[Music] the world around us is changing at an alarming rate with every headline and every news report revealing shifts that would have seemed unimaginable just a few years ago from the rapid decline of cash in everyday life to record high levels of household and national debt these Trends are not only reshaping our economy but also Point toward deeper spiritual questions as we dive into this message I want us to look at what these changes really mean not just for our day-to-day lives but for our faith there's a shift happening in how people buy sell and
live that goes beyond economics it feels like the world is building towards something bigger something that Believers need to be alert to Dave Ramsey recently appeared on a podcast discussing how the world is steadily moving toward a cashless Society his conversation touched on themes that closely align with the economic control described in Revelation 13 sparking reflection on the prophetic implications of a cashless world a big picture there's a weird incentive here because there are are the forces of totalitarianism want to get rid of cash of course because it cash cannot be controlled in the way
that digital currency can be controlled all of our cash comes through the banks M the government gets us cash through banks but banks have a massive incentive to get rid of cash also because they're profiting from credit cards very and very labor intensive to screw with the cash well exactly uh and dirty by the way yeah um so banks have once again every incentive to eliminate the use of cash in the United States in this first clip Tucker Carlson touches on a topic that is becoming increasingly relevant in both secular and Christian circles Carlson States
the forces of totalitarianism want to get rid of cash of course because cash cannot be controlled in the way that digital currency can be controlled his words highlight a rising awareness that the world is trending toward a cashless Society where physical money could become obsolete remarkably people from all walks of life Believers and non-believers alike are recognizing this shift and its implications for personal freedom and privacy while the Bible doesn't explicitly state that the last days or the rule of the Antichrist will involve a cashless Society it does foretell a period marked by unprecedented economic
control as described in Revelation consider Revelation 133: 16-17 and he causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the Mark or the name of the Beast or the number of his name while this passage doesn't directly reference a cashless Society it vividly portrays a system of economic control where only those who bear a particular Mark are able to participate in the economy the move toward digital currency in many
ways makes this kind of control possible on a global scale and so it's understandable that even people who don't consider themselves religious are growing uneasy realizing the trajectory of this world seems to align with what scripture describes let's delve into what Carlson refers to as the forces of totalitarianism that seek to eliminate cash it's worth cons considering whether these forces are purely human or if there could be a spiritual Dimension involved in the Bible we're taught that the enemy Satan is the God of this world we see this in 2 Corinthians 4:4 and one of
his chief aims is control control over lives thoughts and eventually actions moving away from cash and relying solely on digital means of exchange would make it far easier to control what people can buy where they can go and ultimately how they live this type of system can potentially be weaponized to favor those who align with specific ideologies while suppressing those who stand against them or more specifically those who receive a mark and those who do not or even more specifically those who worship the first Beast or those who do not in Practical terms a cashless
society means every transaction is recorded leaving little to no room for privacy today cash transactions are often made privately and anonymously they don't leave a trace that that can be easily monitored or tracked but in a cashless world every transaction becomes a digital footprint this digital footprint could theoretically be tracked controlled or even restricted by removing cash from the system an infrastructure begins to form that aligns eerily well with the description in Revelation in such a world the ability to monitor everyone's spending habits purchasing choices and financial priorities would be significantly heightened those in power
could selectively block or allow transactions based on compliance with certain standards or beliefs the Bible warns that a time is coming when the forces of evil will seek control over every aspect of our lives especially economically Revelation 13 gives us a glimpse into a future where no one can buy or sell without a particular Mark if the currency is fully digital such control would indeed be feasible with no cash Alternatives every transaction would pass through a Central Authority capable of deciding who can and who cannot participate in the economy this level of influence over our
day-to-day lives could potentially allow those forces of totalitarianism to create a world where descent becomes economically challenging or even impossible in this context the elimination of cash could very well be seen as a step toward making the Fulfillment of Revelation 13: 16 and 17 achievable if Believers and non-believers alike are starting to see this it's likely because because the world's Direction mirrors the prophetic warnings given to us in the Book of Revelation later in the interview Dave Ramsey discusses how large corporations are gathering people's data and how using cash can help keep individuals somewhat Off
