Through the Cross of Christ each believer has been given the victory. Each believer is free in Christ. Grace rules our lives not Law. Because of Christ’s victory we have victory in life. We need to understand that our old man (sin nature) was crucified with Christ. We were crucified with Christ and died on the Cross. Knowing this that our old man was crucified with Christ that this body of sin might be done away with. Therefore consider yourself dead to sin but alive to God. You have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. All believers are seated in Christ at the right hand of God the Father.

The Christian life is one of growth. It is a process. As Joyce Meyer says “I’m not were I need to be but thank God I’m not were I used to be. I’m OK and I’m on my way”. Life is a process. In Christ the need for growth is satisfied. The problem that I faced was that I looked at my life and saw imperfection thus I condemned myself. Over the last few years I have come to understand that Father knew what He was getting when He brought me into His kingdom. Life is a process that continues until you die. You will not reach the finish line until you die. The Christian life is a race that was won on the Cross. This race will continue to the end.

Learn who you are in Christ. You are righteous in Christ. You are a new creature in Christ. You have been adopted by Father God. Learn about the Power of God in the Cross of Christ.

Social Security Privatization Plan

With all the talk about Social Security reform I would like to add my thoughts about it. I think W. should approach this differently. W’s plan calls for taking the money and investing in the stock market. I think this is the weakness of the plan. Stocks are not good places to invest long-term. I would take the money, creating individual accounts, pool it into several large funds. Private investment groups would manage each fund. The money would be used to loan money to mid size profitable companies for capital improvement and building new factories thus creating new jobs. Some money could be used to allow foreign companies to build factories in the USA. Market rate interest would be charged these companies. No money would be used to build anything overseas. This would create a fund of American dollars being used to help build America into the future.

There are two issues that would need to be resolved. First, guidelines must be established about who can receive this money to avoid cheating. Second, guidelines need to be established to insure the funds don’t become another Teamster pension fund debacle. With the new style accounting techniques used by many American firms this would require much oversight. With this amount of money involved the fallen nature of man can easily take over.

I would like to add my two cents concerning the NHL lockout. What does it boil down too? The owners must put limits upon themselves in order to control their stupidity. If you look at those sports that have salary caps all benefit. The players make good incomes, the fans enjoy the sport and owners make money. I believe that hockey is in serious trouble. In Minnesota the fans have come out in force to support the Wild and then this happens. If next season occurs I think boycott one game would be perfect payback. All the fans should choose one game and boycott it. Show the players and owners that fans matter most, not their egos.

I have been catching Jimmy Swaggart on TV lately. Years ago when he was on I could not stand watching him, very judgmental and condemning. These days he is teaching about the Cross of Jesus Christ. I suggest you ignore his ramblings about the end times, which I believe is designed for fund raising.

The Cross of Jesus Christ is “foolishness to those who are perishing but to those who are being saved it is the power of God”. (1 Cor. 1:18) “I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who lives but Christ who lives within me and the life I now live I live by faith in the Son of God who loves and gave Himself for me”. (Galatians 2:20)

To watch a loved one begin the decline toward death is a horrible thing. I understand that because of his relationship with Jesus my Dad will spend eternity with the Father. It doesn’t make the pain watching him go through the process any easier. To look at a man who was independent and could handle any problem now having trouble walking and thinking correctly is painful. Years ago I remember hearing the song My Generation by The Who “I hope I die before I get old.”

Recently Father taught me a new revelation based upon a book I had read several years ago about Ecclesiastes. It taught the God gives us the ability to enjoy the meaningless of life. Life is cyclical in that each day is similar. A person can choose to go through life in one of two ways. The first is the Earl Nightingale way. Achieving goals and making each day count for something. Building a name for yourself so you will be remembered after you die. The other is working each day throughout your life learning to enjoy each day by understanding that Father gives you the ability to enjoy the meaninglessness of life. Always remember the moment you die those meaningless things, i.e. career, financial success, vacations, etc truly have no meaning.

Which of these is better? Neither. The day you die neither will mean anything with Father. The only thing that matters is our relationship with Jesus. What should a believer’s goal be? Understand the Cross – the Body and Blood. The Apostle Paul says that he preached Christ and Him crucified. When a teacher begins to move away from the Cross-then the people fall into sins and struggle. Why? The answer lies in the Cross. When the church moves away from the Cross it will always become works oriented.

I would like to talk about our Belief Systems. Each person has a set of beliefs about which they perceive our world. Some call this our worldview. These beliefs are used to filter all new information coming into our minds. Using this filter we either accept or reject this new information. Information that matches our specific beliefs is allowed in without filtering. These worldviews are created for a person’s survival within the present world system.

When a new idea is presented to a person he/she has a choice to make, either accept that idea or reject. How should believers look at new ideas that are presented to them? Be using the Word of God to verify this new idea or information. To outright reject something is unbiblical. Discernment comes through study and asking Father for the wisdom to verify.

Now what happens when this new idea is truth but the belief system says too reject it? If a person rejects a new idea due to being unteachable then that person misses out on some blessing Father has for him/her. For many years I held to a false belief called Theonomy. Theonomy simply means God’s Law. In simple terms Theonomy is a fancy name for legalism – trying to achieve right standing with Father God by obeying Old Testament Law. For years I would read the Theonomy proponents books, feeding my mind.

One day I joined a Theonomy listserv and discovered the offspring of these teachers I had been reading. These people were full of hate and were incapable of showing mercy for anyone who disagreed with them. The smallest disagreement was heresy. I realized that the goal of our instruction is LOVE!

Always be on guard for falsehood in what any form it may come in. But do not abandon the teaching of the Bible while protecting yourself. Test the spirits using the Word of God.

Gary North Reality Check Issue 420 asked a simple question “Do You Sincerely Want to be Rich?” People read books like Think and Grow Rich, Million Dollar Habits, Master Key to Riches or Rich Dad Poor Dad etc and etc. You hear about goals, positive thinking, possibility thinking, PMA, NLP, sports psychology ad nauseam. The question that should be asked first is, “Who am I in Christ Jesus?” This is the starting place. The next question should be “How does Father describe success?”

Am I saying don’t read these type of books? I would recommend that people would take the time and read at least one of these books every year. The knowledge contained within these books is enormous. But the question that North asks is really this, “What am I willing to sacrifice to become rich?” Jesus talks about counting the costs. This is what each person must do before moving. Realizing that nothing happens until something moves. Action brings an equal an opposite reaction, i.e. action produces results.

I have concluded that the beginning of success is based on habits. Each day the habits we have developed will determine the amount of future success we achieve. I am today were I am because of the habits I have used over the last 20 years. The habits I continue to develop today will help determine my success for the next 20 years. The type of books a person reads is a habit. The friends you frequent is a habit. How you start your day is a habit. Choose positive and choose a successful future.

Each person should sit down and define success. I have defined it as such, “Learning to allow Jesus Christ to live his life through me so that I can enjoy, in this life, those things that are meaningless in the next”. For many years I have tried to find a career were I could be creative and enjoy that creativity. What I have discovered is that my creativity will shine outside of work as I begin enjoying the life Father God has given me.

Live until you die. Each day is a blessing from Father, so enjoy each day.

Shad Helmstetter in his book “What to Say When You Talk to Yourself” has some interesting things to say about how success or failure is created by our self-talk. He gives a five-step sequence that outlines the process of creating ourselves. It starts with how we program ourselves. What do we feed our minds on a consisted basis? Do we listen to the Apostle Paul and think about things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and good repute or do we choose negative things?

The result of feeding our minds creates our belief system. How we perceive the world is based upon our beliefs. As we are introduced with new ideas, i.e. our Right Standing with Father God in Christ, our beliefs will either accept this new information or reject it. Beliefs are developed and can be very hard to change due to the attitude that is developed because of these beliefs.

Attitude is the third step. Our attitude is influenced by our beliefs. If a person’s beliefs are positive that person will tend to be positive. The same holds true for negative. Our attitude about the world in which we live is based upon our beliefs. Our beliefs are formed by what we feed (program) ourselves mentally and spiritually.

The last two steps are feelings and behavior. About feelings I have this to say. A Christian needs to understand that we need to not allow ourselves to be controlled by our feelings. Feelings can be very deceptive. Behavior is our conduct with the outside world. The grace of Father God plays a key role in this area as in all others.

What are the vanities of life?

I have concluded that life is about enjoying those vanities that so many people hate. For years I thought that success was achieving these mighty goals about wealth. That thinking was from the world system that the Bible condemns.

What is true success? It is learning to allow Jesus to live His life through you so you can enjoy, in this life, those things that are meaningless in the next. Example would be for a person to learn to swim or read a novel. When that person dies it will have no meaning on his position.

A Believer’s position is secure in Christ. The Divine Exchange has taken place. Our Sin Nature for Christ’s Righteousness. As our sin nature was a result of being born in Adam so Christ’s Righteousness is our result of being adopted by the Father. Believer’s died on the Cross-with Jesus. I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who lives but Christ who lives in me. If righteousness could be gained through the Law then Christ died needlessly.

Vanity, Vanity all is Vanity says Solomon. The older I have gotten I have discovered that the words of Solomon ring true. Everyday is the same thing. Life is composed of cycles that keep repeating themselves. This is why addictions are so common in our society. For the first time I have begun to understand Solomon’s words. This cycle of life becomes vanity – meaninglessness without Jesus. This common cycle of birth to death will drive a person insane without Christ. In order to attempt to overcome these cycles mankind develops addictions including legalism – achieving right standing with God through good works.

All Believers have been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), we no longer live but Christ lives in us. His life in us gives each believer the ability to enjoy the vanity or cycles of life. With Christ living His life through each believer a person can learn to enjoy the vanities of life. Enjoy your career without making it your life. Enjoy your new hobbies without making it your life.

Enjoy Jesus Christ because He is your life.