It is important to realize that God has a plan for us. Within that plan God allows a lot of leeway for us to make our own decisions. It is difficult knowing whether we are following God’s desires for us or making our own plans. In order to determine whether I am following God’s desires and not my own, I must ask the following question: Am I living for the present or living for eternity?

For that to happen we had to accept Christ as our Savior so we could be forgiven of our past, present and future sins in order that we might become free. Do we believe that it is possible to completely change and live as a new person with different perceptions? Do we sense God’s power, His love and His guidance in our lives? Do we believe God wants anything but the best for us? Scripture tells us if we accept the truth, it will set us free to become whatever we dream to be. Do we believe that the Holy Spirit is in our lives to help us become what is best for us? Do others and we see supernatural changes taking place in our lives? The Bible tells us God wants each of us to live extra-ordinary lives and has placed the Holy Spirit in our lives to help us live that kind of life. He tells us we are to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Have we seen evidence of these changes?

Let’s check! Do we live like a son or daughter of a heavenly Father who has unlimited power and wealth? Do we think like a person of wealth, fame and power? Do we realize how precious God has made us and the potential we possess? Too often, after conversion, we continue to accept the role of a person having little value. The Devil tells us we are unworthy and will never amount to much. If we believe him our lives could end in failure. Well, do we want to keep living the way we have been or do we want to live the life God has planned for us? Our first step is to surrender our controlling and confrontational nature and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance. We must trust that God has a better life for us than we are able to make for ourselves.

We must always be alert! Sometimes God allows obstacles or problems to come in our way to get our attention. God wants us to listen to Him, depend on Him, wait on Him and watch for Him to work on our behalf. As children we relied on our earthly father for their intervention into our lives. Why is it so hard to rely on our Godly Father to do the same? Many times God wants to demonstrate His power by intervening in our lives and building our faith and character. Different than earthly fathers, God works silently and is invisible. If we are not expecting God’s intervening into our lives, we may not recognize when His work is being done. Many Christians are just not knowledgeable of how God works.

Why do we sometimes get discouraged? Could it be we focus too much on our problems and not enough on God? Do we place more trust in our ability to handle a problem rather than trusting it to God? Do we believe God will intervene in our difficult circumstance or is He too busy doing other things? In our minds do we limit the power of God?

To answer these types of questions God requires that we put time into preparation. How familiar are we with the Bible and the promises God gives us? If we don’t know the answers and promises God provides to the above questions, we probably wouldn’t expect God to intervene. Therefore, we probably are not listening, expecting, trusting nor truly believing that our prayers will be answered. Shouldn’t we believe God wants us to see His power working in us, so our faith will increase and we can give Him the glory?

Acts 16:5 – 13 tell us that on Paul’s second trip to visit the churches he decided to go and spread the gospel to Asia. But Paul had a dream that God told him he should preach the good news to the Europeans. Had Paul continued on to Asia where he was headed, would there have been a Christian United States? Aren’t we pleased that Paul allowed the Holy Spirit to change his direction? The Holy Spirit may be telling us to change direction or keep going the way we are, but if we are not listening and recognizing His guidance, we may miss His blessings and find ourselves in negative circumstances.

God opens and closes doors, but we must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit to realize when doors are opening or closing. We probably will not recognize whether a door is open or closed unless we have allowed the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Following are ways the Bible tells us God works:

First through circumstances:

God closes doors to keep us from making a mistake. We must be careful not to break doors down just because we believe what’s on the other side is best for us. That is our controlling nature to always believe we know what’s best for us. The Devil told Eve that eating the apple would be best for her. Many times God will redirect us to greater opportunities if we will only listen. Do we listen to the Devil’s lies or the Holy Spirit?

Does God always have a purpose in mind when He changes circumstances? We must continue to believe that God wants what is best for us. Are we always sensitive to His Spirit’s leading? What percent of our decisions are based on what we want rather than what God may believe is best for us?

Also Through the prompting of the Holy Spirit:

We must live by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Don’t expect the Spirit to speak your name or write you a message. Mostly it will be a very quiet prompting. Sometimes He is so quiet that many Christians are unable to recognize His prompting. The amount and degree of prompting may be a result of our obedience, trust and prayers. Live each day as if the Holy Spirit will open or close doors. God always respects obedience and our trust. Therefore, shouldn’t we expect doors to be swinging? Believe that God allows circumstances to happen that we might receive the greatest satisfaction out of life.

