Through my years I have watched as people slip away from God.
I am always praying about what to do, if anything. I feel I do to little, too much, my timing is too late, or I step in too soon.
All I know is that I hurt. I always hurt. I am the watchman, and I repent for my failure.
I realize, Gods voice is there when my voice is silent, Gods hand is there when my hand is absent. God loves them more than I do, and he will do what I can not do.
The good ones always come back, God may break their heart, strip them of the world, or just love the daylights out of them. He does not loose his own, those who have a heart for God.
God is God, the hardest part is I know exactly what is outside of Gods will. It is a wicked sinful world, that will only take and never give. It is a drugged up drunken, self-serving world filled with death, with no hope. I learned the hard way, maybe that is why it hurts me so much. I have seen them after the world is finished with them.
I pray for all that have slipped, I pray gods presence be so strong, his love so powerful, than no one can go to far, without god's love overpowering any pull from the enemy.
I have always pray that God reveal the enemy to them, in such a way that they see just how ugly he is. Satan seldom wants our body, without God it will self destruct, it is our soul he is after, our influence that would bring others to Christ.
I warn them, because I am commanded to watch for their souls. I warn them because I care. I warn them because they are part of me as they are part of Christ.
When I have done all I can do.
My faith then takes over, I am usually left broken but with a better awareness of what can happen to anyone anytime, if we let our guard down. When I have nothing left, I see and feel God, and if I can feel him, I know that others can feel him too.
People seldom slip because of sin.Sin usually follows, but people slip, because of alliances made with the enemy, that take them away from the commitments they have made to God. It can be as innocent as a Bowling league, Ball team, or work relations. It is seldom sin, but sin usually gets the blame, because that is what we see, usually after the the deception has already worked its work.
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1 John 4:4
How does one get back, by dieing unto Christ, and them burying yourself in his word, his people, his music, his work, and having noting to do with anything of the world.
It is surrender. Until then non of us have ever had a real relationship with Christ.
We need to stop looking at others, and look in a mirror. God works on me every time one slips. Every time, and I find I could have done more, and I could have done it better. That makes me better, and always brings me closer to Christ, and that is a good place to be.
Heritage Church of God
Take a look around, make yourself at home.
You will find some of my favorite things, and some of my innermost thoughts.
Poems, quotes, music, preaching, and a few funny things.
Take your time, add your comments, and come back as often as you like.
You will find some of my favorite things, and some of my innermost thoughts.
Poems, quotes, music, preaching, and a few funny things.
Take your time, add your comments, and come back as often as you like.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Nine Eleven
Nine eleven is finally here
it stirs our hearts with all kinds of fear
To many it is a memory we cannot forget,
to others it's a vision of when the plane's hit.
Whether thinking or seeing it matters not.
This is a time that cannot be forgot.
Help those who cannot feel your hand,
to at least see evil in Satan's land.
Help us to know there's a war to be won,
it is not with a people but the evil one.
It is a spiritual battle that is won only through Christ,
Lord give us the victory as we give you our life.
Nine eleven will soon be past,
only what's done for Christ will last.
R.L. Fry 9-11-11
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Funerals
I am dressed and waiting to go do another funeral. I have never kept count of the the numbers, maybe because I never felt people should be treated as a number.
I was thinking of the first funeral service I officiated.
I had no training on how to do a funeral. I had attended several, but I had been in the barber chair many time, but being the barber, was a completely different vantage point.
I prayed, and ask God to lead my thoughts, and allow me the freedom to respond to his spirit.
I have now been doing funerals for over 36 years, I have had two in one day, 5 in one week, they have been both, young, old, Christian, and non-Christian. Sudden deaths, and long suffering deaths.
This is what I learned.
I pray and ask God to lead my thoughts, and allow me the freedom to respond to his spirit. The same as I did the first funeral I officiated.
I have often thought, maybe I have never done a funeral the way folks think I should, but I will continue to do them the way I always have, and pray that the people hear Gods voice and not mine
I was thinking of the first funeral service I officiated.
I had no training on how to do a funeral. I had attended several, but I had been in the barber chair many time, but being the barber, was a completely different vantage point.
I prayed, and ask God to lead my thoughts, and allow me the freedom to respond to his spirit.
I have now been doing funerals for over 36 years, I have had two in one day, 5 in one week, they have been both, young, old, Christian, and non-Christian. Sudden deaths, and long suffering deaths.
This is what I learned.
I pray and ask God to lead my thoughts, and allow me the freedom to respond to his spirit. The same as I did the first funeral I officiated.
I have often thought, maybe I have never done a funeral the way folks think I should, but I will continue to do them the way I always have, and pray that the people hear Gods voice and not mine
The fight for your Life, my morning thoughts.
The Church is in a battle, around the world, there is only one way to win this battle, and that is for every Christian to win the battle personally. Your personal battle, your personal struggle, your personal priority.
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Can we win this struggle, can we be victors, the Bible says yes we can.
John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
He has overcome the world, and we can too, if we abide in him.
There is noting that should be able to come between the joy we have in Christ.
No circumstance, no person, no event, nothing.
Psalm 3:3 But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
Psalm 13:5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
Psalm 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,
Psalm 18:2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
When we slip from Gods grace, we find our joy eroded, because we have allowed something, someone, some circumstance, other than God to bring us his peace, joy, and rest.
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Jeremiah 31:25 I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint."
There is no rest, no peace, no rest, no help, outside of him, and he does not request 100% he demands 100%, the only way this works, is your commitment to him, and it must be total, nothing less will work.
