Sunday, November 24, 2013

Choice or Chance

Greetings My Friends;
Most of us go through life doing our thing. Each of us has a little different way of doing things. I would like to briefly describe a few character studies. They are  the result of years of dealing with all kinds people. These descriptions cover a couple of general characteristics of each group. Naturally there are exceptions. You will get the point of this exercise, about halfway through this message, so please bear with me.
First let us look at people who are successful in the eyes of the world. They are usually intelligent, hard-working, and able to focus on whatever they are doing. If they are professional, they are generally very dedicated. Most pursue their goal and are seldom sidetracked. They are prepared to sacrifice to achieve their desired goals. Their self-esteem level is very high. As a matter of fact, the problem with most high achievers, is that they honestly believe that they did everything on their own, and have no need of God.
The next group is usually in the bottom 50 or 60%. And this group of people generally have less education, and average or below incomes because of any number of circumstances. Most of these people seem to be in a constant state of unhappiness or even depression. Relationships suffer the farther down you go. Most, usually have a lot of debt to deal with. A general sense of hopelessness is fairly common. Their self-esteem level is generally pretty low. These people however, in fairly large numbers, are looking for God to help them, because they know they cannot do most things on their own.
If you talk to the well-off people about the other group, they will probably tell you that the people at the bottom are mostly just lazy. They have no ambition or discipline. They don't know how to sacrifice anything. The well-off feel that the less fortunate don't try very hard, so they deserve what they get.
The less fortunate feel that the people on the top are lucky, know the right people, or have success at the expense of the little guy.
The plain truth is that God loves all of us. Our lives are influenced by God, satan, and ourselves. We make the choices in our lives, and we generally live by the results of our choices. God does not have favorites, he wants everyone to come to him. satan however hates everyone and wants them to come to him. Everyone else has a decision to make as to who they will follow.
Just because some people are well-off, it doesn't mean that they belong to God. So it is that just because you are poor it does not mean you belong to the devil.
If God is your God, you are blessed and usually make good decisions. The opposite is also true. God has a plan for each person. We are free to decide for ourselves if we follow his plan or ours. Social status does not reflect how much God loves us. Who we follow does determine our future. Everything else in the meantime is just stuff, and everyone has a job to do. It's all part of God's plan.
It is said very well in Ecclesiastes 9:11, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. Nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, not favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. As I have said before, and believe with all my heart, if you seek after God first all the rest will come to you.
God Bless You And Remember
 Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation;
"Oh God in Heaven, I believe with all of my heart that Jesus has been raised from the dead. I receive Your Word, and I repent of sin. I renounce the past. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus. I receive my forgiveness. I receive the new birth, cleansed and washed in the Word and in the precious blood of Jesus. Fill me with Your Spirit, in Jesus name. Amen"

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