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Economic Trends

I enjoy looking at Economic Trends. I can stare at a graph like the one below for a very long time.

In this particular graph, the benefit of investing in gold (gold line) is compared to the benefit of investing in the stock market (blue line). Way back in 1980, it seemed like a very good idea to invest in gold, which was outperforming the stock market in a big way. But investing should be long-term and the stock market has since outperformed gold by 6x. Of course, I have the benefit of history when I make these observations but I think there is a lot to be gleaned from economic indicators like these. I like to stare at these charts, along with other indicators, and make economic assumptions, which help me perform my role.

If you want to visit this interactive graph as well as other economic indicators, click on it or go to http://www.macrotrends.net/

do good and silence the ignorance of foolish people

By James MacDonald, Walk in the Word

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people (1 Peter 2:15, esv).

We’re all natural-born rebels with a built-in resistance to submission. To complicate matters, the concept of submission has been hijacked by some selfish-minded, even cruel authoritarians who have twisted and distorted the truth for their own purposes. Submission carries so many negative connotations, even the most sincere Christ followers struggle to understand and embrace it.

Yet blessing and favor come to the person who lives in submission. Why? “For this is the will of God” (2:15). God’s will is for us to display lives of submission to authority. Do you think He isn’t watching? He is. When recognized authorities make a decision and you don’t like it, God is very aware of how you respond. His will is “that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people” (2:15). Yes, people in authority can be foolish, but in response, God wants to see us “doing good.”

Are you being unfairly treated? It’s by doing good that you will silence the ignorance of foolish people. The word silence actually means “muzzle.” If the thought of putting a muzzle on someone makes you smile, make sure you go about it in the right way. Silencing the foolish happens by living a life of biblical submission—by doing good, regardless of your circumstances.

Think about where God is giving you the opportunity to apply this wisdom:

Have you been passed over for a promotion at work, something you feel you’ve earned and deserved? Are you angry about political choices, from little slights to outright oversights?
Has someone betrayed you, turned against you in a relationship, or injured you? How do you weigh your reaction?
Have you experienced a relational breakdown, with those closest to you judging you harshly? Are you suffering the consequences of their assumptions and misinterpretations?

Whether you’ve been snubbed, maligned, rejected, slandered, or ignored by earthly authorities, do good and silence the ignorance of foolish people.

Submission to authority is like having an umbrella. When we choose to submit, we’re really choosing to put ourselves under God’s protection. That is a wonderful place to live your life. While bad things may be falling out of the sky all around you, submission is a covering, your place of protection. When you step out from under it, you become very vulnerable.

The promises of God do not extend to those who choose to live as rebels. However, when you choose to live under God’s protection by submitting to Him and the authorities He’s placed in your life, His promises and blessings are yours in abundance.

So whether the authorities in your life make wise or foolish choices, whether they treat you justly or unjustly, whether you feel known and appreciated or overlooked and misunderstood, live by these nine words: do good and silence the ignorance of foolish people. God’s counterintuitive strategies have a surprising way of upending the world.

Stuff Weird People Think – Seven Kids

I’m often asked what it’s like to have seven kids. I never thought I’d have seven kids but now I can’t imagine life any other way. Each one of them is incredibly important to me and my wife and there are no words to describe the fulfillment they bring to this world.

But then there are people. People generally don’t like what is not normal. They don’t think that anyone, including themselves, should go against the grain of normalcy, the normalcy that’s been defined through years of worldly consistency. And anyone having more than 2.2 kids is not considered normal. Yes, people think we’re …well, weird.

“SEVEN kids – what are you nuts??!!” And then the accompanying heartfelt, thinly veiled condolences; “well bless your heart”, “that is just so… wonderful”, “I had three siblings and that was such a blessing… but times were so different back then, weren’t they?”

The actual question being asked is different. It’s more about, “how could you do such a thing?” “Do you realize what you’ve done?” “How could you possibly populate this over-populated planet with more resource-consumers?” Furrowed brows and creased foreheads are usually present. Horror (well not quite horror but extreme displeasure) is evident in each question. “Are you aware of what causes this?”, “Don’t you own a TV?”, “Aren’t your kids neglected?” There’s a seemingly long drawn-out disappointment in every pre-drawn conclusion.

