Oil-The "Hook" In The Bear's Mouth?

Oil is without doubt humanity’s most important natural resource. When petroleum was first distilled in the 1800s, it was used as lamp oil and as lubrication for machinery. Over time, thousands of new uses have been found for oil. We have become so dependent on black gold, our Industrial Age would come to a complete standstill if the oil wells were to suddenly run dry.

The scarce nature of oil has made it the catalyst of dozens of military conflicts. About 80 percent of the world’s readily accessible reserves are located in the Middle East. It should come as no surprise that the Iran-Iraq, Gulf, and Iraq wars were all fought over oil.

The economic importance of oil is not lost on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Since coming to power in 2000, Putin has made restoring Russia’s strength his central goal. He has not been shy about using his nation’s energy supplies as an economic billy club against his neighbors. In 2009, Putin turned off gas supplies to pipelines to Kiev in the dead of winter leading to freezing cities across Eastern Europe as Russian gas stopped moving through Ukranian pipelines to other nations.

In recent years, he has worked diligently to turn his nation’s oil and gas wealth into a strategic advantage. A likely reason why Putin decided to back the much hated Syrian dictator Bashar Assad (after it became clear he had used chemical weapons against his own people), was because of the flow of energy. If a pipeline was to be built to supply the West with Iraqi or Iranian gas, it would have to go through Syria.

Putin’s latest strategic move came last month. China and Russia’s state owned energy giant, Gazprom, signed a $400 billion gas deal that will allow Russia to shift away from Europe. signed a $400 billion gas deal that will allow Russia to shift away from Europe.

Since Europe accounts for about 50 percent of the Gazprom’s revenues, the inclusion of China would allow Putin to thumb his nose at sanctions imposed as payback for the Russian takeover of Crimea.

When it comes to China’s energy usage, time is on Putin’s side. In 1980, Chinese oil consumption was at 2 million barrels per day (bpd). Today, it consumes over 10 million bpd. By 2020, its daily usage is expected to rise to the 18 million bpd.

Another way Putin has made himself immune to sanctions is by signing massive development deals with a host of Western oil firms. In the past few week alone, just about every Russian oil and gas company has signed a major deal that further integrates it with the rest of the world. Once a company spends billions to help Russia bring a remote oilfield online, they can’t afford to walk away from the project. Here are some of the deals:

1. Rosneft and BP formed a joint venture to explore in the Volga River Basin.
2. Lukoil and Total formed a joint venture to explore in western Siberia.
3. Rosneft and ExxonMobil inked a $400 billion exploration plan for Russia's arctic.
4. Rosneft contracted all of North Atlantic Drilling's fleet.|
5. Novatek signed a 15 year LNG supply deal with China National Petroleum.

U.S. foreign policy on oil has been adrift for the past several years. Washington DC sits idly by while Russia and China lock-up vast areas of the global oil reserves. A key reason for this lack of motivation is the belief that the ongoing fracking-led oil boom will driving America toward energy independence by around 2030.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) originally came up with this projection, but there is now great doubt about their numbers. Last month, the IEA suffered a huge embarrassment when it downgraded the potential amount of shale oil reserves in California by 96 percent. Just last week, they added a huge price tag to what it would take to make 2030 a reality. The IEA estimated that $48 trillion dollars would need to be invested to meet energy needs. There is no way we could raise this amount of money without pushing the cost of oil sky high.

The discovery of 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas beneath the Israeli controlled waters of the Eastern Mediterranean could disrupt Putin’s plan to control the energy market. The Russian leader will obviously do everything in his power to prevent Israel from entering the market in Europe. Envy over Israel’s gas discoveries could be the “evil thought” that gets Russia involved with the Muslim coalition that Ezekiel said will attack Israel.

“Thus saith the Lord GOD; it shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, to take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil?” (Ezekiel 38:10-13a).

Prophecy Watch...

Passenger Or Crew Member?

Adrian Rogers is considered the "Pastor's Pastor". On my Facebook page the other day, a post came up with a link to a message he delivered several years ago. He stated that most Christians think they’re on a cruise ship instead of a battle ship. When you sop and think about that statement, it makes a lot of sense.

He was referring to the fact that we Christians are in a spiritual war, but most don’t even know it. Most Christians think they’re just passengers, out to enjoy the ride and soak up the sun.

The Apostle Peter says in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

Jesus says to His disciples in Luke 10:3, “Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.”

In the previous verse (Luke 10:2) Jesus says, “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.”

Taking from what Adrian Rogers was saying, and being honest that I have never been on a cruise ship, there are two groups of people; crew members and passengers.

