" TIME / TIMING "

Welcome and come on in, this week we are looking into " Time." As always it is my pleasure as well as an honor to share with you. Theories about the days of creation. " Dust from the ground " signifying that there is nothing ostentatious about the chemical elements making up our bodies. The body is a lifeless shell until God brings it alive with his " Breath Of Life." For those who don't believe in God take hold of this. When God the Father removes his life-giving breath, our bodies once again return to dust. Now, therefore our life and worth come from God's Spirit. Many exaggerate of their achievements and abilities as though they were the originator 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 as well as the miraculous gift of life. Value Life as he does. How long did it take God to create the world? I've read two very basic views about the days of creation: (1) Each day was a literal 24 - hour period. (2) each day represents an indefinite period of time (even millions of years). The Bible does not say how long these time periods were. But the real question however, is not how long God took, but how he did it. Our Father God created the earth in an orderly fashion(he did not make plant life before Light), and he created Men and Women as unique beings capable of communication with him. No other part of creation can claim that remarkable privilege. It is not important how long it took God to create the world, whether a few days or a few billion years, but that he created it just the way he wanted it. Now, your time may be running out. The Lord said " His days shall be one hundred and twenty years" means that God was allowing the people of Noah's day 120 years to change their sinful ways. God shows his great patience with us as well. He is giving us time to quit living our way and begin living his way, the way he shows in his word. While 120 years seems like a long time, eventually the time ran out and the floodwaters swept across the earth. Your time also may be running out. Turn to God to forgive your sins. You can't see the stopwatch of God's patience, and there is no bargaining for additional time. Until Next Time... Jim,

" SPIRITUAL GROWTH "

Another week has come and gone and it is my honor to share with you again. This week we are looking into Spiritual Growth. Now Spiritual Growth can happen in different ways and by certain circumstances of life. Problems are an opportunity for us to grow Spiritually whether we recognize it or not. We have to learn to trust God, He truly loves us and He's always watching over us as He's our Loving Creator / Father. Now, God tested Abraham, not to trip him up to watch him fall, but deepen his capacity to obey God and to develop his character. Just as fire refines ore to extract precious metals, God refines us through difficult circumstances. When we are tested we can complain, or we can try to see how God is stretching us to develop our character. At times, Jesus limited his public ministry in order to train his disciples in depth. Jesus knew the importance of equipping them to carry on when he returned to Heaven. It takes time to learn. Deep Spiritual Growth isn't instant, regardless of the quality of experience or teaching. Yes even the disciples needed to lay aside the work periodically in order to learn from the Master, how much more do we need to alternate working and learning. LAST POINT: Have you made Spiritual Progress lately? Recording your thoughts about God and lessons you have learned over a period of time can be a valuable aid to your Spiritual Pilgrimage. Likewise this will allow you the time to check up upon your progress and avoid repeating past mistakes. Until Next Time... Jim,

" FASTING "

Well here we are again, another week has come and gone. This week we are looking into " Fasting" and Prayerfully you will hear something that you can catch hold off. " FASTING: " Food abstinence the deliberate act of abstaining from eating (and sometimes drinking for a period of time as a sign of repentance or sorrow). Fasting, going without food in order to spend time in prayer - is noble and difficult. It gives us time to pray, teaches self-discipline, remind us that we can live with a lot less, and help us appreciate God's gifts. Jesus was not condemning fasting, but hypocrisy - fasting in order to gain public approval. Fasting was mandatory for the Jewish people once a year, on the day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:32). Now the pharisees voluntarily fasted twice a week to impress the people with " Holiness." Jesus commanded acts of self-sacrifice done quietly and sincerely. He wanted people to adopt Spiritual Discipline for the right reasons, not from a selfish desire for praise. Now, John's disciples fasted (went without food) as a sign of mourning for sin and to prepare for the Messiah's Coming. Jesus' disciples did not need to fast because he is the Messiah and was with them! Jesus did not condemn fasting - he himself fasted " AND AFTER HE FASTED FORTY NIGHTS, HE THEN BECAME HUNGRY " (Matt. 4:2). He emphasized that fasting must be done for the right reasons. Until Next Time... Jim,

" BEGINNING "

God is the Creator . This week we are looking into " BEGINNING." Now the Bible begins with the grand story of Creation. (Revelations 21:6) Then He said to me, " It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, The Beginning and the End. " Just as God finished the work of creation (Genesis 2:1-3) and Jesus finished the work of Redemption (John 19:30), so Trinity will finish the entire plan of Salvation by 'inviting the redeemed into a New Creation. God is not only the Creator of the world, but he is also its sustainer. I'm of the mind that everything is woven together, protected, and prevented from unraveling into chaos. Now, because Christ is the sustainer of all life, neither you nor me are independent from him. We are servants who must daily put our trust in him for protecting us, caring for us, and as I mentioned before sustaining us. Imagine yourself as one of the disciples. Respond to his words of love and encouragement. Now grab hold of this fact that Jesus came for us who live today as well as for those who lived 2,000 years ago. " FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE " (John 3:16). Now I've come across some people who are repulsed by the idea of Eternal Life because their lives are miserable. But Eternal Life is not an extension of a person's miserable, mortal life; Eternal Life is God's life embodied in Christ given to all Believers now as a guarantee that they will live forever. In Eternal Life there is no Death, Sickness, Enemy, Evil, or Sin. When we don't know Christ, we make choices as though his life is all we have. In reality, this life is just the introduction to eternity. Receive this new life and begin to evaluate all that happens from an eternal perspective. Until Next Time... Jim,

" THE MERCY OF GOD "

Come on in and stay awhile, this week we are looking into " Mercy." How often do we truly show compassion for another and dispense Mercy. We are told in the Word Of God " Do not judge so that you will not be judged." " For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you." OK I'm of the mind that the traits that bother us in others are often the habits we dislike in ourselves. Now Mercy in the Bible is often the kindness of God in withholding deserved judgment and extending undeserved compassion and forgiveness to man. God can do this without compromising his justice, because of the death and resurrection of Christ. Mercy is also a Christian virtue encouraged of Believers. The Father is always reaching out to us in Mercy. Countless times throughout the Bible we see God showing his Love and Patience toward Men and Women in order to save them. Although he realizes that their hearts are evil, he continues to try to reach them. I believe that we often can't understand the love that Father God has for us. When we sin or fall away from God, we surely deserve to be destroyed by his judgment. But God has Promised Never Again to destroy everything on earth until the Judgment Day when Christ Returns to Destroy Evil Forever. Now every time we have a change in seasons, we are reminded of God's Promise. Until Next Time... Jim,