Michael J Burchett Ministries

” BUT THE GATEWAY TO LIFE IS VERY NARROW AND THE ROAD IS DIFFICULT AND ONLY A FEW EVER FIND IT. ” MATTHEW 7:14

Life on this earth is not easy. We are surrounded by a lot of different influences everyday. To be able to live a good and productive Christian life it is necessary that we put on the full armour of God. We live in a world where there is constant spirtual warefare. Things are going on around us that we are not aware of. Strange things happen that we don’t understand. We must live our lives in TRUTH, RIGHTEOUSNESS, and PEACE. We must pick up and use the SHIELD OF FAITH. And we should put on our SALVATION as a helmet, arm ourselves with the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, which is the word of God, PRAY IN THE SPIRIT AT ALL TIMES, and BE PERSISTANT IN OUR PRAYERS. God has given us the tools we need in order to make our journey easier. We must, however, recognize that we are spritual beings living in human bodies. We are in constant battle with the evil of this world. As Matthew 7:14 indicates, this is not an easy journey. Only a few make it. The road is straight and narrow. Without great faith it is impossible. Let us concentrate on the spiritual things of the Lord and not of the worldy things going on around us. We must defeat doubt, worry and fear. We are children of our loving God in heaven. We must stand firm and fight all of the strategies of the devil and his evil army. BUILD UP YOUR FAITH AND BELIEVE YOU RECEIVE! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” A CHEERFUL HEART IS GOOD MEDICINE BUT A BROKEN SPIRIT SAPS A PERSON’S STRENGTH. ” PROVERBS 17:22

As I walk through my daily struggles I have learned that keeping a positive attitude through my trials and tribulations, no matter their size, is vital to overcoming them. It has always been easy to surround myself with those who are constantly wailing away because of what I am going through. The tears flow and the sad words come forth. All this ever did for me is make me feel sorry for myself and walk around with a bad attitude. The Lord has shown me on many occasions that I need to surround myself with not only those who care but also have the faith to believe that I am delivered. Those people continue to be strong with me in my times of need and always have a smile on their faces. They never speak negative words but only words of faith. This builds me up and makes me strong. It helps my faith to look directly into the face of trouble and cast it out. I am currently seeing this work up close and personal. My son and his family are working through some very strong attacks from the devil. He has been nothing short of the most courageous and uplifting person that I have seen in a long time. He is an uplifting and positive force to all of those around him. He has a strong family that, yes is concerned and sad for the situation, but are loved ones who believe and keep the faith in times of touble. They are positive and keep walking directly in the line of fire, defeating the devil every inch of the way. Our Lord is honoring his faith and attitude. He is honoring the faith and attitiude of those around him. We all believe because God is our Source! PRAISE THE LORD!

” KEEP ON ASKING, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE WHAT YOU ASK FOR. KEEP ON SEEKING AND YOU WILL FIND. KEEP ON KNOCKING, AND THE DOOR WILL BE OPENED TO YOU. ” MATTHEW 7:7

We must be persistent when it comes to the things of the Lord our God. We must never give up. We must continue to have the desire and the drive to continue on with faith in all of his promises. As Matthew 7:7 clearly states, we will be rewarded for our persistence in our prayers and requests to our Lord God. Our prayers may not be answered on our time table or in the manner in which we desire or think they need to be answered, but we must continue in the faith and rest assured that God is answering our prayers and meeting our needs in his timeframe and in a way that is best for his plan in our lives. Our God is forever faithful in all that he stands for and in all that he promises. We must stand strong in hard times and not become arrogant in our good times. We must live our lives each day that shows our faith in and our love for Jesus. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” ANYONE WHO LISTENS TO MY TEACHING AND FOLLOWS IT IS WISE, LIKE A PERSON WHO BUILDS A HOUSE ON SOLID ROCK. THOUGH THE RAIN COMES IN TORRENTS AND THE FLOOD WATERS RISE AND THE WINDS BEAT AGAINST THAT HOUSE, IT WON’T COLLAPSE BECAUSE IT IS BUILT ON BEDROCK. ” MATTHEW 7: 24–25

