[ZNPaaneah]

We have become tribal, being tribal is a consequence of not trusting those outside of your group. And we have become scattered. It seems we are running in twenty different directions. Our faith in our constitution is being tried. But that is a good thing if your goal is to get a perfect work.

Today we are faced with certain major issues that require wisdom:

1. Climate change — any solutions?

2. Gun violence — any solutions?

3. Fake news — any solutions?

When we look at our 200+ year history we can make several conclusions. George Washington — demonstrated great patience in his prosecution of the revolutionary war and did not waver. Abraham Lincoln was a man who did not waver regardless of the extreme costs. We have seen lowly brothers like U.S. Grant and Truman exalted, and we have seen the rich fade away (John D. Rockefeller, Ford, Morgan, etc). And we have seen the common factor among all of them is they did not fall for the temptation to blame others for their mistakes. “The buck stops here”. The US can be a great country because of the gifts of God and yet that does not exclude the possibility of us making mistakes. The formation of this country was of God’s will. He brought us forth by the word of truth. The US government is a kind of first fruit of his creatures. Today we see the wrath of man played out in many arenas, but the wrath of man is not what produced the righteousness of God. The constitution, the ideals of this nation, the freedoms we treasure, these were not produced by the wrath of man. Terrorist attacks are an example of the wrath of man, but they will not produce the righteousness of God. What will save our souls is the word of truth, you cannot receive it if you are overflowing with wickedness and filthiness. You need to receive it with meekness. It must be an active word that we can do, not simply listen to. Much of the media is designed to lull people to sleep. The only way we can be a great country is if we look into the Lord’s golden rule. If this is a country that Loves God and loves our neighbor as ourselves, then that would be a city on a hill shining to the world. I think we can look back on our history and say that was, at times our story. But we need to “continue in it”. You cannot be the seed that brings forth 60 fold or 100 fold if you don’t “continue in it”. Today we see useless religion. Our biggest issue is not climate change, or gun violence or fake news. Our biggest issue is poverty, single mothers, and children who are not being cared for. If you took care of those two issues there would not be any gang violence. Take away gang violence and you have almost no gun violence, you have solved 80% of the problem. As for climate change no one has time for that if they are too poor to keep the heat on and keep food on the table. Deal with single mothers and children who are not being cared for and then the country could focus on climate change. What is this really but our government being corrupted by the interests of certain lobbyists. What is fake news other than trying to sell something corrupt as though it were something pure.

“The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor”. If we want to be a great nation we need to stand against the wicked and the persecution of the poor. “You are the helper of the fatherless”. If we want to be in the image and likeness of God we need to be a nation that helps the fatherless.