The reason the apostle Paul lived such a gratifying life was that he was willing to give His life for Christ and become totally surrendered. He was beaten, almost stoned to death and spent years in prison. We must believe commitment is rewarded. Sometimes God will shut a door because our disobedience disqualifies us. Be careful; don’t try opening a door that God closed. God will let you break the door down but watch out for negative results.

Disappointment may come from going through a closed door.
If I am having problems does that mean I may have gone through a door that God has closed? God lets us make mistakes. However, it does not mean that we broke through a closed door. God gives us free moral agency and there are times He allows negative circumstances to happen that we might be disciplined and have experiences in preparation for something greater.

Through my experience, I have seen horrible things happen to people and later see them blessed beyond one’s wildest imagination. There may be times when God does to us as He did to the Israelites. If we become indifferent and do most things our way, unintentionally maybe, in a sense we are rejecting God’s guidance. It is possible that God may say, go ahead and do it your way. I’ll leave you alone. When you fail, as the Israelites often did, they came back with a repentant heart asking for God to again take over their lives. During these times God may not be opening or closing doors. He watches while we go it alone. It doesn’t take too many failures and disappointing circumstances for us to realize that God can guide our lives much better than we can ourselves. Never stop praying for God to give us opportunities and to open doors.

We must be willing to wait for the Spirit’s guidance. Remember Abraham and Sarah didn’t wait and as a result the world is suffering today. King Saul didn’t wait for the High Priest to offer a sacrifice and did it himself. As a result, he lost his kingdom. God has a specific purpose for each of us. Pray that God will show us what that may be. It may be in marriage, our job, our ministry or helping others. There are so many ways that the Holy Spirit can use us. He will provide if we are willing.

What have we learned about open and closed doors?

Sometimes when we feel weak or worried we need to fix our thoughts on Christ. It may be we do not have the full strength, comfort and guidance available from the Holy Spirit. If life gets rough and problems seem to have no solutions and many things are going badly and disappointment sets in, we are told to fix our eyes on Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to give us guidance.

If doors don’t seem to be either opening or closing is it because we are not seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit? Don’t we think God wants to direct our path? From the time Adam and Eve sinned, God has provided a recovery process and a purpose for man. However, pressures and stresses of the day make it easy to ignore or forget that God has a plan for our lives. Though the plan may not always be specific, it is available for every believer. Which plan do you prefer to live, God’s or yours? Are we willing to surrender our lives?

Deception in politics and living life is becoming more evident every day. Some politicians and sales people think we are stupid, others believe we are just uninformed and some believe we just don’t care enough to become more knowledgeable. The Bible tells us as Christians the Holy Spirit can give us many gifts as we learn in the following:

I Corinthians 12:7 – 11 – “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.”

These are gifts available to Christians. We are aware the Apostles had supernatural powers that were needed to carry out their mission of spreading the Gospel to the world. Jesus said to them: As the Father sent me, so I send you. The power they were given was infallible. What they said and what they wrote was always correct and it was completely accurate. They were given a power to perform miracles to confirm their words to an unbelieving world. The above gifts are those that we need to pray of receiving and are available to Christians today. I wish to point out the importance of being able to “discern” between what is good and what is evil. It is said four million Christians did not vote in the 2012 election and I believe they did not have the gift of a “discerning spirit”.

A person who intentionally lies may believe the end justifies the means. Scripture says it is a sin and a discerning spirit would point out that is not what any leader or sales representative should do. I see this in both political parties and in business. It disappoints me when these people are re-elected continuously or anyone misleading others to keep their jobs.

I John 4:1 – “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

It is the responsibility of every Christian to test what they read or hear. Does what they hear or read in keeping with what Scripture teaches? What kind of a lifestyle are our leaders living and what are the fruits of their leadership? A false prophet normally states they are a Christian or they practice Christian morality. They may claim to have a new truth and their expressed goal is to make life better for others. To find out if a person is teaching a false doctrine we would know if we could ask them what their beliefs were about Jesus Christ. However, most politicians state their belief is for abortion on demand, to make available same sex marriages and other beliefs contrary to Biblical teaching.

II Corinthians 11:13 – 15 – “For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”

Satan and his servants most often deceive us by appearing to be charismatic and charming people who appear to be attractive, good and moral. Many people, including Christians, are attracted to smooth talking leaders who could possibly be a cult or Lucifer follower determined to form Satan’s one-world government. Most people never think that it is possible to have a person who has sold their sole to the devil as some movie stars and popular musicians claimed to have done. Is it possible that a national leader, under Satan’s influence, willingly mislead people for their own purposes?

A true discerning spirit can detect a particular leader who is peaceable, humble and refrains from vain desires of this world and refrains from gathering excessive material wealth. A person who exalts himself/herself, wishing to be counted number one, who is bold, imprudent and lives with a desire for many luxuries; a person who takes credit for all positive outcome and blames all negatives outcomes on others normally would be considered Biblically as a false prophet. A discerning spirit will help us from being fooled by external experiences. Is the person’s lifestyle consistent with Biblical morality?

I believe through prayer, if a Christian really cares, the Holy Spirit will provide a discerning spirit as to what he is told or when someone is trying to sell them something that is a scam. However, I have personally been deceived and taken advance of a few times in the past. Wouldn’t life be much better if we had a discerning spirit that at all times, we could differentiate between good and evil?

For years I have read: “They were filled with the Holy Spirit.” Then I would hear: “They were walking in the Spirit.” I understand how the Holy Spirit convicts, teaches, guides, intercedes, comforts and warns but didn’t know whether I was “filled or walking in” the Spirit.

The Bible states that those empowered by the Holy Spirit lived an abundant life, free from worry and have their needs met. That is a very outstanding promise and wouldn’t any Christian want that? Therefore, shouldn’t we then want to know how we can be filled with and walk in the Holy Spirit? I honestly believe that I have been living a holy life, have had that abundant life and have had my needs met but am I walking in and am I filled with the Holy Spirit? My study and research has concluded that being filled with the Holy Spirit is to be filled with Christ.

John 14:16-20 – “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” (It is Christ’s Spirit that lives in us wanting to help us be filled with His Spirit and walk with him.)

God’s purpose for us is to make our life a reflection of Christ. This is done by surrendering our self-centeredness, getting rid of pride, lust, selfishness, covetousness, envy or jealousy and self-righteousness. It requires studying the life of Christ in order to develop the “mind of Christ”. We are to take on a servant’s heart and live a humble life as He did.

There are Christians with confrontational personalities and feel a need to have total control and are unwilling to surrender and allow Christ to live through them. Often they live in dysfunctional families and have problems with life. There are those who have never taken the time to study the Bible and learn that Jesus is trying to live through them. They struggle with feelings of unworthiness and often lack faith and confidence. They miss so much in life. Then there are those who talk the talk but never walk the walk.

I also learned that we are all filled with the Spirit who are believers. We are not filled a little bit, we are filled totally. However, many Christians do not allow Christ to walk with them. If your personality is such that you are unwilling to give up control or do not have the knowledge enough to realize that Christ wants to live through you; you are probably struggling with being a Christian and missing what God promises.

To be filled with the Spirit and walk in the Spirit requires a real commitment. Your chances of becoming Christ-like probably won’t happen if all you do is attend church on the weekend. It takes effort and discipline to commit to living as Christ lived and to change our personality. Jesus lived with the fruits of the Spirit as given in Galatians 5:22 – 23 – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We see Christ’s love for God and for man.

We are to love as Jesus loved. John 13:34 – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” We are to love those who may not love us. We are to do well to those who may not return the favor. We must be willing to give to those who need even though they may not be able to give anything in return.

Jesus says we must live a joyful life. John 15:11 – “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” `We must be positive and have hope in the future. We must live sensing God’s approval. There is joy in sharing the gospel to others and doing God’s will.

Christ says we must have peace. Philippians 4:6 – 7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” We must be at peace with ourselves to walk with the Lord. We are told not to be anxious about anything.

I Peter 2:19 – 20 – “For God is pleased when, conscious of his will, you patiently endure unjust treatment. Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.” (NLT) We must have the Spirit of longsuffering and patience. We must be able and willing to suffer patiently for Christ. God allows problems to come in order to build our character and our faith. He allowed Christ to suffer for each of us.

We are to show kindness to others. Mathew 25:39 – 40 – “When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” A kind person is a giving person, a happy person who is not self-centered. They enjoy pleasing others and they have a pleasant personality. They are gentle and warm hearted, unselfish and generous. They are understanding and considerate. They are thoughtful and merciful and use kind words. They are helpful and courteous and excuse the mistakes of others. They treat everyone equally as they would like to be treated. There will be times when we must be stern or discipline others; it can be done in a kind way. Kindness will make us appeal to others. Wouldn’t you want a friend like that; then be one?

Faithfulness means absolute devotion to God or to a specific cause. Matthew 12:30 – “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

To be Christ-like we must be gentle. Matthew 11:28 – ““Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” We must be aware that we are continually in the presence of God. We are expected to have a gentle spirit.
We must have the self-control to not be tempted to sin. I Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Realize that Christ’s Spirit is in us wanting to live through us. We know that He would not yield to temptation and He would not want us doing so either. We must not allow ourselves to live as the world lives but as Jesus would live. We are not to stop Him from living through us as God intended. If we do, we are allowing Satan to tempt us to live as the world lives.

