Shalom,

Today I want to share the devotional from Jerry Savelle Ministries website. This is SO good!

Your Identity Determines Your Future

For as [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7 NKJV (brackets added by author)

If you want your future to improve, the first thing you need to do is change your identity, meaning what you see yourself to be. Your life today is a result of how you have viewed your identity in the past, and you will never think, speak, or act in a way that is contrary to your identity.

Gideon transformed from being a coward into a man of great courage the moment he took on a new identity (see Judges 6). When God called him a mighty man of valor, Gideon received his new identity and went on to become a strong and courageous leader. The only thing that changed that day was Gideon’s identity; he saw himself as God saw him.

Gideon could have been a mighty man all along, but God had to bring him to the point where he identified with God’s might rather than his own cowardice.

If you’re fed up with being the way you are and dealing with the same old problems, you can become a new person by taking on a new identity. You can throw off the old identity that you took on from other people, circumstances, and the world. Then you can take on the identity that was given to you by your loving heavenly Father and become the person He always intended you to be.

When you made Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior, your position became “in Him” or “in Christ.” Now that you are in Him, you have access to the future God has prepared for you—a future that overflows with success, fulfillment, and prosperity in every area of your life.

But let me offer a word of caution: If you cling to your old identity you’ll never experience life to the full. I’ve seen people who have been saved for forty years and still have not discovered who they really are. They still hold on to that old identity, they are losers in life and not the winners God has called them to be.

Just as Gideon had to receive his God-given identity, so you must receive your identity in Christ. Choose to identify with Him and to enjoy the abundant future that God has determined for you.

Confession: In Him I am a new creation. I am victorious, an overcomer who can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. My future overflows with success, fulfillment, and prosperity in every area of my life.

AMEN! Here is David Ingles with a very old song we have been singing for years called "I'm A New Creation":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional is another one that will cause your faith to soar!

Translated

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet [able] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power [authority] of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood . . . . — COLOSSIANS 1:12-14

Darkness is the kingdom of Satan. And in that word “darkness” is everything Satan is.

Light is the Kingdom of God.

By means of the New Birth, you were translated out of the kingdom of darkness — and into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son, the Kingdom of God, and the kingdom of light.

Our Heavenly Father has fitted His children (or made them “meet”) to partake of an inheritance — “the inheritance of the saints in light”! Part of your inheritance is that God has delivered you out of Satan’s authority of darkness, and He has now translated you into the kingdom of His dear Son!

God has made you meet — He has delivered you — He has translated you. Thank God, you can partake of your inheritance now. Don’t relegate it to the future.

Confession: Thank You, Father. You have made me able to partake of my inheritance now. I am redeemed. I am delivered from the authority of Satan now. I am translated into the kingdom of Your dear Son now. I am a citizen of the kingdom of light. I live in the light. I walk in the light. I am a saint in the light!

AMEN!

Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Bless God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom!

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

Redeemed

In whom [Jesus Christ] we have redemption through his blood . . . . — EPHESIANS 1:7

Webster defines the word “redeem” as (1) To buy back; (2) To free from captivity by payment of ransom.

To walk in the highest kind of faith, you must know the reality of your redemption in Christ not as a doctrine, a philosophy, or a creed, but as an actual redemption out of the authority of Satan.

When Adam fell, mankind went into captivity.

But God had a plan — a great plan of redemption! And He sent the Lord Jesus Christ to consummate it. (Webster defines “consummate” as complete in every detail: perfect.)

Now God’s Word tells us, “In whom [Jesus Christ] we have redemption . . . .” How thankful we can be that we’re not trying to get redeemed. We already have redemption! We are redeemed and delivered now from the authority of darkness; from the power of Satan!

Confession: I am redeemed! In Christ I have redemption! Through His blood I have redemption! I’m not trying to get it; it’s mine. I have it now! Jesus bought me back. Jesus freed me from captivity by the payment of a ransom — His own life!

