“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Foundation Scriptures: Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:7

So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Genesis 1:27 AMP

Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath or spirit of life, and man became a living being.
Genesis 2:7 AMP

1.  Man was created by God – formed him out of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.

• We did not evolve—the theory of Evolution is exactly that: a theory—not a law.
• But now [in spite of past judgments for Israel’s sins], thus says the Lord, He Who created you, O Jacob, and He Who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you [ransomed you by paying a price instead of leaving you captives]; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.  Isaiah 43:1 AMP
• Even everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, whom I have made.  Isaiah 43:7 AMP
• I made the earth and created man upon it. I, with My hands, stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.  Isaiah 45:12 AMP

2.  We were created as a result of God’s divine purpose.

• Isaiah 43:7 says, “I have created man for my glory.”
• Man is a created being, purposed by God to bring Him glory.
• God said, “Let us—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” make man in OUR image.
• Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love. 5 For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]–6[So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:4-6 AMP
• [For it is He] Who delivered and saved us and called us with a calling in itself holy and leading to holiness [to a life of consecration, a vocation of holiness]; [He did it] not because of anything of merit that we have done, but because of and to further His own purpose and grace (unmerited favor) which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago].  2 Timothy 1:9 AMP

3.  Six things that set you and I apart from all of God’s creation.

• Man is created by God.
• Man alone—of all created beings—received the very breath of God.
• Man is formed in God’s image.
• Man is created for God’s glory.
• Man was planned and designed in a council of the triune God.
• Man has been redeemed by the God-Man, Jesus Christ. (Jesus was all God and all man.)

4.  Man was created in God’s image.

• Not a physical image—God is a Spirit.
• A personal image—one who designs, plans and communicates, wills and feels (is pleased and displeased).
• God saw everything He had made and behold it was very good (Genesis 1:31)
• Man is a moral being—man was created with a sense of accountability to his Maker.
• Man has a conscience.
• When man does right, his heart assures him—when he does wrong his heart condemns (convicts) him.
• Man has a social image—to love a wife, who is from his side, to be equal to him; near his heart, to be loved by him; under his arm, to be protected by him.
• Man was commanded to multiply and replenish the earth.
• Out of the Ten Commandments—six concern our relationships with our fellow man.
• Man was made to have communion with God, his family, and his friends.
• Man is a living soul—a whole being—a spirit and a soul in a body. The body was fashioned to live forever, but when sin entered the world that changed and death began to work in the body.

5.  Ten facts about the body.

• It is a mortal body that will return to the dust out of which it was fashioned (Genesis 3:19; Psalms 104:29).
• Even though the body is made from the dust of the ground—it is wonderfully made (Psalms 139:14-16).
• Man’s body is only a temporary tabernacle for man to live in (2 Peter 1:14; 2 Corinthians 5:1).
• Man’s body will be glorified in the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:44a & 53).
• The body of the born-again man is the temple of the Holy Spirit. This is why it should not be used as an instrument of sin (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
• When you dedicate yourself to God, your body is a living and holy sacrifice (Romans 12:1).
• The redeemed man’s body is a weapon against the devil (Romans 6:13).
• Redeemed man enjoys certain benefits of Christ’s redeeming work in the Body even in this world (Matthew 8:16-17).
• You will be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ on what you have done in the body (2 Corinthians 5:10).
• Man’s body of dust, which he inherited from Adam, bears the image of Adam as well as the image of God (1 Corinthians 15:45-49).

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

FOUNDATIONS OF MY FAITH
MY ABSOLUTES–THINGS I CANNOT COMPROMISE

WORKING OUT YOUR SALVATION

Foundation Scriptures: Philippians 2:12-13

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.  Philippians 2:12-13 NKJV

Working out my salvation.

1. The moment you receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, you become a new creature—your Spirit is made brand new; re-created; eternity comes to live in your heart; eternal life is yours. You are translated out of the kingdom of darkness, into the kingdom of light. Heaven is now your destination and your new home!
2. Your soul—mind; will; emotions—needs to be renewed.  This is your responsibility. You work out your salvation by submitting —spirit, soul and body—to the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.
3. James 1:21-27
4. Don’t be a fake. Be real—with God, yourself and others.
5. God wants a pure heart more than mere good works.
6. God is full of mercy and grace, but it is a mistake to take God’s grace and mercy for granted.
7. Hebrews 10:26-29
8. God is kind, gracious and loving, but He is also righteous and He expects righteousness from us.

I must walk in love and forgiveness.

1. If you don’t forgive, the Father cannot forgive you.
2. Mark 11:25-26 AMP – And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings.
3. Luke 17:3-4
4. Ephesians 4:32

I must not neglect fellowshipping with the Saints.

1. You are not the only one out there—no man is an island.
2. God wants us to look out for one another.
3. Each of us needs to experience truth and grace—people who will tell us the truth and confront the sin in our lives, and people who will love us, accept us, forgive us and encourage us in our walk with God.
4. Hebrews 10:23-25
5. Work to live in harmony with each other.
6. Romans 12:16
7. 1 Corinthians 12:25
8. Love each other.
9. John 13:34-35

I must read the Word and pray daily.

1. Fellowship with God through His Word and prayer.
2. John 15:1-8
3. Talk to the Lord. Listen for His voice. Spend time in His presence. Stay hooked up to Him.

I must be involved financially in Kingdom business.

1. Tithes—local church.
2. Malachi 3:8-12 AMP – Will a man rob or defraud God? Yet you rob and defraud Me. But you say, In what way do we rob or defraud You? [You have withheld your] tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with the curse, for you are robbing Me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer [insects and plagues] for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of hosts. 12 And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.
3. Offerings—local church and missions.
4. 2 Corinthians 8:12-15
5. 2 Corinthians 9:6-12
6. Poor and needy.
7. 2 Corinthians 8:7

I must live my life as a daily witness to Jesus, my Lord and Savior.

1. Acts 1:8 AMP – But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.
2. Sharing Jesus by my actions.
3. 1 John 3:18 AMP – Little children, let us not love [merely] in theory or in speech but in deed and in truth (in practice and in sincerity).
4. Sharing Jesus by my words—witnessing.
5. Proverbs 11:30 NKJV–The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.

N.B. (Important note) I must be a soul–winner!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

So the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”  Genesis 3:14-15 NKJV

The devil hates God. He tried to exalt his throne above God’s throne. He is rebellious and full of pride and iniquity. Because he hates God, he also hates man—who was made in God’s image. He tried—and succeeded—in corrupting man and cutting him off from God through sin and disobedience, but God has a Master Plan and the devil will not win the war in the end!

When the devil tempted Adam and Eve, and they ate the fruit and sinned against God, God told the devil that One (Jesus) was coming—the Seed of the woman—who would bruise his head. After that, the devil was watching out and trying to kill anyone he thought might be the One. When he saw that Abel pleased God, he thought he was the one and influenced Cain to murder his own flesh and blood brother. He continued through the generations to try to destroy all mankind in general, and those who pleased God, in particular.

When Jesus was born, the devil realized that He was the One. He stirred the religious leaders to hate and kill Jesus, but he had no idea that he was signing his own death warrant! This was God’s plan all along, that Jesus would be crucified, die, rise again and, in the process, strip the devil of the keys of death and hell and his authority over man. The devil thought he was getting rid of Jesus, but he did not realize that God’s plan was to make many more little “Jesus’”! On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit filled 120 with the power and the fire of God, and ever since then He has filled an innumerable number of God’s children with this same power! They are running around the earth preaching the Good News of the Word of God and doing the works of Jesus. What a nightmare for the devil!

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 5:3-5 NKJV

Everyone who is full of God’s Word is dangerous to the devil. Whoever gets hold of God’s Word and gets God’s Word in them is victorious over the devil! The Word of God is the devil’s defeat! He has to stop the Word. Mark 4:17 says that trouble and persecution arises on account of the Word. All persecution comes for the sake of the Word of God—to hinder and or stop it.

Jesus is the Word of God, made flesh, who dwelt among us (John 1:1-14). He was manifested to destroy the works of the devil (Acts 10:38). The devil persecuted Jesus. He tried to tempt Jesus to sin, but was unsuccessful, so his next plan was to stir men up against Jesus to stop Him and/or kill Him. He tries to do the same with you and me to try to stop God’s powerful Word!

The Word of God is the power of God. The Word of God created all of creation. Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” Hebrews 4:12 AMP says that, “the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.”

