Shalom,

Today's "Sparkling Gems From The Greek - Volume 2" by Rick Renner is very interesting!

YOU ARE SALT!

Ye are the salt of the earth…. — Matthew 5:13

In the verse above, Jesus taught that we are to be the salt of the earth. Considering the various uses of salt in the ancient world and how important salt was in that time, this statement carried great weight. When He likened His listeners to salt, all kinds of images flashed through their minds, and they understood the many connotations that salt carried with it. By using this illustration of salt, Jesus was teaching about the influence that we are supposed to have upon the world in which we live.

The word “salt” in Greek is the word halas, and it describes salt exactly like the salt we use in our homes and kitchens today. Today salt is so common that it can easily be purchased in any grocery store. But in New Testament times, salt was an expensive and treasured commodity that was crucial and needed in many spheres of life, as you will see in today’s Sparkling Gem.

High-quality salt could only be found in a few places in Israel. One location was the Hill of Salt, a seven-mile stretch located on the southwest coast of the Dead Sea. Salt could also be collected from the marshes situated along the embankment of the Dead Sea, or it could be gathered from salt pits near the Dead Sea. In each of these locations, the gathering of salt was an expensive process, which made the salt very costly. It was a commodity so rare that it was seldom wasted, sparingly used, and highly valued.

Salt was used as a preservative.

Especially in the warm temperatures of Israel, meat would quickly rot, spoil, and decay. But when salt was added, it acted as a preservative. Therefore, salt was very important in the preservation of meats and other kinds of perishable foods.

Those who heard Jesus’ teaching that we are to be “the salt of the earth” therefore understood that He meant that through our influence, we should be a preserving force in a world that is filled with rot, spoil, and decay. God’s Word working in our lives causes us to be like salt, and our very presence helps abate the corruption that is eating away at the world.

Salt was used as a flavor enhancer.

Salt is one of the most profound enhancers of taste that exists in the culinary world. An eater quickly becomes aware of how powerful this flavor enhancer is when he eats food that contains no salt. Unsalted food is often monotonous, bland, and uninteresting, but when salt is added, the flavor is ignited. Just like today, salt was used in the ancient world to give food a stronger and richer flavor. It was considered essential for the long-term preservation of food and for the enhancement of taste. Therefore, it was vital in every kitchen.

This tells us that not only should our presence abate the evil in the world, but our presence should also change the flavor of society as we bring the savor of Christ to our surroundings wherever we go.

In light of this, let me ask you: In what ways does your personal presence make a difference in your world? Are you doing your job as the salt of the earth?

Salt was used as an antiseptic.

In the ancient world where dirt and disease were common enemies to health, salt was used as an antiseptic. Especially in areas considered unclean, tainted, or contaminated — areas so filthy that it could potentially become hazardous to one’s health — it was believed that salt would work like a disinfectant. If properly applied in heavy doses, salt sanitized, hygienically cleansed, and made a location relatively germ-free. The application of salt in such circumstances was considered to be enormously advantageous because people believed such an application of salt sterilized non-sterile environments.

If a rapidly spreading disease was known to exist in a village, the sick people were cleared out and relocated, and salt was immediately spread to disinfect the contaminated area and to prevent the further spread of disease. Salt was such a powerful cleansing force that the ancient world believed it would assist in freeing the environment of infection.

As an antiseptic, salt was used in the fodder of barns and barnyards — places where sickness and disease could swiftly spread among animals. A small dose of salt scattered on the fodder of a barn or barnyard served as a deterrent to the proliferation of sickness and disease among animals.

Therefore, when Jesus said we are to be “the salt of the earth,” those who heard Him understood that through our influence, we are called to be a kind of spiritual antiseptic to a world that is diseased with sin. Even a small dose of the spiritual salt we carry within ourselves is such a powerful disinfecting agent that if scattered in society, it will help deter the spread of sin and moral decay.

You see, if you are doing your job as “the salt of the earth,” your very presence can hinder the proliferation of sin and its effects. So when you look at your life and the things that surround you, do you see any evidence that your personal presence is making a difference and that you are helping to promote a more spiritually sanitized environment? Are you doing your job as the salt of the earth?

Salt was used as a medicinal and healing agent.

Salt was also a very important ingredient for physicians and those employed in the field of medicine, for they used salt as a healing agent. For instance, if a person was severely wounded, salt was poured into the wound to sanitize the wound from germs, to stop the spread of infection, to stop the bleeding, and to speed up the healing of the wound. It is a fact that salt has healing properties that cause wounds to heal more readily.

In the ancient world where medications were rare, salt was an indispensable product in every doctor’s medical bag, and it was especially valuable in cases where there was an open wound. In every home, business, and public place, salt was kept close at hand in case it was needed for the treatment of an open wound or sore. It was always kept nearby for emergency treatments.

When Jesus said that His people were to be “the salt of the earth,” those who heard Him understood that through our influence, we should be carriers of physical healing to a world that is suffering with all manner of sickness and ailments. Through the preaching of God’s Word and personal ministry to those who are physically ill, we are supposed to be “the salt of the earth” that brings healing those who are physically suffering. The fact is, the power of the Holy Spirit that we carry within ourselves is fully sufficient to administer physical healing to those afflicted with sickness and disease — always, of course, in the authority given to us in the Name of Jesus!

As “the salt of the earth,” you are a vehicle God has chosen to carry healing power to those who are struggling physically. When you look around you, is there evidence to show that you are carrying this power to those who are physically infirm or challenged in some way, just as Jesus has asked you to do? Are you doing your job as the salt of the earth?

Salt was used to give protection from and to drive away evil spirits.

In the ancient world, salt was also a very important ingredient used in pagan religious rituals to give protection from and to drive away evil spirits. At the time Jesus said we are to be “the salt of the earth,” Israel was subject to Rome, and because of this, they regularly witnessed the pagan practices of Roman religions. One practice of the Romans and other pagan religions of the time was rubbing salt over a newborn baby in order to protect that child from evil spirits or to drive evil spirits away from that child. It was commonly believed in many pagan nations that salt had magical powers to protect one from evil and to drive away evil spirits.

The Romans and other pagans believed so wholeheartedly in the magical, protective powers of salt that they regularly administered heavy quantities of salt to the thresholds of their homes and businesses, believing it would create a strong barrier that evil spirits could not cross. They also spread salt on their windowsills, believing that salt could keep evil spirits from entering their homes or places of business through the windows.

