"For those whom He foreknew--of whom He was aware and loved beforehand--He also destined from the beginning...to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness]." Romans 8:29

As a believer, you're destined to be molded into the image of Jesus, to grow in spirit until you look just like Him. God's supernatural power began that process the moment you were born again. You were changed on the inside instantly. How successful you are in allowing this change to progress to the outer man is mostly up to you. We grow up spiritually just like we grow up physically. What can you do to speed this growing process along? Spend more time pursuing the things of the Spirit than you spend pursuing the things of the flesh. Become dedicated to the Word of God and to fellowship with Him. Be willing to pull aside from the busy things of life and get alone with Him, so He can guide you, teach you and share His likeness with you. READ: 1 Corinthians 3:5-18

"But [God's grace] is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" 2 Timothy 1:10

Have you ever wondered what it will be like when your body dies and you go on to heaven? Well, according to the Word, when that time comes, this flesh and blood tent you live in will die, but you won't feel a thing. You'll just take off the cloak of your flesh, lay it down, and go to a better place. Hallelujah! There's coming a day when not only our spirits have victory over death, our physical bodies do too! Death is not the end for you. It's only a change to a better place! READ: 2 Corinthians 5:1-9

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." Deuteronomy 30:19

God's going to get you for that! People have said that kind of thing jokingly for years. They've somehow believed that God slaps us down with pain and punishment every time we sin. But that's just not true. There are deadly wages for sin, but God is not the one who's doling them out. Remember this: No matter what you've done, God doesn't want to get you for it, He wants to forgive you of it. He doesn't want to slap you down, He wants to save you and lift you up. Trust Him and let Him put you on the road of life today! READ: Deuteronomy 30

"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning,they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus." Luke 24:1-3

Truly, it's time for us to stop looking for the living among the dead. It's time for us to stop wandering around in the cemetery of sin, sickness and failure and to step into resurrection life! Don't let Satan bind you with the grave clothes of yesterday's sin and defeat. You're not dead anymore. You've been raised with Jesus. Come out from the tombs and start living resurrection life! READ: Acts 17:16-34

"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." John 17:21

It's time we, as believers, began to enter into the oneness Jesus prayed for in John 17:21. It's time we held onto one another in good times as well as bad. It's time we realized that we need one another. Once we truly join together in faith, all the demons of hell won't be able to overcome us. We'll march right over them in the fullness of the power of Jesus and bring the age to a glorious close! READ: Ephesians 4:1-16

"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."James 3:16

Have you ever noticed that the easiest place to remain self-centered is at home? There's an incentive to be lovely with others, but with your family you are tempted to allow yourself more selfish privileges as if it didn't count there. Strife drops the shield of faith, stops prayer results, and invites Satan and his cohorts into your midst. Discord is deadly. It paralyzes the power of God in your life. Don't allow the enemy to stop you at your own front door by allowing strife in your home. If you do, you'll be no threat to him anywhere else. READ: Philippians 2:1-13

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16

When you made Jesus the Lord of your life, one of the privileges you received was the right to come to the throne room of God any time you want to. Think about that! You have the right to go boldly before God and obtain whatever you need.Do you need to receive something from God today? Don't waste time standing around outside heaven's gates. Through Jesus you belong in the very throne room of God. So come right on in. The door is always open for you. READ: Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 5:1-9

"He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from troubles." Proverbs 21:23

There's just no two ways about it. To live a life of blessing, we have to make our words agree with what God says. Not just for a few hours or a few days, but all the time.If you've ever done that, you know it's not easy. As time wears on and the circumstances around you appear to be stubbornly determined to stay in the same miserable condition, it can be hard to keep on speaking God's Word. But you have to do it if you ever want your harvest of blessing to come in. Put patience to work and keep your words in line. You will receive your harvest. READ: Proverbs 18:4-8, 20-21

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

Whether your goal is to be an excellent evangelist or a first-rate engineer in the service of the Lord, it is the wisdom that comes from the Word of God that will get you there. Jesus said it this way: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). So commit yourself right now to do whatever it takes to totally saturate yourself with the Word of God. Use every available moment to read, study, listen to, and meditate on it. READ: Proverbs 4:1-18

"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." Hebrews 10:16-17

When you made Him your Lord, He didn't just cover your sins, He put you into right standing with God and recreated you by the Spirit of God as if sin had never existed. Think about that. Let it sink into your consciousness until you rise up boldly and receive the freedom from sin that's yours in Christ Jesus. Receive the righteousness that only the Lamb of God can give. READ: Hebrews 9:11-26

"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you,and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." Matthew 5:11-12

When persecution comes, don't sit around whining about it. Don't waste your time feeling sorry for yourself. Despite what you may think, that persecution hasn't come because the devil gets his kicks out of picking on you. It comes because you've become a threat to him. It comes because you've put the Word in your heart, and he knows that if he doesn't get it out, you're going to cause him more trouble than he can handle. So, when persecution comes, trust Him and rejoice, knowing that you've made it to the big leagues now! READ: 1 Peter 4:12-19

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a manlay down his life for his friends." John 15:12-13

Love. It is the first and foremost command Jesus gave us, yet all too many believers neglect to follow it. I'm talking about believers who can quote tremendous amounts of scripture and who may speak the Name of Jesus 35 or 40 times a day, yet they're rough and insensitive to the needs of their friends and family. They're so busy "serving God," they don't have time to serve people. Strife is their hallmark. When you're in that condition, the Name of Jesus won't work. Faith won't work because the Bible says that faith works by love. In fact, none of the gifts of the Spirit will work if you don't have love. First Corinthians 13 says so. READ: 1 Corinthians 13:1-8

"So [Israel] came up to Baal-perazim,and David smote the [Philistines] there. Then David said, God has broken my enemies by my hand, like the bursting forth of waters; therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim (Lord of breaking through)." 1 Chronicles 14:11

Like the bursting forth of waters. I love that phrase! It paints such a powerful and accurate picture of a breakthrough. Do you remember the story of the little boy who saw a leak in the dam and plugged up the hole with his finger? He knew that the force of the water flowing through that one tiny hole would have enlarged the leak with every second that passed. And, as the dam gave way to the pressure, that tiny trickle would have quickly become a raging flood. As you reach out your hand in faith, expect God to break in upon your enemies just like He did for David. That's how your breakthrough will come like the bursting forth of waters! Punch one little hole in that wall of problems, and no devilish dam will hold you back. Dig one tiny hole in it with your faith and with the Word of God. READ: 1 Chronicles 14:8-17

"And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance...That thou shalt takeof the first of all the fruit of the earth...and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name there."Deuteronomy 26:1-2

Tithing. Most Christians aren't very excited about it. But they should be and they would be if they understood how to do it properly.Scriptural tithing stirs up faith. It activates the power of God in our lives when we do it in gratitude and joy, expecting our needs to be met abundantly. In Deuteronomy 26:8-9, God told the Israelites exactly what to say when they brought their tithes. READ: Deuteronomy 26

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." John 10:10

The devil can't cause disaster in your life unless he has been given place. He can't come in and start destroying and stealing from you unless he can get you into a place of sin, doubt, ignorance, or disobedience. So if he's been giving you trouble, ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you've let those things in. Then repent and get rid of them. Once you've done that, pull out the weapons God has given you and fire away with both barrels. Pull out the Word. Pull out prayer. Pull out faith and use it to tie the devil in knots. Use the uncommon power of God to keep him bound and he won't be able to put anything over on you. READ: Ephesians 6:10-18

"And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from the Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts--deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds.... And be thankful--appreciative, giving praise to God always." Colossians 3:15

Have you been praying that God will let you know whether a certain action you want to take is agreeable to His will or not? Let this peace of Christ be your guide. Remember that this inner leading of the Holy Spirit, this subtle sense of uneasiness or peace He gives you, is something you have to watch and listen for carefully. He generally won't just come up and knock you out of bed one morning and tell you what you need to do. The primary way He speaks to you is by what the Bible calls an inward witness. So, you have to listen. You can't just stay busy about the things of the world all the time. You have to give Him time and attention. READ: Psalm 95:1-7

"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29

Jesus came to take away sin. Do you realize what that means? It means that God, through the blood of Jesus, has so completely done away with the power of sin that you, as a born-again believer, can live as if it never existed. You can step out from under its shadow once and for all. Understand now, stepping out from under sin's shadow doesn't guarantee living a sinless life. You still might stumble sometimes and fall into sin. But you have a promise from God, sworn in the blood of Jesus, that says when you confess that sin, He's faithful and just to forgive you of it and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. READ: John 1:1-34

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Notice that this scripture instructs us to give thanks in all things, not for all things. When tragedy or temptation strikes, we are not to thank God for them. He is not their author. He's the One who provides our way of escape from them. And that's what we're to thank Him for.If you read the four Gospels, you'll find that Jesus never gave thanks for sickness or death. Instead, when He encountered them, His response was to overcome them by God's power. So give thanks as Jesus gave thanks--not for Satan's activities but for the victory God has given you over them. READ: John 11:1-48

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters." Psalm 23:1-2

Is the devil out to destroy you? Do what David did. Meditate on God and His Word. Sing praises to your King. Fellowship with Him until the revelation of who He is in you starts to thrill your soul. Then tell the devil, "You're not going to kill me. The Lord is my Shepherd!" Hit him with the rock of revelation knowledge, and you'll knock him flat every time. READ: Psalm 23

"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark 11:24

Believing. That's the key to everything in the kingdom of God. It's the way we tap into the very power of Almighty God. Most of us know that. But do we know how to put it into action? Actually it's so simple, it's startling. It's as simple as saying, "I believe I receive." Something happens in your spirit when you say those words. I don't understand how, but it does. I don't understand how my digestive system knows what to do when I swallow something, but it does. All I have to do is take a bite of food and it goes to work. I don't have to make it happen. I don't have to feel it happen. It just happens. That's the way the body is made. In much the same way, when you feed on God's precious promises and "swallow" them into your spirit by saying, "I believe I receive," faith is released. You don't have to make it happen. You don't have to feel it happen. It just happens. The reborn spirit is made that way. READ: Mark 11:12-24

"And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day."Luke 13:14

Religion is dangerous. Religion would rather debate about healing than see somebody healed. Religion would rather argue about deliverance than see somebody set free.Remember that next time someone tries to get you sidetracked into a religious debate about healing or deliverance. If someone needs to be delivered from a demon, just do it! That's the difference between religion and the love of God. Religion argues. Love acts. Choose love today. READ: Luke 13:11-17

