Economic whoas... let's pray for one another!

Well, right now, personally, we haven't really 'felt it' yet.

Actually, the price of petrol has gone down, which has helped the economy somewhat.

But, as we have heard on the news, this is going to be long term.

I keep thinking of the scripture in 1 Kings 17 about Elijah, how, during the drought and famine, the ravens fed him twice a day.

Also, the word of God tells us that the rain falls on the just and the unjust. Or, in other words, some will experience hard times and some will not, whether they are saved or not.

But, we would be wise to keep in prayer and to keep others in prayer, no matter our financial situation.

God bless.

Right now krispy I am looking at layoffs at the company I work for Lehman brothers and others have hurt us. I work for an insurance/investment firm I have been working with investment products for a while now and I saw all of this coming. But even in the middle of all of this mess I have a strange peace about it all. I know that God will provide and that he is sovereign and will take care of his people. I will pray for all of you I mean that. I will pray that God will give us all peace and that we be anchored in him and his word. God bless :-)

Thanks Krispy I really appreciate it dear friend.

Greetings

I will be praying for everyone who has posted as well. I know how difficult things are right now. Both my oldest son and my husband work in retail. Been praying for them as well as others because after Christmas everything will be slowing down even more then it is now.(for my son getting full work hours has been hard) We expect that there will be layoffs coming perhaps as soon as January. Just praying both husband and son have enough time and so forth not to loose their jobs.
Gas is down to $1.99 here, but propane for heating is still almost $3.00 a gallon. We are planning on wearing more sweaters on colder days:-)

The hardest thing for me in all of this is not to worry. I struggle with fear and worry at times about how things will work out. In my heart I know that I need to trust and have faith, God is in control not matter what I and I can walk with Him and not be afraid. I really do not want to give into this sin of fear/worry about this or anything else. I will pray for you and thank your for your prayers as well.

God Bless
MJ

It is getting harder for my family.

I just got out of a meeting at work. They told us our medical costs are going up.

Already, my wife & I have decided that we will need to end our children's music lessons. Which is sad, because they love playing for the Lord (my son plays the piano, 1st daughter plays the flute, and 2nd daughter just started the violin a couple months ago). Also, we don't eat out very much any more. We have six kids & my wife doesn't work because we homeschool our children. Food, utilities bills, & medical costs are hurting us.

But I have a lot to be thankful for. My job is pretty safe. Gas is down to about $1.70. We are all healthy.

[i][b]5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. 9 Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.[/b][/i] Proverbs 3:5-10

I am about to graduate with my B.A. degree in a month and I am trying really hard to trust in God and not allow my sinful worry overtake me. We have used student loans to help pay our rent for the last two years and now that I am no longer a student, I don't know how we are going to pay our rent, bills and my student loans, which will start in June. I currently have no prospect of promotion nor any different job opportunities that will be any more lucrative. I have no clue what we will do, but I need to trust that God will provide what we need, when we need it.

This last week I have been focusing on God's promise of never leaving nor forsaking us (as talked about in Joshua 1 and Pslam 1). If God is mighty enough to create all the universe, why do I worry about what I am going to do about my rent?

A challenge I have faced is that I do not know what it means to not worry. What does faith in God look like? Is it merely a mental struggle? Will I always find peace? If I do not have peace does it mean I am still worried or holding on?

3More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:3-5

I am striving to find comfort from scripture. I pray that you all would too.

Greetings

We are a homeschooling family as well. I do not work, my husband does. I am thankful though my son who still lives with us helps out with living expenses.(To expensive for him to work and take college classes and live on his own)

I think striving is a really good way to describe what I have been doing. When I feel over whelmed with the economic news(have had to just not read any for a while now) I turn to the Lord and keep my focus on Him. In the end I know if I lost everything but still had Him then I would still be better off then the richest person in the world.

Thanks for creating this thread its has really helped to know that I am not the only one in this.

God Bless
MJ

Two things I might add to this conversation.

1) Realize it is human nature to want to know the future, and as a result prognostication is going to big business both in the church and out of the church. Predictions of the future, whether by pundits or prophets can become idols that replace faith in God. Especially you men; protect your families from the growing onslaught of predictors as best you can by keeping your family rooted in the Word of God alone.

2) As a practical strategy; don't forget the barter. Goods and labor still retain their intrinsic value even if money wobbles.

Blessings,

MC

It is my prayer that this will give you all good reason to rejoice.

I believe the man wrote this around WWII but was ahead of his time.

http://www.mun.ca/rels/hrollmann/restmov/texts/dasc/TNOM203.HTM#Sec7

THE PREDICTED END OF CAPITALISM

by "Philip Mauro (1859-1952)

In James v. 1-8, we have a passage of Scripture which wonderfully illuminates the present stage of Industrialism. That this passage relates to the end-times is certain, because it is specifically addressed to those who have heaped up treasure "in the last days," (this is the literal rendering of ver. 3). [b]Moreover, the counsel it gives to the "brethren," whose endurance was to be tested by the accumulation of these fortunes, is to wait patiently "until the coming of the Lord." This is a plain intimation that, when the period of swollen fortunes should arrive, then "the coming of the Lord draweth nigh" (ver. 8), so near, indeed, that they who suffer by reason of these evil conditions need formulate no plans for their own relief. The Lord's coming will bring deliverance to them before they can accomplish anything for themselves.[/b]
. . . . . . . .
The result is that the "business world," after a long period of "prosperity," is one day awakened suddenly, to the fact that there is a glut of commodities on hand; the disappearance of profits frightens the manufacturers into a sharp curtailment of output; the banks, knowing from bitter experience what is about to happen, refuse to lend money, since no "interest" can be paid them by borrowers unless profits are first earned; and thus a "panic" is brought about. Of course, the capitalist must cease making goods when there is no profit in making them; and thereupon, quite naturally, he discharges workmen and reduces wages, until the surplus stocks of goods on the market are disposed of in some manner. This brings about one of the financial and industrial panics, and the periods (more or less prolonged and severe) of business depression which follow them, and which, in every manufacturing centre, are marked by the presence of large numbers of workmen unable to secure employment, and for whom indeed there is none.
_______________________

Rv:3:11: Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Rv:22:7: Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Rv:22:12: And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Rv:22:20: He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Can anyone give me (us) a suggestion to a sermon(s) on this website (Sermon Index) to listen to for encouragement & building up of one's faith during these trying times?

Thanks!

LoveGodsWay2 wrote:
Can anyone give me (us) a suggestion to a sermon(s) on this website (Sermon Index) to listen to for encouragement & building up of one's faith during these trying times?

Thanks!

I did not know this post would be here, but I knew the thought I had from my time with God this morning was to be conveyed in this thread. It seems even more appropriate than I thought in light of the post I have quoted.

When hardship comes in waves, satan's intent in it is to steal, kill and distroy. But the same wave's that he means for our distruction, if we get under them, will transport us to see God's glory if we remain on top of them.

They are coming in on us like a flood. It is tempting to listen to satan's threats. In stead, we look to God. I don't mean a little 15 minute prayer. But hours with God until He gives you His take on the situation. You will be amazed as God speaks, and He will if you do not give up, at how He is able to lift you to the top of the wave.

After these thoughts, this verse came to mind.

"When the enemy comes in like a flood" Isaiah 59:19

It is a good passage to read. It begins verses earlier, when it states that there was no intercessor. Because there was no intercessor, God Himself raised up a standard to guard against the enemy. Let it not be said of us that there was no intercessor. Let us intercede on our own and own the behalf of others as we face the hardships and 'whoas' associated with these ecomomic hard times.

For anybody who might have the stomach for it, I highly commend to you the radio programming of Glenn Beck. Since I am not able to listen to the show while at work, I subscribe as an "insider" and listen to it in the evenings. Though, for free you are able to read the main portions of his shows transcripts. Beck, though a bit "gloom and doom" I personally find very sobering. The logic of his arguments about the things we can likely expect are simple yet rock solid.

Though, since he is a Mormon, take what he says with a grain of salt. Some of his outlooks are simply grounded in Mormon theology (namely, his hope that America will rise from its ashes and restore the constitution [through Mormon leadership]... which is official Mormon eschatology), though, he never tells his listeners this.

However, his analysis of the economic situation seems to be divorced from any Mormon theology, and is based simply on the simple state of our union. Whether or not we recover from the economic fallout our country (and the world) is getting ready to experience is yet to be seen. Simply put, those stock brokers who tell you the economy is going to recover sometime after 2010 seem quite deceived. They've bought into a mentality that says "the stock market must always eventually go back up." Such is a financial doctrine that, historically speaking, has been right so long as America has existed. But as any stock prospectus (and the Scriptures) remind us, past earnings do not guarantee future earnings. Of course, there is always somebody out there making money and that will make money (notice how in Revelation, Babylon has rich merchants up until the moment of its final overthrow).

But, as the Scriptures remind us, everything that can be shaken will be shaken. There is no guarantee for tomorrow. The American dream is nothing more than that, a mere dream, and is gone the second you are awaken with a jolt. Even though I believe we should dramatically cut our spending as much as possible, pay off our debts as best we can, and save as much as possible for the crisis that is getting ready to come upon us (remember how Joseph saved in anticipation of the 7 years of famine), ultimately, we must not rely on those things to survive the things that are coming upon the Earth.

Hab 2:4 reminds us "the just shall live by faith." That's more than some mere doctrinal statement that tells us how to get saved. That was literally an issue of life and death for the remnant of God, who lived in Jerusalem at the time Babylon laid siege to the city for 2 years, reducing many within to cannibalism. Preparation and such is good for the times that are before us, but, ultimately, we must cast ourselves upon the Lord and radically rely on Him for the times that are ahead. Get rooted and grounded in the faith as quickly as you can. For if you cannot do it now, you will not be able to do it then.

I'd encourage any who need some sober words of encouragement, check out my blog. I've been writing some on these issues in recent months. Browse the archives, and be encouraged.