Never put your faith and trust in a government that almost always takes care of themselves before worrying about the huddled masses. Even now about 40% plus of Americans are absolutely convinced that socialized health care is necessary, which if passed by the Democratic Congress will fail just like every other government program.

I’m not exactly a frequent flyer type, jet setting to exotic locations all around the globe. However, every time I fly the Flight Attendants roll out a brief demonstration that instructs adults to take oxygen for themselves first before administering help to their children. This means that before you can save others, you must first save yourself. A big problem in society is that many Americans believe fervently in religious pluralism where they are many paths to Heaven to include all religions, and even those unbelievers if they are “good people”. It sounds nice on paper, but Christianity has a totally different perspective, which requires accepting Jesus Christ into your life for forgiveness of sins. The I’m okay, your okay formula is contradicted by Jesus’s assertion as written in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This is hard for me even as a Christian to get my arms completely around this command because estimates are that 70% if the world’s population worships a different god or they are atheists or agnostics. I’m sure that believers will get answers to life’s difficult questions in the next life, and I know that God doesn’t want even one person to be condemned to a horrific eternity in Hell.

My former Sunday School teacher had great advice, “Don’t receive your self esteem through man because man will almost always let you down. This includes family or your spouse. Get your self esteem through Jesus Christ who will always love you unconditionally.” He suffered the most agonizing death imaginable receiving a beating that left His body unrecognizable, then was mocked and humiliated with a Crown made from thorns. Then the Roman soldiers drove spikes into his feet and wrists where he hung on the Cross for hours to die for all of our sins. In the midst of all of this anguish Jesus said, “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do”. You can have a ultimate friend in your corner, Jesus Christ just by saying a prayer, “Jesus I know I’m a sinner. Please forgive me for all of my sins and I want to walk with you. I accept you into my life as my personal Savior.” If you mean this prayer and walk with the Lord, then you have assured your place in Heaven for eternity! The next step is to get into a Bible based Church that unapologetically follows God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. Find a Church that wants to change the world; that reaches out to the hungry, lonely, destitute and persecuted people whether they be in their own backyards or the most remote place on planet Earth. Being a Christian isn’t just a Sunday morning thing; it is a 365 day, 24/7 endeavor to be like Christ. Do you remember the gatorade commercial paying tribute to Michael Jordan, one of the best basketball players in history, but also a flawed man like the rest of us, “Like Mike, if I could be like Mike”? I did a take off on that song with my own version “Sometimes I think what does He see, in someone who falls so short like me. He can dunk a ball, but that’s not all. He even walked on water that’s for sure. He is so right, he is so pure, Like Christ, if I could be like Christ! wo wo wo wo, Like Christ if I could be like Christ” It’s not exactly Lennon-McCartney, but it would be worth the price of admission to see Jesus Christ jump over Air Jordan and serve up a celestial facial for two points over the former Chicago Bulls Hall-of Famer. In these harrowing times remember these sage words from God, “Your father knows what you need before you ask Him. So do not worry, saying what shall we eat? or what shall we wear. For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6:8, 31-34)