2012-What's Going On Here?

 Consider the following headlines concerning 2012 events in America:

• According to USA Today, 2012 may be known as "The Year of The Cheater," with such high-profile figures like Lance Armstrong and Gen. David Petraeus being caught up in cheating scandals.    "Dishonesty Was On Display Everywhere In 2012"  http://usat.ly/W3B318
• The U.S. is about to hit the debt ceiling limit on Monday, Dec. 31.  The national debt at the end of the year stands at a staggering 16.4 trillion dollars.  http://on.wsj.com/VgWVGQ
• Unless Congress acts by the end of the year, we are poised to go off a "fiscal cliff" to begin 2013. According cbsnews.com "it could lead to recession, a big jump in unemployment and financial market turmoil..." http://cbsn.ws/W3CAo6
• 2011 and 2012 now rank as the two costliest years for natural disasters in U.S. history.  While 2011 included 14 billion-dollar weather events, 2012 followed in close behind with 11 billion-dollar events.   According to The Guardian newspaper, "The 11 billion-dollar events of 2012 include seven severe thunderstorm outbreaks, two hurricanes, the drought and wildfires. NOAA put the death toll from these events at 349."  The clean-up from Superstorm Sandy could easily reach over 100 billion, and the bill for the 2012 drought could be far bigger.  http://bit.ly/ZDzSxq
• According to an AP poll, mass shootings in America was the top 2012 story on the minds of Americans.  After twelve people were killed in a theater in Aurora, CO on July 20, the second-worst school shooting in American history took place in Newtown, CT on December 14, when a deranged gunman broke into Sandy Hook Elementary School and massacred 26 people, including 20 school children.  http://stjr.nl/Uos65s
• Americans went to the polls in November and re-elected Barack Obama for a second term, re-installing the most pro-abortion, anti-family, and fiscally irresponsible administration in U.S. history (see this link to my post in October- http://waynenalljr.blogspot.com/2012_10_01_archive.html)

This list doesn't even include the possible pending implosion of European markets due to the Greek debt crisis, which could have dire repercussions on an already weak American economy.  Nor does it include the disasters in Syria and Benghazi, Libya, or the increasing likelihood of the Middle East exploding into war as Iran seeks to acquire a nuclear weapon.

Even the most optimistic person has to look at 2012 and shake their head.  Scandals, political gridlock, massive natural disasters, mass killings...and on and on.  We have to ask, "What's going on here? While we in America have certainly faced our share of difficulties in the past, it's evident to me that the number and scale of catastrophic events in the past few years has risen dramatically.  You would have to a card-carrying member of Head-In-The-Sand Society to refuse to acknowledge that these are not normal times! But what does it all mean?  And, what, if anything, can we do about it?

Would it surprise you to know that you likely have a book in your house that predicted this very scenario?  If you have a Bible, look at these words of Jesus, which he spoke almost 2,000 years ago:

 ^"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes."  Matt 24:7

"Because lawlessness is increased,most people’s love will grow cold."Matt 24:12

“Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven." Luke 21:10,11

Jesus spoke often in his ministry of The Last Days, a time of great world-wide tumult right before his return.  He predicted that there would be great wars (the two most costly wars in world history were fought in the last 100 years), earthquakes (six of the top ten earthquakes in world history in terms of deaths have taken place since 1900 http://nbcnews.to/Vk9VyG), famines and plagues.  

Jesus also predicted that the love of many in the church would grow cold in the last days.  Those of us who are part of that church can readily see that prediction is sadly being fulfilled today.  Liberal theology has sapped the strength of many once-great religious institutions, while entertainment-driven megachurches often give a watered-down version of the gospel to those seeking for truth. Even among bible-believing Christians, there is a lack of fervor and a passive indifference to the plight of those around us who need the light that Christ graciously gave to us in the gospel. 

Consider these words from Paul's second letter to Timothy:

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power..." II Timothy 3:1-5 (NKJV)

Sounds a lot like the world today, don't you think?

So what should we do in response to these "perilous times?"

First of all, while we acknowledge that these are difficult times and we may very well be headed into much worse times, I believe that there is no reason to despair.  You see, Jesus (and others) gave us these prophecies for a reason, and that reason is so we would be ready and not be taken unaware.

I'd like to outline a few things that we are doing and that you may consider doing as preparation for difficult times:

1. Be prepared financially-For those dealing with financial debt, this would be an excellent time to work hard at disposing of it.  If we face an economic implosion, I believe those who owe the least may fair much better through the crisis than those who are burdened down with debt.
2. Stock up on food staples-The pastor of the church which I attend has been encouraging us for months to build up a family food supply, so that if we have a natural disaster or a financial implosion, we will have something to fall back on. I think he's right.  As a Christian, I also want to have enough to give to others in need if we face a time in America when food becomes scarce or expensive.  
3. Be prepared spiritually-  This one is far more important than any physical preparations we might make.   His church in America is in a very weak and cold condition overall right now, but even now Jesus is calling out those who he wants to bring to himself. It's a time to really get serious with God, imploring Him in brokenness and repentance to send revival to His apostate church. Prayer and fasting are two of the spiritual disciplines that I believe the Lord is calling His true believers to right now.  I'm praying for a Third Great Awakening, not unlike the Great Awakening in America in the 18th century and the Second Great Awakening in the 19th century.  I believe that He wants to bring His church into a state of true spiritual revival before His return.

Jesus said, "...keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."  (Luke 21:36)

It's possible that these things may seem extreme to you.  If so, I understand.  However, would it have been extreme a few months ago if someone had gone through the Northeast telling people to be prepared to be without power not for days, but for weeks or even months?  It might have sounded extreme, but that's exactly what happened when Superstorm Sandy hit.  A month ago, it would have sounded extreme to suggest that schools post armed guards, but it doesn't sound extreme at all to me after the Sandy Hook tragedy.  

I hope I'm wrong.  I hope that we have more time.  However, if I am wrong and people take the advice above, they will still be better off than they were before.  If I'm right, well...

One other piece of advice.  The above is addressed primarily to believers in Christ.  However, if you are not a believer, please consider the claims of Christ and don't blow them off.  I would suggest that you read the Bible---the Book of John is a good place to start.  Another good resource is "The Case For Christ" by Lee Strobel.  ( http://amzn.to/WW6r8n) Strobel was an investigative journalist and an atheist who was honest enough to study the claims for Christ for himself.  He became a believer and wrote this book describing his spiritual quest.  Finally, I would be glad to talk to you myself about the claims of Christ.  I would be delighted to help you in your spiritual journey.

As I stated above, this is no time for despair,  but I believe it is a time to get ready.  Actually, it's kind of exciting, because all these things portend the Second Coming of Christ, a time when he will call all believers home to be with him. Something to look forward to!


Want to read more?  Here's links to some of my more popular posts:
Lincoln & Obama-Two Views of Welfare
TR on Lincoln-The Great Statesman
A Christmas Story-Put It On My Account
Reflections On 30 Years of Marriage-Part 1

A Christmas Story

"Put It On My Account"

It was three days before Christmas.

A middle-aged lady came into the tire store where I work to get her free tire rotation, which comes with a vehicle inspection.

The tech gave me the completed ticket so that I could check her out.

"Be sure to notice the inspection report," he said.

The inspection report is very detailed.

This vehicle needs a lot of work.  

Tires and alignment. 

Front brakes and rotors. 

Rear brakes and rotors.

Wipers.

"Your vehicle needs some work," I explained to the lady.

Her eyes got big.  

"What kind of work?"

I started with the wipers, thinking I need to break it to her gently.

As I went through the list with her, I could see her shoulders start to sag.  The more I read, the more she slumped down.

"Can you tell me how much?"  I give her a rough estimate.  She slumped further.

I'm thinking, "Am I going to have to call the paramedics?"  I'm worried.

"Can you print this out for me?" she asked.  I worked up a completed estimate, giving her all the discounts I could think of. Still, it's a big bill.

 When she sees the completed bill, she just broke down and sobbed.

"I just lost my husband."  She has no money.  No way to get the money.

I put my arm around her gently.  I felt almost as down as she was.   Inside I'm crying "Lord, you've got to help this lady!"  Feeling so helpless.

I tried to wish her a Merry Christmas as she left, but it kind of fell flat.  I felt terrible.  "Lord, you've got to help this lady!  It's right before Christmas!"  

A local businessman was standing off to the side.  I didn't realize he had heard the whole thing.  He came up to me. 

"Do you think she's legit?"  he asked me.  "I mean, I know you see a lot of people trying to take advantage."  I explained to him that I have no doubts that she's legitimately in need. She didn't ask me for anything.

He looked up at me...

"Put it on my account."

I looked at him...

"Do you know how much this is?"  I showed him the bill.

"Just put it on my account."

I'm incredulous.

.

"Don't tell her who its from," he said with a wry smile.  "Secret Santa."

I called the lady and left a message for her to call back.  When returned the call, we gave her the good news.

"Are you sure?"

"Am I hearing you right?"

We assured her that she heard right, and set up an appointment for her to get the work done after Christmas.

Fifteen minutes later, the phone rang.  It’s her again.

"Are you sure?"  

"I don't have to pay anything?"  

No. It's a free gift.  No strings attached...

Joy!

...

As I've reflected on this incredible story since then, I've thought about what Christmas is all about.  

You see, you and I had a bill much greater than the lady with the broken-down car.

"Even when you were dead in sins..." 

Every hurtful act.  Every hurtful thought.

"For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost."

You and I couldn't pay.  

Lost.  

Without hope.

That's where the Christmas story comes in.  God came to earth to pay what you and I had no hope of paying.  Thirty-three years after the Babe in the manger, the price was paid on a cross of wood outside the Jerusalem city gates.

"...though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich."

"Put it on my account."

That's what Jesus did for me...and for you.

But what if the lady had said, "Thanks, but no thanks!  I can handle this on my own."

Crazy thought!  Why would she turn down the free gift?   No strings attached.  No way for her to pay on her own.

What about you?

The price has been paid.

"It is by grace you have been saved...through faith."

"Put it on my account."

Jesus paid it all.

All to Him I owe.

Sin had left a crimson stain.

He washed it white as snow.

He put it on His account...for you.   No strings attached.  

But you have a decision to make.  

Will you accept the gift that has so freely been given to you? 

Will you accept the free gift...this Christmas?

Wayne Nall Jr.


For another inspirational lift, check out my new book, "Grace In Shoe Leather." It's an amazing story of grace and forgiveness that has made a difference in the lives of so many. You can download it here: http://amzn.to/1wLL5Mw   P.S. It's FREE TODAY!!!!


Want to read more?  Here's links to some of my more popular posts:
Lincoln & Obama-Two Views of Welfare
TR on Lincoln-The Great Statesman
Reflections On 30 Years of Marriage-Part 1

Hosea and The 2012 Election

In my personal Bible study time each morning, I've been reading through the Old Testament prophets.  The last few days I've been reading the prophetic book of Hosea.  Hosea was a man called of God to preach a message of judgement and a call to repentance to the people of Israel about 2700 years ago.  His words were not received well then, and the people to whom he was speaking  refused to hear his message.  As a result, they (the people of the northern 10 tribes of Israel) were taken into captivity by Assyria just a few years later and would be destroyed as a people.

On a day after our countrymen willingly embraced a presidency which which is pro-abortion, anti-God, and anti-marriage, I read these words, which ring out through the millenia to us today:  Speaking of Israel (and I think, America today) Hosea writes:

"Their deeds will not allow them to return to their God.
For a spirit of harlotry is within them.
And they do not know the Lord."  Hos 5:4

"They will go...to seek the Lord, 
but they will not find Him:
He has withdrawn from them." Hos 5:6

"(Israel) is oppressed, crushed in judgement,
Because he was determined to follow man's command."  Hos 5:11

"I will go away and return to My place
Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face:
In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me."  Hos 5:15

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." Hos 4:6

Strong words!  Yet as I have read these words today, I can't help but believe they are true for us as well.  I believe that judgement is coming to America.  We have forsaken God, and He has promised to withdraw Himself from those who willingly refuse Him.  I don't know what all this means for us in the future, but we as Christians need to be more prepared to be salt and light in this dark world than ever before.  Isn't it true that a candle glowing during the day will get little attention, but in the pitch black of night it becomes a beacon to all who will follow it?  Whatever the future holds, I want to be that light to those around me.  I want my life to be like life-preserving salt.  And I want to point to the One who holds out hope to those "who acknowledge their guilt and seek His face!"

As I wrote last night after the results of the election became known, I am not in despair, and, if you are a Christian, neither should you be!  The writer of Hebrews speaks these words to us, which are as true today as they were almost 2,000 years ago:

"Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need..."  Heb. 4:16

"...we who have taken refuge...have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.  This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast..." Heb. 6:18,19

Not In Despair!

I've been re-reading Eric Metaxas excellent biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy"  This man spent the last two years of his life in Nazi prison before his life was taken.  Yet he never complained nor considered his fate harsh.  He refused to be in despair even in the midst of the most trying circumstances.

Like many of you, I'm disappointed at the apparent loss of this race by Gov. Romney and the spectacle of four more years under President Obama.  I suspect that this may mean the end is nearer than we expected.  However, my hope is in God, come what may!  I'm not in prison and I'm not being tortured for my faith.  So how can I be in despair when others like Bonhoeffer who has suffered those things and worse refused to be in despair? If I'm a child of the king, there is no reason to allow despair in my life!

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed... Therefore we do not lose heart! Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 
II Cor 4:8-9,16-18

Why I'm Voting For Mitt Romney

I recently posted concerning President Obama's record the last four years and why I won't vote for him. However, my vote for president this year won't be just a vote against President Obama, but will be a vote for Mitt Romney.  He was not my first choice during the primaries.  However, since then I've read many articles about his life and his family as well as about his plans of where he wants to lead our country in the next four years.  I've actually come to be very impressed by what I've found.  While there are many reasons why I think Mitt Romney would make a great president, I'd like to give you five reasons why I'm voting for Mitt Romney next Tuesday:

1. Mitt Romney is a proven business leader-Gov. Romney has been a leader all of his adult life.  This extremely smart man has both a law degree and an MBA, both from Harvard.  He  began his business career at Bain & Co., then spun it off into a phenomenally successful start up company named Bain Capital, which has been an investor in or acquired such business as Staples, Sports Authority, Dominoes Pizza, and Sealy Corp.  While Bain Capital thrived under Mitt's leadership, Bain & Co. went into a financial tailspin until they asked Mitt to come back and save the parent company.  He went back to Bain & Co. for two years, taking a salary of $1 while he worked to put his former employer back on a sound financial footing, which he succeeded in doing.  In 1999, Mitt took on the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, which at that time was $379 million short of its revenue goals.  While salvaging the Olympics and making it successful, he returned his $1.4 million salary and additionally contributed $1 million of his own money to the Olympics!   In contrast to Mitt Romney's experience in both the private and public sectors, Barack Obama had zero experience in managing anything before he ran for president-not even a lemonade stand!  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_career_of_Mitt_Romney)
2. Mitt Romney has executive experience in the public sector and knows how to reach across the aisle- Mitt become a successful governor of Massachussetts, taking the state from a $1.2 billion deficit to $600 million surplus. He worked with an overwhelmingly Democratic legislature to cut spending by $1.6 billion and to reform the state's  health care system.  Also, during his tenure as governor, his state's unemployment rate dropped from 5.6% to 4.7%. (http://www.mittromney.com/learn/mitt)
3. Mitt Romney is not afraid to address the fiscal and economic crises our nation is facing-The U.S. is facing the daunting problems of staggering debt and an insolvent Medicare program as well as an extremely sluggish economy.  Governor Romney has detailed plans to on how to tackle these issues. (http://www.mittromney.com/JobsPlan)  In contrast, Barack Obama's can't even propose a serious budget.  Under his leadership, the Democratic-led Senate has not passed a budget in over 3 years!  Perhaps even more amazingly, the president proposed a budget earlier this year that was defeated 99-0!  He couldn't even get one member of his own party to vote for it!  (http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/may/16/obama-budget-defeated-99-0-senate/ http://bit.ly/RBR4tV)  Obama's  plan to "soak the rich" will not even begin to bring in the revenue needed to bring us back from the fiscal cliff we are on, and the excessive regulations, including "Obamacare" and "Dodd-Frank" that he has put in place are actually putting a huge damper on our economy, not allowing us to achieve more than meager growth at best. 
4. Mitt Romney shares my values-Why would a Christian guy like myself vote for a Mormon candidate?   Well, if I were voting for a church position, I wouldn't vote for Mitt Romney.  I don't believe Mormon theology and it is questionable at best whether they should be considered followers of Christ, as they reject many of the tenets of traditional Christianity.  However, when it comes to voting for president, I have to choose the candidate that most closely holds my values.  There is no doubt that Mitt Romney holds for traditional family values in a way that our current president simply does not.  Although he once considered himself pro-choice, he has been pro-life since his days as governor of Massachussetts.  He has stated that he would appoint Supreme Court justices in the mold of Scalia and Thomas.  He defends the sanctity of marriage and promises to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court.   In contrast, Barack Obama has been by far the most pro-abortion president in the history of our country.  And he has promoted same-sex marriage, undermining the traditional view of marriage as one man-one woman which virtually all societies have embraced for millenia.  (http://www.mittromney.com/issues/values)
5. Mitt Romney is a good man-Much has been made by Democrats about Mitt Romney's tax rate, as if it is unpatriotic to try to pay as few taxes as possible.  (Who do you know who wants to pay more taxes than they absolutely have to?).  However, the main reason that the Romney's tax rate is so low is because they give an enormous amount to charity.  In 2011, his charitable contributions totaled 29% of his income.  (http://dailycaller.com/2012/09/21/tax-records-romney-donated-29-percent-of-income-to-charity-in-2011/ http://bit.ly/VkEuFI ) Concerning his character, many who know Mitt Romney have testified that he is a very caring individual, not only giving enormous amounts of his money but his time as well to others.  One story that Gov. Romney has not used much in this campaign really reveals a lot about his character.   The story is told in detail here and it's worth reading: (http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/03/pressed-for-anecdote-romney-recounts-tale-of-missing-girl/) .  In short, one of his partners at Bain Capital had a daughter who went missing after a party. Out of concern for her welfare,  Mitt essentially shut down the company for several days while they combed the streets of New York City, eventually finding the young girl.

