Lyle's Blog

Life is all about choices.  We choose to tell the truth or to lie.  We choose to eat sensibly or be gluttonous.  We are captains of our own lives.  As believers in Christ, we give up our free will to choose.  We become followers of Him.

And what is it we are to do?  Pray always about everything.  Be about the business of God.  Notice the sinner perched in the tree.  Eat with sinners so you have an opportunity to share Christ.  This preacher I used to listen to on the radio said he never ate with folks from his church; he always ate with those he was trying to reach.  There would be a million suppers in heaven with the saints and there was no need to waste time together now.  I don’t think there is a thing wrong with having dinner with your Christian friends; Jesus did too but He did feed the multitudes which he didn’t know.  I think paying attention to the leading of the Holy Spirit is what’s important.

So Jesus expected us to obey His commandments.  If you look at various scriptures we are also told not to sin.  Much of what we are taught in churches today is that we are helpless, hopeless sinners.  I know we can fall and that fighting the flesh is a constant battle.  But I believe it can be overcome.  We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.  Without Him we can do nothing.  He needs to be living in us.  We are to die to self.  If we are dead can we still live in sin?

David said he hid the Word in his heart so he wouldn’t sin against God.  As we read the Word of God, we are shown how to live for Him, what’s expected of us, and to seek the lost.  That idea we carry around that we can’t stop sinning is dangerous.  What does Christ have to offer if our battle with sin isn’t winnable?  It would seem to me it’s our will that is in our way.  We willfully disobey.  We are calling Jesus a liar if we don’t believe what He said.  His death on the cross was to no avail if we are not free from the power of sin.

We like the gray area.  Grace must cover us when we fall short doesn’t it?   God’s not fond of the lukewarm lifestyle.  Grace covers a multitude of sins and if we sin He will forgive us.  But repeat offenders, not so much.  If we love Him we will obey Him; if not, we won’t.

Heaven sounds great but could there really be a Hell?  How does God keep men from sinning?  Remembering that there is no gray area, that everything with God is black and white, the truth or a lie, heavens bliss or hell’s torment.

Watching the birds this morning I thought of how many billion there are flitting around our planet.  Many times we forget that as Matthew 6:26 tells us that God takes care of the birds and he’ll take care of us.  Jesus actually tells us to be like birds: not to worry.  We should flit around doing the work of the Lord and not think so much about the sowing, reaping, or filling our barns with stuff for our survival.  We know that if He knows when a sparrow falls and how many hairs are on our head then He must be keenly aware of our circumstances.  When John the Baptist was sustained by locusts and wild honey, that was what God gave him.  We sometimes forget how good we have it.  If God gave us locusts to eat would that give us much to preach about?  My “sophisticated” tastes make bugs a repulsive thought.  But I do know that in many parts of the world bugs are common to the diet.  So I think we must be careful about complaining too much about our lot in life.

My wife and I and my children are blessed because of the relentless prayers of my parents.  They passed away years ago but their prayers remain.  They lived through the depression; their first house was a chicken coop.  Lots of tears, lots of scraping by, but never laying it at the Lord’s door.  Everything came from His hand.

In the times coming, things probably won’t be so bountiful, we must remember the birds.  Take what God gives you and don’t take stock in the wealth of this world.  The treasures of this world perish.  Treasure is for heaven.  It’s the only safe place to put our hope.  This world is not our home.

The hermit kingdom is the most oppressive regime in the world.  State approved churches give the illusion to tourists that all is well.  But underneath the facade is hid a most tortuous life for people of faith.  It is estimated that seventy thousand or more Christians are held in concentration camps.  Defectors have reported unthinkable torture of these believers.  They have been praying for years for the freedom to worship God.  It is my belief that their prayers are about to be answered.

If one looks at a picture taken from space it becomes immediately apparent that a picture is worth a thousand words.  At night, South Korea is ablaze with light whilst North Korea has blackness.  It’s a striking comparison.  The  dark kingdom is in need of light, the light of Christ.  South Korea has everything; the North have scraps.  Despots don’t realize that people weary of living like rats, of not being free.  I believe the unification of that country is upon us.  It’s takes a man with an iron will to face up to Kim.  That man is Donald Trump.  It is the intent of God to answer prayer, especially from those who aren’t lukewarm.  The gospel will be preached to the whole world before the return of Jesus Christ.  The whole world will be given the opportunity to hear the gospel.  We will see this happen in the Middle East soon.

There is no other name given among men by which we must be saved.  There is salvation in no other.  There’s a stirring in the earth.  Just as the Christians in North Korea have prayed, let us pray.  The Bible says that the fervent prayers of a righteous man availeth much.  Our duty is to be righteous so our passion can be for the souls of men.

I subscribe to a couple of newsletters that offer observations on the economy and some world politics.  Once you have a subscription to anything everyone in that field wants you to buy their newsletter.   The lure is some huge profit potential or gloom and doom scenario and paints a way for you to profit from. their advice.   Everyone knows the day of reckoning is coming.  There are many that say they have the skills to see you through the coming collapse.  Maybe.  To some degree we can protect our wealth and families and we should.  But we who love His appearing know our fixes are at best temporary.   One of my favorite writers on these subjects was Larry Edelson; he passed away on March 2.  His column has been taken over by Sean Brodrick.  These men were followers of cycles like the Kondratieff, Juglar, debt, and others.  All cycles are coming together now in a matter of days.

Phase One:  The nations of the world have been piling up debt that can not be paid.

Phase Two:  Japan’s debt is 250% of GDP.  It is a major economy of the world.  If they were to pay a trillion yen every year, it would take a thousand years to pay off their debt.

Phase Three:  Debt   Ireland 105% of GDP,  Portugal 129% of GDP,  Italy 133% of GDP,  Greece 176% of GDP,  Germany 68% of GDP,  France  96% of GDP

Japan is the biggest trader with Europe; Japan goes, Europe goes.  When nations default there is nowhere to go for a bailout but the citizens.  The shortfalls have always been filled with debt.  Now they must take money from us to fill the gaps.  What happens when pensions fail, social programs and all the rest?  Riots, uprisings, ugly, ugly stuff.   Fear money which has already been flooding the U.S. stock and real estate market will increase.  The DOW will hit 30,000,  then 40,000,  50,000 or more.  There are profits to be made in this volatile time for sure.

Phase Four:  It’s our turn.  Our debt to GDP is 106% of GDP.  The one cycle that comes into play and will involve everyone is war.  North Korea wants what South Korea has because they have nothing.   The rest of the world will want what we have.   War will plague the whole world.  That is a view I find hard to ignore.

As the money comes rolling in we’ll be deceived into thinking all is well.  Our assets will be “worth” a lot for a while.   Don’t be deceived.   It reminds me of Revelation 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.  18: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness does not appear; anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.