Shalom,

Psalm 91 is a great promise of the protection, provision and safety that comes from the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! Look at verse 1:

1 HE WHO dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].

To better understand how to appropriate this promise, let's look at the phrase "He that dwells" in the original Hebrew. This would be the Hebrew word  "yashab", which means: to dwell, to remain, to stay, to sit, to have one's abode. That seems pretty clear and straight forward, until you see THIS from Strong's concordance: to marry! I take this to mean that if we desire to walk in the fullness of the promises of God found in His Word, then we MUST have the same intimacy of fellowship with Him as we would with our spouse if we were married!  This protection, provision and safety does NOT just automatically fall on all born again believers! We KNOW this by the things that sometimes befall believers that we know! Contrary to the OPINION of some (NOT Truth, because it does NOT line up with God's Word!), God does not just arbitrarily decide who He will protect. Do YOU want to have the confidence of His protection in any and every situation? Then develop that intimate fellowship with Him! How? Through prayer, praise and worship, study and meditation of His Word, and fellowship with Him (simply talking like you would talk to your closest friend!). Then YOU can declare Psalm 91 over your life and family! Here is the rest of this promise!:

2 I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust! 3 For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 4 [Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you. 8 Only a spectator shall you be [yourself inaccessible in the secret place of the Most High] as you witness the reward of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, 10 There shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your tent. 11 For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service]. 12 They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the serpent shall you trample underfoot. 14 Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness--trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no, never]. 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong Live with "Always Will":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Psalm 90:1-2 says this:

1 LORD, YOU have been our dwelling place and our refuge in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth or ever You had formed and given birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting You are God.

If you only meditate on one thing today, meditate on THIS! Before the God of the Bible ever created anything, He was GOD! He always has been, and always will be GOD! So many believers, in making excuses why some prayers seem to not get answered, put the blame on God. "After all, God IS Sovereign" they may say. Meaning what exactly? That God is picking and choosing whose prayers He is answering? NO! That is NOT the TRUTH! Look at 1 John 5:14-15:

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

God is NOT up in Heaven running some huge "prayer lottery" to see who gets their prayers answered today and who does not! The SOVEREIGN God tells us right here in these two verses HOW to get our prayers answered - EVERY TIME! What are we to do? We are to  make sure that He hears us, because when He does, we HAVE IT! So, how do we get God to hear in the first place? Pray according to His will, which IS His Word! Whatever the Word of God promises to born again believers IS God's forever will for us! There are no shortcuts and laziness will get us nowhere! We MUST find out what belongs to us as His family members, and then expect to receive when we pray! It doesn't really GET any simpler than that! AMEN! Look at Psalm 90:16-17 to see what God is expecting as the result of our prayers being answered!

16 Let Your work [the signs of Your power] be revealed to Your servants, and Your [glorious] majesty to their children. 17 And let the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands--yes, the work of our hands, confirm and establish it.

HE gets glory when WE get the goods! AMEN! So, GO FOR IT! Find the treasures hidden in His Word FOR you and dare to believe and agree with HIM! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In Luke 9 we read that Jesus sent out the 12 apostles and anointed them to minster to people as He was doing. In Luke 10:1-2 we see this:

1 NOW AFTER this the Lord chose and appointed seventy others and sent them out ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to come (visit). 2 And He said to them, The harvest indeed is abundant [there is much ripe grain], but the farmhands are few. Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

Jesus was showing them that it was NOT just for His 12 chosen close associates to minister as He was doing! He said this to them in verses 8-9:

8 Whenever you go into a town and they receive and accept and welcome you, eat what is set before you; 9 And heal the sick in it and say to them, The kingdom of God has come close to you.

They were also to do the works of Jesus! Did they? Look at verse 17:

17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!

They even cast out demons in the Name of Jesus! Then Jesus added THIS in verse 19:

19 Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you.

