Shalom,

I want to share our Spoken Word Church websitre devotional again today! This is SO good!

Don't Limit God

You are the creation. He is your Creator. You cannot out think the One who made you. He delights in performing the impossible. He turns sickness into health. Poverty into prosperity. Tears into laughter.

Jesus is the Master of the turn around. Don't underestimate the Great I Am.

"And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible." (Mark 10:27)

AMEN! JESUS turns anything and everything bad into something GOOD when we trust in HIM! Romans 8:28 promises us this:

  28 We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. 

Now THAT is a GREAT promise! There is NOTHING that we can EVER face that JESUS can't turn completely around and work it for OUR benefit! He LOVES us THAT much! Here is Hillsong with "Love So Great":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Nothing to Lose

Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. Isaiah 3:10-11

Have you ever been afraid to give yourself totally to the Lord because you think you might be deprived of some pleasure in this life? Chances are, you have. That's because Satan is working overtime to convince you that he can really make your life worth living. But don't believe him for a minute. The real truth is, yielding completely to the Lord won't cost you anything that's worth having. It will only cause you to live life to its fullest!

Jesus' life on earth was a perfect example of a totally yielded life. He was a walking example of the benefits godly living brings. Everywhere He went, Jesus made the deaf to hear, the blind to see, the lame to walk. He lived in perfect peace and absolute victory.

That all sounds pretty good to me. All He missed out on was the devil getting dominion over Him to steal, kill and destroy. In fact, the devil couldn't do anything to Him until, by the Father's will, He laid down His life. Until that time Jesus walked in total victory over the enemy.

Do you think you would miss out on a lot if you lived that way? Of course not! You can walk in that same anointing and power and glory of God that Jesus did.

Do you have to give up your whole life to do it? Yes! You have to trade your life for the life of God. You have to trade your sickness for His healing, your poverty for His prosperity, your anxiety for His peace, your sin for His salvation.

So why hesitate? When it gets right down to it, you really have nothing to lose.

AMEN! Never forget that the Word of God IS TRUTH! John 17:17:

17 Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth.

ALWAYS choose the TRUTH over what your sneses tell you! Go with the Word of God and you will never fail! Here is Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share The Spoken Word Church website devotional again today because it is SO powerful!

Celebrate The Healer

Sickness comes from Satan. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. God really wants you to be well, healthy and whole. Jesus has already paid the price through the stripes He bore on Calvary.

Celebrate His healing presence through you right now.

"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; for God was with him." (Acts 10:38)

AMEN! Refuse to allow sickness, disease, weakness or infirmity to saty on or in your body! Speak God's Word over your body and allow HIM to confirm His Word in your life! Here are Hillsong Kids with "Ask, Seek, Knock":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Give More—Not Less

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. Proverbs 11:24

When money gets tight, it's always a temptation to cut down on your giving. After all, it seems like the logical thing to do. Don't do it! You'll end up cutting off the flow of God's financial blessings just when you need them most.

I faced that kind of situation just a few years ago. This ministry had fallen behind financially—$1 million to be exact. Gloria and I had been living by faith for 20 years at that time. We knew firsthand that God would meet our needs—"according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). We'd seen God prove that over and over again, not only in our personal lives but in the life of our ministry as well.

Yet this particular time, all the prayers and the faith that had brought us victory before just didn't seem to get the job done. In fact, as time went on, the situation grew worse instead of better.

By the end of the year our deficit had grown to be $1 million.

Frustrated and weary, I finally went to God one day and laid the situation out before Him. "Lord," I said, "You see the condition of this ministry. I need $1 million just to break even."

"Oh no, you don't!" the Lord replied.

Hadn't He looked at the books? Hadn't He talked to my accountant? I was stumped. All I could figure was that I'd misunderstood something. So I went through it all again.

Again He said, Oh no, you don't.

Despite my initial confusion, as I kept asking and listening, I began to understand what the Lord was telling me. He was saying that the red ink on the books wasn't the only thing wrong. There was a bigger problem behind it.

Then He showed me what I needed to do was to start giving 10 percent of the ministry's income into ministering to the poor.

To the natural mind that looked like no solution at all. How do you solve a deficit by giving away what money you've got? But when I applied that solution, the $1 million deficit began to disappear.

Remember that next time the devil tries to put the squeeze on you. Break his hold on your finances by giving more instead of less. It won't be long until the prosperity of God is poured out on you!

