Scripture says our attitude will influence the outcome in the decisions we make. Are you a positive or negative thinker or somewhere in between? Do you have a problem trusting God, accepting His promises or do you hear an inner voice predicting only bad things are going to happen? Do we concentrate on what Scripture tells us or do we listen to what Satan is saying, who wants to defeat us?

How important is your attitude? Our attitude can be our most important role in determining our future. How do we respond to any given situation, particularly a serious problem? We have many attitudes toward many things. We may have a favorable attitude toward blue and a negative attitude toward gray. We also have an attitude or philosophy toward life. You may dwell on the unpleasant things or see things through rose colored glasses. The world is not perfect and life presents many hindrances. You may be faced with a divorce, loss of job, a financial disaster or health problems. Different people may handle each in various ways. As bad as the situation may be, worry will drain one’s energy and possibly cause unhealthy conditions.

Having been in management for many years and having worked with between three and four thousand employees I came across a book by James P. Owens—“Cowboy Ethics: What Wall Street Can Learn From the Code of the West.” He lists 10 things that will make most anyone successful in business or life.
1. Live each day with courage
2. Take pride in your work
3. Always finish what you start
4. Do what has to be done
5. Be tough, but be fair
6. When you must make a promise, keep it
7. Ride hard for the brand
8. Talk less, say more
9. Remember that some things aren’t for sale
10. Know where to draw the line

The more we study the Bible and become more spiritual and Christ-like the greater is our motivation, we are more energized, enthused and it usually raises our productivity. We have a greater commitment to following the teachings of Christ. We become more trusting and obedient to the commandments of God. As our attitudes changes we learn to love rather than hate, to forgive rather than be unforgiving. As our spiritual condition gradually changes our perspectives on life should change. We can overcome the hindrances of being critical, jealous, greedy, prideful, unbelief, and lustful.

Stress can kill! Negative attitudes have a tendency to produce stress. Our attitude determines what we see in life. What we think is who we are and what we become. What are two very important points found in the Bible? It is having a life filled with peace and joy. Joy and peace produce healthy bodies. Lack of joy and peace produce unhealthy bodies. Having participated in sports and as a coach I found those with normal positive attitudes healed quicker than those who were more negative. I don’t think most realize the importance of having a positive, Christ-like attitude when it comes to health issues. Christ-like attitudes do not guarantee healthy lives but it improves the possibilities.

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 robber 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.”

I found the American dream was available to those who realized that it won’t be given to them; it had to be earned. I received a degree in business management. I read many books on the power of positive thinking. I studied management principles and went to numerous seminars to improve my skills. The one book that has helped me the most is studying the Bible. One thing I learned was preparation. It was one key to success. I also learned the importance of trusting in God’s promises. I became aware that the Holy Spirit was given to us that we might have comfort, guidance and a purpose in life. The Bible taught me to become free from the ways of society and our worldly, self-centered nature and become more Christ minded.

How many people are willing to prepare for success? It seems there are many that want to dumb-down Americans, give them entitlements and convince them the government will meet their needs. You may not need an education but you must become knowledgeable. The same is true if you want to run a mile under four minutes. It takes more than just thinking you can. Suppose you would like to be a millionaire. Is that something you pray for and expect God to give you? Becoming a millionaire should not be one’s goal. The goal is doing something that will make society a better place and there is a good chance your byproduct would be wealth.

No matter what our job is or how much we make; the Apostle Paul says we are not to do our best only when we are being watched but remember, God is watching every second through the Holy Spirit that is within us. As God is watching and the Holy Spirit guiding, why not begin believing and practicing what it takes to be a success in whatever task you have chosen? Work hard, set obtainable goals and adequately prepare. Then see where the Holy Spirit leads you. Never allow the Devil or others to discourage you as they are likely to do. God’s promise that we can become successful and prosperous by complying with His teachings is available to all believers.

Christ described what He expected a church to be like. I believe a number of churches today would not meet His standard. The Apostle John was told to write to seven churches and critique them spiritually, as Christ told Him what to write. The first letter was to the church at Ephesus.

Ephesus claims to be where Mary, the mother of Jesus lived. It had many influential Christian leaders in its church. At the end of the first century, Ephesus was one of the most important cities for Christians. It was also where the Temple of Artemis was located. There was pagan worship and much evil in the city.

Revelation 2:1–5 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.”

