This week, during an interview with C-SPAN, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson was confronted by a Republican military wife and mother of children with health issues about how her husband’s loss of pay was hurting her family.
It was clear that the speaker himself was emotional over the battle to do the right thing or to listen to his evil heart and the unloving ways of this administration and the world (Deuteronomy 15:11, Hebrews 13:16):
- Prideful
- Unloving
- Deceptive
As God’s people, we are called to be loyal to His purposes and ways, not our evil hearts, a political party, or the ways of this fallen world (2 Chronicles 15:12-15, Romans 12:2). Speaker Johnson has claimed God has called him to be a Moses of our generation.
The speaker, like many conservatives, has forgotten that we are called to serve God and His purposes, not our wants or beliefs, certainly not a power-hungry political party which contradicts everything the Christian faith teaches (Matthew 4:10).
While I understand the need for financial accountability and to be good stewards of what God has blessed America with, I also know our focus is on God’s Kingdom, not this temporary kingdom or earthly treasures (Proverbs 3:9-10, Matthew 6:19-21).
We must fight our evil earthly nature that looks out for ourselves and trust God by doing good like Him (Micah 6:8. Luke 6:35). We must ignore our evil hearts and listen to the good inclination of God’s Spirit.
What Is a Good Inclination or Nature
I believe it has become clear we live in an evil and fallen world; people have lost their respect and love for each other. Murder, deception, and greed are on the rise, and I’m not just talking about non-Christians or a political agenda.
People have chosen to simply listen to their evil hearts and do whatever they want because that is their natural inclination. The easy path is to do what comes naturally, it is much harder and painful to deny ourselves and resist our flesh by doing good (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Good inclinations affect and determine our morals, desires, and actions to do good instead of evil, which comes naturally to all of us, not just a political party.
This is why parents must teach children to be good and not disobedient or selfish (Proverbs 22:6; 23:13-14, Colossians 3:20). Children, even Christian children, are born with an evil, selfish, sinful nature (Psalm 51:5, Romans 5:12).
That is why Scripture has a lot to say about resisting evil and doing good (Romans 12:9, James 4:7, 1 Peter 3:11). God’s people are called to be different from this evil world (Leviticus 19:2, 1 Peter 2:9).
Unlike the world, we don’t get to do the evil works of our flesh because we are called to reflect the image of a good God (Romans 8:5-8, 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, Galatians 5:16-17; 24, Ephesians 2:3, 2 Timothy 2:22, 1 Peter 2:11, 1 John 2:16).
The apostles remembered their Jewish education about the good inclination of God and why we do good works (1 John 3:1).
Yetzer Hatov
The Torah teaches God created everything in the beginning, including mankind and called everything “good (Genesis (Genesis 1:1-31).” God breathed life into mankind which He created in His own image (Genesis 1:27; 2:7)
Everything was good until mankind wanted more than God’s goodness and chose to listen to Satan instead of our good God (Genesis 3:1-24). Their disobedience allowed sin and death to enter the world and the hearts of every human being (Genesis 3: 17, Psalm 66:18, Isaiah 59:2; 64:6).
The good inclination in the Old Testament is called Yetzer Hatov, and it reflects God, not this world (Genesis 8:21, Deuteronomy 30:15-16, Psalm 51:10, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
That is why God created the nation of Israel and called them out from this evil and corrupt planet (Leviticus 11:1-47, Deuteronomy 7:6). Judaism emphasizes doing good works and listening to the good inclination that comes from God’s Spirit (Deuteronomy 15:8-11, Proverbs 19:17; 22:9):
- Seeking wisdom and understanding
- Be compassionate
- Seek justice, not revenge
- Resist evil
- Observe the Torah
- Do charitable deeds
During His earthly ministry, Jesus emphasized the need for His followers not to listen to their evil hearts (Mark 7:21-23). He taught His followers to do good works (Matthew 5:16; 7:17-20; 25:35-40).
Our Rabbi reminded His followers to care for the foreigners among them without prejudice (Leviticus 19: 33-34, Matthew 25:35). He restated God’s command to care for the least of these and the outcasts (Proverbs 14:31, Luke 14:13-14).
Jesus the Christ emphasized seeking and doing God’s will instead of being driven by our selfish desires (Matthew 6:9-13; 33, 7:21).
He taught His followers to take the narrow road and not the broad path of this world (Matthew 7: number 13-14). Our Lord emphasized storing up treasures in heaven, not this fallen planet (Matthew 6:19-21)
China Tariffs
In other big news this week, President Trump announced an additional 100% tariff on goods from China, less than two months before the beginning of the holiday season. The stupid and greedy move caused a major selloff in the stock market once again as the president continues to seek earthly greatness.
The American economy has been struggling since the beginning of this year. It’s no wonder the president’s approval rating continues to plummet.
The president and his supporters are seeking a temporary kingdom that will not last. They are doing the opposite of the basic teachings of the Christian faith:
- Greedy
- Unloving
- Dividing
- Power-hungry
God’s people have forgotten the basic call for us to obey God and His good commandments in their pursuit of earthly greatness (Deuteronomy 13:4). Earthly greatness often leads to pride and arrogance.
Just this week, President Trump bragged about how he took away our First Amendment rights, because many have burned flags. His actions are both un-American and un-Christian.
This week, the president also began firing federal employees whom he deemed unnecessary. Not only are more than 1 million federal workers not getting their paychecks, the president has threatened not to give them back pay once the shutdown is over, although it is the law the president himself signed in his first term.
It is sad and unchristian how many conservative lawmakers are pushing the president’s agenda instead of looking out for the American people who are hurting. Many of our civil servants have been forgotten by the very country they serve.
God’s people should be motivated to do good for the glory of God, not ourselves, America, or a demonic political party (Matthew 5:16, Ephesians 2:10). We cannot practice evil if we are listening to Yetser Hatov (Ephesians 5:8-11, James 1:22-25)!
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