America - can we get back to the good ole days?

How do you feel about America and what our economy looks like? Do you think we are in good hands? Do you feel the government has things under control? I doubt that!

Over the past several years, I have believed that God is weeping over our country and what we have done to it! Yes, I said we. We all have taken part one way or the other. This country was founded on biblical principles. There are so many things the Word of God offers us and if we would just get back to basics, back into the Word of God we could see much in the way of good in our lives!

The bible says to love God with all our hearts, mind, soul and strength and love others as ourselves. If we all took this literally, just think what a better place this world and America would be again! We would sure see much joy, peace and love!!!

The bible tells us to live within our means and to stay out of debt. How much is our country's indebtedness. Too much to fathom! Do you live within your means? Do you owe on credit cards, car loans, student loans, mortgages??? Now don't get me wrong, sometime or another we all have used these means to buy things. Ask the Lord to show you if you can improve your financial situation by following a few of His principles and simplifying your lifestyle. I know we are. We can't necessarily change how our government spends money, but we can sure start by changing our own ways! (By the way, we are selling a nice three piece slate pool table and accessories, galaga arcade machine, stars pinball machine and an asteroids deluxe machine - if you're interested, email me).

The bible says to pray for and love our enemies? Now that's a hard one to do, but the Word is very clear. What if when someone cuts you off in traffic, you prayed a blessing over them instead of giving them lip service. That lip service is really a curse over them. What if when you're spouse yells at you, instead of reacting, we pray for them instead.

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you have the Holy Spirit living inside you. The Holy Spirit is there to guide you, to instruct you and to help you make choices that line up with God's will for your life. Don't ignore the promptings. Act on them. If God says bless someone, do it! If God says quit going further into debt, trust Him for all your needs. Phil 4:19 says this same God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. God will take care of you but you have to believe that. If God says reconcile with your spouse or forgive that person who wronged you, do it! The blessings for obedience far outweigh the consequences for not!

I believe the Lord is working in the hearts of those He knows are His - to strengthen them and help them to become totally dependent on Him. I believe we have moved into a season where God is drawing people to Him in a deeper way. Is your heart committed to the Lord? Are you willing to live a life that is completely surrendered to the Lord? Can you walk in faith with total abandon?

if you want to see America get back to the good ole days - when life is fun and stress is low - commit your ways to the Lord!

Blessings abundant!

Michele Cole
michele@wantinsight.com

Michele Cole is a featured guest on Friday Encouter Bott Radio Network 92.3 Fm Friday 9/19 at 2pm cst

Today's Article!

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. succumbs to the largest bankruptcy filing in history

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was forced to file a Chapter 11 petition with U.S. Bankruptcy Court on Monday. The New York-based firm, once the fourth-largest investment bank in the United States, joins Merrill Lynch & Co., Bear Stearns Cos., and more than ten other banks that couldn't survive this year's mortgage crisis.

Debt

The firm listed more than $613 billion of debt and lost 94% of its market value this year. Lehman owes its 10 largest unsecured creditors more than $157-billion, including debts to bondholders totaling $155-billion. The filing is by Lehman's holding company and won't include any of its subsidiaries.
Historical Events survived by Lehman Brothers Holdings
Lehman Brothers is a 158-year-old firm that has survived many difficult times.

• survived railroad bankruptcies of the 1800s
• the Great Depression in the 1930s and
• the collapse of Long-Term Capital Management a decade ago

Do you think there will be a domino effect? Possibly from individuals or firms that relied on their financing?

Talks of Takeover

There was talk of a takeover but those ideas were discarded. For three days leading up to the filing, the Federal Reserve and Treasury negotiated with Wall Street execs, trying to strike an agreement that would prevent Lehman Brothers Holdings from going down before markets opened on Monday. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson indicated that he did not want to use taxpayer funds to simplify the sale of the company. Treasury and the Fed have determined that markets have adjusted to the Bear Stearns situation.

If every time a big institution goes under and the markets expect the government to step in, would anyone ever adapt? Give us your thoughts!

Effects

In hindsight, Lehmans needed capital to survive and it might have gained a lifeline by selling itself or stripping its fund management. The direct effect of the bankruptcy has been immediate falls in global stock markets, especially in bank stocks and a shift towards safer assets such as gold. The long term effects are unclear. Feel free to call or email me at www.michele@wantinsight.com

Michele “MAC” Cole
913-642-3334
www.wantinsight.com