AMEN! There IS no greater TRUTH for our lives than THIS! Here is Brandon Lake with "Adoption Song":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

The Witness

If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. . . . And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life . . . . — 1 JOHN 5:9,11,12

Faith in God is simply faith in His Word.

Study God’s Word with this determination: I will find out what God says and agree with it. You can’t expect the things of God to work for you if you take sides against His Word. This may mean unlearning certain “religious” ideas. Too often we’ve been religiously brainwashed, instead of scripturally taught.

Find out what God says in His Word regarding: (1) What God has made available for us in His plan of redemption; (2) What the Father is to you; (3) What Jesus is doing for you now at the right hand of the Father; and (4) What the Holy Spirit is doing in you.

Then find out from His Word what God thinks about the following: (1) What He says you are in Christ; (2) Who you are in Christ; (3) What you have because you’re in Christ.

Even though it may not seem real in your life, start confessing, “Yes, that’s mine, according to God’s Word.” You will then find that faith’s confession creates reality.

Confession: I agree with the witness of God. What He says I am, I am. What He says I have, I have.

AMEN! Make time in God's Word your top priority! HIS WORD is TRUTH! There is no other! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 65 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today and verse 1 is my favorite verse today!

1 To You belongs silence (the submissive wonder of reverence which bursts forth into praise) and praise is due and fitting to You, O God, in Zion; and to You shall the vow be performed.

This verse tells me that in order to REALLY praise the LORD we must first spend time in His presence simply being aware of WHO HE IS! THEN pure and natural praise will burst forth from our innermost being! HE will be well pleased and WE will be most blessed! Here is Brooke Ligertwood with "Bless God":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Performance

Then said Jehovah . . . I watch over my word to perform it. — JEREMIAH 1:12 (ASV)

In all probability, you have faith in your employer. You believe what he says, and you act on it. If he promises to raise your salary, you don’t question him.

Also, you and your word are one. You are behind your word and your promises. If your word is no good, then you are not good.

But God’s Word is more reliable than the word of a man! God’s Word and God are one. If God’s Word is no good and it cannot be relied upon, then God is no good, and He cannot be relied upon.

But God can be relied upon! He stands behind His Word! He stands behind every Word He promises!

You come to know Jesus through the Word of God. Jesus introduces you to God the Father. Then you begin to act upon God’s Word. You test it. After a time of acting upon what God says in His Word, it becomes as natural to you as acting upon the word of the man for whom you are working.

Confession: I believe God. I act upon His Word. Then He watches over His Word to perform it in my life.

AMEN! We can COUNT on HIM! Hallelujah! Here is Brandon Lake with "The Great I Am Can":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

He that believeth in Me…out of him shall flow…. — John 7:38

Jesus did not say — “he that believeth in Me shall realize the blessing of the fullness of God,” but — “he that believeth in Me out of him shall escape everything he receives.” Our Lord’s teaching is always anti-self-realization. His purpose is not the development of a man; His purpose is to make a man exactly like Himself, and the characteristic of the Son of God is self-expenditure. If we believe in Jesus, it is not what we gain, but what He pours through us that counts. It is not that God makes us beautifully rounded grapes, but that He squeezes the sweetness out of us. Spiritually, we cannot measure our life by success, but only by what God pours through us, and we cannot measure that at all.

When Mary of Bethany broke the box of precious ointment and poured it on Jesus’ head, it was an act for which no one else saw any occasion; the disciples said it was a waste. But Jesus commended Mary for her extravagant act of devotion, and said that wherever His gospel was preached “this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.” Our Lord is carried beyond Himself with joy when He sees any of us doing what Mary did, not being set on this or that economy, but being abandoned to Him. God spilt the life of His Son that the world might be saved; are we prepared to spill out our lives for Him?

