No joy, no assurance, unworthy, just feeling guilty? Things look easier than they really are. Do you struggle with instant gratification or feeling entitled? You can’t change your outside, behavior or lifestyle, until you change the inside. You cannot always change the inside without help. God, knowing that, offered His Spirit to assist in that change. Are you willing to allow Him to do so?

John 10:10 tells us, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” KJV

Are we enjoying life like Christ intended? As Christians shouldn’t we be living an extra-ordinary life style? 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, as a forgiven person with a changed nature that can rid one’s self of guilt.

(“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come!” II Corinthians 5:17). As a caterpillar, I face death. As a butterfly, the Spirit has set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)

Most normal people have to deal with guilt in their lives. Guilt is an emotion and can be one of the most damaging emotions we can have. The greater our guilt the more harmful it can be to our health, relationships with others and our daily performance. Guilt can impair any positive thoughts and develop in one’s self, a very low self-esteem.

Guilt does not necessarily result from something bad we have done, but it can. It may be from failing to meet expectations we or others have placed on us. It may be a result of a poor family relationship or a misunderstanding in which we blame ourselves. Blaming ourselves takes on guilt. Guilt, not controlled, can develop into the belief that we do not deserve the better things in life and that may result in establishing a low self-esteem into the future.

A person, regardless of their age, can carry the baggage of guilt and low self-esteem as they approach school, a job or a relationship with another believing they are not good enough to do well or excel. They may face life’s challenges with a low feeling of self-worth and a lack of confidence. A person believing they have no right to be successful can develop a self-fulfilling prophecy and never meet the potential that God created in them.

Once we understand that guilt can affect our attitudes, our thoughts and even cause a negative mind-set or bad behavior we must recognize it must be controlled. Many youngsters today come from dysfunctional families and end up in prison.

What is one to do to eliminate guilt? If you were to ask Dear Abby she would tell you to get a good psychologist. The one who knows you best and can provide the best advice is God. How badly do you want to improve?

Ephesians 4:22 & 24 – “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

God knows how important it is to overcome guilt in a person’s life. God, through Jesus Christ, made it possible that all past sins and guilt can be forgiven. Any person who accepts Christ as their Savior and accepts the promises of God can become a new person as Scripture states. One, speaking from experience, a person can become a new person and the old can be erased. It may not happen overnight but it occurs as soon as a person understands that God’s Spirit comes to live within them and through a process, continually changes them if they will allow Him to do so.

The Holy Spirit and Scripture teach us that God loves us, will guide us and give us a new mind-set that allows us to deal with guilt and low self-esteem. As a believer and child of God who realize we were created to be Christ-like in true righteousness and holiness, we should develop a positive pride, confidence in ourselves and a great self-image. It may not be easy to accept this concept because Satan uses guilt to stifle us from reaching our full-potential. Therefore, we must be careful to whom we listen. If you keep thinking you cannot be changed to what God meant you to be, you are listening to the wrong voice. Much of it boils down to how much faith do you have? Do you believe God created you or anyone else to be a failure rather than to be successful and prosper? But that is not the devil’s plan. It is to deceive us, degrade us, distress us and destroy us. He would like nothing better than to defeat you through guilt and past sins. You have a choice as to who you listen and who you want to be.

If you have been reading my blogs you will know that I believe everything starts with realizing that God loves us unconditionally. Study the Book of Hosea in the Old Testament. No matter how bad Hosea’s wife, Gomer was God still loved her. The Book was written to let us know, regardless of our past, God still loves us and He will remove all guilt if we understand the nature and character of God.

I would like to point out what Scripture teaches about the blessings available to each believer.  We were created by God with a specific purpose.  It makes no difference who our parents are or how dysfunctional our lives may have been.  God can change our lives so that we might become a new person with unique potential and abilities.  Yet, the devil will try to deceive and accuse us of not being worthy and we will never accomplish our God-given purpose.  It is so easy for some of us to never try to be what God wants us to be.

