I recently talked with a retired Evangelical Christian minister. During our discussion I learned he did not believe that there was a Hell. He believes God loved us so much that He would not banish us to an eternal punishment. He also believe that Judas, who was given 30 silver pieces for betraying Christ was so sorry, that he committed suicide and was allowed to enter Heaven. He believes that those who die without accepting Christ went to a place of darkness. A place, void of any light, whatsoever.

This was so different from my teaching of Scripture that I decided to do some research to see how many believed there is no Hell. According to Pew Research 72% of Americans believe there is a heaven and only 58% believe there is a Hell.

Here is what Scripture tells us: Mark 9:43–48 “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’” (NLT)

Jesus is describing how the disciples were to renounce anything that would cause them to sin or turn away from the faith. All who follow Jesus must remove any stumbling blocks that cause sin. There are times when a person’s legs must be amputated to save their life. This is how we should interpret these verses.

Revelation 20:12–15 “I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.”

All who were not raised in the first resurrection, the non-believers, will be raised in the second one to stand at the Great White Throne Judgment and any who died sinners during the 1000 years will be there also. Jesus will judge them and this includes everyone from Cain to the 1000-year end. They will be judged and if their names are not in the Book of Life, they will be cast into the ‘Lake of Fire’.

Saved believers will have their names in two books. They will stand in Judgment before Christ to receive a reward for their works, deeds or service. (I Corinthians 3 & II Corinthians 5:10) In the Book of Life it has only believer’s names. The Book of Deeds, Scriptures say your deeds are being kept tract of and there is continual writing going on.

As the books are opened, every righteous believer will be judged by their deeds. Works do not save us but our works indicate our relationship with Christ. There is no indication that anyone standing before Christ’s Judgment, having their name in both books, will be cast into the ‘Lake of Fire’. Believers will be rewarded by how they handled their gifts, opportunities and responsibilities. God’s gracious gift of salvation does not free us from the requirement of faithful obedience and service. We must live each day knowing that God’s book is open. (Rev. 20:12) – “The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. Verse 13 says, “Each person was judged according to what he had done.”

“Earth and sky fled” could mean the end of heaven and earth. Many Scriptures relate that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away. Isaiah 51:6 – “Heaven will vanish like smoke and the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants will die like flies.” 2 Peter 3:7 – God commanded that the heavens and the earth would be consumed by fire on the Day of Judgment when ungodly people will perish.

Every unrighteous person will stand before the Great White Throne when Christ is there to judge the sinner. Unbelievers who stand before Christ will find everyone wicked and whose names are not in the Book of Life will be tossed into the Lake of Fire, eternal damnation. This is the second death. For those who have died the first time physically, this time they die spiritually. There is no second chance, no appeal and no hope. The Lake of Fire is the ultimate destination of everything wicked.

Scripture says, no committed believer will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, go to hell or be thrown into the ‘Lake of Fire’. Are you sure you do not want to believe there is a Hell?

Most of us may deal with life’s ups and downs differently. Have you been faced with having to deal with stress or depression? Do you have a problem with anger? Are you spending too much time worrying? Is there an addiction or an overweight problem with which you are struggling? What we have established as our beliefs, will affect every decision we make.

Where we are spiritually will determine the choices we make. Our beliefs are extremely important in how we live, what we think and how we make daily decisions. How does what we think compare with what the Bible teaches? If we don’t understand the Bible we probably do not know what God teaches in dealing with life situations and temptations.

Poll after poll tells us that most people do not believe the Bible is 100% accurate. We are also told that only 18% of young adults believe totally in the Bible’s accuracy. Most individuals pick and chose what they believe in order to live as they wish. Their belief system comes from parents, teachers, friends and what they learn in school or what they accept from the news media. Therefore, if everyone seems to be doing it, it must be alright.

We are born with a nature that makes us want to rebel against all authority. If you have raised children you realize that you will tell them not to do something and they will go ahead and do it. You may have been told not to associate with those kids because they are nothing but trouble. Yet, you continued to associate with them and the consequence wasn’t good. Maybe your friends told you that you shouldn’t be dating that person. It made you want to see them even more. Our human nature has had problems with authority.

Many believers and most non-believers struggle with rebelling all of their lives. As Christians we must deal with this carnal nature and rid ourselves of this rebellious attitude. What does the Bible teach us about becoming submissive? I Peter 21b–22 “It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.” If angels and powers are in submission to Christ should we not be also? The Bible teaches we are to accept the teachings of Christ. Our belief system must be established on the authority of the Bible. Otherwise, a rebellious heart may continue to control.

You may read all kinds of Christian books but they will never take the place of the Bible. If someone were to ask us why do you believe a certain way? You should be able to state: it’s because that is what the Bible teaches. If we don’t read our Bible or if we do and do not understand what we read then how can we live as the Bible teaches? I peter 3:15 – “in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” I think most of us have heard the parable of the four souls. It explains much about people’s acceptance of God’s word.

Matthew 13:18–23 “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (The key is to understanding.)

Your beliefs and your spiritual maturity are based on where the Word was planted in your heart. Did your heart contain fertile soil or maybe God’s Word fell among the thorns? Does the “worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful”? If your heart contained fertile soil then expect to produce a crop yielding “a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown”.

So how does this all apply to handling life’s valleys? If problems or negative situations present themselves how we handle them may depend on our trust in God’s Word. If the Word is planted among the thorns in our heart, it could cause us to allow deceitfulness and worry to stress us out. Possibly, we make wrong choices. If we have allowed God’s Word to come into a heart containing fertile soil we will be able to accept the promises that God will meet our need and everything will work for the best in the end. With the right heart we may expect what we have sown will come back as much as a hundred times. How do we make the heart fertile and accept the authority of the Bible? Have the self-control to become submissive to God, Christ and the Holy Spirit. Read and understand the Word!

John 16:33 – “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Many of us have learned to become leaders by seeing the mistakes of bosses or supervisors for whom we have worked. Some of us have worked for imperfect, overbearing or incompetent bosses and realize that they can drain our energy and all but destroy creativity.

Creative, competent and independent-thinking people have a tendency to challenge questionable decisions and this is intolerable to certain bosses. Or have you worked for a boss whose decisions were capricious, arbitrary and seldom predictable? This is why I believe what Scripture teaches can be so helpful in developing a leadership attitude and abilities.

The apostle Paul says that a good leader needs to have high ethical standards and have a good reputation with others. He or she should be a person who is living a life that is blameless and fair to all. It is a person who is in no relationship or a monogamous one. A leader should live and do things in moderation, having limits, control excesses and not be seen as an extravagant individual. They should have enough self-control to resist temptations and would never become addicted to anything. They should make reasonable and sane judgments.

A leader must be respected by others. We must realize that our decisions and behavior determines our character and present a lasting impression on others. Respect is always earned and never comes from one’s position. A disrespected boss can only obtain a limited amount of productivity. In order to gain the most effort out of employees their management style is normally based on fear.

A good leader must be a gracious host and have a servant’s heart according to Paul. They would never ask someone to do something they would not be willing to do themselves or pitch in and help if the need is warranted.

A good leader must be able to teach and communicate in order for others to understand. It is important to have purpose and direction or a mission statement in order for everyone to be on the same page. Bosses sometimes really do not know what it is they want and lack the ability to give proper directions. This can lead to having a dysfunctional work force.

Paul would probably ask who would like working for a drunk. Many people who are alcoholics drink because of personal problems or to escape reality. Throughout Paul’s writing he is continually stressing moderation in all things and becoming addicted to nothing.
A good leader is able to control anger. A leader can be stern and use discipline without raising their voice or going into contortions. Anger can cause words to be used that can destroy employee’s morale. A person with a gentle spirit can be just as requiring as an ogre.

There are bosses who have quarrelsome attitudes. No matter what is said they need to state their opinion. In some situations they need to prove that their way is the only and best way. There are bosses who are unwilling to listen to anyone under their authority with different suggestions. They limit one’s ingenuity and effectiveness by not allowing an employee to take ownership in what they have been asked to do.

Scripture teaches us that money must be a by-product from services rendered. If money is our goal it can become our god. My business or one’s job must be part of their ministry for Christ. I hope most people understand what this means. We are not to put ourselves before others and should be doing our job to help others. We are to live by the “Golden Rule” to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. I have found over the years that an employer cannot afford to lose good, qualified and capable employees. In normal times these people have unlimited opportunities. Good leadership surrounds themselves with superior employees and makes conditions conducive to keeping that help.

