The Greatest Means, Pt. 2

Ronald Weinland

March 21, 2020

Today is the continuation of the new sermon series entitled The Greatest Means, and this is Part 2.

As it was covered in Part 1, the greatest means we have of drawing closer to God and becoming far more prepared and ready for the kinds of events that are ramping up more and more around us in this world, in the news in this world of things that are going on, we’re admonished by God at this time to prepare for a fast in the Church.

We’ve talked about that being any particular time during the weekend of April the 3rd through the 5th. So pick out a particular time there that you and anyone else with you would like to fast. Again, it’s a church wide fast that we’re observing with the particular focus, as we’re going to go through this particular series—we’ll go through Part 2 today and I’m sure have a Part 3 to this as well—but again, things that we need to focus upon at this time, to be reminded of.

I think back in some part of this sermon here going to talk about that which we focused upon clear back in 2009 that covered some of the scriptures we’re going to review a little bit later. Again, it’s a very sobering time we’re going through, it truly is.

So with that, let’s go back and focus on Joel and what it has to say there because it’s good that in each part of this series that this is covered because it means so much and there is so much applying to it right now, there is so much that is involved here. So again, there is a purpose and a reason why we’re focusing upon this. I was thinking about that this morning. There are things that we’re supposed to look at, there are things we’re supposed to focus upon, and it’s wise that we do.

Joel 1:14—Sanctify a fast. Just that expression of our understanding and our knowledge of what a fast is and understanding much of the purpose of a fast, but to sanctify it, to sanctify a period of time means to set it aside for holy use and purpose. The focus is looking to God. To sanctify something that could be used for holy use and purpose is, again, as a matter of looking to God, of seeking God’s spirit to lead, guide, and direct us, that ourselves we have a desire to grow in God’s spirit.

Again, it’s a beautiful expression “sanctify a fast,” set a fast aside for holy use and purpose. We’re being shown at this time what that purpose is, and indeed, that’s what we’re going to strive to do.

So again, Call (proclaim) a sacred assembly. Well, what makes it sacred? God, God’s spirit, the fact that His Church has called for it being led, guided, and directed by God, by Joshua the Christ, and so then that which is given to the Church we have a desire to come together as we assemble during a particular period of time, not knowing exactly what period that someone might choose during that weekend, but it’s during that period of time.

We’re all going to be doing that, to assemble, to assemble before God. We may not do it at the same time, but our desire is during that period of time to receive everything that’s been given to us up to that point in the sermons we’re hearing, to prepare for it, to begin preparing for it, and to look forward to it with all of our being, and to do whatever is given to us then in this particular series.

It says, Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Eternal your God, and cry out to the Eternal. So when we enter into that fast we’re to have a stronger focus than we are even during the opportunity we have of hearing sermons at this time. But to understand what it means to cry out to God in the manner that Joel is telling us to, in the manner that we’re being shown throughout this series that we can do as well, that we’re supposed to do. It’s a special focus.

Candidly, as I was going through some news articles today I’m sobered, I really am sobered. We have entered into something that’s powerful, that’s mighty and the ball is already rolling. At some point there is an accounting of everything and how fast that will happen we don’t know. Hopefully, it isn’t drug out or a long time, because if it is we’re going to go through some really difficult times that we have never experienced. Hopefully, it’ll be swift. Hopefully, it’ll be quick. But again, we don’t know, so we have to prepare for all those things by drawing closer to God, by becoming more at one with God, by hoping and praying that we’re able to have a kind of focus that we need to have indeed to go through whatever is in front of us.

So again, as it says here, “to gather into the house of the Eternal your God.” Well, what does that mean? Well, we’re in the Church. That’s the house of God. There is a gathering, a desire to assemble for a specific purpose here, and we realize we make up that house, we make up that dwelling place through the power of God’s spirit. We’re to cry out to God during this particular time.

So we will be as we go through these series or the different parts of this particular series, anyway, and we’ll be enhancing our prayer, growing in our prayer as we’re looking forward to this moment in time for this fast. But we’re going to do a lot more at that moment.

So it goes on to say here then, Alas, for the day... Tell you what, there is a fear growing in the world, but it’s nothing compared to what’s coming. There is a fear, almost an unsound fear, it truly is. It’s hard to grasp. It’s hard to define. It’s something we’re experiencing. We see it. We understand it. We see what’s going on around us, a lack of soundness of mind, people jumping from one ditch to another. It’s like jumping out of one problem and backing into another one or going into another one to where what we did the first time is going to backfire and what is done the second time is going to backfire. Everything that’s done, it becomes a huge quagmire just getting people deeper and deeper and them not understanding what’s taking place, almost as if they were traps, and being entrapped then by a certain course of action and the struggle to get out of it.

Well, the reality is we’re in it and there are some things here we can’t get out of anymore. We really can’t. I’ll read some articles in a little bit that hopefully will be even more sobering along those lines. But we are in some dire times, some times that the clock can’t be turned back on any longer and it’s very, very sobering, it truly is.

Alas for the day! We don’t even grasp what that means yet because it isn’t fully here. I believe it’s starting. We’re getting very close. We may be speeding up to the point where the last one is about to be sealed. God knows the timing of those things and what it takes to accomplish those kinds of things, and some of it may be because of what we’re starting into. So God knows what it’s going to take to finish His work.

Just like in any kind of construction job you do construction for a long time and it’s maybe a specific kind of construction and you have the materials and you know what it’s going to take for certain materials to finally get to that point where you can add the remaining pieces. They’re there, they’re being worked with, and you know how much work is remaining to be done on it.

I find that very sobering because God is almighty, all powerful, and knows those things and we, if something has started here that, again, is very, very sobering and there is no turning back in it, there truly isn’t.

What’s taking place right now is going to push nations to do things much quicker, much sooner, and it’s because they know that the tide has turned, that something has happened that can’t be erased. It can’t be business as usual. It can’t go back to what people are hoping for in this country, that all of a sudden it’s like once we get through this next week, 15 days... That’s not going to cut it; it’s not going to do it.

But it’s like, once we get through that then everything can begin to surge forward again — the stock market can go back up to its all time highs, and as some are talking, even higher! No, it’s not going to happen. If it does, it’s going to be extremely short lived because it’s this thing right now that’s starting, that once one thing is done then something else strikes that’s isn’t seen, that isn’t recognized, and it’s like a giant snowball that’s started that nobody can stop.

Alas, for the day, the day of the Eternal is at hand. I’ve gone through these scriptures many times over the years. I’ve given sermons in the book of Joel many times over the years, different stages, different times, especially when things in the world are kind of ramped up a little bit. But they have never been alive like they are right now. The reality of that verse, “For the day of the Eternal is at hand,” it fits. It fits.

The major things haven’t started yet, but there are things that have started that are going to be the catalyst, the thing that launches the world into what finally takes place.

It will come as destruction from the Almighty. God determined long ago what would have to happen at the end of 6,000 years and the world has been in the process of being prepared for that. The Church, the 144,000, have been in the process of being made ready for that. It’s all coordinated by God and His Son and here we are, “It will come as destruction from the Almighty.”

People don’t know what fear is yet. They don’t know what fear is and when real fear comes that’s not hyped up, that’s not in a frenzy, that’s not imagined, when it’s something to be fearful of, when they see the reality of certain things around them...you think what is it like right now when people just stay home for a little while and they’re able to have some social media. What do they do when that’s gone? They don’t know anything yet. They haven’t seen or experienced anything yet. This is just the beginning.

