Andy Stanley gave a sermon that every Christian should hear.  It would make an impact on most believers that are trying to live a holy life.  Many of us know the story of Esau and Jacob.  Esau was the oldest son and in Jewish culture that made the eldest receive the “birthright”.  The birthright was a special honor given to the first born son.  It gave him twice as much as any other sibling’s inheritance.  Upon death of the father, it also made him the family leader and the judge of any disputes in the family.  It gave them a different relationship to God than the others.  The oldest son, if he chose to do so, could sell or give it away.  If he did, he would lose the material benefit and give up his leadership position.  Esau by giving up his birthright gave up the spiritual blessing that came with it.  He traded it for an immediate pleasure without considering the long-range consequence of what it would do.

Genesis 23:30 – 40 – “He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.)  Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”  “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”  But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.  Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.  So Esau despised his birthright.”

Here is the consequence: The Bible probably would have read—Abraham, Isaac and Esau the father of twelve sons.  Esau possibly gave up every benefit that Jacob received from God.  We can fall into the same trap.  When we see something that we really want, what are we willing to do to get it?  Our first impulse may be to do whatever it takes. That could mean using the credit card, having an illicit affair, being dishonest to gain materially.  What is it that tempts us?  What is our bowl of stew?  What are we willing to give up in the future, to satisfy an immediate craving or lust that we have at the moment?

Esau exaggerated his hunger.  I doubt that he would die if he didn’t get the stew.  Yet, don’t we think similar thoughts?  No one will know.  It won’t hurt anyone.  The pressure of the moment gives us a different perspective making the decision seem urgent.  Isn’t it possible for us to justify almost any decision we make?

Consider how Esau’s decision changed his future, his family’s future and the world’s future.  If you have read the Bible almost everything from that time on, in the Bible, is about Jacob and his heirs.  Follow Esau’s history and there is very little good that came out of it.  From Esau came many of those who have accepted Islam and are Muslins.  Esau and his descendants are bitter enemies with Jacob’s heritage.  They have been enemies for centuries.

Decisions we make today not only affect us but influence the lives of our family.  We are seeing it today.  Many unwed teenagers having children with little chance of them growing up with a spiritual upbringing.  Unwise choices destroy families.  We know of politicians who have destroyed career opportunities for a bowl of soup.

We have all had the pressure that comes from temptations.  The devil knows what our bowl of soup is.  This is why it is so important to reach spiritual maturity and live a life trying in every way to please God.  We must never do things knowing that God will be displeased.  That is sin!  Stop and think—consider the consequence!  Will the decision I make today, displease God and change the lives of my children, grandchildren and on?  Don’t make the mistake Esau did and have the affect he had on so many.

It seems we can hear what is going on in the world, turn to the Bible and see the future results unfolding before us.  Or can we? Let me give you some Scripture and you decide for yourself.

Isaiah 19:1 – 4 – “A prophecy against Egypt: See, the LORD rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him, and the hearts of the Egyptians melt with fear.  ‘I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian—brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom. The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring their plans to nothing; they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists. I will hand the Egyptians over to the power of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them,” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.’”

Ezekiel 29:10 – 12 – “therefore I am against you and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt a ruin and a desolate waste from Migdol to Aswan, as far as the border of Cush. The foot of neither man nor beast will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years.  I will make the land of Egypt desolate among devastated lands, and her cities will lie desolate forty years among ruined cities. And I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.”  (There is no evidence, that I have been able to find, that this has happened previously anytime in history.)

I am no theologian and have never had a unique spiritual vision.  I have studied the Bible for over fifty years and have taught prophecy for a number of years. I am just the average Christian who listens to the news and read my Bible.  I read the above Scriptures and draw some conclusions.  I then think what if?  Let’s assume, in time, the Muslim Brotherhood take over Egypt.  They are part of a number of Muslim nations that have tried to destroy Israel four times.  They were completely humiliated by a tiny nation defeating the entire Arab armies.  Each Muslim nation and their form of government have been complete failures when it comes to democracy.  Their people have no hope for freedom or prosperity.  In fact, unemployment among young people is unusually high. The only way they can respond to their nation’s population’s disappointments is to generate anger against an enemy.  They have picked Israel, 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 most unhealthy, the most unenlightened, the most deprived and the weakest of all the human race.”

