" TIME "

This week we are discussing " Time " A period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues. God created the earth in an orderly fashion (He did not make plants before light), and He created men and women as unique beings capable of communication with Him. Now, take a moment, no other part of creation can claim that remarkable privilege. He created it just the way He wanted it.

OK, in saying " My times are in Your hand," all of life's circumstances are under God's control. Knowing that God loves and cares for us enables us to keep steady in our faith regardless of our circumstances. It keeps us from sinning foolishly by taking matters into our own hands and consenting to God's timetable. Did you know that God's own people were not allowed to work on the Sabbath? They were not even suppose to cook food? Why? They knew that the busy routine of daily living could distract people from worshiping Him. It is so easy to let work, family responsibilities, and recreation crowd our schedules so tightly that we don't take time to worship. Carefully guard your time with God.

We may be tempted to think we should not take time out from our " Important " work for social occasions. But maybe these social occasions are part of our mission. Bring balance to your life by bringing Jesus into times of pleasure as well as times of work. For it is time to seek the Lord. Your time may just be running out, so make sure that you turn to God to forgive your sins. We cannot see the stopwatch of God's patience, and there is no bargaining for additional time. God shows His great patience with us.

You know, I've come to the realization that God will act when He is ready. Children have difficulty grasping the concept of time. " It's not time yet " is not a reason they easily understand because they only comprehend the present. As restricted Human Beings, we can't understand God's perspective about time. We want everything now, unaware that God's timing is better. When God is ready, He will do what needs to be done, not what we would like Him to do. We may be as anxious as children, but we must not doubt the wisdom of timing. Watch and pray for God to reveal His plan. Don't take matters into your own hands.

LAST POINT: Many of us need time for an idea to marinate within us. It takes time to accept something that changes the very foundations of our lives. In taking this time we will be able to hopefully put things together for ourselves. Sharing the gospel will not always have immediate results. When you ask people to let Jesus change their lives, give them time to weigh the matter.

Until Next Time...

Jim

" QUARREL / TO HAVE IT OUT "

Good day To You,

I'm still feeling pretty good physically and I don't mind saying that I am so pleased to be getting out and about. God is so good and I feel so blessed to be the recipient of His love. Now this week we will be discussing " Quarreling " so settle in and let's get this party started.

Quarrel: To find fault (2) To dispute angrily: wrangle or to engage in blows.

How many times have you felt strongly enough about a subject to quarrel with another. PRIDE IS AN INGREDIENT IN EVERY QUARREL, so guard against pride. To say " I was wrong " or even that I need your advice " are difficult phrase to utter, because they require humility. If you find yourself constantly arguing, examine your life for pride. It stirs up conflict and divides people. Now, humility, by contrast, heals and that may be the path to travel. Be open to the advice of others, ask for help when you need it, and be willing to admit your mistakes.

Quarreling has been known to escalate into major conflicts, so be mindful. The Word of God says that quarrels and conflicts among believers are always harmful. We are told that quarrels result from evil desires battling within each of us. We want more possessions, more money, higher standards, and more recognition. When we want badly enough to fulfill these desires, we fight in order to do so. Instead of aggressively grabbing what we want, we should submit ourselves to God, ask God to help us get rid of our selfish desires, and trust Him to give us what we really need.

Ask God for the Wisdom to know when to withdraw and when to stand and fight. A person who is truly confident of his or her strength does not need to parade it. A truly brave person does not look for chances to prove it. A resourceful woman can find a way out of a fight. A man of endurance will avoid retaliating. Foolish people find it impossible to avoid strife. Please grasp hold of this, men and women of character can. What kind of a person are you?

Don't complain about the problems in your life, start to pray about them. You know some problems can be solved by careful thought or by rearranging our priorities. Some can be solved by discussion and good 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. NOW LISTEN, I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT WITH YOU.

Until Next Time...

Jim

" MUCH OBLIGED "

Top Of The Morning To You,

I sincerely want you to know that I'm obliged that you stopped by. This week we are going to be looking into the art of being thankful. So saddle up and let's hit the trail towards thankfulness.

Thank those who have helped you along the way, but remember to praise God for his care and protection. In all areas of life we should show our THANKFULNESS. THANKSGIVING should be an integral part of our praise to God. As we praise and thank God for material and spiritual blessings, we should also thank him for answered prayer. Remember when you asked God for protection, strength, comfort, patience,love, or other special needs, and he supplied them? Beware of taking God's provision and answered prayer for granted.

Four elements of true thanksgiving are found in the psalms. (1) Remembering what God has done, (2) Telling others about it, (3) Showing God's glory to others and (4) gifts of self, time, and resources. If you are thankful your life will show it. Praise and thanksgiving should be a regular part of our routine, not reserved only for celebrations. Praise God continually, and you will find that you won't take his blessings for granted.

How do we give thanks in everything? Please understand that we do not have to thank God for everything that happens to us, but in everything. Evil does not come from God, so we should not thank him for it. But when evil strikes, we can still be THANKFUL for God's presence and for the good that he will accomplish through the distress. During the Thanksgiving holiday,we focus on our blessings and express our gratitude to God for them. But thanks should be on our lips every day. We can never say thank you enough to parents, friends, leaders, and especially to God. When thanksgiving becomes an integral part of your life, you will find that your attitude toward life will change. You will become more positive, gracious, loving, and humble.

Until Next time...

Jim

" NEGLECT/OVERLOOKED "

Good Morning All,

First of all I'd like to thank you for stopping by on this day that the Lord has made. It's always great to welcome you back as well as any new reader. This weeks subject is Neglect so lets find a good seat and get comfortable.

My dictionary defines neglect in this manner: To leave undone or unattended to, omit, ignore, overlook, to slight, or forget.

Don't neglect your family for ministry, neglecting the responsibilities in your home is totally wrong. I say again don't allow your desire to do God's work cause you to neglect your family. If you do, your mission may degenerate into a quest for personal importance, and your family will suffer the consequences of your neglect. It's very sad many Christians fall into the frame of mind that I must volunteer for everything, and I must attend every meeting etc. Well maybe not so drastic as I've portrayed.

Neglecting Christ is the same as rebelling. Like a house of cards, the fool's life crumbles. Most people do not deliberately seek to build on a false or inferior foundation; instead, they just don't think about their life's purpose. Many people are headed for destruction, not out of stubbornness but out of thoughtlessness. Part of our responsibility as believers is to help others stop and think about where their lives are headed and to point out the consequences of ignoring Christ's message.

We tend to think that doing wrong is sin. We're told in the Word Of God that sin is also not doing right. ( These two kinds of sin are sometimes called sins of Commission and sins of Omission.) It is a sin to lie; it can also be a sin to know the truth and not tell it. It is a sin to speak evil of someone; it is also a sin to avoid him or her when you know he or she needs your fellowship. We should be willing to help as the Holy Spirit guides us. If God has directed you to do it You will experience a renewed and refreshed vitality to your Christian faith. So get it done, whatever, he's leading you to do. " AND DO NOT NEGLECT DOING GOOD AND SHARING, FOR WITH SUCH SACRIFICES GOD IS PLEASED" (Heb. 13:16).

It is easy to say we love God when that love doesn't cost us anything more than weekly attendance at religious services. But the real test of our love for God is how we treat the people right in front of us, our family members and fellow believers. We cannot truly love God while neglecting to love those who are created in His Image.

Final Point: The Word Of God Teaches that a person who neglects his or her family responsibilities has denied the faith. Are you doing your part to meet the needs of those included in your family circle?