June 14, 2018

By William Neuman and Clifford Krauss, New York Times

A note from Pastor Kevin Lea follows this article.

EL TIGRE, Venezuela — Thousands of workers are fleeing Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, abandoning once-coveted jobs made worthless by the worst inflation in the world. And now the hemorrhaging is threatening the nation’s chances of overcoming its long economic collapse, union leaders, oil executives and workers say.

Desperate oil workers and criminals are also stripping the oil company of vital equipment, vehicles, pumps and copper wiring, carrying off whatever they can to make money. The double drain — of people and hardware — is further crippling a company that has been teetering for years yet remains the country’s most important source of income.

The timing could not be worse for Venezuela’s

To read this article in its entirety, go to: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/14/world/americas/venezuela-oil-economy.html

Note from Pastor Kevin Lea:  This kind of financial collapse could come to America too if the people are deceived into voting for socialists to rule the country, as they did in Venezuela. 

Socialistic/Communistic governments and economies spring from a godless mindset of the rulers and people.  Some say that Jesus would be a socialist because of His teachings about the rich giving to the poor, but there is a big difference between what Jesus taught and government mandated socialism.

Those who believe in the biblical Jesus and trust in Him as their savior have a giving heart to minister to people as the Lord leads them.  This is why trillions of dollars (over the centuries) in time and money have been given by Christians to the spiritually and physically needy of the world. 

But when socialists get in power they forcibly take from the wealthy (thou shall not covet, thou shall not steal) and give the stolen assets to whom they choose (especially themselves).  This is not biblical and has always resulted in the complete financial collapse of those nations that practice it, bringing poverty and misery to all.  The Bible predicts that in the last days there will be global government run by a godless dictator resulting in war and financial collapse and suffering.

When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand.  And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius [day’s wage], and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.” (Revelation 6:5-6) NKJV