We discuss the worldwide supply-chain, and how shipping and ports around the world affect it and China’s growing influence and aggressive agenda. Last week, President Trump rattled leaders all over the world at his Mar-a-Lago press conference where he alluded to taking back the Panama Canal.
We will discuss who owns, operates, controls aspects of the Panama Canal, including the roles of Hong Kong based Hutchinson on both ends of the canal and how China does influence and could infiltrate the canal for economic and military advantage.
Panama Canal Facts
Canal was handed over to Panama end of 1999 but the treaty was originally signed under the Carter administration September 7, 1977
Fees for transiting canal have increased by 8x since the handover
Over 60% of the traffic transiting the Panama Canal is originated or terminated in the United States
Joining our panel are our distinguished guests, Jacqueline Wiese from Global Family Prayer (Panama) as well as Lucieanne Sawyer and Sue Abrahamson from Rea International (Portland, OR). Each brings a unique perspective on global shipping matters, especially including prayer.
Jacque Wiese with Panama President Ernesto Perez Balladares
This picture is from the transfer of Rodman Naval Station in the Pacific in March 1999. I was not only part of a group of three who were in charge of closing and transferring the base, but also was in charge of organizing and executing the transfer ceremony with my counterpart at the office of the President.
Jacque’s son made this video last Tuesday (Jan 2025). You can see the Port of Balboa run by Hutchinson since 1997. Their concession was extended in 2021 for 25 years. Ports in Panama belong to the country. Companies compete to manage them.
Born and raised in Colombia, South America, as a nominal Catholic. Graduated with a degree in Education, immigrated to the United States, earned her MBA and started a family.
Bio
Moved with her husband to Panama where she worked for the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Southern Command Treaty Implementation Office as a Treaty Officer in charge of transferring Lands and Waters to Panama in accordance with the Panama Canal Treaty. Jacque was also part, as a simultaneous interpreter, of the Free Trade Agreement negotiation between Panama and China.
Passionate about God, His Word, Israel and the coming of the Lord’s Kingdom on earth. In 2021under the direction of the Holy Spirit founded Awakening Latin America and the Nations a virtual “prayer and equipping” room. Member of several Christian Movements including Global Family, 10 Days, Global Watch, Altar of Prayer and others.
Rea International
Lucienne Sawyer
Bio
Lucienne Sawyer is the founder of Rea’ International. Rea’ was established to enhance and support broad-based Christian ministry worldwide through prayer, teaching and discipleship training. Ministry to the heart of God is paramount in every aspect. Rea’ means “friend” in Hebrew, and it is through the lens of friendship that Lucienne lives out her faith in Christ Jesus. She
is an international teacher and presenter, mentor and coach. As a wife of over 40 years and mother of two daughters 32 and
35 and three grandchildren, as well as a business owner, she knows the fruit of walking out a life in freedom and overcoming difficulties.
Sue Abrahamson
Sue and Lucienne are seen here with her daughter Cari. The other person is former Coast Guard who served aboard the ship behind us. We had been asked to pray and teach on the ancient world including the Native myths. We prayed over the issues of our ports and the Panama Canal at the mouth of the Columbia. Our story of understanding the shipping lanes began many years ago.
Other photos will show the line of ships, and in one an ancient wreck for which there are hundreds in the most dangerous bar crossings in the world. It is called the grave of the Pacific.
Big Updates
February 3, 2025 – Panamanian Government announces it will not renew its ties with China’s Belt and Road initiative:
Join us as Grant and Gregg speak with Arni Klein in the land to gain a fresh perspective on what is happening in Israel, especially the spiritual battle over Jerusalem.
Arni and Yonit
Grant and Arni have been friends for over 35 years and met at One Accord Fellowship in NYC, the first Church Grant was connected to. Later on, they managed the Jewish ministry at Times Square Church together with other leaders.
Most important, they discovered the greater depths of prayer and intercession at TSC needed to fuel any type of Jewish ministry, with Arni and Yonit moving on to Israel and Grant into missionary work in the former Soviet Union amongst the Russian Jews.
They have stayed friends since that time and share mutual beliefs about the Heart of the Father and the salvation of Israel.
Over the years Arni Klein has become a prophetic patriarch in the land with a very keen focus on worship intercession and connecting deeper into the Father and Yeshua’s love, putting out some wonderful teaching projects, such as “Israel Revealed.”
Bio
The life of Arni and Yonit Klein has been marked by radical shifts and quantum leaps. They met in 1969 in Manhattan and married two months later. As yet without the knowledge of Yeshua but bonded as seekers, within four years they were separated on the verge of divorce. In the spring of 1973, they separately came to faith and were reunited. For 19 years they served in various capacities in New York City until they immigrated to Israel in 1992. They have two children, Jonathan and Stephanie, and four grandchildren. Arni is Jewish from Austrian, Polish, and Russian descent; Yonit’s ancestors were from England, Italy, and Wales. Though raised in a Jewish home, only fifteen years after meeting Yeshua did Arni come to understand the place of Israel in God’s global end-time plan.
For various seasons between 1992 and 2000, they served as congregational elders, directed a congregational music ministry, and produced a music and drama street outreach. Arni has recorded an album of original Hebrew songs for seekers (“One Way Ticket”), and their journey to faith “Nothing to Lose” is published in Hebrew and German and can be found on this website in English. From 1999 to 2012 they stewarded centers in Tel Aviv and the Judean Hills to provide a place for brethren from Israel and the nations to pray and minister to the Lord. From 1998 to 2003 they worked with First Nations peoples from various countries to help them understand their calling and unique role in God’s plans for Israel. Since 2003 they have worked extensively in Germany with a focus on building a bridge between the youth in both nations. They have been part of the community of believers in the Tel Aviv area for 13 years and Jerusalem for 8 years.
They currently reside in a village near Tiberias, and are part of the Morningstar Congregation. As individuals and as a ministry, they desire to partner with other brethren whenever possible and are committed to walking in transparency and accountability. For more information you can go to “The History of Emmaus Way.”
Interview with Jordon Baker about the Mansfield, OH Community
As part of our ongoing Storehouse “How To” training and equipping series, we hang out with Jordon Baker (who serves as part of 10 Days of Prayer) about growing up in Mansfield, OH, getting radically saved by Jesus, delivered from Bi-Polar disorder, being part of the prayer movement, making disciples and serving his community together with his cousin Josh who is a police officer.
Jordon and I met through Jonathan Friz and 10 Days of Prayer. Back in May we had the Americas 10 Days of Prayer Summit in Grove City, PA – not too far from the Ohio border. The Summit was hosted by Brad McKoy who runs the HUB – a New Breed of Business style of House of Prayer fusion with business incubation, mentoring, and community (click here for that interview).
So when I was wandering the streets of Grove City, praying as I walked, my eyes were drawn to a restaurant called “Jordan’s” and I felt the Holy Spirit whisper, “go find out what Jordon is cooking”. So we struck up a conversation on what was happening in Mansfield, OH together with cousin Josh (also a Jesus follower and young Mansfield police officer) who has been part of what is going on as well.
We talked about hosting BBQs on the streets of Mansfield and inviting people to eat and be served (i think without cost). We talked about a soccer field for the youth where they could play on an abandoned field the city allowed them to use and restore. I also know Jordan was part of a grassroots effort to unify the church through worship and prayer nights with 52 churches in Mansfield. That’s a lot of churches!
