Shalom,

I LOVE this from Kenneth E.Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional!

Incarnate Revelator

Jesus saith unto him [Philip] . . . he that hath seen me hath seen the Father . . . . — JOHN 14:9

Man born into a world ruled by Satan did not by nature know his Creator. Since Adam’s sin — when man died spiritually — God and man had been spiritually separated.

Man desperately needed an Incarnation. The Incarnation of Jesus Christ — God manifested in the flesh — gave to the world the true knowledge of the nature of God.

Spiritually dead men couldn’t know the nature of the Creator without a revelation from Him. God had been conceived as weird, cruel, grotesque, immoral, aloof, or perhaps, an impersonal energy, but He was never thought of as a God of love — a loving Heavenly Father.

“What’s he really like?” people will inquire about some movie star, TV personality, politician, etc. And sometimes those close to that celebrity will attempt in an interview to tell what he is really like.

“What’s God really like?” people want to know.

Friends, if you want to know what God is really like — just look at Jesus!

Confession: I have seen Jesus in the revelation of God’s Word. Therefore, I have seen the Father. I know what the Father is like. He’s just like Jesus! He’s a God of love. He’s a Father God. And because of Jesus, He’s my very own Father. I am His very own child. I’m so thankful for this great plan of redemption which included revealing my Father to the world.

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Graves Into Gardens":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Intimacy with the Lord

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28–29

The Lord does not want you to simply claim His promises of protection. He wants you to come close to Him. Running to Him and coming under His feathers speak of closeness. It’s not about how many times you have recited Psalm 91; it’s about having an intimate relationship with Him.

As a child, if it was thundering at night and I was afraid, I would run into my parents’ room, jump into their bed, and hide in my mother’s arms. After a while, I would fall into a deep sleep even if the storm was still raging outside.

You see, you don’t have to learn the seven steps of overcoming fear. Having the presence of a loving parent right with you is enough to drive out fear. Our Lord Jesus who loves you wants you to come close to Him and to take shelter in His love. Will you do that today?

I heard the story of a farmer whose farmhouse got burned down. As he walked around the smoldering wreckage, he saw the burned carcasses of his chickens. He happened to move the blackened body of one of the hens with his foot, and to his astonishment, little chicks came running out from under the body. What happened? They had taken refuge under the wings of their mother, who had given her life to save her little ones.

That’s a picture of what our Lord Jesus did when He took upon His own body the full punishment for our sins. The fire of God’s judgment fell, not upon the scribes and Pharisees who had rejected the Messiah, and not upon the Roman soldiers who nailed Him to the cross, but upon His own beloved Son—for the nation of Israel, for the Gentile nations, for you, for me, so that whosoever believes in Him would be saved.

But here’s something I want you to see: when Jesus was offered on the cross, He absorbed the judgment of God in His own body, and, as the sacrifice, He was greater than the fires of judgment. The Offering was greater than the judgment because the Offering was not consumed.

On that cross, our Lord declared, “It is finished!” before He gave up His Spirit (John 19:30). The Offering remained after all of God’s judgment was exhausted. Hallelujah! That is why we can come boldly to His throne of grace today!

Here is Benjamin Hastings with "That's The Power":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is another powerful TRUTH!

That We Might Be Sons

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. — GALATIANS 4:4-7

The object of the Incarnation was that man might be given the right to become a child of God (John 1:12).

Man could become a child of God only by receiving the nature of God; therefore, Christ came that man might receive eternal life (John 10:10; 1 John 5:11-12).

And man could receive eternal life only after he had been legally redeemed from Satan’s authority (Colossians 1:13,14).

Confession: God sent forth His Son to redeem us, that we might become sons of God. I have received Christ; therefore, I have life. I am a son of God. And because I am, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into my heart, crying, “Abba, Father.” I am no more a servant; but a son. I am an heir of God through Christ.

AMEN! HALLELUJAH! We are, of ALL people, MOST BLESSED! Here is Brandon Lake with "That's Who I Praise":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

He Came To Save

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. — MATTHEW 1:21

The first step in redemption was Christ’s identification with our humanity. This took place in His Incarnation. Christ was made flesh (John 1:14). Hebrews 2:14 says, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same . . . .”

But at the time of His Incarnation, Jesus did not partake of the nature that reigned in the spirit of man. Had He done so then, He would have been spiritually dead during His earthly ministry! Then He could not have pleased the Father by doing His own will. No, His identification with the spirit nature of man didn’t take place until His crucifixion.

There God actually made Jesus Christ to become sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Our sin nature itself was laid upon Jesus Christ until He became all that spiritual death had made man. In the mind of God, it was not Jesus Christ who hung on the cross; it was the human race who hung there. Therefore, each of us may say with Paul, “I was crucified with Christ.”

Confession: Because Jesus came to save me from my sins, I can claim Galatians 2:20, which says: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

AMEN! Learn to stand on the promises in the Word of God! There is no more powerful force for your life than GOD'S POWER! Here is Brandon Lake and Brooke Ligertwood with "Honey In The Rock":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to look again at Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional!

Go to the Source

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy . . . He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:8, 10–12

Psalm 103 is one of my favorite psalms of David, a beautiful psalm that describes who and what God really is—a gracious and merciful Savior. Believing right begins with what you believe about God and must be based on the solid foundation of God’s Word.

To know the truth about who and what God is, we can’t go by feelings, circumstances, human conjectures, or what we may have heard someone say about God. We have to go to the source!

If you heard a rumor that someone you knew was saying horrible and negative things about you, don’t believe it immediately. Go to the source first. Ask this person if this is what he or she really said or if this is what he or she really meant.

Many people allow precious friendships and relationships to become fractured because they believe the rumors. They become bitter, angry, and disappointed without ever verifying with the person if he or she had actually said those nasty things.

In the same way, in the world we live in, there are all kinds of wrong beliefs perpetuated about God: “God is angry at you.” “He is disappointed with you.” “God is allowing all these negative things to happen to you because He’s punishing you for your past sins.”

Please do NOT believe all this baseless gossip about God! Such impressions of God have damaged many people’s relationships with Him, and they live with a distorted perspective of who God really is.

Instead of receiving His love, grace, and forgiveness, they become afraid, distant, and fearful of Him. Instead of allowing Jesus to come into their situations, they live their lives running away, avoiding, and hiding from Him.

Come on, let’s honor God and go to the source. Look again at what the Bible says about Him in today’s scripture reading: He is “slow to anger, and abounding in mercy . . . as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” This is our God! This is why you can always run to Him and believe that you can freely receive His help!

Our GOD is GOOD - ALL THE TIME! Learn to DARE to BELIEVE Him! Here is Brandon Lake with "Count 'Em":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we read Galations 3 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan and I LOVE this! Look at verses 1-7!

1 O you poor and silly and thoughtless and unreflecting and senseless Galatians! Who has fascinated or bewitched or cast a spell over you, unto whom—right before your very eyes—Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was openly and graphically set forth and portrayed as crucified?
2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the [Holy] Spirit as the result of obeying the Law and doing its works, or was it by hearing [the message of the Gospel] and believing [it]? [Was it from observing a law of rituals or from a message of faith?]
3 Are you so foolish and so senseless and so silly? Having begun [your new life spiritually] with the [Holy] Spirit, are you now reaching perfection [by dependence] on the flesh?
4 Have you suffered so many things and experienced so much all for nothing (to no purpose)—if it really is to no purpose and in vain?
5 Then does He Who supplies you with His marvelous [Holy] Spirit and works powerfully and miraculously among you do so on [the grounds of your doing] what the Law demands, or because of your believing in and adhering to and trusting in and relying on the message that you heard?
6 Thus Abraham believed in and adhered to and trusted in and relied on God, and it was reckoned and placed to his account and credited as righteousness (as conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action).
7 Know and understand that it is [really] the people [who live] by faith who are [the true] sons of Abraham.

Paul didn't 'pull any punches' in this chapter!Look at those a adjectives!  Poor, silly, thoughtless, unreflecting and senseless! Tell us what you REALLY think, Paul! I understand Paul! He was AMAZED that having received the FREE GIFT of SALVATION by receiving JESUS as LORD and SAVIOUR, these Galatians were trying to impress GOD with their piety, as if THAT had a thing to do with thier NEW BIRTH! It is past tie for the Body of Christ to STOP judging each other over natural things and to DARE to believe that we ARE exactly who JESUS says we arre! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I LOVE today's devotional by Andrew Womach!

Let God's Peace Lead You

Luke 24:36 'And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.'

Just as every sport has disputes that must be settled by the officials, the peace of God is the umpire that settles all disputes as to what the will of God is for our lives. We must learn to listen to and heed the peace of God in our hearts.

God's peace is something that every born-again believer has. It's a fruit of the Spirit. That peace is always umpiring; we just don't always pay attention. How many times have you acted contrary to the peace in your heart and afterwards, you experience disaster? You say, 'I never did feel good about that.' That was the peace of God umpiring, but we chose to play by our own rules.

There are some things we can do to facilitate the peace of God umpiring in our hearts. First, consider ALL the options. Many wrong decisions have been made because not all the options were considered. Don't let fear rule out God's possibilities. Next, use your imagination to explore what will happen with each choice. You should be able to discern a greater peace as you consider the option the Lord would have you take. That is not to say that there will be total peace with any of the choices. In your spirit there will be total peace over the right choice, but we aren't always totally in the Spirit and it is not unusual for some turmoil to exist. Just as an umpire has to make a call, be bold enough to follow the direction that gives you the most peace.

The rudder on a ship can't go any direction until the ship is moving. The ship doesn't have to be going full steam ahead for the rudder to work, but it does have to be moving. Likewise, we have to act before the peace of God will give us perfect direction. Even if you make a mistake, you will have made it in faith, trying to follow the peace of God in your heart. The Lord can bless a wrong decision made in faith from a pure heart, more than He can bless indecision (Romans 14:23).

AMEN! Make sure that YOU are being led forth by the PEACE of GOD in every decition that you make! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "I Belong To Jesus":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Here is today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin!

For Further Meditation

For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell. — COLOSSIANS 1:19

The Word of God plainly teaches that our Redeemer is divine. These divine offices are ascribed to Him:

Creator (Colossians 1:16) . . . Mediator (1 Timothy 2:4,5) . . . Head of the Church (Colossians 1:16-24) . . . Savior (2 Peter 3:2) . . . Judge (2 Timothy 4:1) . . . Preserver (Hebrews 1:1-3) . . . Life-Giver (John 10:28) . . . Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36) . . . Resurrection and Life (John 11:25).

Divine character is ascribed to Christ. Ordinary men are sinners by nature, but Christ Jesus is not an ordinary man. He is:

Holy by Birth (Luke 1:35) . . . Righteous (Isaiah 53:11) . . . Faithful (Isaiah 11:5) . . . Truth (John 14:6) . . . Just (John 5:30) . . . Guileless (1 Peter 2:22) . . . Sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21) . . . Spotless (1 Peter 1:19) . . . Innocent (Matthew 27:4) . . . Harmless (Hebrews 7:26) . . . Obedient to God (Hebrews 5:8-10) . . . Obedient to Earthly Parents (Luke 2:51) . . . Zealous (John 2:17) . . . Meek (Matt. 11:29) . . . Lowly in Heart (Matt. 11:29) . . . Merciful (Heb. 2:17) . . . Patient (Isa. 53:7) . . . Long-Suffering (1 Timothy 1:16) . . . Compassionate (Matthew 15:32) . . . Benevolent (Acts 10:38) . . . Loving (John 15:13) . . . Self-Denying (2 Corinthians 8:9) . . . Humble (Philippians 2:5-11) . . . Resigned (Luke 22:42) . . . Forgiving (Luke 23:34).

Confession: Jesus Christ is worthy. Thank God for this Worthy One. Thank God for this Divine One. Thank God that One who is the Creator would come to earth from glory to be the Mediator, the Head of the Church, the Savior, the Judge, the Preserver, the Life-Giver, the Lord and Savior. And thank God, this Worthy One is my Lord.

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Graves Into Gardens":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Rest in Jesus’ Finished Work

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace [unmerited favor] in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4–7

Look at the above passage. It tells us that by God’s unmerited favor, we are seated together with Christ at the Father’s right hand. What does it mean to be seated together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus?

It means that today, we are in a position of rest in Jesus' finished work. To be seated in Christ is to rest, to trust in Him, and to receive everything our beautiful Savior has accomplished on our behalf.

My friend, God wants us to take the position of relying on Jesus for good success in every area of our lives, instead of relying on our good works and human efforts to achieve success. What a blessing it is to be in this position of dependence on our Savior!

