Shalom,

I am continuing with sharing my favorite portions of Psalm 119 today! Verses 89-91:

89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven [stands firm as the heavens]. 90 Your faithfulness is from generation to generation; You have established the earth, and it stands fast. 91 All [the whole universe] are Your servants; therefore they continue this day according to Your ordinances.

FOREVER! If God said it, then He meant it and means it! All of creation obeys HIM, and US when WE speak HIS WORD! Be a true student of the Word by learning and then DOING! Verse 96:

96 I have seen that everything [human] has its limits and end [no matter how extensive, noble, and excellent]; but Your commandment is exceedingly broad and extends without limits [into eternity].

Gods Word is TRUTH (John 17:17) and He changes NOT (Hebrews 13:8 and James 1:17)! We can count on Him! Verses 97-105:

97 Oh, how love I Your law! It is my meditation all the day. 98 You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies, for [Your words] are ever before me. 99 I have better understanding and deeper insight than all my teachers, because Your testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the aged, because I keep Your precepts [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying them]. 101 I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep Your word [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it]. 102 I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, for You Yourself have taught me. 103 How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

God's Word covers every area of our lives! I LOVE the Amplified Bible here! How do we 'keep' His Word? By 'hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it'! Verse 160 & 162:

160 The sum of Your word is truth [the total of the full meaning of all Your individual precepts]; and every one of Your righteous decrees endures forever. 162 I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great spoil.

Treasure God's Word! There is no other TRUTH! There is POWER in the spoken Word of God, so SPEAK THE WORD! Verses 171-172:

171 My lips shall pour forth praise [with thanksgiving and renewed trust] when You teach me Your statutes. 172 My tongue shall sing [praise for the fulfillment] of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteous.

God loves YOU so much that He provided our Saviour from before the foundation of the world! And then He gave us His Word that reveals our Saviour in every book! LOVE the Word and you will learn to love the Lord your God with everything that is within you! GO! DO IT NOW! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Ready Or Not":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today and tomorrow we are again going through Psalm 119 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan (the first 88 verses today and the last 88 tomorrow). I am going to share some of my favorites from each day. This changes every time I go through this great Bible Reading Plan! My life is at a different spot each time, so Holy Spirit is teaching me different things! First we'll look at verses 1-2:

1 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are the undefiled (the upright, truly sincere, and blameless) in the way [of the revealed will of God], who walk (order their conduct and conversation) in the law of the Lord (the whole of God’s revealed will). 2 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are they who keep His testimonies, and who seek, inquire for and of Him and crave Him with the whole heart.

I especially like the underlined verse 2! If YOU cannot say that YOU are 'blessed, happy, fortunate and to be envied' in your walk with God, then it just may be that YOU are not 'seeking, inquiring for and of Him or caving HIM with your whole heart'! Those ARE the prerequisites for these wonderful blessings! HE has already blessed us (every born again believer) with "every spiritual blessing in heavenly places - IN CHRIST" (Ephesians 1:3)! His promise is SURE! IF we do our part, He will already be actively doing HIS! AMEN! Next, I love verses 14-18:

14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on Your precepts and have respect to Your ways [the paths of life marked out by Your law]. 16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. 17 Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live; and I will observe Your word [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it]. 18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your law.

A question that every born again believer must ask themselves found in verse 14! Do I treasure God's Word as much (or MORE) that money, riches, prestige, power or possessions? If I do, then I WILL be meditating daily on His Word, seeking for ways to obey it by putting it into practice in my life! THEN He will be able to reveal "wondrous things" to us in His Word! Next let's look at verses 63-66:

63 I am a companion of all those who fear, revere, and worship You, and of those who observe and give heed to Your precepts. 64 The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy and loving-kindness; teach me Your statutes. 65 You have dealt well with Your servant, O Lord, according to Your promise. 66 Teach me good judgment, wise and right discernment, and knowledge, for I have believed (trusted, relied on, and clung to) Your commandments.

When we spend time with like-minded believers, who know and love God's Word, it is time well spent! We add to each other when we center our fellowship around His Word and by His Spirit! THAT is how our Sovereign God set it all up! The last for today will be verses 72-73:

72 The law from Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. 73 Your hands have made me, cunningly fashioned and established me; give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.

Remember to ALWAYS give ALL credit for anything good in YOU and in your life to the One, True, Most High, Living Almighty God of the Bible! He IS the Giver of all good gifts! AMEN! Here is a new song by Hillsong UNITED called "Another in the Fire", because He always will be THAT ONE for YOU! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really love this from Joseph Prince's "Grace Inspirations" devotional!

JESUS, YOUR GOOD SHEPHERD AND DOOR

John 10:7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

Jesus said that He is the “door of the sheep.” What did He mean? Well, a sheepfold during Jesus’ time had no door which could be opened and closed. The door of the sheepfold was just an opening. In this kind of sheepfold, after the sheep had entered it, the shepherd would sleep at the entrance. The shepherd became, effectively, the “door” of the sheepfold.

When Jesus told His disciples, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11), He also assured them emphatically that He was the “door of the sheep.” He was telling them and us, “Inside My sheepfold, My sheep are always safe, completely protected and kept close under My watchful eyes. And since I am just at the entrance of the sheepfold, nothing, not even the muffled bleat of one of My own, can escape My ears. Also, nothing evil outside the sheepfold can enter and touch My sheep without first coming through Me for I am the door of My sheep.”

So when the fight of life comes knocking on your door and when panic threatens to rise within you, see yourself doubly protected! He is both the good shepherd and the door of His sheep. As your good shepherd, He gave His life for you to redeem you from poverty, sickness and every other curse.

As your door, He keeps out everything evil that He has redeemed you from. Because He shed His blood for you, you are covered and protected within the sheepfold by a blood-stained door. Disaster, destruction and death must pass over you and your family because of His blood on your door. Remember that on the night of the first Passover in Egypt, the destroyer could not enter the houses of the Israelites because of the blood of the lamb on their doors (see Exodus 12:13, 23).

Today, you can live life untroubled and unafraid, knowing that Jesus, your good shepherd and door, protects and preserves you and your family. No evil will befall you or your loved ones because He is your dwelling place and refuge!

AMEN! Our Father cares for us and has already provided for everything that we will ever need! It is all found - IN HIM! So get into His Word and find out those precious treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge that HE has provided for US! Here is Hillsong UNITED with a new song called "Echoes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" by Kenneth E. Hagin covers something that I was so blessed to learn years ago! OUR GOD is a COVENANT keeping GOD! 

A Better Covenant

"But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises" (Hebrews 8:6). 

All through the Old Testament, we find men who understood and took their place in the covenant. Joshua could open the River Jordan. He could command time to stand still. Elijah could bring fire out of Heaven to consume not only the sacrifice, but the altar as well. 

David's mighty men were utterly shielded from death in time of war as long as they remembered the covenant. When you read about them, you think you're reading about "supermen." 

Nearly all the prayers in the Old Testament were prayed by covenant men. Those prayers had to be answered. 

The believer today has the same covenant rights as believers who lived under the Old Covenant. In fact, we have a better covenant established upon better promises. Therefore, we ought to be able to do all that they did and more, because we have a New Covenant, a better covenant - established on greater promises. 

Confession: Through Jesus, I have a covenant with God. It is a better covenant, based on better promises. I have better covenant rights than Abraham, Joshua, Elijah, and David had. I take my place as a New Testament believer in prayer. My prayers have to be answered. 

WE have a great and wonderful Covenant with the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! HE will NEVER break His Covenant with us! It has been sealed in the precious Blood of JESUS!!! Find out exactly what the Word of God says about who YOU are - IN HIM! Then begin to live like it's true, because it most certainly IS! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with another new song called "Ready Or Not":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Joseph Prince brings up a great point in today's "Grace Inspirations"!

DON’T SWEAT OVER LOSS OR WASTE

Luke 15:22–23 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;"

What would you say if your son, whom you had given a large inheritance to, came crawling home one day after wasting all his money on riotous living?

In the parable of the prodigal son (see Luke 15:11–24), the father did not say one word about loss or waste, though his son had indeed wasted his inheritance on riotous living. The father only saw his son’s homecoming as an opportunity to show him how much he loved him and to restore to him what he had lost.

Like the father in the parable, it is your heavenly Father’s desire to embrace you and show you how much you are loved. And it is His good pleasure to restore to you what you have lost.

Perhaps you have lost something recently, or you are frustrated that something has gone to waste due to a bad decision you made. My friend, God does not see the finality of the loss or waste the way you do. When you come to Him with it, He sees it as an opportunity to restore to you what has been lost or wasted.

Even if, like the prodigal son, you feel far away from your heavenly Father, or you feel that you have disappointed Him, don’t despair. The truth is that the moment you come to Him, He immediately restores to you the robe of honor to clothe your nakedness, the ring of authority to declare your position of power and dominion, and the sandals on your feet (which servants do not wear) to reinstate you as a son in His house.

He reassures you that you had never lost the position of sonship. And He celebrates your return to Him with the killing of a fatted calf because you are His beloved child whom He cherishes.

Beloved, in your Father’s house, you not only come under His complete protection, but you also enjoy His inexhaustible provision and unconditional love!

Our God is NOT looking at out faults and failures! He already dealt with them all at the Cross when JESUS took upon HIMSELF the sin and sickness of all mankind! The only thing He did not, and cannot, do is to BELIEVE and RECEIVE FOR us! We  must each, individually, make that choice! Then HE is right there to pick us up and place us forever into His very own FAMILY! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong UNITED with a new song called "As You Find Me":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Joseph Prince's "Grace Inspirations" for today is EXCELLENT! 

THE GOOD LIFE WITHOUT THE SWEAT

Matthew 6:26  Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Most people are of the opinion that the good life does not happen without hard work and buckets of sweat. They believe that to achieve success, you first need to have this educational certificate, that professional qualification, this particular job and that many years of hard work. I have good news for you: God has a better way.

We all must work, but the world wants you to believe that there is a natural process of sowing, reaping and gathering, accompanied by waiting, toiling and stress, before the good life actually comes. But God says, “My people do not need to go through this natural process to enjoy the good life for they are not of this world’s system. They can operate out of My economy and I can give them the good life straightaway!”

In the same way that God feeds the birds which do not go through the sow-then-reap-then-gather system of the world, He wants to and will do much more for you!

Your heavenly Father wants you to know the generosity of His heart toward you and how much He wants to make you successful. A case in point is what happened to a church member who believed this truth. After leaving his previous job, he trusted God to provide him with a better one. Within just four months, he found himself heading two companies.

His newly formed distribution company not only clinched a major project in Singapore, but was also made the principal distributor in Southeast Asia for a popular line of products from the United States. His second company, which provided consultancy services, was given two projects by a Korean and a Hong Kong company for a six-figure consultancy fee in US dollars.

Today, God wants you to know that you are not of the world’s system. You are of the kingdom of God—the same kingdom that feeds the birds that do not toil, but simply trust their Creator for all their provisions in life. Be convinced that you are of more value to your heavenly Father than the birds, and let Him give you the good life without the toiling and laboring of the world.

AMEN! 2 Corinthians 5:20 tells us that we are Christ's Ambassadors! Ambassadors are completely supported by the HOME COUNTRY! OUR Source of ALL supply is our Father in Heaven! Let's keep our eyes on the ultimate prize of KNOWING Him and His ways, so that we can walk in them. Here are Hillsong Kids with "My Best Friend":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we read 1 Corinthians 2 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. I LOVE this chapter! In verses 1-2 Paul says this:

 And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming to you the testimony of God [concerning salvation through Christ], I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom [no lofty words of eloquence or of philosophy as a Greek orator might do]; 2 for I made the decision to know nothing [that is, to forego philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential things and opinions while] among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified [and the meaning of His redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection]. 

The Word of God is alive and powerful! There is NO need for eloquent speech or practiced presentations! The Word is received by those hungry and thirsty for more of HIM and understood personally and uniquely by Holy Spirit Who indwells every born again believer. Paul goes on to say this in verses 4-5:

4 And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom [using clever rhetoric], but [they were delivered] in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit [operating through me] and of [His] power [stirring the minds of the listeners and persuading them], 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom and rhetoric of men, but on the power of God.

Paul explains this supernatural power and Wisdom in verses 6-7:

6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those spiritually mature [believers who have teachable hearts and a greater understanding]; but [it is a higher] wisdom not [the wisdom] of this present age nor of the rulers and leaders of this age, who are passing away; 7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom once hidden [from man, but now revealed to us by God, that wisdom] which God predestined before the ages to our glory [to lift us into the glory of His presence].

Our God desires that we KNOW HIM! He reveals Himself within His Word, but only those who are born again have the ability to understand and only those who go after this Wisdom will be able to dig it out! Verses 13-14:

13 And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit]. 14 But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated.

The unbeliever CANNOT understand the Word of God because they do NOT have Holy Spirit living in them and ONLY Holy Spirit can reveal and make known to us what the Word of God is REALLY saying and how to put it into practice! Simply hearing the Word taught will not give us the understanding, either! We can sit through teaching after teaching and come away with nothing IF we do not apply ourselves to seeking the Truth! We do this by meditating on the Word. Joshua 1:8 is an excellent charge to us! 

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.

And Hosea 6:3 is another charge to us:

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

We must make it our 'determined purpose' to know more, and then Holy Spirit will work with us! There is no limit to the understanding of God's Word but that which we put upon ourselves by our choices and decisions. I hope that YOU are stirring yourself up to go after MORE OF HIM! AMEN! Here is  Hillsong with "Know You More":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really LOVE the Psalms as a starting point for praise and worship! When we praise along with these that have come before us, we get a glimpse of what they went through. When they applied Godly principles, they saw victory! We can, too! EVERYTIME! AMEN! Here is today's Psalm from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Psalm 113:

1 Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! 2 Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forever 3 From the rising of the sun to the going down of it and from east to west, the name of the Lord is to be praised! 4 The Lord is high above all nations, and His glory above the heavens! 5 Who is like the Lord our God, Who has His seat on high, 6 Who humbles Himself to regard the heavens and the earth! 7 [The Lord] raises the poor out of the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap and the dung hill, 8 That He may seat them with princes, even with the princes of His people. 9 He makes the barren woman to be a homemaker and a joyful mother of [spiritual] children. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

HALLELUJAH!What a glorious description of some of the wonderful works of our great God! Here is the same Psalm from The Passion Translation:

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
Go ahead, praise the Lord, all you loving servants of God!
Keep it up! Praise Him some more!
 For the glorious Name of the Lord is blessed forever and ever.
 From sunrise brilliance to sunset beauty,
lift up His praise from dawn to dusk!
 For He rules on high over the nations
with a glory that outshines even the heavens.
 No one can be compared to God, enthroned on high!
 He stoops down to look upon the sky and the earth.
 He promotes the poor, picking them up from the dirt,
and rescues the needy from the garbage dump.
 He turns paupers into princes and seats them
on their royal thrones of honor.
God’s grace provides for the barren ones a joyful home with children
so that even childless couples find a family.
He makes them happy parents surrounded by their pride and joy.
That’s the God we praise, so give it all to Him!

NO ONE can even be compared to HIM! To JESUS! THAT is the God we praise! HALLELUJAH! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Good Grace":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In the days before JESUS was captured, tried, beaten, crucified and buried in the tomb, He spent time warning and preparing His disciples for what was to come. He told them exactly what was going to happen to Him and that He would rise from the dead. In Luke from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today, we see that the women went to prepare His body after Passover Celebration. When they arrived at the tomb, they found the stone had been rolled away and the body of JESUS was gone! Look at verses 4-8:

4 And while they were perplexed and wondering what to do about this, behold, two men in dazzling raiment suddenly stood beside them. 5 And as [the women] were frightened and were bowing their faces to the ground, the men said to them, Why do you look for the living among [those who are] dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee 7 That the Son of Man must be given over into the hands of sinful men (men whose way or nature is to act in opposition to God) and be crucified and on the third day rise [from death]. 8 And they remembered His words.

Notice that the angels reminded the women of what JESUS Himself had told them to expect. And when they reminded them, THEY REMEMBERED! But when these same women went to report what had happened to the apostles, the apostles did not believe! Verses 9-11:

9 And having returned from the tomb, they reported all these things [taken together] to the eleven apostles and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who reported these things to the apostles. 11 But these reports seemed to the men an idle tale (madness, feigned things, nonsense), and they did not believe the women.

Peter ran to the tomb to see, and the two men on the way to Emmaus actually walked and talked with JESUS on their way. They all doubted at some point in those couple of days! When you walk in daily fellowship with the LORD, you will find yourself KNOWING things about Him that you learned only as one who walking in communion with Him! Things that cannot be taught, but must be absorbed through feasting on His Word! Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers addresses this very thing! 

The Light That Fails

We all with open face beholding…the glory of the Lord. — 2 Corinthians 3:18

A servant of God must stand so much alone that he never knows he is alone. In the first phases of Christian life disheartenments come, people who used to be lights flicker out, and those who used to stand with us pass away. We have to get so used to it that we never know we are standing alone. “All men forsook me:…notwithstanding the Lord stood with me” (2 Timothy 4:16-17). We must build our faith, not on the fading light, but on the light that never fails. When “big” men go we are sad, until we see that they are meant to go; the one thing that remains is looking in the face of God for ourselves.

Allow nothing to keep you from looking God sternly in the face about yourself and about your doctrine, and every time you preach see that you look God in the face about things first, then the glory will remain all through. A Christian worker is one who perpetually looks in the face of God and then goes forth to talk to people. The characteristic of the ministry of Christ is that of unconscious glory that abides. “Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.”

We are never called on to parade our doubts or to express the hidden ecstasies of our life with God. The secret of the worker’s life is that he keeps in tune with God all the time.

Keep yourself  'in tune' with Holy Spirit and you cannot fail! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "I Surrender":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Happy Resurrection Day! Psalm 111 from today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan is EXCELLENT!

1 Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) I will praise and give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart in the council of the upright and in the congregation.

2 The works of the Lord are great, sought out by all those who have delight in them.

3 His work is honorable and glorious, and His righteousness endures forever.

4 He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious, merciful, and full of loving compassion.

5 He has given food and provision to those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever and imprint it [on His mind].

6 He has declared and shown to His people the power of His works in giving them the heritage of the nations [of Canaan].

7 The works of His hands are [absolute] truth and justice [faithful and right]; and all His decrees and precepts are sure (fixed, established, and trustworthy).

8 They stand fast and are established forever and ever and are done in [absolute] truth and uprightness.

9 He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant to be forever; holy is His name, inspiring awe, reverence, and godly fear.

10 The reverent fear and worship of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and skill [the preceding and the first essential, the prerequisite and the alphabet]; a good understanding, wisdom, and meaning have all those who do [the will of the Lord]. Their praise of Him endures forever.

Every time that you find yourself in a less than desirable situation, take the time to praise the Lord your God for all that He does, and HAS done, for YOU! Reminding yourself of the Goodness of God and the wonderful works that He has already done in your life will cause your faith to rise so strong! Be a DOER of this Word and receive the God-given and God-promised results!!! AMEN! Here is Bob Fitts with a very old song with "Wonderful Are Your Works":

Wonderful are Your works, O God

Marvelous are Your ways

Beautiful is Your name, O God

Glorious is Your praise

Wonderful are Your works, O God

Marvelous are Your ways

Beautiful is Your name, O God

Glorious is Your praise

Jehovah Jireh

God our provider

Bountiful supplier

Great is Thy faithfulness

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Grace Inspirations" by Joseph Prince is perfect for this day before we celebrate Resurrection Sunday!

JESUS, OUR TRUE PASSOVER LAMB

Exodus 12:3  …every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household.

Jews worldwide celebrate the Passover feast. The feast, which has been kept for generations, commemorates the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt (see Exodus 12:14). The night before the Israelites left Egypt, the destroyer went through the land killing the firstborn of man and beast. Only those households with the blood of the Passover lamb on their doorposts were spared.

God had told the Israelites, “Take a lamb, a lamb for a household.” It was a lamb for each family. This tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our true Passover Lamb, is for whole families to be saved!

So your children are blessed once you receive Jesus. Your unsaved spouse and grandparents are blessed too, because Jesus is now the Lamb for your whole household. Your unsaved loved ones will enjoy the blessings of the saved. The Bible says that the sanctified will sanctify the unsanctified (see 1 Corinthians 7:14). Yes, they will still need to personally receive Jesus as their Savior, but God has marked them for salvation because you are saved!

Now, each household took a lamb which God said had to be without blemish. Why? Because the lamb typified Jesus, the true Lamb of God, who is without sin. John the Baptist said of Jesus, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

The lamb was then killed, and its blood put on the two doorposts and lintel of the house (see Exodus 12:7), such that it speaks of the cross. Today, the destroyer has to pass over every family that believes in the finished work of Jesus at the cross and puts its faith in His blood, because there has already been a death. The blood proves it—the innocent Lamb for the guilty family!

Jesus also celebrated the Passover the night before He was crucified. But He was instituting the greater Passover. This time, it was not deliverance from Pharaoh and Egypt, but from Satan and his kingdom of darkness! It was not deliverance from slavery in Egypt, but from a life of bondage to sin to a life of liberty as free men in Christ!

Beloved, Jesus, the Lamb of God, sacrificed Himself to set you free. And when the Son sets you free, you are free indeed!

AMEN! Stand in faith that HE is moving Heaven and earth to reach your family for JESUS! Be encouraged and rejoice! GOD'S GOT THIS!!! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Light Will Shine":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "From Faith To Faith" devotional by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland is another very vital lesson for every born again believer! 

Be of Good Cheer

And now I exhort you to be of good cheer. Acts 27:22

What do you do when you’re in a really perilous situation?

If you’re like I used to be, you cry out to God in desperation. One afternoon when I was squalling to God about something, He interrupted me and said, Kenneth, did you know I don’t hear the cry of My children when they cry out in desperation?

“What?” I said. “I thought You did.”

He said, No, I hear the desperation cry of a sinner because that’s all he can cry about. But once you get born again, son, you ought to be crying out of faith. I hear the faith cry.

What is a faith cry? It’s calling things that be not as though they were (Romans 4:17). It’s what the Bible means when it says, “…Let the weak say, I am strong” (Joel 3:10).

The Apostle Paul knew how to use the faith cry. That’s why, in Acts 27, he exhorted the men on that battered, sinking ship to “be of good cheer.” He was telling them to start acting by faith. 

Can’t you imagine what those sailors thought when he said that? Listen to that stupid preacher. We’re sinking and he says be of good cheer. We’ve thrown everything we have overboard and he says be of good cheer.

You may feel just like those sailors did, right now. You may feel like your ship’s going down. You may feel like crying out in desperation. But don’t do it. Instead, do what Paul said and be of good cheer!

Cry out to God in faith and say, “Lord, I’m not going to panic. I’m not going to despair. I’m going to be of good cheer because Your Word says You’ll deliver me from this situation” (Psalm 34:19).

Then start being cheerful. It may take more determination than anything you’ve ever done before, but God will give you the strength to do it. He’ll give you the power to be cheerful in the middle of the most ungodly darkness the devil can bring up.

Instead of crying out in desperation, take a faith stand. Sing and rejoice and praise God for your deliverance. Be of good cheer and you can be sure God will bring you through the storm just fine!

AMEN! So very many times I have had believers ask me to join in prayer to "storm the gates of Heaven" for someone or some need. What in the world would we want to storm Heaven's gates? God is NOT holding anything back from us! Romans 8:32 takes care of that nonsense!

He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?

No, what is needed os for the born again believer to find of who they are - IN HIM - and what He has given and promised us in His Word. Then, after meditating on that Word so that it rises up big in us (Joshua 1:8), WE go after what we need and desire from Him by faith! Remember that HE has given every believer a measure of the God kind of faith! That is faith that is able to believe God and His Word! WE take that measure and grow our faith by using it and by continuing to 'hear' the Word on every area that we need! Romans 10:17:

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

Let's be putting the WORD into practice and put the enemy where he belongs; on the run! AMEN! Here are Hillsong Kids with "As The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really saw a couple of things so clearly from today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan! Psalm 108:1-6:

A song. A Psalm of David.

1 O God, my heart is fixed (steadfast, in the confidence of faith); I will sing, yes, I will sing praises, even with my glory [all the faculties and powers of one created in Your image]! 2 Awake, harp and lyre; I myself will wake very early—I will waken the dawn! 3 I will praise and give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; and I will sing praises unto You among the nations. 4 For Your mercy and loving-kindness are great and high as the heavens! Your truth and faithfulness reach to the skies! 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let Your glory be over all the earth. 6 That Your beloved [followers] may be delivered, save with Your right hand and answer us! [or me]!

Notice the commitment that David had made to the Lord his God! He made this decision himself and committed it to the Lord. He proclaimed that he had fixed his heart on God! THEN he declared 6 things that he was committing to God to do!  To SING TO THE LORD, to SING PRAISES TO THE LORD, to WAKE UP EARLY, to WAKEN THE DAWN (VERY early), to PRAISE and GIVE THANKS, to SING PRAISES AMONG THE NATIONS. In the midst of much trouble, David, because of his commitment to the God of the Bible, could in great confidence make THIS declaration in verse 13: 

13 Through and with God we shall do valiantly, for He it is Who shall tread down our adversaries.

Would YOU like to be able to have all confidence in the protection, provision and safety found in the Lord your God? Then make YOUR OWN commitment to HIM and follow through! This IS the most important commitment that you can ever make! This IS our ONLY Source of supply for every situation and circumstance. Stop putting God in your background and bring HIM front and center in your life! You will be extraordinarily blessed when you see what this will bring! AMEN! The other very vital TRUTH that I saw today is found in Luke 20:1-8:

1 One day as Jesus was instructing the people in the temple [porches] and preaching the good news (the Gospel), the chief priests and the scribes came up with the elders (members of the Sanhedrin) 2 And said to Him, Tell us by what [sort of] authority You are doing these things? Or who is it who gave You this authority? 3 He replied to them, I will also ask you a question. Now answer Me: 4 Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? 5 And they argued and discussed [it] and reasoned together with themselves, saying, If we reply, From heaven, He will say, Why then did you not believe him? 6 But if we answer, From men, all the people will stone us to death, for they are long since firmly convinced that John was a prophet. 7 So they replied that they did not know from where it came. 8 Then Jesus said to them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Notice that JESUS knew who was sincerely following HIM and who was following for some other motive. It has always been my goal to be able to answer people in such a way that the mockers and scorners would be left speechless and the truly searching would find the TRUTH! THIS is THAT! JESUS would have revealed His authority to them, as He did to His close disciples, IF they had been truly sincere. JESUS was NOT, and IS NOT, seeking publicity and crowds, but those hungry, thirsty, and longing for more of HIM! Never lose your first love or your excitement and enthusiasm for the TRUTH. If you ever find yourself NOT excited about hearing the Word, praying, praising and fellowshiping with like-minded believers, get yourself back to where you last were growing and excited and begin again to develop that hunger. HE will meet you SO fast and catch you up SO fast! TRUST HIM! He wants this even more than you do! AMEN! Here is a new and beautiful worship song that a friend shared with me! It's called Throne Room Song!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

All or Nothing?

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment…and plunged into the sea. —John 21:7

Have you ever had a crisis in your life in which you deliberately, earnestly, and recklessly abandoned everything? It is a crisis of the will. You may come to that point many times externally, but it will amount to nothing. The true deep crisis of abandonment, or total surrender, is reached internally, not externally. The giving up of only external things may actually be an indication of your being in total bondage.

Have you deliberately committed your will to Jesus Christ? It is a transaction of the will, not of emotion; any positive emotion that results is simply a superficial blessing arising out of the transaction. If you focus your attention on the emotion, you will never make the transaction. Do not ask God what the transaction is to be, but make the determination to surrender your will regarding whatever you see, whether it is in the shallow or the deep, profound places internally.

If you have heard Jesus Christ’s voice on the waves of the sea, you can let your convictions and your consistency take care of themselves by concentrating on maintaining your intimate relationship to Him.

AMEN! Take heed how and what you allow your ears to HEAR! Your success and prosperity depend on it! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with Voices of Freedom:

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional for today is another very important lesson for every born again believer to know and understand!

The Agent: God

"And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him" (Colossians 2:10,12-13). 

Notice the expression "through the faith of the operation of God." Jesus was quickened (made alive) by the faith of the operation of God - and we were made alive at the same time. It was God who raised Jesus from the dead. It was God who gave Jesus a Name above every name. 

It was God who blotted out "the handwriting of ordinances" against us, took it out of the way, and nailed it to His Cross (Colossians 2:14). It was God who stripped the powers of darkness of their authority and handed it to the Son (Colossians 2:15). And it was God who quickened us "together with Him." 

In the mind of God, legally speaking, it was when Jesus was quickened and made alive, that we were recreated. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:10). This fact of our re-creation becomes a vital reality in our lives when we were individually born again (made new creatures). 

Raised with Christ! Quickened with Him! Seated with Him (Ephesians 2:4-6)! 

Confession: Through the faith of the operation of God, I was quickened together with Christ and was seated with Him in heavenly places. 

Do you see that GOD sees us as recreated from the moment that JESUS was made alive again? When we receive JESUS as Lord and Saviour we are then able to receive and walk in what God has already seen! If you will meditate on these TRUTHS, you will never again doubt your ETERNAL Salvation or the TRUTH that there is NOTHING that can ever separate you from HIM! AMEN! Here are Hillsong Kids with "My Best Friend":

Shalom  in Him!

Shalom,

Today's Psalm 105:1-5 is a great reminder for us to do every single day!

1 O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, make known His doings among the peoples! 2 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; meditate on and talk of all His marvelous deeds and devoutly praise them. 3 Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek and require the Lord [as their indispensable necessity]. 4 Seek, inquire of and for the Lord, and crave Him and His strength (His might and inflexibility to temptation); seek and require His face and His presence [continually] evermore. 5 [Earnestly] remember the marvelous deeds that He has done, His miracles and wonders,

The word "glory" in verse 3 is the Hebrew word "halal", which means: to be clear (of sound of color); to shine; to make a show, to praise, to boast; and thus to be clamorously foolish; to rave; to celebrate; also to 'stultify'. (Stultify means: to cause to look foolish, absurd or ridiculous). Keep in mind that though the world make think we look foolish and ridiculous in praising God, HE sees us as well pleasing to Himself, bringing glory to His Name! THAT is the MOST important thing! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Mighty To Save":

Shalom in Him!