God tells us we need to be born again and become a new person or creation.  What does that mean?  Scripture tells us in Ezekiel 36:26 – “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.^”  That sounds like a heart transplant to me. 

We are born with a heart of stone, so hard that it has a tendency to rebel against God.  We live a self-centered life doing most anything, trying to make our life better.  If we believe something will make us feel better, enhance our wealth or give us fame or power, often we are willing to do whatever it takes, regardless of morality or how it may affect others. 

God says if you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior He will give us His Spirit and the Spirit will give us a transplant, a new heart with a new spirit.  With the transplanted heart, you will begin making decisions with different guidance that is coming from God through the Holy Spirit. 

Research provides statistics that tell us about 20% of the Christians in church attendance make up the core of the church.  They tithe, play an active role in the church and they can be counted on when needed.  Then there are many who attend but are not truly committed as Christ teaches and it appears they do not live holy lives as much as they should. We are also told that 80% of Christians do not read their Bibles regularly.  If God’s Spirit commands them to do something they most often will ignore Him or they don’t hear Him. They continue to do things they know God would not approve. They do not realize that sin causes negative consequences and if they do, they do not care.  If this is true, what does that mean?  It is like polls that say 90% of Americans believe there is a God but how many have a personal relationship with Him and live holy lives? 

There are numerous Scriptures that tell us if we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior we shall be saved and receive the Holy Spirit.  My question is:  “If God knows everything, does He not know who is serious and who is not about becoming a follower of Christ?”  If the Holy Spirit is given to a person who at the spur of the moment accepts Christ and has every intention to live a holy life but does not, does He have any personal relationship with Christ or God? 

Revelation 3:20 – “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”  Doesn’t Scripture tell you that if you open the door Christ will come in and have a personal relationship with you?  While the two of you are eating isn’t it possible to develop a relationship?  Could that happen if you had not had a heart transplant? 

Do we take Scripture seriously that says: “Anyone who refuses to live by these rules (living a holy life) is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you”?  My concern is: are we allowing Christians to assume they are saved because they accept Christ but never followed through in allowing their lives to be spiritually changed?  We then have to ask, are we talking about working our way to heaven or are we saved by grace?  James tells us faith without works is dead. By our deeds we will be judged.  Therefore, is it not necessary to live holy lives?  How do we interpret 1 John 2:15? – “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”  Will the Holy Spirit be active in the life of a person who does not have the love of the Father in them?  Are you living only for today and retirement or are you seriously preparing for the future in eternity? 

I believe most Christians will agree we will be judged by our heart, our attitude, and our relationship with God plus our love for others.  It is my belief that we will see many in heaven that we do not expect and just as many who we would expect will not be there.  But there is only one judge and that is Jesus Christ.  But shouldn’t every Christian be aware of what the rules are that we must live by?   But, if the Holy Spirit is truly in them, their lives will progressively change because they will be sensitive to His leading.  If not, chances are there will be little or no change and they will continue to live as the world lives.  Every year, we should become more Christ-like, more faithful and trusting than the year before. 

Most of us may deal with life’s ups and downs differently.  Have you been faced with having to deal with stress, depression or not being able to sleep at nights because of problems?   Are you spending too much time worrying?  Is there a physical addiction, an overweight/health problem or maybe pornography with which you are struggling? 

Where we are spiritually will determine the choices we make.  Our beliefs are extremely important in how we live, what we think and how we make daily decisions.  How does what we think compare with what the Bible teaches?  If we don’t read or understand the Bible we probably do not know what God teaches in dealing with life situations and temptations. 

