There is plenty to be nervous about

I would not say that I am afraid, for I am not; but I will readily admit that the incredible things happening with the weather and economy make me very nervous.  There is a huge difference between being afraid and being nervous.  One is counterproductive and the other is the natural reaction to uneasy situations.

Just four years ago I would have been working 20 hours per day finding relief supplies for tornado victims in the St. Louis area and flooding victims in southern Missouri.  I know my days of trying to “save the world” after every disaster ended some time ago, but I am still deeply impacted as I see images of destruction and hear reports of catastrophic flooding soon to cause untold problems in many areas.  Throw into the mix some of the worst wildfires Texas has ever seen and you have a truly troubling situation building.

I study weather and I have seen from multiple sources that the upcoming month of May will be MUCH COOLER than normal throughout much of the USA except along the Gulf coast.  The last two times this happened were 2005 and 2008 which were years that produced hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Wilma; and 2008 which produced hurricanes Gustov and Ike.  Many experts are already warning of the imminent possibility of multiple strikes by huge hurricanes along the United States coastline this summer.

For a very long time I used to study and try to understand economic concerns.  What is currently happening is so distressing that I no longer have the desire to try and figure out what is happening and about to happen.  Contrary to what media outlets are saying, there is a period of hyper-inflation just around the next bend.  We are already seeing it in the constantly rising prices for gasoline and food.

It is estimated that nearly 15% of all Americans have had to raid their retirement accounts to find resources for emergencies.  I know this is true for I am one of those 15% and am not proud of it.  But, when all other sources of income are removed, and expenses pile up; there is no place left to go but to the IRA or 401k that was supposed to provide income for 25 years or more after retirement.

Recent studies have indicated that the housing market for super expensive properties is rebounding and doing fine.  Those with plenty of money are spending it on lavish homes that cost well over a million dollars.  Those homes in foreclosure are also being purchased by people with money and then rented out to desperate people who have lost their homes.

Meanwhile those homes in the $100,000 to $600,000 range just sit there.  No one qualifies for a loan and no one has the money to pay the huge down payment to move up or down.  Most of us live in these kinds of homes and are stuck in them for many years to come.

I cannot do nothing about the weather or the economy so all I can do is pray for wisdom for those deeply impacted by both.  May God grant us all great patience and understanding so as to make the right decisions and have the means to help our neighbor, brother, parent or child in need.

Dealing with the the terror and fear of failure

Fear has a way of gripping, seizing and otherwise stopping people in their tracks. Fear of failure has to be the greatest of all fears next to the biggest one—fear of death. When the fear of losing all one has worked for to obtain confronts a person, the instinctive reaction is first panic and then irrational actions. Both of these reactions generate negative results which compound the problem.

Fear is like a disease which creeps into the mind and slowly but surely takes over thought patterns and influences the decision making process. Fear is irrational and thus the decisions made out of fear are irrational. Fear is counterproductive and thus when allowed to influence our thinking it generates results which only serve to foster more fear.

The purpose of a terrorist attack is to generate fear and panic more than anything else. The immediate destruction is important, but the long term fear is the main objective. Terror is not a nice word, and to terrorize is one of the ugliest words in the English language. Nothing harms people more than to live in a state of terror for in that state there is no freedom but only bondage.

Fear and terror are the cruelest of all slave masters and they rule with an iron fist. When a person, community or nation is ruled by a tyrant utilizing fear tactics, the resulting submission is obtained at the cost of individual initiative and personal liberty. Living under the cloak of fear produces nothing but bondage and a timid lifestyle void of any risks and joy.

The greatest realm of fear currently is of course finances. With the ongoing, and seemingly never ending onslaught of negative news regarding everything from the Stock Market to house foreclosures to job losses, etc there has settled over the world a growing fear that things will never be as they were during the years of prosperity fueled by unbridled greed. As the reality of horrible mistakes made years ago catches up with the current situation, things just keep getting worse due to the enormous deceit and evil practiced by so many for so long.

Times are tough and getting tougher by the day for millions of people. The numbers of us who have to deal with the gnawing fear that within a few months there will not be enough money to even pay the mortgage, let alone all the other bills, is growing daily. Those who have lost 50% or more of their net worth and have gone from equity positions to being “upside down” in their homes are the ones most at risk of yielding to fear.

Somehow there is a way out of the wilderness and that way can be found if fear is kept at bay and sound practices of financial stewardship are practiced. As is evidenced by the current flood of negative earnings reports by major corporations, Americans have been cutting back on purchases which is the only sound and logical thing to do in times such as these. But, in so doing this, the ripples spread throughout the whole economy as one sector after another suffers a downturn in business. It is, indeed, a vicious cycle.

Whether all the bailouts and stimulus packages which have come and are coming will really do much to stimulate the economy, promote job growth and halt the foreclosure crisis is open for debate and won’t be known for months or years. What is a known reality is that if fear is allowed to take hold and dictate decision making whether in Washington or everyone’s kitchen table; the results will be opposite to what everyone desires and the problems will compound.

In these troubling times, it behooves the wise person to first be patient and secondly be prudent. Now is not the time for outlandish and risky moves. If ever there was a time to dig in and hang on, it is now. Budget your resources as best you can with the mortgage being most important followed by utilities and other living expenses. The vultures circling who lured us into getting their credit cards will just have to live off the scraps for awhile. The tactics being employed by the major banks by cutting credit lines and raising interest rates for even good customers is deplorable and I pray it backfires on them.

Normally I would never advocate paying the minimum per month on a credit card bill, but if it comes down to paying more or losing your house; it is a no brainer. In due time all this will work out one way or the other and we all will either be living in tents somewhere or the ship will right itself and the good times will come again. Until then, the main thing is to stay calm and not panic. Refuse to act out of fear and of course trust in the Lord for guidance, provision and wisdom. That is all any of us can do.

One last Thanksgiving before the great fascist/socialistic take over of America–Enjoy it

Here are some things which are unmistakable and undeniable that are the result of not only the election held three weeks ago, but many events which led up to it:

1. At the rate the United States Treasury together with the Federal Reserve Board is spending/loaning money; they very well may have succeeded in putting this country somewhere around 7 ½ trillion dollars in debt in 2008. There is no basis for this money, it was invented out of thin air and simply transferred into the National debt.

2. All the above mentioned debt will have associated interest which must be paid even if the principle is not. It is unfathomable how much just the interest payments will be on total debt, especially considering there appears to be no slowing of the money gravy train come January.

3. Any of us who through various situations got caught up in a minor version of what the government is doing debt-wise are viewed as bad and evil people for allowing ourselves to get into a few thousand dollars of debt, but the government can go trillions of dollars in debt bailing out banks and that is allowable.

4. Every day it seems we hear of another huge company or industry being “bailed out” by the government. Look closely at the definition of fascism; any movement, ideology, or attitude that favors dictatorial government, centralized control of private enterprise, repression of all opposition, and extreme nationalism. If what is happening in this country is not fascism, nothing ever will be.

5. Under the cloak of a multitude of new programs to supposedly get America back on its feet again economically; the new Congress will speed through both Houses incredible bills to be signed by the new President the day he takes office which will look good to many suffering Americans but will place millions of people directly under the control of the government. Once Americans start going to the government to pay off their debts under the new program announced today, the end must be getting near.

All of these things plus a truckload of other issues all point to the same unmistakable conclusion which is that the powers that be, whoever they really are, think they can pretty usurp most of the freedoms we have counted dear in this country for well over 200 years in a matter of a few months. It truly is almost surreal to witness events such as the heads of the “Big 3” auto makers get beaten down to a pulp and speak of car pooling to the next round of humiliation as they try to pry 25 billion dollars out of the same government which throws trillions around like candy.

Once the “Big 3” are reduced to the “Big 1” under governmental control, the emphasis will switch to the airline business and then to energy production and finally health care. As one by one, various industries and services are forced to consolidate and be “bailed out” by the government in exchange for direct oversight by the government; the fascist/socialistic society envisioned by secret societies for centuries will be on the doorstep.

What is a believer’s response to this ugly situation to be? What exactly are we supposed to do? Are we to become political activists and march on Washington demanding the government “behave”? Are we to write a billion letters to our deaf Congressmen and women demanding they fulfill their vow to protect the Constitution of this country? Are we to take to the streets with our guns and bombs and violently stop the Orwellian takeover of this country?

I do not believe we are to do any of the above. As bad as things are, and are going to get in this country, they are still far better than conditions in most of the world. As ugly as things are going to get financially and liberty wise in this country, they will still be better than the lot faced daily by billions of downtrodden people in the world every day.

No, our place is not to challenge the government and waste our time fighting the inevitable. The United States of America has spoken through the election results three weeks ago that they want change. The people of the United States deliberately voted to put into place the most liberal Congress in history along with a liberal President. What is in place in Washington represents the will of the people and that must be respected if we are not to descend into anarchy or a dictatorship.

Part of living in a republic or a democracy is that the will of the people expressed in elections must be honored. Conservative talk show hosts can bark and complain all day long about things, but that doesn’t change the inevitability of what is coming. The fact that mucho of the United States remains deeply “RED” does not change the fact that there was a “BLUE” tidal wave which swept over the country three weeks ago, especially in the Senate and House races.

Americans are worried, stressed out and tired of having to be self-sufficient. They want the government to take over providing for their needs, providing vital services, taking care of their health, telling them when and what they can drive, telling them what they can and can’t eat, telling them what they can and can’t say in public and who they can and cannot worship as God. It appears that the vast majority of the people of this country simply want to exchange their personal liberties and the risks that go with them, for governmental control of everything and the supposed security which goes with it.

Allowing the government to run everything and provide for your needs and wants is the ultimate form of idolatry. If indeed what appears to be coming in this country actually does; then this land will be found guilty of utter rejection of God and the same fate awaits it as has befallen every other nation who turns their back on the one true God and willingly turns to idols.

The roar of gross idolatry grows louder every day in this country and will only keep getting louder in the days to come. Enjoy your liberty and freedoms while you can America, for the day is coming VERY SOON when such liberties will only be cherished memories compared to the controlled society we will all be forced to live in.  All any of us can do now is pray for those in authority that whatever they decide to do, it will not interfere with our ability to lead quiet and peaceful lives in all godliness and honesty.

NO FEAR; Overcoming Fear before it overcomes you

We live in turbulent times, for sure. One cannot look over the daily headlines without being struck by the incredible fear rising among people as they wonder what it is going to happen next, especially in the financial realm. Fear causes people to adjust their lives dramatically and forces them to do things they would normally never do. Of all the enemies, fear is the greatest because it disrupts and destroys more than anything else.

What is fear anyway? Fear, more than anything else, is the feeling of anxiety or apprehension brought on by either the presence or anticipation of DANGER. Whatever a person perceives to be DANGEROUS is what they fear. Fear feeds off the sense of danger and perceived dangers feed off fears. Of all the fears, the greatest and most prevalent have to be the following, in no particular order:

FEAR OF DEATH

Without question this is the greatest fear in life. Most people, if they are honest, dread the idea of facing death for they do not have the assurance of what happens after death. This is a pity, for Christians, since we have been assured by Jesus that we have eternal life. There really is no reason for a believer in Jesus to fear death, yet believers tend to have just as great a fear as unbelievers. Why is this?

It comes down to trust. Do we honestly trust God’s Word when it says that we have eternal life or not? If the trust and confidence is there, the fear of death has to vanish. If the doubts linger, then so will the seeds of fear. The only way to eliminate the fear of death is to force the mind and heart to believe what God says in His Word. God has promised us that when saved, we have the gift of eternal life.

FEAR OF FAILURE

Both the fear of death and the fear of failure play upon the human need for self preservation. When a person feels threatened, they do whatever is needed to stay alive. The fear of failure is the response of the mind to the possible loss of what is needed to live. Fearing the loss of food, water and shelter would be the ultimate fear of failure, but to a lesser degree, this fear creeps into just about every area of life.

Fear of failure and fear of loss are about the same. To combat this fear, people get overly protective and hoard what they have. They clam up and refuse to give. They take a “hunker down” mentality to things and move to caves or other “safe” places. The end result of this fear is the attitude of excess caution in everything one does. Taken to an extreme, this fear produces more bondage than any other fear because it forces people to live in a tiny box where they feel safe.

FEAR OF THE FUTURE

Again, this fear is tied into the previous two fears. The unholy trinity of fear (death, failure and future) is the god to which most people in this world are slaves to. The vast majority of people plan their lives and determine what they do and don’t do by what this unholy trinity dictates. The resulting bondage is both entangling as well as destructive. Those whose god is fear spend their whole lives running away from life. Put together, these three fears cause people to devote their entire existence into avoiding anything which could result in failure or death.

FEAR OF REJECTION

This fear, also known as the fear of being alone, is very similar to the fear of failure, but deals with relationships. Just about every teenager goes through a stage where they must address this fear. Amazingly, this fear destroys more relationships than any other. A person afraid of losing a significant other in a relationship becomes over protective and usually ends up driving the other person away.

The fear of rejection forces people into tight cubicles where they feel safe and secure. They rarely will say or do anything “outside the box” for fear of being ridiculed or cast off as a fluke. Again, as in most fears, the end result is to look for the “safe way out” in every situation. The fear of being alone is a huge fear which causes far more psychological problems than can be addressed here. Needless to say, it is a fear which has disastrous results in people’s lives.

FEAR OF GOD

I put this fear on the list not in the sense of “reverence” but as a true fear. It is absolutely horrible how many of God’s people are scared to death of Him. This breaks God’s heart. As a loving Father, God does not want His children cowering in fear of His impending judgment and wrath. Yet, this is precisely how many of children of God live. They live in the same condition Adam and Eve did after they sinned in the Garden. They hide from God and hope He doesn’t find them.

There is no fear in love. If we love God, then we will eliminate the fear which destroys our relationship with Him. We are to love, respect and show great reverence toward God; but there is no profit in fearing God as one fears a coming hurricane. If sin is causing the fear, then get rid of the sin. If ignorance is causing the fear, then get knowledge. Regardless of the reason; do not let the fear of God keep you from receiving and living in the LOVE of God which overcomes fear.

CONCLUSION

Trust overcomes fear. If we place our complete and wholehearted trust in God and His Word; we will find release from the bondage of relentless fears. If we will simply accept what God has said in His Word then we can calm the storms which arise in our hearts through dread of what we think is coming. If we can quietly and confidently place our hearts into the care of our Heavenly Father, then we can have full assurance He will take care of us for eternity.

No matter what happens next in the course of history; we have the assurance from God Himself that “all is well”. No matter what may become of our earthly body; we have the promise of eternal life. No matter how dark the times get; we have the light of God’s Word to guide us. No matter what, we are never alone for God is with us and Christ is in us and nothing can separate us from the love of God.