Fallen from Pride… Landing in Grace

Posted on April 10, 2012

“Pride always means enmity — it is enmity.
And not only enmity between man and man, but enmity to God.”
~ C.S. Lewis ~

 

Chuck Colson of Prison Fellowship and Breakpoint has been in the news recently – since his hospitalization for an intracerebral blood clot. Last Thursday, Rich Lowry offered a short tribute to Colson in the New York Post: “A Nixonite Redeemed.”

In contemporary America, redemption begins sometime between the first check-in into rehab and the first cable-TV interview, and reaches completion when everyone gets distracted by someone else’s attention-grabbing disgrace.

 
In stark contrast to highly publicized foibles of so many Hollywood celebrities and other public figures, the life of Chuck Colson has been an example of true redemption; from Nixon’s “Hatchetman” to a Centurion for Christ.
 
Sentenced to prison for his role in Watergate;

…Colson was forced, as he told James Rosen of Fox News a few years ago, to see “the world through the eyes of people who were disadvantaged and marginalized and rejected, the outcasts in society, the untouchables in American life.”
 
Although in prison less than a year, he never quite left. He started his group Prison Fellowship, which is now active in most American prisons, running Bible studies, sponsoring pen pals and providing gifts to the children of inmates.
 
A devotee of the great English reformer and abolitionist William Wilberforce, Colson is one of the nation’s foremost voices for checking the excesses of America’s prison-industrial complex. He long ago came full circle from the enforcer of a “law and order” administration to an advocate of mercy and restraint…
 
…What seemed to be Colson’s fall from grace in the mid-1970s was really the opposite. It was the first step on an ascension to true courage and service.
 
His life is a testament to how redemption, so often debased and abused in a 24/7 news cycle obsessed with celebrity and scandal, can be astonishingly powerful and real.

 
Colson’s personal redemption has resulted in the transformation of thousands of lives for Christ. Through God’s grace, may it continue to transform many more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related:
Chuck Colson Still in Intensive Care Unit After Brain Surgery. ~ @ the Christian Post
Updates on Colson’s health from the Colson Center ~ Includes a message center to submit thoughts and prayers of support.
 

Posted in Comfort & Joy | 2 Comments

The Empty Tomb

Posted on April 8, 2012

If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain
and your faith is in vain…And if Christ has not been raised,
your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
 
~ 1 Corinthians 15:14 & 17 ~

 

 
An honest evaluation of the historical evidence surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus, both biblical and extra-biblical, leaves little room for doubt: Defending & Proving the Resurrection
 

I know that my Redeemer lives!

 

Posted in Comfort & Joy | Leave a comment

Saturday Shorts – 4-7-12

Posted on April 7, 2012

Random links of interest, concern or curiosity from the past week or so, that deserve at least a SHORT mention:

 
Brazil Stiffs Obama on Oil Deal, Exposing President’s Incompetence ~ Brazil, whose offshore deposits of oil were sought by the Obama administration, has signed contracts with China for the product. Oops! And adding insult to injury, remember the $2 billion we loaned Brazil for offshore drilling?!
In a related article, Michael Youssef explains how Middle East oil being used as a weapon against us: Blindsided: Oil and Our Own Worst Enemy.
 
Moving Sculpture Shows the Pain Women Face After Abortion ~ “Memorial for Unborn Children.”

“It’s a message of forgiveness and healing needed by the grieving post-abortive mother even some years after her abortion … It speaks directly and beautifully both to the intense and profound grief of the mother, and to the dignity of the aborted baby.”

Downloadable mini-poster HERE.
 
The Anti-Christian, Anti-Capitalist Messages of Urban Outfitters’ Supplier, Obey Clothing ~ Parents-of-teenagers alert. The latest in anti-everything nihilistic apparel.

 
The Tax System Explained in Beer ~ A simplified lesson in the inevitable results of over-taxing the wealthy. Good to keep in mind now that Obama’s corporate tax rates are the highest in the world!

 
Video Shows President Obama, Top Politicians Praising Failed Green Company ~ Eighteen months ago, Obama and MI democrats were singing the praises of a lithium battery manufacturer, recipient of $249 million federal stimulus dollars, and $100 million more from the state of Michigan. Today A123 Systems is going down the tube. Thanks Dems!
 
Passover Guide for the Perplexed ~ Passover began yesterday at sundown. Why it’s message of liberty, hope and deliverance is still so relevant today.
 

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Enjoying Some Ice Time in Amsterdam

Posted on April 5, 2012

Oh look! Man-made global climate change caused the canals in Amsterdam to freeze solid this winter for the first time in 15 years:
 

 
Kind of breaks that old hockey schtick in two.
 

