Restoring Economic Common Sense

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Proverbs 3:21b-24

Keep sound wisdom and discretion;

22 So they will be life to your soul

And grace to your neck.

23 Then you will walk safely in your way,

And your foot will not stumble.

24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;

Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.

NKJV

The Book of Proverbs is the Bible’s book of wisdom.  The word wisdom used in Proverbs 3:21b is the Hebrew word hyvwt.  This word implies a sound knowledge and a sound efficient wisdom leading to success.  (1)  In our modern language we might use common sense to define this type of wisdom.  Unfortunately, as I have written earlier, this type of wisdom is sadly lacking in our society today.  This is obvious when we look at how our leaders approached the 2008 economic crash.  We sadly need a restoration of economic common sense.

The popular belief today is that the economy involves Wall Street and the Fed, which sets monetary policy.  Granted these are parts of the economy but they are not the most important part of the economy and stimulating them does little to bring real stimulation to the economy, something that should be obvious after witnessing six years of manipulation of monetary policy and stimulation of Wall Street.  In spite of these attempts to bring about a real economic recovery, millions are not working and have given up looking for work, (2) record numbers are on disability because their unemployment has run out, (3) and millions are dependent on government for their food, evidenced by the increase in individuals on food stamps.  (4)  We have tried six years of failed socialist big government attempts to stimulate the economy giving conservatives an opportunity to roll out a better means of economic stimulus. 

The economy is much more than Wall Street and the Fed.  The economy is what all of us participate in daily.  When we go to a store and make a purchase, we are engaging in an economic transaction.  These companies hire people to insure the successful and efficient completion of our transaction with them.  This includes the people we see at the store but it also includes the people that deliver what we buy to the store, and the administrative staff that insures the business works smoothly and efficiently.  There are also people that work on the assembly line manufacturing the product and those that supply the raw materials that go into making the product we are buying. 

In other words, that hamburger, CD, or clothing you recently purchased created work for many people.  To bring about real economic stimulation, we must increase the quantity and value of these millions of transaction occurring daily in the economy.  However, there are three things hindering the increase and value of these transactions:

1)      High Taxes – Taxes take money out of the hands of private individuals and businesses and transfer it to government.  As we have seen over the last six years and even prior to that, government is inefficient in spending money.  Liberals argue that private sector individuals and businesses will horde their money and thus it is the responsibility of government to tax this excess money and redistribute it so it will be spent and stimulate the economy.  However, the only reason businesses or individuals would horde money is out of fear of incurring loss or losing everything.  In a thriving economy, businesses and individuals either spend their money or invest it, both of which stimulate the economy.  According to Dr. Eamonn Butler writing for the Adam Smith Institute, tax cuts stimulate the economy because they boost business everywhere.  (5)  Government spending targets certain groups and individuals and in order to stimulate these groups, government must take money from other economic sectors.  In other words, government stimulation in one sector means suppression in other sectors so there is no gain and usually an overall loss.

2)      Excessive Regulation – Some regulation or government oversight is necessary just like the need for referees during a sporting event.  The oversight of government in business however, should be limited to insuring contracts are honored, illegal activities are stopped, and fraud does not occur.  However, the regulatory forth branch of government has overstepped these limits.  Government now regulates the water in our toilets, the type of light bulb we can use, and now with Obamacare, government will regulate what kind of health care we can receive.  These regulations cause businesses and individuals to spend money on more expensive light bulbs, toilets that use less water, and more expensive health insurance and health care.  Businesses now must consider the additional health insurance costs they might incur if they expand and need to hire more employees, putting them over the 50-employee limit.  A research paper written by John J. Dawson and John J. Seater concluded, “Regulation’s overall effect on output’s growth rate is negative and substantial.”  (6)

3)      High Government Debt – Just as taxes take money or capital out of the hands of individuals and businesses, excessive government debt takes investment capital that could be invested in the private sector and puts it into the government.  This is because the government must borrow to cover deficits so it does not go into default.  Because lenders do not have money to lend private businesses for expansion, new jobs, jobs that would be created through business expansion, do not occur.  According to Yaron Brook writing for Forbes, it is not spending that stimulates the economy but production.  (7)  To increase production we must first reduce the corporate tax rate so businesses, like Burger King, do not need to invert to avoid excessive taxation but will choose to remain in the United States.  We also must reduce excessive regulations so businesses do not invert to avoid regulations as well.  The government must also balance its budget so it can quit borrowing money that businesses could use to expand production.  Our economy needs the liberation of increased production to put people back to work and get them off food stamps and disability. 

The conservative and Republican message needs to be that we are the ones that will help you get a well-paying job in an expanding private sector.  We are the ones that will put more spending money in your pocket by allowing you to keep more of your paycheck.  We are also the ones that will make it easier for you to start your own business or expand the one you already own. 

Next Wednesday we will look at what message conservatives need to communicate regarding the security of the nation. 

1. Strongs Concordance. Strong's Hebrew Definition for #08454. www.apostolic-churches.net. [Online] Apostolic Churches. [Cited: October 28, 2014.] http://www.apostolic-churches.net/bible/strongs/ref/?stgh=hebrew&stnm=08454.

2. Eggleston, Steve. The shrinking labor force participation rate. hotair.com. [Online] Hot Air, November 12, 2013. [Cited: October 28, 2014.] http://hotair.com/archives/2013/11/12/the-shrinking-labor-force-participation-rate/.

3. Gongloff, Mark. Rise In Disability Rolls Helps Explain An Unemployment Mystery. huffingtonpost.com. [Online] Huff Post Business, May 8, 2012. [Cited: July 18, 2012.] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/03/social-security-disability_n_1474621.html.

4. Klein, Philip. CRS report: number of able-bodied adults on food stamps doubled after Obama suspended work requiremen. washingtonexaminer.com. [Online] The Washington Examiner, September 19, 2012. [Cited: October 6, 2012.] http://m.washingtonexaminer.com/report-able-bodied-adults-on-food-stamps-doubled-after-work-requirement-suspended/article/2508430.

5. Butler, Dr. Eamonn. Why tax cuts stimulate the economy. www.adamsmith.org. [Online] Adam Smith Institute, February 1, 2011. [Cited: October 28, 2014.] http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/tax-spending/why-tax-cuts-stimulate-the-economy/.

6. Seater, John J. Dawson and John J. Federal Regulation and Aggregate Economic Growth. www4.ncsu.edu. [Online] January 2013. [Cited: October 28, 2014.] http://www4.ncsu.edu/~jjseater/regulationandgrowth.pdf.

7. Brook, Yaron. To Stimulate The Economy, Liberate It. www.forbes.com. [Online] Forbes, February 14, 2008. [Cited: October 28, 2014.] http://www.forbes.com/2008/02/14/yaron-economy-regulation-oped-cx_ybr_0214yaron.html.

The Search for Truth and Common Sense.

By:  Dale Weckbacher

John 18:37-38

Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?"

Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." 

38 Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them,"I find no fault in Him at all.

NKJV

In today’s political climate, truth and common sense is a rare commodity like precious jewels or metals.  As a politician, Pilate no doubt encountered lies and deception and when Jesus claimed to have come to bear witness to the truth, he decided that such an honest man could not be guilty of anything, which, in fact was true for Jesus. 

In 2008 when Obama was running for office, people were caught up in what Peter Blair referred to in The Dartmouth as an extreme euphoria and were assigning messianic qualities to candidate Obama (1)  He cites how one of the dangers of political campaigns is when people, especially young people, see candidates as some sort of secular messiah.  Mr. Blair then goes on to cite how many supporters of Obama cast him as a messiah-like figure with even Oprah calling Obama “The One.”  (1) 

Mr. Blair then concludes his piece with a call for his fellow Dartmouth students to put aside their youthful enthusiasm and be calm and clearheaded when entering the voting booth.  (1)  Unfortunately, I do not believe this occurred in 2008 and Obama won election.  However, this attachment of a messiah stature to candidate Obama is symptomatic of a much deeper problem in our culture, the absence of truth and common sense, and the desire for people to seek truth and common sense in messianic figures.  We also see evidence of this in the worship of entertainers, musicians, and athletes as well as politicians. 

Prior to his discourse with Pilate, Jesus declared to his disciples that He was the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).  I do not believe Pilate understood that not only was he in the presence of an honest man, he was in the presence of truth, the very truth he was most likely seeking in his life.  Likewise, the people supporting Obama in 2008 as well as many of the people we meet daily are seeking truth in Hollywood actors, musicians, athletes, and even politicians.  This is precisely why Jesus called us to share the Gospel with everyone for it is the only thing that can satisfy someone’s search for truth for Jesus is truth.

The falling approval numbers of Obama demonstrate that the messiah status he once enjoyed is flaming out like a falling star.  Those that once viewed him as their savior are most likely experiencing disappointment and feel Obama and their government has betrayed them.  This presents an opportunity for us to share the truth of the Gospel with them for Jesus, The Messiah, will never betray them.  However, it also presents an opportunity, within the political arena, for conservatives to win these disappointed voters over to the conservative side.  However, we cannot accomplish this by simply telling them we are not Obama but must give them something of substance to vote for when they enter the ballot box. 

The two predominate issues on everyone’s mind are the economy and national security.  (2)  Republicans hold an edge on issues related to the economy and national security as evidenced by polling done by the Pew Research center, which discovered Republicans have an edge on the following issues:

1)      Terrorist threat

2)      Budget Deficit

3)      Economy

4)      Immigration (2)

However, the same people see Democrats as having an edge when it comes to:

1)      Willingness to work with the other party

2)      Concerned about needs of people like me

3)      Governing in a more honest and ethical way (2)

This edge demonstrates that the GOP has an image problem.  Republicans have spent most of the Obama Administration portraying the image that they are not like the Democrats.  Whereas this may be true, and may even provide victory in the midterm elections, it does not seem to translate into victory in the last two presidential elections. 

People flocked to Obama in 2008 because they believed he had the answers they were looking for.  The image created by his campaign of hope and change resonated with people seeking truth.  Now that these people have been disappointed, Republicans have an opportunity to step in and fill the political gap but they must develop a plan to grow the economy and keep the nation secure in these insecure times. 

Over the next several postings to this blog, I will attempt to communicate what I believe the ordinary people of our nation need, and want to hear from their leaders.  My hope and prayer is that some of the candidates and potential candidates will use this information to formulate a plan of action and communicate it to voters. 

Just as in the time of Christ, people today are seeking truth.  Jesus is the way, truth, and life and the only way for us to have forgiveness of our sins.  Leaders also have a responsibility to be purveyors of truth for they are actually instruments of God with a duty to lead the people they serve (Romans 13:1).   Republicans now have the best opportunity they may have ever had to become the purveyors of truth people are looking.  However, will they be willing to step up to the plate or will they just cower back, failing to communicate a plan for restoring the economy and security of our nation, instead continuing to claim “we are not them”  as they continue to lose presidential elections. 

