We Get Front-row Seats

Radix Fidem is a name I chose because no one else came up with a better idea at the time. Before that I referred to “the roots of faith” in English. The concept of the heart-led way is ancient; even our particular modern teaching here comes from other sources. It dropped neatly in place on top of something else I was teaching about conviction and the will, which in turn I heard from someone else. Even the idea that Christianity (and Old Testament religion) was an eastern religion came from a lecture I heard at OBU in the late 1970s. I didn’t invent any of this. The most I can take credit for is pulling it together and making it academically coherent and consistent.

Just about everything else we do here is experiential rediscovery, giving the appearance that we are making it up as we go along. I freely admit that my academic background is limited, but I am comfortable that I know enough Church History to comprehend what it is we are setting aside and why. I’ve also spent time working directly in several different denominations and traditions and experienced their signature rejection of my convictions. This is what’s behind me, and something similar for some of you, as we move forward with forming what amounts to a new sect of Christianity. I’ve already noted that I was prepared to act alone for my own benefit, but somehow this thing drew others seeking the same joyous discoveries. I can’t explain how that happened.

Nor can I explain the prophetic visions that, so far, keep coming to reality before my eyes. There were some hiccups; I had to discover personally that God can and will change His plans. I remain utterly convinced that some of His plans changed once we began sharing about the heart-led way, and that this one thing is a major element in that change of plans. As I see it, once He got us to accept that teaching, it was no longer necessary to pour out His wrath with such severity. Can I say it like this? He was hoping He could get someone to figure that out and spread the message so He could focus on restoring faith, not so much on destroying sin. Thus, He turned aside from apocalypse. I’m trying to characterize this in terms I can share, but it expresses my convictions.

You don’t have to buy into that if your convictions lead you elsewhere. But I share these things so you’ll understand my orientation. I hold myself accountable to you. When I examine current events and wade through the sewage of propaganda about current events, my heart picks out things to which I give some attention. It’s not a question of whether this or that is factually accurate; I’m in no position to work that out. It’s a matter of seeking peace within my heart, of deciding whether I am comfortable with certain choices and planning accordingly. I’m asking you to evaluate on the same basis. Does your heart witness to this?

My plans say that the banking system will not collapse, but it will take some hard hits. Rather, the primary source of economic distress will be what’s called a “market correction.” What we see on the various stock indexes is not realistic; there’s nothing behind those numbers. I believe the bankers have done a reasonable job of protecting themselves, but Wall Street is full of exuberant idiots. When the credit system starts to crumble, as it soon must, it’s the financial industry that will take the hit.

This will be the source of crisis in the US. God alone knows the details, but the only way you can hope to forecast the net effects is to understand what elements in our national economy rest on stocks, bonds, etc. Some businesses will close, some will limp along, and a few will be largely unaffected, but the level of interdependence is impossible to explain. So the economy will get tough, but it won’t simply stop altogether. I’m trying to avoid being too dependent on any one thing, but keeping in touch with alternatives for the basics of survival.

This is a bad time to take out any kind of loans except personal loans, the only kind protected under Biblical Law. Do you understand how most consumer and commercial loans are made from upstream loans several layers deep? Some of those creditors will be forced to call in all their loans, and that stuff tends to cascade down in painful ways. You could find yourself in a serious bind when some loan outfit demands full payment, something permitted by hidden clauses in the loan agreements under certain conditions. Court ordered repossession is not a pleasant experience, so be wary of dependencies on stuff that you could lose that way. Pray about a back-up plan.

The same goes for where you buy — some of your favorite vendors will disappear. Be prepared to make adjustments. Meanwhile, property crimes will rise quickly. Have you observed how our crazy culture has conditioned folks to entitlement? A significant portion of America’s population is just one step away from desperation and simply giving up on the system. I’m convinced that our God will protect us if we adhere to Biblical Law, but don’t think of it in absolutist terms. He won’t let you face what He can’t carry you through, but stuff will happen to us, too. We have to understand that He will preserve what really matters, not merely what we think is important.

That kind of economic shock will destabilize the political system. It’s already polarized and there’s no turning back. However, the fundamental government system itself is highly dependent on economic continuity, so when that continuity is disturbed, government will break. The problem for us is that a great many weak spots are hidden, so it’s very hard to predict what’s going to break. You might be aware of some of them, so plan accordingly, but only God knows about all of them. He is merciful and will guide those who are listening. Let your heart guide your choices, and make sure your mind is obedient in the most improbable things.

There is virtually nothing you can do about how individual government officials will respond to crisis. Some few are quite wise, but most are barely competent during the best of times. That’s the nature of government — the best people for the job aren’t interested in governing others. What’s left are a bunch of slugs who can’t handle real work. A genuine crisis will expose just how awful they are. This is when frustrated citizen victims turn to various forms of resistance, and that means bloodshed. Some locales will see more chaos than others. You can already guess some of them, but you’ll be surprised by a great many local governments that come apart for no apparent reason.

This outlines my expectations. These are things I pray about and contemplate daily; I recommend it highly. More important than agreeing with me is that you ask the Lord what matters to you, and that you seek His face for your own guidance. I can’t really propose a timetable; some of this has already begun. Each of us will notice different things in different places. The most obvious signal will be that market correction, and I can’t guess what that will look like. The experts say that it can be so labeled only after it happens. And the consequences will cascade down differently for each of us.