Galatians 5:25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

In 1890 the life expectancy was 43 and today it is 82 allowing us to live, on average, an extra 39 years. It used to take more than a year to travel from New York to Los Angeles and some died along the way. We live at a time when we have many of the things they did not have more than a hundred years ago. We have electricity, cars, airplanes, trains, technology, immediate communications, household appliances, and a much better standard of living. There was a time when horse and buggy were the main transportation. There was no inside plumbing and you had to travel outside at night to use the lavatory. But we have many more advantages:

One of my blessings is to have been born in America. Where else do they have the freedom of speech and worship as we do? I am thankful for the career opportunities that exist. I am thankful for our Christian heritage. What other country has been blessed with the abundance that we have? However, it didn’t just happen. God made and prepared this country so that people could come who felt they didn’t have the freedom to worship as Scripture taught. It reminds me of what He promised to some Israelites.

Isaiah 41: 17 – 20 – ““When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them. I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground. I will plant trees in the barren desert—cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine. I am doing this so all who see this miracle will understand what it means—that it is the Lord who has done this, the Holy One of Israel who created it.”

When was the last time you thanked God for giving to we Americans such a beautiful country with a tremendous amount of natural resources? In addition, He took Christian men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit to provide our constitution and laws to guide us. You have allowed us to become the most powerful and prosperous nation on earth. One of our purposes is to become the world’s peace keeper and to spread Your gospel to all peoples in every nation. For the millions of America Christians we have been grateful. It was Abraham Lincoln that established the Thanksgiving holiday in gratitude to our Creator in 1863.

After 150 years we have done as many before us. We turned the purpose of the original holiday to material things rather than the giving of thanks to God Who deserves it. Instead of counting our blessings and achievements we are hearing too much whining. People are not content and satisfied with what they have; they want more and are not always willing to earn it.

I am blessed for knowing God’s Word and what He promises. He allows me to have a personal relationship with Him. He provides me with His Holy Spirit into my life that guides and watches over me. He gives me my faith and what wisdom I have. I live a life of peace with a joyful, positive attitude. He inspired me to be motivated and be prosperous. There are times He has protected me from accidents and serious problems. His Spirit has taught me to have a servant’s heart, to be confident and stay humble. He has instructed me to share love and be generous with what He has given me. He teaches that we can all be successful. We can be successful parents, teachers or leaders in whatever endeavor we choose.

Why are so many Americans disrespectful and disobedient to God? They refuse to rely and be dependent upon God and put their trust in self or government. Why are there takers rather than givers? Show me someone having fame or fortune that has the same joyful and peaceful calmness that many needy Christians, living as Christ has instructed us, have.

One thing that God taught, we were to give a tenth of what we had to the Temple or His ministry. It had to be our very best, without spot or defect. Yet it is so hard for so many to be givers. What would motivate them to give to God’s ministry as taught by Scripture? What blessing could they receive?
Matthew 6:20 – “Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.”

Being generous and giving is like storing up treasurers in heaven. I have wondered if someone like Billy Graham were taken to heaven like the Apostle John was and God said: Tell My people, every time Christians charitably give it is recorded in heaven. Those who give will receive a 20% return annually, compounded and that amount will be given to them when they spend the 1000 years with Christ on earth. Do you think Christians would give more knowing it was being recorded for their future use?

It shouldn’t just be on Thanksgiving that we count our blessings but, daily. If you watch carefully and patiently you will see God intervening in your life. These “It’s A God Thing” occur more than we realize unless we are alert and expecting. I count each as blessings!

When asked, how would I know God’s purpose for my life and how do I live according to His Will and His Ways? You will never answer that question satisfactorily to a non-believer but I believe a Christian will understand.

Recently, I was talking to my 19 year old grandson and the question was: what purpose did God create me to do? He is taking basic college courses hoping that he will find how to prepare for that specific purpose he was born to do and when and how will he learn what that purpose is?

I don’t know that I had the answer but I believe God created each one of us to help complete the work that Christ started and we are to help finish. Our purpose is to accept Christ as our Savior and become Christ-like so that we can live as God intended. Once I received the Holy Spirit I had the power, within, to live loving God with our all and loving others as ourselves. If I have accepted our purpose and living obediently and according to His Ways, I will be able to make an impact for Christ with those who are my friends and neighbors. Our created purpose is to become ministers for Christ and share the Gospel. If each of us were to do this, it would change the world in which we live. God created the Israelites to change the way the world was living by sharing God and they failed to do so.

Romans 8:29 – “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”

God’s purpose for Christians was not an afterthought; it was determined before we were born that we would conform to the image of His Son or become Christ-like and become ministers for Him. This does not necessarily mean God has a specific career for us. It does not mean that God has a mate picked out just for us. What it does mean is that God will use our temperaments and talents to help us chose a career that we will enjoy. He will help us select a mate that is compatible and has Christian disciplines and faith. If a Christian selects a non-believer as their mate, God will not be in the selection process.

If we know our purpose on earth is to develop an unconditional love for God and others and have a servant’s heart and then share this with others, we can fulfill that purpose. As we head down life’s path our carnal nature, our self-centeredness, the storms we encounter and the devil’s seducing spirits will try to guide us too often onto the wrong path. That’s when we check our compass, the Holy Spirit, and make sure we stay directed to the path that leads to the ultimate goal, which is living with God and Christ forever. When we take that last breath, what is the most important thing we can take with us? Is it all of our material things that we have accumulated? Or, is it eternal security? Since there are so many death-bed conversions we must believe it is eternal security with Christ.

I also believe that God calls certain people to take specific ministry positions. God also opens and closes doors and I believed He did for me. However, we have a free moral agency to make individual choices. God can use us in whatever decision we make, if we are truly a committed Christian. He is more concerned about our attitude, our heart spiritually and our service to others.
Matthew 6:20 – “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Do you want to pass on with nothing stored up in heaven? Pray that God will help you live for the purpose you were created.

We must realize that if we meet God’s purpose and live according to His Ways, we can expect Satan to attack. Maybe not an attack as severe as what happened to the Apostle Paul but we will encounter problems. Satan will not find it necessary to attack us if we are not making a spiritual difference or any impact on others. The real question may be: how do we prepare for attacks with Satan’s purpose of discouraging us so we will stop making a difference and give up? How does Satan get us to cease our witness?

God knew that man could not live according to His Ways and fulfill our purpose without His Spirit giving us the power to meet and overcome what Satan is likely to cause. I believe the more we minister to others the greater the Holy Spirit’s power will become. If you are not doing anything for God you don’t need extra power. I never realized this until I started writing blogs five years ago. My understanding and insight is much greater now than it was years ago and I sense more direction from the Holy Spirit. I realize that what I write is not based on personal talents but what God permits and the Holy Spirit inspires.

Satan entered Judas, Jesus’ disciple and Judas betrayed Christ to be crucified. Who else has Satan entered? Satan tempted Christ by offering Him to rule the whole world. Has he offered that position to anyone else? If he did, would they accept?

We are slowly losing our freedom as our politicians are preparing for a one-world government that the Bible predicts will occur. We must become aware that we are being conditioned to accepting the loss of freedom and our personal rights in order for that one-world government to happen.

An economics teacher once said: greed or ambition works in a capitalistic system. Envy and slothfulness promotes socialism. You rarely hear greed being hyped. However, envy is a great motivator, used often. Which economic system will give you the greatest freedom? Is it Socialism or a Capitalistic system? Do you think those who are envious of others and not wanting to work are going to provide to society the greatest freedom? They are willing to give up freedom for the offer of entitlements. The envious want the government (you) to give them what they want. They then will not have to be held accountable for their personal needs. They believe in financial redistribution and government support.

The capitalistic system isn’t perfect but it does promote entrepreneurship, the act of being an entrepreneur or one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods. One group is willing to be committed and the others are unwilling to accept commitment or accept responsibility.
I never believed our country would be debating from where does our freedom come? Some don’t care where it comes from as long as they have it. If you are a veteran, most believe it is important to know. Too many take freedom for granted. Some believe they deserve freedom and pay little attention to how we got it or what must we do to keep it. Others believe freedom comes naturally and they were born to be free.

Mark 3:24 – 25 – “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”
Matthew 12:25 – “Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”

Have you noticed how our leadership wants to divide the rich against the poor, the minorities against Caucasians, non-believers verses Christians and Jews, the Democrats against the Republicans? Is the purpose behind it to divide and conquer? Why is it that politicians want to deny there is a God?

The debate that exists: does freedom come from our Creator or does it come from government, their laws or regulations? The majority believe individual liberty and freedom come from God. My greatest concern is that we are becoming a nation, so divided, that it may be too late to get us back to being patriotic to a free-market economic system and a true believer in the good that America does for the world. I see radicals and activists with a cause wanting to change America into becoming a socialist state with the redistribution of income. This is just the beginning of a world government under the United Nations.

