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Adrian Rogers sermon GOD’S GRACE IN THE WORKPLACE really helped me 30 years ago and here is the link to that sermon. 

Proverbs 14 New Living Translation

Proverbs 14New Living Translation

14 A wise woman builds her home,
    but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.

² Those who follow the right path fear the Lord;
    those who take the wrong path despise him.

³ A fool’s proud talk becomes a rod that beats him,
    but the words of the wise keep them safe.

⁴ Without oxen a stable stays clean,
    but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.

⁵ An honest witness does not lie;
    a false witness breathes lies.

⁶ A mocker seeks wisdom and never finds it,
    but knowledge comes easily to those with understanding.

⁷ Stay away from fools,
    for you won’t find knowledge on their lips.

⁸ The prudent understand where they are going,
    but fools deceive themselves.

⁹ Fools make fun of guilt,
    but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.

¹⁰ Each heart knows its own bitterness,
    and no one else can fully share its joy.

¹¹ The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the godly will flourish.

¹² There is a path before each person that seems right,
    but it ends in death.

¹³ Laughter can conceal a heavy heart,
    but when the laughter ends, the grief remains.

¹⁴ Backsliders get what they deserve;
    good people receive their reward.

¹⁵ Only simpletons believe everything they’re told!
    The prudent carefully consider their steps.

¹⁶ The wise are cautious^[a] and avoid danger;
    fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.

¹⁷ Short-tempered people do foolish things,
    and schemers are hated.

¹⁸ Simpletons are clothed with foolishness,^[b]
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

¹⁹ Evil people will bow before good people;
    the wicked will bow at the gates of the godly.

²⁰ The poor are despised even by their neighbors,
    while the rich have many “friends.”

²¹ It is a sin to belittle one’s neighbor;
    blessed are those who help the poor.

²² If you plan to do evil, you will be lost;
    if you plan to do good, you will receive unfailing love and faithfulness.

²³ Work brings profit,
    but mere talk leads to poverty!

²⁴ Wealth is a crown for the wise;
    the effort of fools yields only foolishness.

²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
    but a false witness is a traitor.

²⁶ Those who fear the Lord are secure;
    he will be a refuge for their children.

²⁷ Fear of the Lord is a life-giving fountain;
    it offers escape from the snares of death.

²⁸ A growing population is a king’s glory;
    a prince without subjects has nothing.

²⁹ People with understanding control their anger;
    a hot temper shows great foolishness.

³⁰ A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body;
    jealousy is like cancer in the bones.

³¹ Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker,
    but helping the poor honors him.

³² The wicked are crushed by disaster,
    but the godly have a refuge when they die.

³³ Wisdom is enshrined in an understanding heart;
    wisdom is not^[c] found among fools.

³⁴ Godliness makes a nation great,
    but sin is a disgrace to any people.

³⁵ A king rejoices in wise servants
    but is angry with those who disgrace him.

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians, 1 John, 1 Peter, Colossians 3, Colossians 3:23, Colossians 4, Colossians 4:5, Daniel 3:28, Daniel 6:20, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Ephesians 6:5, Ephesians 6:7, Genesis 2:15, Hebrews 11:10, Jeremiah 29, Jeremiah 29:4, Jeremiah 29:7, John 17, John 17:15, John 4:21, Mark 16:15, Mark 7:19, Matthew 5:14, Matthew 5:16, Matthew 6:24, Philippians 2, Philippians 2:15, Proverbs 14:23, Proverbs 8:17-9:17, Romans 12:21

Sermon Topics: Witness, Grace, Work, Workplace, Workplace Evangelism

Adrian Rogers: God’s Grace in the Workplace #1019

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We’re preaching through the Book of Proverbs. A human proverb is a short sentence based on long experience, but these are short sentences based on something better than long experience. They’re based on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, as given to Solomon. Now, today I have a message that I just pray God the Holy Spirit will burn into your heart because, if you understand the message today, I can promise you that it will literally transform your life. I’ve never preached on this subject—that is, a whole message on this subject. I have alluded to it. But, I believe it is a foundational truth, and I’m really amazed that I’ve not brought a whole message on this particular subject before.

Proverbs chapter 14 and verse 23, and just the first part of that verse: “In all labour there is profit” (Proverbs 14:23)—“In all labour there is profit.” I want to talk to you today about “God’s Grace in the Workplace”—“God’s Grace in the Workplace.” And again, I want to tell you, if you understand what I have to say today, it’s going to transform your work. It’s going to change it from boredom to blessing. It’s going to change it from monotony to meaning. It’s going to change it from drudgery to dignity. It’s going to change it from the same old grind, to glory, if you understand what I have to say.

You see, so many people are sick and tired of what they do. I mean, they endure their work; they don’t enjoy their work. They think their job is meaningless. They think that some people have happy jobs, some people have exciting work, some people have thrilling things to do, but not them. They draw their breath and draw their salary. They wake up in the morning and take a bath, shave, go down, drink a cup of coffee, eat a piece of toast, scald their throat because they’re running a little late, drink their coffee too fast, then they run out and fight the traffic and get to work. It’s the same old thing, day after day. Then they come home at night, take a couple of aspirin, sit down and watch the evening news, discuss things with the wife, maybe putter around in the yard a little bit, then go to bed. The next day, the same old thing—nothing exciting, nothing meaningful, nothing thrilling; it just seems to be so humdrum, so meaningless.

Now, they love God, and they serve God, but they have the idea that the only time they can serve God is when they’re not working. They want to get off work so they can serve God, so they give their prime time to the employer and then they give the leftovers to God. They give the weekends to God. They’re serving God sort of halftime. It’s not even really halftime, because they give most of their prime hours, and the best hours, to the boss. They’re trying to serve two masters and, of course, Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). And, I believe there are some of you who are sitting here listening to me today, perhaps most of you, who are guilty of doing what I call split-level living.

Now, I want you to get something in your heart today, and oh, I pray God that He’ll help me to get it into your heart today—and it is this: You may be a very ordinary person. You may think there’s nothing exciting about you. But, you see, God loves ordinary people. He made most of that kind. Isn’t that right? I mean, He must like them, since He made so many of them, right? God makes ordinary people. They’re the handiwork of God.

Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 26, “For ye see your calling, brethren… not many mighty, not many noble, are called” (1 Corinthians 1:26). You see? God uses ordinary people. But, here’s the secret: God takes ordinary people and He gives them extraordinary power. God infuses us with His Holy Spirit, so we’re no longer ordinary, because, when we get saved, we become extraordinary. But now, wait a minute. God takes ordinary people, God gives ordinary people extraordinary power, and then God puts those ordinary people—are you watching this?—in ordinary places. Now, you’d better learn this: When God takes an ordinary person and gives him extraordinary power, then puts that ordinary person in an ordinary place with extraordinary power, He does extraordinary things through an ordinary person.

Now, if you’ll learn this and get this into your heart, it’s going to transform your life. You see, we neatly divide life up into the secular and the sacred. There are so many people who say to me something like this: “You know, Pastor, what I would really like to do, I mean, if I could do what I would really like to do? Well, I’d just like to get out of this job and serve God. Boy, I’d just like to serve God full-time.” Have you ever thought that? Boy, if I could just quit what I’m doing. Boy, it’d be so wonderful to be like you. It’d be so wonderful to be like Brother Phil. It’d be so wonderful, if I could just get out of what I’m doing and serve God full-time. Now, O God, help me to teach you today that, if you are a Christian living in the Spirit, you are serving God full-time. I don’t care where you work—it is an honorable occupation. You are serving God full-time. Your work is to be the temple of your devotion, and it is to be the platform of your witness.

You see, we divide life up into the secular and the sacred, but not the Bible, not the New Testament. In the Old Testament, they did, but not in the New Testament. In the Old Testament, they had priests and then the rest of the people. But, in the New Testament, we’re all priests. In the Old Testament, there was a temple that people went to; but Jesus said, “It’s neither in this place, nor in that place, but everywhere… we worship God in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:21–24). In the Old Testament, they divided foods up into the clean and the unclean. But, in the New Testament, “Thus he spake, making all meats clean” (Mark 7:19). In the Old Testament, certain days were set aside. But, in the New Testament, every day is a holy day, and every day is a sacred place, and every job has dignity, if it is an honorable work. Every Christian is a priest, and every Christian is a minister, and every Christian is doing full-time Christian service.

Now, you may not believe that right now, but l believe you will when I get finished with the message, not because I think I’m so sharp, but because of what God’s Word has to say. “In all labour there is profit.” You may not be in an exciting job. I mean, your job may be in a factory screwing lids on tubes of toothpaste all day long. Maybe that’s what you do all day long. Or, you may be working in an office as a clerk. Or, you may be pumping gasoline; you may be digging ditches; you may be building houses; you may be doing one of a myriad of a number of things. But, I want to tell you, dear friend, if you learn what I have to tell you today from the Word of God, it is going to turn that drudgery into delight; it’s going to turn that monotony into magnificence. And, you’re going to find out that you are where God has placed you, and you’re there for a specific purpose.

Three things I want you to see. Number one: I want you to see the sacredness of everyday work. Secondly, I want you to see the sphere of everyday work. And, thirdly, I want you see the service of everyday work.

I. The Sacredness of Everyday Work

What is the sacredness of everyday work? Don’t get the idea that to serve God you have to be a minister, or a missionary, or on the staff of some Christian organization. Every job, if it is done in the power of the Holy Spirit, is a sacred job. Every one! Now, listen. Let me give you a verse of Scripture—Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 5. Just jot these down, and we won’t go back and forth through the Scripture, unless I ask you to turn to it—but just jot them down. Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 5. I’m talking now about the sacredness of everyday work: “In all labour,” Proverbs tells us, “there is profit.” Listen to it: “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh”—employees, be obedient to your boss: that’s what he’s saying, even though he is not a Christian. He is your master according to the flesh, not according to the Spirit—”with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ” (Ephesians 6:5). You mean, I’m to work for my boss as though he were Jesus? That’s right. That two-legged devil? That’s right. You are to work for him as though he were Jesus Christ. Because God owns the company that he thinks he owns. This is my Father’s world, and you are to serve the Lord Jesus.

Now, what I want to show you—I want to use an example for the message today—a man named Daniel. Be finding the Book of Daniel, and just keep one bookmark in the Book of Proverbs. Daniel is going to be the chief illustration of this passage of Scripture in the Book of Proverbs chapter 14 and verse 23: “In all labour there is profit.”

You will remember that Daniel was taken as a captive from Israel and he was carried to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. And, there in Babylon he had a secular job. Daniel’s job was that he was a governmental bureaucrat. They trained him and they pressed him into the service of the government. As a governmental bureaucrat, he really served the Lord Jesus. Don’t get the idea that Daniel was a pastor or that Daniel was a priest. He was not. Daniel was what we would call today a businessman, in ordinary work.

But, I want you to notice what the king said when Daniel was in the lions’ den. You remember Daniel refused to do certain things when he was in Babylon, and they threw him in the lions’ den as a sort of a punishment, and the lions got lockjaw. Daniel just relaxed and pulled up an old fluffy lion for a pillow, and got out his Old Testament, and began to read between the lions. He was just having a wonderful time there, doing his devotions. And, the king looked in—Daniel chapter 6 and verse 20: “And when he came to the den,”—that is, the king—”he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel,”—now, listen. Here’s what the King said to Daniel. Remember that Daniel was not a preacher, not a priest, in the classic sense of the word—”O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?” (Daniel 6:20). Now, notice what the king said. He said, “Daniel, you’re a servant of the living God. Has that God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” And, of course, God had been able to deliver him.

Now, what am I trying to say? Here was a man who had a secular job, and yet even his enemies, and the unsaved people of this world, had to admit that his secular job was really a sacred job, that he was really serving God. You may be a housewife. Well, not a housewife—I don’t like that word housewife. You’re not married to a house. You may be a homemaker, and you might think, “Oh well, what’s this got to do with serving the Lord?” Friend, there’s no higher occupation than serving the Lord by being a homemaker. One woman has over her kitchen sink these words: “Divine services held here three times a day,” as she does those dishes.

