Michael J Burchett Ministries

“Set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” Colossians 3:1-2

Heaven is real! Life in heaven with Jesus is real! It is so easy to forget that reality. We are constantly surrounded by the ways of the world we live in. We are surrounded by worldly thoughts, actions and deeds. When Jesus went to set at the right hand of God, God sent us the Holy Spirit to live within us and help us to stay close to him. The Holy Spirit helps us to live our lives with strength and hope. We are to live with joy and peace of mind. We can only live our lives in this way if we believe in the promises he has given us. In order to believe, we must surround ourselves with the things of our God in heaven. We must put total trust in his promises, and we must not only accept them, but we must put them into action in our lives. When we begin to live his promises then heavenly reality sets in. We live our lives here with a new and re-focused purpose. Our sights are set on our Lord God above and not what surrounds us here on this earth. He loves us and wants us to live our lives on this earth with confidence, hope and understanding. So, let him take you by the hand and not only guide you but love you the way he wants to. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. COLOSSIANS 2:7

These past three days have been the hardest that I have ever faced. My son passed away with brain cancer after 27 months of hard work, strong faith and total trust in his Lord and Savior. There is a reason for everything, but it is hard to understand why things happen the way they do. These past three days were filled with sadness and many tears and ended with a fantastic celebration of life that included many great memories. I was able to see so many lives that my son had touched throughout his life. His life with Christ began back when he was about 11 to 12 years old. At that time, we were attending the best church that I believe we have ever attended. Mike came forward and wanted to be baptized and was baptized at Big Indian Lake just south of Wymore, Ne. It was there that his journey with the Lord took off. He lived his life with a purpose, and that purpose was to live for Christ Jesus. He allowed his roots to grow deep into Jesus and allowed his faith to become stronger and stronger. These past 27 months displayed his ultimate faith and trust in God. His faith and spiritual strength spread to others in his life and prepared them to function with great faith and strength of their own. He knew all along that the Lord was calling him home. He continued to be strong, joyful and funny right up until his passing. Even after his death he is still testifying for the Lord as he left great memories for all close to him to remember. You and I should continue to let our roots grow deep into Jesus. We should continue to work every day to strengthen our faith and live the life the Lord has set forth for each of us. We can all rest assured that someday we will all be together again. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

“BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN HIS MIGHTY POWER. PUT ON ALL OF GOD’S ARMOR SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STAND FIRM AGAINST ALL OF THE STRATEGIES OF THE DEVIL. FOR WE ARE NOT FIGHTING AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD ENEMIES, BUT AGAINST EVIL RULERS AND AUTHORITIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD, AND AGAINST EVIL SPIRITS IN HEAVENLY PLACES.” EPHESIANS 6:10-12

This scripture needs very little narrative. It stands on its own. When we realize that we are not fighting against one another but instead against spiritual forces of the dark places of the spiritual world, then we are able to prepare in the proper way. We are not to use human or earthly ways to fight. We are to use what God gives us. The devil does and always will, until the end of his time, use deceitful strategies. He will use mind games and every way possible to make us stumble and fight one another. We are to put on God’s armor of truth, righteousness and peace. We are to use his Shield of Faith, Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit. We are to pray in the Spirit and be persistent in our prayers. When we do these things, WE WILL BE VICTORIOUS! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” SO, BE CAREFUL HOW YOU LIVE. DON’T LIVE LIKE FOOLS, BUT LIKE THOSE WHO ARE WISE. MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY IN THESE EVIL DAYS.” EPHESIANS 5:15-16

