Executive Orders do not match up

Executive Orders do not match up

By: Dr. Jeff Fuller

 

Traveling home the other day from Birmingham, I was listening to Christian radio and the owner of the station was doing an editorial on the recent issuance of twenty three executive orders signed by the President.  His position was one of grave danger, cautioning listeners to be leery of this practice by our present President, as it might have far reaching ramifications.

With that in mind, once I arrived back in our little town, I went to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia and did a little research on Executive Orders.  The following is an excerpt from Wikipedia:   

“[The] United States President may issue executive orders to help officers and agencies of the executive branch manage the operations within the federal government itself.  Executive orders have the full force of the law, since issuances are typically made in pursuance of certain Acts of Congress, some of which specially delegate to the President some degree of discretionary power (delegated legislation), or are believed to take authority from a power granted directly to the Executive by the Constitution.  However, these perceived justifications cited by Presidents when authoring Executive Orders have come under criticism for exceeding executive authority; at various times throughout United States history, challenges to the legal validity or justification for an order have resulted in legal proceedings.”

Reading over the twenty three executive orders, issued by the President in January of this year, on the surface there is nothing in them that pushed for or limited the freedom we hold as American’s.  Nor, was there any sign that these were an infringement on the rights of the people.  Honestly, they look more like a list of task that needed to be accomplished; goals to meet.  Additionally, I thought that his time may have been well spent, since he was not playing golf and actually working on something.  But do not get too excited yet…

There is something we all need to be reminded of; something which makes us wonder what is going on in the mind of our President.  This practice of the President in making and/or executing executive orders is not something granted, but implied by the Constitution.  Wikipedia had something to say about that as well:

“Although there is no constitutional [provision] or statute that explicitly permits executive orders, there is a vague grant of “executive power” given in Article II, Section 1, Clause 1 of the Constitution, and furthered by the declaration “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed” made in Article II, Section 3, Clause 5.  Most executive orders use these Constitutional reasoning’s as the authorization allowing for their issuance to be justified as part of the President’s sworn duties, the intent being to help direct officers of the United States Executive Branch to carry out their delegated duties as well as the normal operations of the federal government; the consequences of failing to comply [could] possibly [be] the removal from office.”

As stated above, the President is to “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.”  His job is to see that the Constitution is preserved and that citizens of the State are treated fairly and with the dignity they deserve.  In January, the present President stood before the huge crowd of dignitaries and onlookers and took his Oath of Office, in which he said he is to and he will “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”  This is his job!

He cannot make laws; that is the job of Congress.  Every year they pass something along which needs to be published, put into effect and adhered to.  This is when the President goes to bat, travels the country, and speaks in favor of the new legislation.  Most of the time, he is the one that has pushed it through, handing out favors, and patting people on the back to get what he wants (an example would be OBAMACARE).   

There are times, I feel sure, that the President will write up one of these executive orders to support or remind the Executive staff and the Cabinet members of the newest tome passed down from Congress.  While we may never know, these at times might be terse and pointed, they fall within that area of enacted laws which must be “preserved, protects, and defended.”

Yet, while I have attempted to reveal the history, and point to the present, making it light hearted there is a problem.  Presently, the administration has either never read or fully understood the gravity of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution; or they have decided that they will throw it out and make laws and enact rules which are pleasing to them.

The Washington Post took exception to the executive orders, particularly in context of the gun control agenda which the President is pushing.  They cited that the executive orders could cause him to loss face with both sides of the aisle, being perceived as a dictator instead of a President. 

As truth would hold, that is what is wrong with his signing twenty three executive orders on one day.  Nineteen of these have something regarding gun control or an examination of gun sales practice within them, in some form or fashion.  While the President has said on more than one occasion he is not going to take away guns from the American people, he has on more than one occasion implied that he wanted a tighter reign on the gun sales and that he wants a federal registration of guns, which several of these executive orders speaks to in some form.

Also, in Congress there are those who are siding with him in pushing for tighter controls, more rules and regulations, more struggles and more problems for the American people.  Aside from the gun issue, we have pressing issues in economic affairs, business failures, and the national debt.  Taxation and the new health care rules are causing more headaches than we can manage. 

