METAMORA PATTER'S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

THE CARNAL MIND CANNOT SEE GOD
BY PAT GULLEY

Rom 8:7
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (KJV)

This statement by the Apostle Paul does not denigrate any nation or any person; but rather it explains the reason why God is not seen nor understood in this present world.

It is a fact that every 'mind' is carnal. It simply means 'of the flesh'. The natural order of mankind was determined after the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Nature, (and I do not mean by this to say Mother Nature), is the way of all flesh. The natural order of things is that every species recreates after its own kind. For example, apple trees produce apples, and then the seeds in the apple reproduce apple trees. This all began in the Garden.

Gen 1:11
And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. (KJV)

The Law of Nature was determined at Creation. God spoke and it happened just like He said. The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews said this:

Heb 11:3
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (KJV)

It is only through faith, God's Faith, that we can understand that that the worlds were framed by the word of God. The carnal mind cannot understand this principle. A substance that cannot be seen by nature's eye made the matter of those things that can be seen. The tree was created by God's spoken word, as was the whole of Creation. God spoke, and it was done. Faith is what we call this 'substance' referred to in this portion of Scripture.

Heb 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (KJV)

I do not have a clue as to why God chose to use Faith as His means of communicating with the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. The Old Testament is brimming with the ways of God and yet it is only through the New Testament that His ways have been revealed and manifested.

John 8:15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

There is coming a day when 'every eye' shall see Him and 'every mind' will understand Him; but that day is not today. Today is the Day of Salvation, and salvation only comes to those who believe in what God says and not in what they can see with the natural eye or understand with the mind of fallen man. The carnal mind cannot see God. The carnal mind can only see the things of this world. The carnal mind cannot even see the god of this world, Satan. This Devil uses and abuses humanity and oftentimes gets away with murder. (And then blames his deeds on God)

But we have been told how the things of God can be seen and understood. We can look at Jesus Christ on Calvary's Cross. We can walk by faith and we can put our trust in the revelation of Jesus' Resurrection. Jesus died on the Cross, was buried, and on the third day was raised from the dead. He ascended into Heaven and is there even now at Father's right hand waiting for you to confess Him as your LORD and receive Him as your Saviour. Remember, seeing is not believing. Believe and see.

ABIDE IN THE WORD

November 30 - Abide in the Word

"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."
(John 15:7)


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That word abide is so important. When Jesus told us to obey His commandments and keep His Word, He wasn't just telling us to follow a bunch of religious rules and regulations.

He was telling us to allow His Word--which is a living thing!--to make its home within us. He was telling us to spend time with it, to meditate on it, to fill our minds and our mouths with it, and to let it guide our every action.

The Apostle Paul put it this way, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..." (Col. 3:16). Most believers don't have any idea what that means. That's one of the reasons they're so short on power.

Oral Roberts once said that when the Word is really abiding in you, when it's alive and producing like it should, you can hear it. You know what it's like when you get a song on your mind and you just keep hearing it over and over inside you? Well, when you start abiding in the Word, you're probably going to hear it in much that same way.

Many times, I've been in desperate situations, wondering what I was going to do when suddenly I'd hear a scripture down on the inside of me. Suddenly, I'd know exactly what the answer to my situation was. I'd be delivered by the Word of God that was dwelling in me.

So, invite the Holy Spirit to go to work on your behalf. Just keep telling Him, "Whatever You bring to my remembrance from the Word is exactly what I'm going to act on. I'm going to be obedient to every command of Jesus that You bring to mind."

Make a quality decision to abide in the Word. You'll soon discover that the Word is abiding in you.


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Scripture Study: Colossians 3:1-16


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

ABIDE IN THE WORD

November 30 - Abide in the Word

"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."
(John 15:7)

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That word abide is so important. When Jesus told us to obey His commandments and keep His Word, He wasn't just telling us to follow a bunch of religious rules and regulations.

He was telling us to allow His Word--which is a living thing!--to make its home within us. He was telling us to spend time with it, to meditate on it, to fill our minds and our mouths with it, and to let it guide our every action.

The Apostle Paul put it this way, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..." (Col. 3:16). Most believers don't have any idea what that means. That's one of the reasons they're so short on power.

Oral Roberts once said that when the Word is really abiding in you, when it's alive and producing like it should, you can hear it. You know what it's like when you get a song on your mind and you just keep hearing it over and over inside you? Well, when you start abiding in the Word, you're probably going to hear it in much that same way.

Many times, I've been in desperate situations, wondering what I was going to do when suddenly I'd hear a scripture down on the inside of me. Suddenly, I'd know exactly what the answer to my situation was. I'd be delivered by the Word of God that was dwelling in me.

So, invite the Holy Spirit to go to work on your behalf. Just keep telling Him, "Whatever You bring to my remembrance from the Word is exactly what I'm going to act on. I'm going to be obedient to every command of Jesus that You bring to mind."

Make a quality decision to abide in the Word. You'll soon discover that the Word is abiding in you.

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Scripture Study: Colossians 3:1-16

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

DON'T BUY A LIE

November 29 - Don't Buy a Lie

"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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Well, brother, in the end I'm sure you'll see these financial problems are actually a blessing in disguise." Have you ever heard anybody say that to someone who's hurting financially? Chances are, you have. It's a popular idea. The problem is, it's a lie used by the devil to keep believers down.