Scripture describes this church as full of good works and had many magnificent programs. It was fairly busy and had plenty of Christian activities. “But they were receiving no blessings”. History tells us sin among their members was not tolerated. False witnessing was not allowed either. Those who professed to be believers but lived the way of the world were excommunicated. No one who was unscrupulous in business, impure in his conversation, known to be living immorally, habitually intoxicated, given to fits of rage, unfaithful to his pledges or convicted of lying would have lasted in the Ephesians church. These people would have been told to leave the church and not come back.

It was not easy for the Ephesians. They received criticism and opposition from the world. Yet, year after year, they remained faithful and kept going. Those in Ephesus would not have accepted sexual immorality for a minute. Unlike many churches today who have become tolerant of sexual immorality that they call personal choices or alternative lifestyles.

The problem they faced was, even though they stood against evil and false teaching, maybe to a fault, they failed in their love to Christ and their love to each other. This was a large church filled with pride and apparently they had become very legalistic. Some churches today still believe that it takes works to please God. Their obedience to religious rules was more important than love of Christ and love toward others. It is easy to put one’s efforts into the church’s ministry and fail to love. Even considering all the good that was being done, they had lost their passion for Christ.

Ephesians 1:15 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,”

Paul, in one of his letters,- had previously commended the church for its love of God and of others. That was the height from which they had fallen. Even though you get back to having a relationship with God, if there is no love, there will be no light or no blessing. Love must be first and nothing less will do. A believer functioning without love for Christ and others is worse than useless. Therefore, if you do not repent, you will fall like Lucifer fell. Or, I will make your church cease to exist. Your light will go out. Scripture goes on to point out that you may be living right because you hate evil and the ways of immorality but, those who do not love often end up hating. The Spirit was saying to the Ephesians, those who listen to the Holy Spirit and do what He says will be victorious. They will remain faithful to Christ at all costs.

Here is a fallen church. Some believe: potentially they could lose the promise to live with Christ and God in eternity. They had failed to keep the two most important Commandments: love God with all of your heart, mind and soul and others as yourself. My experience is I have been a member of churches that would have failed that test. As a result, instead of steadily growing, they decreased their membership. There appeared to be no blessings coming from Christ.

What we can learn from the letter to the Ephesians church, as individuals, we could memorize the Bible, work 50 hours a week for the ministry and fail because of our lack of love. Acts 4:33 “With great power, the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all.” It is grace and not works that saves us and gives us the power to love. We must develop the discipline to love God and others if we want to have any relationship with Christ.

Recently in prayer, I sensed the Holy Spirit telling me I needed to improve in my love and the encouraging of others. This blog is written to remind me and others of the two most important Commandments if we want Christ’s blessings.

Each time I read Acts chapter 12, I realize the importance of prayer and how God has a plan for each believer. The Bible tells us and history confirms it. King Herod arrested the Apostle Peter, put him in jail and was going to execute him after Passover.

Acts 12:1–4 “It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.”

Peter was placed in maximum security, guarded by 16 soldiers. The purpose was to deny that Christ was the Son of God. Peter was the Jews number one target. Not only was he preaching about Christ, he was associating with Gentiles. He also was telling them they did not need to be circumcised. They made absolutely sure that he could not escape.

Acts 12:5–10 “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.”

When Peter entered prison, the church went to its knees and prayed without ceasing according to Luke. Luke describes the prayers as intense. Having been a board member of churches, I have seen many supernatural answers to prayer. You may believe it was God’s plan for Peter to be rescued and it would have happened even if no one prayed. I have seen impossible solutions to problems answered, once the church intensely began praying.

The order for Peter’s execution had been signed. Peter was to die the next day. What was Peter doing: he was sleeping? We often do not realize the power of the Holy Spirit within us, to give us faith, peace and calmness. Peter knew no matter what happen, Christ was with him. If it was his time—so be it. He realized heaven was a better place. Do we have this kind of faith? No matter what happens, will we calmly be at peace with whatever the future holds?

After studying my Bible, teaching Bible classes for years and as I have grown spiritually, I have developed more courage, a positive attitude and became more merciful toward others. Peter knew that no matter what happened, God knew what was taking place.

It took a slap in the face to wake Peter as he was in a deep sleep. A light came on and the chains fell off of Peter. He was told by an angel to get up and get dressed. Peter followed the angel out of the prison not knowing whether he was in a dream or if it was for real. Suddenly, the gate swung open and out they walked into the night. The angel left and he was alone. Peter was given no instructions as to what to do. The angel did what he was to do and his job was to answer the prayers of those praying.

