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Should I be willing to take risks in my spiritual walk?

Allowing Christ to flow freely out of us enables us to do what?

Shekinah Glory (Read Ephesians 2 & 3) Exodus 25:8 & 40:34 8“Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. 34Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. (Shekinah is the Hebrew term (SEKINA) in Rabbinic literature which reverently expresses the divine presence. It is derived from the Hebrew word “SKN” which means to dwell, abide, and settle down. The term does not appear in the Old or New Testament. The correlation of Shekina – “that which dwells” with God’s presence is found in Exodus 25:8 and 40:34.) 1 Kings 8:10-11 10It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. (When the ark of the lord is placed in the temple in Jerusalem, a cloud representing the Shekinah subsequently falls on the temple thereby symbolizing it’s new habitation.) Psalm 24:3-4 3Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? 4He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully. Matthew 5:8 - “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (In the Old Testament the priests were commanded to wear a turban with a gold band attached to it. On the gold band the words “holiness unto the Lord” were engraved which speaks of purity; while the gold speaks of holiness. When God looked from the Shekinah glory at the priest standing in front of Him, He sees him pure and holy. In order to come before the holy presence of God to worship Him we need to have clean hands and a pure heart.) John 1:14 14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. Ephesians 2:19-22 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. (Several passages in the New Testament imply the belief that the Shekinah was first incarnate in Jesus (John 1:14) and later in the church (Ephesians 2:19-22).) Ephesians 3:9-13, 20, 21 9and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. 11This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. 13Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory. 20Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12 10You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; 11just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, 12so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. (Other examples of how the believer is called to experience the Shekinah glory.) Matthew 5:23-24 23“Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. (We cannot worship God with sin in our hearts. Just as the priest should not even be spotted in his garments when coming before God, likewise our hearts must be clean and pure from spots.) Leviticus 9:7 7Moses then said to Aaron, “Come near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering, that you may make atonement for yourself and for the people; then make the offering for the people, that you may make atonement for them, just as the LORD has commanded.” (Before a priest could offer sacrifices for others, he had to offer one for himself, to be purified from sin.) Psalm 19:12-13; 51:2 12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. 13Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;Let them not rule over me; Then I will be £blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. 2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. (Before we can offer spiritual sacrifices to God, we should examine our hearts from any presumptuous sin and ask the Holy Spirit to cleanse us from any hidden sins lurking in our hearts.) ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Matthew 12:35 - "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things." Who did Jesus say brings it forth? The good man from the good deposit of his heart brings it forth. What you deposit in your heart is what will come forth, for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. What's abundantly in your heart will always get in your mouth. Also what's abundantly in your mouth will also get in your heart. In other words, you establish things in your heart by "saying" them with your mouth, and the cycle starts all over again. SOWING THE WRONG WORDS James 1:26 - "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." If you are not a doer of the Word, no on has to deceive you, because you are are deceived already. If you don't bridle your tongue--it will deceive your heart. You will sow the wrong words, and the seed you sow will produce after its kind. Many people wonder why things turn out the way the do not realizing their tongue deceived their heart, and their heart brought forth fruit of itself. PLANTING FAITH BY SAYING In Romans 10:6-8 Paul tells us, "the righteousness which is of faith speaketh...the word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart." Notice it's in your mouth first, then in your heart. Jesus confirms this in Luke 17:5,6. When the apostles asked Him to increase their faith, His answer was: "If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you." He didn't say a thing about giving them more faith. He told them to plant their faith by "SAYING", and it would produce. Affirmations: I SPEAK GODS PROMISES INTO MY HEART EVERY DAY. I PLANT FAITH AS A SEED BY RELEASING IT IN WORDS. I SPEAK ONLY THOSE THINGS THAT I WANT TO GROW IN MY LIFE. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Will you say "yes" to Him? Knowing that your life may change drastically as a result, will you accept His invitation?

Romans 4:17 - "Even God who quickeneth the dead, and called those things which be not as though they were." Many people know what it means to have "common sense", which is sound, practical judgment. "Christian sense", on the other hand, involves seeing adverse circumstances through the eyes of faith and exercising your God-given authority to change those circumstances. Jesus taught His disciples how to change negative circumstances. The Bible tells us that He cursed a fig tree with words and with 24 hours it dried up from its roots (Mark 11:12-14; 20,21). In verses 22 and 23, Jesus explains how to achieve these kinds of results. In today's language He would probably say, "Have the God-kind of faith. Declare what God's Word says about your circumstances, no matter how great they are, and then expect results." Mark 11:22-24 - And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours." Affirmations: THERE IS NO ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCE IN MY LIFE THAT I CANNOT OVERCOME WITH THE GOD-KIND OF FAITH. WHEN MY WORLD IS OUT OF ALLIGNMENT I CAN GET IT BACK INTO ALLIGNMENT. ALBERT FINCH MINSITRY

Is it necessary to be spiritually open and receptive in our daily walk?

What are the hinderances that keep us from growth and progress in our spiritual life?

