Our society has degenerated much in this category from what I recall in my younger years. Don’t get me wrong. Self-centeredness has always been on open display, but I don’t think it has been as prevalent as we see today.

How many of us can claim to be patient drivers? We love it when people tailgate us (had one this morning), or cut in front of us, or drive too slow. Don’t we just love it? I can hear the laughter now, but is it coming from over my shoulder, or from me? People in this area are terrible for tailgating, running the yellow (and even red) light, and not giving a signal when turning. Most are probably good people, but just a tad in love with themselves. Basically, no one else matters.

I see litter on homeowners’ yards near the roadway, and immediately know that someone has no respect for another person’s property. They simply don’t care that someone else must clean up their mess. Does the world revolve around them? They must think so.

Then there are those who would raise a colossal stink over the welfare of their pet, but never blink an eye at the mass murder of innocent children in their mother’s womb.

Speaking of abortion, according to the statistics, nearly 60,000,000 babies have been murdered in the United States since 1973. Nearly 1,500,000,000 babies have been murdered worldwide since 1980. Almost 2,000 have died in this country today, as of this afternoon, and the day isn’t over. Is there somebody in this picture that may think the world revolves around them?

Let’s face it. We all have a tendency to one extent or another to have this attitude under the right circumstances. Obviously, some have a larger dose of it than others.

I’ve seen the “world revolves around me” attitude many times in church business meetings, and that’s really sad. We must remember though, unless we get too critical, that the church is composed of forgiven sinners who only became saints by the blood of Jesus that was paid on our behalf. None of us are perfect, no, not while on this earth, in these earthly bodies. Nevertheless, we need to remember Whose Name we carry.

I wonder if Jesus had anything to say about this. It just so happens, He did.

“One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:35-40)

How can we, as Christians, have this attitude that Christ proclaimed if we think the world revolves around us? We cannot.

I’ve told this before, but I’ll repeat it. My wife and I have had restaurant servers tell us they dread Sundays because the church crowd will be there and they (those from the church) are their most rude and demanding customers, and that’s not all. They (those from church) leave the most meager tips, if any at all.

Look, none of us are perfect, and I certainly know I’m not, but this attitude of “the world revolves around me” is just wrong, and especially when it comes from those of us who claim to know Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. I totally get it that many people think the world owes them a living and they’re the cream of the crop, but this should never come from us who are true Christians.

We are going to fail, but we can learn from our failures and keep getting up and leaning on the only one who can make us what we should be. Guess who that is? That’s right. It is Jesus Christ. We can lean on Him through His Spirit who resides within us, and allow Him to help us to grow by taking our eyes off ourselves and loving “the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” and loving “your neighbor as yourself.”

There are thousands of opportunities we can take advantage of in putting others first; i.e. taking our eyes off ourselves. For example, don’t take the last piece of chicken or piece of pie, hold the door for someone else to enter first, saying “thank you” or “excuse me,” not retaliating when you know you have a right to do so, allow someone else the limelight instead of taking deserved credit, not arguing over the color of the carpet at the church business meeting, not tailgating a slower driver, respecting others’ property, letting someone else have the closer parking spot, and the list could go on a thousand more times.

In passing, I would like to make clear that I do not believe Jesus ever intended for us to be a doormat. He expects us to stand up for ourselves, but in a respectful and truly Christian manner.

“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26-27)

He expects us to remember that the sun does not rise because of us. The world does not revolve around us. All the glory is His, not ours. He is the one most important in our lives, not us, but when we put Him first we will not be disappointed. In His time, He will reward those who glorify Him, by not just what they say, but by what they do. The world does revolve around Him.

I wrote an article on December 9th entitled “They Just Don’t Get It.” It is now just days away from the inauguration of Donald Trump for President of the United States. Since the announcement of Donald Trump’s November 8th victory over Hillary Clinton for President, many are feeling hope cruise through their veins again. It is especially being noticed among hardworking, God-fearing Americans, and even in the business and political world.

It is frightening to think of just how close we came to the continued and final dismantling of America. Obama has done everything he could, and is still wreaking havoc, to destroy the American way and turn this country into an Islamic state. If Clinton had been victorious on that election night this past November, she would have continued Obama’s rape and plunder of America and its citizens, but with intensified viciousness.

Do not overlook the fact that Obama and his Democratic colleagues have already caused so much damage, we are still in grave danger as a country and its citizens. Do not forget that many powerful people; in politics, in the media, in celebrity positions, in the financial world, and also in the Republican party want to see Donald Trump fail and will not hesitate to help him do so.

