Lessons Learned from our Country

 

                Many have been greatly concerned over the state of our country here recently with the elections now over.  As we read in Psalms 118:8-9  we understand more of whom we are to place our trust in.  We are reminded to place our trust in God.  We are not to place our trust in man or even princes.  This is King David speaking this.  He is what? You guessed it a king!  He was saying it is best to place our trust in the living God!

                Whatever party you may be part of if that, we can learn lessons from a state of the nation.  We can see many concerns with the worldly issues.  It can be very discouraging, however, we are to do our best to stay the course.  In times of distress and trouble we are to remain faithful to God always! We need to place our treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21) where it cannot be destroyed or taken from us by someone else.  Sadly many focus on more physical treasures causing an extreme amount of concern and separation from God.  I want you to consider some of these alarms with me for a few moments.

                A Sense of Entitlement.  You think about a bank and what they do to get your business.  They offer you extra money, toaster, telephone, etc.  They want you to feel that you are entitled to this to get your business.  The same goes for our country.  We expect things.  We expect that we deserve so much.  Yet here is the problem we do not work for them.  Consider some of these programs that are being offered now:  free cell phone program, money, or even big homes.  Many believe they are entitled to them and expect them to be given to one automatically.

                Have we forgotten the need to work in our country and just not expect handouts all the time (II Thessalonians 3:7-10).  The brethren here were told to continue to work and provide for their family.  Just as we are to do the same.  If we are not willing to work then we should not eat.  There is a difference between someone who can't work and one will not.  One may not physically be capable of doing and then there are some who just plain do not want to work.  Why? Because you have to work!  These programs are helpful for those who cannot work but sadly it is abused by many who do not want to work.  Here in Thessalonians it shows that there should be a greater sense of pride for being able to provide for our families.  It does for me and it should for you!  Knowing you are doing what you need to do for your family!

                Think about this in another way also.  The sense of entitle for the church.  Many believe that they are entitled to services from the church.  The denominational world wants you to believe that you are entitled to such services.  Thus they want you in their building and offer these services to give you a sense of entitlement to their different programs.  This is not the way it is supposed to be (Matthew 21:13).

                Think about one more on this subject.  Many believe they are entitled to heaven.  "well I have suffered enough" "well God is love and will not send me to hell" "well I am good enough the way I am".  We are reminded that we need to put effort in for our home in heaven (Matthew 7:21).  We are to put effort in our duty as a Christian.  Nothing is handed to us and we cannot take anything with nor did we have anything when we were brought into the world (Job 1:21)

                A World of Greed.  We are a nation of greed.  We take it to the extreme of envy sadly in most cases.  Some become so absorbed by another's possessions that they want and are willing to anything to get even if it means destroying and taking away from another.  We need more contentment (I Timothy 6:3-10).  We need to be satisfied with what we have.  God provides all for us and we need to be satisfied with it.  We cannot take anything with so why practice greed?  Money is a source of many forms of evil noticing envy, strife, reviling, and evil suspicions. 

                Concerning About a Lack of Morality.  Think about our world (I Corinthians 6:9-11).  We are in a society where people want to socially accept all.  Both in and out of the church.  Sadly some are following this belief even in the Lord's church!.  While I do agree to a small point.  I must show the ways of sin and how God doesn't allow sinful people to enter into heaven.  My duty is to expose sin for what it truly is!  I am not to socially accept all for who they are.  Homosexuals, fornicators or just sinners in general must realize sin and the consequences of it!

                Marriage has become a loose standard (Matthew 5:31-32).  People can get married and then divorced for any reason.  Gay marriage has become a hot topic in our world today.  Many have forgotten about God and the intention of marriage in our world.  People clamor for equal rights for all but forget about God.

                Murder has become a hot button issue specifically abortion (Psalms 139:13-16).  God knew whom we were in the womb.  Many do not want to call a baby a person while in the womb.  Some have a different standard of when a baby is a baby.  However in the beginning at conception we are told is when the baby is a baby.

                Conclusion:  Friends, many quote Acts 23:5b and I Peter 2:17 about speaking about our rulers.  Sadly some even in the church and are misusing verses like this.  However I am reminded that we are to expose sin (Ephesians 5:11-12).  We are commanded to stand for truth (Acts 5:29).  We are to put God first concerning his law and ways. 

What about when the apostles were told to not speak the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18)?  Was this not considered sin?  After all, Jesus commanded them to go and preach the gospel to all (Mark 16:15).  What if the rulers of this world try to deny all from preaching the name of Jesus?  Are to just respect the law of the land or are we to do what God says (Acts 4:19) first?  Where is our first love (Mark 12:30)!  Sadly this not new in our world today.  This is an ongoing battle that we have been seeing throughout the world.  Yet friends I want you to know that we need to continue to fight the good fight of faith (II Timothy 4:7-8).  We need to get back to a sense of trusting in the Lord (Psalms 118:8-9).  God is the one who offers eternal life not man!  This is why our trust needs to be in the Lord!  Is it?  Daniel Sanders