But instead of looking at Jesus, believers are misled by the devil into looking at themselves. For thousands of years, the devil’s strategy has not changed. He is a master at accusing you, pointing out all your flaws, weaknesses, mistakes, and blemishes. He will keep on reminding you of your past failures and use condemnation to perpetuate the cycle of defeat in your life.

When the apostle Paul found himself sinking into self-occupation, he became depressed and cried out, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me...?” (Romans 7:24). In the very next verse, he sees God's solution and says, “I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

Likewise, beloved, it’s time for you to step out from being self-conscious and self-occupied, and begin to be Christ-occupied instead.

Today, you should no longer be asking yourself, “Am I accepted before God?” This question puts the focus back on you and this places you under the law. I know that there are people who will encourage you to ask yourself this question, but it is an error to ask yourself if you are accepted before God.

The correct question to ask is, “Is Christ accepted before God?" because as Christ is, so are you in this world (1 John 4:17). Don’t ask, “Am I pleasing to God?” Instead, ask, “Is Christ pleasing to God?”

Can you see the difference in emphasis? The old covenant of law is all about you, but the new covenant of grace is all about Jesus! The law places the demand on you to perform and makes you self-conscious, whereas grace places the demand on Jesus and makes you Jesus-conscious.

Can you imagine a young child growing up and always wondering in his heart, “Am I pleasing to Daddy? Am I pleasing to Mummy? Do Daddy and Mummy accept me?” This child will grow up emotionally warped if he does not have the security and assurance of his parents’ love and acceptance.

That is why your loving heavenly Father wants you rooted, established, and anchored in His unwavering love for you. He demonstrated His love for you when He sent Jesus to become your sin on the cross so that you can become His righteousness. Our part today is to turn away from ourselves and to look at Jesus!

AMEN! Here is Hillsong Christmas with "We Have A Saviour":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I am sharing Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional again!

From Everlasting

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. — MICAH 5:2

This remarkable prophetic utterance about One who would be born of the family of Judah to be a Ruler in Israel states that His goings forth were from of old, from everlasting. He has traveled up and down through eternity, and He has left His footprints on the ages!

Too frequently people simply look at the physical side of Jesus’ birth and talk about His being born as a little babe, when actually He preexisted with the Father from the beginning!

The Person we now know as Jesus Christ is one of the three Divine Persons of the Deity. As God, He had no beginning.

Confession: The goings forth of Christ, my Lord, were from of old, from everlasting. As God, He had no beginning. Yet He came forth to this world to redeem me from the dominion of Satan. I can trust this Eternal One with my life.

Here is one of  my favorite worship songs from Brooke Ligertwood called "Ancient Gates":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

The Seed

. . . For the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man. — JEREMIAH 31:22

Adam was created. The rest of the human race was generated by natural processes. If Jesus had been born by natural generation, He would have been a fallen spirit.

But Romans 5:12 tells us, “Wherefore, as by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

Man is subject to death; to the devil. Thus, man’s seed could only produce another fallen man.

Therefore, the Redeemer could not be a subject of death. The Promised Seed had to be One over whom Satan had no legal claims or authority. He had to be brought forth by a special act of divine power. He had to be conceived by the Holy Spirit!

The words God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah could be translated literally as, “A woman shall encompass a man-child.” The womb of the virgin was simply the receptacle of the Holy Seed until He was brought forth.

Confession: Thank You, Father, for Your great plan of redemption. I am so glad that You created a new thing in the earth. I am so glad that You sent forth the Holy Seed to redeem us.

AMEN! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "A Thousand Hallelujahs"!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I am loving Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional!

God Is Your Refuge from Evil

Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. Psalm 91:9–10 KJV

Isn’t the above passage beautiful in the King James Version? You can make the Lord your habitation.

First John 4:16 says, “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” The more you stay in His love, the more God Himself becomes your dwelling place. No evil shall befall you and no plague shall come near your dwelling. And as you make Him your dwelling place, He protects your dwelling. No plague shall even come near your home!

In another psalm, it is written, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). As we make the Lord our city of refuge and allow Him to put us upon His shoulders, He becomes our “very present help” even if we encounter trouble.

Iris from Australia experienced God’s protection for herself when a cyclone hit the area she lived in. Read her testimony here:

A mini cyclone hit our street and the surrounding area recently. As I huddled in the hallway with my husband and our cat, I declared, “Thank You, Jesus, that You are the calm in the storm!”

When the wind stopped, we went outside and saw a lot of fallen trees on the road. The trees in our street were huge and as tall as thirty meters. As a result, many cars were crushed by the trees and some houses were also damaged. My husband’s work car was damaged slightly but our family car was left unscathed. And praise the Lord no one was injured!

As the damaged trees were being cut down across the road, I realized something. The path of the wind had cut through a few properties across the road and when it came near our house, it stopped completely! It did not come near us and our house was completely undamaged.

Everyone in our street was so surprised that the big tree in our backyard was untouched and that we had no cleanup of our own to do. Praise Jesus! He is the calm, peace, and protection I need!

Wow, praise the Lord! I love this testimony—when the Lord Himself is your refuge and your protection, even cyclones have to stop in their tracks when they come near you!

AMEN! I hope that YOU will learn to trust COMPLETELY in the GOODNESS of GOD! Here is Brandon Lake with "Count 'Em":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Here is today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin.

A Great Plan!

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. — GENESIS 3:15

Man fell.

But God had a plan — a great plan — redemption! God assumed the liabilities of man’s transgressions and redeemed him from Satan’s dominion. God had a plan to give life back to man. God’s plan allowed man’s nature to be changed back into harmony with God’s nature.

God cannot ignore man’s transgressions. Justice demanded that the penalty for man’s crime be paid — but man himself was unable to pay it. Therefore, because man couldn’t save himself, God had to provide a Redeemer.

No sooner had man fallen under the dominion of his enemy, Satan, than God began to speak forth His plan concerning the Coming One. This One, the seed of woman (for it was prophesied that a woman would give birth to a child independent of natural generation) would break Satan’s dominion over man! This One would set men free! This One would bruise the head of the serpent!

In Oriental languages, “bruising the head” means breaking the lordship of a ruler. When God spoke those words to Satan in Genesis 3:15, Satan had just come into the dominion meant to belong to man. But God spoke forth that his Wonderful Seed of woman would come to break Satan’s lordship.

Confession: Thank You, Father, for Your great plan of redemption, which You planned and sent the Lord Jesus Christ to consummate.

