Our body is important to God. If we honor God with our Body, then we must be free from immoralities committed outside or against our body. We are members of Christ himself, the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God. When we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, our body is united with God in Spirit and becomes “One” with him. However, our temptations and sexual desires can disconnect our body from embracing the Oneness of God. The bible asks us to keep watch of our body and pray so we can remain strong in Spirit and not fall into temptation.

Our body is in harmony with the Spirit when the mind is still. Uncertainties, fears, and worries fog the mind to think clear, disconnecting us to God. When we are Spiritually Dead, the Body’s desires is to act on its own which may result in sin or doing immoral acts. We become consumed with our own self-desires to fulfill our needs and take things in our own hands. When trouble comes, we waste a lot of energy fighting our own battles whether it is for the right or wrong reasons. Psalm 37:7, ⁷Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

The Bible reminds us to be humble and worry free like children. Matthew 18:2-4, ²He called a little child and had him stand among them. ³And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Psalm 131:1-2, ¹My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. ²But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. When we are free from worries and uncertainty, our mind begins to think clearly. Young children tend to be worry free, have no ego, do not concern themselves, and have no need to be better. Their innocents are the qualities God wants us to imitate and not their thinking. 1 Corinthians 14:20, ²⁰Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. Whether our life is wonderful or troubling, a still mind will open the door for the Holy Spirit to Act for us. When we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, the body is Spiritually Alive. The Spirit enables us to live accordingly to the Word of God. Instead of wasting energy, we draw the highest energy into our body from the Spirit that restores your Body. As a result, we are loving toward others, generous givers, kind, respectful, and joyful. Leaders of nations indwelt by the Holy Spirit can rule a nation with righteousness. During King Solomon’s power, he was able to judge righteously according to God’s Law because he was “One” with the Spirit. What he spoke were not words taught by human wisdom but words taught by the Spirit of God, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. King Solomon became the greatest Kings because he didn’t ask for power, wealth, or honor but Wisdom and Knowledge. 2 Chronicles 1:7-12 (Solomon Asks for Wisdom), ⁷That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” ⁸Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. ⁹Now, LORD God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. ¹⁰Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?” ¹¹God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, ¹²therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”

Mark 10:18, ¹⁸“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good-except God alone. If there is anything good to boost about, it is the Holy Spirit working in you. We are hand picked by God as vessels to serve and fulfill his purpose. The spirit endures all the body experiences to regenerate, indwell, restraint, and provide service. The Spirit is the immaterial facet of man allowing us to have an intimate relationship with God. The “Opening and Closing Gate of Heaven” is the gateway to our soul for God to intercede in our life. When the gateway to the soul opens, the mind is in motion; when it closes, the mind is at rest. In the opening and closing of this gateway, can we keep the principle of serenity and quietude? Our mind animates the body to act accordingly to our thoughts. If our thoughts are “serenity” and “quietude”, the body will imitate those thoughts. Moments of serenity and quietude keeps us still so the Spirit can Act for us. Our bodies feel re-energized by the Spirit when we are One with the Spirit, the highest level of energy we can receive. However, when we are down and depress, the gateway to our soul closes and the mind is at rest. We become restless because the Spirit is no longer in motion to energize the body. Instead, we disconnect with the Spirit and use our own energy until nothing is left. Depriving the body from re-energizing itself has negative effects, such as depression, loneliness, aging, and early death.

God is the Creator of all things, living and non-living. We are born again as imperishable seeds, through the living and enduring Word of God; the Word that stands forever. God nourish us with the living water. Anyone who drinks this water will never thirst again and will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. For everyone born of God and believe that Jesus is the Son of God overcomes the world. Thus, when we have nothing, but yet possess everything. In our achievements, there is no need for arrogance for God will exalt the humble ⁽Matthew 23:8-12). God is impartial, who judge the world in righteousness and govern the people with justice (Psalm 9:8). God grace overflow to the many who are in Spirit with him.

• What is the Spirit and Soul?