So those who heard Jesus say that Christians were to be “the salt of the earth” understood that through our influence, we are to be a source of spiritual protection, deliverance, safety, and freedom to people who have been assaulted by demonic powers. By using Jesus’ name and spreading God’s Word, we can create spiritual barriers so strong that Satan is unable to successfully attack those standing on God’s promises. We are to be carriers of protection, safety, and deliverance!

When you look around at the people who are near you, do you see that they are spiritually protected, experiencing deliverance, safety, and freedom from the attacks of the enemy? Are their lives different, safer, and better because of you?

Salt was used as a fertilizer.

Salt was also a very important ingredient used by farmers to enrich and fertilize their soil in order to produce larger crops of a higher quality. Even a small amount of salt scattered sparingly on the ground could improve the quality of the soil and result in bigger harvests and healthier crops. Therefore, it was viewed as an essential ingredient in the farming industry. The best salt nourished and stimulated the earth to produce better crops.

When Jesus said we were to be “the salt of the earth,” it could actually be translated “the salt of the soil.” The implication is that through our influence, we should affect the world in which we live. In other words, our very presence should enhance life and make this world a better place to live. The world we touch should become productive and our godly presence should positively impact the quality of life for those around us. That is how much power we have as believers!

So as the “salt of the earth,” we are to enrich the atmosphere wherever we go through our influence, simply because we carry the life of God within us. As carriers of His presence, we make life better for those around us. When we walk into a situation, the environment surrounding us is filled with more peace, joy, and hope than it was before we arrived! As the salt of the earth, we have the power to make a difference everywhere we are scattered.

Are you making a difference in every place where you find yourself?

In Colossians 4:6, the apostle Paul also used the word “salt” to tell us that our conversation should be “seasoned with salt.” In light of what you have read today, this means that instead of speaking complaining, critical, negative words with the rest of the world, you can exert a spiritually positive influence on your environment. When you’re seasoned with salt, you will speak:

Words that bring preservation.
Words that flavor life and make it “taste” better.
Words that bring healing to the sick.
Words that “disinfect” and free those who were once were contaminated.
Word that are filled with protection, safety, and deliverance.
Words that are so faith-filled, they create a blessed environment around us.

Jesus plainly taught that we are supposed to be the salt of the earth! Considering the various ways salt was used in the ancient world, can you see how powerful Jesus’ point is?

If you are doing your job as “the salt of the earth,” there should be fruit all around you to show that God’s “salt” in you is doing its job. As you take a look around your life, can you see visible proofs of your “salty” influence?

Before you do anything else today, why don’t you take a few minutes to reflect on your life to see if you are having the kind of influence on your world that Jesus wants you to have. The Holy Spirit will help you honestly assess your fruit so you can see if you are doing your job as “the salt of the earth” the way God has called and equipped you to do!

AMEN! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Could This Be True Of Me?

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself. — Acts 20:24

It is easier to serve God without a vision, easier to work for God without a call, because then you are not bothered by what God requires; common sense is your guide, veneered over with Christian sentiment. You will be more prosperous and successful, more leisure-hearted, if you never realize the call of God. But if once you receive a commission from Jesus Christ, the memory of what God wants will always come like a goad; you will no longer be able to work for Him on the commonsense basis.

What do I really count dear? If I have not been gripped by Jesus Christ, I will count service dear, time given to God dear, my life dear unto myself. Paul says he counted his life dear only in order that he might fulfil the ministry he had received; he refused to use his energy for any other thing. Acts 20:24 states Paul’s almost sublime annoyance at being asked to consider himself; he was absolutely indifferent to any consideration other than that of fulfilling the ministry he had received. Practical work may be a competitor against abandonment to God, because practical work is based on this argument – “Remember how useful you are here,” or – “Think how much value you would be in that particular type of work.” That attitude does not put Jesus Christ as the Guide as to where we should go, but our judgment as to where we are of most use. Never consider whether you are of use; but ever consider that you are not your own but His.

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Coat Of Many Colors":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I am sharing Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional again today because it goes eith along with yesterday's!  

Well Of Life

The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life . . . . — Proverbs 10:11

Immediately after the birth of our son and daughter, I took those little ones into my hands and said, “Lord, I thank You for this child. Because I know the Bible, I realize it is my responsibility to train up this child in the way it should go, and when it is old, it will not depart from it.

“I realize Your Word says to bring our children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and I’m going to do that. I know that children are taught in two ways: By precept and by example. So I’m going to live right in front of this child. I will set the right example. Then, too, I know that you can have what you say, so I say over this child that it will grow up strong physically, without sickness and without disease; it will be alert mentally; and stalwart spiritually.”

Our children grew up without sickness and disease. I never prayed a prayer that they would be saved. I never prayed a prayer that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit. But both were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit at an early age.

Children are a product of words!

Confession: According to the New Testament, in Christ I am righteous. Therefore, my mouth is a well of life. I speak words of life concerning others as well as myself!

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Talking To Jesus":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin contains one of the most powerful keys to walking in all that GOD has planneds for His people! 

Power Of Life

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. — PROVERBS 18:21

“No, I won’t pray for your son,” I told the startled widowed mother of a fifteen-year-old boy. “It won’t do any good. As long as you keep telling your son he’ll never amount to anything, you’ll undo the praying.”

“Did the Lord reveal that to you?” she asked.

“No,” I said, “I just know that the condition in life that we or our children are in was created by words.”

“What shall I do?” she said.

“There are some things you should have done when your son was younger, but he’s fifteen now. So first, quit nagging him about being saved. Second, instead of lying in bed at night worrying about him, say, ‘Lord, I don’t know where he is, but wherever he is, I surround him with faith and love.’ You’ve been surrounding him with doubt, fear, and condemnation. Say, ‘Lord, I’m going to tell You what I believe. I don’t believe he’ll end up in the penitentiary. I’ll never tell him again he won’t amount to anything. I believe he will amount to something.’”

I was back in this woman’s city fifteen months later. To make a long story short, she came to me and shared, “It was hard, but I did just what you told me. Before, my son was all out for the devil — but now he’s all out for God!”

Confession: Life is in the power of my tongue, and I will minister life with it. I speak words of life!

AMEN! I hope that you all learn to USE YOUR WORDS for GOOD and not evil, so that GOD can confirm those words with signs, wonders and miracles! Here is Brandon Lake with "Miracle Child":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional by Joseph Prince is another excellent one!

Jesus, our Perfect Hero

His mouth is most sweet, yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem! Song of Solomon 5:16

Jesus is someone whom you can be completely real with. You can hang out with Him and be yourself, with no pretense and no play-acting. Jesus is ever-loving toward you and you can talk to Him about anything. He enjoys conversing with you about your dreams, aspirations and hopes. He wants to heal you of things in your past that you may be struggling with. He is interested in your present challenges. He wants to weep with you when you are down and rejoice with you in all your victories.

Jesus is love and tenderness personified. Be careful not to confuse His tenderness with the effeminate and weak images that you have seen depicted in some traditional paintings of Him. He is tenderness and strength wrapped up in one. He is meekness and majesty, manhood and deity, velvet, and steel. You see, sometimes, when we attempt to be assertive and strong, we bulldoze over people’s feelings and end up hurting them with our words. When we attempt to be tender, we overdose on niceness and reduce ourselves to doormats to be taken advantage of by others.

Let’s turn away from ourselves and look at Jesus. He could sternly force a pack of scheming Pharisees to back off in one instance, challenging them by saying, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first" (John 8:7). In the very next moment, this same Jesus could look straight into the eyes of a broken woman caught in adultery, and with compassion resonating deeply in His voice, ask her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you? Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more" (John 8:10-11).

This is our God!

In one moment, a tired Jesus could be fast asleep in a wind-swept fisherman's boat, oblivious to the rough Galilean waters crashing against the hapless vessel. But in the very next moment, you see Him staring unflinchingly at the lashing waves, His well-toned carpenter's arms raised to the sky. With His single declaration of absolute authority over heaven and earth, the waves submitted and calmed instantaneously into a placid mirror of stillness (Mark 4:37-39).

Jesus is 100 percent Man and at the same time 100 percent God. As Man, He understands and identifies with all that you have gone through, are going through and will ever go through in this life. But as a loving God, all His power, authority, and resources are on your side. Beloved, whatever you are facing today, let your heart rest easy in His perfect love for you.

HALLELUJAH!!! WE have JESUS!!! Let's remind ourselves every single day that we are, of ALL people, MOST BLESSED! Here is Hillsong with "This Is Our God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Do Ye Now Believe?

By this we believe…Jesus answered…, Do ye now believe? — John 16:30-31

“Now we believe.” Jesus says – “Do you? The time is coming when you will leave Me alone.” Many a Christian worker has left Jesus Christ alone and gone into work from a sense of duty, or from a sense of need arising out of his own particular discernment. The reason for this is the absence of the resurrection life of Jesus. The soul has got out of intimate contact with God by leaning to its own religious understanding. There is no sin in it, and no punishment attached to it; but when the soul realizes how he has hindered his understanding of Jesus Christ, and produced for himself perplexities and sorrows and difficulties, it is with shame and contrition he has to come back.

We need to rely on the resurrection life of Jesus much deeper down, to get into the habit of steadily referring everything back to Him; instead of this we make our commonsense decisions and ask God to bless them. He cannot, it is not in His domain, it is severed from reality. If we do a thing from a sense of duty, we are putting up a standard in competition with Jesus Christ. We become a “superior person,” and say – “Now in this matter I must do this and that.” We have put our sense of duty on the throne instead of the resurrection life of Jesus. We are not told to walk in the light of conscience or of a sense of duty, but to walk in the light as God is in the light. When we do anything from a sense of duty, we can back it up by argument; when we do anything in obedience to the Lord, there is no argument possible; that is why a saint can be easily ridiculed.

Our #1 priority is the LOVE the LORD our GOD with everything that is within us! We do so by obeying HIS WORD without reservation! We 'sell out' to HIS plans and purposes! When we do, HE is free and desiring to cause us to be BLESSED beyond compare! Let's give HIM our ALL and allow HIM to BLESS us with HIS! HALLELUJAH! Here is Brooke Ligertwood and Brandon Lake with "Honey in The Rock":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want you to be SO encouraged by this devotional from Jerry Savelle Ministries website!

God’s Promise

Do you feel like you are walking under a dark cloud so to speak? Does everything in your life seem to be going in the wrong direction? Well, if it does, I want you to have hope. God has a promise for you today. If the devil can cast a dark shadow over some area of your life, then he can cause you to lose the will to even put up a fight? That’s why he works so hard at it. He wants to create such a discouraging picture that you finally just give up and quit. But why would you do that? Satan has already been defeated and you are the victor! Remember what the Word says about you – get full of the Word and see how it will change your perspective. That dark cloud will go away.

Why? Because when you get full of the Word of God, you find out a few things. You find out that you are the one with the weapons that are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. You find out that you’re the one with the authority. You’re the one with the power through the name of Jesus. You find out that Satan has already been defeated. And when you stand up to him with the Word of God in your mouth and command him to flee, he runs away in stark terror.

Now I am not trying to deny the reality of sickness, financial problems, marital problems, or anything like that, but what I am acknowledging is a higher form of reality. Jesus said, “Thy Word is truth.” (John 17:17, KJV). The dictionary definition for truth is “the highest form of reality that exists.” Yes, sickness is real. Financial problems are real. Stress is real. Depression is real. But the Truth is a higher form of reality. When you apply a higher form of reality to a lower form, all things being equal, then the lower form must bow.

I don’t live in a fantasy world. I live in faith. I live in the Word. I live in the highest form of reality that exists. When problems come, I don’t say, “This is not really a problem.” No, I say, “Hold it right there, problem. Let’s see what the Word says about you.”

Whatever you are going through today is not the highest form of reality. No matter what shadows the devil casts at you, if you hold on to God and His Word, they will get you out of trouble. That is God’s promise. If you allow Satan’s shadows to darken you, then you lose sight of that promise. You are not remembering your covenant. God is saying, “Trust me! I will never let you down.”

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Miracle Child":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's Psalm 57 from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan is EXCELLENT for every born again, constitutional conservative who has put up with so much evil, fraud, hatred and corruption the last few years in this nation! Our GOD was not taken by surprise. In fact, HE has caused our enemies to expose themselves, and NOW HE is playing out HIS hand! HALLELUJAH! Rejoice with this Psalm!

Psalm 57
To the Chief Musician; [set to the tune of] “Do Not Destroy.” A record of memorable thoughts of David when he fled from Saul in the cave.

