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Well, we are coming now this morning to the final section of the letter of Paul to the Corinthians we call 2 Corinthians. Turn to chapter 13. This morning we're going to look at the last formal portion of the letter and we will leave the final closing greeting for the next time. But we'll wrap up the main body of the letter in our message this morning.
As you know, we have been looking at this last part of 2 Corinthians under the title "The Faithful Pastor's Concerns." Way back in chapter 12 we started to see Paul unload the things that were on his heart, something he has done all through the book, but here is kind of a summary of the matters that concern him as a faithful pastor. We saw that the primary issue with him, as noted in chapter 12 verse 19, end of the verse, is for the upbuilding of the people and that is repeated at the end of verse 10 chapter 13 for building up and not for tearing down. The section in the middle is all about the pastor's concern for the upbuilding of his people. We are responsible for what is called the edifying of the saints, the building up of the saints. Our responsibility is the nurturing of believers to maturity. And in that sense we're not unlike a parent, not unlike a father.
In the New Testament, which is rich with images and metaphors to describe and define the duties, obligations and responsibilities of pastors, the pastors are identified in a number of ways, by a number of pictures. They are leaders, overseers, shepherds, teachers, guides, heralds, warners, servants, comforters and examples. And when you think about it that's precisely what parents are. No human image is complete in pulling all those functions together as the image of parents. Parents are also leaders and overseers and shepherds and teachers and guides and heralds and warners and servants and comforters and examples. There's a real parallel then between the pastor's work with his church and the parents' work with their children. Pastors are like parents. In a sense they are sort of a composite father and mother over their family which is the church. And Paul understood that.
Look back at chapter 12 for a moment and be reminded in verse 14 that Paul said here, "For this third time I'm ready to come to you and I will not be a burden to you for I do not seek what is yours but you for children are not responsible to save up for their parents but parents for their children." There he likens himself to parents who is responsible to care for the children rather than the children caring for the parent.
Back in his first letter to the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 4 and verse 14, he said, "I do not write these things to shame you but to admonish you as my beloved children." And then verse 15 says, "If you were to have countless tutors in Christ, all kinds of people instructing you, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel." There again he uses a parental model to define his relationship to the church. But nowhere is this parallel more clearly laid out than in 1 Thessalonians, and I want you to turn to it for a minute. First Thessalonians chapter 2 verses 7 to 11, I want the message today to faithfully treat the passage but also to address the issue of parents and fathers on this special day.
In 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 7 we read this, Paul here is defining his relationship to the Thessalonian church, "We proved to be gentle among you as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having thus a fond affection for you we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives because you had become very dear to us, for you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses and so is God how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own Kingdom and glory."
Now here Paul in verse 7 identifies himself as like a mother and in verse 11 as like a father. There are a number of characteristics surrounding the picture of a mother. He talks about being gentle, being affectionate, being sacrificial, being loving, laboring, toiling night and day as mothers do in the rearing of their precious children. And then when it comes to the father he ties around that concept things like being devout and just and blameless and exemplary and exhorting and encouraging and imploring, which is another word for commanding. And that parental responsibility is all designed to produce what is in verse 12, a child who walks in a manner worthy of the God who calls him into His own Kingdom and glory. This is very much the pastoral role. As pastors we are like mothers in the sense that we are to come to our people as gentle, affectionate, sacrificial, loving, laboring, toiling, night and day on their behalf. And we come also as fathers who are the family priest, as it were, the devout one who bring justice and blamelessness and virtue, exemplary lives who become the exhorters or the ones in charge of discipline, the encouragers and the ones who lay out the law, as it were, those who command. Such loving balance, such combination of care and leadership marks every faithful pastor as well as every faithful parent. And certainly it was true of the Apostle Paul, he was like a loving parent who was consumed really of the process of nurturing his spiritual children to the place of real maturity.
Go back to our text now in 2 Corinthians and be reminded, as I pointed out in chapter 12 verse 19, chapter 13 verse 10 that brackets this passage in the middle, his concern was for their upbuilding. And what we said to you is that the faithful pastor is literally concerned as a main issue with the spiritual well-being of his children. That's what consumes him. He is not career oriented. He is not concerned about building a kingdom, or building a church, or building buildings or building a reputation, he's not concerned about how many people attend the church. He's not concerned about those kinds of things that are peripheral. He is concerned about the main issue, the spiritual well-being of his children. He is consumed with their spiritual maturation, their spiritual maturity, their spiritual growth.
And as Paul brings this letter to a close he summarizes the elements contained within that concern. If one is going to grow spiritually, he has to deal with sin in his life. And Paul talked about the importance of repentance and discipline and authority. We saw that in the end of chapter 12 and the beginning of chapter 13. Paul talked about repentance, discipline, authority.
And then he talked about authenticity in verses 5 and 6 of chapter 13. If one is going to grow one has to be a true spiritual child, authentic, genuinely in Christ. Anybody who is concerned about their child, any parent concerned about their child, any father would have the same concern. You would be concerned that your child was dealing with the sin in his or her life and confessing that sin and repenting of that sin. You would be concerned that in an appropriate amount of discipline was brought to bear upon that child to bring that child back to the path of righteousness. You would be concerned that the child understood the authority that God bears in their lives through the Word of Christ which is the Scripture. You would be concerned about their authenticity, that they were, in fact, genuinely Christ's.
But there would be two other things that would concern you as a father that also concern me as a pastor and they are the last two elements of this pastoral/parental concern that we find in the passage and they're in verses 7 through 9. First, obedience; second, integrity...first, obedience; second, integrity. Paul is concerned about repentance, discipline, authority, authenticity and then obedience and integrity. We're going to look at these two and then a comment or two about verse 10 and wrap up the main body of the epistle this morning.
Now I confess to you, this is not theological, this is not profound, this is not particularly erudite, this is straightforward, simple, bottom line truth that you will be familiar with if you're familiar with the Word of God and I hope still that it will be another encouragement to you to faithfulness in this regard, and to my own heart as well to fulfill the role as a pastor that God has given to me. First is the issue of obedience, look at verse 7. "Now we pray to God that you do no wrong, not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we should appear unapproved, for we can do nothing against the truth but only for the truth for we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong." And we'll stop there.
The second point is introduced in the same way when he says in verse 9, "This we also pray for." He's praying for two things, one-obedience, two-we'll see in a moment, integrity. But let's look at obedience for a moment. Again I want to stress to you because it has to be there, it's just a fact of life in dealing with 2 Corinthians, but the background is colored. Everywhere in this passage, every text is colored with the presence of false teachers and false apostles. They have come into the city of Corinth, they have confused the church, they have turned the church, in part, away from the Apostle Paul. The church has become enamored by the false teachers and the false apostles who viciously attack Paul, denied that he spoke for Christ, denied that he was a genuine apostle, denied that he preached the truth of God. In fact, the people had come to the place where according to verse 3 they were actually seeking for proof that it was Christ speaking in Paul. They should have known that. They had had enough contact with him through the mail, through his letters and so forth and his second visit. They should have known that but they were beguiled, deceived by the false teachers and were asking again the question...did Christ really speak in Paul? Is he really God's spokesman? Does he really give us the truth?
He wrote this whole epistle to affirm his authenticity so that he would remove doubt and denial of it. He wrote this to end all the discussion about whether he was a true apostle. He wanted the church to be sure of that. He wanted the church to know he was real, he was genuine, he spoke for God, he was a messenger of Jesus Christ. His ministry and his message were from the Lord. And this whole epistle is a defense of that legitimacy, that reality. So throughout the letter he writes about his credentials as the true messenger of Jesus Christ. He's not trying to convince the false teachers and the false apostles, he's not trying to convince the unbelieving world, he is trying to assure the church because his reputation is being maligned in their presence. And he is very aware that if the church turns away from him, in effect they turn away from the truth and they turn away from Christ because he is the minister of Christ who speaks the truth and the false apostles are liars who represent Satan.
So, you get the picture as you've gone through this book that Paul's reputation was an issue here, that the people needed to know he was genuine. And this is a crucial feature throughout this entire epistle. That fact makes this passage quite remarkable because notice what he says, "We pray to God...verse 7...that you do no wrong, not that we ourselves may appear approved but that you may do what is right even though we should appear unapproved." Listen to this, as important, as crucial, as essential as his reputation was to his ministry and to people trusting him and believing what he said came from God, as critical as that was he would set that aside in favor of their obedience. He was preeminently concerned not about himself being approved but about their obedience, that they would not do what is wrong, but would do what is right. A man's reputation is crucial. Paul's was crucial. It was important that people know he spoke the truth and spoke for God. And no man wants his reputation unfairly maligned. And Paul was concerned that the church know he was a real apostle. He wasn't so concerned about the world, but the church. But even more than that. He was concerned about their spiritual well-being. And if it had to mean that he would not be approved, he would rather have them do what is right and obey than to have some personal approval for himself.
