What I offer below is not the Word of God, but my own expectations;
I believe within a very short order of this date, May 25, 2011 the United States economy is going to completely collapse. Investments within this country will be worthless; our money will have no value. I believe that our country, as we know it now will also collapse, at least for awhile. We will have realized too late that we have given our country away to those who do not desire to be American.
A sign toward the end will be the astronomical cost of everything we have become dependent upon. Those who have their trust invested in their riches won’t survive; many will take their own lives, others will lack the skills for basic survival.
Our cities will become war zones as looting and robbery will be the only means to survive. Houses will be abandoned as families group together in largely rural areas where hunting and planting will once again become the source of life. Families and church families will surrender their individual living styles to group together in order to provide for one another. The Federal Government will not hold a solution, they may well be much of the problem. The proposition of a National Idenity Chip could well be instituted in order to buy or trade, if it has not already been established before this time.
Life will no longer depend upon commerce in a financial sense, but will be dependent upon each man to care for his own family group through primitive means. Bartering of skills will be of much greater value than useless knowledge gathered through the previous years. Stores will be empty of much and what will be available will not be obtainable to the common man. In that day, only those who understand that their dependence upon God and one another, as the means to survive, will survive.
While political socialism by a One World Government will be offered as the solution, only a life of community, apart from such a system will assure the reestablishment of our independent Nation.
Friday, March 25, 2011
NO MAN CAN SERVE GOD AND MONEY
"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. MATTHEW 6:24
Any time we begin a thought by saying, “Jesus said .” our hearts ought to be more in-tune to what our mouths are about to say than at any other time. It is the equal of the Saints of old proclaiming, “Thus Saith The Lord! That is to say, the words ought to bare more weight in our consideration for the very Son of God, the second party of the Trinity of God is speaking into the lives of we who mere mortal beings.
Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. MATTHEW 6:24
So is the term “Christian Businessman” an oxymoron? I believe it nearly is for Jesus also said, “I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, IT IS VERY HARD FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN”. MATTHEW 19:19 He didn’t say it is impossible for a rich man to get into Heaven for God’s grace is sufficient even for those who have money, if they are willing to surrender all they have to follow Him. Wasn’t that His challenge to the “Rich Young Ruler”?
We have made the mistake of thinking that Jesus singled out the Rich Young Ruler due to his greed or love of his money, but the truth is that ‘FULL SURRENDER OF WHO WE ARE AND OF WHAT WE HAVE’ IS ALWAYS THE COST OF BEING HIS DISCIPLE – NOTHING LESS! Jesus did not say to His Disciples, “gather your stuff and follow me!” In fact when He sent them out into ministry He instructed them to leave EVERYTHING behind, except for the clothes on their backs – so that they would be wholly dependent upon God to supply their needs through those to whom they ministered.
So the test is God MORE important to you than your possessions? If He told you to give it all away today and become the poorest with the poor, would you? Could you abandon the comforts and trappings of which you are so accustomed to live with and to serve those who have nothing? Could you be the Mother Teresa where you live or is it that God has only called His 11 and Mother Teresa to such a call?
Here is the harder part of the call; our people more important to you than your possessions? God calls you to prefer others above yourself; do you? He calls you to love others as you love yourself, so do you routinely treat associates, venders, partners and employees with respect, and consideration? Do you cheat still to get ahead or do you try to scheme your way to the biggest profit? Are people more important than your money? Do you talk about people who used to work for you in less than flattering ways? Have you lied about them? Is it MORE important for you to make money or to help others? Could you trust God to provide for you as you mentored an employee in your business or do you constantly replace employees without regard for them and their families? Ask yourself this question; do you treat others with love and preference or are you unwilling to trust God to bless you as you bless others?
LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, ALL YOUR MIND, ALL YOUR SOUL AND ALL YOUR SELF AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBORS AS YOURSELF – That is NOT what it means to be a “GOOD CHRISTIAN”, that is the minimal of what it cost to follow Him.
No matter who you are, You Are Gonna Serve Somebody – it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, it may be your Money or it may be God, but it CAN’T BE BOTH. That is The Word of God and without dispute.
Any time we begin a thought by saying, “Jesus said .” our hearts ought to be more in-tune to what our mouths are about to say than at any other time. It is the equal of the Saints of old proclaiming, “Thus Saith The Lord! That is to say, the words ought to bare more weight in our consideration for the very Son of God, the second party of the Trinity of God is speaking into the lives of we who mere mortal beings.
Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. MATTHEW 6:24
So is the term “Christian Businessman” an oxymoron? I believe it nearly is for Jesus also said, “I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, IT IS VERY HARD FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN”. MATTHEW 19:19 He didn’t say it is impossible for a rich man to get into Heaven for God’s grace is sufficient even for those who have money, if they are willing to surrender all they have to follow Him. Wasn’t that His challenge to the “Rich Young Ruler”?