Currently, the liberal whiners are saying that Russia interfered with the election process, and that is why Hillary Clinton lost.

·        Consider this. This is nothing more than “the pot calling the kettle black.” Obama interfered in Israel’s last election process and they (this country’s leaders) have done this so often with other countries they (our “leaders”) should think long and hard before opening their mouths.

·        Also consider this. Let’s assume that Russia did interfere. Let’s assume they did ‘help along’ much damaging evidence about Hillary Clinton. Does it change the facts of any of Mrs. Clinton’s activities? No, it does not. Do you really believe that all the illegal and/or questionable activities of Hillary Clinton would have ever been revealed to the American public by our media or law enforcement? No, never. If I were guilty of  just a pittance of the ‘activities’ she has slithered through, our government would put me under the prison  and throw away the key, but yet, she is still free, and that is disgraceful. Think of others who have done far less but paid the price (and rightly so) for their actions.

·        I just thank God that many of the illegal and/or questionable activities were revealed because it helped to wake up a nation that has been asleep too long. Thankfully, there were enough who finally “saw the light” and the real person behind the fake smile and syrupy speeches.

What kind of President will Donald Trump be? As I have said before, I don’t know, but I do know what kind of President Hillary Clinton would be if she had won. It’s too scary to even contemplate.

I do believe that Mr. Trump wants to “make America great again.” I believe he sees in that phrase that we return to our roots; Christian background, obedience to our Constitution, protecting America’s citizenry, removal of those from this country who wish to harm us, putting Americans first in jobs, etc. Is it possible that he may be overcome by those who wish to continue the dismantling of America, or maybe overcome by selfish motives? Yes, of course it is possible. He’s just a man.

No matter how good the intentions, nothing is going to return us to the America of yesteryear until our hearts return to God. As long as we place our hopes in man, we lose. As long as we make anything and everything else more important than God, we lose. As long as we just give “lip service” to God, we lose.

I believe the Lord God has given us another chance, a final chance, to repent, not with words, but with deeds. I believe that God is offering more time for others to come to Him through Jesus Christ, the one and only true God, before He brings His wrath down upon this earth.

It’s up to us. The ball is in our court. However, it’s frightening when we consider that so many voters in this country sided with the Democratic Party at November’s election. Nevertheless, God over-ruled. Many of our states and commonwealths went Republican. Our Congress (Senate and House) has a Republican majority. Our President and Vice President are Republicans. Republicans say they are conservative and for preserving the Constitution, etc. Well now it is time to “put your money where your mouth is.” Prove it.

Donald J. Trump may be another President, the high caliber of Ronald Reagan, or the disappointing caliber of Jimmy Carter. We’ll just have to wait and see. Here’s the kicker. He could be as great as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan all tied together in a neat knot, but only God can fix the mess we’re in. It is that serious. This is why we so desperately need to repent as a nation and as individual Christians and keep President-elect Trump in continual prayer before God. God can use Mr. Trump to lead us back to sanity, but Mr. Trump cannot change our hearts. With changed hearts, I believe God will help us out of the mess Satan has made. However, if we continue to be rebellious before a holy God, no one will save us from God’s judgment.

In my opinion, I really believe this is Almighty God’s last call to us before He removes His bride and delivers judgment to a rebellious and sin-soaked world. I long for the Rapture just as much as any of you who long for that day, but not at the expense of seeing one person suffer the time of Tribulation. Every person coming to Christ now, on this side of the Rapture, will not suffer God’s wrath.

Don’t think for a minute that since we have won the election that everything will be okay now. Those who lost the election are very angry, and they have already shown how childish and evil they can be. They still have many Americans duped to the point of utter gullibility. They will use every dirty trick in their repertoire to defeat any positive movement forward. An example in point is U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama. He is Mr. Trump’s nominee for U.S. Attorney General and the accusations have already started. Let us be much in prayer that God will allow the right person to obtain the office that will help us out of the mess we’re in.

Be aware, that no matter how corrupt some people are (and they are about as corrupt as you can get) Satan is behind every bit of the corruption before us, and his is not a force we can overcome. He is much too powerful for us. We must continue to call upon God, with repentant hearts asking Him to stay the evil that seeks to destroy us.

All down through history God has used men and women, good and bad, to further His objective. If we as a nation turn back to God in true repentance, He will hear. If not, many nations, even the “apple of His eye,” have suffered divine justice, and we are no better than they.

Grant Phillips