We’ll get into more of what Christian Community looks like there and go over some of the potential synergies with the Storehouse Vision as part.
We want you: The New Breed – to bring questions, comments and testimonies as well!
Bio
Jordon serves as part of an emerging network of simple churches and disciple-makers across Ohio. With a vision to see disciples making disciples in their everyday environments—where they live, work, and play—they are passionate about fostering communities that live out the gospel “from house to house” (Acts 2:46). Their heart is for everyone in Mansfield and beyond to hear and respond to the good news of Jesus, following Him as Lord and Savior.
In addition to this work, Jordon helps lead citywide prayer initiatives focused on uniting the local body of Christ and equipping others with disciple-making movement principles. He also serves on the global leadership team for 10 Days of Prayer, a movement committed to consecrated prayer and catalyzing spiritual awakening worldwide.
Here is some more background on Jordon if you want to take a deeper dive…
Join us tomorrow as we discuss what happened last week in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Specifically, how pro-Hamas protests and tolerance of radical Islam in Europe has fomented into Anti-Semitic and anti-Israel organized violence in the streets against Jews.
Pogrom Type Violence Against Jews
Even the International Criminal Court (located at The Hague, also in the Netherlands) has now issued arrest warrants for crimes against humanity and war crimes to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant (press release: ICC Rejects Israel’s Challenges to Ruling). This only emboldens Dutch civilians to commit acts of anti-Semitism and hatred against Jews under false pretenses of “Genocide” and “War Crimes”.
Incredibly, the fact that what unfolded was premeditated with the defending by governmental officials was as shocking as it is unacceptable. It reminds us of what happened at University of Pennsylvania, Columbia and Harvard last year.
This will be a continuation of our discussion with Stephen Burke of rising anti-Semitism globally in the wake of the Hamas attack on Israel and massacre of Oct 7th, 2023 and the ensuing Iran and its proxies’ 7-front war against Israel. What God is doing with Israel in the midst of this and how He is protecting His chosen Jewish people returning to the Promised Land. We examine the unprecedented since-post-WWII events in Amsterdam and the implications of what is happening now.
The assaults were the largest-scale anti-Semitic assault in the Netherlands since the Holocaust, and many Israeli leaders and Dutch Jews called them a pogrom
Germany/Austria: Headline in the New York Times after the anti-Jewish pogrom known as Kristallnacht, 11 November, 1938. (Photo by: Pictures from History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Sign of Orion
On the night of November 6-7th 2024, I couldn’t sleep. I was reminded of a similar time I could not sleep back on October 4-5th, 2023. I wondered, Lord, are you showing me Orion again (Job 9:9; Job 38:31; Amos 5:8)? I was drawn outside on my back porch at 1am. It was a clear night. There was a cluster of stars that stood out. I went downstairs and got my phone. And what was clearly shining directly above in the southern skies again? The constellation Orion. Here is a picture I took at 2:08am and a screenshot of my stars app for that exact date and time:
When I saw the news the very next day about Amsterdam, I knew it was another sign.
Orion is in the bible. Orion is known as the Hunter (hence bow and arrow).
“Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “that it shall no more be said, ‘The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had driven them.’ For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers. “Behold, I will send for many fishermen,” says the Lord, “and they shall fish them; and afterward I will send for many hunters and they shall hunt them…”
Jeremiah 16:14-16
and this parallel passage…
“Therefore, behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “that they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell in their own land.”
Jeremiah 23:7-8
Stephen Burke
I am joined by my good friend Stephen Burke, The Lord Will Provide ministries. Stephen speaks to Christians all over the world who are called to stand with the Jewish people, to serve and assist them locally in whatever city they live (cities of refuge), even in the midst of persecution, as well as help them make Aliyah to Israel as need be.
Stephen Burke worked for 18 years in advertising and public relations before God called him out of his profession in 2004 to begin a ministry He named, The LORD Will Provide. The work began in Guatemala and involved church planting and missions. However, in 2008, God unexpectedly gave Stephen a 2-hour open vision of unprecedented future difficulty that is coming to America and the world. In this vision God also showed Stephen that He is raising up places of refuge to hide, protect and move His chosen people. So, since 2009, the Lord has been connecting Stephen with these places of refuge around the world. His role has been to encourage them and to let them know they’re not alone. God has a global plan for His people in the midst of trouble and even now is preparing for these days.
Join us on the New Breed of Business as we have a post-election political and economic discussion : “What Now?”. With special consideration to how this relates to implementing the Storehouse Vision, Network, and Communities.
We will discuss the President Trump – Jehu prophetic parallel as part.
Jehu tore down the alters of Baal, killed Jezebel, killed the Baal priests, and was made King over Israel.
“However Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin, that is, from the golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan.”
2 Kings 10:29
“I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel
Hosea 1:4
Golden Calf Issues
Cannot trust in money and in God. Have to choose. Hate the one, love the other. Matt 6:25
An economy built on debt and greed will not stand
Turn from selfish-ambition, pride, self-centered, self-sufficiency, materialism, sexual immorality and profiting from same, seeking our pleasure over God’s pleasure / obedience to Him, etc.
Must remember the tired, hungry and poor, widow, orphan, fatherless in our business practices. Don’t exploit them. Don’t profit from their position.
Must rest from our labors, rest the land, free the slave, return the lands
Forgive debts, don’t charge interest to one-another, return the pledge / collateral
Not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of God. Trust in God not in man, not in self.
Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain. If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The Lord will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.
Heartbeat Israel is our live monthly segment where we get to hear what is happening on the ground in Israel and in the Spirit. Whether it’s messianic outreach, Aliyah, the temple mount, anti-Semitism, biblical history, houses of prayer, war, methods of economy, Hebrew covenantal life culture, signs and wonders – we want to press into the Father heart of God. Israel is God’s prophetic time clock and the Jewish people are His covenantal people. Click the link here for previous episodes…
Auschwitz, Poland Trip with Grant Berry
Grant is back from his team’s trip to Auschwitz.
God has his heart and eyes on Poland – this important country and how it relates to Jew and gentiles living together.
When I visited Yad Vashem 2 years ago, I was praying and the Holy Spirit led me to focus on the importance of Poland to him during WWII and today.
More Jews were murdered in Poland than any other nation, including Germany. I found this book while I was visiting the bookstore that was highlighted to me.
This excerpt relates to what I felt the Lord was saying about example of Jews and Gentiles together:
Grant’s Report
Poland, Auschwitz concentration camps, House of Life prayer house, and Fountain of Tears
For the last 9 days of our journey we traveled to Poland joining with a group of mature watchmen / intercessors from the US to pray and intercede for Israel and the Church. Words cannot fully describe all that we experienced during this week of intensive prayer. We had been preparing for this prayer mission for several months while also having a team of intercessors covering and supporting us daily. And we knew and felt strongly that our main focus was to pray for greater life to come out of the death and tragedy of the Holocaust. Remarkable to this focus, is that there are two new ministries the Lord has established right at the feet of the Auschwitz concentration camp. There is an incredible exhibit crafted by Rick ? known as the “Fountain Of Tears”, which uniquely depicts the suffering and death of Yeshua on the cross and the tragedy and deaths of the Holocaust. Plus a House of Prayer called “The House of Life,” which has been established by Mark and Cathy Warwick.
