Shalom,

Today I want to share all of Psalm 31 as we continue reading through our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. 

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1 In You, O Lord, do I put my trust and seek refuge; let me never be put to shame or [have my hope in You] disappointed; deliver me in Your righteousness! 2 Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily! Be my Rock of refuge, a strong Fortress to save me! 3 Yes, You are my Rock and my Fortress; therefore for Your name’s sake lead me and guide me. 4 Draw me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me, for You are my Strength and my Stronghold. 5 Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth and faithfulness. 6 [You and] I abhor those who pay regard to vain idols; but I trust in, rely on, and confidently lean on the Lord. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy and steadfast love, because You have seen my affliction, You have taken note of my life’s distresses, 8 And You have not given me into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a broad place. 9 Have mercy and be gracious unto me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; with grief my eye is weakened, also my inner self and my body. 10 For my life is spent with sorrow and my years with sighing; my strength has failed because of my iniquity, and even my bones have wasted away. 11 To all my enemies I have become a reproach, but especially to my neighbors, and a dread to my acquaintances, who flee from me on the street. 12 I am forgotten like a dead man, and out of mind; like a broken vessel am I. 13 For I have heard the slander of many; terror is on every side! While they schemed together against me, they plotted to take my life. 14 But I trusted in, relied on, and was confident in You, O Lord; I said, You are my God. 15 My times are in Your hands; deliver me from the hands of my foes and those who pursue me and persecute me. 16 Let Your face shine on Your servant; save me for Your mercy’s sake and in Your loving-kindness. 17 Let me not be put to shame, O Lord, or disappointed, for I am calling upon You; let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol (the place of the dead). 18 Let the lying lips be silenced, which speak insolently against the [consistently] righteous with pride and contempt. 19 Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men! 20 In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots of men; You keep them secretly in Your pavilion from the strife of tongues. 21 Blessed be the Lord! For He has shown me His marvelous loving favor when I was beset as in a besieged city. 22 As for me, I said in my haste and alarm, I am cut off from before Your eyes. But You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried to You for aid. 23 O love the Lord, all you His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful, and plentifully pays back him who deals haughtily. 24 Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!

Remember that David always went to GOD with his problems, fears, questions, sorrows and anxieties. He would ususally start out, as in this case, with those, and then he would slide right into the promises of God that HE had from their Abrahamic Covenant! WE have a NEW and even BETTER COVENANT than David did! Do not EVER go to GOD with your problems without following it up with HIS promises from HIS WORD! THAT is the WAY to VICTORY in every area! Just repeating the problems does nothing! Speaking HIS word over those problems shows our faith that is in HIM, giving HIM the opportunity and the right to change 'facts' to the TRUTH of HIS WORD! Let's make this a year where we will approach HIS throne in FAITH, with JOY and CELEBRATION for all that HE has already done and for the EXTRAORDINARY MANIFESTATIONS of His GRACE and POWER and AUTHORITY and PROMISES KEPT! Here is Hillsong with "Song For His Presence":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Make His Word the Last Word

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. Revelation 1:8

Jesus is the beginning and the ending. He is the Almighty. When He told us that in the book of Revelation, He wasn't just giving us a general piece of information about Himself. He was giving us a powerful truth we can apply now, today!

Let me show you how. He said He is the beginning. So no matter what challenge or situation you may be facing right now, you need to start with Him. John 1:1 says Jesus is the Word. That means, if you're going to start with Jesus, you're going to start with the Word. Don't do anything until you find out what the Word has to say about it.

Then, stay on the Word. As Colossians 1:23 says, "Continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard."

Continue in the faith. The only way the devil can defeat you is to pressure you into throwing away the Word. Everything he does, every challenge he brings you is intended to make you doubt the Word of God. So don't let go of the Word, no matter what may happen. Settle it with God in prayer and stay with it forever. It is written!

Then end with the Word. Jesus said He was the first and the last. That means the word of your doctor is not the last word. Even the word of your pastor is not the last word. The Word of Jesus is the last Word!

Remember this: You are now what the Word says you are. You can do what the Word says you can do. And you can have what the Word says you can have. Begin to believe that. Begin to say it out loud in faith.

Now shout the victory. Yes, now! You don't have to wait to see the outcome to celebrate. You have Jesus' Word on the matter, so you know beyond any doubt that your breakthrough is coming. Once you've settled yourself on Him, you can be assured that He will have the last word!

AMEN! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share our partner Jerry Savelle's website devotional!

BEYOND THE COMMON

Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you: “Behold, you despisers, marvel and perish! For I will work a work in your days, a work which you will by no means believe, though one were to declare it to you” (Acts 13:40-41 NKJV).

When Paul spoke these words to a group of worshipers in Antioch, citing the words written by the prophet Habakkuk (see Habakkuk 1:5), he was referring to the recent death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was clearly the most extraordinary demonstration of God’s love and goodness the world had ever seen.

Although God’s love has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (see Romans 5:5), God continues to look for opportunities to pour out His love and goodness in many other extraordinary ways. However, we oftentimes limit Him by setting our expectations only on what is common in our lives.

The word common means “general, ordinary, familiar.” It can also mean “mediocre or inferior quality.” On the other hand, one of the meanings of the word extraordinary is “beyond the common method and beyond the common course of things.”

God is saying, “What once was rare is going to become the norm.” I believe things that were once rare—breakthroughs in finances, in healing, and in the restoration of relationships—are going to become the norm. God said He is going to do a work that will be so marvelous, so wonderful, and so extraordinary that some people will not be able to believe it, even if it is clearly described to them in detail.