Whether considering cruise ships vs. battle ships or passengers vs. crew members both lists comprise passengers, those who are working and those who are playing.

In a majority of churches today, there is a very small percentage of Christians that actually do anything that is work related. Those who work are the crew members. Everyone else just coasts along for the ride. They are the passengers. Of course they always want a piece of the action, if there is any, but they won’t lift a finger to get there. Mention food for example, and they’ll be right there with an appetite but little else.

Funny thing though, if you mention contributing some elbow grease to work that needs to be done around the church building only a handful will show up. If you mention going out together and visiting people, even fewer show up. They disappear like rats on a sinking ship.

I’ve noticed also in churches whose members rarely show their face, just announce an important business meeting that concerns some interest of theirs, [ie. getting rid of the pastor] they’ll be right there.

Well let’s face it. This is just the nature of most people. What we should strive for is to overcome that about ourselves, if it applies to us.

As a Christian, I realize that my responsibility is to be in the "center of God's will" for my life  in whatever the Lord requires of me. And I’m not busy working in order to be saved or to keep my salvation. That is already settled in Heaven. Jesus saved me. Jesus keeps me. So that isn’t it at all. My work is totally obedience related. We work at whatever He calls us to do because He is not just our Savior, but also our Lord. We live to serve Him.

Sadly, far, far too many who claim they are Christians are not serving the One they say saved them. Since there are only two masters, Jesus Christ and Satan, and they are not serving Jesus as Lord, then it must be Satan.

Probably all of us would like to be a passenger on a cruise ship, having all our needs met while we just relax and do nothing but have fun. Who wants to be a crew member and work the whole time while we could be playing? That seems to be the attitude of most Christians when it comes to serving Christ.

The one thing they miss though is that being the Lord’s crew member is by far more satisfying than being a vacationing passenger for the world. This is not talking about vacations on a real cruise ship, but about life. 

Ask your self these questions:

• What mode is your life in? 
• Are you a faithful servant of our Lord, or are you avoiding your Christian responsibilities? 
• Is our life just one big “What can I do for me” or “What can I do for Jesus?”

It’s sad that most people strive their whole life for material things and activities in search for happiness, not realizing that true happiness is found in serving Jesus Christ. In other words, they strive for what is temporary instead of what is permanent.

I am not anti-fun, anti-vacations, etc. and neither is God, but when that consumes our time so much we have none left for Him, then it’s a problem.

Enjoy your leisure time, and your time off, but be sure there is plenty of time to do what you were called to do as a Christian; i.e. serve the Lord.

If every Christian got this message and acted upon it, many of our pastors would pass out from the shock. They wouldn’t know what to do or say when so many of the flock would actually volunteer to serve.

How Do You DressTo Meet Your Lord In Worship?

We live in an age when shorts, sweatpants, and bare midriff (sometimes all at the same time) are considered acceptable attire for most churches. I have also noticed that more and more men are throwing away their suit and ties and taking on more extreme casual ware when they go to church.

I remember when the "tradition" of giving honor to our Lord, was by dressing up to meet with His people to worship Him.

And, I might be as bold to suggest that Scripture could, in fact, suggest this. In the parable told by Christ in Matthew 22:11-12, the king expected each of his guests to come with the proper “wedding garment.”  Not to do so was to show disrespect for the king and for the occasion.  In like manner, our forefathers felt it important to come to church with clothing that showed proper respect to the Lord and to the occasion.

As a child growing up, it was required that we take a bath on Saturday night, even if we needed it or not, in preparation for Sunday Church.

Today we swerve boldly in the other direction. We energetically oppose dressing especially for church. Many even consider it hypocritical to do so. We should come as we are and avoid any pretense. But do the dress patterns of today prove that we have a greater sincerity and are more genuine than our predecessors? I don't believe they do.

The slouchy dress that we see in worship services directly corresponds to our flippant attitude toward meeting with our Maker and Saviour. We have lost our respect for the spiritual dimension of God meeting with His people. Now, we want to dress like we would at a backyard barbecue. God is everywhere. Why approach His house with any more formality than we would enter the neighborhood grocery store?

The key word for today is comfort.  “Why shouldn’t I feel comfortable?  After all, my comfort is the main thing.  I’m not going to go out of my way for anyone–even God.” We exult in our come-as-you-are philosophy. Our services have become user-friendly for everyone except God. More and more, He seems to be left out in the cold. O how we love ourselves unto death!

The Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes may be a tradition that is quickly fading away.  But it was a good tradition and one whose parting is just another sign of the times–the last times.  Where is our sense of awe in the presence of God?  He says He dwells in the midst of us when we meet with Him (Matthew 18:20). The church is the people, not the building. When the people of the church meet, they become the “house of God” (1Timothy 3:15); they become His dwelling place. What a special privilege to enter into this presence!

Psalm 96:8-9 “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth."

When I meet with the congregation of the Lord, I count it not a burden, but an honor to give extra pains in preparation, in physical cleanliness, and in dressing up.  I count it a privilege to wear my Sunday best.  Any discomfort I may feel from a tie about my neck, from a coat about my body, or from clothes too good for playing kickball is offset by the solemnity and wonder of the occasion.

It is seldom that we in America get to suffer anything for the Saviour who suffered so much for us.  The least I can do (and I mean the least) is to honor Him by dressing more formally when I come to His church than I do for other events.  Certainly, I can suffer a necktie for Him.

The Pervading Attitude Of The Church Today

There is a very dangerous attitude pervading the Church today, and it's an attitude of "It's all about me".

Consider these statistics of Christianity in America: Eighty-four percent of the inhabitants of this nation say they believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, according to one of Barna Group survey, and 45 percent claim to be born-again Christians. Other studies show it is closer to 33 percent.

Which ever numbers you use, they are high. 

• Seventy-seven percent believe their chances of going to heaven are excellent. 
• Thirty-three percent believe one day everyone will go to heaven. 

Yet America has:

• the highest percentage of single-parent families in the industrialized world, 
• the highest abortion rate,
• the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases, 
• the highest rate of teenage birth by far, 
• the highest rate of teenage drug use and 
• the largest prison population per capita than any country in the world.

And, when you look at the great moral decline of the last generation (50 to 60 years) and the telling statistics of our society, you wonder how much time we have left. Here is what the statics are saying.

• The divorce rate has doubled, 
• teen suicide has tripled, 
• reported violent crime has quadrupled, 
• prison population has quintupled, 
• percentage of babies born out of wedlock has risen sixfold, 
• couples living together out of wedlock have increased sevenfold, 
• and gay marriage is now a legalized reality in a number of states, with many believing the end is not in sight.

In this past generation, we have experienced an overwhelming increase in lawlessness, permissiveness and selfishness, even among Christians. Moral actions that were unthinkable a few decades ago are now commonplace—Christian leaders indulging in sexual sin and grossly immoral scandals, addicted to pornography and accompanied by an exploding divorce rate have greatly factored in the rapid decrease of morals in the American church. And as the church goes, so goes the world. 

The most staggering statics from the Barna Group survey is that among young American adults, the percentage who follow biblically based values for living has now dropped from 65 percent during World War II to a mere 4 percent today.

There has never been a society in the history of mankind whose moral values have deteriorated so dramatically, in such a short period of time, as those of Americans in the last 50 years. And so far it shows no sign of stopping. These statistics are eye-opening, and they serve to warn us that something is terribly wrong with our brand of Christianity. They reveal how poorly the church has communicated the true gospel to mainstream America, and thus the reason for so much deception in our culture.

When the rich man died and went to Hades (Luke 16:19-31), he was surprised to find himself there. In the Jewish culture, they equated wealth with godliness, so this man thought God favored him. The common thought, especially among the Jews, was if you were blessed financially, then you were a good person and therefore favored by God and on your way to heaven. This also explains the disciples' astonishment when Jesus told them how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 19:23-25).

Similarly, there was a church in Laodicea (Rev 3:14-22) who, due to their wealth, thought they too had attained God's favor. Jesus expressed great disapproval over their spiritual condition as well, which they were totally unaware of. They were deceived.

Here are some questions that you should ask yourself:

• Do you really know what your true spiritual condition is? 
• Are you allowing the pop culture around you to dictate your standards? 
• Are you conforming to the world's standards or to the Bible? 
• Are you being deceived? 

How can a nation of people among whom a large percentage claims to be born-again Christians experience the kind of degradation the above statistics reveal? Such deception is the state of America today, and the above statistics reveal the fruit of it.

The problem has been that the real gospel has not been preached nor lived. 

Both the profession and the practice of many so-called Christians in this nation have not matched up. Our substandard message has produced substandard believers. Our departure from the preaching of the cross, repentance, holiness, and the real empowering grace of God has increased the level of deception in the church. How else can we explain the disparity of the above statistics in the church and the nation?

But what is really at the root of this deception? This is what we need to carefully discern. In one word, it is humanism—the glorification of self. 

Humanism has crept into much of the modern-day church and is diluting the power of the real gospel.