The sacredness of what we call secular work, the sacredness of everyday work: If you do it in the name of Jesus, as to Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit, you will receive the same reward for doing that job that I receive for doing this job. You may not believe it. You may not think it is so. You may think that your job is not an important job at all—“Nobody cares about me; nobody knows about me.” Friend, God knows about you, even if you don’t get to lead in silent prayer in the children’s department. God knows about you, and God has His eye upon you. And, the Bible says those of you who are in secular work are serving the Lord Christ. Every Christian, therefore, is in full-time Christian work—Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 5. Never forget it.

II. The Sphere of Everyday Work

Now, the second thing I want you to learn: not only the sacredness of everyday work, but the sphere of everyday work. Where are you called to do this everyday work? You say, “Well, if I’m going to do it, I sure would like to be in a Christian company. I sure would like to be surrounded by Christians. Boy, you just don’t know; you just don’t know the people that I work with, Brother Rogers. I just don’t believe God wants me in this place. Boy, I mean, it must be nice for you to be around all those people in the church, you know? They’re always smiling, always preaching, and always praising God. The only time I hear God’s name mentioned where I work is when people are cursing. And, Preacher, you just cannot believe the obscene stories. And, you just cannot know the awful cartoons and things that are passed around. You just can’t believe the flirtation, and the way people dress, and the way they talk, and the greed, and the dog-eat-dog, and the ambition, and the throat cutting, and all of the materialism and the gossip that goes on. Oh, Preacher, if God would only get me out of this place so I could serve Him!”

Friend, God put you in that place so you could serve Him. You may not believe that, but I want to tell you, God put Daniel in Babylon. “Preacher, you’re talking about being called to your work. God called you to the ministry. God called Brother Bob Sorrell out of the business world into the ministry. God called Brother Phil Weatherwax into the ministry. Oh, if God would just call me! But, God didn’t call me. I’m just where I am as a victim of circumstances. To be very honest with you, Preacher, I took this job just because it was the only one I could get. I just had to have it, and I don’t know what I would do right now, if I quit this job. I don’t know where I’d go, so I have to stay here. But, I don’t have a sense of calling. I don’t have a sense of meaning. It’s just something I have to do because I’ve got to live; I’ve got to eat. But, I wish to God that I had a sense that God placed me where I am.”

Well, friend, God may have placed you where you are, and you’d not know anything about it, and you didn’t have any sense of call at all. Let me ask you a question: Was Daniel a servant of God? Indeed, he was. Did he serve God? Indeed, he did. Was he where God wanted him? Indeed, He was. How did he get there? By circumstances beyond his control, at least what he thought were beyond his control. He was picked up by King Nebuchadnezzar, and he was brought as an exile to the land of Babylon, that place of wickedness. But, let me tell you something: How did he really get there? How did he really get there? I want you to put this verse down so you can read it when you get home: Jeremiah 29 and verse 4 (Jeremiah 29:4). Dear friend, we are called as Christians to confront this world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We do something around this church that’s a little artificial. I’m in favor of it because it’s necessary. You know what it is? We get everybody down here on a certain night, and give them cards, and tell them to go out and witness. I tell you, dear friend, there’s a better way. There’s a better way, and that is every day you’re to witness for the Lord Jesus Christ on your job. We call this lifestyle evangelism, and you’re going to be hearing a whole lot more about this thing of lifestyle evangelism. It’s not that you go take some names and go out and see somebody you don’t know, but that you work side by side, day by day, with those that you do know. You let your light shine there in that dark place where God has placed you.

Listen to this scripture—Matthew chapter 5, verse 14: “Ye are the light of the world…”—“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house” (Matthew 5:14). For a light to be valuable, it must be visible. Therefore, God doesn’t want you under a basket called a church house. God wants that light where it can be seen. I want to tell you that your job—are you listening to me?—your job is the lampstand that God has ordained where you let your light shine. And, if God has placed you there, that is the place where God wants you. That is the sphere of your ministry, and it is a fulltime ministry.

So many times we just say, “O God, I want to get out of Babylon. God, I want to get out of Babylon. Lord, I just want to do something for you. I want to get away from this worldly influence.” Well, friend, God’s plan for you is not to flee from the world. God’s plan for you is to confront the world, and to overcome the world, and to witness to the world. Listen to these scriptures—John 17, verse 15—Jesus said, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (John 17:15). God’s plan is not that you be taken out of that worldly environment, but that you would live a good Christian life in it.

1 Corinthians chapter 5 verses 9 and 10—listen to these verses—Paul said, “I wrote

you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually Immoral people, yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters; since then you would need to go out of the world.” (1 Corinthians 5:9–10). Paul said, “If you try to live a life where you’re not going to come in contact with anybody who’s dishonest, or anybody who’s a pervert, or anybody who’s full of sexual innuendoes, or full of dishonesty; if you’re trying to live without touching the lives of those people,” Paul says, “the only way for you to live is to be somewhere with Prince Mongo in Zambodia,” or wherever it is he lives. You couldn’t live here. You couldn’t live here. You’d have to get out of this world. Now, what I’m trying to say is this—folks, listen: This world—this world—is where we live, and this world is where God has placed you.

Romans chapter 12, verse 21 says, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). We’re not to flee from the world; we’re to confront the world. 1 John chapter 5, verses 4 and 5: “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). God has placed you in Babylon. God put Daniel in Babylon; God put you in Babylon. God has placed you there, and the work that you do there—as Daniel served the Lord God, you’re to serve the Lord God.

“In all labour there is profit.” Now, that doesn’t mean that you can do everything in Babylon. That doesn’t mean, when you’re in Babylon, do as the Babylonians do. Jesus said, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (John 17:15). There were certain things in Babylon that Daniel refused to do, and he got thrown in the lions’ den; he got some persecution. There are some things that you cannot do. That’s what’s going to make you distinctively different, and that’s what’s going to make you so effective when you are in Babylon. You have been saved out of the world, and then sent back into the world, to witness to the world. And, that’s the only business in the world you have in the world, till you’re taken out of the world.

I want to give you some verses—Philippians 2, verse 15—listen to it: “That ye may be blameless and harmless,”—that’s what Daniel was—“the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15). Where is the light to shine? Where? In the middle of a crooked and perverse generation. It is not God’s will to get you out of that ungodly place where you work. You shine as lights in the world, in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation.

If you were going to put a lighthouse, where would you put a lighthouse? In downtown Manhattan? No. You’d put a lighthouse out on some rocky, craggy, barren coast, so that lighthouse can help some ship that’s about to go under. And, that’s why God has put you where He’s put you. Listen to it again—Philippians 2and verse 15: “That ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God; without fault, in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”

When Daniel was in that fiery furnace, it was at that time that he went through the fiery furnace, and refused to do what they did in Babylon, in the middle of that crooked and perverse generation, that Nebuchadnezzar realized that God was God. And, listen to what he said, in Daniel chapter 3, verses 28 and 29: “Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.” Now, listen to what this pagan king said: “Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort” (Daniel 3:28–29)

That’s a pagan king speaking. How would that king have ever known the power of God had it not been for a Daniel, who took his secular job and used his secular job as a lampstand, to let his light shine in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation?

Ladies and gentlemen, Jesus has called us to go into all the world (Mark 16:15). And, there’s the world of finance, and there’s the world of business, and there’s the world of sports. In all of these worlds, we are to go in and let our lights shine for the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me give you another verse—1 Peter chapter 2, verses 11 and 12: “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;”—that is, we’re to live clean, right, pure. But notice in verse 12, “having your conversation honest among the Gentiles…”—now, who are the Gentiles? That means the unsaved. That means the humanists, the sophisticates— “having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:11–12).

When they see you, you are to let your light shine. If people would begin to take what I’m preaching today, if they would see that what they do is service to the Lord Jesus, I don’t care what it is, and if they would see that God has placed them there in Babylon—that is, the sphere of their witness—and if they would begin to let their light shine, people would believe what I preach on Sunday, when people start living like that on Monday.

A. Four Rules for Witnessing at Work

Let me give you four rules for witnessing to those with whom you work. You say, “Okay, Preacher—Monday morning, look out, here I come!” All right now, let me give you four rules.

1. Don’t’ Brag!

Number one: don’t brag! Don’t brag! The Bible says, let your light shine (Matthew 5:16). Don’t make it shine. It’s to glow, not glare. They’re to see the light, not the candle. What I mean is, if you go in there with a super load of self-righteousness, bragging about yourself, and bragging about your church, and bragging about your righteousness, and bragging about your doctrines, you’re going to make them want to vomit. They’re going to be sick of it. There’s nothing worse than self-righteousness. Don’t brag.

2. Don’t Nag!

Second thing: don’t nag! If you’re always thumping a Bible, handing out a tract, always getting on to somebody when he gambles, or somebody when he smokes, or somebody when he curses, or somebody when he passes out a raw cartoon; if you’re nagging those people, you may think that you’re doing a good job. But, I want to tell you, mister, you’re not going to win them to Jesus Christ. You’re not going to win an unsaved man that way. That is not his problem. You’d be just like that man, if you didn’t know the Lord Jesus Christ. His sin is not his problem. He needs Jesus Christ, and those are the only things he gets his kicks out of, he gets his bangs out of. He doesn’t have the joy that you have. And, you’re not going to nag him to the Lord Jesus Christ.

As a matter of fact, listen to Colossians 4, verses 5 and 6: “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without…”—oh, if we could only teach our people this!—“Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Colossians 4:5–6). Oh, if you could only say, “God, salt my speech! Lord, season my speech with grace! I don’t want to nag these people!”

3. Don’t Lag!

Don’t brag! Don’t nag! And, thirdly, don’t lag! Do your part of the job. If you’re a lazy Christian, if you’re not getting there on time, if you’re not doing your work that you ought to do, you’re a disgrace to grace. It’s a sin for a Christian to do less than his best. Listen again to Ephesians chapter 6, verses 5 and 6: “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers;”—that is, don’t see if the boss is looking before you work hard—“but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:5–6). You are to work at that job, I don’t care how dull, how boring, it may seem. It’s not dull; it’s not boring, if you’re doing it for Jesus. And, don’t you lag. Don’t be a laggard.

The Bible says, in Colossians chapter 3, verse 23: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Colossians 3:23). Boy, that’ll put a dignity in it! Whatever it is—you’re running a machine; you’re greasing automobiles; you’re typing letters; you’re carrying mail; you’re painting houses; you’re digging ditches; you’re cutting yards—“Jesus, I’m doing it for you. And, I’ll do it with my might.” Boy, I’ll tell you, that’ll put a spring in your step. That’ll put a zest in it. And, you’ll say, “I’m as much serving God this morning, as Adrian Rogers was when he was standing in that pulpit. I’m serving God as much as Jim Whitmire was when he was leading that choir. I am serving God as much as any missionary on the face of this earth. And, whatever my hand finds to do, I will do it with my might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

4. Don’t Sag!

Don’t brag! Don’t nag! Don’t lag! And, don’t sag! Don’t let down! Don’t let down! Don’t lapse back into the ways of this world. Don’t begin to complain. Don’t get unhappy. Stay happy! Stay full of joy! The only way to stay full of joy is to stay full of Jesus. And, that means you’re going to have to have a quiet time before you ever go to work, and get loaded up with the grace of God, and bathe yourself in the presence of Jesus.

When everybody else is griping, and complaining, and bellyaching, and morose, you can be there with the light of the Lord God upon your face. I want to tell you something about those people that you work with. Most of them are not all that interested in going to Heaven or Hell, they want to know how to hack it on Monday. And, when they see you come in the office without a hangover, and with the joy of the Lord Jesus on your face, they’re going to say, after a while, “Hey, buddy, what makes you function?”

You know what the Bible says, in 1 Peter chapter 3, verse 15? “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15) You’re not going to have to take him by the buttonholes, and say, “Buddy, are you ready to meet God?” He’s going to come to you, and he’s going to say, “Hey, what makes you tick? What is the secret of the life that you live? Where are you getting that joy?” Because, the joy of Jesus is real, you’ve sanctified the Lord God in your heart, you’re going to be able to share the Lord Jesus with him.