Paul tells us in I Timothy chapter three that a good leader must be able to manage their family well. If one cannot manage their family they probably will never become a great leader. To do an adequate job at both home and workplace requires compassion. Too many times parents can be too authoritative, domineering, cruel, overly stern or abnormally protective. Thus, they cause those they lead to become dependent upon the leader to provide their purpose and direction. Studies have indicated that many times how one manages at home is duplicated in the workplace.

Parents and good leaders must show firmness, mercy and compassion. They must be fair and have balance in their decision making. They must be responsible role models and earn the respect of their family or their employees. If those whom we lead do not respect our authority they will have a tendency to resist our leadership and in some cases families will rebel and employees may find other jobs.

Promotions to supervisory position can often make some become over-confident and self-absorbed with their new found power. Bosses who have allowed power to make themselves conceited can create demoralized employees. According to the apostle Paul it is best that a person have time in service and understand what needs to be done and how to do it. A Christian leader should not be placed into a leadership position until they are well-founded in their faith and truly understand Scripture. They must not allow pride to make them believe they are more important that they are. Many times we put people in leadership positions and then find they have missed paying their taxes, have been stealing or have had or are having sexual escapades that damage their reputation and that of the church or for whom they are working.

I attest to the fact that I have found these Christian principles will work for any leader in any setting. As we enter into a new political season, I would like to see two traits that our political leader would have. I would hope this coming January we have elected political leaders who would listen to their constituents and second, they would tell the truth. I believe one’s integrity and morality is a must. It ought to be a characteristic of every Christian. Some of the things I have seen from both parties have been deplorable.

Over the years I have struggled with Calvin’s teaching: Once saved always saved. I have witnessed too many Christians and especially leaders who professed to be Christians but lived impure, worldly lives. They were caught committing adultery, were slaves to addictions and many left the church entirely. Were they saved or not? Will they go to heaven when they pass away?

I Thessalonians 4:7–8 “God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” NLT

Acts 8:14–16 “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.” NIT Can you go to heaven without having the Holy Spirit in your life?

A number of years ago at an Elder’s retreat a Th.D in Theology shared with us that in most churches only about 20% of the Christians in attendance make up the core of the church. They tithe, play an active role in the church and they can be counted on when needed. Then there are many who attend but are not truly committed as Christ teaches and it appears they do not live holy lives. If God commands them to do something they will ignore Him. They continue to do things they know God would not approve. They do not realize that sin causes negative consequences and if they do, they do not care. If this is true, what does that mean? It is like polls may say 80% of Americans believe in God but how many have a personal relationship with Him and live holy lives?

There are numerous Scriptures that tell us if we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior we shall be saved and receive the Holy Spirit. My question is: “If God knows everything, does He not know who is serious and who is not about becoming a follower of Christ?” Will the Holy Spirit be given to a person who at the spur of the moment accepts Christ and has intention to live a holy life but never does? Or, does God give His Spirit to that person and withdraws His Spirit when the person ignores completely and rejects the checking and guiding of the Holy Spirit? Isn’t the unpardonable sin, deliberate and continual rejection of the Holy Spirit? Otherwise, would some accept Christ, become saved and be assured of eternity with God and then continue to live as the world lives knowing that once saved always saved?
I have gotten around this by believing it is absolutely not essential that I know one way or the other. But what about the many, if we can believe statistics, who attend church who never get serious about living a holy life? Do we take Scripture seriously that says: “Anyone who refuses to live by these rules (living a holy life) is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you”? My concern is, are we allowing Christians to assume they are saved because they accept Christ but never followed through in allowing their lives to be spiritually changed? We then have to ask, are we talking about working our way to heaven or are we saved by grace? James tells us faith without works is dead. By our deeds we will be judged. Therefore, is it not necessary to live holy lives? How do we interpret 1 John 2:15? – “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Will the Holy Spirit be in the life of a person who does not have the love of the Father in them?

I believe most Christians will agree we will be judged by our heart, our attitude, our relationship with God and our love for others. It is my belief that we will see many in heaven that we do not expect and just as many who we would expect will not be there. But there is only one judge and that is Jesus Christ. But shouldn’t every Christian be taught what the rules are that we must live by or is that called meddling? Many new Christians have absolutely no idea what living a holy life means. But, if the Holy Spirit is truly in them their lives will progressively change because they will be sensitive to His leading. If not, chances are there will be little or no change and they will continue to live as the world lives.

