"Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine." ~ Elvis Presley

Here we go. We spin the wheel and where it will stop no one knows. Okay. It stopped. Today's grand prize is Wednesday, August 15, 2018. Good morning. Today is the day before my 72nd birthday. The day of my birth will be recognized. I can guarantee that. Why? Elvis died on my birthday in 1977. You may have heard about one of the ancient kings that was hated by his subjects. He had prearranged that hundreds of the most beloved men in his realm be executed upon his death. That way he could be assured there would be widespread mourning and tears. I don't have to worry if there will be tears on my birthday. There are still those who make the pilgrimage to the gravesite of Elvis. They typically do this on his birthday in January and they also go in recognition of the day he breathed his last in August. I remember the day he died very well. After finishing up at work in downtown Houston, another fellow and I walked to the parking garage to fetch the commuter van. There were dozens of ladies openly crying, some were sobbing. I remember at one traffic signal one of the downtown buses pulled up. Many of the ladies sitting next to the windows were obviously distraught. The fellow who was with me worried out loud about his sisters. He told me they were pretty much fanatical fans. Before Elvis died my birthday was pretty much unnoticed. However, I do share my birthday with Fess Parker, (1924-2010), who I watched as a kid as he portrayed Davy Crocket in the Disney series. The theme song still sticks in my noggin because he was the 'king of the wild frontier'. I did me a whole lot of Davy Crocket imitation as I played outside. I had to improvise on the coonskin cap and the rest of his notable gear, however, I likely wiped out a large number of renegades in the woods surrounding our home. Later, the wife and I enjoyed him in the popular Daniel Boone series. That's my little story for today and I do believe the names have not been changed to protect anyone.

For those of you who have pretty much tuned out the news, I have an update. I checked. The world is still in a mess. The political shenanigans continue. Folks are still dealing with famine, hunger, and wars and rumors of wars. We are still killing each other on the highways with our vehicles and in the alleyways with our guns. Children are still missing. The police are still overwhelmed as crime spirals out of control. They still do the weather but many of the weather people have become evangelists for the global warming theology. Sports. It's still going on. NFL players are still taking a knee, even in front of a decorated war hero holding our flag. Like I say, it is pretty much the way it was the last time you checked. There are many Bible passages that talk about how things will be as we near the return of our Lord and Savior. Here's one the Apostle Paul was inspired to write and send to his younger helper Timothy, 2 Timothy Chapter 3: "1) But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2) For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3) unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4) traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5) having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6) For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7) always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8) Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9) but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was." Jannes and Jambres are thought to be the names of two of the Egyptian magicians, (perhaps known but previously unnamed), who attempted to thwart God's plan to set His people free. If any of this is confusing, there is an excellent resource that is available online and free to use, David Guzik's Enduring Word Commentary. Check it out.

I think I've covered quite a few bases today. (I think we all can identify with that one since it does originate from what was once unchallenged as America's pastime, baseball.) I talked about Elvis, Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, the status of the world, and God's promise to make all things right in His own time. I don't know if those rate highly in the game of Trivial Pursuit, however, they are worth considering. As I approach my 72nd year, let me just say this about wisdom. The Bible tells us the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 9:10) The reverential recognition of God for who He is, well, that is fundamental to being wise from God's perspective. Knowledge abounds, education continues, but, none of that is of any lasting value without faith in God. I watched a 15-minute video the other day where Jews living in Israel were interviewed. The fellow conducting the interviews was a Jew himself and he was not a believer in Jesus as Messiah and Christ. As a college project, he agreed to try and find out why the Jewish people do not recognize Jesus in the way that Christians do. He talked to probably a dozen or more individuals. Young and old, their responses were articulate but chilling. Their tradition. Their teaching. Their sages. Their belief. It all says that Jesus was not the Jewish Messiah, but, an imposter who, when rejected by the Jews, started His own religion. Most of these people came across as being super intelligent and no doubt some of them were recognized as being wise. Heartbreaking. Jesus addressed this very thing, "Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he you will die in your sins." (John 8:24) I better quit while I am behind. Have a great rest of the day and may God add His blessings to us all. Amen. ....More later.