Bread of Life, JIL

” CAST ALL OF YOUR CARES UPON JESUS AS HE CARES FOR YOU. ” 1 PETER 5:7

Trust in the Lord. Delight in the Lord. Commit to the lord. How do we trust in the Lord? We trust in the lord by building our faith until it is immovable. Building our faith is an ongoing activity. It isn’t something that happens at the snap of your fingers. It takes making the Lord our God in heaven the answer to all of our needs. No matter the size or the importance of the need we must take it to the Lord. He must be first in our lives. He should be the first one we think of when trouble confronts us. We must be persistent and patient. Once we totally trust him, we should have joy in him. We know that he will answer us because he promises he will. We should be happy and joyful with full knowledge that our God in heaven is in charge of our lives. As we trust the Lord and delight in him, we then should commit to him. We should commit our thoughts, words and deeds to the Lord each day. When we trust, delight and commit our ways to our God in heaven there is nothing that can stop us. There is nothing that can hurt us. We should never become discouraged but be courageous and strong. Building our faith in Jesus is the most important thing we can do as a Christian. Casting our problems on Jesus is so important because he is our answer! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

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

Patience is not an easy thing. Some of us have the ability to be more patient than others. We live in a modern world where patience is not something that is practiced consistently. We are in a hurry in everything we do. We want to see results quickly. When we recognize that our God has his own time schedule and that his schedule doesn’t necessarily revolve around us, we find that we need to practice patience. Sometimes our patience pays off quickly with answers to our prayers and sometimes becomes everlasting. It is important that we have a faith that is strong enough to resist impatience which then can lead to decisions that may not be the right decision in the long run. We can cause a lot of our own problems by doing things quickly and not taking the time to listen to what God has to say. If we have a strong faith and we trust in God to answer our prayers, our patience will be tested. I was once told to be very careful about what I pray for. If you pray for patience, be ready to be patient for the Lord will give you opportunities to learn all about patience and believe me this is not an easy lesson. However, our Lord does have patience and will wait on us to become strong in his word. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” HUMANLY SPEAKING IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. BUT WITH GOD EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.” MATTHEW 19:26

To live my life with total confidence I must put my complete heart and soul into my first love, Jesus Christ. I must trust him, believe him and do what he says. I must surround myself with him by praising him, praying to him and listening to him. He is my shelter in all storms and my source for all answers. He is in every word I speak, every move that I make and in every thought that I have. He is my guide in the deepest darkness and my source for love in times of trouble. He is my confidence, my strength, and my total reason for living. I was created to praise him and honor him in each and everything I do. As a human being on this earth, I am defenseless and worn out. I have no future and nothing to make me happy. But, as a child of the living God through Jesus my Lord and savior I have everything I need to successful. What is needed upon this earth is impossible for man to accomplish. However, with the Lord all things are possible. Thank you, Jesus, for your mighty presence in my life and the lives of those I love. Thank you, Lord, for helping me to be Holy in all that I do! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” I WILL NOT FAIL YOU OR ABANDON YOU. BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS.” JOSHUA 1:5&6

We are living in very interesting times. Some might say we are living in troubled times. Many of the events we are living through are unprecedented. Things that are happening in this day and age are making no sense and seem to have no answers. You and I are assured by our God in heaven that he is not going to abandon us. He assures us that he never fails on a promise. We must, however, stay strong in our faith and continue to be courageous in our stand for Jesus Christ. We can rest assured that our God in heaven is working hard behind the scenes and has all things under control. Things that the world is concerned with and has no control over, our Lord does have control over. He is pulling the strings. While we are on this earth, we also have a job to do. We should let our God take care of the things we have no earthly control of and stay focus on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We should stay focused on the salvation message. We should stay embedded in God’s word and meditate on it day and night. We should continually go before God in prayer and praise. We should listen carefully to the Holy Spirit for directions in our lives. As the world is in confusion, we should be cool, calm and collected because we know the Bible, and we know the end of the story. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” MY HEALTH MAY FAIL, AND MY SPIRIT MAY GROW WEAK, BUT GOD REMAINS THE STRENGTH OF MY HEART; HE IS MINE FOREVER.” PSALM 73:26

