Shalom,

Today we read Psalm 30 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan and I LOVE this one, too!

Psalm 30

A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the Temple. [A Psalm] of David.

1 I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. 2 O Lord my God, I cried to You and You have healed me. 3 O Lord, You have brought my life up from Sheol (the place of the dead); You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit (the grave). 4 Sing to the Lord, O you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. 5 For His anger is but for a moment, but His favor is for a lifetime or in His favor is life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. 6 As for me, in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. 7 By Your favor, O Lord, You have established me as a strong mountain; You hid Your face, and I was troubled. 8 I cried to You, O Lord, and to the Lord I made supplication. 9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit (the grave)? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth and faithfulness to men? 10 Hear, O Lord, have mercy and be gracious to me! O Lord, be my helper! 11 You have turned my mourning into dancing for me; You have put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, 12 To the end that my tongue and my heart and everything glorious within me may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

All of the underlined parts are responses of David to the LORD for all of the GOOD things that He had done, and encouragement for US to do the same! We are to "extol" Him! This is the Hebrew word "ruwm", which means: to be exalted, to raise high. We are to sing to Him! Sing of every good thing!  We are to "give thanks"! This is the Hebrew word "yadah", which means: to hold out (or throw up) the hand, to revere and worship, to laud (as in applaud). And then the last verse spells it out very plainly! Everything within me is to sing, praise, thank and worship HIM! For Who He is and for what He has already done! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with a great song of praise and awareness of HIM called "Wake": 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we read Psalm 29 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan! Here is the entire Psalm:

Psalm 29 (A Psalm of David.)

1 Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of the mighty, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2 Give to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness or in holy array. 3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is upon many (great) waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. 5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion (Mount Hermon) like a young, wild ox. 7 The voice of the Lord splits and flashes forth forked lightning. 8 The voice of the Lord makes the wilderness tremble; the Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the Lord makes the hinds bring forth their young, and His voice strips bare the forests, while in His temple everyone is saying, Glory! 10 The Lord sat as King over the deluge; the Lord [still] sits as King [and] forever! 11 The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.

Seven times (above) we hear about the voice of the Lord and what His voice does! His voice is powerful!! Now I want to show you a powerful TRUTH about the Lord's voice! John 10:27-28:

27 The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.  28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. [To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.] And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand.  AMP

HIS voice is the most powerful voice there is and WE hear Him! AMEN! We hear, and when we DO what we HEAR, then we have HIS results! AMEN! And not only that, but when WE speak HIS WORD, then we become HIS VOICE in the earth! BE the LIGHT and BE the VOICE! Whosoever will believe and receive the VOICE of the Lord, WILL know and understand the Word and the Will of Almighty God! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Sing To The Lord":

Righteous Ruler of the heavens
Holy, holy, our God
Sovereign Lord of all creation
Holy, holy, our God

Every tribe and tongue
Lift your voice as one
He is greatly to be praised

Sing to the Lord, oh my soul
Let the heavens shout for joy
Great is our God
Great is our God

Nations come and bow before Him
Holy, holy, our God
Angels sing now and forever
Holy, holy, our God

Every tribe and tongue
Lift your voice as one
He is greatly to be praised

Sing to the Lord, oh my soul
Let the heavens shout for joy
Great is our God
Great is our God

The heavens shall declare
The glory of our great God

The heavens shall declare
The glory of our great God

The heavens shall declare
The glory of our great God

Jesus King, let us adore Him
Holy, holy, our God

Sing to the Lord, oh my soul
Let the heavens shout for joy
Great is our God
Great is our God

Great is our God
Great is our God

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I was really blessed reading today's "Faith To Faith" devotional by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland!

Step Into the Light

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105

As long as you live by the Word of God, you never have to be in the dark again. You never have to remain in confusion about which path to take. You never have to grope blindly along, struggling to find your own way. Isn't that great? Isn't it exciting to know that the Word of God will give you all the light you need every day of your life if you'll allow it to?

