There is life after Mystery Babylon:
Iceland Update
January 29th, 2013America, Repent!
January 27th, 2013
The Mind of Christ
January 25th, 2013The Pursuit of Spiritual Wisdom is one requirement of aspiring overcomers. The Apostle Paul was well aware of the need for wisdom from Above. After all, he had pursued man’s wisdom which had led him as a young man to pursue a life of persecuting Christians. Today we look around at man’s wisdom and see we are in a serious mess. Paul brings up this topic in 1 Corinthians Chapter 2:
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Here we have an Old Testament Scholar who admitted he knew nothing except “Jesus Christ and Him crucified”. Paul had to throw away all of his previous doctrine and start over. Each of us must ask the same question: What doctrine am I holding on to that prevents me from receiving the Mind of Christ, the Wisdom from Above? Paul continues:
3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Here, Paul differentiates man’s wisdom from the Power of GOD. Later in this letter Paul is going to mention the nine manifestations of the Holy Spirit, all of these representing certain out workings of the Power of GOD. Each of these manifestations is motivated by Divine Intent and for us to properly operate in these manifestations, we must take on the Mind of Christ. Where is your faith? In man’s persuasive words that support his worldly view?
6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
Paul is a fruit inspector. He makes an assessment of those who speak with worldly wisdom and finds their wisdom “coming to nothing”. Worldly wisdom can be hard to inspect for it is very subtle in its intent to take your focus away from your gifts and calling. Its goal is to “burn up” your time, to make you of none effect, unproductive for the Kingdom. Each day you waste is a victory for the old man and results in death and destruction.
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,
8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Man’s wisdom played into the plan of Our Heavenly Father. Man’s logic said to kill the opposition and unknowingly completed a required step in the plan for redemption thus assuring their rule of the people would be lost. Their plan backfired. Man’s wisdom continues to backfire to this very day.
9 But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Our Heavenly Father’s preparations are for those who Love Him! Once again, Love is what it is all about. It’s not about anything else. Wisdom from Above comes by way of Love.
10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
We want to know the deep things of Our Heavenly Father. For that very reason you read this blog as well as others, searching for those nuggets of wisdom that will change your life. I am also in pursuit of the wisdom from Above. I am fully persuaded that Love is the portal to that wisdom. I need only look around at those who preach out of earthly wisdom and inspect their fruit to know that there is a greater prize than what they have received. I look at Jesus Christ as my example. His fruit is what I must compare when I look at where I stand. The promise of greater works (John 14:12) should be the expectation of those who pursue the “deep things of GOD”.
11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
We must have the Spirit of GOD to be able to receive the deep things of Our Heavenly Father. Natural man sees them as foolishness because his logical, polarized mind cannot comprehend the infinite aspects of Love. Love will express itself beyond man’s logic. “You must die to live” does not compute in man’s logic. “Greatest in the Kingdom is the one who serves all” is another statement that defies man’s logic. I would also suggest that the pursuit of the Baptism of Love is another “deep thing” of Our Heavenly Father that puts the mind in”tilt”. How can you pursue Love and expect physical fruit that surpasses anything man can muster up? Once you get a glimpse of this revelation, you begin to see it everywhere in Scripture. Instead of focusing on the “acts” of Our Heavenly Father, you begin to focus on HIS “ways”, or Divine Intent.
15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.
16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Our goal should be to have and operate in the Mind of Christ. If we have the Mind of Christ, we will walk in the fullness of our calling and do greater works as was promised by Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Mind of Christ operates by Divine Intent, not the worldly wisdom of man. Love is at the core of Divine Intent. Paul tells us that the things of GOD are prepared for those who LOVE HIM. The old man will fight you every step of the way until you finally subdue him and cast him down. You must be determined that you will not be denied of the fullness of the Mind of Christ. As you immerse yourself in the study of Love, as you promote Love, as you operate in Love, you will take on the Mind of Christ.
35 Reasons to be concerned
January 24th, 2013The following list is from http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/do-you-want-to-scare-a-baby-boomer
I have seen many of these statistics from other sources. What amazes me is the slack attitude of many baby boomers. Self-indulgence is at the center of their attitudes. These are the same people who allowed “government sanctioned” lawlessness to become part of the American culture on their watch. The Supreme Law comes from Our Heavenly Father. Any law that is contrary is lawlessness, pure and simple. The weight of the subsidies needed to support them is greater than the ability of the rest of the working population to generate income. Something has to give.
1. Right now, there are somewhere around 40 million senior citizens in the United States. By 2050 that number is projected to skyrocket to 89 million.
