Shalom,

I don't usually begin this blog with a picture, but this one deserves to be front and center! I hope YOU are having an awesome Resurrection Day celebration! We had an awesome Special Music service with our Spoken Word Church singers this morning  and then Pastor Bill Novak began teaching a new series entitled "God/Man". Jesus was/is 100% God and 100% Man. The PERFECT "Daysman" to bridge the gap between us and God! He DID! HALLELUJAH! Now we can spend EVERY DAY celebrating the Resurrection! And we SHOULD! Amen! I will leave you today with four more powerful pictures! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 89:1 is both a declaration AND an instruction!

¹ I will sing of the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord forever; with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness from generation to generation.

We should be singing His praise continually because of the wonderful Covenant we have with Him, through what Jesus did for us! Some people will not know until YOU tell them! When we praise Him for Who He is, as in verse 8 and beyond.....

⁸ O Lord God of hosts, who is a mighty one like unto You, O Lord? And Your faithfulness is round about You [an essential part of You at all times].

.... then all of the glory, and the attention, goes to Him! After all, He IS worthy to be praised! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "I Desire Jesus":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Had an exciting Friday at The Spoken Word Church! We celebrated a Passover Seder Service as our Good Friday celebration! So meaningful and fun! In light of that, and Psalm 88 for today, which is all about the suffering Messiah, I will simply share this song by Hillsong called "Man Of Sorrows". Remember, He DID what He did for the JOY that was set before Him (Hebrews 12:1-2)! That joy is YOU! AMEN!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's study from Kenneth E. Hagin's Faith Food is very vital for all born again believers! See it here:

"Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Luke 10:19). 

Authority is delegated power. Its value depends on the force behind the user. 

Jesus said, "I have given you authority." Who gave it? Jesus did. Who is Jesus? Jesus is God manifested in the flesh! That means that God said it. Therefore, God said "I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy." (Serpents and scorpions represent demons and evil spirits and the power of the enemy.) 

God Himself is the Power, the Force, behind this authority. The believer who is fully conscious of divine authority can therefore face the enemy without fear or hesitation. 
Behind the authority possessed by the believer is a Power far greater than the power that backs our enemies. And those enemies are compelled to recognize that authority! No wonder John says, "Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). 

In order to walk confidently in this authority, we MUST develop faith in Him and what His Word says! Look at what Paul says in 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

When we understand that when Jesus said this in Matthew 28:18-20.......

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  New Living Translation 

....... He was giving US the same power that operated in Him, AND the instructions on what to do with it, then we will be able to expect the same results that Jesus had when HE did these things! Meditating on Who Jesus is will show us who WE are, in HIM! Amen! Happy studying! Once this Word becomes real to you, then you will have the confidence to go out and do the works of Jesus, and then the greater works that He spoke of in John 5:20! All for the Glory of God! Here is Hillsong Chapel with "Lost Are Found":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

As we read through Numbers, in the Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan, I am reminded again of the awesome GRACE of God the Father, Who planned the great plan of Salvation, sent God the Son to become the Son of God and consummate (carry out, fulfill  and finish) it, and then sent God the Holy Spirit to teach, train, lead, guide and direct us in  it! We are, of ALL people, MOST BLESSED! Amen! No more lambs and goats and the shedding of blood upon an altar! Hebrews 10:4-10:

4 Because the blood of bulls and goats is powerless to take sins away. 5 Hence, when He [Christ] entered into the world, He said, Sacrifices and offerings You have not desired, but instead You have made ready a body for Me [to offer]; 6 In burnt offerings and sin offerings You have taken no delight. 7 Then I said, Behold, here I am, coming to do Your will, O God - [to fulfill] what is written of Me in the volume of the Book. [Ps 40:6-8.] 8 When He said just before, You have neither desired, nor have You taken delight in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings - all of which are offered according to the Law -  9 He then went on to say, Behold, [here] I am, coming to do Your will. Thus He does away with and annuls the first (former) order [as a means of expiating sin] so that He might inaugurate and establish the second (latter) order.  [Ps 40:6-8.] 10 And in accordance with this will [of God], we have been made holy (consecrated and sanctified) through the offering made once for all of the body of Jesus Christ (the Anointed One). AMP

 ONCE, for ALL! Once time, for ALL people, for ALL time! All that is left is for those who have never heard, to hear and receive! Let's be about our Father's business of preaching the Good News, healing the sick, raising the dead and casting out demons so that the lost may see and hear of Him and be saved! Here is a new song by Hillsong United that speaks of this unspeakable gift! This "scandalous" GRACE that He gave, called "Scandal Of Grace": 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Just in case you get drawn into a discussion about the definition of marriage, Here is what the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible has to say about it all! 


Matt 19:4 He replied, Have you never read that He Who made them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be united firmly (joined inseparably) to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? AMP

Lev 18:22 You shall not lie with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination. AMP

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); they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.  AMP

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

1 Cor 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled): neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality, 10 Nor cheats (swindlers and thieves), nor greedy graspers, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers and slanderers, nor extortioners and robbers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God. AMP

Jude 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. KJV

Don't ever feel that you have to convince someone. IF they want to know what God thinks, they WILL ask! If not, don't waste your time, energy and resources on it! Just be about your Father's business of preaching the Good News, healing the sick and working signs, wonders and miracles that WILL reach their hearts for HIM! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with the new song "Relentless", because His love IS relentless for us! Let's be relentless in our pursuit of knowing Him! AMEN! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I have always loved the Amplified Bible for Romans 12:1-2 because it leaves nothing cloudy or unclear about the instructions here! 

1 I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. AMP

I have never made light of the sacrifices of those who have been martyred for their faith in the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible. Their lives and sacrifice is an inspiration and a challenge to make a daily account of how deep my own love and commitment is to HIM! That being said, it is MUCH more of a commitment and a test in diligence to LIVE for Him on a consistent basis! Remember that to be absent from the body, for a born again believer, is to be IMMEDIATELY present with the Lord Himself (2 Corinthians 5:8)! That's why Romans  calls it a "living sacrifice"! Have you ever wondered if YOU would be willing to give your life for your faith? Prove yourself by giving your LIFE, and LIVING your life, for Him right here and right now! AMEN! How do we do this? Verse 2 tells us! Stop thinking, speaking and acting like the world around you and begin to think, speak and act the same way Jesus did when He was here! Possible? Absolutely! He would not have told us to do this if it were not possible to do, BUT, it will take a quality decision and a continually picking ourselves up WHEN we miss it and beginning again! Are you ready for this? YES, you are! You have already been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3) - IN HIM! So make use of the abundant gifts within you and begin to shine for HIS glory! Rewards abound for those who do! Here is Hillsong with "Search My Heart":

Shalom in Him

Shalom,

Today at The Spoken Word Church we looked at Psalm 99 and discovered that LORD is found 7 times in that Psalm. This is the Hebrew word "Yehovah". We know this as Jehovah and it means: the Eternal, Self-existing One! This is the Covenant Name of God! Everything found after Jehovah, all of the many Names, reflect a part of the Covenant that we have with Him because of the precious blood of Jesus, our Lord and personal Savior! Everything that He accomplished through His death, burial and resurrection was for OUR benefit, now, in this lifetime and in the one to come! Study the Word of God to find what belongs to you as a child of the Most High God and who you are IN HIM! Now begin to walk in this, bringing honor and glory to HIM, showing HIM off to the world so that they may be drawn to Him, too! There is no  more glorious way to live! He is coming soon! Will He find YOU faithful? Say YES! Amen!  Here is Robin Mark with "Days Of Elijah":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Many of the devotionals I read for today mentioned the prayers of Paul found  in Ephesians or Colossians! These are prayers that Paul prayed for the believers he cared about! I have found over the years that, after prayer in the Spirit, these prayers are the most effective prayers we can pray in our known language for another person! 1 John 5:14-15 tells us that if we pray according to His will (which is His Word) then He hears and we have it! Praying these prayers from Ephesians and Colossians is completely according to His Word/Will, so we KNOW that they will be answered! Amen! In case you have never seen these before, I am going to post them below. Insert the name of the person you are praying for, including yourself! Pray them consistently for 30 days and see what God is able to do in their/your life! Hallelujah! Let's get started! I use the Amplified Bible, but feel free to use a different version. 