As a result, many believers today are suffering one financial defeat after another. So let's go to the Word of God today and get the issue of prosperity and poverty straight. Let's find out, once and for all, which is the blessing, which the curse.

You can find the answer to that question in Deuteronomy 28. What God describes in verses 1 through 14 is the blessing--prosperity. In verses 15 through 31, God describes poverty--and He has called it a curse.

The curse is meant to destroy. Not to teach people a lesson. Not to make them more spiritual. But to destroy them.

Regardless of how intense the lack is, the nature of poverty remains the same. It is, and will always be, a curse.

Satan has gone to great lengths to convince God's people that poverty is a blessing in disguise. But poverty is something the devil contrived!

Don't buy into his lies. Get your thinking in line with the Word of God. If you're a born-again child of God, you no longer have to live under the curse of poverty or any other curse for that matter. You've been redeemed!


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Scripture Study: Deuteronomy 28:1-31


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

OCCUPY TILL JESUS COMES

November 27 - Occupy Till Jesus Comes

"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
(Ephesians 6:13-17)

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The Bible teaches that as believers, you and I are to occupy until Jesus comes. Occupy is a military term meaning to hold possession, or control, of conquered troops and territory. If we're to do that effectively, most of us are going to have to change our attitudes. We're going to have to recognize that Jesus has already won the victory.

That's right. Satan is already defeated. He was whipped at Calvary. We're not on the defensive, he is!

What's more, Jesus has given you His very own armor and sword to use to keep that defeated devil in line. You may be a 90-pound weakling on your own, but if you'll put on God's armor, the devil will never know it. He'll run from you just like you were Jesus.

Think about it. What would you do if you were the devil and you came face-to-face with some fellow wearing God's armor and God's helmet with God's weapons in each hand? As long as that fellow only spoke God's words, you would think that must be God inside there!

Don't neglect any of the armor you've been given. Wear it all. Keep the devil on the defensive--and occupy till Jesus comes!


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Scripture Study: Luke 12:35-44


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

November 26 - What's Your Name?

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
(Colossians 3:17)



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Did you know your name has been changed? It's no longer the same as it was before you were born again. You gave your old name away when you made covenant with Jesus.

To fully appreciate what that means, you have to think about it in the light of what we know about blood covenant. When someone enters a covenant of blood, he is giving himself completely away. He is no longer his own. His assets and his debts, his strengths and his weaknesses belong forever to his covenant brother.

When you're in blood covenant with someone, that person's name becomes your name forever. You cannot escape it--good or bad--it's yours.

When you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, He took your name! Your name was sin. Your name was weakness. Your name was fear and poverty and every other evil thing you inherited from Adam.

Jesus took those names from you and gave you His own in exchange. That's right! Ephesians 3:15 says that the whole Body of Christ has been named after Him both in heaven and earth. That means you have been given Jesus' Name. Its authority is now yours!

Just think about who you're named after:

"Jesus, Mighty God, Wisdom, Deliverer, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Word of Life, Advocate, Provider, The Great I Am, Helper, Savior, Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, Lamb of God, Lord of Hosts, Root of David, Author and Finisher of our Faith, The Way, Healer, Son of God, The Truth, Chief Cornerstone, King of Kings, Light of the World, Chief Shepherd, My Strength and Song, Righteous Judge, Son of Righteousness, Resurrection and Life, The Alpha and Omega."

Praise God, those names cover any need you'll ever have. What's more, the power of God is in His Name to bring that Name to pass in your life (Acts 3:16).

You can't call yourself discouraged anymore. That's not your name. You can't answer when the devil yells, "Hey, poor boy." That's not your name. Jesus has taken those old names of yours. They're gone. So meditate on the names of the Lord. They're all wrapped up in the Name of Jesus, the Name above all names, and that Name with all its power and authority has been given to you!


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Scripture Study: Ephesians 3:16-21


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

LET YOUR LIFE SHINE

November 24 - Let Your Life Shine

"Be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."
(1 Timothy 4:12)

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One thing the world needs to see is good examples. They need to see believers walk in love and purity and faith in their homes, in their schools and in their businesses.

The Apostle Paul exhorts us in Romans 12:17 to live above reproach in the sight of all men. Other scriptures teach us to avoid all appearance of evil. So, when you go after God, don't walk out on the edge, trying to see how much you can get by with. Go all out in God's direction. Conduct yourself in a way that will put to rest any question about whether or not you're a Christian. Let the people around you see your love and faith and purity in every situation.

Your example will go a lot further than your words. When our son, John, was a little boy, we were spending time with my grandparents. John was sleeping with my granddaddy and he woke him up in the night and said, "Pop, I have an earache. Would you pray for it?" Well, my grandparents were raised in a church that didn't believe in healing. I don't know what Pop did, but it didn't work. So, John just got up and said, "I'm going to go get in bed with my mother. When she prays, it stops hurting." About 18 years later, Pop told me the story.

You see, I had set an example of faith and love and John remembered it. While your children are growing up, they might forget some of the sermons you've preached or act like they're not interested in the things of God. But they'll never forget your example.

