ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE!

” If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Mark 9:23

” But Jesus looked at them and said,’ With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'” Matthew 19:26

There are no misunderstandings in the above scriptures. Belief is the key to our possibilities in this life. It takes faith in Jesus and belief in what he teaches. It takes faith and belief in the promises of God. If we do as the bible instructs us to do all things are possible. There are miracles going on all around us. We don’t see them because, in many cases, our faith is not strong enough, so we are unable to believe. All things are possible with God. There is nothing he cannot do. The problems lie with you and me. We must pray for understanding, faith and wisdom. We must believe that he gives to us freely and we must accept. We must build up our faith so that we can receive the impossibilities in of this world. We must never forget that our impossibilities are God’s possibilities. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

BEING ALIVE IN JESUS LEADS US TO THE ABUNDANCE OF GOD

“ And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

Accepting Jesus is the beginning.  It is through this action that God in heaven begins to abundantly bless us in all that we do.  It is through Jesus we are introduced to God in heaven. Without knowing our Savior, God will not recognize us.  However, with Jesus, we are led to the abundances that are provided to God’s children.  Through Jesus we are presented with a new and properly documented identification card.  It is our salvation that allows us to be blessed in our lives here on this earth.  Yes, we will go through some tough times in this world, but with God by our side we are better able to overcome with the strength and understanding he so richly gives.  We must believe.  We must put our belief into action and live with the strength and understanding we are provided. Remember, being alive in Jesus leads us to the abundance of our God in heaven!  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

LIFE BEGINS WHEN BELIEF TAKES PLACE WITHIN US!

“The Kingdom of God is near! Turn from your sins and believe this Good News!”

Yes, we were all born into this world in an earthly way and we live our lives dependent upon the rules of the world. However, our journey, to our life eternal, begins when we change our worldly beliefs into our heavenly beliefs. Our life really begins when we begin to live for Jesus. It is then that our focus changes from the world to heaven itself. It is then that we change directions and move toward our Lord God in heaven. As our lives change our thoughts and ways of living change. We begin to feel different about the evil that is happening in the world and try to miss the roadblocks that are placed in our way. Jesus never swerved to miss any roadblocks. He met his differences, and those who opposed him, head on. He met them with the truth and with the strength of God in heaven. We are no different. We are to meet our challenges head on as well. We are not to let fear stand in our way of spreading the message of Jesus. We are to stand up with the faith of a warrior and defeat all things that are opposing us. Our life begins when Jesus enters it. Our life begins when we begin our journey on the path to heaven. Our life begins at accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

THE GOLDEN RULE

“Do unto others whatever you would like them to do unto you.” Matthew 7:12

The Goldon Rule is a scripture that most people of the world have heard. It is the gold standard for how we are to live our lives. If the world were to follow the Golden Rule, we would have much less evil to defend against. I don’t know too many people who want to be treated badly. Most want to have others to be considerate of their feelings and beliefs. However, this world is in spiritual warfare, evil vs good. Evil is running wild and is attacking not only believers but also the weak and vulnerable. That is why we must do our part and spread God’s word to others. We must fight with the goodness God provides to us and the strength he provides when we ask. Let us all try hard to live by the Golden Rule. The world will be a better place if we just pray, praise, read his word and meditate upon it. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

COME ALL WHO ARE WEARY!

“Come to me, all who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

The definition of the word “Weary” is feeling physically or mentally tired and exhausted, often from hard work or exertion. The are so many in the world today who try to carry all of the worries and burdens the world provides to us. It is impossible to withstand the pressure of the burdens we try to carry. We have a resource in Jesus who will exert himself to help us. He continues to work for each of us. If we just ask, he will take on our troubles, our worries and doubts and carry them for us. He will crush the bad and do away with it. He will relieve us of the pressures of life, but we must get on our knees and pray. We must lay these issues before him and allow him to keep them. We must believe with faith that he will help us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

YES, I KNOW THIS ONE!

“Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.” Matthew 10:32

Jesus has the keys to heaven. It is through him that we will be able to enter the pearly gates. The alternative is that he will deny knowing us and our journey to hell will begin. All Jesus is asking is that that we believe. He wants us to believe so thoroughly that we live our lives to show the belief that we have. This does not mean that we strut around acting as though we are better than others. However, we are to live in a way that shows our faith. We are to live peacefully and morally right. We are to live a life that provides opportunities for all of those around us to believe and receive. Believing in Christ is a way of living that shows the world our faith. It is the kind of living that will follow us into heaven itself. When we meet Jesus, face to face, we want his reaction to be, “yes I know this one.” PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

SEEKING GOD AT OUR LOWEST POINT

“But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath. Deuteronomy 4:29-31

“ ‘For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ” Jeremiah 29:11

It becomes very difficult when we pray to God every day and things just don’t seem to change. There are times in our lives that things seem to reach a point of no return. We have prayed and prayed and prayed some more, but still things never change. Our lowest points in our lives are the most fertile times to pray to God. It is at these times that we are the most vulnerable and are able to be swayed by the world around us. Every opportunity that can present itself, does present itself. Some good and some bad. You and I may be afraid or sad about our lowest and dirtiest places, but our God is not. If we seek the Lord with all of heart we will find Him. He is always there for us and will never leave us in distress. We may have to go through some things that we believe to be unfair or disappointing, but God has his reasons. It is in these times we may be disciplined for things we have done, which develops trust and better understanding. We learn how to use his word and how to act upon his promises. It is through these lowest times in our lives that we become stronger, more trusting and become a stronger testimony for our Lord. We may be in a situation where he is using us to win others. These are the times we must trust his ways, his thoughts and his actions. He sees the whole picture while we see only a small portion. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

SIN’S POWER IS BROKEN

“Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?” Romans 6:2

“Our own sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives.” Romans 6:6

When Christ was nailed to that cross all of our sins were also nailed to it. When he died, the power of sin was taken away. God has given us a huge opportunity to do away with our sinful lives and live with a new beginning. Before meeting Jesus, sin runs wild in a person’s life. It is a controlling force and one that does not let go easily. It continues to haunt, possess, stalk and lie as often as given the opportunity. Sin will also stalk us as Christians and do all that it can to bring us back underneath it’s control. The difference is that we have the power to fight the evil, as Jesus has already defeated evil and death for us. We must remember that our Lord is the ruler of our lives and not the devil. There is great power in the faith we are given, in the presence of the Holy Spirit within us, and the name of Jesus. When we are attacked as believers in Christ Jesus, we are to take a stand and face the evil of the world directly. We are not to shy away and wither as a spring flower in the summer heat. We have all of the strength we need if we just believe it, receive it and use it. Jesus is Lord and not the world. With the death and resurrection of our Lord, all sin has been defeated. There is no other truth. Our lives should reflect his characteristics, and we should be strong with the knowledge and the power we have in Jesus. There is nothing we cannot do with the presence of the Holy Spirit living in us and the ways of Jesus in our hearts. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

I BELIEVE I RECEIVE BECAUSE GOD IS MY SOURCE!

” So, get rid of all filth and evil in your lives and humbly accept the word of God has planted in your hearts, for it is the power to save your souls.”  James 1:21

“ If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.”  Romans 10: 9-10

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, he becomes our source for all things.  We concede our earthly lives and allow Jesus to take over the driver’s seat.  It is he who we allow to direct our paths.  It is he who we allow to take on our struggles and discard them through the victory by his mighty power.  It is Jesus with whom we become one.  It is Jesus who saves us, heals us and defends us.  When the Lord our God becomes our source of existence we suddenly do away with fear and doubt.  We no longer worry and become scared at things that we know our Lord has under his control.  We must always remember that we should believe to receive, Jesus is our source. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

SALVATION IS FOR EVERYONE!

“The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” Romans 10: 8

“For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe with your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. ” Romans 10: 9-10

“As the scriptures tell us, ‘Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed’ “. Romans 10:11

Salvation is for everyone. Jesus did not die for just a few but he died for all. If we go to Him, he will not reject our application for salvation. He will not only take your application, but he will accept it on the spot. If a person doesn’t make it to heaven, it all falls on that person. God has given and continues to give opportunity after opportunity for all to be saved. The only way a person gets left behind is if they deny him and go with the ways of the world. If you have not accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, I recommend that you get on your knees and begin to pray to him. Begin to confess your sins and then repent. Ask for his forgiveness and it will be granted. Reaching out to our God is not a hard thing to do. It becomes hard when we concentrate on the things around us and exclude the thoughts and desires of our Lord. It is time to stand up for Jesus. It is time to be counted for and counted on with our time of testimony. Jesus loves each of us but if we ignore him, he likewise will ignore us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

OTHERS FIRST!

