Shalom,

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

Leave Room For God

But when it pleased God… — Galatians 1:15

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

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

AMEN!

Our God will NOT be 'put in a box'! EXPECT HIM, but do not DIRECT HIM! Let GOD BE GOD and YOU will be abundantly BLESSED! Here is how we should approach GOD in FAITH! UNITED and TAYA with "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we read Psalm 24 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan and I want to share this whole Psalm with you here!

Psalm 24
A Psalm of David.
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness of it, the world and they who dwell in it.
2 For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the currents and the rivers.

3 Who shall go up into the mountain of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His Holy Place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted himself up to falsehood or to what is false, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation [description] of those who seek Him [who inquire of and for Him and of necessity require Him], who seek Your face, [O God of] Jacob. Selah [pause, and think of that]!

7 Lift up your heads, O you gates; and be lifted up, you age-abiding doors, that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O you gates; yes, lift them up, you age-abiding doors, that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is [He then] this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah [pause, and think of that]!

THIS IS OUR GOD! And THIS is also speaking of who WE are - in HIM! So give HIM the PRAISE, GLORY, ADORATION and WORSHIP that HE ALONE deserves! Here, to help you with that, is Brooke Ligertwood with "Ancient Gates":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Here is today's "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional!

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

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

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

AMEN! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Bless God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Live Like Jesus

But [Christ Jesus] made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:7

The truth of this verse hasn't really dawned on most people. They mistakenly think that Jesus was able to work wonders, to perform miracles and to live above sin because He had divine powers that we don't have. Thus, they have never really aspired to live like He lived.

"Oh my," they say with great humility, "I could never live like Jesus did. After all, He had an advantage. He was God!"

They don't realize that when Jesus came to earth, He voluntarily gave up that advantage, living His life here not as God but as a man. He had no innate supernatural powers. He had no ability to perform miracles until after He was anointed by the Holy Spirit as recorded in Luke 3:22. He worked wonders, not by His own power but by the power of the Father, saying, "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works" (John 14:10).

And when He prayed, He prayed not as a divine One who had authority as God, but as a man who walked obediently with God. And, as Hebrews 5:7 says, "His prayers were heard not because of His deity, but because of His reverence toward God" (The Amplified Bible).

Jesus, the divine Son of God, set aside the privileges and powers of deity for a time and lived as a man on earth. Once you grasp that, it will absolutely thrill your soul! Why? Because it means that you, as a reborn child of God, filled with the same Holy Spirit as Jesus was, have the same opportunity to live as He lived on earth. In fact, that is exactly what He intends. In John 17:18 He said to the Father, "Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world" (The Amplified Bible).

Jesus has sent you into the world to live as He lived. Through the new birth, He's enabled you to exchange the sinful nature of Adam for the sinless nature of God.

He's given you the ability and the command to live above sin, to live in fellowship with the Father, to preach the gospel, to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to cast out demons and to make disciples.

Once you realize that, you'll throw off the shackles of doubt that have held you back. You'll begin to live as Jesus meant for you to live—not as a sin-ridden son of fallen man, but as a reborn child of the Most High God. Then those around you will actually begin to see Jesus—in you.

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Gratitude":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Here is Jerry Savelle Ministries with today's devotional!

Approach Every Problem With A Right Mental Attitude

Are you facing a troubling situation right now? We all experience times of trouble. But what is a right mental attitude when it comes to facing those trials? How should we think when trouble comes to our lives?

When trouble comes to you, pick up your Bible and read Isaiah 54:14,17. Say it, and say it, and say it, and say it. Then turn to Psalm 27 and say it, and say it, and say it. Then begin to act upon the Word. The rest is up to God.

You are not the one who is responsible for bringing the Word to pass, God is. Start out by praising Him for your deliverance, and if you have to, offer the sacrifice of joy. Thank Him that He has provided a way of escape for you. You do not praise God for the trial. You praise God your deliverance. Praise God for the power of His Word. Praise God for the name of Jesus. Praise God that you are a winner, and that He hears and answers your prayers.

As you begin praising God as a sacrifice, you will finally end up praising Him because joy has come in its fullness.

Now, I have not said to act like you don’t have any problems. Problems are real. But the Word is the highest form of reality. Laughing at the devil and offering the sacrifices of joy are some things that you can do about your problem. Some people will just mentally shut themselves away from the problem and pretend that it does not exist. This is not what I am talking about. Somewhere down the road, they are going to have to come back to reality and the problem will still be there.

Jesus said in John 17:17, “Thy Word is truth.” God’s Word is reality. When you acquire a right mental attitude about every situation based upon the Word of God, then you are actually putting yourself in the position where God is able to provide an avenue of escape. You are not pretending that the problem doesn’t exist; you are actually applying the spiritual power that will cause it to depart FAR from you.

How far is far? The Bible says that Jesus is far above all principalities, and power and might and dominion and every name that has been named. How far do you suppose that is?

Well, however far Jesus is above demonic activity that is how far oppression, fear and terror should be from you. When you have a right mental attitude and offer the sacrifice of joy, your problems will begin to be far from you! Receive that today!

