Over 2000 years ago, Satan influenced and controlled the Roman leaders and the Sanhedrin or the Jewish religious leadership.  Approximately 1/3 of the populations were slaves.  Conditions were horrible, with little morality or justice.  History indicates it may have been as bad as prior to Noah’s flood.  Was God about to destroy mankind again or should He send His Son to make a difference in the world?  We all know what choice He made.  God must send Christ a second time; otherwise the world will destroy itself as told in Scripture.  He then will reign for a 1000 years on earth.  We will then know what God had planned for Adam and Eve because Satan will not be with us. 

I don’t know how accurate history is but it seems that slaves were brutally mistreated.  It wasn’t unusual to beat a slave to death for a minor mistake.  I won’t go into the sexual perversion and treatment of women and children.  There was also the sacrifice of humans to their gods.  The world today has not yet duplicated this life-style but we may be edging closer.

Occult leaders from the beginning of America believed our country was being established to lead the world into forming a one-world-government controlled by their leader, Lucifer’s Antichrist.  Again, I am only writing what supposedly history tells us.  For those who are knowledgeable of occult symbols indicate that Washington has a number of satanic symbols throughout our capital.  In addition, within miles of the capital there are a number of occult groups who worship the devil.

II Corinthians 4:4 – “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

We are going through another day of the government shutdown.  If you were to guess, does it look like Satan is in control of our government leaders or is God?  Is there any difference between the types of leadership the Romans had and we are witnessing?  It seems to be all about controlling the money and the information.  Whoever has control of those two areas control the people.  Is this what it is all about—control?  What part is Satan playing?  Will the U.S. lead the world into the one-world-government?  Could this be what it is all about?  We know Satan’s plan is to destroy all governments and religions.  God—are we there yet?  If not how much longer do we have?

Matthew 12:25 – “Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”

Mark 3:24 – 25 – “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”  (Does this sound like what is happening to America?)

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

If you believe Scripture, the above verses tell us there will be a one-world government.  It could not be any clearer.  He will dominate over the world and there will be a one-world religion because all of the non-Christian people will worship him.  Presently there are five main religions: Christianity, Judism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. Which do you think the one-world religion might be?  Who is teaching world domination besides the Radical Muslim Brotherhood?  Besides verse 7 tells us the antichrist will wage war against God’s holy people and conquer them.  From which religion are Radicals promoting the killing of Christians?  Christ tells us we will know when we are in the end times.  We will be able to see the signs.  There will still be Christians on earth because they will be conquered.  It is still possible to believe in the “rapture” taking place prior to pre-tribulation. (*There will be 144,000 Jews preaching that Christ is the Messiah.)

The antichrist will be extremely charismatic.  His miracles will be so astonishing that he will make fire come down from heaven just as Elijah did in I Kings 18.  The false prophets with their miraculous powers will be able to deceive people and shape world opinion into accepting the antichrist and himself.  How many Christians will be deceived and worship the beast instead of accepting death?

Do you feel like a prisoner or a hostage in the scheme of things?  Is the government shutdown affecting you?  Are we a divided nation?

John 8:28 – 32 – “So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.  The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.’  Even as he spoke, many believed in him.   To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”

Were it not for Christ coming to earth the world would be completely out of control, if people in the world still existed.  But He gives hope, forgiveness and faith that even though Satan is in control; he can only do what God allows him to do.  The more truth we have and the more knowledgeable of God, it is His truth that will always set us free.  We will always have the Holy Spirit to get us through whatever is to be.  “The only thing Christians have to fear is fear itself!”

I believe what is happening in Washington is what Scripture predicted.  Let us allow God to work things out.  Our job is to be missionaries to the world and every church should be getting ready for a great revival that is occurring.   However, are we personally ready for the beginning of the end-times?

This past week at our men’s Bible study we were discussing the meaning of Daniel 9:26 – 27.  In the 24^th chapter of Matthew Christ refers to Daniel’s end-time prophesy.  So I began researching, what do theologians think these verses of Scripture mean.

Daniel 9:26 – 27 – “After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.  He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’  In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

Previously I have written that I believe the last seven years before Jesus returns will start either at the agreed upon peace treaty between Israel and Palestine or at the completion of the temple.  I am led to believe from Jesus saying it will be like the time of Noah that the end time begins with the completion of the Jewish Temple next to the Muslim Dome of the Rock on the temple mount.  The flood came as Noah completed the Ark.  However, there is a temporary peace agreement, (“a covenant with many for one ‘seven”) that will be for seven years.  When 3½ years of that agreement, the antichrist stops all animal sacrifice and Jews living on the west bank under the Palestine state will be slaughtered if they do not flee as Jesus foretells in Matthew 24.

