Please, Please if you have not contacted your US Senator do so today.  If this bill passes,  we will dig into our pockets so deep many will not be able to survive.  There is even a section that would put the nail in the coffin  of the housing market.  All new construction would have to be according to standards in CA where there are earthquakes and fires and in case you have not noticed they are going bankrupt.  Also in order to sell existing homes you would have to have a federal inspection that would require mucho expensive improvements before you could sell it.

Here is a short video I found:

Washington, D.C., June 29, 2009) — Keep your eye on Iraq. As the country once wracked with unimaginable violence becomes increasingly stable and secure, direct foreign investment is going to flood in, and the region once known as “Babylon” and “Babylonia” will become the wealthiest country on the planet.

Exxon Mobil, the world’s largest company, for example, is positioning itself to become a major investor in the Iraqi energy sector. Other major oil companies are doing the same. The Iraqi government in recent months has been developing investment incentive packages to draw in such companies. This week, in fact, such energy companies will actually begin bidding for licenses to develop Iraq’s immense but badly atrophied oil exploration, drilling, and refining industry. Consider this morning’s headline from the Associated Press: “World’s big oil companies prepare for return to Iraq.”

And this is just the beginning.

Regular readers of this weblog and my books know that Bible prophecy says ancient Babylon, Iraq will be rebuilt and become the greatest center of wealth, commerce and power in the “last days” of history. The books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Revelation are explicit on this subject. Skeptics and cynics abound, to be sure, but the fact is the actual ancient city Babylon is being rebuilt right now, in part with U.S. taxpayer funds. Iraqi leaders hope that eventually millions of tourists will come to visit, and real progress is being made.

Yesterday’s edition of Stars & Stripes, a U.S. military publication, had a fascinating story headlined: “U.S., Iraqi experts developing plan to preserve Babylon, build local tourism industry.”

It seems that the heat has been turned up. The weather across the country is unbelievably hot for the first week of summer.  Records have been set in many states and shelters are having to be opened up in some places.

The heat is being turned up in other ways also as can be seen with the announcement of our SC Governor’s infidelity.  Acorn is being exposed, the hearts of men and woman in politics are being exposed as they open their mouths, and idols are beginning to shake.

Last night with the news of Michael Jackson’s death I was somewhat taken a back by the different reactions and how the news around the world stopped to keep the news of his death up front and in your face.   People were shocked of his death, I was not.

I remember as a teenager the cute little boy with the talent, smile and charisma to grab people’s hearts.  Behind the scene, however,  this little one was exposed to physical & sexual abuse and many other things that no human much less a child should ever have to see or hear.

Had that young man had people in his life to guide and mentor him and if that young man had known his creator as King of Kings perhaps the outcome would have been different. Instead, the powers that be promoted him into being an idol-the king of pop and once he stepped into that role death began.  It’s just like in the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve took that bite of the one thing forbidden, death started in their body and everything around them.  They did not see it immediately, but  none the less it happened.

Over the last 10-15 years it has been evident to me that Michael Jackson was dying before the world little by little.  His few friends and colleagues could not seem to do anything to reverse it and he became a pitiful grotesque lonely man.  All that I keep thinking is, what a waste.

What I have had to repent from this day is my lack of prayer for this man.  I don’t think I ever thought to pray for his soul and of that I am very sorry and will be held accountable.

This is the latest update from the orphanage in Kenya:

Hello GrandPa,

Receive much greetings from the children, staff and the church. We received $2,000 from Pastor Matt through Tom and Cathy Golden. We started building the kitchen two weeks ago and we are almost finishing. We are now short of timbers, metal sheets, shelves, three sink for washing the utensils and for the cooks to was their hands, we need three energy saving jikos to complete the kitchen. Please pray with us that God will provide $1500 for roofing the kitchen. We need three metal windows and one metal window for serving to the children. Pray that God will touch people to help us complete the ktchen. We are very grateful to you and pastor Matt’s church for the big help towards the building of the kitchen. The Department of Children Welfare gave us only three month to comply. They would like that we get the beds, beddings, water tank and the electric pump. This needs a lot of money, we thank you very much for encouraging us and praying with us. Much, much regards from the children, staff and the church. You are very special to me and my ministry.
We love you and we appreciate you. Monica greets you very much. We are praying that you will come next year again.
Your grand son
Robert

If you would like to help this orphanage you can donate by sending a tax deductible check to:

Hope International Ministries
PO Box 7512
Charlotte, N.C. 28241

You can also give on the ministry website, at www.PleadingTheCause.com

Last Sunday was our day of departure from our mountain getaway.  As Chuck and I sat up in bed on the upper level drinking our coffee he remarked how still the leaves on the trees were.  Up until this morning the wind had been blowing through the trees continually making a sound of rushing water.

As Chuck made this remark I looked out at the big tree outside our bedroom and noticed that it was not moving at all.  I really did not think a lot about it then.  However, later that morning as I returned to that room to start packing I looked at the same tree and heard in my head what Chuck had said.  The thought went through my mind that it was significant. As I was pondering the significance a scripture came through loud and clear, “Be still and know that I am God”.

With that scripture came the understanding that even though we did not know the what, when, how, and where’s of our next move that God was working things out and we just had to be patient. That is the hardest part for me when it comes to change. I am the type person that if you just tell me what’s coming down I can eventually adjust to the change. Knowing that there is change coming and not knowing the details is a real test for me.  However, that scripture at that moment brought with it relief.

We packed up and decided to make one last outing before heading home.  On our way down the mountain we stopped to take a final look at the rolling stream. As I got out of the car two butterflies flew up.  One landed on the windshield as to be looking in at the map I had laid on the dashboard.  Butterflies are significant of new beginings or birth of a new thing.  It was like God saying I know where this new place is on the map, I have it in sight.

We drove down the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Moses Cone Manor.  We had first seen it when we took my mom on a mountain adventure a few months before she went to heaven.  We had been unable to go into the home then since mom was unable to walk that far.

Moses Cone who was born in 1857 was the son of German Jewish immigrants.  His father changed his name from Kahn to Cone once in America and Moses did all he could do to emphasize that he was an American even in all aspects of the architecture of  this “summer home”.  Moses’ father was basically a peddler of goods at first, but then had a grocery wholesale business in MD.

Moses became an real American textile entrepreneur, conservationist, and philanthropist. He became the main supplier of denim. In 1901 he purchased the 3,500 acres in the NC mountains and built the 13,000 sq ft summer home. He had two lakes built and stocked one with bass and one with trout. There were 25 miles of carriage trails on the property that his wife Bertha made sure were smooth enough to carry a cup of tea in the carriage and it not spill.  He also had 10,000 apple trees planted.

He only enjoyed his home a short time because 7 years later he found out some men he trusted with his business were stealing from him and the betrayal threw him into an illness of which he never recovered.  This home became the permanent residence of Bertha and two of her sisters and a couple of neices and Moses’ sister. We found out this information and much more by taking the tour offered by the park service.  It was very interesting.

The framed picture leaning on the fireplace is really a letter that was given to Moses Cone’s father on departure to America.  One portion that was read by our guide basically reminded him that if he became wealthy not to let pride take him over, but to remember that God was the source of that wealth and it was to help others. Deuteronomy 8:18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

As we started our getaway on our 45th anniversary I felt the Lord had quickened to me that we were to buy something for our new home. Understand, we don’t have a new home at this point nor do we even know where it is located.  This happened to us when we were in MO.  Chuck and I had been looking for a home and we were so frustrated because we just could not seem to find the one we could afford and in the place we needed.  We were on a little getaway after a conference in AZ and had been to the Grand Canyon and made a side trip back to Sedona.  While visiting a chapel gift shop that same thought came to me and I told Chuck.  I found a cross that had a briar wrapped around it holding a pink rose onto the cross. That grabbed my heart and I knew that was what the Lord wanted us to have for our new home.  We purchased it and put it away.

When we found the house in Arnold, Mo. I immediately knew where that cross was to go and there was already a nail in that place.  It greeted everyone as they entered our home.

As I looked around the gift shop at Moses Cone Manor,  the thought returned and I again told Chuck.  We looked around the shop seeing beautiful expensive artwork and I thought this may not be the place we find it.  Toward the end of our journey in the shop I came across a hand made oil lantern made of pottery. It was a colonial blue color with a brown tree laying on the top.  I thought it looked like the tree of life.  I took Chuck to look at it and we agreed on the piece.  As I took it up to the counter the ladies behind the counter began to whisper to one another. I guess they saw my puzzled look and began to explain that this lantern was the last piece of this artist that they had at the moment and it had only been there for 2 days. That would have meant that the artist, Carlos Robledo, delivered it on our anniversary.  The ladies packed it up really well and as I was taking the bag one of them said, “it’s the tree of life, you know”.  I smiled and told her that I was sure hoping that it was.  Isn’t God the most awesome Father you could ever imagine. He will move heaven and earth to accomplish His purpose in our lives. What an anniversary gift He has given us.  We now have it packed away for the new place He has chosen for us.

On our second day in the Mountains of our getaway we spent a leisurely morning at the cabin and then headed out to see areas of the NC Highlands that we had not seen before.  We started out in W Jefferson because I wanted some of the good cheese that is made there.  Once that was achieved we headed out to new territory.  Our motive was to again try to get direction from the Lord as to where we should head in our future move.  One of our first stops after many miles of very narrow, winding roads was Banner Elk.  There was not much there.  When I asked the lady at the visitor center where the main town was she laughed and said “this is it”.  Well, it was pretty evident this wasn’t it for us, especially after eating at one of their local restaurants.

We then headed to Beech Mt which is NC’s version of a ski resort. Mostly man made snow.  It is the highest town in the NE and is very pretty, but once again there was little there for us.  Before the day was up we probably put 200 miles on the car and did not see any place that struck any interest until we got to Blowing Rock.  Of course all these areas were cool, Beech Mt is about 20 degrees cooler than where we live now.  Cool in the summer is good.

We arrived back to the road of challenge that led to the Cabin before dark which was a relief to me.  We were both tired and we had no clearer direction.  As we were sitting on the front porch looking across the mountain the wind was blowing once again and sounding like running water.  We could see rain in the distance and suddenly a rainbow showed up in the ski. It lasted long enough for Chuck to go get his camera, change batteries and then take a picture.

Rainbows have been significant to us the last 9 years. It has kind of been God’s reminding us that He keeps his promises as we are on different outings.  We had a double one when we visited Niagara Falls.  It hits my heart like “God’s on the throne and all is well on the earth”.

The longer we watched the more it seemed that the earth was reaching up to the heavens.

I thought of all the prayers that went up from this area from the Moravians as I looked at the sky.  Rev 5:8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

We ate leftovers from our anniversary dinner and enjoyed it again.  As we were finishing dinner God gave us a final sign in the sky…”Red sky at night, sailor’s delight”.  A sign that good things are ahead with the new day.

As most know, Chuck and I celebrated our 45th Wedding Anniversary with a trip to the NC Mountains.   We were married in the Chapel of Capitol St. United Methodist Church in Jackson, MS where my family had been attending church for years.   That day is a bit of a blur to me because of all the excitement and our pictures turned out the same unfortunately.   We were very young and very poor and pretty naive about what a marriage entailed, but we were in love and nobody  could convince us to wait to get married.

Our path for the last 45 five years has been a bit like the road that led up the mountain to our getaway cabin this weekend.  The road was windy and full of deep holes that you had to either swerve around or slowly go through.  It also was straight up and we were warned that you had to keep moving once you started to ascend.  If you stopped to watch the surroundings you may loose your momentum and not make it to the top.

Marriage is a covenant made between you and your love before God. I have found that when the deep holes in the path appear  or bridges are washed away or the incline is so steep you feel you are so tired you can’t keep going, that covenant commitment can be like a glue that can keep you together.

You will have many more times, hopefully, of the good memories and refreshing times that kindle that fire between you. When the hard times come they can even strengthen or tear apart your relationship.  When we started up the path this weekend the rain had washed away a lot of the smooth gravel road.  It had even washed away the bridge earlier leaving some former guests stranded on the mountain.  But we stayed in the car together and Chuck maneuvered the car around most of the holes and soft mud and crossed the new bridge as we slowly made the steep incline until we reached our destination.

The view from the end of the road on the porches of the getaway house were wonderful. They soon made you forget the hardship of the road to get there.

The air was cool and the wind blowing through the trees sounded like a waterfall. The sound was so distinct that I was sure there must be water flowing nearby.  However, we went exploring through the woods and found no waterfall.  We came out with our own walking sticks and Chuck whittled them down to make them look like we were real trail hiking mountain folk.  Not!

The cabin was really nice and would make a good getaway, but was not conducive to romance.   Everywhere you looked you could see through large windows to observe the woods or the mountains.  However, there were no curtains on any of the windows so there was absolutely no privacy and there was another couple staying in the basement apt.

We managed to have a good Anniversary anyway because we still love each other very much. I have come to know that Chuck was a gift from God to me and I am very blessed.  Since there is not a large selection of places to eat in Moravian Falls we took steaks and the fixings and enjoyed a good meal and good company together.

The trip up this mountain trail was significant to what is going on in our lives right now and we feel we are about to pass over a new bridge.  We went to this place with expectation of the Lord giving us revelation as to what is next for us. I will share more about our journey soon.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world…James 1:27

As most of you know, Chuck went to Kenya, Africa in January this year with a group from Antioch Church.  They did many things while there, but the children really captured the hearts of those on the team.

Many of the orphans were found on the street eating out of the garbage.  Some were found trapped down in the garbage cans they fell into while trying to get some food.  With the help of Hope International, a Charlotte Ministry, and a local Kenyan pastor many children have been rescued and brought to the orphanage.

Pastor Robert, the local Kenyan Pastor, gave up a large promotion in his denomination because he was going to have to stop his work with the children.  So he left his position and stepped out and became a church planter and manages the orphanage.  Lately the door has opened for him to also minister in the many refugee camps. This young man was born with one hand and has suffered many years with a resistant Malaria but has worked diligently for the Lord.  The team was able to bring him a natural medication that has now rid him of Malaria.

It is amazing how much has been done at the orphanage with so few financial resources. However, according to American standards the orphanage is very primitive.  You don’t hear any complaints coming from the Children about the conditions, it is a home  to them.   Here are some pictures that will give you an idea about the existing orphanage.

This is a picture of their housing made of mud with tin roofs.

Inside housing.  Notice there is no furniture and they sleep on the dirt floor.

This is their source of water.  They lower a bucket into the well to get the water they need.

The ladies cook over an open fire in a closed mud hut to provide food for the orphans. Chuck says he does not know how they breath that smoke every day.

The toilets are outhouses with open pits.

Pastor Robert preaching in a local town.

Chuck, who is now called grandpa by the orphans and Pastor Robert, has recently received some correspondence by email of the urgent needs at the orphanage.

Hello GrandPa Chuck
Greetings. It has been long since I heard from you dear ones. I hope you are doing fine. You are very much in our minds and in our prayers. Much much greetings from all the children, staff and the church. Today the entire staff  of  Department of Children welfare, Public of Health, and Social services  visited Hope Center, since we had applied to register with the Children Welfare. The purpose of their visit to the Hope Center was to do inspection. They rejected our application because we have not built a proper kitchen of which they have given me one and half month to build a decent kitchen. They want us to make bunk beds and buy some mattresses soon as possible. Concerning water they said that we should buy the electric pump, one tank of 10,000 litters and stand for the tank. They said we should add 6 more bathrooms and 4 toilets. They said we should add 10 workers at the Hope Center They said they want all the workers to have new aprons. I had to do extra work yesterday. I took the five workers to the Hospital for medical checkup, of which cost us $100 and all were given the certificate the Public of Health.
The Rift Valley provincial Director of Children Welfare said Dr. Timothy had told him personal to close Hope Center since they haven’t registered with Children welfare, but we decided not to close this Home that is helping so many orphans.  He said He is personally giving us three month to compete all that is needed before he can approve us to register with the Children Welfare.
We need up to $3500 to build the kitchen they require. Buy water tank of 10,000 litters and electric Pump and then other things we do it later.
We love you and we thank you very much for standing with us.
Your grandson
in the soil of Africa Robert

If you would like to help this orphanage you can donate by sending a tax deductible check to:

Hope International Ministries
PO Box 7512
Charlotte, N.C. 28241

You can also give on the ministry website, at www.PleadingTheCause.com

Just as a personal note: You always wonder if the money you give to projects is really getting to the people.  When the team returned from Africa they came home with heavy hearts for the refugees who are being held captive without any basic resources.  They are even being denied help from Red Cross. Our Church which is very small raised 3,000 dollars to buy them food. That food was delivered to the refugee camp within 5 days which was amazing to me.

I’m horrified by reports this morning that in his June 4th speech in Cairo, President Obama will say it is time to divide Jerusalem and make the holy city the capital of a Palestinian state.

No, Mr. President, it is not.

Jerusalem is and should be the eternal, undivided capital of the Jewish people and the Jewish state. Dividing Jerusalem will not make peace. Rather, it would send a message to every Radical Islamic jihadist around the world that Israel is weak, that the Jews won’t even defend the sovereignty of their own capital, that there is “blood in the water,” and that it is time to strike Israel and wipe her off the map. Dividing Jerusalem would trigger an apocalyptic war in the Middle East the likes of which the region has never seen. Already, the Radicals believe Israel is doomed to destruction. Hearing that the American President is now ready to apply intense pressure against the Israelis to divide their capital will only embolden the Radicals and convince them further that Allah is on their side, the wind is at their back, and they will soon triumph over the Jews and Christians.

While I am not surprised by where the President is headed, I am horrified nonetheless. Right at the moment when the U.S. and Israel need to be working with Arab states in unity against the Iranian nuclear threat, this White House is systematically turning against Israel. Despite all the smiles and boilerplate rhetoric from senior administration officials over the last few days that Prime Minister Netanyahu has been in town — promising to stand with Israel and maintain her security — what the administration is actually advancing in terms of policy is dangerous and destabilizing. They are playing with fire, and they must be publicly and peaceably challenged and resisted.

I am committed to doing everything I possibly can to educate people — and particularly U.S. and Canadian evangelical Christians — to the threats facing Israel and the West due to Radical Islam, and to the biblical responsibility we have to show unconditional love and unwavering support to Israel and the Jewish people. We’ll use radio, TV, the internet, emails and other media to get the word out. But we can’t do it alone. We want and need your help.

One idea: let’s build an alliance of one million true friends of Israel — people who love Israel, are committed to blessing her in real and practical ways, are absolutely opposed to dividing Jerusalem, and will pray faithfully for the peace of Jerusalem and the protection of all the people of the epicenter. Currently, we have 100,000 subscribers to our Flash Traffic email updates who are committed to this cause. If each of us recruited just 10 new friends to sign up for Flash Traffic and be part of this alliance, we would be able to communicate new information, new projects, and new prayer requests to them instantly. We would be able to mobilize people for pro-Israel events. We would be able to mobilize people to write to President Obama and their Congressional leaders to stand with Israel, not against her. We would be able to work together to stockpile food, clothing, medical supplies and other aid in Israel ahead of the next war. We would be able to encourage one another with the knowledge that we are not alone in this important fight. And we can work with other like-minded organizations — including One Jerusalem, founded by my friend, Natan Sharansky — to defend the holy city and bless the people of Israel.

Let me be clear: I love the Israeli people. I also love the Palestinians. I want the Israelis to be able — by God’s grace — to live in safety, security and peace. At the same time, I want the Palestinians to be able to govern themselves and to live in autonomy and peace. But I strongly oppose dividing Jerusalem. I strongly oppose the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state that would endanger the very existence of Israel. I am not convinced that Mahmoud Abbas is a partner for peace. I know for certain that Hamas will never make peace; they are committed only to terror, bloodshed and the annihilation of Israel. What’s more, I submit that the last three “land for peace” offers that Israel has made to her neighbors — at Camp David in 2000 when Israel offered half of Jerusalem, 93% of the West Bank, and all of Gaza; in 2000 when Israel unilaterally withdrew from southern Lebanon; and in 2005 when Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza — have been absolute disasters for the Jewish State. All three initiatives triggered more war, not peace. They triggered waves of suicide bombers and tens of thousands of rockets, missiles and mortars against Israel. Why in the world would we think continuing down the same road with the same strategies will produce different and better results?

The Bible says in Zechariah 1:14-18, “So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. But I am very angry with the nations who are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they furthered the disaster.” Therefore thus says the LORD, ‘I will return to Jerusalem with compassion; My house will be built in it,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem.”‘ Again, proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”‘”

This is good news. The God of Israel will neither sleep nor slumber. He is jealous for Jerusalem. He will defend His country, His city, and His people. But He expects us to do our part. And He promises in Genesis 12:1-3 that if we bless Israel, He will bless us.

Joel Rosenberg Epicenter

May 20,2009.  Follow hard after Me. At first it may seem full of emotion and bright lights. But in the end, to follow close after Me is going to require the sacrifice of everything you have. You will need to make it clear that you have committed your ways and your life to the Lord. Become God-minded. Make Him the center of your thoughts, prayers and even your imaginations. Think of it. You could do far greater works than Jesus. I will make you a world changer, an overcomer of impossibilities. I will make of you a renowned front runner of all that I shall yet do. Follow hard after Me.
1 Kings 19:21 “So Elisha left; he took his yoke of oxen and butchered them. He made a fire with the plow and tackle and then boiled the meat—a true farewell meal for the family. Then he left and followed Elijah, becoming his right-hand man.”   Ras Robinson*