Friend, that’s the sphere of everyday work. Right there in Babylon—God put Daniel in Babylon. He didn’t have any special call from God. It was circumstances that put him there, but God was overruling. And, that became his temple of devotion. And, that became his platform for witness. Daniel touched a whole nation for God, just by being God’s man where God placed him.

III. The Service of Everyday Work

Now, the third thing I want to say, and I’ll be finished. I’ve talked to you about the sacredness of everyday work. I’ve talked to you about the sphere of everyday work in Babylon. Now, let me talk to you about the service of everyday work. You say, “Well, brother Rogers, I can see that the job that I do is a platform. I can witness for the Lord Jesus. Somehow it gets meaning.” But, you might feel, “I’m not even around anybody where I witness. I spend all day plowing. I spend all day painting houses. I spend all day scraping something down. I work in a kitchen. There’s no way, really, that I can witness where I am. Is it meaningful still?” Absolutely. Absolutely.

Let me give you some Scripture here. Again, Proverbs chapter 14, verse 23: “In all labour there is profit.” Does it have eternal significance? You know what Daniel’s job was? A secular job, an ordinary job—he was a government bureaucrat, according to Daniel chapter 8, verse 27. I’m sure that Daniel, as he was handling taxation, as he was handling administration, as he was handling public relations, as he was handling law enforcement, as he was handling building projects and meetings and diplomacy, he said, “What does this have to do with serving God?” But yet, he served God continually.

Let me ask you a question: Who was the first farmer? Think about it. Many of you will say, “Adam was the first farmer.” But you’re wrong. Let me tell you who the first farmer was. You can find it out, if you want to turn to Genesis chapter 2, verse 8. “The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden”—“the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden”—the first farmer was God. Now, that tells me that farming is an honorable occupation, if God was a farmer. God planted the first garden, and then He turned it over to Adam. In Genesis chapter 2, verse 15, “And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed” (Genesis 2:15).

Don’t get the idea that work is the punishment for sin. Listen. God gave Adam work to do before he ever sinned—He made him caretaker of this world. Why a garden? Because people have to eat. The home of Jesus was the cottage of a working man, and Jesus, whether He was mending plows or mending souls, was doing the work of God— because people also have to have houses to live in, and furniture to sit on, and food to eat, and clothes to wear, and the ability to communicate. And, when we’re doing those things, friend, we are participating with God, and cooperating with God, as much as Adam was when He was taking care of the Garden of Eden, a garden that God has planted.

This is my Father’s world. Don’t get the idea that the material world is wrong, or out of whack with God. God made these things, friend, and God knows they have to operate—we could not have humanity; we could not have life. Listen. All of these things are as to the Lord. Listen again to Ephesians chapter 6, verses 7 and 8: “With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:”—he was talking to people in secular jobs, and he was saying that, when you’re doing that secular job, it’s service to the Lord—“knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free” (Ephesians 6:7–8).

Now, that means, if you are a slave, you have absolutely no choice. Somebody is making you do it. Still, do it with a smile on your face and a song in your heart. And, Jesus will reward you. Isn’t that beautiful? Boy, I tell you that puts dignity in your job. I don’t care what it is. When you go to work tomorrow, I want you to go to work tomorrow with a song in your heart, and a smile on your face, and a spring in your step. And, if you’re putting those caps on tubes of toothpaste, say, “This one is for you, Jesus. Hallelujah! Praise God! Another one for God! There they go!” Nobody else knows about it; God knows about it. You know about it. Isn’t that wonderful?

You see, dear friend, everyday is a holy day, and every place is a sacred place. Again, Colossians 3, verse 23: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23). And, don’t you get so heavenly minded you’re no earthly good. God has you right here to do a job.

One last verse and I’ll be finished. You know, there were some people who, when they were taken out of Israel and when they were put in Babylon, just sat down. They said, “This is a decadent society. It’s an ungodly world. I’m not going to work in it. I’m not going to do anything. I’m not going to participate in that old world.” Now, I want you to see what Jeremiah told them in Jeremiah 29 verses 4 and following: “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;”—that is, God said, “I put you there”—“Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there,”—that is, in Babylon—“and not diminished.” That is, God wants His people to prosper. God wants His people to be good businesspeople. Listen—verse 7: “And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives” (Jeremiah 29:4–7).

Now, listen. We look for “a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10), but while we’re here, we’re to seek the good of Memphis. Did you know that? Seek the good of the city. I’ve caused you to be carried away captive, “and pray the Lord for it, and in its peace, you will have peace” (Jeremiah 29:7). We’re to do good to Memphis while we’re here. It is to be a better place because the people of Bellevue Baptist Church are here working in the streets, and lanes, and farms, and offices. We are to live here. This is where God has put us. Every day is a sacred day.

Every day is a holy day. You are a priest of God, a minister of God, and in full-time Christian service. And, brother, if that didn’t ring your bell, your clapper’s broken. That’ll excite you. Man, that’ll make a difference, when you go out tomorrow. “In all labour there is profit.”

Conclusion

Let’s bow in prayer. Father, I thank you for your Word, Lord, for the truth of it. Lord, I just pray that You’ll help people who’ve been discouraged and bored with their jobs, frustrated, who’ve felt forgotten and insignificant, Lord God, that no matter what they do tomorrow, whether it be surgery or ditch-digging, whether it be preaching or fixing an automobile, God, that they’ll do it as unto You, in the power that You give. And Lord, that that job will be the temple of their devotion, and the lampstand of their witness. God, just make it true, and give our people, Lord, that kind of a lifestyle. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

verse 25 “Worry weighs a person down;”

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Proverbs 12:25

A heavy heart is the beginning of misery, and we were never meant to carry the load.

A burdened soul breaks the spirit. A broken spirit thins the immunity of the body. The body then begins to wither, and we get ill. In fact, studies have shown that emotions largely contribute to one’s overall state of health. Doctors call it Emotionally Induced Illness (E.I.I.), and it is the idea that physical sickness can be a result of emotional illness.

The entire body is affected by a heavy heart. But God has given us a remedy for the soul, the spirit, and the body. And it is good medicine…Joy!

Not mere laughter, not mere joking, not mere fun and games, but deep, abiding joy is our strongest medicine and greatest weapon. Joy doesn’t depend upon material things or circumstances. It doesn’t depend upon thrills. It comes straight from the heart.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus spoke of the joy in His own heart, and He promised to give us a dose of it; not just some cheap imitation… He wants to give us the real thing. “My joy have I given unto you.” Jesus said, “I want that joy to remain in you.” 

We don’t root our happiness in circumstances, because those can change in an instant and leave us emotionally stranded. We root our joy in Christ alone, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) 

“Without joy, life is meaningless!” Acclaimed pastor and teacher, Adrian Rogers says, “That joy is found only in Jesus. And we ought to share the secret, the source of our joy —the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Apply it to your life

Joy is something freely given, but it must be received, day by day. Today, seek it out through prayer and in Scripture. Let it be seen in your countenance as you go about your day, and share it with someone else.

Adrian Rogers: God’s Miracle Medicine #1027 Proverbs 12:25;15:13-15;17:22

Proverbs 12 New Living Translation

Proverbs 12New Living Translation

12 To learn, you must love discipline;
    it is stupid to hate correction.

² The Lord approves of those who are good,
    but he condemns those who plan wickedness.

³ Wickedness never brings stability,
    but the godly have deep roots.

⁴ A worthy wife is a crown for her husband,
    but a disgraceful woman is like cancer in his bones.

⁵ The plans of the godly are just;
    the advice of the wicked is treacherous.

⁶ The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush,
    but the words of the godly save lives.

⁷ The wicked die and disappear,
    but the family of the godly stands firm.

⁸ A sensible person wins admiration,
    but a warped mind is despised.

⁹ Better to be an ordinary person with a servant
    than to be self-important but have no food.

¹⁰ The godly care for their animals,
    but the wicked are always cruel.

¹¹ A hard worker has plenty of food,
    but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.

¹² Thieves are jealous of each other’s loot,
    but the godly are well rooted and bear their own fruit.

¹³ The wicked are trapped by their own words,
    but the godly escape such trouble.

¹⁴ Wise words bring many benefits,
    and hard work brings rewards.

¹⁵ Fools think their own way is right,
    but the wise listen to others.

¹⁶ A fool is quick-tempered,
    but a wise person stays calm when insulted.

¹⁷ An honest witness tells the truth;
    a false witness tells lies.

¹⁸ Some people make cutting remarks,
    but the words of the wise bring healing.

¹⁹ Truthful words stand the test of time,
    but lies are soon exposed.

²⁰ Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil;
    joy fills hearts that are planning peace!

²¹ No harm comes to the godly,
    but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

²² The Lord detests lying lips,
    but he delights in those who tell the truth.

²³ The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge,
    but fools broadcast their foolishness.

²⁴ Work hard and become a leader;
    be lazy and become a slave.

²⁵ Worry weighs a person down;
    an encouraging word cheers a person up.

²⁶ The godly give good advice to their friends;^[a]
    the wicked lead them astray.

²⁷ Lazy people don’t even cook the game they catch,
    but the diligent make use of everything they find.

²⁸ The way of the godly leads to life;
    that path does not lead to death.

—

Proverbs 10 New Living Translation

—

Proverbs 10New Living Translation

The Proverbs of Solomon

10 The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise child^[a] brings joy to a father;
    a foolish child brings grief to a mother.

² Tainted wealth has no lasting value,
    but right living can save your life.

³ The Lord will not let the godly go hungry,
    but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked.

⁴ Lazy people are soon poor;
    hard workers get rich.

⁵ A wise youth harvests in the summer,
    but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace.

⁶ The godly are showered with blessings;
    the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.

⁷ We have happy memories of the godly,
    but the name of a wicked person rots away.

⁸ The wise are glad to be instructed,
    but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.

⁹ People with integrity walk safely,
    but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.

¹⁰ People who wink at wrong cause trouble,
    but a bold reproof promotes peace.^[b]

¹¹ The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain;
    the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.

¹² Hatred stirs up quarrels,
    but love makes up for all offenses.

¹³ Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding,
    but those lacking sense will be beaten with a rod.

¹⁴ Wise people treasure knowledge,
    but the babbling of a fool invites disaster.

¹⁵ The wealth of the rich is their fortress;
    the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

¹⁶ The earnings of the godly enhance their lives,
    but evil people squander their money on sin.

¹⁷ People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life,
    but those who ignore correction will go astray.

¹⁸ Hiding hatred makes you a liar;
    slandering others makes you a fool.

¹⁹ Too much talk leads to sin.
    Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.

²⁰ The words of the godly are like sterling silver;
    the heart of a fool is worthless.

²¹ The words of the godly encourage many,
    but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.

²² The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich,
    and he adds no sorrow with it.

²³ Doing wrong is fun for a fool,
    but living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible.

²⁴ The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled;
    the hopes of the godly will be granted.

²⁵ When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away,
    but the godly have a lasting foundation.

²⁶ Lazy people irritate their employers,
    like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes.

²⁷ Fear of the Lord lengthens one’s life,
    but the years of the wicked are cut short.

²⁸ The hopes of the godly result in happiness,
    but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing.

²⁹ The way of the Lord is a stronghold to those with integrity,
    but it destroys the wicked.

³⁰ The godly will never be disturbed,
    but the wicked will be removed from the land.

³¹ The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice,
    but the tongue that deceives will be cut off.

³² The lips of the godly speak helpful words,
    but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words.

God Wants Me to Prosper?

Love Worth Finding

Adrian Rogers

God Wants Me to Prosper?

Ecclesiastes 11:1-10

I have good news: God wants you to prosper.

I’m not talking about the “prosperity gospel”—a uniquely American false teaching— but God’s desire for you to have true prosperity. The prosperity He wants for you is financial and fiscal responsibility and blessing.

But have you wondered if God wants you to prosper? Listen to just three Scriptures.