This morning I am going to speak from personal experience. How easy I find it to live like a fool. To live with the thoughts and the deeds of a fool. Sometimes I allow anger to overcome me. Sometimes I allow jealousy to overcome me. It is so easy to live like a fool. It is easy to live with a poor attitude, selfishness, and bitterness. We are told in Ephesians 5:15-16 that we are to be careful how we live. It is hard and it is impossible to live our lives to satisfy everyone. We are to live our lives carefully representing the thoughts and actions of our Lord Jesus. We are to put our efforts into actions that result in the love, peace, joy and strength of our Lord. We are to live our life listening to the Holy Spirit who resides within us. I once heard that if you didn’t want to get bitten by a snake then stay away from it. Simple, right? Not so much. However, if we have problems that cause us to be critical of others, then stay away of the situation. There are people and situations that just do not mesh with us, no matter how we try to make them do so. No matter how hard we pray and ask for forgiveness we still sometimes travel on the wrong path. We still find ourselves jealous or angry about things that have sometimes happened years before. Sometimes we go overboard in trying within ourselves to make things work. The devil loves to play in these situations and cause havoc. We must not give in to the devil. We must not allow him to cause the grief that comes from hate, jealousy and mistrust. We must put our trust totally in the Lord and allow him to work in our lives. We must seal up the cracks in our faith foundation and move forward in love and peace. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” BUT I FOCUS ON THIS ONE THING: FORGETTING THE PAST AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT LIES AHEAD, I PRESS ON TO REACH THE END OF THE RACE AND RECEIVE THE HEAVENLY PRIZE FOR WHICH GOD, THROUGH CHRIST JESUS, IS CALLING US.” PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14

“HE WILL TAKE OUR WEAK MORTAL BODIES AND CHANGE THEM INTO GLORIOUS BODIES LIKE HIS OWN, USING THE SAME POWER WITH WHICH HE WILL BRING EVERYTHING UNDER HIS CONTROL.” PHILIPPIANS 3:21

Our Lord is so wonderful! He is loving, gracious, and forgiving. There is nothing in this world that compares. He is our comforter, our warrior and our refuge in time of troubles. As we are being attacked everyday, we are to stay strong by focusing, not on the past, but on the future. Our Lord has promised us great and heavenly things and our focus in life is to reach our final destination. We are to continue to push forward in his ways and continue our fight every day. Jesus is calling us. He has great and glorious things waiting for us when we reach our final resting place with him. No matter what has happened to us on our journey in this world he will take our mortal and weakened bodies and change them into glorious bodies just like his. With a strong and reliant faith in Jesus we are able to fight the good fight and win our way through the evil of this world right into the loving arms of Jesus Christ. He is with us always and when we do reach our final destination, we will meet him face to face! What a glorious and wonderful prize! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“COME TO ME, ALL OF YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND CARRY HEAVY BURDENS, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.” MATTHEW 11:28

Each of us, as we live in this world, take on heavy burdens that weigh us down. We seem to carry them around with us by loading up on constant worry and/or fear. Sometimes we add burden upon burden as we live our lives, until we come to the end of the road and reach our breaking points. Our God in heaven has given us the opportunity to be relieved of these burdens even as we live them in our daily lives. If our faith is strong and our trust in his Holy Word is non-wavering, then we can rest assured that he will take these troubles upon himself and relieve us of the heavy weight. When we truly turn our problems over to him, our anguish and our sicknesses become his and then we are able to concentrate on what our real goal should be. As he lifts us up, we are to lift him up with praise and thanksgiving. He will become our focus and our reason for living. He will take care of our children and keep us safe and in his grace. He loves each of us more than we can ever imagine. We must trust and have unrelenting faith in his grace and love for us each. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” HE WILL WIPE EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES, AND THERE WILL BE NO MORE DEATH OR SORROW OR CRYING OR PAIN. ALL THESE THINGS ARE GONE FOREVER.” REVELATION 21:4

Today’s message becomes extremely personal for me. As many of you know my son Michael Scott has fought the battle with brain cancer for the past two years. As a born-again Christian he has always been close to the Lord. His faith has always been strong and his love for others has been unwavering. That battle ended yesterday. That long and faithful battle ended with a tear from his eyes followed with a large smile, as he met with all of his grandparents and others who have gone before him. He no longer is in pain. He is no longer in sorrow, and that tear in his eyes has been wiped away by the Lord. He has always been a standard in our family. Our three girls looked up to him and continue to love him very much as do Jane and me. He began a new family with his wife Angela and her two daughters Hayden and Loren. They became a part of him, and they are now a part of us. He was the beginning of our family and will always be the beginning. The memories will keep him alive in our hearts and we will continue to live our lives as though he is right beside us. He is in heaven today rejoicing with all of his family there. We love you Michael and we will see you soon. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” THROUGH YOU WE PUSH BACK OUR ENEMIES; THROUGH YOUR NAME WE TRAMPLE OUR FOES.” PSALM 44:5

” BUT YOU GIVE US VICTORY OVER OUR ENEMIES, YOU PUT OUR ADVERSARIES TO SHAME. PSALM 44:7

Focusing on the right things in life give us great energy and a safe place for our minds. With our focus on Jesus, we develop a mind frame of trust. As we see through the scriptures throughout the New Testament, faith and trust in Jesus is not just of great value but a necessity in life. Without him I truly do not know how the people of this world make it through each day. There are problems coming from every direction with no light at the end of the tunnel. These problems are overwhelming and are able to bring us down in one great swoop. Our God in heaven has given us the tools to be able to fight through the problems we face everyday. Some problems are small, and others are huge. It makes no difference the size of our struggles. We must train ourselves up in the Lord and depend upon him to take care of us. If we begin to put our focus on our struggles, then we will fail. You and I are not strong enough to overcome anything the world brings against us. With prayer in the name of Jesus we are able to stand before God knowing that he is in control and that we are covered by his grace and mercy and by the blood covenant of Jesus Christ. We are given great strength and understanding and the ability to stand against doubt, worry and fear. There is great power in the shed blood of our Jesus. He has walked our walk. He has been there before us and is there with us. He gives us comfort and peace in times that seem to be too large to overcome. If we just build up our faith and trust in him, we will be fine. We can do anything through the powerful name of Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” I WILL FEAR NO EVIL, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME; YOUR ROD AND YOUR STAFF, THEY COMFORT ME.” PSALM 23:4

Sometimes getting up each day is hard. We don’t know what the day will bring whether it will be good or bad. We can rest assured that our Lord is with us every step of the way. It is sometimes hard to recognize that fact when the things and the events of the world have the ability to overwhelm us. It is not easy to focus on the Lord when we are living the reality of life which seems to be giving us sour lemons and not sweep lemonade. When doubt, fear and worry come at us we do have a weapon. We must remember that there is no fear in love. Our God is love. Where he is there can be no fear. Our thoughts, words and deeds must make a change. We must begin to focus not on what we see before us, but what is promised and not yet seen. We all have been given a measure of faith, but it is up to us to build upon that measure. It is up to us to meditate on his mighty word and the promises he has given us. Without us acting upon his promises in faith they will never become reality. It is true that we don’t know what each day will bring. But it is also true that the Lord has promised us that he will be with us through it all. We can count on that! We are all human and as humans we will cry, be sad and sometimes feel alone, but rest assured, Jesus has already been through that process. He knows the feeling and he knows that we need comfort in those trying time. Let us all keep our faith strong and depend on what is right and comforting. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

“TO BE MADE NEW IN THE ATTITUDE OF YOUR MINDS; AND TO PUT ON THE NEW SELF, CREATED TO BE LIKE GOD IN TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS.” EPHESIANS 4:23-24

It is not easy to follow in the footsteps of Christ. But when we accept him as our Lord and Savior we are to change. We are to be made new in the attitudes of our minds. We are to think differently because Christ thought differently. We must put on new clothing so that those around us will see change in both attitude and action. We are to train ourselves up to be like Christ in true righteousness and holiness. Life is hard. We face things that are hard to overcome. But with the support of our Lord, we have the strength and the knowledge to be able to do so. There are no barriers in Christ. “We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” Philippians 4:13. We must stay the course. We cannot allow doubt, worry, fear, sickness or disease to deter us from the strength our Lord provides. Our Lord is in total control, and we must depend upon our faith to carry us through. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” IN HIM AND THROUGH FAITH IN HIM WE MAY APPROACH GOD WITH FREEDOM AND CONFIDENCE.” EPHESIANS 3:12

