Bread of Life, JIL

“PROVE BY THE WAY YOU LIVE THAT YOU HAVE REPENTED OF YOUR SINS AND TURNED TO GOD.” LUKE 3:8

We have been put upon this earth and given a great opportunity by our God in heaven to live a long and successful life. However, in order for that to happen we must know how to live a successful life. As we continue to pray and to study God’s word we can see that being in Christ is much more than just giving lip service to the fact that we are born again. We must live the life we profess. We must follow God’s word to the letter. Without continued study and understanding of his word we will be unable to do this. We must continue to pray to him everyday and ask for direction and understanding. We must continue to praise him and give him glory for all things. We must build our faith to a point that we know that He is working in our lives for his good. When we do these things it will become natural for us to look to him for answers, for healing in our lives, and for his peace to overtake us in every situation we encounter. PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

” THEREFORE, HAVING BEEN JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS, THROUGH WHOM ALSO WE HAVE OBTAINED OUR INTRODUCTION BY FAITH INTO THIS GRACE IN WHICH WE STAND; AND WE EXULT IN HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD.” ROMANS 5: 1-2

Before we trust Jesus as our Lord and Savior he is our enemy. We are hostile toward him because of our sin. However, on the cross, Jesus justified us, by declaring us not guilty of our transgressions. When we come to the feet of the Lord and accept him as our Lord and Savior we then have peace with God and the fruit of that peace is oneness with him. He clothes us with righteousness and sets us free so that we can have a deep, intimate relationship with him. We then move from darkness to light. We become his children and not his enemy. And, we move from death to everlasting life.

As we go through our earthly struggles, they can become overpowering and intimidating to a point of desperation. Without a deeply rooted relationship with our Lord everything seems so worthless and with no hope. It is so important that we go to our God in heaven with prayer and praise to invite him to come into our hearts and then to truly believe that we receive. We must then stay forever close to him. How close we stay is determined on what and who we surround ourselves with. If we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior then we will be going to heaven. However, to live a productive and peaceable life in this world we must listen carefully to his holy word and his Holy Spirit. PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

” HE GIVES STRENGTH TO THE WEARY, AND TO HIM WHO LACKS MIGHT HE INCREASES POWER. ” ISAIAH 40: 29

” YET THOSE WHO WAIT FOR THE LORD WILL GAIN NEW STRENGTH; THEY WILL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS LIKE EAGLES, THEY WILL RUN AND NOT GET TIRED, THEY WILL WALK AND NOT BECOME WEARY. ” ISAIAH 40:31

Paul said, ‘ for when I am weak, then I am strong.’ (2 Cor. 12:10) It is so important to understand that we are only strong when we are weak. You might ask how is that possible? When we are weak we are usually in situations where we are open to humbling ourselves before the Lord. When we are weak is when we put our trust in the Lord to help us and give us comfort and peace. When we are weak we are more open to separating ourselves from the problem and will be more willing to ask God to help us. When we are weak we often find ourselves backed up against the wall with no way to turn except toward Jesus. God’s weakness is stronger than men. Our God renews and strengthens those who are weak. He is the one who empowers us to perservere. He is the one who lifts us up and revitalizes us. He may put family and friends in our path to help us or he may use angels to provide holy protection for us. No matter the tools he uses, we must first go to him. We must think of him as our total source for strength, peace and the love for others. He is our source. If we don’t believe or make efforts to include him in whatever our endeveors are, we will eventually fail. We are fighting a spiritual battle. The devil hates us and will make sure we fail at whatever we do. The Lord has provided us with a way out. He has provided Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. All we have to do is make an effort and invite him in. PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

” ALL SCRIPTURE IS INSPIRED BY GOD AND PROFITABLE FOR TEACHING, FOR REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION, FOR TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS; SO THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE ADEQUATE, EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.” 2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17

” DEATH AND LIFE ARE IN THE POWER OF THE TONGUE, AND THOSE WHO LOVE IT WILL EAT ITS FRUIT.” PROVERBS 18:21

The Word of God is a very powerful roadmap for our lives. Every word within its boundries was breathed by God himself. God gave us his word for a very important reason; to grow spiritually. The Holy Spirit works through the Word of God to rebuke and correct us when do wrong. He uses his word to train us up in his righteousness, to equip us to do his will and to grow us into his image so that we can become effective representitives for the gospel. As we continue to read his word, the Holy Spirit will continue to show us what direction we are to go. As we learn about the Word of God and his many promises, we should be confessing and standing on his promises. The words that come out of our mouths come from our heart. So, what have we filled our heart with? Have we filled it with doubt, worry and fear? If we have negative thoughts and apply negative words, the devil will use these against us. However, if we become entrenched in God’s Word and speak with authority, his words will be strengthened in us and our hearts will be filled with love, peace and his many promises. He will fill our lives with many good and loving gifts. We will then be living our lives through Christ and not the ways of the world. PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

” FOR THE LORD WILL NOT ABANDON HIS PEOPLE ON ACCOUNT OF HIS GREAT NAME, BECAUSE THE LORD HAS BEEN PLEASED TO MAKE YOU A PEOPLE FOR HIMSELF.” 1 SAMUAL 12:22

Throughout God’s word we see the Lord reaching out to his people, revealing himself to them, desiring to be with them, and communicating with them. He promises never to forsake those who respond to him in the same way. Samual considered it a sin if he should stop praying for his fellow Israelites ( 1 Samual 12:23). We are no different. If we are listening to the Spirit within us we should be living our life for God. We should love one another and continue to pray for one another. Being alone is a terrible thing. The Lord has promised that he is always with us. We need do stay in prayer to him and stay close to him. We should always pray for the needs of others and always be there for them. PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

” BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN TO GOD'”

” AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH SURPASSES ALL COMPREHENSION, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS.”

” FINALLY, BRETHERN, WHATEVER IS TRUE, WHATEVER IS HONORABLE, WHATEVER IS RIGHT, WHATEVER IS PURE, WHATEVER IS LOVELY, WHATEVER IS OF GOOD REPUTE, IF THERE IS EXCELLENCE AND IF ANYTHING WORTHY OF PRAISE, DWELL ON THESE THINGS.

THE THINGS YOU HAVE LEARNED AND RECEIVED AND HEARD AND SEEN IN ME, PRACTICE THESE THINGS, AND THE GOD OF PEACE WILL BE WITH YOU.” PHILIPPIANS 4: 6-9

If we set back and analyze the magnitude of the problems we face each day, we will become so frustrated and overwhelmed that life will not seem worth living. There is absolutly no way that we have the capacity to overcome even the simplist if issues. Anxiety, depression, bitterness, unforgivness and all other worldly pressures disappear when we learn to take our concerns to God and leave them at his feet. We as children of God stand the tallest when we are on our knees before our God in heaven. We must become totally trusting and submitted in our Father. How in the world is it possible to be positive, secure and and peaceful throughout our times of crisis. In the world we are persecuted, lied to, overwhelmed with fear, sadness, doubt, worry and so many other attacks of the devil. We can overcome these things by becoming deeply rooted in God. We need to surround ourselves with the things of our Lord. We must not allow our minds to wander into the things of the world. When we sucuumb to the ways of the Lord we will have a sense of calmness and confidence within us. We must dwell on the things of God and not the negative things of the world. The only way we can do this is by building our faith daily to a point of selling out to him. We cannot be of the world sometimes and then in God’s word other times. Being in Jesus is more than just reading the Bible. It is more than just memorizing scripture. It is more than just going to church each Sunday and then living in the world the rest of the week. Being in Christ is a way of life that is never ending. We need to sell out to Him trusting him in all he says. We must first acknowledge him as our Lord and Savior and then begin to surround ourselves with him! PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

” BUT WHEN HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, COMES, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL THE TRUTH; FOR HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN INITIATIVE, BUT WHATEVER HE HEARS, HE WILL SPEAK; AND HE WILL DISCLOSE TO YOU WHAT IS TO COME.” JOHN 16:13

In all of our inadequacies , the Holy Spirit lives in us to meet our needs in ways that honor God. He draws us to salvation and energizes us, He convicts us when we sin and teaches us to live in right standing with God. In everything God calls us to do the Holy Spirit equips us and empowers us to accomplish it.

As believers we must understand that the moment we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit indwells us. The Holy Spirit has been given to us as an everlasting promise that God will never leave us. We are never alone. The Holy Spirit is always with us. He helps in us in several ways:

1. PRACTICAL: He warns us of troubles ahead and helps us to succeed in our lives. He knows exactly how much strength, wisdom and resources we need for whatever is ahead;
2. PERSONAL: He knows you even better than you know yourself. He knows exactly what you need to grow in Christ;
3. AVAILABLE: The Holy Spirit never sleeps. He is there constantly working in you for your good;
4. DEPENDABLE: There is absolutely no problem that God cannot handle. The Holy Spirit will help you to not only get through your heartaches but will also use your problems and burdens to teach you about the love, wisdom and power of God.

When you don’t know what to pray, He will intervene for you, when you feel inadequate, He will strengthen you with gifts to help you live a Christian life, and when you don’t understand, He will shed the light of understanding and reveal it to you. Therefore, we should not hinder the working of the Holy Spirit. He is our helper, and His guidance is there for the asking. Whenever you need Him, pray, listen, follow His direction, and confidently obey his instructions. Rest assured, He will never lead you astray. PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

“FOR ALL THINGS ARE FOR YOUR SAKES, SO THAT THE GRACE WHICH IS SPREADING TO MORE AND MORE PEOPLE MAY CAUSE THE GIVING OF THANKS TO ABOUND TO THE GLORY OF GOD.” 2 CORINTHIANS 4:15

” THEREFORE WE DO NOT LOSE HEART, BUT THOUGH OUR OUTER MAN IS DECAYING, YET OUR INNER MAN IS BEING RENEWED DAY BY DAY.” 2 CORINTHIANS 4:16

It is so important that we praise our Lord and give thanks to him everyday. No matter the situation we should be giving glory to God. No matter the struggles we have or the mountains we are climbing, we should be praising our God in heaven daily. As we continue to live our lives in this world we all have a destiny of decaying bodies. However, the Lord provides us with hope. We have eternal life in him and he assures us that though our current body is starting to crumble that our inner man is be renewed each day. In order for that to happen we need to continue in his presence each and everyday. We need to be humble and continue to depend upon him for our resources in this life. The good news is that our dark moments in life will only last as long as it takes for God to accomplish his purpose. If we are totally committed to him we will be blessed with a stronger relationship with him, stronger than we could ever think possible. So, whenever we experience troubles, struggles or huge mountains in our lives, we should trust him and thank him for what he is doing and we should commit to honoring him in all things. PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

” YOU ARE MY SERVANT, I HAVE CHOSEN YOU AND NOT REJECTED YOU. ” ISAIAH 41:9

” DO NOT FEAR, I AM WITH YOU; DO NOT ANXIOUSLY LOOK ABOUT YOU, FOR I AM YOUR GOD. I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU, SURELY I WILL HELP YOU, SURELY I WILL UPHOLD YOU WITH MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND.” ISAIAH 41:10

Our Lord in heaven explains himself very well. He is our God. Because of that we are not to become anxious about anything. He says he will give us strength and help us in any and every situation. We must, however, remember to take our issues, our concerns, our problems and struggles to him in prayer. I know that I have learned over time, that taking my concerns to the Lord does not have to be a lengthy ordeal. I can stop what I might be doing, and address him quickly in a conversation. The Lord wants us to have him first and foremost in front of all our problems. It isn’t that he doesn’t want us to share our struggles with others, or go to them for advise. He just wants to be first. PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

” LET US DRAW NEAR WITH A SINCERE HEART IN FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH, HAVING OUR HEARTS SPRINKLED CLEAN FROM AN EVIL CONSCIENCE AND OUR BODIES WASHED WITH PURE WATER.” HE. 10:22

“LET US HOLD FAST THE CONFESSION OF OUR HOPE WITHOUT WAVERING, FOR HE WHO PROMISED IS FAITHFUL” HE. 10:23

Faith does not come easy. As humans we need to see the proof before we will believe. Faith works in the opposite fashion. We have all been given the same measure of faith but we must each develop and expand our own faith in order to become closer to God. In Hebrews 10:23 we see that our God in heaven is faithful. We cannot walk in complete faith until we begin walking in his faith. We must begin to have faith in his promises and remember that he is true to his word. As we begin to make this walk, God will begin to work in our lives to the extent of providing opportunties for us to grow in him. We must not waver in our faith but instead keep our focus on God and what he offers. He is faithful and we must become faithful. Working on strengthening our faith walk is a never ending process. We must confess our faith and walk closer to our God in heaven. PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

” I HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST; AND IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME; AND THE LIFE WHICH I NOW LIVE IN THE FLESH I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR ME.” GALATIANS 2:20

