Musings
Today, the whole world is being hit by recession. Stock prices are fluctuating, economic growth is stunted, and the global economy is going haywire. The future seems so uncertain. Everyone is worried, even most Christians. I find this quite amusing as I will explain in awhile.
Nevertheless, despite of the terrible downturn, some churches are still going ahead with their building projects. They say we have to go forth in faith that God will provide and the building will be a success. Nevermind we don’t have the money, God will provide. However, the amount spent is not small at all. It runs into the millions.
What I am going to infer next is meant sarcastically but I can’t help but see a glimpse of truth in this. God might use these churches building projects to help elevate the economy situation of at least, Malaysia. How so? Well...because of the job loss and cut in pay, people have less spending power. So, they tend to save and not spend their money. By not spending their money, companies and businesses can’t sell their products, which cause them to cut jobs and salary. This will become a death cycle, plunging the economy deeper as money circulating in the economy decreases. But, instead of saving, the church is spending, and lavishly at that! Millions is not exactly a small amount. It will pump a lot of money into the economy to be circulated and help the ailing economy. Ingenious! So, I say, go ahead! Build all you want. It is doing society at large a great favor. (Remember, sarcasm. It may not be true. Just something that just came to me. :P ) How the money is acquired, I don’t know. I suspect it will mean more fund raising stuff to siphon the money. Yeap. All in the name of religion.
I will now explain my amusement stated in the first paragraph. If an unbeliever is worried of the future, I understand. But if a Christian is overly worried, something is wrong. I suspect many Christians are worried because there are even sermons on how to live a joy full life in midst of economic recession. So, before the economic recession God is on the sidelines? Only during economic recession we look to him for joy? This means before this your joy came not from God but from the world? Your worldly treasures have become your source of joy and it is under threat of being removed.
Why should we be worried? Has not God promised to provide for us? Or maybe you are worried for losing your wealth instead. All this while, you rested on your wealth saying, “I have a comfortable life. I have everything I want” and this is about to be taken away. Is this why you are worried, that your comfortable life is threatened? How true when the Bible says to cast a glance at riches and they are gone (Proverbs 23:5). But no, we focus on them. We want expensive structures. We horde and accumulate wealth for our lifestyles. Now, during this time, we are reaping what we have sown. You valued wealth, just like the world? Now, suffer along with the world.
Some even go to say that the economic troubles are caused by Satan and his demons. I beg to differ. Who created the current economic capitalist system? Man. Who are the selfish and greedy ones that was the source of the recession? Man. We humans have dug this hole ourselves. Satan probably only had to prod us in the direction he wanted us to go. We chose the path ourselves. It is now our own undoing.
We shouldn’t be worried in the first place. Has not God promised to provide for us? Look at the birds of the air. Look at the trees. Are they not doing well? Certainly God values us more than plants or birds! If God provides for them, how much more will he provide for us? That is enough reason for us to be joyful already (or joy full). (Matthew 6:25-34)
But some may doubt that God will provide, like me sometimes. I have thought about it and I take the stand Daniel’s three friends took while threatened with death for not bowing to King Nebuchadnezzar’s idol.
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (Daniel 3:17-18)
Even if God does not save us, for reasons known only to Him, we will not renounce God’s name or turn away from him. To utter these words and believe them in your heart requires immense faith and trust in God, that even if God doesn’t save us, we trust that he knows what he is doing. This is the stand I take and I find release and peace in this. Indeed, all praises to Him for he will not forsake his people whom he redeemed with his own blood. Praise the Holy Almighty God who is full of grace and mercy. All honor, glory, power and praise be to him alone. Amen.
Eighty and six years have I served Him, and he never did me any injury; how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior. -Polycarp, disciple of the Apostle John, and Bishop of Smyrna
Nevertheless, despite of the terrible downturn, some churches are still going ahead with their building projects. They say we have to go forth in faith that God will provide and the building will be a success. Nevermind we don’t have the money, God will provide. However, the amount spent is not small at all. It runs into the millions.