I have always supported our church’s motto: It is ok to not be ok but we must not stay that way. We must never have a critical attitude of others. But in love we must, through example, point the way to holy living. We must show the world that living a holy life really works.

In 1890 the life expectancy was 43 and today it is 82 allowing us to live, on average, an extra 39 years. It used to take more than a year to travel from New York to Los Angeles and some died along the way. We live at a time when we have many of the things they did not have more than a hundred years ago. We have electricity, cars, airplanes, trains, technology, immediate communications, household appliances, and a much better standard of living. There was a time when horse and buggy were the main transportation. There was no inside plumbing and you had to travel outside at night to use the lavatory. But we have many more advantages:

One of my blessings is to have been born in America. Where else do they have the freedom of speech and worship as we do? I am thankful for the career opportunities that exist. I am thankful for our Christian heritage. What other country has been blessed with the abundance that we have? However, it didn’t just happen. God made and prepared this country so that people could come who felt they didn’t have the freedom to worship as Scripture taught. It reminds me of what He promised to some Israelites.

Isaiah 41: 17–20 ““When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them. I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground. I will plant trees in the barren desert—cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine. I am doing this so all who see this miracle will understand what it means—that it is the Lord who has done this, the Holy One of Israel who created it.”

When was the last time you thanked God for giving to we Americans such a beautiful country with a tremendous amount of natural resources? In addition, He took Christian men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit to provide our constitution and laws to guide us. He has allowed us to become the most powerful and prosperous nation on earth. One of our purposes is to become the world’s peace keeper and to spread Your gospel to all peoples in every nation. For the millions of America Christians we have been grateful. It was Abraham Lincoln that established the Thanksgiving holiday in gratitude to our Creator in 1863.

After 150 years we have done as many before us. We turned the purpose of the original holiday to material things rather than the giving of thanks to God Who deserves it. Instead of counting our blessings and achievements we are hearing too much whining. People are not content and satisfied with what they have; they want more and are not always willing to earn it.

I am blessed for knowing God’s Word and what He promises. He allows me to have a personal relationship with Him. He provides me with His Holy Spirit into my life that guides and watches over me. He gives me my faith and what wisdom I have. I live a life of peace with a joyful, positive attitude. He inspired me to be motivated and be prosperous. There are times He has protected me from accidents and serious problems. His Spirit has taught me to have a servant’s heart, to be confident and stay humble. He has instructed me to share love and be generous with what He has given me. He teaches that we can all be successful. We can be successful parents, teachers or leaders in whatever endeavor we choose.

Why are so many Americans disrespectful and disobedient to God? They refuse to rely and be dependent upon God and put their trust in self or government. Why are their takers rather than givers? Show me someone having fame or fortune that has the same joyful and peaceful calmness that many needy Christians, living as Christ has instructed us, have.

One thing that God taught, we were to give a tenth of what we had to the Temple or His ministry. It had to be our very best, without spot or defect. Yet it is so hard for so many to be givers. What would motivate them to give to God’s ministry as taught by Scripture? What blessing could they receive?

Matthew 6:20 – “Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.”

Being generous and giving is like storing up treasurers in heaven. I have wondered if someone like Billy Graham were taken to heaven like the Apostle John was and God said: Tell My people, every time Christians charitably give it is recorded in heaven. Those who give will receive a 20% return annually, compounded and that amount will be given to them when they spend the 1000 years with Christ on earth. Do you think Christians would give more knowing it was being recorded for their future use?

It shouldn’t just be on Thanksgiving that we count our blessings but, daily. If you watch carefully and patiently you will see God intervening in your life. These “It’s A God Thing” occur more than we realize unless we are alert and expecting. I count each as blessings!

We have had four previous presidents that favored a one-world government. There were the two Bush presidents, Clinton and Obama. We then had Hillary Clinton favoring open borders. Any Christian who has studied the Bible knows that Satan’s goal is to rule the world through his selected person, the Antichrist. Scripture says there will be a time when there will be a one-world government headed by the lawless one, the Antichrist.

