Archive for December, 2010

What is “Good Money”?

Thursday, December 30th, 2010

Good money must have a number of unique characteristics.

(1) It must be durable, which is why we don’t use wheat or corn.
(2) It must be divisible, which is why we don’t use a Picasso painting or jade statues.
(3) It must be convenient, which is why we don’t use lead or copper or real estate.
(4) It must have value in itself, which is why we don’t use paper.
(5) It must be transportable, which means that large values must be contained in a small area (a gold coin weighing only one ounce can be worth far more than fifteen hundred dollars).
(6) It must have a long history of being accepted as a store of value. Gold was considered valuable as long as 5,000 years ago in the age of the Egyptians.
(7) It cannot "disappear" or be used up in manufacturing as is copper and even silver. Thus, the gold coin that you have in your hand may have been part of Cleopatra’s earrings centuries ago. Almost all the gold that has ever been discovered is still available in one form or another.
(8) It must not be the liability of any sovereign nation, nor should it require governmental law to make it money. For instance Gold requires capital, talent, risk, sweat and courage to recover or to accumulate.

Hmmm! That’s why gold just won’t go away.

Lunar Eclipse: A 356 Year Event

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

image 

The blood-red eclipse lasted 72 minutes and it was the first total lunar eclipse to occur on the day of the Winter Solstice since 1638.  See: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLE/5MCLE-Figs-09.pdf

This eclipse is precisely 21 days from my watch date of 1/11/11.  The wife and I set the alarm clock for 2AM and viewed the eclipse high above Bethany (where Jesus liked to hang out).  The high cirrus clouds did not impede our view, thankfully.  Known as the darkest day in our lifetime (the combination of the longest night and 72 minutes of an eclipsed moon), shouldn’t we expect more light (revelation) to come shortly?  Our Heavenly Father has used celestial events in the past to mark points in time.  Could this be one?

Dream of 12/19/10

Sunday, December 19th, 2010

I was awaken this morning by a dream and knew I had to write it down before the details escaped my memory:

I was in a building in a large hall of a congregation of about 2,000.  I was seated among the people and it appeared to be before a service.  There was another building next to us with a similar layout filled with people as well.  I could see them from where I was sitting.  There was a wide center aisle the separated the chairs as well another aisle in the midst thus creating four sections.  The hall was full and many people were seated but some were standing in the aisles talking to others.  Suddenly there appeared a man in the center aisle toward the front.  He wasn’t a large man but I knew immediately he was an angel.  He walked toward the front and touched a person about half way down his lower left leg.  The person fell down.  I was suddenly standing in the middle aisle watching the angel.  He walked by another person and touch that person at the same spot on the left leg.  That person fell.  He turned and looked at me and began walking toward me.  I raised my hands and spoke in other “tongues” and then began praising Our Heavenly Father.  The story of Jacob wrestling with the angel had come to mind and I was prepared to begin walking with a limp.  The angel seemed to smile and then touch the back of my left leg just above the knee joint just as he had done to the previous two people.  I prepared to fall but didn’t nor was I going to limp.  While my arms were lifted high, he raised his forefinger and twirled me around as though I was standing on a Lazy Susan.  My feet remained stationary, my body experienced no stress, and I did not feel his touch.  He then departed.  I knew that I had “passed the test”.  Suddenly I was at the front and had been asked to speak about what happened.  Initially, the hall was still full  of people.  I opened my Bible and was looking for Luke 13 to share with the people but the Bible’s primary version was Greek and made it difficult to find Luke 13.  I kept fumbling through the pages apologizing for the delay.  I looked up and now most of the people had gone to the other building and maybe 10% were still in this hall waiting for me to begin.  Seeing that I was having a problem finding the chapter I was looking for, a lady gave me her Bible.  I was still unable to find the Scripture to share with the people.  Her Bible had a similar problem.

I awoke from the dream and knew I had to record it to share.

Hyperinflation Ahead?

