Be Willing to Wait

Gloria Copeland

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

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.

When Kenneth started preaching prosperity, I sat out there and listened to him with holes in the bottom of my shoes. But we knew our financial problems didn't change what the Word of God said. We knew His prosperity promises were true even if we hadn't been able to tap into them yet. So, even though we felt foolish at times, we just kept on talking about God's generous provision for us.

I realized later that Word went to work for us from the first day we began to believe it and speak it and order our lives according to it. Our prosperity crop began to grow the moment we started putting seeds in the ground. It just took time for them to come up.

Sometimes, believers don't last that long. They start planting well enough, but then when they don't see immediate results, when the bank account gets low and rent is past due, they get discouraged and begin to speak words of lack and defeat. They tear up their crop with the words of their own mouth, and they never get to enjoy the fruit of it.

The next time you strike out on faith, whether it's in the financial realm or any other area, keep that in mind. Determine from the beginning that you're not going to let that waiting period discourage you. Then hang on until the Word of God is manifested in your life. Put patience to work and keep your words in line. You will receive your harvest.

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Scripture Study: "Proverbs 18:4-8, 20-21"

The Greatest Test

Os Hillman

1 Chronicles 29:17: I know, my God, that You test the heart and are pleased with integrity.

God tests His children to know what is in their hearts. God's desire for each of His children is to walk in relationship with Him, to uphold His righteousness and integrity. It is a high calling that we will fail to achieve without complete dependence on Him.

The greatest tests come not in great adversities, but in great prosperity. For it is in prosperity that we begin to lose the sensitivity to sin in our lives. Adversity motivates us to righteousness out of a desire to see our adversity changed. Prosperity fails to provide this motivation for obedience. We fall into a satisfaction and confidence in life that is based on our prosperity rather than on God.

Hezekiah was a great godly king. He was a faithful, God-honoring king most of his life, but toward the end he became proud. God wanted to find out if he would still honor Him and recognize His blessings in his life. He failed the test when God sent an envoy to his palace to inquire about a miracle that God performed on behalf of Hezekiah. The test was designed to find out if Hezekiah would publicly acknowledge the miracle performed on his behalf.

But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart (2 Chronicle 32:31).

Hezekiah's failure resulted in his children failing to carry on as rulers of Israel, and the nation would eventually be taken over by Babylon.

The lesson of Hezekiah is clear. If we are to remain faithful to our Lord, we must remain steadfast in our obedience to Him. Prosperity can be our greatest test. Ask the Lord to give you the grace to be a faithful follower during times of prosperity.

Peace at Home

Kenneth Copeland

"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.

Before I was a Christian, I was more courteous and nicer to friends than to my own family. I was more demanding and less forgiving with those dearest to me than with anyone else.

But after I made Jesus Lord of my life, I realized all that had to change.

Gloria and I began to learn through the Word how important harmony is within our family. We learned that if we wanted the power of agreemeent (see Matthews 18:19) to work in our lives, we could not allow strife in our home.

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 at your own front door by allowing strife in your home. If you do, you'll be no threat to him anywhere else.

Put the power of harmony to work in your family.

Determine that.

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Scripture Study: Philippians 2:1-13

Lifebit

The only difference between black coal and a precious diamond...

is the amount of pressure it endured.
Hebrews 6:15

Think on These...

The only way to find the limits of the possible is
to go beyond them into the impossible

Wisdom doesn’t come by chance,
but by choice

Happiness depends more on inward perception
than on outward circumstances.

The brightest thunderbolt comes from
the darkest storm

Our ideas, like orange plants, spread out in proportion
to the size of the box which imprisons the roots

Better Things to Come

Gloria Copeland

"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.

Believers who have died and come back say that they have no sensation of loss--no sting. Their minds stay intact, and they even have arms and legs, but they are spirit and not flesh. One man said he couldn't even tell he wasn't in his body until he tried to grasp something. His hand would just go right through the material object. He was spirit and not flesh.

According to the Apostle Paul, to be absent from the body is to be present with God (2 Corinthians 5:1). So, when God calls you home, you'll just abandon your fleshly body and go to be with Him forever.

It's interesting though. God doesn't even refer to our old, abandoned bodies as being dead. He says they're just asleep. Why? Because He knows that just as sleep is temporary, so is the death of the body. He's planned a day when our sleeping bodies will be awakened and raised up in glory just like Jesus' was.

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!

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Scripture Study: 2 Corinthians 5:1-9

He Will Lead You

Gloria Copeland

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16)

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

As you listen to the written Word and the Holy Spirit telling you what to do, you'll constantly be making little adjustments in your life according to what He says. And those little adjustments will keep darkness from overtaking you.

You see, God knows just what you need. He can look ahead in your life and see the traps and pressures the devil is laying for you. So follow the Holy Spirit's leading and He will maneuver you safely around them to victory.

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Scripture Study: 1 Corinthians 10:1-14

Those in Whom God Delights

Os Hillman

Psalms 147:10
His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor His delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.

Mammon and power are the ruling strongholds of the marketplace. If you possess either of these, you will be courted by those who serve the marketplace in hopes of increasing market share. It is a competitive environment that often gives way to decisions and actions that are dictated by the financial bottom line. A recent newspaper article stated that employers are requiring workers to put more time into their jobs, often requiring weekend work in order to be more competitive. For the Christian worker, this brings pressures on the family and will result in "lost market share" in the spiritual realm.

