Banks are failing, money is tight and the powers that be in the U.S. Government are coming up with what they believe to be a rescue plan for the American financial crisis. On Fox News it's reported:

"Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson urged Congress to quickly pass a $700 billion financial bailout, warning that letting problems persist would have dire consequences for the national economy."

And all over the Internet, Wall Street money managers and so-called End Time financial advisors are telling everyone to "BUY SILVER AND GOLD!" The idea is, when/if the stock market crashes, the dollar will be worthless, but gold and silver will continue to climb in value thereby giving everyone who owns some a warm fuzzy feeling that they're prepared to endure the hard times. Now, take both hands and grab your socks, 'cause I'm about to knock them off:

"The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts." (Haggai 2:8)

The gold and silver won't belong to you, even if you think you've bought some. It belongs to God, along with everything else:

"The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." (Psalms 24:1)

The reason that America is in such a financial crisis is because of greed and mismanagement. Wall Street and large corporations are in business to make a buck, and it's been done on the backs of honest hard-working people. Bad decisions and worse investments were made, executives lined their pockets, their big businesses failed and now they're looking to the Government to bail them out, again, at our expense. And what a bail-out it is: To tune of 700 billion, that's right, I said BILLION dollars worth.

We're supposed to be good stewards of our finances. The Lord makes a point about faithfulness and using money (mammon), including someone else's:

"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?" (Luke 16:10-12)

Shame on you, you greedy, self-serving money grubbers of big business and Wall Street! You're not looking out for the interest of anyone but yourselves. You would have been much better to follow the Words of the Lord, and thereby, receive a reward:

"And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities." (Luke 19:17)

So what about all these instructions from the so-called professional money managers to buy silver and gold for these End Times? I’m going to ignore them:

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:" (Matthew 6:19)

The gold you buy today means nothing for tomorrow if you're planning for it to be there to bail you out of hard times:

"Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days." (James 5:3)

That's not to say that we shouldn't use common sense in our financial stewardship. Of course we should make an effort to save some for a rainy day and emergencies. But don't place more emphasis on money and what it can get you than on Who provides those things, money or not:

"Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:31-33)

There is absolutely no money crisis, no financial melt-down, no loss of job or income that the Lord, the maker of Heaven and Earth, is not aware of nor can overcome. Don't worry about what might happen to the stock market. Don't worry about tomorrow's what-ifs. Make the rich of the world aware that their riches should be used for good, that they shouldn't place their trust in their financial assets, that God provides to all according to the need, and that He, only, is worthy of our trust:

"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded; nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

What's more important than making sure you've got enough money for tomorrow? Making sure that you're placing your trust in the only One who can really save you. If you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, please go to our page "The Truth" to find out why you need Jesus and how to receive salvation.

If you're placing your faith in your finances to get you through a crisis, you're making the wrong investment in your future.

Keith

09-23-2008