Joshua 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
Col 1:24-29 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Old Glory
When I look upon old glory
I feel her heart and remember her story
I see more than the red, white, and blue
I see the faces come shining through
The men and women who gave it all
so we can have freedom in the assembly hall
Freedom to worship as we please
freedom to work and live at ease
Their faces are always showing there
Asking me if I really care
I remove my hat, and lay my hand on my heart
but that is not all it is only the start
I owe it to them for the life they gave
to vote, worship, and respect their grave
All gave some, and some gave all
The least I can do is respect their fall
I will stand in respect as she passes by
with a heavy heart and a tear in my eye
I am thankful for all they have given me
The home of the brave the land of the free
The next time you see old glory pass by
give her your heart, not just your eye.
R.L. Fry 4July 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
If I could hear my father sing again
To his great great granddaughter he gave his last cute smile
He had not opened his eyes for such a long long while
I saw my mom kiss his cheek, with a tear drop in her eye
She then turned and smiled at me, she looked back and said goodbye
Dad was all ready now, to travel to his home
The one he had been looking for, the one around Gods throne
I could only envy him, as I had done so many times before
He soul was moving rapidly toward heavens open door.
I laid my hand upon his head, it was there for some time
I could feel his heart singing Jesus is all mine
He finally slipped away, to the other shore.
The moment of his passing, made me love Jesus more and more.
Dad is now in heaven, and his memories are so sweet
I look forward to seeing him again, at Jesus feet
I can hear him singing in God's choir, its about to begin
The song is so beautiful, and I can here my father sing again.
He had not opened his eyes for such a long long while
I saw my mom kiss his cheek, with a tear drop in her eye
She then turned and smiled at me, she looked back and said goodbye
Dad was all ready now, to travel to his home
The one he had been looking for, the one around Gods throne
I could only envy him, as I had done so many times before
He soul was moving rapidly toward heavens open door.
I laid my hand upon his head, it was there for some time
I could feel his heart singing Jesus is all mine
He finally slipped away, to the other shore.
The moment of his passing, made me love Jesus more and more.
Dad is now in heaven, and his memories are so sweet
I look forward to seeing him again, at Jesus feet
I can hear him singing in God's choir, its about to begin
The song is so beautiful, and I can here my father sing again.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
My Dad
My dad was tough fair and strong
he always confronted me when I was wrong
he held my hand when I was right
and stood beside me in a fight
He always taught me to take a stand
That was part of being a man
never worry who stands with you
and always remember god will see you through
Feed everyone both friend and foe
You may need their help, you never know
keep your door open, let everyone in
to do any less would just be sin
I gave you my name, I kept it as clean as I could
Make sure you pass it on, clean like you should
You won't always be right, you to will fall
Make sure you clean up your mess, give it your all.
Your life will be short, no matter how long you live
Be a soul winner first, and never forget to give
It isn't about gain for yourself you know
It is for his glory, you will reap what you sow
Here is to you my best advice.
Don't drink, don't smoke, pick up no vice.
It will be hard at times, but you will be in control
Life isn't about the Body, it is about the soul
I am now in heaven, because of Christ
It has given me the best my entire Life
The sooner you learn it, the better off you will be
It started at an alter on bended knee
It didn't end there, that was just the start
You must give him your life, not just your heart
Being born again, is what it is all about
give him all you got, and never doubt.
I want to see you all some day
but Jesus Christ is the only way
It worked for my dad, my grand dad too
and I am sure it will work for you.
Monday, April 4, 2011
God Speaks
God Speaks
Lord when did it start, where did we fail
It seem the whole earth is being whirled by its tail.
The wars, and the earth quakes, they are coming so fast
How long lord, do we wait, for the one final blast.
You have our attention, if you will just show us your hand
There are times we feel so defeated, and drug through the sand.
We have prayed so intensely lord, now what must be done.
To get your attention Lord, and get back to the fun.
Now son hold your thought there, just for a bit.
The world looks much different from where I am set.
I have given you the Bible, and my only son.
You pray like you love him, then turn and run.
You want your prayers answered, then listen to me
Give up yourself, and lean totally on me.
Give up the temporal things, or I will take them away.
I made everything, they are all mine anyway.
Be the kind of man, I created you to be
Full of power and might, from all fear be set free.
Stand in the gap life isn't too long you will see
But you do as I choose, and you will have all eternity.
See now young man, it isn't as bad as some think.
All that needs done will be done in a blink.
So stop playing around, and get back to my task
Disconnect from the world, and connect to what last.
The world is a temporary home at its best.
I have a place fore you , that is more than you guest.
A home that is eternal, splendid, and fair.
I am just doing my best to make sure you are all there.
Rev. Robert Fry
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Building a Church for God not men
Hebrews 8:5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.
WHY????? WHY was Moses to build it according to the pattern shown to him by God??
What if he build it bigger, making it more attractive to the masses, and dumbed it down so those who really did not believe would be more comfortable, or at least would not be turned off by its presence.
I wonder if God would have shown his presence, if Moses did it his own way.
I don't think so, there was only one way to build it. The tabernacle was the image of Christ and his atonement.
It could only be one way, and that was by devine instruction.
The Church is the body of Christ, it can only be built one way, and Jesus said "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
We need to build the Church so God will show his presence, and spend less time on thinking about what will make people come to the Church.
Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." This is repeated later, in Prov. 16:25 "THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMS RIGHT TO A MAN, BUT ITS END IS THE WAY OF DEATH."
Men build Dead Churches, God builds churches that are alive.
How do we know the differance? First we must seek God, not a program, not a style, but a God that demands that we deny ourselves, and pick up his cross.
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God... The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God." (Romans 8:14,16).
There is no substitute for, rightiousness, holy living, and a desire to serve him, rather than ourselves.
The Church must be built to please God, and men must conform to his immage.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Growing a established Church
When becoming a pastor of a established church, one thing is a constant 20% do most of the work and give most of the money.
The first thing most pastors do is try to inspire the leadership, and teach them new way, remember new ways come hard, even harder if some of those ways work. Change is always difficult.
The second thing most pastors do is try to go out and find new people, and new leaders. That isn't a bad thing, but we all know it is difficult to bring new leadership into a established church, no matter how low the attendance.
Even if successful at bringing new folks in, bringing them to a position of leadership is almost imposable.
It is no wonder many ministers want to start a Church from scratch, taking a established church is like starting from itch, that is before scratch
The question needs to be ask why are 80% of the people that attend doing nothing, and giving even less. These people have made a commitment, to attend, but for some reason they do not move beyond the attendance point of commitment.
You will find these things to be true, if you do a slow interview process with the 80%.
Some have been through difficult times, and feel disqualified from working, I have found this could be a child born out of wedlock 35 years ago that disqualifies both the mother and child, a divorce 20 years ago. There are many things that makes one feel disqualified, usually it is a devils lie to keep them on the side lines. I have found that this lie is usually confirmed and enforced by the 20% in leadership.
Others may be considered too new, they married into the church family, and just are not considered as a insider quite yet, even though they have been married for 15 to 20 years. They also are a little outspoken, and the 20% do not like that, it could threaten the way they have always done things.
I have always made it a point to try and pastor all of the people, and hearing their stories have always helped me in decision making.
A old pastor told me when taking a new church wait two years before making any real changes, he was a wise man. He was telling me to get to know the people. Read and understand the by-laws. After two years you should have a vision what is happening, and a vision on how to make things move ahead for Gods glory.
The 80% that are there committed, and willing to help, but never ask, never considered, because a established church has its leadership, and it is passed down from generation to generation, and always with less real commitment to God or the real vision of the Church. We would call that denominationalism, dedicated to the movement, but not dedicated to what built the movement, or the spirit that inspired the movement.
First get as many of the 80% working, find them jobs, no need to take old jobs from those serving, just add new work, new ministries.
The first thing I have done, and suggest to all new pastors, have a group you can lead, I called it pastoral ministries, it worked outside of the committees, I could start them staff them, and in order for anyone to attack them, they had to go through me, that protected the new leadership, and the others were busy doing what they always did. Never put new wine in old skins or new ministries under old committees, they will die, I learned that the hard way.
As the 80% feel accepted and are working, they will develop into acceptable leaders, and will catch the vision of growth. They are teachable, and will grow in the Lord. They will not take ownership, but will take responsibility the ministry they are leading.
There will be some battles, most will be along the lines of selfishness, and
self-righteousnesses.
As the old move off the scene, move the new real leaders into positions of leadership, they will accept the new people God sends to the church. They will make sure they are treated with respect, you trained them.
The biggest challenge is a game children play, and it is easy to spot. It is played like this. (Pastor: I know I may be only one of the few that want this, but I need your influence so I can get my way with the majority.) It will be more covert, but you will hear it loud and clear. Two things, one they already know they do not have the influence they had, and two they are trying to see if you are still working for them.
Remember it is your influence, not theirs to be used, you earned it, so use it wisely.
If you do not do as they ask, it will be a battle, but remember who called you, and he will always be faithful. In times like this, I have seen God hand move, he always sends replacements if they leave always, you can bank on that. These are the hardest times for any minister, watching someone that can work, give, and lead, just walk away. It will happen, ownership of the Church is only by God himself, not anyone else. When they leave they will go to another established church and most ministers are willing to accept them, and this can cause hard feeling between ministers. Do your best to keep those doors open, you too will accept those from other churches. I personally do my best not to side with those who come but accept them, and help them to move on, and keep a healthy relationship with the church and pastor. Hatred has no place in any church.
Try to fine people with spiritual gifts in the areas you need leadership. There is a real anointing that goes with Gods work, allow him to help you start ministries that are need based, and when people have a passion for their work. Look beyond the worlds qualifications, and look for a spirit of love joy peace long-suffering gentleness. Make sure these people are being used, they are like Maple trees, once they are tapped they just keep putting out sweetness.
Move the Church to a point that seeing someone saved is the best thing in the world to see, nothing is better. This will bring the church to its mission, and teach all to be better Christians, this will attract others, to Christ and to his Church.
Prayer is touching God and his power, submitting to prayer is easy if we have submitted to God himself. Prayer is the most powerful thing we have, when building a church, prayer changes us so we can be used by him.
Every young minister want to pastor a established church, and most young ministers do not get a chance to do that, unless the attendance is embarrassing, and the church needs life support.
I have pastored two established Church, and both had a train wreck before I came.
Established churches are click orientated, if you as a pastor are accepted that is good, but remember if you change too much they will reject you, especially if their positions are threatened.
The 20% will stay when a church wins no souls, when the pastors mess up, and when the hand writing is on the wall about the death of the church.
They will leave when their positions are threatened, even if the church is winning souls, growing, and the spirit of the lord is present at all services. I have seen many come back, and embrace the Church, many I am sorry to say do not.
Make sure you welcome them back if they come back, they are not bad people, they have just done what they have always done, and many times when they leave they will be successful in another church were they can not take ownership, they would be considered the new kid on the block, so pray for them, but never let what happened in the past mess with the present, it is never personal, even though Satan tries to make you think it is personal. I have been called many times to the side of a death bed, by those who had left usually upset. I always go, and the time has always been rich, and rewarding.
