Spiritually Ignorant Americans Are Regularly Angry at God

Americans in general believe they are a religious nation on a mission of doing good in the world. The United States is a superpower, a leader among leaders. But it also has some of the world's highest rates of divorce and domestic violence, percentages of people in jail and burdens of public and private debt. There is an obvious disconnect between what Americans profess and the reality of how they live.

Starting off 2011 with a lot going wrong, it is not surprising many Americans are mad at their spouses, criminals and Wall Street bankers who have plunged them into the worst economic problems in 80 years.

But surprisingly, many of them are also mad at God. They are blaming Him for the mess.

A CNN report on Jan. 1 said that a recent series of studies show a surprising number of Americans are angry at God, especially about life's personal disappointments.

Many Americans get angry at God when what they want to happen doesn't happen, even after they pray. Julie Exline, Case Western Reserve University psychologist and lead author of the report, was surprised that even atheists and agnostics also feel anger toward God.

From the beginning, many Americans have believed they are "God's people." But that idea is wearing off, as 20 percent of Americans now say "none" to the question: What is your religion?

Perhaps not surprisingly, young people, strongly affected by an entitlement culture of instant gratification, are particularly angry at God according to the study. He doesn't give them everything they want when they want it. They think He should deal with people on their terms. In other words, they would like God to be different than they think He is. But how would they know?

What is the cause for anger against God?

Religious people today know less now about the substance of faith—spiritual knowledge of the Bible—than any other generation in American history. It is because they don't understand Him that they have less confidence He is there on their behalf. And without biblical understanding, they will not understand the terms of His relationship that brings blessings. Without the Bible, they can't see the causes for their problems or understand that He will not bless them when they expect it.

They don't know how to think about God. They don't know how to relate to Him and be heard and blessed. Without the Bible, they have lost the terms of relationship. In their ignorance, they get angry.

A false grace for an ignorant America

For over a decade, researchers have noted a shocking decline in knowledge and belief in the Bible by Christians in America. Even before 9/11 in 2001, religious researcher George Barna concluded that 90 percent of American Christians no longer had a "Christian worldview."

"The Christian body in America is immersed in a crisis of biblical illiteracy," he warned. "How else can you describe matters when most churchgoing adults reject the accuracy of the Bible, reject the existence of Satan, claim that Jesus sinned...?"

In a substitution for biblical truth, Americans have broadly adopted a fuzzy idea that Jesus gave them cheap grace. Knowledge and obedience to biblical truth is now irrelevant in many people's minds. The Bible does not teach that "all you have to do to be saved by grace is believe in Jesus." This is a false assumption and untrue.

This "pop" grace is not biblically defined but has become a meaningless catchall for permission to define the relationship with God and other people in our own self-indulgent terms. This false grace sets up a false premise, making it possible for people to rationalize sin and disrespect toward God.

When the false belief systems this grace spawns fail to deliver success, people become angry. Unfortunately, they direct their angry disappointment against God. But He is not the cause. Their spiritual ignorance is the cause. That is exactly what the Bible says: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children" (Hosea 4:6).

True grace establishes God's law in your heart

The gospel of the Kingdom of God brought by Jesus Christ is a message of true grace—based upon active faith in the message He brought (John 1:14; Mark 1:15).

Americans broadly believe that God is a God of grace. But the devil is in the details of false teachings, assumptions and many sins that have developed under a false concept of grace.

Some American clergy preach a biblically illiterate grace devoid of Christ's teaching that you must be willing to forsake your sins and repent. They don't teach that sin is the transgression of God's law of love expressed in the Ten Commandments, which the apostle Paul called "holy and just and good" (Romans 7:12). Jesus said just calling Him "Lord, Lord" without doing what He says is vain (Matthew 7:21). He also said, "If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments" and, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets" (Matthew 19:17; 5:17).

The Bible is a book of spiritual truth that explains the will of God and how life really works. But you have to read it, know it and believe it. So make sure you are reading and believing it every day. Why not start with Lesson 1 of our exciting new Free Bible Study Guides?

The Value of Virtue

Virtue is moral excellence and worth. It is an ingredient in the lives of those who make this world a better place. Without virtue, we are like a contradiction to those who look to us for leadership and guidance.

The Bible tells us that a lovely woman who lacks discretion is like a ring of gold in the snout of a pig (Proverbs 11:22). She will be dragged through the mud. An old saying makes a similar point: "Beauty without virtue is like a flower without perfume."

When we have godly virtue, on the other hand, it can be a blessing to all.

Jesus' Warning to "Watch"—Just What Did He Mean?

Jesus and the apostles exhort us to actively "watch"! We need to understand all that they meant and the wide-ranging implications. Our survival and salvation could depend on that understanding and action!

The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth, "Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong" (1 Corinthians 16:13). The rest of the verse is clear, but what does "watch" mean?

Paul wasn't telling us to be passive spectators—of entertainment or anything else. He meant something far different.

This article focuses on New Testament scriptures with the verb "watch"—important scriptures that are often misunderstood, ignored and neglected.