Jesus' friends will draw close to His chest to hear His very heart beat. The lifestyle of the believer that is marked with an intimate life with Christ is available to you. Jesus is looking for new recruits who will hear the passionate sound of His love beating through their beings. Do you want to lean your ear His way? Due to circumstances and worldly interaction we develop hiding places behind defensive mindsets that block us from the revelatory voice of God. Obstructions to fellowship and intimacy with the Lover of our souls effectively shield us from God's approaching presence. These obstructions consist of barriers we hide behind which are: THE DITCH OF GUILTY FEELINGS The hiding place of guilt is the breeding ground for condemnation, accusation and other ugly attitudes. But all these can be avoided through old-fashioned confession of sin and cleansing by the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." - John 10:10 THERE ARE VARIOUS CATEGORIES OF GUILT: Real guilt due to real sin; Exaggerated guilt due to the combination of real sin and, The work of "the accuser of our brethren" (Revelation 12:10); and, False guilt as a result of the voice of the destroyer, releasing condemning, lying spirits (1 Kings 22:21–23; John 8:44; 10:10). All these forms of guilt are very real in the realm of our emotions. The cure is simple and direct. First John 1:7 gives us the remedy: "If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the Blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." Step into the light. That is where we find cleansing. So we climb out of the ditch and run to the light of God's Word. "The truth will make you free" (John 8:32). Forgiveness, cleansing and healing love are waiting for us there. THE MASQUERADE OF HURTS FROM THE PAST Deep-seated hurts from the past hides us from the love of God and keeps us from intimacy with Him. Religious people wear masks quite well, pretending all is well with their souls while holding the Lord, the very Lover of their lives, at arm's length. We become pretenders, masquerading in the parade of hypocritical "churchianity". But the real Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted and set at liberty those who are bruised(Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18–19). Jesus is our Healer. We must take off our masks and let Him dig deep at times, touching the very source of our pain. Let Him probe and even pierce through the festering wounds to allow the light of His unchanging love to penetrate our being. Expose it to the light -- Surrender -- Forgive -- Sow blessings to others instead. This is the way out of the masquerade – remaining open-faced before God, releasing mercy and forgiveness for hurts from the past and letting Him do the same. THE ONLOOKER'S BENCH OF FEAR At times our woundedness – made more raw by the taunts of the enemy – keeps us on the bench looking on while others are enjoying being in the middle of the game. We become cautious observers afraid to run onto the playing field. What will I look like if I do this? What will others think of me? How well will I perform? But if we allow ourselves to be held back by the fear of rejection or the fear of authority or the opinions of others, eventually we will become people-pleasers, strangled by the anticipation of their opinions. Fear can paralyze us while authentic faith propels us forward. So trade in those fears and exchange them at the Cross (Isaiah 8:12–13). Be bold like a lion for Jesus' sake. Jump off the bench, tread on those spirits of intimidation (Luke 10:19), and be more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37). Truly, the remedy is our Father's great love. Bask in the light of His unfathomable devotion – what the King James Version calls lovingkindness. Soak in the reality that "if God is for us, who is against us?" (Romans 8:31). We were created in His image and for His pleasure (Revelation 4:11). We are the object of His consuming love. THE STRONGHOLD OF IMPOSED LIMITATIONS In this stage we start believing the ridiculous lies of the devil about ourselves, and those lies become negative strongholds of the mind (2 Corinthians 10:4–6).Words not in alignment with the will and Word of God are transmitted from the enemy's camp to attack our minds. Their effect is to confine us in spaces with low ceilings and false expectations. As we believe those evil reports or actual word curses spoken against us as "the way it will always be," we are shut into cramped, dark boxes. A spiritual stronghold is a mindset impregnated with hopelessness that causes us to accept as unchangeable situations that we know are contrary to the will of God. As we acknowledge as hopeless what God declares is changeable, we have come into alignment, at least in part, with the devil's thought processes and plans for us -- we go way past the realms of guilt, woundedness, fear, and criticism. We no longer want to step out into the light. We doubt that He accepts us, loves us or has any plan for us; not even a Plan B. We need to know that there are times we will have to wage war with the name and Blood of Jesus to break out of our box of imposed limitations. But there is a way out. The gateway is the finished work of the Cross of our lovely Lord Jesus! TIME ALONE WITH JESUS God is asking us to RESTORE the altar of devotion as an inward response to His glory. The outward manifestation of such devotion will be fruit that will last for all eternity. The most profound experiences we have, take place in the inner sanctum of our hearts, where the Lord creates moments of holy intimacy with us in which we are forever changed. Jesus longs to hold each one of us in a personal face-to-face encounter. When we behold His face, we are enabled and motivated to become His hands reaching out to a hurting world. The birthing of multitudes is born out of the secret place. The secret place of Christ, the Bridegroom King, is where His inner gaze captivates our hearts and makes us lovesick, causing us to overflow from His love. Face-to-face is a place where we are enabled to trust God fully and to rely completely on His love. Time alone with Christ enables us to surrender in adoration to God's will. Seeking the heart of God is a precursor to the revelation of the living DESTINY He has prepared for us on earth and seeing His power manifest in our lives. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

