|  THE WRONG PATH TO ECONOMIC PROSPERITY When Republicans took full control of Congress in their triumphant 2014 election, it was clearly the beginning of the end of Barack Obama's presidency.
His second-term agenda, if ever he had one, was dead, forcing him to turn to a series of unconstitutional executive orders that will be bottled up in the courts for the rest of his tenure, or overturned by judicial decree.
Even his signature program, Obamacare, is threatened to be emasculated by the Supreme Court challenge that questions whether its government subsidies are lawful. For prayer: It appears President Obama had the political leverage to get most of what he wanted on the trade bills. Conservatives are still wondering who blinked first on the negotiations. Be that as it may, the author's point is well made that continued government growth and socialist-like trade expansion is inimical to a strong economy at home. Is America descending to second-rate status among the world's leading countries? Pray for spiritual renewal first, then national healing. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord...." (Ps. 33:12) "Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up." (Hos. 6:1)  |
|  FORCING MILITARY TO MEASURE ARCTIC ICE LEVELS Even as the U.S. military struggles to contain the Islamic State and deals with other terrorist threats across the globe, President Obama increasingly is recruiting the Pentagon to advance his sweeping climate change agenda.
Mr. Obama's Defense Department calls global warming a true national security threat and has begun instituting a host of environmental measures, ranging from building clean energy projects at military installations to the use of expensive green fuels in planes.
For prayer: What began as "global warming" became scandal-ridden with falsified data and unproven conclusions, so the issue evolved into "climate change." As commander-in-chief of the military, President Obama's focus on Arctic ice levels cannot be legitimately questioned, whether a wise use of resources or not. However, a future day of "heat" is coming to the Earth, promised in Scripture through Peter. Pray that mercy and repentance might precede that day, so many might be saved.
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." (2 Peter 3:10-13) |
|  CHARITIES PUSHING POPULATION CONTROL As a conservative, I don't have much use for foreign aid, preferring to support private charitable efforts overseas. But when Washington politicians began to dole out huge sums of money several decades ago, existing nonprofits lined up for their share of the take.
Groups like CARE, Population Services International (PSI), and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) are still thought of as charities, but have less and less in common with America's vibrant voluntary tradition. They are too busy administering population control programs for USAID. For prayer: Such reports of charitable abuse can tempt even strong Christians to become cynical and demoralized; or, by God's grace and a renewed infusion of spiritual vision, can help those who pray and give to press on with faith and confidence that God will ultimately judge with righteous judgment. Pray that Christian givers, seeking God's wisdom, will discern where their financial gifts should go. "We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man." (2 Cor. 8:20-21) "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone." (Rom. 12:17 NIV)
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|  NEW DRUGS PROMISE TO REVOLUTIONIZE HEART CARE?
"The approval of a new treatment for cholesterol is always exciting because it means that we have another tool in the cardiology tool chest," said Chauncey Crandall, M.D., director of preventive medicine at the Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic. "These new drugs could help people who are at high risk for heart attack that we can't help in any other way."
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel this week recommended approval for two new drugs - alirocumab (Parluent) and evolocumab (Repatha). The FDA must still give final approval, but it rarely rules against its advisory committee.
Prayer and Praise: If this medication is successful, it will be a welcome supplement. Christians know that in Jesus Christ "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3). And without disparaging the years of patient and painstaking research, we give primary thanks to God, knowing that all such advances come from divine grace, mercy, and wisdom to the research community. Pray that among the key scientists, many will acknowledge God.
"Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." (Lam. 3:22-23) |
|  'FAIR AND FLAT' CUTS TAXES FOR ALL Rand Paul overnight changed the dynamics of the Republican presidential race on Thursday when he released his Fair and Flat Tax plan. As he said when he unveiled the plan on video: "this is the boldest rewrite of the income tax system in 100 years - and even Ronald Reagan - who dramatically improved the federal tax system - wasn't proposing this sweeping a cleanup of the tax code."
For full disclosure, I spent the last several months helping design this plan with Sen. Paul - so I'm biased. But there can be no doubt that a plan that reduces income tax rates from as high as 40 percent and business taxes from 35 percent down to a flat 14.5 percent rate can only be described as explosively pro-growth and pro-jobs. See chart. For prayer: This article speaks for itself. It may not be enough to deliver a presidential nomination to Sen. Rand Paul, but a simplified tax plan for American wage earners is long overdue. The average citizen is overcome with taxes and an incomprehensible tax code. Congress has the authority to simplify things, but burgeoning federal government has a stranglehold. Pray for God's mercy on our nation as some presidential candidates will try to outdo others with more "promises." "How can you say, 'We are wise, and And the law of the Lord is with us'? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord; so what wisdom do they have?" (Jer. 8:8-9) |
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