beaconchurches

February 12, 2008

Well, enough of the primaries are in to see what was clear to some a month ago. It is Obama and John in the US general election, with the Clinton machine and the Republican right in opposition. Who would have thought that the RR and the CM would be in the same corner. (besides here of course).

Economic notes! Watch for the price of gold to fall from the high of 900+. When this happens, behind the scenes, the World bank will have sold the gold in the US treasury. This is the signal of the ultimate loss of US sovereignty. Gold will ultimately rebound as the dollar becomes even more worthless than the 47 cents on the 2000 dollar that it is today.

February 25, 2008

I just got a phone call prayerfully worried about John McCain's health and his ability to live past the election. As always, we believe the ability to live depends on whether we belong to Jesus. But for those who have the same concern, please keep all the candidates in prayer for health and protection.

This is especially appropriate given the news of decreased security in Dallas for Barack. "The crowd was friendly." one SS agent was supposed to have said. It could have been said in 1963, November 23, also. May the forces that conspire against leaders in this country come to nothing.

February 20, 2008

What happens to the Clintons after the election? Look for an abridged version of Revelation 17:16-18. When the election is lost [to Hillary], the Clinton machine will become their enemies. The rage of the machine will make the Clinton's ill temper appear tame. Look for fraud trials to eat away the tribute collected over the last dozen years. It may not be exactly fair, but remember the adage, those who soar too high fall much harder than we who walk.

February 19, 2008

The elections that count are done. No, it's not the race between three liberals for the presidency of the US. The course of the US is already set and little can change it. What will make a difference is the elections (yes elections) in Communist China. A new wave of industrialization, oil consumption and deficit spending will replace the US as the driving economic engine of the world. Learn to speak Mandarin and Spanish now in order to function in the US in the future.

February 16, 2008

Listen for news of a financial collapse in China to accentuate the imminent economic melt down in the US. Unemployment and deficit spending there will drive inflation that will help the US trade deficit in the very short run, but create huge inflation in the near future. Recent elections in China will drive the new Chinese government spending.

The Spirit is still whispering Al Gore in the White House. For that to happen look for a brokered convention, Hillary's machine to try to override the popular primary votes, and Mr. Gore to play a pivotal role as peace maker. "Peace Peace they say, but there is no peace."

February 13, 2008

Postage prices are going up: First Class will be 42 starting in May 2008.

February 25, 2008

Bonds, Food and underwear

Yep, the price is going up. A lot. [The Spirit is whispering about a bond crash later] Buy bonds now, [but do unload them in time] save underwear (and other clothes) for later, but what to do about the food thing? When push comes to shove, God will provide for those who let Him. One classic example of His provision was with the Children of Israel wandering about in Saudi Arabia. ( I know that conventional wisdom has them 40 years in the Egyptian desert, but you came here to find out what really happened, right?)

For 41 and a half years the descendents of Abraham recieved from the Lord's hand good food. And they named it Manna. A rough translation of the word Manna, is "What's this stuff?" Hardly what you want to hear at the dinner table. But it does illustrate a point. God will feed us and we won't understand how even as we are eating.

Look for good news in the coming days as God cares for all who let Him!

February 21, 2008

So long Taiwan...

On January 2 we suggested paying attention to China preparing to occupy Taiwan. Another step in that direction is today's development. The Vatican is preparing to remove recognition of Taiwan. China is preparing to enter its 'age of conquest'. So what is good news about that?

When Assyria was about to sweep through the Kingdom of Judea, most people in Jerusalem thought it was the end of the world as they knew it. Against God's advice they made a deal to flee to Egypt. Bad move. God used the invaders to bring righteousness to those who would accept it. And the infusion of righteous leaders from Jerusalem brought salvation to many in Assyria, including the king that cast Daniel into the lions den.

So what is God's plan for the salvation of 1/4 of the planet's polpulation? It may just be us. The day star is rising! Even so Lord Jesus, Come!

February 15, 2008

"President Bush has died"

I woke up this morning hearing as clear as a bell, "President Bush has died." There was the same sense of confusion I associate with the death of President Kennedy. But as I came awake, several thoughts gave some order to my heart. First, it's just a dream. Second, which President Bush? Neither is welcome news to me, not because I appreciate their liberal anti liberty politics, but because I want for them to live. God says he hates death, even the death of the wicked. And I'm not willing to consign either Bush W or Bush H to that catagory, at least not without a lot of company.

The third thought that occurred is that this is the future. Hence, the article here instead of some other web page. The day is coming when I will hear those words, "President Bush has died". (Providing you haven't heard them of me before hand.)

The heart beat of the future is that this world is not all there is. In Jesus, even death can not defeat us. We can have a victorious vibrant life in defiance of death.

Unfortunately, for those not in Jesus, the hell on earth is just a foretaste of future. What starts here does not stay here. It lasts for eternity. So what is your future? You, like President Bush, will die. There is no secret service to protect him let alone you. And then what?

Here's wishing you life. May Jesus rise in your hearts today. May He be the Lord of your future. May His Holy Spirit produce in you a victory even in the valley of the shadow of death. May life and joy flow from you like an out of control river. May people around you delight in your life even in your death. May Jesus Christ be praised!

love

Art

There are four ways to look ahead. One is to find recurrent cycles. Unless something interrupts the cycle, we can use it to make predictions. I predict snow for Indiana even though summer is upon us. (Winter will follow). The second is to project current trends. It is a shorter term tool, but it still works. Temps are getting warmer. I predict next week will be warmer yet. A storm is tracking toward us, we can predict where and when it will hit based on trend lines. A third forcast tool is projected scenarios. One day the United States will cease to exist. (I hope that isn't too large a leap, because that is what we will look at later). What sort of scenarios could lead to that eventuality? Right now there are probably too many to consider. But some are more improbable than others. What would the more probable ones look like and how do we plan for them? Finally, (I like this one best), we have some sort of spiritual insight into the future. If God says it, ...This is where option 4 for finding the future comes in. The Holy Spirit is warning us that an end is upon us. Many in the church think it means THE END. Maybe, but Christians historically have presumed that their end means the end of everything. A little presumptuous perhaps.

So what kind of preparations need to be made? History has some impact, (a sort of cyclical analysis). What happened in the Soviet Union could be a great teacher.

One commentator observed several dynamics. There was a rise in organized crime, sometimes wearing a badge. There was profound shortage of everything. On the up side, people lost weight. On the down side, people dependant on medication died. Alchoholism and drug use skyrocketed as people tried to numb the discomfort. Surpirisingly people spent money on small nonessential trinkets, very cheap luxury items as if to reassure themselves that they were surviving in style. The commentator had one last observation. It was always cold. The cold seeped into everything and never went away.

So what happens to the White house when there is no president? Can the United States that we know cease to exist and we still have a president? (G. Gordon) Liddy thinks so. This is not the land of the free and the home of the brave that he grew up in. But the deeper question is if there is radical change, does that mean everything disappears.

Absolutely not! There may even be a president elected by someone, or more likely appointed by someone. It is just that they are no longer relevent. In the seven sisters of mainline religous denominations, the end has already begun. The corporate headquarters still exist, they just do not mean anything to the churches they once served. Like the vast empty cathedrals of Europe, the form still remains. It just doesn't mean so much to everyday folks for whom they were origionally built. And yet in an informal sense, the church goes on in ways that are relevent in homes and work places, sometimes in retreats and in mission work overseas. The church is actually thriving. Just not in the institutions that presumed to own it.