Everyone loves credit!

I'm just going to post this in its entirety.

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A debt culture gone awry
By Hamid Varzi International Herald Tribune
Friday, August 17, 2007


The U.S. economy, once the envy of the world, is now viewed across the globe with suspicion. America has become shackled by an immovable mountain of debt that endangers its prosperity and threatens to bring the rest of the world economy crashing down with it.

The ongoing sub-prime mortgage crisis, a result of irresponsible lending policies designed to generate commissions for unscrupulous brokers, presages far deeper problems in a U.S. economy that is beginning to resemble a giant smoke-and-mirrors Ponzi scheme. And this has not been lost on the rest of the world.

This new reality has had unfortunate side effects that go beyond economics. As a banker working in the heart of the Muslim world, I have been amazed by the depth and breadth of anti-Americanism, even among U.S. allies, manifested in reactions ranging from fierce anger to stoic fatalism. Muslims outside the United States interpret America's policies in the Middle East not as an effort to spread democracy but as a blatant neocolonialist attempt to solve its economic problems by force. Arabs and Persians alike argue that America's fiscal irresponsibility has forced the nation to seek solutions through military aggression.

Many believe that America's misguided adventure in Iraq was a desperate attempt to capture both a reliable source of cheap oil and a major export market for the United States.

The United States borrows a whopping $2.5 billion daily from abroad to service its burgeoning debt. In order to continue borrowing at reasonable interest rates America needs to retain credibility with its overseas creditors, especially Far Eastern nations running huge trade surpluses. A cessation of foreign lending would force the Fed to raise interest rates to attract money, precipitating a collapse of the already weak housing market and pushing the economy into recession.

This is why the Chinese, in particular, have threatened to retaliate against proposed U.S. trade sanctions by reducing their $1.3 trillion in dollar holdings.

The U.S. debt situation is so grave that the Chinese would not even need to "dump dollars" to precipitate a meltdown but could simply refuse to extend further credit: They could cease purchasing additional Treasury Bonds and Treasury Bills, without selling any excess inventory. China has the far stronger hand, because a run on the dollar would merely reduce China's gigantic cash surplus while increasing America's debt burden to astronomical levels.

U.S. debt affects all nations, but in surprisingly different ways: Third world farmers suffer from the effects of gigantic U.S. farm subsidies aimed at reducing the trade deficit, while Russia has actually profited from America's lack of discipline.

Flush with funds generated from a decade of trade and account surpluses, Russia views U.S. sensitivity to its expansionist energy policy as a response to America's own failure to reduce energy waste and exploit alternative energy sources when it had the opportunity to do so. In sum, American economic decadence has become a source of Russian strength.

America's supply-side economists argue that there is nothing wrong with going into debt, but this is valid only as long as a nation and its consumers are gaining something in return.

What have Americans gained from their nation's mountain of debt? A crumbling infrastructure, a manufacturing base that has declined 60 percent since World War II, a rise in the wealth gap, the lowest consumer-savings rate since the depths of the Great Depression, 50 million Americans without health insurance, an educational system in decline and a shrinking dollar that makes foreign travel a luxury.

The best cars, the best bridges and highways, the fastest trains and the tallest buildings are all to be found outside America's borders. Supply-siders ignore the crucial distinction between, on the one hand, debt employed as an investment vehicle to enhance competitiveness and, on the other, debt used to pay off current expenses and to create even more debt.

The bottom line is that America is awash in red ink and seeks the wrong solutions to its debt problems. A return to fiscal responsibility would make America far stronger, both domestically and internationally, than would a continuation of current policies that falsely project strength through idle protectionist threats and failed military aggression.

Current tensions between the United States and the rest of the world will continue as long as America's military bark is louder than its economic bite.

A solution to the U.S. debt problem requires radical measures, including: the elimination of corporate tax loopholes, a reversal of tax breaks for the ultra-rich, a bipartisan campaign to eliminate budget "pork," imposition of stringent limits on corporate debt and speculative lending, a vast reduction in military expenditure and, finally, an additional 50 cent per gallon gasoline tax that would slash the federal deficit, curtail energy waste and spur technological breakthroughs.

Let us hope America heeds the warnings, dispenses with junk-food economics and embraces a crucial diet of fiscal discipline. It remains to be seen, however, whether America's political leaders have the courage to instigate such reforms, and whether Congress is finally willing to do something for the future of ordinary, hard-working Americans.

Bishop urges Christians to call God 'Allah'

“I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images." Isaiah 42:8

A nice excerpt. May God show us His full glory soon.

"Catholic churches in the Netherlands should use the name Allah for God to ease tensions between Muslims and Christians, says a Dutch bishop.

