He cried and cried as he told me the story. There was alcohol on his breath. He volunteered that he had just finished a tall can of beer and that the empty can was in the car. I said, “You can pull out of our driveway a free man. I have a sledgehammer with which to crush the can and crush the demon of addiction forever.” He did not accept my offer. I kept the can and had him write his name and the date on it with a marker pen. I said, “If you ever change your mind, I’ll be waiting for you with open arms. And you don’t have to bring a load of firewood to be welcome here.”

We unloaded the wood while having more intimate conversation. There were more tears and more hugs. It felt as if he was that long lost prodigal son who had returned home. We were bonded like a father and son before he left. I was ready and eager to butcher the fatted calf and celebrate his home coming. I gave him a strong cup of coffee before he pulled out of the driveway. I did not want him to be stopped by the police and arrested and cited for driving under the influence of alcohol. The question I am asking myself and asking you, “Should I buy another load of firewood from him if there is alcohol on his breath?” Should I buy another load of firewood from him if he is not willing to crush the empty can of beer he left with me?” Should we buy firewood from anyone with alcohol on their breath?” Rebekah said, “The fact he was not just asking for a hand-out but was willing to cut firewood is to his credit.” That’s a good word. There are many other addictions that trap us and destroy our life and make us the prisoners of cruel taskmasters. I cannot rest until I confront them one at a time with my pen and flaming prayer sword. The last time I picked up my fiery and fierce pen, I zeroed in on the addiction of gambling. Today I am compelled to address a far more universal addiction: Spending money we don’t have. Buying things we do not need and cannot afford, and engaging in wars that the next generation has to pay for. Individually and corporately we have accumulated a sea of red ink in which we and yet unborn generations will be drowning. We are trapped by a monetary system whose objective is to keep us enslaved by debt. It is cleverly designed in such a way that the borrower is seldom able to pay his debts in full. It is not a benevolent system. Only when the borrower defaults or fails to pay his creditors on time, does he become aware of its ruthless nature. Encouraging borrowers to become and stay debt free is not a part of the agenda. It’s a system hatched in the dark back alleys of man’s sinful, greedy nature. The insatiable appetite for more and more gold on the part of its designers has fueled such systems from the beginning of recorded time. God used Moses and a rod to bring a whole nation out of the clutches of Pharaoh and his cruel taskmasters. We can read about this in the Book of Exodus. In God’s time Pharaoh was brought to his knees and stripped of his power when the death angel killed every firstborn and his army was swallowed up by the Red Sea. That was God’s doing and God will do it again, but differently! Today we are drowning in a sea of red ink. Most of us have added a drop or two to that sea mixed with our sweat and tears. Every person who is living beyond their means and spending money that is borrowed is adding to a sea of debt that is overflowing its banks. And yes, that money is flowing into the vaults of banks! Credit cards make it far too easy to make reckless purchases by those who have never been taught to use them. It’s all a scam on the part of the Prince of Darkness to enslave as many as he can. Today more people are in debtor’s prisons than ever before. Has Satan won? He may think he has; but he is dead wrong – yes, dead and wrong! When Jesus was nailed to the cross, Satan celebrated, but not for long. There is another EXODUS coming. I will do my part to hasten its arrival. Yes, Satan and his cohorts will rot in a prison that he built for his slaves. I have the Lord’s permission to be angry and stay angry until the fury in my soul is released and His strategy is in place. God gave his servant Moses a rod. God has given his servant Peter a pen and the gift of words. He has also given him the Internet to trumpet the words into the four corners of the world. Sometimes the pen is filled with favor and the grace of God, at other times with the fury of an angry God. Jesus is not only the Lamb of God, but He is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah who has prevailed. The Lion of Judah has come onto the scene. I can hear his roar!

This writer has been thoroughly chastened and changed by assuming burdensome debts. He has been in the refiner’s fire for many years, nearly crushed by suffocating debts. Some of these he willingly agreed to. Others he innocently and ignorantly agreed to. Money lenders can cleverly bury and disguise conditions in contracts that the common man cannot understand. They are hidden in the fine print that is cumbersome to read. Money lenders have been known, even trained, to take unwary customers to the cleaners. Many so-called successful salesmen bully people into buying things they don’t need, can’t afford and should not own in the first place. When they spot a sucker, they take him for all he is worth and brag about it to their peers. When we are desperate, hungry, homeless and cold, we are an easy target for unscrupulous money lenders. Loan sharks who offer advances on paychecks are one of the worst kind.