One week and people supposedly being able to get along and things going okay, and people in different parties cooperating more than they’ve ever cooperated. Yet I watch TV and I see nothing but politics still. It’s just in the nature of human beings. Throwing things out there that are a matter of politics and always shoving that knife in somewhere at some point because they just can’t help themselves and it’s not a matter of unity and oneness.

People comparing things to WWII. That really makes me sick when I hear that, or to the Spanish flu. We don’t know. We didn’t live that. This isn’t anything close to those things, but it’s going to be and it’s going to be far, far worse and it’s going to cause people to really fear. But the process has started.

For the day of the Eternal is at hand; It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Is not food cut off before our eyes, and joy and gladness from the house of our God? So it’s physical and spiritual. There are physical things that are going to take place in this world but in time there are going to be some spiritual things.

Even within the Church you’re not able to come together in fellowship right now so some of the joy and gladness you might have from Sabbath to Sabbath coming together in fellowship, some fellowship you long for, it’s not going to be there in the same measure right now. You can’t have it. I don’t know when you can have it again. Maybe we’ll have it for a little while at some point here, I don’t know. Maybe we’ve experienced that, all that we will experience in this age. I don’t know. That’s a possibility. We just have to be prepared for those things.

I think of what happened to the Church after the Apostasy when the joy and the gladness was gone, and it’s like “Where are God’s people? Where do we go? What do we do?” Well, this is going to be different because we know where God’s Church is now, we know where God’s people are, and yet we’re being restricted from being able to be together.

Right now, I don’t see how we can have a Feast of Tabernacles. Maybe we will have. I sure don’t see how we can have a Feast of Tabernacles in Spain. I don’t see how some of these things are going to be able to come together. Maybe? Maybe they will? If God’s purpose is that we get over a partial hump here as a part of a process of humbling this world and humbling mankind and bringing certain things to a point, so be it. Because He knows the timing, again, of how long it’s going to take to finish the 144,000. But once that’s done?

So where are we in the scheme of this? I don’t know. But I know it’s scary. It’s already scary because it isn’t too hard to see on the horizon here what’s taking place and what’s happening. Just with the economy, we’re at a point that’s going to at some point shock the world because of what’s already started. So we’re there.

Joel 2:1—Blow the trumpet in Zion. Well, it’s never been blown to this degree before. Not like this. Because of where we are. Because it’s talking about in the context here, “the day of the Eternal is at hand.” It’s about the end of this age. It’s about what’s going to take place in a third world war. It’s about what leads up to that third world war. What’s taking place right now is very much leading up to that third world war. It really is.

These are the kinds of things that cause nations to go to war. We’re on the doorstep right now because things are not going to return to normal and there are nations who know that. So what is their next option, what is their next choice? It’s not pretty.

Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! It’s already been blown. It’s being blown now through this series in a way that it’s really never been done, as I’ve read these scriptures in times past.

Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble. Point being, in time, they will. Right now we should be sobered – a little bit of trembling, too. Because though we have longed for a time to come to pass where we can get through this, when it’s here (which we’re starting to taste a little bit of it now), it’s going to be hard. It’s going to be very hard. It’s going to be very difficult. That’s a fearful thing in one respect, but then we’re reminded we have the Great God of the universe who is there to lead, guide, direct, protect us, and His Son Joshua. His desire for us is very, very great and He will be there for us.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t remove what we see taking place in people’s lives and going on around us and knowing that we’re going to experience certain things, because we are, and that’s not easy.

“Let the inhabitants of the land tremble.” Well, they’ve been fearful to a degree, people are fearful to a degree, but as I said earlier here, they don’t know yet what fear is, because what’s coming is far beyond anything they can comprehend. “Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,” because in time they will. Everyone in this world in time, they’re going to tremble at what they know is starting or is taking place when it happens.

For the day of the Eternal is coming, for it is at hand. That’s what I’m saying today. It’s here. We’re there. Things have started that are going to lead right into it. This, we’re experiencing it in a very powerful way.

A day of darkness and gloominess... Well, there are gloomy things that I’m going to read in a moment here. As far as news is concerned, they’re gloomy. As far as the economy of the world is concerned, we’re really heading into a period that’s never been this gloomy because we’ve never had a global economy to the degree and to the extent that exists today. This is a different world than any other age, and yet it’s going to affect the world in a very powerful way.

Although things were experienced before WWI, during WWI, after WWI, during the great depression, and on up to, in and through WWII... But those are nothing. Those are nothing compared to what’s coming.

“A day of darkness.” Literally, it’ll seem that way to people because it has to do with hope, and if they don’t have hope and everything around them is shattered when it comes to hoping in one thing that, hoping that one thing will work out, hoping they’ll be able to accomplish this, hoping they can accomplish that, and then it doesn’t work and something else worse happens after that or during that period, it’s hard.

Verse 11—The Eternal shall utter His voice before His army, for His camp is very great. What God has planned to do at the end of this age, what He’s going to allow and bring upon this earth at the end of this age is a matter of judgment. It’s a matter of what God has said about judgment throughout scripture in the Bible, judgment that is to be administered at the end of 6,000 years.

God gave judgment during the time of Noah, but that wasn’t the judgment that’s to come upon all mankind at the end of the age because a greater judgment, in one respect, is coming because of the time we live in and because of the change that must take place throughout all the earth because it’s on a far greater scale. We’re talking about billions and billions of people. Incredible!

The Eternal shall utter His voice before His army, for His camp is very great. For He is strong who executes His word. There are things that God is doing that man can’t fight against.

I shudder at times when I hear the kind of comments that people are making, of human pride. “We’re going to accomplish this...” “We’re going to accomplish that...” Slowly, but surely, that confidence is going to wane. Slowly, but surely, God’s going to destroy that spirit, that blatant pride that exists in human nature, especially in one of the greatest nations that’s ever lived, ever existed. Because it’s beyond human thinking and reasoning right now that this could all come to an end, that this country can’t get through this or that the world can’t get through this and on the other side of it and be better at the other end, as I heard today. “We’re going to be stronger on the other side of this.” No, it’s going to be made weaker and weaker and weaker.

So this is that time of humbling the world, of humbling Israel, if you will, of humbling this nation, if you will.

For the day of the Eternal is great; it is exceedingly terrifying, and who can endure it? Well, we know we can. We know what God says to us His people and we have a piece of mind. Yet it still will be fearful because there is a matter of apprehension there. How bad? How much suffering is there going to be? There is going to be some suffering. That’s just a reality. But God’s with us. Regardless of how difficult it might be God is with us and He’s helped us to prepare.

Just like people have been preparing. You know, people don’t make so much fun right now of having stashes. You know, a month, two month, three month stash if people are so blessed to be able to accomplish something like that?

I would forewarn you a little bit here, don’t devour your stashes right now because worse times are coming. Do you think being kept in right now might be difficult? We’re still able to get food. We’re still able to have groceries. You’re still able to do things to get them. So I wouldn’t count this as a time to use up your stash. I would preserve it the best you can and use wisdom then in trying to keep it up or trying to not delve into it if possible, if you can help it.

Now, therefore, the Eternal also says, Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting... Well, that’s the way we are as His people. We look to Him. We see something because we know what’s coming next. We know this isn’t going to get better. We know right now that things are going to get far, far worse because we know the time that’s upon us. Whether it be this year or 2023 or 21, 22, we don’t know. We do not know what God is working out. Whatever it is, in time, when He reveals it to us, we’ll marvel at everything and how it all fit together. We’ll be dumbfounded. But right now we don’t know and there are reasons for that.

