Why do heart surgeons live in mansions, own yachts and travel on first class tickets?

Why do mechanics drive Mercedes Benzes while you tool around in Volkswagen Beetles?

Why are there so many psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists and psychics?

Why is there so much trash talk at sporting events?

Because your cholesterol is through the roof, your blood pressure is off the charts, your arteries are clogged and you need immediate surgeries costing upwards of $600,000 per pop.

Because you did not check your oil, the water in your engine, the air filter has not been replaced and you did not performed regular maintenance,so your motor has stopped running and you need a replacement at a cost of $1,500.

You do not know how to manage life and you require somebody to point you in the right direction.

They want to get into your head, knock you off your game and cause you to lose the contest.

When you eat whatever you want, do not pay attention to small things, do not develop good habits in your youth or tune out all the insignificant noise you trip up, lose your balance,and things spiral out of control.

When things get out of control bad things happen. When bad things happen, to correct them - if at all possible- is very costly, time-consuming and embarrassing.

What inspired the creation of M.A.D.D.? Foolish human beings consuming copious amounts of “demon rum” and arrogantly ass-u-ming they could handle it. Then, intoxicated they would go out onto the nation’s highways and slaughter their sons and daughters.

Do you remember the flood over all the earth because God could no longer bear the out of control,wicked acts of men?

How about the ravages of sin causing the Son of God to shed his blood on the cross to save wild and savage mankind?

From the time you came out of the womb until the day they put you in the ground you will always have to fight this battle. From the president to  the pauper,from the king to the vassal you must be keenly aware that "a man that hath no control over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” Prov. 25:28.

In other words anything goes, he becomes like a chaff before the wind, a candle in front of a hurricane, tossed and turned about by every wind of doctrine and any new thought or idea coming down the pike.

Position,wisdom and spirituality are no guarantees and safeguards against this affliction and it can happen, anytime, anyplace to anyone.

Think about Baltimore and the mother who lost it when she saw her son amongst the rioters.

This world, unjust and unfair, influenced by Satan is designed like that to knock you off balance, lose your  cool and maybe your head literally and figuratively. And sometimes it is really not your fault. There is something to the statement,”the devil made me do it.” Yes you can be set up and it is entirely possible to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Adam and Eve were evicted out of the Garden because they could not subdue their lust for the forbidden fruit.

Joseph was cast into prison because Mrs. Potiphar could not control her sexual desires.

Moses missed the Promised land because the children of Israel got on his last nerve at the rock because of their constant incessant,whining,complaining and criticism.

Samson lost his eyes, his freedom and ultimately his life because he could not control his lustful cravings for foreign women.

Poor Uriah the Hittite a faithful soldier became the victim of a conspiracy because David could not keep his hands of the man’s beautiful wife.

David’s son Solomon, who requested from God at the beginning of his reign, "give me a wise and understanding heart because I am like a little child and I do not know how to go out or come in," later on his writings and musings he would record, ‘’Go not in the way of sinful men, avoid it, pass not by it and turn away,”lust not after her beauty in thine heart,neither let her take thee with her eyelids. For by means of a whorish woman, a man is brought to a piece of bread...let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter,fear god and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man.”

His wisdom was so renowned throughout the ancient world that the Queen of Sheba left her country just to verify what she had heard was true. When she met him, she was so impressed that she was left so stunned that she said,”not even half of what I had heard had been told.”

At the end of his life this man influenced by his foreign wives, made abominable idols to appease them and fell down with them to worship these strange gods made with his own hands no less.

Ted Haggard of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, a highly respected pastor, lost his position, his church, his home and reputation because he could not manage his "sexually ambivalent” impulses.

Bob Coy of Calvary Chapel in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. was discharged from his post because  the ominous prediction to his parishioners came to pass. He had said ”one day I will disappoint you.” He had fallen prey to adultery.

Each waking moment we must confront and struggle with the following dilemma:

“I find then a law that when I would do good,evil is present with me, for I delight in the law of God after the inward man; but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members,O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death.” Rom.7:22-25.

Therefore, to finish strong and wind up on the right side of history daily we must heed the instruction and advice:

“But I keep under my body, and bring it under subjection:lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 1 Cor. 9:27.

So that you will be able to handle failure and success and when you meet with triumph and disaster you will treat those two impostors just the same.

Always praying to God: “Give me neither poverty nor riches,

Feed me with food suitable for me,

Lest I be full and deny thee,

And say who is the  Lord,

Or lest I be poor and steal,

And take the name of my God in vain.

Proverbs 30:8