The Lord has a different measuring stick. The Lord is not impressed with your ability or what you can do for Him. Only one thing delights Him-people who fear Him and put their hope in His unfailing love. What does it mean to fear God and place our hope in His love? It means we acknowledge that God is the source of all that we are. He is the one who gives us the ability to work, plan, and execute. He does not want us to look to our abilities, but to His abilities. Sometimes it is difficult to balance these two perspectives. However, if we ask God to show us how to maintain this balance, He will do it. Put your hope in His unfailing love today. Then you will know that your heavenly Father is looking on you as a proud Father.

His Extravagant Love

Kenneth Copeland

"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!

Somehow they've gotten the idea that God's an old miser who will do little more than put rags on their backs and beans on their tables. But that's not what Jesus told us. He said in Matthew 6 that God would clothe us better than He clothed Solomon. That one statement alone proves that God wants to do more than just meet our basic needs. He wants to bless us abundantly. I know that from personal experience.

A few years ago I came home and found two expensive automobiles parked in my driveway. They'd been given to me to use by men who'd been blessed by the Lord through my ministry.

I was baffled. "Lord," I said, "I didn't need these cars. I hadn't asked You for them, and I wasn't believing for them. What are they doing here?"

Then the Lord spoke up on the inside of me. "Have you ever read the scripture in Deuteronomy that says blessings shall come on and overtake those who hearken to My voice?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Well, son," He said, "you've just been overtaken."

Am I saying God gave me those expensive cars just so I could enjoy them? Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying.

First Timothy 6:17 says, "He giveth 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.

Hearken to His voice and it won't be long before His blessings will be overtaking you.

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Scripture Study: 1 Kings 10:1-24

Yield To Love

Dr. Creflo A. Dollar

Love and selfishness are the two greatest forces in life. A person chooses to walk in one or the other every day. What many people call love really isn't love at all. Real love—which is agape love or the God kind of love—is unconditional, limitless, selfless and is not based on emotions. It is extremely tolerant.

Unfortunately, most people operate in selfishness. They live in human, emotional love, which has limits, is conditional, requires pre-qualification and has to be loved before it can love. Selfishness is the root of all sin, which is based in fear. As a result, our society is experiencing a tremendous amount of lawlessness, perversion and sin.

Families are being destroyed because people are engaging in human, emotional love rather than taking the time to learn about and develop in agape love. Selfishness in the home can creep up in so many subtle ways, particularly between a husband and wife. If you are married, here's a newsflash—it's not all about you! Everything in life should not focus around you and your needs, but rather the needs of your spouse. It is important to find balance and compromise within relationships in order to maintain peace in the home. You can kick selfishness out of your home. How? Yield to love.

Jesus gave two commandments that are the foundational principles for every commandment in the Bible: "…love the Lord thy God with all of thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind… love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matthew 22:7,39). When you keep the law of love, you fulfill all of the laws written in the Bible. Have you made the decision to walk in love so that you will fulfill Jesus' commandment and allow God's spiritual principles to work in your life? Or have you chosen to operate in your own way of doing things?

Things don't just happen. Life is a series of decisions that ultimately determine your future. One very important decision every person should make is to be an expression of God's love on the earth.

There are two laws that govern life: the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which is love; and the law of sin and death, which is selfishness (Romans 8:2). Like curtains on a curtain rod, your deliverance, answered prayers, healing and faith all hang on the rod of love.

If you are not walking in God's agape love, then you are limiting what God can do in your life. I encourage you to take the love test by reading 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. After reading this portion of Scripture, you will know to what extent you have—or have not—yielded your life to love.

Dr. Creflo A. Dollar is the senior pastor of World Changers Church International, a 25,000 member church in College Park, Georgia. He is committed to changing the world one person at a time, and his award-winning "Changing Your World" television broadcast reaches nearly one billion homes worldwide. Visit www.CrefloDollarMinistries.org to learn more.

It’s Time 2 Laugh

From Streaming Faith
If you, or someone you know, believe that Christians do not know how to have a good time, please share with them our exciting new feature It’s Time 2 Laugh. You will literally laugh out of your seat. Having a challenging day? Got multiple demands on your “to-do” list? Are too many people pulling you in too many directions? Just log on to Streaming Faith and visit It’s Time 2 Laugh. I guarantee it will become one of your favorite online sites.

What You Focus On "Expands"

think about it...

Lifebit

From Fresh Outlook Magazine

Sometimes what you do speaks so loudly…

that what you are saying goes unheard.
I John 3:18

Great Scriptures to Meditate on this week from the Message Bible!

From Fresh Outlook Magazine

Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
Matthew 6:33

The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.
Proverbs 29:25

But we're not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We'll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.
Hebrews 10:39

My people will live in a peaceful neighborhood - in safe houses, in quiet gardens.
Isaiah 32:18

The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.
I John 4:21

When Love Drives, the Devil Cannot Ride

Bishop Keith Butler

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Ephesians 4:26 (KJV)

Have you ever said something in anger that you wish you simply had not said? After you thought about it you said, "That was dumb. I shouldn’t have said that."

Well, anger will cause your love clothes to be loosed. Acting in anger is like putting on grimy garments. But since the love of God has been placed on the inside of you, you can avoid anger. Instead of being driven by anger, you can let love take over the driver’s seat and kick out the devil and the anger he brought with him.

What happens when anger shows up? It comes to drive you to sin. A flash of anger may come your way, but don’t let it control you, and definitely don’t let it drive you to sin. Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath."

Now he is not saying that you can be angry until sundown. The scripture is saying that you cannot allow anger to dwell in your heart any length of time. Recognize anger and put it away from you quickly, lest you say something or do something that you will regret. Do away with anger by operating in the love of God. Let love drive your words and actions. Consequently, there will be peace and quietness in that situation.