AMEN! LEARN and NEVER FORGET all that JESUS provided for us through His death, burial and RESURRECTION! YOU are the very reaon that He DID what He DID! Here is Brandon Lake with "Praise You Anywhere":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom

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

What Spiritual Warfare Looks Like

“You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” 1 Samuel 17:45

To show you what it means to engage in spiritual warfare, let me share with you the precious journey taken by Anna, who was part of our ministry team for my Grace Revolution Tour. While she was in Dallas, Texas, she went through a horrifying ordeal.

She recounted experiencing a numbness in her legs that quickly progressed to her diaphragm. Unable to move, she was rushed to the emergency room where she underwent a five-hour emergency surgery for spinal cord compression caused by multiple lesions and tumorous growths along her entire spinal cord. Without warning, she found herself bedridden with stage-four cancer that had metastasized from the thoracic area to her neck and bones. Given a life expectancy of three years, this is how she described her battle:

All that I, a frightened sheep, could do was to just stay really close to the Great Shepherd. During my entire thirty-three days of hospitalization, Jesus became my impenetrable “safe house,” protecting me from further assaults by the devil. I requested for visitors to be kept to a minimum, choosing to spend the time with the One whose very presence and words were now my very life and healing. Just hearing the way the doctors and nurses talked about my cancer caused the life and peace in me to leak—I felt that I had touched death.

But I remained in my “safe house,” Jesus. I fed on God’s Word during my waking hours, often drifting off to sleep with Pastor Prince’s sermons playing on my iPad. Every time I took my cancer medication, and after undergoing each round of radiotherapy, I would also partake of the holy Communion. I believe that was the reason I didn’t experience any of the side effects, except for temporary hair loss, throughout my fifteen cycles of radiotherapy treatment. I just continued daily in the Word and in partaking of the holy Communion.

The cancer was real, but Anna knew the true battle was a spiritual one. Of course, she was fearful. But she is a child of God and was not going to take the enemy’s attacks lying down or allow him to intimidate her. She fought back, armed with the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), knowing that her God was backing her up all the way.

Anna reminds me of how David refused to cow in fear before the giant Goliath as the other soldiers of Israel did. Rather, he got angry and demanded to know “who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samual 17:26). David was conscious only of how big his God was. The enemy may come against you with a sword, spear, and javelin, but when you come to him in the name of the Lord of hosts, that Goliath is no match for your God!

Notice that Anna did what she could to control her atmosphere! By not allowing just anyone in her room, she protected her heart and her faith from the influence of the enemy through doubt ad unbelief! Our Goddaughter-in-love did this very thing for her two sons who were born very early and spent time in the NICU. She would not allow anyone to speak doubt and unbelief in the presence of her babies! In fact, she had one particularly negative nurse completely removed from being anywhere near her child! Her sons grew strong and healthy with none of the side effects that are sometimes found in NICU babies! I encourage you to fill your heart and mind with God's powerful WORDS of health and healing, provision and prosperity, the promises of God for your children and families! God honors HIS WORD! Here is Brandon Lake with "Tear Off The Roof":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Love: The Secret of Success

Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:8, The Amplified Bible

Fear of failure. It's haunted all of us at some time in our lives. Popular psychology tells us to adjust to it. But the Word of God tells us that there is a failure-proof way to live without it. It is the way of love.

If you want to know real success, you must learn to be moved and motivated by love. That's how Jesus was when He was on the earth.

Even when John the Baptist was senselessly, brutally murdered and Jesus went away to be alone, He didn't deviate from the way of love. For Matthew 14:6-14 says that even then in that emotionally taxing time when the people followed Him and would give Him no solitude, He was moved with compassion and healed their sick.

I used to wonder how Jesus could just turn away from that terrible crime and not retaliate. What I didn't realize was that He did retaliate. He overcame the works of Satan with compassion. He defeated hatred with love. He attacked Satan in the spirit realm by destroying his works of sickness and disease.

Compassion doesn't strike at the surface of things. It goes to the root of the problem. That's why it always succeeds.

"But wait!" you may say. "I can't operate like that. I'm not Jesus."

Yes you can, because the Word of God says that His love has been shed abroad in your heart! (Romans 5:5). And 1 John 2:5 says His love is perfected in you as you keep His Word.

Commit to living the life of love today. Watch God turn failure into success at home, at work...in any situation. Love never fails!

AMEN! When YOU choose to live this LOVE out in your life, you will find that everything in your life will become better and more BLESSED! Here is Brandon Lake with "Nothing New":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom, 

I want to share again today from Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional!

What Imparts Faith

“Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.”  Acts 13:38–39

In Acts 14:8–10, where Paul heals a crippled man in Lystra, we see that Paul does not lay his hands on the man to heal him. The faith to be healed came from just listening to Paul preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, and when he simply responded to the apostle’s command to stand up, he was healed.

While what Paul preached to the man was not recorded for us, we do have one of Paul’s sermons recorded word for word for us by the Holy Spirit in the preceding chapter (Acts 13:16–41). And the highlight or climax of that sermon is found in today’s scripture.

Now, listen carefully to this: the power of the gospel that Paul preached to the crippled man is found in the forgiveness of all your sins for “everyone who believes.” There is no other qualification for being forgiven of all your sins.

The old covenant was based on justification by works (obedience to the Ten Commandments). You had to perform to be forgiven. But the new covenant of grace is based entirely on justification by faith (believing in Jesus Christ). Can you see the radical difference?

The demand is no longer on you, but on Christ. This is the good news: all who believe in Jesus receive the forgiveness of all their sins and are justified from all things! Good news? Hallelujah! There is no better news than this!

We have experienced this time and again in our church services. As people are sitting in the service and hearing the gospel of grace and Jesus’ finished work being preached, healing miracles break forth!

This has happened not just in our church services, but also in other places. One of my dear friends, a pastor of a dynamic grace church in Holland, shared with me a wonderful healing miracle that took place in his car as he was driving to Romania with a few friends. On this particular day, he was on his way to Romania for a preaching engagement. He was listening to one of my sermons in his car, something that he did often.

Lulled by the monotony of the long drive, one of his friends dozed off in the backseat. This friend had been involved in a jet ski accident some years ago, and since then he often suffered sharp pains in his back. Somehow, through the fog of sleep, he heard me preach this: “Jesus has already healed you and the devil is the one giving you lying symptoms in your body.”