How important is it that we "watch"? Consider this: The biblical command to watch is several times coupled with the command to pray. Is prayer important? Extremely so! And so is the command to watch!

Watch means to stay wide awake

When the New Testament commands us to "watch," it is usually the translation of one of two Greek words (gregoreuo and agrupneo), which have similar meanings—to "stay awake" and to "be sleepless." They are usually meant in the metaphorical and spiritual sense—to be vigilant and on guard, fully awake, aware, alert and intently focused—with several applications and implications.

In Matthew 26:37-40, the meaning of "watch" is primarily physical. Jesus was chiding the disciples for not remaining awake during the hour preceding His arrest.

But what Jesus next said to Peter had a deeper, spiritual meaning: "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing [i.e., intentions are good], but the flesh [mere human willpower] is weak'" (Matthew 26:41).

It is spiritual watching coupled with prayer that gives one the strength to survive temptations and difficult situations.

"Awake to righteousness, and do not sin" (1 Corinthians 15:34). Being awake is equated with righteousness and not sinning. Paul was writing to the church at Corinth, which shows that even true Christians can be spiritually asleep to varying degrees.

Paul also wrote: "And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed" (Romans 13:11, emphasis added throughout).

In other words, the closer we draw to the second coming of Christ, the more urgent it is that we awake out of spiritual sleep! Indeed, we have entered the fearful end-time years that are the grand climax of human civilization. If ever there was a time to pay attention and get prepared, it is now!

Furthermore, none of us knows when he or she will die. Being spiritually prepared for the end of life should be our top priority.

Watching means properly using our minds

God gave us marvelous minds to use—to study, learn, observe, analyze, judge and think.

Life is time. To waste time is to waste life. Many people are mentally lazy—wasting a tragic amount of time on the trivial and temporal, mundane and materialistic. Many squander countless hours vegetating in front of their TV or computer seeking only to be entertained.

Real readers are becoming rare. A society becomes shallow and superficial when most citizens rely too much on pictures and images rather than words. In-depth learning requires language.

It is quite significant that God's true religion is based on spoken and written messages that were compiled into what we call the Bible. God's people are to be "people of the Book." In contrast, most pagan religions emphasize images, idols, symbols and rituals.

You see, God wants His people to zealously read and study, to think and meditate. He wants us to be well-informed regarding the major geopolitical, cultural and spiritual issues and events of our time. God deplores ignorance, indifference and being "dull of hearing" (Hebrews 5:11).

This is where the Bible comes in, providing the essential framework for a godly worldview. The Bible is God's divine revelation of absolute truth, which is just as relevant today as it ever was.

Because of this, the Bible should be the prism, lens and filter by which we can accurately perceive and judge all other information. It enables us to develop a godly worldview—the framework and foundation by which we can accurately interpret all that is going on in the world. We can then understand our confusing world scene with amazing clarity, sense and logic!

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees for their hard-hearted mind-set. If they had not had evil attitudes and had believed the Scriptures, they would have been able to "discern the signs of the times" and to realize the Messiah had come (Matthew 16:1-3).

We need knowledge of end-time prophecy

To know where to focus our attention, we particularly need to know the Bible prophecies of the end time, especially the prophecies surrounding the second coming of Christ.

We are to "eagerly wait for" Christ's return, not just passively wait around (Hebrews 9:28). Jesus was emphatic that His followers should hope for His return, expect His return and pray for His return! In addition, our enthusiastic anticipation and excitement will intensify as we see more and more world events fulfilling Bible prophecies—especially those that point to the increasing nearness of Christ's return.

Note the watching, waiting, anticipation and preparedness in the following passage: "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching" (Luke 12:35-36).

Jesus concluded His message by saying, "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (verse 40).

Much later, Jesus echoed that point: "Behold, I am coming as a thief [meaning suddenly and unexpectedly]. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame" (Revelation 16:15). Wearing garments, especially white raiment, symbolizes a good spiritual condition (Revelation 3:1-5, 18). We must not be caught undressed—unprepared.

Christ's all-important end-time prophecy

Jesus gave a crucial end-time prophecy shortly before His crucifixion, recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. It's valuable to study this prophecy often.

Jesus' disciples wanted to know what to watch for. "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3).

Significantly, the very first thing that Jesus responded with was a somber warning of what to watch out for: "Take heed that no one deceives you" (verse 4). Sadly, many are deceived. Many who call themselves Christians are deceived into thinking that Christ will not literally return to the earth, even though He repeatedly promised He would, or that He will return in some manner different from what He told us.

In the rest of the chapter, Jesus answers their questions by revealing the future key trends and conditions for which it would be critically important to watch.

Jesus then urged His disciples to "watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into" (verses 42-43).

After Jesus' resurrection, He again said, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority" (Acts 1:7). However, in spite of Jesus' statements, countless people have foolishly tried to predict the time of His second coming. It is because we don't know the timing that we must keep watching.

Continuing in Matthew 24, Jesus said, "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (verse 44) Watching reminds us and motivates us to remain ready. That's the main idea!

Shortly after, Jesus warns of the temptation to think, "My master is staying away a long time" (verse 48, New International Version). When a person thinks he has more than enough time to get ready, he is seriously tempted to let down spiritually (see verses 49-51).

