Increasing the Universe of Jobs:

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Proverbs 16:3

Commit your work to the LORD, and then your plans will succeed.

NLT

Soon after I was married to my wife, I learned a valuable lesson from my father-in-law.  He worked construction as an operating engineer and had been out of work for almost a year.  This was during the Carter recession of the late seventies so he had a lot of company.  His unemployment benefits had run out and at this time in our country’s history, the Congress did not just keep extending the benefits.  We were discussing the unemployment rate and I commented that it was actually going down.  The lesson I learned from him was that he told me the government no longer counted him as unemployed since his benefits had run out and that that was why the rate was going down. 

My father-in-law only had an eighth grade education but he was wiser than most of the people leading our country today.  If he were alive today, he would be among those screaming that the recently released unemployment numbers are bogus.  Sure, the rate is going down but the reason is that there are almost 92 million able bodied people that have dropped out of the workforce.  (1)  If this unsustainable trend continues, we will have near zero unemployment but we will also have a vast majority of the country drawing a government check and a small minority paying taxes to support this burgeoning welfare state.  Eventually the system will collapse as the producers either quit producing or leave the country and there is no more money to support the welfare state. 

As the media and the Obama Administration tout how their policies are bringing down the unemployment rate, we must take a lesson from my wise father-in-law and educate our friends, family, and co-workers about how the rate is coming down due to a shrinking universe of jobs.  We can accomplish this by pointing out that there are an increasing number of people leaving the workforce, discouraged because they simply cannot find a job.  In fact, In December 2013, for every job created nearly five have left the workforce.  (1)  Anyone with any basic knowledge of math would understand that if this mathematical trend continues, the nation’s economy would collapse. 

We can also point people to the U6 unemployment number.  Typically, when the government releases the monthly unemployment numbers, the only number the media reports is the U3 number, which only counts those actively seeking work.  (2)  The number that more accurately reports those currently out of work is the U6 number, which includes those who are actively seeking work and those that would like to work but have given up looking.  (2)

When President Obama took office the U6 rate was 14.2 percent.  After trillions of dollars of bailouts and spending designed to create jobs and stimulate the economy, the U6 rate has only dropped to 13.1 percent.  (3)  I would say that the taxpayers are not getting their money’s worth. 

To truly stimulate the economy and increase the universe of jobs, we must quit current out of control government spending and stimulate the private sector of the economy through tax cuts and the easing of onerous regulations.  The private sector runs on capital, which is currently being used to pay high taxes and insure compliance with a growing number of regulations.  To truly expand our economy and the universe of jobs we must free up private capital so it can be used for business expansion and innovation. 

Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate for President in 2012 ran on a tax plan to cut taxes 20% across the board.  (4)  The belief was that more discretionary income in the hands of consumers would increase consumer spending.  In our economy that is driven by consumer spending, business revenues would increase and these businesses would need to expand to keep up with increasing demand.  Consumers would also demand new products spurring innovation. 

This is a short-term fix providing a quick, and much needed, stimulation to our currently stagnant economy.  However, we need a longer term fix to insure we do not go down the same road of out of control government spending and high taxes.  The longer-term fix to our economy involves fixing our government budget process by ending baseline budgeting and passing a balanced budget amendment.  After all individuals, families, and businesses all start at zero each year and have to balance their budgets, why not Uncle Sam. 

We then need to overhaul our tax code.  I say this as a tax preparer that earns money preparing taxes each year.  Even though simplification of the tax code would mean a reduction in my personal income, it would also mean a reduction of my personal taxes.  It would be nice to be able to have the same level of after tax income without having to endure the craziness of January 1 through April 15 each year. 

Our current progressive income tax code discourages achievement by strapping achievers with a higher tax rate.  Expanding the economy and increasing the universe of jobs requires replacing this progressive tax code with either a flat tax or a consumption tax.  This way people and businesses would be able to know their tax bill and how much income they have left after tax to either spend or invest. 

My father-in-law may have only had an eighth grade education but he was wise in that he had a great amount of commonsense.  He understood that someone out of work, without an income to support themselves and their families, was suffering even if the government no longer counted them as unemployed.  He knew that creating more jobs was the only real way to bring down unemployment not doctoring the numbers so that the rate appears to come down. 

Next Wednesday, we will begin looking at how we can change our tax code through either a flat tax or consumption tax. 

1. Harper, Daniel. Sessions: 'For Every One Job Added, Nearly 5 People Left the Workforce'. www.weeklystandard.com. [Online] The Weekly Standard, January 10, 2014. [Cited: January 14, 2014.] http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/sessions-every-one-job-added-nearly-5-people-left-workforce_774106.html#.

2. Filip, Jake. Your Ultimate Cheat Sheet To Unemployment Numbers. wallstcheatsheet.com. [Online] Wall Street Cheat Sheet, September 3, 2010. [Cited: January 14, 2014.] http://wallstcheatsheet.com/economy/your-ultimate-guide-to-unemployment-numbers.html/.

3. Portan Seven. Unemployment Rate - U6. portalseven.com. [Online] Portal Seven. [Cited: January 14, 2014.] http://portalseven.com/employment/unemployment_rate_u6.jsp.

4. Krugman, Paul. Do Tax Cuts Stimulate the Economy. economistsview.typeped.com. [Online] Economist's View, October 19, 2012. [Cited: January 14, 2014.] http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/2012/10/do-tax-cuts-stimulate-the-economy.html.

The War on Hard Working People

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Proverbs 18:9

He who is slothful in his work

Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.

NKJV

For much of my working career I have worked for small businesses.  When I began my career, the conventional wisdom was that you wanted to work for a large corporation in order to get benefits but through the years small businesses have become competitive in the labor market and I have always been able to have benefits wherever I have worked.  Perhaps one of the greatest benefits I have derived from working for small businesses is the opportunity to gain experience doing a wide variety of things. 

I have observed the hardworking people of this country often gravitate to small businesses in order to better utilize their skills.  This does not mean that there are not hard working people in large corporations but someone that does not have a solid work ethic does not survive for long working for a small business.  In addition, the owners of small businesses do not have the luxury of sitting in a corner office while the company runs and generally have to be actively involved in the day-to-day operations of their company.  Unfortunately, the hardworking people that either work for or own small businesses in this country are under attack. 

Labor unions originally formed with the purpose of allowing employees of companies to group together giving them power to negotiate pay, benefits, and working conditions.  In large part due to the work of labor unions we now have laws in place governing safe working conditions, fair wages, reasonable hours, and even benefits.  (1)  Unfortunately, as often happens, through the years labor unions have lost sight of their original intent and now primarily work as political action committees that collect dues from their members to support political candidates.  Often, the candidates supported by the labor union are not the candidates the individual members of the union support.  (2)

With these facts in mind, it is not surprising that union membership among the working people of our nation has fallen to a 97-year low of 11.3%.  (3)  Most of the hardworking people in our country go to work every day because their either own a business or were hired by a business owner to do a job.  Their focus is on using their skills to do the best job they are capable of doing.  Unfortunately, the onerous regulations of an ever-growing oppressive government, in large part funded by political contributions from large crony corporatists and union bosses are working against their efforts. 

Add to that the threat of an influx of cheap labor into our country by the granting of amnesty to those illegally in our country and we have a recipe for disaster for the hard working citizens of our nation.  (4)  Unfortunately, the hardworking citizens of our country do not have many friends in either political party.  This is because both Democrat and Republican politicians view illegals as potential voters and favor granting them amnesty, believing that doing so will result in these people voting for them in the next election.  (5)

Granted small business owners could benefit from this influx of cheap labor.  This is why the U.S. Chamber of Commerce favors comprehensive immigration reform, believing it will be a boom to business, especially small business.  (6)  However, this appearance of cheap labor is actually a Trojan Horse because if the government grants these people some form of legal status, these small business owners will be required to pay them at least the minimum wage.  To make matters worse, the same politicians that tout the benefits to small business owners of granting amnesty to illegals are also debating increasing the minimum wage.  So much for the promise of cheap labor.  (7)

Then, the government adds salt to the wound with the implementation in 2015 of the employer mandate of Obamacare.  This mandate was to take effect this year but through executive order, the president delayed it.  This year we witnessed millions losing their health insurance coverage.  Most of those losing their coverage this year were those having private coverage.  Next year we could witness millions losing their employer provided health insurance as companies are required to provide health insurance coverage for their employees or pay a fine.  (8)

Of course, there is a way out of the mandate for employers.  All they have to do is reduce their employees’ hours to less than 30 yours.  (9)  However, this will mean a 25% decrease in pay for employees currently working 40 hours a week.  This constitutes yet another attack on the hardworking citizens of our nation. 

We constantly hear politicians speak of a war on women in our nation.  However, as we can see from this evidence, the real war in our nation is a war on the hardworking people and small business owners of our nation.  Our President told us this week that the key to economic growth is the extension of unemployment benefits.  He even went as far as to say that extending unemployment benefits creates jobs.  (10)  Mr. President, the current labor participation rate tells us that 91.8 million people have dropped out of the workforce.  (11)  I work with numbers in my profession and these numbers reveal that the universe of jobs is decreasing, not increasing. 

The definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing expecting different results.  We have continued to extend unemployment benefits and the universe of jobs continues to decrease.  What our nation needs are policies that offer incentives to hardworking Americans and small business in this country instead of punishing them.  In Wednesday’s posting, I will begin proposing some of the things the government can do to begin incentivizing small business and hardworking people in this country. 

1. The History Channel. Labor Movement. www.history.com. [Online] The History Channel. [Cited: January 10, 2014.] http://www.history.com/topics/labor.

2. Unionfacts.com. Use of Dues for Politics. 222.unionfacts.com. [Online] [Cited: January 10, 2014.] http://www.unionfacts.com/article/political-money/.

3. Greenhouse, Steven. Share of the Work Force in a Union Falls to a 97-Year Low, 11.3%. www.nytimes.com. [Online] The New York Times, January 23, 2013. [Cited: January 10, 2014.] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/24/business/union-membership-drops-despite-job-growth.html?_r=1&.

4. Boyle, Matthew. 16 HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO OBAMA: AMNESTY 'FINAL ECONOMIC BLOW' FOR AMERICAN WORKERS. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, January 8, 2014. [Cited: January 10, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/01/08/16-House-Republicans-to-Obama-Amnesty-would-represent-the-final-economic-blow-for-American-workers.

5. Hall, Jon N. The Real Threat from Comprehensive Immigration Reform. www.americanthinker.com. [Online] the American Thinker, June 20, 2013. [Cited: January 10, 2014.] http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/06/the_real_threat_from_comprehensive_immigration_reform.html.

6. Lee, Tony. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT WANTS TEA PARTY TO 'FEEL SOME HEAT'. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, January 8, 2014. [Cited: January 10, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/01/08/Chamber-of-Commerce-Pres-Wants-Tea-Party-to-Feel-Some-Heat.

7. Unz, Ron. No Immigration Amnesty Without a Minimum Wage Hike. www.theamericanconservative.com. [Online] the American Conservative, May 24, 2013. [Cited: January 10, 2014.] http://www.theamericanconservative.com/no-immigration-amnesty-without-a-minimum-wage-hike/.

8. Fox News. Second wave of health plan cancellations looms. www.foxnews.com. [Online] Fox News, November 20, 2013. [Cited: January 10, 2014.] http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/11/20/second-wave-health-plan-cancellations-looms/.

9. Commerce, U.S. Chamber of. Employer Mandate. www.uschamber.com. [Online] [Cited: January 10, 2014.] www.uschamber.com/health-reform/employer-mandate‎.

10. Benson, Guy. Obama: Extending Unemployment Benefits Creates Jobs, You Know. www.townhall.com. [Online] Townhall.com, January 8, 2014. [Cited: January 10, 2014.] http://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2014/01/08/obama-extending-unemployment-benefits-creates-jobs-n1773077.

11. Durben, Tyler. People Not In Labor Force Soar To Record 91.8 Million; Participation Rate Plunges To 1978 Levels. www.zerohedge.com. [Online] Zerohedge, January 10, 2014. [Cited: January 10, 2014.] http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-01-10/people-not-labor-force-soar-record-918-million-participation-rate-plunges-1978-level.

The Sword of the Spirit: The Spiritual Warrior’s Offensive Weapon

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Eph 6:17

The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

NKJV

TO BE A CHRISTIAN is to be a warrior. The good soldier of Jesus Christ must not expect to find ease in this world: it is a battle-field. Neither must he reckon upon the friendship of the world; for that would be enmity against God. His occupation is war. As he puts on piece by piece of the panoply provided for him, he may wisely say to himself, "This warns me of danger; this prepares me for warfare; this prophesies opposition." Charles Spurgeon (1)

The great actor Errol Flynn made a career of doing swashbuckling movies like The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Sea Hawk, and The Adventures of Don Juan.  Even though his private life was full of controversy and even a statutory rape charge in 1942, his life is most remembered for how he skillfully handled a sword on the silver screen.  (2)

The Roman soldier’s only offensive weapon was his sword.  Without his sword all he would be able to do is fend off the attacks of the enemy but with his sword he would be able to defeat the enemy and render him powerless.  However, the sword would be useless to the soldier if he were not skilled in its use. 

To train for battle a Roman soldier would practice daily using wooden swords and shields.  These swords and shields were deliberately much heavier than those the soldier used in battle.  (3)   This use of heavier weapons in training would enable to soldier to more skillfully use his sword and shield in battle.  As spiritual warriors we too must train to become skillful in handling our sword by

1)      Finding a Church that teaches the Word of God. 

2)      Become part of a small group Bible Study where we can interact with the teacher and ask questions.

3)      Read and study God’s Word daily.  This does not mean we have to study for hours.  God’s Word is powerful and even a few minutes each day will produce great results. 

As the Son of God, Jesus is the best spiritual swordsman in the Bible and it was His swordsmanship skills that helped Him defeat the devil at the beginning of his ministry.  Jesus had just been baptized by John the Baptist and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (Matthew 4:1).  After fasting forty days and nights, the Devil came to tempt him (Matthew 4:2).  In this weakened state, Jesus would have had little physical strength with which to do battle but Jesus prevailed by using the Sword of the Spirit.  Here is the account of the temptation as told in the Book of Matthew.  I encourage you to read it for it provides a perfect example of how to skillfully use the Sword of the Spirit. 

Matthew 4:3-11

3 Then the Devil came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, change these stones into loaves of bread."

4 But Jesus told him, "No! The Scriptures say,

'People need more than bread for their life;they must feed on every word of God.'   "  (Deuteronomy 8:3)

5 Then the Devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, 6 and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say,

'He orders his angels to protect you.And they will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.'   " 

7 Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, 'Do not test the Lord your God.'   "  (Deuteronomy 6:16)

8 Next the Devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him the nations of the world and all their glory. 9 "I will give it all to you," he said, "if you will only kneel down and worship me."

10 "Get out of here, Satan," Jesus told him. "For the Scriptures say,

'You must worship the Lord your God;serve only him.'   "  (Deuteronomy 6:13)

11 Then the Devil went away, and angels came and cared for Jesus.  (NLT)

Jesus skillfully used the Sword of the Spirit as the Devil attacked him until finally the Devil left Him.  Some may argue however that of course Jesus could do this because he was the Son of God and in fact is God.  However, Jesus experienced this temptation as a man, in fact a weakened man after forty days and nights of fasting, and successfully defeated the devil.  We too can successfully defeat the devil by learning and studying God’s Word and using it when we find ourselves under Spiritual attack. 

We recently saw how a man can skillfully use the Sword of the Spirit to defeat the enemy when under Spiritual attack.  I am speaking of the recent attack on Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty by A&E leading to his suspension from the show.  Granted, A&E has the right to suspend anyone in their employ but Phil Robertson was smart.  The statements of his beliefs against gay marriage were Biblical and Phil backed his statements up with scripture using the example of Jesus. 

When he spoke out after the suspension, many believed he would apologize but instead he stuck to his beliefs.  After all, why would a believer in Christ feel the need to apologize for what is contained in the Word of God.  Phil Robertson’s standing on the truths in the Word of God encouraged other believers that watch the show Duck Dynasty and A&E soon experienced the power of the Sword of the Spirit and ended Phil Robertson’s suspension.  . 

Persecution of Christians has occurred since the beginning of the Church.  Fortunately, in the United States the First Amendment of the Constitution has traditionally protected us from governmental persecution.  However, many of our government’s leaders have little regard for the Constitution and that means we are seeing an increase in persecution of Christians in our nation, including some governmental persecution.  We now realize we are in a battle, a spiritual battle requiring us to put on the armor of God.  However, in addition to putting on the Armor of God, we must also do what the scriptures tell us in Ephesians 6:17-18

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints — (NKJV)

Armed with the Armor of God and by maintaining constant communication with or commanding officer through prayer we can be strong and invincible in the spiritual battles ahead.  Join me in putting on the armor of God and daily training for the battles ahead by praying, studying the Word of God, and engaging in spiritual battle against the enemy. 

1. Spurgeon, Charles. The Sword of the Spirit. www.spurgeon.org. [Online] The Spurgeon Archive, April 19, 1891. [Cited: January 7, 2014.] http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/2201.htm.

2. Channel, The Biography. Errol Flynn Biography. www.thebiographychannel.co.uk. [Online] [Cited: January 7, 2014.] http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/errol-flynn.html.

3. Barrow, Mandy. Roman Army Training. primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk. [Online] [Cited: January 7, 2014.] http://primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/romans/training.html.

Wise Speech

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Amendment I Ratified December 15, 1791

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.   (1)

James 3:6-8

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison

NKJV

One of the great traditions in the United States on New Years Day is the Tournament of Roses Parade.  When I was around 10 years old, my family was moving back to Phoenix from Seattle.  We took the coastal route so we could visit my dad’s cousin who lived in Pasadena.  Our trip took us through Pasadena over New Years, giving us an opportunity to attend the Tournament of Roses Parade that year. 

Many of us have watched this event on TV and with the benefit of high definition television, we can make out the minute details on the floats.  However, there is nothing like being there in person allowing you to smell the flowers and see the massive size of many of the floats.  However, this year two events occurred, politicizing this great event and sullying this great tradition.

The first event involved a gay wedding float.  Danny Leclair and Aubrey Loots chose to use the forum of the Tournament of Roses Parade to have their gay wedding since gay marriage is now legal in California.  (2)  The first amendment of the Constitution grants them the right to express their support of gay marriage.  However, since the parade is a private event, they have to have permission from the parade officials and since the float was in the parade, they must have gotten that permission.  However just because speech is free does not necessarily make it wise for the belief was that this float would garner support for gay marriage but interestingly instead garnered criticism from both sides of the issue.  (2)

Danny Leclair confessed that, “We did not expect that some of our ‘supporters’ would join the chorus of dissent.  We heard from gay men who felt it was too soon to flaunt our wedding in public.  Some felt that it was wildly inappropriate to assert that committed same sex relationships could contribute to the reduction of HIV infections around the world.  We heard from friends of the LGBT community who thought two men kissing on a cake would set back the movement by enraging the Right Wing Conservative groups.  Then there were the concerned citizens who felt that any wedding, gay, or straight, should be reserved for less public affairs.  (2)

The second event was the arrest of 19 members of PETA who were attempting to stop the SeaWorld float.  (3)  The purpose of their protest was to express their belief that the animals at SeaWorld are treated cruelly.  Once again the members of PETA have the constitutional right to express their opinion but unlike the gay wedding float, they did not have the permission of parade officials, resulting in their arrest.  The SeaWorld float participated in the parade so the protest failed.

James 3:6-8 speaks of the power of the tongue.  Words mean things and it is though our words that we as human beings express our ideas.  In fact, our ability to communicate through words sets us apart from other living things.  James is reminding us that our words are powerful and there will be consequences for what we say.  Quite often, there are unintended consequences from what we say. 

Our founding fathers established a constitutional standard of free speech in our nation in order to promote the free expression of ideas without fear of government intrusion.  However, the biblical standard for speech urges us to choose our words wisely.  James 1:19-20 says, “My beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”  (NKJV)

The couple on the gay marriage float unwisely believed the nation was ready to witness a gay wedding during the traditional Tournament of Roses Parade.  What they soon discovered is that people on both sides of the issue were opposed to using this forum to express their opinion.  If anything, their unwise choice of where to express their opinion most likely stirred up additional opposition to gay marriage. 

The PETA protesters believed they could bring attention to their issue by stopping the Rose Parade and thus receive global exposure by the networks covering the parade.  What they discovered is that their efforts would be stopped by law enforcement that were present to insure everyone in attendance were able to watch the parade without interruption from a group wishing to promote their political agenda. 

The lesson learned from these two events is that even though we have the constitutional right to freedom of speech, there is a higher biblical standard the urges us to be wise in our choice of where, when, and how to express ourselves through words or actions.  Danny Leclair and Aubrey Loots, and PETA unwisely chose the Tournament of Roses Parade as a forum from which to promote their belief.  The result was not the advancement of their ideas but an escalation of opposition and, as was the case for the 19 PETA supporters, a little jail time with which to start the new year. 

Any comedian will tell you that timing is everything.  There is much wrong with our nation’s leadership and no lack of complaints and things to say.  However, many in our nation have chosen not to pay attention to the decay of the nation that is going on around them and when confronted with it chose not to listen.  However, when things begin to hit home, such as when their health insurance is canceled and they are unable to get coverage from one of the government exchanges, they cannot help but realize that something is wrong.  This is when a wise speaker has the opportunity to step in and explain how our nation is currently in a dangerous state of decline.  We are approaching a time when those of us choosing to be wise speakers will have abundant teachable moments as things like Obamacare begin to affect the lives of more and more people in our country. 

1. Hillsdale College. The Constitution of the United States of America. [book auth.] Hillsdale College. The U.S. Constitution: A Reader. Hillsdale MI : Hillsdale College Press, 2012.

2. Wilde, Robert. ROSE PARADE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE CONDEMNED BY LGBT COMMUNITY. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, January 2, 2014. [Cited: January 3, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/01/01/Rose-Parade-Gay-Marriage-Condemned-by-LGBT-Activists.

3. Breitbart News. 19 ARRESTED AS PETA PROTESTS SEA WORLD FLOAT AT ROSE BOWL PARADE. www.breitbart.com. [Online] January 1, 2014. [Cited: January 3, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2014/01/01/19-Arrested-as-PETA-Protests-Sea-World-Float-Rose-Bowl-Parade.

The Armor of God: Helmet of Salvation

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Eph 6:17

And take the helmet of salvation,

NKJV

Rom 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

NKJV

When I was younger, I used to love to play baseball.  Unfortunately, as I have grown older, my body is not as physically capable as it used to be so I usually am reserved to watching the younger people play.  There was one time when I was playing that the pitcher threw what he thought would be a breaking ball.  The only problem was that when he threw the ball it did not break and hit me in the head.  I know some of you may be saying that that explains a lot but fortunately, I had on a batting helmet and survived my encounter with the baseball. 

Just as the breastplate protected the Roman soldier’s vital organs in battle, the helmet protected the soldiers other vital organ, his brain.  Without a helmet to protect him, a blow to the head of a soldier could render a soldier unconscious making him vulnerable to attack.  A hard enough blow to the head could even be fatal.  With the protection of his helmet, however, the soldier has a chance of surviving a blow to the head and then continuing to fight in battle. 

When an individual accepts Christ, they begin a transformation of their mind.  This transformational process is a continual process and is what Paul is referring to in Romans 12:2 when he urges us to be transformed by the renewing or continual renewing of our minds.  Isaiah 26:3 promises peace to the individual that chooses to have his mind fixed on God.  We fix our minds on the Lord by spending time with the Lord in prayer and in His Word.

Fixing our minds on the Lord also protects us from wicked thoughts that try to destroy us (Psalm 119:95).  Fixing our minds on the Lord makes us wise and from this wisdom we are able to speak wise and persuasive words (Proverbs 16:23).  This transformed mind is the result of our changed hearts and not only benefits us, but also our descendants (Jeremiah 23:39).  In fact, Jesus said that the greatest commandment was to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”  (Matthew 22:37, NLT)  Once again the Word stresses the importance of having out mind fixed on the Lord.

The importance of the Helmet of Salvation is to protect our transforming minds from the attacks of the enemy.  1 John 2:16 warns us about how the enemy will attempt to attack our minds, “For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world.”  (NKJV)  Let us look at how the enemy attacks us in these areas

1)      Lust of the flesh – Prior to receiving Christ, we lived with one desire, satisfying our fleshly desires.  Whether we lived in promiscuity, had an addiction to alcohol or drugs, or even lived a good life free of these things, prior to having Christ in our hearts our desire was making our flesh, or physical body, feel good.  The truth is that most of us came to Christ after having spent our lives attempting to satisfy the flesh, only to realize our efforts were worthless because we always had this God sized emptiness in our hearts.  However, even after we have received Christ, we still have the flesh and spend our lives at war with its desires.  The Helmet of Salvation provides protection for us and enables us to survive the barrage of fleshly desires we encounter. 

2)      Lust of the eyes – Our mass media culture exposes our eyes to lustful things on a continual basis.  As I was growing up, television and magazines were the primary sources of lustful stimuli for the eyes.  However, today we have television, magazines, and also the internet.  In addition, the internet is no longer only available on our computers but is also accessible through our smartphones or tablets.  We must depend upon the Helmet of Salvation to protect our fragile minds from these easily accessible stimuli for our eyes. 

3)      The pride of life – Proverbs 16:18 warns us that pride precedes destruction.  This does not mean that as believers we are not to have pride or confidence but our confidence is to be in the fact that the Lord is with us (Proverbs 3:25-26).  Too much selfish pride in our lives causes us to trust more in our own abilities and push God to the side.  This would be like a soldier taking off his helmet in battle believing he is impervious to harm.  Any soldier doing doomed to destruction in battle. 

I therefore urge everyone entering into spiritual battle for the souls of people and our nation to spend time with the Lord in prayer and in the Word, allowing the Lord to transform our minds.  Then, as we daily live our lives in the battlefield of this world, we must not forget our Helmet of Salvation.  The future of our nation and the lost souls living in it depend upon us transforming our minds and protecting them with the Helmet of Salvation.  We can then boldly go into spiritual battle vigilant with clear and sober minds (1 Peter 5:8) and begin the process of transforming our society.  This is what the early church did and they turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6).  

Stand Firm and Do Not Back Down

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Acts 11:19-21

19 Meanwhile, the believers who had fled from Jerusalem during the persecution after Stephen's death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the Good News, but only to Jews. 20 However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. 21 The power of the Lord was upon them, and large numbers of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.

NLT

As we approach the New Year, it is time to look forward to what may happen in the next year.  As an eternal optimist, I try to look forward to what good things might happen and what I can do to improve my life in the next year.  As a Christian, this means studying and learning more about God’s Word and most importantly applying it to my life.  However, I am also a realist and must realize that the coming year will include its share of struggles but I also know that my God shall be with me through the struggles and meet any need I have (Philippians 4:19). 

It appears that the Tea Party and its followers are set to have their share of struggles in 2014 but this does not mean the election of 2014 is lost for because of the nature of the tea party, I believe it will only get stronger and prevail on to victory in 2014.  The struggles will come from two sides:

1)      The Obama Administration has promised to use the IRS once again to harass Tea Party organizations just as they did in 2012.  In fact, the administration is attempting to legalize this harassment by tightening regulations on nonprofits.  The purpose of nonprofits, like Tea Party Organizations, is to serve the community.  Many of these organizations accomplish this goal by running soup kitchens but others, like Tea Party Organizations, do it by offering information and resources to people.  (1)  The purpose of the proposed regulations is place restrictions on tax-exempt groups bettering their communities by discussing pressing issues affecting the community by claiming their efforts are political thus disqualifying them from tax-exempt status.  This will make it difficult for Tea Party organizations to accomplish their goal of bettering the community by restoring responsible constitutional government.

2)      The Republican establishment through their lack of support of candidates supporting the Tea Party movement.  For example, the Tea Party does not support any form of amnesty for those in our country illegally until the government first secures the border.  However, the Republican establishment, with the support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, has recently pledged $50 million to support business-friendly candidates in primaries with the stated goal of winning a Republican Senate majority.  (2)  This same chamber of Commerce also supports amnesty because it guarantees cheap labor for its business members.  (3)  Karl Rove’s American Crossroads is also reportedly trying “to influence the 2014 midterm elections by bullying campaigns and creating groups that, on the surface, do not seem to be affiliated with them.”  (4) 

On the surface it might appear the Tea Party will once again be ineffective like it was during the 2012 Presidential Election due to these attacks but this does not have to be the case.  This is because the Tea Party is more than just a political movement, it is a way of life.  Rush Limbaugh recently stated, “The Tea Party is a way of life and that the Republican establishment and Washington’s political class have as much chance of destroying it as eliminating Christmas from American life.”  (5)  Before declaring the Tea Party dead as a movement I recommend the political class and Republican establishment take a lesson from history.

Both the Roman government and Jewish religious leaders believed they could end Christianity and the Church by persecuting them.  Their persecution went beyond harassment like is being done to the Tea Party and escalated to jailing and executing people for their profession of faith.  However, as we are told in Acts 11:19-21, this persecution only assisted in the spreading of the Gospel.  This is because these early Christians had walked with the Lord, saw Him after his resurrection, or heard from eyewitnesses.  Even today, many Christians are just as committed to their faith and even face death just for believing what they have read in the Bible.  What the Roman government and Jewish religious leaders missed was the fact that Christianity was not just another religious or political movement but a way of life for which people were willing to risk their lives. 

Members of Tea Party groups are passionately dedicated to the preservation of this country just as our founders intended in their writings, the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence.  These individuals have seen their government change from a small constitution based government whose role was the protection and preservation of individual liberty into a large leviathan that intrudes into every area of their lives.  For example, not only will the full brunt of Obamacare taxes take effect in 2014 (6) we will also see the end of the 60 and 40 watt incandescent light bulb.  (7)

Even if the political and Republican establishment harasses the Tea Party and spends millions in an effort to stop it, it will fail because they cannot stop us from speaking and taking our message everywhere we go.  Even if they succeed in taking away our tax-exempt status, remove us from social media, use the NSA to spy on our emails, tweets, and Facebook posts, we will not be quiet.  We are passionately dedicated to seeing this nation restored to the once great beacon of liberty it was.   I therefore encourage those in the political and Republican establishment to join us in restoring American greatness for failure to do so will result in their being relegated to insignificance as other failed political movements have done in history. 

During the past week, we witnessed the suspension of Phil Robertson from the show Duck Dynasty because of his biblically based anti-gay statements.  Unlike what others have done when faced with a similar situation, Phil Robertson did not back down and in fact when he broke his silence on the issue, he doubled down on his original statement.  (8)  A&E, the network carrying the show Duck Dynasty surrendered and reinstated Phil Robertson after only nine days of an indefinite suspension due to a swell of grassroots support for his firm stance, which would have resulted in a rebellion against the network and its advertisers.  (9) (10)

This incident with Phil Robertson is an example of what occurs when good people, armed with the truth, can accomplish when they stand their ground and do not back down.  If the Tea Party, which is armed with the truth of the Founding documents of this country, which are supported on Godly principles, does not back down even when facing attack from the political and Republican establishment, it will create a ground swell of grass root support propelling conservatism to victory in 2014 and 2016.  My fellow Tea Party patriots and Political Avengers, it is time for us to stand firm and not back down.

1. Campbell, Greg. Obama Attempting to Make IRS Targeting Tea Party Legal. www.tpnn.com. [Online] Tea Party News Network, December 13, 2013. [Cited: December 27, 2013.] http://www.tpnn.com/2013/12/13/obama-attempting-to-make-targeting-tea-party-legal/.

2. Hall, Wynton. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO SPEND $50 MILLION TO CRUSH TEA PARTY. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, December 26, 2013. [Cited: December 27, 2013.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/12/26/Chamber-of-Commerce-To-Spend-50-Million-To-Crush-Tea-Party.

3. Federation for American Immigration Reform. Senate Immigration Bill Delivers Amnesty and Cheap Labor, but Not Immigration Reform. www.fairus.org. [Online] April 16, 2013. [Cited: December 27, 2013.] http://www.fairus.org/news/senate-immigration-bill-delivers-amnesty-and-cheap-labor-but-not-immigration-reform.

4. Lee, Tony. KARL ROVE'S CROSSROADS RELOADING AGAINST TEA PARTY. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, December 26, 2013. [Cited: December 27, 2013.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/12/26/Karl-Rove-s-Crossroads-Reloading-Against-Tea-Party.

5. —. RUSH LIMBAUGH: TEA PARTY 'WAY OF LIFE' UNDER ASSAULT. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, December 17, 2013. [Cited: December 27, 2013.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/12/17/Rush-Limbaugh-Tea-Party-Way-of-Life-Under-Assault-like-Christmas.

6. Earle, S.A. Miller and Geoff. New ObamaCare fees coming in 2014. nypost.com. [Online] The New York Post, December 25, 2013. [Cited: December 27, 2013.] http://nypost.com/2013/12/25/new-obamacare-fees-coming-in-2014/.

7. McCormack, David. The end of the traditional lightbulb: Forty and sixty-watt bulbs set to be banned from January 1. www.dailymail.co.uk. [Online] The Daily Mail, December 15, 2013. [Cited: December 27, 2013.] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2524152/Traditional-40-60-watt-light-bulbs-set-banned-January-1-manufacturers-forced-produce-energy-efficient-expensive-alternatives.html.

8. Hawkins, John. Phil Robertson Doubles Down: No Apologies. He Meant What He Said. www.rightwingnews.com. [Online] Rightwingnews, December 23, 2013. [Cited: December 28, 2013.] http://www.rightwingnews.com/religion/phil-robertson-doubles-down-no-apologies-he-meant-what-he-said/.

9. Hawkins, Awr. A&E SURRENDERS ON 'DUCK DYNASTY' AFTER PHIL ROBERTSON STANDS HIS GROUND. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, December 27, 2013. [Cited: December 28, 2013.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2013/12/27/A-E-Surrenders-Phil-Robertson-Is-Back.

10. Huston, Warner Todd. A&E AVERTED GRASSROOTS REBELLION WITH DUCK DYNASTY SURRENDER. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, December 27, 2013. [Cited: December 28, 2013.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2013/12/27/A-E-Averted-Grassroots-Protests-by-Giving-In-to-Phil-Robertson.

The First Christmas

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Merry Christmas everyone and I mean Merry Christmas not any of that happy holidays stuff.  Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ and even though the Bible does not encourage us to celebrate the birth of Christ, without the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus, Jesus would have been just another man.  The fact that Jesus was born of a virgin means he had no biological earthly father and is indeed the Son of God. 

Sadly, a recent poll in Britain revealed that many young people from ages 18-24 are confused about the story of the miraculous birth of Christ as told in the Bible.  The poll revealed the following:

1)      Ten percent believe Father Christmas was a Biblical figure mentioned in the Gospel accounts of Jesus.  (1)   I have read all four of the Gospels several times and not only is there no mention of Father Christmas but the word Christmas is not even mentioned. 

2)      Seven percent believe there was a Christmas tree mentioned in the Bible.  (1)  Once again, how could a Christmas tree be mentioned if the word Christmas does not appear. 

3)      One-third of the respondents believed that the Bible specifies December 25 as the day Christ was born.  (1)  There is no specific mention of the day of Christ’s birth in the Bible for the day of Jesus birth is not important.  It is the fact He was born. 

What this poll reveals is the lack of educating youth about the truth of the story of Christmas.  The best account of the true story of the first Christmas occurs in the Gospel of Luke so why not we let God’s Word do the talking.

The Birth of Jesus

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2(This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, his fiancé, who was obviously pregnant by this time.

6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.

The Shepherds and Angels

8 That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, 10 but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! 11 The Savior — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!"

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others — the armies of heaven — praising God: 

14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven,and peace on earth to all whom God favors."

15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

16 They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, 19 but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said (Luke 2:1-20, NLT). 

Merry Christmas everyone and take some time this busy season to remember the true reason for Christmas.  Remember the miraculous virgin birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.  The one that would die and rise again to give us salvation from our sins. 

1. Lee, Tony. Young people in Britain are confused about the story of Christ's birth as told in the Bible. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, December 23, 2013. [Cited: December 23, 2013.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/12/23/Poll-Youngsters-in-Britain-Confused-About-Story-of-Christ-s-Birth.