Shalom,

Today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan contains some of my very favorite passages of the Word of God! First we have Psalm 150 and who can ever argue that this is a MOST exciting Psalm? 

Psalm 150

1 Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in the heavens of His power!

2 Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to the abundance of His greatness!

3 Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with lute and harp!

4 Praise Him with tambourine and [single or group] dance; praise Him with stringed and wind instruments or flutes!

5 Praise Him with resounding cymbals; praise Him with loud clashing cymbals!

6 Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

HALLELUJAH! Are YOU breathing right now? Then get busy praising HIM with everything within you! How can we do less? Then we have John 10. John is my very favorite of all of the Gospels. This speaks to me in a way that the others don't. I LOVE that we see from the very beginning of this Gospel that JESUS is GOD! He IS the Living Word of the Living God! Then in today's chapter we have one of the most revealing verses in Scripture concerning the will of God for us! Verse 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).

The difference between good and evil is addressed directly right here! The THIEF is the author of every evil work! His desire for us is death and destruction BECAUSE he hates God and wants to get to HIM through US! God's will is so clearly stated in the second part of this verse! JESUS came SO THAT WE can have AND ENJOY LIFE! This is "zoe". Life as God has within HIMSELF! And His desire is that we have THIS LIFE in ABUNDANCE! SO FULL that the overflow will reach others and show forth HIS GLORY! HALLELUJAH! Then we have 1 Samuel 26 where Saul is still continually seeking David to kill him. God put Saul right into David's hands and one of David's trusted men offered to run Saul through with his spear so that David would be done with the threats! David's reply is so very revealing and SHOULD be a warning to ANYONE who comes against a man or woman of God! Verses 9-11:

9 David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him; for who can raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? 10 David said, As the Lord lives, [He] will smite him; or his day will come to die or he will go down in battle and perish. 11 The Lord forbid that I should raise my hand against the Lord’s anointed; but take now the spear that is at his head and the bottle of water, and let us go.

AMEN! The next time someone rubs you wrong, pray for them! Walk away and pray! ONLY speak and move according to the Word of God and the Spirit of God! THAT will keep us in LOVE which never fails! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "See The Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Kenneth E. Hagins's "Faith Food" with you!

The Law Of Life

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. — ROMANS 8:2

Dr. John G. Lake went as a missionary to Africa in 1908. The deadly bubonic plague broke out in his area. Hundreds died. He cared for the sick and buried the dead. Finally the British sent a relief ship with medical supplies and a corps of doctors. The doctors sent for Lake to come aboard. They asked him, “What have you been using to protect yourself?”

“Sirs,” Lake replied, “I believe the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. And as long as I walk in the light of that law of life, no germ will attach itself to me.”

“You had better use our preventatives,” the doctors urged.

“No,” Lake said, “but I think you would like to experiment with me. Take some of the foam that comes from the victims’ lungs after death, and examine it under the microscope. You will find the masses of living germs remain alive for a while after the man is dead. Fill my hand with the foam and examine it under the microscope. Instead of remaining alive, the germs will die instantly.”

The doctors made the experiment and what Lake said proved true. When the doctors expressed wonder at what caused it, Lake told them, “That is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”

Confession: The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Amen! YOU ARE FREE! Now let's really LIVE our lives! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I was really blessed reading Joseph Prince's "Grace Inspirations". 

CONTINUE IN GOD’S GRACE

2 Corinthians 3:6 …for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

To the Jews, the feast of Pentecost is a celebration of the giving of God’s law. It takes place 50 days after the Passover feast. When God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, it was 50 days after they had celebrated their first Passover and come out of slavery in Egypt.

But what happened after God gave them the law on the first Pentecost? Three thousand people died (see Exodus 32:28)! Contrast this with another Pentecost in the New Testament. In the book of Acts, it says that when Pentecost had fully come, God gave not the law but the Holy Spirit, and what happened? Three thousand people got saved (see Acts 2:41), which goes to show that “the letter [the law] kills, but the Spirit gives life!”

The law, which was “written and engraved on stones,” ministered death. It killed 3,000 people. That is why the apostle Paul calls it “the ministry of death” and “the ministry of condemnation” (2 Corinthians 3:7–9). On the other hand, the Spirit ministered life—3,000 people got saved.

My friend, when you come under the law by trying to keep God’s commandments in order to be blessed, it will lead to death. There will be deadness in your marriage, ministry, health, career…in your life. But when you depend on the Spirit of grace, it will lead to life. You will see breakthroughs and miracles (see Galatians 3:5), and manifest the fruit of the Spirit.

So if you want to be blessed, make sure that you are on the right mountain. You see, the law was given on Mount Sinai, but the Spirit on Mount Zion. That is why the Bible says that “you have not come to the mountain [Sinai] that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest…But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels” (Hebrews 12:18, 22). The Lord blesses you out of Zion (see Psalm 128:5), and not Sinai!

Beloved, by grace you have been saved through faith (see Ephesians 2:8). Now, continue in the Spirit of grace. Remain on the right mountain and He will continue to supply miracles in your life!

AMEN! I pray that you will come to know and understand just how blessed we are under our new and BETTER Covenant with Almighty God! Believe His Word and you WILL see it come to pass in your life! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan we are reading Psalm 147. Verses 1-2 are extremely timely and appropriate for the days in whcih we are living!

1 Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God, for He is gracious and lovely; praise is becoming and appropriate. 2 The Lord is building up Jerusalem; He is gathering together the exiles of Israel.

The LORD is building up Jerusalem in these days! There had been building projects going on, embassies being relocated there, and many Jewish people returning to the land! We are IN the last of the last days before JESUS appears for the church! This IS the most exciting time to be alive! Verses 3-5:

3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [curing their pains and their sorrows]. 4 He determines and counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by their names. 5 Great is our Lord and of great power; His understanding is inexhaustible and boundless.
THIS is the LORD that we LOVE and SERVE! Verse 11:

11 The Lord takes pleasure in those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy and loving-kindness.

Let's be those who continually reverence and worship HIM! HE will never let us down! Here is Hillsong with another of my new favorite songs! "King of Kings":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

BELIEVING HAS NO LIMITS

“Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Matthew 21:21-22 NKJV).

When Jesus spoke these words to His disciples, He was telling them that with God, there are no limits. He was saying they could have whatever things they ask for if they would simply believe.

The only thing that limits what God can and will do in your life is your belief system. It’s just that simple. Your life as it exists right now is a result of what you have believed over the past weeks, months, and years. Therefore, if you want to change your life you must first change what you believe.

The good news is this: God has already given you the ability to control your future and your destiny. If you’ve made Jesus the Lord of your life, then the life you live is not a hit-and-miss experiment. You have been granted access to the things you desire through your ability to believe God. You tap into the limitless miracle power of God by simply having faith, not doubting, and believing the Word of God.

Jesus wanted His disciples to think outside the box, to believe God for the impossible. He was telling them the only requirement for receiving was their believing. He knew the only obstacle to this kind of believing was the natural mind:

The natural mind will come up with lots of reasons why “it” can’t happen

The natural mind will explain precisely why “it” won’t work

The natural mind will block the supernatural, and limit you to the probable, the logical, and the rational

Whatever it is you are believing for, God has promised in His Word that it can and will happen when you believe. So, create a new life for yourself; be all you were created to be; live your dream by doing what Jesus said to do—believe. After all, believing has no limits.

Confession: Today I set my heart and mind fully on God’s Word and the promises He has made to me. I choose to believe God’s Word is true, and that I will receive those things I ask for in prayer. I have mountain-moving faith.

AMEN! Choose to believe that GOD meant what He said and said what He meant!!! Because it's TRUE! Here is Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" by Kenneth E. Hagin is a great lesson in standing in faith!

By His Stripes

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. — 1 PETER 2:24

Some years ago, I was awakened at 1:30 a.m. with severe symptoms in my heart and chest. I knew something about such symptoms because I had been bedfast and given up to die with a heart condition as a teenager.

The devil said to my mind, “You’re going to die. This is one time you’re not going to get your healing.”

I pulled the covers over my head and began to laugh. I didn’t feel like laughing, but I just laughed anyway for about ten minutes. Finally, the devil asked me what I was laughing about.

“I’m laughing at you!” I said. “You said I wasn’t going to get my healing. Ha, ha, Mr. Devil. I don’t expect to get my healing! Jesus already got it for me! Now, in case you can’t read, I’ll quote First Peter 2:24 for you.” And I did.

After quoting the last phrase, “. . . by whose stripes ye were healed,” I said, “Now if we were — I was! So I don’t have to get it — Jesus already got it! And because Jesus got it for me, I accept it, and claim it, and I have it. Now you just gather up your little symptoms and get out of here, Mr. Devil!”

And he did!

Confession: Jesus has already obtained healing for me. I accept it. I claim it. I have it. By Jesus’ stripes, I was healed!

We must all, each and every one of us, learn how to speak to the enemy in the authority of the Word of God! He MUST obey! Remember, he is under the feet of JESUS, which means that he is also under OURS! AMEN! Her is Hillsong with "No One But You":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I was very blessed today, as usual, by our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan being SO timely! Psalm 144:102:

1 Blessed be the Lord, my Rock and my keen and firm Strength, Who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight— 2 My Steadfast Love and my Fortress, my High Tower and my Deliverer, my Shield and He in Whom I trust and take refuge, Who subdues my people under me.

