Research differs but many believe that happiness comes from three things: our temperament, love and relationships and having things.  They also differ on how much each gives us.  For example, 10% of happiness comes from things: such as being rich, having fame and power, buying a new car, going on vacation or even having a good meal.  Then 40% comes from our temperament.  This is how we were wired when born.  Some babies are always happy and some babies are always fussing.  If you were a fussy baby you may need more love than those others. Another 50% of happiness comes from love and relationships.  We are told that children who have had little love often times look for love in the wrong places.  Everyone wants to be happy.  They just do not understand how it is obtained.  Too many live their whole lives being unhappy.  A Christian has absolutely no reason to be unhappy for any period of time.

Genesis 1:26 – “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.”  Adam and Eve did not sin because of disobedience.  They sinned because they wanted to be a God. Genesis 3:4 – 5 – “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.  “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  We believe that man was created to fellowship with God.  No matter how hard we may try, man cannot be totally fulfilled separated from God.  There will always be an emptiness until a relationship with God exists.

Many people, being created in the likeness of God, want to be God. You may know people who want to be treated as if they were God.  However, there is a tremendous difference between being like God and being God.  But they think the only way they will ever be happy is to be in ultimate control.  They want and need to be loved but rarely are unwilling to give love.  If people were honest, many would sell their souls to Satan and some, we believe, have.

Why should people want to be happy?  Science tells us happy people are usually healthier than unhappy persons.  Happy people normally heal quicker than unhappy ones.  They also share that happy people live longer.  Some unhappy people unable to have wholesome relationships with others end up institutionalized.  I would not say I am a happy person but, I certainly am satisfied and not unhappy. That seems to be my temperament for I was told I was a fussy baby.   Everyone needs to be and can be happy or at least satisfied and not unhappy for many reasons.

Why do you think Christ gave us the two greatest commandments?  They are found in Scripture: Matthew 22:37 – “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’”   Doesn’t it sound like Christ is telling us that if you want to have a happy life you must love God and others? Psychologists tell us that love is the most powerful drive of man.  However, coerced love is not love and Scripture makes that very clear.  You can’t buy love as some try. Many think that getting married will automatically make them happy.  But it takes continual love to keep happy.  If one or both are not trying to show love to the other they look for happiness elsewhere.  I once read that if you have a bad marriage chances are one or both do not have a good relationship with God.  I don’t suppose that fits every marriage but is something to consider.

Luke 12:15 – “Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

People believe wealth and material things will give them happiness. They can become workaholics trying to find happiness in things.   If worldly things only satisfies 10% of our person, no matter how much we have, it will never be enough to keep us happy, except temporarily.  If our temperaments didn’t automatically make us happy that means a greater percent must come from relationships and love.

We as humans are curious and restless.  We can so easily become discontented and disenchanted.  We think things can satisfy us.  We believe achievements and influences will fulfill what will make us happy.  It may, but only temporarily.  Since an abundance of possessions will not satisfy us for long we then may turn to addictions.  What causes most addictions: a lack of happiness and a feeling of insecurity? How long does a high last? Where do we find security if it not from the love of others and the love of self?

How often do we think about being created in the likeness of God?  Do we realize we have been given a will that needs affections and passions with a liberty and freedom of choice?  God made man so that man would love Him. Have you not read: “God is love?” When man showed his love and affection to God, He blessed them abundantly and He met their every need.  Being created in God’s likeness we too need love.

Matthew 16:24 states we must deny ourselves and follow Christ.  Jesus teaches we must have self-love in order to love God and others.  God wants us to have a high measure of self-acceptance and self-esteem.  Self love is not a sin.  It is selfishness, a distortion of love that is sinful.  Another sinful love is lust.

One thing that limits love is fear.  We must not try to be someone else.  We must not love for selfish reasons.  Love does not try to manipulate others.  Scripture repeatedly tells us: to have joy, peace and calmness requires a heart totally cleansed and obedient that loves God and our fellow men.  I believe if you were once saved and then go back to your old sinful ways, you didn’t experience a true born again experience.  But there is always a second chance.  Once you find yourself truly loving God and others it is a very good indicator that you have salvation.  You can’t unconditionally love God and others on your own because it requires the assistance of the Holy Spirit.

The Democrats have dropped God from their 2012 platform.  They no longer support Jerusalem as being the capital of Israel.  They have every right to do whatever they believe.  My concern is what may it do to America?  Oops!  They decided it would cost too many votes and put it back in.  But they didn’t get the two-third vote needed.  So what might cause the U.S. to collapse?

