The State of the Church

Tomorrow night President Obama will deliver his State of the Union Address.  The nation will gather (or at least those without cable or satellite) to hear his perspective on how we are doing.  But my question is how are we doing as a church?  So here is my address for the church:

When it comes to unity we are divided and not just denominationally.  One thing that continues to divide believers is political party affiliation.  I have seen arguments break out in the church lobby, small groups, and even after services in the sanctuary.  When did all of this bickering begin?  Usually very early.  Think about what party your parents belonged to.  Are you still in the same party?

Perhaps our differences in ideology spring from a misunderstanding of who we are as Christians.
Jesus said,  "let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matt.5:16).  He also said we are to take care of those hurting most in our society (Matthew 25:35-39).

The problem is that we want to legislate good works or social programs depending on which party we fall into.  Remember, we cannot subcontract out our responsibilities to a political party.  Upholding our morals to better represent Christ and providing for the poor are our responsibilities.  Jesus summed it up with the Great Commandment, and if we love God and others then both will take care of themselves.  Our country needs a change of heart not law.  Let's show them who He is by how we live and love.

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The Election is Over. I Hope it Starts a Gridlock

My Prayer for America

The Election is Over! I Hope it Starts a Gridlock!

Well, it is no secret that I am an independent voter. One may wonder why I am excited about the Republicans taking control of the house. The reason is that it balances the power.

When President Bush had a majority in the house and senate the republicans went on a spending spree. This spree was echoed and built upon by President Obama and his Senate and House democratic majority. The simple fact is that new plans cost money. Whoever is in charge will spend, spend, spend, regardless of political affiliation. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Democrats want government to do more for us, which requires more taxes while republicans call for tax breaks without necessarily cutting spending. To cut taxes, we must first cut spending, programs, funding and agencies. That is right, I said agencies. I would cut the cord on the IRS, NEA and many others.

The truth is the government that acts least, acts best. This is why I love a gridlocked government. I say vote for the party in congress that is not in the White House no matter who happens to be in power. Sure nothing new will get done, but then again, what do we really NEED the government to do that the private sector cannot come up with through supply and demand?

While we're at it, let's stop trying to legislate social and moral change. Let it start with us. Let us love our spouses more than ourselves, teach our children to work hard and to give back from what they have earned. It is not the government's responsibility to care for the poor. It is ours. I would much rather give freely than to have my money taken and redistributed.

Yes, gridlock is the answer. Maybe in the next two years government spending will begin to drop slightly. Hey, I can hope can't I? Remember that if families ran their financial lives like the federal government then there would be no America. Can you imagine deciding what you want to spend and then approaching your employer and demand to be paid that amount? It would be absurd! We have to see what we make and only spend that amount in order to be responsible. This is not the way government works.

To those who lament on both sides tonight that neither side has control, I would like to remind them that it is better that two idiots fight with their fists than one climb the tower with a machine gun. Divided power is less power for each party and that is good for everyone.

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