Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional by Oswald Chambers is EXCELLENT!!! I will not even try to expand upon it! Read, meditate and GO and DO!!!

The Spiritual Sluggard

Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. — Hebrews 10:24-25

We are all capable of being spiritual sluggards; we do not want to mix with the rough and tumble of life as it is, our one object is to secure retirement. The note struck in Hebrews 10 is that of provoking one another and of keeping together — both of which require initiative, the initiative of Christ-realisation, not of self-realisation. To live a remote, retired, secluded life is the antipodes of spirituality as Jesus Christ taught it.

The test of our spirituality comes when we come up against injustice and meanness and ingratitude and turmoil, all of which have the tendency to make us spiritual sluggards. We want to use prayer and Bible reading for the purpose of retirement. We utilise God for the sake of getting peace and joy, that is, we do not want to realise Jesus Christ, but only our enjoyment of Him. This is the first step in the wrong direction. All these things are effects and we try to make them causes.

“I think it meet,” said Peter, “…to stir you up by putting you in remembrance.” It is a most disturbing thing to be smitten in the ribs by some provoker of God, by someone who is full of spiritual activity. Active work and spiritual activity are not the same thing. Active work may be the counterfeit of spiritual activity. The danger of spiritual sluggishness is that we do not wish to be stirred up, all we want to hear about is spiritual retirement. Jesus Christ never encourages the idea of retirement — “Go tell My brethren.…”

Here is Hillsong with "Tell The World":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we read Psalm 8 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Here is the entire Psalm!

To the Chief Musician; set to a Philistine lute, or [possibly] to a particular Hittite tune. A Psalm of David.

1 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory on [or above] the heavens. 2 Out of the mouths of babes and unweaned infants You have established strength because of Your foes, that You might silence the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I view and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established, 4 What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings], and You have crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet: 7 All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth!

THIS is WHO JESUS is to and for US! Now let's BE who HE says that WE are - for HIM! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

The Will To Loyalty

Choose you this day whom ye will serve. — Joshua 24:15

Will is the whole man active. I cannot give up my will, I must exercise it. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God’s Spirit. When God gives a vision of truth it is never a question of what He will do, but of what we will do. The Lord has been putting before us all some big propositions, and the best thing to do is to remember what you did when you were touched by God before — the time when you were saved, or first saw Jesus, or realised some truth. It was easy then to yield allegiance to God; recall those moments now as the Spirit of God brings before you some new proposition.

“Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” It is a deliberate calculation, not something into which you drift easily; and everything else is in abeyance until you decide. The proposition is between you and God; do not confer with flesh and blood about it. With every new proposition other people get more and more “out of it,” that is where the strain comes. God allows the opinion of His saints to matter to you, and yet you are brought more and more out of the certainty that others understand the step you are taking. You have no business to find out where God is leading, the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.

Profess to Him — “I will be loyal.” Immediately you choose to be loyal to Jesus Christ, you are a witness against yourself. Don’t consult other Christians, but profess before Him — “I will serve Thee.” Will to be loyal — and give other people credit for being loyal too.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is another great, yet challenging, lesson!

All Noble Things Are Difficult

Enter ye in at the strait gate…: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way…. — Matthew 7:13-14

If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all noble things are difficult. The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but the difficulty of it does not make us faint and cave in, it rouses us up to overcome. Do we so appreciate the marvellous salvation of Jesus Christ that we are our utmost for His highest?

God saves men by His sovereign grace through the Atonement of Jesus; He works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure; but we have to work out that salvation in practical living. If once we start on the basis of His Redemption to do what He commands, we find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not practised. The crisis will reveal whether we have been practising or not. If we obey the Spirit of God and practise in our physical life what God has put in us by His Spirit, then when the crisis comes, we shall find that our own nature as well as the grace of God will stand by us.

Thank God He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a glad thing, but it is also a heroic, holy thing. It tests us for all we are worth. Jesus is bringing many “sons unto glory,” and God will not shield us from the requirements of a son. God’s grace turns out men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not milk sops. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the noble life of a disciple of Jesus in actual things. It is always necessary to make an effort to be noble.

AMEN! And everything we do in obedience to God's Word is rewarded! In this life AND the next! Here are Hillsong Kids with "Made In Your Image":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's "From Faith To Faith" devotional. This is SO good!

Up in Smoke

The tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. James 3:5-6

Words. Use them right and they'll move mountains. Use them wrong and they can cause your entire life to go up in smoke.

"Now, Brother Copeland," you may say, "I find it hard to believe that major catastrophes can be caused by a few simple words. I just can't see the connection."

Look again at the phrase James used. "How great a matter a little fire kindleth!" Have you ever lit a few little pieces of kindling wood and set them in the fireplace beneath a stack of logs?

What happened?

Most likely, the fire began to spread first to one log then to another until finally you had a great big blaze going. After it was over, you couldn't go digging around in the ashes to find the kindling that started it all, could you? No! It would be burned. There would be no trace of it at all.

The tongue is like that. It first defiles the body, then sets on fire the whole course of nature with a blaze so great that it leaves no natural trace of its origin. The words that started it end up so deeply buried in the ashes that you'd never even know they were there.

So, don't ever underestimate the power of your words. I can assure you, Satan doesn't. He works constantly to get you to turn them in a negative direction. He'll fire darts of pain and sickness and discouragement at you just to get you to speak faithless words—words that will eventually send your life up in smoke.

Don't let him succeed. Instead, put out that fire by following the instructions in Ephesians 6:16. Do as the Apostle Paul says and "above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."

Speak words of faith and stop the fire before it starts today!

AMEN!!! Here is Hillsong with a song I haven't heard in awhile called  "With Everything":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we read Matthew 4 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan where JESUS taught his disciples how to use the WORD of GOD to resist the devil and make him flee! Verses:1-11:

1Then Jesus was led (guided) by the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness (desert) to be tempted (tested and tried) by the devil. 2 And He went without food for forty days and forty nights, and later He was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to Him, If You are God’s Son, command these stones to be made loaves of] bread. 4 But He replied, It has been written, Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil took Him into the holy city and placed Him on a turret (pinnacle, gable) of the temple sanctuary. 6 And he said to Him, If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, He will give His angels charge over you, and they will bear you up on their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said to him, On the other hand, it is written also, You shall not tempt, test thoroughly, or try exceedingly the Lord your God. 8 Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory (the splendor, magnificence, preeminence, and excellence) of them. 9 And he said to Him, These things, all taken together, I will give You, if You will prostrate Yourself before me and do homage and worship me. 10 Then Jesus said to him, Begone, Satan! For it has been written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him alone shall you serve. 11 Then the devil departed from Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

Find what the Word of God has to say about anything and everything that you are believing God for! HE desires for US to always stay in a position of readiness for when HE makes HIS own moves that the enemy has NO counter-moves for! We've GOT this because HE'S got US! Here is Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

One Of God’s Great Don’ts

Fret not thyself, it tendeth only to evil doing. — Psalm 37:8 (rv)

Fretting means getting out at elbows mentally or spiritually. It is one thing to say “Fret not” but a very different thing to have such a disposition that you find yourself able not to fret. It sounds so easy to talk about resting in the Lord and waiting patiently for Him, until the nest is upset — until we live, as so many are doing, in tumult and anguish, is it possible then to rest in the Lord? If this “don’t” does not work there, it will work nowhere. This “don’t” must work in days of perplexity as well as in days of peace, or it never will work. And if it will not work in your particular case, it will not work in anyone else’s case. Resting in the Lord does not depend on external circumstances at all, but on your relationship to God Himself.

Fussing always ends in sin. We imagine that a little anxiety and worry are an indication of how really wise we are; it is much more an indication of how really wicked we are. Fretting springs from a determination to get our own way. Our Lord never worried and He was never anxious, because He was not “out” to realise His own ideas; He was “out” to realise God’s ideas. Fretting is wicked if you are a child of God.

Have you been bolstering up that stupid soul of yours with the idea that your circumstances are too much for God? Put all “supposing” on one side and dwell in the shadow of the Almighty. Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about that thing. All our fret and worry is caused by calculating without God.

AMEN! And we are NOT EVER 'without God"! Here is Hillsong with "At The Cross":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

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! Here is Hillsong again with the perfect saong for today! "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We begin through the Psalms again today in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan! Psalm 1 is the perfact preface for the entire book! 

Psalm 1

1 Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. 2 But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. 3 And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]. 4 Not so the wicked [those disobedient and living without God are not so]. But they are like the chaff [worthless, dead, without substance] which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked [those disobedient and living without God] shall not stand [justified] in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous [those who are upright and in right standing with God]. 6 For the Lord knows and is fully acquainted with the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly [those living outside God’s will] shall perish (end in ruin and come to nought).

The contrast here between the believer and the unbeliever is clear, plain and very serious! I hope that YOU line up with verses 1-3! A footnote in the Bible program I am using has this note from Charles Spurgeon!

Psalm 1:5 Charles Haddon Spurgeon (The Treasury of David) said, “Sinners cannot live in heaven. They would be out of their element. Sooner could a fish live upon a tree than the wicked in paradise.” The only way they will ever be able to endure heaven is to be born again and become new creatures with pure hearts able fully to enjoy the presence of God, His holy angels, and the redeemed.

AMEN! OUR responsibility is to represent JESUS to the world! Then pray that Holy Spirit will be able to get through to them with the importance of JESUS in their lives! Here is Hillsong with "I Desire Jesus":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's devotional on The Spoken Word Church website is SO vital! 

Practice the E.H.A.H. System

Everything Has A Home. Your car belongs in the garage. Your dirty clothes belong in the hamper. Everything around you should have an assigned place.

Everything Has A Home. Insist on it. Make certain everything is returned to its assigned place. This explains the incredible secret of order. It is the secret of great productivity.

“Let all things be done decently and in order.” 1 Corinthians 14:40)

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

When you and I have this type of order in our lives and in our homes, Holy Spirit will be better able to direct us clealy, plainly and simply in every step of every day! THIS is WELL PLEASING to our GOD! Let's get to it! Here is Hillsong with and older song called  "Everyday":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's devotional from our partner Jerry Savelle's website is EXCELLENT!

GOD’S HEART IS A FATHER’S HEART

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him (Matthew 7:11 NKJV).

Knowing God as your loving heavenly Father is essential if you want to enjoy your walk with Him and fulfill all the wonderful plans He has for your life.

Your Father is for you: He is behind you every step of the way.

Your Father is always motivated by His love for you. When it seems He is spoiling your fun, He is actually protecting you from something that will harm you.

Your Father wants you to succeed at all you set your hand to do. He will show you how to be successful; He will encourage you to keep going and to never quit.

Your Father will pick you up when you fail or fall. He will bind your wounds and set you on your feet again.

Your Father wants the absolute best for you in all you do. He is disappointed when you settle for less than what you could have.

Your Father delights to have you come and talk to Him. He loves to share His wisdom with you; He loves to counsel you and show you the way.

Regardless of how you may have once viewed God, the Word says He is the perfect Father. Will you let Him be a Father to you?

Confession: Father, I receive You as my loving heavenly Abba (Daddy), and I take my place as Your precious child. I trust in the truth that everything You do for me is motivated by love. I believe You are good, and everything you give me is good.

He IS the greatest FATHER EVER! Here is Hillsong with "Father":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Colossians 2:2-3 from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today is POWERFUL!

2 [For my concern is] that their hearts may be braced (comforted, cheered, and encouraged) as they are knit together in love, that they may come to have all the abounding wealth and blessings of assured conviction of understanding, and that they may become progressively more intimately acquainted with and may know more definitely and accurately and thoroughly that mystic secret of God, [which is] Christ (the Anointed One). 3 In Him all the treasures of [divine] wisdom (comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God) and [all the riches of spiritual] knowledge and enlightenment are stored up and lie hidden.

This was Paul's concern because it was God's concern for them! And for us! My prayer for you all is that YOU will develop this burning desire to KNOW HIM MORE! The more that we KNOW HIM the more that we will be able to truly LOVE HIM and REPRESENT HIM! Which is why we are all here instead of going immediately to Heaven, which is a far better place! THIS life prepares us for the repsponsibilities of the next! Let's run our races well! This is the only preperation for eternity! Here are Hillsong Kids with "I Give You My Hallelujah!":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspirations":

Turn On the Light of God’s Word

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

Derek is a successful business owner who attends our church regularly and who has an amazing testimony. Before he experienced his breakthrough though, life was harrowing for him.

It all started one morning when he read a newspaper article about a man of his age who had suddenly died of a heart attack. Derek couldn’t explain it, but from that moment on, it was as if the air started to thin, and he began experiencing respiratory difficulties. Without him knowing it, fear had begun to coil itself around his heart like a python.

Day by day, Derek started to experience all kinds of evil imaginations of himself getting hurt and dying while doing the simplest day-to-day activities. He suffered escalating bouts of debilitating anxiety attacks as fear tightened its grip on his heart.

As his mental oppression worsened, and convinced he was severely ill as his breathing difficulties increased, Derek checked himself into a hospital, where he was told his was not a heart problem but an anxiety problem.

That was when Derek was introduced to and began listening to some of my messages over and over again. He told me, “You said to focus on the Word of God and not on my problems. And that was exactly what I did! I began turning away from those dark thoughts and allowing the light of Jesus’ words to come into my situation.”

Derek’s breakthrough began when he turned on the light of God’s Word and allowed it to shine upon him and his situation. One of his favorite verses that gave him both courage and comfort was the Lord saying to him, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). He would speak this verse whenever he was fearful and then tell himself, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear” (Hebrews 13:6).

Equipped with God’s Word, Derek began playing the right mental movies in his mind. Every time the anxiety attacks came and the evil imaginations began to replay in his mind, he would wield these scriptures like a weapon against the onslaught of the serpent’s attack.

The more he proclaimed, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. The Lord is my helper; I will not fear,” the more the grip of the serpent began to loosen and weaken. He found that he could breathe freely again and his heart no longer felt constricted.