As a human being my health may fail me at any time. My body will grow weak over time. As I get older my body begins to wear out and becomes more susceptible to sickness and disease. However, my human weaknesses are overcome by the strength that I have by knowing my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Even though my body reflects all of the frailness of this world and even shows weakness at times, my heart stays strong. My spirit remains in tune with the Holy Spirit and my heart remains as strong as an everlasting rock. No matter the trials and tribulations I might be going through I know that my God in heaven is with me. He has promised me that he will never fail me. He has promised me his love, joy, peace, strength, wisdom and knowledge. With God by my side my mind remains strong and alert because of his mighty promises. I always cling to him and never let go. I refresh my mind and my spirit each day with prayer and praise. I listen and learn and do as he instructs me. He is my Lord, my savior and my God and I will always work hard to satisfy his desires for my life. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

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

Each of our days should begin with a nice breakfast for the body and with praise and prayer with the Lord. It is necessary that we prepare each new day for the challenges that we will face. We must be prepared both physically and spiritually. In order to be better prepared it is important to begin the morning with dedicating the day to the Lord. Give him the opportunity to work in your life each day. Whether you know or do not know the challenges ahead, lay your day at the feet of Jesus. Give him the chance to work in your life. Trust him. Visit with him during the day. Listen to him. Follow him. We need to make him a vital part of our mornings, afternoons and nights. If we do, he will help us. If we trust him, he will be beside us. Make him a part of each day. Remember that each day is his and we are blessed to be made a part of it. Trust him! PRASIE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” SO, HUMBLE YOURSELVES BEFORE GOD. RESIST THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU.” JAMES 4:7

” HUMBLE YOURSELVES BEFORE THE LORD, AND HE WILL LIFT YOU UP IN HONOR.” JAMES 4:10

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

Our time on this earth is not determined by the number of hours in a day or the number of days in a week. We do not know just when the Lord is going to call us home to be with him. The devil knows this. The devil is very active in the world, working very hard to distract as many people as he can. He knows the bible. He knows the outcome. If he knows what the bible says, and we don’t, then he has a large advantage over us. He is not stupid. Sometimes we like to picture him as the little red guy with a long tail and horns carrying a three-pronged pitchfork. The Lord has made it very clear that the devil is not a fictional character but a truly demonized spirit being. He is in a war with God and God’s children. We need to have nothing to do with him. James tells us that if we resist him, he will flee from us. He tells us to humble ourselves before God and that he will lift us up in honor. We need to get rid of the evil in our lives and begin to focus on the Lord our God and his word. We need to stand up in the face of the devil and tell him, in the name of Jesus, to get out of our lives and out of our way. We need to totally focus on our Lord, listen to him and be doers of the word and not hearers only. As James 4:17 says, ” Remember, it is a sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” If we are hearing the word of God but not doing what it says, then we know what to do but are not doing it. We want to be sure we are spreading God’s word while he has given us the opportunity here on this earth. It is not easy, but if we humble ourselves before him and focus on his word and act upon his word we will be helping in the fight against the devil. Don’t let the evil of this world distract you from carrying out God’s instructions for your life. Listen and be a doer of his word. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

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

Each and every day should have a time set aside for praising our Lord God in Heaven. Our God loves to be praised. We were created to praise him and to glorify him. There is so much more to talking with our Lord than just going to him with a list of our problems asking him to solve them for us. Yes, it important that we take our problems and concerns to God for his help, and we all know that he is more than willing to help us. If we believe and trust him, he does help us in all situations. However, he wants to hear our praises and thanksgivings as well. We need to take time each day and just praise him for what he has done for us. We should thank him for loving us so much that he sent his only son to die a terrible death on the cross so you and I could be saved. We need to thank him for sending us the Holy Spirit to help and guide us through each day. We need to thank him for our families and our friends and neighbors around us. We need to thank him for the food, clothing and shelter he provides each day. We need to praise and thank him for all things good and great because without him we would have none of these things. Our praises should be sacrifices by us and a proclamation to our Lord God that we love him, honor him and trust him at all times and in all things! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

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

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

If we talk the talk then we must walk the walk. We can go around telling everyone that we love to eat spinach but if we don’t actually eat it then we are proving nothing. Jesus always backed up his word. He was always faithful in all that he did and all that he said. We, as followers of Jesus are to follow in his footsteps. As we profess our faith to those around us are we acting upon our faith? Are we stepping forward and acting on the words we are confessing? If we say we have faith, yet we go about talking negatively and acting just the opposite of what we are telling others, what do we think others will perceive? They will perceive confusion, lying and weakness. We will not be representing our Lord in strength but instead in weakness. For us to confess our faith we must be willing to put it into action. Those around us should be able to see we are faithful. We must walk in the faith that we are consistently talking about. If we don’t, then we are doing more harm than good. We should always remember that our good deeds, as a result in our trust in the Lord, completes the circle of faith. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

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

For faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. The word of God is faithful in all that it says and in all of the promises it puts forth in our lives. It makes a huge difference when we realize that the Bible is not just a book. It is the living word of God. Every promise that is given can be activated by each of us stepping forward in belief. Every circumstance or situation has been put into place to help us learn God’s ways and how to live our lives as his children. As we continue to read his word and learn, our faith begins to increase, and we continue to grow up as a child of God. As our faith grows our hopes become realities through Christ. If we are not standing on God’s word and actually living our lives guided by the bible, then we are hindering God from working in our lives. You and I must step out in faith and begin to live as Jesus wants us to. We must trust what the Lord says. We must trust every promise he has put forth in his word. With continued prayer, praise and thanksgiving we will continue to grow, and our trust and faith will help us in that growth. The Bible is a roadmap for our lives. We must, however, believe and take steps of faith and put his word into action. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” WHEN TROUBLE COMES YOUR WAY, CONSIDER IT OPPORTUNITY FOR GREAT JOY. FOR YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOUR FAITH IS TESTED, YOUR ENDURANCE HAS A CHANCE TO GROW. SO LET IT GROW, FOR WHEN YOUR ENDURANCE IS FULLY DEVELOPED, YOU WILL BE PERFECT AND COMPLETE, NEEDING NOTHING.” JAMES 1:2-4

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

Problems come our way all of the time. There are days when opportunity grants us a chance to become overwhelmed with problems. However, James tells us that instead of using the opportunity as an overwhelming experience we should us it as a time for great joy. We should consider it great joy because our faith is being tested and endurance has a chance to grow. As we endure through these troubles, we become even stronger. We can use them as opportunities to become closer to our Lord. Problems and troubles can be great learning experiences if we put our total trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. We can and we will endure if we focus and listen to the Holy Spirit. We can’t stop the things going on around us, but we can focus on the peace of our Lord and what his goal is for our lives, then we will patiently endure and receive the blessings he so graciously provides. We must remember that” WE CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS US.” PHIL. 4:13. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD WITHOUT FAITH.” HEBREWS 11:6

” FAITH IS THE CONFIDENCE THAT WHAT WE HOPE FOR WILL ACTUALLY HAPPEN; IT GIVES US ASSURANCE ABOUT THINGS WE CANNOT SEE.” HEBREWS 11:1

Our faith is vital to our lasting relationship with our Lord God in heaven. Our relationship with Christ is all about belief in things to come, things that are yet to happen. Our God wants us to totally trust in him for everything. He wants our total dedication to his mighty work for the present time and the time to come. It is impossible to commit to him without a strong faith. We need faith to believe that God created the world. We need faith to believe that the Lord will fulfill of his promises for our lives. I have found that over the years the Lord deals with me according to the faith I have built. The stronger my faith and my trust in him the more responsibility he gives me. With a strong faith we are able to approach others with the word of God and the salvation message. With the faith of God, we are able to live our lives according to his mighty word in a world filled with anger, fear, doubt, persecution, and threats. When we step out in faith our God reacts. He promises that he will always be with us and that he will never fail us. He instructs us to not be discouraged, depressed or influenced by the world, but instead, have faith and trust in him. We must be doers of his word and not hearers only. To please our God, we must have a complete and total trust in him. Our faith must be built upon his solid rock, his word. We must continue to increase his presence in our lives. We must continually praise him for his dedication, grace and presence. We must cling to our faith in Jesus and never let go. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for him to act.” Psalm 37:7

