Bread of Life, JIL

” He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth.” Psalm 11:4

Our God never sleeps. He is always watching over us, safely keeping us tucked away in his loving arms. This may seem impossible to some, but to those who know the Lord God in heaven, it is a truth. God’s eyes are always open, and he is always ready to help us in our journey. He watches when we make mistakes, he watches when we are going through grief and are sad, he watches when we are lonely and confused, and he watches our every success. So, it is important that we go to him for help when we need it and go to him in praise when we should be thankful for his protection and help. Let us never forget that God is always watching us and watching over us. We are never alone. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.” Psalm 91:2

I don’t know about you, but I do know that there have been and continue to be numerous times in my own life where I have needed solitude and a place where I feel safe and without worries. A place like that is sometime very hard to find. However, God in heaven has provided that for us. He has provided us with his son, Jesus to be by our side at all times. All we must do is have the willingness to listen and follow him. When we need that alone time it should include Him. He is always with us but does not become a part of our lives unless we ask for his help. The decision is ours and ours alone. If we need help in our lives, if we need healing in our lives, if we need forgiveness in our lives or if we need consoling in our lives, Jesus is with us and is available as our refuge. However, we must include him. We must invite him to give us his rest and his peace and his direction and his wisdom. He is our refuge! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Proverbs 17:22

Spreading good cheer and not words of doom and gloom can sometimes be hard to do, especially if we live in a world of destruction, sadness, fear and doubt. We must begin to overcome what is happening around us and allow our thoughts to produce words that will help people and not harm them. I know from my own experience, as I have struggled and continue to struggle with this assignment. We must pray to God and dig deep into our spirits to bring out the good medicine that helps to heal. Those who are sick, fearful or doubting, will heal faster with the good medicine of a cheerful heart. When we worry or fret about things, especially things we have no control over, we become drained, tired and unable to rise up to perform the duties God has given to each of us. It is time to pray, praise and believe! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” God has called us to live in peace.” 1 Corinthians 7:15

” So, we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ. ” Galatians 3:22

Living on earth and believing in things that we see and hear makes it more difficult to believe in the things of the spirit world. When we are in trouble or are feeling sad, it is time to call on the name of Jesus. It is through His name that freedom comes to our spirit. It is through His name that we are to stay calm and are able to make it through the hardest of times in our lives. We have not been called to live our lives in chaos or upheaval. We are called to slow our lives down and look up to heaven calling out the name of Jesus, as God recognizes us and hears our prayers. It is through that great and justifiable name of Jesus that we are free and can live in freedom. With faith in his word, we are able to receive his promises for our lives and live them in joy and peace. We must consistently build upon the faith we have and continue to walk along in the path he has chosen for us, with our hand in the hand of Jesus. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him.” 2 Thessalonians 1: 11-12

Honoring the name of our Lord Jesus Christ should be first and foremost in our lives. This has never been described as an easy task. In fact, it is impossible unless our God gives us the power to do so. As we pray each day it is our responsibility to ask for his help in all that we do and speak. He freely gives to those who believe. He helps us to walk through the fire from the tongues of the unbelievers who surround us. He helps us to walk along in our faith and not look behind to see the past or to the right or to the left to see those who persecute us. Instead, he allows us to focus on the path before us and to do so with the power only he can provide. It is our God in heaven who gives us the strength we need to honor him, and it is by faith that we receive this great blessing. Let us not miss the opportunity! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9

In accepting Jesus, we are saved! When Jesus was sent to this earth he had nothing to do with the wrath of God. He had everything to do with the love of God. He walked the same path we are walking. He took all of the persecution and more than we take. He took our sins upon himself and went to the cross and was sacrificed for each of us who believe and receive his mighty message of love. The wrath of God doesn’t come through Jesus. The love of God does. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” So be on guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.” 1 Thessalonians 5:6

