Bread of Life, JIL

“What you say flows from what is in your heart.” Luke 6:45

What a wonderful and enlightening scripture Luke 6:45 is. When we truly accept Jesus, our spirit becomes one with him. Our thoughts and desires change. Our actions begin to change. We no longer want to follow the ways of the world, but instead, desire to follow the ways of our God in heaven. The words that flow from our mouths also suddenly begin to change. Instead of language that hurts those around us they become words of caring and love. They become helpful to others, and they follow the actions of the Lord in the ways we live our lives. Just like an apple tree that produces apples, our lives in Jesus, produce the fruit of love and caring for others. There will be times when the evil all around us will try hard to come back, we may even stumble and allow it to return for a short time. However, our spirits are in tune with Jesus, and we are able to overcome and follow through with the ways of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! The river of hope lies within our hearts that is influenced by the Holy Spirit. Let us all continue to focus on Jesus, pray to our God in heaven and stand upon his Word. When we do, our lives and our words will be the evidence to others that the Lord is living within us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen.” Hebrews 11:1

“And it is impossible to please God without faith.” Hebrews 11:6

Sometimes as we are reading God’s Word it becomes easy to become distracted, and we begin to gloss over his words and what he is telling us. Without faith we are not able to please our Heavenly Father. He desires for us to trust him. As we get entwined in living in this world, we begin to take on the characteristics of those around us, which in turn, makes obeying God a lot harder. It seems so easy to step away from faith and begin to believe in ourselves and what we think is our strengths. It is in those circumstances that God reaches out to us and shows us that our troubles are not caused by him but by us. He is a loving God, and his desire is for us to be protected, cared for and loved. Faith in Him is the key. We cannot allow our faith and trust to become stagnant, but instead we must practice our faith every day. We must keep it strong, and as we do, we will please God in heaven. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“My eyes are always on the Lord, for he rescues me from the traps of my enemies.” Psalm 25:15

“The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit? ” Proverbs 18:14

Living life on this earth is hard. There are struggles at every turn. Our God has never promised that we would not have problems. What he has promised is that he will be with us at every turn. He will be by our side and give us the abilities to overcome the mountains and the valleys we must endure. Our focus must be sustained at every level, and our spirit must stay strong. Our closeness to our Lord is vital, not only for healing but also for how we live our life and represent him in our daily walk. No matter the extent of our sickness or our disease, if our spirit remains strong, our strength remains strong. Read, meditate, pray and praise Him as often as you can. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! There is something very special about that name! 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

“So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you. Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all he has promised.” Hebrews 10:35-36

As we make our decision to live our life for Christ, we must consider all of the factors involved. Living for our Lord is not an easy road. There are mountains to climb and obstacles to jump over. There are persecutions and even grave dangers that must be endured. However, our God in heaven has made a promise of eternal life, which becomes our goal. We must keep our eyes upon Jesus and not waver in what we believe or think less of the way we live our lives. It is through our faith, belief, and our decision to live for Him, that allows us to reach the goal he has set before each of us. It is with patient endurance, through it all, that we live for Jesus our Lord and Savior! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“The Lord says,’ I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.'” Psalm 91:14

“People don’t live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

It is true that we need food and water in order to keep our physical bodies alive and well. For us to live physical lives that are productive, we must make sure that we give our bodies the right nourishment each day. However, as spiritual beings we also must provide our spirits the right nourishment and food. The bible tells us that the spirit thrives upon every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord God in heaven. This spiritual food gives us the power and strength we need each day to move forward and better understand where our Lord needs us to be. It is through this spiritual food that we live in our Lord’s presence and stay plugged into him. It is shocking just how little spiritual nourishment we feed our spirits in comparison to the natural food we feed our bodies. It is wise if we feed our spirits each morning with a cup of prayer and feed our spirits from the word of the Holy Bible. It is wise for us to consider our spiritual nourishment to be more important than our physical food. When our spirit is in tune with God, our physical bodies will be fed, as God always takes care of us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“We will certainly be saved through the life of his son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” Romans 5:10-11

Due to God’s commitment to us we are able to enter into a new relationship with Him. It is our faith in Jesus that allows us to become a child of the living God in heaven. There is no other way to enter his kingdom, to enter his rest, or enter his presence, other than with a relationship with Jesus himself. God wants nothing short of a full commitment from us, that we are his and that we have no other God before us. It is up to us to make the decision that God in heaven is our God and our only God. It is our decision to make, as to how we live our life and represent him. The time is short, and the time is now! It is time to commit and live a life that is guided by the word and not the world. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.” Hebrews 5:8

Learning to follow Jesus is a lifestyle that one chooses to follow. It is not an easy journey as was demonstrated by our Lord Jesus when he walked this earth. But Jesus, as he grew up had to also learn obedience. He learned obedience to his Father in heaven through all that he had to go through. He knew his Father’s plans, and he also knew he had been given a free will. He had the opportunity to walk away from the sufferings and death that had been planned for him; however, he made a choice to follow his Father’s plan and help to save you and me. He was obedient to his Father in heaven and not to the world that surrounded him. We are no different. We all suffer in one manner or another. It is through these times of trouble that we can learn our obedience to God in heaven. As we follow Jesus, we are to trust God through it all. We are to let him handle things that are too big for us to take on. Learning obedience to our God is ongoing. It never ends. Trials and temptations continue to plague us, and we must continue to learn and build our faith and trust in him. Jesus has walked in our shoes and is more than willing to guide us and help us through. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“Since he himself has gone through suffering he is able to help when we are tested. ” Hebrews 2:18

“In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry. May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.” Psalm 20:1

Life sometimes does not seem fair. It often entails many problems and struggles that we must overcome. It is easy to focus upon the problems we have in life instead of focusing on the good things that happen to us. We often times are so busy thinking about how unfair life can be that we miss the miracles that God sends our way. Yes, we do have our own cross to bear in our life in this world. What we go through and what we overcome in life is designed by God to help prepare us for his kingdom to come. As we defeat each struggle, with the help of our Lord, we are better able to look upward and thank him for his presence in our life and his mighty ways. We are able to reach out and hold onto the miracles that he provides to us. Our Lord never lets us run into ruin. He is always there for us to consult, pray to and ask for his help. Our struggles in life help us to become stronger in our faith and our trust in our God in heaven. We must always remember that our God in heaven loves us more than we can even understand. We must never lose sight of his presence and always include him whether good or bad. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“The Lord says, ‘I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in My name.’ Psalm 91:14

“For the Word of God is alive and powerful.”  Hebrews 4:12

It doesn’t matter from what walk of life you come.  It doesn’t matter whether you have been healed by God from a terrible disease or whether you continue to suffer through this world in sickness or disease.  It doesn’t matter whether you are physically strong or physically the weakest of those around you.   Our physical bodies are all tools of God to be used by him as he chooses.  Some of the strongest people I know are those who continue to struggle with their physical ailments.  God uses their bodies and strong faith as examples of living through and trusting his judgements.  Not everyone will be healed but all can have faith.  God may use healing in your life to save another from the depths of hell.  Or God may use your plight to show others that faith becomes strong also in times of struggles.  It doesn’t matter how young you are or how old you might be, if you are still taking a breath each day your mission is not completed.  It doesn’t matter the color of your skin or whether your words are graceful or hard to come by God is not finished with you.  What does matter is that you listen carefully, follow his will and be a servant of the living God in heaven!  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 Lord’, he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him.” Matthew 14:29-31

We too have begun our journey of walking on the water toward Jesus.  We are trying to live our lives in troubled times that point us toward fear and doubt that try to make us sink at every turn.  Just like Peter, it is when we take our eyes away from Jesus, our source for strength, that we begin to sink and sink quickly.  When we begin to focus on the problems we are living through, we have no chance.  Our lives will eventually turn to disaster, and our Savior will not be able to help us.  However, when we ask Jesus to come in and give us the strength we need, to walk on the top of our problems, and we keep him in our sights at all times, we will not sink, instead, we will conquer.  Jesus is our source for all things.  He is our source of strength and understanding when our lives are prospering and he is our source for strength and understanding when our lives are not going well.  It is during good and bad times that we need to stay focused on Jesus.  We must pray, praise, believe and receive at all times. It is not necessary to put on a huge fanfare to get his attention all we must do is go to him and ask.  He is always there.  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning away from the living God.” Hebrews 3:12

