Approximately 70% of my blogs are read by those searching on Goggle, Bing, WordPress, etc.  The rest come from those 220 who are notified twice a week.  Therefore, I will occasionally repeat Scripture and information from time to time for those and maybe many, are first time readers.  Some will ask where I get my information and the answer is, from the Holy Spirit, commentaries and personal experience. 

I wrote: “A Christian’s greatest problem is surrendering”.  Over the past fifty years that has been my greatest struggle.  I am learning to deal with it and realize the difference it made in my life by surrendering my self-centered nature daily to allowing the Holy Spirit to guide me. 

Another was: “How do you respond to problems”.  I have dealt with thousands of employees and customers over many years.  Then I have been responsible for overseeing millions of dollars of investments for clients since 1987.    The stock market doesn’t always go up.  By March 9, 2009 it had gone down over 56%.   

Then came: “I can – can you?”  I learned that God wants us, His family, to be successful and avail ourselves to the talents and abilities He created us to use. 

One of my latest, #229 was: “God has a plan for you to follow.”  I want to follow it up with today’s information concerning the importance of faith.  Some of the following comes from: “Guaranteed success in the workplace.” 

I want to stress, I have always considered myself as being just an average individual.  I never believed I was any smarter, more talented or more anything than the average college graduate.  Yet, the Bible taught me to be confident, not to worry and be prepared as if you are running a race.  I believed God had a plan for me and whatever He asked He would make sure I was capable of doing it.  One thing, over the years, that I grasped was the importance of faith.  Many times people would ask Christ to heal them.  Often He would require that they do something, requiring faith, before He would heal them.  Go dip seven times or your faith has healed you, etc.  Luke 17:6 – “He replied, ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.’”

Prior to coming to Las Vegas in 1974 I played a part as a board member in helping build two churches.  One was in Klamath Falls, Or and one in Las Vegas.  In 1981 we started going to Central.  In 1988 and 1989 I was chairman of the board and we had decided that we needed to expand our church because of our growth.  It was recommended that we expand by 44,000 sq. ft.  It would cost just under two million dollars.  It was impossible to raise this much money and I suggested we build in stages.  With my background in budgeting and accounting there was no way we could repay the loan and pay the added expenses.  Everyone but me was for the total expansion at once.  We started and I helped oversee the building expansion.  Once the addition was completed we had raised enough money and with increased weekly giving were able to meet all of our obligations. 

Because of the addition, at the end of 1990 we were averaging 1,283 in weekly attendance.  In 1991 we had grown to the point that the expansion was not adequate and it was decided we needed to look for land to relocate. I was asked to chair the Relocation Task Force.  It required raising money, purchasing land and building a church.  We were told that we need 80 acres.  What I saw the Lord do with the expansion I was convinced that all things were possible.  Anything we could dream He would provide.  Financially we were not in very good shape.  But that didn’t matter, God wanted a larger church and we had more faith now than a mustard seed. 

After three offers to purchase 80 acres and turned down, we were able to obtain 80 acres that had been used as a gravel pit to build the adjacent expressway.  It cost us $37,500 an acre and across the expressway, land was selling for $110,000 an acre.  It was a “God Thing”.  We had to raise the property by 13 feet which required 700,000 cu. yds. to prepare for building.  The dirt was free but it cost 1.7 million to pack, grade and get ready.  At the same time the City of Henderson wanted to purchase 24 acres from us.  They paid 1.6 million for that acreage.  This also helped us negotiate with the city to acquire adequate roads through their property on our north and our south allowing swift entrance and exiting possible.  Another “God Thing”! 

From the very beginning to the final day of the buildings completion on December 1999, time and again the impossible became possible.  It appeared that Christ was overseeing the entire operation.  What we witnessed happening could only be described as the “Supernatural” at work.  Our faith, belief and trusting in God and His Supernatural involvement was at an all-time high. 