Strengthened by the Word, he began to see the Lord with him always. He began to see himself full of health and protected from harm. Derek was completely healed and released from all his fears as he began to replace the wrong mental movies that he had been playing in his mind with the right ones.

Beloved, God’s thoughts are greater than the devil’s thoughts. His light is greater than any darkness. You’ll put an end to the enemy’s days of using fear to torment you and manipulate your thoughts when you, like Derek, turn on the light of God’s Word and allow it to shine upon you and whatever negative situation you may be in.

Let His Word anchor you in His love, strengthen your heart, and paint the right pictures for your breakthrough and an amazing future.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Philippians 4 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today! There is SO much great Truth and powerful instruction in this Epistle! Verse 4 is a great place to start! 

4 Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!

That means "Stir up YOUR joy"! Only YOU can stir up YOUR joy! You cannot lay hands on someone to stir up joy and you cannot confess it over them! This commandment is given to each and every believer! So let's DO IT!!! Then in verses 6-9 we have these instructions!

6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. 7 And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. 8 For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. 9 Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.

Let's learn to become consistent DOERS of the Word of God. THEN we will have the WORD'S results! Here is Hillsong with "Prince of Peace":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Philippians 3 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today and I cannot pass up the oppotunity to share again with you my foundation Scripture! Verses 7-11:

7 But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [one combined] loss for Christ’s sake. 8 Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One), 9 And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law’s demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith. 10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] 11 That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

I WANT TO KNOW JESUS MORE!! EVERYDAY! Make it YOUR 'determined purpose' to know Him more and YOU WILL! HE desires that we KNOW HIM! Here is Hillsong with "Know You More":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really LOVE today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin! These faith "nuggets" are invaluable! 

Knowledge And Skill

As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. — DANIEL 1:17

“. . . God gave them knowledge and skill. . . .”

God gave Daniel and the other three Hebrew children, knowledge and all skill.

Eternal life is the nature of God. You’ve got God’s nature in you. Know that! Believe that! Confess that! Then that nature will begin to dominate you!

Learn to walk in the light of life. Learn to put that life into practice in your being. Walking in the light of that life will enhance your entire personality, and will increase your intelligence.

Confession: I am a new creation. I am born again. I am a new creature. I have the life and nature of God in my spirit. That life is the light of men. I purpose to walk in the light of life. God’s life is in me. God’s knowledge is in me. God’s skill is in me. God’s ability is in me. God’s wisdom is in me. He is instructing me. He is leading me. I am a child of God. The Spirit of God in me is leading me. I’ll follow His leading. I’ll walk in the light of life.

Make this confession over yourself daily and you will find yourself growing in faith and confidence in who you REALLy are because YOU are IN HIM! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am". I use this song a lot because it is a POWERFUL TRUTH that we MUST get inside of us so that we can truly walk in it! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's readings in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan are expecially appropriate for the times in which we are now living! First of all we have this from Proverbs 24:

3Through skillful and godly Wisdom is a house (a life, a home, a family) built, and by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation], 4 And by knowledge shall its chambers [of every area] be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

THIS is the ONLY way to have a good foundation for life and family and ministry! Pursue Godly Wisdom with everything that is within you for HE (Wisdom) is the Source of EVERY GOOD THING in our lives! HIS direction will ALWAYS lead to Good and Godly things! Then we have this in in Philippians 1:

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you. 4 In every prayer of mine I always make my entreaty and petition for you all with joy (delight). 5 [I thank my God] for your fellowship (your sympathetic cooperation and contributions and partnership) in advancing the good news (the Gospel) from the first day [you heard it] until now. 6 And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.

I AM CONVINCED that HE will do that very same thing in you! EXPECT HIM to! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Ancient Gates": 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is another to remember DAILY!

Heart Purpose

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. — DANIEL 1:8

I had two favorite scriptures I either read or quoted to the Lord and on which I based my confession every morning as I walked to school. The first was John 1:4. The second was Daniel chapter 1.

Read Daniel chapter 1 and see how Daniel and the three Hebrew children, although they were captives, were chosen as students in the king’s college.

The Bible says that Daniel “purposed in his heart.” I used this phrase with the Lord. I knew that even though I wasn’t living under the Old Covenant, there still was a principle here I could abide by.

You see, the Jews weren’t supposed to eat certain meats, but that’s not so with us. The Word of God says under the New Covenant, “. . . every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:4-5).

So I acted upon the same principle Daniel did. I said this to the Lord every morning: “I purpose in my heart to walk in the light of life.”

Confession: I purpose in my heart to walk in the light of life. I purpose to walk in the light of the life of God in me.

AMEN! here is Hillsong with "RUN":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

The Undeviating Test

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. — Matthew 7:2

This statement is not a haphazard guess, it is an eternal law of God. Whatever judgment you give, it is measured to you again. There is a difference between retaliation and retribution. Jesus says that the basis of life is retribution — “with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” If you have been shrewd in finding out the defects in others, remember that will be exactly the measure given to you. Life serves back in the coin you pay. This law works from God’s throne downwards (cf. Psalm 18:25-26).

