Shalom,

We read Luke 12 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today. I LOVE the promise of verses 31-32:

31 Only aim at and strive for and seek His kingdom, and all these things shall be supplied to you also. 32 Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom!

Seek HIM first and HE will lead and guide and direct you along the path of BLESSING and ABUNDANCE in your life! Why? Because it brings HIM "good pleasure"! AMEN! Also, Psalm 91 in our Bible Plan for today is a powerful promise for the protection of God! 

Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. 2 I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust! 3 For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 4 [Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you. 8 Only a spectator shall you be [yourself inaccessible in the secret place of the Most High] as you witness the reward of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, 10 There shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your tent. 11 For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service]. 12 They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the serpent shall you trample underfoot. 14 Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness—trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no, never]. 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation.

AMEN! Make YOUR confession of Psalm 91 promises over your life and the lives of your family! God will confirm His Word! Mark 16:20 tells us so!

20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied [it]. Amen (so be it).

TRUST Him to do the same for YOU! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Another In The Fire":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Jerry Savelle's website devotional again.

He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Psalm 91:11 and Matthew 28:20 NKJV)

Your faith is the spiritual force that activates the supernatural protection that is yours in Christ. As a child of God, you have your Father’s promised presence and protection.

The only thing that can undermine your faith is fear, which can be described as “faith in the devil.” The devil has always tempted believers to fear, because fear gives him an open door into their lives and circumstances. That’s why, before Joshua went in to possess the Promised Land, God said, “I will not fail you or forsake you. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:5, 9 AMP).

Joshua could only take the Promised Land by refusing to fear, and to believe instead that he had the supernatural protection of His God, who would never fail or forsake him.

God has a plan and a purpose for your life. He has a land for you to take, a mission for you to accomplish. His promise is that He will be with you every step of the way to see you to your promised land.

You can rest secure in this promise of supernatural protection knowing that He is with you always—even to the end of the world.

Confession: I refuse to allow the devil to tempt me into fear about my present or future situations. God has a plan for me, and a promised land for me. God is with me every step of the way, providing His supernatural protection now and throughout the entire length of my days.

AMEN! God's plans for us are from before the foundation of the world and they are ALL and ONLY GOOD and FOR our good! Jeremiah 29:11 says this:

11 For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

We can TRUST Him! No one loves us more! Here is Hillsong with "King of Kings":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His  Highest" by Oswald Chambers is another great gauge of our spirituall maturity!

The “Go” Of Unconditional Identification

One thing thou lackest:…come, take up the cross, and follow Me. — Mark 10:21

The rich young ruler had the master passion to be perfect. When he saw Jesus Christ, he wanted to be like Him. Our Lord never puts personal holiness to the fore when He calls a disciple; He puts absolute annihilation of my right to myself and identification with Himself — a relationship with Himself in which there is no other relationship. Luke 14:26 has nothing to do with salvation or sanctification, but with unconditional identification with Jesus Christ. Very few of us know the absolute “go” of abandonment to Jesus.

“Then Jesus beholding him loved him.” The look of Jesus will mean a heart broken for ever from allegiance to any other person or thing. Has Jesus ever looked at you? The look of Jesus transforms and transfixes. Where you are “soft” with God is where the Lord has looked at you. If you are hard and vindictive, insistent on your own way, certain that the other person is more likely to be in the wrong than you are, it is an indication that there are whole tracts of your nature that have never been transformed by His gaze.

“One thing thou lackest…” The only “good thing” from Jesus Christ’s point of view is union with Himself and nothing in between.

“Sell whatsoever thou hast…” I must reduce myself until I am a mere conscious man, I must fundamentally renounce possessions of all kinds, not to save my soul (only one thing saves a man — absolute reliance upon Jesus Christ), but in order to follow Jesus. “Come, and follow Me.” And the road is the way He went.

One thing I DO want to point out here, though, is that when JESUS told the rich, young ruler to "sell what you have and give to the poor", He did NOT say to sell what he had and give it ALL to the poor! JESUS was merely telling the young man to 'liquidate his assets' so that he would be free of the world and the hindrances that come from too clos an association with it. JESUS Himself had a treasurer because HE was involved in giving to the poor, supporting those whom He sent out to minister and was responsbile for the support of HIS 'support team'! This rich, young ruler could have had his own part of this wonderful of ministry of GIVING! If only he had possessed his riches without those riches possessing him! He COULD have been the greatest success story by becoming a giver! You and I can still, today, choose to BE a GIVER and reap the rewards of that! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "GO":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Jerry Savelle's devotional for today is a great lesson in NEVER giving up or quitting!

FROM DISASTER TO VICTORY

But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. (Genesis 50:20 NKJV)

If you knew beyond a shadow of doubt your present adversity was going to turn into a glorious victory, would you give up and quit?

In the hands of God, the very thing that may look like a total disaster today can turn into a wonderful victory tomorrow. He can turn your tears of sorrow into tears of joy. And even while you are under attack, you can have joy in your heart and laugh at the devil because you know you already have the victory and will come out stronger in the end.

Joseph was a man who went through decades of adversity and unimaginable loss. But he held fast to a vision God had given him as a young man. In the end, Joseph saw that vision come to pass as he was put in charge of a nation.

I don’t know what trial you may be going through today, but if you will exercise your faith and allow patience to have her perfect work, you will experience the Lord’s compassion and mercy. In the natural, you may be facing a disaster. But God can use the very situation the devil has brought against you and turn it into the greatest blessing you have ever experienced.

Choose to continue standing in faith. You have everything to gain by standing, and everything to lose by quitting. Don’t give up. Don’t quit believing the Word. God’s Word will bring you from disaster to victory.

Confession: I believe God will turn every adversity and disaster in my life around for my good. I will stand in faith and trust God to bring me from disaster to victory.

AMEN! Quitting will NEVER be the right answer! Our God is ALWAYS in the VICTORY business! Let's continue to reach for the prize and give God the GLORY! AMEN! Here is Hillsong KIDS with "I Give You My Hallelujah":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share a very important message that Rick Renner covers beautifully in his "Sparkling Gems From The Greek Volume 2".

Last Days Deception

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. — 2 Timothy 4:3,4

Today I’d like to talk to you about what the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy right after exhorting him to stay by his post, regardless of the external pressures that would try to bump him off course. There is a strategic sequence to Paul’s words that apply specifically to the believers of this generation.

Paul went on to describe the unique challenge that believers would face as a last-days deception occurs inside the Church. He wrote that at the end of the age — in the period just before Jesus returns — large numbers of people in the Body of Christ would be led astray.

Remember — the Holy Spirit didn’t tell us this to scare us, but rather to prepare us so we would not succumb to these devil-inspired tactics to affect the Church in the very last of the last days. That makes the message of these verses particularly significant for those of us born into this present-day generation of the Church.

Paul wrote, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3,4). The word “time” in verse 3 was translated from the Greek word kairos, which depicts a specific season. Paul said, “This specific season shall come.” The tense is futuristic, pointing to a season in the future, or to events that will occur in the very last part of the last days.

In this end-times season, the Holy Spirit said increasing numbers of people in the Christian community “…will not endure sound doctrine…” (verse 3). Even now, this is taking place as many are gravitating toward teaching and preaching that is more motivational and psychological than Bible-based.

The Holy Spirit doesn’t indicate how many will be pulled in this wrong direction, but the word “they” in the Greek language implies large numbers of people. According to Paul’s prophetic utterance, a portion of the last-days Christian community will simply no longer endure the sound teaching of Scripture. In fact, the word “endure” is the Greek word anecho, which denotes no ability to put up with or to have no tolerance for.

The words “sound doctrine” in Second Timothy 4:3 are very telling. The Greek word for “sound” is hugiaino, and it indicates something that is wholesome and healthy and that produces a healthy state of being. The word “doctrine” refers to the long-held teachings and tenets of the Christian faith.

Thus, the Holy Spirit foretold of a specific end-time season when a segment of the Christian community would not only lose their appetite for sound doctrine, but they would also actually develop a distaste for it. Instead, they would acquire a distinct taste for doctrine that is unwholesome, preferring a self-help style of teaching over the teaching of sound doctrine.

In Second Timothy 4:3, Paul forecasted a moment when large numbers of people will no longer have a stomach for sound doctrine. Instead, “…after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears….” The word “lusts” describes desires or whims. In other words, this part of the verse could be translated, “But after their own desires shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.”

Paul unequivocally stated that a generation will arise in the very last days that will reject age-tested truth in favor of teaching that is more in step with the times. According to the Holy Spirit, teachers will appear on the scene in a specific kairos season to satisfy the hankerings of a generation that adheres to the world’s progressive approach. What these spiritual leaders teach will appeal to people’s emotions and intellect instead of to the deepest part of their being where actual transformation takes place. Because these teachers will speak what the crowds want to hear, they will enjoy great popularity among this audience of listeners.

In Second Timothy 4:3, Paul went on to say that this last-days generation will “heap” to themselves such teachers. The word “heap” is the future active indicative tense of the Greek word episoreuo, which points to piles of “teachers” who will appease an end-time audience with messages to suit them and the whims of the times.

Paul said that these teachers will satisfy the “itching ears” of the people. The words “itching ears” is used figuratively to depict a person (or a crowd of people) who wants to hear something new as compared to what he has already heard and known. Having his “ears” filled with some- thing he wants to be told is the only thing that relieves this “itching-ear” syndrome.

As a result of this strange period that will develop in the last part of the last days, Paul said many “…shall turn their ears away from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:4). This “turning away from the truth” is the rejecting of absolute biblical truth — the time-tested interpretation of the Word of God.

Is it possible we are currently witnessing this turning away from truth that the Holy Spirit predicted nearly 2,000 years ago? Are we seeing in our own day an accommodating attitude toward the world that produces a brand of Christianity that melds into the environment around it?

Paul wrote that an erring end-time group would discard fixed truth and replace it with “fables” — the Greek word for fantasies. By using the word “fables,” Paul inferred that what this group of last-days orators taught would resemble fantasy. These teachers would substitute “fables” for the authentic teaching of the Bible that calls for repentance from sin and a change of behavior that is befitting God’s Word.

The craving and demand for these fanciful messages by those with “itching ears” will produce large numbers of newly fashioned teachers with restyled messages. The mixture of truth and falsehood these teachers deliver will eventually lead a large segment of people into a distorted perception of who the Christ of Christianity really is.

You might say, “Brother Rick, that sounds like a lot of really bad news.” But I need to tell you that in the haze of this deception that Paul prophesied about, another group of spiritual leaders will arise. Paul wrote about these leaders, calling them “…blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).

Since there also will be a group of believers emerging who will hold to the ageless Word of Truth and proclaim its timeless teaching, let’s make sure that is the group to which we belong! In spite of the difficulties these men and women may endure for proclaiming the Bible as utter truth, they will nevertheless stand firm, their feet solidly planted on the integrity of God’s Word.

That, my friend, is the group you want to be a part of in these end times!

As I said at the beginning of today’s Sparkling Gem, Paul forecasted that a time would come when a deception would occur inside the Church — in the period just before Jesus comes. Again, the Holy Spirit did not tell us this to scare us — but to prepare us, lest we fall into this trap ourselves. It is time for us to dig our heels deep into the truth of God’s Word, refuse to budge from its life-transforming truths, and do all we can to teach and proclaim it to those around us!

This is SO true of the days in which WE are living! Stay steady and diligent with the Word of God and in intimate fellowship with the Spirit of God and you will be able to easily recognize the tricks, schemes and strategies of the enemy! Now is OUR time to shine with HIS glory, drawing people to HIM and the TRUTH! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Look To The Son":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share another "Gace Inspirations" by Joseph Prince:

LET THE LORD BE YOUR DEFENSE

Psalm 94:22 But the Lord has been my defense, and my God the rock of my refuge.

Imagine being a poor widow, a stranger in the land and holding one of the lowliest jobs in society. That was Ruth’s situation, so it would have been easy for her to feel vulnerable and defenseless. But because she trusted the Lord (see Ruth 1:16), He placed her under Boaz’s protection.

Boaz, the owner of the field she worked in, commanded his young men saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her” (see Ruth 2:15). What he was saying to his men was this: “She might be a gleaner, but because I care for her, treat her with respect and make sure she is not put to shame.”

Boaz is a picture of our Lord Jesus. If you are feeling vulnerable and defenseless right now, imagine Jesus commanding His angels, “Watch over this one who belongs to Me. Make sure he is treated with respect and not put to shame because he is someone I love and someone whom I died for.”

God’s Word tells us that if God is for us, who can be against us? (see Romans 8:31). No one who has set himself against us can prevail because when God is for us, His protection is upon us. That is why I have never answered any of the poison email messages which I have received in the course of my ministry.

My attitude is this: Jesus is my defense. If He does not defend me, it means that there are things in my life that are not to be defended, and I would be glad to find out about them now rather than later. On the other hand, because I take the Lord as my defense, and He defends me, what can those who are against me do to me?

When you defend yourself, you have only your two hands and your own human resources. But when you let Jesus take up your defense, He defends you with His nail-pierced hands and His legions of angels! The results will be amazing.

Beloved, the Lord is your defense and refuge. Trust Him to defend and provide for you!

AMEN! NO ONE can protect us better than JESUS! TRUST HIM! Here is Hillsong with "This Is Our God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Grace Inspirations" by Joseph Prince contains TRUTH that many believers simply do not understand! 

A GREATER BLESSING IS IN STORE FOR YOU

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Whenever the devil throws something at us, we need not lose hope. In fact, we can be sure that God will turn it around for our greater blessing because He is for us.

When God first made man, He gave man dominion over everything on earth. (Genesis 1:26) But when Adam fell, sin and death entered the world, and man lost his authority to the devil.

So did the devil win? No, God executed His redemption plan by sending His Son Jesus to die for us. And He wants us to know that Jesus’ death did more than just restore us to the same position that Adam had—it placed us in a much higher position!

When the Father raised Jesus from the dead, we who are in Christ were raised with Him. In other words, we are now seated with Him at God’s right hand in the heavenly places, “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come”! (Ephesians 1:21) Adam never had this position. So through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we have received so much more.

In the Old Testament, we read of how God brought the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt into a land flowing with milk and honey. The devil thought that he could foil God’s plan by putting giants in the promised land to stop the Israelites from inheriting it. But God outsmarted the devil. He allowed the giants to build their homes and cities, dig wells and cultivate crops until the right time came. Then, He brought the Israelites into the land and evicted the giants!

So the Israelites ended up inheriting large beautiful cities which they did not build, houses full of all good things which they did not fill, hewn-out wells which they did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees which they did not plant! (Deuteronomy 6:10–11) Although the devil tried to prevent God’s plan for His people from coming to pass, they ended up receiving so much more!

Beloved, the devil may throw obstacles and evil circumstances at you, but God will turn those evil schemes around for your greater blessing because He is for you!

Meditate on YOUR position as a born again believer and dare to believe that you ARE who GOD says you are, HAVE what God says you have and CAN DO what God says you can do! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 84 today through our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Look at verse 4:

4 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence; they will be singing Your praises all the day long. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

This Old Covenant declaration is good, but under our new and better Covenant, this is SO exciting! Why? Because we are no longer simply dwelling IN the house of God, we ARE the house of God! We are HIS dwelling place on the earth! Look at 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:

19 Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, 20 You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.

AMEN! Under our New Covenant, we are, of ALL people, MOST BLESSED! Now, look at Psalm 84:10-12:

10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand [anywhere else]; I would rather be a doorkeeper and stand at the threshold in the house of my God than to dwell [at ease] in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield; the Lord bestows [present] grace and favor and [future] glory (honor, splendor, and heavenly bliss)! No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts in You [leaning and believing on You, committing all and confidently looking to You, and that without fear or misgiving]!

Because we are SO blessed, we are also much more responsible to share the Word of God with others so that they, too, can have WHO we have in us! There has NEVER been such a glorious time to be alive anf serving the One, True, Most High, Living, ALmighty God of the Bible! Let's continue to BE the LIGHT inour individual worlds! Here is Hillsong Kids with "As The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I have always liked Hosea 6:3 from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today! Here it is from the KJV:

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.

And then from the Amplified Bible:

3 Yes, let us know (recognize, be acquainted with, and understand) Him; let us be zealous to know the Lord [to appreciate, give heed to, and cherish Him]. His going forth is prepared and certain as the dawn, and He will come to us as the [heavy] rain, as the latter rain that waters the earth.

I LOVE that we are promised in the Word of God that we CAN know Him! He desires for us to know  Him! He reveals Himself to us all through the Word of  God, and Holy Spirit teaches us and makes Him known intimately! Make it YOUR 'determined purpose' (Philippians 3:10 AMPC) to REALLY know the Lord! Remember that "the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits" (Daniel 11:32). 

AMEN! So, let's GO and fulfill HIS will ands plan and purpose for our lives! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "GO":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

BELIEVE THAT GOD IS YOUR REWARDER

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Most people quote only the first part of Hebrews 11:6—“without faith it is impossible to please Him.” Yet, it goes on to say, “for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” In other words, the faith that pleases God is the kind of faith that believes that God exists and that He is a rewarder.

The Bible also says that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). So even in times of difficulty, when we don’t see good things happening in our circumstances, we are to believe that God will turn things around and reward us.

God turned things around for Ruth, the Moabite widow, when she believed the Lord and made Him her God (see Ruth 1:16). The Bible tells us that she was given a “full reward” by the Lord when she came under His wings for refuge (see Ruth 2:12). Not only did He give her protection, He also gave her abundant provision, exceeding favor and a glorious redemption (see Ruth 2:9–17, 3:11, 4:10–13).

When Rahab, the harlot of Jericho, heard reports of how the Lord had opened up the Red Sea for the children of Israel, she believed that “He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath” (Joshua 2:9–11). Though Rahab had not personally witnessed the miracles, she believed God and hid the Jewish spies from their pursuers (see Joshua 2:4–6). Because of her faith, she not only did not perish with those who did not believe (see Joshua 6:25, Hebrews 11:31), but she was also given a place in the “hall of faith” in Hebrews 11.

God was so pleased with the faith of these two Gentile women that He not only blessed them in their lifetimes, but He also put them into the genealogy of His Son Jesus Christ, the great Redeemer and rewarder.

Beloved, when you come to the Lord with your needs, believe that He is God, and that He is a rewarder. God has pleasure in this kind of faith. He wants to be the rewarder of your faith in Him!

AMEN! The most important thing for a new believer to do is to get to know JESUS! We learn of Him through His Word by Holy Spirit Who lives IN US as our personal Teacher! HE will reveal the Word of God to us so that we can be DOERS of His Word! Then He can confirm His Word in our lives! Here is Hillsong Kids with "As The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share the devotional from our Spoken Word Church website!

Reach for Help

Reaching out for help is not a sign of weakness. So, do it. Only a fool ignores a lifejacket when he is drowning. Overcomers don't do it alone. They conquer their pride. They reject the trap of isolation. They reach. They know the inevitable reward of reaching.

Turn to God. Honor those who are qualified to help you. Your future depends on it.

"When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them."(Deuteronomy 4:30-31)

We were not created to be "lone rangers'! God intended for His body to be knit together for the purpose of supporting, encouraging and strengthening each other. Be ready to minister to others, and also be ready to receive their ministry to you! THAT is how the Church is supposed to act. Here is Hillsong Kids with "We Came To Meet With You":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" deovtional for today is another vital Truth that every believer needs to get down on the inside!

New Creation Facts

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (2 Corinthians 6:14-16).

In order to have strong faith, you must see yourself as God sees you - and you must say about yourself what God says about you.

In the scripture quoted above, believers are called believers, and unbelievers are called unbelievers. So you can call yourself a believer.

Believers are called righteousness, and unbelievers are called unrighteousness. Have you ever called yourself righteousness? That's what the Bible calls you, so you are.

Believers are called light, and unbelievers are called darkness.

"And what concord hath Christ with Belial?" Here the Church is identified with Christ. Christ is the Head, and we are the Body. Your head doesn't go by one name and your body by another, does it? The Church is identified with Christ - we are the Body of Christ. Think about it. Let it soak in. What a basis for faith!

Confession: Because I am in Christ - I am a believer. I am righteousness. I am light. I am one who believes. I am the temple of God.

AMEN! Settle it forever in your heart that YOU are the Righteousness of God because you are IN CHRIST! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "King of Kings":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Joesph Prince's "Grace Inspirations". 

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Everything produces after its kind. Dogs give birth to puppies, cats give birth to kittens and tigers give birth to tiger cubs. In the same manner, when you are born again, you are born of God. You are a child of the Most High God. He is your Father and He doesn’t see you in the flesh. He sees you in the Spirit. And His Spirit bears witness with your spirit that you are His child.

So when the devil comes to you and says, “Well, your father died of cancer, his father died of cancer and you are going to die of cancer too, just like your father,” just know in your heart that you are like your Father—your Father in heaven! Declare, “I am a child of the Most High God. He doesn’t have cancer, so neither do I!”

My friend, when you are born of God, you are born to win. Because your Daddy God is a winner, you are one too! When you wake up in the morning, say, “I am a winner because God is a winner!”

When you say that you cannot afford to buy something that you need, you have forgotten which family you now belong to. You have been born again into a very rich family—your Father owns every beast in the forest and the cattle on a thousand hills (see Psalm 50:10)! You have a Daddy God in heaven who is well able to supply all your needs (see Philippians 4:19). Even if there are areas of lack in your life now, don’t worry. Just ask God for the supply because your heavenly Father loves you and wants to supply your needs.

When someone talks to you about a problem and asks, “What are we going to do about it?” you should say, “Don’t worry. Let’s talk to Daddy God about it. It is not a problem for Him, so it will not be a problem for us.”

Beloved, even when all around you is going under, your Daddy God is still the same heavenly Father who kept Noah’s world afloat, his loved ones safe and sound, and his possessions intact. Your world will never go under because you are God’s beloved child!

AMEN! This is SO powerful for the born again believer to get a hold of! This IS who HE has made us to be! HIS very own children! Heirs of God and joint, equal heirs with JESUS! This is GOD's plan! AMEN! Let's stop fighting fights that we no longer need to fight! Our fight is the fight of FAITH! Faith COMES by hearing what the Word of God says (Romans 10:17) and we can build ourselves up in our faith by praying in the Spirit (Jude 1:20)! THEN we MUST stand strong in what we KNOW against an enemy who deals in ONLY lies and will not quit TRYING to get us to buy into the lies! KNOW who you are - IN HIM! Know what belongs to you - IN HIM! Refuse to continue to be intimidated by a defeated foe who has ONLY lies to work with against you! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Not Today":

Shalom in Him

Shalom,

The devotional on Jerry Savelle's website for today is another excellent reminder!

YOU ARE A NEW CREATION

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV)

God’s Word is clear: once you come to Jesus, once you make Him Lord of your life, you become a new creation. The literal translation of this scripture says you are “a new species of being that never existed before.”

You may not feel like a new creation, but don’t be moved by what you feel. God’s Word says the old has passed away and you have already been made a new creation—regardless of how you feel or how you act.

The moment you were born again, your old self—with its sinful nature—died and a new person with the life and nature of God was created.

Physically, you looked the same because your body is only a house for the real you, your spirit. But on the inside, you changed completely. You became a righteous creation with the nature of God.

On February 11, 1969, at 3 o’clock in the morning, the old Jerry Savelle died when I met Jesus and a new Jerry Savelle came into existence. I am not the same man I once was.

You may say, “But, Brother Jerry, I don’t feel like I’m a new creation.” You may not feel like it, you may not act like it, but the fact is, you are a new creation—because God’s Word says its true.

Confession: Thank You, Father, for making me a new creation in Christ. Because I have the life and nature of God within me, I refuse to be moved by what I see or what I feel. I walk by faith in what your Word says about me. I am a new creation!

AMEN! NEVER forget who you are - IN HIM! JESUS paid the ultimate price for us to become HIS! Now let's remember always who HE made us to be and get out there and proclaim it! PROCLAIM HIM! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong Kids with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional for today is so simply, yet completely profound!

Born Again

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever" (1 Peter 1:23).

We are begotten of God.

We are born of God.

We are children of God.

We are heirs of God.

We are joint-heirs (the word "joint" means equal) with Jesus (Romans 8:17).

In declaring this, we do not magnify ourselves. We magnify God and what He has done for us through the Lord Jesus Christ. We do not make ourselves new creatures. God made us new creatures. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith.

We are new creatures created by God in Christ Jesus!

Confession: I am begotten of God. I am born of God. I am born of incorruptible seed by the living Word of God. I was born into the spiritual realm, given eternal life, and made a branch of the vine through the incorruptible Word of God.

We ARE who GOD says that we are! God's Word is TRUTH (John 17:17) and His Word tells us exactly who we are - IN HIM! Dare to believe what God says about you. Step up your boldness against the enemy and his lies and BE the very best YOU that God has made you to be! There is a world that is waiting on us to step out in the boldness that comes with the assurance that we ARE who He says we are! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith To Faith" devotional by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland is a very practical guide!

How's Your Spiritual Maintenance?

The cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless. Mark 4:19, The Amplified Bible

Did you know that the seemingly innocent things in your everyday life can suffocate your spiritual life if you allow it?

A friend of mine said the Lord told her in prayer one day that this nation had become a nation of maintenance men. You have so many things to maintain, He told her. You maintain your house. You maintain your car, your yard, your machines, your hair....

It’s true. You can become a maintainer of so many natural things that you don’t have any time left to maintain your own spirit!

When you find yourself in that situation, it’s time to simplify your life. I’ve had to learn that myself. Now when I’m considering something I think I need, I don’t just count the cost in dollars and cents. I think about how much time it will take to maintain it. I check to see if I can spiritually afford it.

Second Timothy 2:4 tells us not to get entangled in the affairs of this life. One thing I’ve learned over the last 45 years: Nothing is as important as spending time in prayer and in the Word with the Father. Absolutely nothing in my life is as vital as that.

AMEN! Bill Novak, Pastor of The Spoken Word Church (link on the left) has given the entire congegation a daily calender of 24 hours. We were encouraged to write our own schedules in the appropriate hours so that we could see just what was consuming our time. With that guide, we could reschedule things in our life so that we could prioritize our time in prayer, in praise and worship, in the study and meditation of God's Word and in fellowship with like-minded believe! ALL of these things are vital to spiritual growth and maturity! What is consuming YOUR time? Make out your own personal schedule so that you know, then make the adjustments that Holy Spirit leads you to so that YOU can best use YOUR 24 hour day! You will be SO glad when you do! Here is Hillsong with "Everyday":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share Jerry Savelle's website devotional again today because this is another message that is SO vital ti walking in faith and power!

YOU DON’T GET WHAT YOU DESERVE!

For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8 AMP)

Have you ever heard someone say, “He got just what he deserved”? When people say this, they’re usually referring to the negative consequences that someone is suffering due to their own destructive actions or wrong choices.

While religion portrays God as an angry dictator, ready to punish those who disobey, nothing could be farther from the truth. God is our loving heavenly Father, who gave the life of His Son, Jesus Christ, so that we can experience the love and grace He so desires to give us.

One definition of grace is “unmerited favor.” God’s grace is something you didn’t earn; it is a gift from your heavenly Father. Any time you see the word grace in your Bible, you can interchange it with the word favor.

Simply put, God’s grace, His unmerited favor, is the manifestation of God giving you something you do not deserve.

Grace will give you what you did not earn.

Grace will qualify you for what you did not qualify for.

Grace will give you what you do not deserve—praise God!

You can do lot of good things, like spending hours reading God’s Word or praying and fasting. However, what matters most and gives God the ability to move in your life is to understand the free gift of His grace. Once you’ve received this gift, you can know with certainty that you won’t get what you deserve.

Confession: Thank You, Father, that through the grace that is in Christ Jesus you give me what I did not earn, what I do not qualify for, and what I don’t deserve.

HALLELUJAH! We do NOT get what we deserved from God, we get what JESUS paid for! He redeemed us from the hands of the enemy by paying our debt of death for sin! Now everything that we have belongs to HIM! (That's not much) Everything that HE has belongs to us! (THAT is great GRACE!) Let's be all that we can be - IN HIM, which brings GLORY to His Name! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "King of Kings":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Jerry Savelle's devotional for today is excellent!

WHAT IS THE TRUTH?

So that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will (2 Timothy 2:25-26 NKJV).

The only thing that can break the chains of bondage is the truth. And the only valid source of truth is God’s Word.

Satan has kept the Body of Christ in darkness by blinding the hearts and minds of God’s people to the truth of who they really are in Christ: “Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:4 NKJV).

The enemy wants to put blinders over your eyes so that you cannot see who you really are in Christ. One tool the enemy uses to create blinders is religious tradition. Jesus said religious tradition makes the Word of God of no affect in one’s life (see Matthew 7:13). The only thing that can expose the enemy’s blinders and set you free from any bondage you are experiencing is the truth.

The definition of truth is “the highest form of reality that exists". Therefore, the Bible is the highest form of reality that exists. Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32 NKJV).

It stands to reason that the more truth you know, the greater freedom you will enjoy. God is not hiding truth from you; he has placed it on every page of His Word, from Genesis to Revelation. If you are hungry enough for freedom, then you’ll get into God’s Word.

And if you abide in that Word, the truth will make you free!

Confession: I am a child of God, and I abide in God’s Word. I declare that no weapon formed against me will prosper as my heart and mind is open to God’s truth, and I walk in complete freedom.

AMEN! Remember that JESUS said this in John 17:17:

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

No matter what things look like, God's Word is ALWAYS the TRUTH! Count on it! Learn it,, know it, speak it and expect HIS results! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Joseph Prince's "Grace Inspirations". This is EXCELLENT to remember for walking in the health that our Father desires us to walk in!

THAT DISEASE STOPS HERE!

Psalm 91:7 A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.

Your doctor or insurance agent may ask you, “Do you have a family history of cancer?” If you say, “Yes,” they will probably tell you that you might get some form of cancer too.

Now, if you are without God, you would probably agree with them and start worrying about your health. But you are not without God! In fact, His Word tells you, “A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.” Therefore, even if you have a family history of cancer, and your family members have died of cancer, you can have the confidence to declare that it will not come near you!

My mother had this attitude. After a thorough medical check-up, the doctor was surprised and told her that she did not have high blood pressure or heart disease, although these two conditions have plagued her father and siblings. You see, my mother had already firmly declared that no deadly, family-related disease would come near her.

Praise God for my mother’s trust in God’s Word because I am the generation after her! In fact, after my mother told me about the results of her check-up, I randomly opened my Bible only to read about Rahab the harlot who by faith “did not perish with those who did not believe” (Hebrews 11:31).

Beloved, God wants you to know that even though you are in this world, you are not of this world. You belong to Him and because He is on your side, “He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence” (Psalm 91:3).

Even when it comes to generational diseases, you can boldly declare, “That disease stops here!” because you have God and His Word. And when you believe God and His Word, you will see His promises come to pass for you—“A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you”!

AMEN! Our Covenant with Almighty God through the Blood of JESUS guarantees us HEALTH and WHOLENESS! Dare to believe what the Word of God says about you! Now go out and declare it so that others can see HIS hand through your life! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 72:18-20 is another passage of Scripture that just jumps off of the page! 

18 This was so that, by two unchangeable things [His promise and His oath] in which it is impossible for God ever to prove false or deceive us, we who have fled [to Him] for refuge might have mighty indwelling strength and strong encouragement to grasp and hold fast the hope appointed for us and set before [us]. 19 [Now] we have this [hope] as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whoever steps out upon it—a hope] that reaches farther and enters into [the very certainty of the Presence] within the veil, 20 Where Jesus has entered in for us [in advance], a Forerunner having become a High Priest forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.

I LOVE this encouragement! Our God CANNOT and DOES NOT ever LIE! ALL of His promises to us are YES on His part and we agree with our AMEN (1 Corinthians 1:20)! JESUS sealed our eternity forever when He paid the price FOR us, so that WHOSOEVER will choose HIM will be saved, healed, set free and delivered! I am so thankful that HE chose the CROSS so that I could choose HIM! Thank You, JESUS! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Anchor":

Shalom in Him!