I have read where the radical Muslim Brotherhood  played a part inspiring Hitler to murder over six million Jews in the German Holocaust.  They now deny that the Holocaust ever occurred, so how could they have been an instigator?  They are part of the group that sends Muslims into the world to suicide bomb and murder innocent people in a number of nations.  They are part of the association working to promote a one-world government with Sharia Law and the Islamic flag flying over the capital building in Washington D. C.  They also want a one-world religion that Revelation describes.  Anyone who does not convert to Islam wouldl be beheaded.

Let’s again assume that the wrong group controls Egypt and they are anti-Israel.  That could mean at first chance they would attack Israel.  If Israel were to counter-attack and use nuclear weapons it could make Egypt a desolate waste as described in the above Scripture.  It would then disperse the Egyptians and scatter them throughout the world.  Where do you think most of them would end up?

Our White House is somewhat supportive of the Muslim Brotherhood and President Obama has appointed Rashad Hussain as a special Envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference.  Hussain has a history of participating with the Muslim Brotherhood and has supported many of their beliefs and causes.  Most Americans are not aware of just how many radical Islamic organizations and groups there are in America.  They are meeting almost continuously and holding conferences promoting their one-world government.  This is another reason I believe we shall receive maybe millions of Islamic immigrants if this prophecy is fulfilled and Egypt becomes desolate.  Then what happens next?  Do we believe that the Bible is foretelling actual events?  Do we believe God will devastate Egypt and scatter its population to other countries?  Exciting times—right?  I may have missed interpreting the entire Scripture.  Check it out for yourself.

I came across a speech that President Bush gave on September 17, 2001.  He stated: “America counts millions of Muslims amongst our citizens and Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country.  Muslims are doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the military, entrepreneurs, shop keepers, moms and dads.  And they need to be treated with respect.  In our anger and emotion, our fellow Americans must treat each other with respect.”  (And what would Christ say?)

Whoever you are or what you believe, let’s pray for our leaders, our nation and that God will allow peace to come into our world and the hearts of every American citizen.

This is the 200th blog posted since 2009.  The number one read blog was “God must protect Israel”.  As of March 3, 2011, 551 have hit that post.  Most have come from Google.  We are going through some scary times with what is happening in North Africa and the Middle East.  We are having a potential food shortage and concerns for oil and the price of each of these commodities.

I am starting to hear the same voices that were telling us that we had better store up food and water as I did prior to 2000.  Writing blogs I have found more will read negative blogs than positive ones.  Therefore, if I want to get readers attention I need to pick out a title that tells you the world is close to ending.  Which I don’t believe is happening, even though it looks like we are getting closer to a one-world-government.

The Old Testament and the New Testament were written to people at that particular time.  However, we must realize they continue to apply to each of us today.  The character and the Spirit of God has not changed.  If you read through the Bible each year you will read things that tells us a lot about God.  In the Book of Deuteronomy He tells the Israelites what they must do in Deuteronomy 27:15 – 26. Deuteronomy 28:1 – 6 – “If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.  The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out”  Shouldn’t we be praying for our nation?

If they keep His commandments they will be blessed and prosperous.  If they disobey Him they will be cursed.  Deuteronomy 28:15 – 19 – “However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed. The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.”  It goes on to give further blessings.

God does not list the things we are not to do as threats.  However, He is telling us as warnings that if we do them we will not receive His blessings.  The Israelites disobeyed God repeatedly and He withdrew His blessings which had brought them success and prosperity.  God allowing bad things to happen were the curses.