The Jewish people were eagerly looking forward to the execution of Peter. However, a prayer meeting was taking place in Mary’s home praying that Peter would be spared. When their prayers were answered, they refused to believe it. Does this sound like the response some Christians would have today? When they did see Peter they thought it was his ghost because it was impossible that God would answer their prayers and Peter would be freed.

The next day, King Herod sent for Peter. A search was made and he could not be found. A man cannot simply vanish from a maximum security prison and disappear leaving no trace. Herod was furious for having lost face with the Jews. As a result, he had the 16 soldiers executed.

Do you believe God can do and does supernatural things in your life? Do you pray expecting the impossible to happen? God has allowed me to see so many supernatural events take place that I look for them every day. When I am on the freeway and I come close to having a wreck, I thank God for His intervention. When I am told I have a ten percent chance of surviving an operation, I relied on God to heal me. I am convinced that Christ and the Holy Spirit, as with Peter, were with me and my ministry was not completed and my life was prolonged.

I hope you have the faith to trust that God will intervene in the life of a believer. I hope that you trust God to answer your prayers. No matter what happens to a believer, God either allows it to happen or he stops it from happening. The Apostle Paul told us, it was much better going to heaven than staying on this earth. Many times death is a blessing to the one who dies but, a mournful and tearful time for those who remain. There will be a time when believers will live forever in eternity and death and bad things will never occur.

Beautiful story…. makes you understand that things happen for a reason. The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn, arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve.

They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc, and on December 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished. On December 19 a terrible tempest – a driving rainstorm – hit the area and lasted for two days. On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high.

The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home. On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea market type sale for charity, so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross embroidered right in the center. It was just the right size to cover the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church. By this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later.

She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area. Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet. “Pastor,” she asked, “where did you get that tablecloth?” The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials ‘EBG’ were crocheted into it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria.

The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten “The Tablecloth”. The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria when the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. He was captured, sent to prison and she never saw her husband or her home again.

The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home. That was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job.

What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve! The Church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return.

One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood, continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he wasn’t leaving. The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike. He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a prison. He never saw his wife or his home again in all the 35 years between.

The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier. He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman’s apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine.

True story – submitted by Pastor Rob Reid who says God does work in mysterious ways. I FOUND THIS ON THE INTERNET AND HAD TO LET YOU READ. I have read and heard many stories where God has intervened in similar ways. It shows the love and grace of God that He has for each one of us.

Scripture tells us what we may expect as the end times come. We do not believe America will play a major role. Israel will be attacked. The Antichrist will be revealed. The Jews build their Temple. We will have a cashless economy. Christians will be raptured. There will be a seven year period of the Abomination of Desolation. Armageddon will take place and a 200 million army will be defeated. Christ returns to rule for one-thousand years. We don’t know the date but we are told we can read the signs. So let’s look as some possibilities:

AMERICA’S REDUCED IMPORTANCE – We are told in the end times, Satan will be preparing for the Antichrist to rule the world. Politicians will be more concerned about their party and themselves than America. Presently, we are selecting a new president. It is possible that the GOP nominee will be Donald Trump. It is likely that Hillary Clinton will be indicted and Bernie Sanders will be the Democratic nominee. Republican conservatives will refuse to vote for Trump and Sanders could win. Also, the Democrats take over the senate. America continues to borrow and defaults on its loans. America has a severe depression and is financially unable to remain a superpower and it necessitates an extremely reduced military force. Government will be unable financially to pay full benefits for Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare. (Mark 3:24 “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.”)

ISRAEL IS ATTACKED – Russia becomes Syria’s protector and liberator based on an agreement to attack Israel to return the Golan Heights, territory Israel won from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War. It contains billions of barrels of oil that Syria and Russia could receive hundreds of billions of dollars and divide. A number of nation, such as Iran and others will assist in the attack. Israel, with the help of God, wins and destroys these nation’s armies. Exodus 29:46 – “They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.” There are many Scriptures that say: “They will know that I am God.” People will know there is a God and many will continue to deny His existence.

REVEALING OF THE ANTICHRIST – A person from the Eurozone countries will make peace with Israel and Palestine for a period. Israel gets to build its Temple. After 3½ years, the Antichrist will stop animal sacrifices and announces that he is their messiah.