"And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended." Mark 4:16-17

There seems to be an abundance of "stony ground" Christians these days. Initially, they get excited about the Word of God. They'll hear a message on prosperity, for instance, and they'll go home saying, "Hallelujah! I'm going to prosper in the Name of Jesus!" But then, somehow, things don't work out like they thought they should. Their bank balance doesn't double overnight. They go through some disappointments. They suffer some criticism. Then, before you know it, their faith has withered away. If you don't want that to happen to you, make up your mind right now that you're not going to let the rough times defeat you. Decide now that you're going to hang onto the Word even when the persecutions and afflictions come, because I can guarantee you, they will come. READ: 2 Corinthians 4:6-18

"But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, 0 thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" Matthew 14:30-31

If there's any way the devil can get your eyes away from the Word, he'll do it. He'll cause trouble. He'll make the circumstances around you pitch and roll like a rowboat in a hurricane. He'll do anything he can to get you to concentrate on the realm of the physical senses and the situation around you instead of on the promise of God--because he knows that if he doesn't, you'll take that promise and beat his brains out with it. Keep your eyes on the Word of God until it's more real inside you than anything else. If you do, you'll be able to walk your way across the water just fine. READ: Matthew 14:22-33

"This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:21-23

God is faithful. He's full of compassion. His mercies are new every morning. As a believer, you know all that. But simply knowing it is not enough. For it to do you any good, you have to recall it. You have to remember it again and again in order to rekindle your hope and stir your faith. READ: Psalm 103:1-17

"But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour." 2 Timothy 2:20

Are you destined for greatness in the kingdom of God? Ask most believers that question and they'll humbly assure you they're not. "You know we can't all be golden vessels" they'll say. "Like the Bible says, some of us are just called to be little clay pots." Praise God, the Bible doesn't say any such thing! Certainly there are going to be some golden vessels in the kingdom and there are going to be some clay pots, but we are the ones--not God--who determine which kind we will be. Second Timothy 2:21 tells us that "whoever cleanses himself [from what is ignoble and unclean]--who separates himself from contact with contaminating and corrupting influences-- will [then himself] be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work". READ: 2 Timothy 2:15-26

"And being not weak in faith, [Abraham] considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God" Romans 4:19-20

Abraham had natural facts to deal with just like we do. He knew there was no natural way for God's promise to him to come true. Yet the Word says Abraham considered not his own body. In other words, Abraham ignored the natural evidence around him and believed only God's promise. Begin with the Word. Search the promises of God and purposely believe what He has said, and is saying, about your need. Meditate on those promises until faith rises in your heart. READ: Romans 4:13-21

"Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord."Psalm 150:6

We're created to praise God. Some people don't know that. When the praise service starts, they sit back and say, "I'm not comfortable with all that singing and shouting. I guess praise is just not my thing." Yes it is! According to the Bible, if you breathe, you were meant to praise. And don't try to slip by with saying, "Well, I have praise in my heart." That's not enough. The Word says you need to have it in your mouth as well! (Ps. 34:1) Psalm 132:9 says, "Let thy saints shout for joy." You can't shout and be quiet at the same time. Are you longing for a revival of God's presence in your life? Are you tired of just hearing about the glorious manifestations of His power in the past? Then open your mouth and your heart and do what God has created you to do. Praise! READ: Psalm 150

"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. ...that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in ane; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me." John 17:20, 22-23

Most believers don't even realize that Jesus gave us the key to winning the world, but He did. He prayed about it right before He went to the Cross. He asked the Father to bring us into a place of such oneness with each other and with Him that the world would know that He had been sent from God. If you and I and all the rest of the Body of Christ would get together and start loving each other, we'd evangelize the world so fast it would make your head swim. Do you want to take a step toward evangelizing the world today? Then start praying for oneness. Make up your mind that you're going to start loving your fellow believers instead of criticizing, complaining, and talking ugly about them. READ: John 17:9-26

"I beseech thee, show me thy glory." Exodus 33:18

The word "glory" in today's Bible verse could literally be translated "heavy weight." It refers to the heaviest, biggest, grandest thing about someone. So what Moses was actually saying was, "Lord, I want to see the weightiest thing about You. " What did God say to him in response? Chapter 34:6-7 tells us, "The Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin." Just think about that! When Moses asked God to show him the most important thing about Himself, God showed him His mercy. That means if you and I are to imitate God (Eph. 5:1) we must major in mercy too. Mercy, goodness, forgiveness and compassion must mark our behavior above all else. Major on mercy and others will see the glory of God in you. READ: Exodus 33:7-23, Exodus 34:5-10

"For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption--the Spirit producing sonship-- in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba! [That is,] Father!" Romans 8:15

In the New Testament there's a Greek word for father-- Abba. The most accurate translation for that word in English is Daddy. It's a word that signifies closeness. It speaks of a relationship that's been developed through time spent together. Growing up, my father was sometimes my Father and sometimes my Daddy. When we were out duck hunting, he was Daddy. When he gave commands he meant to be obeyed instantly, he was Father. God is like that too. He's your Father and He's your Daddy. There are times you'll be very serious and down to business with one another. Other times you'll be more lighthearted. But either way, once you fellowship with Him enough to get to know Him, I guarantee, you'll want to be close to Him all the time. READ: Romans 8:14-18

"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 12:2

Be not conformed to this world. If you live like the world, you'll be overcome by the world. It's as simple as that. So don't let the world squeeze you into its own mold. Instead..."be transformed" by the entire renewal of your mind. Overcome the world by having your mind transformed to think like God thinks. In other words, when you see something in the Word, say, "I agree with that. From now on I'm acting on that instead of what I used to think." For example, when sin calls your name, don't answer. Agree with the Word instead and say, "I'm dead to that, Devil. You can't pull me into it anymore!" As you do that, you'll find yourself changing. You will find yourself living like a world overcomer! READ: Romans 6:1-11

"Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him... Until seventy times seven."Matthew 18:21-22

Forgiving someone sounds like a simple thing to do. Yet few of us actually do it. We treat forgiveness as if it were one of life's additional options, something we can take or leave alone. But it's not. It's a basic requirement for every believer. In fact, as far as God is concerned, unforgiveness is wickedness. Spend time with the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to reveal the unforgiveness in you. Then repent and release it. Make this Year more than just a time for remembering. Make it a time to forget. READ: Matthew 18:21-35

"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt...have good success." Joshua 1:8

Good success is a way of life that comes from being established in the Word of God. It comes from spending so much of your time and your thought life on the Word that it becomes what you and I could call "second nature." It comes from hearing and obeying the Word so consistently that it begins to guide your actions even when you're not consciously thinking about it. Practice meditating on the Word so it becomes second nature to you. See yourself obeying it in every possible circumstance. It will guarantee you "good success." READ: Psalm 1

"With long life will I satisfy [you], and shew [you] my salvation." Psalm 91:16

Did you know that it's not God's will for you or anyone to die young? His will for you is to live the full number of your days. You ought to live 70 or 80 years, and if you are not satisfied, live a while longer! The Bible says that when Abraham died, he died at a good old age, full of years. That's the way it ought to be with all of us. Resist sickness and disease in the Name of Jesus. Stand on God's promise! Then, when you're ready to go on to heaven, go! But go satisfied, healed, and ready! Go in victory shouting the words of that old joy-filled song--"Heaven is near and I can't stay here. Good-bye world, good-bye." READ: Deuteronomy 34

"Greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears.... I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you.... For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:4,6-7

There are times when you know what God has called you to do, but you just don't feel you have the inner resources you need to do it. Somehow you've simply run dry. Everything you'll ever need to accomplish what God has called you to do has been placed inside you by God Almighty. Faith is in there. Power is in there. Love is in there. Believe that. Speak it out. Say it to yourself now, right out loud: "In the Name of Jesus, I stir up the gift that's within me by faith. I'm stirring up my faith. I'm not going to wait until I feel stirred up. I'm stepping out by faith and expecting my feelings to follow! READ: 2 Timothy 1:1-8

"And Jesus went forth...moved with compassion...and he healed their sick. And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them: In so much that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel." Matthew 14:14; 15:30-31

Religious tradition says that God gets glory when we bear up nobly under the agony of sickness and disease. But that's not what the Bible says. It says God gets glory when the blind see and the lame walk and the maimed are made whole! In some of the countries where people haven't been taught those kinds of religious traditions, when somebody stands up and announces, "I come to you as a messenger from the most high God," people believe what he has to say. When they hear that Jesus, the King of Kings, shed His blood for them; when they hear that He's sent His messenger to tell them that He'll deliver them from sin and sickness and death today, they get excited. They don't argue with the Word of God. So you know what happens? People begin to get healed. People start throwing away their crutches and flinging off their bandages! When we learn to hear the Word of God like that, the same thing will happen to us. God is no respecter of persons. His Word works for everyone. It's how we receive it that makes the difference! READ: Acts 17:1-11

"For every one that uses milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belonges to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."Hebrews 5:13-14

Don't starve your spirit by trying to get by on just a little spiritual milk now and then. Develop the habit of feeding on the solid food of the Word every day and find out what real maturity is all about. READ: Hebrews 5:11-14, 6:1-3

"But God's free gift is not at all to be compared to the trespass...For if many died through one man's falling away--his lapse, his offense--much more profusely did God's grace and the freegift [that comes] through...Jesus Christ, abound and overflow to and for [the benefit of] many." Romans 5:15

If you ever need someone to tell you how to turn things around, go to God. He's an expert on the subject. He's suffered more losses than anyone who's ever lived. Just think about it. He lost Lucifer, His top-ranked, most anointed angel. And He lost at least a third of His other angels as well when Lucifer fell. Then He lost the man and woman He had created; and because He'd given them dominion over the earth, when He lost them, He lost it too. Any way you figure it, that's a lot of real estate down the drain! Yet, in spite of all that, God is no loser. He's the greatest winner of all time. Do you know why? Because He knows how to turn the losses around. He knows how to use the law of giving and receiving to transform losses into gains. Don't despair over your losses. Redeem them the same way God redeemed His. Give and put the most powerful principle in the universe to work for you. READ: John 3:12-21

"This cup is the new covenant [ratified and established] in My blood." 1 Corinthians 11:25

New Covenant. It's a familiar phrase to most of us. But do we really know what it means? If we did, every one of us would be faith giants. Instead of struggling, "trying" to believe the promises of God, we'd be like Abraham. "Strong in faith...fully persuaded that, what God has promised, he is able to perform!" (Rom. 4:20-21). Do you want to be a faith giant like Father Abraham? Then dig into the covenant you have with God. Study it in the Word. Let the Holy Spirit show you what really happened when Jesus became the sacrifice that ratified your covenant with God. Let Him show you what it meant when He gave you His Name (John 16:23), His authority (Matt. 28:18-20), His armor and weapons (Eph. 6:10-17). Once you realize what Jesus actually meant when He said, "This is the New Covenant established in My blood," your life will never be the same again. READ: Hebrews 10:1-23