The Israelites would not share their religious beliefs with the world.  They wouldn’t eat with a Gentile or enter their homes.  Some Gentiles were converted to Judaism but very few.  When Christ came He established the church so the world could hear the Gospel and all could become saved and worship God.  I believe God established America to people whom He designated to spread the good news of a New Covenant where people could be saved by grace and become children of God.  Israel and its people were established to spread the Old Testament and America and the church’s purpose was to spread the New Testament.  I don’t think that is a stretch and history supports it.

I believe many of God’s commands to the Israelites apply to America.  As I often read the Old Testament I ask: “Is this Scripture applicable to the United States”?  If the following Scripture covers America, shouldn’t we be concerned?

Deuteronomy 8:1 – 20 – “Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors.  Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.  He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.  Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.   Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him.  For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.  When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.  Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.  Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.  He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you.  You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.”  But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.   If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.  Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.”

In the 1600s people came to America where “the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.  When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.  Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God.”

Does it not sound familiar?  When we have plenty we take credit for our prosperity and believe it has all been done because of our hard work.  Like Israel we have a tendency to push God out of the picture.  Most Americans no longer believe that God gives us everything we have.  So what happened when the Israelites ignored God?  He punished them by allowing them to be destroyed in A.D. 70, pushed out of their homes and spread throughout the world until 1948.

Look at our financial situation and the debt crisis.  Will God cause the U.S. to collapse and go into another depression?  Will He treat the U.S. any differently from the Israelites when they ignored Him as we are?  When was the last time America had a spiritual revival thanking God for all we have been given?  I guess if you believe in evolution, praising and thanking God is a waste of time.  Some day the chickens will come home to roost if we don’t change, repent and ask God for forgiveness.

Based on Scripture, does God have the right to allow the U.S. to have a financial collapse?

DO YOU LACK A BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE?  Each day can be as good as you want it to be.  There may be days when a disaster will hit but with a balanced life you can make it through successfully.

We are born with a self-centered and carnal nature.  Our bodies influence many of the decisions we make.  We often do whatever makes our mind and bodies feel pleasurable.  We can also be influenced by spirits controlled by Satan.  Therefore, we have two negatives continually guiding our lives.  We are told that some have sold their souls to Satan to obtain what Satan tempted Christ with, such as: power, fame, wealth or great achievements.  We must be careful that we do not allow these people who have obtained success with Satan’s help to influence us.  Unless you are aware of the possibility, how can you know if you are being influenced by Satan?

God provided that we could have an inner power to balance out the two negative influences.  He made available His Spirit through Jesus Christ that would help us realize what is right and what is wrong.  In addition, He provided the Bible that we could understand how to live with these bodies He created for us and the influences that Satan offers.  Without the balance provided by the Holy Spirit, many have little control over these two negative influences.

I spent four years in the Navy and came out with a number of bad habits.  The two negatives controlled my thinking and behavior.  Life was all about what was best for me!   I had little if any balance as to what was right or wrong.  Nothing was wrong unless you got caught.  I was not accountable or responsible to anyone.

I started attending church and accepted Christ and received the Holy Spirit into my life.  The power and balance allowed me to stop doing the things I shouldn’t be doing.  I had a balance to offset those two negative influences that had partly controlled my life for so many years.  It seemed I was now accountable to a God who had created me.  My life felt clean and worthy.  When I had an urge to do things I previously did, I would be checked and felt that wasn’t what was best for my life.

Not everyone who receives the Holy Spirit is filled with the Spirit.  I should write a book about the difference between receiving and being filled.  However, there are Christians who Jesus talks about in His parable of seeds being planted.  Some are planted on hard soil, some on rocky soil, some fell among thorns and only those who fell into fertile soil produced a crop.  The Apostles asked what Jesus meant and He gave the following Scripture:

Matthew 13:11 – 12 – “He replied, ‘The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Those who have will be given more, and they will have an abundance. As for those who do not have, even what they have will be taken from them.’”

You may accept Christ as your Savior in your head but fail to receive in your heart.  Once you receive Him in your heart, because you have made a commitment to deny yourself and live for Him you will be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.  Before you were conceived God foreknew how you would live your life.  If you never planned to allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life to assist you in overcoming the two negative influences you may never understand what God requires of you.  If most times your sinful flesh or earthy nature sends urges that you know are wrong to do and the Holy Spirit checks you, yet you deny His help; the chances are you have never allowed the Holy Spirit to fill you with His presence.  We each have a moral choice.  Will we allow the two negative influences to direct our life or ignore the positive encouragement coming from God’s Spirit?  God will never force you to do His Will.  Everyone has a choice as to whom they will follow.  Who do you allow to direct your life and how you will behave?

