Newsflash: God is not in an economic crisis

[Andry]

Hopefully a word of encouragement to all of you who have been impacted or are discouraged by the current global economic conditions:

God doesn't have economic crises. He is not experiencing a recession or a downturn. He still owns all the cattle on a thousand hills, and he is still the best resource in the advancement of the Kingdom, and the best resource to turn to for wisdom and guidance.

When God called Gideon a "might man of valour" (Judges 6), the conditions of the land was that of despair and destitution. It was a land that was impoverished, had no economy, no infrastruture, and no sustenance. And Gideon countered that not only was his family poor in a destitute land, but that he was the least in his family! Yet God still called Gideon that mighty man of valour.

Yet for me, this is not the most remarkable thing in the story. For me, the most remarkable thing in the story was Gideon's response to God in the midst of his crisis - he was poor, destitute, had very little - and in the midst of a complete societal and economic breakdown of Israel.....

""Do not depart from here, I pray, until I come to You and bring out my offering and set it before You." And He said, "I will wait until you come back." So Gideon went in and prepared a young goat, and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot; and he brought them out to Him under the terebinth tree and presented them." Judges 6:19

He made a sacrifice!! Even out of his poverty, he gave!

He most probably could not afford to lose the young goat or the flour. And they were probably his only worldly source. But he responded by sacrificially giving. Amazing.

Then the LORD said to him, "Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die." Judges 6:23

So I just want to encourage and pray for you, that God is with you, and he does not experience economic crises. Do not fear, you will live, as a mighty man of valour.

 

[SUNSTONE]

Then where was God during the times when children are raped and murdered? Out to lunch?

If God doesn't take care of them, at that time, then what makes you think He cares at all about living the american dream?

 

[Andry]

Then where was God during the times when children are raped and murdered? Out to lunch?

If God doesn't take care of them, at that time, then what makes you think He cares at all about living the american dream?

So according to you, God doesn't exist. Where was God throughout human history of suffering, injustice, tragedy, disease, famine, war, et al, ad infinitum? And besides you not knowing me from Adam, what makes you think I think He cares at all about living the American dream? I'm not even American.

 

[SUNSTONE]

Where was God? Right where He has always been, telling people to live a certain way warning them that if they don't bad things will happen, and if they do, then good things will happen.

But what happens? Man doesn't do what God says to do, and you get the results you see today.

 

[Alpine]

Where was God? Right where He has always been, telling people to live a certain way warning them that if they don't bad things will happen, and if they do, then good things will happen.

I would say that many of the Psalms and Proverbs in the old testament make another claim: The wicked often prosper while the righteous struggle.

It's one of the great question of the ages, why do the wicked prosper?

Psalm 73 3-12
3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?" This is what the wicked are like— always carefree, they increase in wealth.

 

[pinetree]

Hopefully a word of encouragement to all of you who have been impacted or are discouraged by the current global economic conditions:

God doesn't have economic crises. He is not experiencing a recession or a downturn. He still owns all the cattle on a thousand hills, and he is still the best resource in the advancement of the Kingdom, and the best resource to turn to for wisdom and guidance.

When God called Gideon a "might man of valour" (Judges 6), the conditions of the land was that of despair and destitution. It was a land that was impoverished, had no economy, no infrastruture, and no sustenance. And Gideon countered that not only was his family poor in a destitute land, but that he was the least in his family! Yet God still called Gideon that mighty man of valour.

Yet for me, this is not the most remarkable thing in the story. For me, the most remarkable thing in the story was Gideon's response to God in the midst of his crisis - he was poor, destitute, had very little - and in the midst of a complete societal and economic breakdown of Israel.....

""Do not depart from here, I pray, until I come to You and bring out my offering and set it before You." And He said, "I will wait until you come back." So Gideon went in and prepared a young goat, and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot; and he brought them out to Him under the terebinth tree and presented them." Judges 6:19

He made a sacrifice!! Even out of his poverty, he gave!

He most probably could not afford to lose the young goat or the flour. And they were probably his only worldly source. But he responded by sacrificially giving. Amazing.

Then the LORD said to him, "Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die." Judges 6:23

So I just want to encourage and pray for you, that God is with you, and he does not experience economic crises. Do not fear, you will live, as a mighty man of valour.

good encouraging word bro..

Dont mind our brother Sunstone..

If you made a post saying"god gave us little kitties"

He would say something like...."yea but he gave us mice,and the kitties eat mice,so where is the justice?"

 

[but4hismercy]

Thanks jedi that is good encouragement. Pastor Bob said recently that you can tell who you have the most faith in in times of crisis and hardship. Who, or whatever you run to first is who or what you have the most trust in.

 

[map4]

Thank God for His goodness towards us!

Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[nephilimiyr]

Good post Andry!

But what happens? Man doesn't do what God says to do, and you get the results you see today.

I don't think it has to do with man not doing what God says but simply man doesn't want to acknowledge him most of the time.

For instance, talking about 9/11, Anne Graham said something that I think says it more accurately.

Finally, The Truth on National TV. Billy Graham's daughter was being interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?"

And Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response.

She said "I believe that God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman that He is, I believe that He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand that He leave us alone?"

http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/annegraham.html






.

 

[JimfromOhio]

Great thread. We have to look back in the Old Testament and see how God was there for His people even through HARD TIMES. Learning from them, I can see that circumstances did not control them; it is their reaction to circumstances that determined what kind of people they were and most importantly, how faithful they were.

People have the wrong view of God's goodness when they don’t get what they expected to get and they get angry or frustrated or bitter which leads to despise. Because they misjudge and failed to consider to the real purpose and scope of what is happening.

Do we not see God at work in our circumstances? Dark times are allowed and come to us through the soveriegnty of God. Are we prepared to let God do what He wants with us?

The circumstances surrounding our lives are no accident even if they may be the work of evil, but that evil is held firmly within the mighty hand of our sovereign God. Each Christian can live and grow in circumstances that are unfavorable because this causes a Christian to grow mature. Grace operates without the help of our faith because grace is much more powerful than our faith.

 

[the.Sheepdog]

good encouraging word bro..

Dont mind our brother Sunstone..

If you made a post saying"god gave us little kitties"

He would say something like...."yea but he gave us mice,and the kitties eat mice,so where is the justice?"

I hear that encouraging word brother! I also hear a faint squeeking from that other one!

 

[pinetree]

I hear that encouraging word brother! I also hear a faint squeeking from that other one!

the squeaking sound you hear,might be the roulette wheel!

 

[Elijah2]

the squeaking sound you hear,might be the roulette wheel!

Or an unoiled dagger!

 

[pinetree]

Or an unoiled dagger!

duck you head!
here comes a boomarang!

 

[SUNSTONE]

I would say that many of the Psalms and Proverbs in the old testament make another claim: The wicked often prosper while the righteous struggle.

It's one of the great question of the ages, why do the wicked prosper?

Psalm 73 3-12
3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?" This is what the wicked are like— always carefree, they increase in wealth.

Yes but look what else it says.

16When I (W)pondered to understand this,
It was troublesome in my sight
17Until I came into the (X)sanctuary of God;
Then I perceived their (Y)end.
18Surely You set them in (Z)slippery places;
You cast them down to (AA)destruction.
19How they are (AB)destroyed in a moment!
They are utterly swept away by (AC)sudden terrors!

To live the right way is a challenge, but it's a good challenge.
It's like an athlete who works hard to do the best he can, compared to a cheater who uses steriods.
The steriod user seems to have more success, but then it all comes crashing down when he is busted.

History is full of evil men who have success for a few seasons but then that law of sowing and reaping kicks in, and their world comes to a crash.

20(AB)Wisdom shouts in the street,
She lifts her voice in the square;
21At the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:
22"How long, O (AC)naive ones, will you love being simple-minded?
And (AD)scoffers delight themselves in scoffing
And fools (AE)hate knowledge?
23"Turn to my reproof,
Behold, I will (AF)pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24"Because (AG)I called and you (AH)refused,
I (AI)stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;
25And you (AJ)neglected all my counsel
And did not (AK)want my reproof;
26I will also (AL)laugh at your (AM)calamity;
I will mock when your (AN)dread comes,
27When your dread comes like a storm
And your calamity comes like a (AO)whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28"Then they will (AP)call on me, but I will not answer;
They will (AQ)seek me diligently but they will not find me,
29Because they (AR)hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the LORD.
30"They (AS)would not accept my counsel,
They spurned all my reproof.
31"So they shall (AT)eat of the fruit of their own way
And be (AU)satiated with their own devices.
32"For the (AV)waywardness of the naive will kill them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33"But (AW)he who listens to me shall live securely
And will be at ease from the dread of evil." Proverbs 1

 

[SUNSTONE]

Good post Andry!


I don't think it has to do with man not doing what God says but simply man doesn't want to acknowledge him most of the time.

For instance, talking about 9/11, Anne Graham said something that I think says it more accurately.

Finally, The Truth on National TV. Billy Graham's daughter was being interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?"

And Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response.

She said "I believe that God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman that He is, I believe that He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand that He leave us alone?"

http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/annegraham.html

.

You say that it doesn't have anything to do with man not doing what God says, but then you immediatly turn around and basicly say it has everything to do with man not doing what God said to do.

God said that in all our ways we are to acknowledge Him and He will direct our paths.
And since mankind mostly doesn't do that, then we shouldn't be surprised at the results.

The bible is full of storys where someone either did or did not do what God asked.
God said, don't eat the apple, they ate the apple.
Don't break the commandments, they broke the commandments.
Take the promise land, for 40 years they didn't take the promise land.
You don't want a human king, I am your king. They still wanted a human king.
God told Jonah to do something, he didn't do it and was swallowed by a fish.
Over and over we see this.

And what does that mean for today?
Well if Christians were doing what they were suppose to do, lives would be changed, and sins would be less, and the problems that those sins carry would be less.

 

[pinetree]

betcha I am next..all ready suntone!
REPLY...

 

[SUNSTONE]

Great thread. We have to look back in the Old Testament and see how God was there for His people even through HARD TIMES. Learning from them, I can see that circumstances did not control them; it is their reaction to circumstances that determined what kind of people they were and most importantly, how faithful they were.

People have the wrong view of God's goodness when they don’t get what they expected to get and they get angry or frustrated or bitter which leads to despise. Because they misjudge and failed to consider to the real purpose and scope of what is happening.

Do we not see God at work in our circumstances? Dark times are allowed and come to us through the soveriegnty of God. Are we prepared to let God do what He wants with us?

The circumstances surrounding our lives are no accident even if they may be the work of evil, but that evil is held firmly within the mighty hand of our sovereign God. Each Christian can live and grow in circumstances that are unfavorable because this causes a Christian to grow mature. Grace operates without the help of our faith because grace is much more powerful than our faith.

Why would God tell people to do something or not do something, and then turn around and make them do what He didn't want them to do?

 

[pinetree]

I feel rejected ,dont forget me sunstone..

 

[SUNSTONE]

I think your name fits you pinetree.
Because like trees, you sit there and don't do anything.