Faith

Good morning family,
"For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do". (Eph. 2:8-10) NIV.

The 4 Seasons of Life Changes - FAITH

F - Foundation - Building your FAITH upon Jesus should be your foundation.
A - Act - To agree with God in attitude and respond to Him in action is a sign of FAITH.
I - Idolatry - Put your FAITH in Jesus not things or people.
T - Tithing - It is a way of obeying and worshipping God. It's an act of FAITH that He will supply all your needs.
H - Honor - God is worthy of all the honor. He has FAITH in you.

Where is your FAITH today? Is your FAITH in Jesus or things and people?

It's your season

Greetings family,
I want to share a thought I had during my run back from California the other day.

While driving through the mountains of Utah and Wyoming I began to take in the beauty of the mountains, the landscaping and animals. Then I started to look more closely at how really beautiful parts of this country are and how beautifully made they were by God. I started thinking about the 4 seasons of weather change. Snow capped mountains, running streams, moose and elk migrations, cows grazing and feeding their young, horses galloping free, lush green fields and crisp clean air. You get the idea...
Then God spoke to me over the sound of the truck engine and the scent of clean air through the open windows. He said to me, "What about the 4 Seasons of Life change?" I said, "WOW!!! that's right". What about those seasons of life's joys, pains, the ups, the downs and spiritual growth. So I meditated on it and He gave me 4 life changing "seasons". We go through seasons of GROWTH, FAITH, TRUST AND LOVE. These seasons are challenging but doable because we serve a mighty God who can help us get through each season.

Season 1: GROWTH

G - Grace - God said "My grace is sufficient". Receiving God's grace is healthy for our growth.
R - Repent - When you repent you are turning away from sin and, therefore, you are growing in Christ.
O - Obedient - Being obedient to His will and His word is a sign of growth.
W - Wisdom - Wisdom is a characteristic and a gift of God. We grow in His wisdom.
T - Time - Take time today to give God thanks and praise.
H - Healing - God heals you from the inside. As you heal you start to grow.

"Are you growing?" Has God shown you GRACE today? Did you REPENT? Will you be OBEDIENT to His will? Are you gaining WISDOM? Did you take TIME today to thank God? Remember, you're already HEALED.....

God bless you

CHEER UP

Good morning,
When we look at ourselves, what do we see? Do we see sadness, sorrow, pain, disappointment, contempt, worry, anger, resentment, hate, jealousy? But what does God see? He sees greatness, holiness, love, beauty, a WONDERFUL PIECE OF WORK that He created. There are people out there who wonder why they're here, why bad things happen to them and at the end of the day they see all those negative things because they don't see God because of the distractions (negative things). During these times right now when we've lost loved ones, the economic turmoil, wars being fought spiritually and physically, communities falling apart, families breaking up and it seems like SOMETIMES there is just NO ANSWER, what do you do?
When you're feeling all these things get yourself up, get yourself going and get to a SAFE PLACE. Get a way to get to God. Whether it's church, a trusted friend, a long ride in your car, whatever it may be, as long as it's positive, get to God. Don't let the hurt, trials and tribulations consume you. Turn your focus to God!!!

Romans 12: 1-2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (KJV)

Whatever your HURT is give it to God....Lay it at His feet!!! He'll take care of it.

James

MADE WHOLE

Good evening all,
I heard a message the other day driving from Florida and I wanted to share it with you.

One day a child was in his Pastor's office and as he was preparing his sermon the child kept asking questions after question after question until finally he stopped what he was doing and not to be angry with the child, he grabbed a piece of paper with a picture of the world on it and tore it into tiny pieces then he gave it to the child with some tape and told him to put it back together. Now, thinking this would occupy the child for awhile so he could finish his sermon, within a matter of minutes the child came back with the picture taped correctly. To the pastor's amazement he asked him how he did it so fast. The child said he turned each piece of paper over and saw a picture of a man and taped it together. WOW!!!
What this meant to me was that the world is torn apart by drug abuse, alcoholism, sexual abuse, child abuse, spousal abuse, teen pregnancy, etc, etc. The list goes on and in order for us to change the world we have to let Jesus be the tape that will put us back together so that we are equipped to make a change in other peoples' lives.
Are you broken, battered, beaten and kicked around by life's challenges? Then let Jesus put you back together so that people can see what a mighty God we serve. Let our light shine before men.

James

GET IN POSITION

Good evening,

Colossians 3:1-4. "Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory".

What is your "position" with Christ? He conquered death so that we may live. So what is holding you back from getting in position? We have been exonerated and yet we still continue to hold on to those things which are not eternal and "fall" out of position. We need to put to "death" those things which are earthly. In other words, each and every day we need to give in to God's guidance and disciplinary action to get back in position. Yes, maybe He has to take away those "things" which has a hold on us to get our attention and it may hurt. But WHO knows best?

FATHER KNOWS BEST!!!

Colossians 3:12. "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience".

We have been elected to eternal salvation so put forth every effort to live and continue to live a GODLY life.

James

HOPE IS THE RESURRECTION

The resurrection gives my life meaning, direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances are. So when the enemy says to give up, let "HOPE" whisper to give it one more try.

1 Peter 1:3,4 - Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, kept in heaven for you.

"Defeat the defeat before the defeat defeats you".


James

HANG IN THERE, BABY

Good morning,

Endure - To last; to abide; to suffer or sustain without yielding; to bear with patience or without opposition.

Endurance - A continuing or bearing up under pain or distress without yielding.

As I watched the final 40 laps of the Indy 500, the winner was exhausted, but he endured. To see the look of joy on his face, to watch the family pray for his completion of the race it made me think of how we must press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Phillipians 3:14.
These drivers were enduring in that vehicle, enduring the heat, the constant roar of the engine, the will to keep alert, the G-forces that keep their heads pinned, and the speed that was being generated to win that prize shows us how we must endure under similar conditions. Physical pain, stress, financial setbacks, bad relationships, job loss, even the loss of a loved one can wear us down. In our every day battle against the enemy life is filled with all kinds of hurt and we need to look to the Lord where we get ALL our strength.

It was said that, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world". Jesus conquered death so that WE may live.

2 Timothy 2:3 - Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 6:4 - Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way; in great troubles, hardships and distresses.

HANG ON IN THERE, BABY. WE ALREADY HAVE THE VICTORY!!!


James

YOU ARE ALIVE

There is an amazing difference between the way people view themselves before and after becoming followers of Jesus. "All of us also lived....gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following it's desires and thoughts...We were by nature objects of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ....and God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him at the heavenly realms..."

Ephesians 2:3-6

You are significant, secure, accepted and free because you are His workmanship.

cnn