Shalom,

I REALLY love today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin!

Conductor Of Life

. . . God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life . . . . — 1 JOHN 5:11,12

Jesus said, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. . . . And these signs shall follow them that believe . . .” (Mark 16:15,17). One of these signs Jesus said would follow believers — not the Early Church, not apostles, not pastors, not preachers, but believers — is, “. . . they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:18).

Why? Because the life of God is in believers!

Sometimes people are specially anointed to minister healing, but that isn’t what Mark 16 is talking about! Every born-again believer has the life of God, the nature of God, the God-kind of life, in him — and by the laying on of hands, that life can be imparted into the physical bodies of others!

That’s why you should lay hands on the sick. When you lay hands on them, that life of God in you is conducted through your hands to others. Often, you’ll be conscious of that life flowing right out of you into them. You’ve got the life of God in you! You’ve got the nature of God in you! God’s a healing God. Put God’s power to work! That’s how God works — through your own hands. God’s not here on earth in Person, but He is in you by His Spirit!

Confession: I am a believing one. I have the life of God in me. And God is a healing God. I lay hands on the sick, and they recover.

AMEN!!! That IS what our Father is EXPECTING us to do! When WE do OUR part, then HE can do what only HE can do! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong Worship with "New Wine":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Colossians 2:8-10 is excellent Wisdom for every born again believer!

8 See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men’s ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah). 9 For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature]. 10 And you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life [in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—and reach full spiritual stature]. And He is the Head of all rule and authority [of every angelic principality and power].

1 Corinthians 1:30 tells us that God has made Him (JESUS) to be our Wisdom! 

But it is from Him that you have your life in Christ Jesus, Whom God made our Wisdom from God, [revealed to us a knowledge of the divine plan of salvation previously hidden, manifesting itself as] our Righteousness [thus making us upright and putting us in right standing with God], and our Consecration [making us pure and holy], and our Redemption [providing our ransom from eternal penalty for sin].

JESUS IS Wisdom and when we pay attention to HIM and to HIS WORD, then the so-called wisdom of the world will simply fall away and give place to the TRUE Wisdom which comes only from God! Right now the world without JESUS is simply falling apart, but WE who are IN CHRIST JESUS will shine like the light of day with the GLORY of GOD as we heed and operate IN His Wisdom,, knwledge and understanding! The world is scared and looking for answers and WE have them! HIS NAME is JESUS! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Upper Room":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

The Spoken Word Church website has an excellent, short devotional for every day of the year! Today's says this:

Setting a specific prayer time is one of the great secrets in the lives of prayer champions. Build your daily agenda around your specific prayer time. Morning is usually the best time. Make it the priority of the day.

You will be amazed at the power of keeping a daily appointment with God.

"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." (Psalms 5:3)

AMEN! If we do not make time spent with the Lord our immediate priority on waking up, we will be no better off than the people in the world without JESUS! Without HIS Wisdom to begin our day, we will be cheating ourselves out of the very best! Give yourself every advantage iin life that JESUS has provided for you! ACCESS to HIM and His infinite WISDOM! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Like Incense (Sometimes By Step)":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I have shared before that John is my favorite Gospel and Philippians and 1 John are my favorite Epistles. Today we have Philippians 4 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan and I am going to simply share a few of my favorite verses! Verse 4:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!

I look at the command to re-joice as meaning to stir up the joy that is IN me as a fruit of the Spirit. I may not always FEEL the joy, but when I commit to stir it up, the joy just overflows! YOU should do so, too! Then verses 6-7 are vital for walking in God's great peace!

6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. 7 And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

AMEN! God's peace will flow FROM us in ther midst of chaos and turmoil when we refuse to fret and CHOOSE to 'rejoice'! The WAY we do this is foundn in verse 8!

8 For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].

What we CHOOSE to think about, fixing our minds on, WILL BE what affects the outcome! When we choose the good and godly TRUTH of God's Word over the situations and circumstances of the world, then we WILL have peace, joy and a clear mind! Because verse 13 tells us that we CAN DO anything!

13 I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].

AMEN! We do NOT have to do anything in this life in our own strength! WE HAVE HIS! And then, when we follow God's financial guidelines by tithing and giving, then we have verse 19 that we can count on! ALWAYS!

19 And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

This promise was given to those who were supporting the GOSPEL! GO THOU AND DO LIKEWISE and this PROMISE is YOURS! AMEN! We will wrap this blog up today by remembering that we ARE who HE says that we are! And we'll do so with a little help from Hillsong Worship! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Philippians 3:7-11:

7 But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [one combined] loss for Christ’s sake. 8 Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One), 9 And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law’s demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith. 10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] 11 That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

Most people who know me also know that Philippians 3:10 is MY foundational Scripture! This IS MY "determined purpose"! We MUST make it our own "determined puspose" to KNOW HIM, and to KNOW HIM WELL! THEN we can be Confident of ALL that the Word of God applies to us! AMEN! Here are Hillsong Kids with

Hillsong as the world shakes with lyics:

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional. 

Knowledge And Skill

As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. — DANIEL 1:17

“. . . God gave them knowledge and skill. . . .”

God gave Daniel and the other three Hebrew children, knowledge and all skill.

Eternal life is the nature of God. You’ve got God’s nature in you. Know that! Believe that! Confess that! Then that nature will begin to dominate you!

Learn to walk in the light of life. Learn to put that life into practice in your being. Walking in the light of that life will enhance your entire personality, and will increase your intelligence.

Confession: I am a new creation. I am born again. I am a new creature. I have the life and nature of God in my spirit. That life is the light of men. I purpose to walk in the light of life. 

God’s life is in me. God’s knowledge is in me. God’s skill is in me. God’s ability is in me. God’s wisdom is in me. He is instructing me. He is leading me. I am a child of God. The Spirit of God in me is leading me. I’ll follow His leading. I’ll walk in the light of life.

When we REALLY believe that we ARE exactly who GOD says that we are, and that we CAN DO exactly what GOD says we can do, there will be no stopping the wonderful and powerful works that God desires to do to reach the unreached people around us with the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST that brings SALVATION to the lost! Are YOU ready to dig in to the WORD of the LIVING God until the TRUTH of who YOU ARE rises up so big that it chases all fear away? Let's get to it! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in  Him!

Shalom,

I think that you will be really blessed with today's "Sparkling Gems From The Greek - Volume 2" by Rick Renner!

The Permanent Indweller of Your Heart

Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? — James 4:5

According to James 4:5, the Holy Spirit came into our hearts as a Permanent Indweller. It says, “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?”

The Greek word for “dwelleth” is katoikidzo, a compound of the words kata and oikos. The word kata carries the idea of settling down, and the word oikos is the word for a house. Taken together, the new word means to take up residency or to dwell in a house. This word carries the idea of residing permanently. In other words, this word would never describe a transient or one who came to live in a place only temporarily. This is the picture of a person who has settled into a home with no intention of ever leaving.

In other words, when the Holy Spirit came to live in you, it wasn’t for a short period of time. When He came, He came to stay. From the moment you made Jesus your Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit made your heart His permanent home. He has, so to speak, hung His own pictures on the walls, moved His furniture in, and settled down into a nice, big comfortable chair. He has no intention of ever moving out to leave your heart vacant while He finds somewhere else to live.

Think of that! The Holy Spirit doesn’t come only to visit occasionally. Your heart is His home. Meditate on this truth, and determine to live each moment of the day with a deep sense of awareness of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence. Welcome His fellowship; talk to Him; and yield to Him as He prays through you and gives you guidance and direction. A deeper realization of the Permanent Indweller who lives on the inside of you will help you stay on track and continually move forward in your walk in Christ!

When we REALLY realize that Holy Spirit is IN US TO STAY, then we will never allow fear, worry, guilt or comndemnation to have any place! HE is IN US to HELP us! COUNT ON IT! COPUNT ON HIM! He is waiting on us! Make it your determined purpose to spend more time being aware of HIS presence in you and communing with Him. Your life will never be the same! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Upper Room":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Ephesians 6:18-19 gives vital instructions for us today!

