Light-work

A Better Brand of Stimulus

In the previous post, I observed that government prefers the word "stimulus" as a euphemism for "control." It sounds great when the politician declares, "We are stimulating the economy back to robust health." It's far less inspiring when someone admits, "I promise to return a fraction of the money I will be taking from you for the rest of your life IF you trash your perfectly serviceable car that is paid for and instead make several years of payments on the kind of vehicle I think you SHOULD be driving." Yep, that last sentence doesn't sound quite as positive as the first one.

The way "stimulus" is being bandied about today, it can give the concept a bad name. It deserves better! The Bible has good things to say about it. In Hebrews, we are instructed, "And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near" (Heb. 10:24-25). When believers get together, they ought to bring out the best in one another. Encouragement is a primary means by which to do so, and it is all the more needed with each passing day. According to these verses, a desire for healthy stimulus asks, "What can I say to a brother or sister that will put fuel in their tank to love God and others?"

Encouragement is the currency that funds the brand of stimulus God endorses! He uses it Himself! According to Romans 15:5, God is "the God who gives encouragement." The Apostle Paul teaches that any "stimulus" which is coercion in disguise is decidedly out of step with God's preferred method of doing business: "Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7).

Men rely on force to get others to do what they deem best. God uses grace. His loving-kindness gives a man every reason to do the right thing while respecting his ability to make his own choice. I like God's way way better.

What Stimulus Stimulates

"Stimulus" can take many forms. Las Vegas is the consummate student of the subject and has applied its knowledge to great effect. Every year, millions are stimulated to excitedly empty their wallets and purses to benefit "the house." In the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA's snazzy new logo above), the US Government has attempted to use its own special blend of stimulus to address the economic crisis.

Congress brewed up a mighty big batch of the stuff, $787 billion's worth! But it's for a noble cause, as the "full title" makes very clear: An act making supplemental appropriations for job preservation and creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency and science, assistance to the unemployed, and State and local fiscal stabilization, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes. Obviously, this is a very noble cause, indeed! The specific provisions of the bill have been much debated. So I thought it might be helpful, instead, to deconstruct the concept of "stimulus." Let's ask the simple question, "What is it about this bill that renders it into 'stimulus?'"

A good place to begin is in the retelling of a common story used to illustrate the "two sides" of stimulus. Once upon a time, a vandal named Rufio threw a brick through a shop-keeper's storefront window. Geppetto came outside to examine the damage where he was met by some of his fellow townsfolk. Wanting to help Geppetto "look on the bright side," they encouraged him in the knowledge that this unfortunate event would have positive consequences. They first observed how the town glazier would have the benefit of gainful employment. He, in turn, would be able to use what he earned replacing Geppetto's window to pay for food for his family. This act would put money in the pocket of the grocer who would spend it for clothing, thereby aiding the local tailor. As their creativity waxed on, the original scofflaw seemed the perfect hero of economic recovery.

But, there is another side to what happened. Rufio's actions stole a choice from Geppetto. Before his window was broken, the money that it would cost to replace the glass was his to use as he chose. He could have saved it, if he wanted, or spent it for whatever purpose he deemed most desirable. But when Rufio did his work of "stimulating" the local economy, he imposed upon the shop-keeper's liberty. He compelled Geppetto to use his own money to pay for something that Rufio determined should be purchased.

Without Rufio's vandalism, Geppetto's decisions about how to spend his money would have had no less stimulatory effect on the local economy. The same domino effect would have occurred, albeit without its necessary starting point at the glazier's shop. Rufio stole from Geppetto the right to choose how he would use his own money. Rufio's brick was simply about control.

Is this not the heart of what is euphemistically being called "economic stimulus?" Our government (the Rufio counterpart) is collecting money from us, the Gepettos of America, and thereby curtailing our liberty. Instead of allowing us the freedom to decide for ourselves how best to use our money, Rufio / Uncle Sam is compelling it to be spent as he sees fit. Some might object, "Isn't this what government does, take our money to buy what it decides to?" Precisely! This is just bloated government doing what bloated government does, but with a new label intended to dress up the whole business as something noble.

Alas, what Uncle Sam is doing is actually even more egregious than Rufio. The ARRA bill spends almost a trillion dollars that the government does not have in its possession. So where does the money come from? Ultimately, from "future Geppetto." Uncle Sam takes out a loan to get his hands on the dollars to fund his bill. He is able to secure this loan from creditor nations on the promise to pay it back (with interest) from future tax revenue. Uncle Sam has limited the freedom of "future Geppetto" by saddling him with a debt obligation for the things that Uncle Sam has determined should be purchased right now.

The Cash for Clunkers program which "ran out of cash" yesterday (thankfully) took "stimulus" to new heights: It incentivized Geppetto to voluntarily smash his own window. He would be given a cash incentive to buy a new "energy efficient" window, which Uncle Sam would partially pay for by taking money from "future Geppetto."

So tell me, Geppetto, what does this "stimulus" stimulate in you?

Love With A Will

In the letter to the church in Ephesus recorded in Revelation 2:1-8, Jesus affirms this congregation on several counts: They are hard working, persevering, devoted to the truth, and intolerant of false teachers. There is one warning sign: “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Rev. 2:4). The terms of Jesus' condemnation make it clear that the Ephesians' love has been trending in the wrong direction. They formerly possessed a "first love," but have lost it. Where you would expect someone to love the Lord more with the passage of time, the Ephesians actually love the Lord LESS. This is abnormal and definitely a sign of something serious!

Their sister church, Thyatira, demonstrated what should have been: “I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first” (Rev. 2:19). The "deeds" of the Thyatiran believers are specified in the four terms, love, faith, service, and perseverance. In all four categories, this church has made progress. For example, their love has grown stronger with the passage of time. They mark a bold contrast with Ephesus where love has waned.

What, exactly, happened in Ephesus? And how would one who has "lost his first love" go about reclaiming it? Answering these question has been rendered more difficult for our culture's preoccupation with a type of "love" that is nothing of the sort. D. G. Myers has a fine post on his "commonplace blog" exploring the literary expressions of this pre-occupation. He elucidates, "All the literary world loves a lover, especially if passion overwhelms his commitments and will." Our Western culture is awash in glorious depictions of love as this powerful and external force prevailing over good sense, honor, and restraint. 

So, when contemporary Western Christians think of a "first love," they are quick to associate this phrase with the onset of an external force, something like the landfall of a hurricane. To "recover" a first love seems as attainable as conjuring the hurricane. How do you "recover" something that is not under your control, something that, in point of fact, controls you?

The problem, here, is created by a case of mistaken identity. The irresistible hurricane of passion is not love. It might be called as much by some, but it is diametrically opposed to what Jesus calls "love." In Jesus' dictionary, love is synonymous with unconditional commitment. This true form of love resists the hurricane; it boldly declares, "I will love you as a matter of choice. Despite whatever winds oppose that commitment, I will remain true to you."

Myers cites a McClatchy Newpapers post that provides a poignant illustration of the contrast between love that is commitment and "love" that destroys commitment. South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford has shown the latter by his adulterous relationship with an Argentine television journalist. The former shines forth in a statement by his wife, Jenny Sanford. Here is a key excerpt: "I believe enduring love is primarily a commitment and an act of will, and for a marriage to be successful, that commitment must be reciprocal. . . . I remain willing to forgive Mark completely for his indiscretions and to welcome him back, in time, if he continues to work toward reconciliation with a true spirit of humility and repentance."

Only when we understand that the "first love" of which Jesus speaks is commitment love can we understand His appeal to recover it. He is asking the Ephesian believers to renew their commitment to Himself. He is asking them, as a matter of the will, to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30). When this commitment of heart is increasingly evident in a person's life, he is moving in the right direction. When it becomes less and less evident, he is courting danger and vulnerable to the hurricane.

Not Your Grandma's World

A profound demographic shift is transforming the western world. Birth control (with great dependance on abortion) was supposed to solve the problem of global over-population. Instead, it has doomed our grand children to live in a culture increasingly dominated by Islamic influence. This video is a clear and concise summary of what is happening. How does its insight into our future affect what you do today?

Securing the Blessings of Liberty?

It is no secret that the United States is up to its eye-balls in debt. If you look at a "who's who" of buyers of treasuries, China and Japan are at the top of the list. Between the two of them, they are carrying nearly 1.5 trillion dollars of debt, almost half of the total of US Treasury Bills, T-Bonds, and Notes. Let me label the parties involved. China, the nation at the head of the list, is the top lender. The United States (that's us) is the borrower.

China has been sending boatloads of stuff to the US and, in turn, we have been sending boatloads of dollars to China. These dollars are "Federal Reserve Notes" which are IOU's from Uncle Sam. China has been using some of these IOU's to buy stuff, like gold (China's gold reserves have doubled in the last few years) and companies (resource companies that can fuel their expansion).

But even after buying lots of goodies with Sam's IOU's, China still has a pile of them. So they have asked themselves a perfectly reasonable question, "Why should we hold IOU's that don't pay any interest when we could put those IOU's to work?" So China has loaned over 800 billion dollars to the US by buying "Treasury Securities." Uncle Sam is happy to get his hands on more Federal Reserve Notes to use for "stimulating" the economy. China is happy to get some interest on these Notes, although they have expressed increasing concern over whether Uncle Sam will be able to pay back what he owes.

I tend to think China's fears have merit, although we ought not underestimate the power of Uncle Sam's printing press to create a loan repayment from thin air. This caveat notwithstanding, I am struck by a warning from the book of Proverbs: The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave (Prov. 22:7). China is the lender, the United States is the borrower. With each increase in the amount we owe China, we surrender more of our sovereignty.

Some might maintain that China is tied to the US and cannot scare away support for the dollar without hurting itself. But what will we do when the protection of our national interests conflicts with Chinese intentions? Will we oppose a lender who can easily say, "If you don't like what I'm doing, pay back what you owe!" Meeting that demand would require every single person in America to cough up over $2,500. Fat chance!

The Constitution of the United States was adopted for the purpose of securing the blessings of Liberty to the people of the United States. That end will not be realized as we deepen our national indebtedness and shamble toward servitude.

Less Me for More Sam

Here are some interesting stats from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since there is an ample supply of economic optimism out there, I thought I might suggest a little perspective. In the last year, private sector employment has gone down 5.9%. That represents a payroll reduction of 6.8 million people. In the same period, government employment has expanded by 5.8%, adding 1.3 million folks to the payroll.

When the current administration tells you they are saving jobs, this report backs them up. Over a million jobs have been created! There's just one teensy-weensy problem. Those 1.3 million jobs are tax-payer funded jobs. And the private labor pool that makes those government jobs possible is shrinking. A year ago there were 5.4 taxpayers for every government employee. Now 4.8 taxpayers have to do what 5.4 did in 2008. To pay the expanding pool of government workers, the shrinking pool of private sector workers will have to supply over 10% more in revenue. What a thrilling prospect!

This reminds me of the time when Pharaoh told Israel that their production quota's would remain the same even though their supply of straw would be eliminated. I feel their pain!

Remembering Your Sisters in Jail

Last Sunday, August 9, Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh were brought before an Iranian court. They have been held for the last five months in Evin prison and were brought before the court to pressure them into recanting their profession of faith. You can read the full report filed by Elam by clicking here - highly recommended. Here is an excerpt:

Mr. Haddad, asked the two women if they were Christians. “We love Jesus,” they replied. He repeated his question and they said, “Yes, we are Christians.”

Mr. Haddad then said, “You were Muslims and now you have become Christians.”

“We were born in Muslim families, but we were not Muslims,” was their reply.

Mr. Haddad’s questioning continued and he asked them if they regretted becoming Christians, to which they replied, “We have no regrets.”

Then he stated emphatically, “You should renounce your faith verbally and in written form.” They stood firm and replied, “We will not deny our faith.”

During one tense moment in the questioning, Maryam and Marzieh made reference to their belief that God had convicted them through the Holy Spirit. Mr. Haddad told them, “It is impossible for God to speak with humans.”

Marzieh asked him in return, “Are you questioning whether God is Almighty?”

Mr. Haddad then replied, “You are not worthy for God to speak to you.”

Marzieh said, “It is God, and not you, who determines if I am worthy.”

Although Christian persecution is (currently) rare in the United States, it is the norm in many parts of the world and has been so from the beginning. The New Testament outlines specific steps of action to be undertaken by those who are NOT in prison toward those who are. So read these verses and think of Maryam and Marzieh.

The writer of Hebrews commands, "Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body" (Heb. 13:3). Maryam and Marzieh are our sisters in Christ, so we will not forget them. We will remember them in prayer, and serve them as God gives us opportunity, knowing that we, too, could someday share a similar fate. Paul requests, "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God" (2 Tim. 1:8). We have every reason to be proud of our sisters. In the strength of their faith, they will leave their prison with honor.

But we are not blind to the pressure that is being brought to bear against them. They need divine strength to maintain their testimony, and we can play a vital role by asking Father to keep them strong. When Jesus addressed the church of Smyrna, He identified seven key truths that can reinforce persecuted saints. Here is a prayer for the Maryams and Marziehs of the world that is informed by these seven truths.

Dear Father, we come before you on behalf of Maryam and Marzieh and all persecuted Christians. (1) Even though their circumstances have been turned upside-down, remind them that You are the beginning and the end. That which matters most, their relationship to You through Jesus, has not changed. You are still God; your purposes have not changed; your love for them has not diminished. Give them incredible calm in the face of glaring uncertainty because they KNOW You have not changed.  (2) Give them hope in the confidence that death is our door to life! Jesus has already shown us by His resurrection that life follows death, that death is no threat but a door to life, and that we will follow Jesus to life in Your presence. (3) Please remind them that you understand what they are going through. Nothing that is being done to them has escaped your notice or failed to arouse your concern. You know! Remind them that You do not take lightly what is done to Your children. (4) Give them the profound inner joy that, regardless of what is taken from them, what matters most is absolutely secure. They are rich in Christ. Nothing that men, nothing that judges, or guards, or prosecutors do, can confiscate their true riches. (5) Speak to their hearts and remind them that You are in charge. This is not a situation that has spun out-of-control. You are calling the shots, and whatever these men do out of anger or opposition to Jesus, they will only further Your purposes. Help the hearts of our brothers and sisters to bubble over with joy in the knowledge that you ALWAYS lead us in triumph. Someday, we will be able to look back on what transpires here, and discern in it one more stepping stone for the victory that is ours in Christ. (6) Give our brothers and sisters the kind of wisdom that creates joy in the face of trials. Help them to know that You will use this experience to better conform them to the image of Christ. (7) Whisper to their minds, "It will be worth it!" Cause the hope of eternity to burn brightly within their hearts, for them to have an unshakable resolve to stay true to Jesus, to know that they are walking a path that leads to eternal life. We pray these things in the blessed name of Jesus our Savior, Amen

Who's Got Your Number?

Sometime in the future a very powerful smart idol will "encourage" allegiance to a charismatic world leader. Most folks will receive this encouragement as an offer that cannot be refused. A few will see past the hocus-pocus, declining to join the fan club despite the cost: These are the overcomers who are victorious over the beast (the antichrist) and his image - see previous post for more info.

But there is a third facet to their victory. In Revelation 15:2, we learn that they are also victorious over "the number of his name." Now how do you achieve victory over a number? To answer that question let's consider Revelation 13:16-18, which declares: And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six (Rev. 13:16-18).

Lots of energy has been consumed in attempting to make a positive ID on the number "666." It seems warranted because of the exhortation to "calculate" this number and the tantalizing prospect that someone who solves this high-stakes Sudoku puzzle "gets it," he understands. So there has been no small amount of speculation about what it represents. I won't go into all the proposals; they are myriad.

I am of the opinion (and it is just an opinion) that solving the 666 puzzle will be impossible until we pass a certain juncture in future events. Once we pass that juncture, anyone with a biblically informed understanding will "get it" quite easily. There is a biblical precedent for this idea. On the night in which He was betrayed, Jesus explained, “But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them” (John 16:4). Jesus predicted future events knowing full well that his disciples couldn't possibly anticipate how they would be fulfilled. However, He did not provide this information so that they could predict what would happen in the future but recognize what was happening for what it was once it had occurred. His prophecy was not about prediction but recognition!

I think that the "triple six" number system will be immediately recognized (by overcomers) for what it is when it actually appears. The saints will experience an "aha" moment when they are blinded by the obviousness of what they see. But, today, in the season when "666" is not manifest, every attempt to predict what to look for is a subjective stab in the dark.

What we can say right now and with certainty is this: The possession of this number is a requirement for market participation. The beast "provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name" (Rev. 13:17). Can you imagine having to survive in our modern world without buying and selling? I don't care how "off the grid" you live, buying and selling is still critical to your existence. Someday in the future, without a "beast mark" issued in the form of a name or number, you will be on your own.

So why would anyone refuse such a number. According to Revelation 14:9, receipt of a "beast mark" is a clear declaration of loyalty to this coming charismatic world leader and a declaration of opposition toward God: “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb” (Rev. 14:9-10). Anyone with the spiritual eyesight to see the issues clearly would realize that "taking a number" is a choice to keep the pantry stocked at the cost of incurring God's wrath! This is a no-brainer!

The "third victory" of the overcomer is a refusal to align himself with the antichrist even though it means his exclusion from the marketplace. When the time comes and when everyone around him thinks having a triple six makes perfect sense, he will KNOW this is a course defined by perfect stupidity. When told to "take a number," he will respond without hesitation, "Take a hike!"

Fungi and A Fun Guy

Yesterday, Lofton Pillow (pictured at left) came to our house armed with ladders and chemicals. He is the proprietor and cool dude responsible for Mid-south Roof Cleaning. Clink on the link to check out his website that includes some impressive before and after shots.

Here in the south, especially on north facing areas, roof fungus is a problem. The current composition of asphalt roof shingles makes them a regular buffet line of nutrients for saprophyte, the fungus that creates black streaks on a roof.

Lofton (and assistant) spent five hours scrubbing, applying chemicals, and rinsing every square inch of our roof. We have used other services. This is the first that deserves a L-W endorsement. He's prompt, courteous, conscientious, and thorough; and you're going to like the way your roof looks.

Ain't No Scary Idol Gonna Break Me!

In a previous post, I talked about how modern technology could solve the age-old problem of dumb idols. Until now, a man might dress up a tree, call it his god, and start consulting it for guidance. There's just one problem, his idol is dumb! In the future, perhaps the near future, the "right hand man" of a charismatic world leader, will solve this problem by inventing the ultimate smart idol.

Here's a preview of his accomplishment. I have inserted in square brackets some descriptions that will help you sort out who's who. "And he [the right hand man] deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast [the charismatic Jesus hater], telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast [the charismatic Jesus hater] who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. And it was given to him [the right hand man] to give breath to the image of the beast [living representation of the Jesus hater], so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed" (Rev. 13:14-15).

Talk about a scary idol. This one doesn't just LOOK menacing, it IS menacing! It is sentient and  intelligent. It speaks! It is capable of using these endowments to discriminate between supporters and opponents of the charismatic Jesus hater AND can effect the execution of those opponents. Needless to say, most folks will "get religion" from an encounter with this bad boy. The religion they will be "getting" is fawning allegiance to the Jesus hater.

It is this understanding which helps us make sense of Revelation 15:2: "And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God" (Rev. 15:2). There will a group of people who successfully oppose the living image's attempt to intimidate them. I have said it before, and will say it again: The overcomer has within him the power to discern that giving allegiance to the Jesus hater is the stupidest thing a man could do. The overcomer will be able to see through all the hype and PR that everyone else has bought into. He will stand firm in that conviction, even when a talking idol utters very real threats like, "Off with his head!"

It will be worth it: "And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years" (Rev. 20:4).

Easy There, Big Fella!

On a recent trip to Atlanta, I went to the Fernbank Museum of Natural History for a chance to see Argentinosaurus. Named after the country where his bones were discovered, let's just call the big fella "the Argentine." Because staff from Fernbank had a part in his discovery, a complete set of skeletal casts was released to the museum. (His bones have remained in his native country. How thoughtful!)

This guy is BIG! At one hundred twenty three fit long, even with a wide angle lens, I couldn't get a single picture to do him justice. (If you look at the top left picture, can't you imagine him saying, "Is this a good angle for me? I'm not sure the light shows off my complexion. Can you get the people off the third story balcony, it kind of detracts!)

Check out this second shot to get a proper sense of scale. The "little guy" on the right is a Giganotosaurus, the largest meat eater, but even he is dwarfed by the Argentine. No photoshop magic has been applied to this picture - the people really are that small. Can you imagine a walk through the forest when a few of these are munching on conifers? Now I know how ants feel.

The exhibit is definitely compromised by all the evolutionary blather. Allow me to put the Argentine in proper perspective. This plant-eating giant was the product of marvelous intelligence, namely that of our Creator God. Here I was in a building dedicated to "understanding" the world with God factored out of the equation. Yet, in all of his gigantic glory, the Argentine was declaring the majesty of my God.

I recalled the words God spoke when He was reminding Job who's in charge: “Behold, Behemoth, which I made as I made you; he eats grass like an ox. Behold, his strength in his loins, and his power in the muscles of his belly. He makes his tail stiff like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are knit together. His bones are tubes of bronze, his limbs like bars of iron” (Job 40:15-18).

It is doubtful that the Argentine is the specific "Behemoth" mentioned in Job. But he definitely has a HUGE amount in common with Behemoth. God told job to look at Behemoth and remember, "I made him as I made you." So followed Job's lead, gazed in awe at the Argentine, and marveled at the greatness of my God who made him as He made me.