Now is the time to stretch our faith, stretch our imagination, and think bigger than we’ve ever thought before. Now is the time to believe beyond the common, and see God pour out His love and goodness in extraordinary ways.

Confession: I choose to raise my vision and my expectations above what is common in my life. I declare that what was once rare will become the norm as I see breakthroughs in every area of my life. I expect God’s marvelous work in my life to manifest, and I believe that I receive it now.

AMEN!  Here is Hillsong with "That's The Power":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I found today's "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional by Oswald Chambers to be very thought provoking!

But It Is Hardly Credible That One Could So Persecute Jesus!

Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? — Acts 26:14

Am I set on my own way for God? We are never free from this snare until we are brought into the experience of the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire. Obstinacy and self-will will always stab Jesus Christ. It may hurt no one else, but it wounds His Spirit. Whenever we are obstinate and self-willed and set upon our own ambitions, we are hurting Jesus. Every time we stand on our rights and insist that this is what we intend to do, we are persecuting Jesus. Whenever we stand on our dignity we systematically vex and grieve His Spirit; and when the knowledge comes home that it is Jesus Whom we have been persecuting all the time, it is the most crushing revelation there could be.

Is the word of God tremendously keen to me as I hand it on to you, or does my life give the lie to the things I profess to teach? I may teach sanctification and yet exhibit the spirit of Satan, the spirit that persecutes Jesus Christ. The Spirit of Jesus is conscious of one thing only — a perfect oneness with the Father, and He says, “Learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.” All I do ought to be founded on a perfect oneness with Him, not on a self-willed determination to be godly. This will mean that I can be easily put upon, easily over-reached, easily ignored; but if I submit to it for His sake, I prevent Jesus Christ being persecuted.

We each must ask ourselves what our own personal WHY is for everything that we do or say! Am I doing what I do in obedience to the Word of God as led by the Spirit of God? THAT should be the only criteria that we use for what we say and do! Remember, we will ONLY be rewarded in eternity for what we did in obedience to HIS Word and Will with the right attitude and motive! I am choosing to take an extra account of myself this year to make sure that I know MY WHY and that it is in line with HIS WHY! I invite YOU to do the same! THIS is true obedience and true LOVE for JESUS! Here are Hillsong Kids with "As The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Joseph Prince's Daily Grace devotiontal!

Worship the Lord

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Psalm 95:6–7

I am sure that you have heard a lot of teaching on fearing the Lord. I do believe in a reverential honor of the Lord. But I am not for any kind of teaching that promotes this idea that God wants you to be afraid of Him.

Instead, God delights in having us close to Him. He welcomes us to dwell in His secret place, to be so close to Him that we come under His shadow.

These are all pictures of intimacy. In any relationship, fear and intimacy cannot coexist. If you fear God today, you won’t be able to believe Him for His protection. That is why it is so important for you to be strong and established in His grace.

The author of the book of Hebrews says, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). This is a picture of the ark of the covenant, God’s throne of grace.

Because our Lord’s blood has been shed on the mercy seat, today, we can come boldly into His presence without any sense of inferiority or shame, and receive His favor, His supply, His protection, and His help in our time of need.

Jesus defined the fear of the Lord as the worship of the Lord. In the wilderness temptation, Jesus responded to the devil by saying, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve” (Matthew 4:8–10). Our Lord was quoting from Deuteronomy 6:13, which says, “You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him.” Our Lord substituted the word “fear” with the word “worship.”

Jesus was showing us how to accurately understand the fear of the Lord. In the new covenant, it has nothing to do with being afraid of the Lord; it has everything to do with coming into His presence with boldness and worshiping Him.

Stop living in fear, my friend. Instead, follow our Lord wholly like Caleb did and worship His wonderful name. The prayer of protection is a psalm of worship.

When you worship Jesus, all your fears will fade away. When you worship Him, the angel of the Lord encamps around you like a shield of protection. When you worship your Savior, His Spirit of wisdom and counsel will lead and guide you with rivers of peace!

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Song For His Presence":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's devotional from The Spoken Word Church website is so simple, yet so powerful!

Release the Holy Spirit to Bring Your Harvest

The Holy Spirit can go where you cannot go. The Holy Spirit can say what you cannot say. The Holy Spirit can do what you cannot do.

You can pray in your city. The Holy Spirit will talk to someone 2,000 miles away. Honor the Holy Spirit. Permit Him to move. Don't quench Him. He is the movement of the seed faith principle.

"That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring." {Acts 17:27-28}

Spend time getting to know Holy Spirit for yourself! He IS your closest Friend! Here is Hillsong Worship  with "Freedom":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is an excellent reminder that GOD is GOD and He always will be! It is up to us to make the determined purpose to know HIM more every day so that we don't miss a single thing that He says or does! HE desires to use each one of us for His glory and to share the great GOOD NEWS to those who have not yet responded! 

Leave Room For God

But when it pleased God… — Galatians 1:15

As workers for God we have to learn to make room for God — to give God “elbow room.” We calculate and estimate, and say that this and that will happen, and we forget to make room for God to come in as He chooses. Would we be surprised if God came into our meeting or into our preaching in a way we had never looked for Him to come? Do not look for God to come in any particular way, but look for Him. That is the way to make room for Him. Expect Him to come, but do not expect Him only in a certain way. However much we may know God, the great lesson to learn is that at any minute He may break in. We are apt to over look this element of surprise, yet God never works in any other way. All of a sudden God meets the life — “When it was the good pleasure of God…” (RV).

Keep your life so constant in its contact with God that His surprising power may break out on the right hand and on the left. Always be in a state of expectancy, and see that you leave room for God to come in as He likes.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "That's The Power":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Psalm 24 is part of what we are reading today from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Here is the entire Psalm!

