Don't Get Picked Off!

In honor of the World Series I thought I would use the baseball analogy as a title to show the real crisis facing America in the coming months with Healthcare.  Join me on a journey that highlights how many Americans are getting picked off by the politics with Healthcare and are actually going to be out as a result.

Delay it!
The law has already been incrementally implemented.  Insurance companies have already trashed the old and created the new, with higher premiums.  Delaying the penalty does not fix the problem!

Stop the Government from being in the Insurance Business!
Wait - they already do with medicare. Yet with the ACA they are not.  Insurance companies are the ones that people are to buy insurance from.  Problem, no one can afford it nor can they get access to it.  So what happens when the Insurance companies are not getting their premiums from over 65% of the people come January 1?  How long can they operate paying claims with such a great loss of premiums.  My simple math says it will exceed a shortfall of over $350 Billion in the first quarter of 2014.  Where will the money come from to pay claims?

We can just go back!
Go back to what? Politicians need to come clean and tell the truth that the old system is gone.  They might also want to admit that they have NO idea what to do with the real problem come March 2014 - no money in the system to pay claims!

Throw them all out of office!
OK, but who has a solution? This is a total change of the America you and I have known and there is NO going back.  Any solution will require Government intervention and controls for some time.  It is remember, 1/3 of our total economy.  It is not going to be a simple solution!

So what do we do?
That is a great question!  I am afraid that no one knows!  And that my friends is the real issue!  Our politicians and leaders have let us down. They walked away from or pushed this mess on us.  Both parties have sold us out.  They push their spin and continue raising money knowing that NO solutions are on the horizon.  They just want to get re-elected.

Do you trust them?
The polls say neither party is getting a pass.  Just wait until the above scenarios happen, and they will.  Who will you trust to fix the solution and what form of Government will it take to straighten out the mess?

One thing I do know.  I am seeing more clearly how anti-Christ will rise to power and the messes that will pave the way for his rise.  Desperation is growing daily.  Problem is, few are looking to God.  Funny how the one person who can help us is the one not being relied upon!

Remember, DON"T GET PICKED OFF!  The pitcher in this ballgame is more sneaky than the Red Socks pitcher using a foreign substance the other night in the World Series!

Christians and the Health Care Disaster!

There is no doubt that the American health care system has had problems - some severe - for some time.  When Congress passed the affordable Care Act a consistent even split of the population saw the law as being good and also as being bad.  These numbers have changed over the past few years as parts of the law, upheld and redefined, were implemented.  The majority of the population now realize that a train wreck is happening even as I type this.  Amid the political landscape are efforts to repeal or de-fund.   Politicians and pundits have raised millions in there efforts to do all the above.  On the other side is the marketing blitz that is firing up to convince young healthy Americans to purchase something they do not want.  If this group does not buy the pitch, the money issues are compounded beyond already not making sense.  The mess is clear.  The disaster is already selling popcorn for those watching - it will be some kind of show!

The Republicans in the house and Senate have washed their hands of the whole deal.  They continue to gain popularity among like minded individuals that simply want the whole thing to just go away.  After passage, and during the actually writing of the law (think on that one!), Republicans stayed far away from the mess.  The thought process seemed to be that it was time to allow the Democrats to own this thing.  Thus, no input to improving nor taming was done on the Republican side. 

Fast forward to just a few days ago.  Sen Harry Reid is giving an interview with PBS and makes the following statement when asked if the Affordable Care Act is the first step towards a single payer system:"Yes, yes. Absolutely, yes.” Did you see that answer?  You can read about it here!  What does it mean?  Are we learning something that obviously was missed my many?  What is next?

Is it possible that the current law is designed to fail so that in default we are left with NO other option but a complete 1 payer system?  This scenerio is beginning to rise to the forefront.  Sen Reid surely voices that opinion.  And with this answer is a major understanding that most Americans calling for ending the Affordable Care Act must quickly understand.  You cannot unwind a law that has been partially implemented over a 3 year period in the tax code and in the Health Insurance industry.  What would you have left?  The old system has been dead for 3 years now.  The new system is being delayed and still written.  When the crash occurs, what is there?

Those men and women sent to Washington on our behalf who opposed it, stood by and failed to use their fiduciary responsibilities to make it as best a law as possible.  Why?  Follow the money!  They are raising millions daily! And when it crashes, they can stand and say "we told you so!"  But what about health care from that point on?  Why no alternatives?  How long will it take to fix the crash? What will the fix look like?

The American people have been sold out for political positioning by both sides.  You and I will pay the price for this.  We will be stuck with a mess and limited options out. 

Has no one noticed that the Democrats have not been sweating the outcome?  With delays and issues of implementing the law including the unions and within congress, present no sweat - no fear!  They know the end game.  They are fine if it crashes.  The Government will be in a position (and has been from the moment it passed) to regulate, control, and eventually own, the healthcare system.  Meanwhile, good meaning people think some miracle can occur with repeal etc.. If the law were repealed or ruled unconstitutional - what then?  The old system is gone!  The new system has been implemented with the Insurance companies and the tax code.  Again, try to unwind that and see how it works!

The battle for who we are as a country and what we will be moving forward begins at the point of the crash!  

Christians caught up in distraction issues such as recall and the like are being led down a path that drains resources and ignores the big picture of that which is to come in the near future.

The needs of millions of Americans will be at the forefront of this crash as all generations will be impacted and major changes to the American system as a whole will be required to clean up the mess.  And remember, the clean up will be not a total one.  Time required?  Know one knows!

For churches, our ministry will be vital!  Our leadership will be essential!  We cannot afford to be distracted by the politics of today and miss the hour of need tomorrow.  True Biblical Christian ministry will be needed like never before.  People will be hurting and needs will increase.

Are you ready? 

I hurt for those of us who will hurt down the road by the complete failure of elected officials on both sides.  I hurt for those who had placed their hopes in something coming that would finally help them and their families.  But I also know that God placed us as Christians here in America for this time!  Our mission and focus are being defined.

I just pray we realize it and get busy doing that which we are called to do rather than being distracted by that which only produces false hope and no real answers!

But I want more...!

Growing up I shared a room with my two brothers.  In our closet was a built in box that stored our toys.  It was always full.  In fact, it was so full that I cannot remember one toy from that box that I played with.  I do remember the toys that I played with daily (tonka trucks, fire engines, baseball glove, balls, and bats) for they were kept in close proximity under my bed.  I needed them handy and thus avoided them ever getting into THE BOX!  So what was in the box?

Toys!

But why were they kept in the box?  They were played with a few times upon receiving them but that was about it.  Most of you can recall similar items from your childhood and maybe even items today.  We want and want some more.  We seldom ever interact with the wants that we get.  But the wants continue.  At some point, the madness has to end.  Common sense has to enter the scene and discipline must be exercised.  Without such, our wants stack up and eventually cover us up.

The America of today is in this "want" approach to life.  Not only do we see this in our Federal Government but we also see it in just about every aspect of society - church included.  Some call it the Nanny State.  Others think it is only a Government problem.  I see it as more!

It is hard pressed to find anyone these days who understands that "wanting" and "getting" can be dangerous.  Go beyond this to the understanding that nothing is free!  What?  Nothing is free?  True indeed.  Somebody somewhere has to pay for our wants and what we get.  But we do not like this at all.  We would rather take an approach that just thinks its free or that those with money are obligated to give some of that money to us.  It's not fair that they have money and we don't.  It's not fair that I cannot get what I want and others can.  Surely we all agree that if everyone pitched in, all will get their wants?  Right?

Wrong!

History cannot reveal a single society, church, or social setting where this mentality actually works.  Not even in the Bible do you find this type of teaching.  It does not exist.  So we are left wondering where did this thought originate?  Are we really so ignorant of basic economics that we think we can change what history and common sense clearly teach?

Ask anyone in ministry today and they will tell you that even Christians "want" while wanting NOT to "give".  It is becoming more difficult to find people willing to serve.  Yet their wants are expected to be met.  No accountability rules the day in many churches.  A simple "don't ask me to do" and "I am not going to give" are producing the same climate in churches that exists in most of society.

What will it take to reverse the course?

Some think that tragedy or hardship will awaken Americans and American Christians.  I have my doubts.  This one thing I do know - with everyone taking and few giving and willing to work, the current national scenario will implode quickly.  We cannot sustain an economy, life, or culture built on everyone getting what they want and no one working.  We can take all we want from those who have worked hard for their money, but it will not meet 1% of the wants that we demand.

My oldest son posted a picture to his Facebook page today that said the following:

"You will always only be a spectator until you are willing to risk blood, sweat, and dirt!" 

Maybe I will re-write it this way:  "If everyone only wants and takes, where will we take it from?"

The Bible says it this way: II Th 3:10 "...If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. (NKJ)

What is sad to me is that we Christians should be leading the way in living out the example and yet, as I mentioned above, we are living the problem instead.  Churches that are to be setting the standard are actually magnifying the problem.  How?  We are raising a new generation of children who approach church with the "nanny state" mentality.

But I want more...  :)

When you are demonized....

Perception is everything these days.  Facts seem to be meaningless.  Perception has become the new fact.  How do you handle a situation when someone controls the perception of your ideas and beliefs?  How can you live in a manner that will overcome the specific action by others to demonize you because of your beliefs?

One of the best places to find such an example for us is in the Biblical book of Daniel.  We all know about Daniel and the lions den.  We know about the fiery furnace.  But what in Daniel have we missed?  He is a guy who lived as a difference maker in ungodly Governments.  He lived and he rose to high levels of influence in these Government systems without compromising his faith in God and the practice thereof.  Daniel had rulers call upon him to solve major issues.  And this was done knowing who Daniel was and where Daniel stood.  There are some timely lessons for us from the life of this man.

Purpose to be a Difference Maker 

Daniel was not out to make points and show his righteousness off for all to see.  He determined at a young age to impact people regardless.  We love scoring points.  We love to put something out to the masses that "hits the mark"!  But do we realize that our points make little impact?  And if no impact is made - why are we making the point.  Andy Stanley in an interview recently about his invite to preach the pre inaugural message in DC, made the following statement:

"Make a difference. Don't be satisfied with making a point." It's easy to make a point. If you have a computer, a blog, a Twitter account, you can make a point. But you're not going to make a difference with your points. We have been called to be difference makers."

This statement highlights exactly what I am speaking about in Daniels life.  It would have been easy for Daniel to make points about all of the evil doings in the ungodly Governments he lived under.  Equally, Daniel could have decided that he would go public and bash all leaders who did not agree with him and his beliefs.  Daniel had truth on his side.  But Daniel took a different path.  He determined to be a difference maker.

Purpose to Edify even in Confrontation

To easy for many of us is the trap to forget that our words matter.  The Bible says that we are to be slow to wrath and always edifying.  We know this is not an easy thing to do.  Yet when we edify and speak with with words of respect and value, we gain favor.  We tear down walls and open doors for greater influence.  All because of how we speak.  To encourage is to to earn the opportunity to develop a deeper relationship with those we may disagree with.  A harsh point made loses the opportunity for further discussion and speaks to a desire for no influence at all.  The apostle Paul said:

Col 4:6
6    Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
(NKJ)

This type of speech is not easy when we are under attack.  Our emotions rise quickly.  Our warrior instinct swells to a point of battle readiness.  And yet it is at this moment, we risk the most.  When we are demonized we stand at a major crossroads.  We must remember this:

It means nothing for me to win a debate.  It means everything to earn the right to develop a relationship and become a difference maker in someones life.

For we are called to be Difference Makers!