AMEN! I have found this to be so true! At any time of need I have chosen to GIVE MORE and HE has ALWAYS come through for me in a greater way than I ever even imagined! Learn to dream big and give big! We can NEVER outgive GOD! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong with "Echoes (Til We See The Other Side)":

VERSE 1: We will sing We will dance Till the earth echoes the heavens Sing His praise Till we see the other side VERSE 2: ‘Cause we belong to the light So when the night is at its darkest Just hold on for the dawn will soon arrive CHORUS 1: Can you feel the winds are changing There’s a new day on the rise And the atmosphere is breaking As the new world comes to life We will sing We will dance Till the earth echoes the heavens Sing His praise Till we see the other side TAG: I’ve got a feeling The darkness won’t last very longCHORUS 2: Let a sleeping world awaken There’s a new day on the rise And the enemy is shaking As the graveyards spring to life We will sing We will dance Till the earth echoes the heavens Sing His praise Till we see the other side

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from our Spoken Word Church website devotional!

Excpect A Turnoaround

Today is not permanent. Your worst circumstances today are subject to change. God is stepping into the arena of your life. He is turning the tide in your favor.

You are never as far from a miracle as it first appears.

"Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." (Isaiah 40:4-5)

AMEN! Every natural thing that you see is SUBJECT TO CHANGE! Find what the Word of god has to say concerning every situation that you face, and then meditate on that promise until it becomes so real to you that doubts don't have a chance to stay! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I AM":

Shalom inHim!

Shalom,

I really love the honesty of Kenneth E. Hagin in today's "Faith Food" devotional! He acknowledges how he missed it inprayer as he was learning to trust the inward witness of the Spirit of God within Him! THIS is a lesson we all must know!

On The Inside

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle . . . . — PSALM 32:8,9

I knew by the inward witness that I should go back to that church. And I knew my wife also had the inward witness to go back. But I still wanted the Lord to move in some “supernatural” way to confirm it. (I was only twenty-three years old at the time.) I wanted God to give me a word, tongues and interpretation, prophecy — or maybe even write up in the sky, “GO TO THAT PLACE!”

So I fasted and prayed three days. The third day I was on my knees, bawling, squalling, and begging, because I didn’t know any better, “Ohh, dear God . . .”

And God said to me — for He leads by an inward voice as well as by an inward witness — “Get up from there and quit acting like that!”

I got up! But I said, “Lord, if You would just give me a supernatural sign, I’d feel better about going back to that church.”

He replied, “You have all I’m going to give you! You don’t need any sign. You don’t need any writing in the sky. You don’t need tongues and interpretation, or prophecy. You know on the inside what to do. Now do it!”

Confession: The eyes of my understanding are being enlightened. I know on the inside what to do. God leads me by that wonderful inward witness. And I listen to it!

AMEN! TRUST Him! He will never lead you astray or leave you helpless! Here is Hillsong Worship with "See The Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Speak to Your Mountain

Your mountain is any problem that you are facing. Address it with authority and command it to move in the Name of Jesus.

Every mountain is a servant to your faith. It must obey. Few have mastered the art of verbally commanding their mountains to move. Losers talk about their mountain. Champions talk to their mountain.

"For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith." (Mark 11:23)

AMEN! BE a CHAMPION and NOT a LOSER by speaking TO the mountains in your life and not ABOUT them! Here is Hillsong with an older song called "Faith":

Verse: I'm reaching for the prize I'm giving everything give my life for this It's what I live for Nothing will keep me from All that You have for me You hold my head up high I live for You Pre-Chorus: Greater is He That's living in me Than he that is in the world Chorus: Faith I can move the mountain I can do all things through Christ I know Faith Standing and believing I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin reveals another great TRUTH about God's plans and purposes for our lives!

Abundant Provision

. . . Let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. — PSALM 35:27

Here’s something else the Lord said to me during the vision I had in February 1959. It was not just for my benefit, but for yours too.

He said, “If you will learn to follow that inward witness in all areas of your life, I will make you rich. I will guide you in all the affairs of life— financial as well as spiritual. I’m not opposed to my children being rich. I am opposed to their being covetous.” (Some people think the Lord is interested only in their spiritual life — nothing else — but He’s interested in everything we’re interested in.)

The Lord has done for me exactly what He said He would do — He has made me rich. Am I a millionaire? No. That’s not what the word “rich” means. “Rich” means a full supply. It means an abundant provision. I’ve got more than a full supply. I’ve got more than an abundant provision. It’s because I learned to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit — and this guidance came to me by the inward witness.

God will make you rich, too, if you’ll learn to listen to the inward witness! Jesus said to me in that vision, “Now you go teach My people how to be led by My Spirit.”

