Are We There Yet? Insight into the current economic crisis By Maria 3726 Dearest Family, 1.As you know‚ in these last months there have been huge changes in the world's financial markets, and the economic system is reeling!Besides seeing this turn of events as an obvious sign of the times, and recognizing it as a forerunner of the Endtime events foretold in Bible prophecy, we asked the Lord for some insight into what is happening, what it means for us, and what counsel we should give to our friends and contacts. 2.Obviously‚ it's a wonderful time to witness.People are more spiritually hungry, more desperate, and more ready to receive the Lord's answers. Even if we don't know exactly where we are in the Endtime timetable because many things are yet to be decided or revealed, we do know that what's happening around the world right now is moving us closer to the global economy and one world government that we know will eventually come. Even if we don't know exactlywhat's going on or what's going to come next, we have tremendous spiritual wealth with our knowledge of the Endtime events to come and the training we received from Dad for years, preparing us for this exact scenario. 3.Some of you are familiar with Dad's Letters and have kept up with the world news and probably have a fairly good grasp of the situation. Others of you might feel quite lost as to what is happening and why. I'll admit it's a complicated topic and it's not my forte either. The good news is‚ if you will go back and read some of Dad's early Letters on the topic‚ they can help you to have a much better understanding of the situation, because Dad understood world economics very well. He had a gift for it, and the Lord anointed him to explain it fairly simply for those of us who didn't understand it. I highly recommend that you do that, even though things are so busy right now and there are many other focuses that demand your time, because understanding what is happening in the world and how it came about will make you a more effective witness. The economic situation is one very major way that the world is being prepared for the rise of the Antichrist and the Endtime events that are to come, and being able to see and understand the situation clearly will be a big asset—not only for your witness today, but also for the future. 4.Before getting into what the Lord gave about the current situation,here's a simple review of how the world got to this state of economic crisis‚ compiled from news articles by one of my helpers. We are witnessing what some journalists call "the disintegration of the financial system." How did we get here? How did some bad subprime mortgages lead to what is beginning to look like the collapse of capitalism? [Note: For a fuller explanation of subprime mortgages and what went wrong in the housing market, see "The Mortgage Mess and Financial Meltdown" in END94.] This is the great unanswered question in the midst of this extraordinary crisis, as banks implode one after the other across the world. We hear a lot of financial jargon. But underneath all the jargon is a fundamental truth about banking: that it is based on a kind of confidence trick. It's called "fractional reserve banking." Alone among commercial institutions, banks are allowed to create value out of nothing—in other words, they are allowed to lend money they don't have. To explain more fully: At any one time a bank may have, say, $1 billion in assets, but it will have loaned out at least $10 billion. That $10 billion will yield interest, earning money for the bank—but it's interest on money the bank doesn't actually own. Magic. Money for nothing. But this magic only works if the debtors the bank has loaned to don't default on their loans, and if the savers who have placed deposits in the bank do not try to take them out all at once. If they did, then the bank would rapidly become insolvent, because of the $9 billion (or more) it has loaned out that it never had in the first place. That's what started to happen recently: The confidence trick began to fail. Banking practice dates from medieval times when kings and aristocrats deposited their gold with goldsmiths for safekeeping. The goldsmiths noted that the owners didn't all ask for all the precious metals back at the same time‚ so they started to lend it out. This is why, until recently, bank notes "promised to pay the bearer on demand" a sum of gold or silver. It was all based on precious metals.—But not any more. Most currencies ceased to be linked to precious metals during the 20th century when countries abandoned the gold standard. In the aftermath of WW2, with much of Europe and Asia bankrupt, the U.S. dollar became a universal medium of exchange, and with a deal that all oil must be purchased in dollars‚ it secured its place as the primary currency that countries hold their reserves in. America said that the world should regard their dollar as being "as good as gold." This is called "fiat" money, paper money decreed as being valuable by government, and some economists believe that it is the root of all evil. Because it has no intrinsic value, governments cannot resist printing more and more of it, thus devaluing their currency. Central banks try to control the value of their currency by manipulating interest rates, the rate they charge institutions, businesses, and people who borrow money from them. High interest rates make it more expensive to borrow money, so less money is borrowed‚ and that acts as brake on