Bread of Life, JIL

“LET YOUR UNFAILING LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS ALWAYS PROTECT ME.” PSALM 40:41

” AND HE HEALED EVERY KIND OF DISEASE AND ILLNESS.” MATTHEW 4:23

The unfailing love of our Lord and Savior is beyond our comprehension. It seems to be too much for our humanness to accept and to realize the existence and the encompassment of his love and dedication to each of us. Scriptures tell us that God knew us each by name before we were born. He knew everything about us and sent us to this world for a purpose. He also gave us a free will. He does not want to force us to love him, to be faithful to him or be forced to be a member of his family. He wants us to come to him on our own free will and be a part of him. We each are given the ability to make our own decisions and do as we think proper. The devil, who was once an angel of God, found it hard to not to want more. He wanted to be God himself and the result was his departure from the grace of God in heaven. He is a continuous thorn in our side. He helps us along in this world by lying to us and feeding us the untruths about God in heaven. Even if we make mistakes, and follow the ways of the world, our God is there to pick us up, if we just come to him. He never stops loving us and is always faithful to us of we just come to him. He is faithful to save us, to forgive us and to heal us of every kind of disease and illness. It doesn’t matter what condition we are in He is always there to help us. We must, however, bow down to him, confess our sins and accept him as our Lord and Savior. We must then continue to build our faith because the devil will attack us more and more in an attempt to drag us away from our Lord. As a Born-Again Christian our Lord is in complete control of our lives if we just let him. We must remember that no matter what our condition here on earth our Lord Jesus is in control. He has a purpose, and he will use all things and all conditions for his benefit. Let us all stay the path and keep our focus. Jesus loves us and will never fail us! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” BE JOYFUL. GROW TO MATURITY. ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER. LIVE IN HARMONY AND PEACE. THEN THE GOD OF LOVE AND PEACE WILL BE WITH YOU. “2 CORINTHIANS 13:11

As we go about each day, we each have a focus. We have a goal to reach. For some it is to just get through the day. For others it may be to reach a goal at work or school. No matter what that goal may be, there are times when we all need help in reaching our destination. We may need a shoulder to cry on or a person to listen to our problems. We may need someone to be a cheer leader for us just to get us across the finish line. As we continue to grow in Christ, we are to become those people. We are to live with joy in our lives. We are to be an encouragement to others. We are not to be a doubting Thomas or someone who is always skeptical because of our lack of faith. We must continue to grow in our faith and live our lives with a peace and understanding of how God wants us to live. We are to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. We are to be an encouragement, to not only the world around us, but also to those within our Christian family. As we pray each day, we should ask our Lord for the wisdom and insight into what our focus is for the day. Are we growing spiritually or are we stagnant in our growth? Is our focus where the Lord wants it? Are we doing what he wants us to do? When we encourage others, we are bringing peace and harmony into the situation. We are opening doors for Jesus to step in and take over. We must continue to mature in our faith each day. We must keep our focus on the end result, Jesus our Lord and Savior. When we do, he will be with us and give us the peace and joy we need so desperately. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” SO, WE RECEIVE GOD’S PROMISE OF FREEDOM ONLY BY BELIEVING IN JESUS CHRIST.” GALATIANS 3:22

” HIS FAITHFUL PROMISES ARE YOUR ARMOR AND PROTECTION.” PSALM 91:4

Our God in heaven has set forth promises within his mighty Word for our use and protection. With these promises we have the ability to overcome the worst of the worst. The devil may throw everything he has at us, but our God has us covered. He is our refuge and safety net. He is the peace we need in times of stress, and the endurance we need in times of struggles. We are completely victorious over the evil of this world if we just trust in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This doesn’t mean we won’t confront the evil of this world, but we can withstand and overcome it. The measure of faith that we have been given must rise to a level of never wavering in any circumstance. It must be the first and the last thig that we work on each day. Our faith will never grow unless we begin to use it in our daily lives, and it is always better to begin with believing in the small things and building our faith to such a level. We must read his word and KNOW what promises he has given us. We must be able to use them in our times of need. We must remind God of his promises and stand and act on them. Our God in heaven describes his promises as our armor and protection. There is a great spiritual warfare going on between good and evil. You and I are right in the middle of this war. Our God in heaven has not left us alone and defenseless but instead with great power. We must, however, believe in things unseen rather than the things of this world. Building our faith in our daily activity should take priority over all else. It is our life stream and our only hope. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE, BUT PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR.” 1 JOHN 4:18

