Part 24 – What It Means To Prepare for the 2nd Coming of Our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ
Citing Venezuela as an example might defend the present financial system of our world. That country is rich with abundant oil reserves. And yet, as a Socialist Country, Venezuela became the world’s worst economy since 2016 following years of recession and mismanagement. Recession was predicted to last until 2019. Their Bolivars currency took a steep devaluation against the US dollar. Inflation has been reported to be so high with a prediction that it will reach 1,000,000 percent this year. Since 2014, over 2 million people of Venezuela had left the country for greener pastures seeing that the Socialist Government ruling them for 19 years has been failing to meet their needs.
Why ? What went wrong ? On top of massive graft and corruption, the leaders there are in darkness. 90% of the population are made up of Catholics while 8% are Protestants. Jesus Christ is their Lord & Savior by faith.
This tells us religion was not able to “save” them from economic disaster for a series of years. The TRUTH, from my point of view, is that the leaders were sinful while the people were mismanaged or misguided. 95% of Venezuela’s government revenues had been coming from Oil Exports. When the prices of oil in the world market went down, their revenues also went down. Cash was abundant but with very low value, given the effects of inflation. The news below was in November 2016. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/venezuelas-currency-hyper-inflation-oil-crisis-devalued-shop-keepers-weigh-notes-a7443596.html
As of the present time, there is social unrest in Venezuela. People there are lost — not knowing what to do.
So here I am praying for them by turning on the lights for Venezuelans to possibly recover. It is the Will of God for us to pray for sinners, especially for over 30 million Christian souls suffering out there.
Venezuelans should focus on developing alternative industries and agriculture in order to generate revenues coming from non-oil exports. They have to identify products and services which they can supply at a very competitive price to the world market, considering whatever might be their Competitive Advantages over existing suppliers. The government leaders in Venezuela must be willing to negotiate with rich markets like the USA even if they have to give up their “dictatorship” for the sake of Nicaraguans. Or they can negotiate with China and France by allowing such countries to field Professional Consultants who can ensure rapid development of agriculture and industries other than Oil Production.
We, the more Righteous Christians should pray for fellow sinful Christians so that God will deliver them out of too much miseries. Let us pray for their repentance, their fighting spirit to strive towards turning away from sinful lives by working hard instead in the creation of new sources of revenues. Let us intercede for them since Almighty Father does not listen to unrepentant sinners.
James 5:16 ESV
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
Proverbs 15:29
International Standard Version
“The LORD is far away from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.”
Psalms 34: 17 New American Standard Bible
“The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles.”
1 Peter 3:12 International Standard Version
“For the Lord watches the righteous, and he pays attention to their prayers. But the Lord opposes those who do wrong.”
What was God’s reward for Job for the act of praying for his friends even in his time of sufferings ?
Job 42:10 NIV New International Version
“After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.”
Indeed, God works in marvelous ways.
I would anticipate reactions like “Why don’t you pray for your own country since it is also sinking economically ?” We will get to such a topic at the right time not too far from now. Remember what it says in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8.