“He that believeth in Me out of him shall flow rivers of living water” — hundreds of other lives will be continually refreshed. It is time now to break the life, to cease craving for satisfaction, and to spill the thing out. Our Lord is asking who of us will do it for Him?

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "That's Who I Praise":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Perseverance Gets Results

I tell you, although he will not get up and supply him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence and insistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. Luke 11:8 The Amplified Bible

If, as God tells us in 1 Timothy 2:4, it’s His will for all men to be saved, why aren’t we seeing more of the masses of lost people born again every day? Have you ever wondered that?

I have...and as I’ve sought the Lord about it, I’ve come to realize that, for the most part, it’s because those of us who are already saved don’t pray persistently for those who aren’t. Instead of persevering—staying before the Father, praying for them to receive the bread of salvation—like the man in Luke 11:8 did for his friend, when we don’t see immediate results, we simply give up and go home.

What we don’t realize is this: Perseverance is the key to success in intercession!

Why? It’s certainly not because you have to change God’s mind. He never changes. His mind’s made up. He wants all men saved. The reason you have to persevere in intercession is to put pressure on the demonic forces that are trying to keep God’s will from being accomplished. Those forces must be broken down through prayer so that strongholds are destroyed and spiritual blinders are removed from the spiritual eyes of the people you’re praying for.

You see, God will not go against the will of any person. But He will move through your intercession to reveal Himself to them. Through your persistent prayers, He will bring them to the knowledge of their need for Him. Then they’ll reach out for Him and spiritual rebirth can take place!

If you’re sitting around waiting on God to save Aunt Mary or Uncle Jim or your best friend...stop sitting around! Get busy interceding for them. Persevere in prayer. Pray the prayer in Ephesians 1:16-23 for them, refusing to give up until they’re safely inside God’s kingdom.

Jesus has already laid down His life so that they can be saved. The question is, will you?

AMEN! I hope that YOU are one who perserveres in prayer! MANY people are counting on you to do so! And the BEST part? Your REAWARDS will be GREAT in HEAVEN! HALLELUJAH!!! Here is Brandon Lake with "Tear Off The Roof":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional by Joseph Prince is EXCELLENT!

The Power of Redeeming Thoughts

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 NLT

What mental movies are you playing in your head today? Are they thoughts of defeat and despair or thoughts of victory and favor? Faith is simply saying what God says about you and seeing what God sees in you and your situation.

It takes a thought to heal a thought. Unlike the world, which teaches you to empty your mind to achieve peace, God’s way is to fill your mind with fresh, powerful, and redeeming thoughts.

The apostle Paul tells us, “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8 NLT). So it’s not just trying to blot out bad thoughts with your willpower. It takes a thought to replace a thought. It takes a right belief to replace a wrong belief. You need God’s truth to replace the enemy’s lies that have kept you in bondage.

My friend, if a wrong, bad, or negative thought is lodged in your mind today and you can’t seem to shake it, stop trying! Perhaps you’re lying in a hospital bed and can’t help but think of the worst-case scenario. You’re attempting to suppress it, but it’s not working. Well, stop! Stop trying to erase it from your mind. That just won’t work. What you need to do is replace that destructive thought with a thought that’s from God. That’s the only way to deal with a wrong thought and begin the healing process.

Start to meditate on truths such as, “Surely Jesus has borne my sicknesses and carried my pains. The chastisement for my wholeness fell upon Him, and by His stripes I am healed. With long life He will satisfy me” (Isaiah 53:4–5 and Psalm 91:16). Begin to play mental movies of yourself getting well, being discharged from the hospital, having fun with your kids, or going on a nice holiday!

AMEN! SEE yourself with EVERYTHING that GOD has promised in His Word! Here is Brandon Lake and Brooke Ligertwood with "Honey In The Rock":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 60 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today and THIS is the verse I want to leave you with! 

