Don't mess with Jehovah

1 Sam 6 & 7 are an absolute hoot.  Really, you've got to see the humor here.  Yes, it's deadly serious but put yourself in the place of the Philistines.

Israel, depending on the power they believed was inherent in the Ark gets their clock cleaned by the Philistines. 

So the Philistines capture then Ark and set it in the temple of Dagon as a trophy.  Yeah, right.

What follows in this part of the story is, well, hilarious---yes' it's serious too.

THE lesson - false gods can't stand in the presence of the One True God.

But imagine the scene.  They probably made a really big deal of this with all the attending pomp and circumstance.  "Yay Us - Yay Dagon!!"

So the next day they find Dagon lieing flat on his face.  Mmmmmm?  Bet the set guys got burned for that.  Bad workmanship surely.  So they set old Dagon back on his feet and all is well.  Except the next day not only is Dagon face down again but his head and arms are "cut" off.  Note, in that day it was common to cut off the head and hands of a defeated enemy to show utter defeat.

Now I'm wondering.  Is the English translation good here?  Were the head and arms cut or broken?  It would make a difference in the impact of the event.  Young's Literal Version says the head and the palms were cut off and only the "fishy" part was whole.  Illustrations of Dagon depict kind of a mer-dude, half man, half fish.

Oh well,  it appears they didn't get the hint anyway.  

Next come the "tumors."  There is some debate about exactly what these were.  Some suppose (because of the later mention of mice) that it was the bubonic plague.  Others just assume boils.  My favorite is hemroids.  The KJV reads in 1 Sam. 6:9:

9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.

OK, a little crude but obviously it got their attention! 

If we assume it was hemroids or perhaps boils/tumors in, "their secret places," it makes sense.  Dagon was a god of fertility -- gottcha!

Well, these guys finally get it and begin to wonder what to do with the Ark.

I love these guys - the big wigs get together in Ashdod and decide to send it to Gath.  Nice guys!  Of course the Gathites assume the Ashdotites are trying to kill them by sending the Ark there so they send it to Ekron.  No way are they gonna keep it!  So they just park it out in a field for several months.  But men are dieing and there's still the "secret parts problem." 

I don't know if God has what we'd call a sense of humor but He's got irony nailed.  Funny may be flippant a term for all this but I have to chuckle.  But, it gets better.

To be continued.  . . .

Note:  Even though Israel was unfaithul and even though the presentation of the Ark did not produce victory God does not forgo dealing with the Philistines for taking the Ark.  Wrong is wrong and God deals with Israel passively by not coming to their aid (as He said He wouldn't) and He eals with the Philistines actively. 

The point goes back to the covenant.  If Israel is unfaithful (as in this case they had been for a while) they are on the curses side of the valley.  This does not mean that the relationship between God and Israel has changed.  They are still "His people," they have simple moved out fro  under His blessings into  the curses that come with unfaithfulness.

My barber....

Tit 2:2  Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

My barber is 83 years old.  I think he once cut Samson’s hair but I hesitate to ask.  He’s been a barber since he left the service (WW II).

Barbers like bartenders are talkers and my barber is no exception.  His favorite topics are riding railroad trains and Jesus.

I love to listen to his stories about both trains and Jesus.  When he speaks of trains you can hear all the excitement of a young man full on curiosity and energy.  When he speaks of Jesus you hear all the assurance and comfort of an old saint.

He’ll often weep as he talks of how the Lord has been with him and his wife, through the loss of their daughter and his wife’s cancer.  He weeps remembering the pain and the fear as well as gratitude for the comport the Lord provides.

He’s not a theologian and he has some very interesting views but one thing is inescapable.  He knows the Lord, he loves the Lord and he knows the Lord loves him. 

Just the way he says “Jesus,” carries power and tenderness.  His assurance that he can just, “leave it with the Lord,” is contagious.

So why this blog?

Older men (and women) “Speak out, tell your stories!!!!!”

Younger men (and women) “Pay close attention!!!!!”

Oh - a word of counsel:  When an 83 year old barber begins to shave you with a straight razor, trust the Lord - and sit very very still.  ;-}

A little break from the Prophets

Heb 10:22-23  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.  (23)  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

What an awesome privilege we have to be able to draw near to our God – and to do so in full assurance. But where does that assurance come from?  Do we look for it in our behavior?  In our thoughts and reflections?  In miracles?  In feelings?