2. According to one recent poll, 25 percent of all Americans in the 46 to 64-year-old age bracket have no retirement savings at all.
3. 26 percent of all Americans in the 46 to 64-year-old age bracket have no personal savings whatsoever.
4. One survey that covered all American workers found that 46 percent of them have less than $10,000 saved for retirement.
5. According to a survey conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, "60 percent of American workers said the total value of their savings and investments is less than $25,000".
6. A Pew Research survey found that half of all Baby Boomers say that their household financial situations have deteriorated over the past year.
7. 67 percent of all American workers believe that they "are a little or a lot behind schedule on saving for retirement".
8. Today, one out of every six elderly Americans lives below the federal poverty line.
9. More elderly Americans than ever are finding that they must continue working once they reach their retirement years. Between 1985 and 2010, the percentage of Americans in the 65 to 69-year-old age bracket that were still working increased from 18 percent to 32 percent.
10. Back in 1991, half of all American workers planned to retire before they reached the age of 65. Today, that number has declined to 23 percent.
11. According to one recent survey, 70 percent of all American workers expect to continue working once they are "retired".
12. According to a poll conducted by AARP, 40 percent of all Baby Boomers plan to work "until they drop".
13. A poll conducted by CESI Debt Solutions found that 56 percent of American retirees still had outstanding debts when they retired.
14. Elderly Americans tend to carry much higher balances on their credit cards than younger Americans do. The following is from a recent CNBC article…
New research from the AARP also shows that those ages 50 and over are carrying higher balances on their credit cards — $8,278 in 2012 compared to $6,258 for the under-50 population.
15. A study by a law professor at the University of Michigan found that Americans that are 55 years of age or older now account for 20 percent of all bankruptcies in the United States. Back in 2001, they only accounted for 12 percent of all bankruptcies.
16. Between 1991 and 2007 the number of Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 that filed for bankruptcy rose by a staggering 178 percent.
17. What is causing most of these bankruptcies among the elderly? The number one cause is medical bills. According to a report published in The American Journal of Medicine, medical bills are a major factor in more than 60 percent of the personal bankruptcies in the United States. Of those bankruptcies that were caused by medical bills, approximately 75 percent of them involved individuals that actually did have health insurance.
18. In 1945, there were 42 workers for every retiree receiving Social Security benefits. Today, that number has fallen to 2.5 workers, and if you eliminate all government workers, that leaves only 1.6 private sector workers for every retiree receiving Social Security benefits.
19. Millions of elderly Americans these days are finding it very difficult to survive on just a Social Security check. The truth is that most Social Security checks simply are not that large. The following comes directly from the Social Security Administration website…
The average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker was about $1,230 at the beginning of 2012. This amount changes monthly based upon the total amount of all benefits paid and the total number of people receiving benefits.
Could you live on about 300 dollars a week?
20. Social Security benefits are not going to stretch as far in future years. The following is from an article on the AARP website…
Social Security benefits won’t go as far, either. In 2002, benefits replaced 39 percent of the average retirees salary, and that will decline to 28 percent in 2030, when the youngest boomers reach full retirement age, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.
21. In the United States today, more than 61 million Americans receive some form of Social Security benefits. By 2035, that number is projected to soar to a whopping 91 million.
22. Overall, the Social Security system is facing a 134 trillion dollar shortfall over the next 75 years.
23. As I wrote about in a previous article, the number of Americans on Medicare is expected to grow from 50.7 million in 2012 to 73.2 million in 2025.
24. Medicare is facing unfunded liabilities of more than 38 trillion dollars over the next 75 years. That comes to approximately $328,404 for each and every household in the United States.
25. Today, only 10 percent of private companies in the U.S. provide guaranteed lifelong pensions for their employees.
26. Verizon’s pension plan is underfunded by 3.4 billion dollars.
27. In California, the Orange County Employees Retirement System is estimated to have a 10 billion dollar unfunded pension liability.
28. The state of Illinois has accumulated unfunded pension liabilities of more than 77 billion dollars.
29. Pension consultant Girard Miller told California’s Little Hoover Commission that state and local government bodies in the state of California have 325 billion dollars in combined unfunded pension liabilities.
30. According to Northwestern University Professor John Rauh, the latest estimate of the total amount of unfunded pension and healthcare obligations for retirees that state and local governments across the United States have accumulated is 4.4 trillion dollars.
