Shalom,

I want to share a portion of the "Health Food Devotional" by Kenneth E. Hagin for today:

And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
(Mark 6:6)

After I left the last church I pastored in 1949, I primarily held meetings in Full Gospel churches until 1962. Again and again, I had pastors say to me, "Brother Hagin, I don't want to hinder you. I'm so full of unbelief. I'll just get completely out of the way and sit in the back of the auditorium." And some of them got completely out of the church services. Isn't that a tragedy? ....

... You see, doubt and unbelief have not only robbed individuals and cities, but doubt and unbelief have also robbed entire churches of the blessings God intended they should have. 

My wife once said to me, "Honey, it just dawned on me while you were teaching this morning, that in twelve years of pastoral work, we never did bury one church member." 

Now I realize that eventually people live their lives out and go home. But I taught them that they could live their lives without sickness and disease and just fall asleep in Jesus. Now God didn't love our church any more than He did a neighboring church. Well, what's the difference? I knew how to get rid of unbelief. 

Let's read what Jesus did about unbelief: "...he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, TEACHING." He taught the people. 

Confession: I feed on the Word of God. I listen to good teaching based on the Word of God. And I receive the blessings God intended me to have, including healing.

I wanted to share this today so that you can see that it is POSSIBLE to live on this earth without sickness or disease! We do NOT have to be sick to go home to Heaven! When we have fulfilled our calling in this life and are satisfied, then we can just close our eyes and wake up in Heaven as our spirit and soul leave this earthly body behind! Did you notice the underlined portion? I want you to know that in the 32 years of The Spoken Word Church, we have not buried a single church member either! We have had people who began in the church and then left for various reasons who have gone on to be with the Lord. We have had memorial services for some for the benefit of the family and members who loved them, but we have never had a single member who chose to stay and fight the good fight of faith according to the Word of God who has not received the victory! Is this because The Spoken Word Church is such a great church? NO! Even though IT IS, the reason is that the people who were attacked in their bodies, and there have been many, have chosen to believe the Word and stand on it! You, too, can walk in health, healing, wellness and fitness, IF you will feed on the Word of God as your "necessary food" (Job 23:12) and allow the faith that comes from hearing the Word (Romans 10:17)build in you so that you can stand strong! The enemy has already been defeated through all that Jesus accomplished through His death, burial and resurrection, and WE receive the benefits of that through our Covenant with Him when we have received Jesus as Lord and personal Savior! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Chapel with "Lost Are Found":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I absolutely love, and cannot improve upon, today's Daily Devotional from our partner, Jerry Savelle's, website!

Expect Preferential Treatment

There are so many people who don’t expect good things to happen to them. In fact, some people get mad at me because I’m too positive and expect favor all the time.

When you have something revealed to you from the Word of God, it causes you to become positive. When you understand just how much favor and honor you’ve already been given by God through Jesus, you’ll have a positive attitude.

John 12:26 (NIV) says, “My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

If you’ve chosen to serve Jesus, then Jesus Himself said My Father will honor you. Hallelujah! When you’re honored by someone, you receive preferential treatment.

Ask that the eyes of your understanding be enlightened, that you see the favor and honor that God has already given you in Jesus. Ask Him to reveal to you things from the Word of God that will cause you to become more expectant of honor and preferential treatment.

Expect good things to happen to you today.

Confession: I am growing in revelation knowledge regarding the favor and honor that is already mine because I serve Jesus.

When you and I understand this vital Truth, then we will be in position to REALLY believe 3 John 2, and EXPECT results! 

2 Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.

AMEN! Here, to encourage you  in this, is Hillsong Live with "God Who Saves":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Notice this from Matthew 28:5-7 and 9-10:

5 But the angel said to the women, Do not be alarmed and frightened, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, Who was crucified. 6 He is not here; He has risen, as He said [He would do]. Come, see the place where He lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell His disciples, He has risen from the dead, and behold, He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.

