These past few weeks the United States has been at war with Iran in support of Israel. As the weeks went by Iran began to cut off passage through the Strait of Hormuz causing a serious cessation of regular shipping throughout the world of oil.

Consumer costs have escalated due to pandemic-era supply chain breakdowns, massive central bank money expansion to fund fiscal deficits, global energy shocks, structural labor and housing shortages, and recent trade tariffs. These factors created compounding cycles of cost-push and demand-pull inflation.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights the primary specific drivers accelerating prices across the economy:

• Housing & Shelter: Ongoing severe housing deficits and rising mortgage rates forced rental and homeownership costs upward, single-handedly accounting for nearly two-fifths of current annual inflation.
• Energy & Oil Shocks: Protracted geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East and supply curbs pushed gasoline and utility costs to multi-year highs, trickling down to all shipping and manufacturing expenses.
• Trade Tariffs: Broad baseline duties on imported goods increased the manufacturing and retail costs of everyday items.
• Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure: Unprecedented capital booms in AI required immense compute and data center capacity, which strained domestic power grids and increased everyday electronics costs.
• Corporate Profit-Taking & Shrinkflation: As supply chains struggled, large producers took the opportunity to pad profit margins and reduce package quantities without lowering prices (shrinkflation)

The American public has sought to blame our politicians for their troubles. Yet, behind these media stories, government reports, and politicians rhetoric it comes down to greed and focus on attaining material wealth, money, and for some, power.

The Lord has much to say about greed and wealth. Pray for a return to The Father, focusing on Him and not money. Yeshua (Hebrew for Jesus) suffered greatly and died for us that we would follow Him to paradise. Amen.

Psalm 73

Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure. But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong. They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else. They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty. These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for! They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others. They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth. And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words. “What does God know?” they ask. “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?” Look at these wicked people— enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply. Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain. If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people. So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is! Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors. When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning. Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

Psalm 62:10

Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life.

Matthew 6:24

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Luke 12:15 / 12:33 – 34

Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

1st Timothy 6:7-10

After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Hebrews 13:5

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

1st Peter 5:2

Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.

Psalm 49

Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world! High and low, rich and poor—listen! For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight. I listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp. Why should I fear when trouble comes, when enemies surround me? They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches. Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God. Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough to live forever and never see the grave. Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind. The grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever. They may name their estates after themselves, but their fame will not last. They will die, just like animals. This is the fate of fools, though they are remembered as being wise. Interlude Like sheep, they are led to the grave, where death will be their shepherd. In the morning the godly will rule over them. Their bodies will rot in the grave, far from their grand estates. But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interlude So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid. For when they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave. In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success. But they will die like all before them and never again see the light of day. People who boast of their wealth don’t understand; they will die, just like animals.