How important is it to live a life that makes it better for those who follow? Have American’s become selfish people with little concern for their children and grandchildren? It is estimated that those forty-five and younger spend very little time planning on what they wish to leave for future generations. It is estimated that most individuals heading into prison care little for what they leave behind. It is all about self.

When the Declaration of Independence was adopted, the signers took an oath: “We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” As a result a new nation was formed with the Bible as its guide. Had it not been for our founding fathers’ desire to leave a nation with individual freedom, America’s legacy would be little different from other countries.

Many of us know the story of twin brothers Esau and Jacob. Esau was the older son, which in a Jewish culture made him eligible to receive the “birthright.” The firstborn son’s birthright was a special honor. It gave him twice as much as any other sibling’s inheritance. Upon death of the father, the one who possessed the birthright became the family leader and judge of any disputes within the family. It gave him a different relationship to God than the others. The oldest son could sell or give away his birthright. Of course, if he did he would lose the material benefit and give up his leadership position. (Gen. 25:30–34).

By giving up his birthright, Esau also gave up the spiritual blessing that came with it. He traded it for an immediate pleasure, without considering the long-range consequences. Instead of Esau, Jacob is counted among the Jewish nation’s fathers. Had Esau not sold his birthright for a bowl of stew, the Jewish nation’s fathers would be Abraham, Isaac, and Esau. Anyone who reads this account of the twin brothers thinks Esau was foolish for what he did; yet how many times have we made decisions with little or no thought about how it could change the lives of our descendants?

We can fall into the same trap as Esau. When we see something that we really want, what are we willing to do to get it? Our first impulse may be to do whatever it takes. That could mean using the credit card unwisely, engaging in an illicit affair or being dishonest to gain materially. What is it that tempts us? What is our bowl of stew? What future blessing are we willing to give up to satisfy an immediate, though fleeting, craving or lust?

Esau exaggerated his hunger. I doubt that he would have died if he didn’t immediately get the stew. Yet, don’t we think similar thoughts? “No one will know.” “It won’t hurt anyone.” “Just this once.” The pressure of the moment clouds our perspective, making the decision seem urgent. We can figure ways to justify almost any decision we make.

Consider how Esau’s decision changed his future, his family’s future, and the world’s future. If you have read the Bible, almost everything from that time on is about Jacob and his heirs. Follow Esau’s history and there is very little good that came of it. He and his brother became bitter enemies. Many of Esau’s descendants are Muslims and for centuries have been adversaries with Jacob’s heritage. We have all experienced the pressure that comes from temptations. The Devil knows what is our bowl of stew. Therefore, it is important always to be maturing spiritually and living in such a way as to please God. We must never do things we know will displease God. That is sin! Stop and think—consider the consequence! Ask yourself: Will the decision I make today displease God and change the lives of my children, grandchildren, and on down my family tree? Don’t make the mistake Esau did, whose bad decision resulted in the negative effect on so many.

“For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want” (Gal. 5:17).

Watch TV and read the newspapers. What do you think your third and fourth generation from now will be like? What kind of a society will they be living in? Will any place be safe? How many might have a personal relationship with Christ? What decisions can you make now that will positively affect them? “The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation” (Num. 14:18).

If every child today had Christian parents, future societies would be different from what they are today. Christians, can you see the importance of evangelizing the world? Let us each consider what will our legacy be. Let’s live our lives so that others benefit from how we lived, rather than living selfish lives that leave the world in worse condition.

Moses sent out twelve Israelite spies to determine if the Hebrews could take the land God had promised them. Ten came back with a bad report. “So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it—these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the Lord” (Num. 14:36–37). Because the people believed the men’s bad report rather than believing God, all Israelite men aged twenty and older died in the wilderness and it was forty years before the others were victorious and entered the Promised Land. We are wise to consider how we live, our attitudes, and what we say. What we do today affects the generations that follow. It is alarming what we are doing to the next generation. I was born to parents who lived through the Great Depression of the 1930’s. They never had the conveniences that we take for granted and enjoy today. Most people then did not have radios, telephones, TVs, or dependable cars. A few still used horses as a means of transportation. Living during that time, many people depended on God and realized the importance of being loyal and honest. Generally, people were dependable, hardworking, and willing to help one another when a need occurred.

What I see in society today is nothing like it was seventy years or more ago. Principles and values have deteriorated. When I was a young man, it was a rarity to hear about gang activity. What people do and say today was not even thought about years ago. A teenager to have a child out of wedlock was a disgrace. Today 50 percent of all children born in America are born to unmarried women. Not too many years ago, if a teen became pregnant, the baby’s father was expected to marry her. The girl’s dad showed up at his door with a shotgun to make sure he did the honorable thing—hence, the term shotgun wedding. Sometimes it was the boy’s father who carried the shotgun pointed at his son.

There was a time in history when people became so animalistic, cruel, immoral, and inhumane in their treatment of others that God decided to start over again. He sent a flood during Noah’s time, from 5000 years ago or longer. Today negative news attracts TV viewers and newspaper readers more than positive news. However, I can’t pick up the newspaper or listen to local news and not hear about robberies, murders, rapes, cover-ups, and corruption. It appears that we are reverting to an immoral society.

I did some research and learned that much of our problems come from homes without fathers:
● 63 percent of youth suicides are from fatherless homes—five times the average (U.S. Dept. of Health/Census)
● 90 percent of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes—thirty two times the average.
● 85 percent of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes—twenty times the average (Centers for Disease Control)
● 80 percent of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes—fourteen times the average (Justice & Behavior, Vol. 14, p. 403–26)
● 71 percent of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes—nine times the average (National Principals Association Report)
The father factor in education: Fatherless children are twice as likely to drop out of school.

Children with fathers who are involved in their lives are:
● 40 percent less likely to repeat a grade in school
● 70 percent less likely to drop out of school
● more likely to get As in school
● more likely to enjoy school and engage in extracurricular activities
The father factor in drug and alcohol abuse: Researchers at Columbia University found that children living in two-parent household with a poor relationship with their fathers are 68 percent more likely to smoke, drink, or use drugs compared with all teens in two-parent households. Teens in single-mother households are at a 30 percent higher risk than those in two-parent households.
● 70 percent of youths in state-operated institutions come from fatherless homes—nine times the average (U.S. Dept. of Justice, Sept. 1988)
● 85 percent of all youths in prison come from fatherless homes—twenty times the average (Fulton Co. Georgia, Texas Dept. of Correction)

The father factor in incarceration: Even after accounting for income, youths in father-absent households still had significantly higher odds of incarceration than those in mother-father families. Youths who never had a father in the household experienced the highest odds. A 2002 Department of Justice survey of 7,000 inmates revealed that 39 percent of jail inmates lived in mother-only households. Approximately 46 percent of jail inmates in 2002 had a previously incarcerated family member. One-fifth experienced a father in prison or jail.

I could give you additional statistics that demonstrate that if the sin nature is not redeemed by Christ, our society will continue its downward spiral into increasing immorality. But what I’ve provided should be enough to convince you or confirm what you already believe about the downhill slide of our society. We no longer can teach children in our schools that there is a God, because the controlling powers want to teach evolution, and to teach evolution God must be expelled. Our children are not learning respect, responsibility, or being held accountable for their actions.

This has not happened by chance. We have people in power who have deliberately planned this to occur. Don’t ever forget there are millions of evil spirits that are continually influencing the decisions of the masses. And they seem to be winning over God’s people and the message of the gospel. When our country fails, we have only ourselves to blame.

What kind of a legacy are Americans leaving for future generations? What kind of legacy are you leaving your future generations?

Jesus made promises to tax collectors, adulterers, prostitutes, demon possessed, religious leaders, lepers and people like Jeffrey Dahmer, the serial killer rapist who cannibalized his victims, that they could be saved. Is your past worse than any of them? Why should you feel unworthy if God forgives you? Are you struggling with faith because of past baggage, not feeling worthy or do you feel you have not been working hard enough spiritually, to accept God’s promises that requires your faith to be activated? Why do you think Christ spent more time with sinners than with religious people? Consider the sermon He preached in Matthew 5:3 – 12. NLT

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.”

A requirement that God asks is that you live the opposite of how the world lives. You must love instead of hating; you must be willing to give of time and resources instead of being a taker. You must be willing to serve others and not want to always be served. You must be willing to forgive as Christ has forgiven us. Christ wants us to make Christianity much more than what the world offers. He provides a code of ethics to live by. Living a holy life we believe means performance. Yet we are repeatedly told it is NOT about working one’s way to Heaven. Having the right heart and attitude is more about what we should not do rather than what we must do.

The world measures success by how much we do and the quality of our performance. When we apply the same standard of measurement toward Christianity we come up short. This is why so many Christians have a problem with faith. They just do not feel they measure up. This is why they need to understand what the Bible teaches. However, it is just as wrong to determine how spiritual we are, measured by our religious performance. John 15:5 – “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

I have belonged to churches that believe a Christian with problems were not spiritual. I now belong to a church who realizes that we all have problems and there is nothing wrong with asking for help. A major reason Christ came to earth was to change the hearts of wounded people. Romans 12:2 tell us we must be transformed.