He tells Joshua in 1:6 – 8 – “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.   “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.  Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

Joshua was probably heading through some very fearful wars ahead.  In Verses 1:8 & 9, God tells him He will be with him and God would never leave him nor forsake him—abandon or fail to help him.  Joshua was leading two million people into a strange land.  Have you ever had a situation that seemed like you were in a storm and it seemed almost hopeless?  Jesus a number of times promised to us the same assurances as God had given to Joshua.  God told Joshua three times to be strong and courageous.  We too are to be strong and courageous and fear not.  He also told Him he would be with Him and never leave him.  That is our promise as believers also that the Holy Spirit with be with us 24/7.

Christ tells us to have faith and not to fear or to worry.  As believers in the Bible we too are told to mediate on Scripture day and night and live as instructed.  Know what God blesses and what He curses.    Then live accordingly and you will have nothing to fear and can expect blessings.    God tells us He with be with us through any situation to make us successful and prosperous.  If we trust in God’s promises we should be able to keep calm and meet all stormy situations without apprehension and expect the blessings that God promises.

Keep in mind always Roman 8:15 – “So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.”

Revelation 6:6 – “And I heard a voice from among the four living beings say, “A loaf of wheat bread or three loaves of barley will cost a day’s pay. And don’t waste the olive oil and wine.” (NLT)

The media hasn’t really told us why some of these countries have been over-turned in North Africa.  The riots in Egypt, Jordan, Yemen and Algeria have in a large part been over the price of food.   Part of it was caused by the drought in Russia and later Argentina.  Torrential rains in Australia and Canada have not allowed farmers to plant millions of acres of wheat.  Using corn for ethanol may help solve the oil demand but not the food draught.  According to the Chicago Board of Trade wheat is up 74% since last year and corn rose by 87% during the same time.  Italy’s Food Organization says food prices in January hit record levels.  When prices rise like they have it generally promotes hoarding wide-spread.  People start buying so they won’t have to pay higher prices later on.  If China has food problems this year we could have a world-wide food shortage.  Food Products in St. Louis says there is not one crop that doesn’t have supply problems. It almost sounds like the end times when a loaf of bread will cost a day’s wages.   Could a loaf of bread ever reach $125?   Is the world’s population at the point we may have a problem feeding ourselves?

There is a winner in all of this and it’s the American farmer.  Farm land in the Mid-West has sent prices rising and boosting profits to regional banks and equipment manufactures.  We are exporting more food products than ever before according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.  It is allowing farmers to get out of debt.  Foreign investors have been investing heavily into U.S. commodities.  How much of the higher prices are being caused by speculators?  Want to know why there are no food riots in America?  A record 43.6 million people receive food stamps according to the USDA.  No other country has this kind of a safety net.

The 6^th chapter of Revelation predicts there will come a time when the world will be faced with starvation, famine, sickness and economic disaster.  There will be sickness that antibiotics and drugs will not prevent.  Bacteria can infect people with hundreds of diseases and there are chemical agents that could destroy the entire population. There was a time in history that typhus killed over 200 million people over a period of time.

It is anticipated that there will be evil rulers with no conscience, who use their power to destroy those considered their enemies.  I believe God is allowing an example in Libya’s leader Muammar Al-Gaddafi who could do anything one could imagine to stay in power.  If you want to see what an evil leader can do watch today’s TV news.

There will come a time when we will witness global disasters.  Volcanoes will erupt and the earth will shake.  Isaiah wrote in 24:19 – “The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is violently shaken.” (NIT) On December 28, 2004 the U. S. geological Survey reported that the island of Sumatra shifted to the southwest 120 feet as a result of a 9.0 earthquake.  Yahoo news reported the December 28 earthquake made the earth wobble on its axis and permanently altered the regional map.   That earthquake was equal to 23,000 atomic bombs the size dropped on Hiroshima, Japan.   December 16, 1811 islands in the Mississippi actually sank.  Theologians predict that the earthquake Revelation describes is far greater than the 9.0.  Some wonder if these gigantic earthquakes predicted could shake the earth back on its axis to where it was before the flood when people lived almost 1000 years.