My prayer is that the next several postings to this blog will light a fire under the Republican leadership and encourage them to communicate a plan for victory for our nation.  I encourage everyone to share these postings with their political leaders and encouraging them to comment to the postings with their particular plan of action.  This is a great nation and together we can restore that greatness. 

1. Blair, Peter. Informed Enthusiasm. thedartmouith.com. [Online] The Dartmouth, October 20, 2008. [Cited: October 224, 2014.] http://thedartmouth.com/2008/10/20/opinion/informed-enthusiasm.

2. Pew Research Center. As Midterms Near, GOP Leads on Key Issues, Democrats Have a More Positive Image. www.people-press.org. [Online] Pew Research Center, October 23, 2014. [Cited: October 24, 2014.] http://www.people-press.org/2014/10/23/as-midterms-near-gop-leads-on-key-issues-democrats-have-a-more-positive-image/.

Promoting the Right Message

By: Dale Weckbacher

John 12:32

And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."

NKJV

The context of John 12:32 is Jesus telling his disciples how he would die.  However, we can also interpret this passage as an instruction to lift Jesus up in our lives for when we do, we cause people to want to have what we have.  Unfortunately, many Christians today may be delivering the wrong message with their words and deeds and actually pushing people away from Christ instead of drawing them in. 

                                           

Many see the church today as a political action organization that stands against things like gay marriage, and abortion.  It is true that these things are abhorrent to God and thus taking a stand against them is scriptural.  However, our taking a stand needs to be followed by pointing people to Jesus who loves people engaging in these activities and died on the cross, providing them an opportunity to receive forgiveness of their sins and eternal life (John 3:16).  Most of us know John 3:16 and can probably recite it by heart but I want to encourage everyone to read John 3:17,

John 3:17

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 

NKJV

When we take a stand on social issues without following through and sharing the Gospel, the world sees Christians as condemning them.  They view Christians as being against everything and fail to understand what Christians are for, a God that loves all sinners and provided salvation by sending his only son, who knew no sin, to die for their sins.  Jesus final words before ascending to heaven were to preach this good news, the Gospel, to every creature (Mark 16:15). 

There is much to fear in the world today and the people we encounter daily are searching for answers.  Many try to find the answer in drugs or alcohol.  Some try to find the answer in illicit sex.  Some believe government has the answers.  Some even try to find answers in secular philosophies that dominate the education system.  However, all of these things come up empty, leaving individuals still searching for answers. 

When Adam fell, he caused a separation of all mankind from their creator.  Since mankind was created to have fellowship with their creator, this left us all with an emptiness in our hearts.  The only way to fill that emptiness is restoring the lost relationship with God through acceptance of Jesus Christ’s free give of salvation.  However, unless we as believers bring people the message of the Gospel, they will never know. 

What prevents us as Christians from sharing the Gospel as we should?

1)      Fear – Fear is not from God but it is a powerful tool in the hands of the enemy.  It was fear of physical harm and rejection that caused Peter to deny Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75).  However, Peter was able to overcome his fear by seeing the risen Lord and being baptized in by the Holy Spirit.  This empowered Peter to deliver the first evangelistic message resulting in 3000 people receiving salvation (Acts 2:14-41).

2)      Lack of knowledge – We fear being asked a tough question that we cannot answer however, in the information age, there is little excuse for not learning all we can about the Bible and about what opponents of the Bible use in an attempt to attempt its accuracy.  Would that we would be as the student in the movie God’s not Dead and courageously stand up against those that may even be highly educated who refute the Bible.  In the movie, when confronted with a tough question by his professor, the student simply did more research and refuted the professor’s claims.  When confronted with a tough question, tell them you do not have an answer right now but will find out for them.  Then do your research and get back to them.  It is even okay to ask your pastor, imagine that.

3)      Lack of prayer – We all lead busy lives.  I can relate to having to get up early, showering, and slamming down some coffee in order to get ready for work.  In all of this busyness, it is easy to forget to take a couple of minutes at the beginning of the day to pray.  However, when I do, it always seems the day goes much better.  I am also beginning to learn that I can pray throughout the day and renew my strength and courage. 

4)      Lack of study of the Bible – The Bible is God’s Word.  When someone reads the Bible, God is actually speaking to him or her through His word.  Of course, for this conversation to mean anything, we must be listening.  We also must be willing to obey what we read.  As Christians, we have the advantage of personally knowing the author of the book, allowing us to have a deeper understanding of what God is saying. 

If you have not entered into a personal relationship with God through Jesus, I want to encourage you to do so now by praying

Dear God.  I know I have sinned and fallen short of your perfect standard.  I also know that the consequence of my sin is death.  I believe Jesus died, was buried, and rose again to forgive all my sins.  I now make Jesus Lord of my life.

If you prayed that prayer, you now have eternal life and a restored relationship with your creator.  This does not mean you are perfect and like all of us, you will mess up.  However, all you need to do is ask forgiveness and a loving non-condemning God will forgive you. 

For those of us who are already Christians and even for those that just prayed to become a Christian, I want to challenge you to tell someone what has happened in your life.  If you encounter a tough question, tell them you will find out for them and ask someone or a pastor what the answer is.  I also encourage you to pray, which is simply talking to God, and begin studying the Bible to find out more about the God who loves you and sent His son to die for your sins. 