And he [the righteous person] shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in the season, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalm 1:3)

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth. (Third John 2

 Let the Lord be magnified, who hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. (Psalm 35:27)

I’m not claiming you’ll become a millionaire,living a life of luxury. People often look at a man who’s gone through several marriages, whose kids are rebellious, who has an ulcer and battling an addiction, but because he’s got a big bank account, they call him prosperous. He’s not prosperous. He’s a miserable failure. But the Bible says, “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22).

The challenge is to have true prosperity God’s way. The wisest man who ever lived, other than the Lord Jesus, was Solomon. In Ecclesiastes chapter 11, he sets out 8 principles of prosperity.

1. Investment Principle

 ¹ Cast thy bread upon the waters for thou shall find it after many days.

Solomon invested wisely (1Kings 10:22-23). He was a trader, investing in ships, sending them across the sea, “casting his bread upon the water.” Sometimes they’d be gone for as long as 3 years, but when they came back, they returned with incredible riches.

The Lord Jesus taught us to invest. Remember the parable of the talents (Matthew 25) and the property owner’s anger upon return when one of his servants did nothing but bury the money in the ground. “His Lord answered and said unto him, ‘Thou wicked and slothful servant.’” That is, “You should have invested what I gave you and made it grow.”

You are a steward of all God gives you. Your responsibility is to grow His investment. Your motive must not be greed or pride, but wise use of what He’s given. And you must get wise counsel. “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” (Proverbs 13:20) If you lack wisdom, ask God and He will give it to you.

2. Diversification Principle

² Give a portion to seven and also to eight, for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.” Ecclesiastes 11:2

I looked this up in another translation. It clarifies, “²Take shares in several adventures, you never know what will go wrong in this world.” Don’t pull all your eggs in one basket. Diversify as you invest.

3. Preparation Principle

Get ready for the foreseen and the unforeseen. There will be a rainy day. Sooner or later a storm will come.

Some say, “Well, I’ll just trust God.” You ought to trust God, but the Bible says to make preparation. If you don’t prepare, that’s not trust, that’s presumption. “Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sin” (Psalm 19:13), and “Learn a lesson from the ant.” “Go to the ant thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise….” (Proverbs 6:6). Prepare for a rainy day. Are you saving for the future? You ought to be. “There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man spendeth it up” (Proverbs 21:20). You say, “Well, I’m trusting God.” Faith and prudence are not in competition with one another. “The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. (Proverbs 14:18)

4. Venture principle

Another word for “venture” is risk. Did you know the Bible encourages taking a risk? You say, “Oh, isn’t that like gambling?” Not at all. Every farmer putting seed in the ground takes a risk. The servant who buried his master’s money did so because he said he was afraid.

I’m not talking about foolish chance or hoping to get rich quick. You’ve got to get out on a limb because that’s where the fruit is.

5.Trust Principle

You must trust God because there are some imponderables in life that are solely under the sovereign control of Almighty God. Rather than worry, there comes a time when you have to say, “Lord, I realize I’ve got to make investments. I must diversify, make preparation, and be willing to venture. But after I’ve done all that, who knows what’s going to happen? So Lord, it’s in Your hands. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know You, Lord, and I know You love me. I will trust You.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

6. Work Principle

⁶ In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand, for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both alike shall be good.

Here the principle of diversification is married to the principle of work.

Solomon said, “The sluggard shall not plow by reason of the cold, therefore shall he beg in harvest and have nothing.” (Proverbs 20:4)

Paul agreed: “For even when we were with you this we commanded you that if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10-11).

7. Perspective Principle

Solomon gives us much-needed perspective in verses 6-9. Enjoy life, but remember bad days will inevitably come. Sooner or later you’re going to get sick; you’re going to die. Keep that in perspective. Enjoy life. God wants you to enjoy life. If you have good things, enjoy them.

Jesus was not a recluse; He was actually accused of being a wine bibber and a glutton. Of course He was not, but his accusers envied how much He enjoyed life! Jesus was a man of joy.

There is nothing better for a man that he should eat and drink and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw that it was from the hand of God. Ecclesiastes 2:24

If God is showering you with blessing, if He prospers you, if God gives you a home, enjoy it. If you sit down to a Sunday dinner, thank God and enjoy it. If you are surrounded by your wife, your children and your grandchildren, rejoice. If you’ve got brothers and sisters in Christ today, thank God for them. If there’s beautiful music, let it bless your heart. God is good. Don’t forget that.

The Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11

8. Accountability Principle

Grow up. Put away pessimism, put away sin, live wisely, because we are stewards. Ask, “God, how much of this do I need to use? How much should I save? How much should I invest? How much should I give? For none of it is mine. It is all Yours. And I know soon and very soon I’m going to stand before You, and You’ll say, “What did you do with what I entrusted in your hands? I am a steward.”

Listen well: What you call your own is not yours. You’re only a manager. Owners have rights. Stewards have responsibilities. And if you have Jesus, you’re already rich.

To hear this entire message, including more content than we can share here, the message will be heard on radio nationwide in two parts on Friday, June 22 and Monday, June 25. You can hear it on our website, www.lwf.org on those dates and afterward, and at www.oneplace.com. 

If you’d like a CD copy for your own study and review or to share with a loved one or friend, call us at 1-800-LOVE-GOD and request Message # 1901, “The Principles of Prosperity.”

—

Feminism Is Convenient – Andrew Schulz – Stand up Comedy (Stage 1)

Economic Freedom Is Key to Empowering Women With More, Better Opportunities

Anthony B. Kim  / @AKFREEDOM / March 08, 2022

Women’s empowerment has progressed significantly in a number of countries. Yet many other nations still have much room for improvement. (Photo: d3sign/Moment/Getty Images)

COMMENTARY BY

Anthony B. Kim@AKFREEDOM

Anthony B. Kim is a research fellow in economic freedom at The Heritage Foundation, editor of the Index of Economic Freedom, and manager of global engagement for Heritage’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom.

The Economist summed up the importance of women’s empowerment last September by pointing out, in an article headlined “Societies that treat women badly are poorer and less stable,” that “[o]ppressing women not only hurts women; it also hurts men.”

It’s notable that women’s empowerment has progressed significantly in a number of countries. Yet many other nations still have much room for improvement to establish societies that uphold women’s dignity, as well as their political and economic participation.

So, what would be the real, practical solution to ensure greater women’s empowerment around the globe?

There’s considerable evidence that the best environment to promote that is a free market economy that emphasizes a strong rule of law, regulatory efficiency, and open market policies.

The World Bank’s “Women, Business and the Law 2022” report, published March 1, outlines the importance of women’s economic empowerment and involvement in business. The annual study, which looks into “laws and regulations affecting women’s economic opportunity,” scores and ranks 190 countries in eight areas: mobility, pay, parenthood, assets, workplace, marriage, entrepreneurship, and pensions.

According to the 2022 report, “nearly 2.4 billion women globally don’t have [the] same economic rights as men.”

Surveying those results with the findings from The Heritage Foundation’s annual Index of Economic Freedom reveals the importance of economic freedom in promoting women’s greater societal participation and quality engagement in economic activities. (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation.)

For example, Ireland—the third-most economically free country in the world, according to the recently released 2022 index—scored a perfect 100 on the World Bank’s “Women, Business and the Law” index, supporting the notion that free market economies empower and enable women to make their own life choices.

Similarly, the seventh-most economically free economy in the world, Estonia, received a 97.5 out of 100 on the World Bank’s index.

By contrast, economically “mostly unfree” countries, such as China and Russia, in the Heritage’s index scored below the global averageof 76.5 on the 2022 “Women, Business and the Law” index.

Because those economically unfree countries do not have a reliable and effective rule of law, regulatory efficiency, or open markets, and usually have governments that intrude into people’s lives, women there can be subject to oppression and even abuse.

While the “Women, Business and the Law” index does not directly answer the question of how to create an equal society, the report points out—in accord with The Heritage Foundation’s annual Index of Economic Freedom—the importance of strong property rights and judicial integrity, and effectiveness in creating an equal and prosperous society for women and men alike.

In countries that have a well-respected rule of law, women tend “to leverage assets for economic gain, increasing their financial security and providing them with the collateral needed to start a business.” 

The good-practice laws are strongly associated with women’s increased economic empowerment, with a more equal legal environment linked to a higher share of female entrepreneurs, according to the “Women, Business and the Law 2022” report.

Regrettably, in countries where the rule of law is ignored and not respected, women are usually the first to be given the short end of the stick. They are discouraged from contributing to the market because there are no laws that protect and advance their entrepreneurial liberty and ability. 

While a strong rule of law proves essential to women’s equality, so do regulatory efficiency, including business, labor, and monetary freedom; and open market policies, such as trade, investment, and financial freedom. 

The Heritage Foundation’s annual index shows how regulatory efficiency encourages entrepreneurship, and when women are allowed the ability to creatively and freely enter the marketplace as both buyers and sellers, economic growth results.

Indeed, economic freedom is the proven foundation for empowering women with more and better opportunities. Ensuring that foundation allows women to uphold their dignity, own their labor, and exercise their entrepreneurial spirits to the greatest possible degree.

The best and most pragmatic way to empower women is to recommit ourselves to policies that enhance economic freedom for women and, indeed, all of us.

Have an opinion about this article? To sound off, please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the url or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state.

Socialism Humor

I try to share something humorous every weekend (economics humor last weekend and politician humor the previous weekend).

This weekend, we’re going to add to our collection of socialism humor.

Our first item nicely summarizes the incentive structure of socialism (sort of like this cartoon).

Our second item mocks the left’s hypocritical approach to coercion.

This next item may have been motivated by Libertarian Jesus.

Our fourth item makes a lot of sense if you know history.

Last but not least, here’s a version of “real socialism hasn’t been tried.”

P.S. If you want information on why socialism is bad economics, you can peruse my three–part series.

Socialism Humor

As I wrote last November, the one good thing about socialism is the endless opportunities it creates for satire.

Indeed, I have an entire collection of socialism humor (along with jabs at communism, its authoritarian cousin).

For what it’s worth, I think the meme should have targeted Bernie Sanders (a true believer) rather than Joe Biden (a run-of-the-mill careerist politician).

Speaking of Sanders, he and AOC have a starring role in this joke.

Sticking with that theme, the Babylon Bee satirically explainsthat our socialist friends are incapable of learning from real-world experience. And not just in the field of economics.

Local socialist man Brandon Paul was doing some gardening in his front yard this morning when he had a really good idea: to step on a rake.He’d previously stepped on 79 other rakes, each time resulting in the gardening implement smacking him in the face. But those times weren’t “real stepping on a rake,” he insisted. …Paul stepped on the rake, and sure enough, the handle came flying up and conked him on the face. …At publishing time, Paul had decided he would try democratic stepping on a rake, where his friends all vote on whether he steps on the rake, and then he steps on it and smacks his face.

Ouch, figuratively and literally.

Socialist nations are famous for empty shelves in supermarkets. As this next meme illustrates, they also have empty bookshelves.

Some of my left-leaning readers are probably saying, “Wait, what about Denmark?” And my response is, “Well, what about it?”

As per my tradition, I’ve saved my favorite example for the conclusion.

What makes this final meme both amusing and unfortunate is that it does capture the inherent problem in systems where the link between effort and reward is weakened or broken.

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Virginia Democratic Congresswoman: ‘Don’t Say Socialism Ever Again’

By JIM GERAGHTYNovember 5, 2020 3:56 PM

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Washington Post congressional reporter Erica Werner is reporting, more or less live on Twitter, about a conference call among House Democrats discussing why the 2020 elections did not go anywhere near as well as they expected. Apparently Virginia congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, who is narrowly ahead in her race, is quite angry with the more outspoken members of the progressive wing of her party:

Spanberger on the Dem caucus call: We lost races we shouldn’t have lost.
Defund police almost cost me my race bc of an attack ad.
Don’t say socialism ever again.
Need to get back to basics.
(Is yelling.)

It is rather refreshing to hear a congressional Democrat vehemently opposed to Democratic candidates touting socialism, even if it is just for purposes of campaigning. Maybe in the near future, we can see elected Democrats proclaiming, “America will never be a socialist country.”

This might make it tougher for Republicans to win races against Democrats, but we’re all better off if enthusiasm for socialism returns to the graveyard of political ideas.

