" COMPLAINING / MUTTERING "

Greetings To You All,

It's me again how are you doing this fine day in the Lord? This weeks
message touches on something that we all have been caught up in from one time
or another. " COMPLAIN " (1) to express grief, pain, or discontent (2)
to make a formal accusation.

Consider this, if all that people know about the church is that it's members constantly
argue, complain, and gossip, they get a false impression of Christ and the gospel. Belief in
Christ should unite all those who trust in him. Now, if the local body (Church you attend)
is always complaining and arguing, it lacks the unifying power of Jesus Christ. Stop arguing
with other Christians or complaining about people and conditions within the church and let
the world see Christ.

Why can't we be like David and resolve to keep our tongue's from sin; he decided not to
complain to other people but take his complaints directly to God. We all have complaints
about our work, money, or situations, but complaining to others may make them think that
God cannot take care of us. It may also look as if we blame God for our troubles. Instead,
we should take our complaints directly to God. When pressure (stress) comes your way,
resist the temptation to make a quick escape. Instead, focus on God's power and wisdom
to help you deal with the cause of your stress. Some of our problems can be solved by
careful thought or by rearranging our priorities. Some can be solved by discussion and wise
counsel. But some problems can be solved only by prayer. We should make a determined effort to pray when we feel like complaining, because complaining only raises our
level of stress. " PRAYER QUIETS OUR THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS AND PREPARES US TO LISTEN ".

A negative attitude can only cause us to rebel even more and will bring about even greater trouble. Complaining brings nothing positive to a situation.
How many times have you gotten through a circumstance in your life unscathed, but you
continue to complain? Are you aware that complaining can cause the normal to deteriorate?
When we are continuously complaining we are on the path of letting go of God and making our
own way through life. After watching how God has moved in your lives are you still complaining when found in a very stressful predicament. Are you still making yourself and
others crazy with your complaining? Why is it that we don't take the time to reflect on our
last dilemma? You know what I'm referring to, the one when you made all sorts of promises
to God...Lord if you get me out of this or that, then I'll______.
After watching God's powerful hand deliver us from whatever situation we were in, why do we
complain. Listen, by focusing on God's faithfulness in the past we can face any crisis in the future with confidence rather than with fear and complaining.

Until Next Time...

Jim

" TO BE OR NOT TO BE SUPERFICIAL "

Greetings to you all, this weeks message is in reference to being superficial. Let's face it, I believe that we are at the end times and it's high time that we got serious as to where we will spend eternity. I'm also from the school of thought that none of us wants the handle superficial attached to us. Superficial implies a concern only with surface aspects; shallow is more generally derogatory in implying a lack of depth in knowledge, reasoning, emotions, or character.

Are you a superficial Christian, do you say and do things just because that's what is expected? Don't be a superficial Christian read, study and then mediate on the Word of God so that you truly have an understanding. God desires sincere thanks, trust, and praise. God can and will expose the contrast between true and false faith.

God judges people for treating Him without respect, treating God lightly has consequences. First, He speaks to the superficially religious people who bring their sacrifices but are only going through the motions. Now, is the time for you to truly examine your M.O. (mode of Operation), are you honoring God with true praise and thankfulness? Secondly, He speaks disapprovingly, to hardhearted people for their evil words and immoral lives. Those of you who are open to hear, He asks the superficially religious for genuine thanksgiving and trust, and He warns the evil people to consider their deeds, least He destroy them in His anger.

Some people carelessly recite God's word but are filled with deceit and evil. They claim his promises but refuse to obey Him. This is considered sin, and yes God will judge people for it. We too are hypocrites when we are not what we claim to be. Either we are hot or cold, we really shouldn't be sitting on the fence when it comes to the things of God. A superficial Christian is like the drinking of lukewarm water. Lukewarm makes for a distasteful, disgusting and yet a repugnant drink for most especially Americans. Listen, all I'm trying to say is that it's vital that one stands for something. There is nothing more offensive than a halfhearted, in-name-only Christian who is self-sufficient. Don't resolve to follow God in a halfway manner use what you have to live for Christ, and God will commend you.