These disciples had this promise from Jesus BEFORE His death, burial and resurrection! HOW MUCH MORE is this true of those of us who have received Jesus as our Lord and personal Savior, thereby receiving the Anointing, the Spirit of God, to live IN us! AMEN! Then, on the Day of Pentecost, the Church of Jesus Christ were "endued with power from on high"(Luke 24:49)! I want you to see something here. Look at Romans 11:29:

29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. KJV

This means that once God has given you something, He will NOT take it back! It is clearer in the Amplified Bible:

29 For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.] AMP

Contrary to what SOME denominations have been teaching for years, these precious gifts of the Spirit of God spoken of in 1 Corinthians were NOT given just to BEGIN the Church! Look at 1 Corinthians 13:8-10:

8 Love never ends; but prophecies will pass, tongues will cease, knowledge will pass. 9 For our knowledge is partial, and our prophecy partial; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass. CJB

WHEN shall these things cease? Look at verse 12:

12 For now we see obscurely in a mirror, but then it will be face to face. Now I know partly; then I will know fully, just as God has fully known me. CJB

WHEN is the THEN that is mentioned here? Look at 1 John 3:2:

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. KJV

This is the time when all of these things will no longer be needed! WHEN we "see Him face to face"! THAT has not happened yet! The Church of Jesus Christ has been very lax in some segments because they have refused the precious gifts for ministry that He has provided in order to reach the lost, which is HIS primary purpose! AMEN! So do NOT be such an one! Be ALL that God intends for you to be so that you can reach ALL whom He has appointed for YOU to reach! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Live with "Lost Are Found":

"The Lost Are Found"

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
[x3]

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
[x8]

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I believe that the message in Kenneth E. Hagin's Faith Food for today is vital for every born again believer to really understand!

"Do you not discern and understand that you are God's temple (His sanctuary), and that God's Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you?" (1 Cor. 3:16). 

God Himself, after He makes us new creatures, actually makes our bodies His home. No longer does He dwell in an earth-made Holy of Holies. God says, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you?" (1 Cor. 6:19). We need to become mindful that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit - we have God inside of us! 

Chiseled on the front of a beautiful church in Texas is an Old Testament scripture declaring that the building was the temple of God. I get provoked every time I drive by. Why? Because these people have a lie right on the front of their church building! To say that a church building is the house of God because He dwells there, is incorrect. God doesn't dwell in a church building. If we mean that a church building is the house of God because it has been dedicated to God, that is correct. But we must be careful not to confuse spiritual things with natural things. Therefore, we must be careful to state spiritual things as they really are. Your body is the house or temple of God - not the building where you worship. Remembering this fact will help you in your obedience and in your faith. 

YOU, as a born again believer, are the new House of God! Where you go, on earth, HE goes! There is no need to "bombard Heaven" with your prayers! You simply communicate with the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible through His Spirit Who lives IN you! Come boldly to His throne of grace by spending time in His presence through prayer, praise and worship, study and meditation of His Word and intimate fellowship with Him! He Who is your Comforter, Counselor, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby, Leader, Teacher and Guide will cause the understanding to come! Then you will really KNOW that greater is HE Who is in you, than he who is in the world! AMEN! Here, to encourage you in this, is Hillsong Young & Free with "Wake":

"Wake"

[Verse 1:]
At break of day, in hope we rise.
We speak Your Name, we lift our eyes.
Tune our hearts into Your beat.
Where we walk, there You'll be.

[Verse 2:]
With fire in our eyes, our lives a-light.
Your love untamed, it's blazing out.
The streets will glow forever bright.
Your glory's breaking through the night.

[Pre-Chorus:]
You will never fade away, Your love is here to stay
By my side, in my life, shining through me everyday.

You will never fade away, Your love is here to stay
By my side, in my life, shining through me everyday.

[Chorus:]
You wake within me, wake within me. 
You're in my heart forever.

You wake within me, wake within me. 
You're in my heart forever.

[Verse 2:]
With fire in our eyes, our lives a-light.
Your love untamed, it's blazing out.
The streets will glow forever bright.
Your glory's breaking through the night.

[Pre-Chorus:]
You will never fade away, Your love is here to stay
By my side, in my life, shining through me everyday.

You will never fade away, Your love is here to stay
By my side, in my life, shining through me everyday.

