What about 2012

As 2011 ends and 2012 starts, take time to reflect on the past year from where you started 2011 and where you are now. Do you like the progress made and are you a better person today?  The answer to these 2 questions will let you know what you need to address if you want a better answer when 2012 ends(assuming you are still living come 12-31-12). To have a blessed year with good progress and be a better person add the following and you will be pleased with the results when 2012 closes and 2013 is starting.
Compare everything to the Word of God not to popular culture thought otherwise it is like building a home in quicksand. Avoid taking personal offense when scripture is the bases for a position that is contrary to what you have been taught by society. Any thought or position we have that is not based on the Bible is about as useful as a hole in the bottom of a boat.
Remember it is not all about you but about God who loves us so much He sent His son to die for our sins. His purpose for our life is for us to honor Him and be a channel of True Blessing to those we come into contact. Few will accept those who live by biblical truth but God does not require us to be popular but to be salt & light to those who walk in spiritual darkness. Remember darkness is an absence of Light and salt when applied is not always welcome. Don't look for an easy path but choose the straight one luminated by God Himself and 2012 will be your most Blessed year yet.
May God grant you wisdom and boldness as you seek His purpose for your life throughout 2012.

The reason for the season.

Recently I have watched spot interviews where children were asked what they knew about Christmas. It was sad to see that only 1 in 10 knew the  real reason. This would indicate that their parents also do not know the reason. Therefore I am providing the account of the birth of the Christ child which is the reason for the Christmas season.

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

If you do not have a personal relationship with God through His son Jesus the Christ, I pray that you will do so in 2012 accepting his forgiveness for your sin.
 May you have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and blessed new year!

Need some help... check out the Bible

Need some peace and rest....Check out Matthew 11: 25-30 
Dealing with worry....Check out Matthew  6: 19-34
Kind of fearful or lonely....Check out Psalm 23: 1-6
Want peace of mind....Check out Philippians 4: 6-8
People letting you down....Check out Psalm 27: 1-14
Avoid being critical or bitter....Check out 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13
Feeling discouraged....Check out Psalm 34: 1-22
Think God does not know you....Check out Psalm 139: 1-24  
Need increased courage....Check out Joshua 1:1-9
Forgotten some blessings....Check out Psalm 103: 1-22   
Want some more joy....Check out Colossians 3: 12-17
Find real contentment....Check out Romans 12: 1-21
Know purpose of life....Check out Ecclesiastes 12: 12-14

Woe

Woe to the nations whose people are rebellious and morally polluted and oppresses those who seek to know God.  Woe to the places that will not obey the word of God, whose people do not want to receive correction nor put their trust in the LORD God and will not try to get close to God.  Woe to the nation whose leaders are as devouring lions and judges as hungry wolves, they rule for personal gain and pervert justice. Woe to the nation whose spiritual leaders and priest are insolent, treacherous people who profane the places of worship and twist the truth of God. The just Lord God is in the midst of the nations every day He sees the iniquity and that the unjust have no shame. God is removing His protection from those nations and their streets are full of violence, their financial structures have become desolate and the people spoiled and devoid of understanding. The nations continue to follow the same destructive path and will not acknowledge that it is God who provides true blessings for a nations people. God has removed His protection and allowed the natural course of events to unfold. Even so the people will not receive instruction and turn to God with repentance for rejecting His truth and living self-centered conceited lives. Great nations have risen and fallen based on the moral character of her people and still even with history filled with examples their is no repentance just the false hope that maybe this time will be different and judgement will pass. There are none so blind as those who will not learn from that which has already occurred. How blind is your nation? The answer will guide you in preparing for the hard times to come and reveal the urgency of your personal need to surrender to the will of God in your life. God loves you and His son Jesus the Christ died that you could have forgiveness of sin and a personal relationship with God.  Take action before the light has been withdrawn and darkness allowed to engulf your nation.

Preparing for Worship

I received an email containing the following regarding worship, may it challenge your thoughts.
Preparing for Worship!

Whether it is private or corporate worship, one’s heart needs to be prepared. Worship is the communication, or the response, of our spirit with the Spirit of God. It is when, for our heart of hearts, we rejoice in who He is.

The preparation of our heart is to open ourselves to Him, so that we are in position to receive a spiritual examination. The Psalmist spoke for all who truly wish to worship, when he said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me…and see if there is any wicked way in me.” We position ourselves to receive this examination by praying for God to show us our heart. We don’t always know our heart, as well as we would like to think. It is easy to be self-deceived. As we honestly pray for this, we will soon see what things need to be dealt with in our life. There may be things for which we need to repent, and there may be other areas where we need to make a commitment to action.

For public worship preparation, we must determine to aggressively seek after the Lord through all the aspects of the worship service, from the prayers, to the singing, to the offering, to the sermon, and whatever else that transpires. Worship is connecting with God. We must plan to give Him our best, which includes our best attention, our best surrender, and our best commitment.

Looking for shared poverty

The news is full as of late with groups of people in several USA cities as well as other nations where they are demonstrating for various things. The interesting thing is that about the only thing they have in common is a failure to prepare themselves for success. They appear envious of those who have worked to prepare for the future rather than sit around feeling sorry for themselves waiting for government handouts. They are now upset that the government is not taking from those who have worked to get ahead and giving it to them fast enough. They crave violence,drugs and depravity while creating what could pass for a pig plantation wherever they gather.
The sad thing is that society has created so many lazy degenerates and continues to tolerate those who would destroy the economic structure that has permitted so many to succeed. It seems to be the goal of the protesters to kill the structure that allows success and hope so we can all decline into mutually shared poverty. It is written that those who will not work should not be assisted. Not following that wisdom will bring any culture down. Failure to acknowledge God will always reveal the foolishness of a society just before its collapse. There is a way of escape but it will take large scale repentance and people willing to confront the darkness of our day. Are you willing!

Do you?

Do you have a song of praise to God for his love, kindness and mercy?
Do you desire to live a blameless life before God at home and in public?
Do you refuse to be a part of low and vulgar things?
Do you abhor that which is dishonest and avoid those that desire to cheat or lie to get ahead?
Do you reject selfishness in yourself and in others?
Do you tolerate those who would gossip about others and slander them?
Do you permit yourself or those around you to put down others because they hold a different opinion?
Do you allow conceit or pride to engulf you?
Do you hold those who desire to serve God in high regard.
Do your close friends truly seek to please God with their life?
Do you work to protect yourself and home from the influence of those who want to do what is right in their own eyes?
Do you seek to be light even in dark times?
The answer to these questions will reflect whether you have a personal relationship with God through Jesus His son.

We have been warned

The Bible warns us that there is a way that seems right to mankind but the end of that way is death. The Bible states that everyone of us will give an account of themselves to God and it is appointed unto men once to die but after that is judgment because the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. You may say I do not believe the Bible and therefore this is no issue for you, however it is written those that believe on Jesus are not condemned but those who do not believe are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God. Jesus told us that He was the way the truth the life and no one could come unto the Father but by Him.
Some wonder about the God who gave us the Bible and whether to acknowledge Him as God because of the Old Testament accounts of Judgment for sin including saving only Noah and his family from the flood and the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. God shows Himself to be Holy and therefore sin must be judged and God demonstrated His Love for us in that while we are sinners He gave His son to die for our sins so that whosoever will could be saved form the penalty of sin. Some will still say what a harsh God but I say what a loving God who was willing to pay our sin debt so we could be free from the bondage and penalty of sin. God does not force Himself on us but has made a way for us to escape the punishment for our sin but allows us the choice. Now I say what kind of God would He be if He did not give us the facts and cover for us the ramifications of our choice. He warns us that we are condemned already if we do not accept Jesus as our Savior and tells us that we will spend eternity separated from Him in lake of fire with total darkness in weeping and gnashing of teeth where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. He also tells us of a place called Heaven that we will be allowed to enter for all eternity if we believe Him and accept His redemption plan of forgiveness of sin through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus. Now we can believe or not the choice is truly ours as we get to decide. However if we reject God and His plan for our redemption for whatever reason/excuse we may find convenient we will have no one to blame but ourselves for where we spend eternity. Remember faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen and through faith we understand that everything that is was created by God so that things which are seen were not made of things that are visible. As for whether you have sinned or not remember even unbelief is sin as we are told to love the Lord God with all of our heart, soul and mind. This is the greatest commandment & the second is like it - we are to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Let those who are wise consider well the warning given and the necessary personal response needed that the warning given not have been in vain.