Fear and faith cannot live together. You are either fearful and live a life that reflects fear to others, or you have faith in Jesus and walk with confidence, peace of mind and joy. Faith in our Lord and Savior is not easily obtained. The devil and his demons will fight you every step of the way. They will put obstacles and situations before you that will discourage you and test your faith. They will do everything possible to create doubt, worry and fear. They work 24/7 to lead you into a life that is just the opposite of what our Lord wants for you. Our God in heaven has given each of us a measure of faith. He has given us the tools for us to use, in order to build upon that faith and to live lives that are strong and with wisdom and understanding. However, we must focus on Him and not the world around us. We must read and meditate on his word each day. Our prayer life must stay strong! We must have a relationship with him that allows us to have conversations in the heat of the moment. We must learn his promises and be able to put them into action in our life. We must build our faith so that we are able to believe in the unseen and not the seen. Our lives should be focused each day upon increasing the power of our faith. When we do, we are able to depend upon our Lord to lead us in the right direction and down the right road. We can feel confident that what we are doing in our lives is right and not wrong. Greater faith helps our work life and family life as our Lord draws us closer and closer. Remember, “there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” 1 John 4:18. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” MY OLD SELF HAS BEEN CRUCUFIED WITH CHRIST. IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME. ” GALATIONS 2:20

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, went to hell and back for you and me. He was persecuted, beaten severely, spit upon, nailed to the cross, humiliated and died so that we could live. It is through his love for us that we are able to enjoy the time we have on this earth. The scripture tells us that as born-again believers we are a new creature. Our lives change, our thoughts change and our way of thinking changes. It is no longer our old self but our new self with our new tenant living within us. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He moves in. He is a permanent resident. In the presence of the Holy Spirit, he directs us, helps us, speaks to us and protects us from the world going on around us. It is by faith that we are able to live lives of strength and power. It is by faith that we are healed and saved and forgiven. When Jesus went to that cross, we died with him. He took our sins and our hurts and placed them upon himself so that we could live. He loved us and still loves us. Let us all be obedient to him with praise and thanksgiving. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” YET WE KNOW THAT A PERSON IS MADE RIGHT WITH GOD BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, AND NOT BY OBEYING THE LAW.” GALATIONS 2:16

Doing good things for others is a great trait to have. There are a lot of people in need. However, what are their motives for giving? All the world recognizes the needs of others, and many do a lot of giving. While the giving is great the motives may not be so great. Our giving should be based upon our relationship with Jesus Christ. Our giving should come from the desire to live our life like Christ, and from our hearts. He will create a great desire for us to help and love others. Doing good works without a solid relationship with Jesus is just that, “good works.” Being good and doing good in this life will not get you to heaven! When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior he doesn’t just come over for a visit and then go home. He comes to stay. He becomes our life and our way of life. It is from this relationship that our love for others will develop us into great givers. This relationship will develop good works in our lives, with not motives that benefit us, but instead with true love for others. Let us stay strong in our faith and live our lives with love for others. Remember, our relationship with Christ will cultivate our love for others and our good works will come from that love. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” PROVE BY THE WAY YOU LIVE THAT YOU HAVE REPENTED OF YOUR SINS AND TURNED TO GOD.” MATTHEW 3:8

It is one thing to say we believe in our God in heaven, but it is completely another thing to live a life of proof. We are to show the fruits of our beliefs by living our lives with strong faith and peace of mind. The lives that we live should reflect the promises our God has provided for us. We are to confess our sins, repent of them and move forward with great confidence in our Lord. We must rebuke, through the powerful name of Jesus, the evil things of this world and stand upon the principles of our Lord God. We should walk in faith and not doubt. We should walk with strength and not in fear. We should tell the truth and not lies. We should love our neighbors and not hate them. We should tell the word of God to all, and then live the life of proof. As we become a child of God, we should learn from him and be obedient. We should put him first in our lives and not second, third or fourth. We must build our faith to its greatest power. We must begin to believe the things unseen rather than the evil that we can see. Our Lord is preparing to come soon. Are we really prepared? We should examine ourselves daily and compare our actions to God’s ways of life. He loves us and will not fail us! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATUONS!

” JESUS GAVE HIS LIFE FOR OUR SINS, JUST AS GOD OUR FATHER PLANNED, IN ORDER TO RESCUE US FROM THIS WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE.” GALATIONS 1:4

The turmoil and the confusion of this world is too much for human beings to handle on their own. Everybody is looking for something to help them cope. However, the only way to cope is by the plan of our Lord in heaven. Those who try to cope on their own, fail miserably. They are unable to live through the disease, the sickness, the confusion, the lies, the cheating, the murder and the intimidation that is put before them. Our God in heaven knew in the beginning how this was all going to work out. He loves us so much that he sent our rescuer, in the person of Jesus Christ, to this earth to die and be resurrected. Because of the sacrifice our Lord Jesus made, you and I are rescued from all of this turmoil. Yes, we have to live it, but with faith in Jesus and all of his promises, God has given us the ability to be overcomers. We know that our God is with us. We have the Holy Spirit to help us, to give us guidance and keep us safe. Because of our belief in the unseen, we are able to live with strength, patience and joy through all of the turmoil we confront. It is not easy, but it is the only way. Once we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are saved. But in order for us to live successful lives on this earth we must increase our faith and clutch to God’s promises. We must read his word, meditate upon it and be faithful in prayer. If we don’t know his Holy Word, then it is impossible to hold onto his promises and live our lives the way he desires of us. Keep praying and keep close to God each day. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