He said “Amen!” in his heart, agreeing that Jesus had already healed him by taking his sin and bearing his sicknesses and pains on the cross. At that moment, he felt the power of God go through him, and he was completely healed! All the pain in his back was gone!

That’s the power of hearing and hearing the gospel of Jesus. That’s how faith comes! The more of Jesus you hear, the more of His grace you receive. The more revelation you get of His finished work, the more you will receive an impartation of faith for any situation, even the seemingly impossible ones!

AMEN! BE the one who agrees with GOD and HIS WORD! Then say to the Lord "Be it unto me according to Your WORD" He is FAITHFUL! You can COUNT ON HIM! Here is Brandon Lake with "Tear Off The Roof":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

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

Press In

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.... Colossians 3:16

Things in this old world aren't getting any better, and in recent times, the Holy Spirit has been speaking an urgent message to my heart. He's been saying, Press in. Draw in to a more intimate relationship with your heavenly Father. If you don't, you won't make it. If you do, you will see more glorious outpourings of God than you can imagine.

That message isn't just for me. It's also for you—and for every other believer on the earth today. We are in the last of the last days of this age. Jesus is coming soon. It's an exciting time, but it's also a dangerous time. Those who don't do what the Spirit says, who don't press in to the Lord, are going to go from disaster to disaster. But those who do will defeat the disasters and turn them into glory, in Jesus' Name!

Your first step in drawing closer to God is to realize that you know God first in His Word. Time spent meditating in the New Testament is time spent with Jesus.

Most people don't realize that. So, instead of getting to know the Lord through His Word, they try to know Him through their feelings and that just won't work.

Letting the Word dominate your thinking is to allow the Holy Spirit to have control over your mind. As you do that, your feelings will eventually fall in line.

Remember this: John 1 tells us that Jesus is the Word. That means, when you spend time in it, you're spending time with Jesus. When His Word is dwelling in you richly, then Jesus is dwelling in you richly too!

Don't go from disaster to disaster. Take those disasters and turn them into glory, in Jesus' Name. Press in to Jesus. Press in to the Word and you'll make it through these dangerous days just fine!

AMEN! HE is waiting on YOU! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this devotional from Jerry Savelle Ministries!

You Are A New Creation

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

God’s Word is clear: once you come to Jesus, once you make Him Lord of your life, you become a new creation. The literal translation of this Scripture says you are “a new species of being that never existed before.”

You may not feel like a new creation, but don’t be moved by what you feel. God’s Word says the old has passed away and you have already been made a new creation—regardless of how you feel or how you act.

The moment you were born again, your old self—with its sinful nature—died and a new person with the life and nature of God was created.

Physically, you looked the same because your body is only a house for the real you, your spirit. But on the inside, you changed completely. You became a righteous creation with the nature of God.

On February 11, 1969, at 3 o’clock in the morning, the old Jerry Savelle died when I met Jesus, and a new Jerry Savelle came into existence. I am not the same man I once was.

You may say, “But, Brother Jerry, I don’t feel like I’m a new creation.” You may not feel like it, you may not act like it, but the fact is, you are a new creation—because God’s Word says it’s true.

Confession: Thank You, Father, for making me a new creation in Christ. Because I have the life and nature of God within me, I refuse to be moved by what I see or what I feel. I walk by faith in what your Word says about me. I am a new creation!

AMEN! Never allow yourself to lose sight of WHO HE MADE YOU TO BE!!! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am" with subtitles

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

He’s The Way Out

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore. . . . I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him . . . . — PSALM 91:14-15

God didn’t say you weren’t going to have trouble. In fact, He rather infers that you will have trouble because you’re a Christian! The world will persecute you, talk about you, speak evil of you. An enemy is arrayed against you. The god of this world puts pressure on you at
every turn (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Some people think it’s God who is putting pressure on them, but it isn’t. Jesus contrasted His works and the works of the devil like this: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). God is not a thief. That which steals, kills, and destroys is the devil — not God.

God says in His Word, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19). The word “afflictions” here means tests and trials. And that’s what your troubles are. But the Lord has promised to deliver you out of how many of them: half? No! Out of them all! The Lord didn’t just promise to be with you in trouble and then stop there. He’s there to deliver you out of that trouble. And He’s more than enough!

Confession: I have set my love upon God; therefore, no matter what the test or trial, I know that El Shaddai is with me to deliver me. And He’s more than enough!

AMEN! Never forget that it is GOD Who LOVES you and the devil who HATES GOD so much that he tries to hurt GOD by hurting YOU! Find out who YOU are in JESUS and refust to give up any more ground to the enemy! REJOICE! He has been defeated soundly! Here is Tauren Wells with "Take It All Back":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this EXCELLENT teaching by Joseph Prince from his "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional!

Know the Truth that Liberates

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32

A good friend of mine who’s a fellow minister once suggested to the dean of a reputable Bible school that “grace” be incorporated into the school’s curriculum. The dean replied, “You have to be careful when it comes to grace.” This apprehension about grace is prevalent in many Christian circles. The moment they hear “grace,” they go on high alert!

I told my minister friend that I don’t agree grace should be a topic in a Bible school’s curriculum. Grace is not a topic—grace is the gospel. It is the good news! The word “gospel” simply means “good news.” Grace is not a theology topic, doctrine, or subject. It is a person, and His name is Jesus. That’s the reason the Lord wants you to receive the abundance of grace, for to have the abundance of grace is to have the abundance of Jesus!

John 1:17 says, “the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”. Do you see? The law was given, implying a sense of distance, but grace came in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the personification of grace. Jesus is grace! Now, I want you to notice something else too: based on this scripture, truth is on the side of grace and not on the side of the law.

Today’s scripture declares that “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Well, my friend, grace is the (definite article) truth that will set you free, not the law of Moses. The law is on the side of Moses, but grace and truth are on the same side as our Savior. Yet, there are people today holding on to the law of Moses and preaching it as if it is the “truth” that liberates. My friend, the grace of God is the only truth that liberates! Truth is on the side of grace!

Unfortunately, there are well-meaning people today who are afraid that when you tell a believer that he is completely forgiven by grace and no longer has to earn his right standing before the Lord via the law of Moses, it will cause him to go out and live a life of sin and debauchery. However, the Bible is very clear that the “strength of sin is the law” (1 Corinthians 15:56).

It is not grace that gives people the strength to sin; it is the law! The more you are under the law, the more sin is strengthened! Conversely, the more you are under grace, the more sin will be depleted of its strength.