The evil in the world today is all around us. It subtly works its ways into the hearts of those it surrounds. Its mannerisms are so delicate that it is sometimes difficult to detect, as it seeps its way in through the cracks, we leave open to it. It is very much like moisture seeping into the cracks of a broken basement wall. When we finally notice its existence, it is often too late and already taken root in our lives. What and who we surround ourselves with will dictate our existence. We will begin to take on their characteristics and formations. When we receive Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior something special happens, he transforms us. Our attitude changes and we desire to hear and learn more about his saving grace. It isn’t easy, because the world will continue to dictate how life exists in today’s world. However, we must work at our faith. We must work so hard that our faith grows roots down deep into his soil of his love and dedication. We may live in this world, but we are not to become a part of its unruly ways. Our sole focus should always be on Jesus. We must train ourselves to always go to him, focus on him and never let his thoughts wander from our minds. Daily prayer, readings and meditation is necessary. We must surround ourselves with his holiness and work to trust him for everything in our lives. Our newly found focus should be more upon our God in heaven and less on the world around us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” What we see is Jesus, who was given a position, a little lower than the angels; and because he suffered death for us, he is now crowned with glory and honor. Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone.” Hebrews 2:9

It is so easy to forget what action took place while Jesus was walking this earth. It is also easy to become engrained within the world’s activities and to forget what happened on the cross that Jesus died upon. The actions he took, and the results of those actions, came to him because of the sin of this world. God loves you and me so much that he was willing to give a gift so great, that it consumes even the largest of sins upon this earth. There is nothing that the blood of Jesus will not cover if we will just use it. There is nothing the name Jeus will not help us to defend, if will just use it. It is impossible for us to totally understand the pain and suffering that our Lord went through for us. We live in our own world with our own pain consuming us at our every move. But in reality, our pain cannot be compared to the sacrifice our Lord gave for us. Jesus had it all, but took a new position, described as a little lower than the angels to save us. We should never forget but always remember his trials and temptations when ours rise up to give us trouble. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from the hidden faults.” Psalm 19:12

“Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.” Psalm 19:13

Sometimes as Christians we get our lives moving in a direction that leads us into desperation and unfounded peace. We try so hard to do the right thing in all situations, that we sometimes begin to think of ourselves as holy and perfect in the eyes of God. We begin to believe that others are always wrong, and we are always right. We forget that we are human, born into sin and saved by the loving grace of our God in heaven. Sin lurks around every corner of our lives, and we must recognize the fact that we do have sin living in our hearts, as we are human and were born that way. We will falter, we will find that we can be wrong and that we continually need the grace of God to help us through our lives each day. We are not perfect on this earth and never will be, unless we depend on the one who can get us to our eternal home in heaven. We must keep ourselves innocent of all deliberate sin and remember Jesus gave his life for our salvation, our healings (of body, mind and soul), and forgiveness for recognized and unrecognized sins. It is up to you and me to go before Him on bended knee and ask for his forgiveness in our lives and accept the fact that we are human and do make mistakes. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” You are here to be light, bringing out the God-Colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept.” Matthew 5:14

“Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.” Matthew 3:8

When Jesus began his ministry on this earth he did so at the proper time. When he came and began teaching to those around him, and eventually to all of the crowds who followed him, he did not do so by whispering in the ear of each, asking that they keep his message a secret to all except his chosen ones. No, instead he shouted his message to the world. When we truly believe in Christ’s ways, our desire will be to yell his message to everyone. For us to be able to do this, our faith must be great in strength, so we are able to sweep away fear and focus only on our precious God in heaven. It is by the way we live our lives through the teachings of Jesus and the way we speak in his language that we will stand out to others. We are to shine with his beauty and his dedication to his Father in heaven. We have a beautiful, gracious and saving God in heaven who has created a second chance for all to meet him on their own time schedule and in a setting that is best for them. Let us keep the faith and continue to shine on his behalf until he comes again! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“We should live in the evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of the great God and Savior Jesus Christ, will be revealed.” Titus 2:12-13