In 2005 I had two massive heart attacks and was given little chance of living.  They didn’t know if they could find a surgeon willing to operate.  They did and I had a five-bypass surgery.  During the entire time my faith was positive, there was never any fear and I had learned to trust that God’s will, (based on what I saw the Lord do for the church), would be accomplished regardless of the outcome.  In the past six years I have not had a problem with my heart and have lived a normal life with no restrictions. This is why I believe what God did for the church I believe He did in my life.

I hope that my blogs, over the past two plus years, will help others learn what the Lord has taught me.  Do not pray without expecting God to answer.  Have the faith to believe that all things are possible with the Lord.  Remember, Christ taught us that if we expect an answer to our prayers it requires that we have the faith to believe it will happen.  I do not personally pray for material things.  If God wants to bless me, He will and has many times over.

Many years ago, when I was in the Navy, I spend time in the orient and witnessed how many lived pagan lives and worshiped pagan religions.   This past year our church had over 7,000 conversions to Christianity.  Unfortunately, not everyone who accepts the Holy Spirit accepts Him without reservations and conditions. Many believers are not willing to stop living as the world lives.  We receive the Holy Spirit but are unwilling to allow Him control over our lives. When the Holy Spirit checks us, too often we ignore Him for what He’s bringing to our attention that needs changing because it interferes with our lifestyle. How do we get these Christians and others to realize that there must be a definite life-style change?

Scriptures tells us in Ephesians 5:1 – 7 “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.  Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.  Therefore do not be partners with them.”

Converts to Christianity in the early church had no example of how a Christian should live until Paul taught them. In America today, those living in our society may not realize the importance of how a Christian should live. Scripture tells us we are to imitate how Christ lived showing love and forgiveness to others as He has shown to us. In parts of the Orient and during Paul’s time sexual promiscuity was taken for granted.  Many participated and it was an acceptable lifestyle.  Many had mistresses and others didn’t bother getting married.  These practices were considered normal and not immoral.  This is still practiced in many foreign countries today as well as with some in America.

God emphasized the importance of a family.  Satan tries to destroy the family and family values.  I believe he has deceived many by trying to destroy the family concept that Christ promoted.  We have same sex marriages and then allow them to raise adopted children.  This practice and homosexuality has caused many to break up the concept of the
family and it has changed the morality of our society. The family structure is much different from what it was sixty years ago.

Sexual immorality or any kind of impurity or greed is unthinkable for a Christian.  If we want to be an example for Christ and not grieve the Holy Spirit we will refrain from obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking. Our world is continually lowering the standards of morality.  The language of the gutter is creeping into TV, books and casual talk.  What we used to consider pornography is now becoming common and acceptable.

I believe Scripture challenges the notion that a person can be saved and still continually commit the gross and grievous sins the Apostle Paul was forbidding Christians to participate in. A true Christian cannot compromise when tempted to take part in immoral behavior.  Obscenity and coarse joking are so common that many Christians take it for granted.

For many years I have supported our church’s slogan: “It’s o.k. to not be o.k.”  However, we must not stay that way.  I spent many years in a church that if you were not o.k. you couldn’t be a part of us. It was like many in the early church who believed that you had to become a Jew before you could become a Christian.  Some in our previous denomination believed that you had to live as a Christian before you could be accepted.  Their church growth was minimal.

If someone invites a non-believer to church they need to know we accept you as you are, regardless of your background and present lifestyle.  It is then God and the Holy Spirit deals with their soul.  But once converted, it is important that they understand they cannot continue living as they did previously.

However, if they see those who have been Christians for years living as the world lives, it gives them the impression that there is really no need to change how they live.  Could we live in such a way that they and we would not inherit the Kingdom of God according to the above Scripture? I believe that living with Christ in eternity takes more than just accepting Him as Lord and Savior.  At Judgment Day Christ might say: “I never knew you”.  This is why we must imitate the life of Christ not only for ourselves but for others.