Remember when Satan offered Christ the world if He would follow him? If Satan could offer the world could he offer America to a president? If you were offered the same would you accept?  How about maybe a city, or wealth, maybe adultery?  You may have received the Holy Spirit but if you are filled with the Holy Spirit there is little chance you would yield to these temptations.  If you are not filled, you may not have the balance or the power to offset certain urges, in fact you are probably unwilling to commit and live according to God’s Will.

If you are not willing to heed the council of the Holy Spirit how do you think Christ will judge you?  Wouldn’t it be better to be filled with the Holy Spirit and never have a question as to how you will be judged at the end of time?  Don’t you want God’s Spirit blocking the two negative influences?  You will not have the peace and joy described by Scripture if you are constantly yielding to negative temptations that create a guilty conscience.

Matthew 13:14 & 16 – “In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.   For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.  Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.  But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.’”

Being filled with the Spirit is becoming sanctified.  Sanctification means being separated from the world and consecrated to God.  You belong to God and are progressing to become more Christ-like.  You are totally sold out to God.

What would you be willing to do and for how long if you were guaranteed wealth?  Let’s assume you are a younger adult and Warren Buffett and Bill Gates came to you and said if you do certain things every day for 30 years we will guarantee you five million dollars at the end.  Would that get your interest?  If that were me, I would want to know a little about what was expected.

They assured you would never be asked to do anything that was not ethical or moral.  However, it would mean a complete change in lifestyle.  You would be asked to do certain tasks in which you will always be capable of doing.  Every day you would be given a list of instructions for that time.  You would read them and then execute what you were asked to do.  You were told there would be times when help would be given to you if you are struggling and having problems.  You would be able to communicate with this person whenever needed.  He would also give you guidance and correct you when you did not follow instructions exactly as laid out.  They also require that you enlist others willing to do the same thing for the same reward.  The more you enlist to change their lives and do as they direct, they will make it easier for you.  Will you be willing to share with others what has been promised?

Would you ask yourself: “Am I willing to be obedient and do everyday exactly as I am told”?  Would I be willing to put in the time to prepare and have someone telling me what to do?  How important is that five million dollar guarantee? Is the commitment worth it?

Could you trust those two people that they will keep their promise and after 30 years the wealth would be there?  Could they at anytime break their agreement because you did something you should not have done?  What if they ask things you may not want to do because you have other things to do.  Will you have the patience to put someone else’s agenda ahead of yours?

They have promised that they would pay you each month, a livable income and meet all needs, but in return you are to give 10% of what they give you to charitable needs. That would mean many of your friends may live in better homes and drive nicer cars.  However, in 30 years most would not have what you had unless you could enlist them.

You realize they are going to expect you to be loyal, to deny some of your earthly desires and treat them with the utmost respect.  Would you be willing to become their slave, in some respect, to do whatever they ask and whenever they ask for these two men? Just how important is that five million dollars?  Are you willing to give your all to someone else?

If you are a Christian you know exactly what the above illustration points out.  Instead of receiving an award while on earth ours waits in Heaven.  Why is it we may be willing to do all kinds of things for something we can see and touch; but, unwilling to do something for God whom we cannot see or touch.  Are we willing to trust people to kept their promise and yet have trouble believing that God will do as He promises?

In order to receive money we may read every day.  Yet, fail to spend quality time reading the Bible because that is for delayed gratification. We may allow ourselves to become slaves for money but refuse to become a slave for Christ.  In all honesty, is five million dollars today more import to you than Heaven’s rewards? Do you realize how long eternity is?  Do you trust God to provide more than any two human beings on this earth could ever provide?

What if you put Christ first in everything you do and receive both rewards on earth and in Heaven?  God says if you use His principles both are possible and probable.

If your heart is as hard as shoe leather you may miss the point of this blog.  The only way you might ever change, repent and start a new life is by daily reading the Bible.  For God says He does not wish that any should perish and miss eternal life with Him.

Proverbs 3:5 & 6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”  Taking His path will merit His promises.

If you plan to vote and you know who you will vote for president, this message is not for you.  If you are a Christian Evangelical and do not plan on voting because Gov. Romney is a Mormon, this is for you.

Have you ever voted for a president that did not seem to have a strong Christian faith?  Do you remember when John Kennedy was running for president; we were told that he would get his directions from the Pope?  Shortly we will be bombarded with why Gov. Romney should not become president because he is a Mormon and must therefore obey the Mormon leadership’s direction.

There is a lot of disagreement in beliefs.  However, that does not mean that a person cannot be a great president because their religious beliefs differ.  We elected a president that comes from a denomination that wants to “Dam America”.  His beliefs are much different from most of the Evangelicals that I know.  Did that stop Americans from voting for him?   Romney’s being a Mormon, should that keep him from becoming president?

