Shalom,

Today we read Psalm 30 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan! This is such a powerful declaration of praise to the One True God! Here is the entire Psalm! USE IT!

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.

When WE praise and worship HIM, in Spirit and in TRUTH, there is NO LIMIT to all that He is then allowed to do for US! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "King of Kings" again because it is SO good!":

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.

The footnote for Psalm 29 on the Bible app I used here says this:

Psalm 29:1 This psalm has been called “The Song of the Thunderstorm,” a glorious psalm of praise sung during an earthshaking tempest which reminds the psalmist of the time of Noah and the deluge (see Psalm 29:10).

So, the next time you experience a thunderstorm, go read this Psalm and be aware of the presence of the Lord and the POWER of His Name and His Presence!!! You can count on Him - ALWAYS! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with a new song called "King of Kings":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share a message that many of us have heard Kenneth E. Hagin share many, many times! From today's "Faith Food" devotional!

A Tender Conscience

"Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron" (1 Timothy 4:2). 

Keep a tender conscience - don't violate it - because it is your conscience, the voice of your spirit, that relates to your mind what the Spirit of God is saying to you down inside. If you don't keep a tender conscience, spiritual things will not be clear to you. 

During the mid-30s, I pastored a country church and usually spent Sunday nights in the home of a dear old gentleman who was about eighty-nine years old. He and I didn't get up as early as the rest of his family on this farm, so we had breakfast together about 8 o'clock. 

He'd have one of those old-fashioned coffee pots sitting on the woodstove with the coffee just boiling in it. I've seen him pour that boiling coffee into a mug, hold it up to his mouth, and drink the whole cup of boiling coffee in one gulp. The first time I saw him do it, I felt like I was burning all the way down! 

How could he do that? I certainly couldn't do it. My mouth and throat are so tender, one teaspoon of boiling coffee would have burned me. He couldn't do it either, to begin with. But through the years, drinking boiling coffee had seared this man's lips, mouth, and throat, until it was easy for him to drink the whole cup of boiling coffee in one gulp. 

The same thing can happen spiritually. Keep a tender conscience. Stop the minute you miss it and your conscience condemns you. Say, "Lord, forgive me. I missed it." Or if you need to, tell someone you have wronged, "I did wrong. Please forgive me." 

Confession: I keep my conscience tender.

AMEN! He is speaking here of being continually aware of ourselves and our mistakes so that we can continually receive the forgiveness and the cleansing from all unrighteousness that results by being DOERS of 1 John 1:9:

9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].

This is vitally important so that we can stay in intimate fellowship with HIM and not lose our boldness in entering into His Presence! But I want to also look at the other side of this 'mountain'! Not only should we keep a clear and free conscience by confessing sin, we should also keep our intimacy and boldness strong in HIM by being instantly obedient when He give us something to do or to say! If we continually hesitate, make excuses or simply ignore when Holy Spirit gives us instructions, then we will begin to lose clarity in hearing Him and lose confidence that we do! The bottom line here is to stay in intimate fellowship with Holy Spirit at all times! We do this BOTH by keeping a clear conscience and by heeding His voice IMMEDIATELY when we hear! Let's make it our goal to get closer and closer in fellowship with HIM every day as we run full steam ahead into His appearing for us and the Rapture of the Church! Let's GO! No time to waste! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "No Reason To Hide":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 27 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today says this in verse 4:

4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for, and [insistently] require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple.

Now THAT is a prayer that is in line with the perfect will of God and therefore will most definitely find it's "YES" answer IN HIM! (1 John 5:14-15) What does the answer to a prayer like this look like? Look at verses 1-3 and 5-6:

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. 

5 For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock. 6 And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me; in His tent I will offer sacrifices and shouting of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

Let's praise Him TODAY for Who He is AND for what He has already done! This will cause the faith within to rise to expect what He's going to do next! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Ready Or Not":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Today's "Grace Inspirations" by Joseph Prince speaks of receiving healing from the Lord through communion! 

