Michael J Burchett Ministries

“FOR WISDOM IS FAR MORE VALUABLE THAN RUBIES. NOTHING YOU DESIRE CAN COMPARE WITH IT. ” PROVERBS 7:11

” FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE FOUNDTION OF WISDOM. KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOLY ONE RESULTS IN GOOD JUDGEMENT. ” PROVERBS 9:10

Sometimes we overlook the value of wisdom. With the wisdom of our God in heaven we can live a life that is valuable to both the Lord and to us. Wisdom helps us to make wise decisions whether they are for our work life or our family life. With the wisdom we receive from our God we will reach the heights he wants us to reach in our faith to him. As we listen to the Holy Spirit, he will guide us with the thoughts and actions that are led by the wisdom of God. It is when we walk outside of God’s plan that we begin to fall into the temptations of this world. Without the wisdom that God provides, our steps can easily lead us down the wrong paths and result in heartbreak, confusion and dismay. If we just take the time each day to pray to our Lord for his wisdom and understanding, we will begin to see the results. Our history shows that people love to dig or pan for gold, thinking that the riches of the world is the answer. We, however, have the riches of God’s wisdom right at our fingertips. All we have to do is ask and believe we receive. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THNGS!

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

Our God in heaven loves us unconditionally. He loves us when things are going good in our lives, and he loves us in our times of trouble. With the faith that we continue to build in our Lord, we see his strength and power in our lives working the best when things are not going so well. It is during these times that we seem to take notice of his love and gracious attitude. It is in these desperate times that we go to God for help. We earnestly pray for his forgiveness and his miracles to take place in our lives. In order for us to even pray and ask our Lord God in heaven for his help, we must have a measure of faith. As we build upon that measure of faith we begin to believe with greater intensity in our Lord and what he does for us. We begin to believe in his promises and his word. It sometimes takes the dark and troubled times to shake us up and help us to realize that without our God there is no real hope. However, with him there is more than just hope but there are answers. So, when we are going through times of trouble and persecution, we should remember that the Lord’s power works best in these times of weakness. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” I DO NOTHING ON MY OWN BUT SAY ONLY WHAT MY FATHER TAUGHT ME. AND THE ONE WHO SENT ME IS WITH ME—- HE HAS NOT DESERTED ME. FOR I ALWAYS DO WHAT PLEASES HIM.” JOHN 8: 28-29

Even Jesus, when he walked this earth did nothing on his own. He was always talking to his father in heaven. He was always being reminded of the things he had been taught by his father. Even though there were times where it appeared that he had been abandoned, he had not. His father in heaven was always there to remind him of his mission, his love and his strength. You and I are in much the same situation. We confront things all of the time that seem too difficult to overcome. We face anger, sadness, persecution and much more. These are all things that we cannot conquer on our own. We need our father to guide us and give us the strength we need. We need to believe, just as Jesus did, that our father is with us in all things. We must continue to move forward doing what pleases him. We must continue to pray and stay in constant contact with him. He is our father and he loves us more than we can comprehend. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“LET EVERY CREATED THING GIVE PRAISE TO THE LORD, FOR HE ISSUED HIS COMMAND, AND THEY CAME INTO BEING.” PSALM 148:5

Praise to our God in heaven is one of the most important things we can do. He loves our praises. Without his command for our existence, we would not be here. Without his command for the creation of the trees, birds, green grass, blue sky, the stars and the moon they would not be here. Our Lord God is responsible for all things created. You and I can never run out of things to praise our God for. We should begin our days with praise and end our days with praise. He is our strength, understanding, our peace of mind, and of course our Savior, Healer and Forgiver. Without him we are nothing. But with him we are everything he wants us to be. Always remember to Praise the Lord in all things!

