Willis Carrier - the inventor of our modern day air conditioning - also invented a very clever way of preventing worry from ruining his life. It happened when he was in the employ of a large company that had contracted with another company to install a gas-cleaning devise at its plant.

It cost $20,000 to come up with the devise but, to Carrier’s horror, it did not work. Not only was his company going to lose their $20,000 investment, they were also going to lose their $40,000 fee for the work.

Carrier was despondent. He just knew that the failure would cost him his job. You’ve probably been there before, yourself: Something you were responsible for at your job just didn’t work – and that something that didn’t work was a big something. Not only would you lose your job, but you would probably never get another one because everyone would know of your failure. You would have no job and no pay, so you would lose your home and your car and would starve to death and…

Anyway, Mr. Carrier was thinking along these lines when it hit him – it would either work out or it wouldn’t. If it didn’t and he lost his job,then he would get a new one. Armed with this practical philosophy, he set out to solve the problem… and he did!

Here were his three steps:

1. Figure out the worst that could possibly happen

2. Prepare yourself to accept it, if it comes to that

3. Improve upon the worst

Notice how nicely this works for the really big things… like serving God. Imagine you have sinned – what’s the worst that could happen? You could go to Hell! Now, improve upon the worst – in this case, it’s not accepting Hell, but repenting so that you can go to Heaven.

Now, if you have to pay a penalty for your sin, (like enduring the death penalty because you have to confess to a murder) then so be it! The worst that can happen now is that you get to be with God in Paradise a little earlier than you had anticipated.

Problem solved! If only it were that easy…

but it is!

“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life…”Jesus (As recorded in Matthew 6:25)

We live in the world we make. Anon

If you’re like me, you have lots of dissatisfaction with the world in which you live. We look around and see filth on the internet, filth on TV, filth at the movies. We see a corrupt political system. We see people taking advantage of the kindness of others. We see people who could work, but don’t. We see the academics in many schools being crowded out by political, psychological, environmental and theoretic nonsense.

Yes, we are dissatisfied with the world we live in… but what if the world we lived in could be one of our own choosing? What if the only things on the internet and TV and the movies were the things that we ourselves viewed? I don’t mean the exact content, but what if the level of morality on these entertainment venues was based solely on what we look at ourselves?

What if the world was a reflection of our lives? How much would people gossip? Would people be chaste or promiscuous, greedy or generous, honest or deceitful? Would people use alcohol or drugs, if our consumption was the standard? How much would people help each other out, or feed the poor,or show genuine consideration and affection for others?

What if everyone read the Bible the same as you, or worshiped as often as you, or prayed for the needs of others as faithfully as you?

The fact is that we do live in the world we make. Of course we are affected by outside influences, but we have the opportunity to positively impact them as well, if we only would.

And, come Judgment, God will be rendering His decision on our eternities based, not upon the world in which we lived, but upon the world that we created by the life that we lived.

What kind of world do you live in?

“You are the light of the world” Jesus

“The science is unequivocal and those who deny it are simply burying their heads in the sand. We don’t have time for a meeting anywhere of the Flat Earth Society.”The Secretary of State, John Kerry, speaking of Global Warming

There has been no discernible change in the earth’s average temperature for the past 17 years. The “unequivocal” science (Forbes Magazine)

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” The Lord, Genesis 8:22, NIV

What are you arguing with God about?

“As for God, His way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him.” II Samuel 22:31, NIV

“The easy way is best!” Battle cry of the modern day man

One of the most disturbing trends in recent years is the philosophy that all outcomes, regardless of effort, should be the same. This was the fatal flaw of the “no child left behind” experiment in our public schools during the last decade. It sounded great, but it did not take into account aptitude, hard work or ambition. As a result of this watered down dogma, American schools have produced inferior scholarship, not superior.

This is not because our teachers are lazy or bad – some are, and they should be fired! But many are excellent, teach excellence, and demand excellence from their students. These teachers can only smile and shake their heads when they hear the naïve cries of “no child left behind”, because this movement can only produce mediocrity, not excellence.

As damaging as the outcomes can be for these failed, re-packaged socialistic ideas in our schools, they are vastly more dangerous when it comes to Christianity. Just look at the nonsense that passes for “Christian” doctrine in recent years. The mantra: “We are all going to the same place, just by different paths”, sounds good to us. It sounds fair! It sounds open minded! But try this weak-minded philosophy the next time you have to travel someplace in a limited amount of time, and you will realize that it just isn’t practical.

If you have an appointment that could be the difference between life and death in a town up north, you shouldn’t go south, east or west – even if your best friend Bubba says any old road will do. And, if you are trying to get to Heaven from planet earth, you better get your directions from the Master mapmaker, not from some preacher who patronizingly lets you know that everyday man can never be expected to find the way to Heaven on his own.

The fact is that God has always demanded His way! He has always demanded excellence! The masses always seek the easiest way with the lowest standards, but they will likely be disappointed in the end.

Life screams that you cannot have quality results without quality efforts.The “equality” movements of each age may sound loving and fair-minded, but they nearly always lead to ruin and poverty. Please don’t get me wrong. I am not suggesting for a moment that we not be fair-minded. What I am suggesting is that we look to God’s word for our definition of fair, as well as for His instructions for service in His excellent Kingdom.

Anyone can be mediocre, but God demands (and deserves) excellence!

Aim for perfection…II Corinthians 13:11