Build your faith in that Word and renew your commitment to it as you make this confession today:

"Father, in the Name of Jesus, I commit myself to walk in Your Word. I recognize that Your Word is integrity itself—steadfast, sure, eternal—and I trust my life to its provisions.

"You have sent forth Your Word forth into my heart. I let it dwell in me richly in all wisdom. It does not depart out of my mouth; I meditate in it day and night so that I may diligently act on it. Your Word is an incorruptible seed, abiding in my spirit, and it's growing mightily in me now, producing Your nature, Your life.

"I thank You, Father, that Your Word is my counsel, my shield, my buckler, my powerful weapon in battle. It is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. It makes my way straight before me, and I never stumble or fall for my steps are ordered by Your Word.

"I recognize the strategies and deceits of Satan and I put a stop to them by speaking Your Word out of my mouth in faith.

"I am confident, Father, that You are at work in me both to will and to do Your good pleasure. I exalt Your Word. I hold it in high esteem and give it first place in my life. I boldly and confidently say that my heart is fixed and established on the solid foundation—the living Word of God. Amen!"

Make your own personal confession from these Truths and you will find your faith soaring! Being a DOER of the Word of God is what REALLY puts that Word inside of you so that when the need arises, all that will pour from your mouth is the TRUTH! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with a song I have really come to love called "You Are Life":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 27, from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today, verses 1-3:

1 The Lord is my Light and my Salvation—whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?2 When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, [even then] in this will I be confident.

As born again believers, we are members of God's very own family! We have been reborn, in our spirit man, in the perfect image of God! Holy Spirit Himself lives IN us! We have the right to receive the 'enduement of power from on high', being filled to overflowing with Holy Spirit and anointed for service in the Kingdom of God! We have the Fruit of the Spirit living IN us and the Gifts, or spiritual workings, of Holy Spirit available to us, as Holy Spirit wills and directs. We are, of ALL people, MOST BLESSED! Now, let's look at the declarations that we can confidently make from verse 8!

8 You have said, Seek My face [inquire for and require My presence as your vital need]. My heart says to You, Your face (Your presence), Lord, will I seek, inquire for, and require [of necessity and on the authority of Your Word].

When WE seek HIM, with everything within us, HE is ever present to reveal to us His GLORY!!! "Lord, show us Your GLORY"! Continue, everyday, to prepare yourself to SEE, experience and operate in, HIS GLORY! He desires this for us more than we do! Why? Because HE desires that not one person will choose hell over Him and His Heaven! They need to see JESUS in us, so that they long after Him, too! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with an older song called "Everyday":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Kenneth E. Hagin's "Health Food" devotional:

Walk on the Water

. . . And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.  (Matthew 14:29)

In Matthew 14:28, Peter said, "...Lord if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water." 

Jesus said, "Come." 

Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on the water to go to Jesus. Notice that he walked on the water. Don't ever criticize Peter until you can walk on the water without sinking! 

If you can walk on the water and not sink, then we'll accept your criticism. But don't criticize Peter. At least he did walk on the water. 

On the other hand, you have no excuse to hide behind Peter, so to speak, and make excuses for why we fail to receive from God. The Bible tells us exactly why Peter began to sink. If we'll listen, we won't have to sink when our faith is tested. 

Jesus didn't intend for us to sink as we're walking on the sea of life, and He didn't intend for Peter to sink. Jesus said to Peter, "Come." And as long as Peter acted on Jesus' word, he walked on the water. 

Verse 30 says, "But when he [Peter] saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me." Peter got his eyes off Jesus and onto the wind and the waves. Peter didn't actually see the wind, because no one can see the wind. 

But he got his eyes on what the wind was doing. He saw the waves that were boisterous. He was afraid and began to sink. He cried out to the Lord, and Jesus reached out His hand and saved him. 

Confession: As long as I act on God's Word, I will walk on the water of life. I will enjoy health and healing. I won't sink when the storms of life come, because my faith is grounded in the Word of God.

I have always felt the same way concerning Peter! Peter DID walk on water! JUST LIKE JESUS! Many times through the New Testament we see Peter being passionate and impulsive, but I would rather deal with someone like that than to try to motivate someone who always holds back and 'plays it safe'. It takes a complete surrender to the will of God in order to be used as HE desires to use us, for HIS glory! AMEN! So let's get going! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "The Stand":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we read Psalm 25 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. I have always prayed verse 5 before I study the Word of God, but I am going to add verse 4 to that prayer!

4 Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. 5 Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long.

1 john 5:14-15 tells us the sure-fire way to get our prayers answered:

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.

If we ask in line with the Word of God, then God hears our prayer. If He hears our prayer, then we have it! What is another way to say this? If we ask something that is against the Word (the Will) of God, then He doesn't even hear it! Since He doesn't hear it, we do not have it! Not from God anyway, Who only give good and perfect gifts! I said all of that to say this. Praying Psalm 25:4-5 is absolutely the will of God for us, so we KNOW that hears that prayer, and that He will grant that request! Prayer is not difficult. It simply takes diligence and studying to show ourselves approved unto God, as we are instructed in 2 Timothy 2:15! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song", which is all about prayer!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share THIS from Joseph Prince's "Grace Inspirations". 

STANDING ON NO-CURSE GROUND

Genesis 8:4 Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat.

For 40 days and nights, it rained so hard that the whole world perished, except for Noah and those who were with him in the ark. At the end of 150 days, on the 17th day of the seventh month, the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat.

In Hebrew, the word “Ararat” means “the curse is reversed”. The waters of judgment receded, causing the ark to rest on the mountains of Ararat, on new ground where the curse is reversed. And it happened on the 17th day of the seventh month on the Feast of Firstfruits—the exact date that Jesus rose from the dead 4,000 years later!

When Christ rose from the dead, we were raised together with Him. (Colossians 2:12). We who are in Christ our true ark stand on resurrection ground where the curse has been reversed (Galatians 3:13), where diseases, poverty and failures have no right to operate!

A church member shared how God delivered him from cervical spondylosis, a medical condition which causes the neck section of the spinal cord to deteriorate. An X-ray taken four to five years back showed that that area of his spinal cord was deteriorating fast. He was in pain and had to take medicine to manage the condition. And whenever he had a relapse, he would get depressed.

During his last relapse, he went to the doctor, trusting God that he was already healed, had another X-ray taken and was given some medication. He took the medication, still believing God that he was healed. The following morning, the pain in his neck was gone and he was able to turn his head. When he finally collected his X-ray results a week later, his doctor actually told him that his spinal cord looked better than the doctor’s own! The doctor was very surprised because patients with this condition usually don’t get better. God had reversed the curse of cervical spondylosis for him!

My friend, as a believer, you are on no-curse ground. You stand in the blessings zone where it is very easy for God’s blessings to rain all over you!

I LOVE this testimony! NEVER be moved by the world's report! ONLY believe the report of the Lord! What is HIS report? 1 Peter 2:24:

24 He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross [willingly offering Himself on it, as on an altar of sacrifice], so that we might die to sin [becoming immune from the penalty and power of sin] and live for righteousness; for by His wounds you [who believe] have been healed.

CHOOSE to believe what God's Word says about you over anything else! Speak His Word over yourself and give HIM something to confirm, by making it happen (Mark 16:20)! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. 

Disposition And Deeds

Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. — Matthew 5:20

The characteristic of a disciple is not that he does good things, but that he is good in motive because he has been made good by the supernatural grace of God. The only thing that exceeds right doing is right being. Jesus Christ came to put into any man who would let Him a new heredity which would exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus says — “If you are My disciple you must be right not only in your living, but in your motives, in your dreams, in the recesses of your mind.” You must be so pure in your motives that God Almighty can see nothing to censure. Who can stand in the Eternal Light of God and have nothing for God to censure? Only the Son of God, and Jesus Christ claims that by His Redemption He can put into any man His own disposition, and make him as unsullied and as simple as a child. The purity which God demands is impossible unless I can be remade within, and that is what Jesus has undertaken to do by His Redemption.

No man can make himself pure by obeying laws. Jesus Christ does not give us rules and regulations; His teachings are truths that can only be interpreted by the disposition He puts in. The great marvel of Jesus Christ’s salvation is that He alters heredity. He does not alter human nature; He alters its mainspring.

I LOVE this! So well put! God expects perfection in His children, and because we can NEVER make ourselves perfect, HE does it FOR us through the New Birth! HALLELUJAH!!! So many times believers judge other believers for their human weaknesses, never realizing that with JESUS as their Lord and Saviour, they ARE perfect, where it counts to God! In the spirit of man! Thank You, JESUS! Meditate on this until it gets down so much on the inside of you that you are never moved by someone's actions again! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 22 is the "Psalm of the Cross". It is all about JESUS and what He went through to by us back! Verses 14-18:

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; it is softened [with anguish] and melted down within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a fragment of clay pottery; [with thirst] my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and You have brought me into the dust of death. 16 For [like a pack of] dogs they have encompassed me; a company of evildoers has encircled me, they pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones; [the evildoers] gaze at me. 18 They part my clothing among them and cast lots for my raiment (a long, shirtlike garment, a seamless undertunic). 

Then verses 27-31 declare HIM!

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall bow down and worship before You, 28 For the kingship and the kingdom are the Lord’s, and He is the ruler over the nations. 29 All the mighty ones upon earth shall eat [in thanksgiving] and worship; all they that go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who cannot keep himself alive. 30 Posterity shall serve Him; they shall tell of the Lord to the next generation. 31 They shall come and shall declare His righteousness to a people yet to be born—that He has done it [that it is finished]!

IT IS FINISHED! God's perfect plan for our eternal Salvation was carried out perfectly! NOW, all that is left is to 'publish' it far and wide so that every 'whosoever will' has the opportunity to do so! AMEN! No higher Name! NO GREATER LOVE!!! Here is Hillsong with what SHOULD be our response! "No Reason To Hide":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Kenneth E. Hagin's "Fatih Food" devotional.

Learn to Listen

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come...he will shew you things to come" (John 16:13). 

A minister friend of mine had three serious automobile accidents in less than ten years. People were killed in these accidents. His wife was almost killed, and the minister himself was seriously injured. Both he and his wife were healed by the hand of God. 

When he heard me teaching along these lines of listening to your spirit, the inward witness, he said, "Brother Hagin, every one of those accidents could have been avoided if I had listened to that inward intuition." 

Yet people will argue, "I just don't know why those accidents happened to a good Christian. He's a preacher." 

Well, he had to learn to listen to his spirit just like you had to learn to listen to yours. 

People want to blame God and say that God did these things. But as this preacher told me, "If I had listened to the inward intuition I had that something was about to happen, I would have waited and prayed. Instead, I said, 'I'm busy. I don't have time to pray.'" 

Many times, if we had waited on God when we had that inward witness, God would have shown us things, and we could have avoided problems. But let's not moan and groan about our past failures. Let's take advantage of our present opportunities, and make sure that we follow our inward witness in the future. 

Let's learn to develop our spirit, and learn to listen to it, and then obey it. 

Confession: I am becoming spirit-conscious. I am developing my spirit. And I am listening to it! 

The Word f God tells us that those who belong to JESUS will KNOW His voice, and that we will not follow that of a stranger! Learn to be sensitive to that still small voice of your own spirit, which is being influenced by Holy Spirit Who lives IN you! He leads MOST times by that 'inward witness"! Be prepared to hear, and then to OBEY! Amen! God ONLY has your best interests in mind as His eyes search all over the world to show Himself strong on your behalf! AMEN!  Here is Hillsong with "Closer Than You Know":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

The Gateway To The Kingdom

Blessed are the poor in spirit. — Matthew 5:3

Beware of placing Our Lord as a Teacher first. If Jesus Christ is a Teacher only, then all He can do is to tantalise me by erecting a standard I cannot attain. What is the use of presenting me with an ideal I cannot possibly come near? I am happier without knowing it. What is the good of telling me to be what I never can be — to be pure in heart, to do more than my duty, to be perfectly devoted to God? I must know Jesus Christ as Saviour before His teaching has any meaning for me other than that of an ideal which leads to despair. But when I am born again of the Spirit of God, I know that Jesus Christ did not come to teach only: He came to make me what He teaches I should be. The Redemption means that Jesus Christ can put into any man the disposition that ruled His own life, and all the standards God gives are based on that disposition.

The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount produces despair in the natural man — the very thing Jesus means it to do. As long as we have a self-righteous, conceited notion that we can carry out Our Lord’s teaching, God will allow us to go on until we break our ignorance over some obstacle, then we are willing to come to Him as paupers and receive from Him. “Blessed are the paupers in spirit,” that is the first principle in the Kingdom of God. The bedrock in Jesus Christ’s kingdom is poverty, not possession; not decisions for Jesus Christ, but a sense of absolute futility — “I cannot begin to do it.” Then Jesus says — “Blessed are you.” That is the entrance, and it does take us a long while to believe we are poor! The knowledge of our own poverty brings us to the moral frontier where Jesus Christ works.

AMEN!!! When we truly realize that JESUS is exactly Who the Word of God says that He is, THEN we can receive what He has provided for us and, with all boldness, enter His presence to have every need met! JESUS was never just a Teacher, but, fist and foremost, our SAVIOUR! Then, once we receive Him as Saviour, we can acknowledge Him as LORD!  Allow the TRUTH of God's Word to settle firmly in your heart today! The enemy is the only one who does NOT want you to grow in the knowledge of who YOU are, IN HIM!  GO AFTER IT! Here is Hillsong with "Search My Heart", because without JESUS, we are nothing! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I wanted to share from both "My Utmost For His Highest" and "Grace Inspirations", but then the blog would have been VERY long! Instead, I want to encourage you to check out Oswald Chambers' devotional, which speaks of our intimate fellowship with God and what that produces in us, and make whatever adjustments are necessary for YOU to walk in that victory! And here is Joseph Prince's devotional:

NOTHING CAN STAND UP TO GOD’S LOVE

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

The pastor of our Hokkien and Mandarin congregations, Pastor Mark, used to suffer from certain health problems before he became a Christian. His doctor told him that he had to be on medication for life. He also had a huge financial debt. But when he caught hold of the teaching that he is God’s beloved, he believed it totally. He also believed that nothing could be greater than God’s love for him.

Today, Pastor Mark is off medication and completely delivered from that debt. God caused him to triumph over his sickness and debt because he cannot be defeated when he knows that he is God’s beloved.

Tribulation, distress or persecution cannot stop your heavenly Father’s love from working on your behalf. His love for you is bigger and stronger than your financial woes, marital problems or health concerns. And when God’s heart of love moves for His beloved, He opens doors that no one can shut and He makes a way when there seems to be none.

Even during lean times, you will never find the righteous forsaken. King David said, “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.” (Psalm 37:25) Can famine or recession stop God’s love from providing for His beloved? No! So don’t think to yourself, “I must provide for my family. If I don’t, who is going to take care of them? How are they going to survive?” God wants you to know that His love will continue to provide abundantly for you and your family.

What about deadly pestilences such as bird flu and mad cow disease, natural disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes, or terrorist bombings? My friend, these things cannot devour you because His love protects you. You will enjoy His protection when you know that you are His beloved.

Because God’s love is greater than all the evil put together, we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us. (Romans 8:37) We always win in the fight of life not because of our love for Him, but because of His love for us!

AMEN! Our great and mighty God never planned for us to be under the devil's thumb, but that WE should have him under our feet! JESUS provided all that is needed for us to walk in that realm of victory and blessing, IF! The if here is our choice! IF we will feed our faith concerning what HE has already done for us, THEN, as the underlined sentence above says, we WILL enjoy HIS supply in every area. AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "In God We Trust":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" by Kenneth E. Hagin is something you really need to hear, and do!

Now Faith Is...

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) 

This scripture gives us God's definition of faith. Notice that faith is present tense: It is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

The New English Bible says, "Faith is giving substance to things hoped for." You see, hope doesn't have any substance. Hope has to be there, but faith is what gives substance to the things hoped for. 

How does faith give substance to the things you're hoping for? In Mark 11:23 Jesus said,

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; HE SHALL HAVE WHATSOEVER HE SAITH.
(Mark 11:23) 

It is by believing in your heart and speaking with your mouth that you see those unseen things manifest before your eyes. 

Let's continue reading in Mark. "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" (verse 24). Before you ever see something manifest on the outside, you have to "see it" on the inside first. This is faith - the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. 

I've preached Mark 11:23 and 24 so much that some people jokingly say that I wrote it! But I didn't. I got it out of the Bible. Jesus said it. And after sixty-five years, I'm still just as thrilled when I read it. Way down deep inside of me, in my spirit, something starts turning somersaults. That's when the Word of God works for you - when you get thrilled with it! 

Confession:

Faith gives substance to the things I'm hoping for. I need hope, but I also need faith. As I believe in my heart and speak out of my mouth, I shall have whatever I say.

AMEN! Are YOU ready to step up and out into the great 'unknown' (by YOU)! Dare to BELIEVE that God wants YOU prosperous, healed, successful and happy, and then go after all that God has promised with everything within you! Here is Hillsong with"Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In today's reading in Psalm 17 we see David crying out to the Lord in his time of need. Verses 6-8:

6 I have called upon You, O God, for You will hear me; incline Your ear to me and hear my speech. 7 Show Your marvelous loving-kindness, O You Who save by Your right hand those who trust and take refuge in You from those who rise up against them. 8 Keep and guard me as the pupil of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings

When YOU call on the Lord in YOUR time of need, do what David did here! He reminded himself that God had heard him before and he KNEW that God would hear him again! Remind yourself of past victories and answered prayer as you prepare to do the same! Go to sleep at night with these thoughts in mind, trusting that the ONE Who never sleeps will continue working on your behalf, all through the night! David says this in verse 15:

15 As for me, I will continue beholding Your face in righteousness (rightness, justice, and right standing with You); I shall be fully satisfied, when I awake [to find myself] beholding Your form [and having sweet communion with You].

Now be a DOER of this verse!Continue to be in intimate fellowship with Him and YOU will find yourself waking up to HIS voice in fellowship with YOU! Remember, HE has NEVER failed you! And He won't start now! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Oceans - Where Feet May Fail":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share "Grace Inspirations" by Joseph Prince.

COMPASSION WITH ACTION

Luke 7:13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

My friend, there is no trial, difficulty or challenge we face today that our Lord Jesus cannot identify with. The moment we experience a trial, right there and then, because He “was in all points tempted as we are” (Hebrews 4:15), He feels it too and is able to sympathize with our weaknesses.

Jesus’ compassion for you is the same compassion He felt for the widow at Nain when He saw the dead body of her only son being carried out of the city gate to be buried. (Luke 7:11–15) It must have been terrible for her to experience the death of her only son after having already experienced the death of her husband. What a horrible thought to be left all alone in the world with no means of support! When Jesus saw her, He was moved with compassion and said to her, “Do not weep.”

Now, some religious leaders might also be moved to approach her, but only to say, “Look sister, something is terribly wrong. Your husband died. Now, your only son has died. You must find out what is wrong. You better ask God what sin you have committed and repent. Or perhaps there is a curse in your life that needs to be broken.”

Isn’t it beautiful that Jesus did not extend more confusion or condemnation toward her? He only extended His compassion to her, telling her, “Don’t weep.” This same Jesus will also come to you when you are most distraught and say, “Don’t cry.”

And Jesus’ sympathy does not stop at “Oh, you poor thing! I am so sorry about what has happened to you.” No, His sympathy will move Him to give you the miracle you need in your life. That is why He raised the widow’s son back to life!

Beloved, rest in the truth that He who is seated at the Father’s right hand today understands what you are going through and sympathizes with your weaknesses. The compassion of Jesus toward you causes Him to breathe life into your dead situation and turn it around for your good!

The only thing I would like to change is when he refers Jesus' 'sympathy' . Sympathy is completely empty, powerless and empty. What JESUS has for this woman is COMPASSION! His compassion demanded action! THAT is our JESUS! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Passion", because what JESUS did for US results in 'death to death and LIFE for me'!:

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to follow up yesterday's blog with another from "Faith To Faith" for today. This one is by Kenneth Copeland and goes right along with yesterday's! 

Tap In to the Truth

When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. John 16:13

Jesus said the Holy Spirit would guide us into all truth. Not just enough truth to get by on. Not just an occasional truth to help us teach our Sunday school classes. All truth!

If you're a businessman, that means the Holy Spirit will show you how to increase your profits and reduce your expenses. If you're a mother, it means the Holy Spirit will show you how to settle arguments between your children. If you're a student, it means the Holy Spirit will show you how to excel in your classes.

In fact, if you know Jesus Christ and are baptized in the Holy Ghost, somehow inside you is the answer to every financial problem, every spiritual problem and every physical problem that exists. You have answers for problems you don't even know about yet!

Back during World War II, for example, the United States ran into some serious trouble. Their ships were being sunk by the enemy faster than they could build new ones, a process which at that time took a year.

In an effort to solve their dilemma, a method was devised by which a ship could be built in a single day. The problem was, the process involved building the ship upside down and, when the ships were turned upright, the welds would pop and the ship would come apart.

The problem was presented to a deeply spiritual man who was a famous industrialist at the time. "I'll find out how to do it," he said. And, sure enough, after days of prayer and fasting, God showed him the welding formula that would hold the ship together.

If you're facing a problem today, don't drag around trying to handle it on your own. Take Jesus at His Word and start asking the Holy Spirit to give you the knowledge you need to solve it. Put the wisdom of the ages to work on your job, in your family and in your world. Tap in to the truths He's placed in you.

AMEN! After recognizing the enemies tactics and dealing with him according to the Word of God, THEN we can take charge of every area of our lives by the Word of God and the leading, guidance  and direction of Holy Spirit! We are, of all people, MOST BLESSED! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Oceans: Where Feet May Fail":

Shalom in Him

Shalom,

You are going to LOVE today's "Faith To Faith" by Gloria Copeland! Especially if you have had more than enough of the devil trying to have a say in your life! 

Discourage the Devil

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. Luke 6:22-23

Do you want to know how to depress the devil? Just follow the instructions in that last verse. When persecution comes, when friends or family criticize you because you lay hands on the sick and believe in healing, and when co-workers call you a fanatic because you love Jesus and aren't afraid to say so, rejoice! Shout hallelujah and leap for joy!

I tell you that will discourage the devil to no end. He's expecting that persecution to hurt you. He's expecting it to damage your faith, to wipe you out and to leave you in dismay.

I'm not saying you should enjoy the persecution itself. But you can learn to overlook the discomfort of those things by focusing your attention on the reward that's coming and the fact that Jesus said you are blessed.

The Apostle Paul certainly knew how to do that. He was an expert on rejoicing in the midst of persecution. Satan was constantly stirring up trouble for him. But do you know what he said about all that persecution? He said it was not even worth considering compared to the glory that was about to be revealed.

If Paul could rejoice in the midst of beatings, stonings, shipwrecks, imprisonment and almost every other kind of persecution, you can too!

Just do what he did. When he was told by the Holy Ghost that bonds and afflictions awaited him, he said, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24).

Don't get all caught up in what people think and what people say down here on earth. Get caught up in pleasing the Lord. Get caught up in finishing your course with joy. Get caught up in the glorious hope that's ahead. For that hope is enough to make anyone—under any circumstance—leap for joy!

AMEN and AMEN! Now back that all up with Hillsong UNITED and "Not Today"!

Shalom In Him!

Shalom,

I was going to share from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today, but then I saw THIS from the devotional on my PC Study Bible! The language is a little different than what we presently use, but the message is oh so vital!

"As it began to dawn, came Magdalene, to see the sepulchre." — Matthew 28:1

Let us learn from Mary Magdalene how to obtain fellowship with the Lord Jesus. Notice how she sought. She sought the Saviour very early in the morning. If thou canst wait for Christ, and be patient in the hope of having fellowship with Him at some distant season, thou wilt never have fellowship at all; for the heart that is fitted for communion is a hungering and a thirsting heart. She sought Him also with very great boldness. Other disciples fled from the sepulchre, for they trembled and were amazed; but Mary, it is said, "stood" at the sepulchre. If you would have Christ with you, seek Him boldly. Let nothing hold you back. Defy the world. Press on where others flee. She sought Christ faithfully—she stood at the sepulchre. Some find it hard to stand by a living Saviour, but she stood by a dead one. Let us seek Christ after this mode, cleaving to the very least thing that has to do with Him, remaining faithful though all others should forsake Him. Note further, she sought Jesus earnestly—she stood "weeping." Those tear-droppings were as spells that led the Saviour captive, and made Him come forth and show Himself to her. If you desire Jesus' presence, weep after it! If you cannot be happy unless He come and say to you, "Thou art My beloved," you will soon hear His voice. Lastly, she sought the Saviour only. What cared she for angels, she turned herself back from them; her search was only for her Lord. If Christ be your one and only love, if your heart has cast out all rivals, you will not long lack the comfort of His presence. Mary Magdalene sought thus because she loved much. Let us arouse ourselves to the same intensity of affection; let our heart, like Mary's, be full of Christ, and our love, like hers, will be satisfied with nothing short of Himself. O Lord, reveal Thyself to us this evening!

We have been asking more lately: "Lord, show us Your GLORY!" This is the attitude that it takes to have revealed to us those precious and priceless TRUTHS from the Word of the Living God! A casual Sunday church goer is never going to experience those deep things of God and the deep TRUTHS that are hidden in His Word FOR us! It takes a diligence and a 'determined purpose to go after them! How much do YOU desire to KNOW JESUS? I believe that there is improvement to be made in every one of us! Let's never be satisfied with just enough! Let's begin every day with a new quest to know Him! With that attitude, you will NOT be denied! AMEN Here is Hillsong with "Closer":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We know from the Word of God that His Word is TRUTH! John 17:17 says this:

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

I also LOVE this from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today! Psalm 12:6:

6 The words and promises of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times over.

His Word is PURE! Of course it would be, right? This just gives us another level of faith and trust! NOTHING can touch or change the Word of the Living God! I love it even more from The Passion Translation!

For every word God speaks is sure and every promise pure.
    His truth is tested, found to be flawless, and ever faithful.
    It’s as pure as silver refined seven times in a crucible of clay.

AMEN!!! There is NO darkness, NO lack, NO evil, NO QUESTION in the Word of God! ! When God says something, He means it! You can trust Him and every Word that He has spoken. Remember Numbers 23:19:

God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good?

In order to develop that trust, though, we MUST spend time in the Word! That means we MUST be DOERS of Joshua 1:8:

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.

AMEN! If you have been following The Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan with us, I know that you have been developing a love for this wonderful, powerful gift we have been given in the Word of God! It is coming alive to you and you are finding things that you never knew were in there, or had forgotten. I learn something new, or in a new way, every single day! My prayer for you is that you will, too! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!