How did you fuel up this morning?  What did you have for breakfast?  That may seem like a strange question.   The gospel writer tells us that Jesus taught that it isn’t what goes into a man that destroys him but what comes out of him, out of his heart, out of his thinking and choices.  Every outward act that we do first comes from an inner choice or mind set.  Jesus addresses the root problem of some thing that every man, woman and child struggles with, sin.

What is sin?  Sin is missing the mark of God’s holiness and his character, thinking and actions.  Sin is a thief.  How is sin robbing?  Sin wants to kill, slaughter and destroy you and every wholesome thought and relationship that you have.  There is a picture of sin and the sinner in Proverbs 26:11, “as a dog  returns to its vomit so a fool repeats his folly.”  I know that’s not a particularly pleasant thought, but it is a true and a Biblical one.  Have any of you witnessed a dog eating his own vomit?  Quite a sight, huh?  One I am sure that you prefer to not think about.  But people often return to their folly, go back to the very situations in their lives that caused heartaches and problems and do the same things all over again.  The Bible says that’s foolish and people who do that are not very wise.  They are continually missing God’s mark and that’s described as sin.  I am a sinner and so are you and we miss the mark often of God’s desire and plan for our lives.  If it were not for Jesus Christ in our lives there would be no hope at all of ever living a victorious life.

The consequences of sin and our old nature produce quite a list of ugly scenarios and just to name a few.

A Loss of Peace-I John 3:4-10

A Loss of Love and Identity with God-1 John 2:15, 16

A Loss of Fellowship with Christians- 1 John 1:7

A Loss of Confidence and Answer to our Prayers-1 John 3:19-22

A Loss of Light and Fellowship with God-1 John 1:6

Possible Sickness and Hypertension-1 Corinthians 11:30

A Loss of Joy and Motivation-Psalm 51:12

Guilt & Shame

Spiritual Blindness-2 Corinthians 4:4

Slavery to Fleshly Desires-Romans 5

A Dulling of Our Understanding-Acts 28:27

Distortion of Our Perceptions-Ephesians 4:18

Self-Deception-Jeremiah 17:9

Rejection of Good Spiritual Counsel-1 Corinthians 2:14

To overcome our sinful nature, we must be led by the spirit.  If you are in need of a fresh start today and are struggling with a physical, emotional or spiritual problem, contact us here at Midnight Hour Ministries.  We may be able to assist you with that midnight hour!  Contact Pastor Russ Hobbs at (717) 626-6933 or e-mail rhobbs@dejazzd.com

Thinking of the fullness and duration of this wonderful life, W. B. Hinson, a great preacher of a past generation, spoke from his own experience just before he died. He said, “I remember a year ago when a doctor told me, ‘You have an illness from which you won’t recover.’ I walked out to where I live 5 miles from Portland, Oregon, and I looked across at that mountain that I love. I looked at the river in which I rejoice, and I looked at the stately trees that are always God’s own poetry to my soul. Then in the evening I looked up into the great sky where God was lighting His lamps, and I said,” I may not see you many more times, but Mountain, I shall be alive when you are gone; and River, I shall be alive when you cease running toward the sea; and Stars, I shall be alive when you have fallen from your sockets in the great down pulling of the material universe!’ ”

There is something eternal about looking at mountains and seas that helps to put our living in perspective.  We were created for breathtaking moments by an omnipotent and gracious God.  The anxieties and stresses of life melt away when we realize how temporary they are in comparison to the destiny of the living soul at home in the presence of God.  Let us not focus on our temporary sufferings but rather on the great deliverance of the eternal creator of the universe.  This is the hope shared by all children of God who realize that every day of life we are a step closer to home where the “welcome” celebration awaits.  Do you know Jesus?  Does He know you?

Personality is what makes a person unique and is recognizable soon after birth.  A child’s personality has several components: temperament, environment and character.  Temperament is the set of genetically determined traits that determine the child’s approach to the world and how the child learns about the world.  There are no genes that specify personality traits, but some genes do control the development of the nervous system which in turn controls behavior.