  

  Image by Loci Lenar via Flickr

  The spirit and soul are interchangeably used in the bible meaning the same thing. It is the immaterial part of our body which intercedes for us. The spirit/soul endures all the body experiences to regenerate, indwell, restraint, and provide service. Only believers who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit are said to be “Spiritually Alive” and unbelievers are “Spiritually Dead”. The Spirit is the immaterial facet of man allowing us to have an intimate relationship with God. Mankind has a spirit but we are not a spirit.  When we use the word spirit, it refers to the immaterial part of man, including his soul. Man is a soul and the word soul simply means life, thus life is removed at the time of death.  Soul refers to the material and immaterial of man. In Genesis, Man’s sin tainted our soul but God already had a plan to wash away our sins. Whenever soul is used, it can refer to a person alive or after death. Soul and Spirit are the same in the manner they are used but different in reference.The Soul is man’s horizontal view of the world and Spirit is man’s vertical view of the world. Both refer to the immaterial part of man but Spirit refers to man’s walk with God and Soul refers to man’s walk with the world, both material and immaterial.  The bible show man’s eagerness to sin and man’s naturally evil works against the spirit/soul as a result of Adam’s sin.

  1 Corinthians 2:11
  ¹¹For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

  Hebrews 4:12
  ¹²For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  (Only scripture mentioning the spirit and soul can be divided only by God)

  James 2:26
  ²⁶As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

  1 Thessalonians 5:23
  ²³May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  Spirit is the Greek word “pneuma” which means “breath or breeze” referring to a human “spirit” the rational “soul”. The soul is the Greek word “psuche” which means “breath” and by implication “spirit”. Thus, the use of the two words does not indicate the immaterial part of man could be divided, but rather used simply for emphasis. There are not three parts to humans (body, soul, and spirit) but only two parts (body and “soul or spirit”). Throughout the scriptures we see the two terms “spirit” and “soul” used interchangeably.

  Hebrews 6:19
  ¹⁹We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

  1 Peter 2:11
  ¹¹Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.

  2 Peter 2:8
  ⁸for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard

  Genesis 2:7
  ⁷And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

  Luke 10:27
  ²⁷And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.

  In Peter we find the word “soul” can also be the “spirit”, the eternal part he put into us when we were conceived (made alive). In Genesis, the Lord breathed into man the breath of life which is the “spirit” or “soul” that our body can be made alive and breath the air. In Luke, the word for “heart” refers to the mind’s thoughts or feelings. It does not refer to the flesh of the heart that pumps blood but the “mind” in the sense of our “soul” or “spirit”. The Greek word for mind is “dianoia” which refers to our “deep thoughts” or “the exercise of our minds”. The heart and soul is use for emphasis referring to the same thing, the spirit. We are to love our God with our actual thoughts. In summary, the “spirit” and the “soul” are one and the same, two words meaning the same thing: the eternal immaterial part of each person.

• How is the Spirit or Soul created?
  Creationism holds that all spirits/souls are created directly by God (with Eve’s substance, material and immaterial, being taken from Adam). God creates a new soul/spirit when a human being is conceived. The scriptures that differentiates the origin of the spirit/soul from the origin of the body.

  Ecclesiastes 12:7
  ⁷and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

  Isaiah 42:5
  ⁵This is what God the LORD says-he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:

  Zechariah 12:1
  ¹This is the word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him, declares:

  Hebrews 12:9
  ⁹Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!

  Traducianism believe an individual spirit or soul is derived from the spirits or souls of the parents. This implies the spirit or soul of Adam was created directly by God with Eve’s substance, material and immaterial, being taken from Adam. The scriptures below reads the body, soul, spirit came from the parents.

  Genesis 2:7
  ⁷the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

  Genesis 5:3
  ³When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.

  Genesis 2:2-3
  ²By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. ³And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

  Both Creationism and Traducianism agree that the soul does not exist prior to conception. God creates each individual soul at the moment it is need.

• Is the spirit/soul mortal or immortal?
  The human spirit/soul is immortal whether they are saved or lost will spend eternity someplace in heaven or hell. Our spirit/soul will live forever either in the presence of God in heaven if we are saved or punished in hell if rejected by God’s gift of salvation. Our spirit/soul will live forever and our bodies will resurrect. God is the only one who can restore our spirit/soul to the body after death.

  Psalm 23:3
  ³he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

  Ecclesiastes 12:7
  ⁷and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

  Daniel 12:2
  ²Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

  Matthew 25:46
  ⁴⁶“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

  1 Corinthians 15:12-19
  ¹²But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ¹⁵More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. ¹⁷And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. ¹⁹If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

Does the Bible give us any insight when Christ is coming? Discover the 7 signs of Christ’s return.

1. Israel Restore

2. Reunification of Europe

3. The Coming of the Antichrist

4. Rise of World Religion

5. Rebuilding of 3rd Temple

6. Invasion of Israel of the North

7. Battle of Armageddon

Israel Restore: Returning of Jewish people to the Holy Land

Reunification of Europe: Western Europe Super Power

• Rome (capital of several western nations) formed confederation called the E.U. (European Union). Integrated economic and politically, common policy in trade, agriculture, monitory system, support national department. Daniel the prophet during Nebuchadnezzar rule spoke of this day,  10 nations. It will become a super power  national army with advance technology, enforcing one religious yoke. Who will be the master of this giant? After this Roman super power is destroy, will Christ return to earth?

The Coming of the Anti-Christ: World wide dominance of new religion. Unholy Trinity: Satin, Antichrist, false prophet

• Looks like man, speaks boastfully with great authority. People surrender all their will, love, loyalty, freedom, and soul to him because they believe he is a savior. He promise peace, establish order, stabilize economy, unit world order, he will appear heaven sent. He is the Antichrist sent by satin. Possibly European. An enemy who can establish popular support. He determines who should be born and have an education. He will determine among the ages who should be done away with after outliving their usefulness. Will not accept any debate. Hitler is somebody who we can reference as the anti-christ. In WWI Britain held out and defeated him, so he could have not been the Antichrist. Hitler’s power lasted 12 years but during the years the control was powerful. Advance technology will serve the Antichrist, unlike Hitler’s primitive weapons.

Rise of a World Religion: Rising of a World Dictator

• 

  Image via Wikipedia

  This person will be fatally wounded and healed with some miracle. He overcomes death. The world was amazed and thought of himself as a living God. Hitler triumph over death when many tried to kill him. Hitler edge God off by enforcing people to say Heil Hitler instead of God Be With You as a greeting. Christian religion was replaced by pagan Hitler worshiper. Mock baptism and at the alter people use a portrait of Hitler instead of the Cross. In the form of Hitler, satin visited the earth and recruited an army of sinners. A second beast coming out of earth exercise the authority of the first beast and made everybody worship the first. He will cause fire to come down from the Heavens. He does not make himself an object of worship, but rather direct people admiration to a dictator, the Antichrist. He makes his lies sound like truth. Economically and military deem himself divine and he tries to duplicate Christ’s miracles. He will employ undercover treatment for blind, restore nerves for cripples, and raise the dead like Frankenstein. Satin as the Father, Antichrist as the son, and the false prophet as the holy spirit. Man worshiping a unholy Trinity. Violence all over the world from false prophets.

The Rebuilding of the Third Temple of Jerusalem

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  Image by Ian W Scott via Flickr

  The gates of Jerusalem Golden Gate: To Jews the gate is where the Messiah will enter Jerusalem and restore Israel to its formal glory. To Christian the gate is where Jesus will reenter the city of Jerusalem. The Muslim sealed the gate in 1530 because they know the Messiah, as a Jewish high priest, is forbidden to cross the cemetery they fronted with a broad graveyard. This is the temple mount, the jewel crown, the biblical mount Maria, the heart of the Jewish faith. Covers 35 acres, it is the most valued peace of land on earth. King Solomon built the first temple of Jerusalem here but was destroyed in 586 B.C. by Babylonian invaders. King Herod completed the building of the second Temple in 26 B.C. It was his greatest achievement. Roman emperor Caligula attempt to in store his graven image in the Temple but this upset the Jewish and they revolted against the Romans and won. However, in 70 A.D. Roman forces captured the city and burnt down the temple, carrying sacred vessels to Rome. All that remain of the Temple is a retaining western wall of massive stone blocks raising 50 feet. This is the holy place for the Jewish civilization. What crown the temple mount today is Muslim architecture called the “Dome of the Rock”.  Important to the follower of Mohamed, as the Temple is important to Israel. It shows a rock where Abraham sacrifices his son Isaac. It is also the rock Muslim believe  Mohamed was ascended into heaven. Christians and Jews are forbidden to pray at the dome, including the buildings near by the dome. The mount may be the location of the 3rd temple that will be built by the Jews. Both Jews and Muslim claim it as their own. 691 A.D. the Muslim completed building the Dome of the Rock and stood 13 century. They are not ready to see a 3rd Temple raised by the Jewish. Many Jewish say the new Temple will be from Heaven. A model of the 3rd temple is already being prepared. Christians believe Jesus Christ will not return until the 3rd Temple is built. The 10 nation dictator will intervene the conflict over the Temple Mount and the Temple will be rebuilt. The dictator was given authority to every tribe, people, language, and nation. He will come as a peace maker and deceive the elect. He enters into agreement to restore Palestine to the Israelites. He fulfills the covenant of Christ but has other intentions. This will mark the 7 years period of tribulation which will end with the 2nd coming of the Christ. Now the false prophet will enthrone the dictator Antichrist in the new Temple of Jerusalem. His image is to be worshiped, prayed too, and adore. This event is much greater than the holocaust of Hitler.

