Max Lucado's 40 Days of Prayer For USA starts today

What can Christians do for our nation? Pray!

Many of us do pray daily for our country and leaders, as directed in 1 Timothy 2:1-3:
"The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.  Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.” The Message translation

But if you haven't been in the habit of praying for our leaders and this election, Minister and author Max Lucado is urging those of us who believe in the God of the Bible to join him in 40 Days of Prayer For the USA, starting today until the election on November 6th. He also offers a pledge page if you would like to join with other like-minded people. (Only first name and last initial is made public).

Prayer points he includes:

Dear Heavenly Father,

You have given us this promise: ”...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

So, we pray to you. We turn from evil and look to you, our God. Please:

Unite us

Strengthen us

Appoint and anoint our next president

In the name of Christ we pray,

Amen

Some might be inclined not to pray or not even vote in this election, since the nominees don't share their faith. But keep in mind that when Timothy penned his exhortation to pray "for rulers and their governments to rule well", those rulers were Romans (pagans). We are to pray for those in authority over us. And as one of my pastors urged, we can and should vote for principle and character.

Max Lucado concludes his info page with this: "Like you, I am a concerned citizen. Like you, I believe in God’s power to heal our nation. But we must pray. 'You people who remind the Lord of your needs in prayer must never be quiet.' (Isa. 62:6)."

"Only God can unite us. Let's ask Him to do just that."

Pastor Max Lucado Launches 40-Day Prayer Campaign Ahead of Election

40 DAYS of PRAYER FOR THE USA

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation, The Way <><

"Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?"

Last September, I had the privilege of visiting the Reagan Library in California. At the time I snapped this picture, I answered his question with a resounding, NO. Little did I know how much worse off our country and the world would be in the span of just one year.

Most think of this question in terms of the economy. After all, Reagan was running against President Jimmy Carter. But there was also the Iran hostage crisis hanging over our country like a national pall. So Foreign Policy was also a concern.

If we go back to 2008, our country would be about $10.6 trillion in debt, instead of the $16+ trillion we're at now. Obama increased it by 50% in less than 4 years! That works out to $111,414 per taxpayer and counting. And Obama was the one, who in Feb. 2009, pledged he would cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term!

As Obama inferred in his 2009 pledge, the interest on the debt would increasingly become unmanageable. How unmanageable? Take a look at this: Brother, Can You Spare a Trillion? 




To make matters worse, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke embarked on QE3 to stimulate Obama's flagging economy, at the rate of $40 billion a month, for the election. (QE3 is the 3rd round of quantitative easing: a fancy term for pumping up the money supply or buying our own debt) This bit of insanity earned us another downgrade to our already downgraded credit rating from AA to AA-.

There are so many other aspects of this question to consider besides the economy. There is the disdain and disregard of our Constitution by our president, the bypassing congress by executive order, the loss of liberties, etc. And then, like the Carter years, the weak, apologetic tone of our foreign policy.

So what do you say to Ronald Reagan's question? And what are you going to do about it on November 6th?
 
More Reading:
Morning Bell: National Debt Hits $16 Trillion
Fed Pulls Trigger, to Buy Mortgages
Egan-Jones analyst Hints at US Rating Downgrade Post QE3

US Credit Rating Cut by Egan-Jones ...Again

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation, The Way <><

Dr. Gary Locklair discusses human creativity, Tues. Sept. 25, 2012

 From the Creation Science Society of Milwaukee:

Concordia Information Technology professor to discuss human creativity

Human creativity is a powerful analogy for the creation model of origins – and Gary Locklair, Ph.D., will explain why to the Creation Science Society of Milwaukee at an upcoming presentation at Concordia University Wisconsin.

In a talk entitled “Human Creativity Reflects God’s Creative Activity,” Dr. Locklair will examine three aspects of human creativity – idea, implementation and interaction – and their relation to the three Persons of the Trinity and their roles in creation.

Dr. Locklair is Professor and Chair of Computer Science and Information Technology at Concordia.  He has been an active researcher in the field of cosmogony – the science of origins – for over 25 years, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Creation Research Society.

The presentation is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, September 25, in lecture room PH 008 of Concordia’s new Pharmacy Building, 12800 N. Lakeshore Drive, Mequon. The event is free and open to the public.

More details about the talk and campus map

Creation Science Links: Creation Science Society of Milwaukee
Answers In Genesis
Institute for Creation Research
Creation Minute
4th Day Alliance

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation, The Way <><

Stop Tom Barrett's Folly Trolley at Streetcar Named Disaster rally: Sept. 18, 2012

Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donavan, along with the MacIver Institute and Americans for Prosperity are holding a rally against Milwaukee's latest huge waste of money project, the Milwaukee Streetcar. I often refer to it as Barrett's Folly Trolley. Most know it as A Streetcar Named Disaster. Whatever you choose to call it, it is a very expensive, unnecessary project.