Posted in Comfort & Joy, Unvarnished | Leave a comment

Today is Maundy Thursday

Posted on April 5, 2012

Ever wonder what “maundy” meant? I did. Here’s the scoop ~
From The Point, BreakPoint’s* blog:

In the church calendar, the Thursday before Easter is Maundy Thursday. It’s set aside to remember the Last Supper Jesus shared with his disciples. The word “maundy” comes from the Latin word for “command.” At this supper, Jesus commanded his disciples to love and serve one another, and demonstrated it by washing their feet.

We forget for the disciples, this was Passover — when Jews remember God rescuing His people from Egypt, as described in Exodus. At this Supper, Jesus revealed Himself as the fulfillment of that event. It’s His broken body and shed blood, we are to remember.

 

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life for a ransom of many.” ~ Mark 10:45 ~

 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

During Holy Week, please keep Chuck Colson (founder Breakpoint, Prison Fellowship, Justice Fellowship and the Colson Center for Christian Worldview), a true servant of the Lord, in your prayers. He suffered an intracerebral hemorrhage last Saturday and is in critical condition.

 

Posted in Comfort & Joy | Leave a comment

Another Solar Panel Mfg. FAIL – Reflecting DOE’s Fiscal Negligence

Posted on April 4, 2012

Here we go again…
 
On Monday, Solar Trust of America LLC, which holds the development rights for the world’s largest solar power project, filed for bankruptcy protection after its majority owner began insolvency proceedings in Germany.
 
From Reuters:


The Oakland-based company has held rights for the 1,000-megawatt Blythe Solar Power Project in the Southern California desert, which last April won $2.1 billion of conditional loan guarantees from the U.S. Department of Energy. It is unclear how the bankruptcy will affect that project.

 

Zerohedge has more:

…while one could say that the company’s epic collapse is more a function of alternative energy politics in Germany, where its 70% parent Solar Millennium AG filed for bankruptcy last December, what is relevant is that last April STA was the proud recipient of a $2.1 billion conditional loan from the Department of Energy, incidentally the second largest loan ever handed out by the DOE’s Stephen Chu.
That amount was supposed to fund the expansion of the company’s 1000 MW Blythe Solar Power Project in Riverside, California. From the funding press release, “This project construction is expected to create over 1,000 direct jobs in Southern California, 7,500 indirect jobs in related industries throughout the United States, and more than 200 long-term operational jobs at the facility itself. It will play a key role in stimulating the American economy,” said Uwe T. Schmidt, Chairman and CEO of Solar Trust of America and Executive Chairman of project development subsidiary Solar Millennium, LLC.”

 
Oops. Instead of stimulating the American economy – as Zerohedge comments – what it will stimulate is lots of billable hours for bankruptcy attorneys (at $1,000/hour).
 
I’m pretty sure that the $2.1 billion figure makes Solar Trust the winner in the biggest-waste-of-taxpayer-dollars-for-alternative-energy-competition to date. But they’re in good company. Who can forget:
 
A123 Systems ~ Feb. 2012 – $390 million
Ener1 ~ Jan. 2012 – $118 million
Beacon Power Corp ~ Oct. 2011 – $43 million
Solyndra ~ Aug. 2011 – $535 million
 
And here’s a news story from (surprisingly) CBS News in January, reporting on the disturbing track record of government-assisted green tech companies. It didn’t seem to matter that the fiscal outlook for many of these businesses was less than rosy when they were given loan guarantees…
11 More Solyndras In Obama Energy Program ~
 

 
Not surprisingly, ever after the litany of failed alternative energy companies, CBS seems to feel that Big Government still knows best. Sigh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Solar Trust of America was rather ironically named don’t you think? But then consider that our elected officials are supposed to be trustees of public funds. Ha!
Now that’s really ironic!
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Related:
 
World’s Largest Solar Power Plant Goes Bankrupt ~ from Breitbart/Big Government. Gee, isn’t this interesting:

Solar Trust is one of the companies Peter Schweizer mentioned in his book Throw Them All Out who were offered or received large Department of Energy loans or grants and also have ties to President Obama. Schweizer notes in his book that Citigroup Global Partners and Deutsche Bank have invested $6 billion in this project. Until recently, the vice chair of Citigroup Global Partners was Louis Susman who sat on the National Finance Committee for Obama’s campaign in 2008. In return, Susman left Citigroup to become President Obama’s ambassador to Britain.