18 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people). 19 And [pray] also for me, that [freedom of] utterance may be given me, that I may open my mouth to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news (the Gospel),

Prayer is such a powerful and priceless privilege that God has given us! Prayer is simply communion with the One, True God! Prayer in intercession for others is great seed sown that will reap great rewards in our own lives. Job's healy, family and fortunes were restored, even more than before, when he prayed for his friends! Even though theyy had treated him unfairly. There is no better way to walk in the love that never fails than to pray for those who have hurt you! That frees YOU to move on in faith with God's plan for your life and enables GOD to get involved with them as only He can to bring them into fellowship with Himself! And then ALWAYS pray for the ministers of God as they go about our Father's business in the way that only they and God can direct! AMEN! Then Paul closes Ephesians with these verses:

23 Peace be to the brethren, and love joined with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 24 Grace (God’s undeserved favor) be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with undying and incorruptible [love]. Amen (so let it be).

AMEN! God is GOOD! ALL the TIME! And He brings GOOD things into our lives! COUNT ON IT! Here is Hillsong Worship with: "From Whom All Blessings Flow":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I am loveing Proverbs 22 today! Verse 4:

4 The reward of humility and the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.

There are definite rewards for doing things GOD's way! Verse 6 holds another promise that I hold dear and in faith! 

6 Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Then some encouragement for those who have been the victims of this latest detestable and inexcusable conduct going on in this nation! Verse 8:

8 He who sows iniquity will reap calamity and futility, and the rod of his wrath [with which he smites others] will fail.

It will NOT keep going on and THEY will reap the just rewards of their conduct! Verses 17-19 are a promise!

17 Listen (consent and submit) to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge; 18 For it will be pleasant if you keep them in your mind [believing them]; your lips will be accustomed to [confessing] them. 19 So that your trust (belief, reliance, support, and confidence) may be in the Lord, I have made known these things to you today, even to you.

And then a final warning to those who arre destroying landmarks and memorials! Verse 28:

28 Remove not the ancient landmark which your fathers have set up.

Then we have more wonerful promises in Ephesians 5:1-2:

1 Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]. 2 And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.

Remember two things as you choose how to respond to those who treat you badly!  

1. LOVE NEVER fails! (1 Corinthians 13:8)
2. VENGEANCE belongs to the LORD! He WILL repay! HE will! (Romans 12:17-19)

AMEN! And then Ephesians 5:11-16:

11 Take no part in and have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds and enterprises of darkness, but instead [let your lives be so in contrast as to] expose and reprove and convict them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of or mention the things that [such people] practice in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed and reproved by the light, it is made visible and clear; and where everything is visible and clear there is light. 14 Therefore He says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine (make day dawn) upon you and give you light. 15 Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), 16 Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil.

AMEN! ANd then, for good measure, let's be DOERS of 1 Chronicles 16:23-34:

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth; show forth from day to day His salvation. 24 Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all peoples. 25 For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He also is to be [reverently] feared above all so-called gods. 26 For all the gods of the people are [lifeless] idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 27 Honor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [found] in His sanctuary. 28 Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength, 29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come before Him; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and in holy array. 30 Tremble and reverently fear before Him, all the earth’s peoples; the world also shall be established, so it cannot be moved. 31 Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice; and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigns! 32 Let the sea roar, and all the things that fill it; let the fields rejoice, and all that is in them. 33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing out for joy before the Lord, for He comes to judge and govern the earth. 34 O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!

AMEN and AMEN! Be DOERS of God's Word and recieve GOD's promised results! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Bright As The Sun":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really love today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers.

The Ministry of the Inner Life

You are…a royal priesthood… —1 Peter 2:9

By what right have we become “a royal priesthood”? It is by the right of the atonement by the Cross of Christ that this has been accomplished. Are we prepared to purposely disregard ourselves and to launch out into the priestly work of prayer? The continual inner-searching we do in an effort to see if we are what we ought to be generates a self-centered, sickly type of Christianity, not the vigorous and simple life of a child of God. Until we get into this right and proper relationship with God, it is simply a case of our “hanging on by the skin of our teeth,” although we say, “What a wonderful victory I have!” Yet there is nothing at all in that which indicates the miracle of redemption. Launch out in reckless, unrestrained belief that the redemption is complete. Then don’t worry anymore about yourself, but begin to do as Jesus Christ has said, in essence, “Pray for the friend who comes to you at midnight, pray for the saints of God, and pray for all men.” Pray with the realization that you are perfect only in Christ Jesus, not on the basis of this argument: “Oh, Lord, I have done my best; please hear me now.”