As followers of Christ we are to be bold, brave, and extremely courageous. Scripture declares in the book of Joshua: "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:8–9, NASB The last phrase contains an overwhelming promise -- the abiding presence of God. Keep this promise in the center of your heart: "...for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go!" This promise is repeated throughout Scripture and is the foundation of the promise in 1 John 4:4: "Greater is He [God] that is in you, than he that is in the world." Our God is truly an awesome God! Prepare to behold Him in a manner not seen in our lifetime. God is at this time responding to the invitation of Isaiah 64:1, "Rend the heavens and come down." The time has come for the true conquest. The question is: Are you ready? THE CONQUEST The conquest – the act of conquering – has commenced. This is the main event. It is not time to hold back. Now is the time to give your all to the Kingdom of God. It is time to ARISE and ADVANCE. With a spirit of excellence, you must be giving everything for the sake of advancing the cause of Jesus Christ. True Christianity is more about what we do than what we say (see 1 Corinthians 4:20). It is time for action not just mere words. You are equipped to function in boldness and true authority (see Luke 10:19). You have been given an anointing in what God has PURPOSED FOR YOU -- an unction to function, which is unstoppable; with Christ you are invincible. You are more than a conquer (see Romans 8:37). Not only has Almighty God called us to be brave and courageous, He has commissioned us for these important days. We need to be prepared for conquest that brings about a swift and sure change. God's plan for His people is the plan of victory, not defeat (see Jeremiah 29:11). CALLED AND COMMISSIONED You are called and commissioned to be a radical overcomer. Begin to speak these promises over your life: Joel 3:10 - "Let the weak say I am strong". Micah 3:8, "...truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord!" Deep within the soul of every true Christian beats the heart of an overcomer. The word "overcomer" suggests victory after a hard struggle. We are to be strong, willing warriors. Never forget we are fighting from victory not for victory. Christ has won the victory; we just move into what He has provided. Now is the time for the troops of the Lord to volunteer willingly (see Psalm 110:3). We are to become history makers and world changers. God has determined the exact time of our birth. Truly we are in the Kingdom for such a time as this (seeEsther 4:14). Never forget: the Kingdom is in you for such a time as this. You had absolutely nothing to do with the timing of your birth. It's God's plan. Looking forward to this day, He determined that you would be a great tool in His hands to fashion the Kingdom of God. DECISIVE DAYS OF DESTINY God has confidence in you. It is He working in you, both to will and to do His good pleasure (see Philippians 2:13). In Luke 12:32 the Father's good pleasure is to give us the power of His Kingdom. These are decisive days of destiny. God is calling each of us to arise and take hold of our CALLING in Christ Jesus to advance in His PURPOSE for our life. Yield yourself anew and afresh to God's Holy Spirit, be filled with power and purpose, and determine to make the most of these days of transition from glory to glory. Live to hear HIM say, "Well done good and faithful servant!" ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

God has empowered us! We are anointed for action! Our mission and mandate? Establishing the Kingdom! We are chosen by Him and for Him! "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10 AFFIRMATIONS: I have a God-given purpose! I was chosen by Almighty God in eternity past to live in the present. I have a divine DESTINY. NO one on earth can accomplish what I have been commissioned to do! It's time to get God's opinion of you; you're essential to His eternal plans and purposes -- so become the bold, brave, radiant warrior you are called to be. Arise, lift your head -- walk with confidence and assurance that God is with you. Therefore be radiant and shine bright in this sin-darkened world. We have a PURPOSE -- we have been chosen by God. ACCOMPLISHING THE COURSE SET BEFORE US You are divinely prepared to accomplish the task God has assigned you. You can do something no other human being can do. Meditate and ponder this message; believe that you have been chosen by Christ, for Christ, and your life will take on even greater zeal and purpose. Jesus said: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." - (John 15:16). Your confidence and courage will soar as you understand in greater capacity the depth of these words -- "YOU ARE CHOSEN BY CHRIST!" Let these words wash over your soul – they are like refreshing water to the thirsty. You have been chosen by Christ, for Christ; the choice was made before the foundation of the world (see Ephesians 1:4). Knowing this promise will release you from rejection and depression. You Can Impact the others -- the hurting and the Lost. The goal is to finish the course and to be able to say with all confidence, "I've kept the faith and stayed on course, accomplishing the task set before me" (see 2 Timothy 4:7). It is to that individual Christ will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21). INTO ACTION: God gives us His power for a purpose: the gifts are tools, not toys, and anointing is for action (see Acts 1:8). God releases His anointing on His children for one main purpose: to impact the nations, to bring the hurting and lost to Himself. During these days of division and confusion, the message of Christ's redemptive love and overwhelming mercy must be heard and heeded. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

A. Ask God to Soften Their Hearts Ezekiel 11:19 - "And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh..." Pray for the condition of their hearts to change. B. Spirit of Conviction Ask for the release of the spirit of conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment to come. John 16:8 - "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment..." C. Spirit of Revelation Ask for the spirit of wisdom and revelation (dreams, visions, inspiration etc.) Ephesians 1:17-19 - "...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might..." D. Recall To Remembrance. Ask the Lord to bring to their remembrance any of the good Word of God that they were taught from their childhood to this day 1. John 14:26 - "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." 2. Isaiah 55:11 - "So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." E. Pray Prayers of Forgiveness Forgive your mother, your father, your son, your daughter. Forgiveness is the master key that unlocks the prison door to a heart of stone. Through forgiveness comes a place of identification. The model prayer of Jesus is not an individual prayer. It is a corporate prayer. Matthew 6:9-15 - "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (For Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.)'" F. Pray for Laborers to Be Released to Your Loved Ones Matthew 9:38 - "Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." G. Pray for a Revelation of Eternity Ask the Lord to give them an awareness of the realities of both Heaven and Hell. Ask the Lord to reveal that none are righteous and that we each need to receive the gift of eternal life through Christ Jesus! H. Resist the Enemy Pray to break the powers of darkness that are generationally hindering your loved ones from the saving power of Jesus' Blood. I. Solicit Other People's Prayers Enroll others on your team of intercessors to pray for your family. Ephesians 6:19-20 - "...and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." 2 Corinthians 1:11 - "...you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed upon us through the prayers of many." J. Revelation of God's Love Ask for God's love to overwhelm them. (Don't pray for bad things to happen to them.) 1. Romans 2:4 - "Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and (forbearance) and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" 2. Romans 12:14, 19 - "Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not...Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." EXPECT GREAT THINGS! Let revival begin. Release your faith and believe the Lord for more of His presence to come to your family. Stand as a Prophet, Priest, and King of your family before the Lord and your own home and family for the glory of God's great name. PRAYER OF SALVATION FOR FAMILY MEMBERS Lord, I bring my family members to You right now. I bless them in Jesus' great name. I call forth that You soften their hearts and release the spirit of conviction upon them. I pray that You reveal the goodness of God to them and draw them to repentance. Release laborers across their path that will move in power and kindness. Release demonstrations of Your love to them for Your holy name's sake. I pray myfamily members into God's eternal family, in Jesus' name! Amen ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Read John Chap. 8 and Matthew Chap. 13 Have the class (or individual) read aloud each of the ascribed scriptures. Then dictate the indicated summary. The student is to recite the summary of each of the scriptures 5 times per day until the next class. II Tim 3:15-17; All scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit and not the reasoning of man. Col 1:13-16; All things are created by Jesus and for Jesus. Lev 17:11; Heb 9:22; A life must be given and blood shed in order for God to forgive sin. Matt 26:27-28; Eph 1:5-7; We are made right with God through Jesus’ one-time sacrifice. John 3:35-36; Eternal life is promised to those who believe in Jesus. Mark 13:31; All Jesus says will be fulfilled. HOMEWORK: JOHN - CHAPTER 8 - QUIZ 1. Jesus told the woman caught in adultery that He did not _________her and for her to go and _______no more. 2. Jesus said: I am the ___________of the world; He thatfollows me shall not walk in___________, but shall have the_____________of __________________. 3. Jesus told the Pharisees that they shall _____________in the sins because they did not believe that he was the___________________. (John 1:41) 4. Jesus said: Verily, verily I say unto you if a man keep my words, he shall never see _____________________. 5. Jesus said: Whosoever commiteth___________is a servant of ___________________. 6. Jesus said to the Pharisees: Verily, verily I say unto you before Abraham was _________________. MATTHEW - CHAPTER 13 - QUIZ 1. The peoples heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes _____________have closed. 2. He that soweth the good seed is_________________;the field is _____________; the good seed are the childrenof the kingdom; but the _____________are the children of the wicked one. 3. I will open my mouth in _____________________; I willutter things which have _____________from the foundationof the world. (Psalm 78:2) 4. The Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant who had found one pearl of great price, went out and sold ______________that he had, and ________________it. 5. When Jesus came into His own country they were_______________at Him; and He did not many mightyworks because of their______________. JOHN - CHAPTER 8 - QUIZ ANSWERS 1. Condemn, sin2. Light, darkness, light, life3. Die, Messiah 4. Death 5. Sin, sin 6. I Am MATTHEW - CHAPTER 13 - QUIZ ANSWERS 1. They 2. The Son of Man, the world, tares 3. Parables, kept secret 4. All, bought 5. Offended, unbelief ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

From Glory to Glory (Read 1 Peter 1 & Colossians 1) 2 Corinthians 3:18 18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. (As children of God, part of our inheritance is experiencing the glory of God and being transformed into new levels of His glory. Each level of glory carries with it a particular blessing and thrill for the believer. In understanding the glory of God there are two aspects to consider – the aspect of experiencing and the aspect of being transformed into His glory.) 1 Peter 1 :7-8 7so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory Jude 1:24-25 24Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Psalm 24:6-7 & 149:4-5 6 This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah.7 Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O £ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! 4For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.5Let the godly ones exult in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds. (To experience the glory of God is to experience His manifest presence. It is to be beyond an abstract understanding of His omnipresence to knowing that God Himself is there with you, tangibly in your midst. The Hebrew word for glory (KABOD) is also the word for weight. When the bible speaks of the “glory” it is not speaking so much of something aglow as of something with substantial force to it. When the glory of God is in a place something forceful, weighty, and mighty is present in the spiritual realm. People can recognize it. They will want to be there. The glory of God is the full weight and quantity of His attributes and perfections. The glory of God is essentially that He is and does.) Some ways to experience God’s glory: An overwhelming sense of His utter holiness; when all we can do is bow and worship Him in awe. Experience a great sweep of His joy that bring deep refreshing to our spirits. The born-again experience of His saving grace. We may catch a fresh glimpse of His mighty power, causing new faith to arise in us. These kinds of experiences may be quite occurrences in our devotional times, however the manifestation of His glory may be a dramatic supernatural manifestation of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4,6 4in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 6For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. Colossians 1:27 27to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Becoming transformed by the glory of God is central to the Christian life. The very character and ways of God were exhibited through Jesus when He walked the earth. Jesus was the incarnation of God’s glory, weighted heavily with divine attributes. Christ is our hope of glory. Through Him we are being made into carriers of the glory of God. As believers in Christ, we are to be in a position of being transformed into the image of Christ – and that means mirroring the glory or characteristics of God.) 2 Corinthians 3:18 - But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. (Why is it necessary to move from glory to glory? Isn’t one glory as good as the next? The answer is no. The reason is because in every season of glory we experience a new order that God brings into our lives as we mirror His image to a greater extent. But then we begin to add a new method – a subtle plan or strategy of how we operate in that order, which is our own way of implementing what we have learned from God. We must resist the temptation to become legalistic or build binding doctrines around a truth that God revealed around a season of glory because these tenants (beliefs) can prevent us from moving forward when the time comes to change the seasons in our lives. If we do not allow God to move us from glory to glory we will get caught up in living in the old season as the Holy Spirit moves us to becoming more like Christ. The methodology of the old season will not propel us into a new season. We need something new and fresh. We need a new glory.) Psalm 22:3 3Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. (All throughout God’s word we see that God is enthroned in praise. We glorify Him through our worship. That is why praise and worship are essential in experiencing God’s glory. Praise is the element of celebration that can transport us into the throne room of God. Once we are in the throne room at His feet we need to worship and adore Him. As we worship Him in that intimate place He begins to reveal His glory to us. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

