This past week meeting with a number of clients I was told two stories that encourages me to write about Christian’s who lack peace, joy or contentment in their lives.  Speaking from experience, I know it is possible to have stressful jobs and yet have complete peace and live a joy-filled life.  Maybe the reason is I expect it is because the Bible promises it.  For those who have recently started reading these blogs, I have been a high school coach and athletic director; I have been in nine different retail stores and managed multi-million dollar stores.    I have had thousands of people under my supervision.  There were recessions that required reducing the number of employees and I understand what management has gone through these past three years.

Since 1987, as an investment advisor, I have invested and managed portfolios, with the help of others, for more than 500 clients.  I have seen the stock market go down 56% and was responsible for protecting client’s investments.  Some would consider these as being stressful occupations.    I point this out so you will realize I understand stress.  Compared to the stress that the Apostle Paul was under mine is very minor.  Paul is the one who teaches us to live with peace and joy and expect it.

Scripture is very clear that we can never find true peace, joy and happiness until we learn to become content.  To be content and godly comes from our attitude toward God and living according to His will as I described in my blog: “You can do anything you believe you can do.”

This is what I expect from Scripture:  Galatians 5:22 – 23a – “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”  (NLT) Colossians 3:1 – 3 – “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.  Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.  For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Story number one:  The uncle of a friend is a millionaire many times over.  He has accepted Christ as his Savior.  But there has been little peace or joy in his life.  There is nothing that he could not have or afford.  Yet the greatest desire would be to have peace and some joy in his life.  It appears he has but a short time to live.  Yet, as a Christian he has never had the luxury of receiving what Paul says the Holy Spirit is willing to give him as described in Galatians 5:22 – 23.

Story number two:  Business partners that I have worked with for many years, one is a Christian.  He is active in a local church.  Those who work with him tell me he is untruthful and takes credit for things in which he is not responsible.  He gossips, bad mouths others and is suing someone who he feels took advantage of him, which others say is not true.  Over the years I have seen a negative, somewhat unhappy person.  I would guess he has missed the joy and peace that many Christians have from outward actions.  One owner has millions and the Christian owner has little.

It is my personal belief that many Christians never died to this life and want the material things that the world says we must have.  They think about the things of this earth and not the things of heaven.  They set their sights on worldly things rather than on the realities of heaven where Christ sits at God’s right hand.

We must be appreciative of everything God has allowed us to have rather than focusing on the things we do not have.  So many people have the problem of coveting what others have.  Do you in your prayers thank God for the talents and the life you do have?  Be thankful that you live in America and not in the squalor of some countries.  It may not be possible to be at peace, be joyful and content all of the time, but to not be should only be a rarity.  People who have won multi-million dollar jackpots, their joy and contentment are there only for a brief period of time.  Once they become broke, and most do, life seems to turn ugly.  We must keep in mind that peace, joy and contentment comes from within and not from without. I once read that we were created and put on this earth that we may bring joy to God.  Unless that is our goal we may never sense fulfillment or satisfaction.  In giving pleasure to God, we fulfill the deepest and most basic needs of our own lives.

How important is everything we have accumulated? As Scripture points out: “For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it.”  I have read many times those who become wealthy their biggest problem is staying rich.  They let the world set their standards rather than living according to God’s will.  In fact, many allow riches or striving to become rich destroy their lives.  Yet, believers and non-believers many times are willing to trade contentment and salvation for material gain.

One of the devil’s greatest ploy is to deceive us into thinking we can gain joy, peace, happiness and contentment through obtaining wealth or the accumulation of material items.  The trap is that we then find that we never have enough and become willing to do things we should not be doing.  The Bible then tells us that many, inside the devil’s trap, their love of material things causes them to be controlled by a ruthless, insatiable desire that can never be satisfied.

Striving to live as the world lives has caused many believers to: “wander from the faith and pierce themselves with many griefs.”  They allow their worldly desires to replace God in their lives.  Instead of finding the things promised in Galatians 5:22 – 23 they end up with a lack of peace, joy, happiness and contentment.  For too many believers, each day life becomes a battle.

If you have been a Christian very long and have studied your Bible you are familiar with the story of Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve chosen apostles, who betrayed Christ.  For those who may not know here is a little background information.

Judas was believed to belong to a group and was known as a Zealot.  It was a Jewish patriotic party started to resist Roman aggression.  The Zealots resorted to violence and assassination in their hatred of the Romans.  Judas must have believed Jesus was the Messiah and would lead the revolt against the Romans.

