" THE FLESH IS WEAK "

Good day to you, this week we are looking into " Weakness. " So strap in and please lean in to hear this weeks message. The Word Of God tells us in Psalm 82:4 " Rescue the weak and Needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked." Who is weak in faith and who is strong? We are all weak in some areas and strong in others. Our faith is strong in an area if we can survive contact with sinners without falling into their patterns. It is weak in an area if we must avoid certain activities, people, or places in order to protect our Spiritual Life. it is important to take a self-inventory in order to find out our strengths and weaknesses. Whenever in doubt, we should ask, " Can I do that without sinning? Can I influence others for good, rather than being influenced by them?" In areas of strength, we should not fear being defiled by the world; rather we should go and serve God. In areas of weakness, we need to be cautious. If we have a strong faith but shelter it, we are not doing Christs' work in the world. If we have a weak faith but expose it, we are being extremely foolish. LAST POINT: Advice to Stronger, & Weaker Believers: " STRONGER BELIEVERS." Don't be proud of maturity; don't flaunt your freedom. Act in love, so you do not cause a weaker believer to stumble. WEAKER BELIEVER: Although you may not feel the same freedom in some areas as in others, take your time, pray to God but do not force others to adhere to your stipulations. You would hinder other believers by making up rules and standards for how everyone ought to behave. Make sure your convictions are based on God's Word and are not simply an expression of your opinions. PASTORS AND LEADERS: Teach correctly from God's word, helping Christians understand what is right and wrong in God's eyes, and helping them see that they can have varied opinions on other issues and still be unified. Don't allow potential problems to get out of hand, causing splits and divisions. I'm of the mind that as believers we should keep our Spiritual Wits about us. As Christians, we should be mindful of the weak among us. Now Jesus Christ has/had compassion for all and so should we. Until Next Time... Jim,

" KEEPING OUR WORD "

Those of you who know me most likely recognize the fact that keeping my Word is very important to me. Paul once cut his hair as he vowed to do. In this one act, he solidifies to the rest of us that keeping one's Word no matter how trivial is an important thing for him and it should be for us also. He who speaks falsehoods can cause a chasm between God. We must not be cavalier about the things we say. Psalm 101:7 reads: " He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who speaks falsehood shall not maintain his position before me." How many times have you heard someone say that they will do this or that, and never give their commitment a second thought? I'm of the mind that if I say something then I must make it so. Once again a vow, a solemn promise or statement; one by which a person is bound to an act. Last Point: Now Moses reminded the people that their promises to God and others must be kept. In ancient times, people did not sign written contracts. A person's word was as binding as a signature. To make a vow even more binding, an offering was given along with it. No one was forced by law to make a vow; but once made, vows had to be fulfilled. Breaking a vow meant a Broken Trust and a Broken Relationship. Trust is still the basis of our relationships with God and others. A broken promise today is just as harmful as it was in Moses' day. Until Next Time... Jim,

" WHY LISTEN AT ALL"

Listening is vital and really important for us to stay focused and listen. No matter how right we think we are, we must always be careful to stop and listen to others. The extra time and effort can save us pain and trouble in the long run. God is waiting to hear from us, and yes he will listen to each of us. We may believe that God wants to hear only certain request from us. While it is true that we should offer Praise, Confession, and Respectful Petition, it is true also that God is willing to listen to anything we want to tell him. God will always listen to us, and he will fully understand what we say. We hear with our ears, but there is a deeper kind of listening with the mind and heart that is necessary in order to gain spiritual understanding of Jesus' words. Some people in the crowd were looking for evidence to use against Jesus; others truly wanted to learn and grow. Jesus' words were for the honest seekers. Paying careful attention is hard work. It involves focusing our minds, bodies, and senses. Listening to Christ means not merely hearing, but also obeying (see James 1:22-25). We must listen carefully and be ready to carry out his instructions. LAST POINT: When we talk too much and listen too little, we communicate to others that we think our ideas are much more important than theirs. James wisely advises us to reverse this process. Now I suggest putting a mental stopwatch on your conversations and keep track of how much you talk and how much you listen. When people talk to you, do they feel that their viewpoints and ideas have value? Until Next Time... Jim,

" PAUL & SILAS IMPRISONED

Paul and Silas were arrested because Paul got fed-up with the slave-girl having a spirit of divination (fortune-telling) this ability came from evil spirits. Now what the slave-girl said was true, although the source of her knowledge was a demon. Why did a demon denounce the truth about Paul, and why did it annoy Paul? If Paul accepted the demon's words, he would appear to be associating the gospel with demon-interdependent activities. This would damage his message about Christ. Truth and evil do not mix. Paul and Silas were stripped, beaten, and placed in stocks in the inner cell. Despite this dismal situation, they praised God, praying and singing as the other prisoners listened. No matter what our circumstances, we should praise God. Others may come to Christ because of our examples. Picture this, the stocks were made of two boards joined with iron clamps, leaving holes just big enough for the ankles. The prisoner's legs were placed across the lower board, and then the upper board was closed over them. Sometimes both wrists and ankles were placed in stocks. Paul and Silas, who had committed no crime and were peaceful men were put in stocks designed for holding the most dangerous prisoners in absolute security. The jailer drew his sword to kill himself because the jailers were responsible for their prisoners and would be held accountable for their escape. Paul and Sila's reputation in Philippi was well known. When the jailer realized his own true condition and need, he risked everything to find the answer. The Christian Good News of Salvation is simply expressed: Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved ( see Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 2:11). When we recognize Jesus as Lord and trust in him with our entire life, Salvation is assured to us. If you have never trusted in Jesus to save you, do so quickly. Your life can be filled with joy, just as the jailers was (Acts 16:34). Until next Time... Jim,