Shalom,

Psalm 91 is a psalm of protection, provision and safety, and of deliverance from evil attacks. Every promise of this psalm hinges on our obedience top verses 1-2! 

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!

Make YOUR confession of faith based on the promises in this psalm as you spend time in intimate fellowship with Him, dwelling in His presence! "Dwell" is the Greek word "yashab", which means to sit down in quiet; to remain; to settle; to marry. Here is the rest of the Psalm:

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.

Make Jesus your first love and all other things will fall right into place! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Endless Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 90:2 says it all concerning creation!

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.

OUR God IS God! The One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible, the God of all creation, the God of our Salvation! Psalm 14:1 says this, and I LOVE it!

1 The [empty-headed] fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable deeds; there is none that does good or right.

Refuse to be an empty-headed fool! Accept and receive Jesus Christ as YOUR personal Lord and Savior! Refuse to get into endless debates with those who continue to mock and scorn the God of the Bible and His Word. Be ever ready to give an answer to those who truly desire to learn and know the Truth! All others, leave them in God's very capable hands and PRAY! AMEN! Here is an encouraging song from Hillsong called "This Is Our God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In Luke 10 Jesus sends out seventy of His disciples whom He has chosen and appointed for ministry. He tells them THIS in verses 5-6:

5 Whatever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this household! Freedom from all the distresses that result from sin be with this family]. 6 And if anyone [worthy] of peace and blessedness is there, the peace and blessedness you wish shall come upon him; but if not, it shall come back to you.

I have had certain born again believers ask me if they should pray for unbelievers. The answer to that one is simple! Just look at 1 Timothy 2:1:

 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; KJV

This "men" is referring to all of mankind (human beings) and not just to males. At The SWC we like to say that we are all men, some are male men and others are female men! THAT is who we are to pray for, with the appropriate type of prayer that is needed! No prayer that you pray in obedience to the Word of God and by the leading of Holy Spirit is ever powerless! Jesus said above in Luke that if you pray for someone and the prayer is rejected by them, then that prayer or blessing will return right back to YOU! It PAYS to agree with and to obey the Word of God! AMEN! So, preach the Gospel, pray for people before, during and after you spend time with them. Be ever ready to share what is on the inside of you! HE is waiting to come in contact with THEM! Amen! Here is Hillsong United with "Prince of Peace":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I have been so blessed in the past week by the devotionals from our partners! The God of the Bible has been so faithful to get us the Word through many avenues. These devotionals are some of the avenues He is using! Today I want to share Jerry Savelle's:

Faith Acts

Men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed … they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus. When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you”(Luke 5:18-20 NKJV).

The Bible says Jesus saw the faith of the men who were lowering their paralyzed friend through a hole in the roof. He saw that these men were so convinced He would heal, they were willing to risk tearing apart someone’s roof just to get their friend before Him. One definition of faith is “simply acting like the Bible is true.” What you really believe can be seen in what you do.

True faith always acts in line with what it believes.
True faith never acts contrary to its belief.
True faith is always accompanied by corresponding action.

Many people say they believe the Word of God, but when it comes down to it, their actions reveal they are not completely convinced God’s Word is true. If you are unsure about what you really believe, ask yourself questions about your actions. For instance …

If I really believe God is faithful, why am I walking around in a state of depression?
If I really believe God said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay” (Romans 12:19), why am I struggling to clear my own name?
If I really believe I am healed, why am I not out of bed and getting ready for work?

Today, take a look at what you are doing and ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?” Your answer will reveal what you really believe. And remember, true faith is simply acting like the Bible is true.

Confession: I believe what the Bible says is true. Regardless of my circumstances, I will act in line with what the Word of God says. I will demonstrate my true faith to God and others by my actions.

Faith can be SEEN! It can be HEARD! What are people hearing and seeing in YOUR life? Are they watching you walk in faith and confidence in God and His Word? Are they hearing you give glory to God for every good thing in your life? James 1:17:

17 Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse].

