Friday, October 21, 2011

Illegal Immigration can be solved.

I have been very vocal about illegal immigration - my main mantra being what about ILLEGAL don't they understand.  However, I have come to a slightly different perspective.  This started with an article I read in WORLD magazine about a young 18 year old now feeling very vulnerable.  He'd been brought here as a boy, and attended school, and thinks of himself as an American.

The real wrong is with US elected officials deciding not to act on already established laws.  They also decided to not fix the border so it wasn't so easy to cross, and they decided to prohibit individual state governments from enforcing the law.  Thus, our Government officials implied that to enter the USA  illegally was acceptable. 

The temptation would be great.  When the low wages offered for hard work in USA was more than they could manage to earn in their own home town or country it seemed the answer.  One political  party wanted it and the other wanted the rule of law to be kept.  So the nice, kind party that encouraged the rule breaking would be the party the illegals would want to vote for and keep in power. 

But not being within the law left the illegal immigrants vulnerable to abuse of their labor and only safe if they didn't run counter to the party that winked at their law breaking. 

And then I I have seen that many, maybe most of the families who came into the USA without papers were just people wanting a better chance in life and better education and health care available for their children.  Those children had no choice in the matter.  Children go where their parents go.  Children are not able to even decide if what they are doing is right or wrong if they have no teaching.  Children have to learn what they know, and that primarily from their parents when very young.

So, as our government is  responsible our government needs to move toward the right solution. 

First - close the border effectively.  If a nation can build a 23 mile bridge into the ocean then surely something effective could be built on land.

Second - find the people in the USA who are here without papers.  Where they are living peaceably, working, acting within the laws of the country make a deal with them.  Not instant citizenship  but  given papers to stay and the option to become a US citizen like other non-citizens have to do.  I believe they should pay for their citizenship as those who enter but make a plan for them pay over time.  That would be nice in fact for all coming in.

Make available classes to learn English, some of the US laws and some history.  Make all legal documents in English.  This is not a bilingual nation. It is good to carry on with ones home language, and teach it to the children but make those coming into the country viable citizens by being able to speak the national language.

We need to quit being easy on illegal law breakers once in the borders of the country.  If they have to serve a prison sentence, when you release them take them back to their own country and release them to the authorities in that country and have them in the police system to note if they show up again.  Get them out with no pampering.

And Third - I personally think everyone living in the US needs to carry ID - with their name, picture  and their thumb print , and their status within the country.  We require a driver's licence already.  This is no different.   This would help to diminish  fraud. 

Many American citizens are so afraid they may loose some freedom, they fight the idea.  I've heard them, but I think that over all they would have more freedom because it would be more difficult to steal their identity.  And you  wouldn't have people voting more than one time if their thumb print was a part of the system and they were identified as those who have the right to vote.

Maybe this sounds too simplistic but in the long run a nation who make laws and then chooses who can break the laws and who has to keep them is going down a very slippery slope to being lawless in every way.  It is in lack of integrity that a nation will fall to some worse form of government.  I see Cuba as a nearby example.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

All I am He has given

II Peter 1:1 (ESV)
     Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
         To those who have obtained a faith of equal
         standing with ours by the righteousness of our God
         and Savior Jesus Christ:

I love how Peter speaks of fellow believers, as having equal standing  in their faith, with the apostles. 

And, understanding that faith is obtained, given to us by the righteousness of Christ, and not faith drummed up by our efforts,  gives me hope.  It is  totally NOT my work.

We often describe our own salvation today as though we felt a need, and were looking for the LORD, and we finally ran him down and it was all a result of our faith. 

But, I'm seeing more and more clearly he made salvation available to us. He died for our sin, which separates us from the Father. Then he sought us.  He knocks on our door saying, I'm here,  won't you open the door and invite me in. (Revelation 3:20), and then he gives us the faith we need to open the door.  IT is ALL of him. 

God originally created mankind for fellowship, and for our worship.  We chose to be independent and do our own thing.  But he, knowing there was NO way for us to reconnect with him, made an way - bought for us by God's only begotten son accepting His Father's will and making the payment for our sin.  That sin killed the only begotten son of God.  But because the sin could not get any grip on the sinless son of God, it couldn't hold him in death.   As the sin of the world was paid for it was thrown off,  and Christ overcame death.  

Then, after making a way for us to come to him,  God sought us out. 

He had made a way for us to enter his presence, as adopted children. More, he gave us the faith we needed  to  accept his gift. And when we opened the door to him, he dressed us in His robes of Righteousness so we were able to be His - a loved child in the family. 

So we see God's original plan being fulfilled.  WOW! 

Just so, all his plans and purposes are being and will be fulfilled. 

What hope; what glory; what unending joy; what safety is ours in him.


    

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Distractions

In our media charged world of radio, TV, videos, movies, magazines, music, games, computers and now extremely smart cell phones (have I missed anything?) we are being bombarded almost all our waking hours with NOISE.  Much of it mechanical .  Even in our sleep there is the hum of refrigerators or fans, and the ticking of clocks.  On top of this,  we experience very little of what I think of as velvety darkness.  I love moon and star light, and of course, sun light.  But we are surrounded with artificial images and artificial light that seems to bombard our very souls. 

As I read in II Peter about our coming residency with our Lord, and thought on our hope in him, an incorruptible treasure, an inheritance in heaven, a crown of glory, I wondered of there were others like me who have become not so eager for God's promises and even presence - not because we don't care but because it's being drowned out, overwhelmed by the offerings of the world. 

Have I ceased to notice that much in today's world mocks the righteousness and holiness of God?  Am I becoming careless in speech and actions as I dive into the offered pleasures, my self gratification.  Maybe not in the BIG sins, but the little careless and selfish acts.

When was the last time, when something came to my attention as inappropriate to indulge in did I ignore the choice to put that thing aside because it was not the best path or action for my life.

Deuteronomy 32:6  Do you thus repay the LORD, you foolish and senseless people? Is not he your father, who created you, who made you and established you?



This was a part of Moses's exhortation to the children of Israel just before he handed the reins over to Joshua.  It is as true today as it was then - for me right now, as I seek the face of God - to find my focus, joy and peace in him, and begin to discern those areas in my life that tune him out.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Father God - Every day with you is a day I am not alone, not forsaken, not unloved, not abandoned.  Rather it is a day filled with hope, joy unspeakable and full of glory.  Filled also with knowledge that whatever today brings, you walk in it and when needed, even carry me through.  I give you all my worship

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Global issues

As I've been reading in Deuteronomy the clear message is God calling for the Israelites to love Him. 

Yes, he asks for obedience, and implied in that is our praise and worship,  but for me the stronger message is He desires our love.
Obedience is an outcome of love.  Our desire to please the loved one.

God's blessings were upon the promised land.  It was fertile.  It almost seemed like Eden in it's rich land, with plenty rain, the early rain, and the latter rain. 

A contrast is drawn with Egypt.  Hard work and irrigation was necessary to grow life giving food there.

We see today that now Israel has to irrigate their land to make it green and productive.  Today, much of Israel is barren if the pictures are anything to go by.  What I see in this is that truly we are having global issues.  Not global warming as some believe, but global evil.  Man's sin has polluted the land - not our animals' manure, not our burning of Oil and gas.  It is our murder, and immorality, and worship of anything but God.

There are global consequences of sin, and in that aspect it is a human issue.  God is calling for repentance - first in the lives of His own children - that we might again become salt and light to the world.  The work must first begin in me.