Sometimes it is easy to get ourselves all wrapped up in our own activities, problems and desires.  It is easy to slowly transition into putting ourselves and our wants and needs ahead of others.  When this happens, we sometimes become blinded and think we are doing right but in reality, we are harming, not only ourselves, but also those around us.  When we begin to see others isolate us from their lives, there may be some things we need to step back and take a look at.  We need to begin to remember how Jesus was compassionate and loving to those around him.  His love for all of us was so great that he gave his life so that we could live.  He put us first and shunned his own wants and desires.  He was willing to do the will of his Father in heaven rather than call all of the angels down from heaven to save himself from the terrible death on the cross.  As we begin to pattern our lives after Jesus, we must look at how we are living in this world.  Are we living by putting the needs of others first or are we living by putting ourselves first?  As Philippians 2: 3-4 tells us: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”  Because we are born with a sinful nature this is not natural to us and not easy for us to sometimes do.  Many of us must work extra hard at putting our lives in line with what our Lord desires of us.  Read, meditate, pray, believe and be a doer of the Word.  With much practice we all can become better.  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

LIVING A LIFE IN JESUS

” Because of God’s special favor to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have – Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:10-11

Believing in Jesus involves actively living a life of faith and obedience. It is not enough just to hear about Jesus; we must also actively obey His teachings and live in accordance with them. It is important to take time each day for prayer and seeking God’s guidance in our lives. Fellowship with other believers can also strengthen our faith and provide good support. We must dive into the scriptures and understand God’s character, his plan for each of us and his teachings on how to live a fulfilling life. We should practice forgiveness and humility in our lives rather that lying and walking away from problems. We must trust in God’s promises and have unwavering faith in his provisions. It is important to put God first each day. We should always go to him the first thing in the morning to get our strength and instructions. He should always be our top priority. As we continue to grow, and learn more about the ways of our Lord, we will overflow with love and kindness that will begin to spread to others. We will be guided into the arms of our Lord God. He loves each and every one of us, but to live our lives in Him allows us to become closer to him and to become stronger, more peace loving and adaptable to His holy ways. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

FAITH IN JESUS BRINGS JOY

“Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.  We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us – they help us learn to endure.”  Romans 5: 2-3

Faith in Jesus brings us joy by providing us a purpose in life, comfort in times of need and hope in difficult situations.  Our faith brings us a deep connection to our God in heaven. It draws us closer to him in a deep spiritual sense.  It assures us of His love and helps us to accept His forgiveness in our lives.  Jesus is the author and the ending to our faith.  Our faith in Jesus helps us receive spiritual and physical healing through His Atonement. When times of trial come, faith gives us strength to press forward and face our hardships with courage.  Even when times seem uncertain, our faith in the Savior will give us peace of mind and the strength to move forward.  Our faith allows the joys around us to stand out as we gaze and wonder about their beginnings and purpose.  Faith is our safety net when we fall.  It is our faith that allows us to stay alive and to stay strong through times of sadness and sorrows.  Faith in Jesus is the beginning and the end.  There is great joy in faith in Jesus.  Let us reach out and strengthen the faith our Lord has given us.  If we don’t, it will pass us by, and we may struggle in life beyond our abilities to survive.  Jesus is our saving grace.  Reach out and take hold of the faith he offers.   PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

WHEN FAITH ARRIVES, FEAR DISAPPEARS!

