How to Have Your Debt Paid in Full

The current national debt of the Untied States is an amount so staggering, few can grasp it. It’s one of the big reasons why national help with health care is so hotly debated, and people worry so much about Social Security.

There is an even bigger debt, though, than the tens of thousands of dollars owed by each man, woman, and child in the United States. And, it, too, is a debt each person owes.

What is that debt? When we see someone do something wrong, we all like to think “They’ll get what’s coming to them.” That faith helps us overcome the incredible evil that is all around us. It is a debt that wrongdoers owe. In fact, people released from prison are sometimes said to have “paid their debt to society.”

The problem is, we all commit wrongs, called sins. We all have a debt – and the combined total of that debt is great far greater than the U.S. National Debt. Think about all the lies that have been told. With so many people in the world, there are far more lies per second than the amount the National Debt increases per second. That’s not even counting the number of times people steal, hurt others, act mean, and so on. This sin debt grows higher and higher every day.

We can pay off credit cards bit by bit. Sometimes, we can agree to pay a certain amount, and a case will be closed. But, in order to do this, you have to not charge any more, right? You can’t pay a minimum balance of $100 on a credit card and then spent $150 per month on that card. It wouldn’t make sense. The debt would never be paid. And, this doesn’t even take into account the interest on that debt. More must be going to pay the debt than the amount added to the debt, in order to spend it down.

In order to get out of debt, we have to work to manage things so we are spending less than we take in. that includes interest. And, we need to manage thigns so we aren’t racking up so much interest we can’t repay.

Think about that debt that we owe because of our human nature, then. Each of us owes a debt because of those things we say, think, or do that are wrong. They’re usually not like the “debt to society” that is paid for with prison. Most of them are things that need a simple apology, or something else. But, even that is not enough to pay off the debt of sin.

It’s important to apologize sincerely, of course. It helps a lot when we do. But, the problem is, by the time we apologize for a particular sin, things have been added to that sin, like interest. For instance, let’s say we have told a lie, and later apologize and change our heart attitude, so we don’t tell that same lie anymore. In the meantime, someone found out that we lied. An amount of trust will have vanished, that had been there before. It will take more effort to build that trust back up. That trust is like an interest payment for the debt that we took on when we sinned. In a way, then, that lie indirectly causes something to be stolen, as well. And, it isn’t even the only thing that can be lost. Someone may act on that lie, and wind up losing money, losing a relationship, or something else based on it, when that thing should never have been lost.

As much as we try, we can’t be perfect. Even if a person sins 3 times a day – and even if you believe you’re a “good person,” I’m sure you’ll accept that there are 3 times a day – that’s over 1,000 sins a year.

Think about it. We get cut off in traffic, and we curse the person even though they could have a sick relative they’re rushing to visit in the hospital. We say something to hurt or tear others down instead of building them up. We rush to selfishly do something instead of thinking of others first. We commit adultery in our heart through how we look at another. As we can see, then, the debt of sin is huge.

It’s one we can’t repay. We can’t even repay the sin debt on each individual sin. But, to make matters worse, we add to that debt every day. We add to it through mean-spirited things, gossip, selfish thinking, and many other things that not only hurt people, they hurt God. What an enormous debt we owe!

Our debt to society isn’t paid with prison, though. The wages of sin is death. It’s separation from God’s perfect love and goodness forever., in a horrible place filled with sin. God, in His justice, must keep sin from His perfect Heaven, because in His love, He provides a perfect place once this life is over. It’s a place filled with goodness, where there’s no pain, no suffering, and no tears.

But wait, you ask: If the wages of sin is death, if we have all this sin, how can we reach that place? How can that debt be paid?

Thankfully, the story doesn’t stop there. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. It’s a free gift.

See, that debt was so huge, that no person could pay it. No person could pay it, because each person would have to pay his or her own sin debt. So, god came to this world, in form of a man. Jesus Christ was 100% man and 100% God while here on Earth. He paid all your sin debt when He died on the cross for you, and rose from the dead.

Think about it. It wouldn’t do to be 51% good and 49% bad, because that sin debt would still be there. Yes, we should try to be good. But, you can’t repay a debt just by promising to not go any further into debt. The debt will still be there. But, that’s what people do when they trust in being good. They try to ignore those little debts and just focus on not having any more debt. But, that debt still has to be paid. No amount of good work can cause that debt to be paid. Thankfully, the sin debt has been paid in full. Jesus Christ is God in flesh. He, God the Father, the Holy Spirit, all His disciples (though they were tortured and killed for it), Jesus’ miracles, and the Old Testament all testify that He is the sinless one, who became sin for us.

That’s how he took on our debt. He marked it “Paid in full” when He shed His perfect blood, as the sacrifice for our sin. All the lambs that were sacrificed from the very beginning were a sign of what Jesus Christ would do someday. He was the sinless Lamb of God. He laid down His life so we could be saved from our sin debt. And then, He rose from the dead the third day.

Archaeology confirms so much of the Bible. The testimony of people like John Newton, author of “Amazing Grace,” who have been radically changed, proves that it’s possible, and it happens. Most importantly, His Holy Spirit moves in peoples’ hearts to tell them how much God loves them.

See, God is just, but He is also a God of mercy and forgiveness. God wants to forgive your sin debt. He hung on that cross, suffering agony for hours as He endured the wrath of God the Father, as the sinless substitute for each of us. Then, as He died, He cried out, “tetelestai,” which means “It is finished!” The entire debt had been paid!And, he rose again the third day; He had defeated death, so all who believe can rise with Him.

That repayment must be accepted, though. If you knew it was free, you wouldn’t refuse a person’s offer to pay off all your credit cards and other debts, right? And yet, until that person paid them off, you would still have debt, because you wouldn’t have accepted it.

In the same way, Jesus paid all your sin debt for you. And, He just needs you to accept that He did, and receive it by simple faith. God is love. He wants to pay your sin debt. You just need to:

Accept you’re a sinner, that your sin debt keeps you from His perfect Heaven, that no amount of good work can get you there;

Believe that He is God in flesh, that He died on the cross and rose from the dead for you, personally, to take all your sin debt away;

Choose to turn away from your sins, and trust Him to save you from your sin and forgive you, and to come live in you through His Holy Spirit.

That’s all it takes. It’s a free gift. I know it can be hard for some, but that’s okay; He understands. He knows You, and loves You. He’ll help you have faith if you just trust Him to; before trusting Him to forgive your sin debt, just call in your heart, “ Lord, I’m not sure if you’re out there, but I’m giving this a try, and I trust that if You are real, You will hear and answer.”

Of course, once we receive Him as our Savior, and He comes to live in us, we still sin. We have a human nature that causes us to sin. But, we have Jesus Christ living in us so we can turn to Him and get help, so we don’t sin. And, whatever happens, He will forgive and cleanse us, if we just confess our sin to Him.

The Holy Spirit living is us is His guarantee that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. He will keep working in us to get us to be good. He might have to work pretty hard to get some peoples’ attention if they wander far away in sin. But, He will always lovingly guide us back, and watch over us, and help us. Because, God is love. And, He loves you. He wants you to be totally free from the burden of sin.

Do you feel worthless?  Do you feel like you’re a mistake?  Don’t Believe It!

You are special – You are uniquely and beautifully made!

I remember as a child, my mother told me in the heat of an argument that she was sorry I was born.  When I was in my twenties, she told me the story how she tried to abort me 3 times.  These statements surely had a negative affect on me well into my 30s.  Thank God, he has healed me from the stings of these words.  Today, I look at these happenings in a very different way….despite the fact that my mom tried to abort me several times…God willed me into existence.  What incredible plan God must have for my life.  It made me also realize that my words might have hurt people and that we need to be careful about what we say to one another.  The subconscious can’t take a joke.

Words are one thing.  I can only imagine the abuse some of you might have had to endure.  Some of you might had to endure not only verbal abuse but also physical and sexual abuse.  Watching the movie “Precious” gave a glimpse of what that would be like.

