Pastor’s Bible Reading Schedule:
1 Kings 10-13
For five years George Stephanopoulos served as a senior adviser for President Clinton, first in his campaign and then in the White House. He left after Mr. Clinton’s reelection in 1996 and, two years later, set out to write his memoirs about the man who had dominated his life for five years. It was to be the story of how “an ambitious and idealistic president of uncertain personal character grew in office.” But the Monica Lewinsky affair intruded, and the book took a very different turn. As he writes, “I’m still mystified by the Clinton paradox: How could a president so intelligent, so compassionate, so public-spirited, and so conscious of his place in history act in such a stupid, selfish, and self-destructive manner?”
Bill Clinton had many political enemies. But in the long run, it wasn’t his enemies but his own character and choices that caused him the most trouble. He’s not alone. On the other side of the political spectrum, Newt Gingrich in 1994 led the Republicans to a sweeping victory in the House of Representatives. This gave him high position and great influence. Only four years later he was forced to step down as speaker of the house, damaged not only by political failures and misjudgments but especially by the inconsistency between his strident attacks on the president and his own moral misbehavior. The sad fact is that our greatest enemy is most often ourselves, and our most painful wounds are self-inflicted.
No one illustrates this truth better than King Solomon. He rose faster and flew higher than anyone in his generation. When he was at the zenith of his power, his contemporaries must have imagined that his kingdom would last for a thousand years! But he fell. Although he had never faced a significant enemy on the battlefield, he lost his biggest battle – the one with himself. He inflicted permanent damage on his kingdom and left a legacy of suffering for those who came after. He is living proof that a gifted mind is no substitute for an obedient heart.
We are vulnerable in exactly the same way as Solomon. It is foolish and even arrogant to imagine that we are immune to the forces that caused his downfall. Solomon’s story forces us to face some powerful temptations in our own lives.
Prayer Requests:
Personal
- Lord, please help me to walk in the Spirit, knowing I am no match for my own flesh.
- Lord, please help me to trust your word and live in the center of your will.
- Lord, please help me to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before my God.
Political
- Representative John Reilly – District 046 – Oakland
- Representative Daire Rendon – District 103 – Lake City
- Representative Isaac Robinson – District 004 – Hamtramck