Confession: The Spirit of God is leading me in all the affairs of life. He is leading me in spiritual matters. He is leading me in financial matters. And I am listening to the inward witness.

AMEN! There is NOTHING that can keep us from operating in God's richest and best provision when WE know who WE are - IN HIM! Learn to EXPECT His supernatural intervention in every area of your life that YOU surrender to HIM! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "See The Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I am always really blessed and encouraged by today's devotional on The Spoken Word Church website!

Hold Out For the Best

Cling to the promises of God. The God of the Bible. Don't be enticed into accepting less than God's very best for your life. Substitutions are common satanic ploys. Jesus was proof that God cared enough to send His best.

Your faith and trust in God's Word cannot respond to two targets. So, never consider any alternative to your miracle.

"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." (James 1:6-8)

AMEN! We KNOW from John 10:10 just how much the Lord our God desires to bless us!

10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

SO, dare to BELIEVE and RECEIVE all that HE has for you! Here are Hillsong Kids with "This Is Living":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith To Faith" devotional by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland contains a very important lesson for every believer! We are not to look at things the way the world does, but the way the WORD does! We are not to react the way the world does, but the way the WORD reveals to us! 

Your Deadly Enemy

I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again.... 1 Thessalonians 4:13

Many of us, even though we're believers, have seen grief and sorrow as such a natural part of life that we haven't even questioned them. In fact, if we're honest, we'd have to admit there are times when we actually want to feel sad and sorry for ourselves.

Why would we choose to feel sorrow? Because sorrow has an emotional kick to it. It offers a surge of feeling that, in the beginning stages, is almost intoxicating.

But grief and sorrow are dangerous things. Several years ago God showed me that they're not the innocent emotions we've thought they were. The forces behind these emotions are actually spirit beings sent by the devil himself to kill, steal and destroy.

They are a part of the devastating, satanic barrage Jesus took on Himself when He died on the cross (Isaiah 53). He bore grief and sorrow, so we wouldn't have to. If they come knocking on your door, remember, they are not innocent emotions. They are deadly enemies that Jesus already carried away at Calvary.

Don't live as those who have no hope. You're a believer. You know that Jesus Christ died for you and rose again. That not only gives you hope where physical death is concerned, it gives you hope in every situation. Sorrow not!

AMEN! Let's be ever ready to be the LIGHT in our world and to offer REAL help to people and not simply temporary powerless words! Here is a very encouraging song by Hillsong Kids called "I Give You My Hallelujah":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Sparkling Gems From The Greek" Volume 2 by Rick Renner is a very powerful message for each one of us! 

No Open Doors!

Neither give place to the devil. — Ephesians 4:27

Have you ever felt like you were under spiritual attack or that the devil was trying to wage a vicious warfare against your very existence? Today I want to talk to you about doing all you can to keep every door shut to the enemy so he is unable to find easy access into your life.

I can personally testify to many attacks that have come against our ministry and family as we have pressed forward to take new territory for the Kingdom of God over the years. I have learned that the enemy is always looking for ways to sabotage anything that is of significance to the overall plan of God. Therefore, we have had to stand our ground and fight many times. Part of a long-term protection plan against the enemy’s attacks has been making sure that we left no open doors for the enemy to find easy access to us or our ministry. Believe me when I tell you that the devil is trying find a way to sabotage everything good — so we don’t need to help him by leaving a door open for him!

Even as I write this, I am thinking of Denise and her habit of locking the doors every night before we go to bed. Even when she is home during the day, she keeps the doors locked. No one enters our home who isn’t invited. When someone arrives, they must ring the doorbell to announce his or her arrival. After we invite the visitor in, the door is locked again. Denise’s safeguarding of our home once seemed over-protective to me, but then came the time when a stranger tried to enter our home, which made me very thankful that my wife was so careful about keeping the doors locked. I can assure you that it would be very difficult for someone to enter our house without permission.

The one time a stranger tried to find entry into our home, an employee escorted him off the property. Even so, the intruder lingered a long time behind our home, waiting for our attention to drop so he could try once again to get back onto the property. But we stayed alert and didn’t relax our guard until that intruder was long gone. Had we not been diligent to stay alert on that occasion, I’m sure it would have been only a short time before the person started trying to find entrance to our home again. But a locked door and an alert attitude kept our home from being penetrated by an unwanted guest.

It may seem like a simplistic example, but an “open door” is exactly what the devil is looking for in each of our lives. If we are diligent to keep the doors to our lives locked, it makes it much more difficult for the devil to find access to us. This is one reason the apostle Paul wrote, “Neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27). This verse is full of insight about how the devil operates, and it explicitly tells us what our part is in keeping the devil from finding a way into our lives. Let’s look at this verse and see what it tells us.

