"This is what the Lord asks of you: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly, and to walk humbly with your God."
~ Micah 6: 8

Conversations with God are wide-ranging and definitely diverse. Are your prayers one-dimensional focusing on asking for a precise blessing or blessings, hoping God is hearing your prayer? Have you considered better understanding the will and the mind of God? Walk humbly with your God. Perhaps you have not intimately had an experience of partnering your thoughts and feelings with God – Following are four essential considerations to begin this inspirational and empowering journey.

1- Don't Expect an Apostle Paul Experience

When you pray in your quiet place – On "Your Damascus Praying Journey" you should not suppose you will receive an immediate vision, like Paul did, of clarity to your prayer thoughts. Praying on top of "Your Mount Sinai," you will not receive 10 healing commandments written on stone tablets like Moses. Seldom are prayers to your God answered that way. Don't expect immediate results as you learn to commune with God so that it is a two-way communication. This takes determination, diligence, and patience. Answers and inspiration from God come quietly to your soul, your heart, and your mind, quietly, and delicately – not always immediately. Learning to recognize and listen to what may seem like quiet whispers of inspiration from God is an essential focus worthy of mindful attention.

2- Don't Give Up

Don't give up because you experience uncertainty about your prayers being heard, let alone being answered – keep trying – with humble determination. Answers to your prayers come in God's time not yours. Your answers from God will likely come as a quiet whispering. Don't begin your prayers with disbelief, that they will never be answered. Don't be a doubter but have quiet hopeful confidence your communication will progress. The voice from your God will be delicate and soft – but a wonderful sacred experience and blessing to you.

3- Don't Be Discouraged

Don't be discouraged if your closeness and answers to prayers evade and escape your most sincere efforts. Fine-tuning and adapting your communion with your God so that it is a personal dialog, direct two-way communication can give you immense inspiration and comfort to stop grieving and start healing. Keep praying, keep trying, and with your continued hard work, hearing the voice of God in your own way in His time is possible.

4- Let Me Share

Praying to your God can be comforting, inspirational and empowering. In your own way commune with your God. As you experience immense pain and sorrowful emotions, praying often and intently can be your anchor of hope, peace, and strength. Inspiration, empowerment, and peaceful feelings are important as you mourn and grieve. Trying to solve your life problems alone is challenging. Seek the power that only comes from God.

My belief in a Supreme Being has given me added strength. I testify of a God who loves me and knows me by name and watches over me in good times and bad. I express my gratitude for that belief. My heart has been comforted by those things which I believe. Even though I don't understand the why of my grief, my discouragement has been met, and conquered by my beliefs nurtured and harvested. For this understanding and blessing, I express my humble gratefulness. I invite you to seek comfort, peace and strength through communion with your God often, again and again, with extra sincerity and energy like you have never done before, as you seek new purpose and peace. I know God loves me and you.

.

I was at a Walmart the other day and I observed the things that were around me. We in America have taken our liberties and blessings from the Lord for granted. The shelves were stocked with food, candy, and all the things we consider to be vital in our lives today.

There was a lady in front of me with two younger boys and they were all over the place. One of the boy's ran off and another was being disobedient to his mother. The mother said "You are not going to get to play your game tonight!" This was her form of discipline towards her son. The mother knew that her son always craved to play his video games above all other things. But in all honesty would the mother really enforce this discipline on her son?

So many parents today use the television, movies, and video games as babysitters for their children. So many parents are still children themselves.

We like to occupy our children with these tempting and socially hazardous devices so that we can play our video games, watch our movies and get on YouTube, and our Facebook accounts.

Prov 19:15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

You will suffer hunger spiritually. You will be deprived from the power of the Holy Ghost. Your sin will cause separation from you and the LORD.

What type of an infection of sin are Christians infected by today that causes them to think that the things of the world are OK with the Lord?

In the garden of Eden there was only one thing the Lord told Adam and Eve to stay away from, and that was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. One thing! Today the enemy has deceived us with many things that will cause an eternal damnation in hell. Our thinking has become so distorted from the ways of the Lord and what his word says. We are allowing this deception to continue in our lives by rejecting the truth in the Lords word.

