Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Excitement Abates for Blogging

I was very excited Saturday when I found that I could take up this blog after so many years of being inactive. However I have found that my excitement has abated as there is no interaction on the postings. Face Book, Twitter, and My Space have taken posting and blogging to a totally different level. Although they are the Reader Digest of communication, it is what this generation craves....instant gratification. I guess I must include myself in that category. I cannot wait to finish this blog and get on FaceBook and see what has been posted since 6 am this morning. LOL

My bad.....but I will continue to use this for longer blogs as I am not a woman of few words.

It is a really beautiful day in Metamora...am looking forward to walking my mile just as soon as it gets out of the 30's and enters the 50's.....on the way to today's predicted high of ...wait for it....58...and SUNNY....Later

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Thank God For Friends like Pam

I want to take this moment to thank the Lord for friends like Pam...who can find 99% of anything she looks for on the internet. She reconnected me with this Blog after my not posting since 2007. Pam you are indeed a blessing and a friend , not only in Facebook but also in real life in Franklin County Indiana .

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

I CANNOT GET MY MESSAGE POSTED....ONLY THE TITLE.....SO LOOKS LIKE I AM OUT OF HERE...METAMORA PATTER SAYS..BYE BYE

SORRY ABOUT THAT FOLKS

FEED ON THE WORD

Monday, April 09, 2007

LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND

Sunday, April 08, 2007

THE RIGHT ROAD

Friday, April 06, 2007

SORROW NOT!

Thursday, April 05, 2007

PATTER'S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

THE WINTER IS PAST
BY PAT GULLEY


Song 2:11
For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; (KJV)



The Song of Solomon is indeed filled with many wonderful phrases that paints a beautiful picture of love and affection, which I believe, depicts the love of the Bride for the Bridegroom. The young maiden adores her Shepherd friend. The long winter is over and Springtime brings a promise of new life and new adventures that are about to begin.

Song 2:12-13
12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle(dove) is heard in our land;
13 The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. (KJV)


The Church of Jesus Christ seems to be renewed afresh every spring. Easter Sunday is a call to many who have not attended Church since Christmas to get up, get dressed up, and go to be among the Believers on this Great Memorial Day of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

There is a Scripture in the Revelation of Jesus Christ written by the Apostle John that gives us a picture of the bride, the Lamb's wife awaiting the arrival of the Bridegroom.

Rev 21:9-10
9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, (KJV)



The Voice of the Holy Spirit cries for us to fly away in the Spirit and to be renewed in the spirit of our minds and rejoice in the ways of God as He prepares us for the grand and glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The joy of the changing seasons also reminds us of the ways of God and how He reveals Himself even to the unbelievers. He has not left the world to the ways of the Devil without showing Himself in the subtle changes of nature.

Acts 14:17
Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.(KJV)


The Creator of the earth and all that dwell within the bounds of its habitation yearns for all men and women everywhere to walk out of the rainy days of the winter that is past and to walk into the dawning of the new season that is bursting with new life and beauty.

The time of planting the seeds of faith is upon us. The time of sharing the good news of God and His Son Jesus is right now. Tell some one today that God loves them. Water the plants that were set in the soil last year and watch the buds turn to blossoms and the blossoms bloom and show forth Gods mercy and grace. The Winter is past. Spring has arrived. JESUS LIVES.

WE NEED EACH OTHER

April 5 - We Need Each Other

"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)

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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.

We do, you know. I need your faith as much as you need mine. Together, we can face anything and win in Jesus.

Let me show you why. In John 3:34, God says Jesus was given the Holy Spirit without measure. He was more powerful than all the demons of hell and all wicked spirits of all classes, including Satan himself. He was able to defeat their power combined.

Now consider this. We are His Body. Each of us has been given the measure of faith according to Romans 12:1-3. That measure is enough to take care of our own personal needs. However, there is more involved here than just our own personal lives.

We have a world to win! We are the end-time generation. We need all the help we can get. But, thank God, we can get all the help we need!

How? By joining together. Ephesians 4:13 says that when we all come together in the unity of the faith, we'll have "the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."

In other words, when the Body of Christ comes together and begins to function as one, we'll have the Holy Spirit without measure--just like Jesus did! We'll begin to see ministries functioning in the fullness of their callings. We'll begin to see manifestations of the Holy Spirit in full measure. We'll see Jesus in fullness as we've never seen Him before.

Then the world will know the Father sent Him.

Step into that oneness today. Start today making a daily effort to make yourself available to God to pray for others. Start your day by saying, "Holy Spirit, use me to pray for someone today. I offer You my measure of faith."

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!

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Scripture Study: Ephesians 4:1-16

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

BORN AGAIN

April 3 - Born Again!

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
(John 3:3)

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Born again. Do you know what Jesus had in mind when He said those two words to Nicodemus? He was talking covenant talk. He was telling Nicodemus what it meant to have a covenant with God.

Let me paint the picture I believe was in Jesus' mind. Imagine a baby, a little baby born of an unwed mother. No one knows who its daddy is and no one wants to know. He is a child that nobody wants. He doesn't belong to anyone.

Now, picture the best kind of family you can think of. A family that loves God. The man has a good job. They're blessed financially. They're givers and lovers of people, and they fall in love with this baby. Before long, they adopt it.

What's happened? That baby was reborn. He got a new set of parents. Through adoption, he has now become an heir. Why? Not because of anything the baby has done. Those parents didn't say, "I want you to look at that baby. I'm so impressed with all that child has done for us. He has certainly earned our love and respect."