"And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke." Acts 2:18-19

You and I are living in the most exciting days this earth has ever seen. All around us God is pouring out His Spirit in preparation for the endtime revival that will bring this whole age to a glorious close. Some of God's children are just standing by as spectators, watching Him work. Others, however, have become a vital part of it all. They've volunteered for service in this great end-time army. They've become what the Bible calls the servants and handmaidens of God.Make a decision now to become one of them. Take the step of faith into servanthood today. READ: Acts 2:1-21

"God hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:6-7

All my life people told me the reason God saved us was so that when we got to Glory, we could spend the rest of eternity loving Him and worshiping Him. But, you know, that's just not so. It sounds pretty good, but it's just something somebody made up. God isn't selfish. He's just the opposite. He's the ultimate giver. The ultimate lover. He doesn't do anything just so He can get something in return. Why then did He save us? The Word of God tells us He did it so that in the ages to come, He could show us the exceeding riches of His grace. Think about that! God is going to spend eternity showing the riches of His grace to you and me. As a believer, you have the most glorious future ahead of you that anyone could ever ask. But don't wait until you get to Glory to enjoy it. You can start right now. You've already been seated in heavenly places! READ: Ephesians 2:1-8

"I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High. When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence." Psalm 9:1-3

Never underestimate the importance of praise. It's one of the most powerful spiritual weapons you have. Praise is more than a pleasant song or a few uplifting words about God. It does something. It releases the very presence of God Himself. And, when the presence of God comes on the scene, your enemies are turned back. Sickness and disease can't stay on your body. Poverty can't stay in your house. READ: 2 Chronicles 20:1-22

"But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." 1 John 2:5-6

There is nothing--absolutely nothing--that is more important than learning to love. In fact, how accurately you perfect the love walk will determine how much of the perfect will of God you accomplish. That's because every other spiritual force derives its action from love. For example, the Bible teaches us that faith works by love. And answered prayer is almost an impossibility when a believer steps outside of love and refuses to forgive or is in strife with his brother. You can live the love life. Why not begin today? READ: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

"Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 18:19

As believers, you and I are part of a conquering army, constantly claiming new ground for the kingdom of God. Right? Well, yes, that's the way it should be. But just about the time the army tops the hill and is ready to advance, it seems that Satan pulls out his big gun--DIVISION--and scatters believers in every direction. How can we strike back against the strategy of division? By launching an even more powerful attack of our own. By using one of the most powerful resources given us by the Lord Jesus: the prayer of agreement. Jesus said that if any two of us would agree as touching anything we ask, it shall be done! Then get your body in line by speaking the thing you've agreed on. Act like you've already received the answer. Don't keep asking but thank God for it. Stay in agreement and take some new ground for the Lord! READ: Acts 4:1-31

"Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money in.... And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites.... And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them...this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mark 12:41-44

Have you ever wanted to get God's attention? You can, you know. There's a certain kind of boldness, a certain kind of faith in giving that will get His attention every time. You can see that in Mark 12. You and I need to catch hold of the same attitude that poor widow had. We need to start holding our offerings up to the Lord in confidence, throwing it boldly into His service, expecting His blessings in return. READ: Mark 12:28-44

"And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me?... Lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea." Exodus 14:15-16

If you hang around God very much, it won't be long before you'll start wanting to do things the world considers supernatural. You'll start wanting to lay hands on the sick and have them recover. You'll start wanting to cast out demons. You'll start wanting to cast mountainous problems into the sea. How? Feeding on the Word. Praying in the Spirit. Listening to what the Spirit of God says to you. As you do those things, as you move as God impresses you to move and take your direction from Him, you'll flow in the supernatural as naturally as a bird flies in the air. You won't struggle and strain and try to "part the sea." You'll just trust the Lord, stretch out your rod... and watch the miracles roll. READ: Exodus 14

"Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble;thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance." Psalm 32:7

If you want God to be God of your trouble, then you must let Him be God in your heart. God honors those who honor Him. If you're facing problems, don't just start kicking and screaming and begging Him to save you from them. Honor Him by going to His Word and doing what He says to do. Psalm 34 is a good place to start. It says, for example, to seek God (verse 4). As you seek Him, He will deliver you from the things that threaten you. Secondly, it instructs you to cry out to the Lord. He will save you out of ALL your troubles (verse 6). Next it tells you to fear the Lord. Verses 11-14 tell you exactly how to do that: Keep from speaking evil and deceit; depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Remember, if you want God to be God of your trouble, let Him be God of your heart. When you do that, all of heaven will get involved in your deliverance--and your triumph will be guaranteed. READ: Psalm 34

Growing in Faith to God

Have you ever wondered...... How to grow in your faith? Read: 2 Peter 3:18; Colossians 1:9-10; 1 Peter 2:2 There's more to Harare than Harare garderns. If you walk off the main streets, you will discover quaint cafes waiting to be enjoyed, fragrant flower shops , take-away shops, unlisted tourist guides. Ironically, visiting Harare has many similarities to the Christian walk. You can't miss salvation. It looms high above the skyline. It's what really makes your trip. But you will find even more places you can visit to get to know God in a deeper way. That is what the Bible reveals. Inside are countless passages of insight for you to consider so that you can learn more about God's personality. As you spend time with other Christians, in the World, in prayer, and in accountability, you can draw from their strengths and experiences and share yours as well. Search the pages of scripture to discover new places in God's World. Most of all, be willing to take the trip and grow in your relationship with God. You will be surprised at what awaits you around the next corner. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearter but a doer of the work this one will be blessed in what he does. - James 1:25

The Bible: God's Scrapbook

Have you ever wondered. If God's world is any more than a bunch of good stories? Read: Romans 15:4; Psalm 119:9-18 The Bible comes even more alive when we realize that it's God's scrapbook. Paging it, you learn more about him with each turn. It overflows with collages of pictures, stories, poems, and letters. You'll discover a piece of music that David wrote for him and a prayer God received from Job. You will glimpse a snapshot of God's face as he watched his Son die. What makes the bible a unique scrapbook is that it doesn't just commemorate the past - it provides guidance for today and hope for tomorrow. You can find your name and face in its pages. Next to each bible promise is a picture of you. The same hope, the same gifts, and the same salvation recorded in the Bible apply to you. This scrapbook isn't a nostalgic keepsake. It's a living, dynamc, hopeful expectation of God's plans for the future. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equiped for every good work - 2 Timothy 3;16-17

He that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." James 1:6-8

What happens when you hesitate to do something God has told you to do? Your adversary takes the first step. The devil gets the jump on you. If you want to live by faith, hesitation is one of the most hazardous habits you could ever have. It comes from being indecisive. The Bible says a man like that is "unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything he thinks, feels, decides" When God speaks, don't waste a moment. Step right out in faith. That way, you can always keep the devil a step behind you! READ: James 1:1-8

Start growing strong today.

John 6:63 "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." We've seen some tremendous medical breakthroughs in our generation. We've seen "miracle drugs" developed that can conquer many kinds of sickness and disease. But, you know, in the 3-plus years I've been a believer, I've discovered another, much more effective, kind of medicine: the Word of God. There's never been a miracle drug that could equal it. God's medicine is the answer to every need. It is life. It is health. It is the power of God. And if you put it in your heart and act on it, you will be healed. Sometimes people ask, "If God's medicine works every time, why are there so many believers who are still sick?" There are two reasons. Number one, because they don't take the time to plant the Word concerning healing deeply into their heart. And number two, because they don't do what that Word tells them to do. Think of it like this: If a doctor prescribes medicine for you to swallow daily and you decide to rub it on your chest instead, that medicine isn't going to work for you. You have to follow the instructions and use it properly if you expect to get well, don't you? In the same way, if you read God's prescription for health and don't act on it, you won't reap any of its benefits. Proverbs 4:22 says God's Words are life and health to you. So don't wait until you get sick to start using them. Start now. Begin to put God's Word in your heart in abundance and it will be hard for you to get sick. That Word within you will constantly be keeping God's healing power at work in you. And don't worry. There's no limit to the amount of God's medicine you can take. You can't get an overdose. The more you take, the stronger you get. READ: Proverbs 4:20-27

"A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it:whithersoever it turned, it prospers." Proverbs 17:8

If I could give you a gift Today, the Word is what I'd give you. I'd rather give it to you than a check for a million dollars. Because you can run through a million dollars real quick, but the truth of God's Word never quits--and it will get you out of situations a million dollars can't get you out of. If you'll give God's Word your full attention--and not be afraid of His will for your life--you're going to be happier and more prosperous than anything you could ever dream up. READ: Psalm 119:56-65

"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in,and found not the body of the Lord Jesus."Luke 24:1-3

Truly, it's time for us to stop looking for the living among the dead. It's time for us to stop wandering around in the cemetery of sin, sickness and failure and to step into resurrection life! As a resurrected creature, you're no accident going somewhere to happen. Your life isn't just a loose web of events and circumstances. God has specific plans for you. Maybe He intends for you to have the greatest healing ministry of this century. Or perhaps He wants to turn you into a tremendous preacher. But you'll never know what He has in store for you until you put your attention on Him. That's why the devil works hard to keep you focusing on the problems of life. That's why he tries to keep your attention turned away from the living Word of God. He doesn't want you to know you're full of the resurrection life of Jesus. In fact, the prospect of it terrifies him. Don't let Satan bind you with the grave clothes of yesterday's sin and defeat. You're not dead anymore. You've been raised with Jesus. Come out from the tombs and start living resurrection life! READ: Acts 17:16-34

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."2 Corinthians 3:18

Have you ever thought about the fact that man is the only creature God created who has to wear clothing to cover himself? All the other creatures grow their own coverings. Some grow fur, some feathers, others scales, or leathery hide. But all are clothed from the inside out! Instead of simply staring into your closet every morning, spend some time gazing at Jesus and beholding His Word. Let Him clothe you in His radiant presence. Once His glory starts shining through, anything you wear will look beautiful on you. READ: Psalm 8

Let Him Lead

Prayer: Guide me clearly along the way you want me to travel so that I will understand you and walk acceptably. Ex 33:13 Promise: I myself will go with you and give you success. Ex. 33:14

"The fool had said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that does good."Psalm 14:1

Most of us would never dream this verse could apply to us. After all, we're believers! We'd never say that there is no God. But maybe we should think again. It's true that with our mouths we would never say something like that...but what about with our actions? Do we say it by sinning just a little here and there and thinking it won't matter? Do we go to an immoral movie or have a gossip session about the pastor, ignoring God's command to the contrary? With our actions are we saying, "There is no God?" Psalm 14:1 connects that kind of thing to corruption. Whether he realizes it or not, the more a person acts that way, the more corrupt he's going to become.Don't make the foolish mistake of publicly proclaiming Jesus as your Lord, and then privately denying Him with one little action at a time. Use wisdom in everything you do so that both your heart and your life shout loudly, "My God reigns!" READ: Psalm 14:1-7, 15:1-5

"But he that heares, and does not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great." Luke 6:49

Do you ever have seasons in your life when it seems like every time you go to church and every time you spend time in prayer and every time you open the Bible, you receive a revelation from God? I do. Spiritually, everything will be going great. I'll be higher than a Gum tree. Then, suddenly, something starts to happen. I start drying up in spiritual things. If that's ever happened to you, may I make a suggestion? Backtrack and find the last thing God told you to do that you didn't do--and do it! It's probably nothing big. Just a seemingly small thing. But, believe me, those minor disobediences will dry up the flow of the Spirit just like the major ones will. READ: Luke 16:1-10

"And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Certainly I will be with thee." Exodus 3:11-12

Have you ever had a Holy Spirit inspired dream, a dream of doing something really great for Jesus? A dream of being so prosperous, for instance, that you can finance a nationwide revival? A dream of leading thousands of people to the Lord? At one time or another, you probably have, but perhaps you backed away from it. Maybe you thought, "Oh my, I couldn't do that. Satan's kept me defeated for so long I have a poor self-image." If so, I have some good news for you. If you'll believe God, even a poor self-image won't keep you from success. Look in the book of Exodus and you'll see a man who proved that. His name was Moses. Think about that when the devil tells you you're a failure, when he says you'll never be able to do what God has put in your heart to do. Put him in his place. Tell him it doesn't matter who you are because the living God is with you. READ: Exodus 3:1-14

"Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or nder compulsion,for God loves (that is, He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without)a cheerful (joyous, prompt-to-do-it) giver.... And God is able to make all grace(every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance."2 Corinthians 9:7-8

Some people say you need to "give till it hurts." Don't you believe it. God doesn't want gifts given in pain. He wants gifts given in joy! In fact, those are the only kinds of gifts that please Him. If you haven't given that way in the past, make a firm commitment to start. Repent for the times you've given grudgingly. Then spend some serious time with God and His Word in your prayer closet, so when you give again, you can give from a willing heart. Put the "pain" of giving behind. Become a cheerful, joyous, prompt-to-do-it giver, and believe me, your blessings will abound! READ: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

"It [grace] has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness (irreligion) and worldly (passionate) desires, to livediscreet temperate, self-controlled), upright, devout (spiritually whole) lives in this present world." Titus 2:12

When an athlete goes into training, he practices to improve his skills. He works hard, repeating the same motions over and over until they become what we'd call "second nature" to him. Most of us understand how crucial that kind of training is in the physical realm. We know that you simply can't be a winner without it. But did you know we can train ourselves that same way where spiritual things are concerned? That's right! Hebrews 5:14 says we can train our senses to discern between good and evil. When you train, or practice, for something, you expose yourself daily to whatever it is you want to become. You practice it over and over until it becomes second nature to you. People who are lazy have practiced being lazy. People who are disciplined have practiced being disciplined. Spending time with God is "spirit" practice. As you do it diligently, your spirit will grow stronger and will start to overcome the habits of the flesh. READ: 2 Peter 1:2-11

"And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?"Luke 12:42

We often praise God for His faithfulness. We're thankful that we can always count on Him to be there for us. But we rarely consider the fact that He needs us to be faithful too. It's true. God needs people He can count on. He needs faithful and wise stewards He can trust over His household. In this final hour, He needs faithful believers to team up with, to manifest Himself in the earth more than ever before. Will you be faithful? It's a decision you have to make. No one can do it for you. Right now, commit yourself to be that wise and faithful servant. Say in your heart and with your mouth, "God, You can count on me." READ: Psalm 105:23-45

"Therefore, as you abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that you abound in this grace also." 2 Corinthians 8:7

How do you give to the Lord? Do you just drop some money in the plate at church without much thought? Or do you just write a check to God at the first of every month and pay Him like you pay all your other bills? You need to think about that because how you give is a matter of deep concern to God. He's particular about how offerings are given. He won't receive just any old thing however you feel like giving it. Next time the offering plate is passed, don't just drop your gift carelessly in the plate. Get serious. Determine to obey God. Worship Him with your money and be thankful. He'll do more than simply receive it, He'll open the windows of blessing for you. READ: Malachi 1:1-14

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; where unto you do well that you take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts." 2 Peter 1:19

Sometimes when we need insight into a problem, we try to get it by focusing our attention on that problem. We study it. We ponder it. We examine it from every angle. But the Apostle Peter gives us a different approach. He says we should take heed (or focus our attention) to the written Word of God until the answer to that problem dawns on us through the light of revelation. If you need insight on some problem or situation you're facing, pay attention to the Word. Head for the Light and the answer you need will dawn on you. READ: John 1:1-9

"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Ephesians 4:13

If you know how to listen to the voice of God, you can hear Him calling throughout the Body of Christ today. He is calling for unity. He is calling us to lay down our disagreements and come together in preparation for Jesus' return. Right now all over the world, the Spirit is calling the Church of the living God to unite. Hear Him and obey, and you can be a part of one of the most magnificent moves of God this world has ever seen. READ: Psalms 132:13-18; 133

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

Choosing to side with God's Word is a continual challenge. It's not something you do just once. It's a process of choosing to believe and act upon the Word of God over and over in every circumstance.

So choose to walk in love. Choose to walk by faith. Choose to live by the Word. Jesus is the Way! Choose Him!

READ: Joshua 24:14-24

"And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee,if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God."Deuteronomy 28:2

Some people have very low expectations of what God will provide for them materially. They trust Him to feed and clothe them, but they don't trust Him to feed and clothe them very well!

First Timothy 6:17 says, "He gives us richly all things to enjoy."

God is a loving Father. He gets great pleasure from blessing His children. He's extravagant where we're concerned. But don't let that worry you. He can afford it.

READ: 1 Kings 10:1-24

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that work in us." Ephesians 3:20

As a believer, you have the power of the Holy Spirit inside you. But that power won't go to work until you put it to work! The Holy Spirit won't just muscle in on you. He won't come in and turn down the television set and jerk you up off the couch and say, "Now you listen to me." No, He's a gentleman. He's sent to help you to do the will of God, to strengthen you, to counsel you...but He won't do a thing until He's asked. That's why the book of James says if you're in trouble or afflicted, pray. It's prayer that puts the power within you to work.

The Holy Spirit has some things He wants to show you--things you've been trying to figure out on your own. He's waiting there with the power to overcome every obstacle in your life. Take time to pray. Pray in the Spirit. Pray with understanding. Pray and activate the power that work within you today.

READ: Ephesians 3:16-21

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold,all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

Resurrection. What do you think of when you hear that word? Most people think of the past. Of a stone rolled away. An empty tomb. And a risen Lord.

Praise God, Jesus is alive today!

What we don't fully understand is this: He's not the only One who has been resurrected. We've been resurrected too!

We were spiritually resurrected the day we made the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of our lives. That day we passed from death to life.

The greater part of your resurrection has already happened!

READ: Romans 8:1-14

"The joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

Joy. It's not a warm, happy feeling you're supposed to have now and then when things are going well. It's much more than that. Joy is one of the most powerful spiritual forces in the world.

Look again at Nehemiah 8:10 and I'll show you why. If you were to diagram that scripture and remove the phrase, "of the Lord," you would find what it's truly saying is this: Joy is strength. The two are interchangeable. That's what makes joy so crucial. You can't live a life of faith without being strong in the Lord--and when God wants to make you strong, joy is what He uses to do the job!

Whatever circumstances you are facing today, you can be full of joy. You can be strong in the Lord. You can draw on the supply of the Holy Spirit within you and come out on top.

Rejoice!

READ: Psalm 18:28-50

"And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2

Inside, you're perfect--born again in the image of Jesus Himself. But outwardly do you find yourself falling frustratingly short of that perfection? Is there a solution?

Yes! The secret lies in "the renewing of your mind."
Take time to get away from the world and study God's Word. Meditate on it and let it change you from the inside out. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind and release the beautiful spiritual butterfly that's living in you!

READ: 2 Corinthians 3:6-18

"I am the Lord, I change not." Malachi 3:6

The world's order of things is unsure and indefinite. Desperate words of uncertainty are crying out daily from radio, television, and newspapers. Everything around us seems to be in turmoil.

But, praise God, if you're a believer you have something you can depend on: the unchanging Word of God!

God has no double standard. He doesn't say one thing today and something else tomorrow. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

READ: Psalm 9:1-10

"If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with every one." Romans 12:18

When I was a new Christian, it was almost impossible for me to live at peace with anyone! Almost every time I opened my mouth, I said something ugly. I was constantly hurting the people I was close to. In fact, I spoke more harshly to them than to anyone else.

If you've developed the habit of speaking harshly, start changing that habit today. When someone crosses you on the job, at school, or wherever, and you're tempted to tear into them with cruel words, stop!

Then take a few moments to give thanks and praise to God. Once you begin thinking about how good God is, more often than not, those harsh, angry words will just slip away unspoken.

Instead of using your tongue to tear people down, train it to lift God's praises up. Then living at peace with others will come easily to you!

READ: Ephesians 4:26-32

"But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before." Philippians 3:13

Failures and disappointments. Aches and pains from the past that just won't seem to go away. Most of us know what it's like to suffer from them but too few of us know just what to do about them. So we limp along, hoping somehow they'll magically stop
hurting.

If depression has driven you into a spiritual nosedive, break out of it by getting your eyes off the past and onto your future,a future that's been guaranteed by Christ Jesus through the great and precious promises in His Word.

Forget about those failures in the past! That's what God has done (Heb. 8:12). And if He doesn't remember them any more, why should you?

READ: Philippians 3:1-14

"Attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes." 4:20-21

Once you've made the Word of God final authority in your life, your first step to victory over the attacks of the enemy is to go to the Word and lay hold of God's promises concerning your situation.

Notice I said, "Go to the Word." So don't just think about the Word today, read it. Go to the promises that cover your situation.

Feed on those promises and grow strong!

READ: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4

Do you know what Jesus was really talking about when He said those words? He was talking about the mourning of the intercessor. He was teaching about the comfort that comes to the intercessor when he is assured by the Holy Spirit that he has prayed through.