Anyone who truly listens to the teachings of Jesus and follows those teachings is wise. Because we are building our house on the solid rock of Jesus we can and will withstand the torrid rains, the flood waters and the heavy winds of persecution, sickness, disease, doubt, worry, fear and sufferings of all kinds. We must not leave even a small opening for the devil. He will take advantage and try hard to discourage us in everything we try to do. As we stand on the solid rock of Jesus Christ, our faith becomes so strong that it cannot be stopped. Our faith becomes unwavering. We must keep focused on our Lord and not the bad and evil things that surround us. When we do we are victorius! We must keep our eyes and thoughts focused on the path set before us. We must surround ourselves with those who are encouragers and have Jesus as their rock. We must stay on the road to victory in Jesus. Remember, there is something very special about the name of Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS AND IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” ALWAYS BE JOYFUL. NEVER STOP PRAYING. BE THANKFUL IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES FOR THIS IS GOD’S WILL FOR YOU WHO BELONG TO JESUS CHRIST.”

The Lord wants us to be persistant in our prayers. He wants us to continue to be faithful in our trust in him. He wants us to look at whatever circumstance we may find ourselves in and be thankful and joyful always. WOW. This doesn’t sound possible. Well, it is. It is when we come to the realization that our God in heaven uses every situation in our lives for his good. He has a plan for every circumstance in our lives. We must have strong faith and trust him in all things. We may not see immediate results but if we believe without wavering, continue to pray and thank our God in heaven, we will find that he is always faithful. He is always true to his word. Each one of us has been put on this earth for a reason. We have a purpose, and if we are following our Lord, that purpose will be fulfilled. He loves us without conditions. He is by our side in good times and difficult times. When we recognize this then we can be joyful and thankfulness to our Lord will flow from our mouths with joy. We must keep up the faith and truly trust in our God in heaven! He is forever faithful. He is always with us when we are sad, fearful or doubting. He forgives us and allows us to return to him without any conditions attached except the condition of faith. We must continue to be strong and to build our faith each day. PRAISE THE LORD IN EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING!

” SEEK THE KINGDOM OF GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE, AND LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED.” MATTHEW 6:33

We have been given the greatest of all powers. We have been given the name of Jesus for use in our daily lives. The devil and his demons flee at the name of Jesus. The devil knows the power in that name. All evil knows the power in that name. We must remember that we can accomplish all things by using the name of Jesus. We must, however, be strong in the Lord. We must have a faith that is strong and non-wavering. We must continue to surround ourselves with the things of our God in heaven. We must know God’s promises and then we must have a strong faith that allows us to act upon those promises. It is one thing to know what God’s Word says and to know his promises but unless we have the faith to stand on his word and act on it then it will do us little good. We cannot allow ourselves to be lazy. Our Lord God in heaven wants us to use the powerful name of Jesus in living our life each day. We need to put our faith into action and fight the good fight. Remember, “we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” Phil. 4:13

” REASSURE ME OF YOUR PROMISE, MADE TO THOSE WHO FEAR YOU. ” PSALM 119:38

We all need reassurances in life. Being reassured by our God in heaven is no different. We are attacked and influenced each day by things around us. We are constantly surrounded by negative thoughts, negative actions and the lies of this world. It is very important that we be continually reassured by our living God in heaven. We need to be able to move forward knowing full well that his promises are true and that he is always faithful in all that he does and says. We must faithfully read his word. We must faithfully pray multiple times a day. We must faithfully praise him and give him the glory and honor he so richly deserves. We must surround ourselves with his promises and continue to build upon our faith and believe that we receive because he is our source. He gave his son as a sacrifice for us. He did not do that as just a nice gesture. He gave Jesus because he loves us. He doesn’t want us to suffer in doubt , worry and fear. He doesn’t want us to suffer in sickness and disease. We are all overcomers through Christ. We must, however, have the faith to believe God and what he says. He never fails on a promise. We should surround our days with his promises and remind him with our actions and words that we are faithfully believing. We should contantly be having conversations with him because he is living inside us. We are spiritual beings living in a human body and surrounded by human things. We must remember that we are fighting a spiritual battle on a daily basis. BUT, WE ARE OVERCOMERS IN CHRIST JESUS!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!

