Ways to Stop Losing Your Car Keys

You obviously don't need to read this article if you rarely lose your car keys. However if you misplace your car keys often and have a pretty good relationship with your locksmith, it's time to change these bad habits into good ones.

One of my friends, recently lost their car keys. I would like you to listen to what I'm about to say and see if it makes sense to you. Most people get two keys when they buy a car. This means, if they lose one key, they now have a spare key. When they lose their first key, this should give them a pretty good clue that the second key is now the only key, if they wish to drive their car.

Does that make sense? If you lose your first key, you don't have a second or spare key anymore. Now is a good time to purchase a spare key or have one made. Don't wait until you lose the second one, unless you are planning to change your bad habit into a good one.

Now let me get back to my friends who recently lost their car's key. The car they were driving was a new Honda and you can't go to the locksmith to get another key made. You have to order one from the Honda dealer and this key cost them over $200. That's a lot of money for one key.

Now my friends lost both of their original keys and now have one key to operate the vehicle and this key cost them over $200. Now if I had to pay this amount of money, I would make sure that I never lost this key ever again. I would do whatever it to to change my old habits and create some new ones.

How hard is it to get in the habit of placing your keys inside of your purse. Placing your keys in your pockets and then only removing them when you are going to place them inside of a drawer, container, cup, bowl or on a shelf in your bedroom. If you place your keys in a drawer, this will keep them out of other people's temptation.

If you choose to lay your keys in a bowl, in the kitchen, there's a good chance someone will take them or another member of your family could lose them. Place your keys in a protected area, do not leave them out in the open ever.

If you want some tips to prevent you from losing your keys, simply talk to someone who rarely if ever loses their keys. Most of these people have simple and easy to follow tips. You can consciously create a habit that can save you money and frustration in the future.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing and personal development

Greg is currently working on a spiritual video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world

Can One Book Change Your Life

Religious Faith Or Religious Facts

If you're a religious follower and believe in your religion, I would like to ask you a question. Do you base religious beliefs on facts or faith? Let's start out with this and assume that you answered, that you do base your religious beliefs on faith, with little factual information to back it up.

Basing your religious beliefs on faith alone can lead you to believe, what ever someone else tells you. For example, if you go to your place of worship and the religious leader reads something from your scriptures to the followers, do you assume that this is a fact. Are you going to do a little research if something doesn't sound right. If everyone else shares a common opinion about something in your religion, but it isn't true, wouldn't you like to know about it or are you one of those people who didn't even listen and really doesn't even want to be at your place of worship.

Faith can create a lot of problems all by itself. Whenever you start digging into most religions, like I have, and mind you, I'm no expert and do not claim to be an expert in religious beliefs. I'm trying to get people to learn about their religion. This information can be obtained from your religious scriptures, books on other religions, information on the Internet and last but not least talking to other people, outside and within your religion.

Religious facts are hard to come by, when you're beliefs are unrealistic. I can't explain the creation of the world or what year it will be destroyed, but it does seem a little unrealistic and hard to believe that a superior entity created this world and possibly the universe. At the same time I cannot argue with this or disprove it.

With this in mind, I wouldn't go around telling everyone that God or a God created the universe. I just don't have any proof and it's as simple as that. Why would I want to instill this belief into my children or another person? No one on earth has this information.

Try not to base your life on religious faith alone. Just the simple fact that you are reading this article, tells me that you have an interest in furthering your education about religion, whether it's yours or someone else's. You might not be able to find all of the facts to support your religious beliefs but at least it's a start and you're heading in the right direction.

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended sites, Seeking Knowledge

Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Secret

It's a Great Day

So what defines a "great day"? Everyone has their own personal definition so allow me to share how I define a great day.

For some a great day is when:

You come into a large sum of money

You finally got the person's attention you were longing for

Your partner said "yes" to marry you

You finally got pregnant

You or some one you love recovers from an illness

You finally paid off your mortgage or car loan

You won an all expense paid trip

You met your fat loss goal

Your funds are on the up swing with a good return

Those are a handful of what we would label a great day, because something good happened to us or someone we're connected to. Though each of those events are warranted to be labeled a "great day", they do not (in my opinion) really convey the true essence of the greatness of that day.

Shouldn't a great day be defined not by the events of what occurred, but by how you handle yourself throughout the day?

Someone cuts you off while driving and you hold your cool; you receive less than excellent customer service care and you don't flip out, you find yourself at peace as you go about your day even though all your life's events aren't lining up exactly the way to want it to just yet. The cheque you were expecting is a bit delayed, and your personal bill payments are coming due in 5 - 10 days, but you are still unflustered and at peace knowing that it will all work out.

If my great days are based only on the successful outcome of the events of my day, then I could very well be in for a rough miserable day or days. This means that every time something doesn't go my way it erodes the potential of me having a great day. Now when we look at it that way, doesn't that sucks big time?

It's a great day -when you're at peace, where there's no urgency to rush, to get up tight, to struggle and fuss. A day regardless of the events good or bad, you're at peace, content, resting in knowing that you have full control of chartering the course of your emotions, and when events do manifests in ways you're expecting that would be an added boost to your already great day.

I am the music, the song, and the dance. My life is the whatever expression I choose to give it. I decide how fulfilled or not I'm going to be; my faith or lack thereof, the positive or negative attitude I decide on embracing or rejecting. I am given "today" to live, so I'm going to give it my all and live the best I can for today.

Always Question Your Religion

Attitude Is Everything - Self Help Tips!

Employees are the backbone of an organization. Their behavior, attitude, and manner can make or break a company. Like a cold an attitude can be contagious and spread like wild-fire. Some attitudes are a result of outside forces, but some attitudes are because of misery from within.

One problem that I have seen that causes an employees mood or attitude to change is money issues. Money issues can be two-fold: a) they feel theyre not making enough, and b) theyre spending more than they make. I remember going to a job, and on my first day an employee said, We all live pay-check to pay-check here, so were all broke. I soon learned she was the most miserable of people. People dont want to live pay-check to pay-check and be broke. However, its a habit or lifestyle theyve gotten comfortable with, and they arent sure how or what to change. If an employer isnt paying you what you want; you accepted the terms and conditions, so it is up to you to change your attitude, situation, and circumstance.

We create our own happiness and our own drama. If youre not currently happy do something about it. Not getting paid enough? Find a new job. Broke? Change your habits and spending to get a different outcome? Hate your job? Thank God you have a job that is paying you while you look for a new one -- so stop complaining. As an employee there are a few things you can do to change your situation: a) get a new attitude, b) change your thinking and behavior, and c) stop being a toxic waste at the company.

Employers, here are a few changes to create a better working environment: a) talk to your employees say hello b) get employees insight and opinions on different matters you might learn something new c) have self-improvement lunch-n-learn seminars show them you care about them as a person, and d) say thank you kindness goes a long way

How we think, act, and feel affects our attitude. Change your attitude and win the game of life!

Sharman Lawson is living proof that you can live debt-free. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon in a household of 10, including her parents, she learned early in life the concepts of faith in God, taking hold of a vision, practicing discipline, and using wisdom and common sense to realize her dreams. Her mother and her father, an ordained minister, preached and practiced the importance of never being a "slave to the lender."

In 1999, Sharman and her husband paid off all their debt, including their home, in five years. That is when she started conducting seminars and educating others on how to manage their money and live debt free. Her testimony is inspiring. She lets you know that it's not your education, your title, your position or the amount of money you make that is important. It's stepping out on faith, trusting God, believing the impossible is possible, and knowing that going after your purpose, passion and dream is better than all the things you sacrificed.

Sharman Lawson is a financial coach and author of 12 Steps to Eliminate Debt Forever. http://www.freedomconceptsusa.com

What Do I Do If Someone Insults

The Sun God Of Christianity

Marking 50 Years of Achebe's Things Fall Apart - Maintaining a Proud Presence in World Literature

50 years ago in 1958 a young Nigerian, Chinua Achebe, at the young age of 28, made major breakthrough for African Literature with the publication of his novel Things Fall Apart. This novel became widely read and recommended in schools and colleges all over the world. I could remember reading it for two years in succession 30 years ago when I was in secondary school in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and all of us in the class were as thrilled not only by the events but by the infectiously fresh idioms and imageries used to describe characters and scenes.

Up to now the imageries that lard the texture of the narrative still have place in the lexicon of my students. The most common included that comparing the speedy growth of Okonkwo's reputation and power: to "a bushfire in the harmattan" and that if a man should say yes his chi, his personal god, should also say yes, in accord with him. Unoka, Okonkwo's father, the "agbala" soon had his counterparts identified amongst us as much as were the fools and weaklings dubbed 'efulefus'. But Unoka was not seen as such a hateful character as his son was trying to make him, for he seemed like a lively fun-lover who had no problem with anyone, except of course his son who was ever burning with the hatred of a failed parentage and heritage as his father spent most of his time playing flute and drinking palmwine unmindful about tomorrow. I have had to read, teach, lecture, discuss, read and reread with new layers of meaning and interpretations unveiling themselves to me at each stage in that joyful cycle of engagement with it, with the text taking a permanent place in the imagination.