“THE LORD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES; HE IS GRACIOUS IN ALL HE DOES. THE LORD HELPS THE FALLEN AND LIFTS THOSE BENT BENEATH THEIR LOADS.” PSALM 145: 13-14

“THE LORD IS CLOSE TO ALL WHO CALL ON HIM, YES TO ALL WHO CALL ON HIM IN TRUTH.” PSALM 145: 18

Our gracious Lord has provided promises throughout the bible. He has never and will never fail on any of his promises. In Psalm 145: 13-14 he has promised to help all who are bent beneath their loads. Have you or do you feel this way? Do you feel that your life is full of troubles and circumstances that just seem too heavy for you to overcome? If you feel this way you can be assured that our God in heaven is close to those who call on him. He is close to those who call on him in truth, to those who call on him with faith and trust. If we sincerely believe that he will help us, then we must leave our prayer requests with him and not pick them back up after praying. He cannot fulfill his promises in our lives if we don’t allow him to. Once we have committed our problems to him, we must allow him to take them and keep them. We should continue to thank him for his answers and for solving our problems. It is so important that we remember that no matter whether we see the results immediately or a year down the road we must continue to praise him for the answer. We must trust that he is working in our lives and is fulfilling his promises in our lives. This trust is a part of building our faith in his word. We must pray, praise him and have a confident hope in his answers. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“THIS IS MY COMMAND- BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS! DO NOT BE AFRAID OR DISCOURAGED. FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.” JOSHUA 1:9

“FOR HE WILL RESCUE YOU FROM EVERY TRAP AND PROTECT YOU FROM DEADLY DISEASE.” PSALM 91:3

Our Lord is not only with us, at all times, but he is constantly working for us. He protects us, gives us strength, wisdom, understanding, insight, love, peace of mind and all other good and great things. He is our life, our light in the dark, our Savior, our redeemer, and our heavenly spark. Through the Holy Spirit he provides all of the spiritual tools needed for his holy protection to be with us all day and all night, when we are awake and when we are sleeping. All we have to do is to ask, receive and believe. Our Lord is not pushy and will not force his protection upon us. We must be willing to accept it. For his protection to work we must believe. We must be able to believe even when it feels and looks like everything is hopeless. Our faith in Jesus and his holy promises must be strong. He must be our refuge and our safety net. As we go to him, he promises to answer. Thank you, Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“THERE IS FORGIVENESS OF SINS FOR ALL WHO REPENT.” LUKE 24:47

The forgiveness of sins is a gift from God that just keeps on giving. Jesus died once and for all on the cross for our salvation, healings and the forgiveness of sins. Sometimes it is very easy to take for granted what Jesus did for us over 2000 years ago. Each and every one of us sin in our lives. The Lord forgives each of those sins as we take them to him. We must be sincere in our asking for his forgiveness. Scriptures tell us that he then wipes the sin away as though it never occurred. He doesn’t remember them. We shouldn’t remember them either. We should never beat ourselves up over a sin that has been forgiven. Dwelling on them can be of great harm when it comes to witnessing to others. We may begin to think of ourselves as something other than a forgiven Christian. We must stay confident in the Lord and believe that he has answered our prayers. This includes the forgiveness of our sins. We must move on in Christ. As Christians we know when we sin. It is at that moment that we should lay the sin at his feet for forgiveness. The devil likes nothing more than to torment us with our past. We must be able to overcome and move on. Jesus gives us that opportunity. Love him, believe him and act upon your belief. As followers of Jesus our desire is not to sin, and the Holy Spirit convicts us when we do. It is that conviction that sets us apart as a Christian. When we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior we changed. Our attitudes changed and, in some cases, our whole lifestyle changed. Our desire is to follow the path our Lord and Savior has set for us. It is when we are able to discard the obstacles, set before us in our journey, that we are successful in Christ! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“BUT AS A RESULT, WE STOPPED RELYING ON OURSELVES, AND LEARNED TO RELY ON GOD, WHO RAISES THE DEAD.” 1 COR. 1:9

