More Thoughts

Good day to each of you reading this column on some very interesting thoughts and analysis of world events.

Last week, while in Sunday School, a lady said that God would never send anyone to hell for just doing good deeds in their lifetime.

Now, I don’t know if she got this from a pastor or where but the Bible clearly states that there is no one righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10) & as a double witness, and Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV) 

⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.

These two verses above show each of us that all things and all gifts begin and end with God and by God granting us his grace that we are saved through faith in God and not of ourselves. This is God’s gift to each of us.

Don’t think that good works or deeds will do it for we all have boasted sometime of what we have done and yet did not give God the credit. 

Good works will not and I repeat, will not get you to Heaven, so if a pastor tells you otherwise, utilize both scriptures as a double witness to the pastor.

Next, I was listening to a program earlier today on the state of the USA and the wars that our President has gotten us into which include Venezuela, Iran and Greenland and now the thought of Cuba as the next target.

The Bible has shown us in various examples beginning with the Israelites that it must be God first, prayer affirmation and a sign from God to engage in war.

I must question the wars that the United States has been in since World War II and the outcome of each war.

First, the USA built back Germany at the end of World War II at the amount of roughly $4.3 billion dollars (in 1946-1952 current dollars) according to AI overview.

Next, the USA built back Japan at the end of World War II at the amount of roughly $1.9 billion to $2 billion in economic assistance between 1946 and 1952 according to AI overview.

According to AI overview, Rebuilding South Korea after the Korean War (1950–1953) involved billions in U.S. and international aid, including approximately $6 billion in loans and assistance between 1953 and 1973. From 1946 to 1976, the U.S. provided $12.6 billion in economic assistance to South Korea, helping to rebuild infrastructure and sustain the economy, which in the 1950s was among the poorest in the world.

According to https://www.nytimes.com/1975/05/01/archives/us-spent-141billion-in-vietnam-in-14-years.html

From 1961 until the surrender of the Saigon Government, the United States spent more than $141‐billion in South Vietnam, or more than $7,000 for each of South Vietnam’s 120 million people.

By the time the Paris peace accords were signed in January, 1973, more than 56,000 American servicemen had died in Vietnam, 46,000 of them in combat.

According to https://www.gao.gov/products/t-nsiad-91-34 the cost of Desert Storm & Desert Shield cost GAO discussed the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) and the Department of Defense’s (DOD) cost estimates of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. GAO noted that: (1) from the inception of the operation in August 1990 through February 1991, OMB reported incremental costs of $31.6 billion, including combat costs; (2) OMB has found no evidence to dispute the DOD $12.2-billion cost estimate for a 3-month post-combat period and redeployment; (3) the GAO-estimated incremental funding requirements for fiscal year (FY) 1991 was about $33 billion, which was lower than the OMB and DOD $60-billion cost estimate, mainly because OMB included FY 1990 costs which had already been funded, used cost estimates rather than actual costs, and included anticipated expenditures that may not result in the obligation of funds; and (4) U.S. allies contributed about $32 billion to the defense cooperation account and were expected to contribute an additional $15.3 billion. GAO believes that the overall operation costs could total more than $100 billion including $50 billion to raise, equip, and maintain the deployed force.

How much did Desert Shield cost?

This total includes about $50 billion for the direct and indirect costs to raise, equip, operate, maintain, and support a force of 540,000 personnel. It also includes an estimated $10 billion in other costs such as the forgive-ness of Egypt’s $7 billion debt to the United States.

Do you see the above in italics? A forgiveness to Egypt of a $7 billion dollar debt? Why?

According to AI overview, The U.S. war in Afghanistan (2001–2021) cost an estimated $2.3 trillion, according to the George W. Bush Library and Brown University’s Costs of War project. This figure includes direct military operations, reconstruction, and associated costs. When including long-term care for veterans and interest on debt, the total cost of post-9/11 war spending exceeds trillion.

Finally, and so far, the Iran war and in accordance with the AI overview, based on reports from March and April 2026, the U.S.-led war in Iran is costing approximately $1 billion to $2 billion per day during active, high-intensity operations, with estimated total costs already exceeding $25 billion to $35 billion within the first month.

War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing! Why, here’s where it hits you and I below the belt—look at the following from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-war-economic-impact-gas-prices-inflation-2026/

In the eight weeks since the Iran war started, the conflict has driven gas prices above $4 a gallon, strained homebuyers and pushed inflation to its highest level in nearly two years. Even if the war ends soon, Americans are likely to feel the financial sting for months, economists say.

“I think the damage has already been done, in part because there’s no going back on oil prices, at least not any time in the near future,” Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, told CBS News.

The war has disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally flows. Oil prices have jumped as a result, creating widespread consequences for Americans as they fuel their cars and book travel. As of midday Friday, Brent crude, the international benchmark, was trading at $105 a barrel, up 44% since before the war started.

Oil production will take a long time to ramp up to prewar levels of 100 million barrels a day because of the widespread damage to energy facilities across the Middle East, Zandi said.

While economists forecast that oil prices will dip later this year, they are likely to remain above pre-war levels throughout 2026, according to multiple forecasts. 