Law of the Harvest

When you plant corn do you expect to harvest potatoes or if you plant squash do you harvest watermelons. When you have planted apple tress you do not expect to get peaches. Of course you expect to harvest not only what you have planted but to harvest an amount far exceeding the seed that was planted. It is the law of the harvest. Other things work on this same principle. If you walk off a roof you expect to fall and be hurt. If you drive your car into a wall you expect the result to damage your car. If you do not go to classes and prepare for a test you should expect a poor grade. If you do not know how to swim and jump into deep water without a flotation device you should expect a big problem.
Likewise if you smoke you should not be surprised if you develop lung problems. If you consume intoxicating beverages you should not be surprised to become intoxicated and have to deal with a hangover. If you take drugs you should expect to increase your problems in life not reduce them. If you sleep with someone other than your spouse you should not be surprised when you end up with HIV or an STD.
It is the law of the harvest. that which you sow you will reap and the ratio will be many fold that which was sown. If you live a life committed to doing your own thing and that which seems right in your eyes you should not be surprised at the end result.
There is another consideration, those who chose to ignore the Word of God as He has given in the Bible should not be surprised at where they spend eternity. As in all things in this life for each action there is a consequence. As you live each day be mindful of the law of the harvest and you will not be surprised at harvest time.

Canada ..what a country

Canada has all sorts of laws and policies to protect and promote homosexuals, (aka gays). It is a crime to point out in any manner anything negative about the gay lifestyle choice. Those who speak up to point out the cost and consequences to society are accused of promoting hate and are fined, jailed or both.
Now contrast that with the protection offered to young children. It is not only legal to kill any baby while in its "mothers" womb but an encouraged practice. Once partially born it is still okay to choke or cut an incision into base of the baby's head and suck out its brain in order to crush its skull and insure death. By the way no numbing agent is required to minimize the pain.(Talk about cruel makes you wonder how people can be so vile.) But Canada does not stop there any young child can be terminated by its mother without fear of anything more than a little community service work, although it is believed that one mother may have been required to spend a day in jail by a "harsh" judge once.
So two things to remember if traveling to Canada. First remember do not say anything truthful about the homosexual/gay lifestyle or suffer the consequences. Second if you see a woman killing a child do not intervene it may be hers which makes it "acceptable". Canada the land of the barbaric and home of the perverted.
What a country!

To be happy takes change

Happy are those who reverence the Lord God and live to please Him. They will be able to eat and provide for their family rather than living off of government handouts. They will be blessed and it will be go well for them. They will be able to enjoy their children and grandchildren to come. All who reverence the Lord God will be blessed and have peace of mind throughout their life. Those who note their blessings from God will not only be joyful but also content.
The Lord God gave His son Jesus the Christ to die to pay the price for our sin that we might be free from serving the lust of the body for pleasure and self destruction. God has made a way for us to live above the sin of this world by changing those who accept his gift of eternal life from the inside out. Therefore being freed from the normal sin nature those who accept His forgiveness are given a new nature and spiritual sight to understand that which has been, that which is and that which is still to come. All have a choice of remaining spiritually blind and in bondage to the things of the body or accepting God's plan and be given sight to live both for now and eternity. (Check out book of John in the Bible to find that plan.)

Uncontrollable?

Have you ever heard someone say they just couldn't help themselves or maybe said it yourself a few times. Most times people are talking about getting angry and "losing it". (Which also results in making a bad circumstance worst.) The person just "loses control" and yells, curses, screams, gets red faced and sometimes even becomes violent. The response may be aimed at a parent, child, spouse, some other family member, friend or co-worker. Now you may have been provoked and therefore responding incorrectly was easy, however your response was still your choice. This consider the rationale that losing control was not anything that could be stopped from happening.
Consider this circumstance, you are sitting alone in a sound proof room and the room is set to burst into flames if the weight on the chair is reduced by more than 5%. Now the other issue is that your hands have been hooked up to a device that will cut off one of your fingers if you make any noise above your normal breathing level. The test of your self-control is set to last 3 hours. The tester will return at the end of the 3 hours to turn off the devices. You are facing a large flat screen TV with the sound coming through a set of headphones you have on, closed caption is also on. The TV is showing people you know telling what they dislike about you and all of the changes you need to make to become a decent human being as they see it. When the tester returns here are the questions: How many fingers will you still have? Will you need to be rushed to a hospital burn unit? I will venture that you will not have lost a finger and that you would still be sitting in the chair without need for burn treatments. The only reason being that there is no one who can not exercise self-control with the right motivation, the real problem is that many people do not want to control themselves.

Now do you really think that a Holy God will accept you on your terms or His terms. His terms include His son Jesus having died to pay the price for sin. Suggest strongly that you at least check out the book of John in the Bible to find out about the terms God has set. Just as with self-control, the choice is yours.

Signs of problems....

Ball games are better attended than Church services.
People would rather watch TV than study the Bible and pray.
People more concerned with today rather than eternity.
People put their trust in government rather than God.
People spend more time working out than exercising faith in God.
"Gay" marriage is okay and others just want to live together.
Death penalty is condemned but abortion is not.
People want others to pay higher taxes so they can receive more free services.
People are more concerned with themselves rather than the future of our children.
People would rather spend time on Facebook than helping their neighbor.
A political candidate is supported on party affiliation rather than character.
People put self-interest ahead of national interest.
People desire physical pleasure at expense of spiritual understanding.
People talk about God with their mouth and reject by their actions.
People turn to government in the face of natural disaster rather then God.
People would rather believe a lie than the truth.
Moral people are put down and immoral people are lifted up as good examples.
People are offended when challenged to consider where they will spend eternity.
People would rather believe they evolved from a monkey or slime rather than being created by God in His image.
Societies have problems around the world whether we want to admit it or not.

Earthquake reveals

Earthquake that hit east coast of USA revealed that very few were prepared, realized what was happening or really knew what to do during an earthquake. Good news was that the 5.8 quake damage was fairly minor and no building collapses that would have result in injuries and even deaths. All of those people who depend on the government to run their lives and bail them out of problems must also be shaken by revelation that government can not take care of your every need. The government not only did not warn citizens in advance of the quake but had not even put out information on what to do during or how to prepare for an earthquake.
Now USA east coast has been warned to prepare for major hurricane heading north toward it. So government stepped up to give warning, tell them what to do, guess they can only complain that government did not pay someone to come do their preparation for them.
Some people always want someone else to pay their bills and take care of them, they believe that government is all powerful and therefore they trust in the government for everything. Bad news is government is made up of people who tend to put their own self interest ahead of needs of the people. Those who have their minds turned off will never understand the nature of government control or its limited life span. The most important thing in life is to be prepared for the end of your life on this earth. The needed information with instructions are found in the Bible, check it out so you can be prepared for eternity.

Winning the game

The game of chess is an interesting game. The game should be studied and the rules followed. In order to do well at the game you must not only plan your moves in advance but also assess and thereby try to anticipate your opponents moves as well. You have to be willing to sacrifice some of your game pieces in order to accomplish the greater good of coming out ahead and winning the chess game. At times during the game it may appear that you are being badly beaten by your opponent as you have to sacrifice pieces as you attempt to secure control of the game board or lose pieces as you have to react to your opponents moves. A good chess player never loses sight of the ultimate goal of actually winning the game even if they have to lose all but a few game pieces in the process. The object is not to see how many game pieces you have at the end of game but to actually win the game.

Life has some similarities with the game of chess. To win in life you must plan ahead while anticipating opposition which will come in many forms and from many sources. The object at the end of your life is not to see how much you have accumulated during your journey through this life. The object is to be accepted by God and allowed to spend eternity with Him. To win you must know the rules and be willing to face opposition which usually will mean having less than others who are going through life without any plan or concern about the final result. It is always easier to float downstream than to row upstream against the current but to get upstream you must put in the necessary effort to actually get upstream.
To win at life you must know the rules which have been provided by God in the Bible. You must be willing to change your plans to line up with the requirements laid out by God in the Bible and realize it is not how much you have accumulated at the end but where you end up spending eternity that determines whether you have won or lost. Losing at chess is no big deal but losing at life is the ultimate loss that can not be overcome. Plan well and be willing to face opposition and suffer temporary losses remembering the object is to spend eternity with God which is the final victory.