Jeremiah 1:5 – “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”   My study Bible says that “God knew us long before we were born or even conceived. He thought about you and planned for you.  When you feel discouraged or inadequate, remember that God has always thought of you as valuable and that He has a purpose in mind for you.”

The Bible is very clear that God has a plan for us and he created us with the abilities to fulfill whatever that plan might be. Satan has an agenda to keep us from performing what God had intended for us.  Satan plants the seeds of insecurity, low self-esteem, unworthiness and even fear to stop us from completing what God intended. He may use parents, siblings, teachers or employers to put us down.  It seems he finds ways to discourage and defeat us, but only if we allow it.  Most people live lives with God-given gifts that they have never developed or used.  What would the world be like if we all sought God’s intended plan and we used our talents to go with it?

If you were to assess your life so far, who has made the greatest impression on you, God or Satan and his emissaries? If you have allowed Satan to determine your life’s direction do you think you may have missed something?  The fact is most of us never believed that God made us special or had anything to do with who we are.  Some may understand that God has a plan for their life but they choose their own purpose and direction.

Over the years I have offered employees promotions to management positions.  Almost without exception they asked: “Do you really think I can do that?”  My answer was always:  “If I didn’t think you could do it I would not be offering you the opportunity.”  It reminds me when God asked Moses to lead His people out of Egypt.  Moses started making all kinds of excuses. It’s as if Moses had no faith or trust in God and he was allowing his perceived inadequacies to limit his potential. Are we any different than Moses?  However, God assured Him that He would tell him what to say and promised to guide him in his confrontation with Pharaoh.  We read in Romans 9:17 – “For Scripture says to Pharaoh: ‘I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’”  There are a number of Scriptures that tell us God has a plan for both believers and non-believers.

Have you ever wondered if you could overcome the fears you deal with, what are you really capable of doing? The American dream is still available to those who realize that it won’t be given to them; we have to prepare and then earn it.  I have read many books on the power of positive thinking.  I have studied management principles and went to numerous work-related seminars to improve my skills.  The one book that has helped me the most is studying the Bible. Scripture convinced me that I could do all things through Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit.  The Bible helped me to deal with my unworthiness, inadequacies, fears, etc. After studying and reading the Bible for years I was convinced God had a plan for me. In addition, I could expect the help from the Holy Spirit Just as God had helped Moses.  I realized my purpose was much different and significantly smaller but, God cared about me as he does you.

One thing I learned was the importance of preparation that the Apostle Paul continually stressed.  It was the key to success.  I learned the seriousness of trusting in God’s promises.  I became aware that the Holy Spirit was given to us that we might have confidence and comfort in what we were doing, a guiding hand to do it well and a purpose in life.  God had opened doors through which we could chose to enter. Yes, there were times that doors slammed shut and probably kept me from going in the wrong direction.

Have you lived most of your life believing that everything was up to you?  Did you realize that the more problems you faced and the more you overcame was God allowing you to build character and perseverance?  Did you face situations realizing that God knew what you were facing? Did you ask the Holy Spirit to guide you through it so that you might learn by the experience?  Or did you get mad at God for allowing it to occur as many sometimes do?

Life can be more gratifying when we know that what we are doing is what God had intended we do.  God’s plan may be that you are a Christian mom or dad to your children or even grandchildren.  It may be the influence you could be as a sales clerk waiting on customers with the right spirit.  God didn’t plan that we all would be potential presidents or senators. However, if we are doing God’s plan I am sure it is something that we really enjoy doing.  Always remember, if we are living our life to please God, in doing so, He will make sure His intended plan is being accomplished regardless of what we end up doing.

Christians were asked in a poll: What keeps you from witnessing more?  The unexpected answer was: I am not proud of the way I live and I don’t want to come across as a hypocrite.  I might suppose if we were aware of the way many Christian leaders live we wouldn’t be surprised at the answer.  Over the years I have witnessed Christians doing things that would make one wonder if they were even saved.