“Our view is that full normalization will still take time, especially when it comes to supply chains, when it comes to energy capacity,” said Lydia Boussour, a senior economist at EY-Parthenon, noting the “lingering impacts” of the war.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

So how does this pertain to the Bible? Iran, according to the Old Testament is named as Persia or Medeo-Persia and is found aligning with Russia or Gog-Magog in Ezekiel 38.

Please keep this in mind as I show you in Deuteronomy 28 that our country has become the tail to the head of other nations who have become financially stronger with less debt or no debt.

Our country, America, has disobeyed God’s commandments, laws and statutes and our people have become like the Israelites who disobeyed the laws and became stiff-necked.

From my last lesson, I showed the cost on “No debt, no chains” where Americans are living off credit cards in order to survive and the Federal Government is deep in debt.

I wanted you see what it has cost America to rebuild our enemies after the war and where we stand today. Deuteronomy 28:43 says the alien who lives among you will rise above you higher and higher, but you will sink lower and lower. Is this no different then the Israelites before they left Egypt with no straw to make bricks? These same countries who have bought our land have risen higher and higher while we sink lower and lower. 

Have you forgotten when the mysterious ballon from China that was shot down on the East Coast was spying on our military bases and the Chinese had bought land all so very close to those bases.

According to AI overview, look at the following:

 Several major American brands and companies are owned or controlled by Chinese firms, primarily through acquisitions in food, technology, and manufacturing. Notable examples include Smithfield Foods, GE Appliances, and Riot Games. As of 2021, Chinese entities held over 383,000 acres of US farmland. 

Key American Companies Owned by Chinese Firms

• Smithfield Foods: Acquired by WH Group (formerly Shuanghui Group) in 2013 for $4.7 billion.
• GE Appliances: Purchased by Haier Group in 2016 for $5.4 billion.
• Motorola Mobility: Bought by Lenovo in 2014.
• Riot Games: Creator of League of Legends, became a full subsidiary of Tencent in 2015.
• Nexteer Automotive: Taken over by a subsidiary of AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) in 2010.
• Lexmark: Acquired by a Chinese investor group in 2016.
• AMC Theatres: Dalian Wanda Group acquired a majority stake in 2012, though its stake has decreased in recent years.
• Karma Automotive: Founded after Wanxiang Group took over Fisker Automotive’s assets in 2014.
• Cirrus Aircraft: Owned by China Aviation Industry General Aircraft.
• Henniges Automotive: Purchased by a Chinese investment group. 

Significant Chinese Investment Areas 

• Agriculture: Significant acreage of U.S. farmland is owned by Chinese entities.
• Real Estate: High-end hospitality, such as Strategic Hotels & Resorts, has been under Chinese ownership.
• Technology/Gaming: Tencent holds substantial stakes in US gaming companies, including Epic Games (Fortnite).
• Auto Components: Multiple suppliers to US automakers are backed by Chinese capital.

As of 2021, Chinese entities held over 383,000 acres of US farmland. Incidentally, if you were to look and see where they are located, then you would find strategic locations near our military bases.

As Deuteronomy 28:44 says He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him. He will be the head, but you will be the tail.

The pattern is clear, for if we listen to our President, he made the comment two weeks ago that (Iran) a whole civilization will die tonight which he later backed down on those threats.

In previous lessons, I spoke about the tongue and its power and I know we have all said things that we regret later, but as the president, you are held to a different account and one must be mindful of what He says. 

Look at Deuteronomy 28:47-48 (NIV) ⁴⁷ Because you did not serve the Lord your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, ⁴⁸ therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you.

At the end of 1945, America was joyful for the war was over and the economy was doing well with the feeling that industry would grow expediently in the late 40’s and into the 1950’s and continue into the sixties.

America grew, industry grew, America was the head and not the tail, aerospace was on the horizon, we were the breadbasket to the world, very little debt, and a superpower to the world.

But wait, America became the tail for America threw God out of schools, abortion entered the law, debt begun to pile up and it took two to make a living. Manufacturing went from “made in the USA” to made in China or Mexico or India or other countries where we could get it made cheaper and where our American companies could make a larger profit at the sacrifice of using American versus foreign labor.

The American farmer was subsidized not to grow crops by the government and made many farmers go to bankruptcy for crops could be bought cheaper from a foreign country that from America.

As we fast forward today, America grows deeper in debt, makes shallow promises, watches the middle class disappear, squashes the American dream of buying a home, lives off credit cards, stoops to minorities and allowed the foreigner to rise above higher and higher while we sink lower and lower.

Fellow Christian, we have been told time and time again, for God hates sin and like the Israelites who had all so much, then He divorced them for their spiritual adultery. Are we any different? Have we not been warned? 

But all is not lost, for we have a remnant here in America who will kneel and pray If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and will turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Fellow Christian, this will happen for we do our best work when we are kneeling and seeking his will before our will. All is not lost and neither is this country and those of us who have been placed here, in America, and the reason we were placed here and not some alien country such as China or Russia or India.

First and foremost, we are God’s people or America and one day we, the Christian, will humble ourselves before God and seek his face and turn from evil and, in return God will heal our land for God never breaks a promise. Never!

In closing, the time is critical and look no further and read about the parable of the ten virgins as found in Matthew 25:1-13 for Jesus will be coming soon to claim his kingdom right here on earth. 

Remember, prepare now and watch for you do not know the day or the hour of his return.