No, it's a baby. It couldn't have done anything to earn its new life. This man and this woman agreed together out of the love in their hearts and bestowed grace on that child. Now he has access to everything they have. When they offer him a bottle, he doesn't knock the bottle away and say, "I'm so humble and undeserving. Just give me water."

Of course not. That baby acts like part of the family--and not just part of the family but the best part of the family. Because in Jesus' day a covenant or adopted child had the same birthright as the firstborn son.

That's what Jesus was talking about when He said, "You must be born again." He was talking about grace. He was talking about a new relationship of favor. A new family. A new authority. A new power.

If you feel unworthy to receive the rich blessings God has for you today, think about that. Meditate on it, so instead of worrying about and struggling with the needs in your life, you can just walk boldly into the throne room of your Father and receive help to get those needs met.

Discover what it really means to be a blood-bought child of Almighty God with a big brother like Jesus. Discover what it means to be born again!



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Scripture Study: John 3:1-8



Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Monday, April 02, 2007

WHAT A FUTURE

April 2 - What a Future!

"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)



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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.

That's why He sent Jesus into the world. He so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. God gave Jesus so that He wouldn't be His only son. He sent Jesus so He could have more sons to love and give to--and He plans to spend the eons of time doing just that.

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!

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Scripture Study: Ephesians 2:1-8

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Sunday, April 01, 2007

LET YOUR LIFE SHOUT

April 1 - Let Your Life Shout

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

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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!"


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Scripture Study: Psalm 14:1-7, 15:1-5"


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Saturday, March 31, 2007

IN GOD WE TRUST

I love the changing of the Seasons. That reminds me that the Word of God is true and as long as the earth remains we will have the seasonal change.


Gen 8:22
22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. (KJV)


I have absolute trust in the Creator of this Universe. I am not concerned about global warming as I was not concerned about the Ice Age that was said to be coming in the 70's. Jehovah has all things in His hands and our LORD Jesus the Messiah is the glue that keeps it all together.

So keeps your heads up and your eyes on the Prize. This is a very good time to be living on planet Earth.

FROM SONS TO SERVANTS

March 31 - From Sons to Servants

"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)

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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.

Who are those servants and handmaidens? They are those who have committed themselves totally to their Lord. They are those who, instead of being content simply to be born-again children of God, have gone even further, stepping into servanthood out of love for the Father.

The servants and handmaidens of God are those who have said, "I want to be involved in what God is doing in this hour. I want to be His bond slave, available to do His bidding 24 hours a day."

Those who make that powerful decision are experiencing the great out- pouring of God's Spirit that Peter spoke of in Acts 2. They are the ones whose Spirit-inspired words of prophecy and prayer are releasing the power of God upon the earth. They are the ones whose words are opening the way for the signs and wonders.

Do you want to be among them? You can be. God wants you to be. In fact, He needs you to be!

He needs those who will cut every cord that binds them to this natural world. He needs people He can call on in the middle of the night for intercession. People who will get up and do it no matter how tired they may be.

That's the quality and depth of dedication servanthood requires. It's a demanding role but its rewards are rich. Those who are willing to fill that role will be God's mouthpiece here on the earth in these final days. They will be vehicles of His Spirit and of His mighty power. They will be key players in the Holy Spirit's greatest earthly production.

Make a decision now to become one of them. Take the step of faith into servanthood today.

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Scripture Study: Acts 2:1-21

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Friday, March 30, 2007

DIG INTO YOUR COVENANT

March 30 - Dig Into Your Covenant

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


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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).

That's the kind of confidence that welled up in Abraham when God cut the covenant with him. It was an inferior covenant to ours, made with the blood of animals. Yet it transformed a doubting Abraham into the very father of faith. Why? Because, Abraham understood the significance of it.

He knew that entering into the Covenant of Blood meant you were totally and forever giving yourself away to someone else. Once you did it, nothing would ever be exclusively yours again. All that you were, all that you had or ever would have became the equal property of your covenant partner.

During the covenant ceremony in Abraham's day, the partners exchanged coats, each one giving their authority to the other. They exchanged weapons as a way of saying, "Your enemies are now my enemies. I'll fight your fights as if they were my own." They walked through the blood of slain animals, pronouncing their loyalty to one another, even to the death.

When God made covenant with him, Abraham knew there was no longer any room for doubt. God had proven how intensely He desired to be God to him. He'd given him every thing He had and bound Himself to Abraham in a relationship that could not be dissolved. Abraham comprehended the gravity of a covenant agreement. It convinced him once and for all that God's promises could be trusted. It became an anchor to his soul.

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.


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Scripture Study: Hebrews 10:1-23

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Thursday, March 29, 2007

THAT YOUR PRAYERS MAY NOT BE HINDERED

March 29 - That Your Prayers May Not Be Hindered

"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."
(1 John 1:7, Amp)


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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!

Peter wrote to husbands in 1 Peter 3:7 to live considerately with their wives. He said, "...bestowing honor on the woman as the weaker sex, since you are joint-heirs of the grace of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered." Husbands and wives. Parents and children. Co-workers. Fellow church members. All of us need to wake up to the danger of strife and start walking in love.

Shed the light of God's Word on your relationships. Dig into and get a revelation of the fact that we are all part of each other. Recognize that, as Ephesians tells us, we are one Body and one Spirit, and be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of that Spirit (Eph. 4:3-4).

Let the power of God flow in all of your relationships. Learn to walk in the light!