If problems or negative situations present themselves how we handle them may depend on our trust and faith in God’s Word.  If the Word is planted into a still hardened heart, it could cause us to allow deceitfulness and worry to stress us out.  Possibly, we make wrong choices.  If we have allowed God’s Word to come into a heart that is responsive to Him and tender, plus a spirit, we have connected with God, we will be able to accept the promises that God will meet our needs and everything will work for the best in the end.  With a transplanted heart that is changing who we are, we can expect God to take us by the hand and get us through every situation that we face.  How do we make the transplanted heart responsive to God and accept the authority of the Bible?  Have the self-control to become submissive to God, Christ and the Holy Spirit. Read and understand the Word!  Your faith and trust will grow to the point that God is there to help you through everything, all the time.  He will not forsake you.

There are two cultures in Las Vegas.  Christianity is probably increasing as rapidly as any city in America.  There is also a reason it is called Sin City.  The local papers are writing about the legislators who are working on sentencing pimps and those bringing 12 to 14 year old girls into prostitution.  Apparently there is a large sex-slave trade in our city.

It appears we are seeing more families practicing polygamy moving to Las Vegas.  I read where Kody Brown and his four wives, the stars of TLC’s Sister Wives told a group at UNLV that plural marriage was a healthy and happy choice.  The Brown’s come from Utah, where there are thousands of polygamy families, to Las Vegas because of its diversity and acceptance.   A UNLV assistant professor said: “We believe it is a community value to welcome diversity in all its forms.”

Recently I read of another family moving to Las Vegas.  This is a family with three wives and approximately 14 children.  I read where a number of families practicing polygamy have moved to Mesquite, NV. Another article interviewed a young lady that left a polygamy cult in Utah because older men were marrying 14 and 15 year old girls and they were being abused.

Here is what concerns me.  As a nation, we seem to be accepting anything the Bible and God is against.  We see more and more rebelling against God and complete defiance of His ways.  I realize what went on in the Old Testament.  However, Christ came with a new covenant and a gospel that explains how God expected people to live.

During the apostle John’s time, the author of Revelation, it was believed by the people that Satan’s throne actually existed in Pergamum and it seems Christ is confirming this belief.  The city was surrounded by a society that was non-Christian and its values, standards and lack of morals permeated the population.  Satan can be in only one place and in Revelation we are told he can be in a human body.  But he has an efficient organization of millions of fallen angels and demons that are against Christianity and the world. They are everywhere and they are super active.

Las Vegas, like Pergamum, can be the most difficult place for a Christian to live because of the tremendous Satanic and sinful influences.  Las Vegas, as in Pergamum, many Christians have stayed true and faithful to the teachings of Christ.  However, in Las Vegas like Pergamum, believers can be easily deceived.  Some Christians believe they can co-exist with the world and believe that living as the world does is acceptable to God.

For a republic to work as the U.S. is, it requires a nation with morals.  Look at Mexico!  If they were established on Christian principles, had our constitution, our legal system and our form of Government would they have similar results?  They don’t and millions have fled in order to feed their families.   In fact, we have put up fences and patrol our borders to keep them out.  Could they at this time establish our form of government?  No!  They are not a Christian nation or a generally moral nation as most countries are not.

What has always made the United States different?  The foundation of our country was created on Christian principles—to love God and love our neighbor.  Sure, many no longer live by Christian principles but it is our constitution, our form of government and the average American’s acceptance, realizing the necessity to conform to Bible principles in order to live in the greatest nation in the world.   Though corruption exists there are enough honest, hardworking men and women with the integrity to be productive within the system.

What would happen if the average American were to no longer be guided by Christian beliefs?  We would lose our freedom and rely on the government to meet our needs.  We would become very much like many of the European nations.  Does it sound familiar?

If we continue to believe that Nevada needs to be more diversified, accept anything, such as same-sex marriage, polygamy and other forms of sexual orientation that the Bible prohibits, what will happen to our country?  History tells us there is little chance of surviving as a superpower.  Should we not be concerned with what is happening in our city and state?  Do we just let whatever happens, happen?  Is it time we start letting our legislators know that we need to be more restrictive as to how diversified we become.