the nation's economy, deflating it. Low interest rates make it less expensive to borrow, so more money is borrowed and circulates in the economy, stimulating it. If interest rates are low, this not only stimulates the economy, it also leads to inflation, so banks generally alternate between raising and lowering interest rates so that they can try to keep the economy in balance. For the past 20 years, however, central banks have constantly cut interest rates. After economic downturns in 1987‚ in the late 1990s, and in 2001, the U.S. Federal Reserve—followed by central banks in other countries—cut interest rates dramatically and kept them low, in an attempt to boost the economy and avoid more downturns. People could borrow money easily, so they did—and often invested it unwisely. They often invested in housing and properties, bidding its value way up, far beyond what it was actually worth. At the same time, the bankers made saving money a losing proposition. Interest rates were held below the rate of inflation, so anyone who saved actually lost money. Therefore‚ few people saved. Those who had little money to begin with borrowed money fairly easily‚ often going into debt. Those with more money invested it to try to make even more money, assuming that the things they invested in would just keep going up, as they generally had for the last 20 years or so. The bankers knew what they were doing. Some even admitted that the housing boom was "unsustainable," but they kept lowering interest rates, pumping more and more cash into the economy to prevent a recession. Unfortunately, it got out of hand. Banks invested heavily in property, making housing loans even to those with poor credit, since both banks and their customers believed that house prices would keep going up. Both lenders and customers figured that even if housing prices fell, their central bank would slash interest rates again (making mortgages cheaper)‚ and house prices would rise again. This confidence that central banks would ride to the rescue led banks to take bigger and bigger risks. Thinking the market would keep going up, banks bet more and more of their money on it doing so, because the potential profits were so great. For example, they might make a $10 million investment by putting down $1 million of their own funds, or funds they'd borrowed from other banks or institutions, and make millions. This is called leveraging, and it became all the rage. Instead of lending ten times the value of their underlying assets, investment banks started lending out 30 times their asset value. After all, by leveraging their money and using all that they had or could borrow‚ they gambled that they could make much more money. This allowed the hedge funds (high-risk investment companies) and private groups financed by investment banks to go on buying sprees across the corporate world. They were getting colossal quantities of almost free money. "Leveraged buy-outs" (LBOs) became the name of the corporate game. Groups of investors would get together, target a company, borrow to buy it, sell it at a profit, and move on. Hedge funds flipped multi-billion-dollar companies the way amateur property speculators in California flipped houses. But it was all based on credit, and the dark side of credit is debt. All of this leveraging works only as long as the underlying assets, the collateral for the loan‚ retain their value. Using leverage seemed like free money. But when assets decline in value, the ugly side of debt appears in the form of "deleveraging." If a big bank has loaned out 30 times its assets, for example, it may have loaned out $3 trillion on the basis of only $100 billion in reserves. If those assets lose half their value and the bank suddenly has to come up with the cash it owes, it then finds itself in the hole to the tune of $1.5 trillion or more. It was able to leverage its funds to make huge investments, but the downside was the possibility of huge debts, as well as bankruptcy. Greatly simplified‚ this is what has happened in the last year. A class of complex paper assets called "securities," which are based on the value of residential mortgages, started to lose their value as U.S. house prices started to slide. The banks suddenly stopped trading these mortgage-backed securities because they were afraid of the potential losses that might show up if they did. These assets included the now-infamous subprime loans—money loaned to people who couldn't possibly pay, or who couldn't repay as much as they had borrowed—which were packaged up into what was called "collateralized debt obligations" and sold to other banks and governments around the world who didn't really know what they were buying. About a year ago, housing prices started dropping, and smaller banks that had engaged in the riskiest lending and purchased some of the shakiest securities started failing. Then huge Wall Street investment banks such as Bear Stearns started to discover that their assets were declining even more rapidly than expected. (Since these assets were based on house values that were plummeting, the assets were plummeting as well.) Sensing this, investors started withdrawing their funds from them, causing a kind of bank run. To prevent widespread defaults‚ the U.S. government stepped in and forced another bank, JP Morgan, to buy Bear Stearns at a fraction of its value. But this didn't stop the collapses. Within the space of six months, all the big investment banks on Wall Street had