When natural disasters loom it is important to remember the words that God inspired:
"... The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."' - James 5:16
Please join us in praying for those that will be affected by Irene."
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An Important 40th Anniversary to Ponder
Posted August 18, 2011"Just over 40 years ago the United States government decided to go off the gold standard, U.S. dollars no longer being backed up by their value in gold. Four decades later we are feeling the economic crunch that comes from unwise financial practices. Jesus Christ's coming rule on earth represents the only real solution.
Source: Photos.com
"God uses the number 40 quite often—it often designates a time of testing. It is mentioned 146 times in the Bible. Examples in the Bible are frequent: The Israelites were 40 years in the wilderness; Jesus and others fasted for 40 days; and Jonah:3:4And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. shows that God warned Nineveh for 40 days. So what is this anniversary?
On August 15, 1971, President Richard Nixon announced that the United States would no longer convert U.S. dollars to gold. Gold and silver certificate money, which only we older citizens can remember, were then replaced with government-issued coupons with no expiration dates. For the first time since the Civil War, our money had no real value and could be valued based on what traders thought its value might be. It is now known as "fiat money," which is based on confidence in the issuing government.
Gold replaced by printed money
Why was this done? The obvious reason was that the treasury was broke and owed far more in issued money than we had gold in reserve. The surface reason was spending for the war in Vietnam, which had gone on for eight years to no avail, but at a huge expense in money and lost lives. "Great Society" entitlement programs were also beginning to take their toll.
Since money could now be made out of paper and ink, restraints on spending almost disappeared. Unfortunately many politicians pass it out by the bucketful to their supporters so that they can keep getting elected. The result: The amount of money has mushroomed. The national debt in 1971 was $378 billion. 40 years later it is $16 trillion on the surface, and four or five times that in unfunded obligations.
It is obvious that we cannot ever repay this debt and looking unlikely that we'll ever recover from the mess. The collapse of our financial system is predicted now by many experts.
An uncertain future
Is this significant? Within a few days of this anniversary date, the rating agency S&P cut the U.S. government debt rating from AAA to AA+ with a negative outlook, the first time in modern history that one of the three main ratings firms has stripped the U.S. of its triple A status.
This move puts the rating of the world's biggest economy below Liechtenstein and more than a dozen other countries, and on par with Belgium and New Zealand.
Our founding fathers pledged to sacrifice their "lives, fortunes, and sacred honor" in order to create a better future for their children, grandchildren and future generations.
Our recent leaders in many nations have done just the opposite: They are sacrificing the prosperity of future generations in order to have what they want for themselves. Abandoning the financial and honesty principles in God's Word has cost us dearly.
The oncoming financial train wreck is beyond the control of any of us individually. So what can we do? Since we know what the Bible says about the fragility of the world economy, we should prepare ourselves and our families for economic hardship. Plan wisely and save for the rainy days ahead.
God's Kingdom to bring true prosperity
Consider what else Jesus Christ said about money in the Sermon on the Mount: Matthew:6:19-20: ([19]Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:[20]But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
When Jesus Christ returns, He will fix all of the problems mankind has caused for itself—including economic problems. We should try to live today as He did in His physical existence; He knew that material riches are temporary at best, but having spiritual treasure would endure. Strive for the treasure that will last forever!
If you would like to read more about what the Bible says about proper financial management, please read our free booklet Managing Your Finances today."
From: http://www.ucg.org/commentary/important-40th-anniversary-ponder/
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Who's Responsible for This Mess?
"If we make wrong choices, foolish choices, it won't help to look for someone to blame. The only way out is to accept responsibility for the choices we each make and the results of those choices."
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Time and Chance
"Most people will agree that the circumstances of time and chance happen to every person.
The Bible also makes that clear (Ecclesiastes 9:11). People who have a strong belief in God sometimes seem to think that they should somehow be exempt from this normal state of affairs. Somehow it seems unfair to them that even the wicked should have good things occur in their lives.