These previous presidents wanted to reach a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine. Israel would be required to give up all land prior to the 1967 war. They would share Jerusalem and Israel could rebuild its temple. Had these presidents studied the Bible, only the Antichrist will be able to make this peace treaty.

Trump wants no open boarders and no illegal aliens. He is for Israel remaining as is. God has chosen Israel and the Jews to show to the world that through that nation they would know there was a God who created heaven and earth. He chose a new covenant that would cover Christians and His church. He selected America as His chosen country to spread the Gospel that Christ is His Son and He came to earth to redeem mankind. He has used America to protect Israel and keep peace in the world.

President George W. Bush believed that non-Christians and Muslims could go to heaven. He also believed that there was a universal God. However, Scripture says there is only one way that a person can go to Heaven and that is through accepting Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Can you see where all of this is heading?

Mark 13:19 – 23 – “For there will be greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created the world. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of calamity, not a single person will survive. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days. “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. Watch out! I have warned you about this ahead of time!

Can you understand why Christians wanted a change in our country’s direction? If you see President Trump opening up oil pipelines and allowing fossil fuels to be used, there will be protests in every major city in America. Satan is using man-made global warming or climate change to hurt the world’s economies. He has Europe, Japan and the U.S. printing money out of thin air. What happens when they can no longer pay interest and default on their bonds and treasury notes?

Why do you believe in man-made climate change? According to Investment Business Daily, former United Nations climate official Ottmar ‘Edenhofer says: “One has to free oneself from the illusion that international climate policy is environmental policy. This has almost nothing to do with the environmental policy anymore, with problems such as deforestation or the ozone hole,” said Edenhofer, who co-chaired the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change working group on Mitigation of Climate Change from 2008 to 2015.” He says that climate change policy is used to redistribute the world’s wealth.

Satan has used a number of our leaders to deny there is a God. If you study the Old Testament, God used weather to prosper and punish Israel. If there is no God, then they can use man-made climate change toward developing the one-world government. This is all about the redistribution of the world’s wealth.

If all of the oil, coal and gas nations that produce these fossil fuels were shut down, what would happen to their economies? What would happen to Saudi Arabia if they were unable to sell their oil? These people, using global warming or climate change, would change capitalism and establish global welfare states. Their plan is to intentionally change the current economic system so that all nations would be dependent on a one-world government to meet their needs.

The final result would be to have a one-world government with every nation following the same laws and judicial system. A one-world religion and dissenters would be punished and shunned. A one-world economic system would be established with a cashless economy in order to trace every transaction. In order to control the population everyone would be given a national number. Without that number they could neither buy or sell or hold a job. It would also require all Americans to give up their guns and ammunition. The 2nd amendment would have been done away with, as much of our constitution.

Are you still wondering why evangelicals voted for Trump? They are hoping he will take us back to a sovereign nation and a capitalistic economy where the economy grows by over 3%. They saw the UK leaving the European Union because they wanted to be their own nation. We believe America can be a peaceful nation, keeping peace throughout the world as before.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We must be appreciative of everything God has allowed us to have rather than focusing on the things we do not have. So many people have the problem of coveting what others have. Do you in your prayers thank God for the talents and the life you do have? Be thankful that you live in America and not in the squalor of some countries. It may not be possible to be at peace, be joyful and content all of the time, but to not be should only be a rarity. People who have won multi-million dollar jackpots, their joy and contentment are there only for a brief period of time.

Once they become broke, and most do, life seems to turn ugly. We must keep in mind that peace, joy and contentment comes from within and not from without. I once read that we were created and put on this earth that we may bring joy to God. Unless that is our goal we may never sense fulfillment or satisfaction. In giving pleasure to God, we fulfill the deepest and most basic needs of our own lives.

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

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

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

In the Old Testament when Israel was consulting mediums and contacting the dead, God would go so long and then they would be punished. He used famines, plagues, wars and hard times. After a period, the nation would repent, begin worshipping God and He would bring back prosperity. Spiritualism became prevalent from 1840s to the 1920s.

