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The Spirit is with us
“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common
good" --1 Corinthians 12:7
One of the great blessings of God’s Holy Spirit given in Jesus’ name (John
14:26) is the sometimes uncomfortable truth that God only manifests God’s
Spirit for the common good.
What does it mean to manifest? According to The American Heritage
Dictionary of the English Language: man-i-fest (măn’ə-fĕst’)
adj. Clearly apparent to the sight or understanding; obvious: 1.
To show or demonstrate plainly; reveal…. 2. To be evidence of; prove
(the rest of the definitions refer to a list or record as in a shipping
manifest).
With that understanding we could read 1 Corinthians 12:7 as; “To each is
given the clearly apparent, obvious proof and revelation of the Spirit for
the common good.”
I mention this because I believe there has never before been a time in
human history where Christian witness of God’s love for everyone, “the
common good,” is more necessary, and it is the manifestation of the Spirit
that proves our witness to this truth.
So, what proof of the Spirit do I offer? Of late much of the news is the
prediction of an economic recession and the need for an economic stimulus
package.
Our government has responded with a package of interest rate cuts and
one-time tax-rebates to middle and lower income citizens.
That is a good idea, except for the “one-time” concept. I believe Jesus
teaches us that we are always to care most for those who have the least
(Matthew 25:31-ff), and from those of us blessed with much, much is
required.
In other words, the current comments made by presidential candidates who
say that we should make Bush’s tax-cuts permanent are correct, but the
permanent tax-cuts should be for the poor and the tax-cuts to the rich
should be rescinded.
To support this I give you a manifestation, a proof of the Spirit in our
fellowship. A year ago we printed the following article in The Voice.
The article promoted citizen involvement in setting government spending
priorities, and the economic stimulus package that our government is now
proposing.
Pastor’s Thoughts
“From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and
from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded”
(Luke 12:48).
What we consider important, our priorities in life, are well illustrated to
the people around us by how we spend our money.
For example: What would you say is important to a neighbor who drives a
brand new car, is current on their country club dues and city club
membership, yet refuses to take their spouse to the doctor because it costs
too much? Or, what would you think about someone who has six children, goes
to the pub every night, but never goes to parent-teacher conferences and
campaigns furiously against any and all new programs and increases in the
local school budget?
How we spend our money speaks clearly about what we think is important.
Our proposed 2007 federal budget slashes or ends many programs that help
that the poor. Programs like; energy assistance, food-stamps, and health
care. There are also many cuts to education and other programs that I
consider important to all economic levels in our country.
The justification for all these proposed cuts in our budget is balancing
the federal budget and that would be good.
However, do you believe that Jesus would have us balance our federal budget
by making cuts in programs that help the poor? All the while continuing to
give tax breaks to the rich and fund a war of choice?
I would be the first to say that our federal budget is probably bloated and
contains programs that should be cut or ended. I would also admit that I am
not a trained economist, bureaucrat or politician and so do not have vast
knowledge or experience to speak with authority on all aspects of this
issue.
However, here are just a few of the programs that are, in the words of our
government, to be “Terminated” or have “Major Discretionary Reductions.”
To be “Terminated”
Department of Health and Human Services:
Maternal and Child Health Small Categorical Grants
Urban Indian Health Program
Emergency Medical Services for Children
Department of Education:
Safe and Drug-Free Schools State Grants
Arts in Education
Elementary and Secondary SchoolCounseling
Alcohol Abuse Reduction
School Dropout Prevention
Department of Agriculture:
Commodity Supplemental Food Program
High Cost Energy Grants
Public Broadcast Grants
To have “Major Discretionary Reductions”
Department of Health and Human Services:
HRSA- Children’s GME
HRSA- Health Professions
HRSA- Poison Control Centers
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration- Programs of Regional and
National Significance
Department of Education:
Teaching American History
Physical Education
Mentoring Program
Other Agencies:
Denali Commission
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The total budgetary savings from all the terminations and cuts is sizeable.
Terminations: $7,314 billion
Reductions: + $7,437 billion
$14,751 billion
A question: What is your priority; the elimination from our elementary and
secondary schools of Counselors, Alcohol Abuse and Dropout Prevention
programs, or permanent tax cuts for the rich?
According to the CBO (Congressional Budget Office) the cost of the war in
Iraq is $9billion per month. So the total savings from the aforementioned
“Terminations” and “Reductions” will fund less than 2 months of our war
priority. How does the world see us when we eliminate funding for Emergency
Medical Services for Children and continue to fund war where children die?
I do not believe our country’s current monetary and budgetary priorities
agree with Jesus’ teaching (Luke 12:48).
Tax cuts are great, but I believe Jesus would have us give them to the
poorest in our society not the richest. In my limited understanding of
economics, tax cuts are intended to stimulate the economy and create jobs.
If we give tax cuts to the rich they may invest and create new jobs. If we
give tax cuts to people of middle-income and below I’m quite sure the money
will be spent, going back into the nation’s economy and creating jobs.
I’ll not expound, dear Reader, upon my belief about Jesus’ teaching on war
as you have often read my belief of Jesus’ call to peace and non-violence.
Remember, in a democracy the tax money spent is spent in accordance with
the tax payers’ priorities. So, pray about it and let your elected
representatives know what you believe.
Still In One Peace ~ pastor john
One year later …
Whenever Jesus’ disciples proclaim God’s love for the poor, the
dispossessed and disenfranchised, the widow and orphan, the people rejected
by the religious; then Jesus’ disciples are persecuted. Be not afraid, take
heart, we shall be vindicated. For God’s Spirit will continue to be
manifested in our presence and God’s miracles will be obvious to all with
eyes to see.
This is so because we continue to bear a living witness to Jesus by serving
the common good in Jesus’ name, who has “commanded us to preach to the
people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the
living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone
who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name”
(Acts10:42-43, underlines mine).
In the manifestation of the Spirit to God’s glory ….
Your servant in Christ ~ pastor john
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