As we go before the Lord each day with prayer and thanksgiving, we are to focus on him with a clear mind. It is important that we take a portion of our prayer time to listen and to listen carefully to what the Lord is telling us. As we dedicate each day to him, he will be active in our lives, but we must allow him to work. It is so easy to pray for someone or something and then to pick the prayer up and take it with us, not allowing the Lord to do his work. He cannot and will not work in our lives unless we allow him to. We must take the time to be quiet in his presence. We should lift our hands in praise and thank him for his sacrifices. There are times within our prayer lives that our Lord is speaking to us. There are things he is trying do in our lives that we just don’t give him a chance to do. We miss answers to our prayers and miracles in our lives because we are so busy thinking about other things. We need to take time to be quiet before the Lord and just listen. He will fill us with the peace and joy that he so graciously provides to us. But if we don’t take the time to receive these things then we won’t recognize them when they occur. Be patient and listen. Our Lord is speaking. Don’t miss what he is telling you. For every word he speaks is a word that should not be missed. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” BUT BECAUSE JESUS LIVES FOREVER, HIS PRIESTHOOD LASTS FOREVER. THEREFORE, HE IS ABLE, ONCE AND FOREVER, TO SAVE THOSE WHO COME TO GOD THROUGH HIM. HE LIVES FOREVER TO INTERCEDE WITH GOD ON THEIR BEHALF. ” HEBREWS 7: 24-25

Long before Jesus walked upon this earth God appointed priests to serve the people. These priests were human, so they had to sacrifice, first for their sins and then for the sins of the people. Our Lord Jesus was sacrificed once and for all for our sins. He gave his own life as a sacrifice and only had to give it once. Our Lord has been seated at the right hand of God and is in constant intercession for you and me and all of those who come to God through Jesus. When we pray, he intercedes for us. He goes to God with our requests when we are sad, happy or concerned. He pleads with our God in heaven for you and me. He is always there for us. He never takes a leave of absence or a vacation, but he works for us 24/7. We can go to him in the wee hours of the morning or during the day. He is always there to hear us and intercede for us. We should take time to meditate upon what he did for us when he died upon that cross and always give thanks and praise to him for his mighty strength, wisdom, understanding and love. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” PRAY IN THE SPIRIT AT ALL TIMES AND ON EVERY OCCASION. STAY ALERT AND BE PERSISTANT IN YOUR PRAYERS FOR ALL BELIEVERS EVERYWHERE. ” EPHESIANS 6:18

No matter what we come across during the days ahead, we must believe that the Lord our God in heaven is with us! He will give us strength, wisdom and knowledge and make us witnesses on his behalf. He has his mighty angels standing ready at the door to move in our direction. They are prepared to go to battle on our behalf. So, we are not to doubt, but instead, believe! Our God never fails! He is always truthful and faithful, and he loves us more than we can imagine or understand! He will help us in ways that we will not expect. We are to never try to outthink the Lord our God, creator of both heaven and earth, as he is with us always! We are not to question his decisions, as his decisions are not ours but his. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” LET ALL WHO SEEK GOD’S HELP BE ENCOURAGED. FOR THE LORD HEARS THE CRIES OF THE NEEDY.” PSALM 69:32-33