Our God is not some character made up for a fairy tale. Our God in heaven is alive and well. How do we know that? Well, he has given us prophecy throughout hundreds and thousands of years that has been miraculously fulfilled. He has given us his Word that has been transcribed throughout the ages, by many different spirit filled people, both from the old and new testament. The bible tells us that God’s word is living and active. And, most of all, he has given us his Son, Jesus Christ, who came to this earth and died a grueling death on the cross, for our sins, our salvations and our healings. God has sent his precious Holy Spirit to live within us and give us guidance on how to live our lives. God is the definition of Love. He is love. God asks each and everyone of us to build up our most holy faith and trust him in all situations. Hebrews 11:6 says, ” AND WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM, FOR HE WHO COMES TO GOD MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS AND THAT HE IS A REWARDER OF THOSE WHO SEEK HIM.” Our God is not a fairy tale. He is our Father in heaven who loves us very much. We need to love him unconditionally just as he loves us. We need to believe and trust in him. He has given each of us a free will. He will not push himself on us. We can either choose the world and it’s ways or the Lord in heaven who loves us without wavering. Believe that you receive because God is your source. PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

” THEREFORE, PREPARE YOUR MINDS FOR ACTION, KEEP SOBER IN SPIRIT, FIX YOUR HOPE COMPLETELY ON THE GRACE TO BE BROUGHT TO YOU AT THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.” 1 PETER 1:13

” AS OBEDIENT CHILDREN, DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THE FORMER LUSTS WHICH WERE YOURS IN YOUR IGNORANCE, BUT BE HOLY YOURSELVES ALSO IN ALL YOUR BEHAVIOR; BECAUSE IT IS WRITTEN , ‘YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY’.” 1 PETER 1:14-16

Actions are the result of thoughts within us. If we give way to the lust of the flesh, or other evil thoughts, we are giving the devil opportunity to enter our lives with corruption and evil desires. He will use our weaknesses against us and provide us opportunites to take action upon those thoughts. Our Lord God addresses this situation by telling us to prepare our minds for action. We are to fix our hopes and thoughts upon things of God. We should continue to surround ourselves with the things of our Lord as often as we can. If we continue to read God’s word and pray to him we can continue to build our faith. We are told that we are to be obedient and not return to our ways as they were before our salvation. Through our salvation we have been transformed into a new creature. If we stay close to the Lord we will desire more of him and we will begin to change our thought processes and our actions will reflect upon our Lord God. It is important that we work hard at this. The devil and his demons are working hard to make sure we stay separated from the Lord. However, if we praise our Lord and stay in conversation with him daily we will want to be like him and strive for that result. PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

” THEREFORE AS YOU HAVE RECEIVED CHRIST JESUS THE LORD, SO WALK IN HIM, HAVING BEEN FIRMLY ROOTED AND NOW BEING BUILT UP IN HIM AND ESTABLISHED IN YOUR FAITH, JUST AS YOU WERE INSTRUCTED, AND OVERFLOWING WITH GRATITUDE. COL. 2:6-7

” SEE TO IT THAT NO ONE TAKES YOU CAPTIVE THROUGH PHILOSOPHY AND EMPTY DECEPTION, ACCORDING TO THE TRADITION OF MEN, ACCORDING TO THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD, RATHER THAN ACCORDING TO CHRIST.” COL. 2:8

Have you ever heard the phrase, ” you are what you eat?” This little saying is so true when living in this world. Let’s consider the information of the world and the information from God. There are two standards here, one from the world and it’s ways and another from our Lord and his way of living life. Our actions and our thoughts are going to reflect the standard that we surround ourselves with the most. If we go to church on Sunday and spend the rest of the week in the world what standard do you suppose we will reflect? It is so important that we build our faith to a point where we are living our christian life daily. This is a very confusing world, one where the devil is pushing his standards forward more often and with more pressure. It is very easy to be deceived. Without God’s roadmap (his word) it is easy to become entangled in the ideas and the thoughts of our surroundings which will eventually lead to actions of the worldly ways. Our God is very clear in Colossians that we need to be deeply rooted in his word. We need to be built up in him and established in our faith. As we all examine our thoughts, actions and words, where do we stand? Are going along with the crowd or are we established in the word of God, trusting him and following the Holy Spirit in our way of life? We should be filling ourselves with the fruit of God’s word and not filling ourselves with the ways of the world. PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

“ARE THEY NOT ALL MINISTERING SPIRITS, SENT OUT TO RENDER SERVICE FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE WHO WILL INHERIT SALVATION?” HEBREWS 1:14

“BLESS THE LORD, YOU HIS ANGELS, MIGHTY IN STRENGTH, WHO PERFORM HIS WORD.” PSALM 103:20

“FOR HE WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE CONCERNING YOU. TO GUARD YOU IN ALL YOUR WAYS.” PSALM 91:11

