Survival Defense When Guns Are Not Allowed

In the time before a major crisis occurs, private ownership or use of firearms, bows and arrows, and crossbows may be illegal and banned. As the situation gets worse, the government will impose martial law and confiscate weapons no matter how well you may think they are hidden.
Here are a few weapons that may be overlooked and that can be used to protect your family and loved ones.

Edged Weapons

Edged weapons are the oldest implements used by man. Then, as now, you can make knives and other edged weapons from flint, obsidian, bronze, arsenic copper-bronze, tin-bronze, iron. Today, there are three kinds of steel that you may be interested in:

• Damascus steel – originated in India about the 5th century BC. The steel was heated to red hot, hammered, folded, and then quickly cooled in water. This process was repeated at least 500 times. This produced a better weapons grade steel.
• Carbon steel – will rust if exposed to air and moisture. The rust if heavy will flake off causing the steel to weaken and break.
• Stainless steel is an alloy with a minimum of 10% chromium by mass. Stainless steel does not rust or stain by water as ordinary steel does. When heated the chromium becomes chromium oxide that acts to form an air and water tight film that seals off the metal. This steel comes in many grades and finishes.

The following edged tools and weapons can be used as a substitute for firearms for protection. All of them can be dipped in poison so that even a single glancing blow can be a lethal one.

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• Farm Tools: Any of the metal farming or gardening tools can be used as weapons to protect yourself or the family. The spade, rake, pitchfork, pick, sickle, hand hoe, and garden claw all make excellent choices for either offensive or defensive weapons.
• Bayonets: Either spike or flat knife designs can be used as is or cut back to make push knives. You can also add a set of brass or other metal knuckles by welding it to the shortened bayonet.
• Daggers and Boot Knives: These double edged knives have a blade longer than 6 inches and are used to stick or slash. Most have a skull crusher at the back of the hilt.
• Small Knives: Usually the blades are shorter than 6 inches long and can be a folding or a non-folding version. These knives are good defensive or offensive weapons because they can be “palmed” and used without them being seen.
• Swords: There are two different edge designs for swords. The first is the single edge the other is the double edge. There are several lengths of swords. The first is the short sword which is 16 to 18 inches long, regular size sword which is 20 to 24 inches long, and the two handed sword that measures over four feet long. The short and the regular size swords can be used for protection and carried inconspicuously, but the long two handed sword is too large to be practical for anything other than staving off an attack on your home.
• Spears: Have a 4 to 6 foot shaft with a metal spear point at the top. These weapons are designed to be thrown or thrusted into a human target.
• Throwing Stars: Are metal shaped stars that have sharpened points that were designed to be thrown at a target and stick into it. In the hands of a trained individual they can kill or do great bodily harm.
• Axes or hatchets: Are used for chopping. Some axes have double or single edges. As a weapon it can be thrown and deliver a bloody crushing wound or blunt trauma if the back blunt end hits first.

Blunt Force Weapons
Blunt force weapons use weight instead of sharp edges to kill or do great bodily harm. Damage to the body is caused by crushing instead of cutting.

• Canes: originally used to steady and help a person in walking. A cane can be used as a nightstick type weapon and can deliver knockout or death blows to the head, break arms or legs, or cause deep blunt trauma wounds to the central body core. Historically the cane sword was a way to carry a sword concealed and at the ready if needed. This weapon is easy to carry in plain sight.
• Clubs:  Usually made of heavy wood or metal scrap. These are crushing weapons that break bones or deliver deep trauma to inner organs.
• Bats: Wood or aluminum bats used to play baseball also make a good weapon. A bat can easily break bones or kill if they hit the right part of the body.
• Staffs or walking sticks: For thousands of years staffs were a defensive and sometimes offensive weapon for the poor or peasants. An individual who was good with a staff could disarm a person with a sword or a gun.
• Maces: Maces were a medieval blunt force weapon made of steel or other strong metals. It was designed to crush skulls and brake limbs with blunt force. Today it is still a good defensive weapon in times of major crisis.
• Chains: Chains made of steel or other heavy metals can be used as weapons in a defensive roll. They can be made to look like every day clothing accessories such as belts. They can deliver deadly crushing blows or break limbs.
• Slings (2 Cord Type): Is a very old weapon that goes back thousands of years. It is easy to hid or conceal. With a little bit of practice it is possible to hit or kill your target out to 200 feet or better with rocks or scrapes of metal. Slings can be either defensive or offensive weapons.
• Slingshots for stone, metal projectiles, or arrows: Slingshots are no longer a toy. They can be used to hunt small game by launching a ball bearing, rocks, and even arrows with deadly accuracy. This weapon can also be used defensively to protect your family in the absence of firearms.
• Hand to Hand Fighting techniques: There are many forms from boxing to martial arts. Choose the fighting technique that best meets your needs and start studying today. Do not wait until the last moment to start the training.

In a time when all private firearm ownership is banned or illegal, the above are a few alternatives for weapons that might be put into service to protect your family and loved ones. Almost anything can be used as a weapon regardless of the situation.
As with prisons and jails, you only need a creative mind and the will to have a weapon in order to get around any law or force used to try and take away your ability to defend yourself.

Original article - http://www.survivopedia.com/svp-survlgnsnotalwd/

Keys To Spiritual Survival – The Armor of God

In the past few articles we have learned about applying the Third Party Rule (Proverbs 3:5-6) in our lives. We have discussed “Living in God’s Grace” and “Living in God’s Sovereignty.”

In this article I want to talk about how to start bringing these things together so that you can be effective and be able to stand against the wiles of the enemy.

As I have been saying, we are living in the last days of the last days. Now more than ever we need to cleave to God, His Word; His Ways and live a life holy and acceptable unto Him.

But so many people who are good bible believing Christians have forgotten how to do these things or have been attending churches that refuse to teach the true tenants of the faith.

This is why I feel it is important that we wear the armor of God daily, and make a concerted effort to truly wear these tools of war and understand why it is important to wear these daily.
So what does it mean to wear the armor of God?

Men Beating Each Other Silly with Swords

Here is a little story that some of you may have heard before.
Back in my college days I used to be involved with group that is called the SCA, also known as the Society for Creative Anachronism.

Those involved would role play as if they were living in the King Arthur days. They would wear armor of all sorts and go bash each other over the head with rattan swords.

What is interesting is that today it is actually seen as an official form of martial art.Well, I was one of those guys who enjoyed beating each other senseless. Now to be honest I was getting beaten on more than I was beating on others.

At one of these events I happened upon one of the well-known "knights" and struck up a conversation. One thing led to another and he let me hang out with him for the weekend, kind of being his "squire."

In these circles this was seen as pretty cool, especially if your knight was well known. Mine, he was well
known.

This guy was really into the SCA, he owned a complete set of full plate armor. In fact he built it himself and was actually world renown for his ancient armor work. Rumor had it that he has even worked on some of the armor that is in the tower of London. Yep, he was that good.

Well, I got a chance to try on his armor. It was about 50-60 lbs of steel wrapped all over my body from head to toe. Wow… it was pretty cool.
Now this is what was interesting; here I am standing in his armor and he comes over and barely pushes me with his index finger.

I just about fell over backwards because I was not used to wearing so much weight let alone know how to fight in it. He laughed and kept me from falling over backwards.

In that short moment he taught me a very valuable lesson that still sticks with me today.
What I learned was that it was different for him because when he was out on the "battle field" he was running and jumping and hitting people with his sword, bashing people with his shield, going full bore. He was also often the winner of the tournaments and have been made "king" of the local SCA group several times. This is a very high position in the SCA and it also meant that you were a true warrior.

Me, it was all I could do to just to keep standing up.