[Chorus:]
You wake within me, wake within me. 
You're in my heart forever.

You wake within me, wake within me. 
You're in my heart forever.

[Bridge:]
Forever, forever, forever in Your love.
Forever, forever, forever in Your love.

Forever, forever, forever in Your love.
Forever, forever, we know that...

[Pre-Chorus:]
You will never fade away, Your love is here to stay
By my side, in my life, shining through me everyday.

You will never fade away, Your love is here to stay
By my side, in my life, shining through me everyday.

[Chorus:]
You wake within me, wake within me. 
You're in my heart forever.

You wake within me, wake within me. 
You're in my heart forever.

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 87 leaves little doubt how the God of the Bible feels about Jerusalem!

1 On the holy hills stands the city [of Jerusalem and the temple] God founded. 2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion [through which the crowds of pilgrims enter from all nations] more than all the dwellings of Jacob (Israel). 3 Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God.   Selah [pause, and calmly realize what that means]! 4 I will make mention of Rahab [the poetic name for Egypt] and Babylon as among those who know [the city of God]—behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia (Cush)—[saying], This man was born there. 5 Yes, of Zion it shall be said, This man and that man were born in her, for the Most High Himself will establish her. 6 The Lord shall count, when He registers the peoples, that this man was born there.   Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! 7 The singers as well as the players on instruments shall say, All my springs (my sources of life and joy) are in you [city of our God].

People can CLAIM anything they want, but the God of the Bible says that Jerusalem is the city that HE founded! Islam did not even begin as a religion (AND a political entity AND a military entity) until sometime after 600 AD! Jerusalem is the capital of the nation, given by God to the Jewish people, of Israel! GOD named the nation! GOD anointed the Temple with His very presence! GOD dispersed the nation of Israel when they sinned against Him so that they would not destroy the land that He had appointed to them! GOD called them back as a nation in 1948 and WOE, WOE, WOE to ANYONE coming against what and whom GOD has anointed! AMEN! Choose to pray for the peace and prosperity of the nation of Israel and it's capital city of Jerusalem! KNOW what the Word of God says about every issue being thrown about in the world! As a born again believer in Jesus Christ, YOU have been given the Word of God and the Spirit of God so that you MAY know these things! Look ate Luke 8:10:

10 He said to them, To you it has been given to [come progressively to] know (to recognize and understand more strongly and clearly) the mysteries and secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that, [though] looking, they may not see; and hearing, they may not comprehend.

Jesus was telling His disciples that even though He spoke to those in the world in parables, He intended for HIS people to know and understand His Word! Meditate on the Word of God every day as we are instructed to do in Joshua 1:8, spend time allowing the Holy Spirit to teach you, and THEN you will understand how to respond to what is going on in this world! BE the LIGHT! AMEN! Here is Robin Mark with "Days Of Elijah" because these ARE the days WE are living in!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,  

I LOVE the devotional for today on Jerry Savelle's website!

FREE FROM FEAR

You cannot afford to allow fear into your mind or your heart. It is a faith destroyer and opens a door for the devil to work in your life.

Fear activates Satan, just as faith activates God.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for. Fear is the substance of things dreaded.

Faith is a spiritual force that works for you; fear is a spiritual force that works against you.

“Whom shall I fear, of whom shall I be afraid” (Psalm 27:1)?

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear” (1 John 4:18).

Remember: 2 Tim 1:7:

7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. AMP

Faith comes when your eyes are opened to truth in the Word of God. Find out what the Bible says about your particular fear and meditate those key verses. As faith rises in your heart, fear evaporates, and you close the door on the devil.

Confession: Holy Spirit, I ask you to expose any fear in my heart. I choose to combat every fear inside me with the Word of God and fill my heart with faith.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "Take Heart":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 85:8 says this:

8 I will listen [with expectancy] to what God the Lord will say, for He will speak peace to His people, to His saints (those who are in right standing with Him)--but let them not turn again to [self-confident] folly.

