Shalom,

Psalm 91 is a declaration of God's divine protection for all who will "dwell in the secret place of the most high"! Let's look at it in the Amplified Bible:

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]. 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.

Notice that this promise is NOT to every person. It is not even a promise given to every believer! The promise is given to those who will choose to "dwell". This is the Hebrew word "yashab", which means: to remain; to stay; to sit. The "secret place" is the place that is unknown to the world and only known to those believers who recognize the presence of God! I refer to this as the place of being aware of His presence through prayer, praise & worship, study & meditation of His Word and intimate fellowship with Him. When we spend time doing these things, we WILL be aware of His presence IN us! Then, when we meditate on these promises, we will have ALL confidence that we are always under His protection, provision and safety! THEN we can declare this Psalm as TRUTH and thank Him for it! I really like the definition for the word "abide" in verse 1! The Amplified Bible says it well, but we should expect something more here! The word is the Hebrew word "luwn", which means: to abide, to lodge, but it also means to pass the night! I like to think of the night as the works and workers of darkness! I will pass this time of THEIR operation in the complete protection, provision and safety that comes from dwelling under the protection of the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! HE looks after ME! AMEN! Get the Truth of Psalm 91 inside of you and you will never fear any situation, circumstance, enemy or attack again! Remember, God is FOR you! It doesn't do any being any good to be against you (Romans 8:31)! They cannot win! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "Sinking Deep":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Faith Food by Kenneth E. Hagin for today is something that we speak of a lot on this blog because it is SO very important in our growth!

"…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. 6:16). 

Few Christians seem to be conscious of the fact that God lives in them. They couldn't be and still talk the way they do. What do I mean? When a need arises in their life, some Christians are quick to say, "No, I can't do that." Why? Because they're trusting in themselves, or the flesh, to put them over. They know they don't have the ability in themselves to do it. But if we are conscious that God is in us, then we know He has the ability to do anything. So we can stop saying, "I can't," and we can begin saying with confidence, "I can - because I'm trusting God! I can - because God is in me! I can - because greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world!" 

No matter what you face, and you may be facing seemingly impossible obstacles in your life, you can say, "God will put me over! He'll make me a success! The Greater One indwells me!" That's scriptural believing. That's faith talking. And it will put the Greater One to work for you! 

Confession: The Spirit of God indwells me. I trust the Indwelling One. He has the ability. I can do all things - because the Spirit of God is in me. I can - because He has all ability. 

Another Scripture that I want to leave you with is this from the Amplified Bible: 

Philippians 4:13 I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]. AMP

THAT is YOU when you are IN HIM! AMEN! Here is a very old, but very good,  song by Hillsong called "Faith":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We had an excellent Worship Service at The Spoken Word Church today! What makes a great Worship Service? When WE come together, we do so for these main purposes:

• To Hear the Word of God.
• To celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• To be a blessing to one another.

We heard about Life (Zoe - life as God has within HIMSELF, and has given to every born again believer to have within themselves)! Pastor Bill Novak also continued his series on "Truth". We learned that it is vital that we respect and encourage our spiritual leaders. We also learned that it is important that we be open to "repent", which means to change our thinking to agree with God and His Word. HE then changes US from one degree of glory (being like HIM) to another degree of glory (2 Corinthians 3:18)! We become more like Jesus every day IF we choose to be changed! Then we learned that it is very important that we be WILLING to change and be changed in the different seasons of our lives. I have made it my determined purpose to be willing AND obedient in every season of life so that I can continue to "eat the good of the land" (Isaiah 1:19)! AMEN! 

Now I want to leave you with THIS from today's Bible Reading Plan! Luke 10:38-42:

38 Now while they were on their way, it occurred that Jesus entered a certain village, and a woman named Martha received and welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was listening to His teaching. 40 But Martha [overly occupied and too busy] was distracted with much serving; and she came up to Him and said, Lord, is it nothing to You that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me [to lend a hand and do her part along with me]! 41 But the Lord replied to her by saying, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; 42 There is need of only one. Mary has chosen the good portion [that which is to her advantage], which shall not be taken away from her.

What was it that Mary had chosen over the busyness of life and of trying to impress people? She had chosen to pay attention to the Word! AMEN! Make that WISE choice for yourself every day! You will NEVER regret choosing the "good portion"! Here is Hillsong United with "Point Of Difference":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I love this from today's Spoken Word Church Devotional on the website (link on the left):

Risk Everything To Be An Overcomer

Overcomers are the rewarded. In fact, they are the only ones who are rewarded through eternity. Even the apostle Paul counted everything as loss except his position with Jesus Christ. Each victory authorizes God to promote you. In the world system, birth may decide rank. In the Kingdom system, battle decides rank. Every Satanic attack upon you is simply another opportunity for promotion.

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Check out what the message to the churches in Revelation says about overcoming! This is to believers! These are promises that WE can attain to! Choose to look at every test, trial, circumstance and situation as an opportunity to use the Word that you know to gain the victory that is promised! THIS brings glory to God, favor to you and rewards abounding in the life to come! HALLELUJAH! You ARE more than a conqueror - IN HIM (Romans 8:37)! Now let's act like it! AMEN! Here is an older song from Hillsong called "This Is How We Overcome":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to discuss something from today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers:

If . . you remember that your brother has something against you. . . . — Matthew 5:23

If when you come to the altar, there you remember that your brother has anything against you, not – If you rake up something by a morbid sensitiveness, but – "If thou remember," that is, if it is brought to your conscious mind by the Spirit of God: "first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." Never object to the intense sensitiveness of the Spirit of God in you when He is educating you down to the scruple.

"First be reconciled to your brother . . ." Our Lord’s direction is simple, "first be reconciled." Go back the way you came, go the way indicated to you by the conviction given at the altar; have an attitude of mind and a temper of soul to the one who has something against you that makes reconciliation as natural as breathing. Jesus does not mention the other person, He says – you go. There is no question of your rights. The stamp of the saint is that he can waive his own rights and obey the Lord Jesus.

"And then come and offer your gift." The process is clearly marked. First, the heroic spirit of self-sacrifice, then the sudden checking by the sensitiveness of the Holy Spirit, and the stoppage at the point of conviction, then the way of obedience to the word of God, constructing an unblameable attitude of mind and temper to the one with whom you have been in the wrong; then the glad, simple, unhindered offering of your gift to God.

There are some who tell a person wanting to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior that they must first confess their sin. That is NOT true! It is not even possible! No, the only thing that an unbeliever must confess is Jesus as their Lord and Savior! All sin is covered by that one heart decision! Thank YOU, Jesus! What this devotion is speaking of is something that is between two people that could cause strife and division to continue. Do you remember that Paul said this in Romans 12:18:

18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  AMP

The exhortation above also says NOT to agonize over and try your hardest to remember or to drudge up something! As the Spirit of God brings something to you, deal with it in the manner in which HE instructs you! As I was preparing for the  ministry, He brought to my understanding a situation that I had not fully dealt with, and He instructed me to apologize and take responsibility for my part in it. Although it was very hard, I KNEW that I could not move forward in the calling on my life to ministry until I did so. I obeyed and I have never looked back! Remember, this has nothing to do with the other person or persons! "...as far as it depends on you,..." is what the Bible instructs! Keep YOUR line of communication open with the Spirit of God Who lives in you! Listen, learn, obey and be blessed! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Mighty To Save":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan we read Luke 7. I have always loved verses 6-9:

6 And Jesus went with them. But when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent [some] friends to Him, saying, Lord, do not trouble [Yourself], for I am not sufficiently worthy to have You come under my roof; 7 Neither did I consider myself worthy to come to You. But [just] speak a word, and my servant boy will be healed. 8 For I also am a man [daily] subject to authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my bond servant, Do this, and he does it. 9 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and He turned and said to the crowd that followed Him, I tell you, not even in [all] Israel have I found such great faith [as this].

"Faith" here is the Greek word "pistis". It means a confident trust and a firm persuasion! This centurion had such a confident trust in the power and authority of Jesus to heal and deliver that he knew THAT kind of authority would HAVE to be obeyed by whatever and to whomever it was directed! Remember that this was all BEFORE His death, burial and resurrection! Jesus HAD that authority! Right before He ascended into Heaven, He said THIS to His Church 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). AMP

Recognize that YOU, as a born again believer in Jesus the Christ, have HIS authority, that MUST be obeyed, operating in you! Make sure that YOU are buying up every opportunity to keep the enemy on the run! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "You Are Here?Same Power":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Have you ever wanted to check yourself to see if you were truly becoming more like Jesus? We know that actions follow words spoken, which follow thoughts entertained. So we can truthfully say that what we say and do reveals what we have been thinking and meditating on the most! Where do thoughts come from? Godly thoughts that are in line with the Word of God come from the God of the Bible. Ungodly thoughts that are contrary to the Word of God come from the enemy. He KNOWS that if he can control your thoughts, he can control your very life! Look at today's Bible reading in Luke 6:6-11:

6 And it occurred on another Sabbath that when He went into the synagogue and taught, a man was present whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and the Pharisees kept watching Jesus to see whether He would [actually] heal on the Sabbath, in order that they might get [some ground for] accusation against Him. 8 But He was aware all along of their thoughts, and He said to the man with the withered hand, Come and stand here in the midst. And he arose and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, I ask you, is it lawful and right on the Sabbath to do good [so that someone derives advantage from it] or to do evil, to save a life [and make a soul safe] or to destroy it? 10 Then He glanced around at them all and said to the man, Stretch out your hand! And he did so, and his hand was fully restored like the other one. 11 But they were filled with lack of understanding and senseless rage and discussed (consulted) with one another what they might do to Jesus.

These scribes and Pharisees were the religious leaders of their time. They SHOULD have recognized Jesus as their Messiah, not only by the Word that He spoke, but by the things that He was doing! What was He doing? He was going everywhere teaching, preaching and healing (Matthew 4:23 & 9:35)! They could not stand it! Some of them were jealous of their prestigious positions and looked at Jesus as a threat. Why else would they react to the miraculous healing of a member of their very own congregation in such a way? They SHOULD have rejoiced with him! Many times we judge compassion and heart by how someone reacts to problems or tragedies, but I have found that the reaction to someone else's blessings is a true sign of spiritual maturity. Are YOU happier to see someone else receive blessings than even to receive them yourself? When you reach that point, you will know that you are well on your way to becoming just like JESUS! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with the Glory story we should all be telling! "This Is Our God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Since I was first born again, and especially after being filled with the Spirit, the God of the Bible has used music to get His Word stirred up in me in abundance! I have never played an instrument and I have never sung in a choir, but I LOVE music! I so appreciate born again, Spirit filled believers who use their God-given gifts in order to bring Him glory and to enrich, enlighten and encourage the Church! Hillsong music has become a favorite because they have solid Bible teaching and training and the songs are so anointed for ministry! An example is the song I am using today that was inspired by Psalm 84:

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.

3 Yes, the sparrow has found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young—even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my 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.

6 Passing through the Valley of Weeping (Baca), they make it a place of springs; the early rain also fills [the pools] with blessings.

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]!

9 Behold our shield [the king as Your agent], O God, and look upon the face of Your anointed!

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 song is called "Blessed" and I hope that YOU are today! (Also check out their song "One Day" for more Psalm 84 inspiration)!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's lesson in "Faith Food" by Kenneth E. Hagin is one of the first teaching I ever heard from the Word of God! I am SO thankful that someone taught me who I am in HIM! 

"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" (2 Cor. 5:21). 
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin...." 

I've tested people by reading this portion of Scripture and then I've asked them, "How many of you believe that's true?" They all lifted their hands. Then I would read the last part of the same verse, "...that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 

And then I would say to them, "Therefore, we - you and I - are the righteousness of God in Christ. How many of you believe that's true?" 

Most of the time I couldn't get half of the crowd to lift their hands on the last part. And yet, if the first part of that verse is true, then the last part must be true too! 

God made a provision for us that belongs to us. We need to realize that it is ours! 

Confession: Jesus became sin for me that I might become the righteousness of God in Him. I am the righteousness of God in Christ. God provided righteousness for me. Righteousness is mine. I have it now! I am righteous now. 

It will do you no good to know all of the promises of our new and better Covenant if you don't understand who YOU are because of what HE did! If you haven't already done so, take the time to circle or highlight all of the Scriptures you find that refer to "in Him" "in Whom", etc. Meditate on the TRUTH that we have been made the righteousness of God because HE was made sin with OUR sin! AMEN! True success is being where God wants you to be, doing what God wants you to do! We can't take the first step in this without understanding that He has already made us RIGHTEOUS! We are in "right standing" with Him as though we never did anything wrong!All because of the Blood of Jesus! THANK YOU JESUS! Amen! Here is a new song from Hillsong Worship called "Calvary":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Look at Hosea 4:1-2:

1 Hear the word of the Lord, you children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy (a pleading contention) with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no faithfulness, love, pity and mercy, or knowledge of God [from personal experience with Him] in the land. 2 There is nothing but [false] swearing and breaking faith and killing and stealing and committing adultery; they break out [into violence], one [deed of] bloodshed following close on another.

