The United States 2000 presidential election was determined in the state of Florida. Television networks announced that Vice President Al Gore had carried the state, and then it was reported that Texas Governor George W. Bush had won. Experts predicted the race would be close, but none imagined it would almost be “too close to call.” The 2000 presidential election was so close that it took five weeks to determine the winner.
The election was complicated and convoluted, with allegations of disenfranchisement and voter fraud, resulting in bitter disputes, lawsuits, and requests for recounts. For the first time in 112 years, a candidate won the popular vote but lost the electoral vote. Gore eventually conceded the election publicly, and Bush became the forty-third president of the United States.
First Kings begins with a power struggle that resulted in Solomon’s rise to the throne. The opening chapters of First Kings reveal the depravity that can manifest itself within us all. First Kings begins with a critical moment in the history of a nation and addresses both political and spiritual power. Ultimately, we learn that living in a fallen world necessitates that God’s people act astutely and resolutely to promote the Lord’s sovereign purposes.
What constitutes godly leadership? Nathan the prophet is an example of holy activism. Knowing that God has a sovereign purpose does not mean that one waits passively for it to develop. God’s people are called to decisive actions that will advance His purposes. Nathan knew the will of God, and thus he acted with boldness, preparedness, and shrewdness. May each of us heed the wisdom of Proverbs 4:23, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”
The complete article discusses the book of 1 Kings as it relates to:
- How to Evaluate Success
- How to Evaluate the Spiritual
- How to Do Well
Click on the image below to read the complete February 2016 article in the Midnight Call magazine