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Tear Off The Roof", which was the solution to a problem during Jesus' ministry! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

For His Body, The Church

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. — EPHESIANS 1:19-23

In every place where the Bible mentions the Name of Jesus, it also refers to His Body, the Church, because the Name was given to Jesus so that the Church might use it.

The ones who need to use His Name are those who have become jointheirs with Jesus Christ; and those who are in contact with men and women in need of deliverance from Satan.

All that Jesus is by inheritance is in that Name! All Jesus has done through conquest is in that Name! And that Name belongs to the Body of Christ: It belongs to you and me! God has made this investment for the Church. The Church has a right to draw upon this deposit for her every need! That Name has within it the fulness of the Godhead.

Confession: I have a right to use the Name of Jesus against the enemy. I have a right to use that Name in prayer. I have a right to use that Name in praise and worship.

AMEN!!! Here is Hillsong Worship with "What A Beautiful Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional. This is SO good! 

No Smell of Smoke on You

So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke! Daniel 3:26–27 NLT

There is truly no other god who can rescue like our God. Whatever circumstances you might be thrown into, our Lord Jesus is the fourth man with you in the midst of the fire. Notice how He didn’t stand outside of the fire, but was in the fire together with the three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, when they were thrown inside for defying King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

This brings a whole new meaning for us when we read the verse, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Our Lord doesn’t deliver you from afar; He is with you in the midst of your adversity. Call upon Him and He will answer you. When Jesus is with you, nothing can harm you!

Don’t you just love how the Word of God describes the three friends when they came out of the furnace? They were in the fire, but it had absolutely no power over them. It did not even leave a trace of smoke on them! Now, that’s a beautiful picture of God’s divine protection!

Beloved, as you call upon the Lord in your day of trouble, my prayer for you is that the trial you are going through will have no power over you; it will not even leave a smell on you. Instead, I declare in Jesus’ name that you will walk out of that challenge in your life and the only smell on you will be the fragrance of the Lord Jesus (2 Corinthians 2:14)!

And as the people around you witness how the Lord delivers you, may they come to know His wonderful name and give Him praise. Instead of being negatively affected by whatever trial you might face, I pray that you will receive honor and promotion just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Amen!

HALLELUJAH! Here is UNITED with "Another In The Fire":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Resurrection Greatness

. . . He [Jesus] hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he [God] at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? . . . — HEBREWS 1:4-5

God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. — ACTS 13:33

When did Jesus inherit His Name? When was it conferred upon Him?

It was conferred when Jesus was made alive out of spiritual death — when He was raised from the dead.

It was at Jesus’ resurrection that God said, “. . . Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.” And it was after His resurrection that Jesus revealed all authority in Heaven and in earth had been given to Him.

Every statement regarding the fact that Jesus’ Name was inherited or conferred upon Him, shows that Jesus received the greatness of His Name, the fullness of it, after His resurrection from the dead.

Confession: Jesus is Lord. He is risen from the dead, and He is Lord. The power and authority demonstrated in the resurrection abides in the Name and He has given that Name to me.

AMEN! HIS NAME belongs to YOU, If YOU belong to HIM! Here is Brandon Lake with "Tear Off The Roof":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I am sharing another of Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotionals!

By Conquest

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. — COLOSSIANS 2:15

This is a picture of Christ in combat with the hosts of darkness!

A marginal note in my King James Version reads, “He put off from Himself the principalities and the powers.” It is evident that when the demon hosts thought they had Jesus within their power, they intended to overwhelm Him and hold Him in bondage. But when the cry came forth from the throne of God that Jesus had met the demands of Justice — that the sin problem had been settled, and man’s redemption was a fact — and Jesus overthrew the hosts of demons and Satan himself.

I think Rotherham’s translation of Hebrews 2:14 makes it even clearer: “. . . in order that through death He might paralyse him that held the dominion of death, that is the Adversary.” Jesus paralyzed Satan! Jesus put him to naught!

There is authority in the Name of Jesus, because Jesus achieved the authority in His Name by conquest!

Confession: Jesus Christ spoiled principalities and powers. He made an open show of them, triumphing over them in it. Jesus paralyzed Satan and all his cohorts. Therefore, there is authority in the Name of Jesus. And I have a legal right to use that triumphant Name against the forces of the enemy!

AMEN! Here is David Ingles with a very old children's song called "Paralyzed"! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional is the very first devotional that I studied whem I first became a born again believer! I STILL love these little lessons from the Word of God! Today's is here:

By Inheritance

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. — HEBREWS 1:1-4

We cannot measure the vastness of the power and authority in the Name of Jesus without realizing that He inherited that Name from God the Creator.

Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory.

Jesus is the express image of God’s Person — the very outshining of God the Father.

Jesus is the heir of all things. And Jesus inherited His Name. The greatness of His Name is inherited from His Father. So the power of His Name can only be measured by the power of God.

And every believer has inherited the legal right to use the Name of Jesus!

