Shalom,

If you and I would REALLY meditate on John 3:16-17 from the Amplified Bible, that is all we would ever need to truly understand the wonderful and "unbounded" love that He has for us! 

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. AMP

If He "so loved" the entire world, and He DOES (Romans 5:8), then how much more does He love those who have received Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Savior, and are now members of His family and a part of the His Body! Get to know, understand and realize the extent of that Love, for in THAT revelation is the source of all faith and power! AMEN! Here is a new song from Hillsong United called "Up In Arms":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Have you ever wondered how the people who followed Jesus around could see healings, deliverances, and miracles every day and still not believe the Words that Jesus said? 1 Corinthians 2:14 gives us the answer to that!

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

Signs and wonders and miracles are meant to be a sign to the lost that God IS, and that He loves them! You cannot grow or build faith on signs, wonders and miracles! Once they catch a person's attention, then their heart must desire to know more in order for any understanding of the Word to come! Only those who truly desire to know Him more will do what is necessary to do so! Hosea 6:3a tells us this:

3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: KJV

When will we know? When we "follow on to know"! This phrase is the Hebrew word "radalph". It means: to run after; to pursue; to chase; to attend closely to; to pursue ardently. So who will know the Lord the way that Paul suggests in Philippians 3:10? ONLY those who will follow hard after Him! Those who will make it their life's goal to learn something new about Him every day! When WE do that, as born again believers who have the Spirit of God living IN us, there is no stopping the knowledge and understanding of His Word from coming! Want to know Him? The go RUNNING after Him! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "Running"!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 57:2-3  is another example of how David encouraged himself in the Lord! 

² I will cry to God Most High, Who performs on my behalf and rewards me [Who brings to pass His purposes for me and surely completes them]! ³ He will send from heaven and save me from the slanders and reproaches of him who would trample me down or swallow me up, and He will put him to shame. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! God will send forth His mercy and loving-kindness and His truth and faithfulness.

He had confidence that no matter what he faced, God would deliver him! In the times in which we live, we must have that same confidence! NOT SELF-confidence, but GOD-confidence! David recognizes the enemy in verse 4:

⁴ My life is among lions; I must lie among those who are aflame—the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows, their tongues sharp swords.

And then he declares the ANSWER in verse 5!

⁵ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let Your glory be over all the earth!

He recognized the tactics of the enemy in verse 6:

⁶ They set a net for my steps; my very life was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way; into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

He again declared the ANSWER in verses 7-11:

⁷ My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is steadfast and confident! I will sing and make melody. ⁸ Awake, my glory (my inner self); awake, harp and lyre! I will awake right early [I will awaken the dawn]! ⁹ I will praise and give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations. ¹⁰ For Your mercy and loving-kindness are great, reaching to the heavens, and Your truth and faithfulness to the clouds. ¹¹ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all the earth.

Now you have YOUR instructions for how to respond to the works of the enemy! You do the same thing that David did and you will the same results that he did! CONFIDENCE! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "I Will Exalt You":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 56:9-13:

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

Are YOU sometimes tempted to be afraid of the things that are happening, in THIS nation, and around the world? Then YOU need to meditate on the verses above AND on this from Isaiah 54:17:

17 No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, says the Lord. KJV

You ARE the "righteousness of God IN HIM"! 2 Corinthians 5:21:

21 For He has made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. KJV

So take heart! ALL of the promises of God are Yes, and AMEN in HIM for YOU (2 Corinthians 5:20 AMP), IF you belong to Him through the precious blood of Jesus of Nazareth! Not sure? Check out our website through the link at the left and KNOW! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "Take Heart":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really like portions of today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers:

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

Once “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,” we deliberately begin to identify ourselves with Jesus Christ’s interests and purposes in others’ lives (Romans 5:5). And Jesus has an interest in every individual person. We have no right in Christian service to be guided by our own interests and desires. In fact, this is one of the greatest tests of our relationship with Jesus Christ. The delight of sacrifice is that I lay down my life for my Friend, Jesus (see John 15:13). I don’t throw my life away, but I willingly and deliberately lay it down for Him and His interests in other people. And I do this for no cause or purpose of my own. Paul spent his life for only one purpose— that he might win people to Jesus Christ. Paul always attracted people to his Lord, but never to himself. He said, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22).

