" IGNORANCE IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ALIBI "

Good afternoon All,

I'm truly on cloud nine...translation I am Happy In The Lord. I recently took a moment to appreciate all the answers to prayer that I was aware of in my sphere of influence. I challenge you to take note of just how many prayer request are being answered. I'm aware of the Lord answering prayer within minutes and that's so cool. I sincerely enjoy hearing praise reports.

This weeks message is in regards to ignorance, so strap in and let's get started. Ignorance of the Bible is unpardonable, primarily of Pastors and other Leaders in the faith. As the body of Christ we must do our very best to know God's Word... What it says, What it means, and How it applies to daily lives. Are you spending the appropriate time daily in the Word of God? There are consequences in ignoring God's voice. After a lifetime of resisting God, you may find it impossible to turn to Him. I come in contact with those who say that " I'm just not ready yet". Don't wait until just the right time before turning to God. Do it now while you still have the chance. You know, if you continually ignore God's voice, eventually you will be unable to hear it at all.

God does not offer special protection to people who ignore Him. We must learn to rely on God's power. We must also realize the importance of obeying God from the heart, and not merely out of habit. If we want God's help when we under-take large tasks, we must make staying close to Him our top priority.

We should not try to obey God selectively, choosing the commands we will obey and those we will ignore. God's Word has authority over every aspect of our lives, not just selected portions.

Last point, always seek God's advice, my friend David and I were just talking about this subject this morning. When the Father does give His answer to our prayer request we must accept the fact that we heard from God. It does no good to seek God's advice if we ignore it when it is given. I once read that real love for God is shown not by merely asking for direction, but by following that direction once it is given.

Until Next Time...
Jim

" WHAT ARE YOU HIDING FROM ? "

Salutations To You,

I'm so very pleased that you stopped by today. In this life I find that we hide from many things. Adam and Eve attempted to conceal themselves from God. Have you ever done the same thing? You know when we stop to think about it rationally trying to hide from the All-Seeing, All Knowing God is truly hilarious when you think about it.

How many times have you ever gone through the motion of hiding your Sin/Iniquity? "O God, it is you who knows my folly, And my wrongs are not hidden from you" (PS 69:5). I can even fathom the fact that, the fear of failure causes us to hide. Frequently we hide from serious responsibilities mainly because we are afraid of what others will think, or perchance we're unsure about how we should proceed.

Jesus pronouncde me not guilty of my hidden faults. I would be willing to go on record and say that many Christians are plagued by guilt. Worrying that they may have committed a sin unknowingly, done something good with self-seeking intentions, failed to put their whole heart into a task, or neglected what they should have done. Listen, nothing can be hidden from God the Lord of All He came to earth and faced death to rescue me/Man. NO ONE IS BEYOND HIS REACH. Guilt can play an important role in bringing us to Jesus Christ and in keeping us behaving properly, but it should not cripple us or make us fearful. The Father fully and completely exonerates us - even for those sins we perpetrate unknowingly. If nothing is hidden from God then, our thoughts are an open book to Him. He knows even our motives, we have absolutely no place to hide, no way to pretend we can get away with sin. Listen readers, we don't have to impress God or even put on a false front. Please understand this when we truly follow God, He blesses our efforts.

LAST POINT: Our Father often calls us to tasks that seems too difficult, but He doesn't ask to do them alone. God offers us His resources, just as He did for many of our heroes of the faith. We should not hide behind our inadequacies. We must look beyond ourselves to the great resources available. Believe me when you're open and you totally believe God in all areas of your life, you won't have to be concerned about concealment issues. Do you attempt to keep people from seeing the real you? When you acknowledge your sins, you free yourself to receive forgiveness and a new life. NOW, WHAT ARE YOU HIDING FROM?

Until Next Time...
Jim

" DO YOU HAVE YOUR OWN AGENDA "

Good Morning,

I have a quick question for you: does this year seem to be flying by at break neck speed? Are you accomplishing all that you've set out to do this year? If not you might want to check your agenda listing? This week we are discussing Judas Iscariot and his seemingly unchangeable agenda.

It appears that Judas Iscariot truly had a program that he would carry out know matter what. I believe that Judas was not a man who flip flopped his way through life. Now there is meaning behind everyone's name. There are a small number of possibilities for the definition of this name, including "The False One," "The Slayer," or "The Dyer" (an Occupation). The most presumable meaning is "Man of Kerioth," referring to a village in Judea located 12 miles south of Hebron. The name distinguishes Judas, The Betrayer of Christ, from the other apostle named Judas "The Son of James".

Satan's part in the betrayal of Jesus does not remove any of the responsibility from Judas. Disillusioned because Jesus was talking about dying rather than setting up his kingdom, Judas may have been trying to force Jesus' hand and make Him use his power to prove that He was the Messiah. It's obvious that Judas did not understand Jesus' mission and no longer believed Jesus was God's chosen One. Whatever Judas thought, Satan assumed that Jesus' death would end His mission and foil God's plan. Like Judas, Satan did not know that Jesus' death was the most important part of God's plan all along. Judas' greedy desire for money and status could not be realized if he followed Jesus, so he betrayed Jesus in exchange for money and favor from the religious leaders.

Judas often dipped into the disciples' money bag for his own use. Now, I'm quite sure Jesus knew what Judas was doing but never did nor said anything about it. Similarly, when we choose the way of sin, God may not immediately do anything to stop us, but this does not mean He approves of our actions. What we deserve will come.

Judas had the ability like most to conceal his emotions. Judas had already determined to betray Jesus, but his hypocrisy did not prevent him from attending the Last Supper. I have to marvel as to why Judas didn't get up and leave the table when Jesus started to speak. As they were reclining at the table and eating. Jesus said, " Truly I say to you that one of you will betray me - one who is eating with me." I most likely would have froze, I mean I wouldn't have moved. Especially when he alluded that it will be the one who dips with me in the bowl. I would have attempted to time my dipping, you know, I wouldn't dip until right after Jesus. Let's be real we can't pull the wool over God's eye's. Listen if you already have an agenda don't be so rigid as to not be flexible to change.

Until Next Time...
Jim

" BE MINDFUL OF YOUR WORDS "

Good Day To You,

It's my prayer that all is well with you and yours. As I peer outside of my window I'm truly filled with the possibilities that this day may bring. Everyday is an adventure as I never know what to expect. My emails and telephone calls are always challenging, as I must always be mindful of my every word.

For those of you who have been faithful readers this weeks message may remind you of " We'll See " written June 18, 2008. Again the Lord has put on my heart the fact that many speak without considering the consequences of their words. A scripture in the Word of God comes to mind when Peter declared, " Even if allfall away, I will not (Mark 14:29)." vs. 31 But Peter insisted emphatically, " Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown(deny) you." And all the others said the same. Vs. 50 Then everyone deserted him and fled.


Now, is it just me or is it stereotyped behavior for us just to say any and everything that we think fits the situation? I find myself wondering why can't we say what we mean and keep our word. Peter and the other disciples proclaimed that they would not fall away then they all took flight, and one even ran completely out of his clothing. Peter stated emphatically that even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you... How many times have you broken your word, yes your word and I'm not just referring to saying I promise, or I give you my word? A few years back I got fed up with people >not standing behind what they say, I now say " We'll See."

Jesus came to earth to die for our sins, God was given man another chance. Yes He once destroyed the world, well all except Noah and his family. Incredibly, in all the world, only one man and his family still worshiped God. I'm very sure that Noah was mindful of every word that left his mouth. Right now, I surmise with confidence that the earth is no longer the perfect paradise that God had intended.

I venture to guess that man only cares about his wants and his needs. For this reason I'm very comfortable in saying that man can be selfish and unthinking in speech. Do you remember when Jesus was agonizing in the garden of Gethsemane? As I ponder I believe that if we were in his position that we wouldn't have kept our word. The thought of the up coming suffering, extreme pain of body and mind, we would have fled faster than the disciples. Jesus could have come down from the cross at any time, but He didn't. HE WAS MINDFUL OF HIS WORDS.

Until Next Time...
Jim

" PRACTICING SELF - CONTROL "

Greetings to you on this fine day that the Lord has made. Isn't God good as I'm sitting here peering out of my window, watching the birds while taking notice of my wife's Crape Myrtle's, and I'm appreciating life even more. I'm truly in awe of the Lord Jesus Christ everyday as I'm recognizing His goodness. I've been reading about Jesus' final days and hours in the Gospels and I'm struck by his self control.

"A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps >himself under control"... Proverbs 29:11.

Self - Control is restraint exercised over one's own impulses, emotions, or desires. Self - Control can also be said to be the mastery of your personal desires and passions. The Word of God shares with us that difficult times for those of us who are believers will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self - control, brutal, haters of God. Treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied it's power; Avoid such men as these (2 Tim 3:3). Now, I believe that this is a person who is a slave to a habit or desire. Since we pretty much communicate mainly by speech we ought to learn how an when to hold our tongues. You have not conquered self-control if you do not control what you say. I think that we all are aware that words can cut very deeply. If you want to be self- controlled, begin with your tongue. Stop and think before you react or speak.

As we obey Christ who guides us by his spirit we will develop self-control, notonly with respect to food and drink, but also with respect to our emotions.

Last quick thought, If you can control your tongue this small and yet very powerful instrument, you can control the rest of your body and your life.

Until next Time...
Jim