Confession: I know the Name of Jesus has within it the power and authority of the Creator! I know the power in the Name of Jesus can be measured only by the power of God. And I know I have a legal right to use that Name!

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "For Your Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Rick Renner's website devotional:

Is It Time To Get Creative?

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

Let’s talk about what James meant when he said, “But be ye doers of the word….” The word “doers” is taken from the Greek word poietes, the same Greek word used for a poet. This word carries with it the idea of creativity, such as a poet whose personality includes a creative flair. James is telling us that if we can’t easily think of a way to do what has been preached to us, we must get creative! We must find ways to do the Word.

Ephesians 2:10 is another place where a form of this word poietes is used. Paul writes, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.…” The word “workmanship” is the Greek word poiema, which comes from the same root word as poietes.

This tells us that when we were saved, God put forth all His best efforts and creative powers to marvelously fashion and create us in Jesus Christ. Because the word poiema is used in Ephesians 2:10, it unmistakably means that God wielded His fullest, greatest, and most creative powers when we were born again. We weren’t just mildly saved; rather, God took us into His hands and marvelously made us new in Jesus Christ as He released His most powerful creative forces and made us a workmanship that would be worthy to bear His name.

Whether the word poietes is used to depict a poet, as mentioned above, or (in another form) to describe God’s creative power, as in Ephesians 2:10, it always depicts someone putting forth his fullest creative abilities to achieve something. Now James uses this word poietes in James 1:22 to tell us that we must put forth our fullest efforts and most creative abilities in doing what we have heard preached! We cannot passively hope that the Word becomes a part of our lives; we have to get creative and find ways to make the Word a practical part of our lives.

Thus, you could translate these words in James 1:22 to mean:

“If you can’t easily think of ways to do what you’ve heard preached, it’s time for you to get creative! Put all your heart and soul into finding a way to act on what you’ve heard….”

You could also translate it to read:

“It’s time for you to get creative in the ways you do the Word of God….”

It could be that you’re thinking, But I don’t know how to do what has been preached to me!

Don’t worry — the Lord isn’t short on creativity! If you will listen, the Holy Spirit will say, “Here’s an opportunity to apply what you’ve been hearing. Do it!” If you have a heart to truly act on the Word of God, the Holy Spirit will show you ways to do it.

Seek the Lord and allow Him to show you how: To pray for the sick.
To share Jesus with your lost friends.
To bake a cake and take it to the lady next door.
To help your neighbor repair his car.

Spiritual maturity isn’t measured by the number of meetings you’ve attended, how many speakers you’ve heard, how many books you’ve read, or how many tapes you’ve listened to in the past year. You have to take that Word you’ve heard and find a way to make it work in your life. God is looking for people who actually do what they’ve heard preached!

So if you can’t seem to think of practical ways to apply the Word to your life, ask the Holy Spirit to help you. Here’s one thing you can be sure of: The Holy Spirit is never short on ideas about how you can become a “doer” of the Word!

AMEN! I hope that YOU are drawing closer to JESUS every day through prayer, praise & worship, study & meditation of His Word and through intimate fellowship with HIM! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I simply want to share the devotional from The Spoken Word Church website!

Respect the Law of Sowing and Reaping

When a farmer plants corn, he reaps corn. When he plants apple seeds, he produces more apples. When you sow love, you will reap love. If you sow hatred, you will reap the harvest of hatred.

This scriptural law of sowing and reaping is universal. Fools deny it. Rebels defy it. The wise live by it.

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." (Galatians 6:7)

AMEN! Almighty God put the laws of giving and receiving into practice and HE instructs US to continue in it! Here is Brandon Lake and Benjamin William Hastings with "More":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Your True Identity in Christ

“He shall say, ‘Surely in the LORD I have righteousness and strength.’” Isaiah 45:24

I want to share with you this moving praise report from Melissa, a lady from Texas. I believe that you will be greatly blessed and inspired by the journey that she has taken to discover her true identity in Christ.

From a young age, her mother told her she was a nobody like her father and would amount to nothing. She always felt worthless and even more so when she was molested as a child. Without having the love of her father, she desperately sought love in many relationships and partners, which led to a destructive lifestyle of sin, and feelings of deep unhappiness, confusion, and constant emptiness. Here’s what she said:

I didn’t think of going to God and church because people I knew told me, “You’re going to go to hell because of your choices and how you’re living. God’s angry with you. He’s disgusted with you.” This was what I believed about God, and thought there was no way I could come to Him.

Thankfully, I came across your television program when I was channel surfing. You were talking about the finished work of Jesus at the cross, and how much He loves me just as I am. I found that I couldn’t stop listening to the sermon. It was the start of my discovering how God gave His best—His Son, Jesus—for me, so that I could have a relationship with Him as my Daddy God and come into His presence without fear or shame.

At the end of the sermon, you invited us to pray and ask God into our lives if we’d never done it before. I prayed that prayer, and as I was praying, I felt Jesus’ love just overwhelm me, and all the bitterness, confusion, unhappiness, and pain in my life just melted, as you like to say, “like butter.” The dull ache, the frustration, and the gnawing emptiness all just left, and for the first time, a joy I couldn’t explain came in.