” But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.”  John 20:31

” When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.”  Proverbs 10:25

” The Lord is with me, so I will have no fear.  What can mere people do to me?”  Psalm 117:6

When faith arrives on the scene fear runs away.  Faith is the direct opposite of fear.  Faith is strength on steroids.  God gave us a tool that is the most powerful thing in this world.  That gift, that tool, is the name of Jesus.  With the name of Jesus, we become unstoppable.  However, we must believe, and we must believe at all times, not when it is just a convenience.  Our Lord has given us all a measure of faith.  It is up to us to build upon our measure.  We must put our beliefs into action and actually be a doer of the word and not a hearer only.  It is understood that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.  We all know about faith.  However, how many of us have become workers in our faith.  How many have actually prayed to our God, in the name of Jesus, and came away stepping out into our faith?  Building our faith is much like building an office building.  We must begin with a solid foundation.  We must make it our priority to read and meditate on his every word.  We must study it, believe it and use it in our lives.  We must pray and pray to glorify him and continue to pray and believe.  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

FAITH IS HOPING FOR WHAT IS NOT SEEN

“What is faith?  It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen.  It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.  God gave his approval to people in days of old because of their faith.”  Hebrews 11:1

Our God in heaven is grounded in faith. Everything he expects of us demands faith. He lives in the spirit world, and we live in the natural world.  Our lives are surrounded by things we see in the natural.  We believe because we see what we touch and taste. However, when we begin to live with God in our lives, and the Spirit of God dwells with in us, then we begin our journey in the faith world.  We must begin to turn from our teachings in this world about “seeing is believing” to, “it is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.” In the faith world we must begin to trust in what the bible tells us.  As we believe we must begin to live our lives by stepping out into the unknown and acting in faith.  We must begin to take steps without seeing or feeling.  We must trust.  We must be able to fall backwards and trust God to catch us. It is by faith that we accepted Jesus into our hearts.  It is by faith that we believe the apostles and the true stories that have come down to us through the centuries.  It is by faith that we stand up before the world and declare Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  It takes faith to believe in God in the first place.  As we read Hebrews chapter 11, we see all kinds of faith steps taken by those of the past showing their trust in God.  As Christian believers it is our turn to crank up our faith and begin living it.  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

LET’S TAKE A STEP AWAY AND PRAY!

“Please, Lord, rescue me!  Come quickly, Lord, and help me.”  Psalm 40:13

” And we can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for.” 1 John 5: 14-15 

It is sometimes wise to step away from a situation and reconsider what we are doing or how we are doing it.  As a Christian it may be wise to take a step back, in any daily problem we may have, and visit with our Lord about what to do.  Our Lord is our adviser and our expert and is on call 24/7.  Too many times, we forget to go and receive professional advice from Him.  Scriptures tell us that we can be confident when we talk with Him.  We can rest assured that when we call on Him, he is going to listen.  He will take action on our behalf.  The only stipulation is that we pray in his will.  We must be praying for actions and things that are within his character.  When we do this, we will always be heard and always receive answers.   PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

HE WAS THE MAKER AND I WAS THE TAKER!

“He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.”  1 Corinthians 1:2

  I have been born twice, once by an earthly birth, born into sin and to live within this world.  The second time I was born was upon accepting Jesus as Lord.  I was reborn spiritually and became a different person.  My life changed because my thoughts and my actions suddenly became focused on Jesus and not the world.  God is the maker.  He is the creator.  He has a reason for creating everyone he creates.  There is a purpose and a road map for us all.  Not everyone will follow God’s plan.  Some will stray and go to the left and the right.  Some will never begin going down the path that God prepares because they think the world is too much fun. What we must remember is that God is the maker and we are the taker. He gives and we receive.  If he did not give, we would all be doomed by the sin of this world.  Our God offers us his promises of salvation, healing and forgiveness.  He offers help in times of trouble and a helpful thought when we are in need.  He offers us eternal life with him and a promise of everlasting peace, praise and glory to God.  He is the Maker, and we are the taker.  We must never forget! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

FROM TOUCHING HIS CLOAK TO THE GREATNESS, HE PROVIDES!

“Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, ‘If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.’ Jesus turned and saw her. ‘Take heart, daughter’, he said, ‘your faith has healed you.’ And the woman was healed at that moment.” Matthew 9:20-22

The woman with the bleeding believed, as she reached out to touch his cloak, that she would be healed. She had a measure of faith that allowed her to have the confidence to rush and touch the cloak Jesus was wearing. After the touch, she did not need to confront Jesus or hear his voice, she knew she was healed, and Jesus knew healing power had left him. She was in a desperate situation. She had been bleeding for twelve years and no doctor or anyone else was able to help her to be healed. Sometimes it takes a time of desperation to be able to gain the confidence we need to reach out and touch the cloak of Jesus. The problem the woman had was no different than our problems today. The difference is that we are not desperate enough to think we need the help of the Lord. We often have the idea that we can fix our problems or that others will have the magical answers to make us whole. However, we are led into a false sense of security and that security keeps us away from the truths of Jesus. While he was on this earth, he healed the crippled, the sick, the dying, those with leprosy and those with all kinds of other issues. He told truths and made people whole again. He still does this today. God has never changed! It doesn’t matter how large or how small the problem, our Lord is ready to help. He is waiting for us to touch his cloak and believe without doubt that we are healed. Are you ready? PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

EACH DAY IS A NEW BEGINNING

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Because of the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions do not fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

Our new beginning started when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Our Lord is all about new beginnings. He has proved it through allowing his own son, Jesus, to enter this world with his final destination to be displayed upon a cross. Because of that sacrifice you and I are able to have a new beginning every day. Each day, as we rise from our sleep, we are starting a new beginning. God is ready and waiting to bless us and be merciful to us as we begin each day. He wants us to look ahead and not back toward our mistakes in life. We are to look to the future and become involved in embracing his ways, his thoughts and his mercy. God has a purpose and a future for each of us. Each day he offers a new hope and new encouragement for our new beginning. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

JESUS, THE JUDGE OF ANGER!

“But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgement.  If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court.  And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.”  Matthew 5:22

Wow, what comments by Jesus.  He dissects anger in such a detailed and strong way. It is easy to become angry, but it is not so easy to hold back our anger.  Anger is not a characteristic that Jesus displays to us.  Instead, he shows passion, love, peace of mind and understanding.  As we try to paint our lives to reflect those same values as our Lord wants us to live, the world offers us many obstacles that stand in our way.  We may have an employee that is obstinate and tests our rage.  We may have a family member that stands for something that we don’t believe in at all.  No matter the circumstances we are to develop patience and show love for our enemies and neighbors.  Yes, that is quite difficult.  What we must remember is that we are human and not perfect.  We will get angry; we will tell someone to go somewhere that we don’t want to go, and we may even get tested to the point that we throw a punch.  What we have to remember is that our Lord is a compassionate and forgiving God.  He knows of our faults, and he is willing and ready to forgive and forget.  It is our attitude that our Lord is looking at.  It is our intent and our repentance that he is looking for.  We must live our lives, but we must live them with the Lord our God in the front of the line directing our thoughts and actions.  If we do this then our anger will subside.  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

LEARNED BEHAVIOR FROM GOD IN HEAVEN!

“Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your ways.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Learning our behavior from God is a lifelong process of growing in faith, understanding his character, and ultimately striving to reflect His attributes in our own life.  It may sound easy, but if we really want to grow in the Spirit there are commitments we must make in our lives.  We must look at our world in a completely different way than we did before we met Jesus.  After our conversion we must take steps to make ourselves representative of him.  We must read his Word and understand, that as he helps us learn about his character, he goes even farther to show us the life that pleases him.  We learn about love, holiness, justice, mercy, trust, patience, wisdom, peace of mind, and many other things that are a part of Him.  We must learn to communicate with Him through prayer.  It is important that we ask him directly for the things we need to help us be better Christians. We must remember that we always need help.  As we come to know him better, we will begin to communicate with him more often and begin to trust his promises for our lives. Faith and trust in Him are vital to living a faith-based life here on earth.  The more we read, the more we meditate and the more we pray, the more we will build our faith and trust in Him.  In a world that provides confusion and ways of living that are contrary to God’s ways, we need to learn our ways from God in heaven.  Take the time and let him bless you!  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

IF GOD WERE TO DESCRIBE YOU TO OTHERS, WHAT WOULD HE SAY?