I do not trust the kingdoms of this world and the way they do business. I do not indiscriminately trust anyone, myself included. I have learned that my motives may not always be pure and selfless. Any organization large or small that makes profit its number one priority is an offense to God and to me. Greed and the lust for more power and greater profits has a unique stench all of its own. It stinks to high heaven; and God has taken note of the stench. I can smell it. God is angry, very angry and so am I. He has placed that anger into my soul and pen. I am now pouring it into this epistle/missile. May it be like a firebrand that will encourage many to demolish their prison bars. Ministers and ministries that measure their success by the number of people in their pews and the size of their budget are an abomination to God. Just because a ministry is feeding the hungry and homeless is no guarantee that its motives are pure. Whether I walk into a church or a store, I can usually smell the stench of greed and deception. Nothing is hidden from an all-seeing and all-knowing God. I may have been fooled once; but if I am fooled a second time, I am the fool. I have had to learn this the hard way. Most of us usually do. Hopefully I can now walk into a church and know if someone wants my money or wants to save my soul. Are we wearing a disguise of benevolence that hides a sinister agenda? Have I ever done it? Am I capable of doing it? Have I ever been tempted to do it? Can a leopard change his spots? Good questions! Whenever I meet someone who co-mingles ministry and mammon, I get sick to my stomach. It’s like using the house of God to merchandise our “products.” Some churches are even known to encourage such merchandising. I asked someone the other day, “What are you doing for fellow believers.” He replied, “I sell them health and beauty products.” Yak! Today is the day for me to vent my anger. I invite you to add your voice and vote to these words. Anger is fueling my pen and prayer sword today. Yes, there is a place for righteous anger. Jesus is our role model. Strategy is the name of the game and deception is Satan’s trump card. Satan has been around longer than you and I. He never sleeps and has many tricks up his sleeve. But the Living God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has been around a lot longer. He is and has the first word and the last word. He is still in control and always will be. Satan’s days on earth are numbered; and he knows it. That’s why he is so stressed out. Is he still squatting on the throne of my heart? Jesus showed me that I have the heart of another Peter. When I surrendered my life to Christ I lost all my braggin’ rights. The events of 9/11, hurricane Katrina and the melt-down of our economy are only a foretaste of what is to come. These cataclysmic events have come as no surprise for many. God always warns us both individually and corporately through his prophets before He releases the fury of His indignation. He has used the weather, earthquakes, the economy, sickness and disease, and ruthless kings to wake us up and shake us up. My God is gentle and fierce, forgiving and stern. Both love and discipline are the signatures of His love.

I write these words to offer and show you individually and corporately a safe passageway out of the debtor’s prison. It’s a simple plan and will not require a Philadelphia lawyer to interpret it for anyone. I am here to show you a safe passage across the turbulent sea of red ink. Satan does not care for this plan because it undermines and exposes his strategy and robs him of his prisoners – you and me. Above all, adopt the posture of another apostle Paul. He learned to rejoice and praise God whether he was in prison or out of prison. While in prison, he seized the opportunity to convert the jailer and the jailer’s family. If a money lender or creditor is your jailer, tell him about Jesus and God’s love and mercy. If he receives Jesus and like Matthew, the tax collector, follows Him, rejoice! If he mocks Jesus, shake the dust off of your feet. Jesus said, “Let the dead bury the dead.” Because of my own imprisonment I am allowed to feel the shackles of those who are still languishing in a debtor’s prison. By the grace of God and the refuge I have taken in the will and Word of God, my wife Rebekah and I have been out of a debtor’s prison for the past ten years. For us this is a great victory; for Satan this is a major defeat. Two of his prized prisoners have escaped. We had been like two of his trophy Jersey cows that he milked every day year in and year out while he did nothing, nothing but check how much milk – interest – he got from his cows. He can no longer milk us. We are no longer tithing to him. We are no longer paying tribute to him. We are no longer “cowing down” to him. Money lenders don’t produce anything; they just collect money, count money and keep a ledger of what is owed to them. One time we received a check for 400 dollars from Israel and were charged 140 dollars by the bank to cash it. The only time money lenders have to get off of their “throne” is to go to the “bath-throne;” yet they have learned to hold many of God’s people hostage for years on end. Each of their debtors is wearing an invisible ankle bracelet so that jailers can keep track of them. Before too long ankle bracelets will be replaced by identifying chips in the prisoners’ hands in lieu of credit cards in wallets. The system is cruel. It is evil. It is self-serving, deceptive and rotten to the core. Ask anyone who has worked behind the scene in the credit card industry. It reminds me of the poem, “The Spider and the Fly” by Mary Howitt. Read the poem and let it speak to you and warn you. Am I the spider or the fly or am I in the habit of switching sides? Am I a money lender or am I working for a money lender? Jesus turned over the money-changers’ tables 2000 years ago and He will do it again. The fury of the Lord is moving through this writer’s pen. The money changers’ tables shall be overturned.