Before we visited Auschwitz, Mark encouraged us to visit the Fountain of Tears first, then the Auschwitz concentration camp, and then to join them at the House Of life.
During the week the Holy Spirit led us into some intensive prayer sessions on the property, in the fountain of tears, in the house of life prayer house, and through early morning prayer. We have come away with a much deeper understanding of the significance of this death and suffering and how the rebirthing of the nation of Israel has come out of it. And the Lord led us into specific assignments connected to this focus, some of which were prophetic.
It is a paradox for sure and extremely complex but we have all sensed a deepening of this understanding in our spirits. Not just experiencing the horror of this death but also the life that is coming out of it.
During the week we also learned a lot more about Poland and its people, as well as the suffering that they experienced amidst their German and Russian occupations. We feel strongly to pray for the healing of a victim spirit that is over both the Jewish and Polish people and there is a great need for greater forgiveness and deeper repentance and reconciliation between the two peoples and between the two countries.
It was no mistake that we were to be here during the Feast Of Tabernacles. As we came to the end of our time in the House Of Life prayer house praying and worshiping and as we were looking on and facing the Auschwitz camp from the balcony windows drawing close to the celebration of Simchat Torah, The Lord gave us an incredible sense of love, peace, and joy. The Lord led us to dance before Him in the spirit, which is also a tradition of Simchat Torah. It is comforting to know that in the greater scheme of things it is all finished with the cross and the resurrection. He has overcome sin and death leading us into spiritual life and freedom.
Roundtable – Dishonest Weights and Scales Embedded in the Modern-day Economy
So, my Dad called me and said he was reading through the Proverbs and the verses about how God hates dishonest weights and scales kept coming up. He thought – hey this is what Gregg is talking about! (in terms of Babylon’s economy and the New Breed of Business)
Dad
So here are those scriptures:
Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, But a just weight is His delight
Proverbs 11:1
Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord; all the weights in the bag are of his making
Proverbs 16:11
Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike – an abomination to the Lord
Proverbs 20:10
The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him
Proverbs 20:23
Examples Today:
– Products (especially food products) that shave a little bit of weight and the price goes up or stays the same. Remember that Pint of Haagen Daz ice cream? Well, it’s now 14oz. It used to be $5. Now it’s $9. Hope you don’t notice! Hope you don’t mind!
Product
Old size
New size
Difference
Tropicana orange juice
64 oz.
59 oz.
-7.8%
Ivory dish detergent
30 oz.
24 oz.
-20%
Kraft American cheese
24 slices
22 slices
-8.3%
Kirkland Signature (Costco) paper towels
96.2 sq. ft.
85 sq. ft.
-11.6%
Haagen-Dazs ice cream
16 oz.
14 oz.
-12.5%
Scott toilet tissue
115.2 sq. ft.
104.8 sq. ft.
-9%
Lanacane first aid spray
113 grams
99 grams
-12.4%
Chicken of the Sea salmon
3 oz.
2.6 oz.
13.3%
Classico pesto
10 oz.
8.1 oz.
-19%
Hebrew National franks
12 oz.
11 oz.
-8.3%
Examples of Hidden Fees and Made-up Fees
12b1 sales fees baked into mutual fund products
undisclosed and significant sales commissions in insurance products – sometimes upto 100% of the early years premiums being paid in sales commissions
“network fees” in cell phone and cable bills
“taxes and service fees” that appear as taxes but actually are just fees
4-5% AMEX and 2-3% VISA / MasterCard fees taken out of every sale. Rewards programs make consumers feel happy about the practice getting a little kick-back for themselves.
More Dirty Tricks
used car dealers hawking cars with major issues without disclosures
ambulance-chasing personal injury lawyers reaping 40%, even 50% of settlements or jury awards
improved odds of legal victories that can be purchased with high price legal teams vs. the commoner
hospital bills – $50,000 emergency room visits
$1100 bill and medicare or insurance co only pays $100
made up pricing for medical bills
hotel room rack rates that are multiple times more than market price
4.7% CD automatically renews at 0% if you don’t remember to roll it over
Credit card 0% teaser rates exploding to 30% if you miss a payment by a day, or under pay by $0.01
$5 bag of chips on Wallmart.com with $29.99 shipping fee in small type
Citadel and Robinhood – deal allowing legal front running of retail trades
Flash Boys book – Exchanges renting server spots to the highest bidder inside the exchange data center, knowing full well that trades will be front run using quant algorithms given speed advantage.
Inside information traded upon on Wall Street
Propane companies locking tanks up and hauling them away full if rental fees aren’t paid
Electric generation supply co’s that reset your lower rate to double or triple the electric company rate if you forget to switch
Do we accept these societal behaviors as normal?
Are we conditioned to act this way too?
Clipping and Shaving Coins
Our friend Doug Tjaden speaks of the practice of shaving and clipping coins in his book “I’ve Come to Give”
Money and Life Documentary
Chandrakaut’s Testimony
Quaker Reform
“[T]he Roman Empire… expanded quickly… Tax rates became oppressive, and trade began to slow. Tax revenues… began to fall… Therefore, during the reign of Emperor Nero (54-68 A.D.), the government mints engaged in a new and more deceptive practice. They added copper and bronze to the gold and silver before pouring the alloy into molds to make coins. This is known as “debasing” the coins. Because the practice didn’t leave marks, most people were unaware of the practice.”
In the old days, say at the general store, it became a dishonest practice of many shop owners in America where there wouldn’t be any prices on any products. And store owners would charge different people different prices if they thought they could get away with exploiting people. Even poor people.
The Quakers had a reform, where they wanted all their congregants who were shop owners to insure that they would price all products so people would receive transparent and fair pricing (which God loves).
Today we continue our “How to Storehouse” series. We will unpack all of what is biblical about God’s economy and how that is reflected in the Storehouse Vision.
Hint: it’s not just storing up a bunch of stuff for the apocalypse !
He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure
Isaiah 33:6
So, we often find people misunderstand what “A Storehouse of God” is all about. It’s not simply storing up supplies and money to guarantee our futures. It’s really a reformation of our hearts in how we deal with money, provision, work and our own needs. And it’s also how we form community and serve one another to facilitate supply for the Kingdom of God here on earth.
Storehouse Vision Unpacked
1. Repented Lifestyle
The Storehouse Vision is first and foremost an “unlearning” of the ways of this world (unplug from the Matrix) and transform our minds in the knowledge of Christ (plug into the Kingdom of God). Romans 12:2“Right from the time you were born… what your parents taught you… without money you cannot survive.”
“That had become a very strong chain of bondage in your mind… It took Me four years to break that.”
“And from that day, to this day our table has never been empty – I don’t know how, from where God provided.”
“Will He not clothe you? You of little faith? Do not worry… your heavenly Father knows [your needs]… Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all of [your needs] will be met.” – Matthew 6:30-33
God can provide with or without money.
“If you start thinking to yourselves, ‘I did all this. And all by myself. I’m rich. It’s all mine!’—well, think again. Remember that GOD, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors—as it is today.” – Deuteronomy 8:17-18
2. Economy of Giving and Receiving
It is better to give than receive
Acts 20:35
Give and it shall be given unto you
Luke 6:38
Freely you have been given, freely you should give
Matthew 10:8
When you give to the poor you are lending to God
Proverbs 19:17
When we help others instead of focusing on satisfying our own needs, God supplies.