The parable of the 10 virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) emphasizes staying spiritually prepared and ready. Keeping one's lamp filled with oil represents staying close to God and staying filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus concluded the parable by saying, "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming" (verse 13).

Watching, praying, staying sober and watching out for enemies

In Mark's and Luke's accounts of Jesus Christ's prophecy, we see that Jesus connected watching with praying. There is much to pray about regarding the present and the future. Watching helps our praying, and praying helps our watching.

Mark records Jesus saying: "Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time [of Christ's coming] is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch" (Mark 13:33-34; see also verses 35-37).

Christ was quite emphatic here in commanding us to do four things:

1. Take heed to what He had just said.

2. Watch for the signs He had outlined.

3. Pray regularly and earnestly so that we stay close to God.

4. Keep doing God's work!

In Luke's account, Jesus tells us that "when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near" (Luke 21:31). Then He warns about not letting "that Day come on you unexpectedly" (verse 34).

Jesus concludes by saying, "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36).

"All these things" refers to all that is recorded in this chapter, including the "great distress in the land and wrath upon this people" (Luke 21:23). Mark uses the term "tribulation" and Matthew says "great tribulation" (Matthew 24:21).

Of course, Jesus did not mean that we are to only focus our prayers on our own survival and salvation. He meant that if we keep watching our spiritual condition and world events and praying for the Kingdom of God and for all that God tells us to pray about, we will be changing, repenting and accepting Christ's sacrifice and help. Then we will be accounted worthy to escape the end-time tribulation and to be with Christ in His Kingdom!

Paul urged that we pray "for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence" (1 Timothy 2:1-2). This implies that we know who our leaders are and what issues might impact our lives and our freedoms to worship God and carry out His work.

You can learn more about the connection between watching and praying in Ephesians 6:18, Colossians 4:2 and 1 Peter 4:7.

And watching is sometimes connected with staying spiritually sober, meaning sober-minded (1 Thessalonians 5:6-8; 2 Timothy 4:5; 1 Peter 1:13; 4:7; 5:8). This includes staying alert to our own spiritual condition, as mentioned.

Some scriptures about watching emphasize watching out for spiritual dangers and enemies such as "savage wolves," deceivers who want to take advantage of God's "flock" of followers (Acts 20:29-31).

Peter warns us, "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Staying aware of the powerful behind-the-scenes role of Satan and his demons enables us to understand the atrocious evil and madness of this world. It also enables us to "resist" them (James 4:7).

Mistaken attitudes that entrap Christians

In light of the above, we see that in addition to concern we should have in personally drawing close to God and over what is happening in God's Church, we are clearly also to watch, listen and read to keep up with world news, events, conditions and trends.

In doing so, we should focus on news that is significant rather than sensational. Let your knowledge of end-time prophecy guide you in your selections. If you're quite busy, and many of us are, still make "watching" a high priority and dedicate time for it.

In spite of Jesus' command, many Christians don't stay well informed. Why? We can name several reasons.

Some feel that paying serious attention to news is not "spiritual" enough. But true spirituality is based on obeying our Master, Jesus Christ, who commanded us to watch!

Some people ignore news because it's mostly bad news that interferes with feeling happy and comfortable. But that's choosing escapism over facing reality and obeying Christ's command to "deny" yourself (Luke 9:23). We are not to selfishly shut our eyes and hearts to the suffering of others, becoming indifferent, complacent or fatalistic.

People get depressed when they feel helpless. But by watching and praying, we are strengthened. We can help others to understand what's happening, plus we are more effective helpers with God's work in other ways!

A Christlike attitude is one of sympathy, empathy and compassion for your fellow countrymen and for all humanity. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4). If we grieve for others, God will comfort us in this life and much more in the next life.

Our God-ordained responsibility is to watch and pray. Ignorance comes from ignoring, and God does not want us to be ignorant and "in darkness" (see 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10). Our Master and role model Jesus Christ certainly understood the issues, politics and personalities of His day. We should do likewise.

At the same time, we must avoid the mistake of going to the other extreme—studying world affairs, history and even conspiracy theories more than the Bible. Without a sound understanding of God's Word and a dedication to live by it, little else matters.

Will you become one of God's watchmen?

God called the prophet Ezekiel to be a "watchman" to the nation of Israel to warn them to repent of their wicked ways or else suffer dire consequences (Ezekiel 3:17; 33:7). God told Ezekiel that He would hold him accountable—that if he didn't warn the people he would share the guilt for their suffering (33:1-6).

So this is another application of Christ's command to "watch." He means for us to act as watchmen! How can we best do that?

First, we must strive to be "the light of the world" by being a godly example for others to follow (Matthew 5:14).

Second, we must study the Bible so that when people ask us important questions, we'll be prepared to give them biblical answers (1 Peter 3:15). Also we should stay well-informed regarding world affairs so we'll be able to help them understand those events from a biblical perspective.

Third, we must learn how God is using His Church to "go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15, NIV). We should learn how we can support and be a part of that great collective commission of "preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God" (Mark 1:14).