Building a successful ministry is just that, ministering. Be constant in season and out of season, you never know when God will call you into account, in everything pray. Keep good notes, I have always kept a journal of the hard decisions and the process I went through to make that decision. I have found that others try to paint you as they want others to see you, and a journal will help to keep what you knew and when you knew it in line. I always ask for more information, when someone says many or several people think this, I always ask who, and many time I ask them to write down what that person says, so I have a hard copy of all the information on a difficult decision I am about to make.
Lives are at stake, we have no time to play Church, it is time to do something.
I ramble a little, sorry for that, but I pray this gets in the hands of someone who needs it. God Bless you
Pastor R.L. Fry
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The church
Why was Abraham chosen? He was a good man, that we know, but he sure wasn't perfect, we all have read the Bible. He did give us a prophetic line about the birth of Jesus who is the Christ. That line followed through David, and then the Virgin Birth.
God could have chosen anyone, but the real story is about the linage of Jesus the Christ, not Abraham.
The documented evidence, that Jesus was not just a man, but he was the promised visit of God himself.
The Tabernacle that Moses built, and the Temple that Solomon build were both in modern day terms a embassy so God could show his presents.
John the Baptist said when Jesus came to be baptized, behold the kingdom of God is at hand.
Gods kingdom was and is all inclusive, not to a nation, as some believe, but to all who believe. The Bible says whosoever will may come.
He said to all believers that we are a chosen people, sanctified unto God,and those who do not believe are already condemned.
Today the world is doing its best to define the Church as any other organization, and not a holy organism headed by God himself. The churches leaders God said are called by him, anointed by him, and lead by him.
Ephesians 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.
Many miss seeing the Church for what it is, because they miss what the Bible teaches about its holiness, and power.
We see leadership only as another person, we see the church only as another organization to join.
Remember those who hung Jesus, those who beat him, those who betrayed him, those who scoffed him, only saw a man. They even know the scriptures but they were blinded by their own will.
I pray that all believers can see the Church, and even though it looks like most other organizations, even with its shortcomings, it is a holy union with Jesus Christ, and in it there is a supernatural power.
Not because of us but because of him.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Two Moose Day
A Two Moose Day
Dr. James Dobson tells the story of the “two moose day” that seems relevant to most of us. It’s about a Vermont man on his way to work one foggy morning when a 700-lb. moose steps into the road in front of him.
He hits the moose, which comes up over the hood and mashes the roof of the car. The moose is killed. Though his injuries a minor the driver is taken to the hospital. Later that day the man is driving home from the hospital in his pickup truck.
You might have seen this coming: another moose, this one a bit larger than the first, is in the roadway. Our driver stops, but the moose charges the truck. When it’s over, both moose and truck are totaled.
That’s a two moose day. I especially like the story because on more than one occasion when I was stationed in Alaska years ago an entire line of vehicles would be held up while a moose decided when and if it would move off the roadway. Fighter jets cleared for take-off would wait impatiently until a moose wandered off the runway.
We all have to wait for the moose sometimes. It’s annoying, but not fatal. When we hit the moose, it gets more serious. And sometimes it will just be a two moose day no matter what we do to avoid it.
The trick is to remember that moose are relatively solitary creatures. There’s no vast moose herd out there in the woods waiting to overwhelm me. I’ve dealt with two moose days before. You have, too. So far, we’re still on the road.
Keep driving. Just watch for the “Moose Crossing” signs.
He hits the moose, which comes up over the hood and mashes the roof of the car. The moose is killed. Though his injuries a minor the driver is taken to the hospital. Later that day the man is driving home from the hospital in his pickup truck.
You might have seen this coming: another moose, this one a bit larger than the first, is in the roadway. Our driver stops, but the moose charges the truck. When it’s over, both moose and truck are totaled.
That’s a two moose day. I especially like the story because on more than one occasion when I was stationed in Alaska years ago an entire line of vehicles would be held up while a moose decided when and if it would move off the roadway. Fighter jets cleared for take-off would wait impatiently until a moose wandered off the runway.
We all have to wait for the moose sometimes. It’s annoying, but not fatal. When we hit the moose, it gets more serious. And sometimes it will just be a two moose day no matter what we do to avoid it.
The trick is to remember that moose are relatively solitary creatures. There’s no vast moose herd out there in the woods waiting to overwhelm me. I’ve dealt with two moose days before. You have, too. So far, we’re still on the road.
Keep driving. Just watch for the “Moose Crossing” signs.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
The “Bottom Line
"Stock prices have resumed their historic decline; and foreign currencies, precious metals, oil, and other commodities have also resumed their declines which, along with real estate prices, will likely prove crushing to most investors. Declining monetary aggregates and rising interest rates on all but the highest quality short-term debt are resuming as the credit crisis returns amidst a scramble for liquidity in the emerging “Greater Depression”.
ALL prudent investors, who are not astute traders, should now be out of stocks and bonds. Expect stock prices to decline farther and faster than they did in the Fall and Winter of 2008-09 and than they declined in 1929-32.
While U.S. Treasury bond yields may drop somewhat as stocks sell off stongly, interest rates must continue their rise over time as the finances of the U.S. and most other nations become increasing unwieldy.
This may be investors’ last chance to get their assets out of harm’s way. Those who are properly prepared may yet profit and live in relative abundance as global wealth is devastated and chaos reigns.