Abuses like that can make you feel worthless and full of shame.  I understand that there are even symptoms of guilt with being sexually abused, making you feel like that somehow it’s your fault you have been abused.  Let me make it perfectly clear…these are all lies of the enemy, who wants nothing less than to kill and destroy you.  Don’t you believe it!

You are special!
There is only one like you and God has a plan for your life.  He willed you and me into existence.  Let’s take a look at what the Bible says about your and my existence.

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.  Psalms 139:13 (NKJV)

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.  Psalms 139:14 (NKJV)

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  “Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.  Matt 10:29-31 (NKJV)

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.  How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!  Psalms 139:16-17 (NKJV)

God Loves You!
In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  1 John 4:9-10 (NKJV)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  ”For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  John 3:16-17 (NKJV)

God Can Help

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. Prov 18:10 (NKJV)

He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.  Isaiah 40:29 (NKJV)

He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.  Psalms 147:3 (NKJV)

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’  Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.  Matt 5:4 (NKJV)

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  ”Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  ”For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Matt 11:28-30 (NKJV)

New Beginnings
We can’t undo our past, at the same time however, we should not live with our false past identity.   I surely could have not done it myself.  God has not only healed me, but he has also given me a new identity…one that is based on my true identity that is in Christ.  As a Christian, we are no longer bound by our old identity…we’re a new creation.

Jesus is waiting.  Ask him to give you a new identity.  His word says…”Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it wll be opened to you.  “or everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Matt 7:7-8 (NKJV)

Check out this beautiful video You are Special – by Max Lucado

Also, check out our articles on We’re Created Different, But We’re All Useful, What is Heaven? A world better than Avatar’s Pandora, Can Your God Do This?, In The Wilderness, It’s not fair! But, why isn’t life fair? And, can it be?, The Comforting Word of God, Salvation, Success and Failure Articles,

The Apostle Paul seems to have been a sports fan. He likely followed the ancient Olympics, just as we follow the modern Games. In several places, he compares the Christian life to sports. He speaks of people who strive for mastery of various things, as one would strive to excel at Olympic events. He speaks of not wanting to become disqualified. And, writes of how all run, that one may attain the prize, and tells us to run that way, though we shall all obtain that prize.

How should we do that? Obviously, life is not totally about athletics. In fact, Jesus Christ cared deeply about the handicapped of his day, those who couldn’t do much physically. It is, however, a valid comparison, as we consider the things anyone can do, and the things to avoid, as well as the ultimate goal of life.

First, we see that people strive for mastery. The Bible is telling us to work at obtaining the qualities of a strong Christian, as though we were trying to make it into the Olympics. This is vital, because we have a great adversary, the devil, who is constantly going around seeking to devour people. We must put on the “whole armor of God” each day, and practice doing that constantly. Ephesians 6:11-18 tells us about that – the faith, righteousness (not our own, but Christ’s), and so on which allow us to stand. It’s just like one stands at the podium to earn that medal.

Not everyone can do everything. But, everyone can work on the fruits of the Spirit, for instance, in Galatians 5:22-23. By cultivating those, one can grow to be more and more like Jesus, which will allow others to see His goodness in us. And, we can do those things, to the best of our abilities, that mark a good Christian – reading the Bible, praying, giving (time and talent, as well as money), fellowshipping with other believers, witnessing of what Christ as done for us, and so on. Not everyone will be great at first. But, everyone can work on those things some, to the point where they get better each day.

We must, however, not cut corners, Paul warns of not wanting to be disqualified. This can happen in two ways. First, a person could be disqualified by cheating. Think of a runner in the marathon skipping a few miles of the course. They never really finish, and if they train that way, that shortcut means they won’t be as effective. They can also simply fail to meet the necessary requirements. This means they wouldn’t even be able to enter the competition. It would be like an ice skater who never practiced with the music he or she wanted to use. When they try to qualify, they would be so out of sync they wouldn’t get anywhere close to Olympic entry.

Both are seen in the problem of Christians who won’t grow spiritually. They trust Jesus to save them, but ignore the Holy Spirit calling them to improve. They have no limitation that keeps them from giving, or prayinbg, or reading the Bible, or anything like that. They just pay too much attention to the world. Some even fall into sin that harms their own team, like a hockey player who just goes around picking fights with teammates instead of just sitting back and letting them play and try to win.

Finally, Paul advises that – though we shall all obtain the prize – we should focus as it we wanted to finish first.

This verse is not saying to be prideful. It’s merely saying that one must put one’s whole focus on himself or herself, and not pay attention to how others are doing. It doesn’t matter if someone else is pursuing their calling in a different way, or how well they are doing at it. Yes, we must stand fast against sin. However, we should not put such emphasis on others that we ignore our own walk with Christ.

So, how does one become an Olympic-style Christian, and get the most out of life. First, one must commit to those things that draw us near to God. Yes, the Bible says that He who hath begun a good work in you will complete it. It’s His job to guide and direct you. However, let’s say you’re walking a dog. What’s easier? When that dog is well heeled and walks right with you? Or, trying to walk when your dog is pulling after a squirrel or something in the totally opposite direction? Of course, it’s the first one. We need to stay close to God, so it’s easier on us and on Him. This is why Paul warns us not to quench the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is how He guides us toward a Godly path.

We must not let our path become one of self-righteousness, nor let it become a path of sin. Either one can cause us to become disqualified for that race. It might mean a lost chance at some blessing or reward, or it might mean that God will nto hear our prayer because we regard sin in our hearts. It will never mean we lose our salvation, but imagine the shame just as getting to Heaven, and learning you could have done so much more with what you had. That you wasted your life on things that never mattered. That, in itself, would be horrible, and is the reason Paul was so concerned.

Because, you see, while we must keep an eye on our own running, we have the duty to be an example of Christ for others. In that way, our eyes should be all around us, even though we run the race as if we wanted to finish first.

In another respect, of course, we can’t totally run it to finish first. It’s not just because we must be humble, and give God the glory, rather than credit our own accomplishments. It’s because all receive the same crown who have trusted Christ as Savior. That crowning achievement is the eternal life which was purchased for us through the shed blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a pice which can be received by anyone by simple faith. For we are saved by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.

See, so much in life is going to disappear at the end. The only thin we take with us are souls; Jesus is preparing a place for as many as will receive Him. Everything will be taken care of up there. He just wants as many as possible to receive Him.

So, run the race, keeping your mind on the fact that to get the most out of life, you need to first of all know that you have eternal life. That’s done by simply putting your whole faith in Jesus Christ, receiving what He did on the cross as having taken the punishment for your sins. Then, trusting that He rose from the dead for you, too.

Next, your focus needs to be on things above. And, you need to cultivate those fruits of the Spirit, remain close to God through faith, prayer, and so on, and work toward telling others about Jesus so that as many as possible can join you in heaven someday. Not to get any credit for it yourself, but so that God may be glorified.

Then, if you have trusted him as Savior and faithfully served Him, He can say those words that will mean so much more than any gold medal, so much more than any anthem at a podium. He, the Creator of the Universe, the one by whom all things consist, can say to you, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” That is better than any medal – hearing Him tell you that you did a good job.

That’s the way to get the most out of life. It’s by making sure you have received Jesus Christ as your personal savior. Then, having plenty of others that you have won to Christ by planting seeds – through kindness, love, witnessing, and son on – that lead to them getting saved and/or growing closer to Christ themselves. That is how to be an Olympic-level Christian.

“Hold your head high, stick your chest out. You can make it. It gets dark sometimes but morning comes. Keep hope alive. Don’t you surrender!  Suffering breeds faith. In the end faith will not disappoint.”   –Jesse Jackson, American civil rights activist,minister

As you read the quote by Rev. Jesse Jackson keep these verses in mind from James 1:2-4,  “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Let us take care, in times of trial, that patience, and not passion, is set to work in us: whatever is said or done, let patience have the saying and doing of it. When the work of patience is complete, it will furnish all that is necessary for our Christian race and warfare. We should not pray so much for the removal of affliction, as for wisdom to make a right use of it. Here is something in answer to every discouraging turn of the mind, when we go to God under a sense of our own weakness and folly. If, after all, any should say, This may be the case with some, but I fear I shall not succeed, the promise is, To any that asketh, it shall be given. No condition of life is such as to hinder rejoicing in God.

