Shalom,

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

DETERMINED TO WIN

Therefore, do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. (Hebrews 10:35-36 NKJV)

Once you’ve made the decision to believe and act on what the Word of God says about your situation, you need to understand something: the manifestation of God’s answer may either come quickly, or it may take some time. The question is, are you determined to stand until your breakthrough arrives?

The Greek word translated as determined means “a firmness of purpose.” It also means “to give definite aim or direction; an unwavering resolution; to set boundary.”

The Word of God is either true, or it isn’t. God can either be trusted, or He can’t. Well, God’s Word is true and He can be trusted. So why waver? Make a firm resolution in your heart and mind that you are not going to compromise or be moved by what you see, hear, or feel.

Once you determine that the only thing you will allow to move you is the Word of God, you’ll see the wholeness that you are believing for.

Confession: Father, I determine to do Your will and live according to Your Word. My trust is in You alone, and I refuse to be moved by anything else. I hold on to my confidence, knowing I will receive all You have promised me.

AMEN! GOD can ALWAYS be trusted! ALWAYS! Psalm 118:8 says this:

8 It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man.

Learn to trust in God and His Word as your final and full authority! You will NEVER be disappointed when you do! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "Trust":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan we read Psalm 59 where David is calling out to God because of the threats that King Saul had placed on his life. I have always taken encouragement from the Psalms of David where he never makes light of the problems he faces, but ALWAYS ends with encouraging himself in the LORD by repeating the promises of God and his complete faith in God to deliver! Look at verses 16-17:

16 But I will sing of Your mighty strength and power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy and loving-kindness in the morning; for You have been to me a defense (a fortress and a high tower) and a refuge in the day of my distress. 17 Unto You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; for God is my Defense, my Fortress, and High Tower, the God Who shows me mercy and steadfast love.

AMEN! THIS is going to be my continual declaration before the Lord! Along with THIS statement:

"If God is FOR me (and He IS!) then it doesn't do ANYONE, any good to be against me"! 

AMEN! Never let fear of what the enemy SAYS he will do ever deter you from trusting completely in YOUR LORD to deliver you! EVERY TIME! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Not Today!":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is another very good lesson for every born again believer!

Is Your Profit Showing?

Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all (1 Timothy 4:15).
If your profiting is to appear to all, then it is to show! Why is godliness profitable? Why is living for God, being God's child, walking in fellowship with God, keeping God's commandments, profitable?

It is because God has made some promises to His faithful children. Notice the word "promise" in yesterday's text: "having promise of the life that now is" (1 Timothy 4:8). God has made us promises in this life. Our profiting is because of these promises.

And when our profiting (which is due to God's promises) appears to all, we are able to show the world there is a God in the Church - just as when Israel was walking with God, she could show the earth "there is a God in Israel" (1 Samuel 17:46).

Confession: I will meditate upon God's promises and give myself wholly to them, that my profiting may appear to all.

AMEN! ALL of the promises of God find their AMEN in HIM and in US (2 Corinthians 1:20)! Let's dare to SHINE as our God means for us to (3 John 2)! HE gets all the glory for every good thing! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "What a Beautiful Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really like the way Jerry Savelle addresses the topic of our attitude towards God and His Word in his devotional for today!

SEEK HIM FIRST

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)

Simply put, to be righteous means to be in a state of right standing with God. And without that sense of right standing, which is ours because of what Jesus did at the cross, we can never truly know Him.

There are those who study the Bible to find some “secret formula” or “get-rich-quick” scheme so that their needs will be met. Truth be told, when you study the Bible so that you can know Him, you’ll discover that your relationship will put you in a position to have your every need met.

This is why Jesus said to first seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness; everything else would be added. The revelation that God wants to bless us is valid. However, some people have no desire to seek and know God; they only want what He will give them.

Others have never really entered into a knowing relationship with God. They know about Him, but they don’t know Him. And because they don’t know Him, they tend to believe things about Him that simply aren’t true.

I hear Christians say, “I don’t know God’s will for my life.” And I always tell them, “When you get to know Him, you’ll know His will for your life."

Make the decision to seek God first, to study His Word so that you will know Him more intimately. When you seek Him to know Him, everything else you need will always follow.

