Shalom,

The devotional for today on our Spoken Word Church website is vital!

Focus on Priorities

Let's pray this prayer together: Father, I set myself in agreement that the will of God shall be done today. In my government. In my local church. On my job. Within my home and family.

You see my written list of things to do. You know the people I am meeting today. Remove those who do not belong on my schedule. I speak to the north, the south, east and west and call forth from the shadows of my life those you have intended to be linked with me.

Father, your priorities are mine. Your will shall be done. I am led by your peace, filled with your joy and controlled by the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."  (Matthew 6:10)

When WE acknowledge HIS will and plan and purpose as our own, then we will always succeed because all of Heavenis backing us up! Here is Hillsong with "That's The Power":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is vital for every believer to know and DO!

Unforgiveness

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. — MARK 11:25

Jesus had just made those marvelous, thrilling, amazing, astounding statements recorded in Mark 11:23 and 24. (And no one has ever yet plumbed the depths of those statements.)

But at the same time — at the same scene — and with the same breath — Jesus said, “And when ye stand praying, forgive . . . .”

If there is an air of unforgiveness about you, your faith won’t work! Your prayers won’t work!

Unforgiveness is the only hindrance to faith that Jesus ever mentioned. Therefore, the subject of unforgiveness must be of primary importance. (If my prayers and my faith don’t work, the area of unforgiveness would be the first place I’d examine in my life.)

However, I never permit unforgiveness about anyone to enter into my mind at all. I refuse to think about anything evil. I refuse to be resentful toward anyone. No matter what they have done to me — no matter what they have said about me — I will not permit it to affect me.

Confession: My prayers work. My faith works. I do not permit unforgiveness into my being. I refuse to have ought against anyone.

AMEN! Make this your determined purpose so that you can continue to walk in the LOVE that NEVER FAILS! Here is Hillsong with "Whole Heart":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I love this explanation by Andrew Womack about eternal life!

How To Experience Eternal Life Today

John 17:3 'And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.'

In order to fully understand what eternal life is, it is helpful to understand what it is not. Eternal life is not living forever. Everyone lives forever in either heaven or hell. Also, eternal life is not living forever in the blessings of heaven as opposed to being tormented in hell.

John 3:36 and 5:24 show that eternal life is a present tense possession of the believer.

Here, Jesus defines eternal life as knowing God the Father and Jesus Christ.

As we have already discussed, the word 'know' is speaking of intimacy instead of mere intellectual knowledge. Therefore, eternal life is having an intimate, personal relationship with God the Father and Jesus the Son.

According to John 3:16, this intimacy with God is what salvation is all about. Forgiveness of our sins is not the point of salvation: intimacy with the Father is. Of course, Jesus did die to purchase forgiveness for our sins because unforgiven sins block us from intimacy with God. Sin was an obstacle that stood between us and God. It had to be dealt with and it was. Anyone who views salvation as only forgiveness of their sins and stops there, is missing out on eternal life.

Salvation is intended to be the way to come back into harmony with God.

Instead, it is often presented as the way to escape the problems of this life and the judgment of hell later.

Most non-believers are so occupied with their 'hell on earth' that they don't really think or care about their eternal future. They are fed up with religion and are looking for something that will fill the emptiness inside.

Only intimate relationship (eternal life) with our Father can do that.

Make sure that YOU are taking full advantage of the priceless treasure that is intimate fellowship with the One, True GOD so that HE can use YOU to think, say and do what JESUS would do if He were here on earth! THAT is our purpose for being HERE while our true citizenship is in HEAVEN! HE desires that none should perish (die without JESUS as Lord and Saviour) so let's be about our Father's business! Here is Hillsong with an older song called "Tell The World":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional.

Justification By Faith

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. —Roman 5:10

I am not saved by believing; I realise I am saved by believing. It is not repentance that saves me; repentance is the sign that I realise what God has done in Christ Jesus. The danger is to put the emphasis on the effect instead of on the cause — “It is my obedience that puts me right with God, my consecration.” Never! I am put right with God because prior to all, Christ died. When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals I can accept, instantly the stupendous Atonement of Jesus Christ rushes me into a right relationship with God, and by the supernatural miracle of God’s grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, not because I have repented, but because of what Jesus has done. The spirit of God brings it with a breaking, all-over light, and I know, though I do not know how, that I am saved.

The salvation of God does not stand on human logic, it stands on the sacrificial Death of Jesus. We can be born again because of the Atonement of Our Lord. Sinful men and women can be changed into new creatures, not by their repentance or their belief, but by the marvellous work of God in Christ Jesus which is prior to all experience. The impregnable safety of justification and sanctification is God Himself. We have not to work out these things ourselves; they have been worked out by the Atonement: The supernatural becomes natural by the miracle of God; there is the realisation of what Jesus Christ has already done — “It is finished.”

AMEN! I LOVE this! Don't get into your daily Bible study with a preconceived idea of what you will read based on what you have already read. Make it your determined purpose to learn something new every time you open God's Word! I guarantee that you will not be disappointed! Pray Psalm 25:5 before you start and get ready to learn! 