Yes – no and maybe!

Certainly we experience assurance in all these areas of our lives.  The problem we often face however is wanting to consistently and constantly experience our assurance in one or maybe two particular areas.  It is not my experience or my understanding or the Word that this is the way it works.  We are a whole – the sum of all our parts and it is in all our parts that we experience, have a sense of assurance.  To limit the evidence of our assurance to but one or two areas is to make ourselves spiritually myopic.

Our assurance can and does express itself in our senses.  We can “feel” that assurance.  But feelings, as we know, are fickle.  Bad food, stress, neurochemical imbalances call all radically affect our feelings.  To look too much to them is not a good idea.  

We really need to build our assurance on much more than us, our experience or behavior.  You see my assurance is not in me, it’s in Him.  As Heb.10:23 says, “he is faithful that promised.”  My assurance is Him – His faithfulness.  Next to that, my faithfulness is microscopic.

Our faith is ‘in” His faithfulness.  We have believed and we have been cleansed and now we work out our salvation – and fear and trembling is part and parcel of the process.  

Gal 2:20-21  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  (21)  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Note the assurance in the verses above.  Many of us love to quote verse 20 but we seem to miss verse 21.

“Frustrating the grace of God,” is perhaps the most common activity we take part in.  Certainly we are to examine ourselves and “judge” ourselves but we cannot, for we have no right, to condemn ourselves.  

When we examine our lives and we find sin we are to fall upon the grace of God.  Yes, we need to address the sin and forsake it but we are to do this within the wonderful grace our Lord has poured out on us. 

The Law is the tool by which we measure ourselves but it is the grace of /God by which we must judge ourselves.  If sin is the way I measure my relationship with God, I will always be disappointed.  But if it is grace that I use then I, even as I struggle with sin, have every cause for rejoicing.

Without our unworthiness, grace would not be grace.  It’s tough to live with that tension but it is do-able.  

Gill says of the Galatians passage:

the life he (Paul) had was not of his own obtaining and procuring; his life of righteousness was not of himself, but Christ; his being quickened, or having principles of life and holiness implanted in him, was not by himself, but by the Spirit; and the holy life and conversation he lived was not owing to himself, to his power and strength, but to the grace of God; or it was not properly himself, or so much he that lived,

If you read the OT you will many places where god make it plain that it will never be by our efforts that we will be righteous (Deut. 5 is an example).

God says, “Thou shall not!”  but He knows we will.

God says, “Thou shall!”  but He knows we won’t.

So, why are we surprised when we do and don’t?  Why do we use our weakness (albeit redeemed) as the measure of our relationship with God when it is the faithfulness of Christ that is God’s own measure?

James presents us with a weird little insight into our lives in Christ.

Jas 3:2  For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.

Accepted – we all stumble and we do so in many ways.  That is the norm – the common frustration of all the redeemed.  But look at the measure of “perfection” or “wholeness” that James gives – what we say.  If we can control our tongues – but we don’t (read the rest of the passage).

STUMBLE:   πταίω   ptaiō

Thayer Definition:

1) to cause one to stumble or fall

2) to stumble

2a) to err, make a mistake, to sin

2b) to fall into misery, become wretched

Yes, sin is bad – we should do all we can to avoid it.  But we will stumble – trip.  OK – that is common and normal for us all. 

Yes, before our redemption we all stood condemned – now, we CAN’T.  

GET THAT???  CAN’T!!!!!

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

The bottom line?  “He is faithful that promised.”  Him – not you or I, Him.

God made you – God made you His > end of one story beginning of a new one!

Bad boys - bad boys !!!

That things were not well with God’s people is a no brainer.  It was clear from the time they entered the land that things were going south.  Again, the last verse of Judges makes that clear.

But, right in the middle of the great story of Hannah and the birth of Samuel God seems to want to not let us forget that things were bad.

Most of the Old Testament surveys portray the worship of the One True God to have lost its meaning to some degree or another.  They, for the most part, seem to believe that the worship at Shiloh was just a shadow of what worship at the Tabernacle had been.  Some even go so far as to say that there was merely a shrine at Shiloh and that the worship was at best informal.

