"GIVING THANKS"

Oh happy days, I'm grateful that my Lord and Savior has allowed me to rise to see another day. To work for him another day as it's harvest time and I believe it's time for us to put our best foot forward.

Whens the last time that you were involved in a selfish act, when did you do something for someone other than your family or yourself ? Friends all we have to do is ask the Father for our marching orders, He will point to the person, family or even Non-Profit Organization for you to bless.

How often do you forget to give thanks?
Praise and thanksgiving should be a regular part of our customary behavior, and not just reserved for Thanksgiving day. Giving thanks should be heartfelt and well thought out. Most of us just say words as we believe that it is appropriate in any given situation. If we continuously praise God I believe that we won't take his blessings for granted.

There are four elements related to giving thanks: (1) by remembering what God has done, (2) telling others about it, (3) showing God's glory to others, and (4) offering gifts of self, time, and resources. By allowing God to rule our lives, others will see our thankfulness.

Have a great day in the Lord, and "Happy Thanksgiving"
Until next time.

Jim

" PATIENTLY WAITING ON GOD "

Good Morning to you all, it's a might chilly here in North Carolina. My wife just informed me of two facts, the present temperature is 27' and our youngest grandson who just turned seven months on the 14Th has two teeth already. The Autumn and the Spring are my two most favorite seasons. They represent life and death, and with our patience brings grass and flowers then towards the end of the year we get beautiful foliage, then barren branches.

You know, now days we want everything right now, and from my personal observation things get old fast. What happens at Christmas time the toy/gift that your child just had to have, becomes old and unwanted as soon as the excitement wares off. When we walk and talk with the Lord, We become acutely aware of his love for us. I've had to learn that doing God's Will sometimes means waiting patiently. In life we occasionally run into a bend in the road in which we must wait on the Lord. Most of you are praying with me for a new laptop and I'm very grateful for your prayers. While we wait, we can love God, serve others, and most importantly tell others about him.
Waiting for God to help us is not easy, but when we do we just might find that we benefit. In Psalm 40 David received four benefits while waiting: God (1) elevated him out of his despair, (2) set his feet on a rock, (3) made his footsteps firm, (4) put a new song of praise in his mouth.

I'm at a point in my life and maybe you are also starting to realize that often blessings cannot be received unless we go through the trial of waiting. When we take our mind off of ourselves we can be used by the Lord in his way. Waiting for God is not easy. Often it seems that he isn't answering our prayers or doesn't understand the urgency of our situation. This kind of thinking implies that God is not in control or is not fair. But God is truly worth waiting for. Lamentations 3:24-26 calls us to hope in and wait for the Lord because often God uses waiting to refresh, renew, and teach us. Lamentations 3:24 "THE LORD IS MY PORTION," says my soul, "THEREFORE I HAVE HOPE IN HIM."

Make good use of your waiting times by discovering what God may be trying to teach you in them. Until Next Time, I'll be waiting on the Lord.

Jim

"TO SHARE -- OR NOT TO SHARE"

Good morning all, it appears that the retailers around the world are attempting to jump start the Christmas/Holiday Season earlier and earlier each year now. It appears that they find and excuse and we just go along with it like dumb sheep, we are being lead around by world circumstances. Why is it that the one thing that we should prepare for we don't, the second coming of Jesus Christ? This week I wish to share my heart, so please be sensitive and let's see where we end up.

It is tempting - especially if we have material wealth -- to cut ourselves off from one another, each taking care of his or her own interests, each providing for and enjoying his or her own little piece of the world. But as part of God's spiritual family, it is our responsibility to help one another in every way possible. You see God's family works best when its members work together, oh that's us you and me.

Have you ever brained stormed as how to stop hunger just in your neighborhood, your city, your country or more importantly around the word? Have you ever thought about how many souls may go to bed hungry? We often ask God to solve a small problem, but he wants to give us a whole new life and help for all our problems. When we ask God for help, he may say, "I've got something even better for you." Ask God for what you want, but don't be surprised when he gives you what you really need.

He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered" (Prov. 21:13). Friends it's important for each of us to go out of our way to meet the need(s) of the poor and less fortunate in order to protect their rights. You never know, we may be in need of such services ourselves someday. Do you remember 1 Samuel 15:22 Samuel said " Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. In other words pious ceremonies or rituals are hollow unless they are performed with an outlook of love and obedience "Being Pious" (going to church, serving on a committee, giving to charity) is not enough if we do not act out of devotion and obedience to God.

A sacrifice was a ritual transition between man and God that physically demonstrated a relationship between them. But if the person's heart was not truly repentant or if he did not truly love God, the sacrifice was a hollow ritual. Sacrifices and Offerings are never to become bribes to make God overlook our character faults. If our lives personal and in business dealings are not characterized by justice, no amount of generosity when the offering plate is handed to you will make up for it.

I was attempting to share some "Food for Thought" until next time.

Jim

"GOD BLESS AMERICA"

May God bless you and yours, well the United States Presidential elections are over. It's my prayer that you will pray for all of those in authority over you.
As God's people, we are visitors here on earth and our allegiance is to the king of kings and Lord of all. We are still required to cooperate with the authorities and to be responsible citizens.

An ambassador to another country keeps local laws in order and represent well the one who sent him. We are Christ's ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20) are you being a good foreign ambassador for him to this world? As believers, we are Christ's ambassadors, sent with his message of reconciliation to the world. An ambassador of reconciliation has an important responsibility. Now let me ask you a question, how well are you fulfilling your commission as Christ's ambassador?

We are all subject to authority, until next week.

Jim

"WORSHIP HIM WHO LIVES FOREVER"

Welcome, it's good to see you as I wish to share something that the Lord has put on my heart for this week. Our Lord and our God wants your worship and your prayers. Worship can be done anywhere as believers we can communicate directly with God through prayer. Much of the worship recorded in the New Testament took place in established meeting places and the homes of the more dedicated believers, wherever believers may be gathered together.

(Rev. 4:10-11) " The Twenty-Four Elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying (11) " Worthy are you, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for you created all things, and because of your will they existed, and were created." Readers, All creatures in heaven and earth will praise and honor our God because he is the maker and sustainer of everything. ( " E V E R Y T H I N G " )

Jesus went to the synagogue "as 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 our excuses for not attending church sound weak and self-serving. Make regular worship a part of your life. Worship involves both celebration and confession. The God of the Bible encourages joy! He wants us to celebrate. Serious reflection and immediate confession of sin is essential, of course. But this should be balanced by celebrating who God is and what he has done for his people. Remember as Parents we must be mindful of the legacy that we leave our children. We can be frivolous and leave let's say "ice" or something that will last forever, the "Will to worship God".

The Hebrews placed great emphasis on Family Worship and so should you. Whether offering a sacrifice or attending a great feast, the family was often together. My prayer partners and I were blessed with the opportunity to pray with a young man "Nathan" this past week who traveled from Raleigh, NC to pray with us in Clayton, NC at 6 A M. This man truly understands who God is. The Hebrews gave their children a healthy attitude towards worship, and it put extra meaning into it for the adults. Watching a family member confess his or her sin was just as important as celebrating a great holiday together. Although there are appropriate times to separate people by ages, some of the most meaningful worship can be experienced only when shared by old and young.

It's wonderful to Celebrate and Worship Jesus. There is a convoy of benefits to be gained from worshiping with other believers. We should take time before we actually jump into worship. Setting aside the time allows us to adjust our attitudes before and reflect afterwards. In the days of old people sacrificed animals as burnt offerings to God. We show our commitment to God when we give something of value to him. The best gift, of course, is ourselves.

"God Is Spirit" meaning he is not a physical being limited to one place. He is present everywhere and can be worshipped anywhere, at any time. It is not where we worship that counts, but how we worship. Is your worship genuine and true? Do you have the Holy Spirit's help? How does the Holy Spirit help us worship? The Holy Spirit prays for us (Romans 8:26), teaches us the words of Christ (14:26), and tells us we are loved (Romans 5:5).

Our relationship with God begins with faith, which helps us realize that we are delivered from our past by Christ's death.

"WORSHIP HIM WHO LIVES FOREVER"

Until Next Time,
Jim

"THE MAN FROM KERIOTH"

Well here we are again Wednesday, before we know it the holidays will be upon us. Have you taken time to notice just how beautiful the foliage has become? I for one take a good look at my surroundings daily as I give thanks. I have so much to be thankful for: my salvation, my family, my land and house that my wife and I have made into a home and I have you to pray for daily. Springtime and the Autumn of the year have always been my favorite seasons. Now our message for the day...

God's treasured possession are those faithful to Him. This fulfills the promise He made in the covenant to His people (Ex.19:5). According to (1 Peter 2:9), believers are God's treasured possession. Have you committed your life to God for safe keeping? I'm thinking about Judas Iscariot today. It is unlikely that Judas was a Moabite, because that would mean that he was a Gentile, but he may well have come from Judah, and, if he did, he must have been the only non-Galilean in the apostolic band, a fact which have been extremely significant. If Iscariot means man of kerioth Judas was the only Non-Galilean.

Jesus entered human history when the land of Palestine was controlled by Rome and considered and insignificant outpost of the vast and mighty Roman Empire. The presence of Roman soldiers in Israel gave the Jews military peace, but at the price of oppression, slavery, injustice, and immorality. Into this kind of world came the promised Messiah. We must not forget while Judas betrayed Jesus, all the disciples abandoned Him. Like all the others, Judas shared a continued misunderstanding of Jesus' mission. They were all looking for an earthly King and Ruler. They all expected Jesus to make the right political moves. As Jesus continued to refer to death, they all felt varying degrees of anger, fear, and disappointment. They had to be thinking why was I chosen to back a loser? Why did Jesus not lead a rebellion against Rome and set-up a new political government? How often do you find yourself wanting your agenda know matter the cost? I don't believe that Judas was a bad guy, he was a man of action who truly didn't hear Jesus. The problem of the Jewish authorities was how to get Jesus into their hands without a riot, for Jesus was still popular with the common people. Satan entered into Judas and he went to the Jewish authorities and bargained for the price of thirty pieces of silver to lead them to a place where they could arrest Jesus without the crowds being there.

Whatever his plan, though, at some point Judas realized he didn't like the way things were turning out. He tried to undo the evil he had done by returning the money to the priests, but it was too late. Judas led the authorities to Jesus. At passover time it was a full moon, and night would be almost as the day. But there was always a chance of confusion at this time, so Judas had arranged a signal whereby he might identify Jesus to the soldiers and to the police.

The wheels of God' sovereign plan had been set into motion. How sad that Judas ended his life in despair without ever experiencing the gift of reconciliation God could give even to him through Jesus Christ.

Last points, while most of us have certain feelings about Judas, there are some facts to consider as well. He, by his own choice, betrayed God's Son into the hands of the soldiers. He was a thief, he was a covetous man, who used his position as treasurer of the apostolic band to pilfer from the common purse. Jesus knew that Judas' life of evil would not change. Jesus also knew that Judas would betray him, Judas made the choice. God knew what that choice would be and confirmed it. Judas didn't lose his relationship with Jesus; rather, he never found Jesus in the first place. He is called " The son of Perdition" because he was never saved. Don't be like Judas. We all make and have made mistakes. Jesus Christ loves us all and will forgive all. "Commit your life to God for safe keeping".

Until next time,
Jim

" TIME "

Another week has come and gone since we last got together and I want you to know that all is well. I'm just coming out of Praise,Worship and Prayer this morning and I'm feeling high on Jesus. This past week a prayer partner of mine took a fall, while he was working on stage at the church and and is presently hospitalized. Please pray that Paul gets well in all areas and heals up in all ways shortly.

Today's message involves the word " TIME ". When you think of a day, a period, or a season have you truly thought about time? More importantly have you ever contemplated what God thinks about time?

Scripture tells us that the Lord said " My spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years. (Genesis 6:3) God was allowing the people of Noah's day 120 years to change their sinful ways. God shows his love for us daily He is giving us opportunity to quit living our way and begin living his way, the way he shows us in his word. It's very important that we all wake up and realize that Jesus might return now. Christ's Second Coming will be swift and sudden. There will be no opportunity for last-minute repentance or bargaining. The choice we have already made will determine our eternal destiny.

Friends this world is changing at a rapid pace and it's heading away from the Lord. In times of persecution even strong believers will find it difficult to be loyal. To keep from being deceived by false messiahs, saints we must understand that Jesus' return will be unmistakable (Mark 13:26). No one will doubt that it is he. If you have to be told that the messiah has come, then he hasn't (24:27). Christ's coming will be obvious to everyone. God will act when he is ready. Children have difficulty grasping the concept of time."IT'S NOT TIME YET " is not a reason they easily understand because they only comprehend the present. As limited human beings, we can't understand God's perspective about time. We want everything now, unaware that God's timing is better. When God is ready, He will do what needs to be done, not what we would like Him to do. We may be as important as children, but we must not doubt the wisdom of God's timing. Wait for God to reveal His plan. Don't take matters into your own hands.

Until next week, you might want to think of time as a precious commodity.

Jim