“THE ANGEL OF THE LORD ENCAMPS AROUND THOSE WHO FEAR HIM, AND RESCUES THEM.” PSALM 34:7

Just who are angels? In the Greek, angel means “a messenger, envoy, or one who is sent by God.” We may not readily see the things they are doing, but the Lord has given his angels the job of ministering to each of us. We may never know when an angel has helped us in gaining success or has rescued us from turmoil or guided us to safety. However, we can be confident that they have done so as vessels of God’s perfect provision for us. The angels of God are not the cute, harmless little cherubs pictured in todays world. We can rest assured that they are messengers from God with enormous power, sent to do God’s will. Because our God is a merciful God he has sent them to help us survive and live within this world. PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

” REJOICE ALWAYS; PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.” 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-17

What does Paul mean when he says to pray without ceasing? Are we to walk around all day long with our hands in the air praying to God? Are we to shut ourselves up in our prayer closet and only come out to eat? Of course this is not what is meant. Paul taught that we should live our lives in a constant attitude of intercession, even when going about our daily routines. We should and we can maintain a natural , ongoing conversation with God. This allows God to be involved in our whole life. I often wondered, as a new born Christian, whether I should pray for the small things in my life like, finding my keys when they were lost, finding my missplaced eyeglasses, or telling him how much I love my life and those he has surrounded me with. The answer is a definite YES! Our Lord God listens to our each and every prayer. He is concerned about our lives, and he invites us to talk with him about anything that troubles us, anything that confuses us, or frightens us. We should go to him with conversation in prayer and praise. It is through these small conversations that we begin to learn that God is a merciful and gracious God and that he loves us because we are his children. If we believe he answers our small concerns and needs then it is much easier to believe for the big things.

Only through prayer and a consistant relationship with him can we become aware of his limitless recources. John 14:14 says, ” if you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” He doesn’t say come to me only when you have a BIG problem. He says come to me and ask me anything in my name. Many times we limit our prayer time to just the big things. To be able to really know and understand our Lord we must stay close to him. He is not only our Lord and Savior but he is also our best friend. PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

“DO NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD.” EPH. 4:30

Just how do we grieve the Holy Spirit? When we know the difference between what to do and what not to do, and we choose what we shouldn’t do we are grieving the Holy Spirit. Telling lies, stealing, not forgiving one another are all giving opportunity to the devil. Any ungodly behavior that we knowingly do breaks the heart of our God. The Holy Spirit becomes grieved because when we do these things we are tarnishing God’s good name. He is also grieved because he desires to reward us for our obedience. The Holy Spirit knows that sin damages our relationship with God. Sin saddles us with unnecessary burdens that our God never intended for us.

What do we do to keep from grieving the Spirit of God? We can do the following:

Choose to keep his commandments and lead a disciplined life;

Depend upon the Spirit for guidence;

When we do sin, go directly to God and confess our sin and repent of it, changing our behavior to conform to God’s word.

As we ask the Holy Spirit for his guidance each day we continue to build our faith and confidence and gain assurance in a successful Christian walk with the Lord. Stay close to God with prayer, praise and the reading of his word. PRAISE THE LORD!

” FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND ACTIVE AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD, AND PIERCING AS FAR AS THE DIVISION OF SOUL AND SPIRIT, OF BOTH JOINTS AND MARROW, AND ABLE TO JUDGE THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTIONS OF THE HEART.” HEBREWS 4: 12

“AND THERE IS NO CREATURE HIDDEN FROM HIS SIGHT, BUT ALL THINGS ARE OPEN AND LAID BARE TO THE EYES OF HIM WITH WHOM WE HAVE TO DO.” HEBREWS 4:13

“THEREFORE, SINCE WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST WHO HAS PASSED THROUGH THE HEAVENS, JESUS THE SON OF GOD, LET US HOLD FAST TO OUR CONFESSION.” HEBREWS 4: 14

We should lives our lives today and everyday with the Lord in complete control. We should live in the Spirit (faith based life) rather than the natural (what we can see world). We should not think as the world does but we should believe, in and with faith, that our God’s promises are true, honorable, just, and that he is faithful in keeping them. Hebrews 4:12 is very clear in telling us that the Word of God is living and active. We, however, must allow him to live in our lives and be willing to allow him to do his work in our lives. It is very easy to say, “yes, I will do this”, but it is a whole other matter when selling out to him and totally depending on Him. It is a matter of continuosly building our faith to allow him to control our lives. We must surrender to his every command for our lives. But, we must first listen very carefully to what he is telling us. PRAISE THE LORD!