(bible verse notes taken from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Bible).

The following is a poem that I came across many years ago. Its seems just as appropriate today as it did back then. See if you remember hearing it, as well.

Don’t Quit by Edgar A. Lewis

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow–
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor’s cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out–
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit–
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

More bible commentary on James Chapter 1 can be found at Matthew Henry’s Commentary

When I talk about American Idols, I’m not talking about the TV show American Idol.  I’m talking about the idea of idols.  Idols can be anything.  Some people might have money, a big house, fame, sex as their idol.  Wikipedia’s definition for Idol is “An idol is a man-made object that is worshiped in some way.”

Now, let me stress that there is nothing wrong with sex, fame or having money, etc. in the right context.  Let’s take money for example.  Many well known godly people in the Bible had lots of money and wealth, like Abraham, Solomon, David and many others.  The question is, where is your heart?  Is your money controlling you?  Are you a slave to your money?  Are you focused on just on the accumulation of money?   When money becomes your focus, in other words your idol, it is then when you’re getting into real trouble.

It’s worth thinking about.  First of all, you will never experience lasting fulfilling success if your focus is on money.  Bill Gates did not make his money by focusing on money.  He had a passion for computers and software and money was a side effect of his passion.  Besides failure, having the wrong attitude about money can cost you everything including your soul?  Here is what the Bible says about money and success.

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 16:26 (NKJV)

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.  And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”  Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ “  Matthew 4:8-10 (NKJV)

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  1 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV)

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.  1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (NKJV)

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.  1 Corinthians 7:23 (NKJV)

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.  1 Timothy 6:17 (NKJV)

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  James 4:4 (NKJV)

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.  1 John 2:15-17 (NKJV)

“He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  John 12:25 (NKJV)

The amazing thing is that when we focus on God, he takes care of us.  His promises are amazing for people that focus on him.  He provides true, lasting and enjoyable success.

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  Josh 1:8 (NKJV)

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.  2 Cor 9:8 (NKJV)

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.  He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.   Psalms 1:2-3 (NKJV)

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.   Prov 18:10 (NKJV)

then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,
2 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  Phil 4:19 (NKJV)

Frankly, it’s hard to change some of our attitudes like the one about money by ourselves, however, if we ask God, he promises to help us change from the inside out.

Other related articles Success Stories, Addictions and Struggles, Money, How to succeed in tough economic times.

Baseball great Yogi Berra’s “déjà vu all over again” quote will likely appear often, as Brett Favre threw another interception at the end of a conference championship game, just like in January of 2008. Will he retire, or not? And, if he retires, will he stay retired? Between him and Conan O’Brien, who list the battle with Jay Leno over the 11:30 time slot, future employment will be in celebrity news for weeks or even months.

Interesting that, in each case, they likely want to do something. It’s doubtful O’Brien will give up comedy, though he could with his severance package. As for Favre, pro athletes are so used to competition and cheering, it would be hard to imagine him spending his whole life golfing and fishing, even if we think we would with his millions.

The reason it’s hard to imagine is, we are born with a desire to do something. Even the first man, Adam, didn’t just sit around doing nothing. His job was to till the garden in Eden, to dress it and keep it nice. This was a much easier job before the Fall, of course.

When Adam and Even sinned, things changed. To use our present examples, a Brett Favre can’t play quarterback without 300-pound guys clobbering him. The old adage is that football is not just a contact sport, it’s a collision sport. Because sin came into the world, these collisions cause Favre to get banged up, and to age to the point where someday, he’ll realize his body can’t take it. Similarly, Conan O’Brien is in a job where jokes fall flat sometimes. Sometimes, communication fails, and there can easily be someone better who can take that job.

These are the “thorns and thistles” of their jobs, the problems of working that have existed since sin entered the world. Tilling the garden would have been easy for Adam. But, because sin was brought into the world, with his job came problems. And, the ground would produce thorns and thistles. (Genesis 3:18)

Every difficulty we encounter, no matter what our work, can be traced back to these thorns and thistles. Every task that seems fruitless, every attempt to get something done that fails, comes because of this. Favre’s interceptions, his many bruises and aches, come because this world is not the perfect place it was created to be. Conan’s struggles with his employer, as well as times when any comedian is “just dying out there,” are the consequences of sin having been brought into the world back at the dawn of time.

Of course, work has success, too. God promises that success will come in that verse, when He tells Adam he shall eat the herb of the field. What he is saying, though, is that that herb is going to be hard to come by, much harder than if sin were not present. And, in the same way, Favre and O’Brien have each tasted great success in their jobs. Favre is a surefire Hall of Famer who increased his prestige with an incredible season. Conan O’Brien is seen by many as a great comedian, even with his problems.

Some jobs bring more difficulties than others, of course. In some, it’s the location – a house in a poor market might not sell for months, even with the best seller. Ratings are dependent on the competition and “lead in” viewers. A quarterback can struggle mightily with no supporting cast. At times, it’s the nature of the job. Favre’s successor, Aaron Rodgers, saw an incredible playoff game go to waste because of defensive struggles. And, the best doctor can’t save every patient. Even in a field where that doctor would rarely ever see something bad, there will always be that one case that turns out to be an untreatable cancer. Thorns and thistles come up in every field.

And yet, when all is said and done, that agent can find someone to buy, if the price is low enough. The surgeon in the busiest emergency room, with the worst accidents, will be able to save some. A truly great quarterback can still get noticed by the Hall of Fame eventually, and a great comedian can get laughs from someone. The herb of the field will come. It will just be with a lot of effort, a lot of toil, and a lot of sweat.

That toil and sweat of the brow comes at us just as it came at Adam, and just as it comes for Favre and O’Brien – whatever they choose to do. However, the next verse, Genesis 3:19, points to what Favre and O’Brien must both consider. Eternal rewards are the only ones that will last, and they must start to earn these, instead of only Earthly ones. To get those, we must receive Christ’s forgiveness.

Consider Adam’s situation. He learns that he will have to work much harder to get any yield from the land. He will do this in sorrow his whole life, realizing what once was. Yes, he would be able to get the herb of the field eventually. But, even when he did, it would seem so fruitless at times. The toil and sweat of his brow would make labor so tiring. And, after all that labor, what would he get? A physical body that would grow old, decay, and die. Just as Brett Favre and Conan O’Brien – and all of us – have.

God knew this. He didn’t want any of us to be surprised. The fact that Adam would have to toil and sweat was an implied part of that warning back in Gen. 2:17 that he would surely die. This phrase, literally translated, says, “dying, you will die.” In other words, the process of death would begin right away, and would continue until, at long last, Adam returned to dust. Gen. 3:19, then, is telling Adam just how that would happen. Just as we will turn to dust someday and so will celebrities like Favre and O’Brien.

Of course, some work is more joyful than others. When Paul Harvey, the great radio commentator, passed away, there was a clip of him stating something to the effect that he’d never “worked” a day in his life. It was always so much fun. Just as Favre, when he looks at it, keeps coming back to the thrill of the game. (And, thus, keeps coming out of retirement.) And, just as O’Brien keeps looking at the thrill of doing stand-up comedy. Sure, it takes a lot of toil and sweat, as it did for Mr. Harvey. But, if you ask them, they’d probably echo his sentiments.

This is an element of God’s grace. It shows that God, in His perfect love, has created each of us with interests that, if we hone them, will grow into lifelong work that we’ll love. We’ll love it because God has matched us to that work. Paul Harvey still worked, of course. But, he had found that one specific thing which he could do that brought him pleasure. Just as Favre and O’Brien no doubt have.

This is not a sign of salvation per se; plenty of saved people toil in unhappy situations, and plenty of unsaved love their jobs. What it means is that God loves us, and it’s one of the ways He shows that love to us. There is always that reminder – through how we age – that our bodies are but dust. However, he provides us with grace, so we can have life, and have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

However, Adam was still mortal, as we all are. He would return to the ground. Even if someone is the greatest ever at what they do, all the things they do in this life build treasures on earth. Ones that moth and rust can corrupt, and thieves can break forth and steal. (Matt. 6:19) That frail, physical body simply returns to the dust.