“So, don’t let anyone disregard what you say.” Titus 2:15

Evil has been in this world since the beginning of time. What was once given to Adam and Eve as the perfect world, was quickly destroyed by the deception thrown at them from the devil himself. Since then, evil has been common in this world, with many adhering to its natural pleasures, while others, who were committed to God in heaven, had to find ways to overcome the things that looked reasonable and good in this world, yet were only ways that were heading to hell. The past and the present are very close in nature. We still must be overcomers, but in today’s world God has given us his Son Jesus to help us and save us. We have the ability to pray for wisdom and righteousness in our lives. Our great God in heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ are about to be revealed. Even we do not know the time nor date we do know the signs. The signs are pointing to Jesus’s return very soon. To those who ignore what is happening in today’s world and living lives of evil are closer to hell than heaven. You and I are obligated to keep the message of salvation through Jesus before the world. His time of grace is about to end. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“You are blessed when you’re content with just who you are-no more, no less.” Matthew 5:5 (The Message)

God has made each of us for a purpose. He has made us with our own personalities, our own looks, our own ways of doing things and our own ways of talking with others. We don’t all see eye to eye but God has his purpose. As followers of Christ Jesus, we all have the same goal in mind. However, God has given each of us different talents in order to reach our goals. He has provided us each with different ways to reach out to others and different people to reach out to. When we accept Jesus, we accept our own ministry and our own ways of telling and teaching about Jesus. It becomes dangerous when we begin to try to change ourselves without the consent of God in heaven. It is only when we begin to stray from the truth that we begin to change. God then puts us back on the right path. So, let’s all be content of who we are in Christ and do his work as he planned us to do. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.” Psalm 91:11

What a strong sense of relief Psalm 91:11 can be for those who trust in God with all of their heart and are able to let go of the fears of the world. When we are able to look up to the Lord and say, ‘Lord, this problem is yours, as you are in control and not me,’ the anxiety, pain and suffering suddenly all goes away, as he takes over and we are able to rest in his presence. Just as Jesus’s disciples followed and learned from him, we also are to follow him and learn from his ways. Our prayers must be strong and completed often. Our faith, though a work in progress, must be built on the solid rock of trust, love and salvation. We must read his word often and meditate on every word. When our problems are trusted into his hands, he becomes our strength and our refuge. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” And for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

When we follow Jesus, we can rest assured that he is with us in all situations. As his followers we are setting out to do his will and not our own. Sometimes this is very hard to do because we are not trained to listen and perform the duties for which he has called us. We are to train ourselves up to be good stewards of his message and to become able to deliver it in such a way that helps others to receive it. We must read and study his Word. We must meditate upon it and pray for understanding. We must be quiet and listen when the Holy Spirit is talking with us. We must always stay focused on the Word of God and not the things that surround us. It matters not whether we are having a good day or whether we are struggling with troubles, our Lord is always there to help us, to pick us up when we fall or to slow us down when we run too fast and get ahead of him. It is important to remember that for all of us who love God, and are doing his work of spreading his message, all things work together for good because our God supports us in all things. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.” Psalm 18:30

“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.” 2 Timothy 4: 3-4

Our God in heaven is perfect. His ways and his mighty promises give us the hope and understanding that we can receive in no other way. There are those in this world who live their lives in their own ways and, in doing so, leave a trail of disaster. What may seem as good, in the ways of the world today, will soon be found to lead to destruction and agony in the future. There is eternal life awaiting those who believe and keep their focus on our Lord Jesus Christ! For all others there is nothing but doubt, fear and a lost opportunity for eternal life itself. There is not an in between. Our decision to follow the ways of Jesus are now and not for later. It is not too late today but it may be tomorrow! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

“It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him.” Mark 15:25

“Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘ELOI, ELOI, LEMA SABACTHANI?’ which means , ‘MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU ABANDONED ME?‘ Mark 15:34

There is nothing in this world that compares to what Jesus did for you and me. The humiliation and pain that he endured on our behalf is something we will never have to experience. When we go through our rough times we must remember these six hours that were spent on the cross. There was pain that we cannot imagine There was humiliation and taunting that was to create embarrassment on behalf of Jesus. The next time you a have a bad day just think about the six hours Jesus spent on the cross. Remember, he was nailed and died there for you and me! 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

“Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.” 2 Timothy 2:4

“Avoid worthless , foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.” 2 Timothy 2:16

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

It is so easy to get involved in the ways of the world. With all of the social media platforms existing in today’s world, we can easily slip into fear, doubt and worry without even knowing it. However, just as 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us, our God has given us a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. We are to stay close to our Lord and never stray far from his word. If we surround ourselves with the world then we will become a part of its ways. We have been put upon this earth but we are not to become a party to its nature . We are not to get involved in things that don’t concern us. We are not to become a part of the foolishness of the world’s ways. Instead, we are to surround ourselves with his holiness and love. When we do, we will continue to build our faith and become even stronger in our journey on this earth. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“I love you Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Savior; my God is my rock in whom I find protection.” Psalm 18: 1-2

It is sometimes very frightening when we think of the unknown. Times like that can feel lonely, dark and confusing. You and I don’t know when we are going to meet Jesus because that time is unknown. We have no time schedule or chart that shows us where our place in line is. We are not sure if today is our last breath or whether there is still more for us to do. What Jesus tells us is that we are to be prepared. We are always to look forward and not backward. We are to understand that we are not alone. He is our fortress for incoming persecution, our protection from the outside world. He is our Savior and when our time arrives we are to be happy and not sad. He is our rock, and we can have comfort knowing and believing that we can stand with him now and forever. PRAISE THE LORD IN EVERY SITUATION!

” ‘Abba Father,‘ he cried out, ‘everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done and not mine.’ “ Mark 14:36

When Jesus was born into this world, he came just as you and I. He was born into a world of sin with people who needed to be saved from the evil that was all around them. But the salvation came with a great price. As the time approached for Jesus to return to heaven, he became sorrowful and anxious about what was about to occur. As he prayed to God the Father on the Mount of Olives, he expressed his thoughts and anxieties to God. However, his love for you and me overcame his thoughts about his end on this earth. He desired to fulfill God’s will and not his own. We should raise our hands high each day to praise Him for his death on that cross. We should praise and glorify our God in heaven for the sacrifice of His Son. Without the plan of action that our God took for each of us, we would all be lost. But it was God’s desire to once again establish his Kingdom upon this earth and to save you and me in the midst of it all. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit?” Proverbs 18:14

There are many in this world who live their whole lives in physical pain. Our physical bodies are able to withstand a lot of pain for long periods of time. However, it is when our spirits are wiped clean and our hope is gone that we become vulnerable to giving up in life. We must always have hope to hang onto. We must be able to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Our God has provided that for us. With our acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and Savior, our light shines brightly, and our hope never fades away. It is that hope and belief in our eternal life that keeps our spirit healthy. Our faith must never go away. It must become so strong that it overshadows anything the devil and this world throws at us. We can live with physical pain, but we cannot live without our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who provides us with the spiritual strength to move forward. PRAISE THE LORD IN EVERY SITUATION!

“Do not waste your time arguing over godless ideas and old wife’s tales. Instead, train yourself up to be godly. Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:7-8

Godliness is defined as the “quality or practice of conforming to the laws and wishes of God; devoutness and moral uprightness.” It is important that as believers is Christ, we properly reflect the nature of the kingdom of God in our course of everyday life. Because we were born into this world as sinners, this does not come natural to us. We must first come to our Lord through salvation, trust in him and believe. We must study his word and begin to learn his ways. As we learn what he wants of us we must begin to use his thoughts and ideas in our own lives until they become a part of us. As we do these things our lives will begin to change, and others will watch and learn from our actions. Let us all strive to become like Christ! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12

First impressions are of great value. When a person first sees you, they take a picture of you in their mind and that picture is what they remember. That first impression is what lingers on with them until you prove to them otherwise. As a believer in Christ Jesus, you are to live your life everyday as one with pure thoughts, great faith, sound words and a love that lasts forever. It is the way you live that will produce a great first impression on all of those around you, both believers and unbelievers. It is your task to present yourself as a child of God and not be afraid of what others say or think. Just as Jesus walked through persecution and ridicule, we too, are to put that kind of reaction behind us and move forward. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!