Verse 27 says the antichrist will set up an abomination that causes desolation.  This we believe to mean that it will be an unprecedented time of trouble and great anguish that has never occurred before and will never occur again.

Daniel outlines the events that will happen before the last seven years that the angel Gabriel predicted would come to pass and when Jesus would return.  It was called the “Great Tribulation”.  Daniel describes a wicked ruler who will come to destroy God’s people and with a plan to take over the world with only those who will be his followers remaining.  His power and the miracles he performs will be given to him by Satan.  His deceit will give him great influence.  We all know the power of deceit that comes from Satan and his followers.  His end will come as the end occurred during Noah’s time.  It will end this time with a war and not a flood.  The war will be known as Armageddon.

Matthew 24:3 – 25 – “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”  Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.  For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.  You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.  Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of birth pains.   “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.  At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.  Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,  but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.   “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house.  Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak.  How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!  Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.  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.”

These are probably some of the most misunderstood Scriptures in the Bible.  Many believe this occurred in 70 A.D. when Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed.  Some believe there will never be another temple built.  However, Jesus referring to Daniel’s prophesies, I believe it has to be at the end times.

There will be false prophets as the world ends that will teach: God wants you to be rich, healthy and wealth sermons, there is no hell or sin messages, you may do whatever your desires tell you, accept same-sex marriage, abortions are okay and things that followers want to hear.

The most important thing we can learn in times of persecution, even mature Christians will find it difficult to remain true to Christ.  To keep from being deceived by false prophets, (False doctrine is any belief that doesn’t agree with the Bible.) we must realize that when Jesus returns He will come from the sky with believers following Him.  No one will doubt that it is Christ because it will be obvious to everyone.  So don’t be one who mourns because you have chosen the wrong Messiah.

We see America’s dominance in the world fading.  I have never been able to find where it refers to America in the Book of Revelation.  Daniel talks about the eagle, America that separates from the lion, Great Britain.  Scripture indicates that no one will come to Jerusalem’s defense during the War of Armageddon but God.  Most who feared America’s power and dominance will no longer do so.  It is my opinion that another nation will overtake America’s dominance in the world.  That nation will be anti-God and anti-Israel.

I believe there will be a last chance for a spiritual revival as God will not want anyone to perish.    There will be no excuses.  Once that revival is over, the end will be close.  It is even possible that spiritual revival is taking place at the present time.  Thousands daily are accepting Christ throughout the world and the Gospel is being preached worldwide.  Many Christians are being persecuted as our news media reports.  So will John Kerry, our Sec. of State, assist in a peace treaty in 2014 as predicted?  Will the Jewish Temple be built as we believe is prophesied?  If that happens, you can almost count the days until the end.  It is possible America, at that time, will just be another nation because of our leaders and America’s majorities’ rejection of Christ and our failing to keep God’s commandments.  It happened to Israel when they disobeyed.

Always keep in mind:  No one knows the day or hour when the end will come.  However, Scripture tells us if we are able to discern what the angel Gabriel told Daniel and what Christ told His disciples, we living in the last days, may be able to get an idea as to when Jesus will return for His 1000 year reign.

God knows before we are born the kind of life we will live and the commitment we will make to worship Him. For those who become a follower of Jesus Christ, God lays out a plan and a purpose for our lives from the very beginning, even before we are saved. When God intervenes in our life we are given an unusual advantage even though there may be many times of disasters that occur preparing us for what He wants us to be.

I am amazed as I study my Bible how God talked to Moses, the prophets, Joseph, King David and many others. Today God talks to us through His Spirit that lives within us. As I have written approximately 475 Christian blogs it is exciting to write about certain subjects that come to mind that I believe was Holy Spirit inspired.

My father died prior to my sixth birthday. My grandfathers, on both sides, were ministers. However, I did not grow up as an only child in a Christian household. We lived in a small rural city without TV, radio, telephone or an inside bathroom. My entertainment was playing sports with the neighborhood kids. In grade school, all of my extracurricular activities were sports. I point this out because had I not been involved in sports in high school chances were I would have been a dropout.

Upon graduation one of my best friends with whom I played sports wanted me to join the Navy on the buddy system. Meaning: we would go everywhere together while we were in the service. I thought joining the Navy was crazy. I always had a job since the fifth grade when I had a newspaper route. However, no matter how hard I tried I could not find full-time employment anywhere. He finally convinced me to sign up. We go to Seattle for induction and take all kinds of test and I am sworn in. I then find out he didn’t make it. Probably part of God’s plan.

Knowing very little about Christianity I saw a completely different lifestyle with young men away from home. More than three years I spent overseas. My last assignment was on the staff of the commander of all cruisers and destroyers in the Pacific. We spent most of our time off the coast of Japan on different ships. When we reached port many would come back the next day with stories of their lustful experiences. It was carousing, drinking and women. I learned how many young men of the world lived.

