Bread of Life, JIL

“FOR YOU ARE A SLAVE TO WHATEVER CONTROLS YOU.” 2 PETER 2:19

Just what do we trust? Just who do we trust in? 2 Peter 2:19 tells us that we are slaves to whatever controls us. As we take a step back and look at how we actually live our lives we need to reflect on who we are serving. Are we constantly worrying about things out of our control? Are we in constant of fear of the unknown? Are we allowing fear and worry to control how we live? Are we allowing those emotions to control how we speak and live our relationships with others? If so, we should stop right now! We should get on our knees and pray to our God in heaven for his forgiveness. Our God is just the opposite of fear, doubt and worry. Our Lord is encouraging, loving, fearless, understanding, and faithful to all who love him and follow him. In the face of persecution, we are able to stand strong. When sickness, disease or any illness confronts us we are able to leave those with God, with the confidence he will take care of them. Our lives should be filled with the knowledge of his word and the strength of his mighty promises. He has a plan for each of us. If we are a slave to our God in heaven, then we are assured of his protection and peace of mind. We may not know his plan, but we do know that we cannot change his plan. We may not agree with the results of his plan, but with a strong faith, we are able to believe in his plan. We must stay strong in the Lord! He is returning soon, and we must not allow ourselves to be unprepared. We must continue to pray to him, praise him for all he is, and reinforce our faith in his promises. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” SUDDENLY THE WIND STOPPED AND THERE WAS A GREAT CALM. THEN JESUS ASKED THEM, ‘Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?’” MARK 4:39-40

When we encounter storms in our lives how do handle them? Who do we turn to? Where do we go for refuge? Where is our safe place when the storm clouds begin to build? We all have family we can turn to, and many have very good friends they can talk with. Sometimes this is all we need. We just need someone who will listen and understand what we are going through. However, there are times that we need much more than that. We need answers, we need help that can only come by having faith in Jesus. We need help that can only come from knowing the promises of God. We need the help that comes by stepping out in faith and trusting our Lord to give us the answers. We need the help of the Holy Spirit and his direction in our lives. In Mark 4:39 & 40 Jesus is asking his disciples why they continue to be afraid. Their faith should have been stronger because they had seen him heal the paralyzed man, they had seen him heal the man with leprosy and they had seen him heal many others, but they still did not have enough faith to first think of Jesus when they faced a fierce storm while on the lake. You and I are much the same. We may read the bible and read about the healings he does and the promises he has for our lives, yet we still do not take a step of faith to allow him to work in our lives. We are not patient, and we want things to happen now. Our Lord has a plan. We are a part of that plan, and we cannot change it. We must trust him in all of his promises and practice his word in our lives. He is our refuge and our safety net. There is no other. He is the total answer and the final solution. We must believe that we receive because he is our source of strength, understanding and wisdom. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” THE SPIRITS WOULD THROW THEM TO THE GROUND IN FRONT OF HIM SHRIEKING, ‘you are the son of God!’ ” MARK 3:11

Even the devil and all of his evil spirits know who God is. The difference is that they run from God pleading with him that he let them go, while you and I run to our God and plead with him to help us. Both of these instances show us the power of our God in heaven. He is strong, faithful, loving, and carrying. The demons know his power. They know the outcome, but they have already chosen sides and they chose the losing side. It is too late for them. However, we are choosing the side of love and peace. We know by his mighty word that he is faithful to those who love him. He is faithful to those who act upon his promises no matter what the situation appears to be. We must be patient and allow our Lord to work in our lives. We must trust his promises and believe we receive because he is our source. He is our God, our Lord and Savior. He is the Holy Spirit who lives in us. He gives us the strength we need each day. Always look to him for help because he is always by our side to help us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” A DAY IS LIKE A THOUSAND YEARS TO THE LORD AND A THOUSAND YEARS IS LIKE A DAY.” 2 PETER 3:8

” AND REMEMBER, OUR LORD’S PATIENCE GIVES PEOPLE TIME TO BE SAVED.” 2 PETER 3:15

Have you ever wondered why it is taking the Lord so long to return for his children? Afterall, things are getting pretty bad down here on earth. People seem to be going wild by killing one another, men trying to turn themselves into women and women into men. It just doesn’t seem as though our Lord would approve of all this and wouldn’t want his children going through all of this mess. It is like we are living in Sodom and Gomorrah. All of this is actually very true, but we must understand that His timing is much different than ours. For every moment that he delays he is giving another unbeliever a chance to be saved. You and I must never stop working. We must continue to live the life the Lord wants us to live and be consistent in the message we deliver to those around us. We are here for a purpose and that purpose is to win others to Jesus. The Lord does not like what is happening in this world today and he will not take it much longer, before returning for his children. He is about to display his great anger upon this world, which is something we do not want to be a part of. As he delivered Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah, before destroying the city, he will deliver us as well. If we think today’s world is bad, those living when God displays his anger will experience things that will be unbearable. They will cry out to God to let them die but they won’t be able to. There will be those who come to their senses and be saved but will be beheaded to prove their worth to God in heaven. We must continue to fight for as long as the Lord gives us. He loves us and wants to give as many as possible the opportunity to be saved before his coming. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“ONLY BY YOUR POWER CAN WE PUSH BACK OUR ENEMIES; ONLY IN YOUR NAME CAN WE TRAMPLE OUR FOES.” PSALM 44:5

“TRUST YOUR LIVES TO THE GOD WHO CREATED YOU, FOR HE WILL NEVER FAIL YOU.” 1 PETER 4:19

We are brought up in this world to understand that believing is seeing. When we come to Jesus we are asked to believe in the unseen. We are to put our complete trust in the hands of the one who created us. Because of our up bringing in the world this can sometimes be a devastating assignment. The Lord asks us to put our complete trust in him and no other. In order to be able to do this we must be 100% committed. Our faith must be unwavering. There will be doubts and fears thrown in our way. There will be second thoughts and second guessing as to whether we have done the right thing. However, with a strong faith in our Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit we are overcomers. We are overcomers of all doubt fear and worry. We are human and we are not perfect so, yes, there will be second guessing and doubts. But our complete trust in all of his promises for our lives will allow us to return to our Lord with strength and a greater understanding of his plan. It is extremely important that we stay in his word. We must pray constantly, meditate upon his word and quote as many of his promises as we can. We must stay positive and not negative. The Lord loves us and has a great plan for each of us. We may not understand it or agree with it, but our God is all encompassing and never wrong. Remember, we can do all things through our Lord for he gives us strength. THANK YOU, JESUS! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” SO, DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WORK HARD TO PROVE THAT YOU REALLY ARE AMONG THOSE GOD HAS CALLED AND CHOSEN. DO THESE THINGS AND YOU WILL NEVER FALL AWAY.” 2 PETER 1:10

“BE ON GUARD SO THAT YOU WILL NOT BE CARRIED AWAY BY THE ERRORS OF THESE WICKED PEOPLE AND LOSE YOUR OWN SECURE FOOTING. RATHER, YOU MUST GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNPOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.” 2 PETER 3:17-18

We must always keep our focus on the end result. We must keep our eyes on Jesus! If we take our eyes off of him and let them wander onto the worldly ways of those around us, we take the risk of losing what we have already built up in Christ Jesus. We must work hard to prove that we are among those called. We must live lives with Jesus at the forefront. It is easy to wander from our end goal. But we must be able to recognize when that happens and ask our Lord for forgiveness and then continue in his presence and follow his direction. It is not easy to follow Christ. There will be persecution and questions. There will be embarrassment, harsh words and even danger thrown in our path. But we must be able to stand strong in the face of evil and move forward. We must stay connected to our Lord at all times and let our faith never waver! Our Lord unconditionally loves us, and we should love him without conditions. Stay strong, stay focused and step out in faith! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO RESPOND TO GOD’S PROMISES. SUPPLEMENT YOUR FAITH WITH A GENEROUS PROVISION OF MORAL EXCELLENCE, AND MORAL EXCELLENCE WITH KNOWLEDGE, AND KNOWLEDGE WITH SELF- CONTROL, AND SELF-CONTROL WITH PATIENT ENDURANCE, AND PATIENT ENDURANCE WITH GODLINESS, AND GODLINESS WITH BROTHERLY AFFECTION, AND BROTHERLY AFFECTION WITH LOVE FOR EVERYONE.” 2 PETER 1:5-7

As Christians you and I must make a commitment to follow Jesus and his ways. We must know of and understand his promises for our lives. As newborn followers we are babies in Christ. We learn from the bottom up. Our faith is at the beginning stages, and we must continue to learn God’s word, read his word and experience his love and dedication to us as we continue to grow our faith in him. As we grow in Jesus we must live our lives as a testimony to our Lord, we must pray to him and ask for the knowledge we need to continue to grow in our faith. We must be able to have self-control in the way we live and not succumb to the ways of the world. We must develop a patient endurance as we endure persecution and ridicule from others. We must put our love of Jesus and his love for us on display by learning his promises, living his promises and enduring the ways of the world around us. This is not an easy task but when we commit our ways unto him, he becomes our helper, refuge and Savior. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” AND IF SOMEWONE ASKS ABOUT YOUR CHRISTIAN HOPE, ALWAYS BE READY TO EXPLAIN IT. BUT DO THIS IN A GENTLE AND RESPECTFUL WAY.” 1 PETER 3: 15-16

Our Lord allows each of us to go through struggles here on earth for a purpose. As true followers of Christ Jesus we have a faith that is unwavering and helps us through the thickest of problems. As we stand in the face of persecution, sickness, disease or even death, we continue to speak with no doubts but instead, we speak with extreme confidence that our Lord will take us by the hand and lead us to our place of safety. You see, we understand that whether we live or transfer to the next life our Lord has a purpose for us. While we live in the world others are watching how we handle struggles. Do we walk through our problems with a smile on our face and confidence that our Lord has everything under control, or do we walk with a with down beaten attitude speaking negative thoughts into existence? Our attitudes are everything in this life. Our words and thoughts are extremely powerful. We must choose our words wisely and be careful with them. They will affect not only us but those around us. We must be ready at all times to follow Jesus, be positive in our faith and explain to others how and why we can be so strong in our struggles. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” REMEMBER, IT IS A SIN TO KNOW WHAT YOU OUGHT TO DO AND THEN NOT DO IT.” JAMES 4:17

It can sometimes be difficult to follow the instructions of our Lord, especially if our faith is wavering. However, we must be obedient to his word. When we hear from the Lord, we must be able to follow and put his plan into action. We must not allow fear to enter our lives and hinder us from following his instructions. When we know what our Lord Jesus wants us to do, and we hesitate or do not follow through with his requests, scripture tells us that we are sinning. We are not being obedient. This can and probably has happened to each and every one of us at one time or another, so it is important that our faith continues to grow each day and that we make a habit of putting God’s word into action in our own lives. If we do not follow God’s instructions, we are then hindering his plan. If we hesitate to follow his instructions, we can rest assured that he will find someone who will. God is perfect, his plan is perfect, and we need to be a willing instrument when we are called upon! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” STAY ALERT. WATCH OUT FOR YOUR GREAT ENEMY THE DEVIL. HE PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION, LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO DEVOUR.” 1 PETER 5:8

” STAND FIRM AGAINST HIM AND BE STRONG IN YOUR FAITH.” 1 PETER 5:9

The devil has no authority over those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. However, we are told in 1 Peter that we need to be watchful and alert to the devils’ schemes. Peter describes the devil as a roaring lion roaming around looking for a weak subject to devour. Our lives on this earth are not to be filled with fear or doubt but we are to be strong and courageous. We are to have strong faith and be able to stand strong in the face of danger. Just how do we do that? It is really hard when we are facing the realities of this life. When we are facing sickness, disease, or even death itself, we are to have strong faith in the unseen and not the seen. We are to surround ourselves with the strength of the Lord himself. We are to become extremely familiar with his mighty scriptures. We are to spend our time being a “doer” of his word and not just a “hearer” only. We are to stay in constant contact with him by praying whenever we feel the need. It should be commonplace to go to our Lord first in our troubles. We don’t need to be in a closed room or a church to be able to pray affectively. When problems come upon us just take a moment and bow your head in prayer. Ask him for his help. Remember, He never fails us! Stay strong and never let down for a second. Remember, the devil is lurking and just waiting for us to leave the door cracked open for him to come in. Keep alert, keep strong and keep your faith immovable! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” THE END OF THE WORLD IS COMING SOON. THEREFORE, BE EARNEST AND DISCIPLINED IN YOUR PRAYERS. MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, CONTINUE TO SHOW DEEP LOVE FOR EACH OTHER, FOR LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS.” 1 PETER 4:7&8

As I was watching the news last evening, I hear of evidence of a plan by the FBI to plant informers in our churches. It appears they had planned to strategically place these people in certain Catholic parishes across our great land. What information they were after is unknown, but it shows us very clearly that our Christian values, our strength in prayer and our faith in God is a great threat to this world and its evil. We can be assured that if they were going to intrude upon our Catholic brothers and sisters that they will, or maybe already have, placed informants in other churches as well. The reality of spiritual warfare is beginning to set in. There is a war against the Christian faith, not only in the country, but also across this world. We MUST be prepared, for what a few years ago, would have seemed to be a plot for a fictional book. However, we are seeing these things happen in our world today in real time. Our prayer life must be strong. Our faith must become stronger. We must, if we have not already, begin to show great love and caring for all brothers and sisters in Christ. We are living in the last days of this world as we know it. Our Lord is going to return soon. How much more of this evil in our world will He put up with? At what point will he say “ENOUGH!” We don’t know the day or the time, but he has given us prophecy, dreams and other signs that distinctly point to his return. We must continue to work hard at spreading his message to others while we still have time. We are to work hard to the very end. The end is very near! Are you ready? PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” KEEP WATCH AND PRAY, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT GIVE INTO TEMPTATION. FOR THE SPIRIT IS WILLING BUT THE BODY IS WEAK.” MATTHEW 26:41

You and I are living in unprecedented times. Things are happening today that we cannot understand. The most knowledgeable people in the world are overwhelmed with confusion and fear. People around us are defying all truth and submitting to evil. Our spirits are strong and want desperately to follow God, but our bodies are earthly and are weak. We are to stay awake. We are to be in prayer constantly. Our God has given us a spirit of strength, truth, understanding, love and joy. He has not given us a spirit of fear, doubt, confusion and worry. If we don’t keep our Lord Jesus right in front of us all of the time, then our earthly bodies will want to follow the ways of those around us who are doing the things of the world. We are living in the end days. Everything that we stand for as a follower of Christ Jesus is on the line in our individual lives. There is a great spiritual warfare going on around us. The war is about to culminate, it is about to end. We do not want to be left behind. We must stay alert in the Lord and fight the good fight of Christ! Our Lord tells us exactly what to do. Let us never let down our guard and allow the evil one to deceive us. Stay awake, stay alert and pray always! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” THE EARNEST PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS PERSON HAS GREAT POWER AND PRODUCES WONDERFUL RESULTS.” JAMES 5:16

We are living examples of those who live in victory. We live in victory because we are faithful in our trust in God and our beliefs in the manifestation of his promises in our lives. We are living in right standing with our God in heaven. When we stand before our Lord and pray, we should not be praying for victory in Jesus, but instead, be praying from our victory in Jesus. We need to be praying in power, the power of the blood! We live in victory because we believe in the unseen. We must believe that when we pray our Lord has answered. Our Lord Jesus loves us more than we can ever humanly understand. When he went to the cross, he had the opportunity to ask God to take him away from the pain and anguish he was suffering. But he did not! It was not the nails that held Jesus on the cross, but it was his love for us that held him there. When we pray, we should believe our prayers are heard and answered. We should pray in earnest and not doubt. Our Lord Jesus has already shown his love for us and now it is time for us to believe in his love and live our lives that manifests that love. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“DEAR FRIENDS, I WARN YOU AS ‘TEMPORARY RESIDENTS AND FOREIGNERS ‘ TO KEEP AWAY FROM WORLDY DESIRES THAT WAGE WAR AGAINST YOUR VERY SOULS. BE CAREFUL TO LIVE PROPERLY AMONG YOUR UNBELIEVING NEIGHBORS.” 1 PETER 2:11-12

There are those among us who think that they will live in this world for eternity. They consume the ways of the world and become drunk with its wickedness. We see this behavior taking place all around us. However, as believers in Christ Jesus we are only visitors on this earth. We are here only temporarily. We are not to become permanent residents and act like the world. Instead, we are to stand out and show the value of following Jesus. We are to show the necessity of having strong faith and being overcomers of the evil of this world. We are to withstand the persecutions and other evil activities going on around us, just as Jesus did while living on the earth. We must think differently and live our lives differently. We are only visitors here and will soon be returning home to be with our Lord and Savior. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” SEEING THEIR FAITH, JESUS SAID TO THE PARALIZED MAN, ‘ MY CHILD YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN. ‘ ” MARK 2:5

It is one thing to say that you believe in something, but it is quite another to act upon what you believe. If you take your car to a mechanic to have your brakes fixed you have faith that he will fix them properly and that your car will stop when it is supposed to. You act upon that faith and belief when you get into your car and drive it away. It is my guess that you did not watch him fix your brakes but just believe that he did. It is the same with our Lord God in heaven and his promises. We go to him with our problems and ask him to fix them. But then we pick our problems back up and walk away with them not even giving him a chance. We again begin to worry and doubt and act in ways that reflect our worry and doubt. We must leave our problems with him and believe him when he says he will help us, provide for us, heal us, protect us, rescue us, honor us, and give us the strengths we need each day. Our Lord loves us and tells us that he will help us. We must live a life that reflects our beliefs in his promises. If we don’t live by faith in him his promises will never be able to be manifested in our lives. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” AND THROUGH YOUR FAITH, GOD IS PROTECTING YOU BY HIS POWER UNTIL YOU RECEIVE HIS SALVATION, WHICH IS READY TO BE REVEALED ON THE LAST DAY FOR ALL TO SEE.” 1 PETER 1:5

” SO, BE TRULY GLAD. THERE IS WONDERFUL JOY AHEAD, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE TO ENDURE MANY TRIALS FOR A LITTLE WHILE.” 1 PETER 1:6

” THESE TRIALS WILL SHOW THAT YOUR FAITH IS GENUINE.” 1 PETER 1:7

Faith in our Lord is a great gift from Jesus, given to us by his blood shed upon the cross. However, we do have to do something to help our faith to be manifested in our own lives. We must believe in the unseen (Jesus) and not what is seen (the world). Sometimes we are tested by our trials and tribulations. We are tested by those around us, and the many obstacles thrown in our paths. No matter how terrible the situation we must believe in the unseen. We must have faith and believe in the power and the promises of our Lord. We must keep our eyes upon Jesus. Just as Peter did when he walked upon the water. As long as he was focused on Jesus he could accomplish this great feat, but when Peter began to look at the situation around him, he began to sink. You and I are in that same boat. As long as we believe in the unseen (Jesus) we can walk upon the water. However, as soon as we take our eyes off of Jesus and begin to focus on what we see going on around us, we then begin to sink. Let us pray continually, meditate upon his word daily and praise him in all things! We must stay focused on Jesus and not the world. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” GOD BLESSES THOSE WHO PATIENTLY ENDURE TESTING AND TEMPTATION.” JAMES 1:12

I really believe that God’s children today, just as those of 2,000 years ago, are going through situations that our God is allowing. We are being tested with temptations and with troubles and problems of all kinds. We are seeing things happening today that has never happened in our lifetimes. Our country and our world are both being turned upside down. We are beginning to see the likes of socialism and the dismantling of our freedoms right before our very eyes. However, I believe that everything that is happening is happening for a purpose. God has a plan, and that plan has been unleashed. His return is eminent, and we are being prepared for that return. There is only one question that remains and that is whether we are patient and able to endure through our trials and temptations or are we becoming anxious and succumbing to the ways of the world around us. We see every day our government taking over our rights and putting into place their plans for our lives. We need our faith to be even more strong and our trust in Jesus to be immovable. Praise Him and Glorify Him. He is with us always! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” SINCE WE ARE RECEIVING A KINGDOM THAT IS UNSHAKABLE, LET US BE THANKFUL AND PLEASE GOD BY WORSHIPING HIM WITH HOLY FEAR AND AWE.” HEBREWS 12:28

“FOR THIS WORLD IS NOT OUR PERMANENT HOME; WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A HOME YET TO COME.” HEBREWS 13:14

This world that we live in is not our permanent home. We are all looking forward to going to be with our Lord in heaven. The home to where we are going is unshakable. It is full of love and joy, peace and understanding. There is no sickness, disease, doubts, worries or fears. When all of this becomes a reality in our lives, we should bow down before our God in heaven, and in the name of Jesus, praise him with love that is never ending. Our life on this earth is nothing more than a moment in God’s timing. We should keep our focus upon what is coming and not on what has happened yesterday or what we are going through today. If we are focusing on this world and its problems, then we are wasting our time here on this earth. We have work to do for our Lord. The time is short. We must stay focused on what is to come and not what is or has been. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” WHEN TROUBLE COMES YOUR WAY, CONSIDER IT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GREAT JOY. FOR YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOUR FAITH IS TESTED, YOUR ENDURANCE HAS A CHANCE TO GROW.” JAMES 1: 2-3

When trouble comes knocking on your door, don’t accept it for what it looks like or what it is trying to do to you. Instead, be joyful and look at your trouble as an opportunity to grow in the Lord. Instead of fearing, stare the trouble right in the face and recognize that it is only a small obstacle on your way to a stronger relationship with your Lord God in heaven. Take your focus away from the obstacle and put it on Jesus, with the understanding that your patience and endurance will grow through defeating that trouble. Our minds can become very destructive to us. We can turn a small fire into a raging fire instantly. When we do, we can be on the verge of destroying relationships and lives. Let us recognize problems for what they are, mere building blocks for a stronger relationship with Jesus. We are overcomers through Christ Jesus who gives us the strength we need everyday. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“WHAT GOOD IS IT, DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IF YOU SAY YOU HAVE FAITH BUT DON’T SHOW IT BY YOUR ACTIONS? JAMES 2:14

“YOUR SEE, FAITH BY ITSELF ISN’T ENOUGH. UNLESS YOU PRODUCE GOOD DEEDS, IT IS DEAD AND USELESS.” JAMES 2:17

” YOU SEE, HIS FAITH AND ACTIONS WORKED TOGETHER. HIS ACTIONS MADE HIS FAITH COMPLETE.” JAMES 2:22

” JUST AS THE BODY IS DEAD WITHOUT BREATH, SO ALSO IS FAITH DEAD WITHOUTGOOD WORKS.” JAMES 2:26

Having faith and trust in our God is no good unless we act upon our faith and trust. Just as Abraham trusted God to bring his son Isaac back to him in some form, following God’s instructions to sacrifice him, we also must have actions that support the faith that we promote. Our faith is not complete until we seal it with actions that prove to God, we are trusting in him. It is very easy to say we have faith, but it becomes a little harder to actually complete our faith. We must remember that our faith should drive our good works and not our good works driving our faith. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“IF YOU NEED WISDOM, ASK OUR GENEROUS GOD, AND HE WILL GIVE IT TO YOU. HE WILL NOT REBUKE YOU FOR ASKING. BUT WHEN YOU ASK HIM, BE SURE THAT YOUR FAITH IS IN GOD ALONE. DO NOT WAVER, FOR A PERSON WITH DIVIDED LOYALTY IS AS UNSETTLED AS A WAVE OF THE SEA THAT IS BLOWN AND TOSSED BY THE WIND. SUCH PEOPLE SHOULD NOT EXPECT TO RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM THE LORD. THEIR LOYALTY IS DIVIDED BETWEEN GOD AND THE WORLD, AND THEY ARE UNSTABLE IS EVERYTHING THEY DO.” JAMES 1:5-8

Our Lord wants all of us and not just a part. He is looking for total dedication from us. That is what Jesus gave when he died upon that cross. Sometimes we have troubles in this world because we have a hard time with our faith. We have one foot in the world and the other in the Word of God. That is not where we need to be. Our Lord Jesus wants total dedication and faith from us. We are to be able to believe in things unseen and not is things seen. We must continue to build our faith each day by surrounding ourselves with the promises from our God in heaven. If we are unable to do this, then we are setting ourselves up for failure. We are setting ourselves up for heart break. Our life on this earth is to be completely different than others of this world. We are to be ingrained in the Word of God and live it in our earthly lives. We cannot divide our loyalties and expect God to honor us with his supreme blessings. We must believe we receive because God in our Source! Remember, God loves every part of us. We should not be divided but instead be totally dedicated to Him! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” YOU ALSO MUST BE READY AT ALL TIMES, FOR THE SON OF MAN WILL COME WHEN LEAST EXPECTED.” MATTHEW 24:44

” THEREFORE, BE PATIENT, SAYS THE LORD. SOON I WILL STAND AND ACCUSE THOSE EVIL NATIONS. FOR I HAVE DECIDED TO GATHER THE KINGDOMS OF THE EARTH AND POOR OUT MY FIERCEST ANGER AND FURY ON THEM.” ZEPHANIAH 3:8

” THEREFORE, LET US OFFER THROUGH JESUS A CONTINUAL SACRIFICE OF PRAISE TO GOD, PROCLAIMING OUR ALLEGIANCE TO HIS NAME.” HEBREWS 13:15

Our Lord is returning soon. He is about to take his faithful children from this hateful world and pour out his wrath upon the evil nations and people of this earth. Just as he saved Noah and his family and Lot and his family, he is about to save those who are faithful to him. There is still time for us to spread his Word and provide opportunities for those who have not accepted Jesus to do so. But we must do it quickly. There is no time to waste! Our world has turned upside down in these past couple of years. Our great land, the United States of America is no longer looked at as a great nation but instead a nation of turmoil, weakness and sorrowful leadership. We must put all of our efforts into our God in heaven and his mighty words. Let us all continue to praise him through thick and thin, through evil and confusion. The time is very near! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“THE RIGHTEOUS PERSON FACES MANY TROUBLES, BUT THE LORD COMES TO THE RESCUE EACH TIME. ” PSALM 34:19

Our Jesus is a loving and faithful Lord. There is no doubt in his faithfulness as he continues to help us each day to rise above our problems. Through the scriptures and the Holy Spirit, we are so blessed with his protection from the evil of this world. He paid the price for our eternal life insurance policy. He gave his life so that you and I could live with him for eternity. With a faith that does not waver we can rest assured that no matter our struggles on this earth we have the answers through Christ. Our problems are nothing in the overall scheme of things. Because of his promises and great love for each of us we are able to walk in this world with confidence and assurance of peace and joy. We can walk with our faith on display knowing that we have full coverage and the Holy Spirit within us to give us wisdom, understanding and full guidance. We should fear the Lord our God in heaven and not the God of this world. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” SO DO NOT THROW AWAY THIS CONFIDENT TRUST IN THE LORD. REMEMBER THE GREAT REWARD IT BRINGS YOU. PATIENT ENDURANCE IS WHAT YOU NEED NOW, SO THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO GOD’S WILL. THEN YOU WILL RECEIVE ALL THAT HE HAS PROMISED.” HEBREWS 10:35-36

” AND LET US RUN WITH ENDURANCE THE RACE GOD HAS SET BEFORE US. WE DO THIS BY KEEPING OUR EYES ON JESUS, THE CHAMPION WHO INITIATES AND PERFECTS OUR FAITH.” HEBREWS 12:1-2

We all have a race to run in life. We all have different obstacles put before us throughout this race. But we are told that we are not to throw away the trust we have in our Lord. We are to keep our focus on the prize at the end of the race. We have to endure by continuing to be patient in waiting on our Lord. We must continue to believe and trust in the promises he has given us. We are to stay focused by keeping our eyes on Jesus. When we do, we will run our race with patient endurance because our focus in on Him. Our focus is on what he wants us to do. We stay clear of our own needs and wants. We may be suffering but with Jesus we are conquering warriors. We may stumble but with Jesus we are picked up and carried to the finish line. With our Lord we are able to perfect our faith and it becomes stronger. Our trust will become stronger, and we will continue to finish our race with a strong confidence in our Lord and Savior. He loves us and we are to love and honor Him. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” TO THOSE WHO USE WELL WHAT THEY ARE GIVEN, EVEN MORE WILL BE GIVEN, AND THEY WILL HAVE ABUNDANCE.” MATTHEW 25:29

Jesus came to serve and not to be served. This is not an easy thing to do. To be a servant is to go out of your way and do things for others that you otherwise would not do. To be a good servant is one who thinks of others first. A servant may not feel like serving but is one who serves anyway. When we obey the Word of God, we will have a greater desire to serve others in our lives. We will want to spread His holy word. If we can serve, even in the smallest of things, then the Lord will give us even more responsibility and a desire to serve even more. Our love and obedience for our Lord should be reflected in how we act toward others and how we think of them. We should consider others better than ourselves. We should not be selfish and always feeling sorry for ourselves, but instead be ready to go out and serve our God by spreading his word and his love to those around us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” HEBREWS 11:1