To have success in this world depends upon how we perform in life. It depends on how we stack up to others in this world. The problem is that we often times fall short of success. We don’t perform like we should. Or, in many circumstances, we just don’t have the abilities to perform as others do. Our Lord God in heaven has given us all of the answers to success. We must have a faith that is strong enough to believe totally in him. He is our road to success, whether it be healing in our bodies or physical or mental abilities in our lives. If we are depending on what we can accomplish in life, then we are destined for failure. We are destined to be inferior on the human level. However, we have a God in heaven who can help us to do anything. We must trust him to lead us down the right paths. The Lord has created each one of us for a purpose. We must continue to search for the understanding of that purpose. We need to ask him and listen. The Lord is our performance tool. He is the one we should try to please. This is not easy. It is a process. Sometimes this process takes a lot of time and dedication on our part. We must always stay focused and never give up on the Lord. He never, ever fails us. Pray to him, praise him, meditate upon his holy word and never give up on him! He is our success! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” TO YOU NIGHT SHINES AS BRIGHT AS THE DAY. DARKNESS AND LIGHT ARE THE SAME TO YOU.” PSALM 139:12

You and I are always in God’s spotlight. There is no darkness with our God. He sees everything we do very clearly. There is no hiding from him. He knows our every thought before we think it. He knows our every word before we say it. He knows our every action before we do it. He knows everything we do, think and speak. He also is standing by us willing and ready to help us, forgive us, heal us and save us. He is our only source, healer, and provider. We are never out of his view. His mighty presence is never away from us but always with us. There is no darkness in our Lord but only light. You and I are living in the light and not the darkness. Our Lord will help us to shine brightly in the presence of others. With God we are able to do all things. He is our source for all things. We should begin our day with him, include him in our daily activities and end our day with him. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THNGS!

“WE SERVE GOD WHETHER PEOPLE HONOR US OR DESPISE US, WHETHER THEY SLANDER US OR PRAISE US.” 2 CORINTHIANS 6:8

How many people do you know who claim to follow the Lord but when the going gets tough they fall back into the crowd and begin living their lives as the worldly do? I would guess that each of us have a rather long list of names. Of course, we are not to judge but to pray for each and every one of these names. However, Our Lord wants us to be strong enough to follow him in everything we do and say. We cannot be fearful in confessing Jesus as Lord. We cannot be fearful to confessing our way of life as a Christian just because of what others might think of us. Fear, doubt and worry cannot exist with faith and trust in Jesus. We have to make a choice as to who we follow and how we will live our lives. By committing our ways to the Lord our lives will sometimes become hectic, crowded with ridicule and mocking. It will sometimes be filled with slander and with others throwing doubt in our path. However, if we continue to build upon our faith and trust in our Lord to guide us through these times of uneasiness, our lives will be filled with satisfaction and the joy of the Lord. We must continue to do what the Lord tells us to do and stay on the path of righteousness. Our Lord is a loving and caring God. He wants only the best for us. When we begin to believe this without doubt our lives are filled with understanding, wisdom and strength and with the power to stand up to the unrighteous of the world. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“LORD MY HEART IS NOT PROUD; MY EYES ARE NOT HAUGHTY. I DON’T CONCERN MYSELF WITH MATTERS TOO GREAT OR TOO AWSOME FOR ME TO GRASP.” PSALM 131:1

It is important that we do not allow ourselves to become confident in ourselves. I know I have experienced times in my life where things are rolling along smoothly. Things are going well on the job and at home. Others are patting me on the back telling me how great a job I have been doing. My confidence begins to grow, and I begin to move forward not remembering who helped me to such a good place in life. I begin to make decisions without consulting the Lord. I begin to think that I am really smart and invincible in what I do. I begin to step out in areas that are way above the abilities I have been given. It is in these times that our lives are floating in deep waters with reality lurking just around the corner. It is in these times that I have experienced some of the greatest failures of my life. It is through these failures that I am reminded who is actually in control of my life. It is of great importance that we never drift away from our life in Jesus. We must always remember who is in control. We must listen to the Holy Spirit. We must give credit where credit is due. When we begin to look at ourselves as the only way to success then we are in great danger of failure. Our Lord loves us and is by our side to help us through our lives and to make our lives easier. But if we are persistent in taking things into our own hands then we will eventually fail. We should continue to focus on the Lord each day. We cannot allow the things of this world to trick us into thinking we are better than God. We can do all things, but it is through the Lord that we are successful. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“SO, WE DON’T LOOK AT THE TROUBLES WE CAN SEE NOW; WE FIX OUR GAZE ON THINGS THAT CANNOT BE SEEN. FOR THE THINGS WE SEE NOW WILL SOON BE GONE, BUT THE THINGS WE CANNOT SEE WILL LAST FOREVER.” 2 COR. 4:18