Even at the place where you work or go to school or just in your neighborhood, people might reject or argue with the words you say. But they'll never refute or forget your acts of love.

Don't let petty sins and spiritual compromises cast a shadow over your example. Live above reproach and let the light of Jesus shine brightly through you.

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Scripture Study: Romans 12:9-21


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

BECOME SENSITIVE AGAIN

November 22 - Become Sensitive Again

"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
(Ephesians 4:31-32)

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A few years ago I was in Detroit, and I met a woman who was raised in a communist-bloc country. While I was visiting with her, a news broadcast came on. And as we sat there listening to it, suddenly tears came to her eyes.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

Although I hadn't noticed it, the news commentator had said something derogatory about the president. "I don't like to hear anybody talk about this country like that," she said. "I don't care whether it's true or not. I don't want to hear it."

The newscaster's comment had slipped right by me. But it had brought tears to her eyes. Why? Because she had a sensitive heart where this country is concerned.

We need to be more like that dear lady when it comes to our pastors, our teachers, our evangelists and even our fellow believers.

We need to realize that our own insensitivity has driven the anointing of the Holy Spirit from many of our lives and our churches. We need to realize that the license we've given ourselves to criticize other members of the Body of Christ has weakened us all.

What will strengthen us again?

The power and the anointing of the Holy Spirit that falls on every sensitive and seeking heart.

I urge you to regain the tender heart you once had. Remove the callouses within you by repentance, by a commitment to live the law of love, by a renewed devotion to the Word, and by fellowship with your Father.

Don't allow the condition of your heart to hold back the Spirit of God. Become sensitive again!


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Scripture Study: Ephesians 4:1-13

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

GIVE GOD THE GLORY

November 21 - Give God the Glory

"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."
(John 15:8)

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There's an old Full Gospel tradition that says God gets glory from the wonderful way His children bear pain and agony and that the world is impressed by that. What a lie! That's simply a tool of the devil to keep God's children in bondage.

People of the world already have all the pain and agony they want. They aren't looking for a way into it. They are looking for a way out. They don't care what you preach. It's the religious people who get worried about that. The world, the sinners, are smarter than that. All they care about are the results.

That's why they'll come to your church when they hear people are getting healed, delivered and set free from suffering. That's what they're looking for, and that's what God wants them to receive.

The Bible says that God gets glory when they see the lame walk and the blind see (Matt. 15:31). Jesus said, "Herein is My Father glorified, when you bear much fruit" (John 15:8). What is that fruit? Lives being restored and healed by the power of God.

There was a man who came to one of our healing meetings who was so far gone with cancer he had almost no energy or life about him. He didn't even know the Lord, but he came expecting a miracle. During the miracle service, the Lord told Ken someone was being healed of cancer, in the glands, in the throat, and in the chest. When the man came up and received his healing, he said, "I left the hospital this morning with cancer and I'm healed." He went back to the hospital that afternoon and the doctors checked and dismissed him. As a result, the man received Jesus as his Lord, and later that day he was restored to his wife from whom he'd been separated. He got born again, healed and his marriage put back together in one day!

Now that's fruit! That brings God glory. When we minister healing and deliverance like Jesus on the earth, that brings God glory. Let's do away with religious tradition and go with what the Word says. Let's impress the world with Jesus and give God the glory today!


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Scripture Study: John 15:1-16


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

TURN YOUR KIDS AROUND

November 20 - Turn Your Kids Around

"And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children."
(Isaiah 54:13)


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Too many Christian parents today are wasting time worrying about their children.

Years ago, Gloria and I saw the devil trying to get a foothold in our children's lives, so one weekend we got our concordance and four or five translations of the Bible. We began to search out scriptures and write out agreement prayers concerning them.

We tore into the devil with the Word of God and started saying, "Thank God, our children are not going to hell. Thank God, they are taught of the Lord and great is their peace!" Instead of walking the floor and worrying about the problem, we walked the floor and praised God for the solution.

Things didn't change instantly. We still had to go through some tough times, but the Word began to turn things around. Today, our children are serving God with all their hearts.

If your kids are headed for trouble, don't waste time worrying. Start believing! Get the Word working in their lives. Bind the devil with it and tell him he can't have them. Then follow the instructions in Matthew 9:38: "Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers" into the field who can reach your children. God knows who they'll listen to, and He knows how to bring those people into your children's lives at just the right time.

Grab hold of God's Word, refuse to let go where your children are concerned--and sooner or later, that Word will grab hold of them.

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Scripture Study: Psalm 127

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

FROM MILK TO MEAT

November 19 - From Milk to Meat

"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat."
(Hebrews 5:12)


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Do you want to know why the Body of Christ has been in such a mess over the past few years? Do you want to know why the devil has been able to make a public display of our weaknesses? Do you want to know why, instead of being unified and strong, we've often been torn apart by division and criticisms that come not from without but within?

It is because, as the Lord said in Hebrews, the people of God have need of milk and not of strong meat. They're babies! The people of God for the most part don't know His ways.

That's why He's commissioned you and me to train believers who are unskilled in the Word of righteousness and help bring them to maturity.