I am still trying to retrieve an essay I wrote whilst doing my masters on Achebe's unique style across his novels, then restricted to Things Fall Apart, No Longer at Ease, A Man of the People and Arrow of God. For Anthills of the Savannah had not yet been written. So when I read the preamble to Joyce Ashuntantang"s interview of the literary sage in "50 Years After "Things Fall Apart": A Chat with Chinua Achebe" it was as if she was a spokeperson for our experience which I expect might be one all across Africa, especially. She recalled many secondary school children who were not macho enough ending up with the nickname "agbala" which meant womanly, a derogatory reference to a man in Umuofia who had not taken any titles as was the case with Unoka. Another name she identified was "efulefu" meaning worthless person,

Many of the proverbs from the text have flown beyond Umuofia to Anglo-literate communities across Africa like ours in Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Ghana and Gambia. For example, "The lizard that jumped from the high Iroko tree to the ground said he would praise himself if no one else did"; "Eneke the bird says that since men have learned to shoot without missing I have learned to fly without perching"; "A child who washes his hands can dine with elders"; "An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb".

Chinua Achebe's fate was being sealed from 1948, when in preparation for independence, Nigeria's first university, now the University of Ibadan, opened, as an associate college of the University of London.

Achebe obtained such high marks in the college entrance examination that he was admitted in its first intake with a bursary to study medicine.

After a year of gruelling work, however, deciding that science was not made for him, he changed to English, history, and theology. But this switch cost him his scholarship. He now had to pay his tuition fees. Luckily, he received a government bursary, which helped him halfway together with money contributed by his family. His older brother, Augustine, gave up money for a trip home from his job as a civil servant to enable Chinua continue his studies. From its inception, the university had a strong English faculty which attracted the brightest intakes including those who like Achebe were to become famous writers like Wole Soyinka, Elechi Amadi, John Pepper Clark, Christopher Okigbo and, Kole Omotoso.

In 1950 Achebe made a further advance towards his literary goal when he wrote his first piece entitled,"Polar Undergraduate" for the University Herald even serving as its editor during the 1951-2 school year.Through irony and humour it celebrates the intellectual vigour of his classmates. He followed this with other essays and letters about philosophy and freedom in academia, some of which were published in another campus magazine, The Bug.

Achebe then wrote his first short story, "In a Village Church", which combines details of life in rural Nigeria with Christian institutions and icons, a style which was to be of much use in many of his later works. Other short stories he wrote during his time at Ibadan include "The Old Order in Conflict with the New" and "Dead Men's Path" which examine conflicts between tradition and modernity, with an eye toward promoting dialogue and understanding on both sides. Professor Geoffrey Parrinder's arrival at the university to teach comparative religion, set Achebe on exploring the fields of Christian history and African traditional religions.

He was now becoming critical of European literature about Africa.like Irish novelist Joyce Cary's Mister Johnson, about a cheerful Nigerian man who was working for an abusive British store owner for which Achebe and some of his classmates could not conceal their dislike . One of his classmates even went as far as announcing to the professor that the only enjoyable moment in the book is when Johnson is shot . In amother move to cultural nationalism, Achebe renounced his British name, Albert, replacing it with his indigenous name "Chinua."

At the end of his undergraduate studies in 1953 Achebe was so disappointrf at being awarded a second-class degree and not the first class that he had been expecting that he became uncertain as to how to proceed after that. So he returned to his hometown, Ogidi, to sort through his options. There, a friend from the university who visited him convinced him to apply for an English teaching position at the Merchants of Light school at Oba, a ramshackle institution with a crumbling infrastructure and a meagre library built on what the residents called "bad bush" or evil forest as a similar area in Things Fall Apart is called - a section of land thought to be tainted by unfriendly or evil spirits which was what was allocated to the Christian missionaries to build their church with the hope that they would not survive the evil spirits..

As a teacher, Achebe encouraged his students to be original in their work and read extensively. As the students did not have access to the newspapers he had read as a student, he made his own available in the classroom. But after four months here he grabbed an opportunity which arose in 1954 to work for the Nigerian Broadcasting Service (NBS), in Lagos, and left.

Achebe was assigned to the Talks Department, where he was responsible for preparing scripts for oral delivery, a task which helped him master the subtle nuances between written and spoken language, thus enabling him later to write realistic dialogue with ease.The city of Lagos, a huge conurbation teeming with recent migrants from the rural villages also made a significant impression on him, as it did on Ekwensi. Achebe revelled in the social and political activities around him later drawing upon such experiences when describing the city in No Longer At Ease.

While in Lagos, Achebe started work on a novel though quite a challenging task, since very little African fiction apart from Amos Tutuola's Palm-Wine Drinkard (1952) and Cyprian Ekwensi's People of the City (1954) had been written in English. While appreciating Ekwensi's work, Achebe worked hard to develop his own style, even as he pioneered the creation of the Nigerian novel itself. Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Nigeria in 1956 which brought issues of colonialism and politics further to the surface, was a significant moment for Achebe.

His first trip outside Nigeria also in 1956, when he was to undergo training in London at the Staff School run by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).was an opportunity for Achebe to advance his technical production skills, and to solicit feedback on his novel. In London he met a novelist, Gilbert Phelps, to whom he showed the manuscript. Phelps with great enthusiasm, asked Achebe if he could show it to his editor and publishers. Achebe declined, insisting that it needed more work.

On his return to Nigeria, Achebe started revising and editing it, now titled Things Fall Apart drawn from a line in the Irish poet, William Butler Yeats' poem "The Second Coming". He concentrated only on the story of a yam farmer, Okonkwo, adding sections, improving various chapters, and restructuring and tightening the prose.

By 1957 having sculpted it to his liking, he took advantage of an advertisement offering a typing service to send the only copy of his handwritten manuscript (along with the #22 fee) to the London company. He waited several months without receiving any communication from them, and began to worry.

So when his boss, Angela Beattie, was going to London on her annual leave he requested her to visit the company and act on his behalf which she did rather decisively, angrily demanding why it was lying ignored in the corner of the office. The company quickly sent a typed copy to Achebe. Beattie's intervention thus rescued and revived Achebe's spirit thus enabling him to continue as a writer. Had the novel been lost, he would have been so discouraged that he would probably have given up altogether.

In 1958 Achebe sent his novel to the agent earlier recommended by Gilbert Phelps in London. The agent upon receiving it sent it to several publishing houses. Some rejected it immediately, claiming that fiction from African writers had no market potential. Finally it reached the office of Heinemann. Executives there hesitated until an educational adviser, Donald MacRae, - just back from a trip through west Africa - read it and forced the company's hand with his succinct report: "This is the best novel I have read since the war"

In the book Okonkwo haunted by the failure of his father - a shiftless debtor fond of playing the flute and drinking palmwine - tortures himself not to resemble him in any way by working hard and not showing any feelings or compassion. It also evplores the complications and contradictions that arise within him and in the wider community when white missionaries arrive in his village of Umuofia. Exploring the cultural conflict, particularly after the first encounter between Igbo tradition and Christian doctrine and European administration that ensues, the novel shows the crumbling of the infexible and inhumane structures of Umuofia along with the equally infexible Okonkwo. Achebe thus retold the history of colonization from the point of view of the colonized, in reversal of previous images presented. For Achebe's emergence as "the founding father of African literature ... in the English language," is traceable to his reaction to Joyce Cary's novel Mister Johnson, set in Achebe's native Nigeria which he studied at the University College in Ibadan. In a curriculum full of Shakespeare, Coleridge, and Wordsworth, Mister Johnson stood out as one of the few books about Africa which Time magazine recently declared the "best book ever written about Africa," but Achebe and his classmates had quite a decidedly hostile reaction to. For they saw the Nigerian hero as an "embarrassing nitwit," as Achebe writes in , Home and Exile, and detected in the Irish author's descriptions of Nigerians "an undertow of uncharitableness ... a contagion of distaste, hatred, and mockery." Mister Johnson, Achebe writes, "open[ed] my eyes to the fact that my home was under attack and that my home was not merely a house or a town but, more importantly, an awakening story."

Home and Exile, which describes this transition to a new era in literature is then both a kind of autobiography and a rumination on the power stories have to create a sense of dispossession or to confer strength, depending on who is wielding the pen. Achebe depicts his gradual realization that Mister Johnson was just one in a long line of books written by Westerners that presented Africans to the world in a way that Africans didn't agree with or recognize, and he examines the "process of 're-storying' peoples who had been knocked silent by all kinds of dispossession." He hopes -- that this "re-storying" will continue and will eventually result in a "balance of stories among the world's peoples."