This is quite remarkable. The man was utterly selfless. The epitome of his selflessness is found in Romans 9 and it's the only passage like this that takes it a step further. It's one of the most amazing things that he ever wrote, if not THE most amazing. And it tells you the most about the man. "I'm telling the truth in Christ," 9:10 of Romans, and by the way, he wrote this from Corinth on his third visit, we'll talk about that later, but he was in Corinth when he wrote this. "I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit." Now that's a lot of stuff to say before you say what you're going to say. But what he was going to say was so unbelievable, so remarkable, so astounding and so amazing that he had to say all of that because people wouldn't be prone to believe it. So he says, "I'm telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying and my conscience affirms that bearing witness in the Holy Spirit." Of what? "That I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart for I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh who are Israelites." That astonishing?
You know what he's saying? I could wish to go to hell if they could go to heaven thereby. It's one thing to say I'll sacrifice my health, I'll sacrifice my time, I'll even sacrifice my earthly, physical life. It's something else to say I'll give up my eternal life for the salvation of my brethren in Israel. Amazing selflessness and that for unbelievers of Israel.
But here we find him in 2 Corinthians chapter 13 preeminently concerned not about himself but about his spiritual children. His deepest longing was for the obedience of his church, his beloved church. And if that meant that he had to go on appearing to be disqualified, which is what the word unapproved means at the end of the verse, in the eyes of the outsiders, in the eyes of the false apostles and false teachers, that's fine as long as they are obedient that doesn't matter at all.
Let's look at the verse more closely. "Now we pray to God," could be "I," some of the manuscripts read "I," in either case it's Paul. Sometimes he uses that editorial "we" because it's just a humbler expression. But he says, "I pray to God," what are you praying for, Paul? "I'm praying that you do no wrong." You know what my prayer is? My prayer is that repent as he called them to back in chapter 12 verses 20 and 21. My prayer is that you deal with the sin in your life, my prayer is that you stop doing wickedness and sin. My prayer is that when I get there on that third visit, you're all obedient. That's my prayer.
Now this demonstrates some of his selflessness because he says as a result of that, "Not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right even though we should appear unapproved." Now what he means by that is this, the false apostles were always saying Paul is weak, weak, weak. He doesn't have the persona, he doesn't have the charm, he doesn't have the powerful personality, he doesn't have that domineering stature, he doesn't have that impressive presence. He doesn't come in and command. He's just weak. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 2:3 he said, "I came weak in fear and trembling then I disdained to use the words of man's wisdom." He says I was nothing but a broken clay pot, every...everybody knew he was in prison, beaten. He was terribly persecuted, punished. The man appeared weak. He seemed to be a failure, a miserable failure, always in and out of jails everywhere he went. And the false teachers parked on that and loved to lift up the fact that Paul was so weak.
Now had the Corinthians been in sin, Paul would have come in with a rod, as he said in 1 Corinthians 4:21, to deal with that sin. That's what he meant back in verse 20 of chapter 12 when he said, "I may...when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and be found by you to be not what you wish." In other words, if you want, I'll come with a rod. I'll come with discipline. Over in chapter 13 verse 3 at the end of the verse, the end of verse 2 he says, "If I come again I'll not spare anyone." If I come and I find sin, I'm taking out the rod and we're going to deal with sin and I'm going to come with authority. And those of you, verse 3, who are seeking for proof of the Christ who speaks in me, and who is not weak toward you but mighty in you, you're going to see it. You want to see my authority? You want to see my power? You want to see Christ mighty in me? If I come and find sin, you'll see that authority. You'll see that power. I'll come t punish. I'll come to discipline. I'll come to confront sin. I'll come and put on a power display. I'll show you the authority that Christ has given to me to apply His truth to His church.
Now, you know, in the flesh, in your humanness when you're being just massacred and maligned and your character is being assassinated and you're being ridiculed and mocked as a weakling, and a man with nothing to offer, with no great strength and no great person and not impressive, there would be something in you that would say, "I'd like to put on a display for those guys, I'd like to come in and show them what I can be if I have to be." But that would be so self-serving. Rather he says then put on display my authority which might elevate me in some people's eyes and move me from being unapproved to being approved, rather than putting on some display that's going to cause me to be approved, I would rather pray to God that you do no wrong. He didn't care whether in the eyes of those people he was approved or not approved. He didn't care what the world thought. You remember back in 1 Corinthians 4 he said, "It's a small thing to me what men say about me." I don't care what men say about me. I don't care what people think about me. I only care what the Lord says about me. Their godliness and their obedience if it came about would preclude, would eliminate any necessity of Paul using his authority through discipline. And he might...he might appear to be just as weak as they always thought he was because there would be no need to exercise authority.
But like a loving father, and any loving father understands this. I understand this and I'm sure you do as a father, I would rather that my children obey than that I would have to put on a display of authority and discipline, wouldn't you? That's a very painful thing to do. That's why back in chapter 2 Paul says, "I don't even want to come. If you're going to be sinful I don't want to come, it's too sad, it's too sorrowful, it's too painful." He said, "I wrote and confronted your sins, chapter 2 verse 4, in anguish of heart and tears." It hurt him just to confront their sin in a letter, to say nothing of having to go physically, personally and discipline them. You know as a father you...you've given that line to your son, "This hurts you more than it does me..." Or that's the other way around, isn't it? "This hurts me more than it hurts you." If you're a loving father, that's how you feel about it. If you really care about your son, it hurts you to discipline. It's a painful thing. If you care about your daughter, it hurts you to discipline, it's a painful thing. And you wish that your child had never needed that discipline because the child was obedient. That's where Paul is. I don't...I don't need to put my authority on display, he's saying, I don't need to make a demonstration of authority for the sake of my own reputation. I would far rather you be godly. I don't care if the outside people think I'm weak if you're virtuous.
So that's what he prayed for. "We pray to God that you do no wrong." Nothing would make Paul happier than to show up and the church would be pure and he would have nothing to confront. That would fulfill his desire to the...to the pinnacle.
In Philippians 1 you get the idea of the same thing. Paul prays for the Philippians that your love may abound more and more in real knowledge and discernment. Verse 10, so that you may approve things that are excellent in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ, having been filled with the fruit of righteousness. That's what he was after....righteousness, goodness, blamelessness, virtue, godliness, holiness. And he says this is what I want, "Not that we ourselves may appear approved." I don't need to prove my authority by punishing you, I'd rather not need to punish you. I just want you to do what is right even we should appear unapproved.
I suppose you could take that over into the parental area. Sometimes you see a father, let's say, disciplining a child and you say, "Wow, he's firm. He's tough. He's strong. Boy, that's strong discipline," as he whacks the kid around and speaks to him in a firm and strong confrontive voice. And you might conclude there's a strong person. On the other hand, you might see a father who never puts on that kind of display at all, and you might conclude that that is a weak father. But a better test would be to look at the child. Where the child is obedient, the father may appear weak because he doesn't need to be strong in terms of authoritative discipline. Where the child is disobedient, then he has to take that role upon himself. It's not necessarily any evidence of weakness that you do not see parents disciplining children, it may on the other hand be a great testimony to the wondrous work of God in the heart of the children through the parenting process and the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Paul is saying I don't need to display my...my power in front of you, I would rather see God transform you spiritually through the instruction that I've given you. I want you to do what is right.
You know, even as a parent I think you've got to get over the hump of wanting your children to be obedient because it helps your reputation. You know, there are a lot of parents who...who want their children to be a certain kind of child because it will enhance their reputation, so it's an ego thing. I always cringe a little when I see that bumper sticker that says, "My child is something-or-other, I don't know, I can't read it, something or other at the school or something or other somewhere, student of the year, or whatever it says, student of the week," or...I'm glad for the child to be student of the week, but what does that have to do with your car? In fact, why don't you give honor to whom honor is due, why don't you put a bumper sticker on the rear end of the kid that just says, "I'm student of the week?" I don't understand why somehow, you know, you see this in the Little League baseball and all of that where all of a sudden this kid is out there and what he's doing has very little to do with him and everything to do with his mother and father and who they are in the community or what kind of reputation they want. And the poor little guy is a victim of this drive to be elevated in the eyes of peers on the part of parents. I hope that you're consumed with the spiritual well-being of your children, even if it brings nothing to you, even if it gives you no opportunity to display your power as a parent because of their obedience. I would pray as a parent from the out said that I would only have to discipline my children ever so infrequently, ever so rarely and ideally never because they would be so obedient to the things that they're taught. And so I would rather, like Paul, appear weak than to appear strong because you have disobedient children.