To pray through means "to break through the barriers that have stopped the work of God in the lives of others." It means using your spiritual armor to push back the forces of darkness that surround them.Somewhere in the world, someone needs you to pray them through.

Spend some time on your knees today.

READ: Luke 2:1-38

"Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock,and it shall be opened unto you." Matthew 7:7

Deep within our hearts, each of us knows there must be an answer to the problems we face. But often it seems to be out of reach,hidden behind a door that's locked tightly against us.

What I want you to know today, however, is this: WE CAN OPEN THAT DOOR! Jesus Himself has given us the keys.

READ: Psalm 63

"The sower sowed the word." Mark 4:14

Right now, at this very moment, you have hidden within you a treasure that can change the world. A treasure that can change a man's eternal destiny, that can take him to heaven and save him from hell. A treasure that can turn a person's poverty into prosperity, his sickness into health, his sorrow into joy.

You have within you the all-powerful Word of God. Don't keep it to yourself. Plant it wherever you go! Sow it into the hearts of those you meet. Share it at every opportunity.

READ: 2 Corinthians 4:1-7

"The sheep listen to [the Shepherd's] voice and heed it, and he callshis own sheep by name and brings (leads) them out." John 10:3

Don't ever be so afraid of making a mistake you miss out on the joy of acting on the voice of the Lord. Instead, trust the leadership of the Holy Spirit and let Him show you how. He'll begin by speaking to you about the little things in your life, and as you grow accustomed to hearing and obeying, He'll speak to you about weightier things.

So don't be afraid. Take time to listen today. Expect to hear in your spirit. God has something to say to you.

READ: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." Galatians 5:16

Walking in the Spirit. That's the key to overcoming the flesh. If
you follow the promptings of the Spirit of God within you, you
won't be dominated by the pressure your flesh tries to put on you.

READ: 1 Corinthians 10:1-14

"From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised." Psalm 113:3

Praise God. Praise Him in the morning. Praise Him at noon. Praise Him at night. If you've never praised God in your life, then get started right now. Praise Him for freedom. Praise Him for healing and Calvary. Praise Him for the Name of Jesus.

When Satan starts shaking your mountain, don't retreat and run for cover. Speak to the mountain with the authority you wield in the Name of Jesus Christ. Then, when you're done with that, start to praise and shout the victory.

READ: Psalm 50:1-23

"Consider [Jesus] that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." Hebrews 12:3

Look up...because in times like these, your very life may depend on it.Look up! Get your eyes off the circumstances around you and onto your heavenly source. Don't be afraid you're going to lose everything. God is your Source, not the world. He can take care of you regardless of what happens around you.

If you've gotten weary lately, begin to lift your eyes. Raise your head up instead of looking down. God is up. Jesus is up. The devil is down--under your feet. Look up!

READ: Isaiah 40:21-31

"...not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.

Philippians 3:9

I don't care how badly you may have messed things up yesterday or how many mistakes you have made, I want you to begin this day knowing you are righteous! Not because of anything you've done but because you've received, by faith in Jesus, the very righteousness of God.

Don't let the devil rob you of even one of these blessings by telling you you're unworthy of them. Run him off. Shout out loud, "I am the righteousness of God!" Then step out in faith and enjoy the privileges God has prepared for you!

READ: Romans 3:21-28

"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."

1 Timothy 2:3-4

People go to great lengths trying to wring knowledge from God when all they need to do is go to the Bible. God's not holding Himself back from anybody. It's His will for every man and woman to walk in revelation of Him.

"Well now, Brother," you might say, "God's not going to give all these sinners out here a revelation." Really? Why do you think He sends evangelists to preach to them? Why do you think He sent His Word? To reveal the truth!

READ: John 16:7-15

"Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?"1 Samuel 17:26

You may be facing a giant today. He may be a giant of sickness or failure, of financial shortage or another kind of trouble. But don't let him scare you. You have a secret weapon. A weapon that once turned a shepherd boy into a bear-busting, lion-killing, giant-slaying champion. That weapon was a blood covenant with Almighty God.

READ: Galatians 3:13-29

"The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice,and I know them and they follow Me." John 10:27

So many believers are unsure of their ability to hear God or know His voice. They're always afraid that they won't be able to tell when the Spirit of God is talking to them. What they don't realize is this: Hearing the voice of the Spirit is a privilege that the Bible says belongs to every believer (Rom. 8:14). All we have to do to exercise that privilege is to receive it by faith and put ourselves in a position to hear.

Next time the devil tries to tell you that you can't hear God's voice,
remember that.

READ: John 10:1-9

"In a multitude of words transgression is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is prudent." Proverbs 10:19

We believers need to start watching our language! We need to quit throwing words around like they weren't important and start using them like our lives depended on it--because, according to the Word of God, they do! (Prov. 18:21).

Too many of us have what Proverbs 19:1 calls a perverted mouth.
Having a perverted mouth means more than lying and using profanity. It means having a disobedient mouth. It means saying things that are out of line with the Word of God. Just use the wisdom God has given you. Train your mouth to be
obedient to His Word. Then, when you need it most, you'll find that Word dwelling richly in you.

READ: Proverbs 10:11-21

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son." John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave...and He gave...and He gave.
That is the message the Bible brings us from beginning to end. It sounds simple enough. Yet few of us really comprehend it. We can understand the idea of a God of power. We can understand a God who desires to be served. But an Almighty God who loves us so much that He desires, above all, to give to us? That can be
hard to believe.

For thousands of years, God has been working to drop the revelation of His love into the hearts of men. He's made loving promises of blessing and protection. But He's always faced that same obstacle--human beings who just couldn't bring themselves
to believe those promises were true. Get a revelation of God's love for you by meditating on the covenant He's made with you. Get out the bread and the cup. Go
before the Lord with them and take Communion thinking about the body and blood of Jesus that enables you to be a blood-covenant member of the family of Almighty God.

Let them settle forever the question of God's love for you. You'll never again
have to doubt His promises once you believe in His love.

READ: Genesis 15

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prosper." 3 John 1:2

Once you begin to believe it is God's will to prosper you, you can't help but wonder how He is going to do it. Is He going to put a check in the mail? Or start floating $20 bills down from the trees?

No. He's going to do it by prospering your soul. He's going to plant the seeds of prosperity in your mind, will and emotions, and as they grow, they'll produce a great financial harvest. Go to the book of Genesis and read the story of Joseph. It's a perfect demonstration of what I'm talking about.

READ: Genesis 39

"Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."2 Timothy 2:3

Times of hardness are inevitable. You need to know that. It's true that we've been redeemed from the curse, and there's nothing Satan can do to reverse that, but he is going to challenge you on it.So don't be surprised when things get tough. Times will come when you have to stand strictly by faith, when you'll have to speak and act as though what God says is true even when you can't feel it or see it happening around you. There will be times when everything looks terrible. That's when you must endure hardness as a good soldier.

READ: Numbers 14:1-24

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever." 1 Peter 1:23

You won't really get excited about the Word of God until you realize that it's more than just a collection of divinely-inspired promises. It's a living force that literally carries within it the power to make those promises become a reality in your life.Don't treat the Word of God like a book. It's not! It's spiritual
seed that has the supernatural power within it to produce the harvest of a lifetime. Get excited about it and start planting today!

READ: Mark 4:23-32

"For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looked on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."1 Samuel 16:7

Too often we ask God to fix the problems around us when what He really wants to do is solve the problem within us. I did that myself for years where my weight was concerned. I prayed and prayed for God to help me lose weight. Yet I experienced repeated failure. I lost literally hundreds of pounds, only to gain them right back again.

Finally one day, I made a firm decision. I told God, "I am not going one step further until I find out what to do about this!" Then I went on a fast, shut myself away from everyone, and determined to hear from God. During that fast the Lord revealed the real source of my problem. He showed me that I wanted to lose weight, but I didn't want to permanently change my eating habits. I was like an alcoholic who wants to be able to drink constantly and not be affected by it. I wanted to eat nine times a day and still weigh was very high!

Suddenly I realized God wasn't content simply to rid me of the extra pounds on the outside of me--He wanted to rid me of the sin of gluttony on the inside of me. So I repented of that sin right then and there. (It was then that I realized just how hard it is for a man who drinks to face the fact that he's an alcoholic. It hurts to
admit something like that.) Then, instead of asking God for deliverance from my weight problem, I asked Him for deliverance from my food problem.

Sure enough, He did it.

If your prayers don't seem to be changing the problems around you, maybe it's time to take a look inside. Maybe it's time to ask God to go to work on the heart of the matter.
READ: Psalm 139:1-10, 23-24

"Leave no room or foothold for the devil - give no opportunity to him." Ephesians 4:27

If you give the devil place, he will take it. You have to stay alert and keep your shield of faith high because if you don't, he'll turn around and steal back from you the ground you just took.

Decide today to give the devil no place!

READ: John 15:7-12

"And be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5

Most believers don't know anything about true humility. If you tell them they're the righteousness of God, they'll fight to keep from believing it. You can give them scripture references to prove it, and they'll still argue.

"Oh no," they'll say, "I'm not righteous. I'm just an old sinner saved by grace." They're making a sincere attempt to be humble. But they're sincerely wrong. They're so afraid of being exalted by pride that they've let Satan trick them into falling right into it.

Let me show you what I mean. According to 1 Peter 5:5-6, to be truly humble is to submit to God. That means when God says something, you believe it no matter how foreign to your "religious" thinking it may be. When He says you've been made the
righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, you say that too. In fact, you wouldn't dare say anything else because to do so would be to dare to disagree with God. And, when you get right down to it, that's the ultimate form of pride, isn't it?

Don't let Satan keep you groveling in the dust of false humility. Agree with God. Find out what His Word says about you, then be bold enough to say it yourself. Banish pride by submitting to His truth. Cloth yourself in true humility. It's sure to look good on you.

READ: 1 Peter 5:5-11

"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" Hebrews 1:14

Most of us heard about our guardian angel when we were just children; and, in those days, it was a comforting thought. With monsters lurking behind the closet door and creepy things crawling beneath the bed, it was good to know that someone was there to protect us when the light was out. But angels are not just kid stuff.
They're powerful spirits sent forth to minister for us who are heirs
of salvation.

READ: Psalm 103:17-22

"And these signs shall follow them that believe...they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Mark 16:17-18

If you've laid hands on someone who didn't receive his healing, don't cut off the flow of God's power by withdrawing your faith. Stand fast. Keep believing that "healing always comes" and somewhere down the line that poor sick fellow may just decide to stand up and agree with you!