Who ever said living a Christian life would be easy?  The Apostle Paul having written much of the New Testament said in Romans 7:15 – 16 – “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.  And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.”

We must never underestimate the power of sin and never try to fight it without the power of the Holy Spirit.  We must understand we are surrounded by Christians trying to live up to Christ’s teachings and standards in their own strength, frustrated, disillusioned, depressed and close to giving up.

Romans 7:17 – 20 –  “As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.  For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.  Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”

It is so much easier to trust in our own strength, which is our comfort zone, than trusting in Christ.  Too often we fail to rely upon the power of the Holy Spirit within.

Ephesians 1:13 – 14 – “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

When we are saved our proof is being sealed by the Holy Spirit.  It is our guarantee that we have been forgiven, redeemed and have become adopted into the family of God.  If we do not have the Spirit of God within us we do not belong to Christ.  The Spirit is the guarantee of coming immortality, a guarantee of our inheritance and the pledge given to believers by God to assure them that the glory of the life to come, promised in the gospel, will actually happen.

John 15:4 – 5 –  “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Many people try to live a moral, good and honest life.  However, Scripture says the only way this can be done is by following Christ and live as He taught.  We must be connected into Christ for our nourishment.  If not we could be missing the special gifts that He has available for us.  We are told we cannot, in most situations, live a holy and righteous life in our own strength.  It requires the Holy Spirit.  We are told without the Spirit we can do nothing.  It is not possible to live a Christian life on our own.  There are millions who have proved this Scripture to be true.

Unfortunately, not everyone who accepts the Holy Spirit accepts Him without reservations and conditions. Many believers are not willing to stop living as the world lives. And this includes the workplace. We receive the Holy Spirit but are unwilling to allow Him control over our lives. When the Holy Spirit checks us, too often we ignore Him, for what He’s bringing to our attention that needs changing interferes with our lifestyles. When we want something, we deliberately do not pray about it because we don’t want to be told no. For example, a person buying a home in 2005 that they could not afford in 2009.  Then, when crises come, they wonder why God allowed the crises to happen. The Bible says we must develop the mind of Jesus and live as He instructed. That is not possible if we refuse to accept the Holy Spirit’s checks and guidance.

I have mentioned that over the past eleven years our Bible study group meets every Friday.  We often discuss how difficult it is to stay in constant communication with the Holy Spirit.  Our self-centeredness assures us that we can make decisions on our own.  In fact, it seems we have a tendency to ignore the Holy Spirit except during daily prayer time.  Yet, we realize that God gave us a Helper to live life as God intended.  There are numerous Scriptures that tell us of the power of the Holy Spirit that is within us.  Then what seems to be the problem that allows us to ignore or refuse to ask the Holy Spirit for help throughout the day?  We believe it is either the unwillingness or inability to surrender and completely allow the power of the Holy Spirit to control.

What must we surrender?  It is our self-centered nature that is capable of sinning.  We are constantly struggling with, should we do it my way or God’s way?  Our battle is whether we rely on our strength or trust in the Spirit that is within us.

Surrendering our self-centeredness is not something that is instantaneous as raising a white flag on the battlefield.  Surrender seems to become a daily struggle.  If there is such a thing as a complete surrender to the Holy Spirit it comes only when one becomes spiritually mature.  It would be like believing we no longer are self-centered.

I have met Christians who seemed to have totally surrendered. They appear to have a life of hope, joy and peace.  No situation seems to distress them.  They totally rely upon the Holy Spirit to meet their every need.  They never seem to worry.  They believe that all things work to the glory of God.  Whatever hand is dealt to them, they feel confident to play it out knowing God has a plan.

If you are struggling with life in general, you may want to assess whether you are surrendering daily to selfishness and instead accept the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Surrendering may be the hardest part of living a Christian life.