There is no problem or situation that is too big or too small for our God to handle. It is sometimes very easy to fall into the trap of believing that because our problem may be small, we don’t need to bother our God in heaven. However, a small problem can quickly become a big one if not handled correctly. We sometimes create our own forests fires because we leave God out. Jesus was sent to this world to help us. He died for each of us. He took on every problem that we can or will run across. When we approach our God in the name of Jesus, he recognizes us immediately. Jesus did not come to this world to die just for our big problems. He came to die for our very existence. Our lives in totality are to be ruled by our Lord. When Jesus went to set at the right hand of God the Father, the Holy Spirit was sent to live in us. He advises and directs our every move and our every thought. The Holy Spirit makes us more like Jesus. However, we must listen and become obedient. We must be sensitive to him and always look to him for answers. Our God in heaven loves us very much. He has left nothing to the imagination. He is very clear how we are to live our lives. He has done everything he can do to protect us. Let us all listen and learn. Let us continue to push forward with freedom and confidence! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” BUT SMALL IS THE GATE AND NARROW THE ROAD THAT LEADS TO LIFE, AND ONLY A FEW FIND IT.” MATTHEW 7:14

“NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME, ‘LORD, LORD‘ WILL ENTHER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT ONLY HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN.” MATTHEW 7:21

The time is now. It is not tomorrow or the next day but NOW! There is no more time to waste. There is no more time to waver between accepting Christ or the world. The time is now! Our world has been turned upside down. The spiritual warfare going on around us is intense and the devil is losing. He is running rampant trying to take down as many with him as he can. He hates our God in heaven, and he hates those who even think of our God in heaven. Stepping back and squandering time in trying to decide on a decision about a relationship with Christ is over. Jesus is at the threshold of heaven just waiting for his instructions from God to GO! He is about to return. The Lord makes it clear that the gate is small, and the road is narrow. Not everyone is going to make it. There are going to be those who think they know Jesus, after all they went to church every Sunday, they never murdered anyone or intentionally hurt others. As we study the word, we should recognize that it is not about going to church or following the ten commandments that is getting us to heaven. It is all about developing a personal relationship with Jesus. It is about trusting him, believing in him and doing his will and living our lives with him as our source. Yes, we should attend church and fellowship with others. Yes, we should use the ten commandments as a guide, but they will not get us to heaven. We are no longer under the law but under a new covenant with God. We are under the powerful blood of Jesus. The time is NOW. The time is not tomorrow. Tomorrow may be too late! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” HE TOOK UP OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED OUR DISEASES.” MATTHEW 8:17

Our Lord Jesus died upon that cross for you and me. The result of that was his great protection each of us. He took on the responsibility of picking up our infirmities (our chronic spiritual sicknesses which are related to the power of sin and death), and he carried our diseases. He understands that these are much too heavy for us to carry. He understands that it is impossible for us, on our own, to be strong enough to make it through these trials without him. If we will just let them go and give them to him, we will feel such a relief knowing that all is well, knowing he has them and we don’t have to worry about them. We can walk in freedom and joy knowing that he is in control. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH. BUT WHAT GOOD IS SALT IF IT HAS LOST ITS FLAVOR? CAN YOU MAKE IT SALTY AGAIN? MATTHEW 5:13

” IN THE SAME WAY LET YOUR GOOD DEEDS SHINE OUT FOR ALL TO SEE, SO THAT EVERYONE WILL PRAISE YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER.” MATTHEW 5:16