31. In 2010, 28 percent of all American workers with a 401(k) had taken money out of it at some point.
32. Back in 2004, American workers were taking about 30 billion dollars in early withdrawals out of their 401(k) accounts every single year. Right now, American workers are pulling about 70 billion dollars in early withdrawals out of their 401(k) accounts every single year.
33. Today, 49 percent of all American workers are not covered by an employment-based pension plan at all.
34. According to a recent survey conducted by Americans for Secure Retirement, 88 percent of all Americans are worried about "maintaining a comfortable standard of living in retirement".
35. A study conducted by Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research found that American workers are $6.6 trillion short of what they need to retire comfortably.
Battle between the East and the West
January 24th, 2013The Chinese are developing a gold-backed currency using the Yuan. They continue to purchase gold as quietly as possible. They are using some of their U.S. Dollars to convert to gold, a store of value without any attached liability. Last year China imported at least 1,000 tons of gold and they are not divulging size of their stockpile… yet.
They are quickly developing their financial market to handle world-class transactions, circumventing the U.S. Dollar. The U.S. Dollar as the world’s reserve currency is soon to be challenged. The unfunded liabilities of the U.S. assure us that the U.S. Dollar will continue its decline in value. America no longer has the resolve to deal with huge problems in its financial house.
Once the market responds to this plan, I expect gold and silver to respond accordingly based on the basic economic law of supply and demand, and enter their next phase of the bull market. The central banks have intervened in the paper market to suppress the rise of these metals. However, the market is larger than the central banks and their manipulation has an end in sight.
Be of Good Courage
January 24th, 2013Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he [it is] that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Courage is strength in the face of pain, grief, fear, or the unknown. Joshua was told to be of good courage as he was preparing to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land. There were kings to remove, the armies to confront, and the land to be subdued. The LORD committed to go with Joshua and not fail or forsake him. The same is true today.
Fear dominates the headlines today. Fear has been used as a great motivator in getting society to do what those in control want. The church used fear to control the congregation by preaching the eternal damnation doctrine. You cannot control those people who hear Our Heavenly Father and have the courage to respond accordingly. Those people have a higher calling and a commitment to act accordingly. Peer pressure will not cause them to tow the popular line. Conformity is not a predominant trait of those with courage. Fear of rejection and insecurities are replaced by boldness and assurance that Our Heavenly Father is directing your path.
Jesus displayed courage as He went to the cross. He relied completely on the word of Our Heavenly Father. The disciples then had courage to face their enemies for they knew Jesus had been raised from the dead. Courage came forth as revelation from Above and provided direction to each disciple.
“Be not afraid” goes hand in hand with “Be of good courage”. Fear will raise its ugly head and convince you to compromise. Fear of loss is a strong motivator when allowed to fester. To be an overcomer, you must be tested and overcome. Courage is a necessity for the overcomer to fulfill the tests specific to his or her calling.
Psalm 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Our Heavenly Father will strengthen your heart. HE will not forsake you for it is HIS good pleasure to do HIS will through you and give you the necessary tools to overcome any obstacle that you encounter. When you know your calling in life, there is no Plan B, only Plan A. Your calling will require courageous acts from time to time. You will have to defend your position against one or more adversaries. Even though you intend to live a quiet and peaceful life, challenges will arise. Lawlessness will raise its ugly head and challenge your resolve.
The word “courage” is mentioned 19 times in the Old Testament and 1 time in the New Testament. Many of those occurrences dealt specifically with entering into the Promised Land, a type and shadow of the Tabernacles Age. The number 19 represents “faith”. In the New Testament, faith is required when acting on The Word. By faith men acted on Our Heavenly Father’s Word. Abraham willingly gave up Isaac on the altar knowing that Our Heavenly Father would raise Isaac from the dead to bring forth the promise HE had spoken to Abraham. Isaac was the son of promise. Faith comes by hearing and responding to the Word of Our Heavenly Father.
In order to have faith and courage we must have the Mind of Christ. In order to have the fullness of the Mind of Christ you must take on HIS Character which is centered around Love. As your soul is purified through Love, you will be able to walk in the faith needed during those times of adversity. You will be able to face the challenges that are set before you. Sickness and disease will lose their grip on you. Love will prevail in your life.
The 10th Commandment
January 22nd, 2013Exodus 20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
Where is your desire and pleasure focused? The internal or external? Are you always looking at what others have and say “If I only had this or that I would be happy”. Fulfillment does not come from the external. Each of us has a void that can only be filled by the Love of Our Heavenly Father. As we move into the fullness of that Love, our desire for “our neighbor’s” possessions will cease.