Economic Fundamentals Remain Very Weak
Home sales, consumer debt, and rising unemployment/underemployment offer brutal evidence that the economy here and globally is still, more or less, flat on its back. 43 states saw rising unemployment in December, sharply up from 36 in November. Nationally, many workers are not being tallied in unemployment statistics because they are discouraged from looking for work (600,000 in December). True U.S. unemployment is approaching 20%. Many are seeing their unemployment benefits run out.
An estimate of $350 billion for the States’ fiscal 2010 deficits will surely be revised higher. Also, those deficits are artificially reduced by Federal stimulus which, itself, will soon have to be withdrawn. As I reminded in the August 31 Bulletin, persistently rising consumer credit and real estate problems and growing weakness in commercial real estate, along with steadily rising unemployment and underemployment will eventually and cumulatively reassert sufficient gravity that will also cause hopes for recovery to turn to fear and then to panic. Those concerns are growing.
Growing inability of nations to borrow and spend to support their economies and also to remain solvent will result in more of their “stimulus” programs being reduced before long. Reported growth in economies is largely due to such borrowing and spending. (U.S. GDP statistics do not disclose the source of sector spending.) Spending by government – that can only consume or redistribute and cannot produce wealth – cannot build productive wealth of nations or of their citizens.
In the U.S. all reported economic growth is the result of these irresponsible and short-sighted practices.
Meanwhile, the real collateral and capital base of nations necessary for their borrowings and growth is dissipating at accelerating rates. Nations, not just homeowners and businesses, are becoming “upside down”. Severe recession and deflation devour tax revenues at all levels of government so expect their deficits to become even more problematic and alarming.
How could real prospects be positive when government interventions are draining our substance and strangling incentives of producers, frustrating efficient and profitable asset allocation, and encouraging foolish and unproductive investment and spending decisions within our economy? And when mountains of debt in all sectors of the global economy are unserviceable and deflating? And when the fierce but futile efforts by government and financial system to keep prices and wages high will extend and deepen the “Greater Depression” ahead.
Lack of confidence is growing in mythical “green shoots” economic recovery. Recognized inabilities of governments and their central banks to borrow, spend, and inflate their way back to prosperity is returning and will predictably turn from extremes of unfounded optimism to panic as deflationary declines accelerate. Securities valuations are increasingly seen as optimistic given economic performance that is, at best, soft; and markets – stocks, bonds, commodities – are poised for sharp declines.
Creditworthiness of national governments is showing increasing signs of fracture. Dubai, Greece and Portugal, France and others in the Eurozone plus Great Britain are the latest names to add to Iceland, Ireland, and Eastern Europe. Bailouts of the largest financial institutions and of governments, such as Dubai recently, reveal the global enormity of our harm’s way economic crisis. I discuss the looming “debt trap” of historic proportions in Harm’s Way Financial Planning and Asset Management.
Japan, the second largest national economy, has far higher debt levels than any major country, and with their interest burden at near zero rates has nowhere to go but to dramatically larger borrowing costs and deficits. Indeed, that is the future for most large countries, including the U.S. China has overreached on stimulating their own economy and is seeing customers for their exports struggling. Nations are adopting protectionist policies back home that will further reduce economies of major exporters like China and isolate them from global trade. To assume that China will continue to hold large amounts of debt of the U.S. and others is foolish.
While the U.S. benefits from “flight to quality” with both dollar strength and demand for our (especially shorter maturity) Treasury debt, the U.S. debt crisis remains just over the horizon.
Deflation is again raising its ugly head. Deflation, deleveraging, and global economic decline are resuming here and globally as the broadest measures of the money supply contract. Deflation reigns despite frantic efforts to reinflate through governments’ “stimulus” borrowing of massive amounts and through the Fed and other central banks buying that debt and debts of others in order to create new “money” in their economies. Nonetheless, broad measures of money and credit are dropping, and the “global village” is under great pressure.
The total bank credit shows that the economic sluggishness is consistent with the new downtrend in money and near-money assets.
M3, the broadest monetary aggregate, plus total bank credit trends turning down show that that the deflationary threat is very real. It includes large time deposits, institutional money funds, and other large liquid assets along with narrower aggregates that include coin and currency and deposits of consumer, business, and government deposits in the banking system (M1 and M2).
EWI does not expect inflation to return until, at least 2012, and probably not until at least 2014. The signs are saying that a more rapid and powerful decline in the current Primary Wave 3 bear market leg could end sooner the most powerful portion of the deflationary decline. Possible shortages in food and other key commodities, like energy, could cause those prices to rise in crisis. Commodity prices react to fear of shortages and not to optimistic social mood. Indeed, panic can fuel powerful spikes in commodity prices, hence the need to prepare for shortages of critical tangibles.
High global debt levels are both financially destructive and deflationary because they require increasingly scarce cash to pay interest, much less principal. How can real growth occur as assets and incomes are deflating, debts are turning sour and people save and shrink debts instead of spend and invest? People have been realizing that their cash is more valuable to them than what they can buy with it. This reality should be seen even more powerfully in months ahead.
Since “money” is borrowed into existence by the banking system, shrinking bank deposits and credit outstanding equals deflation and economic decline.
Market and Economic Analysis Highlights
The break of the 10-month trendline of the Dow Jones Industrials Average from its March lows indicates the next major decline of the greatest bear market in at least 290 years has begun. That rally in stock prices reached highs (10,729.90 in the Dow) on January 19th. Just two days later, the Dow index closed decisively beneath its uptrend line on an increase in volume and the strongest downside breadth (issues sold greater than bought) in the last two months. The decline continues and, despite rallies, such as a counter-trend bounce that began today, should accelerate to the downside. Such rallies provide opportunities to exit or go short.
