am not sure if any of you, that read this blog, remember the Sesame Street song which taught kids to recognize things which are similar and to pick out the things which are not. But it recently came to my attention since I have been out of work, I have watched Sesame Street every morning with my son as we eat our breakfast, and it got me thinking. Recent polls show that 80% of Americans say they are Christian, even cults like the JW's, and Mormons also claim that title. The problem is that JW's, Mormons, and I would dare say most of the 80% that claim the Christian title, are not really followers of Christ.

am still in the midst of having technical difficulties, with no hope whatsoever of my computer making any sort of miraculous recovery. It is as dead as a computer could be. So...I am currently at my In-laws house, which is why this blog will be pretty short.

bank that I worked for failed. We were seized by the FDIC, and told we would have to be interviewing with another larger bank, who was obtaining us from the FDIC, to keep our jobs. However, out of the 103 employees, only 40 have a chance of remaining...at best. With the world in economic crisis, and jobs being cut around the country everyday, this type of thing is what stresses people out. I would even think that some of my colleagues may have toyed with the idea of suicide, having lost not only their jobs, but gobs of money in stocks they held within the bank, not to mention those who had retirements based wholly upon the bank's shares lost it all...everything that was tied into the bank is now worthless.

As everyone scrambled to make a good impression in hopes of keeping their jobs, under the ever so watchful eye of the larger banks management, I noticed a few things. Underneath the shallow exterior of fake smiles and seemingly motivated go-getter's lay the base sin nature of man. I would walk the halls of our office building and overhear gossiping, backbiting and the bearing of false witness against another all in an attempt to position oneself to get one of the 40 coveted positions. Things were chaotic, and hectic, and slightly reminded me of the first week at boot camp in which we were processed into the Corps. There were a few people however, who stood out from the rest, because they believed in Christ, and their lives reflected a strong faith in the trustworthiness of His Word.

Luke 12:24-31
Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life's span? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith! And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

Of course, things are always easier said than done. It's easy to come along side someone and tell them to stop worrying, and it's easy to throw some verses at someone in an attempt to exhort them back to biblical thinking. But when it's you going through the trial, and when its your family who has just lost its only source of income...things change. I looked at those who were believers around me, who were going through the exact same trial as myself for strength, but to no avail. I became increasingly upset with myself, over my lack of faith, when God graciously brought something monumentally important to my attention.

2 Corinthians 5:21
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

The weight of that truth crushed my fear and my doubt. That truth is so heavy that I found any sort of worry squashed beneath an infinite mass of God's power and absolute greatness. To really ponder the fact that God made Christ, who knew no sin to be sin on my behalf, made everything that I worry about in my day to day life seem so insignificant. I find myself echoing Paul's desperate cry, wailing, O' Wretched man that I am! For I really am the chief of sinners. I honestly know no other person who is a more wicked and depraved sinner than myself, and yet while I was an enemy of God, in the midst of my most heinous sin, He still died for me. I believe God when He says He has washed me white as snow with the blood of Christ. I praise and thank the Almighty when He says He has separated my transgressions from me as far as the east is from the west. I kneel before Christ in adoration because He mercifully took upon Himself my punishment. I believe these things wholeheartedly,  and when I think about how Christ saved me from what I truly deserve, which is an eternity of punishment in hell, how on earth can I allow myself to think that God could do such a miraculous work yet turn His back on my family in our time of need.

Christ is the victorious King of kings. He conquered death and sin, and displayed His majesty through His glorious Resurrection, and I dare doubt He will bring my family our daily provision? How could I think God powerful enough to cleanse me from my sin, yet to weak to help me in my circumstances? This is not some health and wealth teaching,  merely look to the widow who helped Elijah...YHWH did not give her an abundance of food, her cupboards were not overflowing with sustenance, but He did provide just enough for her and her son day by day, and with each passing moment He cared for them as they hid under His gracious sovereign wings. For that we should be content and continually grateful.