The role of the Church has some similarity to the role of the Old Testament prophets. They taught the godly standards of good versus evil, the promise of God's blessings on those who do right, and the warning of God's punishments on those who do wrong.

The word gospel means good news, and the true gospel includes the wonderful news that Jesus Christ will soon return to give us true peace on earth! And before that, God will give forgiveness and protection to those who repent of their sins and make the commitment to obey and serve Him.

Jesus told us to regularly pray to God, "Your kingdom come" (Matthew 6:10). How can we convince others of the urgent need for God's Kingdom if we can't explain what's wrong with the present world?

This magazine is part of the Church's effort to be God's watchman to the world. With each issue, some of the articles bring up-to-date reports on significant world events and trends and explain how they tie in with the Bible prophecies of the end time. We are glad you are reading and learning.

Keep watching! Perhaps the best summary of this subject is this sobering warning from Jesus Christ in Mark 13:35-37: "Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"

What law is referred to in Galatians 4:21?

Does this verse denounce the festivals and Holy Days of God? What is the background of this passage?

Galatians 4:21 says, "Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?" In general, Paul is referring to the law of God, but he uses sarcasm here to make a point.

Some were troubling the Church by teaching the doctrine that individual works and obedience would justify a person, in effect rejecting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for their sins. Why would Christ need to die if their own works would achieve their salvation?

Paul is asking them, sarcastically, "Why do you desire to remain under the penalty of death, which is the consequence of having violated the laws of God?" Paul was driving home the point that human effort cannot remove the penalty of death. The unintended consequence of their looking to the law to justify them before God was to guarantee that they would not be forgiven, having rejected the sacrifice of Christ, the only true source of justification before God.

Some make a creative leap from the actual subject of Galatians 4 and claim that the law refers to the weekly Sabbath and God's annual Holy Days. Equating God's commands to observe His days with the language Paul used is inaccurate for several reasons.

Many people mistakenly assume that Paul addressed only one problem in Galatians 4, and that the subject of verse 21 is the same as that of verses 9-10. History indicates otherwise. The religious philosophy that later became known as gnosticism was a serious problem in the early New Testament Church of God. It was addressed in most of the letters of the New Testament in some form. It existed in many and varied forms, each of which drew upon pagan mystery religion and an attempted combination with some Christian teachings. Astrology was a principal factor in gnostic beliefs, hence the reference to observing "days and months and seasons and years" (verse 10).

The Greek for "elements" (stoicheion) in verse 9 can denote: 1) "basic principles" or 2) "the materials of which the world and the universe are composed...'the elements will be destroyed by burning' 2 Pe 3.10'" (Greek-English Lexicon, Louw-Nida). When the Galatian gentiles "did not know God" (verse 8), they worshipped celestial-based pagan deities, according to "days and months and seasons and years" (verse 10). This verse is not talking about the Sabbath, upon which Paul taught the Jews and gentiles (Acts 13:42-44).

Earlier in Galatians 4, the context of "elements" (stoicheion) is that of "basic principles of the world" learned under childhood supervision, "Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements [stoicheion] of the world" (verse 3). Likewise, circumcision and other temporary laws taught fundamental lessons that were required until "the fullness of the time had come" (verse 4). Again, the context does not include God's Holy Days, which the Church continued to keep.

Does the United Church of God of God believe that God requires the observance of the weekly and annual Sabbaths? Yes, we do. Our basis for our beliefs is clearly laid out in three of our publications, Sunset to Sunset: God's Sabbath Rest, God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind and Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Keep?

In conclusion, let's be reminded that the flaw in the first covenant relationship God made with Israel was the people, not the law (Hebrews 8:8). They were unfaithful. Nothing about the covenant itself was corrupt or evil. The Bible is plain about this, as well as the fact that the basis for the New Covenant is the same as the first covenant God made with Israel—His laws (Hebrews 8:8-10).

Galatians can be a difficult book to understand. Some branches of Christianity are antinomian, that is, they teach that Christians are under no obligation to obey the law of God, so they have interpreted Galatians that way. This belief equates legalism (believing that keeping Moses' law earns salvation) with being law-abiding (believing that God obligates Christians to keep His law) and would have us reject both. Of course, legalism is wrong, but there is a vast difference between being law-abiding and being legalistic.

Compare the law of God with the rules of a household. God's laws are simply rules for His household. A dysfunctional family illustrates legalism. Parents in such a household make harsh demands of their children; only by responding to those demands can children earn the favor of their parents. By contrast, a healthy family has parents who lay down reasonable rules, laws or boundaries; these parents always love their children. Being law-abiding is normal and healthy.

Society expects every citizen to be law-abiding. Indeed, a citizen who rejects and refuses to submit to law is a criminal! Likewise, God's children, the citizens of His Kingdom, need to be law-abiding.

Debt Troubles Mount for Britain and America

The late French President Charles de Gaulle once dismissed the United States and Britain as "the Anglo-Saxon debtor nations." Four decades later, their enormous debt is forcing the two countries into a period of dramatic change.

It's now official.

When I was at school in England in the 1950s and early 60s, we were taught that the two primary functions of government were "defense of the realm" and maintaining a strong and stable currency.

That's now changed.

Faced with increasing financial problems due to years of overspending, Western governments are having to cut their big budgets. This includes the United Kingdom, which is having to cut billions of pounds in government spending to bring down the nation's debts. Austerity—strictness in curtailing spending—is the constant refrain.

All government departments were told to submit plans for massive reductions in spending, with the exception of two departments considered sacrosanct—health and overseas aid.

Defense is to be slashed amid fears that the country will no longer be able to defend itself. There is even to be some sharing of major military hardware with France—including an aircraft carrier!—so that both countries can save money. This is rather ironic when we consider that the British have fought France more times than any other country!

Clearly, "defense of the realm" is no longer the government's foremost priority.

There are also to be cuts in welfare and other forms of government assistance. When it was announced that government support for rent was to be capped at £400 per week (about $630), the Conservative mayor of London, Boris Johnson, charged his colleagues at Westminster of "ethnic cleansing" (he later softened his stance somewhat).

This was a reference to the fact that many of those in London receiving assistance are nonwhite immigrants and their adult children. Housing in London is extremely expensive, and news reports have frequently highlighted families that receive thousands of pounds every week to help them remain in their homes. (One British pound equals approximately $1.60.)

What's happened to the United Kingdom?

A century ago, the United Kingdom was the greatest military power in the world. The country was also the greatest investing nation, accounting for almost 50 percent of all international investment on the eve of World War I in 1914.

Yet by 1916, halfway through the "war to end all wars," the United Kingdom was borrowing heavily from the United States. The country still remained a global superpower right through World War II. Even in 1953, at the time of Queen Elizabeth's coronation, it was a major military and political power.

But by the 1950s it was in rapid economic decline. Contributory factors were a lack of competitiveness and government control of much of the nation's production. Added to these were rising welfare and health costs, a consequence of the postwar welfare state introduced by the government elected after the war ended in 1945.

For more than six decades Britain has been gradually reducing its military spending, effectively to finance its ever-increasing welfare and health costs.

Bible prophecy helps us understand

Regular readers of this magazine know that modern-day Britons are largely the descendants of the biblical half-tribe of Ephraim. God promised Ephraim and his brother Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph, incredible blessings for their descendants.

Manasseh was prophesied to become a great nation, whereas Ephraim was to be a "multitude of nations" (Genesis 48:19), a prophecy fulfilled in the former British Empire and Commonwealth, as explained in our free booklet The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy.

The empire was still fairly intact when Queen Elizabeth assumed the throne on her father's death in February 1952. Today, it has almost all gone, a reflection of the great decline the country has undergone during the reign of just one monarch.

The Old Testament prophet Hosea addressed his prophecies to modern-day Ephraim. Many reject that the prophecy is about our time, but a passage in chapter 5 of the book of Hosea shows that it was not a message intended for ancient Ephraim. In Hosea 5:5 we read that Israel and Judah will both fall and stumble within a period of 30 days, the "New Moon" referred to in verse 7.

This did not happen in ancient times. The 10 tribes comprising the kingdom of Israel, of which Ephraim was a part, fell to Assyrian invaders more than a century before the kingdom of Judah was overthrown and crushed by the Babylonians.

The decline of present-day Ephraim has a lot to do with the country turning away from God. Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 show the connection between a nation's obedience and blessings or disobedience and negative consequences.

One of the consequences of disobedience is economic decline, which the country is feeling now as it struggles with a heavy burden of debt. This is not new. The late French President Charles de Gaulle once referred to "the Anglo-Saxon debtor nations" when rejecting Britain's bid to join the European Community (now the European Union).

He was talking about the United Kingdom and the United States, whose modern economies have been built on massive borrowing. (It's ironic, but more than 40 years later France also wrestles with its own serious debt problems!)

One of the reasons for Ephraim's economic decline is Britain's 50-year obsession with Europe. The 1957 Treaty of Rome pledges member countries to form "an ever closer union." Gradually, since joining in 1973, Britain has been losing more and more of its sovereignty and has traded places with others in Europe.

The country that once led Europe economically is now behind both Germany and France and is on a par with Italy as an economic power. Britain is a net contributor to the EU, which means it subsidizes other countries in the Union to the tune of billions of pounds each year.

Hosea 7:9 says that "aliens have devoured his strength, but he does not know it." Whereas this certainly applies to the drain from the EU, it is also applicable in other ways. While on the surface a commitment to maintain overseas aid at its former level during a period of austerity may seem generous, it is difficult to understand how this should take precedence over the "defense of the realm." After all, if the country suffers defeat in war, there will be no aid to give to anybody!

Even more curious is the fact that India is the foremost recipient of aid from Britain—the same India that is fast becoming an economic superpower! Other recipients include nations ruled by dictators who notoriously pocket a great deal of the money for themselves!

"Aliens have devoured his strength" at home too, as Boris Johnson's comment on housing and subsidizing immigrants testifies. It's well known in the United Kingdom that the country's generous welfare system and free health care attract many to the nation's shores. While many contribute to the country, huge numbers of other immigrants require financial help with housing, health care and financial support for their children.