A Psalm of David.
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness of it, the world and they who dwell in it. 2 For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the currents and the rivers. 3 Who shall go up into the mountain of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His Holy Place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted himself up to falsehood or to what is false, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation [description] of those who seek Him [who inquire of and for Him and of necessity require Him], who seek Your face, [O God of] Jacob. Selah [pause, and think of that]! 7 Lift up your heads, O you gates; and be lifted up, you age-abiding doors, that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O you gates; yes, lift them up, you age-abiding doors, that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is [He then] this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah [pause, and think of that]!

From this Psalm we learn that everything and everyone on earth belong to OUR GOD! BUT, we also learn that there are requirements for being able to take advantage of HIS presence! First of all we learn that only those who have "clean hands and a pure heart" can receive that wonderful, glorious GIFT of RIGHTEOUSNESS! We receive THAT by receiving JESUS as LORD and SAVIOUR! HE has already done the work and given US the benefits! HALLELUJAH! Make sure that you have received JESUS as Lord and Saviour, then get into His Word so that YOU can find out what beongs to YOU as children of the Most High God! Here is Hillsong with "Glory":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Transformed By Insight

We all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image.  2 Corinthians 3:18

The outstanding characteristic of a Christian is this unveiled frankness before God so that the life becomes a mirror for other lives. By being filled with the Spirit we are transformed, and by beholding we become mirrors. You always know when a man has been beholding the glory of the Lord, you feel in your inner spirit that he is the mirror of the Lord’s own character. Beware of anything which would sully that mirror in you; it is nearly always a good thing, the good that is not the best.

The golden rule for your life and mine is this concentrated keeping of the life open towards God. Let everything else — work, clothes, food, everything on earth — go by the board, saving that one thing. The rush of other things always tends to obscure this concentration on God. We have to maintain ourselves in the place of beholding, keeping the life absolutely spiritual all through. Let other things come and go as they may, let other people criticize as they will, but never allow anything to obscure the life that is hid with Christ in God. Never be hurried out of the relationship of abiding in Him. It is the one thing that is apt to fluctuate but it ought not to. The severest discipline of a Christian’s life is to learn how to keep “beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord.”

AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "On Repeat":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I was really blessed by today's "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional by Oswald Chambers.

What Am I Looking At?

Look unto Me, and be ye saved. — Isaiah 45:22

Do we expect God to come to us with His blessings and save us? He says — “Look unto Me, and be saved.” The great difficulty spiritually is to concentrate on God, and it is His blessings that make it difficult. Troubles nearly always make us look to God; His blessings are apt to make us look elsewhere. The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is, in effect — Narrow all your interests until the attitude of mind and heart and body is concentration on Jesus Christ.

Many of us have a mental conception of what a Christian should be, and the lives of the saints become a hindrance to our concentration on God. There is no salvation in this way, it is not simple enough. “Look unto Me” and — not “you will be saved,” but “you are saved.” The very thing we look for, we shall find if we will concentrate on Him. We get preoccupied and sulky with God, while all the time He is saying — “Look up and be saved.” The difficulties and trials, the casting about in our minds as to what we shall do this summer, or to-morrow, all vanish when we look to God.

Rouse yourself up and look to God. Build your hope on Him. No matter if there are a hundred and one things that press, resolutely exclude them all and look to Him. “Look unto Me” and salvation is, the moment you look.

AMEN! DARE to BELIEVE that everything the Bible says is OURS under our new and BETTER Covnenant, is OURS - NOW! Here is Hillsong with "Every Breath":

Shalom  in Him!

Shalom,

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

Heaven's Economy

Giving thanks unto the Father...who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.  Colossians 1:12-13

If, in spite of all the Bible's promises about prosperity...in spite of all the prayers you've prayed...you are still struggling financially, consider this question: Where do you think God is going to get the resources to meet your needs?

Many believers limit God without even realizing it by training their eyes on the limited resources of this world rather than the unlimited riches of God's kingdom. Their faith fails when they think of the troubled economy on the earth, of the shortages and scarcity that surround them. They wonder, How is God going to bless me in the middle of all this?

If that's what you've been thinking, here's some news that will turn those thoughts around!

The Bible says God has "delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." To be translated means "to be taken out of one place and put into another." In other words, your citizenship is not primarily of this earth. You are not primarily American or Canadian or Australian—you are first and foremost a citizen of the kingdom of God.

That means this planet doesn't have any right to dictate to you whether your needs are met or not. The Bible says God will meet your needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19)! You can live by heaven's economy, not earth's economy—and in heaven there is always more than enough.

Wake up to the abundance of heaven that's been made yours through Jesus. Wake up to the fact that you've been translated out of a world of poverty into a kingdom of abundance. Rejoice. Heaven's unlimited resources have been made available to you!

AMEN! Now get yourself into the WORD of GOD and find out exactly what HE says belongs to you as HIS child! Then DARE to BELIEVE HIM and act like it! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "Need Your Love":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is perfect for today and for YOU!

Are You Fresh For Everything?

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. — John 3:3

Sometimes we are fresh for a prayer meeting but not fresh for cleaning boots!

Being born again of the Spirit is an unmistakable work of God, as mysterious as the wind, as surprising as God Himself. We do not know where it begins, it is hidden away in the depths of our personal life. Being born again from above (RV mg) is a perennial, perpetual and eternal beginning; a freshness all the time in thinking and in talking and in living, the continual surprise of the life of God. Staleness is an indication of something out of joint with God — “I must do this thing or it will never be done.” That is the first sign of staleness. Are we freshly born this minute, or are we stale, raking in our minds for something to do? Freshness does not come from obedience but from the Holy Spirit; obedience keeps us in the light as God is in the light.