How long is it going to take God to free us from the unhealthy habit of thinking only about ourselves? We must get to the point of being sick to death of ourselves, until there is no longer any surprise at anything God might tell us about ourselves. We cannot reach and understand the depths of our own meagerness. There is only one place where we are right with God, and that is in Christ Jesus. Once we are there, we have to pour out our lives for all we are worth in this ministry of the inner life.

What is being discussed here is the religious idea that we must look, sound and act like a "good Christian"! That means that we have to constantly be thinking about how others perceive our behavior. That is NOT how our Heavenly Father desires for us to act! HE desires that we really come to KNOW HIM! When we do, then we will REALLY come to know who WE ARE - IN HIM! THAT is what pleases the Father the most! Let's be like Paul again and make it our determined purpose to KNOW HIM (JESUS) more every day than we did the day before! In this way HIS ways will become our ways naturally, rather than a show that we put on for the benefit of those who are, and look for, religious actions! Instead, we will look like JESUS to the world! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "No One But You":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Ephesians 3 today in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan and it is just as exciting to me as the very first time that I read or heard this! 

8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints (God’s consecrated people), this grace (favor, privilege) was granted and graciously entrusted: to proclaim to the Gentiles the unending (boundless, fathomless, incalculable, and exhaustless) riches of Christ [wealth which no human being could have searched out], 9 Also to enlighten all men and make plain to them what is the plan [regarding the Gentiles and providing for the salvation of all men] of the mystery kept hidden through the ages and concealed until now in [the mind of] God Who created all things by Christ Jesus. 10 [The purpose is] that through the church the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere. 11 This is in accordance with the terms of the eternal and timeless purpose which He has realized and carried into effect in [the person of] Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 In Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear).

GOD's plan was ALWAYS to have a people for Himself who would be ABLE to worship HIM in Spirit and in Truth! He desired for us to have a free will so that our choice for HIM would be REAL and not forced! He did NOT desire ROBOTS! Now we, those of us who have received JESUS as Lord and personal Saviour, choose to LOVE  JESUS because WE WANT TO and NOT because someone is forcing or programming us to! YOUR love for HIM is REAL, and that is JUST what HE wants! AMEN! He also REALLY wants US to know how much HE loves US! Look at verse 19:

19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! 

AMEN! And then He further explains just how much HE wants to bless US! Verse 20-21:

20 Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]— 21 To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

AMEN! SO, let's GIVE HIM the GLORY that HE alone deserves! Here is Hillsong Worship with "No One But You":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Ephesians 2:5-7 show us what God has accomplished in us through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and what HIS plan for us is for the ages to come!

5 Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation). 6 And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 7 He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus.

God DID all that He accomplished in and through US for THIS PURPOSE: that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus.

AMEN! God is about to show off to the world just what HE can and will do for those who dare top put our trust in HIM! HE is going to be demonstrating to EVERYONE what it means to be a GOD follower! Are YOU ready for this? If not - GET READY! I AM READY! SO READY! Let's GO! And here, appropriately, is Hillsong UNITED with "GO"!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We begin Ephesians today in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Remember that the Epistles are where every born again believer should spend most of our time because they are the letters written specifically to the Body of Christ, the Church! They reveal to us what God has done and is going to do in us, for us and through us! Look at verses 4-10:

4 Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love. 5 For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]— 6 [So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor, 8 Which He lavished upon us in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight and prudence), 9 Making known to us the mystery (secret) of His will (of His plan, of His purpose). [And it is this:] In accordance with His good pleasure (His merciful intention) which He had previously purposed and set forth in Him, 10 [He planned] for the maturity of the times and the climax of the ages to unify all things and head them up and consummate them in Christ, [both] things in heaven and things on the earth.