Things Fall Apart marked a turning point for African authors, who began to take back the narrative of the so-called "dark continent."

The style of Achebe's fiction draws heavily on the oral tradition of the Igbo. He weaves folk tales into the fabric of his stories, thus illuminating community values in both the content and the form of the storytelling. The tale about the Earth and Sky , for example, emphasises the interdependence of the masculine and the feminine. Although Nwoye enjoys hearing his mother tell the tale, Okonkwo's dislike for it is evidence of his imbalance. Later, Nwoye avoids beatings from his father by pretending to dislike such "women's stories".

Achebe' s free but deft use of proverbs, which often illustrate the values of the rural Igbo tradition. sprinkled throughout the narratives, repeating points made in conversation is deft. For Achebe, however, proverbs and folk stories are not the sum total of the oral Igbo tradition. In combining philosophical thought and public performance into the use of oratory - "speech artistry" -, his characters exhibit what he called "a matter of individual excellence ... part of Igbo culture." as Okonkwo's friend Obierika voices the most impassioned oratory, crystallising the events and their significance for the village.

Ceremonial dancing and the singing of folk songs also reflect the realities of Igbo tradition. The elderly Uchendu, attempting to shake Okonkwo out of his self-pity, refers to a song sung after the death of a woman: "For whom is it well, for whom is it well? There is no one for whom it is well." This song contrasts with the "gay and rollicking tunes of evangelism" sung later by the white missionaries.

Okonkwo's tragedy perhaps could be seen as emanating from his furious manhood overpowering everything feminine in his life, including his own conscience. For example, when he feels awful after killing his adopted son, he asks himself: "When did you become a shivering old woman?" All things feminine are distasteful to him, in part because they remind him of his father's laziness and cowardice. The women in the novel, meanwhile, are obedient, quiet, and absent from positions of authority - despite the fact that Igbo women were traditionally involved in village leadership. Nevertheless, the need for feminine balance is highlighted by Ani, the earth goddess, and the extended discussion of "Nneka" ("Mother is supreme") in chapter fourteen. Okonkwo's defeat is seen by some as a consequence of his suppression of a balancing feminine ethos.

Heinemann published 2,000 hardcover copies of Things Fall Apart on 17 June 1958. According to Alan Hill, employed by the publisher at the time, the company did not "touch a word of it" in preparation for release. The book received such a rousing reception that merits a whole book or at least an article to detail.Mean while as we celebrate 50 years of Things Fall Apart the book keeps moving into new corners of the globe while holding and tickling the imagination of those of us who have grown and fed on it for decades.

Born and schooled in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Arthur Smith has taught English for over thirty years at various Educational Institutions. He is now a Senior Lecturer of English at Fourah Bay College where he has been lecturing for the past eight years.

Mr Smith's writings have been in various media. He participated in a seminar on contemporary American Literature in the U.S. in 2006. His growing thoughts and reflections on this trip which took him to various US sights and sounds could be read at http://www.lisnews.org

His other publications include: Folktales from Freetown, Langston Hughes: Life and Works Celebrating Black Dignity, and 'The Struggle of the Book'

Spending 15 Minutes Each Day

What is a Psychic

The word psychic (pronounced /saikik/; from the Greek psychikos--of the soul, mental') refers to the ability to perceive things hidden from the normal senses through what is described as extra-sensory perception, or to those people said to have such abilities.

The truth of the matter is that everyone has extra sensory abilities or psychic-ness. It is what the common-or-garden term used these days is your 'gut feeling', intuition, sixth sense; that little voice in your head that tells you otherwise. It is the sense that tells you to avoid a certain place or person without any logical reason. Everything and everyone has a psychic ability that we either choose to use or ignore. It is just a matter of being aware of your own unique gift.

Being a psychic person in simple terms is the process of being aware and developing a greater heightened awareness of being aware. For some it might be a daunting task and for others is might be easier. This is one of the reasons that many people engage in the practice of meditation, practicing bringing the mind to the present moment, yoga or any activity that develops the habit of strengthening your awareness.

A person who is highly intuitive/psychic or possess a greater heightened sense of awareness is not necessarily living the life of Buddha or anything profound but an ordinary life with all its up and downs of the day-to-day trials and tribulations. It is like some people can wiggle their ears or raise one eyebrow and some people can tell you are going to call them before the phone rings. It can also be a difficult way of being without the help and understanding of others. Have you ever been told you are just too sensitive? Are you hypersensitive in crowds? Electronic gadgets drive you crazy sometimes? Or maybe you have dreams that actually come true? literally.

These are all symptoms of having a psychic sensitive awareness. Some consider it a wonderful gift on a good day and some days a great burden. It is a responsibility that is not carried lightly but with guidance and support by those of us who have been there (especially in the more difficult times) to help learn to manage these gifts, it can be a beautiful way of being.

So in my opinion, everyone is a psychic and everyone has the ability to master their gifts of the extrasensory ability, it is just a choice as to whether you choose to use it, follow it, have confidence in it or not.

In the next issue of PsychicsEmerging Newsletter we will explore different types of extra sensory/psychic abilities, what they mean, and for what they are used.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, BLOG OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Sandy Ng is an Intuitive Counselor, Author, and Speaker. Join a growing community by signing up for the Psychics Emerging Monthly Newsletter at http://psychicsemerging.weebly.com, and gain access to more information, articles, tips, tools and strategies.

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Dreaming And Outer Body Experien

The "Reason" and "Moral" Dimensions of the Human

(If you wish to obtain more benefit from this article, please read firstly our "Correct Understanding the Human" titled article.)

My precious brother,

I had talked about five dimensions of the human existence in my previous article.

"Substance", "Physiological" and "Psychological" dimensions are present also at the animals. But "reason" and "moral" dimensions belong to the human only. I want to emphasize the last two dimensions for the reason that these are the base of the human behaviors.

A human in the reason dimension

The human gets a "character" and "personality" with being taken over the management of the body by mind, in the fourth "reason" dimension. Because, the reason is a mechanism for "thinking", "analyzing and synthesizing", and "deciding". For this reason, this dimension is a dimension that the human behaves according to his self free demands and desires, with his self free volition and with his self free decisions. But, by reason of the fact that the divine education doesn't occur yet, the desires and ambitions of the ego dominate the behaviors of person, in this dimension. That means, person takes the base entirely his own demands and desires, his own volition, when he decides on any subject.

The "good" and "bad" in this dimension

As a result, in this dimension, those being suitable for the desires of the person are "good", but those being adverse to the desires of the person are "bad". For this reason, the person can not be rid of having a double standard. Because, while a thing and a situation is "good" for being suitable for his personal interests; at an other time, the same thing and situation is "bad" for being adverse to his personal interests.

An other characteristic of this dimension is to be fond of money, status and having. In this dimension, for the reason that the person bases on the demands and desires of his ego as main manager of his behaviors, everything satisfying this desires gets a big value in his eye. A big fondness arises in his heart for everything satisfying this demands and desires of his ego. This extreme love and fondness for the things such as money, status and having divinizes these things in their owner's eye. And makes him become merciless and hard-hearted against the other humans.

The boredom of the human in the fourth dimension never finish

The boredom and confusions of the human in this dimension never finish. Because, the human obeying to his ego, in the fourth dimension, consumes all the time of his life by trying to satisfy the interminable demands and desires of his ego. However, the needs of human are endless. The demands and desires emerging in the heart for these needs are also endless. Does it finish the troubles of the human who tries to satisfy his own every whim? For this reason, the main characteristics of this fourth dimension is the boredom, heart unrest, and precipitancy.

One of the most important characteristics of this dimension is haughtiness. Haughtiness means to see himself superior to other humans. This is an inherent result of being egocentric. Because, the ego changes the realities according to self's demands and desires. And it sees excellent itself over everybody and everything.

The human in the fourth dimension doesn't know also a true "love"

The human in this dimension, also, doesn't know a "love" in real meaning. Because, the "love" of him is only for his ego and it's demands and desires. For this reason, he loves everything and everybody satisfying his desires and giving the pleasure himself. But, he becomes instantly distant from everything and everybody giving a little trouble himself. He loves everybody fulfilling any desire of him, he hates everybody who doesn't fulfill his desire.

Therefore, the majority of humans are very "good" as long as you perform his demands. "The good and the bad of humans is understood when you have not fulfill his desires."

Briefly, the man in the fourth dimension is a human who is owner "personality", but egoist, hard-hearted, atrocious, troubled, unrestful and unloving. Although he tries to seem like a good human for the reason the behavior patterns coming from value judgments placed in society, there is always an egoism under these views. There is an artificiality and a spuriousness in these behaviors, always.

Everything changes with "the faith" in the moral dimension

Everything starts to change, when a person has accepted to be subject to the will of his God, believing Him. This instant is an instant that the human has took first step to the maturity. The fifth dimension starts here.