5 Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long.

Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers:

The Method Of Missions

Go ye therefore, and teach [disciple] all nations. —Matthew 28:19

Jesus Christ did not say — “Go and save souls” (the salvation of souls is the supernatural work of God), but — “Go and teach,” i.e., disciple, “all nations,” and you cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself. When the disciples came back from their first mission, they were filled with joy because the devils were subject to them, and Jesus said — “Don’t rejoice in successful service; the great secret of joy is that you are rightly related to Me.” The great essential of the missionary is that he remains true to the call of God, and realises that his one purpose is to disciple men and women to Jesus. There is a passion for souls that does not spring from God, but from the desire to make converts to our point of view.

The challenge to the missionary does not come on the line that people are difficult to get saved, that backsliders are difficult to reclaim, that there is a “wadge” of callous indifference; but along the line of his own personal relationship to Jesus Christ. “Believe ye that I am able to do this?” Our Lord puts that question steadily, it faces us in every individual case we meet. The one great challenge is — Do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God’s sight, and foolish enough according to the world, to bank on what Jesus Christ has said; or am I abandoning the great supernatural position, which is the only call for a missionary, viz., boundless confidence in Christ Jesus? If I take up any other method, I depart altogether from the methods laid down by Our Lord — “All power is given unto Me…Go ye therefore.”

AMEN! Stay in the Word of God, in prayer, in praise & Worship, and in intimate fellowship with Holy Spirit! Then you will be in position to USE the ALL POWER (above) for the benefit of the Kingdom of God! You ARE, after all, HIS 'favorite'! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan we have the shortest chapter in the Bible in Psalm 117:

1 O praise the Lord, all you nations! Praise Him, all you people! 2 For His mercy and loving-kindness are great toward us, and the truth and faithfulness of the Lord endure forever. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

HALLELUJAH! What a great instruction this is! Have YOU obeyed this simple instruction yet today? It is never too late to obey the Word of God! Then we have this important verse from from 1 John 1:

5 And this is the message [the message of promise] which we have heard from Him and now are reporting to you: God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all [no, not in any way].

There IS no darkness in our GOD at all! He IS pure LIGHT and LIFE and LOVE! Develope your intimate fellowship with Him by Holy Spirit Who lives IN us! WE decide just how mucjh of His presence we have! He will NEVER force Himself on us! Run after HIM and you WILL find Him! Here is Hillsong with "Song For His Presence":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest". 

The External Crush Of Things

I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. — 1 Corinthians 9:22

A Christian worker has to learn how to be God’s noble man or woman amid a crowd of ignoble things. Never make this plea — “If only I were somewhere else!” All God’s men are ordinary men made extraordinary by the matter He has given them. Unless we have the right matter in our minds intellectually and in our hearts affectionately, we will be hustled out of usefulness to God. We are not workers for God by choice. Many people deliberately choose to be workers, but they have no matter in them of God’s almighty grace, no matter of His mighty word. Paul’s whole heart and mind and soul were taken up with the great matter of what Jesus Christ came to do, he never lost sight of that one thing. We have to face ourselves with the one central fact — Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

“I have chosen you.” Keep that note of greatness in your creed. It is not that you have got God, but that He has got you. Here, in this College, God is at work, bending, breaking, moulding, doing just as He chooses. Why He is doing it, we do not know; He is doing it for one purpose only — that He may be able to say, “This is My man, My woman.” We have to be in God’s hand so that He can plant men on the Rock as He has planted us.

Never choose to be a worker, but when God has put His call on you, woe be to you if you turn to the right hand or to the left. He will do with you what He never did with you before the call came; He will do with you what He is not doing with other people. Let Him have His way.

AMEN! Let HIM have HIS way! WHen we choose to do God's will in God's way, we cannot fail! Make it your 'determined purpose' to walk in the anointing that HE has called you to. There is no real joy in anything else! Here is Hillsong with "Awake":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional. 

The Viewpoint

Now thanks be to God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ. — 2 Corinthians 2:14

The viewpoint of a worker for God must not be as near the highest as he can get, it must be the highest. Be careful to maintain strenuously God’s point of view, it has to be done every day, bit by bit; don’t think on the finite. No outside power can touch the viewpoint.

The viewpoint to maintain is that we are here for one purpose only, viz., to be captives in the train of Christ’s triumphs. We are not in God’s showroom, we are here to exhibit one thing — the absolute captivity of our lives to Jesus Christ. How small the other points of view are — “I am standing alone battling for Jesus”; “I have to maintain the cause of Christ and hold this fort for Him.” Paul says — “I am in the train of a conqueror, and it does not matter what the difficulties are, I am always led in triumph.” Is this idea being worked out practically in us? Paul’s secret joy was that God took him, a red-handed rebel against Jesus Christ, and made him a captive, and now that is all he is here for. Paul’s joy was to be a captive of the Lord, he had no other interest in heaven or in earth. It is a shameful thing for a Christian to talk about getting the victory. The Victor ought to have got us so completely that it is His victory all the time, and we are more than conquerors through Him. “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ.” We are enwheeled with the odour of Jesus, and wherever we go we are a wonderful refreshment to God.