LAWNEWS

Anti-Capitalist Rioters Smash Windows of 10 Businesses During Violent Portland March

Jake Dima / @dima_jake / November 02, 2020 / 1 Comment

Around 150 violent demonstrators participated in a march called “Capitalism is Scary” in Portland, Oregon, Saturday night. Pictured: Police detain passengers in a mutual aid van during an Indigenous Peoples Day of Rage protest Oct. 11, 2020, in Portland. Protesters tore down statues of two U.S. presidents and broke windows of downtown businesses before police intervened. (Photo: Nathan Howard/ Stringer/Getty Images)

Violent demonstrators smashed windows and police declared a riot during an anti-capitalist march in Portland Saturday night.

Around 150 violent demonstrators participated in a march called “Capitalism is Scary,” according to The Oregonian. 

Rioters destroyed the windows of 10 separate businesses, including multiple phone stores, a coffee shop, a computer storefront, a hotel, a bank, a pair of realty offices, and a restaurant with patrons inside, a report from the Portland Police Bureau revealed.

Individuals donning black clothing were seen on video attempting to destroy a local business’ storefront, as the sound of glass shattering was audible, according to footage obtained by the local outlet.

Law enforcement declared the march a riot and demanded members of the group vacate the area or be exposed to non-lethal munitions, the Portland Police Bureau wrote.

“This is the Portland Police Bureau,” officers announced via a loudspeaker, according to the department’s report. “To those marching on NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd: This has been declared a riot. Members of this group have been observed damaging multiple businesses along NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.”

“All persons must immediately leave the area. Failure to adhere to this order may subject you to arrest, citation, or crowd control agents, including, but not limited to, tear gas and/or impact weapons. Disperse immediately.”

Cops quelled the crowd around 8:30 p.m. and no arrests were made, according to the release. Authorities are investigating the vandalism and future apprehensions are possible, the department concluded.

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of this original content, email licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

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Philadelphia Riots Another Case of Street Violence Used to Advance Radical Political Agendas

Philadelphia Riots Are Another Case of Street Violence Used to Advance Radical Political Agendas

James Carafano / @JJCarafano / October 28, 2020 / 4 Comments

In Kenosha, Portland, Seattle, and Chicago, city officials have tolerated criminal activity performed by mobs for politically motivated reasons. Philadelphia appears to be the next hotspot for mob violence to go unchecked. Pictured: A barricade is set on fire during a night of looting and violence in Philadelphia on Oct. 27. (Photo: Gabriella Audi/AFP/Getty Images)

COMMENTARY BY

James Carafano@JJCarafano

James Jay Carafano, a leading expert in national security and foreign policy challenges, is The Heritage Foundation’s vice president for foreign and defense policy studies, E. W. Richardson fellow, and director of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies. Read his research.

Like the replay of a bad movie, a law enforcement incident in Philadelphia triggered an excuse for violence and looting. It remains to be seen whether the City of Brotherly Love will become the next “Kenosha,” where city officials moved quickly to restore order and seek state and federal support—though sadly after 48 hours of opportunistic looting, violence, and destruction devastated the city.

Or perhaps Philadelphia will be the next Portland, Seattle, or Chicago, where systemic attacks seem to be a daily occurrence.

Police in Philadelphia are fully capable of restoring peace. The open question is whether the mayor and Larry Krasner, the former defense attorney-turned elected rogue prosecutor, will do their job and hold people accountable for their crimes.

When local, state, and federal governments work together, act quickly, and demonstrate no tolerance for organized violence to advance radical agendas, communities are kept safe and equal protection under the law is afforded for all citizens.

The left is actively working to undermine the integrity of our elections. Read the plan to stop them now. Learn more now >>

On the other hand, when local officials, the media, and politicians ignore, excuse, normalize, and enable violence, everyday Americans pay the price.

There is a plague sweeping this country that many don’t want to talk about: The deliberate use of street violence to advance radical political agendas, often under a smoke screen of campaigning for civil liberties. The evidence of organized criminal activity at the root of the outbreaks in American cities is mounting.

The list of people enabling this violence sadly includes some public officials, who are principally responsible for ensuring public safety. For example, a growing threat to peaceful communities is “rogue prosecutors,” former criminal defense attorneys recruited and funded by liberal billionaire backers, who—once elected—abuse their office by refusing to prosecute entire categories of crimes.

These rogue prosecutors are usurping the power of the legislature in the process, and ignoring victim’s rights—all to advance their politics.

Baltimore is a perfect  example. Since being sworn into office, under the watch of Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.

Rogue prosecutors fuel street violence by refusing to prosecute rioters and looters. When confronted with the rising crimes rates, Mosby called the statistics “rhetoric.”

The only way to break the cycle of violence is for local and state officials to work with each other, and if necessary, the federal government. They need to stop enabling the destruction of property and lives on their streets, and start investigating and prosecuting the individuals (and organizations) behind the riots.

It’s time to start shaming and calling out the media, politicians, and advocates who excuse and normalize the violence.

There is a proven action plan for making our streets safe. It is past time for officials to start following this blueprint.

There is no time—zero time to waste. There are already fears of more violence in our streets, regardless of the outcome of the national elections.

In my hometown of Washington, D.C., downtown buildings are already boarding up in anticipation of violence on our streets after the election. If Trump wins, violence. If Biden wins, violence. This makes no sense, and it’s time for it to stop.

It is time for every official and public figure, every political party, in every part of the country to publically reject violence on American streets as a legitimate form of protected speech. Violence is not protected speech, period.

The notion of deliberately destroying the lives and property of our neighbors to advance a radical political agenda is abhorrent. American leaders—of all stripes—should stand up now as one and reject these violent acts. It has gone on for too long, well before the death of George Floyd.

Leaders in Philadelphia and across America must take a principled stand to demand the end to this violence, and they need to do it before the election. In one voice, they should demand: “Leave our streets alone.”

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https://youtu.be/7AhRCyBB_sU

Philadelphia Sees More Unrest After Police Shoot, Kill Walter Wallace Jr. 

Police said about a thousand people were looting businesses northeast of downtown

By

Scott CalvertUpdated Oct. 28, 2020 1:41 am ET

Looters hit businesses in Philadelphia on Tuesday for a second straight night, as authorities struggled to contain civil unrest sparked by a video showing police fatally shooting Walter Wallace Jr., a Black man who was holding a knife.

Police said late Tuesday about a thousand people were looting businesses northeast of downtown, miles from the West Philadelphia neighborhood where the violence was concentrated a night earlier. 

Police urged residents in several parts of the city to stay indoors because those areas were experiencing widespread demonstrations that had turned violent with looting. 

Police had arrested 91 people late Monday and early Tuesday, most in connection with looting of pharmacies, shoe stores and other retail outlets, police said. Thirty officers were injured, mostly from hurled bricks and other projectiles, police said, and a sergeant’s leg was broken when she was hit by a pickup truck.

Like other large U.S. cities, Philadelphia had already been preparing for potential violence around the Nov. 3 election, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said at a news conference Tuesday. The city is the most-populous in Pennsylvania, a state viewed as key to deciding the presidential election.

Ms. Outlaw said unrest caused by Monday’s shooting of Mr. Wallace could spill into election-related disturbances. “There may be some bleeding together, just given the timeline, as far as how close we are to Election Day and the days after,” she said.

To help manage tensions, city officials have requested assistance from law-enforcement agencies in surrounding counties and from the state government. The Pennsylvania National Guard said Tuesday it was sending several hundred members to Philadelphia at the request of Gov. Tom Wolf.

“We are exploring all of our options at this time to do everything that we can to ensure that all of our PPD resources are focused on what’s in front of us, whether it’s the actual civil unrest or even again the crime that continues to occur throughout the city,” Ms. Outlaw said.

The White House said the Trump administration would deploy federal resources if requested.

Bystander video that captured the episode in West Philadelphia was distributed on social media. The video shows Mr. Wallace standing on a sidewalk with two police officers pointing their guns at him. At one point a woman appeared to try to stop Mr. Wallace as he crossed the street. Officers fired several times when he re-emerged onto the street from between two parked cars and walked toward them.

A police spokesman said officers ordered Mr. Wallace to drop the knife before they fired their guns.

The two officers, whose names haven’t been released, each fired about seven rounds, police Chief Inspector Frank Vanore said. He said he didn’t know how many bullets struck Mr. Wallace. Mr. Vanore said police received a call about a man who was screaming and armed with a knife.

Speaking at a news conference Tuesday evening, Shaka Johnson, a lawyer for the Wallace family, said Mr. Wallace had mental health problems and was taking lithium under a doctor’s care.

“The man was suffering,” he said. “When you come to a scene where somebody is in a mental crisis, [and] the only tool you have to deal with it is a gun, that’s a problem.”

Mr. Johnson said police had been called to the Wallace home twice earlier Monday. Their third appearance, which ended with the deadly confrontation, came after Mr. Wallace’s brother had requested an ambulance, Mr. Johnson said, but the police officers got there first.

Mr. Wallace’s father, Walter Wallace Sr., decried the looting and called for justice for his son. “I can’t even sleep at night,” he said. “Every time I close my eyes, I get flashbacks about multiple shots.” 

Ms. Outlaw, noting that the two officers hadn’t yet been interviewed, didn’t answer a number of questions about the incident, such as whether the officers had any information ahead of time about possible mental-health concerns and whether police had contact with Mr. Wallace before Monday.

“There are many questions that demand answers. Residents have my assurance that those questions will be fully addressed by the investigation,” Ms. Outlaw said. “Everyone involved, including the officers, will forever be impacted by this tragedy.”

District Attorney Larry Krasner said his office will investigate the incident along with the police department. 

Law enforcement and the state of U.S. cities have drawn attention in this year’s presidential election. Speaking in West Salem, Wis., on Tuesday, President Trump said he supported “the heroes of law enforcement.” 

“Last night Philadelphia was torn up by Biden-supporting radicals,” he said. 

Former Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, said in a statement Tuesday, “Walter Wallace’s life, like too many others,’ was a Black life that mattered—to his mother, to his family, to his community, to all of us.” At the same time, they said, there was no excuse for attacking police officers and vandalizing businesses.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said that he had spoken with Mr. Wallace’s wife and parents. 

“I have watched the video of this tragic incident, and it presents difficult questions that must be answered,” he said. “We need a speedy and transparent resolution for the sake of Mr. Wallace, his family, the officers and for all Philadelphia.”

John McNesby, president of the local police union, asked the public for patience while the investigation proceeds.

“Our police officers are being vilified this evening for doing their job and keeping the community safe, after being confronted by a man with a knife,” Mr. McNesby said Monday. “We support and defend these officers, as they too are traumatized by being involved in a fatal shooting.”

As word of the incident spread late Monday, protesters took to the streets. Looters hit businesses around the city, including on 52nd Street, a West Philadelphia commercial corridor that sustained major damage on May 31 and June 1 during protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Ms. Outlaw said the people who gathered to protest the incident weren’t the same people whom police later arrested.

Among the businesses hit were five SunRay pharmacies in West Philadelphia, said owner Marc Tancredi. In June, two SunRay locations were looted, including the one on 52nd Street.

“They broke into the pharmacy and stole the drugs like they did last time,” Mr. Tancredi said Tuesday. “Not as much physical damage to the location.”

Some looting was still occurring at 8 a.m. Tuesday, said Jabari Jones, president of the West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative, a business association. He said he had examined the damage.

“It’s just another day where unfortunately the situation has boiled to the point where people have resorted to vandalism and looting,” he said.

Mr. Jones described the video of Mr. Wallace’s killing as “sickening” and wondered why officers didn’t take less-lethal steps to resolve the situation.

“I can understand the pent-up anger and rage,” Mr. Jones said. But he said damaging businesses hurts owners and residents who rely on them. “It is a balance of making sure neighborhood stores and places that provide products and services for residents in the community can still be open and provide those things.”

Write to Scott Calvert at scott.calvert@wsj.com

Portland protesters topple Lincoln, Roosevelt statues during ‘Day of Rage’

The unrest was reportedly tied to the ‘Day of Rage’ on the eve of Columbus Day

 By Edmund DeMarche | Fox News

Portland absorbed another night of violent protests Sunday that resulted in the toppling of two statues in the city and reports of numerous buildings with their windows smashed in, including the Oregon Historical Society.

The unrest was reportedly tied to the “Day of Rage” on the eve of Columbus Day.

Andy Ngo, a journalist who has been documenting the unrest in the city, posted images of the destruction on Twitter. The Oregonian reported that protesters managed to bring down statues of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt.

Ngo posted a video of what he identified as the protesters toppling the statue of Roosevelt, which depicts the former president riding on horseback. The video showed a rope tied around the statue and protesters could be heard cheering when the statue shifted.https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.foxnews.com/us/portland-protesters-topple-lincoln-roosevelt-statues-during-day-of-rage.amp

Jussie Smollett

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Justin “Jussie” Smollett^[1] (/ˈdʒʌsi/ JUSS-ee,born June 21, 1982)^[1] is an American actor and singer. He began his career as a child actor in 1987 acting in films including The Mighty Ducks (1992) and Rob Reiner‘s North (1994). In 2015, Smollett portrayed musician Jamal Lyon in the Fox drama series Empire, a role that was hailed as groundbreaking for its positive depiction of a black gay man on television. Smollett has also appeared in Ridley Scott‘s science fiction film Alien: Covenant (2017) as Ricks and in Marshall (2017) as Langston Hughes.

Jussie Smollett
Smollett at the 2016 PaleyFest
Born	Justin Smollett June 21, 1982 (age 38) Santa Rosa, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor singer songwriter
Years active	1991–present
Relatives	Jake Smollett (brother) Jurnee Smollett-Bell(sister)

Smollett was indicted in February 2019, for disorderly conduct for allegedly staging a fake hate crime assault;^[2] the charges were dropped the following month.^[3] In February 2020, he was indicted on six counts of making false police reports.^[4][5][6]

2019 alleged hate crime hoax

Main article: Jussie Smollett alleged assault

On January 29, 2019, Smollett told police that he was attacked outside his apartment building by two men in ski masks. He reported they called him racialand homophobic slurs and said “this is MAGA country,” a reference to President Donald Trump‘s slogan “Make America Great Again.”^[36] He claimed they used their hands, feet, and teeth as weapons in the assault.^[37][38] According to a statement released by the Chicago Police Department, the two suspects then “poured an unknown liquid” on Smollett and put a noose around his neck.^[39]Smollett said that he fought them off. Smollett was treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital; not seriously injured, he was released “in good condition” later that morning.^[36][40][41] The police were called after 2:30 a.m.;^[42] when they arrived around 2:40 am, Smollett had a white rope around his neck.^[43] Smollett said that the attack may have been motivated by his criticism of the Trump administration^[44] and that he believed that the alleged assault was linked to the threatening letter that was sent to him earlier that month.^[35]

On February 20, 2019, Smollett was charged by a grand jury with a class 4 felony for filing a false police report.^[45][46][47] The next day, Smollett surrendered himself at the Chicago Police Department’s Central Booking station.^[48] Shortly thereafter, CPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi stated that Smollett “is under arrest and in the custody of detectives”.^[49] On March 26, 2019, all charges filed against Smollett were dropped, with Judge Steven Watkins ordering the public court file sealed.^[3][50] First Assistant State’s Attorney Joseph Magats said the office reached a deal with Smollett’s defense team in which prosecutors dropped the charges upon Smollett performing 16 hours of community service^[51][52][53] and forfeiting his $10,000 bond.^[54][55][56]

On April 12, 2019, the city of Chicago filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County against Smollett for the cost of overtime authorities expended investigating the alleged attack, totalling $130,105.15.^{[57][58][6][59]} In November 2019, Smollett filed a counter-suit against the city of Chicago alleging he was the victim of “mass public ridicule and harm” and arguing he should not be made to reimburse the city for the cost of the investigation.^[60] On February 11, 2020, after further investigation by a special prosecutor was completed, Smollett was indicted again by a Cook County grand jury on six counts pertaining to making four false police reports.^[4][6] On June 12, 2020, a judge struck down Smollett’s claim that his February charge violated the principle of double jeopardy.^[61]

Last Update 3 hrs ago

AOC to VP Pence: ‘It’s Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez to you’

Ocasio-Cortez appeared bothered by what she saw as “gender dynamics” at work during the debate, in which Pence was the only male participant

By Dom Calicchio | Fox News

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared to be closely watching the vice presidential debateWednesday night, tweeting several responses to comments by Vice President Mike Pence during his confrontation against Sen. Kamala Harris.

Particularly irking the New York Democrat seemed to be Pence’s reference to her by her widely used nickname “AOC.” 

“For the record @Mike_Pence, it’s Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez to you,” Ocasio-Cortez responded on Twitter.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez@AOCUS House candidate, NY-14For the record @Mike_Pence, it’s Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez to you.9:29 PM · Oct 7, 2020

Ocasio-Cortez also appeared bothered by what she saw as “gender dynamics” at work during the debate, in which Pence was the only male participant. She accused Pence of demanding answers for the questions he posed to Harris, while trying to avoid directly answering questions put to him by the debate moderator, Susan Page of USA Today.

“Why is it that Mike Pence doesn’t seem to have to answer any of the questions asked of him in this debate?” she wrote.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez@AOCUS House candidate, NY-14Why is it that Mike Pence doesn’t seem to have to answer any of the questions asked of him in this debate?9:06 PM · Oct 7, 2020

“Pence demanding that Harris answer *his* own personal questions when he won’t even answer the moderator’s is gross, and exemplary of the gender dynamics so many women have to deal with at work,” she added.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez@AOCUS House candidate, NY-14Pence demanding that Harris answer *his* own personal questions when he won’t even answer the moderator’s is gross, and exemplary of the gender dynamics so many women have to deal with at work.9:18 PM · Oct 7, 2020

But perhaps the most touchy subject for Ocasio-Cortez – a member of so-called “Squad” of far-left lawmakers on Capitol Hill — was climate change.

During the debate, Pence had suggested that the Green New Deal – the signature legislative proposal of Ocasio-Cortez – was a product of “climate alarmists” that would be expensive and cost many Americans their jobs. Estimates have placed the deal’s price tag at more than $90 trillion.

Pence claimed that the Democratic presidential ticket of former Vice President Joe Biden and Harris would fully embrace the plan if elected.

“Now, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris would put us back in the Paris climate accord, they’d impose the Green New Deal, which would crush American energy, would increase the energy costs of American families in their homes, and literally crush American jobs,” Pence said.

Ocasio-Cortez responded by claiming the Green New Deal “has been lied about nonstop.”

“It’s a massive job-creation and infrastructure plan to decarbonize & increase quality of work and life,” she wrote.

The vice president also accused Biden and Harris of wanting to steer the U.S. away from traditional energy sources and ban fracking – a process that has helped contribute to the nation’s resurgence in the energy sector but has been a divisive topic among Democrats, who are split between the economic benefits of the process and what many see as its potentially harmful environmental impact.

The debate performance of Vice President Mike Pence drew close scrutiny by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

Harris quickly shot down Pence’s assertion about fracking.

“The American people know Joe Biden will not ban fracking,” Harris said. “That is a fact. That is a fact.”

Ocasio-Cortez – perhaps mindful of accusations that she was less than enthusiastic for the Biden-Harris ticket after preferring progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders for president earlier in the campaign – kept her fracking response limited to a single sentence.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez@AOCUS House candidate, NY-14Fracking is bad, actually8:43 PM · Oct 7, 2020498.3K92.1K people are Tweeting about this

“Fracking is bad, actually,” she wrote.Dom Calicchio is a Senior Editor at FoxNews.com. Reach him at dom.calicchio@foxnews.com.

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​Amy Coney Barrett was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in November 2017. She serves on the faculty of the Notre Dame Law School, teaching on constitutional law, federal courts, and statutory interpretation, and previously served on the Advisory Committee for the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Rhodes College in 1994 and her J.D. from Notre Dame Law School in 1997. Following law school, Barrett clerked for Judge Laurence Silberman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and for Associate Justice Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court. She also practiced law with Washington, D.C. law firm Miller, Cassidy, Larroca & Lewin.

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Taking on Ark Times Bloggers on various issues Part D “If you can’t afford a child can you abort?”Francis Schaeffer Quotes part 4 includes the film ABORTION OF THE HUMAN RACE) (editorial cartoon)

April 5, 2013 – 6:30 am

I have gone back and forth and back and forth with many liberals on the Arkansas Times Blog on many issues such as abortion, human rights, welfare, poverty, gun control  and issues dealing with popular culture. Here is another exchange I had with them a while back. My username at the Ark Times Blog is Saline […]By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Francis Schaeffer, Prolife | Edit | Comments (0)

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US Is World’s Largest Oil and Natural Gas Producer—Despite Biden’s Energy-Constraining Policies

Katie Tubb  / March 07, 2022

Despite Biden administration policies constraining America’s energy resources, American energy producers continue to make the U.S. the largest oil and natural gas producer in the world. Pictured: A U.S. oil refinery installation in Southern California. (Photo: Getty Images)

COMMENTARY BY

Katie Tubb

Katie Tubb is a policy analyst for the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation. Read her research.

American energy producers have been punching above their weight, making the U.S. the largest producer of oil and natural gas in the world in less than a decade—with one major caveat.

But the good news first.

Take liquid natural gas for starters. In October 2021, LNG exporters in the U.S. were operating beyond capacity. And the U.S. Energy Information Administration expects the U.S. will export 16% more natural gas in 2022 than last year as American companies bring on more production and export capacity.

By the end of 2022, the U.S. will have the largest LNG export capacity in the world with the completion of the Sabine Pass and Calcasieu Pass facilities in Louisiana as well as upgrades to increase production at several existing facilities.

An eighth export facility in Texas is expected to come online by 2024, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved several other projects that are not yet under construction.

Now, take a look at oil. In 2020—and even through the worst of the pandemic into 2021—U.S. producers of crude oil and petroleum products made the U.S. a net exporter for the first time since 1949.

The U.S. is the world’s single largest producer of crude oil, even as global demand has outpaced supply over the last year and has strained global markets. The Energy Information Administration cautiously projects crude oil production in the U.S. to continue growing to meet that demand over the next few years.

It’s hard to overstate how revolutionary the American energy boom has been since its onset in the late 2000s. In less than a decade, the U.S. went from projections of energy shortages to being the largest producer of oil and natural gas in the world. 

Congress’ 2015 lifting of the ban on oil and gas exports turned the U.S. from a bench sitter into a major global supplier that diversified energy markets. By 2020, American companies supplied 16% of the world’s oil and 21% of its natural gas—more than any other country. And the Energy Information Administration expects U.S. energy production in 2023 to beat the record-setting year of 2019.

The implications of this are very positive for Americans and our friends and allies around the world.

Americans’ average total energy costs fell by 5% from 2018 to 2019, and per capita energy costs decreased in every state except California. Thanks to robust domestic energy production, Americans today are more protected when global energy prices go up.

Canada recently announced its decision to ban crude oil imports from Russia—a symbolically important but easy decision because American energy has displaced its crude oil imports from Russia.

U.S. energy providers have also filled the gap for Europe, which has been caught dangerously flat-footed and import-reliant on Russia after years of policy choices to curtail their own energy production. U.S. natural gas exports to Europe have increased since 2017, supplying 26% of Europe’s liquid natural gas in 2021 and more than half in January 2022 in response to Russia’s weaponization of energy markets.

The Energy Policy Research Foundation estimatesthat the flood of American natural gas into global markets has kept prices in check and saved Europe $143.2 billion over the last 13 years.

The Caveat

Here’s the caveat, though: This tremendous level of energy production is happening because it’s being done on private and state lands—and despite the Biden administration’s anti-energy posture.

Over the last year, President Joe Biden has directed federal regulatory agencies to implement policies that have severely constrained the energy resources that meet 79% of Americans’ total energy needs and fuel over 90% of transportation in the U.S. In other words, policies that are in direct conflict with the interests and well-being of the American people.