We must build up our strongest faith and endurance. We must understand that our strongest faith must endure the strongest attacks of the devil. He throws doubt, worry and fear at us each day. He clutters our pathway with sickness and disease. He surrounds us with lies, cheating and confusion. We as sons and daughters of Christ must be overcomers of all of this. We must be able to discern the difference between right from wrong. We must be able to overcome all of the rubble thrown in our path as we travel forward each day. Because the devil and his army are working overtime, we must also work overtime. We need to be prepared 24/7 to fight back. We must surround ourselves with God’s word. We must know the scriptures and know his word well. Our faith must be able to take us directly to prayer in times of battle. We must understand God has a plan. He has a time. His time and plans do not always line up with our schedules. We must put our complete trust in God’s timing and his plan. We must be patient and be able to wait upon his answers. For our trust to stay strong we must have a faith that is unmovable. We must have a faith that is continually being built upon. We must listen carefully to the Holy Spirit for guidance, direction and strength. Our God has prepared us with all of the tools necessary to defeat the devil, but it is not easy. Without the strongest faith possible it is impossible. We must continue our efforts to build our faith in Jesus each day and be prepared for what is thrown at us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

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

When Jesus was sent to this world, he became well tested. From the very beginning he became human and was treated as such. As a young boy he had parents just as you and I. He grew up with his father a carpenter and I am sure probably learned the trade. As a child he went through the same struggles you and I went through. When he was chosen by God to be our High Priest and began his ministry, he became tested even more. His faith, his strength, his wisdom and his knowledge became tested from the very beginning. He was tested throughout his life but his maturity and growth in his Father God in heaven was greatly tested by the devil when he was taken to the top of the world and offered the devils worldly kingdom. Our Lord has gone through every temptation, every sorrow, every hurt and every doubt, fear and worry that you and I go through. Because he has been through suffering and testing, he is able to have a loving compassion for us when we go through our pain and suffering. He knows how we feel, and he knows how to help us. He knows well how to present our pleadings to our Father God in heaven. He is our Savior and our mediator. Without Jesus and what he went through for us we have no chance. But with our great faith and trust in him we have every chance. We must act upon his word and trust him to take care of us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” COMMIT YOUR ACTIONS TO THE LORD, AND YOUR PLANS WILL SUCCEED.” PROVERBS 16:3

If we take each day and commit our efforts unto the Lord our God in heaven, we can then feel confident that our Lord will work in our lives. It doesn’t make any difference if we are a highly touted executive in one of the largest companies in the world or if we are a janitor in the local school, if we commit our ways each day to the Lord, he will be with us and help us through the toughest of times. If we are dedicating our day to him, we are inviting him to take action in our lives. We are telling him that we trust him to be with us and help us along the way. He loves us and wants us to live with joy and be successful in all that we do. We should always keep the Lord first in our lives! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” WE CAN MAKE OUR OWN PLANS BUT THE LORD DETERMINES OUR STEPS.” PROVERBS 16:9

There were so many times as a young boy that I would go out and do things that I knew my mother did not approve of. For the most part those things turned out to be disasters. Even though my mother disapproved in the first place she was always there to pick up the pieces. She was always there to make me feel better. She was always there to help me learn from the disasters I had created for myself. Our Lord works in the same way. God has given each of us a free will. He expects us to use common sense and the wisdom that is available to us. But sometimes we just make the wrong decisions. When we do, he is always there to help us through. If we go to him and confess our mistakes, he will pick up the pieces and he will determine the right steps for us to take. He will be right by our side every step of the way. Our God in heaven loves us very much. As children of God, he allows us to make our own plans. Sometimes those plans turn out great and other times they turn out as disasters in our lives. We must train ourselves up in the Lord. He must be the first one we turn to. If he is, then he will give us the wisdom and the knowledge we need to power through. However, if he isn’t, and we continue to follow our own ways, then our problems will more than likely become even more disastrous than before. We must train ourselves to trust in our Lord for all things in our lives and not just a few. If we do our lives will be filled with the joy of the Lord. If we do not, then our lives will be filled with anxiety and indecision. Which would you rather have? PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” PEOPLE DO NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE; RATHER, WE LIVE BY EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF THE LORD.” DEUTERONOMY 8:3

