Praising God in an Economic Downturn
Delivered to Central Church of Christ, Haines City, Florida
By Jason Goldtrap on October 8, 2008
www.JasonGoldtrap.com > Jason’s World > My Devos > Downturn Blessings
Origin: Greed manifested through consumerism. Assigning blame to any one party or person at this point is moot because the problem has only just begun. Blame the true cause- greed: which is, idolatry. Neither presidential candidate is capable of or intends to change the inevitable conclusion of this matter. Isaiah 3:4-5.
Blessing One: Recognize God as the Author of Life, Director of Providence and King of all men. 1 Timothy 1:17, Proverbs 19:23, Philippians 4:11-13. We are made for times as these. God put us here for a reason. The world needs to hear this blessing. Ephesians 4:17-19 & 29, Proverbs 19:21.
Blessing Two: Sow and Reap. As a nation we must return to principle centered living. A nation is a people; a people are individuals. For two generations, the consumerism economic model has ruled in America; in the last ten years, that model has transferred to most of the world. Instead of manufacturing goods or growing food, the primary function of most workers has been to push paper. There is no substitute for using your hands to work. The most immediate way to demonstrate this is to grow a garden. Any amount of food will be a blessing to others.
Ephesians 4:28, Proverbs 12:14, Joel 2:26, Philippians 4:14-19, 1 Timothy 6:18.
Blessing Three: Know your neighbors. Tell them God reigns. Proverbs 22:9, Luke 6:38, 1 Timothy 4:1-5.
Blessing Four: Father, Mother, Child and Church. Establish in your hearts and under your roof that God has ordained the family to exist, behave and prosper in a defined manner. Mother is different from father. Infidelity is a sin. Children are a blessing. Boys must be forged to be leaders by their fathers. Proverbs 19:18. Girls must be taught to be beautiful. 1 Peter 3:1-7. Stronger families lead to stronger churches which are inoculated from most worldly woe. Submission, tenderness, obedience, selflessness, forgiveness, beauty: this is your necessary vocabulary. Consider your entertainment choices only by how they will uplift your family. Read my novels on my website. There is no cost, nothing to join and I don’t care who you vote for. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13.
Blessing Five: Hand up. Pass along skills. Teach girls to be productive, entrepreneurs, to listen to their head over their hearts. 1 Timothy 3:11. Teach boys to be leaders, innovators and mechanics devoted to a higher calling. 2 Timothy 1:7. Teach older men and women to be worthy of honor. Titus 2:1-3 & 11-15. Real world skills.
Conclusion: Recession or Depression. 1 year or 10 years. God is in control. Every day, every circumstance is an opportunity for Christians to spread the Good News. Psalm 27:1-3
Noah Webster, the Father of American Scholarship and Education, once said, “God has provided but one way, by which nations can secure their rights and privileges … by obedience to His laws. Without this, a nation may be great in population, great in wealth, and great in military strength; but it must be corrupt in morals, degraded in character, and distracted with factions.”
Jason Goldtrap in 2008 said, “When you obey God, you live with liberty and self-determination. When you disobey God, you induce a life of concession and tyranny.”
Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free, ‘Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right, ‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight. When true simplicity is gain’d, To bow and to bend we shan’t be asham’d, To turn, turn will be our delight, Till by turning, turning we come round right.
-Elder Joseph Brackett, 1848