There is a world out there that is searching for answers to the many problems in our society.  We as Christians have the only answer to these problems but the world is waiting for us to deliver that message.  Will you join me in beginning to delivering the message of the Gospel this world desperately needs?

The Wisdom of Learning from History

By: Dale Weckbacher

Proverbs 12:15

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

But he who heeds counsel is wise.

NKJV

A leader is only as good as the people with which he or she surrounds him or herself.  A wise leader has wise advisors surrounding them, enabling them to make wise decisions.  A foolish leader surrounds him or herself with yes men and woman who just go along with the leaders plans, never questioning them even when the facts prove they are wrong.  History is often the best advisor for making wise decisions but, unfortunately, leaders often fail to learn lessons from the past. 

The threat of an Ebola outbreak in the United States has been front and center in the minds of many in our country.  Usually with less than three weeks before an election, one would think the election would be front and center in people’s minds but with a real threat to people’s health, Ebola has the spotlight at this time.  However, Ebola is not the first time our nation has faced a serious health epidemic for our nation also faced a serious epidemic of influenza in 1918 providing us with an opportunity to learn how to handle a potential Ebola epidemic. 

According to a paper appearing in the 2010 issue of Public Health Reports, the city of New York approached the 1918 influenza epidemic by making use of its existing public health infrastructure.  The city developed this infrastructure during previous campaigns against tuberculosis.  (1)  Health officials worked to prevent the spread of the contagion by

1)      Distancing healthy New Yorkers from those infected

2)      Increasing disease surveillance

3)      Mounting a large-scale health education campaign

4)      Regulation of public places such as schools and theaters.

5)      Mandatory and voluntary control measures such as those used for spitting.  (1)

Implementation of these measures was effective for even though 100 million people died worldwide from influenza, the excess death rate for New York was only 4.7 as compared to 6.5 in Boston and 7.3 in Philadelphia.  (1)  The epidemic did take many New Yorker’s lives but the implementation of these measures may have saved potentially thousands of lives.  However, we must ask if the CDC is willing or even able to learn from the past and implement similar measures. 

Today’s society is much more mobile than the society of 1918 so separating healthy from unhealthy people will be more difficult.  However, as of this time, only two people have contracted the disease in the country and they are being isolated from the rest of us.  We still have time to keep the numbers of those contracting Ebola small so they can easily be isolated from the general public. 

However, if people from infected countries continue to freely enter our country, exposing more people, the numbers could expand exponentially into a full-blown epidemic.  We therefore must ban entry into the country from nations already experiencing an epidemic.  Even though this sounds logical our society is not only more mobile than the society of 1918, it is also more political.

In a recent interview on CNN, David Quammen, an Ebola expert and author of Ebola Spillover said the following:

“You can’t isolate neighborhoods, you can’t isolate nations.  It doesn’t work.  And people talk about, “Well, we shouldn’t allow any flights from Liberia.”  I mean, we in America, how dare we turn our backs on Liberia given the fact that this is a country that was founded in the 1820s, 1830s because of American slavery.  We have a responsibility to stay connected to them and help them see this through,” (2)

In other words, our nation’s history of slavery from back in the 1820s and 1830s, something we ended after the Civil War, and something nobody alive today participated in, means we must now expose innocent citizens of the United States to a deadly disease as some form of politically correct punishment.  This form of perverted warped logic can only exist in a PC liberal world. 

I am sure we could come up with examples of where implementing the other four parts of New York’s strategy would be difficult or even impossible in the current politically correct environment.  Once again, we see how political correctness is now placing the lives of all citizens in jeopardy.  I imagine the ACLU will be right there claiming some temporary measure designed to protect the public infringes on civil liberties and must be stopped.  In abnormal circumstances like a potential Ebola outbreak, we may need to temporarily sacrifice some civil liberties in the interest of our safety.  (3)

While the number of those infected in the United States is low, the President must use his beloved phone and pen.  He can use his phone to call the FAA and ban flights from affected countries.  He can also use his phone to ban ships coming from these countries.  He can then use his pen to sign an executive order banning entry into the country by people from these countries to make it official.  I normally do not support executive orders from this President but with the potential of a serious epidemic, I believe an executive order is called for at this time. 

If the President refuses to use his pen and phone for this purpose, Speaker Boehner needs to call Congress back for an emergency session to pass legislation banning flights from the affected countries and close our wide-open southern border.  This will force the Senate to vote on the legislation for failing to do so would mean a sure loss for incumbents currently running for reelection.  This will force the President to sign or veto the legislation, and with his approval ratings at historic lows, he will most likely sign the legislation so as not to risk a voter backlash in the mid-term elections. 

It is time for my fellow political avengers to take action by calling and emailing the White House and ask the President to issue an executive order banning flights and securing the borders.  We also must flood the phone lines of the House and Senate urging them to take a break from campaigning and do their job of protecting the citizens of the country. 

New York got it right in 1918 and was able to save thousands of lives.  We still have time to learn from them and prevent an Ebola outbreak that could cause thousands or even millions to lose their lives. 

1. Alimone, Francesco. The 1918 Influenza Epidemic in New York City: A Review of the Public Health Response. www.ncbi.nim.gov. [Online] National Institutes of Health, 2010. [Cited: October 16, 2014.] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2862336/.

2. Allen, Elizabeth. You Won’t Believe Why This Ebola Expert Told CNN US Cannot Ban Flights From West Africa. www.thefederalistpapers.org. [Online] The Federalist Papers, October 3, 2014. [Cited: October 16, 2014.] http://www.thefederalistpapers.org/us/you-wont-believe-why-this-ebola-expert-told-cnn-us-cannot-ban-flights-from-west-africa.

3. Krauthammer, Charles. Ebola vs. Civil Liberties. www.nationalreview.com. [Online] The National Review, October 16, 2014. [Cited: October 16, 2014.] http://www.nationalreview.com/article/390529/ebola-vs-civil-liberties-charles-krauthammer.

The new First Responders: Doctors, Nurses, and Other Healthcare Workers

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Matthew 14:14

And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.

NKJV

Healing the sick was a vital part of the ministry of Jesus Christ.  Jesus healed the sick out of His compassion for them (Matthew 14:14).  Healing the sick was also a demonstration that Jesus was the one sent from God (Matthew 11:2-4).  Today, doctors, nurses, and others working in the healthcare industry are in essence carrying on the same work Christ did when he walked the face of the earth.  Unfortunately, with the revelation of a healthcare professional in Dallas contracting Ebola while treating Thomas Eric Duncan (1), we now must realize that healthcare workers are now the new first responders in the war on Ebola.

However, are these new first responders prepared to handle a pandemic and are we equipping them with the resources necessary to treat patients safely.  The nurses’ union in Dallas would answer that question with a resounding no if recent allegations are true for according to CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta Mr. Duncan was not put into Isolation for several hours.  His blood, tainted with the Ebola virus, also circulated through the hospital’s tube system.  (2)  It would appear from the allegations that many hospitals, in spite of the fact that they have the newest and most technologically advanced equipment, are not prepared for Ebola.

Of course, the CDC is on top of the situation so there is no need to fear, right.  Wrong, for even the CDC now admits it could have done more on Ebola.  (3)  The CDC now admits to failing to do all they should have done to prevent Nina Pham, a healthcare worker in Dallas, from contracting Ebola while treating Mr. Duncan.  In other words, the CDC, which has a duty to prevent the spread of deadly diseases like Ebola in the United States, admits it may be unable to protect healthcare workers who are the first responders when an infected person shows up at a hospital, urgent care center, or doctor’s office.  We also must consider other patients and visitors exposed to Ebola prior the placing of Mr. Duncan into isolation. 

I hope that it is not too late for the CDC to develop a plan to equip healthcare workers so they can safely handle patients potentially infected with this deadly disease.  The plan must include

1)      Preventing people from infected countries from entering our nation.  When a boat is sinking, the first thing to do is plug up the hole.  One man already made it past screening at the airport in Liberia and the United States because he was not showing symptoms.  Since Ebola has a gestation period of 21 days, we must wonder how many may have already passed the screening process, not showing symptoms but already infected.  The only way to prevent these people from infecting others in our country is to stop them from entering the country.

2)      Use of the military to bring back citizens of the United States that are already in infected countries.  This will allow us to control the situation and keep these people in isolation for the 21-day gestation period, insuring they are not infected and cannot infect others. 

3)      Training of healthcare professionals.  We must insure our healthcare workers know how to recognize the symptoms of Ebola and know the precautions necessary to prevent them from contracting the disease. 

4)      Equipping major hospital emergency rooms with isolation units so potential Ebola patients are immediately isolated from the general public and so healthcare workers can take the proper precautions when treating these patients. 

5)      Most importantly, the government needs to be honest with the American People.  The government is rightfully interested in calming the public’s fears and not creating a panic.  However, the fact that at least one healthcare worker has been infected and the surfacing of allegations pointing to the possibility we may not be prepared to handle a pandemic, a panic may happen.  In the information age it is increasingly difficult to hide facts from the public so coming out in the open with the truth is actually the best way to calm a panic. 

Every day, healthcare workers go to work and in the course of their duties are exposed to sick people.  Many of these people have contagious diseases and in the course of treating these patients, healthcare workers expose themselves to these diseases.  Fortunately, most of the diseases healthcare workers encounter are treatable and if they become sick, they will recover.  However, Ebola is different and has high death rate.  We must do everything we can to insure that those who have dedicated their lives to treating us when we get sick, can do it without having to risk their own lives in the process. 

Like Jesus, many individuals go to work every day treating those of us who are sick.  For many of them it is not just a job, it is something they do out of compassion.  It is now our turn to show them compassion by urging our leaders to provide a defensive shield and ban entry into our country from nations experiencing an Ebola outbreak.  We also must implement a plan for training these compassionate healthcare workers on how to treat infected individuals who may already be in our country. 

Is this too much to ask?

1. Sickles, Jason. Nina Pham identified as Dallas nurse diagnosed with Ebola. news.yahoo.com. [Online] Yahoo News, October 13, 2014. [Cited: October 14, 2014.] http://news.yahoo.com/nina-pham-identified-as-dallas-nurse-with-ebola-165521689.html.

2. Breitbart TV. NURSES UNION: DUNCAN NOT PUT IN ISOLATION, WASTE PILED NEARLY UP TO CEILING. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, October 14, 2014. [Cited: October 14, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2014/10/14/Nurses-Union-Duncan-Not-Put-In-Isolation-Waste-Nearly-Piled-Up-to-Ceiling.

3. Merchant, Emily Schmall and Nomaan. CDC acknowledges it could have done more on Ebola. news.yahoo.com. [Online] Yahoo News, October 14, 2014. [Cited: October 14, 2014.] https://news.yahoo.com/doctor-gives-blood-ebola-infected-dallas-nurse-050231595.html.

Moving From the Fear Farm to the Faith Farm

By:  Dale Weckbacher

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

NKJV (1)

Most will agree that we live in a world dominated by fear.  Even in Paul’s time, fear was prevalent which is why he included this instruction to his pupil Timothy about the source of fear.  Paul understood that Timothy, as a young preacher, would encounter many fearful things and found it important to instruct him about the source of fear.  We too must understand the source of fear and not dwell in the fear farm but instead move into the faith farm.

In today’s fear farm there is much to fear:

1)      Physical harm or death – Since 9/11 and even before, the fear of physical harm is very real.  This is why we lock our doors and why many carry guns or some form of weapon to protect themselves from physical harm.  However, since 9/11 this fear of physical harm has expanded from being something individual to something national as we now live with the fear some terrorist or group of terrorist may attack us and kill thousands of innocent people as they did on 9/11.  This very real fear is why securing the borders and maintaining a strong military is important to a majority of people. 

2)      Poverty or losing everything we have worked for – The economic collapse of 2008 caused many to lose their wealth as they saw their 401K turn into a 201K or worse.  They also saw the value of their real property decline to where many ended up upside down owing more than the value of their property.  This problem was then compounded as many lost their jobs or businesses, their source of income, and actually lost their property through foreclosure.  This very real economic collapse has caused many to live in fear of losing all and being relegated to living a life or poverty and dependence, something many are already having to do as record numbers of individuals have dropped out of the workforce and live on some form of government entitlement. 

3)      Pandemic – As Ebola has now left Africa and arrived in the United States and Europe, we now live with the very real fear of a global pandemic killing thousands as Ebola has already done in Africa.  Even though I live in the United States, which has what I believe to be the best, healthcare system in the world, there is still much to fear.  There is no cure yet for Ebola and even the best healthcare system in the world can become overwhelmed and run out of resources in a pandemic. 

Jesus encouraged His followers in John 14:1-4 when he said:

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.   3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.  4 And where I go you know, and the way you know."

NKJV (1)

Jesus wants us to move from the fear farm of this world and join Him in the faith farm where we can have:

1)      Protection – Jesus said He would never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) (1).  In fact, even in death He promises to be with us (Psalm 23:4) (1).  Our God is a mighty fortress of protection (Psalm 18:2, 31:2, 3, 71:3) (1).  However, even the best fortress of protection is useless unless we come into the fortress.  If you have not done so already, I encourage you to enter into the fortress of God’s protection by accepting God’s free gift of salvation by making Jesus Christ Lord of your life (Romans 10:9-10) (1). 

2)      Provision – Jesus promised that all of our needs would be met through His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19) (1).  Since God created everything we see and have, this is a very real promise because God, unlike any person or government, has the resources to provide whatever we need.  However, just as we must climb into the fortress of God’s protection to have protection, God’s provision hinges on our pursuit of the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33) (1) which includes giving of our tithes and offerings to him (Malachi 3:10) (1).

3)      Physician – We can have access to the great physician who demonstrated his ability to heal during his earthly ministry where he healed many sick (Matthew 4:24) (1).  This promise of healing was then extended to us all through the stripes Jesus bore when he was whipped (Isaiah 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24) (1).  This does not mean Christians are immune from death for all people have an appointment with death (Hebrew 9:27) (1) but for those who have chosen to make Jesus Lord of their lives, death is not something to dread but means that we are transferred from this world dominated by fear into the presence of God (2 Corinthians 5:8) (1).  In Christ, our death will come at a time appointed by God and not at the hands of some pandemic like Ebola unless that is God’s will for our lives.  We can therefore live in faith that if our appointed time of death is not due to Ebola, God will protect us from that pandemic and miraculously heal us if we contract Ebola and it is not his will for us to die that way.

There is no need for us to live in the fear farm dominated by physical harm, poverty, and pandemic for we can, through a relationship with Jesus Christ, enter into the faith farm of protection, provision, and access to the great physician.  Join me in moving from the faith farm to the fear farm. 

1. Bible Gateway. Passage Lookup. www;biblegateway.com. [Online] Bible Gateway. [Cited: October 11, 2014.] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/.

A GPS for Uncertain Times

By:  Dale Weckbacher

John 14:1-4

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.   3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.  4 And where I go you know, and the way you know." 

NKJV

These words, spoken by Jesus almost 2000 years ago have most likely been a great source of comfort throughout the years for those suffering during uncertain times.  We live in an uncertain world and as a believer in Christ, I often just sit and shake my head wondering what people and even our leaders are thinking.  However, we can find hope in knowing that our Lord has gone before us and is preparing our eternal destination.  In effect, when we accept Jesus Christ as our savior, he programs our GPS with our eternal destination, heaven, and eternity with Him.

However, for a GPS to work properly, it must also know its current location.  If the GPS in our car loses contact with the satellite and no longer knows its current location, it cannot help us arrive at our destination.  Romans 3:23 tells us we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  Everyone on earth has lost touch with the GPS satellite signal due to Adam and Eve’s fall in the Garden.  However, there is a way to reestablish the connection with our GPS signal and that way is a relationship with Jesus Christ (John 14:6).

I therefore encourage everyone to reestablish this connection by following the instructions in Romans 10:9-10, which says, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  (NKJV)

There are also times when our GPS that once had acquired its signal, loses it due to interference such as a thick cloud cover blocking the signal.  Hard times, struggles, and trials come into all of our lives, even if we are believers in Christ.  These times can act as a cloud cover causing us to lose the GPS signal in our lives.  However, just as Christ stilled the storm on the sea of Galilee, He can still these trials in our lives, reconnecting us with the GPS signal that leads our lives. 

It is also important to follow the instructions a GPS gives us.  I remember the first time I used a GPS.  My family and I were on vacation in San Diego.  The GPS told me to move into the right lane but I continued to go down the road in the left lane.  The GPS then told me to turn right and of course being in the left lane, I could not make the necessary right turn.  After going on down the road looking for a place to turn around the GPS finally told me to make a U-turn as soon as possible and head back to my missed turn.  When we live for Christ and do not spend time listening to His instructions contained in His Word, we can miss turns in our lives and may even need to make a U-turn to get back to our missed turn.  

Nations can also lose connection with their GPS signal and when they do, the results can be disastrous.  In the Declaration of Independence, the founders of the United States stated their desire to create a nation where all men were created equal and that rights come from God.  Unfortunately, as the years have passed, the cloud of liberalism and progressivism has caused our nation to lose connection with its GPS signal. 

No longer does the government believe that rights come from God and instead promise that the next government program will create equality and grant us more rights.  The result, ballooning deficits as government creates new program after new program promising that this program will be the one that makes everything equal.  Obamacare is such a program promising to make health care less expensive and available to all only to have it increase premiums and lead to the retirement of many healthcare professionals, thus making health care less available. 

Government is so busy formulating expensive and inefficient programs, it is failing in its primary duty, keeping citizens safe.  Our nation’s borders are wide-open so dangerous diseases like Ebola or terrorists can cross to inflict harm on innocent citizens.  Instead of protecting citizens, the priority of government seems to be legalizing gay marriage, something not supported by a majority of citizens, and evidenced by several states passing amendments to their state constitutions establishing marriage as between a man and woman. 

Our nation has lost connection with its GPS signal and has reached a point where the only solution is a U-turn.  This U-turn begins with conservative control of both houses of Congress after the 2014 elections.  We then need to elect the first true conservative to office since Ronald Reagan in 2016.  This will slow down the creep of liberalism and progressivism, beginning the U-turn.  However, to complete the U-turn, we also need to take conservative control of four-fifths of state houses so that we have the option of a convention of the states as outlined in Article 5 of the U.S. Constitution since it seems impossible for Washington to limit its own power. 

Just as an individual can make a U-turn and turn their life around, a nation can also make a U-turn.  However, it is possible to go so far, a U-turn is impossible.  We therefore must act fast, starting with this election.  

The Threat of Political Correctness

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Leviticus 23:26-29

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 27 "Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. 28 And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God.

NKJV

At sundown yesterday, the Jewish observance of Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement began.  The above passage of scripture from Leviticus tells of the importance of this day in the Jewish faith.  However, atonement is also crucial in the Christian faith as well. 

The difference in how Christians and Jews view atonement is that Christians look back to the atoning work of Jesus on the Cross where as Jews continue to observe a day of atonement each year where they look forward to a day when Messiah will once and for all provide atonement for their sins.  Christians believe Messiah has already come and provided atonement and is coming again to establish His kingdom on earth.  Jews, however, continue to wait believing in one appearance of Messiah to provide atonement as well as the establishment of His kingdom on earth. 

Jesus did indeed come and die for the atonement of the sins of anyone accepting his gift of salvation.  Jesus came as the prince of peace, bringing peace by restoring a right relationship with God for anyone willing to accept Him as their savior.  However, just because Jesus is the Prince of Peace does not mean He is politically correct. 

In Matthew 10:34 Jesus said the following:

Matthew 10:34-35

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.

NKJV

The sword Jesus brought was truth (John 18:27) and the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).  During Jesus ministry, he often spoke out against the evils he saw in this world. 

1)      He told those wanting to stone the woman found committing adultery to only throw the first stone if, they had no sin.  Since all have sinned, all the women’s accusers walked away (John 8:1-10).

2)      He overturned the tables in the temple after witnessing how the Pharisees had turned God’s house of prayer into a den of thieves where money changers charged exorbitant prices to people needing to buy a sacrificial lamb for Passover (Matthew 21:12-13).

3)      He called the religious leaders of his day snakes for how they twisted scripture to serve their own interests (Matthew 12:33-37).

Recent events in the news are starting to demonstrate that political correctness is no longer an inconvenience but a dangerous threat to our nation and world. 

1)      Ebola has now left Africa and entered the United States.  (1)  One would think that with the country now exposed to this dangerous disease, authorities would be proactive taking every precaution to insure no additional infected individuals enter the country.  However, the CDC claims we cannot shut the border, claiming doing so would actually place citizens at a greater risk.  (2)  Only in a PC world where government officials have a greater fear of offending someone would it seem logical to claim citizens are safer if they have greater exposure to a deadly disease like Ebola.  Such PC behavior will only place citizens of the United States at a greater risk while straining our already strained health care system.  (3)  Close the border and ban flights from affected countries like Air France did back in August of this year.  (4)   Political correctness and not common sense appears to be governing the Ebola response in the United States.  (5)

2)      The Enterovirus is attacking children in the United States and may have been responsible for four deaths.  (6)  Many believe it is no coincidence that this rare respiratory virus appears in our country at the same time of the invasion into the United States by thousands of illegal aliens at the southern border, possibly infected with this serious diseases.  (7)  Of course, we cannot deport these children and reunite them with their pathetic parents who endangered them by sending them across Mexico to our country for that would be politically incorrect.  No, we must insure these children are in the same schools with the children of citizens of the country, exposing them to a deadly disease.  All this in the interest of political correctness

3)      The Secret Service should look like Disney World.  Even the President of the United States may be in increased danger in the interest of political correctness as we have now discovered that the recently resigned director of the Secret Service demanded the dismantling of extra layers of fencing and the reopening of closed streets during the U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit.  She is quoted as saying the Secret Service should be “more like Disney World.”  (8)  Thankfully, she has now resigned for we cannot let political correctness and the fear of offending some visiting dignitaries to the White House compromise the protection of the President and his or her family. 

4)      Failure to call an act of terrorism for what it is, an act of terrorism.  Perhaps the most egregious example of political correctness compromising the safety of innocent citizens is the failure of the administration to call the recent beheading of a woman in Oklahoma an act of terrorism, instead calling it an act of workplace violence.  (9)  Of course, this totally disregards the Facebook posts of the perpetrator, (10) the fact that witnesses attest to his attempting to convert others to Islam (11) and was shouting Muslim words while committing his heinous act of beheading.  (12)

Political correctness has moved from being an inconvenience to a real threat to the national security of citizens and even the President of the United States.  During His ministry, Jesus had no problem declaring the truth of God’s Word and calling evil, evil when He saw it.  We all, especially Christians, must follow His example and stop trying to be politically correct, instead we must continue to spread the Gospel and declare the truth of God’s word and call evil for what it is, evil. 

1. Sickles, Jason. Texas patient confirmed as first Ebola case diagnosed in U.S. news.yahoo.com. [Online] Yahoo News, September 30, 2014. [Cited: October 3, 2014.] http://news.yahoo.com/texas-patient-confirmed-as-first-ebola-case-diagnosed-in-us-205031312.html.

2. Topaz, Johathan. CDC chief on Ebola: We can’t shut the border. www.politico.com. [Online] Politico, October 3, 2014. [Cited: October 3, 2014.] http://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/ebola-us-border-111581.html.

3. Amy Anderson DNP, RN, CNE. The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on the Health Care Workforce. www.heritage.org. [Online] The Heritage Foundation, March 18, 2014. [Cited: October 3, 2014.] http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2014/03/the-impact-of-the-affordable-care-act-on-the-health-care-workforce.

4. Gordon, Sarah. Air France suspends flights to Ebola-hit Sierra Leone at request of French government ... days after crew signed safety petition and refused to board flights . www.dailymail.co.uk. [Online] The Daily Mail, August 27, 2014. [Cited: October 3, 2014.] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2735698/Citing-Ebola-Air-France-suspends-flights.html.

5. Limbaugh, Rush. Political Correctness Governs Ebola Response. www.rushlimbaugh.com. [Online] EIB Network, October 2, 2014. [Cited: October 3, 2014.] http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2014/10/02/political_correctness_governs_ebola_response.

6. Hein, Alexandria. Health officials probe enterovirus D68 link in 4 deaths. www.foxnews.com. [Online] Fox News, October 2, 2014. [Cited: October 3, 2014.] http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/10/02/health-officials-probe-enterovirus-d68-link-in-4-deaths/.

7. DeAngelis, Jeannie. The Invasion of Enterovirus EV-D68. www.americanthinker.com. [Online] American Thinker, September 10, 2014. [Cited: October 3, 2014.] http://www.americanthinker.com/2014/09/the_invasion_of_enterovirus_evd68.html.

8. Thompson, Catherine. Ex-Secret Service Director: Agency Needs To Be 'More Like Disney World'. talkingpointsmemo.com. [Online] TPM, October 3, 2014. [Cited: October 3, 2014.] http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/julia-pierson-secret-service-disney-world.

9. Serio, Kelli. MAINSTREAM MEDIA CONTINUES TO CALL OKLAHOMA BEHEADING 'WORKPLACE VIOLENCE'. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, September 30, 2014. [Cited: October 3, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2014/09/30/Mainstream-Media-Continues-To-Call-Oklahoma-Beheading-Workplace-Violence.

10. Howley, Patrick. ‘SHARIA LAW IS COMING!!!!’ Oklahoma Beheader Celebrated Terrorists, Disparaged Non-Muslims On Facebook. dailycaller.com. [Online] The Daily Caller, September 26, 2014. [Cited: October 3, 2014.] http://dailycaller.com/2014/09/26/sharia-law-is-coming-oklahoma-beheader-celebrated-terrorists-disparaged-non-muslims-on-facebook/.

11. Talley, Tim. http://dailycaller.com/2014/09/26/sharia-law-is-coming-oklahoma-beheader-celebrated-terrorists-disparaged-non-muslims-on-facebook/. www.csmonitor.com. [Online] The Christian Science Monitor, September 27, 2014. [Cited: October 3, 2014.] http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2014/0927/Oklahoma-beheading-was-suspect-trying-to-convert-others-to-Islam-video.

12. Lydia Warren, Laura Collins, Sophie Jane Evans, Kieran Corcoran. Fired Muslim convert store-worker who beheaded female colleague after losing his job was 'shouting Islamic phrases' as he carried out his bloody rampage. www.dailymail.co.uk. [Online] The Daily Mail, September 27, 2014. [Cited: October 3, 2014.] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2771940/Fired-Muslim-convert-store-worker-beheaded-female-colleague-lost-job-argument-stoning-women.html.