Is 2015 Worth Remembering

How shall we remember 2015? Or shall we try to forget it?

It is always hard to know when a turning point has been reached, and usually it is long afterwards before we recognize it. However, if 2015 has been a turning point, it may well have marked a turn in a downward spiral for America and he West.

This was the year when we essentially let the world know that we were giving up any effort to try to stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb and gave them lots of money. Surely it does not take much imagination to foresee what rests at the end of this tunnel. Does it really matter if we have more nuclear bombs than they have, if they are willing to die and we are not? That my friend may determine who capitulates. And ISIS and other terrorists have given us grisly exhibitions of what capitulation would mean to non-Muslims.

Putting aside, for the moment, the fateful question whether 2015 is a turning point, what do we see when we look back instead of looking forward? What portrays the year that is now ending? More than anything else, 2015 has been the year of the big fib. There have been lies in other years, and some of them big, but even so 2015 has set new highs (or is it new lows).

This is the year when we learned, from Hillary Clinton's personal e-mails, after three years of prevaricating, skirting the truth and circumvention, that Secretary of State Clinton lied, as did President Barack Obama and others under him, when they all told America in 2012 that the terrorist attack in Benghazi that killed the American ambassador and three other Americans was not a terrorist attack, but a protest demonstration that got out of hand. Then again, “What difference does it make?” Lying, by itself, is obviously not new. What is new is the growing acceptance of lying as "no big deal" by self-righteous sophisticate literati types, so long as these are lies that advance their political and philosophic causes. Many in the media greeted the exposure of Hillary Clinton's lies by admiring how well she handled herself. Does the media not realize that lies are a wall between us and reality -- and being walled off from reality is the biggest deal of all? Reality does not disappear because we don't see it. It just hits us like a roadside IED blast when we least expect it.

Does anyone truly expect that misrepresentations or falsehoods will simply vanish from political articulacy? If you took all the lies out of politics, how much would be left? If there is anything that is bipartisan in Washington, it is deceit. The most recent budget deal showed that Congressional Republicans lied in a big way.

Then there is "Hands up, don't shoot" and its counterpart, "Black Lives Matter." Both had repercussions in 2015, with the open promotion of the killing of police officers, in marches across large metropolitan areas around the country. But the bushwhack assassinations of Law Enforcement Officers that followed aroused no such outrage in the media as any police use of force against thugs. Nor has there been the same outrage as the murder rate shot up when the police backed off, as they have in the past, in the wake of being condemned by politicians and the media. Most of the people murdered have been black. But apparently these particular black lives don't matter much to activists and much of the media alike. No surprise there.

Bundled, Aromatized, Gift-wrapped and Peddled

Why do millions of Americans today accept ideas and behaviors that would have horrified all previous generations? Why have thousands of years of Judeo-Christian moral standards suddenly been abandoned? What's behind today's divorce epidemic? Why is public prayer being criminalized? Why are 3,000 innocent unborn children aborted daily? What are the publicizing strategies that have turned America upside down?

Within the space of our generation, much of what Americans once almost collectively abhorred has been bundled, aromatized, gift-wrapped, and peddled to us as though it had great value. By adeptly playing on our deeply felt national values of equality, big-heartedness, and forbearance,  these peddlers have induced us to embrace as enlightened and noble that which every other generation has regarded as grossly self-destructive—in a word, malevolent.

"Where is He Who has Been Born King"

The Bible tells us that the wise men asked, "Where is He who has been born King?" (Matthew 2:2). That’s a good question to ask ourselves this Christmas day—where is Jesus Christ in our lives? Are we living for Him? Is He a priority or have we put that relationship in a corner of a darkened closet, out of sight? He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, but is He truly reigning in your life this Christmas?

As this Christmas comes to a conclusion, let us remember that God sent His Son to the world. Born in a manger and later persecuted and killed, so we might live. Today, as it has been in the past, and will be in the future, countless Christians around the world are persecuted for the sake of the Christ we worship. Our brothers and sisters often feel isolated and alone, as they courageously suffer so much for walking in the footsteps of Jesus. Undeniably maltreatment, harassment and oppression are a Christian’s everyday reality in much of the world. Many followers of Christ were persecuted yesterday, the same persecutions will again transpire today and unfortunately continue tomorrow. Through prayer, word of mouth and giving of yourself, let them know that they will never walk alone.

Come to Him today, bow before Him, and let Him restore your soul. Remember, wise men sought him in the past, they seek him in the present and will continue pursuing him long after this day ends.