” EVERYTHING HE DOES IS WONDERFUL. HE EVEN MAKES THE DEAF TO HEAR AND GIVES SPEECH TO THOSE WHO CANNOT SPEAK.” MARK 7:37

Miracles are all around us. Our God’s loving touch can been seen in our lives everyday. Lord God we thank you for:

The breath you give us each day;

For keeping us safe in a world of confusion and terror;

For the colorful displays presented to us through the blue sky and wonderful flowers;

For the wonderful people you have surrounded us with;

For our guardian angel who has been assigned us;

For the comfort of your mighty word;

For your healing power;

For your listening ear;

For your patience in our lives;

For allowing us to be a witness on your behalf;

For your Holy Spirit;

For mighty strength in times of trouble; and

For loving us so much that you sent your one and only son to die for each of us.

We can go on and on and on with praises and thanks to our Lord, and we should. He deserves all of the praise we can give him. He is glorius, merciful, patient, loving, joyous and fair. PRAISE THE LORD and THANK YOU LORD!

” SO DON’T WORRY ABOUT THESE THINGS, SAYING, ‘WHAT WILL WE EAT’? ‘WHAT WILL WE DRINK’? ‘WHAT WILL WE WEAR’? THESE THINGS DOMINATE THE THOUGHTS OF UNBELIEVERS, BUT YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER ALREADY KNOWS ALL YOUR NEEDS. SEEK THE KINGDOM OF GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE, AND LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED.” MATTHEW 6: 31-33

” SO DON’T WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW , FOR TOMORROW WILL BRING ITS OWN WORRIES. TODAY’S TROUBLE IS ENOUGH FOR TODAY.” MATTHEW 6: 34

It is very important that we pray to God out of faith and not out of anxiety or worry. We should be in the habit of giving any problem we confront, directly to God, believing with the faith that he will answer. When we pray out of desperation we often times are feeling sorry for ourselves and this gets us nowhere. This is exactly where the devil wants us. If we are not turning to God first, then we are not believing that God can deal with the situation. When doubt enters stare it directly in the face and profess the promises of God. Confess your authority in Christ! The devil will leave! PRAISE THE LORD!

“SO HUMBLE YOURSELVES UNDER THE MIGHTY POWER OF GOD AND AT THE RIGHT TIME, HE WILL LIFT YOU UP IN HONOR. GIVE ALL YOUR WORRIES AND CARES TO GOD FOR HE CARES ABOUT YOU.” 1 PETER 5-7

As we travel through each day it seems, that in many instances, trouble, anxiety, pressures of the world, worry, doubt and fear all seem to find us. We continue to live in unparalled times. Times of confessed lying, cheating, fear and terrorism. Without our God in heaven, and his heavenly army, these strange struggles seem unbearable. The devil is fighting very hard. Without the knowledge of who we are fighting and without knowing how to fight the fight it is very easy to concede and to go along with the ways of the world. We are in a spiritual battle. It is a battle of good verses evil. It is God against the devil. I think that as we read God’s word he has made it very clear that we are living in the end times and that we should take heed. It is necessary that we humble ourselves before the Lord and allow him to take the lead. Without him it is a lost battle. However, the good news is that the devil has already been defeated. Jesus defeated him when he was sent to the earth, died on the cross with the shedding of his blood and then he went to hell and now sits on the right hand of God our Father. He did all of that for each and everyone of those who have accepted him as their Lord and Savior. We should humble ourselves not only before our God in heaven but also before others, thinking of them as better than ourselves. Be humble. Don’t fear spreading the word of God and the salvation message. Time is running out. We may not know exactly when our Lord is returning but we do know he is at the door. We do know we are living in very exciting times. Take heed. PRAISE THE LORD!

” He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption, caused by human desires.” 2 Peter 1:4

Our God in heaven is such a gracious God. He has provided us with many promises concerning healings, protection, salvation and forgiveness. If you are not completely familiar with any of these promises you need to start digging into them. As we continue to face the issues of this world we can always depend upon Jesus to move forward before God and defend us, and we can depend upon the Holy Spirit to guide us in the proper direction. We must, however, be familiar with the goodness of God. We must be able to go to God in the name of Jesus and remind him of his promises. We must have the faith and belief to stand upon each and every promise. We must be able to stand up and declare his promises with the strength, belief and surety that they will be and are being fulfilled. If we allow our faith to be stolen from us and allow it to waiver, we are giving into the devil and the world. Without faith God’s promises will not be able to manifest themselves in our lives. God does not force them upon us. He has given us a free will to choose what direction we wish to go. The Lord has taken his stance. He has sacrificed his only son for you and me. He has promised to take care of us in all situations. He has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us. However, we must show him our faith and belief in his great word and the promises he has so graciously given us. We must actively profess his word, and the promises contained within his word, to the world. We can no longer set back and put our faith on hold. If we do, defeat is guaranteed in our future. With Jesus we already have the victory! As born again believers we should live and declare the life of righteousness we have been given. BELIEVE YOU RECEIVE BECAUSE GOD IS YOUR SOURCE! PRAISE THE LORD!