Since that time, so many amazing things and blessings have happened. Through experiencing Jesus’ love for me, I’ve been able to forgive my mother, and I’ve come to genuinely love her. I’ve also been able to forgive other family members who had told me I was worthless.

Everything is so different now. I know that Jesus loves me and that He has great plans for me. I see His favor in my life. When I get a little frightened about things or situations in my life, I remember to cast all my cares to God. Even when I make a wrong turn, He always finds a way to bring me back. Whenever I’m in a negative situation, Jesus tells me the outcome is going to be good because He’s there and He’s working on it.

I’ve learned to say, “I’m a new creation. I’m the righteousness of God in Christ. It’s not about what I’ve done but what Jesus has done.” Amazingly, the temptations that held me in the past have all lost their hold. It feels like I’d never lived a destructive lifestyle.

Today, my life testifies that Daddy God loves and saves. More importantly, the change has been effortless—it’s all by the grace of Jesus. It’s had nothing to do with my willpower but the divine power of Christ at work in me. Thank you, Pastor Prince, for unveiling Jesus’ beauty and love for me. I feel so loved by Him and I’m so grateful for His finished work at the cross!

My friend, the lies Melissa believed are the lies that the enemy wants you to believe. When you believe that you are truly a worthless nobody, you will start behaving as if you are a valueless and worthless nobody. That is the negative power of wrong believing.

I have a word in season for you, and I want to challenge you to cultivate a robust revelation of your righteous identity in Christ by repeatedly confessing your righteousness in Christ.

Throughout the day, whether you are driving to work, shopping for groceries, or preparing a meal for your family, just say quietly under your breath, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ. All the promises, blessings, and protection that belong to the righteous are mine” (Proverbs 10:6). This is the key for you to experience lasting breakthroughs in your life!

AMEN! Now go be a DOER of this WORD and watch your heavenly Father work out your BLESSED LIFE! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Bless God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Jerry Savelle Ministries POWERFUL devotional!

God Has Provided Healing

Today, I want to talk about being thankful for God’s provision of healing. We have a covenant right to walk in divine health!

Some people say that God puts sickness and disease on people to teach us something. That is not in the Word! Jesus never said, “I’d sure like to help you, but God told me that He is trying to teach you something.” In fact, the opposite is true.

The Word says that when multitudes of people came to Jesus, He had compassion on them and healed them ALL (Matthew 14:14). Acts 10:38 says, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil.” Not once did Jesus refuse to heal anybody. When a person said, “Master, I know you can heal me if you will,” He didn’t answer, “I know I can too, but I won’t.”

Notice that Mark 16:17-18 says that these signs shall follow the believer; “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” In Exodus 15:26 it says: “I am the Lord that healeth thee.” If you’ll read Psalm 103:2-5, you’ll see that it says He forgives all of our inquities and heals all of our diseases.

When Jesus died at Calvary, He did what Isaiah said He would: bore our sin, our sickness, and our diseases. Jesus became a curse for us. He bore every sickness and disease listed in Deuteronomy 28. After naming all kinds of sicknesses and diseases, it says, “Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law” (Deuteronomy 28:61). From the common cold to cancer – every sickness is under the curse. And, we have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!

God wants you to receive your healing. He doesn’t care whether you go to the physician or to the minister as long as you put His Word first place in your life. According to Proverbs 4:22, the Word is “health to all their flesh.” Begin to put the Word in your heart, confess it, and allow it to be medicine to your flesh.

Jesus Christ is the High Priest of our confession, and He will back His Word. Your symptoms may tell you that you are sick, but God says that you are healed.

Aren’t you glad God doesn’t want you sick? Today, be thankful for God’s provision for healing!

Confession: Thank you Father for providing my healing at Calvary. Health and healing are mine because You have redeemed me from the curse of the law.

AMEN!!! Here is Brandon Lake with "Tear Off The Roof" which is the kind of tenacity and fatih that HE is looking for in US! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Here is Joseph Prince with a GREAT teaching of God's Word concerning "God's Love"! 

It’s All About God’s Love

“Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Luke 7:47

Her story is heartrending. In the Bible’s account, this woman in Luke 7 was described as “a sinner.” Many believe that she was a prostitute. When she came to Jesus, He did not chase her away, humiliate her, or condemn her for her sins. He knew how guilt had been eating her up on the inside and had compassion for her.

As she neared Jesus, she began weeping. Then, she washed His feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, and anointed them with the precious ointment that would have cost her an entire year’s wages. Without hesitation, she lavished it on Jesus’ feet and worshiped Him.

In response, Jesus said that those who know and believe how abundantly God truly loves and has forgiven them will end up loving God very much. Simply put, those who have been forgiven much, love much. Those who have been forgiven little, love little. That’s why the emphasis of the new covenant is not about your love for God; it is about God’s love for you.

Do you see that your love for God in the new covenant is birthed out of a genuine and authentic relationship with Him? It is not a groveling display that is birthed out of the fear of punishment or religious obligation. Under grace, we are able to love God because He first loved us.