While asking American energy companies for short-term increases in production to bail the administration out of political trouble, Biden has made it very clear that his administration intends to put coal, oil, and perhaps even the natural gas industries in America out of business. This is a caveat that’s been noted in so many of the Energy Information Administration’s energy projections for the future. 

In addition to regulations that make it harder and more expensive to produce and use conventional energy, the administration has hung its hat on a very narrow approach to innovation. The White House has advocated sapping the American economy of hundreds of billions of dollars in tax favors and spending hundreds of billions more on a narrow set of politically preferred, unproven energy technologies that the administration presumes are the solution to global warming.

In reality, this isn’t pro-growth innovation policy. It’s not even climate policy. This is old-fashioned political cronyism.

As Europe has experienced, such a foolhardy approach comes with incredible financial costs to taxpayers, political vulnerabilities, and deep concerns about the reliability and stability of the energy supply. It’s also not based in reality: Such a command-and-control approach has not worked in the past, and it’s likely not to work in the future. This is especially true given that Biden’s own Energy Information Administration projects no scenario in which global demand for oil and natural gas does not increase through at least 2050.

In regions of the world where bad actors like Russia use energy as a weapon, the benefits of American-produced energy extend far beyond the economic gains. Unlike Russia, American energy companies are not a mere extension of the government. They offer more choice through transparent, competitive, and reliable energy resources, markets, and contracts. America’s economic freedom has created this environment and it is one of its greatest selling points.

It’s time to fight authoritarianism with energy freedom. Instead of continuing to put obstacles in its way, Biden needs to reevaluate, reprioritize, and unleash the American energy sector—for the benefit of America and the world.

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Biden Overstepped Constitutional Authority When He Revoked Keystone Pipeline Permit, Multiple States Allege in Lawsuit

Thomas Catenacci / @ThomasCatenacci / March 18, 2021

A group of 21 Republican state attorneys general has accused President Joe Biden of overstepping his constitutional authority when he revoked the Keystone XL pipeline’s federal permit. Pictured: Biden delivers remarks in the State Dining Room of the White House March 15, 2021, in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

A group of 21 Republican state attorneys general filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against President Joe Biden’s administration over its decision to nix the Keystone XL pipeline.

The states, led by Montana and Texas, accused Biden of overstepping his constitutional authority when he revoked the Keystone XL pipeline’s federal permit on Jan. 20 hours after entering office, in the lawsuit filed Wednesday afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

“The power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce belongs to Congress—not the President,” Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said in a statement Wednesday. “This is another example of Joe Biden overstepping his constitutional role to the detriment of Montanans.”

“There is not even a perceived environmental benefit to his actions—his attempt to cancel the Keystone XL Pipeline is an empty virtue signal to his wealthy coastal elite donors,” Knudsen said. “It shows Biden’s contempt for rural communities in Montana and other states along the pipeline’s path that would benefit from and support the project.”

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Congress never granted the president the authority to revoke the pipeline’s permit, which is a regulation of interstate and international commerce, according to the lawsuit. The U.S. Constitution gives Congress the sole power to regulate interstate and international commerce.

Further, Biden violated the rules previously set by Congress on what actions the executive branch may take regarding the Keystone pipeline, the lawsuit said.

Biden had stated that keeping the pipeline’s permit would not be consistent with his “economic and climate imperatives,” which include solving the world’s climate crisis. The complaint Wednesday argued that he couldn’t alter U.S. domestic policy with the intention of conducting foreign policy.

“The President has certain prerogatives to act on behalf of the United States in foreign affairs,” the lawsuit said. “But as far as domestic law is concerned, the President must work with and abide by the limits set by Congress—whether he likes them or not.”

“This Administration has sought to leverage its power regarding U.S. foreign policy to unilaterally contradict Congress’s stated domestic policy regarding one of the most significant energy projects in a generation: the Keystone XL Pipeline,” the lawsuit said.

Former President Donald Trump’s March 2019 executive order approving the pipeline permit was constitutional because it fell in line with the “repeatedly expressed preferences” of Congress, according to Wednesday’s complaint.

The lawsuit also noted the damages incurred by Biden’s decision to nix the pipeline’s permit. The project was estimated to generate $55.6 million in property taxes across 27 counties in just three states and to create more than 42,000 jobs.

The project is an extension of an existing TC Energy pipeline that already transports crude oil from Canada to the U.S., according to The Wall Street Journal. The extension would carry crude directly from Alberta, Canada, to Steele City, Nebraska, where it would connect to existing pipeline that stretches to the Gulf of Mexico.

The part of the pipeline extension that crosses the U.S.-Canada border is mostly completed, the lawsuit said.

Montana, Texas, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming were listed as plaintiffs on the suit.

Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas were all listed as defendants.

On Feb. 10, 14 attorneys general, including many listed in Wednesday’s lawsuit, sent a letter “with alarm” to the Biden administration, urging the president to reconsider his decision to effectively kill the pipeline. The letter warned that the states had been reviewing all available legal options to protect their residents.

“Your decision will result in devastating damage to many of our states and local communities,” the attorneys general wrote in the letter to Biden. “Even those states outside the path of the Keystone XL pipeline—indeed all Americans—will suffer serious, detrimental consequences.”

Knudsen, the Montana attorney general, led the coalition, which included the top legal officers from Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina, South Dakota and Texas. Montana’s portion of the proposed pipeline would have been 285 miles long and was expected to generate more than 4,000 jobs.

John Kerry, the White House climate czar, recently said workers who lose their jobs due to the administration’s climate policies can find jobs making solar panels. The letter said the Biden administration’s insistence that laid off pipeline workers would be given green jobs in the future was a “cold promise.”

Several prominent trade unions, which endorsed Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, strongly condemned the executive order. The unions ignored requests for comment from The Daily Caller News Foundation asking why they supported Biden despite his campaign promise to nix the job-creating pipeline.

“Well, I wish he hadn’t done that on the first day,” Richard Trumka, the president of the powerful AFL-CIO, told Axios. “Because the Laborer’s International was right, it did and will cost us jobs in the process.”

The Teamsters, the Laborers’ International Union of North America, the International Union of Operating Engineers, and the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters signed the Keystone pipeline’s labor agreement in August. The agreement promised the creation of 42,000 “family-sustaining jobs” in the U.S. and $2 billion in total earnings for the all-union workforce.

The Laborers’ International Union of North America estimated that Biden’s executive action would kill thousands of union jobs. LIUNA General President Terry O’Sullivan called the action “insulting and disappointing.”

Meanwhile, 12 states sued the Biden administration over its climate policies on March 8. One day later, two states sued the administration over its immigration policies.

A group of Republican attorneys general threatened additional legal action against the Biden administration in a letter to Department of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Tuesday. The 21 attorneys general demanded clarity on Biden’s position regarding state tax policy.

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Joe Biden Signs COVID Bill With the Greatest Expansion of Abortion Funding in a Decade

NATIONAL   STEVEN ERTELT   MAR 11, 2021   |   4:59PM    WASHINGTON, DC 

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Joe Biden today signed the so-called COVID relief bill that is the greatest expansion of abortion in a decade. Although he claims to be a “devout Catholic,” Biden just signed a bill that forces Americans to fund abortions and the Planned Parenthood abortion business. It is the largest expansion of abortion funding since 2010, when Democrats passed Obamacare.

The COVID relief bill that spends all but 9% on COVID relief and will spend tens of millions, perhaps over $100 million on funding abortions and the Planned Parenthood abortion corporation.

In the Senate, Democrats defeated a pro-life amendment that would have stopped the COVID relief bill from using tens of millions and perhaps hundreds of millions of dollars to fund killing babies in abortions. Democrat Senators Joe Manchin and Bob Casey, who both claim to be pro-life, voted for the abortion-funding legislation after the amendment was defeated.

The Senate voted 52-47 to defeat the pro-life amendment offered by Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma to apply the Hyde Amendment to the COVID bill. Every Republican voted for the amendment along with Democrat senators Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Tim Kaine of Virginia, and Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Senator Sullivan of Alaska did not vote. despite voting for the amendemnt to stop abortion funding, Casey and Manchin eventually voted for the abortion-funding bill.

The amendment failed because it did not reach the 60-vote threshold needed to waive budget rules associated with the legislation. Without the 3/5 majority necessary, the amendment fails and the COVID bill will fund abortions.

Yesterday, the nation’s Catholic bishops slammed Democrats for passing the bill without any protections against abortion funding.

It is “unconscionable” that Congress passed the bill “without critical protections needed to ensure that billions of taxpayer dollars are used for life-affirming health care and not for abortion,” wrote the bishops in a statement.

“Unlike previous COVID [coronavirus] relief bills, sponsors of the American Rescue Plan Act refused to include the longstanding, bi-partisan consensus policy to prohibit taxpayer dollars from funding abortions domestically and internationally,” the bishops declared.

The policy was needed, they continued, “because this bill includes many general references to healthcare that, absent the express exclusion of abortion, have consistently been interpreted by federal courts not only to allow, but to compel, the provision of abortion without meaningful limit.”

“The many important, life-saving provisions in the American Rescue Plan Act have been undermined because it facilitates and funds the destruction of life, which is antithetical to its aim of protecting the most vulnerable Americans in a time of crisis,” they state.

The $350 billion state bailout funds are particularly problematic as the bill doesn’t prevent states and localities from using taxpayer funds to pay for abortions. Under the current guidelines, liberal states like New York and California, which are likely going to receive the lion’s share of the bailout, can funnel millions to abortion giants like Planned Parenthood if they choose.

Please follow LifeNews.com on Gabfor the latest pro-life news and info, free from social media censorship.

The Family Research Council released a lengthy analysis of the funds in the bill that could be used to pay for abortions:

The American Rescue Plan Act lacks key abortion funding restrictions on over $459 billion, breaking decades of congressional precedent on restricting federal funding for abortion.

1. Funds that Can Directly Pay for Abortions (Up To $386.7 Billion):

• $350 billion in funding for state and local governments with little to no guardrails against funding abortions. The funding formula is tilted towards blue states like California and New York who are more likely to abuse this money to fund abortions directly and bail out Planned Parenthood the abortion industry.
• $8.5 billion for the Provider Relief Fund, which could be used to directly finance abortions as well as to bail out abortion businesses like Planned Parenthood
• $7.66 billion for public health workers
• $7.6 billion for community health centers
• $800 million for National Health Service Corps
• $750 million for global health activities under the Center for Disease Control
• $500 million for rural health clinics
• $330 million for Teaching Health Centers that operate Graduate Medical Education
• $200 million for medical reserve corps
• $200 million for the nurse corps
• $200 million for programs related to sexual assault and domestic violence
• Amounts of $10 billion for COVID medical supplies that remain after September 2022 are allowed to be spent on other public health-related activities which can include abortion.

2. Funds that Can Subsidize Abortion ($704 Million) and Abortion Lobbying ($10 Billion) Overseas:

• $10 billion in foreign assistance funds not subject to the Siljander Amendment, allowing these funds to be used for international abortion lobbying.

• Of these funds, $500 million in humanitarian response activities for migrants and refugees by the United Nations also lack Helms Amendment protections to prevent the UN from using these funds to pay for abortions.
• Of these funds, $204 million for State Department Activities also lack Helms Amendment protections, allowing these funds to be used for abortions abroad.
• Of these funds $8.7 billioncan be spent on contraception and sterilization procedures overseas and are likely to go to the major abortion business like International Planned Parenthood and MSI Reproductive Choices that provide these services.

3. Major Subsidies for Health Plans that Cover Abortion ($81.7 Billion): 

• For 2021 and 2022, vastly expands Obamacare’s premium tax credits and cost sharing reduction payments, which subsidizes plans that cover abortion. The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimatesthese subsidies to cost $45.624 billion.

• Those under 150% of federal poverty level (FPL) would receive a 100% taxpayer subsidy to enroll in silver plans.
• Those unemployed of any income level (for 2021) would receive a 100% taxpayer subsidy to enroll in a silver plan, and enhanced cost-sharing reduction payments.
• Those between 150% and 400% FPL would receive a much more generous subsidy than current law.
• Middle class taxpayers above 400% FPL, ineligible under current law, would become newly eligible for a significant subsidy so that the benchmark silver premium doesn’t exceed 8.5% of household income.
• For six months, subsidizes 100% of the cost of COBRA continuation coverage. This subsidy covers the cost of health care premiums for the newly unemployed to remain on their employer sponsored health plans, which includes many plans that cover abortion. JCT estimates these subsidies to cost $35.095 billion.

4. Bailout for Abortion Businesses ($50 Million)

• $50 million for the Title X family planning program – The Biden administration will likely direct these funds to Planned Parenthood and other abortion businesses that withdrew from Title X over pro-life changes that were made by the Trump administration. Longstanding requirements on political lobbying, encouraging parental involvement, and reporting sexual abuse are not included.

The pro-life group SBA List wrote to senators ahead of the Senate vote urging them to adopt pro-life amendments to curb abortion funding.

“While prior bipartisan COVID relief packages have included Hyde protections on funding streams that fall outside of existing limits on abortion funding, this bill departs from the status quo by leaving funds open to use for abortion. COVID relief money should be used for life-affirming purposes… we strongly support and will score in favor of amendments to mitigate the funding of abortion, abortion coverage, or abortion providers,” it wrote.

SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser added: “Pro-abortion forces emboldened by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are shamelessly exploiting the COVID-19 crisis to expand abortion on demand, paid for by taxpayers. By failing to include Hyde Amendment protections and forcing taxpayers to bail out the abortion industry, their so-called ‘rescue plan’ abandons some of the most vulnerable Americans – unborn children and their mothers. Their agenda will divide, rather than unite our nation as this administration promised.”

Tom McClusky, president of March for Life Action also told LifeNews that the pro-life group opposes the bill without pro-life amendments to stop abortion funding.

“The current COVID-19 relief package has the potential to be the largest expansion of abortion funding since Obamacare. Less than 10% of the ‘relief’ actually goes towards combatting the pandemic. Instead, pro-abortion politicians are using this bill to open the floodgates to abortion funding, with billions of dollars unprotected from being used for the life-ending practice both here in the U.S. and abroad. This is radically out of step with the majority of Americans who oppose their tax dollars funding it. Americans who have been suffering from the effects of the pandemic deserve authentic relief, not this pro-abortion bonanza,” he said.

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Fortunately one of the abortion funding provisions was removed from the bill prior the Senate vote.

Senator Rand Paul has forced Democrats to remove a pro-abortion provision in their massive $1.9 trillion COVID bill that would have allowed every Planned Parenthood across America to receive free money through the Paycheck Protection Program. Last year, the Planned Parenthood abortion business improperly applied for and received $80 million in federal funds meant to support small businesses as they battle the economic fallout from the coronavirus.

That is despite the fact that the rules and regulations associated with the program specifically prohibited affiliates of larger organizations with more than 500 employees from applying. That covers Planned Parenthood as Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PFFA) alone has had more than 600 employees.

Shockingly, only 9% of the bill’s funding will go to public health issues, and almost half of the funding, not including the proposed stimulus checks, won’t be distributed until 2022 at the earliest.

Recent Marist polling, though, shows Americans overwhelmingly oppose taxpayer funding of abortion overseas. The survey reveals 77 percent of Americans reject the idea of taxpayer dollars funding abortion abroad while a majority of Democrats—55 percent—also oppose taxpayer funding of abortion abroad.

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March 1, 2021

Office of Barack and Michelle Obama
P.O. Box 91000
Washington, DC 20066

Dear President Obama,

I wrote you over 700 letters while you were President and I mailed them to the White House and also published them on my blog http://www.thedailyhatch.org .I received several letters back from your staff and I wanted to thank you for those letters. 

I have been reading your autobiography A PROMISED LAND and I have been enjoying it. 

Let me make a few comments on it, and here is the first quote of yours I want to comment on:

The 1973 Roe v. Wade decision focused further attention on Court appointments with every nomination from that point on triggering a pitched battle between pro-choice and anti-abortion forces. 

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I know that you are a professing Christian but I wonder how you the view the Bible? Do you believe like evangelicals that the Bible is the inerrant word of God and is historically accurate? Tony Dungy is an evangelical and like me he is pro-life. Take a look at this article below:

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Ex-NFL coach Tony Dungy skeptical about Warnock’s faith after ‘pro-choice pastor’ tweet

DECEMBER 11, 2020 BY RYAN GAYDOS

Former NFL coach Tony Dungy is a man who takes his Christian faith very seriously, and when it comes to Rev. Raphael Warnock, who is running for U.S. Senate in Georgia, he wasn’t so sure about him.

Warnock, a Democrat and pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church, is in the middle of a runoff election against Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga.

Warnock tweeted Tuesday he was a “pro-choice pastor,” which inherently goes against the pro-life views of most Christians.

WARNOCK COMPARED AMERICA TO COMMUNIST CUBA, SAID FIDEL CASTRO HAD ‘COMPLEX’ LEGACY IN RESURFACED VIDEO

When a Twitter user pointed out on Wednesday that “pro-choice pastors” do exist, the Super Bowl champion head coach appeared skeptical.

“Rev Warner may be a pastor. My question would be ‘Is he a Christian?’  That is, does he follow the teachings of Jesus and does he believe that the Bible is the absolute word of God?” tweeted, who is a football commentaror for NBC.

He added: “I would think it would be difficult for someone who believes that God sees us when we are in the womb (Psalm 139:13-16) to think that it is OK to choose not to bring that life to fruition.”

On Thursday, another Twitter user said being pro-choice didn’t mean that a person was pro-abortion. Dungy replied, “Please read Psalm 139:13-16.  Then tell me if you think God puts babies in the womb or man does?  If you believe they randomly get there then I have no argument. But if you believe God puts them there, then how does anyone have a right to ‘choose’ which ones survive?”

LOEFFLER AD BLITZ TARGETS WARNOCK’S ALLEGED PAST DISMISSALS OF CRITIQUES ON SOCIALISM

He then clarified his position in another way.

“What if I was advocating for the right to kill someone who was already born? Would that be morally OK?  Of course not. The only question in this debate is what we think of the unborn baby? Is it a life or is it not?”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Dungy is not one to shy away from his faith. In 2006, it was noted that Dungy nearly put his football career on pause to join the prison ministry. And over the course of his career he worked in community service organizations and was a public speaker for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Sincerely,

Everette Hatcher III, 13900 Cottontail Lane, Alexander, AR 72002, ph 501-920-5733 everettehatcher@gmail.com

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April 10, 2013 – 7:02 am

President Obama c/o The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President, I know that you receive 20,000 letters a day and that you actually read 10 of them every day. I really do respect you for trying to get a pulse on what is going on out here. There have […]By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in David Barton, Founding Fathers, President Obama | Edit |Comments (0)

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May 7, 2012 – 1:46 am

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The Founding Fathers views concerning Jesus, Christianity and the Bible (Part 3, Samuel Adams)

May 4, 2012 – 1:45 am

There have been many articles written by evangelicals like me who fear that our founding fathers would not recognize our country today because secular humanism has rid our nation of spiritual roots. I am deeply troubled by the secular agenda of those who are at war with religion in our public life. Lillian Kwon quoted somebody […]By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in David Barton, Founding Fathers | Edit | Comments (0)

The Founding Fathers views concerning Jesus, Christianity and the Bible (Part 2, John Quincy Adams)

May 3, 2012 – 1:42 am

There have been many articles written by evangelicals like me who fear that our founding fathers would not recognize our country today because secular humanism has rid our nation of spiritual roots. I am deeply troubled by the secular agenda of those who are at war with religion in our public life. Lillian Kwon quoted somebody […]By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in David Barton, Founding Fathers | Edit | Comments (0)

The Founding Fathers views concerning Jesus, Christianity and the Bible (Part 1, John Adams)

May 2, 2012 – 1:13 am

There have been many articles written by evangelicals like me who fear that our founding fathers would not recognize our country today because secular humanism has rid our nation of spiritual roots. I am deeply troubled by the secular agenda of those who are at war with religion in our public life. Lillian Kwon quoted somebody […]By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Founding Fathers | Edit | Comments (0)

President Obama and the Founding Fathers

May 8, 2013 – 9:20 am

President Obama Speaks at The Ohio State University Commencement Ceremony Published on May 5, 2013 President Obama delivers the commencement address at The Ohio State University. May 5, 2013. You can learn a lot about what President Obama thinks the founding fathers were all about from his recent speech at Ohio State. May 7, 2013, […]By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Founding Fathers, President Obama | Edit | Comments (0)

Francis Schaeffer’s own words concerning the founding fathers and their belief in inalienable rights

December 5, 2012 – 12:38 am

Dr. C. Everett Koop with Bill Graham. Francis Schaeffer: “Whatever Happened to the Human Race” (Episode 4) THE BASIS FOR HUMAN DIGNITY Published on Oct 7, 2012 by AdamMetropolis The 45 minute video above is from the film series created from Francis Schaeffer’s book “Whatever Happened to the Human Race?” with Dr. C. Everett Koop. This […]By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Founding Fathers, Francis Schaeffer, Prolife | Edit |Comments (1)

David Barton: In their words, did the Founding Fathers put their faith in Christ? (Part 4)

May 30, 2012 – 1:35 am

America’s Founding Fathers Deist or Christian? – David Barton 4/6 There have been many articles written by evangelicals like me who fear that our founding fathers would not recognize our country today because secular humanism has rid our nation of spiritual roots. I am deeply troubled by the secular agenda of those who are at […]By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in David Barton, Founding Fathers | Tagged governor of connecticut, john witherspoon, jonathan trumbull | Edit | Comments (1)

Were the founding fathers christian?

May 23, 2012 – 7:04 am

3 Of 5 / The Bible’s Influence In America / American Heritage Series / David Barton There were 55 gentlemen who put together the constitution and their church affliation is of public record. Greg Koukl notes: Members of the Constitutional Convention, the most influential group of men shaping the political foundations of our nation, were […]By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Founding Fathers | Edit | Comments (0)

John Quincy Adams a founding father?

June 29, 2011 – 3:58 pm

I do  not think that John Quincy Adams was a founding father in the same sense that his  father was. However, I do think he was involved in the  early days of our government working with many of the founding fathers. Michele Bachmann got into another history-related tussle on ABC’s “Good  Morning America” today, standing […]By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in David Barton, Founding Fathers | Edit | Comments (0)

“Sanctity of Life Saturday” Taking on Ark Times Bloggers on various issues Part E “Moral absolutes and abortion” Francis Schaeffer Quotes part 5(includes the film SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS) (editorial cartoon)

July 6, 2013 – 1:26 am

I have gone back and forth and back and forth with many liberals on the Arkansas Times Blog on many issues such as abortion, human rights, welfare, poverty, gun control  and issues dealing with popular culture. Here is another exchange I had with them a while back. My username at the Ark Times Blog is Saline […]By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Arkansas Times, Francis Schaeffer, Prolife | Edit |Comments (0)

Article from Adrian Rogers, “Bring back the glory”

June 11, 2013 – 12:34 am

I truly believe that many of the problems we have today in the USA are due to the advancement of humanism in the last few decades in our society. Ronald Reagan appointed the evangelical Dr. C. Everett Koop to the position of Surgeon General in his administration. He partnered with Dr. Francis Schaeffer in making the […]By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Adrian Rogers, Francis Schaeffer | Edit | Comments (0)

“Schaeffer Sundays” Francis Schaeffer’s own words concerning the possibility that minorities may be mistreated under 51% rule

June 9, 2013 – 1:21 am

Francis Schaeffer: “Whatever Happened to the Human Race” (Episode 4) THE BASIS FOR HUMAN DIGNITY Published on Oct 7, 2012 by AdamMetropolis ____________ The 45 minute video above is from the film series created from Francis Schaeffer’s book “Whatever Happened to the Human Race?” with Dr. C. Everett Koop. This book  really helped develop my political […]By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Francis Schaeffer | Edit | Comments (0)

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