In fact, the Bible declares that “sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14). Now, don’t just gloss over this powerful revelation. This means that the more grace you receive, the more power you have to overcome sin. In other words, sin shall not have dominion over you when you receive the abundance of grace!

So who switched the roles? Will the real gospel please stand up? Do you see how the devil has pulled the wool over the eyes of God’s sheep and put up fences surrounding the gospel of grace?

My friend, the truth that has the power to break down your prison doors and make you free is the truth of His grace. Your freedom is found in believing in Jesus—His grace and His love in your life. Every dark thought and evil addiction that may have held you captive cannot but scatter when they are exposed to the light of His grace and truth!

AMEN! GRACE! God's unmerited FAVOR!!! We didn't DESERVE IT! We didn't EARN IT! HE FREELY GAVE it to everyone who recieved JESUS as LORD and PERSONAL SAVOUR! BELIEVE it! RECEIVE it! HALLELUJAH!!! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Ancient Gates":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan we read Proverbs 4. These verses really stood out to me! 

5 Get skillful and godly Wisdom, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and interpretation); do not forget and do not turn back from the words of my mouth.
6 Forsake not [Wisdom], and she will keep, defend, and protect you; love her, and she will guard you.
7 The beginning of Wisdom is: get Wisdom (skillful and godly Wisdom)! [For skillful and godly Wisdom is the principal thing.] And with all you have gotten, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and interpretation).
8 Prize Wisdom highly and exalt her, and she will exalt and promote you; she will bring you to honor when you embrace her.

I LOVE these verses! And my MOST favorite? Verse 7! The BEGINNING of WISDOM is:   GET WISDOM!

AMEN! Our Father has ALL of the Widom we need, SO GO GET IT! Here is Brandon Lake and Cody Carnes with "Too Good To Not Believe":

Shalom in Him

Shalom,

We read Proverbs 3 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today and I want you to really GET this:

5 Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6 In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn [entirely] away from evil. 8 It shall be health to your nerves and sinews, and marrow and moistening to your bones.

AMEN! The LORD JESUS has already invited you to have intimate fellowship with HIM! He desires to be known by you! Give Him your time and He will show you HIS HEART! Here is Hillsong with an older song called "I Give You My Heart":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Andrew Wommach's daily devotional!

Pilate Violates The Truth

Matthew 27:17 'Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, 'Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ''?

Although Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent, he looked for some diplomatic way to release Jesus that would not cause him to lose popularity with the Jewish leaders. This is why he sent Jesus to Herod. He hoped that Herod would pass judgment on Jesus and save him the trouble.

When that scheme failed, Pilate drew on an old custom of releasing a prisoner to the people at the feast. He gave them a choice between Jesus, who he knew was innocent, and Barabbas, who was a murderer. Pilate thought that the crowd would certainly choose Jesus. However, through the insistence of the chief priests and scribes, the people chose Barabbas to be released.

Pilate was now out of ideas as to how to let Jesus go, and still save face with the Jews, so he condemned Jesus to death. Pilate violated what he knew to be true in his heart because of a fear of men (Proverbs 29:25) and what he thought they might do to him. Without the chief priests' cooperation, he ran the risk of unrest among the Jews, and possible punishment by Caesar for failing to govern well.

As it turned out, Pilate was deposed anyway, just a few years later by Tiberius Caesar, and died in exile in Gaul in A.D. 41. At the most, Pilate gained a five-year extension of his troubled rule, and damned his soul in the process. What a person compromises to keep, he'll lose. Sin is never worth the price.

NEVER compromise the WORD of GOD!  Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share the "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin.

Worship

As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said . . . . — ACTS 13:2

This is the prayer of worship — ministering to the Lord.

It is true that God is concerned about us. He is interested in us, and wants to meet our needs, because He has told us to ask. But my personal observation is that too large a percentage of our praying is, “Give me, give me, give me.”

We need to take time in our individual prayer lives, in our gatherings, in our churches, to wait on God and to minister to the Lord. In this kind of atmosphere God can move. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost manifested Himself!

God made man for His own pleasure so He would have someone with whom to fellowship. He is our Father. We are born of God. No earthly parent ever enjoyed the fellowship of his children more than God enjoys the fellowship of His sons and daughters.

Take time to minister to the Lord: To pray. To wait on God. To tell Him how much you love Him. To praise Him. To thank Him for His goodness and mercy.

Confession: (Make up your own confession. Practice today’s lesson by ministering to the Lord.)

Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Bless God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

The Absoluteness Of Jesus Christ

He shall glorify Me. — John 16:14

The pietistic movements of today have none of the rugged reality of the New Testament about them; there is nothing about them that needs the Death of Jesus Christ, all that is required is a pious atmosphere, and prayer and devotion. This type of experience is not supernatural nor miraculous, it did not cost the passion of God, it is not dyed in the blood of the Lamb, not stamped with the hall-mark of the Holy Ghost. It has not that mark on it which makes men say, as they look with awe and wonder – “That is the work of God Almighty.” That and nothing else is what the New Testament talks about.

The type of Christian experience in the New Testament is that of personal passionate devotion to the Person of Jesus Christ. Every other type of Christian experience, so called, is detached from the Person of Jesus. There is no regeneration, no being born again into the Kingdom in which Christ lives, but only the idea that He is our Pattern. In the New Testament Jesus Christ is Saviour long before He is Pattern. To-day He is being despatched as the Figurehead of a Religion, a mere Example. He is that, but He is infinitely more; He is salvation itself. He is the Gospel of God.

Jesus said, “When He, the Spirit of truth, is come,…He shall glorify Me.” When I commit myself to the revelation made in the New Testament, I receive from God the gift of the Holy Spirit Who begins to interpret to me what Jesus did and does in me subjectively all that Jesus Christ did for me objectively.

AMEN! Christianity is NOT a religion! Christianity is the LIFE of JESUS CHRIST living IN us by HOLY SPIRIT and WE walking in the LIGHT of that LIFE, by His SPIRIT and His WORD! Here is Hillsong with "I Will Boast In Christ Alone":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 149 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today and it is impossible for me not to share this with you! 