Recent declines also broke the late-November and mid-December lows, erasing 10 weeks of gains in just three days as prices in all indexes declined impulsively. The rally ending satisfied many analytical price and time targets. Market internals have been weakening for months as optimism, by some measures, was even stronger than at the October 2007 highs. of Investor optimism extremes signal significant tops. Optimism has begun to decline as the crowd begins to grasp reality and market volatility increases.
Expect that, for several reasons, the Primary Wave 3 decline which appears to be in its earliest stages, will drop farther and faster than did the 1930-32 decline, though we should also experience powerful snap back rallies along the way as I illustrated in the October 31st Bulletin for 1929-32. Each rally, however, should be more than fully retraced as stock prices continue to work their way lower. Expect that pattern to be similar to the 5-vave impulsive decline seen above in the second chart that tracked the Dow’s 17-month Primary Wave 1 decline into the March lows of last year.
In the global scramble for liquidity as over-priced and over-financed assets deflate, the dollar has begun a major advance against other currencies that will likely last through 2010. Dollar strength corresponds to valuation declines in gold and silver, oil, and in other commodities which are also under pressure because global demand resumes its decline as recession becomes depression. The Elliott Wave Int’l price target for gold is “below $680 per ounce”.
Be Ready for the “Big One”
Before this extremely large degree Primary Wave 3 down ends, the Dow should be below 4000, perhaps even below 1000, as the following projection chart by EWI suggests. After a relatively weak rally then, Primary Wave 5 down should eventually find a final bottom below Dow 1000. EWI’s target is “below Dow 400”. Expect stocks to be crushed for many years.
Expect the current first leg down in Primary Wave 3 (Intermediate wave 1) to break the March low of 6470, or at least roughly 40% below the final January 19th high of Dow 10,729.90. Dow 4000 would be 63% below that high and more than 70% below the final bull market high reached in October 2007. While broader stock indexes, such as the NASDAQ and smaller capitalization issues, fell further, they also tended to rally more but should now again experience even greater declines than the Dow.
We cannot know how long the decline will take or its final bottom, but we can be confident that investor pessimism will be significantly more negative than in late 2008 and early 2009. The most powerful point of decline should occur at its center (at the center of wave 3 declines of various degrees). At that point, investors will stop focusing on possible upside potential for the markets and start worrying about how far down it will go.
This “point of recognition” occurrence (“Prechter Point”) should be stunning enough to set all-time records for financial panic. Thereafter, pessimism becomes the dominant expression of social mood. EWI’s projections for reaching the all-time lows in social mood are around 2016. Regardless of when pessimism bottoms, be prepared for meaningful recovery to be deferred for much longer".
ALL prudent investors, who are not astute traders, should now be out of stocks and bonds. Expect stock prices to decline farther and faster than they did in the Fall and Winter of 2008-09 and than they declined in 1929-32.
While U.S. Treasury bond yields may drop somewhat as stocks sell off stongly, interest rates must continue their rise over time as the finances of the U.S. and most other nations become increasing unwieldy.
This may be investors’ last chance to get their assets out of harm’s way. Those who are properly prepared may yet profit and live in relative abundance as global wealth is devastated and chaos reigns.
Economic Fundamentals Remain Very Weak
Home sales, consumer debt, and rising unemployment/underemployment offer brutal evidence that the economy here and globally is still, more or less, flat on its back. 43 states saw rising unemployment in December, sharply up from 36 in November. Nationally, many workers are not being tallied in unemployment statistics because they are discouraged from looking for work (600,000 in December). True U.S. unemployment is approaching 20%. Many are seeing their unemployment benefits run out.
An estimate of $350 billion for the States’ fiscal 2010 deficits will surely be revised higher. Also, those deficits are artificially reduced by Federal stimulus which, itself, will soon have to be withdrawn. As I reminded in the August 31 Bulletin, persistently rising consumer credit and real estate problems and growing weakness in commercial real estate, along with steadily rising unemployment and underemployment will eventually and cumulatively reassert sufficient gravity that will also cause hopes for recovery to turn to fear and then to panic. Those concerns are growing.
Growing inability of nations to borrow and spend to support their economies and also to remain solvent will result in more of their “stimulus” programs being reduced before long. Reported growth in economies is largely due to such borrowing and spending. (U.S. GDP statistics do not disclose the source of sector spending.) Spending by government – that can only consume or redistribute and cannot produce wealth – cannot build productive wealth of nations or of their citizens.
In the U.S. all reported economic growth is the result of these irresponsible and short-sighted practices.
Meanwhile, the real collateral and capital base of nations necessary for their borrowings and growth is dissipating at accelerating rates. Nations, not just homeowners and businesses, are becoming “upside down”. Severe recession and deflation devour tax revenues at all levels of government so expect their deficits to become even more problematic and alarming.
How could real prospects be positive when government interventions are draining our substance and strangling incentives of producers, frustrating efficient and profitable asset allocation, and encouraging foolish and unproductive investment and spending decisions within our economy? And when mountains of debt in all sectors of the global economy are unserviceable and deflating? And when the fierce but futile efforts by government and financial system to keep prices and wages high will extend and deepen the “Greater Depression” ahead.
Lack of confidence is growing in mythical “green shoots” economic recovery. Recognized inabilities of governments and their central banks to borrow, spend, and inflate their way back to prosperity is returning and will predictably turn from extremes of unfounded optimism to panic as deflationary declines accelerate. Securities valuations are increasingly seen as optimistic given economic performance that is, at best, soft; and markets – stocks, bonds, commodities – are poised for sharp declines.
Creditworthiness of national governments is showing increasing signs of fracture. Dubai, Greece and Portugal, France and others in the Eurozone plus Great Britain are the latest names to add to Iceland, Ireland, and Eastern Europe. Bailouts of the largest financial institutions and of governments, such as Dubai recently, reveal the global enormity of our harm’s way economic crisis. I discuss the looming “debt trap” of historic proportions in Harm’s Way Financial Planning and Asset Management.
Japan, the second largest national economy, has far higher debt levels than any major country, and with their interest burden at near zero rates has nowhere to go but to dramatically larger borrowing costs and deficits. Indeed, that is the future for most large countries, including the U.S. China has overreached on stimulating their own economy and is seeing customers for their exports struggling. Nations are adopting protectionist policies back home that will further reduce economies of major exporters like China and isolate them from global trade. To assume that China will continue to hold large amounts of debt of the U.S. and others is foolish.
While the U.S. benefits from “flight to quality” with both dollar strength and demand for our (especially shorter maturity) Treasury debt, the U.S. debt crisis remains just over the horizon.
Deflation is again raising its ugly head. Deflation, deleveraging, and global economic decline are resuming here and globally as the broadest measures of the money supply contract. Deflation reigns despite frantic efforts to reinflate through governments’ “stimulus” borrowing of massive amounts and through the Fed and other central banks buying that debt and debts of others in order to create new “money” in their economies. Nonetheless, broad measures of money and credit are dropping, and the “global village” is under great pressure.
The total bank credit shows that the economic sluggishness is consistent with the new downtrend in money and near-money assets.
M3, the broadest monetary aggregate, plus total bank credit trends turning down show that that the deflationary threat is very real. It includes large time deposits, institutional money funds, and other large liquid assets along with narrower aggregates that include coin and currency and deposits of consumer, business, and government deposits in the banking system (M1 and M2).
EWI does not expect inflation to return until, at least 2012, and probably not until at least 2014. The signs are saying that a more rapid and powerful decline in the current Primary Wave 3 bear market leg could end sooner the most powerful portion of the deflationary decline. Possible shortages in food and other key commodities, like energy, could cause those prices to rise in crisis. Commodity prices react to fear of shortages and not to optimistic social mood. Indeed, panic can fuel powerful spikes in commodity prices, hence the need to prepare for shortages of critical tangibles.
High global debt levels are both financially destructive and deflationary because they require increasingly scarce cash to pay interest, much less principal. How can real growth occur as assets and incomes are deflating, debts are turning sour and people save and shrink debts instead of spend and invest? People have been realizing that their cash is more valuable to them than what they can buy with it. This reality should be seen even more powerfully in months ahead.
Since “money” is borrowed into existence by the banking system, shrinking bank deposits and credit outstanding equals deflation and economic decline.
Market and Economic Analysis Highlights
The break of the 10-month trendline of the Dow Jones Industrials Average from its March lows indicates the next major decline of the greatest bear market in at least 290 years has begun. That rally in stock prices reached highs (10,729.90 in the Dow) on January 19th. Just two days later, the Dow index closed decisively beneath its uptrend line on an increase in volume and the strongest downside breadth (issues sold greater than bought) in the last two months. The decline continues and, despite rallies, such as a counter-trend bounce that began today, should accelerate to the downside. Such rallies provide opportunities to exit or go short.
Recent declines also broke the late-November and mid-December lows, erasing 10 weeks of gains in just three days as prices in all indexes declined impulsively. The rally ending satisfied many analytical price and time targets. Market internals have been weakening for months as optimism, by some measures, was even stronger than at the October 2007 highs. of Investor optimism extremes signal significant tops. Optimism has begun to decline as the crowd begins to grasp reality and market volatility increases.
Expect that, for several reasons, the Primary Wave 3 decline which appears to be in its earliest stages, will drop farther and faster than did the 1930-32 decline, though we should also experience powerful snap back rallies along the way as I illustrated in the October 31st Bulletin for 1929-32. Each rally, however, should be more than fully retraced as stock prices continue to work their way lower. Expect that pattern to be similar to the 5-vave impulsive decline seen above in the second chart that tracked the Dow’s 17-month Primary Wave 1 decline into the March lows of last year.
In the global scramble for liquidity as over-priced and over-financed assets deflate, the dollar has begun a major advance against other currencies that will likely last through 2010. Dollar strength corresponds to valuation declines in gold and silver, oil, and in other commodities which are also under pressure because global demand resumes its decline as recession becomes depression. The Elliott Wave Int’l price target for gold is “below $680 per ounce”.
Be Ready for the “Big One”
Before this extremely large degree Primary Wave 3 down ends, the Dow should be below 4000, perhaps even below 1000, as the following projection chart by EWI suggests. After a relatively weak rally then, Primary Wave 5 down should eventually find a final bottom below Dow 1000. EWI’s target is “below Dow 400”. Expect stocks to be crushed for many years.
Expect the current first leg down in Primary Wave 3 (Intermediate wave 1) to break the March low of 6470, or at least roughly 40% below the final January 19th high of Dow 10,729.90. Dow 4000 would be 63% below that high and more than 70% below the final bull market high reached in October 2007. While broader stock indexes, such as the NASDAQ and smaller capitalization issues, fell further, they also tended to rally more but should now again experience even greater declines than the Dow.