Having been a fellow prisoner with you, the reader, allows me to speak up and speak out. I do so without condemnation or judgment. I am to give you the same keys that have opened my prison doors. Whether an individual or a group of believers is reading these words, know they are universal keys. They work for individuals, churches, and businesses

alike that listen to and honor God and His Word. And who is God? His name is Jesus. He is my Lord and also my Commander-in-Chief. It is written that “…. every knee above the earth, on earth and under the earth shall bow to Jesus.” The very first step into freedom must be that we honestly and courageously acknowledge every outstanding debt. Debt and sin in some cases may be related. We must honor all debts to the best of our ability. If that is not possible, we must humbly and courageously petition our creditors to either cancel them, reduce the amount we owe or lower the interest rate. Filing bankruptcy may hurt our credit rating and pride, but it is not the unpardonable sin. In fact, declaring bankruptcy may herald your year of jubilee. Suicide or disappearing without leaving a forwarding address is never to be viewed as a legitimate option out of a debtor’s prison.

We must carefully and rigorously review our debts and ask ourselves, “Did I involve God and allow Him to say “YES” or “NO” to the contracts I signed and the purchases I made. If the answer is “NO,” we must repent and do so quickly. God wants and needs to be a part of every decision and transaction in our life, both large and small. Repentance is the key to freedom. Obedience to the Word and will of God guarantees our continued freedom. It is written, “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” Jesus forgives; but He also said to the adulterous woman, “Go and sin no more.” If He says to you, “Don’t buy another beer or pack of cigarettes”, don’t do it! Is that easy? “NO.” Saying “NO” when we have always said “YES” is not easy. Only wimps always say “YES.” Just ask an ex-smoker – me. We have to ask Jesus daily for the strength and courage to obey and keep our commitments to Him, to others and to ourselves. “Ask and it shall be given to you.” I am to offer a corporate challenge to every group of believers, every congregation, large or small. The next time you come together, challenge every person to write down the amount of money owed. Collect the slips of paper in lieu of a regular offering. No doubt, everyone will be staggered when the total corporate debt is added and announced. Follow this up at a subsequent meeting or meetings with an altar call. Ask everyone to prepare themselves ahead of time. Ask those who have spent money foolishly to satisfy the lust of their flesh to make a public confession. Ask those who have abused their credit cards and are ready to repent to do so publicly. For example, going on a cruise or to a sports event for which we do not have the money, is to be included. Charging a meal on our credit card for which we don’t have the ready reserve, is irresponsible. If repentance is genuine and individuals demonstrate their willingness to stay away from “junk anything,” God will undertake individually and corporately. He will resurrect the Book of Acts where believers had all things in common. There will be those with property or other investments who will be prompted by the Holy Spirit to liquidate their holdings and make the money available for the common good of all believers.

