You Are Loved

“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever” (Ps. 136:1).

What I’m about to share with you, more than any single revelation, has changed my life. It has changed the way I read the New Testament. It has settled every question I have ever had—or could have—about prosperity, healing and every other blessing of God.

The revelation I’m referring to is as big as eternity, yet it can be summed up in one small, Hebrew word—hesed. That word may mean nothing to you right now, but once you gain insight into it, your spirit will take off like a bird out of a cage.

What truth could be that powerful? Read it for yourself: “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. But they like men have transgressed the covenant” (Hosea 6:6-7).

The word mercy in that verse is actually the Hebrew word hesed (spelled chesed, pronounced kheh’-sed). It is translated in the Old Testament as “mercy, kindness, tender mercies, lovingkindness and fidelity.” Its counterpart in the Greek language is agape. Although agape was in the Greek language in Jesus’ day, until He used it, most people didn’t know what it meant. It was not heard on the streets.

To be quite honest, people still don’t know what it means. You talk to most of them about unconditional love or real mercy, and they just bat their eyes at you like a frog in a hailstorm. Yet, without that understanding, we can’t even begin to grasp the nature of our relationship with God.

If you doubt it, take some time and read all of Psalm 136. Hesed is mentioned in all of the 26 verses. Obviously the psalmist was driving home a point. He was telling us that the compelling force behind all of God’s actions was hesed. More than just a quality He possesses, hesed is God’s very nature. The New Testament puts it this way: “God is agape” (1 John 4:16).

In the natural realm, hesed can be compared to that tender yet fiercely protective love a mother has when she holds her baby in her arms and her heart goes out to it. It’s the love that causes her to say, “I’ll nurse you, little one. I’ll care for you. I’ll teach you all that I know. I’ll see to it that no one harms you.”

That is a picture of hesed. It’s a picture of God Almighty saying to you, “I’ll never leave you nor forsake you.”

No matter how you feel today, you are loved. Your feelings may tell you otherwise, but your Heavenly Father has loved you with His hesed from the beginning of your life. He loves you unconditionally, just the way you are, every day of your life. He never changes…He never leaves nor forsakes you. Receive His embrace today. Receive His love.

Speak the Word: I give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love and mercy endure forever. (Ps. 136:1)

For Further Study: Psalm 136

Daily Scripture Reading: Leviticus 4-5; Luke 7


Excerpt permission granted by
Eagle Mountain International Church, Inc.
aka:  Kenneth Copeland Ministries

A New Creation

“For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.”

(Gal. 6:15 NASB)



The Jews highly valued the keeping of the Law of Moses as a means to be right with God. If they kept the law they felt close to God. If they failed the law they felt they failed God and would be punished with judgments against themselves. Paul writes here to reveal that this isn’t so for Christians. God’s new creation is not governed by law but rather by love.

The Message Bible says: “Can’t you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life!”

For believers the part of us that’s totally new is our spirit. We are new creatures, brand new creations of God, in Christ Jesus You now have a renewed nature. . You have a new law, language, and goal. This new order of life is called love.

Today’s Thought to Take With You:

I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. I walk with God. He is working His will in my life today.

  • Reading Plan A: Matthew 27:1-31

  • Reading Plan B: Acts 9

  • Reading Plan C: Leviticus 15-17; Matthew 27:1-31

Source: A Verse A Day

by Tim Davidson

Excerpt permission granted by

Word of Faith Church & Outreach Center

Casting Down Reasonings

Casting down imaginations [reasonings], and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

(2 Cor. 10:5)

Many people’s minds have never been renewed with the Word of God. They may be saved, filled with the Holy Ghost, and members of a Full Gospel church, but their minds still need to be renewed with the Word of God.

Second Corinthians 10:4 and 5 says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

Many people are in a battle between their head and their heart. This is spiritual warfare, and these verses say that our weapons are not carnal, or natural. They’re not guns, swords, or even fists. But our weapons are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Cor. 10:4).

Paul is referring to “casting down imaginations.” Imaginations can also be translated reasonings, which involve people’s minds.

As long as Satan can hold you in the arena of reason, he’ll defeat you in every battle. But if you hold Satan in the arena of faith, you’ll defeat him in every battle. How do you do that? The Scripture says to “cast down imaginations (reasonings).”

I cast down imaginations and reasonings. I bring every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ. If the thought doesn’t line up with the Word of God, I reject it. I believe and think on only what God’s Word says.

Source: Health Food Devotions by Kenneth E. Hagin.

Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications

The Importance of Hearing the Word

“And [Jesus] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath” (Luke 13:10).

Jesus’ teaching ministry was important. You see, His teaching of the Word is what caused His healing ministry to flow and operate.

Under Jesus’ ministry, most people had to hear Him teach the Word to get healed. Luke 5:15 says, “Multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed.” That means most of the people were healed as a result of hearing the Word and then receiving by their own faith.

For example, Jesus said to two blind men, “According to your faith be it unto you” (Matt. 9:29). To a centurion, He said, “As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee” (Matt. 8:13). Jesus told a leper, “Thy faith hath made thee whole” (Luke 17:19). And to the woman with the issue of blood, Jesus said, “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole” (Mark 5:34).

Many Christians are not healed today because they don’t take time to listen to the Word of God. They want someone to get them healed so they can get on with life. “Hurry up and lay hands on me so I can get back to what I was doing!” With that kind of attitude, it’s no wonder these people don’t receive their healing.

Take the time to hear the Word. Feed your spirit continually with God’s promises of healing and health. As you are faithful to hear and hear and hear the Word, your faith will rise up to make you whole!

Confession:

I continually put myself in position to hear the Word, and faith

rises up strong within me. As I act on God’s Word, I receive

all I need to make my life full and rich with God’s blessings.

Source: 365 Days of Healing by Mark Brazee

Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers

Success

“Then you will have good success” (Josh. 1:8 NKJ).

Success is a Bible word. As the power center of the universe, Jesus is a success with a capital S. He was a success in the dawn of time when an enemy tried to unseat Him from His throne of authority (Isa. 14:12-15). He was a success in the Garden of Eden when the messianic promise was given concerning the defeat of Satan’s realm (Gen. 3:15). He succeeded at the crucifixion and at the resurrection (1 John 3:8; Col. 2:14-15). He will succeed at the Second Coming, on the Day of Judgment (Phil. 2:10-11), and in eternity.

Serving the Lord lines a person up with the victorious cause – past, present, and future. Joshua 1:8 tells us that by following the Lord you and I will make our way prosperous and experience good success.

God’s standards for evaluating success are even higher than those established by man. The original Hebrew word translated success in this verse is sakal (saw-kal’). Besides indicating the ability to accomplish or achieve some goal, sakal includes the possession of discretion, intelligence, prudence, wisdom, and good understanding.

We attribute success to winning athletes, popularly elected politicians, self-made millionaires, and all kinds of achievers. The Biblical principles of success are built on faithfulness, trust, integrity, discipline, and obedience.

When you and I are promised success in Joshua 1:8, we are assured of arriving at our destination safe and sound. We are also assured of the expertise and ability to achieve our goals. We succeed not only in reaching our objectives, but also in the methods chosen to attain those high ideals.

Source: The Spirit-Filled Believer’s Daily Devotional by Dick Mills

Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers