Michael J Burchett Ministries

” BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS. DO NOT BE TERRIFIED; DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED, FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL BE WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO. ” JOSHUA 1:9

” FOR EVERYONE BORN OF GOD OVERCOMES THE WORLD. ” 1 JOHN 5:4

As we pray each day let’s not forget to take time and be quiet before the Lord. The Lord our God in heaven is a very special God. He is real and he is the patient, loving and a giving God that carries us through all situations. We should stand before him each day and give him the praise and the glory that he so justly deserves. He never stops blessing us. Sometimes we become so busy in our lives that we miss his blessings. This is our fault and not his. He never fails us. He is always there when we need him. As strong healthy Christians we should live our lives in the Lord at all times. He should be the answer to every problem we encounter. He tells us not to be terrified or discouraged but instead to be strong and courageous. We should never let him out of our sight. He should always be on our minds. We are overcomers! We are winners! We must give all of our problems, no matter their size, to him. With our faith we must believe that we receive. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE. BUT PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR, BECAUSE FEAR HAS TO DO WITH PUNISHMENT. THE MAN WHO FEARS IS NOT MADE PERFECT IN LOVE.” 1 JOHN 4:18

There is no fear in love. This love talked about is Jesus. When Jesus is present in our lives fear runs away. Fear and Love cannot and co-exist in our lives. If you have fear in your life then Jesus is not present and accounted for. We must trust in him with all that we have. When we truly trust him, then fear is no more. When we trust in the promises of our God in heaven and act upon them, then we cannot fear. Fear is not a part of God. It is the exact opposite of what our Lord stands for. I learned long ago that as soon as fear began to try and overtake my thought process I would begin to say the name of Jesus out loud. I would immediately begin to feel the fear go away. I would then begin to quote scripture that promised me his love, strength and compassion for my life. I fought back and always won. However, when I let down and try to do things on my own then fear, doubt and worry would overcome me and I would usually fail. Stay strong in Jesus. There is great power in his name. We need to use it more often! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS. I WILL SAY IT AGAIN: REJOICE! LET YOUR GENTLENESS BE EVIDENT TO ALL. THE LORD IS NEAR. DO NOT BECOME ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING, BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD. PHILIPPIANS 4: 4-6

As we witness to the world, the Lord reminds us that he is near us in everything we do. We should become very conscience of his presence in our lives. With him by our side we can relax, knowing that he is with us for the purpose of helping us. Our actions in this world should display his characteristics. He tells us not to become anxious or worried about anything but instead we should converse with him presenting our requests through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving. He loves us all unconditionally. He desires the best for our lives and gives us his mighty promises to help us. All we have to do is read his word, meditate on his word, ask for understanding of his word and believe in his word. We must continue to build upon our faith each day and believe that we receive! Then we can REJOICE in the Lord! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” AND MY GOD WILL MEET ALL YOUR NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS GLORIOUS RICHES IN CHRIST JESUS. ” PHILIPPIANS 4:19

With Jesus came the glorious riches or our God in heaven. He declared to his disciples in John 6:35 that he is the Bread of Life. He told them that if they follow him, they will never hunger. Our Lord God sent his one and only son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our weaknesses. When Jesus arrived, he brought with him all of the glorious riches of God and he has offered us the ability to access these riches right here in this world. All we have to do is follow him. We must follow and be a doer of his word. He promises that we will never go hungry. The richness of God is so great that you and I may never understand his level of richness. But if we follow and trust him to manage our lives then he will take care of us. He has assured us that all we have to do is ask and that we will receive. Be persistent in prayer. Believe his word. Be patient and wait for him. He will and he does answer our prayers. Never be too busy and miss his answers. He loves us and never fails us! PRAISE THE LORD JESUS IN ALL THINGS!

” TIME AFTER TIME HE RESTRAINED HIS ANGER AND DID NOT STIR UP HIS FULL WRATH. HE REMEMBERED THEY WERE BUT FLESH, A PASSING BREEZE THAT DOES NOT RETURN.” PSALM 78: 38-39

As the world continues to turn and the people of this world continue to create new ways to be evil what do you think our God in heaven is thinking? We know that he loves us so much that he has withheld his wrath from the earth. He has not yet poured out his anger on this world. There is a time for God’s wrath and that time is coming, but our Lord loves us so much that he continues to give us time to accept him as our Lord and Savior. We still live in a time of grace. We should continually be spreading the word of God not only by what we say but also by the way we live our lives. Read God’s Word, know God’s Word and live God’s Word! PRAISE THE LORD IN AND THROUGH ALL SITUATIONS!

” THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL BE PEACE; THE EFFECT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL BE QUIETNESS AND CONFIDENCE FOREVER.” ISAIAH 32:17

The word “righteousness” is used a lot in the word of God. Just what does it mean? According to the dictionary the word “righteousness” means: THE QUALITY OR STATE OF BEING MORALLY CORRECT AND JUSTIFIABLE. If we are righteous before our God in heaven, then we are justified before him. We are in line with what he stands for. We are living our lives in accordance with his ways. We are doing as he ask us to do, and we are rewarded for it. Righteousness produces peace in our lives. We are able to live on this earth knowing that our Lord is with us in all things. He is helping us along the way. As a result of our being right with God we continue to become confident in his promises and in his direction for our lives. Others will see us dealing with problems in a different way and with a peace of mind that is, without knowing the Lord, unattainable. If we are not right with God, then we are living our lives outside of his will. We will not have the peace of mind we need in order to defeat the evil around us. We will have worry, doubt and fear ruling our thoughts and the way we live. We need to stay focused on the Lord Jesus. We need to stay quiet before the Holy Spirit and listen carefully. We must be patient and wait on the Lord. We must continually meditate upon his word and be doers of his word and not hearers only. We must pray and praise him on a daily basis. We must have faith, build our faith and trust in our God in heaven! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“DO NOT LET ANY UNWHOLESOME TALK COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTHS, BUT ONLY WHAT IS HELPFUL FOR BUILDING OTHERS ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS, THAT IT MAY BENEFIT THOSE WHO LISTEN.” EPHESIANS 4:29

We are not only defined by our actions, but we are also defined by our words. The words that come out of our mouths and the way that we say them allows others to define our character. We must cling to our Lord God and not let go. We must live his word. When we allow him to be first in our lives our actions will represent his ways. Our words should also follow suit. We should reflect how we live with words that support our actions. We should not be negative in what we speak. As children of our great God in heaven we should have joy in our hearts because of all the great promises he has provided to us. If we believe his promises then the joy that we have, not only allows us to live a life full of peace and joy but should also be reflected by the words we speak. We should encourage others and not be negative and tear them down. When someone visits with you, they should walk away feeling encouraged and with an attitude that helps them through each and every situation. It is normal to be sad, angry and any other characteristic that reflects our emotions. But, with the joy of Jesus we should be able to handle those situations with love, patience and peace. As we look to the Lord for our help there is always great hope and excitement and not fear and worry. Our words should be words of peace, love and understanding. PRASIE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” HE WHO DWELLS IN THE SHELTER OF THE MOST HIGH WILL REST IN THE SHADOW OF THE ALMIGHTY.” PSALM 91:1

” IF YOU MAKE THE MOST HIGH YOUR DWELLING – EVEN THE LORD, WHO IS MY REFUGE- THEN NO HARM WILL BEFALL YOU, NO DISASTER WILL COME NEAR YOUR TENT.” PSALM 91:9 & 10

The definition of a dwelling is ” a building or place of shelter to live in; a place of residence; abode; home.” The Lord tells us of the benefits of living within his shelter. There is a great difference in living or dwelling within a home and just visiting a home. Our Lord wants us to live in him. He desires that we take all of our belongings and move in. When we do, he becomes a natural part of our life. Our residence with our Lord is a place we desire to go to at the end of a long day. It is a place that we feel secure and safe. It is a place where we can go and relax, knowing that our Lord is always there to protect us. The problem lies with the fact that many of us just visit the Lord’s dwelling. We go to him in prayer but then after we are done visiting, we pick up what we brought with us and leave. We find ourselves back in the world of worry, fear and doubt. We find ourselves struggling once again in the world. Yes, we all face struggles. The Lord never said that we would be struggle free. However, he has provided us with tools that will help us to be overcomers in this life. If we live in Jesus, we are with him, and he is with us at all times. We can have a conversation with him whenever we want or need to. But if we don’t live our lives in his dwelling place then our Lord will sometimes feel far away, and we will find ourselves attempting to depend on others to get us through our struggles. We must build a faith that allows us to live with our Lord everyday. It takes time and many times it take baby steps to get where we are going. The Lord loves us and wants us to trust him. Let us take the steps necessary to make the Lord our shelter and rest in his shadow. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” MANY ARE THE PLANS IN A MAN’S HEART, BUT IT IS THE LORD’S PURPOSE THAT PREVAILS. ” PROVERBS 19:21