12 Through God we shall do valiantly, for He it is Who shall tread down our adversaries.

AMEN! It IS by and through HIM that we have any hope at all! Make JESUS your #1 priority and see how HE blesses your life and family! Here is Tauren Wells  with "Take It All Back":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

God’s Word Is Good

Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.  JEREMIAH 1:12

I remember another situation in which I had to act on what the banker said. I needed a car that could pull my trailer up mountainous roads. So I bought a 1955 V8 Chevrolet. Well, I didn’t have the money to buy it. I found a salesman who would let me have it at cost. However, instead of letting me have it at cost, it cost him one hundred and fifty dollars to sell it to me.

So I called from California to Garland, Texas, to speak to my banker. I said, “Mr. Mitchell, I am buying a three-quarter ton pick-up truck.” Then I told him the price.

He said, “Wow! There’s got to be some mistake here.”

So the salesman got on the phone with Mr. Mitchell and said, “I’m staying with the figure I gave him. We made a mistake. We figured it wrong. He’s getting the truck at one hundred and fifty dollars less than what we put in it. But I’m a man of my word. I’m going to stay with what I said. He can have it for that price.”

Mr. Mitchell said, “All right. Just give the pick-up truck to him, and I’ll put the check in the mail for you.” Well, I drove that truck away in fifteen minutes. All the salesman and I had was the banker’s word. And all the banker had was my word. But we just acted on one another’s word and enjoyed the benefits thereof!

I wonder if God’s Word is as good as Mr. Mitchell’s word! I wonder if God’s Word is as good as the car dealer’s word! I wonder if God will back His Word up! I wonder if you can depend on what He said! You have to know that God stands by His Word. Then you won’t be afraid to trust Him.

Confession: I know that God stands by His Word. His Word says that I’m healed, that I’m not sick anymore. So I believe Him. I know that God’s Word works for me.

AMEN! Build your confidence in THE WORD of the LIVING GOD! Remember, HE IS NOT A MAN THAT HE SHOULD LIE! {Numbers 23:19} You can count on it! Here is Seph Schlueter with "Im Counting My Blessings":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I LOVE today's "Daily Grace Inspirations" devotional by Joseph Prince!

Submission Releases God’s Favor into Your Life

Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp. And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand . . .” 1 Samuel 17:17-18

When God wanted to bring down a mighty giant who was terrorizing the nation of Israel, He sent someone who was weak in the flesh. Think about it. In the eyes of the world, what could be weaker against a trained and fearsome soldier than a young boy who had no formal military training, no armor, was dressed in a humble shepherd’s garb, and did not even carry any real weapons other than a sling and five smooth stones from a brook? It is no wonder that Goliath mocked this young shepherd boy and his strategy. When David stepped into the battlefield, Goliath asked him sarcastically, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” (1 Samuel 17:43).

The implications of this battle were massive. It was not just a duel or contest between two individuals. The Israelites and Philistines had agreed to each send a warrior who would represent their nation. The defeated warrior would commit his entire nation to become servants to the other nation. It would be an understatement to say that a whole lot was riding on this one fight. And who does God send to represent Israel? In natural terms, He sent possibly the most unqualified person onto that battlefield in the Valley of Elah.

David was not even a soldier in the army of Israel! Do you remember how this shepherd boy ended up at the battlefield to begin with? David was there to deliver bread and cheese to his brothers who were in the army (1 Samuel 17:17-20)! And yet, David found himself standing on the battlefield as Israel's representative against the haughty Goliath. From delivering bread and cheese, he was now called upon to deliver the entire nation of Israel.

David was at the right place at the right time because he humbled himself and submitted to his father’s instructions to deliver bread and cheese to his brothers. Beloved, this is something you need to understand. Submission to God-appointed leadership will always cause God's favor to flow in your life, and you will find yourself, like David, at the right place at the right time!

The Bible says that we should not despise the day of humble beginnings (Zecheriah 4:10). There is nothing glamorous about delivering bread and cheese, but David did not despise it. And that put him right in the Valley of Elah, the wind blowing in his hair—a young shepherd boy with no military experience representing the nation of Israel against a mighty giant who was a man of war from his youth.

This is what God loves to do. He loves to take the foolish and weak things to shame the wise and mighty things of the world. So beloved, humble yourself and submit to the authorities that God has placed above you. And when you are faithful to carry out small tasks assigned to you, His favor is released in your life and you might just find yourself doing great exploits for God!

AMEN! (So be it unto me, according to YOUR WORD!) Here is Brandon Lake with "As For Me And My Home":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom.

Today I want to share another great devotionl with you! Here is Joseph Prince with today's "Daily Grace Inspirations":

Practicing The Word 

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

Your spirit can be developed by four things. We have just examined the first: meditation. Now we will look at the second: practicing the Word. Practicing the Word means being a doer of the Word.

There are talkers about the Word. And even rejoicers about the Word. But we don’t have many doers of the Word.

Begin to practice being a doer of the Word. Under all circumstances, do what the Word of God tells you to do.

Some think that being a doer of the Word is simply keeping the Ten Commandments. No, that’s not what James 1:22 means. After all, under the New Covenant, we have only one commandment — the commandment of love. If you love someone, you won’t steal from him. You won’t lie about him. Paul said that love is the fulfilling of the law. If you walk in love, you won’t break any law that was given to curb sin. So, if you’re a doer of the Word, you will walk in love.

But being a doer of the Word for New Covenant Christians means doing primarily what is written in the Epistles. Those are the letters written to the Church. They belong to us, and we are to do them.

Confession: I am a doer of the Word, not just a hearer only!

AMEN! Here is my favorite new worship song by Brandon Lake called "Rest On Us":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I am sticking with Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional for today because it is SO needful!

Practicing The Word

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

Your spirit can be developed by four things. We have just examined the first: meditation. Now we will look at the second: practicing the Word. Practicing the Word means being a doer of the Word.

There are talkers about the Word. And even rejoicers about the Word. But we don’t have many doers of the Word.

Begin to practice being a doer of the Word. Under all circumstances, do what the Word of God tells you to do.

Some think that being a doer of the Word is simply keeping the Ten Commandments. No, that’s not what James 1:22 means. After all, under the New Covenant, we have only one commandment — the commandment of love. If you love someone, you won’t steal from him. You won’t lie about him. Paul said that love is the fulfilling of the law. If you walk in love, you won’t break any law that was given to curb sin. So, if you’re a doer of the Word, you will walk in love.

But being a doer of the Word for New Covenant Christians means doing primarily what is written in the Epistles. Those are the letters written to the Church. They belong to us, and we are to do them.

Confession: I am a doer of the Word, not just a hearer only!

AMEN! Each one of us must come to a decision to MAKE JESUS LORD of our lives! Her are Hillsong Kids with one of my favorite songs that they did years ago called #1

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is again speaking of US putting GOD and HIS WORD first place!

My Meditation

O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. — PSALM 119:97

A minister told me how he’d been trying to make a success of his church. If he heard of a pastor who was doing well, he would visit him and see what kind of program he had. Then he would try to put that man’s program into action in his church — but it never worked. And he’d fly all over the country doing this.

Then the pastor decided he would meditate in the Word the way he’d heard me teach. So he took a little time out each morning to meditate on the Word. He told me that after thirty days of meditating on the Word, one Sunday they had a landslide response. More people were saved than in the previous two or three years; his people were revived— and he began to have good success.

The ministry was this pastor’s life. That’s where he needed to have good success. Your life calling may be different. But it is certainly true that your way can also be prosperous, and you can have good success. Take time to meditate in the Word. Shut yourself in alone with your spirit. Shut the world out.

Confession: I will meditate in God’s Word. I will observe to do what His Word teaches. My way shall be prosperous. I shall have good success in life. I shall know how to deal wisely in the affairs of life. For the Word of God says so.