There are many different beliefs as to what our opportunities are.  I believe God created each of us with an equal opportunity to succeed.  I do not believe God meant for each of us to be guaranteed an equal outcome.  We all realize that some have a greater opportunity than others but that is due to one’s health and mental capacity.

A question that most ask is:  “What does God want me to be”?  The answer is not a specific thing or He would not have given us free moral agency, the ability to make choices.

From the moment we were born God had a plan for each one of us.  We can accept or reject!  We all know that our body’s carnal and self-centered nature will reject God and His plan at least for a time.  It is up to our soul and spirit if we want to accept God and what He has planned.  If we receive Christ as our Savior this requires a commitment and obedience to His will.  Once we believe, we must prepare for temptations and trials that will come.  Probably the stronger our will and the more self-control we have our testing will be greater.  We must know God’s general Will for those who have become Christians before we get to His plan.

I Thessalonians 5:16 – 19 – “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire;”

These are important verses for people, especially if they find themselves in troubling times being tested and going through life’s trials.  We are to have an attitude of prayer at all times.  How else are we to develop a relationship with God?  As Evil tempts, the bad decisions we make or problems coming from others never come from God.  However, God allows what happens in our lives.  But no matter the circumstance we find ourselves in, as believers, the Holy Spirit is with us to encourage and guide us through it.  We are to give thanks that God’s Spirit is there with us.  His Spirit can give us peace and joy. And God’s Will can be fulfilled by each of us.  We must learn to trust God completely and in all things.  We must believe He is in charge of everything in our lives.

Each day we are told to “pray continually”.  That doesn’t mean on our knees throughout the day.  It requires an attitude of prayer as we go about living our lives.  We are to give thanks to God and live filled with “joy always”.  Throughout the day we must not ignore the Holy Spirit who is there to help us.

Are we enjoying life like Christ intended?  As Christians shouldn’t we be living an extra-ordinary life style?  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, the new has come!” II Corinthians 5:17).  As a caterpillar, I face death.  As a butterfly, the Spirit has set me free from the law of sin and death.  (Romans 8:2)

Christ’s principle on earth was “I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will” (John 5:30 nlt ). The Son did nothing on His own. That total denial of self is our ultimate goal in serving God. Everything Christ did laid the groundwork to fulfill His death on the cross and His resurrection. After He was resurrected, He told His disciples that they would receive “power from on high.” He was referring to the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. That power was the ability, talents, and confidence to live as Christ taught we should live, and in so doing we would walk in the Spirit. With this power, we can become obedient to God’s will and ways. Without the Holy Spirit, our flesh, or carnal nature, is in control and could not meet God’s requirements.

Too many people become Christians and mistakenly believe they do not have to study Scripture or pray, that they can live a godly life on their own. Sadly, they are just professing Christians without the power from God, struggling each day and wondering why living a Christian life is so difficult. They question where is the promised joy, peace, and love? They must come to the understanding that the Bible instructs us to surrender our old nature and let the new nature control, which God gives us when we receive the Holy Spirit. God will not force Himself on us. For the power to work, He must control but only with our permission. Are you ready to let Him have that control so you can walk in the Spirit?

Have you ever thought: Thank God I am not what I should be but I am much better than I use to be? We can believe in God but often it is difficult believing in ourselves. Do we believe that God is all powerful and in control? Then is it possible that it is God’s power that changes Christian’s behavior and lifestyle if they repent and it’s not by their own strength? How much credit do we give God in changing who we are or do we believe any change is entirely up to us? If you believe change is totally up to each of us, then you probably feel unworthy as many Christians do.

So you don’t live a perfect life. Do you know anyone in the Bible, but Christ, who did? Don’t you realize the reason God has given you His Spirit was because He knew we could not make a drastic change in how we live by ourselves. Yet we keep on trying by our own will and we keep failing. We live and believe as if this life of Christian perfection is entirely up to us. The result is that unworthy feeling. We are negatively influenced by Satan’s emissaries that God is not pleased with us.

We realize our part is surrendering this selfish nature we were born with. We are taught that we can surrender that nature only when we learn to love God with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind and others as ourselves. It doesn’t seem that true surrender can be accomplished until we learn to love God and others. We must surrender this selfish nature in order to love God and others. It is this love of God and others that gives us a completely different perspective as to how we are to live and treat others.

Timothy 1:12 – 17 – “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”

Paul was chosen by Christ to take the gospel to the Gentiles and much of the New Testament tells of his past. He was the worst of sinners. He says we should look at him and see how desperate he was. He then praises God and says if He can save me, empower and strengthen me, then by His grace He can and will do it for anyone. That means any of us who feel we are not worthy to be saved and changed.

Scripture says that Paul did not exaggerate his past. He approved the stoning of Stephen. His purpose, prior to being converted, and ultimate goal was to destroy Christianity and the church. He went from home to home dragging people off to prison. He yelled murderous threats to the Lord’s disciples. He was a huge part of the Jewish persecution of Christians. The Jews put some to death and others were placed into prisons. He did whatever he could to oppose the followers of Christ.

Regardless of everything that Paul said and did, once saved, God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit gave him the love for both believers and unbelievers. What Paul lacked God supplied. What He did for Paul He can and will do for each one of us because of His grace. As we know, grace is a gift and cannot be earned. Yet, many believers struggle with grace, which is given through Jesus Christ, believing that they must work and earn their way to heaven. Too often we set ourselves personal standards that we cannot reach or the church or church people do it for us. Frustrated and discouraged by not meeting these “so called” man-made requirements, we feel like failures and unworthy to be children of God.
Do we allow our past sins or baggage to determine who we are today? Do we dwell on our past or live for the future? Over the years I have met with a number of Christians and find that many really struggle with the feeling of being unworthy. To some degree I think most of us have at times felt that way.

I believe Paul was an example of how a person’s past can be overcome when the Holy Spirit enters the life of a person and we become born again. Does it sound like Paul dwelt on the past or lived for the future? God’s power to forgive sins and start us with a clean slate should make us think like a new person eliminating our old self. But does it? It depends on our knowledge of the Bible, our faith and the ability to trust God’s promises. Do you struggle with: “How could God possibly forget my past sins and some of the things I do now?” That might be like asking how God created the universe. Do you think He is unable to erase your past sins and forget about your need to be punished?

Ephesians 1:3 – 6 – “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.” NLT

Most are uncomfortable giving the Lord complete control, like our money or other assets. Repentance at salvation is a singular event while true surrender is an ongoing process. Many have never willingly surrendered to the Holy Spirit, and so they find this to be very challenging. As a result, there is little change in their lives and behavior. If there is little change, is it hard to believe God has adopted you and truly loves you? So if you do not see yourself as God says He sees you, whose fault is it?

In order to grasp the idea of a surrendered life, we must first realize as Christians that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Second, we must accept that God has always loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. (Wouldn’t it be fantastic if we could love ourselves as God loves us or see ourselves as God sees us?) Third, God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. How does it feel to be one of God’s children?

Because of our self-centered nature, love must be learned.  None of us were born by accident.  God created each one of us with a specific purpose.  However, we were given a nature that requires a need for change.  Our old nature was given to help us survive.  Yet, that nature must be trained in order for God’s purpose to be fulfilled.   God requires a new and changed nature in all of us if we are to become a part of His family.  There are also certain requirements that must be met.

Jewish religious leaders had become so involved in their culture, sacrifices, traditions and rules that they failed to love God or others.  So a Religious leader asked Jesus, of the 613 Jewish laws what was the most important.

Luke 10:27 – Christ answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, love your neighbor as yourself.”

Deuteronomy 6:5 – 7 – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” The religious leader understood that the law required total devotion to God and to love one’s neighbor.

We realize that Jesus was saying, it isn’t the laws or obedience that matter.  It is our love and relationship with God and others.  If we loved God and others with an unselfish love, the laws would not matter.  However, most people have never really learned how to love unconditionally and that includes Christians.