” OUR LIVES ARE IN HIS HANDS AND HE KEEPS OUR FEET FROM STUMBLING.” PSALM 66:9

FAITH. I talk about faith a lot because God has laid it upon my heart that faith is the center of all that he asks us to do. Without faith we cannot believe we are healed by God. Without faith we cannot believe we are protected by God. Without faith we cannot believe that Jesus died for our sins, is blessing us with salvation or has sent his Holy Spirit to live within us. Without faith we cannot believe that he is calming all of storms that surround us or that there really is a heaven or hell. I can go on and on with examples of things that we cannot do or have without faith. It is easy to believe in the things of the world, they are all around us. It is so simple to believe in the things we can see, feel and touch. It is not so simple to belirve in the things we cannot readily see, feel or touch. Our God in heaven has done a great thing for us. He has sent his son to die for our sins, our healings and our salvation. However, we must be able to do our part. We must continue to surround ourselves with the things of God, with the word of God, stay in connsistant prayer with God and continue to give him the thanks and praise that HE so richly deserves. Our faith needs to continue to grow. We need to use it and build upon it each and everyday. We are involved in daily spiritual warefare. The devil doesn’t take a vacation. He and his army of evil continue to push forward no matter how silly it may seem. We need to push back and fight the battle. We need to be strong in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Continue to build up your faith and declare the victory our God has given us. PRAISE THE LORD!

” YOU ARE ROYAL PRIESTS, A HOLY NATION, GOD’S VERY OWN POSSESSION. AS A RESULT, YOU CAN SHOW OTHERS THE GOODNESS OF GOD, FOR HE CALLED YOU OUT OF THE DARKNESS INTO HIS WONDERFUL LIGHT.” 1 PETER 2:9

As children of God we are something very special. He has charged us with being Royal Priests, a Holy Nation, God’s very own Possession. We should all take a step back and think about what that really means. We belong to the greatest kingdom ever known. We are the Kingdom of God. We are his church. We have been exposed through his shining existence. All it takes to be saved, by his grace, is to acknowledge him as your Lord and Savior and BELIEVE! We all want to go home to be with him in heaven. However, is there more while we are living and breathing this wonderful life he has given us here on earth? I believe there is much more. I believe in living the life of joy and peace through the grace he has provided for our lives. We need to work hard and be worthy of this great Kingdom we belong to. We need to forgive and forget. We need to show our grace and mercy to others just as God has and continues to show each of us. We are……. Royal Priests, a Holy Nation and God’s very own possession. We should live the goodness of God for all to see. PRAISE THE LORD!

“Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.” 1 Peter 5:9

In order to be able to stand against the devil our faith must be immovable. The devil is very cunning in the way he fights his battles. He doesn’t fight a fair fight. We must realize that the only way we can be in the fight with the evil going on in this world today is to have faith as strong as an immovable mountain. We must continue to build upon our faith. We must stay in constant communication with Jesus. We must have his word with us always. We wouldn’t purposly go out into a rain storm without an umbrella. So we shouldn’t purposly go out into the storms of each day without our Lord. Continue to build upon your faith. PRAISE THE LORD!

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

Have you ever thought about what it truly takes to trust in something or someone? In the world we live in it takes good solid evidence for trust to be built. We must see that evidence in action. Over time our trust is built up in the faith we have in the evidence we have seen.

What does it take to trust God and his word? It becomes a little harder when trusting God. Sometimes we don’t see the physical evidence up front but we are asked to read his word and trust that he will produce that evidence. This is completely different than the way of the world. God’s word tells us that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. We must continually be in God’s word learning about how he stands on the issues we confront. By staying in his word it allows us to stay surrounded with him and knowledgeable of his ways. We live in the world and are surrounded with the world’s ways, constantly being inflenced and pressured. The only way to fight that is by buildig up your faith daily and trusting that our God in heaven will never fail on his promises. PRAISE THE LORD!