Before this plan will work and catch fire, everyone must first plug up the holes in their own pockets; and I mean everyone. Believers must be of one accord just like in the Book of Acts. Those who

mock such a plan or drag their feet must be given the left foot of fellowship. We must hold and continue to hold each other accountable for the way we spend our resources. Time is also a resource. Are we willing to crush that can of beer and can of chewing tobacco? Are we willing to say “NO” to soft drinks or another pack of cigarettes? Are we willing to say “NO” to another cruise or trip to the football stadium? Are we willing to entertain each other rather than being entertained at great expense by the world? There are many “conference junkies” who are spending tons of money at the drop of a hat to go

here and there. What are the names of the holes in your pocket? Identify the holes, sew them shut and your God and my God will meet all of your needs sooner and sometimes a little later.

Now I will do a little meddling. Rebekah just told me that of all the food and drink items sold, the largest amount is spent on soft drinks – soda pop. If that applies to you, switch to water, not bottled water; and then use the change to pay your creditors. This won’t be easy, but the rewards will be out of this world – guaranteed! Send your cut-up credit card with a letter of explanation to someone who will applaud your victory and be challenged to do the same. That will be better

than any Christmas present you might have sent them. If necessary, kick yourself in the butt to get started. Yes, get started. And tell someone that you have switched – switched from soft drinks to water, from beer to water, and from smoky air to fresh air. Tell someone that you have turned over a new leaf and sewn the holes in your pockets shut. Tell them the names and sizes of the holes. God loves you and so do I. The fear of the Lord is my protection. The fire and fury of God burning in my bones today is my fuel. The joy of the Lord is my strength. Gratitude for being forgiven and debt free is my daily thank offering to God. I ask Him about everything. He told me to write to you and I can’t do otherwise. Jesus asked His heavenly Father about everything. We are told to follow in His footsteps. I am trying to be obedient in all matters large and small. Let’s kick Satan in the butt by trusting and obeying God. If you have accepted my challenge, I would love to hear from you so that I can cheer for you. I pray that these words will be like a life preserver and a ray of hope for those drowning in a sea of red ink. I pray that these words will also be your marching orders. Let’s dry up that sea of red ink one soft drink, one beer, and one pack of cigarettes at a time. We must be violent. Jesus said, “The violent take the Kingdom of Heaven by force,” in other words, wimps and lukewarm believers don’t get in. Let’s go to war! All of us are to have part in destroying the kingdoms of this world by not borrowing any more money. Let’s give mammon and money lenders the left foot of fellowship and get started today! We can destroy the kingdoms of this world by paying our debts. That way we will never have to “cow down” to the Pharaohs of this world again. Sooner or later they must and will all learn that all their earthly thrones are worthless thrones in God’s economy and kingdom. There is only one throne and Jesus is already sitting on it. There is only One Lord and One God and his name is JESUS. He is ruling in heaven and soon will rule on earth. The difference between “The Word” and the “The World” is the letter “L”. The letter “L” stands for Lucifer. Let’s take him out of the equation. The time for EXODUS TWO is at hand. It might even be called “The Rapture of the Church.” Jesus said that one would be taken and one would be left behind. Let’s hurry it into existence. Let’s pray it into existence. Let’s get dressed for battle and make it happen. I am keeping oil in my lamp and my wick trimmed. Let’s finish what Jesus started 2000 years ago. Let’s exercise extreme faith and obedience. Obedience is to be our objective, not a life of ease filled with conveniences. Abraham and the patriarchs are great role models. Let’s stay focused, ready, and fierce until the kingdoms of this world are completely dismantled and demolished and all POWS (Prisoners of the World Systems) are free. Let us go to war together so that we can celebrate together. Let us not rest until we have entered into His rest. Mark my word, “Money as we know it today will not be worth the paper it’s printed on.” That day is fast approaching. Not even a gold coin will buy a loaf of bread. Only the grace of God and the love between the brethren will sustain us. There is only one safe place, “Under the shelter of His Wings and Will.” I am fiercely determined to do what I am told to do. I did not write these words; I just took dictation from my Commander-in-Chief. Read them to your church; read them to your employees; read them to your children and grandchildren. Whoever hates these words, can file their complaints with Jesus. Peter Laue The Lord’s Scribe & Storyteller

My Flaming Prayer Sword

The Sword of the Lord – Strongholds are Coming Down by Rebekah Laue