What I am going to infer next is meant sarcastically but I can’t help but see a glimpse of truth in this. God might use these churches building projects to help elevate the economy situation of at least, Malaysia. How so? Well...because of the job loss and cut in pay, people have less spending power. So, they tend to save and not spend their money. By not spending their money, companies and businesses can’t sell their products, which cause them to cut jobs and salary. This will become a death cycle, plunging the economy deeper as money circulating in the economy decreases. But, instead of saving, the church is spending, and lavishly at that! Millions is not exactly a small amount. It will pump a lot of money into the economy to be circulated and help the ailing economy. Ingenious! So, I say, go ahead! Build all you want. It is doing society at large a great favor. (Remember, sarcasm. It may not be true. Just something that just came to me. :P ) How the money is acquired, I don’t know. I suspect it will mean more fund raising stuff to siphon the money. Yeap. All in the name of religion.
I will now explain my amusement stated in the first paragraph. If an unbeliever is worried of the future, I understand. But if a Christian is overly worried, something is wrong. I suspect many Christians are worried because there are even sermons on how to live a joy full life in midst of economic recession. So, before the economic recession God is on the sidelines? Only during economic recession we look to him for joy? This means before this your joy came not from God but from the world? Your worldly treasures have become your source of joy and it is under threat of being removed.
Why should we be worried? Has not God promised to provide for us? Or maybe you are worried for losing your wealth instead. All this while, you rested on your wealth saying, “I have a comfortable life. I have everything I want” and this is about to be taken away. Is this why you are worried, that your comfortable life is threatened? How true when the Bible says to cast a glance at riches and they are gone (Proverbs 23:5). But no, we focus on them. We want expensive structures. We horde and accumulate wealth for our lifestyles. Now, during this time, we are reaping what we have sown. You valued wealth, just like the world? Now, suffer along with the world.
Some even go to say that the economic troubles are caused by Satan and his demons. I beg to differ. Who created the current economic capitalist system? Man. Who are the selfish and greedy ones that was the source of the recession? Man. We humans have dug this hole ourselves. Satan probably only had to prod us in the direction he wanted us to go. We chose the path ourselves. It is now our own undoing.
We shouldn’t be worried in the first place. Has not God promised to provide for us? Look at the birds of the air. Look at the trees. Are they not doing well? Certainly God values us more than plants or birds! If God provides for them, how much more will he provide for us? That is enough reason for us to be joyful already (or joy full). (Matthew 6:25-34)
But some may doubt that God will provide, like me sometimes. I have thought about it and I take the stand Daniel’s three friends took while threatened with death for not bowing to King Nebuchadnezzar’s idol.
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (Daniel 3:17-18)
Even if God does not save us, for reasons known only to Him, we will not renounce God’s name or turn away from him. To utter these words and believe them in your heart requires immense faith and trust in God, that even if God doesn’t save us, we trust that he knows what he is doing. This is the stand I take and I find release and peace in this. Indeed, all praises to Him for he will not forsake his people whom he redeemed with his own blood. Praise the Holy Almighty God who is full of grace and mercy. All honor, glory, power and praise be to him alone. Amen.
Eighty and six years have I served Him, and he never did me any injury; how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior. -Polycarp, disciple of the Apostle John, and Bishop of Smyrna
posted by child_of_God at 7:22 AM
3 Comments:
Heheh, agreed. Isn't it droll how people go ahead and do dastardly deeds and then shout 'The Devil made me do it!!!' Whereas the devil hardly makes anyone do anything. He doesn't have to. We love to do it anyway. So, yeah mostly we're responsible for the crap we get ourselves into.
Makes you wonder, when 'Satan' entered Judas, was it really Lucifer himself? Or just a metaphor for his own bent towards sinning....
The Devil didn't make me do it.It was Nick who made me do it all along!AAAAAAHHHHHH!lol
Yeah good article.People are greedy.That's the way we are
Judas on the other hand was already going against Jesus and his teachings of his own accord (John 12:4-6), so Satan didn't need to be continually residing in him for him to betray Jesus (though he did influence Judas at critical moments).
Source:(Go figure)
The church pumping money into the economy....... hmmmm...... \Oo/
Post a Comment
<< Home