Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth. (Psalm 26:1-3)
A few weeks ago, Jakob Jukovski came from Tel Aviv to preach here in Austin. He is originally from the former Soviet Union (either Russia or the Ukraine, I'm not sure) and moved to Israel a few years ago. Though he claimed his English wasn't that good, it was very good in my opinion. He also had insights into the Hebrew mind. He talked about how important genealogy, like the one in Matthew 1 is. Genealogy to the Jew is like having a passport or driver's license. It's ID. The scripture that he used that really struck me though is the one above from Psalm 26. What was David's relationship with God like that he asked to be tested? I can't remember ever asking God to test me. I've asked God to STOP testing me. But to say to God, "Father, I want to prove to you that I love you. Please, test me. I want to be sure, and want you to be sure, that my love for you is pure." Well, I've never prayed that prayer. I'm not sure I really want to. I'd like to be able to someday. But I feel like I've been tested for the past few years since I've moved to the Austin area. I feel like I'm done being tested. Surely, I need to be tested again, but I'd like a little break...please.
Jakob shared how this scripture moved him, and he prayed this prayer. Well, he got the test. His apartment in Tel Aviv burned down. They lost everything except their lives. But like God proves time and time again, He will work through tragedy. We just have to let Him. I just hope I can get to that mindset someday soon. Thanks Jakob, you're a true hero in the faith! And thanks be to God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom all things are possible! Give me this kind of heart Father, and to You be the glory!
10 February 2009
09 February 2009
Why Obama's "Stimulus" is a bad idea
I just caught this article on Yahoo!. The problem I noticed with most of these companies mentioned, which employ over 300,000 employees and includes the giants Rite Aid, Chrysler and Blockbuster is twofold. First, they are suffering from a lack of liquidity. They could probably survive, and eventually thrive, if they can hold out for a year or so. Second, consumer spending is down. Americans have decided, or have been forced, to spend within their means as credit has frozen up. Spending within your means is honestly a good thing, but when most Americans haven't been doing it, and then all do it at the same time, it's bad for the economy. The Bush/Paulson stimulus package has done little to unfreeze the lines of credit and have only made America's credit worse. The answer to this is obvious to real conservatives. Cut taxes. Across the board. Cut corporate taxes, cut the marginal rates, cut capital gains taxes, cut inheritance taxes, etc. By cutting these taxes, corporations and regular Americans, from the poor all the way up to the rich will have more money to spend. If the corporations and the people had more money, consumer spending would tick up slightly, and corporations would have more money to work with, and would be more likely to ride out the recession. Lower taxes would also mean more heavily in debt Americans would be able to pay their debt down faster. This means credit and lending will open up more quickly.
The problem to this of course is government. Government and the liberals believe the answer is more government. If we expand the size of government, which is already obscene, it means we have to raise taxes to cover the cost. If we raise taxes to cover the cost, it means corporations and consumers have less money to spend. If we spend less money, it will turn the recession into a depression. My question is, why doesn't Obama and the left-wing leadership know this? Or do they know this? If we pass the Obama/Geithner stimulus it doesn't provide much for tax cuts, it just provides for a whole lot of programs that do not have lasting impacts on the economy, and provides for the furthering of the liberal agenda. Things like abortion and "green" technology. (I've come to hate that word) I'm all for clean energy, but the government will do a better job of promoting it by removing free market obstacles. By throwing money at the problem we are going to encourage the companies who make "green" technologies (ugh!) to take their sweet time in producing a good product. Look at Cancer and AIDS research, and Education if you want to see how throwing tons of money at a problem with no restrictions works at solving problems.
The problem to this of course is government. Government and the liberals believe the answer is more government. If we expand the size of government, which is already obscene, it means we have to raise taxes to cover the cost. If we raise taxes to cover the cost, it means corporations and consumers have less money to spend. If we spend less money, it will turn the recession into a depression. My question is, why doesn't Obama and the left-wing leadership know this? Or do they know this? If we pass the Obama/Geithner stimulus it doesn't provide much for tax cuts, it just provides for a whole lot of programs that do not have lasting impacts on the economy, and provides for the furthering of the liberal agenda. Things like abortion and "green" technology. (I've come to hate that word) I'm all for clean energy, but the government will do a better job of promoting it by removing free market obstacles. By throwing money at the problem we are going to encourage the companies who make "green" technologies (ugh!) to take their sweet time in producing a good product. Look at Cancer and AIDS research, and Education if you want to see how throwing tons of money at a problem with no restrictions works at solving problems.
04 February 2009
We want Conservatives, not Mavericks
I found this video from the Gray Ghost blog over at Townhall.
He makes some good points. I think conservatives definitely need to hit the ground for the next two and four years. I foresee the fairness doctrine (or some form of it) coming soon. Informed Americans can dictate American policy, and the liberals can't have that. They are going after Rush right now, but I think they will really go after the local conservative hosts, and the smaller national ones. They will then attack the internet and churches. I believe their goal will be to legalize the 20,000,000 illegal immigrants before 2012 and to do that, they need to shut down talk radio. If they legalize the 20,000,000 illegals they will be nearly unstoppable in 2012 and beyond, even with a great conservative running. If conservatives want to save this nation, we need to work hard. I plan on writing Senators Cornyn and Hutchison as well as my Congressman, Michael McCaul on a weekly basis to keep the pressure on the Republicans to do their job, and lobby for conservative principles in Washington. Retake the House in 2010! Jindal '12!
He makes some good points. I think conservatives definitely need to hit the ground for the next two and four years. I foresee the fairness doctrine (or some form of it) coming soon. Informed Americans can dictate American policy, and the liberals can't have that. They are going after Rush right now, but I think they will really go after the local conservative hosts, and the smaller national ones. They will then attack the internet and churches. I believe their goal will be to legalize the 20,000,000 illegal immigrants before 2012 and to do that, they need to shut down talk radio. If they legalize the 20,000,000 illegals they will be nearly unstoppable in 2012 and beyond, even with a great conservative running. If conservatives want to save this nation, we need to work hard. I plan on writing Senators Cornyn and Hutchison as well as my Congressman, Michael McCaul on a weekly basis to keep the pressure on the Republicans to do their job, and lobby for conservative principles in Washington. Retake the House in 2010! Jindal '12!
01 February 2009
Super Bowl
So last year I made a prediction that was right. I wasn't really close as far as the score, but I picked the right team. It was an emotional decision more than a logical one. Well there's no emotion in this one as I really don't care either way about either team. I'd rather see the Cardinals win, and I'll probably root for the Cardinals, but I think it'll be Pittsburgh. My prediction, Stillers 27, Cardinals 20.
30 January 2009
Now is not the time for profits
President Obama yesterday was complaining about the $18 billion in bonuses that were received by Wall St. executives and had this to say:
“There will be time for them to make profits, and there will be time for them to get bonuses. Now is not that time.”
What was not stated is that the $18 billion in 2008 is 44 percent less than in 2007. He claimed that the bonuses were irresponsible, but what is more irresponsible, the $18 billion in bonuses paid out to companies, (some successful, some unsuccessful) or the $800 billion + (more than a trillion with interest) that our children and grandchildren will be paying for and is not going to fix the economy?
The question is this, what did the President mean? Was he letting the truth slip out here or did he simply misspeak? Rush Limbaugh was recently taken out of context and his statements were misrepresented. I don't want to do the same to the President, but I'm thinking that this is another example of how the socialist side of President Obama comes out when he's not in front of a teleprompter.
“There will be time for them to make profits, and there will be time for them to get bonuses. Now is not that time.”
What was not stated is that the $18 billion in 2008 is 44 percent less than in 2007. He claimed that the bonuses were irresponsible, but what is more irresponsible, the $18 billion in bonuses paid out to companies, (some successful, some unsuccessful) or the $800 billion + (more than a trillion with interest) that our children and grandchildren will be paying for and is not going to fix the economy?
The question is this, what did the President mean? Was he letting the truth slip out here or did he simply misspeak? Rush Limbaugh was recently taken out of context and his statements were misrepresented. I don't want to do the same to the President, but I'm thinking that this is another example of how the socialist side of President Obama comes out when he's not in front of a teleprompter.
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