Overcoming Christmas Downheartedness

Keep in mind, Christmas is not a blissful season for everybody. Grief, whether from the passing of a loved one, loneliness or both, crests around this time of year for many, and the deep, heart-rending pain can seem like nearly too much to bear.

Isaiah 53:4 states, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Jesus carries as much of the burden as we let Him. But in addition to falling into our Savior’s loving arms, here are some suggestions to ease your personal Christmas melancholy or empower you to help someone else dealing with grief and loneliness: While reading one of Billy Graham’s books following the death of my first wife and later my father, I remembered how he related the death of a loved one to a major medical procedure. But that can also be true regarding the death of a relationship, say an engagement or divorce. Recuperation from any medical procedure takes time, and so does finding a new way of life after losing someone close. Leave the Christmas decorations in storage this year if you need to. Most importantly, perhaps, allow yourself to cry out to God as you process. Your tears aren't a sign of faithlessness. They are an inherent and crucial response to your bereavement. Allow God to mend you. 

Anticipate and accept the fact that Christmas will not be the same without your loved one and be sensible about your emotional wellbeing. Don’t live in fear of your emotions, but take stock of your heart. Sometimes the best way to lift your spirit is by helping someone else. As I have experienced, isolation turns your focus inward. Then again, if you know someone dealing with grief or loneliness, do your part. Offer the gift of your time. Memories linger in your loved ones’ absence. Reminisce the amusing stories. Let somebody in on them. Laugh and cry with your family members and friends as you muse over these recollections. Memories are precious gifts from God, and they are one of the few ways a loved one’s legacy lives on. As men and women of God have often proclaimed, cling to the promises of God. Especially, when you don’t feel like it. Consider John 14:18, which says: “No, I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm—I will come to you.”

Congress has "Scrooged" America this Christmas

Last weeks $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill, handed the Obama administration the gift it was looking for one week prior to Christmas. The Republican House Speaker who negotiated the bill with Rep. Nancy Pelosi should be censored, as should those who voted in favor of the measure. The negative impact on the American people will be felt for generations to come. Last week I wrote a blog post condemning the bill. Following further study and revelations made public, I elected to summarize the main points of the measure in not 2000 pages but 2 sentences. The summation follows: The mentioned bill provides full funding for Obama’s executive actions shielding 5 million illegal aliens from deportation, supports his refugee resettlement program, Planned Parenthood, Obamacare, sanctuary cities and the United Nations climate-change agenda. It also allows for up to a quadrupling of low-skilled foreign “guest workers” to enter the country every year and work in non-farm blue-collar jobs.

A Change in Christmas Mindset

For many people, Christmas is financially the most taxing time of the year. You may find yourself wondering … is it really worth it? How can I adjust my Christmas list to use it for God’s glory?  Is this how God meant for us to celebrate the birth of His Son—by spending and/or expending more money and energy than is necessary until there’s no financial resources and joy left? 

When Jesus was born, wise men came to offer gifts to the newborn King, the Savior of the world. Today, we can’t literally give a gift to Jesus, but we can give of our time and to causes that are near and dear to our Lord. Jesus said, “as you did it to one of the least of these my brother, you did it to me." (Matthew 25:40) 

Are you one who is stressed out about checking off your children’s or grandchildren’s lengthy Christmas lists? Are you wondering how you can afford to have the kind of holiday season you want? If you answered ‘yes’ to these last two questions, it might be time for a healthy dose of perspective. 

Living in America or for that matter any country that celebrates Christmas can numb us to the truths outside our world of plenty and excess. I suggest to you, do not lose sight of how fortunate we are. I am knowledgeable enough to understanding most of the people in the world live off less than a few dollars a day. You can mortgage your first child they aren’t stressing over Christmas gifts; they are likely preoccupied on where their next meal will come from. In the United States, millions of people live below the poverty line and can’t afford to purchase gifts. These are but a few things to keep in mind when holiday stress makes its annual appearance at this time of year.

How can one amend a Christmas list to use it for God’s glory? Think about finding ways to impact your giving for God’s Kingdom. Two questions immediately arise; How do I do this? Where do I start?  Think about people in your life that distance serves as a barrier for relational interaction. Think about those people you who do not know the Savior or who may have wandered away from God. Then think about how you can build relationships with them over the holidays. Something as simple a phone call or as inexpensive as a tin of Christmas cookies can be evangelistic if it gives you a chance to spend a few moments with a grandchild, a sibling, a parent or a neighbor. Whatever you decide to do, make an effort to give gifts or words of encouragement that point people to Jesus Christ, the greatest gift this world has ever known.

Christmas Hype and Anxiety

Sure there’s a lot of hype to Christmas, understandably, it becomes a burden to countless persons and many will be glad when it’s concluded. For numerous people, the celebration of Christmas is filled with apprehension and anxiety, Billy Graham once said. “...it shouldn’t be this way. Christmas should be a time of joy and thankfulness, for it celebrates the greatest event in human history: the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. On that night over 2,000 years ago, God stepped down from heaven’s glory and took upon Himself our humanity, so we could come to know Him.”

Ponder this for a few moments: Christmas celebrates the God of the universe who came down to our level in the form of Jesus Christ so we can know Him in a deep, personal way. That’s why, when Jesus was born, angels praised God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest!” (Luke 2:14). How can we not find joy in such a selfless act of love toward us? Don’t let this season slip by without making a concerted effort to keep Christ at the heart of Christmas.

Business as Usual--The Washington Way

For some insufferable reason it appears the Republican leadership, believe the U.S. electorate are unaware of the contents of this recent Omnibus spending. Well, with mere routine research, I am no longer unaware. And I’ll highlight why. I am now fully aware the current bill contains an insurance bailout, for the short-comings within the construct of the unsustainable Obamacare bill as it was originally adopted. Is this not more structural deficit?

I am also fully aware the current bill contains taxpayer deficit spending to benefit illegal aliens, non-U.S. citizens/residents, who are mostly Mexican nationals. Common sense tells me this bill is essentially using U.S. taxpayer funds to pay foreign nationals from other nations. Oh, and by the way, are you, our elected GOP legislatures really up in arms over a provision in the Omnibus Spending bill that could allow more than ¼ million temporary guest workers into our country on top of what we already have? I suggest those identifying with the GOP read the contents of a bill prior to approving it.

Is this not lunacy? This is irresponsible fiscal policy. This recklessness is with Republicans in control of both the House and the Senate. It gets worse. The current Speaker of the House, "Boehner 2.0" (Paul Ryan) condemned the leading candidate for President who proposed a temporary halt to some Muslim immigrants until a failsafe vetting process can be put in place.

Is it really any wonder why the leading U.S. Presidential candidate would be distant from the Republican brand?   Is it any wonder why many American voters are distancing themselves from the Washington establishment? If I were to use this bill as a litmus test for defining the GOP and its leadership, I am uncertain I could adequately say what a republican point of view is?

I am fairly certain republicans’ control the House and Senate. Actually, I am certain. I also fully understand when constructing actual budgets through ‘reconciliation‘, the legislative branch only needs a simple majority in both the House and Senate.  The GOP has that simple majority, yet chooses not to put a budget for fiscal year 2016 on the desk of the President. By choosing Omnibus spending approach, the GOP essentially indebts our descendants, to finance lawful foreign nationals, refugees and illegal aliens; and presenting the bill to legitimate American residents. Is this not ludicrous?

As stated earlier, I am aware. Hopefully this post generates additional awareness to its readers. The Omnibus Spending bill is an albatross around those American residents who pay taxes. Additionally, the GOP, for the most part has continued business as usual--the Washington way.

Thoughts Following The Debate

After taking a few days to mull over the last GOP Presidential debate I came away with several key points of agreement between the contenders, of which I find solidarity with. In summation: First, failure to detect radicalized Islamic extremists’ rests at the hands of a reticent Obama administration. Second, political correctness is killing people. Thirdly, many Americans, particularly those angry with the establishment (of which I am one), believe America has become weaker because Obama and other leaders are too afraid of alienating people — at home and abroad. Finally, Obama’s administration’s strategies or lack thereof has created a perilous power vacuum in the Middle East.

Should Believers Deal in Reality

They’re marked for extermination in the Middle East. They’re banned from practicing their faith in many nations around the world. They’ve been subjected to violence, intimidation and hatred from the very beginnings of the faith until the present day. Christians are no strangers to persecution. But such treatment largely hasn’t erupted in the United States of America. Until now. American Christians need to prepare for persecution. One could reasonably argue that Christians are increasingly becoming targets for both political harassment and outright violence. This being the case, should we not as believers prepare ourselves for sinister times that await?

There are disturbing trends I believe that tend to lend credence to my supposition that American Christians will in all probability face real domestic threats from radical movements and our own government. Are we not in the middle of a fairly substantial Islamic incursion? How about those organizations and individuals with radical agendas, are they not a menace? Because of these type movements political and cultural opposition to Christianity is likely to intensify in coming years.