My dear brother,

The fifth "spiritual" or "moral" dimension of the human is a divine education process that its rules are put by God. The name of this education process is the religion. The religion is a mercy and beneficence of God. Unfortunately, only the believers to God and after death take advantage of this mercy and beneficence. This mercy is only for those giving themselves up to God with a contented heart. Most of humans are so engaged in the demands and desires of their ego that they are not fully aware of this mercy and beneficence of their Creator.

The most important reason of the deprivation from the mercy and beneficence of God is, doubtlessly, the arrogance of human. The haughtiness is the most important barricade in front of all the divine benefits. But, the worst of the haughtiness is that being against his God by human. It is such a foolish behavior to be conceited against his God by human, whereas he was created by Him, his all needs are provided by Him, and he is a weak creature who will be dead if he remains breathless a few minutes.

The results of being subject to the volition of God

If the human begins to be subject to the volition of his God by relinquishing his self free volition and his haughtiness, in self heart contentedness and believing Him, he goes into a spiritual ascension and maturation process.

The method of this spiritual ascension and maturation process is to remember always his god, Allah, and to do "riyazet" and "mucahede". "Riyazet" means not to do the things which ego desires (such as forbidden things), "mucahede" means to do the things which ego doesn't desire (such as worships and favors).

As long as this maturation process is completed by doing "riyazet" and "mucahede", the politeness and maturity of the human increases. He begins to be a "human" in a real sense of the word. The endless desires of the ego being present in his heart decreases little by little. The person is rid of his ego and egoism. The fondness for the money, status and havings in his heart finishs. The love of Allah who is the real deity and is owner the mercy and high favour, takes place in his heart, in the place of these fake deities.

If how much a person be sincere in his faith and be desirous in performing the worships for his God, this maturation process is completed so much quickly.

A new personality

When the love of Allah has settled to the heart by disappearing the other loves and passions, everything changes. The person has got an altruistic divine personality now, in place of the previous egoistic personality. I just compare this situation to this that one greedy caterpillar which devours everything becomes one elegant butterfly which carries fragrances from flower to flower. After being completed this maturation process, takes modesty the place of haughtiness, gentleness the place of coarseness, compassion the place of heartlessness, bashfulness the place of shamelessness, beneficence the place of grimness, love the place of hate. This "love" in fifth dimension differs from the "love" in fourth dimension. It is a true "love". It is not like the loves which be showed for wold benefits and then disappears when this benefit finished.

My dear brother,

The most important results being obtained in consequence of this process are those: A strong faith and a heart serenity depending on it. Being in submission. Marifetullah. "Marifetullah" means to know his God by the human. The most valuable knowledge for a human is to know his God, namely "marifetullah". The human has been created for this purpose. The religion is not a somniferous as the socialist mentality supposes. The religion means to be "a true human" by passing through the education of God. If a man doesn't pass through this education, in spite of to be an intelligent creature, he becomes a cruel, fiendish, merciless, shameless, contradictory, tightwad, egoist, unrighteous creature, who always uses his mental activity for viciousness. He sometimes is insomuch cruel that, even any animal doesn't make which he does.

The evilness can not be controlled in the atheist societies

The evilness can not be controlled in the societies being deprived of the religion. The society becomes full to overflowing with the humans who try to crush each other. Therefore, the religion is not a somniferous, but it is a perfection and maturity elixir for the human. There are always serenity and happiness at the societies which sincerely lives the religion. The perturbations and discomforts stalks at the societies which don't live the religion sincerely or they have suspended from the religion.

The human knows his self and his God owing to the religion. He becomes a saintly creature owning the heart serenity, morality and good behaviors, by means of the religion.

The khalif of Allah on the earth

By looking at his behavior, you can easily distinguish such a human who has raised to the fifth dimension by passing through a divine education. Because he always adjudges according to the laws of Allah on every subject, by considering the consent of God every time. He never deviates from justice even it is disadvantageous for himself. He says the good and usefulness when he speaks. He says the true when he says. He never betray when be trusted him for something. He doesn't squander anything. He is true to his word when he gives a promise. He never persecutes anybody. He doesn't despise nobody. He doesn't deem proper anything which he doesn't desire it for himself. A human always feels himself at ease and secure when he came near him. Because he knows that no evil emanates from him.

Briefly, a human in the fifth dimension is a human that he is a symbol of goodness, maturity and perfection, having a divine personality. He is the khalif of his God on the earth. He is a true human.

Be trusted to God.

Dr. Ismail Ulukus is a former phytopathologist and researcher. He has various articles written on plant diseases. In these days, he has begun to write articles on the religion and moral values due to a moral degeneration growing up on all the world.

Do You Believe In The Bible

Light Workers Movie on Estoic Wisdom

This video tells of the estoic wisdom between the three types of light workers and how they are going to bring the earth into a new earth full of love and light.

Life of Jesus

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a spiritual help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Guilt Feeding On Your Conscience
Gregg Braden

Christian Ideas

Most people seem to go through life doing what others do and never seem to question much about whether the people around them are actually right or wrong. How many of us do exactly what our parents, grandparents and great grandparents do? I was raised a Christian by Christians and they were raised Christians by other Christians and so on. I don't know when or who in my family tree actually decided to become part of the Christian faith. I don't think it really matters today.

Someone had to of made the decision and I will probably never know. I do know this, I have followed Christianity as far as I possibly could and the next step in my life is going to be based somehow on a more spiritually universal world. I can't seem to follow something, that doesn't make sense to me, anymore. Christianity is more or less a religion that people throughout history have made adjustments to, whenever they felt necessary.

This is often like changing a tire on a car as it starts to wear or goes flat. In order for the car to operate and run smoothly we will need to pay a little attention to it, this will require maintenance over time as the car begins to have problems. We have to solve these problems or our car will become useless and will need to be sent to the junkyard.

Religions throughout history have done the same, as the people become more intelligent and less dependent, they need to create new things and make adjustments. If they don't make these adjustments over time, the religion will no longer be necessary and be sent to the junk heap of time. This is what happened to the Greek and Roman gods, what makes you think, that your God or gods will stand the test of time.

Do you think there's going to be any more adjustments to Christianity in the future? It seems like the last adjustments were Scientology and the Mormons or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. These religions don't exactly follow what Paul started in the Roman Catholic Church. What will the next adjustment be and why will it be necessary?

If you choose to follow Christianity, how do you know which church is right, I mean their core beliefs are right, aren't they. To love your neighbor and be compassionate. To show kindness towards others and help the needy. Do you think that we're going to have to adjust this one day and start treating certain religious followers, whose skin color is deference or speaks a different language with cruelty. I wonder what the next adjustment in Christianity is going to be.

Men Problems Christianity

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

God and Self Hypnosis - Shaken Or Stirred?

Does the practice of self hypnosis open you to demonic obsession or possession? Is it a substitute for prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit? Is there any value in it for religious people?

Many religious people are misinformed about self hypnosis. Here's an example. A devout Christian friend of mine said she didn't need hypnosis because she had prayer and the Holy Spirit to solve her problems. She thought that as a clinical hypnotherapist I would now substitute hypnosis for prayer - or even deny the power of the Divine. She disapproved of it so much, she tossed it off and compared it to Ouija board use. She just thought self hypnosis and God could not coexist.

Hypnosis: The Caricature and the Truth

That caricature of hypnosis still persists in the minds of many religious and nonreligious people. Here's the truth:

• Hypnosis, hypnotherapy and self hypnosis have wide acceptance in the medical community (the proliferation of hypnosis-related science articles and books throughout the world strongly highlight how how relevant it is).
• Hypnosis will not "take over your mind." It's simply a focusing of your mind's attention to create positive change.
• It's not supernatural.
• It's not mind control. You'll have full awareness during the entire procedure in the vast majority of cases. With self hypnosis the person can do the inductions and suggestions all by herself.

When pressed about their knowledge of hypnosis and where their objections come from, some religious people become vague and circular in their smoke-filled arguments. Many have never experienced it or researched it. And instead of searching for the clear substantive evidence, they protect their religious faiths with dogma and salve their egos with emotion-filled hearsay. (Of course modern scientific hypnotherapy didn't exist when the sacred scriptures of the world religions were penned.)

Do God and Hypnosis Mix?

As a man with a strong faith and connection with the Divine, I can tell you self hypnosis and God can coexist. Many of my feelings about my morality-based habits and challenges have been improved by using hypnosis-related techniques.

You've heard the expression "God helps those who help themselves." Since hypnosis is used as a tool for change by millions, hasn't God provided it so we could reach for and then maintain our goals? For more than five decades modern hypnosis has helped psychiatrists cure the mentally ill, medical doctors alleviate pain and the rest of us reduce our stress and overcome bad habits.

So, When Does Hypnosis Need the Help of Spirit?

There are times when no amount of hypnosis can surmount some problems. That's when I turn to spiritual practices like prayer. And what a powerful combination prayer and hypnosis can make!

