With roughly 2,350 references to money, the Bible has plenty to say about a subject many people struggle to understand. Does God plan to bar rich people from heaven? Is money the root of all evil? Does God want people to be poor? According to recent Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame Inductee Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, an interpretation of what God says about money requires careful study, because a missed word or two dramatically changes the message. “God wants you to be a good steward of what He has given you,” he said. “People say that money is the root of all evil, but the Bible says it is the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. There is a big difference. You can see that in the NFL. Players who set out to pursue money end up losing their soul. The money itself is not the problem, it’s how you look at it.” Gbaja-Biamila cites a commonly misquoted verse in Bible as a source for this belief. The King James Version says: Children, how hard is it for them that TRUST in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saying, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. (Mark 10 24-27) “God is not saying in this verse that rich people will not be accepted into heaven,” Kabeer said. “He’s warning those that trust in riches. Unfortunately, there are some translations that don’t have the word “trust” in it. That makes all the difference in the world. So it’s not a wealth issue, it’s a trust issue. Looking to riches and… | Read More »
Month: August 2013
What Obamacare means for you and your insurance policy
The fact that Obamacare actually stands for the Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act of 2010 illustrates the complexity of this massive initiative. More than three years later, as the program moves toward implementation, confusion reigns. In the next few weeks, we’ll dissect Obamacare and answer questions related to how this act will affect you. For specific questions regarding your own policies, please feel free to contact us. We would be glad to review your options. We’ll start with an overview and, in future posts, we’ll delve into the exchange process, coverage options, lifetime limits, individual responsibility, the effect of Obamacare on your premiums and tax implications of the act. Obamacare requires all Americans to have health insurance no later than March 31, 2014, or they will be subject to a penalty tax. The opportunity to compare plans on a health insurance exchange begins on October 1, 2013 and ends March 31, 2014, with coverage beginning January 1, 2014. Exchanges will be offered at the state level, although some state, like Wisconsin, will use the federal exchange at healthcare.gov. Approved plans must cover these 10 essential health benefits: Ambulatory patient services Emergency services Hospitalization Maternity and newborn care Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment Prescription drugs Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices Laboratory services Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management Pediatric services, including oral and vision care However, if you have insurance already and your coverage began before March 20, 2010, your policy may be grandfathered in. Definitely take the time to compare your policy with those offered on the exchange (also, and more appropriately, called the marketplace). We can help you with that, so please feel free to stop in. Note: The government is releasing and retracting information as the process continues. We will continue to monitor the information and keep you as up to date as possible.