Good-bye America

The recent decision by the Supreme Court on the new health care law is even more dangerous than Obamacare. The basis for their decision was that the penalty an individual must pay if they do not buy insurance is considered a tax and this falls under Congress' power to tax. 

This decision establishes the dangerous precedent that Congress can tax non-acts. Congress now has the power to tax things that are not things. They have the power to tax the non-purchase of insurance. In the past taxes were paid on income that you earned and goods that you purchased. Not any longer. Now Congress has the power to tax non-income. They have the power to tax non-sales. They have the power to tax non-events. This is worse than England and the Boston Tea Party. At least England was taxing tea. Now our government can levy a tax on nothing.  Who knows what Congress will do with this new power.

We have to find assurance in the fact that God is in control.  He is the One who makes kingdoms rise and fall. 

Unfortunately, that sucking sound you hear is the loss of our freedom. Good-bye America.

Pay Attention

Hbr 2:1    Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. ESV

 

It is so easy to become complacent. Especially in this country. Things are so easy here. Things are so comfortable here. Things are safe here. We have access to Bibles, and Christian radio and Christian books and music, our churches are free to speak without government interference. We really do have a significant amount of freedom...and with that freedom comes ease. And with ease comes responsibility. And unfortunately with that ease many times come apathy...complacency...taking things for granted...laziness...drifting.

 

The writer of Hebrews understood drifting. He knew that we, as humans, have a tendency to get away from that which is vitally important. The word for drift actually means to "glide by", to have things slip your mind and your life. It means just getting by with no real effort. The writer says: Don't. Don't drift. Don't just get by. Don't let things escape. Rather pay much closer attention. This is extraordinary heed, application and devotion. Why? Well, because of the "therefore". And the therefore is there because it is referring back to what he talked about in chapter one. This One called Jesus, the Son of God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Sustainer, the One worthy of worship, the One greater than the angels. We need to pay much stricter attention to what we have heard about this One and because of this One.

 

Do I? Am I? Or am I drifting...just floating by in my easy life? Where is the sense of urgency? Where is the discipline? Where is the commitment? When I think about me, I know how much time I spend in the word. I know how much time I spend in prayer. I know how much time I spend encouraging others. I know how much I witness...and frankly, I am drifting. I am floating. I am doing my thing in this easy country of ours. I am not making waves. I am not challenging myself or others. I don't have the sense of urgency that I should. I need to pay much closer attention to this One who loved me and gave Himself for me. Sure, I do the things that I encourage others to do...but I need to do more. I need to read more. I need to pray more. I need to encourage more. I need to witness more. I need to love God more. I need to do what Paul encourage the Thessalonian church...do more: 1Th 4:1    "Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more."

 

Please God...no more complacency. No more drifting. Help me pay much closer attention. Help me do more. Help me see the urgency of the hour and respond...because of who Jesus is.

 

Any Questions??????

Hbr 1:8    But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. ESV (Ps 45:6,7)

 

Now all I have to say about people who say that Jesus is not God is..."Duh!" I mean, really? "But of the Son he says, 'Your throne, O God...". Now does this God-breathed verse really mean "But of the Son he say Your throne O God..." or doesn't it? Does this verse equate Jesus with being God or am I just dreaming? Could it mean something else? Could there be some way to get around the Deity of Jesus in this verse? Or should we just take it as it reads and admit that the Son is called God? If there was a question before this verse when Jesus is called Heir, Creator, the exact representation of His nature, the radiance of His glory, upholds all things by His powerful word, worthy of worship, this verse should dispel any questions.

 

And just to put an exclamation point on this truth that Jesus is God, the writer of Hebrews says that His throne, His rule, His authority represented by a scepter, is forever and ever. Why is this an exclamation point? Because it is telling us that Jesus will reign for all eternity. He is eternal and His dominion is eternal. Now that sounds a lot like God, doesn't it? (In fact as I continue to read, this eternal exclamation point is emphasized two more times in verses 11 and 12.)

 

As I think about this, I think about the name of God in the Old Testament: Jehovah. The name: Jehovah means "existing One". Eternal One. Forever One. Who shares this name? Who shares this eternality? The Son of God.

 

And how will Jesus reign forever? What will He be like and what will His kingdom be like? Upright. This is not talking about His physical position. This is talking about righteousness. Jesus will forever do what is right and holy and pure and true as He rules in His eternal kingdom. Oh to see truth in a kingdom. Oh to see purity in a governmental system. Oh to see righteousness reign. Jesus, the Son of God, God Himself will bring this about.

 

All I can say is: "Your kingdom come, Your will be done an earth as it is in heaven...".