Are you living the way Jesus Christ and His apostles lived? Do you believe and practice what they taught? Many who call themselves Christians have departed from the faith of Jesus Christ—without even realizing it!

God inspired the prophet Amos to record: "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.

So where did you get your religion? How did you come to believe the things that you believe? Did you find your religious concepts in the Bible? Or did you get your religious ideas from family and friends?

Those who take the fast track often fade in the longer race of life, while the diligent steadily move toward the lead. The industrious person is the one who gets ahead, while those who seek a quick and easy route to happiness—who would rather party, pose and focus on "fun"—will usually be disappointed in the end.

People spend and spend in the hope of having a joyous Christmas. But their big spending has year-round consequences. What does rampant consumer spending say about us and about our nations? Is there a better way?