Wednesday, December 15th, 2010

John Williams’ website www.shadowstats.com provides an “apples to apples” comparison for historic government statistics.  Over the years, politicians have redefined inflation, the deficit, and any other statistic the market follows.  Why?  To improve the perception of the people that all is well.  I guess they think we are too stupid to comprehend the facts and respond prudently.  This website is all about serving mankind, not manipulating man for self serving motives.  Wouldn’t it be nice if politicians had this epiphany?  In the mean time, it would be prudent to stock up on non-perishable food items as you are led.  Buying a can of beans for 50 cents now versus 75 cents in twelve months is equivalent to a 50% return on investment.  Banks are not offering that kind of return!  Let the truth and facts speak for themselves.

 

Anticipation of Passover 2012

Wednesday, December 8th, 2010

On September 29th, 1999, we celebrated the 2000th birthday of Our Lord Jesus Christ as Port Austin, Michigan.  By all reckoning, this was THE date.  Contrary to popular belief, Jesus was born on the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), not December 25th.  However, it is reckoned that HE was conceived on Christmas eve.  A wealthy businessman placed an ad in USA Today to notify the world of this day of celebration at Port Austin.  A few hundred people attended the time of celebration and much prophetic work was done.  Unexpectedly during one teaching session, a person entered the building playing the bagpipe and blessed us with “Amazing Grace”.  Nobody knew this person and could not find the person afterwards.  Was it an angel?  That night the celebration concluded with a fireworks display and the smoke also formed an angelic being.  The celebration concluded without any physical manifestation of the conclusion of the “two day” prophetic time period, the pentecostal church age.  However, Jesus is the pattern son for the sons of GOD.  If we follow His chronological timeframe then the birthing of the “sons of GOD” took place on 9/29/99.  Just as the world did not recognize the importance of the birth of Jesus, it would also fail to acknowledge the birth of the many sons or the elect.

I’ve always been intrigued with the following Scripture:

Luke 2:40  And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Luke 2:41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.

Luke 2:42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.

Luke 2:43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not [of it].

Luke 2:44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among [their] kinsfolk and acquaintance.

Luke 2:45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.

Luke 2:46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

Luke 2:47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

Luke 2:48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

Luke 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?

Luke 2:50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

Luke 2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

There is virtually no mention of Jesus’ earlier years except for this passage when He was 12 1/2 years old.  Each year He attended the feasts with His parents but this year something else happened, He discussed the Law with those in authority and they were astonished by His knowledge, understanding, skill, and wisdom.  At the age of 12, every Jewish boy becomes “a son of the Law” in preparation of his bar mitzvah at the age of 13.  At this time, the boy either accepts or rejects the Law.  If he accepts the Law, he then becomes a son of the Law.

Whoever becomes Bar Mitzvah (son of the Commandment) has the responsibilities of an adult Jew under Jewish law. These include:

  • Moral responsibility for own actions
  • Eligibility to be called to read from the Torah.
  • May possess personal property
  • May be legally married according to Jewish law
  • Must follow the 613 laws of the Torah

If the elect follow this pattern, then we would expect to “accept” the Law at Passover, April 7th, 2012, and become “sons of The Law” at Rosh Hashanah.  We could then become legally acceptable as the “bride of Christ”.  May 27th,2012 celebrates the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai.  The Bar Mitzvah would occur on 9/17-9/18 of 2012, a “two day” day.  Could it be that at this time, the sons of GOD increase in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man?  Is this the transition the Mayans were predicting in their calendar?

Quantitative Easing 3 (QE3), (QE4), (QEx)

Monday, December 6th, 2010

In the pharmaceutical business, death is an “unintended outcome”.  What a polite expression!  Sanitizing events is done with positive and negative words.  In the political world it is called putting “spin” on the situation, spin the facts around to make a negative look like a positive.  This methodology is intended to sway the psychology of the masses into following the desired path of those in power.  It has generally worked in the past.  It is well known that the national media “sanitizes” the news to fit an agenda of the owners.  The term “politically correct” comes to mind.  Wikileaks upsets the status quo and paints a different picture of those in power.  When secrets are revealed, we now see the “character” of those involved.  It is interesting that attempts to hide the truth of any matter ultimately fails.  Ben Bernanke used his interview on "60 Minutes” to further the agenda of Quantitative Easing, or printing more money out of thin air.

What are the ramifications of quantitative easing?

Higher inflation, especially the essentials such as food and energy

Devaluation of you life savings, your dollars will buy less

Lowering interest rates, your life savings will not earn enough to support your retirement years

Allow big banks to continue their huge bonuses by giving them 0% loans to invest in 3% Treasury securities.  (Why can’t I get in on that lovin’?)

Risk of Hyper-inflation, Bernanke is in uncharted territory and there is no positive example that can guide him through this money printing efforts.

A meltdown in the Bond Market, if nobody buys U.S. debt, interest rates will rise rapidly and create serious losses.

Currency failure, history is sprinkled with similar attempts that have resulted in this outcome.  Are we smarter than all the historical figures of the past?

Gold & silver, energy, and food related investments provide the best “insurance” against loss of value if these rounds of quantitative easing continue to pump up the money supply.  Do not leverage yourself in these times.  Be safe.  Reduce your liabilities and monthly cash flow requirements.  Be nimble.

15.1 Million Unemployed

Sunday, December 5th, 2010

The most recent unemployment report set the rate at 9.8%, an understated number.  However, the stock market shrugged off this report because Ben Bernanke has promised to keep the market up.  How will he do this?  By printing as much money as is needed.  This is why gold and silver are moving into new highs.  As those of you who have been reading this site for some time, I have been preaching about hard assets and the need to protect yourself against the Fed’s loose money policy.  We are seeing the effects of this policy in the precious metals market.  Some sliver mining stocks were up notably this week.  The mining stocks are in “catch up” mode trailing the bullion prices.  These companies are generating huge amounts of cash and profit at these price levels and they appear to be at the early stages of this secular bull market.

Each of us probably has friends who are unemployed or underemployed, or we may unemployed as well.  The media continues to paint a rosy picture about the economy but it is not consistent with what we see at the local level.  Restaurant waiting lines are minimal versus two years ago.  Prices are soft for capital goods and houses.  Those flat screen TV’s are getting cheap.  However, the perceived wealth of the citizens of the U.S. is dwindling.  The equity in the home is shrinking on a monthly basis.  A million dollars in the bank will only yield up to $35,000 in a year versus $50,000 thirty-six months earlier.  Inflation is eating away the purchasing power of the retired.

For the past 60 years, the growth formula has included leveraging your future earnings in order to acquire an asset today.  Remember the 36 month new car loan?  It then went to 48, 60, and finally 72 months.  Unfortunately the buyer’s asset depreciated quicker than the loan balance.  I’ve known families who have been making perpetual car payments, unable to get out of the leverage spiral.  Dave Ramsey has built a business (or ministry) on counseling families in the area of debt reduction.  “Act your wage” is a great reminder that we should not buy what we can’t afford.

If you are out of debt and the stock market crashes, you will not lose sleep the next night.  But, if you are in debt and your future earnings may be at risk thus placing your house and cars at risk, then you can look forward to some sleepless nights.  For the last 30 years, I have been preaching that “cash is king” relative to personal money management.  During that time I have seen people suffer bankruptcy, businesses evaporate, and once wealthy people live in the past and in denial of the present.  Look in the closet and find those things you could not live without.  Were they really that important to your life?

“Relationships” is what life is all about.  It is not about your house, your car, your position in the community, your job, it is about blessing others.  Look around and see if there is someone hurting and in need.  Let the Love of Our Heavenly Father be seen in your face.  Give with an attitude of gratitude.