“EXAMINE YOURSELVES TO SEE IF YOUR FAITH IS GENUINE. TEST YOURSELVES. SURELY YOU KNOW THAT JESUS CHRIST IS AMONG YOU; IF NOT, YOU HAVE FAILED THE TEST OF GENUINE FAITH.” 2 CORINTHIANS 13:5

As we go about our busy lives it becomes easy for us to sometimes sway back into the ways and thoughts of the world. We are so busy that we probably don’t even know that we are doing it. It is important that we occasionally take a timeout from our busy lives and test ourselves. We should put our complete focus on our actions, thoughts and words. Is our life lining up with the commands given us in God’s holy word? Are we living a life of faith? Are we joyful or are we angry, worrisome and fearful? Do we turn our lives over to the Lord each day or do we forget and try to run our own lives? We should be dedicating each day to the Lord our God in heaven. We should be living a life of faith where we trust the Holy Spirt and not the world to lead us. Are we doing things we know that are not of God just because the world demands it? We need to take notice, repent and ask for forgiveness. We then need to trust our Lord by strengthening our faith, putting God first in our lives and not be concerned about the world. We should be living by the Word of God and not the word of the world. This is not easy. That is the reason we must examine our lives. It is easy to live a life that reflects the ways of the world, but with prayer, thanksgiving and complete trust in our Lord and Savior our lives will reflect our Lord Jesus. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” SO THAT YOU MAY CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF GOD, AND THAT BY BELIEVING IN HIM YOU WILL HAVE LIFE BY THE POWER OF HIS NAME.” JOHN 20:31

I want to live in the Power and Life District while I am here in this world. I want to be safe and live within the total grasp of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I desire to live in what is considered to be a safe place. I want to be under the total protection plan of my Lord and Savior. I want to be covered by his great promises and his mighty wisdom and understanding. I want to be an overcomer, a great testimony, and one with great faith and belief in our Great God in heaven. I want to live in a place where doubt, worry, fear, jealousy, intimidation, unforgiveness and all evil does not control me. There is great power in the name of Jesus. The devil and his demons flee when they hear his name. There is great power in the shed blood of Jesus. The devil and his demons weep when they see believers properly take communion and renew the power of the blood of Jesus in their lives. They know that they have lost and cannot win that battle. There is nothing stronger and more faithful than the name of Jesus. We must not only continue to believe this, but we must also put it into action in our lives. We must live our lives with courage and the strength of the name of Jesus. There is great power in that name! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” MY GRACE IS ALL YOU NEED. MY POWER WORKS BEST IN WEAKNESS.” 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9

” FOR WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG.” 2 CORINTHIANS 12:10

Life is hard for each of us. We all go through things that affect us in traumatic ways. It is in these times that we either strengthen our faith and live the life our Lord has given us, or we fail miserably and live in sorrow, fear and doubt. As many of you know my son was diagnosed with brain cancer a couple of years ago. Throughout this time, it has brought both my wife and me closer to the Lord through complete faith in his power and his strength. It is never easy. However, throughout this whole experience the Lord has kept telling me that no matter what things look like or what others say, everything was going to be OK. He was going to use my son as a testimony to others with his strength and faith. Yesterday, my wife and I visited our son and from the last visit to this visit he had lost effective speech, the use of his right arm, and his balance. His sight is being affected and he is going to be using a wheelchair moving forward. From the outside looking in, this situation looks dreadful, sad and impossible to overcome. However, that is not what I saw. I saw Michael and his wife Angela with strength, faith and a positive attitude. I saw both being a great witness on behalf of Jesus. I saw them living their lives with hope and an understanding that when things get tough, our Lord is right there by their side. Their faith is not in the doctors who tell them that there is nothing else they can do, but instead, their faith is in the Great Physician, Jesus Christ! You see, the greater the problem we are in, the greater the miracle to get us out. The greater the problem the greater the testimony. When you live it, and others see it, then they believe it. It isn’t just words, but it becomes reality. Grace is all we need. For when we as Christians are at our weakest we are at our strongest! The Lord is using Mike and Angela. They have a ministry that is real. They live it! Others are watching them, and they are testifying for the precious grace our Lord has given them. We love them both very much, but we don’t love them and never can love them as much as our Lord does. No matter the outcome it will for the good of our God in heaven. Bless you Mike and Angela! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“ THEN HE SAID TO THOMAS, ‘ PUT YOUR FINGER HERE, LOOK AT MY HANDS. PUT YOUR HAND INTO THE WOUND IN MY SIDE. DON’T BE FAITHLESS ANY LONGER. BELIEVE! JOHN 20: 27

When the disciples saw Jesus after his resurrection Thomas was not with them. When he was told about the appearing of Jesus, he did not believe. He not only didn’t believe but he demanded that he must first see and touch the wounds. After Jesus did appear to Thomas the Lord granted his demands and after Thomas had touched his wounds, he did believe. Jesus then told him to not be faithless any longer and instead, BELIEVE! Thomas had to build his faith. The Lord gave him a crash course and then was very firm about his unbelief moving forward. I believe that you and I are in the same boat as Thomas. As we build our faith there are times where doubts do creep in, and we just have to have a sign or something that we can touch or see before we can believe. When these times happen, this is not belief. This is not having the faith that God wants us to have. He wants our total being and not just part of us. He doesn’t want us to sometimes have faith and sometimes not. I am not really sure that is even possible. It is vital that we build ourselves up in his word to the place it becomes our very nature. Our faith must take over the way we live, and when it does, the doubts, worries and fear flee from us! We must not be faithless any longer. We must BELIEVE! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” THIS MEANS THAT GOD’S HOLY PEOPLE MUST ENDURE PERSECUTION PATIENTLY AND REMAIN FAITHFUL.” REVELATION 13:10

” AND WITH ALL OF THE MIRACLES HE WAS ALLOWED TO PERFORM ON BEHALF OF THE FIRST BEAST, HE DECEIVED ALL PEOPLE WHO BELONG TO THIS WORLD.” REVELATION 13:14

We are to seek the truth and not false claims. We live in a world of lies. It means nothing in our world today to not tell the truth. Our God in heaven warns us that in the end days there will be false prophets. These evil spirits will twist and turn the word of God in every way but the right way. They will use his good to create evil. It is very important that we fact check everything we hear, and every word spoken to us. We must take it and compare it to God’s Word. The Lord tells us that even the elect will be deceived in these end days. We live in a time where we must have a faith that creates trust in our God, and not in the ways and the words of the world we live in. The Lord has given us his Holy Spirit to give us the tools we need to understand. It is necessary that we have our Lord next to us at all times, in prayer and meditation in his Word. Stay strong and be alert! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” WE ARE HUMAN BUT WE DO NOT WAGE WAR AS HUMANS DO. WE USE GOD’S MIGHTY WEAPONS, NOT WORLDLY WEAPONS TO KNOCK DOWN THE STRONGHOLDS OF HUMAN REASONING AND TO DESTROY FALSE ARGUMENTS.” 2 CORINTHIANS 10:3-4

There is a great spiritual war going on around us. We are caught up in this war between good and evil and we must know how to fight to win. As Christians we have chosen sides and fight on the side of our God in heaven. We belong to his army. Our problem is that we go into our daily battles unprepared. We use the ways of this world to try and overcome the spiritual evils that come against us. This never works. We need spiritual strength in order to be successful in our fights. Our Lord God has given us weapons to fight with. He has given us the ability to access the Holy Spirit who lives in us for guidance and strength. In the name of Jesus, we have a direct line to our God and the ability to access Him at all times. If we ask, he will give us wisdom and understanding. He will give us strength and help us to trust his mighty word and the promises he offers. He will save us; he is our refuge and our safety net. If our faith is strong, we are able to go toe to toe with the evils of the spiritual world and succeed. We are able to fight the lying and cheating, the misinformation and the uncontrollable reasoning of the world today. We are of the army of God in heaven. We have been chosen for this time and this assignment. It doesn’t matter what we are going through in our lives we must trust in God to protect us and give us what we need to answer the call to duty. We should read his word, meditate upon it and learn every promise he provides for us. We must then take action and act upon those promises. He loves us and will never let us fail. All glory to our God on High! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” THE LORD DIRECTS THE STEPS OF THE GODLY. HE DELIGHTS IN EVERY DETAIL OF THEIR LIVES. THOUGH THEY STUMBLE, THEY WILL NEVER FALL, FOR THE LORD HOLDS THEM BY THE HAND.” PSALM 37: 23-24

Our Lord God in heaven watches over each and every one of us. He knows our thoughts, desires, needs and intentions. Psalm 37 says that he delights in every detail of our lives. He is with us when we celebrate and when we are in our deepest depression. We may stumble along the way because of all of the obstacles set before us, but he is right there beside us. His mighty presence keeps us safe, strong and without fear. We are never alone as long as we choose to have him with us. He is there for every question and every situation. He never fails us. We, however, must decide to include our Lord in our lives. We must accept the Holy Spirit to live within us and give us daily guidance and strength. We must strengthen our faith and believe, without doubt, that he never leaves or abandons us. If we choose to go it alone then our Lord will not be by our side. Our troubles will be ours to fight, and we will depend on the resources around us. These resources will eventually end, and our hope will be gone. We will be overcome and in desperate need of something else and many, because of their stubbornness, will give up. It is at these times that many others come to Christ. It doesn’t’ matter when or how we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior but what matters is that we do it! With our acceptance we receive all of the benefits that he so graciously provides to us through his promises. He is with us always! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” ASK USING MY NAME, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE, AND YOU WILL HAVE ABUNDANT JOY.” JOHN 16:24

” FAITH IS THE ASSURANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR, THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN.” HEBREWS 11:1

Our Lord has given us ample opportunities to live our lives here on earth with joy in our hearts and with peace of mind. He does not allow anyone of us to struggle on our own unless we so choose. He has provided us with promises throughout the bible and he is forever faithful with each promise. He has given us the keys to be able to access these promises. We may read and know every promise in the bible but unless we are able to accept them and act upon them, they are of no use to us. We must have faith. We must believe that when our Lord speaks, we will receive. We have mentioned many times that without faith we are left unguarded and at the will of the evil around us. There is no light at the end of the tunnel and no way out. But with faith, we have our Lord Jesus. There is great power in his name. When the devil and his demons hear that name, they flee. There is no way they can overcome the strength and power of the name of Jesus. There are many who say they trust in God. But what God? There are many different Gods. However, when you say the name of Jesus it rouses the ears of those around us. They either become upset and criticize us or they take a strong interest and want to hear more. It is with great faith and the Name of Jesus that our God hears us. Without faith in Jesus our God in heaven doesn’t know us. Jesus is our mediator, our protector and our Savior. It is with faith that we receive Him. It is by faith that we act upon His word. It is by faith that we trust in what he tells us. It is by faith that we listen to the Holy Spirit and follow His lead. We have the keys. Now we must use them. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” WHEN THEY CALL ON ME I WILL ANSWER; I WILL BE WITH THEM IN TROUBLE. I RESCUE AND HONOR THEM. I WILL REWARD THEM WITH A LONG LIFE AND GIVE THEM MY SALVATION.” PSALM 91:15

Every issue we have or problem we must overcome is important to our God in heaven. He is always by our side walking with us. It is not his desire for us to suffer through our troubles, but he does use those troubles for his glory. He will never allow us to go through more than we can handle, and our Lord knows our tolerance. However, if we believe and trust in him, he will bring us forward through each and every issue we have and allow us to stand strong before others with a testimony that will honor and praise his strength, wisdom, love, peace of mind and joy. Unfortunately, the more pain and suffering we go through the more the world sees and reacts to. It takes great faith and a constant belief that God in heaven is with us. The Holy Spirit lives in us and we need to tap his resources to help us as we move forward. The more patience, the more strength, and the more joy we show through our struggles, the more the world will ask questions. The Lord will use our sorrows, our sicknesses and our struggles to show others his great strength. We must stand up in the face of these struggles and continue to confess his great healing power. There is no doubt with him and there should be no doubt in us. He loves us and needs us to witness on his behalf. But, if we don’t, he will find those who will. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” O LORD, YOU ARE A GREAT AND AWSOME GOD! YOU ALWAYS FULFILL YOUR COVENANT AND KEEP YOUR PROMISES OF UNFAILING LOVE TO THOSE WHO LOVE YOU AND OBEY YOUR COMMANDS.” DANIEL 9:4

I know for a fact that too often I live in the past and the future. I get overly concerned about the things that have already happened and I cannot change, and I get overly concerned about the future where things have not yet happened, and I seem to conjure up thoughts and ideas of how things will happen and begin to believe in the untruths of the future. As I look back, I can see that I spend way too much time in those two areas. Our Lord tells us we are to live one day at a time. When we do, we are able to go to him with the facts and sincerely lay them at his feet. He has promised to honor our contract with him and keep all of his promises. Our Lord is a great and awesome God. It is important to stay in the moment and deal with the issues at hand. We should not spend time thinking of what has already happened or what we think is going to happen. Those are things for our Lord to deal with and not you and me. He has a plan, and he will not change it. Each day has enough trouble of its own to deal with without us adding on yesterday and tomorrow. Remember, yesterday is over, tomorrow has not yet happened, but today is where we are living! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE PROMISES, DEAR FRIENDS, LET US CLEANSE OURSELVES FROM ANYTHING THAT CAN DEFILE OUR BODY OR SPIRIT. AND LET US WORK TOWARD COMPLETE HOLINESS BECAUSE WE FEAR GOD. 2 CORINTHIANS 7:1