When someone thinks that to develop a holy life he must always be alone with God, he is no longer of any use to others. This is like putting himself on a pedestal and isolating himself from the rest of society. Paul was a holy person, but wherever he went Jesus Christ was always allowed to help Himself to his life. Many of us are interested only in our own goals, and Jesus cannot help Himself to our lives. But if we are totally surrendered to Him, we have no goals of our own to serve. Paul said that he knew how to be a “doormat” without resenting it, because the motivation of his life was devotion to Jesus  (Actually, he didn't say "doormat" he said he knew HOW to be abased and how to abound!). We tend to be devoted, not to Jesus Christ, but to the things which allow us more spiritual freedom than total surrender to Him would allow. Freedom was not Paul’s motive at all. In fact, he stated, “I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren . . .” (Romans 9:3). Had Paul lost his ability to reason? Not at all! For someone who is in love, this is not an overstatement. And Paul was in love with Jesus Christ.

God has the perfect plan of blessing for our lives and it ALWAYS involves His #1 priority of saving the lost! Make that YOU'RE #1 priority and all those other "things" will be yours, too! here is Hillsong with "I Surrender", because we MUST!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In Acts 26, when Paul is called before King Agrippa, he says this to him:

²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? [Do you give credence to God's messengers and their words?] I perceive and know that you do believe.

King Agrippa responds with this:

²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul, You think it a small task to make a Christian of me [just offhand to induce me with little ado and persuasion, at very short notice].

Paul responded with this:

²⁹ And Paul replied, Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you, but also all who are listening to me today, might become such as I am, except for these chains.

We already know, from many previous blogs, that Paul's "determined purpose" was to KNOW the Lord more and more (Philippians 3:10 AMP)! He purposed to know the Lord more so that he could more effectively fellowship with the Lord AND more effectively preach the Gospel! One of the first things you learn about HIM as you get to know Him is that His #1 priority is to have people be born again; rescued from the kingdom of darkness and born into the Kingdom of God! Paul would NOT let up in the preaching of the Gospel! WE should have that same mindset! Our precious partners, the O'Dells, have THIS as one of the truths that they live by:

"The reason for the knowledge, the purpose for the power and the plan for the prosperity is reaching the lost."

Make that YOUR motivating truth and you, too, will win many to the kingdom of God, snatching them from the darkness! After all, THAT is what we are here for! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Mighty To Save":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I LOVE how all of the devotional tools I use seem to be speaking along the same lines today! To start with, Jerry Savelle's Daily Devotional says this about a time when he faced a trying situation:

Well, the reason I was in that trial was that I had opened the door to it myself. I had been so busy that I had gotten out of fellowship with God's Word, and it made me a prime target for Satan's attack.Now, I knew what the Word said to do. And I knew what the Word said would happen if I would be a doer of the Word. But at that moment, I wanted to just play around in self pity and do nothing. That caused the disease of apathy. I felt indifferent about it. I could have cared less at that moment if I won or lost.

My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers for today mentions this:

Perseverance is more than endurance. It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for is going to happen. Perseverance means more than just hanging on, which may be only exposing our fear of letting go and falling.  ...   Then there is the call to spiritual perseverance. A call not to hang on and do nothing, but to work deliberately, knowing with certainty that God will never be defeated.

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's "Pursuit Of His Presence" says this:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.– 1 Peter 5:8-9

Satan is like a salesman. He makes a presentation and tries to sell you a bill of goods. He tells you God doesn’t really love you. He tells you the Word won’t work this time. He tells you that you don’t have the strength to go on. He’ll even try to sell you on the idea that it would be easier for you just to curl up and die than to see this trial through in faith.

All he does is talk...talk...talk! And lie...lie...lie, and we don’t have to listen.

Now that talk can get very annoying, but remember, that’s all he can do! He doesn’t have any real power or authority over you.

According to 1 Peter, he walks around as a roaring lion, “seeking whom he may devour.” It doesn’t say he is a lion. He just acts like one. Therefore, he can’t devour you, unless you let him.

First Peter 5:9 says we are to resist the devil steadfastly! That means you have to use patience to resist him. He is, after all, a persistent fellow. He may pester you a thousand times a day, but if you’ll resist him every time, he will flee from you every time (James 4:7).

He and all the low-level demons he sends to aggravate you have already “come to nought” (1 Corinthians 2:6). Jesus has stripped them of all their power and authority and left them with nothing (see Colossians 2:15).

So the next time Satan starts his sales pitch, talk back.

“I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. I am born of God. I am filled with the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father. I am endowed with the Name of Jesus, which is ‘far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come’” (Ephesians 1:21)! “Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). “Leave my presence in Jesus’ Name” (James 4:7)!

