American Revolution Two

“When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.”  – Thomas Jefferson

Are you killing America? Will you have blood on your hands? If you stand with the 219 sellouts who voted for Obamacare then your answer is yes. If you head for the sidelines then your answer is yes. Offended? Read on…

What happened on Sunday is a moral outrage of shocking proportions and a massive assault on our freedom. It is a brazen power grab by an out of control government that has shredded the Constitution. There is no way to overstate how entirely destructive this legislation will prove to be, on so many levels, if not completely overturned.

Obamacare has nothing to do with healthcare or saving lives (i.e. the 32 million it claims to cover, won’t be covered till 2019). Obamacare’s chief aim is establishing a permanent welfare state that will secure Democrat power in perpetuity. November elections are of little concern – Democrat leaders know this is the death knell to their opposition long term.

Take it straight from the horses mouth: On Tuesday, John Dingell, the senior Democrat in the House of Representatives said on WJR radio Detroit: “The harsh fact of the matter is when you’re going to pass legislation that will cover 300 [milllion] American people in different ways it takes a long time to do the necessary administrative steps that have to be taken to put the legislation together to control the people.”

Sobered up yet? If not, check your pulse…

Bottom line: The entire bill must be repealed or rationed care WILL happen. People WILL suffer. People WILL die preventable deaths. This is our new reality.

Who among you, will have blood on your hands? If you choose not to fight, then you ARE complicit. When your loved one is told to go take a pill because their value to society doesn’t merit expensive care to continue living, who will you turn to?

This is the tipping point of liberty or tyranny. Don’t believe me? Open a history book and turn to 1930 and follow Germany’s path to destruction and death.

American Revolution Two is underway. What cause will you serve? Liberty or Tyranny? If you remain on the sidelines, you are enabling the destruction of our once free republic. We need fighters, not wafflers.

It’s your choice, but it must be made now. Time is up…

Start by signing a new Declaration – a clarion call to restore the authority of our Constitution and the rule of law. Click here.

Best response of the week: Know your enemies and they stand before you

The Heritage Foundation’s Response: Repeal

The sellouts: How they voted

“Ireland, thou friend of my country in my country’s most friendless days, much injured, much enduring land, accept this poor tribute from one who esteems thy worth, and mourns thy desolation.”

- George Washington, speaking of Ireland’s support for America during the revolution.

Americans have always loved the Irish. From Davey Crockett to John F. Kennedy, Americans of Irish descent have shaped our history and culture. Having spent our honeymoon in Ireland, we too are very fond of the Emerald Isle and many things Irish – their traditional music and dancing, their history, their beautiful landscapes, their castles and high crosses, and of course their brilliant accent! Oh, and U2 happens to be my favorite band. In honor of the patron saint of Ireland, and the 36 million Americans who claim Irish ancestry, I want to share a moving experience we recently had which reflects highly upon the Irish influence and culture.

My wife and I had the privilege of seeing Cherish the Ladies, the well renowned traditional Irish music sensation and Scottish-Canadian recording star John McDermott (think Irish song Danny Boy) and his group. Didn’t hurt that we got to hear them in Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center – an absolutely magnificent venue guaranteed to elicit awe in all who visit.

We expected great Irish music, but were moved by what we didn’t expect. For starters, we were greeted by McDermott himself as he made his way around the seated guests before the show started. He was as humble and pleasant as your next door neighbor. Later, as McDermott talked to the audience, it was clear that he had a special respect and admiration for veterans and their unique sacrifices. Several of his songs honored them in beautiful and haunting melodies and lyrics. His genuine fondness for America was also apparent. Cherish the Ladies was also fantastic and a real thrill, complete with Irish dancing.

The two groups chose to close the evening in a remarkable way, by singing America the Beautiful on stage together. We were sitting in the back, and so we had a great perspective of what unfolded. As they began, several members of our “greatest generation” rose from their seats and put their hands over their hearts. I could sense the reluctance for everyone to stand, and I’m not sure why – maybe because it was so unexpected. Both of us stood, eagerly engaging in the moment that seemed to pick up steam as the song progressed. More and more people stood, placing their  hands over their hearts. I had tears in my eyes by now, and I could tell others did too. By the last refrain, nearly everyone was standing. The pride for America felt throughout the hall was rich and abundant. Part of what made it so moving was because we didn’t expect to hear two famous musical groups from other countries honor America like that. There is also a stereotype of musicians and the music industry which casts them as less inclined to see America in such light. In the end, it was a spectacular moment to see foreign artists tipping their hats to America in a way that made us realize how lucky and blessed we are to live in America. We were beyond proud.

“…And may I conclude with an Irish blessing…May those who love us, love us. And those who don’t love us, may God turn their hearts. And if he doesn’t turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles so we’ll know them by their limping.” – Ronald Reagan, one of 19 U.S. Presidents of Irish descent

“As government grows, freedom contracts”  – Ronald Reagan

Americans are more dependent on government today than ever before and according to a recent study by The Heritage Foundation, we are dangerously close to the tipping point of losing our republican form of government.  

