Not long ago, a great man passed away. His name was Ronald Reagan and he was the 40th President of the United States of America. 

Not only was he the oldest man to ever hold the office (69 when he started) but he lived longer than any other previous president in history. He was 93 when he died from Alzheimer’s disease. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, 2 sons and a daughter.

While in office, Reagan was often accused of being “detached” or “not brilliant” and, even, “dumb.” A few even said he contracted Alzheimer’s before he left office. These are sad accusations and very untrue. What Reagan actually accomplished was so monumental that he will go down in history as one of the greatest presidents America has ever seen, if not THE greatest! The man is primarily responsible for ending the cold war and bringing the former “evil empire,” the Soviet Union, to its knees. While many liberals in government were urging him to coddle the Soviets and give in to their communist ideals, Reagan knew that the only thing they would understand was power and strength. He understood that you should never negotiate from a position of weakness. 

The president before Reagan (Carter) had so downsized the U.S. military that many thought America had lost its position in the world. The Soviets certainly thought this and began an arms race intending to intimidate the United States by fear. Reagan was more than up to the task. He knew that no nation on this earth could possibly match the industrial might of the United States of America. Reagan’s number 1 goal in office was the rebuilding of America’s military. The final straw for the Soviets was when our president announced the SDI program (Strategic Defense Initiative) which entailed placing super-secret satellites into orbit with laser technology the world had never seen. The whole idea was to create a capability of knocking out Soviet missiles before they could even reach our soil. As the Soviets struggled to keep up with the pace, their economy was totally destroyed, the Soviet Union was dismantled, the Berlin wall came down, the eastern bloc nations became autonomous and communism died! 

Aside from his many global accomplishments, Reagan also turned our stagnant economy around, downsized the government, lowered taxes, and restored America’s pride in itself. He brought this nation together and taught us how to love and help one another.

As the “Great Communicator,” Reagan continually warned Libya’s Moa mar Kadafi that his violent rhetoric towards the U.S. would not be tolerated. Who can forget that fateful night when American F-111’s flew over the capitol city of Libya and bombed them into submission? One of Kadafi’s daughters was killed in the attack and the dictator himself narrowly escaped the same fate. Strangely, we didn’t hear anything out of Kadafi for years after that. And, just a few months ago, Moa mar Kadafi voluntarily offered to rid his country of all weapons of mass destruction, stop sponsoring terrorism, and turn over a new leaf. When will we ever learn that terrorists only understand power?

Today, we are so fortunate to have another president that was cut out of the same mold as Reagan. As President Bush faces liberal criticism of his policies over the war with terrorism, he remains strong and resolute in his purpose. He understands that if we don’t deal with terrorism now then our children and grandchildren will face it! He understands that the terrorists are capable of anything, even using black market nuclear weapons if they think it will further their evil goals. In short, Bush knows what a snake looks like and he knows how to kill it! We need to pray for this man; pray that he will stay the course no matter what barbs are thrown his way. He fights for our safety and the safety of our children!

Also, when you’re praying, remember Nancy Reagan. She, too, was highly criticized during the Reagan years but one thing was certain; she loved her husband with everything she had and was his greatest help. Mrs. Reagan is also quite frail these days. In her 80s now, she too must struggle on a daily basis with life…but now her companion of 52 years has left her. We need to lift her up as often as we can.

Now that the tributes are over and the funeral is past, I believe many in America have been absolutely amazed at the outpouring of love that was shown towards America’s 40th president. Some who hated him and thought millions in the country agreed with them have been absolutely blown away as they’ve been forced to realize and witness the love of an adoring nation as they said goodbye to this great man. There may not ever be another like him in our lifetimes but I personally believe that President Bush is well on his way to greatness himself. Time will tell the tale.

When the end times come to fruition, we may all look back at these 2 great men and realize that God used them in powerful ways to place America in a position where we could further the Kingdom of God around the world. A majority of the mission’s work around the globe comes from America. Many of history’s greatest preachers and ministers have come out of the U.S. Monetarily, America’s generosity has never been matched as we have sought to help other nations in need with food, clothing, medical care, and federal aid. America is truly a giving nation. 

Lastly, America supports the nation of Israel. Both Reagan and Bush have made their positions clear concerning the preservation of the Jewish nation. And, remember, God says, “the nation that blesses Israel, I will bless and the nation that curses Israel, I will curse!” Join me as we pray for America! I love you!

Disclaimer: Many of the articles on the site were written many years ago. While the lessons and teachings are certainly applicable to issues of today, please note that some of the references mentioned in the article may be dated or otherwise proved inaccurate due to the passage of time. We bring you these articles in their original format. Thank you.