Transforming is like the caterpillar being transformed into a butterfly. Which of the two would you want to be?

Becoming a Christian was a learning process to become more like Christ. This does not mean we are to be transformed into becoming someone other than who we are. We often struggle for God’s acceptance and work as hard as we can to please Him. It is difficult for many to believe they were accepted the moment they received Christ as their Savior. The fact is: they were given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee that they were accepted into God’s family as His child. As His child, all of His promises apply to each of us. When He says we have been forgiven, that means we can start life all over as a new person with the power to change who we are. Can you muster the faith to realize that His Spirit, which has been given to us, can change us into becoming what He wants us to be? Do you have a problem forgiving yourself or others?

People having the greatest problem forgiving others are those who have a problem accepting their own forgiveness. (Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.) Do you sense a repentant heart wanting to change?

Do you have the faith to believe that God wants to give you an abundant life and meet your needs?

Romans 8:16 – “For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.”

I John 1:7 “But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 – “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Romans 5:1 – “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.”

Romans 6:6 – “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.”
Romans 6:14 – “Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.”

My faith also comes from the many blessings God has given to my family and me. Studying the Bible has helped me understand how much God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are involved in my life. Doors have been opened and doors have been closed and all for the best. He has given me a life filled with joy, peace and has met our needs.

When faced with problems, He gave me the faith to know that He allowed it for a purpose. I learned from the experience of having problems and it helped me deal better with life. When my family was told I had a 10% chance of living through a heart operation, my faith was at its highest ever. That was years ago.

I hope you allow God to increase your faith and He will, if you study His Word and accept that it applies to you.

God determines our purpose and has a plan for our life prior to our birth. He gives us temperaments that develop our talents and He gives us spiritual gifts through the Holy Spirit to fulfill that purpose if we accept Christ as Savior. Have you squandered your gifts and talents? You may not recognize them but they are available and we all have them.

Have you ever met people with little education or skills or well-educated individuals who seem to have extra-ordinary talents but wasted them because something happened in their past that defeated them? Gifts and talents require one to be accountable and responsible. Why would anyone want to live their life never using what God placed in them? Too many seem to have no purpose, sense of direction and few, if any, goals. They just get up every day and exist. This is not what God made them to be. How can they feel productive in life if they are not using their gifts or talents?

With our talents we have certain instincts for doing different things. Maybe the first 20 years of life you had absolutely no idea what your talents or gifts were. We were given by God temperaments such as: some people our perfectionists, others are good at communicating, some our born leaders and some are planers and organizers. A talent is a special ability. A perfectionist can become good at solving problems. They usually do well in engineering or as scientists. An outgoing person’s talent can be in communicating by working in sales or performing. If you take a survey you will discover than many people do not enjoy their jobs. Why? Their gifts and talents are for a different type of career.

I speak from experience, as an average individual, that what I have done most everyone could do or even much better. My greatest life-time decision was accepting Christ and believing the promises of the Bible. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Colossians 3:22 – 23 – “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,”

God opened doors for me to find my gifts and talents. I was an athletic director and high school coach, a production foreman for a food processing company during the summers, a store manager for a large retail chain and have been a financial advisor for the past 27 years owning by business. I have worked with thousands of people. I have taught Bible classes for over 35 years and have done a lot of writing from Scripture. I think my greatest talents were common sense and wisdom. I wasn’t always trying to invent a new wheel but doing the basics of any job. I approached each job working with all my heart for the Lord and trying to be a Christian witness for Him. I am pleased with what God allowed me to learn and do.

Ephesians 4:11 – 12 – “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”

Romans 12:4 – 8 – “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

My basic spiritual gifts are faith, serving, teaching, leading and giving. Following is what I learned what was necessary to improve one’s life:
1. Determine what your spiritual gifts and talents are. Discover your temperament this will help you know what your talents are. Goggle – (temperament test) – The Bible should help you with your spiritual goals.
2. Set goals! What do you want out of life? Plan your future. Goals provide the motivation for achieving that which you want your life to be.
3. Prepare by educating yourself in how you will accomplish each goal.
4. If you know your talents and gifts you can develop a passion and the motivation to work on your life’s purpose and plan. We were made to be achievers.
5. When faced with negative confrontations, be persistent and never give up.
6. Continually pray thanking God for results and soliciting the Holy Spirit for guidance and direction.
7. The Bible will give you the knowledge to deal with life’s problems so that you can have the peace and rest God promises.

From experience, if you are doing God’s plan and purpose you will really enjoy life. You will feel you have been successful and have achieved that which God planned for your life. You will never feel completely fulfilled. We could always have done better; however, life needs to have a balance and it is not all about work. Our rewards will be based on our love, faith and grace.

Most do not understand what it would be like under a one-world government and one-world religion. This is predicted in the Bible and we see many signs indicating it is progressing toward that eventual time. Many do not realize how this type of government has many negatives. I recently read how a Marxist, socialist government has affected one’s health. According to the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, former East German men “on average would have died 6.2 years earlier than in unified Germany” while “women would have lived 4.2 fewer years”. When East Germany unified with Germany and a capitalistic, market type economy, people started living longer. Capitalism promotes personal freedom, better health and potential for greater prosperity.

The same day, I read an article on the number of people who are followers of Lucifer. A Christian believes Lucifer was a fallen angel and is the Devil. Luciferians have a different belief system and do not believe he is the Devil. They put their happiness and welfare first, before the welfare of others. They desire to spread knowledge, understanding and tolerance in helping others to realize the potential for greatness within themselves and to achieve as much as they can.

This is what I learned according to Wikipedia. “Contrary to popular misconceptions, Luciferianism does not typically support violence or amoral. They support the moral and intellectual development of children in particular, and the protection of the natural world. Both the arts and sciences are crucial to human development and thus both are cherished. Luciferians feel that humans should be focused on this life and how to make the most of it every single day. The ability to recognize both good and evil, to accept that all actions have consequences, both positive and negative and to actively influence one’s environment, is a key factor.” (Climate Change)

“For Luciferians, enlightenment is the ultimate goal. They prize the wonders of nature and seek to connect with the natural world and the universe that humans inhabit, in order to move humankind forward, whether it be physically or socially. The basic Luciferian principles highlight truth and freedom of will, worshipping the inner self and one’s ultimate potential.

Traditional dogma is shunned as a basis for morality on the grounds that humans should not need deities or fear of eternal punishment to distinguish right from wrong and to do good. All ideas should be tested before being accepted and even then one should remain skeptical because knowledge and understanding fare fluid.” Lucifer is viewed as humanity’s savior and a champion for continuing personal growth.

Let’s assume we were to put followers of Lucifer as members of the government’s EPA and in charge of the environment. They could put nature above most anything else, regardless how it affected jobs and the economy. To some, climate change is part of a religion. This is not to suggest that anyone believing in man-made climate change is a follower of Lucifer. But there are a lot of false prophets that deceive people into believing climate change is not controlled by God. If, while Christ was on earth, He calmed the sea then can’t God control all weather as He did in the Old Testament? God often used bad weather and draughts to discipline nations. The Wall St. Journal states: “Arctic ice has been shrinking. Antarctic sea ice is at a record high.”

We have a number of people who believe the only way we will have prosperity for all of the world and peace without wars is to be under the control of one government. In fact they also believe that to control the population they need this microchip or an RFID implanted. They would be used for a cashless society. These implanted chips have been used in nightclubs such as the Baja Club for such a purpose, allowing patrons to purchase drinks with the implantable microchip. It is this chip that I believe is what is called the mark of the beast in the Bible that no one can buy or sell without it. Whoever takes it will be separated from God forever. There will be no forgiveness for it!

We have men in power in most every nation, including the United States, who are doing everything possible to prepare for a one-world government. This could never have been a possibility without the development of the Internet. There is no longer any need to go to a bank or write a check. Within a short period of time there will be no need for money. All buying and selling can be done over the Internet and at anywhere in the world because of it reaching world-wide or with a wand over the chip inserted in ones hand.

“Warren Christopher (former Secretary of State under Clinton): He stated on January 25, 1993, on CNN: “We must get the NEW WORLD ORDER on track and bring the U.N. into its correct roll in regards to the U.S.” The Washington Times reported on May 12, 1996: “Secretary of State Warren Christopher has declared protection of the “global environment” to be a fundamental principle of American foreign policy. In a recent speech at Stanford University, Mr. Christopher unveiled the “Environmental Initiative for the 21st century,” an ambitious agenda of green diplomatic initiatives he intends to promote with renewed vigor throughout the world.”

I believe they are using the green agenda as a means of driving nations to this one-world government. We are told that they want gasoline prices to rise to extremes as well as electricity causing higher prices and requiring the average American to suffer financially. The more they can get the American public to depend on government subsidies, the more control they will have over them.

Revelation 13:2b – 4 – “And the dragon gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority. I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery—but the fatal wound was healed! The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast. They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they also worshiped the beast. “Who is as great as the beast?” they exclaimed. “Who is able to fight against him?” NLT

1st John 2:18 states that in the last days the “antichrist” will come. Many theologians believe the beast, in the above verse, is the antichrist who is the false messiah. The dragon is believed to be Satan. People will accept the Antichrist because of his many miracles and his unlimited power. He will fake a false resurrection having been pronounced dead (fatal wound) and then comes back to life. The world will be united under his rule. He will control the world’s economy. God will allow the Antichrist to have authority over the world for only a brief period. Everyone will be required to worship him.

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

I hear Christians saying that they miss the joy Scripture says they are to have. It seems they are still struggling with how they are expected to live according to religious teaching. It seems no matter how hard they work or participate in ministry they often feel guilty they have not done enough. Many feel imprisoned by past baggage and Christianity has not set them free as Scripture states.

Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Scripture says if you accept Jesus as your Savior He will also give you rest. Christians tell me they would like to have that rest and believe it is only when they get to heaven will they actually have it. Many just don’t seem to measure up to what they believe is required to live a Christian life. We know that we are saved by grace but then, are we required to work our way to heaven?

Most Christians know that God loves them unconditionally. But they are really confused between the meaning of grace and works. How much are they expected to do in serving? We must stop setting unrealistic goals that demand perfection. We are loved and accepted by God as His children. How much do loving parents demand of their children? Do we give them numerous rules and requirements that cause continual stress? Jesus tells us in John 10:10 – “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

No matter how hard we try, it is difficult to change sinful habits and behavior. I hear too often, I feel so unworthy and it seems I have disappointed God. Some have said: “Why pray, God will not answer me.” We should be looking for this abundant life that Christ promises and not thinking God will not answer.

I belonged many years to a denomination that had a manual of things Christians could not do. It seemed if it was an enjoyable experience and we did it, God would be displeased with us. It was similar to the 613 Jewish laws that the Jewish people had to obey. Much emphasis was on legalism and working one’s way to heaven. It was difficult to always do the right thing and then fail. Do they realize how hard it is to be a Christian perfectionist? Do they realize it has a tendency to make one feel they were a failure for not being perfect?

Have you had a parent or do you have a spouse that made you feel only acceptable when you met their standards? Have you felt in their eyes you never measured up? No matter how hard you tried it was never good enough. Some believe this is how God judges us. No matter how hard we tried to never sin, inevitably we mess up. Do we sense that God is waiting to immediately discipline us? It is so easy to misunderstand what is expected of us as Christians. God knows if we try too hard and fail we will feel guilty. That is why He has provided forgiveness. The Holy Spirit was given to us to console and encourage us to go on and learn from that experience and not to do it in the future.

How valuable and acceptable do we see ourselves? Do we base everything on performance? If we fall short who have we displeased? Shouldn’t we cease trying to be perfect? Where do we get our identity? Is it from God? Too often people get their identity from what they do, where they live, how much you do or being a leader. If we have received our identity from anything but God we could easily miss the joy, the rest and the abundant life that the Bible says is available to Christians.

In order to understand what is required as a Christian, we may have to change our perspective. Some of us may be too stubborn to do so, but if we don’t, we could unnecessarily find Christianity too hard to deal with. We are told to examine ourselves. What is going on inside you? Our souls need to be enlightened as to what Christ taught. Christianity is all about God’s grace and love. We must love God with all of our strength and put no other gods before Him. That would be the god of money, fame, power, etc. We must love others as ourselves. We are assured that if we can accomplish these two commands, there will be rewards for us in heaven.

Scripture tells us that God wants us to live a holy life. We also know that our faith determines the amount of power that God will gives us to serve Him. That means we must have the right attitude and a passion to serve Him. We serve in Christ’s ministry out of love and never as a requirement. It is just a matter of surrendering our will and accepting God’s will for our life. We must be individuals willing to be givers and not just takers.

It is very simple: I serve God because I want to and not because I feel I have to. As a result there is the ‘joy’ of achievement and the ‘rest’ we can find in God’s ‘garden of life’ where only opportunities exist.

The Bible is clear in what God expects of us by having given us an example through the life of Christ. We see things from our perspective but God wants us to see them as He sees them. For many years I have heard: “There are people who make things happen, there are people who watch things happen and there are people who wonder what happened. To be successful you need to be a person who makes things happen.” I believe God’s plan for each of our lives it to make things happen. But God wants to direct us in “how” we make those things happen.

II Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” Paul encourages us to see if we are really Christians. We should see evidence of the Holy Spirit doing “God Things” on a consistent basis. If we cannot detect the Holy Spirit in our lives we may have failed the test. We will then know whether we are truly Christians or imposters. We will never truly live the Christian life Christ set as our example unless we have the Holy Spirit.