3. Community Banking
Alternative to FDIC fractional reserve banking. Loans as investments. Local currencies. Individual stores and community stores under one roof.
4. Distribution Network
“For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality.” 2 Corinthians 8:12-14
5. Resources Made Ready
This is the “storing up” part of the Storehouse. But remember, we can also get just in time shipments by God’s hand. Even supernaturally or by way of a miracle.
We don’t have to be under Adam’s “curse of the land, everything by the sweat of our brow.” We can tap into heavenly provision…
Our earthly storehouses can be filled, and our needs can be met out of heavenly storehouses
and supernatural provision
God has already made ready. We have to recover this ancient inheritance as the Church for the days ahead.
Silver and gold have I none. In the name of Jesus, rise up and walk!
Acts 3:6
I will open the windows of heaven
Malachi 3:10
Examples
Fishes and Loves
Water from the rock
Manna from heaven
Example of Church Unity – 140 churches gathered together in Charlotte last week
Tomorrow on the New Breed of business, we chat with Eric – follower of Jesus, entrepreneur and missionary – currently with his family at the JAARS missions base in North Carolina working with Beeyond Bees. Come hear his testimony!
Eric is a USAF Veteran, UCONN business school graduate.
He spent 8 years in the New Age before being radically saved out of deception of the Kingdom of Darkness. It’s a complete story of overcoming.
Eric took a deep dive into Yoga and Hinduism
Along the way he started HempHoneyLife.com which the Lord used to teach him many lessons on faith, finances and family – most notably, humility. He considers his lack of financial success to be success in God’s eyes as we are His product.
He’s traveled around the world, and lived in dozens of states, but met His beloved wife years later where he grew up in CT, of all places. Since then he has gone on to pursue beekeeping, and other pursuits in the bees & honey ecosystem – locally & globally.
Eric and his wife and two kids currently live at JAARS (a missionary sending organization using air transportation into remote places), where they are ready for the greatest adventure there is – following Jesus.
Is modern day capitalism consistent with what the bible teaches about money and business?
Let’s start out with Webster’s definition of Capitalism:
Capitalism is an economic system where private individuals or organizations own and control the means of production, and where the free market determines prices and the distribution of goods.
Webster’s Dictionary
Sounds pretty good so far.
#1 Private ownership was embraced in the bible by allotting land in Israel to families. Read Numbers 26:53 “the land should be divided for inheritance based on population”
#2 Free markets are also in the bible as an extension of the free-will of man. “For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.” Jermiah 32:15
However, there were numerous prohibitions tempering this freedom by God. For example, the allotment and inheritance of land was made in proportion to need. It was followed by the concept of Jubilee (returning land to original inheritors, no matter the pledge or debt). Similarly, there was the freedom to lend money, but not to charge interest. Plus, there was a requirement to forgive debts every seven years. Also not to work the land every seven years. No buying and selling of goods within the walls of Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Etc.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the writings of the “Father of Capitalism”, Adam Smith.
It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest
Adam Smith
Adam Smith points out here and in his writings that self-interest is what provides for our families – not the benevolence of man (nor the benevolence of God – note connection with Deism below).
Now, lets look at what the bible says about this :
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3-4
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:17
The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat
2 Thessalonians 3:10
Seek first the Kingdom of God and righteousness, and all this (dinner, drink, clothes, needs, etc.) shall be added unto you
Matthew 6:33
Which begs the question: what is true work?
My food is to do the will of the Father
John 4:34
Not exactly the same as what Adam Smith suggests. Note the important differences. Its not all about self-interest leading to our provision. Its about trusting God for provision, loving others, working with diligence as unto God, and for God. Where there is need, let us pray and ask for help and wisdom, not trying to scramble, scrape, or horde money, income, profit and gain as though God never assured us.
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned… to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound… I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:11-13
I will be with you always, even unto the end of this age
Matthew 28:20
Every individual… intends only his own gain, and he is… led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention.
Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations (1776)
Mmm, who or what is this invisible hand??
We need to put things into context. Adam Smith was part of the Scottish Enlightenment. Which was connected to the French Revolution and Deism.
In the… Age of Enlightenment or Age of Reason, deism emerged as a theological position that attempted to define the natural world and man’s relationship to God through the application of Enlightenment ideals such as reason, rationality, and order.
The Influence and Legacy of Deism in Eighteenth Century America, Piland
To understand what those movements stood for, we can look to Voltaire, an 18th century French philosopher who believed god was uninvolved in the day-to-day affairs of men, as he was only the “clockmaker of the universe”, leaving men to their own interests. This type of thinking leads down a slippery slope to another enlightenment philosopher’s ideas…
I think therefor I am
Descartes 1637
Milton Friedman, Nobel Prize Economics, University of Chicago
Fast forward to the 20th century, and we have Milton Friedman, a modern day Adam Smith adherent (that’s an Adam Smith tie he’s wearing).
Here are some relevant Friedman quotes:
The business of business is business
Milton Friedman
A corporation is an artificial person and in this sense may have artificial responsibilities, but ‘business’ as a whole cannot be said to have [social] responsibilities, even in this vague sense.
Milton Friedman
Here’s the thing: If a corporation is an artificial person, shareholders are also artificial people – or perhaps better said, nameless faceless people who have no soul – no regard for fellow man. Real people can therefore “hide” behind the shareholder “strawman”.
There is one and only one social responsibility of business—to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud.
Capitalism and Freedom, Milton Friedman 1965
But what of deceptive advertising? Hidden fees? The ol’ bait and switch? The free trip, if we can sell you a condo. There are many such deceptive things permitted “within the rules of the game” today.
Yet, even if we give Friedman the benefit of the doubt here: Is the only requirement of God to commit no fraud or deception? These scriptures contravail such claims:
“Do not oppress the poor because he is poor” – Proverbs 22:22
“And if you sell anything to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor’s hand, you shall not oppress one another.” – Numbers 25:14
“If you lend money to the poor among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him; you shall not charge him interest” – Exodus 22:25
“Do not charge a fellow Israelite interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest.” – Deuteronomy 23:19
“If a wicked man gives back what they took in pledge for a loan… they will not die.” – Ezekiel 33:15
“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigners.” – Leviticus 23:22
So, in effect Adam Smith’s philosophies, evolved into the Friedman doctrine, which essentially has created a wall of separation between faith and business – and therefor a moral vacuum, since “corporations are not people” and shareholders are a abstraction, rather than personal reality.
Capitalism looks similar to God’s principles of free-will of man, land ownership, and freedom. But is this, especially in its modern day interpretation, really the same as God’s covenants with men? Or, is it more a like a close cousin?
Perhaps like a butterfly compared with a moth? Both start off as caterpillars, but…
Or sheep vs. goat?
This moral vacuum rationalization of hiding behind corporations, shareholders and profits, echoes of the stories told in the Bible of the Pharisees, who had a form of Godliness, but Jesus labeled them hypocrites and white washed tombs. Their hearts were far from God. They were also identified as lovers of money. Everything looked fine on the outside, but the inside was filthy dirty.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.” – Matthew 23:25
5 Points of how Capitalism differs from God’s Economy
Capitalism embraces Capital as King. The bible says Jesus is King.
Publicly traded corporations have taken Christianity and Judaism out of the board room and any official business. HR enforces such policies.