Our time is now! We have been created to live in a time of technology and with things beyond belief. We have been chosen to live in a time when everything runs fast. Our society is in a hurry to do everything. We are to stay alert. We are to stay watchful and not let our guard down. When the things of the world go by us, with what seems like the speed of light, we must slow down and continue to keep our thoughts collected. We are to know that Jesus is returning soon and that we must stay ready and not be involved in the ways of this world. It is the speed of this world that causes confusion and disconnect in our lives. However, as we keep our eyes upon Jesus, we know that he will never fail us. If we mirror his time schedule then we will never be disappointed, fearful or unbelieving. We must always be alert and clearheaded! This is our time. We have been selected by God to be a part of these days. It is important that we do not fail. We must continue to pray and study his holy Word. He loves us and we must love Him! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength, He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:1-6

I have read this passage for many years. I have read it over and over again, but sometimes it became just words in my head. Psalm 23 is a calming message for us all. It is one that takes us to another level with our Lord God. It is soothing and unrestricting. If we just take time to read and dwell upon it, we will be comforted by the gentle sound of its loving message. We all go through struggles just as David did and we all have a God in heaven who is by our side to help us through. He never leaves us nor does let go through more than we can handle. He gives us rest, strength, guidance, protection, blessings and comfort. If we just pursue him, we will live in the house of the Lord forever.

PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THNGS!

” ‘ Anything is possible if a person believes.’ The father instantly cried out,’ I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief.’ ” Mark 9: 23 & 24

Is it possible to believe and not believe at the same time? There are times in our lives where we do believe that our Lord will answer our prayers and that we will receive what we ask for. However, there are other times where we pray and ask for something without having strong faith and a solid belief. As we grow as a Christian, we must understand that it is a process. It is a journey we take with Jesus along a path that leads us through solid faith in him and also leads us through times of trouble where we find unbelief raising its ugly head. Even those who were with him here on this earth doubted him at times. They were unsure, but as time went on, they saw his miracles and they believed. We are no different. It takes a lot of prayer and a lot of stepping out into uncomfortable situations, that will help to build our faith and belief in what we are trying to build. As we follow Jesus there will be times when we falter. We will fail because we are human. But with the help of God in heaven, we will succeed. We must continue to follow Jesus and never give up. He is with us and will help us to become who he wants us to be. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.” 1 Thessalonians 2:4

Being faithful in the things we are to do for the Lord God in heaven does not come easy. It is not easy to trust in his word. It is not easy to step out and put his word first in our lives. We are surrounded by people, and we are sensitive to what others may think of us. We sometimes become anxious and want answers from him quicker than he will provide them. We sometimes are not able to concentrate and focus upon the Holy Spirit who provides us with direction and knowledge in our lives. I once heard that the best things in life are the things we must work hard for. That is so true when it comes to living for God. It is not easy. It is hard work, but it is work that is rewarded to the fullest when our duties are complete, as our purpose is to please God and not people. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” Ephesians 2:8

“Salvation is not a reward for good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Ephesians 2:9

Salvation does not represent perfection in our life. Salvation is a gift from God, given to us because he loves us and wants us to be with him for eternity. However, we were born into sin. We must recognize that even though we are saved, we still have much work to do in our lives. We are still human, still tempted and still fail. It is our position to strive toward his excellence, with the understanding that this is a process. No matter how long we have known the Lord we still learn from him, and we still work to be like him. It is in our desire to be like Jesus that we change in our life and reflect his goodness and love for others. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.” Colossians 1:23

As we live our lives in this world it becomes like swimming in the ocean. As the waves of life come our way, we live within them and do the things necessary to survive. However, we have received promises and gifts from our God in heaven. We understand that he is trustworthy, he is loving, he is understanding, he is patient, he is lifegiving, he is the healer, the protector and the forgiver. As we live in this world, we are not to be of this world. Our lives come from heaven itself. It is by our faith in Christ Jesus that we are able to overcome the great waves that come toward us. It is with our faith that we are able to overcome the waves of the world. We are to listen carefully and put God’s words into action in our lives. When we do, we are able to resist the waves of this life and are swept away by the waves of God’s ways. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.” Colossians 4:2