Life always presents crisis’. Do we see life’s crisis as problems or opportunities? God has shown us problems are necessary and can be solved by simple ways. When David confronted Goliath He saw him as God saw him. He was a giant that could be defeated by a small slingshot. What if David had negative thoughts in facing the giant and didn’t act? He would never have become a king or the leader of the Israeli army. How often have we refused to accept a challenge and miss a fantastic opportunity?

Many years ago I was offered a transfer to Los Angeles and turned it down. I was told by our regional manager I would never be offered another transfer. I did not feel it was what God wanted me to do. Eighteen months later, my regional boss, left the company. Within months, I was transferred to Las Vegas and tremendous opportunities were available both in business and in God’s ministry.

We are told we must be a person of prayer. Christ spent much of His time in prayer. We should pray that God allows us to see life as He sees it. We need to seek wisdom and understanding. The amount of time we spend in prayer builds our relationship with God. No matter what situation we face, the more time we have spent in prayer, the more faith we will have and will realize that no matter what happens; He will be with us to solve the problem.
It is so important to daily, read and study Scripture. Chances of our faith growing or we becoming stronger spiritually, without reading the Bible daily, doesn’t normally happen. The Bible teaches that faith often grows through adversity. I have found that the more I read and studied my Bible, the more faith I had and the more confidence developed. When I started my present business, I used up all of our savings before the business became profitable. At no time was I ever discouraged for I believed the Holy Spirit would open doors. The growing of the business was not a gift, it had to be earned, but God gave me the inspiration, passion, discipline and determination to make it happen.

God wants us to develop our potential and our abilities. The more knowledge we have, the better prepared we become and the more opportunities will present themselves. Our environment tells a lot about who we will become. Who are our friends? How much time do we spend in ministry? If we are surrounded by negative people that will affect how we think. Do we realize how much the people we associate with affect our potential and abilities?

Are we enjoying life like Christ intended? As Christians shouldn’t we be living an extra-ordinary lifestyle? God created an ugly old worm, called a caterpillar, that crawls along the ground with all kinds of obstacles blocking its way. After a time, this worm is instantaneously transformed into an insect called a butterfly, which is one of the most graceful and beautiful of all insects. What kind of life are we living, like the caterpillar or the butterfly? As a result of sin and our self-centered nature, we were born ‘caterpillar-like’. But Christ came to offer us a ‘butterfly-like’ life. If God can transform a caterpillar into a butterfly, can’t He transform a sinner into one of His children? The Bible says God will bring our life into a new dimension. (“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come!” II Corinthians 5:17). As a caterpillar, I faced spiritual death. As a butterfly, the Spirit has set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)

Do you believe God can transform you into a different person with tremendous possibilities? The Bible says we can live life using Godly wisdom or we can live the life of a fool. We learn that Godly wisdom is when we see things from Christ’s viewpoint or through His eyes. The Bible is very clear that we can have the mind of Christ and if we do, we will see the world quite differently. Godly wisdom is knowing what choices to make and what the consequences of our choices might be.

Do we see ourselves as God sees us? If most did we would see Christians with more positive, trusting attitudes. Doesn’t God want what is best for each of His children? Then why are we not more confident unless we really do not trust God? Develop a vision as to what you think God would want you to be or do. Then allow the Holy Spirit to take away all fear that would prohibit you from succeeding.

I have written previously how blessed I have been having had the experience of being a high school coach, a store manager with hundreds of employees and an investment advisor. What I learned was the importance of self-confidence and common sense. Many people see the glass as being half-empty and fewer see it as half-full. The entrepreneur, manager or leader seems to have above average confidence that they can get whatever the task, done. Successful athletes and leaders are willing to take risks based on past history and experience. They have a passion for what they are doing and they prepare well. Those having accumulated material goods didn’t do it by accident. They made a financial plan and then made sure it was executed. Too many people lack confidence in themselves and live paycheck to paycheck with little planning for the future. This is the normal way the world lives. Is this how you are living?

Having been a Christian for more than 50 years, I have seen many who have accepted Christ as their Savior and then went on to live their lives with little change. As a professing Christian, if you continually lie, cheat, commit adultery and have an unrepentant heart you are probably dead spiritually. Another possibility is that you never took salvation seriously and may remain separated from God.

Acts 16:30a – 31 – “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Salvation is God’s grace that pardons us and forgives our sins and gives to us, the Holy Spirit to help develop a relationship with God and Christ. Salvation has nothing to do with anything we do other than believe and commit to change. It was our previous sinful lifestyle that separated us from God and that must change.