Powder keg

Europe has become a powder keg with a short fuse. People have grown dependent on government handouts to point of pushing their nations to financial ruin. When anyone in government moves to stop the financial suicide there is violence in the streets from those who have become slaves to government taking care of them. Whether in England, Greece, Spain or elsewhere the people look for an excuse to riot and loot to speed up the transfer of goods from those who are willing to work to get ahead and prop up their society inspite of government barriers. The people have come to believe in evolution so much that they have been living and acting like animals for to long. The evidence is overwhelming as you look at the percentage of unmarried people using various bc methods and abortions to handle the children who would not increase their government subsidy. Marriage and strong family ties are dying along with even common morality. The people have grown lazy and immoral which always tends to pair up when people no longer what to retain God in their knowledge. Any nation who refuses to acknowledge and seek God will have wisdom, knowledge and understanding forsake their land. The law of the harvest has not changed, you reap what you have sown. Even seeing this the USA is tracking down the same pathway. But even in dark times there is hope for those who will seek God and allow Him to change them through repentance and faith in His son Jesus the Christ. Seek Him while there is still time for the hour grows late.

Searching

Listen for wisdom and let your desire be to understand and obtain discernment. Look for wisdom as if searching for gold and silver or other hidden treasure. You will know when wisdom has been found when you understand reverential awe of the Lord and find true knowledge of God. The Lord God gives wisdom and from His word we receive knowledge and understanding. God reserves sound wisdom and discernment for the righteous and those who guard the pathway of justice. Discretion will keep you from shame. Understanding will deliver you from the way of evil and the perverse immoral speech of those who do not know God. May you always seek to Know and honor God through His son Jesus the Christ.

The World we live in

Ever wonder what is happening to this world we live in.
The powerful use their power to put down the weak so they can maintain their power.
The rich are willing to lie, cheat and deceive in order to stay rich.
The famous are willing to sell their soul to remain in the public spotlight.
The politicians are willing to tell you anything they think you want to hear in order to retain their elected position.
The obese are willing to deny the facts rather than admit they are addicted to eating.
The liar would rather lie than accept responsibility for their actions.
The poor are willing to accept handouts rather than putting forth the effort needed to improve their circumstances.
The self-centered are willing to harm others rather than care about them.
The homosexuals create lies and spread hate rather than acknowledge their choice to sin is the real problem.
The enablers will excuse the destructive actions of others rather than investing the time and effort required to help them break free of their bondage.
The weak-minded will always follow the PC crowd rather than think for themselves.

Now is it really any wonder our world and culture is in such poor condition.
What do you do when the lights go out....curse the darkness or work to restore the light.
Jesus is the Light of the world and those who walk in the Light must be willing to be reflectors of that Light so that others may find their way. The only hope of real change for our world is that person by person the choice is made to repent of our sin and allow God to change us from the inside out.

Plans...

Got any plans for today? What are they?
How about any plans for tomorrow.
Made plans for next week and ready to roll.
Made your plans or at least started to plan for Christmas.
Plans and goals for next year in place yet.
What about 5 years from now what are you planning.
20 years from now what have you got lined up as to what you plan on doing and goals reached.
After retirement got your plans lined up and prepared to implement.
Okay so far so good right....
Now for the next plan have you prepared for your death.. life insurance, funeral arrangements and burial ready.
Now the most important of all plans, have you planned for your future after your funeral?
You will spend maybe as much as 100 years on this earth that you planned for but what about eternity. Did you plan and are you prepared to live forever with God in Heaven.
Or have you dismissed the need to prepare for eternity and just planning to accept the default location and hope it is not to bad.
The choice to plan or not is yours but remember you will be where you have prepared for in your planning forever.
Plan Well!

Past, Present, Future...

Our present is primarily the result of our past decisions. The choices we make in the present will affect our future. If we do not like how things are going for us in the present then we need to learn from our past decisions which resulted in the things we do not like in the present. Many have taken the path of least resistance, going along with the crowd and the culture. When we look in the wrong place for direction we limit how satisfied we will be with our future. If we make excuses for our past circumstances or try to blame others than our future will be no better than the present.
To have a different future we need to change our present actions, relationships, thought process and make decisions that history has shown to work so there will be no reason for future excuses. It will take time and there are no easy fixes to overcome the poor decisions of the past. We have to change direction while still hindered by our past. With time the harvest of past decisions will diminish. Be patient for in due time present decisions will overcome those of the past. Then we will be on track for a changed future. But a lot of past good can also be overcome by poor decisions in the present.
Commit to change the future with divine help and Godly counsel in the present which will overcome past choices. Remember it will not be quick and amount of time needed will be dependent on how far off the past decisions were. As long as there is life there is hope. The path to a better future begins with a personal relationship with God through His son Jesus Christ today.

There is Hope

Serious health issues battle.....There is Hope.
On the verge of becoming homeless.....There is Hope.
Martial strife and stress overwhelming.....There is Hope.
Children out of control and headed for crash.....There is Hope.
Unemployed and no job prospects in sight.....There is Hope.
Medical bills crushing you.....There is Hope.
Life full of turmoil.....There is Hope.
No joy or peace.....There is Hope.
Drowning in debt with no way out.....There is Hope.
Addicted to alcohol.....There is Hope.
Addicted to other drugs.....There is Hope.
Gambling controlling your life.....There is Hope.
Lust for power, sex, or money controlling your thoughts.....There is Hope.
More expenses than income weighing you down.....There is Hope.
Single and feeling all alone.....There is Hope.
No friends and no one to care about.....There is Hope.
Feeling down or depressed.....There is Hope.
Believe you are worthless or not appreciated.....There is Hope.
Do not care about anything anymore.....There is Hope.
Fearful about your future.....There is Hope.
Tired of things not working out as planned.....There is Hope.
Lost your best friend.....There is Hope.
Having trouble coping with life.....There is Hope.
Feel all is lost.....There is Hope.
Your problem is______________.....There is Hope.

No matter what you face in life there is Hope. The key is to know where real Hope comes from. Real Hope comes from having a personal relationship with God through His son Jesus the Christ. It is both a simple matter but also a difficult thing. Simple because Jesus died to pay the price for your sin so you can be changed from the inside out and be given strength, joy, peace, wisdom with light for your journey through life. Difficult because you have to repent of your sin and by faith accept that God loves you and His son Jesus died and rose from the dead to set you free from the bondage of your sin nature. One born blind can not fully understand sight until their eyes are able to see.
Open the Bible and start reading in the book of John. Ask God to open your eyes that you might have faith to accept the Truth of who He is and allow Him to set you free.

Latest evidence

Wisdom and commonsense are getting more and more difficult to find. Latest evidence of same comes from a recent court case in Florida. Two year old child's decomposed body is found in swamp after being missing for over 6 months. The child was not looked for or reported missing until more than 4 weeks after last being seen. Even then it was not the mother of child who reported the two year old was missing but the grandmother. What was the mother doing you might ask, well she was out partying, clubbing, getting tattoos and lying to police each time she was questioned by police as to where her 2 year old daughter was. After the child's decomposed body was found in the swamp the mother was arrested and finally tried for the death of the child.
The lawyers representing the mother threw out all kinds of garbage and speculation to earn their pay. When the case was finished not one of the 12 jurors voted to convict the mother for the death of her little 2 year old daughter. They justify their decision by saying the death of the child might have been an accident and that the evidence presented did not prove exactly how the child died. Now think about that reasoning, they in effect thought the death might have been an accident set up to look like a murder. The police will be quick to tell you that many a murder has been set up to look like an accident, but never an innocent person staging an accident to make them look like a murderer. Now think about the 'well evidence was not clear on how the child was killed'. It was clear that the child was dead what difference does it make if they were suffocated, stabbed, beat or shot multiple times. Dead is dead and the only difference is how much pain they might have endured before dying.
Now the other evidence is the response by legal community and many in media as well as some in general public. The jurors and legal process are defended based on points of law and how they must prevail in our great judicial system. However think about this, how great can any judicial system be when justice is not the main object in every case nor is it the desired goal.

Freedom is not free

The cost of this nation's freedom from the bondage of England was with the suffering and shed blood of many of her patriots but all did not chose freedom. The Tories chose to fight with England and remain in subjection to her rule. The cost of freedom from the bondage of our nation's slaves was also obtained by the shed blood of many of our citizens. However some chose to continue to live and work on the same plantation for the same master even after their freedom was mandated.
Today many continue to chose to remain in bondage to sin even though the price has been paid for their freedom. The payment for sin was death and God sent His son Jesus the Christ to pay the price. Although Jesus shed his blood to pay the price many chose not to accept the payment. They prefer to remain in bondage to sin and allow it to be their master. Too many would rather believe a lie rather than come to the Truth and repent of their sin accepting forgiveness through the payment made by Jesus.
Have you chosen freedom from sin or to remain in bondage and allow it to be master of your life. Just as freedom is not free, a gift is no good unless it is accepted. May freedom be your choice.

What about you

State of New York confirmed that it has a legislature and Governor that put personal beliefs and supposed financial enrichment ahead of the wishes of the people. Other states have had a few activist Judges who are blinded to truth issue new law edicts but now... Commonsense is in short supply and wisdom is but a memory. With the passage of a law redefining what is to be accepted as a marriage they have quietly placed the final nail in the coffin of sanity and reason for New York state. With acceptance of the vile the road becomes littered with the rotten fruit of that which has been sown. The pathway that started with acceptance of that which God condemned and continued with the allowance of civil unions has now concluded in redefining marriage to be between any two people. Next step will be that marriage can also be between any person and an animal. Why not if your standards are set by man then they will continue to spiral downward to utter depravity.

It is written that God will bring judgement on all sinful, evil men who reject the truth. The truth is known through God given reason and commonsense but they choose to ignore it and push all thoughts of God from their minds. Even though the evidence is so overwhelming that they have to teach the children that there is no real God in order to overcome that which is clearly seen. Still they choose to live a lie rather than accept the truth and acknowledge God. So they will have no excuse when they stand before God on Judgement Day. Yes they know about God but will not admit it or worship Him let alone take time to thank Him for blessings. Instead they think of silly ideas about God and what is required to please Him. The result is their foolish minds have become dark and confused. Claiming to be wise without God they have become utter fools instead. Rather than worshiping the living God they choose to worship their ideas and pleasure. So God has allowed them to go into every sort of sexual sin even to the vile abuse of their bodies. Instead of believing the truth of God and obeying Him they choose to believe lies. Therefore God has given them up to do all sort of evil things with women burning in their lust one for another and men leaving the natural sex relationship with women, choose to burn in lust for other men committing their shameful homosexual acts one with another. So they pay the price within their own body and souls with the penalty for the fulfillment of their evil desires. Being aware of God's death penalty for such wickedness they go ahead and commit their vile deeds and encourage others to do so as well. Society is also paying a high price in health cost both physical, mental and emotional and will continue to do so until those who walk in light stand up to those who stumble in the darkness.

There is still hope but the hour grows late. God loves us and Jesus died to pay for our sin debt but we must choose to acknowledge our sin and repent putting our trust in God as Lord of our lives. Seek the light and you will find it. Deny truth to your own peril.

Characteristics of lifes destination

What do the following have in common.
Jealousy, strife, envying, drunkenness, revelry, murder, hatred, adultery, drug use, worship of things, false teaching, fornication, homosexual impurity, coarse jesting, wrath, rebellious, and liars, all of these are manifestations of an unchanged heart and God says those who do these things will not inherit His Kingdom. God provides this list so no one can say they were fooled by things like being taught He did not exist and they evolved from something that came from nothing. However those who repent and accept the forgiveness of God offered through the payment for sin provided by Jesus the Christ will be changed and able to enter Heaven. The evidence of those who have been changed are manifest by lives of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control. These things usually result in the followers of Christ being called intolerant, bigots and the like, but God calls them His children. How we choose to live our lives is up to us but God wants us to make an informed decision. Study of the Bible allows for that informed choice but you have to also choose to get informed. Remember life is short and eternity is forever.
Yes, the above may be controversial but not sharing facts will not change the facts and failure to share would be a characteristic of the first list not of the second.

Dad

This is a tribute to my Father on this Fathers day here in the USA. Thanks for always being there for me whether to play a game or just making time to spend with me no matter how tired your were. Thanks for the little things like taking me shopping and stopping for ice cream. Thanks for helping me with collage expenses and working on my car to get it running again. Thanks for driving 3 hours to pick up my friend and I when the car engine blew, even though it meant you would only have a couple of hours to sleep before going to work. Thanks for taking me to church each time the doors were open and living a life committed to God and our family even when not easy in tough financial times. Thanks for always being there for me and loving me with your actions not in empty words. Thanks for being faithful to mom and instructing us kids in how to not just earn a living but in how to live well by honoring God with our lives. Thanks for being a Godly example not only at church but at home and work. Words can not express how blessed I am because God provided you as my dad. Thanks for being such a GREAT DAD! All of us will always love you for who you are.

Who gets remembered?

Who gets remembered... Consider this that a year after a funeral service it is not those who where rich or into their career, investment portfolio, fancy cars, expensive home, prestige, me first attitude, pleasure seeking, yacht owning, country club setting, its all about me person that gets remembered.
The person who will be remembered not only in one year but thought of fondly a decade after their funeral is the person who took care of their families needs before their own, visited the sick, helped not only the poor but those who needed someone to take time to care about them as an individual and show them real love. The person who did not try to get ahead by putting others down and was always willing to help meet a need or just be there for someone during their hard times. The person who did not seek to be the center of attention but tried to make sure no one felt left out at a social gathering or in a work environment. The person who could be called on whenever there was a need and they would rearrange their schedule to help meet the need and do so happily, being a blessing without thought thereof. So if we all realize that it is the people who lived a life of service to others rather than themselves that are remembered, makes you wonder why so few choose to commit their life to serving others. The essence of service boils down to those who are willing to not only acknowledge God and His love for people but those who are willing to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Those who have repented of their sin and received forgiveness through Jesus the Christ have been freed from being self-absorbed to become others directed. What is your choice, remember life is short and eternity is forever.

Good decisions required

Good financial health requires planed action, right choices, debt avoidance, good work ethic, self-control, and commitment. These requirements are manifest through honest assessment of needs vs wants, prioritizing of needs in order to plan necessary purchases to enhance opportunity for savings, research of products or services in order to make good choices, not giving in to temptation for impulse actions, not borrowing funds on depreciating items thereby reducing interest payment, putting in work required to generate income, stay committed to avoiding out of control living and thereby achieve financial health.
In like manner to have good spiritual health there are some requirements. You must first acknowledge that all that is did not happen by chance but was created by God. Next you must seek to know what God requires of you by study of the Bible which reveals His plan for mankind. By repenting of your sin and accepting the payment made by Jesus the Christ for that sin you will be changed from the inside out and be given understanding of truth with light see the right path for your life avoiding the traps and pitfalls of immoral bankrupt living. Through daily Bible study and conversation with God through prayer you will grow in wisdom and favor with God. Commitment to serving God allows His peace and love to flow in and through you so that you are not only blessed but are a blessing to others. God loves us and wants to grant eternal life to all, He provides in the Bible all the information needed to make correct decision. He even points out how few will chose the narrow path that leads to eternal life with Him and warns that many will stay on the broad pathway that leads to living death entering into the wide gate of eternal suffering. But God has given us a free will and therefore leaves the choice up to us as to where we want to spend eternity.
When you look around you see many paying the price for poor financial decisions and many others who have not learned from the easily seen mistakes of those around them. So it is with the spiritual the examples are limitless in the lives of those on the broad pathway who have chosen to remain thereon, apparently wanting to do it their way in spite of the love of God and His desire for them to have an overcoming life that ends in victory with Him through His son Jesus paying their sin debt.
May you obtain good financial health in this life, but let the primary focus be on securing good spiritual health. The choice is ours to make but choose well for this life is short and eternity is forever.