Keeping our focus on the correct things is vastly important in determining how we live our lives in this world. All we have to do is watch the news to see where the people of this world have focused their time and thoughts. The news will do nothing more than cause worry, concern and untimely ulcers. The focus of this world is on inflation, gas prices, immigration, war and all else that troubles our existing society. These are all very concerning and they all affect each and every one of us who live in the world today. We are watching our country spiral downward at a very fast pace. However, as followers of Jesus, we should be focused on other things. We should be focused on the unseen things of the world to come. We should stay engrained in God’s Word and his mighty promises for our lives. We should stay in prayer to our Lord God and always stay in his presence. We must not stray from our focus. Our Lord is in complete control. He has a plan that he has instituted and put into action. We must keep our thoughts and eyes on him and what he is doing. If we stay in his word and in prayer, he will give us the strength and courage we need to move forward in this world. It is when we take our eyes off of Jesus and put our focus on the world that we begin to worry and doubt. Keep the spiritual focus. Stay in communication with the Lord. We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

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

Our great and glorious God in heaven has a purpose for everything that happens in our lives. He has a purpose for all of the good and great things that happen and also all of the sufferings we go through. It is very easy to get down and disgruntled when we are sick or when we are going through tough times. It is easy to grumble and become temperamental through these times. As Christians we have to tap into our source even more than normal when we are going through the rumbling waters that seem to want to overtake us. Instead of grumbling we should be praising our God. We should stay focused on his word and all of his promises. We should continue to live our lives through Jesus as others are able to watch and learn. The Lord will and does use our times of trouble to witness to others. As we go through these times, the more we praise the Lord and tap into his resources the more comfort he will give us. The Lord never allows us to go through more than we can endure. When we go through tough times, we can be confident that our Lord has given us the resources to get through. He never leaves us stranded. He is our strength, and we must stay focused on our source and strength. We are all overcomers through Jesus our Lord and Savior. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“YOUR LIVES ARE A LETTER WRITTEN IN OUR HEARTS; EVERYONE CAN READ IT AND RECOGNIZE OUR GOOD WORK AMONG YOU. CLEARLY, YOU ARE A LETTER FROM CHRIST SHOWING THE RESULT OF OUR MINISTRY AMONG YOU. THIS “LETTER” IS WRITTEN NOT WITH PEN AND INK, BUT WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD. IT IS CARVED NOT ON TABLETS OF STONE, BUT ON HUMAN HEARTS.” 2 COR. 3: 2-3

Each and every one of us are letters from Christ. Our lives are on display at every corner that we turn and in every situation that we confront. As followers of Jesus, we should know his attitude and his desire for how we should conduct our lives before others. As others watch us, they should see our faith at work. They should see the trust in our Lord fully working in our lives. We should not be confessing our lives in Jesus and then going out and living a life of sin. Yes, we are human, and we make mistakes. We should immediately recognize our sins and take them to the Lord for forgiveness. We should admit our mistakes and move forward. That is all a part of living our lives in Jesus. We should never profess to be perfect but show in the way we live our trust and faith in our God in heaven. We are letters from Jesus. We have been sent so that others can read us. We should already know his attitude and desire for the way we live. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AMONG THE DEAD FOR SOMEONE WHO IS ALIVE? ” LUKE 24:5

