Keep Borrowing...or Else!

It appears that we are about at that point...the point where if we don't keep borrowing money that we are going to start defaulting on the debt payments we already have.

(Reuters) - With the government about to hit its $14.3 trillion debt limit, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has warned of "catastrophic" consequences and a new recession if Washington is not able to borrow more.

A divided Congress has run out of time to raise the debt limit before Monday's deadline, forcing Geithner into an emergency reallocation of funds so the government can meet its obligations, including payments to Treasury bondholders.

Those measures are only expected to give the government until August 2 before it will start defaulting on payments including those on Treasury debt, an event that could trigger chaos in world financial markets.

"A default would inflict catastrophic, far-reaching damage on our nation's economy, significantly reducing growth and increasing unemployment," Geithner said in a letter, dated Friday, to Democratic Senator Michael Bennet.

See it here; http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/14/us-usa-budget-debt-idUSTRE74A8AW20110514

Sounds like a pickle.  

Sounds a little bit like the person who takes out another credit card and uses a cash advance on the new card to make payments on the other credit card balances.

How long can a person do that?

Answer; ...Not very long.  Somethings gotta give.

Freedom Flotilla

We have been watching for another flotilla of ships to start heading to Gaza from various countries.  They claim their intent is to bring teddy bears, gum drops and Lionel Ritchie CD's to the impoverished Palestinians living there.  But of course the real intent is to provoke Israel and try again to see if they can gain some footage of Israeli's searching through gum drops, so they can photoshop everything and use it to inflame the world.

That flotilla was supposed to be leaving in the next few days.  But now the date has been changed.  It's good to know that Anti-Zionists are flexible.

[Paris, France] The international Steering Committee of Freedom Flotilla II just concluded its planning meeting in Paris, a few weeks before the scheduled departure of the flotilla to Gaza.
Freedom Flotilla II will leave during the third week of June, with ships departing from various European ports, including Marseilles. We’re very pleased to announce the recent addition of a Swiss-German boat to the flotilla.  In July 2010 Germany’s Bundestag passed a resolution calling for an end to the Israeli blockade of Gaza. A number of our respective governments have said the same. The UN Human Rights Committee Fact Finding Mission into the 2010 flotilla attack found Israel’s blockade on Gaza to be unlawful. The International Committee of the Red Cross has said that Israel must end its illegal closure of Gaza. Yet Israel continues to disregard international law and ignore the will of the international community.  Without any strong diplomatic action being taken to enforce international law and defend the human rights of the Palestinian people, the flotilla must sail and other international initiatives to end Israel’s impunity are called for.

We are encouraged by the reported decision of the new Egyptian government to open the Rafah crossing. But just as Egyptians stayed in Tahrir Square, accepting nothing less than the departure of the former regime, so too we must accept nothing less than a full end of the illegal blockade of Gaza and all forms of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

In one week, Palestinians will mark 63 years since the Nakba and the beginning of the dispossession of the Palestinian people from their homes.  Next month will mark 44 years since the onset of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem.  And July will mark 4 years since the near hermetic closure of Gaza.  The question is no longer why we are sailing to break the blockade, but why is it taking the international community so long to act.  We call on the community of states and people around the world to uphold international law in Palestine, and support the Freedom Flotilla.


See it here; http://freedomflotilla.eu/en/news/announcements/112-we-are-getting-ready-to-sail

It's interesting how passionate these folks are about the "human rights of Palestinians", and how the Jews are "breaking international law".  I wonder why these folks don't put together a flotilla to sail into Syria and bring blankets, food and medicine to the 1000 people Syria just butchered and the 10,000 people who have been rounded up and put in prison with no charges and are at this minute being tortured?

How about a flotilla to Sudan so they can try and stop the carnage of the refugees there who are being butchered?  I'm sure those folks would welcome some food, blankets and international attention.

How about the Congo?  Any flotilla planned?

How about North Korea?  The Human Rights group figures there are hundreds of thousands of folks there living in concentration camps, doing forced labor and dying of starvation?  Any flotilla planned?

Here's the REAL answer folks.  Satan HATES Israel and he HATES Jews.  Since most of these flotilla planners are children of the world.....they get their ideas from their father, the devil.  They are blinded to their illogical actions.

So let's continue to pray for Israel and let's continue to pray for her enemies....which soon will include the entire world...says the Bible.

Hat tip to Tom F.

MUST be Global Warming...I meant Climate Change

Below was found in the blog written by Paul Douglas who is the meteorologist for the Star Tribune.

875 tornadoes in April, a new U.S. record.


305 confirmed tornadoes touched down from April 25-28.