What the President needs to be doing is balancing the budget.  Do you realize that we are in the fifth year-5 YEARS-without a budget for this country?  How in the world are we going to live through one of the most difficult times in American history without a budget?  I will concur that a budget is nothing more than a guideline to go by, but we do not even have that on the national level.  We are spending money we do have in hopes of having money to spend which we do not have, nor will have in the future.  We are in debt up to our eyeballs and it seems that this President has no vision for bringing it under control.

Adding to that the massive and far reaching health care imitative which is now in effect, which is causing no small stir among the American people.  Another example of the “Big Brother” concept, which mandates that the government pay for health care and the people be tied to the strings of someone always watching and making your decisions for you.  Hidden deep within the bill is the concept that when you need surgery, immediately, there is a group of people deciding if you really need the surgery and if the government will cover that procedure.  What has come under attack is the issue of contraception, and this has caused legal rumbles among the religious non-profit organizations and the Christian owned for-profit businesses.

Our Presidents time would be better spent in daily operations of making government work, than in writing out useless or harmful missives which will do nothing but cause heartache.  We are a nation which is struggling to stay afloat and the captain of the ship is asleep at the wheel.

 

Look Up

Meteorites from Russian Fireball Possibly Found

By Andrea Thompson

 

A group of Russian scientists has reported finding small meteorites from the fireball that exploded over the Chelyabinsk region in a blinding light, sending a shockwave that caused millions of dollars in damage in the city.

NASA has estimated that the Russian meteor was 55 feet (17 meters) in diameter and weighed about 10,000 tons when it entered Earth’s atmosphere on Friday (Feb. 15). The meteor was travelling 40,000 mph (64,373 km/h) when it exploded in a flash brighter than the sun.

While most of the meteor likely vaporized in the atmosphere, the rock was big enough that plenty of pieces likely fell to Earth, experts have said.

Now, scientists with the Urals Federal University announced that they had found "53 small, stony, black objects" around a lake near Chelyabinsk, Reuters reported. The lake, Lake Chebarkul, is the same one where a 20-foot-wide hole in the thick ice cover was thought to have been caused by a chunk of the meteor. [ Meteor Streaks Over Russia, Explodes (Photos) ]

Divers have been exploring the frigid waters, but have found no signs of meteorite fragments. Russian officials have said they think the hole was caused by something else and have shifted their focus to cleaning up from the shockwave damage, AFP has reported.

The meteor was unrelated to an asteroid, 2012 DA14, that made an extremely close flyby of Earth on Friday, passing within 17,200 miles (27,000 kilometers), but never posing a threat to the planet.

Ural university scientists said that they had confirmed that the fragments they found were in fact meteorites (the term once a meteor has landed on the Earth’s surface). Tests they performed showed that they were chondrite, or stony, meteorites, the most common type of meteorite in the solar system, Reuters quoted one of the scientists as saying.

The meteorite fragments were a mere 0.2 to 0.4 inches (0.5 to 1 centimeters) across, Reuters

021813 http://www.nbcnews.com/id/50847654

Hundreds injured, millions of dollars of damage, panic widespread; “Gold Rush”…these were some of the news headlines out of Russia on Friday (021513) of this past week.  Yet, the news keeps coming as “scientist…[have found] 53 small, stony, black objects" around a lake in the Ural mountains where a 20 foot hole was made by the possible meteor take a plunge.

I have been thinking about this over the last few days and have come up with a prevailing thought for all of us to mull over.

While thinking over these events the last three days, I have been reminded that God is in control of all things.  His hand directs the affairs of man, His creation, and all things that take place.  We think we are so big that we can control or make things happen but God is in control.  He is on His Throne.  He watches over the affairs of man.

In recent weeks many have been watching the developments going on around the world.  A test of nuclear weapons here, the troubles with riots there, and gun control in America.  Often we become some overcome with what is right before our eyes we fail to look up and see what God might be up to, or what He might be about to do.

A scripture which comes to mind is from Luke:

“There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:25-28 KJV)

Notice that Jesus is warning the people of the time to come, that time that will bring all of creation to an end.  The sun, the moon, and the stars will reveal His plan; the seas and the waves will “roar”; the nations will be struggling with internal, as well as external strife.  Does any of this sound familiar to you?