Paul says I just pray for your obedience. I pray that you'll not do what is wrong, but that you'll do what is right.
Paul was content with the way he was perceived by the world. He was content to be perceived as weak and fearful and trembling. He was content, he says in 1 Corinthians 4 some strong, strong language, he says, "We are weak...verse 10...we...we are without honor, we are both hungry and thirsty...verse 11...poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless. We toil working with our own hands. When we are reviled we bless. When we're persecuted we endure. We're slandered, we try to conciliate. We have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things." That was Paul, so selfless. That was all right. If he appeared weak, that's fine as long as his children were strong. And you know something? It's in our weakness that God becomes strong through us. He learned that and wrote about it in 2 Corinthians 12. He was a very, very selfless man, selfless shepherd, like a selfless parent whose true and honest desire is that his children do what is right before God, for the children's sake, not for the sake of the pride of the parent or the reputation of the parent. Godly pastors are like parents, they seek the spiritual obedience of their children even if they may appear weak.
And then in verse 8, Paul says, "For we can do nothing against the truth but only for the truth." What does he mean by that? Well first of all, the truth used twice in the verse, aletheia, refers to the blessed revelation of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ from justification through sanctification to glorification, the whole of God's revelation, the message that comes from God. The Scriptures. If you're obeying the truth we can do nothing against that so we can't put on some big authoritative display, is what he's saying. If you're doing what is right, if you're obeying the truth of God's Word, then I can't come in with some kind of confident confrontive show of authority and punishment. He would do it if he needed to. In the letter that he wrote, the first Corinthian letter, he really went after the man who was having an affair with his father's wife in 1 Corinthians 5 and told the church to throw him out. And when he wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:20 he talked about Hymenaeus and Alexander whom he himself had punished and put out of the church and turned over to Satan, he says. I mean, if needed he could act. But if they were all obedient and they were all living the truth of the Word of God, then he could do nothing. By nothing he simply means there would be no display of authority. There would be no discipline, no punishment.
But on the other hand, he could act for the truth, in behalf of the truth. In other words, to rejoice in it being honored by the Corinthians. That was his passion. The desire of his heart was to come and find his people obedient so that he would not have to go against them but could line up alongside of them. And together they would be for the truth and he would gladly appear weak if his children were strong. Verse 9, "For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak, but you are strong."
Paul had learned that in weakness he became strong. Back in chapter 12 verse 9 he said, "I boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me." At the end of verse 10, "When I am weak I am strong." He had learned that when he set pride aside and became humble and accepted weakness and had disdain for his human abilities, that he became an instrument of great power in the hands of God. He didn't need to gain some...some strength, some human reputation. He needed rather to be weak. He had learned that weakness is the path to power. So he says we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you're strong. I'm happy to appear weak to the world if you're strong. And the fact is if they were strong that would be a verification of his true apostleship because he was the source of the truth that made them strong.
As a father, which would you choose, father? Would you rather appear to the people around you as a strong, domineering, disciplining, punishing parent because you had an unruly kid and you can display your prowess? Or would you rather appear weak because you never display those things due to the fact that you have an obedient child? Why you'd far rather appear weak, wouldn't you? It's an apparent weakness, not a true one. It's an appearance of weakness. That's what he says. He doesn't say he is unapproved at the end of verse 7, he says he appears that way...he appears that way. You would rather appear docile, quiet, tranquil with an easy peaceful relationship with your children because they're obedient, than to display your strength in the midst of their disobedience which, of course, is painful for you. So that's the heart of Paul. I just want you to be strong. Strong is a synonym here for obedient.
The second thing he prays for is their integrity. And this really reaches the pinnacle. We go through repentance and discipline and authority and authenticity and obedience, and now we come to integrity. Repentance is grappling with sin, turning from sin. Discipline is the process that moves someone into virtue. And authority, they come under the Word of God, there's a reality check at authenticity. Then you come to the place of a pattern of obedience that leads to integrity.
Look at verse 9. Here's the second thing he prays for, the first one was in verse 7, obedience. The second one here, "This we also pray for that you be made complete." Now there are a lot of different words I thought about, but I really think integrity grips the issue here. Let me tell you why. It comes from a mathematical term, integer which means one. An integer is one. That's a whole, that's a unit, that's an undivided element, or reality. And he's saying, "I just want you to be whole." We hear a lot about wholeness today, holistic, wholeness. It is that idea but it's the Greek word katartizo. The verb basically means to put in place, or to put in order. And its usage really fills up its meaning, it was used to refer to restoring something that was broken. For example, reducing a fracture, taking something that was broken, doing the reduction necessary to put it back together. It was used of something that was out of joint, whether it was a dislocation, talking about anatomically, where there was a dislocation, the something was placed back into location, it was katartizo, it was put back in its appropriate place. It was used also of reconciling people where there was some kind of breach, or some kind of dislocation in relationships and people were reconciled. It means to put back into wholeness, to bring into wholeness. And that is what integrity is. Integrity is wholeness. That's why the word comes from integer which means one. It's when everything in your life connects. It's when your thoughts and your words, your belief system and your actions all are in perfect harmony. It's the absence of hypocrisy. It's the absence of double-mindedness. It's the absence of being two-faced, or duplicitous, or speaking out of both sides of your mouth. It is that wholeness, that honesty that can be defined only as one where everything comes together. What you believe, what you think, what you say, and what you do are all perfectly in harmony and accord. Nothing is inconsistent. Nothing is out of sync.
I mean, you understand this from the negative standpoint. Somebody presents to you a certain face, they show you a certain kind of quote/unquote Christian testimony or Christian life and you watch it for a while and then they do something that is...or say something that is completely out of sync, dislocated from everything that they have affirmed to believe and be. And you say to yourself, "That's utterly inconsistent with what they say. That's not consistent." That's the lack of integrity. Anytime you breach that wholeness of what you believe, what you think, what you say and what you are, that is a lack of integrity.
Now the perfect picture of integrity, who is the singular perfect picture of integrity? Jesus Christ in whom there was no sin, in whom there was perfect harmony among all elements of His being, what He believed, what He thought, what He said, what He did never varied from perfect integration. They were always absolutely consistent. So that the goal of integrity is to become like Christ, and that's...that's what Paul wanted for his people, that's what any father wants for his children. You pray for their obedience, and then you pray for their integrity. You pray for their wholeness.
Colossians 1:28 Paul says, and here's a summary of his view of ministry, "We proclaim Him...meaning Christ...admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom that we may present every man complete, or perfect, or whole in Christ. It's for this purpose...verse 29 says...that I labor, striving according to His power which mightily works within me." Everything I do I do because I want this man to come to wholeness. In Galatians 4:19 he said, "I'm in pain, I'm agonizing until Christ is fully formed in you." That's the same idea. I want to see you like Christ. I want that wholeness there. In Colossians again, the end of Colossians is a comment about Epaphras who was a member of the Colossian church and known to Paul, worked with Paul. He says that Epaphras, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, Colossians 4:12, "Sends you his greetings always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers." And what's he praying for? "That you would stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God, that you would come to a full confidence of real integrity." He's praying for your fullness, your wholeness, your integrity.
I mean, that's the bottom line. In the end that's what we desire. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians 3:10. He said, "Night and day we keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face and complete what is lacking." Whatever is out of location, whatever is broken, whatever is disconnected. We had a Swedish preacher here a number of years ago named Teddy Donabaur[??] and he was trying to illustrate integrity. And I thought it was a helpful illustration. He said, integrity is like making bread. Now he didn't know how to make bread, he admitted, and I don't know how to make bread either, so I'm just going to pass on perhaps his ignorance. But I'm going to make a run at this. If you took a pan and you wanted to make bread, and you put flour in there, just dumped it in and just dumped in some water and dumped in some what....salt, sugar, I don't know, yeast, whatever else. And you just took it and stuck it in the oven and baked it for a while, what you got wouldn't be bread. The key to making bread is to mix it, that's the very most important step. And it doesn't become bread until every ingredient touches every other ingredient. That's in the spiritual sense when your life really becomes bread, when everything connects, when what you believe and what you think and what you say and what you do all connect. That's integrity. And I don't know about you but certainly as a father, that is my passion for my children. Not simply a pattern of obedience, but moving in that pattern of obedience toward that spiritual wholeness in which every feature of their life is touched by the truth of God's Word. Right? How they view their personal life, how they view their public life, their private life, how they view their work, how they view their marriage, their parenting, the connection they make with their neighbors, with colleagues. How they view recreation, how they view their money. Everything in life connects, nothing is disconnected, that's katartizo. And as a father, your greatest joy in your children is to see that integrity coming together. You can work on obedience when they're young and you can work on obedience very hard and you can gain that obedience. What's really wonderful is when they transfer that obedience out of the category of love and fear toward a parent, to love and fear toward God. And then when they're consumed with the heart desire to be like Christ and move toward that level of integrity. Everything consistent.