We all like to have control of our own lives. We see demonstrations across the world proclaiming our rights for one thing or another. We want no other person to tell us what we can or cannot do. We want to call our own shots is life. We have plans for the days, the weeks, the months and the years ahead. As followers of Christ, we soon learn that our plans are second to those of the Lord. God has a plan for each of us that was put into place long ago. Things don’t just happen by coincidence. Things happen in our lives to help set up our purpose as set into place by our God in heaven. We must do just the opposite of what we desire, of controlling our own actions in our own lives. We must be patient, be quiet before the Lord and listen. We must submit to our Lord. We must have a servant’s attitude and we willing to serve him wherever he puts us and serve whomever he wants us to serve. Yes, our plans do usually come to fruition, but when the Lord is ready to do something within his will for our lives, we must be ready to answer. His will is always going to win out. Stay in prayer and praise in the Lord. Be patient and listen carefully to the Holy Spirit. Read the Word of God continually and meditate upon it. Put God’s word into action within your life. God has a plan for each of our lives. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” BUT IT IS NO SHAME TO SUFFER FOR BEING A CHRISTIAN. PRAISE GOD FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING CALLED BY HIS NAME. ” 1 PETER 4:16

It is many times very difficult to live the life God has called us to live. There are many things that stand in our way. We must remember that it is an honor and a privilege to be called a Christian. The devil has planted many seeds of doubt and embarrassment. within the world. I know that there have been times in my life where I have not completed an assignment given to me by the Lord just because I didn’t feel secure in professing my Christian values. I felt a little embarrassed. We should never feel this way. For us to be able to overcome the devil and his many evils we need to live in the Holy Spirit. To do so we must seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, pray (pray a lot), study God’s Word (meditate in his word), live his word (make his word the way you live your life), and be humble. We must begin to see things through the eyes of the Holy Spirit and not the eyes of the world. When this happens, we begin to see things a whole different way. We become stronger in the Lord and are able to overcome the ways of the world. We will become stronger and not be embarrassed to live the Christian life God wants us so badly to live. However, we cannot do these things without the help of our Lord God in heaven. The ways of our Lord must become a way of life. Remember, we can do all thing through Christ who strengthens us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” BEAR IN MIND THAT THE LORD’S PATIENCE MEANS SALVATION.” 2 PETER 3:15

I do not consider myself a patient person. I want things to happen now and not later. I desire for the Lord to return as soon as possible. I have, however, a very patient God. He loves me so much and with such strength that I cannot imagine, in my deepest thoughts, just how much he cares. The same goes for each of us. He loves us with a strength and a desire, that is so strong, it is impossible for us to realize. Yes, we know he loves us but just how much he loves us is unbelievable. Our Lord is standing on the threshold and is ready to return. His return will happen at any moment or any hour. But the longer he waits the more time he gives us to spread his word of salvation and with that time more people have the opportunity to accept his invitation. We must continue to move forward in these last days and focus on spreading his salvation message. For he loves us all and wants no one to miss his opportunity. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

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

Sometimes my daily routine has become so hectic that I temporarily unplug from my source, Jesus Christ. When this happens, I find myself up to my waist in worry and concern about all of the evil that is happening around me. Throughout the years, and especially in this day and age, the Lord has shown me that it is not wise to unplug for even a slight minute. When I do, the devil takes that opportunity to ware on me. I am reminded that it does not take much for evil and temptation to take a hold. When I unplug, I know that I am in very dangerous territory. I am giving opportunity for disaster to strike in my life. Our source, Jesus Christ is our source for peace of mind, salvation, healing, forgiveness of sins, wisdom, understanding, love for others and much more. We are told to watch and pray so that we will not fall into temptation. We are reminded to never unplug from our Lord. We should stay in prayer and praise. We should recognize and put to use all of the tools he has provided for us. If we do, we will have a successful life here on this earth and will be great witnesses on his behalf. We must continue to trust him no matter the situation. I understand this is not always the easy road. But our Lord has not promised us an easy road, but instead he has promised a road that will reap all of the benefits he has promised us. We should stay strong by staying “prayed up”. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” DEAR FRIENDS, DON’T BE SURPRISED AT THE FIERY TRIALS YOU ARE GOING THROUGH, AS IF SOMETHING STRANGE WERE HAPPENING TO YOU.” 1 PETER 4:12