Tiny Muskens, the bishop of Breda, told the Dutch TV program "Network" Monday night he believes God doesn't mind what he is called, Radio Netherlands Worldwide reported.

The Almighty is above such "discussion and bickering," he insisted."

Muslims, Christians, and Conversion. Oh my!

This is an interesting article about whether one can convert from Islam to Christianity and the consequences via a "spiritual" advisor from Egypt.

Just tell me who to vote for...

A little Derek Webb to sooth your soul.

No Easy Answers

I just finished reading this radio interview. I don't generally like Hugh Hewitt (too conservative...did I just say that???) but he is a good interviewer.

This interview made me mad, sad, and feel hopeless about the situation in Iraq. One of the key points that really hit me hard was the "what do we do now" question. I hear many people bash the war, especially over the last year, myself included. I now wish we wouldn't have gone in to be perfectly candid. But my point here is that we ARE there now and no amount of wishing things were the way they were before will help with matters.

We have to deal with Iraq as it now stands. What will give our Lord glory in
this mess?

Brother Yun

Tonight I was privledge enough to end up reading excerpts from a book by a man named Yun from China. What he writes about is so inspiring. So Christ exalting.

One particular passage really struck me (Chapter 10). Maybe because it is so foreign to my reality. Actually being beaten for faith in Christ. There was one sentence that my soul cried out in harmony with...

'The more I meditated on God's grace the more faith I received.'

Amen! That this would be true of all christians.

Blast off to Jupiter.

Okay. I caught this little snippet the other day. It pretty much rocks. Put on some headphones and listen to this band from the NYC area. Good stuff.

Iraq criticism...military style

This article was great. A little lengthy (God forbid we have to read for more than 5 minutes but real good. Thank you Armed Forces Journal.

What ARE we doing in Iraq. I mean really? Go hard or go home as they say. And since we do not apparently have the moral fortitude finish what we started I'm not sure we should ever start anything again.

Bubbling Up

This is a great little snippet from a noted expert (or so say they say...) about the state of the world's economy. I've been tooting this horn for awhile now with regards to the domestic market, so it is interesting to see that our 'world economy' is in potential trouble now.

Gold is good but you can't eat it.

Proverbs 23:1 When you sit down to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you, 2 and put a knife to your throatif you are given to appetite. 3 Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food. 4 Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. 5 When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.

Struggling

Excerpts from Psalm 94

12 Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord,and whom you teach out of your law,13 to give him rest from days of trouble,until a pit is dug for the wicked.14 For the Lord will not forsake his people;he will not abandon his heritage;15 for justice will return to the righteous,and all the upright in heart will follow it.

17 If the Lord had not been my help,my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.18 When I thought, “My foot slips,”your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.19 When the cares of my heart are many,your consolations cheer my soul.

22 But the Lord has become my stronghold,and my God the rock of my refuge.

Well. The Lord IS good and does good. But the last few days I have been contemplating my navel and wondering WHERE God was in the midst of it. The depth of my depravity constantly amazes me. I know that I need to purposely look to Christ when I get like this but oh do I struggle to do just that!

I've been reading Spiritual Depression and have seen very clearly my own struggles in this book. Although I strongly believe in God's sovereignty, I struggle to understand my own stubborn will and the sin that works so powerfully in me to kill me daily.

I think that as a follower of Jesus Christ my idol is always...me...shocker there, huh?

I was reminded that loving Christ is acted out in my life by setting my affections firmly and solidly on Him and that the outcome of those rightly-placed affections is to then serve others. I get bummed out when I focus on me and not on Him and His people. As a friend quoted from Isaiah 58:

6 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness,to undo the straps of the yoke,to let the oppressed go free,and to break every yoke?7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungryand bring the homeless poor into your house;when you see the naked, to cover him,and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,and your healing shall spring up speedily;your righteousness shall go before you;the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’If you take away the yoke from your midst,the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,10 if you pour yourself out for the hungryand satisfy the desire of the afflicted,then shall your light rise in the darknessand your gloom be as the noonday.11 And the Lord will guide you continuallyand satisfy your desire in scorched placesand make your bones strong;and you shall be like a watered garden,like a spring of water,whose waters do not fail.12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;you shall be called the repairer of the breach,the restorer of streets to dwell in.

I 'fast' for my own spiritual gain, but the 'light' only comes when I share my 'bread' and 'bring the homeless poor' into my home.

How's this for a complicated little formula: setting my affections firmly on Christ leads to serving God's people (and sharing the Good News with pagans) which leads to me finding intention IN this service which leads to me acting out the love of Christ to others which leads to my joy which redounds to His glory.

Say that five times real fast.

Or as John Piper says: God is most glorified is us when we are most satisfied in Him. Amen.

