" SHOWING COMPASSION "

Welcome, this week we are looking into " Showing Compassion." The Lord's loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His Compassion's Never Fail. " God willingly responds with help when we ask. Perhaps there is some sin in your life that you thought God would not forgive. God steadfast love and mercy are greater than any sin, and he promises forgiveness. God shows personal care for the hurting. We must express genuine concern for others as we carry God's message to them. Only then will we faithfully represent our Father in Heaven. God cares for the needy, the afflicted, and the weak because they are Precious to him. If God feels so strongly about these needy ones and loves them so deeply, how can we ignore their plight? Examine what you are doing to reach out with God's Love - are you ignoring their plight or are you meeting their needs? Do you remember when Jesus forgave an adulterous woman? Now she was caught in the act of adultery. Please listen as this will be a significant statement about judging others. Because Jesus upheld the legal penalty for adultery, stoning, he could not be accused of being against the law. But but by saying only a sinless person could throw the first stone,he highlighted the importance of Compassion and forgiveness. When others are caught in sin, are quick to pass judgment? To do so is to act as though you have never sinned. It is God's role to judge, not ours. Our role is to show forgiveness and Compassion. Know that I am here for you and it would be my honor to Pray for you and those in whom you care for. Until Next Time... Jim,

" PRAY / PRAYER "

Come on in and sit a spell, today we will be looking into Prayer. Lord Willing this week we will truly get an understanding of prayer. A prayer is a petition, supplication or praise addressed to God. Probably the best known from the Bible is the Lord's prayer, i.e. the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples as an example of how they should pray. I love it that the Apostles asked Jesus how to pray. Please take note in the order of his prayer. First Jesus Praised God; then he made His requests. Praising God first puts us in the right frame of mind to tell him about our needs. Too often our prayers are more like shopping lists than conversations. Now, we cannot spend all our time on our knees, but it is possible to have a prayerful attitude at all times. This attitude is built upon acknowledging our dependence on God, realizing his presence within us, and determining to obey him fully. Then we will find it natural to pray frequent, spontaneous; short prayers. A Prayerful attitude is not a substitute for regular times of prayer but should be an out growth of those times. LAST POINT: We must learn to wait upon the Lord as Solomon did. You see many months, maybe years, had passed since Solomon's prayer of dedication. Now Several other building projects had been completed well after the Temple. Then after all this time, God told Solomon that he had heard Solomon's Prayer. How often do we look for immediate answers to our Prayers and, when nothing happens, wonder if God has heard us? GOD DOES HEAR, AND HE WILL PROVIDE FOR US. We must trust that God will answer at the proper time. Until Next Time... Jim,

" KNOWLEDGE "

Come on in, this week we will be looking into " KNOWLEDGE." Definition of Knowledge: (1) Understanding gained by actual experience (2) Range of information (3) Clear perception of truth (4) Something learned and kept in mind. Knowing what is right and condemning what is wrong does not take the place of doing what is right. Now in this age of information, knowledge is plentiful, but wisdom is scarce. Wisdom means for more than simply knowing a lot. It is a basic attitude that affects every aspect of life. The foundation is to fear the Lord - to honor and respect God, to live in awe of his power, and to obey his word. Faith in God should be the controlling principle for your understanding of the world, your attitudes, and your actions. Trust in God - he will make you truly wise. Knowledge is not Salvation. You should know the Bible, but more important, you should understand the God whom the Bible reveals and the Salvation that God offers. Acknowledge that God is all - knowing, and he will judge all sin and pride, I'm aware that this may be hard for us, but it's vital that we leave judgment up to God. Resist the temptation to take justice into your own hands. God will weigh your deeds as well as the deeds of those who have wronged you. LAST POINT: One of the most annoying types of people is a know-it-all, a person who has a dogmatic opinion about everything, is closed to anything new, resents discipline, and refuses to learn. Solomon calls this kind of person a fool. Don't be a know-it-all. Instead, be open to the advice of others, especially those who know you well and can give valuable insight and counsel. Learn how to learn from others. Remember, only god knows it all. Fools hate knowledge while wise men store up knowledge. Until Next Time... Jim,

" ARE YOU FOLLOWING HIM "

Is all right in your camp, are you ready for the return of Jesus? The end of all things is near, and I believe that we should live expectantly mainly because Jesus Christ is Coming. I get excited when I here these verses from John 10:27-29. (27) " My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; (28) and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of my hand. (29) My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. You know, I often wonder why I sin, yes I'm aware of our " ADAMIC NATURE " and I do repent when I sin. When we sin, it's like playing Russian Roulette with our life. Now, just as a shepherd protects his sheep, Jesus protects his people from eternal harm. While Believers can expect to suffer on earth, Satan cannot harm their souls or take away their eternal life with God. One might say that there are many reasons to be afraid here on earth because this is the devil's domain (1 Peter 5:8). But if you choose to follow Jesus, he will give you everlasting safety. LAST POINT: Lions attack the Sick, Young, or Straggling animals; They choose victims who are alone or just not ALERT. Peter warns us to watch out for Satan when we are suffering or being persecuted. Feeling alone, weak, helpless, and cut off from other Believers, so focused on our troubles that we forget to watch for danger, we are especially vulnerable to Satan's Attacks. During times of suffering, seek other Christians for support. Keep your eyes on Christ, and Resist the Devil. Then, says James, " He Will Flee From You " (James 4:7). Until Next Time... Jim,