"And he said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation....And these signs will accompany those who believe; in my name they will cast out demons...they will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover.' And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it.'" - Mark 16:15,17-19 Jesus delivered a spiritual force of faith that we can release, through revelation, in the Word of God – which will produce in our life the God-quality of living. FAITH HAS TO BE ACTIVATED - BE A CONTENDER This spiritual force of faith will not have the same measure of power for the passive as it will for the contender – the champion. Neither is it a faith, but it is THE FAITH; so the definition of how it works must be predominately examined in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ and the early Church. If He operated in a faith that worked expeditiously, accelerated and without limits, and then handed that over to men and women – then it is His intention for us to safeguard and keep that faith in our life. Why? Because we cannot live the way God wants us to live without implementing the power that God has given to us. That is why you have chosen not to be just an attender, but an earnest contender. THE ANSWER TO THE WORLD What kind of answer is He? Jesus is the answer for the world, for every problem in the world, for every handicap in the world, for every limitation in the world! Make up your mind to be a contender and not just an attender! We need to demonstrate that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). Who is going to make the right choices and choose to believe that He is the answer? Whether it's a broken back, whether it's someone in a coma, whether it's a generational experience of object poverty, whether it's a mental disorder, whether it's nations gone amok, whether it's economies that are unstable; it does not matter what the problems are – Jesus is the answer to the world! But in order for that answer to work, FAITH HAS TO BE ACTIVATED because faith is the access to the mercy of God. BLIND BARTIMAEUS There was a man that didn't even own a Bible, couldn't even read, but he had enough sense to know that although he was born blind what he heard about Jesus was the truth. So blind Bartimaeus "began to cry out and say, "'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'" - (Mark 10:47-48). In other words he began to say, "I will not be a pretender. I will not be an attender, but I will be a contender, Jesus Son of David have mercy on me." And he began to shout like a radical. God is not looking for a quiet people, He's not looking for a passive people, He's not looking for an inactive people; He's looking for a radical people who will contend for their miracle in God. Bartimaeus didn't know; he hadn't even been to one intensified training session. But he had one ounce of sense in him and he knew that, Jesus was the answer to his problem. BE THE CONTENDER - BE THE CHAMPION What's the world's problem? Many are either bound up, torn up or in a mess. But if somebody would lead them to their solution -- Jesus -- and to the anointing that is in the Word which will take the burden off of their shoulders and the yoke off their neck, like Bartimaeus, they can have enough sense to contend after the reward of what God has. There are men and women rising up to raise the dead, heal the sick, cast out devils and invade the world with the most powerful Name! The Name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow of the things in Heaven and earth and under the earth. Stop saying: "Well, let's get down to reality." No! Let's get up to revelation! AFFIRMATIONS: I am not going to sit on the sidelines and allow the enemy to limit me. I am not going to live in repetition. I am of the end-time generation of God. I contend -- I fight for the faith that was delivered for the saint's safekeeping. I am the champion God created me to be. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Luke 8:14 - "The seed among the thorns represents those who listen and believe God's words but whose faith afterwards is choked out by worry and riches and the responsibilities and pleasures of life. And so they are never able to help anyone else to believe the Good News." Your enemy wants to subdue your awareness and release a slumbering spirit. In this state he can sell you on giving in to a confortable life thereby causing a corpse-like complacency. You will always avoid the challenges of "breaking out of the box" into the maximum life that Jesus died to get you into. The phrase "out of the box" means that someone or something has broken out from it's barriers. It also means that someone has outgrown their history and has gone beyond their limitations. Luke 2:48,49 - "Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them. 'How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?'" The pharisees had no understanding of the Father's heart. Much of christian activity exists that has no relationship to that supreme value. The gospel is the story of the Father wooing the hearts of mankind through His love. We can travel the globe and preach the gospel, but without a personal revelation of the Father's heart we're carring around second hand news -- a story without a relationship. The Father's business flows from His heart. The church is to be a manifestation of the Father's heart to the world. We are to be carriers of His presence -- doers of His will. Giving what we have received releases Him into situations previously held in the grip of darkness. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

"God put His stamp of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit he had promised...so that your minds may be opened to see His light, so that you will know what is the hope to which he has called you...and how very great is his power at work in us who believe. This power in us is the same as the mighty strength which he used when he raise Christ from death." - Ephesians 1:13,18-20 Shall we stop short of what He says we ought to be -- shall we cease to come into line with the Mind which is always thinking for our best -- shall we cease to humble ourselves before him who took the way of the cross for us -- shall we cease to withhold ourselves from Him. Can a true believer come to God today without a cry to God to make them, as it were, flames of fire? God shall endue you in that you won't be satisfied until you feel the very members of your body on fire with a Spirit-kindledPURPOSE. DAILY AFFIRMATIONS: I have a Jesus indwelling me and vitalizing me with a faith that believes I can speak the word, and the thing is done. I have a Jesus within me who has never let me get faint-hearted or weary. I press on in faith along the line of God's pourpose for my life, and the outpouring which I have longed to see will come. I never let go of the vision. Since all blessings come from above, I keep my eye on Jesus who strengthens me in the way. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Read John Chapters 19,20, and 21 Have the class (or individual) read aloud each of the ascribed scriptures. Then dictate the indicated summary. The student is to recite the summary of each of the scriptures 5 times per day until the next class. Mark 9:2-9; Jesus was supernaturally manifested in front of three disciples. Matt 17:27; Jesus miraculously pays his taxes. John 20:18-31; The resurrected Jesus manifests Himself to Mary and the disciples. John 15:1-4; The believer can produce righteous words only through Jesus. Mark 14:60-62; Jesus declares His divinity. John 5:23-27; Jesus promises resurrection to those that hear and honor Him as the son of God. John 1:51; Jesus promises open-Heaven experiences to believers. Mark 8:34-38; Without Jesus you will lose your own soul. John 14:3-6; Jesus promises eternity with Himself to the believer. HOMEWORK: JOHN - CHAPTERS 19:38-42 & 20 - QUIZ 1. Jesus said : Peace be unto you: as my Father has __________me, even so I send _____________. 2. Then He breathed on them and said "Receive the ________________. 3. Jesus said: Whosoever sins you remit, they are ______________unto them: and whosoever sins you retain, they are ___________________. 4. Thomas said: Except I shall see in His _________ the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His ____________, I will not __________________. 5. And ________________other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples which are not written in this_______. 6. These things have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that in that __________you may have ___________through His name. JOHN - CHAPTER 21 - QUIZ 1. Not knowing what to do next, Simon Peter and 6 other disciples decided to ____________________. 2. As they fished all night they caught________________. 3. Jesus_______________to them on shore and told them what to do to ___________________. 4. This was the ____________time Jesus had appeared to them. 5. Jesus told Peter __________times to________my sheep. QUIZ ANSWERS JOHN - CHAPTERS 19:38-42 & 20 - QUIZ ANSWERS 1. Sent, you 2. Holy Spirit 3. Remitted, retained 4. Hands, side, believe 5. Many, book 6. In faith, life JOHN - CHAPTER 21 - QUIZ ANSWERS 1. Go Fishing 2. Nothing 3. Appeared, catch fish 4. Third 5. Three, feed ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever." - Ephesians 3:20-21 Our very best days are right before us, not behind us! Consider the Message Bible's version of this Scripture: "God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us." God can do anything. And what's more, our mighty King has outstanding plans for each and every one of us, plans that are more wonderful and sure than we could "ever imagine or guess or request"! The Lord assures us in 1 Corinthians 2:9 that, "No man has ever seen, heard or even imagined the wonderful things God has in store for those who love the Lord." BELIEVE FOR A STRONGER ANOINTING God's spectacular plans for you are only for your good (Jeremiah 29:11). Even if you are facing great hardship, take heart! We have His precious promises as our comfort, joy and security. No matter what trial you are experiencing in your health, finances, marriage, children or with your loved ones, God has unimaginably great blessings in store for you as you simply turn to Jesus, to His Spirit within you and His living Word. We know that each and every one of His promises are true and His Word promises a certain, divine turnaround. All of Heaven and earth may pass away, but God's Word never fails us. God desires to take us to new levels of victory in every area of our life. The Lord Jesus Christ wants to give us more of His wisdom so we can make better decisions (James 1:5). He longs to give us a stronger anointing so we can advance in His purpose for our life (our DESTINY in Christ) (Psalm 92:10). The Lord also wants to bless us financially so we can be a blessing to others (2 Corinthians 9:6-8). LIFT OUR VISION UP We need to avoid the old ruts of fear and unbelief. Submit to the God of peace, resist these demons and they will flee from you (James 4:7). Instead of receiving fear and unbelief, receive His precious promises as rock-solid truths and begin to act accordingly, CONFESSING OUT LOUD and giving thanks that your Father is certainly doing "exceedingly more" than you can even imagine. The Lord Jesus Christ is inviting us to lift our vision up, above our circumstances and situations, to fix our eyes on Him and His Word. As we do this we can expect to see the glory of God fill our lives and those who we touch. We accept His invitation to come up higher (Revelation 4:1-2) by focusing on Christ our Redeemer, Deliverer and Healer, not our difficulties. God has new frontiers of the spirit for us to explore and higher mountains of faith for us to climb. There is so much more to life in Christ than we can ever imagine! In His Presence we find true fulfillment and lasting joy (Psalm 16:11). ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Romans 15:13 - "May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing -- through the experience of your faith--that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope." Hope is a devine dream. It's an inner image that's bigger than you are because it's built on the promises of God. Example: If the doctor told you that you will never walk then you see yourself climbing mountains and bringing the word of God to hurting people. You find in scripture (Isaiah 40:31) where it says those who wait on the Lord shall run and walk and not faint or be weary. You look at it until you see nothing else. Picture yourself walking for miles and running from one place to the next, telling everyone -- Jesus as raised you up and made you whole. Affirmations: Today I am becoming a dreamer. I take the word of God and build some dreams.....NOW! Psalm 37:4 - "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart." Matthew 24:45 - "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household?" The word tells us that God shows Himself strong in behalf of those whos hearts are "perfect" toward Him (2 Chronicles 16:9). "Perfect" doesn't men that we have to do everything just right and live without making a mistake. It means "devoted" -- a heart consecrated, dedicated, loyal and faithful to God. Who is faithful? The one who spends his time doing what God as called him to do -- or as Jesus put it, the one who takes up his cross and follows him. The one who denies his fleshly desires and spends his life on the things God desires him to do. AFFIRMATIONS: Today I decide to be a faithful and wise servant. I find out what is stealing my time from the Lord. I take up Jesus' thoughts today. I take up His purposes and plans. Now is the time to be faithful! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

