I will not push my beliefs on others, in fact I'm a hypocrite
Believe it or not I am an aetheist and a decent person also.
GRIMJIM, I like you and your post so I will try to keep the above in mind in this reply.
A lot of us, ok, pretty much everyone goes through life looking for something. The search can be extensive and can range from drugs to bars for some while others achieve financial freedom or political power.
It is a pretty broad range as you can see. The thing is that most of these people will remain unsatisfied and continue searching....Even the wealthy will tell you that money cannot buy happieness but that the money sure does steady their nerves haha.
(here comes the sticky or pushy part)...It is not until you let God into your life that you will realize that your search is over. He is an easy fellow to recognise because the only way that you can get to know him is through his Son, Jesus Christ. Some people are only going to recieve one true calling to this in their lives and if they ignore it, or turn their backs on it, that may be it!
Are we (christians) hypocrites?...your darn right that we are and it is because we were born in the flesh (yeah, the flesh is a bad thing) Once we accept Christ and Repent (or are born again) we still make transgressions but we are learning more and improving on this all of the time and invite everyone to join us. I personally have to keep up on the Bible studys because if I draw away from God, my heart can grow cold to him. He will (and does) talk to me and one of my jobs is to Harvest, or draw people in even though it is fore said that I will be like a sheep among wolves. This life style does call for sacrifices to the worldly things but the rewards are going to be much greater!
(I am done preaching now) but would like to provide an after thought...Most of the post here in Round the Pot belly are dead on the money (non christian related) on topics in regards to the condition of the world to include the US. We are definately headed for one world goverment and yes, we will eventually see UN troops patroling the streets. This is propethised (spelling) as the way of the World will not be the way of the Lord. This is getting closer all the time as America was at a cross road back in November and made the wrong moral choice. God has responded by shaking everything that can be shook and has used our economy to do this. I dont think that it is meant to admonish but rather to wake us up who would believe.
For Those Of You who are thinking Yeah right, heard this before, blaa blaa.....You will recieve TWO WARNINGS but I cannot say that this will happen in your life time.
WARNING ONE: If a bunch of us simply disapear one day (read the rapture) Please rest assured that UFO's did not take us even though there is more credible reports and sightings than anytime in our past.
WARNING TWO: Identity theft is getting more common place all the time. This is hitting closer to home as even my wife has had to have her bank card replaced twice within the last six months because of the so called Phishing, We were told to start having vendors run our card as credit instead of debit so that our pin numbers could not be (Phished) out of the electronic library that is pretty much world wide these days.
The solution to identity theft will not be to go back to paper checks but to Install An Identity Chip in the hand or forehead of everyone. If you do not get this chip, you will not be able to buy or sell but if you do, You Can Rest Assured That Your Soul Will Be Condemmed To Burn. Some of us will be left and will not get that chip. I really cannot say if this will be before or after the rapture though. I am going to assume that it will be after because while we will be provided for (food wise) many of us will be executed for our beliefs.
Some of you are really laughing by now so I will try to make one more point that you might be able to relate to.
Most of us are good working folk and alot of us are not even church goers. We still have a Consience though, treat each other with respect, and know what is right and what is wrong.
Your Consience is something that you have recieved through God's Grace...after the Rapture happens this will be taken away and the people will become as mean, conniving, and ruthless as a Con artist.
I am done, (for now) and as William would say
Blessings!