When the women went to the tomb to see the body of Jesus, they were looking for the dead. However, Jesus was not among the dead but among the living. Jesus had already died and gone to hell and back. He had risen. He had already risen in his perfect form and was preparing to walk among them before rising to be at God’s right hand. People in the world will many times be looking in the wrong places to find the meaning of life. They look at money, power, and being famous in order to be happy and successful. I haven’t heard a story yet that turns out for the good when people look to these things for happiness. There is only one way to happiness and that is through Jesus Christ. It is through acknowledging that we are sinners and accepting him as our Lord and Savior. We can have all the money in the world, and it will not be enough. We can have all of the fame in the world, and it will become a nuisance. Even as Christians we can sometimes get off the path and begin to look for things that are not beneficial to us. We must live our lives in this world among the living. We must seek out the Lord Jesus and turn our focus squarely upon him. We must live our lives with Jesus first. This is not easy, and it takes time. We are human and make mistakes. But our Lord is with us and will forgive us. We cannot allow the dead things of this world get in our way of worshipping Jesus and living our lives with him in control. There is nothing wrong with money and fame as long as Jesus is involved. He is our source for all things which includes money and fame. If we are led down this road, he will help us. No matter our status we must keep focused on our living, breathing Jesus. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH!” PSALM 121:2

“THE LORD KEEPS YOU FROM ALL HARM AND WATCHES OVER YOUR LIFE. THE LORD KEEPS WATCH OVER YOU AS YOU COME AND GO, BOTH NOW AND FOREVER.” PSALM 121:7-8

As we live upon this earth we are surround by good and bad. We receive both good advice and bad advice from those around us. It is natural that we go to those around us, in whom we trust, to get advice in our times of need. Sometimes we just need to hear a comforting word or a hug and pat on the back. However, we must never forget where our true help lies. Our help comes from the Lord our God in heaven. He is watching our lives every moment of every day. He keeps us safe and out of troubles. It is important that we continue to recognize our source and that we continually stay focused on him. It is when we take our eyes off of Jesus and begin to stray from his strength, protection and wisdom, that we begin to cause ourselves unnecessary grief. Our loved ones around us love us and have our best interest in mind, but they are human and are giving us human advice. With our God he is giving us heavenly advice. He sees all and is in control. He knows what direction we should go. He knows what we should say. He knows what is best for us. But we must stay focused and concentrate on his word and his voice. We must obey what he wants us to do. Everything he suggests for us will line up with his Holy Word. If it doesn’t then it isn’t from God. Stay focused, stay engrained in his Word and continue to meditate upon his Word. He will teach us all things and make our lives in the world much more understandable and enjoyable. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

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

As we pray to our God each day and meditate upon his word, he continues to feed us his many promises and truths. His word gives us words of wisdom, understanding and hope. He gives us the strength we need to stand up in this world and be counted for Jesus. He instructs us to be on our guard and to stand firm in our faith. We are to be courageous and strong in our actions on his behalf. And we are to do everything with love. We should never act upon hate or anger. We should always be praying for others, and we should always consider others as better than ourselves. If we listen to the instructions of our Lord and do as he teaches us, then our lives will be strengthened in him, and we will be successful in our faithful mission for Christ. We should love others as he loves us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“YOU ARE MY REFUGE AND MY SHIELD; YOUR WORD IS MY SOURCE OF HOPE.” PSALM 119:114

When we have troubles, struggles and problems in life we have a place of refuge. That refuge is in the form of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is with us in every situation we confront. When we are going through struggles, we must be able to go directly to our refuge for safety. If we are running away from the Lord, then we will do nothing more than continue in our struggles with much anxiety and with little to no hope. When we trust totally in the Lord, scripture tells us that he is also our shield. He will fight off and protect us from the evil attacks of the unjust. He will take on the battle for us. He is there to help us overcome any situation we have to go through. His holy word is our source of hope. God’s Word is filled with his promises. He never fails on a promise. The more we read his Word and meditate upon it the more he will reveal to us. The more we learn how to put his word into action the more real our Lord becomes. As we allow him to work in our lives, he protects us and continues to give us the hope we need to have each day. However, you and I must take action. We must go to him as our refuge. We must allow him to be our shield in times of trouble and we must read his word everyday so that our hope and faith becomes stronger. We must remember always that we can do everything and anything with the Lord with us but nothing without him. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“THE WICKED HAVE SET THEIR TRAPS FOR ME, BUT I WILL NOT TURN FROM YOUR COMMANDMENTS.” PSALM 119: 110