Well the consummate goal then for the pastor is not unlike the consummate goal for the parent. He wants to see his children dealing with sin in their life. He wants them to understand the need for discipline and authority. He wants them to be genuine and authentic. He wants them to be obedient. And he wants them to develop real integrity.
Psalm 15, by the way, is a good thing to study for that because Psalm 15 sums up integrity in all its categories. Let me just read it to you, just portions of it. Psalm 15 asks the question, "Who may abide in Thy tent? Who's going to come before the Lord? Who's going to dwell on Thy holy hill? He who walks with integrity." What does that mean? "Well he works righteousness and he speaks truth in his heart." Starts in his heart. "He doesn't slander with his tongue, he doesn't do evil to his neighbor. He doesn't take up a reproach against his friend. In his eyes a reprobate is despised." In other words, he hates what should be hated. "He honors those who fear the Lord. He swears to his own hurt, that is he will harm himself to help another and doesn't change. He doesn't put out his money at usury." In other words, exorbitant interest rates, taking advantage of people in need. Doesn't take a bribe against the innocent, etc., etc. In other words, integrity starts with the heart and it starts inside with righteousness in the heart and it works its way out the mouth and all the way out of the life. That's the kind of person who has real integrity.
That was Daniel. He couldn't be broken. He had so much integrity. When I wrote the book on integrity some year or so ago, Daniel was the main character because of the manifest integrity of his life in which everything in his belief system affected everything in his life and there was never any dislocation.
Well, Paul concludes then this letter, really the main body of the letter, with one sentence. Verse 10, and this is a one-sentence summary of the epistle, one-sentence summary. "For this reason I am writing these things," these things means the whole 13 chapters, "For this reason I'm writing these things while absent," you remember now, he's not there with them, "I'm writing while absent in order that when present," and he's coming, he says that in chapter 12 verse 14, chapter 13 verse 1, he's coming for a third time, "that when present I may not use severity." The word "severity" is sharpness, a sword. "I'm writing these things while I'm absent in order that when I am present I may not use severity." I really don't want to come there and have to take out a sword, I really am writing these things now so that you can get things in order so that when I get there I don't have to use severity, "And that in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up. I would rather come and take the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and use it rather than tearing down." He will tear down. And by the way, that's another warning just thrown in there at the end. If I have to tear down I will, the word is destroy in the Greek. "But the authority which the Lord gave me He gave me for building up." That's why He gave it to me. He gave me the authority He gave me to edify, to strengthen, to build you up. I really don't want to come and destroy. I don't want to come and tear down, so that's why I'm writing. I'm writing these things while I'm absent so that when I come there I won't have to use severity because you will have already dealt with these issues and then I can just take the authority the Lord has given me through the truth of His Word and I can use it to build you up and I won't have to spend my time tearing down the false things that have been erected.
Better...better a letter, he says. Better to be rebuked in this letter so that in my third visit it can be different than the second visit which was so sad and so painful. So he's finally pleading, "Please, folks, please deal with these issues so when I come it can be a time of building up."
Well verses 11 to 14 we'll save for another time, he just sums it up and we can just read it and go, but there's too much in there so I'm going to give a message on it. But before we...before we leave, listen to this. Did they? What's the end of the story? Don't leave me here, I've been here three years. How does the deal end? Did they listen? Did they respond? Did they clean up their church? Did they deal with the false teachers? Did they welcome him when he came? Did he come?
Yes he came. It's recorded in Acts 20 verses 2 and 3. He came on the third visit. And there's no specific statement made anywhere in the New Testament that says this is how the Corinthians acted when he got there. We don't have that explicit a statement. But there are some evidences that when he got there it was a positive meeting. There's some evidences that the church read this letter, responded to this letter, and turned back to Paul totally so that his third visit was joyful and that it was a time for building up which was his passion, not having to tear down.
How do we know that? I'll give you four reasons. Reason number one, during his third visit, as I said recorded in Acts 20 verses 2 and 3, he was there three months...three months. Three months probably would have been too short a time to deal with issues that had been extremely serious, it was just long enough for some sweet fellowship. But during those three months he wrote the book of Romans so that the book of Romans becomes a window on Paul's attitudes while he's at Corinth during the third visit. Perhaps it was the winter of 56 or early into the year 57 A.D. and it was there in Corinth that he wrote Romans. Romans contains some personal notes, as you well know, in chapter 15 and 16 . But there are no concerns expressed by Paul for his present condition. No negative concerns are expressed at all which leads us to believe that he was in a very happy and joyful and satisfying time in Corinth. He makes no reference to anything negative whatsoever. Knowing his passion for that church, he would have been hard pressed not to have expressed some serious issue.
Secondly, in Romans when Paul was writing from Corinth, chapter 15 and verse 24, Paul says to the Romans, "Here's my plan. I'm writing you because I want to go to Spain and I want to see you in passing and be helped on my way there by you." In other words, here was his plan. He wanted to take the gospel to Spain. He's in Corinth, that's in Macedonia, west of Macedonia is Italy and Rome, further west, of course, is Spain as far as you can go on the continent of Europe. He wanted to get the gospel to Spain and his plan was...I'm going to come to Rome and I want you to outfit me, I want you to help me, give me the resources I need to outfit me to go with the gospel to Spain.
Now he was seen to be in a very hurry to do that and it's very unlikely that he would have had a brief stay like this in Corinth in a hurry, getting on to Rome to get on to Spain if he had some serious issues to deal with in the Corinthian church. If that Corinthian church was not in order, it's unlikely that Paul would have been in a hurry to leave he had invested so much in that church. But the very fact that he was really in his spirit on the move when he wrote Romans is indicative of the fact that things were well in Corinth.
Thirdly, in Romans also chapter 15 verses 26 and 27 it says, and this is a very important note, "Macedonia and Achaia," remember Corinth was in Macedonia. Macedonia was the southern...was the province of Greece as we know it and Achaia as well. "Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. Yes, they were pleased to do so." Now that indicates that the Corinthians finished giving their money for the poor saints in Jerusalem. Remember in chapters 8 and 9 Paul was trying to get them to finish the collection of money to take to the poor saints in Jerusalem? Well, here he says when writing the Romans from Corinth on his third visit that they were pleased to make a contribution. He says they were pleased in verse 26, he says they were pleased in verse 27. Indication that there was a very pleasing relationship between Paul and the people. The people in Jerusalem, he says in verse 27, are indebted to them because they have shared with them in this way. "Therefore when I have finished this, verse 28, and put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain and I know...look at verse 29...when I come I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ." I think he was just engulfed in blessing. They...they responded in every way, I believe. They responded to the offering, to the poor saints. They embraced Paul. He sat down with a clear mind and a deep, deep devotion to the gospel and penned this massive glorious tome, the book of Romans, while he was there. I think the environment was as...was as good as we could have imagined it would be. And the fact that they would give their money to the poor saints and to Paul who was the man collecting the offering indicates their attitude toward him.
Finally and fourthly, the acceptance of this letter by the Corinthian church and its inclusion in the New Testament is indicative of the fact that they responded appropriately. If they had received the letter and rejected it, it would have been hard to have them accept it as the Word of the living God. They would have then been rejecting God. But when they did receive it, they were affirming that it was the Word of God. It found its way thereby into the New Testament canon. Its very introduction into the canon of Scripture, its acceptance as the Word of God certainly indicates a good response. And furthermore, because it was the Word of God, had the Corinthians not responded well, probably everybody else in the churches of the ancient world would have severely ganged up on them at that point.
It is an indication, I think, of the fact that the Word of God is powerful and it accomplishes its purpose, Isaiah 55, it doesn't return void, it accomplishes the purpose God desires it to accomplish. And I believe it did in that church in Corinth. And, beloved, I hope this letter has accomplished a great deal in our church as well. Amen? Amen.
