I absolutely love being an American. I love every single thing about our country. I love the land and the climates. I love the freedom and the history. I love the people. The cultures. Maybe not so much baseball, but I sure do love apple pie.

Yet at this moment in time, I just do not like what's been happening with our country. It's just blowing my mind. I don't know what I'm in awe over more -- the fact that President Obama is blatantly acting like someone who completely disregards the fundamental, historical morals and values that we once had in our great country... or the fact that most people don't seem to care. Actually, let me rephrase that. "Or the fact that people don't care and still think he's the best thing to come along in centuries."

My heart aches, and my soul groans. I am officially standing up and declaring that my country -- as I once knew and loved it -- is gone.

First let's take Obama's visit to Turkey. The Washington Post wrote this about the visit:

ANKARA, Turkey, April 6 -- President Obama made his most direct outreach to Muslims around the world Monday, telling Turkey's Grand National Assembly that the United States "is not and never will be at war with Islam."

"Our partnership with the Muslim world is critical in rolling back a violent ideology that people of all faiths reject," Obama told the assembly. "The future must belong to those who create, not those who destroy. That is the future we must work for, and we must work for it together."

Obama's speech focused primarily on the U.S. relationship with Turkey. But he also used it as a chance to continue his outreach to Muslims and to signal an approach to the region based more on pragmatism than ideology. He sidestepped a campaign pledge to label as genocide the 1915 mass killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire and promised the Turks a broader relationship than one focused solely on combating terrorism.

During his campaign, Obama consistently played down connections to Islam, rarely mentioning his middle name, Hussein, or his childhood years in an Indonesian state school. The tactic helped fuel false Internet-driven rumors that Obama, a Christian, had once been Muslim. But in his appearance Monday, the president noted the contributions that Muslim Americans have made to the United States, saying that many Americans "have Muslims in their family, or have lived in a Muslim-majority country."

"I know," Obama said, drawing applause from the lawmakers, "because I am one of them."

Is it just me, or does this bother you, too? Okay, I'm sure that he meant that he's one who has Muslims in his family. But still... it's disconcerting to know he's playing so nice in such a comfortable way, telling them what they want to hear.

But then Obama goes on to say this: "We will listen carefully, bridge misunderstanding, and seek common ground," he added. "We will be respectful, even when we do not agree. And we will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over so many centuries to shape the world for the better -- including my own country."

HUH? Sure, one might be able to explain away the first snippet... but what about that last one? Since when has Islam shaped the world -- or our country, for that matter -- for better???

How is it, and WHY is it that President Obama visited two mosques while in Turkey?

In his book, Dreams of my Father, Obama states that he only met his dad for two weeks. If that's the case, then why did he also say at one point that "My father's Muslim faith had a profound influence on my life,"?

Here are some other things that stand out as un-kosher to me (no pun intended):

--Let's not forget the first call after being in office was to the president of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas. A simple hand outstretched for peace? Or is it something more? The VERY FIRST call????

--After strong messages of US reconciliation with the Islamic world on trip to Turkey (a primarily Muslim country), he visited a part of the mosque allowed only for Muslims. NOT the area provided for tourists. Several reports state the following: Taking off his shoes as tradition requires, Obama stepped into the 17th-century Sultanahmet Mosque in the ancient heart of Istanbul, accompanied by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan amid tight security in the area.

Two Muslim preachers guided Obama inside the grandiose edifice -- better known as the Blue Mosque for its blue tileworks -- and the president smiled when they showed him a dome scripture mentioning the Prophet Mohammed's grandson Hussein, Obama's middle name, Anatolia news agency reported.

--Does anyone else think it's a little odd that this Christian president who so prominently participated in his church before the election has not been back to church one time since he's been in office???

--Obama clearly stated that he supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He doesn't seem to be warming up to the new right-wing government of Benjamin Netanyahu. As a Christian, he should be a strong ally and supporter of Israel. However, is actions these days are looking more Muslim than Christian, in which case his phone call/support/visits to Palestine and neighboring Islamic countries don't surprise me one bit.

--What in the world is up with this Somali/Islamic pirate thing? Reuters states that President George H.W. Bush, describing it as "God's work," sent U.S. combat troops to the east African nation in late 1992 to lead an international U.N. force to secure the environment for relief operations. The Obama administration, however, is calling it an "annoying distraction" and is tip-toeing around the situation. Somalia is a very dangerous place. Foreign Policy magazine called it "The Most Dangerous Place in the World." Where are the guts of our country? Why haven't we used warships and submarines to kill these pirates? Michael Savage did a great show today on this topic. He's the one of very few who have spoken up and said that it's a complete disgrace that we haven't seriously went after -- meaning bombed, shot or killed -- those pirates. Where is our sense of military pride? Our defense? Our offense? What's the use of warships and submarines if we aren't going to use them except to sail around in foreign oceans, ramming into each other? One smart caller said that even if we did "capture" those pirates, our silly judicial system would be forced to give them a fair trial and use tax-payer money to prosecute them. How ridiculous is that???