He was selected by Jesus and appointed treasurer for the apostles.  It is apparent that he would become a factor in the revolution and receive a high position in God’s kingdom on earth.  Judas as many Jews had misunderstood prophecy coming from Daniel.  2:44 – “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” Daniel 7:13 – 14 – “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

What an honor to be in the planning stages to defeat the Roman armies.  He heard everything that Jesus taught but his background and beliefs were so imbedded that he could never grasp what Christ was teaching.  Most of the world has the same mindset.  They believe what they believe and that can never change.  They ignore the facts and believe everyone else is wrong but themselves.

After three years of being in the group he knew that Jesus was not fulfilling what Judas believed a Messiah should be doing.  Christ talked about serving and not being served.  He told them about death on a cross. Was he trying to force Jesus to use His powers to prove He was the Messiah?  It could be that he no longer believed that Jesus was God’s chosen one.  Judas had become so disillusioned that he allowed Satan to enter into him.

Luke 22:3 – 4 – “Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.  And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.”

God has a reason for everything.  I keep wondering what was Christ’s purpose of choosing Judas in the first place knowing that he would betray Him.  Was it to show that the devil can be an integral part of any religious denomination?  Or, without an open heart and the willingness to accept Christ, a person could allow a satanic spirit to enter their body?  At least it shows us that even Satan did not understand God’s plan.  The death on the cross and the resurrection was God’s main plan.  It not only tells us a lot about Judas but what Satan doesn’t know.  Apparently Satan knows Scripture but doesn’t necessarily know what it means.  Do you know people like that?  Much of the Bible can be read and misunderstood without the Holy Spirit interpreting.

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Genesis 13:15 – “All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.”  Throughout the Bible God made a covenant with Abraham that the land he was given would be his heirs forever.  Yet, in AD 70 the Roman armies destroyed Jerusalem and ruled the covenant land.

Deuteronomy 28:64 – 65 –  “Then the LORD will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods—gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your ancestors have known. Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart.”  Over the pursuing years the Israelites were scattered throughout the world.  The majority of the world seemed that the prophecy to Abraham in the Old Testament was no longer valid.

Galatians 3:29 – “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Some Christian theologians believed that Christ’s Church replaced Israel and the Catholic Pope was God’s appointed ruler.  Therefore, the Jews rejection and crucifixion of God’s Son transferred God’s blessing from Israel onto the church.

Do you believe that God would break His promise to Abraham?  It seems that since AD 70 there has been no time that the Israelites have lived in peace.  1 Thessalonians 5:2 – 3 – “for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.  While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”  Do you ever remember a time that the Israelites believed they were at peace and living safely?

I believe the Bible is predicting a time that the Jews will accept a peace treaty believing that it will end all wars with their enemies and they can live in peace. But it will be only for a short time.  Revelation 6:4 – “Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other.”

Luke 21:25 – 28 – “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.  At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

It is not hard to understand why we have had our presidents try to develop peace in the Middle East.  For the Jewish people will be deceived believing that they can have peace.  It comes but only for a short time.  No matter who or how hard they try peace will not come until God wills it to happen.  When that happens the following will be a time of devastation.  It seems to me the longer we live without peace in the Middle East the longer it will be before the end time.

In my previous blog I used the following Scripture: II Thessalonians 2:3 – 5 – “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.  He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”

Many continue to wonder how close we are to the end time. A poll indicated a number believe we are in the last days—meaning within five to ten years. We have a few people predicting the exact day.  Remember, many believe the Jews will enter into a peace treaty before it happens.  We will then see the man of lawlessness revealed and rule from the temple.  So it looks like the end is still a little further off.  Prepare for retirement, you may have to provide for a while longer. However, we are told numerous times to be alert and always prepared spiritually for that day.   In fact many of us may not be alive when that happens.  If we are spiritually prepared the end-time should never matter—except to get others to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior.

I don’t discount the fact that we are living in a time similar to what occurred during Noah’s life.  (Luke 17:16 – “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.”)  I suppose if I lived in Mexico, parts of Africa and Asia I might think we were living in the time of tribulation.  I base much of my belief on what is happening to Israel. Because Israel is the fig tree and that is what Christ told us to watch.  (Mark 13:28)

May I make it clear that I do not sense that I have any prophetic gift of knowing the future.  My interpretation comes by studying the Bible for many years and hopefully common sense.  I am in disagreement with a number of Christian authors and my purpose is to provide another outlook.  Too many self-proclaimed theologians are predicting things that are taken out of context.  All my writings on prophecy are strictly a personal opinion after praying and asking the Holy Spirit for guidance.  I have no guarantee that He gives me His guidance.