Upon being discharged from the Navy I began going to church and at 22, I was converted. I went to a Christian college where I learned the difference between lust and love. A lustful person is a taker and a loving person is a giver. Most of the world lives lusting and envying. A Christian is taught God’s way is to live life loving. In fact love is what life is all about.

I Corinthians 13:1 – 8 – “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”

I have seen how the world lives and I know how God tells us to live. I can go back to when I was a small child and see where God had intervened in my life. Maybe not the same way He did in Joseph’s life but He allowed many things to happen in preparation for what His purpose in life for me was to be.

The four years in the Navy brought discipline into my life. It provided four years of free education. Being a student at a Christian college allowed me to learn God’s ways of living life through love. I knew what lust could cause in a person’s life and the tremendous advantages of learning how to love. God’s ways helped me to receive promotion after promotion. He allowed me to be a leader in the twelve churches to which I have belonged. He encouraged me to open my own business and helped to make it successful.

During my time in college I met and married my Christian wife. There was a physical attraction but we have had a love relationship. Had we both been lustful and worldly chances are the marriage would have ended in a divorce. But love is patient, kind and forgiving. Living God’s ways, has given us a family who loves the Lord.

As I look back I can see most times God has intervened and directed my life as I prayed that He would. As a result, love for God and Christ has kept me from being tempted and not wanting to sin. True love for God and for my wife has kept me faithful.

The moral of this story is: Do you want to be lustful and a taker or a lover and a giver? One brings tremendous advantages and the other can bring disappointment. It is better to give than to receive or be a taker. It’s all about love. Then if you want God to intervene in your life you must learn to love and refrain from being lustful and envious.

Matthew 22:37 – 39 – “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Christ said: “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”  Just how much of our resources belong to the government?  This is creating a tremendous division among the American people.   Many see the Democrat’s ObamaCare as another entitlement that we cannot afford and it will hurt the middleclass.   Is the Democrat health care plan another step to socialism or really meant to care for people?  How much control do you want the government to have over our lives?

Many fear for America’s future.  There is no effort to provide leadership.  In the past the president and congressional leaders would be in meetings to work out a solution that would be somewhat satisfactory to each side.  This is the most divisive administration and congress in my lifetime.  It is not about what’s best for the American people; it is about what is best politically.  Do Americans want a free market economy or socialism? 

We work with many who invest in the stock market.  Many are very apprehensive about the market, the economy and America’s future.  The gridlock between political parties and the uncertainty coming from Washington does not foster confidence.  What are Christians to do?

We must continually trust that God is in control.  It appears God has allowed the devil to do his deceiving and possibly Americans are getting what we deserve.  President Obama has said: we are no longer a Christian nation; this could be true.  We are not, as a nation, putting God first and we certainly are not, in general, living by his commandments or being obedient to His ways.  We lack a commitment to worshipping God.

Christians: we must not live as the world lives.  Fear comes from ignoring the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.  We must not be people too busy living in a fast-paced world with too little time and attention given to spiritual things.  The Bible tells us to be confident and I am seeing too many living fearful lives.

To overcome fear one must have confidence, feel worthy enough to be accepted by others and believe in our ability to be capable of overcoming whatever is challenging us.  Most individuals do not meet those criteria.  There are all kinds of reasons we lack confidence, feeling unworthy or believe we are incapable of mastering most difficult situations. However, we as Christians are not alone.  Scripture tells us in Isaiah that God has chosen the descendants of Abraham, which Christians are, that He will do the following:

Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:13 – “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

He says He is our God and will have a personal relationship with us.  He tells us that He is capable of giving us power to deal with every situation in life.  He does not imply that we will win every time.  Yet, we can deal with anything while being calm and with peace.  It is only when we focus on the problem that we become distraught, when we should be focusing on how God is going to help us get to the solution.  While dealing with whatever is confronting us, are we asking for that power that God promises to give us?  Isn’t the usual circumstance we face, I will deal with everything by myself?   This is the mistake many of us make.

Next – think of every fear you may have.  Do you know what caused it?  Do you know how to eliminate it from being a fear?  Have you accepted that you are a member of God’s family and that He wants to help you?  (You must feel accepted.)  Do you have the confidence that anything can be handled with God’s power?  (I accept God’s promise that He will give me strength and help me.)  Finally you must believe that no matter what happens God knew it was going to happen and He did not intervene to stop it.  Therefore, it must be a learning experience.

When the Holy Spirit fills our hearts and guides our lives, we have no room or need for fear. “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.”  (Romans – 8:15)

Joshua 1:7 – 9 – “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.  Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

I believe this is what God would say to any Christian who has a personal relationship with Him.  We must live to please God.  This is not easy in a world that lives for instant gratification.  God tells us about being careful to not be in debt.  Yet, we load up our credit cards and live from paycheck to paycheck; fearful that we may fail financially.  God loves us and wants what is best.  When Christ said fear not, why do we?  Is it because we are not following what the Bible tells us to do?  God tells His people that He is our personal God; He will give us strength and be with us every minute of the day.  We must believe this and act accordingly.

Regardless what is happening in Washington: Christians, we answer to God.  Always remember: God is in control and He allows what happens.  Until our nation repents and places God first; expect chaotic conditions and times coming out of Washington.

The moral of the following story is that sometimes God allows bad things to happen because he wants us to make a change that we otherwise may not make. This can happen at church, school or at work. Just because you become displeased start asking God what it is He wants you to do. I was becoming unhappy with what was happening at my previous job. I decide to start my own business. The greatest thing in my career I have ever done. Otherwise, I would have stayed with my previous occupation and missed the many years of pleasure and joy. My business pays better and I don’t have 450 employees.

I learned this as a member of a church board of a very traditional church; we believed God wanted to give us a different vision and ministry. The board decided to make some changes and become a more evangelistic church reaching out to a community having many unchurched people in Las Vegas, NV.

Most Christians agree that not all traditions are essential. Traditions like wearing of robes by the choir, thundering organ music and the order of worship are honorable but not biblically necessary. But as we started, the very suggestion of change, all traditions suddenly become essential traditions and they don’t go without a fight. The reaction of some members of the congregation was unsettling.

We decided to clear the platform and have the minister sit on a front seat until it was time to preach. They would not introduce who was going to sing and no one gave their testimony before singing. It was a well-planned and organized presentation of the gospel that we believed would be more acceptable to non-Christians having been invited by Christian friends. After about three weeks we had three families leave because we had removed the American flag and were no longer being patriotic. Some asked why we were hiding the preacher. Had he done something wrong?

It was a problem making the transition from a traditional church, that ministers to a closed community, to a nontraditional church that reaches out to lost people. It can be hazardous! If it is not carefully and prayerfully planned and executed, the road to spiritual renewal can end up leading to ruin.

Our minister preached a long-term diet of teaching sermons to lead comfortable Christians out of their comfort zones. He taught the difference between that which is unbiblical and that which is antibiblical. Most of our Christian traditions were not necessarily biblical. For example there is nothing in the Bible that forbids women from taking an active part in Christian ministries or favoring a piano and organ over a guitar, drums and keyboard. Nor does the Bible say anything about things like choir robes, song books, Sunday School classes, the wearing of neckties or whether the congregation should applaud or not. These things are not biblical and we are free to decide for ourselves.

We are not free to alter things like God’s plan of salvation. The Bible teaches that we are saved by grace and when a church adds some requirement to this it is doing so in defiance of Scripture. Such things are antibiblical.

It was not easy to convince traditional Christians that the purpose of the weekend service is designed to help us reach people with little or no church experience. The purpose of the mid-week service would be to build up believers through worship, teaching and praise.
The transition did not go easily. The Board of Elders realized that spiritual leadership involved more than being right. It involves love and compassion for those who do not agree, or do not understand.

Spiritual leadership requires a sensitivity and skill at knowing when to do what. In some respects, spiritual leadership is like parenting. Parents have to know when to encourage, when to correct, when to stand firm and when to let go and let a child make some mistakes. Of course, parents also make mistakes and we, as a board could be guilty.

We realized one thing, nothing would happen until both the leadership and congregation, or at least most of it, was willing to listen and respect each other’s ideas and opinions. We had had to learn to cooperate with one another and once something was decided we had to set aside our differences and work together toward a common goal.

However, many became disenchanted and angry at the church. We spent hours in board meeting trying to determine what we could do to keep old-time traditional Christians from leaving the church. We finally realized our church was not for everyone. We believed our mission was to help other churches in the community to grow and help us assist in converting non-believers to become Christians. We reached the conclusion that the only way God could get them to where He wanted them was for them to become discussed and upset. Let me give you an example.

A non-Christian father received salvation and he and his daughter stay a couple of years at our church. They left to attend his parent’s church. His daughter became very active in that church and was a member of the choir. She was doing extremely well when the father decided to come back to our church. They were not here long before he became very displeased with most everything. He left the church very angry. My conclusion was that God wanted his daughter in the other church where she was active and contributing to the ministry of the gospel through the choir.