What may cause us to lose our freedom? We are teaching our young people they do not need to be held accountable for earning a living. Have you noticed how liberal our colleges and universities have become? Many young people don’t believe they need to be committed to anyone, even in marriage or to any career. They don’t need to be givers, it is best to be a “taker” and live on government handouts. Do they think this will keep them having freedom and liberties? Does one believe it is satisfying to live their life always dependent on someone else? Who can possibly take our freedom? Is it OSHA, EPA, NLRB, ObamaCare, the United Nations or our government’s regulations such as what your children can eat at a school cafeteria?

John 8:31 – 32 & 36 – “Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”… So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”
Galatians 5:1 – “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”

Most Christians believe that all rights of life, freedom and the pursuit of happiness was given by God and found in Scripture. Our constitution was founded by Godly men intending to make sure that freedom would continually exist. I don’t understand why even some Christians believe socialism, with its many regulations and government control, is an improvement.

For most of us who have been veterans believe our freedom has been maintained because of a strong military force. It is conceivable that had we not been prepared, the world could have been controlled by Germany, Japan, Russia or other nations who believe we can be defeated. Yet, there are many who believe that we need to reduce our military and appeasement with an enemy will protect us.

History could have told us a few years back that we were headed for a financial disaster when people were buying homes they could not afford and prices were escalating to unrealistic levels. It seems we had about ten years of unusual prosperity and then the bubble burst. We didn’t learn from the 1989 real estate bubble, the 1990s technology bubble, bubbles in Japan and an oil bubble when oil went up to $140 then to $30 a barrel. Will we have another bubble? We never seem to learn from history.

Freedom is not being able to do anything you want. It is doing the right thing acceptable to the society in which we live & God’s laws. It is our right to do things and accept the consequences for what we do. Freedom does not eliminate one’s need for being accountable, being committed or being responsible.

I believe the only hope for America, at this point, is to have a tremendous spiritual revival. Study the history of Israel. When they rejected God, bad things happened. We Americans need an attitude change. God loves a “cheerful giver” so stop relying on big government.

Does the government really owe you? If they try to take care of you, they will soon “own” you? If the government becomes bankrupt and God ignores us, what occurs then? Where will your freedom come from? What kind of freedom do you expect under a one world government controlled by the Antichrist?

Once the war of Armageddon is over and Satan is sent to the Abyss for 1,000 years along with all others whose names were not in the Book of Life. Jerusalem becomes the world capital. Poverty is unknown and prosperity is evident everywhere. Most people will have every need met. There will be no prisons, no hospitals, no mental institutions and few graveyards for some may live to be as old as Methuselah. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of God. Jesus is Lord and rules with an iron rod. His reign is righteous and the nations obey His directions. Depending on our relationship with Christ, prior to that time, depends on what our life will be like and the rewards we will receive during those years if we are a true Christian.

We believe generation after generation will be born and the earth flourishes as it did in the Garden of Eden before man’s sin. To live longer lives we have been told we will have a new body. A body that is not as lustful and carnal as our present ones. We will have a different mind-set and most likely stress and fear may not be a factor. When Christ chooses us to do a job, would we question whether we could do it or not? Would Christ ask us if He knew we couldn’t do it? What would it be like with everyone having a positive, can do attitude?

Some believe whether they are born during the 1,000 years or those resurrected who believe God has not given them enough, will deny Christ later in this period. These unbelievers on earth are allowed to experience the reign of Christ. They will continue to rebel against God even without Satan’s deceptive influence. The moment Satan is let out of the prison or Abyss, at the end of the millennium; these people will flock after Satan and go to war against Christ seeking a better life or more material things. It happened in Heaven and is possible on earth also. This will prove their absolute depravity and the necessity of the final punishment in the Lake of Fire.

God cursed creation because of the sins of Adam and Eve. It is believed that once Christ returns, the earth’s ecology and environment will be as it was prior to the flood. No one knows how this will happen but the Apostle Peter said, “If God promised it, then He knows how to do it.”

Micah 4:4 – “Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees, for there will be nothing to fear. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies have made this promise!” Revelation 11:15 – “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.”

History tells us that the early church leaders believed, without exception, that Christ would return after the Tribulation to reign. In A.D. 375 Augustine taught that the 1000 year Millennium began with the birth of Christ. Many continue to believe that it is between the resurrection and when Christ returns the second time. They believed the reign of Christ is in the hearts of Christians until Jesus’ return. They also believe the Tribulation occurs throughout history and that we have been going through it since Christ’s death. They do not believe that Christ will rule on this earth for 1,000 years. I continue to believe that when Christ returns, believers will be raptured and those saved in the Tribulation period and the Old Testament saints will live to rule with Jesus.