James 1:21 says that the Word of God—implanted and rooted in your heart—contains the power to save your soul and Romans 1:16 says that the gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. The devil knows the power of the Word of God and his plan is to shut the Word up and keep it from bringing life and freedom. Those who are full of, and submitted to, the Word of God are devil-defeaters so his attack is directed at the Word of God in their heart and life.

Persecution arises to steal the Truth from you—to try to stop you from walking in life and freedom and to try to stop you from sharing the Truth with others and seeing them saved and set free. If you are going to be a doer of the Word, then you will be persecuted. Don’t get offended when you are persecuted—it’s nothing personal. You are being persecuted for the Word’s sake—not because you are so special. Don’t focus on the people, or what they are doing or saying, either. Recognize that the devil is behind it. Don’t allow him to pull you down to his level; don’t allow him to tempt you into a dog-fight where you are punching at shadows instead of preaching the Gospel, doing the works of Jesus, and destroying the devil’s works; don’t allow him to distract you from the plans and purposes
of God.

Keep preaching the Word of God, keep your heart pure and your hands clean, walk in love and do the works of Jesus. The devil may try his best to stop the Word of God, but will always fail. God’s Word will eternally endure and prevail!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

“I have told you all these things, so that you should not be offended (taken unawares and falter, or be caused to stumble and fall away). [I told you to keep you from being scandalized and repelled.] 2 They will put you out of (expel you from) the synagogues; but an hour is coming when whoever kills you will think and claim that he has offered service to God. 3 And they will do this because they have not known the Father or Me.”  John 16:1-3 AMP

After Jesus has told His disciples “all these things” in John chapters 14 & 15, He tells them, in the opening verses of John 16, that He told them “all these things” so that they would not be offended by the persecution which would inevitably come. He had started off in John 14:1 AMP by exhorting them with these words, “Do not let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me.”  

His emphasis is on trusting the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit because they will protect and provide for you–spirit, soul and body–always–no matter what you are going through. He talks to them–and us–to focus us on God and His Word and not what we are experiencing in the flesh. He talks about Himself–the Way, the Truth and the Life; about the Father–if you have seen Me you have seen the Father; about praying to the Father in Jesus’ Name; about the Comforter and Helper–the Holy Spirit–who would be in you and with you and never leave you; about what was to come–His death–the laying down of His life and returning to the Father; about the importance, and also the benefits, of obedience and keeping His commandments; about how they–and we–would be witnesses of Jesus and everything He did and said; about the persecution that would result from our commitment to Him and our preaching of the Word.

Jesus told them, “If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection and would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world [no longer one with it], but I have chosen (selected) you out of the world, the world hates (detests) you. 20 Remember that I told you, A servant is not greater than his master [is not superior to him]. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word and obeyed My teachings, they will also keep and obey yours. 21 But they will do all this to you [inflict all this suffering on you] because of [your bearing] My name and on My account, for they do not know or understand the One Who sent Me.” (John 15:18-21 AMP)

Persecution will inevitably come to the child of God, who walks in obedience to His will and His Word. Jesus warns us about it so that we are not surprised and especially so that we are not offended by it. The Greek word translated “offended” in John 16:1 is “skandalizo”, which means “to stumble, to cause one to begin to distrust and to desert the one whom he ought to trust and obey.”

It doesn’t take much to offend some people. The devil has a real easy time with people who are not deeply connected into the Word of God–they immediately blame God, instead of the devil, for the discomfort they experience when the persecution starts. Mark 4:16-18 AMP says, “And in the same way the ones sown upon stony ground are those who, when they hear the Word, at once receive and accept and welcome it with joy; 17And they have no real root in themselves, and so they endure for a little while; then when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Word, they immediately are offended (become displeased, indignant, resentful) and they stumble and fall away.”   

Matthew 13:21 AMP says about the man who is not solid in the Word of God, that, “when affliction or trouble or persecution comes on account of the Word, at once he is caused to stumble [he is repelled and begins to distrust and desert Him Whom he ought to trust and obey] and he falls away.” The devil uses persecution at every level to cause people to back away from God and the Truth. Even the disciples were scattered, scared and tempted to deny Jesus when He was arrested. Jesus forewarned them in Matthew 26:31-34 NIV: Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “’I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” 34 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

The first purpose of persecution is to get you to get mad at God and mad at the Word of God so that you will cut yourself off from God and backslide. Jesus said, in Matthew 24:9-10 AMP, “Then they will hand you over to suffer affliction and tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended and repelled and will begin to distrust and desert [Him Whom they ought to trust and obey] and will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred.”

The second purpose of persecution is to get you to get mad at your fellow Christians and even to betray them and to turn around and persecute them along with the ungodly. There are many people who will do anything to someone else if they think it will save their own skin. They would throw their own family “under the bus” to prevent any discomfort from coming their way.

It is only those who know their God and know His Word; who have committed their lives into His hands; who have given up–lost–their own lives and found His; who trust God with their life; who can say with Paul, “for me to live is Christ and to die is gain”; who will be willing to endure the hardships of persecution for the joy of what lies before them.

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.  Matthew 10:22 KJV

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THE GOODNESS OF GOD AS REVEALED BY HIS LOVE

“Yes, God’s riches are very great! His wisdom and knowledge have no end! No one can explain what God decides. No one can understand his ways. 34 As the Scriptures say, “Who can know what is on the Lord’s mind? Who is able to give him advice?” 35 “Who has ever given God anything? God owes nothing to anyone.” 36 Yes, God made all things. And everything continues through him and for him. To God be the glory forever! Amen.” Romans 11:33-36 ERV

All of creation originated with God. He made it – every intricate, complicated, exquisite atom of it. We are such a small particle in the great universe and our finite minds are totally inadequate to even try to begin to understand even a little bit of God’s great handiwork! There is no way we can ever know or understand everything there is to know about God – we know only a very, very little and understand even less. We cannot say that we know what He is thinking and we certainly cannot begin to think that we could ever advise Him. There is nothing that we could give back to Him that He did not personally make and that He does not already own.

The things that God wants us to know about Him are revealed by the Holy Spirit and recorded in His mighty word. Above all else, He wants us to know just how much He loves us. He tells us in Genesis how He created the entire earth and the universe just for us. He made everything, saw that it was good, formed man in His image and likeness and then gave it all to man to take care of and enjoy. Man was God’s crowning creation!

The Garden, Adam and Eve respected God, but were not afraid of Him. They did not need to be afraid. He was their creator – they knew Him personally and therefore they knew only His goodness and His complete love and acceptance. They had never experienced sin, fear, guilt, pain or death – therefore they had nothing to hide and no one to hide from – they were naked and unafraid.

“If anyone imagines that he has come to know and understand much [of divine things, without love], he does not yet perceive and recognize and understand as strongly and clearly, nor has he become as intimately acquainted with anything as he ought or as is necessary.” 1 Corinthians 8:2 AMP

“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:8-11 NKJV

“So we know the love that God has for us, and we trust that love. God is love. Everyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in them. 17 If God’s love is made perfect in us, we can be without fear on the day when God judges the world. We will be without fear, because in this world we are like Jesus. 18 Where God’s love is, there is no fear, because God’s perfect love takes away fear. It is his punishment that makes a person fear. So his love is not made perfect in the one who has fear.” 1 John 4:16-18 ERV

God does not just love – He IS love. All He knows is love. All that motivates Him is love. His goodness is revealed in His acts of love. Even if you have memorized the entire Bible, if you do not understand this fact – that God is love – you will not understand the Word of God. God has placed great importance on these facts – that He is love, He loved us first and He sacrificed everything to restore us back into His love. Because we know He loves us, we trust His love for us and therefore we do not fear Him. Rodney Howard Browne said that the person who is afraid of God does not know God’s love. He/she is either a sinner, or a Christian who has not come to know God or His nature and character very well yet.   He/she fears the punishment reserved for the sinner. There is no fear of death and punishment for the believer. As we are perfected in God’s love – being made complete in His love – we lose all fear. We learn to trust God and His love completely.

This is how much God loves us: Zephaniah 3:17 KJV says, “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” And in the ERV it says, “The Lord your God is with you. He is like a powerful soldier. He will save you. He will show how much he loves you and how happy he is with you. He will laugh and be happy about you, like people at a party.”The Father rejoices over you – yes you!

God is good. God is good to His people. God is kind and good toward even sinners. God is good to ALL.

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.  2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”  6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. 7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.  8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.  9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.  10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.  12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.  13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.  14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.  15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.  16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.  John 10:1-16 NKJV

Eastern shepherds spent a lot of time with their sheep. They gave their sheep names and the sheep came when they were called – they knew and responded to their shepherd’s voice. Even when two or more flocks were mixed together, the sheep could be called out by their own shepherd. The shepherd knew his sheep and the sheep knew their shepherd. The sheep would always follow their own shepherd, and would pay no attention to strangers. Jesus is our Good Shepherd – if we are His sheep then we should hear and know His voice. Jesus is called the Word of God. The more we come to know the Word of God, the more we come to know Jesus and His voice. We will not follow the voice of the stranger – the voice of the devil.

