" WE ARE LIKENED TO SHEEP "

Well here we go again, another week has come and gone and the Lord is allowing me to share with you again. This week's subject title is: " We Are Likened To Sheep. "

Now strap yourself in and let's see what our Lord has to say about us being sheep like. God compares Christians to sheep, so in turn the Word of God points out the similarity between Christians and sheep, and this fact cannot be overemphasized. Therefore we as a sheep, like people, need a shepherd or someone to "lead us".

Jesus Christ is the Chief Shepherd: ( 1 Peter 5:4) This refers to the Second Coming, when He will judge all people. Those who minister to Christians are compared to shepherds " Feed The Flock Of God Which Is Among You." God is our Creator; we did not create ourselves. Many people live as though they are the creator and center of their own little world. This mindset leads to a greedy possessiveness and, if everything should be taken away, a loss of hope itself. But when we realize that God created us and gives us all we have, we will want to give to others as God gave to us (2 Cor 9:8). Then, if all is lost, we still have God and all he gives us.

Sheep that become independent too soon stray away from the safety of the shepherd and the flock. They are actually drawn away by their own appetites as they go from one clump of grass to another. Thus, they expose themselves to a multitude of dangers. The sheep's thick coat of wool can easily be caught in the under brush of thickets causing the sheep to be held captive until it dies. A lone sheep is also an open invitation to one of its many predators. Without the protection of the shepherd, a wolf, lion, or a bear would quickly kill and devour the sheep as it truly has no natural defenses. Further dangers for sheep involve falling into crevices, picking up parasites, eating poisonous plants, or casting.

" When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd " (Matt 9:36). SHEEP ARE DEFENSELESS. They have no way of protecting themselves. They cannot kick, bite, or hide. In fact, they cannot even run away from enemies that prey upon them. Keep your eyes on Christ, and RESIST THE DEVIL. Then, says James, " HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU " (James 4:7).

Until Next Time...
Jim,

" VALUES / MORALS "

Good Morning To You,

 Well this week I have the kind of message that just might make you a little uncomfortable. We all know from right and wrong as I'm sure that we all grew up with some kind of value system or another. Now a person's relationship with Christ is more important than anything else. To know Christ should be our ultimate goal.

Have you considered the values in which you live your life by? Do you place anything above your relationship with Christ? If your priorities are wrong, how will you reorder them? " VALUE " (worth) The kingdom of heaven is more valuable than anything else we can have, and a person must be willing to give up everything to obtain it. The man who discovered the treasure in the field stumbled upon it by accident but knew its value when he found it. The merchant was earnestly searching for the pearl of great value, and, when he found it, he sold everything he had to purchase it.

Once you have found that treasure you have to be careful with it. One way to be cautious is to not let your relationships with unbelievers lead you away from Christ or cause your faith to waver. Keeping company with those who deny the resurrection could corrupt good Christian character. We are called to maintain a life-style that shows our faith. This can be a struggle, especially if our Christian life-style differs from the norm. Our lives should prove that we put obeying God before doing what is praised and accepted by society.

 What do you allow to influence your Moral Values? People tend to believe lies 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 life-styles 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 truth. Evaluate all other opinions in light of its teachings. Morals and or Values are the foundation of our authority in this life. Lack of Moral Backbone can be the root of our woes in this life.

You know it takes courage and strength to stand firm in your convictions and to confront wrongdoing in the face of opposition. When you believe something is wrong, do not let yourself be talked out of your position. Firmly attack the wrong and uphold the right.

 Until Next Time...
 Jim,

" CONTROL "

Good Morning to you and I'd like to wish you a good day in the Lord.

This week the Lord has put "Control" on my heart. Many of us at times may feel that we have absolutely no control over certain aspects of our lives. Me, I'm still learning to let the Lord lead and control my life. In this life I believe that we all must take a definite stand for the Lord, showing our Spiritual Leadership.

Men, it is vital that you are the Strongman in your household. The way we live shows others the strength of our commitment to serving the Father. God is always in ultimate control, and therefore we must remind ourselves that God owns the cities and He knows the future of every nation. GOD IS IN CONTROL. In and through Him we will gain the victory.

You must choose what will control you, and yes there will come a time when you have to choose who or what will control you. The choice is yours. Will it be God, your own limited personality, or another imperfect substitute? Once you have chosen to be controlled by God's Spirit, reaffirm your choice everyday. People who attempt to control others may be quick witted, manipulate others for their own benefit, unwilling to admit wrongdoing. Those who set out to use people will eventually find themselves used, God's plan cannot be blocked.

Although God permits Satan to work in our world, God is still in control. Jesus, because He is God, has power over Satan; Jesus is able to drive out demons and end their terrible work in people's lives. One day Satan will be bound forever. We are freed from sin's control. The power and penalty of sin died with Christ on the cross. Our " Old Self, " Our sinful nature, died once and for all, so we are freed from its power. The " Body Of Sin " is not the human body, but our rebellious sin-loving nature inherited from Adam. Though our body willingly cooperates with our sinful nature, we must not regard the body as evil. It is the sin in us that is evil. And it is this power of sin at work in our body that is defeated. Through faith in Christ we stand acquitted, " Not Guilty " before God. We do not need to live under sin's power. God does not take us out of the world or make us robots- We will still feel like sinning, and sometimes we will sin. The difference is that before we were saved we were slaves to our sinful nature, but now we can choose to live for Christ.

Until next Time...
 Jim

" WHY SHOULD ONE ENCOURAGE ANOTHER "

Good Morning to you, well it's our time together again. This week we will be going over "Encouragement" as you may be aware, some need it more than others.

I believe that we as Christians are to encourage one another. A word of encouragement offered at the right moment can be the difference between finishing well and collapsing along the way. Look Around You. Be sensitive to others' need for encouragement, and offer supportive words or actions. The Word of God tells us that we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Please grasp this, that their faithfulness is a constant encouragement to us. We do not struggle alone, and we are not the first to struggle with the problems we face. Others have run the race and won, and their witness stirs us to run and win also.

What an inspiring heritage we have! Do you need to be encouraged right about now? Always remember that the Word of God offers joy and hope in times of trouble. And confidence should be in what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. We're called into a LIVING hope of Eternal Life. Our Hope is not only for the future; Eternal life begins when we trust Christ and join God's family. No matter what pain or trial we face in this life, we know that it is not our final experience. Eventually we will live with Christ forever.

• Build up One Another
• Respect Your Leaders
• Encourage the Faint Hearted
• Rejoice Always
• Resist Revenge
• PRAY WITHOUT CEASING
• Avoid Every Kind of Evil
• Count on God's Constant Help

 LAST THOUGHT: Prayers can be a source of encouragement. As a man of prayer I spend my time thinking and praying for those in my sphere of influence. Even though we may be apart from each other it's my thought that my prayers are a source of encouragement. The Word of God tells us that we should pray consistently for others, especially for those who do God's work.

Until Next Time...
Jim

" ABOUT GIVING UP "

Good day to you, I truly appreciate you stopping by and spending a few moments of your time with me.

This week the Lord wanted me to share with you on the topic of " GIVING UP. " Now I'd like for you to keep an open mind, so let's get started.

Surrender: To surrender or admit defeat (2) Hand over somebody or something: to hand over or part with somebody or something. (3) Lose hope for somebody or something: To stop hoping for a good outcome with regard to somebody or something.

This week we will see just what the Lord thinks about us giving up. How many times have you felt that God was slow to act on your behalf? Some may say that they often feel this same impatience. It may be felt at times to us that evil and suffering go unchecked, and we wonder when God is going to stop them. Now in the Psalms, David affirmed that he would continue to trust God no matter how long he had to wait for God's justice to be realized. When you feel impatient, remember the steadfast faith in God's Unfailing Love. NEVER GIVE UP ON GOD...

In his grief, Job wanted to give in, to be freed from his discomfort, and to die. But God did not grant Job's request. He had a greater plan for him. Now our tendency, like Job's, is to want to give up and get out when the going gets rough. To trust God in the good times is commendable, but to Trust him during the difficult times tests us to our limits and exercises our faith. In your struggles large or small, trust that God is in control and that He will take care of you. God's rescue doesn't always come the moment we want it. God will rescue us when He knows the right time is at hand. When you feel that God has forgotten you in your troubles, remember that God has a time schedule we can't see. God does what seems impossible, God answers prayer in His own way and in His own time. He works in " Impossible " situations. So if you want your prayers answered, we must be open to what God can do in impossible situations. And we must wait for God to work in His way, and in His time.

Until Next Time...
Jim,

" BEHAVIOR "

It's so great that you decided to stop by today, as our subject for this week is an important one " Behavior ".

Will you give me your word that you will be on your best Behavior or at least you will start working on it?

Do you let others dictate your attitude, etc?

Are you aware that Israel is and was called to be a Holy Nation, separate from and unique among all others?

(" THIS YOU ARE TO BE HOLY TO ME, FOR I THE LORD; AND I HAVE SET YOU APART FROM THE PEOPLES TO BE MINE ") Leviticus 20:26.

God has given us the Bible so that we may obtain all the information we need - and the Bible's teaching is trustworthy. Why do we often allow others' values and actions dictate our attitudes and behavior? Have you ever made a wrong choice because you wanted to be like everyone else? Be careful that the values of your friends or " heroes " don't pull you away from what God says is right.

When God's people want to be like unbelievers, they are heading for spiritual disaster. Repentance is changing the behavior that produces sin. Now when you come to the realization that you have sinned there must be a change. When we repent today, we are unlikely to tear our clothing, as was done in days of old, and as in other countries today. But weeping, fasting, making restitution or apologies (if our sin hurts others) demonstrates our sincerity when we repent. The hardest part of repentance is changing the attitudes that originally produced the sinful behavior.

True repentance does not end with words of confession - that would be mere lip service. It must lead to corrected behavior and changed attitudes. When you sin and are truly sorry, confess this to God, ask His forgiveness, and accept His grace and mercy. Then, as an act of thankfulness, make the needed corrections. It's not enough to follow Jesus in your head or heart alone. You must show your faith by changed behavior. Has your faith resulted in action? What changes do you need to make? Being Born Again takes a moment of faith, but becoming like Christ is a life long process. " STRUGGLING IN ONE'S OWN STRENGTH DOESN'T SUCCEED. "

Until Next Time...
Jim,

" ALL A MAN'S WAYS SEEM RIGHT TO HIM "

Thanks so much for stopping by as always the Lord has lead me to share with you on a very important subject. The Bible says " ALL A MAN'S WAYS SEEM RIGHT TO HIM, BUT THE LORD WEIGHTS THE HEART " (Proverbs 21:2).

You know people can find an excuse for doing almost anything, but God looks behind the excuse 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. The " Way which seems right " may offer many options and require few sacrifices. Easy choices, however, should make us take a second look. Is this solution attractive because it allows us to be lazy? Because it doesn't ask me to change my life-style? Because it requires no moral restraints?

The right choice often requires hard work and self-sacrifice. Don't be enticed by apparent shortcuts that seem right but end in death. " All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight." People can rationalize anything if they have no standards for judging right and wrong. We can always prove that we are right.

Before putting any plan into action, ask yourself these three questions:
(1) Is this plan in harmony with God's truth?
(2) Will it work under real - life conditions?
(3) Is my attitude pleasing to God?

Many people claim to know God. How can we know if they really do? We will not know for certain in this life, but at a glance at their life - styles will quickly tell us what they value and whether they have ordered their lives around kingdom priorities. Our conduct speaks volumes about what we believe.

What do people know about God and about your faith by watching your life?

 Until Next Time...
 Jim