The love of God is manifested in me so that I might live through Jesus. - 1 John 4:9 He has put His own Holy Spirit into my heart as a proof to me that I am living with Him and He is with me. - 1 John 4:13 As I abide in love, God abides in me. - 1 John 4:16 Since I am a child of God I am able to defeat the world. The way I have victory over the world is with my faith. - I John 5:4 Since I have the Son of God I have eternal life. - I John 5: 11,12 I can approach God with confidence for this reason: If I make requests which are in accord with His will he listens to me: and if I know that my requests are heard, I know also that the things I ask for are mine. - I John 5; 14,15 I know that Christ, God’s Son, has come to help me understand and find the true God; and I am in God because I am in Jesus Christ His Son, who is the only true God; and He is eternal life. - I John 5:20 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord....for he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river...nor will cease from yielding fruit..I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings." - Jeremiah 17:7,8,10 As we pursue God's PURPOSE for our life (Matthew 7:7,8), His Kingdom and righteousness--all things--are added to us. We move ahead in the army of God, advancing His Kingdom. As long as we keep marching, we're changing because faith moves us ahead, step-by-step. If we don't give up, eventually we walk into the Promised Land. The last command of Jesus while on earth says, "Go!" That's why we often see the anointing increase as we go, moving with the cloud. FROM NARROW - TO TRANSITION - TO ENLARGEMENT We are in a process of change. Our gifts are being drawn out of us in stretching dimensions. We have been and are going through places of testing and confinement in the Body. What is this place of testing and confinement? This is a place less wide than we are accustomed to or have expected to be in. If we respond properly to the "narrow or confined place," we will enter into the phase of "transition" to be brought into a "larger place" in the Spirit. The new place is like the camel going through the eye of the needle (Matthew 19:24). One school of thought was that that was a narrow gate. The only way the camel could get through was to be unloaded. This is the needle – the narrow gate. This is a place of unloading the weights of the past and a place of fresh commitment to the Cross where we die to self all over again. The "narrow place" (Matthew 7:14) can lead us out of captivity into a new and open field. HOW CAN WE MAKE THE TRANSITION? Transition times are when the Lord redefines and makes adjustments necessary for us to move forward. He gives us new focus and direction. He teaches us about Himself in a new way. We must seek the Lord for both revelation and the ways of God in times of change. His revelatory perspective bridges the past season with the new one. Without clear revelation and communication during transition, we can lose the strength and wisdom of our past victory. But we desperately need His strength to go from glory to glory. It isn't the new thing coming that is so hard to deal with, it's the transition from the old state of affairs to the new one. As you travail in this season, ask the Lord to give you strategy to protect your vision. Remember, the dragon attempts to steal new birth (see Revelation 12:4). Press forward! Cry out for greater grace to be granted to keep moving forward. When these changes manifest, enlargement occurs. To "enlarge" is to expand, to set free, become greater in size and intensity. Enlargement – or going through the new open door – is a process, not just a proclamation. Press through the narrow, withstand the transition, and receive enlargement. THE PROCESS OF CHANGE 1. A new level of revelation is released, 2. Your present vision starts to be adjusted, 3. New vision is secured and established, 4. Fresh strategies are revealed to you, 5. You see a greater fullness of your inheritance before you, If you are experiencing a "narrow place of confinement," or you sense you are in transition, be assured, He is about to visit you with a fresh demonstration of His Spirit. May your resources increase and your trials become stepping stones to renewed power and revelation. When you have come through the "new door," there are others who have been watching your pilgrimage. When you are strengthened, you will be enlarged to give spiritual succor to others in Jesus' name! "Each one's work will become clear; for the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work...If anyone's work which he has buit on it endures, he will receive a reward." - 1 Corinthians 3:13,14 How exciting to know that change originates with the Creator of the Universe. "For we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:18). Press forward! Going backward is not an option -- "We go from glory to glory, and glory doesn't go backwards." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Matthew 6:22 : "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." MIRRORS OF THE SOUL The eyes are the literal mirrors of a person's soul and reveals much about a person's deep inner man. In that deep place of the heart, the eye of the body that is full of light, can also reveal secrets into the unseen realm depending upon a person's intimate connection or transparency with God. Our eyes are portals of Heaven that we many times overlook within ourselves and within others. THE FACE OF AN ANGEL In the case of Steven in the New Testament, he was a man who was full of faith and of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5). He was so full of grace and power that he performed great wonders and signs among the people during his day (Acts 6:8). In the synagogues of Asia, they disputed with Stephen because of their own stubborn misperception and blindness of spiritual sight (Acts 6:9). Stephen preached with boldness and they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spoke (Acts 6:10). Even to the point of death, he had no fear to speak God's truth because his "eye" saw something beyond this natural world. All that sat in the council, looking steadfastly and intently at him, saw his face and countenance "as it had been the face of an angel" (Acts 6:15). Seeing that Stephen was "full of the Holy Spirit… he gazed intently into Heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God," saying, 'Behold, I see the Heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God'" (Acts 7:55-56). A LIFESTYLE OF GAZING When Stephen "gazed" (NAS) or "looked up steadfastly" (KJV) into Heaven, the Greek definition and meaning of this was not only that he fixed his "eyes" but also purposed his "mind" into Heaven. The eyes of his mind and the eyes of his heart went into auto-focus by the power of the Holy Spirit, as in the sense of stretching his eye sight towards the face of God that gave him the supernatural power to endure the kind of death he was about to experience. This reveals that Stephen had a "lifestyle of gazing" into the eyes and heart of God and is the reason why he was so filled with the glory of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave himself over to locking his eyesight on the Lord Jesus Christ, and it caused everything else to either become dim or disappear in his perception of reality. He was so overtaken by the Holy Spirit that the unseen realm at that moment was more real to him than the seen realm of the excruciating pain of being stoned to death. In these last days we are going to need this kind of supernatural strength and power to be able to endure the days ahead of us with