Undoubtedly, individual believers may find their businesses targeted for destruction by politically motivated activists and secular humanists. However, political persecution may be the least of Christians' concerns. I believe that in the future Christians could very well be specifically targeted for violence. Let us not forget the recent shootings (executions) of those Christians in both Charleston, SC and Umpqua Community College in Oregon. Was not the anti-Christian motive of the attacks largely ignored by what many see as a liberal left media eager to shift the blame to firearms or worse yet racism? What if the victims had been adherents to a different faith, do you suppose it would have been a much bigger story and the motivation would have been beyond what was discussed and debated? The hypocrisy of this seems to know no boundaries. And of course we know what the Left is going to say. The hypocrisies that will come forward, it's on display right now before the eyes of the world.

Indeed, it is this writer’s belief that the Obama administration consciously ignored the way Christians were targeted. There appears to be little concern by the current administration for the victims, the deepest concern is for the agenda, and the Obama administration's agenda, was to attack the Second Amendment Rights of law abiding citizens. Was it not politicized out of Obama's mouth within hours of the tragic events?

The situation is especially dire, because of an increasing terrorist threat against churches and Christians in particular. Though currently unsubstantiated, I have read and heard that we have a number of ISIS cells in America. I have little reason to believe otherwise, that radical Islamic terrorist are present within our borders. Thus, Christians are right to fear direct persecution, or, in some cases, death. Based on happenings of the last several years, I am of the mindset, political persecution and violent attacks are simply part of a larger, united effort to undermine Christianity and attack believers. Christian America, is progressively understanding that there is an increase in the targeting of Christians and it's a part of this long process of degradation. You ridicule and satirize them first, and then you get to the point where eventually it's banned.

Does not one find this climate surrounding attacks on Christian’s contemptible and confirmation of America's spiritual and cultural decline? I think there was a time in America not too many decades ago when government officials, federal agencies, even media would have addressed that specifically and would have declared it an outrage. Such silence is especially outrageous and frankly an affront to those of us who cherish freedom as constituted in our Founding Documents. Lest we forget, we would not have experienced religious freedom were it not for the country's Judeo-Christian heritage. As Christians, we can take solace in the church's long experience with persecution and look to history for lessons to apply today. Take but a glance at history’s chronicles of Church persecutions and one is able to realize what is imminent and approaching. One need look no further than the early church and see what they dealt with and deal with the biblical principles that transports us to these present days.

Admittedly, many Christians, to include myself may be unnerved with the idea of preparing to defend themselves against persecution. If recent international and domestic events are any indication, we as Christians are being besieged. Do you get it? Do you understand what is said in this commentary? We may very well be subjected to violence, intimidation and hatred in the future. Given everything that's happening, I think it would be incumbent upon Christians to prepare for an eventuality that I pray never happens. I think it makes biblical sense, I think it makes common sense, I think it makes logical sense. The secular Left loathes it and would exclaim, that by taking the mentioned preparations or precautions, we as believers are reacting to something with disproportionate action or excessive emotion. But, should we not deal in reality? Think about it!

Not Everybody's Life Matters as Much as Others

Some people see Capital punishment as vengeance. I see it as justice. Others see it as retribution. I do realize it can be arrayed with the accoutrements of justice. We can point to the revulsion of the offence and claim that death is the only fitting redress. For those who see it exacting revenge, so be it. I do realize that our maximum security correctional facilities are not the place one would choose to socialize and neither are these correctional facilities equivalent to a pat on the back and a ticket to a Disney resort. Moreover, there’s the possibility, however slight that the person secured to the gurney didn’t do it. Granted, the odds are nowhere near what the amateur defense attorneys on the left would suggest.  But I am content with the death penalty when there is unquestionable and substantial physical evidence that the individual committed a crime deserving execution.  

I am of the belief there is no shortage of people whose continued existence is an affront to the dignity of the species, not to mention an irresponsible waste of oxygen. Some of them like members of ISIS, Boko Haram, the likes of Michael Brown, aggressively throw themselves into the crosshairs. Some might suggest, though I am not one of them, we contort ourselves to keep every murderous madcap or crazy from meeting his or her maker. If, as our Pontiff (Pope Francis) entreats, we were to eliminate Capital Punishment as an outcome, why not guarantee the cage that houses the animal is pretty damn miserable. An additional point that is valid concerning the topic discussed; dead animals cannot make license plates. 