Both have a lot in common. When we pray deeply and earnestly we enter into an altered state of consciousness identical to certain levels of trance with self hypnosis. But here's the difference: with prayer we hope to open up the line of communication with the Divine and invoke assistance -- whether for ourselves or for others.

Demonic Possession vs. The Hypnotic State

The idea that hypnosis could relegate a mentally healthy person to demonic obsessions or possessions could come from the fear that because we are unconscious in the hypnotic state certain forces could take us over. But... we remain completely aware, awake and in control (morally) during hypnosis. So we needn't fear that invisible entities will gain entry to our souls.

I've been practicing self hypnosis and clinical hypnotherapy since 1996 and I haven't seen anything which hints at aligning with the demonic. Hypnosis makes my prayer life more effective and full of wonder. (More in a future article.)

In Summary

Self hypnosis should be seen as a gift from above. It's a simple and effective way to work on our challenges -- not a replacement for prayer or connection with the Divine. It can really work with the tools of spirit to help make each of us become our best. Isn't that what the Divine wants?

Self hypnosis and God don't only coexist; they both can expand our wonder and alignment with the universe.

Forbes Robbins Blair is the author of two self-hypnosis books: the popular Instant Self-Hypnosis and the new book The Self-Hypnosis Revolution. His website, http://www.instant-self-hypnosis.com, educates people about how hypnosis can benefit them. He offers his own set of hypnosis audios. And Mr. Blair offers professional hypnosis-by-phone and in-office client hypnotherapy services.

Creating Love And Happiness

Hatha Yoga For Personal Growth and Empowerment

In Yoga, many students consult their teacher, Guru, or Swami for general advice. These consultations are not always related to Yoga. For the student, the problem is finding reliable advice. He or she listens to the teacher for knowledge and helpful advice.

Where can you find concrete advice? Advice, in and of itself, is a form of connecting personal opinions, personal belief systems, and personal values into a recommendation. Therefore, if you obtain the advice of another, it is his or her personal opinion. In some ways, each of us would like to resign decision- making to some one else. We want someone, who has all the answers to the riddles of the universe, but we want to have control over our lives. This creates an internal conflict, as most of us want to establish our independence.

Why do we seek the advice of a Yoga teacher, Guru, or Swami? A Guru is a person who is regarded as having great wisdom or knowledge, and uses it to guide others. A Swami is one who knows and is master of herself/himself. In general, these are usually, but not always, Hindu titles of deep respect.

If we think in terms of personal growth, and empowerment, how does one become the knower of herself/himself? To become the master of oneself requires daily regimentation. What you eat, what you read, your daily physical exercise, the time you spend meditating, and much more, are strictly controlled by you. This type of lifestyle requires absolute self-discipline.

Yet, let's be honest - how many people will ever be able to control themselves at all times? The answer is: Very few. All is not lost if we change, what we can, gradually. To sustain a lifestyle change, requires some planning and to learn to forgive oneself for making mistakes.

Therefore, if you plan to make a big change, start with a few smaller changes, which lead to your eventual goal. For many students of Yoga, they do not see a big change unless they look back in time. The reason is: They started practicing Yoga, adopted healthy habits, and eventually realized the rewards of small steps forward.

To suddenly change everything, all at once, is a shock to your entire being. This is like eating meat and refined "junk food" all your life; then suddenly eating raw vegetables, whole grains, and fresh fruit. The usual result of sudden changes is that we change back to what we were before. To make permanent changes, we must take a moderate and gradual approach.

Copyright 2009 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html

Dreaming And Outer Body Experien

How is Your Attitude Today?

Your Attitude effects everything and everybody around you -how's yours today?

What kind of attitude did you wake up with this morning?

What kind of attitude did you greet your family with this morning?

What kind of attitude did you get to work with?

How is your attitude right now?

I love this simple quote from OG Mandino in The Greatest Salesman in the World "As long as I can laugh, never will I be poor"

Wow.

That is just so simple, yet, how many of us are thankful that we can laugh?

Viktor E Frankl in Man Search for Meaning simply says: "The last human freedom - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances"

You have total control over your attitude, no one else can do anything about it.

Yes, they can try

Yes, that can throw all kinds of roadblocks out there

But, you control your attitude

To demonstrate, let's look at a great story from that master of positive attitude, Norman Vincent Peale

"This ancient parable is about two frogs who fell into a jar of cream. It was a long way from the cream to the top of the jar. The frogs jumped and jumped and jumped trying to leap out but they could not. They struggled, they stewed, they fretted, they tired everything. But they could not get out.

Finally one frog assumed a negative attitude, defeated thoughts, pessimist. I know I can't get out, why try. I have to die anyway, so I just might as well get over it. He resigned, sank to the bottom of the jar and died.

The other frog, from a tougher, long line of dauntless frogs. Positive thinker. Sure I could die but I am going down fighting. He went at it with all vigor, beat the cream into solid butter and jumped out.

Which frog are you?

Further, as a leader, which frog attitude are you projecting to your team today and everyday?

If you are like the first frog and give up, so will your team. If you are like the first frog and give up, so will your team. Think about it.

If you are like the second frog and keep on going, so will your team. Think about it.

Manny Nowak has spent over 25 years helping people create success in their lives. An ex-marine and former top-notch computer programmer, Manny has an extensive background helping other achieve extreme levels of success. Manny is the author of over a dozen books; CD's and tools that focus on your ability to achieve greater success in all areas of your life (personal and professional). So stop hesitating - YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN! http://www.MannyNowak.com

Manny@Mannynowak.com

Looking for a speaker for your event - please give us a call 856 358 4021

Grief Recovery Handbook

The Confession of Sins - Part 2

It is duly manifest that we must find a better explanation of 1 John 1:9. A good place to begin in the context of the passage is verse 6.

"If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.

The key question is this. Are those who "walk in darkness" believers or unbelievers? How we answer this question is absolutely critical to the interpretation of this passage. If they are carnal, disobedient, backslidden believers who are walking in darkness, they are lying about having fellowship with God. A confession of sin in their life and "walking in the light" will restore the fellowship.
However, if it can be proved from Scripture that they are unbelievers who were falsely professing fellowship, the "out of fellowship" position falls apart, for no one could successfully argue a restoration to something which they never had.

In order to see which it is, please compare the following three Scriptures.

"If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth" (1 John 1:6).

"But he that hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes" (1 John 2:11).

"Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:15).

Note carefully the relationship of these verses to each other and what they teach.

1. He that hates his brother2 "walks in darkness."

2. Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer.

3. No murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Conclusion: He who walks in darkness does not have eternal
life abiding in him, i.e. an unbeliever.
Once this is clearly perceived by the reader, the restoration to
fellowship theory comes crashing down like a house of cards.
Remove all doubt from your mind. A concordant study of Scripture
reveals that the consistent, uniform appellation to darkness, whether it
be the Word of God in general or to John's writings in particular,
refers to the unsaved (John 1:5; 3:19-21; 8:12; 12:35,36,46; Acts 26:18;
2 Cor. 4:4,6; 6:14; Eph. 5:8; Col. 1:13; 1 Thes. 5:4,5; 1 Pet. 2:9).

I can just hear some reader object, "Wait a minute, Brother Ken!

What about the man living in immorality in 1 Corinthians
Chapter 5? What about the Galatian believers who were `removed from
Him that called [them] into the grace of Christ unto another gospel'
(Gal. 1:6)? And how about Peter, when he had to be rebuked by Paul
for his hypocrisy among the Gentiles (Gal. 2:11-14)? Couldn't it be
said that they were `walking in darkness?'" Absolutely not. It will
help the reader to understand that John does not address
how they walk but where they walk. It is their abiding position in Christ. All
unbelievers have their position outside of Christ and are thus walking
in darkness. All believers in Christ, whether in the Kingdom
program or the Body of Christ, have their position in Him and are walking
in the light. A believer cannot walk in darkness any more than
an unbeliever can walk in the light.3
With this in mind, the benefits of understanding the next
verse becomes immediately apparent.
"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son
cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).
Notice the conditional nature of this promise. The cleansing of
the blood depends upon our walking in the light. Indeed, all five
verses of this section begin with an "if." It is a test of spiritual reality
(verses 6-10). For years I had a great deal of confusion of mind about this.
I read it as though it said, "If we walk according to

the light, the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." I thought it
meant that if I was very careful to obey God's commands and walk
according to the light I had, He would cleanse me, which was just
another way of saying that I was cleansed when I did not need cleansing.
However, when the verse is understood aright, we find that
the vilest sinner may have this cleansing when he comes into the light
of God through faith in Jesus Christ. It does not
say, "If we walk according to light," but it says, "If we walk
in the light." Again, it is where we walk, not how we walk. It is to walk in the presence of
God as an abiding position.