Never seem to learn

Time passes but people never seem to learn. From Presidents, Governors, Senators, Congressmen, Sports Stars, International power brokers, etc. too many to name with multiples to represent each group. With political power, fame, money, celebrity or position of authority too many times those who obtain such status start to feel they are special and entitled to live to please themselves and are so powerful that no one will ever discover their illegal conduct or immoral lifestyle. The end is always the same, their secret conduct is found out and broadcast around the world. Their families are embarrassed, friends and supporters wonder how it was discovered and are dismayed that their anointed one is now tarnished. Forgotten to often is that hypocrisy may be covered for a time but in time will be revealed and made known. That which is done in the secret place under the cover of darkness, will be found by the light and the secret revealed to all carried by the airwaves and printed page for all the world to know. People who think they are little gods have become like fools not realizing that there is a Holy God who is the final Judge. We are warned not to fear any man who can only kill the body but instead we should fear and reverence God who is able not only to kill the body but cast the soul into hell. When someone does not wish to retain God in their knowledge they start down the path of self-destruction which always ends in ruin. Their is hope for those who will repent and turn from their sin seeking the forgiveness of God through a personal relationship with His son Jesus the Christ. It is the same for all no matter their position or status in life, God is not a respecter of persons, but offers forgiveness and peace to all who accept.

Self-Worth

What value do you place on yourself or do you allow others to decide your value. If you value yourself higher than others you will have few real friends and be a real challenge to those who must come into contact with you. You will most likely be prideful and boastful, while rarely being truly content. On the other hand if you let others determine your self-worth you will ride an emotional roller coaster and never feel you are of value, unless you are pleasing others. You will be easily discouraged and subject to periods of feeling down or depressed. Schools now try to instill feelings of self-worth into students, even to the extreme of not wanting to keep score in games. Sometimes they even consider not grading students on test or exams, but then what purpose would they really serve. Where we get our self-worth from will determine how we handle our life experience, so it is important that we have correct self-worth. Our value should be based on fact we were created in image of God and that He loves us so much that His son Jesus the Christ died to pay the price for our sin. That being the case we then will realize that no one is more important than someone else, all are of equal value where it counts - with God.
Now accept your value and the forgiveness of sin that Jesus has paid for already and desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of God. With properly understood self-worth you will not only be a blessing to those around you but be blessed.

Willing to be a mirrior?

Have you noticed that there are times you can not do what you want to do. Do you sometimes struggle to understand why that is. When it comes to your personal relationship with God through Jesus you must be willing to wait. Waiting is not easy but many times necessary to allow us to get ready for the next phase of our lives. Sometimes you can see clearly where God is leading and it is full speed ahead, but there are also times when there is doubt in understanding God's guidance. It is in those times of doubt that you must be ready to wait for God to make the way clear. When the way is clear you must move forward and follow God's clear guidance, no matter whether you want to or not. It could be something as simple as ending a personal or business relationship that is stunting your spiritual growth and development. It could be a family member or long time friend who does not care for the deeper things of God or maybe does not want to have anything to do with God. It may be time to break away from those negative relationships and allow God to grow you as he works in their lives. It is not easy to take a stand or to redirect your social networks. However, we are not called to a natural devotion to Christ but to a supernatural one that leads us on to a higher calling. It is through obeying the clear direction of God that allows us to become mirrors for the love of Christ.

Clouds of Fog

Many who have not been changed by the Spirit of God believe the teachings of Jesus to be not only simple but for the simple minded. But for those who have been changed the dense cloud of fog lifts and the light of the word of God begins to shine through that they may be able to see truth. The more that the teachings of Jesus are studied the stronger the sight becomes. Many pretend to have sight but they show they are still surrounded by the fog with their flippant attitudes toward and seaming familiarity with the things of God. Those who have been introduced to and have a personal relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior understand with reverence the great price that was paid so they could have that relationship. They delight in the liberty given from the power of sin over their lives. God gives life and His spirit to those who have been changed from the inside out. Jesus words are spirit and life to all who will accept Him by faith. Those who will walk in the light rather than stumble in the clouds of fog must renounce their self directed life. It must be replaced with a Spirit directed life which is possible only through a completely surrendered life to God and His word. Truth will come by hearing and the hearing comes through the word of God.(Bible)

Never ceases to amaze

God never ceases to amaze. Just as I was giving serious consideration to reduce some of my time pressures and fatigue by quit blogging for a while, received message which showed that is not where the time should be saved. Started blogging because people are important to God as shown by Jesus His son dying to pay the price for our sin. That kind of love requires those that have experienced it to be willing to do the same. People must come first even before our own comfort. To everything there is indeed a season and a time, but it is not now the time to quit as it relates to blogging.
So will continue to try to post each week and visit blogs to invest in the lives of those who must be more important to me than time for myself. God is good and all need to know of His love for us especially in these dark times. May you find the Light for your journey through life.

Whose way will it be

Knowledge begins with respect for the Lord, but fools hate wisdom and discipline. Study the Bible for instruction in wisdom and let it teach you in the way of Truth
and do not forget it's advice on life. Make it a part of your apparel like a necklace or a watch that it might remind you through out the day of the beauty of the creation of God and that all time is God's time. Be warned that the teaching of man will try to lead you away from Truth into things that are pleasing to self at the expense of eternity. Always remember that Truth is not relative and does not change with time, knowledge can be increased and wisdom can be gained but always through Truth. With Truth comes the knowledge and wisdom to live a disciplined life, one that needs not to be regretted. To know and have a personal relationship with Jesus the Christ is to have Truth because Jesus is Truth.
Live your life to it's fullest potential by living it as an offering of service to God and you will not only be blessed but a blessing to those around you. Two choices for life God's way or our way, all start with our own way but it is how we finish that counts.

3 in a row

Over past 3 weeks a former co-worker, father of a friend and my aunt all died. One per week, 2 from cancer and 1 from heart failure. Death will come one day to us all. I have seen the young die and the old along with those in between. Not one of them knew in advance the day they would die but each knew that upon death they would have to stand before a Holy God. Two of them acted on that knowledge to insure they were ready and one had not. That which has past can not be changed but if you are able to read this you can still make the change to insure you are ready when your last day comes. The key is will you be prepared to stand before God when your time is up, have you accepted the forgiveness of your sin by faith in Jesus the Christ who died to pay the price for that sin. Many have not because they do not see the need to repent and allow God to change them nor are they willing to count the cost. How about you?

Not just another book

About the only book that people want to ban or otherwise remove from public discourse is the Bible. It seems to strike fear in the hearts of the elites, progressives, others in academia, the media and now many in the general public. If it is just a book what is the big deal with it being read, studied or discussed. Maybe the problem is simply that if it is true then we will have to give an account for how we have lived our lives. We may also have to answer for why we did not humble ourselves to God Himself and repent from our sins. Why not accept His forgiveness and allow Him to change you from inside out so you can follow His path for your life. This might be a very scary concept for those who seek to control their own life. Many do not believe in prayer while at same time hoping they are not wrong. The Bible talks about dark days and warns us of the signs of the times, are you paying attention to the news and what is occurring all around you. What is needed is a little faith to look for wisdom and to know Truth when it confronts us. May God grant you sight to see in the darkness and faith to allow Him to change you through faith in His son Jesus the Christ. Grab a Bible while it is still legal in your country(if already outlawed you will have a tough time securing one) and read it to see why so many are afraid of it....

The unacceptable Word

Had to just shake my head in wonder as I listened to the news regarding movie theaters who decided not to run a 30 second ad spot. A 30 second ad spot had been purchased and paid for in advance to promo upcoming Event at a local organization. Although had not been problem in prior years, this year it became a big issue due to the content of the Ad. Apparently in other years the theaters had just been happy to take the money and run the ad spot for the annual event with out paying any attention to the content. Theaters who are willing to show anything to make money are normally not concerned with video images or language unless off the chart regarding any hint of decency.
Apparently this was the year they decided to take a stand to protect the movie goers from the vile and indecency of over the top ad spots. The local organization ad for the annual event was caught in this new found concern for the customers of the theaters. The line had been drawn in the sand the theaters could take no more. The organization had crossed the line of decency and used a word that can not be tolerated. A word so strong that it must be censored even if they had to refund the money for the Ad. That word was actually a name and the organization was a local Church. The offensive vile word used in the ad inviting people to attend the annual Easter service held at the Church was ...are you ready for this ....JESUS.
Now it is written that the time will come when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that JESUS is Lord to the glory of God. But that time has not arrived yet. However there are some who are prepared and ready for that day. Are you ready for that time?