"Peace" here is the Hebrew word "shalowm", which means: safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare, health, prosperity, peace. It also means completeness, soundness, tranquility, contentment. When the God of the Bible speaks to His people, He ALWAYS speaks PEACE! He speaks SHALOM! Everything He has to say to us is for the purpose of our well-being so that we are well able to continue as His witnesses in this earth, speaking His Word of Life to the lost and hurting! Don't ever let anyone, believer or unbeliever, try to tell you that God is mad at you or that it isn't ALWAYS His will for you to be blessed and living continually in SHALOM! Look at John 10:10:

10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). AMP

That "life" is "zoe", life as God has in Himself! He wants US to have that life in overflowing abundance! Do you see what a different picture of God that is than what most are presenting? He IS Life! He knows nothing BUT Life! Now look at Psalm 85:9:

 9 Surely His salvation is near to those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, [and is ready to be appropriated] that [the manifest presence of God, His] glory may tabernacle and abide in our land.

"Salvation" here is the Hebrew word "yesha", which means: liberty, deliverance, prosperity, rescue, safety, welfare, victory. The God of the Bible is reemphasizing that this IS His will for His people! The way to walk in this is to begin with the reverential and worshipful "fear" of Him! That means a respect and awe for Who He is, and a gratefulness and thankfulness for what He's done! In case you need one more "proof" that this is God's perfect will for His people, look at 3 John 2:

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

Soul prosperity is the result of studying (2 Timothy 2:15), meditating (Joshua 1:8) and obeying (James 1:22) the Word of God! Determine today that you will NOT miss out on one good thing that God has planned for you! Set your heart to go all out for the things of God and BE the witness He intends for you to be! What are you a witness to? His GOODNESS! AMEN! Here is an older song from Hillsong called "Lord Your Goodness":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

There are so many uplifting verses in Psalm 84 that you just can't keep from rejoicing! I especially like verses 1-2; 4-5; 7-8; and 10-12:

1 HOW LOVELY are Your tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul yearns, yes, even pines and is homesick for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out and sing for joy to the living God.

    

4 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence; they will be singing Your praises all the day long. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! 5 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

   

7 They go from strength to strength [increasing in victorious power]; each of them appears before God in Zion. 8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand [anywhere else]; I would rather be a doorkeeper and stand at the threshold in the house of my God than to dwell [at ease] in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield; the Lord bestows [present] grace and favor and [future] glory (honor, splendor, and heavenly bliss)! No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts in You [leaning and believing on You, committing all and confidently looking to You, and that without fear or misgiving]!

The next time you find yourself feeling weary or tempted to be discouraged, get yourself immediately into the Word of God and allow the Word and the Holy Spirit to minster LIFE to you again! You will be SO glad that you did! Here is an older song from Hillsong based on this Psalm called "Blessed":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We all know of the account of Jesus in the wilderness and the way He answered every temptation of the devil with the Word of God. I want to show you something else today that is of vital importance in understanding not just WHAT Jesus did, but HOW He was able to do it! Remember that though Jesus was and is 100% God, He did nothing on earth during His ministry AS God! He was also 100% man! Philippians 2:7:

7 But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being. AMP

There are those who say that this is blasphemy, but they simply lack understanding of the Word of God. Jesus HAD to be sinless as a MAN to qualify to take our place. If He had acted as God on the earth, what big deal would it be if He was sinless? He could ALWAYS represent God, but He could not represent man until He became one and then, as a man, not sin! Hebrews 4:15:

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. KJV

This does not take away from His deity at all, but reinforces His great love and what a sacrifice it was! So how DID Jesus face the enemy as a man and not give in to temptation? The same way that we are to! Luke 4:1-2a:

1 THEN JESUS, full of and controlled by the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led in [by] the [Holy] Spirit  2 For (during) forty days in the wilderness (desert), where He was tempted (tried, tested exceedingly) by the devil.

Notice that He was "full of and controlled by the Holy Spirit"! THAT is how WE defeat the devil, too! After this temptation we see what Jesus did in Luke 4:13-14:

13 And when the devil had ended every [the complete cycle of] temptation, he [temporarily] left Him [that is, stood off from Him] until another more opportune and favorable time. 14 Then Jesus went back full of and under the power of the [Holy] Spirit into Galilee, and the fame of Him spread through the whole region round about.

What is good enough for Jesus is certainly GREAT for us! AMEN! So, be and stay filled with the Spirit and full of His Word! Then dare to defy the enemy with the Word of God! Jesus DID and it worked for Him TRY IT! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "At The Cross":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Hosea 4:6a is a verse many of us are familiar with:

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; 

"Destroyed" here is the Hebrew word " damah". It means: to be dumb or silent; to fail or perish; to be undone. We will NOT be able to fulfill what God has called us to d without knowledge of Him and His Word! "Knowledge" is the Hebrew word "da`ath". It means: knowledge; perception; skill; discernment; understanding; wisdom. We MUST have a working knowledge of God and His Word and His plan in order to fulfill it! How do we get this knowledge? The first thing we must do is found in Proverbs 1:7:

7 The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; but fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline. AMP

The fear of the Lord is reverential respect and awe for Who He is, and gratefulness and thankfulness for what He has done! Cultivate the fear of the Lord in YOUR life and knowledge will flow! Joshua 1:8 promises this for those who give attention to His Word!

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success. AMP

Get ready to walk in God's richest and best blessings as you put HIM first place! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Live with "To Be Like You":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In Luke 2:25-33 we see the response of a devout Jewish man who was truly looking and waiting for the Messiah of Israel!

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout [cautiously and carefully observing the divine Law], and looking for the Consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26  And it had been divinely revealed (communicated) to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 27 And prompted by the [Holy] Spirit, he came into the temple [enclosure]; and when the parents brought in the little child Jesus to do for Him what was customary according to the Law, 28 [Simeon] took Him up in his arms and praised and thanked God and said, 29 And now, Lord, You are releasing Your servant to depart (leave this world) in peace, according to Your word. 30 For with my [own] eyes I have seen Your Salvation, 31 Which You have ordained and prepared before (in the presence of) all peoples, 32 A Light for revelation to the Gentiles [to disclose what was before unknown] and [to bring] praise and honor and glory to Your people Israel. 33 And His [legal] father and [His] mother were marveling at what was said about Him.

All through His earthly ministry Jesus came to people who believed and were waiting for Him, like Simeon (and Anna), and those who did not and were not! When Jesus spoke so harshly to the religious leaders in Matthew 28, it was because they were pretending to be devout, but many of them were NOT! Those who were recognized the Spirit in and upon Jesus and followed Him (Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea)! It is exactly the same now! Some who claim to know Him, have never known Him at all! Following a certain religion, creed, doctrine or tradition will NOT do it! We must SEEK to know Him Who is revealed in all of creation. When we recognize our total inadequacy to be consistently 'good", then we will realize that we truly DO need a personal Savior. When we believe the Gospel message, THEN we can receive HIM and begin the very exciting, and never ending journey of KNOWING Him (Philippians 3:10)!  Then YOU will also recognize the "signs of the times", and that we are most definitely living IN the "times of the signs"! Soon and very soon! Here, to encourage you in YOUR quest to know Him, is Hillsong United with "To Know Your Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

This from today's Faith Food by Kenneth E. Hagin goes right along with yesterday's blog!

New Creation Facts

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believes with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (2 Cor. 6:14-16). 

In order to have strong faith, you must see yourself as God sees you - and you must say about yourself what God says about you. In the scripture quoted above, believers are called believers, and unbelievers are called unbelievers. So you can call yourself a believer. Believers are called righteousness, and unbelievers are called unrighteousness. Have you ever called yourself righteousness? That's what the Bible calls you, so you are. Believers are called light, and unbelievers are called darkness. 

"And what concord hath Christ with Belial?" Here the Church is identified with Christ. Christ is the Head, and we are the Body. Your head doesn't go by one name and your body by another, does it? The Church is identified with Christ - we are the Body of Christ. Think about it. Let it soak in. What a basis for faith!