"Sure," you say, "you're a preacher, but what about me? What can I do?" Well, I'll tell you. I believe God has called us both to do something. You'll find it in Hebrews 3:13. "Exhort one another daily, while it is called today."

That's no longer just a Bible verse to me. It's a direct command from the Lord. Gloria and I received that command a few years ago when we were preaching in Australia. It prompted us to step out in faith on daily television. But it's not a command that was just meant for us. It's one we all must obey in our own way.

"Exhort one another daily." Pray over that scripture today, won't you? Fellowship with your Father over it. Ask Him how He wants you to fulfill that command. He may tell you to help support ministries like Gloria's and mine who teach the uncompromised Word of God daily. He may tell you to fill yourself so full of His Word that it spills out on everyone you meet and encourages them to go on--and grow on--in Jesus.

Whatever He says, do it! There's a Church full of spiritual babies out there and more are being born all the time. You can help bring them from milk to meat. Begin to exhort them. Today.

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Scripture Study: Hebrews 3:7-19


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

PICK UP YOUR SWORD

November 16 - Pick Up Your Sword

"But thou, O man of God...fight the good fight of faith."
(1 Timothy 6:11-12)


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When you're up against the wall, don't start begging God to break through it for you. That's not the way He works. He'll give you the plan. He'll give you the power. And He'll guarantee the victory. But your hand, not His own, is the instrument He's going to use to get the job done. You're going to have to stretch forth your hand by speaking and acting on the Word, even when circumstances are against you.

God gave me a striking revelation of that over 20 years ago through a vision He gave me in Beaumont, Texas. I was preparing to minister in a service there, spending some time in prayer, when suddenly I saw myself standing in the pulpit of the church. Looking up, I saw a dragon--a horrible, ugly thing--poke his head through the front door of the church.

As he came into the church, his body expanded like a balloon, filling the whole room. He was snorting fire and smoke. When, in the vision, he turned it on me, he almost burned my clothes!

As I fell back onto the floor, I saw Jesus standing nearby with a sword in His hand. "Why doesn't He do something about this?" I thought. "Can't He see I'm hurting?"

But He didn't move. He just stood by with a frown on His face. I could tell He was really put out with me. The Bible says God was not pleased with those who were overthrown in the wilderness (1 Cor. 10:5). And He wasn't pleased with me either as I lay there on my back in defeat.

Then Jesus held out the sword to me and pointed at the dragon. The look on His face said, "Get up!"

I reached up to catch hold of the sword, and an instant before I touched it, Jesus turned it loose.

The sword stayed in mid air of its own accord. I grabbed it and began to pull myself up. Not only did it hold firm, but it began to lift me!

I stood and touched the dragon's chin with my sword and it split him from one end to the other. It laid him open right before my eyes. In amazement, I looked down at the sword. "Why haven't I used this before?" I thought.

Don't wait for God to slay the dragon in your life. You have the sword of the Spirit, the all-powerful Word of the living God, at your fingertips. Pick it up and use it today!


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Scripture Study: Joshua 11:5-23


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

METAMORA PATTER'S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

PRIDE GOES BEFORE A FALL
BY PAT GULLEY

Prov 16:18
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (KJV)

There are many aspects of the human being that can cause a person to fall. One of the most well known characteristics of humanity that is forever tripping us up is "pride". Pride is nourished and encouraged by a very well developed 'ego'.

The Bible tries to warn us about the possibility of being instruments in our own destruction by allowing pride to entice us into believing that we are bigger and better than we really are. We can fall into a trap or we can fall for something that is totally the opposite if what is good for us. There are Christians that fall from Grace into the chasm of works and words (Gal 5:4); and there are those who fall in love with money, fame, or fortune and become ensnared in those traps.

1 Tim 6:9
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. (KJV)

Do not be deceived by the lure of riches. I have heard many Christians say that if they were rich, or if they could win the lottery, they would give most of their money to the Church and that they would do many good things with it. BEWARE THAT SNARE. The Lord told us in the Sermon on the Mount that we are to not to worry about meeting the needs of tomorrow until we meet the needs for today. (Mt 6:34)

There is also the temptation of wanting to save the whole world while ignoring one's own family. We are free with advice and answers for everyone else's problems and yet we pay no attention to our loved ones who are crying out in silence for our help. We need to learn to discern when we need to talk to them and when we need to listen. (Someone said that the reason God gave us two ears and only one mouth is because we are to listen twice as much as we are to speak.)

I know that Christians are blessed but some people tend to believe that those blessings are revealed only in tangible items such as houses, lands, clothing, or cars. You cannot judge another person's wealth by the abundance of things they possess. (And you can never build yourself up by putting other people down.)

Luke 12:15
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. (KJV)

Do not forget that the people who followed Moses out of Egypt saw the many (10) miracles of God before they left; and then they complained in their journey that God didn't care about them. They refused to believe that they would ever enter the Promised Land (Ex 14:11-14). They wandered in the wilderness for 40 years and never had to buy a pair of new shoes or a new dress and yet they fell in the wilderness by their own unbelief. Their haughty attitude toward God and toward Moses led to their downfall. Please do not take your salvation for granted. Nourish it and cherish it and always be humble before your Lord. Respect God and respect his Ministers and their ministries. Be a lover not a fighter. Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. To Him be all the glory and honor, both now and forever. Amen

WHEN THE PRESSURE IS ON

November 14 - When the Pressure is On

"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name."
(Malachi 3:16)


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Have you ever noticed that those who have the most exciting, faith-inspiring testimonies are those who've been under pressure at some time in their lives? They're the people who stayed faithful when the pressure was on. They're the people who believed God's promises of prosperity in the midst of desperate financial situations or trusted God for healing in the face of a terminal disease.

My friend, when you get into a hard spot, that's not the time to back out on God and begin to say, "Well, God, why did You let this happen to me?" It's not the time to step back and reevaluate His faithfulness.

What I'm saying to you is this: When tough times keep dragging on and the situations around you seem to refuse to get in line with the promises of God, don't reevaluate God! He's not missing it, and He's not failing.

If you're going to reevaluate anything, reevaluate yourself! Look and see where you may have failed. If you still can't find out what the problem is, just say, "God, I don't know what's wrong here, and I'm asking You to show me. But one thing I know, the problem's not with You, and I continue to be moved by Your Word and not by circumstances." Then, when He reveals something to you, be quick to make changes.

I want to encourage you to stand firm and to keep honoring God with your words. The Lord is listening to you when the pressure is on. What is He going to hear?


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Scripture Study: Psalm 62



Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

STAKE YOUR CLAIM

November 13 - Stake Your Claim

"Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever."
(Psalm 112:1,3)



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I'll never forget the time Gloria discovered that scripture. We didn't have any money at the time, and the walls in our house were as bare as they could be. But she was ready to decorate. So she took that promise, "Wealth and riches shall be in his house" and laid claim to it by faith.

Suddenly, everywhere we went, somebody was giving us a painting or some other little treasure for our house.

Unfortunately, most believers aren't as quick to believe God for that kind of thing as Gloria was. Some even claim God doesn't promise us New Testament believers physical prosperity, just spiritual. But the truth is, you can't separate the two. That's why Jesus says, "If you'll seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then all these [material] things will be added to you." He knows the spiritual realm and the material realm are connected.

The physical world cannot operate independently from the spiritual world. What happens in one is simply a reflection of what happens in the other.

Obviously, your spiritual standing profoundly affects your financial standing. That's why, when you get hold of the gospel and begin to prosper spiritually, you can begin to prosper physically and materially as well.

Don't let anyone talk you out of God's promises of prosperity. You don't have to choose between financial and spiritual prosperity. Both belong to you. Lay claim to them by faith. As a born-again child of God, dare to reach out and receive the riches that belong to you!



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Scripture Study: Deuteronomy 7:8-13



Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

A POWERHOUSE OF PROTECTION

November 11 - A Powerhouse of Protection

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord."
(Isaiah 54:17)

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No weapon formed against you shall prosper. Isn't that great news! Isn't it good to know that no sickness, no circumstance, no problem that rises against you can successfully bring you down?

Some years ago, one of our friends was facing a lawsuit. He and I prayed together according to this scripture and agreed it was the final word in the situation, not the allegations against him. We stood in faith, believing that lawsuit had to fail.

Sure enough, when my friend went to court, they just couldn't beat him. He didn't win that case because of his keen and witty lawyers. He won because he was innocent and because he had believed that powerful promise of God.

Follow his example. When the devil attacks you in some area of your life, don't sit around crying and begging God to save you. Open up your Bible to Isaiah 54:17 instead. Remind yourself of what God has promised you. Use that promise to strengthen you against sin and every other evil work the devil would like to use to keep you bound.

Then establish yourself on it through prayer. Say, "Lord, I refuse to be afraid of this weapon the devil has brought against me because I know that according to Your Word, it cannot prosper. I trust You to protect me, and I thank You for it now. In Jesus' Name. Amen."

Don't let the powerhouse of God's protection go to waste. Put it to work in your life. It is your rightful heritage as a servant of the Lord.


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Scripture Study: Isaiah 54:10-17


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

METAMORA PATTER'S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

PRIDE GOES BEFORE A FALL
BY PAT GULLEY

Prov 16:18
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (KJV)

There are many aspects of the human being that can cause a person to fall. One of the most well known characteristics of humanity that is forever tripping us up is "pride". Pride is nourished and encouraged by a very well developed 'ego'.

The Bible tries to warn us about the possibility of being instruments in our own destruction by allowing pride to entice us into believing that we are bigger and better than we really are. We can fall into a trap or we can fall for something that is totally the opposite if what is good for us. There are Christians that fall from Grace into the chasm of works and words (Gal 5:4); and there are those who fall in love with money, fame, or fortune and become ensnared in those traps.

1 Tim 6:9
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. (KJV)

Do not be deceived by the lure of riches. I have heard many Christians say that if they were rich, or if they could win the lottery, they would give most of their money to the Church and that they would do many good things with it. BEWARE THAT SNARE. The Lord told us in the Sermon on the Mount that we are to not to worry about meeting the needs of tomorrow until we meet the needs for today. (Mt 6:34)

There is also the temptation of wanting to save the whole world while ignoring one's own family. We are free with advice and answers for everyone else's problems and yet we pay no attention to our loved ones who are crying out in silence for our help. We need to learn to discern when we need to talk to them and when we need to listen. (Someone said that the reason God gave us two ears and only one mouth is because we are to listen twice as much as we are to speak.)