He says, Turn to Me with all of your heart. So I think again about that series, about what’s in our heart to build unto God? Because that’s where we are. We have to keep building. What is the most important thing in our life? To build what we have.

Yet I think of people who just quit building. I think of people who’ve given up. I think of people who have lied to God and I think, what a horrible thing. Look where we are and look what you’ve done. To become so weak that you can’t see through it all? To become so weak that you can’t grasp what you’ve done spiritually to your life and you really can’t see what the rest of the Body sees in the sense of what we’re talking about in this series? What a horrible thing.

So we’re to turn to God with all of our heart, indeed, with fasting, to humble ourselves before God, to draw closer to God with weeping and with lamenting. So there is sorrow. Because of what’s coming, a time to pray, to pour out our hearts to God, to pray for the Body, yes, but to pray for what the world is about to go through as well.

We have many we know within the past, people we know, relatives, people we know as neighbors or whatever it might be. I think of different people we come across at different times and we have a desire to see them be able to come through these things. We should hurt for them, we should ache for them. To know how much it’s going to take to cause people to be humbled? That’s a painful thing to watch. It’s a painful thing to know must come to pass.

Verse 13—Rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn to the Eternal your God, for He is gracious. We know that about God. Hopefully, all of us know that. ...merciful. Gracious and merciful; He gives us so much, continually gives to us. ...merciful, patient, kind, slow to anger, slow to execute judgment. He gives us every opportunity, but then there comes a time so often in our lives when we have to have made certain decisions.

...and of great kindness; and He relents... In other words, doesn’t want to bring this but must because it’s a part of a purpose. Because there really is no other way to bring mankind to a point where an attitude and a spirit in human nature can be changed to receive God’s kingdom and His rulership, of what’s coming when Christ and the 144,000 are here.

...and of the evil, or of the bringing of harm. In other words, He’s eager not to punish, as I have mentioned. Eager not to punish, eager not to see punishment have to come, but it has to. We’re at that time. We know that it has to come.

So as we watch different ones speak on TV or talk to different ones perhaps in families or whatever on the phone, it’s a sobering thing and we hate to see them go through suffering. We should hurt for that, we really should inside.

Who knows if He will return and repent. It’s not “repent” but relent. Again, that attitude of desire here not to bring something to pass, not wanting to see it to come to pass, but as God leaves a blessing, and so we look to those things that God will grant us in time and knowing that some of those things we can’t have and can’t receive until the new age.

So anyway, news, news articles. I wanted to read some of this. Got quite a few things here; just wanted to go through some of this.

I wanted to mention here as well that just as a reminder here because of finances, because of money flow and so forth, there are people who are panicking and sometimes that causes problems, but a part of preparing yourself is to be wise in this area as well as to what you have and how you’re using what you have.

But I just wanted to mention too, that people would be wise if they’re laid off, if they’re not at work, to strive to get the unemployment; get on the roster immediately. Don’t procrastinate because the ability to be able to go out and keep up your ability to have foods and so forth may become very limited as we go along here. There are just different situations that people have.

Oftentimes, people just live from paycheck to paycheck so it’s going to be very difficult. There is going to be a difficult time to go through here. I’ll probably have more to say on that, some of that later. But again, when you do receive that government aid, assistance and so forth, please remember you don’t tithe on that. That’s not something that’s tithable. There are things you need to use for yourself and prepare and be wise about what you’re doing.

Anyway, just wanted to read some of the headlines here. I don’t want to go into all the things about the corona thing. We’ve been corona’d to death in some of this as far as what’s out there and that’s all that people talk about right now. One, just headline here, a few of the headlines. I just picked out a few of the big ones, of course.

“Covid-19 Impacting US Defense Readiness As Pentagon Announces ‘Minimal Staffing.’”[1] Now, that’s something you really want your enemies to know. What an incredible thing. There are government agencies, there are defense agencies, and so forth, that are rotating people who are working. They’re understaffed; they’re understaffed for a purpose and for a reason – because this corona thing. There are some foolish decisions being made out there even in that particular area as even the government is cutting back on certain areas.

You think, what a time if everyone is at home, what a time if things are shut down, what a time if things are not being moved, and you think what a time of vulnerability. What a time if some nation has it in their mind to do something against some other nation. What a time to do it.

Another article. The insanity of mankind.  “‘Helicopter money’ sparks bond backlash.” I don’t know if you know what “helicopter money” is, but it’s like going over and just throwing money out of a helicopter. I want to read some stuff later on because that was said, basically in jest one time, and yet now it’s becoming a little bit of a term that’s being used because of how people are trying to take care of some of the problems out here.

But it’s quite a catchy title, “Helicopter Money.” Just go out here and give everybody money. That’s going to solve our problems – just throw it out of the helicopter. That’s the mentality.

It says it “sparks a bond backlash.” Bonds. We’re in dire trouble. The world is in dire trouble because of bonds and what’s going to take place here very shortly.

Then it goes on in the headlines, “Stocks bounce on Fed bailout, but bank liquidity worsens.”[2] Games are being played right now. Games are being played in big ways and there is going to be a big payment to pay because of all this.

Here is an article. I’m just reading some highlights of the last week here. “Plague of locusts set to descend upon Middle East in time for Passover.”[3] Crazy time we live in.

Another one: “Gas prices could hit 99 cents in some states due to coronavirus and supplies, expert says.”[4] Well, oil down to $25 a barrel, in through there, a little bit lower even. Think, what’s this world come to? What’s taking place? How does this affect a global economy? How does this affect a petro-dollar; how strong is that? Hmm. The blindness.

Another article here. Now, I’m not sure the source of this. Some of these, it’s really not important, the source, even if they’re not balanced individuals that are saying some of it, because some things that are being said have to do with an attitude and spirit that does exist.

Here’s an article that’s entitled, “Bail Out Everyone.”[5] Now, this is the thinking of some people, and you think, there is no sanity. Where do you think all this comes from? But anyway, I just want to read this, the foolishness of some of this. I’m just going to read sections.

“The good news on Tuesday, relatively speaking, is that there’s real momentum in Washington for a dramatic economic response to the coronavirus crisis. The Trump administration, for instance, is now reportedly pushing for an emergency spending package totaling more than $1 trillion.” Well, I heard this morning here they’re talking about $2 trillion now. So where does it stop? How do you do all this, especially in what this individual has to say?

Jumping down a little bit farther it says, “Families. Major industries. Local restaurants and retailers. States. Cities. Everyone needs a bailout. We’re facing a freak, potentially steep recession, and nobody knows exactly how long it will last, since that duration will depend entirely on our ability to contain a new and poorly understood virus. But if we do more to support workers and businesses now, we’ll experience less economic scarring down the line...” Bull! Stupid! You think, the laws of economics – where is your mind?

It says here, “But if we do more to support workers and businesses now, we’ll experience less economic scarring down the line and the recovery should be quicker.”

“There’s also no reason not to bail out everyone.” Everyone. Everyone! “There’s no moral hazard argument that you’d be incentivizing bad behavior—after all, businesses and consumers aren’t responsible for this mess. And the cost? It doesn’t matter. Really. It doesn’t. First: Interest rates have plummeted thanks to this pandemic...” Oh, isn’t that wonderful! No, it’s not. No, it’s not! “...which means federal borrowing is spectacularly cheap.” Who pays? How does this happen?

