"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."*
- Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931 - 2005
Monday, February 16, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Does anyone think the "bailout" will work?
So, I'm just thinking, does anyone think the bailout will work? If so I'd like to hear from you.
I'm pretty twisted about it. I think the economy is showing signs of straightening out without $280,000,000,000,000 (did you see all those zeroes?)worth of debt piled on top of our already crazy deficit. I think that if we would enforce the laws that already exist, possibly add a few more to oversee the ridiculous loaning practices that got us here, and encourage spending by cutting some taxes, we could figure it out. I DEFINITELY don't think anyone in Washington DC can figure it out! GGGRRRR!
The Bible says that the borrower is slave to the lender. Anyone think that it's a good idea for America to be a slave to China or Saudi Arabia? Exactly where do we think that money is coming from? Yeah, that's right. We're borrowing from our good friends, the Chinese and the Saudis! I'm sure they have our best interests at heart though, right?
I'd be truly worried if I didn't think that God has this under control. I don't think that means it will work out in a way that is comfortable though. I think that he will use it for his purposes - which are always more concerned with our character than our comfort.
I'm pretty twisted about it. I think the economy is showing signs of straightening out without $280,000,000,000,000 (did you see all those zeroes?)worth of debt piled on top of our already crazy deficit. I think that if we would enforce the laws that already exist, possibly add a few more to oversee the ridiculous loaning practices that got us here, and encourage spending by cutting some taxes, we could figure it out. I DEFINITELY don't think anyone in Washington DC can figure it out! GGGRRRR!
The Bible says that the borrower is slave to the lender. Anyone think that it's a good idea for America to be a slave to China or Saudi Arabia? Exactly where do we think that money is coming from? Yeah, that's right. We're borrowing from our good friends, the Chinese and the Saudis! I'm sure they have our best interests at heart though, right?
I'd be truly worried if I didn't think that God has this under control. I don't think that means it will work out in a way that is comfortable though. I think that he will use it for his purposes - which are always more concerned with our character than our comfort.
Monday, February 2, 2009
As I worship the last few days I feel my heart preparing for Easter. Pondering the reality that the Great and Holy One lay down on a cross and allowed mere men to nail Him, mock Him and kill Him – never speaking a word against them but interceding for them even as the Father turned His back on His Only Son.
Today I am especially thinking about it in relation to how easily we are offended. Someone disagrees with us or is rude to us or slights us in some way and we refuse to lay it down, refusing to forgive and allow love to cover a “multitude of sins”. Rather than interceding for the offender, we accuse them within our hearts and frequently to others and to the Father. Or something goes wrong in our lives – a dream is not realized, a deeply loved one dies, a marriage dies – and we cry out to the Lord, “How can you do that to me? I don’t deserve that!” as if the Eternally Faithful One has been unfaithful to us.
When our Lord was nailed to the cross, he cried out for his accusers, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing!” When the Father turned his back as the sin of the world covered Him and separated them for the first time in eternity and He cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He then said “Into Your hand I commit my spirit.”
‘Into your hand I commit my spirit’ – ‘I still trust you Lord’. Through it all, I trust you. Through all the pain, I trust you. I trust in your unfailing love. As I strive to understand that kind of faith, that kind of love, I go to the Psalms he quoted on the cross. Psalm 22 begins with “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” and ends with “They will come and will declare His righteousness to a people who will be born that He has performed it.” Jesus was still trusting even as he sensed the Father turning His back on Him. He saw the people not yet born who would have righteousness declared to them because of the work He was accomplishing at that moment and He trusted that God would bring it to pass. “Into your hand I commit my spirit”.
My I have the kind of faith in God and love for others that says “no matter what you do or say to me, I trust that my heavenly Father is using it for His purpose in my life. I will intercede for you. I will stand in the place of love for you no matter how much it hurts. I will forgive you and even lay my life down for you.”
Philippians 2:5-8 “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Today I am especially thinking about it in relation to how easily we are offended. Someone disagrees with us or is rude to us or slights us in some way and we refuse to lay it down, refusing to forgive and allow love to cover a “multitude of sins”. Rather than interceding for the offender, we accuse them within our hearts and frequently to others and to the Father. Or something goes wrong in our lives – a dream is not realized, a deeply loved one dies, a marriage dies – and we cry out to the Lord, “How can you do that to me? I don’t deserve that!” as if the Eternally Faithful One has been unfaithful to us.
When our Lord was nailed to the cross, he cried out for his accusers, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing!” When the Father turned his back as the sin of the world covered Him and separated them for the first time in eternity and He cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He then said “Into Your hand I commit my spirit.”
‘Into your hand I commit my spirit’ – ‘I still trust you Lord’. Through it all, I trust you. Through all the pain, I trust you. I trust in your unfailing love. As I strive to understand that kind of faith, that kind of love, I go to the Psalms he quoted on the cross. Psalm 22 begins with “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” and ends with “They will come and will declare His righteousness to a people who will be born that He has performed it.” Jesus was still trusting even as he sensed the Father turning His back on Him. He saw the people not yet born who would have righteousness declared to them because of the work He was accomplishing at that moment and He trusted that God would bring it to pass. “Into your hand I commit my spirit”.
My I have the kind of faith in God and love for others that says “no matter what you do or say to me, I trust that my heavenly Father is using it for His purpose in my life. I will intercede for you. I will stand in the place of love for you no matter how much it hurts. I will forgive you and even lay my life down for you.”
Philippians 2:5-8 “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
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