As followers of Jesus, we are spiritual beings living in a physical, what you can see, world. As physical beings we must feed and nourish our bodies each day with food and water. As spiritual beings we must feed and nourish our spirits with the spiritual nourishment that our Lord provides to us. Because we live in this world, we oftentimes forget to nourish our spirit beings. The Lord our God in heaven offers us his holy word and the ability through Jesus to talk and pray to him. He offers us his wisdom and knowledge as instructions for us to live a life here on earth as worthy followers of him. We must, however, not forget that we need to nourish our spiritual being on a daily basis. Our communication with the Lord must become a natural part of our physical life. We have to recognize who we are and do as our Lord communicates to us through prayer, praise and reading and meditating on the bible. The more we feed our spirits with his holy word the more we are able to build up our daily faith. We need to remember to stand upon our faith in everything we do. When we do, we will be living in the shadow of our almighty God and will live lives that our successful and worthy of our Lord Jesus. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” THE LORD DESTESTS THE SACRIFICE OF THE WICKED BUT HE DELIGHTS IN THE PRAYERS OF THE UPRIGHT.” PROVERBS 15:8

It is so important that we take time from our busy days to go to our Lord in prayer. Prayer is so much more than just taking a list of our problems to him. It is communication with him. He truly loves us and wants to talk with us everyday. He wants to stay connected to us and be a vital part of our lives. Yes, it is important that we take our prayer requests to the Lord. But prayer is so much more than that. It includes praising him for all things, including his answers to our prayers, and taking the time to listen to him. He does talk to us. But many times, we don’t hear what he is saying because we are too busy and don’t take the time to listen. We are only interested in getting our prayers answered and then going on with our lives. It is wise that we set a time each day to go to our Lord in prayer, beginning with praise, present our requests to him, and then take the time to meditate upon his word. We should understand what he is saying and what is meant in each word that he says. We should involve him in every decision that we make, no matter how small or large that decision may be. A good solid prayer life will allow us to stay in contact with God and will allow us to put him first in our lives and actions. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” SO, PETER WENT OVER THE SIDE OF THE BOAT AND WALKED ON THE WATER TOWARD JESUS. BUT, WHEN HE SAW THE STRONG WIND AND THE WAVES, HE WAS TERRIFIED AND BEGAN TO SINK. ‘SAVE ME’ HE SHOUTED. JESUS IMMEDIATLY REACHED OUT AND GRABBED HIM. ” YOU HAVE SO LITTLE FAITH” JESUS SAID. ”WHY DID YOU DOUBT ME?” “

Even Peter doubted Jesus when the waves got too large. In the beginning he was totally focused on Jesus and trusted him completely. But suddenly, he took his focus off of Jesus and began to focus on what was happening around him. When he did, he began to sink. I find myself doing this a lot. The Lord will tell me to do something, and I am very eager to do it, but if I take my focus off of Jesus my trust in him begins to waver. I begin to tell myself that I can’t do this. I begin to sink in all of the deep waters surrounding me. However, once I begin to focus on Jesus again and ask for his continued help, he is right there with his hand out. He never fails, he never wavers. He is always a steady force and is always there to help me no matter my circumstances. We can always depend on him. We must, however, be willing trust him. When we do, we are always successful. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” LET EVERYTHING YOU DO REFLECT THE INTEGRITY AND SERIOUSNESS OF YOUR TEACHING.” TITUS 2:7

Each of us are teachers of God’s Word. As we proclaim to be followers of Christ, we must do exactly that. We must follow his direction and his lead. We must live each day with the integrity of the Lord within us and make sure that we properly represent our God in heaven. He gives us opportunities each day to do just that. We must not waste them. If we are not focused on the end result, then we may miss those opportunities. If we are influenced by the things going on around us or involved the things around us, then we will miss those opportunities. We must keep our eyes and thoughts trained on Jesus. Through thick and thin he is with us. It is important to be quiet before him and have the patience to wait upon his answers. He loves us and never fails us. He is with us and helping us always. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” WE SHOULD LIVE IN THIS WORLD WITH WISDOM, RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND DEVOTION TO GOD, WHILE LOOKING 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