” GOD ANSWERED, ‘I WILL BE WITH YOU.’ ” EXODUS 3:12

Our God in heaven is never far away. When we think of heaven we sometimes think that it is light years away. However, to our God, it is just a step away. He is with us, by our sides. He has given his Holy Spirit to live within us. He is always very near and hears all of our prayer requests. He knows what we need before we even ask. He provides us with great attorneys, doctors, nurses, and other people with great skills, to help us through tough times and he will direct us to the right places and the right people. But God is not forceful. He has given us a free will to go for help wherever we want. We don’t have to go to God with our needs and prayers. But, if we want answers he is the only one who is faithful and true. He is with us through thick and thin. He knows our problems, he knows our needs and if we are serving him he will use us as tools in plans to bring others to Christ. We must never doubt, never fear, and never worry. It may sound like an easy task but we know that it is not easy. In fact, we must have faith that can withstand the efforts of the evil around us. Sometimes God uses our trials and tribulations in life to help build our own faith in him. We must not become impatient but remember that he is not on our time schedule but on his time schedule. We must let his plan for our lives play out. He does and will continue to answer our prayers and fulfill our needs through Jesus. He is always faithful! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” HE IS THE ONE WHO HAS RESCUED US FROM THE TERRORS OF THE COMING JUDGEMENT. ” THESSALONIANS 1:10

We are living is God’s time of grace. He continues to spread his love and grace to each and everyone of us. He continues to heal us, save us and forgive us. However, God’s time of grace is about to end. We are living within the endtimes. God is patient but he will only stand for so much. He will only stand by and watch the evil affect his people for so long. Our Lord is returning very soon and he will bring his church upward in what is called the rapture. God’s mighty rath is about to burn against the wicked. What will happen upon this earth WILL truly be unprecedented. We may think that we are currently experiencing very troubled times, and we are, but nothing in comparison to the rath of God. Nothing in comparison as to what will happen in the tribulation period. Darkness will fall, the sun will turn black, the moon will turn red and great earthquakes will be common. Stars will fall from the sky ( Rev. 6:13), mountains and islands will move (Rev. 6:14) the ocean will become blood ( Rev. 8: 8-9) and the water will become poisoned (Rev. 8:10-11). Will there be people saved in the tribulation period? Yes, but it will be very hard and they will be killed for their testimonies. Their is still time for those who need Christ but the time is very short. Any moment, anyday, anytime. Our Lord is returning very soon. The time is very short as our God’s patience is running out. Take this opportunity to be saved from the terrors of the coming judgement. PRAISE THE LORD! GLORIFY THE LORD! LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, MIND AND SOUL! ACCEPT THE LORD!

” LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD, WALK IN ALL HIS WAYS, OBEY HIS COMMANDS, HOLD FIRMLY TO HIM, AND SERVE HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND SOUL. ” JOSHUA 22:5

Our God is such a loving God. He does so much for us. It is so important that we continue to hold on firmly to each and every word he speaks and every thought he gives us. He is our life line in this world. We must never let go of him and open the door for evil to enter. We must be sure that we know his word so that we can obey his commands and walk in his ways. The evil that surrounds us is devious and will use any and every opportunity to trick us into taking detours and paths in our lives that lead to hardships. In order to be overcomers we must stay in God’s word, stay in prayer, praise him for all of his greatness and grace in our lives. We must be knowledgable in what he says and pray for understanding. Our Lord God in heaven does not leave us defenseless but is with us at all times. He has given us the tools to be successful and to lead loving and successful lives. However, we must love him, obey him and serve him with all of our heart, mind and soul. We must never lose sight of what God has in store for us who love him and serve him. We must continue to stay positive and focus on what is ahead of us and not what is behind us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!!!