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Scripture Study: Romans 15:1-7


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

TURN YOUR LOSSES AROUND

March 28 - Turn Your Losses Around

"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 free gift [that comes] through...Jesus Christ, abound and overflow to and for [the benefit of] many."
(Romans 5:15, Amp)


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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.

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over" (Luke 6:38).

Isn't that staggering? He had every option that exists to choose from to redeem the things He'd lost. He had all wisdom and all power available to Him. Out of all that, the law of giving is what He chose to use.

He gave the most irreplaceable thing He had: His only Son. Then He backed that gift with His own faith. And when the law of giving and receiving had done its work, the Almighty Father God received not only His first begotten Son, but millions of other sons as well.

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.


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Scripture Study: John 3:12-21


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

FROM BELIEVING TO PERCEIVING

March 27 - From Believing to Perceiving

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."
(Romans 8:37)

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The Bible calls us kings and priests (Rev. 1:6) and world overcomers (1 John 5:4). For many of us, those phrases are still becoming real. We're still learning who we really are.

If you'll look in 1 Chronicles, chapter 14, you'll see that David had a similar problem. He'd been anointed king by the prophet Samuel when he was just a teenager. He'd known for years that someday he'd rule over Israel. Yet somehow, it hadn't really sunk in.

But look what happens in verse 2: "And David perceived that the Lord had confirmed him king over Israel, for his kingdom was lifted up on high, because of his people Israel." Finally, it dawned on him! David perceived that the Lord had confirmed him king. I can just imagine David saying to himself, "I'm king. I'm actually king! I AM KING!" At that moment, being king ceased to be something David had only thought about. It became something he really was. He could see himself king.

What does that have to do with you and me? Much like David, you and I have been given a royal office. But it's not until we believe it that we can exercise the power or authority that goes with that office.

If you're sick, you can yell, "By His stripes I'm healed," 50 times a day. You can hope for healing. You can try to believe for healing till your hair turns gray. But if you don't really perceive yourself as whole and healthy in Christ Jesus, if you don't see yourself as "the healed" instead of "the sick," you won't get any supernatural help. Yet once that realization hits you that you are, in fact, "the healed," no one--not even the devil himself--will be able to keep you from getting well.

Step over the line from trying to believe to actually knowing by dwelling on the Word of God. Read it and think about it. Practice seeing yourself through the eyes of the Word until the reality of your royalty in Christ rises up in you!



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Scripture Study: Ephesians 1:3-23



Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Monday, March 26, 2007

AMBASSADOR FOR CHRIST

March 26 - Ambassador for Christ

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



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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.

I heard a prophecy years ago that said there would come a time when men on the earth would walk and talk and act like God. They'd be motivated by His power and His Spirit so strongly that people would say of them, "Look at those believers. They think they're God." "No," the Holy Spirit said, "they are not God. They are agents of God, children of God, ambassadors of God, sent to do the works of God."

I believe we're living in the day and hour that prophecy was talking about. We're seeing that army of light begin to grow.

This is no time to be half-consecrated and half-dedicated. This is the time to go all the way with God, to give Him your whole life. If you'll do that, He'll give you back such anointing and such power and such glory and goodness that you'll shine for Him, as Philippians 2:15 says, as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.

Begin to think about yourself today, not as just another ordinary man or woman but as an ambassador of Almighty God. Let the interests of His kingdom be foremost in your mind and heart. Submit yourself to Him and say, "Lord, show me how to be Your representative in everything I do."

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



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Scripture Study: 2 Corinthians 5:10-21



Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Sunday, March 25, 2007

COME ALIVE TODAY

March 25 - Come Alive Today

"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)



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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!

Think about it. When you made Jesus Christ the Lord of your life, the Spirit of God hovered over you. The glory of the Lord came into your being. And that glory consumed the old, sinful man that you were. That old man died. And in his place a new creature was born.

Oh yes, there will be a day when the earthly body you live in will be raised and glorified--but you don't have to wait until then to be free from sin and from the sickness and poverty and failure that goes with this natural world. You're free from all that right now!

You may be sitting there thinking, "Well, if I'm so free, why can't I quit smoking? Why can't I lose this weight? Why am I always sick?"

Because you've let Satan convince you that you're still under his power. You've let him talk you into living as if you're still spiritually dead!

So, today I want you to begin considering yourself alive! Begin thinking of yourself as one who already has the life of God instead of an earthly being who's waiting for the resurrection. Consider yourself dead to sin and alive to the power of Jesus. You'll find yourself living a whole new life today!



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Scripture Study: Romans 8:1-14



Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Saturday, March 24, 2007

OBEY TODAY

March 24 - Obey Today

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

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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 anymore. 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.

That's what happened to the children of Israel. God would tell them what to do and they wouldn't do it. When He was trying to bring them into the Promised Land and He told them to go in and possess it, they flatly refused.

Of course, they thought they had good reasons for refusing. They were so full of fear and unbelief that they actually thought if they did what God said, they'd be destroyed. But, you know, it doesn't matter how good your reasons are for disobeying God. That disobedience will still cost you. It will still harden your heart.

The children of Israel ignored God's leading so often that He finally just sent them into the wilderness. They were so stiff-necked, He couldn't lead them into the blessings He'd planned for them, and He had to just let them wander around until all but two of them had died off. He had to raise up a whole new generation of softer hearted people before He could take them into the land.

Take a lesson from that and don't play around with sin. When God tells you what you need to do, don't put Him off thinking it will be easier to do it later. It won't be. It will be harder!

When the Spirit of God comes to correct you, follow His instructions and follow them quickly. Keep your heart tender. Obey the Lord!