Faith is what we are all about. We must have faith that our God in heaven created the heavens and the earth and the countless stars in the sky. We must have faith in Jesus who died upon that cross for our salvation, healings and forgiveness. We must have faith that God sent his Holy Spirit to live in us and to help guide us along the path of righteousness each day. We must have faith in order to listen to the Holy Spirit. We must have faith in order to believe all of God’s promises and we must have faith to step out and live those promises. Without our faith we are nothing more than an existence in this world. We will live in fear, worry and doubt. We will live in anger and a life that is nothing more than selfishness and disrespect for others. Our assurances in the things of God, things that we cannot see, will allow us to live lives in joy and peace. We will understand that our Lord has a plan and that we are all a part of that plan. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Enoch, Moses and many others acted upon the faith of the promises God had given them. You and I are no different. We must confess our faith. We must live our faith and we must NEVER lose our faith. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

“LET US HOLD TIGHTLY WITHOUT WAVERING TO THE HOPE WE AFFIRM, FOR GOD CAN BE TRUSTED TO KEEP HIS PROMISE.” HEBREWS 10:23

IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN ON A ROLLER COASTER THEN YOU KNOW OF THE HIGHS AND LOWS IT CAN TAKE YOU THROUGH. OUR LIVES ARE VERY MUCH THE SAME. THERE WILL BE UPS AND DOWNS AND HIGHS AND LOWS. OUR GOD HAS NEVER PROMISED US A LIFE WITHOUT PROBLEMS OR TROUBLES. HOWEVER, HE HAS PROMISED US A WAY OUT. WE MUST HOLD ON TIGHTLY TO OUR HOPE THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US THROUGH OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. OUR FAITH MUST CONTINUE TO BE STRONG AND OUR TRUST IN HIM MUST BE HELD ONTO TIGHTLY. HE HAS PROMISED US THAT IF WE TRUST HIM, AND ACT UPON THAT TRUST, THAT HE WILL HELP US THROUGH. WE MUST, HOWEVER, BE PATIENT AND WAIT UPON HIM. WE CANNOT BECOME ANXIOUS IN ANYTHING WE DO. THERE MAY BE TIMES WHERE WE FEEL LIKE HE HAS FORGOTTEN US OR NOT HEARD OUR PRAYERS. DON’T EVER BE DECIEVED! OUR GOD IN HEAVEN HEARS ALL OF OUR PRAYERS AND ANSWERS EACH AND EVERYONE. HE HAS A PLAN AND WE MUST TRUST THAT PLAN! HE LOVES US AND HAS A PURPOSE FOR EVERYTHING WE GO THROUGH. LET US NOT FORGET HIS FAITHFULNESS IN OUR LIVES. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” AND SINCE WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST WHO RULES OVER GOD’S HOUSE, LET US GO BOLDLY INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD WITH SINCERE HEARTS FULLY TRUSTING HIM.” HEBREWS 10: 21-22

In obedience to God’s request, Jesus gave his body as a sacrifice for you and me. Once and for all He died, went to hell and back and then went to set at God’s right hand. Because of what he did for each of us we can and should approach the presence of our God in heaven with boldness and not with fear or doubt. Our great High Priest, Jesus Christ, is our mediator and our confidence that we are a child of God. Because of Him we have full rights before God. If Jesus recognizes us before God, then all is well. That is the reason it is so important that we recognize Jesus here in this earthly life. However, if we deny our Lord and Savior here on this earth, he will deny us before God in heaven. We are playing with fire if we have not accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. If we are living of this world and paying more attention to it than we are to our Savior, then we are making a huge mistake. The time is short. Our Lord is getting ready to return soon. Are you prepared? Is your family prepared? If not, the time to become prepared is now! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” IN MY DESPERATION I PRAYED AND THE LORD LISTENED; HE SAVED ME FROM ALL MY TROUBLES, FOR THE ANGEL OF THE LORD IS A GUARD; HE SURROUNDS AND DEFENDS ALL WHO FEAR HIM.” PSALM 34:6&7

” FOR HE WILL ORDER HIS ANGELS TO PROTECT YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.” PSALM 91:11

If we make the Lord, our refuge and our safety net He will protect us. Our faith and our trust in Him will allow us to survive any troubles that come our way. Our Lord will send his angels to protect us wherever we are. We are never alone. Our Lord has given us His precious Holy Spirit and His guardian angels to protect us. When we go to the Lord in prayer, we are showing our faith and trust in Him. The Lord will listen and never fail us. There will always be problems, some small and others very large. It doesn’t matter the size, our Lord God in heaven always hears and answers our prayers. It is important that we continually surround ourselves with His presence in meditation in His Holy Word and with prayer and praise of his mighty promises for our lives. We must remember that we are overcomers in Christ Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!