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

Our God in heaven never fails us. He is true to his word and every promise he has set forth. However, we must remember that God works on his time schedule and not ours. We must never be discouraged but faithful in our faith. PRAISE THE LORD!

In order to be a believer we must have faith. As we become tested each and everyday our faith needs to continue to grow. The devil never gives up. If we are living our faith in Jesus the evil one will fight us harder and harder. The more we do the more we have to fight. Our faith needs to be strong and secure. Great buildings are not built from the top down but a solid foundation is built first and then the building begins to grow and take shape. The same thing happens in faith building. The foundation must first be secured and then we can start building our faith. Like anything else we need to begin believing for smaller things building up to things that need greater faith. The taller our faith building becomes the stronger our faith becomes. The stronger our faith in what our God does for us the more confident we become in using all the power God has given us. The devil will use doubt, worry and fear to fight the faith we have built up. We cannot allow doubt to settle in. We must surround ourselves with the Word of God and not the things of this world. We live in the world but we are spirit beings and are not of this world. We must continue in Christ each and everyday continuing to support our existing faith and continuing to build upon our solid rock, Jesus Christ. PRAISE THE LORD!

” Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will come an end.” Proverbs 22:8

The world we live in today is one of confusion, fear and a lot of anquish. As Christians we are not to live that way. We have to come to the realization that we are in a war. We have been created by our God in heaven to live in this world at this time. We have a purpose. However, we cannot fulfill that purpose or even understand that purpose until we understand what kind of war we are really involved with. To view things from the human point of view we see nothing but defeat, failure, worry, fear and doubt. We see lying, cheating and a lot of fraud that is not being recognized by the world, even though it is prevelant and in plain view. Many step back in fear and worry and live their lives in defeat. Well, God tells us that there are those who are sowing injustice and disaster. They are ruling with threats of of life and of livelihoods. They will, however, be brought to justice. How do we as Christians approach such evil? The first thing we must do is realize that we are involved in a spiritual warfare between God and the devil. This war has been going on for thousands of years but it is about to come to the end. Again, we live in a very exciting time. We are experiencing and will continue to experience things that other generations have not experienced. But, if we don’t stay in constant communication with God we will be unsuccessful in our efforts to help God’s cause. God has won this war with or without our help. The end of this world as we know it is here. The battle is coming to a close. The devil knows it. Why do you think he is working so hard? He wants to take as many of this world to hell with him as he can. We have been given our weapons of war. Now we must suit up for battle by putting on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit. We must continue to truly believe in God’s word and the message he is giving us. We must stay in his word and surround ourselves with it and not surround ourselves with the things of the world. We must continue to stay in continuous prayer. Don’t turn on the mainstream news but go to God’s word instead. He has the truth! We must continue to build upon our faith and not allow even a small crack for the devil to get in. We are in a war. We are going to win. We must not doubt. We must beilieve that we receive because is our source! Be a part of the battles and not just on lookers. PRAISE THE lORD!

“DEAR FRIENDS, I WARN YOU AS TEMPORARY RESIDENTS AND FOREIGNERS TO KEEP AWAY FROM WORLDLY DESIRES THAT WAGE WAR AGAINST YOUR VERY SOULS. BE CAREFUL TO LIVE PROPERLY AMONG YOUR UNBELIEVING NEIGHBORS.” 1 PETER 2:11-12

As we live our lives on this earth we must keep in mind that we are only temporary residents upon this earth. We must live our lives worthy of representing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are living in very troubled times, times in which our faith is being attacked and tested. We must continue to stay strong and completely plugged into Christ. We must continue to build upon our faith daily. Without strong faith in Jesus, and the spiritual things that accompany him, we will struggle mightily in our fight against the devil. However, we are already victorious in Christ. We must believe that we receive because God is our Source! PRAISE THE LORD!

” WHEREVER YOU GO AND WHATEVER YOU DO, YOU WILL BE BLESSED.” DEUTERONOMY 28:6

Our God in heaven has promised us blessings in all that we do and wherever we are. We must assure ourselves of not missing these blessings. We must not become so involved in the world around us that we do not watch for the blessings of God. We need to be in constant commnication with our Lord. If we are, then we will be in tune with his mighty promises and the blessings he provides us each and every day. We must believe that we receive from God before we can receive from God. Doubt is the one of the biggest obstacles that needs to be overcome. Do not allow doubt to rob you of God’s promises and blessings. Continue to build upon your faith and believe! Remember, God never fails on a promise! PRAISE THE LORD!