Is the United States any different?

While Britain's priorities have changed since World War II, the country has always known it could, in the end, rely on the United States to defend it in the event of a major conflict. Britain itself has contributed to America's wars, and the expectation is that the United States will always provide a military umbrella if the United Kingdom were attacked. But can the United States fulfill its military obligations at a time when U.S. debt is at record levels?

The United Kingdom and some other countries are in a time of austerity. America's debts are just as bad. The only reason why the United States has gotten away with it longer is because the U.S. dollar is the world's reserve currency.

This means that many countries willingly take American dollars as payment for goods because they can use those dollars to buy oil and other commodities from many different countries. The United States has even been able to print more dollars seemingly without too much concern, an option the United Kingdom and other nations can't normally exercise without serious negative consequences.

But now some countries are clearly turning away from the dollar. At the November 2010 G20 meetings in Seoul, South Korea, Germany, China and Japan all called for an end to the dollar's role as the world's reserve currency, due to anxiety over reckless U.S. government policy in printing more money to stimulate the economy. On Nov. 24, 2010, the China Daily website carried the headline "China, Russia Quit Dollar."

The article, written from St. Petersburg, Russia, began with the following: "China and Russia have decided to renounce the US dollar and resort to using their own currencies for bilateral trade, Premier Wen Jiabao and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin announced late on Tuesday."

Major changes looming for the United States?

A U.S. congressional committee looking into ways to reduce the nation's debt is advocating cuts similar to those in Britain—including a call for reduced military spending. Just as Britain's policing of the world, a job it had done for two centuries, was overtaken by other priorities for the British after World War II, so America will follow suit.

U.S. News and World Report publisher Mortimer Zuckerman, in the December 2010, issue, summed up what has become the new economic reality for many Americans. Titled "Tax Hikes, Fewer Benefits Key to Federal Deficit Crisis Fix," the article was more ominously subtitled, "Americans feel anxiety without pause as millions fall out of the middle class."

Zuckerman states: "The dominant mood in America today is one of anxiety without pause. Millions of decent, self-reliant, regular Americans who had begun to fear that the prolonged recession means the American dream is over for them now brood that their children and even their grandchildren are also to be denied the prospects of the good life they took for granted just a decade ago.

"Once, the vast majority thought they were in the middle class, not rich and not poor. Today, more and more Americans are starting to identify themselves with lower economic groupings and see no prospects of moving higher, whether in terms of job opportunities or earnings. The fear has grown that years of hard work will no longer translate into a better life for themselves and their families.

"The new normal is that millions of them are facing the risk, or the reality, of falling out of the middle class, losing all that this once meant in America—financial independence, sending your kids to college, having equity in your home, choosing where you live.

"Today, people in their 20s are hard-pressed to get jobs, and those who do are taking them at incomes lower than they ever imagined. For those who are surviving as middle-class families, they are facing years of financial insecurity."

In an earlier Aug. 26, 2010, article by Zuckerman titled "The Most Fiscally Irresponsible Government in U.S. History"—subtitled "Current federal budget trends are capable of destroying this country"—he wrote: "There is another instinctive conclusion among the American people. It is that the national deficit, and the debts we have accumulated, are of critical political importance.

"On the national debt, the money the government has spent without the tax revenues to pay for it has produced mind-numbing numbers so large as to be disconnected from reality. Zeros from here to infinity. The sums are hard to describe; it is hard to describe an elephant, but you know one when you see one. The public knows that, shuffle the numbers as you may, the level of debt is unsustainable.

"Who could be surprised since millions of voters have discovered that for themselves? As one realizes the morning after the night before, there is an unavoidable penalty for excess."

Heading down the road to ruin

The United States is clearly going down the same path as the United Kingdom, its predecessor as global superpower. Only a few decades ago the United States was the world's greatest lending nation. Today it is the largest debtor nation. By some estimates, when all of America's debt is added to its future obligations to fund Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, the nation's true debt is more than $50 trillion—a staggering half million dollars for each American household!

With both Britain and the United States clearly in a period of financial decline, three questions loom with global implications: Where are these nations headed now? Who will be the new global leaders? And how will these developments transform the world in the next few years?

As for you personally, will you be ready?

Why Governments Fail

Human governments just don't work. Learn about a divine government coming to earth that will never disappoint or fail.

Historians are saying that the American Empire is in decline. Will a new Chinese or European Empire rise to solve our global problems? Will the United Nations create one world government bringing peace and prosperity to all? On a more personal level, why do politicians promise utopia, but are unable to fulfill what they promise? History proves that all countries, all empires, eventually collapse. On Beyond Today, we're going to take a look at an ancient prophecy and explore Why Governments Fail.

It doesn't take long. A new mayor, governor, president, prime minister…the new political platform, the new progressives, the new conservatives, even a new dictator. Everybody promises more chicken in the pot; cheaper transportation, a robust economy and equality for everyone. The new government gains power. Soon people are again disgruntled and begin to feel that their new government let them down just like the old government let them down.