Be Thou My Vision

On Friday night I read this great blog from a guy named Mark Lauterbach (click the title to read the post). What he said hit my heart so strongly. I struggle so much to fight my sin (okay...some days I try). But how often I get stuck looking at MYSELF! Not too pretty. In his posting he reminds me to look toward Christ, not myself, in order to deal with my sin.

We need to examine our hearts...are they pure...what is our motivation...this is crucial for any follower of Christ. But oh that that would NOT overshadow Jesus Christ and His perfections.

Then this morning I heard the old hymn...

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

2. Be Thou my Wisdom, Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee, Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

3. Be Thou my battle-shield, sword for my fight,
Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight.
Thou my soul's shelter, Thou my high tower.
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
4. Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

5. High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'ns Son!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

The old truths are STILL the truth!

Matt. 7:13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it.
Matt. 7:14 “For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.

The only way we STAY on the narrow path after conversion is by CONTINUING to stay focused on Christ. How often we look toward other things...our Bible reading, our service, our giving when all the time the 'secret' is to gaze on Christ being...

2Cor. 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Look to HIM!

The Millennium

Check out this link from Sam Storms at Enjoying God. I've only begun exploring it but it looks like a pretty good resource to start thinking about end-time ideas.

A group of brothers and I are spending some time studying out the idea of the millennium. The traditional position I've held has been that of most modern American evengelicals (does this term even MEAN anything anymore?) i.e., premillenial and I think would include the following understandings:

1. Literal - the 1000 years referred to are actualy 365 days per year as we conceive of them presently.

2. Future-oriented - we aren't 'in' it yet.

Some of the ramifications of thinking about it in this way (almost all references about what we commonly call the millennium are in Revelation 20) at least to me are:

1. Satan is currently unencumbered - he has not been chained yet

2. There are events that MUST happen after the rapture of the saints and God's punishment of the earth that include the physical earth as we know it

Some of my thoughts about eschatology in general that would deal with a 'literal' fulfillment of the millenium if the assumptions above are accurate would include:

- There will be people who surive the 'tribulation' and the 'wrath of God' - these people make it into the millenium. Some people believe this will include both Jews (saved according to Romans 11) and Gentiles (apparently unsaved???) who will repopulate the earth after the opening of the seals and the rapture of the saints.

- There are two kinds of saved people (if you follow this logic): Jews and the 'church'. Both saved by Christ but with different destinies.

MAJOR ISSUE: Christ came to save a 'people'. Not peoples. By this I do not mean he only came to save one particular ethnic group, e.g., Jews, Ethiopians, etc., but that those saved are ONLY saved by the blood of Christ-period-and their faith in that. How can there be different peoples with different destinies?

Note: All of the above, and in fact, my whole thinking about 'end-time' events is piecemeal at best.

Means and Ends

Quick half-explored thought...is there anything we can think, feel, or do that does not have an eternal consequence? From the velocity and trajectory of the 9mm shells that killed 32 people on Virgina Tech's campus this last week to the seemingly small grimaces I sometimes give my spouse that cut into her heart and wound her deeply, is there ANYTHING that does not have eternal ramifications?

Proverbs 16:1 The plans of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of trouble.

9 The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.

25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.

33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.

As Derek Webb said and I paraphrase (probably badly), "You can't plan the ends and not plan the means."

Does each keystroke I make while writing this MATTER?

More later...

The Blasphemy Challenge

This will make you cry...but its real and out there and those who love the Lord Jesus Christ and His Father's sovereign grace need to know. (Click on the title.)

Psa. 56:4 In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?

An Essay on Truth

This article by Bob Mounce (who also happens to be my Sunday school teacher) sheds some wonderful light on the nature of 'truth'.

John 18:37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
John 18:38a Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

News Flash! Monkey's more evolved than humans!

Check out this article. It was too funny to pass up.

So what they are telling me is that according to SCIENCE monkeys are evolving faster than humans. Even though humans are more evolved now and that this is probably due to the fact that at one time there were more monkeys than people on the planet. Huh?

I like the way the boundaries of the author's paradigm about evolution are so strong that when the data seemingly contradicts the theory they massage it. Wow.

The Dark Depths of Man

An exceprt taken from Iain H. Murray's, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: The First Forty Years, 1899-1939 and D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: The Fight of Faith, 1939-1981 (Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Banner of Truth Trust, 1982, 1990).