Jesus told us that rain falls on the just and unjust and the sun shines on the good as well as the evil people (Matthew 5:45). There is nothing that God cannot do, but as a loving Father and wonderful Creator, He knows the boundaries of what He should and should not do. When Jesus said, "Thy will be done," He drew no boundaries. His life was according to the will of God.
The sooner we accept the truth that time and chance can happen to us all, the sooner we will take steps to avoid the bad things that time and chance can bring. We will be far more blessed with good things than hurt by bad things. Maximize the good and minimize the bad. That is a good plan, showing wisdom and trust in our Father."
http://www.ucg.org/this-is-the-way/time-and-chance/
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Posted July 30, 2010, Over a year ago:
In Brief... World News Review: Drought Threat Looms Large Over North America
"NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, is predicting continued drought in virtually every Western state of the United States and in many of the states on the High Plains.
NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, is predicting continued drought in virtually every Western state of the United States and in many of the states on the High Plains. Additionally, summer forecasts predict drier-than-average conditions for the Pacific Northwest, likely meaning drought for Washington and parts of Oregon.
Western Canada also labors under an extended drought. British Columbia is looking down the barrel of the worst drought since the Great Depression. Accumulated precipitation for lake levels in the province were close to the lowest figures of the 1920s. And the huge Okanagan Lake is as low as it was in the early 1900s.
During the time of great expansion into the American West, little thought was given to there not being enough water to meet the needs of the burgeoning population. To be sure, there were contentions over sharing water, but all thought there was enough to go around. In 1922, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming signed the Colorado River Compact, designed to share the water of the system proportionally. Along with a subsequent treaty with Mexico, it required the availability of 8.23 million acre-feet of water annually.
Any damming of the river was not to interfere with this figure, calculated by hydrologists at the time. But they miscalculated—greatly overestimating the water available in the system by more than double. In 1956, Congress authorized building the massive Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River, just above Lees Ferry, the halfway point between the Upper and Lower Basin regions.
The dam, which took as much concrete as it would take to build a four-lane highway from Phoenix, Arizona, to Chicago, Illinois, created the second-largest man-made lake (behind Lake Mead, also on the Colorado system) in the country, Lake Powell. The Colorado River Compact required the dam to release 8.23 million acre-feet of water a year, based upon the theory that the snow melt and tributary collections would deliver that much to Lake Powell.
In reality, the lake received less than half of that amount in most years, so it released over twice what it took in. That worked for many years, as long as the states did not use their allotments. But now, all the states on the system are demanding their full allotments and Lake Powell cannot meet the demands. It has dropped to 40 percent of its top capacity, exposing cliffs 10 stories high.
Congress may soon have to step in to resolve the growing "water war"—legal wrangling over distribution rights. An imposed federal solution isn't likely to leave any party happy.
The American West grew more in the past 20 years than ever before, but those were wet years, part of what turns out to be an unusual wet cycle. Comparing those 20 years to the last 800 years, scientists tell us that the wet cycle was a fluke. The climate patterns of the West typically feature extended drought conditions, punctuated by rare wet periods. So the abundance of rainfall during the 20th-century development of the West was an anomaly, rather than the rule.
Tree ring studies enable scientists to analyze the water patterns as far back as A.D. 900. Looking at dry versus wet years between 900 and 1300, research reveals that only a few times did water levels come anywhere near what they were in the 20th century.
In other words, the drought now hitting the West is actually the norm; the wet period was abnormal."
Article by Cecil Maranville, Darris McNeely From: http://www.ucg.org/news-and-prophecy/brief-world-news-review-drought-threat-looms-large-over-north-america/
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THE LORD'S PRAYER - Rather cleverly done. This is in two parts,
The prayer ( in regular type) and GOD (in bold italic type ) in response.
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"Our Father Who Art In Heaven.
Yes? Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.
But -- you called ME! Called you? No, I didn't call you.. I'm praying. Our Father who art in Heaven.
There -- you did it again! Did what?
Called ME. You said, "Our Father who art in Heaven" Well, here I am.. What's on your mind? But I didn't mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the Lord's Prayer.
It makes me feel good, Kind of like fulfilling a duty.
Well, all right. Go on. Okay, Hallowed be thy name .
Hold it right there. What do you mean by that? By what?
By "Hallowed be thy name"? It means, it means .. . Good grief, I don't know what it means. How in the world should I know? It's just a part of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?
It means honored, holy, wonderful. Hey, that makes sense.. I never thought about what 'hallowed' meant before. Thanks. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in Heaven.
Do you really mean that? Sure, why not?
What are you doing about it? Doing? Why, nothing, I guess. I just think it would be kind of neat if You got control, of everything down here like You have up There. We're kinda in a mess down here you know.
Yes, I know; But, have I got control of you? Well, I go to church..
That isn't what I asked you. What about your bad temper? You've really got a problem there, you know.
And then there's the way you spend your money -- all on yourself. And what about the kind of books you read ? Now hold on just a minute! Stop picking on me! I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at church!
Excuse ME.. I thought you were praying for My Will to be done.. If that is to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it. Like you -- for example .... Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I could probably name some others.
So could I. I haven't thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to cut out some of those things. I would like to, you know, be really free.
Good. Now we're getting somewhere. We'll work together -- You and ME. I'm proud of you. Look, Lord, if you don't mind, I need to finish up here. This is taking a lot longer than it usually does. Give us this day, our daily bread.
You need to cut out the bread.. You're overweight as it is. Hey, wait a minute! What is this? Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups.
Praying is a dangerous thing. You just might get what you ask for. Remember, you called ME -- and here I am.
It's too late to stop now. Keep praying. ( pause .. . ) Well, go on. I'm scared to.
Scared? Of what? I know what you'll say.
Try ME. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
What about Karen? See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up! Why, Lord, she's told lies about me, spread stories. She never paid back the money she owes me.. I've sworn to get even with her!
But -- your prayer -- What about your prayer? I didn't -- mean it..
Well, at least you're honest. But, it's quite a load carrying around isn't it? Yes
You know how unhappy you are -- Well, I can change that. You can? How?
Forgive Karen. Then, I'll forgive you; And the hate and the sin, will be Karen's problem -- not yours. You will have settled the problem as far as you are concerned. Oh, you know, you're right. You always are. And more than I want revenge, I want to be right with You . . (sigh). All right, all right . . I forgive her.
There now! Wonderful! How do you feel? Hmmmm. Well, not bad. Not bad at all! In fact, I feel pretty great! You know, I don't think I'll go to bed uptight tonight.
I haven't been getting much rest, you know.
Yeah, I know. But, you're not through with your prayer, are you? Go on. Oh, all right. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Good! Good! I'll do that. Just don't put yourself in a place where you can be tempted. What do you mean by that?
You know what I mean. Yeah. I know..
Okay.
Go ahead. Finish your prayer. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Do you know what would bring me glory? What would really make me happy? No, but I'd like to know. I want to please you now... I've really made a mess of things. I want to truly behave like Christ,
I can see now how great that would be. So, tell me .. . . How do I make you happy?
YOU just did".
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Yesterday:
Was a day of rest for everyone. Just did the normal routine of taking care of my critters, and chores around the house.
As it isn't so hot and humid early in the mornings, the doors and windows can be open with fresh air going through the house. The foster cats can be on the screen porch for a couple of hours. The kittens are in awe, they didn't realize that there is a great big world out there. Then it gets humid and the house has to be closed up again.
Not much one wants to do outside, as we are still having such hot days.
1 comment:
It was 72 degrees here at my place this morning. Hard to believe that it is suppose to go up to 108 today, that is a 36 degree change in temperature.
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