Saturday, October 1, 2016

Making the Connection.

By: Dale Weckbacher

Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
(ESV)

Christianity is unique in that God left heaven in the person of Jesus Christ and came to be with us.  Not only did he come to be with us but he also took on human form exposing Himself to the same physical, emotional, and spiritual pain as well as temptations that we face.  In essence, God made the connection with His fallen creation. 

The only difference according to what Hebrews 4:15 tells us is that in His humanity, Jesus never sinned.  This absence of sin in His life made Jesus the perfect Lamb of God for the atonement of the sins of fallen humanity.  However, Jesus is a perfect gentleman as well and honors our individual freedom of choice.  In other words, to redeem the gift of salvation for our sins and its reward of eternal life (John3:16), we must decide to accept the gift. 

Receiving this gift of salvation and making a personal connection with God is simple for Jesus death on the cross did all the work (John 19:30).  All one has to do to receive this gift is ask so if you are reading this and have not made the connection with God by asking Jesus to forgive your sins, please pray with me now.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Congratulations, you have now made a connection with God your creator.  Your sins have been forgiven and you now have eternal life with Jesus to look forward to in your life.  I now encourage you to click on the link for needanswers.com where you will find a link to an online Bible as well as an affordable print version.  There is also a link to help you find a church in your area where you can learn more about God since you have a direct connection with Him in your life now.  In addition, you can download the free YouVersion Bible app on your phone or mobile device. 

Political candidates also face the challenge of making a connection with voters.  Candidates attempt to make this connection by promising things if they are elected to office.  In this Monday’s Presidential debate both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump attempted to make this connection with voters.  The question we must answer is which candidate made a connection with the greatest number of voters, bringing them victory on Election Day.

Hillary Clinton’s big government agenda promising higher taxes on the wealthy, greater environmental regulations, and things like free college education, free healthcare, free child care etc. connects with voters that place their trust in government to provide for their needs.   This is identical to the Obama agenda which has resulted in

1)      A record low labor participation rate.  (1)
2)      Record numbers of people on food stamps.  (2)
3)      Record debt driven by continual budget deficits.  (3) (4)

While Hillary Clinton made a connection with many voters, the results of a Hillary Clinton presidency will most likely be continuing low labor participation rates and increasing numbers of families needing food stamps.  This will result in fewer people with taxable income and thus reduced revenues to government plus increased spending as an increasing number of individuals and families require some government entitlement program for their survival.  The result will be continuing deficits increasing the debt which will need to be paid for by future generations. 

Donald Trump’s agenda promises to make America great again.  However, his agenda is to accomplish this through stimulation of the private sector.  This stimulation will occur through tax cuts for job creation for both large and small businesses as well as lessening growth stopping regulations that are strangling innovation and business growth.  Donald Trump is gaining support this election by connecting with voters desiring to achieve the American Dream, not through the help of some government program, but through their own hard work and effort. 

Donald Trump’s plan will result in an increased labor participation rate.  With more people working and earning a paycheck, fewer people will require a government entitlement program to survive.  This increase in revenue by more people earning a paycheck and paying taxes coupled with reduced spending through fewer people on government entitlement programs will eliminate deficits and make it possible to reduce the burden of debt on future generations.  (5)

However, did either of the candidates make a connection with evangelical Christians in the debate?  The answer to that question is no since the question never came up.  However, Donald Trump did promise to protect Christians during a speech at Liberty University.  (6)  On the other hand, Hillary Clinton has said that Christian beliefs such as being pro-life must change.  (7)  While there was no connection made during the debate, it is obviously clear that Donald Trump, and not Hillary Clinton is interested in protecting the religious liberties and free speech rights of evangelical Christians.  While evangelical Christians would prefer a devout Christian candidate, what we must always support and vote for are leaders vowing to protect the rights of Christians. 

This election, I urge everyone to vote for the candidate they believe makes the greatest connection with them.  If they want a cradle to grave safety hammock of comfort through government taking care of them, with no regard for the massive debt it will create for their children, the candidate is Hillary Clinton.  However, if you desire a country where each individual can pursue their individual dreams, and protect their religious liberties, Donald Trump is the choice. 

1. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Databases, Tables & Calculators by Subject. data.bls.gov. [Online] United States Department of Labor, September 27, 2016. [Cited: September 27, 2016.] http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS11300000.

2. Kangadis, Nick. Food Stamp Users Near Record High Despite Low Unemployment Rate. www.mrctv.org. [Online] MRCTV, February 29, 2016. [Cited: September 27, 2016.] http://www.mrctv.org/blog/despite-low-unemployment-rate-food-stamp-users-remains-near-all-time-high.

3. Painin, Eric. CBO Warns Congressional Spending Is Driving Up the Deficit. www.thefiscaltimes.com. [Online] The Fiscal Times, January 19, 2016. [Cited: September 27, 2016.] http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2016/01/19/CBO-Warns-Congressional-Spending-Driving-Deficit.

4. Amadeo, Kimberly. The Difference Between the Deficit and the Debt. www.thebalance.com. [Online] The Balance, September 8, 2016. [Cited: September 27, 2016.] https://www.thebalance.com/deficit-vs-debt-how-they-affect-each-other-and-economy-3305779.

5. Patton, Mike. Do Tax Cuts Increase Government Revenue? www.forbes.com. [Online] Forbes, October 15, 2012. [Cited: September 27, 2016.] http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikepatton/2012/10/15/do-tax-cuts-increase-government-revenue/#23e23b5148a3.

6. Grossman, Cathy Lynn. ‘I will protect Christians,’ Donald Trump tells Liberty University students. religionnews.com. [Online] Religion News Service, January 18, 2016. [Cited: September 28, 2016.] http://religionnews.com/2016/01/18/donald-trump-liberty-university-evangelicals/.


7. Shoebat, Theodore. Hilary Clinton: Christians In America Must Deny Their Faith In Christianity. shoebat.com. [Online] Shoebat.com, April 24, 2015. [Cited: September 28, 2016.] http://shoebat.com/2015/04/24/hilary-clinton-christians-in-america-must-deny-their-faith-in-christianity/.

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