Capitalism is a structure where capital and shareholders demand a return, without need for personal regard or accountability to human impact – rich or poor, healthy or sick.
Capitalism has been sometimes described as “survival of the fittest”. Wall Street is like that. But did God ever say that men were to behave like animals?
Modern capitalism has depersonalized business. It hides behind “shareholders” and “returns”. It strictly enforces debt “covenants” through litigation. Etc.
Free-market capitalism is the best path to prosperity
Larry Kudlow
Remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers
Moses
No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money
Since the BOJ raised rates at the end of July, and the Nikkei tanked 20% / the rest-of-world markets dropped by 10%, and the VIX spiked to multi-year highs, everything now seems to have settled down and the market has hit new highs. Is it over? Was it no big deal? Just a hiccup? (spoiler alert: no)
We are here to discuss that and do a live Q&A.
Just this morning this line caught my attention in a Bloomberg article:
Japanese monetary policy could be the San Andreas fault of global finance
Arif Husain, head of international fixed income and chief investment officer – T. Rowe Price
T. Rowe’s Husain is tying the Bank of Japan actions to the San Andreas fault (think West coast quake). Is this prophetic?
I know the BOJ is conscious of the effect it could have on global markets, but it’s a real and present danger, in my view. I certainly think it’s something that should be on our radar as investors
Husain. T Rowe Price
If you recall from prior discussions, Bob Jones and Rick Joyner are both on record as essentially saying: Once the Japanese quake of 3/11/11 happened, the worldwide economic meltdown AND a West Coast US megaquake can hit at any time. Read post here: Watch Japan – Bob Jones Earthquake Prophecies (scroll down to get to the earthquake and economic shaking prophecies, including videos).
God Send? Or Judgement Coming?
One other thing to pay attention to is when retail participation in the stock market reaches highs, it is a historical indicator of a market top.
Shoe Shine Time?
In the winter of 1928, Joe Kennedy’s shoeshine boy famously offered Kennedy a stock tip: “Buy Hindenburg.” Kennedy soon sold off his stocks, thinking:
You know it’s time to sell when shoeshine boys give you stock tips. This bull market is over.
Joe Kennedy Sr. 1928
Practical Steps You Can Take
Learn how to trust God not money as never before. Read more about this here:
Sell paper based market investments (stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, annuities, futures, options, whole life policies, mutual funds, closed-end funds, hedge funds, private equity funds, etc.)
Pay off all debts, especially mortgage debt
Withdraw money from the banking system: cash-on-hand
Buy convenient physical stores of value, such gold, silver, oil, grain, water, food
Long-term
Help friends and family pay off their credit cards, student loans, debts and mortgages where you become the bank to them instead. Lend biblically. It creates an income stream back to you. Forgive debt periodically. Don’t charge interest. Those who borrowed can also provide a dividend to you as they are blessed to do so.
Buy land
Invest in local businesses
Invest in agriculture and farms
Invest in food-supply production, packaging, transportation and economy
Invest in local energy sources, clean water, other essential needs, tools and equipment.
Seed a local Storehouse (community co-op – bank like private pool of funds) to do all of the above with your friend
Heartbeat Israel is our live monthly segment where we get to hear what is happening on the ground in Israel and in the Spirit. Whether it’s messianic outreach, aliyah, the temple mount, anti-semitism, biblical history, houses of prayer, war, methods of economy, Hebrew covental life culture, signs and wonders – we want to press into the Father heart of God. Israel is God’s prophetic time clock and the Jewish people are His covenantal people. Click the link here for previous episodes…
Jerusalem Day celebrations 5784 in midst of war
Jim Schutz Part 3
Much has transpired geopolitically since we were last with Jim back in June. The threat of war with Iran and Hezbollah has dramatically increased, yet the attack that was assumed coming from Iran and its proxies has not materialized post the elimination of various Hamas and Iranian allies and leaders.
Jerusalem Day 5784 outside Jim’s residence
Tisha B’Av came and went (Aug 12-13) without incident. But how do the citizens of Israel feel about these threats? Is it a “sword of Damocles” over Israel or business as usual? Threat or opportunity? Fear or sense of God Defending Israel?
An Isaiah 49 Wedding
Awakening Amongst the Orthodox?
Have you ever heard of Berel Solomon the YouTuber? He is an orthodox business man from Panama who made a remarkable short film entitled Finding Mashiach. Is this leading to the awakening we are praying for the Jewish people to have their eyes and ears opened, only as Yahweh can do through the Torah and the prophets?
Jim shares an incredible story of how in the context of the Lebanon / Israel War of 2006, an orthodox Jew approached Jim on the streets of Jerusalem to raise money for an orthodox ministry cause, only to be encountered by the living God through Jim’s response out of the scriptures. His request: “Will you help me? I need to read the New Testament”. Jim prayed asking God – is this man serious, or is it another trick into harassment? God gave Jim a remarkable dream of an underground tunnel, where a remnant Messianic believing group of Jewish people were widening it – turning it into a highway (not unlike mentioned in Isaiah 35, 49 and 62).
Jim serves on the board. Grant greatly respects and supports Arni. We visited Arni’s house of prayer in the Galilee late 2022 and received a teaching about Jerusalem being the center of the earth’s spiritual battle.
I then personally experienced the seriousness of this the very next week inside the old city…
BOJ raises rates for 2nd time leading to Nikkei 225 implosion and a global market sell-off
So, what happened this week?
Japan’s stock market dropped 20% in 3 days. The US and Europe, almost 10% over the same period. These are some of the largest market drops ever in such a short time span.
For those of you following the New Breed of Business, you will recall our several discussions about the importance of Watch Japan and the Bank of Japan’s monetary actions:
If you have time to refresh on those discussions, it helps put into context this week’s market plunge and what is coming – likely over the next several months into 2025.
Much of the conversation has to do with “First Japan, then the US/Europe”.
Basically Japan was set up as a little America post WWII, less the foundations of faith. Their economy is more “Western” than “Eastern” in how their markets and banking are setup. The Yen is closely tied to the Dollar markets.
In a sense, Japan is just doing what we helped teach them to do, but on steroids. Hense, more debt. More money printing. Etc. They pioneered those things. To deal with their financial crash in the late 80s, which led to depression / deflation.
Japan was by some measures was the #1 economy in the 1980s. Now they are the fourth largest economy. They have greatly shrunk.
Japan is essentially like a beta test of Modern Monetary Theory. How far can they (the BOJ and Japanese government) stretch the bounds of monetary policy, quantitative easing, and debt borrowings with a major fiat currency (Yen).
Here is that chart:
FIRST – JAPAN
FOLLOW – USA / EURO
STOCK MARKET CRASH
1989
2008
0% SHORT RATES
1995
2009
0% 10Y TREASURY
2016
2019
DEFLATION
1998
2009
DEBT TO 100% GDP
1999
2013
DEBT TO 200% GDP
2010
CENTRAL BANK QE – GOV DEBT
2001
2009
CENTRAL BANK QE – ETFS
2010
2020
CENTRAL BANK QE – 50% OWN GOV DEBT
2022
We have previously discussed one of the key global market dynamics: “Why? Because it portends a setup like we had in 2007, whereby the BOJ raises rates prematurely again. Because the Yen carry trade is still “on” in the hedge fund macro world.” (1st Raise BOJ discussion – March 2024)
What is the Carry Trade? Carry Trade Example: – Borrow in Yen at 0% interest – Buy Mexican bonds at 11%
The sharp reversing of the carry trade by hedge funds likely begins a cascading of events which can lead to bursting all sorts of asset bubbles.
