I am going to say something that if you don't look at the scriptures I refer to you may think is a bit controversial. I have intentionally stayed away in this blog from discussing anything political. I don't want to alienate anyone who has views in politics different from my own. But, I do believe I am seeing something in American politics today that has happened in Israel and in other countries since the church began. I am calling it the Saul Principal. That is something that I came up with to name the principal I am going to mention.
You can see this in the book of Judges clearly and also in how the King Saul was chosen to be the first king of Israel. There are times in Judges when the people stray from God and chase after idols. During that time, God gives the people of God poor leadership and they are overtaken by their enemies. Yet, at other times, the people of God rise up and turn to God and God appoints judges to lead them and save them from their enemies.
One good example of this also is the person of Gideon. In Judges 6 you see that the people of God did "what was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord gave them into the hands of Midian seven years." (verse 1). Then the angel of the Lord went out, when the people of God cried out to God and found Gideon bating out in the wheat in the wine press (verse 11). He was from the tribe of Manasseh and youngest in the family. He wasn't in line of any throne or leadership position. But, God looked at the heart and saw what was inside of him. Gideon didn't even see this within himself. Yet, God brought about a deliverance through him and this led to 40 years of peace for the people of God until they again rebelled against God.
This happens also with the King of Saul. The people rebelled against the heart of God and asked for a human king, even though God was their king (1 Samuel 12:12). And God gave them exactly what they asked for rather than what he wanted for them. He gave them a king that was like the nations around them with all the demented thoughts that come with that. They missed out on God's best because they got their focus off of God. I see the same thing happening in America. America has turned into a nation of materialism and sensuality that worships things rather than God. The economy has become the God that this nation worships. And yet you also notice that our debt as a nation has never been higher as a nation and as families. The more people chase after what they want rather than what God wants the more distorted things get and the more we stray as a nation away from the kind of leadership God wants for us.
With the elections beginning to heat up starting this coming spring, as christians we need to pray not that we will have a Republican or Democrat as a leader. But, that we will have the men and women that God wants for us. We need people like David in leadership who had a heart that God approved of (1 Samuel 16:7). Sadly, I don't think that will happen. We will end up electing another leader that isn't qualified for office and doesn't have a heart for God. God will continue giving us what we want until we become like those Israelites that in the misery started to call upon the name of the Lord (Judges 2:11-18).
Pray for our country that we will as a nation turn from idols to serve God again. Pray for our churches that God would wake up what is dead and dying and revive His church. Pray that God would give us leaders who have wisdom and guidance from Him rather than the foolish leaders that we have had for many years now. God have mercy on us.
You can see this in the book of Judges clearly and also in how the King Saul was chosen to be the first king of Israel. There are times in Judges when the people stray from God and chase after idols. During that time, God gives the people of God poor leadership and they are overtaken by their enemies. Yet, at other times, the people of God rise up and turn to God and God appoints judges to lead them and save them from their enemies.
One good example of this also is the person of Gideon. In Judges 6 you see that the people of God did "what was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord gave them into the hands of Midian seven years." (verse 1). Then the angel of the Lord went out, when the people of God cried out to God and found Gideon bating out in the wheat in the wine press (verse 11). He was from the tribe of Manasseh and youngest in the family. He wasn't in line of any throne or leadership position. But, God looked at the heart and saw what was inside of him. Gideon didn't even see this within himself. Yet, God brought about a deliverance through him and this led to 40 years of peace for the people of God until they again rebelled against God.
This happens also with the King of Saul. The people rebelled against the heart of God and asked for a human king, even though God was their king (1 Samuel 12:12). And God gave them exactly what they asked for rather than what he wanted for them. He gave them a king that was like the nations around them with all the demented thoughts that come with that. They missed out on God's best because they got their focus off of God. I see the same thing happening in America. America has turned into a nation of materialism and sensuality that worships things rather than God. The economy has become the God that this nation worships. And yet you also notice that our debt as a nation has never been higher as a nation and as families. The more people chase after what they want rather than what God wants the more distorted things get and the more we stray as a nation away from the kind of leadership God wants for us.
With the elections beginning to heat up starting this coming spring, as christians we need to pray not that we will have a Republican or Democrat as a leader. But, that we will have the men and women that God wants for us. We need people like David in leadership who had a heart that God approved of (1 Samuel 16:7). Sadly, I don't think that will happen. We will end up electing another leader that isn't qualified for office and doesn't have a heart for God. God will continue giving us what we want until we become like those Israelites that in the misery started to call upon the name of the Lord (Judges 2:11-18).
Pray for our country that we will as a nation turn from idols to serve God again. Pray for our churches that God would wake up what is dead and dying and revive His church. Pray that God would give us leaders who have wisdom and guidance from Him rather than the foolish leaders that we have had for many years now. God have mercy on us.