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Scripture Study: Nehemiah 9:6-37

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Friday, March 23, 2007

COMING TOGETHER

March 23 - Coming Together

"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 fulness of Christ."
(Ephesians 4:13)



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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.

Just the thought of that scares some believers. "How can I unify with someone from another denomination?" they say. "I'm not going to give up my doctrines and agree with theirs just for unity's sake!"

What they don't realize is this: scriptural unity isn't based on doctrine.

Winds of doctrine, according to Ephesians 4:14, are childish. Winds of doctrine don't unify. They divide and blow people in every direction. The Word doesn't say anything about us coming into the unity of our doctrines. It says we'll come into the unity of the faith.

In the past, we've failed to understand that and tried to demand doctrinal unity from each other anyway.

"If you don't agree with me on the issue of tongues," we've said, "or on the timing of the rapture...or on the proper depth for baptismal waters, I won't accept you as a brother in the Lord. I'll break fellowship with you.

But that's not God's way of doing things. He doesn't have a long list of doctrinal demands for us to meet. His requirements are simple. First John 3:23 tells us what they are: to believe on the Name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another.

Once you and I come to a place where we keep those requirements and quit worrying about the rest, we'll be able to forget our denominational squabbles and come together in the unity of faith. We'll grow so strong together that the winds of doctrine won't be able to drive us apart.

When that happens, the devil's going to panic because the unity of the faith of God's people is a staggering thing. It's the most unlimited, powerful thing on earth.

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.


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Scripture Study: Psalms 132:13-18; 133


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Thursday, March 22, 2007

HEALING ALWAYS COMES

March 22 - Healing Always Comes

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



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I used to get upset over people I'd lay hands on who wouldn't get well. I was praying one day and seeking God about it when He spoke to my spirit and said, "Healing always comes."

I remember I said, "What do You mean, Healing always comes? Not everybody gets healed."

"I didn't say they all received it," He answered. Then He spoke very sternly to me. "I do My part. And I said they would recover!"

Those words hit me like a ton of bricks. He said they would recover. He never lies. So if He said they would recover, then that means healing always comes. It's not God who's holding back. It's the receivers who aren't receiving.

Since then, I've never had any trouble laying hands on people and believing for them to be healed. Whether they walk away well or not, I just keep standing in faith for them. In fact, I know if that fellow who went away still sick ever lines his faith up with God and me--I don't care if it's five years from now--he'll be healed.

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!

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Scripture Study: Mark 10:46-52

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

PATTER'S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

BEWARE THE TELEVISION CHARLATANS
BY PAT GULLEY

I Jn 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (KJV)

I am continually impressed by the vision of the Apostles of Jesus who warned the early Christians of the coming of the many men and women who would twist the Truth of God into a lie of the Devil. We especially hear these warnings from Peter, Paul, John and Jude. And of course the Apostles Peter and John heard it first from Jesus as they walked, talked, worked and ministered with him for 31/2 yeas.

Matt 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (KJV)

I believe the world has noticed that many television shows and movies that catered to Christians were popular so they have decided to produce television shows with "spiritual" content in order to tap into the Christian audience as well. But most of these shows portray "spirituality' in a very false light. In fact, this light could be termed darkness.

It is very difficult to explain the difference between spiritual and soulish. The Bible, the Word of God, is the only place to go if you want to be able to discern between the two.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (KJV)

The Word of God is alive. It is alive and powerful and sharper than any twoedged sword. It is the only legitimate way to expose the fallacies of today's television programs. It can reveal that which is true and that which is a lie. But we have to pick the Bible up and read it and study it and allow it to inform us of what is of God and what is of the Devil.

The Lord has also set in the Church Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers to teach us and guide us in the understanding of God's Word. Always remember that it is in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that God the Father is honored and glorified. (Phil 2:11) Paul warned us in 2 Thessalonians 2:8-10 that even Satan can manufacture what may appear as miracles but the glory does not and cannot go to God the Father because the signs are lying wonders.

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. (KJV)

One more bit of information you need to remember when watching television or other outlets such as the Internet. Human spirits that leave the human body are never allowed to return to communicate with any medium. There are many things of God that we do not understand but we do know that He still loves the world and that Jesus is the only Way to Truth and everlasting Life. Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing. They seek to steal your joy, dilute your faith, and leave you wondering if God even cares about what is going on in this world today. They especially want you to doubt His love for you and yours. Don't doubt God.... doubt your doubts.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

BE CLOTHED WITH HUMILITY

March 20 - Be Clothed With Humility

"And be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."
(1 Peter 5:5)


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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.

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Scripture Study: 1 Peter 5:5-11


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Monday, March 19, 2007

STAND AGAINST THE DEVIL'S STRATEGIES!

March 19 - Stand Against the Devil's Strategies!

"Leave no room or foothold for the devil give no opportunity to him."
(Ephesians 4:27, Amp)

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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.

There have been people who have received their healing and have fallen back into their old thinking patterns of sickness. They let their faith down and gave the devil an opening. When he came along with an old symptom, they weren't ready for him. They fell victim to his counterattack.

You can stand successfully against the devil's strategies! But before you do, you're going to have to make three quality decisions.

First, you must make the Word of God the final authority in your life. Line up your thinking with whatever the Word says.

Next, you must decide to live your life by faith in what God has said. The Bible says, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."

Finally, you must decide to live by the love of God because faith works by love. Without love, your faith won't function. Without the Word, you can't have faith. So don't try to make one of these decisions without the other two. You need to make all three of them. This lifestyle of the Word, faith and love keeps you in a place of resistance to the devil!

I suggest you get alone with God and pray:

In the Name of Jesus, I commit myself from this day forward to live by the Word of God, to live by my faith, and to live by the love of God.

Decide today to give the devil no place!

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Scripture Study: John 15:7-12

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Sunday, March 18, 2007

NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF

March 18 - Nothing to Be Afraid Of

"He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 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)


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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.

But you know what's ironic? Once you do that, your reputation gets better. It's a funny thing. When you lose that desire to protect your image, your image will improve. Why? Because then when people look at you, instead of seeing that puny little image you have of yourself, they'll see the image of the Lord Jesus coming through.

So put aside that old self-consciousness and develop God-consciousness instead. Stop being dominated by the fear of man and start being motivated by faith in what Jesus can do.

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!


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Scripture Study: Romans 8:29-39

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Saturday, March 17, 2007

START PLANTING

March 17 - Start Planting

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

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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.

Is it tough for you to believe such a thing is possible?

It shouldn't be. You see it happen in the natural world all the time.

If I were to put a tomato seed in your hand and tell you that within that tiny, dry seed lies the power to produce a stalk thousands of times bigger than the seed, to produce leaves and roots and round, red tomatoes, you wouldn't have any trouble believing that, would you? You know from experience that even though that scrawny seed doesn't look like a tomato factory, somehow, given the right environment, it will become one.

Jesus says the Word of God works by that same principle. There's miraculous power within it. It is a seed that, once planted by faith in a human heart, will produce more blessings than you can imagine.

Once you grasp that, you'll get extremely excited about the Word of God. That's what happened to me.

Over 20 years ago, I caught a glimpse of what the Word could do. I caught a glimpse of the power within it. Before long, I had a Bible in every room of my house, a Bible in my car, and a tape player going nearly all the time.

I spent every possible moment in the Word of God because I wanted the power of that Word inside me more than I wanted anything else in the world. I knew it would blow the limits off my life, limits that had held me back and kept me down for years. I knew that when I read it, I wasn't just reading, I was planting seeds. Seeds of prosperity, seeds of health, seeds of protection, and seeds of victory for every area of my 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!

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Scripture Study: Mark 4:23-32

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Friday, March 16, 2007

TRAIN YOUR SENSES

March 16 - Train Your Senses

"For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth 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)



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You're spiritually "grown up" or mature when, through practice, you have trained your senses to discern between good and evil. You've practiced walking in the Spirit and renewing your mind by the Word of God until even your flesh habitually goes God's way instead of the world's way.

Stop and think for a moment. Aren't there some things your old flesh used to pressure you to do before you made Jesus Lord of your life that you don't even want to do anymore?

There are for me. For example, I used to smoke tobacco, and I felt sorry for all those Christians who couldn't. But you know what? Now that I'm a believer, I have no desire for tobacco anymore. It is not even part of my thoughts much less my lifestyle.

That's the kind of thing that happens as you feed and renew your mind on the Word of God. It doesn't necessarily happen quickly or easily. Your flesh may fight and buck for a while because it's been trained to go the way of the world so long. But if you stick with the Word and keep growing, your flesh can develop the habit of righteousness just like it developed the habit of unrighteousness.

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.


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Scripture Study: Hebrews 5:11-14, 6:1-3"

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

ACTIVATE THE POWER

March 14 - Activate the Power

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

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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.

Just think about that. The Spirit of Almighty God. The Spirit that hovered over the face of the deep and carried out God's Word at creation, that same Spirit is inside you--waiting for you to call on Him!

If Jesus came into your house and sat down at your table, you'd put aside everything to talk to Him, wouldn't you? You wouldn't just rush through and say, "Jesus, I'm so glad to see you. I wish I had the energy to talk to You, but You wouldn't believe what kind of a day I had today. I mean, everything in the world went wrong and now I'm just too tired to do anything but lay here and watch TV. Maybe we can spend some time together later."

You wouldn't do that, would you? No! If Jesus were sitting there in your room where you could see Him, you'd fall on your face and begin to worship Him. You wouldn't care how tired you were or what kind of day you had. You'd jump at the opportunity to fellowship with Him.

The Holy Ghost is in you. He's waiting on you. He's ready any time of the day or night. He's saying, "I'm here to help you and strengthen you. I want to comfort you today. You know that problem you've been having? I want to help you get that out of your life.

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 worketh within you today.


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Scripture Study: Ephesians 3:16-21


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

LIVING BY FAITH---IT'S A LIFESTYLE

March 13 - Living by Faith-- It's a Lifestyle

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

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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.

So many people hear the word of faith about healing or prosperity and they think, "Hey! I'm going to try that." Then when the hard times come, they give up and cave in.

Let me warn you, living by faith is not something you try. It's a lifestyle. You do it when it's hard. You do it when it's easy. You do it all the time because you're not doing it just to get in on the benefits. You're doing it because you know that faith pleases God (Heb. 11:6).

Things may get a little rough at times, but let me assure you, you'll always come out on top if you endure hardness as a good soldier. If you refuse to faint and fall away, you will have the victory. The only defeated Christian is the one who quits!

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Scripture Study: Numbers 14:1-24


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Monday, March 12, 2007

AS YOUR SOUL PROSPERS

March 12 - As Your Soul Prospers

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."
(3 John 1:2)

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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.

When Joseph was sold as a slave to the Egyptians, he didn't have a dime to his name. He didn't even have his freedom. He'd been sold as a slave. But, right in the middle of his slavery, God gave Joseph such wisdom and ability that he made his owner prosper. As a result, the man put Joseph in charge of all his possessions.