Then [Jacob] blessed Joseph and said, God [Himself ], before Whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac lived and walked habitually, God [Himself ], Who has [been my Shepherd and has led and] fed me from the time I came into being until this day.  Genesis 48:15 AMP

Eastern shepherds did not drive their sheep – they led them – they went before their flocks to lead them to the good grass and water. Psalms 23:1-3 says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.” Jesus is our shepherd – leading us and providing for us.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  Psalms 23:4 NKJV

But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.  27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.  30 I and My Father are one.  John 10:26-30 NKJV

Jesus is our Chief Shepherd and we are His sheep. In order to receive eternal life, we must believe, we must hear His voice, and we must follow His voice. When we choose to follow Him in obedience, we are covered by His hand – His protection is on our lives and no one can snatch us out of His hand – or the Father’s hand. Both of them watch over us and hold us in their hands. We can trust in the Lord – we need have no fear – no matter what we have to walk through, we can know that He is with us and His hand of protection is upon us – to see us through anything and everything.

Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well (spring or fountain), whose branches run over the wall.  23 Skilled archers have bitterly attacked and sorely worried him; they have shot at him and persecuted him.  24 But his bow remained strong and steady and rested in the Strength that does not fail him, for the arms of his hands were made strong and active by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob, by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.  Genesis 49:22-24 AMP

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth!  Psalms 80:1 NKJV

He will feed His flock like a shepherd: He will gather the lambs in His arm, He will carry them in His bosom and will gently lead those that have their young.  Isaiah 40:11 AMP

For the Lamb Who is in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd, and He will guide them to the springs of the waters of life; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.  Revelation 7:17 AMP

Confess this today: Jesus is the Good Shepherd. I hear the voice of the Good Shepherd and I follow His voice. The voice of a stranger I will not follow.

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The human heart is a fascinating muscle. Every time I hear about how everything works physically in the body, I get so amazed. But the most fascinating this is still not the physical heart, but the heart in which God can put dreams and visions.Proverbs 4:23 tell us to “Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life”. This means that what we have in our hearts affects our whole lives. You can try to be someone else or try to come across as a better person than you really are, but at some point, your heart will reveal the real you. In Matt 16:27 it says that you’ll have to give an account to God (for your life, your attitude, your thoughts, your words, your deeds…). And how you handle these things in your life depends on what you have in your heart.

No one has the perfect heart – we all need to check what we actually have in our hearts and deal with things all the time. If there are things you have in your heart that you know you should deal with, but don’t, it’ll be a hinder for God to talk to you or do what he wants to do in and through you. For it is not about the word that goes out, but the heart that receives it. This means that God can talk to you, but you might not be able to receive it because your heart is filled with other stuff that’s in the way for God.

Psalms 24 tells us that the one that can come in to Gods presence is the one with clean hands and a pure heart. God wants us to surrender everything and let him clean us white as snow. He wants to have access to all of my heart.

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Foundation Scripture: 1 Peter 3:22  (NKJ)
22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

All angels, authorities and powers are completely subject, subservient and subordinate to Jesus Christ. There are levels of authority under God – in this natural realm and also in the spiritual realm. In the Bible, the words “principalities”, “powers”, “authorities”, “dominions”, “rulers”, “thrones”, “angels”, and “might” are used to describe these levels of authorities. Some of them are holy (or good), under God’s command, and some of them are evil, under the devil’s command.  But all of them are subject to God and are under His authority.

Colossians 1:16  (NKJ)
16For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

All thrones, dominions, principalities and powers were created for Jesus, through Him and by Him – to serve Him and His purposes.

Colossians 2:14-15  (NKJ)
14having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

The enemy is disarmed – he is helpless and defeated. Jesus removed all and any authority that he ever had, including the keys to death, hell and the grave – in the sight of Heaven and hell – so that there could be no questions and no arguments. The Lord Jesus Christ has stripped him of his power.

Ephesians 1:23  (NKJ)
19and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

22And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Everything is under Jesus feet. He is the head of the body – the church – and as His body, the devil and his demons, the evil powers and authorities – are under our feet. They will not be under our feet at some future date, in some other dispensation, but they are under our feet right now and right here! It does not matter what the devil tries to do – you have the power, you have the authority given to you by Jesus. You are not trying to defeat him or bring him down in the earth. He is already defeated – he has already been brought down. You just remind him of his status, enforce his defeat and walk in the victory that is already purchased with the blood of Jesus.

Ephesians 6:12  (NKJ)
12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

We enforce our authority over the enemy by our submission to God and His righteousness. The enemy is a liar and thief. He will attempt to take authority where he has none. We do not have to fight the battle to subdue him – we have to fight the battle to stand firm in the victory already accomplished in Christ. We overcome the wicked one by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. What is our testimony? Jesus is Lord, the devil is defeated and the blood of Jesus has washed us clean!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

1 Peter 1:3-12  (NIV)

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you,
5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
7 These have come so that your faith– of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care,
11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

The prophets, who prophesied about the grace that was intended for us, prophesied about Jesus and His sacrifice. They prophesied about the glories that would follow His birth, life, death and resurrection. They prophesied about salvation, redemption, forgiveness from sin, clean hands, a new heart, God being our Father, us being God’s children, restoration of fellowship with God, and all nations worshipping Him. They longed for the relationship with God, which has now been offered to us. They longed to experience peace with God. They could only look forward to the coming Messiah. Jesus has already fulfilled those things that were prophesied. They were only counted righteous by their faith, but we are righteous by our faith.

We need to realize exactly what we have in and through Jesus Christ. Because of the lies of religion and the devil, we have been led to believe that God’s people of the Old Covenant had it better than we do. We think that they had some special relationship and position with God that we don’t have. But we are the privileged ones. Because Jesus was the firstborn from the dead — Old Covenant saints could not be born-again we can.

We have been told that miracles, signs and wonders were only for those who lived before us, but we have been given the Name of Jesus and He has commissioned us to do just what He did. We have more and can do more than those who went before us. Let’s face it — serving God with a brand-new heart is a lot easier than serving Him with an unrenewed heart.

We have been led to believe that the angels are better than we are, but they were created to be servants, not sons. We were created to be family of God the Father. What a privilege we have  to experience redemption.

We are the redeemed of the Lord! Even angels long to look into the things that we can look into. They long to experience the intimate relationship with God that we have. We have not yet experienced the complete salvation of our minds and bodies. We will when we see Jesus, face to face, but we still have more than the Old Covenant saints and the angels. How blessed we are!

Never, ever take your salvation for granted. Be thankful always. Appreciate what God has done for you and be faithful to do the works of Jesus.

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23 KJV

When we are born again and we receive Jesus Christ of Nazareth as our Lord and Savior, the Spirit of God transforms our heart and makes us a brand new creature. We no longer have the same sinful desires or motivation. If we allow the Holy Spirit to continue the work in us that He has begun, we will find that we are changed from glory to glory. Instead of the works of the flesh being manifested in our lives, the fruit of the Spirit is manifested. We become blessed and a blessing. The Agape love of God is a fruit of the Spirit.

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.  Romans 5:5 KJV

The Holy Spirit is the one who deposits the Agape love of God in our hearts and the one who works in us to strengthen us in the love of God. If we don’t have the love of God flowing through us then we have nothing. Without love, even all the wonderful gifts and talents that God has given us, are nothing but hollow and noisy.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.  1 Corinthians 13:1-8 NIV

Some things, like the gifts of the Spirit, are only useful to us here on the earth. We will no longer have any need of them when we get to heaven. But the love of God will always endure. We will always need the love of God and we will always walk in the love of God, in heaven and throughout eternity. When the Holy Spirit lives big on the inside of us, He guides us into all the truth and we choose to walk in love instead of the way the world walks.

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.  Luke 6:27-36 NIV

We demonstrate the true love of God, not when we love those who love us, but when we love those who hate us, despise us, use us, abuse us and who try to take advantage of us. The manner in which we conduct ourselves under these difficult circumstances is the measure of the fruit of the love of God that is developed and manifested in our lives.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  John 13:34-35 NIV

When the fruit of the love of God is manifested in your life by the way you love others, then people will know that you are a child of God and a follower of Jesus. It is not what you say that counts as much as what you live and what you do!