Question

What do you do when you have maxed out your credit to point it will be next to impossible to pay off in your lifetime?
The primary choices are:
A. Eliminate everything in your budget that is not critical to survive.
B. Get free expert help on what to cut out of your budget and prioritize the debt to pay off most critical first.
C. Enhance your revenue by taking a second Job and begin major spending reductions.
D. Contract with expensive experts to perform a comprehensive evaluation of your financial condition and disregard most of the findings.
E. Find ways to get more credit and continue to increase your spending.
F. Find creative ways to get more income by taking advantage of the law and cheating/stealing the resources of your neighbors.
G. Postpone making tough decisions and plan on leaving the debt for your children and grand-kids to pay.
H. Blame everyone else for your financial condition and delay addressing your problem.
I. Deny that you have a spending problem because if other people would give you more of their funds your debt would be manageable.
J. Demand a higher credit limit each time you reach it and continue to increase spending.
K. Find everyone that you believe is rich and try to make them guilty for your credit problems by forcing them to pay for your poor decisions until they have no funds left.
L. If you employ anyone increase their pay and benefits and worry about where the money will come from later.
M. For anyone you employ who is not getting their job done properly, hire more workers to help them do the work whether it needs to be done or not.

So question remains what do you do when you are on verge of financial collapse?

But the current question is what does your government believe the answers are to addressing financial collapse?

Use the above list to determine what you would do and to guess which ones your elected government officials will use.

To many

America has to many elected leaders who are intent on following the old European model of socialism. Our people have discovered that they can take from the "rich" and use the taxes (legally stolen money) for their own personal benefit. With each new social program or government funded project comes not only an increased tax burden, but staggering national debt. The media and progressives go hysterical if anyone dares to propose a slow down in spending increases. We have forgotten that debt is simply the mortgaging of the future for immediate gratification. The cost of each spent borrowed dollar is our future freedom, as with all debt there comes the enviable day it must be repaid. If we default as a nation there is no filing for bankruptcy protection only the prospect of runaway inflation, anarchy or even the takeover by nation(s) holding our debt. We have traveled far down the road of no return with social medicine and high unemployment our citizens will be locked into complete dependence on government from the cradle to the grave. Our freedoms will be controlled by the social elites. The Bible instructs us to pray for those in authority and not only have we not prayed but we actually freely elected those who would enslave us to be our leaders. May God grant us sight and the good sense to repent and pray for leaders who care for our nation and not themselves. Pray that those we have put in authority over us will seek wisdom from God and remember they will answer for their actions.

Close Call "collapse avoided"

To hear all the media and politicians talk our nation was getting ready to go over the cliff to an almost doomsday like event. Now what was it that was going to cause this national suicide? The spending ourselves into poverty, continued sustained record level unemployment, burdensome government regulations, high tax burden on our economy, or trying to cut government spending....well no none of these. What about the moral decay in our nation, killing of our babies, gambling, unrestrained homosexual activity, gay marridge, houses of prostitution, crooked politicians, corrupted judicial system, or the attempt to remove any concept of God from our nation....well no not exactly(God has however warned us these will bring judgment on a nation). Now you ask what is left that could have caused our nation to collapse?
Are you ready for this - here it is - "a government shutdown". Now personally think that the government being closed for a few weeks would be a good thing. Maybe our people would wake up to the fact that a lot of our problems are the result of to much government not to little. Most of what our government does are things it should not be involved in, way past the essentuals like national defense, a fair judicial system and a modest revenue stream to cover only that which our people are not able to do through private enterprise.
We have strayed so far from the intent of our founding fathers I wonder if they would even recognize our nation as being the one they risked their lives for.

Sports and Society

With the final four of March madness now here what about sports place in our society. Sports have long been held up as a good way to keep kids out of trouble and teach values that will help through out life.(This used to be done at home and in Church.) Somewhere along the way something got flipped and no one paid much notice or just did not care. Think about the following everyday happenings in sports.
Watch a basketball game and you will notice that the last 2 minutes of the game is forever as the losing team usually resorts to breaking the rules(cheating)by fouling opposing team in attempt to "win" the game. The game announcers wonder why the coach is waiting so long to try to extend the game by telling players to start committing fouls(break rules) in attempt to pull off a win. Sadly this happens in basketball at all levels from children rec leagues to pro basketball. In football coaches will have players fake being hurt if out of timeouts in order to stop the clock or call timeouts in attempt to affect opposing kicker (rather than as intended to confer with their team or correct a problem) hoping to increase chance of "winning" the game. Listen to TV announcer comments of it's not a penalty if referee doesn't throw a flag or a foul is not called. Coaches who punish injured players because they will not risk their long term health to practice or play hurt so the coach can get another win.
Ask yourself do you want to play a game with someone who breaks the rules(cheats) to "win" and do you really want to associate with that type of person.
Remember the old saying of - cheaters never win and winners never cheat -. We now have a generation that believes - get ahead at any cost and winning is all that matters- since you only go around in this life once so get all you can anyway you can.
To many institutions in our society have a win at any cost mentality. We should therefore expect corrupt elected officials, corporate greed, tax cheats, embezzlement, employee thief, shoplifting, insurance fraud, crooked repair shops, fraud & abuse of government service programs, etc. People will make promises but what matters is whether it is in the contract.
Now you have an idea of why belief in evolution is so important in our society, it is a very disturbing thought to many that we were created by God. God means accountability and Holy Judgment for how we have lived our lives including our thoughts. A real scary thought for any who have not studied the Bible to determine how to have a personal relationship with God through His son Jesus.
The stakes can get no higher than to reject the Bible as God's word and be wrong.

What about the Bible

The Bible contains both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is primarily a historical account of God working in history from creation through the message of a Savior to be born of a virgin in Bethlehem a town located in Judea. The New Testament covers the time just before and the events surrounding the birth of Jesus the Son of God through his death burial and resurrection. It continues with the establishment of the church, the giving of the Spirit of God to all followers of Christ and concludes with the revelation of that which is still to come at the end times. The Bible shows us that God is the ultimate source and sum of all history. It reveals His plan for the salvation of mankind through repentance of sin with confession of Jesus as Lord believing that God raised Him from the dead. Therefore the Bible is not only sacred scripture but one story, with the Old Testament being the foundation for the New Testament redemption and revelation by God of what is to come. Some may not believe in God and God Himself states that all who come to Him must do so by faith believing He is and that He will reward all those that seek Him. Without faith it is impossible to please Him.
The Bible warns us that there is a way that seems right to mankind but the end of that way is death. The Bible states that everyone will give an account of themselves to God. It is appointed unto men once to die but after that is judgment because the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. Many do not believe the Bible and therefore they do not care about what it has to say. However it is written those that believe on Jesus are not condemned but those who do not believe are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God. Jesus told us that He was the way the truth the life and no one could come unto the Father but by Him.
Some wonder about the God who gave us the Bible and whether to acknowledge Him as God because of the Old Testament accounts of Judgment for sin. Many take issue with the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of sexual perversion. God shows Himself to be Holy and therefore sin must be judged and God demonstrated His Love for us in that while we are sinners He gave His son to die for our sins. Many will still say what a harsh God but I say what a loving God who was willing to pay our sin debt so we could be free from the bondage and penalty of sin. God does not force Himself on us but has made a way for us to escape the punishment for our sin but allows us to choose. Harsh would be God not giving us the facts and cover for us the ramifications of our choice. He warns us that we are condemned already if we do not accept Jesus as our Savior. He also warns us that those who retain their sin will spend eternity separated from Him in lake of fire with total darkness. Jesus said it was a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. The Bible also tells us of a place called Heaven. All who accept the payment made by Jesus for sin will be allowed to live for all eternity because of acceptance of His redemption plan. Forgiveness of sin is possible because of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Now we can believe or not the choice is ours, we get to decide. we can reject God and His plan for our redemption for whatever reason/excuse we find convenient but do not blame God for where you spend eternity. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen and through faith we understand that everything that is was created by God so that things which are seen were not made of things that are visible. As for whether you have sinned or not remember even unbelief is sin as we are told to love the Lord God with all of our heart, soul and mind. This is the greatest commandment & the second is like it - we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Consider well the cost of not accepting the Bible as the word of God.

Home?