Confession: Because I am in Christ - I am a believer. I am righteousness. I am light. I am one who believes. I am the temple of God. 

DARE to agree with God's Word! ONLY see yourself, and speak about yourself, as God does! We can only truly fulfill what God has called us to do in this life when we do so! Here, to help you with this, is Hillsong Live with "Children Of The Light" because THAT is who we are! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We have another of my favorite verses in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today! Hebrews 13:8:

8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. KJV

I LOVE meditating and studying the Word of God, with the Holy Spirit as my Teacher! I learn something new every time I open up the Word! This verse is very well known and often repeated. Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One and His Anointing, will NEVER change! THAT is TRUTH! But on another level, when I looked up the word "same", I found an even deeper meaning! This is the Greek word "autos". ONE of the meanings or uses for this word is "self". Jesus is, and always will be, HIMSELF! Jesus never had to go away and "find himself"! He IS Who He IS! Do you remember when Moses asked God what Name he should give when people asked him? God said this in Exodus 3:14:

14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM has sent me unto you. KJV

The Amplified Bible says this:

14 And God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM and WHAT I AM, and I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE; and He said, You shall say this to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you! AMP

Then we see this, from Jesus, in John 8:58:

58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM. KJV

See John 5:18 to see how the religious Jews reacted to Jesus knowing Who HE was! And then read Philippians 2:6 to see that Jesus knew EXACTLY Who He was! Now we can better understand the prayer of Jesus for US in John 17:17-23:

17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. 20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. KJV

Do you want know to something REALLY exciting about that? Look at 1 John 4:17:

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. KJV

SO, because the Spirit of God, Who is ONE with the Father and the Son, lives IN us, WE also are one with THEM! We are to BE HIS representatives in the earth! We are to look, speak and act the way that Jesus did! How did He look at people? He looked at them through the eyes of LOVE! Non-judgmental LOVE (John 3:17)! How did He speak? He spoke only what He heard the Father say (John 12:49-50)! How did He act? He went about doing GOOD and HEALING (Acts 10:38)! What are WE to do? We our to be OURSELVES! Our God-inside-minded selves! Jesus said it best in John 14:12:

12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believes 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

Now am I saying that WE are GOD? NO! Jesus WAS and IS God, but on the earth He did NOT operate as God! We are NOT God, BUT, because God lives IN us, we CAN and SHOULD operate just as Jesus did, HIMSELF, on the earth! So get out there and BE yourself! Be who you really are! Be who God intends for you to be! BE the first JESUS that some people have ever seen! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with the result of our being who we are! "Lost Are Found":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 78:10-11 says this:

10 They kept not the covenant of God and refused to walk according to His law 11 And forgot His works and His wonders that He had shown them.

Speaking of the nation of Israel, this psalmist is revealing why they went into exile. This nation, above all others at the time, were personal witnesses to the glory, strength, protection, provision and love of the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! They KNEW His wonderful works and yet they longed to be just like the rest! Not remembering the promises of God is the very real reason that many born again believers are NOT walking in the victory promised in the Word of God today! We have a better Covenant that is based on better promises (Hebrews 8:6) than they had, and yet people choose to NOT put God and His Word as there #1 priority! If YOU have been guilty of doing this, then repent right now! Repentance is simply changing YOUR thinking to agree with GOD! Whenever you find yourself thinking contrary to what the Word says, REPENT! CHOOSE to decide that when you and God disagree, YOU are wrong and GOD is ALWAYS right! Spending time in the Word will renew your mind to think like Him! Here is that promise in Romans 12:1-2:

12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. KJV

A like this from the Amplified Bible, too!

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

And also from The Message Bible:

12 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life — your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life — and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. 2 Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. THE MESSAGE BIBLE

We SHOULD stand out from the world, and it SHOULD be because of the Light of Life shines through us! Spend time in His presence and in His Word EVERDAY, and the JESUS in you will shine through! AMEN! Here is an older song from Hillsong called "Everyday"!

"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,

This from today's Faith Food by Kenneth E. Hagin goes right along with yesterday's post!

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever" (1 Pet. 1:23). 