Guard jealously your relationship to God. Jesus prayed “that they may be one, even as we are one” — nothing between. Keep all the life perennially open to Jesus Christ, don’t pretend with Him. Are you drawing your life from any other source than God Himself? If you are depending upon anything but Him, you will never know when He is gone.

Being born of the Spirit means much more than we generally take it to mean. It gives us a new vision and keeps us absolutely fresh for everything by the perennial supply of the life of God.

AMEN! There is no way that we can ever live this life pleasing to GOD unless we give everything in our lives over to JESUS! HE will ALWAYS give back multiplied what we have given to HIM! CELEBRATE! Here is a blast from the past with "Jesus, We Celebrate Your Victory"

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from Psalm 19. THIS is SO good! Read, meditate, learn, do and receive all that GOD has for you who DO His work! 

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows and proclaims His handiwork.

² Day after day pours forth speech, and night after night shows forth knowledge.

³ There is no speech nor spoken word [from the stars]; their voice is not heard.

⁴ Yet their voice [in evidence] goes out through all the earth, their sayings to the end of the world. Of the heavens has God made a tent for the sun,

⁵ Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; and it rejoices as a strong man to run his course.

⁶ Its going forth is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the ends of it; and nothing [yes, no one] is hidden from the heat of it.

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the [whole] person; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and bright, enlightening the eyes.

⁹ The [reverent] fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold, even than much fine gold; they are sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb.

¹¹ Moreover, by them is Your servant warned (reminded, illuminated, and instructed); and in keeping them there is great reward.

¹² Who can discern his lapses and errors? Clear me from hidden [and unconscious] faults.

¹³ Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then shall I be blameless, and I shall be innocent and clear of great transgression.

¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer.

This entire Psalm should be presented before the Lord our God consistently, meaning EVERY DAY! THIS is a declaration that WE stand on the Word of God! Never let up, brcause the enemy won't UNTIL we DO! Here is Hillsong with "Every Day":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this from our partners, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, and their devotional "From Faith To Faith ":

Get Yourself Together

Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Amos 3:3

When it comes to faith, a lot of believers feel like they have one foot nailed to the ground. No matter how hard they try, they just can't seem to make any progress.

If you'll watch them, you can see why. They literally haven't "gotten themselves together." One minute they'll be telling you, "Oh yes, amen, I believe the Word," and the next minute they'll be spouting unbelief like it's going out of style. "I know God says He'll prosper us, but I'll tell you what, my business is doing so badly, it's about to give me ulcers. I can't sleep at night for worrying."

Dig a little deeper and you may find out that they've pulled their actions out of line with the Word as well. "Well, you understand, brother, I can't possibly tithe with my income like it is. I'd go under!"

Faith just won't work for a person like that.

You see, you're a triune being. You are a spirit. You have a soul, which consists of your mind, will and emotions. And you live in a body. Each of those areas has a specific role to play in your faith walk. You have to get all three in agreement before you can go anywhere at all!

Start by feeding your spirit on the Word of God. Just like the body produces physical strength when you nourish it with food, the spirit produces spiritual strength when you nourish it with the Word. That spiritual strength is called faith. Develop that faith, and instead of your spirit being dominated by the other two areas, it will be the one in charge.

Next, bring your soul in line. Set your mind on "things above." Meditate on the Word until your thoughts begin to agree with it. Keep your attention on it until even your emotions yield.

Finally, bring your body in line. Once you truly get your spirit and soul established on the Word, that won't be hard. The body is a follower, not a leader. It will do whatever you train it to do. Begin teaching your body to act on the truth you've planted in your mind and spirit, and it will follow right along.

Don't try to walk in faith with your foot nailed to the ground. Get yourself together! Bring your spirit, soul and body in harmony—and the Word will take you as far as you want to go.

AMEN! How far do YOU want to go in the things of God? The decision is YOURS and the results are, too! Here are Hillsong Kids with "As The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

The Vocation Of The Natural Life

But when it pleased God…to reveal His Son in me… — Galatians 1:15-16

The call of God is not a call to any particular service; my interpretation of it may be, because contact with the nature of God has made me realize what I would like to do for Him. The call of God is essentially expressive of His nature; service is the outcome of what is fitted to my nature. The vocation of the natural life is stated by the apostle Paul — “When it pleased God to reveal His Son in me that I might preach Him [i.e., sacramentally express Him] among the Gentiles.”

Service is the overflow of superabounding devotion; but, profoundly speaking, there is no call to that, it is my own little actual bit, and is the echo of my identification with the nature of God. Service is the natural part of my life. God gets me into a relationship with Himself whereby I understand His call, then I do things out of sheer love for Him on my own account. To serve God is the deliberate love-gift of a nature that has heard the call of God. Service is expressive of that which is fitted to my nature: God’s call is expressive of His nature; consequently when I receive His nature and hear His call, the voice of the Divine nature sounds in both and the two work together. The Son of God reveals Himself in me, and I serve Him in the ordinary ways of life out of devotion to Him.

THAT is how we are to live this powerful, supernatural LIFE we have been given, HERE, in THIS WORLD! It is all by HIS WORD and HIS SPIRIT and HIS POWER and HIS ANOINTING! Make sure that you are spending time daily in His presence, in His Word, in prayer, praise and worship and in obedience to His Word! THAT is when we are of service and pleasing to the Lord! Here is Hillsong with "Song For His Presence":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 16 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today and I like verses 5-11 for a prayer/confession before I sleep at night!

5 The Lord is my chosen and assigned portion, my cup; You hold and maintain my lot. 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good heritage. 7 I will bless the Lord, Who has given me counsel; yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons. 8 I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory [my inner self] rejoices; my body too shall rest and confidently dwell in safety, 10 For You will not abandon me to Sheol (the place of the dead), neither will You suffer Your holy one [Holy One] to see corruption.11 You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Learn to speak the Word of God over yourself, your family, your friends and relatives and over every aspect of your life! Remember Mark 16:20 and fully expect the Lord your God to confirm His Word with signs, wonders and miracles! He's GOOD like that! Here is Hillsong with "You Are Life":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share a couple of things that really stood out to me from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. The first is found in Matthew 15:17-20:

17 Do you not see and understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the abdomen and so passes on into the place where discharges are deposited? 18 But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what makes a man unclean and defiles [him]. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts (reasonings and disputings and designs) such as murder, adultery, sexual vice, theft, false witnessing, slander, and irreverent speech. 20 These are what make a man unclean and defile [him]; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him unclean or defile [him].

Rules, rules and more rules! That is what the Phraisees were all about! Some of them even despised the TRUTH when HE stood right in front of them in favor of their own rules! What Jesus says to them here is such a freeing thing for the born again believer! When we obey HIS commandment to us (Love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself) then HE can cause us to be blessed in very area. One way to grab ahold of those powerful promises is to declare and decree what HE has said about us. When we speak out of our mouths what GOD has said, we are decreeing HIS will and HE will confirm that WORD with signs and wonders and miracles! Then, in verses 24-28, we see the disciples' vision broadened to include people previously excluded from the ways of God! 

24 He answered, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 But she came and, kneeling, worshiped Him and kept praying, Lord, help me! 26 And He answered, It is not right (proper, becoming, or fair) to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs. 27 She said, Yes, Lord, yet even the little pups (little whelps) eat the crumbs that fall from their [young] masters’ table. 28 Then Jesus answered her, O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you wish. And her daughter was cured from that moment.

Faith is what moves GOD! Faith is believing HIM! Who HE is, what HE'S said, what HE'S done and what HE is GOING to do! This woman believed that JESUS was exaclty Who He said He was and could DO exactly what HE said He would do! She DARED to believe that HE would also do the same for HER because of that! HALLELUJAH! She has shown us the keys to having OUR prayers answered! Believe the WORD and EXPECT nothing less! Here is Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Called Of God

Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. — Isaiah 6:8

God did not address the call to Isaiah; Isaiah overheard God saying — “Who will go for us?” The call of God is not for the special few, it is for everyone. Whether or not I hear God’s call depends upon the state of my ears; and what I hear depends upon my disposition. “Many are called but few are chosen” that is, few prove themselves the chosen ones. The chosen ones are those who have come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ whereby their disposition has been altered and their ears unstopped, and they hear the still small voice questioning all the time — “Who will go for us?” It is not a question of God singling out a man and saying, “Now, you go.” God did not lay a strong compulsion on Isaiah; Isaiah was in the presence of God and he overheard the call, and realized that there was nothing else for him but to say, in conscious freedom — “Here am I, send me.”

Get out of your mind the idea of expecting God to come with compulsions and pleadings. When our Lord called His disciples there was no irresistible compulsion from outside. The quiet passionate insistence of His “Follow Me” was spoken to men with every power wide awake. If we let the Spirit of God bring us face to face with God, we too shall hear something akin to what Isaiah heard, the still small voice of God; and in perfect freedom will say — “Here am I; send me.”

AMEN! Are YOU ready to say "Send me!" ? We need to check our hearts daily so that we stay in an attitude of  "Here I am!" Make whatever adjustments you need to in order to stay in THIS attitude of love, devotion and service to the ONE Who loves us MOST and BEST! Here is Hillsong with "Deeper Waters":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Our devotional on The Spoken Word Church website is too important not to repeat! So here it is again:

Wash Your Mind With the Word of God

The Bible is God's blueprint for mankind. It defines His purpose for creating, as well as, His covenant to bless us. God promised that meditation on His words would produce the miracle of prosperity. Nothing will ever dominate your life that doesn't happen daily. So, meditate on God's Word, daily. One of your greatest discoveries will be the principle of seed faith.

"That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." {Ephesians 5:26}

"Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do." {Deuteronomy 29:9}

Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Ancient Gates"

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

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

Fix Your Eyes on Jesus

“For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” 2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV

Today I’d like to share with you a powerful truth that will help you see how you can effectively drive fear out of your life and keep it out. It is a precious truth that will garrison your heart and mind from the enemy’s lies.

Take time to worship the Lord, especially when it feels like overwhelming odds are against you. Do what King Jehoshaphat did when his enemies joined forces and amassed a formidable army to destroy Israel.

In the natural, Jehoshaphat knew Israel had no chance of winning the battle. But he chose to do something you and I need to learn to do whenever we are besieged by our enemies. He cried out to the Lord, saying, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV). Jehoshaphat then placed not commandos but worshipers at the head of his army, and this is what they sang: “Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever” (2 Chronicles 20:21 NIV).

Instead of despairing because of their enemies, they chose to fix their eyes on the Lord, giving thanks to Him and singing of His love. This happened long before the cross of Jesus. How much more can you and I sing of His love, which never fails, which endures forever!

And do you know what happened? The Lord defeated Israel’s enemies by turning them against each other, and Jehoshaphat’s troops did not even have to lift a finger to fight. Instead, when they came to the place that was supposed to be their battleground, their enemies were already dead, and all they ended up doing was collecting so much plunder that it took them three days to collect it all.

