We think in words. For this reason, words have been the most powerful social force on earth, changing nations, forming cultures, and dismantling them. Dictionaries help establish the definitions of words, and a friend sent me this one that had recently been added to one of America’s foremost word authorities. This is the definition:
Ineptocracy (in-ep-toc’-ra-cy) - a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.
Could what has been happening in America be said any better? As one popular social comedian recently observed, “We now have more people riding in the wagon than we have pulling the wagon.” Very true, and each day many more are getting in the wagon than are helping to pull it. It is a tribute to those who are still pulling that our economy is moving at all, but as this trend continues, there is a point at which there will not be enough to keep the wagon moving. We are already at the place where any little hill or obstacle could stop it.
In my last Bulletin, I raised the question about if democracy in America had failed. It has. It did not have to, and it may yet be recovered, but at this time it is broken, and our Federal government is bankrupt by any viable standard. One would think everyone would be declaring this, telling the emperor the very obvious fact that he doesn’t have any clothes on, but there is an amazing veil of delusion covering him up.
Our government has failed because we did the very things the Founding Fathers said the Republic could not survive doing. They were right. We could limp along for a while yet, but economic physics confirm that the party will soon be over. So what do we do?
First, we build our lives on the kingdom that can never fail. We do this by obeying the principles of the coming kingdom. These principles have been well proven every time to work and not fail. What are they? How can we implement them now? These are the most important questions we can be asking at this time.
The principles of the kingdom are simple, and we will address the important basics of the kingdom in a coming Bulletin, but you don’t have to wait for that. You have the same source we do. We can be, and should be, living in the kingdom right now that can never be shaken. When the whole world falls apart, those who have built their lives on the kingdom will not fall apart, but stand as great lights to the whole world, just as we are promised in such places as Hebrews 12, Daniel 2, and Isaiah 60.
Preparing for Collapse
Some will interpret what I’m saying that I believe the American Republic is doomed, but that is not the case. Though a collapse of our currency, and likely our government, is becoming inevitable, we could yet turn back before going over the precipice. However, “If you do not change your direction, you will end up where you are headed,” and that is where we are headed. We should not give up on the possibility of being spared this tragedy, but at present we’re not changing our direction, and we’re speeding up as we get closer to the cliff. Only the most blind or foolish are not earnestly preparing for the crash.
If the crash happens, there is still the possibility of recovery. There also will be a real possibility of chaos and tyranny like America has never known. This could be permanent, or it could just be for a time until there is a recovery of order. Then, if we have learned the lessons and have returned to the Lord to seek His grace, we could end up better and stronger than ever. The key word here is “IF.”
At this writing, there does not seem to be leadership on the horizon that can turn us back from this pending catastrophe, but one could be raised up in a day. Even more than leadership, there is something even more fundamental to restoring the Republic if we are going to remain a Republic and not fall to the tyranny we are headed for.
The Founding Fathers warned that the Republic could only be maintained by a moral and religious people. They assured us we could not survive as a Republic with the kind of moral meltdown that we are now suffering and the departure from a core religious devotion that we have had. We have not only lost these, but the nation has become increasingly hostile to those of faith. Without another Great Awakening, we will not survive as a Republic much longer. The good news is that there are signs of another Great Awakening coming.
The Foundations Are Burning
A couple of years ago, I had a vivid dream of America. In the dream, America was a log cabin, and every room in the cabin was a different part of America. I was being taken through it on a guided tour of each room. As we were going, little fires would break out, which my guides would just stamp out and continue on as if this was normal. I was very disturbed by this, so I looked through one of the holes that had been burned through the floor to see what was causing the fires. I was astonished to see the entire foundation of the house on fire. I knew that the entire house was either very close to collapse or exploding into flames. This is our present condition, and we do not have much time left.
In this dream, I wanted to run from the house. I was told not to run but to grab a hose and put the fire out. This gave me the courage to think that the fire could yet be put out, and the house could yet be preserved without total destruction.
In Scripture, water often represents the Word of God, and this dream indicates that this is the only thing that can save us. Even as far as we have drifted from morality and religion, over 90 percent of Americans still believe in God, and over 65 percent claim to be born-again Christians. If these are awakened, we could yet survive. We would still need to do a lot of work to restore what has been consumed in our foundations, but that would be much better than losing the entire house with all that is in it.
A New Day Will Dawn
The good news is that the kingdom is coming with or without America. It would be much easier for the whole world for America to remain as a fortress for freedom such as it has been, but the kingdom will come regardless.