First, when Paul wrote, “Neither give place to the devil,” it was not a suggestion; it was a command. If you’ve ever come under spiritual assault and found the devil in the middle of your affairs, you know that it’s much easier to stop the enemy at the doorway than to try to find a way to extract him once he has found an access point to worm his way into an area of your life.

That’s why Paul so urgently warned you to give the devil no “place.” In other words, keep on alert so the enemy can’t freely access your life. Believe me, just like the stranger who lingered in the back of our property, waiting for us to drop our guard and relax our level of alertness, the devil will linger a long time to see if you are truly serious about keeping him out of your life.

When Paul told us to give the devil no place, that word “place” is the Greek word topos. It describes a specific, marked-off location. But rather than a physical location that we use a map to identify, this “place” may refer to a rough spot in our relationships, our finances, our thoughts, or our personal habits or to lingering areas of disobedience. Whatever it is, it’s an identifiable location that the devil seeks to find and use as an open door into our lives.

If the door is closed, you’re already in good condition. If it’s locked because you are living a life of holiness and obedience, you are even in better condition. But if you are living loosely, you need to know that the door is not only unlocked — it is likely standing wide open, literally inviting the enemy to come in and wreak havoc in your life! This is why you must be so circumspect in answering the question: Are there any open doors I need to close that allow the enemy access to my life?

We need to be serious about our lives because the devil is always looking for a door, a window, or a crack — an entry point — through which he can access us. We must circumspectly look at our lives to see if there is any area we have left open or unguarded that has allowed the devil to find a way to attack us. These types of “places” are the open doors he seeks in our lives.

The word “devil” in Ephesians 4:27 leaves no question about the devil’s intention to attack us as believers. It is the Greek word diabolos, which is a compound of dia and ballo. The word dia means through, as in all the way through an object. This second part of the word “devil” is from the word ballo, which means to throw, to hurl, to inject, or even to beat. When these two words are compounded to form the word diabolos, the new word categorically means that the devil is one who strikes repetitiously — trying to find a way to break through into our worlds and mess up our lives.

This word diabolos vividly reveals the devil’s tenacity. He is so committed to our destruction that if he doesn’t easily find his way into our lives, he will linger and wait for us to drop our guard so he can try again, perhaps from another vantage point. The Greek emphatically means he’ll even try to beat his way inside if that is what is required of him.

The devil is more committed to attack than most of us are to withstand him. That’s why he is often so successful in the warfare he wages against us. And that is why the apostle Paul commands us

Since we know the devil is going to try to find a way to gain entry into our lives, we must use the weapons of warfare God has given us to resist him (see Ephesians 6:10-18). But it is likewise essential that we diligently and continually keep watch over our lives on a sustained and continual basis, looking for any open doors we may have left open that would make it easier for the enemy to find entrance.

One thing is certain: Living a life of obedience shuts every door and makes it very difficult for the devil to find entry into our lives. On the other hand, we must also acknowledge that if we are living in disobedience in any area of our lives, those areas may become the very entry points by which the devil gains access to try to disturb our peace and stop our forward momentum.

I realize that many attacks we experience can be attributed to the devil acting in accordance with his own evil nature. But the truth is, many times we have left a door open that allows the enemy to find his way into our lives and launch his fiery darts from an inside position. It’s up to us to do all we can to shut every door and to make sure they stay shut. And during those times we are under attack, it would behoove us to ask: “Holy Spirit, is there is any area in my life where I’ve left a door open and allowed this intruder to find his way in?” Before we take authority over the devil in the name of Jesus, let’s do all we can to find the access point and STOP him at the door!

If you are under attack, you can stand strong in the Lord, confident that the weapons of warfare given to you will enable you to successfully repel the enemy in the name of Jesus Christ. But if you have knowingly, negligently, or ignorantly left a door open that allows the enemy access, there is always the possibility of a successful attack against your life. So I urge you to follow Denise’s example. Spiritually close the door — and then keep it locked so no demonic attack will find its way into your affairs!

AMEN! It is completely OUR responsibility to guard are own hearts, which are made up of our recreated, Holy Spirit indwelt spirits and our soul, which includes our mind, emoitons and will. GOD has given us all the authority that we need to keep the enemy out and to keep the door of fellowship open to the One, True God through His Spirit Who lives in us!It IS a matter of CHOICE and DECISION for us! I hope that YOU will heed the warnings here and protect your life from the one who desires ONLY to steal, kill and destroy! AMEN! Here are Hillsong Kids with "As The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers may not be a very powerful message to SOME reading here, but it isw MOST POWERFUL in the light of our eternal rewards in Heaven!