Remember that people are watching you to see how you respond to situations and circumstances so that they can decide if it really does pay to serve Him! You ARE a "living epistle" and people are "reading" you! What kind of story are you telling? Make the adjustments necessary for you to be presenting Him in Truth! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "I Will Run To You":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share the rest of the testimony from yesterday's "Health Food" by Kenneth E. Hagin:

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
(Isa. 41:10)

On the last Sunday night of the meeting, eleven days after I last saw this Presbyterian woman, I was sitting on the platform with the pastor. I saw her walk in with a young man by her side. The pastor whispered to me, "That's her son." 

As the pastor was making an announcement, this woman jumped up and said, "I can't wait! I've got to testify!" She ran down the aisle and said to me, "This is my son, Brother Hagin. Remember, I was telling you about him just eleven days ago? We've taken him in our private jet to one healing meeting after another. But when you read and quoted Isaiah 41:10 several days ago, I began to realize my authority. I began to realize that God is with me and there's no use in me being afraid. After the service, I rushed to the hospital and laid hands on my son. The doctors said, 'We don't understand it. The disease has gone into remission.'" 

Now isn't it strange that an incurable blood disease suddenly went into remission? No, it's perfectly normal if you believe the Bible. This woman said, "The doctors wanted to keep my son in the hospital for a little while. So I said it would be all right. They ran all kinds of tests, and every test came back negative. So they turned him loose."

This boy looked the very picture of health. This woman said, "I'm so glad for the truth." You know, that's when the truth works for you, when you get thrilled about it! 

Confession:

I love the Word. I love the truth. I get thrilled about the truth. I get excited about the truth. And I see it working for me.

Remember that no matter what anyone says to you, or does for you, that is in line with the Word of God, YOU must still exercise YOUR faith for it to manifest in YOUR life (Hebrews 4:2)! AMEN! Find out what the Word has to say, meditate on the promises until faith rises up strong in side of you, then set your face like flint, with no wavering, towards the goal of the full manifestation of all that God has promised! YOU have the final say, and the responsibility, for what happens in your life. Let's make it GREAT! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "Wake":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I felt that Kenneth E. Hagin's "Health Food" for today would be important to share. 

He Will Live and Not Die

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. (Ps. 118:17)

Several years ago, a woman came to one of my crusades. When she saw what the Bible said about healing, she started shouting. I didn't pray for her. She just jumped up and started shouting. I stepped back and let her holler and shout. I noticed that others seemed to be quite blessed by it. 

The pastor said to me, "Brother Hagin, that woman and her husband are some of the wealthiest people in this area. They're worth billions! Now they're not Pentecostal; they belong to the First Presbyterian Church." 

After awhile, the woman ran down to the front, and we all praised God with her. When I dismissed the service, she came and thanked me. I said, "There's no use in thanking me. Thank the Lord." 

"Yes," she said, "but you brought the truth to me. My son is in the UCLA hospital. He's only twenty-one years old. He'll be twenty-two in a few days. The doctors say he'll never live to see his twenty-second birthday. He has an incurable blood disease. They've changed the entire blood in his system several different times. He's under an oxygen tent and he's hooked up to machines to keep him alive.  "But, bless God," she said, "God is on my side. He is with me. And I'm going over to that hospital right now. I want you to know that my son will live and not die." 

I said, "That's right. He won't die." And she marched right over to that hospital. 

Confession

God is on my side. He is with me. I will live and not die. I will declare the works of the Lord.

I believe that someone reading this blog has begun to be discouraged in their prayers for a family member, just as this woman was. Please read and re-read this, along with the accompanying Scripture reference, and allow the Spirit of God to make the Word come alive in YOU! Then MOVE and DO what HE is telling YOU to do! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Beneath The Waters (I Will Rise)":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Luke 6 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today. Let's look at verses 46-49:

46 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not practice what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and obeys them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 he is like a [far-sighted, practical, and sensible] man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and yet could not shake it, because it had been securely built and founded on the rock. 49 But the one who has [merely] heard and has not practiced[what I say], is like a [foolish] man who built a house on the ground without any foundation, and the torrent burst against it; and it immediately collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