I have witnessed hundreds of Christians who have real issues with our church only to find that in transferring to a new church they became active and God was using them to minister where they were more active. In fact, this happened to me. I belonged to a different church in town and was on their board. I became very displeased with what was going on and changed churches. I had belonged to that denomination for 30 years and my wife all her life. God had a greater plan for my wife and me in our present church than in any other church we belonged. Had I not been displeased I may still be attending there.

My Bible says: “Someday all will recognize and admit that God is in charge.”  Something gigantic must happen to change the minds of a lot of non-believers.  I believe that time is coming and the church will not be prepared to handle the crowds.  However, that does not mean there will still be those who will continue to reject Him as Satan and one-third of the angels in heaven rejected HIm.

They asked Jesus when the end-times would come.  Matthew 24:36 – 39 – “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself.  Only the Father knows.  “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day.  In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat.  People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.”  NLT

Genesis 6:5 – 7 – “The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.  So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart.  And the Lord said, “I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them.”

We know that when Christ returns no one will know and many will be unprepared spiritually.  There will be no opportunity to repent and be saved at that time.  The choice that we have made will determine where we will spend eternity.

Psalm 83 talks about the assembling of nations and other Scripture informs of the alliances in the end times.  The Bible tells us that Russia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Libya and others will be allies.  Another tells us that Germany, Turkey and the Middle-East oil nations, such as Saudi Arabia will form a coalition.   There will be wars and rumors of wars.

In Deuteronomy 17:15, it tells us that God chose the kings for Israel.  I believe He chooses leaders today.  America’s power in the Middle-East and Europe is decreasing and I believe we will see Germany (Assyria) replacing the U.S. as a leader in the Middle-East.  During World War II it was Germany that slayed six-million Jews in the Holocaust.  It is possible they will continue to be anti-Israel.

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

The media hasn’t really told us why some of these countries have been over-turned in North Africa.  The riots in Egypt, Jordan, Yemen and Algeria have in a large part been over the price of food.   Part of it was caused by the drought in Russia and later Argentina.  Torrential rains in Australia and Canada have not allowed farmers to plant millions of acres of wheat.  Using corn for ethanol may help solve the oil demand but not the food draught.  According to the Chicago Board of Trade wheat was up 74% in 2010 and corn rose by 87% during the same time.  Italy’s Food Organization says food prices hit record levels.  When prices rise like they have, it generally promotes hoarding wide-spread.  People start buying so they won’t have to pay higher prices later on.  If China has food problems we could have a world-wide food shortage.  Food Products in St. Louis says there is not one crop that doesn’t have supply problems. It almost sounds like the end times when a loaf of bread will cost a day’s wages.   Could a loaf of bread ever reach $89.99?   Is the world’s population at the point we may have a problem feeding ourselves?

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

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

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

A worldwide anti-God movement will continue to exist even though they begin to realize there is a God.  This will include the teachings of situation ethics (no absolute rules), moral freedom and self-sufficiency (man is not accountable to anyone), sexual permissiveness (everything is acceptable, same sex-marriages and homosexuality included), and death education (there is no life after death).   This is what prophesized will happen during the one-world government and the one-world religion.  Hasn’t it already started?  Isn’t our administration promoting this permissiveness?

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

If you are a competitive Christian person and have a desire to lead, chances are you can become a successful leader. If you have these two characteristics the Bible is the greatest teacher in developing leadership abilities.

Confidence is an area that many people feel inadequate. The Bible tells us that we can do all things through Christ who will give us strength. Confidence can result from believing God, through the Holy Spirit, wants us to be successful. God wants to use our competitive spirit to be flexible, be a risk taker and to increase our courage. Confidence often comes from adequate preparation, repetition and experience. When favorable results occur, give God the credit as He is the one who will help you become successful. A must is to have a humble spirit. The Bible teaches to be meek. That does not mean weak. There are times that require sternness. People want a strong leader. No one enjoys following an egomaniac or a person so stubborn that they are unwilling to accept the ideas of others.

Here are a number of things the Bible teaches a leader to do: You must have a vision, goal or purpose that you can communicate to your employees or those you are leading. There must be clarity of purpose. Too often, those leading leave too many uncertainties and are not transparent. People must know what is expected and what the end results are required.

A good leader builds a team. A leader must accept responsibility and not blame others. Be an example and you will find those following will be more inclined to also accept responsibility. Be forgiving, fair-minded, continually teaching. Show your concern for each person so that they can see you want them to be successful.

I like the illustration given by President Regan: “Trust but verify!” As a leader I never assumed something would be done, I would always follow up to make sure what was promised happened. If a person said they would do something and they knew you would check, chances are better that the task would be accomplished as requested.

Do research, know the facts, don’t state something that you would do then fail to follow through. A leader must be honest. Those following must trust the integrity of the leader. We must never lie or mislead others. We are to do unto others as we would have others do unto us.