If we are not reading His word and if we're going to a church that is not giving the Lord's word, then we will be consumed by our iniquities . There has to be preaching on repentance. We have to daily examine ourselves and the sin in our lives and repent. This is includes all the sinful things you daily put before your eyes and ask no forgiveness for: images on TV, internet, and in person from the worlds seductive apparel. We are not to stand in sin !!! Why because it will send us to hell !! It will harden our hearts so that we allow more and more sin in and not even consider it, or think twice about it much less repent of it. This world is growing more sinful and sinful each day and we are too concerned with our own selfish fleshy wants, TV, music, sports, Facebook, me time, Hollywood etc. God hates the sin and he will only continue to show mercy on us for so long before time is up!

Did you know that Satanist do not let their kids watch television?

Did you know that Steve Jobs who helped create the Company Apple, did not let his children have access to the technology that he helped create?

Why?

Both Satanist and Steve Jobs knew of the corruption, propaganda, and indoctrination that television, music, and computer technology products would instill in their families.

I'm talking about the people of the Lord and the world together. So many so called believers in Jesus Christ have conformed their lives to live without persecution, and to live as the world does.

Have you ever stopped to think why am I not being persecuted?

It's because you are no different from the world! You watch the same TV shows as them, the same music, drink the same wine, hang out at the same places they do, tell the same jokes as they do. You even dress like they do with Hollywood influenced clothing with is seductive, low cut, tight, and revealing. You play poker like them, and laugh at the dirty office humor, you gossip like them. The only difference is you go to church once or twice a week. You don't read your bible, pray, or repent of your sins!

Your not taking a stand against sin in your life!

Stand and deliver like Steven or Peter or JESUS!

I wonder how many Christians would actually choose there technology over Jesus Christ?

OH Wait! You already have, you just don't want to confess it!

I'm speaking the truth!

I'm sent to tell you the truth without compromise!

Can you get rid of your television?

Can you get rid of your Facebook account?

Will you put a filter on your computer?

Can you walk in holiness?

Do you bow your head and pray before you eat in public?

Do you listen to so called Christian music that sounds just like secular music? pop? rock? metal? rap? And they put the Christian label on it?

Tell me do you really think that Jesus would be caught up in all of these distractions?

I don't think so.

I know he wouldn't

He would be about His Father's business.

Satan has distracted you!

I noticed on the shelves a lot of card games like Yugi-o, Pokemon, and a game called Magic. This game magic had a demon on the cover with red eyes. Parents are buying these card games and video games with these demons on them. Children that come into the house of the Lord are bringing these things in with them.

You might say oh Dan its just a card game!

I tell you that it is NOT ! It is witchcraft!

It is an abomination to allow these things in the house of the Lord

Acts 17: 30-31 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent : 31 because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God in his love sent his only son to be crucified, beaten, mauled, mocked, spit upon, back stabbed, abandoned, degraded, accused, and killed for speaking the truth.

God loves us so much.

Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the lord shall prosper in his hand.

The Lord has given mankind a space for repentance.

Rev 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

The Lord is not a fairytale or some old man who has forgotten his promises. The Lord is alive and soon he will pour out his wrath on the earth for the cries of sin that has reached his throne. He loves mankind so much that he is allowing time for mankind to repent. The Lord has a set time and day that he will execute judgment.

2Pet 3: 9 The Lord is not slack regarding his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

When I was leaving the Walmart parking lot I was grieved by what the Holy Spirit was showing me. I was grieved by the people. But the Holy Spirit said the Lord still loves them. He hates the sin and is not compromising his word, only allowing a time for repentance. The way has been made through the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the shedding of his righteous blood.

Jesus Christ rose from the dead and is alive forever more. He sits at the right hand of the Father. This path to life through Jesus Christ will soon be closed. The time of grace will pass very soon!

1Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

The Lord is a holy God.

He is not a God of change.

He is not a God of corruption.

He is not a God who compromises sin.

He is a God that hates sin.

He is a God who hates lawlessness.

How long will you continue in your sins? How long will you halt between two opinions like the Israelites did in the days past?

America cannot continue to go down the path that it is going without the hand of God passing Judgment on it.

Do I blame the President of the United States and those in the high elected seats? No! I blame the church for falling asleep on the watch, for forgetting the call of Jesus Christ.

I look around and I see all of this sin going on in America and in the world. I'm grieved by the sin and I find it to be to be such a burden. We've become so lazy and irresponsible in our lives and we don't raise our children with good moral ethics.

We've let the teaching of atheism in our schools and we have allowed prayer to be taken out of it. Satanists are now being allowed to hand out literature in the schools.

The state of Oklahoma is holding a Back Mass at their civic center and it's sold out! There are studies that there are mind altering chemicals found in our cities tap water. Russia is practicing cruise missile strikes near Canada and the United states. Homosexuals are preaching in the pulpits. And are southern boarders are being invaded right now.

And yet the so called people of God are dead a sleep! It's all an abomination that causes desolation. A desolation of the spirit of the Lord working in our lives. It brings a curse on our lives with murder, rape, hunger, lies, hatred.

Yet we sink deeper in deeper because we really don't care and really don't even believe in God.

That's the truth!

Judgment is coming.

But we will deal with it when we have to.

Irresponsibility …

I want to read to you some very disturbing quotes made by well-known people.

"There will be in the next generation or so a pharmacological method of making people love their servitude and producing dictatorship without tears so to speak. Producing a kind of painless concentration camp for entire societies so that people will in fact have their liberties taken away from them, but will rather enjoy it, because they will be distracted from any desire to rebel by propaganda, or brainwashing, or brainwashing enhanced by pharmacological methods. And this seems to be the final revolution. "

– Aldous Huxley, Tavistock Group, California Medical School, 1961

"We are in a process of developing a whole series of techniques which will enable the controlling oligarchy to get people to actually love their servitude. A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude. To make them love it is the task assigned, in present-day totalitarian states, to ministries of propaganda, newspaper editors, and school teachers .. . The greatest triumphs of propaganda have been accomplished, not by doing something, but by refraining from doing. Great is truth, but still greater, from a practical point of view, is silence about truth. "

–Aldous Huxley

"Today Americans would be outraged if UN troops entered Los Angeles to restore order; tomorrow they will be grateful. This is especially true if they were told there was an outside threat from beyond, whether real or promulgated, that threatened our very existence. It Is then that all peoples of the world will plead with world leaders to deliver them from this evil. The one thing every man fears is the unknown. When presented with this scenario, individual rights will be willingly relinquished for the guarantee of their well being granted to them by their world government. "

– Henry Kissinger speaking at Evian, France, May 21, 1992 Bilderburgers meeting. Unbeknownst to Kissinger, his speech was taped by a Swiss delegate to the meeting.

"The high office of President has been used to foment a plot to destroy the American's freedom, and before I leave office I must inform the citizen of his plight."

– John F. Kennedy, at Columbia University, 10 days before his assassination.

Rev 3: 3 R emember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

In 1963, my metaphysics teacher in college was W. Norris Clarke, S.J. According to him, the cosmological argument for God’s existence began historically with Aristotle’s concept of the “prime mover.” Following Aristotle blindly, Thomas Aquinas called the “prime mover” the “first cause.” In the 1920s, Etienne Gilson made the cosmological argument logical and persuasive by focusing attention on the metaphysics of Aquinas. The cosmological argument is this: A finite being needs a cause, therefore, an infinite being exists. It is an argument, not a proof, because it is based on the assumption that humans are finite beings and the hope that the universe is intelligible. In the Western religions, we call the infinite being God.

In the early 1960s, it was discovered that the universe, with all its galaxies and stars, began to exist 13.7 billion years ago as an infinitesimally small particle (the Big Bang). This is a reason to believe God inspired the human authors of the Bible because the Bible says many times that God created the universe from nothing. Since the human authors knew nothing about the expanding universe and the cosmic background radiation, the Big Bang is a sign or a reason to believe in the Bible.

Another reason to believe in the Bible is that atheists-agnostics generally don’t discuss the cosmological argument in a reasonable, intelligent, and honest manner. Instead of saying the cosmological argument for God’s existence is not persuasive, they say, “I don’t know whether or not God exists.” Suffering from cognitive dissonance, atheists-agnostics don’t like to think about the cosmological argument.

Fr. Spitzer thinks the Big Bang is evidence of God’s existence. I think it is evidence that God does not exist because it is evidence that the universe is not intelligible. If two jurors arrive at different verdicts after a long trial, one juror has better judgment than the other. But if one juror says a bit of evidence indicates guilt and the other says it indicates innocence then one juror is more knowledgeable, intelligent, rational, or honest than the other.