I LOVE this! We, as born again, Spirit-filled believers, are walking, talking vessels of the presence of Almighty God! The  more that we meditate on this Truth, the less we will operate out of our fleshly selfishness! We will, without even trying, reflect HIS nature that is within us! Let's make the determined purpose to spend more time in His presence so that this becomes our reality! HE will be glorified as people see HIM in and through us! HALLEUJAH! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Deeper Waters":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

2 Peter 1 in today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan is written to born again, Spirit-filled believers! Look at verses 1-4:

1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle (special messenger) of Jesus Christ, to those who have received (obtained an equal privilege of) like precious faith with ourselves in and through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 May grace (God’s favor) and peace (which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in [the full, personal, precise, and correct] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue). 4 By means of these He has bestowed on us His precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through them you may escape [by flight] from the moral decay (rottenness and corruption) that is in the world because of covetousness (lust and greed), and become sharers (partakers) of the divine nature.

HE has called us, anointed us, appointed us and assigned us to the places, people and situations that we are in. Make sure that you inmtimate fellowship with Holy Spirit is of top priority in your life so that you remain well equipped to BE that minister of reconciliation that 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 calls us to be! Our eternal rewards are dependent on our faith filled obedience! Here is Hillsong witih "Resurrender":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read 1 Peter 5 in today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Verses 1-4 are insturctions to Pastors on how to pastor, or shepherd, the people, as well as the reward for doing this GOD'S WAY!

1 I warn and counsel the elders among you (the pastors and spiritual guides of the church) as a fellow elder and as an eyewitness [called to testify] of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a sharer in the glory (the honor and splendor) that is to be revealed (disclosed, unfolded): 2 Tend (nurture, guard, guide, and fold) the flock of God that is [your responsibility], not by coercion or constraint, but willingly; not dishonorably motivated by the advantages and profits [belonging to the office], but eagerly and cheerfully; 3 Not domineering [as arrogant, dictatorial, and overbearing persons] over those in your charge, but being examples (patterns and models of Christian living) to the flock (the congregation). 4 And [then] when the Chief Shepherd is revealed, you will win the conqueror’s crown of glory.

If your don't already, pray daily for your pastors because the enemy targets them before he ever targets you! Your prayers for your Pastor also cause the annointing upon them to be strong on YOUR behalf! We CANNOT outgive GOD! Then we receive this instructions as born again, Spirit-filled believers in verses 7-8:

7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. 8 Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.

AMEN! Doing things God's way ensures US of God's very best in our lives! Let's DO IT! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "On Repeat":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I have been loving the Psalms lately! Today in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan we have Psalm 112 and it is another powerful encouragement about who we are and how to stay in a place of BLESSING as God's people!

1 Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who fears (reveres and worships) the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments. 2 His [spiritual] offspring shall be mighty upon earth; the generation of the upright shall be blessed. 3 Prosperity and welfare are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. 4 Light arises in the darkness for the upright, gracious, compassionate, and just [who are in right standing with God]. 5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice. 6 He will not be moved forever; the [uncompromisingly] righteous (the upright, in right standing with God) shall be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is firmly fixed, trusting (leaning on and being confident) in the Lord. 8 His heart is established and steady, he will not be afraid while he waits to see his desire established upon his adversaries. 9 He has distributed freely [he has given to the poor and needy]; his righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) endures forever; his horn shall be exalted in honor. 10 The wicked man will see it and be grieved and angered, he will gnash his teeth and disappear [in despair]; the desire of the wicked shall perish and come to nothing.

HALLELUJAH! Everything that the Word of God, byt he Spirit of God, tells us to do is so that we can get into, and remain in, a place of BLESSING, PROSPERITY, HEALTH, FAVOR, INFLUENCE and POWER! Check yourself today and make sure that YOU are following GOD'S PROGRAM! The only one that will succeed! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Days Like These":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

If you will read, meditate, declare and decree Psalm 111 as your own, then you will begin to see miraculous and powerful works of God as He confirms HIS WORD with signs and wonders and miracles as we see in Mark 16:20! 

1 Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) I will praise and give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart in the council of the upright and in the congregation. 2 The works of the Lord are great, sought out by all those who have delight in them. 3 His work is honorable and glorious, and His righteousness endures forever. 4 He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious, merciful, and full of loving compassion. 5 He has given food and provision to those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever and imprint it [on His mind]. 6 He has declared and shown to His people the power of His works in giving them the heritage of the nations [of Canaan]. 7 The works of His hands are [absolute] truth and justice [faithful and right]; and all His decrees and precepts are sure (fixed, established, and trustworthy). 8 They stand fast and are established forever and ever and are done in [absolute] truth and uprightness. 9 He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant to be forever; holy is His name, inspiring awe, reverence, and godly fear. 10 The reverent fear and worship of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and skill [the preceding and the first essential, the prerequisite and the alphabet]; a good understanding, wisdom, and meaning have all those who do [the will of the Lord]. Their praise of Him endures forever.

