May 30 Edify Devotional

Today’s Devotional Theme      If You Worship, He Will Come   Daily Scripture 1 Kings 8:10-11 “And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.”   Encouragement  Darlene Zschech shares that “When we worship Jesus, we declare His Kingdom and announce His presence.” This is so true. I have personally seen people get saved and healed and set free in moments of corporate worship. Why? How? What happened? Jesus is in the room! God’s Kingdom was declared in the praises of His people; His presence was announced and darkness went screaming! If only more Believers would grasp the truth about how powerful and purposeful their worship to The King is!!! Will you be one of those that receive this revelation? Apply God’s Word When someone comes to you complaining, praise the King. When a situation arises where you need help, praise the King. When curses have fallen, bring praise. Let God’s Kingdom be established in the throne of your praises. You carry the Father’s presence and He wants to bring salvation, adoption and deliverance to the millions of people around you and He wants to use you! If you worship, He will come!   Come into His Presence Heavenly Father, let Your glory fill my heart today so the point I am overwhelmed by Your presence and changed forever. Fill me up, God, so I can be poured out. Plant Your presence in my life so I can produce fruit for others to receive. Prune my heart so I can produce more fruit to bring You more glory. I welcome You in my praises and want to be a herald of Your Kingdom, Your Name, and Your Presence! “THE KING IS HERE!” In Jesus’ Name. Amen. Jarrod Herald Pastor Email Jarrod

Victory Christian Center 18180 US Highway 150 Bloomington, Illinois 61705 309.663.7233 www.VictoryPeople.org www.Facebook.com/VictoryPeople.org

May 29 Edify Devotional

Today’s Devotional Theme      Do You Know Him?   Daily Scripture Psalm 116:17 “I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the Lord.”   Encouragement  You cannot truly worship what you don’t know. You may be acknowledging God in your worship, even if you don’t know Him, but you're only operating in religion and ritual. You see, worship truly is the original expression of communion with God; just like Adam and Eve walked with God so even now God desires to walk in communion and relationship with man. In the thousands of years of Creation and Human history, the story hasn’t changed. God STILL wants to commune with His creation, mankind. You. Apply God’s Word Worship truly comes down to KNOWING God. Worship is about a face to face, breath to breath, and heartbeat for heartbeat kind of relationship. Today, grow in deeper discipleship of learning more about your God. Call on His Name today in thanksgiving at all times. Use one of these magnificent names of Jesus to declare His praises and His sovereignty in your life! Come into His Presence Heavenly Father, today I declare Your Name, which is above every name, and I come intro agreement with Heaven that You alone are holy, and worthy, and good! I declrate these Names now in worship! You are…Advocate. Almighty, Alpha and Omega, Arm of the Lord, Author and Perfecter of our Faith, Author of Eternal Salvation, Beloved Son, Bread of Life, Bridegroom, Captain of Salvation, Chief Shepherd, Cornerstone, Counselor, Creator, Dayspring, Deliverer, Desire of the Nations, Everlasting Father, First and Last, Fourth Man in the Fire, Glory of the Lord, Good Shepherd, Great High Priest, Great I Am, Holy One of Israel, Horn of Salvation, Immanuel, Jehovah, King of the Ages, King of kings, Lord of lords, And I worship You alone. I am Yours. In Your most holy name. Amen. Jarrod Herald Pastor Email Jarrod

Victory Christian Center 18180 US Highway 150 Bloomington, Illinois 61705 309.663.7233 www.VictoryPeople.org www.Facebook.com/VictoryPeople.org

May 28 Edify Devotional

Today’s Devotional Theme      When The True Worshipers...   Daily Scripture John 4:23-24 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”   Encouragement  So many times we make ‘worship time’ in church services to be only music focused or driven. This is not the case. Yes, we naturally want use musical abilities (art, writing, movements, etc.) to express our love for God but those are simply the expressions. The Father is looking, searching out, and finding those ‘true worshipers’ who are totally abandoned to Him; those worshipers who won’t compromise their love for Him. Apply God’s Word The word ‘worshiper’ here in John 4 is the Greek word ‘proskuneo’, which means to bow down and kiss the feet; like a dog who licks it’s Master’s hand. The Father is seeking the humble-ones, the totally devoted-ones who serve Him in Spirit and in Truth; who worship in Spirit and in Truth. These are the worshipers His heart seeks and desires. These are the worshipers He wants to flow revival through. Are you such a worshiper?   Come into His Presence Heavenly Father, here I am, I am Yours. I bow down right now and kiss Your feet with my praises, with my life. I know You are seeking true worshipers and I pray that You find one in me. Raise me up Lord in Your strength so I can worship You even more! I am Yours. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. Jarrod Herald Pastor Email Jarrod