THE CASHLESS ECONOMY – All transactions would require a credit card or a debit card. We are almost there now. A number of European nations are close to being cashless. We will become a one-world government led by the Antichrist. Everyone will be required to have a number or a RFID chip implanted on their right hand or forehead. Without the mark, no one will be able to buy or sell or obtain a job without that mark. Anyone taking that implant or mark will be separated from Christian believers throughout eternity. It is possible those refusing the mark will be killed. The Russian, Joseph Stalin, killed 20 million of his countrymen and a Chinese leader, Mao Zedon, murdered 45 million for not accepting their policies.

THE RAPTURE OF CHIRSTIAN BELIEVERS – The Bible tells us in the end times there will be scoffers and unbelievers. No matter what the signs tell us and what the conditions might be, most will not be able to believe that the end is nearing. Old Testament history tells us that the people of Israel were often warned and would not believe that God would do as He said He would do. False prophets were continually telling the people that things were only going to get better. But they didn’t!!!

I Thessalonians 4:13–18 – “We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.”

THE TRIBULATION – Jesus said one of the signs of the end times would be the great tribulation as described in Matthew 24:21-30. “For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time. So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth[ will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.”

During this period of time there will be worldwide disasters, war, famine, pain and suffering and three quarters of those on earth will die prior to the Second Coming of Jesus.

THE WAR OF ARMAGEDDON – Revelation 16:16 “And the demonic spirits gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place with the Hebrew name Armageddon.” Armageddon is a strategic place located near an international highway leading north from Egypt through Israel, along the coast and on to Baghdad. Over 200 battles have been fought in this area.

The Bible says that the final war will be against Israel. Christ will return to earth with His saints to deliver Israel and complete the unity of God’s people. It is believed to be a war that will destroy most of the earth and much of the world’s population will be killed. The armies of the Antichrist will be wiped out.

CHRIST WILL RULE FOR A THOUSAND YEARS – It is believed that when Christ comes back to rule, the saints who have died will come with Him. This includes the Old Testament saints and all saved in the Tribulation period. Non-believers who have died since Adam will not be raised to live in the 1000 years. But after that time, they will face the Judgment and the ‘Lake of Fire’. Those who have been saved will be judged by their deeds and their rewards will be given to each.

It is believed during the 1000 years, the first three curses will be as the ecology and environment will return to pre-flood conditions. After those years, the Bible tells us a new heaven and a new earth comes. Revelation 21:3–4 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Generation after generation will be born and the earth flourishes as it did in Eden before Satan tempted Adam and Eve. It shall be like heaven on earth. Scripture tells us this many times. At the end of the 1000 years, Satan is let out of his imprisonment in the Abyss and unbelievers will accept him and go with him to war against Christ seeking a better life or more material things. They will be so depraved that their final punishment is the ‘Lake of Fire’ along with Satan and all his followers. Then a new heaven and a new earth will appear after the 1000 years.

What is expected of a child of God and how is one to live their lives? How a person lives, to some degree, tells you much about their parents. My wife, having been a minister’s daughter, was expected to live differently than someone who lived as the world lives. If she were wild and out of control, would that affected her father’s acceptance as a preacher? How we as Christian’s live, doesn’t it tell others our respect for God and do we want others to accept our Heavenly Father as we would our earth parents?

Having been a Christian for over 60 years and being a member of eleven churches, due to transfers, I have seen people, who call themselves Christians, live no differently than a pagan would live. The Bible is very clear as to what is expected of a child of God. Ephesians 1:5 “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” NLT

If you asked the people you work with or those at school, do they believe you are a Christian? Are you different now than you use to be? Have you been changed? Is there change in your heart and in your behavior? Can you feel God’s Spirit within you?

Once you become a child of God, the 12th chapter of Romans tells us how to live. We are urged to do three things: We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. We are ‘not’ to conform to the patterns of this world. We are to allow the Holy Spirit to transform us with a new mind-set and become a new person.

Romans 12:1–2 “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Once a person accepts Christ as their Savior, they are to sacrifice their bodies. This was meant to the Jews, a sacrifice was giving an offering to God that was not returnable. It put the offering at God’s disposal. It was totally committing and surrendering our self-centeredness to Christ’s ways and allowing the Holy Spirit to completely change who we are to become. We must not continue to do things the world’s ways. Once we understand what God has done for us, the greater will be our commitment. We are to live without deliberately sinning, having renounced sin. Are you a Christian who only gave part of yourselves?