“By God’s grace and tremendous mercy, He is giving us advanced warning as to what He is about to do.  On Judgment Day, May 21^st, 2011, this 5-month period of horrible torment will begin for all the inhabitants of the earth.  It will be on May 21^st that God will raise up all the dead that have ever died from their graves.  Earthquakes will ravage the whole world as the earth will no longer conceal its dead (Isaiah 26:21). People who died as saved individuals will experience the resurrection of their bodies and immediately leave this world to forever be with the Lord. Those who died unsaved will be raised up as well, but only to have their lifeless bodies scattered about the face of all the earth. Death will be everywhere.”  The above is the belief of Harold Camping of Family Stations radio and TV ministry.

II Peter 3:10 – 12 – “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.  Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.  That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.”

Revelation 6:12 – 14 – “There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.”

What are the signs of the time telling us?  II Timothy 3:1 – 5 – “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.”

Other teachers tell us that the world will end on December 21, 2012 according to Mayan and Hopi’s predictions.  Thousands of people in the Netherlands are preparing for that day by accumulating emergency supplies.  It has been circulating on the Internet, in books and recently a motion picture.  Rumor has it that the government is actually preparing secret underground bunkers.

Jesus Christ Himself taught that no man knows the day or the hour of the Lord’s return.

I Thessalonians 5:1 – 3 – “Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,  for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.  While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”  Paul taught that believers know all that they need to know.  Christians have nothing to fear in Christ’s second coming but we must stay alert and ready.

II Thessalonians 2:3 – 5 – “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.  He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”

Scripture is very clear the Day of the Lord will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed.   In the early church some believed Christ’s second coming had already happened.  In chapter two Paul tells the church not to be unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy from false teachers.  I have read where some predicted the second coming in the 1940s, 1988 and 1994.  Who are you going to believe—the Apostle Paul or today’s teachers?  When anyone tells you the world is going to end on a certain date refer them to II Thessalonians 2:3 – 5.  Ask them if the man of lawlessness has been revealed and has the rebellion occurred?  If so, who is he?  What temple is he in proclaiming himself to be God?  When that happens I believe CNN and Fox News will let us know!  I believe the rapture will occur prior to that but at least we will be here long enough to witness its coming.

Fear is natural!  The problem can be: does it control us or do we control fear?  If it controls us it can be damaging and very destructive.  Fear or worry can cause unhappiness or ill health.  Fear can cause a lack of self-esteem and self-respect.

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

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

As I was writing: “What will it be like to live under Christ’s 1000 year reign”?  I wonder if we would no longer have fear or worry?  We would be given a new body able to live as many years as Methuselah and what life would be like.  I realized fear is a necessity but it must and can be controlled.  We all realize that positive fear keeps us alive.  We cannot jump off a 200 foot cliff and live.  It’s the negative fear and worrying that must be controlled.     Worrying for no apparent reason!

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

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

Every year I must take a series of tests in order to keep my license to be an investment advisor.  Every three years I must take a three-hour test at the testing center, which I will be doing this December.  Fear of failing causes me to spend hours preparing.  If there was no concern or positive fear, what would the world be like?  Fear of punishment or shame, in I John above, motivates most people to do their best.  That fear can be a positive.  The fear that the Bible talks about is uncontrollable worry and fear.  Am I so worried about failing the test that I refuse to take it?  This kind of fear keeps us from reaching our full potential.  What kind of dreams have you had?  Is there a particular career that you would like to have pursued but never did because of the fear of failing or some other reason?  How many reasons did you come up with in order to not allow your dream to come true?  It isn’t too late if God is in it.

Let me share an experience that I was able to witness.  First, Scripture taught me that we can overcome fear and worry by listening to the Holy Spirit with spiritual ears, keeping everything in perspective and doing our best to remain coolheaded in the midst of madness.  It takes time.  It takes determination.  It takes practice.  But it works.  If we only knew what God had planned for us, because we failed to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us.  Anytime fear causes you to not try, because of fear of failing, seek the Holy Spirit’s council and see if this is something God wants you to do.

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I previously wrote that my cousin’s daughter’s grandmother visited her after her grandmother had died. After passing away how did she know where her granddaughter was, who was asleep in bed? She woke here and told her that she was going to be with the Lord and to be a good girl—and she was gone. I have heard of others having similar incidences.  It wasn’t too long after that when Dr Moody in 1976 published his book entitled “Life after Life”.  After reading his book it gave me a different perspective in what happens when a person dies. 

