God’s Purposes In The Recession

I’m sure many of us have been wondering what exactly God is doing during these tough economic times…Is He being silent as we fall apart?  Is He punishing us for past sins?  Is He ignoring our cries for help?  Is He happy, sad, patient, wise, loving…  What is His role in this recession?

I think John Piper makes a few great points here that are worth hearing.  He does tie it in with some specific things going on at his own church, but the overall message is pretty much universal at this time in our world.  I like how he looks at the big picture and reminds us of God’s greatness.  And I like that he’s passionate about God being at work through this time…not in spite of it.  God is not on vacation, He’s constantly at work in this world, we just sometimes forget to look for it.

What did you think about the sermon?  Any thoughts?

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Posted under PastorsBlog

3 Comments so far, Join in the Conversation

  1. Pastor Dave February 25, 2009 8:25 am

    I think it’s interesting to consider God’s purposes during this tough economy…this takes some of the focus off of ourselves. Do you think this situation is our fault or God’s doing? Or both?

  2. Jeff Newell March 8, 2009 7:56 am

    I feel that the ecomonic times we’re in is a first step towards endtimes. With talk in Europe and Asia about changing currancies, the invention if the Euro a few years ago – could a one-world ecomonoic plan be a solution to the global money crisis? As told in Rev. 16-17 [show] Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, "Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God."
    So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
    The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.
    The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say,
    "Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,
    for you brought these judgments.
    For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
    and you have given them blood to drink.
    It is what they deserve!"
    And I heard the altar saying,
    "Yes, Lord God the Almighty,
    true and just are your judgments!"
    The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.
    The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.
    The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. ("Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!") And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
    The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, "It is done!" And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.
    Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk." And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: "Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations." And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
    When I saw her, I marveled greatly. But the angel said to me, "Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful."
    And the angel said to me, "The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth." (ESV)
    This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.
    Open Link in New Window (I believe).

  3. Keisha May 3, 2009 9:51 pm

    I feel that no matter what the circumstances, whether money, relationships, jobs, family or friendships, we have to stand on the word of God, We as Christians have to be prepared for what ever comes our way. It is not always easy, but failure is not an option because the prize is eternal life. The economic situation is chump change compared to what Christ went through and it is just a fraction as to what is yet to come. Man, Europe, Asia, Africa, America can all do what ever they feel to try and dictate how the world should run, but only the Almighty God has the last say and his purpose will always be fulfilled Amen.

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