"DID I JUST" ?

Greetings To You All,

Isn't it just great to take a moment out of our very busy day just to relax our bodies and especially our minds. How often during your day, just before an appointment do you do a breath check and maybe check your under arms? Others fine themselves testing there state of mind, and their physical abilities often.

How many times do you find yourself saying something like Did I just: " Say That, Think That, Or even did I allow that in my presence" ?
Do you find yourselves having the desire to look back into your pre-Christian behavior?
Colleague's in the faith we are adomonished to self test. II Corinthians 13:5 " Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; exaime yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you - unless indeed you fail the test?"

I must be honest with you, as many times that I have read this chapter, these words never really caught my attention. Paul starts this chapter out speaking about unrepented sinners. We must not re-visit the old days and the old ways. We must daily look for a growing awarness of Christ's presence and power in our lives. Only then will we know if we are true Christians or merely imposters. OK my colleagues in the faith if we're not taking active steps to grow closer to God, we are drawing further away from him. Search the scriptures daily for your golden Nuggets of the day. When you stand for God, you will stand out. It may be painful, and it may not always have a happy ending. We should be prepared to say, " If he rescue's me, or if he doesn't I will serve only God". God can use you where ever you are today.

"LIVE PRAYERFULLY"

Jim

CAN WE TALK ?

Good Morning,

No message today I just felt like I needed to ask you what's on your heart, and how can I/we pray for you this week. Are you aware that Prayer changes things I mean it, prayer truly can impact your future. Prayer is very important to me as it should be to you. Don't wait until you are in a tough situation to learn about prayer. We need to implement prayer in everything that we do, how often do you indulge in prayer? We need to make daily prayer a habit, are you hearing me? Prayer needs to become as second nature to us as breathing.

Friends we need to have the kind of relationship with the Lord as we do with our confidant. We should trust God with all of our hopes and fears and just talk with Him daily. We should always be reverent while sharing our dilemma with our God. Thanks for taking the time to listen.

Have a wonderful day in the Lord and stay Prayed up.

Jim

It's more about what He did, not what He would do

As I walk around church I see a lot of people who have shirts or ties that have the cute acronym "WWJD". Essentially this means "What Would Jesus Do"? It's a question we as Christians should ask ourselves on a daily basis when we approach things and have decisions to make. The problem is that this has also turned into a marketable cliche. There are now books out on "What would Jesus Eat" to show "healthy" diets. There was a discussion I heard recently on "What type of car would Jesus drive" and of course it would have been an environmentally friendly car that got excellent gas mileage. Trying to determine the actions that Jesus would have taken and using it to make decisions is admirable, but there is a better way (in my humble opinion). Instead of trying to decide what Jesus would have done, why don't we read His Word and then mimic what He did do.

The Bible (New Testament) is full of stories of exactly how Jesus did live. There are examples of how He related to people. There are examples of when He did get angry (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; John 2:13-22) when the money changers were in the temple and overcharging for the merchandise. He had righteous anger and He overturned their tables. This was righteous anger. Anger is not wrong. Anger is not bad. It is what you do when you get angry that deems it right or wrong. We are to hate sin, so anger is not bad.

Another example we can follow of Jesus is how He had compassion. This is shown in so many forms. His healing of cripples (Mark 1:21-28; John 5:1-18; John 9:1-7; Luke 14:1-6). His feeding the 4000 (Mark 8:1-9) and 5000 (Matt 14:13-21, John 6:1-14). Are we to help others? Absolutely. Why, because it is not just what Jesus *would* do, it is exactly what Jesus did do. He went out among the people. He called the people to Him, including the children! (Matt 19:14). If Jesus could take time out of His busy schedule to go out and to evangalize simply by serving people then I think we too are called to do this (again, I'm saying to serve and minister and allow that to be the way to evangelize - I will go more into evangelizing through sharing of the gospel later).

One of the most awesome examples that is listed in the Bible is how Jesus resisted Satan. This is recorded in Matt 4. Satan takes Jesus and offers Him everything that we humans would savor: first was food which could mean our most basic needs (after Jesus had been fasting and hungry for forty days); fame and fortune (if He would bow down and worship Satan). Jesus was in a weakened state after the fast yet He was still strong enough to resist all that Satan was offering. If in His most vulnerable state Jesus still resisted the temptations put before Him then we too should be able to resist them. There should be no time in which we fall and blame it on simply being human (to err is human, right?). We should rely on the example that Jesus set for us and continue to resist the temptations and persevere.