READ: Mark 10:46-52

"He who being often reproved hardens his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." Proverbs 29:1

Some people have the mistaken idea that when the direction of the Holy Spirit comes to them, they can just ignore it for a while if they want to and then obey Him later in their own good time. They think to themselves, "I know what I'm doing is wrong. I know my lifestyle isn't right, but I'm just going to do it a while longer. Then I'll get things straightened out with the Lord."

Let me warn you, that is an extremely dangerous thing to do. Because God says that when you refuse His guidance, your heart grows hard. It's not that God's grace doesn't extend to you any- more. It's not that He wouldn't forgive you if you turned to Him. It's just that sin will callous your heart to the point where you can't hear Him calling.When the Spirit of God comes to correct you, follow His instructionsand follow them quickly. Keep your heart tender.

Obey the Lord!

READ: Nehemiah 9:6-37

"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ...." 2 Corinthians 5:20

You are an ambassador for Christ! If you have made Jesus Christ the Lord of your life, you have been sent to act as a representative for Him in this world. Just as nations send ambassadors to represent their interests in other countries, you've been sent here to look after the interests of the kingdom of God.

Think about that. Everywhere you go you are representing the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. That's a very high honor. It may also seem like a rather tall bill to fill. But God has equipped you to do it. He's given you His Name and the power of His Word. He's even put His very own Spirit inside you. And He's given you the ability to hear and obey the directions of that Spirit.

You are an ambassador for Christ. Begin to live like it today.

READ: 2 Corinthians 5:10-21

"But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another."1Jn1:7

One area of our lives we believers need to particularly guard is the area of our relationships. We simply have to heed the Word of God where they're concerned. Let's not fuss with one another and criticize one another so much that we hinder the forces that God has given us to make us successful in this world.

Strife also causes trouble in the spirit realm. It opens the door to the devil. It keeps our prayers from being answered. It even keeps our angels from moving on our behalf! Let the power of God flow in all of your relationships. Learn to walk in the light!

READ: Romans 15:1-7

"The fool had said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt,they have done abominable works, there is none that does good." Psalm 14:1

Most of us would never dream this verse could apply to us. After all,we're believers! We'd never say that there is no God.But maybe we should think again. It's true that with our mouths we would never say something like that...but what about with our actions? Do we say it by sinning just a little here and there and
thinking it won't matter? Do we go to an immoral movie or have a gossip session about the pastor, ignoring God's command to the contrary?

With our actions are we saying, "There is no God?"
Psalm 14:1 connects that kind of thing to corruption. Whether he realizes it or not, the more a person acts that way, the more corrupt he's going to become.Don't make the foolish mistake of publicly proclaiming Jesus as your Lord, and then privately denying Him with one little action at a time. Use wisdom in everything you do so that both your heart and your life shout loudly, "My God reigns!"

READ: Psalm 14:1-7, 15:1-5

"Attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes."Proverbs 4:20-21

Once you've made the Word of God final authority in your life, your first step to victory over the attacks of the enemy is to go to the Word and lay hold of God's promises concerning your situation. Notice I said, "Go to the Word." It's good to have the Word committed to memory. But don't let that substitute for getting the Word before your eyes on a daily basis.

Think about it this way. It never did a hungry person any good to think about what a potato tastes like. Not even if he can remember it perfectly. The same thing is true with the Word of God. It's important to keep it in memory, but it's also necessary to go directly to it and feed your spirit with it. There is power in keeping the Word in front of your eyes and going into your ears. That's how it gets in your heart, so you can live by it.

So don't just think about the Word today, read it. Go to the promises that cover your situation. Feed on those promises and grow strong!

READ: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by theword of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."

Hebrews 11:3

God uses words to create. He used His Word to "frame" the worlds. Just look in the first chapter of Genesis and count how many times you see the phrase, "God said." "God said, Let there be light: and there was light.... God said, Let there be a firmament.... God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together.... God said, Let the earth bring forth...."

God doesn't do anything without saying it first. That's His mode of operation. And, if you're smart, you'll use that mode of operation too. You'll take His words and speak them out until they take on form and substance and become a reality in your life.

READING: Genesis 1

"Love...is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it pays no attention to a suffered wrong." 1 Corinthians 13:5

Have you ever tried to forgive someone and found you simply couldn't do it? You've cried about it and prayed about it and asked God to help you, but those old feelings of resentment just failed to go away. Put an end to those kinds of failures in the future by basing your forgiveness on faith rather than feelings.

True forgiveness doesn't have anything at all to do with how you feel. It's an act of the will. It is based on obedience to God and on faith in Him.

READ: Luke 6:27-37

"He that loves his brother abides in the light, and there is noneoccasion of stumbling in him." 1 John 2:10

Whenever you find yourself stumbling into failure or sin, check your love life. Sit down with the Lord and ask Him to show you if you're in strife with anyone or if you've taken offense. If you have, the devil can come in and trip you up.

Remember, taking offense never comes from God. He says we're to be rooted and grounded in love. So reject those feelings of offense. Give yourself to that person in love and in prayer. You'll be able to walk right on through that situation without ever stumbling at all.

READ: 1 John 2:1-11

"And now I exhort you to be of good cheer." Acts 27:22

What do you do when you're in a really perilous situation? Do you cry out to God in desperation? Don't do it. Instead, do what Paul said and be of good cheer! Cry out to God in faith and say, "Lord, I'm not going to panic. I'm not going to despair. I'm going to be of good cheer because Your Word says You'll deliver me from this
situation" (Ps. 34:19).

Then start being cheerful. It may take more determination than anything you've ever done before, but God will give you the strength to do it. He'll give you the power to be cheerful in the middle of the most ungodly darkness the devil can bring up.

READ: Philippians 4:4-9

"Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

Do you know what it's like to face a problem so big it seems downright irresponsible not to worry about it? There may not be a thing you can do about it, but you feel like you need to at least be concerned. After all, somebody needs to! And no one else seems to be volunteering for the job.

Then next time you're facing a problem, give it to God. Let Him be the one who's concerned about it. He's volunteered for the job and you can trust Him to do it well. After all, He really does care for you.

READ: Psalm 37:1-11

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7

If you've been crying and asking God to run the devil out of your life, STOP! The Bible says you're the one who's supposed to overcome the devil.

How? By resisting him. By rebelling against him when he tells you to do something and doing what God says instead! When Satan tells you some lie, contradict him with the Word of God. Oppose him. This verse says when you do that, he'll flee from you. He'll "run as in terror."

READ: Ephesians 6:10-18

"...be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."Hebrews 6:12

You've been walking by faith. You've been believing God to meet your need. But what do you do when the results seem slow in coming and you are tempted to give up?

Be patient! When the results of your faith seem slow in coming, don't give up! Continue to put the Word first, with patience, and you will surely receive the promise of God!

READ: Hebrew 10:32-39

"When he [the devil] speakes a lie, he speakes of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." John 8:44

Some people find it difficult to believe God's promises because they've seen so many things in the natural world that seem to contradict them. They've seen faithful tithers go broke. They've seen sick Christians fail to receive their healing.

In reality, it would be more accurate to say that they think they've seen those things. Because, you see, there's a deceiver at work in the world. A deceiver who's busily doing the same thing he's been doing ever since the Garden of Eden: tricking mankind into believing God's Word isn't true. And, after working on it for thousands of years, he's a master at it. Think about that the next time he tries to make things look as though God's Word is not going to work for you, when he makes it look like all hope is lost. Say, "I don't care about appearances.
I believe the Word and I refuse to doubt it."

If you'll do that, the father of lies will never be able to put one over on you.

READ: Psalm 119:89-104

"I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me." Philippians 4:13

You're running the race set before you, moving full speed ahead with God's blessing overtaking you at every step. Then suddenly, wham! You hit the wall. It may be a wall of sickness or financial trouble, of spiritual failure or family problems. But, regardless of the form it takes, the effect of "the wall" is always the same. It stops you cold.

The question is, once you hit a wall like that, what will you do? You'll be tempted to quit, to turn back in defeat. But don't do it. Because God will enable you to break through that wall and keep right on going. I'm not going to tell you it's easy. The truth is, it's tough. But you have to push on through the tough times if you're ever going to have a breakthrough.

You can do all things through Christ which strengthens you!

READ: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

"But God had revealed them to us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searched all things, even , the deep things of God." 1 Corinthians 2:10

God is not full of surprises. He's not an unpredictable being who likes to keep you guessing. Countless believers, however, have the idea He is.

"You just never know what God is going to do," they say. They base that idea on 1 Corinthians 2:9 which says, "Eye had not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God had prepared for them that love him." They interpret that scripture to mean that God is keeping secrets from His people.

But, praise God, He isn't! In fact, verse 10 says He's given us His Spirit to reveal those secrets to us! He wants us to know everything that's on His heart.

If you're in the dark about God's will for you, you don't have to stay that way. He wants you to know about His plans and provisions for your life. He'll show them to you if you'll let Him.

READ: 1 Corinthians 2:1-16

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

When you're facing a problem, the very first thing you should ask God for is wisdom. Not money. Not power. Not even healing. But wisdom.

God's wisdom is the key that will unlock every door in your life. It will turn your every failure into success. So, stop wasting your prayer power begging God for things you think you need and spend some time instead listening to what He has to say about your situation.

READ: Proverbs 8:10-36

"Whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock." Matthew 7:24

If you want your deeds to be blessed, if you want to see supernatural results in your life, you'll have to do more than simply read the Word of God. You'll have to put it into action.

Keep on reading and studying the Bible. Listen to teaching tapes. Go to church and hear the Word preached. But don't stop there. Go one crucial step further by taking the Word you've heard and put it into ACTION!

READ: Matthew 7:17-27

"But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and hadcompassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." Luke 15:20

How much love do you have for sinners? That may sound like a trange question, but it's one I want you to think about today. All too often, once we get saved and get our lives cleaned up a little bit, we lose our compassion for those who are still lost. We look at the drunk stumbling down the street or the guy at the office who lies to the boss and tells dirty jokes and turn up our spiritual noses.

There's a whole world full of weary people out there who haven't yet found that embrace. They're more than just "sinners," they're our potential brothers...lost ones in desperate need of a loving heavenly Father. God forbid we should ever turn up our noses at them. May He help us instead to start bringing them home.

READ: John 8:1-11

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed." 2 Timothy 2:15

A lot of people have been playing games when it comes to the Word. They claim to be faith people in public. But, in private, they never open the Bible at all. Then, when a time of trouble comes and they try to stand on the Word, they fall flat on their spiritual faces.

If you want the kind of faith that will keep you on your feet when others are falling around you, you need to take some action where the Word is concerned.

Get serious about the Word of God. Study it. Go hear it preached. Confess it. Become such a diligent workman that the devil himself will look at you with fear and say, "There's one believer who's not playing games anymore."