“Second: The Federal Reserve is buying Treasurys...” With what? For how long? “...left and right as part of its efforts to stabilize the financial markets, meaning much of the debt will effectively vanish anyway.” How does that work on your credit account? How does that work when you balance your bank? How does that work when you work with your credit cards? How does something vanish away?

“Third: Allowing the economy to deteriorate will hurt tax collections anyway, so we might as well spend freely now to prevent a long-lasting slump.” You can’t even say someone like that is on pot. I don’t mean “on the pot,” I mean like smoking weed. Actually, they’ve gone past that because there is some LSD in that weed because they’re so far out, they’re so nuts!

Anyway, another article... Oh, here is more headlines. I had it mixed up down here in pages here.

Another one: “For The First Time Since The 1970s, Texas Is Considering Curtailing Oil Production.”[6] Well, I’ve already had a little bit of a connection down there and they’re talking about how that they’re already cutting back so much because you can’t produce oil at $25 a barrel. You can’t make money. Everybody is losing money so they’re cutting back on people who are able to work. They’re letting people off right and left. We haven’t even heard the beginning of this yet, I mean let alone the end, because there’s a lot that’s happened so they’re behind on their reporting of what’s really happening.

Another one: “Germany Whips Up Anti-Americanism Amid Domestic Virus-Response Backlash.”[7] Huh. It’s a surprise, surprise that Europe might be getting upset with the United States even more than they are already. I can really see how more of these things can happen so quickly now than ever before and why things are going to take place in the way that they do. Whereas, in times past, they were difficult to see how because it wasn’t existing yet. The feeling wasn’t there yet. But now the field is there and we can see it. We live in amazing times.

Another one: “How the European Union Turned the Coronavirus into a Pandemic.”[8] That’s another article or headline. It says, “Moreover, the EU's inability to provide effective leadership in terms of responding to the coronavirus challenge has led to an increase in tensions between key member states, tensions that could ultimately threaten the survival of the EU in its current manifestation.”

Yeah, if time were to go on for a long time. But we don’t have a long time and it’s clay mixed with iron, and yes, it’s close to falling apart, yes, it’s close to having something hideous happen even economically that’s going to go all the way around the world that is going to hurt them mightily. Everybody is going to be hurt mightily. But it’s that very thing that brings them to a point of making certain decisions that they’re going to make as well to where they agree, it says, in one hour, and then it’s too late to do anything about it. Easy to see how that’s going to come to pass now more so than ever. Because, you see, there are people who are not going to let it die, crumble. That’s absolute.

Another one, another article or headline: “The Crash Of 2020 Is Now Worse Than The Great Depression.”[9] So now they have literally gone back and they’re comparing things to the worst of times that are taking place and what we’re experiencing right now. And you know what? People are talking in terms that “Oh this, we’re going to get on the other side of this.” If it’s that bad don’t they understand and grasp a little bit of reality? That’s the sadness of it all – they don’t. They don’t see these things and that’s why this is going to be much harder on them the farther we go. Yet it takes that to bust and destroy and to bring down pride.

Listening to some of it this morning it’s almost like a Protestant type of attitude, this feel good thing that, you know, we’re all feeling good and we’re all, you know, we can do these things at home in these systems that we have because of our ability to visit with each other over the internet, and all these little things that people are doing that are so nice and doesn’t that make you feel good? This isn’t going to make them feel good for very long when people don’t have money anymore, when, because from paycheck to paycheck, because the reality is this is going to come plunging in at some point.

I thought I’d give a little levity here because with some of this sometimes there are some headlines that come out that at least add a little bit to levity to some of this. It’s amazing what becomes important to people. It’s amazing and it’s sad. It turns out toilet paper is one of the most important commodities now, it seems like, in the world.

It’s important. I remember times when we didn’t have such a thing. But a lot of people in the world haven’t experienced that. I remember times when we were glad to see a new Sears and Roebuck catalogue because they were thick, had lots of pages in there. Don’t have to go into all that, what that means. I do remember that the index was the first to go. It’s kind of like some of the yellow pages. They were a little bit softer. Not Charmin soft, but they were a little bit softer.

Anyway, here’s one headline: “'Do not call 911 just because you ran out of toilet paper', Oregon police say.”[10] That’s how crazy people are.

Another one: “Restaurants giving out toilet paper with take-out orders over $25.”[11] That’s the way to get ahead and there are people respond to that.

Here is one: “SCIENCE: Global Warming May Be Our Only Hope of Containing Wuhan Virus.”[12] I think sales are up for pot.

Another one: “Deputies pull over stolen trailer full of toilet paper.”[13] This individual made some comments after this that I have to pass along. The penalty for stolen trailer – 6 months. Penalty for stolen toilet paper – 6 years. Nowadays it’s more of a crime to have stolen toilet paper than having drugs. It’s about that way. It’s about how crazy people are in the thinking. But anyway, a little levity at a time when it’s pretty bad out there. But it’s amazing what people will fight over and stab each over as we have seen on the TV. Crazy things!

Another article. It says here: “The Damage Is Not Theoretical" - It's Deep, Global, & Pervasive.”[14] Now, when I read some of these and you maybe know where some of these articles come from, I’m not saying all these individuals are the experts in the field and that they’re 100% right. But there are things that people are hitting on out here that are spot on in some ways because it’s almost like the scripture that talks about prophecy and as people say things it’s like “How can they help but prophecy.” It’s because what’s coming out of their mouth, it’s just like things that are prophetic because we’re in that time. What they’re talking about are things having to do with prophecy – and not that they understand it, but that’s what they’re saying.

Anyway, it’s just because of the end of the age and where we are and the kind of language that people are using it’s going to become more of the norm.

Anyway, this one here says: “We just witnessed a global collapse in asset prices the likes we haven’t seen before. Not even in 2008 or 2000. All these prior beginnings of bear markets happened over time, relatively slowly at first, then accelerating to the downside.” We live in a different age. This is happening fast. “Worse, there is zero visibility going forward as nobody knows how to price in collapsing revenues and earnings amid entire countries shutting down virtually all public gatherings and activities. Denmark just shut down all of its borders on Friday, flight cancellations everywhere, the planet is literally shutting down in unprecedented fashion.” Doesn’t work. Doesn’t work! It’s going to be a backlash.

Do you realize that people right now are coming to the point, economists, it’s some are talking today and it’s starting to hit them that this isn’t working, this can’t work. We wanted a shutdown because we wanted to stop this, but that’s not the answer, because that has made something worse. That’s just like this thing of backing out of one problem and going into another one. You back into something else and you just made it worse and something else flares up.

That’s what you’re witnessing right now. These are prophetic things that are taking place. We’re there. There is no way to turn this back. I hope you understand that and I hope it’s sobering to you. It’s exceedingly sobering to me.

What was that term that they used today, this one economist said, that I heard, that he had to agree with some of the things being said out there? I wish I could think of the term right now. I should have written it down so when I want it I’m not grabbing it.

But basically, it’s this – They were trying to pinpoint this one economist asking him about whether he agreed with something that was being said. Basically, it’s this, paraphrasing some of it, it is that perhaps, at least maybe keep older people, let them stay at home, let others be able to be away from others in crowds, and so forth, because of older age or because of health issues, and for them to stay kind of quarantined to protect themselves and their lives like they’re doing with some homes right now where the elderly are being taken care of, just totally stopping visitation and that kind of thing.