Wettest April since 1895 for Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and West Virginia (3 times the normal amount of rain fell).

95% of Texas is experiencing severe, extreme or exceptional drought.

$2.6 billion: damage from U.S. winter storms in 2010, one of the top 5 years ever recorded for winter-related damage.

$9.5 billion: total U.S. financial losses from severe thunderstorms in 2010, third highest ever, behind 2009 and 2008.

5X. Thunderstorm losses nationally now average 5 times the level recorded in the early 1980's.

"The only plausible explanation for the rise in weather-related catastrophes is climate change." September, 2010 statement from Munich Re, one of the largest reinsurance companies in the world.

See it here;
http://www.startribune.com/blogs/121615518.html

Really?  The ONLY plausible explanation is climate change?

Here's another possibility;  The earth is groaning and rumbling because the Tribulation hour is close.  Things will get so bad on earth that if Jesus Christ himself doesn't cut those days short, NO FLESH would survive.

How many more earthquakes, floods, epic tornadoes and droughts will it take to wake up this planet?

Hamas Will Never Recognize Israel

It's almost laughable how the world is going to force Israel to make peace with its neighbors in Gaza and the West Bank.  Gaza is currently governed by Hamas.  And Hamas makes no secret about what they believe.

Hamas would be willing to accept a Palestinian state within 1967 borders, a leader of the militant group, Mahmoud Zahar, told the Palestinian news agency Ma'an on Wednesday, adding, however, that Hamas would never recognize Israel since such a move would counter the group's aim to "liberate" all of Palestine.


Zahar's comments come amid Palestinian efforts to form a unity government that would include former rivals Fatah and Hamas, following a reconciliation agreement the two factions signed last week in Cairo.

See it here; http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/hamas-accepts-1967-borders-but-will-never-recognize-israel-top-official-says-1.361072

So Hamas will happily take back some free land that Israel would give it....land that was hard won from Arabs hell bent on killing every Jew they could find....but probably wouldn't even say "thank you"....and would commence their war planning and propaganda campaign to take ALL of Israel's land and make the nation of Israel a thing of the past.

No wonder God will judge the nations who will end up supporting this insanity.

Joel 3:2


2 I will gather all nations
and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
There I will put them on trial
for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel,
because they scattered my people among the nations
and divided up my land.

Question for you;  Is America supporting this insanity?  Could she end up being split in half by a once in a lifetime flood on the Mississippi?  If and earthquake ended up happening on the New Madrid at the very time of this historic flood....could that seal the division of America?

More Ordination of Gay Ministers

The news being reported today is that the Presbyterians are joining the ranks of the Episcopalians and the ELCA in approval of openly gay ministers being ordained and leading their flocks.

Twin Cities Presbyterians cast a historic vote on Tuesday to allow openly gay and lesbian members to be ordained ministers.


"It's very exciting," said the Rev. Timothy Hart-Andersen, pastor of Westminster Presbyterian in downtown Minneapolis and founder of advocacy group Covenant Network of Presbyterians, which supports the ordination of openly gay clergy. "I found myself welling up with tears. Up until now they've had to be closeted. Now they'll be able to come out. It will honor them as individuals and as full human beings like anyone else serving the church."

Hart-Andersen was among the 264 elders and ministers within the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area who cast votes at Peace Presbyterian Church in St. Louis Park Tuesday evening. Three voters abstained.

During the meeting, supporters and opponents of the change spoke to the assembled voters. Those against it said the change is not in line with Biblical teaching.

"It's very unfortunate we have to have this discussion today," said Peter Hwang, a member of the Korean Presbyterian Church. "I think we should be ashamed of ourselves. This homosexual issue is breaking our church. We need to abide by Scripture."

See it here; http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/121605074.html

For those of us who live in the Twin Cities, we had some freaky hail the size of golf balls and larger that was falling from the sky.  I happened to be listening to the radio when a caller from ST LOUIS PARK called in and said, "This is the strangest thing I have ever seen!  Huge hailstones are falling on us but there isn't a drop of rain with it and I can see the sun shining in the west!"

Could it be a coincidence that when the ELCA voted to ordain gays, a freak tornado came out of a cloudless sky and ripped the cross off the church in downtown Minneapolis where the vote was being approved?  And now we have a hail storm that was centered in St Louis Park where another vote was being cast for gay approval?

How sad for the supposed Bride of Christ.  I wonder if the next group of people we will ordain is those who have a bend towards sex with animals?  After all.....those perverts can also claim they were "born that way".

Yes we are ALL born with a bend toward some perversion.  The difference is that when the Holy Spirit indwells us...we flee from perversion.  We don't embrace it.

Cue the Locusts Please!

First it was massive tornado outbreak, now they are enduring a flood of epic proportions, plus the New Madrid fault is shaking and could break wide open any day.....as if that isn't enough, now they are preparing for a locust hatch that only happens once every 13 years....and this is the year it will happen!

After a 13-year nap, cicadas are waking up in the South, and with them comes an ear-splitting mating call that will soon fill the air across the southern U.S.

The 13-year cicadas of what is known as Brood XIX (the 19th brood) have been living underground since 1998. That was the last time they held their famous two-month, above-ground mating frenzy.

Brood XIX, also known as the Great Southern Brood, is the country's largest group of 13-year cicadas, stretching across 12 states, including Missouri, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Illinois. Already rising in some parts of Georgia, they should all be hatched by mid-May.

See it here; http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/13-year-cicadas-wake-up-prepare-to-swarm
 
According to the article these locusts don't eat everything in sight, they just make a tremendous amount of non-stop noise.  Some people liken the deafening noise to the sound of a tornado!
 
As I was reading this article thinking of the poor, devastaed southern states...it crossed my mind that the locusts might be screaming at the top of their lungs, "Wake up everybody!  Get on the ark of the Lord before the door seals shut!"

Sermon From 1872

No Sloth in His Service

Laziness never yet had communion with Christ. Those who walk with Christ must walk swiftly. Jesus is no idler or loiterer; he is about his father’s business, and you must march with quick step if you would keep pace with him. As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, are sluggards to active persons. Those who have much to do have no fellowship with gossips, who drop in to while away the hours with chat.


Jesus has no fellowship with you, who care not for souls that are perishing. He is incessantly active, and so must you be if you would know his love. There is a fierce furnace-heat beating upon everything today: men are toiling hard to hold their own, and Jesus must not be served by slothful hearts. I am sure that I err not, from his mind, when I say to you, beloved, if you would know the Beloved fully you must get up early, and go afield with him to work with him. Your joy shall be in spending and being spent for him.


From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon delivered August 18, 1872


Hat tip to April S.

Egypt's Christians

When the unrest in Egypt started this spring, many of us wondered it this couldn't end up being a good thing.  After all, Mubarak was a thug and if the people could toss him out and replace him with a humanitarian leader...then peace, love, cooperation and happiness could finally flourish in this poverty stricken Muslim country.

Well....that hope didn't last long.

It appears that the first thing on many Muslim's minds was to take out their long simmering distrust on the Christians.

Twelve people were killed Saturday when Muslims attacked a church in Cairo, in the second incident of its kind since March. The attack set off violent clashes that ended in hundreds of injuries and almost 200 arrests.


The incident began when a Muslim mob attacked the St. Menas church after hearing rumors that a Christian woman married to a Muslim man had been kidnapped and was being held in the church. There does not appear to have been truth to the rumors.

The mob threw firebombs at the church, chanting, “With our blood and our souls we will defend you, Islam.” The crowds attacked nearby homes and shops with firebombs as well.

Many in the mob carried knives and machetes, and witnesses said they heard gunfire, which apparently came from rooftops.

See it here; http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/143992

Let's remember to pray for the persecuted church.  Christ said that ALL will suffer persecution for His name.  We in America might call it persecution when a co worker laughs at us because we have a Christian fish sticker on our minivan....but in many parts of the world they are going to be defending themselves and their churches from angry mobs carrying guns, knives and machetes.

How many of us in America would be willing to die for our faith?  Even a simpler question;  How many of us in America are so convinced of our relationship with Christ and so familiar with His word that we are out spreading the Good News to our friends, co-workers and family?  How many of us would never dream of doing that because it might make us uncomfortable?

If we can't share our faith because it makes us uncomfortable....I think it's fairly easy to reason that FEW of us would be willing to die for it.

Wide is the road to destruction and many will be on it.  Narrow is the path to life and FEW will be on it.

Are we one of the "many"....or are we one of the "few"?

Greece to Pull Out?

We have been watching Greece.  Their balance sheet is awful, few people pay taxes, they promised a life of ease to the voters with early retirement, health care and pension plans for all.

Sound familiar?

Well the European Union was less than impressed with Greece's balance sheet and future plans to improve it....so they made the Greeks take an austerity plan (cut your benefits, raise your taxes) in order to shore up their finances.  Needless to say, the Greeks on the street who had been used to working for a few years and then retiring to lay on the beach, drink wine and eat pasta....were less than happy.