” O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love, for all who ask for aid.”  Psalm 86:5

Just how would God describe you if he were to describe you to others?   As I set and think about that question, I cringe at the thought of all the crazy things I have done in my life.  The little white lies, the big lies, the deception in one form or another, foul language, excessive drinking and many other things.  We all have things in our closets that others know little to nothing about.  However, God knows.  He knows it all and if he didn’t love us so much, he would have a heyday in exposing each and every one of us. He is love.  He forgives and forgets, if we just ask him.  We can be so thankful that our God is a forgiving God.  Because of what he did with the surrender of his son to the world, we can celebrate that our slate becomes wiped clean, and we become completely different people.  So, how would God describe you to others? He would tell others of your love, how you forgive, how you help those in need and would go on and on about how you have been saved and are dedicating your life to spreading his word.   Our God in heaven would have no bad thing to say about you.  Why?  Because when you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior you become spiritually reborn and began to live your life in completely different ways.  You became not just a creation of God but a child of God!  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

THE HONORS WE OWE!

“For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves.  If we live, it’s to honor the Lord.   And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord.”  Romans 14:7-8

When we were born, we began our repayment plan to God.  You and I were created to glorify our Lord.  We are to praise him, honor him and glorify him.  He created us to fellowship with and to enjoy.  In the beginning the devil enticed Eve, who in turn enticed Adam to disobey God.  He tricked them to believe that God was trying to deceive them so as to withhold power and wisdom from them.  They thought that the wisdom they would receive from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, would make them equal to God.  What they didn’t realize is that God was trying to protect them and keep them in the arms of love, patience and great hope. They were created to honor and have fellowship with God and not become his adversaries.  With the sacrifice of Jesus, we are able to once again be re-created by being spiritually re-born and begin to glorify God for who he is and what he does for us.  It is our responsibility to glorify and honor our God in heaven!  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

TRANSFORMING OUR LIVES!

“But let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”  Romans 12:2

Due to the fact that we are all born into sin, it is necessary for each of us to be transformed in our lives, if we want eternal life with God.  There is no other way.  The Lord has provided us with all the tools necessary to be changed right before the eyes of the world.  He provided a final sacrifice, in the form of Jesus himself, so that as many who believe will be saved.  He has opened a window of opportunity for each of our generations to accept Jesus and live lives of love, patience, and strength.  This window is getting closer and closer to closing.  We must take this opportunity and run with it. It is wise on our part to take this chance and run as fast as we can from the evil that pursues us.  Jesus loves us or he would not have given his life for ours.  He provides this time of transformation so that we can live in eternity with our God in heaven.  Don’t let this opportunity slip by you. Reach out and take hold! Even if time looks like it is standing still, it is not.  The window of time is closing fast.  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

WE ARE MADE FOR GOD’S GLORY!

” For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory.  All glory to him forever! ” Romans 11:36

Everything that is created comes from God.  All creation is intended for the glory of God.  All creatures, all things and all human beings are created to glorify our God in heaven.  It doesn’t always happen the way God has intended.  There are those who create problems for themselves, and in turn, those same problems create chaos for those around them.  There is the evil of the world that stands in the way of glorifying our God.  The evil in the world is the opposite of where our Lord wants us to be.  The lies, the chaos, the cheating and all other evils stand directly in the way of glorifying God.  It is a direct plan by the devil to desire and to fulfill the opposite of what God’s purpose is.  You and I should take every opportunity to glorify our Lord. He has given us life, love, understanding and wisdom so that we can give him the praise he is due.  Glorify him forever!  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

USING GOD’S ERASER

“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that will please the Spirit.”  Romans 8:5

Have you taken time to analyze your thoughts?  Just what is on your mind?  We may claim to be Christians but are we supporting that statement by our thoughts and actions?  Are we saying one thing but doing something completely different?  I believe a lot of us could probably say “yes” to that question.  Many will attend church on Sunday and then never think about God, until they go to church the following week.  When we begin to follow Christ, he begins to seep into our thoughts and actions.  We begin to desire to read his Word, pray as many times as we can find time, and live our lives that show others our beliefs.  Yes, we live in a world that gives us struggles and problems. And yes, we must deal with the obstacles that show up in our way.  However, instead of grumbling about them why not give them to Jesus and let him deal with them?   I have struggled with this for many years, and I continue to fight it.  I can be the first to tell you that this is easier said than done.  However, it becomes easier each time I do it.  If we practice it in our lives, then it becomes a part of us, and we begin to allow our Lord to rule in our lives and not the world around us. Maybe it is time to erase the world’s ways and to begin to live the Lord’s ways.  The Lord’s eraser consists of his Holy Word, Prayer, and Praise.  For as long as we live upon this earth our battles never end.  But we can be successful if we just erase the ways of the world in our minds and live our lives with the Lord in full control. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