 

Posted in Fruits of Their Labors, Unvarnished | 3 Comments

Unmasking the Greens’ Anti-Human Agenda

Posted on April 3, 2012

Having heard Ann McElhinney speak at an AFP event a couple months ago I can personally attest to her infectious enthusiasm – especially when it comes to standing up to the enviro-wackos. She’s relentless in her mission to expose their phoney claims, destructive policies and outright lies.
 
The following video clip (Feb.’11) features Ann explaining how the Left is pushing their “evil humanity” narrative on schoolkids:
 

 
McElhinney and her husband Phelim McAleer have produced the films “Not Evil Just Wrong” and “Mine Your Own Business” to counter the Greeniac propaganda being foisted on our youth and other naive Americans. They’re currently working on a new release: “Frack Nation.”
 
Here’s the trailer for the documentary “Mine Your Own Business” which provides ample evidence of the environmentalists’ anti-human agenda:
 

 
Pass the word and help get the truth out. Get the films and share with friends and family. More info HERE.
You can also help support the production of Frack Nation – any and all donations welcome! Yes, you too can become an executive producer like James Delingpole:

There’s still time to become one of the film’s financiers – like I am: having donated a princely $20 – because the funding round doesn’t close till Friday. And let me tell you, it will be one of the most satisfying $20 you’ve ever spent. Here you are, a free individual, giving money to the kind of film projects YOU want made, rather than the kind some ghastly bien-pensant twerp of a commissioning editor thinks you ought to watch so as to show solidarity with the world’s oppressed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related:
 
Because brain-washing the kids isn’t enough, this nut-job ➡ in Oregon wants the rest of us indoctrinated too: ‘If you don’t believe in climate change you must be sick’:professor likens skepticism to racism. Odd. Keeping the third world trapped in poverty sounds like real racism to me.
 
But apparently, resistance is futile:
Sceptics need treatment for our “resistance”, this professor insists.
 

Posted in Fruits of Their Labors, Unvarnished | 2 Comments

Founding Wisdom [Flouted by the Foolish]

Posted on April 3, 2012

“If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the General Welfare, the Government is no longer a limited one, possessing enumerated powers, but an indefinite one, subject to particular exceptions.”
 
~ James Madison ~
 

Posted in Timeless Principles | Leave a comment

America’s March Toward Godlessness

Posted on April 2, 2012

“When the crosses are gone, we will have lost everything: The protection of the Constitution. Our history. Our American heritage. Our Liberty.”
~ Michael Youssef ~ “When the Crosses are Gone”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 
I’m thinking I should start a new regular blog feature documenting America’s relentless march to reject God. I’m afraid it would turn into a full-time task though, because new incidents occur with ever-increasing frequency. Consider just a couple recent events ~
 
The world of professional sports appears to be growing more and more hostile to Christianity. We’ve seen the attempts to belittle NFL quarterback Tim Tebow for his faith. Now NASCAR driver Blake Koch has become a target for marginalization. From Media Research Center last Friday;

The liberal media are again attempting to silence another Christian voice in their crusade for “tolerance.” ESPN refused to air NASCAR driver Blake Koch’s advertisement, which encourages American youth to vote, because of Koch’s Christian faith…
 
…Although the ad was non-partisan and non-religious ESPN denied it a spot because it linked back to Koch’s website, where he promotes ministry and his Christian faith.
 
According to “Fox News Insider,” the ad injected no sort of political or religious agenda and Koch said the only message he was trying to send with the ad was to register an additional one million people to vote. It wasn’t tied to a particular candidate or party, he explained.
 
ESPN has a history of lashing out at Christian figures. The network bashed Christian quarterback Tim Tebow for his “polarizing” behavior, and in February one of its reporters directed a racial slur at basketball player Jeremy Lin, another devout Christian athlete.

 

And of course our public schools are continuously attempting to erase any reference to God: Teacher Must Remove ‘In God We Trust’ Banners From Classroom After SCOTUS Denies Case.


For the past 30 years Bradley Johnson, a California high school math teacher, has had several banners hanging in his classroom ~
 
Last year California’s 9th “Circus” court ruled that Johnson had to take the banners down, and now the Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal, without comment.
 
Another teacher’s banner can stay up though. It’s one that displays John Lennon’s lyrics to “Imagine.” Guess they’d rather have the students imagining…
“there’s no heaven. No hell below us; above us only sky.”
And fuzzy pink unicorns too.
 
Seems it’s fine for the government schools to promote a bankrupt utopian world view. But not a timeless Judeo-Christian one – like the one on which America was founded.
 
Even our military is embracing rainbows over religion:
Gay Flag Flies at Afghan Base But the Christian Cross Is Banned

The gay pride (or whatever) flag flew over one of our tents in Afghanistan last week. But the cross was ordered removed from a worship tent in December.