Then comes panic!  People lose all hope and can find no place to hide.  Lawlessness is evident in every country on earth.  Those who thought they were safe could find no place to hide.  It will be amazing that after all of these events there will be a number of people who still will not fear God.  Like the Egyptians in Moses times they will have hearts as hard as shoe leather and not penetrable by the Holy Spirit.

It is believed when the church is raptured, a radical ideology or theology will change the world when all restraints are removed and fanatical teachers spread their beliefs.  A worldwide anti-God movement will exist.  This will include the teachings of evolution, situation ethics (no absolute rules), moral freedom and self-sufficiency (man is not accountable to anyone), sexual permissiveness (everything is acceptable), and death education (there is no life after death).   This is what’s prophesized will happen during the one-world government and the one-world religion.  Hasn’t it already started?

Would you want to go through this kind of turmoil without having the Holy Spirit?  It is relatively easy to give one’s heart to Christ now, later it may cause one’s death.   Talk to Jews who were under the Nazi German Army or those from Cambodia just a few years ago.  Ask them what’s it like living under an army with no morals?

For the past year I have asked that Christians pray for our government leaders. (Psalm 50:15 – “Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you.”)  NLT – I do not believe it is too late for a spiritual revival to take place in America.  I believe God spoke to me through an article in a Christian newsletter in 1981 that before the end of time there would be a great revival.  At that time I belonged to a church that was averaging an attendance of 450 on the weekend.  Our church grew and today we have had over 30,000 on some special weekends.  This past year our church has seen 7,242 sign that they had accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior in 2010.  My hope is sky-high that God is going to give us one last chance.  But we all need to seriously pray for a revival in the hearts of those who have not accepted Christ.  Each one of us had better be prepared.  For no one knows when the “End Times” will occur.  The world is telling us it could be sooner than we might expect.

What precautions can we take?  What if the worse were to happen?  How much food and water do you have on hand?  What if you went to the store and they were out of everything you need?  How long could you exist?  Is it time yet to start planning for what could eventually happen according to Scripture?  As a child I remember my mother canning every summer enough canned goods to last us for at least a year.  We had all kinds of fruits and vegetables stored in the pantry.  We even had bathroom tissue that would last for months in case we ran out of the Montgomery Ward catalog in the outhouse.   What would happen if the most prosperous nation that every existed went into bankruptcy and money became worthless?  Or, we had a world-wide food shortage.  Have we planned adequately?  “A word to the wise should be sufficient!”

One of the men in our group asked: “Why did God allow slavery to exist for so long?”  I suppose the answer would be that he has given to each human free moral will to make their choices.  Add to that the following Scripture: Revelation 12:9 – “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”  And Revelation 20:3 – “He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.”

Would we not ask the same question: “Why does God allow Satan to deceive the world?”  I do not know of any Christian who hasn’t had some troubles in their life.  How we deal with problems during those times depends on a number of factors.  We first must realize no matter how much success we may have received there will always be times of suffering.  Some may be by being deceived through Satan’s temptations, some are caused by our mistakes and others are problems caused by others. Sometimes God allows all these things to happen to prepare us for greater responsibilities.  Since bad things do not always occur because we were deceived by the devil or the devil made me do it; we permit our carnal nature and distractions from the world to bring on negative consequences.  Then there may be times when God wants to change our purpose, direction, improve our faith or build trust in Him.  It reminds me of all of the problems God allowed the apostle Paul to endure.    Paul treated each situation as a challenge and so must we.  It is no time for a pity party.

God does not allow bad things to happen, under grace, to punish us.  He will do it for our own good.  First, He gave us the Holy Spirit to help deal with all suffering.  How we deal with these difficult times depends to an extent on our knowledge and knowing what God promises.  The more we understand the Bible, God and the Holy Spirit the better prepared we will be to handle any negative circumstance.

When we find ourselves in a serious situation we must understand how God operates.  Do we know what God promises during these times?  He says the Holy Spirit will take away fear.  Do we realize that God has a purpose for everything that happens?  Why is He dealing with us?  Could it be our pride, showing us what is important in life or is God just trying to get our attention?  In sports we always seemed to learn more when we lost than when we were successful and would win.  What is God teaching us and what are we to learn?

As I have written previously, when I had a massive heart attack, bypass surgery and not expected to live there was no fear.  I learned that God was in complete control and He knew what was best for my life.  I learned a lot about God.  I knew that He wanted me to completely surrender my life to Him.  I believed that God would do what was best for me and my family.  I was taught that I had no other choice but to turn that circumstance completely over to Him. (For a believer, death is the doorway to Heaven.)   Since 2005 I have repeatedly thanked God for the lessons learned, the assurance that His Spirit was with me and the blessings I have received since.

So how does this all apply to handling life’s pit-falls?  If problems or negative conditions present themselves how we handle them may depend on our trust in God’s Word.  If the Word is planted with a carnal heart, it could cause us to allow deceitfulness and worry to stress us out.  This is when the devil can really work on a person.  However, if we have allowed God’s Word to come into a heart purified through righteousness we will be able to accept the promises that God will meet our need and everything will work for our best.   With the right heart we may expect when it is all over we will be a better more enlightened person.  How do we make the heart right and accept the authority of the Bible?  We must have the self-control to become submissive to God, Christ and the Holy Spirit. Read, study and understand the Word!  Otherwise, the devil will challenge our hearts and our decisions. Many are not above temptation unless their self-control comes from a Bible based commitment to please God.

John 16:33 – “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

I have written the following to give you something to think about!

From the time Adam and Eve were in the garden Scripture tells us that Satan is the great deceiver.  Revelation 12:9 tells us that Satan will deceive and lead the whole world astray.  We realize that Satan continually tries to interrupt God’s ministry but is limited by God as to what he can do.  I Peter 5:8 & 9 tells us that He is actively looking for people to accuse and attack.  He has deceived a lot of people into thinking America is evil and needs to be changed.

We are told that satanic forces look for Christians who are weak in faith and lack spiritual knowledge to reject Christ’s teachings.  Satan cannot be everywhere.  It is through his demons that his mission is to hinder in every way what God would like to see happen in the world.  We are told that in the end times we will be confronted by a beast, (Satan) who wants to be God, (the Antichrist) who wants to be Christ and, (a false prophet) who wants the power of the Holy Spirit to spread his religion.  We are warned in the New Testament that there is a powerful, evil spiritual army whose goal is to destroy the Jews and Christians.

In the 10^th chapter of Genesis it tells of a person named Nimrod.  It is believed that he was the founder of a great, evil Babylonian empire.  Genesis 11:1 – “Now the whole world had one language and a common speech.”  It had a one-world government.  They built a 300 foot structure, possibly a pyramid with steps going up the side.  Their plan was to build a tower that reached to the heavens.  Genesis 11:5 – 7 – “But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building.  The LORD said, ‘If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.  Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.’”  So God scattered the people throughout the world and they began speaking different languages.

We now have many American progressives, socialists, communists and Muslims desiring to form a one-world government.  Who do you think was behind Nimrod’s evil one-world government and those planning a one-world government today?  You win if you said Satan.  What was God’s reaction to the evil Babylonian empire?  He didn’t allow it.  However, the situation may be different this time as we read what happens in the end-times from Revelation.

Why does Satan want a one-world government?  We interpret the eighth chapter of Revelation to indicate that Satan gains control of the European Union or the Old Roman Empire.  His messiah will be a charismatic individual who will convince everyone that he has the answer to the world’s problem.  He will make a pact with Israel which he guarantees their security.  He will have political influence over Muslims, Russian, China and others.

How will all of this take place?  Economically the European Union, parts of Africa, some Asian countries, in addition Latin American countries and the United States will be in total economic disarray.   Unemployment will continue to be extremely high to the norm.  Countries social welfare programs and health care will bankrupt their economies.  The youth population throughout the world is starting to protest their governments.  Unions throughout many countries are parading and protesting because of the cutting of wages and socialistic benefits.

Think this is too extreme thinking?  Read Revelation!  Food will become scare.  Jobs will be almost impossible to find.  Riots in the streets over food, no jobs and loss of hope occur throughout the world. It appears we may be seeing just the beginning.

Two powerful leaders appear and take control.  One is said to save the economies and the other will bring peace to all of the people and nations to stop the uprisings.  This is when the one-world government is in full operation.  With it comes a one-world religion.  Satan cannot destroy the church.  Wouldn’t the rapture have to occur prior to this happening?

Can you envision what could possibly happen?   Shall I ask again: “Who is behind it”?  Satan and his evil emissaries will divide those who are Christians and non-believers.  They hate everyone who calls themselves a Christian. John 15: 18 & 19 – “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” Expect to see false teachers and lying preachers come forward and deceive a lot of people according to Scripture.

I believe God established America to stabilize the world as we have.  He gave us a republic with a capitalistic economic system and free enterprise.  Satan has to destabilize America in order to carry out his plan to take over the world.  To defeat the capitalistic system is easiest by bankrupting the nation. But his goal is not just America but to other key nations.   Without American power and morality—and a stable world monetary system, Satan can take control.  This could never happen if Satan had not deceived so many people.  To receive further details go to the Book of Revelation.

I am utterly amazed at the way some Christians live their lives.  They must believe that no matter what they do; immorality can be easily forgiven.  Therefore, anything goes and then I can ask God for forgiveness and everything is o.k.  All sin can be forgiven then what’s wrong with telling lies or cheating?  Today’s paper says that one out of forty married individuals in Las Vegas cheat on their spouse.

I Thessalonians 4:1 – 8 – “As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.  For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.  It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before.  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.”

Living to please God must be every believer’s priority.  God requires each Christian to turn they lives over to Him.  We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.  We are told to become sanctified and holy.  Sanctified means to separate ourselves from the world and give ourselves to God.  We are told to prepare ourselves for heaven in the way we live.  The Bible teaches us to let the Holy Spirit take our sinful, self-centered nature, our old habits and behaviors and let them be transformed to emulate the life of Christ.

We may think living a Christian life can be done by accepting the do’s and don’ts taught in the Scripture.  Christianity is about a relationship with God and our willingness to please Him.  It seems many Christians find this hard to do.  One of the strengths of my temperament is loyalty.  This is probably the reason I find it easier to live to please God than those with other temperaments.

I do not believe God is pleased when we deliberately sin.    In the Old Testament people were punished for disobeying God and Paul says we will be in verse 6.  I believe He continues to punish and in most cases it may be deferred until after death now that we live under grace.  If we live like the pagans in the Old Testament who had come out of prostitution, being adulterers or homosexuals, what will happen when we rule with Christ for 1000 years if we live no differently?

We must ask ourselves: Is the way we are living affect our relationship with Christ?  Will it keep us from being given a crown or a higher position in Heaven?  God has called us to live holy lives.  If we live impure lives what happens?  We are told that God gave us the Holy Spirit to help us resist temptation.      If we refuse to live by God’s rules are we not rejecting God?  We are further told that the Holy Spirit gives us self-control and the ability to have control over sinful desires and the ability to practice restraint.

When I was much younger there were many large families.  In some families they had a wayward child that they called their black sheep.  The word came from black wool that could not be dyed and was considered undesirable.  The black sheep of the family was a son or daughter who caused the family sorrow.  In their living they had disgraced the family by their worthlessness or immoral living.  Most children did not want to embarrass the family and subjected themselves to respectable living and authority.  I think there are too many Christians who could be considered God’s black sheep.  They disregard the family and the family’s values.  The problem is: how they live reflect on the entire family.  Consider what you do or say and whether it will please God or not.  If you fail to live a holy life you are rejecting God according to the above Scripture.