Our God has given us promises throughout the bible. You and I must continue to become familiar with each of them, believe in them, accept them and manifest them in our lives. We are to purify ourselves from anything that contaminates our body and spirit. We are surrounded with evil on every side. We must strengthen our faith and know that our God will deliver us no matter the situation. We must stay focused on Jesus and never look back. Just as in Sodom and Gomorrah, our Lord will lead us from the tragedy about to happen. However, we must not look back and have second thoughts as Lot’s wife did. We must give ourselves completely to the Lord. We must trust in him and have a faith that never waivers. He loves us and we are to love him. It matters not what things look like around us. Our faith and trust in our Lord will carry us through each burning fire and out of each valley. Trust Him, have faith in Him and manifest his promises in your Life! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO TAKE THEM OUT OF THE WORLD, BUT TO KEEP THEM SAFE FROM THE EVIL ONE. THEY DO NOT BELONG TO THIS WORLD ANYMORE THAN I DO.” JOHN 17:15-16

” I AM PRAYING NOT ONLY FOR THESE DISCIPLES BUT ALSO FOR ALL WHO WILL EVER BELIEVE IN ME THROUGH THEIR MESSAGE.” JOHN 17:20

We are in this world, but we are not of this world. The Lord Jesus made this very clear in his prayer to God just before his arrest. He did not pray that God take each of us out of this world in order to save us. He prayed that God would keep us safe from the evil one. As believers of the truth, we are to continue with his word and tell it to others. We are always going to be met with resistance just as Jesus was. However, we are to continue to move forward with his message, with the understanding, that God has promised us he will never give us more than we can handle. If we confront a problem in life, then we can be assured that our Lord has given us the resources to meet it head on. We are not to run away and hide. We are instead to look it squarely in the eye and move forward with the confidence and assurances of our God in heaven. We are members of the army of God. We have duties to fulfill in this war against evil. We must continue to stay strong and reinforce our faith on a daily basis. We should feed our spirits each day with the true word of God. We should never forget his mighty promises in our lives. We should never waiver in our belief and trust. He has given us all of the tools necessary to succeed and not fail! Believe, trust and do! We are to be doers of the word and not hearers only. We are in the world but not of the world. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” HERE ON EARTH YOU WILL HAVE MANY TRIALS AND SORROWS. BUT TAKE HEART, BECAUSE I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.” JOHN 16:33

” FOR WE LIVE BY BELIEVING AND NOT SEEING.” 2 CORINTHIANS 5:7

Everybody has trials and tribulations. Everyone must live their life in such a way as to deal with those trials and tribulations. As followers of Christ, we have a light at the end of the tunnel. We have the promise that our Lord has overcome the world. He has saved us from everlasting sorrow and problems. He gives us the hope that we need to live a life that helps us to endure. As we stay focused on Him, we can walk through the fires of evil and the sorrows that are standing before us. We know that Jesus came to this world and overcame the evil it presents. He walked in our shoes. He endured and was victorious. Because he was victorious, we are victorious. We live our lives by believing and not by seeing. We are not to question him but to believe in him. It is vital that our faith stays strong. Our faith is built upon hearing his word and hearing his word comes from the word of God. We must dedicate our time to him. We must meditate and study his word. We must pray and talk with him everyday. We must involve him in our lives and be sure that we trust him to control the outcomes. He loves us and will never fail us! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” AND ABRAM BELIEVED THE LORD, AND THE LORD COUNTED HIM RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE OF HIS FAITH.” GENESIS 15:6

“TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD. OH, THE JOYS OF THOSE WHO TAKE REFUGE IN HIM!” PSALM 34:8

” LET YOUR UNFAILING LOVE SURROUND US, LORD, FOR OUR HOPE IS IN YOU ALONE.” PSALM 33:32

“SO BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS, ALL YOU WHO PUT YOUR HOPE IN THE LORD! PSALM 31:24

I talk about faith a lot. It is because without a strong faith we would have nothing. It takes faith to even believe in Jesus. Our Lord God honors our faith. He does things that the world declares as impossible. We don’t always see them manifested as miracles, but they are things in everyday life, that if we look back, we can see our Lord has had a hand in every situation we allow him to. I don’t know that we can ever reach the end of how strong our faith can be in our Lord. He is never ending and everlasting. It appears that building our faith is never ending and everlasting as well. With faith in what he tells us he can and will do for us, we can live our lives with more joy and freedom. We are free of the chains that bind us in this world. We are allowed to believe in the most impossible things according to this world. With strong faith, we get out of our Lord’s way and let him work miracles and work in all situations in our lives. We look to him even in the smallest of matters. We think of him in every situation and take action by allowing him to move in our lives. He loves us and wants to help us. Why do we continue to hinder him? Why do we allow ourselves to let the world influence the way we believe? We are overcomers in Christ. Let’s live our lives as such and always believe that we receive! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