Be an encourager. Too often I have worked for those who led through fear. Fear worked in the Old Testament but love works better in the New Testament. When someone does an outstanding job give them credit. Always soliciting ideas and giving credit can provide successes. The following is an example:

During my college years and as a high school coach, during the summer, I was a production foreman for Birds’ Eye Frozen Foods. When we ran lima beans, graders would separate overly ripe beans that did not meet the quality for consumption. However, if these beans were soaked for 48 hours they were very tasty. They were sold to the government and they fed thousands of people.

For years, we had problems with machines that were used to shake out rocks and other debris. The machine was down more than it worked. I mentioned to our employees that I wish we could get a machine that would do the job so we could provide more products. One employee came to me and suggested that instead of separating the beans from the debris, have them go directing to the soaking vats. When the lima bean absorbs the water it will float and they can go directly to an inspection line. When needed, drain the soaking tanks and clean out the rocks and other debris. We tried this and production increased exponentially. Lines never had to be shut down again and tons of overly ripe lima beans lost. This added thousands of dollars of new revenue. Many times employees can improve service or production if given a chance to express themselves. However, if they don’t like their leader it is possible they would never volunteer information that would help and improve what is being done.

The world judges a coach’s success by the number of games he/she has won. An executive’s success is determined by how much profit he or she makes. The famous are evaluated by how wealthy or how well-known they are. The world teaches that the only way to get both is to be successful, regardless of the methods used to reach that goal. In other words, the end justifies the means. Many who want to be somebody don’t care if they achieve that by immoral methods or not. In many people’s minds, this may require you to be different or to be better than anyone else at what they do. If they can find a shortcut in reaching their goal, so much the better.

Those who are willing to do about anything to become successful often believe they will receive admiration from others by being better than the norm or making others envious of them. Some crave love and attention to such a degree that they have neither limits nor boundaries in getting what they desire.

I have witnessed leaders and managers who were so focused on production and profits that it became a point of obsession. The world might view this as healthy, but in some respects it is just the opposite. You may know of those who are so fixed on success that they are willing to put that over workers, society, the environment or anything else that may stand in their way. Aggressive people are sometimes reviled, yet at the same time they are often admired, respected and lavishly rewarded.

Too many Christians believe that unless they live and work as the world does, they will be at a disadvantage. Some claim that instead of using Biblical principles and standards; they have no choice but to be aggressive and to do whatever it takes to survive in this day and age.

Let me interject a distinction between aggressiveness and assertiveness. Aggressiveness employs a combative attitude. It’s means are severe and intense. The goal is the all in all. The aggressive person mows down anyone or anything that gets in the way of reaching the goal. Assertiveness, however, is courage, boldness or confidence. The way one reaches the goal is as important as reaching the goal, but not at the expense of hurting others or utilizing questionable tactics.

As a Christian I have never felt a need to separate my business life from my spiritual life. In fact, I don’t think it can be done. I continue to try and live according to the principles Christ taught at home, at work and interacting with others.

“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”  Hebrews 12:14

It is possible for Christians to let the Holy Spirit become dormant in their lives.  If that is you, there are some things you may do to activate the Holy Spirit to again become active in your life.  If you believe the above Scripture means: Without holiness you will not see the Lord, then should we not make sure we are living a holy life?

Repeatedly, I have tried to point out that there is one requirement that seems necessary to see the Lord.  Throughout scripture we are told to live a holy life.  We are told to be holy as God is holy.  Both the Old and New Testaments teach we are to be people of peace and we are to walk in holiness and righteousness.  We are required to have certain attitudes and responsibilities to God and others; we are to pursue peace and reconciliation in all cases.  We certainly should not cause dissensions, which is apparent in most every church.

The Jews were required to be holy and clean in order to enter the temple.  Christians are told their sins must be forgiven and they were to be holy and righteous to enter God’s presence.  In this case, we believe it means to be devoted or consecrated to God’s service.  To live to please God, keeping His commandments, is to live a holy life.  Holiness and righteousness are gifts of grace to be used in how we live and how we treat others.

Matthew 5:6 – “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.”  Jesus is saying that if we have a hunger and a thirst for righteousness we will be filled. Filled could mean a number of things.  The actions of the Holy Spirit gives us added power, additional faith, heavenly wisdom and the desire to trust God’s Word.  We would be filled with a righteousness that only the Holy Spirit can provide.  To be filled requires a passion to live a holy life.  The Holy Spirit is available but we must be willing for the Spirit to act in our lives.

Let’s assume we have been living a Christian life for a period of time and we have become content with where we are spiritually.  Is it possible to lose our passion to become more spiritual?  Can we lose our desire to hunger and thirst to be more holy?

