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"We don't want this man to be our king" (Luke 19:14). "The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15). "God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen" (1 Timothy 6:15,16).

Taunton, Massachusetts, where we lived in the nineties is less than 25 miles west of Plymouth and was founded by a woman, Elizabeth Pole, in 1636, 16 years after the pilgrims arrived in the new world. There is a prominent statue of Thomas Paine, the city's most famous resident, who was the blatantly anti-Christian voice in the founding era of our country. He wrote a book titled "Age of Reason" attempting to debunk Christianity and sought to exert his influence on the Founding Fathers. At the time he was regarded with disdain and for a time lived in France. Now, of course, Paine's view is held by many and is the dominant expression in government and academia. 

But his final words are an apt expression of the futility of life lived without Christ. Listen to the plea of his soul when confronting death: "I would give worlds, if I had them, that Age of Reason had not been published. O Lord, help me! Christ, help me! O God what have I done to suffer so much? But there is no God! But if there should be, what will become of me hereafter? Stay with me, for God's sake! Send even a child to stay with me, for it is hell to be alone. If ever the devil had an agent, I have been that one." *

Tragically, the devil has had many agents through the ages and many faithfully serve him today. This last Saturday I attended an Apologetics conference and heard a session concerning modern "scholarship" and those who are respected and esteemed by the world who seek to destroy the faith.

The daily verse is taken from The Parable of the Ten Minas which Jesus told shortly before His death recorded in Luke 19:11-27. Today let us especially consider this expression of rejection, "We don't want this man to be our king". Jesus is essentially applying the attitude of the people toward Himself. He had come into this world "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).Thank God for those who have received His message and been saved. But there are others who doubted it and yet others who violently rejected Christ's message and His provision.

Today this continues to be the case and a brief description of many concerning Jesus Christ remains, "We don't want this man to be our king".

The apostle John wrote, "He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11). And for the last 2000 years men and women are given the choice of whom to worship. Pilate placed before the people this question, "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" And really that remains life's dominant question.

Today we have a choice whether to submit to the Lordship and Kingdom of Jesus Christ or reject it and essentially proclaim, "We don't want this man to be our king."  I pray that each reader will join Brooksyne and me in choosing to serve and worship the Lord and joyfully proclaim, "I want this man to be my King!"



Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, You are immortal, invisible, God only wise. All of creation is subject to Your authority so we, along with millions of other committed believers, choose to bow our knee and lift our hands toward You, our blessed and only Ruler, the king of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal. You live in unapproachable light, but we can and do worship You in Spirit and in truth. We worship and honor You in this life and will do through the eons of time. Amen.

* There is some contention concerning these being his final words. Most do not feel he recanted of his views.

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