READ: 2 Peter 1:3-10

John 16:33

"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...I have overcome the world."

Jesus said as long as you live in the world, you're going to have trouble. But you're not just in the world. You're in JESUS in the world, and that makes all the difference. You're in Him and He's overcome every kind of trouble there is.

When you made Jesus the Lord of your life, you were born into victory... because the Victor came to live in you. Think about it. Cheer up, my friend. Have "perfect peace and confidence."

That's Jesus who lives in you!

READ: John 16:15-33

John 4:14

"Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

Have you ever noticed that you can't put any trash in the mouth of a flowing fountain? When it's shooting that water up, the force of its own outflow protects it and keeps it clear of any impurities from the outside. Well, the spiritual fountain within you works the same way.

When you're allowing the forces of love and joy and peace and gentleness and all the others to flow out, the devil can't get any of his junk in. How do you keep the Spirit flowing? You pump your heart so full of the Word of God that the forces of eternal life start bubbling out. Just a little at first...and then stronger and higher.

READ: Jeremiah 17:7-13

"The steps of a [good] man are directed and established of the Lord,when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with hisevery step]." Psalm 37

God's will is to lead you on a day-by-day basis. He's given His Spirit to guide you every day. Most believers don't know that. They expect God to reveal His complete will for their lives in one big revelation. Don't make that mistake. Don't just sit around waiting for God to show you whether or not He wants you to go to America or UK for the rest of your life.

Let Him begin to lead you in little things first, to tell you what you need to do about this situation or that one. He'll show you what you need to change. And, as He does, you'll change one thing at a time.

READ: Genesis 12:1-8

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."Galatians 5:16

Walking in the Spirit. That's the key to overcoming the flesh. If you follow the promptings of the Spirit of God within you, you won't be dominated by the pressure your flesh tries to put on you.

READ: 1 Corinthians 10:1-14

2 Chronicles 20:21

"When he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers to sing to the Lord and praise Him in their holy [priestly] garments as they went out before the army, saying, Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!"

Praise precedes victory!

You can see a graphic example of that in 2 Chronicles 20. There, the Bible tells us that a multitude of forces were marching against Israel. The army of Israel was so outnumbered, they literally didn't know what to do. So they fasted and prayed until they received a word from God.

"Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours but God's."

READ: 2 Chronicles 20:1-22

"Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" 1 Samuel 17:26

You may be facing a giant today. He may be a giant of sickness or failure, of financial shortage or another kind of trouble. But don't let him scare you. You have a secret weapon. A weapon that once turned a shepherd boy into a bear-busting, lion-killing, giant-slaying champion. That weapon was a blood covenant with Almighty God.

READ: Galatians 3:13-29

Hebrews 4:12

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing as under of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

The living Word of Almighty God is the only power strong enough to discipline your flesh. It's the only power that can cause you to think, look, talk and act like a born-again man.

Get caught up in the living Word today and discover the power that can set you forever free.

READ: Psalm 119:1-9

John 14:21

"Whoever accept my commandments, and obeys them, is the the one who loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."

There's a dimension of living you can only experience when you make a decision to please the Father in every activity of your life.In that dimension, Jesus becomes real to you and manifests Himself to you.

Love God with all your heart by keeping His commandments.
He'll show His love to you by manifesting Himself to you in powerful new ways.

READ: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever."Hebrews 13:8

Years ago, God spoke a phrase to ME on my heart that I've never forgotten. I'd been asking Him to teach me to walk in the Spirit, to operate more fully in the supernatural power of God."In consistency lies the power," He said.

That revelation was tough for me. In the natural I'm anything but consistent. My human nature tends to be up one day and down the next. But, praise God, I don't have to depend on my human nature to get me by. I have Jesus Christ living within me and He's the same yesterday, today and forever!

Jesus isn't fickle. He doesn't change His mind from one day to another. He's constant, and if you'll press into Him, He can cause you to be that way too.

READ: Colossians 1:14-23

Hebrews 5:13-14

"For every one that use milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belonges
to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good
and evil."

Don't starve your spirit by trying to get by on just a little spiritual milk now and then. Develop the habit of feeding on the solid food of the Word every day and find out what real maturity is all about.

READ: Hebrews 5:11-14, 6:1-3

"Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."2 Timothy 2:3

Times of hardness are inevitable. You need to know that. It's true that we've been redeemed from the curse, and there's nothing Satan can do to reverse that, but he is going to challenge you on it.

So don't be surprised when things get tough. Times will come when you have to stand strictly by faith, when you'll have to speak and act as though what God says is true even when you can't feel it or see it happening around you. There will be times when everything looks terrible.

That's when you must endure hardness as a good soldier.

READ: Numbers 14:1-24

"He had said,I will never leave you,nor forsake you.So that we may boldly say,The Lord is my helper,and I will not fear what man shall do unto me"

Hebrews 13:5-6

Self-consciousness is a major problem in the Body of Christ today. It keeps us from doing the things God tells us to do. Instead of simply obeying Him, it makes us start to wonder, "Now what will people think of me if I do that? What if I command that person to get out of the wheelchair and he doesn't get up? What if I start
believing for prosperity and go broke? What about that, God? I won't look too good, will I?"

If you've ever been through that, let me tell you something: It doesn't matter how you look! It's obeying God that counts. When it comes to obeying God, your own reputation doesn't count; and the sooner you forget it, the better off you'll be. After all, He has promised He will never leave you or forsake you. Grab hold of
that. Believe it. Act on it. Once you do, you'll realize there's really nothing to be afraid of anymore!

READ: Romans 8:29-39

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son."John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave...and He gave...and He gave. That is the message the Bible brings us from beginning to end. It sounds simple enough. Yet few of us really comprehend it. We can understand the idea of a God of power. We can understand a God who desires to be served. But an Almighty God who loves us so much that He desires, above all, to give to us? That can be hard to believe.

For thousands of years, God has been working to drop the revelation of His love into the hearts of men. He's made loving promises of blessing and protection. But He's always faced that same obstacle--human beings who just couldn't bring themselves
to believe those promises were true.

Get a revelation of God's love for you by meditating on the covenant He's made with you. Get out the bread and the cup. Go before the Lord with them and take Communion thinking about the body and blood of Jesus that enables you to be a blood-covenant member of the family of Almighty God. Let them settle forever the question of God's love for you. You'll never again have to doubt His promises once you believe in His love.

READ: Genesis 15

"Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prosper."3 John 1:2

Once you begin to believe it is God's will to prosper you, you can't help but wonder how He is going to do it. Is He going to put a check in the mail? Or start floating $20 bills down from the trees?

No. He's going to do it by prospering your soul. He's going to plant the seeds of prosperity in your mind, will and emotions, and as they grow, they'll produce a great financial harvest.Go to the book of Genesis and read the story of Joseph. It's a perfect demonstration of what I'm talking about.

READ: Genesis 39

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever." 1 Peter 1:23

You won't really get excited about the Word of God until you realize that it's more than just a collection of divinely-inspired promises. It's a living force that literally carries within it the power to make those promises become a reality in your life.

Don't treat the Word of God like a book. It's not! It's spiritual seed that has the supernatural power within it to produce the harvest of a lifetime. Get excited about it and start planting today!

READ: Mark 4:23-32

"And be clothed with humility: for God resisted the proud, and gives grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5

Most believers don't know anything about true humility. If you tell them they're the righteousness of God, they'll fight to keep from believing it. You can give them scripture references to prove it, and they'll still argue.

"Oh no," they'll say, "I'm not righteous. I'm just an old sinner saved by grace." They're making a sincere attempt to be humble. But they're sincerely wrong. They're so afraid of being exalted by pride that they've let Satan trick them into falling right into it.

Let me show you what I mean. According to 1 Peter 5:5-6, to be truly humble is to submit to God. That means when God says something, you believe it no matter how foreign to your "religious" thinking it may be. When He says you've been made the
righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, you say that too. In fact, you wouldn't dare say anything else because to do so would be to dare to disagree with God. And, when you get right down to it, that's the ultimate form of pride, isn't it?

Don't let Satan keep you groveling in the dust of false humility. Agree with God. Find out what His Word says about you, then be bold enough to say it yourself. Banish pride by submitting to His truth. Clothe yourself in true humility. It's sure to look good on you.

READ: 1 Peter 5:5-11

"For the Lord sees not as man see; for man lookes on the outward appearance, but the Lord lookes on the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

Too often we ask God to fix the problems around us when what He really wants to do is solve the problem within us. I did that myself for years where my weight was concerned. I prayed and prayed for God to help me lose weight. Yet I experienced repeated failure. I lost literally hundreds of pounds, only to gain them right back again. Finally one day, I made a firm decision. I told God, "I am not going one step further until I find out what to do about this!" Then I went on a fast, shut myself away from everyone, and determined to hear from God.

During that fast the Lord revealed the real source of my problem. He showed me that I wanted to lose weight, but I didn't want to permanently change my eating habits. I was like an alcoholic who wants to be able to drink constantly and not be affected by it. I wanted to eat nine times a day and still weigh 166 pounds!Suddenly I realized God wasn't content simply to rid me of the extra pounds on the outside of me--He wanted to rid me of the sin of gluttony on the inside of me. So I repented of that sin right then and there. (It was then that I realized just how hard it is for
a man who drinks to face the fact that he's an alcoholic. It hurts to admit something like that.) Then, instead of asking God for deliverance from my weight problem, I asked Him for deliverance from my food problem.

Sure enough, He did it.
If your prayers don't seem to be changing the problems around you, maybe it's time to take a look inside. Maybe it's time to ask God to go to work on the heart of the matter.

READ: Psalm 139:1-10, 23-24

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that workes in us."Ephesians 3:20

As a believer, you have the power of the Holy Spirit inside you. But that power won't go to work until you put it to work! The Holy Spirit won't just muscle in on you. He won't come in and turn down the television set and jerk you up off the couch and say,"Now you listen to me." No, He's a gentleman. He's sent to help you to do the will of God, to strengthen you, to counsel you,but He won't do a thing until He's asked. That's why the book of James says if you're in trouble or afflicted, pray. It's prayer that puts the power within you to work.

The Holy Spirit has some things He wants to show you things you've been trying to figure out on your own. He's waiting there with the power to overcome every obstacle in your life. Take time to pray. Pray in the Spirit. Pray with understanding. Pray and activate the power that workes within you today.

READ: Ephesians 3:16-21

"The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."John 6:63

We've seen some tremendous medical breakthroughs in our generation.
We've seen "miracle drugs" developed that can conquer many kinds of sickness and disease.

