by Rev. Michael Bresciani–author and columnist for several online and print publications.
\n <\/p>\n
“…In the mid seventies I heard a four part message that at the time seemed impossible. It was prior to the economic boom of the eighties when home values were skyrocketing and the stock market was reaching to the stars. The message was in English and said ‘Michael you are a prophet’ then came the words ‘you will speak to the American people,’ followed by ‘This is the message you will speak, Ov, Ov Penury,’ the final word was ‘not many will come out.’…<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The message made no sense to me not only because America wasn’t experiencing shortages of almost anything but also because I hadn’t a clue what ‘Ov’ meant. The word penury wasn’t even in my vocabulary and I had to look it up.
\n <\/p>\n
I finally found that Ov is an old English contraction for ‘overmuch’ which more commonly means ‘a lot of.’ The word penury means, a state of extreme poverty or scarcity. America, in a state of extreme poverty and scarcity! Try telling that to the American dream crowd pounding away at the house in suburbia with two cars, strong college funds for the 3.5 kids, good pension plans and success in careers or business.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I took some consolation in the fact that the exact same message was given to Pastor David Wilkerson of New York City’s ‘Times Square Church.’ …Wilkerson published a book called ‘The Vision.’ In The Vision Wilkerson detailed the amazing events that God revealed to him after he fasted and went into a long prayer vigil.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
From then to now every single element of the revelation given to Wilkerson has already happened with the exception of one. That part of his vision seems to have been delayed until now just like my own. He saw a stock market dive and other economic disasters that would leave the country reeling…The world’s greatest ‘super power’ is in for an awakening. It is apropos that judgments, chastisements and corrections should come to America through economic hardships but why. Put simply it is the only language we never misunderstand. The American dream consists of everything we hold dear, the home, the cars, plenty of everything and untouchable security. You can speak of the threat of terrorists or the explosive situation brewing in the Middle East but our own economic woes are as close to home as it gets.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
My view of what God has told me has been colored, reinforced and given more particulars by a careful comparison of our history, other biblical prophecies and the general moral state of the nation over the past forty years. My view is that we will undergo a deepening of the economic crisis until the fluff is blown away. What fluff you say?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Almost everything that we take for granted will no longer be granted. Jobs will dissolve by the tens of thousands; goods will be harder to find including ordinary food supplies. Grain will not be used for fuel because it will be too precious. Banks will close, fortunes will be lost and the precious metals purchased for backup will be useless. The line from an old Christian song says it best, ‘A piece of bread would buy a bag of gold.’ Pension funds will collapse or be diverted and securities and bonds will diminish rapidly in value. Stocks will plummet from blue chips to tech stocks. The word survival will once again take the place of success and riches as keywords in our everyday conversations as they did during the great depression.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The message was appendaged with the words ‘not many will come out.’ I have never doubted what that means. Clearly the modern apostate church and the world at large will not haste to heed this warning. Human nature is ancient but little has changed in it. As in the old world today folks will cozy up to the voices that promise great things to come with no downside attached. Ancient prophets always gave their messages to point people to the leaving God not to gather adherents to their own doorstep. Today it would be possible to preach the gospel of salvation of the divine pumpkin pie if you have a good enough publicist and access to some major TV time. For that ‘they will come out,’ not God’s words but mine. But don’t worry there will always be ‘Philadelphian’ type churches throughout America until the very end. (Rev. 3: 7f)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Some have asked where they should put their money. In keeping with the biblically derived formula that money saved is usually money wasted, money spent is money used and money given is money saved; I have only one answer. Give it away, as much as you possibly can. (Mt. 6:19) Find some organization that feeds and clothes children or drills wells in villages without clean water or give it to orphanages or ministries that are getting the gospel out. You will become rich in ways that have nothing to do with personal gain.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The poverty or scarcity God speaks of has nothing to do with hurting or harming the nation. It is a wake up call or what the bible calls ‘chastisement’ for the most obvious reasons, God loves us. In the famous story of the prodigal son in the fifteenth chapter of Luke one element of the story that is almost always overlooked is what caused the prodigal to get so low that he had to feed pigs and to avoid starvation he was even tempted to eat some of their food. The element not often mentioned is the fact that he squandered the fortune that was given to him from his inheritance. He wasted the blessings of his father without regard to the future. He lived riotously and the party seemed like it would never end. All parties end.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Why does God send prophets, messengers and preachers to us so steadily so faithfully? I’ll let him answer that for himself from a passage found in the illustrious version of the bible known as the ‘Message.’ by Rev. Michael Bresciani–author and columnist for several online and print publications. “…In the mid seventies I heard a four part message that at the time seemed impossible. It was prior to the economic boom of the eighties when home values were skyrocketing and the stock market was reaching to the stars. The message<\/p>\n
\n‘Think about this. Wrap your minds around it. This is a serious business, rebels. Take it to heart. Remember your history, your long and rich history. I am God, the only God you’ve had or ever will have – incomparable, irreplaceable – From the very beginning telling you what the ending will be, All along letting you in on what is going to happen, Assuring you, I’m in this for the long haul. I’ll do exactly what I set out to do.’ Isaiah 46: 8-10<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"