Flags Unfurled

From My Perspective - - -

June 14th is officially designated as Flag Day. It is a time to display and recognize the significance of the Flag of the United States of America. The Flag consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of Red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars. The fifty stars on the Flag represent the fifty U.S. states and the thirteen stripes represent the original thirteen colonies that rebelled against the British Crown and became the first states in the Union.

There are fixed and particular days when the Flag should be proudly displayed: “The flag should especially be displayed at full staff on the following days: January 1st (New Year's Day) and 20th (Inauguration Day); February 12th (Lincoln's birthday) and the third Monday (Presidents' Day, originally Washington's birthday); May - Third Saturday (Armed Forces Day) and last Monday (Memorial Day - half-staff until noon); June 14th (Flag Day); July 4th (Independence Day); September - First Monday (Labor Day),11th (Patriot Day), and 17th (Constitution Day); October - Second Monday (Columbus Day) and 28th (Navy Day); November 11th (Veterans Day) and fourth Thursday (Thanksgiving Day); and such other days as may be proclaimed by the President of the United States (the birthdays of states, date of admission, and on state holidays).” It is always to be displayed with respect, dignity and appreciation. Reasons attached to what The Flag represents are as several and varied as the sources consulted. Quite simply, the Flag of the United States of America symbolizes Liberty, Freedom, Justice for all.

There is a website that states both the etiquette and protocol for the display of the Flag: http://www.usa-flag-site.org/etiquette-display.shtml. Church Display - From a Staff in a Church or Public Auditorium on a Podium: The flag of the United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the clergyman's or speaker's right as he faces the audience. Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the left of the clergyman or speaker (to the right of the audience); From a Staff in a Church or Public Auditorium off the Podium: Custom and not the flag code hold that the flag of the United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence as part of the audience, in the position of honor at the audience's right.

There must be great care exercised lest the Flag become a symbol of worship rather than a symbol of our being one nation under God with certain inalienable rights…When and Where the United States Flag is displayed in a Church, usually The Christian Flag is also displayed. The history of The Christian Flag is scant: “It is one of the oldest unchanged flags in the world. It was conceived at Brighton Chapel, Coney Island, New York, Sunday, September 26, 1897, and was presented in its present form the following Sunday by its originator. Call it chance, or providence, serendipity, or the plan of God, on that day, the Christian flag was born. The white on the flag represents purity and peace. The blue stands for faithfulness, truth, and sincerity. Red is the color of sacrifice, in this case calling to mind the blood shed by Christ on Calvary, represented by the cross. The first pledge to the Christian flag was written by Methodist pastor Lynn Harold Hough in 1908: "I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag and to the Savior for whose kingdom it stands. One brotherhood, uniting all mankind, in service and love." The current and most-used version of the pledge is: “I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag, and to the Savior, for whose kingdom it stands. One Savior, crucified, risen and coming again, with life and liberty for all who believe.” A Scriptural idea for a flag is suggested in Psalm 60:1-4, “O God…restore us…You have set up a banner for those who fear You, that they may flee to it from the bow.” The idea is deliverance and refuge provided by Almighty God - JEHOVAH-NISSI - THE LORD OUR BANNER! Whereas, The American Flag symbolizes freedom from all oppression allowing us to worship openly and without fear, The Christian Flag symbolizes deliverance from the bondage to sin, and the reality of liberty in Christ as His redeemed children! In this country, true believers should deem it a great privilege to be the beneficiaries of what both Symbols represent.

When God Is Gone

From My Perspective - - -

Is “religion” vital and essential for the well being of a nation and its citizens? Is it merely a psychological and emotional “crutch” that gives people a sense of enablement and empowerment? Does it serve any useful purpose to (a) believe there is a God, and to (b) think that he has a concern and ability to make any real difference of any sort in world or personal matters? Have we become pluralistic regarding the “God-Factor” and succumbed to a conglomeration of what different ones identify as “God” to and for them?

The Philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) dealt with this question when he spoke and wrote about “God Is Dead”! The idea is stated in "The Madman" as follows: “God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?”

This view was later picked up and popularized once again by Bishop John A.T. Robinson (1919-1983) and stated in his book, Honest To God. Reviews about his approach include: “The overwhelming theory of Honest to God is the idea that having rejected the idea of 'God up there', modern secular man also needs to recognize that the idea of God out there is also an outdated simplification of the nature of divinity…He claims that secular man requires a secular theology. That is, that God's continuing revelation to humanity is one brought about in culture at large, not merely within the confines of ‘religion’ or ‘church’, so called.” The book also introduced the idea of situational ethics to an English speaking audience. This was a form of relativism, based on the idea that moral codes are not set in stone, but may be subject to circumstances.

Interestingly, the Media has attributed a form of ‘divinity’ to President Obama. The belief is he is the one who can affect and effect change for the good of this nation and the world. As a matter of fact, on June 5, 2009, Newsweek editor Evan Thomas brought adulation over President Obama’s Cairo speech to a whole new level…declaring on MSNBC: "I mean in a way Obama’s standing above the country, above the world, he’s sort of God." And to think, this adulation is bestowed on one who has declared to the world that the USA is no longer a “Christian Nation” (even though our foundational documents declare otherwise), and then this past week when speaking in Cairo, Egypt to a largely Muslim audience he stated, the USA is one of the largest Muslim Nations in the world (there are 1,500,000,000 Billion Muslims in the world – there are less than 2 million in the USA). However, if President Obama is a “sort of god”, one would suppose in his omniscience this must be true.

This whole idea and notion of denying the One True and Eternal God has been around since time began. Romans 1:18 through 32 is a very clear description of where we have arrived as a nation and how we got to this point. If Evan Thomas is correct about the “sort of God” that we now embrace, the Apostle Paul is even more correct in Romans 1:24-25 - and this apt and accurate summary: “…God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator…” A frightening truth is shared in Hosea 5:4-7, “Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. For the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they know not the Lord. The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Israel and Ephraim shall stumble in his guilt; Judah also shall stumble with them. With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them. They have dealt faithlessly with the Lord; for they have borne alien children. Now the new moon shall devour them with their fields.” Is this where we are today? Is this the stubborn and foolish choice we insist upon? Are we willing to “bend” or must we become “broken” first? Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is still near!

Polls Can Be Polarizing

From My Perspective - - -

Polls and Surveys have become a way of life in our nation, as well as having an influence in areas of politics, religion, trends, etc. For years, we have grown accustomed to the Gallup Poll; Rasmussen Polls; Zogby Poll - in the primary area of politics. We have the Nielsen Ratings for Television Programming Preferences; and the Barna Report for religious trends and direction. Regrettably, the Polls can vary greatly depending on (a) the Sample Group used, and (b) the manner in which the Poll Question was framed.

The Polls Published today demonstrate the variance. On Presidential Approval, Rasmussen has the Approval at 53%, whereas Gallup is 62% and Associated Press is 64%. In terms of Congressional Approval, The Associated Press is at 38% and Fox News is at 41%. In terms of the Direction of the Country, the Real Clear Politics Average shows 45% think it is heading in the Right Direction, whereas 48.7% believe it is moving in the wrong direction. When we get into the area of Religion, people have so many differing affiliations and preferences, that Sampling is extremely difficult. The size of the Sample Group is also significant: Gallup uses 1547, Associated Press 1000, Barna 1004.

Barna begins with the premise, AMERICANS ARE EXPLORING NEW WAYS OF EXPERIENCING GOD and summarizes: Americans are in a new age of exploration, deploying new approaches to marriage, communications, sexuality, education, and more. According the results from a new nationwide survey, the “and more” includes how people pursue their faith and how they choose to relate to God and other people of faith. Barna concludes and shares his findings: 88% of American adults say that “my religious faith is very important in my life…”; 75% say they sense that “God is motivating people to stay connected with Him, but in different ways and through different types of experiences than in the past.” There is a growing sense of release from traditional religious practices in this country. People are suggesting that they want more of God and less of the stuff that gets between them and their relationship with God. This mindset is equally common among Catholics and Protestants; 45% say they are “willing to try a new church.” Almost half of the nation’s 230 million adults – are open to changing their church home…; 64% say they are “completely open to carrying out and pursuing your faith in an environment or structure that differs from that of a typical church.” ; 50% say “a growing number of people I know are tired of the usual type of church experience.” Half of all adults said they are aware of such a willingness to experiment on the part of people they know because those individuals are tired of the common church experience. This awareness was especially acute among blacks (59%) and Hispanics (58%); 71% say they are “more likely to develop my religious beliefs on my own, rather than to accept an entire set of beliefs that a particular church teaches.” Across the board, the research showed that women are driving these changes…”

The organized Church has allowed itself to become a political entity. A small group of “insiders” have gained and maintain control. Any newcomer has difficulty “fitting in” to the internal “power structure”! A tiny minority tends to dominate all church activities, and some people just move on to something different or to nothing at all. The Church knows the teaching of I Corinthians 12:18-26, “God has arranged the parts in the body…just as he wanted them to be…The eye cannot say to the hand, I don't need you! And the head cannot say to the feet, I don't need you! On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor…God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” In Romans 15:7 we are told: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” There is always “lip service” given to these things but people have a way of claiming ownership of the local church and continue to run “their Church their way”! Other people (newer attendees) tend to move on to other things, and the people in “their church” don’t have a clue. They just never get around to looking in a mirror!

Liberty's Fragility

From My Perspective - - -

Historical Reflection - Adolph Hitler decided to seize power constitutionally rather than by force of arms. Using demagogic oratory, Hitler spoke to scores of mass audiences, calling for the German people to resist the yoke of Jews and Communists, and to create a new empire which would rule the world for 1,000 years. Hitler’s rise to power promised “change” and “hope” for the German people. Hitler's Nazi party captured 18% of the popular vote in the 1930 elections. In 1932, Hitler ran for President and won 30% of the vote, forcing the eventual victor, Paul von Hindenburg, into a runoff election. A political deal was made to make Hitler chancellor in exchange for his political support. He was appointed to that office in January 1933. Upon the death of Hindenburg in August 1934, Hitler was the consensus successor. With an improving economy, Hitler claimed credit and consolidated his position as a dictator, having succeeded in eliminating challenges from other political parties and government institutions. The German industrial machine was built up in preparation for war. By 1937, he was comfortable enough to put his master plan, as outlined in Mein Kampf, into effect. Calling his top military aides together at the "FÅhrer Conference" in November 1937, he outlined his plans for world domination. Those who objected to the plan were dismissed. Hitler ordered the annexation of Austria and the Sudetenland in 1938. Hitler's army invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, sparking France and England to declare war on Germany. A Blitzkrieg (lightning war) of German tanks and infantry swept through most of Western Europe as nation after nation fell to the German war machine.

Today represents the 65th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, France by Allied Forces. A great invasion force stood off the Normandy coast of France as dawn broke on 6 June 1944: 9 Battleships; 23 cruisers; 104 destroyers, and 71 large landing craft of various descriptions as well as troop transports, and mine sweepers, the largest Armada ever assembled. 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which ‘we will accept nothing less than full victory.’ More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot-hold in Normandy. The operation brought together the land, air and sea forces of the allied armies in what became known as the largest invasion force in human history. It was given the codename OVERLORD, delivering five naval assault divisions to the beaches of Normandy, France -Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno And Sword.

War Is Costly - People Get Wounded; Maimed; and Killed; Things Get Broken and Destroyed. At Normandy, stands a wind-swept cemetery with rows of white marble crosses on a bluff overlooking the Omaha landing beach. It's an place that holds the remains of 9,387 Americans. Over 425,000 Allied and German troops were killed, wounded or went missing during the Battle of Normandy. There are the countless thousands and millions who suffered and died horribly in German Concentration Camps. The Holocaust is a grim reminder to be remembered. War also causes some sacrifice and infringement on the Liberty of all. World War II required rationing (food; gasoline; etc.) and restriction; Blackouts and Air Raid Wardens; Identification Tags for children in large city schools… War Bonds were sold to raise finances for this nation.

In our own nation, “change” and “hope” has been proclaimed by a very gifted orator. One change now is the appointment of Czars (15 so far) to oversee the nation’s business, with authority to regulate how money is distributed and how it will be used. A Czar is: “an autocratic ruler or leader; any person exercising great authority or power in a particular field.” Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) became concerned enough to send a cautionary letter to Obama: “...The rapid and easy accumulation of power by White House staff can threaten the constitutional system of checks and balances…” Psalm 11:3 asks: “When the foundations are destroyed (crumbling), what can the righteous do?" The answer: Psalm 11:1 - “In the Lord I take refuge…” Psalm 11:4-7 states: “…The Lord is in His holy temple…the wicked and those who love violence His soul hates…For the Lord is righteous, He loves justice; upright men will see His face.” This is Real Hope!

As The World Scoffs

From My Perspective - - -

The world has become a comparatively small place since the advent of satellites and internet, etc. Almost instantly, events unfold at a rapid pace. The affairs of our nation are universally known, and the world is disinterested in what our diplomats state or the talking points they attempt to share. The world sees and knows! In terms of our nation, an old phrase – from the sublime to the ridiculous – is no longer apropos! It is more like moving from the ridiculous to the absurd. This week there have been some instances that indicate the world’s thoughts regarding the United States – its trends and behavior...

On Monday, June 1st, PRAVDA published an item: "AMERICAN CAPITALISM GONE WITH A WHIMPER". The article states: "It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple…" Cleverly using the word “sheeple” PRAVDA masks their scoffing and derision of the USA. The intent and meaning is: “Sheeple is a term of disparagement, a portmanteau (a blend of two (or more) words) created by combining the words "sheep" and "people." It is often used to denote persons who acquiesce to authority, and thus undermine their own human individuality. The implication of sheeple is that as a collective, people believe whatever they are told, especially if told so by authority figures, without processing it to be sure that it is an accurate representation of the real world around them. The term is generally used in a political or religious sense. (the singular form of the term is sherson).”

Also on Monday, June 1st, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was in China to reassure the Chinese government that its huge holdings of dollar assets are safe and reaffirmed his faith in a strong U.S. currency…”Chinese assets are very safe, Geithner said in response to a question after a speech at Peking University…His answer drew loud laughter from his student audience, reflecting skepticism in China about the wisdom of a developing country accumulating a vast stockpile of foreign reserves instead of spending the money to raise living standards at home.” Laughter and Derision is the response of a discerning world regarding the USA that has chosen a pathway of bankruptcy in areas of financial responsibility and credibility, as well as the overall approach and lifestyle in terms of ethics, mores and morals.

The Washington Post reported yesterday, June 3rd: “The nation needs to begin planning now to reduce the budget deficit, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Wednesday, arguing that even as the government acts to bolster the economy in the short run it must ensure that spending and revenue will come into line in the longer term. Congress and the administration face formidable near-term challenges that must be addressed…But he warned that the economy will suffer “unless we demonstrate a strong commitment to fiscal sustainability in the longer term…he even connected recent swings in the market for U.S. Treasury bonds to worries about the nation’s long-term deficits. The interest rate that government must pay to borrow money for 10 years or more has risen sharply in the past two weeks as investors in the United States and around the world have become more wary of the nation’s growing debt load.”