Later, Joseph was put in prison. There's really not much opportunity for advancement in prison, is there? But God gave him insight that no other man in Egypt had. That insight landed him a position on Pharaoh's staff. Not as a slave but as the most honored man in the entire country next to Pharaoh himself.

He rode along in a chariot and people literally bowed down before him. During a worldwide famine, Joseph was in charge of all the food. Now that's prosperity!

How did God accomplish all that? By prospering Joseph's soul. No matter how dismal his situation became, no matter how impossible his problems, God was able to reveal the spiritual secrets that would open the door of success for him.

That's what makes God's method of prospering so exciting. It works any- where and everywhere. It will work in the poorest countries on the face of this earth just like it works here in the United States. And you can be sure that it will work for you!

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Scripture Study: Genesis 39


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Sunday, March 11, 2007

A COVENANT OF LOVE

March 11 - A Covenant of Love

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


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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.

The story of Abram is a perfect example. He wasn't accustomed to the idea of a God who gives. After all, he'd grown up as a worshiper of the moon, and the moon had certainly never seemed interested in doing anything for him. Then he encountered El Shaddai, the greatest Being of all. The one Almighty God. And the first thing this El Shaddai wanted to do was give to him.

God's promises so astounded Abram that he couldn't believe them. "Lord," he asked, "how can I know I'm really going to receive these things?" (Gen. 15:8).

Do you know how God answered him? By cutting a blood covenant with him. That covenant settled forever any question Abram could ever have about God's love and loyalty. Once blood had been shed, he knew God meant what He said.

God did the same thing for you. He cut a blood covenant with you. And He sacrificed His own Son to do it. Jesus' broken body and shed blood have become the eternal proof of God's love for you. Through Communion, He's urged you to remember them again and again so that when your faith in His promises begins to waver, you "might have a strong consolation" (Heb. 6:18).

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.


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Scripture Study: Genesis 15


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Saturday, March 10, 2007

WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE

March 10 - Watch Your Language

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

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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.

All of us have done that at one time or another. We'll say, for instance, that we're believing God for our healing and then we'll turn right around to someone and make a statement like, "This pain is about to kill me!"

That's perverted! It's backwards from what God's Word says.

"Oh well, Brother Copeland, I know I said that, but it's not really what I meant."

Listen, the world of the spirit doesn't operate on what you mean. It operates on what you say. Mark 11:23 tells us that "whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith."

Take note. That verse didn't say you shall have whatsoever you mean. It says you'll have what you say. It's what you say that counts.

Now, I'm not suggesting you should be tied up in knots all the time worrying about what your next phrase might be. 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.

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Scripture Study: Proverbs 10:11-21

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Friday, March 09, 2007

THE HABIT OF HOLINESS

March 9 - The Habit of Holiness

"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
(John 14:21)

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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.

Just after the turn of the century, God poured out His Spirit and started a revival on Azusa Street. It was an awesome time, a time when people's entire lives were turned inside out. Everything else in their world seemed to lose importance. Supernatural things were happening. God was manifesting Himself in their presence.

The people involved in that revival soon began to be known to the world as "holiness" people. They got that title because they were so obviously different from everyone else. They would let go of anything they thought didn't please God. They were so caught up in the power of the spiritual realm, they lost interest in natural things.

Few believers today even know what holiness means. Even fewer understand the outpouring of God that comes to those who dare to step into it.

Holiness simply means separated to God. It's what you do with your life day by day. It's ordering your conduct according to the Word of God and the prompting of the Spirit. Holiness is the habit of being one mind with God, of turning away from the ways of the world and living instead in agreement with Him. Holiness doesn't happen to anyone by accident. It requires a decision of the will. Make that decision today.

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. He'll pour Himself out on you just like He did on those believers at Azusa Street and revival will truly begin in you.

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Scripture Study: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

EXPECT TO HEAR HIS VOICE

March 7 - Expect to Hear His Voice

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


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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.

Jesus said His sheep will know His voice and a stranger's voice they will not follow. That is a promise of God to you today. You see, the Spirit of God will never guide you in opposition to the written Word of God (John 16:13). So, if you're not familiar with what the Word says, you'll find it more difficult to discern His leading.

Get familiar with God's voice by meditating and studying the Word of God. Follow God's instruction to Joshua and meditate on it day and night. Act on what you find in the Word, not just when it's easy but every time. Be obedient even in the slightest things.

That continual obedience to the written Word will bring you into maturity and tune your inward ear to the voice of the Spirit. You'll soon be able to recognize it as easily as you recognize the voice of your dearest friend.

So, instead of wondering about it, start expecting to hear from Him.

Then start sharpening your spiritual ears by spending time in the Word.


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Scripture Study: John 10:1-9


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

VICTORIOUS PRAISE

March 6 - Victorious Praise

"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!"
(2 Chronicles 20:21, Amp)


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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."

Do you know what they did in response to that word? They put together a praise choir! That's right. They appointed singers and praisers and sent them out in front of the army! And when that choir began to sing, the Word tells us that "the Lord set ambushments against the men...who had come against Judah, and they were slaughtered."

When it was all over, not one Israelite had fallen--and not one of their enemies had escaped. What's more, when they came to take the spoil, they found so many cattle, goods, garments and other precious things, it took them three whole days to haul it all home.

Now, that's victory! And it all began with praise.