Here is 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! Here is Brooke Ligertwood of Hillsong with "A Thousand Hallelujahs":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today we read 1 Peter 2. 

1 So be done with every trace of wickedness (depravity, malignity) and all deceit and insincerity (pretense, hypocrisy) and grudges (envy, jealousy) and slander and evil speaking of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies you should crave (thirst for, earnestly desire) the pure (unadulterated) spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow unto [completed] salvation, 3 Since you have [already] tasted the goodness and kindness of the Lord. 4 Come to Him [then, to that] Living Stone which men tried and threw away, but which is chosen [and] precious in God’s sight. 5 [Come] and, like living stones, be yourselves built [into] a spiritual house, for a holy (dedicated, consecrated) priesthood, to offer up [those] spiritual sacrifices [that are] acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.

These verses tell us how to stay in the center of God's will and how to be pleasing to HIM! Then HE says THIS about US!

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

HALLELUJAH!!! We ARE, of ALL people, MOST BLESSED! Let's stay in the BLESSING by continuing in fellowship with Him, by Holy Spirit IN us, and by being DOERS of the Word we know to do! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED  with "All This Future":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

From Tradition to Truth

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. Psalm 103:2-5

Is there actually a divine purpose behind the bad things that happen in your life? Could it be that the sicknesses and calamities you experience are somehow a part of God's plan for you?

Before you can ever begin to experience the healing, delivering power of God, you've got to know the answer to those questions. You have to settle them once and for all. If you even suspect that God is the source of your misfortunes, you won't be able to believe Him for deliverance from them. Your faith will be crippled because you'll think that by escaping those things, you'll be opposing His will.

In order to receive all the benefits God desires to give you, you must be absolutely sure that He is a good God. You must be certain that His will for you is health, not sickness; prosperity, not poverty; happiness, not sorrow—100 percent of the time! Psalms 103 alone is enough to prove that's true. But if it's not enough to convince you, there are many others too. One of the best known verses is Psalms 136:1 that says, "O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever."

If religious traditions have robbed you of the goodness of God, if they've taught you He brings trouble into your life so He can teach you something, start today washing those traditions away with the truth. Get out your Bible and let God Himself tell you through His own Word that He is the God who heals you (Exodus 15:26). Dig in to the Scriptures and discover for yourself that He is a God of mercy (Psalms 86:5), lovingkindness (Jeremiah 9:24), and compassion (Psalms 145:8).

Put your doubts to rest and open your heart to receive the truth about your heavenly Father. It's the only thing that can truly set you free.

AMEN! Make the WORD of GOD your first and final authority on every area of life! HE does! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Deeper Water":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share THIS from Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest":

Greater Works

And greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father. — John 14:12

Prayer does not fit us for the greater works; prayer is the greater work. We think of prayer as a commonsense exercise of our higher powers in order to prepare us for God’s work. In the teaching of Jesus Christ prayer is the working of the miracle of Redemption in me which produces the miracle of Redemption in others by the power of God. The way fruit remains is by prayer, but remember it is prayer based on the agony of Redemption, not on my agony. Only a child gets prayer answered; a wise man does not.

Prayer is the battle; it is a matter of indifference where you are. Whichever way God engineers circumstances, the duty is to pray. Never allow the thought — “I am of no use where I am”; because you certainly can be of no use where you are not. Wherever God has dumped you down in circumstances, pray to Him all the time. “Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do.” We won’t pray unless we get thrills, that is the intensest form of spiritual selfishness. We have to labour along the line of God’s direction, and He says pray. “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest.”

There is nothing thrilling about a labouring man’s work, but it is the labouring man who makes the conceptions of the genius possible; and it is the labouring saint who makes the conceptions of his Master possible. You labour at prayer and results happen all the time from His standpoint. What an astonishment it will be to find, when the veil is lifted, the souls that have been reaped by you, simply because you had been in the habit of taking your orders from Jesus Christ.

I hope that this ministers as powerfully to you as it does to me! Here is Hillsong with "A The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from our partner, Rick Renner's, Sparkling Gems From The Greek - Volume 2.

Do What is Honorable for the Name of Jesus Christ

Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable…— 2 Corinthians 13:7 NKJV

It is a sad reality that some Christians have earned bad reputations for being dishonest. As a result of their dishonest, dishonorable words and actions, others were negatively affected.

The truth is, we have a God-given responsibility to hold up the name of Jesus in all our words and our deeds. Our lives should demonstrate that we are honest and that we do those things that are honorable to Jesus’ name. This is why Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable…” (2 Corinthians 13:7 NKJV).

Over the years in our ministry, Denise and I have had our “fair share” of dealing with dishonest Christians as we’ve pressed forward to take new territory for the Kingdom of God. It is amazing how such individuals can smile with so much enthusiasm and glee while knowing in their hearts that they’re scheming to do something dishonest. Thankfully, this group of people constitutes a minority of believers — yet this small minority can leave a bad taste in one’s mouth and have a widespread negative effect, especially if the person they’ve wounded tells others about the ordeal.