 
I wonder how many of our fellow Christians realize that in our continual attempts to appease the “offended,” we’re offending God. And what that trend ultimately means for America. The observation above, from Michael Youssef, continues;
 

“And I think there is something else that is lost when the crosses are gone: We lose our ability to think clearly, to reason with one another, and to live together in an orderly, rational society.”

 
And yet the march toward Godlessness continues, right before our eyes.
 

Posted in Cultural Erosion, Good vs.Evil | Leave a comment

The Shameful Exploitation of Trayvon Martin

Posted on April 1, 2012

So Rosetta Williams, one of six girls who were the first to integrate Seminole High School in 1965, believes “It’s a shame we have to do this again in 2012.”
 
With all due respect Ms. Williams, you don’t.
But it is a shame that in a country of over 300 million people, you can’t see the death of one young black man for the isolated incident it truly is. That somehow, even with Barack Hussein Obama in the White House, you’re implying that the United States has to re-visit the civil discord of the late 60’s. That so many are jumping to the conclusion that best suits their personal narrative, rather than examining the actual facts of this case.
 

While I’m at it Ms. Williams, here are some other really shameful things:

 
• Professional race-baiters like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton who continue to take advantage of tragedies like the death of Trayvon Martin to rescue themselves from irrelevancy.


 
• Rev. Al feels the need to ramp up the vitriol which will only cause more racial division: Sharpton called for an escalation in peaceful civil disobedience and economic sanctions.
 
• There’s so little national attention paid to the endless, senseless black-on-black killings in our inner cities: Another Saturday Night Bloodbath in Chicago (This was just last night – at least nine people shot. Sharpton and Jackson were unavailable for comment.)

 
• That this story won’t receive any widespread media coverage:

Seven black teens have been arrested on suspicion that they committed a hate crime when they attacked a 15-year-old Hispanic boy while he was walking home from school in Southern California, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The March 14 beating in Palmdale was captured on video and posted on YouTube, but has since been removed from the site. The seven boys, ages 13 to 16, were arrested Wednesday for investigation of assault and committing a hate crime, Lt. Don Ford said.

Because somehow the outrage never goes the other way:
Black Men Who Could Look Like Obama’s Son Arrested For Murder of White Mississippi State Student
 

• Millions of young men across America (black and white) choose to dress, talk and act like thugs and ex-cons, then react with indignation when they’re treated accordingly.
 
• Joe Biden wants to exploit Trayvon’s death to restrict gun ownership so law-abiding citizens like this tavern owner in Illinois, won’t be able to defend themselves.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And you know what’s really, really shameful Ms. Williams? The fact that Democrats’ constituents are so easily manipulated into selective outrage. And that Mr. Hope & Change, billed as the great “unifier,” is helping to create hopeless division in this country, and facilitate the breakdown of civil society.
 

Posted in Cultural Erosion, MSM Malpractice, Unvarnished | Leave a comment

Saturday Shorts – 3-31-12

Posted on March 31, 2012

Random links of interest, concern or curiosity from the past week or so, that deserve at least a SHORT mention:

 
The Trayvon Timeline: How Local Crime Story Became National Racial Outrage ~ Objective chronology of events from Breitbart.com.
 
The Strange Case of Sergeant Bales: Enemy Agent in the Ranks? ~ Hmmm… Very interesting theory.
 
Drag Bombers For Allah… Taliban Fighters Captured in Lovely Spring Dresses ~ 😯 Check out the pix. The beards are a dead giveaway!
 
Toulouse Child Killer: Another Case of Welfare Being Used to Subsidize Terrorism? ~ Appears that we in the west are “subsidizing” our own demise.
 
Is this finally proof we’re NOT causing global warming? The whole of the Earth heated up in medieval times without human CO2 emissions, says new study. Al Gore was not available for comment.

 
Hunger Games Film Review: Liberal Propaganda Or Conservative Truth? and The Hunger Games: Gratuitous Violence or Morality Tale? A couple thoughtful reviews of the current box-office smash. These days Hollywood rarely offers anything worth the price of admission, but his one might be worth a look.
 

The Aitken Bible and Congress ~ The first bible printed in America, shockingly – endorsed and recommended by the U.S. Congress.
 

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ABO 2012

Posted on March 30, 2012

Whoa Bill! How do you really feel?! ~ Great stuff!
 

 
Share this with your favorite drone(s). Tell them it’s required viewing for everyone who voted for the “One” in ’08.
 

Posted in Unvarnished | Leave a comment