Father, thank You for Your gift to us in the treasure of the truth of Scripture. What a joy to work through this text this morning, and even though it's practical and straightforward and simple and yet it bears upon our hearts a great weight because we are responsible to pursue obedience and integrity. Help us as pastors to be concerned about those things and to help us as people to be concerned about them in our lives. Help us as parents to be concerned about them in our children. We bless You for this great, great gift of truth in a world that has turned its back on truth. We thank You for Your true Word. In Jesus name. Amen.


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· Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia have their own state standards for physical education.
· About 30 percent of states do not mandate physical education for elementary and middle school students.
· Almost one-fourth of states (24 percent or 12) allow required physical education credits to be earned through online physical education courses.
· Forty-three percent of states (22) require physical education grades to be included in a student's grade point average (GPA).
· Sixteen states have a required comprehensive assessment test for graduation, but none include physical education.
· Thirty-six states have an educational report card that rates specific subject areas individually, but only three of those states (California, Hawaii, Kentucky) include physical education on their state report card.
· Three states – Arkansas, California and Illinois – require schools to measure body mass index (BMI) for each student.
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Place Category: Parks and Playgrounds
n 1840, W.W. MacFarland built his estate on this land and named it Arrochar for the hills of his Scottish hometown. The original MacFarland Estate extended beyond Arrochar Playground to what is now the St. Joseph Hill Academy.
Taking its name from MacFarland's estate, this neighborhood was called Arrochar Park at the turn of the century. It served as a seaside gateway to the popular resort areas of South and Midland Beaches. In 1914 the local Chamber of Commerce advertised Arrochar as "the Riviera of the harbor." The area was also home to the famous architect Henry Hobson Richardson, who lived at 45 McClean Avenue. Richardson designed his home, and Frederick Law Olmsted, one of the two landscape architects behind Central Park and Prospect Park, was responsible for designing the surrounding landscape. Olmsted himself settled as a farmer in Staten Island in 1849 before moving to Manhattan in 1855. In his application for superintendent of Central Park, he cited his experience in the "direction and superintendence of agricultural laborers" on his Staten Island farm, Woods of Arden.
In 1920, P.S. 39 was built here. In 1945 the Board of Estimate assigned the property to be jointly operated by Parks and the Board of Education. The playground was originally known as P.S. 39 Playground.
Arrochar Playground offers play facilities for a variety of ages and interests. There are handball and basketball courts, a softball field, and play unit. Swings are equipped both for children and toddlers. A sculpture of a sea mammal recalls the waterways that surround the borough. The mature trees that ring the park are London planetrees (Platanus x acerifolia), a species known for its ability to survive in harsh urban environments. The deciduous London planetree is widely planted for its attractive, scaly bark, and its quick growth to heights of 70 to 85 feet. These trees are a hybrid strain of the American sycamore and the Oriental plane tree. The species takes its name from London, England, where the tree was observed to flourish in spite of coal-polluted air.
In 1997, a $75,000 renovation funded by Council Member John A. Fusco added almost all of the features that exist in the playground today. In 1998, he sponsored a $9,263 renovation that refurbished the play equipment and handball courts, and added a cover of rubber safety surfacing. That same year, $1,700 was provided by Mayor Giuliani to renovate the sidewalks and pavement. Today, visitors participate in the life of the playground by providing voluntary care for it. Along with Parks, the playground's primary volunteer caregivers are the girls and boys at P.S. 39.
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Outreach: 2018 Alternative Spring Break
The Pipeline Project is excited to announce that our applications for our 2018 Literacy Arts Alternative Spring Break Program are open! Looking for a meaningful way to spend your spring break? Look no further!
Pipeline recruits a group of UW undergraduates to volunteer on a Literacy Arts project with elementary, middle or high school kids in rural and tribal communities around Washington during spring break.
Outreach: 2017-2018 Student Ambassador Application–NOW OPEN!
Dear Friends of OMAD,
On behalf of the OMAD Multicultural Outreach & Recruitment Office, I am pleased to announce the 2017-2018 Student Ambassador Program is accepting new applications.
Please help us spread the word to your outstanding students interested in making a difference!
What is a Student Ambassador?
Working as part of the Multicultural Outreach & Recruitment team, Student Ambassadors are influential student leaders engaged in creative, empowerment-based activities to encourage high school and middle-school students to pursue higher education.
Leadership/outreach opportunity: Alternative Spring Break
It's time to apply for Alternative Spring Break (ASB) – a chance for UW students to contribute to rural and tribal communities around Washington, have a cross-cultural, immersive exchange, and team-teach and mentor in K-12 settings!
We could not be more excited to advertise our two SCIENCE ASB programs (STEM and Environmental Science), flyers attached, which serve youth ages 10-18.
(If you are interested in Literacy ASB, applications will be out for that Monday Nov 13th!)
By building relationships and providing dynamic curriculum, Science ASB programs cultivate an interest in science, the self-esteem, and the leadership of the K-12 youth we work with.
Event: Indigenous Feminisms Speaker Series
The third installment of our Indigenous Feminisms speaker series is happening next Friday, October 20th at the Intellectual House.
The theme is a Loving Rebellion and both speakers will be discussing issues of violence against women, particularly indigenous women, and their research and grassroots work to bring this topic to light. Please join us and invite your students, faculty, and staff.
Help Make the IMA More Inclusive – UW Recreation Job Opportunity
UW Recreation is looking for a student employee to work on a renovation project to make the IMA more inclusive and welcoming to campus community members, regardless of gender. Below are the details of the position, which would start as soon as possible.
Inclusive Locker Room & Pool Renovation Project Student Employee
The project: Inclusive Locker Room & Pool Renovation Project – Research, create, and present a proposal to renovate existing locker rooms and pool at the IMA to be more inclusive.
Event: Q Center Welcome!
Welcome to a New School Year Everyone!
I hope you've all had a good summer! May this quarter bring you good grades and at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
The Queer Student Commission is one of nine diversity commissions under the ASUW. We bring queer-focused programs, events, and services throughout the year. My name is Josh, and I'm super grateful to be this year's QSC director!
Event: 2nd Annual Calling Home Ceremony
Calling home the spirits of University of Washington student, staff, faculty, and alumni veterans of all generations.
There are over 1,800 current student veterans across our three campuses who currently call the University of Washington home, in addition to the countless alumni who have served. For many who came to UW after military service, campus was not always a welcoming place to be a veteran.
Event: Dawg Daze with the Q Center
Open House/Info Sessions @ the Q Center (HUB 315)
The Q Center is hosting a series of open house sessions where we will discuss a variety of resources for LGBTQ+ community members followed by games and mingling. The sessions occur over two days, twice per day, and guests can show up to any of the sessions to receive similar information.
Tuesday, September 26th
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (first session)
2:00 – 3:00 PM (second session)
Social from 3:00 – 5:00 PM
Wednesday, September 27th
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (first session)
2:00 – 3:00 PM (second session)
Social from 3:00 – 5:00 PM
14th Annual Welcome Luncheon @ wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ Intellectual House (4249 Whitman Court)
~ Featuring Nikkita Oliver as keynote
Friday, September 29th
Join us for our largest event of the year featuring fabulous speakers, free lunch, networking, and a fancy photobooth!
Perform at the UW's 15th Annual Drag Show!
It is my great pleasure to introduce the 2017 QSC Drag Show! This year, we have an exciting new location in the HUB North Ballroom and on May 26th from 7:30-9:30, YOU could be performing!
This year, we are looking for drag performers of any skill, style, or sort who want to get involved. Newer to drag? Check out our offerings of Drag Education Events!
Qolors Event: Intentional Life Planning Retreat for Students
As part of the Q Center's Qolors celebration we are hosting a day long Intentional Life Planning Retreat for students: https://intentionallifeplanningstudentsuccess2017.eventbrite.com/. This is a great opportunity for marginalized students to get grounded personally and professionally in your own inner compasses, to find clarity in
your direction, and build achievable goals that speak to your values.
The Q Center is offering their space and is sponsoring up to 8 students.


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It looks like Italy has been knocked off the PCH Superpower throne by the UK, according to the results of yesterday's Choose Your Eternity poll. That means that PCH SuperGigaPower France awaits the chance to take on its historical PCH rival from across the Channel. But first, let's see how Britain fares against a rival that, though falling somewhat short of true PCH Superpower status due to the stubborn reliability of so many of its vehicles, still puts forward some strong Hell Project competition. And, just to make things interesting, let's get our contestants from Canada, where an iron atom never found an oxygen atom it didn't want to establish a caring, lifelong relationship with. We can thank HoserDave for these tips, and of course a Project Car Hell Tipster T-shirt will soon be thrown into a dogsled and mushed all the way up to his igloo.