Each day as we walk out the door and into the world, there are the land mines of life that we must be able to maneuver through. Each day that passes we get closer to the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Each day that we move closer to his return, the more desperate the devil gets. The devil is very aware of the end times. He knows the scriptures very well. He is working desperately to build up his army and he wants you and me to be included. He is a wise and crafty one. If we don’t pray each day to the Lord our God, and stay close to him, we can be deceived very easily by the evil one. He will try to use God’s words against us. He will turn them around and upside down and convince us that we are truly following the Lord, when in reality, we are following the devil’s ways. He sets traps for us, and we must be wise and knowledgeable enough to be able to discern what is right and what is wrong. God has given us the Holy Spirit to help us. If we listen to him, he will direct through these land mines. He will keep us on the straight and narrow. We must, however, stay in the Word of God, meditate upon it and pray his promises. This is not the time for us as Christians to take a vacation from God. We must stay in constant communication with him and know and understand, to the best of our knowledge, his commandments for our lives. If we do, he tells us that we are overcomers. We will defeat the devil and his army, and we will always be protected. He must be our refuge and we must live within his shelter. He is our Lord, our Savior, our everything! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“BE STILL IN HE PRESENCE OF THE LORD AND WAIT PATIENTLY FOR HIM TO ACT.” PSALM 37:7

” WHEN THEY CALL ON ME, I WILL ANSWER.” PSALM 91:15

When God created me, he must have put a note on me saying, “ this one will need extra help.” I have never been known for my patience. When I need to get something completed, I want it completed quickly. I have always been one who would rather get things done quickly and not have to worry about them. This trait can be a hindrance. Sometimes things get done so quickly that they are not completed with accuracy. What good is doing something fast if you are not doing it right? I believe that is what the Lord is telling us in the above scriptures. He is very clear that if we go to him in prayer, he will answer us. There is, however, a condition. We must wait patiently for him to act. The Lord knows what is happening in our lives and he has a plan for each of us. Just because we think our prayers need to be answered immediately doesn’t mean they will be. Because they are not, doesn’t mean that God hasn’t heard our prayers or isn’t going to answer. The timing may not be right to fit into his plan. We must trust him. We must be able to wait upon him. We cannot allow ourselves to get impatient and try to do things on our own. We will only mess things up. It is important that we continue to train ourselves to be patient in the Lord, listen to him and wait for him to act. This is defiantly not easy. But when we accomplish this, things will turn out perfectly. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“AND YOU MUST LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, ALL YOUR SOUL, AND ALL YOUR STRENGTH.” DEUTERONOMY 6:5

The Lord is very clear on how we are to love him. We must be able to give our all. He tells us that we must love him with all of our heart, soul and strength. In order to give 100% everyday we must keep our faith built to its highest levels. Faith and fear cannot live together. If we are going through troubled times, and we are fearing the worst, then we are living in fear. Faith is nowhere to be found. If we are going through troubled times and begin reading God’s word and reciting his promises then we are living in faith and fear will run away. It is so important as brothers and sisters in Christ that we help one another. We need to pray together, read the bible together, encourage one another, and help each other to keep our faith strong. As we give our all for Christ, we must allow others to relish in our faith and not live in fear. We must be there for each other and build one another up on every occasion. It is hard to stay positive in a situation where you see disaster. But our God is with us. He has given us his Holy Spirit to live in us, guide us, and help put us back on track. He has given us each other for support. Be encouraging and build others up do not tear them down. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” YOU CANNOT DRINK FROM THE CUP OF THE LORD AND DEMONS TOO.” 1 COR. 10:21

“ GUARD YOUR HEART ABOVE ALL ELSE, FOR IT DETERMINES THE COURSE OF YOUR LIFE.” PROVERBS 4:23

I often talk about putting God first in our lives. It is so important to understand that our Lord wants us to live a joyful and caring life. He wants this so much for our lives that he not only sent Jesus to die for us, but he also sent the Holy Spirit to live in us. The Holy Spirit will give us direction and lead us upon the right paths by helping us to make right decisions. We sometimes forget that we have him right beside us each and every day. He is our strength and our foundation for life. We cannot, however, lead a double life. We cannot live for Jesus sometimes and then lead a life that does not reflect him at other times. We need to be all in for Jesus. We need to be filled with his word so that it is overflowing. We need to prepare our hearts to reflect him in all that we do, all that we think and the way we talk. We are not perfect, and we will never be perfect in this life, but we can put forth the efforts our God want us to put forth. Our Lord has gone the extra mile for each of us. The time is short and he is returning soon. We need to be prepared and keep our eyes focused on him and his ways. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

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

Every one of us faces temptation and trouble in this life. We have mountains to climb over and deep valleys to climb out of. Sometimes these troubles seem never ending and it seems as though we will never get away from them. However, we are reminded in 1 Corinthians 10:13, that our God in heaven is in total control. He loves each of us beyond understanding. He does not want us to fail and, if we go to him as our refuge, we will not fail. He is greater than anything that we might face. There is no situation that can stand before us that we cannot handle if we just turn it over to the Lord. He is always there to give us encouragement and to pick us up when we stumble. The problem lies in the fact that we sometimes forget about our saving Lord. We get entangled in the worries, doubts and fears of our troubles. We try to use our abilities to overcome. We soon find out that we don’t have the strength without our Lord. We don’t have the guidance we need without his Holy Spirit. We must train ourselves to respond to ugly situations by turning them over to our Lord immediately and following his instructions unconditionally. Our Lord loves us, and we cannot fail with him by our side. We cannot fail with him living in us. He is our rock, truth and power to be overcomers in all things! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

“BUT OUR BODIES HAVE MANY PARTS AND GOD HAS EACH PART JUST WHERE HE WANTS.” 1 COR. 12:18

The body of Christ is much like our own bodies. Every part of our own body has a job to do. Each plays a special role in the way we live our lives. So it is with the body of Christ. We are all a part of the body. Each of us has been created for a special purpose. We each have a job to. You and I have each been given a special talent. The Lord our God created us with that talent and we should be using it for the advancement of God’s message. If we are not sure just what that talent is, then we should go to God in prayer and ask him to reveal it to us. As we continue to build our faith we will continue to gain the knowledge and wisdom God offers to us. Without a great faith in his actions we will not be able to use our talent the way God desires. Our God has great faith in us. He encourages us and continuously cheers us on. But the devil and the world have a different view. They don’t want us to succeed. They will do everything and anything to cause us to fail. Evil is all around us and at work 24/7. We must stay strong in Jesus and use our strength and talents on his behalf. We must be able to overcome the doubts and the fears this world spews at us. We must be able to stand up in the face of fear, doubt and worry and be able to quote our Lord’s promises. Our Lord loves us and wants us to succeed. We must do our part and know his intent for our lives. Stay in his word and pray always. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“I AM WORN OUT WAITING FOR YOUR RESCUE, BUT I HAVE PUT MY HOPE IN YOUR WORD.” PSALM 119:81

As followers of Christ, we all strive for perfection. When we are unable to reach it, we sometimes become down and depressed. We do things that are not in the will of God, and we feel like we have failed. There could be nothing further from the truth. Our perfection resides in Jesus. When we fall, he is there to pick us up. All we have to do is ask for his forgiveness and it is forgiven. If we need help in an area that consistently causes us to trip and fall away from his word, then we need to ask him for help and then believe we have received it and move forward in our lives. We can never and will never reach perfection without Jesus. We are all human and the Lord already knows that we have failed. That is why he sent his only son to die for our failures and forgive us for the sins we commit. We must, however, ask him for his help. We must believe that he has answered us and live our lives as such. Jesus is perfection. We can either accept his death and resurrection for our lives or we can try to go it alone. If we go it alone, we will fail. Jesus is our Lord and Savior. We should live our lives everyday with him on our minds and in our hearts. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