” PUT ON YOUR NEW NATURE AND BE RENEWED AS YOU LEARN TO KNOW YOUR CREATOR, AND BECOME LIKE HIM. ” COLOSSIANS 3:10

We are to be renewed in Christ each and everyday. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior our lives will begin to change. As we continue to read God’s word we begin to etch into our minds just how Jesus lived upon this earth. Our eyes are opened to how Jesus cared for others whether they were his friends or his enemies. Each and everyone of us were born into sin. It takes us some time to change our lives to be more Christ like. We need to have faith in what we read through God’s word and believe it without any doubts. We need to not believe things of this world but first test everything we see and hear. Put everything up against the word of God and if it does not agree 100%, with what our Lord has given through his word, then we should dismiss it and move on. Our measuring stick is the word of God. We have to become so intimate with his word that it becomes a part of who we are. As long as we live upon this earth this will be an ongoing process. We will continously be tested and if we don’t constantly go to God with prayers and thanksgiving then we are in danger of causing ourselves grief and disappointment. I know that I say this a lot, but the Lord has shown me that it is so important that we continue to build up our faith each and everyday. We cannot let down our guard. Our Lord is with us . He has given us his Holy Spirit to guide and direct us. We must listen and believe. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” BY FEARING THE LORD, PEOPLE AVOID EVIL. ” PROVERBS 16:6

Evil surrounds us in the world. In everything we do and every turn we take evil lurks. It is extremely hard to not be taken in by all of the bad things going on in this world today. It is hard to not become angry with those around us who are constantly doing things that try to separate us from God. We cannot and should not try to live in this world without God. We will fail. We will be overtaken and absorbed in all of the bad things going on. It is important that we recognize who we are fighting. It is important that we know how to fight back. The only way we can do this is to stay grounded in the word of God. We must stay in constant communication with our Father in heaven. We must stay focused on the things of heaven and not the earth. We must be conscience of building upon our faith and making it stronger each and everyday. We must fear our Lord God in heaven. If we do we will better understand him and be able to recognize his ways in our lives. We will be able accept his help and will be conquers through Jesus. We will be successful and victorious in the Lord! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL AND EVERYTHING WE DO!

” ALWAYS BE FULL OF JOY IN THE LORD. ” PHIL. 4:4

A strengthened faith in our Lord will provide to us the ability to live joyously in him. With strong faith we will continue to believe that he is with us at all times. He is with us in our times of need and in our times of celebration. As we continue to grow in the Lord we continue to reach out to him in all situations knowing full well that he will answer our prayers and will fill us with confidence in him. When all of our faith is in him our hearts become joyful even in times of trouble. This sounds like an easy task, however, it is easier said than done. We are constantly being attacked from within the spiritual realm. The devil never sleeps. He is always accusing, always attacking and is relentless in his endeavors. That is why building upon our faith each day is so important. We must be able to overcome the devil and his evil ways. We must never let our guard down. There is only one way to survive and that is living in Jesus. By believing and receiving the gifts of God in our lives we can live in this world with much joy in our hearts and can stand in the face of the devil with victory in Jesus. We can be joyful and always live a life if victory! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

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

Our Lord God in heaven is a loving and caring God. He knows our every move, every thought and every intention. As children of God we are to walk with confidence in our Lord. We are to enter each day with the love of Jesus overflowing from us. His love should be so strong in our lives that there is no question as to who we belong to. Every word that we speak should be intended to help others and not to tear others down. Every action that we take should represent our life in Christ and not a life of the world around us. We should not be anxious to do anything without first consulting our Lord. We should continue to pray about everything. We should fear nothing. We should stand tall and be strengthened in our faith. We should be known for our love for Jesus. We should be an example to the world in strength, love, peace, joy and forgiveness. We should not carry our burdens around with us. We should give them to Christ and walk around with a peace of mind and joy that make others wonder and want to be like us. We should always forgive and forget, just as our Lord forgave us and forgets our sins. We are living testimonies for Jesus our Lord. We are the bible to many. We should stay strong in giving glory and praise to our Lord God in heaven and talk with him about everything good and bad in our lives. We will never live this life without problems. God teaches us and makes us stronger through the problems we go through. However, we have the opportunity to live lives that allow us to conquer these problems through our faith and trust in Jesus. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” HIS PEACE WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS AS YOU LIVE IN CHRIST JESUS.” PHIL. 4:7