That is why people under grace become the holiest people you will ever meet. Their holiness flows out of their love relationship with Jesus! They have experienced His unconditional love in an intimate and personal way that transforms them. They just want to live lives that glorify and honor the name of Jesus.

Friend, we have all been forgiven much, but many don’t know and don’t believe this. Give up on trying to overcome your own failings, mistakes, addictions, and bondages, imagining that God requires this of you before you can come before Him.

When you fail, come to Jesus with boldness and confidence as this woman did. Feel free to weep in His sweet presence and simply worship Him. Pour out everything that is on your heart to Him.

Don’t worry, He will not heap more guilt and condemnation upon you. He will remind you of the cross and say, “Your sins are already forgiven. I have already paid the price for your sins at Calvary. Rest in My forgiveness and love for you.”

HALLELUJAH! We are, of ALL PEOPLE, MOST BLESSED! Here is Brandon Lake with "Fear Is Not My Future"

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Spiritual Service

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. — ROMANS 12:1

“You” are to do something with your body. For if you don’t, nothing will ever be done with it. “You,” the inward man, have become a new man in Christ. “You” have received eternal life. When eternal life — which is the life and nature of God — is imparted to your spirit, it changes “you.”

You won’t have any trouble with “you,” but you will have trouble with the flesh. People say, “You have to die out to the old self.” No, you don’t. That old self is dead, and you have a new self in its place. But what you need to die out to is the flesh.

Isn’t the flesh the old self? No, it isn’t. Your flesh is the outward man, the body. And it’s the same old flesh it was before you were saved!

Your body is the house you live in, and “you” — not God — are the caretaker of that house. “You” do something with your body. You are to present it to God as “. . . a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God . . . .” Another translation concludes this verse with the phrase “. . . which is your spiritual service.”

Confession: I am a new creature in Christ. I hold fast to this confession. And the new man on the inside of me is being manifested on the outside and through the flesh. I dominate my body. I present it to God as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to Him, which is my spiritual service.

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share wagain from Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional. These are some of my favorites and they NEVER get old! 

Spiritual Service

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. — ROMANS 12:1

“You” are to do something with your body. For if you don’t, nothing will ever be done with it. “You,” the inward man, have become a new man in Christ. “You” have received eternal life. When eternal life — which is the life and nature of God — is imparted to your spirit, it changes “you.”

You won’t have any trouble with “you,” but you will have trouble with the flesh. People say, “You have to die out to the old self.” No, you don’t. That old self is dead, and you have a new self in its place. But what you need to die out to is the flesh.

Isn’t the flesh the old self? No, it isn’t. Your flesh is the outward man, the body. And it’s the same old flesh it was before you were saved!

Your body is the house you live in, and “you” — not God — are the caretaker of that house. “You” do something with your body. You are to present it to God as “. . . a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God . . . .” Another translation concludes this verse with the phrase “. . . which is your spiritual service.”

Confession: I am a new creature in Christ. I hold fast to this confession. And the new man on the inside of me is being manifested on the outside and through the flesh. I dominate my body. I present it to God as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to Him, which is my spiritual service.

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "God Is Not Against Me":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

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

Does My Sacrifice Live?

And Abraham built an altar…and bound Isaac his son. — Genesis 22:9

This incident is a picture of the blunder we make in thinking that the final thing God wants of us is the sacrifice of death. What God wants is the sacrifice through death which enables us to do what Jesus did, viz., sacrifice our lives. Not “I am willing to go to death with Thee” but, “I am willing to be identified with Thy death so that I may sacrifice my life to God.” We seem to think that God wants us to give up things! God purified Abraham from this blunder, and the same discipline goes on in our lives. God nowhere tells us to give up things for the sake of giving them up. He tells us to give them up for the sake of the only thing worth having, viz., life with Himself. It is a question of loosening the bands that hinder the life, and immediately those bands are loosened by identification with the death of Jesus, we enter into a relationship with God whereby we can sacrifice our lives to Him.

It is of no value to God to give Him your life for death. He wants you to be a “living sacrifice” to let Him have all your powers that have been saved and sanctified through Jesus. This is the thing that is acceptable to God.

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Rest On Us":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Intimate With Jesus

Have I been so long with you, and yet hast thou not known Me? — John 14:9

These words are not spoken as a rebuke, nor even with surprise; Jesus is leading Philip on. The last One with whom we get intimate is Jesus. Before Pentecost the disciples knew Jesus as the One Who gave them power to conquer demons and to bring about a revival (see Luke 10:18-20). It was a wonderful intimacy, but there was a much closer intimacy to come — “I have called you friends.” Friendship is rare on earth. It means identity in thought and heart and spirit. The whole discipline of life is to enable us to enter into this closest relationship with Jesus Christ. We receive His blessings and know His word, but do we know Him?

Jesus said — “It is expedient for you that I go away” — in that relationship, so that He might lead them on. It is a joy to Jesus when a disciple takes time to step more intimately with Him. Fruit bearing is always mentioned as the manifestation of an intimate union with Jesus Christ (John 15:1-4).