Matthew 6:33 – 34 – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Wars that the Jews have gone through beginning in 1948 through 1973 are minor compared to what is to come.  People will see that God intervenes to the point that in the end there will be little doubt that there is a God and the Jews are His covenant people.  If not, people will lose faith in the infallibility of Scripture.  The destruction that is about to come will be so catastrophic that some nations will become somewhat uninhabitable.

Those who have studied the Bible realize that Satan is behind what is about to happen.  Two biological Jewish men are in the headlines striving to promote a one-world government.  They are George Soros an American and a Jew by birth and President Ahmadinejad of Iran.  According to London’s The Daily Telegraph, President Ahmadinejad was born a biological Jew and his family converted to Islam when he was 8 years old.   Both want to see what Revelation says will happen in the end times, a government ruled by the antichrist.  Soros is promoting a one-world government with open borders.  President Ahmadinejad is striving for an Islam Caliphate.

The term Caliphate refers to the first system of government established in Islam and represents a form of government that governs according to an existing constitutional law whereas the government has power to rule over people according to Islamic law.   Sunni Islam stipulates that the head of state, the caliph, should be selected by Shura (a method by which Islamic leaders select a leader) and elected by Muslims or their representatives.

Both men believe that Israel must be destroyed before the ultimate goal can be reached.  These two biological Jewish men are working behind the scenes to promote the destruction of Israel.  Never underestimate the power of Satan and evil.  There are many interpretations of Scripture and this is what I believe.

I believe Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria, Israel’s neighbors, will launch an attack.  The Old Testament tells us in Obadiah 1:15 & 18 – 19 – “The day of the LORD is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head….Jacob will be a fire and Joseph a flame; Esau will be stubble, and they will set him on fire and destroy him. There will be no survivors from Esau.” The LORD has spoken. People from the Negev will occupy the mountains of Esau, and people from the foothills will possess the land of the Philistines. They will occupy the fields of Ephraim and Samaria, and Benjamin will possess Gilead.”

Many believe that Esau’s descendants are the Palestinians. There are others who believe the tribe of Esau has already been destroyed.  So we cannot say for sure that this Scripture applies.  However, it seems to fit what is happening.  The ruling party of the Palestinians is Hamas.  Their constitution states that they are not allowed to negotiate with Israel over peace.  They must continue to fight until Israel no longer exists.  I believe an attack will be instituted by the Palestinians and the other nations will join them.  We have recently seen private citizens from these nations try to force their way into Israel but were repelled.

One reason we believe Syria will be involved is found in Scripture.  Isaiah 17:1 – “A prophecy against Damascus: ‘See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins.’”   This is the oldest continuous city in the world.  It has never been left in a heap of ruins.

Muslims nations have hated the Jews for centuries.  One reason they want to destroy Israel is to prove that Mohammed and the Koran or Quran is correct and Jesus and the Judeo/Christian Bible are not.  Muslims believe destroying Israel will allow the twelfth Imam, Mahdi to come back and rule the earth as the messiah.

There are other reasons.  Each Muslim nation and their form of government have been complete failures when it comes to democracy.  Their people have had no hope for individual freedom or prosperity.  In fact, unemployment among young people has always been unusually high.   Over the centuries, the only way they could respond to their nation’s population’s disappointments is to generate anger against an enemy.  They picked Israel, then the United States and non-Muslims to hate.  The U.S. is one of the few nations that has helped and aided Israel in their defense.  Musharraf, the president of Pakistani said: “Today we are the poorest, the most illiterate, the most backward, the unhealthiest, the most unenlightened, the most deprived and the weakest of the entire human race.”

To keep their people under control it is necessary that they create chaotic times.  Some of these North African countries are financially broke.  For example, Egypt is being ruled by the military.  They are running out of food and cannot afford to buy fuel and are close to running out.  Similar situations are happening in other Middle-Eastern nations. How long can Libya last with no money coming in from the production of oil?  Read the headlines about Syria. These countries are in worse shape now than they have been for years.   What can their leaders do to divert the people’s minds off of hard times?  Attack Israel and blame her for all of their problems.  It is my belief that this will happen shortly because hungry, oppressed people wanting freedom, will stand to be patient only so long.  These nations are in no position to provide hope that better days are ahead.