For 20 years I have been on the church board of one of the top ten largest Evangelical churches in America.  I am amazed at the number of believers who have chosen not to vote for a Mormon.  Therefore, I have felt led to have you consider why this should not keep you from voting.

Luke 9:49 – 50 – “Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”   “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”

A story found in the Old Testament has always intrigued me.  It is found in Numbers, chapters 22 thru 24.  Balak, king of Moab, sent messengers to summon Balaam, a prophet or perhaps a cult leader, so that he could place a curse on the Israelites as they were coming out of Egypt.  The king believed with Balaam’s curse he would be able to fight them and drive them away.  Balaam asked God what he should do.  God told him not to go to Moab.  Later God told him to go with them, but to do only what God would tell him.  He climbed on his donkey, but as he rode on, the donkey stopped. Three times the donkey stopped after seeing God’s angel blocking him.  Balaam was unaware why his normally faithful donkey stopped and refused to go forward.  Each time, Balaam beat the donkey.  Finally, the donkey spoke, and asked Balaam why he was being beaten because the Lord’s angel had stopped him from going forward.  Balaam then saw the angel and asked what he should do.  He was told to go on to Moab, but do only that which God would tell him to do.

Balaam is told by the Moab king that if he will curse the Jews he will be rewarded greatly.  But God tells him not to curse them, but to bless his people.  This frightens the Moabites and Balaam returns home.

What I learned from these stories was that God used others who were not Jewish, who did not follow the Jewish traditions and laws, to be used by Him.  Just because a person believes differently does not mean that God cannot use them.  Evangelicals have a choice between two men who differ in their Christian beliefs.  One man tithes and the other does not.  One has leadership experience and one does not.  One man’s religion promotes patriotic duty and a love for America, the other’s church does not.  Look who their friends are.  One is surrounded by the Hollywood crowd who believe that babies can be aborted at anytime for any reason.  The other believes in limited abortion.  One supports same-sex marriage, the other believes marriage is between a man and a woman.  One wants to appoint Supreme Court judges who want to change our constitution.  The other wants to appoint individuals who will support the original meaning of our founding fathers.  One believes in the re-distribution of wealth.  The other recognizes the importance of a free enterprise system, where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.  One believes in big government and high taxes, the other believes in reduced government and lower taxes.  Would you prefer a Chicago politician or a politician with Utah principles?

Mormon church sponsored BYU dropped one of their best athletes from the basketball team because he had pre-marital sex with his girlfriend, an indicator of the commitment to moral values.  How important is morality in choosing a president?  Based on your belief as an Evangelical, which person do you believe would make decisions more aligned with your standards of morality?

I believe there are enough differences between the two candidates to make a righteous judgment. Both candidates hold beliefs that differ from Evangelical beliefs, but I don’t believe being a Mormon should keep anyone from voting.  President Obama may be a Christian, and yet not believe as Evangelicals believe.  Should Obama not have been elected because his church’s beliefs are so much different from what you and I may believe?

The question is this: can a man who professes a belief in Christ and who lives according to those values be the guardian of this great nation, despite having views different from Evangelical Christians? If we are to judge our next president by his religion, look at what the people of his religious affiliation do as American citizens; look at how they treat others not of their faith; measure the man’s religious affiliation, not by his differing views of Christ or God, but by his commitment to the values every Christian holds dear.

The United States of America is a land of liberty built on the principles of Christian values, and on religious freedom. The moral fiber of our nation has been weakened, our values are challenged at every turn, and even our own religious freedom may be at risk. It is incumbent upon every Christian to elect righteous men and women of good moral character to positions of leadership, and to defend the right of every person to worship God as he or she chooses to do.  I believe that Evangelical Christian support for Romney is a vote for Evangelical Christian values. What about you?

Having recently watched the 2012 Olympics reminds me of a lesson I learned coaching young athletes.  Those who train, practice and play the game with everything they’ve got, tire.  Athletes do not have an endless supply of energy.  Players who have heeded their coaches’ training know how to manage their energy—how to balance physical training and practice with good nutrition and rest—and will invariably have an edge on game day, in gymnastics or at a track meet.

But the need to manage one’s energy is not limited to athletes.  When we get tired, we need to rest and recharge.  Today’s workplace can be brutal on one’s physical, mental and emotional stamina.  Many professions require employees to work a minimum of fifty hours a week.  The higher you climb the corporate ladder, the greater number of hours you’re expected to clock in.  Yet, you are expected to be professional at all times, not lacking in creativity, productivity and efficiency.  A demanding career or job can drain our energy levels, so we must learn to manage this precious resource.

One of the things that helped improve my attitude and energy was when I accepted that I worked for Christ first, then the company.  Fulfilling the requirements of my job wasn’t always easy, but making Christ my boss took away most of the pressure.  Pressure, next to physical health, can sap our energy quickly.  By accessing my advantage of being under the Holy Spirit’s control and keeping my focusing on Christ, I was working for someone who not only loved me, but also knew I was doing my best.  However, that did not give me a free pass.  He expected me to adequately prepare, make moral decisions and treat employees fairly and justly.  I was able to draw strength and energy from Him to do what He required of me.  I learned not to expect what I did not inspect.  In other words, when I issued a directive, I also followed up to ensure I got the results I needed.

Climbing the ladder of success, people sometimes find themselves between joy and terror—the joy of accomplishment and the terror of failing.  This is the kind of energy that eats holes in the stomach and brings on chest pains.

I have handled cheating employees, shoplifters, thieves, frauds and various hostile acts of nature, such as high winds, water damage and power failures.  But because the Holy Spirit is my partner, I’ve not had to handle any of these situations alone.  He is with me when a bandit aims a six-shooter at me.  He is with me when the roof caves in and when the stock market crashes.  It’s the difference between crouching in a foxhole and scared or sitting in it with the Joint Chief of Staff beside you.

I John 5:14 – 15 – “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”

Naturally, this is a conditional promise.  It requires that we are a child of God and it is God’s will.  But doesn’t Scripture state that God’s Spirit is with us to comfort, council and give us power to do things that requires His help?

An unhappy family life can also drain one’s energy and change an attitude.  We can’t leave this subject of attitude and energy management until we’ve addressed this problem that is robbing strength from our nation’s families, both Christians and non-Christian.  We talk about the importance of being energized in the workplace, but nothing can be more important than having a happy family to keep our batteries charged and having a positive Christian attitude.

Women play a special role in God’s plan.  Probably more people have come to believe in God through the witness of mothers and wives than by any other means.  God created man to be responsible for the care and provision of his family.  He created woman to be man’s support, to encourage and respect her husband and to hold the family together.  When the Bible says women are to be submissive to their husbands, it means nothing more than accepting the role in the family God gave them.  It means being thoughtful and considerate to her husband.  A praying mother or wife has a tremendous spiritual influence on her family.

Naturally, fathers have a responsibility to their families, but let me address mothers.  You have a tremendous affect on your family.  In fact, you can create monsters or saints, or maybe somewhere in between.  “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is the Hand That Rules the World” is a poem by William Ross Wallace that praises motherhood as the preeminent force for change in the world.  That is the power of your influence.

Scripture tells husbands they must love their wives as Christ loved the church.  That may require putting his wife’s needs above his own.  She is to be honored, protected, given security, treated as a partner and respected.  He must relate to her with courtesy, consideration, insight and tact.  The Apostle Peter says if you don’t, your prayers will be hindered (see 1 Peter 3:7).

Our Christian advantage in the workplace and family relationships has everything to do with being energized, spiritually and physically, for the tasks before us.  If you are continually struggling with a lack of energy, assess your workplace and family situation.  Our attitude and energy affects those with whom we work and our household.  If our family life and work are enjoyable it gives us added energy and a good attitude.  Attitude and energy also comes from a good relationship with God.

Growing up in a rural community, any uncontrolled act of nature, such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes or lightning were considered: “Acts of God”.  Homeowner’s insurance policies had exclusions for damages caused by: “Acts of God” as well as acts of war or terrorism.  Where we lived, droughts, tornadoes and wild-fires were labeled an Act of God by the farmers.  Whether we had good crops or poor ones, the outcome was usually attributed to God.  Most citizens were God-fearing studiers of the Bible.  As they read their Bible, they believed what Leviticus 26:18 – 21 said:

“If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over.  I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze.  Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of your land yield their fruit. If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve”. NIV

Our neighbors would have called climate change or global warming an act caused by God because Americans had failed to worship their God as the Bible had instructed.  They would probably have said that Satan was deceiving the world into denying that God even exists by replacing God’s creation and by teaching evolution.  Satan certainly would not want any natural disaster attributed to God’s hand.  Therefore, Satan influenced politicians and scientists to blame mankind for causing natural disasters, or at least increasing their severity.  Since our neighbors no longer live on farms, and because many have stopped studying their Bibles, listening instead to the world’s evil spirits, they have accepted that God’s Word no longer applies.  In other words, for them, Leviticus 26:18 -21 is no longer valid; it is as if God is on vacation.

Seventy years ago many farmers would gather together to hold prayer meetings, to promise God that they would humble themselves, to repent and stop sinning, and spend more time worshiping Him.  Their faith was strong enough that the drought could be overcome.  Each day they would pray, expecting the rain to come, and during those times, God would allow the rain to come, once He had gotten their attention.

II Chronicles 7:14 – “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Would you consider America is in the process of being healed?  From my vantage point it appears to be just the opposite.  Many have noticed the severity of the weather patterns and an increase in nature’s disturbances during the past few years.  We are seeing the worst drought conditions in a generation; we have had massive hurricanes, devastating tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, extreme blizzards, flooding, heat waves and cold spells, and extreme forest fires.  Is this normal?  Has there been any time during the past few years in which America has not been involved in a war or dealing with some type of global strife?   What about the potential economic bankruptcy of our nation?   It used to be that politicians were at each other’s throats, but now it seems many everyday Americans are becoming violent.    It is scary just thinking about it.  This is not the America I knew growing up.

If you are anti-God, a non-believer in His creation, you may believe that the recent natural disasters are the result of man-made global warming or climate change.  I believe the purpose behind the global warming movement is, for some, a way to repudiate God, and to try to prove that He is not in control. If God can destroy the earth by flood and later by fire, could He not cool it down if humans had really caused it to overheat?   For those who believe the Bible is God’s inspired Word, don’t you think God would have given us a warning if we could destroy the earth?  He has instructed us in everything else.  He tells us how to clean our utensils, what to eat and what not to.  Is destroying the earth, by human means, too insignificant?

I John 5:19 – “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”   Is it possible that God is not punishing America?  It is Satan who God has given control and he is the one creating our natural disasters and economic turmoil.

Genesis 6:12 – 13 – “God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, ‘I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.’”

The Bible is very clear that God promises riches to His people.  To become rich God requires preparation and certain conditions being met.  Some riches are immediate and others are for later.  Christ says where he is going there are many mansions.  He is going to prepare a place for us.  In Heaven are technological devices that have never been invented.  We will have every comfort imaginable.  Many are more concerned about what He promised now, to Christians, and they want instant gratification.

There are reasons why God may not bless you with wealth.  You are a poor steward and do not handle money well.  By blessing you with riches it could separate you from God. Scripture says it is hard for a rich person to enter heaven.  For your own good, God will not tempt you with more than you can handle.  Next, you are a great steward and with wealth you would give abundantly to God’s ministry.  The devil will do everything to keep you from getting riches.  He does not want to see the church grow and people come to the Lord.  Then you may be a great giver but a poor steward and wealth would tempt you beyond what you could control.

God says every promise is conditional for now and for later.  We must accept Christ as the Son of God and as our Savior.  We must have received the Holy Spirit and walk upright and live a holy life.  Unless we are sealed by His Spirit, His promises will not work for us.  If you have received the Holy Spirit your name has been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life guaranteeing you are a child of God and that His promises are available for you.  Meaning God will give you every opportunity to become financially secure if you meet His conditions.

I John 3:21 – 23 – “Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.  And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.  And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.  Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.” NLT

John 16:23 – 24 –“I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.”  NLT

Once you have met the conditions, these are some of God’s promises: I will give you strength and energy.  I will give you my Spirit and He will give you guidance and counseling.  All your sins will be forgiven and you will no longer be guilty. He will comfort you, meet your needs, offer you a purpose and give direction.  He will answer your prayers, provide healing, give refuge and be with you always. He will give you peace and remove all anxiety.  He will give you unconditional love.  He will give you eternal life and no one can ever take it from you.  He will give you heavenly faith and wisdom, make you fruitful and provide an opportunity to prosper.  He will give you the desires of your heart.  He promises that anytime we are tempted He will provide a way out.  These are just a few examples of God’s promises.

Christ tells us if we do not have what we need it is because we have not asked.  Prayer is a requirement and faith to believe that He will provide is a necessity.  (Matthew 6:8 and 7:7 – 8)

Most Christians have allowed Satan to deceive them and keep them needy.  Satan will make us believe those promises are for others and not us.  We may believe we don’t qualify because we are not worthy.  But God’s grace is sufficient to make us worthy.  We are not required to work our way for God’s acceptance.  We are judged by our hearts and our attitudes.

Most do not receive wealth because they have spent themselves into debt and have little chance of getting out.  We have had people ask that we prescribe a cure for their ailing financial situation that is near terminal.  I sometimes feel like a doctor asked to heal a patient with a thirty year history of overeating, overdrinking, heavy smoking, drug addicted and physical inactivity.  There isn’t much a doctor can do with arteries that are already clogged, lungs that are already destroyed and a liver akin to a piece of shoe leather!  They may have prayed with the above Scriptures in mind but it seems God has not met their financial needs.  So what do you tell someone like this?