“FOR THE MORE WE SUFFER FOR CHRIST, THE MORE GOD WILL SHOWER US WITH HIS COMFORT THROUGH CHRIST. ” 2 CORINTHIANS 1:5

” I WILL PROTECT THOSE WHO TRUST IN MY NAME.” PSALM 91:14

” THE LORD IS CLOSE TO THE BROKENHEARTED; HE RESCUES THOSE WHOSE SPIRITS ARE CRUSHED.” PSALM 34:18

Sometimes it is necessary that we reach rock bottom in our lives in order for our witness for Christ to shine. Some appear to suffer more than others, but we must remember we all have a cross to carry. There are times in our lives, when even as we continue to be dedicated to our Lord Jesus, our situations not only do not improve but they seem to get worse. Does that mean that the Lord has forsaken us? Does that mean that there is no God who cares? Of course not! These are times where our faith and trust in him must be at its strongest. We must dig deeper into his word, pray his promise for our lives and believe without wavering that he has answered our prayers. We must be patient and know that in his timing the answers to our prayers will be manifested. When we are at our worst is when our Lord is at this best. He has a plan, and we must continue to believe! Our Lord has promised us that if we pray within his will and believe, he will answer our prayers. We must climb out of the hole that contains self-pity and a sorrowful attitude. We must begin to look at things from God’s point of view and not that of the world. We must keep in mind that what looks to be doomed in this world is a bright spot with our God in heaven. We must begin to trust God no matter his answers. His plan is perfect and ours is tremendously flawed. If we keep him as our source and go to him with ALL THINGS, then he will give us the patience we need and the peace of mind that he so graciously promises us. Build your faith, exercise your faith, trust and receive from him! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” IN MY DESPERATION I PRAYED, AND THE LORD LISTENED; HE SAVED ME FROM ALL OF MY TROUBLES.” PSALM 34:6

” HE RENEWS OUR STRENGTH.” PSALM 23:3

There are those in this world who pray only in their times of desperation. They reach the end of the line, and they finally figure out that there is none other than the Lord God in heaven who can help them. I think we have all reached this point at one time or another in our lives. Even those of us who trust in our God and his loving ways, sometime need to reach the end of the rope to realize that we can’t solve our own problems. We don’t have the ability overcome the world or resist its temptations. We don’t have the strength to climb over huge mountains of problems. It is at these times he renews our strength. He comes to our rescue. He needs our attention and sometimes it takes great failures in life for us to be humbled enough to bow down before him and confess and repent. He loves us and will never leave us. He will never fail us. He will, however, save us! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” GOD IS OUR MERCIFUL FATHER AND SOURCE OF ALL COMFORT. HE COMFORTS US IN ALL OUR TROUBLES SO THAT WE CAN COMFORT OTHERS.” 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-4

Our God in heaven is undeniably the source of all our comfort. There is no other. His comfort lasts forever. It is with us at every turn and with every problem we face. He is never unfaithful to those who believe. We are to live with love in our hearts. We are to live our lives in such a way that we are able to comfort others in their times of need. We can only be a comforter to others if we truly believe that our God is in total control. It doesn’t matter whether we are going through terrible times or good times, our God is in control. Our problem is that we sometimes try our best to be God. We try to do things on our own without thinking of God. We leave him out of our troubles and try to figure them out ourselves. When we are living through great experiences and times of blessings, we often forget to praise God and give him the credit he deserves. We should be living each day with the Lord in control. We should be appreciative of all things whether we are going through good or bad times. If he is our refuge and our safety net, then his promises become our armor and success stories. Our faith must continue to become stronger and stronger each day. Our problems and troubles do not wait upon our faith to grow. They are always standing in our way. Our success depends upon how we trust in our God and act upon his ways. He comforts us so that we can comfort others. Meditation in his word and prayers and requests are needed all day long. Our daily focus should be on him and nothing else. When it is everything else falls into place. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“BE ON GUARD. STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH. BE COURAGEOUS. BE STRONG. AND DO EVERYTHING WITH LOVE.” 1 CORINTHIANS 16:13-14

Committing our ways and following the way of Jesus is a constant struggle. No one told us that after we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior that our world would instantly become an easy place to live. It is not easy to live a righteous life. We have constant attacks from the devil and his ruthless demons. We find ourselves in the deepest of valleys and climbing over the highest of mountains. There are roadblocks constantly put in our way as we travel through each day. The ways of this world bombard us with doubt, worry, fear, jealousy, unforgiveness, pride, anger, bitterness, rage, slander, lust, lying and cheating, among many other evil ways. However, there is hope. Our Lord God has offered himself as our safety net, and our refuge. He will protect us, give us courage, strength and wisdom. We must be watchful. We must never waiver in our faith in his truth. We must stay strong and believe we receive because he is our source and not the world. The end of this world as we currently know it is upon us. Our Lord Jesus stands on the threshold of the door in heaven waiting for God’ instructions. We do not know exactly when this day and time will come but we are not to be caught unaware. We are to stay focused with constant praise and prayer to our Lord God in heaven. He sent the Holy Spirit to be with us and to guide us. We must believe and take our Lord God seriously. We must live our lives with love, peace and joy in our hearts and always be on guard! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” FOR THE WORD OF THE LORD HOLDS TRUE, AND WE CAN TRUST EVERYTHING HE DOES.” PSALM 33:4