Consider these alarming facts as presented by the Heritage Foundation’s 2009 Index of Dependence on Government study:

• The total number of Americans dependent on the government for their daily housing, food, and health care is a staggering 60.8 million.
• We are rapidly approaching the point where more than one third of Americans do not pay taxes for benefits they receive. In 1980, 20  million tax filers paid no taxes; in 2008, 48 million paid nothing.
• Since 2001, dependency on government has soared 31%.
• Starting in 2016, Social Security will not collect enough taxes to pay all of the promised benefits; this spells serious trouble for HALF of the American workforce that has no other retirement program.

Click here to download the study: CDA10-01-Dependence on Gov

The author of the study, William A Beach, writes, “Dependence on the federal government for life’s many challenges strips civil society of its historical and necessary role in providing aid and renewal through the intimate relationships of family, community, and local institutions and governments” (emphasis mine).

Beach is exactly right. And the unprecedented quality of life we enjoy today is greatly threatened because of this breakdown in the way our free republic is supposed to work.

“If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretense of taking care of them, they must become happy.” – Thomas Jefferson

Our federal government was designed to serve as protector, not provider. Most of our problems can be traced to ignorance (or blatant disregard) of this simple concept. And it’s important to understand that the increasing dependence of our citizens on the government is directly tied to the ever expanding size and scope of that same government.

For example, according to The Patriot Post, the U.S. economy shed another 36,000 jobs in February while the federal government payroll increased by 7,000 jobs. Think about this for a moment – as the private sector contracts, the government continues to grow. This is incredibly ominous when you consider that the government does not make money, nor does it produce anything, without first confiscating an increasing amount of the hard-earned money of the producing class. (Connect the dots, and you’ll see that this system will eventually collapse as the entitlement/welfare class outnumbers and overburdens the producing class.)

Meanwhile, as this trend continues, the exceptionalism of America will diminish. The products of free market capitalism – technological and medical breakthroughs, and the entrepreneurialism to solve society’s problems – will vanish. Gone will be our freedom to flourish in these life-enhancing (and life-saving) endeavors – all of which have greatly benefited our citizens and millions around the world.

“Americans have always expressed concern about becoming dependent on government, even while understanding that life’s challenges make most people, at one time or another, dependent on aid from someone else,” writes Beach. “This concern stems partly from deeply held views that life’s blessings are more readily obtained by independent people and that growing dependency on government erodes the spirit of self-reliance and self-improvement.”

If we do not change the hearts and minds of the people who refuse to break this cycle of  dehumanizing and freedom-killing dependency, then we may as well sign our own death warrants. The more we depend on government, the more control they have over us. The more control they have, the less freedom we have to fulfill God’s calling for us – both as individuals and as a nation.

Why not do something about it? Why not urge your representatives to enact legislation to reverse course? Or find just one person who doesn’t understand these basic American concepts and empower them to break free from the chains of dependency that are robbing them of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

“I had always felt life first as a story – and if there is a story, there is a story teller”
- G.K. Chesterton

What is your story? Are you taking an active role in writing it? If someone were to write a book about your life someday, would anyone want to read it?

Each day we have a chance to author a page in the unfolding adventure of our lives. And because of free will, our story is not already written – we’re not merely puppets playing out a drama that is scripted out for us. Yes, the final outcome of the larger story has been made known by the master designer – our Creator in heaven. But the story of our lives is an unfinished book, and each day that passes another page is written – whether we choose to pick up the pen or not…

You know the story of America is a marvelous one and I believe we have the opportunity to write the best chapters yet…if we return to a nation under God. We can start by rediscovering our foundations of faith as established by our founders, and the reality of what makes us a republic – the belief that our rights come from God and that the sole purpose of government is the protection of those rights.

The church can play a major role in writing a better story and I heartily submit to you that we are long overdue the next great spiritual awakening and revolution in this country. After all, it was the Reformation movement that sparked the founding of America, and another great religious revival in the 19th century that inspired the abolitionists’ campaign to end slavery.

Our church has recently launched an exciting experiment called “Living a better story” in which we’re called to do just that by thinking differently about the resources God has blessed us with. Two Sundays ago we were each given a packet containing a small amount of money – a $5, $10 or $20 bill – and a charge to go out and multiply it and invest it in God’s Kingdom in order to live a better story. The results so far have been inspiring…

Some friends of ours launched a game called “Twenty-one for water” in which they’ve set out to take their $5 and turn it into $5,000 in order to build a freshwater well in Africa through Just Hope International. They’re already raised nearly $2,000…Learn about their story by clicking here.

An eight year old girl took her $5 and used it to set up a lemonade stand. She turned her $5 into $85…in the cold of February none the less!

I’m still unsure of what we’re going to do with this wonderful opportunity. There are many directions we can go as we’re passionate about a number of things. Here’s where you come in…

What would you do if asked to multiply God’s money and invest it in His kingdom? (Some of you are no doubt thinking, “isn’t that what we’re called to do already?” Absolutely!) Think back to a familiar story told in the book of Matthew, chapter 14. They started with just five loaves and two fish…

Learn more about what we’re doing here:
Living a better story