” Live wisely among those who are not believers and make the most of every opportunity.” Colossians 4:5

As we begin each day it is to our benefit to begin with a “good morning” to our Lord God in heaven. It is important that we begin by giving him thanks for another day of breath upon this earth and another opportunity to spread his “Word” to others. We are told that we are to live wisely among those who do not believe of the rebirth in Christ, and to make the most of every chance we may have to explain and demonstrate the benefits of his grace and love for each of us. Our focus must remain strong; we must stay alert, and we must praise him with a thankful heart. Our love for Jesus must overflow so that others can accept him and live with him in eternity. So, as God has given us the Holy Spirit, let us be wise in our attention to Him and never turn our backs on his words and direction for our life. As our God in heaven so loves the world, we also, are to love Him. PRAISE THE LOERD IN ALL THINGS!

” Set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3

” And whatever you do and say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” Colossians 3:17

It is often hard to remember our reasons for living. We are born into this world as a sinner and live as a sinner until we meet our loving Christ Jesus and accept him as our Lord and Savior. Even after we bring him into our lives, we will find ourselves floating back and forth from the realities of this world to the life we should live in Christ. Scriptures make it clear that after our conversion to Jesus, we are to re-focus and stay in tune with heaven. It is there that our lives begin and end. It is there that we want to be for eternity. So, it is there that we are to focus and become representatives of Christ Jesus in everything we do, say, and in all the ways we act. Let us take time to re-focus on the realities of heaven, for it is real and everlasting. It is our time on this earth that we prepare for our eternal life in heaven with our great God in all of his glory. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.” Colossians 2:9

“Christ performed Spiritual Circumcision-the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.” Colossians 2: 11-12

Our life on this earth is to be a shadow of our life to come in eternity.  Our life is to represent the way we are to act, to believe and to represent him on this earth.  We, as believers in his way, are to practice his ways by allowing him to be involved with us in all things.  God is with us as we believe in Christ Jesus.  God so loves us that he allowed his Son to die a dreadful death so that you and I could prepare for our life eternal.  It is through his death and resurrection that we are able to believe and receive.  We are his and he is unwilling to give us up.  No matter our sins, they are forgiven, if we ask and repent.  So, let us all honor him now, on this earth, for his unconditional love and for his saving grace that allows us a second chance.  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

” For you look deep within the mind and heart, O righteous God.” Psalm 7:9

It is so easy to get tangled up in our own lives that we sometimes forget that our mission on this earth is to spread the gospel of Christ Jesus. We begin to do things that help ourselves, without giving Jesus a second thought. We give credit to those where credit is not due, and we take credit for things that we are not in any way responsible for. God knows us well. He has a deep vision of each of us. As scripture tells us, he looks deep into our mind and our heart. He knows exactly when we are just spouting out words to satisfy our own feelings and needs. He also knows when we are addressing him from our heart and are allowing him to work in our lives. He knows when we are truly living a life that supports the love and desire to be with him and to spread his message. Our God in heaven cannot and will not be fooled. Let us dig deep and continue to focus and live our lives with the strength and knowledge our God gives us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians 4:6

The presence of the Lord is with us in all situations. The Holy Spirit lives in us and is speaking to us in our times of need but we must focus and listen. However, when we are struggling, we sometimes stray from his presence and begin to put our focus on our problems and not what he is telling us. Our thoughts must consistently be with our Lord. We must concentrate on his words and not our own. It is his presence that give us the strength we need to get through each day. You and I must remember that we can do all things, but it is through Christ Jesus that we must act. For Philippians 4:13 tells us, “we can do all things through Christ Jesus who give us strength.” So, we should not worry because worry harms our body and our soul. Instead, we should go to our God in heaven and ask for help. We should receive it and believe it and then be sure to thank him and give him all of the glory he so richly deserves. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus possessed me.” Philippians 3:12

