Into the Fire

As Christians who are Americans, we have heard of or experienced hyper-faith and prosperity movements plus multiple other forms of teachings in churches across the country. Most of us as citizens of the USA realize that we are better off than two-thirds of the world’s population even if our financial lives present difficulties and hardships. Sometimes those difficulties are a result of our own poor choices and bad money management. Other times they’re a result of tragedies, illness, or unexpected losses.

While we can criticize and berate the irresponsible acts or outright wrongs that our country has committed at various times in multiple ways, if we do this actively without a personal campaign to right those wrongs through all personal available means, what we are is a mouthpiece for dissension and a clanging, banging instrument of complaint under the guise of wanting that intangible “change”.

There is a lot of guilt bestowed on American Christians from some pulpits and lay people. Those who’ve visited the downtrodden poor nations and witnessed the atrocious living conditions of third world inhabitants come back changed and rightly so. Needs as opposed to wants are reassessed and generosity plus compassion rises to a new level. Applying guilt to American Christians for being residents of this great country is misguided. I’m convinced that American Christians can be the most generous people in the entire world because they are fully aware of the blessings they possess. That God would grace us with being born here or assign us to living here is a gift we should be thankful for on a daily basis for we are truly blessed.

“The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil . . . ” (1 Timothy 6:10) Being consumed with having a lot of money or what money can buy is in its simplest form idol worship. When having things rules what we do with the money we’ve earned via God’s provision of a job or whatever means He has chosen to disperse money to us, we have lost the vision of our Christianity. And of course there are a lot of us who have been there, done that, and there are those who perceive the ability to buy all kinds of things as the blessings of our God.

When the Hebrew people were rescued and delivered from the Egyptian persecution, where did God plan to take them? To “the land of milk and honey”. In other words to a place of blessing, a good place, a place where they could own land and reap benefits from their surroundings. Much like this country. And other countries around this world. Why are there so many suffering nations filled with abject poverty? Because of corrupt governments which keep their people in desperate conditions under murderous dictators who want the comforts of the world for themselves but want total domination and retardation of their people having any part of this wealth or the ability to produce it. Most nations have resources because God has created an abundant supply of many life-giving lands, but, because of evil men who rule viciously, these resources are used for their own gain at the expense and exploitation of their own people.

The United States of America is a beautiful land built upon the principles of godly management. Many members of our leadership are striving to turn this country into a socialist government where those founding principles are ignored or abandoned. To their shame. And ours.

For you as an American Christian, you need not feel guilty for the things you have worked for—God is generous to those who give generously to His kingdom. If you do not value your money over what God asks you as an individual to do with it, why should you harbor guilt for His blessings in your life? For living in this country? Was it an accident that He gave you life here? Were you supposed to be born in Zimbabwe, but He made a mistake and you ended up in America? If He decides to, He can send you to a horrible village in Thailand or Afghanistan to do His work. You will still need the funds to get to that place, and He will use His people to make sure of the provision.

Placing guilt on American Christians because we are beneficiaries of God’s abundant grace and provision is like slapping God in the face for His generosity to us. By our obedience to Him we can use what He has given us to do to further His kingdom. Because He has gifted us is not reason to hang our heads and berate each other for our “wealth”. Rather it is reason to celebrate and praise Him and set our hearts upon following His leading and serving Him with whatever He’s given us, wholly devoted to Him and His work. Praise the Lord for His generosity to us, the Christians of the United States of America. With full on gratitude. Not guilt.

“If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and arguments that result in envy, quarreling, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 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. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1Timothy 6:3-10 NIV)

God, you know how much I love this country, the place of my birth. Thank you for the privilege and pleasure of living in such a rich country where I can attend the church of my choice and worship you in spirit and in truth. I am so grateful, so overwhelmed with gratitude for the blessing of living here. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Spirit of God, for this indwelling thankfulness. Thank you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

*Please remember to pray for Kristy Dykes and her family.*