Wall street Mafia taking over

Fear, Gentle Reader, that’s what it is all about!

People are losing more than their jobs. Losing their homes, their families, big corporations will now choose (translation buy) the best congressman. Brought to you by the activist Supreme court ( and they are suppose to be on your side) !

Banks are using every "legal" trick to drain your money , so you can choose between eating or buying the much needed prescription for you sick little one. The price of everything "going up " and they get bailed out while the "little guy loses his home, his family, and his sense of self worth.

There are now two classes of people the very rich (at your expense) and the very poor (being crushed to death by those who aren’t decent moral people)

And then we have the Cartoon Network (that’s what I call Fox News) Owned by a non American whose sole purpose is to provide the lining of his pockets while disseminating more false information from more than a few ignoramuses.

Here in Indiana, while the Republican Governor brags that he is saving the "peoples" money. The few most vocal want (57% ) to "cut" schools budgets and fire the "teachers".

All the while some elected officials get fat at your expense. Go to the bottom of this page for some few suggestions as what we can do as law abiding people.

The American Dream Is More Of A Dream Than Ever Before!

Ah! . . . the dream. The American Dream. Sadly it's much more of a fixture in the dream world than the real world and it's getting more so every day.

The original American Dream was a simple dream, a dream for a life in the middle class. It offered the possibility to rise to any height if you worked hard enough but mostly it was a vision of a life where you could have a nice home, enough money to raise a family and a life of leisure in your waning years. I'm sure most of you have noticed the ruling class has had enough of that so they are now wiping out the middle class and the American Dream right before our eyes.

One of the prized goals of the American Dream is owning your own home and your own property. Our nation gave birth to the largest middle class in the history of the world and as a result we became the most powerful nation on the planet. Unfortunately the ruling class has a problem with a large middle class. A large strong middle class has power and this is the exclusive domain of the ruling class. So, the ruling class had to do something about it. One thing they did is distort the meaning of the American dream.

The American Dream has become what the ruling class dreams for us. And their dream for us stinks! It has become the description of how the ruling class sees life and their relationship to everyone else. The American dream has become one where you step on everyone and everything you have to in order to rise to the top of the heap. It's time to remind everyone that this is not the real American dream. The real American dream is a dream of a good life for everyone, a decent job and the ability to live our lives free of other people telling us what we can and can't do. Most of us have no need or desire to "have it all." We just want enough to live a comfortable, simple life.

Now as I promised here are the suggestions how we can restore "law and order".

1. Quit taking you guns to meetings (it really makes you look like a boob).

2. Get involved ( if you don’t understand your Government then go the library and read about our system of government and how it is suppose to work).

3. Quit watching those who are trafficking in fear (and if you want me to name them see cartoon network above).

4. Demand that you elected congressman enforce the ethics rules in Congress (and in your state also).

5. Lets pass a new law that says any elected official who is found guilty of an ethical violation ( for me that also includes those who commit adultery and then say on television"I didn’t commit any ethical violation - Get that Nevada?) The Law would force that congressman to give up all his or her health care/ retirement benefits and any salary that they have received in the past/present.

6. Let provide all candidates running for any office, public money to campaign, but NO contribution from corporations, PACS groups or any other source.

7. Something I proposed 20 years ago. Reward "good" teachers, those who can turn out intelligent, thoughtful students and sack those who are just taking up space.

8. Don’t reward those who steal and cheat for their own profit and gain.

8. Demand that the congress men take a 50% pay cut to show they really get it! Aren’t they considered "public servants" ?

Just some ideas that have been running around in my head, Aren’t you glad you don’t live there, Gentle Reader?

Next time, Saint Patrick’s day.

Denis

Gentle Reader,

For the 2010 Lenten  season  lets consider the original Health care system:  

"And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise." ( Luke 10:25-37 )

Of all Jesus' parables, none has worked its way deeper into the American consciousness as the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The phrase "Good Samaritan" is used to describe any person who goes out of his way to help another. It's a theme that newspaper reporters love to feature because it captures readers' attention and fires the imagination. The largest recreational vehicle club in the United States is termed the  "The Good Sam Club" from its ideal of members helping one another.

But the Parable of the Good Samaritan says more than "It's good to help people in need." The parable is also about excuses. About self-justification. About letting oneself off the hook. Dig in with me to mine the riches of the parable.

Sometime during the Judean part of Jesus' ministry -- we're not told exactly when and where Jesus encounters a lawyer, Greek nomikos, "legal expert, jurist, lawyer," a man skilled in interpreting the Jewish Torah (i.e., the first five books of the Old Testament, also called the Pentateuch). It's fascinating to see that Luke places this incident directly following Jesus' rhapsody to his Father, "You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to children...." (10:21) The "children" are Jesus' disciples, his followers, who have just learned about spiritual power in the name of Jesus. Now we meet the "wise and learned," represented by a legal expert, schooled in all the intricacies and interpretations of the Torah, a very sophisticated scholar. The children and wise are placed in sharp contrast.

Do This and You Will Live (10:25-28 ) 

"On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. 'Teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?'
'What is written in the Law?' he replied. 'How do you read it?'
He answered: ' "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind"; and, "Love your neighbor as yourself." '
'You have answered correctly,' Jesus replied. 'Do this and you will live.' " (10:25-28 ) 

The lawyer's question is an important one: "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Later, the Rich Young Ruler asks Jesus the same question (18:18 ) . In essence, he is asking Jesus to capsulize what is important for a Jew to do in order to be saved. And what is more important than salvation?

But Luke tells us that the lawyer has an underlying motive, "to test Jesus." The Greek word is ekpeirazo, "put to the test, try, tempt." In this case, the lawyer isn't trying to tempt Jesus in the sense of lead Jesus into sin. Rather, the skilled teacher of the law is testing this unofficial, Gallilean lay teacher to see how well he will answer difficult theological questions. The lawyer's motive could be simple intellectual curiosity about Jesus' insight into the Scriptures. But he has doubtless already heard Jesus speak, or heard reports of Jesus' message. So his motive, more likely, is to see if he can expose Jesus' naiveté in contrast to his own sophistication. Perhaps intellectual pride or jealousy of Jesus' immense following prompt this testing. Jesus will face many such challenges in the Judean phase of his ministry: on rendering taxes to Caesar (Matthew 22:17-18: Mark 12:15; Luke 20:22-23), on divorce (Matthew 19:3; Mark 10:2), on the resurrection (Matthew 22:23-32), on doing some sign (Matthew 16:1; Mark 8:11; Luke 11:16), and on stoning a woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:6).

In this case and in others, Jesus doesn't answer the question. Instead he appeals to the expert's self-perception of being an authority, and turns the question back to him. " 'What is written in the Law?' Jesus replies 'How do you read it?' " (10:26) Jesus is saying, "You're an expert on the Torah. What does your reading tell you is the answer to your question?"

The legal expert's answer shows much insight. In fact, he agrees exactly with Jesus' own assessment of the Torah's essential message: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind"; and, "Love your neighbor as yourself," quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, respectively.

Jesus compliments him on his answer: "You have answered correctly," and so in the balance of this relationship between expert and novice, Jesus now assumes the role of expert on the Law, commenting on the rightness or wrongness of another's interpretation. The lawyer who has sought to test Jesus is now himself being tested and evaluated.

But when you think about it, Jesus' compliment is remarkable. So often Jesus has to deal with Pharisees whose understanding of the Law is all out of proportion. They emphasize the minor details and neglect the big picture; they "strain out gnats" but "swallow camels" (Matthew 23:23-24). But this man sees the big picture. He understands, or so it would seem, "justice, mercy, and faithfulness" that the Pharisees neglect (Matthew 23:23).

The lawyer recites what Jesus has termed the Great Commandment, to love God and love one's neighbor. "Do this and you will live," is Jesus' reply to the lawyer's question, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Contrary to some who interpret this passage, I don't think that the issue is "works righteousness," a salvation based on doing good works. Rather the issue is: What is the quintessential message of the Torah? Let's not import Paul's important emphasis on faith vs. works into a Gospel context where it doesn't belong.

Who Is My Neighbor? (10:29)

"But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?' " (10:29)

The power of the truth that the lawyer is has spoken is too much for him. By his own words he has correctly stated the heart of the Law: "Love your neighbor as yourself," and is feeling convicted by it. After all, he might say, the context of the verse he had quoted limits the definition of "neighbor": "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord." (Leviticus 19:18 ) 

So, in typical lawyer fashion, he seeks to defend his position by closely defining words. What is your definition of "neighbor," he asks Jesus. At this point we see an exchange between a pair of rabbis, teachers. One has stated the essence of the law, and the other has acknowledged truth of his answer. Now the first asks the second to clarify the answer. The rabbinical writings of the Talmud are full of carefully reasoned legal distinctions about when a law is in effect, and when it is not.

The Jews typically interpreted "neighbor," meaning "one who is near," in terms of members of the same people and religious community, that is, fellow Jews (as in Matthew 5:43-48 ) . The Pharisees tended to exclude "ordinary people" from their definition. The Qumran community excluded "the sons of darkness" from their definition of neighbors.

The lawyer agrees that the essence of the Torah is to love one's neighbor as oneself, but then seeks to limit the application of this to fellow Jews only.  [Somehow America has the idea that we have no responsibility for one another ] Love your own race and faith community, he believes, and you have fulfilled the law.

Luke tells us that his first motive is to "test" Jesus; his second motive is to "justify himself," to defend his own limited interpretation of the Torah. Here is a scholar struggling with integrity between his beliefs and actions.

Parables and Stories

"In reply Jesus said: 'A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho....' " (10:30)

If someone were to ask you the definition of neighbor, you might respond with a carefully-worded definition, the kind of phrase you find in Webster's Dictionary. But Jesus answers with a parable. Parables are stories told to make a point. They aren't actual history, but they capture true-to-life details in such a way that hearers' identify with the elements of the story and can grasp of the spiritual lesson of the story. There was no actual Good Samaritan that Jesus is referring to. But he is calling upon his hearers' awareness of the dangers of traveling alone on the Jericho-Jerusalem road, and from there presenting a hypothetical situation designed to make a point.

Robbers on the Jericho Road (10:30)

"A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead." (10:30)

Jerusalem is located along the ridge of coastal mountains running north and south in Palestine. Jericho, on the other hand is located in the plain of the Jordan River in a geological rift zone hundreds of feet below sea level. The 17 mile road that connects these two cities descends some 3,300 feet through desert and rocky country that could easily hide brigands or bandits. Josephus notes that Pompey destroyed a group of brigands here, and Jerome spoke of Arab robbers in his time.

 Law and order hasn't eliminated robbery. American legend thrives on stories of Jesse James robbing stage coaches. Modern-day city dwellers live in fear of mugging on streets and in subways.

The robbers on the Jericho Road were pretty desperate. Even if a man had little of value, they would attack him for the value of his clothing alone. But they didn't just threaten him and take his clothing. They stripped him of his clothing and then beat him, probably with wood staffs. The Greek uses two words to describe the beating: epitithemi, "to lay on, inflict" and plege, "blow, stroke." They beat him in order to incapacitate him from following them, or perhaps to intimidate him from trying to identify them. Apparently they didn't seek to kill him, however. Jesus says that they left him literally "half-dead" (Greek hemithanes). Jesus isn't telling of an actual man, of course, but adding some details in order to paint a picture. His listeners are now eager to see what happens to the unfortunate man.

Priests and Levites (10:31-32)

"A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side." (10:31-32)

Jesus places in his story two well-known figures in society, priests and Levites. [ [We might say  today Bankers and Insurance CEOs and some that call themselves Christians ] The priest would be returning to Jericho from service in the temple at Jerusalem -- Jericho was known as a principal residence for priests. In New Testament times, Levites were an order of cultic officials, inferior to the priests but still a privileged group in society, responsible for the liturgy in the Temple and for policing the Temple. While both priests and Levites were from the tribe of Levi (descendants of Jacob's son Levi), the priests were also descendents of Aaron, the first High Priest.

In Jesus' story, both the priest and Levite see the wounded man and pass on the other side of the road. They see the man's need but choose not to help.

"Typical!" the hearers are thinking. There were probably various anti-clerical stories circulating among the populace, and you can almost see Jesus' hearers nodding and smiling at the caricature. I'm sure that the legend of the hypocritical clergyman has been circulating since Biblical times.

The Excuse of Religious Purity

Some believe that the priest and Levite might have had some justification for their actions. After all, as temple officials they were especially concerned about ceremonial cleanness. The Law stated that the high priest "must not enter a place where there is a dead body. He must not make himself unclean, even for his father or mother" (Leviticus 21:11). Even a regular priest "will also be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse" (Leviticus 22:4; Ezekiel 24:25). What if the man lying beaten by the side of the road were dead? The man may not have been stirring. One can't be too careful, you know. According to scholar J. Mann, the Pharisees held that a priest would not be defiled by touching a dead body when there was nobody else available to perform the burial, but the Sadducees (that may have included many of the priests) contended that he would be defiled.

On the other hand, the law is pretty clear about helping those who are in need, both man and beast, friend and foe -- even if he is your enemy!

"If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help him with it." (Exodus 23:4-5)

"Do not gloat when your enemy falls;
when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice,
or the Lord will see and disapprove
and turn his wrath away from him." (Proverbs 24:17-18 ) 

"If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you." (Proverbs 25:21-22)

And, of course, the very verse the lawyer had quoted makes the priest's and the Levite's obligations clear: "Love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:18 ) .

Placing religious purity over helping a person who was perhaps still alive is gross hard-heartedness and selfishness. And walking on the other side of the road displays a deliberate "I don't want to know!" attitude. The less they saw about the man's condition, the less they would feel obligated to help him.  {Does this start to sound familiar? Make you uncomfortable?} After all, he might be dead that then there would be nothing they could be obligated to do. Our modern-day equivalent of this attitude is, "I don't want to get involved." (I have to take care of my own! ) Really? Just ignore the poor and hurting-until you are that guy!

Samaritans, the Hated Step-Brothers

A priest, a Levite ... and the hearers would be expecting a Jewish layman to be the third and climatic character. Three people or situations are often found in stories of that period and our own (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27; 14:18-20; 20:10-12). But, no. Jesus introduces a Samaritan into the story.

The Samaritans were particularly hated in Jesus' day. They lived in an area south of Galilee and north of Judea, part of the old Northern Kingdom of Israel. In 721 BC Israel was conquered by Assyria, and Sargon II conducted a mass deportation of the entire region, carrying off some 27,270 captives and resettling the area with colonists from other parts of the Assyrian empire (2 Kings 17:24). Their descendents were looked upon as half-breeds and heretics by the Jews of Jerusalem. Though Samaritans believed in the Torah, they worshipped at Mt. Gerizim rather than Jerusalem (John 4:20-22). At times, relations between the Jews and Samaritans had been civil, but in Jesus' day feelings were definitely hostile. Sometime between 6 and 9 AD at midnight during a Passover some Samaritans had deliberately scattered bones in the Jerusalem Temple in order to desecrate it. The Jews were outraged! What remained now was disdain and hatred, as John observed: "Jews do not associate with Samaritans" (John 4:9b).