The last three commandments dealing with stealing, lying, and coveting all focus on matching your Love with the external circumstances of life. Your covenant with Our Heavenly Father requires external resources to accomplish. Anytime you try to circumvent the plan by acquiring something in a lawless fashion, you defer the fullness of your calling. Your Love acts as a magnet to those things that are needed to fulfill your calling. You do not need to intervene as though Our Heavenly Father could not bring forth the provision. Does this mean you are to do nothing? No, you are to utilize what has been given you and purpose to be the best steward one can be. Excellence is a noble pursuit. Laziness is a regret. With your gifts and calling, you extend creation. You become part of the solution to life, not the problem. You are a creator just as Our Heavenly Father is THE Creator.
There is nothing greater than being a child of Our Heavenly Father. You are to be one with your purpose, your calling. That is the ultimate fulfillment of as you go through this life. What your neighbor has should not be of any consequence. As you fulfill your calling, you take part in the expansion of creation. What could be a greater assignment? You must not let external motivations deprive you of this joy and fulfillment. Quit looking at your neighbor with longing eyes.
External motivations take your focus away from the internal, where the real action is. Don’t you think when your time has come that Our Heavenly Father will find you with all the needed resources to fulfill HIS Plan? You need to have faith in HIM and be dedicated to your calling. “I’m not important!” should not be the cry of one who is connected to their calling. Every person is important to the mosaic Our Heavenly Father is creating. Jesus said the widow’s mite was a greater sacrifice than the riches of others. The little children were called “great” in the Kingdom. Each of us is important to Our Heavenly Father’s plan. You don’t need your neighbor’s “stuff”.
Our goal should be to produce a harvest of fruit from our own calling, not someone else’s. That would be a counterfeit. We should embrace the process of maturing into our calling as much as the end result. Success of completing each test along the way into the fullness of your calling provides immense satisfaction and joy. Embracing each new revelation enhances the excitement of knowing you are right where Our Heavenly Father wants you. You must come to appreciate the process of growth and training. We are all in different facets of development. There is no need to compare ourselves with others. Your focus should be on living with purpose and that purpose should be your calling. Whether it is the first step or the final step into the fullness, embrace each step and focus your gaze on Our Heavenly Father. This focus will assure you that you “shall not covet”.
Will the U.S. be energy independent?
January 21st, 2013Not with shale oil. I have been discussing the economics of shale drilling with a friend of mine who is a geologist. We both agreed that the cost of drilling those horizontal wells versus the expected output and decline did not make sense. Just as the Internet bubble could not last, just as the housing bubble could not last, the shale play will not last either.
To better understand the reality, read the following article: http://www.businessinsider.com/arthur-berman-shale-is-magical-thinking-2013-1?op=1
The 9th Commandment
January 21st, 2013Exodus 20:16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
Does reality need your assistance or interpretation in any way? This commandment clearly states that you should not lie or misrepresent the reality, truth, and facts in any situation. We are all commanded to be honest. A truly honest person is harder and harder to find in America. There is an old saying, “A man is as good as his word.” That is no longer the case. Men hide behind plausible deniability now. Instead of innocent perception, men attempt to manipulate the facts and the truth to suit their self preservation or promotion. The court system is all but a mockery now. Attorneys hide behind their commitment to represent their client when truth is critically needed to produce a corrective judgment. Men no longer love reality but instead create a perception and then an illusion that ultimately leads to destruction.
What is the motivation to be dishonest with your neighbor? Your ego! The old man will lie, cheat, and steal to maintain his control of your life. “Take no prisoners” is the cry of your ego. Your spirit loves reality and must overcome the old man. The reality is where Our Heavenly Father resides.
Do you want to bear good fruit? You must have an honest heart:
Luke 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep [it], and bring forth fruit with patience.
Further, in the end your false witness will be exposed:
Luke 8:17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither [any thing] hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.
What should be our focus?
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.
As the Law of the credible witness states- if you fail to be a credible witness to your neighbor, you become subject to the same judgment that has been charged against him. Our Heavenly Father endorses only the truth and honesty. Your calling is subject to delay until you have overcome the issue of bearing false witness. You must be above reproach. When you speak the truth, your support reality. Your calling is in the realm of reality and is not supported by any illusion or falsehood. Your calling requires trustworthiness to Love and reality.
Speak the truth in Love for reality can seem harsh to the hearer. Be sensitive and compassionate. Don’t abuse people with the truth. Convey the truth with comfort.
It’s All About Love
January 20th, 2013Click below and see THE GREAT MATHEMATICIAN at work: