" WE ALL NEED GUIDANCE "

When we follow God's guidance, you know you are where God wants you, whether you're moving or staying in one place. You are physically somewhere right now. Instead of praying, " God, what do you want me to do next? Ask, "God, what do you want me to do while I'm right here?" Direction from God is not just for your next big move. He has a purpose in placing you where you are right now. Begin to understand God's purpose for your life by discovering what he wants you to do now! As you go about your daily task, God is working in your life in ways you may not even notice. We must not close the door on what God can do. Events do not occur by luck or coincidence. We should have faith that God is directing our lives for his purpose. Pilots put confidence in their planes. Commuters put confidence in trains, cars, or buses. Each day we must put our confidence in something or someone. If you are willing to trust a plane or car to get you to your destination, are you willing to trust God to guide you here on earth and to your eternal destination? Do you trust him more than any human being? How futile it is to trust anything or anyone more than God. Until Next Time... Jim,

" THE CHURCH "

" CHURCH: " Also called the Body Of Christ. In a more limited sense, it often refers to a Local Body, a local assembly Of Believers. Now Moses warned the people not to forget God when they entered the Promised Land and become prosperous. Prosperity, more than poverty, can dull our Spiritual Vision because it tends to make us self-sufficient and eager to acquire still more of everything except God. The same thing can happen in our church once we become successful in terms of numbers, programs, and buildings, we can easily become self-sufficient and less sensitive to our need for God. This leads us to concentrate on self-preservation rather than thankfulness and service. Not just my opinion, read or re-read the Holy Bible. The importance of regular worship is vital for us all. Now Jesus went to the synagogue "as this was his custom." Even though he was the Perfect Son Of God and his Local Synagogue undoubtedly left much to be desired, Jesus attended services every week. His example makes excuses for not attending church sound weak and self-serving. Make regular worship a part of your life. Once again Jesus is the Cornerstone of the Church, the Cornerstone unites two walls at the corner of a building and holds the building together. Without Jesus, there would be no church, because it wouldn't be able to stand. LAST POINT: Just as Peter had revealed the true identity of Christ, so Jesus revealed Peter's identity and role. Later, Peter reminds Christians that they are the church built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, with Jesus Christ as the Cornerstone. It is faith like Peter's that is the foundation of Christ's Kingdom. Until Next Time... Jim,

" OPPORTUNITIES CONTINUE TO PRESENT THEMSELVES "

Greetings this week we are looking into " Opportunities." A word of caution, not every opportunity is sent from God. We may want something so much that we assume any opportunity to obtain it is of divine origin. An opportunity to do something against God's will can never be from God because God does not tempt us. When opportunities come your way, double-check your motives. Make sure you are following God's desires, and not just your own. Opportunities may come when you least expect them. Our most important opportunities may come when we least expect them. Be ready for opportunities by getting to know more of God. Then you will be ready to call on him when opportunities come your way. The word of God emphatically tells us not to give the devil an opportunity. Paul tells us to deal with our anger immediately in a way that builds relationships rather than destroys them. If we nurse our anger, we will give Satan an opportunity to advise us. Are you angry with someone right now? What can you do to resolve your differences? Don't let the day end before you begin to work on mending your relationship. LAST POINT: Stay ready for opportunities. Now when we feel passed by, overlooked, or forgotten, we shouldn't be surprised that people are often ungrateful. In similar situations, trust God. More opportunities may be waiting. Until Next Time... Jim,

" WHEN IS ANGER APPROPRIATE? "

This week we are looking into " Anger." We should all ask ourselves this question when is Anger appropriate and when it should be restrained? Also, ask yourself these questions when you become angry: (1) Why am I angry? (2) Whose rights are being violated (mine or another's)? (3) Is the truth (a principle of God) being violated? If only your rights are at stake, it may be wiser to keep angry feelings under control. But if the truth is at stake, anger is often justified, although violence and retaliation are usually the wrong way to express it. If we are becoming more and more like God, we should be angered by sin. We should not become angry when we fail to win an argument or when we feel offended or neglected. Selfish anger never helps anybody. Anger resulting from wounded pride is not good, take Balaam and the Angel for example. The donkey saved Balaam's life but made him look foolish in the process, so Balaam lashed out at the donkey. Now, If we're transparent we sometimes strike out at blameless people who get in our way because we are embarrassed or our pride is hurt. lashing out at others can be a sign that something is wrong with us. Don't allow your own hurt pride to lead you to hurt others. It's time that we All learn to CONTROL OUR SPIRIT. Until Next Time... Jim,

" MORALS / VALUES "

It appears that some of you have not received my posting in some time. Lord Willing this will reach you in a timely manner. This week we will be looking into " Morals / Values. " What do you allow to influence your Values, your Moral Compass? Now, if you're in the furnace, it's easy to catch on fire. God warned the Israelites about their neighbors whose beliefs and actions could turn them away from him. We also live with neighbors whose values may be completely different from ours. We are called to maintain a lifestyle that shows our faith. This can be a struggle, especially if our Christian lifestyle differs from the norm. Our lives show that we put obeying God before doing what is praised and accepted by society. People tend to believe that reinforce their own selfish, personal beliefs. Today more than ever, we need to be careful about the input we allow to form our beliefs. With TV, Music, Movies, and the rest of the media often presenting sinful lifestyles and unwholesome values, we find ourselves constantly bombarded by attitudes and beliefs that are totally opposed to the Bible. Be careful about what you allow to form your opinions. The Bible is the only standard of the truth. Evaluate all other opinions in light of its teachings. Consider carefully the things that you treasure. If you value anything more than God, it becomes your golden calf and will one day drag you down. LET GO OF ANYTHING THAT INTERFERES WITH YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. Until Next Time... Jim,