"Bad Economic Times" Part 2

Mike here....

as promised here is the second installment of my own thoughts on how believers are responding to our current economic times.

While the situation is very real and shouldn't be taken lightly, I'm concerned that American Christians have on some levels begun to replace their faith in God with faith in Country.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a patriotic guy. However, are we now looking to government and human leaders to make our day to day lives and even more our future "comfortable" and secure?

Lets look at Psalm 49

5 Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me-

6 those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their great riches?

7 No man can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for him-

8 the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough-

9 that he should live on forever
and not see decay.

10 For all can see that wise men die;
the foolish and the senseless alike perish
and leave their wealth to others.

11 Their tombs will remain their houses ^[a] forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,
though they had ^[b] named lands after themselves.

12 But man, despite his riches, does not endure;
he is ^[c] like the beasts that perish.

13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
Selah

14 Like sheep they are destined for the grave, ^[d]
and death will feed on them.
The upright will rule over them in the morning;
their forms will decay in the grave, ^[e]
far from their princely mansions.

15 But God will redeem my life ^[f] from the grave;
he will surely take me to himself.
Selah

16 Do not be overawed when a man grows rich,
when the splendor of his house increases;

17 for he will take nothing with him when he dies,
his splendor will not descend with him.

18 Though while he lived he counted himself blessed—
and men praise you when you prosper-

19 he will join the generation of his fathers,
who will never see the light of life .

20 A man who has riches without understanding
is like the beasts that perish.

I must admit, one of my own personal struggles is materialism. I'm not trying to just point the finger at others here.... I know there are 3 fingers pointing back at me.

But this scripture, as well as a host of others, make it very clear that riches in this world are worth nothing in our eternal existence.

Our current economic situation leaves us with two basic choices.

Do we focus on what we don't have and still want or do we focus on what God has blessed us with, starting with salvation through His Son's death?

The nature that we were born with, a sinful nature, would have us focus on what we have, materialism.

God's focus is on bringing His creation back to Him, whatever it takes to get our attention.

Does he have your attention?

Merkel and Sarkozy call for global 'economic security' council

Curt Here...

The push towards a one world global economic order received another push today as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicholas Sarkozy called for a new economic body similar to the UN's Security Council.

It is clear from this article that the EU is clearly trying to push the US aside when it comes to the worlds economics. By creating a new economic body similar to the UN's Security Council it would effectively limit the power that the US would have on the global economy. I believe it would also hugely increase the power and influence of the EU.

We shouldn't be surprised that this is being talked about, because we know that in the future their will be a beast that rises out of the sea that will have 10 horns and a little horn that will arise soon after. The 10 will then willingly give up their power and authority to the little horn. This final picture of the beast, will the help of the False Prophet will institute the Mark of the Beast and at that time no one will be able to buy or sell without the Mark.

We know it is coming, and I believe today we took another small step closer towards it.

Curt

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicholas Sarkozy have warned the US not to block attempts to build an international financial regulator, calling for a new economic body similar to the UN's Security Council.

"I've always in my political life been a supporter of a close alliance with the United States but let's be clear: in the 21st century, a single nation can no longer say what we must do or what we must think," said Mr Sarkozy at an international symposium in Paris on Thursday (8 January), shortly before US president-elect Barack Obama enters office.

The French leader had originally called the Paris meeting - "New World, New Capitalism" - a global "summit," but limited his ambitions after few international leaders deigned to attend.

"We'll take our decisions on 2 April in London," he went on, referring to an upcoming meeting of the G20. "Perhaps the United States will join us in this change."

Ms Merkel, also in attendance at the conference, echoed the French president's warning to Washington.

"No country can act alone in this day and age, not even the United States, however powerful they may be," she said, Deutsche Welle reports.

She said that hopes that out of the economic crisis, governments can construct a new architecture for managing global capitalism.

"Our response [to the economic crisis] must be more than a few rules," she said. "The crisis is an opportunity to create an international architecture of institutions."

Global economic charter

The chancellor said the world needs an "economic council" in the United Nations as well as the existing body that deals with security matters.

"It is possible that alongside the [UN] Security Council, we could also have an economic council," she said, adding that alongside the UN Charter, an economic sustainability charter "for a long-term reasonable economy" should be drafted establishing rules for global financial governance.

