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I need to think of better titles for these....


Sugar Ray Robinson, many believe, was pound for pound, the greatest prize fighter who ever lived. He won two world titles, Welterweight and Middleweight.
In his autobiography, he recalled being approached by organized crime figures to “fix” bouts. Such bout fixing was lucrative and common. (See Jake LaMotta and Billy Fox)
Robinson turned them down.
In 1952, Robinson fought Joey Maxim at Yankee Stadium for the Light Heavyweight title. If he had won, that would have given Robinson three titles, like his hero, Henry Armstrong.
The temperature reached 103 degrees in the ring. Although ahead on points, Robinson collapsed in the 13th round, losing by a TKO. It has been over forty years since I read his autobiography, but I recall him implying the fight was fixed. He had no smoking gun but one piece of evidence he offered was that he was not given salt pills between rounds, implicating his own trainer and manager.
There was a palpable sense of bitterness in Ray’s account.


Many share that bitterness when they feel a contest has been lost unfairly.
Sports.
Awards.
I remember scratching my head when Shakespeare in Love beat Saving Private Ryan for Best Picture. Rumor had it Harvey Weinstein was an unethical Oscar campaigner.
A shocker.

Elections.
Since governmental elections began, people have complained that they are “rigged”. And many (if not all) have been.
But not in the way you might think.

The Bible reveals how.
In Matt. 4:8-10, Satan tempts Jesus by showing him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, then offering them to Jesus in return for an act of worship.
Jesus refused, saying only God is worthy of worship. Yet, although Satan is “…a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44), Jesus does not deny that the world’s kingdoms were Satan’s to offer.

The Bible again pulls back the curtain in Daniel chapter 10. In vss. 12, 13 and 20, 21, the kingdoms of Persia and Greece are said to be represented by evil “spirit princes” who do battle with the archangel Michael.
Later, in Ephesians 6:12, the Apostle Paul wrote this: “For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”

Have you ever noticed that no matter who wins an election, in the long run, it’s one step up and two steps back? And that’s not counting the harm done to citizens by hermit kingdoms and military dictatorships.
Remember that scene in JFK, with the shadowy conspirators in the dark room filled with cigar smoke?
That scene is true. It just takes place, as Paul wrote, among evil spirits in unseen places. The fix is in, regardless of the winner. This may be one of the many reasons Jesus told Pilate, “…my kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36)

While God is in control of all things, including governments (Romans 13:1,2), it seems apparent that he allows Satan and his fallen angels much influence over them.
For now.

The history of man governing himself testifies to this. Some are better than others. (Far better) But even they crumble and decay. Inevitably. There is no shortage of politicians who do not keep their promises or who change their policies on a whim.

Yet, we are not abandoned to a vacuum of leadership without hope. We are given this everlasting assurance in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever”.
For this reason, his kingdom is the only sure remedy for the ills that have plagued mankind since the beginning of history.




All scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation.