OK, so the big news over the past few weeks is the new "stimulus" plan that is supposed to bring new jobs and jump start our floundering economy. The plan was put together and voted on without even being read by Congress (see video above), and for the most-part, they just voted along party lines. The plan only costs several hundred billion...chump change on top of our already 9,000,000,000,000.00+ (that's trillion!) deficit. Supposedly, this stimulus is supposed to bring back at least 1 dollar for every dollar spent through new tax money (meaning that in the long run this shouldn't cost us a thing...only break even or make money). But when you do get a picture of the contents, you have to wonder how STD education, digital TV coupons, new governmental hybrid cars, renovation of the Smithsonian, etc will actually "stimulate" the economy. I think Governor Mike Huckabee said it best when he suggested the name of this stimulus should be the:
Congressional
Relief
Action
Program
But FAR above my opening paragraph, there is something more that you need to catch in all this mess....Hope. People want it...people are desperate for it. It's the platform Obama ran on that got him elected. Hope. But unfortunately, people are looking for hope in the wrong places. Previously they looked for it in their jobs, their cars, their families, etc, etc, etc...but now that families are being torn apart, jobs are being lost, homes taken away, people need to turn to a new place, and who can blame them for turning to the government when the government promises it?
But we know that no matter what the bill says, no matter what the government does, and no matter how good or bad things turn out in the end, people are still going to be looking for it. Hope. There's really only 1 place to find it --- One place that you'll never lose it --- and one place that won't end in disappointment --- in Christ. So when you come across people that you may be tempted to label "crazy" or "insane" because of their views on all this, remember they are only looking for 1 thing. Hope. If you've already found that hope, you are Blessed! Other people are dying for it right now. Please take the time to show them where it really comes from!
Why so downcast O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God! (Psalm 42:5)
9 comments:
You and Jen can use the extra $13 a week you receive from the stimulus plan to go on another Disney trip. :-)
Amen, Mike!
Jerry
I agree totally!
I was reading what Paul states in I Cor. 2:5-6 recently and it sure stood out to me. "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.
We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing."
Paul goes on to say in verse 14, "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned."
This explains why Christians can trust in God and be confident in His unshakable Kingdom, while the world/culture tremble in fear and latches onto anything and everything.
What is much harder to understand is why there is virtually no difference between the average non-Christians finances and the average Christians finances. Both, on average, are consumed with and slaves of the debt god.
This is so prevalent that when the government tells everyone to bow down to worship the 90'x90' government debt statue, most do not think twice about it because they are already bowing down to their own consumer debt statue.
Why do "Christians" not respond like Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (also know as Shadrach, Meshach and Abendego) did to Nebuchadnezzar's 90'x90' golden statute? “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend our selves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. (Daniel 3:16-17)
Why is this? This is utterly meaningless!
There is a better way!
I do get angry when I think of what is going on in the government right now, but I think the last sentence is the one that is most important. Even if things get a lot worse in our country, we need to be using what is going on around us to point people to Christ. I think that educating ourselves and discussing the issues is good (I'm sure a lot of people don't know what's really going on - and there is a lot I don't know). But, getting into debates is probably not going to save too many people.
Many Christians do not really live out the Hope that is in them. Many Christians live essentially conformed to the world's way of life.
Still though, living in a democracy, it is difficult to know when we as Christians need to get involved in fighting for what is right rather than keep quiet and allow others to make these choices for us.
I guess what I'm afraid of is some things that may be "hidden" in this plan. Just one example: I heard that the plan would require all medical records to be electronic and the government would have access to all medical records. Combine that with the push toward government to take over health insurance and that could be dangerous for our freedom to choose our own health care. And, combine that with some of the ethical issues in health care, and you can see where this could be heading. That's just one example.
So, should/can Christians groups stand up to this? Or have we come to a point where certain people are in a position of power that the only thing we can do is endure what may lie ahead, pray for the Lord's intervention, and speak Hope to those individuals that we interact with?
Jen, just don't allow Mike to start buying lottery tickets like I found out he was doing back near the time I first met him. History has a way of repeating itself every ten years or so.
I was wondering what ALL was in the stimulus plan...I was going to research it tonight...but I guess if the Congress doesn't know...where am I getting the information? Ron was watching Fox News when I got home for lunch....they had a "headline" across the bottom that the CHARM is gone from Obama...we were "happy" to say that he won't last more than 4 yrs. I also heard HUGE Obama supporters in my office state that a lot of PROMISES have been made...and don't see anything. I kept my mouth shut b/c I don't know enough to argue a good point...but I thought "gee...ya think?"
We'll see what is next...but I highly "suggest" our new President...consult with colleagues and such..I thought that's how it was suppose to run anyway...???? Maybe I didn't LEARN what I should have in Government in school...
I have definitely learned to rely on God MORE after the election...I was scared before and he just worried/frightened me every time I saw him....I have a sense of comfort from God now each time something is said about him or I see him...
Jen - that thing with the medical stuff....yeah....that's frightening.........
Mike,
I'm just testing leaving a comment.
Let me know.
Mom
Yep...glad you finally figured it out. And it only took a year!
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