It is nice to get away with family and change the pace for a while. Great to be home from trip south and back to sleeping in own bed. However the thought hit that really am not home yet. The home, bed, etc really are not mine but on loan from God. When my last breath is taken or God determines someone else should have them they will be passed on. We brought nothing into this world and will take nothing out when we leave. Life truly is short and it is amazing how good God is to us. When we consider how Holy God is and how much He hates sin, all the good that comes our way is definitely due to the grace of God. The Bible(check out John chapter 3) tells us just how much God does in fact love us and am one who is grateful that we do not have to do anything to merit His Love or grace. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift! May the grace of God fill your journey through this life.

A season for everything

To every thing there is a time. A time for life and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to tear down and a time to build, a time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to celebrate, a time to recycle and a time to collect. A time to gain and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to rip apart and a time to mend, a time to love and a time to hate. A time to feast and a time to fast, a time to sleep and a time to be awake. A time to sit and a time to stand. A time for war and a time for peace, a time to keep silence and a time to speak. There is a season and time for every purpose under Heaven. As you look around at the events of our day, do you know what time it is? I submit that is time to wake up and time to speak up so that our land may hear the roar of the chains of debt and the silence of lost freedom. It is time to repent of our sins and apathy. It is time to pray that God would heal our land and bless our nation again. It is a time of action, to stand up and be counted. It is time to take our country back from those who seek to destroy all that is right or holy. May God give you the boldness to speak up and be silent no more!

Faithfulness not popularity

Take time to care about other people because they are important and loved by God Himself. However some will be offended because you dared to care. Therefore do not let it concern you if you are rejected or misunderstood. People have been given a freewill by God to believe and live as they choose. So show them love by at least challenging their thought process with the other side of the story regarding the choices made. Focus on God and the Bible, but allow them to make their own choices. We should continue to care about people and pray for them while honoring their request to be left alone. Each person is special and of equal importance no matter their age, race, nationality, or gender. So provide information about God and how His son Jesus the Christ died for our sins so we would not have to pay the price. Do not be offended if someone does not care enough about themselves to consider the ramification of rejecting God. Be ready to answer questions and always be ready to help, but when someone simply wants to be left alone then honor the request. Never forget that if you have been changed by God, you also wanted space and had to come to God when you were ready to accept His love not when others thought you should. Part of being created in the image of God includes having a free will to choose to accept or reject Jesus Christ as our Lord. The Bible tells us that there are two pathways and where they end, but we must allow people to choose for themselves even when they choose the wide path. God states that few will take the narrow path that leads to eternal life with Him. Be a light on the narrow path so others will consider and some will turn and change paths. God will always honor their choice so who are we not to respect their decision. Just pray, love and be light for those you come into contact with. Faithfulness not popularity is the goal.

HEALTH CARE COST

Health care with its skyrocketing cost and an irresponsible society is bankrupting our nation. Consider some the problems. Forget the need for tort reform or insurance and pharmaceutical company issues. Instead start with one of the most obese societies in the world and the foundation for high medical care cost is solid. With a high percentage of smokers, consumers of alcohol and other drugs, legal or otherwise. Mental health care has become a staple in most insurance plans. Sexually transmitted diseases of all types. How about the most expensive cost over the last 30 years in HIV/AIDS, brought to us primarily through the "gay" lifestyle. By the way remember that little lie that "what adults do in the privacy of their own home does not affect anyone else" so no harm no foul. Close to a trillion dollars later the public still believes that media supported lie.(Now the most devastating life style in history is being promoted as a normal healthy way to live.)
We live in a society that wants to pop a pill for every health issue they encounter. Some do not indulge themselves, they try to live healthy lifestyles by eating to live rather than living to eat and living moral lives. However they are expected to cover the cost of those who refuse to take responsibility for their own lifestyle choices. The failure to exercise any self-control is a leading cause of the health care problem in our country. The failure of the individual to take responsibility for their own actions has allowed the liberal elitist to use the political system and the media to hijack our republic. The elitist want to change our republic into a socialist nation with power maintained by those who control the government.

The only hope for our nation now lies with the Church. A spiritual awaking to Godly living from the pulpit to the pews could still influence our society to reconsider the cost of Godless living but time grows short. Those who claim to be followers of Christ need to repent so that God will hear our prayers and save this nation and her people.
Some choose to put their trust in man/government but I choose to put mine in God. Who do you trust?

Want to be Blessed?

Blessed are the merciful because they will be given mercy.
Blessed are the mild mannered, they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who mourn because they will be comforted.
Blessed are those who are humble in spirit, for they will know the kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness for they will receive full satisfaction of life.
Blessed are the clean of heart because they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers because they will be known as children of God
Blessed are those who are hated and falsely accused because of their love and service to God. They will receive a great reward in Heaven.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because they live a righteous lifestyle for of such is the kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who trust in God.
Blessed are those who help the helpless for they will be delivered in their time of trouble.
Blessed are those who give rather than those who seek to receive.
Blessed are those who read and follow the word of God.

How many people in your life not only are blessed but are a blessing to others.
Are you Blessed and therefore a blessing to those around you?
Being Blessed is a choice, choose to know God. Allow God to change you from the inside out through His son Jesus the Christ and you will live a life that is Blessed and pleasing to God.

Closer look

When we take a close look at ourselves, examine what we are about, and what is truly important to us we may be surprised at the answer.
First look at how we spend our time, how much time is spend watching tv, movies, playing video games or on the computer, what about reading books, magazines, taking naps, exercising, hobbies, sports, parties, the mall or just shopping, playing golf, etc. Do you spend time in prayer, studying the Bible, attending/involvement in church or related activities, helping others just because they need it, volunteering just to express love/concern for people. Not volunteering for any reason other than your spirit directs you to in order to build personal relationships with others so they know they are important.
What about your finances, when you review where your money was spent, how much for basic life necessities, then what about cable/sat tv, cell phone, newspaper, DVDs/Blu-Rays, Internet svc, entertainment, vacation getaways, fancy restaurants, new car/SUV payment, over extended house payment, boat, credit card interest, clothing to be in style, etc and saving/investments for whatever. Compare that to how much do you give to church, non-profit ministries/organizations that help others, donate to college scholarships programs,(not to name a building) or just help someone with a need.
How much mirror time, picking clothes, shoes, fixing hair, and hopefully only for ladies doing nails, coordinating of outfit with handbag, jewelry/ear rings and lip stick. (ie it's all about me)
Ever notice when someone says I just don't have time, what they usually mean is what is being talked about just isn't that important to them. (We make time for the things that do really matter to us.)
Now review to see what is really important to you and hopefully the answer does not reflect that you are first and follow your own path. Life is short and eternity is forever. There but two paths, our pathway and the pathway God would have us follow. If you are on the wrong path it is not to late to turn and seek the pathway God has for you. However time to change is growing short.

Got Power?

Coming home this week to a house with no power(due to high winds) gets you to thinking of how easy it is to take something for granted. House was without lights, cooler, no computer, no TV, power water dispenser not working, etc. Of course the good news was it was not your typical winter day and there was sill some sunlight left to at least keep house from being totally dark. (Also thanks to the windows.) It is easy each day when we get home and every thing is as it should be to really remember to be thankful for electrical power.
In life we have to be careful not to take those around us for granted but to be truly thankful for them.(Yes that includes the in-laws also if you have some.) Many times it takes sickness, injury, death, etc to make us stop and remember to thank God for our loved ones. Also along those lines too many take the love, patience and grace of God for granted. God does love us and allowed His son Jesus to die to pay our sin debt so we would not have to. But if we deny Jesus and his payment in how we live our lives, he will be forced to deny us when we stand before God at the final judgment. Without God in our life we have no power and it will be evidenced by how we live just as my home reflected the evidence of no power. Does your life reflect that you are plugged into God and receiving power to live an overcoming life.