Romans 12:3 “ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”

It is important as a Christian to have a healthy self-esteem but we must not over estimate ourselves. The Bible tells us the importance of being humble because of our commitment to Christ. We must never allow ourselves to become self-righteous as some Christians do. The more spiritually we become and the more faith we gain, the greater our realization that what we have is a gift from God. We must never measure ourselves by someone else’s standards or let someone else set our standards. God has given each believer a standard of faith to measure ourselves and that standard is Christ. We are to measure ourselves according to our relationship to Christ. If we use Christ as our standard we would never have to worry about being humble. God has given each of us at least one gift to carry out His will to evangelize the world through His church. We are never to be envious of another person’s gift.

Genesis 1:28 “Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”
Renewing our minds also realizing that God tells us we are to be productive. We will never find joy and peace until we feel we have been productive and have a positive attitude toward being a doer and accomplishing our goals in life.

I believe many do not understand what this verse means. Fruitful means to be productive and multiply means to produce a family. Adam was removed from the garden and was told to become productive. I believe a person who is not productive will never have joy and peace in their lives. I believe as a Christian we must be productive. No matter how we act, we must do it as if we were doing it for the Lord.
Throughout my life-time as a Christian, I have always been concerned about the example I set for Christ to others. I believe it has given me an advantage in the workplace. I was promoted eight times in a large corporation.

As a child of God, has it made you act differently? Have you been able to be an example that influenced others to accept Christ as their Savior? The final measure, is your name written in the Book of Life?

Does Russia have an ulterior motive in taking an active part in Syria’s war? Does it have anything to do with the war described in Ezekiel 38 and 39? Could Russia’s involvement in Syria, as their protector and liberator, be because of the discovery of oil by Israel in the Golan Heights?

It has been reported that Israel has discovered billions of barrels of oil in the territory Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War. Is it possible that Russia and Syria have agreed to share the tens of billions of dollars this oil is worth? The reason I am again bringing this to your attention is recently learning that the Russian Times referred to Russia helping Syria to regain the Golden Heights from Israel.

According to Fox News: “A license to drill in the area was initially issued in April 2013 within an area of nearly 98,000 acres -approximately a third of the Golan itself – but a series of appeals to the Israeli courts by organizations such as the Society for Protection of Nature in Israel and Greenpeace, put all development of the site on hold until a December 2014 ruling gave the green light for drilling.”

If you have followed UN Resolution 242, it demands the withdrawal of Israel from this land. Internationally, to many, this land is recognized as Syrian territory. However, according to the Bible, this land was an inheritance given by God to Abraham and the Israeli people forever. Do you think President Obama or Secretary Kerry is aware of Scripture? Is there some reason America, under President Obama, no longer plans to defend Israel? Could this be the reason the US is not involved in the Middle East? Is it possible that satanic influence is involved with America’s decision to leave Israel unprotected so that God can rescue Israel as described in Ezekiel 38:18 – 23 following below?

Read Ezekiel 39:1 “Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal.” Instead of chief prince of Meshek, why not use the name Vladimir Putin?

Based on information from Ezekiel, Russia’s influence will continue to increase among the Islamic world as the war against Israel nears. Putin has been co-operating and supporting almost every middle-eastern Islamic nation to the detriment of the United Nations. Putin has aggressively and systematically built alliances with the countries cited in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39. We believe Ezekiel’s vision is coming into fulfillment this very moment.

This will not be the first time Russia has tried to attack Israel. They were on the brink of war in 1973 when the U. S. mobilized forces to counteract any attack the Russians planned on Israel. It is well known that the Soviet Union has supplied all of the ammunition, intelligence and military training to help the Arab and Islamic coalition destroy Israel. It happened once before in the 1967 war. Under President Lyndon Johnson we kept Russia from launching forces against Israel.

Ezekiel 38:3–6 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you.” (Persia is Iran.)

Is the hook that God will use to pull Russia, Iran, etc. the discovery of oil in the Golan Heights? Is this the start of World War III?

Ezekiel clearly indicates that God himself will go to war on behalf of Israel and against her enemies, with devastating results as we read in Ezekiel 38:18–23 “This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign LORD. In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign LORD. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”

It is possible that Russia’s reason for their involvement in Syria is for the purpose of preparing to attack Israel, using: ‘it’s Syria’s property that they are taking back’. If you want to know what happens next in the world, just read the Bible. This was prophesized 1000s of years ago. What are the chances the Bible is not the Word of God?

