This week a former Bank of England governor, Mervyn King, joined those of us giving urgent warnings about the coming ultimate financial crash. He said this, in The Sunday Telegraph: "The world is on the cusp of another crash because regulators have failed in their attempts to reform the financial system in the wake of the last crisis. Another crisis is certain, and the failure…to tackle the disequilibrium in the world economy makes it likely that it will come sooner rather than later.” Quite. So what should Christians do to prepare financially and spiritually?

Lord King says this in his new book, which The Telegraph is serialising: "Since the crisis, low interest rates have fuelled asset prices and a desperate search for yield, leaving central banks trapped 'in a prisoner’s dilemma,' unable to raise rates for fear of slowing growth and causing another downturn. However, short- term measures to maintain market confidence in the aftermath of the crisis has only perpetuated the underlying disequilibrium.

“Only a fundamental rethink of how we...organise our system of money and banking will prevent a repetition of the crisis. Without reform of the financial system, another crisis is certain, and the failure…to tackle the disequilibrium in the world economy makes it likely that it will come sooner rather than later."

I have no confidence that any central bank has the first idea how to stave off the looming disaster, which will see the world financial system melt down and, almost certainly, the crash of cash. I just saw that the G20 world financial leaders, meeting in China, have decided to "do something." Well, all they have tried so far has failed, so don't have high hopes of any improvement!

Having see the 2008 crisis coming years before it arrived I feel even more certain that the next one could be the final crash that will  usher in a one world currency, government and electronic money system, exactly as prophesied in the book of Revelation.

There will be short term panic measures, especially in China, American and at the EU's central bank, to stave off the inevitable, caused, as ever, by reckless lending and financial conjuring tricks creating vast amounts of credit, based on - nothing. So what should believers do in the face of what will be a frightening sequence of events?

People increasingly ask me for investment advice. Now, I am just a well informed amateur and offer only my opinion. I make no promises and guarantees. My background includes 16 years as co-publisher, with Pat, of a nationwide business newspaper and I can read balance sheets. However, real wisdom comes only from the Word of God, and this is what helps us assess things.

We are told in Bible prophecy exactly what the sequence of end times events is, with the focus on the Middle East, a new strong man arising in the Revived Roman Empire- the EU-and worldwide government, the New Wold Order. The coming world dictator, the Antichrist predicted in the Bible, will take power at a time of worldwide chaos. I see world events leading up to that very thing!

I speak on this to any church in America or the UK which invites me and will talk on these and other subjects, like cults and isms, at the South West Radio Ministriess conference in Oklahoma City in the first week of August. If churches in Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee or Nevada, would like to hear the latest in prophetic developments, especially in Europe and the Middle East, I am available. My contact e-mail is alan@thefreepressonline.co.uk

Meanwhile we have a small number of copies of our book on the downfall of nations and much else, Goodbye America, Goodbye Britain, still available from our web shop. Available on a first come first served basis. Our cults book is also still available as are dvds.

A lady called Annette e-mailed me some years ago asking about investments and what I suggested. Now, I have for years run our own small pension scheme with good results. You do not need to be a financial genius to safeguard your family's future, as  there may be some years to go yet. We have to carry as if the world will also, even if we see tumultuous storm clouds  darkening the sky. Common sense, logic and wisdom - which comes from the Word of God - provide the answers. I  would NOT ask paid advisors for "help," which comes at a high price.

It was clear in 2006, as now, that there was a bubble in housing and other assets in different nations and that what went up as a rocket would fall to earth as a dead stick.So here is some of the advice I gave to Annette. Assess it and also seek other counselors. Do not take investment decisions on the basis of what any one person says, but form a view over time and use your own wisdom.

Right now, I see the mega crisis looming that has been staved off by seven years of bubble finance - puffing up currencies by accounting tricks. But bills have to be paid in the end.....

Christians should be good stewards, to provide for our old age, our families and for needy Christians. There will be plenty of those in the tough times ahead. Here's some of the advice I gave: Good morning Annette. It's good to hear from you. I have realised that to find out what is happening - and going to happen - you follow the money.

If you add this to a thorough knowledge of Bible prophecy you won't go too far wrong. I have just put an article on our website which is relevant to your question. The UN has long been considering a plan to end the role of the Dollar as the world's reserve currency.

The plan is to replace it with a basket of currencies. I believe all paper currencies are weak and doomed. Even Swiss banks have messed things up. Obama and his team are crazily printing money and the world's nations are living on borrowed time. The accent is on the borrowing..... 

History tells me - and you really don't need to be a genius to work this out - that when governments do this the money will ultimately fail. So the scenario I see is a period of deflation, with prices dropping, especially now oil prices have plummeted and all commodities are at low levels of price and demand.

This will be replaced by rapid inflation - even hyper inflation, as the printing presses are further cranked up. They call it "monetary loosening." Central Banks have no other ideas on how to remedy the ongoing crisis. For nothing has been "solved" since the economic earthquake of 2008. Bankers have got rich. Most people are in reality poorer, many heavily in debt.

Mad money printing has contributed to the collapse of Zimbabwe and I never thought that America and Britain would follow the economic model of both Zimbabwe and the German Weimar Republic of the 1920s - two of the most dysfunctional economies the world has ever seen.

What should really happen is that badly run companies ought to be allowed to go broke. The government should have had no business trying to prop up mismanaged  banks and insurance companies. This is a sure way to turn good money bad - and lose all the tax receipts of future generations. It is disgraceful and wanton. I just saw that in the UK The Royal Bank of Scotland's wild expansion and reckless lending policies led to a combined loss of £50 billion - about $75 billion - since the 2008 crisis. So anyone who thinks bankers know what they are doing should look at the track record. This was one of the banks foolishly bailed out by UK taxpayers by the way. We still hold the losses!