1 Be merciful and gracious to me, O God, be merciful and gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge and finds shelter and confidence in You; yes, in the shadow of Your wings will I take refuge and be confident until calamities and destructive storms are passed.
2 I will cry to God Most High, Who performs on my behalf and rewards me [Who brings to pass His purposes for me and surely completes them]!
3 He will send from heaven and save me from the slanders and reproaches of him who would trample me down or swallow me up, and He will put him to shame. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! God will send forth His mercy and loving-kindness and His truth and faithfulness.
4 My life is among lions; I must lie among those who are aflame—the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows, their tongues sharp swords.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let Your glory be over all the earth!
6 They set a net for my steps; my very life was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way; into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is steadfast and confident! I will sing and make melody.
8 Awake, my glory (my inner self); awake, harp and lyre! I will awake right early [I will awaken the dawn]!
9 I will praise and give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations.
10 For Your mercy and loving-kindness are great, reaching to the heavens, and Your truth and faithfulness to the clouds.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all the earth.

AMEN!

Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "A Thousand Hallelujahs":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to simply share this quote/question from Oswald Chambers! 

Am I getting nobler, better, more helpful, more humble, as I get older? Am I exhibiting the life that men take knowledge of as having been with Jesus, or am I getting more self-assertive, more deliberately determined to have my own way? It is a great thing to tell yourself the truth.

AMEN! It is also a great thing to make the necessary changes in order to better serve JESUS! Here is Brandon Lake with "Talking To Jesus":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share with you Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional having to do with handling fear!

Resisting Fear

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. — 2 TIMOTHY 1:7

Today’s text calls fear a spirit, and it states definitely that the spirit of
fear does not come from God. Today’s faith thought is a confession you
can use to successfully resist fear when it attempts to come upon you.

Fear,
I resist you,
in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In His mighty Name,
I resist you.
I refuse to fear;
I refuse to be afraid.

It is written in His Holy Word
that He hath not given me
the spirit of fear;
But of power,
and of love,
and of a sound mind.

I no longer have the spirit of fear.
I have the spirit of love.
I have the spirit of power.
I have the spirit of a sound mind.

AMEN! THAT is how we deal with the enemy and all of his tricks, lies, and schemes! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Not Today":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin addresses a topic that many believers fail to take seriously!

Fear Not

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. — MATTHEW 14:27

God never comes with a message of fear. You can start in the Old Testament and trace all the way down through the New, and you will see that every time God manifested Himself to people, or sent angels or Jesus Himself, they always came with the message, “Be not afraid! Fear not!”

Fear doesn’t come from God. It comes from the devil. And Christians, including preachers and teachers, have no business going around putting fear into people.

We hear so much fear preached: Fear of sickness and disease; fear of what’s going to happen in the world; and fear of the devil. The way some people preach about demons causes people to be afraid. I preach about the devil and demons, too, but I preach that we’ve got authority over them. I preach that we should always remember, in all our encounters with the devil, that He’s a defeated foe.

Fear is not the message of the Church. Faith is the message of the Church. Good cheer is the message of the Church. “Be not afraid” is the message of the Church.

Confession: I am of good cheer. I am not afraid. I fear not. That is the message of God my Father to my heart. It is also His message to others. Therefore, my message to others is: Faith and good cheer. Be not afraid. Fear not!

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Fear Is Not My Future":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

The devotional on The Spoken Word Church website is an excellent one for today! 

Create a Climate of Confidence. Accurate information breeds confidence. Know what you believe. Disconnect from memories of past failures. Stop advertising your mistakes. Remind yourself of good decisions and victories of the past. Before David fought Goliath, he mentally rehearsed past victories over the bear and the lion. See yourself winning. Think and talk like the conqueror God intended you to be. Keep success pictures in your mind at all times. Remember, what you are goes before you.

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." {Romans 8:37}

"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;" {2 Corinthians 3:5}

Make sure that YOUR thinking is in line with the Word of God! There IS no other TRUTH! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today we read THIS in Psalm 52!

To the Chief Musician. A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem. [A Psalm] of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, David has come to the house of Ahimelech.

1 Why boast you of mischief done against the loving-kindness of God [and the godly], O mighty [sinful] man, day after day?
2 Your tongue devises wickedness; it is like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
3 You love evil more than good, and lying rather than to speak righteousness, justice, and right. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
4 You love all destroying and devouring words, O deceitful tongue.
5 God will likewise break you down and destroy you forever; He will lay hold of you and pluck you out of your tent and uproot you from the land of the living. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
6 The [uncompromisingly] righteous also shall see [it] and be in reverent fear and awe, but about you they will [scoffingly] laugh, saying,
7 See, this is the man who made not God his strength (his stronghold and high tower) but trusted in and confidently relied on the abundance of his riches, seeking refuge and security for himself through his wickedness.
8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in and confidently rely on the loving-kindness and the mercy of God forever and ever.
9 I will thank You and confide in You forever, because You have done it [delivered me and kept me safe]. I will wait on, hope in and expect in Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your saints (Your kind and pious ones).

Here we see some things that have played out before our eyes in our nation for quite some time! We are NOW living inthe time when GOD makes it ALL right! HALLEUJAH! What a GREAT time to be alive! THANK YOU LORD! Here is Brandon Lake with "Count 'Em":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

A Second Look

. . . Love . . . is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. — 1 CORINTHIANS 13:5 (Amplified)

The subject of walking in the God-kind of love is so important — and so overlooked by Christians — that we’re going to take some extra time examining it.

“. . . Love . . . takes no account of the evil done to it . . . .” This has to be the God-kind of love, because we were enemies of God, and God didn’t take account of the evil we had done to Him. He sent Jesus to redeem us. He loved us while we were yet sinners.

“. . . Love . . . pays no attention to a suffered wrong . . . .” We might just as well admit it — there aren’t too many people walking in God’s love, even though they have it! No, they’re walking in natural human love, and they surely pay attention to a suffered wrong! They get huffy about it. A husband and wife, both Christians, will become angry and won’t speak to each other for a week because of some wrong that one of them suffered.

Can’t you see how it would straighten things out in the home, the church, and the nation for people to become children of God, get the love of God in them, and then live in the family of God as children of God?

Confession: I am a love person. I am not touchy. I am not fretful. I am not resentful. I take no account of the evil done to me. I pay no attention to a suffered wrong.

