Shalom,

Today's devotional on The Spoken Word Church website is a very important and powerful instruction for every believer!

Discern God's Daily Agenda

Your agenda or daily schedule for today should be decided in the presence of God. Your daily agenda will create miracles or tragedies depending on whether or not you are led by the Holy Spirit. Hourly.

Obedience is an hourly event. Your inner peace is a signal. Don’t make a phone call, an appointment or a decision unless you are at peace in your inward man about it.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Romans 8:14)

When we spend time in the presence of the Lord and feast on and obey His Word, we will have success in every area of life! Here is Hillsong with "Song For His Presence":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's devotional from our partner, Jerry Savelle, is excellent!

WHO ARE YOU?

People all over the world ask this question: Who am I? They are searching for both their individual identity and the purpose for their life. I’ve encountered believers who’ve lost sight of who they are simply because of something others have said to them. Things like “you’re a failure … you’re a nobody … you’ll never succeed.”

We are told in Proverbs 23:7 that “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” In other words, you will be the person you believe in your heart to be. And the only valid source for determining your identity is the Word of God.

Jesus was quoting the Word of God when He declared, “He has anointed Me to preach the gospel … to heal the brokenhearted … to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18). Just as Jesus found His identity in the Word of God, so too will you. The fact of the matter is this: you are who God says you are.

Your talents and abilities don’t determine who you are.

Your job or your social status doesn’t determine who you are.

Your family and friends don’t determine who you are.

Your mirror doesn’t determine who you are.

Only God determines who you really are. However, nobody else—not even God—can determine whether the real you will ever be expressed in life. That decision is entirely yours.

I encourage you to take the time to fill your heart with the Word of God. As you begin to understand what your Creator has to say about you, you are certain to find your true identity in Him.

Confession: Father, I choose right now to believe I am who You say I am. I will not walk by my feelings, but rather by my faith in Your Word. As I come into agreement with You, I will become the person You created me to be.

AMEN! And here is Hillsong with the perfect song! "What A Beautiful Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

'FROM WHENCE THOU ART FALLEN'

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen… — Revelation 2:5

In yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, we saw that Christ confronted the illustrious church of Ephesus about the fact that they had left their first love. He urged them to put everything on pause and to remember the fiery love they’d had for Jesus when they first repented several decades earlier. Although they were perhaps the largest and most sophisticated church in the world at that time, they had lost the wonder of it all as they became consumed in the busyness of ministry. That’s why Jesus told them that they needed to “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen…” (Revelation 2:5).

It is important to note that Greek word translated as “remember” is in the present active imperative, which means Jesus wanted the Ephesian believers to remain continually mindful of their past. What God had done in their midst was a wonderful memory that needed to be memorialized in their congregation for all generations. But if they took an honest look at their hearts and compared their present to their past, they would see what Jesus knew about them — that they had fallen from the zeal and spiritual passion that had once burned in their hearts. Regardless of the adulation the Ephesian church received from other churches and spiritual leaders throughout the Roman Empire, Jesus could see the true state of this body of believers. Therefore, He admonished them, “Remember from whence thou art fallen…”

The word “whence” is the Greek word pothen, which points back in time to a different place or a different time. It is intended to draw one’s attention to a specific moment or experience in the past to see what life was once like. In addition, the word “fallen” means a downfall from a high and lofty position. The Greek tense doesn’t describe the act of falling; rather, it refers to one who has already completely fallen and who is now living in a completely fallen state.

For the past multiple decades, the church at Ephesus had hosted the world’s greatest Christian leaders, experienced the power of God, and become more advanced in spiritual knowledge than any other church of that time. In fact, the Christian community at the time viewed this congregation as the ideal church. However, we must never forget that what can be carefully hidden from human eyes can never be concealed from Jesus. Hebrews 4:13 tells us that “…all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” Jesus is often unimpressed with the things that impress us because He sees a different picture than we do. Others may have been impressed with the heritage of the Ephesian church and its roster of famous personalities — but in Jesus’ eyes, the church was “fallen.”

This is reminiscent of the apostle Paul’s words in First Corinthians 10:12, where he said, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” The word “thinketh” comes from the Greek word dokeo, which in this context means to be of the opinion, to reckon, to suppose, or to think. In this verse, the word dokeo expresses the idea of what a person thinks or supposes about himself. There is nothing to verify if that individual’s opinion is correct — only that it is the prevailing opinion he has regarding himself.

The word “standeth” comes from the word istemi, which simply means to stand, to stand fast, to stand firm, or to stand upright. But when the words dokeo and istemi are combined in the same thought as Paul used them in this verse, the phrase could be read: “Wherefore let anyone who has the self-imposed opinion of himself that he is standing strong and firm…” Then Paul added the next critically important words: “…take heed lest he fall.”

The words “take heed” are from the Greek word blepo, which means to watch, to see, to behold, or to be aware. The Greek tense indicates the need not only to watch, but also to be continually watchful.

The word “fall” in First Corinthians 10:12 is a form of the same word Jesus used in Revelation 2:5 when He told the believers in Ephesus that they were already fallen. This word depicts one who falls into sin, falls into ruin, or falls into some type of failure. In other words, this isn’t merely the picture of someone who stumbles a little; it depicts a downward plummet that causes one to tragically crash. This verse could therefore be interpreted, “If anyone has the opinion of himself that he is standing strong and firm, he needs to be continually watchful and always on his guard lest he trip, stumble, and fall from his overly confident position — taking a downward nosedive that leads to a serious crash.”

Spiritual smugness is an attitude that deceives a person into thinking more highly of himself than he ought to think (see Romans 12:3). Often this self-congratulatory attitude emerges among those who “think” they are more advanced, educated, or spiritually sophisticated than others. It is a spiritual pride that blinds one from clearly seeing his own areas of shortcoming and need the way he once did and causes him to be overly impressed with himself.