I read an interview that Dr. Moody gave describing what people who have had a near death experience shared when they came back to life.

“They say they become aware of what’s described as a tunnel, a passageway, a portal, and they go into this tunnel, and when they come out, they come out into a very brilliant, warm, loving and accepting light. People at this point describe such amazing feelings of peace and comfort. In this light they say that relatives or friends of theirs who have already died seem to be there to meet them and to greet them and to help them through this transition. Another thing they’ll often tell us is that at this point they are met by some religious figure — Christians say Christ, Jews say God or an angel. They say in this setting that this being, in effect, asks them a question, and they all say that words can’t convey it — that communication in this position does not take place through words as you and I are now using, but rather in the form of an immediate awareness. The way they summarize this question, or try to put it into words, is they say that he asks, in effect, “What have you done with your life? How have you learned to love?” At this point, they say, they undergo a detailed review of everything they have ever done in their lives. This is displayed around them, they tell us, in the form of a full-color, three-dimensional panorama, and it involves every detail of their life, they say, from the point of their birth right up to the point of this close call with death.”

I wrote when I was in my teens a neighbor lady would describe things to my folks that were going to happen and they did.  One example: she told me I was going to be invited to go out of town to a party and I shouldn’t go.  Two weeks later I was invited to go to a skating party out of town.  I couldn’t this time.  On the way they were involved in a serious car accident.  She was continually seeing into the future and in most cases they happened as described. 

In the past few years more and more information has been given on paranormal experiences.  Ghost stories and haunted buildings are on TV and there are a number of movies describing paranormal situations. 

So what do we know happens after death?  Prior to the resurrection of Christ, when a person died under the Old Covenant, both believers and non-believers went to Sheol (Hell or Hades).  It was a temporary dwelling place for the soul.  Luke describes a story that Jesus told in Luke 16:19 -26.  The story concerned a rich man and Lazarus a beggar.  They both died and went to Sheol.  However, one went to Abraham’s bosom or Paradise and the other went to a “place of torment”.  The rich man who was in agony saw Lazarus standing beside Abraham.  He called out to Abraham and asked that he have pity on him and have Lazarus dip the tip of his finger in water and cool the rich man’s tongue.  Abraham stated there was a great chasm between them and that he could not get to the place of torment from Paradise.  Meaning once you are in the place of torment you could not cross over.  Many believe the chasm between them was the Abyss or the Bottomless Pit where the most evil spirits are housed until the Antichrist will come.

The Bible is very clear about our ability to communicate once we die regardless whether we are a child of God or a non-believer.  Those who have had a near death experience all say that they were asked:  “What have you done with your life?”  I have read where some having a near-death-experience believe they had gone into hell and it changed their lives forever once they recovered.  Others tell of an experience that was so beautiful that it was indescribable. 

The Bible has described to me a place so exhilarating and exotic, where a number of relatives and friends are waiting to greet me and that it will be like a reunion.  My mother was one of ten children and we use to have a reunion with more than fifty relatives showing up.  That will be one of the many benefits of heaven. 

You cannot help but morn when a relative or friend passes on. It is human and normal.  However, should we not be grateful and pleased when a Christian dies that they are going to a far greater place than any of us could ever imagine?  More funerals should be times of celebration for the rewards that a believer will receive for having lived a holy life, putting God first in all things and loving others as ourselves.

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Thanks to Darryl & Bryan who help me post each week.  A Merry Christmas to all who read these Christian blogs.

The greatest gift anyone can receive is Salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Having been in retail 29 years it is a time when most people are wanting special gifts.  However, Christmas is not about getting what we don’t have and want but about thanking God for what we do have and what He has given us.

Having spent four years in the service and being in foreign countries most Americans do not realize how blessed we are.  Too often our thoughts are on big homes, larger cars and more exotic vacations.  While some people are wondering what they might eat today.  We may be concerned about not spilling anything on the carpet and others have dirt floors.  My joy comes from my relationship with Christ and it is not about stuff!  We must get our eyes off of material items and focus on worshipping God.

Let’s all take a few minutes thanking God for what we have and not about what we would like to have.  Thinking positively is healthy and thinking negatively can be physically harmful.  Let’s keep Christmas about Jesus and not “overly” about gifts or gift giving!

As I write this my prayer is that God will show me how I can better worship Him.  John tells us that if we do not do what God commands we are a liar and the truth is not in us.  Can we truly worship Him if we do not know what His commands are and keep them?

