Storehouse SeriesLesson 2 – Finances in Famine; a Story of Joseph

Housekeeping

Childcare moving forward

Invite a friend! Open to community, love the broader discussion

Going through the whole series vs some lessons

Storehouse Series – What it is, what’s coming up (show website)

Mondays are when I have time to meet

Not a great teacher/preacher. Please pray!

Going to teach for an hour, then Q&A for 45 minutes or so

www.StorehouseSeries.com is where I will keep resources, notes, scripture references, etc.

Let’s pray together!

Was doing some research last week…

Discovered gold and silver do not digest well in the stomach

Money does not cook as nicely in the toaster as bread

Coins are good for flipping but serve as poor snacks

Civil rights for many are less desirable than life itself

It is easier to lose what one has gained than gain back what one has lost

When we die, 100% of us will agree that life was more than food and comfortable living

Droughts and downturns are inevitable, and can have a refining effect upon a population, for the better or for the worse.

God is more interested in our long-term plan than our short-term comfort

A Poem – On Famine – thinking about Joseph

Many are terrified of another recession, a depression, a drought, and a famine. Part of this is our theology, we expect comfort in this life, but this is contrary to the Lord’s promise. He provides peace in this life to endure difficulty in light of the next.

How bad can a famine be?

What of God bringing famine to Earth as judgment? What does this have to do with our economic system, our provision, and our faith? What is right response?

Famine in History

Not food shortage, or a pre-harvest hunger

Widespread devastation

Usually more than a political event or the siege on a city

Total natural disaster

China in the 1920’s, 1950’s, “Great Leap Forward”

Russia in the 1920’s, Ukraine in the 1930’s

However, governments and controlling forces will piggy back on these difficult events to gain more influence.

Has anyone here ever purchased a foreclosed home? Was it a purely negative event? Have you ever purchased something from someone in a desperate situation when they needed money, and you did it for a discount? Were they raging mad at you?

What happened in the world in the time of Joseph was exactly that

Now we have context to the story.

The Spectrum of Famine

Deficiency of rainfall or excess of flood are most common – destroys everything

Usually not only destruction of the present land for cultivation but of the stock that has been stored up.

The psychology of a famine is the idea we are exploring today, great shortage creating excess demand for things they previously paid normal prices for, now will sell everything to have them.

Structural famine is another tool of war.

It is a common tool throughout history for military to use a siege to induce famine on a city, or burn the regions harvest, or destroy it’s stock.

Battle of Remagen in July 1945

Famines in History 900ad, Mayan civilization all but destroyed due to drought

1696-1697, Great Famine of Finland wiped out a 1/3 of population

1708-1711, East Prussian famine wiped out 41% of population

1740-1741, Irish Famine, 38%of population (end of Little Ice Age)

1845-1852, Great Famine (Ireland), Potato Famine, 25% of population

1769-1783, Bengal Famine (modern day Bangladesh), 34% of population

Fast Forward…

Russian Famine of 1921 – 6million

Multiple others, including Famine of Ukraine and North Caucasus (7-10m)

Great Chinese Famine - 1959-1961

20-43 million deaths

Russian Famine of 1921 – Lenin’s Response

What are the implications of famine?

Three main types –

Structural

Systematic

Besieged

Nature of food

Illustration of our base needs

Let’s take a look at the Story of Joseph

Story of Joseph – History and Context

History "In an unprecedented find, a group of Egyptian researchers and archeologists has discovered a

cache of coins from the time of the Pharaohs. Its importance lies in the fact that it provides decisive scientific evidence disproving the claim by some historians that the ancient Egyptians were unfamiliar with coins and conducted their trade through barter.

"The researchers discovered the coins when they sifted through thousands of small archeological artifacts stored in [the vaults of] the Museum of Egypt. [Initially] they took them for charms, but a thorough examination revealed that the coins bore the year in which they were minted and their value, or effigies of the pharaohs [who ruled] at the time of their minting. Some of the coins are from the time when Joseph lived in Egypt, and bear his name and portrait. IsraelNationalNews.com

Context of Joseph and his family Highlights of the story

Extremely high character

Then something happens… a slip of character?

Pastor Edward Donnelly…

Joseph continued…

Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan and taken in payment for the grain they were buying, and sells them corn to eat. Now they have no money left.

They bring their livestock to Joseph in exchange for their horses (first time horse is mentioned in the Bible, no mention of camels yet), sheep, goats, and donkeys.