a lifestyle of gazing. CAUSE OF SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS The enemy continues to try to bring disgrace and discredit the people of God through spiritual blindness – blindness that is caused by the lack of looking and gazing into the face of God as a regular exercise of intimate worship or the lack of CONFESSING and MEDITATING on the Scriptures to find food for the soul and nourishment for the spiritual eyes. Ephesians 1:18 - " I pray that your inward eyes may be illumined, so that you may know what is the hope to which He calls you..." Ephesians 6:17 - "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God." Because of life's distractions, sin and self-righteous pride, this was one of the stumbling blocks of the Pharisees that prevented them from seeing that Jesus was really who He said He was, God. Because they couldn't see, they couldn't believe. If they couldn't see, they had no vision and they missed out on entering into the Kingdom of God. THE EYE OF THE LORD IS MOVING So now the Lord is reminding us in 2 Chronicles 16:9 which says, "For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." God is on the move, running and eagerly searching with the laser beam of His eyes, looking for those who are filled with His light to see that He is ready to strongly support those whose eye lenses of the heart and mind are turned completely towards Him. He is inviting us into the journey of His heart – into the journey of the unseen realm. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). No one has seen God at any time (John 1:18), yet Jesus tells us in the beatitudes that the pure in heart will see God (Matthew 5:8). If God is wanting us to look and gaze intently at Him, isn't it because He is looking and gazing intently at us? The eyes of God reveal intimacy and longing and a strong desire to be with us now and forevermore. God is longing for those who are longing for Him. If you are experiencing an indescribable longing in your heart toward God, that means He is drawing you. PRAYER OF RESTORATION AND VISION: God, thank You for saving my life and thank You for restoring my soul. God, open my eyes to see You like never before. Help me to see and perceive through Your eyes. Restore my vision that may have become dull or blinded through discouragement, circumstances, sin, hardship or even neglect. Forgive me for not responding to Your voice when You are calling me. Draw me, God, and I will run to You. Open the eyes of my heart, God, that I may see You face to face. I come boldly to Your throne to worship You in Spirit and in truth and to love You sincerely with all my heart, mind, soul and strength by CONFESSING and MEDITATING on your Word. I thank You for hearing my prayer and my heart's cry to be closer to You. I give You honor and glory and praise this day, in Jesus name I pray, Amen! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

In Luke 4:1-13, satan tempts Jesus with the offer of rulership over all the kingdoms of the world... Jesus rejects this proposal. Jesus' Kingdom in this age is not a kingdom of this world(John 18:36-37). He refuses to seek a kingdom for Himself by the worldly methods of compromise, earthly power, political maneuvering, external violence, popularity, honor and glory. Jesus' Kingdom is a spiritual Kingdom ruling in the hearts of His people, who have been taken out of the kingdoms of this world. As a Heavenly Kingdom, we can operate and maintain in this realm but it comes with a cost. It is gained through: Suffering, self-denial, humility, and meekness.It does require giving our bodies as a living and Holy sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2).Fasting is a key here that enables us to stay on target;We know we have complete devotion and obedience to God whenever we are struggling with spiritual weapons against sin, temptation, and satan (Ephesians 6:10-20). As Christians we resist conforming to this world. "But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33 Those who follow Christ are urged to seek, above all else, His Kingdom and His righteousness. Jesus points out HIS Kingdom and HIS righteousness in HIS Kingdom. We pray every day that God's Kingdom will come in the mighty power of the Holy Spirit to save sinners, to destroy the demonic, to heal the sick, and to magnify the name of our Lord and that we be given daily revelation of our CALLING on how to facilitate this. QUESTIONS TO ASK MYSELF: What are 3 areas of my life that I am adversly conforming to the world. 1. 2. 3. What actions am I going to take to re-align my priorites. 1. 2. 3. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Romans 10:10 - "For with the heart man beleiveth unto righteousness......." Romans 5:17 - "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." Paul makes two significant statements about righteousness: 1. With the heart man believes unto righteousness. 2. When we receive Jesus and we are born again, we receive "the gift of righteousness." Righteousness is a gift. Too often we have associated righteousness with "good works." The Bible teaches good works and right conduct, but all of our good works and right conduct will never make us righteous. If good works made us righteous, we wouldn't need Jesus. Another fallacy about righteousness is that we've thought we had to grow into some kind of "high spiritual state" to be righteous. We can grow in the Lord and we can develop spiritually, but we cannot grow in righteousness. We will never be any more righteous than we are right now! 2 Corinthians 5:17,21 - "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. For he hath made him (God has made Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." Matthew 6:33 -- "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. In Christ we become new creatures. In Him we become the righteousness of God when we are born again (verse 21). This righteousness we are told to seek is not right behavior, but RIGHT STANDING before God, which comes to us as a gift when we receive salvation. Romans 4:5 -- "But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness." We are not righteous because of how morally upright we are. We are not righteous because we exercise self-control. We are not righteous because we read 10 chapters of the Bible daily. We are not righteous because we feel righteous. We are the righteousness of God in Christ solely because the sacrifice of Jesus made us so. When we believe this, our faith is accounted for righteousness. If we are righteous by our deeds, we don't need faith. We also don't need faith to know that we are sinful. But we do need faith to believe and declare that we are the righteousness of God in Christ, in the midst of our struggles with temptation and sin. At the cross, Jesus didn't just remove our sins, He also gave us His righteousness so that today, we can come boldly before the throne of God and receive freely everything that He died to give us! Affirmations: I seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, not my own righteousness, and "all these things shall be added to me." I expect good things to happen to me because blessings are on the head of the righteous (Proberbs 10:6). I am righteous only because of the blood and finished work of Jesus at the cross. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY