POSTED 17 FEBRUARY, 2009

Staying Positive in a Fallen World

by Mark Huey
mark@outreachisrael.net

reproduced from the McHuey Blog

A few nights ago I watched an illuminating documentary entitled “House of Cards,” detailing some of the actions taken over the past few decades that have led to our current global financial predicament. It was a fascinating account of how unfettered human decisions to legally profit from an unregulated mortgage industry, precipitated the current problems, which for many are at a magnitude beyond the ability to humanly understand. Extrapolating the exponential losses of capital that have seemingly evaporated into thin air is generating much of the governmental reactions that are currently taking place in the United States Congress, Treasury Department, and the Federal Reserve. Clearly, from the layman’s perspective of one who had been intimately involved in a similar event, but much smaller financial crisis with the savings and loan debacle of the late 1980s and early 1990s, my interest was piqued.

Of course, watching the ongoing machinations of government attempting to resolve the problems at hand has been very disturbing. The mixed signals from all sides of the political spectrum are generating angst to the point of either turning to the prayer closet, or simply escaping into a novel or hobby or activity that keeps the mind occupied with task after task. However, since our ministry is in contact with a number of people on so many different levels, I find myself constantly repeating over and over to myself that I need to stay positive while sojourning in this fallen world we all occupy. Becoming negative is counter productive. It not only gets me down, but has a tendency to permeate the rest of the family by bringing a malaise that is unhealthy. So rather than dwell on things that I cannot change, my outlet is to try and put in written words some Scripturally based thoughts that come from years of seeking God’s wisdom rather than wisdom from the world:

“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:13-18).

Life is a series of tests or exams, and when successfully passing them, each test hopefully builds on one another teaching important lessons. As faithful followers of the Messiah Yeshua, have you ever noticed your personal tests increasing in difficulty as you move through time? Do you recognize your faith being expanded as you are given more insight about what is occurring right before your very eyes?

These thoughts came to my mind as I reflected on the financial challenges of twenty years ago, the interrelated international problems taking place today, and most particularly, the even greater global financial challenges coming at some point in the distant future. My question to myself was simply this: If the world gets to the point of implementing the prophesied one-world economic system in my lifetime (Revelation 13), will I have the faith required to not become party to it? Or will I be counted among those whose love became cold and faith faded due to the predominance of lawlessness?

“At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved” (Matthew 24:10-13).

“I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).

Faith in the Holy One of Israel—and embracing His precepts and ways—are the critical components when it comes to overcoming trials, tribulation, and the various tests of life. The greatest test Abraham ever faced was being commanded by God to offer up his son Isaac (Genesis 22:2). As a testament to his moniker as the father of faith, Abraham passes the test and is rewarded. Have you ever thought about how you would react to a similar command, if the Almighty instructed you to offer up what you cherished most?

Well, guess what? If you are a born again Believer in the Messiah of Israel, He already has required you to give up what you love most: yourself. Yeshua has instructed you to lose your life in order to gain eternal life:

“And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:34-38).

For those who have already faithfully chosen to lose their lives in order to serve the Risen Savior, this ultimate test of faith simply reminds us that we are following in the footsteps of Abraham—who by faith in the Holy One was accounted for righteousness:

“Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).

The Prophet Habakkuk also understood this principle:

“Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4)

The Apostle Paul combined Abraham’s experience, with Habakkuk’s insight, in his letter to the Galatians:

“Even so Abraham believed god, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham” (Galatians 3:6-7).

Living by faith demonstrates that one is emulating the life example first modeled by Abraham.

However, without elaborating on these basic conclusions about faithfulness, I thought about one admonition from the Messiah Yeshua to His Disciples, especially in light of the economic challenges that have prompted this writing. In Luke 16 Yeshua instructs His Disciples about the merits of proper management of financial resources by using an illustration about a rich master and his reprimand to the unrighteous manager of his assets. If you will take the time to read His teaching, perhaps you will understand more about how there is an insidious connection between the character of an individual, and how he or she handles the riches of this world. We see how both the master who praises the unrighteous manager, and the clever manager, are following the shrewd dictates of a world system that is dominated by greed and mammon. But note in the following few verses the critical point that a servant cannot serve two masters:

“And his master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings. He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Luke 16:8-13).

This is a curious parable because it seems odd that Yeshua would refer to the advice of the master who recommends to the corrupt steward that he make friends with the unrighteous wealthy in order to prepare for bad times. However, if you simply realize that Yeshua is describing the way that the world operates when it comes to financial transactions, you will not be surprised by His example. Clearly, Yeshua states that the sons of this age are “shrewder in relation to their own kind” than the sons of light. Someone that realizes that he will be taken to account for his actions is actually prudent to prepare for the consequences of his or her deceit. Yeshua does not condone the action, but merely states that the unrighteous master notes the self preservation techniques of the steward.

The stronger admonition comes when Yeshua states that if someone is not faithful with unrighteous temporal wealth, then he or she will not be entrusted with true spiritual, eternal riches. This is far more critical because all of humanity has only two choices when it comes to what or who we are to serve. Those two choices are God or wealth. Every person has those two choices.

Lamentably, far too many try to serve both, and many do it quite unsuccessfully As the Lord says, “no servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” (Luke 16:13).

As sons and daughters of light who are observing the financial debacle that is currently raging, we are each being tested by the Holy One regarding just who or what we are serving. Check your heart. Who or what are you trusting in for your provision and sustenance?

If you are serving the Holy One of Israel and not mammon, you can maintain a positive outlook on the current events because you know that these trials, tribulations, and tests are simply a part of the Father’s plan to bring many more into His Kingdom. You are being placed strategically in places with people who need to know what you know about the plan of salvation. They are all looking for answers, and faithful Believers have the only solution to man’s need for eternal life and the peace that comes from knowing that you are born from above. Pray that He gives you the wisdom that you need in order to testify to them of your peace (James 3:13-18)!

His peace surpasses all understanding! As we walk in that peace—despite the financial turmoil—people will be drawn to us for comforting answers to critical questions about life, and how we are dealing with the economic challenges facing one and all. On the other hand, if you are trusting in your own strength to work, or in cleverness to renegotiate loans or debt, in or anything other than the Holy One of Israel—He is noting where your faith is directed. I would ask you to remember how Paul conclusively reminds the Galatians:

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:7-8).

Serve God alone as you sow to the Spirit. These positive actions will allow you to flourish in this fallen world. Your reward will be His peace and eternal life!

Until the restoration of all things…

Mark Huey (B.A., Vanderbilt University in History and Graduate Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) is the Director of Outreach Israel Ministries (www.outreachisrael.net). He is the author of several books, including: TorahScope, Volumes I & II, and Counting the Omer: A Daily Devotional Toward Shavuot. He is also co-author of Hebraic Roots: An Introductory Study.