You can control anger. Someone may say, "I’ve always had a short fuse. That’s just my personality." But your personality is found in the word of God. And when you yield to the love of God on the inside of you, a godly personality comes forth. Love takes over and anger cannot control you, you control it. Let love drive anger out by forgiving and showing mercy according to Colossians 3:13 (Amp.), “Be gentle, and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord h as [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive].”

When you yield to the love of God that is shed abroad in your heart, you can get along with anybody. The moment someone comes against you, love comes from your heart and out of your mouth. It erases that unpleasant feeling of anger and allows God to bring peace.

Scripture Reference: Ephesians 4:26

Bishop Keith A. Butler is the founder and pastor of Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, MI, and Word of Faith Christian Center in San Antonio, TX. Bishop Butler ministers extensively in churches, conferences, and seminars throughout the U.S. and abroad with an emphasis on instruction and no-nonsense, practical application of God's Word. Click here to read more!

Counting The Cost

John Gray

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have [sufficient] to finish [it]?” Luke 14:28 KJV

It’s Friday night. You just got paid. You know the rest of the song. If you don’t, then you’re probably white. Black people used to sing that song every payday where I’m from. Everybody was happy and smiling. It was like Christmas and the Fourth of July all rolled into one. But I never heard anyone singing, “It’s Monday morning. Money’s gone. Got a hangover. Weekend was too long.” Never heard that one. Monday was responsibility day. You had to earn that money to pay those bills. Somebody shout amen.

By the time most of you read this, it will be either late Friday night or it’s already Monday again, so you can feel exactly where I’m coming from. You were soooo excited when that clock was winding up on Friday. You couldn’t wait to get to your car. But the moment you get there, you’re already headed back towards Monday. It never ends, unless you’re a kid. Man, did we have it good. Well, some of us had it good. My dad left but my momma stayed. I love you ma. You are the hardest working, most diligent and faithful person I know. You’re loyal and giving and a woman of prayer and action. Which brings me to a point: are you sure I wasn’t adopted? I’m thirty-three and I am pretty sure that I didn’t inherit those qualities from you! I’m only half joking!

You’re reading a letter from a guy who, as a kid, would run my bathwater at my mom’s request of course, then sit by the tub with the door closed and sit next to the tub, on the floor, and splash the water with my hand and sit there for ten minutes so she would think that I took a bath. I did all of that because I didn’t want to get in that water. I worked hard to be lazy. I went to bed stinking many a night! Man that’s funny! It felt good to ‘get away’ with not taking that bath. But I never counted the cost. You see, at school the next day, when I wanted to converse with a particular young lady, I didn’t have the confidence to get close because I was sure she would be able to smell my disobedience. It’s all connected. And it’s still funny.

It’s funny but dangerous. You see, when you’re little and you shirk responsibility, you tend to think that you can get away with things. You begin to think that the rules don’t apply to you. You could almost begin to think that it’s your world and everyone has to do what you say. It’s just not the case. The reason this Manna is being sent so late is that I was dealing with the fruit of immaturity in an area of personal development that came knocking on my door this very day.

Now see? Just look at you. See how you are? You’re not even focused on the word right now. You’re over there on the other side of the screen trying to figure out what I did or what happened. Nosy! No I didn’t go to jail! No I wasn’t arrested. And no, the baby isn’t mine. It’s my cousins. I’m just playing. But for real though, I had to deal with a situation that cost me a lot of money but it didn’t have to had I done what I needed to do in a timely fashion. I was so busy running around the earth trying to save everyone else that my own personal life was suffering. You can be deep if you want to, but past reading the Bible and fasting and praying, you need to pay your bills on time. Now I feel the Holy Ghost for real. I was like this big kid running around living life carefree. But when you’re finished having fun running around and traveling, you have to open up mail and run a household. That’s the part I didn’t like. I only like certain types of mail, and I can tell which letters I’m going to open based on the envelope. Have you ever done that? Yes you have. Quit lying.

When I got mail, if it wasn’t a Christmas card or a letter with cursive writing on the front letting me know that it wasn’t from a bill collector, I wouldn’t open it. That’s immaturity. I’m all on television and I have songs on the radio and all that. But at the end of the day if I can’t pay bills on time, my witness is tainted. Handle life before life handles you. This is practical stuff today. If you have a calling on your life, that’s great. Just make sure you count the cost before you trot off into the world trying to do everything. I know you love Jesus. I know you’re saved. And I know that Jesus paid it all. But He’s not paying your bills for you. You have to do that. Write the check. Put it in the mail. With a stamp. Open the envelope back up. Sign the check. Get some tape. Close the envelope. Take it to the mailbox. Leave it there. Let the mail carrier come and get it. Open your door. Let your German Shepherd run out and bite their pants leg off. Okay, don’t do that. But you know what I’m saying. Take care of the daily responsibilities of life. You’ll be surprised at how much God will bless the rest of your stuff when you take care of home first.

Many pastors, and leaders in general for that matter, have had unnecessary drama in their respective places of influence because they went after the bright lights of a position without counting up the costs attached to that platform as far as personal health, family and finances were concerned. I learned today that you can’t neglect one for the sake of the other. They’re all connected. What good is your witness to a credit card company or car company if your check bounces? You have the Fish on your check and a Cross. But your check is a miracle. It was made of flat paper, yet it bounced like a rubber ball. Hallelujah. You will never know the small things that can have a major impact on your life or the lives of others.