Here is what I want you to consider from what I am hearing.  There is an activist group that will be using the same tactics that gays, lesbians and the same-sex marriage group used to become acceptable.  Their promotion will be making polygamy a way of life.  The best time to oppose is before they start getting this life-style acceptable.  Think it can’t happen?  Look how many Americans have accepted immoral behavior, according to Scripture, the past 50 years.

Fear is one of the most stressful emotions we can have.  If you want to get stressed out and develop an unhealthy body, let fear control you constantly.  Are you worried about your finances, loss of a job, family problems, what disaster will happen next?  Fear comes from ignoring the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.  We are people too busy living in a fast-paced world with too little time and attention on spiritual things.

Fear can be so devastating that the Bible addresses it a number of times.  1 John 4:18 – “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”  Fear many times keeps us from taking risks because we may be afraid of failing.

Fear is real and it can debilitate.  Though fear is real, we need not give in to it or allow it to misdirect our decisions.  Fear can inhibit us from not only using our talents and abilities, but also from reaching our full-potential.  And worse, we will be robbed of our peace and joy.  Once we identify fear in our lives, we can relegate it to its proper place: under the control of the Holy Spirit.  God does not want us to unreasonably fear: rather, He wants us to trust Him for everything we need.  Then we are free to pursue and fulfill our God-ordained purpose in life.

Having experienced life without negative fear gives peace, calmness and a sense of success that makes each day an enjoyable experience and a feeling of accomplishment.  We were created with emotions to be able to love and to fear.  Faced with a roaring lion hopefully, your reaction would be fear.  But facing a serious problem does not need to be feared.  Where did fear come from?

Genesis 3:9 – 10 – “But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”   He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”  This was the first time we heard a person could be fearful.  It was a result of sin and rebellion against God.  How often is your fear caused by not putting God first or listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit?

Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:13 – “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

Do you believe in God’s promises?  How capable are you being able to trust Him?  Are you able to recognize that the Holy Spirit is with you as God says?  Can you believe that God will take your right hand and tell you “Do not fear?

Step one is to believe and trust that this is what God said and it also applies to every Christian.  Assuming you have accepted the above premise, what can we draw from it?  God is with us.  He places the Holy Spirit into our lives as a direct contact to God.  The Holy Spirit is the same as God being with us.  He says He is our God and will have a personal relationship with us.  He tells us that He is capable of giving us power to deal with every situation in life.  He does not imply that we will win every time.  Yet, we can deal with anything while being calm and with peace.  It is only when we focus on the problem that we become distraught, when we should be focusing on how God is going to help us solve this situation.  While dealing with whatever is confronting us, are we asking for that power that God promises to give us?  Isn’t the usual circumstance we face, I will deal with everything by myself?   This is the mistake many of us make.

Step two is to think of every fear you may have.  Do you know what caused it?  Do you know how to eliminate it from being a fear?  Have you accepted that you are a member of God’s family and that He wants to help you?  (You must feel accepted.)  Do you have the confidence that anything can be handled with God’s power?  (I accept God’s promise that He will give me strength and help me.)  Finally you must believe that no matter what happens God knew it was going to happen and He did not intervene to stop it.  Therefore, it must be a learning experience.

Read the first chapter of the Book of Daniel.  Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego put their lives in jeopardy by putting God first and refusing to eat the royal food.  Daniel 1:17 – Scripture said to these four “God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning.  And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds”.  We are told, as Daniel and the others, we must put God first in everything and see what happens.  But do we?   It is most difficult to subdue our carnal nature of self-centeredness.

Luke 12:24 – 26 – “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!   Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?   Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”

Romans 8:15 – “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.”  Is it too difficult to accept the promises that Christ made when telling us not to worry or be enslaved by fear?

We may understand that we have no reason to fear and accept liberation from it, but we may not instantly be “cured” of fearing.  God, in His love and wisdom, may allow all sorts of problems to enter our lives.  But we’re not left on our own to deal with them; He helps us through our struggles and disasters.  He continually stretches our trust so we can break through the “wall of fear” and rely on Him, trusting Him more and more.  Unless we see God bailing us out of tough or even terrifying trials, we may find it difficult to lean on Him and trust Him to be with us during our times of need.