However, few people argue against this type of policy  and the main business media seem to be all for it, and cutbacks and stringency - living within your means - are not popular.What would actually solve all the problems is first: for our nations to get back to the Bible. From Biblical wisdom all other wisdom flows.

Then governments should stop passing reams of useless laws, all of which hinder wealth creation. They should stop squandering taxpayers' money, financing foreign despots with so-called "aid" and go back to doing very little. The defence of the realm and not much else. Once people were freed up to do what they can, without being constantly told it’s against the law, or having to fill in a myriad forms, most of our problems would soon fade away. That also presupposes wisdom, stemming from good teaching of scripture in schools and churches.

However, this is not going to happen. State Socialism is the world's favorite fad. Obama is a prime exponent. I think he will go down in history as the most disastrous US President ever, worse even than the calamitous Bush. So I return to your question. There is only so much we can do to prepare.

The number one thing is to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding. He is coming back soon and we should be ready. Our number one concern, way above all financial considerations, is to tell the world this. This is a lost and dying world and people need hope. There is but one hope, the Blessed Hope. Having said this, we are also to be good stewards , as I have said.

So I think a mixture of investments is best, hedged as far as possible and not all in one country. I believe gold will again be turned to by many people around the world as realisation dawns that our governments are NOT in control, that their expensive fixes will fail and that things are going to get worse.

I don't think it matters a whole lot how you buy gold and, as you say, governments are well able to change the law and confiscate whatever they wish to. Roosevelt did this, of course. I was advising people to buy gold for years before we did so personally. Then we chose BullionVault, the company advertised at the top of our website, having thoroughly investigated the firm.

Always use a search engine to find out anything bad about such companies. Key in something like: "Critics of" followed by the name of the organization. I have found nothing negative about BullionVault. I think BullionVault is run with great probity and I like the way they do business.

They are easy to deal with, open, frank, have numerous checks and balances in place, regular audits and as many safeguards as possible. To the best of my knowledge they are the best value way to trade gold, and the process is open and fair. You can watch it all online before deciding whether to take part, by going onto their site and clicking on markets. It is fascinating! You can buy or sell in seconds at the current best prices. 

We have done it and are 100 per cent happy. My guess is that there are a few years yet before the mark of the beast system. In any case, Christians will be raptured prior to that, so it is not a great worry to me.I have no knowledge about whether BullionVault is Christian-run. However, they have integrity.

As for percentages for investment, it all depends on your circumstances. My first advice if you have spare money is: pay down all debt. The second advice is: Don't take out new credit! Make the car last a few more years and repair rather than replace. Once the needs of the family are met, always keep a reserve of cash that is readily available.I have run our own small pension fund for some years but unfortunately have not always taken my own advice!

If I were a single man I would probably sell more assets and put some money into gold. However, this would be a gamble and would leave us homeless, although homes can be rented, as can hotel rooms. So bearing in mind that I have other responsibilities, I would be cautious. Although I believe that in the next year or two gold will probably be a rising investment, it would be foolish to put everything into it.

My advice to put no more than 10 or 15 per cent of spare capital into gold is cautious but probably wise. After all, gold pays no interest. Then, neither do banks right now! Or very little. I would suggest that you look at companies that will be around come what may. Boring but safe firms, like utilities.

Many of these, like electric stocks, pay good dividends - sometimes over six per cent. However, right now is not a good time to buy. If you are able, stay liquid and save your cash until the dust settles a little. Markets are extraordinarily volatile as unease spreads worldwide.

Always invest for the medium and long term so you will sleep easily. Don't worry if the stocks go down, as they may well, despite a recent rally You don't tell me which country you are contacting me from. In Britain I like National Grid, which also operates in America. Also firms like United Utilities which pays great dividends. We are unlikely to be able to do without water and sewage treatment.....Again, I would not rush in to buy right now.

In America look at firms like Ameren, another utility firm with reasonable dividends, and telecoms. And so on. Mostly, this is just commonsense. I would avoid fashion chains or anything people can do without (although women may not be able to do without new clothes!) Dividends can always be cut and some are being cut as I write. However, long established, successful, stable companies, like Unilever, will be around for a long time. Anyway, that's some food for thought for you.

Do your own research and seek several counselors - ideally Christians. No one person gets everything right, certainly not me. What I try and do is to start people thinking laterally, thinking out of the box, thinking critically - and thinking Biblically. I do a whole teaching on the Bible and money, but that's another long story.

We must always remember that it is the LOVE of money that is the root of evil: money is just a tool we have to use. I hope this helps.  Best regards from Alan.

Below is part of the original e-mail question. Subject: Gold - The Mark? Alan, 1st thanks for the website.  I recently discovered it and find it amazing. 2nd, I read your article on buying gold.

I'm so confused, some say to buy silver and gold coins, others say it must be PRE 1933, others say it won't matter 'cos if its confiscated, they can make any ruling they want and we can't predict it.  The site you recommend says bullion is easier to sell than coins (I'd heard the opposite, but did wonder myself about how easy they'd be to sell - who, in every day life would know their value?) 

And how MUCH of our savings do we put into this. Most say no more than 20%, but if our dollar (USA) becomes worthless, that seems too low a percentage.  In any event, my concerns are that once this One World Economy begins (which I truly believe will be soon) the "Mark" won't be long behind.

How do I know I won't need the "mark" to get my gold back OUT if I put it in a vault at one of their secure locations? Do you happen to know if this is a Christian run organization??  If I need "a mark" to get my $$, it's just not worth it. Thank you again, Annette 

PS Annette: Don't worry about the mark. Christians will be raptured before people on earth have to take the Mark of The Beast.