My wife has learned to field these types of questions quite well; she just laughs or shrugs her shoulders and smiles. She’s a real-life angel. To be honest, there are some well-wishers (usually those with many little offspring themselves) who find joy in someone else to relate to. I’m confident that nobody intends to belittle us. But they do; they can’t help it.

Now let me tell you about the cool side of all this. I cannot imagine life without each and every one of my kids. They are without a doubt the best thing that has ever happened to me and my wife and EACH of them holds that title. Our kids are our legacy. They have the have the opportunity to inspire those whom we could not inspire, to reach those we will never meet. They are the pinnacle of the Peek future!

Hezekiah

In 2 Kings we read about Hezekiah, a righteous man who became king. In fact, chapter 18 verse 5 states, “He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him.” God’s favor was upon Hezekiah and scripture speaks highly of the king.

There’s a point in the Bible that Hezekiah was given 15 more years to live. He had become very sick and was told by the prophet Isaiah to get his things in order to prepare for death. But Hezekiah cried out to The Lord to not let him die. He pointed out all of the righteous things he had done and how faithful he’d been, and guess what, The Lord granted him 15 more years to live.

15 free years! Can you imagine? Everything you thought was about to be gone is suddenly back in your hands; under your management. Not only that, you’ve got to think that Hezekiah had a clear agenda now. No more governmental planning or headaches trying to win battles in foreign lands. No more balancing the budget or getting up early to spend the day in endless meetings.

This is similar, I think, to what retirement looks like. Your major responsibilities have been fulfilled and you are just living on extra time with little to no worries or agendas.

However, Hezekiah took advantage of his new-found life extension and flaunted his wealth. He showed some visiting Babylonians everything he had in his kingdom. When the prophet Isaiah asked him about this, Hezekiah told him that he’d shown the Babylonians everything and held nothing back. For that, The Lord communicated through Isaiah that after Hezekiah’s death, the Babylonians would invade the land, steal the possessions and take Hezekiah’s sons as slaves. Bad news, right? But check out Hezekiah’s response. In Isaiah 39:8, Hezekiah said, “The Word of The Lord is good . . . at least there will be peace and truth in my days.” What a guy! I was a pretty big Hezekiah fan until this verse.

I think this is a good reminder that we need to be plugged into God’s leading at all stages of life. Even when we are living on “free” time, or time we consider to be “our own”, we need to be seeking God’s direction. As long as we’re on this earth, we need to be seeking God’s guidance for our lives and not pulling a Hezekiah, just seeking peace and truth in his own days. The Bible is the only true guidance counselor from God and we have completely free access to it. Why not consult God’s manual before you do anything else today. After all, none of us are guaranteed a tomorrow.

Walking or Sinking

Original article by James MacDonald

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31, ESV).

It was a dark and stormy night. Sounds like the cliché opening of a poorly written novel, right? But in this case, it fits. Between three and four o’clock in the morning, the disciples got caught in a storm on the Sea of Galilee. At least four of the twelve were experienced, career fishermen. They knew enough about the reputation of this lake to be terrified. The rest of the disciples took their cues from the experts—if a seasoned fisherman like Simon Peter felt scared, shouldn’t they be scared too?

Then, just when they thought the wind and waves would take them under, Jesus walked by on the water! The disciples “cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid’” (Matthew 14:26–27). Basically, Jesus asked, “Why do you doubt? I’m right here.”

Peter extrapolated this to the next point. “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water” (Matthew 14:28). Don’t you love Peter’s boldness? He was quick to respond with faith, reasoning that if Jesus said he could walk on water, he could.

“So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me’” (Matthew 14:29–30). Awww, Peter! You were doing so well. What happened?

The answer comes straight from the text—Peter took his eyes off the Lord. Instead of seeing Jesus, he saw the raging storm. Does that ever happen to you? When your eyes are fixed on the Lord, life is good, regardless of what’s going on around you. But the moment you focus on the wind and waves, you start to sink.

“Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ ”

Today, are you walking or sinking? If you’re going under, it’s because you’ve been looking at the waves (like the pitch and roll of your retirement funds). You’ve been listening to the howling wind (like the voices of doom and gloom rampant in our society). You have been taking your cues from what others are saying or the way they are acting instead of keeping your mind stayed on the Lord (Isaiah 26:3).

When the storms of life rage, God wants us to “have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us” (Hebrews 6:18) and keep our eyes on Jesus, Lord of the wind and waves.

“We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul” (Hebrews 6:19). Jesus Christ is our anchor, an attachment point for our souls. When the waves are crazy-high and the wind whips strong and cold across your face and you don’t know what’s going to happen, you have an anchor: the assurance that God is in control.

Peter cried out, “Lord, save me,” and “Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him.” Even though Peter moved his eyes off the Lord and onto the storm, Jesus had it entirely under control. That kind of assurance will settle your heart.

No matter what is happening or will come your way, God is in complete control, working for your good and His glory. He has made promises that are bigger and better than your current circumstances. You may not know when those promises will happen, but you can be sure they will. Wait in faith—everything God has promised is coming, and His timing is perfect.

God’s Testing Process

original article by Larry Burkett

Pride & Accountability

“Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord.”
(Proverbs 16:5)

Dealing With Pride
original article by Larry Burkett

In order to cure a disease, we must first be able to recognize its symptoms.

Once we are trapped by our pride, we are of no service to God. Without a change and a commitment to accountability, we will not even be aware of our attitude of pride.

God will give us plenty of opportunity to recognize and correct the attitude of pride. The difficulty most times is admitting we have a problem.

It is vital for us to stay open to criticism, particularly from those who are spiritually discerning. Those most consistent in discerning our faults are usually our spouses. God has placed them in our lives as a balance, and they will help to off set our extremes if we will listen.

When we find that we only want to associate with the “right” people and look down at others because they’re less educated, less intelligent, or less successful, then we are no longer useful to God and His work.

We must actually demonstrate that no one person is more or less important than another.

Who do you think is most important in God’s sight?

The apostle Paul wrote, “With humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself ” (Philippians 2:3).

How do you break out of the pride trap? Vow to serve God and God’s people, and then make yourself accountable to others.

Is pride a problem in your life?

How Long, O Lord?

article by Dr. Charles Stanley

No one likes delays. And nothing diminishes the pain we feel as the days pass and we continue to struggle with our hopes and fears. Whether it’s the hours that throw off our plans, the days and weeks that cause uncertainty, or the years we spend wondering if God will ever fulfill His promises to us, it’s human to feel frustrated, anxious, and as if our hopes are dying within us.

Why? Because we lack control over our circumstances. Someone else seems to be impeding our progress—deciding how the scant moments we’ve been given in this life will be spent and preventing us from enjoying the one thing we think will truly make us happy.

Like David, we cry out, “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?” (Ps.13:1).

I don’t know what it is you’re hoping for, but I know firsthand that waiting on God is one of the most difficult lessons to learn. I imagine that, like David, there’s a lot of pain in your heart as you wait. Perhaps you fear the Lord’s forgotten you. Maybe you can’t help but wonder, Why not me? What makes me so unworthy? Friend, though I know it hurts more deeply than words can express, please be assured that there’s always hope with our heavenly Father. As you go through your season of waiting, you must always remember that …

The Lord isn’t neglecting you and hasn’t forgotten you. He’s working in the unseen on your behalf (Isa. 64:4)—every single moment. Your responsibility is to set your heart on Him and trust that your life is safe in His all-powerful and loving hands.

You aren’t just waiting around, doing nothing. As you anticipate the Father’s instruction and intervention, continue serving Him as you carry out your daily business. Keep seeking, obeying, and having intimate fellowship with Him—even when circumstances don’t seem to be going your way.

You’re not missing worthwhile opportunities. It may seem as if you are. But if God says “No” or “Wait” about some possibility before you, trust Him. Don’t try to make it happen. Rather, count on His faultless wisdom to protect you from choices that would ultimately harm you.