The Spiritually Self-Seeking Church

…till we all come…to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ… —Ephesians 4:13

Reconciliation means the restoring of the relationship between the entire human race and God, putting it back to what God designed it to be. This is what Jesus Christ did in redemption. The church ceases to be spiritual when it becomes self-seeking, only interested in the development of its own organization. The reconciliation of the human race according to His plan means realizing Him not only in our lives individually, but also in our lives collectively. Jesus Christ sent apostles and teachers for this very purpose— that the corporate Person of Christ and His church, made up of many members, might be brought into being and made known. We are not here to develop a spiritual life of our own, or to enjoy a quiet spiritual retreat. We are here to have the full realization of Jesus Christ, for the purpose of building His body.

Am I building up the body of Christ, or am I only concerned about my own personal development? The essential thing is my personal relationship with Jesus Christ— “…that I may know Him…” (Philippians 3:10). To fulfill God’s perfect design for me requires my total surrender— complete abandonment of myself to Him. Whenever I only want things for myself, the relationship is distorted. And I will suffer great humiliation once I come to acknowledge and understand that I have not really been concerned about realizing Jesus Christ Himself, but only concerned with knowing what He has done for me.

My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace,
Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God.

Am I measuring my life by this standard or by something less?

THIS was a real eye-opener for ME! It is human nature for us to care about what others think of us. I DID learn early on in my walk with God that the ONLY opinioon that REALLY matters is what my God the Son, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit think of ME! HE will cause everything else to be taken care of when I trust completely in HIM! Probverbs 16:7 says this:  

7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Let's continue to TRUST HIM for that! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Here's To The One":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I REALLY love today's "My Utmost For His  Highest" by Oswald Chambers! This IS my greatest desire!

The Spiritual Saint

That I may know Him. — Philippians 3:10

The initiative of the saint is not towards self-realisation, but towards knowing Jesus Christ. The spiritual saint never believes circumstances to be haphazard, or thinks of his life as secular and sacred; he sees everything he is dumped down in as the means of securing the knowledge of Jesus Christ. There is a reckless abandonment about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we shall realize Jesus Christ in every domain of life, and He will bring us back to the same point again and again until we do. Self-realisation leads to the enthronement of work; whereas the saint enthrones Jesus Christ in his work. Whether it be eating or drinking or washing disciples’ feet, whatever it is, we have to take the initiative of realizing Jesus Christ in it. Every phase of our actual life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realised His relationship to the Father even in the most menial work. “Jesus knowing…that He was come from God, and went to God;…took a towel,…and began to wash the disciples’ feet.”

The aim of the spiritual saint is “that I may know Him.” Do I know Him where I am to-day? If not, I am failing Him. I am here not to realise myself, but to know Jesus. In Christian work the initiative is too often the realisation that something has to be done and I must do it. That is never the attitude of the spiritual saint, his aim is to secure the realisation of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances he is in.

SO much of what many believers do 'for JESUS' is what they THINK He wants or what others expect of them. What HE really wants is for us to KNOW HIM! To know HIM so well that His thoughts become our thoughts! We will think like HIM! So, He communicates with us at the speed of thought! THAT is how a born again, Spirit-filled believer is SUPPOSED to operate! So that our moment by moment communion with, and obedience to, Him is just like breathing! Just as natural! The supernatural becoming OUR natural! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with one of my new favorite songs called "Bright As The Sun":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is another great lesson!

The Spiritually Lazy Saint

Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together… —Hebrews 10:24-25

We are all capable of being spiritually lazy saints. We want to stay off the rough roads of life, and our primary objective is to secure a peaceful retreat from the world. The ideas put forth in these verses from Hebrews 10 are those of stirring up one another and of keeping ourselves together. Both of these require initiative— our willingness to take the first step toward Christ-realization, not the initiative toward self-realization. To live a distant, withdrawn, and secluded life is diametrically opposed to spirituality as Jesus Christ taught it.

The true test of our spirituality occurs when we come up against injustice, degradation, ingratitude, and turmoil, all of which have the tendency to make us spiritually lazy. While being tested, we want to use prayer and Bible reading for the purpose of finding a quiet retreat. We use God only for the sake of getting peace and joy. We seek only our enjoyment of Jesus Christ, not a true realization of Him. This is the first step in the wrong direction. All these things we are seeking are simply effects, and yet we try to make them causes.

“Yes, I think it is right,” Peter said, “…to stir you up by reminding you…” (2 Peter 1:13). It is a most disturbing thing to be hit squarely in the stomach by someone being used of God to stir us up— someone who is full of spiritual activity. Simple active work and spiritual activity are not the same thing. Active work can actually be the counterfeit of spiritual activity. The real danger in spiritual laziness is that we do not want to be stirred up— all we want to hear about is a spiritual retirement from the world. Yet Jesus Christ never encourages the idea of retirement— He says, “Go and tell My brethren…” (Matthew 28:10).

AMEN! Here are Hillsong Kids with "":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I was really blessed by Rick Renner's "Sparkling Gems From The Greek - Volume 2" today! 

Jesus Christ the Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. — Hebrews 13:8

Do you ever feel like the world is shifting and swirling so fast that it is different from one day to the next? It is simply a fact that we live in an age when everything seems to be changing before our eyes. In fact, technology develops so quickly that if I listed devices that represent the “new” technology of today, whatever I wrote down would be outdated before this book is printed!

Not only have we seen technologies change quickly, but we have also seen politics and political parties, national and international boundaries, and currencies change — and the list goes on and on. And in the midst of this climate of sweeping changes that the world is caught up in, scores of people have been swept into a seismic shift in core biblical values and morals, even concerning the most basic tenets of faith. These changes are occurring at an alarming rate, but we should not be surprised by it, because the Holy Spirit warned us 2,000 years in advance that this would occur in the very last part of the last days. Perhaps the shock we feel is that so many are abandoning former positions of faith to embrace new ones at what seems to be such lightning speed.

In the midst of this ever-changing environment, it is good to remember that there is one thing that never changes — and that is Jesus Christ! He was in the past exactly who He is in the present and precisely who He will be forever! That’s why Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Today I want us to focus on this verse, because it shows the immutability of Jesus Christ!

The Greek word for the “same” emphatically states that Jesus Christ is unchangeable! What good news this is in a world where things are changing at lightning speed! Jesus Christ is the one Person we can depend on to be the same, regardless of the time or the spirit of the age. We don’t need to refigure who Jesus is, what He thinks, or what His message is, because He is the same — and everything He represents is the same — yesterday, today, and forever!

The word “yesterday” is the Greek word exthes, and it depicts all time that ever was up until this present moment. It describes the past. The word “today” is the Greek word semeron, and it means today or at this very moment or this current age. It depicts the present. But in the Bible when the words “yesterday and today” are used in one phrase, as they are used here, it also portrays continuity.

The words “yesterday and today” are an Old Testament expression to denote continuity (see Exodus 5:14; 2 Samuel 15:20). So here we find that Jesus isn’t one way in the past and another way in the present. Whoever He was in the past is exactly who He is in the present. There is continuity in Jesus Christ! Therefore, if you discover Jesus of the past, you have also discovered Jesus of the present, and you have discovered Jesus of the future, because He is continuously the same. The word “forever” in Greek means into all the ages of the future. This phrase depicts all future time to come, including all ages that will ever be known. Hence, it describes the future.

Hebrews 13:8 carries this idea:

“Jesus Christ is the exactly the same in the past, in the present, and in the future.”

I don’t know about you, but I am so thankful that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for all future ages! With all the sweeping changes happening in the world right now, I thank God that Jesus isn’t one of them! Whoever He was in the past is who He is in the present and who He will be forever!

So in light of this wonderful truth, I want to advise you to dig deep into your Bible — particularly into the four gospels where Jesus is so vividly portrayed. The Jesus you find in the four gospels will be the same forever. What Jesus said and did in those four gospels is exactly what He is saying and doing now. So if you come to know the Jesus of the gospels, you will come to know the Jesus of today, because He is exactly, identically, and precisely the same!

AMEN! The ONE sure thing in our world today is JESUS and HIS LOVE for you! Count on it! Count on HIM! Here is Hillsong Worship with "One Thing":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is another of those lessons that are not always fun to hear, but that are vital if we truly desire to be faithful the calling of God on our lives. In order to hear "Well done!", we must learn to do this!

Will To Be Faithful

…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… —Joshua 24:15

A person’s will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give up my will— I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God’s Spirit. When God gives me a vision of truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you.

“…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve….” Your choice must be a deliberate determination— it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God— do not “confer with flesh and blood” about it (Galatians 1:16). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated, and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading— the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.

Openly declare to Him, “I will be faithful.” But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ, “You are witnesses against yourselves…” (Joshua 24:22). Don’t consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, “I will serve You.” Will to be faithful— and give other people credit for being faithful too.