Pretenders among us

Driving home from work I heard spot talk promo ad by a morning national radio show host. It was one I do not listen to due to his crude, rude, debase behavior, ie I chose to exercise my right to listen to another station during his time slot.
What stood out was his promo talking about all the hateful email received because on his bashing Christians. He noted that the worst mail he received was from Christians. I doubt seriously if he knows any real Christians. Therefore could he even tell the differences between "christian" pretenders and the real thing. Some food for thought on the characteristic of the true Christian.
Many people do want to put God in an emergency box for use as needed and yet believe all is well since they have the "right" religion. What is forgotten is that Christianity is more than religion it is a relationship with God Himself through His Son. Christian actually means to be like Christ who loved us and died to pay our sin debt. The Point being a pretender is an affront to God and the Bible states that God will remove them in time as vomit is removed when one is sick. It is not sickening to God to deal with those who do not claim to know Him. But it is when those who have read and heard the truth of His love and grace, think they can in effect mock God with their lifestyles and conduct toward others. Claiming to love Him, they become barriers to others finding His forgiveness and love. I used term "christian pretender" rather then common use of the single word christian. When one claims to be a christian but is not Christ like they are in effect nothing more than an actor/actress. You see an actor/actress after all is simply pretending to be someone they are not but that does not make them who they are pretending to be. Only God creates the real Christian by remaking them in the image of His son Jesus the Christ. Faith hope and love always mark the life of the real Christian. Heaven is not for pretenders, even the best ones will not enter.

Troubled times

President Obama is always willing to lecture other countries on how they should conduct their affairs. Like now with Egypt telling Mubarak to do the right thing, ie step aside for the Muslim Brotherhood so 80 million can become controlled by about 5 million nut jobs. Obama would have you believe that demonstrators should be heeded when violent actions or rioting and looting is involved. Iran has its primary leader expressing the same sentiment noting the uprising is the appropriate response. Excellent company for President Obama to be in. When the people of Iran were demonstrating peacefully in the streets against their harsh government Obama had no words of support for them. He had no words of wisdom for Iranian leaders to do the right thing. What was his reaction to large number of tea party people organizing peaceful meetings in opposition to his great betrayal of his campaign promises? He called them every name in the book and refused to do the right thing. It must be that the peaceful demonstrators in USA and Iran were not heeded since they were not rioting and looting. Government purpose should always be to look out for the best interest of the people not the government leaders.
Correct position would too have been to point out problems in Egypt before the Muslim Brotherhood could take the streets. In Iran he should have spoken out on behalf of the oppressed Iranian people. In USA he should practice what he preaches by listening to and being the President of all the people not just the far left.
Troubled times are stirring around the world. Ongoing volcanic eruptions, major national flooding, severe winter weather with record cold and snow fall(global warming), combined with the violent unrest generated by radical Muslim groups the window for change is beginning to close.
It is not to late yet but the hour grows late, when will we learn. To find Hope for a better future check out the Bible.

What is Truth

Truth, you may have read the dictionary definition just like everyone else but have you really thought about what is true. If you ask someone to define truth you will get words like...something that is a fact, accepted to be right or correct, etc. While the answers you get mirror the dictionary definition most people do not use it when they receive information. What most tend to do is accept something as truth if it is close to what they already think or does not conflict with how they want to conduct their life. So when for instances subject of global warming is discussed as a fact most accept it as such even though it is just a theory(and not a very good one at that). If you think about it you could come up with many other examples. You see one of the problems with the definition is the "accepted to be right or correct" which would indicate that something is true just because the majority of people believe it to be so. Another problem is that today many theories are being passed off as facts which if you base your knowledge on, you will end up with wrong decisions. The issue comes down too is that truth will not change and it does not matter if it is accepted as right or correct. That which is true remains true whether or not it is accepted as such. In other words whether or not we believe or want something to be true does not change whether it is true or not.
So if something can be changed or is not right in all cases it is not true. Truth is unchanging and eternal or it is not truth. Again what is believed to be true or not does not affect whether it is true or not. The interesting thing is that just over two thousand years ago the Bible tells us that Jesus stated that he was truth and the only way to God. Now whether we choose to believe that he is truth does not change whether it is true or not. So the issue becomes what is the ramification for accepting what he said as truth and allowing that to control our lives compared to rejecting him as a liar and therefore he could not be the way to God. Or you could just reject that there is a God and and conduct your life based on what you believe to be true. The question remains that truth will remain true no matter what we accept as correct therefore the bottom line remains, what is the ramification for being wrong regarding truth. If it is true that you will live for eternity can you really afford to be wrong on whether Jesus is the truth. Better to think about it now rather than regret making a wrong choice for all eternity. The choice is yours and not making a decision is making a choice by default.

Unrest

If you are not keeping up with the news you should start doing so. The problems in Egypt, Jordon, added to Ireland, Greece, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Mexico, Columbia, Venezuela, France and Lebanon just to name a few will affect most of the world with oil prices leading the way before the more problematic issues hit. The unrest can not just be blamed on Islam, since some of the countries named have very minor Islamic presence in the nation. The problems run deep but the root cause is common to all including nations who currently are not exhibiting many symptoms. The unrest currently around the word is fast approaching a tipping point similar to the 1930s. Check your history for those who fail to learn from it are doomed to repeat it. Also suggest you read the Bible for a better understanding of what is occurring and direction needed to change the course. While there is still time Prepare!

Working too much?

How do you know that you are working too much. Do you spend 55+ hours per week, week after week after week at your job? When you finally get to be home are you doing office work? When you take time off are you checking in on your work, even on vacation? Do you stop by your job on Holidays? Does your work have your home phone number and personal cell number to call when you are off? Do you think about your job when you are not mentally engaged in something else? Do you find yourself tired when you get to be home even before you start any home chores? Are you too tired to make time to exercise? If you sit to watch TV do you find your eyes trying to close?
Do you have trouble finding time to post on your blog or read other blogs?
If your answers to the prior questions are yes, you are working too much. Will confess to having to answer yes also.
Therefore new goal needs to be how can some of the issues be addressed so the answers will be no. All need to remember that unless our job is full time ministry, we nee to free up some time that can be used to serve others and please God through that service. May you develop time not just for family but also for service.

Absence of Light

Ever think about what is darkness anyway. The Simple answer is that it is just an absence of light. Could you imagine a world with no sun to provide light. 24/7 any light would have to be carried with you so you could find your way. Lots of people do not mind dark places but few can take extended periods of total darkness without going somewhat crazy unless they are sleeping. Even night vision goggles require some light to magnify or they are useless. When there is little or no light for sustained periods it can be depressing and hard to function. Very few indeed would choose to live in such a world if they have a choice. Even one who is totally blind enjoys the sunshine though they can not see it. The blind learn to adapt and function well but if given the choice to see again, who would refuse the chance to see and remain blind. Darkness limits mobility and the ability to function. What would be thought of a person who would choose to remain blind rather than have sight. If a person was born without any sight having always been totally blind and lived with others who were also born blind how could you convince any of them that they should undergo surgery on their eyes so they could see. They would think you were a crazy one since you were one of the few odd ones who claimed to be able to see things that they thought did not exist. They would most likely laugh and ridicule you for such a strange concept as having sight.
Now you might say that this is just a crazy thought as people who were blind in a world of darkness would be quick to want change. Why you think they would jump at any chance to see what could not be seen while being blind. Now let us consider such a thought.
The Bible tells us that Jesus is the Light of the world and that those who do not believe in him live and walk in darkness. The Bible teaches us that without faith in Jesus we can not understand spiritual things and can not enter Heaven. Jesus said that people love darkness more than light because their deeds are evil. In other words people choose not to believe because they do not want to repent and be changed by God so they can see and understand spiritual things. Just like the person born blind living with others born blind has a problem believing they need eye surgery so all born in spiritual darkness have problem believing they need God to perform heart surgery so they can understand spiritual things.
Will you choose to remain in spiritual darkness or will you allow God to change you from the inside out so you will have spiritual light.
The choice is yours to choose light or to remain in darkness. May you choose well for an eternal life of light.

One week down

A week into 2011 already, time for self assessment as to what changes have been made to get a better outcome then what was experienced in 2010. If last year you tried to do things your way, how did that work out for you. If last year you tried to do things partially your way and partially with God, how did that work out. After considering these things what needs to be done different if you want different results. Think about the third option for 2011 of changing to seeking to do all things under the direction of God. There will first be the matter of repentance of sin and open acceptance of the son of God, Jesus the Christ as Lord of your life. But developing this personal relationship with God through Jesus will change not only your 2011 but your eternity.
Do you really want real change, if so the choice is yours as the price has been paid by Jesus but you must accept the payment as offered. At least read the book of John in the Bible before rejecting the payment. May you choose well.