Probably the most asked question is “When is Jesus coming back”?  Three different times I have tried to answer that question in my blogs.  I felt led to once again address this question and have spent this week getting additional information.  Sunday morning I listened to Dr. Charles Stanley’s message on the same subject.   After hearing his sermon I feel inadequate to write this blog.  Yet, I feel I should try once again to answer that most asked question.

I wrote on Harold Camping of Family Stations radio and TV ministry who predicts Christ will come on May 21, 2011.  I wrote on the Mayan and Hopi’s predictions that the world ends on December 21, 2012.  My greatest fear is that when these days come and pass and nothing has changed non-believers will begin mocking Christians and Christianity as the Bible predicts.

Remember those who predicted that when January 1, 2000 occurred all computers would stop working and the government required all banks and financial institutions to replace and update computers and software.  We had three of the greatest years economically from 1997 through 1999.  When 2000 came and no one needed new equipment, we slowly went into a recession.  Well those who expected that on January 2000 doomsday would occur, have you heard from those millionaires since?  Do you still have the food that you were told you had to have on hand in order to survive?  Did you live in fear as one pastor who moved to Colorado?  He told me it would be safer there.

We have continually, over the years, had professing Christians, false teachers, predict when Christ would return.  Every time those dates have come and passed nothing unusual happened.  When are they going to read Scripture that says in Matthew 24:36 – 39 – “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”

What do these false teachers not understand?  How can Christians become so deceived into believing that anyone knows when that day will come?  Because, they are deceived by the biggest deceiver of all—Satan.  Know the Bible and you will know what truth is.

The greatest ‘hope’ that any Christian has is that we know He is coming for us.  John 14:2 – 4 – “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going.”

He could come at anytime and when he does it will be in an instant.  No one will expect it. II Peter 3:10a – “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief”.  The rapture can take place at anytime.  For those of us who believe in pre-tribulation, we do not have to see the signs preceding the tribulation or the lawless man to know Christ can come at anytime.  However, when all of the things leading up to the building of the Temple haven’t happened, it only assures us He hasn’t come yet.  But none of that has to occur for Jesus to return and rapture the church as most Christians believe.

If He comes to rapture the church are you ready?  Scripture tells us “we ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day Of God and speed its coming”.  This tells us not to be anxious and worry about when He comes, just be prepared.  II Thessalonians 2:15 – “So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teaching we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.”

I John 3:2 – 3  – “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.”

For those of us who believe the church will be raptured prior to all of the signs that are yet to take place, His return could be at anytime or years from now.  So be alert!  Satan’s fallen spirits and demons are just as much deceivers as he is.  Don’t fall for those egotistical false teachers who will try to convince you that God has told them a specific day when He wouldn’t even tell Christ, His Son or any of the angels.

One summer I worked as an electrician’s helper for Weyerhaeuser Lumber Co.   I then spent four years in the Navy.  I worked a short time for Longview Fibre.  Then part of a summer I set chokers logging for Weyerhaeuser and then time in their saw mill.  Part of a summer I worked on The Dalles Dam 90 feet up on scaffolding.  That didn’t last long because of my fear of heights.  If you were to rate my productivity, an overall rating as an employee, would be no better than a C-minus.

I heard a sermon on Ephesians 6:5 – 9 and it changed how I worked.  “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, 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 slaves 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, whether they are slave or free.  And masters, treat your slaves 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.”

Instead of the word slaves, inserted was the word employees.  It went like this: Employees obey and respect those who you work for whether they are watching or not.  Work as an employee of Christ wanting to please my God in whatever you do.  What would this mean?

When we are hired we make an agreement to use our abilities to do specific tasks for a certain amount of money.  That means they can expect us to do certain things in accordance with their policies and procedures.  We are told to respect our employers.  Since we made an agreement, they have the right to expect from us to be cooperative and productive.