Are you looking for that kind of victory today? Then stand up and shout, "Glory!" After all, you're in the same situation those Israelites were in. You have an army marching against you, but Jesus has already defeated it. He won that battle for you on Resurrection Morning.

All that's left for you to do is trust Him and begin to praise. Sound out those praises today. Speak them, sing them, declare them in the face of your enemy. Once he hears them, he'll know he doesn't even stand a chance.

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Scripture Study: 2 Chronicles 20:1-22

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Monday, March 05, 2007

BE CONSISTENT

March 5 - Be Consistent

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


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Years ago, God spoke a phrase to Gloria's heart that I've never forgotten. She'd been asking Him to teach her 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.

Most believers don't do that. That's why there are so many "faith failures" around. They stand on the Word one day and fall off of it the next.

What we need to do is continue. Jesus said if we would continue in His Word, then we would be His disciples. He said if we would continue, we would know the truth and that truth would make us free (John 8:31-32). There's a revelation of God that comes from consistency that the inconsistent person will never see.

Determine today to be consistent. Don't try to base today on yesterday's Bible study. Base today on today's Bible study. Start with the Word today, stay on the Word all day, and end the day with the Word. Then tomorrow get up and do it all again!

There's power in constant consistency. So don't be an "off again, on again" Christian. Continue in the Word every day.

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Scripture Study: Colossians 1:14-23


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Sunday, March 04, 2007

LET THE REVELATIONS BEGIN

March 4 - Let the Revelations Begin

"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)

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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 Copeland," 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!

So, if you want to know that truth, just open the Book and read it. All of it...not just the parts that are in red. Those aren't the only parts Jesus said. He said everything in Genesis. He said everything in Exodus. He said everything in Numbers. He said everything in Deuteronomy. He said everything in Leviticus. He said everything in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. He said everything in Romans. He said everything in the Book. He is the Word!

In fact, if you'll read the third chapter of Galatians, you'll discover that every promise made to Abraham was for Jesus! It was the promises that brought Him. It was the promises that enabled Him to heal and deliver people. He didn't minister by some special power nobody else could have. He based His ministry on the revelations He'd received through faith in the written Word of God.

When the devil came to tempt Him, He didn't fight him off with a special legion of angels who'd been assigned to protect Him because He was God's Son. He fought him off with the phrase, "It is written."

God has equipped you to do the same. He's given you His written Word, and He's given you His Holy Spirit to help you understand it. He's more than ready to give you the knowledge you need. You don't have to wring it out of Him--just open the Book and let the revelations begin.


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Scripture Study: John 16:7-15


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Saturday, March 03, 2007

CALLED TO BE PECULIAR

March 3 - Called to Be Peculiar

"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."
(John 17:15-16)

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Being peculiar. That's not something most of us work to achieve, is it? But, you know, we should.

God has called us to be peculiar--to stand out from the rest of the world as living proof of His power and His love (1 Pet. 2:9).

He doesn't, for example, want us to share the ailments of the world. He doesn't want us to share their sickness and poverty and failure. He's never wanted that for His people.

He gave us a physical illustration of that during the time the nation of Israel was held captive in Egypt. Pharaoh had refused to set the Israelites free, so God had allowed a thick darkness to cover the whole land. The darkness was so dreadful throughout Egypt that no one moved for three days.

"But," says Exodus 10:23, "all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings."

What a thrilling example of how God wants us to live. We should be glorifying God by the miraculously victorious lives we lead. We should constantly have people telling us, "I've heard how God healed you," or "I've heard how God prospered you and saved your children!"

So don't hold back. Put the Word of God to work in your life and dare to receive the rich blessings that belong to those who believe. Start using the Word to draw boundaries around your life, to paint spiritual warning signs for the devil. Signs that say:

Off Limits! According to God's Word, I don't belong to you anymore. My family doesn't belong to you. My health doesn't belong to you. My money doesn't belong to you. My ministry doesn't belong to you. I belong to a different kingdom. Now, back off in Jesus' Name!

Does that sound a little peculiar? Good. That's exactly what God has called you to be!


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Scripture Study: Exodus 10:20-29


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Friday, March 02, 2007

DEFEAT YOUR GIANT

March 2 - Defeat Your Giant

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


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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.

Back in David's day, circumcision was the sign of that covenant. So, when he called Goliath uncircumcised, David was saying: This guy may be a giant; he may be strong; but he has no covenant with God and that's why I can kill him.

Like David, you, too, have a covenant. But yours is better. The covenant David had offered a wealth of blessings to those who kept it, but it also included curses for those who broke it.

Yours doesn't. Yours is a New Covenant that Jesus bought with His own blood. It doesn't depend on your ability. It depends on Him and what He has already done. He has done it all! All you have to do is believe it and receive it.

Right now, read Deuteronomy 28:16-68. That's a list of the curses Christ has freed you from. You might even call it a list of the giants Jesus has already slain for you. It contains every diabolical thing the devil could ever use to destroy you.

Read it and rejoice. God has healed you and delivered you from those things!

Don't let any giant intimidate you. You have a blood covenant with Almighty God. There's no uncircumcised circumstance on the face of this earth that can take your victory away from you.


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Scripture Study: Galatians 3:13-29

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Thursday, March 01, 2007

LET GOD RUB OFF ON YOU

March 1 - Let God Rub Off on You

"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, Amp)

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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.

Have you ever noticed that if you spend time around people who have strong personalities, you will automatically be affected by them? You'll find yourself doing the things they do. Their mannerisms will rub off on you. You can't help it. They just influence you, especially if they are people you respect and admire.

