This subject is a bit unusual for this blog, but it is important enough that we should spend time on it. I watch the national scene closely, and I believe that America is headed for a major economic catastrophe, unless somehow we radically switch course.

One of the main themes of the recent past election was the economy. The Taxed Enough Already movement, despite being bitterly derided by the Democratic party and their allies in public sector unions and the media, proved to be an authentic people’s movement that provided the electoral energy for the Republicans to win back an historic number of seats in Congress and to give a stinging rebuke to the Obama agenda.

Since then, our domestic headlines have mostly revolved around the worsening balance sheet of the federal and many state governments. The new congressional leadership is carrying the torch for balancing the budget by controlling out of control spending, such as earmarks and entitlements, and by reining in unfunded mandates, such as social security, medicare and Medicaid, all of which are rapidly driving us into insolvency. But vested interests, which are the ones who led the way to our current predicament, do not want their lucrative apple cart upset, and are resisting tooth and nail.

What does this have to do with “Following Christ”, you may ask. Consider this. Jesus very practically warned His followers to flee Jerusalem when they saw approaching armies. Those who kept His words in mind were able to escape slaughter or capture a few decades later, when the Roman general Titus besieged, and then leveled, the city.

Just a few years after the Resurrection, the prophet Agabus from Judea predicted that a huge famine would sweep the lands under Rome’s control. The church heeded his warning and took immediate steps to strengthen that part of the church that was under the most duress at the time, which was the church in Jerusalem itself, which, being at the epicenter of Judaism, was being persecuted and plundered (see Hebrews 10.32-36).

But even more important than any one relief effort was that in reaching out to the hurting saints an ongoing mentality was birthed, whereby the local church began to think globally of the wellbeing of her sister churches. The famine Agabus predicted came during the reign of Claudius, and we can well assume that the churches continued to aid each other during that time. This not only helped the family of believers, it was a tremendous witness to those on the outside that were hurting, as international relief efforts were unheard of back then. This undoubtedly became one reason the Romans would later say of the Christians during the persecutions, “how they love one another”.

Accordingly, I want Christians to be aware of what is going on, so that they can understand what’s driving the news, consider what may be coming, and:

• take steps to protect themselves
• pray so that the nation can perhaps avoid catastrophe or lessen its impact
• position themselves to strengthen the Kingdom should the calamity strike and Christians be in need
• position themselves to extend the Kingdom by ministering Christ’s love to outsiders in need.

So I’m going to embed a video here that I think says a lot. But before I do, let me issue some qualifiers.

• I do not endorse everything this video says.
• I believe there are some good politicians, who understand the real challenges our nation faces, and who are doing there best, against very powerful forces, including in their own party, to combat the problem.
• I do not believe that both major political parties are the same.
• I do not believe everything Ron Paul advocates. Specifically, I do not believe it is responsible, or even possible, for us to disengage from the world to the degree that he would like.
• I know little about the group producing this video, the National Inflation Association, and therefore cannot endorse them. They seem to be a commercial outfit, but this video seems to be a clean educational effort. I have no connection to them, and neither do I benefit from this in any material way.

Most importantly, I believe that the solution to our problem is not primarily economic, it is spiritual. The video ends up calling us back to an economy rooted in quality interactions. Well and fine, but that is not going to happen unless we turn this nation around spiritually. I know that the two realms – the spiritual and the practical – very often must work together. But still I want to make clear that I am not advocating a strictly secular solution to a problem that is, at root, spiritual.

Regarding the spiritual, recall that great promise God has issued to us:

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. -2Chr 7:14

The spiritual side must lead. Nonetheless, I will emphasize that I do agree with the lion’s share of the content shown here, and I believe it is critical information that every American, every citizen of the West, and every Christian should become familiar with.

This video asks for almost an hour of your time. I believe you will be benefited to give it a viewing.

Be blessed,

Paul

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb1n1X0Oqdw&feature=player_embedded]