It's God - Not the Economy and Politics!

America is confronted with massive economic and social problems unparalleled in its history. Yet, the harder our politicians work at solving our problems—the more trillions they spend attempting to rescue our economy—the more entangled the problems become! Why? Because they continue to ignore the fundamental principal which ultimately determines the success or failure of nations. It is simply this: When humans reject God and refuse to believe and follow His Word, they are left to their own devices—which eventually always fail, for “there is a way which seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death” (Prov. 14:12). At the most basic level, our problems are not really economic, social or political—they are spiritual! America has forsaken God—we have rejected His rule both as individuals and as a nation.
 
Foretelling of our times, the ancient prophet Isaiah was inspired to write that “none calls for justice, nor does anyone plead for truth; [instead, your leaders] trust in vanity and speak lies…. They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity… [and] their works are works of iniquity…. Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. They have not known the way of peace, and there is no justice in their ways. They have made crooked paths for themselves; whoever goes therein shall not know peace. Therefore justice is far from us; nor does righteousness overtake us” (Isa. 59:4-9).

Our national leaders are focused on political expediency; their decisions are clouded by agendas. They have failed to consider that political, social and economic issues always reflect the underlying spiritual health of the nation. Indeed, it is incumbent upon us to carefully examine the fruits of America’s new president, Barack Obama—from God’s perspective. Did not Jesus say, “You shall know them by their fruits”? Obama campaigned on the promise of “hope” and “change we can believe in.” The rhetoric of his campaign was lofty, like brightly painted word pictures. The reality, however, is that Obama is rapidly turning toward socialism—as evidenced by his blatant socialistic policies and appointments of radical leftists to his Cabinet. In fact, by their very actions our leaders mock God as they reject His ways.

Here are three examples dealing with the Obama administration:

The Economy—The massive government budget supported by Obama will lead to a staggering $7 trillion in deficit spending over the next two years—which is more money than all the presidents and congresses have spent since the founding of this nation! Such debt will undoubtedly lead to the collapse of the dollar and the crippling of the American way of life (not to mention the dire consequences for the rest of the world).

The logic of Obama’s plan is fundamentally flawed: It is impossible to resolve debt problems—caused by previous government over-borrowing—by borrowing even greater amounts of money (which in reality does not exist!). Countries such as China that have loaned America money in the past by buying US bonds and other debt instruments will soon be unwilling or unable to buy more of our debt. As a result, the economic and political problems will only become profoundly worse. The Federal Reserve will be forced to print the needed money—which means it will have no backing of real wealth, gold or silver—possibly leading America into hyper-inflation, resulting in the collapse of the entire world’s economy.

Obama and Congress are simultaneously creating the greatest expansion of government in our history. A flood of mandated restrictions and controls over businesses—never before seen in America—are creating an overbearing, intrusive, bureaucratic, socialistic government bent on controlling the lives of Americans. Even Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of Russia, warned Obama not to take this road, noting that the USSR’s 70-year experiment with communism was a colossal failure.

And what are the underlying spiritual causes of our vast financial problems? Greed, materialism, deceit—living beyond our means. Creating more debt is only a recipe for greater disasters. Where is the call for honesty, restraint, prudence and frugality?

Gay Rights—As official policy, Obama is promoting the homosexual agenda at all levels of government and society—exhibiting unabashed disdain and hostility to God and biblical truth. Open acceptance of this kind of “life style” always begins with the approval of corrupt religious leaders. Obama sent a clear message to the world (and to God) by having Episcopalian Bishop Maurice Robinson—an outspoken homosexual who is “married” to another man—bring the invocation at his inauguration. Yet, no civilization in the history of the world has ever survived widespread, blatant homosexuality. In the case of Sodom and Gomorrah, God served notice that when nations embrace such perversions as normal, they have signed their own death warrant (Jude 3-11).

Abortion—Like all feminist organizations, many politicians and much of the general population, Obama believes in and promotes infanticide. Obama has always supported abortion at any time during a woman’s pregnancy—even partial-birth abortion at full term. Worse yet, when a live-born infant survives a botched abortion, he supports denying medical care to the baby so it might live. In fact, as an Illinois senator Obama voted twice not to allow medical care for babies who survive botched abortions. Recently, in outlining his first budget, Obama showed his true character by authorizing $400 million for “Planned Parenthood” abortion clinics.

Indeed, while Obama and his radical leftist administration vigorously campaign for the protection of the environment—saying they want to rescue polar bears, whales and even tidal mice from global warming—they passively participate in the murder and destruction of the most innocent of human beings—unborn babies! Abortion is government-sanctioned premeditated murder of the most innocent, helpless human beings—the infant in its mother’s womb, God’s special creation made in His image. To date, over 50 million such murders have occurred in America. And now, under Obama’s “change you can believe in,” that number will dramatically swell!

The majority of Americans do not realize how evil abortion is in the eyes of God. Few have read of God’s virulent anger against the nations of Israel and Judah for the “birth control” sacrifice of their children as burnt offerings to the sun-god Baal: “Behold, I will bring evil upon this place … [because] they have forsaken Me, and have profaned this place and have burned incense in it to other gods … and have filled this place with the blood of innocents. They have also built the high places of Baal to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings to Baal…” (Jer. 19:3-5). Again, God says, “[The] children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before Me … [and] have only provoked Me to anger with the work of their hands…. [They] set their abominations in the house [Temple] which is called by My name, to defile it. And they built the high places of Baal … [upon which] to sacrifice their sons and daughters…” (Jer. 32:30, 34-35).

Again, what are the underlying spiritual causes behind such social conditions and the Obama administration’s stance toward them? Human greed and self-indulgence; sexual lust and promiscuity; selfish irresponsibility; total lack of concern, compassion and love for others. In a word, commandment-breaking—which is sin!

America is under the sway of a generation that puts sinful pleasures ahead of moral principles. Starting with the Woodstock era of the late 1960s—with its rock music, “free” sex, drugs and rebellion—America has today spawned a liberal generation nurtured in godless socialist oriented state-funded schools. Their “education” is immersed in evolution and the rejection of God—and blinded by a permissive philosophy where anything goes and nothing is judged. The entire educational system has been scrubbed clean of any reference to God or prayer by mandate of the Supreme Court. Our youth are taught to accept what is evil and wicked as good—for there are no moral absolutes, they are told. Is it any wonder the current generation of young adults has descended further into degenerated sex, satanic hard rock and rap music, alcohol, drugs and daredevil pleasures? Is it any wonder they have accepted abortion as a viable means of birth control—or homosexuality as a legitimate alternate lifestyle? As a generation obsessed with sexual promiscuity, marriage has been cast off as unnecessary. The result—nearly 50 percent of American babies are now born out of wedlock. Living together without marriage and single motherhood have become the norm. Encouraged by feminist organizations, single motherhood is in fact upheld as a badge of honor. With husbands and fathers no longer considered vital to the family, they are denigrated and ridiculed—then cast aside and replaced by the state. Today, welfare programs provide money, food, housing and healthcare as if the government was a substitute “father.” Single mothers are married, as it were, to the government—the new “father-nanny” state.

And now, under Obama’s socialist policies, these troubling trends and conditions will only worsen. After all, the government is our friend—willing and ready to provide America’s young people with welfare and free benefits.

But Americans need to realize that our problems are not the result of governmental policies alone. Rather, the blame rests squarely on the people of the nation as a whole. In fact, Obama was elected precisely because significant segments of our society wholly embrace his liberal, godless values and beliefs as a way of life. Sadly, most Americans love their sinful ways—and many now want the government and courts to endorse and support those aberrant lifestyles.  However, God warns, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isa. 5:20). Again, there are underlying spiritual causes behind American’s political, social and economic ills. As a nation we have overwhelmingly rejected God—we have “cast away the law of the LORD…” (verse 24).

The following passage aptly describes this current administration—as well as the generation that elected him to office: “And I will give young lads to be their princes, and capricious children shall rule over them. And the people shall be crushed, every man by another, and every man by his neighbor; the young shall rise up against the old, and the base against the honorable…. The look of their faces witnesses against them; and they declare their sin like Sodom. They do not hide it! Woe to their soul! For they have rewarded evil to themselves…. Woe to the wicked! For the evil doing of his hand will be given [back] to him. As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. Oh, My people, those who lead you cause you to err and destroy the way of your paths” (Isa. 3:4-5, 9, 11-12).

God expects nations to keep His laws and precepts in principle—even if they are not fully aware of the specifics of such laws. Every nation—Christian or otherwise—knows it is wrong to kill, steal, commit adultery, practice deceit, covet, etc. (Rom. 1:19-20). And God judges accordingly. If He speaks against a nation to destroy it, and that nation repents, God will then hold back His judgment; if He intends to bless a nation, and that nation becomes evil, He will then withhold the blessings (Jer. 18:7-10). God sends blessings or curses upon nations based on their obedience or disobedience to His laws (Deut. 28 and Lev. 26). To the degree a nation and its leaders follow God’s laws, the people are blessed; to the degree a nation and its leaders spurn those laws, the people are cursed.  Since it is God Who gave this nation its power and wealth, it is God Who is taking it away. As individuals and nations, God sets before us “life and death, blessing and cursing”—and commands us to “choose life” (Deut. 30:19).

In His mercy, God is giving America time to repent—to “put away the evil” and “learn to do good”—to “seek judgment” and “reprove the oppressor” (see Isa. 1:16-19). America’s problems are indeed spiritual—and spiritual problems cannot be solved by political or economic means! What will you do? Will you hear and answer God in heartfelt repentance? The choice is yours!

Remember, it’s God—not the economy and politics!