I know that Christians are blessed but some people tend to believe that those blessings are revealed only in tangible items such as houses, lands, clothing, or cars. You cannot judge another person's wealth by the abundance of things they possess. (And you can never build yourself up by putting other people down.)

Luke 12:15
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. (KJV)

Do not forget that the people who followed Moses out of Egypt saw the many (10) miracles of God before they left; and then they complained in their journey that God didn't care about them. They refused to believe that they would ever enter the Promised Land (Ex 14:11-14). They wandered in the wilderness for 40 years and never had to buy a pair of new shoes or a new dress and yet they fell in the wilderness by their own unbelief. Their haughty attitude toward God and toward Moses led to their downfall. Please do not take your salvation for granted. Nourish it and cherish it and always be humble before your Lord. Respect God and respect his Ministers and their ministries. Be a lover not a fighter. Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. To Him be all the glory and honor, both now and forever. Amen

THE INNER WITNESS

November 10 - The Inner Witness

"The Spirit itself [Himself] beareth witness with our spirit."
(Romans 8:16)


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Do you ever have trouble hearing from God? Do you find yourself caught in confusing circumstances needing guidance, and yet even after praying and reading the Word--you're still not sure what God wants you to do?

I've had that experience. I knew His written Word and acting on it changed my life. But I was uncertain when I had to make decisions about things the Word didn't specifically address. Things like whether to move to one city or another, for example.

What held me back was my ability to know that I was doing the right thing. You see, God's written Word and the inward witness are two different things. They never contradict each other, but they're both a vital part of our walk with God.

God expected Israel, for example, to obey His written Word. But He also said to them, "Obey my voice" (Jer. 7:23) because He wanted them to know His will in specific situations. That's what happened when Israel invaded Jericho. They heard God's voice. Where else do you think they would have gotten that strange battle plan? It wasn't written in the law of Moses. And certainly, no human being would suggest a seven-day march around a city as the most effective form of invasion!

But exactly how, you may wonder, does God speak to us? Does He just shout down at us from heaven?

Not usually! Romans 8 says the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit. That means that God's directions come from inside, not outside, of you.

At times when you hear His guidance, you may even wonder, "Was that me, Lord, or was that You?" That's because God doesn't normally inject thoughts directly into your mind from the outside. Instead, He speaks to your spirit, and your spirit translates it into a thought.

Tune in today to that inward witness, to that quiet knowing, that urging, prompting and leading arising within you.

If when you hear it, it sounds like you, don't be surprised. It is you! It is your spirit being influenced by the Spirit of God! After you're born again, your spirit is a safe guide because you are born of God's Spirit. You have His nature. And the Holy Spirit lives in your spirit to teach you and to give you direction.


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Scripture Study: Joshua 6:1-20


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

BRAG ON GOD

November 9 - Brag on God

"Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer."
(Romans 12:12, Amp)

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We're to live in hope. We're to rejoice. So, when Satan comes to steal your victory and tell you that God is not going to help you this time, you just think on the Word of God and start rejoicing. Rejoice that you're in Him. Rejoice that heaven is your home. Rejoice that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Rejoice. Brag on God today. The devil can't stand it!

"Be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation...." Tribulation means "being under pressure." When pressure comes, don't cave in. Don't faint. Instead, go to the throne of grace. Go boldly in the Name of Jesus and get the help you need.

Remember this: When things get hard isn't when you let go of the Word. That's when you double up on it. That's when you are "constant in prayer" so that you are unmovable.

Rejoice. Be patient under pressure. Be constant in prayer. The devil won't be able to steal one thing from you!

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Scripture Study: Romans 5:1-5

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

THE HIDDEN THINGS OF GOD

November 8 - The Hidden Things of God

"Blessed art thou...for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."
(Matthew 16:17)

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Remember when you went to school and learned your ABCs? You learned them by using your five senses and your logical abilities to gather information and sort it out. That kind of knowledge is called natural knowledge and it's the only kind most people know anything about.

But in the kingdom of God, there's another kind of knowing. One that works its way from the inside out instead of from the outside in. It's called revelation knowledge.

Jesus spoke about this kind of knowledge in Matthew 16. He'd just asked the disciples, "Who do you say I am?" Peter had answered Him by declaring, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."

"Blessed are you, Simon," Jesus responded, "because flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father which is in heaven."

In other words, Jesus was saying, "Peter, you didn't learn this information through your physical senses. You received it another way. You received it directly from God."

If you've ever had a revelation like that, you know that when it comes, it changes things. It makes you see old things in an entirely new light. It gives you such unshakable confidence that, as Jesus said to Peter, "The gates of hell can't prevail against you."

But revelations like that don't come easily. You have to meditate the Word and search the Spirit of God for them because they are "hidden" in Him. The Bible says God has hidden His wisdom for the saints (1 Cor. 2:7-9). Notice, He's hidden it for you, not from you. He wants you to have it.