So now they are protesting and may REFUSE the Euro demand for austerity.  They may just pull out of the EU, drop the Euro as their currency and start using their own paper money....money that that they control the printing press to.  They hope to believe that they will simply be able to fix their problems on their own my printing more money.  If Greece goes down this path, it will be a disaster.  NO ONE WILL WANT THEIR PAPER MONOPOLY MONEY....and the investors of planet earth will flee Greece....thereby having the exact opposite effect and collapsing Greece even more rapidly than she already is.

Sound familiar?

The debt crisis in Greece has taken on a dramatic new twist. Sources with information about the government's actions have informed SPIEGEL ONLINE that Athens is considering withdrawing from the euro zone. The common currency area's finance ministers and representatives of the European Commission are holding a secret crisis meeting in Luxembourg on Friday night.

Greece's economic problems are massive, with protests against the government being held almost daily. Now Prime Minister George Papandreou apparently feels he has no other option: SPIEGEL ONLINE has obtained information from German government sources knowledgeable of the situation in Athens indicating that Papandreou's government is considering abandoning the euro and reintroducing its own currency.


Alarmed by Athens' intentions, the European Commission has called a crisis meeting in Luxembourg on Friday night. The meeting is taking place at Château de Senningen, a site used by the Luxembourg government for official meetings. In addition to Greece's possible exit from the currency union, a speedy restructuring of the country's debt also features on the agenda. One year after the Greek crisis broke out, the development represents a potentially existential turning point for the European monetary union -- regardless which variant is ultimately decided upon for dealing with Greece's massive troubles.


See it here; http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,761201,00.html

Of course this is one other bit of news that will help the USA retain the confidence in our own paper money.  It is turning out to be that the USA is one of the LEAST-WORST places to have your money....because the confidence in the Euro may about to be put to an extreme test if Greece pulls out...because they may soon be followed by Portugal, Spain and who knows who else?

This, (in conjunction with our previous post on the killing of Bin Laden), could be how God's plan may roll out to sustain the USA until Christ comes for His bride.

OR....the confidence in our paper money could start to collapse any day now as the magnitude of our debt and the unsustainability of our budget and unwillingness of our leaders to cut it...starts to become clear to the the investors of planet earth.

Daniel seems pretty clear that the focus in the very last days,with the rise of the Antichrist, will be in Europe.  So even though all eyes are on the Middle East today, the power of the world will be sliding over to Europe....so as we watch that begin to manifest itself we can get another idea of the lateness of the hour.

Every day is a great day to tell SOMEONE about the grace and peace that ONLY Jesus Christ can offer.  Have you asked Jesus who YOU are supposed to reach with the Gospel this very day? 

"The harvest is at hand and the workers are few." says Jesus.

Bin Laden Death May Sustain U.S. Dollar

 We have been writing for some years now about the precipitous course of the printed paper money we use called the dollar.  Our leaders (at the voters demands) have been setting this paper up for a calamitous collapse.  When this happens (and it will.....we just don't know when) and the USA loses it's reserve currency status, it will rock the world.
So here is some good news for those of us who are kind of fond of our current paper money system...and like using it to buy food, clothes and gasoline.  Turns out that those Navy Seals killing Bin Laden may have been a single event that props up the sustainability of the U.S. dollar for the foreseeable future.

How?  Why?

Because the country who has the biggest guns makes the rules, and as the world is figuring out that the USA can send navy seals in top secret copters and pluck any enemy they want to right out of their bed in the middle of the night.  That's power!...and people want their money held by someone who has that kind of know-how.

The death of terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden means the U.S. military is quick and powerful and can do what it wants. It also means that since the U.S. military is that unrivaled, then the dollar will stick around as the world's only reserve currency.

"History shows us that the country with the strongest military is always the reserve currency," Steve Cortes, founder of the Veracruz market-research firm, tells CNBC. 


"I think the ability of those heroes, of SEAL Team 6, to project power globally shows us that U.S. military is uncontested in its dominance, and I think the currency will re-assert accordingly."

Read more: Cortes: Bin Laden Death Means Dollar to Remain as Reserve Currency 


Now before we get all excited and head back out to the mall to spend all your paper...the article also gives us a hint that these Navy Seals bravery and U.S. ingenuity may not be all that's needed to keep us in pie and ice cream.


Nevertheless, gaping U.S. deficits has others worried about the fate of the dollar, especially those in Brazil, Russia, India and China, the so-called BRIC economies.



Some say the International Monetary Fund's currency unit, the Special Drawing Right (SDR), should replace the dollar as the world's reserve currency, or at least share the role with the greenback.


With how quickly prophetic activities are happening, of course the USA could collapse and make a nightmare at any time...BUT....during a time when it is hard to find GOOD NEWS, I am going to categorize this story in the GOOD NEWS column and pray the Lord sees fit to sustain the USA until Christ returns for his bride.