The war with Russia, Iran and others will come later after the first attack fails.  God says He will allow Biblical prophecy to be fulfilled in order to prove that He is God and give each individual a chance of obtaining salvation before the Day of Judgment.  However, Satan will blind most people spiritually just as He has blinded many Jews.  This we know because there will be a time when Israel will make a peace treaty with the antichrist thinking he could be their Messiah.

God did not create us to fail.  To become successful requires hope and purpose.

Doing my research and reading national newspapers I didn’t realize the number of people who live everyday without hope.  Whether it is in the Middle East, Africa, Mexico or the poorer sections of American large cities many live in areas where government is corrupt, incompetent and dysfunctional. Many suffer from malnutrition, unemployment, living where there is a lack of security and in heavy crime areas, feeling despair and stress without sufficient finances to provide medicine and nutritional needs.  Many are members of religions that offer little hope and no assurance of eternal life in heaven.  A number of Americans feeling sorry for these people’s condition want to change the governmental process to socialism.  However, they do not realize it is the corrupt, incompetent and dysfunctional governments that are taking away their hope, freedom and not allowing each individual to have opportunity and purpose in life that socialistic forms of governments are supposed to provide.

My purpose for writing is to share with those who are living in better conditions but have little or no hope for the future because they have allowed  others to define who they are or what they can become.  Who you associate with and who you listen to really matters.  Life offers tremendous  0pportunities.  I came from a very poor background when my father died I was six.  In the fifth grade I took a paper route and began earning enough to buy my clothes and other necessities.  I have never been unemployed since.  Rules for younger people today have changed and many no longer have the opportunities some of us who are older did.  They are afraid some adult will take advantage of a young person and work them too hard.  I know what it is like to live without hope and to live with hope. I like living with hope so much better and you can also.

If you knew that God created you to be successful and positive would you live differently? I believe most people allow the devil to blind them  spiritually.  If you have never heard what the Bible teaches and what God promises, Satan and his demons wouldn’t have to worry about you trying to improve the world by testifying about the gospel to others. He is no longer concerned that your life will change spiritually.   So what does he do?  He puts people into your life that have a critical spirit who hold you back from doing what God created you to do.  Who you associate with can alter your purpose, faith and vision.  They can destroy any hope you may have.  There are people who you think are friends who will discourage you from being what God intended you to be.  Only associate with people who are encouragers, believe in you and treat you as a child of God.  Stay away from all those who have that critical spirit. They can bring you down or discourage you from finding your purpose.

My life changed dramatically when I accepted Christ and received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  I guarantee accepting Christ will change your life if you follow His teachings.  If you understand what God promises and trust Him there should be no anxiety, depression, despondency or despair in your life.  What is your attitude as you wake up each day?  Do you start the day dreading it without hope or do you awaken wondering what opportunities God will give you today?  If you have the Holy Spirit in your life are you listening to His counseling or are you relying on what others say who may be jealous of any success you may have?

You may be working in an environment where being a Christian causes you to be under relentless pressure to be productive in a climate where Christian principles are often viewed as irrelevant, quaint or a sign of weakness.  We cannot let others define who we are.

I Thessalonians 4:7 & 8 – “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.  Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.”

If you want hope in your life begin living a holy life following the instructions God has given you.  It is more than just being spiritual.  He has instructed us how to live life in all areas: physical as well as spiritual. We have learned what foods are good for us, how disciplined and how stress-free our life style should be and the affect it can have on our health.  We have been told we must have a life purpose, feel we are achievers, live guilt-free lives, develop personal relationships and emphasize the importance of love.  We are told not to hate anyone, even our enemies.  Hate can be a physical destroyer of the body.  If you have true love in your heart there cannot be hate.  We are told to forgive.  Holding grudges or desiring revenge can also affect our health.  Matthew 6:14 – “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”  Following His rules will make you a “new person” both spiritually and physically. Don’t associate with people, as friends, if they have hate, apathy and lack love for others.

We are told by medical research that those who live happy lives and those living by (Biblical) ethical principles significantly increase one’s longevity as well as their success.  John 14:20 – 27 “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.  Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”  Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, ‘But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?’  Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.  Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.  All this I have spoken while still with you.  But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’”  Do you  understand what Christ is teaching?  Christ will teach us how to have hope and joy and not to worry.

Christ talks about God’s love for us and the Holy Spirit that will live in us.  Christ tells us that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things.  Christ then says He leaves His peace and we are not to be troubled and  not be afraid.  The Bible in so many ways tells us to have love, joy and peace.  We are not to allow the stress and worries of the world to be a dominant part of our lives.

We all realize there are no guarantees that we will always have hope, happiness and healthful lives.  There will always be wars, plagues, accidents and illnesses.  However, the more scientists have explored and discovered the intricacies of the body, the more they realized that by following God’s guidelines it will even give us better health and a longer life.  Most scientists would never give God the credit. Those of us who have read and studied the Bible realize the importance of following God’s manual both physically and spiritually. If you do not have hope in your life and associate with people that do not believe in you or have a positive attitude, you are not following Christ’s teaching.  The Bible guarantees you to be a new creation if you will accept Him and following his guidance.  Plan and count on it!

When I was asked to blog in April 2009 concerning “God Things” I stated I would try to blog twice a week.  It has been an amazing experience how I have felt led by the Holy Spirit to come up with different blogs.  This brief note is to tell you this is number 226 and for the month of May over 1,000 read or at least went to this site.  What also inspires me is that some of you continue to read them.  I just hope, in some small way, they have been insightful and made you think about “God Things”.  Shortly, the book I have talked about will be published.  I will let you know the date soon.

For those of us who are veterans of a foreign war but did not engage in actual battle feel a little uneasy when they are recognizing us for our previous participation.  The closest I came to battle was being on a Navy ship off the coast when we had an alert that planes were headed our way.  I was a radio operator on a destroyer and sat with ear phones listening to what might be occurring.  The planes were intercepted and nothing ever happened. 

However, there are service men who actually lived daily, facing an enemy and wondering if this would be their last day alive. I listened to stories from those who participated in battle that scared the pants off of me. I heard stories of what it was like sitting in a fox hole and being shot at; then given an order to advance against an enemy that was out there but they couldn’t see.    

I have heard stores from nine of my older cousins that fought in World War II.  My grandfather was a farmer/preacher who was a real prayer warrior.  He prayed constantly for his grandsons.  One day he told our relatives not to worry that God assured him that all his grandsons were coming home alive.  There was not a doubt in his mind that God had answered his prayers. 

One of my cousins was a Navy fighter pilot and had flown 112 missions in the south pacific.  On one occasion, returning back to base, his engine quit and he crashed on the shore of a small island.  He was knocked unconscious and the plane was on fire.  A member of his squadron saw what had happened and landed his plane on the beach.  He ran over and pulled him out saving his life.  A short time later a PBY seaplane landed.  He was brought to the plane on a raft.  He became a minister until his retirement.

My cousin Jim had two liberty ships sunk and had to swim until help arrived.  My cousin Lee was a corpsman.  He was involved in the invasion of Iwo Jima.  The doctor and crew Jim was with returned to the ship.  Jim had to take another boat back to the ship.  His crew’s boat was blown up and all were killed.  Normally he would have been in the same boat.

My cousin Floyd belonged to General Patton’s tank division.  He was a point man directing the tanks against the enemy.  They would drive a jeep to the enemy lines.  They then would go on foot, scout out the enemy and advise the tanks which direction to go.  The life expectancy for men performing this job was less than thirty days.  He went with Patton through Africa, Italy and into Germany.

