GETTING THE WORLD IN FOCUS

Dear Friends,

Would you agree that the above heading certainly speaks volumes today? Let me suggest though, that there could be a way to bring things into better focus. Let me begin with this brief story: A young man was packing his suitcase for a trip when his friend entered his room. “Well,” the traveler said, “I am just about packed. But I need to take a guidebook, a map, a compass, a mirror, a microscope, a telescope, a hammer, a volume of poetry, a few biographies, a songbook, a set of devotional works and the history book that I have been reading.” The man's friend looked down at the suitcase and said, “That's impossible. You have only a small space left.” His friend took his Bible and put it into the suitcase and said, “The Bible contains all the things I just mentioned.”

As those of you who know me know; I believe that the Bible is a book to be read, learned, studied and taken to heart. It tells us what God wants us to believe and do, in particular I think the Gospels say it clearly. Jesus taught that to be in focus requires compliance with God's law.

What we have today is a total disregard, to God’s law and even our own nation’s rule of law. Our once beautiful, powerful, prosperous example of a Constitutional Republic has fallen by the wayside. Incrementally our nation is being dismantled to lead it towards a global plutocracy (government by the wealthy)) which is alien to our liberties and justice for all. We are supposed to have a government represented by the People, not top down autocratic ruling. Americans should not have to bow to Kings or the plutocrat’s financiers; for when we, the bastions of freedom are taken down so will the hopes for the rest of the world.

Let me remind you of some scripture along this line: Jeremiah 9:23-24, Thus says the Lord: Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom, do not let the mighty boast in their might, do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth; but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the Lord; I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord.

James5:1-6, Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.

Think of how we as a blessed nation have dishonored God by continuing to have millions of people in poverty in our nation. There are 2000 verses on poverty in the Bible. And how we the richest country in the world do not have health-care for everyone. We’ve left Jesus waiting outside the hospital door. In observing so many of our present day American churches; it truly pains me to say it, but to a degree I have to agree with William Temple who says that Christianity is "the most avowedly materialist of all the great religions."

I’m well aware how those that have it and control it are uncomfortable about the subject of money, especially when you mix spirituality with it.

How do we get the present world financial difficulties in focus? Here’s the way one in the Bible did it. In Luke 19:8 ..Jesus made Zaccheus aware of his greed and history of cheating others; and then Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, 'Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.' What a bailout!! Jesus said that it's hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God, but Zacchaeus was a rich man who did enter the kingdom.

God's Word says that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Unfortunately, so many suffering all around the world today will attest to this.

I’ll finish (for now) by reminding us of these additional few scriptures from God’s word.

Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13 No-one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.'

Ecclesiastes 5:10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.

1 Timothy 6:9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.

Proverbs 3:9-10 Honor the LORD from your wealth, And from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

Jesus says in Luke 12:33 -34 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Is this another form of bailout?)