A Call for Reality in the Midst of Exuberance

As I turned on the television this morning to catch the headlines that were attracting attention, the lead story was the Dow crossing the 13,000 point barrier briefly yesterday. It has not crossed that threshold since the great collapse back in 2008. Some of the pundits were excited and predicted that the Dow would be even higher at the close of the year. Yet, I do not want to be the bearer of bad tidings, but look at reality:

1. Gasoline prices are nearing record territory, in fact, in some places those records have already been smashed and it is still February. Forecasters are saying that gasoline will reach $5 per gallon as early as Memorial Day. And, if there is some type of conflict between Iran and Israel in the near future, the price of oil and gasoline will sky-rocket into ranges never before even pondered, let alone realized. Every dollar that does into the gas tank is another dollar less to spend elsewhere.


2. Food prices are soaring especially beef prices. Because of the drought in West Texas that began last summer, ranchers sold their herds because of the price of hay. There will be a shortage of beef for the next couple of years until those herds can be rebuilt, and that rebuilding process will be dependent upon the drought being broken. By the way, food prices will soar even higher if the price of fuel continues to climb. Consumers are always the end of the line.


3. Although there have been slight decreases in the number of homes being foreclosed, there yet remain many home owners who are under water. The question is when will these homes come onto a market already struggling to find some stability?


4. And the global financial situation has not improved greatly. Yes, the Europeans have solved the problem with Greece, thus preventing a major default by the Grecian government. But who will be paying for the impending crises in Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Ireland? Where is all this money going to come from? And, who is going to buy the projected 1.3 trillion dollar deficit the present Administration is proposing for fiscal year 2013?

Yes, for those of us who have money invested in the stock market, a rising Dow average is good news. The monthly statements are much easier to receive now than they were several months ago. Yet I believe too much exuberance is very much premature.

And the news coming from the Middle East continues to keep us on the edge. Just today, the Russians, in an article published by the Reuters featured this statement: "Russia warned Israel on Wednesday that attacking Iran would be disastrous and played down the failure of a U.N. nuclear agency mission to Tehran, saying there is still a chance for new talks over the Iranian atomic programme." (www.flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com). Also this week, senior Iranian officials threatened that Iran would launch its own pre-emptive missile attack against Israel accompanied by a wave of suicide bombings in the U.S. In recent weeks we have seen what Iranian-backed terrorists have been able to do in Thailand, India, Georgia, and other places around the world. I think we are only fooling ourselves if we think those cells do not exist here in our country.

For those of you who have been following this blog for the past few years will understand that, I believe, the Bible declares an upcoming war in the Middle East known as the Psalm 83 War to be followed by the Ezekiel 38-39 War. I believe the stage is being prepared for either or both of those to occur. Certainly the players are there. I think we are just waiting for the Director to announce "lights, camera, and action!" But it won't be long!

Friends, be encouraged as you read the Scriptures. Our hope is not in our armies or in our government or in our financial plans. Our hope is in Jesus Christ...everything else is sinking sand.

P.S. Again, for those of you who live in Central Iowa, I will be speaking on Friday night and Saturday morning at the Westchester Evangelical Free Church on many of these matters. Would really enjoy meeting you. Please call the church office for times.