1. Who’s in Control? God/you/world

2. Are you in charge of this world?  Can you change the world as a whole (e.g. environment, peace, no war, etc.)?  Can you improve your health from ALL diseases?  Can you live as long as you would like on this world?  Can you give the entire world – peace, health, prosperity, etc?  What is your purpose on this world, reason for living?  Why is there different lengths of life?  Is there something after death?

3. Can anyone/anything in this world?  Stop all suffering and make everything better?  Give the entire world – Peace?  Control the length of life for everyone?  Offer a good purpose/reason for living?  Control the entire worlds environment favorably?  Control the universe and give it a purpose?  If there is no-one or anything – why for all of this?

4. Why the universe and is there any control of it?  The universe and the earth exists, but why?  Why has the universe been created and being kept in control?  Why was the earth created and kept in some form of control?  Why was humanity created and kept alive all these years?  Is there any purpose/reason for humanity to live?  Is there any purpose/reason for the animal & environmental world.  Why can humanity have the reasoning ability to think about all this?

5. Someone/Something created all of this & is keeping control. For purposes of discussion, let’s call this creator and controller: GOD God must have had a reason for this creation and keeping it in control. Since humanity has the special ability to think about this, God may be giving us the reason and answers also. Since the earliest time of humanity, we have thought about this, and it gave purpose/reason for life. One of the earliest and continual reasons was that God wanted recognition of His creation and control. Humanity realized that God expected us to give God honor and praise for this creation Humanity also realized that God expected humanity to participate in the control of His creation This participation included our following of the “natural” rules He placed in our minds (e.g. Do not kill). This participation also included our relationship to the non-human world (use it appropriately).

6. What makes the world Better?  Could it be – Love (caring for the world outside of you).  If so – could that be what God wants from humanity for Himself and others.  Love Him with our WHOLE heart, mind, spirit, and strength.  That could be the answer to what would make the world better.  Unless you assume a God, the question of life’s purpose is meaningless  Focusing on ourselves will never reveal our life’s purpose  You were made by God and for loving God – Makes the only sense  This gives the universe it’s purpose

7. Loving God gives the universe & humans our purpose?  Earth is a training school to help us decide to love God.  This means putting what God wants from us, to be the most important.  When we can do this completely, we are ready to love Him forever eternally.  We practice love on other humans  To love, we need to change our focus from ourselves to the outside world.  We learn this by dealing with challenges and assignments  When we have learned our lesson well or choose to reject that love we die.

8. Life – Our training plan in Loving God.  Challenges are circumstances that force us to not focus on ourselves.  Assignments are circumstances that force us to focus on God.  Churches are the physical structures to help us with the training.  Religion is the training /lesson plan.  The Bible is the text book  Other Christians provide the study group  Difficulties provide the tests  Death is our graduation or our expulsion.

9. Value of Loving God versus not Loving God?  Eternally sharing love versus not favorable result at death.  Sharing love on earth versus not sharing love (thinking of yourself).  Belonging to an organization and group sharing the same love.  Getting the benefits of: gentleness patience, kindness, goodness, self-control.  Living life with peace and joy because your lover is in control.  Being able to avoid the difficulties of performing vices (eg. Hatred)  Having a purpose/reason for living

10. Helpful things to help you make the right decision  Life’s book of instruction to help guide you.  Someone to be your model/guide/mentor/ teacher: Jesus Christ  Professors/ministers to provide lectures sermons.  Study groups – Churches small groups  Rallies/Worship services  Training material: internet sites, music, videos, printed material, etc.  The power of your lover will be shared with you. (Holy Spirit).

11. The No-lose gamble  You can choose to go down the Christian path to a wonderful future  Or you can choose to go down the path focusing on you.  If you choose yourself You have no future after death.  If there is no God-you still have no future  You can choose yourself and deal with life on your own  Or You can choose God and have the benefits of the Christian life.  It’s up to you to make the choice: Yourself or God.