Living on this earth is not the easiest of ventures. However, our Lord reveals to us the way we should live and if we follow his lead then our lives here will be much more successful and satisfying. He has revealed that we should live with the wisdom of God. We should be sure to ask our God for his wisdom. Once we ask, we need to trust him to provide that wisdom to us. We must believe we receive because he is our source. As we read the bible each day, we must be sure to meditate upon his scriptures and truly begin to understand what he is telling us. We should understand how Jesus lived his life on this earth and pattern ours after his. Without this knowledge it will be impossible to interpret God’s wisdom for our lives. He instructs us to live a life of righteousness. Our lives must reflect a right standing with our God. We must not only know how he wants us to live our live, but we must put this way of life into action. When we do, we will be living in his righteousness. And, he has instructed us to live our lives with a devotion to God. We have to commit; we have to trust, and we have to delight in him. He must become our way of life. With every move we make, every thought we take, and every word we speak, our life must move forward with Jesus at the forefront as we wait for his return. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” TO THOSE WHO LISTEN TO MY TEACHING, MORE UNDERSTANDING WILL BE GIVEN, AND THEY WILL HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF KNOWLEDGE.” MATTHEW 13:12

How do we know that we are listening to the Lord? How do we know for sure that we are hearing God? How do we know that we are doing what God wants us to do? The very first step we should take is to stay grounded in the Word of God. We must make sure that we are reading his word each and everyday. It is important to set aside a time each day to devote to praising the Lord, praying to him, and reading his word and meditating upon it. As we praise him, he begins to prepare our hearts and to minister to us. He helps us to focus on what we need to focus upon. As we read his word, we should take the time to meditate upon it. We should take a moment to focus upon the scriptures we are reading and concentrate upon what he is telling us in those scriptures. As we continue to increase our daily communication with Jesus, we will find that it becomes a part of our day and a part of us. Our Lord is with us at all times. He is available for conversation always. He has an open-door policy where you don’t need an appointment. We each need to get to the point, where no matter the situation, we go to him first and foremost for our answers. As we continue to grow in the Lord, he will continue to increase our knowledge and our understanding. He will prepare us for each day. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” PRAISE THE LORD; PRAISE GOD OUR SAVIOR! EACH DAY HE CARRIES US IN HIS ARMS.” PSALM 68:19

The Lord, our God in heaven, assures us that he is with us each and everyday. Our communication with him should be continuous. We were created to praise our God. As children of God we have no choice but to praise him. As we continue to build our faith our praises will increase and become a part of our lives. As we know, the devil’s thought process is just the opposite of the thought process of our Lord and Savior. He desires that we do just the opposite of what our Lord wants us to do. He works hard each day to put things in our path so that we will doubt the promises of the Lord. No matter the situation presented before us we should remember that our Lord and Savior is with us. The Holy Spirit lives within us and is helping advise us to do right from wrong. It doesn’t make any difference what the devil throws at us because we are overcomers through Christ Jesus! We should praise the Lord for getting us through those situations and not be fearful, angry, or doubtful. We should praise the Lord in and through all situations. We must keep our knowledge of God’s Word fresh in our minds and continue to keep our faith in his promises strong. Afterall, we were created to praise him and not doubt him. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” BUT YOU SHOULD KEEP A CLEAR MIND IN EVERY SITUATION. DON’T BE AFRAID OF SUFFERING FOR THE LORD. WORK AT TELLING OTHERS THE GOOD NEWS, AND FULLY CARRY OUT THE MINISTRY GOD HAS GIVEN YOU.” 2 TIMOTHY 4:5

We have all been given a ministry here on earth. We are all to tell the story of Jesus and spread his word among all people. Not everyone is trained to be a minister or an evangelist but if we read and meditate upon God’s word, we are trained to spread his word. We should be living a life that represents him and speaking words that represent him. We should be handling difficulties is our lives with the strength that we have been given. Each of us should be prepared at all times because we never know when our God in heaven will put someone in our path that needs his word. If we stay focused on the Word of God and continually meditate upon it, night and day, we will be prepared. We will continually have strength, wisdom, understanding and forgiveness in our hearts. We will continue to build upon our faith and completely put our trust in Jesus. Yes, we each have a ministry as followers of Jesus, however, if we turn our backs on the preparation that we need for that ministry, he will find someone else. He will find someone who is prepared and willing to stand up for the message that is to be delivered. Stay prepared and never lose your focus.

PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” FOR GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR AND TIMIDITY, BUT OF POWER, LOVE, AND SELF-DISCIPLINE,” 2 TIMOTHY 1:7

Our Lord God in heaven wants his children to be conquerors in this world. We were created in order to praise our Lord God in heaven. We need to trust in the Lord, have joy in the Lord and put his word to work in our lives. We must consciencely praise him each day, communicate with him each day, and be patient before him and listen to him. Our faith must be renewed and built upon. We must make the effort to follow the word of God. We cannot be hindered by fear or worry. A strong faith and trust in Jesus will allow us to do this. We must, however, keep our focus on the right target. If we take our eyes off of Jesus, for even a short period of time, the devil will step in and replace faith with fear. Faith and fear cannot co-exist. We must always remember that our God is a good God and has provided to us power in his word, the love of Jesus in our hearts, and a self-discipline that takes strength and focus from the strength of the Lord. He has given us the precious Holy Spirit to live inside us. We must listen carefully and do as the Lord instructs and wants. There is a time and place for everything. We must continue to stay strong and continue to stay the course. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” ENDURE SUFFERING ALONG WITH ME, AS A GOOD SOLDIER OF CHRIST JESUS. SOLDIERS DON’T GET TIED UP IN THE AFFAIRS OF CIVILIAN LIFE, FOR THEN THEY CANNOT PLEASE THE OFFICERS WHO ENLISTED THEM.” 2 TIMOTHY 2:3-4

Many years ago, I remember being inducted into the military. I remember raising my right hand and swearing to uphold the constitution of this United States of America. From that day forward and for the next eight years I was dedicated to the United States Air Force and what it stood for. I was controlled by the way of the military and not the ways of civilian life. Everything I did was scrutinized and controlled by the military. They controlled where I was assigned, how long I would be there and what I could do and what I couldn’t do when I got there. I was assigned, a profession in the military, trained for that profession and that was my career for those years I was in active duty. When you and I accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior we took the oath of dedication to Him. We are soldiers in the army of Jesus Christ. He should control what we do, where we go, how we should act and how we should treat others. We should not be involved in the affairs of this world. Yes, we live in this world, work in the world and raise our families in the world. Therefore, we should obey the laws of the land and honor our leaders. However, our dependance is not in the world but in Christ. We should compare everything we hear and read to the Word of God. We have been blessed to live in the United States of America where, for the most part, our laws have lined up with God’s Word. However, we are now living in a time where things are changing rapidly. The devil is running wild with confusion in his hip pocket and using it against us at every turn. We must remember, especially in this day and age, to whom we belong. We belong Jesus. He is our Commander in Chief. We have a set of regulations to abide by and those regulations are contained within his Holy Word. Stay in prayer and meditation of his Word and praise him at all times. Be proud to be a member of the army of Christ Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” FOR GOD SAVED US AND CALLED US TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE.” 2 TIMOTHY 1:9

As children of God, we are to live our lives in such a way that reflects all of the goodness and all of the characteristics of our God in heaven. He has provided to each of us the tools we need in order to accomplish that goal. We are to recognize right from wrong. We are to be able to withstand all of the evil attacks of the devil because of the knowledge our Lord has provided to us. When we accepted the Lord Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we committed ourselves to heavens army here on earth. We are fighting battles each day. There is absolutely no way we can win these battles without the weapons our Lord has given us to fight with. It is important that our faith be strong and unwavering, that we trust in his Word and that we succumb to him in all situations, never trying to win a battle doing it our way. We must pray always and listen carefully. We must stay focused on the Lord and make sure we are listening to his voice and obeying his word. We must know our way around his word and be able to use his promises to our advantage in each battle. We must know the bible inside and out and without exception, because the evil one does know it and will try to use it against us. It is not easy being a warrior for Christ, but no one said it would be easy. However, with the joy of Jesus in our hearts we can do all things through him. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!