In moments when we experience the unpleasantness of someone’s dishonorable behavior, it would be wise for us to remember that even Jesus had an insincere person — Judas Iscariot — on His team. So it should not surprise us if we occasionally experience a disappointing personal encounter with a fellow Christian. From time to time, it simply happens — and when it does, we must forgive and move on without spreading the bad news to others whom it will disappoint and hurt. Only those who are in authority need to be informed when such an event occurs.

If this happens to you, I advise you not to slip into a mode of judging those who let you down. They may simply be believers whose minds are not yet renewed to truth and right behavior. Down the road in their Christian walk, after God works in their hearts and minds, they may repent and come back to ask your forgiveness. So when you have a disappointing experience with a fellow Christian, it’s vital that you keep your own heart free of judgment and bitterness. Instead of letting that bad experience get the best of you, focus on your own actions and make sure that you are not among those who portray a bad image of believers in Jesus Christ!

As Paul closed his second letter to the Corinthians, he told them, “Now I pray to God that you do no evil…but that you should do that which is honorable” (2 Corinthians 13:7 NKJV). In light of today’s conversation so far, let’s look a little deeper at this verse.

The words “now I” are a translation of the Greek word echometha, which would be better translated, “Now we….” It tells us that this was not the prayer request of Paul singularly — rather, his entire apostolic team was praying for honorable behavior among the readers of the apostle’s letter. As a city, Corinth had a bad reputation for being swindlers and cheaters. Paul’s entire company was concerned about the behavior of the Corinthian believers. And they prayed against it, believing that the Christians in Corinth would conduct their lives in a way that reflected integrity, honesty, and honor.

Paul wrote specifically that they prayed the Corinthians would “do no evil.” The word “evil” is from the word kakos — a word that describes something that brings harm and thus produces bitterness in the recipient or recipients of the evil actions or conduct. Kakos denotes something that is unfair, unjust, or destructive — thus, as noted, the result of this kind of behavior leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of the one to whom the “evil” was done.

In Greek, when Paul wrote the words “do no evil,” he used a strong form of the word “no”— meaning he was giving a very strong prohibition against those “evil” kinds of actions and activities. This tells us that Paul was not making a mere suggestion; he was giving a command to his readers to come up higher in their motives and actions.

For the believer, Paul simply left no room and no excuse for a lack of integrity. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is speaking to us today through this verse, telling us that we must also do nothing that is deliberately or knowingly wrong — or that would cause embitterment in another person. Instead, Paul commanded us, “that you should do what is honorable” (2 Corinthians 13:7 NKJV).

The word “do” is a form of the Greek word poieo, which carries the idea of creativity. In other words, if finding a way to do something right, good, fair, and honorable doesn’t come to you easily, ask the Holy Spirit to help you get creative about ways to do what is helpful and beneficial to others.

The King James Version translates the word “honorable” as “honest.” The word “honest” is from the Greek word kalos, and it describes something that is done with good in mind or in a noble or honorable way. It denotes something that is unblemished and pure. We might say that kalos carries the idea of actions that are ethical, principled, morally correct, upright, or full of integrity. Kalos denotes the highest and finest kind of aspiration — the desire to do something in the most correct and honest manner.

In summation, the Holy Spirit — speaking through the apostle Paul — pleads with us to do that which is honest, honorable, and good. He strongly urges us never to deliberately do anything that would cause hurt to others. In fact, He warns us that there is no place for this type of behavior in the life of a committed Christian. We must constantly remember that what we do reflects on the good name of Jesus. If we’re tempted to do something that lacks integrity, we need to pull back, repent, and ask the Holy Spirit to help us speak the truth and to do what is just, fair, helpful, and beneficial to those who could be affected by our actions.

I urge you to read the questions that follow and sincerely ask if there is any area of your life that needs to be changed concerning showing honor to Jesus’ name. The Holy Spirit is right there inside you to open your eyes to anything that needs to be corrected. He simply needs a heart that is willing to see the truth and to respond to what He shows you and tells you to do. Open your heart and let the Holy Spirit help you. Refuse to do anything that is morally or ethically questionable. Allow Him to help you set your heart on behaving uprightly in your words and deeds.

To condense all of this good teaching into a simple form: OBEY THE WORD as led by Holy Spirit! Here are Hillsong Kids with "Made In Your Image":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

We read Psalm 106 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today and I love these verses:

1 Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! 2 Who can put into words and tell the mighty deeds of the Lord? Or who can show forth all the praise [that is due Him]? 3 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who observe justice [treating others fairly] and who do right and are in right standing with God at all times. 4 [Earnestly] remember me, O Lord, when You favor Your people! O visit me also when You deliver them, and grant me Your salvation!— 5 That I may see and share the welfare of Your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, that I may glory with Your heritage.

There will never be enought time or enough words in this lifetime to praise and worship the Lord our God like He deserves! Once we get to Heaven, praise will be perfected! Until than, we will give our all and HE will make up the rest! Verses 47-48:

47 Deliver us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name and glory in praising You. 48 Blessed (affectionately and gratefully praised) be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, Amen! Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

Here is Brooke Ligertwood of Hillsong Worship again with "A Thousand Hallelujahs":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Choose a Prayer Partner

You cannot trust everyone with your private thoughts or problems. But, you need someone. One cannot multiply. Two is the secret to multiplication. Jesus introduced the formula for prayer power. It's called the power of agreement. Don't ignore it.

"Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven." {Matthew 18:19}

THIS is one of the most powerful prayers you can pray! The Prayer of Agreement! ALWAYS answered! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

How Faith Comes

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. — ROMANS 10:17

How does God give the sinner faith to be saved?

Let me read along with you from Romans chapter 10, which talks about salvation and about getting faith to be saved. (My comments are in brackets.)

“But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach [Notice that God’s Word is called ‘the word of faith.’ That’s because it builds faith. It causes faith to come into the hearts of those who are open to it.]; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. . . . For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? [Now get this.] and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? . . . So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:8-10,13,14,17).

You cannot believe without hearing. Faith comes by hearing. Hearing what? The Word of God!

Confession: I listen to the Word of God. And faith comes to me.

AMEN! The WORD of GOD is our full and final authority in every area of life! Here is Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we are looking at Psalm 103:1-8 from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan:

1 Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul; and all that is [deepest] within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits— 3 Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, Who heals [each one of] all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from the pit and corruption, Who beautifies, dignifies, and crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercy; 5 Who satisfies your mouth [your necessity and desire at your personal age and situation] with good so that your youth, renewed, is like the eagle’s [strong, overcoming, soaring]! 6 The Lord executes righteousness and justice [not for me only, but] for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known His ways [of righteousness and justice] to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy and loving-kindness.

I urge YOU to consider your praise and worship life and make whatever adjustments are necessary for YOU to maintain a great and consistent fellowship with the Spirit of the Living God! HE is there IN US for OUR benefit! Here is Brooke Ligertwood of Hillsong Worship with "A Thousand Hallelujahs":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom, 

Today I want to share THIS from our partner, Jerry Savelle:

RIGHT ATTITUDE PRINCIPLES

No one can make you have a positive attitude, you are the only one who can make that decision. Remember that God’s Word is the foundation of a right mental attitude. Study these principles and allow them to become strong on the inside of you.

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (Philippians 2:5 NLT).

1. A right mental attitude is more than wishful thinking. It is actually facing each day with a positive expectancy based on God’s Word.

2. A right mental attitude is having a proper understanding of the problems you face, their source, and knowing how to approach them with God’s Word. You need to know your enemy and how he operates. You need to know his weaknesses. I’ll tell you two of them:
(a) He cannot stand it when you praise Jesus
(b) He cannot stand the Word of God

He has no refuge from them. He has to flee from them. He cannot tolerate either.

3. A right mental attitude enables you to possess peace, calmness, self-control and the determination to win no matter how difficult your situation may seem.

4. A right mental attitude demands that you drive out all negatives from your consciousness and focus on God’s Word.

Confession: I choose to have a good attitude and expect the best today knowing that God is good and He is for me.

WE CHOOSE our own attitude! Choose to have an attitude of gratitude, thanksgiving, praise and worship and every day will be a GOOD DAY! Here are Hillsong Kids with "My Hallelujah":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Jospeh Prince's "Daily Grace" devotional. This is SO true and important for every believer to know!

Without Jesus, We Cannot; Without Us, He Will Not.

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." John 15:5

In more than two decades of ministry, I have learned this from the Lord: Without Him, we cannot. Without us, He will not. What this simply means is that we need to recognize the fact that if we do not depend on Jesus, there can be no real, long-lasting, and abiding success—without Him, we cannot.

The Bible tells us that unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain (Psalm 127:1). Believers who want to experience His success need to recognize this truth and begin to depend on Jesus and Jesus alone.

There are some believers who may not articulate it, but in their hearts, they believe that without Jesus, they can still succeed. By believing and acting on this, they fall from the high place of God’s grace (His unmerited favor) back into the law, back into trying to merit and deserve success by their own efforts.

God’s Word tells us, “For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace [unmerited favor]" (Galatians 5:4 NLT).

These are strong words of warning. Once you start depending on your own merits and efforts to deserve God’s favor, you are back under the system of the law. You are cut off from Christ and have fallen from the place of having His unmerited favor work in your life.

Don’t misunderstand me, Jesus is still with you (He will never leave you nor forsake you [Hebrews 13:5]), but by depending on your self-efforts, you effectively cut off His unmerited favor in your life.

So what do I mean when I say, “Without us, He will not”? Well, Jesus is a gentleman. He will not force His unmerited favor and success down your throat.

He needs you to allow Him to work in your life. He waits patiently for you to trust Him. He waits patiently for you to depend on His unmerited favor, the way Joseph trusted and depended wholly on the Lord’s presence, until His manifested presence took over, and His glory radiated from everything that Joseph touched.

Beloved, let’s learn quickly that without Jesus, we cannot succeed, and if we choose not to respond to His unmerited favor, He will not force it on us.

God's unmerited favor is ever-flowing toward us and Jesus is waiting for us to come to the end of ourselves. He is waiting for you to stop struggling in your own attempts to somehow “deserve” His favor, and just depend on Him.

So in the areas that you are still depending on your own efforts to succeed, start resting in Jesus’ unmerited favor and begin experiencing His manifested presence and glory upon everything you touch!

HALLELUJAH! AMEN! Learn to trust COMPLETELY in HIM and you will begin to see the things that you have been praying and believing for being fulfilled! HE is waiting on US! Let's stop making HIM wait! Here is Hillsong with "No Reason To Hide":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I can't think of a better way to start today's blog than Psalm 100 from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan!

A Psalm of thanksgiving and for the thank offering.
1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness! Come before His presence with singing! 3 Know (perceive, recognize, and understand with approval) that the Lord is God! It is He Who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His]! We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name! 5 For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting, His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations.

And then we continue with these instructions from JESUS for us from Luke 21 concerning how we are to act in these last of the last days before JESUS appears for His Church!

13 This will be a time (an opportunity) for you to bear testimony. 14 Resolve and settle it in your minds not to meditate and prepare beforehand how you are to make your defense and how you will answer. 15 For I [Myself] will give you a mouth and such utterance and wisdom that all of your foes combined will be unable to stand against or refute.

AMEN! THESE are THOSE days! Be ever ready to give an anwer to those who will come to you asking how you can be filled with joy and at peaceinthe midst of all that is going on in the world! The presence and light of God in your life will shine brightly and they will be mesmorized by HIS Light in YOU! We are here for such a time as this! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong with "Days Like These":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest" devoional.

The Exclusiveness Of Christ

Come unto Me. — Matthew 11:28

Is it not humiliating to be told that we must come to Jesus! Think of the things we will not come to Jesus Christ about. If you want to know how real you are, test yourself by these words — “Come unto Me.” In every degree in which you are not real, you will dispute rather than come, you will quibble rather than come, you will go through sorrow rather than come; you will do anything rather than come the last lap of unutterable foolishness — “Just as I am.” As long as you have the tiniest bit of spiritual impertinence, it will always reveal itself in the fact that you are expecting God to tell you to do a big thing, and all He is telling you to do is to “come.”

“Come unto Me.” When you hear those words you will know that something must happen in you before you can come. The Holy Spirit will show you what you have to do, anything at all that will put the axe at the root of the thing which is preventing you from getting through. You will never get further until you are willing to do that one thing. The Holy Spirit will locate the one impregnable thing in you, but He cannot budge it unless you are willing to let Him.

How often have you come to God with your requests and gone away with the feeling — “Oh, well, I have done it this time!” And yet you go away with nothing, whilst all the time God has stood with outstretched hands not only to take you, but for you to take Him. Think of the invincible, unconquerable, unwearying patience of Jesus — “Come unto Me.”

JESUS is ALWAYS waiting for US to come to HIM! His invitation, "Come" is never ending and always personally to YOU! Come to HIM and never feel alone again! Here is Hillsong with "Ready Or Not":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers!

Reconciliation

For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. — 2 Corinthians 5:21

Sin is a fundamental relationship; it is not wrong doing, it is wrong being, deliberate and emphatic independence of God. The Christian religion bases everything on the positive*, radical nature of sin. Other religions deal with sins; the Bible alone deals with sin. The first thing Jesus Christ faced in men was the heredity of sin, and it is because we have ignored this in our presentation of the Gospel that the message of the Gospel has lost its sting and its blasting power.

The revelation of the Bible is not that Jesus Christ took upon Himself our fleshly sins, but that He took upon Himself the heredity of sin which no man can touch. God made His own Son to be sin that He might make the sinner a saint. All through the Bible it is revealed that Our Lord bore the sin of the world by identification, not by sympathy. He deliberately took upon His own shoulders, and bore in His own Person, the whole massed sin of the human race — “He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin,” and by so doing He put the whole human race on the basis of Redemption. Jesus Christ rehabilitated the human race; He put it back to where God designed it to be, and anyone can enter into union with God on the ground of what Our Lord has done on the Cross.

A man cannot redeem himself; Redemption is God’s “bit,” it is absolutely finished and complete; its reference to individual men is a question of their individual action. A distinction must always be made between the revelation of Redemption and the conscious experience of salvation in a man’s life.

*positive: independent; unrelated to anything else.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Remembrance":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 97 from today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan is powerful!

1 The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles and coastlands be glad! 2 Clouds and darkness are round about Him [as at Sinai]; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. 3 Fire goes before Him and burns up His adversaries round about. 4 His lightnings illumine the world; the earth sees and trembles. 5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. 6 The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory. 7 Let all those be put to shame who serve graven images, who boast in idols. Fall prostrate before Him, all you gods. 8 Zion heard and was glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoiced [in relief] because of Your judgments, O Lord. 9 For You, Lord, are high above all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods. 10 O you who love the Lord, hate evil; He preserves the lives of His saints (the children of God), He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. 11 Light is sown for the [uncompromisingly] righteous and strewn along their pathway, and joy for the upright in heart [the irrepressible joy which comes from consciousness of His favor and protection]. 12 Rejoice in the Lord, you [consistently] righteous (upright and in right standing with God), and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.