collapsed, merged with other institutions, or been converted to commercial banks, in one of the greatest banking crashes of all time. Then the big mortgage banks, the last stop in guaranteeing mortgages, started to go under. The two huge state-supported U.S. mortgage banks‚ Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae—responsible for more than $5 trillion in mortgages—had to be nationalized, along with the world's largest insurance company, AIG. Banks which had previously handled trillions in investments were finding that they were becoming insolvent almost overnight. Because of the global reach of these companies, this became a crash even more severe than the series of banking failures that led to the Great Depression in the 1930s. This financial crisis has spread through the entire banking structure of the West. It has moved from a crisis of insolvency to a crisis of confidence in the banking system—everyone wants their money out because no one trusts their banks. The essential trust that allowed the goldsmiths to lend on the basis of their borrowed gold has begun to evaporate. The International Monetary Fund warned that the world financial system stood on the "brink of systemic meltdown" after stock markets plummeted around the world, with an estimated $4.6 trillion in losses. The financial crisis, which began in the U.S., has poisoned global finance, disrupting markets that trade everything from stocks to sugar. Russian financial markets have closed two or three times as stocks have plummeted. Banks failed or were nationalized in Europe, and the economic turmoil has taken a toll on governments as well‚ with Iceland desperately seeking a bail-out, Ukraine seeking IMF aid, Pakistan edging toward default on its debts, and a number of other countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America dealing with the plummeting value of their currencies. Recently the U.S. and Europe agreed on a financial plan that has stabilized the financial markets to some degree. Major European powers unveiled a $2 trillion plan to prevent further bank failures, the U.S. government announced plans to invest up to $250 billion in the nation's banks in a move that will amount to a partial nationalization of banks, and Australia and New Zealand guaranteed bank deposits. It remains to be seen whether this will turn the economic crisis around or whether it only amounts to a pause in the downward financial spiral. 5.(Mama:)The main questions that we brought before the Lord were: 1) Is this "it," the crash that Dad talked about, that we have been expecting for years?How does this relate to the Endtime timetable and all that is to come? 2) How will this affect the Family? What should Family Homes around the world do to prepare?Besides staying close to the Lord and following Him, is there any practical counsel He wants to give us at this stage that will help our Family Homes to weather the storm more easily? 3) What advice or counsel can our Family members give to those they're ministering to,some of whom will have questions about what is coming next or how to survive this crisis in the economy? 6.The Lord answered with some helpful counsel from several different angles, and I'll excerpt the key points here for you.Of course, when you get down to applying the specifics, it still comes back to hearing from the Lord for yoursituation, so that He can give you the exact individualized counsel that is needed. 7.Besides the good counsel the Lord gives here‚ we can also be thankful for the background and foundation we have from Dad in economics and what we can expect.Even though Dad wrote most of his Letters on the subject 25 or 30 years ago, it's interesting to see how many of the principles are playing out today. Just having that foundation of understanding is so helpful, and gives us more insight and wisdom in facing what's happening today. A high-ranking economic expert, whom Family members were ministering to in the 1980s‚ commented after reading Dad's prophetic Letters on the world economy that although Dad's explanations were somewhat "simplistic," his understanding of and predictions of the world's economic situation were accurate and revelatory and that it would only be a matter of time before they would be fulfilled.*Editor’s note: For those of you on the Extra Mailing, you should have received a publication with a compilation of some of Dad’s relevant economic and financial Letters. Those of you who did not receive this publication can request it on your “Keep Me In Touch” form or write into winepress@actmin.organd we will be happy to send you the extra file. 8.Regardless of how things develop or progress on the world economic scene, there are a few things we're sure of: a job we will never be "laid off" from, a Boss who will never stop caring and providing for us, tremendous spiritual wealth and riches that will never devalue or evaporate, and a future of happiness and freedom and teaching people how to live right when this mess is all over. "Tomorrow, when the world is free!" 9.We can be encouraged that things are getting worse in the world, because it means we're getting closer to the Endtime eventswhich must transpire before Jesus can come back and make everything right. The world is facing some dark times, but we're just getting started with the best days of our entire career! 10.Peter and I are praying for you, claiming the keys of wisdom,insight, and open doors; of boldness for your witnessing‚ of fruitfulness‚ fruit that remains, and supply of all your needs. (Note: All messages are from Jesus unless otherwise indicated.) Is this "it"? Where are we at in the Endtime timetable? 11.What is happening today around the world is a very significant shift in the events leading up to the Endtime.Exactly howsignificant is still to be determined, because the final outcome depends on many things: the decisions of common people, the decisions of leaders and countries around the world, the decisions of those who are pulling the strings and preparing the way for the Antichrist, and the list goes on. 12.This is decision time. This is a turning point.Exactly how things play out and exactly which direction things will turn tomorrow is yet to be determined by the choices of many, but the world has just experienced a fundamental change that signals a major step toward the AC reign on Earth. 13.Did the last seven years start today? No. Will it start tomorrow? No, not likely.But this is a time of major change, and you're moving toward the events that My Word foretells must come to pass. The speed with which things progress will be determined by choices made, but the world is nonetheless moving forward toward the events of the End. ~ 14.Many people have scoffed that the world would never change in an instant,that one man could never come to power in an instant, that the end could not come in an instant. 15.Well, the world has changed drastically in the matter of a few months,and it could change far more in another few months. The Antichrist could come to power very rapidly once conditions are right, and when that happens, the timetable will be set. So the events that begin the last seven years could come to pass very quickly, once it's time. 16.Look for a moment at the fundamental changes that have come about in just a few months: 17.The first fundamental change is that the world's banks are increasingly becoming one with their governments.As major banks have failed, governments have "rescued" them, and thus have become their masters. A month ago, many would have scoffed at talk that some of the major U.S. banks would be nationalized or controlled by the government within a month, but it has gone way past that. The crisis has spread and similar things are happening around the world. 18.The next and very related fundamental change is that the central banks of major countries are starting to work together to put an end to this crisis.These central banks and their bankers have been given unprecedented power and authority by their governments, who are desperate to stop the economic tailspin. 19.These are far-reaching and fundamental changes that have happened more quickly than anyone would have thought possible.They have not been voted on by the people; they have just happened speedily and have been accepted by societies around the world that are desperate and willing to accept nearly anything if it helps them to maintain their status quo. 20.Only time will tell if these changes can prop up the status quo for a little while longer.But whether or not they keep the world economy stable‚ these changes have been significant and have shifted the mentality, structure, and mode of operation of the world one step closer toward accepting the Antichrist and his coming rule. 21.The chaos made way for solutions,and these "solutions" have taken place and been welcomed because people are desperate and know of no other alternatives. That is a forerunner of events to come. 22.There have been other major changes as well,though they are somewhat less significant than the move toward a more controlledworldwide banking system. Stock markets and financial markets have dropped dramatically. It has been made clear to all that they were much more vulnerable than they looked, and this is because their rise was based on greed rather than true value and worth. Now the greed has been exposed, and the money that flooded these markets and caused their meteoric rise has dried up‚ along with people's faith. When faith in these markets fails, the markets themselves fail, and this has now been made apparent. ~ 23.This economic crash is all a part of the Enemy's plan, as you know‚ and it's going to go a long way for him in establishing his bases and causing unrest and desperation in the world. You see these events and you naturally wonder, "How will this affect the *Offensive?" But you don't need to worry about that. My word is true and good. (*For more on The Offensive vision see Wine Press # 122) 24.I can do the impossible, and I even like to do the impossible,as it then proves more clearly that it was My power that saved the day‚ that it was Me and only Me‚ nothing of you. So keep moving forward toward the goals you've set together with Me, and keep trusting that I will supply all your needs according to My riches and according to My perfect will for you. ~ 25.The time is coming when a greater economic depression will hit the world, an even greater downturn in economic activity, because the Antichrist wants to consolidate as much power into his hands as he can. And one step toward doing that is a complete revamp of the financial system. 26.I'm not talking about the Mark of the Beast yet;I'm talking about the precursor to that,which is winding down the corrupt, inflated‚ empty financial system.—Winding it down closer to its true value, and the Antichrist grabbing as much power as possible during this wind-down. These are things which must come to pass, and I remind you of them so that you may watch for them, be aware of them when they happen, and see My words being fulfilled. Are there any practical steps we should take? 27.(Mama:)In some of these messages, the Lord talks about how to handle major investments or large amounts of money.Of course‚ neither He nor Peter and I are expecting that you have major amounts of money lying around, or that you would be making investments now. This is good, helpful counsel for any investments or assets you dohave, but the main reason we asked the Lord about these things is because this is helpful information to have as you prayerfully counsel your Active and General members or friends and relatives and others in the world who come to you seeking answers. The Lord might tell you differently on the spot according to your situation, but these are general commonsense principles that are helpful to review during this time of economic crisis. 28.The Lord said: "I'm giving you this specific counsel so that you can advise your friends what direction things are goingso that they'll be able to save as much as possible. They would also be wise to ask Me for the specific counsel I have for them and their situation and finances." ~ 29.Here are a few things you can do that will make a huge difference in your personal situation: 1) Pray! Pray for the world and the Family. Pray for great reaping and fruitfulness in your witness. Pray that those who are desperate will turn to Me. Pray for miraculous supply. Pray for those who are in positions of power, that they will make decisions that will allow the witness to continue to go out. Your prayers can do mighty things, and as you pray‚ I will change situations and work miracles. 2) Keep moving forward with the Offensive and what I have shown you, knowing that My Word is good and I will come through for you no matter what. 3) Build your faith by reading My Word and staying close to Me‚ so that you will have the faith to do miracles. 4) Witness and do your best to spread My Word during this time. 5) Ask Me if there are any measures that I want you to take regarding this financial situation and your country/location. Ask Me for My tailor-made counsel for your contacts, and others who are in need of direction, comfort, and understanding of what is taking place today. 6) Believe that I will take care of My Own as long as you are in the center of My will. ~ 30.The fact of the matter is that the entire worldwide financial system is bankrupt.The Devil has gotten it into this position‚ of course, so that he can pull the rug out from under whohe wants to whenhe wants to‚ in order to consolidate power into a lot fewer organizations that he will have ultimate control of. That's what's happening right now. 31.The wise thing to do now financially is to spread out your bets as much as possible on various currencies‚having some good hard currencies, as well as some local currency, as well as some gold, as well as the real tangible assets that you need in time of trouble. 32.Remember, the basic necessities of man are food, clothing, and shelter.These are things of real value to human life. Even though the value of real estate in the United States has gone down drastically, it doesn't mean that real estate doesn't have value, because even if it has devalued on the market, it has an intrinsic value of giving you a place to stay—as long as you own it and it's not mortgaged. ~ 33.The dollar is climbing now, but it will eventually lose most of its value against other currencies.When that begins to happen, if you're in a place where you have to use dollars or keep some of your funds in dollars, then it makes sense to keep a certain amount of those dollars to make your purchases. But if you have funds above your current or near-term financial needs, it would be wise to put them into another currency, or into gold, or even into silver. Or, invest in things of real value, such as equipment you'll need, food that you could store up, water that you could store. There are important things, things of real value that will come to the fore even more as time goes on and the economic system collapses—whether those stores are goods, food, gasoline, property, gold, silver, or other currencies. 34.The dollar is going to be greatly downsized.However, it will take a while, so you don't necessarily want to dump all of your dollars right now. Just be sure they're not all you're depending on, and get ready to make the transition into a new worldwide financial and economic system. 35.Even though Europe is getting hit hard right now, right in the stomach, they're going to survive.You already know that from what David and I have told you about the euro and about the nations of Europe gathering together and giving their power to the Beast. 36.So as far as your currency goes, have local currency, have some hard currency—that which is strong‚ relatively stable‚ and retains its value well where you are—and have some gold if you can afford it.Have a couple of hard currencies. Spread your funds between different banks, and between different investments if necessary. Make your financial foundation as diversified and strong as possible. 37.(Mama:)We asked the Lord if He could please give us more counsel on how we, and especially our friends, could know when it's the best time to switch any excess funds out of dollars,and He responded with the following: 38.(Jesus:)As I have said before, and as I repeated here, the long-term trend of the dollar is down.In fact, the long-term trend of everypaper currency is down, but the dollar is slated to meet its fate and dive into the depths sooner than some others, because it must reap the destruction that America has sown with it and through it. 39.The euro is based on national economies that will be more steady, stable, and enduring than that of the U.S. in the future.The dollar‚ on the other hand, has a shaky foundation, one which is based on debt and is eaten through with problems, but it enjoys a great measure of faith from investors. So for now the dollar is climbing in value and the euro is declining relative to it. 40.This condition will not last, however.The roles will be reversed again, as they were in the months leading up to this economic upheaval, and the dollar will begin to decline and the euro will begin to rise. When this happens‚ and it begins to take on momentum, then it would be a good and appropriate time for those who hold an abundance of dollars or who have invested in dollars to begin switching over to the euro—although much depends on the person and their situation, and naturally, My confirmation as to when is the wisest time to do so. 41.You ask how soon this time will come?It may come sooner than you think, for currencies can sink in value as swiftly as they rise. It could also take some time, for as I have said, much is undecided right now. At this point it is wise to avoid long-term investments in dollars‚ but above all, the wisest thing you can do, and the wisest advice you can give to your friends, is to nurture your link with Me so that you might hear from Me clearly. ~ 42.Stocks and financial markets are dangerous places to keep your money right now, because there is no intrinsic value in stocks and shares.I'm not saying to pull all of your money out of investments, stocks, and bonds, because some are going to make it. But you need to stick to the companies that have a solid basis of value—not necessarily a solid price on the stock market, but rather a solid basis as a company. 43.Look at the food companies, the energy companies, the alternative energy companies.Look at the oil companies. Look at the water companies. Look at companies or organizations that are based on things of real value and that have real assets. Don't necessarily look at the stock price; look at the fundamentals on which the company is organized and place your bets in that direction. 44.Look at the things that the AC would want to keep going.Look at the things that he'll want to preserve. Look at the areas of the world that he wants to promote. One thing you know: He wants to move the U.S. down, and he wants to move other countries up. 45.It's pretty much common sense, based on the fact that you know the worldwide financial system is going to change in the coming years. The world is being prepared for the Antichrist and a new worldwide financial infrastructure, and you need to look at where he's going if you want your present assets to survive. ~ 46.I recommend that you read through some of David's Letters about the economic system and what I showed him. The basic principles have been laid out by your faithful Father David, who covered this topic decades ago. Things haven't changed; it just took a lot longer than you figured it would to get here‚ that's all. All that he said is happening‚ and is happening right now in your day. So you can learn a lot from going back to some of that counsel and comparing it to how it's playing out today. ~ 47.It would be good if each Home evaluated whether they have what they need as far as supplies. I'm not suggesting that you go out and buy a year's worth of canned food, but it would be wise in most cases to have at least a couple of weeks' worth of basic necessities on hand (which you should rotate), so that if for some reason there are shortages, or you are unable to go out for a few days due to unrest or conflict in the streets‚ you will have what you need. Ask Me what this means for your Home and situation, as each area is different and I may lead you to take a different approach. 48.Look at your life the way it is, and perhaps scaled down to the way it might be if a sudden emergency were to hit your locale,and then get those things that you'll wish you had under those circumstances. Have batteries, have flashlights, have some way to cook and keep warm if necessary. 49.I'm not suggesting that you stop everything and spend your time building a refuge farm;it simply means in your particular situation, get what common sense tells you you'll need to have, or you'll wish you would have had if such a situation hits you.—And it will hit many parts of the world in this way‚ so be prepared! 50.Always remember, I love you and I care for My Own.So grab hold of My hand and let's keep moving forward! ~ 51.As far as what banks to keep your money in, you'll have to look at the situation in your area. If it becomes obvious to you that your bank is going to fail, then you'll need to consider transferring your money to a bank that is notgoing to fail, or pull your money out completely if that's what the situation warrants. 52.It's a matter of every country, every area, every Home looking at your particular situation in your corner of the world and deciphering how this crash is going to affect you. You're going to have to look at your situation and decide what to do, with the goal of putting your money somewhere that it's going to be safe and keep its value.That could be food, that could be survival, that could be real estate‚ that could be another bank‚ that could be another currency. You are the ones, My loves, who will have to decide. 53.I can't tell you how to handle each and every situation‚ because you are all in different situations,and that's why you have to look at your situation and then use the fundamentals and the principles that I and Father David have laid out for you for decades, and apply them to your situation. Ripe and ready for answers! 54.No one can live beyond their means forever.That is a fundamental fact and is something that everyone should know and understand, but it's a reality that most in the world did not see plainly until this crisis touched them personally. But they do now! This practice of living on borrowed money has been so far-reaching that it has extended from governments to business, from rich to poor, from state or provincial governments to local governments, from developed countries to lesser developed countries, and into all parts of society around the world. 55.There are many people who thought that they had secured their future, and now in an instant that security has vanished!Many have lost their savings, their pensions, their houses, and all of the things that they thought secured their future. They don't know where to turn and they are desperately looking for answers. ~ 56.The Enemy uses situations like this current economic crisis to gain control and suppress the people of the world‚ but I use these situations to reach people.When they have lost so much in their physical world and are wondering how they will be able to go on in life, that is when I can come into their life and show them a better way. I give them Myself to hold on to instead of money and the things of this world. 57.So look at this as a wonderful opportunity to reach the lost and hungry—the ones who wouldn't have given Me a second thought before, because they felt they had everything under control. Seek out those who are feeling lost, who are hungry and desperate, and give them My life-giving waters. 58.You have the truth and instant access to My answers,and best of all, you can teach them how to find that truth and receive those answers through connecting with Me personally. ~ 59.What do these major changes on the world scene mean for you, My Endtime children of David? It's not a coincidence that this has occurred in the first year of the Offensive. You are, at this moment in time, in a place where you can make the difference that I need you to make. 60.Many of you have been a little uncertain about how you were going to become the effective and well-known reapers of the End that I have promised.Well, just as the world is no longer the place that it was yesterday, even so has the trickle of interest in the Endtime turned into a flood. Yesterday there may have been just a few people interested in Endtime events, but today it is reality to many and the floodgates of interest have been opened! 61.You may think you don't know the answers to their questions‚ but you have access to tremendous truth! Even if you don't know the answers, you know where to find them.You know the basics. David saw and understood the truth of the Endtime economy many years ago and laid it out so plainly, and I have continued to give you insight over the years. Compared to those in the world, you are wealthy in understanding and insight. You have truth that can make a difference in their lives. ~ 62.I have always taken care of My Own, and always will, as you stay close to Me.I can keep you in the midst of anything and everything. Even if the world is a mess and in confusion, you can dwell in the secret place (Psalm 91). ~ 63.These economic changes won't affect you‚ the Family, nearly as much as they are affecting the rest of the world. You aren't mired in debt. You don't depend on mortgages and economic growth for your future. There may be a downturn in giving in some ways, but there will also be many new opportunities and interest in you and your work and the truth that you have. 64.I have promised you that the Offensive will change the world and that you are My world–changers, and this change on the world scene is yet one more way that I will cause you to have influence and spread the truth. The floodgates of interest have been opened, and this is your time to give the truth to all that ask of you—and even to those who don't ask! 65.Everyone wants answers, and you have them! There have been fundamental changes in the world around you, but the basic truths and facts of why it's changing and what it means have not changed. You've known those truths for a long time; you've been expecting this. 66.The world is looking for answers right now.So many people are desperate. Give them the answers! Give them the truth! Show them what is happening, what is yet to happen, and what they can do to ensure their future. Change the world! ~ 67.(Dad:)There are many more lost and needy out there today than there were a couple of months ago.There are those living in fear, working themselves into a frenzy, those dying because of fear, those trying hard to believe that it will get better soon. People are committing suicide; people are taking measures to protect themselves. The world is a mess. People need answers, and you have those answers in your hand to give them. 68.