Bro. Andrew's been busy ... This is the 4th. e-mail today ... Some food (or should i say oil) for thought ..."OIL SHOCKS in the USA?"-by Andrew Strom.On Monday I returned from a third-world country namedSouthern Mississippi. -At least, that is how it felt down there - like a 3rd world country had come to America. It gave a chilling preview of what life here could be like if just a few of the luxuries we take for granted were disrupted. -The primary one of course being OIL or GASOLINE. The United States is terribly vulnerable to any kind of severe Oil Shock. And I want to describe to you what happens when even a rich state loses its access to basics like electricity, transport and gas.I believe that these two hurricanes have played out before oureyes the fragility of a system that is so utterly reliant on oil. Those semi-trucks that we see roaring down the highways everyday - they are like a lifeline to this country. If they stop delivering supplies to the stores and supermarkets for even a few days or a week, then the whole system will fall over. It is the same with the electrical grid. It too is heavily reliant on oil for power generation. And all of our communications, computers, lights, businesses, appliances, TVs, radios, etc - all need electricity to run. It gives me the chills to see how easily America could be shut down. A civilized nation at the height of her powers - utterly reliant on a black liquid, mostly imported from the volatile Middle East. -Unbelievable.What happens when the gas stations run dry? -We saw this inTexas. People are trapped. They get stuck on the highways,unable to get out. And when basic transportation fails, thenbusiness fails also. Without regular supplies by truck, mostbusinesses would fall apart within a week. All it took was ONEemergency, and the system could not cope. What happens ifthere are MANY emergencies all over the nation?When I first got to Southern Mississippi in the wake of HurricaneKatrina, it did not take me long to realize what a basic issue thiswas down there. I remember talking to a lady who was workinggutting out ruined homes. She told me that she was UNABLEto leave the area - even though she wanted to. Her car had filledwith water during the storm - and would never run again. Herbank (if she had any money in it) was closed - in fact, no businesseswere open at all in the entire area. All the gas stations were eitherwrecked or shut down. She was working so she could save up some money to get out. -And there were MANY people in thiskind of situation. A neighbor up the road from our base lost THREE CARS that are now parked useless across the street - they had been submerged and would not run. And thus, people get TRAPPED.When people lose "civilized" transport, they have only one option.-They turn to "Third World" transportation. You see them walkingeverywhere on foot, or riding bicycles. And this is exactly whathappened.It is the same with electrical appliances. Our home base in Mississippi had been flooded with water 5 feet deep. There is stilla 5-foot water-mark in all the rooms. The place was full of mud when we arrived. There was water sloshing around in the oven. The washing machine made funny "sparking" noises - full ofwater. The electricity was off and the generator was little help.So what do you do? -You return to "Third World" ways. Youwash your clothes by hand in the tub or in a bucket. You cookwith a portable gas stove. You sit around at night talking in thedark - or with some kind of lantern. There are no televisions, noDVD's or stereos (blessed peace!) There is no hot water, no airconditioning, nothing. It is just like being in a 3rd world country. There is little of "modern civilization" left.In fact, like a lot of people we even slept outdoors for awhile. Many people slept in tents because their house was unliveable. We slept in a park across the street - joining some others that we had metthere. The mosquitoes were terrible, but it was OK. So let me summarize this "Third World" American scenario for you. Without gasoline, electricity or transportation, you lose just abouteverything. I can tell you this for a fact, because I have seen it.You return to the status of a peasant with a bicycle. None ofyour modern conveniences will work. Nothing at all. If the gasolineis gone, you cannot even charge your cellphone in the car. And notice that all it takes to make this scenario happen is LOSING THE OIL. Every one of our modern conveniences is ultimately reliant on that one commodity. Makes you think, does it not?So are you ready for your REAL "Oil Shock", America?I am convinced that God was bringing a wake-up call to thisnation through the recent hurricanes. You will notice that BOTHhurricanes targeted three basic things. Sin and hedonism hadeverything to do with it. In both hurricanes, the CASINOS and also "SIN CITY" itself - New Orleans - took a major hit. (Katrina wiped out the Casinos on one side and Rita wiped out those on the other). Surely this cannot be mere coincidence? And both hurricanes filled New Orleans with water. It really was staggering. Surely God was saying something through this?But the third thing we have to take note of is that both hurricanestargeted the OIL - and showed up the terrible fragility that theUnited States has in this area. It does not bode well for the futureif America fails to heed these wake-up calls. She is terribly vulnerable in this area - far more fragile than we have seen in thepast. And God is looking for this nation to REPENT of herhedonism, her materialism and her "worship of pleasures" beforemuch worse comes upon her. This was clearly the message ofthe hurricanes, to my mind. God was showing how easily Americacan be "taken out". Do you think this message will be heeded?[This issue is being discussed at- http://www.revivalschool.com ]God bless you all.Kindest regards in Christ,Andrew Strom.