Psalm 149
1 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, praise Him in the assembly of His saints!
2 Let Israel rejoice in Him, their Maker; let Zion’s children triumph and be joyful in their King!
3 Let them praise His name in chorus and choir and with the [single or group] dance; let them sing praises to Him with the tambourine and lyre!
4 For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation and adorn the wretched with victory.
5 Let the saints be joyful in the glory and beauty [which God confers upon them]; let them sing for joy upon their beds.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and a two-edged sword in their hands,
7 To wreak vengeance upon the nations and chastisement upon the peoples,
8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron,
9 To execute upon them the judgment written. He [the Lord] is the honor of all His saints. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

In verses 1, 3 and 9 the word 'praise' is the Hebrew word "halal" which means: a primitive root; to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify. So if you truly desire to 'praise' the Lord be prepared for others to see you as foolish! I saw a T shirt once that said on the front: A Fool For Christ, and on the back 'Whose fool are you?' I LOVE that! Here is Brandon Lake with "Praise You Anywhere":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Andrew Womach's Daily Devotional!

Jesus - The Name Above Names

Luke 23:9 'Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.'

Not only does Jesus' refusal to defend Himself show His humility, but His refraining from venting His wrath against the man who senselessly killed His friend who was the greatest of the Old Testament prophets (Matthew 11:11), also displays His humble nature.

Because of Christ's humility and obedience to the Father, God gave Him a name that is above every name in heaven, earth and under the earth. There is no exemption for anyone or anything from coming under the Lordship of Jesus. He is Lord of ALL.

Jesus has not only been exalted above every 'being' that has a name, but He is also highly exalted above anything else that can be named. If you can put a name on it, Jesus is above it. Sickness, poverty, depression, anger - everything has to bow its knee to the Lordship of Jesus.

Every knee of men, angels, and demons will bow and confess that Jesus is Lord. Those who have denied His existence will bow in worship. Those who have spent their lives rebelling His authority will finally bow in submission.

Every being from all ages will ultimately bow and worship Jesus. If we bow our knee to His Lordship now, we will enjoy a wonderful life here on earth, and an eternity in His blessings hereafter. Those who deny His rightful claim to the Lordship of their lives will suffer for it in this life as well as in the next. They still will have to bow their knee to His authority, so there is nothing to gain and everything to lose if they refuse to make Jesus Lord of their life.

I CHOOSE to put God first in all that I do! Here is Brandon Lake with CeCe Winans with "I Know A Name"!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this devotional from Jerry Savelle Ministries!

Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Your Wrath

“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:26-27 NKJV (punctuation is part of the direct quote of Scripture in NKJV)

The Word of God is clear about not giving the devil any place in our lives.

We open the door to this place of entrance when we allow anger and wrath to cause us to sin. Therefore, we are not to let a day go by without cleansing our hearts of all anger, irritation, and offense against anyone and everyone—no matter how mean or hurtful they may have been to us.

Perhaps you have experienced a hurt of some kind. The size of the hurt doesn’t matter; even the smallest stone of offence can become a stumbling block to your faith and the power of God flowing in your life. That is why it is so important that we learn to forgive.

Jesus said, “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:24-25 NKJV).

The Bible is clear here: your faith will not work when you fail to forgive and walk in love. What may begin as a little stone of offence can soon become a big stumbling block to the flow of the power of God.

So make the quality decision today to forgive, and then walk in love. Doing so will close the door on the devil and open the door for God to move in your life in new and exciting ways.

Confession: Holy Spirit, I ask You to search my heart and reveal to me any unforgiveness, anger, or resentment that I have not dealt with. I am determined to humble myself before you, to forgive, and to walk in love toward others. Thank You, Father, for forgiving me and giving me the grace and strength to in turn forgive others.

AMEN! Here is UNITED with "Heart Like Heaven":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again with you the foundational Scripture for my life! Philippians 3:8-14:

8 Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One), 9 And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law’s demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith. 10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] 11 That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]. 12 Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own. 13 I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.

THIS is the greatest desire of my life! I desire to KNOW HIM so well that when I finally see Him face to face, it will be like greeting my most dear and precious friend! I hope that you have set goals for yourself concerning knowing JESUS more! Here is Brandon Lake with "I Know A Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Changing of Lords

"For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14).

Another translation of today's text reads, "For sin shall not lord it over you."

Sin and Satan are synonymous terms. Therefore, we could read this verse, "For Satan shall not have dominion over you," or "Satan shall not lord it over you."

The reason why Satan cannot lord it over you is found in Colossians 1:13 - the Father has delivered you out from under Satan's control and dominion.

The moment you were born again and became a new creature in Christ Jesus, Jesus became your Lord. Now He is the One who dominates you; Satan is no longer your lord.

Satan can no longer lord it over you. When you were born again, Satan's dominion over you ended - and Jesus' dominion over you began!

And anything that is of Satan - sickness, disease, bad habits, or whatever - can no longer lord it over you!

Confession: Jesus is my Lord. Thank You, Father. Thank You for delivering me from the power of Satan. Thank You because Satan can no longer lord it over me. Thank You because sickness, disease, and bad habits can no longer lord it over me. Thank You because Satan has no dominion over me!

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "The Great I Am Can":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this from Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional on healing!

Receive His Healing Power

When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? 1 Corinthians 10:16 NLT

I would like to share a powerful truth that I believe will help to keep you in God’s love and drive fear out of your life: whenever fear tries to creep up on you, go somewhere quiet and meditate on how much the Lord loves you as you partake of the holy Communion.

Right off, you might be wondering, If God loves me, why do I have to pray or partake of the Communion at all? What difference does that make? And if it’s His will to heal me, why am I not automatically healed?

May I first answer the question of why you are not healed automatically? My friend, we know it is God’s will for everyone to receive salvation, to receive the gift of eternal life that was freely given to the world (John 3:16). But we all have the choice to accept or reject God’s offer. Nobody gets saved “automatically.” God is a gentleman, and He will not force His salvation on anyone. He will not force His gifts or blessings on us. He will not force His health or goodness on us.

So what difference does prayer and partaking of the holy Communion make? When we pray and partake of the holy Communion, we are actively releasing our faith to be aligned with God’s will, God’s Word, and God’s power. We are not begging Him to heal us or trying to persuade Him to heal our loved ones—we already know it is His will to heal.

Prayer is about building an intimate relationship with Him. When we pray and partake of the holy Communion, we are receiving His love for us and receiving His healing power into our physical bodies. Talk to God today (that’s what prayer is) about your health challenges, and let Him impart boldness to you and confidence in your heart that He wants you healthy.