The Christian life should be a life of balance. We should encourage connection to a local body of believers. We should do outreach. We should feed the hungry and clothe those in need. But we should also have a structured and organized home life that does not lend itself to the chaotic. Let’s stop living day-to-day. Let’s think about the future. Let’s count the cost of our actions or inactions from today and see what that could possibly reap for us in harvest in the weeks, months or years to come. And don’t be like me earlier today. I wanted to blame everyone else for my misery. I wanted to blame everyone else except the one whose fault it really was: my own.

I had to grow up today. Growth hurts. But it’s necessary. If I want a worldwide platform, I better count the cost and know that my private life isn’t so private anymore. I better count the cost and realize that what I do affects others. I better count the cost and know that what I say will most likely be repeated whether I want it to be or not. I better count the cost and know that just because I am anointed, it doesn’t exempt me from honoring the statutes of the land. I can’t live like that little spoiled kid anymore. I have to get in that tub and scrub the dirt off. It’s time to grow up.

Well, enjoy your weekend. OR have a happy Monday. You’ll be getting another Manna in a few minutes(for those reading this at the beginning of the week!). And remember, what you do today affects your future in ways you may not be able to imagine. A good name is to be desired above riches. Count the cost attached to your calling, your job, your platform or your ministry. Assess the weak areas and fight to shore them up. That’s where true elevation begins.

God blesses where His reputation is safe.

Can He count on you not to make His Name look bad?

Keep counting.

John Gray

Sow A Seed - Click Here!

www.mannagod.c om

www .myspace.com/johngraymusic

www.johngray music.com

info@mannagod.com 1-877-MANNA-77

Welcome to the Big League

Kenneth Copeland

"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 rejoice! Heavy duty persecution means you've made it to the big league. It means the devil is taking you so seriously that he's sending in his best players in an effort to get you out of the game!

The players that make it to the Superbowl don't look for some way out of it, do they? They don't say, "Boy, I sure wish I didn't have to be in that Superbowl game. Those guys are the biggest, meanest players in the country. "Maybe I'll get sick and I won't have to play." No! They relish the opportunity. "Let me at 'em," they say. "I've worked all my life to get here and now I'm going to prove I'm the best!"

That's how you should be when the devil challenges you. You should accept that challenge with joy, knowing you're going to come out a winner. After all, your God is sufficient to see you through. He never stops and wonders if He's going to have enough resources to get you over your problems this time. He knows He can beat anything the devil brings against you.

So, when persecution comes, trust Him and rejoice, knowing that you've made it to the big leagues now!

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Scripture Study: 1 Peter 4:12-19

The Absence of God's Love

“God…Separated the Light from the Darkness." Genesis 1:3 NIV

A university professor challenged his class: “Did God create everything?”

A student replied, “Yes.” The professor continued: “If God created everything, then He created evil too. And since our works define who we are, then God is evil.”

The class became silent. Suddenly another student raised his hand and asked, “Professor, does darkness exist?” The professor responded, “Yes.” The student replied, “No, sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is just the absence of light. Light, we can study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton’s prism to break the white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. But you cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present.”

Then the young man asked, “Sir, does evil exist?” Now uncertain, the professor responded, “Of course.” To this the student replied, “No, evil does not exist, sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. It is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness, a word that man has created to describe the absence of light. God did not create evil. It is the result of what happens when man does not have God’s love present in his heart. Evil is like the cold that comes when there is no heat, or the darkness that comes when there is no light.” The professor sat down.

The young man’s name was Albert Einstein.

A Hidden Treasure

Kenneth Copeland

"The sower soweth 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.

"But I don't know how!" you may say.

Then start learning. Let these three steps help guide the way.

One: Make a decision. Make up your mind and heart today that you are going to share the Word with others no matter what! Determine right now that it's the most important thing you'll ever do. Commit to it. Once you've done that, you'll find the rest is easy.

Two: Prepare yourself. Spend time meditating in the Word each day. Allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you. That will make it easy for you to minister to others. You'll be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and be able to hear His voice. He'll help you know what to say in each situation.

Three: Stay in faith. Once you've shared the Word with someone, trust God for the results. The Word of God does not return void. Even if they seem indifferent to you, even if it appears the Word had no effect, keep believing. Your faith will keep that Word alive inside them, and eventually, it will do its transforming work.

You have hidden within you a treasure that can change the world. What are you going to do with it today?

---

Scripture Study: 2 Corinthians 4:1-7

A Proven Success

Kenneth Copeland

"And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet....For this my son...was lost, and is found."
(Luke 15:21-22, 24)

Prove yourself. In today's world, that's what you constantly feel you have to do, right? On the job, among friends, even at home you're always working to win the approval you need. Working to convince those around you that you deserve the salary, the friendship, and even the love they give you.

Is there any escape?

You better believe there is! It's called grace. Unearned and undeserved favor and acceptance. And there's only one place you can find it--in the heart of God Himself.

There's no better picture of God's grace in action than in the story of the prodigal son. Few of us today can really feel the impact of that story like those first Jewish listeners Jesus told it to. You see, by their standards the prodigal son had committed some of the most despicable acts possible. He'd not only taken advantage of his father and spent his inheritance in riotous living, he'd left the nation of Israel and made covenant with a foreigner--a pig farmer! That was as low as you could get.

In their eyes, that boy's rebellion was so serious his father's only recourse was to disown him.

But that's not what this father did! He welcomed his repentant son home with open arms. He offered him grace--unmerited favor--that was based on the father's love rather than the son's performance.

Next time you catch yourself struggling to make up to God for something you've done wrong, working to win His approval, let the story of the prodigal son set you free. Let it remind you that, in spite of your sins, your Father has received you with open arms. He's put a robe of righteousness on your back and His signet ring on your hand. He's put the shoes of sonship on your feet!