1 John 2:3 – 4 – “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.  Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.’”

Matthew 22:36 – 37 –“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?  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.”

A religious leader asked Jesus, out of the 613 laws, which one is the most important?  Jesus told him it was to love God with all of our heart, soul and mind and the second was to love our neighbor as ourselves.  We know that we cannot hate our neighbor and still love God.  So let’s concentrate on how we are to love God.  We were given Ten Commandments and in the first four were given in order for us to know how to love and worship God.  We must have no other God; do not make, bow down to or worship idols; do not take the Lord’s name in vain and remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.  The other six were how we were to treat others.

God commands that there is only one way to Him and that is through Jesus Christ.  What about those who say there are many ways to God?  What about other religions who believe they are worshiping God but not through Christ?

We are commanded not to worship idols.  What about those who have religious or sacred idols in their homes?  Have some made money or material things their idols.  What about those who worship or idolize celebrities?

You cannot live in our society and not hear people use the Lord’s name in vain.  Something unexpected happens and it isn’t unusual for a moral person to say: “O my God”.   Some of the things that come out of the mouth of some professing Christians are unbelievable.

Keep the Sabbath Day holy!  God gives us six days and asks that we give Him one day to worship Him.  He gives us 90% of what we receive materially and asks for ten percent in return.  Do we make everyday ours and keep everything we get?  How well do we keep this Commandment?

I like what Dr. Stanley teaches about worship.  We can read our Bible, sing songs, pray and yet not really be worshipping God.  Worship is about perception, our attitude; it is our love of God.  Do we have a pure heart?  How do we deal with sin?  Do we repent? Do we have a spirit of humility or a submission to God’s Will?  Do we have a spirit of obedience to God and do we give Him our total commitment?  Are we aware of His Spirit living in us each day?  Worship is how we live.  Are we living a holy and righteous life and are we living to please God or ourselves?  Worship is about how we think.  Worship is not necessarily about what we do.  It is great to attend church, sing religious songs, read our Bibles and become knowledgeable.  But is it truly worshipping God if we are not keeping His Commandments?  Or, is it just going through the motions?  How much we love God will be seen in our daily lives!  You cannot camouflage your love for Him.

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More than fifty years of being a Christian I have found it has many advantages.  However, a crucial step toward securing the Christian advantage is to understand that it is not a side-benefit of salvation; rather, it is a side-benefit of spiritual maturity.  The gift of salvation that one receives by accepting Christ is a solid beginning but solid beginnings don’t necessarily translate into solid endings.  Entering a race is not the same as finishing a race!  The Christian advantage is secured by getting past the starting gate and racing toward maturity.  The first lap in the race consists of asking a number of important questions.  What is spiritual maturity?  What are the consequences of a person’ state of maturity?  How spiritually mature am I?  How can I become spiritually mature?  Am I willing to make an all-out commitment to serve Christ?

Paul describes maturity as a progression that reaches to eternity rather than a specific plateau one can reach and settle into retirement.  Of course the definition of maturity is subjective.  It means different things to different people.  My definition is growing towards a goal rather than actually reaching a goal.  It is a process similar to sanctification being a process.  Maturity encompasses many stages of growth in a Christian’s life but for all practical purposes the person who has left the elementary teachings about Christ and is growing to maturity falls within the range of what I consider mature.

The question of the consequences of a Christian’s state of maturity depends on whether or not he is moving or standing still.  It is not uncommon for men and women who have been Christians for some years to find themselves frozen in place.  They have made a solid beginning and then stopped.  They are not running, walking or even crawling.  They are the embodiment of the Christians Paul criticized in his letter to the Corinthians.  1 Corinthians 3:1 – “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ.”

As I sat on the board of a local business we were told that the business had become profitable again.  After a couple of hours of assessing the problems the business had encountered over the past 2½ years it occurred to me that this is sometimes how God works.  I reminded the owner that he had been given a definite call to consult and witness to other Christian business people.  I asked, how might you help others unless every problem that is possible happened to your business and you found a way to correct it?  Most Christians don’t believe they need your help when everything is going well.  It is when they are struggling that they need Christian guidance.  Then they may be more likely to listen.

It has been my experience that God will continually stretch us.  He will allow us to go through the most difficult problems in order to prepare us for what His next plan is for our lives.  No greater example is the life of the Apostle Paul.  Some of the wealthiest Christian business people have had to go through bankruptcy before obtaining their riches.  Sometimes the more spiritually mature we become and the more capable we are the greater our struggles become.  So how do we handle them?  Do we work more hours as the world does or do we trust that God is in it and the Holy Spirit is there to help us?  Paul’s example is that we must maintain contentment, peace, joy and love regardless.  To Paul, problems were challenges and opportunities and not really obstacles.