“Buy us and our land and we and our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”

Then Joseph established as a law, still in place today, that a 1/5th of the produce still belongs to Pharaoh.

Josephs actions seem to be hard to defend, seems less than ethical, using this famine to take over this whole country for the king.

NIV says in v 14 that he “collected’ their money, or that he ‘scraped it up’ same word as the gleaners that went into the field after the harvest and scraped up every last grain off the ground. It looks as though Joseph is exploiting a natural disaster, what would we think of a politician that behaved like that today? Is he right? We aren’t compelled, and we don’t have to defend everything Joseph did. The bible records the faults as well as the virtues of the great men of God.

So?

It is possible that this was one bad mark on an otherwise spotless record, a good man, a godly man, but an unscrupulous politician?

We need to understand Joseph in his own day and his own time.

Realize that as we read in v.13, the famine was severe, there was no food!

“We must see emaciated human forms, pencil thin children with bloated bellies, making their way across barren fields with no food. In this context, there is little to consider of the political system in which they are going to live.” Donnelly

The word slavery has quite a different impact. We think of the African slave trade, human beings packed into the lower bowels of a ship in appalling conditions…. When we look at Egypt we are better to see it as the feudal system, where the surf worked the land for the benefit of the owner. It worked for centuries. The ancient world had absolutely no idea of something for nothing, the free lunch did not exist. People expected if necessary they would sell their land, their children, themselves, if they had to for food. (see notes)

This is not God’s ideal for humanity, this is emergency legislation… warning us to be aware of the influence of government. It’s like a drug, he who pays the piper calls the tune. It’s lovely to have the state pay the piper. The people in v.25, “You have saved our lives, we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”

Reassessment of our society, and a reassurance about our prospects. There is also a startling contrast here of the Egyptians on one hand, the world, and the people of God. People of God are in an unfavorable position, in corrupt heathen Egypt during a famine. The famine was in Canaan as well as Egypt!

Human Predisposition

We tend toward security, stabilizing our surroundings, controlling outcomes

State-run governments and economies seemed to be the best method

Then capitalism was introduced

What is capitalism?

But we find capitalism really facilitating us having liberty to seek out our own desires in light of our abilities, re-calibrating expectations and discovering more about ourselves along the way.

That’s a lesson for another session!

However, famine throws all of that into the gear shaft and grinds it up. Then what?

Human Predisposition

Human Instincts

Relationship, Companionship, Financial, Emotional, Prestige, Esteem, etc.

What are the base instincts?

Food, water, clothing, shelter

In the chain of command, what will we give up for food and water?

So if there is an entity, government, politician, terrorist group that wanted you to give up your liberties, what would it take?

We’ve heard the phrase, “Give me freedom or give me death!”

However, reality is this:

Most of us value our lives more than our freedoms.

Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness

Many think this quote comes from John Locke who originally wrote a thesis on government and the advancement of a kingdom by selling the common land into private ownership.

“Life, Liberty, and Private Estate”

Nonetheless, the engine of our economy is a self-interest-based system

Like I mentioned last week, it has everything to do with God’s design, we are “Wired for Desire,” and are called to live with self interest.

Adam Smith, author of “Wealth of Nations,” first wrote of capitalism as the “invisible hand,” that navigates millions of individual transactions culminating in efficiency and demands being met.

Well, that ‘invisible hand’ is God’s handiwork.

Living for this age versus the one that is coming.

Cont’d

Problem with private estates and property is typically you can’t eat them. During a famine, they probably aren’t producing much for you.

What you have is what you eat.

Not getting into ‘how to save yourself’ mentality, let’s not forget that having food and water on hand is what saves people during times of famine.

Being in Minnesota… the water thing is probably covered.

Economically, though, things will come to a grinding halt when people can’t eat.

Story of Joseph… Losers? Winners?

Here is an odd question to ask, but it must be asked; Were there any winners during the famine? Who?

If I’m a leading politician working against a stubborn, libertarian, freedom-fighting citizenship, am I necessarily opposed to a famine?

Transfer of Wealth – how it works if the asset doesn’t change

Famines Are Also Induced…

Many cases in the Bible, for example, when a city is ‘besieged’ and starved out. They simply wait.

Walled cities are as healthy as the provision they carry within when they are besieged.

