Shalom,

Today I want to share from Andrew Womack's devotional "One Year With Jesus in the Gospels".

THE COST OF LIVING FOR CHRIST

Luke 9:58 "And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."

This verse has often been used to support the misconception that Jesus and His disciples lived in poverty. However, in this instance, the fact that Jesus had nowhere to lay His head was because of persecution. The Samaritans, because of a religious prejudice, had just refused Him hospitality and a place to stay as He journeyed to Jerusalem. Persecution is part of the cost of living a Christian life. Jesus was communicating to this man that not having a place to stay at times was part of that cost.

There are many forms of persecution. Having your life threatened because of your faith in Jesus is one way you can be persecuted, but it is not the most damaging. History shows that the Church has always flourished under persecution with increased numbers and zeal. During intense, life-threatening persecution, people's priorities get straightened out and the Lord assumes His rightful place. This always works for our good, regardless of what our outward circumstances might be.

A far more deadly form of persecution is men simply speaking evil of you or separating you from their company. It's more deadly because it's more subtle.

Many who would never directly deny the Lord will fall into self-pity or strife because of someone's criticism. This will render one just as ineffective as a negative reaction to having one's life threatened would.

It helps to recognize that it is not you that they are persecuting, but rather Christ in you. You are actually becoming a partaker of His sufferings and will share His rewards. With this in mind, we can actually shout and leap for joy in persecution.

First of all, I love that he addresses the wide misconception that Jesus was financially poor! Nothing could be further from the TRUTH! Jesus began his childhood with an abundance of gifts given by the caravans of visitors from the East that brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh! All of these things were of very high value in those days and would have been more than enough to support the family for the years that they had to live in Egypt away from Joseph's business as a 'carpenter'! Rick Renner has a fascinating section on this word in his Sparkling Gems From The Greek Volume 2 (March 11th). Here is a portion of that:

The remarkable city of Sepphoris also became the center of trade and commerce in the northern region of Israel, and it was one of the largest banking centers of the Middle East. Because of the extreme wealth of this city, it had facilities that would normally be associated only with larger cities, such as a huge theater that had a constant array of dramatic presentations. The city had scores of beautiful upper-class villas to accommodate the wealthy people who lived there, and it was adorned with some of the finest mosaics that existed in the First Century. In fact, even today one can see some of the finest examples of early mosaics lying in the ancient ruins of Sepphoris.

This city was exquisite in every way. Sophisticated and wealthy, it attracted visitors from around the world. Every day one could experience a wide range of different cultures, ethnic groups, and customs. People could be heard speaking Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic in the streets. It was a tri-lingual city known for being open-minded and for having an emphasis on learning, education, and business. This city was so splendid that it influenced the entire region of Galilee.

Three miles away was Nazareth, a small village occupied mostly by workers who were employed in the enhancement of Sepphoris. It was here that Jesus grew up with His parents. Jesus’ father was a carpenter, from the Greek word teknos — a term that describes not a carpenter as we think of that profession, but a highly skilled craftsman who works in stone. Or it could even be used to depict a construction-site supervisor. Considering the likelihood that a little town such as Nazareth would not have much work available for a man with these skills, it is likely that Joseph was involved in the high level of construction taking place in nearby Sepphoris.

So Joseph,and then Jesus, as He worked with Joseph, would have been a highly sought after and very skilled craftsman! JESUS had clothes that were valuable enough to gamble over and enough operating capital in His ministry that He needed someone to handle the money! No, He was NOT poor, but He "made Himself poor, for our sakes"! Another point that Andrew Womack makes in his devotional is that it is much harder for people to deal with the persecution that comes from people speaking evil of you and from your reputation being slandered. When your life is threatened, nothing else matters! But, when your day to day living is challenged, there is much more likelihood of the thoughtlife giving you problems that can be "hard to deal with and hard to bear"! BUT, the rewards for suffering this type of persecution, as JESUS most certainly did, (even His own family thought He was in need of rescuing!), are very great indeed! So, let's continue to daily 'shout and leap for joy at this type of persecution'! Here, to help you do just that, is Hillsong Young and Free with "Brighter"

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Jerry Savelle's website devotional! It is SO good!

BE WILLING TO CHANGE!

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe (Ephesians 1:18-19 NKJV).

Do you desire to see a change in other people and the situations that surround you? Most of us do, yet when we make the effort to get people and things around us to change, we often end up angry and frustrated.

There is a way, however, to bring about change that is both fast and long lasting. Your life will change dramatically when you allow God to change you, when you are willing to change your perceptions and beliefs.

The Bible tells us nothing happens in the natural world without something first happening in the spiritual realm: “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Hebrews 11:3 NKJV).

If you’ve been struggling with the same issue for years, or if you’re looking at a mountain that appears immovable, forget trying to make things happen yourself. Take time out to draw into God and make some changes in the spiritual realm.

• It’s in the spiritual realm that you apply your God-given authority
• It’s in the spiritual realm that you take control and make things happen
• It’s in the spiritual realm that you make changes that impact the natural
• It’s in the spiritual realm that you find the solutions to all your problems

The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, will reveal what you need to know; He will gently convict you where you need to change your attitude or belief. When you see the truth and make the necessary heart adjustments, you’ll view your situations completely differently.

You’ll know without a shadow of doubt that your natural world is changing because you were first willing to change.

Confession: I choose today to draw into God, seeking the heart changes He desires to make in me. I release my concern for people and situations in the natural, knowing that the Spirit of Truth will bring the revelation I need.

I LOVE the underlined portion above! There is NO condemnation in what Holy Spirit will reveal to us of the adjustments and corrections that we need to make in order to succeed in this life (Romans 8:1) and in this walk of FAITH! NONE! He does not condemn, but He leads, guides and directs us lovingly into the decision to DO the Word and EXPECT the Word's promised results! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "You Are  Life":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I have shared with you the prayers that Paul prayed in Ephesians 1 and 3. Today I want to again share his prayer in Colossians 1:9-14:

9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things— 10 That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition]. 11 [We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy, 12 Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God’s holy people) in the Light. 13 [The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins.

As with the Ephesians prayers, replace 'you' with the name or names of those for whom you are praying! Keep with it consistently and you WILL see results! The result that both you and JESUS desire to see! AMEN! I want to share on more thing from Colossians 1:26-29 that speaks of the great mystery that was hidden for the ages and has now been revealed! This is from The Passion Translation!

26 There is a divine mystery—a secret surprise that has been concealed from the world for generations, but now it’s being revealed, unfolded and manifested for every holy believer to experience. 27 Living within you is the Christ who floods you with the expectation of glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a heavenly treasure chest of hope filled with the riches of glory for his people, and God wants everyone to know it! 28–29 Christ is our message! We preach to awaken hearts and bring every person into the full understanding of truth. It has become my inspiration and passion in ministry to labor with a tireless intensity, with his power flowing through me, to present to every believer the revelation of being his perfect one in Jesus Christ.

This is THE most powerful message that we have to share! I hope that YOU are sharing JESUS with everyone you know! Here is Hillsong UNITED with an older song that just never gets old! "Tell The World":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

This testimony from Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" is one of my very favorites! It is SO powerful! 

Miracle Life

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8). 

The greatest miracle I've seen of eternal life affecting mentality was in a girl I'll call Mary. Mary had spent seven years in the first grade without even learning to write her name. The authorities asked her parents to take her out of school when she was fourteen years old. 

As an eighteen-year-old, she behaved like a two-year-old. If she happened not to be sitting with her mother in the service, she would crawl or slide under the pews, or else she would lift up her skirt and step over them, to get where her mother was. 

Then one night, during an evangelistic revival meeting, Mary came to the altar. There she received eternal life - the nature of God. A drastic change occurred instantly. The very next night she sat in the service and behaved like any eighteen-year-old young lady. She had fixed her hair and dressed up. Her mentality seemed to have increased overnight. 

Soon afterwards, she went away to visit relatives, and there she met and married a neighboring farm boy. Many years later, I learned that after the accidental death of her husband, she had become a prosperous businesswoman who was her own financier and contractor on a housing addition she was building in her city! 

Confession: I walk as a child of light in the Lord. I walk in the light of life. 

THAT is the result of the LIFE and the LOVE of God ins action! Here is Hillsong with an older song called "The Love of God Can Do":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Philippians 3 today in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Even though Philippians 3:10 AMP is my favorite verse, that is not what I want to look at today! Instead, I want to look at what Paul said just before that declaration! Verses 7-9:

7 But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [one combined] loss for Christ’s sake. 8 Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One), 9 And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law’s demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith.

I especially love the underlined part! It is our "priceless privilege" to be called sons of God! Members of HIS family! A vital part of the Body of Christ in the earth today! And I also LOVE that I can know the wonders of His person, and to know Him intimately! HALLELUJAH! Because I love this passage so much, I also want to share with you from The Message Bible and from The Passion Translation!

7-9 The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I’m tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God’s righteousness. (The Message)

7 Yet all of the accomplishments that I once took credit for, I’ve now forsaken them and I regard it all as nothing compared to the delight of experiencing Jesus Christ as my Lord! 8 To truly know him meant letting go of everything from my past and throwing all my boasting on the garbage heap. It’s all like a pile of manure to me now, so that I may be enriched in the reality of knowing Jesus Christ and embrace him as Lord in all of his greatness.

9 My passion is to be consumed with him and not clinging to my own “righteousness” based in keeping the written Law. My “righteousness” will be his, based on the faithfulness of Jesus Christ—the very righteousness that comes from God. (The Passion Translation)

AMEN! I hope that YOU will make this YOUR choice, also! Make pursuing JESUS your #1 priority, and everything else, and everyone else, will fall right into their proper place! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "You Are Life":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

One of the verses of Scripture that has inspired me to dig into the Word is Proverbs 25:2:

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

"Glory" here is the Hebrew word "kabowd", which means: glory, honor, splendor, copiousness, dignity, riches, abundance. So, it is a GOOD thing when God "conceals", the Hebrew word "cathar", which means: to hide by covering, TRUTHS in His Word! And it is an equally good and wonderful thing when WE "search out" those TRUTHS! "Search out" is the Hebrew word "chaqar", which means: to examine intimately, to investigate, to search for, to seek out! One things to remember in all of your study of God's Word: He has hidden these precious things FROM the world and FOR us! The world cannot understand the Word, so they would just trample on the precious TRUTH! It HAS been given to us to KNOW His Word! We have Holy Spirit IN us as our personal TEACHER of TRUTH! So we should be exceedingly excited to have the secret things of God's Word revealed to us so that we can DO them! HE has something to confirm in our lives when we know, speak and act on that Word! I hope that this has made YOU more excited to search out these deep, hidden gems of God's Word! We MUST be acting on the Word that we discover in 
order to have more and more revealed to us. WE control just how much of the Word we have active in our lives! Here, to further inspire, is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

There are two thoughts expressed in Proverbs 24 that I think are very important to our lives! The first is found in verses 3-4:

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.

Anything, and everything, good in our lives comes from God, and HE gets all of the credit, praise, thanksgiving and worship for it! Sometimes those blessings come directly, and sometimes they come as a result of our obedience to His Word! We see above that the 'skillful and godly Wisdom' that comes from the fear of the Lord, and from digging in to His Word, are what is necessary to build those things that money cannot buy! A life, a home (as opposed to just a house!) and a family are built by the Wisdom that comes from God by His Word, His Spirit and His favor! These precious and valuable treasures in our lives, when attained in this way, cannot easily be shaken, and can never be lost! AMEN! The next thought I want to share is found here! Verses 5 & 10:

5 A wise man is strong and is better than a strong man, and a man of knowledge increases and strengthens his power; 10 If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

There is a benefit in being strong in the natural, by working out and eating right. However verse 5 tells us that to be wise is better than being strong! 1 Timothy 4:8 tells us that bodily exercise WILL do us good, but being wise and knowledgeable of God's Word is the FIRST priority! Why is that? Because when we are knowledgeable of God's Word, and led by His Spirit, we will be able to make decisions and choices that will be in line with God's plans and purposes for us, and will cause us to walk in His blessings and in protection, provision and safety! THEN, when we take care of our natural bodies, we will reap an even greater reward! AMEN! SO, do BOTH! THEN, we will NOT 'faint in the day of adversity', but will have what it takes to be MORE than a conqueror in every area, and at all times! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "You Are My Strength":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share Andrew Womack's devotional for today! 

LOVE CONQUERS FEAR

John 9:27 "He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?"

JOHN 9:6-27

This man showed great courage in confronting these religious leaders. Even Peter later backed down for fear of this same group of men (Luke 22:54-62). Certainly one thing that gave him this boldness was that he knew what Jesus had done for him. And even beyond the physical healing, he knew that Jesus had healed him because He loved him. It's our security in the Lord's love for us that gives us the strength to face rejection from others. As Proverbs 28:1 puts it, "the righteous are bold as a lion." The antidote for fear of men is a large dose of the love of God.

One of the greatest truths of the Bible and one of the hardest to comprehend, is that we are the objects of God's love. God didn't just pity us or feel some sense of moral obligation to save us. He saved us because of His infinite love for us (John 3:16). An experiential understanding of God's love is the key to being filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19).

Paul prays in Ephesians 3:19, that we would experience the love of God which passes mere knowledge about it. How can we know the love of God if it passes knowledge? This sounds like a contradiction. It's not. The knowing is experiencing it. The end result of having understanding and experiential knowledge of God's love is that we will be filled with all the fullness of God. God's love is the key that opens the door to everything that God is. God is love (1 John 4:8).

It's not just a casual acquaintance with God's love that we need, but an intimate understanding and experiential knowledge of the depths of God's love. Just as a tree's roots provide stability and nourishment for the tree, so our revelation of God's love is the foundation upon which everything else we receive from God is built.

NEVER give in to fear! It is a spirit, and YOU have been delivered from all fear! Here is Hillsong with "Not Today!":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really love Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional. I have used this for many years and never get tired of hearing his accounts of faith and power that come from standing, and acting, on the Word of God! I hope that this one encourages you as much as it does me!

Development

"In him [Jesus] was life [zoe]; and the life [zoe] was the light of men" (John 1:4). 

The life that came into you at the New Birth can affect your mental processes by governing your thinking and your intellect. It certainly did mine. 

I received eternal life as a teenage boy on the bed of sickness, April 22, 1933. Then on August 8, 1934, I was healed by the power of God through faith and prayer. 

After my healing, I returned to high school. During the sixteen months I had been bedfast, I missed one school year. And in the two years of high school I had completed before, I had been a "D" student. 

At that time, I didn't have a Greek concordance, so I didn't know about zoe. But I had my Bible, and the Spirit of God led me. Every day as I went to school I would say this: 

"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. That life is in me. The life of God is in me. That life is the light. (I knew light stood for development.) That life is developing me. That life is developing my spirit. That life is developing my mentality. I've got God in me. I've got God's wisdom in me. I've got God's life in me. I've got God's power in me." 

Confession: (Make your own confession today based on John 1:4, and confess the life of God within you as your light.) 

AMEN! As a born again believer, YOU have the Spirit of God living IN you! Meditating on that TRUTH will change your entire perspective on everything! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I AM":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I LOVE this from "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers:

The Ministry Of The Interior

But ye are…a royal priesthood. — 1 Peter 2:9

By what right do we become “a royal priesthood”? By the right of the Atonement. Are we prepared to leave ourselves resolutely alone and to launch out into the priestly work of prayer? The continual grubbing on the inside to see whether we are what we ought to be generates a self-centred, morbid type of Christianity, not the robust, simple life of the child of God. Until we get into a right relationship to God, it is a case of hanging on by the skin of our teeth, and we say — “What a wonderful victory I have got!” There is nothing indicative of the miracle of Redemption in that. Launch out in reckless belief that the Redemption is complete, and then bother no more about yourself, but begin to do as Jesus Christ said — pray for the friend who comes to you at midnight, pray for the saints, pray for all men. Pray on the realisation that you are only perfect in Christ Jesus, not on this plea — “O Lord, I have done my best, please hear me.”

How long is it going to take God to free us from the morbid habit of thinking about ourselves? We must get sick unto death of ourselves, until there is no longer any surprise at anything God can tell us about ourselves. We cannot touch the depths of meanness in ourselves. There is only one place where we are right, and that is in Christ Jesus. When we are there, then we have to pour out for all we are worth in this ministry of the interior.

I especially love those underlined parts! As long as we concentrate so heavily on trying to look, think, speak and act like a 'good Christian' on the outside, we will never have time to actually be 'about our Father's business'!  HE has already made us perfect where it counts! In our spirit man! Our souls are renewed on a daily basis as we spend time in prayer, praise & worship, study and meditation of His Word and intimate fellowship with Him! Our bodies will be perfect when we are changed in the twinkling of an eye at His appearing! Until then, we are to BE the Body of Christ on the earth, doing the works that JESUS did Himself when He was here! We are now His hands and feet! Let's get going, doing the job we were left here to do! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Go":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Ephesians 3 contains one of the prayers that Paul prayed for the believers in Ephesus, and in the world! It is a very powerful prayer that you should consider praying over every person you care about! Remember that 1 John 5:14-15 tell us this:

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.

When we pray according to God's will, which is His Word, then we KNOW that we have the answers! So take this prayer in Ephesians 3 (along with the one in Ephesians 1 and in Colossians 1) and replace the 'you' with the name of the person for whom you are praying. Do this for at least 30 days and then check and see what has happened in their lives! Here is Ephesians 3:14-21:

14 For this reason seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ], I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 For Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named [that Father from Whom all fatherhood takes its title and derives its name]. 16 May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality]. 17 May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, 18 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; 19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! 20 Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams — 21 To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

Praying for others is one of the most selfless and the most powerful things that you can do! It is seed well sown that will bring a bountiful harvest into your own life! Know this: if you are faithful to pray for others, God will have someone, or many someones, praying for YOU! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong with an older song called "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I LOVE this from Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest"!

Service Of Passionate Devotion

Lovest thou Me?…Feed My sheep. — John 21:16

Jesus did not say — Make converts to your way of thinking, but look after My sheep, see that they get nourished in the knowledge of Me. We count as service what we do in the way of Christian work; Jesus Christ calls service what we are to Him, not what we do for Him. Discipleship is based on devotion to Jesus Christ, not on adherence to a belief or a creed. “If any man come to Me and hate not…, he cannot be My disciple.” There is no argument and no compulsion, but simply — “If you would be My disciple, you must be devoted to Me.” A man touched by the Spirit of God suddenly says — “Now I see Who Jesus is,” and that is the source of devotion.

To-day we have substituted credal belief for personal belief, and that is why so many are devoted to causes and so few devoted to Jesus Christ. People do not want to be devoted to Jesus, but only to the cause He started. Jesus Christ is a source of deep offence to the educated mind of to-day that does not want Him in any other way than as a Comrade. Our Lord’s first obedience was to the will of His Father, not to the needs of men; the saving of men was the natural outcome of His obedience to the Father. If I am devoted to the cause of humanity only, I will soon be exhausted and come to the place where my love will falter; but if I love Jesus Christ personally and passionately, I can serve humanity though men treat me as a door-mat. The secret of a disciple’s life is devotion to Jesus Christ, and the characteristic of the life is its unobtrusiveness. It is like a corn of wheat, which falls into the ground and dies, but presently it will spring up and alter the whole landscape (John 12:24).

This is SO true! Being a disciple of JESUS means being devoted to HIM< and desiring to know HIM more! THIS line is especially true of so many in the church today!

To-day we have substituted credal belief for personal belief, and that is why so many are devoted to causes and so few devoted to Jesus Christ. 

Our sole responsibility as a member of the family of God is to love the Lord our God with everything within us, and to love our neighbors as ourselves! How do we do that? By being devoted completely to JESUS, and then loving people! Love people enough to tell them the hard things, but do it in love and patience! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "One Thing", which is exactly Who JESUS should be to us! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really like today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers because it addresses something that I have thought a lot about! 

Don’t Think Now, Take The Road

And Peter…walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid. — Matthew 14:29-30

The wind was actually boisterous, the waves were actually high, but Peter did not see them at first. He did not reckon with them, he simply recognised his Lord and stepped out in recognition of Him, and walked on the water. Then he began to reckon with the actual things, and down he went instantly. Why could not our Lord have enabled him to walk at the bottom of the waves as well as on the top of them? Neither could be done saving by recognition of the Lord Jesus.

We step right out on God over some things, then self-consideration enters in and down we go. If you are recognising your Lord, you have no business with where He engineers your circumstances. The actual things are, but immediately you look at them you are overwhelmed, you cannot recognise Jesus, and the rebuke comes: “Wherefore didst thou doubt?” Let actual circumstances be what they may, keep recognising Jesus, maintain complete reliance on Him.

If you debate for a second when God has spoken, it is all up. Never begin to say — “Well, I wonder if He did speak?” Be reckless immediately, fling it all out on Him. You do not know when His voice will come, but whenever the realisation of God comes in the faintest way imaginable, recklessly abandon. It is only by abandon that you recognise Him. You will only realise His voice more clearly by recklessness.

I have thought about this a lot because so many times the emphasis of lessons on Peter are about the fact that he got out of faith and began to sink. (But what a safety net he had!) The point that is made in the very first paragraph above is that the wind WAS boisterous and the waves WERE high when Peter stepped out of the boat to begin with! Peter was just SO focused on JESUS and what HE could do that he never even noticed the waves! But as Peter was WALKING ON WATER, he took his focus OFF of JESUS and on to the natural world around him! THAT is when Peter began to sink. And THAT is what happens to us when we determine to take God at His Word and step out in faith! We must train ourselves to NOT be moved by anything other than the Word of the Living God! THEN we will NOT sink, but continue on in OUR walk of faith, right to the end, the fulfillment, the target, the goal! Let's be at least as bold and confident of JESUS as Peter WAS and get ourselves out of that boat! When Oswald Chambers speaks of being 'reckless' above, he is speaking of going all out on God's Word with abandon, TRUSTING completely in JESUS to be true to His Word! Let's go for it! Who knows, YOU just might walk on water! OR preach the Gospel, heal the sick, raise the dead, multiply the food, all the while lifting up the mighty Name of JESUS! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Children of the Light", which is who we really are! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom, 

Proverbs 17:27-28 is great advice for us!

27 He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding has a cool spirit. 28 Even a fool when he holds his peace is considered wise; when he closes his lips he is esteemed a man of understanding. AMPC

People who talk continually usually have a problem keeping their words good words, AND their emotions! The Amplified  Bible says this:

When there are many words, transgression and offense are unavoidable,
But he who controls his lips and keeps thoughtful silence is wise.

Words are so vitally important to our success and prosperity in life that our Father does not hesitate to keep us informed, in His Word and by His Spirit, on ways to guard those words! It takes a diligent commitment to LIVE in the Word of God for the Word of God to really take root and grow in us! As we do this, and God does His part, then we become strong and skillful in using the Word! Galatians 6:9 reminds us to never quit, no matter what things 'look' like! There is a sure reward for never giving up! 

9 And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.

AMEN! Never give up! Never give in! Your harvest of good and godly things is just about break loose in your life! Because it doesn't cost to serve God. It most definitely pays! Big time rewards! HALLELUJAH! Let's praise Him with Hillsong and "What a Beautiful Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

There is so much Wisdom to be found in the Book of Proverbs! Today we read Proverbs 16. Let's look first of all at verses 1-3:

 1 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 ARE supposed to gain knowledge and to use that knowledge to be successful at whatever God has called us to do. MOST believers will not carry out their personal ministry (the ministry of reconciliation, from 2 Corinthians 5) from the pulpit. Most ministry is done one on one with people we know, or people we come to meet and to know through going about our everyday lives! When we do this, we can count on the Anointed One within us to speak through us as verse 1 says! We can trust the Lord to lead and guide us into these situations, and in every area of life! Just roll your works, cast your cares, over on Him and HE will lead you every step of the way of success! AMEN! And now to verses 7!

7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

AMEN! When WE follow JESUS, making HIS #1 priority to be OURS, also, then He WILL do what this verse promises! We can walk on in HIS peace, fully expecting HIS favor to go before us! We WILL succeed, IF, w do not quit! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Look Too The Son":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we read Galatians 4 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Let's look at verses 4-7:

4 But when the proper time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born subject to [the regulations of] the Law, 5 To purchase the freedom of (to ransom, to redeem, to atone for) those who were subject to the Law, that we might be adopted and have sonship conferred upon us [and be recognized as God’s sons]. 6 And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the [Holy] Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba (Father)! Father! 7 Therefore, you are no longer a slave (bond servant) but a son; and if a son, then [it follows that you are] an heir by the aid of God, through Christ.

I have encountered SO many people who do not yet realize that not only did God create mankind with the ability to sin, but He did it on purpose, with His plan for our salvation already in place! His purpose? To have a people of free will who would choose HIM! He KNEW that we would eventually fall, and that this would give the enemy entrance into our world. But what the enemy, the devil, didn't know, and still cannot comprehend, is that God's Salvation Plan put US in position to become  God's SONS (and daughters!) and not just His creation! Once then enemy had JESUS crucified, which he could NOT have done without JESUS being in agreement with it, he was about to discover that he had played right into God's wonderful plan for all of mankind! Because JESUS had no sin of His own, when he was crucified (illegally) He BECAME sin with all of our sin! He bore it all and deposited it all in hell where it belongs, along with all sickness, disease, weakness and infirmity! When Holy Spirit blasted JESUS out of hell, the enemy was, and still is, beside himself with his failure (1 Corinthians 2:8)! 

The GOOD NEWS is posted above! Verse 6 says that we REALLY ARE God's very own children! HE is our very own FATHER, when JESUS is our LORD! AMEN! Spend this entire weekend meditating on this wonderful goodness of God! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I AM":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really like today's "Faith Food" by Kenneth E. Hagin!

Why Did Jesus Come?

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). 

Why did Jesus come? 

Did Jesus come to give us some creed to live by? Did He come to give us a code of ethics - a list of "do's and don'ts" - to straighten us out? Did He come to start a new religion, or to found a new church? No! Jesus came for one purpose: That we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly! 

This word "life" is the biggest word of the Gospel. Man needed life, because he was spiritually dead. Spiritual death, which is the nature of the devil, was imparted to man at the fall of man, when Adam sinned. 

The eradication of this devil-nature is what God has worked toward in all the ages. It was the reason why Jesus came to the earth. Jesus stated, "I am come that they might have life." 

The only thing that will meet man's need is the nature of God: eternal life. Nothing can take its place. When a person receives eternal life, he receives the nature of God, the life of God, into himself. This is that divine act that changes a man from the family of Satan to the family of God instantly. 

Confession: The life of God has been imparted to my spirit. I am alive unto God. The life of God - the nature of God - is imparted to my spirit. I will let the life and nature of God that's in me, dominate me. 

The word "life" in John 10:10 is the Greek word "zoe". It means: life in the absolute sense, life as God has it, that which the Father gave to the Incarnate Son to have in Himself, and which the Son manifested in the world. That LIFE is IN us as born again believers! Meditate on the LIFE is in you until the TRUTH of that Word rises up and overflows, affecting every area of your life! The Amplified Bible says this for John 10:10:

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

THAT is God's very best plan for YOU! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Life":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. As I have mentioned before, some of his writings are worded differently than we are used to, but the message is right on point! 

Getting There

Come ye after Me. — Mark 1:17

Where the Selective Affinity Dies and the Sanctified Abandon Lives

One of the greatest hindrances in coming to Jesus is the excuse of temperament. We make our temperament and our natural affinities barriers to coming to Jesus. The first thing we realize when we come to Jesus is that He pays no attention whatever to our natural affinities. We have the notion that we can consecrate our gifts to God. You cannot consecrate what is not yours; there is only one thing you can consecrate to God, and that is your right to yourself (Romans 12:1). If you will give God your right to yourself, He will make a holy experiment out of you. God’s experiments always succeed. The one mark of a saint is the moral originality which springs from abandonment to Jesus Christ. In the life of a saint there is this amazing wellspring of original life all the time; the Spirit of God is a well of water springing up, perennially fresh. The saint realizes that it is God Who engineers circumstances, consequently there is no whine, but a reckless abandon to Jesus. Never make a principle out of your experience; let God be as original with other people as He is with you.

If you abandon to Jesus, and come when He says “Come,” He will continue to say “Come” through you; you will go out into life reproducing the echo of Christ’s “Come.” That is the result in every soul who has abandoned and come to Jesus. Have I come to Jesus? Will I come now?

I LOVE that he says, of our (God-given) gifts, that we cannot consecrate then to God! How many times have we heard that we SHOULD take out gifts and present them before the LORD? The reality is that HE, Himself, has given those gifts! In fact, EVERY good thing in our lives has come from HIM! What He really desires is for US to present ourselves to Him! COMPLETELY and without reserve! THEN He can direct the use of those gifts, talents and anointings that HE has placed inside of us as He had planned from before the foundation of the world! Do you see that? I hope so! Give Him all that you are and allow HIM to make all that you are, more than enough! AMEN! Here, to encourage you in this, is Hillsong Worship with "New Wine":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Rick Renner's "Sparkling Gems Volume II" devotional.

The Teaching Ministry of the Holy Spirit

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things…. — John 14:26

As Jesus continued teaching the disciples about the various roles the Holy Spirit would soon have in their lives, He told them that the Holy Spirit would also “teach” them. Let’s look at that word “teach” in today’s Sparkling Gem and see what Jesus meant when He chose this word.

This word “teach” is the Greek word didasko — a word that is used approximately 200 times in both the Old and New Testaments. It is used so often, in fact, that its meaning is very well established. But to make sure we hit the target correctly, we will take our meaning of didasko from The NIV Theological Dictionary of New Testament Words, which gives the primary meaning of this word as “to teach, inform, instruct, demonstrate, and prescribe.” It continues, “The word is used typically for the relationship between teacher and pupil, instructor, and apprentice. What is taught may be not only knowledge, opinions, or facts but also artistic and technical skills, all of which are to be systematically and thoroughly acquired by the learner through the activity of a teacher.”

Thus, in the context of John 14:26, we see that the word didasko means the Holy Spirit has taken on the role of a Teacher, just as Jesus was a Teacher to the disciples. The Holy Spirit has become our Teacher, and we are His pupils. He is our Instructor, and we are the apprentices. Furthermore, the full extent of the Holy Spirit’s teaching is deep and multifaceted. Not only was He sent to us to impart knowledge and facts, lessons from Scripture, and theological truths, but He also teaches us how to live our Christian lives with divinely artistic skill. Instructed by the Teacher who lives within each of us as believers, we receive lessons imparted as we spend time in the Word or prayer or through any aspect of our innumerable life experiences. If we are listening, the Holy Spirit is teaching us constantly. Our responsibility is to listen, to obey, and to internalize and put into practice the truths He is teaching us.

There are always people who claim that if you haven’t been to Bible school, you are untaught and ignorant and therefore unable to be used significantly by God. However, this is simply not the case. It’s true that Bible school can be an immensely beneficial experience, and it’s good for you to read every book that you can read. But if you never go to a Bible school or read a teaching book, the Holy Spirit will still teach you, because He is ordained by the Father to do just that. Teaching is a fundamental part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus told His disciples that when the Holy Spirit came, He would teach them, and today the Holy Spirit has been sent to teach you. If you’re seeking the best Teacher in the world, look no further! If you are born again, you have the Holy Spirit — the greatest Teacher in the history of the world — living inside you. If you’ll see yourself as His apprentice and cultivate your partnership together, He’ll teach you everything you need to know to live successfully and victoriously for Christ!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY:   Lord Jesus, You said that when the Holy Spirit came, He would teach me all things I need to know. I am thankful for my pastor, my church, my books, and my various teaching materials — but there is nothing that could ever replace the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life. I admit that I’ve leaned on my own understanding on too many occasions, but starting today, I sincerely dedicate myself as a pupil and apprentice to the Spirit of God. I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY:   I confess that I am in need of the Holy Spirit’s teaching in my life. I am thankful that I don’t need to beg for it or work to earn this work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus knew I needed divine instruction, and that is one reason why He prayed for the Father to send the Holy Spirit into the world. He is my Teacher, and I am His pupil. He is the Instructor, and I am the apprentice. I am serious about learning, and I take it as my responsibility to internalize and put into practice what He teaches me through diligent study and by application of His words in my life experience. I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

AMEN! How extremely blessed we are to had God the Holy Spirit living IN us, as our personal Teacher, as well as our Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener and Standby (John 14:26)! Dare to BELIEVE and to RECEIVE all that your Father has prepared for you and put into place for YOU to be able to grow and mature IN HIM! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "Shadow Step":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Kenneth E. Hagin's "Health Food". This just may help some of you who may have had trouble receiving, or keeping , your healing!

It Pays To Obey God

And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)

I remember a dear, precious saint of God. She was saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. It was a joy to sit down and talk to her about the things of God.

I don't know how many times over a period of several years that I prayed with that dear woman for healing. I could help her momentarily, but I never could get her completely healed. She would be all right for a little while, and then she would lose it. I wondered why she had been in such bad health for so many years. She was eighty years old, and for many years, she had never really lived. Sickness and disease had incapacitated her. 

One day while standing over her bedside, she said, "I never did what God asked me to do. I wasn't willing. God called me to be a missionary when I was twelve years old." She loved the Lord, but she was never willing to obey Him. She was never willing to do what He wanted her to do. That hindered the flow of God's healing power. I understood it all then. 

You see, disobedience opens the door to the enemy. Satan has a right to come in if the door is open. I've heard people talk about what it costs to serve God. It doesn't cost to go all out - it pays! But it will cost you to disobey God. It will cost you not to be in the will of God. It will cost you heartache and sadness. It will cost you sickness and disease. It will cost you money. Sometimes, it will cost you premature death. 

If there is something you need to deal with, deal with it. If there is something hindering the healing flow, get it unstopped. Be willing to do anything God wants you to do. 

Confession: I am willing to do anything God wants me to do. Father God, show me any area of my life that is not right with You, and I will correct it. I will line my life up with You and Your Word.

Refuse to let anything keep YOU from obeying what the Lord is calling you to do! Remember, it doesn't cost to serve God, even though the enemy would like you to believe that! It ALWAYS pays huge rewards! Here in this life, and in the life to come! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "One Thing":

Shalom in Him!