The devil can strike very quickly. Life can be moving along very smoothly and then all of the sudden something happens that turns your life upside down. We all have these hard times. My family just recently went through and continues to go through one of those difficult situations. When these events take place it is vital that we never let down. It is important that we stay in God’s word and stay lifted up. It is important to surround ourselves with those around us who care and will help to support us. My family has all of these things working for us. We thank all of our Faith Room family and Bread of Life family for the prayers on our behalf. We also thank you for continued support as we continue to go through this uneasy time. My personal life has been one of prayer and strong belief that my God heals and is in control of any and all situations I go through. However, on this occasion, even though I have continued to pray and believe, I did allow a glimmer of doubt and negativism to enter. This was not a good feeling. The Lord reminded me that his peace will guard my heart and my mind. He reminded me that I must stay close to him, stay in prayer and continue to build my faith. So, I have humbled myself before the Lord once again and corrected my path. I am depending upon him no matter what the situation looks like. We have a great and loving God. He cares for each and everyone of us. Thank each and everyone of you for your prayers and thoughts. We love you all. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” DON’T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING; INSTEAD PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING. TELL GOD WHAT YOU NEED, AND THANK HIM FOR ALL HE HAS DONE.” PHIL. 4:6

As we live our lives in Christ Jesus worrying is not only considered a sin but is also a waste of our time. When we spend time worrrying about an issue we are wasting the time we have to pray for the issue. I have learned over the years that when I pray I should accept that my Lord now has the problem in his hands and that I should not pick it back up and carry it around. I should not continue to worry about it but instead I should thank the Lord for answering my prayer request. Each time I go to the Lord in prayer I should thank him for his answers and for all that he has done for me. It is so easy to take a problem to the Lord in prayer and then pick the problem back up and begin to worry over it. This is not what God wants. I should be giving my God glory for his great mercy, grace and love. I should always be thanking him for my answered prayer. Worry is not of God but of the devil. I am sure that we have all had this issue at one time or another. It is so important that we keep our faith strong and believe that our Lord God in heaven has and will continue to answer our prayers. PRAISE THE LORD FOR ALL THINGS!

” BECAUSE OF CHRIST AND OUR FAITH IN HIM, WE CAN NOW COME BOLDLY AND CONFIDENTLY INTO GOD’S PRESENCE.” EPHESIANS 3:12

Our God has richly blessed us with his son Jesus Christ. As children of God we must have great faith in our Lord and Savior. We must not doubt, worry or fear. Our faith must be able to overcome all of the obstacles thrown in it’s way. Our faith in Jesus will enable us to climb all mountains, dig ourselves out of valleys and to live righteous lives in the Lord. Our faith in Christ helps us to become more bold. We should walk with our lives boldly displaying our Lord Jesus. Ephesians 3:12 tells us that we are able to come boldly and confidently before God and be in his presence. But we must believe and receive his great gift. We must have confidence in the truth’s and promises of Jesus. If we do, then there is nothing that can stop us. For we have the King on our side and nothing can defeat us! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE SHELTER OF THE MOST HIGH WILL FIND REST IN THE SHADOW OF THE ALMIGHTY. ” PSALM 91:1

The Lord my God in heaven is my life. There is nothing else that matters. For as I live in the Lord he lives in me. With my God by my side there is nothing that I cannot conquer. He is my strength in all things, good or bad. He is my joy in good times and bad times. When I am having a great day it is because he has blessed me. If my day is not going so well I know that my Lord is by my side and will carry me to wherever I need to go. God sent Jesus to die on the cross for my salvation, my healings and for the forgivness of my sins. God has sent his glorius Holy Spirit to live within me and direct my every step. I praise him for everything good and bad. My Lord will use any evil that may try to over take me, for his good. He will use it to help someone be healed or become saved. He will use it to help someone to strengthen their faith or to heal a relationship. Our God is a good and gracious God. Our God is alive and well. My life on this earth is short lived but in the short time I am here there is a purpose and job for me to complete. I must believe, receive and spread his word. Thank you Lord Jesus for being my strength, joy, patience, love, friend and companion. Without you life is totally lost but with you life is a great gift given by you with unconditional love. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY IN THESE EVIL DAYS. ” EPHESIANS 5:16

” BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND HIS MIGHTY POWER. ” EPHESIANS 6:10