Fr. Spitzer also thinks the “fine-tuning” of the constants of physics is evidence of an “intelligent designer.” This nonsense is based on the fact that physicists do not understand why the mass of an electron and the speed of light are what they are. If these numbers were other than what they are, the universe would not be the same as it actually is and there would be no mammals. Since human beings are mammals, we would not exist.

Another example of this reasoning arises from the fact that Earth is exactly 93 million miles from the Sun. Were this number 92 or 94, it would have been either too hot or cold for living organisms to have arisen and evolved. This is not evidence of an intelligent designer because we know what caused the number to be 93. What caused this distance is Newton’s laws of motion and random chance. If someone does not understand the concept of random chance, you can explain it by pointing out there are many planets that are not 93 million miles away from their star.

In the “fine-tuning” reasoning, physicists don’t know why the numbers are what they are. Pro-religion and anti-religion enthusiasts, nevertheless, discuss whether or not there are many other universes with different physical constants. They never even consider the metaphysical question of whether or not the universe is intelligible.

There is a passage in the book that sounds like it is consistent with belief in God, but it actually supports atheistic ignorance and stupidity:

Acts of self-consciousness (awareness of awareness) are difficult to explain through regular space-time models (one act of awareness capturing itself, as it were). (location 2211)

I agree that our ability to turn in on ourselves and catch ourselves in the act of our own existence proves that humans are embodied spirits and the existence of other humans proves we are finite beings. But, compare the Spitzer quote with a quote from the most used biology textbook in the United States:

And certain properties of the human brain distinguish our species from all other animals. The human brain is, after all, the only known collection of matter that tries to understand itself. To most biologists, the brain and the mind are one and the same; understand how the brain is organized and how it works, and we’ll understand such mindful functions as abstract thought and feelings. Some philosophers are less comfortable with this mechanistic view of mind, finding Descartes’ concept of a mind-body duality more attractive. (Neil Campbell, Biology, 4th edition, p. 776)

Fr. Spitzer is confusing two different methods of inquiry: physics and metaphysics. Many atheists-agnostics will admit that human consciousness is a mystery. But if you ask them what caused the Big Bang they will say the same thing: It is a mystery. There are no mysteries in science. There are only unanswered questions because science has an extraordinary track record of success. If scientists didn’t assume this they would not work so hard and so long trying to answer scientific questions. There are only mysteries in metaphysics. We should give up trying to understand what a human being is because that gives us a reason to believe there is a transcendent reality and our freedom is before that reality.

In the cultural conflict about the theory of intelligent design for evolution (ID), both sides behave badly in different ways and for different reasons. In the scandal Wikipedia titles “Sternberg Peer Review Controversy,” the editor of a biology journal published an article promoting ID behind the backs of his fellow editors at the Biological Society of Washington. His colleagues at the Smithsonian Institute were so outraged they behaved very badly towards him and caused a congressional committee to write a report titled, “Intolerance and the Politicization of Science at the Smithsonian: Smithsonian’s Top Officials Permit the Demotion and Harassment of Scientist Skeptical of Darwinian Evolution.”

There is another example of pro-religion and anti-religion enthusiasts disagreeing about science. In this case, the God-fearers are paragons of reason and the atheists-agnostics are behaving very irrationally. According to the second law of thermodynamics, heat flows from hot objects to cold objects, not the other way around. Thinking that a cold object is more ordered and complex than a hot object, some God-fearing people say and think evolution violates the second law. In 2008, the American Journal of Physics published an article about evolution and thermodynamics with an absurd calculation proving that evolution does not violate the second law. The American Journal of Physics is refusing to take corrective action because it would become a news item. The American public would then find out how irrational and unintelligent people can be about science and religion.

The famous "Stone of Scone," the "Stone of Destiny," that is Jacob's Pillar Stone (formerly enshrined in the Coronation Chair at Westminster Abbey), serves as a physical link and deed proving King David's inheritance among British Israel. (By a prophet was the Stone removed from Jerusalem, and by a prophet shall it be returned to await Him whose right it is).

Presently the Stone is in Scotland– in transit. The British have thus dismantled their monarchy and undermined their national security. They sent the Stone to Scotland, so God will send them into captivity! The Royal Family made the wrong move by supporting such an act of treason. They've been disloyal and will soon be disrobed! God protected the Sceptered Isle out of respect for Jacob's Stone and David's Throne (1 Kgs. 11:36).

We can rest assured that God will spare a few members of the British Royal Family from the German-Jesuit Beast to keep His promise alive to David about King David's Everlasting Dynasty (2 Chron. 21: 7). Will God convince them to deliver Princess Diana's two sons to His representative for safekeeping? (Deut. 22: 6-7 Jer. 49:11). They would be kept together with God's Royal Family in exile to weather the nuclear storm (Isa. 16: 3-4). GOD WILL GUARD HIS OWN HOUSE (Zech.9: 8; Ps. 91). It appears the Prophet Jeremiah was simply a type of one assigned to deliver David's descendants safe and sound to a providential place (Jer. 43: 6).

Will the Sabbath-keeping Church of God be entrusted with the care of Prince William and Prince Harry, the precious sons of Princess Diana, "the heir and the spare," the scions of King David? (2 Chron. 23: 7).

God's Work revolves around a Stone (Zech. 4: 7). The Two Witnesses (two prophets in the spirit of Elijah) will safeguard Jacob's Stone and herald the coming of Israeli King to reign upon it. We must make a public call for the stone's restoration to Jerusalem! The Stone – as a Jewish treasure and historic relic – must be properly returned to Israel. The Stone's restoration to Judah is part of the restoration of David's House to Jerusalem – paving the way for Messiah's coming (Amos 9:11).

Joseph (the Anglo-Saxons) has been ordained the Keeper of the Stone, the Custodian of Israeli Rock, until the TIME HAS COME for it to be established in Jerusalem forever (Gen. 49:24). Joseph (Joes) and Judah (Jews) must unite to remind all Twelve Tribes of Israel of our biblical roots and responsibility – and it all centers on the Throne with the Stone! (Ezek. 37:22).

Excerpt from:

Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall – Chapter 6 – Jesus and the Jews

King David's Everlasting Dynasty

There are many ways to hear God. Intuition is one of the ways that God uses to speak to you. Intuition, impressions and perception are all shades of the same thing.

Sometimes you might get a slight impression of something or a gut feeling, this is often referred to as intuition.

• Intuition is knowing something spontaneously, without reasoning it out or discovering it.
• Perception is understanding something by your senses or your mind, and involves intuitive awareness.
• An impression is very similar – people tend to use the word impression when they refer to a prompting or nudge of the Holy Spirit.

Everyone has intuitive feelings at some level – a gut feeling or simply knowing something without learning it or being told. The New Testament describes the disciples perceiving things, God has given you the ability to perceive things too. Whatever you call it, intuition, perception or an impression, it is simply knowing something without using your natural senses.

If you give Him the opportunity, the Holy Spirit will magnify these inner nudges and help you to develop your spiritual senses so that you can be aware of danger, of hidden things, and the thoughts and intentions of other people’s hearts.

The more you take notice of these impressions, act on them and trust the Holy Spirit’s promptings, the more sensitive you will become to God’s nudges.

God is speaking to you through subtle impressions. It’s time to start taking notice of them, step out in faith and begin to act on your intuition.

When you start out listening to your subtle impressions you will sometimes get it wrong. You will get better at hearing accurately by practising. If you persist and allow yourself to learn from your mistakes you will eventually get it right more of the time.

If you keep on stepping out in faith your level of spiritual awareness will increase. Trust that God is speaking to you through your intuition and act on what you sense.

Columnist Alice B. Lloyd, writing for The Weekly Standard, recently published an article about the revived popularity of the novel It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis. That 1944 book about the fictional election of a President who comes to rule the United States as a dictator has been a best seller since Donald Trump took office.

Instead of praising the importance of that book, in her column Lloyd reveals that she described It Can’t Happen Here as one of the most disappointing efforts of Sinclair Lewis. She admits that the Minnesota author, as well as the first American writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, has at least four novels that are more relevant today than It Can’t Happen Here.

His classic about a small town real estate agent in the fictional Minnesota village of Zenith, a novel titled Babbitt after its main character, is the first listed by Lloyd in her column. Next up is Main Street, an early feminist account of the ambitious wife of a small town doctor.

Also included as a novel on Lloyd’s list is Dodsworth, which chronicles the troubled marriage and life adjustment of a retired automobile baron. The final novel centers on the hypocrisy of a traveling evangelist named Elmer Gantry, which was made into a popular motion picture starring Burt Lancaster as the title character.