Do you feel unworthy of all that? God hasn't based His relationship with you on your worthiness. He's based it on His love for you. You don't have to struggle to prove yourself to Him. As far as He's concerned, you're a proven success.

---

Scripture Study: Luke 15:11-32

Love Is the Power Charge

Kenneth Copeland

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay 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.

You may have been saved 45 years; you may talk in tongues all day long; but if you have strife in your heart and you're not living by the love commandment of Jesus, spiritual things are foolishness to you.

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.

Do you want to see the incredible power of God released through your life? Then start putting the love command in action. Start loving those around you.

Love is the power charge, friend. God's power package just won't work without it. That's why we've seen so many power failures in the Body of Christ. Starting today, you and I can turn those failures around. We can make up our minds to let the Word dwell richly within us. We can set our hearts on keeping the commands of Jesus and speak His Name with confidence and authority. And, most important of all, we can begin to love one another.

Then we will truly see the power of God begin to flow.

---

Scripture Study: 1 Corinthians 13:1-8

Attitude

from Veronica Parker

There once was a woman who woke up one morning,
looked in the mirror,
and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.

Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today?"

So she did
and
she
had
a
wonderful
day.


The next day she woke up,
looked in the mirror
and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.

"H-M-M," she said,
"I think I'll part my hair down the middle today?"
So she did
and
she
had
a
grand
day.


The next day she woke up,
looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.

"Well," she said,
"today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail."
So she did
and
she
had
a
fun,
fun
day.



The next day she woke up,
looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.

"YEA!" she exclaimed,
"I don't have to fix my hair today!"



Attitude is everything.


Be kinder than

necessary

for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply,

Love generously,

Care deeply,

Speak kindly.......

Leave the rest to God

With love

Have A Blessed Day

You Can Open That Door

Kenneth Copeland

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

How long has it been since you were backed into a corner, hemmed in by a seemingly insurmountable problem? Some spend years trying to work their way out of financial binds only to end up more bound by debt than ever. Others work doggedly on marriages that, despite their best efforts, deteriorate from year to year. Still others fight battles against fear or depression, drug addiction or disease.

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.

Right now you may be facing a situation that looks utterly hopeless, but God has a key ring full of keys that will unlock any situation. He has the keys that open the doors for you spiritually and physically, financially and emotionally. No matter how hard the devil tries to trap you, if you'll get hold of the right key, you can find your way out.

God's Word is full of keys of kingdom principles--keys to bind the devil's operations and keys to loose yourself from his snares. God has a key that will unravel any knot that the devil can tie. He also has a key that will lock up the devil's operation so tightly that he won't be able to move.

Remember this: There's no situation so dark and so cleverly designed by the forces of darkness that there is not a kingdom key that will unlock it with kingdom power.

There is an answer to your situation. So keep digging for it. If you've been digging in the Word of God in one spot and haven't found your answer, then look at another chapter, a different verse. Keep digging until you find the key. Keep knocking at every door until you find the one that opens.

---

Scripture Study: Psalm 63

Lifebit

From FreshOutlook magazine

If you can’t think of anything nice to say…

keep thinking.
Luke 6:31

Think on These...

• You only discover your real strength when you face adversity.

• Ability will get you to the top but only godly character will keep you there.

• You must invest your time and life in something or you will throw it away on nothing.

• Destiny is not a matter of chance but a matter of choice.

• Faith means trusting in advance what will only make sense later.

Don't Give the Devil Even an "Inch"

From the Editor of FreshOutlook Magazine

Every place on which the soles of your feet tread, I have given to you.
Joshua 1:3

I have a nephew who was very trying when he was little. My sister said that the doctor told her to ‘choose her battles.’ I imagine he gave this advise because at this time in my sisters life, it seemed everything was a battle with the little guy, therefore, if you fought over every little thing, you would be fighting all the time.

I am sure you have heard that saying, ‘choose your battles’ and I am just as sure that there are many situations in life where it may apply. But I do know somewhere it doesn’t apply. To the enemy. The Bible says to give NO place to the devil. That means that we are to fight and win every battle, not to give him one inch. Have you ever heard the expression ‘give him an inch and he’ll take a mile.’ Well, that is how he works. He is looking for a way in – any way in – small or large.

One thing that I love about the Word of God is that it is living…it literally contains life. The Word of God never becomes powerless and you can study day and night and still gain new understanding and revelation of the Word. This week I studied a scripture that I have often quoted during times when I was believing God for things. Unfortunately, when using that scripture base I didn’t know the fullness of it’s meaning, therefore I was missing out on the revelation of that scripture. The scripture is found in Joshua 1:3, every place on which the soles of your feet tread, I have given you. I remember when I went to purchase my home I used that scripture as I walked around the property. Now, that was a good start BUT let me tell you what that scripture is actually saying.

The part that says ‘soles of your feet tread’ literally means every place that you are willing to put your battle shoes on, load up your weapon and fight for – THAT is what God will give to you. While it is still a wonderful promise, it now involves us doing something. God is saying ‘whatever you find in My Word that you are willing to fight for – it’s yours!’ Great news. Yet, if you are not willing to battle and fight for it – you will probably never possess it.

So, what’s happening in your life? Where is the enemy attacking you? Is it worth fighting for? Your marriage and family are worth fighting for. Your prosperity is worth fighting for. Your healing is worth fighting for. Your peace and soundness of mind is worth fighting for. But we have to put on our shoes, pick up our weapons and fight. It’s already ours, paid for at the cross, but we have to posses it, and to posses it we have to dispossess the enemy from our territory. Which brings me to another interesting scripture.

