Shalom,

I love that with our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan we get to go through the entire books of Psalms and Proverbs twice! We begin Proverbs again today. Here, in verses 2-5 is the explanation for why this book was written!

2 That people may know skillful and godly Wisdom and instruction, discern and comprehend the words of understanding and insight, 3 Receive instruction in wise dealing and the discipline of wise thoughtfulness, righteousness, justice, and integrity, 4 That prudence may be given to the simple, and knowledge, discretion, and discernment to the youth— 5 The wise also will hear and increase in learning, and the person of understanding will acquire skill and attain to sound counsel [so that he may be able to steer his course rightly]—

These things were written so that we MAY know! In other words, we have the OPTION to know, if we CHOOSE to know, God's Wisdom! Being a born again believer, even a Spirit-filled believer, does NOT guarantee an automatic understanding of the Word of God. God always gives us the WAY, but He ALWAYS leaves the choice up to us. Do YOU desire to know the Word of God, which is the will of God? Then you must follow on to know! You must make it your determined purpose and a top priority! Verse 7 gives us another prerequisite for obtaining this great Wisdom of God:

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

Loving the LORD our God with our whole heart is the starting place! Having respect and honor for His Word as the only TRUTH (John 17:17) is another step! Now dig in and you will be, of all people, MOST blessed! AMEN! The results are not good for those who make the wrong choice concerning His Word! Verses 29-32:

29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord, 30 Would accept none of my counsel, and despised all my reproof, 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be satiated with their own devices. 32 For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, and the careless ease of [self-confident] fools shall destroy them.

The results for making the right choice? Verse 33:

33 But whoso hearkens to me [Wisdom] shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet, without fear or dread of evil.

When we put HIM and His Word as our top priority then we need fear NOTHING that the world, the flesh or the devil will try to throw at us! We will have secure confidence and fearlessness! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Your Word":

Before the earth knew its foundation

You spoke the dust into creation

Until the end when all has withered

Then still Your Word will endure forever

The lamp unto my feet

The light unto my path

Your Word will not be shaken

Your Word will never fail me

Like a fire in my bones

Like a whisper to my soul

Your Word is revelation

Deep calls to deep within Your presence

When I hear You speak my soul awakens

Your Spirit leads my heart to worship

As Your Word reveals the light of Jesus

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is important information for every born again believer to know, especially as they choose a church to attend! 

The Absoluteness Of Jesus Christ

He shall glorify Me. — John 16:14

The pietistic movements of today have none of the rugged reality of the New Testament about them; there is nothing about them that needs the Death of Jesus Christ, all that is required is a pious atmosphere, and prayer and devotion. This type of experience is not supernatural nor miraculous, it did not cost the passion of God, it is not dyed in the blood of the Lamb, not stamped with the hall-mark of the Holy Ghost. It has not that mark on it which makes men say, as they look with awe and wonder – “That is the work of God Almighty.” That and nothing else is what the New Testament talks about.

The type of Christian experience in the New Testament is that of personal passionate devotion to the Person of Jesus Christ. Every other type of Christian experience, so called, is detached from the Person of Jesus. There is no regeneration, no being born again into the Kingdom in which Christ lives, but only the idea that He is our Pattern. In the New Testament Jesus Christ is Saviour long before He is Pattern. Today He is being despatched as the Figurehead of a Religion, a mere Example. He is that, but He is infinitely more; He is salvation itself. He is the Gospel of God.

Jesus said, “When He, the Spirit of truth, is come,…He shall glorify Me.” When I commit myself to the revelation made in the New Testament, I receive from God the gift of the Holy Spirit Who begins to interpret to me what Jesus did and does in me subjectively all that Jesus Christ did for me objectively.

Our Lord Jesus is most certainly NO 'figurehead'! He IS the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty GOD of the BIBLE! Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is LIBERTY! There is LIFE and LOVE and POWER! This is no lifeless journey of obeying endless rules and regulations so that 'perhaps' we may gain favor with God. NO! This is a NEW life by the Spirit of God where those who belong to Him can be filled with Holy Spirit and have HIS constant direction and guidance. This is a life of GRACE, where the price for all sin has been paid and WE can decide whether or not we choose to appropriate that GIFT! THIS is a life of POWER, where we, as born again believers have been given the authority of Jesus in order to operate as He did while on the earth! ARE YOU READY FOR THIS? THIS is what the local churches are SUPPOSED to be teaching their congregations, so that people of authority and power will rise up and take their places in bringing the enemies works to NOTHING! AMEN! Let's get to it! Soon and very soon, we are going to see our King, and we want Him to be WELL PLEASED! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Grace To Grace":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 149 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today is ALL about the praise and worship of our wonderful LORD! Revelation 5 is also from our reading today and shows us why He should be praised! Verses 11-14:

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels on every side of the throne and of the living creatures and the elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin], and they numbered ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands, 12 Saying in a loud voice, Deserving is the Lamb, Who was sacrificed, to receive all the power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and majesty (glory, splendor) and blessing! 13 And I heard every created thing in heaven and on earth and under the earth [in Hades, the place of departed spirits] and on the sea and all that is in it, crying out together, To Him Who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb be ascribed the blessing and the honor and the majesty (glory, splendor) and the power (might and dominion) forever and ever (through the eternities of the eternities)! 14 Then the four living creatures (beings) said, Amen (so be it)! And the elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] prostrated themselves and worshiped Him Who lives forever and ever.

Psalm 149 tells us that the LORD takes pleasures in US, His people! So, let us be all about the praise and worship, too! Here is all of Psalm 149:

1 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, praise Him in the assembly of His saints! 2 Let Israel rejoice in Him, their Maker; let Zion’s children triumph and be joyful in their King! 3 Let them praise His name in chorus and choir and with the [single or group] dance; let them sing praises to Him with the tambourine and lyre! 4 For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation and adorn the wretched with victory. 5 Let the saints be joyful in the glory and beauty [which God confers upon them]; let them sing for joy upon their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and a two-edged sword in their hands, 7 To wreak vengeance upon the nations and chastisement upon the peoples, 8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron, 9 To execute upon them the judgment written. He [the Lord] is the honor of all His saints. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

AMEN! He is WORTHY of ALL praise, thanksgiving and worship, and when we do so, we increase our capacity to receive more of all the wonderful things that HE has planned for US! AMEN! Here is Chris Tomlin with "Our God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Andrew Womack's "One Year With Jesus In The Gospels" devotional for today is a great encouragement and exhortation on how to fight the GOOD fight! 

THE SWORD IS THE WORD

John 18:36 "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence."

Christ's kingdom is spiritual, in the hearts of men - not physical; therefore, our fight as Christians must not be with carnal weapons but with spiritual weapons (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Spiritual forces cannot be defeated with human weapons.

When we are being attacked for being a part of Christ's kingdom, we must fight with spiritual weapons. Our warfare is not against people, but against the spiritual powers that operate behind the scenes through people. We must realize who the real enemy is and fight with the spiritual weapons the Lord has given us.

We often think that anger will put a person in his place. But "the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God" (James 1:20). Anger displayed against people puts us right into the hand of the devil. The way to overcome the spiritual powers that come against us through people is to turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39). That makes the demons flee in terror.

One of the main weapons the Apostle Paul speaks of is the Gospel, which is the Sword of the Spirit, (the Word of God). It's the Word backed by God's Spirit that can pull down and crush the strongholds of Satan.

Every Christian is at war. There is a perpetual struggle against Satan and his kingdom from which there are no "leaves" or "discharges." Our enemy goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Those who resist the devil will see him flee (James 4:7). The only ones whom he devours are those who don't actively fight against him.

When we, who are spirit beings, with souls, who live in human bodies, use OUR God-given weapons on the enemy and his attacks, then we WILL be safe and protected from all that the enemy would try to do against us! The ONLY way to live victoriously in this life is to choose the life of faith through the Word of God and a life of continual praise, thanksgiving and worship on the One True GOD! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Behold (Then My Soul Sings)":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 147 has some very powerful Truths that really stand out to me today! First of all, verses 1-2:

1 Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God, for He is gracious and lovely; praise is becoming and appropriate. 2 The Lord is building up Jerusalem; He is gathering together the exiles of Israel.

With every attack against Israel and her people, I am reminded that they belong to GOD! To come against them is SUICIDE for any nation! HE is building up HIS city, which is the eternal capital of HIS nation! He has been gathering His people back, and will continue until everyone who will is there! Verses 4-5 show His GREATNESS!

4 He determines and counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by their names. 5 Great is our Lord and of great power; His understanding is inexhaustible and boundless.

I think that sometimes people are so casually comfortable with God that they forget themselves sometimes and fail to realize that HE IS GOD ALMIGHTY! Yes, He IS our 'Daddy, Abba, Father', but He is the awesome and Sovereign GOD! He is, verse 6:

6 The Lord lifts up the humble and downtrodden; He casts the wicked down to the ground.

What pleases God and makes His heart sing? Verse 11:

11 The Lord takes pleasure in those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy and loving-kindness.

Let's BE those ones! Praise Him, thank Him and worship Him continually! That causes us to be in the very BEST position to receive all that HE has planned for US! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "":

Your love so great
Jesus in all things
I’ve seen a glimpse of Your heart
A billion years
Still I’ll be singing
How can I praise You enough

You are the Lord Almighty
Out shining all the stars in glory
Your love is like the wildest ocean
Oh nothing else compares

Creation calls
All to the Saviour
We are alive for Your praise
In earth and sky no one is higher
Our God of wonders You reign

Not to us
But to Your Name
We lift up
All praise

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I hope that you all had a tremendous Thanksgiving celebration and the thankfulness you operated in yesterday will become an ongoing and active part of your daily lives! Maintaining a grateful heart is vital to staying in position to receive God's very best for you and your loved ones! Today's devotional from Jerry Savelle's website coves an essential part of keeping our hearts grateful! Casting our cares!

Casting Your Care

Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7 NKJV)

The word cast means to “throw off.” It is a decisive and deliberate action.

Casting the care of your problems on the Lord (and not taking it back) isn’t always an easy thing to do. However, if you fail to cast your care on God as the Word instructs, you will hinder Him in exalting you above your circumstances or problems.

The Bible says the evil one seeks those he may devour, meaning those who allow him to do so. One of the ways you can allow the devil access to your life is by taking on the care of your situation to the point that you are consumed by it.

Casting your care upon the Lord activates the power of God to work in and through your situation; it allows Him to bring miracles and victory.

God isn’t asking you to pretend your problems don’t exist; He just doesn’t want you to take on the care of them. To take on care means to constantly talk about the problem, think about the problem, and worry about the problem to the point that it appears there is no way out of the problem.

God is a loving Father who is ready to help you in your time of need. Make the decision to cast your care upon the Lord today, knowing that He will exalt you at exactly the right time.

Confession: Father, I come boldly to Your throne of grace today and I cast every care that I have been carrying onto You. I humble myself now, trusting that You care enough about me to work everything out.

AMEN! We are NOT meant by our Father to carry care! He never designed us to do so! HE has given us clear and powerful instructions concerning casting our care, and it will completely open up some things that we have been believing God for when we do this! Here, to help with this, is Hillsong Worship with "I Will Boast In Christ":

Now and forever

All I have because of Jesus

All this promise

Won for me

When He paid the highest ransom

Once for always

For my freedom

I will boast in Christ alone

His righteousness

Not my own

I will cling to Christ my hope

His mercy reigns

Love will never lose its power

All my failures could not erase

Now I walk within Your favour

Grace unending

My salvation

What can wash away my sin

Nothing but the blood of Jesus

What can make me whole again

Nothing but the blood of Jesus

O precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow

No other fount I know

Nothing but the blood of Jesus

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

HAPPY & VERY BLESSED THANKSGIVING!

For the post today, I want to simply encourage you to remember every GOOD thing that God has done for you, in you and through you! It is a priceless privilege to be called by HIS Name, to be a member of HIS family, to be a member of the Body of Christ and of the Church of Jesus Christ! It is a priceless privilege and an awesome responsibility to represent HEAVEN on the earth today! Let's begin today with Praise, as we are encouraged to do in Psalm 150!

1 Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in the heavens of His power!

2 Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to the abundance of His greatness!

3 Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with lute and harp!

4 Praise Him with tambourine and [single or group] dance; praise Him with stringed and wind instruments or flutes!

5 Praise Him with resounding cymbals; praise Him with loud clashing cymbals!

6 Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

Here is a song of praise and worship by Hillsong Worship called "Grace To Grace":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" by Kenneth E, Hagin is appropriate for our Thanksgiving Eve!

Thank You, Father

"Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins" (Col. 1:12-14).

The New Covenant tells us we should be giving thanks unto the Father because He has made us able to be partakers of something. Of what? "...Of the inheritance of the saints in light!" 

The Amplified Bible translates verse 13 as, "[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness..."

 God Himself has delivered us from the control of Satan! Satan's kingdom is the kingdom of darkness. God's kingdom is the kingdom of light. The Father has made us able to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us out from under the control and dominion of darkness. Satan has no control over us. He cannot dominate us. And we are told to thank God for that! 

Confession: Thank You, Father, for making me fit to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light. Thank You for delivering me out of the authority of darkness. Thank You for transferring me into the kingdom of Your dear Son - the kingdom of light. 

AMEN! Remember to begin every day with praise, thanksgiving and worship to the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible Who is the Giver of every good thing in our lives (James 1:17)! Doing so keeps our hearts humble before Him and open to receive much more of everything that HE has for US! Here is Hillsong with an older song that is perfect for today! "Everyday":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In Psalm 143 we  find David calling out to God because the enemy had continued to pursue and persecute him. He went straight to His Deliverer! He did explain to the LORD what the enemy was doing, even though none of this was hidden from God. I personally believe that David said these things out loud because the enemy was also listening. He was showing that he recognized the enemy and that He also recognized His Deliverer! But then David says something that reveals to US how to deal with the attacks of the enemy! Verses 5-6:

5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I ponder the work of Your hands. 6 I spread forth my hands to You; my soul thirsts after You like a thirsty land [for water].Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

First of all, David reminded HIMSELF of the wonderful works that the LORD had done for him in the past. Then he surrendered himself in worship before the LORD! In verses 8-12 we find David presenting his prayer petition to the LORD:

8 Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my inner self to You. 9 Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; I flee to You to hide me. 10 Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; let Your good Spirit lead me into a level country and into the land of uprightness. 11 Save my life, O Lord, for Your name’s sake; in Your righteousness, bring my life out of trouble and free me from distress. 12 And in your mercy and loving-kindness, cut off my enemies and destroy all those who afflict my inner self, for I am Your servant.

His first petition was for the LORD to lead him in the way that he (David) should go in order to be in position to receive this deliverance and to teach him how to be obedient to the will of God. This is true humility in action! Yes, we should ALWAYS be bold in the face of the enemy when we are attacked, but we should ALWAYS maintain intimate fellowship with the LORD so that He can direct us and correct us, as needed! This puts us in position for total victory over an enemy who has no standing and no right to come against those who belong to the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! WHEN we do OUR part, God is freed up to do what only HE can do! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "In Control":

Verse 1
From heaven You can hear
I know You’re drawing near
As I worship
Held within Your love
The wind and waves will come
But I will stay here

Chorus
I lift my hands to heaven
Here my heart surrendered
I tell my soul again
You are Lord of all
Though the seas are raging
You will speak and tame them
In You I find my rest
You are in control

Verse 2
Through valleys I will trust
Your Spirit is enough to keep me walking
You guide my every step
Speak life to me again
Lord I need You

Bridge
I will trust in only You
No one can add to Your perfection
You’re the beginning and the end
More than I can comprehend
There is no one like You

No one
No one
No one Jesus

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this very encouraging Word from Jerry Savelle's website devotional! It is a blessing to me and I hope that it will be to you, too!

Free to Enjoy Abundant Life

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they my have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10 NKJV)

Jesus came to set you free from every form of physical, mental, or emotional bondage so that you can experience the enjoyable, rewarding, and satisfying life that has been prepared for you. It is not God’s will that you put up with anything that robs you of this full and blessed life. He is a good God, and He wants you to enjoy your life.

The Bible says, “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36 NKJV). If you are in bondage to any detrimental habit or deadly emotion, Jesus wants to set you free from the power of that thing. He doesn’t want you to be crippled in your emotions, tormented in your mind, or sick in your body. He doesn’t want you bound by insecurity, fear, or sin. He wants you to be free to fulfill the assignment He has for you, and to live the abundant life that belongs to you.

So, how do you get free from bondage? Jesus said, “If you abide in My word … you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31 NKJV).

As you spend time reading and hearing the Word of God, He will show you the truths you need so that you can walk in your freedom. He will expose the hidden lies of the enemy that you have believed, and that have held you in bondage. He will speak to your heart, and His Word will set you free.

Confession: Jesus has set me free from every bondage and evil scheme of the enemy. I receive the life He has already provided for me: a full, blessed, and abundant life.

I LOVE this statement:  He doesn’t want you to be crippled in your emotions, tormented in your mind, or sick in your body. He doesn’t want you bound by insecurity, fear, or sin. He wants you to be free to fulfill the assignment He has for you, and to live the abundant life that belongs to you. AMEN! He used the NKJV Bible here, but this statement goes right along with how the Amplified Bible presents John 10:10!

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

We ARE, as born again believers, citizens of Heaven and Ambassadors on earth of Jesus Christ! We have an assignment and a lifetime 'job' to do, but our 'Employer' has THE most amazing pay plan and fringe benefits imaginable! HE supplies all of our needs, according to HIS riches, which are WAY beyond our needs! Accept your personal and individual Ambassadorship, and then fully expect the fullness of blessing, favor, Anointing and supply that come right along with this 'job'! AMEN! Our God IS God and He is GOOD! ALL the time! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Let There be Light":

Verse 1
There’s no darkness in Your eyes
There’s no question in Your mind
God almighty
God of mercy

There’s no hiding from Your face
There’s no striving in Your grace
God of mercy
God almighty

Chorus 1
Let there be light
Open the eyes of the blind
Purify our hearts in Your fire
Breathe in us we pray
Jesus have Your way

Verse 2
There’s no borders in Your love
No division in Your heart
God of heaven
God of freedom

There’s no taking back the cross
No regret in what it cost
God of freedom
God of heaven

Chorus 2
Let there be light
Open the eyes of the blind
Purify our hearts in Your fire
Breathe in us we pray

Let there be light
Open our eyes to Your heart
Desperate just to know whoYou are
Shine in us we pray
Jesus have Your way

Bridge
Good news embracing the poor
Comfort for all those who mourn
For the broken hearted
We sing louder

Release from prison and shame
Oppression turning to praise
For every captive
Sing louder

Restoring sight to the blind
Breaking the curse of the night
For all in darkness
Sing louder

Proclaiming freedom for all
This is the day of the Lord
Beauty for ashes

Verse 3
Let the light that shines above
Become the light that shines in us
There’s no darkness in Your way
So have Your way
Lord have Your way

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is another very important Truth that the born again believer must know! 

Beware of the pleasant view of the Fatherhood of God – God is so kind and loving that of course He will forgive us. That sentiment has no place whatever in the New Testament. The only ground on which God can forgive us is the tremendous tragedy of the Cross of Christ; to put forgiveness on any other ground is unconscious blasphemy. The only ground on which God can forgive sin and reinstate us in His favour is through the Cross of Christ, and in no other way. Forgiveness, which is so easy for us to accept, cost the agony of Calvary. It is possible to take the forgiveness of sin, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and our sanctification with the simplicity of faith, and to forget at what enormous cost to God it was all made ours.

Forgiveness is the divine miracle of grace; it cost God the Cross of Jesus Christ before He could forgive sin and remain a holy God. Never accept a view of the Fatherhood of God if it blots out the Atonement. The revelation of God is that He cannot forgive; He would contradict His nature if He did. The only way we can be forgiven is by being brought back to God by the Atonement. God’s forgiveness is only natural in the super-natural domain.

Compared with the miracle of the forgiveness of sin, the experience of sanctification is slight. Sanctification is simply the marvellous expression of the forgiveness of sins in a human life, but the thing that awakens the deepest well of gratitude in a human being is that God has forgiven sin. Paul never got away from this. When once you realise all that it cost God to forgive you, you will be held as in a vice, constrained by the love of God.

The important thing to remember here is that this wonderful Gift of Grace was free to US, but it came at great price! JESUS paid that price! The Father and Holy Spirit, Who had to watch JESUS as He laid down His life and BECAME sin with OUR sin, paid the price! WE freely receive, BUT, when we present the Gospel, we must present NOT that God's love forgives the unbeliever of sin, but that God's LOVE sent JESUS to the cross to PAY the dreadful price that was REQUIRED, by God's Word, to be paid! That may seem like its not a big deal, until you realize that it REALLY IS! God's Word demanded the payment of the penalty and God's great LOVE provided the means to have it paid! HALLELUJAH!!!  NO GREATER LOVE! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Grace To Grace":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

The prayers of Jesus in the Gospel of John have always been some of my favorite passages of Scripture. In John 17:17 we have a very powerful Truth that answers the question that many of us have been asked by others: "What IS Truth"? 

17 Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth.

The Word of God is our TRUTH! It is our standard, our paradigm, our paragon! Jesus is saying here that the Word of God is able to 'sanctify' us! To sanctify means to set apart! It is setting someone apart FROM the world and UNTO God! So, John 17:17 is a MOST powerful prayer! AND, JESUS prayed this prayer - for US! John 17:20-21:

20 Neither for these alone do I pray [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching, 21 That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me.

That means us! Something else that Jesus prayed is found in verses 14-15 and, if you are paying attention, this should be extremely exciting to you!

14 I have given and delivered to them Your word (message) and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world [do not belong to the world], just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one.

Christian persecution is no new thing! The same evil spirits that were present during the ministry of Jesus on the earth are still present and active today! There are people all over the world who have been imprisoned, tortured and even murdered for their faith! BUT, faith in the above prayer that Jesus prayed, FOR US, should bring protection, provision and safety to God's people, even under the most dire of circumstances! After all, IS the arm of the Lord shortened? Isaiah 59:1:

1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened at all, that it cannot save, nor His ear dull with deafness, that it cannot hear.

1 John 5:14-15 gives us this promise:

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

Well, the Lord HEARD that prayer that JESUS prayed so very long ago - FOR US! It IS in line with His Word, which IS TRUTH! So, according to 1 John 5:14-15, JESUS received, and continues to receive, exactly what He prayed for us all! EXPECT protection, provision and safety because of JESUS' answered prayer and then get into the Word of God so that Holy Spirit and the Word can show you just what belongs to YOU as a born again child of the Living God! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "BEHOLD (Then Sings My Soul)":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to sharer a couple of portions from "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers! 

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. — John 8:36

 If there is any remnant of individual conceit left, it always says – “I can’t.” Personality never says – “I can’t,” but simply absorbs and absorbs. Personality always wants more and more. It is the way we are built. We are designed with a great capacity for God; and sin and our individuality are the things that keep us from getting at God. God delivers us from sin: we have to deliver ourselves from individuality, i.e., to present our natural life to God and sacrifice it until it is transformed into a spiritual life by obedience.

God does not pay any attention to our natural individuality in the development of our spiritual life. His order runs right across the natural life, and we have to see that we aid and abet God, not stand against Him and say – “I can’t do that.” God will not discipline us, we must discipline ourselves. God will not bring every thought and imagination into captivity; we have to do it. Do not say – “O Lord, I suffer from wandering thoughts.” Don’t suffer from wandering thoughts. Stop listening to the tyranny of your individuality, and get emancipated out into personality.

Remember that WE have been given the authority over our own lives! WE must make the daily, individual choices that will lead to a closer fellowship with HIM, or we will NOT have it! Refuse to let anything become more important in your life than your fellowship with the God of all the universe! When HE is #1, every # after is beyond blessed! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "As It Is (In Heaven)":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

There is SO much to LOVE in Psalm 138! Here is the entire Psalm:

1 I will confess and praise You [O God] with my whole heart; before the gods will I sing praises to You. 2 I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness; for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word and You have magnified Your word above all Your name! 3 In the day when I called, You answered me; and You strengthened me with strength (might and inflexibility to temptation) in my inner self. 4 All the kings of the land shall give You credit and praise You, O Lord, for they have heard of the promises of Your mouth [which were fulfilled]. 5 Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord and joyfully celebrate His mighty acts, for great is the glory of the Lord. 6 For though the Lord is high, yet has He respect to the lowly [bringing them into fellowship with Him]; but the proud and haughty He knows and recognizes [only] at a distance. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me. 8 The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, endure forever—forsake not the works of Your own hands.

The Hebrew word for "praise" in verse 1 most certainly includes the idea of confession, or acknowledging and proclaiming WHO HE IS! It also includes and involves the idea of praise, thanksgiving and worship, for WHO HE IS and for WHAT HE HAS DONE! We are to make known  His mighty acts to the world so that they, too, can call on the Name of the LORD to be saved! In all of our praising and proclaiming, we cannot lose sight of the MOST important verse in this entire Psalm! Verse 2 bears repeating here:

2 I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness; for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word and You have magnified Your word above all Your name! 

This verse is so completely 'logical' when we understand that it is the WORD of GOD that gives the NAME all of the authority and power of HEAVEN! His NAME is above ANY and EVERY other name that has ever been named! And YOU and I, as born again believers, have been given HIS Name to exercise HIS authority over every evil work and worker of darkness as they continue to harass and trouble people, keeping believers ignorant of God's Word, making them unbelieving believers and distracting unbelievers with anything and everything that will keep them from recognizing their desperate need for the SAVIOR! And the most powerful promise to us in this Psalm is found in verse 8!

8 The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, endure forever—forsake not the works of Your own hands.

Let's be on fire DOERS of Psalm 138 and watch and see unbelievers coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus and WHO HE IS! AMEN! Here is "Hillsong Worship" with "In Control":

From heaven You can hear

I know You’re drawing near

As I worship

Held within Your love

The wind and waves will come

But I will stay here

I lift my hands to heaven

Here my heart surrendered

I tell my soul again

You are Lord of all

Though the seas are raging

You will speak and tame them

In You I find my rest

You are in control

Through valleys I will trust

Your Spirit is enough to keep me walking

You guide my every step

Speak life to me again

Lord I need You

I will trust in only You

No one can add to Your perfection

You’re the beginning and the end

More than I can comprehend

There is no one like You

No one

No one

No one Jesus

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to again share "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. His unique way of speaking requires us to carefully consider what he is actually saying. This gives us another perspective on things that we already believe that can bring a greater depth of understanding!

The great marvel of the Incarnation slips into ordinary childhood’s life; the great marvel of the Transfiguration vanishes in the devil-possessed valley; the glory of the Resurrection descends into a breakfast on the sea-shore. This is not an anticlimax, but a great revelation of God.

The tendency is to look for the marvellous in our experience; we mistake the sense of the heroic for being heroes. It is one thing to go through a crisis grandly, but another thing to go through every day glorifying God when there is no witness, no limelight, no one paying the remotest attention to us. If we do not want medieval haloes, we want something that will make people say — “What a wonderful man of prayer he is!” “What a pious devoted woman she is!” If you are rightly devoted to the Lord Jesus, you have reached the sublime height where no one ever thinks of noticing you, all that is noticed is that the power of God comes through you all the time.

“Oh, I have had a wonderful call from God!” It takes Almighty God Incarnate in us to do the meanest* duty to the glory of God. It takes God’s Spirit in us to make us so absolutely humanly His that we are utterly unnoticeable. The test of the life of a saint is not success, but faithfulness in human life as it actually is. We will set up success in Christian work as the aim; the aim is to manifest the glory of God in human life, to live the life hid with Christ in God in human conditions. Our human relationships are the actual conditions in which the ideal life of God is to be exhibited.

*mean: as used here, something or someone ordinary, common, low, or ignoble, rather than cruel or spiteful.

I LOVE this! Most were expecting the Messiah to come as a conquering king! He came as a newborn baby, with 'diapers' to change! For most of us, the things that we will be rewarded for doing at the Reward Seat will be things that not many people, if any, even knew that we did! The obedience to that still small Voice of the Spirit of God. The prayers prayed in private, the encouragement given to someone discouraged, the sowing of seeds of faith and the preaching of the Gospel in one on one situations. All of these and many more daily happenings where we chose to go the Way of the Word rather than the way of the world! Make sure that YOU are living YOUR life in obedience to the plans and purposes of God for YOU, and your rewards will be many and multiplied! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Crowns":

There is a hill I cherish

Where stood a precious tree

The emblem of salvation

The gift of Calvary

How is it I should profit

While He is crucified

Yet as His life was taken

So I was granted mine

My wealth is in the cross

There’s nothing more I want

Than just to know His love

My heart is set on Christ

And I will count all else as loss

The greatest of my crowns

Mean nothing to me now

For I counted up the cost

And all my wealth is in the cross

I will not boast in riches

I have no pride in gold

But I will boast in Jesus

And in His Name alone

And when I stand in glory

My crowns before the Lord

Let this be my confession

My wealth is in the cross

Shalom in him!