The American Blessing

 

Renewing your mind part 1
Speak life, dig the gold

God has been putting our wonderful country in the forefront of my mind this week. No matter what is going on around me, this seems to be the theme of my thought life

1. We do live in the most amazing country in the world. We have been blessed with so much, and we have so much to bless others with.
2. How, and why, does this seem to be reality?
3. Since sowing and reaping is in effect today (Gal 6:7,10). How does this play into how we have what we do in this western culture?

We live in the most amazing country. If you heard, or read, what many in the Christian community have said,  or are saying about our government and those who are in power now. It may give question to that fact. So many fail to see that the bible does instruct us to pray for our leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-3). I know some say it's only in there once, and you build a doctrine around it. I believe it's a theme of love that is expressed throughout the Gospel. Honor those in authority, and show love to all. We definitely need to love. That is in fact the greatest commandment. So how then is making debasing statements about our government in anyway speaking life to the current situation. After all life, and death are in our tongue. I have even been in conversation with someone claiming the fullness of God, yet declaring the current leader of the free world as beyond God's reach, and the church needs to stop praying for him. Do what? Since when is that our call to make? So let's start by renewing our minds to Kingdom thinking. Let's look at how heaven sees the United states..

The United States of America was founded, and created, on the backs of adventurous men and women. Men and women willing to stand up and speak out against injustice. We have "taking chances" bread into our DNA. Faith (believing in the unseen) is at the very core of what makes America great. Hence, the phrase "the American dream". Everyone has a deep desire to be free, to live with the liberty to do as we were created to do...To create...So birthed an experiment, that birthed a nation. So this set into motion a society that wasn't satisfied sitting back and watching others in the world being mistreated, or in need. So we have become a blessed nation. A nation that individuals from other countries idealize. While spending time abroad I think an overwhelming majority of people want to come to the United States. The land of the free, the home of the brave. This is what I want to celebrate, this is what I want to focus on. We are a great and blessed nation. Sure we have our problems. Sure we have those in power that we don't always agree with. However, they have been placed there by the majority. So practically speaking, America gets who they (the majority) want. So I find little to complain about when it comes to this beautiful land I call home.

So this brings me to why. Why does America seem to be so blessed. Why do we have one of the lowest tax in comparison to the rest of the civilized world, and yet have the most freedom? The answer lies in our willingness to give. America has, for most of it's existence, been the primary sending agent of missions abroad. We have an amazing freedom here in America, and we have such a wealth of resources that sending missionaries to other countries is like second nature. Our adventurous spirit, coupled with the commission Jesus gave us to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, and cleans the leper, gives us a revival explosion waiting to happen. We, as a nation, have a desire to bring what we have to those less fortunate. So as I mentioned earlier, the laws of sowing and reaping are in effect today. America has a connection with the bride of Christ abroad, because we have been sowing into the Kingdom of God in other countries. This country is reaping benefits and blessings, because of the faithful pioneers that pressed out beyond to take the Gospel abroad. We have a unity with the "body" no matter what soil it's on, because we've stepped out and took a chance for the Kingdom.

I've heard affluent people say that "if so-and-so is elected I'm moving to so-and-so country". The comedy in this is that only if you have the ways and means to live in the upper class in the said countries, would you ever give up what you have here. Middle class America's have far more then their peers in developing nations. So rather than. So I am committed to keeping my perspective of where we as a country are in comparison to the rest of the world. Instead of speaking death over our leaders, let's love them out of power. Or better yet, pray to empower them to be the leader Heaven knows they are. Let's model the King of Kings direction of changing our atmosphere. To speak life, and to combat death, we can bring the Kingdom of Heaven right here and now. So let's renew our mind to seek the gold in everyone we meet, especially our elected officials, and leave the dirt digging to those who are of the world. Remember we are in the world, but not of the world..

Be blessed.