OK – what do expect from unredeemed people (or even redeemed people living in a fallen world).  We genuinely expect too much of O.T. Israel, we really do.  God desired much of them but even He expresses His knowledge of their propensity for rebellion and rejection (See Deut. 5:9).  God never kidded Himself about them (or us).  So when we look at the miserable mess that these folks made of things DO NOT suppose any of our gentile ancestors would have done any better!  

They did what was right in their eyes.  Duhhh…. nothing surprising or unique there!

But in the middle of “hurray for Samuel” God wants us to know about Eli’s sons, Phinehas and Hophni.  A real couple of sweethearts these two!  They were Priest but bad ‘uns!

1Sam 2:12  Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the LORD.

Worthless:  בּליּעל    belı̂ya‛al    bel-e-yah'-al     From H1097 and H3276; without profit, worthlessness; by extension destruction, wickedness (often in connection with H376, H802, H1121, etc.): - Belial, evil, naughty, ungodly (men), wicked.

Like I said, Bad ‘uns!

1Sam 2:17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD, for the men treated the offering of the LORD with contempt.

1Sam 2:22  Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

1Sam 2:25 If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?" But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the LORD to put them to death.

MOST IMPORTANT PART HERE:  “1Sam 2:25   “but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?" 

THE ANSWER:  No one – yet!

Any questions?

The word “intercede” is simply a word meaning pray or supplicate.  It may, depending on the context, carry the idea of resolution – mediation but here that implication is not found.

The question is more about “what can one even say about someone who sins against the Lord.”  Notice that right before that the indication is that if man sins against man there is the possibility of intercession but it appears no such thing – or no such a one – is available – yet.

Father, there is nothing we or anyone can say about our sins against You that would have any effect.  We know that only You can address those sins.  That you have done so through Your Son is greatly to be praised.  We thank You that He is there, in Your presence interceding on our behalf.  Father, make this humble us as we deal with one another.  Let this knowledge of this great gift drive us to our knees in sound and secure humility.  Thank you!

1 Sam 3 Ouch!

1 Sam. 3

Please – read this chapter before you read the blog.

There are time when I read the scriptures and I am left numb.  I’m not sure what to make of what I’ve just read.  This chapter is one such time.

Certainly it is the “calling of Samuel,” but, if you’ve read it, it’s a tough calling.

Since that age of about 3 Samuel has been in the care of Eli learning and ministering at Shiloh.  We’ve considered the sorry state of the people’s spirituality and even that of the Priests and we have to keep in mind that Samuel was raised and trained right in the middle of it.

How tough must have it been for him?  Compromise on every side.  Abuses, apostasy avarice – it was all there.  And yet Samuel seems to have passed through it without negative results.  I’m sure it all affected him greatly.  It had to be confusing and appalling, even frustrating and angering and yet he didn’t just survive but he seems to have done well.

Verse 7 is interesting.  Consider the translations:

1Sa 3:7  And Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, and the Word of Jehovah had not yet been revealed to him.  (LITV)

1Sa 3:7  Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD yet been revealed to him. (NASV)

1Sa 3:7  Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. (ESV)

So – all are in agreement.  But read the words.  He did not yet know the Lord?  The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him?
 

There are some really weird ideas out there as though there was something hidden.  But when we realize that it wad been quite a while since God spoke directly we begin to get a bettr understanding.  Gill suggests the following:

He knew that Jehovah, the God of Israel, was the true God; he had spiritual knowledge of him, and knew somewhat of his word and worship, ways and ordinances, in which he had been instructed by Eli; wherefore, though the Targum is,"Samuel had not yet learned to know doctrine from the Lord;''it can only be understood, that he had not learnt it perfectly; somewhat he knew of it, but in an imperfect manner, being a child: but the sense of the word is, that as yet he was ignorant that God had used to speak with ordinary and familiar voice to men, as Maimonides says (s); he perhaps had never heard of any such thing, and much less was experimentally acquainted with it, that God ever did speak after such a manner to men, and could not distinguish between the voice of God and the voice of Eli:

This had to be – well – weird.  

Eli “got it,” and gives his student sound advice.  But the result had to be painful.