 The decision that we make this coming Tuesday will affect each of us in America for the rest of our lives. I honestly believe the future of our country hangs in the balance.   I would encourage you to be prayerful about your decision on who to vote for.  I've tried to look at the facts, not at the spin, and I've tried to share those facts with others.  We have a choice of what kind of nation we want to be.   Next Tuesday, I'm praying we make the right choice!


Want to read more?  Here's links to some of my more popular posts:
Lincoln & Obama-Two Views of Welfare
TR on Lincoln-The Great Statesman
A Christmas Story-Put It On My Account
Reflections On 30 Years of Marriage-Part 1

Obama's Record-Where We Are After Four Years

I was asked recently to research where we are as a country after four years of Barack Obama as president. I found that while there is tons of information out there about the Obama presidency, it wasn't all in one place, so I compiled a short summary. While this list is hardly comprehensive (I didn't even get into foreign policy, which actually could be the area of this president's greatest failure), I think it catalogs pretty well the reasons that it would be an unprecedented disaster to rehire this president:

Unemployment

• Under President Obama, the U.S. economy has created a net 415,000 private-sector jobs – less than 0.2% of the 155 million-member American workforce...the workforce itself has shrunk dramatically in size since Obama took office. Labor force participation is at 63.5 percent, its lowest level (excluding 2012) since 1981. In other words, a large chunk of Americans have simply given up looking for work...(The unemployment rate)..would be more than 10 percent if the labor force were the same size it was when Obama took office. (http://blog.heritage.org/2012/09/06/fact-check-have-4-5-million-new-jobs-been-created-under-obama/)
• The economy has lost 316,000 jobs under President Barack Obama, though most of the job losses happened at the beginning of Obama’s presidency during the height of the Great Recession...)  (http://dailycaller.com/2012/08/08/report-negative-job-growth-under-obama/#ixzz29sxQoA59)
• Veronique de Rugy, senior fellow at the Mercatus Center... told the Daily Caller News Foundation...“It is the slowest recovery ever,” she added. “I would claim that there’s really no recovery at all...“The last twelve months have seen the slowest wage growth ever. We also have the slowest economic growth compared to any other recovery.”

(http://dailycaller.com/2012/08/08/report-negative-job-growth-under-obama/#ixzz29sxQoA59)

Job Wages

• “...while 60 percent of the jobs lost during the 2008-2009 financial crisis were in middle income occupations, the vast majority – 58 percent – of jobs created under President Obama are low-wage. Those jobs include “retail sales, food preparation, home health and customer service.”

(http://nation.foxnews.com/low-wage-jobs/2012/09/09/study-58-jobs-created-under-obama-are-low-wage#ixzz29syoSuTJ)

• ...Since the economic recovery technically began in June 2009, median household income has dropped 5.7 percent. And since Obama took office in January 2009, the median income has fallen 8.2 percent, from $55,198 to $50,678.

(http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/26/household-income-down-82-percent-since-obama-took-office-study-shows/#ixzz29szsEao9)

Federal Deficit

• . Fiscal year 2012 marked the fourth consecutive year of $1 trillion deficits.  (http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2012/10/federal-spending-by-the-numbers-2012)

• If each … federal taxpayers were given responsibility for paying off an equal share of the new federal debt added since Obama was inaugurated, they would each need to pay about $64,219.88. (http://cnsnews.com/news/article/64000-question-how-much-has-debt-increased-taxpayer-under-obama)

Gas Prices

• Average retail gasoline prices have more than doubled under President Obama, according to government statistics, rising from $1.84 per gallon to $3.85 per gallon. (http://cnsnews.com/news/article/gasoline-prices-more-double-under-obama-184-385)

Welfare

• The welfare reform of 1996 requires that after three months on food stamps, recipients be engaged in some kind of work activity for at least 20 hours a week. Tucked away in the mammoth 2009 so-called “stimulus” spending bill was the suspension of this requirement for able-bodied adults with no children.

The result has been that between 2008 and 2010, the number of these able-bodied adults on food stamps doubled—from 1.9 million to 3.9 million, according to CRS. (Total participation is now at roughly 47 million, or one in seven Americans.)

• Today, the federal government spends nearly $1 trillion a year on approximately 80 different federal welfare programs. If President Obama has his way, spending will only continue to increase despite welfare already being the fastest-growing part of government spending. (http://blog.heritage.org/2012/09/19/food-stamp-participation-doubled-among-able-bodied-adults-after-obama-suspended-work-requirement/)

Stimulus Waste

• The 2009 stimulus set aside $80 billion to subsidize politically preferred energy projects. Since that time, 1,900 investigations have been opened to look into stimulus waste, fraud, and abuse (although not all are linked to the green-energy funds), and nearly 600 convictions have been made. Of that $80 billion in clean energy loans, grants, and tax credits, at least 10 percent has gone to companies that have since either gone bankrupt or are circling the drain.  (http://blog.heritage.org/2012/10/18/president-obamas-taxpayer-backed-green-energy-failures/)

Life Issues

• Obamacare Tramples Religious Freedom: The Obamacare anti-conscience mandate requires all insurance plans to cover, at no charge, abortion-inducing drugs, contraceptives, and sterilization. Only houses of worship qualify for a religious exemption—leaving faith-based hospitals, schools, soup kitchens, and many others to provide such mandated coverage despite religious and moral objections. (http://www.heritage.org/research/factsheets/2012/06/let-religious-freedom-ring-stop-the-assault-on-our-first-freedom)
• “In March 2009, President Obama issued an executive order to allow federal funding of research that requires the killing of human embryos.(http://www.nrlc.org/Records/obamarecord.pdf)
• In 2011, President Obama indicated he would veto the entire federal spending bill -- forcing a government shutdown -- rather than accept a provision cutting funding to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider. (http://www.nrlc.org/Records/obamarecord.pdf)

Religious Liberty

• Liberal Social Agenda Driving Out Good Samaritans: In the wake of state laws redefining marriage, faith-based adoption and foster care providers in Massachusetts, Illinois, and the District of Columbia were forced to close their doors rather than violate their deeply held beliefs about marriage and the placement of children with married couples. In Washington, the White House refused to renew a grant for a faith-based organization effectively serving human trafficking victims because the group could not, on the basis of conscience, refer their clients for abortions.