Revelation 19: 15 – 16 – “From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a wine-press. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.”

Christ, in His second coming, has a different ministry. In previous Scripture it describes miracle working demons causing all the rulers of the world to gather for battle against the Lord to a place called Armageddon. The sword in His mount is God’s Word. As the universe was spoken into existence, one Word and His foes will be killed where they stand. Isaiah 11:4 says: He will strike down the nations with the breath of His mouth. At this point God’s anger destroys all sin and evil. At the end of the War of Armageddon, then begins the millennium, the 1000 years of Jesus’ reigns.

Isaiah 9:7 – “His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!”

The Jews expected their Messiah would come as a world leader as Scripture predicted. This is why they could not accept a spiritual Jesus as their Messiah. Therefore, we believe the Old Testament and the New Testament agree that there will be 1000 years when Christ actually rules as a benevolent dictator on earth and it hasn’t happened yet. The first time He came was to die for the sins of man and the Jews did not understand He would come a second time.

Revelation 20:1 – 3 – “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. He seized the dragon—that old serpent, who is the devil, Satan—and bound him in chains for a thousand years. The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he must be released for a little while.”

Once the 1,000 years are over, Satan, non-believers and this earth will be destroyed by fire. There then will be a new heaven and a new earth that we will live in forever, a paradise greater than anything man could ever imagine. It will have the capacity to accommodate over one billion people. What on this earth could be more important than living God’s ways planning for eternity?

Success according to the world may be defined as achieving certain material goals. The Bible defines success differently. God says success is adequately preparing for eternal life. It is very clear, the Bible says to be successful in the world and in planning for eternity, it takes both faith and confidence and the power of the Holy Spirit within.

Faith comes from the basis of a spiritual life and living that spiritual life. To understand what God had intended when He put the Holy Spirit into the life of a believer, was to see that person completely change from who they were to how they are to live in the future. The Bible gives us numerous examples of people prior to receiving the Holy Spirit and the changes that took place afterwards. Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Shouldn’t we expect to become more confident when we have been given power from God’s Spirit?

Are you not aware that when non-believers see you they are supposed to see Christ in you? That means they should see a very positive person. If they don’t, isn’t it time to take inventory as to why you are more negative?

I found the American dream was available to those who realized that it won’t be given to them; it had to be earned. I read many books on the power of positive thinking. I studied management principles and went to numerous seminars to improve my skills. The one book that has helped me the most is studying the Bible. One thing I learned was preparation. It was the key to success both in the world and in preparing for eternity. I learned the importance of trusting in God’s promises. I became aware that the Holy Spirit was given to us that we might have comfort, guidance and a purpose in life. The Bible taught me to become free from the ways of society and our worldly, self-centered nature.

Malachi 3:10 – “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”

I found a number of things that I could do to receive God’s blessings. First I had to trust God through giving. Next, I found that preparation and trusting God was the key to success, it changed everything. I have used the illustration that professional basketball players often would shoot five hundred baskets a day, every day, to become proficient and successful. Success is not something that is usually given to you it must be earned. The key may be to know what must be done to earn it.

Deuteronomy 8:18 – “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.” I heard a sermon on Ephesians 6:5 – 9 and it changed how I worked. I have changed what Scripture says: Employees, obey your earthly bosses with respect and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as employees of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do. And bosses, treat your employees in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
As Christians we are to be different from the world. We are to be obedient, cheerful and loyal wherever we work. We are to do our best by being dutiful, polite and dependable.

Employers can easily see the difference between excellent employees and so-so employees. Guess who got the raises, the promotions and success?

We should not have to stand in fear and trembling before anyone other than God. The Christian employee must not be afraid of their superiors but afraid of disobeying the Lord. If he/she does not show total respect for his/her employer, be afraid of disobeying our Lord Who helps us toward becoming successful. Paul says we are not to do our best only when we are being watched but remember God is watching every second through the Holy Spirit that is within us.

You may work for someone who never gives you recognition, reward, promotion or praise. But remember that will come when we get to heaven. The Lord’s payday doesn’t come at the end of the week, month or year. But it will come, if you work as Scripture teaches. We often only think about the here and now but our treasures are being stored up in heaven.

If you are a supervisor, realize that God is not impressed with a person’s position. He is only interested in what that person does in that position. Don’t think that God doesn’t notice when one abuses their position or causes injustices to be done. The Lord always knows what is going on. The day will come when He will come, when He squares up all accounts. God will have the last word.