THIS is ALL GOOD for those who LOVE the LORD their GOD and WORSHIP Him! Make sure that you have made JESUS your Lord and Saviour and that you put HIM first place in your life! EVERY promise that He has given us in His Word HE is waiting patiently to confirm when WE proclaim, declare and decree it as OURS! Get busy! Find out what belongs to YOU as a child of the Living God and take it by faith! Here is Hillsong with "That's The Power":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share again from Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional for today!

The Nature of Degeneration

Just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned… —Romans 5:12

The Bible does not say that God punished the human race for one man’s sin, but that the nature of sin, namely, my claim to my right to myself, entered into the human race through one man. But it also says that another Man took upon Himself the sin of the human race and put it away— an infinitely more profound revelation (see Hebrews 9:26). The nature of sin is not immorality and wrongdoing, but the nature of self-realization which leads us to say, “I am my own god.” This nature may exhibit itself in proper morality or in improper immorality, but it always has a common basis— my claim to my right to myself. When our Lord faced either people with all the forces of evil in them, or people who were clean-living, moral, and upright, He paid no attention to the moral degradation of one, nor any attention to the moral attainment of the other. He looked at something we do not see, namely, the nature of man (see John 2:25).

Sin is something I am born with and cannot touch— only God touches sin through redemption. It is through the Cross of Christ that God redeemed the entire human race from the possibility of damnation through the heredity of sin. God nowhere holds a person responsible for having the heredity of sin, and does not condemn anyone because of it. Condemnation comes when I realize that Jesus Christ came to deliver me from this heredity of sin, and yet I refuse to let Him do so. From that moment I begin to get the seal of damnation. “This is the condemnation [and the critical moment], that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light…” (John 3:19).

SIN will NOT keep you from Heaven when you leave this life! SIN is no longer the problem because JESUS BECAME sin with OUR sin so that WE could become the Righteousness of God - IN HIM! What WILL keep a person from Heaven when they leave this earth is to reject JESUS and HIS free GIFT of Salvation through His shed blood! Refuse to live another day without JESUS! Recognize that you ARE a SINNER and that you NEED a SAVIOUR! JESUS became the ONE you need! Believe and Receive JESUS today! Whatever are you waiting for? Here is Hillsong with "The Passion":

Shalom in Him!

 Shalom,

Today I want to share again from "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers!

The Sphere Of Ministration

This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. — Mark 9:29

“Why could not we cast him out?” The answer lies in a personal relationship to Jesus Christ. This kind can come forth by nothing but by concentration and redoubled concentration on Him. We can ever remain powerless, as were the disciples, by trying to do God’s work not in concentration on His power, but by ideas drawn from our own temperament. We slander God by our very eagerness to work for Him without knowing Him.

You are brought face to face with a difficult case and nothing happens externally, and yet you know that emancipation will be given because you are concentrated on Jesus Christ. This is your line of service — to see that there is nothing between Jesus and yourself. Is there? If there is, you must get through it, not by ignoring it in irritation, or by mounting up, but by facing it and getting through it into the presence of Jesus Christ, then that very thing, and all you have been through in connection with it, will glorify Jesus Christ in a way you will never know till you see Him face to face.

We must be able to mount up with wings as eagles; but we must also know how to come down. The power of the saint lies in the coming down and the living down. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me,” said Paul, and the things he referred to were mostly humiliating things. It is in our power to refuse to be humiliated and to say — “No, thank you, I much prefer to be on the mountain top with God.” Can I face things as they actually are in the light of the reality of Jesus Christ, or do things as they are efface altogether my faith in Him, and put me into a panic?

AMEN! We must NEVER forget that it is NOT by might,nor power, nor by any HUMAN effort, but by the POWER of the SPIRIT of ALMIGHTY GOD! Be FILLED and be a DOER of all that GOD has instructed you to do. THEN you will have a greater understanding of WHO HE IS and who YOU are - IN HIM! Here is Hillsong with "I Desire Jesus":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I simply want to share a song to encourage you in your daily intimate fellowship with the LORD!  Hillsong Worship with "Song For His Presence":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 92 in today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Verses 1-2:

1 It is a good and delightful thing to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises [with musical accompaniment] to Your name, O Most High, 2 To show forth Your loving-kindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night,

It is ALWAYS good to praise the LORD! To give thanks to HIM for every good thing in our lives! That helps us keep our expectaiton high that He will continue to do what only HE can do! Then we have this in verses 12-15:

12 The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible]. 13 Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God. 14 [Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment]. 15 [They are living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

HALLELUJAH! WE are living memorials to the GREATNESS of our GOD! Make praise and worship YOUR priorities every day and you will find far less stress and concern in your life and much more peace and joy! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "Indescribable":

Shalom in Him!