In Numbers 33:55, God had told Moses to dispossess the inhabitants of Canaan and dwell in that land for God had given it to the children of Israel. But God didn’t stop there. He said if you don’t drive them all out they shall be an irritant in your eyes, a thorn in your side and they shall harass you forever. Wow! That’s pretty strong. God is saying if you leave one enemy on your land, he will irritate your eyes (you won’t be able to see properly), he will be a thorn in your side (every time you take a step you are going to feel him prick you), and he will harass you every single day (you will never have peace).

So you see, God tells us to fight every battle and run every enemy off – or suffer the consequences. It’s not enough to win the battle over your health and remain broke. It’s not enough to win the financial battle and lose your family. NO! We win every battle and all we have to do is put on our shoes and fight. Which brings me to my next point.

I was in a battle several years ago with the enemy and victory came one way – through worship. I didn’t pick up a weapon, I simply worshipped God. Why? Because that was what He required of me. Another time, in another battle, God instructed me to praise Him for 24 hours straight – and I did and deliverance was immediate. The point is that God has a different strategy for every battle and you have to inquire of Him before you know which way to fight. You must first inquire and get your battle plan. No good soldier goes into battle without a fresh and effective battle plan.

In the Old Testament, Moses was in a battle and as long as his hands were raised, he was winning, but his arms grew tired. Yet this was the only way to win this battle – so God had Aaron and Hur hold up his arms and victory was theirs. In another battle in the Old Testament, God told the people to walk around the wall seven times and then to shout. They obeyed and victory was theirs. When Gideon went to war, God told him to have his men carry trumpets in one hand and pitchers with a torch in the other – they didn’t even have a weapon. Yet they obeyed God and won.

What would have happened if Gideon had said ‘no, God, I think I will do it the way Moses did it.’ I can tell you…he would have died.

I know you have probably fought and won battles against the enemy, but the way you won last time may not be the way you win this time. Inquire of the Lord. David was a warrior, yet for every battle he first inquired of the Lord. Get the plan of God to win your battle and then march forth with confidence that the Lord of Hosts is with you and victory will be yours. Furthermore, don’t give the enemy any place – don’t allow him to win one battle. The victory is already yours if you will simply stand firm and fight. He knows that and when you know that, then the battle is almost over. Next, inquire of the Lord as to how you are to approach this enemy and obey, do whatever it is He instructs you to do. It may be praise, it may be quote the Word, it may be sow a seed to someone who sows spiritually into your life, it may be simply stand. Whatever it is, don’t hesitate, do it! The victory is surely yours – remember, wherever you tread your foot – wherever you choose to put your shoes on, pick up your weapon for battle and run the enemy off your territory – it is yours, says the Lord.

Faith Works By Love

Bishop Keith Butler

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love. Galatians 5:6 (KJV)

As born again believers, we have to confront fear or it will become our terror and oppress us.

Now, the Scripture says that oppression and terror will be far from us, and that they won’t even come near us. But how is that possible? Well, it’s possible when we do not allow ourselves to function in fear. Fear is what allows terror and oppression to come to you. And overcoming fear is what drives them far from you.

Many, many years ago, I had a parishioner who was afraid to drive. Well, not only did I pray for him, but I also took him driving at five o’clock in the morning. He started driving and we went on the expressway. Now, of course, there wasn’t a lot of traffic then, but the point was overcoming that fear. Now on the expressway he was terrified, but I told him to say, "No weapon formed against me shall prosper. I will not fear. God is on my side." Well, he started speaking the Word and after driving for a week, God delivered him from that fear.

You see, the thought of driving terrified and oppressed him. It also stopped him from doing what he should have been doing for his family.

Listen, fear leads to terror. Terror is the planned, organized use of fear to render its victim helpless to oppression. That’s why we cannot afford to have our lives run by any aspect of fear; it will lead to terror, oppression, and then bondage.

Now Isaiah 54:17 tells us how to handle fear. It says, “You shall condemn.” In other words, you have to open your mouth and speak to fear. You have to condemn it; you have to speak the Word over it and it has to go.

Then, the verse continues by saying, “for this is your heritage, your righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” You are sons and daughters of the Lord and you have a right to condemn anything that comes up against you.

So don’t be dismayed about anything you have to face today. God is telling you to fear not. He is with you every step of the way. When you decide not to fear, you release God to move on your behalf. God’s anointing is on you, in you, and it will produce victory in your life.

Scripture References: Isaiah 54:14-17; Hebrews 13:5: Matthew 28:20b

Bishop Keith A. Butler is the founder and pastor of Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, MI, and Word of Faith Christian Center in San Antonio, TX. Bishop Butler ministers extensively in churches, conferences, and seminars throughout the U.S. and abroad with an emphasis on instruction and no-nonsense, practical application of God's Word. Click here to read more!

Weary of Worry

Gloria Copeland

"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place."
(2 Corinthians 2:14)

As you fight the good fight of faith today, remember this: Your mind is where the battle will take place. Whatever you allow to captivate your mind will rule your life. Will it be the Word of God or the lies of Satan?

The decision is yours.

If you want the Word to reign, make up your mind now to resist the devil when he comes to plant doubts within you. Refuse to surrender to the circumstantial pressure he brings your way. Decide at the onset that you will not succumb to this trial. Dig your heels in and stand immovable upon the promises of God.

When thoughts come that are contrary to God's will, cast them down. And above all, don't worry. Worrying is meditating the thoughts of Satan.