"Our response must be more than a few rules," she added. "The crisis is an opportunity to create an international architecture of institutions."

The centre-right German leader also warned businesses there was no returning to laissez-faire approaches by governments once the crisis has passed.

"Once everything is going better, the financial markets will tell us: 'you politicians don't need to get involved because everything is working again'," she said, according to the Guardian. "I will stay firm, we must not repeat the mistakes of the past."

Mr Sarkozy warned that capitalism could collapse if it is not restructured. "Either we re-found capitalism or we destroy it," he said. "Purely financial capitalism has perverted the logic of capitalism ...it is amoral. It is a system where the logic of the market excuses everything."

Former UK prime minister Tony Blair, a co-sponsor of the symposium, echoed the European leaders: "what is unavoidable in the longer term is a recasting of the system of international supervision."

"We have mid-20th-century international institutions governing a 21st century world," he added. "The reform of the IMF, the World Bank, the financial regulatory system [is] long overdue."

The meeting came as Germany announced it is to inject a further €10 billion into Commerzbank, in return for a 25 percent stake in the bank, while France offered another €10.5 billion for its six main banks.

http://euobserver.com/9/27373

Rockets Hit Northern Israel from Lebanon

Curt Here...

It looks like a possible second front in the current war in the Middle East has opened up tonight as rockets have landed in Northern Israel from Lebanon.

It is unsure at this time as to which group is responsible for these rockets. Was it Hezbollah? Not sure yet, but if it was then this war could intensify quickly.

Stay tuned as this could heat up real fast.

Curt

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Israel Battered by Rockets From Lebanon and Gaza

Thursday , January 08, 2009

BREAKING NEWS — As many as five rockets fired from Lebanon exploded in northern Israel on Thursday, the first since the Jewish state launched an offensive in Gaza two weeks ago, Israeli police said.

The rockets reportedly struck around the town of Nahariya, 5 miles south of the Lebanese border and wounded at least one person.

Israeli forces immediately returned fire, blasting mortars across Lebanon's border after the attack. A military spokesman said Israel fired five artillery shells aimed as "a pinpoint response at the source of fire."

Israeli defense officials said the military had been on alert for rocket attacks by Lebanon's Hezbollah militia since Israel intensified its battle against Palestinian rocket squads in Gaza, on Israel's southern flank. At the same time as Thursday's northern barrage, six rockets from Gaza hit towns in southern Israel.

Hezbollah had no immediate comment. The heavily armed group is a strong ally of Hamas, but has held its fire during the Israeli offensive in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

For more click the link...
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,477745,00.html

US Inaugurates $700 million Embassy in Iraq

Curt Here...

The new $700 million embassy in Iraq is finally complete and ready for operation. From the many reports and pictures that I have seen this new embassy is quite impressive. It is described as a fortress like compound and it is by far the largest US embassy in the world. In fact it is 10 times larger than any current American embassy and it is also 6 times larger than the current UN complex in New York. It also employees over 1000 people.

Why so big? Why so extravagant? Does one country really need that amount of space for it's embassy in a relatively small country such as Iraq?

Is it possible that this new embassy is the city that is prophesied to come in Revelation 17?

Revelation 17:4-5, 18

4. The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality,
5. and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."
18. "The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth."

Obviously the ancient City of Babylon is one of the more talked about city's in the Bible. Does this original ancient city make a reappearance during the end times? I have to admit I am not sure about the exact location of the city that Revelation 17 is referring to. I have read many opinions from respected theologians and it is fair to say that there are a lot of differing answers to this question. This may be one of those passages that gets figured out in the future when more facts are on the ground.

Having said that, today's news is beyond fascinating.

Stay Tuned.

Curt

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By CHELSEA J. CARTER, Associated Press Writer Chelsea J. Carter, Associated Press Writer
Mon Jan 5, 1:39 pm ET

BAGHDAD – The United States inaugurated its largest embassy ever on Monday, a fortress-like compound in the heart of the Green Zone — and the most visible sign of what U.S. officials call a new chapter in relations between America and a more sovereign Iraq.

U.S. Marines raised the American flag over the adobe-colored buildings, which sit on a 104-acre site and has space for 1,000 employees — more than 10 times the size of any other American Embassy in the world.

"Iraq is in a new era and so is the Iraqi-U.S. relationship," Ambassador Ryan Crocker proclaimed.

In perhaps an unintended sign of the new relationship, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki did not attend Monday's ceremony because he was traveling in Iran, a country the U.S. has accused of aiding and arming Iraqi militants.

Explaining the opening of such a large embassy three years before the U.S. must finish withdrawing its 146,000 troops from Iraq, Crocker told The Associated Press that it is vital for the U.S. to remain involved in nonmilitary ways.

"I think we have seen a tremendous amount of progress," Crocker said before the ceremony, "but the development of this new Iraq is going to be a very long time in the making, and we need to be engaged here."

Crocker said Baghdad was looking to the West for the first time since the Army's 1958 revolution that toppled Iraq's monarchy and set the stage for the ascendance of the Baath party, which dominated Iraq until the 2003 invasion.

"Iraq has defined itself in general hostility to the West and the United States. You now have a fundamentally different state and society taking shape that values those relations, that values those contacts, that wants its children educated in American and other Western universities. And we need to be there as a partner to ensure that those relationships are solidly built and well maintained," he said.

"We will be engaged in different ways as security continues to improve and as Iraqi security forces are more and more in the lead. But that engagement over the long term is key," he added.
The veteran diplomat has served many years in the Middle East, where a lack of U.S. resolve in Lebanon 20 years ago opened that country to meddling from Iran and Syria.

The inauguration of the $700 million embassy came just days after a security agreement between Iraq and the United States took effect, replacing a U.N. mandate that gave legal authority to the U.S. and other foreign troops to operate in Iraq.

Under the new security agreement, U.S. troops will no longer conduct unilateral operations and will act only in concert with Iraqi forces. They must also leave major Iraqi cities by June and the entire country by the end of 2011. Another accord mapped out the bilateral relations.

Crocker said that since 2003 invasion, "perhaps no single week has been more important than this past week. On Dec. 31 we left the Republican Palace."

U.S. diplomats and military officials moved into the embassy on Dec. 31 after vacating Saddam Hussein's Republican Palace, which they occupied when they captured Baghdad in April 2003. The palace will now seat the Iraqi government and al-Maliki's office.

For nearly six years, the grandiose and gaudy palace, with its gold-plated bathroom fixtures, wall paintings of Scud missiles and enormous chandeliers, served as both headquarters for occupying forces and the hub for the Green Zone — the walled-off swath of central Baghdad that was formally turned over to the Iraqi government on New Year's Day.

The new embassy's exact dimensions are classified, but it is said to be six times larger than the U.N. complex in New York and more than 10 times the size of the new U.S. Embassy in Beijing, which at 10 acres is America's second-largest mission.

Reinforced concrete surrounds the new compound, which provides housing for hundreds of staff who had been living in makeshift quarters with aluminum walls that provided little protection from mortar rounds that were fired daily into the Green Zone a year ago. "It is from the embassy that you see before you that we will continue the tradition of friendship, cooperation and support begun by the many dedicated Americans who have worked in Iraq since 2003," U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte told guests at the ceremony in the complex's courtyard.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, a longtime Washington ally, praised President George W. Bush's decision to invade Iraq in 2003 and topple the regime of Saddam Hussein, who was executed two years ago.

"The building of this site would not be possible without the courageous decision by President Bush to liberate Iraq," said Talabani, a Kurd. "This building is not only a compound for the embassy but a symbol of the deep friendship between the two peoples of Iraq and America."

But as U.S. and Iraqi officials lauded progress in the country, Baghdad was rocked by a second day of violence that saw four car bombs explode in various parts of the city, killing four people and wounding 19.

Though violence has plummeted around Iraq in the past year, with attacks dropping from an average 180 a day to just 10, horrific bombings still plague the capital. Many recent attacks have targeted pilgrims during ceremonies commemorating the death of a much revered Shiite saint.

On Sunday, a suicide bomber killed at least 38 people at a Shiite shrine just four miles north of the new embassy.

Iraqi officials said the bomber was a man disguised as a woman. Initial reports said the attacker was a woman concealing a bomb under her black cloak. At least 17 of the dead were Iranian pilgrims.

In response to that attack, Iraqi authorities banned female pilgrims from entering the district for ceremonies on Tuesday and Wednesday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090105/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iraq/print

Are we too focussed on "Bad Economic times"?

Mike here....

This is going to be part 1 of a thought rambling around in my head for the past week or so. And at first you might ask what does this have to do with prophecy but just give me a minute to get this thought out and I'll bring it back to the focus of our blog.

I'm truly wondering if believers should be so focused on our current economic situation which is being called everything from a recession to a "bad" economic time.

I'm not trying to be critical of the Christian leaders around me, as I believe they have a pure motivation in leading, yet I'm getting a bit tired of hearing at church about how believers should respond to this current economic situation. Let me explain; as we look through scripture and even our own personal testimonies, when does God show up in the largest and most clear ways? In times of crisis, when the world is collapsing around us.

So, even if we had no suggestion of living through events that could be the fulfillment of prophecy shouldn't those who believe in Jesus Christ be optimistic that God is going to show up in a way that will glorify Him here in 2009?

We also see a direct example of what this should look like for the believer in Philippians.

Philippians 4:10-13 (New American Standard Bible)

God's Provisions

10But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last ^(A)you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.

11Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be ^(B)content in whatever circumstances I am.

12I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going ^(C)hungry, both of having abundance and ^(D)suffering need.

13I can do all things through Him who ^(E)strengthens me.

So, if "we" (believers in America at large and our church leadership) were in tune with the possible fulfillment of the prophecies which clearly predict more natural disasters, political crisis, wars, famines, and an even deeper financial crisis than we are experiencing now how would that change our message? Shouldn't it be something along the lines of "Hold on to your Savior tightly because this could be a situation that demands all of the faith we can muster! With our focus being squarely on who Christ is and what he promised would happen before he returned!"

I hope we are not making a mistake by sulking over what is clearly a concerning situation for Americans and most of the developed world. It would be a pitty to miss out on what God is doing in so many places that have been living in political and financial turmoil for decades.

More to come.

Mike

Solana travels to Israel

Mike here....

I found a small article with an interesting tid bit. Javier Solana is traveling to the "region" of Israel/Gaza in an effort to pursue Peace Talks. This could be a spring board for Mr. Solana to gain even more clout in the Middle East.

I hope they continue to report about the political happenings of the next few days but one thing is clear, most of the details of these talks behind closed doors are now being kept quiet.

Here is the small article.


http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/248565,israeli-foreign-minister-livni-meets-sarkozy-over-gaza-conflict.html

Paris - French President Nicolas Sarkozy received Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Thursday for urgent talks on trying to end the latest Gaza Strip crisis. The talks were already overshadowed by an Israeli rejection of a call by the European Union for a 48-hour truce in the hostilities. Sarkozy is to travel to the Mideast region starting next Monday to continue his mediation efforts, with visits to Cairo, Ramallah and Jerusalem, Elysee Palace said. The French president had already been scheduled to visit French forces in southern Lebanon, and now is to expand the itinerary to try to help mediate in the Gaza crisis, officials noted. Besides Sarkozy, a top-ranking EU delegation led by chief diplomat Javier Solana is expected to travel to the region.

Israel Set to Begin Ground War Against Hamas in Gaza

Curt Here....

Happy New Year everyone. This year appears to be starting off with a bang.

It appears as if Israel is poised to launch a major ground offensive in the coming hours or days into the Gaza Strip. It is beginning to sound like Israel is very serious about completely destroying Hamas and it's capabilities to launch rockets into Israel.

All of this has occured while up to this point Hizbullah, Syria and Iran have remained on the sidelines. One has to wonder if this major ground offensive by Israel into Gaza will cause these other countries and this terrorist organization of Hizbullah to act militarily. I think we will find out real soon how they will respond which could lead to some major fireworks in the Middle East.