THIS is ALL God's very specific plan and purposes for us! One minister put it this way: The CHURCH of Jesus Christ is going to be showcased throughout all of eternity as God's perfect accomplishment! There was nothing like us before and there will be nothing like us after! We are UNIQUE, and uniquely anointed, appointed, gifted, called and placed all for HIS purpose and for HIS GLORY! Let's make sure that we are making GOD's priorities our own! There is no end to the great BLESSING that will operate in our lives, bringing GLORY to HIM, when we 'get with HIS program'! Find out what our Father has called YOU to do, and DO IT! Remember that we are, of ALL people who have ever lived, MOST BLESSED! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Come ALive":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is a message that I have tried to share with many believers, but it has not always been well received!

Beware of Criticizing Others

Judge not, that you be not judged. —Matthew 7:1

Jesus’ instructions with regard to judging others is very simply put; He says, “Don’t.” The average Christian is the most piercingly critical individual known. Criticism is one of the ordinary activities of people, but in the spiritual realm nothing is accomplished by it. The effect of criticism is the dividing up of the strengths of the one being criticized. The Holy Spirit is the only one in the proper position to criticize, and He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into fellowship with God when you are in a critical mood. Criticism serves to make you harsh, vindictive, and cruel, and leaves you with the soothing and flattering idea that you are somehow superior to others. Jesus says that as His disciple you should cultivate a temperament that is never critical. This will not happen quickly but must be developed over a span of time. You must constantly beware of anything that causes you to think of yourself as a superior person.

There is no escaping the penetrating search of my life by Jesus. If I see the little speck in your eye, it means that I have a plank of timber in my own (see Matthew 7:3-5). Every wrong thing that I see in you, God finds in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-24). Stop having a measuring stick for other people. There is always at least one more fact, which we know nothing about, in every person’s situation. The first thing God does is to give us a thorough spiritual cleaning. After that, there is no possibility of pride remaining in us. I have never met a person I could despair of, or lose all hope for, after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! There is NO PLACE for a born again believer to be judging another born again believer! NONE! Those who like to think that they have a Biblical right to do so are very sadly mistaken! God does mean exactly what He says and when He says JUDGE NOT, He means exactly that! Instead, pray for those whom you think to be wrong so that God Himself can get involved to correct THEM, if you are right, and YOU, if you are wrong! In either case, it is GOD's business alone! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Awake My Soul":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest" for today is vital for our everyday initmate fellowship with JESUS!

“Will You Lay Down Your Life?”

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends….I have called you friends… —John 15:13, 15

Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him. Peter said to the Lord, “I will lay down my life for Your sake,” and he meant it (John 13:37). He had a magnificent sense of the heroic. For us to be incapable of making this same statement Peter made would be a bad thing— our sense of duty is only fully realized through our sense of heroism. Has the Lord ever asked you, “Will you lay down your life for My sake?” (John 13:38). It is much easier to die than to lay down your life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling of God. We are not made for the bright-shining moments of life, but we have to walk in the light of them in our everyday ways. There was only one bright-shining moment in the life of Jesus, and that was on the Mount of Transfiguration. It was there that He emptied Himself of His glory for the second time, and then came down into the demon-possessed valley (see Mark 9:1-29). For thirty-three years Jesus laid down His life to do the will of His Father. “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16). Yet it is contrary to our human nature to do so.

If I am a friend of Jesus, I must deliberately and carefully lay down my life for Him. It is a difficult thing to do, and thank God that it is. Salvation is easy for us, because it cost God so much. But the exhibiting of salvation in my life is difficult. God saves a person, fills him with the Holy Spirit, and then says, in effect, “Now you work it out in your life, and be faithful to Me, even though the nature of everything around you is to cause you to be unfaithful.” And Jesus says to us, “…I have called you friends….” Remain faithful to your Friend, and remember that His honor is at stake in your bodily life.

This line says it all: It is much easier to die than to lay down your life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling of God. It is in the daily surrender of our will to HIS that we find the answer to every question and the solution to every problem! TRUST JESUS! He will NEVER lead you wrong! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Every Breath":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I believe that today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is another simple, yet often missed and very important aspect of our gorwing up inthe things of God!

Get A Move On

And beside this,…add… — 2 Peter 1:5

In the Matter of Drudgery

You have inherited the Divine nature, says Peter (v.4), now get your attention down and form habits, give diligence, concentrate. “Add” means all that character means. No man is born either naturally or supernaturally with character; he has to make character. Nor are we born with habits; we have to form habits on the basis of the new life God has put into us. We are not meant to be illuminated versions, but the common stuff of ordinary life exhibiting the marvel of the grace of God. Drudgery is the touchstone of character. The great hindrance in spiritual life is that we will look for big things to do. “Jesus…took a towel,…and began to wash the disciples’ feet.”

There are times when there is no illumination and no thrill, but just the daily round, the common task. Routine is God’s way of saving us between our times of inspiration. Do not expect God always to give you His thrilling minutes, but learn to live in the domain of drudgery by the power of God.

It is the “adding” that is difficult. We say we do not expect God to carry us to heaven on flowery beds of ease, and yet we act as if we did! The tiniest detail in which I obey has all the omnipotent power of the grace of God behind it. If I do my duty, not for duty’s sake, but because I believe God is engineering my circumstances, then at the very point of my obedience the whole superb grace of God is mine through the Atonement.

I LOVE this! The perfect example of this is praying in other tongues. There are times in intercession when the tone of our prayer in the spirit takes on an intensity by the direction of the Holy Spirit that is both interesting and can be exciting! But there are other times when we are simply praying in this wonderful GIFT without any outward evidence, simply out of obedience and faith! BOTH are very necessary and vital parts of our obedience and ministry. Our feelings have nothing to do with it, but when we are faithful to just 'keep on', HE will have confidence to use us more! THAT is called growing up! Maturity! Let's all move on up in that area, bringing joy to our Father and giving HIM something more to work with! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Come Alive":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Confront Destructive Habits

Don't waste your life. It is too short, valuable and irreplaceable. Confront problems. What you refuse to master today, will master you tomorrow.

Remember, what you do habitually, determines what you become permanently. Get up. Fight back. Never quit. Never give up. You will win.

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

AMEN! We KNOW, as born again believers, that there IS now NO CONDEMNATION from God for us, no matter how many mistakes we may make! BUT, our choices all have natural consequences and we are NOT exempt from those! We also KNOW that we will reap what we sow, so change for the better is ALWAYS a wise choice! Renewing our minds with the Word of God will transform our thinking to think as HE thinks! Romans 12:2:

2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

AMEN! Be the BEST YOU and LET the LIGHT of HIS LIFE inside of you SHINE! Here is Hillsong Worship wtih "Bright As The Sun":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

THE BLOOD ALONE SAVES

Exodus 12:13 Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you…

On the night of the first Passover, many of the children of Israel were probably anxious. Imagine one Israelite asking another nervously, “Did you hear that the angel of death is passing through tonight?”

“Yes! We were told to put the blood of the lamb on the doorposts of our home and everything would be all right. Is that true?”

Like the Israelites, you might be wondering, “Can the blood really protect me? How much blood do I have to put on my doorposts? Will the angel of death get me if I am fearful?”

My friend, don’t add to God’s conditions. He said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you.” He did not say, “When I see the blood, plus your understanding, efforts, obedience, faithfulness and refusal to give in to fear, then I will pass over you.”

It is the blood of Jesus alone that delivers you. If you think that it is because of your faith, then you will always be wondering, “Do I have enough faith?” No my friend, it is His blood alone that saves. And when God sees that you see that it is the blood alone that saves, He calls that faith in the blood, and every plague will pass over you!

God wants you to know that it is Jesus’ blood alone that saves because every time you think that your deliverance depends partly on God and partly on you, you will not have a settled peace in your heart. But when you know that it is the blood alone that saves, you will have an unshakable peace.

It was the blood that saved the children of Israel from the destroyer on that Passover night and it is still the blood that saves today. And all you need to do for the blood to avail is to say, “Father, I thank You that the blood of Jesus alone covers me and my family. No evil, plague or disaster will befall me or my family because of the blood!”

AMEN! It is completely and ONLY because of the Blood of JESUS that we have the right to be born again! HE paid the price of OUR sin so that WE cou9ld become HIS! There IS no greater love than this! THan HIS! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Like Incense (Sometimes By Step)":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin continues speaking of the spirit, soul and body of mankind, for we are, just like the Godhead, triune beings!

Saving Your Soul

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. . . . Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. — JAMES 1:18,21

What about our souls? Aren’t our souls saved when we’re born again? No. There are many Christians who have been saved and filled with the Holy Spirit for years whose souls are not saved yet!

Some have lived and died without their souls being saved. Did they go to Heaven? Certainly. They were children of God, and their spirits were born of God.

The soul, you see, is not born again. The saving of the soul is a process.

The Epistle of James was written not to sinners, but to Christians. And James was telling us that our souls are not saved yet. James 1:21 bothered me for some time, until I found out the difference between the spirit and the soul.

A man’s spirit — the innermost man — receives eternal life and is born again. But his intellect and his emotions — which constitute his soul — still have to be dealt with. They must be renewed.

Confession: I am a spirit. I have a soul. I live in a body. “I” am begotten of God by the Word of truth. “I” am born again. Now I receive with meekness the engrafted Word which contains the power to save the soul which I possess. My intellect is being renewed with the Word of God.

AMEN! There is such freedom that is released in born again believers when they realize that they new creations, SPIRITUALLY, the moment that they receive JESUS as Lord and personal Saviour! There is not quite aas much joy when they realize that their souls, consisting of their minds, emotions and wills, MUST BE SAVED DAILY! How? By being transformed by the renewing of our minds with the Word of the Living God! (Romans 12:1-2) Our bodies will get in line when our spirit and sould agrees together! I hope that YOU will make whatever adjustments are necessary to get your own soul 'saved' and then step boldly and confidently into the ministry that God has for YOU! AMEN! Here his Hillsong with "Children of the Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is such a simple, yet profound instruction!

Getting There

Come unto Me. — Matthew 11:28

Where the Sin and the Sorrow Cease and the Song and the Saint Commence

Do I want to get there? I can now. The questions that matter in life are remarkably few, and they are all answered by the words — “Come unto Me.” Not — “Do this, or don’t do that”; but — “Come unto Me.” If I will come to Jesus my actual life will be brought into accordance with my real desires; I will actually cease from sin, and actually find the song of the Lord begin.

Have you ever come to Jesus? Watch the stubbornness of your heart, you will do anything rather than the one simple childlike thing — “Come unto Me.” If you want the actual experience of ceasing from sin, you must come to Jesus.

Jesus Christ makes Himself the touchstone. Watch how He used the word “Come.” At the most unexpected moments there is the whisper of the Lord — “Come unto Me” and you are drawn immediately. Personal contact with Jesus alters everything. Be stupid enough to come and commit yourself to what He says. The attitude of coming is that the will resolutely lets go of everything and deliberately commits all to Him.

“And I will give you rest” i.e., I will stay you. Not — I will put you to bed and hold your hand and sing you to sleep; but — I will get you out of bed, out of the languor and exhaustion, out of the state of being half dead while you are alive; I will imbue you with the spirit of life, and you will be stayed by the perfection of vital activity. We get pathetic and talk about “suffering the will of the Lord”! Where is the majestic vitality and might of the Son of God about that?

AMEN! The Christian life was NEVER, EVER meant to be a life of struggle and trial to ACT like a 'good Christian'! We were designed by Almighty God to have CONTINUAL, INTIMATE fellowship with HIMK, by the Spirit of GOD Who lives IN US! We do NOT have to travel to some wilderness place, wear sackcloth and ashes, beat ourselves silly, or any other FLESHLY thing! IN fact, those things do NOTHING towards getting closer to HIM! What does? He said it over and over above! JESUS said: COME TO ME! That means set aside every other thought and simply spend time in His presence! BELIEVE that HE IS inside of you! THAT is the greatest distance that we have to travel to fellowship with HIM! And in HIS presence is fullnes of JOY, and every other good thing that we have need of! HALLELUJAH! We are to DO the WORKS that JESUS did, and that will ONLY happen when we know and develop confidence in Him by BEING WITH HIM! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Awake My Soul":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Great people have great habits. Daily habits. That is what separates them from the masses.

