The Warning to the Rich

Oh how appropriate today's passage from James is - it goes along SO well with what's been going on in the Amercian stock market and Wall Street this past week. We have seen the rich get richer, and we have had to bail out those who dealt in business practices crookedly. We have seen those who were at the top of the barrel pad their pockets and leave the rest of us to clean up their mess. The passage today gives a warning to such people.
James 5: 1 - 9," Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemed and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.
Be patient, then brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!"
Every day that I turn on the news to keep up with what's going on in the world, and in America particularly, I see events that are horrifying, but they come to no surprise because all throughout the books of the Prophets, and then continuing on into the New Testament, we are told in detail of how the world will become in the last days.
Crime is on a steep climb upward - our laws are getting further away from how our forefathers penned them in the Constitution - unemployment is at an all time high - we're seeing weather patterns increase in their intensity and occurence - we have nations rising up against one another more than we've ever seen in history - people are growing more and more selfish, wanting to determine for themselves what is right and wrong....everything that was told would happen is unfolding right before our eyes on a daily basis.
Our country was founded on Judeo - Christian principles, and it is drifting further and further away from those principles and laws. I pray God will have mercy on our country, instead of giving us what we deserve for the evil practices we have allowed to become the norm.
He tells us this in II Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humbles themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land".
NOW is the time to get on our knees! Pray for wisdom when going to vote in our elections in just a few short weeks, whether local, state or national. We need to pray for the leaders we put into office; that they will be men and women who have a fear of the Lord, and seek Him for wisdom and counsel.
I pray that today we will all be on our knees and seek the face of God - he is there waiting for us, and wants to guide each one of us in the plan He has laid out for our lives.

Have a blessed Friday, and a safe weekend. Pray for our soldiers - they get up every morning to face grave situations, for you and I to have the freedoms that we should be so grateful for.

Shalom
Janelle