The same thing is true in your relationship with God. If you spend enough time with Him, He's going to rub off on you! His ways will become your ways.

So make yourself available to Him by praying in the Spirit and worshiping and loving Him. Hang around His Word and the people who love His Word and live it.

Before you know it, you'll begin to notice yourself changing. You'll find your character becoming more like His. You'll begin to think like He does and talk like He does and even act like He does. His image will begin to shine forth in you!


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Scripture Study: 1 Corinthians 3:5-18


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

HE WILL LEAD YOU

February 28 - He Will Lead You

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

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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


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

BETTEH THINGS TO COME

February 27 - Better Things to Come

"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)

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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

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Monday, February 26, 2007

HIS EXTRAVAGANT LOVE

February 26 - His Extravagant Love

"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)

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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

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Sunday, February 25, 2007

THE CHOICE IS YOURS

February 25 - The Choice Is Yours

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

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Choosing to side with God's Word is a continual challenge. It's not some- thing 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.

That's what everyone has to do. Years ago I decided I was going to choose Jesus. Since then I've had to choose Him again and again in situations every day. I've chosen Him as my Lord and Savior. I've chosen Him as my Healer. I've chosen Him as my Financier. I've chosen Him as head of my household. I've chosen Him as head of my ministry. And I still have to choose Him moment by moment.

Sometimes that choice gets tough, but God has promised it will never get too tough. In 1 Corinthians 10:13, He says, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able." What the Lord is saying is that He will not allow you to be subjected to a temptation you're unable to overcome. With every temptation, He'll make a way of escape. He'll ALWAYS make sure you have a choice.

The devil doesn't come tempt you while God is off somewhere else, unaware of what is happening to you. The Spirit of God is constantly there with you, providing you with the way to overcome. In other words, God matches even the toughest temptations with the weapons and power you need to conquer them. He always makes it possible for you to choose life.

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

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Scripture Study: Joshua 24:14-24

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Saturday, February 24, 2007

PEACE AT HOME

February 24 - Peace at Home

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

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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


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Friday, February 23, 2007

DON'T STOP AT THE GATE

February 23 - Don't Stop at the Gate

"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)



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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.

Even though that's clearly what the Bible says, many people don't go boldly into the throne room. Instead they think, "I could never go in to where God is. I'll just stand out here and yell and hope He hears me." I used to be guilty of that myself.

I remember one day I was in prayer, begging and pleading, bombarding the gates of heaven for revival. After I'd been at it a little while, the Lord spoke to me. "What are you doing?" He said.

"I'm bombarding the gates of heaven with prayer for revival," I answered.

"Kenneth, how big is My city?" He asked me.

"As far as I can tell from what the Bible says, it's about 1200 cubits or somewhere around 1500 miles square and 1500 miles high."

"Then why are you bombarding the gates? Assuming that My throne is in the middle of the city that leaves you about 750 miles short! And, by the way," He added, "those gates aren't locked. Why don't you quit bombarding them and just come on in?"

After I repented for mimicking old traditional prayers without thinking, I remembered that the Word says, "Come boldly to the throne" and I've been coming boldly ever since.

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.


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Scripture Study: "Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 5:1-9"


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Thursday, February 22, 2007

BE WILLING TO WAIT

February 22 - Be Willing to Wait

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

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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"

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

BEHOLD THE LORD

February 21 - Behold the Lord

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

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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."

Romans 12:2 tells us that, if you'll renew your mind, you can actually be "transformed." That word "transformed" is translated from the Greek word from which we get the term "metamorphosis." It's used in Scripture in two other places.

One of those places is when Jesus was transfigured on the Mount as He spoke with Moses and Elijah. The other is found in 2 Corinthians 3:18. It says, "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."

Changed, transformed, transfigured! Those are powerful, exciting words, and they describe what will happen to you as you spend time beholding the Lord in the Word and in prayer. As you spend time renewing your mind, your outer being will be transformed in much the same way as a caterpillar is changed into a butterfly. Instead of conforming to the image of the world, you'll begin to conform to the image of the reborn spirit within you which is created in righteousness and true holiness.

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!

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Scripture Study: 2 Corinthians 3:6-18

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

JOY--A VERY REAL FORCE

February 20 - Joy: A Very Real Force

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

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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!

Joy is not just a state of mind. It is not a fleeting emotion. Joy is a very real force, and the devil doesn't have anything that can stand up against it. Just as fear has to yield to faith, discouragement has to yield to joy.

Since joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, you already have it residing within you. But you must develop it, confess it, and live by it if you want to enjoy its power.

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!

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Scripture Study: Psalm 18:28-50

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Monday, February 19, 2007

PUT THE WORD FIRST

February 19 - Put the Word First

"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)

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Recently, God has been raising up ever-growing numbers of people who are hungry. Hungry to know their Lord in a deeper way. Hungry to serve Him--in pulpits, on mission fields, in homes, in office buildings, and anywhere else He might choose to send them.

They are people who simply aren't content to find the path of least resistance and coast their way into heaven. No, they're determined to run the race...to run, as the apostle Paul said, to obtain the prize. Spiritually speaking, they are on the road to excellence.

Are you among them?

If so, I want to share four simple words that, I believe, will enable you to run the race like a winner:

Put the Word first.

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.

I know it won't be easy, but if you've made a definite decision to amount to something in the ministry of Jesus Christ and you are determined to take the Great Commission seriously, then be diligent. Put the Word first and there will surely be glorious victories ahead.

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Scripture Study: Proverbs 4:1-18

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001