Are you ready? Will people continue to faithfully support the church when every penny they make is needed to just survive?
We give based on what we have, not on what we don't have. God is able to provide jobs during this crisis to his people who will in turn provide for the church.
2 Cor 8:12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
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His banner over me is LOVE.... My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
To be a servant of God, it will cost us our total commitment to God, and God alone. His burden must be our burden... Sis Alvear
You're right! This is a crisis of confidence. Folks don't trust the stock market, real estate, or most other investments right now because they have all lost so much money! They are hording up cash! CDs are not even safe anymore!
Three things will have to happen before folks feel comfortable to invest again and banks will feel comfortable to lend again.
1. Unemployment rate starts to go down.
2. Real estate values start to hold or go up on their own without a special stimulus.
3. Stock Market starts to trend upward.
Don't look for any of this until 2010, IMO!
I think things will stablize in the 3rd or 4th quarter of this year.
year over year comparisons will start to look better because of last years losses in the last half of the year. That will go a long way to stablizing the economy.
employment numbers are a lagging indicator and often an economy is out of recession before the high job loss figures hit.
generally companies that lay off, hire back pretty quickly once things turn the corner.
the drag here is what BHO and the idiot congress is doing. thier spending can drag this thing down far more than if they just did nothing.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
Mr. Steinway, the more the government spends, the bigger the drag on the economy.
it may sound counter intuative, but the fact is, we have never spent out way out of an economic down turn. it cant be done. Every dollar the government "spends" it has to take more than a dollar out of the real economy.
STOP THE MADNESS!
If the government did nothing, the economy would very likely totally collapse! The depression of the late 1920s and early 30s would look like a Sunday School picnic compared to the rubble that would be left.
This would cause social unrest including rioting in the streets as everyone panics.
Of course, this is not what we want. The spending is a necessary evil to keep the current economy afloat.
I think you will see certain pork projects cut back and other spending trimmed to make up some of the difference.
In essence, we are borrowing from our grandchildren to save our current system from bankruptcy. Is it worth saving? When you consider the consequences of our system failing, I think so!
__________________ Words: For when an emoticon just isn't enough.
I think things will stablize in the 3rd or 4th quarter of this year.
year over year comparisons will start to look better because of last years losses in the last half of the year. That will go a long way to stablizing the economy.
employment numbers are a lagging indicator and often an economy is out of recession before the high job loss figures hit.
generally companies that lay off, hire back pretty quickly once things turn the corner.
the drag here is what BHO and the idiot congress is doing. thier spending can drag this thing down far more than if they just did nothing.
You are right, but the average consumer will want to see data that proves things have turned around before they will feel comfortable to start spending and borrowing again.
__________________ Words: For when an emoticon just isn't enough.
We give based on what we have, not on what we don't have. God is able to provide jobs during this crisis to his people who will in turn provide for the church.
2 Cor 8:12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
You are smart! Christ Church did something similar. They have two budgets.
They have a skeleton budget which includes only those things needed to keep the doors open. (utilities, debt, etc.)
They have another budget that is prioritized using the extra money (if any) brought in. In fact, they allow folks to give to any particular thing listed on the second budget, if they are giving over and above their tithe.
What is interesting is the folks are giving to the benevolence fund to help other members who are struggling financially. In only one and a half months, they have matched the entire budget for 2008 in benevolence!
__________________ Words: For when an emoticon just isn't enough.
I think people will continue to give if they have learned that God always supplies. Our church income is more now than it's ever been. But we gave away about $200,000 last year as a church - for missions, benevolence, etc. I just am simple enough to believe that God will take care of us.
I agree with this.
I may not always have as much as I'd like to give-- but I give from what I do have. Not just to the church, but to those I see who are in need.
I am a smart shopper, and I do my best to use the budget I am given wisely--and to make sure there are always some extra supplies on hand in case of hardship-- in our family-- or anyone else that God tells me to help with those extra things that I have on hand.
Just an example of how God blessed us.... God told me to give a certain amount of money from our income tax refund to a specific need. I just did it and didn't think anything else about it. NO ONE knew I gave that money except for me, my husband and God.
Last Wednesday night, a minister came and told me that God was about to release the finances for my family. On Thursday, we received a letter in the mail, which was postmarked two days before. Workmans comp has settled on a payment for my husband's back injury. The amount of the settlement is 25 times the amount God told me to give.
God has ALWAYS.... I repeat ALWAYS provided-- what my family needed. I have no reason to doubt his ability to continue to do so!!
If the government did nothing, the economy would very likely totally collapse! The depression of the late 1920s and early 30s would look like a Sunday School picnic compared to the rubble that would be left.
This would cause social unrest including rioting in the streets as everyone panics.
Of course, this is not what we want. The spending is a necessary evil to keep the current economy afloat.
I think you will see certain pork projects cut back and other spending trimmed to make up some of the difference.
In essence, we are borrowing from our grandchildren to save our current system from bankruptcy. Is it worth saving? When you consider the consequences of our system failing, I think so!
I got as far as if the government did nothing...
your right, but the main reason is because much of the problem is government caused.
still spending isnt really the thing that fixes these things. busness activity fixes it. the government needs to get busy with getting out of the way.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
Where is Ferd, Pressing On and all of the other optimistic folk who said we weren't in a recession, we weren't going into a recessiom, and that all of the economic worry was unfounded?
Where is Ferd, Pressing On and all of the other optimistic folk who said we weren't in a recession, we weren't going into a recessiom, and that all of the economic worry was unfounded?
This is not a recession. This is a depression.
Mr. Piano is right. This is gonna get hairy.
Dude, I posted just above you!
in fact we didnt enter a recession until the last quarter of 2008. we are still in it (I think).
Depression? This has yet to get as bad as the 1970's. sure there is a possiblity that it will get that bad and maybe worse... but it hasnt yet.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. 
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