THE POWER OF THE BODY AND BLOOD

1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

Some time ago, one of our church members developed deep vein thrombosis (DVT) while on a flight to Israel. As she was disembarking from the plane, she collapsed. She was rushed to the hospital. But on the way there, her heart stopped beating. Apparently, the blood clot in her leg had gone to her heart, causing it to stop beating. The doctors managed to revive her heart after a few attempts, but she remained unconscious.

When I arrived at the hospital with some of my church leaders a few days later, I was told that her condition had worsened. She was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). My leaders and I decided to partake of the Holy Communion in the ICU, proclaiming that Jesus had borne all her diseases, including DVT, and that His blood had already redeemed her from all curses, including diseases and death.

The next day, she regained consciousness! Her recovery was so supernatural that after a week of observation, she was discharged and was soon touring Israel with the next tour group that arrived there.

In another case, a church member’s elderly mother underwent a series of operations and her condition deteriorated to the point where the doctor told the family to prepare for the worst. The family took Holy Communion in the ICU. They even put a small crumb in their mother’s mouth and poured a little grape juice in. On the third day, something miraculous happened—their mother regained consciousness, got well and was discharged not too long after!

You see, each time you eat the bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death for you. You discern that the Lord’s body was broken so that your body can be whole. You discern that His healthy body has borne your diseases and pains, so that your body can be well. So when you eat the bread, you say that by His stripes you are healed. And when you drink the cup, you are drinking the life of Jesus which is in His blood.

Beloved, the life of Jesus is pain-free, disease-free and poverty-free. It attracts the favor and blessings of God. And because you have that life in you, it causes good things to happen to you!

AMEN! Dare to BELIEVE and RECEIVE all that God has for YOU! THEN you are free to minister to others!Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Good Grace":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 25 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today. Verses 1-5 say this:

1 Unto You, O Lord, do I bring my life. 2 O my God, I trust, lean on, rely on, and am confident in You. Let me not be put to shame or [my hope in You] be disappointed; let not my enemies triumph over me. 3 Yes, let none who trust and wait hopefully and look for You be put to shame or be disappointed; let them be ashamed who forsake the right or deal treacherously without cause. 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.

Notice that David, the author of this Psalm is praying this to the Lord. He is committing his life to the Lord and then asking that the promises of the Lord be manifest. Then in verses 4-5 David is asking that the Lord continue to teach and train him in His Word! I have been sharing this for years now as a great way to start any Bible study! Asking the Teacher to teach us His Word! That is most definitely a prayer that  is according to His Word/Will, so it is one that we KNOW He will answer! (See 1 John 5:14-15) Then David makes some powerful declarations concerning the Lord and His Word in these verses:

9 He leads the humble in what is right, and the humble He teaches His way. 10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and steadfast love, even truth and faithfulness are they for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.

12 Who is the man who reverently fears and worships the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way that he should choose. 13 He himself shall dwell at ease, and his offspring shall inherit the land.

14 The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its [deep, inner] meaning.

AMEN! Remember, ALL of the promises of the Lord are YES and AMEN in HIM (2 Corinthians 1:20)! Our Father desires for us ALL to walk in the fullness of His promises! He desires that we ALL walk in the fullness of His LIFE! 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).

You CAN live your BEST LIFE by loving God's Word and DOING it! He is waiting to confirm His Word in your life! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I AM":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Sparkling Gems From The Greek" Volume 2 by Rick Renner is a very important and sobering message to born again believers who desire to walk in the Glory of the Lord!

Always On Guard!

… Abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication….— Acts 15:20

We must never forget that the devil is always on the prowl, waiting for us to drop our guard and fall asleep on the job so he can stealthily find an entrance into our lives. In our moments of lethargy and complacency, we are especially vulnerable. The enemy is constantly poised to exploit any perceivable weakness, and when he makes his move, it is often with devastating consequences. Therefore, we must perpetually remain on guard — diligent, wide-awake, and doing our part to protect ourselves from the evil lurking in the shadows.

Specifically, this means we must be vigilant about not exposing ourselves to environments that have spiritually negative consequences. An integral part of being vigilant is to stay away from places, events, and people that are detrimental to our spiritual lives.

The Bible makes it clear that it is our duty to avoid anything that is opposed to a life of holiness. By doing so, we fulfill our part in protecting ourselves from the evil in the world. This is our responsibility, and God expects us to fulfill it seriously.

Much like today, the early Church was literally surrounded on all sides by things that could easily lure new believers back into a life of sin. Pagan temples were one of the most prominent temptations in New Testament times, since these cult sanctuaries were central to life in the Roman Empire. Essentially functioning as “cultural centers,” temple grounds hosted numerous community events, including festivals, ceremonies, and even open marketplaces. However, these temples were also dark cesspools of demonic activity, idolatry, and fornication, which made it imperative for early believers to stay as far away from them as possible.

In Acts 15, we read that the early Church leadership convened in Jerusalem to discuss what to expect of new converts who abandoned paganism and came to Christ. After much deliberation, the council arrived at a decision, which Peter summarized in Acts 15:19,20: “Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.”

Peter announced new converts should “…abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication….” The word “abstain” in this verse is the Greek word apecho, which means to deliberately withdraw from; to stay away from; to put distance between oneself and something else; or to intentionally refrain. The word “pollutions” is a translation of the Greek word alisgema, which depicts something that is defiled. Part of the activities of idolatry included “fornication.” This is from the Greek word porneia, the Greek word that was used to describe any sexual activity outside the context of God-ordained marriage.

The rites of idolatry were often connected to immoral sexual acts, which God condemned. These rituals were lewd, indecent, obscene, vulgar, degenerate, and profane. Therefore, it was essential for new believers to distance themselves from the environments where these things occurred because it had the power to infect, sicken, and nullify them spiritually. This is exactly where the devil wanted them to be, knowing that if he could get believers into that old environment again, he could possibly drag them back into bondage, dilute their spiritual power, and negatively affect their witness.

You see, most believers had been saved out of that immoral pagan lifestyle, and to return to a blatantly pagan environment for a social event was flirting with temptation. Roaming about a pagan temple with all its spiritually poisonous activities could ultimately bring ruin into their lives. To be in that environment certainly was not being diligent to protect themselves against the evil that is in the world. Early believers needed to stay away from these dark environments at all costs — even if all their friends and neighbors went there. It just wasn’t the place for Christians to be if they intended to remain spiritually free.

The spiritual leadership in Jerusalem made the decision, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that we all need to be careful about the places, events, and people we allow in our lives. Those who belong to Christ do not need to deliberately expose themselves to films that cause temptation, hang out in bars where there is a strong temptation to drink, or spend time with “loose” friends who have adopted a worldly view that Christ opposes.

Is today’s Sparkling Gem a wake-up call for you to be more vigilant about where you go, what you do, and whom you spend time with? If nothing else, let the Holy Spirit speak to you about walking in greater spiritual freedom and holiness.

My friend, there are places, events, and people that are spiritually detrimental to your future. Rather than put yourself in jeopardy by allowing these things in your life, it is safer to put distance between them and yourself.

Since the devil is on the prowl, it is essential always to remain on guard — diligent, wide-awake, and doing our part to protect ourselves from the evil that is in the world. This means putting distance between ourselves and any individual, activity, or atmosphere that could contribute to our spiritual demise.

So I ask you today — are you sensibly putting space between yourself and detrimental places, events, and people that aren’t healthy for you? That was God’s requirement 2,000 years ago — and it is still what the Holy Spirit requires of you today!

AMEN! Each one of us who came out of the world, especially those not raised in a Christian home, must learn from the Word of God and by the Spirit of God just how to conduct ourselves and our lives to glorify JESUS! Remember, there IS no NO condemnation to those who are IN CHRIST (born again), but we can affect out lives here on earth either positively by thinking, speaking and acting in a Godly way, or we can look, act and sound exactly like the world around us. THAT my not keep you out of heaven if you truly received JESUS as Lord and Saviour, BUT, it will definitely affect THIS life AND our rewards in Heaven! Let's be about our Father's business and let's do it righteously, bringing glory to His name! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "As You Find Me":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is another great lesson on hearing from God! 

Number Two: The Inward Voice

"I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 9:1). 

The number one way the Holy Spirit guides us is through the inward witness. The number two way is through the inward voice. 

The inward man has a voice just as the outward man has a voice. We call the voice of the inward man "conscience." Sometimes it is also called intuition, inner guidance, or "the still, small voice." 

It is not the voice of the Spirit of God speaking to us, because when the Holy Spirit speaks, His voice is more authoritative. The still, small voice is the voice of our own spirit. Yet our spirit picks it up from the Holy Spirit who lives inside us. 

For example, I relate in the devotion of July 19 how a "buzzer" seemed to go off inside me as I stepped inside that building that was for sale in Tulsa. I knew on the inside - This is it! But I didn't want to listen. When my wife asked about it later, I said, "No, we'll just stay where we are." But when we went to bed that night, I couldn't get to sleep. My conscience was hurting. My spirit knew I hadn't listened to it. 

So I said, "Lord, in the natural, I don't want to move to Tulsa. But if that's what You want, I won't stand in Your way." Suddenly, on the inside of me, that still, small voice said, "I'm going to give you that building. You watch Me." And God did just that! 

Confession: I listen to the voice of my spirit. And I obey it! 

AMEN! God will ALWAYS have your best interests at heart, so TRUST HIM! Here is Hillsong with "I Surrender":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 22 is called "The Psalm of the Cross"! It is all about JESUS and what HE has done for US! 

To the Chief Musician; set to [the tune of] Aijeleth Hashshahar [the hind of the morning dawn]. A Psalm of David.

1 My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but You answer not; and by night I am not silent or find no rest. 3 But You are holy, O You Who dwell in [the holy place where] the praises of Israel [are offered]. 4 Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted (leaned on, relied on You, and were confident) and You delivered them. 5 They cried to You and were delivered; they trusted in, leaned on, andconfidently relied on You, and were not ashamed or confounded ordisappointed. 6 But I am a worm, and no man; I am the scorn of men, and despised by the people. 7 All who see me laugh at me and mock me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8 He trusted and rolled himself on the Lord, that He would deliver him. Let Him deliver him, seeing that He delights in him! 9 Yet You are He Who took me out of the womb; You made me hope and trust when I was on my mother’s breasts. 10 I was cast upon You from my very birth; from my mother’s womb You have been my God. 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is none to help. 12 Many [foes like] bulls have surrounded me; strong bulls of Bashan have hedged me in. 13 Against me they opened their mouths wide, like a ravening and roaring lion. 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). ) 19 But be not far from me, O Lord; O my Help, hasten to aid me! 20 Deliver my life from the sword, my dear life [my only one] from the power of the dog [the agent of execution]. 21 Save me from the lion’s mouth; for You have answered me [kindly] from the horns of the wild oxen. 22 I will declare Your name to my brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I praise You. 23 You who fear (revere and worship) the Lord, praise Him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify Him. Fear (revere and worship) Him, all you offspring of Israel. 24 For He has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither has He hidden His face from him, but when he cried to Him, He heard. 25 My praise shall be of You in the great congregation. I will pay to Him my vows [made in the time of trouble] before them who fear (revere and worship) Him. 26 The poor and afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; they shall praise the Lord—they who [diligently] seek for, inquire of and for Him, and require Him [as their greatest need]. May your hearts be quickened now and forever! 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]!

I encourage you to go over and over Psalm 22 today. Read it in other translations and speak of it to others. The more that THIS Truth takes up residence in YOUR understanding, the more powerfully and patiently you will be able to stand strong as a DOER of the Word of the Living God! Therein lies the answer to every prayer, the Wisdom for every decision and the direction toward success in every area of your life! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Whole Heart":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers sounds extremely hard to do, BUT, when we read this in the knowledgeable light of our New Covenant with God, we find a TRUTH that causes it all to make sense! 

Sanctification

This is the will of God, your sanctification… — 1 Thessalonians 4:3

The Death Side. In sanctification God has to deal with us on the death side as well as on the life side. Sanctification requires our coming to the place of death, but many of us spend so much time there that we become morbid. There is always a tremendous battle before sanctification is realized— something within us pushing with resentment against the demands of Christ. When the Holy Spirit begins to show us what sanctification means, the struggle starts immediately. Jesus said, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate…his own life…he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26).

In the process of sanctification, the Spirit of God will strip me down until there is nothing left but myself, and that is the place of death. Am I willing to be myself and nothing more? Am I willing to have no friends, no father, no brother, and no self-interest— simply to be ready for death? That is the condition required for sanctification. No wonder Jesus said, “I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). This is where the battle comes, and where so many of us falter. We refuse to be identified with the death of Jesus Christ on this point. We say, “But this is so strict. Surely He does not require that of me.” Our Lord is strict, and He does require that of us.

Am I willing to reduce myself down to simply “me”? Am I determined enough to strip myself of all that my friends think of me, and all that I think of myself? Am I willing and determined to hand over my simple naked self to God? Once I am, He will immediately sanctify me completely, and my life will be free from being determined and persistent toward anything except God (see 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

When I pray, “Lord, show me what sanctification means for me,” He will show me. It means being made one with Jesus. Sanctification is not something Jesus puts in me— it is Himself in me (see 1 Corinthians 1:30).

The New Birth that comes at the very moment when we receive JESUS as our Lord and personal Saviour, is instantaneous! Receiving our resurrection bodies at the appearing of JESUS for the church will be instantaneous! Sanctification, however, is NOT! Sanctification happens in our souls daily as we continue in prayer, praise & worship, study & meditation of the Word of God and in intimate fellowship with HIM! it DOES require the 'dying' to our own selfish plans and purposes and a readiness to be DOERS of the instructions that we receive from the Word of God and the Spirit of God Who lives IN us! One very important TRUTH to remember as you grow up daily IN HIM is that we can NEVER out give God! If He calls us to do something that seems hard at the moment, the rewards of obedience will be far beyond all that we can even imagine! Let's learn to REALLY trust HIM and surrender ALL to His perfect will! Blessings await and abound! Are you READY? Here is Hillsong UNITED asking that very same questions!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's daily devotional from Andrew Womack says this:

Who Is Saved?

Luke 13:23-24 'Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.'

Jesus said that many will seek to enter salvation and will not be able to. There are many reasons for this, but it is not because God refused salvation to anyone. 'The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men . . .' (Timothy 2:11) and God 'is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance' (2 Peter 3:9).

There is effort involved in obtaining salvation. The effort is not for the purpose of earning salvation. That is a free gift (Romans 5:15); but we do have to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12). Faith in Jesus' goodness is what saves us - not our own goodness - and Satan is constantly trying to destroy our faith. We have to earnestly contend for the faith. True salvation is not just mental assent, but a real heart-felt commitment.

Many people today think that going to church and associating with Christians will provide them with salvation. Some people think that they are Christians because their parents were. But salvation is having a personal relationship with the Lord. You cannot inherit salvation through the natural birth process. 'You must be born again.'

We can rest assured that all those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled (Matthew 5:6). 'Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

So many people are STILL 'seeking' to find a way to be pleasing to God BEFORE they ever receive JESUS as Lord and Saviour! That is NOT possible! Receiving JESUS as Lord and Saviour is the very first step in becoming a member of God's family and in learning to please the Lord! Being FILLED with Holy Spirit to overflowing is the next step! I encourage each of you to find what God has called YOU to do, and then go DO IT! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I AM!":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I love today's "Faith To Faith" devotional by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland!

Give More—Not Less

There is that scatters, and yet increases; and there is that withholds more than is meet, but it tends to poverty. Proverbs 11:24

When money gets tight, it's always a temptation to cut down on your giving. After all, it seems like the logical thing to do. Don't do it! You'll end up cutting off the flow of God's financial blessings just when you need them most.

I faced that kind of situation just a few years ago. This ministry had fallen behind financially—$1 million to be exact. Gloria and I had been living by faith for 20 years at that time. We knew firsthand that God would meet our needs—"according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). We'd seen God prove that over and over again, not only in our personal lives but in the life of our ministry as well.

Yet this particular time, all the prayers and the faith that had brought us victory before just didn't seem to get the job done. In fact, as time went on, the situation grew worse instead of better.

By the end of the year our deficit had grown to be $1 million.

Frustrated and weary, I finally went to God one day and laid the situation out before Him. "Lord," I said, "You see the condition of this ministry. I need $1 million just to break even."

"Oh no, you don't!" the Lord replied.

I could hardly believe it. How could He possibly be telling me that I didn't need $1 million? Hadn't He looked at the books? Hadn't He talked to my accountant? I was stumped. All I could figure was that I'd misunderstood something. So I went through it all again.

Again He said, Oh no, you don't.

Despite my initial confusion, as I kept asking and listening, I began to understand what the Lord was telling me. He was saying that the red ink on the books wasn't the only thing wrong. There was a bigger problem behind it.

Then He showed me what I needed to do was to start giving 10 percent of the ministry's income into ministering to the poor.

To the natural mind that looked like no solution at all. How do you solve a deficit by giving away what money you've got? But when I applied that solution, the $1 million deficit began to disappear.

Remember that next time the devil tries to put the squeeze on you. Break his hold on your finances by giving more instead of less. It won't be long until the prosperity of God is poured out on you!

AMEN!  God ALWAYS has our best interests in mind! Be ever ready to study, learn and obey God's Word and you will find yourself blessed beyond measure! Here is Hillsong with "Not Today":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Andrew Womack's devotional for today says this:

God's Great Love For Us

John 10:25 'Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.'

There were many ways in which Jesus already revealed who He was. His miraculous works certainly revealed who He was. Jesus had also clearly revealed that He was the Christ, both in the synagogue at His hometown of Nazareth, and when speaking to the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well.

Jesus, in His pre-existent state, was in the form of God. 'In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God' (John 1:1).

Jesus was God, manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16). However, Jesus did not demand or cling to His rights as God, but laid aside His Divine rights and privileges in order to take the form of a servant and be made in the likeness of men. He further humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the Father, even to the point of death.

This was the supreme sacrifice that identified Jesus totally with humanity and enabled God to redeem mankind. By dying a criminal's death upon the cross, Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy in Deuteronomy 21:23 and bore our curse in His own body. This redeemed us from that curse and opened wide God's blessing of justification through faith in Christ and the promise of His Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:13-14).

Jesus left His state of being recognized and worshipped by all the hosts of heaven as the Supreme God to become a man who was despised and rejected. The Creator became the creation; the Lord became the servant; the Highest became the lowest. All of this was done because of God's great love for us.

There IS no greater LOVE than THIS! NO ONE will ever love you more than JESUS DOES! And HE will NEVER love you less! Here is Chris Tomlin with "Our God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers contains so much vital TRUTH!

The Mystery Of Believing

And he said, Who art Thou, Lord? — Acts 9:5

By the miracle of Redemption Saul of Tarsus was turned in one second from a strong-willed, intense Pharisee into a humble, devoted slave of the Lord Jesus.

There is nothing miraculous about the things we can explain. We command what we are able to explain, consequently it is natural to seek to explain. It is not natural to obey; nor is it necessarily sinful to disobey. There is no moral virtue in obedience unless there is a recognition of a higher authority in the one who dictates. It is possibly an emancipation to the other person if he does not obey. If one man says to another — “You must,” and “You shall,” he breaks the human spirit and unfits it for God. A man is a slave for obeying unless behind his obedience there is a recognition of a holy God. Many a soul begins to come to God when he flings off being religious, because there is only one Master of the human heart, and that is not religion but Jesus Christ. But woe be to me if when I see Him I say — “I will not.” He will never insist that I do, but I have begun to sign the death warrant of the Son of God in my soul. When I stand face to face with Jesus Christ and say — “I will not,” He will never insist; but I am backing away from the re-creating power of His Redemption. It is a matter of indifference to God’s grace how abominable I am if I come to the light; but woe be to me if I refuse the light (see John 3:19-21).

RELIGION has held people captive in unbelief and fear for centuries! There is NO reward for obedience to religious edicts, laws, rules and regulations!  Rewards are ONLY promised to those who will draw near to the One, True God and to obey His Word! God is not interested in anything but your heart! When we love the Lord our God first of all, then others as HE has loved us, then we are in obedience to God and HE will reward us accordingly! AMEN! Psalm 17:15 from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today goes very well with this lesson today! THIS is MY desire, ALWAYS! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Whole Heart":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's "Faith To Faith" devotional for today! It is SO good! 

Make Hell Tremble

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8

Is the devil giving you fits today? Is he causing trouble for you at every turn?

If so, turn the table on him. Start making him miserable for a change. You have the power to do it, you know. You have the power residing in you to destroy his works, to heal, to deliver, to set the captives free. You have so much power in you that every time your alarm clock goes off, the devil should wail, "Oh no! That troublemaker is up again!"

A few years ago, I got a letter from a little girl who had attended one of my healing services in Los Angeles. Although she was far too young to understand theology or anything like that, the Lord gave her a very simple and profound revelation as she watched people being healed.

She said that as she looked up at the platform, she couldn't see me at all. She just saw Jesus. And she also saw a devil. Do you know what the devil was doing? He was lying on the floor crying, "This can't be! This can't be! This can't be!"

Right now, at this very moment, the power of the Lord Jesus Christ is at work within you. And it's not just there to get you to heaven someday. It's there so you can give the devil a fit right here on earth. It's there so you can build the kingdom of God now—while there's still time.

Line up with God's Word and will for your life. Let the Anointing of Jesus go forth from within you. All of hell will tremble. And you will never be quite the same again.

AMEN! If we had any idea at all of the scope and magnitude of the Life and Power of God that lives within us as born again believers, we would NEVER have a discouraging moment again! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with our ANTHEM! "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers should be a 'must read' for everyone entering the ministry! 

The Miracle Of Belief

My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words. — 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Paul was a scholar and an orator of the first rank; he is not speaking out of abject humility; but saying that he would veil the power of God if, when he preached the gospel, he impressed people with his “excellency of speech.” Belief in Jesus is a miracle produced only by the efficacy of Redemption, not by impressiveness of speech, not by wooing and winning, but by the sheer unaided power of God. The creative power of the Redemption comes through the preaching of the Gospel, but never because of the personality of the preacher. The real fasting of the preacher is not from food, but rather from eloquence, from impressiveness and exquisite diction, from everything that might hinder the gospel of God being presented. The preacher is there as the representative of God — “as though God did beseech you by us.” He is there to present the Gospel of God. If it is only because of my preaching that people desire to be better, they will never get anywhere near Jesus Christ. Anything that flatters me in my preaching of the Gospel will end in making me a traitor to Jesus; I prevent the creative power of His Redemption from doing its work.

“I, if I be lifted up…, will draw all men unto Me.”

God's Word and the Anointing of Holy Spirit is what makes believers our of unbelievers! NOT fancy words or passionate preaching! Holy Spirit woos and draws the lost to a willing 'vessel' who will simply share the Good News of the Gospel and then allow and EXPECT Holy Spirit to confirm the Word with signs, wonders and miracles! OUR part is the VESSEL and HIS part is the POWER! Let's play our parts and fully expect GOD to do HIS! AMEN! Her is Hillsong UNITED with "Whole Heart":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I was really blessed today by Joseph Prince's "Grace Inspirations"!

CHRIST, THE POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD

1 Corinthians 1:24 ....to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

People today run after two things: miraculous signs and wonders, and knowledge. It was no different in Bible times. The apostle Paul acknowledged that “Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:22).

So when Paul preached Christ crucified as God’s solution to them, the message was “to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:23). They didn’t understand how getting a revelation of Jesus and His death could give them the miracles they needed or the wisdom they wanted.

Beloved, we don’t have to run after miracles or wisdom today. We just need to run after Jesus because He is “the power of God and the wisdom of God.” The more we know Christ and Christ crucified, the more we will have the power and wisdom of God.

Several church members have shared how they have seen the power of God blast financial debts out of their lives. Not knowing what to do about their debts, they looked to the Lord to deliver them. And the Lord was able to do so mightily because He is indeed the power of God.

So if you are facing a financial debt, Christ has the power to remove the debt. And because He is also the wisdom of God, He will show you where you went wrong and teach you how to stay out of debt!

Let me give you another illustration. Let’s say a man, whose wife has left him, looks to Jesus to bring his wife back. Christ, the power of God, brings about a miraculous restoration of their marriage. But it is Christ, the wisdom of God, who will teach the husband how to keep his wife by showing him what he had done wrong and what to do to strengthen the marriage. If the husband does not have this wisdom, it will only be a matter of time before the same problems surface and his wife leaves him again.

My friend, Christ is both the power and wisdom of God to us. As the power of God, He removes obstacles in our paths. As the wisdom of God, He continually directs our paths!

AMEN! God's promise to us in John 10:10 is this:

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).

COUNT on Him! LOOK to Him! EXPECT Him to confirm His Word in YOUR life! Signs, wonders and miracles await us! Let's GO! Her is Hillsong UNITED with "Echoes (Till We See The Other Side)":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Jerry Savelle's devotional!

SET YOUR EXPECTATIONS HIGH

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23: 5-6 NKJV).

God wants you to set your expectations in Him as high as you possibly can. He wants to do things in your life that are so extraordinary that some people are not going to believe it. Extraordinary means “remarkable, uncommon and rare.” If you will stand in faith for the extraordinary to come to pass, then the extraordinary will become the norm in your life.

God is good, and He is continually looking for opportunities to express His goodness in your life. It is up to you to position yourself to receive this goodness. The way you do this is by eliminating any wrong thinking that you may have allowed into your life.

Don’t allow yourself to doubt God’s goodness or His love for you.
Don’t question God’s desire to give you good things that you think you don’t deserve.
Don’t limit God by expecting so little from Him.

If you limit God to conventional or usual methods of provision, you will not be in a position to receive from unusual sources. God wants to bless you in ways that are remarkable, uncommon, and rare.

If you don’t expect the extraordinary to happen, your life will remain as it is. However, if you expect God’s goodness and mercy to follow you every day of your life, you will start to see a positive change in your circumstances.

So dare to set your expectations high and see the extraordinary things God will do when you put your faith in Him.

Confession: I choose today to set my expectations solely in God. I refuse to doubt, question, or limit God with small thinking. Instead, I expect the extraordinary to be a normal part of my life.

AMEN! Expect the extraordinary! Expect the Glory of God revealed! Expect the UNEXPECTED! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Shadow Step":

Shalom in Him!