When once we get intimate with Jesus we are never lonely, we never need sympathy, we can pour out all the time without being pathetic. The saint who is intimate with Jesus will never leave impressions of himself, but only the impression that Jesus is having unhindered way, because the last abyss of his nature has been satisfied by Jesus. The only impression left by such a life is that of the strong calm sanity that Our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him.

AMEN! NO ONE will EVER love YOU more than JESUS does! So give HIM all of yours! When you and I give 100% of ourselves to JESUS, we end up with so much more for all of the people in our lives! Here is Brandon Lake with "KIDS" because GOD loves HIS so much more than we even realize! And WE are HIS! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

God’s Wisdom Brings You Promotion

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you." Genesis 41:39–40

In Genesis 39:3–4, we see how when Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph, and that everything he touched prospered, Potiphar immediately promoted Joseph and placed him in charge over all the affairs of his house. Similarly, when Pharaoh saw that the Spirit of God was in Joseph and that there was none who was as wise and as discerning as Joseph, Pharaoh placed him in charge of the whole of Egypt (Genesis 41:38–41).

My friend, I want you to note this: Joseph knew that God was the source of his wisdom. When Pharaoh said, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it,” Joseph immediately replied, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace” (Genesis 41:15–16).

Joseph knew that his wisdom was a result of the Lord’s unmerited favor and would not take any credit for it. Clearly, here was a man who understood grace, and could be trusted with increase, promotion, and more good success.

Observe the wisdom of Joseph in action. Joseph did not just interpret Pharaoh’s dream. He went on to advise Pharaoh on how to take advantage of the seven years of abundance to prepare for the seven years of famine that were revealed in his dream. Did you notice how Joseph’s wise advice led to the creation of a position of influence for himself?

That is how the wisdom of the Lord operates. Proverbs 18:16 says, “A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” Joseph knew that his wisdom was a gift from the Lord. He knew that he did not earn it and that it flowed from the Lord’s unmerited favor toward him.

The Lord’s ways are amazing. See the extent of Joseph’s promotion in Genesis 41. In the space of less than an hour, he rose from a lowly prisoner to the highest possible office in all of Egypt. That, my friend, is the unmerited favor of God! No striving, no self-effort, no compromises, and no manipulation, just pure grace and grace alone made all the difference in Joseph’s life!

Remember that when the Lord is with you, you are a successful person. It may feel like you are in a prison now, stuck in a hopeless situation, cast away and forgotten like Joseph was, but the story is not over yet! The Lord’s promotion is around the corner. Whatever situation you are in right now, do not give up.

If you are caught in a situation where you don’t know what to do, it is time to humble yourself and ask the Lord for wisdom. The Bible says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).

To ask the Lord for wisdom is to say, “I can’t, Lord, but You can. I give up on my own efforts and depend entirely upon your unmerited favor and wisdom.” As you receive His wisdom, riches and honor, as well as long life, will follow after you (Prov. 3:16). Run to Him right now!

AMEN! Our GOD delights to give us HIS Wisdom! After all, HE is the  One Who said "Get wisdom" and "Wisdom is the principle thing"!

Proverbs 4:7 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).  AMP

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Tear Off The Roof":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I we read Psalm 5 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan and I want to encourage you with these verses from that Psalm!

Psalm 5
To the Chief Musician; on wind instruments. A Psalm of David.

3 In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord; in the morning I prepare [a prayer, a sacrifice] for You and watch and wait [for You to speak to my heart].

7 But as for me, I will enter Your house through the abundance of Your steadfast love and mercy; I will worship toward and at Your holy temple in reverent fear and awe of You. 8 Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way level (straight and right) before my face.

11 But let all those who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever sing and shout for joy, because You make a covering over them and defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You and be in high spirits. 12 For You, Lord, will bless the [uncompromisingly] righteous [him who is upright and in right standing with You]; as with a shield You will surround him with goodwill (pleasure and favor).

HALLELUJAH!!! We have a GOOD, GOOD GOD Who cares for us, provides for us, protects us and leads, guides and directs us by His SPIRIT! I pray that you are entering into HIS presence more this yeaar than ever before and learning and growing so that HE can use YOU to do GREAT THINGS for HIS KINGDOM! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "A Thousand Hallelujahs" because HE is WORTHY of them ALL! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional from New Years Day!

You Matter to God!

He calls his own sheep by name. John 10:3

Do you sometimes feel like you are just a face in a crowd or a number in a system? You are identified by your social security number. Even when you see the doctor, you are called by your queue number. If you feel depersonalized and dehumanized, that is exactly how the devil wants you to feel—that you do not matter much to anyone, especially to God.

But you do matter to God! He calls you by name. He knows exactly what you are going through and where you are hurting. He sees you and cares for you, just as He cared for the people when He first walked on earth.

My friend, He will do for you what He did for the woman in Samaria. The Bible says that “He needed to go through Samaria” to get from Judea to Galilee (John 4:4).