As Christians we should walk with our heads held high in strength and faith. We should not be running away from the battles that rage in our lives, but we should be running toward them with great confidence that our Lord God in heaven is with us and will help us. The moment we see the problem too large, and we shy away from it, is the time that the devil throws fear and doubt into our thoughts and the way we act. When we allow doubt and fear to take over we are defeated. It is necessary to stand tall in Jesus and fight the fight. This is easier said than done, but if we wrap ourselves in the blanket of the lord’s faithful promises and continue to believe, no matter the situation, then we will be victorious. We should use our times of trouble as opportunities for spreading God’s word to others. We must not live a life of fear but one of continued joy and love in the Lord. We have great strength in the name of Jesus. We should be using it. The devil hates it. There is mighty power and strength in his name. We must stay connected and never unplug from God’s word. BELIEVE YOU RECEIVE BECAUSE GOD IS YOUR SOURCE! PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

” THROW OFF YOUR OLD SINFUL NATURE AND YOUR FORMER WAY OF LIFE, WHICH IS CORRUPTED BY LUST AND DECEPTION. INSTEAD, LET THE SPIRIT RENEW YOUR THOUGHTS AND ATTITIUDES.” EPHESIANS 4:22-23

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior everything changes. We become a different person. 40+ years ago when I accepted Christ I had to change a lot of things. The one area that was the hardest for me was smoking. When I accepted Jesus I was smoking up to 3 packs per day and I enjoyed smoking. However, the Lord began to convict me from day one. I knew smoking was not good for me. I knew that my body was the temple of God. I knew that the Holy Spirit was living within me. But, I loved smoking. I would stop for a few days and then convince myself that it wouldn’t hurt to smoke a little but not as much as I did before. The Lord kept on reminding me that if I kept smoking I not only was hurting something that he had created but also I was not being a good witness for those around me. I was reading the bible, praying and witnessing to others about Christ and then have a cigarette. WOW, what a witness. I was pretty hardheaded but eventually the Lord convinced me. I took a pack of cigarettes that I always kept, just in case I needed one, and threw them out. Through the name of Jesus I talked directly to the evils of smoking by rebuking the smoking habit and never smoked again. Change is not easy. It is so important to turn our love to the Lord and away from the things of this world. Jesus died so that we can overcome the hard things in life. We have a patient and loving Lord. We have one who will gently help us through our bad times and turn us onto the right path. All we have to do is continue to build our faith and never give up on him. I still fight worldly things around me. We all do. We always need the Lord to help us. PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

” SALVATION IS NOT A REWARD FOR THE GOOD THINGS YOU HAVE DONE, SO NONE OF US CAN BOAST ABOUT IT.” EPH. 2:9

Salvation is the ultimate gift from our God in heaven. It is such a great gift that our God had to offer his one and only son as a sacrifice for us. We do not have to do good and great things in order to receive salvation. We don’t have to perform certain rituals to be able to receive this grand gift. All we have to do is go to our Lord with a sincere heart and ask for his forgivness and invite Jesus into our lives. The good and great things that we do should be the fruits of our receiving Christ and not be a way of receiving him into our lives. This is a very simple process. However, what comes after we accept Jesus is not so easy. The devil fights us tooth and nail. He puts problems, struggles, difficult situations, doubt, worry and fear in our path each and everyday. We are humbled in many ways. We must remember who is in control of our lives and give him praise and glory throughout all of our struggles. We must surround ourselves with those who love the Lord as we do. We need encouragment no matter the length of time we have known Christ. We need each other to boost us up in those difficult times. We are overcomers in Christ Jesus. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

“ IT IS BY GOD’S GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED.” EPH. 2:5

Our God in heaven is extremely gracious. He has provided salvation, healing and forgiveness through the death of his one and only son Jesus Christ. We should never take that for granted. We should always be thankful and willing and ready to serve him in any way that he asks us to. In order to keep ourselves strong in the Lord we must continue to build upon our faith. We must stay in God’s word and meditate on it daily. It is important that we openly confess his word, act upon his word, receive his word, and then tell about his word. We must be humble, patient and gentle with each other compensating for each others faults. We must truly love others and be willing to develop a servant’s attitiude and act upon it by serving others and being gracious to them. We must reflect God’s personality in our own lives as living testimonies. We should be speaking God’s word and living God’s word. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” HE SAVED ME FROM DEATH, MY EYES FROM TEARS, MY FEET FROM STUMBLING.” PSALM 116:8

