I have not generally subscribed to the pessimism concerning our economy, but the actions Congress is taking will have dire consequences for all of us. FDR attempted to finance a way around the country's economic hardships. Thinking that we can borrow our way out of debt is ludicrous. What’s more, as government continues to grow, what freedoms will remain?

I don't know what's scarier, the fact that this country seems ready to elect a socialist, or that our Congress is passing legislation that will further the socialist agenda – perhaps to the point of no return. Now, those of us who work and pay taxes will be asked to pay more so that we can give our money (cheerfully, not grudgingly) to poorly managed lending institutions that can then loan it back to us - with interest. It will be invigorating to drive by those places of business and realize that I have salvaged the jobs of so many incompetent people. Gladness will fill my heart when I think of all of the million dollar homes that won’t have to be abandoned just because dad “repeatedly loaned money to high risk borrowers with NO DOWNPAYMENTS,” or mom “passed legislation to force lending institutions to loan more money to high risk borrowers.” Good thing I had some extra money sitting around to help subsidize their hummer and jag. They assumed the risk and certainly would have been paid well if it hadn’t turned out so poorly. But it did turn out so poorly, and taxpayers seem willing to ensure that the legislators and lenders don't feel the full weight of their decision making.

Of course, that’s not the end. We all know how compassionate our congressmen are with our money. Certainly there will, of necessity, be 1-2 (but no more) earmarks that will allow a few people who DON’T work or pay taxes to benefit from this as well. Perhaps I will be lucky enough to pay the mortgage of a poor family with 2-8 able bodied citizens who can’t work because of the constraints of time. Hopefully, as I drive to work, I’ll be able to catch a glimpse of them pulling into the mall to spend some of my money for much needed designer clothes, or maybe I’ll see them just driving around enjoying some tunes - doubtless, I'll hear that enjoyment a mile or so down the road. And then I’ll think myself fortunate to be able to work and help others. So let’s stop pointing fingers. Our objective is now to remove all risk for borrowers and lenders (high-risk only). It’s not important that they can pay the loan back, we’ll pay for them. Of course, we’ll have to take out a loan to pay these high-risk loans back, but all in all, it’s a really good plan…

Socialism is here and it won’t be easy to defeat with so large a percentage of our population standing in line with their hand out.

Apparently, hope really is audacious.

http://townhall.com/columnists/WalterEWilliams/2008/10/01/destroying_liberty

We need 1 full time person (or almost full time) and 1-2 part time people for our production floor in Bowling Green, KY. Perfect job for college kids. Good pay, flexible hours, great work environment, awesome boss (Joel McAfee), awesome boss of the boss too.

Needed immediately. Lazy-butts need not apply.

Over the past several months I�ve become increasingly aware of the problem of idolatry in my life. For many years I considered idolatry to be too much TV watching, too much internet, too much music, and other �too much� issues. Those are quantity issues � hence the �too much� qualifier! Now, I�m thinking about substitution.

I traded relationship with God for a lot of genuinely good things because I believed them to be the same thing. Bible study, prayer, meditation, fasting, and participation in congregational assembly time are some of the tools that God has given us to that help us accomplish his will, but they are not THE purpose of our existence. God created us because he wanted to love us and for us to love him. Relationship with our Father is THE purpose. It�s the thing that will bring the fulfillment we all need and desire.

If I put the discipline of prayer above knowing God, I�ve chosen the knowledge ABOUT God over actually KNOWING God. Praying is not the same as knowing God. It is a tool that can help us know God. Studying the bible is not the same as loving God. Each discipline can help us come to know and love him, but they are not the equal to it.

The Pharisee in Jesus� story (Luke 18) was bragging about how much he fasted and tithed � seemingly legitimate things by which a Jew�s faith could be measured. But he was NOT justified because of his good religious form; it seems that he forgot the purpose of the form altogether, as seen in the boastful nature of his prayer. The other guy had no religious form at all (at least none that the righteous Pharisees would have acknowledged) and God granted him justification because he was VERY aware of his relationship to his creator.

This form of idolatry is worse than the other for at least two reasons.

1. We are typically unaware of it in our own lives � as the Pharisees were. We choose to believe that our spiritual lives are great � so, they must be. No amount of contrary evidence will convince us that we don�t know God, after all, we�re the people who are doing what he says. Sadly, the more God points it out to us the more defensive we become, and, like the Pharisees, we will put the Savior to death for the sake of our own religiosity. In that story about the two guys praying, Jesus was telling it to Pharisees that Luke described as �ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt.� YIKES! I�m sure they loved his analogy.