I believe those possessing the fruits of the Spirit have a better chance of being successful than those who are not. The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22 – 23

When a person lives the life of the Spirit, an individual is truly different. The fruit as described above is an outward expression of Christ living inside that person. Everyone having the Holy Spirit can and should receive these fruits. They don’t seem to grow adequately unless we are willing to die out to our self-centered worldly nature. This is difficult for many people as repenting or changing life’s direction can be a struggle also. Old habits are often difficult to break. Changing one’s previous worldly comfort zone is like dieting to an obese person. Dieing out to our old nature is not easy and requires surrendering that people with strong, controlling personality find difficult to give up and give in to living by Christ’s ways.

It may start with a trust factor in not believing God really has a purpose or plan for them. To fulfill that purpose usually requires a change in thinking, a renewing of one’s mind that is open to new concepts. A person unwilling to change direction may block the working of the Holy Spirit and find success nearly impossible. Christ will allow a believer moral agency to make their own choices and usually will not overrule that decision. Choices we make without the Holy Spirit’s guidance may not come from heavenly wisdom but from one’s knowledge. We must have the faith to believe that God wants us to succeed. We then must find something we enjoy and have a passion to pursue and then prepare for success.

Set goals and make a plan to achieve them. Work hard and be tenacious. It probably will require thinking differently. Learn to communicate and motivate others. Don’t ever be afraid to fail. Be honest and accept responsibility. Be a humble leader, be kind and have self-control over one’s emotions.

There are certain inner qualities that can make us more attractive in the eyes of others. My cousin participated in sports in high school, college and semi-pro. He was a very aggressive athlete. He was popular and had many friends. I often wondered why he had so many close friends and wanted that characteristic and to emulate him. It took me years to figure out what it was that made the difference. He was a kind person and we like people who are KIND.

Galatians 5:22 – 23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

These are given to Christians who live a Spirit-filled life. These are natures that Christ had and we are to become Christ-like by imitating Christ not men or women. We are told that if we are living a holy life, the Spirit will produce the fruits in you. It is also an indication of one’s salvation. It gives an outward expression of Christ dwelling in the life of a believer. This is why we believe Christians should have a life of love, joy and peace. Yet, so many Christians fail to live with these fruits. Yet, we all have at least one.

Kindness is one of the fruits of the Spirit that makes a tremendous example to others. Just think how attractive we would be to others if we had each fruit of the Spirit. What is your reaction if someone does something to you that is unkind? Are you critical, wanting to get even or do you want to react like you believe Jesus would? Often time others are watching our reaction to negative situations. How we react could encourage them not to be a friend or to be one. As a store manager, handling an abusive customer complaint, I had to be aware that my employees were watching how I handled it. I have had them say: How were you able to keep your cool with that customer? I was not to get defensive or even, but to let God handle any judgment. My job was to correct the complaint.

Charles Stanley gave the best definition of a kind person that I have heard. A kind person is a giving person, a happy person who is not self-centered. They enjoy pleasing others and they have a pleasant personality. They care about others and enjoy pleasing people. They are gentle and warm hearted, unselfish and generous. They are understanding and considerate. They are thoughtful and merciful and use kind words. They are helpful and courteous and excuse the mistakes of others. They treat everyone equally as they would like to be treated. There will be times when we must be stern or discipline others; it can be done in a kind way. Kindness will make us appeal to others. Wouldn’t you want a friend like that; then be one?

Luke 6:46 – “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” James 1:22 – “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

The Bible says: They heard the things He (Jesus) said but they would not do them. How then can you be considered a disciple or a follower? Jesus set an example as to how we were to live and treat others. He gave parables such as: Luke 25 – 37 – A Jew was beaten by robbers and left for dead. A priest and a Levite ignored him. However, a Samaritan was hated by the Jews, but the Jewish man stopped put oil on the wounds and took him to an inn to recuperate. Which one showed him kindness? I believe in eternity, the fruits of the Spirit will be given freely to everyone. Man that was cursed by sin will have the curse removed. Won’t that be worth being a Christian and living with everyone having all the fruits?
Acts 20:35 – “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

We should do things for others without expecting anything in return. To develop friends we must become a friend. If you are making a business dealing with another, would you want it to be a friend rather than someone trying to take advantage of you? Everything we do, we are being watched; sometimes by others, but all the time by God. Don’t you think God wants us to be filled with the fruit of the Spirit now? We can and we must develop the mind of Christ. We can’t do it by living as the world lives. We must do as Christ taught.