Now we know that one aspect of this is that we must be born again by receiving Jesus as our Lord and personal Savior, giving us the firm foundation on the Rock of our Salvation! Those without Jesus have no such foundation, no right to answered prayer, no authority over the enemy and no understanding of the Word of God and the promises therein! There is another aspect of this, though, that pertains to born again believers. Jesus added in verse 47 that those (believers) who hear the Word and then obey that Word will also be secure in a storm! Verse 49 says that those who hear and do NOT obey will collapse in the storm! SO, I am exhorting and encouraging YOU today to take stock of the Word that you have heard and make sure that you are putting it into practice. Remember that James 1:22 says this (in both the KJV and the Amplified Bible):

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. KJV

22 But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth]. AMP

So let's continue to build on our good foundation by studying the Word of God with the purpose of obeying Him! He has our best interests in mind - ALWAYS! Amen! Get in position to receive God's very best and watch the blessings flow, all the while remembering that we are blessed to BE a blessing! Now, let's find someone else to bless! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really love this from today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers!

Behold, we go up to Jerusalem. — Luke 18:31

 In the natural life our ambitions alter as we develop; in the Christian life the goal is given at the beginning, the beginning and the end are the same, viz., Our Lord Himself. We start with Christ and we end with Him — until we all attain (RV) to the stature of the manhood of Christ Jesus, not to our idea of what the Christian life should be. The aim of the missionary is to do God’s will, not to be useful, not to win the heathen; he is useful and he does win the heathen, but that is not his aim. His aim is to do the will of his Lord.

In Our Lord’s life Jerusalem was the place where He reached the climax of His Father’s will upon the Cross, and unless we go with Jesus there, we will have no companionship with Him. Nothing ever discouraged Our Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He never hurried through certain villages where He was persecuted, or lingered in others where He was blessed. Neither gratitude nor ingratitude turned Our Lord one hair’s breadth away from His purpose to go up to Jerusalem.

“The disciple is not above his Master.” The same things will happen to us on our way to our Jerusalem. There will be the works of God manifested through us, people will get blessed, and one or two will show gratitude and the rest will show gross ingratitude, but nothing must deflect us from going up to our Jerusalem.

“There they crucified Him.” That is what happened when Our Lord reached Jerusalem, and that happening is the gateway to our salvation. The saints do not end in crucifixion: by the Lord’s grace they end in glory. In the meantime our watchword is — I, too, go up to Jerusalem.

Although we HAVE been commissioned to preach the Gospel (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:18-20) and we KNOW that HE wants that NONE should perish, but that all should be saved (2 Peter 3:9), Jesus Himself said that THIS is the first and most important commandment: Matthew 22:37-38:

37 And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). 38 This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. AMP (Mark 12:29-30)

Remember that TRUE success is being where God wants you to be, doing what He wants you to do! We love Him by obeying Him, and by spending time in intimate fellowship with Him, loving what He loves and hating what He hates! In the process of walking out this love, we WILL be sent on special assignments sharing the Gospel. Some of these will take place every day in our own unique lives and circles of influence. Others will be in unique places, at unique times and in unique and different ways. The BASIS, though, for all of these MUST be our love and commitment to HIM first and foremost! Anything else will simply be dead works! Take the time that is needful, everyday, for YOU to keep yourself in this position! Be continually led with peace and joy and LOVE the life HE has given you! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "Close":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

This, from "Faith To Faith" by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, is very important for every born again believer to understand so that they do not get discourage and quit!

A LITTLE EVERY DAY

Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. Luke 13:18-19

If you’re going to grow in the kingdom of God, you’re going to do it just like a seed that’s been planted in the ground. How does a seed grow? All at once? No, it grows constantly—24 hours a day—a little all the time until it accomplishes what it was created to do.

Most of us don’t operate that way spiritually. We study and pray very hard for a few days and then quit. Then, when some disaster comes, we make a mad attempt to pray and stand on the Word, all the while realizing that, for some reason, we’re just not as strong as we ought to be.

There’s no such thing as an overnight success in the kingdom of God! Real strength, real growth comes as you consistently and constantly keep the Word before your eyes, in your ears, and in the midst of your heart. Not just when you want to or when you feel like it, but constantly, like the seed, a little all the time.

A man came up to me once and said, “Man, your ministry just took off overnight, didn’t it?”

