The Dream of The King

"There is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God." - Romans 13:1

Well, it's Wednesday morning - the day after the 2024 election - and God has made some moves. Nancy Pelosi won again. Six terms? Yikes. AOC won. Clearly, the "war" is not over. But battles have been won.

Wisconsin senator Tammy Baldwin is in a tight battle with newcomer Eric Hovde. But the Senate has already flipped to red. Mr. Schumer will no longer be "leading" the Senate.

Abortion won last night. Seven states made it legal. That's sad news for all of the babies in their mother's wombs right now, that will never get a chance to vote on their own future.

But the big news appears to be Trump's win over Harris. When I checked at midnight, Newsmax said he had reached 270 electoral votes - the minimum number needed to win. This morning he's at 286. Pennsylvania, where he was shot in an assassination attempt, put him over the top. Interesting.

So what now? Time to get to work. It will be REALLY interesting to see what happens at our southern border, with our economy, and with the funding of the Ukraine and Israeli wars.

One thing I noticed though that is really worthy of note. God was acknowledged by Trump and the Republican party and, as a result, was blessed with many victories last night. That's something we all need to remember as we live out our own lives.

Trump said this at 2:26 AM. "God spared my life for a reason." Trump regularly plays God Bless The USA at his rallies.

Trump is brash and snarky to be sure. But God has put him on the thrown of this country. It will be interesting to see what happens next.

These past four years have been hard for many Americans to watch. But it would be SO nice to see God make America great again.

Finally, there's this from the prophet Daniel:

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are His. He changes times and seasons; He deposes kings and raises up others. 

He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him. 

I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king." - Daniel 2:20-23

The Ancient of Days

We have an election here in the United States tomorrow. We will be electing "the leader of the free world," or so they say. Honestly, we haven't been doing a lot of "leading" lately.

We sang a song in church yesterday that I thought was perfect for our pre-election blues. Here's the first verse:

Though the nations rage, kingdoms rise and fall

There is still one King reigning over all

So I will not fear for this truth remains:

That my God is, the Ancient of Days

"Though the nations rage." Aren't we living that right now? And kingdoms definitely rise and fall. It has been sad to see our country failing these last few years.

But there is one thing we need to remember. God rules over ALL. Whoever wins tomorrow. God is still king.

If things don't go the way we'd like in our election tomorrow, we need to remember that they are going God's way. And we need to be fine with that.

"Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." - Romans 13:1

The Ancient of Days is God, The Father. Let us respect and honor His judgements and decrees. No matter who wins.

Ancient of Days - CityAlight

Coming Soon

The Bible is a big book. SO big that there are 66 other books inside it. It was written over a period of 2,000 years. Yet, it is a perfectly cohesive story about one man - The God Man - Jesus.

The Book of Job is considered to be the oldest book in the Bible. Yet even Job eludes to Jesus when he said this:

"If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more." - Job 6:33-34

There is, my friend. His name is Jesus.

Jesus Himself said that He was around since the beginning. He didn't just suddenly appear at His earthly birth. He was there at the creation of the universe. He'll be there at the end.

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you a this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” - Revelation 22:12:16 

Jesus closes out His Words written in the Bible with this in verse 20: 

"Yes, I am coming soon!" - Revelation 22:20

While it has been 2,000 years since Jesus told those words to John, remember what the psalmist said . . .

"A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night." - Psalm 90:4

The Red Chord

In the Book of Matthew there is a listing of all the relatives of Jesus on His mother's side.

"Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David." - Matthew 1:5-6

Rahab is the Great, Great, Grandmother of King David. She lived in Jericho, the first walled city that God commanded the Israelites to destroy when they came out of Egypt. Rahab was a Canaanite, and a harlot, a prostitute. But she was righteous in God's eyes. Why?

Joshua sent spies into Jericho before they attacked the city. But why did the spies go into Rahab's house? Unknown. Were they directed by God? Anyway, the spies were seen entering her house and Rahab was soon confronted.

"But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them." - Joshua 2:4

She saved the spies from certain death, eventually lowering them down through a window. She lived on the outside wall of the city. When it's walls "came tumblin' down," every wall around the city fell, EXCEPT the walls of Rahab's house. Interesting.

"Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent." - Joshua 6:17

Rahab had made a deal with the spies. It saved her and her family. It started out this way as she aknowledged that God IS the God of heaven and earth.

"Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below." - Joshua 2:8-11

Rahab believed in God and helped the Israelites in their effort to conquer Jericho. Noble. But there's something else.

"Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down." - Acts 2:17-18

Scarlet. Red. You mean like the color of blood? Like "the blood of the lamb" the Isrealites put on their door frames in Egypt to save their first-born from death? Yesss.

The story of Rahab, and what she did and believed, is a reflection of Jesus and us. It's a story of salvation.

And what is OUR red chord? It is the Holy Spirit who lives in ALL who believe. And not just believe, but who have acknowledged Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Are you wearing a "red chord."

The story of Rahab and the spies exists in two parts (links below). Rahab is also mentioned in the New Testament.

"In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?" - James 2:25 

"By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient." - Hebrews 11:31

We might think we are unworthy, but if we place our faith in Jesus we will be saved.

Joshua 2

Joshua 6

Jesus IS Lord

"Whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 10:33

[First off, I'm not going to try to influence your vote with any sleight-of-hand or video editing tricks. This is just a few comments on two politicians, using their own words.]

Recently, Kamala Harris held a political rally where she was bashing Trump for stacking the Supreme Court in order to get rid of Roe v Wade (ie. abortion). Someone in the crowd yelled, "Jesus is Lord!" to which Kamala replied, "Oh, you guys are at the wrong rally."

Let's pause right there and ask, "What is she implying?" That Christians belong at a Trump rally? I actually think she is. That alienates a HUGE portion of the voting public.

According to a recent Pew Research article, "About eight-in-ten Republican and Republican-leaning voters (81%) identify with a Christian religious denomination."

Alright, let's push play again and look at Republican VP candidate J.D. Vance at a rally of his own. Just like at Kamala's rally, someone in the crowd again yelled out, "Jesus is King!" What was Vance's response?

"That's right. Jesus IS King!"

Apparently, Kamala was right. Christians DO belong at a Trump rally. A couple of verses spring to mind regarding this.

"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." - Matthew 12:30

That was Jesus speaking. And also, this one . . .

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" - Romans 8:31

I don't know who's going to win the presidential election next week. But I DO know this: God is in control and no one, NO ONE, comes to power in ANY country without the sovereign Lord appointing them, according to His will.

"Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." - Romans 13:1

To God be the glory.

"For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen." - Romans 11:36

Jesus Is Lord - Vance & Harris

Real-Life Vampires

We all are familiar with vampires - those blood sucking, Bela Lugosi spin off characters that we allow our kids to dress up as during this time of year. But that's a different story. Today we will be learning about a real, present-day "vampire" - the Bible study leader.

I was sitting in the living room reading as my wife watched her Good Morning America show. They had a guest on who I recognized from a television series my wife and I used to watch - One Tree Hill. Her name is Bethany Joy Lenz.

She has a book out right now about being trapped in a cult that began, believe it or not, in a Bible study. The book's name is Dinner For Vampires.

Her Bible study started out simply, like most of them do. But then someone new joined the group and things went downhill from there. This new member, a man, began to lead the group and then brought his "new biblical insight" into their meetings. Demonic insight. The next thing you know he was heading up his own cult. And then the sexual nastiness began.

The point of this story is this: do not let just anybody lead your Bible study. Especially someone who will suck the life, and the truth, out of it.

Here is a truism: A Bible study is only as good its most knowledgeable member.

The key word in any Bible study is discernment. We all must be good Bereans. And what does that mean?

"Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." - Acts 17:11

Truth is found everywhere in The Bible, not in anyone's thoughts or desires. Don't trust anyone . . . unless he or she is reading God's Word.

Dinner For Vampires - Bethany Joy Lenz

The Enemy Within

Less than two weeks to go before our country's presidential election. Personally, I can't wait until it's over. These elections bring so much division and animosity. Ever wonder why? There is actually an answer in the Bible. Imagine that.

"So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” - 1 Samuel 8:4-5

The people wanted a king, just like we want a "king" to rule over us today. They wanted a king just like "all the other nations have." The problem with this was that the Israelites already had a king - God.

"But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king." - 1 Samuel 8:6-7

From that day on the Israelites had earthly leaders rule over them. We still have that today. That desire is the enemy within us.

Joshua brought forth a solution years earlier when he said . . .

"But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” - Joshua 24:15

We have choices to make in our elections - one from Column A or one from Column B. For various reasons, neither one seems worthy to leader our great nation.

But who should rule over us then?

Many Christians think that Jesus would bring peace and stability to the world. Nope.

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household." - Matthew 10:34-36

Do any of us have family members with differing political beliefs? Yes. Why is that? Are they are siding with a human leader this election? Humans are human. We humans are ALL sinful. Trust is God alone. Solus Christus!

In Christ Alone - Kristian Stanfill

All Along

There are currently 8.2 billion people living on earth right now. Some of them are dying. Some have just been born. But ALL are on a faith journey, whether they acknowledge it or not.

There are many different belief systems and many different gods. So, which one is true? Or are they ALL true?

Recently Pope Francis of the Catholic church said, "All religions are a path to God." Really? What does Jesus say about this?

"Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

Maybe that's why many of the world's religious leaders are so upset with the Pope. He is speaking lies. Or is he?

We do all take different paths to ultimately find God. The problem comes when we make a wrong turn in our journey and don't discover our 'lostness' until it's too late.

But it also doesn't help to have religious leaders giving comfort to those are walking on an incorrect path. It is downright wrong.

The following song reflects someone's faith journey. We don't know the path they followed or the wrong turns they made along the way but we DO know they found who they were looking for. Jesus.

It's not everything it seems, the world and its dreams

Slipping like water through my hands tonight

All the things I thought would fill me up inside

Left me empty here and now I know why 

All along I was looking for something else

You're something else

All along I was looking for something more

You're so much more

I finally found what I could never see before

You've always been The One that I was looking for

Always seek the truth. Trust no one. Only trust God who never lies. Jesus IS the truth. Seek Him while He may be found. Because He is coming soon, and then it will be too late to change your mind.

All Along - Remedy Drive

Baldy!

There's a story in the Bible that has always kind of bothered me - the story of Elisha and those pesky, disobedient kids.

"From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys." - 2 Kings 2:23-24

Okay . . . now, doesn't that seems a little harsh? Why did Elisha do that? He was a prophet of God. Where's the compassion and the love?

This story is just one example of why it is SO important the STUDY the Bible and not merely read it. There are several things to note here.

First, as I mentioned earlier, Elisha was a prophet of God. That demands a certain respect, perhaps even fear. These 'boys' were not giving Elisha the respect he was due.

Second, the Bible translation used above was the NIV, not always the most accurate translation. The word 'boys' appears in the NIV. A good source to use in studying various translations of text is BibleHub.

If we search for 2 Kings 2:23 on BibleHub we get all the various translations of the text. 'Some boys' (NIV) is not the only translated words we find here. 'A group of boys' (NLT), 'some small boys' (ESV), 'little children' (KJV), 'some youths' (NKJV)' etc.

So which it is? Bible study tool #2...

The Old Testament Interlinear Bible I use is ScriptureForAll. The link here is for Old Testament (Hebrew). There is also a New Testament Greek version. If we click on the 2 Kings 23 link we get this Hebrew words: unorim qtnim. This translates to 'lads, small ones.' Let's move on.

So we have some small lads disrespecting the older prophet of God. What does scripture say about children disrespecting their elders?

“You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord." - Leviticus 19:32

And although there is not a specific punishment written for disrespecting elders, there is one for disrespecting parents. It's the Fifth Commandment.

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." - Exodus 20:12

There is a case of a disrespecting son found in Deuteronomy, his parents brought him before the elders for judgement. The following was the law given to Moses by God.

"Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid." - Deuteronomy 21:21

The penalty for not honoring one's parents was death. I imagine it would be the same regarding demonstrations of honor for one of God's prophets. 

So, was Elisha wrong for calling down a curse on these young lads? No. Not under the law. But let's consider Jesus and the grace of God.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." - Matthew 5:43-48

The punishment under the law was death for not honoring parents. God's law has not changed. And even though Jesus spoke about loving our enemies, He also said this:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." - Matthew 5:17

He died on the cross to fulfill the sentence required for not honoring those who deserve honor.

How will we handle being disrespected today? Will we honor those who are worthy of honor? Or who require honor?

Both Joe Biden and Donald Trump are older than me. Both have held the position of president. Are they due honor and respect, despite what we think about them? Hmm.

We can have our opinions but we also must respect the office.

"Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God." - Romans 13:1

God's Grace

Here's the typical question from many unbelievers: How can a loving God send people to hell? Or, If there is a loving God, why does He allow pain and suffering to exist?

I have written about this before but the answer bears repeating. So many potential believers get hung up on this one thing - blaming God for everything that goes wrong in their lives. It's not His fault, it's ours.

"The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity. There is none who does good.

God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one." - Psalm 14:2-3

In God's just world, the punishment for sin and disobedience is death. But God . . .

God provided a way out of our death sentence. His name is Jesus. It is through our belief in Him, and our submission to Him, that we are saved. Through HIS extendingly amazing grace to us, and our acceptance of it, Jesus becomes our Lord.

Then comes the challenge. We must act like He is our Lord. But let's get back to those two questions in the opening paragraph.

How can a loving God send us to hell? God is a just judge. There is a penalty for our sin and God will hand it out. WE are the ones who chose sin over obedience. WE chose to disobey.

How can God allow pain and suffering? Why doesn't He cure cancer and let us live forever?

We ALL will live forever. It's just a matter of location. Sickness and death entered the world when WE sinned in the Garden of Eden.

So the real question we should be asking becomes this: How can a loving God sacrifice His one and only Son for a bunch of sinners like us? Good question.

But He did. It's called grace - God's grace. Isn't God worthy of our praise rather than our disobedience and sin? That's another good question that we ALL must answer.

“Seek the Lord while he may be found;

call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 

For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you

shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” - Isaiah 55:6-13

Go Out With Joy - Maranatha Singers

The Duration

Here's something they don't tell you when you volunteer to be a youth leader at church. It's for life. At least it's turned out that way for me.

For example: I walked into Subway the other day and there was a youth group "kid" I knew behind the counter - from 10 years ago, when the kid was in youth group! Our smiles were immediate.

Another kid from youth group gives me tomatoes when we talk. Another one sends me songs to listen to. "Youth Leader" IS a lifetime job!

Of course, one could ignore all of their Facebook posts and messages and simply unfriend them all, but that's not what God wants us to do.

Once you read the Bible, God's plan, and His will for our lives, is to love one another. It's really that simple.

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God." - 1 John 4:7 

"And He (Jesus) said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - Matthew 22:37-39

We get the picture. The question then really becomes this: Is love a finite thing? Can we love someone, and then just STOP loving them at some point? No! And, should we actually ever stop loving someone, was our "love" really even love in the first place?

Love is eternal. At least it should be.

My point is this: This world is run by Satan, not God. God is still all-powerful and intervenes whenever He so chooses. But "God is love" as it says in 1st John, and we are "children of God." We are commanded to love! You read the verses. We should be exuding love wherever we go!

When we sign up to be a youth leader it should be because of our love for kids, especially for the lost. That love should never die. It might fade for a bit or become stagnant but it should always there.

That's when we must fan the glowing embers of love into flames of love for God's glory. Quite honestly, to do anything less is a sin.

Who will we exhibit unconditional agape love for today?

In Spirit and Truth

"God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” - John 4:24

Everyone has their favorite worship songs, right? They are songs that strike a particular "chord" in our hearts, and we can actually get quite emotional singing them.

There are the old standards like Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art. But there are also newer songs that can hold a special meaning as well. Today's story is about one of those songs.

I was playing this song the other day on YouTube. The thing about YouTube is that once you click on one of their videos their algorithm pummels you with the same songs over and over again. That can get quite annoying. However, that is not true for this song that is currently stuck in my head, and in my heart - Is He Worthy? by Andrew Peterson.

The reason it has so much meaning to me, I believe, is because nearly all of its lyrics are scripture. The whole thing is pretty much Bible verses. The chorus for example:

Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?

Is anyone able to break, the seal and open the scroll?

The Lion of Judah, who conquered the grave

He is David's root and the Lamb

Who died to ransom the slave

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” - Revelation 4:11

"And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”" - Revelation 5:2

"Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”" - Revelation 5:5

These things that John saw were all very emotional to him, the writer of Revelation, saying:

"I wept and wept." - Revelation 5:4

It is also quite emotional to Andrew Peterson, the writer of today's song. Near the end of the video he gets choked up and can't finish one of his own lines.

Another thing I love about this particular version of the song is the way that it is constructed, with a choir answering every question that is posed to it. That choir will be you and me one day. And we won't need read sheet music either. We will know every word by heart.

"And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne." - Revelation 2:3

So, is Jesus worthy? Oh, yeah.

He is!!

Is He Worthy - Andrew Peterson