If you’re short of time, just say, “Get out of here, Devil, in the Name of Jesus!” He has to bow his knee at the Name of Jesus uttered in faith!

Our Spoken Word Church website devotional said this, in part: 

Accurate information breeds confidence. Know what you believe. Disconnect from memories of past failures. Stop advertising your mistakes.Remind yourself of good decisions and victories of the past. Before David fought Goliath, he mentally rehearsed past victories over the bear and the lion.See yourself winning. Think and talk like the conqueror God intended you to be. Keep success pictures in your mind at all times. Remember, what you are goes before you.

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."(Romans 8:37)

AMEN! Now aren't you built up, edified, recharged and ready to take on anyone and anything? THAT is what daily study and meditation in the Word of God will do for you! Study the Bible directly AND through the many and varied tools available to us now! We are really without excuse! We are, of ALL people, most blessed! Here is Hillsong with "Our God Is Able". And remember, He is even more willing than He is able, and He is 100% able! Amen!

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

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

Lifted up
He defeated the grave
Raised to life
Our God is Able

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

Lifted up
He defeated the grave
Raised to life
Our God is Able

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I have been meditating today on this verse today: Ephesians 3:10:

10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, KJV

"Manifold" here is the Greek word "polupoikilos". This means: much variegated, i.e. multifarious. It also means: much varied, manifesting itself in a great variety of forms. The dictionary definition for multifarious is: many and various types; having many varied parts or aspects; having many parts or elements. Do you remember this from Isaiah 55:9:

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. AMP

Many have thought, and even taught, that this means we cannot possible know the thoughts of God. That is SO not true! He did NOT say we couldn't be lifted up to a place where we could know and understand His thoughts and even think His thoughts ourselves! He is simply pointing out that there is a place in Him where we can fellowship with Him and learn of Him, but it is so far different from the way that the world thinks that there MUST be a separation from the world in order to do so! Do you desire to think like God thinks? If you do, it will require a continual renewal of your mind with the Word of God and a certain separation from those who refuse to follow on! Something more that we must see from Ephesians 3:10 is that we have a responsibility to know and speak these things! Look at this verse from the Amplified Bible:

10 [The purpose is] that through the church the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere. AMP

Even the angels have not known what has been given to US to know! They are learning it FROM us! How exciting is that! Angels have been sent to minister FOR us (Hebrews 1:14), and all the while they are learning FROM us! Those who are following on to know the Word AND do the Word, that is! Are you such a one as this? I hope so! There is nothing more exciting than learning something new from His Word because it is powerful and it is TRUTH! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "Greater Than All":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

There is a very good exhortation for us in today's devotion from "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers:

Arise, let us go from here —John 14:31

Daydreaming about something in order to do it properly is right, but daydreaming about it when we should be doing it is wrong. In this passage, after having said these wonderful things to His disciples, we might have expected our Lord to tell them to go away and meditate over them all. But Jesus never allowed idle daydreaming. When our purpose is to seek God and to discover His will for us, daydreaming is right and acceptable. But when our inclination is to spend time daydreaming over what we have already been told to do, it is unacceptable and God’s blessing is never on it. God will take the initiative against this kind of daydreaming by prodding us to action. His instructions to us will be along the lines of this: “Don’t sit or stand there, just go!”

I LOVE that the exhortation is to spend the necessary time in fellowship with the One, True God in order to receive His individual instruction for our lives. THEN, we must get up and get going! Thinking about obeying God brings NO rewards, but obedience DOES! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "Go", because we MUST!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Notice THIS about our God! Psalm 50:1-3:

¹ THE MIGHTY One, God, the Lord, speaks and calls the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. ² Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. ³ Our God comes and does not keep silence; a fire devours before Him, and round about Him a mighty tempest rages.

God, and the presence of God, is NOT quiet! Notice that verse 2 says He "shines forth" This is the Hebrew word "yapha`", which means: to shine, to send forth beams, to cause to shine. Can you just picture the presence of God sending forth beams! He is brighter than the brightest bright! He is NOT silent! He speaks and shines and all around Him a "tempest" rages! This "tempest" is the Hebrew word "sa`ar". It means: to storm, come like a whirlwind, to sweep away! He does NOT sweep away His own, but He DOES sweep away evil! Sin, evil and wickedness cannot stand in His presence! You, however, IF you have received Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Savior, CAN stand in His presence! HE tore the veil of the temple in two pieces, from top to bottom, to expose the Holy of Holies to "whosoever will"! POWERFUL! We have the right to His presence, but we also have the responsibility of His presence! In His presence is fullness of joy, wisdom and understanding, LIFE and LOVE! Spend time in His presence today and sleep well tonight! AMEN! 