Samuel has been in Eli’s care for years.  He has served and trusted Eli as a father.  There had to be a bond between the two which only serves to make the “message” from God that much tougher.  Verse 15 makes it clear, “And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.”  Well, duhhhh!!!  But this fear is perhaps described as a “terrible reverence,” as opposed to common fear.

What a conundrum.  The very first time God speaks to Samuel it’s to tell him of the utter devastation of Eli and his whole line.  This is very tough news concerning someone in whose hands your life has rested and in whom you’ve placed great trust and respect.

OK – I’ve always said I wouldn’t have wanted to be Job.  I’ll add Samuel to that now!!

Would Samuel have kept silent?  What would you have done?  I a world where we work very hard to avoid any “unpleasantness and to make folks “comfortable,” I wonder what any of us would do.

But Eli is Eli and he makes it very clear to Samuel that he must relay all of what God told him.

Ouch!!

Samuel does this and something incredible happens – at least for me.

Eli says,” "It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him."

How was this possible?  There is perhaps a hint found in verses 2 and 3a:

1Sa 3:2-3   “At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place.  (3)  The lamp of God had not yet gone out,”

Was this the lamp in the shrine?  Perhaps.  But its proximity to verse 2 may indicate that we’re being told something about Eli.  Perhaps as Gill says:

“. . . .the lamp of prophecy, that before that was quite extinct in Eli, only began to depart, as his eyes are said to begin to wax dim, the spirit of prophecy came to Samuel; so that, as the Jews express it, before one sun was set another arose; thus before the sun of Moses set, the sun of Joshua arose; and before the sun of Eli set, the sun of Samuel arose:”

Surely we can see that this is possible.  And if so Eli demonstrates his faithfulness in accepting God’s message.

The rest of the chapter makes it clear that Samuel in commissioned and acknowledged as a Prophet of God.

There is one interesting statement here as well.  We are told:

1Sa 3:21  And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

God’s means of revealing Himself at Shiloh is “by the word of the Lord.”  It is by His word that we have live, that life is sustained and that redemption is given.  It is the word of the Lord with which Samuel and all the Prophets to follow will call the people to repentance and by which God’s judgment will be pronounced.

Father, help me to understand the lesson here.  Help me to be willing to do, say and even accept the hard things that come with being Your child.  Let me not shirk my responsibility to speak Your word without hesitation, hemming or hawing.

1 Sam. 4 Here we go

Hey - FYI: Yes, I do edit these. But for some reason some spaces between words get stolen. Not sure if it's the word processor-blogspot-or both. I've re-efited a couple and still have spaces stolen. Please bear with me as I figure it out. ;*)

<p>Samuel is now both Prophet and Judge over all Israel.&nbsp; The enemies of Israel attack.<br>
Now for the bad news:

And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. (Verse 4b)

OK - this can't be a good ting.  Two doomed, reprobate and unrepentent Priest accompany the Ark of the Covenant.  To me, this adds insult to injury.

Israel remembers the power of the Ark - rather the power of God through the Ark.  But I wonder because of the results if it wasn't more a case of, "let's bring the magic box," that a case of depending upon the Lord.

Notice one thing missing?  No one thought to seek the Lord - to pray.  They get whipped so the pull out the "big gun," but ignore the "big gunner."

The lesson I'm mulling over is the use of godly things while in rebellion against God and without repentant hearts.  Does not seen to be a good idea.

Remember that the people as well as the Priests were, to say the least, in a state of, "every man did what was right in his own eyes."  Call it rebellion, call it apostact - or just call it sin, they were doing THEIR thing not His.

There is a great lesson for today.  As we look in the church in general and more specifically in our country there's a lot of, "every man did what was right in his own eyes," going on.  We have "nitch" churches, "nitch services."  We want to be relevant and contemporary.  Soooo we do what we think is right.  We ignore the scriptures and the history of the church and do our own thing.

Now the desire to be, "relevant" is a curious thing.  Relevant to what, to who and how?  Outside of the sovereignty of God, outside of the context of the Kingship and Kingdom of God one can't get much more UN-relevant tham the gospel.  Removed from the context of God's redemptive plan the gospel is just silly.  Apart from sin the gospel is nonsensicle.  Apart from the judgment and wrath of God, the gospel is UNnecessary.  But we continue to take God and make Him palatable to sinful, lost men and women.

