Living In A God-Blessed Nation Series

LIVING IN A GOD BLESSED-NATION

October 24, 2004

With an election in the wings and some already voting, we hear an awful lot these days about taxes, and about what our government is doing right and doing wrong. Our news journalists do their best to give us the latest updates on the stock market, oil prices, unemployment rates, and such. Our politicians argue about medical plans, programs and expenses.

Our politicians argue about national defense and the war in Iraq. They argue about what is or isn’t being done to protect our homeland and what more we can do.

I will not debate, nor discuss those issues with you this morning. I will, however, point out that we live in a nation blessed by God. Look around you. Our nation enjoys one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world, less than ½ that of many other countries. The cost of medical care in our country continues to rise, and yet we still enjoy some of the best health care in the world, and our pharmaceutical companies are staffed by some of the world’s brightest minds. There would be no debate about drugs from Canada, if those inventing new drugs in this country were not producing drugs wanted by others around the world and exporting them in the first place. We enjoy a standard of living, most in the world can only dream of, with many considered poor in this country still enjoying TV’s, cell phones, cars, and air conditioning; items only the wealthy enjoy in many countries. While some countries struggle just to grow enough food to feed their people, our nation’s farmers use countless thousands of farming acres to grow sod and ornamentals to decorate our yards, they export billions of dollars worth of agricultural goods, and still our citizens struggle with obesity.

We truly live in a “God-blessed” nation. Last week we saw from the Bible that the only way a nation can be blessed, the only way it can be safe is if it is built and protected by God. This morning I would like you to notice with me the two other ingredients required for living in a God-blessed nation.

- Read Romans 13:1-7

Paul tells us in the beginning verses of this passage that all government is established and ordained by God. God is so concerned for us that He established government authorities to help our society operate according to His plan. Society would be spoiled, and our nation would never flourish if every man were allowed to do what was right in his own eyes. So, God established government to punish evildoers and to reward those who do right.

Evidently our founding fathers understood that for they wrote in the preamble to our constitution that they were forming a new government: “to establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.”

Oh my friend, that is why our government was established, that’s the way God intended it, but there are two essential requirements in a God-blessed nation. First, we must have godly leaders.

I. GODLY _LEADERS_

1. _WALK_ with God.

- Proverbs 8:12-16

> Proverbs 28:5 Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand all things.

My friend, godly leaders must walk with God. They must have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and walk with Him faithfully, for these verses tell us that only those who seek the Lord understand. They are the only ones who judge with wisdom.

It is all I can do to make the necessary decisions for my family. To make the decisions which chart the course of a nation and which lead it in the right direction requires the wisdom of God. Godly leaders must walk with God. Jesus said In John 15:5, I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. Funny how quickly we forget that.

A godly leader walks with God. Second, a godly leader defends the weak.

2. Defends the weak.

- Proverbs 31:8-9 Open your mouth for the dumb, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.

The Bible views the unborn child as a human person who should be protected (Psalm 139:13; Luke 1:44).

A godly leader assumes the responsibility of protecting those unable to protect themselves and of appointing judges to do the same, and there are none more helpless, none more defenseless than our unborn children.

> Exodus 21:22-23 And if men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so she has a miscarriage, yet there is no further injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband shall demand of him; and he shall pay as the judges decide.