Well, these are certainly signs of the times if you've been watching the news lately.  I couldn't tell which thing shocked me the most when I saw Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela call our president Bush the devil not just once but three times or the applause and laughter that followed these statements in the UN.  I have to hand it to president Bush whom kept his mouth shut and now the irony flows as the Democrates that have said things as bad as this stand up for him!  I'm a lover of irony in things like this to be honest but at the same time I see something to be learned here.  Ahmadinejad likes to throw the name of God out there all the time along with words like justice which honestly he knows nothing about but in the end I watch the move of our God while we take the higher ground while these fools rant and rave.  We can see and hear the enemies of freedom in our world today.  They claim that we are the ones that threaten democracy yet I have to say I find irony there too.  If we were the dictators these men claim they would be either in jail or dead at this point but they are given the freedom to say their piece.  These men don't have any freedoms nor justice in their own countries yet they try to convince the world that they are here to offer peace and don't intend to misuse nuclear technology?  I don't buy that and I don't believe anyone else does either.  Again I see some in the church and African American community back up this kind of thing and irony again presents itself.  We may disagree with some of president Bush's policies but would the church be wise to stand with extremist Muslims on any policy?  Can African Americans continue to beat the anti-war drum when they seem oblivious to the fact that a Civil War was fought in this country and more Americans died there than any war before or since and their freedom was a part of all that?  Again I fail to see how someone that lives because others died for them can stand there and say it's not worth it to do it somewhere else...talk about ironic!  All of these things really wake me up to the fact that we just need God so very much.  Oil is not the answer to everyone's needs nor is anything this world can offer.  Always there are so many major distractions to the fact that Christ is the answer to all things on every level wether that be personal, national or international.  This is often misunderstood on every one of these levels.  Personally we can't succeed without God because we are created in His image and therefore can't find fulfillment apart from Him....this is expressly important to us as parents.  You can give your kids all the education in the world and give them all the money in the world but if you neglect to teach them a respect for God and the need for church you've failed as a parent in your primary duty.  If your children fail to follow God after you do all you know to do then you are still obligated to not give up nor agree with them not following God.  Nationally this is so important.  I once heard someone say that you can't legislate morality...well, if you can't do that what in the world would they suggest that you legislate...immorality?  Internationally I believe that policies that are made without God and the Bible in consideration are all useless.  The Word of God has permanance and stability and the true roadmap to peace within.  I feel that the road to secularize society has led us down a dark path indeed.  I'm not advocating extremist behavior at all.  Jesus Christ is not only the perfect example for a human being but the best example of the direction any nation should take...thus why the Bible says that the government is upon His (Jesus) shoulders.  I believe this is not just a reference to Israel sometime in the future but something for us all until He comes again if we want to run things the best possible way.  If we are in agreement with Chist...we knock on the door of success, we ask and we shall receive.  Thank God!