Victory Christian Center 18180 US Highway 150 Bloomington, Illinois 61705 309.663.7233 www.VictoryPeople.org www.Facebook.com/VictoryPeople.org

May 27 Edify Devotional

Today’s Devotional Theme      God's Presence Changes Everything   Daily Scripture Luke 7:36-38 “Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.” Encouragement  Here goes. A woman who was known in the city as a great sinner comes running to the place where Jesus is dining. She brings her very costly (one year’s wages in value) alabaster jar of fragrant oils and breaks it open, pouring it on Jesus in worship. I can see her tears of pain mixed with gratefulness running down her cheeks. Her heart is now exposed for others to see as she pours the oil on her Savior, recognizing His great worth. This great sinner was acknowledging her great need for Him so she gave all that she had to glorify and worship Him. Apply God’s Word How are you going to respond to this challenge today to give all that you have to Jesus? I hope it’s one of surrender! You see, this woman could have held back her alabaster jar but in turn, cut herself short from experiencing the forgiveness of God. You see, if you’re still counting the cost of your alabaster jar, you haven’t discovered His worth yet! Don’t hold back your life of worship because of pride or shame! Pour out love on Jesus today. Bless Him and don’t care who is watching. Respond to His great love for you by worshiping Him with all that you are. Worship Him, no matter the cost, loss, or ridicule! Give Jesus what He is already worth of…you!   Come into His Presence Heavenly Father, I surrender all to You. I choose to pour out my love and devotion on You. You are worthy of all my worship, my entire life is Yours. I don’t care who is watching, I’m going to live for You and break open my life in worship for You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. Jarrod Herald Pastor Email Jarrod

Victory Christian Center 18180 US Highway 150 Bloomington, Illinois 61705 309.663.7233 www.VictoryPeople.org www.Facebook.com/VictoryPeople.org

May 26 Edify Devotional

Today’s Devotional Theme      Praise vs. Complaining   Daily Scripture Psalm 23:3 “But You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Your people.”   Encouragement  God truly loves our worship. Let me ask you, how many times in a day do you lift up a grateful heart of thanksgiving to the Lord? A little deeper, how many times do we petition God for things rather than thank Him for all He has done, is doing, and is going to do? Here in Psalm 22:3, we read that God is ‘enthroned on the praises’ of His people. Enthroned means that He inhabits, He sits in rulership, He OWNS the worship from His people. Apply God’s Word Today, how is your worship doing? Is your life a ‘song of praise’ that He enthrones, inhabits? Let me encourage you to watch your mouth and your attitude. If the Lord inhabits praises and brings peace, then the devil inhabits complaining and brings chaos. I’ve also heard it said that ‘complaining’ is the worship song of hell. Think about this. There is constant praise, thanksgiving, and declaration of God’s holiness going on in heaven right now. Why should our praise be any different?   Come into His Presence Heavenly Father, enthrone my praise today. Inhabit my life. My life-song is for You, my heart beats for You. Give me grace this day to glorify You in all I do and to keep my mouth from complaining. I will instead offer You praises and thanksgiving. In Jesus’ Name, amen. Jarrod Herald Pastor Email Jarrod

Victory Christian Center 18180 US Highway 150 Bloomington, Illinois 61705 309.663.7233 www.VictoryPeople.org www.Facebook.com/VictoryPeople.org

