Greetings in the name of Jesus. We feel that you are one with us. Therefore, please pray for us during the next few days. We must decide whether to lend my expertise to build a new, short wave, Christian broadcast facility which will cover Europe, Africa and Asia. We have been invited to West Palm Beach, Florida, on November nineteenth, for a directors meeting of the "Gary R. Lightfoot Ministries." Dr. Lightfoot is an international Christian broadcaster whose home church is pastored by a longtime friend of mine. Your prayers and support during this time will bring conformation concering God's will for JoAnn and me.

The LORD has moved on my heart to write concerning Christians who lose their God given tranquility. When this happens we allow the flesh to rule over the Spirit. "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." (Rom. 8:6). With the holiday seasons coming upon us it is important that we use God's litmus test for our personality thereby preparing ourselves to have and mantain peace.

The Spirit and the flesh do not agree. Our innate nature does not, within its own will, serve God. "While we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death." (Rom. 7:5). If we allow our flesh to rule we loose our peace and bring destruction upon ourself. At the same time we hurt the people around us. We exemplify those things we dislike in others, "the works of the flesh." Any one of those works listed below will cause us to loose our serenity in God.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness [physically or spiritually], lasciviousness [Over indulgence in any fleshly pleasure.]; Idolatry [Placing something besides God first in our life.], witchcraft [Controlling others and/or situations.], hatred, variance [quarreling], emulations [jealousy], wrath [anger, ill temper], strife [absence of harmony], seditious [divisions], heresies [damnable opinions], envying, murders [includes hate], drunkenness, reveling [carousing] and such like: ... (Galatians 5:19-21). This comes by nature and by socializing with the ungodly. No man can serve two masters, we will hate one, and love the other, ... (Matt. 6:24). "The works of the flesh" and the "fruit of the Spirit" are opposites.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, [the opposite of hate], joy [the opposite of depression], peace, [the opposite of conflict], longsuffering [the opposite of a quick temper], gentleness [the opposite of cruel and wild], goodness [the opposite of wickedness], faith [the opposite of fear and anxiety], meekness [the opposite of pride and boasting], temperance [self control, the opposite of drunkenness and carousing]. (Gal. 5:22-23). "The fruit of the Spirit" causes us to be a reflection of Jesus. Being continually filled with the Spirit is the key. This comes by prayer and fasting, by hearing God's word and keeping it before our eyes, and by associating with spiritual people. (See Heb.10:25.) When one has root in "The Word" he has peace and God will bless him. The "fruit of the Spirit" causes us to become givers instead of takers. We will give ourselves to God. This includes our praise and talents.

Talent, a special natural ability is not to be confused with the spiritual gifts like those mentioned in Romans 12:6-8 or 1-Corinthians, Chapter 12. Talent is something which comes through our genes, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and is a part of sinful man. Unless one's talent is given to God it will be used to glorify the world or self. It will even be used to give credence to the devil. When one's talent becomes a gift to God it becomes properly channeled and enhanced. Then it will bring glory to Jesus thereby, glorifying the Father.

I trust that this message will help you, or someone you know, have everlasting peace in Jesus.