By: Denny –

Unless you’re a baby-boomer or a member of the previous generation, you may not have heard this expression or understand its meaning. Its origins date back to England in the 1800s when circuses were popular. At first, they involved acrobats performing daring feats on horses, the high wire, or trapezes. Clowns, juggling, and wild animal acts became popular and drew bigger crowds. For further entertainment gaming booths were added and the circus began to evolve into a carnival. The games were simple games of chance and skill much like the ring toss, shooting galleries, ball, and dart throwing and others that we see these days at county and state fairs. The person operating the booth was called a “Barker”, and they would call out loudly to passersby to entice them to play their game. They eventually became known as “Carneys”. In those days the games were reserved for adult males and the prize for winning was a cigar, because they were relatively inexpensive and easy to store. However, though appearing simple and easy to win, the games favored the Carney over the player. The player might come close to winning yet not achieve the required task to win the prize. Whereby the Carney would declare, “Close, but no cigar”, and encourage them to lay down some more money and try again, which often led to more failure and money in the pocket for the Carney. As people immigrated to America so did the circus and carnivals. