T.J.I.F.A.

Thank Jesus It's Friday Again!

Pass it on ...& on... & on... & on

February 7, 2003

Subject: I Must Decrease to allow the light of JESUS CHRIST to shine ever brighter and brighter and to lift up the name of JESUS is the primary and only goal of  T.J.I.F.A.  We pray that this article on decreasing will help us to continue to realize our goal.  

Noteworthy: A note from  BMcC  recognizing the loss of the lives aboard the Columbia Space Shuttle; And we from T.J.I.F.A  want to extend our prayers to the families involved and our sincere sympathy.  We pray that we will all meet in Heavenly streets of gold .  

FRIDAY'S WORD:  Replete   (Fill up on the word)

IN THE MIRROR: An analogy on Saturday's tragedy.

TASTE AND SEE: Pineapple Upside Down Cake- -Submitted by; WHS
A treat for Valentine's Day.

Looking Forward

See Ya Next Time

TER                           

"...I MUST DECREASE."


John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease."

Last week we looked at men building edifices and monuments of great size and proportions to bring attention to their ability, skill and knowledge.  This week we'll scale down to ZERO.  That  way we'll be able to see ourselves and our own need to physically draw  undue attention to our mundane accomplishments which won't last.

It is very sad but also very true that as individuals we clamor to become first in everything that we do.  Being first invites celebrity status and recognition.    We are tainted into believing  that the more recognition that we acquire, the more financially equipped we will become.  Example: Movie Stars; Television and Radio Hosts; Football and other athletes; Judges; Lawyers; Doctors; and the list goes on.  

It could be argued that these individuals sought to be the very best in their fields of professional endeavors, and it is true that whatever you do you should do to the best of your ability.  There is, however, a fine line and a very narrow path that can easily be digressed and forsaken for the supposed "High Life."  

John the Baptist was the cousin of Jesus Christ.  John the Baptist lived in obscurity,  but we are still reading about him and how he baptized Jesus Christ, how he ate wild honey,   how he cried in the wilderness and how he was beheaded by a cruel king.  His purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus Christ.  In his excellent calling he admitted that "He must increase, but I must decrease."  He understood that Jesus was the Way and he was to point others, not to follow him, but to follow Christ.  John3: 22-36

John the Baptist's message was greater than his improper attire (camel's hair) it was greater than his need to sit and dine properly and with the right people.  John's message was greater than his need for societal applause and agreement.  The way that John the Baptist dressed and acted made such a great contrast to Jesus that when you even saw them together you would be drawn to Jesus Christ,  and NOT John.  

Judas, on the other hand, desired to make a profit from that which he knew about Jesus Christ.  Judas desired to "Increase" and that he did.  The time that he spent with Jesus was seemingly devoted to ‘increasing' his money bag.       He became so engrossed with ‘increase', that he made his final and worst decision, ‘to sell Jesus and His Message'.  This decision BROKE Judas and eventually he died with his increase spilled in The Potters field.  

In this present society, there are many men named ‘JOHN'.  They are in all races and creeds.  The name John is in all nationalities.   There are not as many men named Judas, however.  Does this tell us something?  

It tells me that The Message is so important and powerful that the only way to carry it to others, who are hurting and in need of a Savior, is to DECREASE!   

In ‘Decreasing' Jesus came to this dark world to save you and me.   In ‘Decreasing' John the Baptist paved the narrow way to Jesus Christ.  In ‘Decreasing' Saul became Paul, the writer of  nearly two-thirds of the New Testament and in ‘Decreasing' John was  thrown out on the Isle of Patmos to become John the Revelator; Writer of the Book of Revelations.  


In ‘increasing' Hitler became the world's worst mass murderer, in ‘increasing' Alexander the Great owned more land than any other and died without fulfillment, in ‘increasing' Judas played into the hands of an enemy who wouldn't even bury him, nor ease his suffering  mind in his hour of torment and death.  

In ‘Decreasing' we can be like that seed that is planted into the cold dark earth and then becomes a fruit bearing tree, able to feed nations and bring forth more seed.  Or, in ‘Increasing' we can be like that tree that bears no fruit and is withered, cut down and used for fire wood.  

Choose.  The Choice is yours.  

Looking Forward

See Ya Next Time

TER

NOTEWORTHY:

"My Grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
2 Cor. 12:9  

"GOD doesn't comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters."


Suffering can give us opportunities to witness.

The world is a gigantic hospital ; nowhere is there a greater chance to see the peace and joy of the Lord than when the  journey through the valley is the darkest.   

William W. Kinsley reminds us "Just as soon as we turn toward Him with loving confidence, and say, ‘Thy will be done,' in  whatever suffering we are going through that He will melt it away in the sunshine of His sympathy.  He does not free us from pain, but from its power."

We must ever be mindful that whatever we' re going through,  goes through the hands of Jesus first.  We can take comfort in knowing that Jesus writes the final chapter.
 
Excerpts From; Facing Death and the Life After- Billy Graham

In light of last week's tragedy, Our President, George W.  Bush, so eloquently stated, "None of the seven Columbia Shuttle Crew returned safely to earth, but we can pray that all seven  are safely home tonight."
                             
Submitted by: BMcC

FRIDAY'S WORD:   REPLETE;  re*plete; full to capacity, richly supplied, to refill

Every Christian  should desire to be ‘replete' in Christ Jesus.









IN THE MIRROR:

Sincere and deepest Condolences go out to the Family, Friends, and Loved Ones of Saturday's tragic event with the Columbia Space Shuttle. I was like any one of us; stunned and left nowhere short of the many questions that always follow such an event.


In all the barrage of interviews, and heavy news coverage from all concerned sources,  I heard something Sunday in an in-depth interview with one of the highly top ranking officials with NASA ; A question that's going to be asked many times publicly, as well as privately, "What are you, [they],  planning on doing different the next time?  

The reason we all know there's going to be a next time, regardless of the loss of lives is  because man has an insatiable appetite for progress, but  unfortunately with a cost so high as a human life; and what makes that life so valuable is that it comes directly from  God, the Creator of all life.

God didn't have a plan contingent upon man's failures or successes. I hope and pray that all of us will come to the foot of Calvary's Cross and thank God for what HE has done in Christ Jesus. God's  message  say's that, ultimately,  whether I fail or succeed in this life,   the major decision I'll make  will continue to affect me alone throughout all eternity.

S.L.C.













O TASTE AND SEE
PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE


A STICK OF BUTTER
1 CUP SUGAR
1 TSP VANILLA
2 EGG YOKES
½ CUP MILK
1 1/2 CUP FLOUR
2 TSP BAKING POWDER   
1/4 TSP SALT

DIRECTIONS:
CREAM TOGETHER BUTTER AND SUGAR
MIX DRY INGREDIENTS TOGETHER
ADD DRY INGREDIENTS ALTERNATING WITH MILK END WITH DRY INGREDIENTS. THEN FOLD IN THE ALREADY BEATEN EGG WHITES.

2 EGG WHITE AND 1/4 TSP OF CREAM OF  TARTAR  - BEAT UNTIL STIFF THEN
FOLD THIS INTO THE BATTER
TOPING
3 OR 4 TEASPOONS BUTTER WITH ½ CUP BROWN SUGAR PUT IN PAN TOGETHER
MELT DOWN AND STIR TOGETHER
POUR INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN
ADD FRUIT APPLES, PINEAPPLES
PRE HEAT OVEN AT 350
COOK 35 MINUTES  AND CHECK
A GREAT FEBRUARY 14TH DESERT SENT IN BY WHS