Don't think, however, that God is just going to drop great revelations into your lap while you're watching television. You have to seek Him.

If you're hungry for revelation knowledge, get yourself in a position to receive it by meditating the Word, praying, and fellowshiping with the Lord. Begin to receive those revelations from Him. It's the most exciting kind of learning there is.

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Scripture Study: 1 Corinthians 2

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

NO NEW NEWSLETTERS FROM THE COPELANDS

I do not know why, but I haven't been receiving my daily newsletters from Ken and Gloria Copeland on a regular basis. I post them on this blog as I receive them.
I will be posting some of my own articles as the Lord leads. Thanks for stopping in and reading my blog. I pray God blesses you and yours.

FIGHT THE RIGHT FOE

November 5 - Fight the Right Foe

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh."
(2 Corinthians 10:3)


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Do you know why so many believers are losing the battles in their lives?

They're fighting the wrong enemy!

They've been deceived into believing that just because a person said or did something to hurt them, that person is the one they need to fight. But they're wrong.

You see, the Bible says we don't wrestle with flesh and blood. And since people are definitely flesh and blood, they're never the source of our problem.

"But, Brother Copeland, you just don't know what So-and-so did to me!"

It doesn't matter. If you waste your time fighting So-and-so, your real enemy will get away scot-free.

Who is that real enemy? Look at Ephesians 6:12, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

Satan and his demons. They are your lifelong enemies! They are behind every personal affront you encounter.

The people who hurt you and persecute you are only Satan's tools. When he wants to strike out at you, he uses them to get the job done.

Remember this: Persecution is not the manifestation of another person's hate for you. It's a manifestation of Satan's fear of you. When you get into the Word and start swinging it around--using it like the sword of the Spirit it is--he gets scared. So he looks for some person he can send in there to stop you.

Next time someone hurts you, don't let yourself get sidetracked into fighting them. Bind the spirit behind them. Put flesh and blood battles behind and war with the weapons of the Spirit. Zero in on Satan with authority and the Word of God and bring your real enemy down!

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Scripture Study: Ephesians 6:10-18


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

LONG TIME NO PERSONAL POST

Just thought I better check in and let you know all is well in Metamora. I am still babysitting my great-granddaughter Kirsten. She will be two on the 21st of this month. Want to see her? Here is a picture of her with her Grammy and Papaw. It has been a great summer in Metamora. Very hard to believe it is the third day of November already. I am so glad my husband and I chose to move our family to Metamora in 1970. It is hometown to the both of us and now it is also hometown to our children.

Praise the Lord for His mercy and grace on our behalf. Jesus is LORD.

METAMORA PATTER'S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

THE SUN SHINES ON BOTH GOOD AND EVIL
BY PAT GULLEY

Matt 5:45
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (KJV)

The Bible is true when it says that God is no respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34-35) After Jesus was raised from the dead, the Gospel message sent from Heaven to earth was the same for every human being. "Unless you receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour, and unless you eat his flesh and drink his blood, you have no life in you." (John 6:53)

When Jesus began His ministry, he told His disciples to only go to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Mt 10:5-7) The message of the Messiah's arrival was to be to the Jew first. After three and one half years Jesus completed His mission having laid down His life for the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. He bore the sins of humanity on the Cross of Calvary and was raised from the dead for the deliverance of the entire Human Race.

After His Resurrection from the dead, he then gave His disciples a new mission. (Mt 28:18) They were now sent into the entire world, not just to the seed of Abraham as at the beginning of His ministry. The love of God is revealed from Heaven in the person of His Son Jesus Christ and that love will be true and potent unto the end of the world.

Do not withhold the message of God's love from any human being. Everyone has a right to know and everyone has a right to either accept or reject this awesome Gift. God's love for the human race does not begin with the birth of His Son. You can see this love in effect throughout the history of mankind. We know it is true for Abraham and his seed; but did you know it is also revealed in the seasons of seedtime and harvest and can be witnessed by all nations?

Jesus told us that the Creator of all humanity always took care of their needs in making the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and in sending rain on the just and the unjust. God also knew that the sin nature in man, as received from Adam, was a form of conviction of their need for a new birth. This was revealed in the cycle of nature and its seasons. There was death of the plants, flowers, and the leaves of the trees in the fall and their miraculous change in the springtime, They saw new life come forth from death, which was a witness to them that God had a plan for them all.

The amazing fact is that not only was the righteousness of God revealed but the wrath of God was also revealed to all humanity. (Rom 1: 17-18) There is a hunger in people's heart for a right relationship with their Creator. The sad thing is that many have learned to override that hidden desire by falling for the lusts of their flesh and believing that their human nature always knows what is best for them. Have you ever heard someone say, "Well, they is just the way I am, deal with it"? That is just a way to justify their sin nature. And yet the Lord still sends His messengers into the world with His message of Love.

There are still people who have a hunger and thirst for righteousness. And they have never heard about God sending His only begotten Son to set them free and to bring them into a right relationship with Himself. Are you the one to tell your friends about Jesus? Do not be afraid or ashamed. For those who believe, they will be very grateful. For those who do not believe, they will at least have had an opportunity to choose life. God is counting on us today. He still loves the world. And so should we. God's love still shines on both the good and the evil.

AN EXPERIENCED CHAMPION

November 3 - An Experienced Champion

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
(Isaiah 40:31)

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Did you know that the force of faith has the power to rejuvenate your physical body? It's true. You can see that in the life of Sarah. Most people don't understand the full extent of what God did in her life. All they know is that He enabled her to have a child in her old age.

But if you'll look closer, you'll see that there was more to it than that. When Sarah laid hold of the promise of God by faith, it began to restore her physically to such an extent that when King Abimelech saw her, he wanted her for his wife.

Think about that! At 90 years old, she was so beautiful that a king wanted her in his harem. What's more, after she gave birth to Isaac, the Bible says, she nursed him till he was weaned. Then she kept right on living until that boy was raised!

Now, I'm not telling you you can have a baby at 90 like Sarah did. She had a specific promise from God about that. But I am telling you that if you'll believe God for renewed strength and health in your old age, He'll provide it for you. In fact, Psalm 103 says that's one of His benefits. It says God will fill your mouth with good things so your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

God's desire for you in your old age is that you are a powerful, experienced champion of the Word with your strength renewed by faith. Start confessing that today. Fill your mouth with the promises of God. Say, "Praise God, my youth is renewed like the eagle's." You'll still go to heaven when your work on earth is through--but you won't just fade away. You'll fly out of here in a blaze of glory like the conqueror God created you to be.

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Scripture Study: Psalm 92


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

HE OPENED THE WAY

November 2 - He Opened the Way

"In the beginning [before all time] was the Word [Christ], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.... And the Word [Christ] became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled --fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile--among us...."
(John 1:1,14, Amp)

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The deity of the Lord Jesus Christ is something that can never be brought into question by any born again believer. Our very salvation rests on the fact that Jesus Christ is divine, the second person of the Godhead, God--the Son.

The beloved disciple and apostle, John, forever puts to rest any doubt about that in John 1:1,14. Anyone who doubts what those verses say could not possibly have been born of the kingdom of God. For the deity of Jesus forms the very foundation of our faith in Him.

Yet, if you'll search the Gospels, you'll see that Jesus didn't go around proclaiming Himself as God during His 33 years on earth. He acknowledged that He was the Son of God, the Messiah. He referred to God as His Father (which enraged the Pharisees), but He never made the assertion that He was the most high God. In fact, He told His disciples that the Father God was greater and mightier than He (John 14:28).

The reason is simple. He hadn't come to earth just as God. He'd come also as man. The Word says He set aside His divine power and took the form of a human being--with all its limitations. Since God was His Father, He was not born with the sin nature that had been passed along to the sons of Adam. But by being born of a woman, in all other respects He became a man and called Himself the Son of Man or, literally, the Son of Adam.

How, then, did He do all those mighty works? The same way He expects us to do them today--by the anointing and the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38). He said, "It's the Father within Me who does the work."

What does that mean to you? It means that Jesus meant exactly what He said when He said that you, as a believer, would be able to do the works that He did! (John 14:12).

It means that you, as a reborn child of God, filled with the same Holy Spirit as Jesus was, have the opportunity to live as He lived when He was on earth.

In fact, that is exactly what He intends. He went before you, as a man, and opened the way. Don't just admire Him for it. Follow Him in it today!

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Scripture Study: John 14:1-15


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

THE POWER OF LOVE

November 1 - The Power of Love

"But faith...worketh by love."
(Galatians 5:6)

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I used to wonder why we believers didn't see more of the power of God operating among us than we do. With what we know about faith and the Word, it seemed to me signs and wonders and miracles should be happening all the time.

So, one day I asked, "Lord, why isn't the power of God turned up to a higher volume in the Church?"

Do you know what He said? He told me we weren't walking in enough love yet.

God wants us to have power. But first, He has to be sure we'll use that power in love. He wants to know that we won't take it and mix it with judgment and criticism and blast people out of the water.

"Kenneth," He said, "I can't afford to back your words with supernatural power in a church service on Sunday morning and then have you get on the freeway that night and lash out at someone because he pulled over into your lane. You'd blow him off the highway. I can't leave the power of Almighty God at a high volume in the mouth of an unmerciful fool."

Then He reminded me of a time I took my son, John, hunting. He was just a little guy at the time, barely big enough to keep his gun from knocking him on his back every time he'd pull the trigger. I was teaching him how to shoot, and he was coming along pretty well.

That day we were walking along out at Gloria's grandparents' farm and John spotted one of the biggest tarantula spiders I'd ever seen. It was clinging to the wall of the barn. When John saw that spider, he took aim. He was going to blow that bug away.

If I hadn't stopped him, he would have too. And it wouldn't have dawned on him until it was all over that he was going to blow a hole in the barn at the same time. From my grown-up perspective, I could see that would be foolishness. He couldn't. He was looking through the eyes of a child.

Do you want God to put a shotgun of spiritual power in your hand, so you can blow the works of the devil to kingdom come? Then focus on love. Pursue it. Practice it. Study it. Grow up in it. Then you'll see the power of God operating through you.

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Scripture Study: Romans 13:8-14


Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001