" FRUSTRATION "

OK, here we are again another week has come and gone. As always it's my honor to share with you once again, this week " Frustration " is our subject matter. Frustration: Discernment, or Dissatisfaction in, to render of no effect. Frustration comes from trying to fulfill rash vows, now let's check in with Jephthah's tragic vow. His vow brought him unspeakable grief. In the heart of emotion or personal turmoil it is easy to make foolish promises to God. These promises may sound very spiritual when we , but they may produce only guilt and frustration when we are forced to fulfill them. Making Spiritual "deals " only brings disappointment. God does not want promises for the future, but obedience for today. Frustration can lead to discouragement and fear, now these can become two of the greatest obstacles to completing God's work. Most often they can come where and when you least expect them. Discouragement eats away at our motivation and fear paralyzes us so we don't act at all. Recognize these common barriers. Remember that God's people in every age have faced problems and with God's help overcome them. By standing together with other believers, you can overcome fear and discouragement and complete God's will. When we are doing God's work, others may try to delay, confuse, or frustrate us, but we can proceed confidently. God will accomplish his purposes in our world, no matter who attempts to block them. Just as he watched over the Jewish Elders, so he watches over you. Concentrate on God's purpose and don't be side tracked by intrigues or slander. LAST POINT: The purpose of parental disciple is to help children grow, not to provoke them to anger or discouragement. I'm a grandfather and I can tell you that parenting is not easy - it takes lots of patience to raise children in a loving, Christ - honoring manner. But Frustration and Anger should not be causes for discipline. Instead, parents should act in love, treating their children as Jesus treats the people he loves. This is vital to children's development and to their understanding of what Christ is like. Until Next Time... Jim,

" PROMISES THAT YOU CAN COUNT ON "

This week I've been reminded of the Promises of God. Please do yourself a favor, take a moment to remember the Promises Of God. We should never anticipate how God is going to accomplish His Purposes. His ways are not ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). Never forget that Our Lords Word Never Changes, and Jesus Never Fails. " Because of His experiences on earth, He sympathizes with our struggles and joy " (Hebrews 4:15). My Father Said... I will cover you with the robe of Righteousness (Isaiah 6:10). If I am for you who can be against you? (Rom. 8:31); I have carved you in the palm of my hands (Isaiah 49:16); I will guide you (Isaiah 58:11); Thou you fall you shall not be utterly cast down (Psalm 37:24); I am your hope (Psalms 71:5); I will comfort you (Isaiah 61:2); Nothing can separate you from my Love (Rom.8:39); You will dwell in my house forever (Psalms 23:6); ** I will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5); I will call you by name (John 10:3); ** MY WORD IS TRUE (Psalm 119:160); I am your shield (Psalms 3:3); I am your helper (Heb.13:6); I will work all things for your good (Rom 8:28); I am Faithful (Heb 10:23); My strength is made perfect in weakness (II Cor 12:9); You are my child (John 1:12); *** I am able to do exceedingly abundantly above all you ask or think (Ephesian 3:20); My strength is made perfect in Weakness (II Cor. 12:9) The way to bring peace to a troubled heart is to focus on God's promises. Trust Him to do what He Says. " Promises That You Can Count On " is very comforting to me.

It's my prayer that you are having the best day that you can in the Lord. This week we are looking into " SELF-CONTROL. " What we say probably affects more people than any other action we take. It is not surprising, then to find that Proverbs gives special attention to words and how they are used. For common speech patterns are described in Proverbs. The first two should be copied, while the last two should be avoided. Now if you have not Mastered " SELF-CONTROL " if you do not Control what you say. Words can Cut and Destroy. In the book of James we can see that James recognized this truth when stated, " The tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things " (James 3:5). If you want to be Self-Control, begin with your tongue. Stop and Think before you React or Speak. If you can control this small but powerful member, you can Control the rest of your body. A person is a Slave to whatever Controls him or her. Many believe that freedom means doing anything we want. But no one is ever completely free in that sense. If we refuse to follow God, we will follow our own desires and become enslaved to what our bodies want. If we submit our lives to Christ, He will free us from slaves to Sin Christ frees us to serve him, a freedom that results in our ultimate good. LAST POINT: Listen the Word Of God tells us that the God who sent the Spirit, the by-products of the Spirit-Filled life are in perfect harmony with the intent of God's law. A person who exhibits the Fruit of the Spirit fulfills the law for better than a person who observes the rituals but has little love in his or her heart. Until Next Time... Jim,