“If you are going into that line,—going to besiege the city of God,—you must not only be strong in engines, but prepared with provisions to starve out the garrison.” – Henry David Thoreau

Friend of mine who owned a business, had a separate business that he and a friend owned together. Friend sought to default the business to obtain the assets… an induced effort to bring it down.

Modern Day Induced Famines

Straying from the truest sense of famine… we are going to refer to famine more broadly – something that is induced to force a drastic response.

The Great Depression

October 1929, hell broke loose on Wall Street.

Run on the banks – 5000 banks failed

Lender of Last Resort did not fill their role

Bottom didn’t come until 1931

Recovery didn’t occur until WWII was underway

Dow did not return to it’s peak height again until 1954

What’s most remarkable is the reform that took place shortly after

The New Deal

Inaugurated March 4, 1933 Next day, Emergency Banking Act Glass-Steagall Act, FDIC “Relief, Reform, Recovery” In first 100 days Congress granted every request Roosevelt asked, setting

standard of action for Presidents. Gold banned, money debased 750,000 farms confiscated or auctioned Capital failed because of new credit market failures, banks seize property Civil rights changed (7 programs deemed unconstitutional later) Tried to “court pack”

Consolidate authority within government by expanding the number of justices as forcing a law of eliminating justices over age of 70.

Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) a Hoover agency expanded, Ended in 1954.

Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) a Hoover program to create unskilled jobs for relief; replaced by WPA in 1935.

United States bank holiday, 1933: closed all banks until they became certified by federal reviewers

Abandonment of gold standard, 1933: gold reserves no longer backed currency; still exists.

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), 1933: employed young men to perform unskilled work in rural areas; under United States Army supervision; separate program for Native Americans.

Homeowners Loan Corporation (HOLC) helped people keep their homes, the government bought properties from the bank allowing people to pay the government instead of the banks in installments they could afford, keeping people in their homes and banks afloat.

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), 1933: effort to modernize very poor region (most of Tennessee), centered on dams that generated electricity on the Tennessee River; still exists.

Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA), 1933: raised farm prices by cutting total farm output of major crops and livestock; replaced by a new AAA.

National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA), 1933: industries set up codes to reduce unfair competition, raise wages and prices; ended 1935.

Public Works Administration (PWA), 1933: built large public works projects; used private contractors (did not directly hire unemployed). Ended 1938.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures bank deposits and supervises state banks; still exists

Glass-Steagall Act regulates investment banking; repealed 1999.

Securities Act of 1933, created the SEC, 1933: codified standards for sale and purchase of stock, required awareness of investments to be accurately disclosed; still exists.

Civil Works Administration (CWA), 1933-34: provided temporary jobs to millions of unemployed.

Indian Reorganization Act, 1934: moved away from assimilation; policy dropped

Social Security Act (SSA), 1935: provided financial assistance to: elderly, handicapped, paid for by employee and employer payroll contributions; required 7 years contributions, so first payouts were in 1942; still exists.

Works Progress Administration (WPA), 1935: a national labor program for more than 2 million unemployed; created useful construction work for unskilled men; also sewing projects for women and arts projects for unemployed artists, musicians and writers; ended 1943.

National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) / Wagner Act, 1935: set up National Labor Relations Board to supervise labor-management relations; In the 1930s, it strongly favored labor unions. Modified by the Taft-Hartley Act (1947); still exists.

Judicial Reorganization Bill, 1937: gave the President power to appoint a new Supreme Court judge for every judge 70 years or older; failed to pass Congress.

Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), 1938: Insures crops and livestock against loss of production or revenue. Was restructured during the creation of the Risk Management Agency in 1996 but continues to exist.

Surplus Commodities Program (1936); gives away food to poor; still exists as Food Stamp Program.

Fair Labor Standards Act 1938: established a maximum normal work week of 44 hours and a minimum wage of 40 cents/hour and outlawed most forms of child labor; still exists, hours have been lowered to 40 hours over the years.

Rural Electrification Administration, (REA)one of the federal executive departments of the United States government charged with providing public utilities (electricity, telephone, water, sewer) to rural areas in the U.S. via public-private partnerships. still exists.

Resettlement Administration (RA), Resettled poor tenant farmers; replaced by Farm Security Administration in 1935.▪Farm Security Administration (FSA), Helped poor farmers by a variety of economic and educational programs; still exists as Farmers Home Administration.

Interesting Facts…

Al Capone made an attempt at public relations, opening up a soup kitchen during the Great Depression.