We had a Triumph GT6 just last week, but somehow that wasn't enough British Leyland Hell! Plus it sat for 23 years, which may have been just a little too challenging. So how about a GT6 that's only been sitting for 20 years? For a mere $2,000 (Canadian), this 1972 Triumph GT6 (which its seller describes as a "Good project car right out of Austin Powers the spy who shagged me") could fill your garage with
dashed hopes and crushed dreams of roaring about town in your very own six-cylinder British sports car. The seller claims the body is in good shape, but there's some scary-looking damage around the windshield frame. The "Engine rebuilt before storing in 1988 long story," and we're betting that long story has plenty of twists and turns and confusing epilogues. Would it be sacrilege to suggest dropping a 2JZ-GTE in this thing?
Call it a Volkswagen, call it a Porsche, but a 914 by any name has great mid-engined hoonage potential. You can keep things all Porsche in the engine compartment, maybe even make it a homegrown 914-6, or you can stuff a wild Subaru boxer in there for some oversteeringly dangerous fun. The great thing about the 914 is that you won't have a posse of Porsche purists ready to string you up if you feel like, say, making a 914amino out of one. So head on up to London (no, the other London), where $2,500 Canadian dollars will buy you this 1973 Porsche 914. The seller states "project car lost interest," but you know you won't lose interest, right? Especially not with "all parts are here for it some new still in the package" and "new floors welded in already." Maybe it's just a matter of bolting on all the parts and roaring away! Or maybe not... actually, almost certainly not.


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Get more out of the same workouts you're already doing
Incorporating a balance ball into your workouts is one of the best ways to engage your core and take your fitness routine up a notch. But if you don't know what you're doing, it's easy to injure yourself or waste your time. Plus, who wants to be seen flailing around and falling in a class the first time you try it?
This peanut-shaped balance ball is the perfect learning tool, because it lets you get an intense full body workout no matter what your skill level. It comes with a DVD that's packed with toning, strength training, and ab workouts, so there's no guesswork involved. And it'll teach you proper form, so you can practice at home and make your debut at the gym once you're already a pro.
You can buy the kit here. As a first time Joyus customer, you'll get 10% off your order plus free shipping on orders over $50 with the promo code STYLELIST10. (If you're a returning customer, you'll automatically get free shipping on orders over $50). Why not use the discount to pick out a cute workout outfit, too?


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Christianity and the Material World
"And he said to them, 'Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions'" (Luke 12:15). The story Jesus told of the rich man (vv. 10–21 …Read More
Greed & Liberality
My guess is that you can't guess who the fastest growing debtors in America are. According to the Wall Street Journal (1/19/07, W2), it's the super rich — not to be confused with the obscenely rich. The …Read More


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Image for Illustration purposes only. Actual product may vary
- Brand: Gates Rubber
- Model: 7762-2507
- Condition: NEW
Gates 7762-2507 T10-400-100
- Typically ships in: 1 day
- Weight: 0.8 lb
Additional Description
|Category Name Description
| Endless urethane construction provides higher strength as compared to welded urethane belts, making them well-suited for use in power transmission and high-performance positioning applications.
|Features Advantages
| Abrasion, chemical, and wear resistant for extended life.
Steel tensile cord for length stability.
Temperature ranges from -22°F to +176°F (-30°C to +80°C).
| Synchro-Power metric pitch timing belts are ideal for use in office machines, machine tools, postage equipment, sewing machines, vending machines, agriculture, outdoor power equipment, wood and paper, sand/gravel operations, oil fields, food processing and HVAC.
|Number of Teeth
| 40
|Pitch Length (mm)
| 400
|Recommended Sprockets
| Contact the Gates Made-To-Order Metals Team.
|Standard Pack
| 1
|Weight (Lbs.)
| .8
In order to be eligible for a return, product to be returned must be at least $150 US. Items must be unused and unmounted, in resalable condition. Return authorization must be requested, no credit or exchanges will be granted if items are shipped back without return authorization or if items are not in resalable condition. Re-stocking fee is $60 US flat, cannot be voided if placing an off-setting order. Made To Order items are Non-Returnable and Non-Cancellable.


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Are you looking for the best Medigap insurance in Henry, NE? We can help you find affordable and quality Medicare Supplemental Insurance in Nebraska. You can either call 888-602-5343 or enter your Zip Code above and fill out the form. We will help you find the best Henry, NE Medigap insurance options.Buying Medigap, or Medicare Supplemental Insurance, is the key for many people over age 65 to be able to afford to use their Medicare coverage. Medigap is a separate policy that is sold by private insurance carriers that adhere to Nebraska laws.
For the most part, Medigap covers co-insurance, co-payments, and even includes medical coverage if faced with an emergency when traveling outside of the United States. Older Medigap plans also covered deductibles, though those were mostly phased out in 2010. Medigap covers costs seen in Medicare Part A and Part B Plans. Medicare Advantage plans are also available though not in conjunction with Medigap benefits. Likewise, be aware that it is illegal to sell a Medigap holder Medicare Savings plans.
The reason people in Henry, NE buy Medigap is to cover where an individual's money will fall short. Buying a Medigap policy will require monthly premiums in addition to Part A and Part B Plan premiums. Though, the fact is that there are still ways to save on Medigap coverage.
For one, apply for policies while in the first 6 months of your Medicare Part and Part B plan policies. During this period, guarantee issuance is extended to anyone over the age of 65 within the first six months. It means that there are no denials or increases in premiums because of pre-existing conditions, based upon past medical history, or current medical problems that spring up.
If an individual waits they may pay higher rates and fees for extending past the deadline. It is better to shop around and compare quotes and do so during the open enrollment period. The majority of Medigap plans are standard and demarcated by letters A through N. Each plan covers benefits but have added benefits. For instance, part D covers prescriptions.
That means that while cheap Medicare Supplemental Insurance plans A through G charge higher premiums, costs that are out-of-pocket are not as expensive as for Plan K through Plan N. Those carry lower premiums and like benefits but at the trade-off of costing more at the time of service.
Employer Retiree Benefits
The next way to save money beyond following the open enrollment dates is to find out if a former or present employer has a Medigap policy of its own. In general, these will be less costly than an individual policy that you buy on your own. Though, the warning and word to the wise is to carefully consider if the company is financially stable or not.
Determining Eligibility
Whenever purchasing many types of Medicare plans, you actually cancel the old policy before instating the new policy. That is not the case where Medicare A and B are concerned. The reason, recall, is that discount Medigap insurance is meant to fill the gaps of conventional original Medicare policies.
It requires still being covered under Medicare. The other benefit is to know when shopping around that the policies are the same whether you buy with Humana or Aetna or BlueCross BlueShield, for instance.
What is worth looking at is the reputation of the health insurance company, the quality of the coverage they offer, and the credit worthiness rating of the insurance company. The reason to look at the credit worthiness of the company offering up the insurance is to ensure that they are likely to have the money to pay out benefits and claims as agreed in the policy paperwork.
In addition to looking for insurance carriers that have an A or greater rating in the creditworthiness area, it is important to find out about the customer service and the customer satisfaction ratings of the companies you are comparing as well. It pays to have the company that pays claims within a timely manner, without a heroic effort on your part or the part of your doctors.
Otherwise, you will spend time having to contact the Nebraska insurance department or commissioner to file official complaints to get the claims paid within the acceptable two-month window. All of the Plan C Medigap coverage will be the same as that same plan from another insurer. Look at service quality and price. Look at comparing insurance company offerings to locate a cheap medicare supplement insurance plan in Henry, NE .
You will also need to look for separate prescription drug coverage, which is designated by Medicare Part D. This will add in an additional premium in addition to other costs. The key is that the majority of people who qualify for cheap medicare supplemental insurance are 65 and older, and look for their Medigap during open enrollment.
In addition , the other requirements stipulate Medicare Part B and Part A participants are eligible. Once you choose a inexpensive Medicare Supplement insurance policy it is as if it is written in stone and can not be altered.
To be eligible for cheap Medicare Supplemental insurance plans in Henry, NE apply for coverage offered by insurers within your state. All policies are available in each state, though most states will have one single policy available for Medicaid plan holders.
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State water cops approved rules Wednesday that will result in higher costs for thousands of San Joaquin County farmers, with the goal of reducing polluted runoff draining into already degraded streams.
State water cops approved rules Wednesday that will result in higher costs for thousands of San Joaquin County farmers, with the goal of reducing polluted runoff draining into already degraded streams.
The unanimous vote by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board formalizes what have been described as the most significant new rules many farmers will have ever seen.
The rules allow farmers to join coalitions instead of being individually regulated - an alternative that would likely have been more expensive.
The coalitions monitor rivers and streams for pollution hot spots, hold educational events and work with growers who must file plans to reduce their impact on the environment.
Most of the debate Wednesday, however, focused on what farmers have called the "tattletale" provision of the new rules, which in certain cases would require the farmers running the local coalition to essentially report their own peers to the state for failing to comply.
The state should come up with that information itself by comparing membership lists, critics said.
"We don't want to be seen as the enforcer at all," dairyman Jack Hamm told the board Wednesday. "It's very important that we're not seen as turning in our neighbors."
State officials said they would be the ones taking punitive action, if necessary - not the coalition itself. The coalition would merely be providing the information about which growers are following the rules.
But the matter is complicated by the fact that the coalition is run by the San Joaquin County Resource Conservation District, which works closely with growers on soil and water conservation projects, and views itself as a nonthreatening third party.
Requiring the district to report noncompliant farmers could "cripple" the district's broader efforts, the district's John Brodie told the board.
Water board members did soften that provision at Wednesday's meeting, giving the coalition clearer terms upon which a grower would need to be reported to the state.
"It's better," said Jennifer Spaletta, an attorney representing the coalition. "It adds clarity."
But other reporting requirements remain. Brodie said afterward that he was still concerned, and said the conservation district board later this month will discuss whether it can continue to lead the coalition. Overall, the new rules have been difficult for farmers to grasp because they've simply never faced such requirements before, Spaletta told board members. The federal Clean Water Act exempted agriculture more than 40 years ago, and only recently were farmers first regulated under state law.
The new rules are expected to raise farmers' fees from $3 to anywhere from $5 to $10 an acre, the coalition says. The rules cover an estimated 6,000 farmers spread across 582,000 acres.
"We want to make sure that money is well spent and goes to identifying and solving water quality problems, not to pushing paperwork around," Spaletta said.
Contact reporter Alex Breitler at (209) 546-8295 or email@example.com. Follow him at recordnet.com/breitlerblog and on Twitter @alexbreitler.


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|13!:x New Debug Facilities
initial writing: 2001-11-08
last updated: 2002-09-10
A debug suspension is an immediate execution state with a non-empty execution stack. Another debug suspension is created when a named object (verb, adverb, or conjunction) is invoked in a debug suspension and it too suspends.
Four new verbs are provided. See the dictionary.
The result of 13!:13 is extended to have a column 8, which contains a * if the stack level begins a suspension, and a blank otherwise. In the display produced by 13!:1 and in the result produced by 13!:18 , a line begins with a * if the stack level begins a suspension (other lines begin with a | ).


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Testimony of Commissioner Jo Anne Barnhart
Hearing before the Social Security Subcommittee
House Committee on Ways and Means
May 17, 2005
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee. It gives me great pleasure to be invited here today to testify about how Social Security has developed and evolved over time. Since its inception in 1935, Social Security has developed into one of the most successful domestic program in our nation's history.
Let me begin by telling you about what we do and how we do it. Last year, Social Security paid over $493 billion in monthly cash benefits to over 47 million workers and their families to replace, in part, the loss of income due to retirement, disability, or death. By providing these benefits, Social Security helps ensure economic security for millions of Americans. Social Security is the major source of income for most of the elderly population. In fact, over 90 percent of individuals age 65 and over receive Social Security benefits. About two-thirds of these beneficiaries receive most of their income from Social Security. For over one-fifth of them, Social Security is their only source of income.
As you know, Social Security involves more than paying cash benefits. In this fiscal year, SSA will:
- Process almost 6 million claims for benefits;
- Take applications, secure and evaluate evidence for, and issue 18 million new and replacement Social Security number (SSN) cards;
- Process 267 million earnings items to maintain workers' life-long earnings records;
- Handle approximately 52 million phone calls to our 800-number; and
- Issue 136 million Social Security Statements.
SSA does all this while keeping administrative expenses under 2 percent of total outlays of Social Security and SSI benefits.
You can see that Social Security plays a key role keeping millions of our most vulnerable citizens, the elderly and children, out of poverty. We take very seriously our commitment to giving the American people the service they deserve; improving program integrity through sound financial stewardship, ensuring the program's solvency for future generations, and maintaining the quality of staff the Agency needs to provide a high level of service and stewardship. Now I would like to provide some background as to how Social Security began and how it has continued to develop and evolve over time.
The Creation of Social Security
The Social Security Act of 1935 was a response to the economic crisis resulting from the Great Depression. At the height of the Great Depression, many older Americans were living in poverty. The Committee on Economic Security was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt to confront the crisis. The Committee recommended that the federal government create a national system of unemployment and old-age benefits. Acting on those recommendations, and behind the driving force of President Roosevelt, Congress enacted the Social Security Act, which was signed into law on August 14, 1935.
The Act established a federal social insurance program for the aged financed through payroll taxes paid by employees and their employers (two percent on the first $3,000 in earnings divided equally between employee and employer). The financing was based on the concept of "pay-as-you-go" or PAYGO. Under the PAYGO system, Social Security contributions of current workers fund the Social Security benefits of current beneficiaries. Congress selected this method of financing because of the great number of older Americans who were living in poverty at the time of the Great Depression. With the severity of the economic situation at the time, and because most of them would not have been able to find employment and then contribute to the system long enough to be eligible for benefits, Congress decided that this generation of older persons should receive Social Security benefits, despite not having contributed to the system. Thus, most of the first generation of Social Security recipients contributed either very little or not at all to Social Security.
The original old-age insurance system created by Title II of the Act provided retirement benefits to insured worker at age 65. The benefit was based on total wages, but a weighted formula was used to provide a greater return on payroll taxes paid in to low-wage earners. At that time, no benefits were provided for spouses and children. If a worker attained age 65 but was ineligible for benefits or died before reaching the age of 65, Social Security provided a lump sum payment to the worker or his/her estate. Collection of payroll taxes began in 1937 and benefit payments were scheduled to commence in 1942. This provided time to build up the Social Security Trust Fund. Any surplus funds collected were to be invested in U.S. government securities.
The Amendments
1930s/1940s: Family Protections Added
In 1939, Congress amended the Social Security program to shift its focus from protection of the individual worker to protection of the family. The new legislation provided benefits to aged wives/widows, young children of a retired or deceased worker, young widows caring for a child, and dependent parents of a retired or deceased worker.
In addition, in response to public pressure, the amendments allowed initial benefits to be paid beginning in 1940 instead of 1942, as originally scheduled.
Following the implementation of the 1939 amendments, the system remained essentially unchanged throughout the 1940s.
1950s: Expansion of the Program
The 1950 amendments made substantial changes to the scope of the program. This legislation broadened the program to cover many jobs that previously had been excluded, such as farm and domestic workers and, on a voluntary basis, State and local government employees not under a pension plan. This legislation also greatly increased benefit levels. Wage credits were also provided to those in military service. To finance these improvements, the amendments created a revised schedule for gradually increasing tax rates for employers, employees and the self-employed and increased the contribution and benefit base (the maximum amount of earnings subject to payroll tax and used in benefit computations).
Four years later, in 1954, another expansion in worker coverage took place. Social Security coverage was extended to farm self-employed workers and to professional self-employed workers (except lawyers, doctors, dentists and other medical groups). In addition, coverage was extended to State and local government employees covered under a pension plan (except firemen and policemen), on a voluntary basis.
By the mid-1950s, 20 years after the enactment of Social Security, almost 90 percent of workers were given protection under the program. In addition to this expansion, the 1954 amendments increased benefit levels and raised the contribution and benefit base.
In the early 1950s there was a growing recognition that the dangers of economic insecurity due to disability needed to be addressed. As a result, the 1954 amendments began the process of protecting workers from income loss due to disability. Congress enacted a disability "freeze" provision on a disabled worker's earnings record. While no cash benefits were payable under the provision, workers who were permanently disabled and met the insured status test at the time they became disabled could have their Social Security eligibility preserved by excluding periods of disability when computing subsequent retirement or survivors' benefits. This provision prevented loss of retirement and survivors' benefits due to disability.
Social Security disability cash benefits were authorized under the amendments of 1956. The program established a cash program beginning in 1957 for totally disabled workers between the ages of 50-65. The program established the Disability Insurance (DI) trust fund and was financed by an increase in the employee/employer payroll tax.
The amendments also provided benefits to a dependent child, over the age of 18, of a retired or deceased worker if the child became disabled before the age of 18. In addition, benefits to female workers and wives were made available at age 62 instead of age 65, but at a reduced level to take into account the longer collection period. At age 62, widows and dependent parents could receive benefits at an unreduced rate. In 1958, the program extended benefits to spouses and children of disabled workers.
1960s: Disability Program Expanded & Medicare Began
By the mid-sixties, the OASDI program was essentially the program that exists today. Coverage was nearly universal so that almost all individuals retiring in the years following would be eligible for benefits. Two amendments were passed in the early 1960s. In 1960, the age requirement for disability, which was originally limited to those who were at least 50, was abandoned. In 1961, all retirees were now allowed to collect reduced benefits at age 62 instead of 65.
Concerned over the cost of health care for the elderly population, Congress passed "Medicare" legislation in 1965. The legislation consisted of two major components. Part A was hospital insurance that provided basic protection against hospital costs and other related care. This portion would be financed by an additional payroll tax on employers, employees and the self-employed. Part B was supplementary medical insurance that provided coverage for physicians' services and other health care. Enrollment in Part B was voluntary and was funded through general revenues and premiums paid by enrollees. Separate trust funds were created for each part of the program. In addition to the Medicare program, the amendments included an increase in benefits and as well as an increase in the earnings base.
Throughout the remainder of the decade, benefit levels continued to increase, as did the earnings base. In addition, in 1967, Social Security began providing monthly cash benefits for disabled widows and disabled dependent widowers; these benefits were available as early as age 50.
1970s/1980s: COLAs Introduced & Long-Term Financing Addressed
Throughout the program's history, Congress has maintained the value of Social Security benefits by periodically enacting across-the-board increases in benefits. However, in 1972, Congress decided to link benefits directly to changes in the Consumer price Index (CPI). The first automatic COLA adjustment took effect in June 1975. Prior to this time, Congress voted for increases in benefits directly. In addition, the legislation increased the contribution and benefit base and provided for automatic adjustments in this ceiling.
Based on economic projections in the mid-1970's, it was then estimated that initial benefits as a percent of pre-retirement earnings (replacement rates) would increase significantly for future retirees. Initial benefits were rising faster than either wages or prices. In 1977, Congress raised the payroll tax rates and increased the contribution and benefit base. Congress also corrected the most serious flaw in the method for computing the initial benefit level. Congress modified the benefit formula in order to provide that, from generation to generation, comparable workers would receive comparable replacement rates. Unfortunately, constant replacement rates for initial benefits become unsustainable when the worker to beneficiary ratio deteriorates. Today, we know that the ratio is about 3 workers for every beneficiary and is expected to fall to unsustainable levels (about 2:1) around 2030.
In the late 1970s and early 1980's, high inflation rates caused a serious and immediate financing crisis for the program. President Ronald Reagan appointed a blue-ribbon panel known as the Greenspan Commission to study the financing issues and recommend legislative changes. As a result of the Commission's findings, Congress made significant changes in the program in April 1983. The major provisions included:
- Gradual increase in the normal retirement age from age 65 to age 66 by 2009 and 67 by 2027
- Expanded coverage to newly hired federal civilian employees and those working in non-profit organizations
- Acceleration of scheduled tax increases for employers and employees
- Permanent increases in self-employment tax rates
- Inclusion of up to half of Social Security benefits in the taxable income of higher income beneficiaries (this money would then be transferred to the Social Security trust funds).
The 1983 amendments were designed to achieve solvency for the 75 year projection period by initially building large Trust Fund reserves which could be used to cover costs in the future. As designed, it was clear that near the end of the 75 year period, the Trust Funds would run cash flow deficits prior to its exhaustion. A sustainable reform of the system requires actuarial balance over the 75 year projection period and stable or rising Trust Fund balances at the end of that period.
1990s and Beyond
While a number of amendments have been legislated since 1983, many of these, such as the Social Security Administrative Reform Act of 1994 that established the Social Security Administration as an independent agency, have impacted more or how Social Security operates as an agency. There have been few programmatic changes. The 1993 amendments made up to 85 percent of Social Security benefits subject to income tax for individuals whose income, plus one-half of their benefits, exceed $34,000 (single) and $44,000 (couple), with the additional revenue credited to the Health Insurance (HI) trust fund. And in April 2000, legislation was enacted to eliminate the retirement earnings test at the full-benefit retirement age, giving today's retirees the opportunity to supplement their incomes and to continue to contribute to society through work, if they choose, without reducing their Social Security benefits.
However, while the actions taken in the 1980's resolved the immediate short-range financing crisis, the issue of long-range solvency arose again in the 1990's. These issues were addressed directly by the bipartisan 1994-96 Advisory Council on Social Security and have been the center of a continuing national debate since then. Throughout this debate, the importance of preserving Social Security for those members of our society who depend upon it -- the elderly, women, minorities, and people with disabilities -- has always been of primary concern to policymakers.
As I stated earlier, Social Security quickly evolved from a program for retired workers to one affording economic protection to the entire family. Over one-third of today's Social Security beneficiaries are not retirees. The program has since developed into one that provides a large measure of economic well-being for millions of Americans. Today, Social Security provides not only retirement benefits but valuable survivorship and disability insurance for workers and their families.
As you well know, the Social Security program is gender and race neutral. We treat individuals with identical earnings histories the same in terms of benefits. However, due to demographic trends, certain groups - like women - benefit from various features of the Social Security program.
These features include a progressive benefit formula, automatic cost-of-living adjustments and guaranteed benefits for dependants and survivors.
Women - who on average live longer, make less money and spend more time out of the workforce raising children than men - find these elements of the program's benefit structure particularly helpful.
Social Security has provided a solid floor of financial protection that has allowed the great majority of Americans to retire with the dignity that comes from financial independence, without fear of poverty or reliance on others for nearly 70 years. In addition, it has developed into the most important program to prevent families from falling into poverty upon the sudden and often unexpected loss of income due to the worker's disability or death.
As my testimony illustrates, the history of the Social Security program is a history of change. And Social Security will need modifications in the future to address the challenges the program is currently facing. Today, the country's demographics are working against us: Baby Boomers are rapidly approaching retirement, families are having fewer children, and people are living longer. As America ages, it will become more and more difficult to pay promised benefits without making changes.
While we are in sound fiscal health in the near term, I believe - as do my fellow Trustees - that the future projected shortfalls should be addressed in a timely manner to allow for a gradual phasing in of the necessary changes. The sooner adjustments are made, the smaller and less abrupt they will have to be.
Payroll taxes coming into Social Security will cover all currently promised benefits until 2017. In that year, Social Security will need to use the interest earned on the bonds to help pay benefits and then begin redeeming the bonds themselves.
These bonds - backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government - will be gone by 2041. Unless changes are made there will only be enough money coming into the system to pay 74% of promised benefits at that time.
Ask yourself how your personal life would be affected if all of a sudden you learned that your salary was being cut by 26 percent. For most Americans this sort of reduction would be difficult - if not impossible - to absorb. For the two-thirds of Americans receiving benefits from Social Security who depend on our checks for the majority of their income, it is a drastic measure that we must avoid. Our parents and grandparents could feel assured about the promise of a secure future. I believe that we have an obligation to ensure that Social Security's safety net is also there for our children and grandchildren.
As a nation, we have a proud history of grappling with difficult issues, and we have done this best when we work together. Social Security is no exception. Since 1935, Congress has legislated changes as necessary to meet the changing needs of the American people and to ensure that the program was adequately funded to provide for these changes. I am confident that we will do so again.
I want to again thank the Chairman for holding today's hearing. As President George W. Bush said,
"This country has many challenges. We will not deny, we will not ignore, we will not pass along our problems to other Congresses, to other presidents, and other generations. We will confront them with focus and clarity and courage."
With the President's leadership and that of this committee, I am certain that we will address the needs of our changing society and provide for a Social Security program that our citizens can count on to be there for them. Let me take this opportunity to make clear that current and near-beneficiaries can be assured that their scheduled benefits are secure and will be paid.
Our actions must signal to younger generations of Americans that we are committed to strengthening Social Security. By doing so, we restore their faith and confidence in the most successful domestic program in our nation's history.
As the discussions on strengthening the program continues, the Social Security Administration will be available to provide assistance to the Congress in the analysis of any proposed changes and we will continue to faithfully serve the American people to the best of our ability.
I want to thank you again for inviting me to testify. I would be happy to answer any of your questions.