"Parallel with Lloyd-Jones' observance of the world around him, but ultimately more decisive, was the growing recognition which came to him of his own sinfulness. He began to recognise that sin was much more profound than such acts are commonly recognised as immoral: there is a wrongfulness in man's very desires. What the Apostle Paul calls 'the lusts of the mind' -- pride, jealousy, envy, malice, anger, bitterness --are all part of the very same disease. Even in the mind, his highest faculty, man has become a fool. As this fact slowly dawned on Lloyd-Jones at about the age of twenty-three, his estimate of his own life was changed. The very debates which he had so enjoyed on religious subjects he discovered to be nothing but evidence of his own depravity. Preaching in later years on the 'lusts of the mind,' he made one of his rare personal allusions when he declared: 'As I was preparing this sermon it filled me with a loathing and a hatred of myself. I look back and I think of the hours I have wasted in mere talk and argumentation. And it was all with one end only, simply to gain my point and to show how clever I was.'"

After reading these Words tonight I considered Psalm 86 from my daily reading:

Psa. 86:1 Incline Thine ear, O LORD, and answer me; For I am afflicted and needy.
Psa. 86:2 Do preserve my soul, for I am a godly man; O Thou my God, save Thy servant who trusts in Thee.
Psa. 86:3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, For to Thee I cry all day long.
Psa. 86:4 Make glad the soul of Thy servant, For to Thee, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
Psa. 86:5 For Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon Thee.
Psa. 86:6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; And give heed to the voice of my supplications!
Psa. 86:7 In the day of my trouble I shall call upon Thee, For Thou wilt answer me.
Psa. 86:8 There is no one like Thee among the gods, O Lord; Nor are there any works like Thine.
Psa. 86:9 All nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee, O Lord; And they shall glorify Thy name.
Psa. 86:10 For Thou art great and doest wondrous deeds; Thou alone art God.
Psa. 86:11 Teach me Thy way, O LORD; I will walk in Thy truth; Unite my heart to fear Thy name.
Psa. 86:12 I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Thy name forever.
Psa. 86:13 For Thy lovingkindness toward me is great, And Thou hast delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

Oh the shallowness of my heart! To argue that I am right for the SAKE of being right is both callous and utter vanity. Praise God for His love and kindness. "Lord, may I throw myself on your grace daily as I live this life."

Antinomianism - Who Needs the Law

I had an interesting conversation with a good friend the other day. We were discussing a passage from Matthew 24.

“At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:10-14

In particular, verse 12 caught his eye. He was listening or reading, can't remember which now, to R.C. Sproul as he talked about modern American evangelical thought and its disdain for the law (antinomianism) as described and lived out in the Old Testament. This is an age where the law is seen as a HINDERANCE to the proclaimation of the gospel. We are all about grace but don't want to challenge each other with truly changed lives. I guess its easier to throw out everything that doesn't indicate God is love (which is a false conclusion but another topic for another day).

Here's a definition of antinomianism from the dictionary:
Antinomianism is the position that under the gospel dispensation of grace the moral law is of no use or obligation because faith alone is necessary to salvation.

What I find fascinating is that if we take a look at what Christ said about Himself and the law (and the prophets) in Matthew 7:12 and Matthew 5:17 (thank you Pastor Bill!) and place that in context of Matthew 22:36-40, we can begin to see what leads to the lack of love in the world at the end.

Here are the verses:

“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Matt. 7:12

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. Matt. 5:17

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40

The fulfillment of the law IS loving Christ. The Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4-5 clearly shows man's purpose. When we don't value Christ as the ultimate end to be valued the love for EACH OTHER disappears. In fact, without loving Christ we cannot love each other. Love for each other is based on love of Christ. Of course only God's sovereign grace can reveal that truth.

“The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up." 1st Samuel 2:6

Back to Matthew 24:12...love grows cold because Christ is not treasured above all things. I don't know about you but that is what I see in our world.

Worldview

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." Psa. 19:1-4a

Today I started a class at our church body on Christian perspectives of contemporary topics (e.g., abortion, homosexualit, atheism, etc.). Our first class was to think about our worldview as this will dictate to a large degree how we filter information from our environment.

Here are five questions any worldview must answer. I'm sure there are other and better ways to formulate the them but here's my take (general format of the questions is from Bob Mounce):

1. How did this all begin? And how are the parts related to one another?

2. Where are we headed? What is the final end of all of 'this'?

3. Ethics - How do we live? What set of 'rules' and behaviors are required for living within in any worldview?

4. How do we acheive these goals? What are the practical steps we need to take to get to this place?

5. Epistemology - What is truth? Where does knowledge come from? How do we know we know?

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The outcome of these five questions will help determine your worldview. For example, here are two very common worldviews:

A. Natural - matter is all and will always be all. There is nothing 'more' than knowing matter. Ultimate reality is matter.

B. Supernatual - God is all and will always be all. He is the starting point for all things. Ultimate reality is in Him.

The question we should ask, is which worldview best describes our reality? Our everyday life?

Here is a link to a quiz you can take to determine your worldview: Quiz

More later...

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Revelation 22:13