" REPUTATION(S) "

Alright here we go again another week has come and gone. This week we are looking into " Reputation(s), each one of has a reputation but is it good or bad. Reputation is defined as: Having a good reputation is to be held in a place of public esteem or regard. One of our heroes of the faith is " Ruth " and her life exhibited admirable qualities: She was hard-working, loving, kind, faithful, and brave. These qualities gained for her a good reputation, but only because she displayed them consistently in all areas of her life. Wherever Ruth went or whatever she did, her character remained the same. Your reputation is formed by the people who watch you at work, in town, at home, in church. Now a good reputation comes by consistently living out the qualities you believe in - no matter what group of people or surroundings you are in. Question: How would God summarize your life up to now? Some defiantly claim that how they live is their own business. But scripture teaches that the way you live today will determine how you will be remembered by others and how you will be judged by God. What you do now does matter. It's easy to rate people on the basis on their official status and to be intimidated by powerful people. As believers we should not be intimidated by " Those who were of reputation " because all believers are equals in Christ. We should show respect to our Spiritual Leaders, but our ultimate allegiance must be to Christ. We are to serve him with our whole being. God doesn't rate us according to our status; he looks at the attitude of our hearts. LAST POINT: Reputations can be reflected by our life-style. Now if you read Titus 1:5-9 you will have an idea of what our character should be like. A person's life-style and relationships provide a window into his or her character. Until Next Time... Jim,

" THE FATHER RESPECTS ALL AGES "

Our God uses Ordinary People, no matter their age(s) when he calls. I love it that age is not a factor for our God, he can use anyone or anything. Now, I have a Prayer Partner who is not yet 20 who goes by the name of Nick. I think of him as a young Timothy and this puts me in mind of 1 Timothy 4:12 " LET NO ONE LOOK DOWN ON YOUR YOUTHFULNESS, BUT RATHER IN SPEECH, CONDUCT, LOVE,FAITH AND PURITY, SHOW YOURSELF AND EXAMPLE OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE." Young age is not a barrier to being used by God. In performing his miracles, Jesus usually preferred to work through people. Now, here he took what a young child offered and used it to accomplish one of the most spectacular miracles recorded in the gospels. Age is no barrier to Christ. Never think you are too young or old to be of service to God. " Another Example " Timothy was a young pastor. It would have been easy for older Christians to look down on him because of his youth. He had to earn the respect of his elders by setting an example in his Speech, Life, and Purity. Regardless of your age, God can use you. Whether you are young or old, don't think of your age as a handicap. Live so others can see Christ in you. Now, people often find it easy to dismiss the opinions of the elderly and avoid taking time to visit with them. But the fact that God commanded the Israelites to honor the elderly shows how seriously we should take the responsibility of respecting those older than we. Their Wisdom gained from experience can save us from many pitfalls. Old age is not a barrier to being used by God, and never forget it. " WISDOM IS WITH AGED MEN, WITH LONG LIFE IS UNDERSTANDING " (Job 12:12). " BOTH THE GREY - HAIRED AND THE AGED ARE AMONG US. " Last Point: Older people are filled with the Wisdom that comes experience. They are very capable of serving if given the chance and should be encouraged to do so. Believers are never allowed to retire from God's service. Those past retirement age should not assume that age alone disqualifies or excuses them from serving God. Until Next Time... Jim,