AMEN! ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS choose LOVE! LOVE NEVER FAILS! And our FIRST and TRUE LOVE must be JESUS! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Like Incense":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share the "From Faith To Faith" devotional by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland:

Put the Word First

Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Proverbs 4:5-6

Recently, God has been raising up ever-growing numbers of people who are hungry. Hungry to know their Lord in a deeper way. Hungry to serve Him—in pulpits, on mission fields, in homes, in office buildings and anywhere else He might choose to send them.

They are people who simply aren't content to find the path of least resistance and coast their way into heaven. No, they're determined to run the race...to run, as the apostle Paul said, to obtain the prize. Spiritually speaking, they are on the road to excellence.

Are you among them?

If so, I want to share four simple words that, I believe, will enable you to run the race like a winner.

Put the Word first.

Whether your goal is to be an excellent evangelist or a first-rate engineer in the service of the Lord, it is the wisdom that comes from the Word of God that will get you there.

Jesus said it this way: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).

So commit yourself right now to do whatever it takes to totally saturate yourself with the Word of God. Use every available moment to read, study, listen to and meditate on it.

I know it won't be easy, but if you've made a definite decision to amount to something in the ministry of Jesus Christ and you are determined to take the Great Commission seriously, then be diligent. Put the Word first and there will surely be glorious victories ahead.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

The Initiative Against Despair

Rise, let us be going. — Matthew 26:46

The disciples went to sleep when they should have kept awake, and when they realized what they had done it produced despair. The sense of the irreparable is apt to make us despair, and we say – “It is all up now, it is no use trying any more.” If we imagine that this kind of despair is exceptional, we are mistaken, it is a very ordinary human experience. Whenever we realize that we have not done that which we had a magnificent opportunity of doing, then we are apt to sink into despair, and Jesus Christ comes and says – “Sleep on now, that opportunity is lost for ever, you cannot alter it, but arise and go to the next thing.” Let the past sleep, but let it sleep on the bosom of Christ, and go out into the irresistible future with Him.

There are experiences like this in each of our lives. We are in despair, the despair that comes from actualities, and we cannot lift ourselves out of it. The disciples in this instance had done a downright unforgivable thing; they had gone to sleep instead of watching with Jesus, but He came with a spiritual initiative against their despair and said – “Arise and do the next thing.” If we are inspired of God, what is the next thing? To trust Him absolutely and to pray on the ground of His Redemption.

Never let the sense of failure corrupt your new action.

AMEN! Our GOD ALWAYS has another plan and purpose for us! Here is Brandon Lake with "Count 'Em":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share with you Rick Renner's "Sparkling Gems From The Greek - Volume 2". This is SO good! 

Asking God For Information

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. — James 1:5

When our sons were younger, I often asked them to take on certain chores or responsibilities that they didn’t really want to do. Nonetheless, I expected them to obey me. However, I was never offended if they asked me why I wanted them to do those things.

Whether or not I could answer my sons to their satisfaction — or whether or not they were sufficiently experienced in life to understand the reason behind my request — I still expected them to trust me enough to obey what I’d asked of them. They knew that I loved them and that I had more years of experience than they did, and that knowledge warranted their complete trust in me. My children understood as they were growing up that I’d only demand of them what I knew was ultimately good for them. Their close relationship with me caused them to know that they could trust me implicitly, even when they didn’t understand what I was telling them.

Likewise, God is never offended when you ask Him for an explanation. You may not understand His answer; you may not like it; or you may not be mature enough to understand it. But as your Father, He is not offended by your asking for clarification. This is why James 1:5 says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God….”

The word “if ” assumes that there are times when you need an answer from God. The word “lacks” is a form of the Greek word leipo and describes a deficiency. In the Old Testament Septuagint, it describes possessing something only in a measure — which, of course, means you were lacking the rest. Maybe you possessed a little bit of something, but it was just a remnant of what you really needed.

Later this word leipo came to depict a deficit, insufficiency, shortage, or undersupply. As used in James 1:5, it meant to be without, to have want of, to be in need of, to be lacking, to be short of, to be low on, to not have enough of, or something that exists in an insufficient amount. All of these meanings correctly convey the idea in the Greek text. But for our purposes, we will say it could be interpreted, “If you are short on wisdom…” or “If you find yourself to be lacking wisdom.…”

But what did James mean by “wisdom”? The word “wisdom” is a form of the Greek word sophos, which describes special insight or special understanding. Hence, this verse could be interpreted, “If anyone among you lacks special understanding [regarding an issue].…” This word denoted special insight and understanding that could be worked out in real-life practice. It was an answer, an insight, or an enlightenment that had some type of practical application. Thus, the verse could be interpreted to mean: “If any of you are short on knowing what to do…”; “If any one of you is experiencing a deficit regarding what action to take…”; or “If any one of you is in need of special answers regarding what to do.…”

Next, James told us what to do. He wrote, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask.…” The word “ask” is from the Greek word aiteo, a word that primarily means to be adamant in requesting and demanding assistance to meet tangible needs, such as food, shelter, money, and so forth. Additionally, it expresses the idea that one can possess a full expectation to receive what has been firmly requested.

This means you shouldn’t go to God only for spiritual blessings. The use of the word aiteo tells us that most questions about which you seek His wisdom will involve practical answers as well as spiritual — pertaining to tangible needs such as food, shelter, money, etc.

But God gives us one condition that we must fulfill before He will answer our petitions for wisdom. Verse 5 continues, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God.…” The word “of ” in Greek is para, which means close, side by side, or alongside. As used in this verse, this word provides the condition we must meet in order for God to answer us. To qualify for God’s answer, we must be in a close, side-by-side position with Him.

God our Father truly desires to clearly and abundantly answer our questions. He will not refrain from answering us — as long as we get in the right position to ask Him. You see, God doesn’t want to just answer our request for wisdom. He wants us to come alongside Him, close to His heart. In that position, He will not only answer us, but He will embrace us, cleanse us, and change us.

Hence, the Father first beckons us to draw as near to Him as possible. Then once we are in that close, side-by-side position, God opens His hand to show us the wisdom we lack and are seeking to gain.

Think of it! You are just a prayer away from assuming that close, side-by-side position with God!

With these thoughts in mind, we can read this verse as follows:

“If you are short on answers you need, ask God to give you those answers. But the one request He makes first before He will provide the answers you are asking Him for is that you come alongside Him….”