In conclusion, is not Planned Parenthood a taxpayer-funded human butcher shop? Has not the so-called “Black Lives Matter” movement been transformed into a pillaging and cop-killing mob? Has not our beloved, Nobel laureate president genuflected and scraped us into a face-off with the Russians across the searing Syrian sands? Is it just me or does not life seem quite cheap to the people in power these days? Perhaps we should consider a moratorium on executions for a while or perhaps not.

Fearlessness and Courage Trumps Evil

Should America accept in open arms Syrian refugees on "humanitarian grounds"? Is that not a fair question considering what just took place in California? The United States of America is without doubt the most caring and giving nation on earth. But there comes a point in time when one has to say, No! Nein! Het!  And this is the time to say stop. One may ask, why halt the mass resettlement of Syrians now? Because in the midst of these people, if they're allowed to resettle here, some are going to kill us. Not all of them, but the radical Islamists among them will take pleasure in doing so.

And the same thing with Barack Obama, the only reason Obama has been able to get away with doing all the undertakings he's implemented is that no one has said 'no' to him. The GOP has been afraid to say it for fear of being called racists or xenophobes. It's the same reason that too few white people are standing up to the Black Lives Matter horde or rabble. 

Is not the situation getting dire? Is there hope Americans will finally find the courage to stand up to both the president and the racially charged activists. Are you not like me, an American patriot who really cares what happens to this nation that owes its very existence to Jehovah-God? Do you not realize whatever happens to our Republic happens to all of us? I have little doubt that if we do not say ‘no’ to the president, if we do not say ‘no’ to Black Lives Matter and all these other radical groups that are seeking America’s destruction, it's going to only get more acute. 

However, as upright, nice, and wise as we may be, we as a whole must possess one other trait that makes us different than those who refuse to say ‘no.’ There are many admirable traits that a good person may possess – integrity, sense of justice, dependability, kindness, among others – but there is one trait that very few good people have. That trait is courage, both moral and physical.

One of the great tragedies of the human condition is that all the goodness that people have in their hearts and express outwardly adds up to very little without courage. There were undoubtedly many good Germans. The reason the Nazis prevailed was that few had courage. The same holds true whenever evil takes over a society. It is rarely an absence of decent people that enables the triumph of evil. It is that few of those virtuous people have courage.

And here is where we must stand and hold the standard high. We must be fearless. Or to be more accurate, we must not allow fear to govern our conduct or discourse. I have no idea whether those who read this post have fears. I only know that fear plays little or no role in an American patriot’s work. He or she answers to God and their conscience.

Liberal Media Knows Not What They Speak Of

Oh how the liberal media speaks their own version of “O let it be how I think it should be.” I was taken back, though not surprised to see the New York Daily News front page flaunting their anti-Christian sentiments by stating “God isn’t fixing this” in regards to the California mass shooting. On top of that they have the audacity to disparage political leaders who had openly offered prayers and asked for God’s comfort following the Islamic radical terrorist inspired killings, calling them “cowards who could truly end gun scourge.” The NY Daily News has yet again proven to be an newspaper of disrepute. Shame on them for writing such meaningless drivel as it relates to Christian faith, its followers and gun control. Likewise, shame on those of us who continue to buy the tableau. Is it not evident that this secular humanist leaning group is condemning the importance of prayer in order to promote their own gun control agenda? Here’s some “news” for the NY Daily news—prayers are not “meaningless platitudes” as they say on their cover. Using Franklin Graham's words; "Prayer is direct access to Almighty God and is the most powerful tool a Christian has. Prayer does make a difference in heartbreaking situations like this." May I add, don’t knock it, especially those who have yet to try it.

PIST-AWS is A Disease

Dear Friends and Readers,

I am sorry that I have not been consistently responsive lately to your
emails.  I have been somewhat under the weather since my doctors informed me
that I have an acute case of Post Islamic Stress Trauma with Apologetic
Whitehouse Fatigue (PIST-AWF).  For those of you who are not familiar with PIST-AWF,

it is a newly defined disease that is found to be widespread and highly contagious.

Symptoms include, but may not be limited to:

Severe pain of the scalp from pulling your own hair, while viewing the
President pander to Muslim terrorists; loose bowels from swallowing the fact

that gullible and uninformed Americans elected Obama twice; Extreme hunger due to vomiting

from nightly seeing Islamic extremists (terrorists) murdering innocent people.

If you feel you have Post Islamic Stress Trauma with Apologetic Whitehouse
Fatigue, please notify your local election board and place your name on the
list for a cure. It is hoped that the cure will be available in November of
2016.