CHURCH – PREPARE FOR ECONOMIC CRASH

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Further to my previous post which looked at who owns global assets, this post looks at the appetite for investment and the fact it is heading into panic territory.

The Global Risk Appetite Index compares the performance of 64 global assets to judge how willing or unwilling investors are to take additional risk. The index last entered panic territory in October of 2015, when global recession seemed a threat as China’s capital markets threatened to meltdown.

This time around, the issues are manifold: trade disputes, the Italian budget, Fed tightening and emerging market turbulence all “contend to be the main driver of this risk appetite slump”, the Credit Suisse analysts write.

Some big investors are taking action. Check out this chart:

It shows that some very big guns are starting to cut exposure to stocks.

According to the AFR this week, the behemoth that is Australian Super just cut back on local and international equities. Could this be the start of the giant, global ‘risk-off/sell off

Church are you preparing for what’s coming? It will be church as described in the Book of Acts that will be a blessing.

“Now when the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul, neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands, of houses sold them and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.” Acts 4: 32-34

CHURCH – PREPARE FOR GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRASH

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Signs are brewing that asset markets are finally reaching a tipping point. we’re heading for a similar bubble burst to 1987, 2000, 2008 or even 1929, only this one will be bigger. Who has the most to lose? Whilst these are US statistics they don’t differ much in the western world. The rest of the world’s economists, having observed America’s apparent financial success, copied its Keynesian methodology developed in the 1930s. Thus, virtually the whole world is now marching in lockstep like lemmings towards the edge of a cliff.

OWNERSHIP OF FINANCIAL ASSETS

Since 1983, the top 1% has climbed from 34% of financial asset ownership to 40% (and I’ve seen some studies say that it’s closer to 50%). The bottom 90% have fallen from 32% financial asset ownership to 21%. How much can the latter lose when they don’t have many financial assets to begin with?

For a broader view, look at this chart, which shows the top 10% versus the top 20%.

The top 20% control 90% of the financial assets while the top 10% controls 79%. That means the bottom 80% control only 10%!

The whole wealth curve is exponentially skewed, much more than income…

So, there are no two ways about it: When this bubble finally bursts for good, and wealth is destroyed for a long time, it will be the richest that lose the most! Whilst they lose the most, it will be the 90% that will suffer the most as they will not have money or jobs to put food on the table.

Church are you preparing for what’s coming? It will be church as described in the Book of Acts that will be a blessing.

“Now when the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul, neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands, of houses sold them and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.” Acts 4: 32-34

 

CHURCH NEEDS A TOTAL MAKEOVER

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Spiritual warfare is about whose version of reality will prevail on earth – heaven or hell

Who is winning the war: the church has no meaningful penetration of Media—and look what media is doing?  Academia is the stronghold of evolution and Marxist indoctrination of our youth. What about Arts and Late Night television? Even businesses fear boycotts by activists so much that they cower in submission. This is true for America and increasingly in Australia as well.

What is God doing:

J.D. Greear, 45, a successful pastor from Durham, North Carolina, last week was elected president of the 15-million-member Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Greear is the youngest leader of the SBC in 37 years, and he brings with him a fresh approach to ministry that could trigger a wave of growth as well as upset some hyper-conservatives.

J. D. Greear Elected Youngest Southern Baptist President in Decades

Greear says, 90 percent of what we are doing in church today needs a total makeover. We are facing the most daunting renovation project in the history of the church. But the task is not impossible. It will require us to take these painful steps:

  1. We must break free from the fear of change. God is always on the move. He might lead us to camp in one spot for a while, but we can never get too comfortable in one place. His trumpet will eventually blow, and the cloud of His presence will shift. Don’t park when God is calling you forward. Stay open to His fresh directives and expect Him to stretch your faith. He is adventurous!

And be prepared for a surprise: Pentecost moments come suddenly! (See Acts 2:2.) The Holy Spirit is not under obligation to give you a two-year advance warning of His shifts.

  1. We must be willing to defy tradition. People who are married to the past cannot embrace the future. Sacred cows do not belong in the pulpit; they must be sacrificed. “The way we’ve always done it” will not work in God’s new season. The crowd chooses the comfortable pews of nostalgia, but God is with the courageous few who are willing to blaze a new path into unreached territory.
  1. We must ask the Spirit to reveal His new strategies. We cannot rely on church growth gurus, popular books or rock-star preachers to lead us into genuine change. Copying spiritual trends is just a form of carnality—and it is a sad substitute for real innovation. If the Holy Spirit does not orchestrate the work of transforming the church, our changes will be shallow. The last thing we need is a superficial upgrade.

And remember: Just because J.D. Greear and his team are attracting big crowds in North Carolina does not mean your church will automatically grow if you copy him. You need your own download from God, not a suit of armour that was fashioned for someone else.

The Lord wants to unleash a gushing river of new wine into the church today, but we must prepare our wineskins. What is old must be renewed by the Spirit, what is outdated must be remodelled, and what is ineffective must be replaced. God wants to do a new thing. Don’t resist it.

