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| Alan Greenspan |
Janet Chester Bly
Copyright©2008I still recall my shock when I saw former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan sit before Congress to explain his part in our global financial crisis. Greenspan told a House panel he was in a "state of shocked disbelief." He admitted making a mistake in an assumption that "banks operating in their self-interest would be sufficient to protect their shareholders and the equity in their institutions."
"(It was) a flaw in the model that I perceived is the critical functioning structure that defines how the world works." (Associated Press, 10/24/08, italics mine)
How the world works. Surely a financial expert like Mr. Greenspan should know that by now. Especially the greedy nature of the human heart.
The earth's suffered a permanent tilt. The world's mechanism is in a quagmire. Hurricanes blow. Earthquakes rock. Tsunamis sweep away thousands. Beetles attack your favorite shade trees. Kids get sick.
And ever since The Fall, we humans tend to produce our own mayhem. The planet's peopled with selfish users. Cheaters all, if given the right chance. People scam you. We're all a distortion of what God created us to be. That includes everyone in your town. Your neighborhood. Your church. Your family. It includes you. . .and me.
That's why there's wars and rumors of wars. All around you. So, you get battle weary. You aren't behind the lines. You aren't back at headquarters. You aren't across the sea in the safety of the homeland. You're on the front with bullets hissing left and right.
Jesus knows how the world works: "Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows" (John 16:33 TLB). So did he. Those who follow Jesus deal with the real world, not a made up, make-believe, everything and everybody's okay type of mentality. We learn how to contend with brutal battlefield reality.
But it's not all war and betrayal. We praise God for gorgeous sunsets. For honest gained wealth. For fresh water and sweet, juicy oranges. For the ability to cure countless diseases. For signs of sincere, sacrificial love.
Thank Him today for every blessed moment of R&R relief.
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When did you first notice the way things really are on this planet?
Have you made your peace with life as it is? With God?
In what way do you find daily joy and contentment, in spite of it all?
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Find a free download of the article, "31 Ways To Win The Fight For Personal Peace" at http://BlyBooks.com/articles.htm/
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| God Is Good All The Time |
Janet Chester Bly's book, God Is Good All The Time, is available through the Bly Books online bookstore: http://BlyBooks.com/store.htm/
4 comments:
first of all, i want you to know you've been on my mind and in my prayers recently.
thanks for the post; it reiterates what i have learned since becoming a christian. the world is plentiful with self-centered, greedy, people and we should expect no different from the lost as God says it'll be so. though it is refreshing to find a believer who walks in the Spirit rather than after the flesh, it's concerning to me that it's often even difficult to find those. we are so caught up/entangled in the earthly ways. we as christians can come out of and have victory over the enemy if we will but yield to the Spirit. however, we also still are tempted within ourselves with these same issues (and perhaps more or different issues) because of fleshly patterns we have learned or embraced (habits, etc)or a desire to "fit in". i know i personally struggle daily - sometimes moment by moment with the enemy nipping at my heels. victory will only come through God and by His Spirit, though the world would have us believe that "we" can make the difference through our own human thinking. i do think, that unless a great spiritual awakening occurs resulting in repentance, we are in for even more tumultuous times. difficult as that may be to endure, i'm thankful that if God is for us, who can be against us.
Dear For His Glory: Thanks so much for taking the time to reply to this post. May God bless you with the confidence of His daily presence and power to be all He created you to be.
It's almost like we gaze into a fun mirror when we look at our fallen world and our flawed selves. Except, what we see isn't so fun.
We can despair for what should have been or we can choose to think about the good that remains. And we can remember that against love there is no law.
Janalyn: Appreciate your comments. Thanks much for stopping by.
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