We have made the mistake of thinking that Jesus singled out the Rich Young Ruler due to his greed or love of his money, but the truth is that ‘FULL SURRENDER OF WHO WE ARE AND OF WHAT WE HAVE’ IS ALWAYS THE COST OF BEING HIS DISCIPLE – NOTHING LESS! Jesus did not say to His Disciples, “gather your stuff and follow me!” In fact when He sent them out into ministry He instructed them to leave EVERYTHING behind, except for the clothes on their backs – so that they would be wholly dependent upon God to supply their needs through those to whom they ministered.
So the test is God MORE important to you than your possessions? If He told you to give it all away today and become the poorest with the poor, would you? Could you abandon the comforts and trappings of which you are so accustomed to live with and to serve those who have nothing? Could you be the Mother Teresa where you live or is it that God has only called His 11 and Mother Teresa to such a call?
Here is the harder part of the call; our people more important to you than your possessions? God calls you to prefer others above yourself; do you? He calls you to love others as you love yourself, so do you routinely treat associates, venders, partners and employees with respect, and consideration? Do you cheat still to get ahead or do you try to scheme your way to the biggest profit? Are people more important than your money? Do you talk about people who used to work for you in less than flattering ways? Have you lied about them? Is it MORE important for you to make money or to help others? Could you trust God to provide for you as you mentored an employee in your business or do you constantly replace employees without regard for them and their families? Ask yourself this question; do you treat others with love and preference or are you unwilling to trust God to bless you as you bless others?
LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, ALL YOUR MIND, ALL YOUR SOUL AND ALL YOUR SELF AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBORS AS YOURSELF – That is NOT what it means to be a “GOOD CHRISTIAN”, that is the minimal of what it cost to follow Him.
No matter who you are, You Are Gonna Serve Somebody – it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, it may be your Money or it may be God, but it CAN’T BE BOTH. That is The Word of God and without dispute.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Of What This Kiss?
Where does the greatest danger lie,
In honest kiss,
or stranger's lie?
or stranger's lie?
Is it yet best
That kiss is gone
or deceptive still it lingers on?
That kiss is gone
or deceptive still it lingers on?
When passion still ignites the coals
Yet only death lives in the soul
Yet only death lives in the soul
Emotions strewn across life's shore
as empty shells and nothing more
Where does the greatest danger lie;
Where does the greatest danger lie;
in honest kiss,
or stanger's lie?
Do ever young lovers dare to think
that one or other
may someday sink
to kiss with only lips of flesh
without a thought or smallest care
of whom it is they're kissing there
an empty kiss; devoid of bliss
what must we think
of what this kiss?
of what this kiss?
Is it a lie
or pledge of hope
or memory of what was best?
Is it a lie
or pledge of hope
perhaps a foolish lover's test
to see if what grew from within
might now reverse
love born again
Where does the greatest danger lie;
in honest kiss,
or stanger's lie?
Is it better that lips grow cold
or continue to kiss beyond love's bloom
or continue to kiss beyond love's bloom
tell me, what you think of this
tell me, of what this kiss?
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
LOVE WITH A PERFECT LOVE
But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. Romans 14:10
Men who have been terribly hurt do terrible things: the worse is how we mistreat one another. It's a fact that the abused become abusers. Some do it with fists and guns others do it with words, a lot of us do it with attitude and grudges.
What isn't healed will hurt. Too often that hurt will come back to visit those we love the most. So let us, even though we are hurt, remember to exchange love for hate, generosity for abuse, forgiveness for a hardness of heart.
Let us all walk in meekness and remember those who are the meanest among us who deserve the most pity. God forgive each one of us for we all fall far short of the Glory of the Father of us all.
Men who have been terribly hurt do terrible things: the worse is how we mistreat one another. It's a fact that the abused become abusers. Some do it with fists and guns others do it with words, a lot of us do it with attitude and grudges.
What isn't healed will hurt. Too often that hurt will come back to visit those we love the most. So let us, even though we are hurt, remember to exchange love for hate, generosity for abuse, forgiveness for a hardness of heart.
Let us all walk in meekness and remember those who are the meanest among us who deserve the most pity. God forgive each one of us for we all fall far short of the Glory of the Father of us all.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
SHOULD CHRISTIANS BORROW AND LEND?
I have recently been asked repeatedly as to whether or not it is proper for the Christian to loan to those in need. Some have also wondered if we should ask for interests upon that money. There are many Scriptures that instruct us to freely give and as God has blessed us, we should freely bless others. Deu 16:17"Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you.” In fact Scripture tells us that God blesses us intentionally, so that we can bless others.
There are time when we can and should lend, but even in lending to other believers we should never give what we cannot afford to get back, for the Word tells us not to demand it back, in fact we should lend with an inner understanding that we do not expect it back, Jesus said, "And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. LUKE 6:34-35 Due. 14:6,7"If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs.
When lending to fellow believers, you are NOT to ask for interest; "If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest. Exodus 22:25
Should believers borrow? The short answer is no, not if it is avoidable. “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8 I do not believe that to borrow is sin, but I do believe that as long as you owe anyone anything, you are in bondage to them, unless as a brother in Christian love it is given without expectation that it will be repaid. The Word warns us; “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant to the lender.” Pro 22:7 “And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.” Isa 24:2
It is for good reason the Word says, “The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.” Due. 28:12
The day of returning to Christian Community is upon us, as the oil prices raise and the Governments force us to rely upon them for our existence, we who are believers must ban together instead and care for each other. I believe the day of independent households may come to an end is quickly; where it will be necessary for Christian Communities to live together in order to survive.
Even now our church is considering ways to support one another so that we do not suffer from the financial crunch which is upon us. Within such Christian Community, understanding of lending and giving will be essential. Someone said last Sunday, “we may have to sell all that we have and depend upon God and one another” and I thought; it sounds like the first church.
Meanwhile, today; here are a few short principles to live by; Avoid debt. If you are in debt, GET OUT OF DEBT as quickly as possible. How do you do that? I would say, Pray – use the resulting blessings to give to God and others and pay off your debt and refuse to get into further debt. You can also sell anything you have not used within the last year and reconsider those nonessential bills and cable is NOT essential; food and gasoline is. That said; rethink what you eat and where you go. You can save a lot by surrendering nonessentials from the grocery list and by planning to do all extra driving in a single day. My daughter lives in a rural area of Ohio. She and her husband do any shopping, go out to eat together or any other running around on the same day each week. She has to plan ahead so that she doesn’t need extra diapers or milk or bread, but making on trip a week to do it all saves a lot in gas.
Most importantly understand that everything you have is a blessing from God and therefore belongs to Him. Don’t get greedy with God’s stuff! Freely give and if asked lend, if you can lend with the understanding that those you lend to may not be able to repay you. And remember the promise of Scripture; pray for yourselves and for your fellow believers; "The LORD your God will bless you as he has promised. You will lend money to many nations but will never need to borrow! You will rule many nations, but they will not rule over you! Due. 14:6
There are time when we can and should lend, but even in lending to other believers we should never give what we cannot afford to get back, for the Word tells us not to demand it back, in fact we should lend with an inner understanding that we do not expect it back, Jesus said, "And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. LUKE 6:34-35 Due. 14:6,7"If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs.
When lending to fellow believers, you are NOT to ask for interest; "If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest. Exodus 22:25
Should believers borrow? The short answer is no, not if it is avoidable. “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8 I do not believe that to borrow is sin, but I do believe that as long as you owe anyone anything, you are in bondage to them, unless as a brother in Christian love it is given without expectation that it will be repaid. The Word warns us; “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant to the lender.” Pro 22:7 “And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.” Isa 24:2
It is for good reason the Word says, “The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.” Due. 28:12
The day of returning to Christian Community is upon us, as the oil prices raise and the Governments force us to rely upon them for our existence, we who are believers must ban together instead and care for each other. I believe the day of independent households may come to an end is quickly; where it will be necessary for Christian Communities to live together in order to survive.
Even now our church is considering ways to support one another so that we do not suffer from the financial crunch which is upon us. Within such Christian Community, understanding of lending and giving will be essential. Someone said last Sunday, “we may have to sell all that we have and depend upon God and one another” and I thought; it sounds like the first church.
Meanwhile, today; here are a few short principles to live by; Avoid debt. If you are in debt, GET OUT OF DEBT as quickly as possible. How do you do that? I would say, Pray – use the resulting blessings to give to God and others and pay off your debt and refuse to get into further debt. You can also sell anything you have not used within the last year and reconsider those nonessential bills and cable is NOT essential; food and gasoline is. That said; rethink what you eat and where you go. You can save a lot by surrendering nonessentials from the grocery list and by planning to do all extra driving in a single day. My daughter lives in a rural area of Ohio. She and her husband do any shopping, go out to eat together or any other running around on the same day each week. She has to plan ahead so that she doesn’t need extra diapers or milk or bread, but making on trip a week to do it all saves a lot in gas.
Most importantly understand that everything you have is a blessing from God and therefore belongs to Him. Don’t get greedy with God’s stuff! Freely give and if asked lend, if you can lend with the understanding that those you lend to may not be able to repay you. And remember the promise of Scripture; pray for yourselves and for your fellow believers; "The LORD your God will bless you as he has promised. You will lend money to many nations but will never need to borrow! You will rule many nations, but they will not rule over you! Due. 14:6
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