(Mama:)You've probably experienced how desperate people are for answers during this time.Following are excerpts of a few recent news articles on how some are looking to the Lord for the solace and solutions they need: Chaplains rush in to aid workers caught in market meltdown By Ashley Gipson, Religion News Service; Christine Kearney, Reuters As the market mayhem continues to rock Wall Street, dazed employees in the financial sector who have lost their faith in the economy are turning to religious leaders for guidance. "People who still have their jobs are asking, 'Am I next?’ They are much less certain of their place in their company and in the world," said Mary Ragan, a psychologist at the Psychotherapy and Spirituality Institute in New York. Reverend Mark Bozzuti-Jones of Trinity Church Wall Street said attendance was up. "People are just sitting there, praying or crying and definitely exhausted. There has definitely been an increase in the number of people who have come in‚" he said. Rabbis who have already been working with high-power executives on Wall Street held emergency sessions for executives and employees. "People came and expressed the feeling of stress that goes along with uncertainty," said Rabbi Henry Harris, who offers regular counseling to the financial sector. The turmoil in the markets has raised many questions about the ethics and morals of big business. Gil Stricklin, founder of Marketplace Chaplains USA, said business chaplains could have helped in this situation. "Even if the business executives don't believe in prayer, they want someone around them who believes in prayer and will pray for them," Stricklin said. More turn to prayers, church advice amid financial woes By Audrey Barrick, Christian Post With the British Chambers of Commerce reporting that the United Kingdom has already entered a recession and may face a prolonged downturn, many people are looking for divine intervention as they turn to prayers. The Church of England has seen higher traffic on its website in recent weeks, particularly on its "prayers for today" and debt advice sections. "Prayer for the Current Financial Situation," which asks God to "be a tower of strength" and to help people receive His "gift of peace‚" has received some 8,000 hits and has raised traffic to the church's site by 28 percent. The website offers guides‚ "common sense advice" and "helpful Bible quotations" to help people assess their personal financial situation and address their money problems along with stress. ~ 69.(Dad:)Have faith and put a lot of stock in the Lord's direction and guidance to youas a Home and as individuals. 70.(Mama:)Please don't worry, dear Family‚ if you feel that you still don't understand the technicalities of exactly what's happening. The Lord has given us good insight in these messages, but world economics can be complicated to understand, and we haven't gotten into all the intricacies here. 71. I want to encourage you again‚ however‚ to study up a little bit on this topic if you feel lost, so that you are prepared to give answers and comfort to those in the world, as the Lord leads you—and also so that you personally have a better understanding of what the events that are taking place today mean in relation to the Endtime and our future. 72. One thing is certain, we're living in exciting times, and we have the best guarantee in the world: our Husband's promise of care and leading‚ and also insight and revelation into what is happening, as we need it. 73. The Lord's financial plan works in famine and in plenty, in times of peace and in times of war, in times of clarity and in times of uncertainty.That plan says‚ "Give and it shall be given unto you" (Luke 6:38), and that doesn't just mean financial giving. It means giving of spiritual riches, giving of the Gospel, giving of the truth to those in search of it. This is crucial to your supply, protection, and well-being during this next stage: Keep giving, and it will be given unto you. 74.To you‚ dear loves, who are faithfully serving Jesus, who have stored your treasures in Heaven, He says, "Your foundation is sure. Continue to minister to My lost sheep, to the needy sheep of the world, because now is a time of crisis when many will turn to Me. And I will continue to care for and provide for you." 75.As a Family we are working for love and unselfishness, and our treasures are stored in Heaven. We are actually in one of the best positions of all‚ because our work and our livelihood is Jesus, and He is the spirit of giving, and the spirit of ministering. As we minister to others and meet their spiritual needs, they will sow unto us and meet our physical needs. It's a simple exchange; it's always worked that way, and it always will. We have nothing to fear. 76.Even now, as the Lord has promised, "those of you who have forsaken houses‚ or lands, or brothers, or sisters‚ or father‚ or mother, or wife, or children for My Name's sake,shall receive an hundredfold, and in the world to come, life eternal!"(Mat.19:29). That is His promise, and it is as good now as it was in the day that it was spoken. It is as solid as gold. "With the same measure that you mete withal, it shall be measured to you again." Good measure, pressed down, shaken together‚ and running over will we receive from our Heavenly Husband! There aren't many worldly companies that can promise 100-fold returns on your investment, let alone companies that actually make good on that promise regardless of world conditions. But that's the guarantee we have from Jesus, plus being paid in heavenly currency that never devalues and is good for eternity. It doesn't get much better than that.
With love and prayers for you and yours, |
