Shalom,

We read Psalm 133 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today and it is a very powerful three verses!

A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious ointment poured on the head, that ran down on the beard, even the beard of Aaron [the first high priest], that came down upon the collar and skirts of his garments [consecrating the whole body]. 3 It is like the dew of [lofty] Mount Hermon and the dew that comes on the hills of Zion; for there the Lord has commanded the blessing, even life forevermore [upon the high and the lowly].

Our Great GOD has already supplied us with EVERYTHING we will EVER need! His WORD, His SPIRIT and a DREAM! Keep following on to KNOW HIM and you will find yourself rising to the TOP in record time! Here is Hillsong with "That's The Power":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is a lesson that many born again believers need to really learn so that they will be free wo believe the Word of God concerning their physical healing and health! 

Chastening

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

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

“What did I forget?”

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

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

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

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

AMEN! Invite and allow the Holy Spirit of the Living God to teach His Word! Your life will NEVER be the same! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read 2 Corinthians 4 in today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan and these verses are expecially powerful to me! 

6 For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as [to beam forth] the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God [as it is manifest in the Person and is revealed] in the face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). 7 However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.

Remember that Jesus said this in John 8:12:

12 Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life.

Here is 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 we see that HE has put HIS LIGHT in US! Why? Because when people can see HIS light IN US, they realize that HE is IN us and it is not a human light, but HIS GLORY! When the shadow of Peter touched people they were healed (Acts 5:15)! It was NOT PETER who healed them, but the GLORY OF THE LORD Who lived IN Peter! Spend time in the presence of the LORD and HE will shine through YOU! What a blessing it is to be alive for such a time as this! Here is Hillsong with "See The Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom, 

In our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today we read 2 Corinthians 3 and verses 17-18 is what I want to share with you!

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom).18 And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.

Notice that we are changed, or transfigured, into the image of the Lord WHEN we continue to behold His Glory through the Word of God! The Word of God is the SOURCE for all of the conintued spiritual growth in every born again believer! SO, let's get into the Word of God with a purpose, becoming more like HIM, and then others will SEE and be aware of HIS GLORY in and through US! THAT is OUR PART! HIS is revealing Himself IN US! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong with "His Glory Appears":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional by Oswald Chambers has another very important instruction for us!

Take The Initiative

Add to your faith virtue ["Furnish your faith with resolution," moffatt]…. — 2 Peter 1:5

“Add” means there is something we have to do. We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save ourselves nor sanctify ourselves, God does that; but God will not give us good habits, He will not give us character, He will not make us walk aright. We have to do all that ourselves, we have to work out the salvation God has worked in. “Add” means to get into the habit of doing things, and in the initial stages it is difficult. To take the initiative is to make a beginning, to instruct yourself in the way you have to go.

Beware of the tendency of asking the way when you know it perfectly well. Take the initiative, stop hesitating, and take the first step. Be resolute when God speaks, act in faith immediately on what He says, and never revise your decisions. If you hesitate when God tells you to do a thing, you endanger your standing in grace. Take the initiative, take it yourself, take the step with your will now, make it impossible to go back. Burn your bridges behind you — “I will write that letter”; “I will pay that debt.” Make the thing inevitable.

We have to get into the habit of hearkening to God about everything, to form the habit of finding out what God says. If when a crisis comes, we instinctively turn to God, we know that the habit has been formed. We have to take the initiative where we are, not where we are not.

AMEN! Let's get to it! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is a 'must read' in order to walk in divine health!

Source Of Sickness

And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? — LUKE 13:16

The Bible is progressive revelation. It is in the New Testament that we get full light, full truth, and full revelation. There Jesus plainly taught that sickness is of the devil, not God.

In Luke 13, we see Jesus going into the synagogue on the Sabbath. A woman was there whose body was bowed together in a fixed position. She couldn’t straighten up. She may have had arthritis. Jesus called her to Him, and said, “Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity!” Then Jesus laid hands on her, and immediately she stood straight. The ruler of the synagogue, like the leaders of some churches today, got angry about it!

Then, as recorded in our text, Jesus elaborated on the fact that Satan is the author of sickness. Jesus made three enlightening statements: (1) The woman ought to be loosed; she ought not to be bound; she ought to be free from this physical infirmity; (2) It was Satan who had bound her, not God; and (3) The reason this woman ought to be loosed was because she was a daughter of Abraham.

Confession: Since Satan is the author of sickness, I ought to walk free from sickness. And Jesus has made the provision for me to do so. Divine health is my covenant right!

AMEN! Find out what the Word of God has to say about every situaiton in your life! BE the LIGHT to others who may not yet know what YOU know about the promises in the Word of God! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom

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

The Patience Of Faith

Because thou hast kept the word of My patience. — Revelation 3:10

Patience is more than endurance. A saint’s life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says — “I cannot stand any more.” God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God’s hands. For what have you need of patience just now? Maintain your relationship to Jesus Christ by the patience of faith. “Though He slay me, yet will I wait for Him”.

Faith is not a pathetic sentiment, but robust vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. You cannot see Him just now, you cannot understand what He is doing, but you know Him. Shipwreck occurs where there is not that mental poise which comes from being established on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the heroic effort of your life, you fling yourself in reckless confidence on God.

God has ventured all in Jesus Christ to save us, now He wants us to venture our all in abandoned confidence in Him. There are spots where that faith has not worked in us as yet, places untouched by the life of God. There were none of those spots in Jesus Christ’s life, and there are to be none in ours. “This is life eternal, that they might know Thee.” The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we take this view, life becomes one great romance, a glorious opportunity for seeing marvellous things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power.

AMEN! I love that patience is NOT a struggle to hold out til the end! Patience is a fruit of the born again human spirit which comes from GOD and brings US through each and every situation as the CONQUERORS that HE says we are! It is not just 'holding on', it is actively being about our Father's business while HE uses US as HIS ambassadors and as His hands, feet, voice and presence in the earth! This IS the most exciting time to be alive! Jump in to your role and BE who HE has called YOU to be! JOYFULLY! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's devotional on THE SPOKEN WORD CHURCH website is an exciting one to really KNOW! 

Don't Accommodate Your Enemy. Your real enemy and adversary is Satan. Always remember this: He wants to destroy you. Don’t yield. Don’t negotiate. It is unnatural to attempt peace with an enemy. You must conquer an enemy.

“Neither give place to the devil.” {Ephesians 4:27}

AMEN! You and I have ALREADY been set free from ALL of our sins and shortcomings! BELIEVE what the Word of the Living God says about YOU! NEVER settle for anything less than God's very BEST! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan we read Psalm 125, which is another of the Songs of Ascent that it is believed the Israelites would sing as they made their way up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feasts! This one is particularly good! 

A Song of Ascents.

1 Those who trust in, lean on, and confidently hope in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides and stands fast forever.
2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about His people from this time forth and forever.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest upon the land of the [uncompromisingly] righteous, lest the righteous (God’s people) stretch forth their hands to iniquity and apostasy.
4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, and to those who are right [with You and all people] in their hearts.
5 As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways [of indifference to God], the Lord will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel!

Our GOD is doing exactly as He planned, purposed and prophesied all through His Word! HE is dealing with corruption and corrupt leaders, and He is allowing them to expose their own wrongdoing! His 'set time' has come to expose the evil and restore HIS will in this nation and around the world where HIS people are praying, declaring and decreeing HIS WORD and HIS WAYS! Let's be a part of THAT group! Here is Hillsong with "Tell The World":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we read 1 Corinthians 13 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. This is the LOVE chapter! Our partner, Rick Renner, who is a Greek scholar, has written a very powerful expanded version of these verses (4-8) that is very sound and instructional! I want to share that here! 

The following is an expanded interpretive translation of First Corinthians 13:4-8

“Love patiently and passionately bears with others for as long as patience is needed;

Love doesn’t demand others to be like itself; rather, it is so focused on the needs of others that it bends over backwards to become what others need it to be;

Love is not ambitious, self-centered, or so consumed with itself that it never thinks of the needs or desires that others possess;

Love doesn’t go around talking about itself all the time, constantly exaggerating and embellishing the facts to make it look more important in the sight of others;

Love does not behave in a prideful, arrogant, haughty, superior, snooty, snobbish, or clannish manner;

Love is not rude and discourteous–it is not careless or thoughtless, nor does it carry on in a fashion that would be considered insensitive to others;

Love does not manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage;

Love does not deliberately engage in actions or speak words that are so sharp, they cause an ugly or violent response;

Love does not deliberately keep records of wrongs or past mistakes;

Love does not feel overjoyed when it sees an injustice done to someone else but is elated, thrilled, ecstatic, and overjoyed with the truth;

Love protects, shields, guards, covers, conceals, and safeguards people from exposure;

Love strains forward with all its might to believe the very best in every situation;

Love always expects and anticipates the best in others and the best for others;

Love never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up;

Love never disappoints, never fails, and never lets anyone down.”

AMEN! THIS makes it very clear that none of us walk in LOVE as much as we should or even believe that we do! Let's make it our goal to walk more in LOVE, like JESUS, every day! The results will be stunning and powerful! Remember "LOVE NEVER FAILS"! Here are Hillsong Kids with "Talkin' About Love":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional by Joseph Prince addresses something that I have been questioned about lately! Here is the SIMPLE and POWERFUL answer! 

Come Back to Simplicity

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3

Several years ago, the Lord began to speak to me about healing in a very strong way. He led me to read a verse I believe articulates clearly His will for us. It was written by the disciple whom Jesus loved, the disciple who was an eyewitness as Jesus went about healing all who came to Him, the disciple who leaned on Jesus’ bosom and knew the heartbeat of His love:

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. —3 John 1:2

What I want you to see is this: John was writing to the well-beloved Gaius, a believer. John knew that Gaius’s soul was already prospering.

If you have invited Jesus into your heart to be your Lord and Savior, then you have received the gift of eternal life and can have full assurance that heaven is your home (Romans 10:9–11). Whatever challenges you might be faced with on the outside, your soul, which is eternal, has begun prospering.