Now, any Jew of His day would have taken a different and longer route to avoid going through Samaria because they hated the Samaritans, though the way through Samaria would have taken much less time. But Jesus deliberately took the shorter, avoided route, just so He could stop by Samaria to speak to the woman who had been searching for something in her life to satisfy her.

This woman had had five husbands and the man she was living with was not her husband. Clearly, things had not been going right in her life. She was probably looking for answers and fulfillment, and must have felt ashamed about her failed marriages and current lifestyle.

Yet, in spite of all this, she mattered to Jesus! He needed to go to her to minister to her. And indeed, after she met Jesus, the perfect Man, she was transformed. She was no longer ashamed, and went into the city to tell the people about Him (John 4:28–29).

Beloved, Jesus wants to meet you wherever you are at in life and minister His grace to you. You certainly matter to Him. He came to give you life and life more abundantly (John 10:10).

You are not just a face in a crowd or a number. No, He knows you by name and has a personal love for you. And in spite of the mess that you might be in, He wants to meet your every need and make your life beautiful!

AMEN! THAT is the MOST exciting thing asbout belonging to JESUS! HE loved ME FIRST!!! Here is Brooke ligertwood with "What A Wonderful Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Taking Authority Over Your Flesh

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. — Romans 6:12

Since this is a week when you’re thinking about New Year’s resolutions, I want to go ahead and hit hard on the subject of losing those extra pounds you might think about all the time!

Have you stood in front of the mirror and lamented about the double chin that has appeared under your face in the past few years? Perhaps you spend time each morning despairing over the roll around your waist that bulges over your belt. Instead of enjoying your clothes as you once did, you may find yourself turning this way and that way as you look in the mirror to see if the bulge shows through your clothes. Or you may be one who has shifted to wearing dark colors because you’re trying to hide your real size. How many times have you asked your spouse or someone else whether you look too fat in the outfit you’re wearing?

It is amazing how long human beings will tolerate something before they finally decide to take action. I can personally vouch for what I am writing because I struggled with my weight for many years. Day after day, I’d look in the mirror, feel disgusted with myself, and then ask Denise how I looked — expecting her to confirm how terrible I felt about my appearance. When I got out of bed in the mornings, I’d run to the bathroom to step on the scales to see if I was bigger or smaller than the day before.

This fixation on weight completely controlled me. I felt trapped. Instead of exercising restraint, I felt hopeless to overcome. So when it was time to eat, I’d eat anything I wanted, which resulted in gaining more weight and feeling even more down in the dumps about my physical appearance. The truth is, I was in a prison in this area of my weight, like so many others are in today, and I didn’t know how to get out.

Instead of accepting responsibility for my condition, I’d blame my weight gain on pastors who wanted to take me out to eat and enjoy a time of fellowship after evening church services. Night after night, I would find myself eating in restaurants late in the evening. But instead of exercising self-control, I’d order hamburgers with extra mayonnaise, French fries with “tons” of ketchup, and a large-size Coke, topped off with a dessert — and then I’d head to my hotel to go to bed. Then before I fell asleep, I’d mentally beat myself up for eating so badly and would swear before God that I was going to start doing better and losing weight the next day.

But time after time and year after year, I kept struggling with my weight. It was up and down, up and down! And when people would see me for the first time in a few years, I’d think they were looking me over to see if I was bigger or smaller than the last time they had seen me. It was a tormenting thought that deeply bothered me.

I was totally disgusted with myself regarding this area of my life. I was exhausted with fretting about how my clothes fit or what others thought of my size. But at long last, I came to a place where I decided enough was enough!

The big change in me started one day as I was looking in the mirror and thinking about how terrible I looked and how food had been ruling my life. Suddenly the Holy Spirit quickened Romans 6:12 to my heart: “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”

It was like a bolt of divine revelation shot through me — and in that split second, I knew that my allowing food to control me and to lord itself over my life was a sin. Until that day, I had called it a personal problem, a hang-up, and a struggle. But in that moment, I saw it as God saw it. It was much more than a personal hang-up — it was sin calling the shots in my life. The day I recognized this truth was a landmark day in my spiritual walk, for I realized God was calling me to repent and to change. He didn’t want me to feel badly about myself — but, most importantly, He didn’t want anything ruling my life other than the Lord Jesus Christ. That day I repented — and when I did, those wrong eating habits immediately began to lose lordship over my life.

I’m so thankful the Holy Spirit reminded me of Romans 6:12, where it says, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof,” the word “reign” is the Greek word basileuo, which is the very old Greek word for a king or one who rules supreme. It is the picture of a mighty ruler who makes all the decisions, calls all the shots, and controls and completely governs his subjects. This verse described my situation well, for I was definitely being ruled by food. Even though I loved Jesus with all my heart, it was simply a fact that He was not Lord over my eating habits!

But in Romans 6:12, God tells us, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body.…” Notice it says, “Let not.…” The Greek tense used for “Let not” is an authoritative prohibition ordering us to put an end to something immediately. A correct interpretive translation could read, “I want you to stop this and stop it right now!”