But, you know, in the 10-plus years I've been a believer, I've discovered another, much more effective, kind of medicine: the Word of God. There's never been a miracle drug that could equal it. God's medicine is the answer to every need. It is life. It is health. It is the power of God.

And if you put it in your heart and act on it, you will be healed.Sometimes people ask, "If God's medicine works every time, why are there so many believers who are still sick?" There are two reasons. Number one, because they don't take the time to plant the Word concerning healing deeply into their heart. And number two, because
they don't do what that Word tells them to do.

Think of it like this: If a doctor prescribes medicine for you to swallow daily and you decide to rub it on your chest instead, that medicine isn't going to work for you. You have to follow the instructions and use it properly if you expect to get well, don't you? In the same way, if you read God's prescription for health and don't act on it, you won't reap any of its benefits.

Proverbs 4:22 says God's Words are life and health to you. So don't wait until you get sick to start using them. Start now. Begin to put God's Word in your heart in abundance and it will be hard for you to get sick. That Word within you will constantly be keeping God's healing power at work in you.

And don't worry. There's no limit to the amount of God's medicine you can take. You can't get an overdose. The more you take, the stronger you get.
Start growing strong today.

READ: Proverbs 4:20-27

GOD HAS A POSITIVE ANSWER

YOU SAY GOD SAYS BIBLE VERSES
You say:'It's impossible' God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)
You say:'I'm too tired' God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
You say:Nobody really loves me' God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 3:34 )
You say:I can't go on' God says: My grace is sufficient (II Cor 12:9 & Ps 91:15)
You say:'I can't figure things out'God says: I will direct your steps(Prov3:5-6)
You say: 'I can't do it' God says: You can do all things ( Philippians 4:13)
You say:'I'm not able' God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)
You say:'It's not worth it' God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28 )
You say:'I can't forgive myself' God says: I Forgive you (I John 1:9 & Rom 8:1)
You say:'I can't manage' God says: I will supply all your needs ( Phil 4:19)
You say:'I'm afraid' God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Tim 1:7)
You say:'I'm always worried and frustrated'God says: Cast all your cares on ME(IP5:7)
You say:'I'm not smart enough'God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)
You say:'I feel all alone' God says: I will never leave you or forsake you(Heb13:5)

"The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice,and I know them and they follow Me." John 10:27

So many believers are unsure of their ability to hear God or know His voice. They're always afraid that they won't be able to tell when the Spirit of God is talking to them.

What they don't realize is this: Hearing the voice of the Spirit is a privilege that the Bible says belongs to every believer (Rom. 8:14). All we have to do to exercise that privilege is to receive it by faith and put ourselves in a position to hear.

Next time the devil tries to tell you that you can't hear God's voice,
remember that.

READ: John 10:1-9

PETRO

Zita rake rokutanga: Simon Zvarinoreva: Dombo Basa raaiita: Mubati wehove Hama Baba vake vainzi Jona, mun'ina wake ainzi Andirea, uye akanga ari mudzidzi zvakare akaroora. NHOROONDO Aiva muGarirea achibva kuBhetisaidha, rinova nechokumusoro kweGungwa reGarirea. Pashure akazogara muKapenaume. Akanga ane imba yakakura,uye ipapo aingara nemhuri yake, munin'una wake Andirea uye naambuya vake(Mako 1:29;Mateo 8:14) Andirea ndiye akatanga kuona Ishe uye akazouyisa mukoma wake Simoni kuna Jesu (Johani 1:41)Akanga ari mutungamiri wavamwe vadzidzi. ZVINHU ZVINOKOSHA ZVAKAITIKA 1. Akanga ari mumwe wavadzidzi vatatu vaiva pedyo naJesu. Vamwe vacho vakanga vari Jakobho naJohani. Vadzidzi vatatu ava ndivo vakanga vana Jesu paGomo Rokushandurwa (Mateo 17:1-9) uye nemuBindu reGetsemane (Mateo 26:37) 2. Kufamba pamusoro pemvura (Mateo 14:29) 3. Nokuzarurwa kunobva kuna Mwari, akapindura zvakana mubvunzo waJesu waiti, "Ini ndini ani?" (Mateo 16:16;Mako 8:30;Ruka 9:20) 4. Akatsuura Jesu paakaudza vadzidzi vake kuti akanga achizotambudzwa (Mateo 16:22,23) Akaramba Jesu katatu sezvakanga zvataurwa naJesu (Mateo 26:69-75) 5. Akatumwa naJesu (Johani 21:15-23) 6. Akaparidzira vanhu paZuva rePendekosti (Mabasa 2) 7. Akanyora mabhuku maviri eTestamende Itsva, 1 Petro na 2 Petro. MAGWARO ANOKOSHA PAMUSORO PAPETRO Kudanwa kwake; Mako 1:16-17 - Kupupura kwake:Mako 8:27-30 - Kuramba kwake kuti akanga ana Jesu: Mako 14:66-72 - Mharidzo yake paPendekosti: Mabasa 2:14-36 - Chiratidzo chake chejira guru rakanga rizere mhuka, rakabva kudenga: Mabasa 10:1-43

PAURO

NHOROONDO: Akaberekwa muTasasi, ari muRoma. Dzinza rake: Aiva worudzi rwaBenjamini, chizvarwa chaSauro. Kukura kwake: Akakurira muguta guru umo maiva navanhu vaibva kuzvimbo dzakasiyana-siyana dzepasi pose.Zvichida baba vake vanofanira kunge vari munhu airemekedzwa chaizvo, sezvo vakakwanisa kuita Pauro ave muRoma airemekedzwa. Panguva yake vakomana vechiJudha vaidzidziswa mabasa akuita. Pauro haana kusiyiwawo; akadzidziswa kugadzira matende. Akanga akadzidziswa zvakadzama pamusoro pechinamato pamazuva oudiki hwake, uye makore oujaya hwake akanga akabatwa zvakasimba nokutenda kwake muchitendero chechiJudha. Akava nhengo yeDare Guru achiri mudiki.
ANOTI NDIYE: MuHeberu wavaHeberu, muFarisi wavaFarisi. ASATI ATENDEUKA Pakutanga Pauro akanga asingadi vatendi vokutanga. Aifunga kuti vakanga vasisafungi zvakanaka, kuti vatende kuti murume wokuNazareta, akanga aroverwa pamuChinjikwa, akanga ari iye Mesiya akanga akamirirwa. Akatambudza vatendi zvikuru uye akanga aripo pakaurayiwa Sitefani. Naizvozvo, akabva kuJerusalema achienda kuDhamasiko kuti andosunga vateveri veNzira, sokuzivikanwa kwaiitwa vaKristu mazuva iwayo. KUTENDEUKA KWAKE: (Mabasa 9:3) Ari munzira kuenda kuDhamasiko, Pauro akasamgana naJesu Kristu nenzira inoshamisa, izvo zvakazoita kuti atendeuke. MUSHURE MOKUTENDEUKA: Pauro asati atendeuka, hakuna chakanga chaitwa kuti Vhangeri riparidzwe kuvanhu vasiri vaJudha. Pauro ndiye akazoshandiswa pakuparidzira Vhangeri raJesu Kristu kuna avo vakanga vasiri vaJudha paaifamba nenyika yose yeRoma panzendo dzake nhatu dzokuparidza vhangeri. Ndiye akanyorawo maBhuku mazhinji omuTestamende Itsva, ari matsamba aakanyorera Kereke.

"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when youpray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them." Mark 11:24

Believing. That's the key to everything in the kingdom of God. It's the way we tap into the very power of Almighty God. Most of us know that. But do we know how to put it into action? Actually it's so simple, it's startling. It's as simple as saying, "I believe I receive."

Something happens in your spirit when you say those words. I don't understand how, but it does. I don't understand how my digestive system knows what to do when I swallow something, but it does. All I have to do is take a bite of food and it goes to work. I don't have to make it happen. I don't have to feel it happen. It just happens. That's the way the body is made.

In much the same way, when you feed on God's precious promises and "swallow" them into your spirit by saying, "I believe I receive," faith is released. You don't have to make it happen. You don't have to feel it happen. It just happens. The reborn spirit is made that way.

READ: Mark 11:12-24

"Attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.Proverbs 4:20-21

Once you've made the Word of God final authority in your life,your first step to victory over the attacks of the enemy is to go to the Word and lay hold of God's promises concerning your situation.

Notice I said, "Go to the Word." So don't just think about the Word today, read it. Go to the promises that cover your situation.

Feed on those promises and grow strong!

READ: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

"But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before."Philippians 3:13

Failures and disappointments. Aches and pains from the past that just won't seem to go away. Most of us know what it's like to suffer from them but too few of us know just what to do about them. So we limp along, hoping somehow they'll magically stop hurting If depression has driven you into a spiritual nosedive, break out of it by getting your eyes off the past and onto your future, a future that's been guaranteed by Christ Jesus through the great and precious promises in His Word. Forget about those failures in the past! That's what God has done (Heb. 8:12). And if He doesn't remember them any more, why should you? READ: Philippians 3:1-14

"And all these blessings shall come on you, and overtake you,if you shall hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God."Deuteronomy 28:2

Some people have very low expectations of what God will provide for them materially. They trust Him to feed and clothe them, but they don't trust Him to feed and clothe them very well!

First Timothy 6:17 says, "He give us richly all things to enjoy." God is a loving Father. He gets great pleasure from blessing His children. He's extravagant where we're concerned. But don't let that worry you. He can afford it.

READ: 1 Kings 10:1-24

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

Choosing to side with God's Word is a continual challenge. It's not something you do just once. It's a process of choosing to believe and act upon the Word of God over and over in every circumstance.

So choose to walk in love. Choose to walk by faith. Choose to live by the Word. Jesus is the Way! Choose Him!

READ: Joshua 24:14-24

"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and everyevil work."James 3:16

Have you ever noticed that the easiest place to remain self-centered is at home? There's an incentive to be lovely with others, but with your family you are tempted to allow yourself more selfish privileges as if it didn't count there.

Strife drops the shield of faith, stops prayer results, and invites Satan and his cohorts into your midst. Discord is deadly. It paralyzes the power of God in your life.

Don't allow the enemy to stop you at your own front door by allowing strife in your home. If you do, you'll be no threat to him anywhere else.

READ: Philippians 2:1-13

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that wemay obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."Hebrews 4:16

When you made Jesus the Lord of your life, one of the privileges you received was the right to come to the throne room of God any time you want to. Think about that! You have the right to go boldly before God and obtain whatever you need.

Do you need to receive something from God today? Don't waste time standing around outside heaven's gates. Through Jesus you belong in the very throne room of God. So come right on in. The door is always open for you.

READ: Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 5:1-9