The word "controversy" here is the Hebrew word "riyb" which means: a strife; a quarrel; a dispute; a case at law. This means that God had just cause to be angry with His own people because they were not faithful to Him or His Word! I am sure that He could say this same thing about every generation of people since Adam and Eve left the Garden! I am sure that it has been at least marginally true of every one of us at some time or other! The reason that people, even God's own people, fall into this particular sin is found in verse 6a:

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge;

Knowledge here is the Hebrew word "da'ath", which is the noun form of the Hebrew word "yada'". Yada means: to learn to know; to perceive; to find out; to experience; to recognize; to be acquainted with; to be skillful in; to be wise. Hosea 6:3 tells us that we will "know" (yada) IF we follow on to know! We have to WANT TO! I encourage you to make it YOUR "determined purpose", as Paul says in Philippians 3:10 AMP, to really get to know HIM! When we do, we will be able to think like Him, speak like Him, and act like Him! The best part of doing those three things? HE gets all of the praise, the honor, and the glory for it! HALLELUJAH! Let's get to it! AMEN! Here is an older song by Hillsong called "To Know Your More":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 81:8-16 contains the answer to all of the "whys" concerning what has happened through history to the Jewish people and the nation of Israel, and what has happened and is happening to the USA!

8 Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you—O Israel, if you would listen to Me! 9 There shall no strange god be among you, neither shall you worship any alien god. 10 I am the Lord your God, Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. 11 But My people would not hearken to My voice, and Israel would have none of Me. 12 So I gave them up to their own hearts’ lust and let them go after their own stubborn will, that they might follow their own counsels. 13 Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! 14 Speedily then I would subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their adversaries. 15 [Had Israel listened to Me in Egypt, then] those who hated the Lord would have come cringing before Him, and their defeat would have lasted forever. 16 [God] would feed [Israel now] also with the finest of the wheat; and with honey out of the rock would I satisfy you.

Throughout all of the Old Testament we see how God blessed Israel when they followed HIM and how bad things would get for them when THEY turned away from HIM! The Holocaust was one of the most tragic things to happen during WWII, but the accounts of those who escaped BEFORE this happened shows that many had a chance to escape, but they refused to believe in the evil nature of human beings without God! In the United States, we have been warned for many years of the attempt by an evil minority to completely eliminate the mention of the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible from every aspect of our public lives. Believers were so complacent that they thought it could NEVER happen! Many did nothing! Many believers paid no attention whatsoever! They didn't pray, stay informed or even vote! The results are what we have happening now! Look at Psalm 33:12 and Psalm 144:15:

12 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His heritage. AMP

15 Happy and blessed are the people who are in such a case; yes, happy (blessed, fortunate, prosperous, to be envied) are the people whose God is the Lord! AMP

Anyone who has ever studied the actual history of this nation, through the ACTUAL writings of the founding fathers, knows without doubt that this nation was founded by Godly men and based on solid, Biblical principles! Not only were the founders NOT atheists, agnostics or deists, MOST of them were Christians and wanted the Bible to be the basis for all decisions and prayer to cover every event! The good news for us right now is that HE has raised up a people in the nation today, as well as others the world over, who are standing resolutely on the Word of God and in prayer that this nation will NOT go under! God is NOT finished with the USA yet! Revival is sweeping this nation leading up to the catching away of the church, soon and very soon! Don't be caught unawares and doing nothing! HE is looking for faith on the earth when He comes for us. HE is looking for faith and ACTION from you! Find out what God wants done, and then DO it! The glory of the Lord is over this nation and we want to be right in the middle of what He is doing! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "Go":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Do you remember what the LORD God said to satan in the Garden after he had tricked Adam and Eve? Look at Genesis 3:14-15:

14 So the Lord God said to the serpent:

"Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go,
And you shall eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel." NKJV

Did you notice that the LORD God said that it would be the woman's "seed" that would bruise the head of the enemy? Do you know why THAT is significant? Woman does not HAVE seed! Men have seed, women have eggs! How is it even possible for her to have "seed"? Look at Luke 8:5-8 as Jesus gives the parable of the sower:

5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. KJV

The sower was sowing seed. Now let's see the explanation of this "seed" in verse 11:

11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. KJV

So the "seed" is the Word of God! Would you like to see how Mary sowed that seed? Let's go to today's Bible Reading Plan and look at Luke 1:30-35a where the angel Gabriel, sent from God, gave Mary the message directly from the throne of God:

30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"  35 And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy— the Son of God.  ESV

The messenger angel gave Mary God's plan! Let's look at her response in verse 38:

38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. ESV

The "word" of the angel was the "Word" of the Living God! When Mary believed and received this "Word", she spoke it out and the WORD of the LORD came to pass in her life! If she had not agreed to the Word of God, then He would have had to find someone else who WOULD agree, but she DID! HALLELUJAH! What does that tell us? IF we will also receive the Word of the Living God into our lives, believe it and then declare it, we WILL see the fulfillment of that Word spoken! AMEN! THAT is how the Word of God, our SEED, works! Find out what the Word of God is promising YOU and begin to speak it boldly into your life! There IS no other way for it to come to pass! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Live with "Anchor":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We know from John 17:17 that the Word of God doesn't just contain Truth, it IS Truth! I really love how a whole church full of people can hear the same message delivered, but hear specifically what each one needs to hear for their own individual lives! Sometimes, when I share what Holy Spirit has told me, people listening look at me like I "fell in a well"! Why? Because we each hear, from the very same sermon, teaching or message, exactly what WE need to hear, IF we are really listening! A single verse of Scripture can so powerfully address and affect a certain area we are dealing with and, some time later, be equally as powerful and direct concerning something completely different! Today I really liked 2 Chronicles 29:1-3:

29 Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father [forefather] had done. 3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord [which his father had closed] and repaired them.

Hezekiah became the king after his father died. His father, Ahaz, had NOT followed the Lord and was NOT a good king! These verses say that Hezekiah DID follow the Lord and WAS a good king! What is the first thing that this good king did? He began to turn the nation back to serving the Lord their God! He repaired the house of the Lord and then called the priests together to again minister as they had been instructed to do. When YOU find yourself getting a little away from the things of God and from obeying His Word, this is what YOU should do, too! Repair your fellowship with Him by getting back into His presence. Get back into the Word of God and make it your determined purpose to obey whatever you see in the Word of God to do! Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit for own life and become, again, that effectual minister of life and light and love that Jesus desires for you to be! Remember, His #1 priority is "to seek and to save" the lost (Luke 19:10)! AMEN! Make it yours, also! Here is a very good re-commitment song by Hillsong called "I Surrender":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 78, in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan, gives a little history of the nation of Israel and the Jewish people, including His works and their responses to Him. 

Psalm 78

A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem, of Asaph.

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.

9 The children of Ephraim were armed and carrying bows, yet they turned back in the day of battle.

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.

12 Marvelous things did He in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan [where Pharaoh resided].

13 He divided the [Red] Sea and caused them to pass through it, and He made the waters stand like a heap.

14 In the daytime also He led them with a [pillar of] cloud and all the night with a light of fire.

15 He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as out of the deep.

16 He brought streams also out of the rock [at Rephidim and Kadesh] and caused waters to run down like rivers.

17 Yet they still went on to sin against Him by provoking and rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness (in the land of drought).

18 And they tempted God in their hearts by asking for food according to their [selfish] desire and appetite.

19 Yes, they spoke against God; they said, Can God furnish [the food for] a table in the wilderness?

20 Behold, He did smite the rock so that waters gushed out and the streams overflowed; but can He give bread also? Can He provide flesh for His people?

21 Therefore, when the Lord heard, He was [full of] wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob, His anger mounted up against Israel,

22 Because in God they believed not [they relied not on Him, they adhered not to Him], and they trusted not in His salvation (His power to save).

23 Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven;

24 And He rained down upon them manna to eat and gave them heaven’s grain.

25 Everyone ate the bread of the mighty [man ate angels’ food]; God sent them meat in abundance.

26 He let forth the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by His power He guided the south wind.

27 He rained flesh also upon them like the dust, and winged birds [quails] like the sand of the seas.

28 And He let [the birds] fall in the midst of their camp, round about their tents.

29 So they ate and were well filled; He gave them what they craved and lusted after.

30 But scarce had they stilled their craving, and while their meat was yet in their mouths,

31 The wrath of God came upon them and slew the strongest and sturdiest of them and smote down Israel’s chosen youth.

32 In spite of all this, they sinned still more, for they believed not in (relied not on and adhered not to Him for) His wondrous works.

33 Therefore their days He consumed like a breath [in emptiness, falsity, and futility] and their years in terror and sudden haste.

34 When He slew [some of] them, [the remainder] inquired after Him diligently, and they repented and sincerely sought God [for a time].

35 And they [earnestly] remembered that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer.

36 Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouths and lied to Him with their tongues.

37 For their hearts were not right or sincere with Him, neither were they faithful andsteadfast to His covenant.

38 But He, full of [merciful] compassion, forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not; yes, many a time He turned His anger away and did not stir up all His wrath andindignation.

39 For He [earnestly] remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that goes and does not return.

40 How often they defied and rebelled against Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert!

41 And time and again they turned back and tempted God, provoking and incensing the Holy One of Israel.

42 They remembered not [seriously the miracles of the working of] His hand, nor the day when He delivered them from the enemy,

43 How He wrought His miracles in Egypt and His wonders in the field of Zoan [where Pharaoh resided]

44 And turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink from them.

45 He sent swarms of [venomous] flies among them which devoured them, and frogs which destroyed them.

46 He gave also their crops to the caterpillar and [the fruit of] their labor to the locust.

47 He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore trees with frost and [great chunks of] ice.

48 He [caused them to shut up their cattle or] gave them up also to the hail and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

49 He let loose upon them the fierceness of His anger, His wrath and indignation and distress, by sending [a mission of] angels of calamity and woe among them.

50 He leveled and made a straight path for His anger [to give it free course]; He did not spare [the Egyptian families] from death but gave their beasts over to the pestilence andthe life [of their eldest] over to the plague.

51 He smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents [of the land of the sons] of Ham.

52 But [God] led His own people forth like sheep and guided them [with a shepherd’s care] like a flock in the wilderness.

53 And He led them on safely and in confident trust, so that they feared not; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

54 And He brought them to His holy border, the border of [Canaan] His sanctuary, even to this mountain [Zion] which His right hand had acquired.

55 He drove out the nations also before [Israel] and allotted their land as a heritage, measured out and partitioned; and He made the tribes of Israel to dwell in the tents of those dispossessed.

56 Yet they tempted and provoked and rebelled against the Most High God and kept not His testimonies.

57 But they turned back and dealt unfaithfully and treacherously like their fathers; they were twisted like a warped and deceitful bow [that will not respond to the archer’s aim].

58 For they provoked Him to [righteous] anger with their high places [for idol worship] and moved Him to jealousy with their graven images.

59 When God heard this, He was full of [holy] wrath; and He utterly rejected Israel, greatly abhorring and loathing [her ways],

60 So that He forsook the tabernacle at Shiloh, the tent in which He had dwelt among men [and never returned to it again],

61 And delivered His strength and power (the ark of the covenant) into captivity, and His glory into the hands of the foe (the Philistines).

62 He gave His people over also to the sword and was wroth with His heritage [Israel].

63 The fire [of war] devoured their young men, and their bereaved virgins were not praised in a wedding song.

64 Their priests [Hophni and Phinehas] fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation [for the bodies came not back from the scene of battle, and the widow of Phinehas also died that day].

65 Then the Lord awakened as from sleep, as a strong man whose consciousness of power is heightened by wine.

66 And He smote His adversaries in the back [as they fled]; He put them to lasting shameand reproach.

67 Moreover, He rejected the tent of Joseph and chose not the tribe of Ephraim [in which the tabernacle had been accustomed to stand].

68 But He chose the tribe of Judah [as Israel’s leader], Mount Zion, which He loved [to replace Shiloh as His capital].

69 And He built His sanctuary [exalted] like the heights [of the heavens] and like the earth which He established forever.

70 He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds;

71 From tending the ewes that had their young He brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob His people, of Israel His inheritance.

72 So [David] was their shepherd with an upright heart; he guided them by the discernment and skillfulness [which controlled] his hands.

Many people have asked me, and many of you, "If God is so good, why do bad things happen?" Well, as we read how very much He blessed Israel, and then how they would turn away from Him, we see the answer to that! When they turned back to God, He would deliver them again! He is STILL delivering them, even though many of them rejected their own Messiah when He came! His plan for Israel still stands! THAT is why we bless Israel and pray for the peace of Israel and Jerusalem! We can learn from the history of Israel, so that WE can keep ourselves in His protection, provision and safety! AMEN! God has already provided everything we would ever need (Ephesians 1:3), but we MUST find out what His Word promises, and then do things His way, in order to walk in the fullness of those promises! Look at Hebrews 12:1-2:

1 Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, 2 Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Run YOUR race to win, taking full advantage of ALL that He has promised and provided for you! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Run":

Shalom in Him!