the Grid he explains that with this data companies can track almost every detail about specific households or families data and they use the data to sell us more and I mean Google's doing that we know that we know Apple's doing that that's not it's not rocket surgery we know this is going on but so cash gets you off the grid cash represents freedom so it is antithesis for totalitarianism the the ability people use cash I feel like people don't use cash anymore not not as much not as much it's way down in this clip Tucker
and Dave bring attention to the steady drop in cash usage among American households which reflects a growing shift toward a cashless Society according to the Federal reserve's Diary of consumer payment Choice cash use fell significantly from 26 % of all transactions in 2019 to only 19% by 2021 this decline aligns with Trends accelerated by the covid-19 pandemic as health concerns and changes in retail operations have pushed people toward contactless and digital payment options furthermore a recent study by Pew research shows that approximately 41% of Americans report not using any cash in a typical week a
notable increase from just 24% in 2015 higher inome households in particular lead this trend 59% of those earning over $100,000 per year report making all their purchases without cash a significant rise from 43% in 2018 according to Pew research this pattern is partly due to the increasing availability and convenience of digital payment options such as mobile wallets and contactless cards the decreasing Reliance on cash raises questions about privacy and control especially as the infrastructure for cashless transactions becomes more pervasive according to the Federal Reserve the shift toward cashless payments not only reflects consumer preferences but
also retailer policies encouraging card or digital payments limiting cash as an option cash transactions offer a level of privacy that digital payments do not as cash exchanges do not leave digital records that can be easily tracked or monitored in a world without cash however every purchase would create a data trail contributing to a centralized system that could exert significant control over individual choices for Christians this shift has prophetic implications a cashless Society aligns with the economic control described in Revelation 13: 16 and 17 which speaks of a time when one cannot buy or sell without
a specific Mark as we move further into this era of digital only transactions such control becomes increasing inly feasible so how much um debt is the average American carrying on credit cards 37,000 37 th per like per mhm yeah that's the current averages I mean depending on who you read and who you believe I have we haven't done that research at ramsy but we've we've looked it up I mean $37,000 yes at what interest rate I 18 to 28 is the range on on cars well that's just crazy town yeah yeah and if you had
30 $7,000 in credit card debt wouldn't you be scared uh they are and so when the cost of bread goes up and supply chain screws with their grow in this clip Tucker and Dave shift the focus to the growing Consumer Debt burden in the US emphasizing the significant rise in both personal and national debt as of the second quarter of 2024 total household debt in the United States has reached a staggering $17.8 trillion reflecting a steady increase influenced by infl and Reliance on credit to manage Rising living costs according to the federal reserve's quarterly report
on household debt and credit this debt includes mortgages auto loans student loans and credit card debt notably credit card debt alone has surpassed $1.14 trillion for the first time signaling an increased dependency on revolving credit for everyday expenses from groceries to larger purchases furthermore the report illustrates how credit usage has surged Ed across various income levels with higher income households often leading this trend on a broader scale the national debt raises even more concern as of October 24 2024 the US national debt has reached an unprecedented 35.81 trillion a figure that represents long-term fiscal challenges
for the country as people observe these unsettling Trends they are not just passively watching but actively sensing that these are the last days unfolding Before Their Eyes the sense of an imminent significant event is almost palpable it's a continuous nagging intuition that something far bigger than just an economic downturn or social unrest is on the horizon this intuition is real and constant driven by both observable events and an internal awareness that history is on the cusp of a dramatic change the anticipated change is the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ a fervent hope that resides
deeply in the hearts of True Believers today Born Again Christians around the world find themselves in complete agreement with John as he concluded the penultimate verse of the Bible passionately declaring even so come Lord Jesus this heartfelt cry resonates from the depths of their souls yearning for the return of their savior he is the precious Jesus the one who selflessly gave gave his life for Humanity the thought of heaven with its Indescribable Beauty and eternal peace fills their hearts with an overwhelming longing this heavenly promise is what their Spirits crave Above All Else as they
observe the unfolding events in the world Christians are driven to their knees in prayer echoing John's Earnest plea even so come Lord Jesus this prayer is not just a repetition of words but a profound expression of Faith and Hope this Collective anticipation unites Believers creating a powerful sense of community and shared purpose their unwavering faith in Jesus Christ sustains them providing strength and courage to face the challenges of life as they await his glorious return their hearts are filled with hope knowing that the Fulfillment of this Divine promise will bring unimaginable blessings and eternal Peace
So with every five of their being they continue to pray and believe even so come Lord Jesus
