GODLY GOVERNMENT FOR A WORLD IN NEED

Watching the world around us today is indeed an interesting experience to behold. It is easy to become discouraged as we see the absolute divisiveness among so many nations and so many people. We all have a tendency to become self focused as we contemplate our immediate surroundings, culture, and circumstances. A glance outside of our bubbles into the world around us can be a shocking and scary experience that can produce anxiety and at times a sense of resigned hopelessness. Many places in our world seem to be chaotic and constantly in a state of unrest. Governments of all kinds seem to have evolved into a focus on One True Objective. STAY IN POWER ! It seems to matter little what is actually done to be good stewards of a nation’s people, or have a responsibility for their well being. Somewhere along the way, God and His ways of doing things became irrelevant or hostile to a secular focused world. Slowly in the Western World, The Church (Universal) became an afterthought in terms of Civil Government and Leadership. The true church focus should be on Salvation and Men’s Souls. Decision making should be left up to the Secular System, where no religious “bias” could enter in and distort things….right (not). AND, no one gets offended…except God perhaps. What is missing in this equation is the simple understanding of just WHO GOD IS, AND WHAT HE DOES ! God is a CREATOR, and has a wisdom and purpose that we as mere mortals will always struggle to understand until we are With Him In His Kingdom. HE CREATES AND HE RULES ! God is a strategic thinker and planner who is task oriented and desires Stewardship and Productivity. JESUS CAME TO CHANGE THE HEARTS OF MANKIND, AND MODEL GOD AND HIS KINGDOM FOR US TO EMULATE ! From the very creation, God made mankind to rule and be productive, tending His Garden and Stewarding the things He had created to share existence with Mankind). DOMINION over the earth, it’s creatures, its’ fauna, with RESPONSIBILITY AND OWNERSHIP. We know the story…man thought he could do everything himself. How Sad Indeed. HAS MUCH CHANGED ? Governments today it seems are stuck in that same old position of arrogance and rebellion. Lets’ take a moment to contemplate just what GOD REQUIRES OF ˝GOVERNANCE . God from the beginning established a multitude of patterns for how man should live and operate. His patterns seek harmony and individual fulfillment. These patterns are not culturally relative; they thrive in All Cultures. We are called to manage God’s principles, accordingly NOT TO ALLOW CULTURAL CHANGES TO EVER BECOME TRUTH AND FOUNDATION. GOD DEFINES TRUTH AND HE ALONE SETS ITS FOUNDATION. God gives Civil Government authority to perform the functions that ensure order, initiative, productivity, safety, peace, and freedom WHEN that government adheres to Gods Commandments and Truth. When a government does not operate in a Godly Biblical manner, it produces division, inefficiency, dependence, poor productivity, and cultural relativism. WELCOME TO MAN CENTRIC SELF RULE INDEED !

LET EVERYONE SUBMIT TO THE GOVERNING AUTHORITIES, SINCE THERE IS NO AUTHORITY EXCEPT FROM GOD, AND THE AUTHORITIES THAT EXIST ARE INSTITUTED BY GOD. Romans 13:1

HE CHANGES TIMES AND SEASONS; HE REMOVES KINGS AND SETS UP KINGS; HE GIVES WISDOM TO THE WISE AND KNOWLEDGE TO THOSE WHO HAVE UNDERSTANDING. Daniel 2:21

MANY ARE THE PLANS IN THE MIND OF A MAN, BUT IT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE LORD THAT WILL STAND. Proverbs 19:21

AND IF YOU FAITHFULLY OBEY THE VOICE OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, BEING CAREFUL TO DO ALL HIS COMMANDMENTS THAT I COMMAND YOU TODAY, THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL SET YOU HIGH ABOVE ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH. AND ALL THESE BLESSINGS SHALL COME UPON YOU AND OVERTAKE YOU, IF YOU OBEY THE VOICE OF THE LORD YOUR GOD. BLESSED SHALL YOU BE IN THE CITY, AND BLESSED SHALL YOU BE IN THE FIELD. BLESSED SHALL BE THE FRUIT OF YOUR WOMB AND THE FRUIT OF YOUR GROUND AND THE FRUIT OF YOUR CATTLE , THE INCREASE OF YOUR HERDS AND THE YOUNG OF YOUR FLOCK. BLESSED SHALL BE YOUR BASKET AND YOUR KNEADING BOWL…Deuteronomy 28:1-68

HE MAKES NATIONS GREAT, AND HE DESTROYS THEM; HE ENLARGES NATIONS, AND LEADS THEM AWAY. HE TAKES AWAY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE CHIEFS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH AND MAKES THEM WANDER IN A TRACKLESS WASTE. THEY GROPE IN THE DARK WITHOUT LIGHT, AND HE MAKES THEM STAGGER LIKE DRUNKEN MEN. Job 12: 23-25

It should be very clear to those of us who call ourselves “Christians” that WE and the GOVERNMENTS that represent us should be focused on God and His Ways. It is OUR RESPONSIBILITY to support and elect government representatives that follow God’s Truth and Commandments. WE ELECT THOSE WHO MOST CLOSELY REPRESENT THE POSITIONS OF OUR CREATOR AND LORD. Throughout history we have seen nations rise and fall, and governments flourish and crash in ruin. Pastors can stand at their pulpits and try to avoid the responsibility to educate their flocks regarding Sin and Godly principals, but they do themselves and those they shepherd a Great Disservice ! God Breathes Life and speaks Truth. God sees justice and He judges accordingly. God knows those who hear His voice and follow it. God knows those who are lukewarm as well. If you are truly a born again Christian, then YOU know God’s Truth and you know ( or should know) Godly Truth versus cultural relativeness and conformity. Eternal Life is a gift from the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for all of us. The gift is free, but the acceptance of it and living the life it demands is not ! IT REQUIRES CHOICE AND COMMITMENT ! Godly Governance starts with us as individuals. Have you surrendered your life to God and His Will ? DO YOU KNOW HIS WORD AND STUDY IT ? Families are the “Building Block” for a healthy society. Is your Family following Gods design and ways ? IS GOD A PRIORITY ? The local church is our pivotal point for “equipping and fellowship”. ARE YOU ATTENDING A CHURCH WITH A PASTOR WHO IS BOLD AND SURE IN GOD”S WAYS AND TRUTHS ? Productive commerce and economy make our society strong and productive. ARE YOUR HANDS WORKING AND LIFTING OR SEEKING DEPENDENCE ON OTHERS ? Strong governance starts locally and produces FREEDOM ! ARE YOU ENGAGED OR SIMPLY FEELING IMPOTENT OR DISINTERESTED ? WHAT OUR WORLD NEEDS IS PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGED AND STANDING IN GODS TRUTH AND WAYS AND ASKING OUR GOVERNMENTS TO DO THE SAME ! GOD DEMANDS OBEDIENCE TO HIS JUSTICE AND TRUTH….OR, WE WILL BE JUDGED.

LEARN TO DO GOOD; SEEK JUSTICE, CORRECT OPPRESSION; BRING JUSTICE TO THE FATHERLESS, PLEAD THE WIDOW’S CAUSE. Isaiah 1:17

WHEN JUSTICE IS DONE, IT IS A JOY TO THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT TERROR TO EVILDOERS. Proverbs 21:15

BUT LET JUSTICE ROLL DOWN LIKE WATERS, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS LIKE AN EVER FLOWING STREAM. Amos 5:24

THE ROCK, HIS WORK IS PERFECT, FOR ALL HIS WAYS ARE JUSTICE. A GOD OF FAITHFULNESS AND WITHOUT INIQUITY, JUST AND UPRIGHT IS HE. Deuteronomy 32:4

America is where I live and where I was born and raised. Like the rest of the world, many leaders have come and gone. What I desire most for my country is the very things that I have spoken about in the text above. Freedom to see people fulfill their destiny in Gods plan for them; harmony among people; peace for all in the world; productivity and fruit from one’s labor and efforts; justice and righteousness without favoritism; and most importantly for God’s Truth and Grace to bless all who seek Him and Trust Him, and for those who have not or don’t….to hear His Voice and Feel His Love. Jeremiah 6:16 gives us the perfect picture of where we find ourselves today. ASK ABOUT THE ANCIENT PATHS….WHICH IS THE WAY TO WHAT IS GOOD ? If you use GOD as your plumb-line and SEEK to understand what HE WANTS AND VALUES then your choices in our upcoming election should be very clear. AND SOME REPLIED, WE WON’T….and I said unto the Lord, Why Lord ? Why will these people not listen ? Why can they not see ? Read Jeremiah once more. They have paid no attention to my words, they have rejected my instruction. May all SEEK AND LISTEN TO GOD AND DESIRE HIS WAYS !

GOD SEES AND HEARS YOU/JAA. * Special thanks to Dennis Peacocke for his amazing teaching on Godly Government. Many principles from my writing today come from his work and teaching. I am grateful.

RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE ARE THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR THRONE; STEADFAST LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS GO BEFORE YOU. Zechariah 7: 9-10