I hope that you are one of the millions of Americans that have an opportunity to celebrate Labor Day with family and friends. On a normal Labor Day, I would be at work with thousands of other men and women that are watching the skies. Since I am still waiting for medical clearance, I get to enjoy the beautiful Ozark's day at home.
Too often we take for granted all of the benefits that we have because of the victories of the Labor movement. In the Ozarks, labor unions are not well thought of and often blamed for all of the economic woes of our country. The people that complain about unions fail to realize that their 40 hour/5 day work week is a result of a battle won by organized labor.
Here are a few others:
-minimum wage
-paid vacations
-paid sick leave
-paid holidays
-health benefits
-Family Friendly Medical Leave
-overtime pay
-a safe working environment
-compensation for on the job injuries
-freedom from harassment
These are a few of the many battles that have been fought and won by labor unions. If you think that your employer would bless you with these benefits on their own--you're wrong. Our working conditions in the USA have evolved over the last 120 years from 12 hour days, 6 days per week with no benefits and no security to what they are today. The right to safe working environments is taken for granted today, but many miners, factory workers and others suffered brutal accidents or death before safety in work places became the standard. Even our highways are safer because of the actions taken by the Teamsters.
However you spend your Labor, I wish you a great day. Support Labor. Celebrate Labor.
John <><
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Thank you for taking time to read my blog. I hope that you will read some of my past posts, as well. My first post is one of my favorites. If you're interested in booking me to speak for your church, or as a motivational speaker at your school or business event; please e-mail me at gospelmagic@gmail.com. I'll gladly provide you with references and answer any questions that you may have.
15 comments:
Amen!
Could it be that people who "complain about unions" in many cases do not fail to realize any of the things that you listed yet still simply disagree with the pro-union movement in contemporary America for very good reasons, including their largely pro-Democrat inclinations. As the contemporary American Democrat party is so clearly at war with the God of Christianity, I think there's a reasonable basis for the biblically submissive Christian to be suspicious of that political party's pawns, which in many cases includes unions.
On this day, I celebrate the liberties and individuality that most unions actively seek to suppress.
I celebrate the labor God has equipped and called me to pursue, which tends to put me at odds with most pro-union philosophies these days.
I pray that God will free us from the antichristian track we are on as a nation yet I realize fully that He is perfect, His plan is perfect, and He will be glorified through the use of every Pharaoh and Obama that might hit the scene.
This Labor Day can be a unique wonder for any individual who prays, learns and submits to God's perfect Word.
Have a good one!
Best,
S
Fire Breather,
You might consider that since there is no question as to the origin of Labor Day, any celebration of it on your part is somewhat hypocritical.
As there is no question to the origin of every day, there is also no questioning my expressed method of celebrating Labor Day.
The contemporary American Democrat party, aided greatly by the vast majority of unions in the country, loudly, proudly and routinely wages war on the God of Christianity on a variety of fronts, including:
* Defending the legal targeting of innocent children for murder. This is also known as "infanticide" and is a central pillar of Democrat ideology.
* Legitimizing homosexuality, which the God of Christianity abhores.
* "Redefining" marriage, which the God of Christianity specifically ordained even before the church.
These are but a few of the reasons why I celebrate Labor Day and every other by praying and trying to personally submit to God's perfect Word. Only through this can our once great and God-fearing nation regain the footing that the rank antichristian policies of the contemporary Democrat party in America has imposed on the nation.
Hope this helps to clarify!
May the grace of God change the hearts of His opposition and save this dying nation. Soli Deo gloria!
Have a good one!
John, you've found the extreme of the extreme here in the comment section. It's amazing how some of them use the devils tool (fire) to promote their religious hate. I know God can save him but it's going to take a long time.
Actually, Mike, I know this Fire Breather...and God has saved him the same way that He saved me...by Grace through the faith that He has given me in Jesus.
That may be the one of the few things that we see eye-to-eye on. Unfortunately, many see political parties as the only way to define our moral beliefs--even though political parties are not moral agents. I know many compassionate Christians that are Democrats and an equal number of self-righteous, morally bankrupt Republicans that tout their "conservative values" but lead lives that testify against them.
I don't look to politics for moral guidance and I don't look to religious leaders for political advice.
This post was about the good that Labor Unions have accomplished in the work place. It is true that labor supports the Democrats...but that's because the Democrats support the issues that are important to labor. Pro-life/pro-choice is not a labor issue. Labor doesn't support the Dems because of their stance on this issue--it's not a labor issue. I know union members that vote Republican because of their stance on gun ownership--again, not a labor issue, but one that is important to them.
I certainly don't agree with all of the Democratic platform, but then again, neither do I agree with all of the Republican platform.
I don't see all Democrats as the baby killing, gay loving, entitlement squandering liberals that many radical conservatives see. Nor do I see all Republicans as the greedy, self-righteous, self-centered capitalists that many liberals see.