In reading this verse we must take special notice of the last words.  Jesus says these are signs, signs of what is to come, but also an invitation.  It is an invitation to look up; God’s people looking up to see the coming King of kings and Lord of Lords.  “When there things come to pass, then look up, lift up your head, for your redemption draweth nigh.”

That is the reason we see in Matthew these important words: 

“You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet.” (Matthew 24:6 HCSB)

            Personally, I think these things are warnings of what is to come.  God in His sovereign will is working all things out to His good. (Romans 8:28)  His plan will come to fruition and all things will be ruled by Him.  How this will happen is found in the Word of God; who will be involved in this plan is found there as well.  When all of these things will come to pass, only God knows and in His perfect plan and in His perfect will, He will have the trumpet sound and all hell will break loose and in the end God will win.

“Even so, Lord Jesus, come.”

The Year of Preparedness

The following was in the February edition of the Coosa Journal.  The Coosa County Sheriff’s Office vision for 2013 is The Year of Preparedness and this was the monthly challenge related to that vision.

· Define the word: Prepare: “To make ready or qualified; to equip.”  Adjective: Preparedly

· Define the word: Preparation: “The process of preparing for something.”

The goal is to be ready.  Timothy was told to be ready “in season and out of season.” (2 Timothy 4:2)  With this in mind, CCSO staff are challenged to make this year one that you are always ready to be what you have been called to be, LAWMEN/PEACEKEEPERS.  Do so when it is convenient and when it is not convenient ; when it is popular and it is not popular.  This means you are willing to lay aside the dictates of popular culture, tradition, reputation, acceptance, or esteem in the community to do all that is required.  As a LAWMAN/PEACEKEEPER you must never alter your commitment to the oath you have taken and be constant and consistent.  This preparation will come from being fit and fed in your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being,  

Now, here is the blog:

Paul was writing to the young preacher boy, his son in the ministry Timothy, these words:

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2 Timothy 4:2 KJV)

This is the challenge to all of us.  Every single one of us who serve the King of kings must be prepared.  We are saved, called, and sent out which means we must “study to show ourselves approved…” (2 Timothy 2:15).  It was Dr. Darrell Robinson who wrote a book several years ago that described the church as Equipping the Saints, Exalting the Savior, and Evangelizing the World.

Dr. Luke writes in the book of Acts, that the church was preparing and penetrating the darkness:

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” (Acts 2:42-47 KJV)

Rick Warren in his popular book titled The Purpose Driven Life, and in his other book, The Purpose Driven Church, breaks this down into five things the church must do to survive in the world, and prepare for eternity:

v Fellowship

v Discipleship

v Worship

v Ministry

v Evangelism

I am afraid this is where we are missing the boat as a church, and in countless numbers of organizations around the world.  We have those who want to be a part, get the “bling” and go on their merry way, with no thought of being a real, vital, integral, and involved part of the body to which they have joined.

Let us say that this organization is one in which the member receives credentials.  Maybe it is an identification card, a name tag, or maybe even a badge of some kind that gives the sign of authority or access.  The new member receives these things upon joining or being accepted into the organization, carries out whatever minimal standards required to maintain membership, but the rest of the time they are just satisfied with their “bling.”

So it goes with many in the church today.  They are happy to announce they are member of such and such church, contribute financially to that church in some small way, but the rest of the time they are rarely seen and rarely heard from.  They may not even contribute at all, financially, and they still consider themselves a faith part of the body.  Satisfied with a courtesy membership to the church, but stunted and stale in a life that could give joy, hope and abundant life.

Oh my, how sad that it is.  As a believer-not as a preacher or pastor-I want to dig deep down and plant myself fully and firmly in Jesus.  I want to mature and grow; learn and expand.  I do not desire, nor want, to be stunted and stale in my life as a believer; no, no!  I want to know His joy, His hope and His abundance showered upon me in all things.  I do not want to just be a member, with my name safely tucked away on the roster of the church, in a dirty, dusty office in the basement of the church facility.  No, I want all to know, by my coming and my going, that I am willing to do all within my power to be ready, equipped, prepared to fight the good fight and wage the war, as I share the wonder message of Christ with the World!

Will you join me in this adventure?