We have a guest on the blog today! The Sweetheart, a.k.a. Douglas Elkins, has written a timely piece, In God we still trust. You can follow him on his website, Revival By Design, or on twitter! Be blessed and share with someone who needs encouragement!

The motto In God We Trust, was placed on United States coins largely because of the increased religious sentiment that existed during the Civil War. Secretary of the Treasury at the time, Salmon P. Chase, received many appeals from devout people throughout the country urging that the U.S. recognize the Creator. From Treasury Department records it appears that the first such appeal came in a letter dated November 13, 1861. Written to Secretary Chase by Rev. M.R. Watkinson, Minister of the Gospel from Ridleyville, Pennsylvania, it read in part:

“You are about to submit your annual report to the Congress respecting the affairs of our national finances. One fact touching our currency has hitherto been seriously overlooked. I mean the recognition of the Almighty God in some form on our coins.

You are probably a Christian. What if our Republic were shattered beyond reconstruction? Wouold not the antiquaries of succeeding centuries rightly reason from our past that we were a heathen nation? What I propose is that instead of the goddess of liberty we shall have next inside the 13 stars a ring inscribed with the words PERPETUAL UNION; within the ring the all-seeing eye, crowned with a halo; beneath this eye the American flag, bearing in its field stars equal to the number of the States united; in the folds of the bars the words GOD, LIBERTY, LAW….This would place  us openly under the Divine protection we have personally claimed…”

Secretary Chase then instructed James Pollock, Director of the Mint, to prepare a motto. It was discovered that an Act of Congress, dated January 18, 1837, prescribed the mottoes and devices that should be placed on the coins. This meant that the Mint could not make any changes without the enactment of additional legislation by Congress. The new proposal would inscribe OUR COUNTRY; OUR GOD or GOD, OUR TRUST as the motto on the coins. Secretary Chase then sent another letter on December 9, 1863 adding:

I approve your mottoes, only suggesting that on that with the Washington obverse the motto should begin with the word OUR, so as to read OUR GOD AND OUR COUNTRY. And on that with the shield, it should be changed so as to read: IN GOD WE TRUST.

IN GOD WE TRUST first appeared on the 1864 two-cent coin.

Congress went even further in 1956 when the President Eisenhower approved a Joint Resolution of the 84^th Congress declaring IN GOD WE TRUST as the national motto of the United States of America.

Over the past several months, Americans have found less and less that we are able to put our trust in. Politicians, world leaders, financial analysts, the media, and ever-looming terrorism all give us cause to worry about the state of our country and the world. It would certainly be easy to get caught up in the doom, gloom and despair of our current plight.

But I have encouragement for you today:

My trust is not in Wall Street.

It’s not in a 401K, my financial advisor, Citibank, Wells Fargo or any other financial institution.

My trust is not in my president, my congressmen or governor.

My trust is not even in the hope of a new leader that would change everything and make it all “better”.

My trust is in the God of all creation who is my salvation. My trust is in the One who will still be standing long after this world has passed away.

I have been investing in a system with benefits that are secured and never in need of a bailout or a handout.

• For Abraham…this system provided a ram when it looked as if it would cost him a son

• For Joseph…this system provided a promotion when it life in prison was imminent

• For the Israelites…this system provided an escape when it looked like certain death

• For the disciples…this system provided sudden peace when it seemed as if the storm would win

• For Mary and Martha…this system provided a fiesta when they were planning a funeral.

David, the young, ruddy teenager, found himself facing a giant in Goliath. An entire Israelite army was cowering and unable to stand against him. Yet, this young man, armed with an old piece of leather and five smooth stones, accepted the challenge.

Why?

Because he was invested. He knew he could trust in his God!

“David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of the Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.” 1 Samuel 17:37.

His God had delivered him from the lion and the bear and had anointed him to be king.

David trusted in his God.

Remember the widow woman in the book of 1 Kings. She had just enough oil and flour for one last meal for her and her son. Yet, when she put the kingdom of God first, when she honored God with her first fruits: “And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah, and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.” 1 Kings 17: 15-16.

She made an investment.

She trusted in God.

She honored God.

She put God first and He came through!

It is this kind of trust, complete and unconditional that when all around us is failing…

• When the market plunges

• The banks fail

• The bottom falls out of the housing market

• The unemployment rate rises like a rocket

• Our money fails

• Our health goes bad

• Even if we lose everything we have

• Even if it costs us our lives…

We can hold to the words of Job: “…yet will I trust in HIM…” because He is trustworthy!

Do you trust Him for your provision?

Do you trust Him for your healing?

Do you trust Him for your deliverance?

Do you trust Him for your salvation?

Do you trust Him with your time, your calendar, your schedule?

How about with your checkbook or your talents?

Give your life and your worries to a never-changing God. He alone knows the future, the end from the beginning and we can trust Him.

Enjoy these encouraging scriptures and share with someone who needs to know that we can still trust God!

“O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me…” Psalm 7:1

“And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” Psalm 9:10

“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” Psalm 18:2

And this version is from the TLB: “The Lord is my fort where I can enter and be safe; no one can follow me in and slay me. He is a rugged mountain where I hide; he is my Savior, a rock where none can reach me, and a tower of safety. He is my shield. He is like the strong horn of a mighty fighting bull. All I need to do is cry to him-oh, praise the Lord- and I am saved from all my enemies!” Psalms 18:2-3 TLB.