The “Three Little Pigs” was released by Disney on May 27, 1933. Meaning of story?

A record 60-80 million Americans went to movies every week during this time.

African-Americans were the hardest hit, and were often the first laid off.

When Depression struck, “Mexican-Americans” were accused of taking away jobs from “real” Americans

Up to 40% of the country did not face any real hardship during this time.

Every major country abandoned the gold standard because of the Depression. Hoover argued that abandoning the gold standard was the first step toward “communism, fascism, socialism, statism, and a planned economy.”

Most Agree with Milton Friedman

“The Great Depression, like most other periods of severe unemployment, was produced by government mismanagement rather than by any inherent instability of the private economy.”

“The Fed was largely responsible for converting what might have been a garden-variety recession, although perhaps a fairly severe one, into a major catastrophe. Instead of using its powers to offset the depression, it presided over a decline in the quantity of money by one-third from 1929 to 1933 ... Far from the depression being a failure of the free-enterprise system, it was a tragic failure of government.:

2009…

“So today, my administration is proposing a sweeping overhaul of the financial regulatory system, a transformation on a scale not seen since the reforms that followed the Great Depression.” President Obama, June 2009, Oval Office

It should be no surprise… bubbles…

Men and women everywhere desire something for nothing

Acquiring other people’s objects at major discounts means they earned something without working for it, without discharging their own labor

Exploitation, arbitrage, manipulation, etc, No surprise

Famines, whether structural, systemic, or a siege are no different. There is so much to gain from successfully anticipating someone else’s decline

Foreclosures for example… my wife and I bought one, what was one man’s loss is another’s gain.

It becomes immoral when the event predicting a foreclosure is already predicated. That is the way of the world.

As far as predicting the future of our economy, we cannot dismiss the fact that there are players with major power that have influence to partially induce structural issues.

What other Bible stories?Genesis Chapter 1210 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. 12 Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I[c] may live because of you.”

Genesis Chapter 26 

There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar.

2 Then the LORD appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. 4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; 5 because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”

Negating Responsibility

2Sam 21, famine because Saul swore protection and negated

 1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, “It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites.”

Display of Power

1Kg 17, Elijah proclaims drought

 1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”

…18 1 And it came to pass after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.”

…41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43 and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”

Israel Carried Away After…

2 Kings 17

5 Now the king of Assyria went throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria and besieged it for three years. 6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah and by the Habor, the River of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

Shunammite

2Kg 8, Shunammite woman who prepared upper room for Elisha

 1 Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go, you and your household, and stay wherever you can; for the LORD has called for a famine, and furthermore, it will come upon the land for seven years.” 2 So the woman arose and did according to the saying of the man of God, and she went with her household and dwelt in the land of the Philistines seven years.

God Can Intervene

2Kg 6, Samaria famine (donkey head for 80 shekels silver. . .)

25 And there was a great famine in Samaria; and indeed they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and one-fourth of a kab of dove droppings for five shekels of silver. 28 . . . . .Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 So we boiled my son, and ate him. And I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him’; but she has hidden her son.” 30 Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes; and as he passed by on the wall, the people looked, and there underneath he had sackcloth on his body.

**five shekels is more than a months worth of earnings

Elisha prophecies the Syrians fleeing from the gates of the city the next day. Chapter 7

New Testament, too

Acts 1127 And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. 30 This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

End of Days…

God says he will bring sword, famine, and pestilence.

It is judgment, it also a matter of the Earth being under a curse

So how do we carry ourselves during such a season?

Famines become a part of God’s exhibition

Times of sifting also reveal our hearts

Promises

Psalm 37 

18 The LORD knows the days of the upright,         And their inheritance shall be forever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,         And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

Psalms 33:19

 18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,         On those who hope in His mercy, 19 To deliver their soul from death,         And to keep them alive in famine.

Malachi 3The Coming Messenger1 “Behold, I send My messenger,      And he will prepare the way before Me.       And the Lord, whom you seek,       Will suddenly come to His temple,       Even the Messenger of the covenant,       In whom you delight.       Behold, He is coming,”       Says the LORD of hosts.        2 “ But who can endure the day of His coming?       And who can stand when He appears?       For He is like a refiner’s fire       And like launderers’ soap.        3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;       He will purify the sons of Levi,       And purge them as gold and silver,       That they may offer to the LORD       An offering in righteousness.        4 “ Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem       Will be pleasant to the LORD,       As in the days of old,       As in former years.        5 And I will come near you for judgment;       Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans,       And against those who turn away an alien—       Because they do not fear Me,”       Says the LORD of hosts.        6 “ For I am the LORD, I do not change;       Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.        7 Yet from the days of your fathers       You have gone away from My ordinances       And have not kept them.      Return to Me, and I will return to you,”       Says the LORD of hosts.