We cannot know how long the decline will take or its final bottom, but we can be confident that investor pessimism will be significantly more negative than in late 2008 and early 2009. The most powerful point of decline should occur at its center (at the center of wave 3 declines of various degrees). At that point, investors will stop focusing on possible upside potential for the markets and start worrying about how far down it will go.
This “point of recognition” occurrence (“Prechter Point”) should be stunning enough to set all-time records for financial panic. Thereafter, pessimism becomes the dominant expression of social mood. EWI’s projections for reaching the all-time lows in social mood are around 2016. Regardless of when pessimism bottoms, be prepared for meaningful recovery to be deferred for much longer".
Saturday, February 6, 2010
There is a whole lot of shaken going on.
Whatever Can Be Shaken Will Be Shaken‘For thus says the Lord of hosts; Yet once more I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea and the dry land, and I will shake all nations’ (Haggai 2:6). ‘Yet once more I will shake the earth and also the heavens. Now this expression, “Yet once more”, indicates the final transformation of all that can be shaken – that is, of that which has been created in order that what cannot be shaken may remain. Let us therefore, receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship’ (Hebrews 12:25 to 28). God is not only shaking things on earth – He is also shaking things in heaven. ‘All the foundations of the earth are shaking’ (Psalm 82:5). ‘The powers of the heavens will be shaken’ (Matthew 24:29 & 30). Every Christian needs to be prepared to be shaken, and that is not easy.
Why would God shake His people? To purify us for theKingdom of God (Titus 2:14); to separate the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:32).Remember, this Gospel is a Gospel of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 24:14); it is the power unto salvation. The Kingdom of God is the only thing that can never be shaken, andChristians who make Jesus their Rock and Fortress will not be greatly shaken. ‘He is my Rock and my Salvation, my Defence and my Fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken’(Psalm 62:2 & 6). God is at work in all the world, shaking everyone and everything everywhere.
There is no use asking God not to shake us, because it is in His will and power to do it. ‘Our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases’ (Psalm 115:3). It is His purpose to shake everything so that only the things that cannot be shaken will be left. What can be shaken? Empires, nations, governments, monarchies, banks, businesses,churches, families, individuals and anything else that is not eternal. The only way we can cope with God’s shaking, is to commit ourselves into the mighty hand of God (1 Peter 5:6).He is the only security mankind has (Psalm 91). We are told very firmly not to love the world or the things in it (1 John 2:15 to 17). We cannot mix the love of God with the love ofthe world. If our hearts are set on the world and the things the world can offer, the love ofthe Father is not in us; that means we would love the world more than we love God. The love of things in the world are not of the Father – that is they are not of God. The three sins that lead to eternal destruction; the lust of flesh, the lust of the eyes and pride of life – of which pride is the single biggest problem – These are sins from the world, and can keep us trapped and bound to the things we have in the world.
This world along with some of heaven, is eventually going to pass away and be burned up (2 Peter 3:10).
Nobody has a permanent home here on earth. If we try to make our home in this world,then we will be greatly shaken, but he who does the will of God lives forever. Even when we are shaken, if we are founded on the Rock (Jesus) and are doing the will of God, we will not be swept away (Matthew 7:25 to 27).
Monday, February 1, 2010
Dirty Hands
It seems that everywhere you look we see hand sanitizers. It seems that every thing and every one we touch anymore, has germs.
Sickness is passed just by a person touching someone, yet the Bible tells us if there are any sick, to lay hands on them and pray for their healing.
It is only logical if sickness can be passed through touch, why cant healing be passed by the same means. Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.
If a man or woman is holy, I mean they have clean hands before God, then something should pass through them that is grater than any sickness the world seem to put upon us.
We live in a day where it would be difficult to know when people at church lay their hands on us if we will get sick or healed.
I pray we have holy hands,
I pray we pass on life not death by our touch.
I pray we can see gods hands when we lay on our hands,
I pray we see the sick healed, but most of all
I pray for men and women to have holy hands.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Dose God make you angry?
I talk to many people who are upset with God, they say he didn't answer prayer, or he took their child or wife.
Why would anyone think that Gods ways are our way, when the bible teaches just the opposite.
Who are we to argue with the one who with his breath breathed out the stars in heaven.
Who are we to contend with the almighty God.
The bottom line is not that God didn't answer, but our faith is weak, so weak that we think God is our servant rather than our King. We think in lines of time, and limit ourselves, as well as our vision of God.
Everything we have and work for on this earth will perish, only what we do for him will last forever.
My dad told me to always buy the best, because it last longer, he said never get caught up in fads, as they just fade away.
I want to make my investments into that which last, and eternity seem like it would last a long long time..
Faith, not anger, faith. You just might see a mountain move with it. God is a big big God.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
How to have peace in your life
We live in a world that is always in a hurry, whether going or coming home, we are always rushed.
We live in a world that is filled with people wanting what they want when they want it.
We live in a world that is filled with sorrow, heart ache, and death.
Yet the bible teaches that we can have a peace that passes all understanding, but if we focus on the problems of our day, we know any peace would be beyond our understanding.
If we could fist look at ourselves and find all of our selfishness, every ounce of it, we would find the truth about what angers us, and what is always stealing the peace from our lives.
A selfish person is a lonely person, a selfish person is always wanting more, and never content with anything. Paul said I have learned to be content. Contentment with life, understanding that God himself knows where we are, what we have, and why we are in the circumstances we are in.
Trusting God, and denying ourself, is the key to living a peaceful life.
Try it, after all, our selfish nature, always thinks that if it gets its way, that will bring peace.
How is that working out for you?
Try denying yourself and accepting the contentment god can bring through faith. God Bless
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