It is unfortunate that so many of our elected officials (on both sides of the aisle) exhibit such bad moral judgment and manipulate their own constituents with lies, spin and political double talk.
As I have said before, I am a moral conservative and a political moderate...and it works for me.
John <><
Yes, biblical Christianity is the extreme of the extreme and its practice will always inspire hatred from the world.
God hates most defining positions of the contemporary American Democrat party even more than the forces of liberalism hate biblical Christianity, as amazing as that might sound. The "moderate" worldview is equally hostile to Christ, though using different angles, terminology and rationalizations to achieve the same end: Evading total submission to Christ.
As John the Baptist said,
I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.(Matthew 3:11 – ESV)
The "He" to whom John referred was a man named Jesus, the God of biblical Christianity, who said:
And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:13 – ESV)
Biblically literate folk will recognize the frequent use of God's spirit being associated with fire. You might wanna look into that.
While I'm certain (and can point to scores of examples) of many Nazi, Communist, Socialist, Democrat and Republican party members who try to argue that their party and/or politics are somehow distinct from their morality or religion, the biblically submissive Christian has nothing of this ungodly philosophy.
Christ demands all. He requires - not requests - nothing less of His own. He has bought them with a price and the notion that any servant of His could confidently support a party built upon the foundation that defines the contemporary American Democrat party is nothing less than wanton disobedience to the one claimed as Lord.
The Democrat party is committed at its core to the most profound and flagrantly antichristian, unbiblical positions across the board.
Christ does not somehow sit idly or have nothing to say about a party committed to infanticide, the legitimization of homosexuality, the redefinition of the family and scores of other overtly God-opposing concepts.
Far from it!
The Christ of biblical Christianity *commands* that His own oppose these forces...even though it is hard and even though it will inspire hatred of His own for His name's sake.
"I don't look to politics for moral guidance and I don't look to religious leaders for political advice" stands, as far as I can tell, in stark contrast with the notion of looking to Christ for guidance in all areas of life...certainly including the political.
We are commanded to do nothing less. Any thing, idea or area of life that we seek to somehow separate from total submission to His expressed will constitutes idolatry...it is the idol we have placed between ourselves and the God of Christianity.
Submit to Christ's will when considering a party committed to infanticide, the legitimization of homosexuality and the evisceration of the God-ordained family. Submit to His will openly, completely and thankfully, and that obedience will glorify God (which is the point of the biblical Christian life).
Submit to secular standards on politics or anything else...and you make war with the God of Scripture (which is a very, very bad idea).
You can be certain that many Nazis would have described themselves as Christians as well...and that obviously didn't make it so. There is no such thing as a "moderately Christian" man or woman. Christ either owns all of you or has none of you.
You are His or you are not.
You will seek to submit to His will in all things or you will not.
While we all fail, those who truly belong to Him know and desire that every aspect of their life be utterly conformed to His perfect will.
Including the political.
All biblical Christians are *commanded* to love the Lord with all their minds, bodies, spirits...and votes.
Christians will be hated for opposing the Democrat party agenda...and they should be thankful for the opportunity.
I hope that this helps to clarify!
Soli Deo gloria!
S
A couple of comments to close out this surprisingly controversial Labor Day post:
First--
"All biblical Christians are *commanded* to love the Lord with all their minds, bodies, spirits...and votes."
I don't recall the votes part in the Bible, but I suppose that we are free to make that implication--a vote for a republican is a vote for Jesus. Really?
Second--
Personally I worry about the part in the Bible that says we will be judged with the same standard that we use to judge others. I am looking for mercy and forgiveness in the One that will judge me and so I choose mercy and forgiveness when dealing with others. I'll leave judging them to Jesus...and why not? God the Father has left their judgment to Jesus.
and finally--
S, you really ought to think about getting your own blog!
Kidding, friend. I've been reading your posts and am sure that you will build a fine following.
John <><
OK I'm back. But this time for something much more important. One comment closer to double digit comments. Bilbo, chime in here.
Oh, but John, votes are definitely in there alright...and not only in that verse (as in its crystal clear meaning), but throughout Scripture.
Jesus demands all of His own. Nothing less.
This certainly includes their vote and that definitely precludes their supporting a party at war with His clearly expressed will.
The Jesus who saved me absolutely condemns the support of a movement perpetuating infanticide-on-demand, homosexual legitimacy and the destruction of the God-ordained institution of marriage.
Christ demands opposition to the vast majority of positions advocated by the contemporary Democrat party in America.
His sheep will hear and obey.
The goats will mock and roll the other way, perhaps even while claiming fidelity to the God they rebel against...wouldn't be the first time...
As for the blog, yep, I really do need to work on that! ;-)
This whole Internet deal is a hoot!
I'm glad Al Gore took the time to invent it.
Whatta guy!
Have a good one, all, but do remember: This is no joke or small thing. The God of Christianity hates the vast majority of what the contemporary American Democrat party fights for.
His Word is clear.
Obey it.
Soli Deo gloria and let's roll!
S
I won 't argue that Jesus demands our all. I will take exception that a vote for the Republicans is any more a vote for Jesus than a vote for the Democrats. Both have their faults. You may put them on a scale, but I don't think that God does.
For the record--the Supreme Court that decided the Roe vs. Wade case was made up of 5 Republican Justices and 4 Democrats. The vote was 7-2 with one Democrat and one Republican in opposition. The hypocrites in the Republican party would have you believe that if elected, they will do something to change the R v Wade decision. They won't...not because they don't want to (and I don't believe they do), but because they can't...and they know it. They would have the blind following masses believe that with a different bench, the Supreme Court will over turn the earlier Court's ruling. Unfortunately, this is not true. If it were true, it would have been done.
During the first six years of the Bush (W) Administration, there was a majority of Republicans in the House, a majority of Republicans in the Senate, a Republican in the White House and a majority of Republican Justices on the Supreme Court. What initiative were introduced to overturn the R v W decision? The answer is none.
There is no provision to make an appeal to the Supreme Court. There is no method to bring a past case before a new bench...unless there is new evidence in the case. The only way that a new court can "overturn" a previous court's decision is if a ruling in a new case render's a previous decision moot. This has happened in the past (Brown vs. the Board of Education...somewhere in the late 50's, '58 maybe. The decision rendered a 189? decision moot).
With the Republican majority Court's ruling that it is a woman's Constitutional right to choose to terminate her pregnancy (or murder her baby, if you prefer), we are left with the options of a Constitutional amendment (unlikely), or working within the R v W ruling--which hasn't been done.
A Constitutional amendment is extremely unlikely. It would take 2/3 of the House and 2/3 of the Senate to agree on language to send to the States for ratification. Each State could pass the amendment with a simple majority vote (50% + 1) but 38 States would have to pass it for it to become the next Amendment to the Constitution.
It seems to me (a lowly citizen) that efforts would be better spent to enforce the ruling that was made. Without going back to reread the Court's decision, there was something about the viability of the unborn fetus (child). I would think that since we have had babies born in the 22-23 week of pregnancy that have survived, the argument should be able to be made that human life is viable outside of the mother's womb at that point. Each earlier birth survival should reset the point of viability. I'm not a lawyer or a doctor, but it seems that this would be the best approach to take (given our current situation).
After the 1973 Court's ruling, the real battle--the moral battle--should have moved to the churches and homes of our country to reduce both the immorality that causes the majority of unwanted pregnancies and efforts to offer options and counseling to young women that find themselves in the position of being unable to care for a baby.
Of course, you can continue to pick your pet sins to condemn and you can judge everyone according to your own standard. You can spew your nonsense that condemns me and others that have voted for candidates over parties (I'm still registered as a Republican although this isn't the Republican Party that I registered in 30+ years ago). And you can even feel free to do it here...
Serving Him by serving His,
John <><
I should have known this was going to continue. Keep up the good work John.
Just wanted to add this note--
I have received three more comments (or one long comment in three parts)from the Fire Breather that I am choosing not to post. These are the first comments that I have ever censored.
Even though I ended my last comment by saying that he was free to post here, I'm choosing to end the comments here for a couple of reasons, the main one being that they have absolutely nothing to do with the original post.
Additionally, they are very condemning towards many of my readers (and to me). No doubt the Fire Breather will wear this as a badge of honor. Unfortunately, it really puts him into a place where he cannot effectively share God's love with a world that truly needs it. I don't want to be in that same position.
The comments are not for dialogue. They are one-sided. It's true that the Bible says that the followers of Jesus will be hated for our beliefs. It never says that we can hate others for their beliefs or that we should behave so badly that we are hated for our behavior.
They are also double-sided in that they condemn the Democrats as being haters of everything Godly but refuse to acknowlege the many ungodly and scandalous acts by the members of the Republican party. There is a lenghty list of sex scandals, homosexual scandals, ethics violations, corruption, etc., from these "conservative" minded "family values" proponents. I guess we are supposed to look to them to lead are country because the Democrats are the godless ones.
To those that may have been offended by the Fire Breathing rantings that I've already posted, I hope that you understand my position in allowing his rants (although I'm not sure I understand my reasons for posting them).
To Fire Breather, we actually have very little in common. It would appear that from your perspective, we don't even share a common Lord and Savior.
John <><
From Emily:
John,
Was reading Matt, in the message and thought of this post.
This is what the message has for Matt 5...
"Count yourself blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when this happens--give a cheer! For though they don't like it-I do! And all of heaven applauds. And know you are in good company, my prophets and witnesses have always got into this kind of trouble."
I also appreciate you governing who and what can be posted here to protect those you love.
Thanks, Em.
John <><
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