Scripture tells us that God does not give everyone the same amount of talents as described by Jesus in the ‘Parable of the Talents’ in Matthew 25:14–30. He gave to one, five talents. To another He gave two talents and the third He gave one. Each was given according to their ability. The message I received from this Parable, God was very unhappy with the person, with one talent, who took no action. I often wonder, did God give the one man just one talent because He knew prior to birth he would do little with it? We also learn that we are not all created equally.

Having been a high school coach, there are some players with little talent who will outplay those will more talents. Therefore, effort, practice and preparation will overcome one who spends little time taking advantage of their talents. You have probably heard it said: If you work hard enough you can become successful. This may not always be true. However, we know a person, receiving the Holy Spirit, is given gifts of the Spirit and fruits of the Spirit. At Pentecost, the 120 who received the Holy Spirit changed their lives.

The Christian who depends upon the Holy Spirit is sensitive to His leading and is like the athlete who listens to an experienced coach. The coach can’t guarantee an athlete’s induction into the Hall of Fame, nor can he guarantee a gold medal for the athlete, but he can train him and teach him everything he knows, giving him every advantage, allowing him to consistently do his best. The advantage of having the Holy Spirit does not guarantee presidencies, chairmanships, wealth, achievement awards, fame or recognition, but it will lead the Christian into the direction that fulfills his God-given purpose.

Romans 8:14–17 “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 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. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

As we receive the Holy Spirit, God then adopts us. We are given a new identity being sons and daughters of God. In Roman culture, we would have been given full rights of our new family and became a full heir to our father’s estate. As God’s children, we gain all the privileges and responsibilities of a child in god’s family. To verify our adoption, the Holy Spirit is our witness to these privileges. We are no longer classified as slaves by the Master’s children. As children we are asked to live as Christ lived. We are to serve others, resist pressure to act as the world acts and be willing to give up some rights.

If a person has the faith and trusts what Scripture teaches, being an adopted child of God has to give you confidence that you can do all things through Christ Who gives you strength. (Philippians 4:13) Having supervised thousands of people, many fear failure. Some turned down promotions because they did not want the responsibility. Was it that they lacked the talent to succeed or a lack of confidence? Were they like the one talent man in the Parable?

Hebrews 13:6 “So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

To improve our chances of being successful we are told to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice; we are not to conform to the patterns of this world and we are to transform and develop a new mindset. This means we are to become totally commitment to God’s ways and surrender our self-centeredness to being Christ-minded.

We are to allow the Holy Spirit to renew, re-educate and redirect our minds from the world’s ways to being a child of God. Keep in mind this is a gradual process and does not always happen overnight. We are not to become impatient and frustrated because it doesn’t happen instantaneously.

There are many ways to determine success. You can be successful parents by giving your children quality time and encouraging them to dream and strive to fulfill those dreams. Success can be a very personal thing. It does not have to be measured by wealth, fame or power. A teacher can be very successful explaining how goals can be met. Then seeing them meet those goals. Success knows that you are doing God’s will and you are thoroughly enjoying it. You can feel successful anytime having maximized your potential by using your entire God given talents and abilities.

Success is often times, the byproduct of service. Putting others first, meeting their needs can produce wealth or at least financial security.

Scripture points out there is evil that originates within us and not all evil comes from Satan or the outside world. You may think that we are all born morally good or morally neutral. The Bible maintains the opposite; we are inherently corrupt and depraved human beings. This is why one’s success, power or fame cannot do anything to solve an individual’s basic problem of the sin that is within us.

Galatians 5:19 – 21 – “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Salvation forgives sin but man’s self-centered or carnal nature is still in us. Salvation makes us free from the law. Freedom does not provided freedom to indulge in human nature’s evil desires but we are given freedom to walk in the Spirit. The Bible gives us an assortment of things to remind us of our corruption. We are then told that if we continue to commit these sins, given above, we shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Does that mean if you commit one of the above sins you will be dammed to Hell? We believe Scripture tells us if we continue to actively participate in them we could be dammed. We know Christians who deal with the problem of jealousy, envy, hatred, fits of rage, selfish ambition and others and what should they do? If we are having problems with our sinful nature it is time to check on our relationship with Christ. We do have a God of grace that forgives a Christian who may commit these sins but they are not actively participating and must have a repenting heart, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to give us self-control and the other fruits of the Spirit found in the following Scripture:

Galatians 5:22 – 25 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

Our self-centered nature, without control, permits a person to commit acts of a sinful nature. A person filled with the Holy Spirit and walking with the Spirit will allow the Spirit to produce the fruits of the Spirit in a person’s life. The fruits of the Spirit may also be an outward indicator of one’s salvation. I believe love, joy and peace are primary indicators. The fruits of the Spirit are an outward expression of Christ dwelling in the life of a believer.

We are to become like Christ who is our example and exemplifies each of the fruits given by the Spirit. Through our own experience with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can improve each of the fruits previously described. They denote the life a godly person is to live who is filled with the fruits of the Spirit.

There is a difference between the gifts of the Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit. Every believer, having the Holy Spirit, can receive the fruits. Believers receive at least one gift but some people receive certain gifts such as teaching, prophecy, leading, administration, etc.

The Bible assures us that the greatest fruit given by the Spirit is love. Love not only frees us from the laws but it gives us a true spiritual life. John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Christ did this for us on the cross. This kind of love only comes from the Holy Spirit within us. God loves us with an unconditional love. We must return His love unconditionally with no strings attached as difficult as this may seem. Most often, it is easier to give unconditionally love to others.

Once we receive confidence in one’s relationship with Christ and our trust in God’s promise, we receive a peace and joy that only comes from the Holy Spirit. Peace and joy is not something that we can continually generate on our own, it comes from obedience to God. God requires that we live in peace with Him and with others. Peace is far more than freedom from pressure. It occurs when there is justice between people. The Apostle Paul tells us he was at peace knowing that nothing could separate him from the love of God. Romans 8:38 – 39 – “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Patience is another expression of love or impatience is a result of self-centeredness. Love is patient and kind. If someone disagrees with us, do we react selfishly or selfless by being patient and kind in our confrontation? How patient is God with us?
We must remember that sin will continue to permeate our lives and the temptations of the world will exists. However, those influences should no longer dominate the life of a believer. This is why we are told to surrender our human nature to the control of the Holy Spirit. Since we have a new life in Jesus Christ, we have a new way to live our lives.

We are told in Scripture that an angel will unlock the Abyss and locusts will cover the earth. When the Abyss was opened, smoke poured out as though from a huge furnace and sunlight and air was darkened by the smoke. Revelation 9:2 “When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss.”

It is presumed that Satan will enter the Antichrist as he did in Judas Iscariot as described in Luke 22:3. Satan, the prince and power of the air has his followers at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. Ephesians 2:2 “You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.” NLT 2 Corinthians 4:4 “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”

Revelation 20:1–3 “And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.”

Prior to Christ return to earth to rule, Satan has freedom to roam the earth where he declares war against all who keep God’s commandments and confess to belonging to Jesus. He is being removed from this earth so that he can no longer deceive people. The battle at Armageddon did not kill the entire population of the earth. There will be unbelievers who continue to live. In addition, some believe that there will be some born during the 1000 years while Christ reigns, will deny Christ. They will be able to rebel against God even without Satan’s deceptive influence.

Generation after generation will be born and the earth flourishes as it did in Eden before Satan tempted Adam and Eve. It shall be like heaven on earth. Scripture tells us this many times. At the end of the 1000 years, Satan is let out of his imprisonment in the Abyss and unbelievers will accept him and go with him to war against Christ seeking a better life or more material things. They will be so depraved that their final punishment is the ‘Lake of Fire’ along with Satan and all his followers. Then a new heaven and a new earth will appear after the 1000 years.

Revelation 20:4–6 “I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”

Some Arab fundamentalists believe that if a person is beheaded it separates the soul from the body forever and those individuals will never be resurrected. Jesus will return at the end of the Tribulation to save the world from being destroyed. Many believe the church will be taken out of world in the Rapture prior to the Tribulation. Others think the Rapture will occur after the first three and a half years and others at the end of the Tribulation.

It is believed that when Christ comes back to rule, the saints who have died will come with Him. This includes the Old Testament saints and all saved in the Tribulation period. Non-believers who have died since Adam will not be raise to live in the 1000 years. But after that time, they will face the Judgment and the ‘Lake of Fire’. Those who have been saved will be judged by their deeds and their rewards will be given to each.

It is believed during the 1000 years, the first three curses will be as the ecology and environment will return to pre-flood conditions. After those years, the Bible tells us a new heaven and a new earth comes. Revelation 21:3–4 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Why would anyone not want to be with God and Christ throughout eternity?