Why was/is the 2nd BOJ raise “bad for the economy / markets”, both back in 2007 and again in 2024? “It was premature for their economy, which was still greatly depressed and had just turned positive for the first time in a long-time.” (Watch Japan discussion – January 2023). Same reason today. BOJ made the move because they were trying to strengthen the yen and punish speculators. This is like cutting off your nose to spite your face.
Here is the case study from which the “Watch Japan” word has been based on:
These words are now in the process of being fulfilled.
The market drop post the 2nd BOJ move was a sign in 2007 (down 10%), and sense again it is a sign in 2024 (down 20%). It was a sign in February / March 2007 leading to a full blown financial crisis in 2008. Will this recent move and market drop lead to the next financial crisis? Will it be even bigger this time?
We continue to WARN about why the US dollar led global financial markets are being judged – for pride, fear, greed, love of and trust in money, the depersonalization of finance, exploitation of the poor, etc. among many other reasons, just as ancient Egypt and Pharoah were judged for similar issues (read: Ezekiel 29-32). It is a BLIND-SPOT in the US church because of the more recent focus on prosperity, individualism and a no-suffering theology, post WWII.
The Significance of 40000
Both the Dow 30 and the Nikkei 225 interestingly reached new highs this year, both surpassing 40000 points. When this happened I was reminded of the number 40 in the bible. Jesus was tested in the wilderness for 40 days. The Israelites were tested in the wilderness for 40 years. So the number 40 is a biblically significant number with the meaning “testing”. I believe too, the world is about to go through a great period (1000 biblically) of financial and economic TESTING.
Now, more than ever is time to seek shelter through repentance. We are commanded in Revelation 18:4 to “Come out of Babylon”. Practically, coming out of Babylon is coming out of partnership/ownership of any investments, companies and markets that have drunk the “cup of her abominations”. This includes the stock market.
If I sell my investments, what do I do with the money?
The Storehouse Vision is an economic framework that embodies this repentance (in deeds not just words) and we encourage all to pursue what scripture teaches us about trusting in Jesus, not money. There is no “easy” answer, but it requires the messy reality of relationships. Investing personally. Investing locally. Investing cooperatively. Investing actively. It requires listening to Jesus at times “Do not expect anything in return” instead of always demanding an earthly return (or have recourse to claw-back, or sitting back and collecting interest).
To focus on loving one another rather than only or first looking after self. To “not store up treasure on the earth where moth and rust will destroy – where thieves break in and steal”, but instead to “store up treasure in heaven” (Matt 6:19-24). This means relationships in the local and broader community are key. The wealth is in people, not gold, silver, money or stuff. It is fostered in the community. “Investment” takes on a whole new meaning when you look at “not the money that I need in the future”, but the opportunity to invest in the discipleship of people, and the calling God created them to develop into. This includes investment in local businesses owned by people you know. This also means “community banking” that is not part of the Federal Reserve / FDIC fractional banking structure.
Let us Come out of Babylon. Stop trusting in a “money black box” for profit and income. Take down the golden calf.
You have to think “outside the box”.
You have to become an “active investor” where you get involved with people’s lives. Yes, its messy.
You have to learn how to trust God for miracles of provision, even in the desert.
Practical Application
Short-term
Sell paper based market investments (stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, annuities, futures, options, whole life policies, mutual funds, closed-end funds, hedge funds, private equity funds, etc.)
Pay off all debts, especially mortgage debt
Withdraw money from the banking system: cash-on-hand
Buy convenient physical stores of value, such gold, silver, oil, grain, water
Long-term
Help friends and family pay off their credit cards, student loans, debts and mortgages where you become the bank instead. Lend biblically. It creates an income stream back to you. Forgive debt periodically. Don’t charge interest. Those who borrowed can also provide a dividend to you as they are blessed to do so.
Buy land
Invest in local businesses
Invest in agriculture and farms
Invest in food-supply production, packaging, transportation and economy
Invest in local energy sources, clean water, other essential needs, tools and equipment.
Seed a local Storehouse (community co-op – bank like private pool of funds) to do all of the above with your friends and fellow believers
And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.
Matthew 16:20
The day after this discussion (8/8/24) and presentation of the warning, the second largest earthquake of the year hit Japan. 7.1 on the scale in Kyushu, Japan. Seven tsumani warnings were also issued. Let the reader understand.
Here too, was a warning of a mega earthquake (8-9 on scale) to come to Japan at any time.
Back in April, Joel Frazier shared with the group some thoughts he had about how he was praying about how to price things in his business. Like a prayer sanctuary space. Or shelter for the homeless. Or working for those in need for material costs only, providing the labor for free or reduced.
Here is a video clip from that April 3rd discussion
(starting 1 hour, 21 min in)
With the price of everything going up, and our income/savings often feels like it’s not keeping up, what are we as Christian business owners and ministries to do? How should we price things? Should we pass along the increases and add on our own increase as well?
Or does God have a better way?
What is a fair price anyway, according to the word of God?
If Jesus was a carpenter, what did he charge for his work?
Did he do things for free?
We will discuss what the scriptures say about pricing goods and services in any business context.
Proverbs 16:8,11,16,19:
Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.
– thought: we should be careful not to rationalizing gouging people
Honest scales and balances belong to the LORD; all the weights in the bag are of his making.
– thought: it would be better to err on the side of undercharging rather than overcharging
How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!
– thought: if I make less money but get more favor and wisdom from God, am I better off?
Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.
– thought: help the oppressed even if it costs you – thought: it’s not good to partner with questionable gain that plunders others
[Sodom] is very much like contemporary American culture: pride, fullness of bread, abundance of idleness, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and the needy
Derek Prince
Should we price things differently for the oppressed, the poor, the widow, the orphan?
When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field nor gather the gleaning of your harvest; you are to leave them for the needy and the alien
Lev 23:22
Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God
Lev 19:9
– thought: leaving free crops in the field decreases your gross margin but helps people
You shall not lend [the poor] your money for usury, nor lend [the poor] your food at a profit.
Lev 25:37
– thought: be careful not to enslave the poor for profit after offering help
He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches… will surely come to poverty.
Proverbs 16:22
– thought: be careful not to take advantage of the poor for sake of profit
The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully… I will build greater [barns]… he [is a fool] who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Luke 12:21
– thought: what should we come upon the blessing of excess gains?
If God’s Economy is giving and receiving, how do we find a fair price between parties in a business exchange that pleases the Father?
Should we give people goods and services for free? Will they or others return the favor in kind or in trade for something else? Will God see it and help us in other ways? Other business opportunities?
Price Transparency
Joel brings up the example of how the Quakers implemented a reform in their owner’s stores – everything marked with a fixed price – as a way of preventing price gouging based on who is shopping in your store. While today such transparency is commonplace, apparently back then it was not. A store owner can always lower the price unilaterally to help someone or promote a sale, but should guard against temptation to exploit someone by charging more just because they can in the fog of a lack of transparent pricing.