Invasion of Israel from Army of the North: Defeated by nature and not force

• Despite the dictator spurn Godhood, Israel as a nation rest prosperous and secured in its covenant with the Federated States of Europe. But the Arab nations continue to search for allies. Students of biblical prophecy believe nations of the North will do battle for them. The prophet Ezekiel foresees a new coalition.

  Ezekiel 38:1-6 A Prophecy Against Gog
  ¹The word of the LORD came to me: ²“Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophesy against him ³and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. ⁴I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army-your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. ⁵Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, ⁶also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops-the many nations with you.

  The nations of Persia, Ethiopia, Put, Gomer, and leadership of Gog (end time ruler) of Maggot (a nation both powerful and terrifying) to rival the Federated States of Europe. Before the events of 1989, the people thought the Soviet Union was the Gog of Maggot, but their forces broke up. For thousands of years the invasion has always been from the North against Israel, but the North is not necessary of every invaders homeland. Persia (present day Iran), Ethiopia once allies of the Soviet Union (Cush), Libya (Put), only the nation called Gomer is controversial. For decades people thought Gomer was Communist East Germany, but now East and West Germany has been united; there are doubts. After the Great Flood, The sons Japheth (Noah’s son) went north to land of that sounds like Russia, so they can be the Gomer nation.

  This is the account of the families of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the three sons of Noah. Many children were born to them after the great flood. The descendants of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. The descendants of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. The descendants of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. Shem was the ancestor of all the descendants of Eber. While Israel sleeps in the security of its new covenant of Europe, Gong and its allies will attack like a cloud covering the land. The invasion is successful, however invaders are overly confident and presume ownership of Israel resources before winning them. Now God himself shows his face on the signs of his chosen. Everything on earth is in destruction.

Ezekiel 38:17-23
¹⁷” ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Are you not the one I spoke of in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel? At that time they prophesied for years that I would bring you against them. ¹⁸This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign LORD. ¹⁹In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. ²⁰The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. ²¹I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign LORD. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. ²²I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. ²³And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’

Gog and its coalition is destroyed. So great the devastation it takes 7 months to bury the died and 7 years to remove the debris. This is small compare to Armageddon.

The Battle of Armageddon

• Zachariah prophesy that all of the nations will come to Israel and do battle at Armageddon. In 1942, December the 2nd at University of Chicago the atom was split.

Zechariah 14:1-6 The LORD Comes and Reigns

¹A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. ²I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. ³Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. ⁴On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. ⁵You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.⁶On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. ⁷It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime-a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light.

• Many Christian believe Jewish History is satin’s efforts to destroy God’s people and upset God’s plan of redemption for mankind. Megddo (Armageddon) is peaceful now. In ancient world it was a vital cross road for trade. Below the ruins of city lies 20 other Megddo one on top of another. The city has been rebuilt 20 times. The valley of Megddo stretch from the Mediterranean Terrain across Northern Israel. This will be the last battle before the second coming of Christ. This army is believe 200 million strong. All from N, S, E, and W come to clash at Armageddon.

Revelations 19:11-16 The Rider on the White Horse

¹¹I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. ¹²His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. ¹³He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ¹⁴The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Christ returns in glory judges the Godless nation from his Holy City Jerusalem, he will reign triumphed and his Kingdom will remain eternal. The unholy Trinity is crushed. The redeemed of humankind will live in bless of God’s unchallenged reign over the universe. Believers try to see through the cios to Christ coming and it is not fearful but charged with hope.

Luke 21:28

²⁷At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 2⁶When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Revelation 22:12

¹²“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.

Revelation 21:6
⁶He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.

Revelation 22:20
²⁰He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen.

Filling your stomach up with riches, keep sharpening your sword, and the love money can excite the fascination of “getting excessively rich”. It is too great a temptation to resist potential wealth when we don’t keep our faith in God. The body do not have the ability to do anything above our mental and physical capacity. Unfortunately, some desire to live above their means to cover up their insecurities which may lead to stress, anger, violence, and possibly suicide. These excessive behaviors start to shape our life and soon become destructive habits.

Living in moderation can be quite a challenge when you have the opportunity to live like a wealthy celebrity. Let’s say, you won 2.3 million dollars and a bracelet at the World Series of Poker. What about $21,000,000,000 playing the lotto? If that isn’t enough, what about an inheritance of 1.3 billion dollars? Do I need the money to be happy? If you were content without it, then what purpose does excessive wealth serve you? Do you plan to keep it all for yourself or give a portion away? Of course, the money can buy many desirable things; however, the true essence of who we are is to “Give” and not receive. This is the basic foundation God created us to be for true happiness. Acts 20:35, ³⁵In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ “ Immediate wealth weakens our ambition to learn new things in life. What do you have to look forward too if everything is at hand? All the special moments of your incremental success are now replaced with money. In fact, the vast majority of lottery winners who won a large sum of money are in a worst financial situation. Many of them claim to be playing the lottery so they can give to the church or good cause, but few, if any, truly give.

Do I need to earn excessive amount of money? Money does not create happiness and desiring too much are the reasons for the housing and stock market to collapse. The Rich gets richer and the Poor get poorer at the expense of another person. This is the excessive greed along the higher chain of people who live to improve their status quo. The chances of excessively gaining wealth are extremely small, which results in many peoples’ lives being ruined. God does not need your money to fulfill his Promise for us. He is the Sovereign God who provides for our needs, especially to those who ask in his name. John 14:14, ¹⁴You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. Build your wealth honestly in increments you can appreciate and give to the poor what God has given you. Proverbs 13:11, ¹¹Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow. To whom much is given, much is expected! Luke 12:47-48, ⁴⁷“That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. ⁴⁸But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Hebrews 13:5, ⁵Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” 1 Timothy 6:6-10 ,⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Matthew 6:24 , ²⁴No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Many professionals “Require” the use of their “Title” named accordingly by their profession to fulfill any insecurity they may have. It is a primary fragment of what they “Come To Be” and not who they really are. The “Title” gives them an edge above everyone else and becomes the grounds of their identity. These titles may include Dr., PhD, DDS, MD, CEO, CFO, President, Bishop, Pastor, Father, Rabbi, and many more. Matthew 23:5-13, ⁵“Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; ⁶they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; ⁷they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.’ ⁸“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. ⁹And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. ¹⁰Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ. ¹¹The greatest among you will be your servant. ¹²For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. ¹³“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. Though we may be the CEO of a fortune 5 company or the top surgeon in the world, God ask us to do our work and remain humble. Let the people around you, honor you. There is no need to sit on a pedestal above everyone else. “Live To Give!”

Water is the most fitting metaphor how God designed forces of nature to serve all the living. Water nourishes every plant and thirsty animal. It assumes the lowest places no matter where it may be. This is the characteristics of God. John 1:14, ¹⁴The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 3:16-17, ¹⁷For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Jesus rained down from Heaven to bring hope and salvation to all who repent and believe he is the Son of God, our savior. John 14:11, ¹¹Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. He takes the lowest places where the poor and sick settled. Water moves accordingly to nature. Nature is God and Jesus moves accordingly to the forces of Nature, nourishing all the living at the lowest places where people disdain.

Thus, in dwelling, the word from above became flesh among us. Like the deep body of water, his love has great depth beyond our understanding. When giving, it is for all, raining with great kindness without contention. Jesus reassembles the characters of water, reflecting it’s surrounding without hiding or changing anything. When Jesus speaks, his words are transparent, not hidden but are the reflections of his righteousness. He speaks with the sense of honesty so people come to trust him. Jesus ruling is impartial, nourishing everything in its path like the four headwaters moving along the lowest point of the world. When Jesus is working, he does whatever you ask in his name; like water conforming to the shape of any container to do its work. Changing, adapting, and moving to your constant needs or new challenges. Jesus fulfills his promise accordingly to the Word of his Father at the appropriate time. Everything God planned has already been finished and the Promise of God is set for us. His timing is like water moving in accordance with Nature. Whether it takes the form of rain, snow, or hail, water follows the timing of natural events. Jesus came to serve and not compete for wealth, power, or honor. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you and even more without expectation or return.

The Apostles learned not to compete among each other and shared their wealth. Those with money and possessions distributed their wealth to provide for the sick and poor. They learn not to compete among each other to fulfill God’s purpose. Acts 4:32-37, ³²All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. ³³With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. ³⁴There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales ³⁵and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. ³⁶Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), ³⁷sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

On the other hand, destructive competition seeks to benefit an individual/group/organism by damaging or eliminating competing individuals, groups, and/or organisms. It is a “winner take all” attitude where the success of one group is dependent on the failure of the other. This tends to promote fear, a “strike-first” mentality, which is common in our economy today. We can identify this behavior in the stock market where multi-billion dollar companies compete for survival by monopoly. Competition is not only expensive but can be damaging, as is the case with political elections, international sports, and advertising wars. It can lead to the compromising of ethical standards in order to gain an advantage. For example, athletes who use banned steroids in professional sports to boost their own chances of success. This is harmful for athletes who injure themselves when pushing their body past its natural limits.

Though we can have a Co-operative competition promoting a mutual survival where everyone wins, our competitiveness to get less and benefit the whole can be difficult. We don’t need a $100 million to live happily and giving away $99 million of your competitive winnings won’t be easy if we had to share the wealth so everyone wins. Matthew 19:21-23, ²¹Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” ²²When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. ²³Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

How does the evolutionary theory contradict Creation? Many evolutionary biologists view inter-species and intra-species competition as the driving force of adaptation, survival of the fittest. This evolutionary idea does not create life but results in death. A competition where the strongest and most adapted survives and the weak, less adapted dies. Is this how we really want to view our humanity? Jesus came here to be with the poor and sick. God is about the Creation of Life. Creation and Evolution are both scary outcomes. If you believe in a Creator, one day you will be judged according to your sins. If you believe in Evolution, than who is watching over us? The earth will move sporadically in space at approximately 66,000 mph, adaptation of the fittest will result in death due to war, and life on earth will end after death. There will be nothing to look forward too. Do we really want to compete like wild animals to survive by taking another life?

Jesus suffered the weight of all our sins to open the Gates of the Heavens.

John 1:1-4: ¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was with God in the beginning. ³Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴In him was life, and that life was the light of men. It is this Word who became incarnate in Jesus. John 1:14, ¹⁴The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Everything God the Father “Is”, Jesus “Is”. Death has no power over him because he is the God who is infinite and eternal. Anything born, non-born (is God), or created by God is everlasting. Everlasting life only exists when we let go and let God be the author of our life. God makes things everlasting and is the maker of the Heavens and Earth. Our fears grips onto a world of self desires that leads to our own death. Jesus death on the cross was the sacrifice he made to wash away our sins. The first Adam lead to death but the Second Adam lead us to eternal life; born again in Jesus Christ, living as One where the light of God will reign forever. Revelation 22:5, ⁵There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. Jesus sacrifice was an example how he humbles himself to serve the least of men, only to be exalted by God alone in his Kingdom . The resurrection and glory after death is the fulfillment we receive from the love of God and his mercy.

God is infinite (1 Timothy 1:17), incomparable (2 Samuel 7:22), and unchanging (Malachi 3:6). God knows everything (Matthew 11:21) and has all power and authority (Revelation 19:6).The spirit of God is everlasting, unfathomable, (Isaiah 40:28) and lives in us whom you have received from God (1 Corinthians 6:19). He is the mysterious Lord, sovereign God, the genesis of all things, creator of all heavens and earth (Colossians 1:16) who has always been there and will always be, existing everywhere (Psalm 139:7-12). The power of spirit is literally inexhaustible. It’s presence is like a continuous flow of light, the essence of life itself, always there working in us no matter how much you use it. Though we tend to take the spirit within us for granted and not pay to much attention to it, the spirit will always be there because we are not our own.

If you believe in Jesus Christ, God is with you, beside you, above you, and inside you. His presence and watchful care never leaves you because of his love. If you do not believe in Jesus Christ, God is right in front of you, inviting you, offering his love, and grace that He longs to give you. During times of painful trials it may seem God is no longer there to carry you. Even Jesus asked, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Though it seems God forsaken Jesus, we obviously know the events that unfolded after the crucifixion, the truth was revealed that nothing can separate us from the love of God, not even death (Romans 8:37-39). After Jesus was crucified, He was glorified (1 Peter 1:21, Mark 16:6). We can be assured that even when we do not feel God’s presence, we can still believe His promise that He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).