Shalom,

We are ending 2017 by reading all of Psalm 119 with our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan! I LOVE this idea! Psalm 119 is ALL about the Word of God! As you read through, try to find the references to the Word in every verse. There are only a couple that are actually hard to find. As you read through, you will find yourself getting more excited about reading it! Then we go right into Philippians 4! We have THIS exhortation in verse 4:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!

"Rejoice" here is the Greek word "chairo", which means: to be cheerful, calmly happy, well-off, be well, be glad, to thrive. The Greek word for 'joy' (chara) comes from this root word. As born again believers, we HAVE the force of joy within us. This joy is a fruit of the born again spirit and when we stir it up, then we will appear to the world as God sees us, ever in the process of rejoicing! One of the ways that we accomplish this is by obeying verse 6:

6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.

And the result of obeying verse 6? Verse 7:

7 And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

God's thoroughly supernatural PEACE (eireenee), which is the absence strife and stress and includes harmony and tranquility, is OURS when we practice verse 6! Cast out any and every thought that is contrary to peace and joy! GOD is not the Author of anything else! AMEN! The only way to properly live this out is to also make the choice to DO verses 8-9!

8 For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. 9 Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.

What a great instruction and exhortation for going full steam ahead into 2018! I hope that YOU will take this all to heart and DO the Word so that you can have the Word's results! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "You Crown The Year":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I love the Book of Proverbs and we are finishing that up today with Proverbs 31. I have always had a problem with those who confine the Wisdom of Proverbs 31 to natural attributes of a good and Godly wife and mother. I found THIS in the footnotes of my study Bible!

Proverbs 31:10 It is most unfortunate that this description of God’s ideal woman is usually confined in readers’ minds merely to its literal sense—her ability as a homemaker, as in the picture of Martha of Bethany in Luke 10:38-42. But it is obvious that far more than that is meant. When the summary of what makes her value “far above rubies” is given (in Proverbs 31:30), it is her spiritual life only that is mentioned. One can almost hear the voice of Jesus saying, “Mary has chosen the good portion... which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42).

AMEN! I also believe that many of these wonderful attributes should also be found in good and Godly men! After all, there IS no male or female in the Kingdom of God! We all should be humble before Him and wise in HIS Word and ways! AND, all of these attributes were originally in Him! If we would each approach the Word of God as being ALIVE and POWERFUL, we all will not only learn and grow in faith, but we will become more and more LIKE HIM every day! His goal is for His body to represent Him on the earth, thereby drawing the lost to Him and to eternal LIFE! Let's stop ever putting people OR God in our own personal 'box' of understanding. Allow Holy Spirit to expand your thinking to see as God sees! The favor and anointing of God will open up in your life and YOU will never be the same! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong with "Oceans - Where Feet May Fail":, which is a song about total surrender and daring to plunge into the DEEP things of God, fully trusting in HIM! AMEN! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Philippians 2:12 gives us this instruction!

12 Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).

"Salvation" here is the Greek word "soteria", which means: rescue, safety, deliverance, preservation. This is concerning THIS life! We already have Eternal Life from the moment of our New Birth, alive in us. But we must "work out" that life, from the inside out, in order to have the benefits available to us in the here and now! "Work out" is the Greek word "katergazomai", which means: to perform, accomplish, achieve, to work fully, to finish. This "working out" involves studying the Word of God to find out just what belongs to us as born again children of the Living God! Then we must meditate on that Word until it becomes SO real IN us that no doubt from the enemy can affect us! Joshua 1:8 explains meditation and the benefits of it:

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

"Meditate" means to utter (speak), to ponder, to muse, to dream. Holy Spirit IN us is the ONE Who makes the Word real and alive. Meditation gives Him the avenue to get what is inside of us into our souls (mind, emotions and will) so that our understanding is enlightened and we can make right choices, expecting the results that the Word promises! Remember, God hides these things in His Word FOR us to find out! Only those who "follow on to know" will really learn and know. When we put this type of diligence into studying and learning the Word, THIS promise, from Philippians 2:13 is OURS!

13 [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.

AMEN! The CHOICE is ours and the WORK is HIS! HALLELUJAH! Thank You, JESUS! Here is Hillsong with "I Live To Know You":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I LOVE today's "Faith Food" by Kenneth E. Hagin! It is so simple, yet so profoundly important!

The Father's Love

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him (John 14:21-23). 
Two things are emphasized in today's text: 

1. Jesus said, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them...." Keep in mind what Jesus' commandments are. He said, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you..." (John 13:34). 

There's no reason for you to worry about any other commandments. Walking in love sums up the whole business, because the Word of God says, "...love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10). (If you keep Jesus' commandments, you will have fulfilled the rest of the commandments.) 

2. "...Shall be loved of my Father...." If you walk in love, you are walking in God's realm, because God is love. God's very nature, because He is love, compels Him to care for us, protect us, and shield us! 

Confession: I have Jesus' commandments, and I keep them. I love others as God has loved me. I walk in love toward my brethren. I show my love for Jesus by keeping His love commandment. I am loved of the Father! 

Do you see how simple this is? The only commandment that we really have is two-fold. Love the Lord our God with everything that is within us, then love others as HE loves US! When we treat every  person that we meet as precious and valuable to God, then we will develop a love for people and a desire to see them receive all that God has prepared for them! AMEN! It is SO simple, yet it takes a determined purpose to walk in all of the freedom that this gives to us! Will YOU make this a serious choice for yourself for 2018? I am! Evenmore than before! Remember: LOVE NEVER FAILS! EVER! Hereis Hillsong UNITED with "No Reason To Hide":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Ephesians 6:10-12 says this:

10 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. 11 Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. 12 For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.

"Strong" here is the Greek word "endunamoo", which is a compound word from the Greek word "dunamis", which means: force, miraculous power, strength, ability, inherent power, the power of performing miracles. We are instructed in these verses to BE strong with THIS type of GOD strength! We HAVE His miracle working power residing IN us as His children. The Spirit of Almighty God Himself resides in us! THAT is why he tells us in Philippians 4:13 that we CAN do ALL things!

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

He goes on to tell us in Ephesians 6 that we are NOT fighting with people. We are fighting with demonic spirits, who have already been defeated! When we meditate on the Word until we see clearly, we will understand that the enemy has no weapon that can ever defeat us! The only weapon he has is the LIE! WE have authority over him, but if he can get us to believe his lies, then we will back down and neglect to exercise that authority. KNOW who YOU are - IN CHRIST! KNOW that as long as we stand strong on the Word of God, refusing to be moved by anything in the natural world, then we WILL see the victory over every thing that the enemy tries to do! It takes a diligent commitment to follow through on this, but the only one who controls what happens in our lives, is US! What will YOU choose? As for me and my house, we have already chosen, with a decision that we will NOT abandon, to serve the LORD and to glorify HIS Name by obeying the Word! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really LOVE Andrew Womack's devotional for today!

BE SINGLE-MINDED

 "Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?" JOHN 21:21

Jesus had just told Peter to follow Him. However, Peter wanted to know what the Lord had planned for John. Instead of Jesus answering Peter's question, the Lord told him that what He had in store for John was none of his business.

Satan diverts many people by getting them preoccupied with what others are doing for the Lord. Comparing ourselves with others, whether we come out better or worse, is unwise (2 Corinthians 10:12). We need to be so single-minded following the Lord, that we don't look to the right or to the left to see what others are doing. It doesn't matter if we are doing as much to serve the Lord as someone else. The question is, are we doing all that the Lord wants us to do?

Singleness of purpose and vision is a necessity to victorious Christian living. James said that if we try to master many things we will fail (James 3:1). We have to set priorities and focus on them.

The scriptures teach that memory can be a powerful force for good in our lives. It is always good to remind ourselves that we were once apart from God's saving grace. It is an antidote against pride and self-righteousness. A person who remembers what he used to be will have a clearer understanding of who he is now. We have to cultivate our memories by meditating on the great things God has done for us and spoken to us.

When it comes to fulfilling God's call on our lives, no person or thing should EVER  be our first consideration. We MUST be obedient to the Heavenly calling, FIRST and FOREMOST! AND, we MUST allow others to do the same! AMEN! Find out what it is that God is calling you to do, then get busy doing it! The rewards we receive in Heaven at the Reward Seat are determined by our obedience here and now! It is NOT determined by what other people do! No one can hinder us from being obedient! Choose THIS day Whom YOU will serve! And then never back down from that decision! REWARDS await! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Crowns":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom and Merry CHRISTmas!

The only message that I want to share with you today is found in Luke 2:10-11:

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. KJV

A CHILD was born that was proclaimed, for all to hear, as THE Savior of the world! There is NOW no excuse for anyone to ever find themselves, for all of eternity, in the hell of the Bible, and the lake that burns with continuous fire! Of all of the 'religions' of the world, there is not one that is bowing down to a LIVING GOD! All of their traditions and trappings are based on lies! There is only ONE TRUTH (John 17:17) and ONE GOD, Who has given Himself for all mankind! The ONLY question that will ever be asked of you when you leave this life, with the hope of entering Heaven, is this: "What have YOU done with JESUS?" Have YOU received JESUS as Lord and personal Savior? If not, WHY NOT? There is absolutely nothing asked of us except to BELIEVE and to RECEIVE! And don't EVER let anyone sidetrack your decision with talk of 'easy grace' or 'greasy grace'. There IS no such thing. The Grace of God came at a high cost to HIM! It has already given us all that we will ever need, and it comes at no cost to us except what was said above: BELIEVE and RECEIVE! I pray that you will make the greatest decision of your life and receive JESUS as Lord and Savior. If you already have, then I pray that you will make sure that not one person within your realm of influence will be able to say that you never told them! AMEN! John 3:16-18:

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

Have a wonderful and very blessed CHRISTmas celebration! Here is Hillsong with "Unto Us":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Proverbs 25:2 has always been another of my favorite Scriptures! The promise is so rewarding! 

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a thing.

God hides wonderful and powerful Truths within His Word, not FROM us, but FOR us! Revelation tells us that we have been made kings and priests unto our God! WE are the very ones that He has hidden things in His Word for! "Glory" here is the Hebrew word "kabowd", which means: weight (only in a good sense), splendor, copiousness, honor, riches, glory, dignity, reputation, reverence, wealth. All of these wonderful blessings reside within our God and HE gives them freely to us as we dig into His Word! He reveals Himself and all of His goodness through His Word and by His Spirit! HALLELUJAH! One of those hidden things is seen in today's reading from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan in Ephesians 3:5-6:

5 [This mystery] was never disclosed to human beings in past generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles (consecrated messengers) and prophets by the [Holy] Spirit. 6 [It is this:] that the Gentiles are now to be fellow heirs [with the Jews], members of the same body and joint partakers [sharing] in the same divine promise in Christ through [their acceptance of] the glad tidings (the Gospel).

We are all ONE - IN HIM! Another wonderful TRUTH that many believers do not yet know is found in verse 10:

10 [The purpose is] that through the church the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere. 

It had never been given to angels to know the Truth of God's Word! THEY are now learning from US just what God had in mind when He spoke back in Genesis that the seed of the woman would crush the head of satan! That Seed would be JESUS and He DID, 2000 years ago. He did it for YOU and for ME! AMEN! I hope that you will always keep yourself excited about learning something new from the Word of God every day! It is for our benefit that He has kept these treasures of Wisdom and knowledge from the enemy of our souls! Dig in and then STAND up! Others will be watching your example and will be encouraged in their walk with God! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "One Thing", because THAT is the commitment that it will take! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I love how simple, yet profoundly wise, the Proverbs are! Proverbs 24:3-4 from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today says this:

3 Through skillful and godly Wisdom is a house (a life, a home, a family) built, and by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation], 4 And by knowledge shall its chambers [of every area] be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

The Wisdom that is spoken of here is the Word of God! JESUS is the Living Word of God! He is and has all Wisdom! If we truly desire to have a strong family life, then we MUST desire the Wisdom and knowledge that can only come from spending time in intimate fellowship with the Father through His Word and by Holy Spirit Who lives in us. There are no shortcuts to true Wisdom from God. Simply reading self-help books ABOUT God will not do! We must feast on the Living Word, making it our vital necessity, in order to have the Word come alive in us, and to have Holy Spirit reveal to us how we can activate the Word in order to have the results that the Word promises. Remember that when Martha came to JESUS to complain because her sister Mary, rather than waiting on JESUS and His disciples, was sitting at JESUS' feet absorbing His Word, JESUS told Martha this in Luke 10:42:

41 But the Lord replied to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered and anxious about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part [that which is to her advantage], which will not be taken away from her.”

AMEN! I hope that YOU will choose that better part! Giving the Word of God 1st priority will cause the desire for more of the Word to rise within us! THAT is the key to staying hungry and thirsty for the things of God! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to encourage you by reminding you of some powerful TRUTHS revealed in reading along with today's Spoken Word Bible reading Plan! Proverbs 23:3 says this:

3 May blessing (praise, laudation, and eulogy) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual (given by the Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm!

HE has already blessed us with every blessing! We need to find out just what those blessings are and how to appropriate them! AMEN! Look at verses 4-6:

4 Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love. 5 For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]— 6 [So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Notice in the underlined verses that it was the plan of God, all along, that WE should be blessed beyond measure! As if that were not enough, we see this in verses 7-10:

7 In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor, 8 Which He lavished upon us in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight and prudence), 9 Making known to us the mystery (secret) of His will (of His plan, of His purpose). [And it is this:] In accordance with His good pleasure (His merciful intention) which He had previously purposed and set forth in Him, 10 [He planned] for the maturity of the times and the climax of the ages to unify all things and head them up and consummate them in Christ, [both] things in heaven and things on the earth.

God did NOT just come up with the wonderful Plan of Salvation as a 'fix' when Adam sinned! God created us with the ability to choose for ourselves so that when we DO choose HIM, it will be from genuine hearts and not as mere programmed robots! WHEN He created man, with the ability to sin, He had our eternal salvation in mind to begin with! NOW, we do NOT merely walk WITH God, as Adam ad Eve did in the garden. We walk everywhere with GOD IN US! We are in a far better place than Adam ever was! HALLELUJAH!!! AMEN! Meditate on this TRUTH as you prepare to begin another year in close, intimate fellowship with the ONE Who loves you MOST and BEST! This should be your very best and most blessed year yet! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "You Crown The Year":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We have been going through Proverbs now in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Proverbs contains so much Wisdom, both in what to do and what NOT to do! Look at today's Proverb 22 in verse 7:

7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Notice that this is the way of the world! If we decide to rely on the world's system, then THIS will be our truth! BUT, if we rely completely on the LORD our God, then we'll have the results of verses 4 and 9:

4 The reward of humility and the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.

9 He who has a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.

AMEN! Always remember, as you read and study in Proverbs, that both sides of an issue, the obedient to God side and the disobedient to God side, are presented as contrasting the good and Godly and the evil. Remember the words of JESUS in John 10:10 and refuse to be intimidated by a lying enemy!

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).

THAT is God's desires for YOU! Dare to believe and expect Godly favor and anointing at every turn! After all, HE said that He would never leave us or forsake us! I choose to BELIEVE and RECEIVE! AMEN! Now let's close with a look at Proverbs 22:17-21:

17 Listen (consent and submit) to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge; 18 For it will be pleasant if you keep them in your mind [believing them]; your lips will be accustomed to [confessing] them. 19 So that your trust (belief, reliance, support, and confidence) may be in the Lord, I have made known these things to you today, even to you. 20 Have I not written to you [long ago] excellent things in counsels and knowledge, 21 To make you know the certainty of the words of truth, that you may give a true answer to those who sent you? 

AMEN! Stay 'tuned in' daily, and moment by moment, to the still small voice of God the Holy Spirit as he proceeds to lead, guide and direct you through every moment of every day! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with another Christmas song called "Saviour of The World":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" by Kenneth E. Hagin is a very important part of the Christmas story! In TRUTH, it is the MOST important part!

He Came To Save

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). 

The first step in redemption was Christ's identification with our humanity. This took place in His Incarnation. Christ was made flesh (John 1:14). Hebrews 2:14 says, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same...." 

But at the time of His Incarnation, Jesus did not partake of the nature that reigned in the spirit of man. Had He done so then, He would have been spiritually dead during His earthly ministry! Then He could not have pleased the Father by doing His own will. No, His identification with the spirit nature of man didn't take place until His crucifixion. 

There God actually made Jesus Christ to become sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Our sin nature itself was laid upon Jesus Christ until He became all that spiritual death had made man. In the mind of God, it was not Jesus Christ who hung on the cross; it was the human race who hung there. Therefore, each of us may say with Paul, "I was crucified with Christ." 

Confession: Because Jesus came to save me from my sins, I can claim Galatians 2:20, which says: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." 

Do you see that the most important message of Christmas is that JESUS left His glory in Heaven and came to this earth, through a virgin so that He did not inherit the sin nature of fallen man, for the purpose of living completely as a man, with every temptation that man faced. He did it without ever sinning! He was/is the PERFECT man! He lived and died as a man, but He was still God! The perfect ONE to stand in the place of both and obtain a SALVATION for us that cannot ever be contested! The only stipulation for mankind is that each of us, individually, must BELIEVE and RECEIVE! I hope that you will not only remember so great a Salvation yourself this CHRISTmas, but will make it a priority to give the very best Gift ever given to everyone you know, and even those you don't! That IS the very best present that WE can give to HIM! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with another Christmas song, "The Reason Why":

Shalom in Him!

Shalon,

Today I want to share "Faith To Faith" by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland because, as with yesterday's message, this is something that so many people get wrong and cheat themselves out of God's richest and best! 

Don't Settle for Second Best

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. – James 1:2-3

I admit, it's tough to be enthusiastic about going through tests and trials. But can you get excited about being totally supplied in every way, in want of nothing? Well, according to the Word of God, if you'll use your trials to develop patience, you're going to be in precisely that position!  You see, patience doesn't mean what you thought it meant. It does not mean settling sweetly for second best. It does not mean standing meekly by while the devil romps all over you.

No, patience is a powerful word. The New Testament meaning of it as translated literally from the Greek is "to be consistently constant or to be the same way all the time, regardless of what happens." To understand how much power is involved in that, you have to realize that it's one of the most outstanding attributes of God Himself. The Bible says He's the same yesterday, today and forever.

Think about that for a minute. The guy who absolutely cannot be changed by anyone or anything is an extremely powerful fellow, wouldn't you say? Obviously, God has that much power. But you know what? You do too!

By the power of the Holy Ghost working within you, you can be the same every day no matter what happens. If you'll put your trust in the Word of God and let patience go to work, it won't matter what happens. You won't ever have to accept anything less than victory again.

Now that's something to get excited about.

AMEN! Because HE lives in you, YOU CAN! Here is Hillsong with another of my favorite Christmas songs "Born Is The King":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to sharer Jerry Savelle's devotional because it is a message that far too many people have not truly grasped yet. There is so much condemnation that people are putting on themselves because of a lack of understanding in this area!

YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH!

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV)

Have you ever felt as if you’re just not good enough to come to God? It’s not an uncommon feeling among believers. But the truth is, those thoughts and feelings are actually lies from the devil. His aim is to get you so down on yourself that you are unable to experience God’s best for your life.

As long as you believe the lie that you are not good enough, you will always doubt that God loves you, that He loves you and wants to bless you. Doubt will rob you of all the good things God has for you.

But the Bible tells us that because of God’s love for us, we can come boldly to His throne of grace, where we will find plenty of His mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. God does not have one child who isn’t good enough to receive His mercy and grace. All of His children are good enough. All are equally loved and unconditionally accepted by their heavenly Father.

So, make the decision today that you will no longer believe the devil’s lie that you are not good enough. Don’t let him rob you of your confidence and boldness before God. And don’t let him rob you of God’s best for your life.

Confession: Thank You, Father, that because of the blood of Jesus I am good enough to come boldly before Your throne of grace. Right now, I receive your mercy and grace, which is more than sufficient for all I need.

AMEN! I am so very thankful that our wonderful Heavenly Father has given us 1 John 1:9 for those times when we DO miss it! Simply acknowledge (which is what 'confess' actually means) the sin and then freely receive the continually available forgiveness that flows to us from Heaven because of all that JESUS accomplished for us through His death, burial and resurrection! HE is pleased, WE are free and the devil loses all over again! HALLELUJAH! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with one of my favorite Christmas songs! "We Have A Savior":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Grace Inspirations" by Joseph Prince is another good reminder of what the Word of God actually says to us!

DO YOU KNOW THE JESUS OF THE BIBLE?

John 14:7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

Someone once told me that just because you ask God for something, it does not mean that He will give it to you. Quoting 1 John 5:14–15, he said that we first have to ask according to His will before He hears and gives us what we ask of Him.

Of course, we do not ask for things that are against God’s will or Word. But what is normally implied in the earlier statement is that we don’t always know what God’s will for us is—“what will be, will be”. But didn’t Jesus say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father”? (John 14:9) This means that if you want to know what the Father’s will, mind, heart or attitude toward you and your family is, just look at Jesus in the Gospel stories.

So if your child is sick, is it God’s will to heal him? Well, look at Jesus and see how He ministered to children who were sick—the Syro-Phoenician’s daughter who was demon-possessed (Mark 7:24–30), Jairus’ daughter who was dead (Mark 5:22–24, 35–43), and the widow of Nain’s only son who had died and was about to be buried. (Luke 7:12–15) Jesus cast out the demon. He raised the dead. He healed them all!

Beloved, don’t say, “We can never know God’s will. Sometimes He heals, sometimes He doesn’t. He may bless us, but He may also take away our blessings.” The Jesus of the Bible never made anyone sick. He never made anyone poor. He made the little become much with 12 baskets full of leftovers. (Matthew 14:20) He gave a net-breaking, boat-sinking load of fish to fishermen. (Luke 5:6–7)

My friend, the Jesus of the Bible loves to heal, deliver, prosper and save people. This Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) And He says to you today, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” So you can know God’s will for you. You can see what He will do for you when you know the Jesus of the Bible and what He did.

AMEN! Find out just what belongs to YOU as a child of the Living God and dare to walk in it! YOU will be blessed and a blessing to everyone you come in contact with! Here is Hillsong with "Look To The Son":

"Look To The Son"

Oh we look to the Son
Set our eyes on our Saviour
See the image of love
Sing His praises forever

Oh we look to the Son
Oh we look to the Son

Salvation
Tearing through the dead of night
See the kingdom burst into colour
At the speed of light

Freedom
Shaking up the atmosphere
As the shadows fade into nothing
As the day appears

Beyond the skies above
Love reaching out for us
The Everlasting One
Jesus our God

Oh we look to the Son
Set our eyes on our Saviour
See the image of love
Sing His praises forever

Oh we look to the Son

Creation
Waking up to Kingdom come
See the hope of Heaven
Shining like the rising sun

Now forever
Lifted up from death to life
There's no fear in love
And no darkness in His endless light

Beyond the skies above
Love reaching out for us
The Everlasting One
Jesus our God

Oh we look to the Son
Set our eyes on our Saviour
See the image of love
Sing His praises forever

Oh we look to the Son
Oh we look to the Son

Beyond the skies above
Love reaching out for us
The Everlasting One
Jesus our God

Beyond the skies above
Love reaching out for us
The Everlasting One
Jesus our God

Oh we look to the Son
Oh we look to the Son

Oh we look to the Son
Set our eyes on our Saviour
See the image of love
Sing His praises forever

Oh we look to the Son
Oh we look to the Son

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's "Faith To Faith" devotional.

Run Him Out of Town

Stand therefore...having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace. – Ephesians 6:14-15, The Amplified Bible

Preparation. When it comes to fighting spiritual battles, that's a word you'd do well to remember. Most believers don't pay much attention to it. They don't prepare themselves in advance. They fiddle around until the devil makes his move, then they jump up and try to fight him with the Word... and they usually lose.

I used to do the same thing until the Lord taught me differently. I used to wait until my meetings began to pray for their success. As Satan would come against them from one direction, I'd fight him there. Then he'd move around and attack them in another area, and I'd fight him there.

One day the Lord showed me that by waiting until the last minute to take my stand, I was giving Satan time to build up his forces against me. And consequently, I was losing many of my battles. Then the Lord said something to me I'll never forget. He said, If they had kicked Al Capone out of Chicago when he was just a small-time operator, he wouldn't have been so hard to handle; but they waited until he became a first-class criminal with his forces built up around him. Then it took an army to bring him down.

When I heard that, I made up my mind never to be caught unprepared again. I started praying about those meetings weeks in advance, getting the stage set spiritually before they ever began. Instead of letting Satan get his forces entrenched, I started throwing him out before he got a single foothold. When I did, I saw more victories than I ever had before.

Don't let the devil catch you off guard. Be prepared! Start praying and speaking the Word of faith now over your family, your business, your church. Get your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Then if Satan causes trouble, you'll be well-equipped to run him out of town

This is SO  important! Over the years I have occasionally ministered to people who had done no preparation at all. They tried to stand on WORD that they did not really KNOW. They knew what the Scripture SAID, but they didn't really KNOW what it meant to them. There was not much success for them UNTIL they developed their faith! The Word of God tells us that faith comes by hearing (and hearing and hearing) the Word of God (Romans 10:17). JESUS told Martha that Mary, who had chosen to sit at the feet of JESUS and hear the Word, had chosen the better thing and that this better thing, the Word of God, was the ONE THING that was needful (Luke 10:42)!   Joshua 1:8 tells us that AFTER we have meditated on the Word of God (think about, speak about, ponder, muse) THEN the understanding will come so that we can ACT on the Word and THEN we will make our own way prosperous! The victory comes to those who will grab the Word of God and not let go, but make it their own! Matthew 11:12:

And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize—a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion].

Don't be caught unawares and unprepared when the enemy tries to trip you up! Preparation time is NEVER wasted time, AND, preparing for one thing will cause us to be prepared and ready for ANYTHING! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "One Thing":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Proverbs 16:1-3 says this:

16 The plans of the mind and orderly thinking belong to man, but from the Lord comes the [wise] answer of the tongue. 2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits (the thoughts and intents of the heart). 3 Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.

We see here that there is a definite difference between the thoughts and plans of God and those of mankind. We would like to think that our thoughts are wise and clever, but God's thoughts are the ONLY right thoughts! The only TRUTH! The REALLY good news here, though, is that we CAN have the same thoughts that God has! WHEN we commit our lives to Him, then HE makes our thoughts line up! The origin of thoughts is very clear when we look at John 10:10:

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

The thoughts that we choose to think on come to us from two very different sources! We either choose God's thoughts, which, when we submit to Him, will ALWAYS lead to success and victory; or we choose the thoughts of the enemy of our souls whose only desire is to get back at God and try to take HIS place! THAT is why we are told to study the Word! 2 Timothy 2:15:

Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.

It is for OUR benefit that we learn to 'rightly divide' the TRUTH of God's Word! We cannot walk in the WORD that we do not know! Let's get busy about the things of God! Right now, He desires that we be about preparing for His appearing! Let's complete our work here on earth, fulfilling our own personal ministry so that we can hear from HIM: "Well done, good and faithful servant!" AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Let There Be Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I love this from Joseph Prince's "Grace Inspirations":

YOU HAVE A STRONG KINSMAN-REDEEMER!

Jeremiah 50:34 Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is His name. He will thoroughly plead their case...

Ruth, a young, poor and childless widow in the Old Testament, lay at the feet of Boaz, her potential kinsman-redeemer. (Ruth 3:7) As a rich and close relative of her in-laws, Boaz had the power to redeem her from her plight.

Ruth was simply obeying Naomi, her mother-in-law, who had told her to go and lie down at Boaz’s feet. In the Jewish custom of those days, this was a posture which said, “Please redeem me for you are a close relative.” Notice Boaz’s response to Ruth: “And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request…” (Ruth 3:11)

Beloved, Boaz is a picture of Jesus who is our kinsman-redeemer. He is our kinsman, having been born into this world as one like us. And He is our Redeemer because He redeemed us at a great price when He shed His blood for us on the cross.

As your Redeemer, not only is Jesus willing, but He also has the power to restore to you all that you have lost. That is why you can go to Him and say, “I blew it and now my family is suffering. My finances are dwindling fast. But I come to You, my kinsman-redeemer…” And you will find that He will redeem you because your Redeemer is strong. The Lord of hosts is His name. He will thoroughly plead your case, causing only blessings of wisdom, deliverance, restoration, provision and liberty to come out of your situation!

Just as Ruth lay at Boaz’s feet, the feet of Jesus is the place of redemption and blessings. Both Jairus the synagogue ruler (Mark 5:22) and the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mark 7:25–26) fell at Jesus’ feet. And there at His feet they received healing for their daughters.

When you take your place at Jesus’ feet, looking to Him for help, expect to receive His blessings. There is nothing to fear knowing that as Boaz did for Ruth, Jesus, your heavenly Boaz, will do for you all that you have requested!

Yes, we ARE seated IN HIM in heavenly places, but He IS our LORD Who deserves ALL  praise, honor and glory! When we submit ourselves to HIM by laying everything out before Him, then HE can take it up and cause our every step to be anointed with His favor! Remember, also, that when we submit ourselves to God, in every situation, THEN we can resist the devil and he will be forced to flee from us (James 4:7)! One translation says that he will flee from us as though in terror! I LIKE that picture. But the very first step is our submission to JESUS! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "This Is Our God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I LOVE Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotionals. They are the very first devotionals that I ever read after being born again! They are so clear and to the point! Today's has a very important TRUTH that we all should be knowledgeable about!

The Seed

"...For the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man" (Jeremiah 31:22). 

Adam was created. The rest of the human race was generated by natural processes. If Jesus had been born by natural generation, He would have been a fallen spirit. 

But Romans 5:12 tells us, "Wherefore, as by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." 
Man is subject to death; to the devil. Thus, man's seed could only produce another fallen man. 

Therefore, the Redeemer could not be a subject of death. The Promised Seed had to be One over whom Satan had no legal claims or authority. He had to be brought forth by a special act of divine power. He had to be conceived by the Holy Spirit! 

The words God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah could be translated literally as, "A woman shall encompass a man-child." The womb of the virgin was simply the receptacle of the Holy Seed until He was brought forth. 

Confession: Thank You, Father, for Your great plan of redemption. I am so glad that You created a new thing in the earth. I am so glad that You sent forth the Holy Seed to redeem us. 

THAT is why the virgin birth is so vitally important to the message of the Gospel! JESUS had to be without sin in order to be the perfect representative of both God and man! THAT is also why, when we receive JESUS as Lord and Savior, we are born again, born anew, into the family of Almighty God! The Gospel is SUCH GOOD NEWS! If people REALLY understood it, they would never reject the Savior of the world! AMEN! Here is Chris Tomlin with "Good Good Father":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I recently heard a statement and exhortation that I have taken to heart and determined to put into practice. This is that statement:

The Vocabulary of Silence: If you can't speak the Word (of God) then SHUT UP!

Now THAT is wise advice! It is born out in these two verses from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today! Proverbs 13:2-3:

2 A good man eats good from the fruit of his mouth, but the desire of the treacherous is for violence. 3 He who guards his mouth keeps his life, but he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

When we speak God's Word, by faith, He WILL confirm His Word in our lives (Mark 16:20)! Let's make it a 'determined' purpose' to speak the Word of God into every situation that we face! Two more verses really stand out to me from this Proverb today! Verses 13 and 20:

13 Whoever despises the word and counsel [of God] brings destruction upon himself, but he who [reverently] fears and respects the commandment [of God] is rewarded.

20 He who walks [as a companion] with wise men is wise, but he who associates with [self-confident] fools is [a fool himself and] shall smart for it.

When we 'reverently fear' the LORD and His Word, then we WILL be rewarded! HE says so! AMEN! Our associations are vital for our growing up in the things of God! We cannot grow and mature if we are spending much time with those who want nothing to do with God and His Word! Instead, we should be spending MOST of our time with like-minded believers. It is through reading, studying, speaking (to ourselves and others) the Word of God that we grow to a point where we will think, speak and act in accordance with the perfect will of God, and HE can get involved with what we say and do by confirming His Word! THAT is how HE means for us to live! Are YOU ready for this? I hope so! Here is Hillsong with "Look To The Son";

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share Joseph Prince's "Grace Inspirations" again  today because it is SO good!

JESUS’ BLOOD SPEAKS BETTER THINGS

Hebrews 12:24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Today, forensic science tells us that blood has a voice. DNA can be extracted from just one small drop of the murderer’s blood and the results used in court as evidence.

So blood in a sense can speak. And when it is the blood of Jesus, it “speaks better things” than that of Abel. Abel’s blood cried out, “Vengeance! Vengeance!” after his brother Cain murdered him. (Genesis 4:8–11) But Jesus’ blood cries out forgiveness for our sins, healing for our bodies, and peace and soundness for our minds. It cries out protection for our coming-ins and going-outs, good success for the works of our hands, the righteousness of Christ as our acceptance before God and much more!

In the Bible, Jesus’ blood speaking of “better things” is found in the context of the last days when things are being shaken, so that the things which cannot be shaken will remain. (Hebrews 12:27) God wants you to know that you will not be shaken when you put your faith in Jesus’ blood, which speaks better things for you. That is why God wants you to see Jesus’ blood shed for you in every area that causes your heart to tremble and your confidence to be shaken.

For example, if you are afraid of losing your job, speak the blood of Jesus over your job. His blood cries out, “Favor with his boss!” And in these days when you are shaken by fears that terrorism may strike anyone, anywhere, anytime, plead the blood of Jesus which cries out, “Protection and deliverance!” When fear rises in your heart as the doctor gives you his prognosis, plead the blood of Jesus over your body. His blood cries out, “Healing and wholeness!”

The eternal blood of Jesus, which speaks better things, will never lose its power. Beloved, see that you do not refuse Him who speaks. (Hebrews 12:25) See that you keep hearing the voice of grace, which speaks salvation, righteousness, protection, deliverance, provision and healing over your life!

AMEN! HIS blood speaks of every GOOD thing that He has done for us! It speaks of who HE has made us to be by virtue of the New Birth! We are now, IF we have received JESUS as Lord and personal Savior, children of the Most High God! We are members of His family, individual parts of the Body of Christ, and soon to be revealed as HIS precious Bride! Never sell short all that God has done for you! Everything that He has blessed us with is free to us, but it cost HIM everything! Let's make it count! Here, in thislife, all the while preparing ourselves for the Life that to come! Soon and very soon! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with one of my favorite songs: "What A Beautiful Name It Is":

Shalom  in Him!