The World Has Gone Mad And Irresponsible

The global economy no longer grows as a result of industrial production and services expansion and almost all economies do not act responsibly to balance the fiscal budget anymore.

The article by Peak Prosperity explained how money printing out of thin air is used all the time to solve all economic woes at the moment and running budget deficit and not balancing budget is now the new normal.

https://www.peakprosperity.com/blog/113383/what-could-pop-everything-bubble

“This is the lesson of the past eight years: if a problem can be solved by creating new money and buying assets, then central banks will solve that problem.

Problem: stock market is declining. Solution: create new money and buy, buy, buy stock index funds. Problem solved! Market stops falling and quickly rebounds as “central banks have our backs.”

Problem: interest rates are inhibiting lending and growth. Solution: create a few trillion units of currency and buy enough sovereign bonds to drop interest rates to near-zero.

Problem: nobody’s left who can afford to buy the new nosebleed-priced flats that underpin China’s miracle-grow economy. Solution: create new currency, lend it to local government agencies who then buy the empty flats.

Problem: stagnant employment and deflation. Solution: create a trillion in new currency, buy a trillion in new government bonds that then fund infrastructure projects, i.e. bridges to nowhere.

And so on. Any problem that can be solved by creating a few trillion out of thin air and buying assets will be solved.  The mechanism to solve these problems—creating currency out of nothing—is like a perpetual motion machine: there are no intrinsic limits on the amount of new money that can created at near-zero interest, as the interest payments can be funded by new money.

Even better, the central bank (the Federal Reserve) buys Treasury bonds with the new currency that generate income, which is then returned to the Treasury: a perpetual-motion money machine!

The policy of creating trillions in new currency and buying trillions in assets has inflated an everything bubble, a bubble in all the asset classes being supported or purchased by central banks and their proxies.

Many observers wonder what, if anything, could pop the everything bubble.”

The article gave 3 reasons which could be the catalyst to pop this everything bubble.

  1. For non-tradable sectors of the economy, it is already running red hot and printing money will not cool it.
  2. Social Disorder. Soaring wealth-income inequality will come to a head sooner or later.
  3. Fragmentation Of The Elites. The disappearing middle class will be a major concern very soon.

Migrant Chinese Ministry

I got to know the late Pastor Ng Tong San about a decade ago. He shared that he was called to share the gospel to the migrant Chinese working here.  He would assist interested local churches to start weekend worship services for these migrant Chinese workers and in 2010,  I was invited to serve and was roster-ed as worship leader and preacher in one or two such weekend worship services.

In 2011, he asked me to join him to minister to many elderly folk staying in a certain neighbourhood in Shenyang, China.  Some of the elderly folk were the parents of migrant workers here.  Commuting to the local church was difficult for these folk due to several reasons so he sponsored the rental of a shop unit for regular worship and fellowship.

His love for the Lord was evidenced by his zealous obedience in saving souls. Despite having not much in material possession and in less-than-desirable health, he was so generous in giving both time and resources for the Kingdom sake.

He had finished his race well at 63. I am sure our Lord would welcome him and said, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”

A life well lived for the Lord without any regret. A glowing encouragement to me to do likewise to the very end.

Pastor Ng was seated next to me, the third counting from the right.

The Day God “Ruined” My Life

(Shared the following message at a half way house to encourage the ex-convict brothers who are struggling with being accepted by society.)

At 39, I was at the pinnacle of success. I just had it good for only the next 2 years and Jesus asked me to give up everything to follow Him. He just came abruptly and “ruined” my life of living in dissipation and fleeting happiness.

I doubt St Paul would give up his illustrious life as a Pharisee without a Damascus encounter. So was I without the 911 encounter.

(http://www.jcmanifesto.org/vision-of-911-at-wtc-on-8-september-2001/)

Unlike the rich young ruler, but like St Paul who had more confidence in the flesh than most in Jewish society, I had to settle for a life in which I had to “suffer” now living as an exile and serve as a fool for His sake instead. Before, I was so well respected, had no financial worry, and lived in real creature comfort.

After which I began life in a new kingdom stripped of all such encumbrance but with a different peace and joy altogether :

From a life of meaningless existence to meaningful existence,

From a life of vain perishable pursuits to a life of meaningful imperishable pursuits,

From a life of vain hope to a life of real hope,

From a life lived eternally in self-scentedness to a life lived eternally in perfect love,

From a life eternally alienated from my Creator to a life eternally reconciled with Him,

You can say I chose to be Lazarus with no “quality” of life rather than the Rich Man.

You can also say I chose the reproach of Christ over the treasures of “Egypt”.

If Christ had not risen, just as St Paul said, I will be among men the most to be pitied. I should just eat, drink and be merry.  I chose to imitate St Paul as well in many areas as he imitated Christ our Lord.  I counted everything as garbage to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ our Lord.

Hallelujah ! He had risen and is coming back soon for us !