The purpose of the rally is to pressure the Milwaukee to put the 2 mile long downtown streetcar project on a binding referendum, so voters can have a say as to whether or not we want to pay for this.

There is also an online petition for you to sign. Because all of us in the southeast Wisconsin will be paying higher WE Energies bills to cover the $55+ million to relocate the utility lines, you DO NOT need to be a Milwaukee County resident to sign. AT&T customers will be paying more too. Sign here.

Attend the rally if you can. A strong showing is needed to send Mayor Tom Barrett and the Milwaukee Common Council an unmistakable message: WE DON"T WANT THIS BOONDOGGLE.

The rally will be held at Serb Hall from 5pm to 7pm, though Alderman Bob Donovan* said the doors would be open at 4pm and probably go past 7pm. Alderman Donovan will be addressing other issues besides the streetcar, but stopping the streetcar is the main focus.

Estimates are that the very short streetcar line will cost $64 million plus the utility relocation costs of at least $55 million. I have heard a figure of about $120 million in all. $3 million of that is just to operate the thing for one year. And remember all this money is just to build a 2 mile line!

Some of this money is Federal Money, some is local. Regardless of where it comes from, we cannot afford this. And to top it all off, I think we can be sure if this 2 mile leg is built, more will follow, just like the Milwaukee to Madison train project that Gov. Walker stopped was just the 1st installment. So speak up!

Serb Hall is located at 5101 West Oklahoma Avenue  Milwaukee, WI 53219

*I believe I heard him on Vicki McKenna's radio show last week.

More Reading: The Streetcar Scam: A report by the MacIver Institute
Giving back the high-speed rail "free pony" anchor baby
Stop the Obama & Doyle waste-of-money train

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation, The Way <><

Still time to see 2016: Obama's America

Can't figure out why President Obama is spending us into oblivion? or apologizing for America's greatness in the world? What about refusing to let American oil companies drill offshore but loans money to Brazil to drill there? How about why he doesn't help out his half brother George in Kenya?

Well, if you go see Dinesh D'Souza's documentary movie 2016: Obama's America, these and other perplexing questions about why Obama does what he does will all make sense. Spoiler Alert: One reason is Obama's hatred of colonialism.

Though I rarely see a movie (unless it's at the budget theater), I did go see the movie at the AMC Mayfair Mall 18 theater, and it was well worth the $6 early admission price. The movie is still here in the Milwaukee area and I urge you to see it whether you are a Conservative, Republican, Independent or Democrat.
 
Because I am rather a news junkie, I was at least familiar with much of the information presented. However, D'Sousa skillfully weaves all these facts and background stories together into a tapestry that clearly reveals just why Obama believes "No world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will succeed..." Why he is willing that America no longer have nuclear preeminence and why a nuclear Iran isn't a concern. The interview with half brother George was particularly telling.

In light of this weeks spreading Middle East unrest, the map of the United Arab States now becomes all the more chilling.

The movie isn't an emotionally charged hit piece, but rather a systematic, logical account of Obama's life that illustrates why he doesn't believe in American exceptionalism or even desire that America be the best in the world. It was a real eye-opener.

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation, The Way <><

Middle East unrest: Romney? presidential, Obama? busy campaigning

On Sept. 11th, a statement on Obama's State Department website agreed with the U.S.Embassy in Cairo's 9/11 apology for "hurt Muslim feelings". Then violent protests sprang up at the embassies in Egypt and Libya, resulting in Ambassador Stevens' death (along with 3 others) in Libya.

A very Presidential Mitt Romney, rightly condemned the attacks on the U.S. Embassies in Egypt and Libya. He said, "I'm outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi. It's disgraceful that the Obama Administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks."

Before dashing off to Las Vegas, at 10:43am, on Sept. 12th, the President made a statement, that was about as dynamic as a bowl of cold oatmeal.  He included this curious statement: "Libyan security personnel fought back against the attackers alongside Americans.  Libyans helped some of our diplomats find safety, and they carried Ambassador Stevens’s body to the hospital, where we tragically learned that he had died."

In another story, it would seem it was the same Libyan security personnel who told the protesters where the officials were taken!

And where did Obama get that information that Libyans helped carry Stevens to the hospital? Because if you look at, Muslims Execute US Ambassador Christ Stevens, the pictures (graphic) depict a battered man being dragged, not an injured man being carried. The post also includes a very positive YouTube introducing us to Ambassador Stevens when he took his post. What a tragedy.

