How Bad is the Economy? Really.

The news of our terrible economy is everywhere. The economy is in such terrible shape some are even saying we are in a “free fall”. If you believe the reports, you might think millions of people are loosing their homes and jobs and dying of starvation in America. The hype started when President Bush was in office, and now, as of this writing, President Obama has declared there are “glimmers of hope” now visible. So how bad did it get? How bad is it?

I am not ignoring the Americans who have lost their jobs, but Americans are always loosing their jobs. Remember when we have a 5% unemployment rate we must also have a 95% EMPLOYMENT rate. If you examine the 5% called the unemployed you will find the temporary unemployed moving from one position to another. You also find people “working the system” who intentionally work just long enough to receive unemployment benefits.

Additionally there are those who are “looking for a job” of course only in those pay levels of an acceptable range. These people are not satisfied with a job, they want a specific job with a specific amount of benefits and a specific type of benefits. If you count only those who really want to work and really can’t find a job, the numbers go down significantly.

Now, back to the economy, I do not evaluate the economy by the newspapers, TV or even by the internet. I don’t like to have people tell me how bad it is, I want to see it for myself. I use a few practical gauges found in the way people spend money and the way companies price their merchandise.

First, I look at how the restaurants are doing. How many restaurants have customers? In the great depression, the REAL depression, people did not go out to eat, because they had little or no disposable income. What do the restaurants of today show about the economy? When was the last time you went out to eat? When was the last time you found an empty restaurant? We have found just the opposite. When we have gone out to eat, we never find an empty restaurant, to the contrary, we have had to wait over an hour to get a seat on a Friday or a Saturday. Does this sound like a distressed economy to you?

What about places like the Disney parks complex, Sea World parks, water parks and amusement parks? See any of them shutting down, limiting hours, laying off workers (except for seasonal people)? What amusement parks have closed during the “recession”? How many amusement parks were full during the Real depression? How many were even open? Still think we have a distressed economy?

I also like to look at how many people are customers of cable television, cell phones and internet companies. It seems strange how people, in our suffering economy are still able to afford cable TV, cell phones and the internet, even when there are ways to avoid the use of these items. Any cell phone companies going out of business? How about cable TV companies? Any internet providers closing their doors? Oh sure, there are claims of reduced PROFITS, but a profit, any profit, shows they are paying all their bills, people and costs and still have money left over.

So if the economy is not really so bad, why are so many sources saying it is? Is there a conspiracy? Is it a right-wing conspiracy or a left-wing conspiracy? I submit to you it is a conspiracy of a higher order. We are warned in Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Yes, there is a conspiracy to move the world away from Christ and toward the satanic goals of satanic rulers.

What is one of their satanic goals? Money. Remember the instruction of God’s Word in 1Timothy 6:8-10: “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Then in verse 11 of the same passage we read: “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” Jesus in Matthew 6:24 said, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

In 2Peter 2:1-2 we are warned, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.”

This may leave some of you saying, “Yeah, so what?” But notice now the next verse: “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” A newer version says it this way: “In their greed these false teachers will make a profit out of telling you made-up stories. For a long time now their Judge has been ready, and their Destroyer has been wide awake!”

Notice how the world media drives the economy through fear. By fear people give up freedoms given by God. Through fear people invest, or refrain from investing. Fear is the overall motivational force driving our economy. Second only to fear is greed. The greed of man is only limited when his fear stands in the way.

But fear and greed are not the ways of God’s Kingdom. We walk in the ways of love and we know perfect love casts out fear as it says in 1John 4:18, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

Do you fear the news reports, the “economic turmoil” or the government? Are you gathering guns and ammunition for a war only won by the power of God? Do you find comfort knowing our King promised us, “Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”
Matthew 10:31.

Have you forgotten the provision promised in Matthew 6:26, “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?”

Provision or no, the command from our King is clear: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33. If you believe it, talk like you believe it, live like you believe it.

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”
Ephesians 4:11-15