What value do we place on God and Christ?  The more value we place on something or someone the more attention we give it.  If we place a lot of value on money, it can become our god.  The more value we place on God and Christ in our life the more we will live to please them.

What is it that God wants from each one of us as Christians?  The answer is love through our relationship with Christ.  He wants our unconditional love toward Him and the same love to others.  Can you visualize living in an eternity where everyone had that kind of love for God and for others? There would be no need for armies or police. How do we obtain that kind of love?  Is it only possible when man no longer has a carnal, self-centered nature?   But that does not excuse us from striving to have a love that is unconditional.

The Bible repeatedly says God is not interested in our works but He cares about what is in our hearts.  Is His love really in our hearts?  If so we have learned there can be no hate or a lack of forgiveness.  What God requires can only be obtained by allowing the Holy Spirit to change who we are.  This is why we cannot allow the Holy Spirit to be ignored.  We must let the Holy Spirit become very active in our daily lives.  If we are not seeing supernatural occurrences from time to time we probably have not made the Holy Spirit our partner.  So shouldn’t we expect the Holy Spirit to be manifest in everything we do?  He will if we pray and ask for His help. He will not force Himself onto us.

Start each day with prayer asking specifically for the Spirit within us to guide in everything we do throughout the day.  The last thing each day, take a minute and thank the Holy Spirit for being active in our lives.  After a time we will begin to realize and recognize that God’s Spirit lives within us and is actively changing our behavior.  We will then begin to realize that we as Christians have been given a unique advantage in living our lives.  We too will learn there are many blessings that God wants to give to us through the Holy Spirit within.  Are a few minutes daily worth God’s blessings?

I do not believe you can live a holy life without being knowledgeable of Scripture.  When a person initially becomes a Christian you may have little knowledge.  You cannot live a holy life if you do not have a personal relationship with Christ.  The probability of that relationship happening without reading the Bible  is very slim.

This morning’s newspaper states 70% to 75% of Americans understand that global warming is very real and is man-made. Those believing in global warming believe they must get these 70% plus to become active and engaged in stopping the polluting of oil, coal and other carbon causes. We have an administration that is leading the belief that global warming is man-made. As a result, their beliefs and actions are causing a slowing American economy and loss of jobs.

There has been climate change or global warming since the beginning of time. However, you must be a Bible believer to know that God is in charge of the weather. As a result we have had floods, famines, hurricanes, typhoons, tornadoes and earthquakes from the beginning of time. The population was not large enough to cause any kind of change to weather. Remember when God would be displeased with His people and would cause a draught and famine? They would repent, pray and then came the rain. God controls all of nature and He also controls what Satan can do. However, He has allowed Satan to do things as a result of people denying God.

Deuteronomy 11:16 – 17 – “Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them.  Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you.”

Satan could not do anything to Job without God’s permission. Job 1:9 – 12 – ““Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

We, as conservative religious fundamentalists who believe in creationism, believe in a God, who not only has the power to create the universe, He can stop whatever man does to the earth. If God were concerned that man would destroy the earth by burning coal or oil, He would have told us in Scripture to not over use coal or oil. He has told us everything else. Yet, He has given us enough of these fuels to last for hundreds of years. Many of us doubt that we will need this much fuel prior to the second coming of Christ. Many of us believe that God will create a new heaven and a new earth as He promises in Scripture. We believe we would never run out.

Therefore, the many who are blinded by Satan, believe there is no God and man can destroy the earth by what he uses for fuel. God promises that if we will do His Will we will prosper. Does Satan want believers to be prosperous? Since He is anti God he will do whatever to disrupt the lives of people. If he can cause everyone to believe in evolution and man-made global warming it is possible to create financial chaos world-wide. Once the world becomes financially broke he has a chance for his one-world government and one-world religion. This religion will be against the God of the Judeo/Christian Bible. Any who have been prosperous will have their money taken away to give to those who have not taken advantage of life’s possibilities, whether it is by choice or government rule and control.

Now for some facts: About 20 years ago there were a number of books published predicting environmental calamity caused by carbon dioxide emissions occurring and within a matter of a very few years the glaciers would melt and New York and Los Angeles would be partly under water. During this time the temperatures have remained constant.

A leading scientist who had initiated and predicted a global warming disaster admits that he was probably wrong. He now believes that it probably will not occur in the immediate future, if ever. He had claimed that prior to the end of the century billions would die and only those living in the Arctic would survive. He expected by now the heating of the earth would start to become unbearable. But he noted there has been little change in the past 12 years and no evidence that CO2 emissions will heat the planet. At least no one has been able to prove it. In fact, we are seeing more ice being formed than normal in our oceans.

What he believed just 20 years ago has not happened. Therefore, they had to change the fear of global warming to climate change. However, He stated that there are just too many things that are responsible for climate change or global warming and are not necessarily man-made. My research did not allow me to determine how many evangelical Christian scientists believe in man-made climate change. My interest is how many who have studied Revelations believe any of this is going to happen? Could Christ come back to rule for 1000 years if the earth was too hot to survive? Do we have a God Who when creating the earth believed that what He made man could destroy? If man could destroy, couldn’t God intervene? Would He not have given us other means and told us, in order to provide power, if man could destroy what He created? There is just too much evidence for those of us who believe in the Bible and have studied it believe, if there is any warming or cooling, it is because of the sun and not what man has done. Granted most everyone wants clean water and clean air. But there are many ways to obtain them not like our administration and others believe.

Christ said these signs are only the beginning. We may have many years before the end occurs. But as the end-time signs occur, Satan will try to make us think it is all the result of what people are doing. Does he want more people to accept Christ as their Savior? Therefore, if he can fool Adam and Eve he might just be able to fool you too. He is described as the god of this world and the great deceiver. And remember, before the end times come there will be a one-world government and a one-world religion. There then will be seven years of Tribulation like the world has never seen previously. It sounds like the end times are a few years away. Satan’s deceiving will only increase. Don’t accept the devil’s religion.

We will know when we are close to the end-times. Israel and Palestine will reach a peace agreement and the Jews will begin building the Temple. World leaders are in the process of doing what they can to form a one-world-government. Isn’t it possible that Satan is using global warming to prepare for his take over? If fundamental Christians are correct and believe God is in control, can you see how possible it is to deceive 70% to 75% of Americans?

Sunday morning, on TV, I heard a minister preach on pornography and stated 70% of Christian men struggle with or are addicted to porn and 20% of Christian women.  This was difficult to believe so I began researching.  A poll taken by CNN gave these figures.  Another poll had it 50% men and 20% women.  A survey taken at a Promise Keepers meeting, when asked the question: Have you in the last week been involved with any pornographic material, 53% checked they had.

Two or three years ago the Reader’s Digest had an article stating that pornography was a $97 billion dollar business.  In the story they had a web address.  My wife and I decided to see what it was all about.  We watched for a couple minutes and couldn’t believe that anyone with a computer could watch this stuff.

I keep hearing about our church having a recovery program for those dealing with addictions.  I am told that many Friday’s more than 750 attend.  Most of us probably do not realize Satan’s powers of temptation over the lives of people, including Christians.  Is there any doubt that Satan is the instigator of porn and does everything he can to separate us from God.  If you have an addiction you must first realize you have a problem and that the Bible says we cannot serve two masters.  Does an addiction help you to live a holy life?

Romans 6:16 – “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Hebrews 12:14 – “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

I Thessalonians 4:7 – “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.”

I Peter 1:15 – 16 – “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”

Sunday, Dr. Charles Stanley has a problem with anyone who teaches differently from once saved always saved.  Millions of Christians believe you can give up your salvation if you ignore the Holy Spirit and continue to live as the world lives.  If you do not have a repentant heart and live to please God you are not living a holy life.  Many more millions of Christians believe once saved always saved.  Does this give permission that it is o.k. to be addicted to porn?

When I read Hebrews 11:35 – 40 – telling about all of the Christians that were persecuted, flogged, chained in prison, stoned, sawed in two, put to death by the sword because they would not deny Christ and pledge their allegiance to Caesar.  Why didn’t Paul address this and state:  why not lie, because you have been forgiven and you will get to heaven?  I think they believed that denying Christ would separate them from God and that would mean eternity in Hell.   Take the “mark of the beast”, if you are still alive, and see if you will be forgiven and live with God in eternity.

The reason I point this out is if you are a Christian and addicted to porn you are allowing Satan to manipulate you.  Being addicted to porn makes you a slave to sin.  Scripture says a slave to sin leads to death and obedience to God leads to righteousness and eternal life with Him.

So what should a person do?

We must admit we have a problem and believe it could separate us from God.  You need to join a recovery program.  Get a web filter to screen out these sites.  You need to get an accountability partner.  Possibly it may require counseling from a Christian counselor.  I believe it is mandatory to read Scripture every morning and develop a prayer life. Realize that your porn temptation comes from Satan and you are ignoring the checking coming from the Holy Spirit.  If you have no guilt it is serious.  Are you a slave of Satan’s sin or obedient to God?   Which do you prefer?  Will your addiction send you to hell or will Christ continually forgive and rescue you?

Matthew 7:22 – 23 – “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

Don’t gamble with where you will spend eternity!  If you have an addiction it is time to get help.