Reading through the first 4 books of the New Testament and you will see that Jesus lived the Word and that He also preached the Word. He set the example by the life He lived. This was also true when it came to sharing the gospel. This was not something He felt that only pastors and rabbis were to do. No, He calls each and every Christian to do this. We are commanded (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8) to go into the world and to preach the "good news". Even in Matt 28:19 Jesus says to go to all nations and make disciples of them. That is to tell them about the gospel and to share the good news with them. We are all called to be evangelists. We are not to force our faith on anyone, but we are to share our faith with them. If they reject the truth then that is up to them, but we are called to share.

So I believe we are called to do much more than simply wonder what Jesus would do and try to do that. I believe we are to read His Word, see the examples He set for us, and try to mimic His very actions. This is why I like the acronym WDJD (What Did Jesus Do) over the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do).

" PSSST, COME MERE "

Have you ever heard a voice that was trying to get your attention but the individual was in their stealth mode. Have you ever seen in the movies as one is walking past an alley or an individual who makes their living by the selling of stolen goods, as you pass them you here "Pssst Come Mere". Today I wish to share my concern for the state of marriage and for coveting what is not ours.

This past week I've had and heard many thoughts on man and woman. And I ponder, did God promise man the mate of his dreams or was it a suitable helper? I started thinking about the garden, the beginning, the man: Then God said, "Let us make in our image, according to our likeness; God saw all that He made, and behold, it was very good. God was very pleased with man, but realized that man would not be happy even with everything at his finger tips. Adam being the first man and only living being on earth, the Lord God said, " It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper SUITABLE FOR HIM." (Gen. 2:18). So we know for sure that marriage is God's idea. Neither man nor woman was promised the mate of our dreams. As we adhere to the Word of God our marriages will become all that we aspire them to be. I started pondering the word "suitable" and these came to mind: Agreeable, Correct, Satisfactory, Right, Sufficient and God Appropriate. God doesn't make mistakes, so I have to wonder why I sometimes make my wife of nearly 40 years life difficult.

God illustrated for us that in marriage man and woman symbolically became one flesh. This is a ethereal union of the couple's hearts and lives. Marriage is permanent, and you must be willing to keep the commitment that makes the two of you one. From the beginning of time God has made it clear ideally, only death should dissolve marriage. Have you ever taken the time to read and understand 1 Cor. 11:9 "For indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for man's sake." God created lines of authority in order for his created world to function smoothly. Although there must be lines of authority, even in marriage, there should not be lines of superiority. If we were to take a moment and reflect on every person of authority that we have ever come in contact with, whom would you pattern your life after? God created men and women with unique and complementary characteristics. I'm put in mind of our military service all personnel are trained to do a specific task, but always come under subjection of authority. There is a line of distinction, as well as at our jobs or in every aspect of life. In marriage one sex is not better than the other. We must not let the issue of authority and submission become a wedge to destroy oneness in marriage. Instead, we should use our unique gifts to strengthen our marriages and to glorify God.

Marriage is instituted by God and has three basic aspects: (1) The man leaves his parents and, in a public act, promises himself to his wife; (2) Man and Woman are joined together by taking responsibility for each other's welfare and by loving your mate above all others; (3) The two become one flesh in the intimacy and commitment of sexual union that is reserved for marriage. Strong marriages include all three aspects. God thought of everything, so ARMOR UP protect and pray with your spouse daily. God gave marriage as a gift to Adam and Eve. They were created perfect for each other. Remember God said " I will make him a helper SUITABLE FOR HIM." So no matter what ... When you hear " Psss Come Mere" , watch out. How many times has the grass appeared greener on the other side? How many times have you had an impure thought about a neighbor or co-worker?

Friends we have to do a much better job with the responsibility that God has given us. We must focus on what we have been blessed with, it's time we read and understand verses such as 1 Peter 3:7 . Men if you truly try to understand this verse you will realize that a man who honors his wife as a member of the weaker sex will protect, respect, help and stay with her. Guys we must be sensitive to her needs, and we absolutely must relate to her with courtesy, consideration, insight and tact. At times it's a juggling act, but we must come out of ourselves.

Until next time,
Jim

" SEE SPIRITUALLY DEAD"

LAST WEEKS MESSAGE SHOWED UP... See Spiritually Dead.

Jim,