This is the fourth time we have come to the word "fellowship"

(verse 7). How are we to understand this word in the context? This
is important, for it is the main subject in the chapter. The
original Greek word which is translated fellowship is "koinonia," which
carries the meaning of sharing in common, communion, fellowship.
Like the Biblical word "sanctification," it has both a positional and
conditional aspect to it.
In Paul's writings, fellowship is spoken of as:
a. Giving to poor saints (2 Cor. 8:4; Rom. 15:26,27).
b. Contributing to the Lord's servants in the ministry (Phil.
1:5; 4:15-19; Gal. 6:6).

c. The fellowship of Christ's suffering (Phil. 3:10 cf. 2 Cor.
11:23-33).
d. The Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 10:16).
These are examples of conditional fellowship. That is, we can
refuse giving to the poor saints, neglect contributing our resources for
the needs of the Lord's servants, avoid suffering shame for His
name, and choose not to participate in the memorial to Christ's death
for us. However, I believe that the New Testament Scriptures also
teach a fellowship which is positional, permanent and the possession
of every believer in Christ Jesus. Such fellowship belongs to all
true Christians regardless of spiritual growth or dedication.
If any believers in the Bible were living in a state of broken
fellowship, it was the Corinthians.
a. There were carnal divisions and contentions among them (1
Cor. 1:10-13; 3:1-3).

b. They were infatuated with worldly wisdom (1 Cor. 1:18-2:5;
3:18-23).

c. They were judging things which they shouldn't and failing
to judge things which they should (1 Cor. 4:1-5; 5; 6).

d. They were allowing sexual immorality in the local church
and were proud of it (1 Cor. 5:1,2).

e. They were taking each other to court before the unbelievers
(1 Cor. 6:1-12).

f. They were visiting harlots (1 Cor. 6:13-20).

g. They were proud of their knowledge and causing weaker
brethren to stumble (1 Cor. 8).

h. They were questioning Paul's authority and apostleship (1
Cor. 9:1-6).

i. They were prone to idolatry by lusting after evil things (1
Cor. 10).

j. They had disorders at church, including making a mockery
of the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 11).

k. They were enamored with the spiritual gifts but were failing
to exercise them in love (1 Cor. 12-14).

l. They were doubting the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:12-19).

m. If all this was not enough, they were stingy in their
contribution to the poor saints (2 Cor. 8; 9).

With all this sin in the church, you might not think that they
were even saved. But Paul, by the Spirit of God, addresses them as
"the church of God" and "them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus,
called to be saints" (1 Cor. 1:2). Moreover, there is no command to
confess their sins in order to receive forgiveness and restoration to
fellowship. On the contrary, Paul assures them that

"God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the
fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor. 1:9). It is a fellowship based upon God's
faithfulness.4
In spite of all the sins, failings and shortcomings of this
church, they were "in Christ" and as such were a part of "the fellowship
of His Son." What was it that they had in common with Jesus Christ?

They shared His life, His righteousness, His acceptance before
God the Father (Col. 3:4; 2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:6). This is all the gift of
grace apart from works to all believers in Christ and forms the
fellowship which remains our standing in Him.

The fellowship of 1 John Chapter 1 must most assuredly be
taken in the same light. What is it according to the context that
these believers shared in common with "the Father, and with His Son
Jesus Christ?" Eternal life (verses 1 and 2). Jesus Christ as the Word
of Life is the embodiment of that life.

There is a truly amazing parallel between verses 7 and 9. It
can be shown thus:

Verse 7

But if we walk in the light as He is in light
We have fellowship one with another
And the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin

Verse 9

If we confess our sins
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

Both verses present the same truth only from different
perspectives. These Jewish Kingdom believers were walking in the light
by confessing their sins in relation to initial salvation. Having
fellowship with God was based on the fact that God is faithful and just to
forgive them their sins. And how many times could they be cleansed from

all sin? If you say until they sinned again, they were not cleansed
from all sin. Likewise, they could only be cleansed from
all unrighteousness once (verse 9). This is further confirmed later when he
addresses the believers and assures them that their sins were already forgiven.

"I write unto you, little children, because your sins
are forgiven you for His name's sake" (1 John 2:12).
Intimately related to Israel's religion was confession of sins.
Confession as well as its Greek equivalent (homologia) means to
speak the same thing, admit, agree, acknowledge. Moses, writing
prophetically, laid out the pattern for confession under the law.
"If they shall confess their
iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they have trespassed against
me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me;

"And I also have walked contrary to them, and have brought
them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts
be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:
"Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my
covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I
remember; and I will remember the land" (Lev. 26:40-42 cf. 1 Kings
8:33-36; Neh. 9:1-3).
This is exactly where Israel found herself when John the
Baptist came on the scene. Although they were still in covenant
relationship with God, they had become morally and spiritually corrupt. And
so John was sent as a preacher of righteousness to call the
backslidden nation to repentance. This was in preparation to receive their
Messiah, Jesus Christ.
"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the
wilderness of Judea,
"And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
"Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all
region round about Jordan,
"And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their
sins" (Matt. 3:1,2,5,6).
"John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism
of repentance for the remission of sins" (Mark 1:4).

There you have it. Repentance, confession of sins and water
baptism for the remission (forgiveness) of sins went together as a unit in
Israel's gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 4:23; 9:35). Our key verse in 1 John
1:9 is found to be a salvation5 verse for Israel looking for the return
of Christ to establish His earthly, Davidic, Millennial Kingdom.
The oft repeated phrase "if we say" in verses 6, 8, and 10 shows
the false profession of fellowship without possession of eternal life.
These were Jewish unbelievers who had a twofold spiritual problem:
self-righteousness and rejection of their Messiah. They justified
themselves before men. They trusted in themselves that they
were righteous, and despised others. They thought that since they
were the physical seed (descendants) of Abraham that God was their
Father. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going
about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted
themselves unto the righteousness of God (Luke 16:15; 18:9; Matt.
9:10-13; 21:31,32; John 8:39-44; Rom. 10:1-4).

In a gracious demonstration of godly love, John opens his
letter with an evangelistic appeal to his Jewish brothers to forsake the
counterfeit fellowship of darkness and come to the Savior and enjoy
the genuine fellowship of light. This they would not do as long as
they were trusting their pedigree, religion, and personal merit and
rejecting "the Light of the world." Since a more detailed explanation is
not possible in this short paper, I simply invite you to perform an
interesting experiment. Study 1 John 1:1-10 afresh, this time with the
above points in mind and see how much better it fits with the passage.
How could one verse taken from one non-Pauline epistle,
wrenched from its contextual and dispensational setting, be twisted and
transformed into a whole system of conditional blessing and then used
by our Adversary to rob God's people of the very things which make
the Christian life worth living? The answer can only be religious
tradition and a failure to "rightly divide the Word of truth" (Matt.
15:3,6,9; 2 Tim. 2:15). We are like sheep and like to play "follow the leader."

When an outstanding Bible teacher or preacher teaches
something, many tend to follow with uncritical minds. Although God has
given teachers to the church, each believer is responsible before God
to study the issues for themselves and make them their own.
Otherwise we are only standing in the opinion of another. Men at
their very best are only men and so are fallible. May we catch the spirit
of the Bereans of old and "search the Scriptures daily to see
whether these things are so" (Acts 17:10,11).

To be continued...

Endnotes

2. Take note that the word "brother" in the passage does not indicate that the one doing the hating is a believing brother. Rather the racial relationship of the Jewish brotherhood is described as in Romans 9:3. Although they were kinsmen according to the flesh, nothing is clearer in John's writings than that a Jew who believes in Jesus Christ should be prepared to endure the wrath and hatred of his unbelieving brothers in Israel.

3. That is why sin in a believer's life is so serious. When a believer sins, he is doing
it "in the light." A preacher once delivered a sermon on, "The sins of the saints."
Afterwards, a woman reproached him saying, "But pastor, the sins of believers are not
the same as the sins of the heathen!" "Yes," the pastor replied, "they are much worse!"

4. Several other passages from the pen of Paul are often overlooked in this regard.

For example, Ephesians 3:12 states, "In Whom [Christ Jesus our Lord] we have
boldness and access with confidence by the faith [i.e. faithfulness] of Him." The
Greek word for faith (pistos) often carries the meaning faithfulness, fidelity,
trustworthiness as in Romans 3:3,22; Galatians 2:16; 3:22; 5:22; Philippians 3:9; Colossians 2:12;
1 Timothy 4:12; 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22; Titus 2:10. The context determines. Here
the phrase, "faith of Him" must remain as in the Authorized (KJV). Our access to God
is established since it is in Jesus Christ. God wants us to have boldness and
confidence in this. The "short accounts" (in fellowshipout of fellowship) system serves only
to plant doubt and thus remove our boldness and confidence. Shouldn't we rejoice
that these blessings are by the faith (faithfulness) of Christ and not by our own? For
other passages on access to God, examine Ephesians 2:18; Romans 5:1,2; Hebrews 10:19,20.