So they’re saying let them go back, let people go back to work and let this, in essence, what they’re saying is, and let this take its course. Let ever who gets it gets it, whatever passes along passes along, deal with it as it comes along. But we’re at a point now where we’ve hurt ourselves so much by backing away from this, shutting down borders, shutting down plants, shutting down auto factories, cancelling flights, cancelling all kinds of things out here, businesses that can’t function, malls that can’t open, we’ve cut our throat and we’re bleeding to death. Now this is starting to hit some people this is backfiring. What are we going to do? You can’t go pick money off of a tree. You can’t just print money and put it out there because then you become like, maybe, Venezuela and inflation takes over. It’s coming. It’s coming.

An article: “The Median US Stock Is Now Down 50% From Its Highs As World Loses $25 Trillion In A Month.”[15] They haven’t experienced anything yet. This is horrible, but it’s too late to stop it from where we are and what’s taking place because there is a lot more financial destruction coming in the weeks to follow here.

This one is important. It says, “Global Stock and Bond Markets have Seen $25 Trillion of ‘paper’ wealth erased,” and it’s good to know it’s paper “...wealth erased in the last month wiping out all the gains from the December 2018 crash lows.”

Now, it goes on to say, “Global bonds are actually still up around $5 trillion while global stocks have lost around $5 trillion since the Dec 2018 lows, and a lot of those losses come from the US markets where the median stock is now down 50% from its highs...” Well, again, that’s just a little burp because it’s a lot worse than that.

It says here: “The S&P 500 Had its Choppiest Week Since Hoover Was President.”[16] It’s from Bloomberg. “Price swings in the U.S. equity market this week were more extreme than they have been since Herbert Hoover was president. The S&P 500 index moved at least 4% in each of the five days, falling three times and rising twice. The last such stretch of moves of that magnitude occurred in 1929.” Just remember all this is happening faster this time because of the world we live in, because of the fast pace of communication and everything else that we have, it’s a different world.

Here is another article: “The Real Crash Is Here.”[17] It says, “As far as the mainstream narrative out there... ‘Everybody has lost their minds.’”  Now, it’s interesting his perception of some of these things and what he’s saying here. It says, “This is really the most idiotic thing I’ve ever seen. And, you know, the economy is about to implode. That much is pretty sure.” People are starting to grasp that now a little bit more as we go along.

This individual here named, Peter Schiff, I don’t know anything about him but going to use his name here because this is what he’s saying. Again, it doesn’t matter who this comes from. Some of the comments, some of the things being said here are spot on.

It says, “Peter is not talking about the steps being taken to hunker down in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. He’s talking about what everybody is saying the government needs to do to address the economic downturn. In 2007, Peter Schiff wrote a book, ‘Crash Proof: How to Profit from the Coming Economic Collapse.’” Now, people always try to do this. It’s like we see this coming and so here is what you can do to hedge your bets, to hedge your funds, to take care of, to be wise so you can come out on the other side of this ahead. There are people who play this game. This time they’re playing it, and they’re out there playing it, people are out there wanting to know when to get back into the market so they can make millions after it’s done. This time it’s not going to work. This is it. We’re there.

So he had that particular book.  “He followed that up with [another book] ‘The Real Crash: America’s Coming Bankruptcy – How to Save Yourself and Your Country.’” Not going to work but anyway, a particular focus he has or had. “He gave his second book that title because 2008 wasn’t the real crash. ‘It’s the one that’s about to happen.’”

“Peter said it took longer than he thought it would to get to this point. But here we are.” I think that’s interesting because we saw what was happening in 2008, knew that that was coming. There are economists who saw certain things coming and taking place; they saw certain trends and were worried about it. That’s why he wrote what he did. There were a few out there that tried to warn but most of all people just don’t pay any attention until they’re in it. Just like this time.

Anyway, this is that perspective, a perspective that they’re going to get on the other side of this when it’s all done. Not this time. It goes on to say it was surprising it took that long to get to this point but now we’re there. And we are, except it’s going to be much, much worse than what they ever thought.

“That bubble has now popped.” Do you know what? I mean, do you know of some of the most basic reasons why? It has to do with trade. That’s why it’s so much worse. It has to do with what has been taking place with trade between nations right now. Now because of something coming out of China, what’s taking place because of that? I’m going to read some article on that. That’s why this can’t be turned around anymore. Everything has changed for the worse.

It says, “That bubble has now popped. Believe me. I had no idea that the pin to pop this bubble would be the coronavirus.” So it’s always been there it’s just what’s going to bring it to a point where reality begins to seep through. Well, this is it. It’s going to be a lot of reality people are going to have to face up to. That’s for the purpose of bringing this world to humility.

The moaning, the weeping, the crying, “Babylon, Babylon, she’s fallen.” It’s the system of Babylon.

“This pin has pricked the biggest bubble that the Federal Reserve has ever inflated. And now the air is coming out. And at this point, it doesn’t even matter what happens to that pin. … The damage is already done. The cat’s out of this bag. This bubble has popped. And there is a lot of air that’s going to come out of it.” So it’s coming out, but people haven’t awakened to that yet. The vast majority of people aren’t listening to that yet, but they’re going to have to face it.

“One example of the craziness is the call for ‘helicopter money.’ The term refers to giving money directly to individuals as if dropping cash on everybody out of a helicopter. As Peter pointed out, when Milton Friedman coined the term, it was a joke. He was using it as an example of what not to do, about why Keynesian monetary stimulus doesn’t work. He said it’s a crazy, stupid idea. It’s like dropping money from helicopters. Because dropping money from helicopters doesn’t do anything. It’s just inflation. It just makes prices go up.”

So he went on to say, “We don’t need more money. We need more stuff.” Now, there’s a lot said there because it’s about product. What’s happening to products right now? Well, nobody is working in factories. They’re shutting down factories. They’re shutting down plants. That’s the exact opposite of what should really take place if this were being looked at with the hard choices and reality that it really needs to be looked at. The reality is people here can’t do it.  Germans can, but not here. It’s a different mindset.

“Adding money doesn’t add anything of value. It’s just paper.”

Farther down he says, “Last week, Peter asked the question: has the bond bubble just been pricked?” It’s important to hear this thing about bonds because this is going to come up more and more because this is the downfall. “It appears that it has. Bond prices are collapsing almost as fast as stocks. Now people are piling into the dollar.” How long will that last and how good will that be?

“The US dollar,” it says here, “isn’t a safe-haven either.” See, just backing out of one ditch into another. That’s what people are going to do. “And the people who are buying US dollars are about to blow up and watch their purchasing power evaporate. Because we all assume the Fed can create as much money as it wants. That it can create tens of trillions of dollars.” Just bail everybody out. Absolute insanity!

Going on: “Remember, we’re bailing out everybody. Bailing out the airlines. Bailing out the hotels. Bailing out the manufacturers. Bailing out the plane manufacturers. The automobile manufacturers. Bailing out the individual workers. This is bailout nation. We’re bailing out everybody. How can we bail out everybody? Who’s going to do the bailing? The government doesn’t have any money. It only has money that it takes from the people.” And if people aren’t working, they can’t take much.

“Peter said the real crash that’s coming is a dollar crisis.” It’s coming. “All the money the Fed is printing isn’t going to have value. It isn’t going to buy anything. Prices are going to skyrocket. And in fact, this coronavirus is accelerating that process because the coronavirus is reducing the supply of goods available to buy. This is the perfect storm for price inflation. We’ll have more money chasing fewer actual goods. People are advocating the same monetary policies that have destroyed every country that has ever tried it.” Argentina. Germany before WWII. Nation after nation have tried these kinds of things, and we can’t get by with it.