So why could he run around in this armor and I barely was able to stand?

Several things.

1 - He literally wore his armor every day in one form or another, so it became a part of him.

2 - Because he and his armor were one, this "trained" his body. This in turn conditioned him and he was always ready for the fight.

I tell this story because the armor of God needs to be seen the same way. It is not something that you just "throw on" and then think you are going to go out and do battle.

You need to consciously train and live in the armor daily.

Why? So when that evil day does come, you have done all that you can to train...and having done all, then stand and fight.

If we are not wearing the armor daily, how does our “spiritual muscles” strengthen? If we are not used to wearing it and the armor becomes like a second skin, how long will we last in battle when that evil day comes?

By not actively wearing the armor daily we will fail.

Failing Due To The Lack of Training

Archilochus who was an early Greek poet as well as a warrior stated the following…

We do not rise to the level of our expectations.

We fall to the level of our training.

 

How often do we watch these action adventure movies and get caught up in them?

We watch the good guy chase down the bad guy, the fight ensues and the good guy stomps the bad guy into the ground. He then picks him up, cuffs him and hauls him away.

If you were put in the position where you had to fight for your life, how long could you fight?
2-3 minutes?

How about 3-5 seconds?

A battle for one’s life often lasts a minute, most likely less because the person who is attacking is usually better trained and has the endurance to last the entire fight.

The common man, well they can barely last 10 maybe 20 seconds tops before he gives out and is exhausted.

Yes we watch these movies and say we can do that.

Sure we may play fight in our mind and run different situations through our head.

But unless you physically train, you will always fall to the level of your training.
The same goes for spiritual battles.

Unless you train consciously utilizing the armor of God daily, you will also fail and fall to the level you have trained at.

Ephesians 6:13 (KJV) Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

The armor will not protect us as much as it should have because even though we are wearing it, our effectiveness in it is greatly minimized.

We have to actively train in God’s armor, pushing those spiritual muscles daily.

The Pieces of God’s Armor

Ephesians 6:14-18 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

I want to help explain what each piece of the armor does both in the real world and the spiritual world.
Starting with the head and working our way down…
The Helmet of Salvation
The helmet was the most noticeable piece of armor. In many cases was ornate, etched and often decorated with a plume with brightly dyed feathers or colored horsehair. The helmet was one of the most critical pieces of armor, it protected the brain. It was designed to protect the wearer from blows with a sword, a war hammer or battle ax. A good helmet would not allow these weapons to pierce it but if designed properly, it would deflect these blows giving the soldier maximum protection.
Why do we wear the the Helmet of Salvation?
Simple, to protect our brain. There is an old computer saying, “G I G O” Garbage In – Garbage Out.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We are to meditate on the Word of God, renewing our minds daily.
In Deuteronomy chapter 6 we read what is often referred to as the Shema.

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

So our helmet of salvation helps protect our brains, the very places we think and contemplate. Without the helmet, we are vulnerable to the deadly blows of the enemy that will in turn, effect the brain’s thinking and reasoning power.
Have you ever noticed that when you are in the word of God daily that you find it easier to not “sin”?
Sure we all sin, but when we are in His Word and renewing our minds, we are more conscious of what it is we are doing and often choose not to disobey Him. That is the helmet of salvation at work. It is protecting your brain so that you can then in turn make proper and right decisions for God, and not fall for sin.

The Breastplate of Righteousness
The Breastplate was really often work of art. Each breastplate was custom made for the soldier that wore it. Often a casting was made of the man’s torso. This casting then allowed the armorer to make a breastplate that would be a perfect fit to the one who would wear it.
Breastplates often had the coat of arms or royal crest with which the knight gave his allegiance too. At times there were additional decorations telling about the warrior and polished to a brilliant mirror finish that was blinding in the sunshine.
Despite the beauty and craftsmanship, the breastplate was very functional piece of armor protecting the heart, lungs and other vital organs from penetration through its metal shell.
It was also the main piece which the back, shoulders and arm pieces of armor often hung and were attached too. It was the main support for the pieces that did battle. It literally assisted in holding up the weight of the other pieces.
In the spiritual it is righteousness that helps us stand. In fact the word righteousness simply means, “Right standing before God.”
Now what is interesting is that in legal terms it means “being found innocent.”
In Isaiah 59, the chapter in Isaiah that prophecies the Messiah, we read the following…

Isaiah 59:17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate. 

Many Christians do not live like they have been made righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ. The majority Christians today walk around in constant guilt and condemnation, feeling like failures and not ‘worthy’ to serve God, or worse to receive His wonderful blessings from Him.
The devil is constantly bombarding us with fiery darts and missiles of lies and accusations always reminding us of past sins we have committed.
Without the breastplate of righteousness, these missiles will impact us and penetrate our heart.

Psalms 37:17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.  

Proverbs 10:30 The righteous shall never be removed: 

The Belt of Truth – Having your loins girt about with truth
The belt is not the most noticeable piece of the armor, however, it is actually the central piece that holds all the rest securely in place and provides for every need during battle.
The belt was broad and made of sturdy leather. From it hung an overlapping skirt of leather straps which on the inside surface were armored with small rectangular pieces of metal held in place by decorative rivets which showed on the outside. It was these straps / apron that protected the loin.
The belt also had specialized hooks and holders on which to secure the scabbard that contained the sword at the proper angle, the quiver which held lances, and an apparatus on which to rest the large battle shield. Also, on the belt were clips with which to hold the breastplate in its proper place. It also held pouches the soldier’s supplies like bread, oil and water, an extra knife, coin purse, etc.
Srcipture says…

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

2 Corinthians 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

Just as the belt is central to the armor of God, the written Word of God, the absolute truth of the Bible is central to all that pertains to spiritual warfare.
If one has a weak belt, then the armor will not hold together in the time of need, that critical part of the battle. If your belt is weak and breaks, you lose all your armor and become vulnerable on the battle field. This is why the belt was thick, and well-oiled and well cared for. It was also the one piece of armor that was worn both on and off the battlefield. It is what equipped him for day to day life as well as life on the battle field.

1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: 

Today it is critical that we adhere to the absolute truth of God’s Word. It is what holds all of what we are as Christians together. If we are wavering in the truth, we do not believe in absolute truth, or we lack the truth in our hearts, then when that day comes our belt of truth will fail us and we will lose the armor with which we wear.
This is why truth and standing on the truth with all your heart is so vital.
Think about this for a moment.
The Truth is Incorruptible. 
The Truth is Indestructible.  
The Truth tells us who we are, what we have and what we can do. 

John 17:17 Jesus says, “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth.”

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

The Shoes of the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace
The Shoes of the warrior were no normal footwear. Every military gives great care to supply the soldiers with the best and most appropriate footwear they are able for the assignment the soldier is given.
The warriors shoes / boots usually consisted of an elaborately cut and laced leather. the soles had layers of metal and leather with ‘hob nail’ spikes or cleats often extending one-half inch, to in some cases ‘inches,’ from the sole so that the soldier could plant his foot into the ground thus preventing him from being moved.
Some shoes had toe spikes and or built-in spurs with which to do damage to the enemy. The uppers of the sandals were often armored by small overlapping pieces of metal riveted to the leather straps.
In addition, attached to the uppers of the sandal were removable metal or leather greaves that extended up over the kneecap protecting the knees, shins and ankles.
Before you go somewhere today, you have to equip yourself for the occasion. You take into consideration the place you are going, the climate as well as the terrain.
If we do not have good shoes or the right shoes, we will tire out and most likely not get to where we were planning on going.
This is why armies for generations to present realize that shoes were critical. Armies move by foot and if those feet are not well protected, well cared for, and properly fitted, the army is not going to get very far.
The battle was lost before the army could even get to the battle field.
As Christian warriors do you know our mission that all of us have been called to?

Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

This is one of the reasons why I Iove the KJV bible. In the modern versions the word YOU is used here in place of YE.
When YOU is used, people have a way out or an excuse to say that Christ was just talking to the disciples here. The responsibility of sharing the gospel is shirked because of the modern versions.
Where by using the word YE as is used in the KJV, it is a direct command. A command by Jesus Christ himself not only to the disciples, but also directed directly at us as well.
YE is addressing anyone who is reading or hearing this command. YE also makes it a command because Christ is addressing us personally.
So when we are called to GO YE to all nations, that means put on your shoes and go. We are called to take the gospel of peace of The Lord Jesus Christ to all the world.
If we ware ill equipped and have not put on the proper shoes, how far do you think we will be able to get?
 
The Shield of Faith
I love the following verse…

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

There are three types of common shields used by warriors.
First, a small disc held in the offhand often 6” inches in diameter to 16” inches in diameter. This type of shield was called a “Buckler” and often used in close quarter combat, duels, etc.
The next was an actual shield and was approximately 24”-36” inches diameter round, this was not only used in defense, but at times in offense. Going in first with the shield, the opposing force would hit the shield. The shield would flip up where the edge was then facing the oponent. The warrior would use the extended edge of the shield to then “trap” the opponent and allow the warrior to freely attack the person by using the sword that was now hidden under the shield that trapped the opponent.

 

The final shield was a large rectangular shield approximately 60”x30” in size. This rectangular shield called a “thureos” (thoo-reh-os) in Greek literally meant “a door,” because it looked like the soldier was carrying a full sized door that was leather covered.
The warrior could stand safely behind this large shield thus protecting him from the arrows and such being hurled at him.
A good shield was made of six layers of thick animal hide specially tanned and woven together making them as tough and durable as metal yet relatively light weight. The leather shields could be soaked in water before battle so that in the event the enemy would rain fiery projectiles on them, the fire would be extinguished on impact.
So why is it called The Shield of Faith?
Along with being large and relatively light, it also had the ability to hook together with other shields and create a wall with which the army was protected. This tactic was often referred to as the “Roman Turtle.”

 

The Thureos or “Door Sheild” in the “Turtle Formation”

In this position, the army was protected from all sides as well as above. The negative is that the army could not see where they were going. So they depended greatly on the captain who was behind them and riding a horse to direct their steps and tell them to go here, go there, turn left, turn right.
See if they broke the shield wall, arrows, spears, fiery darts were able to penetrate and would injure or kill those who standing inside the turtle formation.
The soldier had to trust and obey the captain and walked in blind faith listening only to the commands the captain gave and nothing else.
The very survivability of the entire group of soldiers depended on all the soldiers trusting and obeying the orders of the captain at the time the orders are given.
Failure to do so would compromise the entire unit’s safety. Injury and death was the result of not acting immediately on the orders of the captain.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

When our captain who is Christ Jesus speaks, we are to obey.
How does God speak to us? It is through His Word, the Word of God; the Bible.
Our faith grows by hearing God’s Word spoken into our hearts. This is why it is so critical that we have good preachers and teachers who preach from God’s Word. Expository teaching, taking the bible verse by verse is the best way to learn God’s Word.
This is why so many Christians are weak in their faith, they lack solid pastors who are teaching their congregations chapter and verse. Expanding on God’s Word and going into the “meat” of the Word and not staying only with the “milk.”
Babies require milk, but warriors require meat. It is the meat of the Word that strengthens our faith in His Word, Law, Commands, and proper living.
We follow Christ in blind faith allowing Him to direct our paths and lean not on our own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5-6 – The Third Party Rule)

The Sword of the Spirit - The Word of God
The sword is the primary weapon of the warrior and was greatly feared. A true sword master could take on 5+ men at once and dispatch all of them in a short amount of time. In the hand of someone who is educated the lightweight and well balanced double edged sword was quick and deadly.
The razor sharpened edges of the broad blade was made to cut and slice. The tapered point was designed to easily penetrate and disembowel the enemy. It was well known that if true warrior ever would unsheathed his sword -- he would use it.
The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.

2 Timothy 3:16 -17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

The more we have God’s Word in our hearts the more of a “master of the sword” we become. The better we know our personal bible, the more of a master of the sword we become.
In fact, remember in Sunday school having “Sword Drills”?
The students would have the bible flat on the table and hands in the air, the teacher would call out a verse and the first one to the verse got to read it.
If you were really good, the teacher would take the better students and let them hold the bible between their two flat hands and the thumbs on the pages. Then the verse was called out and the first one to get to the verse won the round.
This is being a Master of the Sword / The Word. Not only do you know your scripture, you know where to find it and how to get to it quickly. You are able to flip to a verse and in many cases just open up your bible and be just a few pages off.
You as a sword master know how to apply scripture, where to apply scripture and teach others how to find, use and apply scripture. You are a master of The Sword of God, His Word.
One thing, the sword of the spirit is a double edged weapon and it will cut both ways. So you can use it for good as well and use it to hurt people. We see this take place a lot in today’s world. The sword being improperly used to hurt, manipulate and force people through coercion. This is using the sword for error, not for good.

We Are Warriors For The Lord
It is our duty and assignment is to stand in the gap shoulder to shoulder with the other soldiers of the Lord as He places us.
We are to resist every attack of the devil. Holding the ground, refusing to be moved, healing the oppressed and destroying every work of the devil.
We are warriors for the Lord.
Scripture says…

Psalms 144:1 Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.

But alone we are just single fighters. It is when we are together that we are able to charge the gates of hell.
This is why it is so important to be in fellowship with other Christian warriors who love the Lord. When we do this it helps us keep our spiritual batteries charged to the fullest level. We are able to pray for each other, learn from each other, encourage each other.

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Iron sharpens iron and when we become accountable not only to God, but to other warriors, we then become better warriors for the Lord we serve.

Many of you know that we are living in the last days of the last days. We are sitting upon the razor's edge. Now more than ever we need to keep the batteries charged at full, the powder dry and ready for the fight.

We do not know when we will be called upon to fight, but when we do, we want to be completely ready, and not caught at our lowest level of training.
If you do not train and wear the armor of God daily you will lose the battle and become a casualty of the battlefield.
The enemy, when he comes, he will most likely ambush us. So when the fight comes to us, and it will, there will be no time to "put on" the armor. By that time it will be to late. If we do not have the armor on at the time of the ambush, we will become just another casualty of war.
So I challenge you brothers and sisters in the Lord always be ready for the fight.
The fight will come to you for our enemy prowls in the shadows like a ravaging lion waiting to pounce on us when we are not looking.
What do we need to ensure? And having done all – To Stand.

Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

By Ray Gano

A Rise In Crime - Lawlessness In The Last Days

It was about 9:00 PM Sunday night.
Tracye got a post on her Facebook from a friend here in town.
A woman texted her fiancé the words "HELP ME"
The lady had been missing since Friday afternoon.  She left work at the Scooter Store in New Braunfels to pick up her son at school in San Antonio, but never made it. (1)
This morning she is found in a Laredo Hospital. That is almost 200 miles away.
What has happened is unknown at the moment, all we know is that her fiancé  got texted those words.
This really concerned Tracye and I because we live in a pretty small town.
But that is not all, here is another head line...

Man stabs woman outside New Braunfels Walmart

A woman was stabbed in an attempted purse snatching outside of a New Braunfels Walmart early Sunday.

The stabbing took place just before 11 a.m. in the parking lot of the Walmart off of I-35.

Police say the suspect tried to swipe a 64-year-old woman's purse. He also stabbed her several times before fleeing the scene.