AMEN! MEDITATE on GOD'S WORD and you will find great WISDOM begin to flow from you! Here is Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I had trouble with Blogger for a few days, but it seems to be working now! I will catch up beginning with 8/24!

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

Day And Night

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. — PSALM 1:2-3

If you ever want to do anything great in life — if you ever want to amount to anything in life — take time to meditate in the Word of God. Start out with at least ten or fifteen minutes a day, and build up.

For many years, I held two services a day while in the traveling ministry. And in earlier years of field ministry, I would teach in the mornings, pray aloud all afternoon, and preach and minister at night. Because I ate only one meal a day during my meetings, I would grow weak expending all this physical energy.

Then the Lord spoke to me. He said, “Don’t spend all that time praying and wearing yourself out for the night service. Lie on the bed and meditate.” When I began to do that, my spiritual growth was greater than ever before.

Well, that’s what God promised: “. . . for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success” (Joshua 1:8). I wanted to prosper and have good success in the ministry. But this works whether you are in the ministry, raise cows, or sell automobiles!

Confession: I take time every day to meditate in God’s Word!

AMEN! I am SO glad that this was one of the very first lessons that I learned from the Word of God! MAKE HIS WORD YOUR TOP PRIORITY! HE DOES! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Prayer Choice And Prayer Conflict

When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and pray to thy Father which is in secret. — Matthew 6:6

Jesus did not say — “Dream about thy Father in secret,” but “pray to thy Father in secret.” Prayer is an effort of will. After we have entered our secret place and have shut the door, the most difficult thing to do is to pray; we cannot get our minds into working order, and the first thing that conflicts is wandering thoughts. The great battle in private prayer is the overcoming of mental wool-gathering. We have to discipline our minds and concentrate on wilful prayer.

We must have a selected place for prayer and when we get there the plague of flies begins — This must be done, and that. “Shut thy door.” A secret silence means to shut the door deliberately on emotions and remember God. God is in secret, and He sees us from the secret place; He does not see us as other people see us, or as we see ourselves. When we live in the secret place it becomes impossible for us to doubt God, we become more sure of Him than of anything else. Your Father, Jesus says, is in secret and nowhere else. Enter the secret place, and right in the centre of the common round you find God there all the time. Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything. Unless in the first waking moment of the day you learn to fling the door wide back and let God in, you will work on a wrong level all day; but swing the door wide open and pray to your Father in secret, and every public thing will be stamped with the presence of God.

AMEN! Here is Brandon Lake with "I Know A Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I LOVE today's "From Faith To Faith" devotional by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland!

No Consolation Prize

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:4

I talk a lot about faith. But there’s another force that goes along with it that’s just as important. It’s patience—the ability to stand fast on the Word of God even when your victory seems slow in coming.

Patience is not automatic. It won’t go to work unless you let it go to work. So many people don’t understand that. They somehow think faith and patience will go to work for them without their help. They just let the devil tear their lives apart and then they say silly things like, “Well, I guess God sent that trial to strengthen my faith.”

Don’t you ever get caught saying that!

In the first place, James says, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God...” (James 1:13). And in the second place, that trial isn’t going to make your faith stronger. In fact, it’ll destroy it if you’ll let it.

If I were to give you a set of weights, would that set of weights make you any stronger? No. As a matter of fact, if you dropped one of them on your foot, you could end up painfully weaker. It’s what you do with them that counts, right?

Well, the same thing is true when you run into some kind of trying circumstance the devil’s brought your way. If you just lie down and let it run over you, it will damage you. But if you’ll let patience have her perfect work, if you’ll remain consistently constant, trusting in and relying confidently on the Word of God, you’ll end up perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

“Wanting nothing.” That phrase alone should convince you that patience is no consolation prize. It’s a first-rate power that will put the promises of God within your reach. It’s a force that will make a winner out of you.

AMEN! Make sure that you are spending time in the Word of God every day! It IS your vital necessity! 

