" CONFESSION "

Good day To You, This week we will be looking into a subject that I feel is of utmost importance to you and to me. It's time to be real so that we can be free. This weeks subject is " CONFESSION. "

An act of Confession is an acknowledgement of guilt, and or a formal statement of religious belief.

At conversion all our sins are forgiven - past, present, and future. Yet even after we become Christians, we still need to confess. This kind of confession is not offered to gain God's acceptance, but to remove the barrier to fellowship that our sin has put between us and Him. It is difficult, however, for many people to admit their faults and shortcomings, even to God. It takes humility and honesty to recognize our weaknesses,and most of us would rather pretend that we are strong.

We need not fear revealing our sins to God - He knows them already. He will not push us away, no matter what we've done. Instead He will draw us to Him. Confession is supposed to free us to enjoy fellowship with Christ. It should ease our consciences and lighten our cares. But some Christians do not understand how it works. They feel so guilty that they confess the same sins over and over; then they wonder if they might have forgotten something. Other Christians believe that God forgives them when they confess, but if they died with Un-confessed sins, they would be forever lost. These Christians do not understand that God wants to forgive us. He allowed His Beloved Son to die just so he could offer us pardon.

UNDERSTAND, WHEN WE COME TO CHRIST, HE FORGIVES ALL THE SINS WE HAVE COMMITTED OR WILL EVER COMMIT.

We don't need to confess the sins of the past all over again, and we don't need to fear that God will reject us if we don't keep our slate perfectly clean. Of course we should continue to confess our sins, but because failure to do so will make us lose our salvation. Our relationship with Christ is secure. Instead, we should confess so that we can enjoy maximum fellowship and joy with Him.

True confession also involves a commitment not to continue in sin. We couldn't be genuinely confessing our sins to God if we planned to commit them again and just wanted temporary forgiveness. We should also pray for strength to defeat temptation the next time we face it.

Until Next Time...
Jim

" THE TRIALS OF JOB "

OK, here we are again our time of the week to hear what our Lord has for us. This week we will be looking into the Book of Job, this weeks message is titled " THE TRIALS OF JOB." Please put your thinking caps on and saddle up so that we can hear what JOB has for us today.

Job is portrayed as a wealthy man of upright character and one who loves God. Yet God allows Satan to destroy his flocks, his possessions, his children, and his health. Job refuses to give up on God, even though he does not understand why this is happening to him.

How many of us get disappointed in the Lord every day, when things don't go our way? We, too, must trust God when we do not understand the difficulties we face. Job acted as priest and offered sacrifices to God to ask for forgiveness for sins he and his family had committed. This demonstrated that Job did not consider himself sinless. Job did this out of conviction and love for God, not just because it was his role as Head Of The House.

Now in my opinion this man is a STRONGMAN. Do you carry out your Spiritual duties because they are expected, or spontaneously from a heart of devotion? Job showed deep concern for the Spiritual welfare of his children. Fearful that they might have sinned unknowingly, he offered sacrifices for them. As parents today we should show the same concern by praying for our children. This means " Sacrificing some time each day to ask God to forgive them, to help them grow, to protect them, and to help them please him."

Job showed the kind of Trust we are to have. When everything is stripped away, we are to recognize that God is all we ever really had. We should not demand that God explain everything. God gives us Himself, but not all the details of His plans. We must remember that this life, with all its pain, is not our final destiny. Although God is present everywhere at times He may seem far away. This may cause us to feel alone and to doubt His care for us. We should serve God for who He is, not what we feel. He is never insensitive to our suffering. Because God is sufficient, we must hold on to Him.

Until Next Time...
Jim

" NO NEED TO QUARREL "

How often do you find yourself quarreling with another? It's important for us to figure out another alternative, rather than trying to impose our will or our thoughts on another body.

 " Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, but any fool will quarrel."

Now 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. Now I believe that a man of endurance can and will avoid retaliating. Foolish people find it impossible to avoid strife. Men and Women of character can.

What kind of person are you? " I WAS WRONG " or " I NEED ADVICE " are difficult phrase to utter because they require humility. Pride is an ingredient in every quarrel. It stirs up conflict and divides people. Humility, by contrast, heals. Guard against pride. if you find yourself Constantly arguing, examine your life for pride.

Be open to the advice of others, ask for help when you need it, and be willing to admit your mistakes. Are you quarreling with someone? To " AGREE " ALLOW FOR " NO DIVISIONS, " and " BE MADE COMPLETE IN THE SAME MIND AND IN THE SAME JUDGMENT " does not require everyone to believe in exactly the same way. There is a difference between having opposing viewpoints and being divisive. A group of people will not completely agree on every issue, but they can work together harmoniously if they agree on what truly matters - Jesus Christ is Lord of all.

In your church, speak and behave in a way that reduce arguments and increase harmony. Petty differences should never divide Christians.

LAST POINT: Before complaining about our problems we should first commit them to prayer. 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.

Until Next Time...
Jim

" WHAT'S YOUR PURPOSE? "

God's Blessings,

Thanks for stopping by, as I know that there are other things that you can be doing right now. This week we are looking into knowing Our Purpose In Life.

Our "CALLING" from God, as Christians, is to become like Christ. This is a gradual, lifelong process that will be completed when we see Christ face to face. To be " Worthy " of this calling means to want to do what is right and good (as Christ would). We aren't perfect yet, but we're moving in that direction as God works in us. If it's one thing that I've learned is that if we follow God's guidance just as the Israelite's did then we will be alright. When you follow God's guidance, you know you are where God wants you, whether you're moving or staying in one place.

You are physically somewhere right now. Instead of praying, " God, what do you want me to do next? " Ask, " God, what do you want me to do while I'm right here? Direction from God is not just for your next big move. He has purpose in placing you where you are right now.

Begin to understanding God's purpose for your life by discovering what He wants you to do now! Concentrate on finding the special purpose God has for you. How we lose sight of our purpose; Now those of us who have a Personal Relationship with God, we are to worship and to obey the Lord alone.

As Christians we are to influence the world for God. Whatever God has given you to do in the Body of Christ is your means in achieving your purpose. Listen, don't become preoccupied with the things of this world and lose sight of the Lord. We exist only because God has made us, and we have special gifts only because God gave them to us. With God we are something valuable and unique; apart from God we are nothing, and if you try to live without Him, you will be abandoning the purpose for which you were made.

By Reading and heeding the Word, by studying His life on Earth through the Gospels, by being filled with His Spirit, and by doing His work in the world. In this way we will become more like Him.

Until Next Time...
Jim,