Here is another one. I’m sorry going into so many of these articles, but you need to be sobered. You need to realize how deep this goes and that what you are witnessing is truly the beginning of the end of events, it really is. We’re not to the event of the 1st Trumpet yet, but we’re right there. We’re right there. At some point. At some point! We’re living it now.

Headline: “Truckers Facing Coronavirus Hurdles in Keeping Supply Chains Moving.”[18] “Truckers are trying to navigate growing challenges on highways and at loading docks as they seek to keep supply chains running to meet surging coronavirus-driven demand for consumer staples and medical equipment.”

“Truck-stop restaurants in some states have shut dining rooms and switched to takeout service to comply with health orders aimed at controlling the spread of the virus. On Tuesday, Pennsylvania closed its state-run rest stops, cutting back significant parking space along key logistics corridors.”

“Some customers are asking drivers to stay in their trucks or switch from paper to electronic methods to document pickups and deliveries, trucking companies and freight brokers said. Additionally, some trucking companies said their drivers are facing new restrictions at receiving docks if they have been in states considered coronavirus hot zones.”

Another article: “The Bond Market Crash Begins On April 8 And 9.”[19] I think that’s good to be aware of this. Whether it happens right then or starts at that point, it’s going to be interesting to see what takes place because it’s going to get pretty bad.

Here are some points made throughout this article: “The US Treasury will auction 10Y and 30Y Treasuries on April 8 and April 9.” Fact. “There may not be any buyers anywhere near current interest rates.” Another point, “Foreigners are scrambling for dollars, not Treasuries.” Have to think about some of these things, what they’re saying. “They have no spare dollars to recycle to the US because trade has stopped.” See, this is important to understand. There is a difference between treasuries and having dollars to exchange for goods.

“The Fed has no currency swap lines with the PBOC,” that’s the People’s Bank of China, “so the PBOC will have to sell Treasuries to get dollars as Chinese companies race to cover dollar debts.” They’re in big trouble. “This is happening,” another point, “This is happening as federal deficits approach $2 trillion and helicopter money is imminent, the economy is frozen and inflation is about to jump.”

Another point in the article: “As rates rise, the interest on the debt will be unpayable, and a run on Treasuries could turn into an avalanche.” So just some points throughout the article here.

Going farther down under the section, “Upcoming 10Y and 30Y Bond Auctions: So, in my opinion,” and he spent some time prefacing this beforehand, that all these things are a matter of his opinion and it doesn’t matter who he is, what he has to say, it’s so close, so spot on as to some things that are going to have to take place that are going to have to be addressed and can’t be. It can’t be reversed. It can’t be changed, and it’s why some nations will do what they do. It’s true. He says, “So, in my opinion, the US bond market is about to be completely eviscerated. In my opinion, it will shock the world. On April 8 and April 9, the US Treasury will, once again, panhandle the world with its proverbial tin cup asking to borrow dollars from their trade partners for 10 and 30 years at microscopic rates of interest.” Important to understand some of the thinking there and what nations are thinking of at this point because of what’s happening. There aren’t products going back and forth. So much has stopped. So much has been shut down.

“Helicopter Money On The Way,” same article here, “Let’s assume this emergency helicopter money legislation passes. I can’t see how it won’t considering the whole country is whipped up into a panic frenzy. All this money is put directly into the pockets of consumers who go out and buy things. People are hoarding consumer goods now. They will go out and spend the money on consumer goods. Add to this the fact that the global economy is basically shut down and you have money flooding directly into the consumer sector where demand is astronomical now, chasing much fewer goods because they aren’t being produced while everyone is shut in their houses. When this emergency bill passes, what country is going to be willing, let alone able, to lend the federal government at rates of 1%? It sounds completely ridiculous. But it gets worse, precisely because the dollar is the world’s reserve currency. Here’s the twist that nobody seems to realize or understand.”

People are playing games out there and it’s like they don’t really want to focus on that. They really don’t want to talk about that and they don’t want to have to deal with it. But God’s going to bring it to them. This is where we are. They’re going to have to address it.

Going on. I just read something the other day here about what’s called “RSD’s.” Anyway, it’s a system that’s being planned, supposedly, probably so, where nations are going to be able to trade with one another in a fashion that they haven’t been able to do, especially throughout Europe, with other parts of the world, with China and so forth and other nations as well, and the purpose behind it is to get away from this petro dollar. If people don’t have to have all these, buy up all these bonds anymore and if they don’t feel that pressure to do so...

Because it’s kind of a pressurized system right now. They kind of feel obligated to do some of this, like with that tin cup being held. But we’re getting past that and this may be the very thing that thrusts other nations into taking some actions that they otherwise wouldn’t because they see their survival at stake. So who are they going to let go down the toilet if they can survive?

Another section here called, “Triffin’s Dilemma Caves In On Itself.” So it has to do with economic thinking and so forth. “It’s that proverbial milkshake Triffin’s Dilemma thing. It’s all twisted. If the dollar is the world’s reserve currency, it will be in demand, says the logic. It is in demand. That much is true. And that, itself, will be the dollar’s ultimate undoing. What’s that now? How is that possible? How does demand for the dollar translate into the dollar collapsing?”

“Imagine you are the People’s Bank of China. You have about $3.1 trillion worth of US Treasuries in your basement. Your economy was stopped cold by the coronavirus. Now, even though you are recovering, your economy is still stopped cold because your biggest trading partner, the one who provides you with all those dollars in massive trade deficits, is in lockdown. Dollar debts are being called in everywhere. Chinese businesses need to draw down dollar reserves. The Chinese banks are running low. You need dollars. But all you have are dollar denominated Treasuries, not cash. So you need to sell Treasuries for cash very soon.” It’s a dilemma. Not everybody understands what that is all about but it’s big.

Anyway, another section says, “No Currency Swaps with the PBOC,” People’s Bank of China. Anyway, he had an interesting thing – “No Trade = No Trade Deficits = No Dollars for Foreigners = Sell Treasuries Now.”

Anyway, at the conclusion it says, “As rates rise and deficits skyrocket, the interest on the national debt becomes unpayable. The Fed must monetize it. Pretty soon they are buying everything, all paper, without limit. That’s when the dollar implodes on itself, maybe not in terms of exchange rates, but in terms of real purchasing power, precisely because of the very demand that makes it the world’s reserve currency. That’s when commodities reverse and gold and silver skyrocket in dollar terms, and bonds fall through the floor.” Anyway, a lot of people speculating about things and it doesn’t matter where they turn, nothing is going to save them. It’s all going to crumble before their eyes. Everything they trust in, everything they hope in. That’s what leads to world war.

Probably one of the most important articles here because this leads to war and why nations and why people think the way they do.

Here is an article entitled “Beijing Fears COVID-19 Is Turning Point for China, Globalization.”[20] “While the world fights the coronavirus pandemic, China is fighting a propaganda war. Beijing’s war aim is simple: shift away from China all blame for the outbreak, the botched initial response, and its early spread into the broader world. At stake is China’s global reputation, as well as the potential of a fundamental shift away from China for trade and manufacturing.”

What do you think is happening? They know what’s going on. They realize that this is the very thing that’s going to happen to their biggest trading partner. Just look at the drug manufacturing. So much of it comes out of China! We’ve become so dependent on cheap things because of greed and we have no control over it that now everything is breaking down and people are starting to realize it’s worth it to pay more to not have something.

