Isn’t it amazing how complicated we try to make being a Christian?

One brand of Christianity says, “You do it this way”. Another one says, “No, those guys are way wrong. You do it this way”. A third brand chimes in with a “new and improved way”.

We see church splits, worship wars, and denominational squabbles.

Is it any wonder millions of Christians are leaving the church? And, most non-Christians think we are full of baloney.

Folks, it isn’t that hard. Jesus boiled it down for us into a couple of non-negotiable items. Here’s His instruction to us:

• Go.
• Make disciples.
• Baptize them. (Get them connected to other believers)
• Teach them to obey everything I've shared with you.
• Love me with everything you’ve got.
• Love your neighbors as yourself.
• Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly.
• Keep in mind I'm with you all the way.
• Other duties as assigned. LOL.
• Remember: I'll be back.

Any questions?

According to a University of Maryland study in the Jan. 2006 issue of MONEY magazine, the average American spends:

• 7.9 hours each day sleeping
• 5.5 hours working
• 2.3 hours watching TV
• 1 hour eating
• 49 minutes washing and grooming
• 47 minutes visiting by phone or in person
• 10 minutes relaxing and thinking
•  7 minutes on religious practices

Wonder what this says about the state of life we live?

In the January 3 edition of the Dallas Seminary Daily Devotional, Chuck Swindoll writes, "Have you noticed how many day-planners are available these days? And then there are the time-management self-help books: how to increase your efficiency, how to make every moment count, how to invest your time wisely and productively.

While all those voices and handy products scream for your attention, I'd like to play devil's advocate and tell you how to waste your time. Five proven ideas come immediately to mind:

First, worry a lot. Start worrying early in the morning and intensify your anxiety as the day passes. Worry about your own failures and mistakes -- about what you should or could have done but didn't. To add variety, worry about things you should not have done but did. Hanging around negative people is another secret you won't want to forget. Remember: Potential ulcers need fresh acid.

Second, make hard-and-fast predictions. Of course, you'll need to ignore that little throwaway line in the fourth chapter of James: "you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow." But forget that comment and set your expectations in motion. Be as specific as you can. For example, one month before his July 1975 disappearance, Jimmy Hoffa announced: "I don't need bodyguards."

Third, fix your attention on getting rich. You'll get a lot of innovative ideas from the secular bookshelves. (I counted fourteen books on the subject last time I was in a bookstore.) Plus, you'll fit right in with most of the hype that's pouring out of entrepreneurial seminars and high-pressure sales meetings.

Fourth, compare yourself with others. Not only will you ricochet between the extremes of arrogance and discouragement, you will also spend the time not knowing who you are.

Fifth, lengthen your list of enemies. If there's one thing above all others that will keep your wheels spinning, it's perfecting your skill at the Blame Game. With a full arsenal of suspicion, paranoia, and resentment, you can waste endless evenings stewing over those folks who have made your life miserable.

Put these five surefire suggestions in motion, and you can forget about all the hassles connected with being happy, efficient, productive, and contented. Within a couple of months, those things won't even be on your agenda.

All this sounds like foolish exaggeration, doesn't it? But just stop and think: How much time are you already wasting on some of these things?"

It’s really amazing when you consider how far we have come in a rather short time. 

Here are some interesting facts about life in the US just 100 years ago:

* The average life expectancy was 47 year
* Only 14 percent of the homes in the U.S. had a bathtub.
* There were only 144 miles of paved roads. The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
* More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took place at home.
* Ninety percent of all U.S. doctors had no college education.
* Most women washed their hair only once a month.
* Three of the five leading causes of death were Pneumonia and influenza, Tuberculosis, and Diarrhea
* Iced tea hadn't been invented yet. (How did we make it so long)
* Two out of every ten U.S. adults couldn't read or write. (although, this may still be the case)