" ACTIONS "

Welcome aboard, here we are once again another week has come and gone. This time we are looking into " Actions. " " Actions: " Act or Deed; The manner or method of performing, or even a legal proceeding. My parents when the time came for chastisement or reproving they would explain that our actions will always speak louder than our words. I'm reminded of an accounting in the Bible that most of us are aware of. After promising to let the Hebrew people go, Pharaoh immediately broke his promise and brought even more trouble upon the Land. His actions reveal that his repentance was not real. We do damage to ourselves and to others if we pretend to change but don't mean it. Children copy our actions; another way to put it is... what we do good or bad, our children will do in excess. Do you remember when Isaac relocated to Gerar because of famine. Now Isaac was afraid that the men in Gerar would kill him to get his beautiful wife, Rebekah. So he lied, claiming that Rebekah was his sister. Where did he learn that trick? He may have known about the actions of his Father, Abraham (see Genesis 12:10-14). Parents help shape the world's future by the way they shape their children's values. The first step toward helping children live rightly is for the parents to live rightly. Your actions are often copied by those closest to you. What kind of example are you setting for your children. It is dangerous to pretend to obey God when our hearts are far from him because God knows our true intentions. Our actions must match our words. Last Point: Ask yourself if your actions back up your words. Let's take a look at John The Baptist, he called people to more than words or ritual; he told them to change their behavior. " Bear fruit in keeping with repentance " means " that God looks beyond our words and religious activities to see if our conduct backs up what we say, and He judges our words by the actions that accompany them. Do your actions match your words? Until Next Time... Jim,

" SUFFERING "

Come on in and sit a spell, Suffering is something unfortunately we all experience at least every now and then in our lives. " Suffering " is defined in this manner:The experience of enduring pain (2) To bear loss, damage, or injury. Sometimes hardship comes as a result of obeying God. Are you following God but still Suffering - or Suffering even worse than before? If your life is miserable, don't assume you have fallen out of God's favor. You may be suffering for doing good in an evil world. Those of you who know me, always hear me talk about Job and the testing that he and his family experienced. Now Job is portrayed as a wealthy man of upright character who loves God. Yet God allows Satan to destroy his flocks, his possessions, his children, and his health. Job refuses to give up on God, even though he does not understand why this is happening to him. Just as Job you and I must trust God when we do not understand the difficulties we face. Now if you have not read the Book Of Job please do yourself a favor and discover the power of God. Those of us who have read Job are aware of the calamity and Suffering in the Book Of Job, we must remember that we live in a fallen world where good behavior is not always rewarded and bad behavior is not always punished. When we see a notorious criminal prospering or an innocent child in pain, we say, " That's Wrong. " And it is. Sin has twisted justice and made our world unpredictable and ugly. To summarize the Book Of Job shows a good man Suffering for no apparent fault of his own. Sorry to say folks, our world is like that. But Job's story does not end in despair. Through Job's life we can see that faith in God is justified even when our situations look hopeless. Faith based on rewards or prosperity is hollow. To be unshakable, faith must be built on the confidence that God's ultimate purpose will come to pass. Until Next Time... Jim,

" COMPROMISING THE WORD OF GOD CAN BECOME HABIT FORMING "

Wow another week has come and gone already, this week we are looking at Compromising and how it can become habit forming. Compromise can also begin from partnerships with unbelievers. Now when believers in leadership positions become allied with unbelievers, values can be compromised and Spiritual awareness dulled. The Bible often warns against teaming with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14) " Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? " DON'T COMPROMISE YOUR COMMITMENT TO GOD. Sometimes people urge believers to compromise and give only partial obedience to God's commands. But commitment and obedience to God cannot be negotiated. Let's be clear when it comes to obeying God, half measures just won't do. Avoid relationships that Compromise your Faith. The Bible is referring to those of us who have a Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ the Son Of God. Now Paul urges believers not to form binding relationships with nonbelievers, because this just might weaken our Commitment, Integrity, or Standards. It would be a mismatch. Alright, hold on for a moment, I can hear your thoughts. Earlier, Paul had explained that this did not mean isolating oneself from non-believers (see 1 Corinthians 5:9-10). Paul even tells Christians to stay with their non-believing spouses (1 Corinthians 7:12-13). Paul wants believers to be active in their witness for Christ to non-believers, but they should not lock themselves into personal or business relationships that could cause them to compromise the faith. Believers should do everything in their power to avoid situations that could force them to divide their loyalties. LAST POINT: Compromise can be defined as a blending of the qualities of two different things or a concession of with people principles. Cooperate as much as you can, but avoid any Alliance, Partnership, or Participation that could lead to immoral practices. Until Next Time... Jim,

" CONFUSION "

This week we are looking into " Confusion," something that we all may have experienced at sometime in our lives. " CONFUSION: " Disorder; embarrassment The " Law In The Members Of My Body " is the Sin deep within us. This is our vulnerability to sin; it refers to everything within us that is more loyal to our old way of selfish living than to God. It's high time that we recognize that Confusion is often found in sinful sexual relationships. Now this is not the first time that we touched on this the laws on morality found in Deuteronomy 22:13-30. You might want to ask yourself why did God include laws about sexual sins? Instructions about behavior would have been vital for three million people on a 40 - year camping trip. But they would be equally important when they entered the Promised Land and settled down as a Nation. Now, Paul in Colossians 3:5-8, recognizes the importance of strong rules about sex for believers because sexual sins have the power to disrupt and destroy the church. Sins involving sex are innocent dabbling in FORBIDDEN pleasures, as is so often portrayed, but powerful destroyers of relationships. They CONFUSE and tear down the climate of Respect, Trust, and Credibility so essential for solid marriages and secure children. Never forget that Satan tries to Confuse or deceive us. People don't necessarily need to be sinful to be ineffective for God; they need only be Confused about what God wants. To avoid Satan's deceit, study God's Word carefully and regularly. When you know what God says, you will not fall for Satan's lies. Until Next Time... Jim,