The Nouveau Poor

http://latter-rain.com/archive3/3-26-2009.htm

March 26th, 2009
The Nouveau Poor
Jan Cline

Over the centuries we have heard about those who come into sudden or even gradual wealth but because they were not “connected" with the aristocracy, they were labeled “nouveau rich". They didn't have the social graces and overall lifestyle that had been the status quo of the wealthy for many decades. Because of the economic downturn we see the opposite situation happening today where people are suddenly becoming poor but not necessarily impoverished. They probably had a really great income for a few years and didn't expect the crashing down of their whole lifestyle within a short span of weeks.

Many things from rising gas prices to home mortgage inequities have caused the economic belts of many families to tighten. As we have seen too many are losing their homes even when they have decent incomes. We now have a group of people who have been used to a luxuriant lifestyle who are finding themselves without sustainable financial means or have lost their nest-egg through the down turn of the economic markets. We'll just call them New Poor or NP for short.

The point of this message is to reveal that those who are going through upheaval because of the economic crunch are not in my definition really poor. We will see that these people have assets and many luxuries. Most have been living beyond their means not mindful of the repercussions of their behavior. If you have listened very long to the commentaries on the news it is apparent that many families have tried to live way beyond their means which has affected much more than the mortgage industry. I also want to share that the Lord has answers for His people if we are willing to change their focus and attitudes and even lifestyle to one that will sustain the whole community; the family of faithful.

Not many in America have ever really known poverty in it's pure sense nor are they close to experiencing it now. You can look into the closets of those who are screaming that they can't make it financially in this squeeze and see 100s of pairs of shoes, dozens of coats, jewelry and many other mindless purchases. I wonder if they were just bought to give them a high to soothe their cravings to fill an empty soul... A few may have had some warning signs that they were about to slide down the slippery slope to bankruptcy or worse.

I have shared for years that most households are within 30 days of total economic destruction. If one or both breadwinners would lose their incomes the “house of cards" would come crashing down. There are some solutions and alternatives to living on the edge financially but most aren't interested. Many who would be called survivalists have turned the mainstream of intelligent and teachable even politically and economically responsible citizens away with the thought of self-defense connected with the concept of self-sufficiency.

A question on my heart for years has been how do we prepare for the inevitable? How do we go from one existence to another drastically different one when we have been indoctrinated all our lives with Babylon's merchandising system. There have been quite a few who have made the decision that they would live in a more simple lifestyle and already gave up a lot of modern conveniences. I do think that it is unrealistic to expect God to provide for us from out of a corrupt world system especially when he has stated that to love the things of the world puts us in opposition to His will.

Some may even expect that God will send angels to their door with $100 bills so that they can go on living under Satan's one world government and economic system. That is not what true faith is all about. I will add here that I have spent over 25 years praying, studying and researching to be confident in my ministry to “warn the flocks of Yahweh" that we are going to go through increasingly hard times and not be just zapped out of here.

A lot of things are going to change drastically because of our own lack of discipline and understanding as much as direct involvement of God's judgment in world affairs. Here is a pertinent question that will bring about understanding of what is really happening here. How else can they (those who want to usurp and counterfeit the Kingdom on earth) implement a one world monetary control where no one can buy or sell without a mark? I do believe that YHWH will provide for us from the resources in the earth and not the world, there's a big difference.

Those who have lost their jobs are in bad shape immediately. The problem isn't that their income came to an end but that they didn't either still have continuing debt or didn't have any reserve to fall back on. They were already spending to the max and most have thousands of dollars and decades of years ahead to pay off debts besides their mortgage. In the worse cases the “free fall" is tremendous.

If you have even one small debt that is not payable you are liable to the lender. This I'm sure why God hates usury and if we were really listening to the Lord's prayer that we pray weekly we would understand the part about forgiving our debtor and debts as well as trespasses. He did have a great plan called the Year of Jubilee that can still become a part of our lives when we see how our financial choices affect our “brothers and sisters in Christ."

We see the “prosperity preachers" claiming their riches over the airwaves but I have never seen them set up a fund to give their wealth to their neighbors or partners who are in need. I have written many messages on how the “church" is out of order when they “give honor" to one another crippling their ability to maintain their own gifts and callings. Even mission trips a what I call sterilized where they spend a week or two to bless with a project or two and then come back to their comfortable homes. More on all that another time....

We as a nation have enjoyed relative prosperity for decades with a few “bumps" along the way. Yes, we could say that easy credit has been the problem with people spending too much. Yet even with a large income many are irresponsible with their stewardship as far as resources go. The scriptures have spoken about the love of money as the root of all evil. Jesus certainly shared that we were to be mindful of how to live a simple and gracious life. Lusts of the eyes and flesh and pride of life are warned about in the scriptures.

The thing that actually gives me the most concern is that many so called poor actually have soooo much stuff. I have been in both situations although perhaps not as severe as some. I have had adequate income to cover my needs and a few wants from time to time and have also had a couple of periods where I had nothing coming in to pay bills. I have most of my adult life tried to be wise with the assets that I have had at hand.

Some NP are getting the point that this is an opportunity to rearrange priorities and learn to live more simply. This helps in many ways. By not accumulating obtaining stuff that is made with disregard of the earth's resources we can help one another to have a healthier and less stressful lifestyle. There is a sobering warning in scripture that YHWH will destroy those who destroy the earth. Luke shares that it is imperative that we “watch and pray ..that we not be overtaken with surfeiting ..and the cares of this world"; Luke 21;34-35. We must not be consumed with consuming...We must realize that merchandising is the calling card of Babylon the Great.

I feel that the current generations that are earning a living in the USA are very self indulgent. I have seen some interviews on the TV where they share the stress that people are going through when they have lost their jobs. I see that they have manicured artificial nails and colored hair and designer clothes. Many homes of the so called financially hurting have a plasma TV on the wall and new car in the garage and many adult as well as children's toys. Just go into a small child's room and see numerous stuffed animals and other unappreciated games.

I say unappreciated because a week later they are wanting some other item to play with. In my childhood I was happy if I had a decent doll and a couple of games to play. I wore hand-me-downs that didn't fit. I sometimes looked like a refugee but even at that young age questioned in my mind what the big deal was with changing fashions and the social stigma towards those who didn't have the means or desire to be in vogue. Not being popular or in the right social groups can be a better foundation so that you can have perspective on what is really important.

The older children have video games galore and many already with cell phones. Easy credit has caused multiple purchases with little thought for the future or responsibility for the consumer. We live in a “throw-away society" with little regard for the value of craftsmanship and regrettably things are not made to have lasting value or longevity. I feel that we have that attitude towards people who don't meet our expectations. Many buy things out of boredom. Others are using it for some kind of a high or fix for their shopping addiction. Fashion conscious men and women need to keep ahead of their competition at work or at the social clubs and even at church.

When I read of God's judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah, He was against them for how they treated people as well as their abundance of lusts for pleasure seeking. We are an entertainment and lust driven society. We can't ignore His comments against Laodicea. They thought that they had it all except they had forgotten their God and His law of love. They were seen by Him as poor, wretched, naked and blind.

Some examples that I have happened to me personally or to a member of my family. One was a few years ago but not much has changed. My sister was helping to distribute baskets of food for Thanksgiving at her church to people in need. Her son had just received the next video system after Atari so you know this was a while ago. She thought that she would be able to bless some youngster with the Atari as it was still functional and a decent game.

A woman pulled up in a fairly new vehicle (much newer than what my sister had) and when given the food basket she mentioned that she had a son about the age of my nephew. My sister offered the video game. The woman became almost indignant saying that her boy had the newest and much more expensive model that my sister couldn't afford. I think that was the last time that my sister offered her time and energy to help the so called needy.

Look through the household of most Americans. More than one TV set or perhaps the latest big screen. I don't know anyone who doesn't have a micro wave oven or computer. I have a small rental home that unfortunately had been beaten up by some families who are on welfare or under employed. They have such a hard time paying the low rent but all of them have had cable Television installed right away and a cell phone and a computer. Of course I haven't been able to afford it but am supplying it for others.

Most skipped out without telling me while still owing rent and utilities. They had many more luxury items than what I can buy so I am actually subsidizing their bad spending decisions. Some damaged my property and even took my appliances or other things from the house. I have had no recourse because I have been told I cannot try to get any compensation from those on welfare or disability. I can't get any justice for my losses. I even had someone kick in the glass on the wood burning stove...twice.