“If it did,” I answered, “it was certainly the longest night I ever spent in my life!”

From his perspective my success did seem to spring up quickly. That’s because he didn’t see me during all those hours and weeks and months and years I spent in the Word of God. He didn’t see the daily process that lay behind that success. He just saw the results.

Make up your mind to begin that daily process of constant growth today. Determine to start putting the Word in your heart consistently. Every day a line here, a line there—a tape here, a tape there.

Begin to act as though that Word is true every hour of the day regardless of what comes or how you feel. Keep adding to your faith—meditating on it, confessing it, seven days a week.

Eventually, your faith will be bigger than you ever dreamed it could be.

What is the message here? Stop being anxious and upset when it seems as though it is taking a long time. Stop being hard on yourself for not knowing what others have spent decades learning! Be at peace and content with who you are IN HIM, and spend time every day learning something new, AND, equally as important, putting it into practice! This will speed up the process considerably! Be content, but NEVER be satisfied with where you are. Remember that Paul, who came to know the Word and the Lord more intimately than almost anyone else, still said THIS in Philippians 3:10 AMP:

10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], AMP

Are you ready? Let's GO! Here is Hillsong with "I Live To Know You":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Of all of the things I could post for today, THIS, from Jerry Savelle's devotional, is the most urgent!

Extraordinary Miracles

And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them (Acts 19:11-12 NKJV).

In the scripture above, the Amplified Bible translates special miracles as “unusual and extraordinary miracles.” In other words, these miracles were not the norm. When clothing that touched Paul’s body was placed on people who were sick or demon possessed, those people were made whole and delivered. That was not the norm; it was an extraordinary occurrence. Paul had always experienced miracles in his ministry, but then he entered into a new dimension of miracles that had not happened to him before.

I’ve had miracles in my life and ministry, but I hear God saying, “I’m going to do miracles in the days ahead that you’ve never before seen done quite this way.” Of course, every miracle is extraordinary, but God is saying, “The way I’ve performed the miracles you’ve seen is not the only way I can perform them. I’m going to show you new ways in the days ahead.”

Brother Oral Roberts once sat in my home and described a service he held under his big tent. Suddenly, the anointing of God swept through the place healing every sick person and delivering every demon-possessed person. Brother Roberts never laid his hands on anyone as the Shekinah glory of God filled that tent. Everyone just fell on the floor, and when they got up they were healed! Brother Roberts went on to say God had visited him and told him these extraordinary occurrences of healing and miracles were coming back to the Body of Christ. I believe God is going to do extraordinary miracles in the days ahead, the likes of which we’ve never seen before. Will you take part in this new season of extraordinary miracles?

Confession: As a member of the Body of Christ, I confess that I am entering a new season of extraordinary miracles. I expect to see God move in ways I’ve never seen before as He pours out His goodness, His favor, and His love upon me and all those who will stand in faith on His Word.

I hope that YOU said "Yes!" to Jerry's question above! This is the time that "whosoever will" will be used of God to do these extraordinary things that set people free and point everyone, everywhere, toward HIM! HALLELUJAH! This IS the most exciting time to be alive and flowing with the Spirit of God. Get yourself ready, spirit and soul and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Jump in and don't look back! Something WONDERFUL, something POWERFUL, something AMAZING, something SUPERNATURAL, something SPECTACULAR is about to happen IN and THROUGH you today! Here is Hillsong Kids with "Supernatural":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I noticed something very important in my meditation of Luke 2 today. Look at verse 52:

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. KJV

"Increased" here is the Greek word "prokopto", which means: to drive forward; to advance; to proceed. So Jesus, Who was God the Son, came to live on the earth as a human being without sin. Nothing that He accomplished on earth was accomplished by His power as God because He left that Glory in Heaven. He came to live exactly as one of us so that He could lawfully bridge the gap between us and God the Father. The verse above shows us this! Jesus had to grow up in the Word and in the things of God in the same way that we are to do! Look at verse 52 from the Amplified Bible:

52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and men.

Notice that Jesus "kept increasing"! This we MUST do also, IF we want to walk in the fullness of the Covenant that HE has provided for us! There will be NO point of arrival during our natural lifetime! We will ONLY "arrive" when we see Him face to face! Look at 1 John 3:2:

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth 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

So, if you have not been consistent in your study and meditation of the Word, in your prayer time, in your praise and worship time, and in your intimate fellowship with Him, repent (change your thinking to agree with God - only takes a moment in time!) and begin to pick it up RIGHT NOW! Let Paul's commitment from Philippians 3:10 be yours:

10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection], AMP

Let is be said of YOU that YOU "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men"! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "More To See":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is another good one!

Our Lord’s exhortation in these verses is to be generous in our behaviour to all men. In the spiritual life beware of walking according to natural affinities. Everyone has natural affinities; some people we like and others we do not like. We must never let those likes and dislikes rule in our Christian life. If we “walk in the light,” as God is in the light, God will give us communion with people for whom we have no natural affinity.

The Example Our Lord gives us is not that of a good man, or even of a good Christian, but of God Himself. “Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect” — show to the other man what God has shown to you; and God will give us ample opportunities in actual life to prove whether we are perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. To be a disciple means that we deliberately identify ourselves with God’s interests in other people. “That ye love one another; as I have loved you…”

The expression of Christian character is not good doing, but Godlikeness: If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit Divine characteristics in your life, not good human characteristics. God’s life in us expresses itself as God’s life, not as human life trying to be godly. The secret of a Christian is that the supernatural is made natural in him by the grace of God, and the experience of this works out in the practical details of life, not in times of communion with God. When we come in contact with things that create a buzz, we find to our amazement that we have power to keep wonderfully poised in the centre of it all.

So many born again believers still think that they have to "prove" something to the God of the Bible in order for HIM to cause His blessings to flow into their lives. This is simply NOT true! The only requirement for inheriting what Jesus died and rose again to accomplish is that we MUST be born again! This means recognizing that you are a sinner, believing in your heart that Jesus died for YOUR sin and that God raised Him from the dead. He IS alive, and YOU can be, too! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

As you continue to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others, there will come a time when you will be in position to train them to see, speak and obey the Truth! Today's "Faith Food" by Kenneth E. Hagin is a very good [place to start with that!

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. 

Realize that sometimes the simple things that Holy Spirit is leading you to do may not SEEM very glamorous, but obeying HIM is the very best decision you have ever made! Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us this:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts higher than your thoughts.

YES! His thoughts and His ways are higher than ours, which is a very GOOD thing! What some people see, and what this verses does NOT say, is that these thoughts are NOT past finding out! Hosea 6:3 tells us this:

3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

Did you notice that rather large "IF"? You were supposed to! Whenever you see the word "if" in the Bible, realize that this represents CHOICE! HE will not force anything on us. He HAS already blessed us, but WE must find out what these blessings are and how to get hold of them! The blessing we are speaking of above is getting to know HIM! We WILL know Him IF we choose to pay whatever price is necessary to get the Word in us in abundance! We WILL know WHEN we decide to pursue! He wants nothing better than to help us know Him more! Are you ready? Let's GO! Here is Hillsong Kids with "My Number One":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Yesterday we looked at faith from Hebrews 11. Today I want to share Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's "From Faith To Faith":

Only be  strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded you: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou may prosper wherever you go.  Joshua 1:7

Living a life of faith takes courage. Most people don’t realize it, but it does! It takes courage to stand up in the face of sickness and declare you’re healed by the stripes of Jesus. It takes courage to believe for prosperity and put your last dime in the offering plate when poverty is staring you in the face. There are going to be some days when you’d rather pull the covers over your head and hide than take another faith stand against the devil. But you can’t. Because the battle of faith isn’t fought once and then forgotten. If you want to keep living in victory, you have to fight it again and again.

There’s no way around it. Of course, some of God’s people still try to find one. The Israelites, for example, thought their battles should be over when they crossed the Red Sea. So when they heard reports of giants living in the Promised Land, they decided they couldn’t face the fight. Their courage failed them. So they took a 40-year detour through the wilderness.

But you know what? They still couldn’t avoid that fight. When the time came for the next generation to enter the Promised Land, the giants were still there!