Chances are if a Christian has never learned to surrender their self-centered nature, they have never really learned to love the way God loves us.  Particularly men who believe being macho, love is not an attractive attribute.  Love for many is selfish and is given to get what they desire.  It is possible to be so self-centered that we never learn to love others.  We may say the right things, be kind and gentle but only doing so that we might be acceptable.

We were created to have a loving relationship with God and others.  Everyone has within them a need to be loved and most do everything they can to fulfill that longing.  Many became Christians because they did not want to go to Hell.  If this is you, you may be missing out on what God has reserved for you.  In fact, you could possibly find that not knowing how to love as God loves us is what may be causing your struggles as a Christian.

God promises us that if we love Him and keep His commandments He will be with us at all times.  He tells us that He will meet our needs.  He also states that He will answer our prayers.  We know He will forgive our sins.  He promises to give us fruits of the Spirit to make our lives easier.  He will give us gifts to equip us to have a productive life.  With His Spirit we can make right and moral decisions.  Christ tells us He has gone to Heaven to prepare a place for us.  Would we not want to love someone capable of providing these kinds of promises to each one of us?

If you truly know what unconditional love is like you will want to obey Him.  Would you not want to serve Him and share Him with others?  Love develops a trust and a desire to fellowship through worship.  How could I not support Him with my tithes and time?  Someone you love you want to know more about.  This is why I study His Word to have a better understanding and serve Him better.  Therefore, I have learned to forgive others, control my anger and stop my sinning because I know it will please Him.

You may have a problem that you do not feel worthy to receive God’s love or blessings from Him.   Where did that thought come from?  Recognize you have a battle going on consistently in your mind trying to persuade you into making choices.  A believer must call on the Holy Spirit to run interference for them.  Knowing God has a plan for you, don’t be satisfied with anything less than what you dream you could be or do.  It is highly possible that dream came from God; and it is a blessing that God is waiting to provide, if you are obediently living according to His Will and have the faith to believe He will do it.  However, if you have never learned to love unconditionally and have not sensed or felt God’s love for you, you are missing so much.  It may be difficult to give love to God and others if you have never discovered God’s love for you.  It may be something you must pray for daily until you feel it and know you have it.

Colossians 3:1 – 5 “ Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.  Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.  For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.  And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.  So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.”

Once you learn how to love unconditionally your whole life will change.  The blessings you may have been missing might just start showing up.  God’s love for you is such that He wants to continually bless you.  Do you think if you pray for the ability to love, that the Holy Spirit won’t teach and inspire you to love?   Pray for God’s love and see what happens in your life.

Christians were asked in a poll: What keeps you from witnessing more?  The unexpected answer was: I am not proud of the way I live and I don’t want to come across as a hypocrite.  I might suppose if we were aware of the way many Christians live we wouldn’t be surprised at the answer.  Over the years I have witnessed Christians doing things that would make one wonder if they were even saved.  But it is not for any of us to judge.

Whoever said living a Christian life would be easy?  The Apostle Paul having written much of the New Testament said in Romans 7:15 – 16 – “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.  And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.”

We must never underestimate the power of sin and never try to fight it without the power of the Holy Spirit.  We must understand we are surrounded by Christians trying to live up to Christ’s teachings and standards in their own strength, frustrated, disillusioned, depressed and close to giving up.

Romans 7:17 – 20 –  “As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.  For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.  Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”

It is so much easier to trust in our own strength, which is our comfort zone, than trusting in God or Christ.  Too often we fail to rely upon the power of the Holy Spirit that God has given us, knowing we cannot surrender to our self-centered, selfish natures that seem to control our behavior.

Ephesians 1:13 – 14 – “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

When we are saved our proof is being sealed by the Holy Spirit.  It is our guarantee that we have been forgiven, redeemed and have become adopted into the family of God.  If we do not have the Spirit of God within us we do not belong to Christ.  The Spirit is the guarantee of coming immortality, a guarantee of our inheritance and the pledge given to believers by God to assure them that the glory of the life to come, promised in the gospel, will actually happen to them.