In Jesus’ name, may this happen to you too. When you are overwhelmed by challenges, and you don’t know what to do or even how to feel, just cry out to the Lord and tell Him, “Lord, I don’t know what to do, but my eyes are on You.”

That’s the most powerful posture you can take, with your eyes fixed not on your enemies but on your Savior. As you focus on His love that endures forever, the Lord Himself will fight your battle for you (2 Chronicles 20:15).

May you be so conscious of His perfect love that every fear is driven from your life, and may you walk away so much stronger than before your enemies tried to come against you!

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Deeper Waters":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

THE HOLY SPIRIT - THE GREAT REVEALER

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit.… — 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

Over the years, we have received millions of letters from viewers who have written in response to our TV programs. If I were to amass all of those letters and analyze the number-one need that people write to us about, I would have to say it is their desperate desire to know God’s will for their lives.

People struggle to know what is right or wrong, what jobs they should or shouldn’t take, what school they should attend for higher education, whom they should or should not marry, whether or not to go full time into the ministry — and on, on, and on. Often well-meaning, misinformed people have told them, “Well, you can’t always know God’s plan.” These misled people even quote First Corinthians 2:9 and use it as an excuse for ignorance. They say, “You know what the Bible says: ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things that God hath prepared for them that love him.’ You see, even the Bible tells us we can’t always know what God has planned for us!”

However, that was not the point the apostle Paul was trying to make when he wrote this verse! We cannot use First Corinthians 2:9 as an excuse for ignorance. It’s true that there was a time long ago under the Old Covenant when it wasn’t possible to fully know God’s plan as we can know it today. Paul paraphrased from the Old Testament when he said, “…As it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them…” (Isaiah 64:4). Isaiah was bemoaning the perplexing problem of man’s inability to know what God has planned for him. At that time, before the Holy Spirit came to indwell the hearts of people, it was difficult and often impossible to fully discern the things God had planned for each of His children.

Think about how perplexing this problem must have been! God meticulously prepared wonderful, prearranged blessings for His people, but they weren’t able to discern these things in advance! The word “prepared” is important in this text, for it is the Greek word etoimadzo, which carries the idea of a readiness or something that has been fully prepared. The use of this word in this verse alerts us to the fact that God has a divine plan for each of our lives and is ready to reveal it! How wonderful to realize that God’s plan for us is not happenstance, accidental, or a product of last-minute planning. He has been meticulously working out a plan for our lives since before the foundation of the world. He is the Great Planner!

Under the Old Covenant, however, the Holy Spirit didn’t reside in the human heart, so people struggled tremendously to find God’s predetermined plan for their lives. In their efforts to uncover His will, they sought special, divine signs and even visited prophets of the region in an attempt to find answers and gain God’s guidance and direction. Although God had prepared so much for His people, they were blind to much of what had been provided for them because they didn’t have the Great Revealer living in their hearts.

How I wish I could say that it was different today, but most modern Christians live their lives as if they were still living under the Old Covenant! This is especially sad when you consider that Christians have the Holy Spirit living inside their hearts and therefore have access to all the answers they could ever need. But because they have never developed a spiritual sensitivity or learned to recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit, they still live like Old Testament people, depending on special signs, divine signals, or advice from others.

This shouldn’t be the case! The Holy Spirit has come to tell you and me everything we need to know to walk in the fullness of God’s plan for our lives.

Because the Holy Spirit has come, the ignorance that once existed among God’s people has permanently been eliminated. No one can rightfully use First Corinthians 2:9 as an excuse for ignorance or for not knowing the will of God. People who use this verse in this way are sadly misinformed about its purpose. Taken in context with the following verse, this verse clearly reveals that God does not want His people to be ignorant about His purposes, blessings, promises, and provisions that He has so meticulously planned for their lives.

First Corinthians 2:10 continues to tell us, “But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit.…” What does the word “them” refer to? It refers to all the things that used to be hidden! The word “revealed” is the Greek word apokalupsis, a compound of the words apo and kalupsis. The word apo means away, and the word kalupsis is the Greek word for a veil, a curtain, or some type of covering. When compounded into the word apokalupsis, which is normally translated as the word “revelation,” it literally means to remove the veil or to remove the curtain so you can see what is on the other side.

This word apokalupsis plainly refers to something that was veiled or hidden for a long time and suddenly becomes clear and visible to the mind or eye. It is like pulling the curtains out of the way so you can see the scene outside your window. The view was always there for you to enjoy, but the curtains blocked your ability to see the real picture. Once the curtains are drawn apart, you suddenly behold what was previously hidden from your view. The moment you see beyond the curtain for the first time and observe what has been there all along but wasn’t evident to you — that is what the Bible calls a “revelation.”

Now apply this to First Corinthians 2:9-10. In verse 9, Paul indeed said that there was a time in the past when the eye could not see, the ear could not hear, nor could the heart begin to imagine all the amazing, wonderful things God had prepared for those who love Him. God had prepared those benefits according to His prearranged plan, but they were veiled — hidden to us, obscured from our sight. But when Jesus ascended, the Holy Spirit came, and one of His major works in our lives is to remove the veil that once obstructed our view so our eyes can see, our ears can hear, and our hearts can fully comprehend the specific, special plans that God has meticulously prepared for each of us!

So I want to tell you, if you’ve been using this verse to claim ignorance of God’s ways, it’s time for you to change your thinking and speaking about it! This verse doesn’t give us an excuse for ignorance. In fact, it says just the opposite! This verse declares the day of not knowing what God has prepared for us is gone forever! The Holy Spirit — the Great Revealer — now lives inside our hearts, and He wants to reveal God’s blessings, promises, provisions, and plans to you and to me!

Thank God, you no longer have to seek special signs or divine signals. You don’t have to seek out prophets as they did in the Old Testament. Right inside your heart is the greatest Source of revelation on planet earth — the Holy Spirit! If you’ll develop a spiritual sensitivity and learn to listen to His voice, He will reveal everything that God has meticulously planned for you so you can be all God has destined you to be.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Secret Place":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Bold As a Lion

The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. Proverbs 19:12

Today, we are beneficiaries of God’s favor because His wrath against our sins has already been completely satisfied at Calvary. In Hebrew, the word used for “favor” is ratsown, which means His pleasure, delight, goodwill, and acceptance.

Our place of protection was purchased with the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Him, we have been made righteous, and all the blessings of the righteous, including protection, provision, and length of days, are our inheritance. That’s the place we are in today. Isn’t that beautiful?

No wonder the Scriptures tell us, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1). It also tells us, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). A righteous man (or woman) is who you are in Christ, and when you pray the prayer of protection in Psalm 91, your prayers avail much for God answers your prayers!

I received a testimony of God’s divine protection from Sally, who lives in South Africa. Be encouraged as you read how she prayed for protection knowing that she is righteous in Christ:

I was driving a rented car when I heard a loud bang. Within moments, the car was on fire. I immediately switched off the engine to get out. But to my horror, I could not remove the seat belt or open the door! I was stuck.

Finally, I managed to get the door opened. By then, the flames were threatening to come inside the car and I had to close the door again because I was trapped by the seat belt.

I called out to Abba Father and just declared, “I am Your righteousness. You are the only One who can save me!” As those words were echoing in my ears and heart, I heard a click as the seat belt was released. I dashed out of the car.

When the fire department arrived, they were able to stop the blaze. I praise the Lord for delivering me safely out of this dangerous situation! I realized that the devil has long been defeated and we don’t have to fear anything anymore.

Praise the Lord for His deliverance and protection. I rejoice that we are shielded from danger because of the righteousness we have in Christ!

REJOICE in all that JESUS has provded for us! Never stop! Here is Hillsong with "You'll Come":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share the devotional from our partner, Jerry Savelle's, website!

RIGHTEOUS MEANS RIGHTEOUS

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV).

Jesus didn’t come to help you overcome your sinful nature. He came to completely remove it so that you no longer have to be a slave to sin. The Bible assures us of this truth: “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin” (Romans 6:6 NKJV).

Jesus took away every trace of your unrighteousness and gave you His righteousness. Righteousness simply means “right-standing with God.” He did away with your old sinful nature and gave you His very nature.

You are not partly righteous and partly unrighteous, having to struggle with a split personality. The Bible says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV).

When Jesus made you righteous, He didn’t do a partial job. He made all things new. We know that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. When you begin to see yourself as completely righteous in Jesus, your righteous nature will naturally manifest.

God intends for you to think and act like the righteous person you are in Christ. After all, righteous means righteous.

Confession: I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I am a new creation, no longer a slave to sin. I can go boldly to my heavenly Father, knowing that I am in right-standing with Him because I am clothed in the righteousness of Jesus.

Meditate on this until this TRUTH gets down on the inside of you so strong that you will never again doubt just who YOU are - IN HIM! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I REALLY love our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan! It takes us through the entire Bible, chronologically, reading Psalms and Proverbs and the four Gospels twice. I learn something new every time through! I hope that you will join us through this year! Today we read Psalm 8 and Matthew 8 and I LOVE both! Here is all of Psalm 8:

1 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory on [or above] the heavens. 2 Out of the mouths of babes and unweaned infants You have established strength because of Your foes, that You might silence the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I view and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established, 4 What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings], and You have crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet: 7 All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth!

Notice in verse 5 that our GOD has made US just a little  lower than Himself! And NOW, by the New Birth, we are recreated in HIS image! HALLELUJAH! He gave mand dominion over all things in the beginning, until Adam gave it away. JESUS bought it back and now WE have dominion and are supposed to TAKE that dominion as GOD's anointed vessels in this world! How EXCELLENT is HIS NAME in all the earth! Then we have the centurion in Matthew exercising more faith in Jesus than even His disciples did! What a poweful lesson! Keep putting the Word of God in and as Holy Spirit is able to teach you personally how to act on it, YOU will become a person of that same great faith! Here is Hillsong with "Say The Word"

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we read Matthew 7 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Look at verses 1-5:

1 Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. 2 For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you. 3 Why do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in your brother’s eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam of timber that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam of timber in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother’s eye.

I have received arguments and criticism almost every time I have shared these! So many believers want to reserve to themselvse tyhe 'right' to judge others, which means that they have actually set themselves up as the 'paragon' or standard! We are told to discern whether someone is speaking the Truth or not by comparing what is said to the Word of God, but we are NEVER told to judge others. He is quite clear here what will happen if we decide to pass judgement on others! We ARE given instructions that IF we see a brother (or sister) in the Lord sin, we are to PRAY! Holy Spirit will take care of the rest! IF He is calling on you to speak to that person, then HE will let you know, along with the warning that is given above! Let's stay ahead of the enemy on this subject and simply pray! Give him NO PLACE in your life, your heart, your family or your church! Send him packing through YOUR use of the Word of God, praise, prayer and worship! THAT puts the enemy on the run EVERY SINGLE TIME! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Not Today":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

No More

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. — HEBREWS 10:16-17

When God looks at you, He doesn’t remember that you have any past— so why should you remember it? It can hinder your faith.

In talking with people, many have told me, “Brother Hagin, before I was ever saved, I lived such an awful life.” Then they have told me they don’t believe the Lord will do anything for them, such as heal them, or answer their prayers, because they lived such sinful lives before they were saved. They have a complete lack of understanding concerning the New Birth, and concerning the new creature they have become.

When the sinner comes to Christ, he receives remission — a blotting out — of sins.

And after a person is a Christian, he can receive forgiveness of sins that he may commit: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). How long do you think it takes God to forgive us? Ten minutes? Ten years? No, God instantly forgives us! And He instantly cleanses us when we come to Him according to this scripture.

Confession: My Father God does not remember my sins and iniquities. Neither do I remember them. I stand in God’s Presence as if I had never sinned.

AMEN! Never doubt what JESUS gave HIS life to do for us! To do for YOU! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "On Repeat":

Shalom  in Him!

Shalom,

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

God Is on Your Side Today!

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Romans 8:31 contains a powerful rhetorical question and I encourage you to memorize it. Unfortunately, there are still some believers today wondering, “Is God really for me?”

Well, my friend, the Word of God does NOT say “maybe God is for us” or “hopefully, God is for us.” It simply says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Indeed, when God is for you, what opposition can succeed against you? When God Himself fights for you, defends you, and vindicates you, what adversity or adversary can stand against you? There are none! Hallelujah!

“But Pastor Prince, how did God come to be on our side? Even though I am a Christian today, I still fail and fall short of God's holy standards. I still lose my temper on the road now and then, and from time to time, I still get angry with my wife and kids. Why should God be on my side when I fail? Don’t you know that God’s holy?”

All great questions. Let me tell you why God is on our side. The answer is found at the cross. The blood that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, shed on the cross put God on your side. Today, God can be for you even when you fail because Jesus’ blood has washed you whiter than snow!

Have you seen Cecil DeMille’s movie, The Ten Commandments, or the animation, The Prince Of Egypt? Do you remember what happened on the night of the Passover? The children of Israel put the blood of the lamb on their doorposts.

What did the blood do? The blood put God on their side! None of the families who had applied blood on their doorposts had to fear the death of their firstborn children.

Now, think about this for a moment. Were the firstborn children of Israel spared that night because of their perfect behavior and conduct, or were they spared because of the blood of the lamb? Of course, it was because of the blood of the lamb!

In the same way, God does not bless you, as a new covenant believer, based on your perfect behavior and conduct. He is for you today because of the blood of the perfect Lamb—Jesus Christ.

That is why as believers today, we don’t have to fight for ourselves. I like to say it this way: “If God is for us, who can come successfully against us?”

Always remember that God is on your side today because of Jesus’ blood. His holiness and righteousness that men are afraid of are now on your side because of Jesus’ blood. His unmerited favor is on your side and all of heaven’s resources are yours because of Jesus’ blood!

Now, who can come successfully against you? No sickness, no disease, no creditor, no evil accusation, no gossip—no weapon formed against you, can come successfully against you (Isaiah 54:17)!

I LOVE this! Here is Hillsong with "That's The Power":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Why Cannot I Follow Thee Now?

Peter said unto Him, Lord, why cannot I follow Thee now? — John 13:37

There are times when you cannot understand why you cannot do what you want to do. When God brings the blank space, see that you do not fill it in, but wait. The blank space may come in order to teach you what sanctification means, or it may come after sanctification to teach you what service means. Never run before God’s guidance. If there is the slightest doubt, then He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt — don’t.

In the beginning you may see clearly what God’s will is — the severance of a friendship, the breaking off of a business relationship, something you feel distinctly before God is His will for you to do, never do it on the impulse of that feeling. If you do, you will end in making difficulties that will take years of time to put right. Wait for God’s time to bring it round and He will do it without any heartbreak or disappointment. When it is a question of the providential will of God, wait for God to move.

Peter did not wait on God, he forecast in his mind where the test would come, and the test came where he did not expect it. “I will lay down my life for Thy sake.” Peter’s declaration was honest but ignorant. “Jesus answered him…The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied Me thrice.” This was said with a deeper knowledge of Peter than Peter had of himself. He could not follow Jesus because he did not know himself, of what he was capable. Natural devotion may be all very well to attract us to Jesus, to make us feel His fascination, but it will never make us disciples. Natural devotion will always deny Jesus somewhere or other.

Here is Hillsong with "Deeper Water":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Clouds And Darkness

Clouds and darkness are round about Him. — Psalm 97:2

A man who has not been born of the Spirit of God will tell you that the teachings of Jesus are simple. But when you are baptised with the Holy Ghost, you find “clouds and darkness are round about Him.” When we come into close contact with the teachings of Jesus Christ we have our first insight into this aspect of things. The only possibility of understanding the teaching of Jesus is by the light of the Spirit of God on the inside. If we have never had the experience of taking our commonplace religious shoes off our commonplace religious feet, and getting rid of all the undue familiarity with which we approach God, it is questionable whether we have ever stood in His presence. The people who are flippant and familiar are those who have never yet been introduced to Jesus Christ. After the amazing delight and liberty of realizing what Jesus Christ does, comes the impenetrable darkness of realizing Who He is.

Jesus said: “The words that I speak unto you,” not — “the words I have spoken,” — “they are spirit, and they are life.” The Bible has been so many words to us — clouds and darkness — then all of a sudden the words become spirit and life because Jesus re-speaks them to us in a particular condition. That is the way God speaks to us, not by visions and dreams, but by words. When a man gets to God it is by the most simple way of words.

AMEN! This LIFE in JESUS is NOT hard, or boring, or empty! We are, of ALL people, MOST BLESSED! Here is Hillsong with "Speak The Word":

Shalom in Him!