Michael J Burchett Ministries

“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!

” IF YOU SEARCH FOR GOOD, YOU WILL FIND FAVOR; BUT IF YOU SEARCH FOR EVIL, IT WILL FIND YOU.” PROVERBS 11:27

It is quite important that we seek favor with our God in heaven. If we live our lives with joy, peace and forgiveness we will find favor with our Lord. We will be blessed in ways that we can’t even imagine. However, if we go about seeking the evil ways of life, we will receive the evil we are looking for. Evil lurks around every corner just ready to pounce and destroy our faith in Jesus. Seek the favor of the Lord and not the evil of the world. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

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

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

I read Psalms 91 every day. It is full of the promises of God, and it seems as though I need constant reminders of his promises for my life. As I walk through my daily routines my spiritual needs become more apparent. I become surrounded by the troubles of this life. It is very easy to become entangled in those problems and I begin to prepare my own plans of escape. When that happens, I find myself becoming frustrated and angry with the world. The Holy Spirit reminds me that He is with me always. I am reined back in and reminded of God’s promises for my life. I remember that His promises are my armor and protection. I need to act upon his faithfulness and believe He is true and always faithful. My Lord promises that He will protect me if I just believe Him and trust His word. I must put on my armor each and every day. I must not leave my house without the proper preparation for my body, mind, and soul. As I prepare myself physically each day for my daily life, I must also prepare my spiritual self. I have found that without proper preparation in God’s Word each day that my daily walk is much harder and sometimes disastrous. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

“THE LORD SAYS, ‘I WILL RESCUE THOSE WHO LOVE ME. I WILL PROTECT THOSE WHO TRUST IN MY NAME.’ ”

I talk a lot about faith building and becoming stronger in your trust in the Lord. In order to build your faith and make it stronger it is important to obtain a strong relationship with Jesus. Knowing Jesus is one thing but having a relationship with him is another. As we pray to him each day, we become more comfortable with his understanding and love for us. As we read and meditate upon his Word, we become more familiar with his ways, his promises and his strength. The main ingredient in building up our faith is having a strong relationship with Him. We must keep ourselves surrounded by his Word and take small steps of faith by putting his Word into action in our lives. As the old saying goes, “Rome was not built in a day.” As we are faithful in our prayers and faithful in meditating in his Word our small steps of faith will grow and become larger steps of faith. If we cannot believe in the little things, how are we to believe in the larger things? Every day is to be another step in our faithful relationship with Jesus. We begin to believe and trust Him for His promises, and He becomes our refuge and safety net in life. A strong relationship with Christ takes our focus off of the world and puts it on Him! Strong faith building is strong relationship building in Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” AND HE BECAME THE SOURCE OF ETERNAL SALVATION FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO OBEY HIM.” HEBREWS 5:9

Each and every one of us is plugged into a source. Which source are you plugged into? We see many who are plugged into the world and all that it offers. They go along with the flow and never question those around them. Hebrews 5:9 tells us that Jesus is the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. We all may recognize that Jesus is the source of salvation but are we obeying him? Do our lives reflect our belief in Jesus? Do we follow his ways or are we just spouting words and then living our life in this world? It takes true and faithful action on our part to show our belief and our trust in Jesus. We must be able to take steps of faith and truly believe that our Lord is beside us in all we do. Jesus loves us very much and is our way to our eternal home in heaven. He gives us all we need to follow him, but it is up to you and me to act upon his direction and plan for our lives. We must stay in his Word and meditate upon it. We must continue to pray continually and to praise him for all of his love and protection in our lives. We must recognize, love and obey the Holy Spirit. Our Lord is coming back very soon. We must not become complacent but stay alert and ready. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

“ IF YOU HAVE FAITH AND DON’T DOUBT YOU CAN DO THINGS LIKE THIS AND MUCH MORE. YOU CAN EVEN SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN, ‘ MAY YOU BE LIFTED UP AND THROWN INTO THE SEA’, AND IT WILL HAPPEN. YOU CAN PRAY FOR ANYTHING, AND IF YOU HAVE FAITH, YOU WILL RECEIVE IT.” MATTHEW 21: 21-22

We must continue to have faith, faith and more faith. We must continually work on building a faith that is strong and reliable. Our God in heaven does not and cannot lie. He tells us plainly that we can stand up with our faith in him and tell our mountains of problems to leave us and they will! We can stand up in the face of danger and with faith and the name of Jesus we can tell danger to leave, and it will! We must live our lives driven by our faith in Jesus. He is our way to salvation and to victory over all of the mountains of danger put before us by the devil himself. Our Lord is returning soon. We are living in a day and age that reflects his return. We have seen prophesies that have been fulfilled that have paved the way for his return. Until we meet him in the sky, we must take refuge in him and believe so that we can overcome all mountains and valleys that stand in our way. We must live lives that reflect Jesus. We must believe that we receive because God is our source of strength! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” EVEN THOUGH JESUS WAS GOD’S SON, HE LEARNED OBEDIENCE FROM THE THINGS HE SUFFERED.” HEBREWS 5:8

Have you ever wondered why we go through or suffer through struggles? Some of us come down with diseases, other go through financial losses and still others through horrific losses of family and friends. We may wonder why God does not heal us immediately or take away the hurt “right now.” Through all of our struggles there is a purpose. God has a plan. We may not understand his plan but who are we to question what he is doing? We must continue to pray and ask our God for his healing in our life. We should also ask him to give us the strength we need to live through our pain and suffering. We don’t always see the whole picture but sometimes we need to grow stronger in our faith. There is no doubt that struggles will either make us or break us. If we love our Lord, we will continue to move forward in Him. We will never forget who is leading our life. Even Jesus learned obedience from the things he suffered. He didn’t have to die on that cross for us. All he had to do was signal his unwillingness and God would have sent a host of angels to save him from such torture. But because of his obedience you and I are saved through Him! We have been given a second chance. Jesus loves us so much that he obeyed God’s plan and willingly became the sacrifice needed for us to live. Let’s not question why we go through struggles but instead praise God and give him the glory for our ability to live through them. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS ALIVE AND POWERFUL”. HEBREWS 4:12

When I pick up my bible each day it is important that I recognize what tool I have in my hands. It is not a book! I understand that it is a living and powerful tool that is used to help me in every way possible. It exposes my most inner thoughts and desires. I use it in prayer. I use it in reminding my God in heaven of his mighty promises for my life. I use it as a guide to walk a path of righteousness and to lead a life that is representative of Jesus. It is the first thing I pick up when I have a problem. It is the first thing I go to when I have done something wrong. Jesus no longer physically walks this earth but his Holy Word does. My God in heaven has left for me his words of truth that lead me along a path that helps me in my daily life. His Holy Word has an answer and a solution to every problem that I go through, for every bad thought that I may have. It is a heavenly tool that can be used anywhere and everywhere that I go. It keeps me safe; it keeps me protected and it keeps me strong. It knows me better than I know myself. I recognize that Jesus did not go away and leave me hanging to defend for myself. He left his Holy Word and sent the Holy Spirit to guide and protect us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” SINCE HE HIMSELF HAS GONE THROUGH SUFFERING AND TESTING HE IS ABLE TO HELP US WHEN WE ARE BEING TESTED.” HEBREWS 2:18

We are all aware that when Jesus was walking this earth he walked in our footsteps. He went through struggles just as you and me. He was persecuted, threatened by death, and physically abused. He died the most horrible death possible and went to hell and back, just so you and I wouldn’t have to. It easy for us to become impatient when we are going through struggles. We want the Lord to act in our lives quickly and not allow us to suffer anything. As a believer our faith and trust in him must stay strong. We know that he loves us, and we know that he died for us. But we cannot see the whole picture. We do not know how our struggles might affect those around us. When we are sick our Lord will get us through it, but he may use the sickness to heal someone else on the way to our healing. When we are struggling with our finances our Lord will be by our side and will deliver us out of our difficulty, but he may be using our struggle to help others along the way. We must be patient. Jesus has walked in our footsteps, but he may be and probably is using us as examples for others to see how our trust and faith in him can save us and get us through. Be focused, be faithful and never doubt! Our Lord God in heaven is forever faithful! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” SIN HAS DRAINED MY STRENGTH.” PSALM 31:10

Keeping our focus on Jesus is important for not only leading a strong Christian life but also for our own health. Sin of any kind will drain us like the cold weather will drain a battery. If we allow all of strength to be used on worry, doubt and fear then we will have less strength to provide for living the fulfilled life given to us by God. With our Lord God in heaven as our strengthening force we can lead a life filled with joy, peace, understanding, wisdom and a sound mind. When we keep our eyes on Jesus, we will be able to keep the strength needed to follow him and to fulfill our destiny in Him. When we are living in Jesus there can be no sin. It is when we live our lives outside of his mercy that we begin to be drained by the complications of the world around us. When we focus and live our lives within the boundaries provided by our Lord, we are kept strong and safe by his Holy Word. We must stay faithful and pray everyday. We must give him praise for all the good and great things he does for us each day. We must read and meditate upon His Holy Word as often as we can. Our Lord loves us and wants to keep us within his love. But we must stay focused and not allow sin to enter. In only drains our strength and does not allow us the ability to live healthy lives in Christ Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” TAKE DELIGHT IN THE LORD AND HE WILL GIVE YOU YOUR HEART’S DESIRES.” PSALM 37:4

Our God in heaven is a loving God. He has every desire for us to obey his every word and do the things that will take us down the right path. There are, however, many obstacles thrown in our way. We have mountains to climb over, jungles to navigate through and valleys to climb out of. None of these obstacles are fun or easy. But with the Lord by our side, we can get through it all. We are to be joyful in our Lord and thankful for all that does for us and gives to us. We must allow him to live in our daily lives. He should always be at the forefront of our actions. He should always be at the forefront of our thoughts. Our faith in Him must be so strong that we lean upon Him for everything we do. If we believe and take delight in Him our lives will be so much better, and we will be able to walk through and defeat each and every struggle we confront. With the Lord living in our lives everyday he will give us the desires of our hearts. Our desires will reflect his will for our lives, and we will become stronger each day. Let us all develop a relationship with Jesus that reflects a delightful attitude. Make him the center of your life and live with Him in control. We can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS AND BELIEVE YOU RECEIVE!

” WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THE LORD. BE BRAVE AND COURAGEOUS. YES, WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THE LORD.” PSALM 27:14

We live in a world of fast cars, fast food, fast technology and just a life that is running fast at all times. The world around us just seems too never slow down. While living in this world we seem to take that fast lifestyle and use it when we are worshipping our Lord God. We expect our prayers to be answered immediately or consider them to be unanswered. Many times, our lives are moving so fast that we only have time each day for a short prayer and a very quick reading of a short bible verse. It is very important that we take a step back and begin to analyze our priorities in life. What is the most important part of our daily life? Is it our sleep and rest? Is it our job, our family or our TV time? All of these are important, however, who has provided us with these opportunities? Who has given us our great families? Who has allowed us to be born in one of the greatest countries in the world? As followers of Jesus, we all know the answers to these questions. Our Lord God in heaven has provided these things to us. How much time do we give him each day? Where do we have him on our priority list? We must slow down and take time to give thanks to where thanks are due. We must give praise where praise is due. If we put Jesus first in our lives and all else will fall into place. It is so easy to get wrapped up in this world but if we slow down and listen, pray, believe, receive and meditate in his Holy Word our lives will be so much better for both us and those around us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND A GODLY LIFE, ALONG WITH FAITH, LOVE, PERSEVERANCE, AND GENTLENESS.” 1 TIMOTHY 6:11

” AVOID GODLESS, FOOLISH DISCUSSIONS WITH THOSE WHO OPPOSE YOU WITH THEIR SO-CALLED KNOWLEDGE.” 1 TIMOTHY 6:20

Pursuing happiness through our loving God in heaven and then living it here on this earth is sometimes a challenging experience. We must stay focused and believe in our faith. We must know what God’s word says and we must put his words and promises into action in our lives. Because we live in the world, we are surrounded with those who may think our ways of following God are foolish and filled with nonsense. As we walk in our valleys and up our mountains, we must stay the course. We should not take seriously the thoughts and words of those whose ideas are not in line with the Word of God. If we do, our life will become harder and harder each day. We must surround ourselves with those in this life who support us and our faith walk in Jesus. We cannot allow doubt, worry or fear to creep in and steal away the strength and joy that comes from following Jesus. Our lives and the struggles we go through are to be a testimony to others as to what a life in Jesus is all about. Our faith must be strong even when others are in doubt. We are overcomers in this life of all our struggles because our Lord and Savior in Jesus is our way of life. We are to stay the course no matter the persecutions or struggles put into our paths! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” THESE PEOPLE HONOR ME WITH THEIR LIPS BUT THEIR HEARTS ARE FAR FROM ME.” MATTHEW 15:8

Respecting, loving and honoring our God in heaven is much more than just going to church on Sunday morning. The messages from God and the fellowship we receive with other Christians during our Sunday church services are a vital part of our relationship with God. However, going to church on Sunday morning and Sunday night does not give us a license to go out during the week and live a life that represents this world. We are to take our messages and the fellowship we receive on Sundays and make them a part of our daily lives. Some treat our Sunday services as they do a gas station for their car. They go there and fill up for the week, thinking that they are good until next Sunday. Truly honoring our God in heaven is not only going to church but it is living the life. His word and his promises are to penetrate our very souls and become a part of who we are. We are to love others, be joyful, be giving, and act upon his promises and live lives of strength and not weakness. If we are to fulfill the plan that God has for us, we must be willing to involve him in every decision and every problem we run up against. We need to pray and talk with him everyday. We must listen to him and do as he instructs us to do. He should be our focus during the week, not the world. After all, he created this world, and he knows of every problem and every solution to every problem, before we even confront them. We must trust him and honor him in everything we do. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” WE SHOULD LIVE IN THIS EVIL WORLD WITH WISDOM, RIGHTEOUNESS, AND DEVOTION TO GOD, WHILE WE LOOK FORWARD WITH HOPE, TO THAT WONDERFUL DAY WHEN THE GLORY OF OUR GREAT GOD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST WILL BE REVEALED.” TITUS 2:12 & 13

Only when we live in the world through the eyes of the world do we become saddened, frustrated and with little to no hope in our future. How terrible is it to live a life where there is no hope for a future, where there is no reality to life after death. When things go wrong our lives turn into disasters because all we see is the reality around us. However, when we surround ourselves with the loving arms of our God in heaven, our worries fade away. The life in the evil world that we live in today becomes only a temporary thing. We look forward to the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As our faith becomes stronger day in and day out, we begin to live our lives in his righteousness, his wisdom and his understanding. Our focus changes to our eternal life with Him in heaven. As we read his holy word it becomes truth to us, and we begin to live as we are intended to live. Our struggles in this life become secondary to the life we look forward to. He loves us without conditions. He is our Savior, Forgiver and Healer. Through Him we can do all things because He gives us the strength we need in order to get through our walk in this world. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!