(http://www.heritage.org/research/factsheets/2012/06/let-religious-freedom-ring-stop-the-assault-on-our-first-freedom)

Lincoln and Obama-Two Views Of Welfare

I recently read a book of speeches and letters by Abraham Lincoln, and one particular letter caught my eye This was a letter Lincoln wrote to his step-brother in 1851 in response to a request for eighty dollars.  He refused the request, but gave him a better alternative, namely work!  Here's the text of the short letter with my comments following:

Dear Johnston: Your request for eighty dollars I do not think it best to comply with now. At the various times when I have helped you a little you have said to me, "We can get along very well now"; but in a very short time I find you in the same difficulty again. Now, this can only happen by some defect in your conduct. What that defect is, I think I know. You are not lazy, and still you are an idler. I doubt whether, since I saw you, you have done a good whole day's work in any one day. You do not very much dislike to work, and still you do not work much, merely because it does not seem to you that you could get much for it. This habit of uselessly wasting time is the whole difficulty; it is vastly important to you, and still more so to your children, that you should break the habit. It is more important to them, because they have longer to live, and can keep out of an idle habit before they are in it, easier than they can get out after they are in.

You are now in need of some money; and what I propose is, that you shall go to work, "tooth and nail," for somebody who will give you money for it. Let father and your boys take charge of your things at home, prepare for a crop, and make the crop, and you go to work for the best money wages, or in discharge of any debt you owe, that you can get; and, to secure you a fair reward for your labor, I now promise you, that for every dollar you will, between this and the first of May, get for your own labor, either in money or as your own indebtedness, I will then give you one other dollar. By this, if you hire yourself at ten dollars a month, from me you will get ten more, making twenty dollars a month for your work. In this I do not mean you shall go off to St. Louis, or the lead mines, or the gold mines in California, but I mean for you to go at it for the best wages you can get close to home in Coles County. Now, if you will do this, you will be soon out of debt, and, what is better, you will have a habit that will keep you from getting in debt again. But, if I should now clear you out of debt, next year you would be just as deep in as ever. You say you would almost give your place in heaven for seventy or eighty dollars. Then you value your place in heaven very cheap, for I am sure you can, with the offer I make, get the seventy or eighty dollars for four or five months' work. You say if I will furnish you the money you will deed me the land, and, if you don't pay the money back, you will deliver possession. Nonsense! If you can't now live with the land, how will you then live without it? You have always been kind to me, and I do not mean to be unkind to you. On the contrary, if you will but follow my advice, you will find it worth more than eighty times eighty dollars to you.

LINCOLN TO JOHN D. JOHNSTON, JANUARY 2, 1851.

 As I was reading this, I couldn't help but marvel at the difference between our wise 16th president and our very foolish 44th president. While this letter shows how much Lincoln valued hard work, thrift, and integrity, President Obama's presidency and his current campaign is about "What can government do for me?" While he claims to be a great admirer of Lincoln, his recent attempt to gut welfare reform by removing the work requirement is a prime example of how much he and his party often appeal not to "the better angels of our nature" (to quote Lincoln again), but in fact to the "lower urges" of our nature.  Like Lincoln, we should help people when they are down by offering them a "hand up" instead of a "hand out".  

Actually, both political parties have been complicit in the subsidizing of non-work.  In the name of compassion, unemployment benefits have been extended by Congress to people who are out of work for 73 weeks!  Now as bad as economic conditions have been, I find it hard to believe that, for those who really want a job, it would take 73 weeks to find some kind of productive work. Rather than an incentive to get back to work, we have given them an incentive to stay out of work.

While I know that there are people out there who are truly needy and ought to be helped, I also know that we have developed a "welfare sub-culture" in our country of people who, like John Johnson 160 years ago, know how to "work the system." This way of life, in which people spend enormous amounts of energy finding ingenious ways to avoid work, often is passed down from generation to generation.  And, rather than solving this national problem, our government has aided and abetted it, often by giving out so many benefits to people who don't work that they would have to take a "pay cut" to take a minimum-wage job!

Please don't misunderstand me. I have no disdain for people in this sub-culture, but a great deal of pity for them.  Often they are trapped in the "welfare mindset" that keeps them from becoming productive members of our society.  But we do them no favor in providing open-ended government  programs that are actually not compassionate but harmful both to the recipients and to our society as a whole.


Want to read more?  Here's links to some of my more popular posts:
TR on Lincoln-The Great Statesman
Reflections On 30 Years of Marriage-Part 1
What Is Marriage?
Five Biblical Reasons To Support Traditional Marriage