" LIFE "

It is my prayer that all is well in your camp. This week we are looking into " LIFE. " Now, God made both Man and Woman in his image. Neither Man nor Woman is made more in the image of God than the other. From the beginning the Bible places both Man and Woman at the pinnacle of God's creation. Neither sex is exalted, and neither is depreciated. Now man was " Dust from the ground," and this 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 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 and miraculous gift of life, as he does. There is life in the breath of God. Man was created but did not come alive until God breathed )into him the breath of life(Genesis). God's first breath made man different from all other forms of creation. Now, through the breath of Jesus, God imparted eternal, Spiritual Life. With this inbreathing came the power to do God's Will on earth. All human beings are related, going back to Adam and Eve. Mankind is a family that shares one flesh and blood. Remember this when prejudice enters your mind or hatred invades your feelings. Each person is a valuable and unique creation from God. LAST POINT: God is the source of Life. Until next Time... Jim,

" MOTIVES "

MOTIVES: SOMETHING(as a need or desire) that causes a person to act 2 : a recurrent theme in a musical composition 3 : motif 4 : moving to action 2 : of or relating to motion. Evaluate your " Motives " before criticizing others. Before criticizing someone else, we need to pause long enough to discover our own Motives. Failing to do this can bring disastrous results. Now, what is often labeled " CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM " may actually be destructive jealousy, since the easiest way to raise our own status is to bring someone else down, Are you willing to question your Motives before you offer Criticism? Does the critical finger you point need to be pointed first toward yourself? People can find an excuse for doing almost anything, but God looks behind the excuses to the Motives of the heart. We often have to make choices in areas where the right action is difficult to discern. We can help ourselves make such decisions by trying to identify our Motives first and then asking, " Would God be pleased with my real reasons for doing this? " God is not pleased when we do good deeds only to receive something in return. Selfish Motives are a barrier to prayer. Now Jesus spoke of the Nation Of Israel and the religious leaders in particular. Just cleaning up one's life without filling it with God, leaves plenty of room for satan to enter. The Book of EZRA records how the people rid themselves of idolatry, but failed to replace it with love for God and obedience to him ridding our lives of sin is the first step. We must also take the second step: filling our lives with God's Word and the Holy Spirit unfilled and complacent people are easy targets for satan. From this day forward may your Motives be sincere. Until Next Time... Jim,

" DRY BONES "

I was re-reading Ezekiel chapters 36-37 and my eyes have been opened up. Why did God want to protect his Holy Name - His Reputation - among the nations of the world? God's Children have not always proven to walk the straight and narrow. God was concerned about the Salvation not only of his people, but also of the whole world. To allow his people to remain in sin and be permanently destroyed by their enemies would lead other nations to conclude that their pagan gods were more powerful than Israel's God (Isaiah 48:11). Thus, to protect his Holy Name, God would return a remnant of his people to their land. God will not share his glory with false gods-he alone is the One True God. The people had the responsibility to represent God properly to the rest of the world. As Believers today we have that same responsibility. Now, how do you represent God to the world? No matter how impure your life is right now, God offers you a fresh start. You can have your Sins Washed Away, receive a New Heart from God, and have his Spirit within you - if you accept God's promise. Why try to patch up your old life when you can have a New One? Now I wish to look into the vision of the valley of DRY BONES. This vision illustrates the promise of Chapter 36-New Life and a nation restored, both Physically and Spiritually. The Dry Bones are a picture of the Jews in captivity - scattered dead. The two sticks (37:15-17) represent the reunion of the entire nation of Israel that had divided into northern and southern kingdoms after solomon. This vision has yet to be fulfilled. EZEKIEL FELT HE WAS SPEAKING TO THE DEAD AS HE PREACHED TO THE EXILES BECAUSE THEY RARELY responded TO HIS MESSAGE. But these Bones Responded! And just as God brought Life to the Dead Bones,He would bring life again to his Spiritually Dead People. With God NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. Do yourself a favor and read Ezekiel 37 Until Next Time... Jim,

" WEALTH / SUCCESS "

Many people think that prosperity and success come from having power, contacts, and a relentless desire to get ahead. But the strategy for gaining prosperity that God taught Joshua goes against such criteria. He said that to succeed Joshua must(1) be strong and courageous because the task ahead would not be easy, (2) Obey God's Law, and (3) Constantly read and study the book of the law - God's Word. Now to be Successful, follow God's Words to Joshua. You may not succeed by the world's standard's, but you will be a success in God's eye's - and his opinion lasts forever. It is sometimes difficult to be happy when others are doing better than we are. To compare our success with that of others is a dangerous way to judge the quality of our lives. By comparing ourselves to others, we may be giving jealousy a foothold. Now we can avoid jealousy by rejoicing in others' success (see Romans 12:15). Now when scripture says, " IN WHATEVER HE DOES,HE PROSPERS," it does not mean immunity from failure or difficulties. Nor is it a guarantee of Health, Wealth, and Happiness.What the Bible means by prosperity is this: When we apply God's Wisdom, the fruit ( results or by-products) we bear, will be good and receive God's approval. Just as a tree soaks up water and bears luscious fruit, so we also are to soak up God's Word, producing actions and attitudes that honor God. To achieve anything worthwhile, we must have God's Word in our hearts. LAST POINT: Now I believe that prosperity can be both a Blessing and a Curse. While it can be a sign of God's blessing to those who follow Him, it carries with it the potential for Moral and Spiritual Decline. Prosperous people are tempted to become self-sufficient and proud- to take God for granted. In our prosperity, we must not forget that God is the Source of our Blessings. Until Next Time... Jim,

" OVERCOMER "

This week we are looking into learning to "Overcome." An Overcomer is anyone who is victorious, a conqueror who prevails in a struggle. And Lord knows there are multiple types of struggle in this world. Now in the New Testament(NT), often refers to Believers who are steadfast in their faith, as all true Believers are (1 John 5:4) " FOR WHATEVER IS BORN OF GOD OVERCOMES THE WORLD; AND THIS IS THE VICTORY THAT HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD - OUR FAITH. " " He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My Son." (Revelation 21:7). The " Cowardly " are not those who are fainthearted in their faith or who sometimes doubt or question, but those who turn back following God. They are not brave enough to stand up for Christ; they are not humble enough to accept his authority over their lives. They are put in the same list as the Unbelieving, the Vile, the Murderers, the Liars, the Idolaters, the Sexually Immoral, and those practicing Magic Arts. People who Overcome endure " To The End " (Mark 13:13). They will receive the blessings that God promised: (1) eating from the Tree Of Life (2:7), (2) escaping from the Lake Of Fire (the " Second Dead," 2:11), (3) receiving a Special Name (2:17), (4) having authority over the nations (2:26), (5) being included in the Book Of Life (3:5), (6) being a pillar in God's Spiritual Temple (3:12), and (7) sitting with Christ on his Throne (3:21). Those who can endure the testing of evil and remain faithful will be rewarded by God. Until Next Time... Jim,