Romans 2 applies it in a still more definite way, and says that the one who criticises another is guilty of the very same thing. God looks not only at the act, He looks at the possibility. We do not believe the statements of the Bible to begin with. For instance, do we believe this statement, that the things we criticise in others we are guilty of ourselves? The reason we see hypocrisy and fraud and unreality in others is because they are all in our own hearts. The great characteristic of a saint is humility — “Yes, all those things and other evils would have been manifested in me but for the grace of God, therefore I have no right to judge.”

Jesus says — “Judge not, that ye be not judged”; if you do judge, it will be measured to you exactly as you have judged. Who of us would dare to stand before God and say — “My God, judge me as I have judged my fellow men?” We have judged our fellow men as sinners; if God should judge us like that we would be in hell. God judges us through the marvellous Atonement of Jesus Christ.

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "As The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this great devotional from ous partner, Jerry Savelle!

SUCCESS IS A DECISION

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success (Joshua 1:8 NKJV).

Success begins with a decision to succeed. In turn, that decision will produce an unwavering commitment to do what it takes to do two things.

The first is to discover the spiritual laws relevant to your challenge. Simply put, this means to get wisdom: “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom” (Proverbs 4:7 NKJV). The second is to diligently apply these laws and wisdom through to complete victory.

God’s will for you is success, but success doesn’t just happen. That’s why He shows you in His Word how to make things happen.

If you do not believe and act according to His Word, there is nothing He can do about it. However, when you do your part, He has to do His part. I like to say it this way: We get to do the easy part and God gets to do the impossible part.

For example, the Bible says, “Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant” (Matthew 20:26 NKJV). In other words, you can’t promote yourself; only God can make it happen. But you can make the decision to succeed by getting wisdom and then acting on the Word by choosing to become a servant.

When you make the decision to apply the Word of God to your situation, God promises that you will make your way prosperous and have good success.

Confession: I made the decision to succeed today. I make an unwavering commitment to do what it takes to get wisdom concerning the spiritual laws relevant to my challenge, and then to apply them through to complete victory.

AMEN! Making this your "determined purpose" and then following through will get you the victory every time! Here is Hillsong with "All This Future":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this prayer from Paul prayed over the believers in JESUS at the church in Ephesus! I am praying them today over YOU! Ephesians 3:14-21:

14 For this reason [seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ], I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 For Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named [that Father from Whom all fatherhood takes its title and derives its name]. 16 May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality]. 17 May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, 18 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; 19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! 20 Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]— 21 To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

AMEN! Hear the WORD, learn the WORD, speak the WORD, share the WORD, PRAY the WORD of the LIVING GOD! There isno more powerful prayer! Here is Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Ephesians 2 in today's Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Verses 4-10 should be very familiar to us all and they are very powerful!

4 But God—so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, 5 Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation). 6 And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 7 He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; 9 Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.] 10 For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

THIS is who WE are when we are - IN HIM! Meditate on these TRUTHS until you get them so strongly inside of you that the enemy will never again be able to steal your confidence! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share another of my favorite devotionals by our parners, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland. "From Faith To Faith":

Discover What Grace Can Do

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Acts 4:33

Most of us don’t have any idea what grace really is. Oh, we know some basic facts about it. We know we were saved by it (Ephesians 2:8). But we don’t even begin to understand the real power it can release in our lives now, today!

If you want to get a picture of what grace can really do, look at what happened to the early Christians in Acts 4. They’d been threatened by the religious leaders of Jerusalem and commanded not to speak or teach anymore in Jesus’ Name. So, they were praying about the situation.

Roughly, what they said was this, “Now Lord, we’ve been threatened, but we aren’t about to quit preaching and go hide out under some religious rug. Just turn the power up, give us boldness, and we’ll go on.”

Do you know what happened as a result of that prayer? Verse 33 tells us, “Great grace was upon them all.”

Great grace. Grace so powerful that when those believers received it, the whole building shook. Grace so great it enabled the apostles to work “many signs and wonders...among the people” (Acts 5:12).

That one story alone should be enough to convince you that grace is not just some abstract, spiritual state of mind. Grace is real. It’s powerful. It provides the supernatural power to make things happen!

Now, do you want to know something really exciting? The Bible says that same grace that was available to the early Church in Jerusalem is available to anyone who’s ever sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Thank God, that means you and I qualify!

If the devil’s been threatening you lately, follow the example of those early Christians. Get in prayer and say, “Lord, I don’t care what the devil and his bunch say, I’m not going to back down. I’m going to keep on talking and living by faith—and I’m going to do it boldly. So, just turn up the power!”