5. If it be objected that this verse cannot be speaking of salvation because faith
in Jesus Christ is not mentioned, they should consider that other well known
salvation verses do not either. See Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 4:5-8,16; 5:1; Galatians 3:11;
Titus 3:5. When this occurs, the body of the epistle makes abundantly clear (as in 1
John) that Jesus Christ is the object of faith (1 John 2:22,23; 3:23; 4:2,9,10,14,15;
5:1,5,11-13).

This article originally appeared in the Berean Searchlight, the free monthly magazine of the Berean Bible Society.

Figure Out What You Want In Life

Is Christianity the Mother of Harlots?

The Christian Church of the 21st century is completely sold out to the State.

I grew up a Baptist kid. (I'm a Christian, but thank God, I've been delivered from being Baptist!) I remember hearing sermons on prophecy, and hearing preachers say that the Catholic Church was the woman of Revelation 17:5, called "Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth. After 55 years on this planet, and tons of study, I've come to believe that it is the whole of the organized Christian church . . . Christendom . . . that is that prophetic Woman.

I think back to God's commandments to His children when they entered the Promised Land. He explicitly commanded them not to study the religions of the pagan nations and tribes around them. God knew that they would follow false gods if they mixed a little paganism into Judaism. Every time the Children of Israel messed around with their neighbors, they drifted off into sin, and God punished them for it.

Christianity began to pander to the State successfully in the 4th Century as it convinced Emperor Constantine to embrace and protect Christianity in the known Roman world. (For a terrific book on the subject, read "When Jesus Become God," by Richard Rubenstein) From that point in history to this . . . 1700 years later, Christianity has sought the blessing of the King, so to speak. In many instances throughout that time period, distinguishing between the desires of the Church and the State would have been hard to do.

I am reminded of two Scriptures that condemn most of Christianity as it relates to Christianity and the warfare state.

Ezekiel 23: 37-39 "That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them. Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths. For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house."

Here's how this translates in today's world.

1. The majority of Christians support a warfare state.

2. Christians give wholehearted support to service in the state's military, and learn the ways of killing for the state, clearly ignoring one of the Commandments.

3. Christians bestow honor upon military personnel and military service.

4. Christians have church services in which the military and military service is held up to praise and honor.

5. Christians send their sons happily into the military, and offer their sons as sacrifices to the state. If their sons are not killed on duty, and return home alive, they are feted and honored. If they are sent home in a box, the Christian parents mourn and bestow more honor on the child who has been literally sacrificed to the God of the state.

6. The sabbaths and the sanctuaries are profaned when these acts are brought into the church.

Doesn't that place the State ahead of God and His commandments?

Here's a thumb poked in the eye of all the "patriot" flagwavers out there. I'll bet that not one in a million has considered this position.

The superiority of position of the American flag requires that the flag, when displayed on a pole, or in a group of flagpoles, be placed above all other flags. That must mean that the sovereignty of the US Government is superior to all other entities. One is supposed to salute the American flag, and pledge allegiance to it, and to the republic for which is stands.

But what about the position of the flag in the churches of the US?

Christianity in America gives the American flag preeminence on their flagpoles, and in display on their platforms. Haven't you ever driven past a church and seen a giant American flag displayed outside? They try to outdo each other in their displays of patriotism, which is nothing more than bowing their knees to the god of the State. Christians salute the flag and pledge allegiance to it. They even go so far as protesting when the Pledge of Allegiance to the State is not done in government schools!

I thought that Christians were supposed to swear their allegiance to the King of Kings only. Isn't there a Commandment in Exodus that says "Thou shalt have no other gods before me"?

If the American flag is displayed and allegiance is sworn to it in an American church, then God Almighty just got shoved into second place.

He hates that . . .

Another nail in the coffin of the Church in America is that most churches organize under the legal entity called a corporation. Without thinking about it, the corporate churches of America have placed themselves at the mercy of, and under the control of, the State and its laws relating to corporations. There's not a requirement that a church be incorporated in order to be the recipient of tax-exempt status in America. The 501c(3) exemption is a Federal tax code, not a state statute, so every church that uses this part of the tax code is a ward of the Federal government.

Final nail in the Church's coffin is its desire . . . even its perceived entitlement . . . of tax exempt status in America. Why should churches be tax exempt? Isn't the tax exemption bestowed on churches just one more way that the tax code is perverted to encourage certain behavior approved by the State?

Here's the other Scripture that condemns the whole of Christianity, and it touches areas like Sabbath-keeping, celebrating Christmas and Easter, forsaking the Feast days in the Old Testament, personal behavior (such as smoking, drinking, gambling, cinema, etc.) and prophecy.

Mark 7: 6-9 "He answered and said unto them, well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandments of God, ye hold the traditions of men, as the washing of pots and cups; and many other such like things ye do. (adding v. 13) Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye."

True Biblical Christianity would be unrecognizable by today's Church. They don't even resemble one another.

The Christian Church of the early 21st century preaches liberty, but practices slavery.

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The Miracle of Design

DECORATING WITH SYMBOLS

Throughout history faith, religious beliefs and spiritual concepts have been mistrusted. In many groups, religions and sectors around the world people where unable to profess their faith openly and therefore used symbols in statues, artwork and the likes to serve as a visual reminder of their faith.

Symbols can be used today much in the same way. While beliefs are in the most part no longer persecuted, beliefs can be strengthened through intention. Intention of mind and thoughts. So what does this have to do with miracles? In order to allow the beauty of miracles to surround us we must ensure we keep an open heart, mind and spirit. We must allow ourselves to accept that we are worthy of those miracles and they are within our reach every minute of every day. Symbols can be used to strengthen your resolve and your faith. Symbols can remind you of how blessed you already are and of how deserving you are to be surrounded by miracles.

In Feng Shui symbols are used to strengthen intention and positive energies in areas that have been identified as important sectors for personal growth and the balancing of the energetic rhythms that surround your home.

So where and what type of symbols will help you live in a miraculous state? The answer is different for each and every one of us. Some of us love the beauty and consistency of ancient religious symbols:

The Cross in Christianity, The Menorah in Judaism, The Dharma Wheel in Buddhism, The OM in Hinduism, The Palm in Jainism, The Khanda in Sikh, or the Nine Pointed Star in Baha"i.

For some symbols of angels, fairies and sparkle dust or fat happy Buddha conjures up the miraculous, while for others portraits of their families are the only reminder they need of the miracles in their lives.

Whatever the symbol, place them around your home or office so that each time you look at them they bring joy, bathe you in light and happiness and strengthen your intention to believe in the miraculous that surrounds you!

2008 Fay Chapple

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Fay Chapple is an International Feng Shui Expert, award winning Interior Decorator and Life Coach, and is Principal of the award winning Home & Life Design Firm Blue Avalon.

Blue Avalon specializes in Interior Decorating, Feng Shui and Abundant Living. Blue Avalon is the publisher of The Blue Avalon Journal, a monthly e-zine packed with ideas, tips and insider secrets! To subscribe log on to our site at http://www.blueavalon.com and you'll receive a bonus book, The Number One Feng Shui Secret That Will Transform Your Life!

Blue Avalon - "Harmony for your home... Balance for your life!" http://www.blueavalon.com

Putting God on Trial

I was listening to something interesting the other day when someone mentioned putting God on trial for some of the atrocities in the world. If God is the creator of the universe and all that is, or all that ever will be, how can we put him on trial, he's our creator. We can't put our spiritual master on trial can we, he'll just escape anyway if we convict him, won't he. He's got to be smart enough to break out a prison.

As a child I often thought about God and why he would allow such suffering throughout the world. It never made sense to me when I was child and it still doesn't make sense to me today. Why would the creator, want us to suffer, with even the littlest of problems. Other religions have explained it as if God was teaching us a lesson and that's why we have hardships in our lives.

Do you think God ever went through these hardships? Did God have problems finding a job or gathering some food? Does God even eat? Okay now I'm getting off the topic here,(I wonder what God does eat)... if children do something wrong, most of the time their parents will discipline or correct them. If adults to things wrong, the government will discipline and reprimand them. Sometimes these punishments can be severe. It depends on the crimes committed.

If man has to be put on trial for committing crimes like murder, genocide, and general atrocities towards mankind, should God also be put on trial or is he above man because he's God. I can't imagine the creator of the universe ever being put on trial for man's crimes against humanity or other men, but it seems like someone who is all powerful and all knowing could help his children out of this little mess that we're in today.

Couldn't God help us like we help our children. We as parents might not have all the answers, but we do not claim to have them. We are not all powerful and all knowing, like we would assume God to be. When is God going to help us solve some of our major world problems, like genocide and starvation.

Putting God on trial might not solve all of our problems today but it would be nice to have some help with our problems. If he created us to please him, do we have to go on trial one day, for all the things we did or ignored while we were alive. Something to think about isn't it.

