Steve's thoughts on culture, religion, & Jesus!

Intresting Cartoon from 1948

I received this from a friend via e-mail today... Thought I would share it with you. 

Being Second!

What do you think?

   

This is worth looking into... do some research on your own. Could we be headed toward a one world government or is all this just a bunch of scare tactics. As a believer in Christ you have a responsibility to know the times in which we live. Interesting stuff!

Can this really be true?

After watching this video, all I can say is wow... I thought we paid these guys to understand the bills they write and vote for?  No matter what side of the isle you are on, we should at least know that our elected officials know what they are voting on before they vote... Just a thought?????

US Debt

I received this in an email today...

"After all — they know that U.S. Treasury Chief Timothy Geithner is going panhandling this week — begging and borrowing every penny he can to fund Washington’s precedent-shattering $1.6 trillion budget deficit.

Today, Geithner will rewrite the history books by dumping an all-time record $43 billion in new U.S. Treasuries on the market in a single day.

PLUS, tomorrow and on Friday, Geithner will return to the trough, borrowing an additional $69 billion to keep the lights on in Washington.

That’s a total of $112 billion in U.S. Treasury borrowing in just three, short days!"

By all accounts it seems to be true... What do you think will happen when all this debt comes due? Hyper Inflation maybe? I think we should become serious about storing our treasures in heaven.

Have a blessed week,

Pastor Steve

Cool Video

I saw this on Facebook today it's worth watching...

May the Lord's blessing be upon you today,

Pastor Steve

A Church at the Bay Story - Rebekah Cooper from Church at the Bay on Vimeo.

What is a Church?

In our world today there seems to be a lot of confusion about the "church"?  Some say the church is any gathering of believers. Some say that the concept of the local church is unbiblical, and still others say that the only church is the Catholic Church. George Barna in his book "revolution" shares a story of two guys playing golf on a Sunday morning and as they play they talk about spiritual things, creation, and discuss the Bible... from what I gather George Barna calls that church. I'm not sure I agree with that assumption. I think as believers we should be able to answer the question "what is a church?" In the New Testament the church is referred to in three distinct ways. First is the "Church Universal." That is the entire body of Christ made up of every born again believer. The church universal stretches across time and geography and links every believer together with each other and Christ. Ephesians 4:4.

The second way the church is referred to in the New Testament is geographically such as the Church in Corinth or Jerusalem. We still refer to the church this way today as we talk about the church in America, the African Church or the Church in China. When we make statements like that we realize there are many local churches in a geographical area and that they are all part of the church universal. We see examples of this in passages like Acts 11:22 and many of the epistles were written to the church of a geographical area

The third way the church is referred to in scripture is at the local level. In passages like 1 Corinthians 16:19, Colossians 4:15 Paul refers to local congregations I think there is very little confusion on the first two definitions of church but there seems to be some confusion on what constitutes a local church John Piper defines a local church like this: "a local church is a group of baptized believers who meet regularly to worship God through Jesus Christ, to be exhorted from the Word of God, and to celebrate the Lord's Supper under the guidance of duly appointed leaders."

 In my study and understanding of scripture a local church must have the following 4 things to be considered a church:

1.It must consist of a community of believers who have made a public confession of faith who gather for worship and teaching. Matthew 28:19, John 1:12-13, Acts 2:47 & Romans 15:6-7

2. It must have appointed leaders who preach the Word. Acts 14:23, 1 Timothy, Titus

3. It must of the sacraments of Communion and Baptism. Luke 22:19,1 Cor. 11:24, Mathew 28:19

4. It must exercise church discipline. Mathew 16:19; 18:18, 1Timothy 1:3; Titus 1:13; 1Corinthians 11:34; Titus 1:5; 1Timothy 5:20; 2Timothy 4:2; 1Corinthians 5:3-5,13; 1Timothy 1:20; Hebrews 13:17; 2 Corinthians 10:8; 13:10

If a group of Christians claim to be a "church" but do not meet those four criteria I'm not sure that they are a Biblical church. They might be a ministry, a small group, a Bible study but they are not a church.

Why is it important to define "church"? Because in our postmodern world many Christians are buying into the idea that hanging out with Christians on the golf course, meeting up for a beer after work, or talking in a chat room constitutes being a "local church." The "local church" is an important part of our faith. We are called to live out our faith and community and not to forsake the gathering of the saints but the sad thing is many believers are missing  out on the blessing of being in biblical community.

Health Care Reform

I received the following forward via e-mail. I usually pay very little attention to forwards but I received this one a few time this past week. So, I though I would check it out on "snopes" and with a few other online sources... Usually a little investigation proves all these type of e-mails to be bogus... This one though seems to have some merit... read the letter bellow then check the bill out for yourself at HR3200 You can download a pdf file of the entire bill fromt he goverment website. As it stands right now it is 1017 pages long. Check it out and be informed... As followers of Jesus we must understand our times so that we will know what to do! ~1 Chronicles 12:32

Senator Bayh,

As a practicing physician I have major concerns with the healthcare bill before Congress. I actually have read the bill and am shocked by the brazenness of the government's proposed involvement in the patient physician relationship. The very idea that the government will dictate and ration patient care is dangerous and certainly not helpful in designing a healthcare system that works for all. Every physician I work with agrees that we need to fix our healthcare system, but the proposed bills currently making their way through congress will be a disaster if passed.

I ask you respectfully and as a patriotic American to look at the following troubling lines that I have read in the bill. You cannot possibly believe that these proposals are in the best interests of the country and our fellow citizens.

Page 22 of the HC Bill: Mandates that the Govt will audit books of all e mployers that self insure!!

Page 30 Sec 123 of HC bill - THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get.

Page 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill: YOUR HEALTH CARE IS RATIONED!!!


Page 42 of HC Bill:The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your HC Benefits for you. You have no choice!

Page 50 Section 152 in HC bill: HC will be provided to ALL non US citizens, illegal or otherwise

Page 58 HC Bill: Govt will have real-time access to individuals finances & a National ID Healthcard will be issued!

Page 59 HC Bill lines 21-24: Govt will have direct access to you ur banks accounts for elective funds transfer.

Page 65 Sec 164: is a payoff subsidized plan for retirees and their families in Unions & community organizations: (ACORN).

Page 84 Sec 203 HC bill: Govt mandates ALL benefit packages for private HC plans in the Exchange.

Page 85 Line 7 HC Bill: Specifications for of Benefit Levels for Plans = The Govt will ration your Healthcare!

Page 91 Lines 4-7 HC Bill: Govt mandates linguistic appropriate services. Example - Translation: illegal aliens.

Page 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18: The Govt will use groups i.e., ACORN & Americorps to sign up individuals for Govt HC plan.

Page 85 Line 7 HC Bill: Specifications of Benefit Levels for Plans. AARP members - your Health care WILL be rationed.

Page 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill: Medicaid Eligible Individuals will be automatic ally enrolled in Medicaid. No choice.

Page 124 lines 24-25 HC: No company can sue GOVT on price fixing. No "judicial review" against Govt Monopoly.

Page 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill: Doctors/ American Medical Association - The Govt will tell YOU what you can make! (salary)

Page 145 Line 15-17: An Employer MUST auto enroll employees into public option plan. NO CHOICE!

Page 126 Lines 22-25: Employers MUST pay for HC for part time employees AND their families.

Page 149 Lines 16-24: ANY Employer with payroll 401k & above who does not provide public option pays 8% tax on all payroll.

Page 150 Lines 9-13: Business's with payroll btw 251k & 401k who doesn't provide public option pays 2-6% tax on all payroll.

Page 167 Lines 18-23: ANY individual who doesn't have acceptable HC according to Govt will be taxed 2.5% of income.

Page 170 Lines 1-3 HC Bill: Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from individual taxes. (Americans will pay)

Page 195 HC Bill: Officers & employees of HC Admin (GOVT) will have access to ALL Americans finances /personal records.

Page 203 Line 14-15 HC: "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax" Yes, it says that!

Page 239 Line 14-24 HC Bill: Govt will reduce physician services for Medicaid Seniors, low income and poor are affected.

Page 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill: Doctors, doesn't matter what specialty you have, you'll all be paid the same!

Page 253 Line 10-18: Govt sets value of Doctor's time, proffession, judgment etc. Literally value of humans.

Page 265 Sec 1131: Govt mandates & controls productivity for private HC industries.

Page 268 Sec 1141: Federal Govt regulates rental & purchase of power driven wheelchairs.

Page 272 SEC. 1145: TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CANCER HOSPITALS - Cancer patients - welcome to rationing!

Page 280 Sec 1151: The Govt will penalize hospitals for whatever Govt deems preventable re-admissions.

Page 298 Lines 9-11: Doctors, treat a patient during initial admission that results in a re-admission -Govt will penalize you.

Page 317 L 13-20: PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. Govt tells Doctors what/how much they can own!

Page 317-318 lines 21-25, 1-3: PROHIBITION on expansion- Govt is mandating hospitals cannot expand.

Page 321 2-13: Hospitals have opportunity to apply for exception BUT community input is required. Can u say ACORN?!!

Page 335 L 16-25 Pg 336-339: Govt mandates establishment of outcome based measures. HC the way they want. Rationing.

Page 341 Lines 3-9: Govt has authority to disqualify Medicare Advance Plans, HMOs, etc. Forcing people into Govt plan.

Page 354 Sec 1177: Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of Special needs people! Unbelievable!

Page 379 Sec 1191: Govt creates more bureaucracy - Tele-health Advisory Comittee. Can you say HC by phone?

Page 425 Lines 4-12: Govt mandates Advance Care Planning Consult. Think Senior Citizens end of life patients. 
Page 425 Lines 17-19: Govt will instruct & consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney. Mandatory!

Page 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3: Govt provides approved list of end of life resources, guiding you in death. (assisted suicide)

Page 427 Lines 15-24: Govt mandates program for orders for end of life. The Govt has a say in how your life ends.

Page 429 Lines 1-9: An "advanced care planning consultant" will be used frequently as patients health deteriorates.

Page 429 Lines 10-12: "advanced care consultation" may include an ORDER for end of life plans. AN ORDER from GOVT!

Page 429 Lines 13-25: The govt will specify which Doctors can write an end of life order.

Page 430 Lines 11-15: The Govt will decide what level of treatment you will have at end of life!

Page 469: Community Based Home Medical Services = Non profit organizations. Hello, ACORN Medical Services here!!?

Page 472 Lines 14-17: PAYMENT TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORIGINATION. 1 monthly payment 2 a community-based organization. Like ACORN?

Page 489 Sec 1308: The Govt will cover Marriage & Family therapy. Which means they will insert Govt into your marriage.

Page 494-498: Govt will cover Mental Health Services including defining, creating, rationing those services.


Senator, I guarantee that I personally will do everything possible to inform patients and my fellow physicians about the dangers of the proposed bills you and your colleagues are debatin g.

Furthermore, If you vote for a bill that enforces socialized medicine on the country and destroys the doctor/patient relationship, I will do everything in my power to make sure you lose your job in the next election.

Respectfully,

Stephen E Fraser MD

VBS 2009

Video Clip Worth Watching

This was sent to me by a friend... It's a great video with a great message. Click on the link its worth your time. Click Here