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3OCTOBER 2015BODY OF CHRIST NEWS Where Are We Headed As A Country WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR CURRENT SITUATION economically in this country I cant see any realistic movement for change that would cause things to get much better for the middle and lower status families. There has to be a paradigm shift for the country as a whole. We are currently seeing companies and corporations wit- ness their profits grow to unheard levels with many CEOs earning salaries at 300 times the average worker. Some of these executives have questionable and immoral records which should give pause to the compensations which they receive. Yet they continue to receive pay levels and benefit packages that are unworthy for some of them who have a negative effect to the companys bottom line. I continue to wonder when it will finally hit home that many of these actions are unsustainable for the long haul. With the emphasis on increased profits from year to year wages and salaries for the middle and lower status workers stagnate and in some cases terminate what do we expect to happen in the future I am not against making a profit but companies need to be fair and compassionate when it comes to their employees. At some point you would think that those with level heads would stop to evaluate the business ethics mission and em- ployees role. Stock holders and owners must understand that what the company has to offer to their customers will soon become a burden to the customers who in most cases are the middle and lower status workers. When customers can no longer afford the things which they deem necessary to main- tain the type of life style which in many cases is crucial to their well being they will look to other avenues. And you know that most other avenues will not be in the best interest of the person or society. No one seems to care about the domino effect that involves business the employee and the economy as a whole. Its every man for himself. We have already seen the housing bubble the bank and auto bailouts which seem to be on track to reappear in my estimation and yet I am not an economist. When companies want to grow financially they raise their prices offer other prod- ucts cut back on worker benefits lay off workers ship jobs overseas or make other cuts which they feel is effective for the bottom line. A long time has passed since workers in some of these organizations were viewed as the company. Many times when technology enters the work places workers are displaced or dismissed. What- ever happened to balance What has happened to the receptionist the one who is the first line for customer relations Where is the decency when it comes to workers lives and families Must this whole country be motivated by huge amounts of profit greed and egocentricity without considering the employees and customers What about a company that values the workers and understand that these people need their jobs to provide for their families Thank God for those companies who are considerate What about a CEO who understands that he or she does not have to take massive amounts of the profits from the business to live well I have always said that technology is good in its place but the human aspect has to be considered and should have priority. Some people see technology as the means to an end with the end justifying the means. I can see technology not being used responsibly as the means to the end. What do we do with the millions of people without health care jobs homes and hope Refugee camps perhaps How are we perceived as a country that has the most wealth and a significant amount of poverty at the same time Ac- cording to the OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development The US poverty rate is the highest in the developed world. Does the church of God have any responsibility in this matter When we look at people like Bill Gates Warren Buffett and others it seems as though there are some in business that are striving to place themselves in this cat- egory of billionaire. Whether or not this was the goal of Gates or Buffet there are those individuals who feel that this should be their goal. They have seen a bar set and are now striving to meet this goal by any means necessary. This whole process seems to have turned into a status thing or a competition to catapult oneself onto the Forbes list of richest people with the players who are currently at the top not knowing that they are even a part of the game. As we consider the recent Papal visit to the United States we can see a man who is humble and has patterned himself after Jesus Christ no matter how he may be viewed by other religions. What type of country would we have if all the people of this society considered the things and concerns of others What if the Pope could transform all his followers in this country where it is said to be somewhere between 70 to 75 million followers Just imagine what influence that percentage of people could have. Since the United States whose population is around 325 million people and we are supposed to be largely a Christian nation it is my position that those who claim Christianity must all be believers in Jesus the Christ. What if we stop looking at the labels we have for each other and focus on who people are and what they stand for In St. John 10 16 KJV Jesus says And other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. What if on this coming Sunday all pastors and churches in this country would not go into the church houses but set up out front and the church Ushers would give directions to those stopping by and to those waiting in lines and the pas- tor and the associate ministers would wash the feet of those passersbys and the deacons would do the drying and the deaconesses would place lotions and salves on the feet of each of them while the choirs would sing come to Jesus. This process would not be so much to clean the feet of those with unclean feet but to show the humbleness of the church. Jesus during his earthly ministry repeatedly displayed his humble- ness. In the book of Colossians 1 14-18 KJV The True Christ Described it reads In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins Who is the image of the invisible God the firstborn of every creature For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in the earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him And he is before all things and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body the church who is the begin- ning the firstborn from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence. What if some of our religious leaders and those following would turn the church back over to Jesus and allow Gods word to suffice What if we allowed Michelle Obama or Mary Louise Hancock to be the first ladies for the country and the city of Denver St. Luke 20 25 KJV says And he said unto them Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesars and unto God the things which be Gods. In the book of Ephesians 5 22-24 KJV it says Wives submit yourselves unto your owns husbands as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church and is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Could it be that God would look down from heaven giving America a second look and say- ing I believe these people are becoming as one Im just saying. The Christian community for too long has been busy trying to tell people who we are instead of showing them who we are. St. Matthew 720 KJV says Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. In St. Matthew 16 13-16 KJV it reads When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi he asked the disciples saying Whom do men say that I the son of man am And they said Some say that thou art John the Baptist some Elias and others Jeremias or one of the prophets. He saith unto them But whom say ye that I am And Simon Peter answered and said Thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God. Jesus didnt go around telling people who he was. As he went around doing the will of his Father he told the people by whom he was sent. You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today. Abraham Lincoln - Wil Wilson Wil Wilson Excel is currently offering space for various types of events in the community. Please contact our office at 303-355-0667 for details available dates and pricing.