Now keep in mind there has been controversy swirling over whether or not Obama has been attending his 'Presidential Daily Brief' intelligence meetings. In that article, National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor didn't dispute the Govt. Accountability Institute's numbers that tabulated Obama's attendance record in the last 2 years at just 38%. For contrast, President George W. Bush "almost never missed his daily intelligence meeting".

The White House denies this accusation and says that if Obama doesn't attend the PDB, he at least reads the briefing book (crib sheet) every day. I think it is clear that with this latest Middle East unrest, Obama needs to stop just reading the Cliff Notes on intelligence briefings and meet face to face with those involved. 

And speaking of face to face meetings, as our world moves closer to Armageddon, why is it our President Obama has no time to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, our only true ally in the Middle East? He has time to do a radio interview with a hip-hopper in Florida, fly off to Las Vegas for a big fundraiser (what ever happened to avoiding Las Vegas?), or make plans to do the David Letterman show?

The Middle East is a volatile region, made even more volatile by Obama administration policies: "The Obama administration has played a central role in overthrowing U.S.-aligned regimes and replacing them with regimes that are hostile to the U.S. and its strategic interests".

You might say some of Obama's policies' chickens are coming home to roost.

Remember Hillary Clinton giddily proclaiming that in Libya, We came, we saw, he [Gaddafi] died? And in Egypt, Obama supported the Arab Spring revolt. Then in August, after the new regime got rid of Hosni Mubarak, opponents (some Christian), who were against the U.S. supported Morsi, were crucified  by the Arab Spring 'Brotherhood'.

Morsi has also refused to condemn Tuesday's 9/11 Cairo Embassy attack.


And let's not make the mistake of thinking this violence is all about a movie. Some of the protesters yelled, “'Obama! Obama! We are all Osama!' went one chant, referring to Osama bin Laden, the late head of Al Qaeda"  That ire was addressed directly to Obama. Why? Possibly because killing Osama was touted 20+ times at the DNC convention?

Anti-American violence is now spreading to other counties in the Middle East, and our President is too busy being the Campaigner in Chief, hip-hopping around the country, to be Commander in Chief.

At least there is one candidate in the 2012 election acting Presidential: Mitt Romney.

More Reading: 
Fatal Arab Spring 

Romney campaign links embassy attacks to Obama's failed Middle East policies 
Michelle Malkin: Obama, Clinton, Romney deliver Egypt, Libya remarks &
Egyptian faux-rage, deadly American dhimmitude...US Ambassador & Marines dead
Arab Spring Run Amok: 'Brotherhood' Starts Crucificxions "The Arab Spring takeover of Egypt by the Muslim Brotherhood has run amok, ...radical Muslims have begun crucifying opponents of newly installed President Mohammed Morsi."

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation, The Way <><

On Sept. 11th, my first thank you goes to God

Eleven years have passed since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and in those 11 years, our world has become a much more dangerous place: Iran is working on becoming a nuclear power, the Arab Spring is now controlling once tourist friendly Egypt, the entire middle east is in upheaval. Yet despite this increased unrest, our nation has been kept safe from additional terrorist attacks.

Today, Gov. Walker, Mayor Tom Barrett and other area officials gathered at the War Memorial to honor the Sept. 11 victims, which is appropriate. Similar gatherings all across our nation will occur today.

A September 11th radio ad this year samples Americans and what they plan to do to in remembrance of this day. One says they will say thanks to a firefighter, another a policeman, etc. Volunteering is another option. These are all well and good, but for me there is one glaring omission: thanking God for His blessing of protection.

A verse from Psalm 127:1 comes to mind:

 ...Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. 

As I wrote in 2008, reflecting on our Sept. 11th experience out in South Dakota, "Our nation held its collective breath, waiting for something else to happen after those first 4 plane crashes. Thank God, it didn't.

"After a few days, we started our trek home. Just as there are no atheists in foxholes, we saw "God Bless America" signs pop up everywhere--from gas stations, to fast food restaurants, to city hall marquis. People instinctively knew we needed divine intervention.

"I really thought we could be in for a string of attacks. That life in America would come to resemble life in Israel, where attacks and explosions are commonplace.

"But amazingly, we have been incident free...

"Almost every politician ends their speech with, God bless America. I know God has. May He continue to shed His grace on our nation.

"America! America!
God shed His grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!"

"This is a day to remember and a time to pray for our nation, leaders, and families that lost loved ones."

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation, The Way <><