Lack of Transparency: Medical
Like in the medical industry, how services and treatment pricing is always after the fact. In fact, most medical practices and hospitals will have people sign a financial responsibility contract, without even knowing what they will be on the hook for later. It’s a trust us, while we don’t trust you situation. Based on a power dynamic where by you need the medical attention, so we have you “over a barrel”. Leading to injustices and price gouging. Often rationalized by “insurance will pay for it”.
Roundtable Discussion – Scenario Planning: Civil War
Background
We have in the past looked at various geo-political and economic scenarios that have prophetic words associated with them on the New Breed of Business. Here is a past such discussion that well describes the exercise: Economic Scenario Planning.
So, the other day I saw news that Texas was establishing a new Stock Exchange to compete with the New York exchanges. Unusual.
I also recalled how recently Elon Musk’s salary and bonus at Tesla famously was struck down by a judge in a Delaware court, where Tesla is incorporated (as well as most corporations). What was the solution? Get shareholders to vote to move the company legal HQ to Texas. The Musketeers got it done and now Musk will now once again receive a huge payday (estimated at $56 Billion).
I wondered: Is this a sign of corporate, legal and financial infrastructure being established in the “Red States” in a potential precursor to secession? The traditional home of exchanges in NYC and legal HQs in Delaware in the United States are now firmly “Blue States”. I’m thinking back to the civil war and how the confederate states wanted to seperate from the Union primarily for economic reasons which slavery was entangled with.
Today is Juneteenth. I didn’t get the inspiration for this discussion because of this day. It happened to be the same day, which I didn’t realize until this week. But I think that it’s interesting. Juneteenth is a remembrance and a celebration of the freeing of slaves and the end of the civil war, originating in Galveston, Texas almost 3 years after the end of the civil war!
Most people know there is undeniable data which reveals economic disparity between blacks and whites in terms of income and wealth. Which leads to questions about systemic racial inequities coming out of the African slave trade, civil war and Jim Crow. It’s complicated by how families were ripped apart as part of that slavery past, leading to similar disparities racially in single mothers vs. married couples, disparity in educational opportunities, the reality of “white flight” out of inner city neighborhoods., etc.
Here is something fascinating that our friend Joel Frazier brought to my attention. Did you know the history of the Asbury revival last year 2023? It was preceded by repentance over slavery, where a group of Christian leaders and students were reading the wills of slave owners and repenting. Here is the story of George Dumaine at Asbury: https://craigkeener.com/a-backstory-to-the-2023-asbury-revival/
“Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.”
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure… that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
– Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1863
The political discourse in the United States between parties and their Presidential candidates is highly likely to reach new lows of anger and division this fall. We may have riots again like we did in 2020.
Of course, we pray for Jesus – the Prince of peace to come in the midst and heal our nation. But what if what is happening is a judgment on the United States? And we must go through some type of revolution or civil war like we have in the past – which also incidentally was tied to the first and second great awakenings?
And what if it isn’t so clear for Christians as Red v Blue? What if there is a “third column” that we need to be part of – that is the Kingdom of Jesus…
Heartbeat Israel is our monthly segment where Grant and Gregg help us stay in touch with what the Lord is saying and doing in “the land” of Israel by interviewing those whose “ear is to the ground”. Whether it’s messianic outreach, Aliyah, the temple mount, anti-Semitism, biblical history, houses of prayer, war, methods of economy, Hebrew covenantal life culture, signs and wonders – we want to press into the Father heart of God as Israel is the apple of His eye and God’s prophetic time clock. Click the link here for previous episodes…
Jim Schutz Part 2
Last month with Jim, we heard his beautiful testimony of how the Lord led he and his wife Leslie to the land of Israel 33 years ago through encountering God through Isaiah 49. His experiences as a wrestler in college, then as a young attorney leaving behind a promising legal career in Virginia to pursue Yeshua’s call on their lives.
We get Jim’s take on Oct 7th and the ensuing multi-front war against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. As well as the rise in anti-semtism. How things have changed in Israel and how we can support our Jewish brothers and sisters.
Bio
Jim Schutz has lived in Israel for over 37 years and served in multiple ministries and organizations. He has been a relationship builder, whose heart is both for strengthening the local Body of Messiah in Israel and for demonstrating God’s love to the people of Israel, both Jewish and Arab. He is also passionate about helping believers in the nations grasp God’s heart for Israel and the nations together in the form of the one new man.
In 1974 Jim came to faith in Jesus as Lord as a young law student at the College of William and Mary in the USA. After graduating in 1977 and working 2 years as staff attorney for the US Court of Appeals in Virginia, Jim left a promising legal career in response to a personal call to serve the Lord full time in the nations. This eventually led him and his wife Leslie to Israel in 1986 with a vision to serve God in whatever way He would lead and specifically to get involved with the aliyah of Jews from the former Soviet Union.
A life-changing trip in 1987 to encourage suffering Jewish “Refuseniks” in the USSR led to an invitation to head the Soviet Jewry Department of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ), where he served for 21 years. In addition to helping with the aliyah and absorption of many thousands of new immigrants from the FSU, Jim became ICEJ’s official liaison to local believers and an international speaker for the organization, while also serving on the leadership team of a local Messianic congregation in Jerusalem.
More recently Jim served five years as the Executive Director of The Joseph Project, a Messianic humanitarian aid outreach that imports and distributes aid around the country to all segments of Israeli society. He also represented Focus on Israel, a UK based organization that teaches pastors about the importance of Israel and supports local ministries in Israel.
Jim also serves with Emmaus Way, Arnie Klien’s ministry of which Grant partners with and brings prayer tour groups as part of Reconnecting Ministries visiting from the nations.
We just got back from an amazing time during Pentecost at the 10 Days of Prayer summit in Western PA. Something is brewing in Grove City! We were hosted by a united prayer and mission base there called The HUB, founded by Brad McKoy.
As we got to talking, it turns out Brad’s vision is very much similar to what we have been envisioning and experiencing in the New Breed of Business, and others – as part of the Storehouse Network – have been experiencing in their cities (such as Gary Crawford in Bradenton, FL with King Station and Chrisopher Lucey with the JAMA base “ARK” in Lindale, TX and Jonathan Serenil in San Antonio with Unite SA. That is to say, a city-wide base for house of prayer, worship, business incubation, church unity, common space use, mission to the city, engagement with all aspects of their community, including the local college campuses.
What’s crazy is the Holy Spirit was speaking to me during worship there at the HUB saying – Grove City is a “Goshen“
after one of our speakers during the summit – Joel McGill, All America – was speaking about “God is extending invitations to the body of Christ to Goshens throughout the United States.” (or similar).
Grove City is at the crossroads of i80 and i79 in Western PA
Another one of the speakers – Neil from Big Life – was encouraging us to “prayer walk” Grove City as a way of touching the lost and the afflicted. I personally felt led by the Lord back to the Marathon gas station near town, so Brett and I ventured out looking for guidance from the Holy Spirit as to who to speak with. Well, long story short, we prayed with one of the cashiers there – let’s call her Monique, who was in need of prayer. Turns out she knew Brad, the HUB and viewed her as a spiritual Dad, having gone through much in her own life – including going to heaven and coming back from the dead. Wow. All of this so confirmed the importance of The HUB – and new wineskin ministries like it all throughout the United States.
The HUB
The hub was established as a prayer and mission base in Grove City, Pennsylvania to serve spiritual family in our region and beyond. The vision for the hub is rooted in the desire to see an “Antioch Community” established in western Pennsylvania, where believers grow in their relationship with God, are trained to follow His teachings and sent out to see the good news of His love spread. In 2011, the Antioch Overflow Experiment (AOX) was planted as a community of simple churches that would host and steward the vision of the hub.
