America’s God

I want to give you the biggest insight into America’s current economic problems: money has become our god.

Greed has become the sin of choice, though it is masked as capitalism and financial achievement.

Last Friday, protesters set up an Occupy Huntington movement, similar to what is happening across the country. It’s been a week and they are still there.

They say it’s not about money, but at the heart, it is. It’s about wanting a fair and balanced system. But that’s not likely to happen because the sin of greed is as powerful as a drug addiction.

Case in point, the CEO of Gannett (newspaper chain) recently retired, taking with him a roughly $20 million retirement package – at the same time that the company is laying off reporters and issuing furloughs.

But Gannett’s story is more the norm than the exception.

What about the banks who were signing foreclosure notices so fast and incompetently, they signed notices for people who either weren’t behind in payments or had already paid off their homes.

Jesus says in Matthew 6:24 that “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

America has stopped serving God and is clearly serving money.

Josh Perry, pastor at Crew Church in Huntington, once said there isn’t a worldwide food shortage. The problem is distribution.

Our first problem is money has become our god. Our second problem is distribution. Each Saturday, Bikers for Christ and volunteers from several area churches meet at Harris Riverfront Park – rain or shine, warm or cold – and serve breakfast to the homeless. At least 100 come through the line each week. People also donate clothing for the homeless to pick through. The most important thing they do is pray for and with them.

I don’t know all those people, but I can almost guarantee they all don’t have the financial means to buy all the food that is served. But when they pool together, they are able to accomplish a mission that Lord calls important throughout the Bible.

Consider these verses from scripture:

Proverbs 19:17 When you help the poor you are lending to the Lord--and he pays wonderful interest on your loan!

Proverbs 14:31 Anyone who oppresses the poor is insulting God who made them. To help the poor is to honor God.

1 John 3:17-19 But if someone who is supposed to be a Christian has money enough to live well, and sees a brother in need, and won't help him--how can God's love be within him ? Little children, let us stop just saying we love people; let us really love them, and show it by our actions. Then we will know for sure, by our actions, that we are on God's side, and our consciences will be clear, even when we stand before the Lord.

1 Tim. 6:17-19 Tell those who are rich not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone, but their pride and trust should be in the living God who always richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give happily to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them. By doing this they will be storing up real treasure for themselves in heaven--it is the only safe investment for eternity! And they will be living a fruitful Christian life down here as well.

Can we fix the economy? Sure, but not by government bailouts, not by bank reform and not by who is in the White House.

The only way to help America is by trusting in the one and true living God, who in his ‘wealth’ made a great sacrifice by sending his son, Jesus, to live a perfect life among us, then die on the cross an innocent man. Jesus became our bailout from our sinful and unrighteous hearts. He is our savior that gave it all so that one day we may share eternity with him in heaven.

To store up treasures in anything but that is to place a higher value on the things only a fallen world could give. Things that will not last.

This isn’t a call to sell all you have and give it away or quit your job to avoid being greedy. God has given you talents to be used to provide for your family and to help those who are less fortunate.

This is a call to glorify the creator and not the creation and to focus on Jesus, who lives and reigns forever.