We are begotten of God. We are born of God. We are children of God. We are heirs of God. We are joint-heirs (the word "joint" means equal) with Jesus (Rom. 8:17). 

In declaring this, we do not magnify ourselves. We magnify God and what He has done for us through the Lord Jesus Christ. We do not make ourselves new creatures. God made us new creatures. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. 

We are new creatures created by God in Christ Jesus! 

Confession: I am begotten of God. I am born of God. I am born of incorruptible seed by the living Word of God. I was born into the spiritual realm, given eternal life, and made a branch of the vine through the incorruptible Word of God. 

If YOU have received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, THIS is who you are! No matter how you feel, look or sound, your ARE a born again child of the Living God! The Spirit of God is living inside of you! One of the most important things for you to do is to get to know who YOU are, IN HIM! Find out what belongs to you and then begin to EXPECT the promises of God to come to pass in YOUR life! YOU have a inheritance! LIVE in it! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Live with "Christ Is Enough":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today at The Spoken Word Church Pastor Bill Novak continued teaching his series on the book of Colossians. We looked at the prayer that Paul prayed and that WE, as born again believers, can and should pray for others! Colossians 1:9-14:

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

Pastor taught especially on our inheritance (verse 12) and covered many other Scriptures that spoke of our inheritance as born again believers and members of the family of God! Check out the website through the link at the left to listen to the teachings firsthand! Another thing that really stood out to me today is found in Colossians 1:19-22:

19 For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled 22 In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight: KJV

The Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) desired that all the fullness of Who they are should dwell in the MAN Jesus! Jesus never stopped being God, He just did not operate as God while on the earth! Everything that He did, He did as a sin-less man, and He did them for US! AMEN! And WHEN we receive Jesus as Lord and personal Savior, we not only receive an inheritance, we also become partakers of THIS mystery! Verses 26-27:

26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: KJV

HE lives IN us! We can't GET any closer to Him than that! The precious throne of Grace is right inside of us! RUN into His presence continually to stay full of the Spirit and receive the Wisdom that is needed for every situation! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Live with "Running":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I am impressed to share Kenneth E. Hagin's Faith Food again! This message is one of the most vital messages for every born again believer to know and understand!

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13). 

No truth in all the Bible is as far reaching as the blessed fact that when we are born again we come into the family of God! God the Father is our Father! 

He cares for us! He is interested in us - each of us individually - not just as a group, or a body, or a church. He is interested in each of His children, and He loves each of us with the same love. 

However, our Heavenly Father is not the Father of everyone, as some supposed. Jesus said to some very religious people, "Ye are of your father the devil..." (John 8:44). Yes, God is the Creator of all mankind, but a man must be born again to become His child. He is God to the world, but Father only to the new creation man. 

(IF you are born again, having received Jesus as your Lord and personal Savior!) God is your very own Father. You are His very own child. And since He is your Father, you can be assured that He will take a father's place and perform a father's part. You can be certain that as your Heavenly Father, God loves you, and He will take care of you. 

Confession: I am born of God. I am born into God's family. God the Father is my Father. I am His very own child. He is my very own Father. He loves me. He provides for me. He takes care of me. 

God the Father LOVES every one of His children just as much as He loves Jesus Himself! John 17:20-23:

20 Neither for these alone do I pray [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word  and teaching, 21 That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me. 22 I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: 23 I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and[definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me.

Meditate on the Truth of this until is real to you on the inside and you will never look at the Word of God the same way again! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "You Are My World":

My father I adore You more
Than anything my heart could wish for
I just want You
And Jesus my beloved savior
Everything I am I owe to You
I owe it all to You

And angels come and adore You
And we Your children worship You

You are my world
You are my God
And I lay down my life for You
You are my Lord
The one I love
No one could ever take Your place

And everything I have I give to You
My Lord, the One I live for
I live for You
And all my days are gifts from You
I pray Id use them as You want me to
Use them for You

And angels come and adore You
And we your children worship You

You are my world
You are my God
And I lay down my life for You
You are my Lord
The One I love
No one could ever take Your place

Shalom in Him!