Ecclesiastes 12:10

    One of the best kings of Judah died because he picked the wrong fight.   In 2 nd Chronicles 35:20 we read of that battle. The Egypt armies led by Neco were coming north to support the Assyrian against rising Babylonian empire. Since Judah was allied with Babylon it was expected that they would attack to delay those forces.   In 2nd Chronicles 35:21we read, “ But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, "What have we to do with each other, O King of Judah? I am not coming against you today but against the house with which I am at war, and God has ordered me to hurry. Stop for your own sake from interfering with God who is with me, so that He will not destroy you ."”   Scholars debate if Neco was honest about receiving a message from The Lord but nevertheless, Josiah was killed because he did not turn away.  His death is so devasting it would be byword for tragedy for years (Zec. 12:11). After this Judah was defeated by Egypt and then destroyed b...

  It seems every election we go through is billed “as the most important ever” and “will change the future of the world as we know it”.  But if you look throughout history, you will see leaders come and go, powers rise and fall, and what we think of as important, stable, and unchangeable really isn’t.   In Daniel 4 we read of a leader that was warned about his hubris. Though he was on top of the world, it did not mean he was going to stay there. Warned in a vision, he was told to realize, “ That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, And bestows it on whom He wishes And sets over it the lowliest of men."(vs19).   It might need to be a lesson we need to learn as well.  As much as we think we know who will or won’t be in charge in the coming years, we need to consider that the one that places all those in power is in Heaven. As Nebuchadnezzar concludes about God, “ All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to...

    The Pharisees were out to get Jesus. They figure if they could get him to say something against the Romans, they would have a lever in which to remove Jesus. So they go to him and ask him a question involving the payment of taxes to Caesar. If he said no, well the Romans might be after him.    But notice how they speak to Jesus before they ask that question. In Matthew 22:16 they say, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any ”. You can see what they are doing. They are trying to rile him up with compliments. Imply he is the type of guy who won’t cave to pressure and then ask him a question to prove just that. Challenge him to show that he is a truthful teacher not afraid of giving the “right” answer.  Jesus didn’t take the bait.  His answer was brilliant. It took the issue out of the trap and back into the real world. He never violates who he is but doesn’t all...

     Alfred Packer was a man made infamous by his peculiar crime; cannibalism.   The fact Packer had murdered and eaten five hunting companions during a Colorado blizzard in 1873 was horrifying. Hardly anyone could think of a worse crime, well except for one person. The judge at the trial M. B. Gerry was quoted to have said to Packer at his sentencing, “ There were seven Democrats in Hinsdale County, but you ate five of them. I sentence you to be hanged by the neck until you’re dead, dead, dead, as a warning against reducing the Democratic population of the state. ”   I wish I could say we have moved beyond that thinking. Yet today, it seems politics still play a huge role in most folks thinking, more maybe than it should. Issues of right and wrong are now blurred by the political implications. All sides seem far too willing to accept evil as long as that evil benefits their political constituency. Rhetoric has replaced reason. Victory is more important princi...

  In May of 1902, the election season was heating up on the Caribbean island of Martinique. So was the island volcano Mount Pelée. As the volcano belched smoke and fire, the citizens of Saint-Pierre, at the foot of the volcano, regarded it with mounting concern. The governor of Martinique however, was more worried about the upcoming election than he was about the volcano.   Governor Louis Mouttet feared that a panic would hurt the candidates of the ruling Progressive Party.  So he directed the editor of the local paper to downplay the danger of an eruption.  He set up roadblocks to prevent people from leaving the city. He suppressed telegrams warning of the danger.  And in a grand gesture, he paid a visit to Saint-Pierre three days before the election to assure everyone that things were just fine.   The following morning. at 8 A.M. Pelée erupted.  The blast of superheat ash killed the governor and thirty thousand others in less than tw...

  It was a great nation.  One of the most powerful, wealthy, influential, and important kingdoms of it time.  But for the last several years, there were signs things were falling apart.  Marriage was under attack.  The case from government was marry whoever you want, there are no limits. That however wasn’t what God had said.  The heart of the leaders were moving away from God.   So now a time of choice came for the people.  Two leaders had emerged. Who would rule the land? The people had a choice to make, even if it seemed like either choice would be a mistake.     On one side, a person that had been in public service for a long time right in the middle of going on in the kingdom.  While there seemed to be some promise early, there were now some great concerns. This person would show a willingness to compromise God’s clear commands in order to keep power.  They used division and schemes to try and win the people...

   In the late 1930’s as Europe moved closer to war, The United States was desperately attempting to remain neutral.  Between 1936 and 1937, Congress passed the Neutrality Acts measure design to keep America out of the upcoming forgiven wars.  These acts set restrictions such as, keeping Americans from sailing on ships flying the flag of a belligerent nation or trading arms with warring nations.  Such activities had played a role in American entrance into World War I, and the nation didn't want to be brought into another war.    As the Second World War broke out not only in Europe but in China and Japan, American still wanted to remain out of the war.  They began to involve themselves more with passing of the Lend Lease Act of 1941, which allowed the United States to sell and lend weapons to the Allied efforts. The President warned Americans, “… the Axis not merely admits but proclaims that there can be no ultimate peace between their philos...

    Maybe you think Mark Twain said it best: “ Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself ." - Mark Twain    It’s not hard to think less of our elected officials.  Whether we look to Washington, the State Capital or City Hall, it can be easy to find fault.  And with our form of government, we have the responsibility to involve ourselves in the political process.  So we have to choose candidates, voice our opinions and publicly discuss the issues.  However, it seems as of late the process has become a little more animated maybe than it ought to be.  While it is important to be good citizen of our country, we must also remember that our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).  And the Bible has something to say about how we speak about our government officials: Proverbs 24:21   My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise , Ti...