(Proverbs 14:34)
I have received thousands of
requests over the last several months about the upcoming presidential
elections in the United States. I will not tell you who to vote for since
that
is not our purpose here. By the way, God is not a Democrat, Republican, or
Independent. It will, however, focus on your personal responsibility as a
citizen of this country, or whatever country you live in since this
Devotional is written for a worldwide audience each day. Today though, I do
want to focus and share with you what the real problems we are facing here
in the United States. Let me start by saying God makes it clear in His Word
that it is no accident who our rulers are, and that it is God who puts those
rulers in office, and God who takes them out of office. We are to honor,
respect, and pray for those God has placed in authority over us. Some may
find this hard. But praying for our enemies is hard too, but that is what
the Bible tells us to do. Do you realize, it was God who allowed Bill
Clinton to become president for two terms? It was God who allowed Adolph
Hitler to rise to power? It was God who allowed the Emperors of Rome to
hold office. Never forget, the New Testament was written under the
inspiration of the Holy Sprit during the time Rome was in power and there
was mass persecution of Christians. Yet God clearly calls us to pray for
our leaders.
We have many problems in the United States today. Most of those problems
like Social Security reform, gas prices, employment, health care,
prescription drug benefits for our senior citizens are all in the news and
will be debated at length in the coming weeks, months, and years. However,
these are logistical, practical problems. The real problems we face in this
country are spiritual. The practical application for your life today is
this. Whatever problems you are facing in your life are NOT the real
problems. Your finances may be a major issue today. Addiction to alcohol,
drugs, gambling, sex may be a major battle you are fighting. Your marriage
may be in trouble. There may be health issues you are being confronted
with. All of these issues my friend are surface problems. Practical day to
day real life issues we have to deal with, but the real problems in your
life, just like the real problems in this country are SPIRITUAL.
Anyone with common sense can look back on the brief history of the Untied
States and see the Biblical principles upon which it was founded and set up
to operate under. There can be no doubt that the greatness of this country,
in spite of its' very young age compared to countries in the rest of the
world, are because of this personal relationship with God and His Word. The
problems we face today are because we have forgotten God, tossed His Word to
the side, and decided to do it "our way". No more prayer in school. The
legalized killing of millions of babies every year. God's plan for the
family perverted. The bold and shameless marketing, making easy access to
every kind of sin imaginable. Our great country, founded on Biblical
principles, has misappropriated the freedoms God gave us. We have used our
freewill to consciously ignore God, to turn our back on Him. God gave us
the ability to make that choice. But never forget there are consequences
for our choices. There are consequences for rebelling against God.
This country has lived off of the obedience to God of our forefathers. We
have enjoyed the blessings of their faithfulness. Unfortunately, the legacy
we will leave to our children and grandchildren, should Jesus tarry, will be
the consequences of our rebellion to God and His Word. 2 Chronicles 7:14
says, "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and
pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear
from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
Deuteronomy 8:19 says, "If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow
other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today
that you will surely be destroyed." It is not too late. However, we need
spiritual leaders, who under the power of the Holy Spirit will call the
people of this great land to repentance. IT IS NOT THE POLITICIANS JOB TO
DO THIS. It is the job of the spiritual leaders, and only a spiritual
revival will solve the real problems of this country. God is saying to
those leaders today, to you pastors, to you who have been given a position
of leadership, to those who have been blessed with a national and
international platform..."quit building a kingdom to yourself, and focus on
building my kingdom...my people are perishing for lack of knowledge...give
them the knowledge and lead them out of the darkness and into the
light...come down from your self-built ivory tower that has been lavishly
made with the blessings I have bestowed upon you...and feed my sheep...then
LEAD my sheep...thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel...."
My friend, I love you and care about you. The relevance this word has to
your life today is that the same problem the country has is your problem.
You are focused on the external problems in your life, when the real
problems are spiritual. Focus on that side of your life. Get back to the
basics. Pray daily. Read the Word daily. Get in church. Find ways to
serve God. Set your spiritual base, since everything in your life, who you
are, flows from there. I am praying for you. I am praying that just as
this country needs a spiritual revival, you have a spiritual revival in your
own life. That is the answer to building the foundation on which your life
is built.