AMEN! Each one of us in the Body has a significant and unique part to play, and HE knits it all together! THAT is why we cannot consult with someone else about what Holy Spirit is telling us to do! THEY are not hearing the same thing that we are! Make a renewed commitment to JESUS to do YOUR part and be content with that! HE is delighted by our obedience! Here are Hillsong Kids with "We Came To Meet With You":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan we are reading Matthew 6 again! Here is what JESUS had to say to those who were walking in fear and worry over the 'tomorrows' in their lives! Verses25-30:

25 Therefore I tell you, stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink; or about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life greater [in quality] than food, and the body [far above and more excellent] than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the]span of his life? 28 And why should you be anxious about clothes? Consider the lilies of the field and learn thoroughly how they grow; they neither toil nor spin. 29 Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his magnificence (excellence, dignity, and grace) was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and green and tomorrow is tossed into the furnace, will He not much more surely clothe you, O you of little faith?

He is saying to STOP worry and fear! Why? Because God is GREATER than any situation or circumstance that we can every face! AMEN! Now look at verses 31-34:

31 Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear? 32 For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all. 33 But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides. 34 So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.

AMEN! WE are to seek HIM first over all other things that we do! THEN He will be able to bless us beyond measure! AMEN! Hedre is Hillsong with "What a Beautiful Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I have been really blessed again with the devotional on The Spoken Word Church website!

Move Toward Extraordinary People

Make a habit of pursuing greatness. Elisha received a double portion of God's power because he was willing to pay any price to stay in the presence of Elijah, the great prophet.

Joshua observed Moses. Ruth reached for Boaz. You will never possess what you are unwilling to pursue.

"He that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." (Proverbs 13:20)

AMEN! Not one of us was meant to run our races completely alone! We ARE knit together in a local body of believers who are all sent out to reach THEIR WORLD! Let's NOT neglect the assembling of ourselves together, as SOME have! Let's obey God in THIS from  Hebrews 10:25:

Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.

AMEN! Now let's get at it! People are waiting on US to pick up our game! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Children of the Light":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Led By The Spirit

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. — ROMANS 8:14

The sons of God can expect to be led by the Spirit of God.

Believers can expect to be led, or guided, by the Holy Spirit. Jesus, referring to the time when the Holy Spirit would come, said, “He will guide you.” So we don’t have to look to man for guidance — that’s unscriptural. All of God’s children have the Spirit of God within and can expect to be guided by Him.

In February 1959, Jesus appeared to me in an open vision. I heard His footsteps coming into my hospital room. He sat on a chair by my bed and talked to me for an hour and a half about the ministry of a prophet. One of the things He said was, “The prophet’s ministry is not set in the Church to guide members and tell them what to do. Under the Old Covenant, people would go to the prophet to seek advice, or direction, or guidance, because he had the Spirit of God and they didn’t. No one under the Old Covenant, except the king, the priest, and the prophet, had the Holy Spirit upon them. The people knew nothing about the Spirit’s leading. But under the New Covenant it does not say, ‘As many as are led by the prophets, they are the sons of God.’ It says, ‘As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.’”

Confession: I am a child of God. I can expect to be led by the Spirit of God. He is leading me now.

AMEN! Every born again believer is a new creation of God with Holy Spirit living IN us! We are to be led, moment by moment, and day by day, by the Spirit of the Living God! If someone gives you a 'word from the Lord' that doesn't confirm something that God has already put in your heart, then put it on a shelf and forget about it, unless and until Holy Spirit Himself speaks to YOU about it! AMEN! He is WELL ABLE to lead you when you count on HIM! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Oceans - Where Feet May Fail":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is another excellenht lesson!

One of God’s Great “Don’ts”

Do not fret— it only causes harm. —Psalm 37:8

Fretting means getting ourselves “out of joint” mentally or spiritually. It is one thing to say, “Do not fret,” but something very different to have such a nature that you find yourself unable to fret. It’s easy to say, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7) until our own little world is turned upside down and we are forced to live in confusion and agony like so many other people. Is it possible to “rest in the Lord” then? If this “Do not” doesn’t work there, then it will not work anywhere. This “Do not” must work during our days of difficulty and uncertainty, as well as our peaceful days, or it will never work. And if it will not work in your particular case, it will not work for anyone else. Resting in the Lord is not dependent on your external circumstances at all, but on your relationship with God Himself.

Worrying always results in sin. We tend to think that a little anxiety and worry are simply an indication of how wise we really are, yet it is actually a much better indication of just how wicked we are. Fretting rises from our determination to have our own way. Our Lord never worried and was never anxious, because His purpose was never to accomplish His own plans but to fulfill God’s plans. Fretting is wickedness for a child of God.

Have you been propping up that foolish soul of yours with the idea that your circumstances are too much for God to handle? Set all your opinions and speculations aside and “abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1). Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about whatever concerns you. All our fretting and worrying is caused by planning without God.

AMEN! Another of my favorite portions of Scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6:

5 Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6 In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.

AMEN! Cast those cares on HIM! HE is well able to handle them! Here are Hillsong Kids with "As The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional again today! We are reading these at Morning Prayer again this year and this is simply powerful!

The Living Word

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. — 1 JOHN 5:7

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us . . . . — JOHN 1:1,14

How can I make Jesus Lord of my life?

Jesus is the Living Word. And God has given us the written Word to unveil the Living Word to us.

Give the Word of God — primarily the New Testament — first place in your life. By doing so, you are putting Jesus first!

Let the Word of God govern your life. Let this Word be the Lord of your life. Let the Word dominate you. By doing so, you are really allowing Jesus to lord it over you — because Jesus and His Word are One.

We are living in an age when we need to get serious about spiritual matters, and we need to learn what the Bible has to say about love, life, home, marriage, and children.

Let the Word of God be your guide in life. When you do, you are making Jesus the Lord of your life. Then His written Word becomes the Lord of your life.

Confession: Lord Jesus, You are the Lord of my life. I allow Your Word to dominate me. I allow Your Word to have dominion over me; therefore, YOU are lording it over me. You are dominating me. You are the Lord of my life!

Amen! When JESUS is truly the LORD of our lives, everything will fall right into place! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I have really been enjoying Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional this month so far! This is today's:

The Lord Christ

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. COLOSSIANS 3:23,24

When Jesus becomes your Lord, He will want to have something to say about the kind of books you read — about the amusements you enjoy — about the governing of your physical body.

If Jesus is your Lord, He will want to have something to say about your finances — how you make your money — and how you use your money.

If Jesus is your Lord, He will want to have something to say about your marriage — about your children — about your home. He will want to dictate to you regarding your vocation in life and where you live.

Yes, Jesus will want to enter every area of your life, if He’s your Lord. I want Him to be my Lord, don’t you? That’s what makes the Christian life blessed. The lordship of Jesus strips life of its weakness, frailty, and human guidance. It lifts life out of the realm of the natural and into the supernatural.

Confession: Lord Jesus, I want You to have Your way in every area of my life. I want You to have Your say-so in every area of my life — in the books I read, in the company I keep, in the amusements I enjoy, in my companions, in my marriage, in my home, in my finances, and in the way I spend my time.

AMEN! I desire for JESUS to be the LORD of my life! HIS ways are ALWAYS the BEST ways! Here is a song that I really love from Hillsong Kids called "As The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Andrew Womack's daily devotional. 

Power In The Name Of Jesus

Luke 10:17 - 'And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.'

It was the power in the name of Jesus plus the disciples' faith in that power that made the demons subject unto them. This can clearly be seen in Acts 19:13-17 where certain Jews called on the name of Jesus in an effort to cast demons out of a man. They used the name of Jesus, but it didn't work because they had not put faith in that name.

These Jews were itinerants who used incantations to effect deliverance for people who were demon possessed. The first-century historian, Josephus, wrote of an exorcism that he witnessed in the presence of Vespasian and many of his soldiers. The exorcist supposedly followed a ritual passed down from King Solomon to effect the deliverance. There is no doubt that men throughout all history have tried to resist demonic spirits, but as this example proves, only Jesus and those who have received His life are successful.

Those who relegate demonic spirits to the realm of superstition do not believe in the entire Word of God. The Gospels alone contain over 90 references to the devil or devils (demons). The Apostle Paul said when writing to these people in Ephesus, 'We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places' (Ephesians 6:12). The devil and demons do exist, but all believers in Jesus share in His total victory over them.

The name of Jesus is not magic. It does not work like a charm. As Peter said, 'His name, through faith in his name' (Acts 3:16) is what brings results.

AMEN! I have seen so many believers over the years who would simply tack 'In Jesus' Name' to the end of whatever they were praying as if adding that made everything work! The TRUTH is found in Acts 3:16 (above)! His Name, THROUGH FAITH IN HIS NAME, is what causes answers to prayer and changes to come! We can only build up our faith in His Name by spending time in His Word and finding out just what the Word says about the NAME! Take the time to find out just what YOU can do in HIS NAME and then get about YOUR FATHER's business! Here is Hillsong with "What A Beautiful Name":

Shalom in Him!