It is vital that we take this as a divine warning that directly pertains to our own walk with God. We must understand that our own opinion of ourselves or the high opinion of others concerning us is not a trustworthy measure. Proverbs 16:2 says, “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.” According to this verse, flesh is always prone to be self-congratulatory and to excuse its own failures and weaknesses. But there is nothing hidden from Jesus’ sight; He sees it all from the beginning to the end. All the public relations in the world will not change what Jesus sees in a person’s heart. Therefore, it is what Jesus Christ knows about us that is most important — not what we think about ourselves or what others think or say about us.

The church of Ephesus had a glorious past and a famous name. It was large, well-known, and recognized by others as a spiritual center and a model church. Nevertheless, Jesus saw the situation very differently from what human eyes could see. If Jesus could call this illustrious church with its list of remarkable accomplishments “fallen,” it is clear that any church, regardless of its notable beginning or enduring fame, can also be “fallen.” This means one’s past is not a guarantee of one’s future. If an individual or a church is not completely devoted to doing whatever is necessary to retain spiritual passion, it is likely that over time, the initial passion will slowly dissipate, as was the case with the church of Ephesus.

That is why Jesus lovingly pointed the Ephesian believers backward in time, reminding them of the spiritual vibrancy they once possessed but had lost. Then He enjoined them to take action to rekindle their fire. If they would recognize the religious routine into which they had fallen — and allow this knowledge to produce conviction of sin about their backslidden condition — they could repent and turn the situation around.

I covered the subject of repentance in the March 17-21 Gems. However, this subject is so vital in the Church world in this present hour that I am going to cover it again in the following Sparkling Gem. If there was ever an hour to issue a clear teaching on the need for repentance — what it is, how it is done, and what the effects of true repentance are — it is in the hour in which we live.

Oh, how far the Church has drifted from the simple, powerful, fiery beginnings of revival that once burned in the hearts of early believers! Today Christ is speaking from the Scriptures and calling His people to repent, just as He called on the church of Ephesus to repent nearly 2,000 years ago. Let’s hear what the Spirit is still speaking to His Church!

AMEN! Allow HIM to speak to and through YOU and so fulfill the calling and anointing that is on YOUR life! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "All This Future":

Shalom  in Him!

Shalom,

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

Abide in Jesus

If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered. John 15:6

If I were to ask you to make a list of a hundred things you need to do to please the Lord today, you could do it, couldn’t you? In fact, you probably have so many spiritual “dos” and “don’ts” cluttering up your mind that you’d hardly know where to start.

But you can relax. I’m not going to suggest you make a list of them. Instead, I’m going to help you simplify things by giving you only one: Abide in Jesus.

The one thing you’re truly responsible for is your union with Him. If you keep your union and fellowship with Him intact, everything else will be taken care of.

“But Gloria, I’m facing some big problems right now. My life’s turned upside down. I’m so rushed I don’t know whether I’m coming or going. I don’t have time to fellowship with the Lord today.”

That’s when you need to do it the most! You need to maintain your union with the Lord particularly when the storms of life come. I know that’s often not easy to do. Whether the storm is a sickness in your body or financial problems or family strife, the temptation will be to settle your attention and your mind on that problem. You won’t even want to think about anything else.

That’s what the devil planned on. That’s the reason he sent that storm in the first place. To distract you from fellowshiping with God. To draw your attention away from your union with Him.

Don’t fall into the devil’s trap. Instead, keep your thoughts and affections trained on the Lord. As you do that, the force of faith will begin to flow out of you. And that flow will repel every form of darkness. It will bring you in triumph through every storm.

Fellowship with Jesus today.

AMEN! Here, to help you with that, is Hillsong UNITED with "Here's To The One":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I have been really blessed by Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional!

We Are in This World but Not of This World

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. Psalm 91:3

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler. Not “maybe” or “sometimes,” but an unqualified “surely.” Not a conditional “He might” but a definitive “He shall.” What blessed assurance we have that our God will deliver us from the snare of the fowler!

The Bible depicts the devil as a fowler. A fowler is a professional bird catcher. He lays traps and carefully conceals them so that he can ambush unsuspecting birds. The Bible also depicts the devil as a thief and murderer who comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).

What we need to understand is that the world we live in is a fallen world. Adam committed high treason and gave the keys of this world to the devil. Because of what Adam did, the devil is the ruler of this world. The apostle Paul calls him “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). That is why as long as the devil is still the ruler of this world, the world will continue to get darker and darker and there will continue to be accidents, sicknesses, calamities, tragedies, and deaths.

But we can rejoice in the knowledge that the devil’s lease on this world is quickly running out. Apostle Paul also tells us that our Lord Jesus is coming back and all His enemies will be humbled or put under His feet, with death as the last enemy to be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26).

In the meantime, we will see the world getting darker and darker. But as believers, we do not need to live in fear. Our trust is in our Lord Jesus. We are in this world, but we are not of this world (John 17:16). There is a very real and active fowler that is setting up snares. Even as I write this, I’m reading and hearing reports of bombs going off, shootings, a commercial airplane crashing upon landing, and viral outbreaks in different parts of the world.

In the natural, this can be extremely disheartening. But don’t forget that we have a Savior who is even more real, and He has promised to deliver us from the snare of the fowler and from perilous pestilences (dangerous diseases and viruses). The bottom-line is, we need to realize how much we need our Savior and His protection daily. We need to involve the Lord Jesus in our lives every day. Only He can deliver us and keep us safe!

AMEN!! And HALLELUJAH that HE already has! Here is Hillsong with "You Saw Me":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

"Faith Food" by Kenneth E. Hagin has another powerfully simple message today! 

Practicing The Word

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. — JAMES 1:22

Your spirit can be developed by four things. We have just examined the first: meditation. Now we will look at the second: practicing the Word. Practicing the Word means being a doer of the Word.