I had an experience with a medium when I was 16 years old. A neighbor couple played cards with my folks one night a week for a period of time. One evening she told me that I would be invited to a party out of town. She insisted I not go with them she saw problems ahead. A few days later, two of my friends asked me to go with them to a party out of town. I said I had other plans and couldn’t go. They happened to be involved in a serious car accident that caused broken bones and many bruises. After a number of requests, I asked her to tell my future. She told me I would do a lot of traveling over water. After graduating from high school a good friend convinced me to join the navy with him. After 3 years, I was transferred to a ship that sailed from San Francisco to Japan. I was attached to an admiral that was in charge of all of the destroyers and cruisers in the south Pacific. We were on different destroyers going up and down the coast during the Korean War.

She told me that I would marry a musician before I got out of school. I thought she was talking about high school but it was college when I married a musician. We were to have a family of four, which we did. She said I would never work with my hands but with my mind and I have. I became a Christian and learned that God did not want Christians to consult mediums or get involved in the paranormal.

I was a Ward’s store manager in Kalispell, MT and had been there three years. Employees were telling me that they heard I was going to be transferred to another store. Almost daily, I was being asked if I had heard where I was going. After a few weeks, employees were telling me there was an older woman that told the future and I should get an appointment and she could tell when and where I would be going. Knowing better and realizing this would disobey God, I decided to make an appointment and when I found out I would ask God for forgiveness. On a Monday morning I made an appointment for the following Saturday morning. I was not going to let her tell me anything but when and where I was going. On Thursday, an employee told me that she had died on Wednesday. Was that God intervening to teach me a lesson?

There were so many mediums that were frauds that Spiritualism, (talking to the dead) sort of slowed down. However, it seems to be growing again. People want to know their future and read their Horoscope daily.

Leviticus 20:27 – ““Men and women among you who act as mediums or who consult the spirits of the dead must be put to death by stoning. They are guilty of a capital offense.” (NLT)

2 Kings 21:6 – “Manasseh also sacrificed his own son in the fire. He practiced sorcery and divination, and he consulted with mediums and psychics. He did much that was evil in the Lord’s sight, arousing his anger.”

Isaiah 8:19 – “Someone may say to you, “Let’s ask the mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead. With their whisperings and mutterings, they will tell us what to do.” But shouldn’t people ask God for guidance? Should the living seek guidance from the dead?”

Jeremiah 27:9 – “Do not listen to your false prophets, fortune-tellers, interpreters of dreams, mediums, and sorcerers who say, “The king of Babylon will not conquer you.”

For those who may be tempted to become involved with Mediums, Spiritualism or the Paranormal had best be aware that is being disobedient to God’s Ways. Today, many are falling away from the belief there is a God and are denying His existence. Pagan religions are becoming popular with many in America. It may be only a matter of time before America is punished as God punished the Israelites. It is time for Americans to repent, have a spiritual revival and become a prosperous nation once again.

Has the election of a president given us an indication of which way America may go?

According to a survey by Public Research Institute says: the collapse of America’s culture began to change drastically since 1950. There are a number of reasons our morality has changed. In the 50s, hippies, in San Francisco, searched to become enlightened, starting with the consumption of drugs such as LSD. Under the drugs, they saw a different world that was peaceful and beautiful. However, they depended more on drugs than on a God or morality. Illegal drugs increased throughout the United States. We began giving hyperactive children drugs to calm them down. Some became addicted later on illegal drugs or alcohol and became alcoholics.

It seemed during this time; Satan began attacking our families, our government, marriage and human freedom. Most may not believe this was what was believed could have been behind the great moral change. The Bible in Genesis chapters one thru three tells us that when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, they died spiritually. We are told when we are born; we are born spiritually dead and have to be born again to become spiritual. Many Americans do not want to become spiritual; they are under the control of Satan and choose his ways over God’s. Prior to the 50s, it seemed most everyone believed there was a God and a Heaven and Hell.

We started allowing immigrants to change the makeup of America. Many seemed to vote democratically. Today, 21.5% of our children from K-12 are made up of minorities. Many did not accept the American way and some were dangerous and belonged to drug gangs spreading its evils.

Many immigrants believe life is getting better and this is what they hear from the Democratic Party. I would image anyone coming from a foreign country came here because it was better than where they were. Of course, the Republican Party disagrees and many of us who lived through the fifties. The election seems to be a referendum on a generation of Americans wanting a culture change.

We can’t blame our political leaders because we have permitted them to lead us down the path to losing our leadership role in the world. This past generation we have failed to discipline our children and teach them there is a God who has set moral standards for each of us to live by. What is the answer? Christians are commissioned to spread the gospel throughout the world. We are allowing those who deny God to set our standards and it is time that Christians take a stand to change that. The church needs to be more vocal as to what is right and what is wrong.

God created Eve so Adam would have a mate and they would reproduce. Families were told to train and develop in their children with respect, obedience, honesty, responsibility and accountability. Proverbs 22:6 & 15 – “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.”
Proverbs 22:13 – 14 – “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die. Punish them with the rod and save them from death.” Proverbs 29:15 – “A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.” Ephesians 6:1 – 3 – “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother—which is the first commandment with a promise— so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Children need to be taught how to be good. Too many families are dysfunctional and are not teaching their children in a Godly way because they themselves do not live a Godly life. As a result there are negative consequences that not only affect the child but others. This is what the Bible tells us happens when we fail to teach our children.

My children used to tell me: “Dad, everyone is doing it.” I would reply: “Does that make it moral or ethical?” I try not to be political because I have friends who are ultra liberals and others extremely conservative. However, I am watching, as many Americans are doing things I never thought I would ever see. Yet, everyone seems to being doing it and it is being accepted as the thing to do. So let’s look at what many are doing that in the past most would never even think of making those decisions.

We must be careful, for it is possible that too many Christians are not spirit filled but are carnal Christians. They have accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior but continue to make decisions from the flesh and not the spirit. The flesh is the original human nature dominated by sin and denying the council of the Holy Spirit. Do we continue to want to be in control and dying out to our self-centered, fleshy nature is not an option we are willing to accept. Do we believe we can live a Christian life without God’s help? Therefore, we make decisions based on our thoughts and our experiences. As a result we become willing to tolerate almost anything in our society without righteous indignation or a passion to change things. The reason I point this out is we will act as we believe. If we want things to change we must be willing to change our minds. Is what’s happening with those trying to destroy Christianity shouldn’t Christians stand up for Christ and what we believe. We may not be able to change their thinking but we must not allow them to change ours and as a body we have.

Of all of the blogs I have written, one has been read over 1300 – “Understanding How Pride Affects Life” at donboydblog.com. Readers from over 60 nations have read it. I point out; there are three types of pride: a good pride, a bad one and an arrogant pride. This blog is to point out how God hates an arrogant pride.

I John 2:15–16 – “ Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.” (NLT)

It is possible to avoid worldly pleasures while still harboring arrogant pride and worldly attitudes in our heart. It is so easy to love the world and worldly things. We are born into the world and live as the world lives until we accept Christ. It is never easy to change habits. Our carnal, self-centered nature wants what others have regardless of what they have done to get it. If we are living as the world lives and putting worldly things first in our lives, Scripture says “the love of God of the Father is not in us.”

Sinful man is self-serving. Spiritual man is God-serving. Sinful man craves satisfying his or her physical desires and being prideful in what he or she has done. Scripture says: where our heart is, is where our treasures are.

II Timothy 3:4 – “They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.” (NLT)

Scripture talks about the last days, the times we are living in. At that time, there will be a moral degeneration of society around us. The man’s state of depravity encompassing us is what we as Christians are to minister. People will be lovers of money, boastful, proud, and abusive rather than lovers of God. When people misdirect their love toward themselves and material pleasures there can be no love left to direct toward others. Then moral corruption normally results. God warns against a boastful, proud inflated self-importance. There will be people who only appear to be Christians. They are people who can be disruptive to the church.

Mark 7:21–23 – “For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”

Jesus said: evil intentions begin within a person’s heart. Our hearts have been inclined to sin since birth. When we become Christians God makes us different inside. Jesus states all evil actions and attitudes cause defilement. Arrogant pride and sin come from within. The good news is that the Gospel offers the only cure for humanity’s arrogant pride and sin.

Proverbs 8:13 – “All who fear the LORD will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.”

Proverbs 16:5 – “The LORD detests the proud; they will surely be punished.”

2 Corinthians 12:20 – “For I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior.”

Proverbs 2:24 – “Mockers are proud and haughty; they act with boundless arrogance.”

Isaiah 13:11 – “I, the LORD, will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their sin. I will crush the arrogance of the proud and humble the pride of the mighty