If PRAVDA is correct – that we are a “sheeple” nation – laughter, ridicule and scoffing are among the least of our concerns. The descriptive words in Isaiah 59:1-2, 9-11: “The Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear… justice is far from us, righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom. We grope…we hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us.” Also, Matthew 9:35-38, “Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages…proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom…When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd…” The solution is not seeking appeasement with Muslim nations. This nation must return to the Lord, and seek Him, and obey Him! Think about these things with me…

Hoisting Or Foisting

From My Perspective - - -

As our nation is represented in foreign countries, we have heard our national leader offer an apology for the attitude and arrogance of the USA toward other nations. One wonders if this is an attempt at amelioration, or a reintroduction of a proven failed approach 70 years ago of attempted appeasement by then Prime Minister of England, Neville Chamberlain. He returned to England in 1938 and waved a Document and “,,,delivered his famous ‘peace for our time’ speech to delighted crowds in London.” This was on the eve of World War II.

Currently our leadership is going to the Middle East and the BBC reports: “US President Barack Obama said Monday that the United States cannot impose its values on other countries, but argued that principles such as democracy and the rule of law were universal… the United States must lead by example…The danger I think is when the United States or any country thinks that we can simply impose these values on another country with a different history and a different culture…Democracy, rule of law, freedom of speech, freedom of religion - those are not simply principles of the West to be hoisted on these countries, but rather what I believe to be universal principles that they can embrace and affirm as part of their national identity…I think the thing that we can do most importantly is serve as a good role model. And that's why closing Guantanamo, from my perspective, as difficult as it is, is important. Because part of what we want to affirm to the world is that these are values that are important even when it's hard, even especially when it's hard, and not just when it's easy (Obama has vowed to close the camp by January 22, 2010).”

Appease the Liberal Base; appease Europe; appease the Middle East; don’t HOIST our values on others; etc. It’s almost as though our Leader is suggesting we are trying to FOIST (To impose something or someone unwanted upon another by coercion or trickery; insert fraudulently or deceitfully) such as the appeasement act of 1938, rather than HOIST (to become raised or lifted) and champion democracy in its most pure form. This week we commemorate D-Day. “The D-Day operation of June 6, 1944 brought together the land, air and sea forces of the allied armies in what became known as the largest invasion force in human history. The operation, given the code-name OVERLORD, delivered five naval assault divisions to the beaches of Normandy, France…The invasion force included 7,000 ships and landing craft manned by over 195,000 naval personnel from eight allied countries. Almost 133,000 troops from England, Canada and the United States landed on D-Day. Casualties from the three countries during the landing numbered 10,300. By June 30th, over 850,000 men, 148,000 vehicles, and 570,000 tons of supplies had landed on the Normandy shores.” Shall we apologize to the thousands of the brave Americans who are buried in France as we “Hoisted” liberty upon them? Shall we apologize to Saudi Arabia for “Hoisting” our commitment to right and defending that kingdom from the attempts of Saddam Hussein? Shall we apologize to Kuwait for “Hoisting” our sense of integrity by the removal of Iraq from their small kingdom and Iraq’s seizure of the oil wells there? Shall we apologize for the young men and women who are maimed or who have died as we “Hoisted” a standard of values and rights in a war against terrorism and terrorists (even if we change the name, the war is still the same)?

The Lord Jesus Christ left His followers an Imperative (a Command and Mandate) in Matthew 28:18-20, “…All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” In many ways, we fail to do this adequately in our own neighborhoods and communities, and have allowed other things to dim the vision for reaching our world for The One Who has ordered us to Go…Make…Teach – Hoist all of what Jesus has taught and commanded… Shall we apologize to our Master for failing to adequately obey His Command? Shall we apologize to the nations for our fear or failure to share this Teaching and these Commandments with them? Will we one day stand in shame before our Master for our lack of follow-through to His Mandates? Think about this with me…