It appears too many Christians have not developed the right priorities in life.  It seems many assign priorities wearing intellectual blinders.  If you delve into their finances you will find it quite incredible.  The only consolation that we can really give them is: join the party.  You are behaving like most worldly Americans and today’s recession proves it.  So where do we start to correct the problem?  God demands that we tithe, are you?  This could be one of your problems, a lack of obedience.  God’s promises will only work if we are willing to live according to His requirements.  Christians are faced with three influences in their lives.  The one positive is the Holy Spirit countering the two negatives.  The negatives are our carnal, self-centered nature and its desires and influences coming from evil spirits.  Many are not spiritually mature enough to except guidance from the Holy Spirit and they yield to the two negatives.  Prayer and Bible study are the preparations that make the difference.

Are you rich?  Why not?  It may be like preparing for retirement.  If you wait until you are fifty-five before you get serious and start investing, chances are you will never be adequately prepared to live in retirement financially secure.  It isn’t too late to start doing what Christ taught us and riches do not always mean material things.  Peace of mind and lack of anxiety can be worth a million.  Those are immediate promises that are always available.  God wants to make you rich.  Are you willing?

My wife and I owe no one and are debt free.  Our advantage is we have been Christians over 50 years and strive to live by Christian principles.  We have experienced what God has promised and know what He promises works and they can work for other Christians too.

If you have read a number of my blogs I have written about the signs which will occur indicating the end for the world as we know it.  I am not concerned about December 21, 2012.  I am well aware of what the Bible prophesizes about the signs that will indicate when the end is near.

Writing blogs requires a lot of research and what I find can be very disturbing.  Accord to the Rockefeller Foundation this year, 13,000 will be killed in England at the Olympics by bombing.  They have 20,000 caskets on standby.  You read daily of the number of military that have been assigned to re-enforce security.  They also predict within the next ten years they believe there will be an earthquake in Indonesia that will kill approximately 40,000.  Then a tsunami comes that almost destroys Nicaragua.  Next a once in a millennium drought linked to climate change occurs.  It didn’t estimate how many will die from starvation.  It doesn’t say what causes the climate to change, which was a surprise. It looks like they missed the first prediction and no massacres happened at the Olympics. What about the others.

We are being told the present drought has caused a shortage in corn and soy.  Farmers are having a difficult time obtaining hay to feed their cattle.  It appears food costs could be raising.  If not this year, possibly next year.

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.’”

I then read about President Obama’s National Defense Resources Preparedness Executive Order.  The new Executive Order puts the government completely above the law.  The United States can become under martial law without a national emergency.  Only the president has the authority to take away the legitimate freedoms of U.S. citizens. What is extraordinary in the new Executive Order is that this supreme power is designated through the president to the secretaries that run the Government itself:

• The Secretary of Defense has power over all water resources;
• The Secretary of Commerce has power over all material services and facilities, including construction materials;
• The Secretary of Transportation has power over all forms of civilian transportation;
• The Secretary of Agriculture has power over food resources and facilities, livestock plant health resources, and the domestic distribution of farm equipment;
• The Secretary of Health and Human Services has power over all health resources;
• The Secretary of Energy has power over all forms of energy.

They can simply be done for “purposes of national defense,” allowing the government to do what it wants, when it wants, how it wants, to whomever it wants, all without any judicial restraint or due process.

What if some sort of disaster occurs prior to an election?  Could a president establish martial law and forgo elections.  Could he remain in office for a number of years while we continue to be under martial law?  These are some of the questions that citizens are asking as I researched the Internet.

Revelation 13:7 & 8 – “And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life before the world was made—the Book that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered.”

World-wide Christianity continues to increase.  My concern is: will Christians have the spiritual maturity to withstand what is to come?  What will happen when God’s holy people are being conquered?  This is not something I expect to happen within the next few years but God keeps His promises.

We have been told by Scripture not to let the hindrances of life distract us from living a Christian life. Those hindrances can include work, money and amassing material items, ambition, church-made-rules, setting too high standards that can’t be met, having the wrong non-Christian friends, TV, the Internet & games, Facebook, etc.  Hindrances have caused many to not find time to pray or read their Bibles daily.  When the end times come I am afraid too many Christians will not have the faith and spiritual maturity to withstand what will happen.  They will be blinded and easily deceived by Satan.  This is no longer your grandparent’s world.  We are living in a different era requiring a different way of living.  If we are to be with God throughout eternity we, as Christians, had better be prepared to meet situations that we have never encountered before.  There is nothing this world can offer that is better than what God has prepared for His holy people who the Bible says will be conquered.  Be prepared!  Think about your future and not instant gratification.