We are told that the foundations of the Lord’s throne are righteousness and justice (see Psalm 89:14). Righteousness is doing what is right in the sight of the Lord, not man. What is now “politically correct” is in direct conflict with God’s Word. In Galatians 1:10, the Apostle Paul said that if he were still trying to please men, he would not be a bondservant of Christ. The same is true for us. We must all determine whether we will live to please the Lord or men. We cannot do both. As the apostle also affirmed, we will all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to give an account (see II Corinthians 5:10).
Between one-third and one-half of the teachings on righteousness in Scripture are devoted to economics. It was to the degree that America aligned with the principles that we experienced economic prosperity. As we have departed from them, the shaking began and will continue until we either realign with them or collapse. While we were aligned, we were the greatest creditor nation in history. As soon as we turned from the basic principles of biblical righteousness, we went into debt and we now have the biggest debt in the history of the world. The Scriptures are true, and they are always true.
The kingdom will come either way, and it will bring the whole world into alignment to what is right and works best for everyone. Justice must work with righteousness because it is not right if it does not treat everyone fairly, with everyone playing by the same rules.
Our economic shaking began because we got out of alignment with what is right and just on both ends—at the top and at the bottom. This is what the Founders warned about. They fear both the tyranny of a king (the top) and the tyranny of the mob (the bottom), and set up firewalls to keep both of these in check. When these firewalls were torn down, the inevitable shaking began.
The Founders were not so brilliant in their architecture of the new government because they foresaw the modern economic system that has evolved, but because they knew basic human nature that is the same today as it was in their times. The Founders had a remarkable insight into the sources of tyranny from the top or the bottom of society. They had been subjected to the oppression of King George and had witnessed the horrors of mob that fueled The French Revolution.
The kingdom is coming because the King is going to come. He is both righteous and just. As the Scriptures affirm, He is not just going to restore righteous and just government throughout the earth. He is going to restore the earth to the paradise it was originally created to be so that even the lion will lie down with the lambs, and children will be able to play with cobras, and no one will hurt anyone else. We have been given a hope that is greater than any other religion or philosophy every conceived, and it is a sure hope that will surely come to pass.
When we begin to see the kingdom, it is very hard not to be bored with everything going on in the earth. However, we must get engaged to be faithful to our calling, to be salt and light in this world, and to help prepare the way for the Lord and His coming kingdom.
Nothing in the whole creation will ever be as interesting as the Creator, and nothing in this world will ever be as interesting as His kingdom, but we have a duty. He so cares about this world that He has declared that He is going to make His home on earth and dwell on earth among men. Just thinking about this makes it hard to think about anything else, but we do have work to do to prepare for Him. In Matthew 6:31-34, the King gave us some important instructions:
“Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or 'What shall we drink?’ or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?’
“For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.
“Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.”
We must be resolved to seek the kingdom first. He promises that if we will do this, everything else will be taken care of. Anxiety is a desperate enemy of those who are called to walk by faith, not by fear. Those who are building their lives on His kingdom have the peace of God, which the world cannot even comprehend.
Never lose your peace. After the election last year, a terrible anxiety came upon many Christians. We must never let this happen again. The Prince of Peace will never lead us with anxiety, so anything we do out of anxiety will not be right. The only word I was given after the election was Psalm 37. It is a remarkable message about this. Read it and be comforted, and resolve that you will never let anything steal your peace.
Do not fret (worry, be anxious) because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers.
For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.
Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret, it leads only to evildoing.
For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.
Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place, and he will not be there.
But the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes at him with his teeth.
The Lord laughs at him; for He sees his day is coming.
The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow to cast down the afflicted and the needy, to slay those who are upright in conduct.
Their sword will enter their own heart, and their bows will be broken.
Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord sustains the righteous.
The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their inheritance will be forever.
They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, and in the days of famine they will have abundance.
But the wicked will perish; and the enemies of the Lord will be like the glory of the pastures, they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives.
For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, but those cursed by Him will be cut off.
The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way.
When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.
I have been young, and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his descendants begging bread.
All day long he is gracious and lends, and his descendants are a blessing.
Depart from evil and do good, so you will abide forever.
For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake His godly ones; they are preserved forever; but the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.
The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.
The wicked spies upon the righteous and seeks to kill him.
The Lord will not leave him in his hand or let him be condemned when he is judged.
Wait for the Lord and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
I have seen a wicked, violent man spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.
Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.
Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright; for the man of peace will have a posterity.
But transgressors will be altogether destroyed; the posterity of the wicked will be cut off.
But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
He is their strength in time of trouble.
The Lord helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.
A Psalm of David, for a memorial.
We might sum this up by saying, “Be Happy. Don’t worry,” because the kingdom of God is at hand.