People do not really decide their futures. They merely decide their habits. Then, their habits decide their future. Read biographies of champions. The secret of their success is always hidden in something they do daily.

"Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime." (Daniel 6:10)

One of the most important lessons that I have learned over the years is that NO ONE can affect my life, success and future MORE than ME! I make the final decisions on what I watch, what I read, what I do to learn and grow. I can have the very best teachers in the world, but unless I make the decision to be serious about it, I will go nowhere, learn nothing and be a loser in this life! Our God has WELL equipped each and every one of us EXACTLY as we need Him to for us to be completely successful! It is what I CHOOSE to do with what HE has given me that decides how I turn out. Decide for yourself today what changes you need to make in order to be the person that GOD has created YOU to be! Don't compare yourself with others, and NEVER compete with others! There is only ONE YOU! BE the BEST! Here is Hillsong Worship with "See The Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin has what may be THE most important message every born again believer MUST know in order to walk confidently in the Word of God!

Three Dimensions Of Man

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. — 1 THESSALONIANS 5:23

It will help your spiritual growth immeasurably to know the difference between your spirit and your soul.

Many people believe that “spirit” and “soul” are the same thing. Even preachers believe this! They preach about the soul as if it were the spirit.

But they can’t be the same thing. It would be just as scriptural to say that the body and the soul are the same, as it would be to say that the spirit and the soul are the same. But Hebrews 4:12 says that by the Word of God, soul and spirit can be divided.

To help you understand the three dimensions of man, go through this
process of elimination:

(1) With my body I contact the physical realm.

(2) With my spirit I contact the spiritual realm.

(3) With my soul I contact the intellectual and emotional realms.

Man is a spirit. The spirit is the part of man that knows God. Man possesses a soul — the intellect, the sensibilities, the will. And man lives in a body.

Confession: I am a son of God. I am a child of God. With my spirit I contact my Father in the spiritual realm.

Just as our GOD is a Triune being (Father, Son Holy Spirit), so WE are each a truine being, also! We ARE spirit beings! We HAVE souls (mind, emotions and will). We live, while here on earth, in a physical body! KNOWING this will save us hours of frustration as the enemy tries to trip us up in sin, and then hammer at us for missing it, acting as though we would be in danger of hell, instead of being Heaven bound! Meditate on these TRUTHS until they are so strong inside of you that you will NEVER be able to doubt GOD and His Word again! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Awake My Soul":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We know that the Book of Proverbs is FILLED with nuggets of Wisdom for every area and walk of life! Today is no different! In our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan we read Proverbs 8. Here are verses 6-11:

6 Hear, for I will speak excellent and princely things; and the opening of my lips shall be for right things. 7 For my mouth shall utter truth, and wrongdoing is detestable and loathsome to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are righteous (upright and in right standing with God); there is nothing contrary to truth or crooked in them. 9 They are all plain to him who understands [and opens his heart], and right to those who find knowledge [and live by it]. 10 Receive my instruction in preference to [striving for] silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, 11 For skillful and godly Wisdom is better than rubies or pearls, and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

AMEN! There is NOTHING more valuable to a born again believer than the WORD of the LIVING GOD! The more time that we spend in HIS presence, mediating on HIS WORD, the sooner that WORD will come alive to us and become OPERATIVE! We can only be a DOER of the WORD that we KNOW! So, let's make it our determined purpose to really dive in and get to know the KING of all kings and LORD of all lords! JESUS! Verses 30-33 give us the last word on this Proverb! 

33 Hear instruction and be wise, and do not refuse or neglect it. 34 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 35 For whoever finds me [Wisdom] finds life and draws forth and obtains favor from the Lord. 36 But he who misses me or sins against me wrongs and injures himself; all who hate me love and court death.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for making your WORD come alive to us by Your Spirit and by Your presence within us! Here are Hillsong Kids with "As The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!