The financial story of 2008 so far is the oil and gold rush on the first trading day of 2008. Oil prices crested at $100 a barrel and gold prices rose above $850 an ounce for the first time since 1980.
Recent polls show the economy has overtaken foreign relations as the number one issue of concern for American voters in the upcoming presidential election. A chorus of economic gurus, including former Fed chairman Alan Greenspan, is now warning of the financial risks of both stagflation and recession in 2008.
With real estate and many stocks slumping, the question is: What investments are actually rising and will be most likely to continue rising in 2008? What’s an investor to do?
Swiss America CEO Craig Smith says, “The old saying used to be; ‘as sound as a dollar,’ but today it’s: ‘as soft as a dollar.’ The dollar has been the leading reserve currency for more than 60 years, but never in history has the guardian of the world’s reserve currency also been the world’s biggest debtor.”
“The U.S. is suffering from a chronic debt-addiction of monumental proportion. We’ve now amassed $900 billion in bad mortgage debt, $900 billion in weak consumer credit card debt and $9 trillion in government debt, just for starters,” continues Smith.
Smith contends that the housing market bubble of the last five years has now officially popped, leaving millions of Americans living on borrowed time and money. Having forgotten the lessons of the past, we’ve borrowed from the future in order to live beyond our means in the present.
It’s good and fine to listen to the financial pundits, and Smith comes with plenty of solid credentials. But what is the Spirit of God saying about the economy in America? There is no recession in the Kingdom and faithful, tithing Kingdom people need not fear recession because God is our source. Where others see loss, we will see opportunity — if we listen to the Spirit of God.He’s the best financial counselor the world has ever known.
What is God saying to you about stewarding your finances in 2008?
Looks like we are not doing too much with our own counry’s Alaskan oil. The corn gasoline, the ethanol, is not available all over our country yet. So this highly advanced and technical USA is heavily relying on foreign oil. And some reports are predicting that in 30 years there will be no more to discover ??? Concerning oil, gold and other commodities, the investor must surely pray in faith for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
It is true. Many Americans, including Christians, are caught up in chronic debt addition, have borrowed from the future, and are indeed living on borrowed time by living above their means. Some of us just have to have “THINGS”…all kinds of things, any kind of things…just as long as we have things to keep up with or surpass the Joneses.
A lot of times we display pride and begin to chase the almighty buck because of “greed” in order to get more things. We don’t put God first. We put these things first. Then, if we are not careful, they can become idols. I know we say that they are not, but many times our actions show that we treasure and worship our things either equal to God or more than we do God. But God said that He will not share His throne. And the Bible tells us that even Jesus is at His right hand. He wants no other gods before Him. We are to worship Him as the only true and wise God… not things…
The word tells us in Matt 6:19-33 that we should not lay up treasures for ourselves on earth where moth and rust destroy and the thieves break in and steal. But we should lay up treasures in heaven where they don’t do this. For where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also. He desires for us to have good eyes (seeing eyes, spiritually discerning eyes) which are filled with light, not bad eyes which are filled with great darkness. He says that we cannot serve two masters… God and mammon (money), for we will hate one and love the other… or be loyal to one and despise the other. And it is true. Look at us, we don’t think about God the way we are supposed to.
We get caught up in “worrying” about what we are going to eat and drink and what clothes we are going to wear, where we are going to live, etc. God says we have little faith when we worry. He says that we should not worry. We cannot change anything by worring… He knows everything that we need. All He wants us to do is seek Him and His kingdom of righteousness first, then He will add all other things unto us.
America was first founded because of religious freedom. The forefathers/pioneers were very serious about serving their God. That’s why they were willing to leave their familiar homeland and travel many, many miles to an unfamiliar and hostile territory, even risking their lives to be able to have the kind of true relationship with the Lord that they longed for. They gave up stuff and things so that they could try to worship God in spirit and in truth.
Now we’ve become this great melting pot. Heaven is no longer considered as, or has been forgotten as, the confirmed place where the streets are actually paved with gold. Noooo! it’s the USA! Many people have said that if they could only get to America, the land of opportunity, they will have reached heaven. They have heard that the streets are paved with gold there! So a great number of native-born citizens in the USA and many newcomers get obsessively involved in obtaining/possessing things, spending money, even money that they do not have or cannot afford to spend in order to have the riches of the earth from the resources in this great land of plenty. It’s wonderful to be able to have life and have it more abundantly, but when you fail to put God first in your life (and not just “put” Him first, but also “keep” Him first) and you go beyond your means and wind up in deep debt, that’s when you dig the hole that’s difficult to climb out of.
The people in America show every day, more and more, that they have forgotten God. They no longer have that pioneering spirit like the founding fathers to seek after God and give Him thanks for everything that He has blessed them with. It is He who has given them the power to get that wealth… and they have forgotten Him. And God is so longsuffering, patient, and kind that He has allowed this country to be spared up to this point… I believe it is not only because of His mercy, but it also has to do with the prayers of the righteous that He has stayed His hand. Like He has done many times in the past with the Israelites who had turned their backs on God, He has stretched out His loving hands to say, “Return to Me.” And most of the times, the only way they would hear Him was when disaster struck. Come on, America, consider your ways!
Apostle, you are correct in saying that there is no recession in the Kingdom and that the kings and priests need not fear it because God is truely our source and our provider. 2Chron 7:14 lets us know that we must humble ourselves and pray, seek God’s face, and turn from our wicked ways, “then” He will hear from heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land. There is some rough stuff happening in this economy of ours. I pray that more of us in this country will take note of this scripture before it’s too late.
However, even if they don’t want to heed God’s word, and I know that I cannot pray against their will, I know that the Holy Ghost knows how to get in touch; so I will still pray that their spiritual eyes and ears will soon be opened so that they can discern what’s going on. ‘Cause, I know that they see and hear the news, they go to work, and they live life everyday… they must see what’s going on around this nation; but they turn aside and continue to live like nothing is happening. Looks like they think that if they pretend hard enough, all of this bad news and these bad situations will just all of a sudden disappear… and they can then continue to buy things, all kinds of things, new things anything and get into more debt. But !!! they will still have kept up with the Joneses! They are proving that they do not fear the Lord, they don’t reverence Him, and they have no respect for Him.
Well, personally, I will try to continually humble myself before the Lord, pray for the guidance of the Holy Ghost regarding all things in my life, while standing steadfast in the faith of God, believing and not doubting at all with my whole heart that I will be shown favor in taking advantage of the open opportunities to learn, experience, and participate in some new things which I’m sure are going to arise during this time of ecomomic unrest in our nation in 2008. God help us all. Thank You, Father, for blessing us with all things and thank You for loading us up with all Your benefits. I give You praise and glory in Jesus’ name. Amen
Well, personally, I will
Dear sister Maggie, I strongly agree with everything you said. Without God, we have nothing. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He gives us everything we need. We just have to turn to Him in faith and ask and will receive. He is our Lord and Savior. Thanks Jesus for dying for us sinners. Lord have mercy and pity on your faithful children. God bless you Maggie and the whole world! Your brother in Christ Jesus, Don Mattos