For Jesus to introduce the Samaritan as the caring person, after a priest and a Levite had neglected mercy, must have been intended as an especially biting commentary on what passed for "mercy" among the pillars of Judaism.

Taking Pity upon the Man (10:33)

"But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him." (10:33)

The Samaritan traveler doesn't move over to the other side of the road, but when he sees the wounded man he takes pity on him. The word translated "pity" is Greek splangchizomai, "have pity, feel sympathy," from splangchnon, "literally, 'inward parts, entrails' ... figuratively of the seat of the emotions, in our usage 'heart.' " Love, sympathy, and mercy are motivated by the need of another, while withholding mercy is essentially an act of selfishness, of self-protection.

Binding Up His Wounds (10:34a)

"He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine." (10:34a)

The Samaritan binds up the wounds (Greek trauma) of the injured man, perhaps with his own headcovering or by tearing strips from his garment. The Samaritan also pours on oil and wine as healing agents. Olive oil was widely employed to keep exposed parts of the skin supple, to relieve chafing, to soften wounds, and to heal bruises and lacerations. We can see something of the treatment of wounds in a passage from Isaiah that speaks in literal terms about spiritual sickness:

"From the sole of your foot to the top of your head
there is no soundness --
only wounds and welts
and open sores,
not cleansed or bandaged
or soothed with oil." (Isaiah 1:6)

Wine, perhaps, was poured on for cleansing. Though they had no knowledge of germ theory, we know that wine, which ferments naturally to about 7% to 15% alcohol, would have had some disinfectant properties.

Prepaying the Man's Motel Bill (10:34b-35)

"Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' " (10:34b-35)

The Samaritan's love of his neighbor proved costly. He used his own supplies to cleanse and soothe the man's wounds, his own clothing to bandage him, his own animal to carry him while the Samaritan himself walked, his own money to pay for his care, and his own reputation and credit to vouch for any further expenses the man's care would require. Love can be costly. But if we have the means to help, we are to extend ourselves. The Apostle John taught, "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth" (1 John 3:17-18 ) .

There wasn't an emergency room where the Samaritan could take the man. Instead, he took him to a "motel" and cared for the man himself that night. Edersheim sees the inn as a khan or hostelry, found by the side of roads, providing free lodgment to the traveler. They also provided food for both man beast, for which they would charge.

It seems likely that the Samaritan was a merchant who frequently traveled this way and had stayed at this inn before. He trusts the innkeeper enough to advance him money to care for the wounded man. And he promises the innkeeper -- who also seems to trust the Samaritan -- to reimburse him for any additional costs when he returns from his trip. The Samaritan's mercy is a generous mercy. A mercy that doesn't just keep the letter of the law, but its spirit as well. "Whatever he needs," is the limit of his mercy.

Who Was Neighbor to the Man? (10:36-37a)

" 'Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?'
The expert in the law replied, 'The one who had mercy on him.' " (10:36-37a)

Now Jesus punches home his point. He asks the lawyer which of the three proved to be a neighbor to the wounded man, and the lawyer is forced to reply, "The one who had mercy on him."

The Greek word used is eleos. In classical Greek eleos is the emotion roused by contact with an affliction which comes undeservedly on someone else. The New Testament meaning of eleos draws on the Hebrew concept of hesed, faithfulness between individuals that results in human kindness, mercy, and pity. One summary of godly piety is found in Micah 6:8:

"He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy (Hebrew hesed, Greek Septuagint eleos),
and to walk humbly with your God."

Mercy is required of us (Isaiah 58:6-7; Hosea 6:6). Jesus commands his disciples very specifically: "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (Luke 6:36).

The lawyer began by asking for a definition of "neighbor" in order to justify limiting his love to his fellow Jews only. Jesus doesn't define "neighbor" in so many words, but his story makes it clear that our neighbor is whoever has a need. It doesn't matter who they are. Jesus' command to love our neighbor as ourselves knows no self-satisfying limits.

Go and Do Likewise (10:37b)

"Jesus told him, 'Go and do likewise.' " (10:37b)

Jesus isn't content just to define what "neighbor" means. He commands us to do as the Samaritan does, to show mercy to our fellow man who is in need.

Are Christians to be "do-gooders"? Yes, I suppose. But our motivation for doing good must be love for others, an interest in meeting their basic needs, a heart of mercy that is moved by compassion.

I must ask myself, what we -- as disciples of Jesus -- are supposed to learn from this story. And for me the answer is to examine my own heart. What motivates me? How much have selfishness and a dogged adherence to my own agenda leached away the mercy that Jesus holds dear and wants to flourish in my heart through his Holy Spirit? I may be efficient, but am I merciful. When "push comes to shove" do I put myself first, or do I put the needs of others first? I think of the words to the song, "Only one life, 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last."

For me, Jesus' command, "Go and do likewise," means that I must value acts of mercy over personal productivity. What does it mean for you?

Love,  Denis

Gentle reader,

That nearly seven hours of health care submitting yielded a huge goose egg for bipartisanship doesn't disturb me. This is because I, like probably many of you out there, anticipated that the Republicans weren't showing up at the summit to display a change of heart, not after spending a year trying, and succeeding, to discredit President Obama and Congressional Democrats by slandering and obstructing the health care reform process.

Does this mean the summit was a big waste of time? Not if you're President Obama. He looked in charge,  demolishing  the Republicans' arguments with the confidence of a veteran health policy expert minus the wonkiness. And score one for Obama for shutting up John McCain -- "John, we're not campaigning anymore, the election is over" -- in mid-tirade.

More significantly, the summit was, to use the well-worn cliché, his Hail Mary pass -- it was a bold stroke by the President to resuscitate health care reform and push Congress back on track to passing some kind of comprehensive bill. Did it succeed?

 If the Democrats pass a health care bill in the weeks and months ahead, then yes. And I emphasize the word Democrats. Because they better know by now that they aren't getting any help from across the aisle. If the summit achieved nothing else, it shined a spotlight on the Republicans' unreasonable obstructionism, making a clear case for Democrats to use reconciliation and pass the health care bills without the Republicans' help.

Despite Obama and other Democrats pointing out that there was "overlap" between the two parties' ideas, and that the current bills contain more than a few market ideas the GOP can support (like insurance exchanges), the Republicans stuck to their mantra to scrap the bills and start over.

Let's, just for a second, entertain this idea that Republicans would actually do something if Democrats agreed to their demands. My question is: why should the public trust the Republicans to do anything to fix the health care crisis, or at least anything substantive, since they're essentially fine with the way things are? Yes, they complain that nothing's being done about fraud and waste. So they'd probably enact some kind of tort reform. And Obama even stated during the course of the summit that he's sympathetic to helping states find better ways to control the waste stemming from unnecessary malpractice lawsuits.

But experts have gone over tort reform umpteen times and the evidence just isn't there that closing up abusive malpractice litigation will save the billions and billions necessary to curb the endless escalation of health care costs.

The Republicans' other big idea trotted out again at the summit is to let consumers buy health insurance across state lines. They believe this is the way to drive down the cost of health care plans by giving consumers choice and spiking up competition. But as Obama pointed out, the reality would be that states with the weakest regulations would attract health insurance companies to sell insurance on the cheap because they wouldn't have to provide the coverage and benefits that other states with stronger regulations require.

 Younger and healthier people from one state would be siphoned off by the lure of cheap insurance sold in another state, leaving behind the older and sicker people who don't qualify for the cheaper coverage to pay higher premiums in a high risk pool (and note to the "young invincibles" who find this idea of cheap insurance attractive ... can you be so sure you won't grow older and get sick some day?). As Obama made clear, Democrats aren't averse to the idea of selling health insurance across state lines. But some national standards must be in place to provide consumers basic, minimum benefits that ensure they'll get the quality health care they need when they need it.

The summit ended where it began, with Republicans saying no to  everything Obama and the Democrats have proposed.

The Republicans still want people to believe that they were shut out of the health reform debate, though the bills represent hundreds of hours of meetings and negotiations between the two parties over the past year. By hewing to their ideological platform and not giving an inch, they've made themselves irrelevant to the health reform process. The Democrats must now forge ahead with reconciliation and pass what they've got.

In Case you wonder why I am so wound up - my wife was denied health care - by Republicans Indiana Governor, Republican Indiana Senators- Republican Representatives they like the status quo (they have health care and a job [so far] why should they help you ?)  They ignored all of my pleas Remember if their not working for you their more than likely  their working against you! I am just saying....

 Denis 

Dear Gentle reader,

Today with your Mocha coffee lets consider our Lord and what is the Messianic hope in the Bible.

The Bible is Christocentric. Eliminate Christ from the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) typology, psalmody, philosophy, prophecy and the whole anticipative structure disintegrates into incohesive fragments. There is scarcely a more engaging or illuminating study that to trace the progressive unfolding of the Messianic idea right through the thirty-nine oracles of the Old Covenant. It moves forward in six stages.

First, there is the Sethite or racial period, from Adam to Noah. In Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; they shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise their heel.' the first promise is given, that the "seed of the woman" should crush the serpent; by which is implied that the Restorer should come from the race itself. Thereafter through the antediluvian centuries, the promise links down through a chain of chosen individuals from Seth to Noah.

Second, there is the Shemitic or ethnic period, from Noah to Abraham The great racial divisions of humanity branch down from Noah’s three sons. The Shemite division is chosen; then within that, the line of Arpachshad (Arphaxad was your typical Biblical character. He was the grandson of Noah, he lived a very long time, he went forth and multiplied. Other than that, there isn't much written about him, but he jumped out at me the first time I read his name.

There's something about his name that fascinates me. The literal translation of it is "one who releases," but that doesn't help much. Granted, there are many cool names in the Bible--Nebuchadnezzar springs to mind--but this one is different. It has a certain symmetry to it, and a unique timelessness. In short, it doesn't seem like the name of a person out of the Old Testament.

Arphaxad (or Arpachshad, a greatly inferior spelling) first appears shortly after the story of the Deluge in the Book of Genesis. All of his vital stats are given in the following passage:

These are the generations of Shem. Shem was a hundred years old, and begot Arpachshad two years after the flood. And Shem lived after he begot Arpachshad five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. And Arpachshad lived five and thirty years, and begot Shelah. And Arpachshad lived after he begot Shelah four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters. Gen 11:10-13) down to Abraham.

Third, there is the Patriarchal or tribal period, from Abraham to Moses. Abram is separated as the first father of the promised seed from which Christ should come; then Isaac, to whom the covenant is renewed; then Jacob whose 12 sons become the Patriarchs or fathers of the Israel tribes; and the promise of Shiloh is narrowed to the tribe of Judah The sceptre turneth not aside from Judah, And a lawgiver from between his feet, Till his Seed come; And his is the obedience of peoples. (Gen 49:10)

Fourth, there is the national or theocratic period, from Moses to David. At Sinai the 12 tribes were welded into one nation. They were given laws, statutes, ordinances, directly from God, and were thereby constituted a theocracy. This was because the Messianic idea was to be unfolded institutionally or typologically through the divinely designed system of Israel’s priesthood and sacrifices.

Fifth, there is the royal or family period, from David to the Exile. David is told that the Messiah shall come from his own house or family (2 Samuel 7). Thus the stream narrows from the race as a whole, to one ethnic division, then to the Hebrew tribes, then to the Israel theocracy, and now to David’s’s household; the promise is handed down, king after king until the catastrophe of the Exile aborts the historic Davidic throne, and disperses the people through Babylonia.

Sixth, there is the final or post-exilic period from the Exile to Christ Himself. What changes during Israel’s 850 years occupancy of Canaan!

It is wonderful to see how, as the stream narrows down from race to family. Yet in another sense, it grows wider and wider, until messianic prediction reaches flood-point. Psalms and Prophets foretell His birth of a virgin in Bethlehem; His character and ministry; His betrayal and crucifixion, his very words on the cross: His ultimate kingdom; and a variety of other features.

So gentle reader, what does this say to you and to me? Why, this: the purposes of God are marching down through the centuries with irresistible force and footsteps. Let us have no fear. And dear saint of God, he chose you also, According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love ( Eph 1:4) The coming of Christ guarantees that the golden daybreak must surely be upon us soon!

Love,

Denis

Gentle reader,

Today we want to consider one of my favorite verses (or at least part of one) it is Ruth 1:1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.(Rth 1:1)

I like to say when I am not up to my ears in a swamp full of alligators "Now it came to pass..." it didn’t come to stay! Priceless gems have often been found blooming is a rocky crevice. Rainbow artisties have suddenly lit up the drabbest sky. Beauty spots have charmed the traveller at surprise turns on a least-promising road. It is so with this superbly beautiful book of Ruth.

Never measure the value of a book by its bulk. The background is revealed in the opening words, "Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled". That places the story in that period of the history of the Hebrew people. The events chronicled transpired in a troublous, stormy and difficult times; in the midst of religious apostasy, political disorganization and social chaos. Remember that God had promised to bless the Hebrew children in the land and yet our first occasion finds that there is a famine. And the husband wife and the two boys left the promised land and go into the land of Moab.

What we have here is a love story and the secrets of Saintship; God is the sufficiency of trusting souls. The second point we might consider is that trusting souls are the instruments of God.

A saint simply is a person separated to the will of God. Ruth and Boaz lived a life of Saintship in circumstances of the utmost difficulty, finding their sufficiency for such a life in God.

Ruth, a Moabitess, of an accursed race, who according to the law of Moses was not allowed to enter the congregation of the covenant. How would people perceive her, how would she be looked at, how would she herself, as she came in contact with the religion of the Hebrew people, would realize the greatness of her distance. She returned with her mother-in-law, Naomi to a land of poverty out of love. And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God Rth 1:16).

Thus the saintship of Ruth was in spit of difficulties, and flourished amid circumstances calculated to discourage her.

Boaz lived amid people of privilege in times of degeneracy. Perhaps there are no circumstances in which it is harder to live the life of a saint. It is today easier to live a godly life in the midst of worldly men and women, that to live in the midst of worldly Christians. Boaz was a man of wealth and power. That condition is always perilous to the life of faith.

There were legal difficulties for Boaz, a nearer kinsman had first right of refusal before Boaz could claim Ruth. How easy it would have been for him to sacrifice the principle of loyalty in order to win.

So both Ruth the Moabitess, and Boaz the man of Judah were saints, in spite of difficulties peculiar to each. The secret of sainthood we wish to point out are three fold. For Ruth the sufficiency of God were manifest by First, Ruth was a woman of an open mind willing to receive the teaching of Naomi. Secondly, she was a woman who at a crisis made her own choice against all the prejudices of her nationality, against the persuasion of Naomi, to whom she owed the very light of her faith; separation herself of her own free will from Moab, and transferring herself to Judah and to Jehovah. Finally she was persistently, patiently, and definitely loyal to her choice.

To this woman of an open mind God revealed Himself and she answered in obedient faith. And lived a life of a saint, full of beauty.

Boaz also we might note three things. First, his loyalty to God in the midst of difficulties. A man true in the midst of men of untruth; a man of faith in an age of faithlessness. Secondly, he was a man who made application of his relationship to God in he relation to his fellow men. Finally, he was a man of caution and courage. The two things are never far apart. Caution is the very soul of courage. And courage is the true expression of caution.

Now gentle reader, see the footsteps of Almighty God. Boaz, the Hebrew, and Ruth the Mobitess in union Hebrew and gentile become the highway for God toward the ultimate realization of His purpose.

Three principles we once again point out. First, circumstances neither make or mar saints. Second the principle of victory is faith [F. A. I. T.H.- Forsaking all I take Him] Finally, we see that what God values is a life that makes the great surrender, and follows Him in faith.

Note once again the closing of this little book "And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David." (Rth 4:21-22)

Gentle reader, you may not see great things but God has called us all to be faithful, not successful as man measures success. Your part is part of HIS. Gentle reader, we are called to be SAINTS let’s not miss the opportunity.

Love,

Denis

Gentle reader,

We have our next cup of coffee with The “not for profit” Prophet -Ezekiel Ezekiel, whose name, Yehézq'el signifies "strong is God", or "whom God makes strong" (Ezek. I, 3; iii,  , was the son of Buzi, and was one of the priests who, in the year 598 B.C., had been deported together with Joachim as prisoners from Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:12-16; cf. Ezekiel 33:21, 40:1). With the other exiles he settled in Tell-Abib near the Chobar (Ezek. i,1; iii, 15) in Babylonia, and seems to have spent the rest of his life there.In the fifth year after the captivity of Joachim, and according to some, the thirtieth year of his life, Ezekiel received his call as a prophet (Ezek. I, 2, 4 etc) in the vision which he describes in the beginning of his prophecy (Ezek. i,4; iii, 15). From Ezek. xxix, 17 it appears that he prophesied during at least twenty-two years.

Here we will look at one small part of prophecy in Ezekiel. Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. (Eze 47:1)

The rivers of Blessing

Whatever these waters (Ezek47-1-12 may refer to, either in the historical past or in the prophetic future, one thing is certain: in a latent sense they are a remarkable parable of spiritual possibilities in a believers life. Again and again in the Holy Scriptures water is used as an emblem of God’s most Holy Spirit the third person in the tri-unity of God; so these waters (note waters plural not singular water) may well speak to us of His gracious outflowing towards the Lord’s people.

Notice first the SOURCE of these waters from under the threshold of the house. Unlike many other ancient capitals, Jerusalem had no known river; but here, in a vision , a supernatural river is seen proceeding from the house of God. And does not the Holy Spirit now flow down to us as “rivers of living water” from the heavenly sanctuary, even from And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb (Rev. 22:1).

In John, Our Lord says, In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (Joh 7:37-38 ) As the Scriptures hath said out of HIM (the Christ) shall flow rivers of living water” Then verse 39 adds, (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (Joh 7:39)

Notice next, the COURSE of the waters. They issued “issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: Why was that? Verse 8 tells us “Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea {the Salt Sea or the Dead Sea] : which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.”(Eze 47: 1 ) So these waters were directed toward two places of barrenness and bitterness i.e. “Wilderness of Judea” and the Salt Sea. Both places were of deadness; but the barren was to become fruitful and the bitter to be “healed” by these crystal waters from the sanctuary. Even so, those heavenly and spiritual waters which our glorified Lord has released through the sluice -gate of Pentecost are seeking to channel their course through consecrated believers, so as to communicate new life and verdure amid surrounding spiritual death and sterility.

And now notice the FORCE of the waters, first they were a mere “trickle” (see verse 2 in R.V. margin). Then a “thousand cubits” further (1,500 feet) further “they were to the ankles” (3) Next, another thousand cubits and “they were to the knees” (4) Next, another thousand and “they were to the loins” (5) Still one more thousand, and they were “waters to swim in” (6) All in just over a mile the “trickle” had become a “river” at least six or seven feet deep! That was no merely natural river! No river normally grows at that rate. The was the “river of God”. This certainly speaks to all of us of the Holy Spirit.

Young Christians, whom I now address, do not think you must wait for years before the Holy Spirit may be to you as “waters to swim in”. You may know His copiousness NOW. Older Christians if you have been a believer for years and yet are still only “up to the ankles”, the fulness is for you just down steam a wee bit. In other words, the deeper you and I make the channel through our hearts and lives, the more deeply the Holy Spirit will flow in and through us.

The Holy Spirit is our Director of Continuing Education

Open my inward eyes,
Teacher Divine,
Spirit of glad surprise
Within me shine
Quicken my inward sight,
So that I may see
Shining in clearest Light
Thy Word to me.

Till next time,
Love from one beggar showing another beggar where to find bread!    

Denis

Frappé with Philippians

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (Php 3:10)

Gentle Reader,

Is this your Supreme Desire? To know Him? In my humble opinion the supreme longing of the Christian heart should be first of all and most of all to know Christ; personally and intimately; to know Him experientially in "the power of the resurrection"; to know Him in that deepest and closest of all ways, in the oneness of a sympathetic heart-to-heart fellowship in His sufferings over a world with it’s back turned away from God.

But I can only know Him in this way when I make Him truly "My Lord" and He becomes more than Lord but my friend, my older Brother, and all things are counted as loss for His dear sake, living wholly for Him and keeping daily company with Him in that quiet place. Untill like Brother Lawerence "Practicing the presence of God" we are so in touch with Him that we carry on that conversation, non stop, picking up where we left off, when interupted by the world. This is open to all of us even though we must give hours of each day to the mundane things; and who can tell the rich, deep spiritual joys which come to those who know the Lord Jesus in this manner?

I fear sometimes that despite all of our busy Christian service, our attending of meetings, and conventions, our singing of hymns and our outward Christian activities, some of us, even though we are truly trusting in the finished work of that Calvary for our salavation may find, when we pass into eternity that we do not know Jesus Himself- having so gelected the secret times with Christ down here that we find ourselves strangers to Him there!

"That I may know Him", are we so busy serving Him like Martha that we have no time for the siting at His feet like Mary? And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. (Luk 10:39-42)

This was the ancient posture of disciples or learners. They sat at the "feet" of their teachers - that is, beneath them, in a humble place. Hence, Paul is represented as having been brought up at the "feet" of Gamaliel, Act_22:3. When it is said that Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, it means that she was "a disciple" of his; that she listened attentively to his instructions, and was anxious to learn his doctrine.

The trouble with many of us is that we block our own vision of Him, by our busyness of serving. We must get to where Paul was when he said "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: . . ."(Php 3: .

Paul penned those words 30 years after meeting the risen Christ on that Damascus road "That I may know Him"! His longing was to know the mind and heart and love and friendship of Christ in ever developing degree. As treasure seekers seek fortunes for gain should we not seek and discover that treasure that we have in our earthen vessels? Well may this be our life-long motto be" That I may know Him".

Love, you all

Denis　

Coffee Cup Bible studies

The name Cappuccino comes from the Capuchin friars, possibly referring to the colour of their habits or to the aspect of their tonsured (white) heads, surrounded by a ring of brown hair.

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:  (Col 1:27)

Gentle Reader,

How wonderful is this truth, that our Lord actually indwells the hearts of His people. In the Messianic prophesies of the Old Testament many and varied aspects of the coming of Christ are pre-envisaged, but nowhere are we told that He would indwell His people. As Paul tells us in the verse preceding our text, Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints  ( Col 1:26) . That was part of The Divine "Mystery or Secret hid from ages and generations". BUT NOW the secret is divulged and as verse 27 says To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory .

These words " Christ in you" remind us that if our Christian experience is to be rich in quality and alive with communicativeness, we need to know Christ in three (3) ways. Putting it in the first person singular, I need to know Christ for me; Christ in me; Christ through me.

Christ "for" me is Christ dying on the Cross. Christ "in" me is Christ living in my heart. Christ "through" me is Christ speaking by my life.

Christ "for" me is my substitution and sacrifice. Christ "in" me is my sanctification and satisfaction. Christ "through" me is my service and sufficiency.

Christ "for" me is my only acceptable standing before God. Christ "in" me is my only true victory over sin. Christ "through" me is my only real power for spiritual ministry.

As a corollary to this prepositionary trio- this "for"and "in" and through", I am to sustain a threefold relation to Christ, represented by three words, purchased, possessed, permeated.

His dying for me means that I am Christ-purchased. His living in me means that I am Christ-possessed. His working through me means my being Christ-permeated.

He died for me: I am to take Him. He lives in me: I am to prove Him. He moves through me: I am to transmit Him.

Oh, that all of us who call Him Saviour might be fully possessed and permeated by His life and love and grace and peace and power. Dr. F. B. Meyer used to say "In all His people Christ is present. In some He is prominent. In a few He is pre-eminent".

Gentle reader, to which of these classifications do you and I belong?

Those who are indwelt and controlled by Christ, find in Him their all-in-all. He is Saviour, Sanctifier, Healer, for spirit, soul and body. May we say with A. B. Simpson

I take salvation full and free,

Through Him who gave His life for me,

He undertakes my all to be:

I take - He undertakes.

I take Him for this mortal frame,

I take His healing through His name;

And all His risen life I claim:

I take - He undertakes.

So Gentle Reader, drink up and think about your relationship with The One who we call Lord of all.

Remember, you are accepted, you are valued, and you are loved.

Denis