But it wasn’t enough for John to know Gaius’s soul was prospering. John prayed that Gaius would also “prosper in all things and be in health.” In other words, you can pray for your outward, physical body to be healthy even as your soul is healthy in Christ.

You can be sure God’s will is for you to be healthy because His Word declares it. Since His will is for you to be “in health,” don’t go with human tradition or man’s opinion that says it is sometimes His will for you to be sick.

Don’t let man’s conjectures and theories cause you to believe the lie that maybe God wants you to endure the sickness in your body so you can learn to trust Him more or grow in patience. Because of what Jesus did at Calvary, we can be sure sickness is never from God. Healing is!

Come back to the simplicity of declaring like a child, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” In the same way, how do I know Jesus wants us walking in His health and wholeness? For the Bible tells me so.

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

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to encourage you to NEVER read Scripture with the idea that you already know what it says! Those who do so will NEVER learn anything new, and the Word of the Living GOD has SO much revelation, wisdom and understanding for us IF we remain teachable and truly SEEK to know more! For an example, I used our devotional from The Spoken Word Church website for today on my Instagram and Facebook posts because it is ALWAYS SO good! Here is what I posted:

Depend on the Wisdom of God

Jesus said you have received two gifts from God. Your mouth and God’s wisdom. Unexpected things may happen today. Don’t worry. The Holy Spirit within you will rise to the occasion and speak through you.

Relax. Someone greater than you is within you. Depend on the one true Most High Living God of the Bible.

“Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.” (Luke 21:14-15)

THAT is a powerful PROMISE from our ALMIGHTY FATHER! Meditate on that verse and you should never fear telling of ALL His WONDROUS works! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong Worship with "All Of My Days":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 121 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today. This is another of the "Songs of Ascents" as they re referred to in the Bible. Here is a note from the cross reference I saw:

 "It is possible that the fifteen psalms known as the “Songs of Degrees or Ascents” were sung by the caravans of pilgrims going up to attend the annual feasts at Jerusalem."  

This IS the explanation that I have read inmany Bible references! I LIKE this note! We should ALWAYS present ourselves to HIM in praise, thanksgiving and worship BEFORE we ask anything OF HIM! Here is the Psalm for today!

A Song of Ascents.
1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills [around Jerusalem, to sacred Mount Zion and Mount Moriah]—From whence shall my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to slip or to be moved; He Who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand [the side not carrying a shield].
6 The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

And here is Hillsong with "Highlands (Song of Ascent)":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I REALLY love Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's "From Faith To Faith" devotional for today!

Break Through the Wall

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13

You’re running the race set before you, moving full-speed ahead with God’s blessing overtaking you at every step. Then suddenly, wham! You hit the wall. It may be a wall of sickness or financial trouble, of spiritual failure or family problems. But, regardless of the form it takes, the effect of “the wall” is always the same. It stops you cold.

The question is, once you hit a wall like that, what will you do? You’ll be tempted to quit, to turn back in defeat. But don’t do it. Because God will enable you to break through that wall and keep right on going.

I’m not going to tell you it’s easy. The truth is, it’s tough. But you have to push on through the tough times if you’re ever going to have a breakthrough.

Ask any athlete. He’ll tell you that! Because if he’s a winner, he’s been there. He’s pushed his body to what seems to be the maximum. His side has hurt. His lungs have ached. He’s had cramps in his legs and thighs. And just when he felt like he couldn’t go on, he’s heard some coach yell, “Come on! Move it!”

Athletes call that “hitting the wall.” It’s a time when the body says, “That’s it. That’s all I can do. I can’t go any farther. I can’t go any faster. I quit.”

But the seasoned athlete knows that “the wall” isn’t the end. It’s a signal that he’s on the verge of a breakthrough. If he’ll toughen up and push himself a little more, he’ll get a second wind. Suddenly, he’ll go faster than before. He’ll reach a level of excellence he couldn’t have reached any other way.

When you feel the worst, when failure is breathing down your neck, press in to the Word as never before. You may meditate on a particular scripture for days and even weeks sometimes, trying to get a revelation of it, seemingly without success. Then suddenly, like the dawn of the morning, light will come pouring in. You’ll see the way to break through. All you have to do is punch one little hole in that wall of problems, dig one tiny hole in it with your faith and with the Word of God.

Then keep tearing away at that hole. Don’t quit! And, before long, the forces of God will come bursting through, demolishing every obstacle in their path!

Once that happens you’ll never be the same again. You’ll be hooked. It will only take one breakthrough like that to make a never-dying, never-quitting champion out of you.

AMEN!!! Let's make our LORD and SAVIOUR proud! Let's bring JOY to HIM by refusing to quit, give up or stay discouraged! Encourage yourself in the LORD by His WORD and by giving HIM all the praise, thanksgiving and worship for ALL of HIS MIGHTY WORKS on our behalf! Here is Hillsong with "Song For His Presence":

Shalom in Him!