9 And as they went, behold, Jesus met them and said, Hail (greetings)! And they went up to Him and clasped His feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, Do not be alarmed and afraid; go and tell My brethren to go into Galilee, and there they will see Me.

Do you remember 2 Corinthians 13:1b?

1 “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.”

So, in the verses from Matthew above, it has been established that WOMEN were the first ones sent, by Jesus, no less, to preach the Gospel, the Good News, that the crucified One had risen from the grave! Are you a woman? Then rejoice that you are called to preach the Gospel! Are you a man? Then support the women around you who have been called to preach the Gospel! Have you ever hindered women from preaching the Word of God? Then repent! Change YOUR thinking to agree with God's thinking and sin no more in that area! Amen! I also have a bit of news for you! This is NOT just a New Testament Truth! Look at Psalm 68:11:

11 The Lord gives the word; the women who announce the news are a great host: ESV

11 The Lord gives the command; The women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host: NASB

11 The Lord doth give the saying, The female proclaimers are a numerous host. YLT

Three witnesses! Hallelujah! God is Good! Amen! Here is  Hillsong United with "Tell The World":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 27:4 says this:

4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. KJV

AS born again believers, WE are the "house of the Lord"! We don't have to travel to a physical location to get to His house! Hallelujah! He lives IN us! How very blessed we are! I love this verse! it means that I am making it my determined purpose to spend time in His presence! I LOVE it in the Amplified Bible!

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.

Who am I "insistently" requiring this of? Myself! I, and only I, am the decider of how much time I spend in His presence! He is ALWAYS available to me, AND to you! Have you made time in His presence your #1 priority yet? If not, what is holding you back? In HIS presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11 AMP) and all things good, including glory and honor, strength and gladness (1 Chronicles 16:27)! Don't spend another moment OUT of His presence! That is the also the secret place of His protection, provision and safety (Psalm 91)! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "I Will Exalt You":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

At a Bridal Shower I attended today the Bride shared that her favorite Scripture verse is Jeremiah 29:11. Here it is from the Amplified Bible:

11 For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. AMP

As I was searching for other versions of this verse, I came across a website that was teaching that this verse does NOT apply to us as the Church. Have you ever had someone say something like that to you when you have been standing on a certain verse or portion of Scripture? It is so very bizarre for a born again believer to speak this way! 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tell us this:

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. KJV

The Amplified Bible is even more clear!

16 Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action), 17 So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work. AMP

Did you catch that? It says "EVERY SCRIPTURE" is God-breathed and profitable to us! Profitable is a GOOD thing! AMEN! Then we have this in Hebrews 8:6:

6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. KJV

WE, as born again believers in Jesus, have a BETTER Covenant than the people of Jeremiah's time! If God had only GOOD plans for THEM, and He DID, HOW MUCH MORE will He have good plans for US? Don't EVER let anyone rob you of what God has provided for you through the precious Blood of Jesus and His Word! LEARN what belongs to you and then fight for it! He has GOOD plans for your life and He wants you to know it! While you're finding them out, listen to this song from Hillsong Live called "Always Will":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I know that I have shared these verses before, but they are very important to me and, I believe, to you, too! Psalm 25:4-5:

4 Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. 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

Do you remember that Jesus said this in John 14:26:

26 But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. AMP

The Holy Spirit IS our Teacher! The only catch is that He will NOT teach us unless we WANT to be taught! That is why this prayer in Psalm 25 is so valuable! Look also at what John said in 1 John 2:27:

27 But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do]. AMP

The ministry gifts have been given to the church to make available the Word of God in every form possible, but it is the personal instruction of that Word from the Spirit of God that enables us to personally understand, and put into practice, that very Word! Make this prayer a vital part of your daily study and you will be amazed at how much more of the Word you are able to understand and act on! God is GOOD and His Word is PRICELESS! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with another older song called "Everyday":

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 24:1 says this:

 1 THE EARTH is the Lord's, and the fullness of it, the world and they who dwell in it.

Everything and everyone belongs to the HIM! Jesus defeated satan to buy mankind back and gave the choice to every person to decide whether they want HIM, and His free gift, or not! When we DO choose Him, we become one with Him, a child of the most High God, and co-equal heirs to everything that belongs to Jesus! Are YOU in yet? If not, why not? John 3:16-18:

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

Do YOU believe (cling to, trust in and rely on Him)? The rest is very simple! Romans 10:9-10:

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. 10 For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation. AMP

That is the HOW! Here is the promise:

11 And this is that testimony (that evidence): God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who possesses the Son has that life; he who does not possess the Son of God does not have that life. 
13 I write this to you who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) the name of the Son of God [in the peculiar services and blessings conferred by Him on men], so that you may know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have life, yes, eternal life. AMP

Is there ANY reason you can't receive Jesus as your Lord and Saviour right now? Pray this prayer, believing in your heart!

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 YOU belong to Him and have His Word and His Spirit and His authority over all the works of the enemy! Want to be able to step right into this glorious life? Get involved with a good local church that teaches the Word of God uncompromisingly so that YOU can be taught and trained to be a bright light in the world and to the world! In our area? Come visit us! Check out The Spoken Word Church website through the link on the left for details and contact us for more. Not from this area? Let us know so we can help you find a church like ours near you! Be blessed in this new LIFE! Here, to encourage you, is Hillsong United with "One Way":

Shalom in Him!

WEDNESDAY'S  POST

Shalom,

I was blessed by this today from our Spoken Word Church website devotional!

You are a child of God. You carry His authority on earth. Satan is subject to you. He must yield to the knowledgeable believer.

Declare aloud now, "Satan, take your hand off my home, my family, my health, my finances, in Jesus' Name."

"Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 18:18)

If you are a born again believe in Jesus Christ, then this is true of you, BUT, you have to TAKE that authority and EXERCISE it! Jesus said this in Matthew 28:18-19 AFTER He rose from the dead and BEFORE He ascended into Heaven:

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, AMP

I also like this from the Complete Jewish Bible:

18 Yeshua came and talked with them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore, go and make people from all nations into talmidim, immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Ruach HaKodesh, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember! I will be with you always, yes, even until the end of the age.” CJB

OUR  job is to "immerse" people in the reality of the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! He desires that none should perish, but that all should walk in the fullness of Life that His death, burial and resurrection paid for! AMEN! Then the Word of God tells us this about Jesus in Hebrews 10:12-13:

12 Whereas this One [Christ], after He had offered a single sacrifice for our sins [that shall avail] for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 Then to wait until His enemies should be made a stool beneath His feet. AMP

He is waiting, ever interceding for us (Hebrews 7:25), until His enemies are put under HIS feet! We have a part to play in this by using our God-given authority over all the works of the enemy to see that people are set free and delivered! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Tell The World":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom, 

I really like this from My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers:

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us . . . sanctification . . . —1 Corinthians 1:30

The mystery of sanctification is that the perfect qualities of Jesus Christ are imparted as a gift to me, not gradually, but instantly ... (at the New Birth!)

The most wonderful secret of living a holy life does not lie in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfect qualities of Jesus exhibit themselves in my human flesh. Sanctification is “Christ in you . . .” (Colossians 1:27). It is His wonderful life that is imparted to me in sanctification— imparted by faith as a sovereign gift of God’s grace. Am I willing for God to make sanctification as real in me as it is in His Word?

That is the real question! Am I willing? The answer, for me, is YES! Are YOU? Here, to encourage you in YOUR decision, is Hillsong Live with "Christ Is Enough":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

I want to share this from Kenneth E. Hagin's Faith Food for today!

Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come ... He will show you things to come.  -  John 16:13

A minister friend of mine had three serious automobile accidents in less than ten years. People were killed in these accidents. His wife was almost killed, and the minister himself was seriously injured. Both he and his wife were healed by the hand of God. When he heard me teaching along these lines of listening to your spirit, the inward witness, he said, "Brother Hagin, every one of those accidents could have been avoided if I had listened to that inward intuition."

Yet people will argue, "I just don't know why those accidents happened to a good Christian. He's a preacher."

Well, he had to learn to listen to his spirit just like you have to learn to listen to yours. People want to blame God and say that God did these things. But as this preacher told me, "If I had listened to the inward intuition I had that something was about to happen, I would have waited and prayed. Instead, I said, 'I'm busy. I don't have time to pray.' "

Many times, if we had waited on God when we had that inward witness, God would have shown us things, and we could have avoided problems. But let's not moan and groan about our past failures. Let's take advantage of our present opportunities, and make sure that we follow our inward witness in the future. 

AMEN! There is really no short cut for being led by the Spirit of God! Remember that Jesus said of Him in John 16:13:

13 But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].

AMP

HE is Omniscient (all-knowing)! He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10) and He knows everything you will ever face! Spend time in His presence so that you, too, can be forewarned and prepared at all times! Here is "Oceans - Where Feet May Fail" by Hillsong United:

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I saw something in a fresh way in our Worship Service at The Spoken Word Church! Pastor Bill Novak is teaching a series on the Family and began in Genesis! Here are some of the verses that stood out to me!

Gen 1:26 God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the [tame] beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth.  [Ps 104:30; Heb 1:2; 11:3.] 27 So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them. AMP

Gen 2:7 Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath or spirit of life, and man became a living being. AMP

Gen 2:21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam; and while he slept, He took one of his ribs or a part of his side and closed up the [place with] flesh. 22 And the rib or part of his side which the Lord God had taken from the man He built up and made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. 23 Then Adam said, This [creature] is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of a man. 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall become united and cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. AMP

Notice that God made man (mankind) in His image! He made THEM! God is both male and female! Adam, at his creation was also both male and female! NOT male and male or female and female! THAT is why a man leaving his father and mother and the two becoming one is the picture of marriage! Don't ever be tricked into operating by emotion instead of by the Word of God! AMEN! If God said it, then it is Truth, I don't care WHO disagrees about it! Don't fall into the "politically correct" mind set! Speak the Truth, in love, but speak! Some are crying out for Truth and just waiting for the right laborer! Here is Hillsong with a new song called "Glorious Ruins:

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In Matthew 19:4-6 Jesus is responding to a question the Pharisees posed to Him, always trying to trip Him up in the Word! They had NO understanding that He WAS/IS the Living Word of God! They asked Him about divorce. His response:

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? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder (separate).

THIS is God's view of marriage and divorce! HE created the marriage union and HE set it's parameters! HE said that marriage is the union of one man and one woman! Any other "union" is NOT Biblical marriage! People have a God-given free will to make whatever choices they desire for their own lives! However, if they want the blessings promised in the Bible, they must choose the Bible Way! If people want to go to the Heaven of the Bible, there is only ONE WAY to get there! His Name is Jesus (John 14:6)! AMEN! This is not racist, hate speech, discrimination or any of the other popular political phrases used by those who want others to sanction their choices that are contrary to the Bible and the God OF the Bible! It IS what it IS, and it IS TRUTH! PLEASE choose TRUTH for YOUR life and family! You will NEVER regret it! Here is an older song from Hillsong called "One Way":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Matthew 18:19-20:

19 Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in (into) My name, there I AM in the midst of them.

The Prayer of Agreement is one of the most powerful ways to pray! In order to do so, you have to be in complete accord with the person you have "agreeing" with you! The prayer of agreement is only as strong as the faith of the weakest of those agreeing! SO, we must each spend more time getting to KNOW Him, through His Word, so that we can agree on what and how to pray! Remember the last part in verse 20 above! HE is not just in each of us, He is also AMONG us as we stand together! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Live with "You Never Fail":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I LOVE this from Psalm 17:15:

15 As for me, I will continue beholding Your face in righteousness (rightness, justice, and right standing with You); I shall be fully satisfied, when I awake [to find myself] beholding Your form [and having sweet communion with You].

How do we find ourselves thinking of Him the moment we wake up? By communing with Him as we fall asleep! If you go to sleep hearing the Word of God in some form (Bible recorded, teaching, praise and worship music), then you WILL wake up with HIM on your mind! AMEN! Any time, and all the time, is the RIGHT time to fellowship with Him. Through the Spirit and through the Word! Be prepared now! Spending time in His presence like this will change your very countenance, then people will begin to ask you about the Hope that is within you! Then you will be able to tell them JESUS!!! Here is Hillsong Live with "Closer":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Matthew 16:13-15 sets up one of the most powerful statements ever given to the Church! 

13 Now when Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? 14 And they answered, Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. 15 He said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am?

Jesus was giving them the opportunity to speak TRUTH! I LOVE Peter! You can call him anything you want, but I call him "Peter the Bold"! He was the only one, besides Jesus, who ever walked on water! Why? Because he DARED to believe and to step out in faith! Sure, he fell, BUT, for a time he DID IT! So here we have "Peter the Bold" speaking up with the answer! Verse 16:

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

Did Peter say this because he was so very smart? NO! He was able to say this because God revealed it to him! ANY of the disciples could have been the one! Jesus gave this in reply:

17 Then Jesus answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood [men] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros--a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra--a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it].

Jesus told Peter that he was blessed because God revealed His Word through him! Then Jesus went on to call Peter a rock! He was strong and bold! Then Jesus said that on the gigantic, boulder-like rock of the revealed knowledge of God, He would build His Church! NOT on Peter! Jesus also says that the very gates of hell cannot overcome the church AND cannot hold out against it, when the Church knows, and uses, the Word of God! Jesus went on to say this in verse 19:

19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Jesus said "I will give" here because He had not yet defeated the enemy for us! Once He did, He said this in Matthew 28:18-20:

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).

OUR job? KNOW the Word, and then speak the Word into every situation! Preach the Good News and allow HIM to confirm that Word! Let's DO IT, bold ones! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "No Reason To Hide":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Health Food by Kenneth E. Hagin, a daily devotional on health and healing!

As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations, before him whom he believed, even God, who quickens the dead, and calls those things which be not as though they were.   (Romans 4:17)

Faith calls those things that be not as though they were. After teaching on the subject of faith for the past sixty-five years, I have learned that there is nothing quite so hard for Christians as calling those things that be not as though they were.  Many honest, sincere, good people think they would be lying if they did this, so they fail to do it. But I want you to consider for a moment that the Bible tells us that God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19). And God calls those things that be not as though they were! 

I've had people say to me, "That's all right for God to do that." Well, if it's all right for God to do it, it's all right for you to do it! The children of God should act like God (Ephesians 5:1). And God calls those things that be not as though they were, because He is a faith God. We are faith children of a faith God. We should act like God. 

Romans 4:17 says that God made Abraham a father of many nations. You see, Abraham had to call those things that be not as though they were. And God tells us to follow in the footsteps of Abraham (see Romans 4:12). Because God calls those things that be not as though they were and because He tells us to do it, then it's impossible for it to be wrong in the least degree. 

Confession:

I call those things that be not as though they were. In the face of sickness, I call my body healed. I call my body well. I say that I am able to do things I couldn't do before! Praise God!

Search to find out what the Word of God has to say about every need that you have, not just healing! Then apply these principles to those needs and stand in faith! God will most definitely confirm HIS WORD with signs and wonders! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Live with "To Be Like You":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I REALLY like this from Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's Faith To Faith devotional:

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. – Luke 6:22-23

Do you want to know how to depress the devil? Just follow the instructions in that last verse. When persecution comes, when friends or family criticize you because you lay hands on the sick and believe in healing, and when coworkers call you a fanatic because you love Jesus and aren't afraid to say so, rejoice! Shout hallelujah and leap for joy!