We are the salt of the earth. We are those who believe the things of our God in heaven. We are those who accept his ways and praise and live our lives as he directs us through thick and thin times. It is so easy to let down in times of struggle. However, these are the times in which we should be at our strongest. These are the times we should allow our faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to take over. The times when we are at our worst are the times our faith should shine like bright stars in the night sky. As we go through struggles in life, and continue to shine for Jesus’, those around us will begin to ask questions. They take notice allowing opportunities to open up for our witness for Christ. But if we lose our saltiness in times of struggles then we are no different than any other person of the world. We succumb to the doubts, worries, fears, sicknesses and other weaknesses. This is not the plan. We are to continue to pray for our healing. We are to continue to give our Lord thanksgiving for our strength in our time of need. It does not matter how we feel or what we see it only matters that we believe in what Jesus died for and what his death and resurrection has done for each of us in our lives. Miracles do happen every day. Some are recognized instantly, others later and still others go by without being recognized at all. In today’s world we need to be warriors for Christ. We cannot waver and sometimes be on board and other times live as the world does. We must sell out completely to Jesus. When we do, we will shine like the bright stars on a dark night. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” LET US NOT BECOME WEARY IN DOING GOOD, FOR AT THE PROPER TIME WE WILL REAP A HARVEST IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP.” GALATIANS 6:9

There are those in the world who look at the Bible as a book full of fairy tales. To them there is no meaning or substance. It is just a book. Because the Bible is the living and breathing word of God, we must be very careful to recognize it as such. It is not just another book. It is to become our life, the way we live, the way we talk and the way we think. It is a major tool in God’s tool chest in helping us to hear him, to know and understand him, and to learn how we must live our lives. Through the Bible we are able to learn more about God, his personality, his grace and his love for us. In Galatians 6:9 we are told to never become weary of doing good. We should never become tired of doing what our Lord God tells us to do. As we read and search through his Word, we will find answers to our questions and what actions we should take in different kinds of circumstances. We should never become weary in prayer and praise of our Lord. We should pray always and about all things. As we continue to build faith, we become stronger in our trust in him. It doesn’t matter whether the answers to our prayers are manifested immediately or sometime down the road. We must not grow weary, we must continue to believe and confess that belief to others. We must stay strong and without fear, doubt and worry. Galatians 6:9 also tells us that we will receive our answers and reap our rewards at the proper time, but we must never give up! God’s Holy Word is our strength and understanding! PRAISE THE LOERD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” AND WHATEVER THEIR SICKNESS OR DISEASE, OR IF THEY WERE DEMON POSSESSED OR EPILEPTIC OR PARALYZED- HE HELPED THEM ALL.” MATTHEW 4:24

” IT IS THROUGH FAITH THAT A RIGHTEOUS PERSON HAS LIFE.” GALATIANS 3:11

Our Lord has never changed. He is the same today as he was yesterday and the same today as he will be tomorrow. He loves us and he cares for us. He has displayed and continues to display his desire for each of us to lead and live lives on this earth and enjoy our time here. He continues to heal our sicknesses and diseases. He restores us mentally, physically and spiritually. Just as those he confronted when he lived upon this earth, we too must believe in Jesus. We must truly believe in his love and his strength and power. We must believe that he has healed us and will continue to heal us. Even if we are crippled or sick, he hears our prayers and he takes action. It is through faith that you and I allow the manifestation of his miracles to live in our lives. We must, however, be and stay prepared because his answers and miracles do not always turn out the way we think they should. They are, however, God’s answers and his answers are always good. They are always there to benefit the glory of our God in heaven. He does heal us today of disease, sickness and of being disabled. He heals sometimes physically and sometimes spiritually. Our faith must be strong. It cannot be strong unless we know who he is and what he gives us. Our days must include reading his Word, praying to him and praising him. We must ask for understanding and wisdom and he will give it to us freely. When we do these things, he becomes closer to us. And when he becomes closer to us, we are able to better understand. Remember, “it is through faith that a righteous person has life.” “PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS”

“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!