" GIVING UP "

This week we will be looking into why we should not Give Up. As Christians we should never Give Up on God. If we have a promise from God then it's rock solid. God knows the best time to act. When you feel that God has forgotten you in your troubles, please remember that God has a time schedule we can't see. Giving Up is never an option when you believe in God. I'm blown away by the woman who suffered for twelve long years with bleeding (perhaps a menstrual disorder). Now, in our times of desperation, we don't have to worry about the correct way to reach out to God. Like this Woman, we can simply reach out in faith. He will respond. " Untouchables " and had not been able to lead a normal life. But Jesus changed that and restored her, Glory To God. Sometimes we are tempted to give up on people or situations that have not changed for many years. God can change what seems unchangeable, giving new purpose and hope. Another point to share about not Giving Up. In the Gospels only Luke shares the fact that Jesus' sweat resembled drops of blood. Jesus was in extreme agony, but he did not give up or give in. He went right ahead with the Mission that He was tasked with. I Thank God Daily, in fact Multiple times daily. Our tendency is to want to give up and get out when the going gets rough. To trust God in the good times is commendable, but to trust him during the difficult times test us to our limits and exercises our faith. Now, in your struggles, large or small, trust that God is in control and that he will take care of you. Until Next Time... Jim,

" MAN " Dust From The Ground

Come on in and stay awhile, with the Lords help we just might learn something new about ourselves. In what way are we made in God's Image? God obviously did not create us exactly like himself because God has no physical body. Instead, we are reflections of God's glory. Some feel that our reason, Creativity, Speech, or Self-Determination is the Image Of God. More likely, it is our entire self that reflects the Image Of God. We will never be totally like God because He is our Supreme Creator. But we do have the ability to reflect His Character in our Love, Patience, Forgiveness and Faithfulness. Knowing that we are made in God's Image and thus share many of His Characteristics provide a solid basis for self-worth. Human worth is not based on Possessions, Achievements, Physical Attractiveness, or Public Acclaim, Instead it is based on being made in God's Image. Because we bear God's image, we can feel positive about ourselves. Criticizing or downgrading ourselves is Criticizing what God has made and Abilities He has given us. Knowing that you are a person of Worth helps you Love God, know him personally, and make a Valuable Contribution to those around you. Now, " Dust From The Ground " implies that there is nothing fancy about the chemical elements making up our bodies. The body is a lifeless shell until God brings it alive with his " Breath Of Life. " When God removes His Life-Giving breath, our bodies once again return to dust. Therefore our life and worth come from God's Spirit. Many boast of their achievements and abilities as though they were the originators of their own strengths. Others feel worthless because their abilities do not stand out. In reality our worth comes not from our achievements but from the God of the universe, who choose to give us the mysterious and miraculous gift of life, as he does. Until Next Time... Jim,

" ABILITIES "

" ABILITIES " The quality of being able: Power, Skill. All of us have Special Skills. God wants to fill us with His Spirit so we will use them for His Glory. Please think about your Special Talents and Abilities and the ways you can use them for God's work in the world. A TALENT MUST BE USED OR IT WILL DIMINISH. I love the way that the Word Of God explains things, for some reason many folks are afraid to dive into the Old Testament. Moses asked people with various abilities to help with the tabernacle. Every one of God's people has been given Special Abilities. We are responsible to develop these abilities - even the ones not considered religious - and to use them for God's Glory. We can become skilled through Study, by Watching Others, and through Practice. Work on your Skills or Abilities that could help your Church or Community. Invest your Abilities Wisely: Matthew 13:12 " FOR WHOEVER HAS, TO HIM MORE SHALL BE GIVEN, AND HE WILL HAVE AN ABUNDANCE; BUT WHOEVER DOES NOT HAVE, EVEN WHAT HE HAS SHALL BE TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM." Interpretation: This means that we are responsible to use well what we have. When people reject Jesus, their hardness of heart drives away or renders useless even the little understanding they had. LAST POINT: Please forgive me for being redundant regarding our God Given Abilities. At Salvation we are given Spiritual Gift(s). At birth we are likewise given an Ability or Two. None of us receive more or less than what we can handle. Now, if we fail in our assignments, our excuse should not be that we are Overwhelmed. Sometimes failure comes from just plain laziness. Our Talents represent any kind of Resource we are given. God gives us Time, Gifts, and other resources according to our Abilities, and expects us to Invest them Wisely until he returns. Now, we are responsible to use well what the Father has given us. The issue is not how much we have, but how well we use what we have. Until Next Time... Jim,

" ACCOUNTABILITY "

This week we will be looking into " ACCOUNTABILITY. " It's important that we understand God's thoughts on it. Accountability: 1- Being Accountable; Answerable; Responsible 2- Explicable. We are accountable for many of our problems. Do you remember the account of the Angel Of The Lord who appeared to Gideon? Now, Gideon questioned God about the problems he and his nation faced and about God's apparent lack of help. OK, what he didn't acknowledge was the fact that the people had brought calamity upon themselves when they decided to disobey and neglect God. How easy it is to overlook personal accountability and blame our problems on God and others. Unfortunately this does not solve our problems. It brings us no closer to God, and it escorts us to the very edge of rebellion and backsliding. Now, when problems come, the first place to look is within. Our first action should be confession to God of sins that may have created our problems. It's vital that you are aware that we all are accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ not others. While the church must be uncompromising in its stand against activities that are expressly forbidden by Scripture (adultery, homosexuality, murder, theft), it should not create additional rules and regulations and give them equal standing with God's law. Many times Christians base their Moral Judgments on opinion, personal dislikes, or cultural bias rather than on the Word Of God. When they do this, they show that their own faith is weak - they do not think that God is powerful enough to guide his children. When we Stand Before God's Court Of Justice ( " Judgment Seat " ), We won't be worried about what our Christian Neighbor has done. 2 Corinthians 5:10 " For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the Body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." Until Next Time... Jim,

WHY I SHOULD NOT " COVET "

If we're all honest for a moment, we must confess to the fact that at some point in our lives we wanted what wasn't ours. Now, to Covet is to wish to have the possessions of others. It goes beyond simply admiring someone else's possessions or thinking, " I'd like to have one of those. " Coveting includes Envy - Resenting the fact that others have what you don't. God knows, however, that possessions never make anyone happy for long. Since only God Can Supply all our Needs, True Contentment is found only in Him. When you begin to Covet, try to determine if a more basic need is leading you to envy. For example, you may Covet someone's success, not because you want to take it away from him, but because you would like to feel as appreciated by others as he is. If this is the case, pray that God will help you deal with your resentment and meet your basic needs. The Word Of God speaks out against those who planned evil deeds at night and rose at dawn to do them. Now, a person's thoughts and plans reflect his or her character. As Paul was we should learn to be satisfied with whatever we have, as long as we can do God's work. Examine your attitudes toward wealth and comfort. Now, if you focus more on what you don't have than on what you do have, its time to reexamine your priorities and put God's work back in first place. Until Next Time... Jim,