There are talkers about the Word. And even rejoicers about the Word. But we don’t have many doers of the Word.

Begin to practice being a doer of the Word. Under all circumstances, do what the Word of God tells you to do.

Some think that being a doer of the Word is simply keeping the Ten Commandments. No, that’s not what James 1:22 means. After all, under the New Covenant, we have only one commandment — the commandment of love. If you love someone, you won’t steal from him. You won’t lie about him. Paul said that love is the fulfilling of the law. If you walk in love, you won’t break any law that was given to curb sin. So, if you’re a doer of the Word, you will walk in love.

But being a doer of the Word for New Covenant Christians means doing primarily what is written in the Epistles. Those are the letters written to the Church. They belong to us, and we are to do them.

Confession: I am a doer of the Word, not just a hearer only!

BE a DOER of the Word of God! DOERS become RECEIVERS of the PROMISES of GOD! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional by Oswald Chambers is one that causes us to pause and take stock of our own lives! 

The Fruitfulness Of Friendship

I have called you friends. — John 15:15

We never know the joy of self-sacrifice until we abandon in every particular. Self-surrender is the most difficult thing — “I will if…!” “Oh, well, I suppose I must devote my life to God.” There is none of the joy of self-sacrifice in that.

As soon as we do abandon, the Holy Spirit gives us an intimation of the joy of Jesus. The final aim of self-sacrifice is laying down our lives for our Friend. When the Holy Spirit comes in, the great desire is to lay down the life for Jesus, and the thought of sacrifice never touches us because sacrifice is the love passion of the Holy Spirit.

Our Lord is our example in the life of self-sacrifice — “I delight to do Thy will, O my God.” He went on with His sacrifice with exuberant joy. Have I ever yielded in absolute submission to Jesus Christ? If Jesus Christ is not the lodestar, there is no benefit in the sacrifice; but when the sacrifice is made with the eyes on Him, slowly and surely the moulding influence begins to tell.

Beware of letting natural affinities hinder your walk in love. One of the most cruel ways of killing natural love is by disdain built on natural affinities. The affinity of the saint is the Lord Jesus. Love for God is not sentimental, for the saint to love as God loves is the most practical thing.

“I have called you friends.” It is a friendship based on the new life created in us which has no affinity with our old life, but only with the life of God. It is unutterably humble, unsulliedly pure, and absolutely devoted to God.

AMEN! THIS should be our daily goal! Here, to help with that, are Hillsong Kids with "My Best Friend":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

We read Mark 4 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today and it is one of the most important lessons we can learn! First JESUS is speaking to them in parables, specifically the parable of the sower. He tells us the process of sowing and reaping and through it all we come to understand that i is the conidition of the soil that makes the biggest difference in whether we have a good afvest or a GREAT one! Then the whole KEY of this parable is found in verse 14:

14 The sower sows the Word.

It is the Word of GOD that we need to learn, know, obey and speak! When we speak what the Word of God says about us over every area pof our lives, we will begin to have outstanding harvests of God's promises in our lives! Without sowing, there IS no harvest! So get busy preparing the soil of your life to receive the Word, then plant the Word of God fully expecting the harvest! Verse 20:

20 And those sown on the good (well-adapted) soil are the ones who hear the Word and receive and accept and welcome it and bear fruit—some thirty times as much as was sown, some sixty times as much, and some [even] a hundred times as much.

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

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Meditating In The Word

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. — JOSHUA 1:8

How can your spirit be educated and trained? How can your spirit be built up in strength? There are four steps: (1) Meditating in the Word; (2) Practicing the Word; (3) Giving the Word first place; and (4) Obeying your spirit. We will study these four steps in coming days.

What God said to Joshua will work for everyone. If God didn’t want Joshua to be prosperous, why did He tell him how to prosper? If God didn’t want Joshua to be successful, why did He tell him how to have good success? But God wanted Joshua to be prosperous and successful. And He wants you to be prosperous and successful too! Furthermore, God has given us directions in today’s text.

Paraphrasing this truth into New Testament language, God simply said, “The Word of God [particularly the New Covenant or New Testament] shall not depart out of your mouth. But meditate therein day and night . . . for then you shall make your way prosperous, and you shall have good success in life.”

Confession: The Word of God shall not depart out of my mouth. I shall meditate therein day and night. Therefore, I shall make my way prosperous, and I shall have good success in life!

I especially like this verse from the Amplified Bible!

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.

Our wonderful GOD has given us specific instucitons all through His Word for living in all of His promises! Begin YOUR meditation habit and watch HIM do what only HE can do! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Honey in The Rock":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I absolutely LOVE today's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional from Joseph Prince!

No Evil Shall Befall You

Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling. Psalm 91:9–10

When I was a student, I took on a part-time job in a factory that manufactured refrigerators. Like any teenager, I had just wanted to earn some extra pocket money. It wasn’t a complicated job. I was part of an assembly line and all I had to do was use an electric drill to create an opening and to fasten a condenser securely onto the back of each refrigerator. I would be buzzing away on the power drill all day, earning my keep.

At that time, I had the habit of carrying a small booklet around with me. It was my little booklet of Bible memory verses, and I would read from it and speak the Word of God 3 times a day. During that period, there was one particular verse in Psalm 91 that I would confess every day: “No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling” (Psalm 91:10). It was my daily confession in the morning before I left for work, and during my break times, my coworkers would see me sitting in some corner, confessing this verse. It was a very powerful revelation for me, and I really wanted His Word, and in particular this truth of God’s protection, to drop into my heart.

One day, as I was assembling yet another refrigerator, I lost control of the power drill. It somehow slipped out of my hands and the drill went straight toward my stomach. Everything happened really quickly. The power drill, which was spinning at full force, hit my stomach . . . and it just bounced off. Some of the workers there who saw what had happened ran over, concerned for me. It was then that I realized I was completely unharmed!