Notice that our God is the One Who teaches and trains us in  WARFARE! This warfare is not against flesh and blood, although most of the things that come against us in this life come THROUGH people. But we are REALLY warring with the enemy, the devil, and his minions who try to hurt GOD through the ones that He loves! US! When we use the weapons of OUR warfare, the Word of GOD, the Blood of JESUS and the Name of JESUS, the Spirit of God directs our 'battle weapons' for direct hits on the enemy! He is forced to flee and to return seven fold what he has stolen from us (Proverbs 6:31)! Psalm 144:6-8 shows us how the Lord deals with the enemy!

6 Cast forth lightning and scatter [my enemies]; send out Your arrows and embarrass and frustrate them. 7 Stretch forth Your hand from above; rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, from the hands of hostile aliens (tribes around us) 8 Whose mouths speak deceit and whose right hands are right hands [raised in taking] fraudulent oaths.

We are certainly living in a time when our enemy is causing many to rise up against us in just that way! But through our God, we shall be victorious! Remember to stay steadfast in prayer, in praise and worship, in study and meditation in the Word and in intimate fellowship with GOD! THAT keeps us in position to receive the deliverance that only GOD can bring! Then we can say that verse 15 applies to us!

15 Happy and blessed are the people who are in such a case; yes, happy (blessed, fortunate, prosperous, to be envied) are the people whose God is the Lord!

Then in John 4:14 we see this wonderful promise to those who belong to JESUS!

14 But whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty any more. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up (flowing, bubbling) [continually] within him unto (into, for) eternal life.

AMEN! This Bible plan reading today simply MADE my day! That and being so extremely grateful and thankful for the freedom that we have in the United States of America to worship God, serve Him and tell of His wondrous works! All because of those who have given their lives to protect and defend what GOD in His greatness has given us! We are, of all people, MOST BLESSED! Here to help you celebrate those blessings is Hillsong Worship with "See The Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share the devotional from The Spoken Word Church website again! (The link for the site is on the left.) 

Make Today a Major Event in Your Life

Do not be passive today. You are alive! Act like it! Talk like it! Celebrate yourself!

Speak a little louder today. Speak a little faster. Smile bigger. Laugh aloud, and exude the joy of Jesus as you spread it generously over every single hour today.

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalms 118:24)

I think that too often we spend so much time planning for future events that we neglect to thoroughly enjoy every moment of every day that THE LORD HAS MADE for us! I hope that YOU will make it your goal and determined purpose to live every single day with your whole heart invested in JESUS and in being HIS LIGHT in your world! There is nothing more fulfilling than being where GOD wants you to be, doing what GOD wants you to do! That IS the true definition of prosperity and success! Here are Hillsong Kids with an encouraging song to get you moving on this journey today! "As The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" by Kenneth E. Hagin contains another mighty TRUTH from the Word of God!

God’s Stamp

He [God] brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. — PSALM 105:37

You can see from the Scriptures that it was God’s plan for everything connected with Israel to bear the stamp of prosperity and success. Furthermore, disease and sickness were not to be tolerated among them.

And so it should be with the Church. Everything connected with the Body of Christ, the New Testament Church, should bear the stamp of prosperity, success, healing, surplus, and health.

What God said concerning Israel, He said in so many words concerning the Church. Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation . . . .” Scofield’s footnote on the word “salvation” states that the Greek and Hebrew words translated “salvation” imply the ideas of deliverance, safety, preservation, healing, and health (soundness). The Gospel of Jesus Christ, then, is the power of God unto deliverance. It is the power of God unto safety and preservation. It is the power of God unto healing and health.

Confession: I am a child of God. I am a member of the Body of Christ. I bear the stamp of prosperity, success, healing, surplus, and health. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto deliverance, safety, preservation, healing, and health for me.

God's plans are ALWAYS FAR better than any that we could ever plan for ourselves! Learn to trust GOD and learn to trust His Word! He will NEVER let you down! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "King of Kings":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Jerry Savelle's devotional:

GRACE WILL GIVE YOU WHAT YOU DON’T DESERVE

For by grace you have been saved [blessed, healed, delivered, made whole] through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV, brackets added).

The biblical definition of grace is “unmerited favor.” It is something you didn’t earn; it is the gift of God. So when you see the word grace in your Bible, you can accurately interchange it with the word favor.

God’s grace, His unmerited favor, is simply God giving you something you don’t deserve. The Bible says, “Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” (Romans 4:4-5 NKJV). Simply put:

Grace makes a way for God to bless you in life—regardless of your merits.

Grace will give you what you did not earn.

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

Grace will give you what you do not deserve.

Have you ever wondered why some believers are more blessed than others? Is it because of their spiritual performance, the hours spent reading the Word, praying, and fasting? No! They are blessed because they actually believe God has justified them. And they’ve received His grace, knowing that grace will give them what they don’t deserve.

Confession: Through faith in Jesus Christ, I have been saved by the grace of God. I did not earn this grace. It is a precious gift that has given me what I don’t deserve: God’s favor, blessing, health, and wholeness—spirit, soul, and body.

Our God has ALREADY blessed us with EVERYTHING that we will ever need! Once we actually learn who we are - IN HIM - then we will truly be in position to fulfill our onw individual calling and ministry! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's message from Oswald Chambers' devotional "My Utmost For His Highest" is so simple, yet so very important for our continual growth in the things of God!

The Realm Of The Real

In your patience possess ye your souls. — Luke 21:19

When a man is born again, there is not the same robustness in his thinking or reasoning for a time as formerly. We have to make an expression of the new life, to form the mind of Christ. “Acquire your soul with patience” (rv). Many of us prefer to stay at the threshold of the Christian life instead of going on to construct a soul in accordance with the new life God has put within. We fail because we are ignorant of the way we are made, we put things down to the devil instead of our own undisciplined natures. Think what we can be when we are roused!

There are certain things we must not pray about — moods, for instance. Moods never go by praying, moods go by kicking. A mood nearly always has its seat in the physical condition, not in the moral. It is a continual effort not to listen to the moods which arise from a physical condition; never submit to them for a second. We have to take ourselves by the scruff of the neck and shake ourselves, and we will find that we can do what we said we could not. The curse with most of us is that we won’t. The Christian life is one of incarnate spiritual pluck.

I LOVE the last statement! It is a CHOICE to either do things God's Way, or not! We have everything we need in order to GROW UP! We have the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God, abundant access to the WORD of God, ministers with insight and knowledge to share, and other born again believers to meditate the Word with. We are, of all people, MOST BLESSED! Let's make sure that WE are continually pressing on to BE the best that WE can be! AMEN! Here are Hillsong Kids with "Made In Your Image":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Here is the BEST encouragement that I can give you for today! Psalm 138 from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan!

Psalm 138 [A Psalm] of David.

1 I will confess and praise You [O God] with my whole heart; before the gods will I sing praises to You.

2 I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness; for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word and You have magnified Your word above all Your name!

3 In the day when I called, You answered me; and You strengthened me with strength (might and inflexibility to temptation) in my inner self.

4 All the kings of the land shall give You credit and praise You, O Lord, for they have heard of the promises of Your mouth [which were fulfilled].

5 Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord and joyfully celebrate His mighty acts, for great is the glory of the Lord.

6 For though the Lord is high, yet has He respect to the lowly [bringing them into fellowship with Him]; but the proud and haughty He knows and recognizes [only] at a distance.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.

8 The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, endure forever—forsake not the works of Your own hands.

There are two portions here that especially minister to me today! Verse 2 tells us that the WORD of GOD is even higher than His NAME, which is above every other name that has ever been given! How then can the WORD be higher? Because it is by the WORD of the LIVING GOD that the NAME is given POWER! HALLELUJAH! Verses 4-5 tell us that there will be a time when all of the kings (rulers) of the earth will give praise and honor to OUR GOD! They will also sing and celebrate all that HE has done! I am believing that this last great wave of God's GLORY and POWER will sweep SO MANY people into His kingdom that nobody ever expected! Including many of the rulers of the earth! What a great and glorious day THAT will be! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "What A Beautiful Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really love this from today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin:

Covenant Blessing

And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil. — EXODUS 23:25,26

As long as Israel walked in the covenant, there was no sickness among them. There is no record of a premature death as long as they kept the covenant. No babies, no young people, no middle-aged people died. With sickness taken away from the midst of them, they lived their whole lives out without disease, and then they just fell asleep in death. When it was time for them to go, they would lay hands on their children, pronounce blessings upon them, gather their feet up into bed, give up the ghost, and go home.

What does that have to do with us? God is the same God now that He was then! The Bible says that He does not change. God was against sin in the Old Testament (Old Covenant), and God is against sin in the New Testament (New Covenant). God was against sickness in the Old Testament — and God is against sickness in the New Testament. God made provision for healing in the Old Testament — and God has made provision for healing in the New Testament!

Confession: I love and serve the Lord my God as a New Covenant believer. Jesus has taken sickness away from the midst of me. If He tarries His coming, the number of my days I will fulfill!

I have so enjoyed going through "Faith Food" again this year in Morning Prayer! Some of the earliest lessons that we learned concerning what belongs to us as members of the family of God and Covenant partners with Him are revealed here and it has been a great review of what we KNOW so well! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

The message of today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is POWERFUL!

His Ascension and Our Access

It came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. —Luke 24:51

We have no experiences in our lives that correspond to the events in our Lord’s life after the transfiguration. From that moment forward His life was altogether substitutionary. Up to the time of the transfiguration, He had exhibited the normal, perfect life of a man. But from the transfiguration forward— Gethsemane, the Cross, the resurrection— everything is unfamiliar to us. His Cross is the door by which every member of the human race can enter into the life of God; by His resurrection He has the right to give eternal life to anyone, and by His ascension our Lord entered heaven, keeping the door open for humanity.

The transfiguration was completed on the Mount of Ascension. If Jesus had gone to heaven directly from the Mount of Transfiguration, He would have gone alone. He would have been nothing more to us than a glorious Figure. But He turned His back on the glory, and came down from the mountain to identify Himself with fallen humanity.

The ascension is the complete fulfillment of the transfiguration. Our Lord returned to His original glory, but not simply as the Son of God— He returned to His father as the Son of Man as well. There is now freedom of access for anyone straight to the very throne of God because of the ascension of the Son of Man. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ deliberately limited His omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. But now they are His in absolute, full power. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ now has all the power at the throne of God. From His ascension forward He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

WE have free and complete access to the GOD of the BIBLE because of JESUS! AMEN! Don't ever take that TRUTH lightly! No one before the Church age EVER had the Spirit of God living IN them! We are, of ALL people who have ever lived, MOST BLESSED!!! Here is Hillsong with "Blessed":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Andrew Womack's devotional! 

The Law Is Not Of Faith

Mark 7:2 'And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.'

Man looks on the outward appearance (this is what the scribes and Pharisees were concerned with), but the Lord looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Jesus looked on men's hearts. The Old Testament laws concerning washing served a secondary purpose of hygiene, but as stated in Colossians 2:16-17 and Hebrews 9:1, 9-10, their real purpose was to shadow or illustrate spiritual truth.

Defiled food may hurt our bodies, but it cannot reach our spirits (John 3:6).

The scribes and Pharisees missed the principle of spiritual purity taught by the Old Testament ordinances and became obsessed with strict adherence to their rituals. While they relentlessly enforced the laws dealing with the physical realm, they had become completely corrupt in the spiritual realm.

'The law is not of faith.' When combined with Romans 14:23 which says, '...whatsoever is not of faith is sin' this statement must have been near blasphemy to the legalistic Jews, just as it is to legalistic Christians today. It is sin for the New Testament believer to try to relate to God by attempting to keep the Old Testament law. The law itself is not sin (Romans 7:7). But it is sin to try to use the law for justification with God. This was never the purpose of the law.

Under the law a person got what he deserved. Under faith, the New Testament believer receives grace because of what Jesus did for him. Any departure from faith, especially a departure back to the Old Testament law, voids the work of Christ (Galatians 2:21) and is the worst sin of all. Only faith in Jesus Christ has the key that unlocks the door to the law's harsh imprisonment of guilt and condemnation. With a great price He has purchased your freedom. Walk in it today and enjoy His Life.

AMEN! I have had a few discussions over the years with believers who think that we are to still keep the law! This thinking stems from a complete lack of understanding of: 1) Our New and BETTER Covenant (Hebrews 8:6) and 2) All that JESUS accomplished through His death, burial and RESURRECTION! JESUS completely FULFILLED the Law FOR US, so to continue to try to KEEP the law is actually a complete lack of faith in what JESUS has done! HE said: "IT IS FINISHED" (John 19:30), meaning the entirety of the LAW was fulfilled IN HIM! Let's ALWAYS agree with GOD and HIS WORD! We can't ever go wrong with that! AMEN! Here is Sarah Hart Pearsons with one of my favorite healing songs: "It Is Finished":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share the devotional from The Spoken Word Church website. This is such an important message for those who truly desire to grow up in the things of God!

Listen to Mentors of Faith

Joshua learned under Moses. Timothy learned under Paul. Elisha learned under Elijah.

Observe successful lives carefully. Secrets will surface. Reasons for their success will emerge. Read biographies of extraordinary people who tapped into the fountain of faith. Their lives will excite you to new heights of faith.

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1)

AMEN! None of us were meant to 'go solo'! We were designed by our Father to belong to His family! We can each learn so much by listening to men and women who truly know and live God's Word! And we can help others so much by sharing the Word of God with them! Here are Hillsong Kids with "Voices of Freedom":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Our partner, Jerry Savelle, has an excellent message on success in his devotional for today!

SUCCESS IS A DECISION

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success (Joshua 1:8 NKJV).

Success begins with a decision to succeed. In turn, that decision will produce an unwavering commitment to do what it takes to do two things.

The first is to discover the spiritual laws relevant to your challenge. Simply put, this means to get wisdom: “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom” (Proverbs 4:7 NKJV). The second is to diligently apply these laws and wisdom through to complete victory.

God’s will for you is success, but success doesn’t just happen. That’s why He shows you in His Word how to make things happen.

If you do not believe and act according to His Word, there is nothing He can do about it. However, when you do your part, He has to do His part. I like to say it this way: We get to do the easy part and God gets to do the impossible part.

For example, the Bible says, “Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant” (Matthew 20:26 NKJV). In other words, you can’t promote yourself; only God can make it happen. But you can make the decision to succeed by getting wisdom and then acting on the Word by choosing to become a servant.

When you make the decision to apply the Word of God to your situation, God promises that you will make your way prosperous and have good success.

Confession: I made the decision to succeed today. I make an unwavering commitment to do what it takes to get wisdom concerning the spiritual laws relevant to my challenge, and then to apply them through to complete victory.

AMEN! Never doubt that your Heavenly Father desires for you to be successful at whatever you lay your hands to! Be BIG in your dreams and goals and be DILIGENT in your Godly pursuit of success! He will walk with you every step of the way! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Another In The Fire":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

One of the most important lessons that I have ever learned on healing came through Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional! 

Chastening

That he might sanctify and cleanse it [the Church] with the washing of water by the word. — EPHESIANS 5:26

“You’ve forgotten,” someone said to me.

“What did I forget?”

“In the Book of Hebrews it says, ‘ . . .whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth . . .’” (Hebrews 12:6).

“No, I didn’t forget. That verse is still in there. But it doesn’t say, ‘whom the Lord loveth He makes sick.’”

People put their own interpretation on verses. “Chasten” in the Greek means to child train, to educate. You train your children. You send them to school. But did you ever tell the teacher, “If Johnny doesn’t do right, knock his eye out,” or “If Johnny is disobedient, break his leg,” or “Give him cancer.” No! That isn’t the way you discipline or train a child! And that’s not the way God does it either!

Confession: I am trained by the Word and the Spirit of God. I am educated by the Word and the Spirit of God. I am disciplined by the Word and the Spirit of God. With the washing of water by the Word, I am cleansed!

AMEN! God does NOT bring sickness and idsease on us to 'teach' us anything! In face, He HAS no sickness and disease to bring! He IS LIGHT and there is NO DARKNESS in Him (1 John 1:5)! 

Refuse to even entertain that thought for a moment! Fill your heart and mind with the TRUTH of the Word of God and allow faith to build and grow until you can stand strong against every work and worker of darkness that seeks to bring you into bondage! Whom the SON has set free, IS free! INDEED! Amen! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Freedom Is Here":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Joseph Prince's "Grace Inspirations" devotional:

GOD IS WELL PLEASED WITH YOU, HIS BELOVED

Ephesians 1:6 …He [God] made us accepted in the Beloved.

Studies have shown that in the heart of every child is a cry for his father’s approval. Something happens when a father says to his boy, “Daddy is so proud of you.” Or when a father says to his girl, “You will always be Daddy’s favorite girl.”

You can catch such a similar special moment in the Bible when God the Father displayed His approval of His Son—“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). The Bible shows us that Jesus’ ministry began with the approval of the Father, even before He had performed any miracle.

Now, you may think that God would naturally say that of Jesus, but not of us. My friend, the truth is that Jesus came for us and as us. He died for us and as us. He received the approval of the Father for us and as us. He came as our representative. And if that is not enough, God tells us in His Word that we are “accepted in the Beloved”!

Why did God specifically say “accepted in the Beloved” and not simply “accepted in Christ”? I believe that it is because He is calling to our remembrance what had happened at the Jordan river where He said, “This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” God wants us to know that we are His beloved and that He is well pleased with us.

God sees us as His beloved because He has made us accepted in the Beloved. He wants us to wake up every day knowing that we are His beloved, unconditionally loved and wholly approved.

The more we know how much we are loved and treasured by God, the more we can expect good things to happen in our lives. We can expect to be healthy and whole. When we realize that we are the objects of God’s love, instead of becoming easily frightened or threatened by anything or anyone, we become confident that we will win every fight of life.

That, my friend, is how your heavenly Father wants you to live. So live life today confident that you are God’s beloved!

AMEN! Learn to see yourself as GOD sees you! Here, to help remind you of that, is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional is what I would like to share today!

Set Against Sickness

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. . . . And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name . . . they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. — MARK 16:15,17,18

Let’s stop and analyze something here: Which of the sick did Jesus say we were to lay hands on?

Jesus just said “the sick” — period.

Then, if God were the author of sickness — if God did put sickness and disease on people — if it were the will of God for some to be sick — this statement would be confusing. Because in it, Jesus authorized us to lay hands on ALL sick.

If God weren’t in the healing business, Jesus would have had to say something like, “Lay your hands on those that it is the will of God to heal, and they shall recover. And those that it isn’t — they won’t recover.”

But, no! God set the Church against sickness — period!

Confession: God is in the healing business. God is not in the sickness business. God is in the delivering business. God is not in the bondage business. I refuse to allow the enemy to try to get me to accept sickness or bondage as being from God. Satan is the author of sickness. God has set me against sickness!

We are so abundantly blessed that our Heavenly Father is STILL in the Healing Business today! Find out what belongs to YOU as a born again child of the living God! No refuse to settle for anything less! AMEN! Here are Hillsong Kids with an older song called "My Best Friend":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is a great reminder that, though we are saved by faith and not by works, walking out this great salvation WILL take work on our part! 

Take the Initiative

…add to your faith virtue… —2 Peter 1:5

Add means that we have to do something. We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save nor sanctify ourselves— God does that. But God will not give us good habits or character, and He will not force us to walk correctly before Him. We have to do all that ourselves. We must “work out” our “own salvation” which God has worked in us (Philippians 2:12). Add means that we must get into the habit of doing things, and in the initial stages that is difficult. To take the initiative is to make a beginning— to instruct yourself in the way you must go.

Beware of the tendency to ask the way when you know it perfectly well. Take the initiative— stop hesitating— take the first step. Be determined to act immediately in faith on what God says to you when He speaks, and never reconsider or change your initial decisions. If you hesitate when God tells you to do something, you are being careless, spurning the grace in which you stand. Take the initiative yourself, make a decision of your will right now, and make it impossible to go back. Burn your bridges behind you, saying, “I will write that letter,” or “I will pay that debt”; and then do it! Make it irrevocable.

We have to get into the habit of carefully listening to God about everything, forming the habit of finding out what He says and heeding it. If, when a crisis comes, we instinctively turn to God, we will know that the habit has been formed in us. We have to take the initiative where we are, not where we have not yet been.

AMEN! This is such wise counsel! Remember always that while WE are the Body of Christ on the earth, the HEAD (JESUS) is inHEaven while WE (His BODY) is here on earth! HE guides and directs us and WE speak and act, giving HIM something to work with (Mark 16:20). Here are Hillsong Kids with their version of a favorite older song called "Tell The World":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share two things with you from my mediation on our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan! Psalm 128: A Song of Ascents.:

1 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is everyone who fears, reveres, and worships the Lord, who walks in His ways and lives according to His commandments. 2 For you shall eat [the fruit] of the labor of your hands; happy (blessed, fortunate, enviable) shall you be, and it shall be well with you. 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of your house; your children shall be like olive plants round about your table. 4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord. 5 May the Lord bless you out of Zion [His sanctuary], and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life; 6 Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!

The Psalms labeled "A Song of Ascents" are believed to be songs that the Jewish people would sing as they made thie way to the Temple in Jerusalem for the Feasts. I love this one as an encouragement even today for those who will be DOERS of the Word of God! Dare to believe that the GOD Who gave Himself for us will hold back nothing of all that He has promised in His Word if WE will simply BELIEVE and RECEIVE! AMEN! And then one of my favorite verses in the New Testament goes right along with these great promises! 2 Corinthians 1:20:

20 For as many as are the promises of God, they all find their Yes [answer] in Him [Christ]. For this reason we also utter the Amen (so be it) to God through Him [in His Person and by His agency] to the glory of God.

AMEN! I also love this one from The Passion Translation!

20 For all of God’s promises find their “yes” of fulfillment in him. And as his “yes” and our “amen” ascend to God, we bring him glory!

HALLELUJAH! Bringing GLORY to God is ALWAYS one of my greatest desires! Here are Hillsong Kids with "I Give You My Hallelujah":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to look at Rick Renner's "Sparkling Gems From The Greek - Volume 2".

Sin and Its Creeping Effect

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. — 1 John 5:21

When the apostle John was on the island of Patmos, he received seven messages to the seven churches in Asia. His spirit had been pierced by Jesus’ words, and he vividly recalled the Lord’s loving rebuke concerning the sin that was trying to creep back into some of those congregations. John knew from Christ’s words that idolatry was trying to seep into the Church. The apostle understood that the willingness of believers to compromise jeopardized the Church’s holiness, weakened the power of the Holy Spirit among them, and nullified their witness for Christ. Thus, the apostle solemnly admonished them, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”

This was a strong admonition for believers to guard their lives against evil that was looking for a way to get back into the mainstream of their lives. John instructed his readers to “keep” themselves from idols and the disastrous implications of idolatrous worship — which was connected with all types of sinful, sexual, riotous behavior. Since First John 5:21 is the living Word of God, it also speaks to you and me: We are to “keep” ourselves from insidious evil and sin that would try to creep back into our own lives.

The word “keep” in this verse is the Greek word phulasso, a word that occurs at least 400 times in the Old Testament Septuagint and 31 times in the New Testament. In each instance, the usage of this word is indisputable. It describes the guarding and protecting of a thing, such as the guarding of a house, property, possessions, or even graves, and it denotes the alertness and sleeplessness of the person who is on guard. The word phulasso could also imply the safekeeping of something entrusted to someone, and it was often used in a military sense to describe a garrison, a guard, or a sentinel. To “keep” (phulasso) something demanded that a person be loyal to the task — never lethargic or lackadaisical. If that individual “fell asleep on the job,” the consequences could be grave; therefore, he must be on full alert at all times.

The Greek word phulasso means we are to remain wide awake and stay on course to the very end. We are to defend ourselves against the evil just as a garrison defends a strategic position. We are to be the sentinels of our lives and of the Church.

When John commanded his readers to “…keep yourself from idols…,” he was urging them to stay on alert regarding the danger of idolatry and sin. The tense used in First John 5:21 stresses continuous responsibility, which indicates this vigilance must be constantly maintained. Idolatry and other sin — and all their insidious effects — were so close that the believers needed to continually stay alert in order to remain free from their contaminating effects. It was absolutely essential that they stood firm, steadfastly refusing to compromise in the face of worldly pressures.

The believers in the First Century were surrounded with temptation. Pagan temples abounded with perverse sexual practices connected with idolatry. Those pagan temples were hotbeds of demonic activity and sinful actions. In order for Christians to stay free, they had to decide to stay free — that meant deliberately avoiding contact with these places. If they didn’t maintain an alert attitude and stay continually alert, idolatry would creep back into their midst with devastating consequences. This is the reason why John called on believers to “keep” themselves from it — that is, to protect themselves from idols and to stay continuously alert about the need to be vigilant against idolatry’s temptations.

Likewise, we must take John’s words to our hearts and realize that it is our responsibility to protect ourselves from sin that would try to creep back into our lives. The world is full of sin — and as time progresses, the sin will get darker and more depraved. Society (without God) is gravitating toward normalizing even the most debased base instincts in order to make these things acceptable in society. Hence, it is essential that you and I stay fully alert to the creeping effects of sin.

We may not have actual idols to deal with in today’s modern world, but sin is still a reality — and believers must avoid the pull to compromise with a world that is drifting further and further from the absolute truths of God’s Word. Regardless of what the world says is acceptable, we still have an unchangeable compass — the Bible — which serves as our absolute and final authority in these last days until Jesus returns for His Church. Until then, we must hide the Word of God in our hearts so we do not sin against God (see Psalm 119:11).

You are the guardian and overseer over your heart, and it is up to you to make sure your heart stays sensitive to the Holy Spirit and to God’s Word by setting aside time each day to spend with Him. It is up to you to do all you can to “keep” yourself from the creeping effects of sin in this crucial hour. And here’s the good news: You are well able to remain steadfast and pure in every area of your life, because through Jesus, you have everything you need to hold on to that victorious testimony!

I especially love the first sentence inthe paragraph above! YOU are the guardian and overseer of your own life! I am the guardian and over seer of my own life! We have a responsibility to make sure that we are representing JESUS in the best possible way! SOMEONE's eternity depends on it! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Yours Forever":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" by Kenneth E. Hagin is another very important lesson for every born again believe

Don’t Blame God

. . . He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. . . . Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. — JOHN 14:9,10

Many of the laws that govern this earth today came into being when Adam sinned and the curse came upon the earth.

Because people don’t understand this, they accuse God of causing accidents, sicknesses, the death of loved ones, storms, catastrophes, earthquakes, floods, etc. Even insurance policies call such things “acts of God.” They are not acts of God! They are acts of the devil!

Jesus set aside these natural laws to bless humanity. We don’t see Jesus bringing any storms on people. In fact, we see Jesus stilling the storms. Therefore, God didn’t send the storm. Jesus wouldn’t rebuke something God did! But Jesus did rebuke what the devil stirred up.

When you see Jesus at work, you see God at work. Jesus’ description of the Father, and His statement that “. . . he that hath seen me hath seen the Father . . .” (John 14:9), make it impossible to accept the teaching that sickness and disease are from God. The very nature of God refutes such an idea!

Confession: God is love. And I don’t blame love for what the devil does. I look at Jesus, and I see love at work.

AMEN! Notice the underlines portions above. Many religious people or unbelieving believers like to say "God is in control". That is NOT true! JESUS said this to His desciples after His resurrection. Matthew 28:18 

Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).

JESUS gave unto the Church HIS authority! We are to speak His Word, do His works and EXPECT HIM to confirm the WORD that we speak with signs, wonders and miracles! WE have a very important part to play in JESUS being 'in control'! When we KNOW and SPEAK His Word then HE can get involved in the lives of mankind and confirm His Word! Mark 16:20:

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).

AMEN! Find out what God's Word says and then begin to do YOUR part so that JESUS can do HIS! Here is Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!