I want to share something else I saw from today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan! In Acts 22 Paul is giving the testimony of His encounter on the road to Damascus. He tells of the brightness of the Glory of God and that he couldn't see as a result. When Ananias, sent by God to restore his sight and to minister to him, spoke to "Saul", he said this in verses 14-15:

¹⁴ And he said, The God of our forefathers has destined and appointed you to come progressively to know His will [to perceive, to recognize more strongly and clearly, and to become better and more intimately acquainted with His will], and to see the Righteous One (Jesus Christ, the Messiah), and to hear a voice from His [own] mouth and a message from His [own] lips; ¹⁵ For you will be His witness unto all men of everything that you have seen and heard.

Did you notice that the Lord, through Ananias, instructed him to "come progressively to know His will [to perceive, to recognize more strongly and clearly, and to become better and more intimately acquainted with His will]"? Do you remember what Paul said that his "determined purpose" was? Look at Philippians 3:10a:

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    AMP

What should we see from this? Paul never allowed himself to forget or to forsake the very first instruction he had received as a believer! Do YOU remember the first instructions that YOU received from Him? Have you continued to be obedient to that calling and instruction? Make whatever adjustments are necessary to get yourself back on the perfect course that God has for you! Remember, true success is: "Being where God wants you to be, doing what God wants you to do"! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Age To Age":

You gave me hope
You made me whole
At the cross
You took my place
You showed me grace
At the cross
Where you died for me

Chorus:
And his glory appears
Like the light from the sun
Age to age He shines
Look to the skies
Hear the angels cry
Singing holy is the lord

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

My thoughts today have been on the awesome, unequaled, everlasting, powerful and undeserved (by me) love that God has for us! That's NOT just us born again ones either! Look at John 3:16-17 from the Amplified Bible:

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. AMP

He so greatly loved every person ever born into this world that He planned our salvation before He ever created us with a free-will, knowing we would eventually fall and require a Savior! What an awesome God we have! He so greatly loved, and still loves, YOU, that while you were still a sinner, He gave His Son for YOU! Romans 5:8:

8 But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us. AMP

Don't EVER let anyone talk you out of God's love for you! It is THE most powerful force in the universe! AND, He (Love Himself) lives in YOU, if you have received Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Savior! If not, WHY not? Is there ANY reason you can't receive this incredible love right now? Pray this prayer:

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 Savior 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.

NOW you need to get into a good local church so that you can get into God's Word and learn more of this wonderful God! Check out our website through the link at the left and let us know how we can help you find a church like ours in your area! In the meantime, be blessed by this song from Hillsong called "Love So High":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really love Bob Yandian's devotional "Morning Moments" for today! The title reads: God Has No Past-Time Help. It goes on to say: 

Believers who run drill presses, wait tables, or sit behind desks are as much in full time ministry as the pastor of a church or the evangelist who holds crusades around the world. The secret behind success in any ministry is not what office you stand in, but who put you there. Are you in Bible school because it seemed like a good idea at the time or did God direct you there? Are you an attorney because you can make a good living for your family or did God call you to the legal profession? It you are in God's will,, you can be as fulfilled, peaceful, and spiritually productive in a workshop as you would be in a pulpit ministry. 

Doesn't that just set you free? 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 show us that we are ALL called to the full time ministry! We just carry it out in different ways and at different venues! 

18 But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him]. 19 It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor). AMP

Be WHERE God wants you to be and do WHAT God wants you to do and you will be, of ALL people, MOST successful and fulfilled! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "Go", because THAT is what we all MUST do! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I love Psalm 47 because it tends to set the "we must be quiet and solemn in church" bunch on their ear! 

 ¹ O CLAP your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph and songs of joy!

 ² For the Lord Most High excites terror, awe, and dread; He is a great King over all the earth.

 ³ He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet.

 ⁴ He chose our inheritance for us, the glory and pride of Jacob, whom He loves. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

 ⁵ God has ascended amid shouting, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.

 ⁶ Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!

 ⁷ For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises in a skillful psalm and with understanding.

 ⁸ God reigns over the nations; God sits upon His holy throne.

 ⁹ The princes and nobles of the peoples are gathered together, a [united] people for the God of Abraham, for the shields of the earth belong to God; He is highly exalted.

The word "shout" here is the Hebrew word "ruwa`". It means: to split the ears with sound! It also means: to shout for alarm or joy; to raise a sound; to cry out; to shout a war-cry; to shout in applause. "Triumph" is the Hebrew word "rinnah". This means: a creaking or shrill sound; a ringing cry (in proclamation, joy, praise). We are expected by the One, True God to split the air around us with the sounds of praise because of the triumph of our God! Shout a war cry and see how it motivates other believers to step up their "game"! Amen! We shout and sing and praise because HE IS! AND because He is the rewarder of all those who will diligently seek HIM and HIS WILL above our own selfish desires! This is another "weapon of our warfare" (2 Corinthians 10:4)! Obey Psalm 47 today and liftYOUR voice in victorious and triumphant praise and watch and see what God will do OR YOU! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "This IS How We Overcome":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In Psalm 46 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today we see a very familiar verse! Psalm 46:10 says this:

10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. KJV

To "be still" is the Hebrew word "raphah". This means: to sink down, to relax, to let drop, to let alone, to be quiet. Although being quiet is only ONE of the meanings here, it is the one most often associated with this word! The most important meaning, though, is to relax, to let drop and to let alone! Simply being quiet without letting go of whatever would distract is IMPOSSIBLE!!! This "letting go" of things involves negative things such as fear, worry and guilt as shown in 2 Corinthians 10:5 .....

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; KJV

..... AND 1 Peter 5:7:

7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. AMP

It also involves letting go of all of our own ideas, thoughts and efforts in order to more clearly hear HIM! "To know" is the Hebrew word "yada". This means: to learn to know; to perceive; to find out; to recognize; to become acquainted with. We need to KNOW something here! It is NOT that He IS God! The word "am" is not actually IN there! What are we to know about God? That He WILL BE EXALTED among the heathen and in the earth! It brings God great glory to meet our needs, heal our bodies, prosper our finances, cause victory in every area of our lives! WE are the living witnesses to His great glory and loving-kindness! What people see in US should be leading them to HIM! When we take the time to let go of every preconceived notion and realize that HE wants to set us free in every area BECAUSE it will lead others to a saving knowledge of Him, then we will be in position to EXPECT to more clearly see and hear the steps He wants us to take so that HE can work His work! The next time you that you go before Him, go expectantly LISTENING and you WILL hear! He wants you to! Amen! Here is Hillsong's "Hope Of The World", because that is what HE IS! :

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Happy Valentine's Day! Today I want to share with you again the very best, comprehensive, expanded and interpretive translation of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 that I have ever seen! Remember, faith works, and it ONLY works, by LOVE! Galatians 5:6:

6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love. KJV

Look at the Amplified Bible:

6 For [if we are] in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love. AMP

In order to operate in the God kind of faith, we MUST operate in the God kind of love! THAT is the love that NEVER fails! 1 Corinthians 13:4-8:

The following is an expanded interpretive translation of 

First Corinthians 13:4-8 from Rick Renner's Sparkling Gems From The Greek:

“Love patiently and passionately bears with others for as long as patience is needed;

Love doesn’t demand others to be like itself; rather, it is so focused on the needs of others that it bends over backwards to become what others need it to be;

Love is not ambitious, self-centered, or so consumed with itself that it never thinks of the needs or desires that others possess;

Love doesn’t go around talking about itself all the time, constantly exaggerating and embellishing the facts to make it look more important in the sight of others;

Love does not behave in a prideful, arrogant, haughty, superior, snooty, snobbish, or clannish manner;

Love is not rude and discourteous–it is not careless or thoughtless, nor does it carry on in a fashion that would be considered insensitive to others;

Love does not manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage;

Love does not deliberately engage in actions or speak words that are so sharp, they cause an ugly or violent response;

Love does not deliberately keep records of wrongs or past mistakes;

Love does not feel overjoyed when it sees an injustice done to someone else but is elated, thrilled, ecstatic, and overjoyed with the truth;

Love protects, shields, guards, covers, conceals, and safeguards people from exposure;

Love strains forward with all its might to believe the very best in every situation;

Love always expects and anticipates the best in others and the best for others;

Love never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up;

Love never disappoints, never fails, and never lets anyone down.”