When you recognize you are worrying, stop it immediately. Replace worried, fearful, and doubtful thoughts with the Word.

Be assured, Satan will continually try to tell you that your situation is hopeless. He will persistently peddle doubt, defeat, and discouragement. But if you won't allow him to sell you his goods, his commission will be zero. If you don't buy his lies, he can't cause them to come to pass in your life.

God has promised that He will always cause you to triumph in Christ. You are guaranteed victory over any adversity you face today. Make up your mind right now to be a winner and you'll spread the knowledge of victory in Christ everywhere you go.
Scripture Study: Philippians 4:1-9

Love God?

Dr. Frederick K.C. Price

When I first got saved, I used to have a problem trying to relate to the Father and Jesus in an attitude of love. It was difficult because I had never seen Jesus or the Father, and the only way I knew to love was, in some way, to tell someone you loved them. Or you could hug them, kiss them, hold their hand, cuddle them, or give them something. I tried telling God that I loved Him, but I never really felt satisfied that I was expressing that love. I could say, "I love you," and that was nice for starters, but that was not sufficient by itself. To me, there had to be some demonstration that went along with what I said.

One day, I was reading the Word, and I found out how to love God. I found out how to love Him in a way that I know I am loving Him, that He is receiving my love, and that He is satisfied with my demonstration of my love to Him.

Jesus says in the first part of John 14:21:
“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me....”

I want to immediately arrest your attention to the fact that when Jesus says commandments, He is not just talking about the Ten Commandments. If you think only of the Ten Commandments, you will shortchange yourself. Anything God says to do is a commandment. God does not fool around with suggestions. He does not mess with reading between the lines. He directly tells you what He wants. When He tells you, it is a command—no ifs, ands, or buts about it. The reason we should do it, according to Jesus, is out of love. If we love God, we should make it a point to do what He commands in John 14:21-23.

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And He who loves Me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word....”

That leaves a whole lot of people out of the picture. If you are doing God's Word, you are tithing. You are not a fornicator, an adulterer or adulteress, or a gossiper. You are not lying, nor stealing. You are doing everything God tells you to do in His Word. That also means that you are seeking the Kingdom of God first, and His righteousness. You have time for Bible studies. You have time for prayer.

Also notice that Jesus does not use the word perfect here. We should be glad for that. If the word perfect were in this verse, it would leave us all out. Praise God that word is not there.

Jesus goes on to say in John 14:23-24:
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and my Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. “He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.”

This is how God interprets your love to Him -- not by sending Him a card at Valentine's Day, not by sending Him a box of candy. Jesus says, "If a man loves Me, He will keep My word." If you love God, you will do His Word. Jesus also says, "He who does not love Me does not keep My words." A person who does not love God is someone who is not doing His Word -- and you have to be the judge as to whether or not you are doing God's Word.

Dr. Frederick K.C. Price is the founder and pastor of Crenshaw Christian Center West in Los Angeles and CCC East in Manhattan. To obtain more information about his ministry, please call (800) 927-3436 or visit www.faithdome.org.

Beyond What You Can Ask or Think

Gloria Copeland

"I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all."
(1 Corinthians 14:18)

Few things in the Bible have created more fuss than the issue of speaking in tongues. Churches have split over it. People have been persecuted for doing it. People have even been killed for it.

Who's behind all the trouble? Satan himself. He's so frightened of our ability to pray in tongues that he's continually trying to steal it from us through persecution and strife.

You see, the devil knows (even if we don't) that praying in tongues is the only way you and I can pray beyond what we know. It's the tool God has given us to use to tap into the mind of the Spirit.

When we pray in tongues, we activate the Holy Spirit within us and He begins to teach us and enlighten us. If you want to see an example of what praying in tongues can do, look at the Apostle Paul. He said he prayed in tongues more than anyone in the whole Corinthian church and he was responsible for writing most of the New Testament!

Another example is the first church at Jerusalem. They didn't yet have any of the New Testament to read. They couldn't turn to Ephesians and find out what God's plan was for them.

They just had to pray in tongues until the revelation light of God dawned in their hearts. That's all the equipment they had. So they used it and turned the world upside down.

Some years ago God began directing me to spend an hour a day praying in tongues. After I did it awhile, I began to talk to other Christians who'd been directed to do the same thing. God was speaking to believers all over the world to spend time praying in the Spirit.

If you haven't made a commitment to spend some time each day praying in tongues, make one now. Set aside all the disagreements and confusion the devil has stirred up about it and just say, "Lord, I'm going to do it. I don't care what the devil says. I don't care what any man says. I know You have plans for me that are so good my human mind hasn't even conceived them--things that are beyond what I can ask or think. And by praying in the Spirit, I'm going to receive them."

Don't let the distractions of the devil disturb you. Tap into the mind of God. Speak forth His wisdom. Pray in the Spirit today.

Scripture Study: Isaiah 28:9-12

Punch a Hole in the Dam

Kenneth Copeland

"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, Amp)

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.

Then keep tearing away at that hole by speaking out that faith day after day. Don't quit! Because God's forces are backed up behind you like an ocean of spiritual water. Each time you speak a word of faith, they leak through. The more you speak and the more you pray, the bigger that leak will get.

Begin your breakthrough right now. Say, "Lord Jesus, I rejoice today that You are Lord of my breakthrough. I thank You that the flood of Your power is about to sweep through my life. I know there is no problem that can stand against it. Poverty can't stand against it. Family problems can't stand against it. Nothing the devil can do can stop my victory. I praise You for it NOW! Amen."

Keep praying that. Keep believing that. And before long, the forces of God will come bursting through, demolishing every obstacle in their path!

Scripture Study: 1 Chronicles 14:8-17

Overcoming Our Past

Os Hillman

Judges 11:29 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah.

We've all heard stories of individuals who have overcome extreme hardship during their childhood years. Children of alcoholics, orphans who never have parents, loss of parents to a fatal crash, childhood disease-all difficult circumstances to overcome.

Jephthah was a man who overcame his obstacles and refused to allow his circumstances to prevent him from becoming great in God's sight. He was born to Gilead, a result of his father's adulterous encounter with a prostitute. Gilead's wife bore more sons, decided to reject Jephthah, and drove him away from their home saying, "You are not going to get any inheritance in our family because you are the son of another woman." Imagine the rejection this young man felt as he was cast away from his own family.

This experience taught Jephthah to become a hardened warrior. Today he probably would have been part of a street gang. As he got older, his reputation as a warrior became known to those in his country-so much so that when the Ammonites made war on Israel, the elders of Gilead went to Jephthah and asked him to be their commander. Jephthah had to fight off those feelings of rejection from previous years.

"Didn't you hate me and drive me from my father's house?" he responded. He overcame his hurt and pain, and responded to the call God had on his life.

It is said that if we were to help the butterfly remove itself from the cocoon, the butterfly would not be strong enough to survive. It is the struggle that prepares the butterfly to become strong enough to fly. Without the struggle in the cocoon, it could not survive as a butterfly.

The Lord prepares each of us in similar ways. Some of our childhoods seem to have been harsh and born from a seemingly unloving God. However, the Lord knows our struggle and will make our life an instrument in His hand if we will follow Him with an upright heart. He does make all things beautiful in His time if we are willing to be patient.

Are You a Checklist Christian?

Dr. Creflo A. Dollar

Are you a checklist Christian? Do you keep a running list of all the things that you've done hoping that you will obtain favor with God? Do you tithe, religiously attend church service and quote scriptures in order to prove that you're righteous? If so, you may mistakenly believe that your checklist of good works will cause you to gain acceptance with the Father. I have good news for you! When you make Jesus the Lord of your life, you become the righteousness of God. It is through His shed blood that you have right standing with God, not through your own efforts so you can throw away your checklist!

Salvation is a free gift that is available to every person. The day you become born again God declares you righteous. To be righteous means to be in right-standing with God and able to stand before Him without a sense of guilt, condemnation or inferiority. Righteousness is something that is not earned; in other words it is something you do not work for. It is a privilege made available to you through and by the blood of Jesus who died on the cross for you. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Accepting Jesus into your heart is the best decision you will ever make. When you confess Him as your Lord and Savior, you are cleansed of all unrighteousness and are made a new creation in Him. When you sin, or miss the mark, repent and ask God to forgive you. He is faithful to do it every time you ask (1 John 1:9).

Along with righteousness also comes the gift of God's grace. God's grace is His unmerited favor and love. Unmerited means that you do not earn or deserve it; but God gives it to you anyway. If you want to walk in power and be an overcomer in this life, all you have to do is receive God's grace and righteousness. You don't have to sin if you don't want to and God's grace is available to help you overcome temptation when it comes.

Since righteousness is a free gift, why would anyone work to become righteous if they have already been declared so by God? Many times it is simply because they don't understand that their efforts don't change their status with God. Righteousness is something you receive by faith. Romans 10:3 says, "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." In these last days, Believers should be walking in the righteousness already established for them through Christ Jesus instead of trying to establish their own.

The problem with being a checklist Christian is that the person becomes so focused on his or her works that they forget to acknowledge Jesus and the righteousness that has already been given to them. Galatians 2:21 says, "...for if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die" (New Living Translation). When the person acknowledges that he or she has been made the righteousness of God, they are giving credit where credit is due—to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

No matter how many "goodie-goodie" things you do, they will not make you more or less righteous. No matter how long your checklist of works is, it alone, will not get you into Heaven. Joining the choir won't make you righteous and neither will feeding the hungry or praying three times a day. God expects you to do what is right and appropriate. He does not expect you to be perfect. Just by being His child you are already acceptable in His eyes.

If you find that you are depending more on your checklist than you do God, it's time to throw that list of works out the window. Understand that God loves you whether you have a list of good works or not. In fact, the good works that you seek to do should spring from the truth that you are the righteousness of God; righteous people do righteous things.

God loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to take your sin upon Himself and die so that you would be able to be free from it forever. You now have a right to get answers to your prayers, ask forgiveness of your sins and be cleansed (1 John 1:9). If you haven't accepted the free gift of salvation and are ready to do so, simply ask Jesus to come into your heart and accept it by faith!

Dr. Creflo A. Dollar is the senior pastor of World Changers Church International, a 25,000 member church in College Park, Georgia. He is committed to changing the world one person at a time, and his award-winning "Changing Your World" television broadcast reaches nearly one billion homes worldwide. Visit www.CrefloDollarMinistries.org to learn more.

Let Peace Rule

Gloria Copeland

"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, Amp)

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. Let it help you settle the issue. If you start to take that action and you realize you don't have peace about it, don't do it.

Remember, though, 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.

Also, watch out for strife. If you're irritated and upset about things in your life, it will be very hard to receive that quiet guidance from the Holy Spirit. So take heed to the instructions at the end of this scripture and "be thankful... appreciative, giving praise to God always." Maintain a thankful, grateful heart. You'll find it much easier to hear the "umpire of peace" when He makes a call.

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Scripture Study: Psalm 95:1-7