One other thought for today. Is it possible that the reason Israel is so bent on destroying Hamas is because they know there is no possibility for peace with the Palestinians and peace in the rest of the middle east as long as the terrorist group Hamas is around? Could this all be part of a master plan that sets up a major peace agreement in the coming months after Hamas is destroyed? Remember, Palestinian leader Abbas and his political group Fatah are for a comprehensive peace agreement with Israel and have been trying to negotiate one for over a year. Hmmmm..... could be, but it is still way to early to tell. Something to look out for though.

Stay tuned.

Curt

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Israel is poised to launch a major ground offensive into Gaza tonight after allowing hundreds of foreigners living in the devastated territory to evacuate.

After a week of air strikes that have killed at least 420 Palestinians and left scores of buildings in rubble, the Israeli army was set to fling hundreds of troops and tanks into a blitz to stamp out Hamas’s military wing, The Times understands.

Despite the looming onslaught, more Hamas rockets – which have so far killed four Israelis – were fired into southern Israel today.

The Islamist group vowed that its attacks, which have lasted for years and which finally provoked the massive Israeli campaign, would not stop.

“I call on the resistance to continue pounding Jewish settlements and cities,” said Sheikh Abdelrahman al-Jamal at the funeral of a hardline Hamas political leader killed, together with his four wives and 11 children, in an Israeli air strike on his home.

“We will remain on the path of jihad until the end of days.”
The funeral was held outdoors because an earlier air raid had smashed the mosque where the service was due to take place. Israel said the building had been used to stockpile weapons.
Among the mounting Palestinian death toll today were three young brothers, aged between seven and 10, who were killed in one of the 30 or so strikes carried out by Israeli warplanes across the strip.

All along the border, Israeli tanks and troops have turned fields into makeshift camps from which to launch their offensive into Gaza. The Government has already mobilised more than 6,000 reserve troops and has given the green light to call up almost 3,000 more.
Artillery barrages were also being fired into the strip while aircraft dropped bombs on open ground that the army will need to cross, and where Hamas has placed mines and dug tunnels to allow its guerrillas to outflank the invaders.

Support for Operation Cast Lead is sky high in Israel, with polls showing that almost 85 per cent of the public backing the campaign.

There is also majority support for expanding it into a ground campaign, despite the dangers of high casualties in an urban battlefield against highly trained and motivated guerrillas waging war on their own turf. Almost 42 per cent of Israelis wanted the army to move in, while 39 percent favoured a continued air campaign.

Hamas has an estimated 15,000 fighters who have used the 18 months that they have controlled the strip to hone their skills and transform a militia into a small army. Hamas’s military wing has been waiting for a ground offensive to face the Israeli army in open combat, despite Israel’s vast military superiority.

The onslaught has provoked large anti-Israeli demonstrations around the world, with protest rallies held today in India, Indonesia, Turkey and Australia.

But Hamas’s call for a “day of wrath” in the Palestinian territories produced only a lukewarm response in the face of clampdowns by Israeli security forces.

Several thousand protesters marched through the West Bank city of Ramallah, while in East Jerusalem youths threw stones at Israeli security forces and some 50 women demonstrated outside the Friday prayers at al-Aqsa mosque.

The demonstrators directed their anger principally at their own Palestinian leaders, and heads of Arab countries whom they felt had not done enough to stop Israel’s seven-day incursion into Gaza.

“Abbas is with the Jews, not with the Arabs. If he really was supporting and working in favour of our Arab brother’s in Gaza, this wouldn’t have happened,” said Um-Mahr, a 66-year-old resident of East Jerusalem.

Akram Jwaeibis, 58, said Arab leaders today were afraid to do more than voice criticism of the Israeli government’s actions. “Most of them just talk. That is why we are waiting for Nasrallah. Or Haniyeh to do something more than talk.”

Diplomatic efforts to contain the crisis were growing after Israel’s surprise offensive in the days after Christmas caught the world off guard. “We are working toward a ceasefire that would not allow a re-establishment of the status quo ante where Hamas can continue to launch rockets out of Gaza,” said Condoleezza Rice, the outgoing US Secretary of State.

“It is obvious that that ceasefire should take place as soon as possible, but we need a ceasefire that is durable and sustainable,” she said.

A high-level European delegation is due in the region at the weekend, as were Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, and Tony Blair, the international community’s envoy to the Middle East.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5434559.ece