A second component of personality comes from adaptive patterns related to a child’s specific environment.  Most psychologists agree that these two factors; temperament and environment influence the development of a persons personality the most.  High quality parenting plays a significant role in the development of a child’s prsonality.  When parents understand how their child responds to certain situations, they can anticipate issues that might be problematic for their child.  They can prepare the child for the situation or in some cases they may avoid a potentially difficult situation altogether.  Parents who know how to adapt their parenting approach to the particular temperament of their child can best provide guidance and ensure the successful development of their child’s personality.

Finally, the third component of personality is character, the set of emotional, cognitive and behavioral patterns learned from experience that determines how a person thinks, feels and behaves.  A person’s character continues to evolve throughout life, although much depends on inborn traits and early experiences.  Character is also dependent on a person’s moral development.

• Planning their day unrealistically.
• Feeling the need to be the first to arrive and the last to leave an event.
• Always in a hurry.
• Making no plans for relaxation.
• Feeling guilty about doing anything other than work.
• Looking at unforseen problems as a setback or disaster.
• Always thinking about other things when working.
• Always feeling the need to be recognized.

If the above describes how you approach life at times you may want to consider some practical ways of dealing with the challenges of life.  Many have found these suggestions to be helpful.  First, recognize the aggravating aspects of your job and ACCEPT them rather than fight them.  The wisdom to discern what you can and cannot change is essential in accepting the tasks before you today.  Secondly, learn to identify your emotional needs and find healthy ways to meet these needs.  Thirdly, practice listening, it’s often more relaxing and refreshing than talking.  Finally, be sensitive to change, sense it coming and make adjustments.

You may find the daily disciplines of seeking joy, patience, trust, prayer, reflection and meditation useful.  Practice healthy living and apply it to your life.  There are some very encouraging words of stress reduction and life renewal in Phillipians 4:4-8.

If we can be of spiritual and emotional assistance to you contact the office of Midnight Hour Ministries.  Our hope for you today is that you will experience a balanced and healthy day of just the right ingredients to challenge AND refresh you physically, spiritually and emotionally.

• My husband gives his coworker a rides home from work. 
• My husband stays out until the wee hours of the morning. 
• My husband started turning off his cell phone when I’m around.
• My husband hardly says “I love you” anymore.
• My husband is very close to his coworker; they are always together. 
• Lately, my husband is too tired for sex.
• My husband stares at other women.
• My husband still has an online profile.
• About once a week, my husband has lunch with his ex wife.
• My husband never answers the phone when I call.
• My husband gets very defensive when I mention people who cheat. 

• My wife is holding back information that she once confided to me. 
• My wife is acting cold and indifferent toward me. 
• Recently, my wife has started flirting with others. 
• I have this gut feeling my wife is cheating and all we do is fight. 
• My wife doesn’t want to have sex with me anymore.

It is impossible to tell if a spouse is cheating simply because of a noticeable change in his or her behavior. Most people tend to hide an affair. And many cheating spouses will deny having an affair even when they are confronted with suspicions or evidence of their infidelity. Cheating spouses go to such great lengths to hide an affair, because the costs of getting caught are so great. There are physical, financial and social risks attached to being caught in an affair. When affairs are revealed, lives and relationships may be destroyed. There is hope if you suspect that your husband or wife has been cheating! For counseling and/or spiritual assistance contact the office of Midnight Hour Ministries at (717) 626-0492 or e-mail rhobbs@dejazzd.com to discuss your concerns and issues.

The mind is the seat of the soul and it is a place where flesh and spirit often come into bitter conflict.  Some of what fuels negative conflict within body, mind and spirit include unchecked appetites, feelings of discontentment, pride and self preservation, oppression (sadness, guilt, depression) and laziness.

Some of the spiritual strategies which have proven effective in dealing with the above mentioned include; a relationship with God that goes beyond superficial religiosity, (Psalm 42:1) seeking wisdom and “right living” and focussing on the fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.  (Galatians 5:22-23)

If you are struggling with emotional and spiritual control issues today you may benefit from an MHM (Midnight Hour Ministries) program of counseling.  Contact us today!