When I understood that God was saying, “Stop it and stop it right now,” I knew I had the power to change my behavior. God wouldn’t tell me to stop something if I didn’t have the power to stop it. Therefore, He was making me responsible to do something about food ruling as a king in my life. It was time for me to quit complaining, moaning, fretting, and condemning myself about how I looked and to finally take action.

Instead of listening to the commands of my flesh to overeat and to eat the wrong types of food, it was time for my flesh to listen to me! It was up to me to make a firm, heartfelt decision to repent from this wrong lordship in my life and allow Jesus to step back on the throne of my life to rule my flesh in the area of food. As I did my part, the Holy Spirit would rise up inside me, and His grace would enable me to make sure this sin never ruled me or called the shots in my life again!

How about you? Does this discussion sound personally familiar to you? If it does, I’m wondering if you are weary of feeling badly about yourself or being constantly fixated on your weight. If so, it’s time to ask yourself, Am I ready to put an end to the way food has ruled me physically and emotionally?

“Yes, that’s me! I’m ready for a real change!” If that’s your answer, today Jesus wants to assume His position over your appetite and physique. He wants to be Lord in this area of your life. If you’ll confess that you’ve allowed this sin to rule your flesh — and then genuinely repent of it — I assure you that the Holy Spirit will help you carry out that decision. And as Jesus takes control, it won’t be long until your body will begin to return to its God-ordained size and you’ll begin to feel good about yourself again. It makes such a huge difference in our lives when we allow Jesus to rule our mortal flesh!

I shared my personal experience with you today because I know many people are making New Year’s resolutions at this time of year about losing weight. Jesus can give you the same victory He has given to so many others. All it takes is a decision to turn from what you have been doing and let Jesus be Lord in this area of your life. You may have to follow a diet or learn to eat the right kinds of foods, but it all starts with a decision.

Just determine today that you are going to willingly obey, step by step, whatever Jesus asks you to do to get your appetite and your physical condition back under His control. If you’ll make that heartfelt, sincere, and firm decision today, the Holy Spirit will empower you to eat right and to take the right steps on the road to a healthier lifestyle in your walk with God!

AMEN! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Bless God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this from Jerry Savelle Ministries!

Rejoice!

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV

When we are in the midst of a trial, we are oftentimes so focused on what is happening to us that we aren’t looking for the way out. We spend our time talking about the problem rather than doing what God’s Word instructs us to do: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4 NKJV).

You may ask, “Why does God want us to rejoice?” Because, according to Nehemiah 8:10, the joy of the Lord is our strength. If we don’t have joy, we won’t have strength.

Joy comes from the Word of God, and we must read the Word constantly to maintain that joy. As human beings, we have the physical need for sleep, but the devil doesn’t. The moment we open our eyes each day he’s sure to be there waiting to say, “You’re not going to make it. This trial is too much for you. You might as well just give up.”

But guess what? The devil doesn’t have any defense against joy.

Let me tell you what it means to rejoice. One meaning of the Hebrew word rejoice is “to brighten up.” In other words, put a big smile on your face whether you feel like it or not. Another meaning of the word rejoice is “to spin around,” and a third meaning is “to leap.” So, the next time you are facing a trial, here’s how to respond: smile, spin, and leap. Or simply put—rejoice!

Confession: My God is a faithful God who has already made a way of escape for me in every trial and temptation. Therefore, I choose to always rejoice in the Lord, knowing the devil has no defense against the joy of the Lord, which is my strength.

AMEN!!! mStir up YOUR JOY and put the decvil on the run! Here, to help you do that, is Brandon Lake with "That's Who I Praise":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this New Years Day message fromour partner Kenneth Copeland!

A Happy New Year

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13

Today people everywhere are gathering together to celebrate the first bright moments of the new year.

Yet, for thousands of others, this day will be the toughest 24 hours of their lives. For those people, New Year's Day will serve only as a dim reminder of loneliness and loss. It will simply mark the beginning of another year of failure.

What about you? What's this year really going to be like for you?

You may appear to be happy enough. You may be passing out seasonal smiles and holiday greetings just like everyone else. But inside, you may hurt. You may be disappointed. You may even feel like you can't go on.

If so, I want you to know something. All of that can change in an instant. You can start your life over today and make this New Year's Day the most joyful day of your life!

How many times have you said to yourself, "If I could just start over, I'd do it all differently"? That doesn't have to be simply an idle wish. Jesus Christ has actually made it possible. That's His Christmas present to you. He paid the price for all your sins. He paid the penalty for all your mistakes.

That's the reason He came to earth. That's the reason He was born—so you could start over!

You may look at your life and say, "But I've made some terrible mistakes. I've done some despicable things." That doesn't matter. Jesus paid the price for them all!

How can you make a new start? Romans 10:9 says that "if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." It's as easy as saying, "Jesus, I'm turning my life over to You. From this day forward I'm Yours."

What better time to turn your life around than on this first day of the new year. Right now, wherever you are, just give your life to Jesus. Then jump up and down and holler, "Praise God, I'm starting all over!" And find out what it really means to have a happy new year!

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "Gratitude":

Shalom in Him!