” AND SO I WALK IN THE LORD’S PRESENCE AS I LIVE HERE ON EARTH.” PSALM 116:9

The bible tells us that when Jesus went to be at the right hand of God the Father, that he sent his Holy Spirit to live within us. As we walk through each day it is important to never forget that not only is the Lord with us but that he is living in us. He is here to guide us in our ways and help us in our struggles. As we live each day, and we remember these things, we should be living our lives in such a way that we are faithfully representing our Lord here on earth. Our God is a loving God and does not force us to do anything. He has given us a free will to live our lives in the way we choose. So, the Holy Spirit is not twisting our arms at every turn and making us do right but he is convicting us. He helps us to recoginize right from wrong and gives us the opportunity to choose the direction we want to go. We don’t always listen and choose the correct way. When we do things we know are not right we should immediatly go to God and ask for his forgiveness. We must always remember to try hard and recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit. We should walk each day in the presence of the Lord because we ARE in the presence of the Lord. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” AND THE PEACE I GIVE IS A GIFT THE WORLD CANNOT GIVE. SO DON’T BE TROUBLED OR AFRAID. ” JOHN 14:27

As we look around the world today or watch the news on TV we can clearly see that the world in which we live is in turmoil. It is in complete chaos. If we believe what we hear on the news and set our sights on the things of this world then the fear in this world will overcome us. However, we have been given a great gift from our God in heaven. We have been given his peace. If we put our focus on our Lord God in heaven then we will realize that he has a plan. His plan for this world has been in place since the beginning. If we realize this plan and believe in the promises our Lord has given us then we can and should be living in the peace of our Lord. He will send his angels to protect us. He will deliver us from chaos and the struggles of this world. Yes, we still have to confront these evils because we live in this world but we can meet each and every concern head on and with the confidence that God has it all under control. No matter the situation we face our God will get us through it. With faith in Jesus we are all overcomers. We must continue to build upon our faith each and everyday. We must meditate on God’s word day and night staying plugged into him constantly. We should believe we receive because God is our source! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, YOU WILL ASK THE FATHER DIRECTLY, AND HE WILL GRANT YOUR REQUEST BECAUSE YOU USE MY NAME.” JOHN 16:23

” ASK USING MY NAME, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE, AND YOU WILL HAVE ABUNDANT JOY.” JOHN 16:24

The name of Jesus is the most powerful tool we have in our toolbag. The bible tells us that through the name of Jesus, demons flee. The devil knows how powerful Jesus is. He tried his hardest to get Him to conform to his ways without any success. Jesus was true to his father in heaven and we are to be true to our father in heaven. Now we have been given the strongest of powers in the name of Jesus. Jesus is the difference maker. You don’t hear his name being spread all over the TV or in any news casts. The people of this world have been blinded to his power. But, we have been given this wonderful name to defeat the evil around us and to set our hopes and fears aside because of the wonderful power in the name of Jesus. Sometimes when I am feeling down, depressed or fearful I will just close my eyes and begin to say the name of Jesus over and over. Quickly those fears disappear. What strength he has given us. The Lord does not want us to fail. He wants us to succeed no matter where we are or what we are doing. But, we cannot be afraid to openly talk about and use the name of Jesus in our daily lives and to put his name into action. PRAISE THE NAME OF JESUS IN ALL THINGS!

” FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE FOUNDATION OF TRUE WISDOM. ALL WHO OBEY HIS COMMANDMENTS WILL GROW IN WISDOM. ” PSALM 111:10

” AND THE PEACE I GIVE IS A GIFT THE WORLD CANNOT GIVE. SO DON’T BE TROUBLED OR AFRAID.” JOHN 14: 27

We should walk through life with confidence. We should never walk through life in fear or doubt. We must stay connected to the Lord our God. He has sent us the Holy Spirit who helps to direct us and give us strength. Stay in prayer and listen carefully to all of the answers the Lord provides. If we do, then we will be able to walk the walk and talk the talk with the confidence of Christ. PRASIE THE LORD!

” BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT PRODUCES THIS KIND OF FRUIT IN OUR LIVES: LOVE, JOY, PEACE,PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. “

As we live each day we should take the time to examine just how we are living our lives. Are we producing the kind of fruit that is evidenced by the truth in the Holy Spirit? Is our life producing the kind of fruit that others will see and recognize as coming from God? Or, are we taken in by the ways of the world and living a life that fits in nicely with the world around us. As true followers of Christ we should live a life that is separating itself from the ways of the world. There is no gray area. There is no in between. It is either living for Christ or living for the world. Our lives should reflect our love for Jesus. When it does then others see our attitudes and faithfulness for Christ. They see our self-control through troubles times, our peace and patience, love and joy. All of this fruit produced by the Holy Spirit gives us opportunity to witness to others about Jesus and the great gifts he has provided to us. Jesus loves us and gave his life for us. We must stand strong and in support of our Lord and not be ashamed of him so that he will not be ashamed of us before God. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” SO I SAY, LET THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDE YOUR LIVES. THEN YOU WON’T BE DOING WHAT YOUR SINFUL NATURE CRAVES. ” GAL. 5:16

We were all born into sin. The Lord our God in heaven gave us the most loving opportunity to overcome our sinful nature by sending his son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins. However , we are not perfect. We are still tempted. We still live in a world filled with sin. Our Lord sent his precious Holy Spirit to live within us and to guide us. We must train ourselves up in order to be able to listen and hear the Holy Spirit as he directs our every step. We are surrounded by the things of the world so it is easy to become involved and comply with these things. But, if we continue to build upon our faith, stay plugged into God our source, and learn to listen to the voice of the Lord, will are able to overcome the world. As we live our lives each day there are many situations that require us to make decisions between right and wrong. As we cross these bridges of indecision we must take a step back and listen to the Lord. Often times we have a check in our spirit, a time that we just aren’t sure if we are to follow our instincts. If we are not completely sure what to do we need to pause and pray to the Lord. That little indecision or check in our spirit is the Holy Spirit speaking to us. We should stop and listen. If we do, the Lord will give the right steps to take. God has a plan for our lives. We sometimes like to move swiftly past his plan and begin to act upon our own. When we do we move into a dangerous, and most times, a failing situation. We must listen to the small still voice of the preceious Holy Spirit and all will be well! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

” YOU WILL ALWAYS HARVEST WHAT YOU PLANT. ” GAL. 6:7

Farmers around the country and the world plant crops that they feel will benefit them the most. They do their best to nurture their crops by fertilizing them and spraying for all weeds that try to grow and lessen the crop’s value. We as Christians are much the same. Whatever we plant is exactly what we will harvest. We cannot expect to plant greed, jealousy, sadness, lust, lying, cheating, doubt, worry and fear, and then reap joy, love, compassion, strength, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We cannot plant weeds and expect to harvest healthy crops. Through our faith in God we must sow the things of God. We will then reap the things of God. If we want to be treated with respect then we must treat others with respect. If we want others to treat us with kindness then we must treat others with kindness. We must do everything possible to make sure that the weeds of the devil are picked from what we sow and are thrown out. Our faith must continue to be strong and we must continue to believe that we reap what we sow. Unbelievers of this world are watching us closely. We cannot win others to Christ by sowing the ways of the world. Remember, if we plant things of this world then we will reap the benefits of this world. However, if we plant the things of God we will reap the benefits of God. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” GODLINESS MAKES A NATION GREAT, BUT SIN IS A DISGRACE TO ANY PEOPLE.” PROVERBS 14:34

We live in a great nation, one that was founded upon trusting God and creating freedom for all. Today, as we live in the endtimes, we see our great country taking a turn in the opposite direction. We see lying, cheating, greed, deception, control, intimidation and many other evil ideas taking shape. These evil ideas are helping to create great problems for us as a country and for the world as a whole. As we watch and wonder how those who are in leadership positions and others who agree with their ideology can be so blinded and not see the obvious, we must remember that God has a plan. His plan is in place and we are living within that plan today. Things that are happening in our world we may not understand but we must remember to trust God in all things. Our faith must be strong and we must be able to put away the thoughts and ways of this world and concentrate on the thoughts and the ways of our God in heaven. We as a nation have turned away from God. We have taken prayer out of schools, our nation currently does not support Israel in its struggles and we are turning our ways over to other religions of this world along with other evil ideas and worldly ways. We are still living in the time of grace. Our God continues to have great compassion for his people. We need to continue to pray, for not only our leaders, both national and local, but for the leaders of the world. There is still time left as God’s plan has not been completed but completion is right on the door step. We must believe that we receive because God is our source. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!