion in Kenneth E. Hagin's Faith Food is very appropriate, and very needful, for our times!

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mark 16:15,17-18). 

Jesus delegated the power and authority in His Name to "them that believe." Some have relegated spiritual authority exclusively to preachers mightily used of God. But this passage of Scripture isn't just talking about evangelists, pastors, or others in the ministry; it's talking about the entire Body of Christ - the believing ones. 

Authority is invested in the Name of Jesus. And authority is invested in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the earth. Some of us have touched that authority now and then, but none of us have been able to abide in it like God wants. 
However, I am thoroughly convinced that in these last days, just before Jesus comes, there will arise a body of believers who will learn how to take advantage of all that belongs to them in the Name of Jesus - that Name which is above every Name! 

I, also, am thoroughly convinced that God has been raising up a body of believers who are fearless and devoted to bringing the Good News of the Gospel, with signs following in confirmation, to the lost! We MUST know who we are - IN HIM - and we must get about DOING it! If you haven't already, you need to get a copy of Kenneth E. Hagin's "In Him". Circle every reference you find to being IN Him and meditate on these! Everything that the Word of God proclaims concerning the authority that we, as born again believers, have in the Name of Jesus, is for TODAY! Let's get busy about our Father's business and get the job done! It's TIME! AMEN!  Here is Hillsong with "Lost Are Found":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Matthew 23:12 says this:

¹² Whoever exalts himself [with haughtiness and empty pride] shall be humbled (brought low), and whoever humbles himself [whoever has a modest opinion of himself and behaves accordingly] shall be raised to honor.

This verse in today's Bible Reading Plan is a great exhortation for us as we live in these last days! So many people have forgotten the God of the Bible and Who He is! Matthew 23 is filled with what Jesus had to say to those religious leaders and rulers who put their own agendas and pride above and before His Word and His plans and purposes! They turned their back on the Word Himself and chose their own way because it made them look good, even if it was only in their own eyes! We have a clear choice to make here! One choice, to accept something we don't deserve and give HIM all the credit, thanksgiving and praise for it, and the blessings that come with it; or the other choice, to exalt ourselves and our own way of thinking, speaking and acting and be brought low! Here is another verse pertaining to this found in 1 Peter 5:6-7:

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you. KJV

What will YOU do? Choose wisely! Here is "You Deserve" by Hillsong:

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share a portion of Scripture today as a means of warning and exhortation in light of the current Newsweek cover, featuring the returning president and carrying the headline: "The Second Coming" . Acts 12:21-24 shows us an example of a similar situation and what the God of the Bible had to say about it!

21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. 24 But the word of God grew and multiplied. K

Here it is from the Amplified Bible:

21 On an appointed day Herod arrayed himself in his royal robes, took his seat upon [his] throne, and addressed an oration to them. 22 And the assembled people shouted, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man! 23 And at once an angel of the Lord smote him and cut him down, because he did not give God the glory (the preeminence and kingly majesty that belong to Him as the supreme Ruler); and he was eaten by worms and died. 24 But the Word of the Lord [concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God] continued to grow and spread. AMP

Do you see the similarities? Pray that the eyes of the understanding of this president be enlightened by the Spirit of God to see what is happening and to respond correctly. The choice is his! How WILL he respond? We shall see! In the meantime, here is Hillsong with "Yours Is The Kingdom":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

1 Corinthians 3:21-23 says this about us:

21 So let no one exult proudly concerning men [boasting of having this or that man as a leader], for all things are yours, 22 Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas (Peter), or the universe or life or death, or the immediate and threatening present or the [subsequent and uncertain] future — all are yours, 23 And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's. AMP

We are to never lose sight of the TRUTH that we belong to the family of God, and He takes good care of His family! Refuse to be moved when it APPEARS that the evildoers are prospering while the believers struggle. GOD is working HIS plan and we WILL reap, if we "faint not"! Cast your care on Him, rejoice in the victory proclaimed in the Word, and watch and see what GOD will do! Amen! Here is Hillsong United with "Light Will Shine":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Pastor Bill Novak continued his teaching from the book of Jude today at The Spoken Word Church. The Holy Spirit really spoke to me through verses 14-19:

14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. 17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. KJV