But you said,

      ‘ In what way shall we return?’ Do Not Rob God 8 “ Will a man rob God?       Yet you have robbed Me!       But you say,  “ If I will not open for you the windows of heaven        ‘ In what way have we robbed You?’       In tithes and offerings.        9 You are cursed with a curse,       For you have robbed Me,       Even this whole nation.        10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,       That there may be food in My house,       And try Me now in this,”       Says the LORD of hosts, And pour out for you such blessing       That there will not be room enough to receive it.       11 “ And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,       So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,       Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”       Says the LORD of hosts;        12 And all nations will call you blessed,       For you will be a delightful land,”       Says the LORD of hosts.

Matthew 24:7

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.

Mark 13:8

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.

Luke 15:14

But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

Luke 21:11

And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

Acts 7:11

Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance.

Acts 11:28

Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.

Romans 8:35

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Revelation 18:8

Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.

Jeremiah 17 – Where is our hope?

Thus says the LORD:“Cursed is the man who trusts in manAnd makes flesh his strength,Whose heart departs from the LORD.6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert,And shall not see when good comes,But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,In a salt land which is not inhabited.

7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,And whose hope is the LORD.8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,Which spreads out its roots by the river,And will not fear[b] when heat comes;But its leaf will be green,And will not be anxious in the year of drought,Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

9 “The heart is deceitful above all things,And desperately wicked;Who can know it?10 I, the LORD, search the heart,I test the mind,Even to give every man according to his ways,According to the fruit of his doings.

11 “As a partridge that broods but does not hatch,So is he who gets riches, but not by right;It will leave him in the midst of his days,And at his end he will be a fool.”

There’s a lot to gain, a lot to lose

We are in far less control than we think we are in consideration of economy

We are wise to live shrewdly, save wisely, invest soundly, but holding loosely to promises in this life and holding fast to the one that is coming.

You may hear some people say, “There’s nothing you can do if the economy floor falls out, you can’t eat your investments.” Well, that’s not totally true either. There are some things that endure through famine, maintaining their wealth. That is for another session.

It’s key that we understand we ought to live prudently but recognize that the powers that can wield great power at a moment’s notice… including the Lord.

Difficult times soften hard ground, usually shifting a prosperity landscape of entitlement to gratitude and openness, mutual compassion.

Let’s not lose our soul and miss the harvest that will come during difficult times

Let’s also not lose all our investments because we thought difficult times would never again occur.

It’s not all bad…

My parents survived the Great Depression and brought me up to live within my means, save some for tomorrow, share and don’t be greedy, work hard for the necessities in life knowing that money does not make you better or more important than anyone else. So, extravagance has been bred out of my DNA.

David Suzuki

My parents, products of the Great Depression, were successful people, but lived in a state of constant fear that my sister and I, and they, would sink into the kind of economic insecurity that their generation knew so well.

Ben Stein

Some ThoughtsFinancial Considerations

Most present day droughts, rather natural or induced, are seen as major opportunities for political players to capture influence and power.

In other words, they are not as opposed to these as we may think.

In order to live in light of that understanding, how ought we consider managing our finances?

My main hope is that we see that our economy actually sits in instability, motivating us to think more soberly about how we plan for the future.

And knowing that something could turn down ever-so-quickly, we must ask some bigger questions…

Where do you stand with the Lord?

Are you in faith, or are you in fear?

Do you trust in man’s systems, or is your hope firmly placed on the Day of the Lord and his promise in the coming age?

Wealth is never promised in this life.

Can you imagine all your things and liberties taken from you, sold into slavery? How will we respond?

We need to count the cost.

Our hope has to lie in the coming age. Great is your reward.

Final Thoughts

Famine will come….

Whether Economic

Whether of the Word

Whether of the Weather…

They will come.

There is too much to be made from it.

Difficult times subdue nations and yields control and birthright, privileges, liberty, and assets. Transfer of Wealth takes place immediately and compliantly.

Please be ready. Be as Jeremiah 17, if you trust in man, you will ‘not see when good comes.” Be ready!

Let’s Talk!