This time, however, they found the courage to face them. Where did they find it? In the Word of God. Their leader, Joshua, had obeyed the instruction of the Lord and kept that Word on his mind and in his heart day and night. He’d meditated on it and let it constantly remind him that God was on their side.

If you’re going to fight the good fight of faith to the finish, you’ll have to do just like Joshua did. You’ll have to continually draw courage from the Word of God. So make up your mind to do it. Get into that Word and let it change you from a coward to an overcomer. Then march into battle and slay the giants in your land.

Now that we have learned what faith really is (the evidence of what we believe), where faith comes from (the Word of God), how faith works (by Love) and that faith is a continual fight, we are well on our way to being able to stand strong on the Word in every situation AND be able to teach and train others to do so, too! Are YOU ready to be an example in walking in faith and in developing other "faith heroes"? THAT is what we are here for! Remember, Jesus went about teaching, preaching and healing! WE are to do the same. LET'S GO! Here is Hillsong with a well known and loved song "Go"!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we are reading the "Hall of Faith" of the Bible. These are names of imperfect people who chose to believe the God of the Bible and, by doing so, saw the power and provision of God manifest in their lives! I am sure that most of you are very familiar with Hebrews 11:1-3. Let's look at these three verses in the Amplified Bible:

11 Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. 2 For by this [kind of] faith the men of old gained [divine] approval. 3 By faith [that is, with an inherent trust and enduring confidence in the power, wisdom and goodness of God] we understand that the worlds (universe, ages) were framed and created [formed, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose] by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. 

When we obtain and grow our faith in the God of the Bible, we will come to a position of such confidence that when we are faced with seemingly impossible situations, we will have no trouble visualizing the end result rather than the problem! THAT is the assurance that comes with faith! We know from the Word of God in Romans 10:17 that we get faith in the Word BY the Word:

17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 Spending time in the Word of God reading, listening to, speaking to ourselves and others will cause faith to COME and to GROW! Galatians 5:6 tells us that this faith will ONLY work as we walk in love:

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

This verse is even better in the Amplified Bible:

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

Walking in love simply means reacting to people, places things and events in the same way that Jesus would! He ALWAYS operated in obedience to the Father and in compassion for the people. Refuse to hold anything against anyone. Our ultimate enemy is actually satan and his workers of darkness and NOT the people he is able to fool into letting themselves be used by him. Forgive the people, submit to God, resist the devil (James 4:7) and LIVE in the fullness of life that God intends for you to live (John 10:10 AMP). This wonderful faith-filled life! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong with an older song called "Faith":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Hebrews 10 today in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan and I want to look at verses 24-25:

24 and let us consider [thoughtfully] how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds, 25 not forsaking our meeting together [as believers for worship and instruction], as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more [faithfully] as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching.

We are being instructed here to make it a priority to encourage each other and we CANNOT do this if we are not gathering together on a consistent basis! There is absolutely no reason for a born again believer to be without consistent TRUE fellowship! Why do I say "true fellowship"? I say this because one of the first things I learned from my very first Bible teacher was this: "It is NOT Christian fellowship unless it is around the Word of God." We can get together for fun times and celebrations, but if we leave the Word out, then it is simply social! This does NOT mean we have to always sit for a formal teaching, but we should ALWAYS be sharing the Word with each other, speaking about what we've each been hearing and learning from our own study. This is a very needful form of meditation of the Word (Joshua 1:8)! I want to share THIS from the Mirror Bible:

24 Let us also think of creative ways by which we can influence one another to find expression in doing things that benefit others. Good actions give voice and volume to the love of God. 25 In the light of our free access to the Father, let us extend that embrace to one another. Our gatherings are no longer a repetition of tradition but an essential fellowship where we remind one another of our true identity. Let us do so with greater urgency now the day has dawned in our understanding. (The prophetic shadow has been replaced by the light of day).

This is an interesting new version that is not yet complete. I am NOT recommending it at this time because I haven't studied it enough, but I DO like this! The KJV of verse 25 says "so much more". The Amplified Bible says "all the more faithfully" and the Mirror Bible says "with greater urgency". All three are accurate and needful for us to know and to do! Are YOU ready? LET'S GO!!! Here is Robin Mark with a song that should inspire us to get busy with our Father's business! "Lion of Judah":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I cannot improve upon THIS from "Faith To Faith" by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland:

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser; teach a righteous man...and he will increase in learning. Proverbs 9:8-9 AMP

There is one thing you can do that will accelerate your spiritual growth more than almost any other thing: Learn to take correction—from the Spirit of God and from His people.

So few believers seem to be able to do that. When their preacher gets in the pulpit and preaches about something they already know, about some aspect of life they’ve already submitted to the Lord, they think he’s great. They like him because he makes them feel good. But the moment he stands up and begins to preach about something they’re doing wrong, they take offense.

God says that’s foolish. He says in Proverbs 1:7, only fools strike out at, or despise, correction.

So don’t be like that. When your pastor or anyone else in the Body of Christ has a word of correction for you, receive it gratefully. Appreciate those who share the wisdom of God with you. When someone points out somewhere that you’ve missed it, instead of reacting against them, examine yourself and say, “Is that right? Does that agree with the Word? Do I need to make a change there?”

If the answer to those questions is yes, then make the changes you need to make to get your life in line.

I know that’s not easy. None of us likes to be corrected. But if you’ll make up your mind you’re going to receive that correction anyway, that you’re going to remain teachable, you’ll be able to go on and grow in spiritual things much more quickly.

One man said, “If you think you’ve already arrived, you aren’t going anywhere.” Remember that next time someone corrects you. Love that person and thank him for speeding along your spiritual progress. If you’ll do that, you’ll come out ahead every time.

Joyfully receive the correction that comes by instruction in the Word of God so that you can continue to grow and mature IN HIM! Refuse the "correction" that includes condemnation, for that is NOT of God (John 3:17)! Jesus already paid the ultimate price for our Salvation and He is NOT expecting us to pay anything except ATTENTION! Pay attention to His Word, to the Holy Spirit, to our Pastors and Teachers, to like-minded believers whom you fellowship with. AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Evermore":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

2 Timothy 1:6 gives us a command that, if obeyed, will put us in position to be used by the God of the Bible, but also to receive what He has already provided for us!

6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. KJV

"Stir up" is the Greek word "anazopureo", which means: to re-enkindle (to kindle afresh), to keep in full flame, to begin again, to reactivate (to cause to begin to be active again), to cause to take on new life. What we are encouraged and instructed to do this for is the gift that the God of the Bible has placed within us! If we are instructed to keep this gift "in full flame" it is because it is capable of dying out through neglect! We know from 2 Corinthians 5:18 that we are ALL called into the full time ministry of sharing the Gospel with every one we see, by every means possible! The gifts that HE has placed within us are for the carrying out of that ministry! Each one of us is gifted in different ways, to do different things. YOU are  not responsible for the gifts within me, and I am not responsible for the gifts within you, but we are both responsible for encouraging each other to stir up our gifts! AMEN! We are also instructed to do this in Romans 12:11:

11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;


The Amplified Bible says it best:

11 Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord. AMP

Being filled with the Spirit is an ongoing, daily choice to BE filled and to STAY filled! Once we receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit, then we must be ever in the process of being filled! We do this through prayer in the Spirit and through praise and worship in the Spirit! Keep yourself stirred up and fired up for the things of God and you will never lack for excitement over Him and His Word! Here, to help you stir yourself up, is Hillsong Young and Free with "Wake":

Shalom in him!

Shalom,

This posting from Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's "From Faith To Faith" is a very good example of how to go about making changes in your life that will cause you to walk in more of the fullness of God's supernatural blessing!

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Romans 8:24-25

According to Romans, hope is actually looking at something you can’t see. How do you do that? You do it by looking at the promises of God in the Word until with your inner eyes—the eyes of your spirit—a picture is formed.

For example, one of the hardest things I ever had to do was face the fact that the inner image I had of myself physically was fat. It didn’t matter how hard I tried to change, it wouldn’t go away. I was always on a diet. I must have lost (and regained) hundreds of pounds over the years.

I finally had to admit that as long as my inner image of myself was fat, my outer self was going to match it. Remember, it’s faith that changes things, and without the inner image of hope, faith cannot work.

So I decided to fast for seven days. I searched my Bible for every scripture I could find on food and eating and I found many.

I meditated on every one of those scriptures and prayed in the spirit for seven full days. What was I doing? I was laying hold on a different inner image.

This is not something you can do overnight. It takes time. Especially if the inner image you’re changing has been there for years.

But you can do it. Go to the Word of God today and begin to change the images inside you. Change them from images of despair to images of hope. Get a blueprint in your heart and your faith will build on it!

The Word of God is the ONLY force that can, and WILL, change every situation in your life around for your good! HE desires that YOU be BLESSED (John 10:10 AMP; 3 John 2)! HE has moved Heaven and earth to see to it that you are provided for! Find what His Word has to say about YOU, and your situation. Now OWN it! Claim it as yours! Increase your faith by continuing to meditate on these Truths. Speak them out of your mouth and into your life! THAT is YOUR responsibility, and the rest is God's! He desires better things for you than you have ever dared to imagine!  In YOUR life, allow GOD to BE God! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "Nothing Like Your Love":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers has a message that is not always easy to hear, but that is very important in gauging our attitudes. 

Ministering as opportunity surrounds us.

This does not mean selecting our surroundings, it means being very selectly God’s in any haphazard surroundings which He engineers for us. The characteristics we manifest in our immediate surroundings are indications of what we will be like in other surroundings.

The things that Jesus did were of the most menial and commonplace order, and this is an indication that it takes all God’s power in me to do the most commonplace things in His way. Can I use a towel as He did? Towels and dishes and sandals, all the ordinary sordid things of our lives, reveal more quickly than anything what we are made of. It takes God Almighty Incarnate in us to do the meanest duty as it ought to be done.

“I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” Watch the kind of people God brings around you, and you will be humiliated to find that this is His way of revealing to you the kind of person you have been to Him. Now, He says, exhibit to that one exactly what I have shown to you.

Over the 35 years that I have been a born again, Spirit filled believer, I have encountered people with the above attitudes. They want so desperately, they say, to get to the mission field where they can actually DO something for God! What they don't realize, or have forgotten, is that the local church is our training ground for ministry (Ephesians 4)! We should be taking advantage of the wonderful ministry gifts that HE has made available to us through our local church. We should be attending every available service with the idea that I must learn so that I will be able to share these Truths with others as the Spirit of God puts me in position to minister! I should be buying up every opportunity to observe those in leadership positions as they put God's Word into practice. I should hear them pray, watch them minister, meditate on the Truths they share and become a more consistent and bold DOER of the Word I am hearing! When we can prove ourselves faithful in an audience as small as our own homes, our places of business, our schools and our local church, THEN we can be trusted by God to take the Gospel to others in far away places. Every area on the face of the earth is a mission field! There are people everywhere who need to hear of the Savior! Bloom where you are currently planted and HE will, in HIS perfect timing, take you to those places that HE has laid on your heart! In God's eyes, timing is everything! HIS timing is perfect! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Chapel with "Lost Are Found":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 71:10-11:

“For as the rain and snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth,
Making it bear and sprout,
And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 
So will My word be which goes out of My mouth;
It will not return to Me void (useless, without result),
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

I hope by now that you have the great confidence that when YOU speak HIS Word, things change! We may not see it in the natural right away, and sometimes WE won't see it at all, but when we speak His Word into any situation, that Word WORKS! Sometimes WE cause the Word we've spoken to be of no effect because we dig it up by speaking other words that are contrary to HIS Word! STOP doing that! Once you have found Scripture that covers your situation, refuse to speak anything contrary to what the Word of God says about it! If the devil can throw you "off your game" by his thoughts of doubt, fear and unbelief, he will do it every time! Recognize his tactics (strategies, devices) (2 Corinthians 2:11) and deal with it out of YOUR place of authority - IN JESUS! There is nothing in this world that you cannot overcome when you attack it on the authority, and by the use of, God's Word! Learn it, know it, and use it! HE is waiting to confirm it for you (Mark 16:20)! HALLELUJAH!!! Here is Hillsong with "This Is Our God":

Shalom in Him!