Now we come to the question of how to become spiritually mature which is easy to answer but not so easy to implement.  We have all known a number of Christians who tried to become spiritually mature and failed so miserably and completely that after a time they simply gave up and returned to the influence of their worldly natures.  It might be encouraging to these folks to know that the Apostle Paul experienced the same struggles, the same failures and after a time, he too gave up.  Romans 7:15 – 18 – “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.  And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.  As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.  For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”  Paul describes his struggles and underscores the hopelessness of trying to win by using one’s own strength or power.  It simply cannot be done.  Those Christians who have gone through the struggle and given up are often astonished when they discover that giving up is the first step toward winning the struggle.

The most important lesson to learn about the conflict between one’s worldly nature and one’s spiritual nature is to stop struggling!  This is precisely what Paul did and it is precisely what all Christians must do.  Unfortunately, the matter doesn’t end there.  Christians who are aggressive and goal oriented are certain to face a daily onslaught of events that will tempt them to take matters into their own hands and “do battle” with their antagonists.  The fact is that Christians in the workplace can be assured that no matter how successful they might be at turning the matter over to the Holy Spirit; “thereby putting to death whatever belongs to their world natures” they do not have the faith and trust in God to do so.

Keep in mind that those who do nothing never experience failure.  Only those who try to accomplish something experience it.  Then there is the matter of satanic influence.  The fact is that Satan hates God and those who love and worship Him.  Satan concentrates on those who are growing spiritually.  He doesn’t waste time trying to tempt or interfere with people who are spiritually sick or dying.

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A number of times I have been asked why America does not appear in the Book of Revelation.  There doesn’t appear to be any nation coming to the Jews rescue.  However, some believe the U.S. will not have the will or the ability to assist Israel in its defense.

As an investment advisor I spend much time reading or listening to financial news.  I am normally optimistic and generally listen to those who are positive vs. those who preach gloom and doom.  We elect leaders who promise that they will bring positive change and a growing economy.  In most part, we believe that no matter which party is in power there will always be opportunity.

I have gone through a number of recessions and my hope that better times would arrive shortly kept me thinking positive.  During those recessions there were always those who would tell us: but these times are different.  When it was all over there was nothing different.  The fact was, because of fear, many failed to take advantage of some tremendously low values in real estate, the stock market and other areas.  Many of those who invested at the bottom and took large risks have done very well.

As Americans we just believe in ourselves and as a country we can manage through, no matter with what we are faced.  But this one time it appears to be different.  Within a few short years our debt could equal 90% of our gross domestic product (GDP).  The scary part is, most of our political leaders do not seem to have the will to do anything about it.   Those who do I am not sure have the answer in correcting the debt and deficit situation.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost dearly.  Medicare, with the prescription drug benefit, social security and Medicaid’s future costs.  The union’s demands for high wages and benefits that cannot be paid for in the future will cause many retirement dreams to be burst.  We have states that are facing bankruptcy with economies greater than Greece, Ireland or Spain.  We are faced with the problems European nations are creating worldwide.

Never before in my lifetime have there been those within, hoping that the United States would go into bankruptcy and that the world would be better off without us.  When America is no longer able to help defend other nations around the globe they believe this would be a better world.  As a bankrupt country we would not have the means to really defend ourselves.  That would make all nations more equal. Starvation and pain must be shared equally.

I read the above information all the time.  Most of it I do not agree with and here is the reason why.  God’s plan for the end times is that He alone will save Israel and the world so that no one will have any doubt.

II Thessalonians 2:9 – 12 – “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.”

Are we as Americans living through a time when God has sent a powerful delusion that we will believe all of the lies that we are being told; lies that make us reject the truth?”

Revelation 19:13 – 15 – “He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God.  The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses.  From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress.” NLT

God will not need any nation in the end times to do what He plans to do.  I believe this is why America is not found in the Book of Revelation.  I do not think the end of time is just around the corner but I believe it is getting much closer.  I do not believe the U.S. is going into bankruptcy.  I believe these past few months have been an excellent time to invest.  I believe the American people will demand that our government take the necessary steps to get people back to work and our economy continuing to grow.  I don’t believe God is pleased with us but I still feel there is a chance for a spiritual revival in America.  All it takes is prayer!

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