The woman was air lifted to University Hospital and is in stable condition. (2)

Here is one more...

Man Shot in an Attempted Brutal Kidnapping

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas -- Glenn Shane Godden, 39, of Seguin, was killed by police after attempting to kidnap a woman.

According to police, it all started when a man called authorities and said his door had been kicked in and his 32-year-old daughter was missing.

When officers arrived, they saw a white van speeding away from the area, dragging a woman (outside the car window and being held by her hair from the driver's side door.

According to police, Godden drove past one cruiser, but then rammed head-on into another police cruiser, landing on top of the hood.

The woman became pinned underneath both vehicles.(3)

New Braunfels is a very small town. Our population is around 45,000 people and yet Tracye and I are astounded at the violent crime that is taking place. Especially in such a rather small quiet conservative town.
But what is worse is that this is more and more becoming the norm no matter where one lives.
In fact it is getting worse all over the nation.
The Index of Leading Cultural Indicators
In the early 1960s, the Census Bureau began publishing the Index of Leading Economic Indicators. These 11 measurements, taken together, represent the best means we now have of interpreting current business developments and predicting future economic trends.
From this idea The Index of Leading Cultural Indicators, a compilation of the Heritage Foundation and Empower America, attempts to bring a similar kind of data-based analysis to cultural issues.
This report is a statistical portrait (from 1960 to the 1990s) of the moral, social and behavioral conditions of modern American society--matters that, in our time, often travel under the banner of ``values.''
It should not surprise you to learn that according to The Index of Leading Cultural Indicators, America has been deteriorating socially, morally and I believe spiritually over the past 30+ years.
Since 1960, the U.S. population has increased 41%;the total social spending by all levels of government  has risen from $143.73 billion to the unimaginable $112 Trillion an increase that people can not even wrap their brains around.
Inflation-adjusted spending on welfare has increased by 630%+, spending on  education by 225%.
But here is a shocker, over this 30-year period and again this report was published in the 1990s, there was an increase in violent crime by 560%, a 419% increase in illegitimate births; a quadrupling in divorce rates; a tripling of the percentage of children living in single-parent homes; more than a 200% increase in the teenage suicide rate; and a drop of almost 80 points in SAT scores.
That was over a course of 30 years. We are now 10+ years past that and without knowing the statistics, one can just tell that it has gotten even worse.
The fact that violent crimes are on the increase here in our sleepy little town tells me that lawlessness is on the rise and getting worse by the day.
I mean should we expect it to be any other way when murder, violence, aggression and such is on TV 24/7/365?
I am going to go out on a limb here and say that based on the last 100 years, one can clearly see that violence, lawlessness and the lack of "natural love" for one another has reached epidemic proportions.
It has gotten to the point that literally no place is safe... and it is getting worse.
Public schools resemble prison yard territories, kids are basically forced to join this social group or the next. On the streets gangs are rampant. In fact children are not safe in their own homes anymore.
They are beaten, maimed, raped, held as prisoners for sexual pleasure, then murdered because they become a burden and discarded as trash.
Remember the Caylee Anthony case?
Even though she was found not guilty, I honestly believe that it was the jury being lazy and not wanting to do their job properly. They opted for the desire to no longer be sequestered by the court instead of doing their proper job and issuing true justice.
Teenagers have lost all respect for authority, they have become cold, hard hearted, self centered, selfish and violent.
"The increases in violence we're observing are among very young people and they are very dramatic," said Glenn Pierce, the director of Northeastern's Center for Applied Social Research.
This crime wave isn't confined to inner-city neighborhoods in large urban areas. Cities with populations of 25,000 saw a 40 percent increase in homicides - the same as cities 10 times their size.
Want proof, here is a short list...

# March 2009: Fifteen people were shot and killed at Albertville Technical High School in southwestern Germany by a 17-year-old boy who attended the same school.

# November 2008: 15-year-old Teah Wimberly was charged in the shooting death of Amanda Collette, 15, on the campus of Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

# October 2008: Four suspects, Kawin Brockton, 19, Kelsey Perry, 19, Mario Tony, 20, and Brandon Wade, 20 were charged in a shooting that took place on the University of Central Arkansas campus in Conway AR. Two students – Ryan Henderson, 18, and Chavares Block, 19 – were fatally shot. A third person, 19-year-old Martrevis Norman, a non-student visiting the campus, was shot in a leg and was treated at the nearby Conway Regional Medical Center.

# August 2008: Fifteen-year-old sophomore Ryan McDonald, was shot and killed by fellow sophomore student Jamar Siler, also 15 in the school cafeteria at Central High School in the Fountain City neighborhood of Knoxville, Tennessee. The two had been in previous altercations, the details of which were not released to the general public.

# February 2008: Steven Kazmierczak shot multiple people on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, United States, killing six and wounding eighteen.

# February 2008: Fourteen-year-old Brandon McInerney, a student at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard, California shot and killed fellow fifteen-year-old student, Lawrence "Larry" Fobes King.

# February 2008: 17-year-old student Cornelius Cheers opened fire in the Mitchell High School cafeteria in Memphis TN, critically wounding 19-year-old student Stacey Kiser. The school was locked down for the rest of the day and the perpetrator was arrested and taken into custody.

# February 2008: 23-year-old nursing student, Latina Williams, opened fire six rounds with a .357 revolver in a second-floor classroom at the Baton Rouge campus of Louisiana Technical College before turning the gun on herself and committing suicide. The two victims were Karsheika Graves and Taneshia Butler, who were both fatally shot.

# October 2007: Two teachers and two students were shot at SuccessTech High School in Cleveland, Ohio before shooter, Asa Coon, committed suicide.

# September 2007: Delaware State University student, Loyer Braden, shoots two fellow students, killing one.

# Cho Seung-HuiApril 2007: 33 people are dead after two separate shootings at Virginia Tech, making it the worst school shooting in US history. On April 16, 2007, Cho Seung-Hui, a senior in the English department, who the South Korean Foreign Ministry said had been living in the United States since 1992, was the only suspect named in connection with the deadliest shooting rampage in modern U.S. history. (4)

Folks, this was just a small sample that I pulled.
Here is what Scripture says...

Matthew 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

2 Timothy 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

So should we be surprised at this getting even worse?
Folks, I am not one who believes that one day the rapture takes place and then the very next day all the earth goes to hell in a hand basket.
I believe that we are seeing AND WILL CONTINUE TO SEE an ever growing foreshadow of things to come.
In other words, it is going to get worse and worse as days go by.
What Do We Do?
Over the years men of God have dropped the ball. They have allowed what I believe a "feminization" of the church to take place. More and more women "wore the pants" in churches than men. It is still that way today. More women attend church, are involved in church and help direct church while basically men just hang home to watch their football, baseball and basketball games on TV.
We as men of God have neglected our proper role and because of that society has taken on a more "feminized" viewpoint over what God's Word states.
Now I know that I may be upsetting some folks out there, but this is a fact and has been the fact for the past 125+ years.
Somewhere along the way, men lost their back bone.
The whole foundation of the family structure is based upon the man of the home doing the right thing, being a loving father and husband and disciplinarian, but also the Christian warrior he is called to be to guide and protect his family as well as his community.
What does God's Word say?

Psalms 144:1 Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.

Jeremiah 48:10  Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.

Luke 22:36  Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

And one that really hits home very hard...