2. When we ARE aware of it, it�s very difficult to fix. Eliminating some TV time is a relatively quick fix. Turning off the computer is an easy measurement of great spiritual success. Whereas, falling in love with a God that we have viewed primarily as a source for information rather than loving relationship is, to me, an arduous task.

I�m not sure how to fix all of this in my life, but I have been praying for the strength and will to do it.

Listen to Paul describe the same realization in his life: �But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead� (Philippians 3:7-11).

Reflecting back over the last couple of weeks I�ve been thinking about the way we deal with the people around us. It�s a great time to observe habits.

I found myself judging my family instead of enjoying them. Each set of parents is either too strict or too permissive. Each couple is too loving and affectionate (get a room) or too cold and distant (seek counseling). My brother�s and sister�s kids are too shy or too much the center of attention. Grandparents are aloof and distant from my kids or smothering and spoiling my kids. My wife is too concerned about cleaning the house and cooking or the house looks like she doesn�t know family is coming over and everyone is hungry. Everyone spends too much money or too little on Christmas. Their house is like a museum where you can�t touch anything or it�s a pig sty where, again, you can�t touch anything.

All because they aren�t doing it the way I would. If only they had my expertise, they would be able to meet my stringent qualifications and the world would be right.

Sadly, I had to get mad at other people for doing this before I could see it in me. And then I started thinking about what I�ve prayed for so many times: freedom from judgment. Maybe I should learn to love the fact that God has removed that task from my list of obligations. I don�t have to worry about how other people conduct their lives � it�s between them and their Creator. My refusal to judge the differences between us is neither a sanctioning nor an indictment of them. Different isn�t necessarily wrong or right, it has no moral qualifier.

I resolve to quit �bettering� the lives of the people around me with incessant judgment and advice. I�m thankful that God is the judge and I am not. I hope I can learn more about that truth this year.

What if I�m driving down the road and I have a sinful thought just before my car slams into a tree ending my life? Am I lost? This is a question about being secure in our salvation which ultimately is a question about where we place our confidence. We can place it in us or in Christ.

Here�s what I believe and teach (in a very small nutshell):

John says in 1 John 5:13 that he wrote so that those who believed in the name of the Son of God could KNOW that they have eternal life. Apparently, salvation was not a question mark. That�s because salvation is not from us, it is from God. It�s his promise to us! One person I know described it this way, "I don't believe in 'once saved, always saved' but I don't believe in 'once saved, barely saved' either.� I believe Jesus is the Son of God and that he came here to find sinners like me and offer the gift of salvation. I fit the description of 5:13. I can know that I have eternal life.

God describes Christ-centered life as a direction and not a destination. Two of the descriptions in 1 John are "walking in the light" and "practicing righteousness." They both give the impression of something done rather than somewhere arrived. I would not describe my life as a practitioner of sinfulness. I stumble in many ways like James said, but it does not define my existence. My life can be defined as Christ-centered or directed toward God. I care about the things of God and my relationship with him. While I exist and walk in the Light of God, I sin, but those sins do not describe my lifestyle. So, I stay in the light and the blood of His son cleanses me from ALL sin.

John describes sin in two different ways in this text and even describes them in the end of the book as a �sin that leads to death� and a �sin that does not lead to death.� One might be termed �point-action� because they are committed by people who are directed toward God, but find themselves sinning anyway. These people are cleansed (continuous action verb) from their sin. The other kind of sin is described as �practice.� This is lifestyle. If my life is not focused on God and directed toward God, my sin can be described as my practice.

What am I afraid of? Isn�t love that is perfected supposed to cast out fear? If I fear punishment then I know that God�s love has not been fully understood or realized in my life. God wants to see me succeed � like I want my children to succeed. He wants good things for me and loves to see me rejoice in his goodness. My mistakes are different than mistakes of people who are not his children.

This is not a call to sinfulness. In fact, John says that because of our love for God we should keep his commandments. Instead, it is a call to confidence � not in ourselves, but in the God who keeps us in his hand. God wants our lives to be holy because we love him and choose goodness, not because we fear him and dread consequence. Christians are secure in Christ so long as we want to be. The only way I can get out of the hand of God is if I get up and walk away from him. Thank God that our promise of eternal life is secured in a Risen Lord! I'm confident he will deliver on his promise.