Tomorrow I will show you what God promises will happen when you put yourself in that close, side-by-side position alongside Him. But for today, I want you to see the point that if you are experiencing a shortfall of wisdom, God invites you to ask Him for insight. Your asking for an explanation does not offend God. In fact, in James 1:5, He encourages you to ask!

When God answers, you may not enjoy what He tells you or you may not be mature enough to truly understand it, but one thing is clear: He wants you to ask for clarification if you need it. So draw near to the Lord, and ask Him for the wisdom you lack. He is utterly faithful to His promises — and He promises that He will give you what you ask for, liberally and without reproach!

AMEN! We are beyond BLESSED to have ALMIGHTY GOD as our FATHER Who oALWAYS wants the very BEST for us! We need only to ASK! Here is Brandon Lake with "Coat Of Many Colors":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

The message for today? THIS:

Psalm 47
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 O clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph and songs of joy!
2 For the Lord Most High excites terror, awe, and dread; He is a great King over all the earth.
3 He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance for us, the glory and pride of Jacob, whom He loves. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
5 God has ascended amid shouting, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises in a skillful psalm and with understanding.
8 God reigns over the nations; God sits upon His holy throne.
9 The princes and nobles of the peoples are gathered together, a [united] people for the God of Abraham, for the shields of the earth belong to God; He is highly exalted.

TODAY and EVERY DAY give PRAISE, THANKSGIVING and WORSHIP to the ONE Who gave it all for us! HALLELUJAH!!! Here is Brandon Lake with "Praise":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional which speaks of Communion!

Eating Fresh

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh. Hebrews 10:19–20

When God provided manna for the children of Israel in the wilderness, Moses told the people, “Let no one leave any of it till morning” (Exodus 16:19). When some of them did not heed Moses’ words and kept some till the next morning, it bred worms and stank.

This reminds me of the law that the children of Israel had to observe when they brought the peace offering for thanksgiving: “The flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offering for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day it is offered. He shall not leave any of it until morning” (Leviticus 7:15).

These two verses speak of partaking fresh and not leaving the manna or the meat from the sacrifice to turn stale. In the same way, whenever we partake of the holy Communion, let’s ask the Lord for a fresh revelation of what He did for us at the cross.

Let’s not ever become so familiar with the holy Communion that we start to see it as common and ordinary. We are holding the broken body of the Son of God and drinking of His shed blood.

Would you like to have a fresh revelation of the holy Communion? In today’s Scripture passage, God’s Word tells us that through the cross, our Lord Jesus consecrated a “new and living way” for us to draw near to God not with fear and trepidation but with boldness. He allowed His own flesh to be torn so that we can have free access to our loving Father today.

I want to draw your attention to the original Greek word used for new here. It is the word prosphatos and it means “lately slaughtered, freshly killed.” Why did the Holy Spirit use this unusual word here?

Because whenever you partake of the holy Communion, God does not want you to partake as though you are commemorating a historical event that took place long ago. The cross transcends time. As you partake of the holy Communion in remembrance of Him, see your Lord Jesus before you, as though you are right there at Calvary.

See your Lord Jesus freshly slain, bearing all your sicknesses and carrying all your pains. Don’t partake ritualistically, but press in for a fresh revelation of His love that was demonstrated at the cross.

AMEN!!! I hope that as you meditate on these TRUTHS a new and deeper understanding of the POWER of receiving from Communion! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Communion":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Rick Renner's "Sparkling Gems From The Greek" devotional! 

Escourted Into The Love Of God

And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
— 2 Thessalonians 3:5

Often I am invited to attend meetings with other ministers in Moscow who gather to discuss spiritual leadership issues. These meetings take place in a different location each time in order to maintain a sense of neutrality, and they are often held in places that are completely unknown to me. In fact, trying to find the exact meeting room for these events can be difficult because the buildings are often expansive and the layouts unfamiliar.

Because of this potential difficulty, individuals are appointed to help guide leaders like me to the new meeting room. They meet each of us outside where our cars drop us off, and they escort us to the room where the event is to be held. If these individuals were not present to help us find the meeting room, we would all eventually find our way to the place where we were supposed to be, but the experience would take longer and potentially create needless confusion. Believe me when I tell you that we all greatly appreciate the service that these people graciously provide as they escort us right to where we need to be so expeditiously.

Similarly, Paul taught that the Lord Himself wants to be our Escort to lead us directly into the love of God with no distractions along the way. In Second Thessalonians 3:5, he wrote, “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God….”

Today I want you to particularly notice the word “direct” in this verse, as it reveals so much about God’s great desire to guide us directly into His divine love. The word “direct” is translated from the Greek word kateuthuno, which is a compound of the words kata and euthus. The word kata gives a sense of force or direction, and the word euthus describes a straight path as opposed to a path that is wandering or a route that is indirect. Although an indirect route may eventually get you to the same location, it takes longer; it involves unnecessary expense of energy; and it is more time-consuming. A direct path will get you to your destination more quickly and less expensively, and you will expend less energy. However, if you’ve never made the journey before, finding the shortest route may be difficult unless you have a guide who will direct and escort you along the way.

This leads us back to Paul’s teaching in Second Thessalonians 3:5, where he wrote, “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God.…” The word “hearts” is the Greek word kardias, the plural form of kardia, which describes the heart. Although this word was sometimes used to denote the heart as a physical organ, it was regularly employed throughout the Old Testament, Classical Greek literature, and the New Testament to describe emotions, instincts, and passions. In Second Thessalonians 3:5, Paul used it to portray the inner aspects of a person’s life — intellectually, psychologically, and spiritually. Paul was literally praying for a person’s inner being to be directed into the love of God, as opposed to contrary paths that would lead elsewhere.

Furthermore, because the Greek word translated “direct” (kateuthuno) in this verse begins with the prefix kata, we see that God does more than merely guide and escort us. He wants to meet us and lead us so our hearts don’t wander aimlessly on the way to completion in His love. In the context of Second Thessalonians 3:5, it tells us that God Himself wants to put us on a straight path and steer us right into His love. In fact, the word steer is exactly how the word kateuthuno (“direct”) could be translated in James 3:4. God doesn’t want us to waste time and energy or to take too long to get into His love. He wants to steer us right into His love. The Lord desires to put us on a straight path and be our personal Guide, escorting us into His love with no distractions or unneeded detours along the way.

An interpretative translation of the first part of Second Thessalonians 3:5 could read:

“May the Lord steer your hearts and put you on the path that leads you directly into divine love itself. We pray that you encounter no rough roads on this journey but rather that your heart reaches its ultimate destination — the love of God.”

As you grow in your relationship with God, remember that He wants to meet you and escort you along every step of the journey. He doesn’t just say, “Here is what I want for you — now figure out how to get there by yourself.” God wants to step in front of you and lead you! If you’ll listen, you’ll hear Him say, “I’m here to lead you, so follow Me, and I’ll lead your heart to the place where I want you to be — right into the center of My love!”

AMEN! Allow the GOD of the BIBLE to be YOUR VALENTINE! Your TRUE LOVE! NO ONE will EVER LOVE YOU more! Here is Hillsong with "Love Of God Can Do":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Kenneth E. Hagin's "Health Food" devotional!

Casting Down Reasonings

Casting down imaginations [reasonings], and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. — 2 CORINTHIANS 10:5

Many people’s minds have never been renewed with the Word of God. They may be saved, filled with the Holy Ghost, and members of a Full Gospel church, but their minds still need to be renewed with the Word of God.

Second Corinthians 10:4 and 5 says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

Many people are in a battle between their head and their heart. This is spiritual warfare, and these verses say that our weapons are not carnal, or natural. They’re not guns, swords, or even fists. But our weapons are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). Paul is referring to “casting down imaginations.” Imaginations can also be translated reasonings, which involve people’s minds.

As long as Satan can hold you in the arena of reason, he’ll defeat you in every battle. But if you hold Satan in the arena of faith, you’ll defeat him in every battle. How do you do that? The Scripture says to “cast down imaginations (reasonings).”

Confession: I cast down imaginations and reasonings. I bring every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ. If the thought doesn’t line up with the Word of God, I reject it. I believe and think on only what God’s Word says.

AMEN! JESUS has already paid for our SALVATION and HEALTH. It is now OUR responsibility to BELIEVE and RECEIVE all that HE gave His life for! HALLELUJAH! Here is Brandon Lake with "Count 'Em":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 43 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today. Here is the entire Psalm!

1 Judge and vindicate me, O God; plead and defend my cause against an ungodly nation. O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man!
2 For You are the God of my strength [my Stronghold—in Whom I take refuge]; why have You cast me off? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
3 O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling.
4 Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my exceeding joy; yes, with the lyre will I praise You, O God, my God!
5 Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help of my [sad] countenance, and my God.

My challenge to you today is to SEEK HIM with your whole heart! HE is and has the answer to every situation that you will ever face! TRUST! He will NEVER let you down! Here is Brandon Lake with "Tear Off The Roof":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to encourage you with Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional!

Go for Jesus Himself

So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. Luke 24:15

I love the fact that of all the words God could have chosen to call this beautiful meal, He chose the word Communion. It speaks of the relationship God wants to have with us, the closeness and intimacy He desires to have with us.

I know it can be easy to lose sight of that and even see the Communion as a means to an end, especially when you are battling symptoms in your body. But as you continue to come to the Lord’s Table, don’t just go after the healing and miss the One who prepared the table for you.

Pursue the healer and not just the healing. Pursue the blesser and not just the blessing. When you have Him, you have everything.

Today, I want to encourage you with one of my favorite stories in the New Testament. I pray that you do not go away with mere information about what the holy Communion is, but you experience what the two disciples did on the road to Emmaus when Jesus Himself drew near and walked with them.

That journey to Emmaus took place the same day our Lord Jesus rose bodily from the grave. What was so important to the Lord that He would do it on the day of His resurrection?

The resurrected Christ did this:

“And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” —Luke 24:27

Later the two disciples said to each other, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32).

As a pastor, that is what I endeavor to do every Sunday, and I pray that by the grace of God, you will see in the Scriptures, not a list of rules and regulations, not knowledge that puffs up the intellect, but things concerning Himself.

I pray that your heart burned within you as you see Jesus in the Scriptures and you experience His deep, personal love for you as never before. I pray that you will feel Jesus Himself drawing near to you, lavishing His love on you, and imparting to you all you need. And beyond what He can do for you or your loved one, beyond healing for that condition you might have been battling with, I pray that you have an encounter with the Lord Jesus Himself.

AMEN! That is also MY prayer for you all! Here is Hillsong with "Song For His Presence":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional because this one is SO GOOD!

Love Born

. . . God is love. — 1 JOHN 4:8

. . . The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost . . . . — ROMANS 5:5

When you were born again, God became your Father. God is a love God. You are a love child of a love God. You are born of God, and God is love; therefore, you are born of love. The nature of God is in you — and the nature of God is love.

In fact, you can’t say you don’t have this divine love, because everyone in the family of God has it — or else they’re not in the family! They may not be exercising it. They may be like the man who wrapped his one talent in a napkin and buried it (Matthew 25:25), but the Bible says that the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. That means the God-kind of love has been shed abroad in our heart, our spirit, our inner man.

Romans 5:5 is not talking about the baptism in the Holy Spirit. It’s talking about the New Birth — when you are born of the Spirit of God — that’s when the love of God came in. When you were born spiritually, you partook of God’s life and nature.

Confession: God is love. I am born of God; therefore, I am born of love. I am a love child of a love God. The love of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit. My nature is love. It is natural for me to walk in love.

AMEN! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Like Incense - Sometimes By Step":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Are You Exhausted Spiritually?

The everlasting God…fainteth not, neither is weary. — Isaiah 40:28

Exhaustion means that the vital forces are worn right out. Spiritual exhaustion never comes through sin but only through service, and whether or not you are exhausted will depend upon where you get your supplies. Jesus said to Peter — “Feed My sheep,” but He gave him nothing to feed them with. The process of being made broken bread and poured-out wine means that you have to be the nourishment for other souls until they learn to feed on God. They must drain you to the dregs. Be careful that you get your supply, or before long you will be utterly exhausted. Before other souls learn to draw on the life of the Lord Jesus direct, they have to draw on it through you; you have to be literally “sucked,” until they learn to take their nourishment from God. We owe it to God to be our best for His lambs and His sheep as well as for Himself.

Has the way in which you have been serving God betrayed you into exhaustion? If so, then rally your affections. Where did you start the service from? From your own sympathy or from the basis of the Redemption of Jesus Christ? Continually go back to the foundation of your affections and recollect where the source of power is. You have no right to say — “O Lord, I am so exhausted.” He saved and sanctified you in order to exhaust you. Be exhausted for God, but remember that your supply comes from Him. “All my fresh springs shall be in Thee” .

AMEN! Make sure that you are ALWAYS looking to JESUS as your SOURCE of SUPPLY! HE will NEVER let you down! Here is Brandon Lake with "Count 'Em":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

God's Spirit Dwells In You.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?— 1 Corinthians 3:16

When we first started our church in Moscow in the year 2000, God moved supernaturally in our church’s midst, and our congregation miraculously began to grow by leaps and bounds. It wasn’t long before the auditorium we had rented was filled to maximum capacity, and we still needed room for more people. So we rented a bigger auditorium — but once again, soon we were at capacity. This happened again and again over the years.

In addition, because our church membership was growing so rapidly, it soon meant we needed a larger office to accommodate the business end of things, and so the search began. After a period of looking, we finally secured an office in an ideal location. It was directly in the center of downtown Moscow — a two-minute walk from the Bolshoi Theatre and a short seven-minute walk from Red Square. You couldn’t get any closer to the heart of the city than this location. It was ideal in every way

Because of the building’s prime location, I knew that many high-ranking visitors would come to this office to meet with our ministry. Therefore, our space needed to be decorated professionally and beautifully to make a first-class impression of the Gospel on every person who entered that office. To this end, Denise and I worked hard to choose the perfect wallpaper, carpet, and furniture to adorn our church office. Finally, the day came when the interior decorating work was to commence on the new office. The first work to be done that day was to hang the wallpaper Denise and I had so carefully chosen. We were so excited to see how it would transform the “look” of that office!

The reception area was the first room in our office to be wallpapered. This was the most important part of our office because it was where people’s first impressions of our ministry would be made. Many people in this region of the world have historically ridiculed people of faith, so it was essential to us that our guests associate excellence with the name of Jesus Christ as they entered our reception area. Therefore, we chose an elegant, intricate, floral-patterned wall covering for that space, and we knew it would take a real master to hang it correctly.

The person we chose to hang the wallpaper was a woman from our congregation who maintained that she was such a master at the craft. She had even volunteered to do the job and to do it for free as a gift to the church, and we were delighted. I met her at the office and showed her the wallpaper, and she got started. I left the site because I had a meeting in another part of the city, assuming this “master” would do a beautiful job. However, when I returned to see what she had done, I was shocked!

She had hung a lot of paper and had done it very quickly, but none of the patterns from strip to strip matched each other. I was so stunned that for a few moments, I was literally speechless.

She asked me, “How do you like my job?”

I regained my composure and replied, “Do you realize none of the patterns match?” She said, “Oh, you wanted the patterns to match? Why didn’t you tell me?”

I told her, “When I heard you were a professional paper hanger, I assumed you would know to match the patterns of each strip. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to take it down and start all over again.”

On her second attempt, she matched the patterns, but this time the wallpaper was very visibly crooked. As I explained to her that this room would be a reception for very important guests and the wallpaper couldn’t be crooked, she said, “But if you look at it like this, it doesn’t look crooked.” With that, she tilted her head sideways and framed the crooked wallpaper between her hands. She said, “If you tilt your head and look at it like this, it looks normal. See?”

I was astounded that she would try to tell me that it would look normal if I would just cock my head to the left. I replied, “People won’t walk into this office and cock their heads sideways so the wallpaper will look normal. People will walk in here standing upright, as people do, and they will think this wallpaper looks crooked and crazy. Please tear it down, and I’ll find someone else to properly hang the paper.”

When I instructed this woman to rip the paper off the walls, I heard people gasping. A staff member privately suggested, “Pastor, this wallpaper is expensive. What if we just paint it and forget about it? Does it really have to be torn off the walls a second time? Do you really think anyone will notice that it’s crooked? Can’t we just leave the way it is instead of losing money?”

I finally had to walk over to the wall and begin tearing the paper off myself — as everyone around me gazed in shock. The sound of expensive paper being ripped from the walls filled the ears of all who stood by. Piece by piece, the wallpaper fell to the ground. When I saw people staring in disbelief at what I was doing, I turned and explained to them, “This room is designed for guests. Nothing less than our best is acceptable. I want every person who enters this room to sense that we care about them and have prepared a place for them that is special and shows them respect.”

That day my staff finally realized how important it was to me that we do our best to make guests feel honored and welcomed. But as important as it was for me to treat the guests of our ministry with respect, it is far more important that we do our very best to make God welcome in our lives.

In First Corinthians 3:16, the apostle Paul wrote, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” This word “dwelleth” is the Greek word oikeo, which denotes a house. However, the word oikeo as used by Paul in this verse means to dwell in or to take up residency in a house. This means God is not like a guest who comes and goes. Rather, when a person repents and comes to Christ, God’s Spirit moves in and takes up residence. In other words, that newly saved believer’s heart becomes the Holy Spirit’s permanent home.

When a believer first accepts Christ as his Lord and Savior, there are areas in his life that need to be healed, restored, and changed. By walking in obedience to the Word of God and learning to serve in the local church, a person’s mind can become conformed to the mind of Christ, and his life can gradually become transformed to reflect the excellence of Jesus Christ. However, for these changes to occur in a person’s life, it requires his complete participation. These kinds of changes don’t occur without hard work, commitment, and determination to make one’s heart a place where God feels honored.

Never forget that God’s Spirit — the Spirit of holiness — now lives inside you. What are you doing to make Him feel welcome? Are you allowing the crooked and mismatched places of your life to remain unchecked, or are you doing your best to rip them away, one piece at a time, so you can make your heart a place that shows God honor and respect?

It’s great that we do so much to make guests feel welcomed in our homes, churches, or offices. But think about how much more important it is that we build our lives in such a way that conveys to God just how thankful we are that He dwells in our hearts!

God has moved into your heart and made it His permanent home. Don’t you think you should “hang the wallpaper” in your heart in such a way that it shows Him how happy and honored you are that He is there?

AMEN! Make sure that YOU do all that you do in a way that is pleasing to the LORD! HE will be PLEASED and YOU will be BLESSED! Here is Hillsong with "Children of the Light":

Shalom in Him!