Who is To Do God's Work?!?

Charlie Rangle made an interesting comment the other day about Democrats.  He claimed that they were doing God’s work.

"And so what we have to do is send a collective voice," he said of the upcoming midterm elections. "Everything we're doing is God's work: education, healthcare, affordable housing, [protecting against] discrimination, paying people the minimum wage."

First off, allow me to state the obvious.  Any party that boos God publicly, promotes and defends the murder of pre-born babies, and defends homosexuality, is not doing God’s work. 

Secondly, government isn't supposed to do God’s work; God’s people are.  Where in the Bible does it teach that God’s work is even close to his list?  When the Bible speaks of education, it speaks to parents.  Healthcare?

The Good Samaritan didn't look to the government to take care of the beaten and robbed man.  He paid for it out of his own pocket.  Paul speaks to discrimination in Colossians 3 where he says that in Christ, “there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all.”   Also in James 2, James teaches about not discriminating against the poor in the church.  Affordable housing?!?  Minimum wage?!?  The Bible speaks much about working and that employers are to pay their laborers the wage agreed upon, but nothing about a minimum wage.  

Nowhere in the Bible does it teach that government is supposed to take care of the poor.  The Bible does teach however, that the Church is supposed to help the widows and orphans.   What was the welfare system in the Old Testament?  Let's look at Leviticus 19:9-10;

“‘When you gather in the harvest of your land, you must not completely harvest the corner of your field, and you must not gather up the gleanings of your harvest.  You must not pick your vineyard bare, and you must not gather up the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You must leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.”

It doesn't say that there must be special fields planted for the poor; it doesn't say that the farmers must pick the grain and then harvest it and take it a store where the poor come with their EBT cards to pick it up.  The poor had to actually work and harvest it themselves.  

Let's look also at Paul’s instructions to Timothy about widows.  I rarely ever hear this passage talked about.

“Honor widows who are truly widows.  But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.  She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.  Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach.  But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

“Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work.  But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith.  Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.  So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander.  For some have already strayed after Satan.  If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows.”  I Timothy 5:3-16

It’s interesting that first off, families are supposed to take care of their widows.  Secondly, the widows who were to “put on the list” were to be at least 60 years old, wife of one husband and having a reputation for good works.  In other words, one who could not support herself because of age, one who was married only once and one who was known for her good deeds.  Interesting requirements, don’t you think?   

The Bible does speak a lot about work and laziness however.

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”  Genesis 2:15

Man was given work to do by God in the Garden of Eden.  Work isn't a curse.  God created man physically stronger so that he could both provide for his family, but also to protect his family.  The curse came after Adam and Eve disobeyed God and God cursed the ground so that man’s labor would be hard work.  See Genesis 3:17-19.  

Adam wasn't the first to work, however.  From Exodus, we learn that Jesus was the first Person to work.  

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.”  Exodus 2:10-11

We know from John 1 that Jesus was the Word of God who created the world.  We also see from this passage in Exodus the principle that God assumes that we will be working.  This is why He instituted a day of rest.  Our bodies need time to relax and recuperate.  

Proverbs is full of references to those who are lazy.  The term that is used often is sluggard.  According to Webster’s Dictionary, a sluggard is “a habitually lazy person.”  Here are just a few of the references to laziness and sluggards from Proverbs.

“Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.”  Proverbs 19:15

“The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.”  Proverbs 12:24

“Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.”  Proverbs 12:27

“The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.” Proverbs 15:19  

“The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.” Proverbs 21:25

“A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.”  Proverbs 10:4

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.”  Proverbs 13:4

“The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.”  Proverbs 20:4

The New Testament also teaches about work.  

Paul is very clear in II Thessalonians 3:6, “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”  The context of this verse talks about the example of Paul himself and his own work ethic.  

In Colossians 3:23, Paul instructs in whatever work we do, we are to do it unto the Lord.  

The problem that we have here in America is that we have people who have been deceived into believing that government is supposed to help the poor.  I have a friend who calls them “do gooders.”  If individuals like Charlie Rangle really wanted to help the poor, they would put in place policies that would allow the economy to grow; cut taxes and cut regulations.  Quit stifling businesses.  Which is better, Mr. Rangle?  A job or charity? 

One of my favorite quotes about the economy and helping the poor is from Milton Friedman.

“In the only cases in which the masses have escaped from the kind of grinding poverty you’re talking about, the only cases in recorded history, are where they have had capitalism and largely free trade. If you want to know where the masses are worse off, worst off, it’s exactly in the kinds of societies that depart from that. So that the record of history is absolutely crystal clear, that there is no alternative way so far discovered of improving the lot of the ordinary people that can hold a candle to the productive activities that are unleashed by the free-enterprise system.”  Milton Friedman

Mr. Rangle, leave God’s work to God’s people.  The Constitution gives you your job description.  As a member of Congress, your job description is found in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution.  Note that nowhere in there is anything about healthcare, affordable housing, education or the minimum wage.  That is not your job. 

To quote Jesus, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Chip and Dip with Charlotte Bergmann

With the recent ObamaTax decision by the Supreme court, it is more important than ever to elect Constitutional Conservatives who will fight to Repeal and Replace HellCare as well as the many other encroachments on our Liberty that have been foisted on us by legislators like Steve Cohen.

Charlotte Bergmann is such a Constitutional Champion.  She is determined to Repeal and Replace ObamaTax.  Here is her statement regarding the decision by the Supreme Court:

Supreme Court’s Decision on ‘Obamacare’ Sets the Debate for November’s Election

Make no bones about it, the new tax foisted on Americans will kill job creation!  This tax increase is the largest tax increase in the history of the world.

Five Supreme Court Justices today decided to not impartially rule on the case – i.e. execute their solemn Constitutional charge.  They instead decided to serve as five more Affordable Care Act, 'ObamaCare' lawyers - and create a brand new argument to unconstitutionally "justify" the ObamaCare mandate.

Charlotte Bergmann, U.S. Congressional candidate for Tennessee 9^th District states, “I am disappointed in the Court’s ruling today. ObamaCare will stand as a massive tax on Americans. ObamaCare will add Trillions to our national debt, deter future job growth, and force thousands of individuals out of their existing health care coverage. The choice in the upcoming election couldn’t be clearer."

“Congressman Steve Cohen voted to pass ObamaCare and continues to support it. If elected, I will vote to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with real reforms that put patients and doctors in charge, create more choices for consumers and actually drive down the cost of health care.”

Bergmann then voiced her support for the following market-oriented reforms to health care:

• Make health care expenses and health insurance 100% tax deductible for individuals

• Create more choices through market reforms, including the ability to purchase insurance across state lines

• Aggressive medical malpractice and legal tort reform

• Preserve and protect Medicare through patient-doctor choice, not government cuts that deny seniors services

ObamaCare’s negative effects on job creation and U.S. citizens.

• Starting in 2013, Medicare payroll taxes increase 0.9 percentage points for people with incomes over $200,000 ($250,000 for couples filing jointly). Also, people at this income level would pay a new 3.8 percent tax on investment income. The 10-year tax increase: $210.2 billion.

  • Starting in 2018, a new 40 percent excise tax on high-cost health plans, so-called "Cadillac plans" (over $10,200 for individuals, $27,500 for families), kicks in. That's a tax increase of $32 billion in 2018 and 2019.

• Starting in 2014, a new annual fee on health insurance providers begins. Total estimated 10-year tax increase: $60.1 billion.

• Starting in 2013, the floor on medical expense deductions on itemized income tax returns will be raised from 7.5 percent to 10 percent of income. That's estimated to be an additional tax of $15.2 billion over the next 10 years.

• An unelected board of 15 bureaucrats having the ability to deny health care to senior citizens

• Violates religious conscience: 43 Catholic organizations – including the University of Notre Dame – have sued the U.S. Dept. of HHS over mandates regarding contraception that conflict with the moral teachings of those organizations.

The tax increases in the health care legislation reverses a trend of federal tax cuts and represent the first significant tax increases since 1993.  For the sake of our families, Republicans are outraged and are mobilizing for a 2010 redux...for our LIBERTY!  We have learned that Congress has no right to force us to purchase something we don't want to purchase; but Congress has a right to tax...and tax...and tax us into tyranny.  If liberty is our goal, the Supreme Court has failed its people.

As I have already stated, "If elected, I will fight inch by inch in defense of the Constitution to Repeal and Replace Obamacare."
 

Sincerely,

U.S. Congress Candidate

Charlotte Bergmann truly cares about Memphis and will be a Congressman that looks forward to and encourages Face to Face meetings with the citizens of Memphis.  We have an opportunity to do just that.

Please come meet her at:

La Hacienda
1760 N Germantown Pkwy, Cordova TN 38016 

Thursday July 12, 2012
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Bring a Friend who is concerned about the direction that this country is taking.  Even if you don't live in the 9th District, her vote affects you, so come meet her.  

We can make a difference and we can make a change here in Memphis, but we need you help to spread Ms. Bergmann's message of how Liberty and Reconciliation will bring Prosperity. 

Thank You, Mr. Cohen

CongressCritter Steve Cohen posted an article on his Facebook page about the death of a local cancer surgeon. The author of the article, Dr. Scott Morris, said this about Dr. Raza; “If I had a cancer patient at the Church Health Center who needed surgery, Raza would do the surgery without a thought about whether the patient could pay his fee.” Who is Dr. Scott Morris and what is the Church Health Center? From their website:

“Dr. Scott Morris, a family practice physician and ordained United Methodist minister, founded the Church Health Center in 1987 to provide quality, affordable healthcare for working, uninsured people and their families. Thanks to a broad base of financial support from the faith community, and the volunteer help of doctors, nurses, dentists and others, the Church Health Center Clinic has grown to become the largest faith-based clinic of its type in the country. Currently, we care for over 54,000 patients of record without relying on government funding. Fees are charged on a sliding scale based on income. The average visit costs about $20.”

The Church Health Center is a great model of how private charities and not the government are more effective and should be caring for the poor. It’s not the government’s responsibility to care for the poor.

Mr. Cohen is a big proponent of Hellcare, yet he praises a man who did charity work at a clinic that Hellcare would put out of business. Thank you, Mr. Cohen for pointing out the hypocrisy of the Hellcare bill. It’s not about healthcare, it’s about power for bureaucrats in D.C. like yourself. You have no private sector business experience, yet you purport to know more about running one than those that have. You aren’t a man of the people, you are an elitist.

Is America Worth Fighting For?

Well here it is. The week that the White House says they will pass "HealthCare Reform"; except we know that this current proposal has nothing to do with health care and everything to do with power. We also know that the American people ~you and I~ don’t want it, but that won’t stop the current crop of Democrat leadership in their quest for power. They believe that they know better than us. That we are like children who don’t know what’s good for them. The irony is that they are acting like spoiled children themselves who are upset that they’re not getting their way. They are kicking and screaming to try to get us to change our minds about their plan. They are trying to bribe their members into voting for it; they are trying to intimidate those that don’t agree with them. They don’t want a debate ~because they know they have lost~ so now they will “force” it down our throats with an unconstitutional “rule”. See Slaughter rule.

What are you & I going to do about it? Obama, Reid, and Pelosi think that we are just going to sit back and let it them enslave us. That’s what this bill is about. Enslaving us, our children and our grandchildren. This bill would further cripple our economy and control who gets health care and who doesn’t. Let me ask you a question. Regardless of whether you believe it’s the government’s job to “take care” of its citizens, what does the government do well? What is their track record? Have they ever done anything under budget? Have they ever run anything efficiently? Social Security? Post Office? Medicare? Welfare? Veterans Health Care? The only thing remotely that I can think of is the Military and there are some abuses there, but that where I’m willing to pay for some inefficiency.

The Democrats have come out and admitted that the reason they want taxpayer funded abortion is that less people will be cheaper for the rest of us. “If you pass the Stupak amendment, more children will be born, and therefore it will cost us millions more”. See here.Unbelievable. Obviously children cost money, but is that really a justification for not having them?

My plan this week is to fax Congress critters and let them know that what they are attempting is both unconstitutional and treasonous. They will be held accountable by Americans that love this country.

What are YOU going to do to defend this country this week?

2 out of 3

This morning I got up and did my Winsor Pilates 20 minute workout. That’s the 2nd time this week. My goal is 3 this week. I’m 2/3 of the way. Yea!

Yesterday was gorgeous here in Memphis ~a perfect spring day~. Today, it’s started the typical Memphis spring cycle. The forecast is rain & thunderstorms for the next few days. We’ll have a couple of nice days, then a few days of rain.

Today, my daughter has an orthodontist appointment. Other than taking her, my focus today is going to be faxing and contacting members of Congress in opposition to the HellCare Bill. It’s nothing but government control of every aspect of our lives under the guise of “the government knows best”. Capitalism, free markets and liberty has made this country great; not government control.

Here are the Congress Critters that will be getting a fax from me today.

resistnet.com

Have a Great Day!

To Do List

Today is a beautiful day here in Memphis. It’s sunny and going to get close to 70. My girls have already played outside. I’ve got lots to do today. Here are my top priorities.

o Laundry ~I’ve already got a load of towels in~
o Clean kitchen
o Menu planning
o Online shopping for girl’s spring clothes.
o Faxing Congress Critters opposing “HealthCare” Reform bill. ~This bill has nothing to do with Healthcare and everything to do with power~

I cleaned out my daughter’s fall/winter clothes and got out their spring/summer clothes from last year. They have definitely gotten taller. I will have to replace all their shorts. I’ll be listing them on CraigsList.