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Greg is currently working on a video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world.

Salvation in the Age of Grace

We are saved by grace. The following is the great hymn, Amazing Grace. Look at the words carefully.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.

And Grace, my fears relieved.

How precious did that Grace appear

The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares

I have already come;

'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.

His word my hope secures.

He will my shield and portion be,

As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,

And mortal life shall cease,

I shall possess within the veil,

A life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years

Bright shining as the sun.

We've no less days to sing God's praise

Than when we've first begun.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

John Newton (1725-1807)

John Newton was the captain of a slave ship before he was saved and before he became a preacher. On one trip to America transporting slaves, Newton went down into the belly of that slave ship and was moved to tears when he saw those people, who were in bondage, singing in spite of their obvious misery. In 1772 Newton wrote the words above and delivered them in a sermon. The music was added later, but not by Newton himself.

Wherever Amazing Grace is played, it is instantly recognized. It is often played on a bag pipe in funeral possessions for police and firemen.

Look at these words carefully.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

What is the meaning of the words lost and found?

If you are a Bible reader or if you have ever attended church on a regular basis, you will probably remember the story of the young man who asked his father to give him his share of his inheritance and he left home. After all his money had been spent and he realized the error of his way, he went back home, willing to work as a servant if he must.

When he arrived at home he told his father "I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy son" (Luke 15:21).

The father was overjoyed at his son's return and he said to his servants:

Luke 15:22-24: ...Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

In Christendom, this is known as a parable; and a parable is comparing one thing against another or an example of biblical truth explained in a simplistic format. In this case it mirrors Christ's feelings toward the lost. We see evidence of this in Luke 19:10: For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. So in a biblical sense, the lost are any who do not acknowledge God as Lord and Jesus Christ as their Savior.

The words "found" then, would mean the lost have come to their senses, realized their sin and recognized God and Christ for whom and what they are.

When Newton penned the words, I once was lost but now am found, he was admitting he had recognized he was a sinner (lost) and that he had trusted the faith of Christ for salvation (being found).

The Gospel that Saves Today

In our Bible there are verses which tell someone how they can be found, i.e. saved. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians he tells them how they can be saved. Look at 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4: Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Paul reminded these Corinthians of the gospel (good news) he preached unto them. He also reminded them they had believed what he preached and they were standing steadfast in that gospel. He then proceeds to tell them in the 3rd and 4th verses what they had believed: Christ died for theirs sins, was buried and rose again the third day.

That is the gospel or good news of salvation. It is the only way anyone who is lost, a non-believer, can be found - saved.

In another letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians he said, 2 Corinthians 4:3: But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

Simply stated, Paul says if you cannot see the truth of the gospel he preached then you must be lost.

The Gospel According to Paul

I want you to look very closely at 1 Corinthians 15: 2 again: By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain (Underlining added). Notice the words I have underlined. Paul says you are saved if you believe what he preached unto you, and if you do not believe his teaching concerning salvation, you could believe in vain.

What does that mean, you have believed in vain? Simplistically, it states if you do not believe the gospel Paul preached, you would have failed in your attempt to be saved; or you effort was unsuccessful. Why? We are living in a period of time that the Bible refers to as the dispensation of the grace of God (Ephesians 3:2). In this dispensation, salvation is by grace and not by works.

Ephesians 2: 8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

What this says is a person who simply trusts in what Christ did at Calvary, died for our sins, was buried and resurrected the third day, he will be saved. In a prior dispensation, know as the dispensation of the Law, salvation was by works. A person was not saved by grace but by the works of the law, i.e. repent and be baptized. In this case baptism was considered a work, and if you were not baptized you could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Gospel according to Peter

Unlike Paul's gospel, the gospel of Peter and the twelve is a gospel with works for the remission of sins.

Acts 2:38: Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

However, we are no longer under the law. We are not being led by the conditions the law imposed on believers at one time; we are led by the Spirit. And Scripture tells us if we are led by the Spirit, we are not bound to the Law.

The Gospel of Grace

Galatians 5:18: But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

I want you to look closely at Ephesians 2:8-9 again: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The words "ye are saved through faith" are very important. The question I pose to you is; by whose faith are you saved? It is your faith that saves you or was it Christ's faith that saved you?

Look at Galatians 2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified (Underlining Added).

The verse says we are not justified (saved) by the works of the law. In other words, baptism for the remission of sins will not save you today. Then what will? Simple: the faith of Christ is what saves you.

What was the faith of Christ? Christ was willing to go to the cross and shed his blood for our sins. The very act of Christ shedding his blood for remission of sins was the work which replaces baptism for remission of sins. Now, in this dispensation of the grace of God, we who believe in Jesus Christ will be justified (saved) by the work of Christ (he died for our sins).

There are far too many people who want you to believe that if you are not water baptized you will not be saved. Those people cannot give you a good answer to Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Baptism is a work that you do, and to believe that by being baptized you have remission of sins, nullifies the work that Christ did at Calvary. You have prostituted grace.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures (Underlining Added).

If you do not believe this gospel, you are lost. If you want to be found, believe the Gospel of Christ as seen in the Scripture above. It is God's grace that saves you, not a work in which you can do.

Salvation is simple, but that does not mean it is easy.

Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

The gospel of Christ is Christ died for our sins was buried and rose again for our justification. That is the simple part. Everything has been done by Christ for your salvation, but you have to trust that what he did, he died for you.

Romans 10:17: So faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The word of God for salvation is seen in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. You have read it; do you trust that what it says is true? If you do, then you are saved; again, that is the simple part.

The part that is not quite so easy to do is to admit that you need a savior. Too many people rationalize they must be saved because:

1) they were brought up in a church,
2) they attend church services regularly,
3) Momma and Daddy were Christians, so I must be too attitude,
4) they think they are a good person.

None of those things will save a lost person. Believing the gospel is what saves. Have you done that? You say: "I walked down an isle and gave my heart to Jesus when I was a teenager, so I am saved."

So, you took a walk down a church isle, what for? Was it because your sweetheart said "I'm going down and give my heart to Jesus, why don't you come with me?"

Was it because your mother said you ought to go down?

Salvation comes to the person who recognizes they are lost and realizes they need a Savior and then trusts in the work of Christ to save them. Have you done that?

If you walked down an isle but did not believe the gospel, you took a walk for nothing. You do not need to go to church to be saved. You do not need to walk an isle and have a preacher shake your hand and commend you for having done so. You can trust Christ as Savior at home, in the woods or in your car.

Salvation comes to those who believe Christ paid a debt for their sins. Have you done that?

Remove the blinders and see the truth of what Christ did for you and you will be saved. Recognize you are a sinner and you need a Savior and God will save you, right where you are.

Will you do that right now?

If you do that, you are a child of God and will spend eternity with God in heaven. If you don't trust Christ, you are a child of the devil and will spend eternity in Hell.

The choice is yours. What will you do? Which path will you take?

There are many people who have postponed trusting Christ as their savior, saying I have plenty of time to. Do you?

The following lyrics were written by Connie Smith.

Got up on Sunday morning, went to the church at ten, I listened to the words I'd heard time and time again.

The preacher spoke of sinful lives, Lord it seems he spoke of mine, But I was young I had plenty of time.

Plenty of time to decide where I'm bound,

to eternal darkness or to a Heavenly crown oh, oh

I'm just a young girl not yet in my prime, so I'll

just wait I've got plenty of time.

I walked on down life's pathway living as I chose to live. Out to beat the other fellow how to get what life could give Making money isn't sinful Lord having fun is not a crime. So I'll just wait I've got plenty of time

Plenty of time to decide where I'm bound to

eternal darkness or to a Heavenly crown, Oh! Oh!

I'm just a young girl not yet in my prime so I'll

just wait I had plenty of time

Before I knew what happened life scenes had passed away;
and millions stood before God's throne for it was judgment day.
Now eternity beckons and the name it calls is mine
But I thought that I had plenty of time.
Eternity waits I've got plenty of time,

To think of all the days that Christ could have been mine,
Now my chance is over, earth's days are left behind,
And here am I, I've got plenty of time.
Now I've got nothing but plenty of time.

Time is a precious commodity. None of us knows what tomorrow has in store for us. You could go to the doctor tomorrow and be diagnosed with a terminal illness.

You could wake in the morning, get in your car or truck and be killed in an accident. You could be eating in a restaurant and get choked and die before someone could give you the Hymlick maneuver.

Fact is: no one knows when they will breathe their last breath. Why don't you simply trust what Christ has done for you - right now?

If you'll do that, you can make the words of Amazing Grace your own words.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

Obed Kirkpatrich was a Pastor/Teacher in Baton Rouge, Louisiana from 1975 to 2000; at that time he moved to Franklin, Tennessee to be near three of his six grandchildren. He and his wife Linda have been married for 48 years. Obed is an author and still teaches Bible classes in the Middle Tennessee area.