Eph 1:17 [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him, 18 By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones), 19 And [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength, 20 Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places], 21 Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come. 22 And He has put all things under His feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the church [a headship exercised throughout the church],  [Ps 8:6.]23 Which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all [for in that body lives the full measure of Him Who makes everything complete, and Who fills everything everywhere with Himself]. AMP

Eph 3:16 May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality]. 17 May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, 18 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; 19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! 20 Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams] —  21 To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it). AMP

Col 1:9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things —  10 That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition]. 11 [We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy,12 Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light. 13 [The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins. AMP

Now remember that HE that has begun a good work in you, will continue working, according to these prayers, right up until the time that Jesus comes for the Church! Philippians 1:6:

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

 Amen! I am sharing a new song from Hillsong United called "Tapestry". The lyric video is below!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Roman 9:31-33:

³¹ Whereas Israel, though ever in pursuit of a law [for the securing] of righteousness (right standing with God), actually did not succeed in fulfilling the Law. ³² For what reason? Because [they pursued it] not through faith, relying [instead] on the merit of their works [they did not depend on faith but on what they could do]. They have stumbled over the Stumbling Stone. ³³ As it is written, Behold I am laying in Zion a Stone that will make men stumble, a Rock that will make them fall; but he who believes in Him [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] shall not be put to shame nor be disappointed in his expectations.

We could never do enough "good works", or obeying the law, to win a place in Heaven! The price that must be paid for sin, for making a selfish decision to do things our own way instead of God's way, is the death that is total separation from the God of the Bible! Because mankind is born with the nature of sin as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve, no natural man or woman could ever have paid the "ransom" necessary to buy us back! It took the completely sin-less Son of God Himself to be the perfect Sacrificial Lamb! He DID it! It is FINISHED! NOW, don't be talked into going back to trying to gain points with God by keeping a set of rules and regulations! Obey the Word of God BECAUSE you are HIS! You can never be more righteous than you became the moment you were born again! It is human nature to want to see, hear, feel, taste or touch the Answer! THAT is why Israel then, and many people now, stumble over this ROCK! Believe Him, believe His Word, and you will NOT be put to shame! TRUST Him, He hasn't failed yet! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "Oceans - Where Feet May Fail":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Romans 8:1 should be very familiar to born again believers! 

8 Therefore, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus

In some translations there are added words to this verse, but they are not found in the original language, according to the Interlinear Bible that I used. I can understand why some would want the rest of the verse put in there! This God kind of Grace and Love is sometimes unfathomable to our human thinking! The extra words that are included in some Bibles are here:

who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit.

The TRUTH of the matter, though, is that Jesus paid the full, once for all, price so that we would never face condemnation (actually damnation, or punishment for wrong done) again! He BECAME sin with MY sin (yours too, if you have received Him) and the punishment that went with it, which was separation from God! Do you remember when He said "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" God the Father had to turn His back on His own Son at that moment because He WAS sin! Because Jesus had no sin that was His own, He died a sacrificial death, out of the fullness of love, for ME! Death could NOT keep Him and He was "reborn"! He rose from the dead as a new man, still 100% God and 100% man, to live forever in Heaven as a resurrected man! Thank You, Jesus! So, refuse ALL condemnation, no matter what you've done or not done! There is nothing that will keep you from Heaven once you have received Jesus as Lord and personal Savior! NOW, the choices we make to sin or not while here on this earth WILL, most definitely, affect our quality of life HERE! Sin, selfish decisions to do things our own way instead of God's way, always brings the death realm in to our lives. That could come in the form of sickness and disease, poverty, loss of family, friends and favor! There is NO reason to live like that, but the choice is always and completely OURS!  God says: "Choose life!" What will YOU choose? Here is Hillsong United with "Rhythms Of Grace":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,  