Ephesians 2:1 – 6 – “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,”

As unbelievers we were full of ourselves and disobedient to God. Our sins made us dead men as we lived as the world lives. We were controlled by Satan as everyone is who is not a believer in Christ and under the control of his evil ways. As a result, we not only would die physically but also die spiritually. Because of our sins we were spiritually dead and separated from God.

As children we were disobedient and had to be taught to become obedient. God had to overcome this disobedient spirit in man. This is why God was so elated with Christ who did everything to please Him. Even after we accepted Christ we found it difficult to remain obedient. Satan deceives us into believing our way is best and that all God wants is to keep us from enjoying life. Or, there is no fun in being a Christian. Before accepting Christ we were also controlled by our natural desires. We were born with a sinful nature into a sin-cursed world. Sin kept us from knowing and understanding God. We had no idea how outraged God was because of our sins. We were without God, Christ and hope. But thank God for His grace and mercy. Paul tells us that God’s great love was able to forgive us of the sins those body’s lusts and desires had and the various forms of bodily impurity and excess of such things as quarrelsomeness, envy, uncontrolled rage, pride and selfish ambitions.

Unless a Christian is willing to have a repentant heart, willing to give up their previous lifestyle and allow the Holy Spirit to change them they are probably spiritually dead. Our trust must be in Christ and we must allow the Holy Spirit to make us a new person living to please God. If you refuse to live by God’s ways you will not be obedient and committed.

Can you exclude the Bible and live according to God’s ways? How would you measure spiritually in a person who never opens their Bible and rarely prays? It appears there are a number of church going people who refuse to give up control of their life to the Holy Spirit. They are too caught up in the ways of the world.

Titus 3:1 – 7 – “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”

Being a Christian should give us more faith and confidence than we would have had, if we had not accepted Christ and were saved. Not only should we persistently be planning for our future on earth but more important eternity. Our goals should be to do the best we can in whatever we are led to do. God did not place us on this earth to fail. He did not give us the Holy Spirit to be losers. He is assisting, through His Spirit, to be the best we can be. The more we prepare spiritually, the more we will be able to accomplish. If you are not studying your Bible and praying daily, you are missing what God has available for you. God wants to meet our needs and prosper our lives, if we are willing to submit to His Will.

Too many people are checking out on life, feeling depressed, defeated and rejected.  They are deceived into believing they are failures or unworthy.  There is hope.  We are not who we are because of what we have done or who we think we are.  We are who God created us to be.  To be the person we were created to be we must accept Christ as our personal Savior and become His Disciple.  We then become who God says we are.  Our identity no longer comes from what we did or who we were. 

Once we become a new person, in Christ, we will develop a new attitude with new perspectives.  We must accept a faith and a confidence to trust God.  We cannot please God without faith.  Faith is a confidence and trust in God. 

We must believe God is faithful and will do what is right and will fulfill every promise that He has made.  We must believe He knows everything about us and knows our future.  He knows every need we will ever have.  He has the power to fulfill those needs and more.  We must have the faith to realize that His Spirit will be with us every second and He will never forsake or leave us as one of His children.  He will never lie to us and we can believe His Word.  We must know that God will never change.  He is today what He was millions of years ago.   What He says about eternity and what happens after life is a certainty. 

It was October 14, 1947 when pilot Chuck Yeager flew a plane faster than the speed of sound, (758 miles per hour) and broke the sound barrier.  Prior to breaking the barrier, the plane shook, the controls discontinued working and suddenly there was complete silence as he entered the sound barrier and the controls began to work again.  A number of pilots had previously tried but thought that their plane might shake apart, they slowed down and gave up. 

The same things happen to many Christians seeking faith; there is a problem in obtaining it and they give up.  They find all kinds of reasons to not trust the approximately 700 promises God made in the Bible.   But it is not just Christians, as we read the number of suicides occurring, the number suffering depression, road rage, anger and the many people living miserable and sinful lives.  The reason many are giving up on life is they lack the courage and faith to face their problems.  It may take the same courage to break the faith barrier as it did the sound barrier.  This is what the Bible says:

Hebrews 3:10 – 11 – “That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’  So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”  Doesn’t every one of us want that place of rest that brings peace and calmness?  It does not come without faith. 

The Hebrews coming out of Egypt to the promise land were told to go and take the land.  They refused!  They had seen all of the miracles God had performed.  They gathered at the bottom of the mountain and heard His voice.  He was angry because He had proven Himself to them time and time again but, they did not have the faith to follow His directions.  Therefore, they would not be able to enter God’s rest. 

Hebrews 3:12 – “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.”

The greatest sin in the world is unbelief.  The second is disobedience to God.  Hebrews 11:6 – “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Once we have been given all the evidence we need and we still refuse to trust, God may say, you shall never find peace and rest.  We may not realize it but, every thought, emotion and desire comes from the heart and when we harden our hearts against God, we do so in action, attitude, thought and belief. 

Faith in God is an absolute requirement and those who believe can come to God and discover that He is approachable.  Believing God exists is the first step toward spiritual faith.  To continue pleasing God we must have a relationship with Him.  We must reconcile with God.  We cannot reconcile with our old nature.  Reconciling with God requires a surrendered will.  A surrendering of our self-centeredness is done in love. 

Matthew 21:21- “Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.” 

This does not mean that enough faith, all of our prayers will be answered.  If we have enough faith we would not ask God for something He knows would hurt us or it would not be in His Will.  Christ was pointing out to His Disciples their lack of faith.  What kind of mountains do we face?  Have we prayed to God and asked for His help?  How strong is your faith?  God promises that not only will we will have rewards in heaven for our faith but we shall also receive them in the presence. 

In life, we may face many storms.  We must realize that in every storm, in the storm’s eye, there is peace and calmness.  In order to gain faith, we may have to face many storms and problems.  Many Christians are unwilling to go through life’s problems that provide experiences that will help them gain faith. Faith isn’t cheap and breaking the faith barrier may be just as difficult as initially breaking the sound barrier.   We must not forget that we have a God in control and everything that happens He allows.  At the same time, He is in the storm with us and is there to give us His rest and peace.  If we have enough faith to move mountains, we should have received the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  It is the fruit that increases our faith. 

Does God allow crises to happen to provide us with opportunities?  How we deal with a serious situation depends on our attitude and whether we see it as a problem or an opportunity.  God provides different challenges to build our faith and give us an experience for future situations requiring a correct response. 

Have you faced a hopeless condition and God provided, through the Holy Spirit, guidance to solve what was troubling you?  Have you ever had that “gut feeling” and failed to recognize that it was God’s guidance?  We need to realize that the Holy Spirit, in the life of a Christian, is with them 24/7.  Have you learned to seek His guidance and expect His help?

If you believe God places His Spirit in our life to help us improve, do you sense being helped?  I think most Christians, at times, wonder if they really have the Holy Spirit in their lives.  There was a time I wondered.  I knelt and thought about all the things that had changed in my life.  It did not take long before there was no doubt my life would have been very different had I not received His Spirit when I was converted.

I believe because of God’s love, it is His plan to continually improve the life of a Christian.  If we understand this, we need to allow Him to continually prepare us for His future plan for our life.  Once we except that God has a plan for us, we need to get out of the way and allow Him to challenge us if a crisis is necessary to prepare us. 

Have you ever faced a difficult problem and asked God why He allowed it to happen?  Have you asked yourself if you have been obedient to His Ways and are you living to please Him?   He could be trying to get you back on the right path or He is preparing you for better things ahead.  I want to say I have tried to live a holy life and therefore, God must have something better for me that will benefit my future.  God tells us He is on our side and either way, He is there to help us improve.   If I were to continually and deliberately sin plus being disobedient, I might sense it as discipline.  How else would He get my attention to change my ways than to present a sudden crisis. 

Romans 8:28 – “all things work together for good to those who love God, who; or that in all things God works together with those who love him to bring about what is good.”  If you have encountered a serious problem have you believed that God wants to work with you to bring about what will be good for you?  God is in control of all things and sometimes He allows the devil to tempt us if the consequence will build our faith and benefit us. 

We must always remember that God’s Ways are not our ways.  His Ways are always better than our ways.  God, through the Holy Spirit, is continually involved in our lives.  His Ways are always to confront, challenge and encourage us His children.  We must see and approach life from His perspective.  What would Jesus do? 

My character has been shaped over the years by listening to the Holy Spirit.    Like most, I still have a ways to go.  But more good things have happened than bad things and I believe there is a reason for that.  When an unusual situation occurs, if it is beneficial I praise and thank God.  If it is a negative experience I ask for His help and what can I learn from it. 

So many Christians feel unworthy and that God is not involved in their lives.  If that is you, you are missing His help because you do not have a personal relationship with Him.  This also causes a faith problem.  We are told faith is what pleases God.  Stress to yourself that God, through Christ, makes you worthy and God doesn’t have any unworthy children.  He blesses us regardless of our past baggage once we make Christ the Lord of our life.  In fact, it may be possible, that more help is given to those with the worst past because they need the most help.  Who was it that Jesus helped and spent the most time with: Was it the sinner or the religious community?  It was the sick that needed a doctor and not the healthy. 

If you are not a Christian and have rejected Christ and God, this information will not work for you.  Just realize what you are missing.