May 25 Edify Devotional

Today’s Devotional Theme      Let's Be Practical   Daily Scripture Psalm 95:1-6 “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is the great God, And the great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the hills are His also. The sea is His, for He made it; And His hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” Encouragement  God loves your worship. He truly desires to see it, hear it, inhabit it, and receive it. He loves it when His children exalt Him. It’s what we were created for…to spend time in worship (communion) with Him. Don’t give the enemy anymore of your precious time by thinking you ‘aren’t good enough.’ Stop listening to that garbage. God loves your worship. Apply God’s Word I want to encourage all of us to keep it practical today when it comes to growing in the discipline of worship. Just like in Psalm 95 we read the many expressions of worship that happen, I want to challenge us to apply one or more of these forms in our worship today. Whether it is kneeling down, singing, shouting, giving thanks, bowing, or other forms like clapping, dancing, etc., please practice your praise by growing in your expressive worship. These expressions help us share outwardly what we are really feeling inwardly…freedom!   Come into His Presence Heavenly Father, thank You for Your grace. Today, I want to grow in my passion and zeal for You. I want to sing, to clap, to dance for You. I want to bow in reverence before You. Receive my worship Lord. I am Yours! In Jesus’ Name, Amen Jarrod Herald Pastor Email Jarrod

Victory Christian Center 18180 US Highway 150 Bloomington, Illinois 61705 309.663.7233 www.VictoryPeople.org www.Facebook.com/VictoryPeople.org

May 24 Edify Devotional

Today’s Devotional Theme      There Is No Other God   Daily Scripture Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Encouragement  Let’s keep this simple, because it is. There is only ONE God and His Name is Jehovah God. His Son’s Name is Jesus and we worship this magnificent One and Only King of the Universe. We refuse, as His worshipers, to worship anyone or anything else…on pain of death. Yes, that is radical and it should be. At gun point we should never deny our Savior Jesus. In starvation or loss, we should never deny our Savior Jesus. Our God is first and will always be first. Apply God’s Word So, how are you, this day, right now, responding to the truth and fact that He ALONE is God Almighty, the One and Only? How are you living this truth out? Let’s go a little deeper. What areas of your life just might be an idol in your life; trying to take His place? Listen, your God is not some weakling god with an inferiority complex standing in a corner crying because you’re not giving Him attention or worship. No, He is the One whose very breath brings life, His words become tangible reality, and His presence changes everything it comes into contact with! If there is an idol in your life, kick it over, demolish it, cut it off, set it on fire, whatever you have to do. Get BEFORE HIS FACE and worship. Come into His Presence My Heavenly Father, I give You all praise, glory and thanksgiving. You are magnificent and beautiful. You alone are God and worthy of my life in worship. Reveal, this day, this moment every idol in my life that has or will try to exalt itself against You. Give me grace, give me strength to destroy that idol and to give my undivided heart to You alone. I am Yours. In Jesus’ Name, amen. Jarrod Herald Pastor Email Jarrod

Victory Christian Center 18180 US Highway 150 Bloomington, Illinois 61705 309.663.7233 www.VictoryPeople.org www.Facebook.com/VictoryPeople.org

May 23 Edify Devotional

Today’s Devotional Theme      Are You A Follower?   Daily Scripture Mark 8:34 “Pick up your cross and follow, Me!”    Encouragement Don't just follow anyone or anything, follow Jesus! In our society it's common to hear someone call themselves a Christian. From Roman Catholics to Protestants, from fundamentalists to liberals, there are many different perspectives about what it means to be a Christian. Allow me to clear up some of the confusion on this today. Christians are followers of Jesus. Saying you’re a Christian does not prove anything. Following His teachings shows evidence of conversion. In John 13:35, Jesus said love for one another is one of the signs of being His follower. "Even though less than 1/5th of the population describe themselves as leaders, few people are willing to follow the vision, the plans, the methods, or the exhortations of leaders on a consistent basis. Americans have not only become a diverse culture but an unruly one, unwilling to follow anyone but themselves." (George Barna)   Apply God’s Word Loving your neighbor is a sign of a true follower according to the Words of Jesus. What He is saying is, if we are following then we should be caring. The two go together. The Greek for follower is μιμητής (mim-ay-tace). It's where we get the word mimic or imitate. Our obligation is to walk so closely beside Him that we begin to mimic Him. Augustine said, “But if we decline not to be the disciples of Christ, let us not decline to follow the method which he has prescribed.” Come into His Presence Father, it’s so easy to follow after the ways of this present world, but today I choose to imitate You. I choose to follow so closely that I begin to walk, talk and even begin to act like You would act in any given situation. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen. Ed Herald Senior Pastor Email Pastor Ed

Victory Christian Center 18180 US Highway 150 Bloomington, Illinois 61705 309.663.7233 www.VictoryPeople.org www.Facebook.com/VictoryPeople.org