I tell you that will discourage the devil to no end. He's expecting that persecution to hurt you. He's expecting it to damage your faith, to wipe you out, and to leave you in dismay.                                                                                                                              

                       It's time to go on the offensive where the devil is concerned! He has one weapon, the lie, and many "devices" or tricks or schemes that he uses to try to get you to believe it! Don't fall for it! God's Word is TRUTH and there are NO contradictions! When you are faced with persecution, tests and trials, throw a party with great joy, KNOWING that the promises of God are YOURS! Amen! Here is Hillsong Live with "Always Will": 

VERSE
Where I go
You will go
You never leave me
When I'm lost
There's always hope

In every high
In every low
You're standing next to me
In the fire
There's always hope

PRE-CHORUS
I will lift my eyes
Let my heart cry out
You're alive
Alive

With an anthem we raise
Up our voice proclaim
You're alive
Alive

CHORUS
Your love keeps chasing me
And it always will
It always will
Your grace keeps changing me
And it always will
It always will

You gave Your life away
Once and for all
Once and for all
Forever You will reign
And You always will
You always will

VERSE
In my joy
In my pain
You're right beside me
In Your arms
There's always hope

When I fall
You are there
Your mercy will catch me
All my hope
In Christ alone

Shalom in  Him!

Shalom,

When Jesus was speaking in parables to the people in Matthew 13, He said this to them in verse 9:

9 He who has ears [to hear], let him be listening and let him consider and perceive and comprehend by hearing.

A choice and additional action is required in order to understand, (perceive, comprehend) the Truth that is hidden in these parables! With the things of God, there is ALWAYS a choice that must be made! Nothing promised in the Word of God comes automatically! The Sovereign God set it up this way! Why? Because He CHOSE to! He did NOT want robots, or He would have made them! He desires that we CHOOSE to receive what He has already provided for us! When Jesus was asked why He spoke in parables, this was His answer. Verses 11-15:

11 And He replied to them, To you it has been given to know the secrets and mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has [spiritual knowledge], to him will more be given and he will be furnished richly so that he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is the reason that I speak to them in parables: because having the power of seeing, they do not see; and having the power of hearing, they do not hear, nor do they grasp and understand. 14 In them indeed is the process of fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah, which says: You shall indeed hear and hear but never grasp and understand; and you shall indeed look and look but never see and perceive. 15 For this nation's heart has grown gross (fat and dull), and their ears heavy and difficult of hearing, and their eyes they have tightly closed, lest they see and perceive with their eyes, and hear and comprehend the sense with their ears, and grasp and understand with their heart, and turn and I should heal them.

Only born again believers in Jesus Christ, who have the Spirit of God living in them, are able to understand the Word of God! We are, of all people, MOST BLESSED! Look at verses 16-17:

16 But blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are your eyes because they do see, and your ears because they do hear. 17 Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men [men who were upright and in right standing with God] yearned to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

It has been given to US to be able to know the Word of God! To understand it, speak it, stand in faith on it, and receive the promises in it! BUT, this is ONLY our POTENTIAL! The choice is up to US! AMEN! Choose wisely! Here is Hillsong with an older song called "More To See":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 12:6:

6 The words and promises of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times over.

The word "pure" here is the Hebrew word "tahor", which means: clean, pure and denotes the absence of any impurity, filthiness, defilement or imperfection! THIS is God's Word! John 17:17 tells us that the Word is TRUTH! It doesn't just contain truth, but is Itself TRUTH! Remember that Jesus IS the Word (John 1:1)! He IS the Way, the TRUTH and the Life (John 14:6)! When you spend time in the Word of God, you get to know JESUS (Philippians 3:10 AMP)! It truly matters to your own personal life how you view the Word of God! Right thinking is: God's Word is True, it has no contradictions. If I find what SEEMS like a contradiction, I have simply found an area that I am ignorant in! The cure: KNOWLEDGE! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United  with "Break Free":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

If you were ever tempted to go your own way and contrary to the Word of God, you MUST read Ecclesiastes! This book is the result of Solomon, the one who asked for wisdom and God gave him abundant wisdom AND riches and honor and favor, turning away from the ways and wisdom of God and towards the ways of his foreign wives, who were MANY! The very best statement  in all of the book is found in Ecclesiastes 12:13:

13 All has been heard; the end of the matter is: Fear God [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is] and keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man [the full, original purpose of his creation, the object of God's providence, the root of character, the foundation of all happiness, the adjustment to all inharmonious circumstances and conditions under the sun] and the whole [duty] for every man.

Solomon returned to the wisdom of God in his old age as he observed the terrible results of going the world's way! You and I can learn tremendously from Solomon's experience! THAT is called wisdom! Amen! Keep the Word of God as your daily focus and avoid ALL of the discouraging results found in Ecclesiastes! Here to encourage you in this is Hillsong United with "Above All":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Anyone who knows me well, or has read this blog for some time, knows that my favorite (for my life) Scripture is Philippians 3:10 from the Amplified Bible! So when I saw this today in Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest", I HAD to share it!

. . . that I may know Him . . . —Philippians 3:10

A saint is not to take the initiative toward self-realization, but toward knowing Jesus Christ. A spiritually vigorous saint never believes that his circumstances simply happen at random, nor does he ever think of his life as being divided into the secular and the sacred. He sees every situation in which he finds himself as the means of obtaining a greater knowledge of Jesus Christ, and he has an attitude of unrestrained abandon and total surrender about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we will have the realization of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives, and He will bring us back to the same point over and over again until we do. Self-realization only leads to the glorification of good works, whereas a saint of God glorifies Jesus Christ through his good works. Whatever we may be doing— even eating, drinking, or washing disciples’ feet— we have to take the initiative of realizing and recognizing Jesus Christ in it. Every phase of our life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realized His relationship to the Father even in the most menial task. “Jesus, knowing . . . that He had come from God and was going to God, . . . took a towel . . . and began to wash the disciples’ feet . . .” (John 13:3-5).

The aim of a spiritually vigorous saint is “that I may know Him . . .” Do I know Him where I am today? If not, I am failing Him. I am not here for self-realization, but to know Jesus Christ. In Christian work our initiative and motivation are too often simply the result of realizing that there is work to be done and that we must do it. Yet that is never the attitude of a spiritually vigorous saint. His aim is to achieve the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances.

The most important TRUTH we must learn from the Word of God is: Who is Jesus! When we really get to know HIM, then we are in the right position to know who WE are IN HIM! AMEN! So set YOUR heart to learn something more about Him every day, and at that same time you will learn a little more about who YOU are! If you haven't already, highlight or circle all of the "in Him", "in Christ", etc verses that you come across and realize that it is speaking of who YOU are and what YOU can have and what YOU can do! THAT will bring a boldness to your life that will chase fear right out of here! Here is Hillsong United with "Heartbeats":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I have been singing praise songs all day! Then I read the Psalm for today, Psalm 9, and see these verses: 1, 2, 11, 14

 1 I WILL praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth (recount and tell aloud) all Your marvelous works and wonderful deeds! 2 I will rejoice in You and be in high spirits; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High! 11 Sing praises to the Lord, Who dwells in Zion! Declare among the peoples His doings! 14 That I may show forth (recount and tell aloud) all Your praises! In the gates of the Daughter of Zion I will rejoice in Your salvation and Your saving help.

I love it when I get confirmation that I am in the flow! So, today I am going to share a new song from Hillsong Young And Free, their new youth praise team! It's called "Alive" and it will make you feel alive! Enjoy!

Shalom in Him!