1 Timothy 5:8  But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Godly men's apathy has grown so bad, we are now suffering the consequences due to our neglect.
Instead of standing and doing the right thing, we have gotten used to illicit sexual relationships, adolescent promiscuity, abortion, cheating, lying, stealing, prostitution, rape, divorce, and even murder.
All of this has taken place because we as men of God have refused to stand in the gap and do what is right in light of God's Word.
We have gotten used to financial mismanagement on both civil and personal levels. We have accepted political corruption. We have rejected personal and social responsibility and learned to blame anyone or anything else for our problems and failures. We have traded in our infinitely valued divine image for a nickel-plated pagan shrine erected in honor of self-interest, immorality, and social apathy.
What we need to do as men of God is to draw the line in the sand and say "no more."
Men of God need to learn to grow their back bone again and start being the men of God they are called to be.
We are at a stage in time where the wolves are becoming a serious menace on society and the only way to combat that is to once again become the "sheepdogs" that we were once many years ago.
We need to relearn what we have lost. How to the proper leaders and not dictators. How to defend our families, and if called upon, to offer the ultimate sacrifice to protect them.
When walking in the parking lot with your family, let your body language state that you are the sheepdog and no one is going to accost those you have stewardship over.
Better yet, we need to obey Christ himself and if we do not own a weapon, do what we need to do so that we can protect our families.
This does not mean go buy a gun and then stick it in the night stand drawer. We as Christian warriors need to train and become proficient so that when that evil day comes, we are able to stand and fight.(Eph6:13)
Our nation is going down the tubes, we are called as Christians to "occupy till He returns." That is our marching orders. We need to return to our duty till that time of our appointment with Him comes or till He calls His church home.
No matter what, we have a responsibility to ourselves and to our families.
Times ARE getting bad and they will get even worse than what we have been seeing already. Scripture tells us that this will take place and God does not lie.
Therefore till that time comes, we must be ready to stand for what is right and return to our heritage, that being the Christian Warrior God called us to be and stop neglecting the duties He has placed upon us.



By Ray Gano







ENDNOTES
1 - http://m.foxsanantonio.com/news/Missing_S.A._Mother_Found_In_Laredo_Hospital
2 - http://www.kens5.com/home/Man-stabs-woman-outside-New-Braunfels-WalMart-99203059.html
3 - http://www.ksat.com/news/26004360/detail.html
4 - http://www.jeremiahproject.com/prophecy/school-violence.html

Silent and Deadly - My Answer To The Urban Hunting Scenario

There are two pellet guns I am recommending.

First is the "Crosman 1377 American Classic Variable Pump Power Bolt Action Air Pistol"

Vital Stats...

- Caliber .177
- Velocity Up to 600 FPS

This is my first pick for a stealth urban environment hunting weapon. This is a great single shot pump hand gun and in the BB / Pellet gun world the Crosman 1377 is considered the "VW Bug" when it comes to customization.

With it being a crosman you are able to take parts off of other Crosman pellet guns and odds are you can add them to the pistol.

There are detachable stocks, folding stocks, collapsible stocks and even fixed stocks that you can add on . But one of the first things you will want to do is add a steel breech and once this is installed you are able to mount  a weaver rail to you weapon. You can order one of these directly from the Crosman website (http://www.crosman.com/airguns/accessories) Once you have the rail, then you can attach a red dot or mount a scope.

The power of this is really good too. It will easily take down small game, even taking out a cat or dog with a well placed head shot.

If you utilize steel darts or pointed pellets, then you could feasibly take out game weighing about 80 -100 lbs. I recommend the Umarex 213-7509 Hyper Velocity Pellets. This is a BAD BOY of a pellet. You can easily take down game using a well placed head shot with this. This is where the steel breech & scope come into play because you do not want the game to suffer, so shooting small game, cat or dog you want to shoot them almost right in the ear canal. This will take the prey out instantly and not cause the animal any undue suffering.   

You would be amazed at the following the 1377 has also. There are many hobbyists out there making custom parts from hand grips, back caps, even single point sling attachment points. If you can think it up, someone has probably done it.

The other pellet gun that I highly recommend is the Crosman 2100 air rifle. This is a multitasker in that it holds up to 100 BBs or you can also use it as a single shot pellet gun. This also is a pump action weapon and will also take down small game without any problems.

Vital stats ...

- Caliber .177

- Pellet Velocity Up to 725 FPS

- BB Velocity Up to 755 FPS

This was my first BB gun that I owned and I loved it. It performs really well. It has built in weaver rails so that you can attach a scope or red dot also. This is a really fun weapon, but for an urban use, I like the pistol better just because of concealment purposes the pistol offers, but due to the length of the 2100 it is harder to stick under a jacket if you are out hunting.

Both of these weapons sell for around $65 - $75 dollars and just about anyone can afford one.

Learn more about Crosman airguns at http://www.crosman.com/





By Ray Gano

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US Dollar Decline

On April 18 Standard & Poor Ratings Services downgraded the US long term as well as short term sovereign debt from "Stable" to "negative."

Those at the S&P are sending a message to the administration to clean up the fiscal mess or they will downgrade US sovereign debt even more.

The effects of this downgrade are quiet visible this morning in the news we are reading these days.

Basically stated, America's financial empire is on it's last leg.

There are several indicators that I keep an eye on to tell me when things are "volatile" and to prepare for "Bank Day" or a Bank Holiday. One of those is the US Dollar Index which is currently sitting at 74.01.


As you can see the dollar has been declining very steadily now since the beginning of the new year in Jan 11.

If it goes below 70 and holds, there is a very good chance that it will not recover.

The dollar index gives us an idea of the "strength" of our currency.

I am one who looks at historical trends. As you can see by this chart the dollar has been slipping steadily now 1-2 points per month.

If the trends hold, we can be looking at a dollar index of approx 68 by Oct 2011.

What does this all mean?

Historically two of the darkest moments on Wall Street took place in Oct.

Black Monday, 28 October 1929 – a day in the Wall Street Crash of 1929, which also saw major stock market upheaval.

Black Monday, 19 October 1987 – the largest one-day percentage decline in recorded stock market history.

Other countries that have fallen to a financial demise have also taken place in Dec. The one that sticks out in my mind the most is Argentina who fell to hyperinflation in Dec of 2001. Which, they are still suffering in a hyperinflated economy with an indigent rate of 25%(unable to earn enough to literally feed themselves) and some of the highest crime rates in the world.

Just over the weekend Silver rose 8% where it opened this morning at $48.63. In 1980 the actual London high was $49.45 and here in the US it hit $50.00.

I believe that there is a very good chance we will see silver go beyond the $50.00 mark before the beginning of summer vacation.

Now a couple of things could happen because of this. People will sell their silver and the prices will drop, or people will purchase silver thinking it will go even higher, thus driving the price up even more.

I believe we will see a mix of both with the second option being the outcome. I say this because in the 1980s the US Dollar was not in trouble to the point of defaulting like it is today. So silver and gold will continue to climb up and will do so until the dollar is stabilized. But for that to happen the US will have to default on her loans which means a whole other set of events will then take place before there is any stabilization. But needless to say, I believe silver will continue to rise through all of this.

So why am I writing this?

To give you an early warning that I believe that the roller coaster is getting ready to speed up eventually bringing about a bank holiday aka BANK DAY.

When the bank holiday or BANK DAY hits, chaos will ensue. This is a historical fact. If you have not stored up AT A MINIMUM of 30 days worth of supplies, now is the time to do it and do it fast. If anything you are building a "hedge" against food inflation. In other words, buy now while prices are still low.

I would also advise having some extra cash on hand. The banks will be closed, ATMs, Credit /Debit cards will not work and odds are people will not take checks. Cash will be king, but you will need a lot of it to purchase items because hyperinflation will begin to ensue.

We are already seeing prices for food literally go up weekly. Right now it is only by fractions of a cent to a full cent. In the weeks to come we will see this jump from going up cents, to going up in dollars.

This is the beginning stages of hyperinflation and when hyperinflation takes hold, the dollar will lose value literally over night.

You will see major activity take place on Wall Street. Trading will be stopped multiple times per day to slow the trading. Eventually this will spill over to main street and this is when the chaos will begin and the store shelves will go empty.

People will lose faith in the US Dollar and will try to buy anything and everything knowing that the dollar is going belly up.

This is when we will see people's savings go up in flames. Yes the "money" will still be there, but to buy anything, you will need more of it.

An example is looking at gas prices today vs. three months ago. Three months ago $30.00 would fill your tank. Today due to rising gas prices that same $30.00 will only put in about a quarter to one third a tank. Today's average cost to fill the tank is about $50 - $75.

It takes more dollars to fill the tank, in other words your dollar is losing buying power due to inflation.

This is what will happen to people's savings accounts, thier buying power will be eroded away. That is unless they put the money in some other form to preserve their wealth like silver, gold, jewlery, or some other form of tangible asset.

The rubber is meeting the road and we are running out of time. People have the choice to be part of the fray or not. They do this by preparing for this coming storm now while one still has time and the dollar still will buy a decent amount of goods.

Because when BANK DAY takes place, chaos will ensue and "herd" mentality will take hold. The best place to be is home and not part of "the herd" knowing that you prepared your ark for the storm that is eventually going to hit.



By Ray Gano

The Coming Storm - How Did We Get Here

How many of you listen to talk radio? I was in the car listening to the local DJ and something, peaked my interest. What caught my attention was the topic; they were talking about dealing with finance, oil, the future, ect.
There really was not much else on and I had a good hour drive. Needless to say, I was disappointed.
It was an hour of the typical corporate financial spiel. The sad thing is that someone who was listening and did NOT know how the corporate financial world worked, they would have been really impressed.  The guest on the show had all the titles, letters behind their name and “years of experience.”
Needless to say I wasn’t impressed. In fact I was kind of upset. The guest was selling the audience down the proverbial river.
So what was the guest selling? The typical mantra of get out of debt, invest for the long term, and diversify, diversify, diversify.”
Warren Buffett, one of the world's greatest investors, said, "Diversification is a protection against ignorance. It makes very little sense for those who know what they are doing."
The corporate financial mantra is for those who don’t know what they are doing. People have allowed the fox to guard the hen house and did not even realize it. Look at today and what is taking place. Feds tell us there isn’t any inflation and yet gas costs $3.50, milk is $4.25, in fact there are probably a lot of things that you notice that have gone way up in price, especially food.
But they tell us that there is no inflation.
We were “forced” as tax payers to accept a 700 Billion bailout, then QE1 with trillions and QE2 with yet more trillions. Who is going to carry that burden? Nope, not us, but our kids and grand kids. The taxpayers of the future.
But worse, look at the corporate pirates walking away from it all with golden parachutes.
According to recent press reports, a number of Wall Street senior executives were highly compensated before their companies began failing including Bear Stearns CEO, ($35 million), Lehman Brothers CEO ($40 million) and AIG's CEO ($47 million).
Sure Congress and Senate talked about stopping these corporate barons, but it was a little too late. They have already taken their pounds of flesh and are waiting for more from QE3 that is coming soon.
Think about this for a moment. All these companies have also gone bankrupt or were bailed out behind closed doors. All these financial companies should have died and been buried. But they weren't.
Question - All these smart guys who run all these finance places, well their companies are bankrupt. They "ran their ships aground." If they bankrupt their companies and much of the financial downfall we are already experiencing today is due to them….
Why are we still taking our money to them so that they have stewardship over it?
How many people lost everything because of these "smart financial guys"?
Why do we have 401Ks, IRAs, even savings accounts when all these "smart financial guys" who could not manage their own companies?
These financial guys are out and out crooks and we still take our money to them like moths drawn to the fire.
WHY?
Is this a surprise?
No it isn’t. Man left to his sin nature and without Christ in his life is doing what comes natural.
We are drawn to the ways of Mammon. It is natural, it is who we are. It is also due to not understanding what God's Word says and being trained to be followers of Mammon.
But Ray - How am I trained to follow Mammon?
It is hammered into your heads almost from the day we are born.
Go to school, graduate from college, get a good job, work all your life and save..save..save.
Let me prove it to you and have you take a test.
We have been trained and not even know it.
Just for fun finish the sentence…. "A Winston Tastes Good Like a _________________."
Now, if you were born after 1970, odds are you can't answer that.
If that is the case, go to You Tube and type in Fred Flintstone and Winston. You will be amazed.
With that example let's take a little test.
Fill in the blanks…

1 - Go to school, get good grades, and get a _ _ _.

2 - Work _ _ _ _.

3 - Save _ _ _ _ _.

4 - Buy a house because your house is an _ _ _ _ _ .

5 - Invest for the _ _ _ _ term in a well-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ portfolio of _ _ _ _ _, bonds, and _ _ _ _ _ _ funds.

Odds are you made a 100% or came close right?
We have been trained to serve Mammon by getting a job, working hard, saving money, our house is an asset and investing in the long term in a well diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds and mutual funds.
Many people consider the above a solid financial education. It isn't, it is financial training, training in the ways of Mammon.
The coming financial storm that I have been preaching about for the past 5-6 years is not one of chance. It has been created… on purpose.
See, being  a student of bible prophecy I have the privilege in knowing what God’s word says.  Knowing that the Bible is the sovereign Word of God, the Bible tells me where the future is going, and it is not going where all the so called financial experts say it is going.
A History Lesson and The Road Ahead
As some of you may know I do not have much faith in the US economy maintaining strong stability. Watch the news today for 5 minutes and you can see we are in a heap of trouble.
In fact being a student of Bible Prophecy I do not have any faith in any economy maintaining stability in these last days at all because God’s Word says that it won’t.
For some of you, you may remember the 1970’s. A lot of very interesting things took place in the 1970’s that are now effecting the US and the world.
In the 1970s OPEC and the US created the Petrol Dollar. What this did was provide the US a virtual monopoly. Having oil being traded in dollars allowed the US to run huge account deficits. Countries needed oil, thus they had to have US dollars on hand so that they could purchase oil. What happened is that the US dollar became the standard and global currency reserve. In having the US dollar as the global standard currency reserve the US could spend without the fear of crippling interest rate hikes. And spent we have, to the point of self destruction and the creation of a fiat currency.
Fiat Currency
In economics, fiat currency or fiat money is money whose purchasing power derives from a declaratory fiat of the government issuing it. It is often associated with paper money unbacked by fixed assets, issued without the promise of redemption in some other form, and accepted by tradition or social convention. Fiat money is called fiduciary money in many languages.
The widespread acceptance of a fiat currency is enhanced by a central authority mandating its acceptance under penalty of law and demanding it in payment of taxes or tribute. Fiat money can be contrasted with alternative forms of currency such as commodity money and private currency.
Most currencies in the world have been fiat money since the end of the international gold standard of the Bretton Woods system in 1971. However, some of the major currencies today, despite being based essentially on arbitrary decree, have become so trusted that they are termed hard currency. (2)
Thomas Jefferson is attributed for stating the following:

“If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.”