Paul was very clear - the gospel is a scandal to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks.  None of our efforts will change that.  So we change the gospel.  We change it so much that when I'm asked if I am Christian I have to ask the person what they mean.  It has gotten so bad - so vague - so corrupted that claiming to be a Christian is pretty much meaningless.

Well, Israel is pretty much in the same state.  I'm remind of an old joke where the Lone Ranger and Tonto are trapped by raging Native Americans.  The Lond Ranger (Israel) turns to Tonto (the pagan dieties they worshipped) and asks, "What are we gonna do Tonto?"  Tonto replies, "What do you mean "we" pail-face?"

Now God was still the God of His people but His people had morphed into NOT His people.  They go along doing their thing, ignoring His until the icky hits the oscilating blades --- now they want to be His people.

OK another itch of mine.  Quit calling for "America" to pray - the Lord only knows who most of them pray to.  If we are His people in America, it starts with us.  We need to repent and return.  We need to love our neighbor - be the Democrat, gay, illegal, ignortant bigots, violent gang-bangers or rich-powerful jerks.

Until those who are His repent and return to Him and His ways Indiana Jones could find the Ark, bring it here but all it would be is a really pretty box.

Israel learned that the hard way and I'm afraid, having learned nothing g from their lesson - we will go the hard way as well.

Hannah's Prayer

This prayer is much more than simply a thank you.  Whether through her own insight or the inspiration of the Spirit it is clear Hannah sees more in the birth of Samuel that simply the production of a son.

1Sam 2:1-10

(1)   And Hannah prayed and said, "My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is exalted in the LORD. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.

Hannah’s heart “exults” or jumps for joy “in the Lord.”  Her “strength” (horn) is exalted?  Yes, she is raised from her disgrace and consternation.  She “derides” (speaks broadly against) those who were hostile to her.

Wow – I see here an appropriate reaction to being redeemed.  Hannah has been lifted up, restored.  Those who were hostile to her are thwarted by God and Hannah is not hesitant to point out their error and God’s redemption.

(2)   "There is none holy like the LORD; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.

In her jubilation Hannah makes the point that this is God’s doing and that He is all that he says He is.  Note that though we might expect her to praise God’s ability and goodness it is His holiness, singularity and steadfastness that she praises.  In light of what follows in scripture in the life of Israel these are the characteristics that are forgotten – which Samuel will remind the people of.

(3)   Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.  (4)  The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength.  (5)  Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.  (6)  The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.  (7)  The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.  (8)  He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and on them he has set the world.  (9)  "He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.  (10)  The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the power of his anointed."

What has this to do with God’s answer to her prayer?  Little and much.  Though the provision of a son to Hannah is, in the scope of everything, a little thing it is to be much more.  Hannah speaks of a world set on its head or about to be.  What is the status quo is not to remain so for long.  What the people see as the way things are and ought to be is going to be radically challenged.

The coming of Samuel, though a great blessing to Hannah is an even greater blessing to, “His faithful ones.”  The rebellious and rejecting, the unfaithful will not hear from God concerning their ways.  He will cut them off in darkness.  He is the Lord Almighty.

Do not limit these words to the Canaanites or Philistines.  Certainly they were enemies of Israel and enemies to God but among them were numbered Israelites as well.  They were the un-remnant, those who did what was right in their own eyes.  They too would be the recipients of God’s judgment.  If we accept that the true Israel is comprised of a mere remnant then the rest of Israel (the un-remnant) were as much enemies of God as the surrounding pagans.

As we can see in the earlier books and will see in the later the scriptures are not about the individuals or the people groups.  Ok, they are but they are not just about them.  We make a great error when we narrow our perception of what’s going on in scripture to just the immediate.  The immediate does indeed hold wisdom and instruction for us.  But there is nothing in scripture that does not apply directly to God’s redemptive plan.  The trees make the forest but it’s the forest that we must keep in mind.  The whole is the sum of its parts and we cannot allow the whole to fade in our attention.

Hannah’s prayer is much more than a grateful mom’s thank you.  It is much more than just a God is Great prayer.  It is also a, “here’s what’s coming.”  To call it a prayer in which prophecy is to be found is not at all off the mark.  God, through Hannah is warning everyone of exactly what is the result of her answered prayer.  It is not just the addition of one more apprentice to the shrine at Shiloh it is the beginning of a time of judgment.  It is the beginning of God making it plain that what everyone thinks is right isn’t.

Her final line is glorious:

“He will give strength to his king and exalt the power of his anointed."

Though surely this can apply to Saul (for a time) and David we all know it refers to the King of King, God’s anointed Redeemer, the Christ or if you prefer, the Messiah.

This line hangs there giving hope and a promise to its contemporary readers and confirmation to those in Christ.

Father, how much greater are Your plans and workings than my eyes can take in or my mind receive.  Indeed things are not as they appear from our perspective but we know You are working Your plan and that we only see, know and understand in part.  Thank you for making that so clear to us in the stories You have preserved for us.  Please secure that truth in our minds and hearts that we might have a constant comfort.

REALLY random reflections . . . .

The things one reads . . . . 

While doing some research today I read the following:

“Monarchy was necessary for Israel’s survival, but like every turning point in the nation’s history, it carried great risk.”

Wait a minute, where did that come from?  “Necessary?”  Did anyone inform God of that?

Certainly the monarchy was within God’s plan.  There had to be a Kingdom for there to be a Kingdom to last forever – right?  But, “necessary?”  Necessary for their survival?

Statements like this concern me.  Yes, if it was (and it was) in God’s plan it was “necessary.”  But if we think for one moment that it was something God had to do outside of His plan we have a serious problem.

I know, I’m picking gnits.  But when we allow for the potential of eroding our appreciation and view of God’s sovereignty we tread on very dangerous ground.

Had the author said, “necessary as part of God’s plan,” I’d have felt better.  But just, “necessary?”  I don’t think so.

It is not a bad thing to look at the history of the faith through the common dynamics of the world.  But unless one keeps the sovereignty of God firmly in mind one risks losing that element all together.

Even today, in these really depressing times, we have to hold to His sovereignty.  As we view the events in the middle-east we cannot view them apart from His sovereignty.  As we look forward to our coming election we cannot lose sight of His sovereignty. 

My view is that it does not matter who is President as long as God is in control.  The only reason the election matters to me is because of my preferences, my beliefs.  But, since Jesus won’t be on any ballot and I don’t think He’d accept a nomination anyway what matters is that God is sovereign.

No, I’m not saying don’t vote, don’t be active, it doesn’t matter.  But I am saying that we as citizens of His Kingdom and His subjects first and foremost must temper our activities with our feet firmly planted in our knowledge of His sovereignty.

We can and must oppose (within His limits) the evil we see around us.  But we do have to let go of the illegitimate idea that we are going to bring His Kingdom here and now.  That just isn’t our job and we can see in history how that’s always a wrong turn in the road.

Yes, I can agree with the idea that we are endowed by our creator with a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (which originally was “property”) but that endowment is under His sovereignty, His will.  He is in control of my life, my liberty and my happiness.

We have to come to terms with the fact that the only freedom that matters is the freedom from sin’s domination.  Our freedom bought by the blood of the Lamb of God.  

Prayer is always a greater tool than protest.  Yes, in our country we (so far) are free to protest.  But any protest that takes place without much much prayer is powerless. 

As the world continues to spin around the porcelain fixture and the elections loom on the horizon we need to be praying more than protesting or campaigning.  Since every possible candidate is a fallen human being and even those who claim redemption still must struggle against the flesh the field is relatively level.

Few if any of our past leaders have been examples of biblical morality and it looks like none of our future potential leaders will be either.  So as we evaluate the issues and platforms we have to pray and pray hard.  

What we need to pray for is not some mini-messiah who will impose the truth of God on the country.  What we really need to pray for is that, regardless of who is in power, we will continue to be faithful to our commission and our King.

I would suggest that the best way to begin and end our prayers concerning politics and culture is, “Come quickly Lord!”

Well – hope you give this some thought.  As you interact with others concerning the political issues please remember you represent the Prince of Peace, that God is sovereign and that no one and nothing can rob you of your freedom in Him.

Bullwinkle for President!!!!!!  ;-}}}}}}}

Be at peace – God is sovereign and God is good!