Those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life have a promise made by Christ.  “Anyone who believes what I am saying right now and aligns himself with the Father, who has in fact put me in charge, will have ever-lasting life and will no longer be condemned an outsider.” 

Those who have lived by the principles Christ taught and have the Holy Spirit will be with God throughout all eternity.  This is a promise we can count on and God will remove all fear when we are faced with severe persecution.  Don’t ever doubt our Creator can make committed Christians fearless!  There is no need to worry.  If your name is in the Book, God will give you a faith you have never had before.  He will not lose one of us to Satan and you can count on His promise.  (Future blog: How to know if you are in the Lamb’s Book of Life.)

How strong is your faith? Have you ever had a problem trusting what God promises? What may we learn about trust and faith from the Israelites who spent 430 years in captivity in Egypt? How can anyone read the first four books of the Bible, Genesis to Numbers and wonder why these people were unable to trust God? Let’s review what they witnessed God do.

God spoke to Moses and told him to go to Egypt and: “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers —the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob —has sent me to you.’” “ And I (God) have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.”

God told Moses to go to Pharaoh and ask him to let the Israelites go and worship in the desert. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and the Israelites watched as God caused nine plagues to occur. Moses told Pharaoh if you don’t let my people go, God will turn the Nile River, streams, canals and ponds into blood. Pharaoh didn’t and God did as He promised. The next plague was frogs everywhere in Egypt. Then there were gnats, then flies, next sickness on their livestock, boils on Egyptian men and animals, tremendous amounts of hail did damage to crops, locusts were everywhere, darkness and then the death of each Egyptian family’s first born son and animal. Pharaoh finally let them go. Before they left they asked their Egyptian neighbors for their articles of silver and gold and they received an abundance.

They finally witnessed the Passover when they were told to place blood of lambs on their doors to protect their first born from being killed. God tells Moses to tell the Hebrews that they are His chosen people and He will build them into a great nation. As they began their journey they saw a pillar of cloud guiding them by day and a pillar of fire leading them by night. They get to the Red Sea and saw that Pharaoh and his army were coming after them. God tells Moses with his staff point it to the sea and it will divide. It divides and the winds blow until they have dry ground to walk across. Once they get on the other side they see the Army follow them. They watch as the waters recede and drown every Egyptian and not a one survived. They travel to Marah. They could not drink the water because it was bitter. God told Moses to toss a piece of wood into the water and it would become sweet and it did.

They then began moaning because they didn’t have bread. God sent them six days a week Manna or bread from Heaven. He then flooded their camps with quail. They journeyed on and ran out of water. God told Moses to take his staff and strike a rock. Water poured out sufficient for everyone and the animals.

The Hebrews were attacked by the Amelekites. God told Moses to raise his hands. When Moses hands were up the Israelites were winning. When he took them down they began losing. He sat on a stone and Aaron and Hur stood beside him and kept his hands up. The Israelites won. This should have given them faith that they could defeat anyone. But it didn’t. They had a real faith and trust problem.

Israel arrives at Sinai and God gives them the Ten Commandments. Then God speaks to them from the mountain. He teaches them social responsibility and adds laws of justice and mercy. God tells them to build a tabernacle and gives specific instructions. He teaches what to and what not to eat. He teaches sanitation. He instructs them how to treat disease. They are given a course in sex education.

God told Moses to send out some men to explore the land of Canaan which He is giving to the Israelites. Twelve were sent. They reported back and ten said they couldn’t defeat them and Joshua and Caleb said they could. They said descendents of Anak lived there. They were seven to nine feet tall and possibly taller according to graves being uncovered recently.

God did not create us to fail. To become successful requires trust, hope and purpose. Doing my research and reading national newspapers I didn’t realize the number of people who live everyday without hope, faith or trust. 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.

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.

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, if you are a Christian, 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 trust in God or 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.

What have we learned throughout history? People today are little different from those Israelites having witnessed every possible miracle and still could not trust God. What would you have to witness in order to believe that God has a plan for you and he wants you to live a holy life? Do you feel unworthy? Is it because you don’t trust God when He says you are worthy because He made you worthy? When He says He will meet your needs if you practice His ways, does He? Let’s ask again. What will it take for you to develop a complete trust and have faith to believe what God promises you? Have you allowed the two negative influences, your carnal nature and influences from evil spirits to provide doubt in regard to God? If so, do you realize what you have been missing? Think of what the Hebrew people suffered when they could have had complete prosperity if they only had trusted God. If you find yourself in the same situation maybe you can learn from what they did not do and do it. Realize the importance of faith and having trust in God. Do you want to suffer as the Israelites did or do you want to live in the land of milk and honey? It’s our choice. Trust God and see if your life doesn’t change.