God and the Economy*

 

The pandemic and the resulting disruption of the economies of our nation and the other nations of the world is the situation in which we currently find ourselves.  However, the economy is more than what people consider it to be. The real economy is not a system of this world. God has much to say about His intentions for this worldly system and its attitude towards wealth, and what our thoughts should be towards it.

There is a strong warning in the Word towards those who boast, hoard and abuse with their wealth:

"Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire: ye have heaped treasure together for the last days."   James 5:1-3

The apostle James, who was the half-brother of Jesus, wrote above that the wealth of those who have hoarded riches for protection in these last days will be the testimony against them, and that wealth will prove to be no protection anyway. James went on to write that the same hoarders of wealth defraud and oppress those who labor for them. The Lord of the Sabbath, who is Christ, shall heal the cries of those who have been defrauded of their earned wages. In the recent past, we have seen lending institutions practice fraud in home mortgages, leading to the collapse of the housing market. We have seen in this pandemic, those who are lower on the economic scale have been placed in more danger than others. Large, wealthy corporations have defrauded the government of the funds that have been recently allocated to help small businesses and their employees through this difficult period. To the Godly, James urged patience until the day that the Lord comes, which day is near (v. 7-8).
The apostle Paul also warned the rich not to depend upon their riches, but with their trust being in God, rather to distribute those riches towards the good works that build a foundation for the difficult times ahead, and even into eternal life (1 Tim. 6:17-19).
The trusting in wealth, even the multitude of riches, cannot redeem oneself or any one else with God, because redemption is more precious than wealth, and is not corruptible or fleeting as material wealth is (Ps. 49:6-9). As we know, redemption was only bought by the blood of the Son of God. In fact, the man who is destroyed is the man who does not make God his strength, but trusts in those gathered riches (Ps. 52:5-7). The man-made economy, whether strong or weak, will not save anyone from the things that are happening now, or those that are to come. Even with money, it is difficult to buy things like toilet paper, as people have hoarded in fear. Food is disappearing from grocery shelves, even for those with money to pay, because it is destroyed by farmers who cannot get distributers to pick it up. God is asking us: Do we trust in the economy of man, manipulating it to get the greatest wealth from it, or do we trust in Him? It is God who is our salvation, our glory, the rock of our strength, and our refuge. Even when money abounds, we are still to trust in Him rather than riches (Ps. 62:7-10).
Comparing the economics of the righteous and the wicked the LORD said:
"A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous. The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied."  (Ps. 37:16-19)
Who are the righteous referred to above? Those who trust, delight and rest in the LORD (v. 1-7). From his own life experience, King David assured us:
"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." (v. 25)
The trust we place in the LORD, rather than in wealth or in any worldly system, not only yields supernatural benefits to us, but continues to yield them to our children, and to their children. This is the investment worth seeking that cannot be found on Wall Street. The economy is not about men, corporations or stocks, but about Godly people, who will seek His face, repent, pray, and trust in Him rather than wealth.

*The above is based upon the 5/3/20 message to the Church from Dr. Kenneth Stevenson. 

To Contact/Submit prayer requests/Support the ministry/Order the book, "NAZAH-White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling", and to help us get out the message, to contribute to the Book of Remembrance for Sean Stevenson:

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Waco, TX  76705

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.
 

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Sean Stevenson

The Way Back to Greatness

 

I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall be become a reproach and a bye word down to future age. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human Wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, and conquest.

I therefore beg leave to move -- that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of this City be requested to officiate in that service.   Excerpt from an address* by Benjamin Franklin, Constitutional Convention of 1787

 In order for America to become great again, for which cause many Americans have cried out, America must find out the truth of what made it great in the first place. Its greatness is not found in its checkered history, nor its wealth and power, nor its political system and elected officials. America's greatness is found in the light that was brought to the whole world through its foundational principles. Never before had such hope and promise been offered to peoples and nations as was offered in the founding tenets of this nation. Other nations were so awed by those principles, that they copied the ideas into their own new constitutions and governments. Americans revere their foundational documents, but do they understand the divine inspiration and truth from which those documents were drawn, and the prayer that was necessary in order to bring many disparate views together into a national unity? Through all of the debate and divisive thoughts and opinions, the founders repeatedly returned to and clung to the one principle that unified them all- that God is the Creator and King over all, including the nation they were trying to establish.The greatness of this nation was begun in the Word of God, and in humble prayers of dependence upon Him, and the greatness of this nation will be found again only in the return to these same things. King David described it this way:
"The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;
Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion...
We will rejoice in Thy salvation, and in the name of our God, we will set up banners: the LORD fulfill all thy petitions...He will hear him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen and stand upright. Save LORD..."  Psalm 20 (excerpt)
Military might will not save a nation, nor define its greatness. America! - we tell you to trust in the name that can save, the name of the LORD our God. Battle banners are impressive, but it is the banner of the LORD's name that delivers from destruction. The return to greatness that American hearts are crying out for cannot be found in an election, or a political figure:
"Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day, his thoughts perish. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God. The LORD shall reign forever...unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD."   Ps. 146 (excerpt)
Even when men have led America in good ways with good thoughts and plans, when they perish, that way perishes with them, and with their generation. However, what the LORD establishes and revives lives forever, because He lives forever, to ALL generations. Men aspire to do justice, but the LORD IS justice for all (v. 7-9).
The LORD, in His mercy, has brought many great spiritual revivals to this nation, and saved many through them. Those revivals have come through humble believers, who cried out to Him in prayer. One of the greatest revivals at Azusa Street, in 1906, became plagued by racism and division. White people broke away because they did not want to come under the authority of a black man, William Seymour, whose prayers and heartfelt desire for the face of God, birthed the revival that saved them. Revival and restoration to greatness starts in the heart of a believer. The Church is still crippled in racism, strife and division. The Church itself needs revival back to greatness in Christ, to the truth of God's Word. Are believers calling upon the name of the LORD for restoration of this nation, or are they trusting in the winner of an election, taking sides in the division of political "solutions"?
As America has come to a crossroads that will determine its future for generations, Dr. Stevenson has spent years preparing a book for just such a time as this. Each chapter deals with a key to restoring the true greatness of America. One of those keys lies in a challenge to a "world weary church" that has grown weary trying to conform to this world, trusting in this world, rather than being transformed into the image of Christ, and consequently transforming those around them:
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."   Rom. 12:1-2
The restored greatness of America is lying in the true, humble, heart of a believer, who is seeking the face of God and His truth, for himself, and for his troubled nation, whose heart is grieved by what he sees, and is crying to God for His help. Trust in the LORD: our help comes from God.
A long ago generation left us a key to the way back to greatness for America. This key was established to help us if we, as a nation, lost our way. It is in the form of a monument established near Plymouth Rock, which is commonly considered to be the birthplace of America. To honor the Pilgrim forefathers who established this nation in faith, the monument is called, National Monument to the Forefathers**. This monument was also the subject of a documentary called, "Monumental"***, which is strongly recommended for your viewing. The four sides of the base of the monument represent Morality, Law, Education, and Liberty. Each side of the base has keys of spiritual knowledge pertaining to  those four building blocks of this nation. For example, the north face features a representation of Morality, a woman holding a tablet bearing the beginning of the Ten Commandments, “I am the Lord thy God.”  Rising far above, and in the midst of those four sides of the pedestal of the monument is the figure representing Faith, which is holding the Bible.
This is where the greatness of our nation began, and this is where we will find the way back to greatness.
*Benjamin Franklin's full address to the Constitutional Convention
**Information on the National Monument to the Forefathers
***"Monumental" Documentary

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Also to hear Dr. Stevenson's complete message:
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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:
Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.