What is it, ibuprofen? 100% pretty much comes out of China. That’s where it comes from. Anyway, so many drugs do. So many goods do. But now people are realizing we’ve been to dependant on a communist nation that really doesn’t have our best interests at heart at all. They’re in it for what they can get just like we’re in it for what we can get. Now somebody has to pay the piper. Sad world.

So again, “At stake is China’s global reputation, as well as the potential of a fundamental shift away from China for trade and manufacturing. Also at risk is the personal legacy of General Secretary Xi Jinping, who has staked his legitimacy on his technocratic competence.”

“After dealing with the first great global crisis of the 21st century, the world must fundamentally rethink its dependence on China.” And they are. At least the United States. Maybe not Europe and some of them because they still see them as an important potential partner because greed is greed and profits are profits and if you can get ahead, whatever.

A little farther down here it says: “What Beijing cares about is clear from its sustained war on global public opinion. Chinese propaganda mouthpieces have launched a broad array of attacks against the facts, attempting to create a new narrative about China’s historic victory over the Wuhan virus. Chinese state media is praising the governments ‘effective, responsible governance,’ but the truth is that Beijing is culpable for the spread of the pathogen around China and the world. Chinese officials knew about the new virus back in December, and did nothing to warn their citizens or impose measures to curb it early on.”

Another, farther down, much farther: “On the trade side, many foreign corporations already have been reconsidering their operations in China, due to rampant intellectual property theft and rising production costs; now, they may seriously question how safe it is to continue to do business in China. Not only is the health of their employees at risk, but they no longer can be assured that China will be a stable supplier. If coronavirus becomes a seasonal phenomenon, as some experts predict, then even with a vaccine, new strains of the pathogen will always raise...” Just like what happens with the flu, it changes. So to know a vaccine to prepare for, they play this game. Maybe they hit it and maybe they don’t. Anyway, same thing here. “...then even with a vaccine, new strains of the pathogen will always raise the specter of another out-of-control epidemic overwhelming the party-state’s capabilities and infecting the rest of the world.”

Finally, farther down in the article: “It is only since the outbreak of the pandemic that Americans have come to learn that China is the major supplier for U.S. medicines. The first drug shortages, due to dependence on China, have already occurred. Eighty percent of America’s ‘active pharmaceutical ingredients’ comes from abroad, primarily from China (and India); 45% of the penicillin used in the country is Chinese-made; as is nearly 100% of the ibuprofen.”

Anyway, a lot of news going on out there. Overwhelming how much is taking place and to realize where things are. Crazy, craziness that’s taking place. And what set it off? Well, it’s because it’s time for it, too, and there is that which God can put in the hearts of mankind – fear and unsound fear. That’s where the world is and God has, can work with human beings in a way to bring about everything that needs to be brought about at a certain pace, at a certain timing, and to bring about the humbling of a people, of nations. The process has started. This is the process that’s going to begin humbling nations because one thing backfires and another, they back into something that’s worse, and then back into something that just agitates things and makes everything worse. Nothing works.

One more thing which is kind of mind boggling here. Italy – confirmed cases 47,000, recovered (slow recovery rate there) 4,400, because it’s hit so many of the elderly. Dead – 4,032. So a few more than have recovered than those who have died so pretty high mortality rate in Italy. But I want to read something else here concerning Italy.

“Investigating the impact of influenza on excess mortality in all ages in Italy during recent seasons (2013/14–2016/17 seasons).”[21] I want to read this. “In the winter seasons from 2013/14 to 2016/17, an estimated average of 5,290,000 ILI cases occurred in Italy...” It says, “More than 68,000 deaths attributable to flu epidemics were estimated in the study period.” It says, “Italy showed a higher influenza attributable excess mortality compared to other European countries, especially in the elderly.” So it’s, again, something that they’ve had to contend with because of some of that.

The whole point being here in some of this is that in all this period of time—and I don’t know what happened to one of my sheets but I had a breakdown on that one there as to something specific that showed the deaths per year. But anyway, if you spread that over that period of time, if you looked at one year at a time, again, the death rate is much, much higher than what they’re going through right now.

Anyway, here are deaths just to give a comparison: In the 2013/14 season 7,027, little over 7,000 died. Now, on the 2014/15 flu season, 20,259 died. Right now there are a little over 4,000 who have died from this. In 2015/16, 15,801 died. Then in the 2016/17, that period of time because it’s for a full season through the winter, in other words, that they have these things take place, nearly 25,000, right at 25,000 died [24,981].

So again here, are things in balance? How out of kilter is some of the thinking that’s taking place? And yes, that’s bad, but just a lack of soundness going on in the world right now, there truly is.

I was going to read about Germany’s too, but even in that they’ve kept theirs much, much lower so there is something different going on in how people are dealt with in those countries. It’s amazing.

Anyway, going a little farther down here into what we were reading: In the upcoming Church fast we need to focus on what we’ve been reading here in the Book of Joel. We’re going to continue to go over this and go back over it again to focus on it, that we rend our heart and turn more fully to God. It’s something we need to be doing ourselves and what that means.

Let’s turn over to Psalm 119:30. It says I have chosen the way of truth; so am I set to agree with Your judgments. We have to think about ourselves because most have in the Body, in the Church, and I feel for those who haven’t. Some have gotten to the point, some few to a point where they’re so weak they can’t see through this, they can’t see straight anymore. In other words, there are things you can’t see on a spiritual plane anymore and people become blind to how blind they are. They can’t see it anymore.

So this is our choice and this is where it begins. This is what we have to do. “I have chosen the way of truth.” We’re tried and tested in that, and hopefully, we’re, as a whole, as a Body, primarily there. “So am I set to agree with Your judgments.” Set. What a confident thing to say, “I am set to agree with Your judgments.” Not going to be in disagreement. “If something is wrong, it’s with me.”

I am clinging to Your testimonies; O, Eternal, do not let me be put to shame! So the reality is there we realize we need help, we need help to continue to cling to and to be in agreement, and need to stay close to God spiritually. This is a time to not fear like the world is, to be out of kilter with things, but to be wise. You know, even in being around one another we just really need to be wise right now and getting through all this and doing things that we need to do wisely so, to apply what we’ve been encouraged to apply and go from there.

I am clinging to your testimonies, O, Eternal, do not let me be put to shame. I will run the way... I like this word. This is a unique word. It’s “the way; the road; and sometimes used to express distance,” going to go the distance, going to run the distance of Your commandments. This is all the way. This is all in.

For You will enlarge, in other words, help to be or grow my heart. So we want our heart to be right to God. We want a heart that is building that which is good and right because we’re yielding to God, God’s spirit, we’re seeking to see where it is we may need to address certain things in our life instead of ignoring them, crying out to God to help us to see those things that we may be blind to, and help us to continue to be transformed, to continue to grow, to continue to yield to those changes. Even, obviously, even now during a difficult time we are still to grow. We’re actually to grow stronger and to become stronger.

Teach me, O Eternal, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep them to the end. Now, that’s a determination. That’s the mind to have. Would that all could have had that through time but it hasn’t been that way, who have started the journey. More have left. More have turned their back on God than have continued on the journey to the end.

Verse 34—Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law. Understanding is a beautiful thing. Knowledge is great, but you know, God blesses us with understanding through things we experience. I think of this last book, Chapter 7 that’s out there now. It’s on my website there. It’ll be on the book site, if it’s not there today, but Chapter 7 will be there soon. It’s out there anyway for all of you.

And I think, you know, at this point in time Chapter 8 is coming, it’s being edited, but it doesn’t have to be out there. Chapter 8 and 9 don’t even have to be out there because a full work is there right now, the full story of what is needed in the world is there in those seven chapters. I think what an amazing thing! So it’s there as all these things are taking place.

God gives us experiences through things we go through and we learn through what we’ve experienced. So just like in this book I marvel at how each of the books, and everything we experienced in between, especially since 2008, has brought us to a point where we see and know and grasp things to the level we do because that’s how God molds and fashions us.

He doesn’t just give us the knowledge, because then we can’t have the understanding. Knowledge of and by itself is something that is a little more physical, in that respect. You can have knowledge of things, people can read some of these things and have knowledge of it, but it doesn’t mean they get it. It doesn’t mean they see it. It doesn’t mean they understand it. So the understanding we’re talking about is something that comes more with God’s spirit because of what we experience.

So because of what we go through and what we experience, these things are molded and fashioned in our thinking. The more we choose to live by that understanding then the more we grow in what’s a matter of wisdom, which is just a matter of being in unity and agreement with God, the word of God, and becoming set within us. It’s a beautiful thing to understand that process.

So again here, Give me understanding and I shall keep Your law. So thank God we’ve gone through all the hard things we have, of all the difficult ups and downs we’ve experienced and times of not knowing and wondering, “What does this mean? Why this? Why that?” Then in time God shows us. Only by the experiencing of those things can we really come to see things clearly.

I think of the 7 last Plagues and understanding them now because it came to a point in time where God made it clear it doesn’t fit. Just like God has shown in so many things, there are times when He just shows us certain things don’t fit because that’s not what it’s about. So you go through things you experience in order to learn this fits somewhere else. Then you grow in understanding of what it is.

Direct me to go in the pathway of Your commandments, for therein do I delight. Incline your heart to My testimonies... So is our heart inclined to God’s word, to the testimonies, to what He’s given us to experience, to witness? ...and not to selfishness. You know, not to selfish gain as the word means.

Turn my eyes away from looking toward vanity. It’s not about self. It’s not what we can gain from something. It’s what can be changed in the mind. It’s what we can learn to sacrifice and give so that we can change and be used by God, to become useful to God, in that respect. And make me alive in Your way. In the distance we’re running, in the road, in the race we’re in, make me alive in that.

Proverbs 3:1—My son, do not forget My law, you know, My ways. So we, even now in the midst of all this, we have those choices. Some are still going to go through all this and lose heart. Some, because of choices, aren’t going to be able to hold on. You’ve got to be close to God. You’ve got to cry out to God. You’ve got to keep your eyes focused on God. That relationship with Him, only you can build it and grow in it.

Do not let kindness, in other words, goodness and truth leave you. That’s a choice. We need to think about those things, what it means to hold on to the truth, to have kindness toward others, to think right toward others, especially within the Church. ...but bind, wear them around your neck and write them upon the table of your heart; so will you find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man in how we think and how we act. It’s good; what is good is good. That which comes from God is good.

Trust in the Eternal with all your heart. So again, choices that we have to make all the way to the end in all this. It’s a matter of looking to God and not being overcome with fear.

Because, candidly, you don’t know fear yet. You don’t really know fear yet. You’re going to come to know fear. You’re going to have to come to address fear, to realize and deal with things of human fear, putting things in their proper place and realizing and living a greater reliance and trust on God Almighty and His Son Joshua. We’re going to learn to experience that in a way that we’ve never had to live that yet. We’re going to grow because of it. It’s a beautiful thing, but it’s not easy when you go through hard times.

I think of the Apostasy. You go through hard times; those things can make you or break you. We’re going to go through some hard times on such a plane, of certain things before us you’re going to be tried as to where your trust and where your faith and where your reliance is and to what degree you truly look to God to deliver you, to work with you, to trust in Him, to trust and rely upon the promises that He gives – that we either believe them or we don’t.

It’s not some make believe thing and it’s not something you can work up. It’s something you live. We should be sobered by that before God as a part of this fasting – to humble ourselves before God. Because where we resist are the areas of pride, and humility is the opposite of that. So fasting is a beautiful thing. Fasting in difficult times, some of us are going to fast at times because we have no choice. And how do we respond to that? You trust in God. You look to God.

Trust in the Eternal with all your heart, and do not lean to your own understanding. Lean to what God promises, what God says. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. Whatever obstacles in front of you, we have some hard times coming in front of us. We really do. I don’t have the answers for them. We don’t have the answers for all them. I don’t have the slightest idea of what to do when it comes to certain things of care and concern and use of that which God has given us in the Church. We’re going to learn through that process. What do we do? When do we it? Well, we have to rely on God. We can’t rely upon ourselves and our own thinking. We really can’t.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; but fear the Eternal. What does that mean? It means you look to God. It means you keep your eyes focused on God and look to Him to lead, guide, and direct you. You don’t try to decide for yourself how things should be, how to work things out, because the reality is you don’t know; I don’t know. We look to God.

As it says here, and depart from evil. Well, that’s an ongoing process that leads us into the days of Unleavened Bread, the Passover period, as we’re also preparing for that. So we live in some very sobering times.

As I was going through some of these articles today, reading about bonds, reading about things that are coming, reading about the implosion, things that are taking place that we’re witnessing right in front of us, the lack of trade, not trade that’s taking place right now and how that is going to cause problems in a huge way. It just causes it all to explode even more so. So it’s sobering to me and it’s fearful, it truly is. But I don’t fear it. But it’s a fearful thing, the unknown, and how we go through it.

So with all that we’ll stop for today and come back to this next week.

[1] https://zerohedge.whotrades.com/blog/43233831024

[2] https://zerohedge.whotrades.com/blog/43135607772

[3] https://www.timesofisrael.com/plague-of-locusts-set-to-descend-upon-middle-east-in-time-for-passover/

[4] https://www.foxnews.com/auto/gas-prices-could-hit-99-cents-in-some-states-due-to-coronavirus

[5] https://slate.com/business/2020/03/bail-out-everyone.html

[6] https://zerohedge.whotrades.com/blog/43475874577

[7] https://www.zerohedge.com/political/germany-whips-anti-americanism-amid-domestic-virus-response-backlash

[8] https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/15761/european-union-coronavirus

[9] https://olduvai.ca/?p=51869

[10] https://www.fox5ny.com/news/do-not-call-911-just-because-you-ran-out-of-toilet-paper-oregon-police-say

[11] https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2020/03/19/Restaurant-giving-out-toilet-paper-with-take-out-orders-over-25/8451584636227/

[12] https://freebeacon.com/parody/global-warming-wuhan-virus/

[13] https://www.thestate.com/news/article241350256.html

[14] https://macro.economicblogs.org/zerohedge/2020/03/durden-global-pervasive/

[15] https://globalintelhub.com/the-median-us-stock-is-now-down-50-from-its-highs-as-world-loses-25-trillion-in-a-month/

[16]https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-13/the-s-p-500-had-its-choppiest-week-since-hoover-was-president

[17] https://schiffgold.com/videos/the-real-crash-is-here/

[18] https://www.wsj.com/articles/truckers-facing-coronavirus-hurdles-in-keeping-supply-chains-moving-11584564327

[19] https://seekingalpha.com/article/4333042-bond-market-crash-begins-on-april-8-and-9

[20] https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2020/03/18/beijing_fears_covid-19_is_turning_point_for_china_globalization__142686.html

[21] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971219303285