Confession: Today I choose to set aside any “things” that I may have been seeking. I commit to seek God first, to know Him more intimately as I trust that the other things I have need of will be added to me.

AMEN! HE wants us to really KNOW Him intimately! He desires fellowship with us, which is why He planned for our Salvation in the first place! When WE desire HIS presence as much as HE desires ours, we will know Him more than we ever thought possible, and His Word will come alive! I challenge you today to make your fellowship with JESUS, by His Spirit Who lives IN you your #1 priority of every single day! You will NEVER regret that decision! Here is Hillsong with "Closer":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's devotional from Andrew Womack's website for today is another very good message!

The Best Sinner

Matthew 5:20, 'For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.'

What did Jesus mean? Since the Pharisees fasted twice each week, does this mean we have to fast three times each week? Since they paid tithes on everything including spices, does this mean that anyone who fails to tithe is doomed to hell?

No! Definitely not. The Pharisees' righteousness was based on their actions. Jesus is advocating a righteousness that is based on faith in what He did for us.

Trusting in our own actions will never grant us access to God. We may be better than others, but who wants to be the best sinner that ever went to hell? We have all sinned and come short of perfection which is what God requires (Romans 3:23).

The only one who was ever good enough to earn right standing with God is Jesus. And His righteousness is offered as a gift to anyone who will put their faith in Him as their Savior.

Jesus offers us a righteousness by faith that is so far superior to the self righteousness that the Pharisees had that there is no comparison. This is the righteousness that we need and which is available to us only through faith in Christ.

AMEN! HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS is free to us! Thank You, JESUS! Here is Hillsong with "King of Kings", which is all about the ONE Who gives us this RIGHTEOUSNESS when we choose HIM!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

The devotional for today on our Spoken Word Church website is another very important message!

Release Mercy

What you make happen for others, God will make happen for you. What you sow today determines your harvest tomorrow. Sow kindness. Be slow to criticize and quick to forgive.

The greatest gift love produces is a a non-judgmental climate. Give love out freely today.

"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2)

"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." (Matthew 5:7)

"Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:" (Luke 6:37)

Amen! Walking in love NEVER fails! Count on it! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 54 inour Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today. This Psalm is a Psalm of David, who was a ture worshiper of the Lord and would call on Him conintually when he was in trouble! 

1 Save me, O God, by Your name; judge and vindicate me by Your mighty strength and power. 2 Hear my pleading and my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. 3 For strangers and insolent men are rising up against me, and violent men and ruthless ones seek and demand my life; they do not set God before them. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! 4 Behold, God is my helper and ally; the Lord is my upholder and is with them who uphold my life. 5 He will pay back evil to my enemies; in Your faithfulness [Lord] put an end to them. 6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to You; I will give thanks and praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good. 7 For He has delivered me out of every trouble, and my eye has looked [in triumph] on my enemies.
Allow the TRUTH of the underlinged words to get deep into your heart so that YOU, too, can call on the Lord to delvier YOU during times of testing, trials and temptations! He is WELL ABLE to save you in every situation!AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Jesus Is My Super Hero":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

At 12:10 pm today I will be celebrating 65 years on planet earth! Having found out some very interesting things concerning my ancestry and the details of my birth, I have appreciated THES verses more this year than EVER! 

Psalm 139:14 I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well.

Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating you; [and] I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.

I especially love The Passion Translation for Psalm 139!

You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside
and my intricate outside,
and wove them all together in my mother’s womb.
14 I thank you, God, for making me so mysteriously complex!
Everything you do is marvelously breathtaking.
It simply amazes me to think about it!
How thoroughly you know me, Lord!
15 You even formed every bone in my body
when you created me in the secret place,
carefully, skillfully shaping me from nothing to something.
16 You saw who you created me to be before I became me!
Before I’d ever seen the light of day,
the number of days you planned for mewere already recorded in your book.

AMEN! Never lose sight of the TRUTH that GOD loves you more than anyone else ever could! He ALWAYS wants His best for you!Let's give HIM our best! Here is Hillsong with "Oceans - Where Feet May Fail":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I am sharing THIS from today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. Why? Because I LIKE it! 

Do You Really Love Him?

She has done a good work for Me. —Mark 14:6

If what we call love doesn’t take us beyond ourselves, it is not really love. If we have the idea that love is characterized as cautious, wise, sensible, shrewd, and never taken to extremes, we have missed the true meaning. This may describe affection and it may bring us a warm feeling, but it is not a true and accurate description of love.

Have you ever been driven to do something for God not because you felt that it was useful or your duty to do so, or that there was anything in it for you, but simply because you love Him? Have you ever realized that you can give things to God that are of value to Him? Or are you just sitting around daydreaming about the greatness of His redemption, while neglecting all the things you could be doing for Him? I’m not referring to works which could be regarded as divine and miraculous, but ordinary, simple human things— things which would be evidence to God that you are totally surrendered to Him. Have you ever create

d what Mary of Bethany created in the heart of the Lord Jesus? “She has done a good work for Me.”

There are times when it seems as if God watches to see if we will give Him even small gifts of surrender, just to show how genuine our love is for Him. To be surrendered to God is of more value than our personal holiness. Concern over our personal holiness causes us to focus our eyes on ourselves, and we become overly concerned about the way we walk and talk and look, out of fear of offending God. “…but perfect love casts out fear…” once we are surrendered to God (1 John 4:18). We should quit asking ourselves, “Am I of any use?” and accept the truth that we really are not of much use to Him. The issue is never of being of use, but of being of value to God Himself. Once we are totally surrendered to God, He will work through us all the time.

Amen! God is NOT looking for more workers! HE is seeking more worshipers! Those who will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth! I once heard Pastor Bob Yandian say that you can teach a faithful person the skills needed to fulfill a position, but you cannot teach an unfaithful person to be faithful! Let's put first things first and love the Lord our God with everything that is within us! THEN go about doing what He has called us to do! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I was really blessed reading THIS from Andrew Womack today!

Drawn By His Power

Mark 1:37, 'And when they had found him, they said unto him, All [men] seek for thee.'

Mark  1:35-39; Luke 4:42-44

This is an amazing statement. Jesus' ministry was only a few months old and the masses of people were already seeking him out.

This is even more astonishing when you realize that Jesus had not used any of the conventional methods of publicity. In fact, Jesus had already rejected publicity during His first ministry in Jerusalem (John 2:24-25). There was no natural explanation for Jesus' success.

God is the one who promoted Jesus. And He used supernatural means to do it. It was not the slick techniques of Madison Avenue that brought the crowds--it was the awesome manifestation of God's power.

Just the day before, Jesus had cast the demon out of a man at the synagogue in Capernaum (Mark 1:21-28). This caused the whole city to gather at Peter's house and Jesus healed every one of them (Luke 4:40).

Jesus' display of the miraculous power of God was the spark that the Holy Spirit used to light a fire in the hearts of these people. Jesus had this power because of His intimate relationship with His father. It is no accident that He was praying while all men were seeking Him.

As you seek to touch others with the new life that you've found in Christ, let God confirm His Word with the miraculous manifestations of His power through you.

AMEN! Dare to believe that YOU are exactly who GOD says that you are in His Word! You HAVE what GOD says that you have in His Word! You CAN DO exactly what God says you can do in His Word! AMEN! Hdere is Hillsong with "Who You Say I AM":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share agaion from Rick Renner's "Sparkling Gems From The Greek - Volume 2:

Fight the Good Fight of Faith!

Fight the good fight of faith.… — 1 Timothy 6:12

Many believers have the misconception that walking by faith means they should be able to effortlessly glide all the way to God’s destination for their lives with no hiccups or struggles along the way. But the Bible teaches quite the opposite in First Timothy 6:12. In that verse, the apostle Paul wrote, “Fight the good faith of faith….” According to this verse, the path of faith often requires a fight to see it through to completion.

The word “fight” is the Greek word agonidzo, which refers to a struggle, a fight, great exertion, or effort. It is where we get the word agony — a word often used in the New Testament to convey the ideas of anguish, pain, distress, and conflict. The word agonidzo itself comes from the word agon, which is the word that depicted the athletic conflicts and competitions that were so famous in the ancient world. It frequently pictured wrestlers in a wrestling match, with each wrestler struggling with all his might to overcome his opponent in an effort to hurl him to the ground in a fight to the finish.

The very fact that Paul would use this word, a word that was very well known in the world of his time, alerts us emphatically that when we step out to do something by faith, it often pushes us into a previously unknown fight. It throws us into some type of agony — anguish, conflict, pain, distress, or a struggle. It isn’t that God wants us to struggle. Instead, this is a fight that results from:

The flesh that resists the will of God.

The mind that struggles to understand what God has told us to do.

Circumstances that seem to stand in the way.

People who oppose us.

The devil himself who throws his weight against each step of faith we take.

The point you must see is that Paul recognized when we step out in faith, we don’t just effortlessly glide to the destination God is directing us toward. We must fight the good fight of faith to reach the victorious position that allows us to one day hear those cherished words, “Well done!” from our Commander-in-Chief. But rather than shrink from the match that is before us, the apostle Paul urges us to give this fight our best effort! He tells us, “Fight the good fight of faith…” The word “good” is from the Greek word kalos, which denotes something exceptional, of the highest quality, outstanding, or superb. In the context of a fight, it pictures one who has given his best effort to the struggle in which he is engaged; hence, he is one who is doing a first-rate or first-class job at resisting his opponents.

Then Paul repeated the word “fight” a second time in this verse. He wrote, “Fight the good fight of faith.…” This second usage of the word “fight” is also from the Greek word agon — the same word he used when he referred to a “fight” at the first of the verse. It conveys the idea of one who is giving his complete concentration to the conflict and is totally focused on engaging the conflict at hand and achieving victory, regardless how long it takes or how much agonizing effort is required. It is the picture of total commitment to victory.

This is a far cry from simply gliding to God’s destination for your life with no hiccups or headaches along the way! As Paul told us in this verse, anything that is done by faith will require a fight of some sort in order to win. So if you are experiencing a struggle along the path to your personal victory — if you’ve been fighting off some very real mental or spiritual assaults along the way — don’t be taken off guard or by surprise. The Holy Spirit warned in advance through the apostle Paul that you must commit yourself to giving the pursuit of God’s will for your life your very best effort and to doing whatever is necessary to finish the goal set before you!

God is calling upon you to stand up and fight — giving your concentrated efforts to stand firm for what you believe. Fight in a manner that is noble, admirable, and worthy of the reward that awaits you. And remember — the greater reward usually requires a greater fight. Keep this in mind as you press forward to be first-class in your determination to overcome every obstacle and resistance along the way. Stay in the fight until you can shout, “The fight is finished and victory obtained!”

I don't know a soldier anywhere who wouldn't be excited if they KNEW that they could not be defeated! This 'fight' that we are in is one that has already been won FOR US by the KING of all kings and the LORD of all lords! JESUS! There is nothing left to be done except to occupy our place in this earth until JESUS comes for us. To occupy means to be busy DOING what God has already called us to do! Let's get busy! Amen! Here is Hillsong with "No Reason To Hide":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from The Spoken Word Church website devotional.

Taking the Initiative Against Despair

Rise, let us be going. —Matthew 26:46

In the Garden of Gethsemane, the disciples went to sleep when they should have stayed awake, and once they realized what they had done it produced despair. The sense of having done something irreversible tends to make us despair. We say, “Well, it’s all over and ruined now; what’s the point in trying anymore.” If we think this kind of despair is an exception, we are mistaken. It is a very ordinary human experience. Whenever we realize we have not taken advantage of a magnificent opportunity, we are apt to sink into despair. But Jesus comes and lovingly says to us, in essence, “Sleep on now. That opportunity is lost forever and you can’t change that. But get up, and let’s go on to the next thing.” In other words, let the past sleep, but let it sleep in the sweet embrace of Christ, and let us go on into the invincible future with Him.

There will be experiences like this in each of our lives. We will have times of despair caused by real events in our lives, and we will be unable to lift ourselves out of them. The disciples, in this instance, had done a downright unthinkable thing— they had gone to sleep instead of watching with Jesus. But our Lord came to them taking the spiritual initiative against their despair and said, in effect, “Get up, and do the next thing.” If we are inspired by God, what is the next thing? It is to trust Him absolutely and to pray on the basis of His redemption.

Never let the sense of past failure defeat your next step.

AMEN! Don't waste another moment dwelling on mistakes. Instead, learn how to bounce back up every time you miss it and the enemy will be thwarted in his attempts to steal your joy, which is your strength, and from stopping you from being the LIGHT, which is his ultimate goal! Never let him winb. Instead, along with this song from Hillsong, tell him "Not Today"!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We have been reading through Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotionals in Morning Prayer this year and I vae really been loving his teaching on walking in love, which never fails! Here is today's lesson:

Love Arises

"Love is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly" (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).

It's always flesh that is boastful, haughty, conceited, arrogant, inflated with pride, rude, and unmannerly.

And by an act of your own will, you can decide not to give in to these fleshly temptations. You can decide rather to walk in love—to walk in the Spirit.

The battle is there between your human spirit and your flesh. But the Bible says, "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).
Decide to allow your spirit to dominate. When the temptation comes, stand still a moment and begin to speak the Word of God. Begin to say, "I am born of love. I will allow the love of God within me to dominate."

And the love of God will rise up big within you!

Confession: I am a love person. Therefore, I am not boastful or vainglorious. I do not display myself haughtily. I am not conceited—arrogant and inflated with pride. I am not rude. I am not unmannerly. I do not act unbecomingly. I act in love.

AMEN! And the best thing about choosing the love walk is that our faith will work, because faith ONLY works by love (Galatians 5:6)! Love energizes faith! So let's ALWAYS choose the love way! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "Real Love":

Shalom in Him !

Shalom,

Today I want to share another very vital message from Jerry Savelle's devotional!

PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT

First Corinthians 14:15 teaches us that we can pray both with our understanding (our mind) and out of our spirit: “What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding” (NKJV). There are several great reasons why you need to pray in the Spirit:

•   It builds you up spiritually (see 1 Corinthians 14:4; Jude 1:20).

•   It enables you to pray the will of God when you don’t know what to pray or how to pray for a particular situation (see Romans 8:26-27).

•   It refreshes and brings rest (see Isaiah 28:11-12).

One of the greatest benefits of praying in the Spirit is that by doing so we can obtain wisdom from God about how to pray even as we’re praying. “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries” (1 Corinthians 14:2 KJV).

First Corinthians 2:6-7 explains this even further: “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery [or in the Spirit], the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory” (NKJV). This “hidden wisdom” translates into God’s perfect will. It may not be known to your understanding when you first began to pray, but the Holy Spirit through you and in you is helping you to pray it to the Father.

As you pray in the Spirit, you may not have immediate understanding of what you are saying; but when you pray in faith in the Spirit, the wisdom will come.

Take advantage of this powerful gift God has given you and spend time daily praying in the Spirit.

Confession: As I pray in the Spirit, I am praying God’s perfect will for my life and I believe I receive wisdom, revelation, and insight.

Praying in the Spirit has been one of the greatest gifts in my life! To have the conifdence that I am praying God's perfect will without my own thinking getting in the way is such a blessing! Praying in the Spirit has also opened my life up to the other gifts of the Spirit and to a more intimate fellowship with HIM! I encourage you to pray in the Spirit more AND to listen to HIM more as you do. Those mysteries and secrets that come right from the heart of God will be the asnwers you need to lead that abundant life that JESUS wants for us according to 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).

AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Upper Room":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share the devotional from The Spoken Word Church website. 

Utilize Adversity

Opposition gives birth to opportunity. Adversity reveals the location of your enemy. It forces you to evaluate what you really believe.

Do not be timid. Do not fear. Observe. Analyze. Make your decision boldly. God will lead, guide and direct you. Every achiever recalls that adversity unlocked doors to his greatest acheivements.

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Corinthians 4:17)

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." (Isaiah 54:17)

"So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." (Isaiah 59:19)

AMEN! Romans 8:37 tells us that we are MORE than conquerors:

37 Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.

There is no need for conquering without something to conquer! Learn to look at every situation, every circumstance, every trial, test or tribulation as an opportunity to show forth the wonderful works of God and give HIM all the GLORY! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's message, as the world celbrated Valentine's Day, is Psalm 45, which is called a Messianic Psalm because it is speaking of the MESSIAH of Israel and the SAVIOUR of the world! JESUS! Here is this entire Psalm from the Amplified Bible!

Psalm 45

To the Chief Musician; [set to the tune of] “Lilies” [probably a popular air. A Psalm] of the sons of Korah. A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem. A song of love.

1 My heart overflows with a goodly theme; I address my psalm to a King. My tongue is like the pen of a ready writer.

2 You are fairer than the children of men; graciousness is poured upon Your lips; therefore God has blessed You forever.

3 Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O mighty One, in Your glory and Your majesty!

4 And in Your majesty ride on triumphantly for the cause of truth, humility, and righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God); and let Your right hand guide You to tremendous things.

5 Your arrows are sharp; the peoples fall under You; Your darts pierce the hearts of the King’s enemies.

6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

7 You love righteousness, uprightness, and right standing with God and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your fellows.

8 Your garments are all fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia; stringed instruments make You glad.

9 Kings’ daughters are among Your honorable women; at Your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

10 Hear, O daughter, consider, submit, and consent to my instruction: forget also your own people and your father’s house;

11 So will the King desire your beauty; because He is your Lord, be submissive and reverence and honor Him.

12 And, O daughter of Tyre, the richest of the people shall entreat your favor with a gift.

13 The King’s daughter in the inner part [of the palace] is all glorious; her clothing is inwrought with gold.

14 She shall be brought to the King in raiment of needlework; with the virgins, her companions that follow her, she shall be brought to You.

15 With gladness and rejoicing will they be brought; they will enter into the King’s palace.

16 Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons, whom You will make princes in all the land.

17 I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore shall the people praise and give You thanks forever and ever.

Today, and EVERY day, make JESUS your FIRST and TRUE LOVE! HE will NEVER leave YOU! Now it is up to you to reciprocate! Here are Hillsong Kids with a great song to JESUS called "My Number One":

Shalom in Him

Shalom,

Kenneth E. Hagin's "Health Food" devotional for today is excellent for keeping us inthe right mindset to receive health and healing from the Lord!

Casting Down Reasonings

Casting down imaginations [reasonings], and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Many people's minds have never been renewed with the Word of God. They may be saved, filled with the Holy Ghost, and members of a Full Gospel church, but their minds still need to be renewed with the Word of God.

Second Corinthians 10:4 and 5 says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."
Many people are in a battle between their head and their heart. This is spiritual warfare, and these verses say that our weapons are not carnal, or natural. They're not guns, swords, or even fists. But our weapons are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Paul is referring to "casting down imaginations." Imaginations can also be translated reasonings, which involve people's minds.

As long as Satan can hold you in the arena of reason, he'll defeat you in every battle. But if you hold Satan in the arena of faith, you'll defeat him in every battle. How do you do that? The Scripture says to "cast down imaginations (reasonings)."

I cast down imaginations and reasonings. I bring every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ. If the thought doesn't line up with the Word of God, I reject it. I believe and think on only what God's Word says.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Not Today"!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today we read Psalm 43. The psalmist here begins by complaining to the Lord about what he is going through, but then he begins praying to and encouraing himself in the Lord! Verses 3-6: 

3 O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling. 4 Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my exceeding joy; yes, with the lyre will I praise You, O God, my God! 5 Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help of my [sad] countenance, and my God.

There is a great saying I have heard and used that says: Don't speak to God about the problem, speak to the problem about your God! God already KNOWS what is happening in your life and what you are facing. HE wants YOU to  know that He has already provided the answers in His Word and He wants to hear YOU speak what HE has said about it! THEN He can confirm HIS WORD with signs, wonders, miracles and ANSWERS! AMEN! So, let's declare God's Word and REJOICE in what HE is going to do next! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Shadow Step":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

YOU ARE JUSTIFIED

[All] are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:24 AMP)

I want to focus on two particular words found in the scripture verse above: justified and redemption.

The word justified is not one we commonly use in everyday English, but the essence of its simplest biblical definition is “just as if I’d never sinned.” In other words, because of the redemptive work Jesus did at the cross, God now looks at you just as if you’d never sinned.

The word redemption means “to buy back.” Just as an individual who was kidnapped is bought back from their captor with ransom money, so Jesus bought you back from the hands of the devil with His shed blood.

The Bible says, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin” (Romans 4:8 NKJV) and God is “the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26 NKJV). Never again will your sins be counted against you.

Receiving this justification and redemption does not depend on your performance; it depends on your faith in Jesus and the fact that you are “in Him.” And the good news is, because you are in Him, you are justified!

Confession: Thank You, Father, for treating me just as if I’d never sinned. I cast down all thoughts of condemnation, and I meditate instead on the free gift of redemption that is mine because I am in Christ Jesus.

Amen! Keep reminding yourself that you ARE who GOD says that you are! This from Hillsong should help remind you of that! "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really LOVE today's "My Utmmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers! We all have been around people who are so caught up in something that they don't even see what's happening right in front of them, and they miss out on so much! THIS is what is being discussed here today!

Is Your Imagination Of God Starved?

Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things. — Isaiah 40:26

The people of God in Isaiah’s day had starved their imagination by looking on the face of idols, and Isaiah made them look up at the heavens; that is, he made them begin to use their imagination aright. Nature to a saint is sacramental. If we are children of God, we have a tremendous treasure in Nature. In every wind that blows, in every night and day of the year, in every sign of the sky, in every blossoming and in every withering of the earth, there is a real coming of God to us if we will simply use our starved imagination to realize it.

The test of spiritual concentration is bringing the imagination into captivity. Is your imagination looking on the face of an idol? Is the idol yourself? Your work? Your conception of what a worker should be? Your experience of salvation and sanctification? Then your imagination of God is starved, and when you are up against difficulties you have no power, you can only endure in darkness. If your imagination is starved, do not look back to your own experience; it is God Whom you need. Go right out of yourself, away from the face of your idols, away from everything that has been starving your imagination. Rouse yourself, take the gibe that Isaiah gave the people, and deliberately turn your imagination to God.

One of the reasons of stultification (having a dulling, inhibiting or emptying effect)  in prayer is that there is no imagination, no power of putting ourselves deliberately before God. We have to learn how to be broken bread and poured-out wine on the line of intercession more than on the line of personal contact. Imagination is the power God gives a saint to posit himself out of himself into relationships he never was in.

Let's STOP being so busy with worldly 'busyness' and begin to really press in to the presence of God! Wisdom is found there! Guidance is found there! Hope is found there! Love is found there! PAY ATTENTION! LOOK UP! BE AWARE! Don't miss getting in on what God is doing right now because you are too focused on things that have no eternal worth or value! Let's be about our Father's business! HIS is much more exciting! Here is Hillsong Worship with "See The Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to sharre again from Joseph Pince's "Grace Inspirations". This message it so powerful and you should really know this if you are ministering to anyone who needs to be set free from any bondage of the enemy!

Luke 19:8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”

Zacchaeus was a tax collector. He was despised because he was a deceitful man, cheating people of their money and resorting to false accusations to get what he wanted.

One day, Jesus visited him. The Bible makes no mention of Jesus rebuking him for his dishonest lifestyle the whole time they were together. Instead, Jesus showed him grace and honor by spending time with him. Before long, Zacchaeus stood up and declared to Jesus that he would restore fourfold to anyone he had taken from illegally, and would even give half of his goods to the poor.

A moment with Jesus completely changed Zacchaeus’ heart. A moment with grace in person—without accusations, condemnation or judgment—caused such an inward transformation that in a short time, Zacchaeus was doing outwardly what was right and in a measure no man would have expected of him!

Many people want to live right. Their concern with right living makes them focus on themselves and the things they struggle with. But it is right believing that produces right living. If you are trying to break free from an addiction that has bound you for many years, believe that Jesus loves you so much that at the cross, He paid the price for you to be completely free from any addiction. Believe that by His stripes you are healed and delivered.

One member in our church had a smoking addiction. But each time he lit up a cigarette, he would believe that God was not judging or condemning him, and that he was still the righteousness of God in Christ. One day, he woke up impressed by the Spirit that that day would mark the start of a smoke-free life. Expecting to be assaulted by the usual cravings to smoke, he prayed this throughout the day: “Thank You, Jesus, for by Your stripes I am healed.” Before he knew it, the day passed without him lighting up or suffering any withdrawal pangs! And since then, he has been totally free of this addiction.

Today, if you want to experience right living, find out what Christ has done for you and what you have in Him—and believe it!

AMEN! Remember that there is now NO condemnation to htose who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)! Knowing what JESUS has already accomplished for each one of us is the only thing that will set someone TRULY free! Here is Hillsong with one of my favorite and a most powerful song! "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers contains a very important message, but we must really meditate on it with the assistance of the Spirit of God Who lives IN us in order to see what GOD is saying here!

Instantaneous And Insistent Sanctification

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly. — 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

When we pray to be sanctified, are we prepared to face the standard of these verses? We take the term sanctification much too lightly. Are we prepared for what sanctification will cost? It will cost an intense narrowing of all our interests on earth, and an immense broadening of all our interests in God. Sanctification means intense concentration on God’s point of view. It means every power of body, soul and spirit chained and kept for God’s purpose only. Are we prepared for God to do in us all that He separated us for? And then after His work is done in us, are we prepared to separate ourselves to God even as Jesus did? “For their sakes I sanctify Myself.” The reason some of us have not entered into the experience of sanctification is that we have not realized the meaning of sanctification from God’s standpoint. Sanctification means being made one with Jesus so that the disposition that ruled Him will rule us. Are we prepared for what that will cost? It will cost everything that is not of God in us.

Are we prepared to be caught up into the swing of this prayer of the apostle Paul’s? Are we prepared to say — “Lord, make me as holy as You can make a sinner saved by grace”? Jesus has prayed that we might be one with Him as He is one with the Father. The one and only characteristic of the Holy Ghost in a man is a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, and freedom from everything that is unlike Him. Are we prepared to set ourselves apart for the Holy Spirit’s ministrations in us?

Realize that this is NOT saying that we will EVER be perfect while here in this life, but it IS saying that IF we desire to be used mightily by Holy Spirit, then we will have to have THAT as our priority and NOT just an addition to everything else we have 'on our plate'! In just the same way that an athlete who desires to be the very best at whatever sport they are competing in must decide how much they want it, there WILL BE a requirement to focus on whatever is necessary to accomplish that goal! THAT is what THIS above is speaking of! God will use every one of us just as much as we allow Him to, in doing the job of 'seeking and saving the lost'! If we desire to be used MORE, then it is required of us to give HIM more time and access to us! As in everything that God has promised us in His Word, the CHOICE is OURS to make! Refuse condemnation, but NEVER blame someone else for your own decision NOT to give your all! We can have as much of HIS PRESENCE as we desire! How much do YOU desire HIM? Here is Hillsong UNITED again with one of the very best songs of true commitment to God's plans and purposes! "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's "From Faith To Faith devotional!

Thank God Instead

If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with every one. Romans 12:18, The Amplified Bible

When I was a new Christian, it was almost impossible for me to live at peace with anyone! Almost every time I opened my mouth, I said something ugly. I was constantly hurting the people I was close to. In fact, I spoke more harshly to them than to anyone else.

I criticized Gloria's driving so much that she nearly refused to drive while I was with her. I criticized my children so much that they began to avoid me. I didn't want to be so insensitive, but I couldn't help it. I had a well-developed habit of speaking harshly and didn't know how to change it.

Then I found Ephesians 5:4. It said, "[Let there be] no coarse, stupid, or flippant talk; these things are out of place; you should rather be thanking God" (New English Bible). When I read that, I realized I needed to replace the words I was used to saying with words of thanksgiving. That would solve my problem. After all, I couldn't speak harshly and thank God at the same time. I couldn't criticize those around me if I had a thankful attitude about them.

I immediately decided to put this principle to work in my life. Rushing into my son's room one day ready to lambaste him about something he had done, I recognized my old behavior pattern. I just stopped and said to myself, "The Word says this kind of behavior is out of place, so I am going to stop and thank God." I wasn't nearly as angry after I spent a few minutes praising and thanking the Lord.

If you've developed the habit of speaking harshly, start changing that habit today. When someone crosses you on the job, at school, or wherever, and you're tempted to tear into them with cruel words, stop! Then take a few moments to give thanks and praise to God. Once you begin thinking about how good God is, more often than not, those harsh, angry words will just slip away unspoken.

Instead of using your tongue to tear people down, train it to lift God's praises up. Then living at peace with others will come easily to you!

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Thank You, Lord":

Shalom in Him!