Governments are made of people that can make good or bad decisions affecting its citizens. When that government is moral, its laws and governance will be just and righteous; yet we know no government is perfect. Let us presume, for this thought, that a majority of moral people in any government will do what is correct and best for the citizens.
Greece and Spain declare they each need financial help, a bail out, from Europe to salvage their economies. Historically, bail outs without moral changes in business methodology have not helped any nation or individual.
What do I mean?
I attended church from childhood to teenage years, then on advice from my dad I quit. I had a moral understanding of how to live but not a conviction to do so. Some adults in my life were doing immoral things while providing food and shelter for their families, seemingly enjoying life and doing well.
So,
· abuse alcohol,
· enjoy illegal drugs,
· commit adultery,
· abuse your family (in private),
· be punctual at work, meetings and church,
· tithe and give to charitable causes,
· feed, clothe, shelter your family, enjoy life and
· accept the good with the bad.
I accepted and lived most of this philosophy until almost thirty years of age and then my private and professional life began a sharp descent into Hell. I began to listen to the Voice telling me I could not live immorally and have moral results.
Hell
1. any place or state of torment or misery: They made their father's life a hell on earth.
2.something that causes torment or misery: Having that cut stitched without anesthesia was hell.
My wife and I returned to church and committed to a righteous and moral way of living. For 17 years (27-10 years of age) my choices were made for what was fun for me, not what was righteous for us. Because of this thinking, we were still able to profess a Christian, morally correct lifestyle while making immoral financial decisions.
It would take 21 more years and some very rough times to turn the coal to diamond (morally speaking). You may be thinking, "That is crazy, you cannot make immoral decisions living as a Christian" and you would be correct IF the emotional and logical parts were Christ like. Have you ever heard of Christians getting divorced, committing adultery, abusing alcohol or drugs, randomly raging, and so forth and so on?
Let's think about definitions:
Moral
1. of, pertaining to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical: moral attitudes.
2. founded on the fundamental principles of right conduct rather than on legalities, enactment, or custom: moral obligations.
Immoral
1. violating moral principles; not conforming to the patterns of conduct usually accepted or established as consistent with principles of personal and social ethics.
The author of an article stated his opinion that the primary issue of Europe was spiritual not money. As I read a Forbes June special issue, I was captured by the vast wealth some people have. For example, ten people listed had a combined net income over $207,000,000,000.00.
Can you imagine the tithe on that amount? God can.
Anyway, the approximate total financial requirements of Spain and Greece is $285,000,000,000.00 US dollars. Consider just TEN humans have a combined wealth of slightly less than the combined debt of two nations.
Forbes regularly lists the hundreds of billionaires and millionaires in the world and I always look for my name. To accumulate vast wealth that remains over time and death of the original builder typically requires consistently moral decisions and actions of all involved.
World news media repeatedly mentions the governments' corruption as being a large part of the problem. When people repeatedly act immorally they will become corrupt. When ten people can wisely manage themselves and increase their holdings, then any group of like minded people can do the same for any family, organization or nation.
Gifts of money, food, etc. definitely aided my family and me during our hard times but the provisions did not fix the problem. A wealthy official asked Jesus what he needed to do to advance in character (my words) and Jesus explained what he needed to do for the change he desired. I think the young ruler was a good giver of some of himself and his property but he would not give all.
Some choose to ignore the positive results when people make any attempt to obey the laws of God; they then claim the problem isn’t their fault. I eventually agreed with the philosophy of not being able to save the world; just save or improve the parts I can. I do not advocate wealthy people giving away all or a portion of their monies to a wasteful end.
I like watches and several very nice ones advertise in Forbes Investment Guide and Forbes Life. In the bundle of mail advertisements we receive, there is a look alike for about $100.00 and this peaked my wonder about the real one. On to Google and, after some searching, there it was for $750,000.00, discounted to $625,000.00 or with wire transfer $500,000.00.Now, how can a guy argue with such a deal and with choice of yellow or white gold?
Connye marveled that I would be comfortable driving the Lexus LFA to church with this expensive watch and I answered, "Why not, no one we know would recognize the watch and most people would not guess the cost of the Lexus and a lot of people drive Lexus's now.”
So, where am I going with this dream; straight to Heaven, with all the souls God gives me to influence? Read the description of his house, city and the pavement. If I die owning our Honda Pilot, the Hyundai Sonata and wearing my Uno watch, Jesus and I will be just as satisfied because my faith and obedience got me to Heaven, not what my possessions cost or how much I give.
Oh, yeah, about those billions of dollars we were counting; used wisely and correctly they can also purchase church buildings, orphanages, and water wells, upgrade school facilities, install window AC units in poorer sections of town, etc.
A friend and I missed a window of opportunity years ago that, in retrospect, would have dramatically increased the income of myself and several others. Sometime after the opportunity was well past, a church building in a prime location came available that a friend could have paid $1,000,000.00 cash for, moved his congregation and managed the utilities until the church grew to the demand.
Some examples of response and results:
Jdg 13:2 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.
Jdg 13:3 And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not; but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.
Jdg 13:12 And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass: what shall be the ordering of the child, and how shall we do unto him?
Luk 1:26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
Luk 1:27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
Luk 1:28 And he came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee.
Luk 1:31 And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
Luk 1:38 And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Mar 1:40 And there cometh to him a leper, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
Mar 1:42 And straightway the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean.
Mar 14:3 And while he was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster cruse of ointment of pure nard very costly; and she brake the cruse, and poured it over his head.
Mar 14:8 She hath done what she could; she hath anointed my body beforehand for the burying.
Mar 14:9 And verily I say unto you, Wheresoever the gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
I suggest that we do often ask what we desire and do hear from God but fail to act for a variety of non-excusable reasons.
Together, let us knock on that door just one MORE time.
· more groceries for family
· all medical bills paid
· children’s teeth fixed, my teeth fixed
· harmony at work or better job with harmony
· money in both checking and savings after bills paid
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