I desire to operate in THAT kind of love! How about you? here to encourage you is Hillsong with "Love So High":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share a portion of today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. The language is a little dated, but i am confident that you will clearly understand! Here it is:

Samuel answered, ’Speak, for Your servant hears’ —1 Samuel 3:10

Just because I have listened carefully and intently to one thing from God does not mean that I will listen to everything He says. I show God my lack of love and respect for Him by the insensitivity of my heart and mind toward what He says. If I love my friend, I will instinctively understand what he wants. And Jesus said, “You are My friends . . .” (John 15:14). Have I disobeyed some command of my Lord’s this week? If I had realized that it was a command of Jesus, I would not have deliberately disobeyed it. But most of us show incredible disrespect to God because we don’t even hear Him. He might as well never have spoken to us.

The goal of my spiritual life is such close identification with Jesus Christ that I will always hear God and know that God always hears me (see John 11:41). ...... What hinders me from hearing is my attention to other things. It is not that I don’t want to hear God, but I am not devoted in the right areas of my life. I am devoted to things and even to service and my own convictions. God may say whatever He wants, but I just don’t hear Him. The attitude of a child of God should always be, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” If I have not developed and nurtured this devotion of hearing, I can only hear God’s voice at certain times. At other times I become deaf to Him because my attention is to other things— things which I think I must do. This is not living the life of a child of God. Have you heard God’s voice today?

Remember that the Word of God says THIS in John 10:27:

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: KJV

 Here is that same verse from the Amplified Bible:

27 The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me. AMP

Paul said in Philippians 3:10 that he had made it his determined purpose to KNOW the Lord Jesus! As you get to KNOW Him, His voice will become the most easily recognizable voice in your life! THEN you can be led moment by moment and day by day according to His perfect will and perfect plan for YOU! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "I Live To Know You":

Standing in our presence,
Lord, my heart and life are changed.
Just to love You and to live to
See Your beauty and Your grace.

Heaven and earth cry out Your name,
Nations rise up and seek Your face,
And Your Kingdom is established,
As I live to know You more.
Now I will never be the same,
Spirit of God, my life You've changed,
And I'll forever sing- Your praise,
I live to know You, Lord.
I live to know You, Lord.

You've called me, I will follow,
Your will for me I'm sure.
Let your heart beat feel my heart's cry
Let me live to serve your call.

Heaven and earth cry out Your name,
Nations rise up and seek Your face,
And Your Kingdom is established,
As I live to know You more.
Now I will never be the same,
Spirit of God, my life You've changed,
And I'll forever sing Your praise,
I live to know You, Lord.
I live to know You, Lord. 

Heaven and earth cry out Your name,
Nations rise up and seek Your face,
And Your Kingdom is established,
As I live to know You more.
Now I will never be the same,
Spirit of God, my life You've changed,
And I'll forever sing Your praise,
I live to know You, Lord.
I live to know You, Lord.

Now I will never be the same,
Spirit of God, my life You've changed,
And I'll forever sing Your praise,
I live to know You, Lord.
I live to know You, Lord.
I live to know You, Lord.
I live to know You, Lord

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

The next time you are tempted to give in to discouragement, doubt, fear or unbelief, turn to Psalm 43:5 and ask yourself this:

⁵ Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help of my [sad] countenance, and my God.

   

The word translated "help" here is the Hebrew word "yeshuw`ah". This means: something saved, deliverance, victory, prosperity. He IS and He DOES! Encourage yourself in the Lord the same way that David always did, by reminding yourself of what He has done in the past, the promises He has given and that He IS God and He IS faithful! Now start rejoicing again and defeat the enemy at every turn! Here to encourage you again is Hillsong United with "Take Heart":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I am spending time with my grandchildren for a couple of days, so I will just be sharing one of my new favorite worship songs with you today! I hope it blesses you as much as it blesses me! Hillsong United with "Scandal of Grace":

Grace, what have You done?
Murdered for me on that cross
Accused in absence of wrong
My sin washed away in Your blood

Too much to make sense of it all
I know that Your love breaks my fall
The scandal of grace, You died in my place
So my soul will live

Oh to be like You
Give all I have just to know You
Jesus, there's no one besides You
Forever the hope in my heart

Death, where is your sting?
Your power is as dead as my sin
The cross has taught me to live
And mercy, my heart now to sing

The day and its trouble shall come
I know that Your strength is enough
The scandal of grace, You died in my place
So my soul will live

Oh to be like You
Give all I have just to know You
Jesus, there's no one besides You
Forever the hope in my heart
[x2]

And it's all, because of You, Jesus
It's all, because of You, Jesus
It's all, because of Your love
And my soul will live

Oh to be like You
Give all I have just to know You
Jesus, there's no one besides You
Forever the hope in my heart
[x2]

Shalom in Him!