You’re not alone. Everyone you know is facing a delay in some area or another. Yes, you may look around and see people enjoying the blessings you desire. You may think you’re the only one struggling with your particular issue—the only one the Father hasn’t provided for. But realize those thoughts of humiliation and defeat come from your enemy, who’s always trying to isolate and destroy you (1 Pet. 5:8-9). In every nation, there are people just like you, waiting for similar blessings and experiencing the same feelings. In fact, throughout Scripture, there’s not a man or woman whom God used in a powerful way who didn’t first face a long and difficult time of waiting. So don’t despair … take it as the Father’s special favor and guidance in your life.

Prosperity and Purpose

“ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ ”
(Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

The Purpose of Money
by Chuck Bentley

God gave you money in order to help you fulfill His purpose for your life. That’s why it’s important for you to manage your money according to His financial principles.

Being financially free makes you able to respond to God’s leading. He does not give us money simply to spend as we desire.

If you handle money according to your own purposes, then money will become the driving force of your life.

Ask yourself: “What am I spending my life energy to accomplish? What did God really call me to do? And, how does money fit into that calling?”

Christ is the most valuable gift that you possess. So, while you’re on this earth, use money to advance His kingdom and not to build your own.

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:44-46 NIV).

Going through a Desert

I have been on an unhappy journey. Rather than go into the negativity of such a journey, I’d like to focus on what has been positive. Positively, God has carried me through this. I’m reminded often that without trials, it would be harder to appreciate good times. I recently read an article by Ruth Chou Simons, which really expands on this thought. This article is from Our Daily Bread Ministries and I really thought I should share here:

When I was growing up in New Mexico, my dad would take us on short road trips across desert highways. I’d close my eyes and snooze once we left the city and entered the miles and miles of hot, dry desert. The desert is a place to be avoided at best or ignored at the very least.

It’s easy to show up for beautiful experiences but hard to not just sleep off the things we’d rather skip in life.

Maybe it’s a situation that seems irreconcilable, a circumstance that continually chafes, or a trial that appears to have no end. Maybe it’s a season that feels like nothing living can survive and nothing new will ever grow. It’s hot and dry like the desert, and makes us desperate for sustenance and provision in a way lush growth never could.

Perhaps that’s why God chose to bring His people, the Israelites, into the desert before leading them to the Promised Land. He could have easily made the journey quick and painless, ensuring an uplifted morale and enthusiastic praise. Delivery and provision all at once! That’s how we typically want God’s help – right now and without difficulty.

But just as He demonstrated with His people in the desert, He’s more interested in capturing our hearts, receiving our genuine worship, and proving Himself faithful rather than the provider of quick fixes or temporary solutions. God purposes to give us Himself. The “way” made in the wilderness for the children of God was much more than escape from their enslavers, safe passage through the Red Sea, the daily provision of manna, or entry into the Promised Land. It was a picture of the one way, truth, and life we would ultimately know through Jesus, our Way in the wilderness of sin and death.

When we have eyes to see it, there’s so much beauty to behold in the desert. It’s lush with life that learns to survive on what He provides. It’s grand in its praise of the Master Creator. It constantly whispers of His enduring faithfulness. In a physical desert or a spiritual one, Jesus alone is the author of our hope – our balm and sustainer.

For those of us traversing what feels like wilderness, there is hope. God leads us to the desert to reveal the stream only He can carve out of the wasteland. He allows us to experience the deepest thirst so we can know the greatest satisfaction. We may feel disoriented but God makes a way in the wilderness. In the desert, we find God undeniably sufficient in the face of the seemingly insurmountable.

Whether our circumstances change or remain the same, whether we feel relief or not, whether we experience lush growth or press on in drought, we can hold fast to hope in Christ, the source of living water! In Christ, we welcome a downpour of sustaining grace by way of redemption and see the beauty of the landscape He’s led us to. He’s our only hope in every season . . . even in the desert.

Then, now, and always, God’s primary purpose for the desert is to woo his people to Himself and to demonstrate His faithfulness. He chose the desert then, and He uses it now to show us the beauty of hope – hope in Christ. Stay awake, He has so much to show you in your desert season.