Today I want to share this from Kenneth Copeland's Faith To Faith Devotional:

And be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. – 1 Peter 5:5

Most believers don't know anything about true humility. If you tell them they're the righteousness of God, they'll fight to keep from believing it. You can give them scripture references to prove it, and they'll still argue.

"Oh no," they'll say, "I'm not righteous. I'm just an old sinner saved by grace." They're making a sincere attempt to be humble. But they're sincerely wrong. They're so afraid of being exalted by pride that they've let Satan trick them into falling right into it.

Let me show you what I mean. According to 1 Peter 5:5-6, to be truly humble is to submit to God. That means when God says something, you believe it no matter how foreign to your "religious" thinking it may be. When He says you've been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, you say that too. In fact, you wouldn't dare say anything else because to do so would be to dare to disagree with God. And, when you get right down to it, that's the ultimate form of pride, isn't it?

Don't let Satan keep you groveling in the dust of false humility. Agree with God. Find out what His Word says about you, then be bold enough to say it yourself. Banish pride by submitting to His truth. Clothe yourself in true humility. It's sure to look good on you.

Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 5:5-11

Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 says:

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.¹⁸ All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Do YOU know who YOU are - IN HIM? The most vital thing you can do for you life, once you have received Jesus as Lord and personal Savior, is to find out who you are because HE, by the Holy Spirit, lives in YOU! We are meant to be the presence  of Jesus Himself in the earth! In order to do that, we MUST humble ourselves to accept this that we do NOT, on our own, deserve! We must be about our Father's business of seeking and saving the lost! We CANNOT do that unless we have the full confidence that comes from the Bible knowledge of who we are! We are Ambassadors for Him, in this earth, and we CAN DO all that He requires us to do! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "To Know Your Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Within Psalm 78:1-8 lies the reason for all of the ungodly things that are going on in this nation right now!

¹ Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. ² I will open my mouth in a parable (in instruction by numerous examples); I will utter dark sayings of old [that hide important truth]— ³ Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. ⁴ We will not hide them from their children, but we will tell to the generation to come the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, and His might, and the wonderful works that He has performed. ⁵ For He established a testimony (an express precept) in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, commanding our fathers that they should make [the great facts of God’s dealings with Israel] known to their children, ⁶ That the generation to come might know them, that the children still to be born might arise and recount them to their children, ⁷ That they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but might keep His commandments ⁸ And might not be as their fathers—a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that set not their hearts aright nor prepared their hearts to know God, and whose spirits were not steadfast and faithful to God.

Verse 6 shows the responsibility we have before God to teach His Word and His Ways to OUR children, so that THEY can teach them to THEIR children! When this is done, no one forgets the God that created them, saved them, healed them, provided for them, and then called them to carry out His call on their lives! Look again at verse 8! Does that not sound exactly like the ungodly ones living on the earth right now? Parents stopped training their children in the Word of God! It got to be more important to acquire "things", position, fame, worldly honor and worldly accolades, than to please the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible. What can be done? Start right where you are, repent of disobedience, make a determined purpose to speak the Word of God when you feel like it and when you don't! Preach the Good News to everyone you come in contact with, as the Holy Spirit give the opportunity! Train up your children according to the Word, if you have them at home yet, and pray for them if you don't! Sow good seeds of the Word and prayer into the lives of other children and God will take care of yours! See every day as a new opportunity to tell of the wonderful works and ways of our wonderful God and King! Amen! To encourage you in this, here is "Mighty To Save" by Hillsong:

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 77:1-2 say this:

¹ I will cry to God with my voice, even to God with my voice, and He will give ear and hearken to me. ² In the day of my trouble I seek (inquire of and desperately require) the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out [in prayer] without slacking up; I refuse to be comforted. AMP

I saw something in these verses today that I hadn't thought about before! The psalmist is saying that when he faces trouble, he sets his face to seek God with all that is within him! We read here that he seeks ( inquires of and desperately requires) his answer from the Lord. He continues in this heartfelt and determined prayer time without giving up or giving in until he receives the answer! How do we know this? The word "comforted" here is the Hebrew word "nacham". It means: a change of heart, a change of mind, a change of purpose. This person REFUSES to be deterred by anyone or anything from his determined purpose of receiving the promises of God in his life! Is that YOUR attitude in prayer? It should be! 1 John 5:14-15 shows us how to know that our prayers will be answered:

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

So, we must find God's will, which is revealed in His Word, and then ask! If we ask according to His will, then He hears! If He hears, HE has said that we WILL HAVE WHAT WE HAVE ASKED FOR! Amen! So search, the Word, seek His presence, ask of Him and praise and thank Him for the answer, never questioning the outcome! The only thing we don't know is the "WHEN"! So simple praise Him for it now and forever! AMEN! Here, to encourage you in this and in having that childlike faith, is Hillsong Kids with "My Number One":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Romans 3:10 tells us this:

¹⁰ As it is written, None is righteous, just and truthful and upright and conscientious, no, not one.

Righteous actually means :right standing with God, or, "right in His sight"! This means that there is not one person ever born on the earth that is righteous on their own! How do we become righteous then? Verse 20 tells us what will NOT work!

²⁰ For no person will be justified (made righteous, acquitted, and judged acceptable) in His sight by observing the works prescribed by the Law. For [the real function of] the Law is to make men recognize and be conscious of sin not mere perception, but an acquaintance with sin which works toward repentance, faith, and holy character].

That means that there is nothing we can DO that will make us righteous, or right in God's sight! No good works, no sacrifice! What CAN we do then? Verses 21-24:

²¹ But now the righteousness of God has been revealed independently and altogether apart from the Law, although actually it is attested by the Law and the Prophets, ²² Namely, the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah). [And it is meant] for all who believe. For there is no distinction, ²³ Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives. ²⁴ [All] are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus,

2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us this:

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. KJV

How do we receive this righteousness? Look at Romans 10:9:

9 Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. AMP

If you have already received Jesus as Lord and personal Saviour, then stop trying to become righteous! You already are! Now spend time in His Word and in His presence to see how HE wants you to show that righteousness to the world! AMEN! If you have NOT received Jesus as Lord and personal Saviour, then see my blog post from last Sunday, March 10, for the prayer to BE MADE righteous! Here is Hillsong with "Hope Of The World":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Romans 2:1-4 is great guidance for us today in order to be able to stay in God's protection, provision and safety, no matter WHAT is going on in the world around us! 

 1 And the Lord said to Moses, ² Say to the Israelites, I am the Lord your God. ³ You shall not do as was done in the land of Egypt in which you dwelt, nor shall you do as is done in the land of Canaan to which I am bringing you; neither shall you walk in their statutes. ⁴ You shall do My ordinances and keep My statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God.

We are to look, speak and act as those whose God is the LORD! Look at 1 Peter 2:9-10:

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 

10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. KJV

Now look at this in the Amplified Bible:

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.  [Ex 19:5,6.] 10 Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God's people; once you were unpitied, but now you are pitied and have received mercy. AMP

We are told to be ready to give an answer when people come and ask us why WE are not hopeless and filled with fear with what is happening all around us! 1 Peter 3:15:

15 But in your hearts set Christ apart as holy [and acknowledge Him] as Lord. Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully. AMP

THIS is what HE has done in us, who we now are and what we are now to do. 

2 Cor 5:18-20:

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). 20 So we are Christ's ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ's personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God. AMP

Do you see why it is imperative that we stay separated from the world and separated unto HIM? It is vital that we do NOT try to live by the laws of THIS world, but of the one we now call HOME! They MUST see the difference, so let's BE the DIFFERENCE! Amen! No introduction should be necessary for THIS song!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Romans 1:16 is another favorite Scripture of mine!

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. KJV

"Ashamed" is the Greek word "epaischunomai", which means: "to have a feeling of fear or shame which prevents a person from doing a thing." What is the thing that we are SUPPOSED to do? Look at Mark 16:15:

15 And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature [of the whole human race]. AMP

"Power" is the Greek word "dunamis", which means: force, specifically, miraculous power. It also means: inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature. This power that we are talking about is the power of God Himself! This is the same "power" that Paul tells us, in Philippians 3:11, comes with knowing HIM! "Salvation" is the Greek word "soteria", which means: rescue, safety, deliverance, preservation, health. THIS is why I will NEVER be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! People are counting on US to reveal His power to THEM! HE is counting on us to walk in His power on the earth so that HE gets the glory, and when HE gets the glory, people take notice! KNOW the Gospel, LOVE the Gospel, SHARE the Gospel! People will be saved in every area of life, HE will be pleased and YOU will be glad! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "I'm Not Ashamed of the Gospel":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this from "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. It is a priceless teaching that, if we will diligently meditate on and get into our innermost being, will completely and utterly change our lives! 

For God so loved the world that He gave . . . —John 3:16

Salvation does not mean merely deliverance from sin or the experience of personal holiness. The salvation which comes from God means being completely delivered from myself, and being placed into perfect union with Him. When I think of my salvation experience, I think of being delivered from sin and gaining personal holiness. But salvation is so much more! It means that the Spirit of God has brought me into intimate contact with the true Person of God Himself. And as I am caught up into total surrender to God, I become thrilled with something infinitely greater than myself.

To say that we are called to preach holiness or sanctification is to miss the main point. We are called to proclaim Jesus Christ (see 1 Corinthians 2:2). The fact that He saves from sin and makes us holy is actually part of the effect of His wonderful and total surrender to us.

If we are truly surrendered, we will never be aware of our own efforts to remain surrendered. Our entire life will be consumed with the One to whom we surrender. Beware of talking about surrender if you know nothing about it. In fact, you will never know anything about it until you understand that John 3:16 means that God completely and absolutely gave Himself to us. In our surrender, we must give ourselves to God in the same way He gave Himself for us— totally, unconditionally, and without reservation. The consequences and circumstances resulting from our surrender will never even enter our mind, because our life will be totally consumed with Him.

I always like to add verse 17 when I use John 3:16:

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  KJV

"Saved" here is the Greek word "sozo". It means: save, deliver, protect, heal, preserve, do well, make whole, rescue, restore. Paul said that he had made it his determined purpose to know Him (Philippians 3:10)! Peter reminded Jesus that they had left everything and everyone in their lives behind in order to follow Him (Mark 10:28). In order to really walk in the fullness of the new and better Covenant that we have with Almighty God through the Blood of Jesus, we must commit to, or surrender, all that is ours into His MOST capable hands! AMEN! Here to inspire you in this is Hillsong with "I Surrender":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

When the rich young ruler came to Jesus to ask what he must do, Jesus replied by telling him to go and sell what he had (liquidate his assets), to give to the poor (notice Jesus did NOT say give it all, just GIVE) and follow Jesus! The man would not do so because he had "great possessions"! (Actually, his possessions had him!) When Peter started to tell Jesus that THEY had left all to follow Him, Jesus made this declaration to hem in Mark 10:28-30:

28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. 29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,  

30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. KJV

Notice two very important things about this passage. First, Jesus said that this leaving everything behind MUST be "for my sake, and the Gospel's"! Motives are very important to God! Make sure that you do a continuous check of your motive for everything that you do! Desire the promises of God for the same reason He GAVE the promise and you won't be able to contain the Harvest of good and Godly things! Next, notice that JESUS said ... "now in this time" concerning  this Harvest. Stop putting every good thing to the future in Heaven and expect Godly favor NOW! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with another new song called "Love Is War":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I was reading about Peter today in Mark 14. I have always appreciated Peter's impulsiveness because it made him so much more real to me! I can identify with his enthusiasm and his boldness to want to please the Lord! People have been quick to jump on Peter for his "fumbles", but who of us have ever walked on water? Yes, Peter fell, but before he did, he DID walk on the water, just like Jesus! In Mark 14:29-31, Jesus had just told His disciples that they would all leave him that night. Here is part of the conversation:

²⁹ But Peter said to Him, Even if they all fall away and are caused to stumble and distrust and desert You, yet I will not [do so]! ³⁰ And Jesus said to him, Truly I tell you, this very night, before a cock crows twice, you will utterly deny Me [disclaiming all connection with Me] three times. ³¹ But [Peter] said more vehemently and repeatedly, [Even] if it should be necessary for me to die with You, I will not deny or disown You! And they all kept saying the same thing.

Peter was VEHEMENT in his declaration that HE would never leave Jesus or deny Him! We all know what happened later! Everyone DID leave Jesus and run for safety. When Peter was recognized as a disciple of Jesus, he did deny Jesus, not once, but three different times! Peter, and all of the disciples, really meant what they said, they just did not have the needed spiritual strength to withstand, AT THAT TIME! Look at what Jesus said in verse 38:

³⁸ Keep awake and watch and pray [constantly], that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak

These disciples were not even born again yet, because Jesus had not yet given His life! Once Jesus rose from the dead and they believed on Him and received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, they had a fighting chance to stand strong, IF they spent time in His Word! Joshua 1:8 tells us how to have great success at whatever we do in this life! The real boldness, however, didn't come until Peter and the other disciples, including the family of Jesus, were "endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:49) when they received the infilling of the Holy Spirit! Just listen to the boldness of Peter when he preached that day and 300 were saved! (Acts 2) So, is it possible for ME to deny Jesus? I will tell you this, I NEVER plan on finding out! I will continue to immerse myself in the Word of God, pray in the Holy Spirit, fellowship with like-minded believers on a daily basis and spend time daily in thanksgiving, praise and worship! I can also guarantee that if YOU will do the same, you will NEVER deny Him before men, or any other being! AMEN! Here is a brand new song from Hillsong United called "Oceans p (Where Feet May Fail)". It's a longer song, but very powerful!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I was praying about whether to share from the Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan today or to share something from The Spoken Word Church Worship Service. The decision was made very clear when I read Psalm 69:19-21:

19 Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee. 20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. 21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. KJV

Pastor Bill Novak has been teaching on "The Sayings of Jesus on the Cross". Yesterday he covered when Jesus said "I thirst". John 19:28-30:

28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. KJV

The Psalms many times have dual meanings. They are referring to events that were taking place at the time they were written, and then some are considered Messianic Psalms, which refer to what Jesus said and did as the Saviour! This particular Psalm is a Messianic Psalm! What I learned in the lesson yesterday was what exactly happened with the vinegar offered to Jesus. I won't go into great detail. You will be able to find the teaching on The Spoken Word Church website through the link at the left, if you would like to hear it all. I will share, though, that crucifixion was a very foul and messy situation. There are all types of bodily fluids that are present as a result. The people attending to this would keep them mopped up with vinegar, applied with a sponge at the end of a long stick or handle! Do you see what their final mockery of the One Who was giving His life for them, and us, was? THAT is when Jesus said His final words on the cross: "It is finished"! Thank YOU, Lord Jesus, for all that YOU have done for us! If you have never received Jesus as Lord and personal Saviour, I invite you to pray this prayer now and make sure that, on your behalf, His total and loving sacrifice was not in vain! 

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.