“WATCH OUT! DON’T LET YOUR HEARTS BE DULLED BY CAROUSING AND DRUNKEDNESS AND BY THE WORRIES OF THIS LIFE. DON’T LET THAT DAY CATCH YOU UNAWARE LIKE A TRAP.” LUKE 21: 34-35

PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” COMMIT EVERYTHING YOU DO TO THE LORD. TRUST HIM AND HE WILL HELP YOU.” PSALM 37:5

Trusting the Lord to help us each day is not just for the troubles we encounter. It is important that we trust him on all fronts. He is the Lord of all of our life. It seems to be harder to trust him when things are going well than when trouble confronts us. When life is breezing right along and seems to have no troubles on the horizon, we seem to feel more confident in our own actions and do things our way. It is easy to be lulled into the feeling that we are invincible and can do no wrong. It is at these times that we need to praise our Lord for the good times we are having and not be lulled into a false sense of safety. The Lord knows our thoughts and actions. He wants to be involved in our lives at all times not just some of the time. He wants to bless us, help us and wants to be given every opportunity to show his love for us. We must give him that chance. We must never take a break from him but instead keep praising him and thanking him for the good things in our lives and the help he provides us in times of trouble. We must commit everything we do to him and allow him to work in our lives. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

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

As I continue to build my faith and trust in God, I begin to recognize the importance of considering others in the way I live my life. When I am following the ways of the Lord, my life is a reflection of his truths and his actions. I am on display to others as a Christian. If I confess to be of the Lord and then go out and carouse at night, use foul language and become a user of the world’s ways, I am not helping others to see the truths of Jesus. Instead, in everything I do, I should pray about it and do it for God’s glory and not for my benefit. I should be in tune with Jesus and know exactly what he wants me to do and how he wants me to act. I should do all things for the glory of God. For when we become followers of Christ, he is with us and goes before us. He directs our ways and keeps us safe. He leads us in the directions we are to travel. He puts others in our lives for a purpose and not for just some random reason. There is a purpose for the way we are to live our lives. We should not question his ways but acknowledge them and live in them. For whatever we do, we should do it for the glory of God. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“THEY DRANK FROM THE SPIRITUAL ROCK THAT TRAVELED WITH THEM, AND THAT ROCK WAS CHRIST.” 1 COR. 10:4

It doesn’t matter where our travels take us in our lives, we have a Spiritual Rock who travels with us. This rock is Christ. His presence allows us to overcome, be strong, live with confidence, have patience and obtain wisdom for our lives. He is our understanding, our sword in times of trouble and our love for others. If we allow him to be, he is always with us. He is by our side in troubles, times of confusion, times of sorrow and in times of loneliness. He is our friend, our neighbor, our strength and our solid rock. He is the joy that shines in our hearts and the love that flows out to others. With our solid rock who travels with us we can do all things. We are never allowed to fail. Always remember Jesus and his mission in your life. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“ LORD, YOU ARE MINE! I PROMISE TO OBEY YOUR WORDS! WITH ALL OF MY HEART I WANT YOUR BLESSINGS. BE MERCIFUL AS YOU PROMISED. PSALM 119: 57-58

Our Lord promises to bless us and keep us. But we must do our part. As we continue to read and meditate upon his word, we learn about his many blessings and promises for our lives. We must be able to uphold our end of the bargain. We must know his ways and his commands. We must not only know them, but we must act upon them. We should be following what he commands in his word. His ways are the ways to righteousness. His ways lead us to him. His ways lead us to his blessings in our lives and opens the door for his mighty promises. Our God in heaven is a merciful God. If we are following him, he is with us in everything. He gives us wisdom and understanding and strength and patience. He is a merciful, loving and patient God. We should run to him and not run away from him. When we do, he blesses us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!