” SO, MY DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS BE STRONG AND IMMOVABLE. ALWAYS WORK ENTHUSIASTICALLY FOR THE LORD, FOR YOU KNOW THAT NOTHING YOU DO FOR THE LORD IS EVER USELESS.” 1 CORINTHIANS 15:58

If we know and understand that the word of God is true, then we should know that all that he does is true. This should excite each and every one of us. We should work on behalf of the Lord with an intense and eager enjoyment. We should be so strong in our belief in his word, that we become immovable and never waiver. We should become joyful and know without doubt that his promise for our life is unwavering. We should eagerly spread his word to others by living our life in such a way that displays his love and his trustworthy promises. It is one thing to tell others about Christ, but it is completely different when we live what we believe. We are to many unbelievers, the only bible they have read. We become living examples of the truth of our God. The Lord honors everything we do on his behalf. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” YOU CANNOT DRINK FROM THE CUP OF THE LORD AND FROM THE CUP OF DEMONS, TOO! 1 CORINTHIANS 10:21

“SO, WHETHER YOU EAT OF DRINK, OR WHATEVER YOU DO, DO IT ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.” 1CORINTHIANS 10:31

Our God in heaven wants all of us and not part. As a matter of fact, we cannot live both for the world and for the Glory of God. We have to make a decision. In everything we do we are to do it for God’s glory. We must have him at the forefront of our thoughts and make sure that the things we do and say are glorifying him. If they are not, then we are not living our lives with him in mind. We are living our lives in the world and probably with thoughts of what will glorify us, or what will satisfy the world around us. We cannot have one foot in the world and the other foot in the glory of God. It is impossible! As 1 Corinthians 10:21 puts it, “YOU CANNOT DRINK FROM THE CUP OF THE LORD AND FROM THE CUP OF DEMONS, TOO. ” We are to plug into the Lord each day. We are to listen and learn from the Holy Spirit. Whether we are eating, drinking, going to work, taking a walk or making conversation, we are to do it for the Glory of God! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” THE LORD SAYS, ‘ I WILL GUIDE YOU ALONG THE BEST PATHWAY FOR YOUR LIFE. I WILL ADVISE AND WATCH OVER YOU. DO NOT BE LIKE A SENSELESS HORSE OR MULE THAT NEEDS A BIT AND BRIDLE TO KEEP IT UNDER CONTROL.’ ” PSALM 32:8-9

” HIS FAITHFUL PROMISES ARE YOUR ARMOR AND PROTECTION.” PSALM 91:4

Sometimes our behavior can be like that of a stubborn mule. We refuse to listen, and our desire is to do things our way. Afterall, we are our own person, right? WRONG! When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we surrender unto him. We give everything to him and trust him in and for every situation. However, as human beings we continue to make mistakes. We sometimes fall short of our goals or take the wrong path for our lives. It is in those times that we must recognize our mistakes and return to our God in prayer for his forgiveness. We must understand that he knows what is best for us. He is willing and ready to guide us through all jungles we come across or help us climb over mountains we must climb. He promises that he will watch over us and give us good advice. All that we must do is listen to him, do what he tells us to do, and trust him to the fullest. Psalm 32:8-9 is a promise for our lives. But we must be willing to listen and be obedient to his promises. We must continually remember that he never has, nor will he ever, fail on a promise. Psalm 91:4 reminds us that his faithful promises are our armor and our protection. We must, however, be willing to follow him and live our lives that are in obedience to his word. We must continue to build ourselves up in the Lord and never allow worldly ways to dictate how we live. He is our guide and our advisor! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” AND GOD IS FAITHFUL. HE WILL NOT ALLOW THE TEMPTATION TO BE MORE THAN YOU CAN STAND.” 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13

Living in this world brings with it the evils of the devil and his demons. They have turned this world upside down and made it confusing to live in. However, our Lord God in heaven has prepared us. He has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us and lead us through these temptations and trials. He tells us that he is faithful and will never allow temptation to be more than we can handle. Jesus is returning soon. For those who are prepared he will take with him to the marriage feast he has prepared. For those who are not prepared, they will be left to deal with an even more confusing world than before. The bible tells us that even the elect will be deceived in the end days. This is not a time for us to be unfaithful. It is not a time for our faith to become weak. We must stay focused and never let down. The devil knows exactly what is happening. He knows that his time is short, but he is doing everything possible to deceive the children of God and keep them from the rapture. We must stay strong and continue to pray on a minute-to-minute basis. We must stay focused on our Lord and always involve him in our lives. Remember, he loves us and will never leave us! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!