The only thing that came to mind at that moment was the scripture I had been meditating on. That day, the verse, “No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling” came alive for me. I give thanks for the Lord’s divine protection over my life when I was a teenager. Don’t you just love our wonderful and beautiful Savior! As you meditate on and declare His promises in His Word, I believe you’ll also see His saving and delivering power working on your behalf.

AMEN! DARE to BELIEVE and ACT ON the Word of God! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Honey In The Rock":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from our partner, Jerry Savelle's devotional again.

EXPECT PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT

Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant will also be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. (John 12:26 NIV)

There are so many people today who go through life with no expectation that good things can, or will, happen for them. In fact, some people actually get mad at me because I’m so positive, expecting God’s favor all of the time.

But I learned a long time ago that when God reveals a truth in His Word to you, that revelation causes you to become positive. When you understand just how much favor and honor you’ve already been given by God through Jesus, you can’t help but have a positive attitude.

If you’ve chosen to serve Jesus, then Jesus Himself has promised that His Father will honor you. To be honored by someone means you receive preferential treatment.

So, ask that the eyes of your understanding be enlightened so that you see the favor and honor that God has already given you in Jesus. Ask Him to reveal to you promises from the Word of God that will cause you to become more expectant of honor and preferential treatment. Promises such as, “I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation” (Psalm 91: 15-16).

Expect good things to happen to you today.

Confession: The eyes of my understanding are enlightened, and I am growing in the revelation knowledge of the favor and honor that are already mine because I serve Jesus.

AMEN! TRUST JESUS! No one loves YOU more! Here are Hillsong Kids with "As The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Don't Worry About Anything

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? …for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. — Matthew 6:31-33

On the day our family moved to the Soviet Union, we settled into our rented house and went to bed for some much-needed rest. When we awoke the next morning, we heard a news report that prices on all basic food commodities had soared 500 percent during the nighttime — the very day after we arrived! Not only that, but all the 50-ruble notes had been declared void, so if you had 50-ruble notes, you simply possessed pieces of paper that held no value whatsoever.

Unfortunately, on the day our family arrived, we also exchanged 1,000 U.S. dollars for rubles so we would have the currency of the land to get us started living in that part of the world. And the person who performed that transaction had exchanged our $1,000 exclusively into stacks of 50-ruble notes — which were now worthless!

In addition, stores were depleted of the most basic items, and pharmacies were completely empty. I mean, there was nothing at all on those shelves. It was also rare to find a gas station that had any gasoline to purchase. The entire infrastructure of the Soviet Union had fallen apart.

People were fearful that they would not be able to find bread. Therefore, when bread was finally shipped to our town, lines quickly formed all the way around the block. Basic products such as flour, sugar, milk, and eggs, could only be purchased in small, limited quantities — and only if people had ration coupons that were allotted to them by the government. But ration coupons were given to citizens only, so our family wasn’t able to obtain them.

Yet, through all this initial hardship and shock, God made a way for us to have everything we needed.

Admittedly, some of those earliest days were spent like scavenger hunts — looking for a gas station that actually had gasoline, searching for basic food items, and hunting down necessary paper products such as toilet paper. We faced many days when currency shops had no rubles to exchange. And if we had no rubles, we couldn’t buy products even if we could find them. Then once we’d find rubles, after losing $1,000 in the exchange market, we would only exchange small amounts of dollars to avoid another hardship like that first one. It was a precarious time that required an increased sensitivity to the Spirit of God to know when and how to act just to carry out basic business from day to day.

Today you may not be living in the dire circumstances we endured when we first moved to the USSR. But it’s a fact that people are facing difficult financial times all over the world. Products are more expensive than they used to be, and it isn’t certain which way the economy is headed. Perhaps you are also feeling the brunt of this financial volatility. But rather than let a spirit of fear control you, this is the time for you to stand strong on Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:31-33.

Throughout the years of our own lives and ministry, there have been many times when Denise and I have not known how we were going to pay for what God was asking us to do. Yet we have learned that if we will seek the Kingdom of God first, as Jesus taught us, everything else will come into place as needed.

During those early days of our life in the former USSR — and every time God has asked us to do something bigger than our bank account could pay for — we learned to reflect on Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6 where He taught us about trusting God in times of need. Jesus said, “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed… For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:31-33).

Notice Jesus said, “Therefore take no thought…” Pay close attention, for these words “no thought” are very important for you and me. The word “thought” is preceded by a negative imperative, which means this is a command of Jesus not to do something. The word “thought” is the Greek word merimnao. It denotes anxiety, care, concern, or worry — or it depicts a person who is deeply troubled. This person is worrying about how his basic needs will be met.

By using a negative imperative with the word merimnao, Jesus was literally saying, “Don’t worry, for your Heavenly Father knows that you have need of these things.”

I can personally testify that God has been faithful in our lives and ministry from the very beginning to this present moment. Even when Denise and I didn’t know how our most basic needs would be met when we first moved to the USSR, God was faithful and on time to meet every one of those needs. And through times when God has required us to take monumental steps of faith that were beyond our financial capabilities, He has caused the necessary finances to come in, doing for us by His Spirit what we could not do for ourselves.

And let me also tell you that fretting, worrying, and being troubled never added one cent toward meeting our need or helped take us further toward our goals. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t tempted at times to fret or feel worried. But I have learned over the years that God is well aware of every need we face and of every cent that is required. And He is far ahead of us — working in ways we can’t even imagine — to make sure everything we need comes to us on time.

In Matthew 6:33, Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” My son Philip Renner paraphrases it this way: “Put God first, and everything else will come your way!” All I can say to that is amen, as that is exactly the teaching Jesus was trying to drive into our hearts and minds when He spoke those words!

What about you today? Are you straining and worrying over things you can’t change or do anything about? Are you aware that God is knowledgeable of your situation? How is worrying going to help you change one thing for the better? It won’t! That’s why Jesus commanded you, “Don’t worry, for your heavenly Father knows you have need of these things.”

Today I encourage you to cast your burdens, troubles, worries, and cares on the Lord — and to seek Him and His Kingdom first, above all else. Then watch as He provides everything that you’ve been tempted to worry and fret about obtaining. God is faithful to provide for His own. He will be faithful to provide everything you need as you trust wholly in Him!

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "God Song":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

Today I want to share Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional! I have read this one SO many times and every single time I am SO excited knowing that our GOD will do the same thing for ME if I am in a tough situation! For YOU, too! 

Charged To Keep

For he [God] shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. — PSALM 91:11

I heard a pioneer Pentecostal missionary tell this experience. A neighboring tribe kidnapped a little girl from the tribe where he was a missionary. The people in her tribe knew that if they didn’t recover her before nightfall, they would never see her again.

So the missionary and a native interpreter made their way through the jungle to the kidnappers’ village. They took trinkets and bargained with the chief for the child’s return, but night overtook them. Because they couldn’t travel at night in the jungle, they were forced to stay at the kidnappers’ village. Sleeping on the floor of a thatched hut, they were awakened by the sound of drums. The interpreter said that the drums meant they were to be killed: The chief had decided to kill them and keep both the trinkets and the girl. Then they heard the hostile natives coming for them.

The missionary and the interpreter knelt down, prayed, and committed themselves to God. Then the missionary said, “Let’s not wait for them. Let’s go out. I’ll go first.”

He stepped outside with his eyes shut and waited for what seemed to be an eternity. One slash of their knives could cut off his head. But instead he heard moaning and groaning. He looked, and every native was on his face on the ground.

“They are calling you ‘god,’” the interpreter said. “They say that when you stepped outside, two giants in white stepped out with you, holding great swords in either hand.”

Confession: God has given His angels charge over me to protect me in all my ways.

AMEN!!! Here is Brooke Ligertwood of Hillsong with "Honey In The Rock":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is sobering!

Have You Ever Been Expressionless With Sorrow?

And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. — Luke 18:23

The rich young ruler went away expressionless with sorrow; he had not a word to say. He had no doubt as to what Jesus said, no debate as to what it meant, and it produced in him a sorrow that had not any words. Have you ever been there? Has God’s word come to you about something you are very rich in — temperament, personal affinity, relationships of heart and mind? Then you have often been expressionless with sorrow. The Lord will not go after you, He will not plead, but every time He meets you on that point He will simply repeat — “If you mean what you say, those are the conditions.”

“Sell all that thou hast” — undress yourself morally before God of everything that might be a possession until you are a mere conscious human being, and then give God that. That is where the battle is fought — in the domain of the will before God. Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Himself? If so, you are likely to hear one of His hard sayings that will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is hard, it is only easy when it is heard by those who have His disposition. Beware of allowing anything to soften a hard word of Jesus Christ’s.

I can be so rich in poverty, so rich in the consciousness that I am nobody, that I shall never be a disciple of Jesus; and I can be so rich in the consciousness that I am somebody — that I shall never be a disciple. Am I willing to be destitute of the sense that I am destitute? This is where discouragement comes in. Discouragement is disenchanted self-love, and self-love may be love of my devotion to Jesus.

I am asking myself just how serious am I about what GOD desires for my life! There IS no more important thing any of us can do but to follow HIS lead, obey HIS WORD and do HIS WILL! My prayer for YOU is that you will committ yorself 100% into HIS hands and learn to REALLY LIVE your BEST LIFE! Anything else will ALWAYS be 'less than'! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "God Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I am sharing from our partner, Jerry Savelle's, devotional!

YOU ARE ABRAHAM’S SEED

And if you are Christ’s, the you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:29 NKJV)

The biblical term “Abraham’s seed” refers in both the Old and New Testaments to those who have received righteousness (right standing before God) by faith.

When we receive righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ, we are called Abraham’s seed.

God made many promises to Abraham’s seed, and He established an inheritance for each and every one. This inheritance becomes available to each and every individual the moment he or she receives righteousness by faith.

To find out what belongs to you, read Deuteronomy 28. You’ll see that God promised you’ll be blessed coming in and blessed going out. You’ll be blessed in the city and blessed in the field. You’ll be blessed in everything you set your hand to do.

God said He would make you the head and not the tail, above and not beneath. He declared that when your enemy comes in one way, God will cause him to flee seven ways!

God loves you and wants you to enjoy the inheritance He has prepared for you. Determine today to study God’s Word and discover all the promises that are yours. And then, make the decision to receive all that is yours, giving glory to God.

Confession: Thank You, Father, for loving me enough to leave me a wonderful inheritance through my faith in Jesus, who made me righteous. As Abraham’s seed, I know I am a rightful heir to this inheritance, and I determine to discover and receive all that you have prepared for me.

AMEN! REMEMBER! You ARE who GOD says you are!!! Here is Hillsong with that same song, "I Am Who You Say I AM!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to speak to you about 1 John 1:9.

9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].

I have heard many differing opinions about what this verse i actually saying. One person teaches that the 'sin' referred to here is our sin before receiving JESUS as Lord and Saviour. That is SO not correct! Remember that this verse is in the New Testament, under the New Covenant, written to born again believers! It says "IF" we will "confess" our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive us of THOSE sins AND to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. All unknown sins! This is speaking of the sins committed by born again believers AFTER the New Birth! The key here is the word "confess". This is the Greek word "homologeo". It means "to speak the same thing", to agree, to admit, to acknowledge. When we acknowledge the sin we have comitted, the the forgiveness that JESUS provided for us on Clavary is applied to our lives again! I especially like the underlined portions above in the Amplified Bible. The BLOOD of JESUS will CONTINUALLY cleanse us of ALL unrighteousness, as we ACKNOWLEDGE when we sin! The choice is ours! Why hold on to unrighteousness when HE has provided such a simple and poweful way to let it go! Let's be DOERS of thie WORD instead of trying to make it say something that it does not say! There is NO FREEDOM in that! Here is Hillsong with "All To Him":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is another great lesson in hearing and being led, guided and directed by Holy Spirit Who lives IN us!

