Economy in the dumps--God is in control!!!

I (Greg) hardly ever post anything on the blog but I wanted to share something the Lord laid on my heart a few days ago. We are lucky(maybe unlucky) to have an American news channel here so we are keeping up with the daily dribble of bad economic news and falling stock prices and I understand the pain as we too have lost a considerable amount of money in the market.

I was reading the other day in the Old Testament in 1 Chronicles 28:20. This was a time when King David was close to the end of his life and he was instructing his son and future king Solomon and other officials about the plans God had for them. He said in this verse:

Be strong and courageous and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged by the size of the task, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you...

This encouraged me in our work here amongst the Purepechas but also gave me comfort in the condition of our country. We see things sliding down hill both economically and morally and wonder if it will ever turn around. The verse says much but it emphasizes that God is with us. As Christians, we don't have to be afraid! We don't have to be worried about our future! We don't have to wonder who will win in the end! We don't have to be discouraged! We don't have to wonder if God will fail us or leave us! WE DO HAVE TO BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS AND WE MUST TAKE COMFORT AND KNOW THAT OUR FAITH IS IN THE ONE TRUE GOD AND NOT IN THE THINGS OF THE WORLD. Of course "things" are not bad, it is where we place those things in our lives and there level of importance.

God's word promises He is in control whether we have lots of money in our mutual fund or have lost more then half of it. Thus, be encouraged and strong and courageous and do the work of the Lord. He is with us always.