As our house churches began to grow, we started praying for a space to host trainings and times of prayer and worship. In the spring of 2012 we were approached by a local pastor who asked us to pray about whether God would want us to have the building that their church had been meeting in. As we walked through the space, we felt like the space would serve the vision that God had given to us.
Brad and his wife Adriane live out of a heart to see generations transformed by love. They have been married for 26 years and treasure their 18 year old daughter, Abigail. After spending over a decade pastoring and church planting, in 2009 the McKoy’s moved to Grove City, PA to pioneer the Antioch Overflow Experiment (AOX), a simple church community whose mission is to disciple, equip and release sons and daughters of the King to transform every sphere of society for the Glory of God.
Brad enjoys coffee and creativity and can regularly be found at local shops discussing and developing new ideas with friends. An entrepreneur at heart, Brad loves coaching and helping launch young leaders into business. Together with a small team of entrepreneurs, Brad serves as a founding partner in Clearsound Consulting, a branding and marketing consulting company that focuses on providing real world solutions for locally owned businesses.
I’ve known Mary for years now, and she is really a remarkable woman of God. She has led the National Day of Prayer for the 9-states of the North East, has been an intercessor in Connecticut most of her life, including praying for the government up at the Capitol. She also continues to serve as a pastor with House of Prayer Church, Waterbury with Pastor James Lilley.
But one of the most defining moments of her life was at the sudden passing of her husband over 20 years ago, leaving Mary wondering how to move forward and trust God in faith, not fear.
Mary will also share how she has changed her perspective on money, housing and resources. Trusting God more with her finances, including getting out of debt.
You wrote a book on widowhood being a call to leadership. Explain what you mean by that?
And what prompted you to write it?
After you moved to Mississippi, you took a harder look at how you handle your finances and how you think of money. Would you speak about that?
How did the NECAP (New England Storehouse) and your son help you change your approach? Your heart?
What do you think of sales, marketing, profits and so forth?
Why do the terms marketing and making money sometimes not describe your heart well in having people read your book, who you also want to help minister to personally and relationally?
What happened that morning that prompted you to reach out to me ?
Bio
Our culture and the Bible both paint widows as victims. Yet not every woman gets to be a widow; it is a divine calling. Mary authored a book with this different perspective on loss entitled: Widowhood: A Calling To Leadership.
Mary, who became a widow in 2001, is a former homeschooling mom, retired nurse, associate pastor and ministry leader with a different perspective. Born and raised in Waterbury CT, she initiated a grassroots movement calling people in CT to pray on the National Day of Prayer. This grew into a regional calling with the ministry for the northeast states. In spring of 2020, she heard the calling to move from New England and south to Mississippi, where her daughter lives.
At home with her small group in Miss
Mary is still on assignment for New England, praying for Connecticut and NE pastors and leaders. As she likes to remind herself, she still owns a piece of the Nutmeg state!
Heartbeat Israel is our monthly segment where Grant and Gregg help us stay in touch with what the Lord is saying and doing in “the land” of Israel by interviewing those whose “ear is to the ground”. Whether it’s messianic outreach, Aliyah, the temple mount, anti-Semitism, biblical history, houses of prayer, methods of economy, Hebrew covenantal life culture, signs and wonders – we want to press into the Father heart of God as Israel is the apple of His eye and God’s prophetic time clock. Click the link here for previous episodes…
Jim Schutz
Jim Schutz has lived in Israel for over 37 years and served in multiple ministries and organizations. He has been a relationship builder, whose heart is both for strengthening the local Body of Messiah in Israel and for demonstrating God’s love to the people of Israel, both Jewish and Arab. He is also passionate about helping believers in the nations grasp God’s heart for Israel and the nations together in the form of the one new man.
In 1974 Jim came to faith in Jesus as Lord as a young law student at the College of William and Mary in the USA. After graduating in 1977 and working 2 years as staff attorney for the US Court of Appeals in Virginia, Jim left a promising legal career in response to a personal call to serve the Lord full time in the nations. This eventually led him and his wife Leslie to Israel in 1986 with a vision to serve God in whatever way He would lead and specifically to get involved with the aliyah of Jews from the former Soviet Union.
A life-changing trip in 1987 to encourage suffering Jewish “Refuseniks” in the USSR led to an invitation to head the Soviet Jewry Department of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ), where he served for 21 years.
100 Years of Aliyah by Region
In addition to helping with the Aliyah and absorption of many thousands of new immigrants from the FSU, Jim became ICEJ’s official liaison to local believers and an international speaker for the organization, while also serving on the leadership team of a local Messianic congregation in Jerusalem.
More recently Jim served five years as the Executive Director of The Joseph Project, a Messianic humanitarian aid outreach that imports and distributes aid around the country to all segments of Israeli society. He also represented Focus on Israel, a UK based organization that teaches pastors about the importance of Israel and supports local ministries in Israel.
Jim also serves with Emmaus Way, Arnie Klein’s ministry of which Grant partners with and brings prayer tour groups as part of Reconnecting Ministries visiting from the nations.
Republic Bank had about $6 billion in total assets and $4 billion in total deposits, as of Jan. 31, 2024. The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund related to the failure of Republic Bank will be $667 million.
Why does this keep happening?
What does it portend for the system as a whole?
Now also…
What’s going on with the Yen? It hit its lowest point in 34 years this past week. Many speculate the Japanese government had enough and intervened early Monday, aggressively buying Yen. Since they don’t announce their movement in Yen, it remains murky. Some believe the government is signaling a ceiling of 160 Yen/Dollar.
Why is this happening?
It has to do with the policy of the BOJ which may be poised to raise rates from 0% in the near future and that the Federal Reserve is now no longer planning to cut rates from 5.25%. The yield difference creates tension and downward pressure on the value of Yen/Dollar.
As in 2007, if the BOJ raises rates or the Japanese government makes decisions based on pride rather than sound policy, it could trigger another global asset value crisis (2008 was a collapse in mortgage-related debt value). See more below.Relevant Articles
1. First Republic failed and now Republic First fails. Coincidence?
How about this? When we put our “Republic” first – ie ahead of God and what Jesus said about true religion – are we in danger of failing? Similar to the phrase “America First”. Mmm…
2. Government of Japan makes aggressive Yen intervention move to hit carry trade based on national pride in Japan and to protect the Yen. This is a very similar dynamic we saw in the beginning of 2007 and portends the danger of another financial crisis we saw in 2008/9.
“It is difficult to ignore the bad effects that these violent and abnormal movements [in currencies] will cause for the nation’s economy”
– Masato Kanda, finance ministry’s top currency official
Yen stats:
– 11% drop against dollar since beginning of year
– Volatility over the weekend of 2% swings highly unusual for major currency
3. Commodity prices are starting to take off again
Like the Yen BOJ issue, the recent price spikes in all commodities is very similar to what we saw in 2008. Additionally, inflation is not cooling as expected. It remains stubbornly high (4%) vs. the planned inflation of the Fed (2%). One reason for this is housing remains at an near all time high both for purchase and for rent.
Source: IMF Primary Commodity Prices. Note: 2016=100
4. Housing prices remain at all-time highs both in rental rates and price