Why is it that political leaders, whether in a democracy, or socialism or totalitarianism, never seem to be able to fulfill the promises they give to their people? Why does it seem that every politician promises to change Washington, only to eventually become part of the bureaucracy?

Why does it seem that eventually all human governments fail?

Popular historian Barbara Tuchman wrote, "A phenomenon noticeable throughout history regardless of place or period is the pursuit of governments of policies contrary to their own interests. Mankind, it seems, makes poorer performance of government than almost of any other human activity. In this sphere, wisdom, which may be defined as the exercise of judgment, acting on experience, common sense and available information, is less operative and more frustrated than it should be."

Rudyard Kipling captured the repetitive cycle of man's inability to govern himself in the novel, The Man Who Would Be King. It's a fascinating tale of two British soldiers in the 19th century, who were in India, who decided to go into the remote mountains, far from any European influences, find what they considered an uncivilized people, and set themselves up as kings.

In the course of the story the two soldiers take over a small mountain tribe, teach them how to use firearms, and proceed to conquer all the neighboring tribes. They institute a benevolent dictatorship. At first the English kings seem to bring progress to the tribes. Eventually, the mountain people begin to look on the two as gods.

Well that is until one of the Englishmen begins to have amorous feelings towards a local girl. This leads the villagers to decide that their rulers really aren't gods. The Englishmen are dethroned, one is killed, the other tortured. The second king lives just long enough to escape and tell his story.

You know, this is the story of tribes, countries and empires since the beginning of time. Humanity needs government. We need laws, and leadership for the common good. But it is also a proclivity of human beings to become corrupted by the very power inherit in government. You see, the problem with human government is human nature.

In her book, The March of Folly, Barbara Tuchman uses an historical example from the Bible to make this point. During the reign of King Solomon in the 900s BC, Israel was a powerful nation in the Middle East. They were strategically situated on important trade routes and wealth just poured into the nation. Israel had a stable government, powerful army and the temple in Jerusalem was one of the wonders of the ancient world.

After Solomon's death, his son Rehoboam became king. Now the story is told in the biblical book of 1 Kings in chapter 12, where the people came to their new king and made a request concerning the overwhelming burden of taxation Solomon had instituted. They told King Rehoboam:

1 Kings 12: 4 - "Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensom service of your father, and this heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you."

Here is an entire nation of people who are willing to serve their king as long as he has their interests at heart.

1 Kings 12:6-8 - "Then King Rehoboam consulted the elers who stood before his father Solomon while he still live, and he said, ' How do you advice me to answer these people?' And they spoke to him, saying, 'If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.' But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him."

After consulting with his young advisors, Rehoboam declared to his subjects, “My little finger shall be thicker than my father's waist! And now, whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!” (1 Kings 12:10-11)

Well, as you can guess, the people revolted. The result was that ancient Israel split into two nations: the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Never again would they gain the wealth, power and influence as when they were a united country - all because a king decided to increase taxes as a show of political muscle.

Sounds like the same problems we face today, doesn't it? Has anything really changed? You know it's interesting; it was Rehoboam's father Solomon who asked, “Is there anything new under the sun?” and apparently, nothing has really changed. You know, we don't live under a monarch like ancient Israel, but it's still politics as usual. We may not be concerned about the high price of sandals or setting up an arranged marriage for our daughter, but we are concerned with the high price of gasoline and your daughter's prom, and we're still concerned with high taxes.'

You see the truth is, history is made up of human beings who keep repeating the same patterns. Even though it may seem like things will always stay the same, we forget how quickly governments fail and empires fall.

Stay with me here for a moment. I want you just to imagine, just for a little bit. What if you had been a young, aristocratic mother at the height of ancient Babylon's power? You lived in the shadow of the famous hanging gardens of Babylon. You had a fine husband and a promising future. The Persian army threatened, but you felt safe behind the walls of the greatest city in the world. In one night, the Persians drained the Euphrates River, the water level dropped below the city gates in which the river flowed, and the invaders crept under the gates. In a few hours, your world changed.

Imagine if you had been a merchant during the time of Greek Athenian democracy. You would have reveled in the belief that your way of life was going to influence the entire world. But Athenian wealth and power has long faded into history.

Imagine if you had been a young Roman in the last days of the empire. You would have looked out over the magnificent Roman Forum and believed it could never end. It would have been impossible to conceive of barbarians burning the greatest city in the world. But they did.

Now I'm not proclaiming a message of gloom and doom. But, you need to stop and take an honest look at your life. You see, you and I live in this little moment of time. We believe that the United States, or Canada, are militarily and economically unbeatable. We believe that our democratic and permissive way of life will last for our lives, and our children's lives and their children's lives.

But the seeds of failure that have plagued every human government in history are embedded in our governments. Now I want to explore an ancient biblical prophecy that gives the solution to this problem of government but first, let me tell you how to get your free copy of The Gospel of the Kingdom.

To help you understand why human governments fail, you need to read: The Gospel of the Kingdom. Now I know you're distressed over politicians who have values that are different than yours. The headlines tell us that governments all over the world are destabilized, but you don't have to be overwhelmed. Reading The Gospel of the Kingdom will help you see that God has a plan for humanity.