Whatever Happened To Charlie Brown

From My Perspective - - -

In January 2009, The Harris Poll conducted its regular Hero Survey of a cross-section of Americans regarding Our Top Heroes. Asked whom they admire enough to call their heroes (up to three names), those mentioned most included: 1. Barack Obama; 2. Jesus Christ; 3. Martin Luther King; 4. Ronald Reagan; 5. George W. Bush; 6. Abraham Lincoln; 7. John McCain; 8. John F. Kennedy; 9. Chelsey Sullenberger; 10. Mother Teresa; 11. God; 12. Hillary Clinton; 13. Billy Graham; 14. Franklin D. Roosevelt; 15. Mahatma Gandhi; 16. Colin Powell; 17. George Washington; 18. Bill Clinton; 19. Condoleeza Rice; 20. Oprah Winfrey; 21. Sarah Palin; 22. George S. Patton; 23. Bill Gates…In another question, responders were asked to select from a list of choices what made someone a hero. The top definitions given were: (1) Doing what's right regardless of personal consequences (89%); (2) Not giving up until the goal is accomplished (83%); (3) Doing more than what other people expect of them (82%); (4) Overcoming adversity (81%); Staying level-headed in a crisis (81%).

Some might ponder why the one with whom many can identify - Charlie Brown - did not make the list. Charlie Brown tried to achieve and succeed – but – was most often frustrated and seen as a loser. An apt and brief biography of him is: “Charlie Brown is a loveable loser, a child possessed of endless determination and hope, but who is ultimately dominated by his insecurities and a permanent case of bad luck, and often taken advantage of by his peers.” Charlie had no lack of desire and was motivated to give many situations his best effort – but all in vain. He can be viewed as a hero because he (a) tried his best; (b) he was trusting of others; (c) he was wistful and wanting to believe the best about his peers and others; (d) he never responded in anger; (e) he demonstrated perseverance; etc. Charlie was not caught up in the webs of intrigue, nor the possible manipulation of others. He was who he was and tried to do what was right and best – with principle, ethics and a sound moral base.

This nation seems to be roaring into a new age. Individual rights are being marginalized; Business Protocols are being usurped; National Focus and Resolve are being diminished; Indebtedness has reached proportions heretofore unimagined; and Expenditures are only limited by the speed of the Printing Presses to generate more Currency to saturate the nation and world (is it any wonder that China and Brazil no longer want to have the American Dollar as the Monetary Standard for International transactions?). The Pundits add to the confusion and absurdity of our time by speaking of Capitalism fading into Socialism, while same allow that the Republic is rapidly becoming Fascist or Marxist. While there remains some subtlety to the all of this, the rapidity at which things are transpiring may get the nation to an unseemly destination so rapidly that there will be little or no possibility of averting the impending disaster. An illustration is a news item from yesterday headlined - FEDERAL RESERVE PUZZLED BY YIELD CURVE STEEPENING: “The Federal Reserve is studying significant moves in the U.S. government bond market last week that could have big implications for the central bank's strategy to combat the country's recession. But the Fed is not really sure what is driving the sharp rise in long-dated bond yields, and especially a widening gap between short and long term yields…”

Lurking in the background is the Harris Poll that (a) makes a distinction between Jesus Christ and God in the first place, and (b) relegates Jesus Christ to second place, and God to eleventh. Although a man may pronounce that “we are no longer a Christian nation”, does not and will not be able to alter or deny Psalm 47:6-8, “Sing praises to God, sing praises…For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm! God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne…” In Psalm 59:5-8, “You, Lord God of hosts, are God…Rouse Yourself to punish all the nations; spare none of those who treacherously plot evil…There they are, bellowing with their mouths with swords in their lips for ‘Who, they think, will hear us?’ But You, O Lord, laugh at them; You hold all the nations in derision. O my Strength, I will watch for You, for You, O God, are my fortress…” Whether Polls rank God second, eleventh, or not at all – the fact remains - He Is Lord - and one day will cause all nations to bow down and acknowledge that He Is Lord to the Glory of God the Father!