Psalm 70:4 4 May all those who seek, inquire of and for You, and require You [as their vital need] rejoice and be glad in You; and may those who love Your salvation say continually, Let God be magnified! AMP

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Your Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin is another favorit of mine!

Above Only

The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath . . . . — DEUTERONOMY 28:12-13

The reason why Christians continually make mistakes and fail is because their spirits, which should guide them, are kept locked away in prison, so to speak. Even in our churches, the intellect has taken the throne.

Any person who shuts his spirit away and never listens to it becomes crippled in life. He becomes an easy prey to selfish and designing people.

But the person who listens to his spirit is the one who climbs to the top.

Before I began to learn in 1959 how to follow the inward witness, it cost me financially. I had to borrow money to get out of a financial hole. Yet God had said I would have money to loan if I would follow the inward witness. But when I began to follow it, I started rising to the top. And I’ve been rising ever since.

Confession: (Make your own confession from today’s scripture.)

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

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

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

Love Fulfills the Law

Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:10

There is a grace revolution going on and it is liberating precious people from the power of sin! The glorious gospel of grace produces glorious, victorious, and holy lives. If you know people who are living in sin and claiming that they are under grace, you know that they are most definitely not living under grace! How can they be when the Bible states that sin shall not have dominion over those who are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:14)? The Ten Commandments cannot produce holiness in people. Grace is the power to go and sin no more (John 8:11)!

There are also people who believe that preaching God’s grace gives people a license to sin and endorses licentiousness. That is not what God’s grace does at all! On the contrary, God’s amazing grace transforms a person’s heart and produces true holiness, which isn’t just outward, but also deep, intimate, beginning at the very core of a person’s heart. Holiness is a fruit of God’s grace.

The word “holiness” in the New Testament is the Greek word hagiasmos, which is sometimes translated also as “sanctification.” The moment you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you were justified by faith and made perfectly righteous. You were also made holy or sanctified, which is to be set apart unto the Lord. And as you grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, you are progressively transformed into His image from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). Now, you cannot be more righteous because you are already 100 percent righteous by Jesus’ blood. But under grace, you can grow in holiness in the way you live your life.

I am all for holiness and I am vehemently against sin. Where I differ from some preachers is in my focus on how we stop the power of sin and help God’s people grow in greater holiness. For many preachers the answer to sin is found in preaching the Ten Commandments. I believe that the answer is found in preaching Jesus and the gospel of grace.

Now, listen carefully to what I am about to say. Under grace, when you experience the love of our Lord Jesus, you will end up fulfilling the law! Under grace, you will end up being holy. Grace produces true holiness! As the apostle Paul boldly proclaims in today’s scripture, “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

When the love of Jesus is in you, you can’t help but fulfill the law. When your heart is overflowing with God’s grace and loving-kindness, you will have no desire to commit adultery or murder, bear false witness, or covet. You will have the power to love your neighbor as yourself. Where does this power come from? From your being firmly rooted and established in the grace of God. You have the power to love, because He first loved you (1 John 4:19 NASB)! This is why the Bible declares that “love is the fulfillment of the law.”

In fact, when God’s people are under grace, not only do they fulfill the letter of the law, but they also exceed it and go the extra mile. For example, the law commands you not to commit adultery, and there are people who can fulfill just the letter of the law and not commit adultery outwardly. However, inwardly, they have no love for their spouses. Grace changes all that. Grace doesn’t just deal with the surface; it goes deeper and teaches a man to love his wife as Christ loved the church.

My friend, Christianity is all about God’s love for you. It is His love for and in you that results in inward heart transformation. Christianity is not a religion; it is a relationship. Christianity is not about a list of dos and don’ts; it is about intimacy, love, and a warm, beating heart. First experience and taste the grace of God and His love will surely cause you to live a holy life!

AMEN! Here is Hillsong again with "Love Of God Can Do":

Shalom in Him!