We know that in history Jefferson fought and warned us about the creation of The Federal Reserve or any private bank which would control the United States’ money.  Jefferson was well aware of this because in his day the international bankers were trying to establish a central bank or Federal Reserve.
Here is how Blakes Dictionary of Law defines “Fiat”

“A command or order to act.  Arbitrary or authoritative order or decision.”  “Fiat money” is likewise defined as, “inconvertible paper money made legal tender by a government decree.”  Inconvertible to, for example, gold or silver.  Made legal only by government decree.  “Colored money”, i.e. money with the “deceptive appearance, assumed exterior, concealing a lack of reality.”   (3)

The money that we use today is called Federal Reserve Notes and they are colored money. If you do not believe me, whip out a $20.00 and look for your self. In fact look at the really new money that is now out there, it is a lot less green than days gone by. They also have no value, except by virtue of a government decree.
Here is another interesting point. All fiat currencies eventually go belly up and with them the countries that produce them.
But quickly back to OPEC and the Petrol Dollar.
Bill O’Grady of A.G.Edwards stated the following:

"If OPEC decided they didn’t want dollars anymore, it would be the end of American hegemony by signaling the end to the dollar as the sole reserve currency." (4)

So why do we need to know all this history?
In 1971 President Richard Nixon changed the rules of money. That year, the U.S. dollar ceased being money and became a currency. This was one of the most important changes in modern history, but few people understand why.
Before 1971, the U.S. dollar was backed by gold and silver, which is why the U.S. dollar was also known as a silver certificate. After 1971, the U.S. dollar became a Federal Reserve Note, basically an IOU from the U.S. government. Needless to say, the US has a so many IOU’s out there, the reality of paying them back are next to impossible. The U.S. is the largest debtor nation now in history.
We need to understand this because history repeats itself.
After World War I, Germany's monetary system collapsed. While there were many reasons for this, one major reason was that the German government was allowed to print money at will, like we are doing currently. The flood of money that resulted caused uncontrolled inflation, which is starting taking place right now. If you don’t believe me, when was the last time you bought gas? There were more marks like there are dollars right now, but they bought less and less. In 1913, a pair of shoes cost 13 marks. By 1923, that same pair of shoes was 32 trillion marks!
As inflation increased, the savings of the middle class was wiped out. With their savings gone, the middle class demanded new leadership. Adolf Hitler was elected Chancellor of Germany in 1933 and, as we know, World War II and the murder of millions of Jews followed.
Do you see where it is we are going here? Adolf Hitler was the precursor of whom?.
That was the first part of our history lesson, continuing to our second part of our history lesson.
In the 1970’s there was a law created that when it came out, it was touted as a great law, a law for the people. The law was called “ERISA” or known as the “Employee Retirement Income Security Act. This is the law that gave birth to the 401(k). One of the reasons ERISA is significant is because it forced millions of employees to become investors, investors without any financial training or education. This is why the financial expert’s advice is “Work hard, save money, get out of debt, invest for the long term, and diversify, diversify, diversify.”
Warren Buffet made a great statement that kind of sums this up..

“Wall Street is the only place that people ride to in a Rolls Royce to get advice from those that take the subway”

Many people know that the Baby Boomer generation is the largest generation in history. Many of our companies made millions from the baby boomer wave. When the baby boomers had kids, Gerber made millions. When the baby boomer kids got older Matel, Hasbro, etc made millions. The baby boomer’s lived life at a fast pace, thus was born McDonalds, Burger King, etc. I point these things out because the baby boomers are a generation to be considered.
When the baby boomers bought, companies made millions.
Baby Boomers have money they have saved for retirement via their 401(k), IRAs, ect.
Between 1995 and 2005 the millions of people who followed the “Work hard, save money, get out of debt, invest for the long term, and diversify, diversify, diversify.” advice lost an estimated $7-9 trillion. And much worse than losing $7-9 trillion, the people who followed that advice missed out on what the Economist and other magazines called the biggest financial boom in history. So not only did those investors lose money from the 2000-2003 stock market crash, they failed to make a lot of money in the financial boom in real estate and commodities. That is the price of bad advice and even worse not having the knowledge to know better and the education.
But back to ERISA…
ERISA has a major flaw that many people do not look at or even know of. ERISA has a mandatory withdrawal mechanism at age seventy and a half. At that age you MUST start withdrawing your money from the 401(k)s, IRAs, etc. That means millions of baby boomers will be forced to systematically withdraw from their 401(k), IRAs, ect.
Where is all this money invested? It is in the stock market.
As I stated before, when the baby boomers BOUGHT, companies made millions.
In 2006 the first baby boomers turned 60.
What will happen when the baby boomers start to sell?
In 2016 it is estimated that there will be 2,282,887 baby boomers that are turning seventy. They all must start selling and pulling their money out of the stock market.
In 2017 it jumps to 2,928,818 more people. That is about 700,000 more people than the year before that will start selling and pulling their money out of the stock market too. (1)
That is 5,211,705 people together. That many people will affect the economy and more are added each year for approximately 20 years. We did not count the immigrants either in the mix. (1
All in all, that is a lot of stock being sold, or at least trying to be sold.
What happens when millions of people start selling millions of shares of stock?
The prices start to drop and fast.
The laws of supply and demand will come into effect, and the odds of major panic just increased enormously.
So why is there a mandatory withdrawal? Why not just change the laws?  All that money that was put in was put there tax free. Uncle Sam now wants his due…the taxes. This is another reason why the huge spending, the fiat currency, etc. This is also why we will probably never see the death tax go away any time soon either.
So once the 700 Billion dollar bailout passes, are our troubles over? QE1 came and went, trouble over? QE2 came also?
No… far from it, we still have the ERISA issue to come to full term and no one is even talking about that can of worms.
We think things are bad now
Credit Crisis, Mortgage Crisis, Energy Crisis, and hey while we are talking doom and gloom lets throw in terrorism, avian flu, dirty bombs ect.
But something  is going to start effecting us in the weeks ahead. It is the weapon that has been used over and over again by the king pins of Mammon in days gone by.
Scripture even tells us but it seems we have not been listening.

Rev 6:5  And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.

Rev 6:6  And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

The US as well as the world is not sitting in a nice place.
The world is looking for an answer.  But man in his ways never learns.
Scripture says…

Ecc 1:9  The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Man continues to repeat himself and his history.
The next decade will be a decade of chaos. This will be the fourth time this nation has gone through something like this.
I know that there are those of you right now saying " Well God is not going to allow us to suffer, He will rapture us out."
Folks I expect to be caught up in the clouds when the Rapture when it occurs.
But what many people forget is that none of us knows just how bad things will get before the Rapture occurs, do we?
I do not think it wise to test the Lord, by throwing caution to the wind and simply saying, “The Lord will provide.”
Yes, He will provide, but He expects us to learn from the ant and do what we can to provide for ourselves.

Prov 6:6  Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

Scripture also tells us..

1Tim 5:8  But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

To not take steps to keep your family safe when we still have the chance if fool hearty and at worse, makes us the infidel.
Christ commanded us to "occupy till He returns." Not bury our heads in the sand.
We still have a short amount of time.
This is why I am writing a series over the coming months.
We are living on the razor's edge and scripture is literally unfolding right before our eyes.


By Ray Gano


Endnotes

1- Adapted from Robert Kiyosaki’s book “Rich Dad’s Prophecy”
2 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_currency
3 - Black’s Law Dictionary [Sixth Edition, 1991]
4 - http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/05/06/news/nation/11_13_325_5_06.txt

The Effects of Japan's Earthquake

First and foremost I want to clearly state that I AM NOT A PROPHET, nor am I a son of a Prophet. I am a Watchman on the wall trying to sound the alarm. I am also a student of bible prophecy as well as history.
King Solomon, the wisest man ever to live stated the following…

Ecc 1:9  The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

What he is saying here is that man is destined to repeat his history if he does not learn from it.
What is taking place in Japan is horrible and my heart goes go out to the Japanese people as well as our military men and women serving in Japan at this moment.
If you are not up on the latest, a second nuclear reactor has exploded, officials have stated that there is meltdown taking place, and to top all of this off the Shinmoedake volcano in southern Japan has erupted.
But that is not all, Officials of the Tokyo Electric Power Company said that due to the cut in water supply, cooling system of the third reactor at the Fukushima nuclear power plant is overheating and is at the risk of exploding.
But there is something taking place right now that is upsetting. Christians are coming out and making claims that Japan is being punished and the wrath of God is against them.
Folks, bad things happen to good people. Who are we to make claims on behalf of God? Japan has sinners just like the US has sinners.
All of us are sinners in need of a savior.
Soon after the surrender of Japan was accomplished and the U.S. occupation commenced, MacArthur reached out to U.S. churches and Bible publishing companies for assistance.
He requested thousands of Christian missionaries and millions of Bibles for Japan.