I guarantee, if you’re sincere about it, He’ll do it; and you’ll begin to discover what grace is really all about.

AMEN! Remind yourself always that our GOD desires for us to walk in all that He has provided for us evenmore than we do! Let's get to it! Here are Hillsong Kids with "As The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Higest" devotional by Oswald Chambers is another vital lesson for every believer!

The Uncritical Temper

Judge not, that ye be not judged. — Matthew 7:1

Jesus says regarding judging — Don’t. The average Christian is the most penetratingly critical individual. Criticism is a part of the ordinary faculty of man; but in the spiritual domain nothing is accomplished by criticism. The effect of criticism is a dividing up of the powers of the one criticised; the Holy Ghost is the only One in the true position to criticise, He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into communion with God when you are in a critical temper; it makes you hard and vindictive and cruel, and leaves you with the flattering unction that you are a superior person. Jesus says, as a disciple cultivate the uncritical temper. It is not done once and for all. Beware of anything that puts you in the superior person’s place.

There is no getting away from the penetration of Jesus. If I see the mote in your eye, it means I have a beam in my own. Every wrong thing that I see in you, God locates in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-20). Stop having a measuring rod for other people. There is always one fact more in every man’s case about which we know nothing. The first thing God does is to give us a spiritual spring-cleaning; there is no possibility of pride left in a man after that. I have never met the man I could despair of after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.

AMEN!!! I have met some belivers who truly believe that they are qualified to judge another believer, even when Jesus Himself said "JUDGE NOT"! Do NOT allow yourself to fall for that lie and to get yourself in position to receive judgement unto yourself! There is ONE Who judges and that is NOT YOU, or ME! Let's do our part and pray for others! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "New Thing":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

What Do You Make Of This?

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.…I have called you friends.  John 15:13,15

Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him. Peter said — “I will lay down my life for Thy sake,” and he meant it; his sense of the heroic was magnificent. It would be a bad thing to be incapable of making such a declaration as Peter made; the sense of our duty is only realized by our sense of the heroic. Has the Lord ever asked you — “Wilt thou lay down thy life for My sake?” It is far easier to die than to lay down the life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling. We are not made for brilliant moments, but we have to walk in the light of them in ordinary ways. There was only one brilliant moment in the life of Jesus, and that was on the Mount of Transfiguration; then He emptied Himself the second time of His glory, and came down into the demon-possessed valley. For thirty-three years Jesus laid out His life to do the will of His Father, and, John says, “we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” It is contrary to human nature to do it.

If I am a friend of Jesus, I have deliberately and carefully to lay down my life for Him. It is difficult, and thank God it is difficult. Salvation is easy because it cost God so much, but the manifestation of it in my life is difficult. God saves a man and endues him with the Holy Spirit, and then says in effect — “Now work it out, be loyal to Me, whilst the nature of things round about you would make you disloyal.” “I have called you friends.” Stand loyal to your Friend, and remember that His honour is at stake in your bodily life.

The most amazingly powerful and eternally life changing TRUTH is found in Romans 5:8-10:

8 But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us. 9 Therefore, since we are now justified (acquitted, made righteous, and brought into right relationship with God) by Christ’s blood, how much more [certain is it that] we shall be saved by Him from the indignation and wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin’s dominion) through His [resurrection] life.

NEVER doubt the LOVE of GOD for YOU! Here is Hillsong with "All This Future":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share this powerful TRUTH from Joseph Prince's "Daily Grace Inspiration" devotional found on his website!

God’s Ordained Way

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” John 6:51

Let me tell you about this supernatural food and drink we get to take. It is the only food and drink that is not based on fallen creation or dependent on the efforts of fallen man. When we eat and drink this supernatural food, we are partaking of the work of redemption and not creation.

In the above verse, when the Lord Jesus said He is the living bread, the word life here is the Greek word zoe, which is the same Greek word used in the Septuagint when God breathed into Adam and Adam received life (Genesis 2:7).

While zoe refers to the life that God lives by, zoe also refers to physical life, health, vitality, and wholeness. The food that God has given us to eat is not perishable food but living bread—Jesus, who came from heaven and was given for us to have life.

There are some who think Jesus was simply talking about believing in Him. But our Lord Jesus went on to say, “For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:55–56).

Did you know two different Greek words are used here for the word eats? When Jesus said, “If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever” (John 6:51), the generic Greek word phago for eats was used. Phago can be used in a physical sense or in a spiritual sense, as in to feed on Christ.

But when Jesus said, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:56), the Greek word used for eats is trogo, which means “to gnaw or crunch,” like when eating nuts. There is no way you can spiritualize a crunching sound. Jesus was not talking about spiritually eating or feeding here. He was talking about physically eating, about chewing with a crunching sound!

To understand more what our Lord was referring to, consider what He was talking about on the night of His betrayal when He broke the bread and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And consider what He was referring to when He gave them the cup, saying, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:26–28). Yes, He was talking about His coming crucifixion, but He was also instituting the holy Communion, a physical meal.

The Communion is God’s ordained way or delivery system for us to receive the unending, holy, youthful, overcoming, and perpetually healthy life Jesus has as we “eat His flesh and drink His blood.” All that is required is that you come boldly and partake, believing that His finished work qualifies you for any healing you need!

Amen!  Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Communion":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Galatians 3 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today and THIS, verses 13-14 is a POWERFUL TRUTH!!

13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

There is NOTHING that WE have done to deserve what JESUS has provided for us! There is NOTHING that we can add to what HE has already done! Meditation in the Word of God will reveal to us who WE are because of what JESUS did! Make the Word of God your priority and WISDOM will come! Let's get to it! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is another priceless teaching that every beleiver NEEDS to know and do!

Restoring The Soul

He restoreth my soul . . . . — PSALM 23:3

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. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. — ROMANS 12:1-2

Writing to born-again, Spirit-filled Christians in Romans 12, Paul tells them to do something with their bodies and their minds. Man’s spirit is born again at the New Birth, but he still has the same body and the same soul. He is to present his body to God, and he is to see to it that his mind is renewed.

The Hebrew word translated “restoreth” in Psalm 23 and the Greek word translated “renewed” in Romans 12:2 have just about the same meaning. For example, a valuable, antique chair which looks like a wreck can be restored. Afterwards it’s still the same chair, but it has been renewed. A man’s spirit is never restored; it’s born again, or recreated. But his soul is restored when his mind becomes renewed with the Word of God.

The greatest need of the Church today is for believers to have their minds renewed with the Word of God. It is the Word of God that restores souls, renews souls, and saves souls!

Confession: I see to it daily that my mind is renewed with the Word of God. Therefore, I am not conformed to this world. My mind is renewed to think like God thinks.

Thinking like GOD thinks will put us in position to be DOERS of the WORD of GOD and not simply impotent hearers! Put the Word of God to work FOR you by meditating on it until it becomes REAL to you, then speak it and do it! HE will take care of confirming His Word with signs, wonders and miracles! Here are Hillsong Kids with "Voices of Freedom":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share with you from Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's "From Faith To Faith" devotional. THIS is SO good!

Play to Win

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:5

I’ve often heard people say, “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” That’s nonsense. If you play the game right, you’ll win!

Any coach will tell you that part of playing the game right is having a winning attitude. That’s what God wants us, as believers, to have. He wants us to have so much faith in Him that we expect to whip any obstacle the devil brings our way. He wants us to expect to win at the game of life.

But most of us don’t come by that attitude easily. We’re so accustomed to losing that we have to totally change our way of thinking if we want to have a winning mind-set. In Ephesians, the Apostle Paul told the Church to renew their minds. Like us, they needed to change their attitudes, to renew their minds to the fact that Jesus overcame the world.

If you haven’t already, you need to do that too! You need to develop a glorious sense of confidence that says, “Hey, Devil, I’m going to be victorious and there’s not a thing you can do to stop me!”

“But, Brother Copeland, you don’t know the kinds of problems I’m facing.”

I know I don’t, but Jesus does and He said you should “cheer up” because He can give you peace in the midst of tribulation. He said that when Satan comes against you with everything he has, you should take heart because He’s already beaten it—Jesus has already overcome it and so can you!

First John 5:5 puts it this way, “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”

Do you know what that scripture means? It means that if you are a born-again believer, you have an absolute right to be a winner, to overcome every aspect of this evil world. Think about that. Meditate on it. Start developing a winning attitude today!

AMEN!!! Here is another of my favorite songs by Hillsong called "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share again today from Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional! This devotional has always been a favorite of mine. Kenneth E. Hagin had such a powerful anointing on him to teach faith! Some of his lessons I haven't heard anyone teach in quite the same way! We were BLESSED to sit under his ministry! 

Gift Of God

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. — ROMANS 6:23

God contacts men through their spirits.

When the Word of God is preached to a sinner who has never heard the Gospel and conviction comes upon him, it’s not a physical feeling — neither is it a mental something, because he may not even understand it — but it’s down deep on the inside. The Spirit of God through the Word of God is contacting the spirit of that sinner!

When that man responds to the call of God and the Gospel message, his spirit is born again. His spirit is recreated by receiving eternal life.

Receiving eternal life is the most miraculous event in life. It’s called the New Birth. It’s called the new creation. It is, in reality, God imparting His very nature, substance, and being to our human spirits.

It is described in Second Corinthians 5:17 and 18.

The New Birth is God actually giving spiritual birth to a man. And this instantaneous New Birth takes place, not in the body, not in the soul, but in the spirit of man! The spirit of man becomes a brand-new, miracle creation in God!

Confession: I am a brand-new, miracle creation in Christ. God gave me the gift of eternal life. He imparted to my spirit His very nature, substance, and being. Residing in my own spirit is everything I’ll ever need to put me over in life.

AMEN! And now let's continue to GROW UP - IN HIM! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Heart Hunger

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. — JOHN 6:35

Before Adam sinned, he walked and talked with God. Adam had fellowship with God.

But when Adam fell, his spirit became estranged, or separated, from God.

Since that day, in the life of every person born into this world, there is a heart hunger — a spirit hunger.

This heart hunger causes men to seek something to satisfy it. Some look to worldly possessions. Some look to false religions of this world. Yet nothing can satisfy this heart hunger but God.

Although this heart hunger may have driven a man to all kinds of things, it ends when he finds Jesus Christ. When he becomes acquainted with the Lord Jesus Christ and receives eternal life and is born again, he becomes the child of God. Man then has a relationship with God! He can fellowship with God! His heart hunger is satisfied!

Confession: I come to Jesus. Therefore, I shall never hunger. I believe on Jesus. Therefore, I shall never thirst. I am related to God. He is my Father. I have fellowship with Him. My heart is satisfied!

HALLELUJAH!!! ONLY JESUS fills that hole, that emptiness, that lack! SEEK HIM today and you will NEVER regret that decision! Here is Hillsong with "Song For His Presence":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Make a List of New Habits

Brainstorm for new habits. Make up your bed immediately upon rising. Use a highlighter pen to mark your Bible each day. Hang up your clothes. Make a daily to-do list each morning. Limit each phone call to five minutes. Rise the same time every morning. Keep an idea notebook with you at all times. Write at least one sentence in your daily diary or journal.

“And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” (Habakkuk 2:2)

Here are Hillsong Kids with "When the world shakes with subtitles":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Our Choice

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith. — PHILIPPIANS 1:21-25

Paul is talking here about physical death. Of course, the real Paul, the inner man, is not going to die. He’s going to go on living either way: departing and being with Christ, or abiding in the flesh.

Paul said he hadn’t decided yet. “I’m in a strait,” he said, “between the two. I want to go on and be with Christ, which is far better.” (If Paul had just said it would be better, that would have been wonderful, but he said it’s even better than better!) Then he said, “Yet I know to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.” If Paul was present in the flesh, he could teach and minister to these people. That was more needful for them.

Notice that Paul is making the choice. He didn’t say, “I’m going to leave it up to God, and whatever God chooses, I will accept.”

We have more to do with deciding to live or die than we have thought!

Confession: The real me is an eternal spirit being.

Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "All Of My Best Friends":

Shalom in Him! 

Shalom,

Today I want to share Jerry Savelle's devotional.

LET GOD DO IT HIS WAY

“Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing” (Psalm 34:9-10 NKJV).

The Word of God is clear: those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. Notice this verse does not say, “Those who seek what is in God’s hand shall not lack any good thing.” It doesn’t say, “Those who seek what God can give them shall not lack any good thing.” And yet there are believers who do this very thing.

You never have to chase down a good thing. The moment you seek the good thing, you disqualify yourself from this particular promise of God.

Many people start off seeking God, and then get distracted when they see a good thing coming on the horizon. They lose sight of God, and at the same time they disqualify themselves from the promise.

Stay focused and committed to letting God do things His way. Let God bring you the good thing you are believing for. If it is your good thing, He can and will bring it into your hand. You do not need to chase it down.

When God puts something into your hand, no one can take it away. When God gives it to you, you can rest secure in the knowledge that no devil, no person, and no negative situation can rob you of what is rightfully yours.

Give God the opportunity to show Himself strong on your behalf. His Word promises that if you seek Him you will not lack any good thing. So, let God do it His way.

Confession: I choose today to seek God, knowing that as I put Him first in my life He will see to it that I do not lack any good thing

AMEN! GOD'S WAY is ALWAYS the BEST way! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Deeper Waters":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read John 16 today in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Jesus is speaking to His disciples and He ends with this in verse 33:

33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

Yes, there are evil things going on in this world, but OUR promise from JESUS is that they CANNOT hurt us and we CAN rise above anything and everything that the enemy throws our way because JESUS has ALREADY overcome him, conquered him, destroyed his power over us and it is enforced when WE trust HIM and HIS WORD! Let's get busy BEING the OVERCOMERS! People are watching so let's show them HOW we OVERCOME! Here is Hillsong with "That's The Power":

Shalom in Him!

 Shalom,

 I have been out of town on a much needed and very BLESSED vacation! I was not able to post from there, so I will be starting up posting again tomorrow! Here is one of my favorite songs by Brooke Ligertwood called "Ancient Gates":

Shalom in Him!