As I said earlier I have been in the situation where I had very little or no income for many years in my life. When I faced losing my home and went to family to help me get back on my feet they were able to help some but not for long. I didn't qualify for aid even when I had young children after my divorce because I had “assets", a house that I couldn't sell because of the fallen real estate market of the area.

Around 12 years ago, my youngest son who was 20 and living with me at the time, got laid off from his part time job and I missed some days of work because of the ice and snow. Because of his age I was turned down for food stamps. We made it month to month and it gave me a strong understanding of how to live a more simple and content life with out a lot of “normal" expenses.

It helped me to keep perspective on what is really important. I have lived this way for many years after even when I did have income. I did not go to the beauty parlor, I cut everyone's hair including my own. I bought clothes from the Goodwill or garage sales. I sold any thing I could that had some value. No magazines, no new shoes, no health insurance ..... I just got by, for months at a time.

Another time my husband and I rented a farm house for $100.00 a month where the wind blew through from one rotted window to the next. The plaster was falling off the ceiling and there were animals under the porch...smelly animals. That is what we could afford at the time so we made due. We now have a nice small home that took 3 years to find. We live in a tiny town an hour away from any large city and 10 minutes from a gas station or grocery store. No we're not out of debt but at least staying current and planning ahead.

The next step will be to get some land, a small farm or acreage for the sake of the community of believers. We are transitioning to learning how to do more intensive organic gardening...we have gardened for years but need to find more efficient and sufficient ways to plant and harvest. Yes, we all will need to learn how to live off the land directly or share with those who do. Being more diligent to raise healthy animals and other food supplies can benefit everyone no matter what is going on in the world.

Up until the late 19th century most of mankind knew how to live from the bounty of the land. Jobs were mostly agricultural or dealing with directly feeding and clothing the populace. Families lives together or near one another and knew how to pull together in hard times. We've been in a very unique situation where the history of the world is concerned. Our ancestors would be in shock to see what has become of our lives as we chase after so many unnecessary, frivolous things and know so little about actual day to day provision from the earth.

We can survive on a totally different level but it will take the efforts of many people with different skills and abilities. Money will probably become obsolete when we learn to share what we have like the 1st century church. Bartering and trading are going to be the mainstay of the new economy of those who come out of her; the Babylonian system. This is a spiritual evacuation as well as a physical one as we're not just trying to save our flesh but our souls.

I'm concerned about this time now when the economy is crashing and people will have so little to show for their efforts. ... If our heart is in the world it will be devastation but if our heart is in doing the will of the Father it will be freedom. When Babylon falls there will be a period of time when just like Pharoah of Egypt was taken down, the slavery of this world system will be lifted for a time. We don't see the effect that the world economy has had on God's people so it will be a hard decision to escape the comforts of mammon and it's security blanket. We need to stop being slaves in Egypt and trying to serve two masters. We must go through the wilderness and enter into the promised land by faith.

I will repeat that in many ways the modern church has given people a wrong influence in their daily goals and expenditures. The prosperity message has overridden the message Jesus taught of being content with a comfortable and simple lifestyle. We have not learned to give to the least of our brethren with the honor we give our Lord, as one of His. Of course it is not really prosperity when you are in debt up to your eyeballs for 50 years ahead. I do see where many counselors, secular or religious, are telling people to get out of debt but that may not really solve the problem.

The system will eventually implement a card and then chip most think that will be mandatory for purchasing and selling. Are we prepared to resist the Mark of the Beast? It would help to think ahead to project into the future that we have been warned about in scripture and stop denying the reality of the snares that are being set around us. I have even read where a debtor's prison is already being established. No one can make it alone but only those who are “sold out to follow the Lord" will be able to come together as one to receive the strength to not just endure but overcome.

If we work on our prime directive to Seek First the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness; we should be gaining things that He promised...that all things would be added unto us. When we do our part, Yahweh will do His. It won't hurt to practice right now. See how you can move into relying upon God alone to supply all your needs. It is hard but necessary to move forward with confidence knowing that what He has spoken He will provide the power and wisdom to accomplish.

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