Yet, Adam could receive God’s forgiveness for his sin – that means forgiveness for falling short of God’s perfect glory. And, so can anyone. We must each accept that we’re sinners, in need of a Savior. Simply receive, by simple faith, God’s forgiveness, through what Jesus Christ, God in flesh, did on the cross. He was sinless, yet He became sin for us. He was the substitute, he took the punishment for our sins, when He died on the cross, and then he rose from the dead, just as we who receive Him will be raised someday. To as many as received Him, gave He the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. (John 1:12) This means trusting Him by simple faith to forgive us for our sins.

Once a person trusts in Jesus Christ as their Savior, they are assured of a home in God’s perfect Heaven, where there is no pain, no suffering, no heartache. One can only get to heaven by receiving that forgiveness, because when we do, God makes us a new creature on the inside; He comes to live in us and guide us to becoming more like Him.

When a person has received Christ as their Savior, they can earn rewards in Heaven, by serving the Lord. A person can serve the Lord in a secular job, of course – you don’t have to be a missionary to serve Him. But, to build treasure in Heaven, a Christian must live with an eye toward doing things that glorify and honor Him and draw others to Him.

It is vital that we lay up treasures in Heaven, where they can’t decay, grow old, or be stolen. (Matt. 6:20) This applies just as much to us as it did to Adam. We, too, have physical bodies that will return to the ground. However, we also have that promised Redeemer, Jesus Christ. He longs for us to turn to Him. He longs for us to be born again, through what He did for us on the cross, dying and rising from the dead. And, then, He longs for us to build those treasures in heaven, so we don’t have to be empty-handed when we approach the throne of God. We can have crowns to lay at His feet. We can have wonderful, eternal blessings that go beyond this world, into eternal rewards.

These rewards are what Favre and O’Brien should seek. Favre can’t play quarterback as long as O’Brien can do comedy. Both must realize that – while God has been gracious in giving each something that fills them with joy, no matter what they do, if they seek only Earthly gain, it will all be wasted. They can’t last forever. But, if they receive Christ, they can live forever, and they can serve the Lord in whatever He provides for them, that will glorify and honor Him.

Most people you know would not come right out and say that they are planning to fail in all they do today, but according to the old proverb, “He who fails to plan, plans to fail.” How many of us actually have a plan for our spiritual lives today? If you are serious about your future, you should have a plan which includes a personal mission statement. It can even be written in the form of a letter to God, if you prefer. Your personal mission statement may include any or all of the following items:

– a declaration of your goals and objectives for your life

– a vision of what you would like to be doing in the future

– a statement of who you would like to become.

Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook gives these pointers for shaping your mission statement in her book,  Live Like You’re Blessed,

1. Make it holy; use the letters in BLESSED to remind yourself what you want your life to contain B-balance L-love E-energy S-spirit S-success E-encouragement and D-devotion to the Lord

2. Stress the positive; note what you desire in an affirmative manner and don’t dwell on the negative experiences in your life

3. Recognize your gifts and how you can use them to accomplish your mission

4. Give yourself a reasonable time limit; 2 to 5 years is acceptable

5. Use inspirational quotes to remind yourself of who you want to become.

As you work on your mission statement keep these words in mind from Jemiah 29:11 (NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Have you noticed how much we hear about our hearts these days?  We’re frequently reminded we should reduce the stress in our lives, eat properly, exercise regularly and have yearly check ups.  Doctors believe if we do these things we will keep healthy.

Of course, if problems arise, we can choose to ignore their advice and risk the consequences, or we can make whatever changes are necessary for a healthy heart. It is really up to us to decide.

Our “spiritual hearts”—our relationship with God, need to be taken care of as well.  Some people have very healthy spiritual hearts, but for others, there is bad news.  Their “spiritual EKG” shows severe sin problems in desperate need of forgiveness.  There are only two options available to them:  They can ignore their condition, in which case they will “die in their sin,” or they can take the healing advice of “God, the Great Physician,” and get well.  It seems like an easy decision to make, but it’s amazing how many people make the wrong one.

The Physician has a “file” about all people with unhealthy hearts.  It is entitled, The Book of Romans. It’s a book in the Bible.  Contained within its pages is complete information about the patient, along with a diagnosis and recommended treatment.  It’s a very important file.  This is some of the information contained within it:

The Physician’s Diagnosis:

There is a condition known as sin.  It is defined as not measuring up to God’s standard of perfection in our thoughts, words, or deeds.  Sin entered the world because of one person’s behavior (Rom.5:12 NIV).  That was Adam.  Since then, all people have sinned (Rom.3:23 NIV).  Sin separates each person from a relationship with God, results in physical and spiritual death, and condemns each one to a place of eternal torment called Hell (Rom.6:23 NIV).  This is a world-wide epidemic, and is the most serious and deadly problem known to humankind today.

Treatment and Cure:

The treatment and cure for this problem is available from only one source—Jesus Christ, the Great Physician.  Although Jesus never sinned, He showed His great love for us by taking the punishment for our sins—a cruel and painful death.  It is the punishment we deserve (Rom.5:8, 17-18 NIV).  After three days, God raised Jesus from the dead. Verbally confessing Jesus is Lord, and believing in ones heart that God raised Jesus from the dead is the treatment for a sinful heart condition (Rom.10:9-10 NIV). Anyone who asks for the treatment will receive it (Rom.10:13 NIV). Then, no longer sick in your sins, you will be able to give yourself “whole heartedly” to God (Rom.6:16-18 NIV).  Nothing will ever be able to separate you from God’s love for you (Rom. 8:35-39 NIV).  This is truly good news!

With this treatment the patient will soon realize his heart has been cured.  By daily “feeding” on God’s Word, the Bible, and “exercising” one’s prayer life, a good check up with the Physician is guaranteed.  This treatment will also result in a less stressful life because cares can be given to God, and it will cause one’s heart to beat in time with His.

A bright future is promised the patient who makes these changes.  When that person dies, a home in Heaven, with God forever, is guaranteed (Rom.3:23 NIV).  After Jesus arose from the dead, He went to heaven to prepare that home.  In fact He’s working on it right now.

Imagine being able to live with the Physician forever in a place prepared especially for you.  With Him, there will be no more tears, no more aches and pains, no more sin-sick hearts.

The Physician has never had a malpractice suit filed against Him, nor even a complaint from any of His patients.  He has a great bedside manor, and even makes house calls. With His “health plan,” there’s no waiting to see the Physician, no paper work to fill out, and no co-payments.  Best of all, anyone can afford it—because it’s free for the asking.

What do we do when we find ourselves in the wilderness?  Let me define for you the word ‘wilderness’ before I proceed any further.  By ‘wilderness’, I am not talking about being in some kind of deserted place here.  Instead, I am referring to ‘spiritual wilderness’ – a dry season in a Christian’s life in which nothing seems to be going right.  It could even be a state in which everything – relationships, career, health, and so forth – falls apart.  Nothing seems to test a Christian’s faith more than a wilderness experience.

As a Christian, wilderness experiences are inevitable unless he/she is a lukewarm Christian who does not pose any threat to the kingdom of the devil. Having said this, I must add that I believe there are Christians who are blessed with a smooth-sailing life with no wilderness experience at all.  But nevertheless these Christians are in the rare minority.

A wilderness experience could be ordained by God to test a Christian’s faith.  It is also inevitable in God’s plan if He intends to use a Christian greatly in His kingdom.  The Bible is full of such examples.  Just take Moses for instance.  He had to spend forty years in the desert before God could use him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

To be honest, I hate to go through a wilderness experience.  To me, a wilderness experience is like being put ‘on hold’: nothing seems to be moving forward.  I cannot stand it, especially because I am someone who enjoys life in the fast pace and also because I am not a very patient person.   Just imagine yourself being put on hold when you make a phone call, or when you wait in queue at a post office and the staff seems to be taking forever to attend to a customer.  How does it feel like?

