Today’s Illustration: 4 Terms!

Who: Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Born 1894
“In 1921, at the age of 39, he contracted polio and thereafter was burdened with leg braces.” [1]
Served as President during The Great Depression and WWII
“In April 1945, just over four months before the war finally ended in an Allied victory, FDR died of a stroke at his vacation home in Warm Springs, Georgia.” [1]

When: Nominated and elected to serve a fourth term — November 7, 1944

What: Served Four Terms As President

President Of The United States — First Term 1933-1937
Second Term — 1937-1941
Third Term 1941-1945
Fourth Term:
FDR defeated Thomas Dewey
1945 – death in 1945
Died April 12, 1945 — 11 weeks into his fourth presidency
Serving two terms was only a tradition, not part of the United States Constitution.
In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt ran for a third non-consecutive term but lost.
The 22nd Amendment was ratified in 1951, to allow only two presidential terms.

Why: What were the causes behind electing a president to four terms?
“You have economic-domestic issues and you have foreign policy with the outbreak of World War II in 1939,” says Barbara Perry, professor and director of presidential studies at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. “And then you have his own political viability—he had won the 1936 election with more than two-thirds of the popular vote. . . . There was nothing but precedent standing in his way,” says Perry. “But, still, precedent, especially as it relates to the presidency, can be pretty powerful. . . . He was trying to guide us along to try to keep Britain afloat with things like lend-lease,” Perry says. “That obviously was preying on his mind and he didn’t think that the U.S. should ‘change horses in midstream’ as this war was building towards what he knew would eventually be our full-fledged intervention in both the European and Pacific theaters.”

Key Illustrative Thoughts:

power
position
rulers
popularity
government
kings & kingdoms
“changing horses mid-stream”

Sermonic Example:

(use whatever information from above you find useful)

. . . . It has been said, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Men cannot handle power, position, prominence, popularity — and that fact is ensconced in our Constitution. That is one of the reasons that the 22nd amendment to the United States Constitution was passed. No president could serve more than eight years! Two four-year terms were the established limits of presidential power.

“Even the best of men, are men at best.” Even men like David abused his power and position. . . . . as we will see in this passage.

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

There is a coming King, and there will be no proposed amendments, in fact, no elections.

and His kingdom will not, and it cannot fail!

Rejoice, the Lord Is King