There are so many things that you and I as Christians do not understand. We are told to be patient and that things will be revealed to us at the proper times. There are trials that are happening to each of us. We are all going through things that we may not totally understand. As we read God’s Word there may be things we don’t understand as well. This very morning as I was reading through Matthew 24 and the Book of Revelation, I was trying very hard to put things into perspective in relation to the events that are happening in our world today. Some of these events are easily seen portrayed within Matthew 24 as well as Revelation. Over the years I have read Matthew 24 and the Book of Revelation numerous times and each time I ask the Lord for the wisdom to understand and to put these events into some order in my own mind. This morning I went through the same routine. But this time the Lord made it very clear to me that I will not know some of these things until they actually happen. He made it clear that I must TRUST, TRUST AND THEN TRUST HIM SOME MORE. I can say with confidence that the door has been opened, and he is standing on the threshold ready to return. We must be watchful and continue to spread his word until he does return for us. We cannot be assured as of when he returns, for only God knows that answer but we can be assured that his return is imminent and just on the horizon. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

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

What joys we have in Jesus! What power we have in Jesus! There is power in the blood of the Lord! It is possible to live a life of joy here on this earth. That is exactly what the Lord our God in heaven wants for us. He wants each and every one of his children to live a life that is free of worry, doubt and fear. He has provided the tools for us to be able to so this, but it takes faith to be able to understand and take that step necessary to live that life. This is not easy. We are being attacked on every side. We are surrounded by evil that spits out lies to us. Those lies sometimes seem so real that we follow them. The one thing that we sometimes forget is that we are human. We are going to make mistakes. We must remember that our Lord has promised to be there when we do and will pick us up and set back on his path. We shouldn’t feel ashamed of making mistakes or have feelings of disgrace. No matter the errors we make our God has provided us a way back to him through Jesus our Lord and Savior. We should have joy in our hearts and live our lives with that joy of Jesus displayed at all times. We must always remember that our Lord is our rock. He is our foundation. He is our shield. He is always there to pick us up and help us through our struggles. We must keep the faith, continue to earnestly pray to him, praise him and trust in his Holy Word! Take time to memorize a healing scripture or a scripture of strength. Recite that scripture each time you begin to feel down or discouraged. If we believe we receive, then our joy in Jesus will be begin to shine even brighter in our daily lives! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” FOR THE LORD IS A FAITHFUL GOD. BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO WAIT FOR HIS HELP.” ISAIAH 30:18

Our Lord God in heaven is a faithful God. He is with us always. He is with us whether we are weak or whether we are strong. He is with us in our good times and our not so good times. He created us to be who we are. He knows us inside and out. He understands how we are going to react to certain situations. He knows how much we can handle and what we cannot handle. We are each created differently and with a distinct purpose. I truly believe that our Lord will not give us more than we can handle. He knows exactly where we are in our faith life. It is not a coincidence that you live where you live. You are where you are for a reason. For whatever that reason is, you have the faith to accomplish the work he has set before you. We must keep the faith. Some of us has stronger faith than others. We all do not have the same amount of faith. Yes, we all need to continue to read his word, meditate on it and pray to him. Pray and ask God what he wants you to accomplish. He will give you the answers. We must remember that we always have the faith to complete the work that our Lord has created us to do. Jesus loves us. He knows where we are in our faith walk. Yes, we are to continue to build upon our faith, but we should build our faith with baby steps and not try to run to fast. Continue to believe in God’s promises and walk in his ways. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” SO, YOU TOO, MUST KEEP WATCH! FOR YOU DO NOT KNOW THE DAY OR THE HOUR OF MY RETURN.” MATTHEW 25:13

” THE END OF THE WORLD IS COMING SOON. THEREFORE, BE EARNEST AND DISCIPLINED IN YOUR PRAYERS.” 1 PETER 4:7

It is so important to stay strong in the Lord at all times. Each day that we live and each moment that we take a breath of air gets us that much closer to the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The stage is being set. We know he is returning soon but we don’t know the day or the hour. We must be ready every day for something to happen. We must stay disciplined in our prayer time. It is of great importance that we stay plugged into our source at all times. We must be disciplined in our reading and meditating in the Lord’s holy word, and we must stay strong in our times of praise for his great strength and wisdom. We must never let down. We must keep the faith and build upon it each and every day. The Lord has promised that he will deliver us from all evil if we use him as our refuge. He will protect us by his holy shadow if we go to him for help. He is our Lord God in heaven and there is no evil force or evil person who can stand up to the hand of our God! We must trust, delight and dedicate each day to him. We must pray, praise and meditate upon his word. We must believe his mighty promises and never doubt. He is our source of strength, understanding and wisdom. The battle and the war are our victories through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” 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!