As Christians we are expected to be different from those who live by the world’s rules.  We are told by Scripture to be conscientious and loyal and we are to be positive and encouraging servants.  We are to do our best by being dependable and considerate of others.  Employers can easily tell the difference between an excellent employee and a so-so employee.  Guess who in most situations get the raises and promotions?

We should never be intimidated by our supervisors or bosses.  As Christians the only one we are to fear is God.  By not showing respect for those in authority and slacking off in doing our job, we must be afraid of displeasing God.

The Apostle 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.  We are not to waste time conducting personal business when we should be working.  We should not extend our break periods.  We should always arrive early for work and not leave until our time is up.

It is not unusual to work for someone that rarely gives you due recognition, or gives added rewards or praise.  However, Scripture promises that many of our rewards will be waiting for us in Heaven.  So be patient, we are continually storing up treasures for eternity.

Paul instructs us as supervisors or leaders that God is not impressed with a person’s position but what we do in that position.  Don’t you think God is aware when we abuse our leadership role or cause injustice to be done?  God always knows what is going on.  The day will come when He will settle up all accounts.  God will have the last word!

When I became a Christian and a new person in the Lord it changed by entire life.  God wanted me to hear His message and put it to use.  What a surprise I received when those in authority saw the new me.  I was treated differently and better.  Once I was promoted and became an employer and leader I could tell who was working for a paycheck and who was a team member and who followed the same advice I had been given. They were the ones I gave the extra raises and the promotions.

Do you want to improve your chances for success in the workplace?  Make God your supervisor and then do whatever you can to please Him through your work and your attitude toward authority and others.  God’s promises never fail for those who put into practice what He asks!

Revelation 12:9 – “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”

I want to point out in this verse: “Satan, who leads the whole world astray.”  Satan will deceive many and others will be led astray because of their rebellion against God.  Probably one of the greatest psychologists that ever existed is Satan.  He knows more about human emotions and how we are wired than anyone other than God.  It looks like he is stirring up the world at least the Middle-East for now.

Thirty years ago Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty which has, to some extent, stabilized the Middle-East and has given Israel security in its southern neighbors.  Israel’s largest trading partner in the Middle-East has been Egypt.  Israel receives gas through the Egyptian pipeline a much needed resource.  A new government, particularly the Muslin Brotherhood, an Egyptian outlawed opposition group, could take over the Egyptian government.  Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Throughout the Middle-East you have a number of well educated young people that are unemployed. One out of seven college graduates in Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia are unemployed.  There are a number of those employed who are over qualified for their position.  We were created to be free, with a desire to belong or to be accepted and to feel competent.  Up to now social justice has never worked and it hasn’t in Egyptian and other Middle-Eastern countries.  A person who doesn’t feel free to choose, or have little chance to better themselves and are motivated by fear from a dictator can’t be pleased.  The average individual who is not happy with their present circumstance and has little hope wants change and if things are bad enough they demand it as we are now seeing it.

However, change does not always bring the consequences they envisioned. Sometimes it can be worse than before. Should the Muslin Brotherhood take over, their goal is to terminate Israel.  Instead of more freedom there would be less.  Their goal is to have a one-world government under Sharia law and terminate all infidels.

An article in the Washington Post links Bill Ayers, a member of the radical Weatherman underground organization to President Obama.  We have also learned that President Obama’s terrorist friend Ayers went to Egypt last January (2010) to teach Egyptians how to protest, wreak chaos, and force their way into office as the solution to the Mubarak government.  Will this teaching spread across the Middle-East to Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, and others?

Who doesn’t want change when things are not going well?  Doesn’t everyone want freedom, to hope, the need to achieve, to feel worthy and accepted?  Do you think Satan doesn’t know that?  Who do you think is behind all of this leading the world astray?  If you didn’t answer Satan you better get out your Bible.   For those who are teaching the world will end on May 21, 2011 or December 21, 2012 it looks like it will be longer than that.  This Egyptian uprising isn’t making Israel feel safer nor are they abundantly rich yet from the newly discovered gas and oil.  I believe that comes much later.