It becomes difficult to move forward when we are in a crisis. It is much easier to hold up somewhere like a dark room and begin to feel sorry for ourselves. However, Jesus has not chosen us to be cowards or to be one of those who suddenly begins to think of their own problems and desires. He has provided us the tools to be able to stand up in adversity and move forward. We are to press on toward his Kingdom. We are to look past our own troubles and look to what others are experiencing. We are to be faithful to His Word and help those who need help. We are to be prayer warriors and of those who show compassion for others who are going through experiences for which they are not prepared. We are members of his army and are to never lay down or give up. The Holy Spirit resides within each of us and continues to give us each the strength we need to press on. He continues to increase our faith and to give us the confidence to help those in need along the way. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.” 2 Corinthians 2:15

As each day comes and goes so does much turmoil and trouble. It is through all of this that we are able to see how our Lord is strong and provides us with his wisdom and understanding. As we read his Holy Word each day our faith grows. We are able to hear his words and see his example is every sentence we read. Praying to him, praising him and meditating on his every thought, allows our faith to grow and become the Christ-like fragrance our Lord expects from us. It matters not how busy we are or where our thoughts may wander, each day must include our prayers and praise to God in heaven. With that he provides us with his promises and actions for our lives. As we water our faith each day with the sprinkling of this Word our faith grows and with that we grow into that Christ-like fragrance. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“Be humble thinking of others as better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3

“You must have the same attitude as Christ Jesus had.” Philippians 2:5

“Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world of crooked and perverse people.” Philippians 2:15

There is no better training than when we go through adverse times. It is in these events that we practice our strength and faith in Jesus. We have been told how to act in bad times, but do we always do it? We are to be like a shining light that shines in the darkness. We are to shine brightly for all to see. Even in times of persecution we should still have the same attitude that Jesus had. He knew his mission and we know ours. He was here to show compassion and to show the way to eternal life. You and I are an extension of his life. We too, are to show compassion, especially to those who do us wrong, and continue to serve. We must shine with the same attitude as Christ and always be ready to serve others. We must maintain his message and allow others the chance to choose Jesus. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

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

“Above all, you must live as a citizen of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.” Philippians 1:27

Jesus is Lord. There is no other and our lives should reflect that fact. In everything we do and all that we say we should do it for our Lord God in heaven. Our lives on this earth are to be lived in such a way that we are looked upon as different. We are to be looked at in a way that reflects the values of Christ Jesus and not the values of this world. This is difficult because of persecution from those around us. However, as we live our lives for Christ, we become stronger and stronger in the eyes of heaven. We are being prepared for our eternal existence with our God, and as we do, we become witnesses to those in this world who desperately need Jesus in their lives. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” Be persistent in your prayers for all believers.” Ephesians 6:18

Praying is not easy. To pray an earnest prayer, we must believe and receive from our Lord all that he promises and provides to us. We must pray continuously and stay in contact with our Lord God consistently. We are told in Ephesians 6:18 to be persistent in our prayers. We are to continue to pray and never give up! It is important to train ourselves to keep our God in heaven first in our thoughts. It is He we should go to in our troubles. It is He we should go to when we are persecuted. It is He we should praise and give glory to all of the time. When we keep our Lord in our sights and always depend upon him, then it becomes easy to pray an earnest prayer and do so with conviction and belief in his answers! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” They hear what you say, but they don’t act on it!” Ezekiel 33:32

” Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.” Ephesians 5:16

The Holy Bible is much more than a book. It is not just full of hollow words that lead us through a lot of stories, many of which are very fascinating. The Holy Bible is the living, breathing word of God. It is alive and working in the world today. It is only useful in our lives if we act upon what it tells us to do and how to live. There are many who hear the Word, but it falls upon deaf ears. They never act upon the Word and then wonder why God is not active in their lives. We are to take God’s Word literally and apply his instructions to our lives. We are to pray and ask for his help to understand his ways and their application in our lives. We must hang onto every word and not let go. If we don’t, then we will find that our lives are just full of worry, anger, and sickness. Yes, we are human, and we step into a lot of holes and fall. We make a lot of mistakes but nothing that cannot be fixed by Jesus. Our Lord tells us that if we accept him as our Lord and Savior and live our lives to the fullest in Jesus that he will surround us with his protection and grace. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Psalm 34:18

There is not a time when Jesus is not by our side. He walks with us when we forget he is there. He walks with us when we forget to pray and ask for his help. Whenever you are having a tough day, always remember that Jesus is beside you. Remember that he has already defeated the powers of this world so that you and I can walk without fear, doubt, and worry. He has already walked in sadness so that we are able to overcome it and return to a joyful heart. Jesus loved us when he went to that cross. We must remember that the story does not end there. It just begins. He loved us then and he loves us now! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Psalm 147: 11

Whenever God’s children read his Holy Word and then act upon it, our Lord God in heaven in delighted. He is happy when even just one shows sincere love for his many acts of kindness. His face shines with happiness when we look to him for direction and put our faith in his many promises. Let us always show our dedication to Him while we live our lives on this earth. Let us pray to him for understanding, praise him for his answers and constantly meditate upon his words for our lives. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for he issued his command and they came into being.” Psalm 148:5

Praising the one who created us is vital to our relationship with him. There is nothing that he has created in this world that is hindered from praising him. The sun, the moon, the heavens, fire and hail, snow and clouds, and the wind all obey his mighty commands. The mountains and the hills, the trees and all animals are to praise the Lord. Praise is important to our God, and we are to obey his commands and give him praise at every opportunity. Prayer is important to us and our Lord will answer our every request, but praise to our Father in heaven is most important for what our God does for us everyday. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.” Ephesians 3:19

“He counts the stars and calls them all by name.” Psalm 147:4

It is impossible for us to understand all of the greatness of our Lord God in heaven. Scripture tells us that he counts all of the stars in heaven and even calls them by name. If he knows each star by name, then he knows you and me by name as well. It is through our Savior Jesus that we are able to show our love to him. We must understand that the greatness of our God, the brightest light in all of the heavens, is impossible for us to totally understand. It is by faith, trust and love of him that we survive. Without those three characteristics we cannot live in his love. No matter what we are going through God has a purpose for it. Let us all keep our faith strong and walk in the brightest of lights! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:5

” God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” Ephesians 2:9

Each and every one of us who have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior have been rescued from the deepest of pits.  Because of God’s gift of Jesus, and our acceptance and belief in him, we have been lifted from the evils of this world and transported to the safe and loving arms or our God in heaven. We should praise God on every occasion for his great gift!  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

“All praises to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.” Ephesians 1:3

Praising our God in heaven is one of the most important things we can do. I have learned that praising him before each prayer is helpful and brings me even closer to him than ever before. Our God is all about praise. The scriptures tell us that he is a jealous God and one who desires to be praised for all of the good and great things he does. He wants us to praise only him, and not things of this world! He is God and there is no other. As born-again Christians we have accepted Christ Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior. It is through Jesus that God hears our praises and our prayers. Let us all praise him for there is no other God! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” And a voice from heaven said, ‘ You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy. ‘ ” Mark 1:11

” Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God.” Ephesians 1:11

Jesus was the dearly loved Son of God. God has given us all a chance at a new life by walking on the path to Christ Jesus. When our steps walk this path, we receive the same love that God bestows upon his one and only Son. To many, this is hard to understand and sometimes even seems foolish, but God is very plain when he tells us that because we are united with Jesus, we will receive an inheritance from God. That inheritance is where are steps are to take us. That inheritance is eternal life with our great God in heaven! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!