PREPARE – My Notes

I’ve posted before about Ethan Pope and his ministry. I do believe in what this book is communicating. Ethan takes the first portion of the book and reiterates his primary points of his last book “America’s Financial Demise.” Below are some of notes. I consider myself a realist and I’m not making a bomb shelter, however I am planning with this in mind and as you can see from the scriptures; throughout history the wised have always made provisions for times of trouble. Find out more at www.ethanpope.com.

As Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” Proverbs 27:17

“The wise see danger ahead and prepare; a fool ignores the facts and suffers the consequences.” Proverbs 27:12

“The sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do” 1 Chronicles 12:32

“Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God.” Ecclesiastes 7:14

“The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.” Proverbs 21.:20

We must demonstrate to those around us what it means to trust God and prepare at the same-time.  To put Matthews 7:24-27 into practice (Building on the rock knowing hard times come to all.)

In history God has given wisdom in advance to Joseph

• Joseph Gen 48:4-8
• He had to learn his Spiritual Context before his physical context Gen 45:5-8
• Understand the Joseph Principle Gen 41:35-36 0 Save during good years, knowing famine will occur

God ordained for us to live at this time in history Psalm 139:16

• Nehemiah Nehemiah 2:17-18
• Ester  Ester 4:14
• Jeremiah Jeremiah 1:5

“Don’t just sit at Home watching movies; PREPARE!”

We Need Wisdom to

• Make Sound Financial Decisions
• Where to Live
• How to Provide
• How to Protect
• Position ourselves to witness and serve
• Encourage Others to Prepare

PREP Plan

• Prepare Spiritually
• Reallocate Resources
• Economize Lifestyle
• Pay Off Debt

Random Notes:

• China owns 8% and Japan 7% of US Debt- Page 35
• Feds have ability to create money at will and they are.
• Keep portion of emery fund in FDIC insured Money Market account and the rest in American Silver Eagle dollar coins
• Develop a skill or small business you can run for money
• Own fewer things.  Get rid of things that are not necessary. The less you have to maintain the better off you will be.

Disney World: A Few Tips

Last month we made a return visit to Disney World. It had been five years since our family had been and I wanted to write to let friends and family know about a few changes at the parks and what we learned on this trip.

Two years ago we signed up for the Disney Rewards Visa card and started earning points toward the trip. We paid everything on the cards that we could (paying the balance off at the end of each month of course) which helped us pay for about half the trip.

We lodged in the Port Orleans – River Side Resort and did sign up for the Dinning Plan again. We’ve never stayed “off grounds” but using the Disney trasportation system makes it easier on Mom and Dad. Once there I can relax and worry about what I’m going to eat next isntead of navigating traffic J

 

Something new are the “MajicBands” show in the picture above. You use these to scan in in order to gain access to your room, to the parks, to pay for meals, and to access the fastpass system. They sent our to us a few weeks before the trip. I understood how these would work on everything I mentioned except the fastpass system. It turns out not many of the “cast memebers” (Disney Employees) knew how the new fastpass system worked either. We latered learned that with the MajicBands you can get fastpasses for up to 3 attractions/rides per day. These rides are scheduled from yoru smartphone from the MyDisneyExperince app and then accessed using your MajicBands. This was a significan change from the old manual fastpass system which allowed you to get up to 7 maybe 8 fastpass ticktets each day if you “worked” the system.

One of the highligts of the trip was seeing the Frozen Princeses at Epcot (Norway). We went there frist thing in the moring only to find out there was a 5 hour wait. Others had gained access to the park earnly with breakfast reservation (TIP) and were in line first. We retured later in the day and were told that there was a 3 hour wait. Since this was going to be the hihglight of the trip for our daughter we decided to wait it out. My wife and I took turns waiting in line with her. We found out later that only one person had to be in line to hold the spot. But in the end she got time with the princeses and I had to listen to those tourcherous songs again.

Another high demand attraction my son enjoyed was the Jedi Knight Training academy. We went there first thing to reserve a spot for my son. We knew rain was moving in for mid-day so we scheduled the training for late afternoon which ended up working out perfectly (TIP). Some of the shows where canceled due to the rain. Basically is a fun show for 20 kids at a time who get a 10 second fight with Darth Vader. The show is really fun as the characters make fun of the kids participating.

The final TIP I’d like to share is around viewing the Illuminations Earth fireworks show at Epcot. It is usually starts at 9 pm each night. I was looking forward to the show, but dreading the exit from the park with all 10 billion people leaving at the same time. After googling for a tip, I found a site that said to go to the Beach Club resort and then walk over into Epcot for the show. So we took the bus back to our resort and drove our car over the Beach Club/Boardwalk area. We ate dinner there and then walked over the bridge right back in to Epcot (We had to scan back in of course). We watched the fireworks from the bridge and walked right back to our car at drove back to our hotel. I’m convinced it saved us an hour and we didn’t have to fight people.

Hope you find these beneficial just wanted to share while they were fresh on my mind. TD

 

No New House Can Give You Joy

What a great reminder I had last week. I watched “A Call to Anguish” Video sermon snippet that was posted on YouTube from the late David Wilkerson. (It’s heavy)

The truth is that only God can give you joy.

 

 

 

 

Who Are We?

Think about your children, what are all the needs they will have in their lifetime? Physical, Social, Emotional. In “The Sensation of Being Somebody”, Maurice Wagner suggests that all these needs could be grouped into three categories.

• Acceptance
• Security
• Significance

How do people go about trying to gain acceptance, security, significance?

• Work
• Family
• Friends
• Jobs
• Money
• Kids
• Church

All of these are really good things; things we consider blessings. But can we really depend on these to meet our primary needs?

What happens if a relationship fails? Or what if we lose our job or our savings? What if our children don’t turn out the way we hoped? What if the new pastor changes the church we love?

Only, in and through a personal relationship with Jesus can these greatest needs be permanently satisfied. Our faith relationship with Christ is brought into reality through His promises in the Scripture. 2 Peter 3:3-4 reads,

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Below are just a few of these promises. Memorize these and remind yourself and your children that Christ is the truth, not our feelings, and in him all of our needs have been and will be meet.

Acceptance

• 1 John 3:1 “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

Security

• Romans 8:35-39 ” Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  As it is written:
  “For your sake we face death all day long;
       we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

   No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ”

Significance

• 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

America’s Finacial Demise (repost)

With the election right around the corner, I wanted to repost this blog from a few years ago. I know that most of us cannot fathom that our government could actually go bankrupt. The argument below is not built on an emotional rant, but on financial facts that apply to us all. All of our elected officials must make some significant changes within the next few years, or we will see a catastrophe financial collapse in our lifetime.

I met Ethan Pope back in 1996 when JJ and I began attending Temple Baptist Church in Hattiesburg.  Ethan has a heart for God, a heart for people, and a heart for managing money the way God instructs us to in the scriptures.  By reading a few of his books, and spending time with him in his office, he helped put me on the way to making some wise financial decisions – namely, not to to live beyond my means.

A few years ago, Ethan relocated back to Dallas and now he as released a book entitled America’s Financial Demise.  In short, the same is true for our government that is true for us.  We cannot spend more money than we take in.  If Ethan’s research is on target, and I believe that it is, we are on an “unsustainable” coarse financially and sooner than later, America’s financial system will crash.  If this is true, and again I believe that it is, what we going to do about it?

Take time to order the book, and listen to Ethan’s talk from January. Then prayerfully consider what you should do in response to this timely message.

America’s Financial Demise from Master’s Men on Vimeo.

My Top Ten Most Useful Phone Apps

Besides, texting, emailing, and taking photos here are some of the more useful non-standard apps that I use for my Android Smartphone. I will come back on future blogs and give a bit more detail about each of these apps.

1. X3Watch – Accountability software that only works for the android. It sends my wife a list of apps and websites visited from my phone each week.
2. Evernote Widget – Provides quick access and updates for all my lists. See GTD System.
3. EEBA – Envelope Budgeting app that syncs with both my phone and my wife’s phone so we stay on budget each month.
4. TweetDeck – One stop shop to keep up with my Facebook and Twitter accounts.
5. Weather Channel Widget – Quick glace so I’m ready for the rain.
6. Listen – Google App that all my audio podcast (sermons, leadership talks, etc) are synced with.
7. TiVo – Allows me be schedule TV shows to be recorded when I heard or read something that I find interesting
8. DropBox – This is where I get all my active documents that I’m working on. Again see GTD.
9. Flashlight– I hate mine quick working last time I upgraded my phone, but the LED flashlight apps are very handy.
10. Amazon.com – Quickly (using camera as a scanner) compare in-store items to amazon prices to see how much cheaper I can get them (no tax or shipping) If I’m willing to wait a few days.

America’s Financial Demise

I met Ethan Pope back in 1996 when JJ and I began attending Temple Baptist Church in Hattiesburg.  Ethan has a heart for God, a heart for people, and a heart for managing money the way God instructs us to in the scriptures.  By reading a few of his books, and spending time with him in his office, he helped put me on the way to making some wise financial decisions – namely, not to to live beyond my means.

A few years ago, Ethan relocated back to Dallas and now he as released a book entitled America’s Financial Demise.  In short, the same is true for our government that is true for us.  We cannot spend more money than we take in.  If Ethan’s research is on target, and I believe that it is, we are on an “unsustainable” coarse financially and sooner than later, America’s financial system will crash.  If this is true, and again I believe that it is, what we going to do about it?

Take time to order the book, and listen to Ethan’s talk from January. Then prayerfully consider what you should do in response to this timely message.

America’s Financial Demise from Master’s Men on Vimeo.

America’s Financial Demise?

Last week, one of the finest men I know, gave a presentation during Dallas Theological Seminary’s chapel service.  Please take 20 minutes and listen to Ethan Pope’s message on America’s financial demise.  I believe whole heartedly in what Ethan is saying here.    I don’t hope or want this, but it seems to me that it is inevitable at this point.

The video will not embed on my blog. Here is the link.

Happy 2009!

We’ll 2009 is off and running. I took a few days off from blogging, but I’m back. I have a ton of thoughts floating around inside my head so here goes.

• I really enjoyed two weeks off from work hanging out with my family.
• We sold the lot/land next to our house during the holidays thanks to our new real-estate agent! You can visit her site at www.shannonyawn.com. Now all we have left is for the house to sell! But I’m confident that the LORD will move us in His time.
• I surprised JJ and kids on Christmas day by announcing that we would be going to Disney World later in the spring! Daily TJ keeps saying, “I’m ready to go to Dizzy World.” He thinks were going to leave any minute. I know these are difficult economic times, but there are some incredibly inexpensive deals out there right now. It’s never going to be any cheaper for our family to go, so we are pumped.
• The photo is from New Years Eve. We hung out with friends and watched the fireworks, while two of my kids stayed in the truck with ear muffs.

  

• No resolutions for me this year. Resolutions always seem to place more expectations on this perfectionist and that spells stress. However I did join a Gym on December 21 and have only missed a few days since then. I even went on Christmas Eve! You may be thinking, “I thought you said you didn’t set any resolutions?” Again, I didn’t. {Shhh- I’m trying reverse psychology on myself to see how it works. Maybe as long as I say I don’t have to go; I’ll still want to go}
• I’m very excited about all that is happening at the Turning Pointe Church. Last night Scott rallied the church behind our new “Passion Statement”, which is “Turning People to Christ”. Most churches have a mission statement, a vision statement, a doctrinal statement, a legal statement (I’m rambling here to show how silly we can get with all the statements), but most of the time statements are phrases we hang on the wall (aka website), not what is “actually” happing in the church halls. But your passion is what you do out of who you are! No matter where someone is in life; we must turn them to Christ!
• I got impulsive one night and decided to put up a tent for the kids in the living room. I purchased the tent over 2 years ago and had never gotten it out of the bag. I forgot that it said 8-10 person on the side! Before I knew it I had to open the doors in order to put the poles in. It almost whipped me, but this old Boy Scout didn’t go down without a fight! Here is my final result.

Safe with Southern

In a year where stocks are falling like people on AFV, I’m happier than ever to be a part of the Southern Company. Yesterday an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported how this conservative corporation has become a safe haven for many investors looking for solid financial ground. Checkout the percentage changes of Southern compared with these stock indexes:

PERCENT CHANGE OF FOUR INDICATORS

• Southern Company……………………..-3.77%
• Dow Jones Industrial Average…………..-35.75%
• S&P’s 500 Electric Utilities Index……..-28.18%
• Entergy Corporation ………………….-32.26%

   

These are difficult economic times, but there are still some solid companies out there who know how to manage their business. Southern has great leadership at the top, which gives me confidence that we will adapt to the days ahead.