A Biblical Famine

" Behold the days are coming" says The Lord God "That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but for hearing the Words of the Lord." Amos 8:11. This year marks the 15th time for me to have the privilege to read through the Bible. Not that this makes me a scholar or smarter than anyone else, but one thing has became crystal clear to me and that is how far we as a nation have gotten away from God! Revisionist historians would have us believe that most if not all the Founding Fathers were Deists at best and certainly not Christians. Oh yes two or three were ( A Deist is a person who believes this they typically reject most supernatural events (prophecy, miracles) and tend to assert that God (or "The Supreme Architect") has a plan for the universe that is not altered either by God intervening in the affairs of human life or by suspending the natural laws of the universe. What organized religions see as divine revelation and holy books, most deists see as interpretations made by other humans, rather than as authoritative sources.) But even Jefferson who was a deist wrote " God who gave us life,gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?". Indeed God has given us these liberties we enjoy including the right to elect our own leaders, something unheard of in most parts of the world. Jefferson also wrote " Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just;that His justice cannot sleep forever". As I observe the world around me through the media and everyday life I am appalled at the notion that we can behave like this and not endure the Wrath of God. I have heard is said if God does not punish America for it's sins He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorah! That is a sobering thought, though I hope one that does not have to come to pass. As Israel was coming into The Promised Land they were told not to do the things the Caananites did otherwise they would be thrown out of the land. Eventually they did this and were taken from the land, but God said He would not always be angry with them,that He would bring them back and make a nation of them again. God has made no such promise to America, and if we think we can do these things that the Caananites did such as burning their children to their gods Duet. 12:31 we are kidding ourselves. We of course don't do this, we just execute them because they are unwanted! There is no nation that has turned it's back on God and survived, The Greeks, Romans, Medo-Perians and even the Great British Empire which is now in the death throes, it's great churches largley abandoned should be an example for us as a nation. We have gone from all 50 states ackowledging God in their state constitutions to not allowing a Ten Commandments monument to stay on a courthouse lawn in Stigler. As God says in 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

2Pe 3:11 Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness,".We must repent as a nation if we do God has said in 2Ch 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Christians pray for repentance of this land or we will endure the Wrath of God!

A State Financial Tornado

As if the national financial crisis wasn't enough the state is woefully underfunded in the seven state workers retirement funds, i.e. teachers, highway patrol, highway dept., ect. Economist Arnold King called it " A Bernie Madoff". Right now we are at a 60.7% funding level, in other words we have only 60% of the funds necessary to fund the pensions we have promised these workers. I heard a story on NPR this last week addressing this problem, they started by comparing Nebraska and Kansas. Two states who are geographically close, but light years apart when it comes to funding their teacher retirement funds. Nebraska uses a 401K plan where the monies are invested and have a chance to grow much faster that the rate of inflation (the only way to save enough money to retire on in my opinion) Kansas on the other hand uses the old style pension fund which basically your employer sets aside a set amount based on your wages and draws a small amount of interest. These worked back in the day before inflation overtook them, but no more. It is comparable to a company trying to do business like it did 40 years ago and trying to compete in today's market. It simply is not going to happen. If Oklahoma does not adapt a different way to handle it's retiree's funding we will simply be putting off a debt that will sooner or later have to be paid. It seems to me that the Baby Boomer generation has no problem with pushing debt upon the following generations just as long as they don't have to deal with it ( see earlier post "Financial ticking time bomb"). The Boomers have always been known as the Me Generation or for being very selfish. This follows the pattern set for the last 40 years ever since they entered this society as adults. Nobody likes taxes, but something is going to have to be done (read tax increase) because our state legislature keeps increasing benefits in the form of retirement increases with no visible funding. Our state workers deserve better than this Oklahoma and we can do better. It may take electing the right people, but that is what elections are for.

A Financial Ticking Time Bomb!

The total of Obama's spending so far, 787 billion in economic stimulus, 38 billion in jobs creation, 980 billion in health care plan and now 57 billion in increased VA funding comes to one trillion eight hundred and sixty two billion dollars! Which according to my calculations is a little over 562,000 dollars in debt every man woman and child in the U.S. owes. This is just what Obama has enacted since coming into office a little over a year ago. The total debt for the U.S. is 8 trillion the Congressional Budget Office predicts that another 12 trillion will be added in the next ten years! How in the world are we ever going to pay this back?! I dare someone to show me a time in this nations history when the economy has ever generated this kind of revenue? The plain and simple fact is it has not, nor will it ever. How then do we deal with this tremendous debt load? Charles Krauthammer in the Tulsa World (3/22/2010) hit on the inevitable solution, it is called the "value added tax".Here's the link tulsaworld.com. It basically is a federal sales tax. For every 1% in VAT tax would bring in up to 1 trillion a decade. This is also proposed by some in the flat tax theories,the only difference is with the flat tax the income tax is done away with and VAT replaces it. With the debt we have it would have to be in addition to our income tax, Europe has VAT's huge ones such as Germany 19%, France and Italy 20%,most of Scandinavia 25%. Enjoy your new healthcare while you can because we, our kids and grandkids are going to be paying for this for a long time assuming it doesn't bankrupt the nation first!

The Absence of Shame

I was listening to NPR on Friday and heard a phrase I had not heard in a long time. The phrase was " shame on you". An almost unheard of thing in this day and time. The lack of shame or embarrassment is almost epidemic in this nation. I see examples of this on a daily basis, such as out of wedlock mothers, profanity especially in front of women much less coming from a woman. Maybe I am just getting old, but I remember when it was embarrassing to be caught doing a lot of things that today are not even given a second thought. Strip clubs were banished to the remotest locations and not in the middle of town as they are now, nor was going to one an accepted "boy's night out". The one that gets me is the billboard on I-244 that says don't give alcohol to minors. Do we really need to be told not to do this?! Or the sign in front of the casino where I pick up every day ( I work for Brinks Inc.) which says " Don't leave children in unattended cars ". Time was if a person did any of these things at the very least most people would let you know some way or the other if not virtually be shunned for such behavior. Fellow Christians we must take back our communities and our nation for God by sharing The Gospel as Jesus commanded us in The Great Commission ( Matt.28:19&20). Our world is experiencing our failure to do this, but with God all things are possible.

Hello Everyone !

Yes I have actually started a blog of my own. For some time I have been praying for an outlet for the ideas and thoughts I have but, have been searching for the right venue. I believe this is it. As most of you know I am rather blunt at times with my opinions, but I believe now is the time for us Christians to make our voices heard in the public square. This blog will do just that even though I am sure it will enrage some ( read liberals ! ). If my letters to the editor are any indication I will get some really good comments on somethings and to the relief of my family members who maybe won't have to hear my rants so often, especially my wife! Anyway I will try to keep things updated and comment on current events and politics which are twin passions for me. I also love The Lord's Word and defend it quite regularly in my letters to the editor. Hope you enjoy these posts.