Dear…
‘According as to His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue.’
2 Peter 1:3
Much of the Western world is in recession, while large parts of Asia is experiencing rising inflation.
But when the two meet, will the world metamorphosize into stagflation, a dragon the still very much alive Paul Volcker slay as Federal Reserve Chairman back in the early 1980s, before the color green of envy and unfettered greed, spanned across much of the global economy. Of course, now we know ex super hero Alan Greenspan might really be at subpar or subprime even at his prime then.
Is this stagflation scenario a bridge too far to cross given the very determined efforts by major governments to keep interest rates low, literally robbing “Peter”(as in depositors) to fund “Paul”(as in the borrowers).
Man plans, God directs. And in old school economic theory, we all learn that price controls(in this case the cost of capital) by governments will create unreal situations like now, that can be excruciating on the rebound once that artificial hand is lifted.
Is the rising prices of food the prelude to the real sleeper, the present static prices of crude oil, the devil’s brew that is simmering, just like the present geopolitics of the Middle East, waiting for a trigger to boil over? It is interesting that while much of the Israelite defense general staff is in internal turmoil, its arch nemesis Iran is fast tracking their offensive capabilities and America is increasingly haunted by a President that seems to be vacillating, a behavioral characteristic that can emit the wrong green light for sowers of troubles to proceed.
‘These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast….and the waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteh, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore(that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth)……For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled…’
Revelation 17:13-18
The mark of the beast. The prophecy of a world that one can only transact and make a living in if one carry the mark of the devil. Many books and attempts have been made to try to identify what constitute that mark, and in our present technologically wired world, most are inclined to believe that it will be an embedded computer chip in our flesh.
But is not the mark of the beast already with us? God looks at our hearts, and are we living out the fruits of the Spirit or in reality, in our desire to be in this world, are many of us living a life that is more aligned with what the devil desires, be it pride, selfishness, anger, impatience, greed and the whole litany of non virtues that form the behavioral DNA of animals? What many perceive to be emotional behaviors are the very manifestations of the fallen angels!!
‘No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.’
Matthew 6:24
Can we survive in this world, but be not of this world? Human sinfulness just like natural disasters are part and parcel of our fallen world. The difference as climatologists are saying, is the intensity and regularity is unprecedented. What about the world we live in today, in terms of acceptable values? Increasingly in the corporate world, to live a life that honors God is near impossible, on our own strength, for to do so would mean not just lost opportunities, but possibly an early career demise.
‘Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s
Matthew 22:21
The days of fine balancing secular career and spiritual life just got tipped over. The US subprime crisis or the European Greek crisis are just the latest manifestations of the ills of the “me first” godless generation.”
And this attitude is now making inroads into the rest of the world. There is a race by the devil and its’ cohorts to shred and snuff out all semblance of good human values, much as the godly seeks to share the gospel of salvation to all before Christ returns.
Does it mean that one must withdraw from the world, and go into full time ministry or lived off one’s savings, in order to be out of the Babylonian system? I believe not, for God wants the faithful to stay engage with the world, to point the harvests to God our Sower.
Is Revelations 17:13-18 bring fulfilled by what is happening in the European Union? Is it possible that the Europeans will eventually move from economic to full political union, with all rights divested in exchange for a continuation of the great lifestyle that many have taken as a birth right, not realizing that they no longer can live off the largess of their colonial past?
And would not the same apply to the greater global economy which is going through the throes of a new global order, that would see the atheist countries like Russia and China take greater prominence in global institutions in exchange for a continued supply of dollars to the hopelessly indebted once God fearing Protestant British and American Empires?
‘Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.’
Matthew 24:44
In the End Times intensified that we are in today, the time has come for those who professed to love God to live out their faith. Can there be a parallel economy, one that works on Godly principles that will allow the faithful to “seek God first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you..’(Matthew 6:33)?
‘Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.’
Matthew 7:21
I believe it was the famous author Rudyard Kipling( of “Jungle Book”) who coined the phrase, East is East, and West is West, and the twain shall never meet. And just in case some of you was wondering if “twain” was more than a figurative word, most will have heard of “Mark Twain” author of great classics like “Tom Sawyer” But a less known fact is that Mark Twain loved the Island of Mauritius and called it “the model upon which Heaven replicated.” And indeed if one look at the sheer beauty of its geography, it is a beautiful land, though the soft side is not as pretty, for that is where the “dodo bird” was shot out to extinction by the colonizers from the West and many an African slave lived in misery after being napped to work on the many sugar plantations on this island. But just forty-five minutes away by air, lies the French concession of Reunion Island, a rugged land of dark hellish waters compared to the clear blue waters of Mauritius, a sharp contrast in geography, yet a wealthy land by virtue of the generosity of its French masters compared to the independent nation of Mauritius. Sharp contrast these two lands might seem, but are they not representative of the diverse yet equally carnal and sinful desires of men and should men continue on the same road to eternal damnation or start to walk the straight and narrow path that God has long laid for us and that road is how we live our lives now, not when we retire or have enough provisions to be not of the world?
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(27th Aug 10)
How does God guide?
‘Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’
The peace of heart from the conviction of the Spirit of God residing in those who believe is one key specific guidance that God provides in our decision making. And in this increasingly unsettled world that we live in, many of us who are desirous of making the right decision at every fork road of life are often unsure if we heard God right? But is it not because we are looking ten steps ahead, when the light of God will only shine on the next small step, in the darkness of this world?
God does give other specific guidance like vision, dreams, deep impressions on the heart, affirmation through His word, people or circumstances. And guidance from God will usually be a combination of some if not all of the above, suffice for us to know it is truly from His will.
'I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in right paths....'
Proverbs 4:11
But often, we err not because we heard God incorrectly, but rather, obedience will mean a result contrary to what we desire based on our finite and sinful understanding. To trust God, we must know Him, and our spirit must be align with His, always in communion. Before we can even discern the specific instructions of God, we must be able to know His general instructions. And what are these, but the commands of God, the fruits of the Spirit and all the virtues that God has taught in His Word. We need to soak our very being always in God’s presence, in His word, in prayers and praise and in His work. Then can we, even without God telling us specifically, know what we must do in our daily living, which is,
‘Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do. And the God of peace shall be with you.’
Philippians 4:8-8
In a nutshell, in all decisions, the principle should be
- Do what honors God
- Put the interest of others before yourself
'See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.'
1 Thessalonians 1:15
- Be thankful in all situations, for thankfulness allow us to witness the hands of God at work in our lives and that of others.
‘…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.’
Philippians 4:11
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