So when fear grips your heart, go somewhere quiet and find rest in the intimate love of Jesus through the holy Communion. Talk to your Savior, and as you lift up the bread, tell Him, “Lord Jesus, thank You that You love me so much You allowed Your body to be broken so mine can be whole. Right now, I receive Your wholeness, Your strength, and Your divine health.”

As you lift up the cup, say, “Thank You for Your precious blood, which has cleansed me of every sin. Right now, I can come boldly to Your throne of grace, knowing I am completely righteous, knowing my prayers avail much!”

AMEN! There is no need that you and I can possibly have that JESUS hasn't already provided the answer for! ONLY BELIEVE! Here is Brandon Lake with "Tear Off The Roof":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Here is Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional for today!

Purpose

"...That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:2-4).

God doesn't tell us to do something just to fill up space in the Bible. He has a purpose in mind. We are to pray for those in authority so that we who are Christians may lead a quiet and peaceable life.

God is concerned about us, and He will work on our behalf, even when those in authority are not Christians.

God's ultimate purpose is that we be able to spread the Gospel freely. If we do not live under a stable government, the spreading of the Gospel is hindered.

For example, times of political upheaval, war, travel restrictions, and other limitations hinder the spreading of the Gospel. Jesus said, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matthew. 24:14).

The devil will try his best to see that this is not accomplished. Therefore, we are exhorted to offer intercessory prayer, supplications, and the giving of thanks for those who lead our nation.

Confession: Father, I thank You for our leaders. I thank You because You hear and answer prayer, and because You are working on my behalf.

AMEN! Here is Benjamin William Hastings with "That's The Power":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Do Not Budge From Your Post.

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season…. — 2 Timothy 4:2

After Paul’s very long, detailed description in Second Timothy 3 of the things that would become more and more prevalent in the last of the last days, he made this charge to Timothy in Second Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season….”

The word “instant” is from the Greek word ephistemi, and it means to stand at your post. The word ephistemi is a military term. That’s important because standing at your post entails engaging in spiritual warfare. I won’t delve into a deep study of the subject of spiritual warfare here, but I will say that declaring the Word of God in faith is the highest level of spiritual warfare there is. That’s why it’s especially important for a preacher, or any believer who has God’s Word planted deeply in his heart, to stand and to keep on standing at his post without moving an inch!

The declaration of God’s Word from the pulpit is another form of spiritual warfare. The preaching and teaching of God’s Word can have a life-changing, yoke-destroying effect on people’s lives. When you proclaim the Gospel, it touches people who are in sin. The Word of God breaks down strongholds, releases His supernatural power, and transforms minds and lives.

That’s why Satan is always after the pulpit. He attacks it not so much because of the individuals who stand in the pulpit, but rather because of what they declare from their position in Christ and the authority Jesus has delegated to them as ministers of the Gospel. The enemy wants to stop the light from going forth because of the high level of warfare that’s effectively demonstrated when truth penetrates the human spirit and enlightens a person’s mind.

There’s power in the proclamation of the Gospel to snatch a person right out of a lifetime of bondage and plant his feet firmly on the right path, where there is light for his feet, freedom for his mind, strength and resolve for his will, and vision for a bright future. That’s what God’s Word can do, so it’s no wonder that Satan tries to stop the preaching, teaching, and ministry of the Word! Mental, emotional, and spiritual strongholds are demolished when the Word of God is proclaimed!

Now you can better see why Paul would go to such great lengths to urge and admonish Timothy to “stay put” — to remain in his place of ministry, or stay at his post. It’s obvious that he wouldn’t exhort Timothy to stay put somewhere unless Timothy was being tempted not to stay put. Believers in the church of Ephesus were suffering intense persecution for their faith in Christ. But Paul said to Timothy, “You be instant” or, “Stay at your post! Don’t leave the position where God placed you!”

Then Paul’s next words — “in season, out of season” — give us further clues as to why remaining continually stationed where God places us is so important. The phrase “in season” was translated from the Greek word eukairos, which basically means in good times.

For those of us in the ministry, it’s so much nicer to preach when everyone in the congregation is on our side and thinks we’re great! When everything in the church or ministry is running smoothly with no challenges to distract us, those are good times! But when people in the church start gossiping about us and about each other; when newspapers are writing stories about us or a family member that are untrue; or when your well-being, or the well-being of your family, is threatened either financially or physically — those are not very good times.

That’s why Paul said we need to stay at our posts even when things seem to be “out of season.” That phrase was translated from the word akairos, and that prefix a puts a negative spin on kairos. It means when things have changed and they are NOT so wonderful. The whole phrase could be translated “in good times and bad times!”

What are you supposed to do when pleasant times begin to shift? What do you do when dark storm clouds begin to form in skies that just moments before were clear and blue? You do the same thing you were doing before when times were good! You remain at your post, refusing to budge!

In fact, Paul wrote previously in Second Timothy 3:14, “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” In other words, Paul was telling Timothy, “Don’t you budge! Don’t move from the place where God has called you. Stay put!”

Paul wrote these words to Timothy, but through these Spirit-inspired writings, He is also saying to us: “Stay at your post and don’t budge an inch! Stay there and do what God has told you to do when times are good — and if times turn bad, remain steady and unflinching.” One thing is sure: If you’ll remain faithful to the call and to the place where God has assigned you — if you will decide to stay put and refuse to budge an inch — He will empower you with inner strength that will enable you to see that divine assignment through to a glorious conclusion!

AMEN! What a powerful and needful teaching! Here to help you with this is Brooke Ligertwood with "Like Incense - Sometimes By Step":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Here is today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin!

First of All

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority..." (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

When we follow the directions in God's Word and put first things first, we get results. This is especially true in regard to Scripture. If we follow the directions and put first things first, we can expect to receive from God the things He has provided for us.

"First of all" means first of all.

But also notice that along with supplications, along with prayers, along with intercessions, the Word inserts, "giving of thanks."

Lest we misunderstand exactly who he is talking about, Paul goes on to tell us exactly who these "all men" are. "Kings" would include presidents, rulers, and other leaders of nations. "All that are in authority" would include state, county, and city leaders, etc.

If we as Christians want to please God, who will we place as number one on our prayer and thanksgiving list? Ourselves? Our children? Our grandchildren? Our church? No. If we want to please God, we will have to do exactly as God said to do. We will have to pray and offer thanks first of all for all who are in authority.

Confession: Thank You, Lord, for our president. Thank You for all who are in authority.

AMEN! Make sure that YOU are being a DOER of THIS Word of God! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Bless God":

Shalom in Him!