Each of my cousins had similar stories to tell.  My uncles and aunts seemed to know when they needed to pray for a certain cousin.  Later, they found out that the times they were led to pray were the times my cousins were facing serious situations.   My aunt tells of a time when she just felt the need to go to her knees and pray for her son.  It was when his ship had been hit and a number of his crew was killed.  Their ship limped into port. 

Every Memorial Day at church, veterans are asked to stand and be recognized.  It has been somewhat of an embarrassing time for me realizing what so many went through and how little I had participated.  But most people have no idea what some of our veterans have gone through.  They were willing to give their lives for their country if needed and millions have.  They are the ones who deserve our recognition.

We have just pasted the day when we were all to have seen the world end according to Harold Camping.  You may not be ready for another prediction but one is coming.  What if I were to tell you that December 21, 2012 was the end of the world as we know it?  I then went on to explain what signs tell me that the end was coming.   The Mayan and Hopi’s predictions are that the world will end on that specific day.  A number are taking this prediction much more serious than the May 21^st prophecy.  Thousands of people in the Netherlands have been preparing for that day by accumulating emergency supplies.  It has been circulating on the Internet, in books and recently a motion picture.  Rumor has it that the government is actually preparing secret underground bunkers. Do you believe the false prediction by Harold Camping will make people more questioning and less concerned about December 2012?

What if I were to tell you that you can know whether you will be raptured or not when the time comes.  Many of us believe Christ will come again twice.  The first time is to meet believers in the air as they are caught up or raptured.  The second time will be when He comes to earth to rule for a thousand years with those who are members of God’s family.  As we have repeatedly tried to point out, no one knows when that will be.  However, I too have a prediction.

First, let me share some background information.  I spent 23 of my 29 years as a store manager.  My last store, based on today’s inflation, would be doing about 55 million in sales.  I would have loved it if we had a cashless society, which is being predicted, and no money to handle.  We would not have to rely on making change and coming up with shortages even with registers telling how much to give back.  The second thing that would have been most advantageous would be having a small RFID implanted on every person. RFID is a tracking system that uses intelligent bar codes to track items in a store.  The code would start with the number 666-.   We could use a wand and be assured that people were who they said they were.  It would let us know if they had money to pay for the purchase.   This would revolutionize retailing and be a store manager’s dream.  Of course, there could be some negatives attached.

I do not think the rapture, believers caught up into the air to meet Jesus, will come before everyone, still living, will be given the test whether they will accept that mark (possibly an implanted RFID, the size of a pin head) or not.  This will be our ultimate test.  Will we trust what the Bible says or will we ignore and turn our back on Scripture when it comes to taking the mark?  Wouldn’t this eliminate any excuses on Judgment Day?  The day of the rapture, those not having a mark will rise into the air to meet Christ.  Those having the mark will remain and go through the Tribulation.  You made the choice and would have no excuse when being judged.

Revelation 13: 16 & 17 – “It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.”

Revelation 14:9 – 11 – “A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand,  they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.  And the smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”

Revelation 16:2 – “The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.”  Everyone has been warned not to take the mark.  Only truly committed Christians refused to take the mark and they will be raptured.

Revelation 20:4 – “I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

False teachers can leave out Scripture to make their case.  This is exactly what Harold Camping did claiming to know the exact date the world would end.  We cannot say, those beheaded because of their faith died before the rapture or after.  All we are told is they came to life and reigned with Christ.  Unless we know for sure we cannot make the statement the rapture will not occur until we are required to make the choice.

Some people predicting end times, the time of the rapture or who will make it to Heaven and who won’t can be very convincing to those who have not studied their Bible.  Be careful who you listen to and what they teach.  Then check it out for yourself!

I have no idea whether the “Mark of the Beast” will be a test to see who is raptured.  However, if I wanted to I could use certain Scripture to convince some that this would be their test.  But, then I too could be labeled a false teacher.