ARE YOU PURSUING GOD OR HIS GIFTS?

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WE ARE THE CHURCH – ARE WE USING THE HOLY SPIRIT GIFTS ? – DO YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS JESUS LOVES US ? – DO WE LOVE GOD’S WORD ? IS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD DEEPENING ? DO WE HAVE THE JOY OF KNOWING WE ARE IN HIS WILL ?

Another great message from Francis Chan. You will be challenged and blessed if you get it.

CHIEF AIM OF MAN IS TO GLORIFY GOD AND ENJOY HIM FOREVER

MAJOR GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS IMMINENT

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Ten indicators that the next major global economic crisis is imminent. The mainstream media in the United States almost entirely ignores Europe, but what is going on over there is key right now.

  1. The 9th largest economy in the world, Italy, is in the midst of yet another financial meltdown. Italian banking stocks crashed really hard this week. Italian two year bond yields are the highest that they have been since the crisis of 2014. In fact, there are fears that it could spread to other areas of the euro zone. Europe could barely handle what happened in Greece, and the Italian economy is many times its size.Deutsche Bank share price graphic
  2. German banking giant Deutsche Bank just announced that it will be cutting another 7,000 jobs as it “seeks to turn the page on years of losses”.  Many are amazed that it has survived for this long.  If Deutsche Bank fails in 2018, it will essentially be a “Lehman Brothers moment for the entire planet.
  3. In the US, the “smart money” is getting out of stocks at a rate that we haven’t seen since just before the financial crisis of 2008.
  4. Moody’s is warning that a “particularly large wave” of junk bond defaults is coming.  Junk bond defaults are often an early warning indicator for a major financial crisis.
  5. According to the FDIC, a closely watched category known as “assets of problem banks” more than tripled during the first quarter of 2018.  What that means is that some really big banks are now officially in “problem” territory.
  6. U.S. Treasury bonds are having the worst start to a year since the Great Depression.
  7. Mortgage interest rates in the US just hit a 7 year high, and they have been rising at the fastest pace in nearly 50 years.  This is going to be absolutely crippling for the real estate and housing industries.
  8. US retail industry debt defaults have hit a record high in 2018.
  9. The US is on pace for the worst year for retail store closings ever.
  10. The two largest economies on the entire globe are on the verge of starting an international trade war.

Once things start unravelling in Europe, the US will be deeply affected as well.  The global financial system is more interconnected than ever before, and at this point the US is even more vulnerable than it was just prior to the crisis of 2008.

When this thing breaks loose, it won’t matter who is in the White House, who is in Congress or who is running the Federal Reserve, there is nothing that anyone will be able to do to stop it.

Global central banks have been able to buy a few extra years of time by engaging in unprecedented levels of intervention, but now they are almost out of ammunition and events are beginning to escalate at a very frightening pace.

Church will need to be like in the Book of Acts where believers shared their resources with those in need. Be prepared, get out of debt, and make sure you have readily available reserves.

 

CHURCH AS JESUS PRAYED FOR IN JOHN 17

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Film “The Last Reformation – The Life”

It is now available for everyone to watch on YouTube for free. You can see the movie with subtitles in around 30 different languages. Since the premiere in Holland, a little more than a month ago, there have been over 1000 screenings all over the world and the response has been amazing. People really loved the movie and after watching the movie many people experienced healing, deliverance, repented, got baptised in water and received the Holy Spirit.

Now it is time to share it with everyone out there, so they can see church  as God intended.

 

CHURCH AS GOD INTENDED

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Torben clearly identifies what is wrong with church today. The family is God’s example of church. Church, like family, needs to raise up disciples, to train and mature them to go out and start another family. So many churches are like an orphanage with leaders, the parent model is lost and they don’t raise up disciples who will go out and create new families.

The existing religious institutional model is not God’s model and now it is time, time to set up new fellowships as shown in the Book of Acts. We need to see a reformation of the church that is already there, that they like Francis Chan will see that you can’t raise up disciples in mega churches. This is the first lesson out of a series, where Torben will speak about church and will help to give a clear picture of how a New Testament church can look like. In this lesson “Family or orphanage” you will see the difference between a family (New Testament church) and an orphanage (the religious institution) and that not one model works for every family. This teaching will bless you, challenge you, and create a desire in you to see the church as Jesus wants it to be.

GOD IS RADICALLY CHANGING CHRISTIAN CONFERENCES

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God wants to bring His ekklesia together, not to be fed and entertained through the most popular preachers or hit worship leaders. It’s not about what we get in this season; it’s about what we accomplish as one voice. I am sure the Lord is urging the church to unify, hear from heaven and accomplish His mission. We cannot continue the way church is being done now, if we really want to see cities, regions, and nations shift.

The blessing of the Christian conference is that it gathers. It converges multiple streams and various denominations to be gathering points for the ekklesia to collectively hear what God is saying,  give voice to the purposes of God in the place of intercession and then go forth mobilised to implement “the will of God, be done!” in their respective spheres of influences.

  • A conference will not change a city; a unified ekklesia will.
  • A conference will not transform a country; an interceding ekklesia will.
  • A conference will not impact history; an activated  ekklesia will.

Extracted from an article by Larry Sparks Prophetic Word: God Is Radically Changing What Christian Conferences Look Like

TIME TO BECOME DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

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Jesus has promised us:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12 

“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” Mark 16:15-18

  1. Do you believe it is your Father’s will for you and the people around you to be healed? Seek His will and put your will in His hands. Luke 5:12-1
  2. In the light of John 14:12, do you question the availability of the power of Jesus and that He now commissions us to do likewise?

Need more Scriptures?

“And He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.  And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.” Luke 9:1-2, 6

Image result for pictures of Torben Sondergaard healing the sick

Next Jesus sent out the seventy-two. “Go! I am sending you… Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” Luke 10:3, 9

“And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, ‘Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And instantly the woman was made well.” Matthew 9:20-22. 

“But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him,” ‘If you can!’ All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” …most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.” Mark 9:22-24,26-27. 

Be blessed as you look to Jesus the Son of God –

  • Pray by faith for God’s healing power for you and those around you.
  • Discern God’s will and pray according to His will.
  • Pray for those the Spirit leads you to – those who need healing as a demonstration of God’s personal love for them – so they know the kingdom of heaven is real and near.

In these last days only disciples of Christ will bring His Kingdom to impact this increasingly dark world. Find a church that is raising up disciples who will then make more disciples.

THE REMNANT CHURCH IN THE LAST DAYS

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There is always a true remnant left during times of apostasy and persecution.  It is the surviving vestige of the body of Christ that remains true to biblical principles in spite of cultural opposition. Elijah the prophet found out that God always preserved a remnant, by His grace, that held true to the faith.  1 Kings 19:18 “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” and Romans 11:5 “Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”

Characteristics of the “remnant church”:

1. More entrenched in the word of God as the world opposes them.

The more resistance they face, the remnant church will become more resolute in their faith. Instead of compromising the message of the Word, they may change their method of presenting the gospel but will never consider watering down biblical ethics, values and the message of the cross of Jesus Christ.

2. Vilified in society.

The remnant church was merely unpopular but has now reached the point of being hated. It is very apparent that Christian values are constantly mocked, such as by shows like The View, The Late Show With Steven Colbert, Real Time With Bill Maher and the like.

3. Preach counter-cultural biblical messages.

Remnant pastors will continue to preach the gospel of Christ, which always has vast implications related to human sexuality, the sanctity of human life, the definition of marriage and family and such, albeit they apply the gospel to cultural issues in a wiser, more winsome way. The remnant church will remain faithful in preaching the gospel in spite of the backlash they will receive from church attendees and the public.

4. Produce committed Christians and make disciples.

Liberal, progressive, compromising churches are shrinking, while conservative evangelical churches are still growing in numbers but the big growth is happening in “house churches” that are committed to growing disciples. It takes great sacrifice to believe in Jesus in the midst of hostile environments (consider the Christians still living under persecution in Iraq, Syria, Iran, Northern Nigeria, Sudan and similar regions.) Compromising churches produce wimpy believers and the remnant church produces committed disciples.

5. Experience the presence and power of God.

The first century church was a hated minority, yet great power and the presence of God accompanied its ministry! (Acts 3-5.) The more difficult it is to confess the truth of the gospel, the more God shows off His glory! Where sin abounds, grace does more abound (Rom. 5:20).

 

6. Excluded from mainstream secular evangelical churches and denominations.

Presently, it is still not as easy for the average person to discern between remnant and compromising churches. As the heat gets turned up more and more, compromising pastors and churches will choose to accommodate culture and compromise Scripture, thus making a clearer distinction between the remnant and mainstream church.

7. The remnant church will impact the world for Jesus Christ.

God allows difficult circumstances to weed out the un-committed followers from the committed followers (Gideon’s army of 300 in Judges 7.)

As it was during the days of Elijah, the early church period, and the time of the confessing remnant church in Nazi Germany, only the remnant has what it takes to bring about change! Only the remnant church has the conviction, the sacrifice, the devotion, the endurance, the message and the power to change the world. The compromising church will enjoy their temporary popularity in the present time, but those who are wise and turn many people unto righteousness will shine as the stars forever and ever (Dan. 12:3).

8. The remnant church will endure, whilst the compromising church will experience the wrath of God.

In Malachi 3:16-18 God promises that He has written a book of remembrance for those who speak of Him and fear His Name. The reward for them (the remnant) is that He will spare them as a man spares his son. The implications of this are vast. Whilst the children of the compromising church will probably become agnostic, the children of the remnant will carry the torch of Christ to the next generation, which will increase in strength and do greater works (John 14:12). The remnant church goes from strength to strength and faith to faith (Rom. 1:17). Meanwhile, the compromising church goes from strength to weakness and from faith to apostasy and eventually into oblivion.

I pray God will help us remain faithful to the end and participate in the remnant church!

adapted from article by Joseph Mattera in Ministry To-day – Characteristics of the Modern-Day remnant Church.