The list omits an even better examination of religion in the United States, a novel called The God Seeker. This virtually forgotten Sinclair Lewis book is set in pre-Civil War America, but its message is one that is quite relevant for the religious turmoil we are experiencing today.

Aaron Gadd is a teenager when the book opens, working as an apprentice for a carpenter in a small town in New Jersey. After hearing an evangelist at a revival, Aaron is persuaded to join the man’s missionary camp in the unsettled territory that would eventually become the state of Minnesota.

While the missionaries are trying to bring the teachings of Jesus to the members of the Sioux tribes on the plain, Aaron eventually finds himself questioning the many inexplicable aspects at the heart of Christianity. Through his association with those he was supposed to convert, the young missionary learns to appreciate the faith of the Native Americans around him.

A Dakota tribesman called Black Wolf causes Gadd to consider some of the eccentric rituals of Christianity, which he claims are more far-fetched than those involved in the worship of his people.

“Naturally, as we know that our God pervades every inch of space, we do not set off any place as sacred to him,” Black Wolf tells Aaron. “Christians dare not worship together unless they have built a shelter insulated against evil spirits, and this they call a church, a chapel or a temple.”

Aaron has to admit that worship should be done every where, just as the Dakota believe. He is also doubtful, once Black Wolf points it out, of the Christian practice of setting aside Sunday for worshiping.

“Christians have one special day which is sacred to their chief God, while to the Indians every day, hour, minute is filled with duty and gratitude to God,” Black Wolf tells Gadd. “His voice is in every breeze, every flowing water, to be revered upon as much on a Wednesday midnight as on a Sunday noon.”

Black Wolf also makes Aaron question the ritual of Christian marriages compared to those of the Dakota and other tribes, who are outraged by the pomposity of the wedding ceremony.

“The suggestive rites and hideous jesting of public marriage is the most horrible of all,” Black Wolf says of the typical Christian wedding. “Among us Dakota, marriage is a strictly private business between a man and a woman who steal away for a time to consummate their marriage in the sight only of the stars and clouds.”

In The God Seeker Sinclair Lewis has shown Americans that it is okay to question your faith occasionally, and allow themselves to listen to how they may be perceived by other cultures. With the religious and cultural divide among the citizens of the United States today, many of us could benefit from reading a 1949 book that, somewhat sadly, addresses many of the issues we have now.

God looked down on his paradise and was pleased. He looked upon all of the peoples of the earth. He noticed the many sports that athletes participated in. God said, “I need to create the ultimate sport and the ultimate athlete.” So God made a wrestler.

God said, “I need an athlete who is willing to participate in a sport that requires discipline, sacrifice, dedication, hard work, and commitment.” So God made a wrestler.

“I need an athlete who is willing to face another athlete one-on-one in the most physically demanding sport in existence with no one else to help him and yet not be afraid.” So He made a wrestler.

“I need an athlete who can defeat his opponent with strength, power, speed, agility, and technical skills. He needs to be able to endure the toughest six or seven minutes that a person could ever endure in the sporting world.” So God made a wrestler.

God said, “I need person who is willing to get up at 6:00 a.m. so he can run five miles before going to school. I need that same person to attend classes, make it through a demanding two hour wrestling practice, and then still come home and do his homework.” So God made a wrestler.

God had to have someone willing to practice the same move for hours, day after day until he had it perfected. So He made a wrestler.

God said, “I need an athlete who declares as a boy that one day he will be an Olympic champion and never doubts himself.” So God made a wrestler.

“I need an athlete who can lose his final college match making it his only loss during his high school and college career. I need that same athlete to bounce back more determined than ever. I need that athlete to win the Olympic gold medal in a dominating fashion and then go on to become one of the greatest wrestling coaches in collegiate history.” So God made a wrestler.

God said, “I need an athlete who is willing to shoot a million low single legs in his lifetime and perform a leg lace fifty times a day because he knows the value of drilling.” So He made a wrestler.

God had to have someone who could get pinned one week and then defeat that same opponent the following week to win the conference championship because he believed in himself and in his abilities. So God made a wrestler.

God said, “I need an athlete who is willing to work hard for four years and never regret it even though he never makes the varsity team. I need an athlete who will stick with it because he knows it is making him a better person.” So He made a wrestler.

“I need an athlete who is willing to practice three times a day preparing for the NCAA Tournament because his coach thinks that is what is needed to be prepared. I need another of his teammates to run 10 miles three times a week in addition to attending regular wrestling practice because his coach thinks that will give him the edge going into the NCAA Tournament.” So God made a wrestler.

God said, “I need an athlete that can be undefeated for thirteen years of international competition and then lose a match with the whole world watching and yet still be a gentleman and shake his opponent’s hand.” So God made a wrestler.

“I need an athlete who can face a man that hasn’t lost a match in thirteen years and yet feel up to the challenge and never doubt himself.” So He made a wrestler.

“I need an athlete who can become a seven time world champion and a three time Olympic gold medal winner becoming one of the best in his sport of all time.” So God made a wrestler.

God needed an athlete who would run wind sprints until his lungs burned and his legs ached. He needed that same person to do push-ups until his arms could no longer lift his body up for even one more repetition. God needed an athlete willing to work to the point of utter exhaustion. So He made a wrestler.

God said, “I need an athlete who is willing to turn down a candy bar or a cheeseburger because he needs to make weight the next day. I need an athlete who is willing to eat a bland but healthy diet, because he wants to be in peak condition, even though he’d much rather eat pizza and drink soda pop.” So He made a wrestler.

“I need an athlete who can work twelve hour days at a summer job and yet still make practicing and working out a priority.” So He made a wrestler.

God needed an athlete to practice his skills, lift weights, run, eat healthy, strive for perfection, overcome defeat, show good sportsmanship, toil, sweat, bleed, and sometimes even cry. So God made a wrestler.

God said, “I need an athlete who develops the character, values, self-discipline, and work ethic that will be with him even after his days of competition are over.” So God made a wrestler.

Thanks for reading this bit of creative work. I hope you found something inspiring in its words.

“I’m cleaning up my room,” says Joseph, 5. “People need room to walk so they don’t trip. I’m not hurting anyone and that makes God happy!”

Whether you’re 5 years old or 50, cleaning your room is always a challenge. It reminds me of what Phyllis Diller said, “Housework can’t kill you, but why take a chance?”

“You need to be kind to your neighbors who are anyone you see, or also your enemies,” says Sammy, 8.

Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God, but the second greatest (love your neighbor as yourself) is like the first (Mark 12:29-31). Did you ever wonder how loving your neighbor is like loving God? Also, does this include the neighbor who plays his stereo too loud or revs his motorcycle at 1:00 a.m?

Loving your neighbor and liking your neighbor are two different things. God never commands us to like our neighbor. I don’t have to like my neighbor, his loud music or inconsiderate behavior to love him. All I have to know is that God loves my neighbor.

I know from the Bible that my neighbors are created in God’s image even though that image is tarnished because of sin. Nevertheless, Christ suffered and died for all my neighbors, even the ones who openly rebel and shake their fists in his face.

Do I in myself have the capacity to love my neighbor as myself? I do not.

As a Christian, there is someone living in me who knows exactly how to love my neighbors. The Apostle Paul referred to this heavenly inhabitant as “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Not only is the indwelling Christ the hope of future glory for every Christian, he’s also that hope of sanity in this present life.

Let’s face it. There are some people who don’t like you, and there’s not a lot you can do to change their opinion. In some situations, loving your neighbor might mean you refrain from retaliating against a neighbor’s intentional behavior to get under your skin.

It pleases God when you allow him to love people through you that you don’t even like. It’s easy to love people you like. It’s the stinkers that will push you to rely on God’s power and resources.

Only God can love stinkers. After all, he loves you and me. Before God, we’re all stinkers. Our area of stink may differ, but that doesn’t make the stink any less offensive to a holy God.

“I know I am pleasing God when I set the table for dinner, when I help my mom with her shopping and when I do my chores,” says Avery, 7.

Yes, even the mundane become opportunities to please God when you’re living life empowered by the Lord. Here’s how the Apostle Paul described living under an open heaven: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,” (Colossians 3:23).

Think about this: Sometimes people think of pleasing God only as something huge like hearing God’s call to serve him on a distant mission field. Most of the time, pleasing God comes in the form of the ordinary. If you live life before an open heaven, the ordinary is transformed into the extraordinary. You’re living to please God, not trying to just get through the day.

Memorize this truth: Colossians 3:23 previously quoted.

Ask this question: As a Christian, have you allowed Christ’s indwelling presence to transform your ordinary world into a wonderland full of opportunities to please God?