Perception

Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. — ACTS 27:9-10

Paul didn’t say, “I’ve got a revelation,” or “the Lord told me,” or “the Lord revealed it to me.” He said, “I perceive.” This was just an inward witness that he had. He perceived something spiritually.

A family of seven went out to eat. The children’s food had already arrived at the table when the father suddenly said, “Let’s rush home. I just have a perception that we should go.” When they arrived, they found that a fire had started in their house. They were able to put it out. If we would become more spirit-conscious, many things could be averted.

“Well, God did that. He had some purpose in it,” people will say. No, we miss it because we don’t listen. If the sailors had listened to Paul, they could have saved the ship and all the merchandise.

God is not an enemy of man; He is trying to help us. He is not working against us; He is working for us.

Confession: The Spirit of the Lord is in me to help me. He is working for me. I perceive His direction and His help spiritually. I am spiritconscious.

AMEN! We ALWAYS have a part to play in all of the wonderful plans, purposes, blessings and promises from GOD! Let's sharpen our hearing ears and seeing eyes so that we, too, can be led by Holy Spirit AT ALL TIMES! That IS the heritage of the children of GOD! Here is Hillsong with "Oceans":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Chastening

Despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him. — Hebrews 12:5

It is very easy to quench the Spirit; we do it by despising the chastening of the Lord, by fainting when we are rebuked by Him. If we have only a shallow experience of sanctification, we mistake the shadow for the reality, and when the Spirit of God begins to check, we say — “Oh, that must be the devil.”

Never quench the Spirit, and do not despise Him when He says to you — “Don’t be blind on this point any more; you are not where you thought you were. Up to the present I have not been able to reveal it to you, but I reveal it now.” When the Lord chastens you like that, let Him have His way. Let Him relate you rightly to God.

“Nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him.” We get into sulks with God and say — “Oh, well, I can’t help it; I did pray and things did not turn out right, and I am going to give it all up.” Think what would happen if we talked like this in any other domain of life!

Am I prepared to let God grip me by His power and do a work in me that is worthy of Himself? Sanctification is not my idea of what I want God to do for me; sanctification is God’s idea of what He wants to do for me, and He has to get me into the attitude of mind and spirit where at any cost I will let Him sanctify me wholly.

AMEN! Holy Spirit is ever ready to cause us to grow up in the Word as we take seriously OUR part in pressing in to His presence and learning all that we can! Here are Hillsong Kids with "Voices Of Freedom":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Our devotional for today on The Spoken Word Church website is another vital message that many do not understand the importance of!

Recognize Messengers from God

When Satan wants to destroy you, he sends a person. When God wants to bless you, He sends a person. Recognize them. Whether they are packaged like a John the Baptist in a loin cloth of camel’s hair, or the silk robes of King Solomon.

Your reaction to a man or woman of God is carefully documented by God. When God talks to you, it is often through the spiritual leaders in your life. Don’t ignore them.

“He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.” {Matthew 10:41}

AMEN! Recognize, honor and appreciate the men and women of God who have contributed to your life and your growth in JESUS! Then be willing and obedient when HE wants to use YOU to do the same for someone else! BLESSINGS ALWAYS FOLLOW OBEDIENCE! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "All This Future":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional by Oswald Chambers is a GREAT reminder of what out outlook and attitude should be!

The Theology Of Rest

Why are ye fearful, 0 ye of little faith? — Matthew 8:26

When we are in fear we can do nothing less than pray to God, but Our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His Name should have an understanding confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the reliable ones. Our trust is in God up to a certain point, then we go back to the elementary panic prayers of those who do not know God. We get to our wits’ end, showing that we have not the slightest confidence in Him and His government of the world; He seems to be asleep, and we see nothing but breakers ahead.

“O ye of little faith!” What a pang must have shot through the disciples — “Missed it again!” And what a pang will go through us when we suddenly realize that we might have produced down right joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, no matter what was ahead.

There are stages in life when there is no storm, no crisis, when we do our human best; it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to trust Him, the crisis will reveal that we will go to the breaking point and not break in our confidence in Him.

We have been talking a great deal about sanctification — what is it all going to amount to? It should work out into rest in God which means oneness with God, a oneness which will make us not only blameless in His sight, but a deep joy to Him.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Deeper Waters":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we read Psalm 41 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan and I LOVE verses 11-13:

11 By this I know that You favor and delight in me, because my enemy does not triumph over me. 12 And as for me, You have upheld me in my integrity and set me in Your presence forever. 13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting [from this age to the next, and forever]! Amen and Amen (so be it).

AMEN! When we LOVE the Word of God and put it into practice, there is not a force in all the earth that can keep the answers or manifestation from coming! BE READY!!! Here is Hillsong with "As The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "From Faith To Faith" devotional by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland is very important because the Word of God says that our FAITH only works BY LOVE! 

A Living Example of Love

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:5

Don’t ever worry about not having enough love inside you. The Word says God’s love is shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Ghost. God’s love is in you. What you need to do is make a decision and let it flow.

Pray this prayer today.

In Jesus’ Name, I make a fresh and strong commitment today to live the life of love, to let the tenderness of God flow through me and heal the wounded hearts of those I meet.

Father, teach me to love even when things go wrong. To be patient and kind when the children are underfoot. To overlook the spiteful words of an angry spouse. To rejoice when someone at the office gets the raise that I thought I needed. Teach me to talk in love, to lay gossip quietly aside and to take up words of grace instead.

Lord, Your Word says that Your love is already inside me...that it has been shed abroad in my heart. So today, I resolve to remove every obstacle that would keep that love from flowing freely into the lives of others. I put resentments behind me, and I forgive all those who’ve done me wrong.

In the days ahead, cause me to increase and excel and overflow with Your love. Cause me to be what this world needs most of all...a living example of love. Amen.

AMEN! Remember that according to 1 Corinthians 13:8: LOVE NEVER FAILS!!! NEVER!! So determine to walk in love no matter what and allow the Lord your God to bless your life with abundance! Here are Hillsong Kids with "I Give You My Hallelujah":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this exciting devotional from Andrew Womack! 

Our Resurrected Bodies

John 11:13 'Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.'

There are many scriptures where death is spoken of as sleep, however, the disciples thought Jesus was speaking of Lazarus simply resting. Jesus eventually clarifies their misunderstanding by using the word 'death,' but that was not His first choice. This is because God's perspective is different than ours. Death is final to natural man but not to God. There will be a resurrection.

In his second letter to the Corinthians Paul uses natural illustrations to explain the resurrection. He speaks of seeds that are buried in the ground and 'die.' Then they are resurrected as a plant. The plant and the seed bear no resemblance but they are actually the same. The plant is just in a resurrected state. Likewise, our physical bodies will die but they will be resurrected just as surely as seeds produce plants.

In the same way that a seed is different than the plant that it produces, likewise our resurrected bodies will be different. Our glorified bodies will be very similar to our physical bodies in appearance. This can be said because of what the scriptures reveal about Jesus' glorified body. He still looked human, He ate food, had the print of the nails in His hands and feet, and He said He had flesh and bones. Yet he could appear and disappear. Our resurrected bodies will be immortal (i.e. not subject to death). Our resurrected bodies will be like Jesus' resurrected body.

In the same way that our present physical bodies are a miraculous creation, so our glorified resurrected bodies will have their own glory. We can rest assured that God never serves dessert first. If this physical body is wonderful, our resurrected body will be even better.

HALLELUJAH! We have SUCH an exciting future to look forward to after THIS life! Let's take full advantage of this life and all that HE has planned and purposed for us because we KNOW that it is all preparation for our glorious eternity! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "All This Future":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from our Spoken Word Church website devotional! THIS is SO vital!!

Promote the Power of Jesus

The first two letters of the word gospel spell “Go”. Christianity is a network of activity. Promote Jesus today. He is the starting point of every miracle. Be the bridge that connects Him to somebody in trouble today. Be bold. One miracle is worth the energy.

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)

AMEN! here is Hillsong with "GO":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Prayer In The Father’s House

Wist ye not that I must be in My Father's house? — Luke 2:49 (RV)

Our Lord’s childhood was not immature manhood; our Lord’s childhood is an eternal fact. Am I a holy innocent child of God by identification with my Lord and Saviour? Do I look upon life as being in my Father’s house? Is the Son of God living in His Father’s house in me?

The abiding Reality is God, and His order comes through the moments. Am I always in contact with Reality, or do I only pray when things have gone wrong, when there is a disturbance in the moments of my life? I have to learn to identify myself with my Lord in holy communion in ways some of us have not begun to learn as yet. “I must be about My Father’s business” (KJV) — live the moments in My Father’s house.

Narrow it down to your individual circumstances — are you so identified with the Lord’s life that you are simply a child of God, continually talking to Him and realizing that all things come from His hands? Is the Eternal Child in you living in the Father’s house? Are the graces of His ministering life working out through you in your home, in your business, in your domestic circle? Have you been wondering why you are going through the things you are? It is not that you have to go through them, it is because of the relation into which the Son of God has come in His Father’s providence in your particular sainthood. Let Him have His way, keep in perfect union with Him.

The vicarious life of your Lord is to become your vital simple life; the way He worked and lived among men must be the way He lives in you.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Scandal of Grace":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We watched Kennth E. Hagin minister at a meeting years ago via DVD the other night. His teaching is always so good to hear again and again! Today's "Faith Food" devotional by him is EXCELLENT! 

Fleeces?

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you . . . . — EZEKIEL 36:26,27

To receive guidance, some people put out what they call a “fleece” before the Lord. The New Testament, however, does not say, “As many as are led by fleeces, they are the sons of God.”

“Yes,” someone may say, “but Gideon put out a fleece back in the Old Testament.”

Why go back under the Old Covenant? We’ve got something better under the New Covenant. The Old Covenant was for spiritually dead people. I’m not spiritually dead — I’m alive! I’ve got the Spirit of God in me!

Remember, Gideon was not a prophet, priest, or king. Only men who stood in those three offices, under the Old Covenant, were anointed by the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God was not personally present with the rest of the people. That is why every male had to present himself once a year at the Temple in Jerusalem.

The Shekinah glory — the Presence of God — was kept shut up in the Holy of Holies. But when Jesus died on Calvary, the curtain that blocked the way into the Holy of Holies was ripped in two from top to bottom. God moved out — and He has never dwelled in an earth-made house since! He dwells in us!

Confession: God’s Spirit dwells in me! He is the Greater One, and He dwells in me!

HALLELUJAH!!! WE have the Spirit of GOD living IN US as botn again believers! We need no other 'assurance' than HIS presence IN us leading us forthe with peace and joy! Using 'fleeces' as born again, Spirit-filled believers opens us up to BE FLEECED!! Spend more time in His presence than ever before and YOU will find that it is much more effective to be led by Holt Spirit and HIS peace and joy! Here is Hillsong with an older song called  "Let The Peace Of God Reign":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is another pricelss teaching! 

Direction

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. — PROVERBS 3:5-6

It is not for us to tell the Lord how to lead us. We are to let Him lead us any way He wants to!

But it is for us to find out from the Word of God how He does lead. And He leads, first of all, by the inward witness.