Until next Time...

Jim

" THE DANGER OF BITTERNESS "

So how are you this fine Spring day? This weeks message is one that I admit to
experiencing a few times in my life. Being bitter and or holding a grudge is just not a healthy habit to form. Have you ever been bitter towards someone in your past, starting right now we will take heed and never more re-visit this reaction/emotion.

Bitterness against another who has committed an unjust act against you can be like a cancer lurking in your body. We have all seen an heard just how cancer growing within one can possibly destroy it's host. Don't allow a " ROOT OF BITTERNESS " to grow in you. Like a root that grows into a great tree, bitterness springs up in our hearts and over shadows even our deepest Christian Relationships. Listen, no matter what the unjust act against you may have been, please do not allow a chasm to be formed in you towards another soul. A " ROOT OF BITTERNESS " comes when we allow disappointment to grow into resentment, or when we nurse grudges over past hurts.
Bitterness brings with it jealousy, dissension, and immorality. When the Holy Spirit fills us, know for a fact that, he can heal the hurt that causes our bitterness.

Don't permit anything from keeping you from forgiving another. If you are being stubborn and you're refusing to forgive others, shame on you. If the mere mention of someone's name provokes you to anger, confess your bitterness as sin. Ignoring bitterness, hiding it from others, or making superficial changes in behavior is not enough. Like all illness, if bitterness isn't completely removed it will grow back, making matters worse.

Life can bring us some bad situations. We can feel cheated by one thing or another, but we don't have to remain bitter. Make your decisions based on what would Jesus do, always forgive someone who has hurt you. We can remove bitterness from our lives by honestly expressing our feelings to God, forgiving those who have wronged us, and of course being content with what we have.

" LET ALL BITTERNESS AND WRATH AND ANGER AND CLAMOR AND SLANDER BE PUT AWAY FROM YOU, ALONG WITH ALL MALICE."

Until Next Time...

Jim

" COMFORT "

Good Evening All,

Here in North Carolina, USA the pollen is coloring my world, yellow/green...
Seriously, this weeks topic is titled "Comfort" and most of us on the eastern seaboard are truly not in our comfort zones. Much sneezing, runny eyes and clogged up noses, etc. The pharmaceutical companies I would assume always do well and this time of the year must be an added bonus to them.

" Comfort " to give strength and hope to (2) Consolation... What or who gives you comfort, it sounds like it would be an easy thing to answer. It's comforting to know that your automobile will start when you turn the key, or the lights will come on when you flip the switch. Knowing that God keeps his promises can comfort you also. Are you thinking what I'm thinking, all one has to do is to obey God. Listen, God may be attempting to lead you to a place of greater service and usefulness for him. So keep your wits about you and be prepared. Don't allow the comfort and security of your present position make you miss God's plan for you. Don't give in to society's pressures. Don't settle for comfort without commitment. Stand up against evil by living as God would have his people live. I caution you not to live as Lot did in the bible, one of God's angels on a mission had to grab him by the hand in order to get him out of harms way.

Are you one of many who are of the mind set that believing in God protects them from trouble. When calamity comes, they question God's goodness and justice. You should not give up on God because He allows you to have bad experiences. Faith in God does not guarantee personal prosperity, and lack of faith does not guarantee troubles in this life.

God is capable of rescuing us from suffering, but He may also allowing suffering to come for reasons we cannot understand. It is Satan's strategy to get us to doubt God at exactly this moment. If we always knew why we were suffering, our faith would have no room to grow. When we do God's will, we are not guaranteed a comfortable life. But we are promised that everything, even our discomfort, has meaning in God's plan.

Ways to truly comfort another in pain:

1. Don't just talk for the sake of talking;
2. Don't sermonize by giving pat answers;
3. Don't accuse or criticize;
4. Put yourself in the other person's place; and
5. offer help and encouragement.
   

" THE BEST COMFORTERS ARE THOSE WHO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT
PERSONAL SUFFERING ".

Until next time...

Jim