What should your response(s) be when you find yourself in the wilderness?  What kind of responses are pleasing to God? For me, my natural response is to complain about it. But I have learnt that complaining won’t help get me out of the wilderness.  Now, I am learning to praise God while I am in the midst of a wilderness experience.  I am learning the importance of not focusing my attention on the wilderness experience.  I am also learning to wait on God while in the midst of it.

For those of you who are experiencing wilderness in your lives right now, take heart.  Just fix your eyes on God and you can be sure that He will see you through it.

Copyright by Chan Hui Li Annie

MY NAME IS MARIE: I’M A RECOVERING ALCOHOLIC

It would be easy to blame a lack of Christian upbringing for my behavior. I could even point to an absentee father and a dysfunctional family and say they caused it.  In reality, it was the love of alcohol and my immoral behavior during my teen years that quickly propelled my life into a hopeless abyss from which I thought I would never recover.

When I was eight years old, my playmate told me about the fun things she did at church.  Since there was no fun in my life, I invited myself to attend church with her.  This was the first time I ever heard about God.  Also at eight years old, I became curious about the wine my mother was drinking.  I reasoned it must taste pretty good since she drank it so often.  So I began taking sips of it when she wasn’t looking.  I loved it immediately!

By fifteen, my girlfriend and I were routinely leaving our homes on Saturday nights crossing the nearby border into Mexico.  There, feeling very mature in our mini skirts and black, net stockings, we drank until we were drunk. I loved everything about alcohol – the way it tasted, the way it made me feel, and the power I thought it gave me.

Returning to her house to sleep, we found the nights too short.  For bright and early each Sunday morning, her father would wake us up, insisting since we had been drinking, we now needed to go to church.  Although aware of our drinking, members of the little church turned a blind eye to our appearance and the alcohol on our breath.  Instead they chose to love us anyway and encouraged us to continue coming.

The pastor would often say, “Marie, do you want to talk? How can we help you?  Are you ready to stop drinking?”  I wasn’t ready to stop, but I felt guilty because of how kind he was to me in spite of my condition.  Even reeling from a hangover, God spoke to me through his sermons.  No matter where I was, no matter my condition, He continued knocking on the door of my heart – wanting me to come to Him.

A tubal pregnancy at fifteen ended with the loss of my preborn child and nearly took my life as well.  In the years to come, this pregnancy would affect all efforts to become pregnant.

In my sober moments I would take a good look at my miserable existence.  “God, my life isn’t supposed to look like this.  Why is this happening?  What do you want from me?”  I wondered if I would ever be free from the powerful, dark forces controlling my life – this addiction to alcohol and the drugs I was also taking.

In 1992, at the age of twenty-four, I hit bottom.  In addition to everything else, I was now homeless.  Although embarrassed and ashamed of my condition, with no place else to go, I moved in with my father.  I somehow managed to stop drinking for one year, but with a poor choice of friends, sobriety did not last long.

Jim, a frequent customer where I worked, recognized my condition and spoke encouraging words to me each time he saw me.  “Take it one day at a time.  Look to God for your strength.  You can do it.  God can help you.”  I didn’t realize the words he spoke were those he heard at his Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.  One day he said, “Marie, you look horrible.  You just can’t go on like this.  Let me pick you up this evening after work and take you some place where you can get help.”  With no idea what he meant or where we would go, I agreed.  He took me to a meeting place for recovering alcoholics.  That night, I determined to get sober and stay sober.  Step one was to attend those meetings on a regular basis.

Shortly thereafter I was transferred to the late night shift at work.  That meant I was at work while the bars were open.  I truly believe it was God Who rearranged my schedule to put the temptation of alcohol even farther from me.

After a year of encouragement from the meetings, I finally began seeking God with all my heart.  From my first introduction to God, I never doubted His existence and never stopped talking to Him.  I had asked Him to be my Savior in the past.  Now I was asking from my heart.  I had no idea what the future would hold, but was certain He was real and that His hand was on my life.

From all I’ve experienced, I should be dead by now, but instead I’ve been given life – a life of sobriety these past fifteen years.  During this time, I have seen God do a tremendous work in my life.  Now I know what the Bible means when it says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17 NIV).

I praise God for doing that for me.

Also see Alcohol Abuse, Temptation on www.SuccessAndFailure.net

I get this question all the time, especially when disasters happen like Hurricane Katrina or someone we love gets seriously ill… or worse…if someone dies. “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

When troubling things do happen, what exactly does this mean?  Does it prove that God does not exist? If He does exist – doesn’t God care? Does He enjoy seeing us suffer?  Of course none of these things are true.
See Answers to tough questions.

First of all, the Bible does not promise that we will be without challenges.  As a matter of fact, it says the opposite.  The Bible tells us that we will have trouble in this life.  God never meant for our lives to be this way.  Death, sickness and calamity are a direct result of the fall of man…and sin has had a devastating effect.  Am I saying all this death and disease and sickness is because Adam and Eve sinned?  That is what the Bible tells us.  There was no sickness in the Garden of Eden.  This will be the life the redeemed will have again in heaven.  God’s Word says…”And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Rev 21:4 (NKJV).  Our sins have enormous consequences.  Maybe you have been dealing with the affects of the sins of your parents for your entire life?  Multiply that by a trillion sins…compounded over thousands of years.  May God have mercy on us.

Sometimes God uses the bad situations in our lives to turn them into a blessing…”And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NKJV).  A good example would be the story of Joseph in Genesis 37 – 50, where he is put into a position to save millions of people from starvation.  If he would not have been sold into slavery, it would not have happened and millions of people would have died.

Many times God gets the blame for our own mistakes.  We smoke all our lives and when we get lung cancer, we tend to blame God. Everything we do in life has consequences.  The good things we do have good consequences and the bad have bad consequences. Yes, through prayer, God in His mercy will sometimes reverse the damage we’ve done to ourselves.  “Whatever we ask in the Name of Jesus will be done by the Father in heaven.” Matt. 18:19. Also, read John 14:13-14

None are good. The Bible is clear that all humans are deeply affected by sin.  “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands;  There is none who seeks after God.  They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”  “Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “The poison of asps is under their lips”; “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”  “Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace they have not known.”  “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”  Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.  Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:9-20 (NKJV)

God’s Righteousness Through Faith…see Romans 3:20-31 (NKJV)

Something else to consider. After Hurricane Katrina happen, Billy Graham’s daughter was interviewed on The Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her ‘How could God let something like this happen?…Anne Graham gave an amazingly profound and insightful response. She said, “I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives…and being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?”

Do you call God only when you are in trouble or need help?  How can you expect God to answer your prayers if we don’t have a relationship wit Him, except when we’re in trouble?

Finally, God is more interested in character building than he is in just seeing us enjoying a worldly life.  Sometimes He answers our prayers like below.

MOST RICHLY BLESSED (by unknown civil war veteran)
I asked God for strength…that I might achieve; I was made weak…that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for help…that I might do great things; I was given infirmity…that I might do better things.
I asked for riches…that I might be happy; I was given poverty…that I might be wise.
I asked for all things…that I might enjoy life; I was given life; …that I might enjoy all things.
I was given nothing I asked for, but everything I had hoped for. Despite myself, my prayers were answered. I am among all men most richly blessed.

God loves you and me. He hates to see us in pain or trouble.  And one day we will no longer have to face these struggles and hardships. Meanwhile, He is waiting for us to ask Him for help to have a relationship with Him in the here and now.  We are designed to have relationship with Him. You might have everything…money, power, health and more, however, until you fill that part (a relationship with Jesus) of your life, you will always feel unfulfilled. I’ve been there…I know.  I’ve had it all, only to find out that the things that we think will make us happy do not deliver happiness.  Only Jesus can fill that void…period.

Find out how to have true relationship with Jesus…Success in this life and the next.

Also check out the following links:
Wisdom for Living – Online Bible Study Tools – Can you earn your way to heaven?

“The line between failure and success is so fine that we scarcely know when we pass it: so fine that we are often on the line and do not know it.”  –Elbert Hubbard, American writer

Failure is not always a bad or a negative experience.  Some people use failure as an excuse to stop striving for what they really want or need.  The Bible says in Proverbs 24:16,  “for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again…” According to Charles C. Manz, in his book, The Power of Failure: 27 Ways to Turn Life’s Setbacks into Success, “Sometimes failure is failure, at least in the short run.  If we can learn to accept failure as a necessary part of life and then take from it the valuable lessons it offers, we can transcend it.  Sometimes it’s best to not try to deny or redefine failure but to effectively cope and cooperate with it for future success.”

We may experience setbacks in life, but if we continue to rise again, the very next time may be the push we need to make it to our reward.  As Donnie McClurkin says in his popular gospel song, “We fall down, but we get up…”  The only way to accomplish what God is calling you to do is to have faith that God will be with you through it all.  “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13)  As long as we are obedient, God will even supply the faith, “… think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” (Romans 12:3)

“Most people search high and wide for the key to success. If they only knew, the key to their dreams lies within.”  – George Washington Carver. American inventor

Comfort Foods – What’s Your Comfort Food?

At a recent pot-luck, my friend looked at the rice pudding I had brought and exclaimed, “O boy, comfort food.”  For her, rice pudding was more than something pleasing to her tongue.  It seemed to stir up all sorts of wonderful and delicious memories. Perhaps it even touched a very special spot in her heart.

Comfort food is different for each individual.  For many it is chocolate that brings comfort – chocolate in just about any form. Some people even think of mashed potatoes and gravy as comfort food.  For my husband, comfort food is apple pie, especially apple pie a la mode.

Think for a moment about your comfort food.  What was happening in your life when that particular food brought comfort to you?  Were things going well or not so well for you?  Can you relate it to a particular person or event?

No matter what our comfort food may be, eating it always seems to make us feel a bit better and gives us a little brighter outlook on whatever situation we may be facing.  Although it is probably high in carbohydrates, it somehow touches whatever that spot is that needs to be touched at the moment.

Thinking about my friend’s response to rice pudding reminded me of my favorite comfort food.  Perhaps it’s your favorite too.  It’s my “spiritual comfort food,” and it’s found in the Bible.  It is the “go to” comfort food I rely upon.  I can eat all I want and never gain a pound, never get a cavity, and never feel guilty if I over eat.  It is delicious to my soul and readily available day or night.  No matter what I’m experiencing it is always there to bring just the exact comfort I need at that particular moment – and I don’t even have to go to the kitchen and prepare it.

For example, when I was a single mom raising three young children on my own, my comfort food was found in Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV): “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”  And when I was having trouble collecting all my credits from various college locations to apply toward a degree, my comfort was Isaiah 45:2 (NIV).  “I will go before you and will level the mountains.  I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.” And many times I have found comfort in these verses: Jeremiah 29:11(NIV) “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Proverbs 15: 29 (NIV) says, “The Lord hears the prayers of the righteous.”  And Psalm139 comforts me continually for it says God knew me before I was born and he will never forsake me no matter where I go.  How comforting those verses have been in my life.

Let’s face it. Chocolate may be comfort food for the body, but for the soul, you can’t beat The Bible.  It is delicious to your heart and satisfies your soul.  For as it says, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” (Psalm 119:103 NIV)  So go ahead.  Indulge – in God’s comfort food.

Recent news on global warming, plus the movie “2012,” are making people think about the idea of the end of the world. People are asking what will happen. Did the Mayans know something we don’t? Will mankind be to blame? How do we prepare?

What if I told you we can know for certain what would happen and how to prepare?

Here’s a hint – this book has a 2600-year-old prophecy about an alliance between Iran (then Persia) and Rosh – we know it’s either Russia or Turkey – in a war against Israel.(1) Persia has never been allied with Russia till very recently, and if it ever was with Turkey, it was never while Israel was in existence. Usually, Persia was at war or in an uneasy peace with Turkey and the empires there before Turkey. Yet, Iran is very cozy with Russia and cozying up to Turkey, and making many threats against Israel.

Some people follow these things for the thrill, like a scary movie. But, even if you follow it just for that reason, this is amazing, isn’t it? But, we can know much more.

This book also predicted that Israel would come back into existence, despite it not existing for thousands of years as an independent nation.(2) It also predicted television and/or webcams 2000 years before their existence, saying that everyone would be able to look on the bodies of two witnesses.(3) And, 2000 years ago, it also predicted microchip technology, which could be implanted in the skin, and a cashless society, where one would need the chip to buy or sell.(4) (Wait till you read below about Jerusalem!)

Prophecy isn’t history written beforehand to the last letter– but it is to the point that it’s easily understandable afterward. Take the judgment against Tyre, a very rich ancient trading city which was prophesized several centuries before it happened to be destroyed, not be rebuilt, and to have its ruins literally scraped down to the rock.(5) In 332 B.C., after many other nations had fought against it, Alexander the Great’s armies did just that – they scraped the ruins into the sea to make a way to the island part of it was on, and destroyed it entirely.

That’s not the only thing archaeologists have proven from this book. They’ve found evidence of many famous people mentioned in it.

Does this book really exist? It sure does. It has over 1000 prophecies, and all of the past ones have been fulfilled just the way it says. You can know about more than just Iran’s coming war with Israel, though. You can know more about how men will one day be scorched with great heat.(6)

You can also know how to escape all of this.

The book I’m talking about is the Bible. It has several hundred prophecies about Jesus Himself which came true, and more which will. He will return for His Church.

But wait, you ask – what about the other doomsayers? Well, let’s take a look. Because the devil likes to twist things, but there is an element of truth in some lies. That element is this: The world as we know it will end. And, it looks like it’ll be sooner, rather than later.

Let’s look at 2012. The Mayan calendar isn’t why the approach of 2012 is important. But, look at the Bible. Remember those first prophecies, about Iran and Russia and/or Turkey? That’s not all that’s happening now – and could be before 2012 – or after, of course.

Look at Jerusalem. It’s not just that Israel is being regathered to her ancient home. It’s Jerusalem. That city was prophesized 2400 years ago to one day be a “cup of trembling” and a “burdensome stone” to all. (7) Think about all who have tried and failed to bring peace to the Middle East. As the prophet says, it’s as if the whole world is risen up against it. It is truly a cup of trembling and a burdensome stone, with all who try failing. (There will be one man who does succeed, but he will lose in the end. More on him later.)

That’s not all. As we move toward a one-world currency, we get closer to a one-world government and even a one-world religious system that people are trying to put together. (8) We have lots of people saying these things are needed – things that have never before been possible.

2012 won’t be the end because of the Mayans. But, it’s important to realize that the signs of the times are showing that we are close. The Mayans just happened to stop their cycle at that point. But, God has put forth, in various places, what will happen in the end times. Again, they could start even earlier than 2012!

Let’s look at global warming, too. That prophecy about great heat is in the Bible, as are famines, disease, and so on. However, that doesn’t mean global warming is true. Like the Mayans with 2012, claims of global warming, true or not, are a coincidence. Actually, that great heat comes near the end of the Tribulation period.

What’s that? The Bible – which correctly predicted all that I’ve listed above, and hundreds more things – tells us. And, it’s vital for those who want to know the future. So, let’s take a short tour of real, Biblical prophecy, which is sure to come true.

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Definitions

Let’s start by defining a few terms:

God: The Creator of the Universe. He made this world perfect, so there was no sin. He wants a relationship with us. But, mankind brought sin into the world by free choice. God didn’t want us to be mindless robots. He wanted us to choose to follow Him on our own. He can’t have that relationship with us because He can’t touch sin. He exists in the spiritual dimension. It’s one we can’t see, but which exists. You know how we need an electron microscope to see electrons, or another instrument to see light? We need the instrument of faith to see the spiritual realm, because we are separated from Him.

Heaven: God’s home, again a very real place in the spiritual realm. In Heaven, there is no pain, no suffering, no tears. We can’t get there because of our sin. If any sin entered Heaven, it would not be perfect. We must get there by receiving God’s free gift of eternal life in his perfect Heaven.

Sin: This is what separates us from God. It is falling short of the mark of holy perfection. It’s anything we say, think, or do that comes short of that mark. As noted, sin is in this world because of our own free will. We must choose to accept or reject God. God wants a perfect world, where nobody will suffer. But, this world will be destroyed because of the sin in it. Because of our sin, we can’t make the world perfect, because we are not perfect.

Jesus Christ: The sinless Son of God. He is called that because He is equal with God in every way. God shows Himself to us in three ways – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. He always was, is, and will be God – He became man in order to take the punishment for our sins, when he died on the cross and rose from the dead.

Salvation: What one receives by simple faith that what Jesus Christ did – suffering and dying for your sins, and rising from the dead – was all that was necessary to restore that relationship with God, and get you to heaven. It is a totally free gift. It can’t be earned, and is not deserved. God gives it to us because of His love. However, He is also just. Sin must be punished. He took the punishment Himself.

Salvation has always been by faith – in the Old Testament, it was by faith in what God would do, in the New Testament, it’s faith in what God has done.

Christianity is unique in that only in Christianity does God come down to our level, take on flesh, and die for our sins. He died once for all – nothing more needs to be done. No other religion has the elements that Christianity does: A sinless substitute, punished for the sins of each one of us.

This is important. God will judge sin someday. It will be sooner, rather than later. All signs point toward it. Here’s what to expect, and how to prepare.

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The End of the World – An Overview of A Few Things

God promises the Jewish people will be gathered again to Israel. This has been happening for years. The Jewish people have always been God’s people. He never abandoned them. They were merely set aside so the Gentiles could be joined with them as children of God.

God will deal with Israel as a chosen nation again, once the Church Age is over. The Book of Revelation shows this. The church is not mentioned on Earth from the end of chapter 3 to the end of chapter 19, when Jesus returns with His saints.

Why? True believers are protected. We don’t know when it will happen. But, there will be what 1 Corinthians 15 describes. God the Holy Spirit moved Paul to write that Christians would all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.(9) He also wrote, in another book of the Bible, that Lord would “Descend with a shout, and the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God. Then, the dead in Christ will rise first, and we who remain will be caught up together with Him in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.”(10) These verses combine to describe the Rapture.

Here on Earth, one or two things may have happened before the above, or may only happen after the above. One is that war mentioned between Iran and her allies against Israel. Many think it will be during the Tribulation, and not before. Either is possible, though. The other is total and complete destruction of Damascus, mentioned in Isaiah 17. It will be sudden, without warning – one day it’s there, the next day, it’s gone. This could point to nuclear strike, an enormous natural gas explosion, a meteor, or something else. It also could very likely come during the Tribulation.

During the Rapture, not only are believers removed for protection, but God the Holy Spirit will no longer indwell believers. “He that letteth” – that is, that restrains evil – will be taken out of the way, and only then will the “wicked one” be revealed.(11) What this means is, people are very bad now. But, the Holy Spirit is still free to move around the Earth, causing them to do good by stirring their consciences. He keeps people from being really nasty all the time.

However, during the Tribulation, there will be complete chaos. A world leader will seem to be a man of peace. But, without the Spirit, people will be doing mean things all the time. Evil will run rampant. And, chapter two of the book of Second Thessalonians tells us what he will really be like. God knows people’s hearts, and he will really be a very evil person. This is the Antichrist, who will be destroyed at the end of the world.

God the Holy Spirit will be able to be on believers, but he may only light on them, like in the Old Testament, instead of living inside them.

Either way, He will guide and direct them. They will need to endure till the end, though; either when they die or when the Lord returns. Israel will be God’s focus in the end times.

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The Tribulation – the end of the world as we know it:

The Tribulation will start the minute a treaty is signed with the Antichrist. It will last for seven years. There is a question as to whether this deal will be an original one, or whether it will confirm/strengthen an existing one. The important part is, it will be seven years.(12) It may include the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem – the Third Temple – or the Temple may be rebuilt at another time.

This prophecy, from the Book of Daniel, is very important. He predicted to the day (with 360-day Jewish years) how long it would be from the order to rebuild Jerusalem, to Jesus’ crucifixion for our sins.(13) This verse says that Messiah would be “cut off – but not for Himself.” This describes God punishing Him for our sins, the just for the unjust. He literally suffered separation from God the Father in our place. Then, He rose from the dead, having defeated sin and the grave, so we, too, may live forever someday in heaven!

The Tribulation, then, is the final of Daniel’s 70 “weeks,” which means units of 7 years. As noted, it begins with this peace treaty – a covenant – with Israel. The people of this “prince that shall come” are said to destroy the sanctuary – Romans destroyed it in 70 A.D.. that doesn’t mean the Antichrist must live in Rome; but he will have descended from somewhere in the Old Roman Empire. The “number of the beast,” which is “666,”according to most sources (could be “616,” but that’s doubtful) might mean that some law about him has that number, or it could be just the number of man – 6, one short of 7, which is the number of God. Or, it could mean something else that we don’t understand yet.

A few judgments may start before the middle of the Tribulation, though it’s most likely that the first 3.5 years of the Tribulation will be a time of relative peace. You may have heard of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. They will kill a quarter of the world’s population with war, famine, disease, and even the wild animals – who, in a major famine, would attack people.(14) This will come with a global economic collapse, which will make it so rough that a day’s wages will be needed to buy one loaf of bread, although the rich and powerful will still be rather wealthy, as the “oil and the wine” will not be harmed.(15)

It is also possible that all of this will happen only after the middle of the Tribulation. This will mark an important turning point. A one-world currency, one-world government (with this man at the head) and one-world religious system will be in place those first 3.5 years. But, they will be all about man trying to puff himself up with pride. We saw that people can’t be perfect, though, because of our sin. There will be people doing horrible things, and committing great sins. That’s because the devil, God’s enemy, will be running rampant. And, then, at the middle of the tribulation. He will inhabit this world leder himself, and the Great Tribulation will start.

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The Great Tribulation – Hell on Earth

The last 3.5 years will start at the middle of the 7-year period mentioned earlier. The antichrist will cause the sacrifices in the rebuilt Jewish Temple to stop. He made peace with the Jewish people. Now, he will turn traitor and make war with them. Jesus spoke of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD in part of His prophecy. But, not everything was fulfilled – this was a partial fulfillment.

Here, it will all be fulfilled.

The Beast – another name for the antichrist – will have a “deadly wound” that is healed at the middle of the Tribulation period, according to Revelation 13:3-8; this is when the devil will indwell him. This may mean a physical wound, but that is not certain.

We know he will make war against Jews and any Gentile believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jews will flee to a place – possible Petra – where they will be miraculously protected by God for 3.5 years. God will have been dealing with the Jewish people as His chosen nation before, during the Tribulation. But, they will be confused. They will think that the antichrist is their Messiah. In fact, Jesus Christ, their Messiah, already came, and suffered and died for them, and rose from the dead. They will only realize that when the antichrist makes war on them.

Around this time, the weather will start to go crazy. If it hasn’t already, a giant ‘star – probably a meteor – will come crashing into the sea, causing huge tidal waves and earthquakes. During this 3.5 year period, everyone will be making war with each other. All the violence and other horrible stuff will only get worse. The world system of false religion will be destroyed by the antichrist, as he forces all to worship him (16), and the world’s financial system will collapse.(17)

Finally, Jesus Christ will come back with all believers.(18) This includes those who died for His testimony during the Tribulation. Those Jews which survive will inhabit the Millennial Kingdom, which is a literal 1000-year reign of Jesus Christ, in a world which has a perfect system of love and justice. (Revelation 20, but also many other verses, talk about this time.) After that, people – because of that human nature – will rebel against God, and He will wipe out the world, and create a new Heaven and a new Earth,. But, that’s not important for now. For now, you want to know how to prepare.

First, there’s something VERY important you may have heard about, which will help in your preparation.

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The Mark of the Beast

This deserves its own section. Because, you might be reading this after some of this has happened.

NEVER, NEVER ,NEVER take a mark in OR on your hand OR in or on your forehead that says you must have it to buy or sell, and that causes you to swear allegiance to the antichrist – also known as the Beast – or the world system he sets up. I hate to shout, but this is very important. Remember that spiritual realm I talked about? Well, there’s a literal Hell, too, a place of horrible suffering, separated from God’s perfect love forever. It was created only for the devil and his angels, but where people go who reject God’s perfect love and goodness. If you take that mark, and swear allegiance to the antichrist, you swear allegiance to the devil, and all hope is lost.

I can’t stress enough that swearing allegiance to the antichrist by taking that mark is something that can’t be undone. It will be the point of no return. It won’t come until the Tribulation period – what part of the Tribulation, we don’t know. But, the mark will be the point of decision, where you must choose between Heaven and Hell.

Is it a computer chip that’s put in your body? That may be part of it, but it is not just an ordinary chip.

The Mark of the Beast CAN’T come be required before the Tribulation. It IS something that will be required to buy or sell, and could exist beforehand.

So, let me put it this way. If it’s a chip that’s required to buy or sell, don’t take any chances. It sounds like this mark will only become the “mark to Hell” once the image of the Beast is set up. But, if it requires you to swear allegiance to the world leader, or to his government, don’t do it. Even if everyone else is. Even if you can’t buy or sell a thing without it. Even if you would die because you don’t take it. Remember, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

But, you must know Jesus Christ as your Savior in order to be present with Him when you die. So, if it is after the Tribulation you are reading this, stay strong, trust in Jesus Christ, and endure till He comes, or till you go to meet Him.

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How do I Prepare for the End of the World?

This is addressed to two groups of people.

First, if it’s before the Rapture, you want to make sure you meet the Lord in the air, either because you’re among the dead who rise first, or because you’re alive and caught up to meet Him. We don’t know how close to the Tribulation this will be, but we do know this:

All the hundreds of prophecies about Jesus’ first coming came true. He war born in Bethlehem, yet came from Nazareth – a Nazarene. All the miracles; all those things about His death, such as the price of thirty pieces of silver for Him, and the soldiers casting lots for His garments; and, most importantly, His death, as the perfect, sinless substitute for you. He took your place when He died on the cross, and He rose from the dead.

It doesn’t matter what others have said. This is between you and God – He will take care of others. This is for you. Do you accept that you, personally, have sinned? That you fall short of God’s perfection? All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned each one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Remember, He took your punishment so you could get to Heaven.

You must simply receive Him by simple faith. Faith that He is the sinless Son of God, that He shed His blood, and took the punishment for your sins. Put your trust in the fact that He did all that was needed to get you to Heaven. Call upon Him to save you from your sins, and He will. Repent of your sins. That means to agree with Him that your sins cause you to fall short of His mark of perfection, and that you need Him to save you and cleanse you from your sins, and change you on the inside, and come to live in you through His Holy Spirit. And, He will. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. You will still have that sin nature until you meet Him in the air, when that fleshly, human nature will disappear. But, He will keep working with you till then so you can become more like Christ. Find a good, Gospel preaching church – there aren’t many left, but check out “Rapture Ready” and their message boards. There’s great fellowship there. Read your Bible every day, so you can be fed spiritually. (God will help you understand it; make sure it’s a King James Version, so you’re not confused by the counterfeits, as they are trying to change the Bible so much, printing new ones so often. And yet, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. You can count on Him to never fail.) Pray, and witness to others. Keep trusting in the Lord to help you be more like Him spiritually. And, if you mess up, just go to Him and confess your sins, and He is faithful and just to forgive you of your sins, and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. He’s already done it – He died for all your sins, past, present, and future. He took your punishment, to get you into the Kingdom of God. And, He will never cast you out.

Don’t delay. We don’t know when the Lord will come back, and we don’t know when we’ll breathe our last. Waiting for the rapture may mean it’s too late.

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Preparing if it’s after the Rapture/during the Tribulation

Now, this might be after the Rapture. You might not even know if there was Rapture. Maybe things were just so hectic because of disasters, or maybe the news isn’t talking about it. Either way, remember the following:

1. Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from your sins, by believing that He died for you, taking your punishment for your sins, and rose from the dead. It doesn’t matter what anyone else is saying. He is real, was real, and always will be real. The liberal agenda says to follow anything. But, there is a gap between God and man because of man’s sin. Jesus died to bridge that gap, and rose from the dead. No person can save himself, and no world government can save you. It doesn’t matter who is saying they’re the world’s savior – even aliens from space, one possible lie that people thought might be told. DO NOT BELIEVE THEM. Jesus Christ is God in flesh, and only He can save you from your sins.

2. Read the above about the Tribulation carefully. It contains important things that will help you understand what’s going on. Read the Bible, especially the parts listed. If the “Rapture ready” site is still working, read it, especially the Left Behind Letters. Prepare for the fact you likely have less than 7 years to live no matter what, so you have a decision to make. Do you go to Heaven, or hell?

You won’t see your friends in Hell; it’s a place of great darkness and pain that lasts forever. God doesn’t want you to go there. The world government, which tries to make like everything will be perfect if you follow them, is not perfect, and will – like the rest of the world – be destroyed.

God wants to protect you. He longs for you to come to Him, and confess your sins. He wants you in Heaven, but He is letting you make your own choice. Heaven is such a wonderful place, where there is no pain for anyone, no suffering, no tears. God wants you to be there forever someday. That’s why He came for you. It’s a real place.

You must trust in God, with all your heart, and continue to follow Him. Don’t go astray, whatever you do, especially if this is being read after the Tribulation has begun., but instead trust Him completely to help you to not only survive, but to tell others about Him, too. Because, you may not have much time. But, you will have the chance to earn great rewards in Heaven, where they can’t grow old or get messed up, and nobody can steal them.

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That, in sum, is how to prepare. The ride might be kind of bumpy, or there might be a lull, for a while. Just remember, it’s not about how many weapons or how much food or anything else that you have. God will provide all your needs. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things – all you need to glorify Him. – shall be added unto you. No matter if it’s before or during the Tribulation.

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(1) Ezekiel 38-39

(2) Many prophecies tell of the Jewish people being dispersed, then regathered in their ancient homeland – a very good book, which I recommend, is John Walvoord’s “Every Prophecy of the Bible.” However, I disagree with his use of Bible versions; ironically, for the very thing he states in the beginning of his introduction. The version he uses takes the Alexandrian texts, which even he calls heretical; they not only make so many things into allegory, instead of giving them real meaning, they take many words out and change others to confuse people. The King James Version is the one I use and quote from. Walvoord’s expositions and explanations are still very good, though.

(3) Revelation 11:9

(4) Rev. 13

(5) Isaiah 23, Eze. 26-27; Eze. 26:3-4 mentions scraping to the bare rock

(6) Rev. 16:9

(7) Zechariah 12:2-3

(8) Revelation 17-18

(9) 1 Corinthians 15:51-54

(10) 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

(11) 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8

(12) Daniel 9:27

(13) Daniel 9:25-26 – a “week” of years is 7 years

(14) Rev. 6

(15) Rev. 6:6

(16) 2 Thess. 2:3-4; Rev. 17 on the destruction of the false religious system

(17) Rev. 18

(18) Jude 14-16, Rev. 19:11-21

“Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”

– Winston Churchill

Churchill certainly had the right attitude.  Take a look at  Isaiah 40:31, which reminds us that as Christians, we should continue to trust in the Lord even when times get tough, “but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  I believe that God has made me strong again and given me a desire to reach out to others in their troubled times.  Knowing that God would never betray me is my source of strength.  We know that no one will ever have a problem-free life, but faith in God and faith in our worth as beloved children of God will give us the hope and encouragement we need to remain strong and to witness to others for Christ.

I close today with these words from the founding pastor of the  Crystal Catherdral:

“Commit yourself to a dream… Nobody who tries to do something great but fails is a total failure. Why? Because he can always rest assured that he succeeded in life’s most important battle — he defeated the fear of trying.”

– Dr. Robert H. Schuller