Now get into the Word of God and into a good local church where you will be taught, trained, loved and cared for and continue to grow up In HIM! AMEN! Here is a brand new song from Hillsong United called "Relentless":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I had in mind what I wanted to share here today, but once I read "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers for today, I had to share this:

Do you also want to go away? —John 6:67

What a penetrating question! Our Lord’s words often hit home for us when He speaks in the simplest way. In spite of the fact that we know who Jesus is, He asks, “Do you also want to go away?” We must continually maintain an adventurous attitude toward Him, despite any potential personal risk.

“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” (John 6:66). They turned back from walking with Jesus; not into sin, but away from Him. Many people today are pouring their lives out and working for Jesus Christ, but are not really walking with Him. One thing God constantly requires of us is a oneness with Jesus Christ. After being set apart through sanctification, we should discipline our lives spiritually to maintain this intimate oneness. When God gives you a clear determination of His will for you, all your striving to maintain that relationship by some particular method is completely unnecessary. All that is required is to live a natural life of absolute dependence on Jesus Christ. Never try to live your life with God in any other way than His way. And His way means absolute devotion to Him. Showing no concern for the uncertainties that lie ahead is the secret of walking with Jesus.

Peter saw in Jesus only someone who could minister salvation to him and to the world. But our Lord wants us to be fellow laborers with Him.

In John 6:70 Jesus lovingly reminded Peter that he was chosen to go with Him. And each of us must answer this question for ourselves and no one else: “Do you also want to go away?”

When Jesus ministered on the earth He was asked what the greatest commandment was. Here is His answer, from Matthew 22:36-40 and Mark 12:28-31:

Matt 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. KJV

Mark 12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. KJV

So there you have it! The very most important thing for us, as born again believers, to do is to LOVE HIM! More than any other person, place, thing or event, we are to love HIM! Out of our love for Him will spring the very best love we could ever give to all of the other important people in our lives! Without loving Him first, and best, we are actually CHEATING all of the other important people in our lives of the best love they could have from us! Love HIM first and everything else will fall right into its God-given place! Amen! Here is Hillsong United with "Lord Of Lords":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I was slightly shocked today to receive an email that proceeded to preach to me that the Word of God shows that signs, wonders, and miracles stopped with the early church. They are way to late to try and win me over with THAT completely FALSE teaching! Look at what Jesus Himself had to say about born again believers and what they would do! John 14:11-12 from both the KJV and the AMP:

11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. KJV

11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me; or else believe Me for the sake of the [very] works themselves. [If you cannot trust Me, at least let these works that I do in My Father's name convince you.] 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

Do you KNOW what the works were that Jesus did? Look at Matthew 4:23 and Matthew 9:35:

23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. KJV

35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. KJV

What Jesus did was to go about teaching, preaching and healing! And HE said that WE would do THOSE works and even greater works, because He was going to the Father. When He did that, They sent God the Holy Spirit to live inside of us and then, for those who will receive, He gave the enduing with power from on high - the infilling of the Holy Spirit and power! The phrase "greater works" is the Greek word "meizon" which means: in a greater degree. That means that Jesus was saying that, if we choose to obey (He ALWAYS give us the choice) then we would do what He had done and even more frequently, and in more places! Don't EVER let anyone tell you that "God doesn't do that anymore"! Jesus is the SAME yesterday, today and (HALLELUJAH!) FOREVER! Amen! Here, to enforce THAT thought, is Hillsong United with "Lost Are Found" with lyrics following:

Everlasting
While earthly ages fade
In mercy
Our God Your kingdom reigns

Lord over everything
You are near
All of the universe at Your feet

In the Savior
Injustice brought to right
For Your glory
That Your name be lifted high

Lord over everything
You are near
All of the universe at Your feet
Lord over everything
You are near
All of the universe at Your feet

The lost are found
The blind will see
The lame will walk
The dead will live
And You are God
Forever You will reign

Shalom in Him!