Many Christians seldom realize that God allows failure to lead them in a different direction.  A number of lessons can be learned from failure.  For one thing, it strengthens us spiritually.  For another, failure not only teaches us to be dependent upon the Holy Spirit, but also it opens up unlimited possibilities.  Every circumstance in life, including failure, can become an eventual blessing according to Romans 8:28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  So how do we overcome fear?  We place absolute trust in God.

What I have learned.  Think negative thoughts and negative things happen.  Think positive thoughts and positive things happen.  As you think you will see those results.  Is this God’s answer to our thoughts?

You must have more faith than I have to believe in evolution.  To consider that a “Big Bang” occurred and everything began evolving.  The human body with its millions of cells, animals of all kinds, the numerous birds and the fish in the sea all just happened, randomly.    

It is not difficult for me to believe in a God that created everything and then inspired men, by His Spirit, to write and tell us how it was done.  They begin the Bible by stating that God created the heavens, the earth and all that is in them from nothing.  He did it all in six days.  The Bible does not indicate that there were twenty-four hour days.  II Peter 3:8 – “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”

When man was created he was given a body that would not die.  The earth had not been cursed and there was a mild climate.  It did not rain and everything was irrigated from underground watering systems.  There were no storms.  People and animals had different diets and were vegetarians.  As I read Scripture it appears that humanity will go through a complete cycle and some day the new heaven and new earth will be as God had originally created the first earth.  God will allow man to begin life as He first created, with immortal bodies and life forever, knowing the price of sin and what it can cause.   There will be no death, pain or sorrow in eternity for those having accepted Christ as their Savior.   

Because of Adam and Eve’s rebellion the earth became cursed, man became corrupt and violence was so out of control that God sent a mighty flood to destroy the out-of-control humanity.  We have discovered fossils buried in rock layers proving that this actually happened. 

Through Noah and his family God allowed the human race to live and multiply again.  The earth again became filled with violence, corruption, unhealthy situations and fear of death.  All was a result of man’s continual sin and rebellion.  God knew that the only way man could change was to send His Son who would die and be resurrected for our sins.  Through our belief in Christ we can be forgiven and can receive the Spirit of God Who will allow us to develop the “mind of Christ”.  Hopefully, through Christ’s teaching and the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can live the way God originally intended.  That is to love God with all of our being and others as ourselves.  This is the way it will be when Christ comes to rule for a thousand years and then on the new earth and the new heaven for all eternity.

The Bible tells me that God knows everything, can create anything and everything runs according to the laws He has put in place.  It amazes me to know the number of Christians who do not believe the Bible is the infallible word of God who knows everything.  Bill O’Reilly, of Fox News, a Christian does not believe Jonah was swallowed by a huge fish that God created as well as other such stories.  If God can create the world out of nothing, can He not create a fish that would allow a man to stay alive for three days inside that fish?  Why is that so hard to believe?

At this point I must ask:  “Is it easier to believe in evolution, a religion, created by men or the Bible inspired by an omnipotent God?”  If you chose evolution then we can never really be sure about anything.  What is truth?  Does evolution provide predictions of the future as Bible prophecy does?  What about the story of Abraham and the Israelites and all that was foretold then has happened?  What are the chances that my body and my mind came from a random process; what are the odds? 

Christ made us aware that God wanted man to accept Him by faith and not by signs and miracles.  If God was so apparent, man would have little choice.  For man to have free moral agency that allows him to make choices of right or wrong, requires faith.  Otherwise God could have created robots that would do everything they were told to do.  However, God has given us enough evidence to overcome any doubt that we might have, as to whether we can believe He is who He says He is.   

 There are a number of scientists that believe they can prove the Bible is wrong.  They believe they have carbon dating and techniques that prove the earth has been in existence for 4.5 billion years.  Is it possible that their assumptions and techniques are correct and the Bible is wrong—only if you do not want to trust the infallible Word of God? 

However, I know that scientists have difficulty proving the past.  No matter what some scientists will tell us, there are Christian scientists that can prove their theories wrong.  The same is true as to whether global warming or climate change is man-made or following God’s laws.  I believe if they were man-made, the Bible would have forewarned us to be careful in using carbon fuels.  Therefore, I accept what the Bible tells me as God inspired and not what some men believe that they know better and that God does not exists and the Bible is just the dream of different men.   

But we Christians have a God that will allow us to believe and think whatever we so desire.  But there is a price. If you believe the remote possibility that the Bible is not factual, then there will be a Day of Judgment when we will know for sure what we should have believed.  It will be too late then to change your mind if you have made the wrong choice and believed in evolution.

Many years ago, there was a ruler who had a dream.  In the dream God asked him: “Ask whatever you want me to give you.”  The ruler replied: “Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around.  And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted!  Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”  God said to him, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people—  I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!”  This story is found in I Kings chapter three and II Chronicles chapter one about King Solomon.

If the typical Christian had the same dream today how many would have requested security?  Would we want to be protected from harm, not worry financially and have good health?  Others may request fame, power and a successful career.  Wouldn’t it be better to have the mind of Christ and heavenly wisdom?  If we could only see everything through the eyes of Christ and see life from God’s viewpoint we would probably make different decisions.  Would it not be better to understand God’s ways which are different from the ways of the world?

What have we made the most important things in our lives?  Is our mind still on the things of the world or do we have the same mindset as Christ?  We are to imitate Christ in how we live.  How many believe they have reached that point?  Actually, if we are spiritually mature we would say none of us.  Yet, this is what we are told we must do, is to develop the “mind” of Christ and the wisdom that comes with it.

We know if Christ were in our place God would be first, family second, others third and then the career would follow.  How many Christians really place God first and truly trust Him?  We can judge ourselves by our love for Him, are we committed, obedient to Christ’s teaching such as tithing, serving, etc.  How about our families?  Do we spend time with them doing things as a family?  Too many guys put jobs or careers first and playing golf or another hobby or spending time elsewhere.  The family gets whatever time is leftover and that is not always quality time.  It is difficult to change from having a worldly and selfish mind to having a mindset as Christ.

Visions, ideas and a complete confidence can bring prosperity.  Wouldn’t you want the wisdom that only God can provide?  Many Christians have never learned the rules or put into practice what the Bible teaches.  You may have attended church all of your life but even if you know some of the rules you have never really put them into practice.  You may wonder why you are not prosperous or why there isn’t more joy and peace in your life.  If you know the rules and put them into practice you realize there are a lot of things you really do not need.  As a good steward you would always earn more money than you spend.  How much money do you need to feel prosperous?  Could it depend on how much you trust God to meet your daily needs?

God wants every one of us to live by His rules because they are able to provide what is missing in every non-believers heart.  He also knows that if we reach a spiritual understanding and spread it to others everywhere, it will make life as He has always wanted for everyone He has created.

James 1:5 – 6 – “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.  But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.”

Do you realize most unhappy people are those who are wealthy?  Having prosperity without the wisdom to handle it properly can lead to being unsatisfied, stressed and unhappy.  According to Scripture a person’s career, finances, power or fame can only bring temporary satisfaction.  Anytime God is not first in a person’s life pride can screw life up.  Only God can give us the wisdom to manage what we have the best.

What I have learned from so many older people.  Those who have become prosperous have spent much of their lives planning for the future.  When they get this much they will buy this.  When they get more they will do something different.  They have big plans for what they will do in retirement.  Some never make retirement and some do not have the health to do what was planned once they retire. God’s ways are to have a balance in life.  That only comes when we put God first and we have the heavenly wisdom to know how to live life from God’s viewpoint.