"After Japan surrendered in 1945, General Douglas MacArthur became Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in charge of rebuilding the Japanese government."

"To a visiting group of evangelicals, MacArthur said: 'Japan is a spiritual vacuum. If you do not fill it with Christianity, it will be filled with Communism. Send me 1,000 missionaries.' He asked U.S. missionary societies to send 'Bibles, Bibles and more Bibles.'

"Can you imagine a U.S. president or American general asking for missionaries as a part of our foreign aid program?"

"MacArthur knew that a spiritual vacuum resides inside  of every person."

"Without Christ, a life will be filled with something else. That something else can be very destructive and cruel, as the world experienced in the struggle against Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany." 1

We're seeing the same kind of cruelty today in the terrorism of Islamic fascism, but that is another story.
What the world needs now is Jesus Christ. The US church has failed their mission. Do you know that there are more missionaries coming home, than  being sent out.
No longer are churches sending out the gospel, they are more worried about their best life now and being purpose driven than they are in being diligent to God's Word and His ordinances. The primary being Matthew 28:19-20

Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

See in every dark cloud there is a silver lining.
90% of the pastors today are dropping the ball. They have sold out to the social gospel, greed and popularity. They worry more about fannies in seats to fill their coffers than doing what is right in the eyes of God.
So where is the silver lining?
Us.
I have been watching the horizon. More and more "laypeople" are feeling the burning in their bones. They feel the need to prepare and be ready to take a stand, to boldly go out and share the gospel.
Home churches are on the rise, bible studies after work hours, the small bible preaching and teaching churches are seeing attendance slowly grow.
The remnant is stirring.
What is taking place in Japan today is going to have global consequences.
Japan's Radiation Coming To America
Already NOAA is keeping an eye on the radiation that the jet stream is moving towards the western hemisphere. In approximately 36 hours this radiation will be hitting the US, Central and South America.
Now radiation from Japan's nuclear plants is unlikely to be in any harmful amounts. I say this due to the distance traveled, being absorbed by the ocean, absorbed in the atmosphere, a lot of variables are playing out with the radiation.
The distance between Tokyo, Japan and Los Angeles, California is 5,478 miles. That in and of itself gives the radiation quiet some space to dissipate.
Now I am not saying the radiation will go away, what I am pointing out is that it will be spread out, dissipated, thinned out. That great  distance between Japan and the US will cause the radiation to be nominal at the most.
So to be honest, I do not have huge concerns about the radiation. But expect the tree huggers and Greenpeace to have a fit.
Japan' Economic Aftershock
What does concern me is the economic impact that Japan's disasters will have on the US.
Here are some quick high points…
- 3,400+ buildings were destroyed
- Japanese oil refineries were damaged and shut down
- Miles upon miles of roads and bridges were destroyed
- The Japanese economy will grind to a halt
In fact many of the economists are calling this a "black swan" event. A “Black Swan” event is something random and totally unpredictable that has a critical effect on the global economy. The Wall Street speculators, economists, and bean counters did not see this coming.
What has happened is a massive wrench has been thrown into works and there is a very good chance that things will grind to a halt.
Why?
Because the economy of Japan is the third largest in the world after the United States and the People's Republic of China.  But they are ahead of Germany, which is sitting at 4th strongest. This is of course according to the International Monetary Fund.
But how Japan really impacts us here in the US is that they buy a lot of our debt. In fact China is the first in foreign countries that purchase our debt, and Japan is second.
Here is what people need to think about really hard, and be ready to adapt to really fast.
With Japan's economy grinding to a halt, they will no longer purchase US debt. In fact  the financial pundits out there are already worried that with Japan needing a mass infusion of money to help recover, they will start selling off US debt.
What Will This Do To The US?
If Japan starts dumping US debt, expect the Feds to turn up the printing presses and flood the market with dollars and start QE3 sooner than expected.
Because Japan is dumping US debt,  other countries holding U.S. Treasuries may also sell in fear of an all-out U.S. bond price drop.
Holders of US debt have been losing money due to the fact that the US dollar has dropped in  value.  Couple with a massive sell off by Japan, prices fall, we may see a global selling panic with everyone getting out of the US  business as fast as they can.
Folks, this is something that many countries in the world have been waiting for and calling for.
China, Russia, many Middle East countries have been calling to dump the US dollar as the global reserve.
The effects in Japan taking place today, may be that catalyst that starts the serious demise of the dollar and here down fall.
In fact if we see Japan begin to dump US debt and other countries follow suit, we will have 7 days to personally react.  By that time the meltdown that takes place on wall street will hit main street and the common man will wake up to this fact and chaos will follow.
What will ensue is herd mentality, panic, empty store shelves, riots. Eventually banks will close, ATM turned off, Credit Cards stop working. It will be a cash only US for about 7 days or until the money system comes back on line.
When that takes place the US that we once knew will probably not be in existence anymore.
Welcome to the New Normal
Our country will probably be thrown into a great depression followed by massive hyperinflation.
This has happened to Argentina, Zimbabwe, Bolivia and it is taking place today in Greece with Spain on her heals.
If you have not built you and your families ark, you will feel the full brunt of the coming storm.
If you have built an ark for you and your family, you will be given the luxury of something very precious…time.
It is that time that will allow you to step away from the herd, make wise and rational decisions, and not be forced to accept what the herd follows.
You will not have to fight for the loaf of bread, the can of beans, the bag of rice.
You have secured your families welfare and security, you will not have to worry about the riots in front of banks, in front of city hall, capitols, etc.
Because you have done all that you could to prepare, because you have built your ark, your family will be able to weather the storm a lot better than many others.
And when the storm clears, you will then be able to be a comfort to others by sharing the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to a world that will be greatly hurting and looking for answers that only God and His Word can provide.
If you have not built your ark, it is still not to late. Main Street has not woken up, but your time is slipping away.
If you have not read my article "11 Things You Need To Get Now" then read it. It is a good primer to help you build your ark.
You can read that article at - http://tinyurl.com/11-things-you-need2-get-now
We have a chance to make a difference in this country and in the world, but we must be ready and prepared to share the hope that is within us.
The storm is coming and it may be here quicker than expected due to the "black swan" event that has taken place in Japan.
What you need to do is secure at least 30 days of food, water, a means to protect yourself and get yourself several KJV bibles. I personally like the Thompson Chain Reference. You will need the tried, put through the fire KJV. If you want to make it through the storm's floods, then cleave to His Word that has been saving people for over 400 years, the King James Version, the Authorized Word of God for the English speaking people.
Now if you think I am crazy, some right wing nut case, some fundamental bible believer or something like that, let me ask you this…
"When the storm comes bringing with her floods and herd mentality,  how long can you and your family tread water?"
The storm is coming, there is no doubt.
Are you ready?
If I can help with any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. You can contact me at ray.gano@prophezine.com



By Ray GanoThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Endnotes
1 - http://amerisrael.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/03/general-douglas-macarthur-japan-and-bible-burning-in-afghanistan.html