Trivia:

Way to go you all I had no idea you were all such racing enthusiasts. Yes, the white flag is the signal that they were entering the last lap of the race. In fact should an event transpire that resulted in a caution period the race would be frozen and the race ended immediately.

Do you know which presidents daughter was the inspiration behind the writing of the song "Sweet Caroline"? Richard Nixon; Harry Truman; Franklin Roosevelt; John Kennedy? Make you guess.

Challenge:

Psalm 21:8-13 "You will capture all your enemies. Your strong right hand will seize all who hate you. You will throw them in a flaming furnace when you appear. The Lord will consume them in anger; fire will devour them. You will wipe their children from the face of the earth; they will never have descendants. Although they plot against you, their evil schemes will never succeed. For they will turn and run when they see your arrows aimed at them. Rise up, O Lord, in all your power. With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts.

The first half of this "Royal Psalm" was directed at bringing praise to Yahweh, for blessing the nation and its people. While this next part is addressing just how God will bring blessing on the nation and its king. In this last verse the writer shouts for joy at God's great and final victory. In fact he records just how the nation will speak praises of God's power and victory, through their continual singing.

This same message of God's punishment being awarded on those who stand in disobedience and rebellion. The ultimate loss is their inability to have children due to their absolute defeat.

This last closing stanza raises high the greatest acclaim, "O Lord, in all your power." Just as we obey, walk and enter each day in obedience to His words, we openly demonstrate His power to our world.

Sometimes we focus only on God's working to the exclusion that our faithfulness or disobedience brings the testimony of His power to our world. But, interestingly God reminds us here that our obedience will bring to light God's power, for He can take our lives, even if we are the weakest link, and cause His ability to make our lives into a victorious message to our world.

My Uncle Ray reminded me of this truth through his life. Due to his physical weakness, he was encouraged not to complete his study in Bible school, and preparation to enter the ministry. But instead he felt his life mission was to draw others in his life to fulfill that royal vision. While I was in Bible school he would each week write me a letter of encouragement and challenge and always include in the letter a crisp new $20.00 bill.

As long as he was alive he would have me spend the night on Friday night at least one night a month and talk about the greatness of God. He would laugh and tell stories of God's many provisions in his life. At the time I didn't realize the sacrifice that he was injecting into my life, and his intention to challenge me to serve the Lord with all of my strength. I told him of my surrender to serve God in whatever way He chose when I was 12, and from that point on he set out to encourage me to go in that direction.

We would talk about the struggles we experienced of conducting a Good News Club in the poor part of town. The gang leaders and their attempts to scare us from sharing Jesus to their teen gang members. (switch blades, chains, brass knuckles, etc.)

He would encourage me to as he would say time after time to "never give up." He would remind me of Winston Churchill and his courage that brought England through the hardest war, World War 2. When I would attend his church on those special weekends, while we sang the songs he would point out words that spoke to this truth, then tap the words in the book, and whisper, yes that right Benny.

After talking late into the night, where he would tell of my dad's life, his successes, etc. I learned much of these things through my Uncle Ray. He was my dads younger brother and he told me stories of dad's love and care for him. Then he would encourage me to do the same with my brother Dan. These many discussions that we shared still today run through my mind. This is the reason I finish each post with.

"SO GO WITH GOD" for he and Dad spoke these words throughout my childhood. When hard lessons were before me they would repeat these challenges. Here David is repeating these words to Israel, "Rise up, O Lord, in all your power". For just as today the enemy nations who surround Israel are slowly defeated by their God's power, so also He will surround your life in His great power if you will but "Go in His mighty power" my dear one.