--And let's take the gun issue. How's this for a headline? "In recognition of the unprece­dented demand for firearms by nervous consumers, The Outdoor Wire, the nation’s largest daily electronic news service for the outdoor industry, has named President-elect Barack Obama its “Gun Salesman of the Year”. With the selection, Outdoor Wire publisher Jim Shepherd says it is time the firearms industry recognizes the fact that without President-elect Obama’s frightening consumers into action, the firearms industry might be suffering the same sort of business slumps that have befallen the automotive and housing industries."

The publisher of that magazine goes on to write: Manufacturers are months behind on orders for semi-automatic pistols, AR-style rifles, and anything with so-called ‘high-capacity magazines’,” Shepherd says, “buyers we’ve surveyed across the country seem to have a single explanation for their rush to purchase firearms – Obama.”

“The buying panic is not limited to people you might be described as aficionados or even ‘gun nuts’. Recently, I was in a gun store when a gentleman came and said he’d never wanted to own a gun before, but wanted to get one while he still could.”

Since the November Presidential election, firearms sales have been at unprecedented levels. For December 2008 the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) recorded a twenty-four percent increase in background checks for 2008 (1,523,426) over December 2007 (1,230,525).

This follows a forty-two percent (42%) increase in November 2008, the highest number of NICS checks in the system’s history. Those FBI background checks are required under federal law for all individuals purchasing firearms from federally licensed firearms retailers. In other words, gun sales have never been better.

Sales are so good that on Tuesday, January 6, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) issued a notice to all federal firearms licensees that “an unprecedented increase in demand for ATF Form 4473” had run supplies low enough that dealers were temporarily given permission to photocopy the form until supplies caught up with demand. Completion of a form 4473 is required whenever a federal firearms licensee sells a fire­arm. As a journalist with more than two decades of national newsgathering experience, Shepherd says he’s never seen anything approaching what he calls the “Obama effect”. (You can read more about that here: Gun Salesman of the Year)

--Or how about this recent headline?: The president's new science adviser said Wednesday that global warming is so dire, the Obama administration is discussing radical technologies to cool Earth's air. John Holdren told The Associated Press in his first interview since being confirmed last month that the idea of geoengineering the climate is being discussed. One such extreme option includes shooting pollution particles into the upper atmosphere to reflect the sun's rays. Holdren said such an experimental measure would only be used as a last resort.

I can write dozens more, but I'll stop there. If you are like me, you are frustrated. Irritated. Disheartened. Sad. Angry. Confused.

What in the world is going on? I can answer that very easily.

Satan is stepping up his game.

Now I'm not saying that Obama is the Anti-Christ. But I am saying that he is a strong figure with the desire to be a "peacemaker." If he isn't the real thing, then the stage is set for a pretty intense dress rehearsal. America is a big, strong country with delicate ties to other nations and a big foundation for the world's economy. I can almost guarantee you that Satan is using our country as a pawn in his attempts to unseat the Church of Christ.

This is all written in the Bible, my friends. Allow me to cut/paste some snippets from a letter I just wrote today to a friend and fellow Christian:

Satan's uprising HAS to take place for this world to end according to Scripture. The playbook is written... we're in the 4th quarter... and everyone is on pins and needles. We know that the Evil One and his minions need to get ahead of the game for a bit, but that just means that we have got to stay on, play hard, endure and stick it out. It's going to get ugly, and it's going to get brutal. It's going to mess us up both mentally and physically. We are going to get bruised, bloody, beaten up and completely worn down. But we also know how the game ends. WE KNOW.

Yet we all must remember who controls our government. That's right... Satan. He is the prince of this world, the ruler of earth. He's got really strong deceptions in place within our government, and his blinders are on everyone.

If you are like the rest of us, and you are feeling frustrated, discouraged and disheartened by our president and government, then that simply means that the Good Lord is choosing you to be on His team. Your heart and soul are alerting you to the swelling rise of good vs. evil, and it is time now that you choose your side. I know that you're probably like me, and you very much love your country. But right now, it's about what you love more. Do you love God? Or do you love your country? God rules our hearts, our souls, the Church and our Universe. Satan rules this earth, the nations, and our country. It's Christ or Satan. Good vs. Evil. It's time now to take your stance.

I know it's heartbreaking and gut-wrenching. But the Bible tells us how to stand strong and stay in the game as a fighter:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:10-18)

I see it everywhere. It's so much bigger than just America's government and military. The forces are brewing, and the winds are picking up. Just two years ago I wasn't even a Christian, and now I am in contact with a small but growing network of Christians who are getting clear signals that the puzzle pieces are all swiftly moving into place.

I do believe that the time has passed for hope that this will all go away and we'll return to the "normal" life we've had for the past 20 years or so. Do you feel it? Can you sense it?

Did you see the "Crown of Thorns" galaxy photographed in space yesterday? This photograph made the rounds on the very day Passover began in Israel. Coincidence? I assure you, it's not.




"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars..."

May God bless you, and keep you strong in His words. Pray now not for our country, but for the believers who are gathering together for the fight that is to come...

Stay tuned for my next post, which will be on the "Great Deception."