TAKE NO EXITS!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto you own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths.” Proverbs 5:5-6

As we continue our journey to heaven there are many exits along the way. It is important that we stay completely focused on Jesus as we take our walk with him. If we make any sharp turns along the way we could find ourselves lost or in some very bad situations. In these last days, the Word of God has been very clear, that even many of the elect will be tricked into following what the world will disguise as good. These ideas and thoughts are slowly introduced into our society, and they slowly become a part of our life. It is imperative that we stay in God’s Word. It is important that we know what God has in store for this world. Our focus must stay on Jesus, and the way we do that is by reading the bible, meditating upon its content, and praying. If we do these things, we will be able to know right from wrong, even if the wrong seems right. We are to trust God. We are to lean on him for our advice and our truths. In everything we do we are to do it with Him in mind. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

MONEY IS MONEY AND PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE—-RICH OR POOR, IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE!

“For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every kind of evil.” James 3:16

There have been many times that I have wondered just why there are those in the world that have all the money they need to buy whatever they want, and then there are those who have nothing.  They scrape just to find water that is safe to drink and food that is so scare that many of these people are mere skin and bones.  It just doesn’t seem right.  I have asked God on many occasions to show me why things are like this. He reminds me that the devil and his army are trying very hard to kill families and individuals.  He is the one who attempts to break up goodness with sickness and disease.  He is the one who attempts to break up families with divorce and other problems.  He also reminds me that we each have our own cross to bear.  We each have bridges to cross and mountains to climb. He reminds me that he loves both rich and poor, people that are good, and those who hate him.  He gives us all the same opportunities with his message and his promises.  He has given us all the ability to know and love Jesus. It does not matter just how much one has or doesn’t have.  What matters is that each individual born into this world has a mission.  We all have a calling.  Some of us have been called work in the deepest and darkest corners of the world while others have been placed in the middle of the richest.  Some of us have been born into well-adjusted families while others are born into families of drug abuse, alcohol use and many other abuses.  Wherever we are in life we are to live in the situations we find ourselves in. Some will make it, and some will not as we are to depend upon him to get us through the toughest of times.  We must look to him for guidance and self-esteem.  He is our father! He is Savior! He is our guide through life, no matter if we are poor, rich, healthy, with family or without family.  It is He who is our saving grace. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

BAD ATTITUDES LEAD TO BAD DECISIONS

“Then all the people began weeping aloud, and they cried all night.  Their voices rose in a great chorus of complaint against Moses and Aaron. ‘ We wish we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness’, they wailed.  ‘ Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and littles ones will be carried off as slaves! Let’s get out of here and return to Egypt!’ Then they plotted among themselves, ‘ Let’s choose a leader and go back to Egypt.’”  Numbers 14: 1-4

Being short sighted about trouble is a terrible mistake.   Troubles occur for many reasons, but we must remember; “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” Romans 8:28.   It is important that we talk to the Lord about our troubles, as he will help us to calmly see the problem with a clearer view.  He will remind us that there is a larger plan in place, and we are seeing only a very small piece of the plan playing out in our lives.  The next time you are involved in an argument, take a step away and pray.  Pray specifically for the problem at hand.  Be honest and let him know exactly how you feel.  It doesn’t matter that he already knows our feelings, he wants to hear it from us!  We should admit our faults and weaknesses and look at the problem through his eyes.  It is time to stop feeling sorry for ourselves and to stop complaining.  Instead stand up and understand that you and I have the ability, through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to do all things.  There is nothing we cannot do.  However, we must include God in our plans so that he can help us and guide us along. We must be patient and wait for his answers.  He will and does answer.  Anger and misguided words do nothing more than build and make the existing problems even larger.  We must remember the words of Isaiah 40:31, “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint.”  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!