We can also see in the Book of Acts and elsewhere how at times some believers received guidance through a vision; others received guidance from an angel who appeared to them and told them certain things. Such phenomena, however, didn’t happen every day in these people’s lives. They occurred once or twice in the entire lifetime of some of them. So that’s not the ordinary way God leads — but He can if He wants to.

Often God is trying to bear witness with our spirit — trying to guide us — but we won’t listen, because we want something spectacular, such as a vision, or an angel. But we must remember that anything God does is supernatural!

Confession: I trust in the Lord with all my heart. And I lean not to my own understanding. In all my ways I acknowledge Him, and He directs my paths.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Sure Thing":

Shalom in HIm!

Shalom,

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

The Brave Comradeship Of God

Then He took unto Him the twelve. — Luke 18:31

The bravery of God in trusting us! You say — “But He has been unwise to choose me, because there is nothing in me; I am not of any value.” That is why He chose you. As long as you think there is something in you, He cannot choose you because you have ends of your own to serve; but if you have let Him bring you to the end of your self-sufficiency, then He can choose you to go with Him to Jerusalem, and that will mean the fulfilment of purposes which He does not discuss with you.

We are apt to say that because a man has natural ability, therefore he will make a good Christian. It is not a question of our equipment but of our poverty; not of what we bring with us, but of what God puts into us; not a question of natural virtues of strength of character, knowledge, and experience — all that is of no avail in this matter. The only thing that avails is that we are taken up into the big compelling of God and made His comrades (cf. 1 Cor. 1:26-30). The comradeship of God is made up out of men who know their poverty. He can do nothing with the man who thinks that he is of use to God. As Christians we are not out for our own cause at all, we are out for the cause of God, which can never be our cause. We do not know what God is after, but we have to maintain our relationship with Him whatever happens. We must never allow anything to injure our relationship with God; if it does get injured we must take time and get it put right. The main thing about Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the atmosphere produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to look after, and it is the one thing that is being continually assailed.

AMEN! It has never been about who WE are, but about who WE are IN HIM! It is ALL about JESUS! Here are Hillsong Kids with "I Give You My Hallelujah!":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional again! This is SO good! 

Faith — Not Sight

For we walk by faith, not by sight. — 2 CORINTHIANS 5:7

Smith Wigglesworth said something that blessed me when I first read it way back in the late thirties, because it was so in line with my own experience. He said:

“I am not moved by what I feel.
I am not moved by what I see.
I am moved only by what I believe.”

Then he went on to say:

“I can’t understand God by feelings.
I can’t understand the Lord Jesus Christ by feelings.
I understand God by what the Word says about Him.
I understand the Lord Jesus Christ by what the Word
says about Him. He is everything the Word says He is.”

You will not be able to understand yourself by feelings. Instead, understand yourself as a born again, Spirit-filled Christian, by what the Word of God says about you.

And when you read what the Word says about you, whether you feel like it or not, say, “Yes, that’s me. I have that. The Word says I have that. I can do what the Word says I can do. I am what the Word says I am.”

As you do this, you will begin to develop spiritually.

Confession: I walk by faith and not by sight. (Now make Wigglesworth’s confession, your confession.)

AMEN! Never forget that you ARE who GOD says you are! You HAVE what GOD says you have! You CAN DO what GOD says you can do! ALWAYS! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

GRACE AND STRENGTH

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]. (Philippians 4:13 AMP)

The word grace can be defined as “the strength and power of God that enables us to do what He tells us.”

So, how do you access this enabling strength and power? By accessing the grace of God. The Bible says, “It is good for the heart to be established and ennobled and strengthened by means of grace” (Hebrews 13:9 AMP).

The grace of God is the only thing that is going to give you inner strength. No amount of self-effort or determination is going to release that inner power. Romans 5:2 tells us that we have access to this grace by faith. Just listen to this partial list from Hebrews 1 of what accessing grace through faith did for those who believed:

• Noah prepared and ark for the saving of his household
• Abram went to the place which he would receive as an inheritance
• Sarah received strength to conceive a child
• Moses led God’s people safely through the Red Sea
• Women received their dead raised to life again

It doesn’t matter what difficulty you may be facing today, or how impossible it may seem to accomplish what God has called you to do. God’s grace will provide the inner strength and power you need to carry you to victory—and you can access this grace through faith.

Confession: By faith, I access the grace of God. I believe I receive supernatural inner strength to do what the Word tells me to do. I am not moved by how I feel, because God’s grace is upon me right now.

Here are Hillsong Kids with "As The World Shakes" with :

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Mountain And Valleys

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

I hear people talk about being in the valley, and then on the mountain, and then back in the valley again. To tell the truth about it, I don’t know what they’re talking about. I’ve been saved since 1933, and I’ve never been anywhere but on the mountaintop!

You don’t have to get down in the valley. People talk about their “valley experiences.” I’ve never had any valley experiences. Oh, yes, there have been tests and trials — but I was on top of the mountain, shouting my way through it all, living above it. Praise God!

You see, those who say they’re in the valleys are looking at life from the natural standpoint — from the physical. They are trying to get a spiritual answer from the physical — and you just can’t do that.

Years ago, when I came among Pentecostal people after having been a Baptist, I’d hear them talk about “going through the valley.” And when I didn’t know what they were talking about, they’d look at me and say, “Your time’s a-coming!” Thank God, it never has arrived!

No! Get off the negative and get on the positive side of life — and you won’t have any valleys. You’ll always be on the mountaintop!

Confession: Thanks be to God, who ALWAYS causes me to triumph in Christ! I ALWAYS triumph! I live on the mountaintop!

AMEN! Get those promises from the Word of God deep inside you and never let go of them! When yo do, YOUR FAITH will oerate continually to set you free and KEEP you FREE! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Freedom":

Shalom in Him!