Go online right now to BeyondToday.tv to read or order your free copy of The Gospel of the Kingdom. Or, call toll free: 1-888-886-8632. That's 1-888-886-8632. Or go online to BeyondToday.tv.

As I said a little earlier, the reason governments fail is because of human nature. Until there is a change in human nature all human governments contain the seeds of their own destruction. According to an ancient biblical prophecy, there is a government that will bring an end to war, prosperity to all human beings and fulfill all its promises. Now you can't vote this government into power, but it can be part of your future.

So let's take look at a prophecy in the Old Testament book of Daniel and discover what it reveals about your future and the future world government.

So let's go to Daniel chapter 2.

Now, the events of this book, in Daniel, take place in the sixth century BC. Babylon was the superpower of the day ruled by a despot named Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel was among a group of young Jews captured by the Babylonians during one of the invasions of Judah. And Daniel was taken to the empire's capital city to be indoctrinated in Babylonian culture.

Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream and demanded his astrologers and sorcerers to give him an interpretation. The astrologers and sorcerers of the court asked the king to tell them the dream and they will give him, of course, the meaning. Nebuchadnezzar basically tells them, “You're supposed to be the men of mysterious magic and connected to the gods. You tell me the dream and then I'll trust your interpretation.”

Of course the astrologers and sorcerers were in a panic. Daniel asks the God of his fathers to reveal to him the dream and its meaning. God answers Daniel's prayer and the young man reports to the king.

He explains that Nebuchadnezzar had seen a vision of an image of a man with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron and feet made partly of iron and clay. Now since this is exactly what the king had seen in his dream, he was very attentive to Daniel.

Then Daniel told the king, this is what he said,

Daniel 2:37-43 (NIV) - "The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; in your hands he has placed mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over all of them. You are that head of gold.After you, another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron - for iron breaks and smashes everything and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay."

Now, we'll continue with the next verses in a moment.

Much of this incredible prophecy has already been fulfilled just as God said it would. Babylon ruled the Middle East for a couple of generations until mighty Persia conquered them in one night. Persia was the regions superpower for a number of centuries, until defeated by the Greeks in celebrated battles like Marathon. The fourth kingdom of iron was Rome. The iron fist of Roman legions united the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Europe into the greatest empire the world had ever known.

But part of this prophecy has yet to be fulfilled. The Roman Empire would become divided and eventually a mixture of strength and weakness, but the prophecy of the time of the ten toes has yet to be fulfilled.

Now how do we know that? How do we know that this part of the prophecy has yet to be fulfilled?

Well Nebuchadnezzar's dream didn't end with the image of gold, silver, bronze and iron. In his dream, a stone, cut without human hands, strikes the image on the feet and crushes the entire image into pieces.

So let's go back now to Daniel 2 and pick put the story here in verse 44:

Daniel 2:44-45 (NIV) - "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands - a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future."

You see there is coming a time, when the Almighty Creator God is going to intervene in human history. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is returning to save humanity from our own cycles of self-destruction. That's the reason for this program. All the democracies, dictatorships, and monarchies of this world will someday be replaced by the Kingdom of God. On Beyond Today we're dedicated to proclaiming the message of the coming Kingdom of God. We look beyond today's struggles and depressing headlines to a future of peace and prosperity for all of humanity.

Now with that in thought, the Old Testament is filled with prophecies of when God will send a Messiah, a Savior for all humanity. Jesus came the first time, not as King of Kings, but to sow the seeds of the Kingdom of God among those who would follow Him.

Now, when Jesus came the first time, we read in the Gospel of John of one of the greatest ironies of all time. The Son of God stands before the Roman governor of Judea and Pontius Pilate asks him,

John 18:37 (NIV) - “'You are a king, then!' said Pilate. Jesus answered, 'You are right in saying that I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.'"

You and I live in a remarkable time. We live between the two greatest events in human history. Jesus Christ came to this earth the first time to give us an example of a perfect human life, to die as the Savior for all humanity and be resurrected to be with His Father. He is coming the second time, as King of Kings.

King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

"...If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all - how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?" Romans 8:31 - 34

Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords! As we start this new year, let us remember that we serve the one true living God and His Son Jesus Christ who is Himself God.

If God is for us, who can be against us? I know that our troubles - and your troubles - can seem enormous to each of us. But God is greater than our troubles. God knows the plans He has for us, and they are plans for good and not for harm, plans to give us a future and a hope.

As you look to this new year, ask God to give you His faith and His hope and His love. Faith in God - hope for the future - and love for God and for those around you. Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit and His joy, and you can have victory over discouragement and sin and even death. Jesus Christ is Lord! No power is greater than God. You can have great victory in your life in Jesus Christ in 2011.

So, this week and this year, let us pray and ask God to

• Fill each of us with His faith and His joy and His hope and His love
• Save millions of people all around the world
• Help us all at Global Media Outreach to reach the world for Jesus Christ and to be safe in His love

THANK YOU; THANK YOU; THANK YOU for your prayers in 2010. May God bless you mightily in this new year of 2011.