John 15:4 – 5 –  “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  “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.”

That ought to be our clue that “apart from me you can do nothing”.  The next question may be: what does it take to get connected and bear fruit?

Many people try to live a moral, good and honest life.  However, Scripture says the only way this can be done is by following Christ and live as He taught.  We must be connected into Christ for our nourishment.  If not we could be missing the special fruits and gifts that He has available for us.  We are told we cannot, in most situations, live a holy and righteous life in our own strength.  It requires the Holy Spirit’s power that is available to us.  We are told without the Spirit we can do nothing to constantly comply with God’s commandments.  It is not possible to live a Christian life on our own.  There are millions who have proved this Scripture to be true.

Unfortunately, not everyone who accepts the Holy Spirit accepts Him without reservations and conditions. Many believers are not willing to stop living as the world lives. We are told we must repent and live differently.  However, many are not willing to surrender this carnal, selfish nature that we were born with.

We receive the Holy Spirit but are unwilling to allow Him control over our lives because we may feel surrendering our life would keep us from being the success we so desire. When the Holy Spirit checks us, too often we ignore Him, for what He’s bringing to our attention that needs changing interferes with our lifestyles or ambitions. When we want something, we deliberately do not pray about it because we don’t want to be told no. For example, a person buying a home in 2005 that they could not afford in 2009.  Then, when crises come and the home is undervalued from the mortgage, they wonder why God allowed the crises to happen. The Bible says we must develop the mind of Jesus and live as He instructed. That is not possible if we refuse to accept the Holy Spirit’s checks and guidance and refuse to surrender our selfish control with which we were created.

I have mentioned that over the past years our Bible study group meets every Friday.  We often discuss how difficult it is to stay in constant communication with the Holy Spirit.  Our self-centered nature assures us that we can make decisions on our own. We don’t need anyone’s help.  In fact, it seems we have a tendency to ignore the Holy Spirit except during daily prayer time.  Yet, we realize that God gave us a Helper to live the life God intended.  There are numerous Scriptures that tell us of the power of the Holy Spirit that is within us.  Then what seems to be the problem that allows us to ignore or refuse to ask the Holy Spirit for help throughout the day?  We believe it is either the unwillingness or inability to surrender and completely allow the power of the Holy Spirit to control.  Is this thinking that we can do what we do better than if God were to help?  Do we not believe that God can open doors and He can also close them?  Do we forget that God can control our destiny?  Do we think that God wants us to be failures and poor?  (Unless He has a plan for something greater in our future. Or we refuse His help!)

Recognize, we must surrender who we were?  It is our self-centered nature, out of control, that is capable of sinning.  We are constantly struggling with, should we do it my way or God’s way?  Our battle is whether we rely on our strength or trust in the Spirit of God that is within us.

Surrendering our self-centeredness is not something that is instantaneous as raising a white flag on the battlefield.  Surrender seems to become a daily struggle.  If there is such a thing as a complete surrender to the Holy Spirit it comes only when one becomes spiritually mature.  It would be like believing we no longer are self-centered, which will never completely happen.

I have met Christians who seemed to have totally surrendered. They appear to have a life of hope, joy and peace.  No situation seems to distress them.  They totally rely upon the Holy Spirit to meet their every need.  They never seem to worry.  They believe that all things work to the glory of God.  Whatever hand is dealt to them, they feel confident to play it out knowing God has a plan and purpose.

If you are a Christian struggling with life in general, you may want to assess whether you are surrendering daily more of your self-centeredness nature.  Shouldn’t we all be accepting the Holy Spirit’s guidance, doing life God’s way?  Surrendering may be the hardest part of living a Christian life.

Matthew 6:33 – 34 – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Belonging to a church that had over 55,000 in attendance on all campuses for Christmas and seeing thousands converted to Christianity yearly I was surprised at the number of people in America disassociating with Christianity or any other religion.  A 2012 poll indicates many Americans have no religious attachment whatsoever.  According to the Pew Research Center poll of 35,000 indicates that fewer adults yearly are affiliated with any Christian or religious organization.  Their poll shows that 19.6% have no affiliation and the numbers have been gradually rising.  Many of those with no religious affiliation indicated they were politically left of center.

There are indications that a number of Americans are not pleased with the free market capitalistic economy and prefer European Socialism or social justice.  Social justice is associated with everyone being treated equally in human rights, position and wealth.   It includes a belief in redistribution of wealth, individually and nationwide.  They stress big government and many entitlement programs.

It used to be that there were politicians who leaned to the left and others leaned to the right.  It wasn’t too difficult to reach agreement as to what was best for Americans.  Younger politicians have gone further and further to the left and other politicians backed by The Tea Party have gone farther and farther to the right.  When two people differ a little bit it isn’t so hard to reach agreements.  When both are ultra extreme in their beliefs it is almost impossible to reach any type of agreement.  It doesn’t seem as reaching agreements are as important as to who gets to win.

As a number of Americans are being raised with no religious background they developed a different set of morals.  In fact, some seem to have little understanding of the difference between what is right and what is wrong.  They have no religious moral compass to guide the direction they are headed.  So what direction is America headed?

Deuteronomy 28:1 – 9 – “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.  All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:   You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.   The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.   Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.   You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.  The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.   The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him.”  NIV

In the past 100 or so years, we have had so many inventions that have made life more simple and easy.  Some of us grew up at a time when we didn’t have electricity in our home.  We had no phone, TV, radio, indoor bath, running water and cars were driving at average speeds of upwards of 35 miles per hour.  Most everyone knew what it was like to work doing laboring jobs.  Most jobs were done manually.  Farmers used farm mowers and pitch forks to store the winter hay.  Most farm work was done by horses or mules.  Today one or two people can do the work of what used to take five or ten men to do, with the invention of modern equipment and technology.

We have so many new products and inventions that it has taken away much of a person’s ambition.  We rely on machines to serve our every need.  Technology and new gadgets are taking over and people are losing their jobs.  The government then has come to the rescue with their many welfare programs making it unnecessary for a person to have a job or be dependent upon God to meet their needs.  Most Christian Americans have believed our individual rights come from our Creator, not from our government.  Our present administration does not seem to agree.

I believe this has affected people’s need to become dependent on a God who wants us to be depending upon Him rather than a government.  Many religious individuals have become so accustom to taking, that they expect God to meet their every need.  When this doesn’t happen, they find a reason to believe there is no God or the world wouldn’t be in the mess it is today.   Since society is meeting most of their needs and they can’t see a visible God, why is it important to be religious or have a personal relationship with Christ or God? It appears many are falling away from the faith.  It isn’t hard for me to understand why 19.6% have no spiritual or religious affiliation.

I would like for those 19.6% to consider the following:  Normally as children we just grow up.  We go through grade school and enter high school.  We get a driver’s license, finish school and possibly get married.  We then start the cycle over again for our children.  How often do we stop and think: what is my purpose in life and what direction should I be taking? Why have I been put on this earth?  I am told that many older people close to death often wonder what their purpose on earth was and did they fulfill it?  Wouldn’t it be better to know there is a God and why God put us on this earth and then live for years accomplishing that purpose?  When our final day comes we can say we did our best to fulfill our purpose and helped others succeed while we were here.  I know some parents whose greatest achievement in life was raising their family.  Because of them, their children made the world a much better place.  You may find that many of those 19.6% are not really too concerned about anyone but themselves.  Those I have met seem to be much different from those who believe and worship a God.  We have always believed as a person thinks in their heart so are they.  If you think about only yourself and what turns you on, you may miss the purpose you could have been.

For those of us who believe in a God, find our purpose on earth is to develop an unconditional love for God and others and have a servant’s heart.  As we head down life’s path our carnal nature, our self-centeredness, the storms we encounter and the devil’s seducing spirits will try to guide us too often onto the wrong paths.  That’s when we check our guidance, the Holy Spirit, and make sure we stay directed to the path that leads to the ultimate goal, which is living with God and Christ forever.  When we take that last breath, what is the most important thing we can take with us?  Is it all of our material things that we have accumulated?  Or, is it eternal security?  Since there are so many death-bed conversions we must believe it is eternal security with Christ.

This past March I was doing research on Obamacare.  I obtained the following information.  “The Obama Health care bill under Class II (Paragraph 1, Section B) specifically includes ‘‘(ii) a class II device that is implantable.” Then on page 1004 it describes what the term “data” means in paragraph 1, section B:”  It goes on to give the information requiring the following:

“Approved by the FDA, a class II implantable device is an ‘implantable radiofrequency
transponder system for patient identification and health information.’ The purpose of a class II device is to collect data in medical patients such as claims data, patient survey data, standardized analytic files that allow for the pooling and analysis of data from disparate data environments, electronic health records, and any other data deemed appropriate by the Secretary.” I then learned it was finally deleted from the bill. 

I recently read that it is possible terrorists’ hackers, going into the Internet, could almost destroy the creditability of anyone’s identity.  They could also cripple our economic system by purporting to be someone they are not.  They could withdraw large sums of money, order quantities of merchandise to designations only to disrupt sending company’s business costs.  In other words, terrorist hackers could create havoc on the Internet and it is apparent we have no adequate defense at this time.

We have been allowing RFD chips to be implanted in pets.  Anytime a pet comes up missing, it can quickly be located.  It can also include any medical information applicable.  Any information could be placed on the chip.  It could be your age, your birth certificate, etc.   If everyone could positively identify themselves, fraud or theft could be avoided.  At this time it is not always possible and you have companies’ like LifeLock for protection from identity theft.

As a previous store manager it would be great to be able to pass a wand over a RFD chip implanted in a human’s hand to determine if this is the owner of the credit card presented or the check being cashed.  We would no longer have to ask for a driver’s license that could be a fake.  I would think a large percent of retailers would vote that in order to buy or sell anything one must prove who they were via the chip and wand. If chips were implanted in humans it could determine who was a legal or illegal immigrant.  For gun control it would show who was a felon and who was psychologically eligible.  The government could collect guns from those who should not have them.  It is possible progressives would support the “chip thing” also.

Technology is now available to begin implanting.  In the world there are approximately seven billion people.  I am told that within ten years every living soul could have the implant.  This would be in preparation of a one-world government and the rule of the Antichrist.

Revelation 13:16 – 17 – “It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads,  so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.”

Suppose you had an opportunity to make millions.  If you did not have the mark it would not be possible.  There will be no black market or anyone willing to risk death to help anyone refusing the mark.

Faithful Christians will receive enlightenment from the Holy Spirit realizing Satan’s deceptive tactic.  It is my belief they will receive a Holy Spirit power that takes away the fear of death when confronted.  I believe the Bible stories where Christians became fearless.

The Bible says that those who allow the chip or mark to be implanted will show their allegiance to Satan.  Refusing the mark is to show one’s commitment to God.

Revelation 14:9 – 11 – “ A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.  And the smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”

There will be no hope for those who accept the mark or an implant.  (2000 years ago could the Apostle John describe an implant with anything other than to call it a mark?}  The Bible says everyone who receives the mark will encounter God’s wrath and will receive torment with burning sulfur for ever and ever.  That’s a fairly long time.  However, those who die for refusing to accept the mark will receive an eternal blessing from God.

No one knows the time when all of this will take place.  It could be many years in the future.  But the technology is available; it is just a matter of time when God lets Satan loose.  My suggestion is to be aware of what may happen in the future.  Pray that you have the faith, the knowledge and commitment to say no to taking whatever Satan requires, whether a mark or an implant.