I've said this a number of times lately... but I am not an economist by any stretch of the imagination. But you'd have to be a cave dweller of some description to not be inundated with reports of fallouts, buyouts and bailouts these days. My last 4 years of being a drivetime, talk radio listener, commuter has meant a steady stream financial updates and economic analysis.

Much of it is still sounds like 70's jive talk to me... but one major concept is a resonating thud in my spirit today. Yesterday I heard the announcer say...

I felt like I had just taken a Clubber Lang body blow. Greed and fear. The system by which our economy and livelihoods depend on is driven by greed and fear. Those are 2 HORRIBLE motivating factors. Try and find worse ones. I actually couldn't sleep last night because I kept hearing those 2 words ringing in my head. Greed and Fear. We put our hope in system based on greed and fear?

So I did some googling and discovered that this a quite accepted and embraced concept. It dictates when the buyers and seller buy and sell... crumbling family businesses while making others inordinately wealthy. It's call the greed and fear cycle.


Baby Boomers are pacing around my office this morning panicking about whether or not they'll be able to retire because money movers, moved their money using greed and fear as a motivator. And the Boomers will likely react according to greed and fear as a result. But those with the money have likely already predicted that the boomers will react with greed and fear and out of a motivation of greed and fear are ready to capitalize on their anticipated actions.

It is actually making me feel sicker about our society than I have in a long while.

But wait... hark... coming from the east... Not that I'm often a big Pope quoter but on Monday Pope Benedict XVI took stock of the global credit crisis saying the world’s financial systems are

“built on sand” and that only the works of God have “solid reality.” Referring to Matthew 7, the Pope said, ‘’He who builds only on visible and tangible things like success, career and money builds the house of his life on sand.” He added, ‘’We are now seeing, in the collapse of major banks, that money vanishes, it is nothing. All these things that appear to be real are in fact secondary. Only God’s words are a solid reality.”

Even though he never did return my email welcoming him to the Popedom... I agree with his creepiness. A system that is built on greed and fear will not work. Analysts call it a "Market Correction". When God does "Market Corrections" it doesn't usually go that well for those "MARKETS" who abuse their people out of greed and fear. (See Sodom. See the OT Prophets).

I've been doing a series of political videos. I've been doing it for one party. One candidate. The one I'd like to see win. And as a result of it, I've taken quite a number of barbs from friends and well-wishers. It's the nature of the beast and I somewhat enjoy the sparring. As a good friend of mine wrote me, "Sticking your neck out means it can be cut through with a butter knife" True Dat. And I'm totally cool with taking hits. In fact as a Christian... it's my role to "come and die". But I want it to be THE answer I'm taking hits for.

The thing is... that when it comes to our entire system (including the political system) I simply don't put my faith or hope in it. Not my party and not yours. It's folly to believe otherwise. "Good" may or may not be achieved by ANY political party within our economic system. It depends on the greed and fear cycle doesn't it? No PARTY is the answer. Because it's all laced with one overriding, fundamental concept that churns my stomach.


It swings voters. Greed. Fear. I WANT a tax cut. I'm AFRAID of the earth melting. Al Gore says so. It's greed and fear my friends. It's important to weigh what's best and participate but Greed and Fear should NEVER be a motivator for ANYTHING you do. Freedom reigns kids.



I was up late last night after a terrific night of prayer and worship at Freedom House. Tuesday night's we get together and let 'er rip. You wanna see a prophetic generation in action... check out "Fusion" Tuesday night's at the big blue house. It's the real deal. We call it fusion because its a time set aside to fuse heaven and earth. It's a touch a few minutes to look at brightness so bright that it hurts the eyes. It lets your spirit reside in a kingdom where the greed and fear cycle has never been permitted and my ticket to ride was stamped 2000 years ago in blood.

This Paul Coleman song raced right through my brain... into my veins... and flooded my heart with the freedom of truth, light and hope last night.

I'll debate politics. I enjoy it. But know that to me the answer to problems will never be found outside of man who died shamed and naked for you... so you could break out of the greed and fear cycle.

This is my story.
This is my song.

It costs me 80 or so Canadian dollars to fill up my Ford Windstar. So in Zimbabwean dollars that would be... 2.6 Trillion dollars.






Nkosi Sikeleli Africa

Finally my Loonie is worth the same thing as Washington's severed head. The Canadian economy is thriving!

Now... I'm off to a Michigan outlet mall to purchase electronics...

If you've been in the church for enough years, you've likely heard Pastors say the same things over, and over, and over, and over. Like...

Many times, Pastors with try to get you "involved in your community". I don't know about you, but the first thing that pops into my head is the coming suggestion of, "let's do a car wash", or "we'll pick up trash and sing hymns to the elderly!". But this is not the only way to serve your community. Check this story out in Luke 5: 27-32

What I like about this story is that Jesus is "influencing the influencer". He may not have been a WELL LIKED member of the community, but people knew him. When Levi was impacted by the love of God... MANY others were too.

There is a theory of Economics called "Trickle Down Economics". The theory is that you take care of the companies, businesses and organizations at the top and they will (in theory) take care of those in need. This theory doesn't always work because we're dealing with selfish people in the Economic context.

When you're dealing with Jesus and the light of Salvation... it works different. When the leader changes, so do those who follow If the mayor got saved and filled with the Holy Spirit... what would happen? This is why you should pray for your community leaders. Serve those in authority. "Influence the Influencer's".

A youth devotion for "Portico" in Mississauga