The Amplified Bible says this:

14 It was of these people, moreover, that Enoch in the seventh [generation] from Adam prophesied when he said, Behold, the Lord comes with His myriads of holy ones (ten thousands of His saints) 15 To execute judgment upon all and to convict all the impious (unholy ones) of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed [in such an] ungodly [way], and of all the severe (abusive, jarring) things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him. 16 These are inveterate murmurers (grumblers) who complain [of their lot in life], going after their own desires [controlled by their passions]; their talk is boastful and arrogant, [and they claim to] admire men's persons and pay people flattering compliments to gain advantage. 17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions which were made by the apostles (the special messengers) of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 18 They told you beforehand, In the last days (in the end time) there will be scoffers [who seek to gratify their own unholy desires], following after their own ungodly passions. 19 It is these who are [agitators] setting up distinctions and causing divisions — merely sensual [creatures, carnal, worldly-minded people], devoid of the [Holy] Spirit and destitute of any higher spiritual life. AMP

Do you see that not one thing that is happening in our world today ever took the God of the Bible by surprise! Even Enoch, who lived while Adam was still alive, knew what was coming one day on the earth! That should encourage us greatly! God's plan is ALWAYS to have the Good News preached to unbelievers and to have believers become disciples and be taught and trained to be bright lights in and to the world!  Look at verses 20-23 to see what He is calling US to do!

20 But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit; 21 Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) — [which will bring you] unto life eternal. 22 And refute [so as to] convict some who dispute with you, and on some have mercy who waver and doubt. 23 [Strive to] save others, snatching [them] out of [the] fire; on others take pity [but] with fear, loathing even the garment spotted by the flesh and polluted by their sensuality. AMP

We are to stay filled with the Holy Spirit continually so that we can be led, guided and directed by Him  to be able to minister to those who are open to hear! We are not responsible before God for people hearing. We are only responsible for our speaking! Be ready! He greatly desires to use YOU to set people free! Amen! Here is Hillsong United with "You Are My Strength":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We know that Psalm 119 is all about the Word of God, all 176 verses! Psalm 19 also has some verses that are all about the Word! Look at verses 7-11:

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the [whole] person; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. ⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and bright, enlightening the eyes. ⁹ The [reverent] fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. ¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold, even than much fine gold; they are sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb. ¹¹ Moreover, by them is Your servant warned (reminded, illuminated, and instructed); and in keeping them there is great reward.

The Word of God is the most precious and powerful gift we have been given after the gift of our eternal salvation! The verses above tell us that it is through the Word of God that we receive restoration, wisdom, joy, enlightenment, illumination, instruction and everything and anything else we may need! Verse 14 says this:

¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer.

How are the words of our mouth made acceptable to Him? By being in line with HIS Word! Why do we want to have them acceptable to Him? Look at 1 John 5:14-15:

14 And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us. 15 And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him. AMP

He has revealed His will to us through His Word! Knowing His Word, and causing our mouth to speak only His Word, will have us in position to receive the requests we make of Him! How do you get your prayers answered? You must get him to HEAR you! How do you get Him to hear you? Make sure that what you are asking is in line with His will, His Word, and He WILL hear you , and you WILL have it! Pretty simple, isn't it! Make the necessary adjustments and you can have every prayer answered with a YES! Amen! Here are some pictures to encourage you!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share from Oswald Chamber's "My Utmost For His Highest" today:

Jesus said to her, ’Give Me a drink’  (John 4:7). How many of us are expecting Jesus Christ to quench our thirst when we should be satisfying Him! We should be pouring out our lives, investing our total beings, not drawing on Him to satisfy us. “You shall be witnesses to Me . . .” (Acts 1:8). That means lives of pure, uncompromising, and unrestrained devotion to the Lord Jesus, which will be satisfying to Him wherever He may send us.

Beware of anything that competes with your loyalty to Jesus Christ. The greatest competitor of true devotion to Jesus is the service we do for Him. It is easier to serve than to pour out our lives completely for Him. The goal of the call of God is His satisfaction, not simply that we should do something for Him. We are not sent to do battle for God, but to be used by God in His battles. Are we more devoted to service than we are to Jesus Christ Himself?

Do you remember the reply that Jesus gave when asked which was the most important commandment? Look at Matthew 22:37:

37 And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). AMP

If you love Him, you want to spend time with Him! If you love Him, you want to listen to Him! If you love Him, you want to do things His way! We can busy ourselves doing so many things that SEEM to be godly, but are actually just busyness! On the eternal side, we will get no rewards for doing "stuff", even if its good "stuff"! We will only get rewards for obedience! Find out what God wants done, then do it His way! THAT is pleasing to Him and is real love! Let's obey Matthew 24:37 and love Him with our whole heart (spirit/soul combination); soul (mind, emotion, will) and mind! See the breakdown? Take the time necessary to change your thinking to agree with God! Then you can speak and act in accordance with His will and be pleasing to Him! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "From The Inside Out":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I have always enjoyed reading about the Transfiguration in the Gospels. Each time I read it, the Holy Spirit opens my eyes to something I hadn't looked at before! Look at verses 1-3:

¹ AND SIX days after this, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. ² And His appearance underwent a change in their presence; and His face shone clear and bright like the sun, and His clothing became as white as light. ³ And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, who kept talking with Him.

The three who came with Jesus SAW something extraordinary! Peter was so moved by what he SAW that he said this in verse 4:

⁴  Then Peter began to speak and said to Jesus, Lord, it is good and delightful that we are here; if You approve, I will put up three booths here--one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah.

We all laugh that Peter said this, thinking (wrongly) that we would never have responded that way! Peter was overwhelmed by the presence and the glory of the Lord! Neither Jesus nor God the Father chastised Peter for saying this! What the Father DID say is this from verse 5:

⁵ While he was still speaking, behold, a shining cloud [composed of light] overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, This is My Son, My Beloved, with Whom I am [and have always been] delighted. Listen to Him!

God the Father did NOT scold Peter, He simply instructed Peter and James and John to DO something! What He told them to do is very important, then AND now! He said that they/we must "listen"! This is the Greek word "akouo". Strong's Concordance says: to hear. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: to attend to; consider what is or has been said; to understand, perceive the sense of what is said. The Theological Dictionary says this: What Jesus looked like is of no interest. Seeing is directed to his acts. Parables like that of the sower are parables of hearing. Things seen take on significance in what is heard. It also adds this:Thus faith and obedience are the marks of real hearing. Our Heavenly Father desires that we truly HEAR  what He is saying through His Word so that we can DO what we hear and the Word can affect our lives for GOOD! Amen! HEAR HIM!!! Here is Hillsong with "The Difference":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Matthew 16 begins with the Pharisees and Sadducees approaching Jesus with this in verses 1-4:

¹ NOW THE Pharisees and Sadducees came up to Jesus, and they asked Him to show them a sign (spectacular miracle) from heaven [attesting His divine authority]. ² He replied to them, When it is evening you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red, ³ And in the morning, It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and has a gloomy and threatening look. You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. ⁴ A wicked and morally unfaithful generation craves a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Then He left them and went away.

These who were SUPPOSED to be teachers of the Word of God did not even KNOW the Word! They were so ignorant of the Word of God that they had to ask for a natural "sign" of Who Jesus was, instead of realizing that He had already fulfilled a lot of the Word that they SHOULD have known! Don't get caught up chasing after a sign or an experience! Follow HARD after HIM and you will have all of the "signs" that you need! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "Cornerstone", because THAT is WHO He IS!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Jesus said this to the scribes and Pharisees that accused His disciples in Matthew 15:7-9:

⁷ You pretenders (hypocrites)! Admirably and truly did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said: ⁸ These people draw near Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts hold off and are far away from Me. ⁹ Uselessly do they worship Me, for they teach as doctrines the commands of men.

There are many people in this world and in this nation who call themselves Christians and yet have never received Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Saviour, which IS the one requisite for becoming a Christian! Have you ever heard this ?"Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than sitting in a garage can make you a car"! Don't assume anyone is a believer, just share the Gospel with everyone you come in contact with. If they are already born again, they will rejoice that someone is sharing the Good News. If they are not,  you will have a planted a seed that will NOT return void! Water that seed with prayer and expect the Good News to win them over! Either way, YOUR reward will be applied to your heavenly account based on YOUR obedience to the Word, not theirs! Isn't our God such a Great God and wonderful Savior to allow us the priceless privilege of sharing this Good News! Amen! Here is Hillsong Chapel with "Salvation Is Here":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Many of us are familiar with Psalm 14:1:

¹ THE [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 all have known an "empty-headed fool" at some point in our lives. There are two very important thing to remember about the "empty-headed fool". Let's look at 1 Corinthians 2:14:

14 But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. KJV

Again from the Amplified Bible:

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

First, there is no way for this person to understand the Word of God, so don't try to "teach" them! Second, because they have no understanding of the Word of God, it is fruitless and useless to try and debate with them! What is REALLY needed? Pray for the eyes of their understanding to be enlightened to the TRUTH that they are personal sinners who need a personal Savior. Then PREACH the Gospel to them! Once they have received Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Saviour, receiving the Holy Spirit to indwell them as Teacher, then they can understand the Word of God, layer upon layer, beginning with the "sincere milk of the Word" (1 Peter 2:2). Continue to pray the prayers of Paul found in Ephesians 1 and 3 and Colossians 1 over them. If they continue in the Word of God, you will have been instrumental in creating a new disciple! Here is an old song by Hillsong United called "Not Ashamed":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I cannot improve on Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's Faith To Faith devotional for today, so I will share it here!

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.– Psalm 91:14-15

God is called by many names. He is the Lord, our Healer, our Provider, our Banner, and our Righteousness. He also promises to be our Deliverer. In this troubled world that may very well be what we need Him to be most often.

But there are many believers who never experience God's mighty delivering power because, instead of walking closely with Him day by day, they wait until danger strikes to call upon Him. That just doesn't work. If you want God to rescue you in the bad times, you have to fellowship with Him in the good times. Why? Because God responds to faith. Our faith, not our need, is what causes Him to act on our behalf. And we'll never be able to develop that kind of faith, that kind of trust and confidence in Him, if we don't spend enough time with Him to get to know Him.

First John 3:20-22 tells us that we have confidence toward God when we do the things that are pleasing in His sight. If we only serve God half-heartedly, then we will not have confidence in Him to deliver us from trouble. When danger surrounds us, instead of being filled with faith, we'll find ourselves paralyzed with fear.

Love and serve God with your whole heart. Walk closely with Him in the good times. Then, when you need Him to be your Deliverer, you'll know without a doubt you can trust Him to care for you!

Amen! The Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan is a great way to begin spending time in the Word of God! Praying Psalm 25:5 is a perfect prayer to begin your Bible Study!

5 Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long. AMP

Then read, study and meditate on the Word, praying in the Spirit as you do, and the Spirit of God will teach you what you need to know! You will come to REALLY love the Word of God! Here is a song to encourage you in YOUR pursuit of TRUTH! it's a fun song by Hillsong Kids called "My Number One":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 12:1-2:

¹ HELP, LORD! For principled and godly people are here no more; faithfulness and the faithful vanish from among the sons of men. ² To his neighbor each one speaks words without use or worth or truth; with flattering lips and double heart [deceitfully] they speak.

Sounds like the realm of politics in America these days, doesn't it? Many are untruthful at the very least while others are blatantly deceitful! What can be done by righteous people in the midst of such unrighteousness? PRAYER! Look at verses 3-4:

³ May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and the tongues that speak proud boasting, ⁴ Those who say, With our tongues we prevail; our lips are our own [to command at our will]--who is lord and master over us?

We can and must call on the God of the Bible Who has said this in Romans 12:19:

19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God's] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (requite), says the Lord. AMP

Cast the care of it all on Him and fully expect that HE will deliver! Verses 5-7 reveal that He will:

⁵ Now will I arise, says the Lord, because the poor are oppressed, because of the groans of the needy; I will set him in safety and in the salvation for which he pants. ⁶ The words and promises of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times over. ⁷ You will keep them and preserve them, O Lord; You will guard and keep us from this [evil] generation forever.

Count on it! Amen! Now let's be about our Father's business while HE takes care of OURS! Here is Hillsong  with "Running":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

There is a very potent question and answer found in today's Bible Reading Plan! Job 14:4:

⁴ Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!

CAN an unclean thing be made into a clean thing? First we need to establish just WHO is unclean! Look at Romans 3:10-12:

10 As it is written, None is righteous, just and truthful and upright and conscientious, no, not one.  [Ps 14:3.] 11 No one understands [no one intelligently discerns or comprehends]; no one seeks out God.  [Ps 14:2.] 12 All have turned aside; together they have gone wrong and have become unprofitable and worthless; no one does right, not even one! AMP

Now look at Romans 3:23:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; KJV

If ALL have sinned and none are righteous in the eyes of God, what hope is there? Every person ever born has the sin nature of Adam. Can an unclean thing be made clean? Job said NO! I'm glad that Job was only partially correct! No ordinary human being could do this! It took a Man born without the sin nature of Adam, Jesus of Nazareth, Who's mother was a human mother and Who's Father was  GOD! He was/is 100% God and 100% man at the very same time! Everything He did on the earth, He did as a sinless man, NOT as God! He freely gave His life on the cross as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all mankind! He defeated death and hell and made eternal salvation available to every person! The only thing that will ever keep a person from Heaven as their home when they leave this earth is if they would reject this wonderful and free gift of God! Can a clean thing be brought out of an unclean? YES! It has already been done! All that is left is for YOU, if you haven't already, to receive Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Savior! If you haven't yet done so, please click on The Spoken Word Church link to the left and find out how! If you have, then PLEASE be shouting this great Good News from the housetops, and every other available avenue! HE LIVES and so can YOU! Amen! Here is an encouragement for you to do so! Hillsong United with "No Reason To Hide":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In Matthew 10 we see Jesus choosing the twelve disciples who would follow Him closely. He does THIS in verses 5-8:

  ⁵ Jesus sent out these twelve, charging them, Go nowhere among the Gentiles and do not go into any town of the Samaritans; ⁶ But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand! ⁸ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely (without pay) you have received, freely (without charge) give.

We have sometimes been given the impression that the disciples just followed Jesus around all day learning form Him. They DID do a lot of that, but these verses show us that He sent them into ministry right away! He expected them to to freely share what He had freely given them! After His resurrection, He said THIS to them in Matthew 28:17-20:

17 And when they saw Him, they fell down and worshiped Him; but some doubted. 18 Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be). AMP

Once you have received Jesus of Nazarath as Lord and personal Saviour, you must receive the "enduing with power" by receiving the infilling of the already indwelling Holy Spirit! THEN you are equipped to learn, grow, obey and GO, fully expecting signs, wonders and miracles happening to confirm the Word spoken by you over each and every situation! HE gets the glory and WE get the rewards! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "GO":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Yesterday we saw that not only is God able to heal and deliver us, but He is even more willing to do so! Today I want to share a very good teaching from Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's devotional "Pursuit of His Presence":

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ...was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen....– 2 Corinthians 1:19-20

“Oh, God, I feel so sick. My head hurts. My skin hurts. My stomach hurts. I need You to heal me!”

Have you ever prayed like that? If so, don’t ever again!

One of the operating principles of faith is to go to God on the basis of His provision—not on the basis of your need.

I learned this years ago in the area of healing. I don’t ever go to God and tell Him how sick I am, and then ask for healing.

Isaiah 53:5 assures me that Jesus already provided for my healing on the cross. So when my body is experiencing symptoms of illness, I pray by saying:

“I am thanking You, Lord, for providing healing for me. By faith I receive that provision now, in Jesus’ Name. I set myself in agreement with Your Word which says that by His stripes I was healed" (see 1 Peter 2:24).

Remember this: If you continue to rehearse your need, you will be so need-minded that it will stunt your faith, and you won’t be able to receive God’s supply. But if you continue to rehearse God’s promise, you’ll become so answer-minded that it will be the most natural thing in the world to simply reach out by faith and receive His provision.

THAT is why we encourage you, here and on The Spoken Word Church website, to spend time in the Word of God on a daily basis! You and I must really KNOW the Word of God in order to act on it! The promise in John 8:31-32 does not refer just refer to the Word of God, but the Word of God that we KNOW! 

31 So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. 32 And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. AMP

This "know" is the Greek word "ginosko" which means: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of, to understand, to perceive. That is why Joshua commanded 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

Want to have good success and prosperity in your life? Then become a DOER of this Word! Then you will KNOW the Truth of God's Word and you can pray the ANSWER rather than the need! I see you becoming increasingly wise, successful, healthy and prosperous in 2013! AMEN! Here to encourage you in this is Hillsong with "We The Redeemed" because HE is the Answer!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share two vital Truths with you today! One comes from today's portion of our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan and the other from Kenneth E. Hagin's Faith Food for today. First we'll look at Matthew 8:1-3:

¹ WHEN JESUS came down from the mountain, great throngs followed Him. ² And behold, a leper came up to Him and, prostrating himself, worshiped Him, saying, Lord, if You are willing, You are able to cleanse me by curing me. ³ And He reached out His hand and touched him, saying, I am willing; be cleansed by being cured. And instantly his leprosy was cured and cleansed.

Did you notice in verse 2 that the leper KNEW that Jesus was ABLE to heal/cure him of leprosy? His question was whether or not Jesus was WILLING to heal HIM! Have you ever prayed, or heard someone else pray, "if it be Thy will"? We are only to pray that type of prayer when His will is not yet known. Is His will concerning healing known? ABSOLUTELY! Jesus reveals His will in verse 3 when He says "I am willing"! Check out, also, 2 chronicles 19:7; Romans 2:11; and Ephesians 6:9. In those references you will find out that our God is NOT a "respecter of persons"! What His will is concerning healing for one, is His will for ALL! Also look at Isaiah 53 and Matthew 8:17 that speaks of the fulfillment of it! Matthew 8:17:

¹⁷ And thus He fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, He Himself took [in order to carry away] our weaknesses and infirmities and bore away our diseases.

God WANTS you healed and whole! THAT is why Jesus bore it all on the cross! Don't EVER question His willingness again! He would sooner have you question His ability than to question His willingness! THAT involves His great love for us! Amen! Today's Faith Food goes right along with this! The Scripture used is 1 Corinthians 3:1-3:

1 HOWEVER, BRETHREN, I could not talk to you as to spiritual [men], but as to nonspiritual [men of the flesh, in whom the carnal nature predominates], as to mere infants [in the new life] in Christ [unable to talk yet!] 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not yet strong enough [to be ready for it]; but even yet you are not strong enough [to be ready for it], 3 For you are still [unspiritual, having the nature] of the flesh [under the control of ordinary impulses]. For as long as [there are] envying and jealousy and wrangling and factions among you, are you not unspiritual and of the flesh, behaving yourselves after a human standard and like mere (unchanged) men? AMP

Paul was telling these believers that as long as they continued to be "body-ruled" instead of following their born again spirit, the Word of God would have no affect for them! We HAVE the Spirit of God IN us to teach us the Word of God! We are ABLE to receive the meat of the Word when we continue to obey the Word we know, and to learn more! Refuse to be a "mere man"! Here is a portion from Faith Food:

Don't do it! Refuse to live like mere men! Live like the new creature you are! Determine to let the new man in Christ dominate your being. 

Confession: I refuse to walk as a mere man. I am changed. I am a new creature in Christ. I will grow up in Christ. I will grow up spiritually. "I" - the man on the inside - will dominate my being. I will walk as a spiritual man. I will behave myself after the standard of God's Word. I will walk in love. I will walk in faith! 

Amen! Here, to encourage you today, is Hillsong's "God Is Able". Remember, He IS able, and He is even more WILLING than He is able! Count on it!

God Is Able
He Will Never Fail
He Is Almighty God

Greater Than All We Seek
Greater Than All We Ask
He Has Done Great Things

Chorus
Lifted Up
He Defeated The Grave
Raised To Life
Our God Is Able
In His Name We Overcome
For The Lord
Our God Is Able

God Is With Us
God Is On Our Side
He Will Make A Way
Far Above All We Know
Far Above All We Hope
He Has Done Great Things

Repeat Chorus

God Is With Us
He Will Go Before
He Will Never Leave Us
He Will Never Leave Us

God Is For Us
He Has Open Arms
He Will Never Fail Us
He Will Never Fail Us

Repeat Chorus 2x 

Repeat 2x
For The LordOur God Is Able

Shalom in Him!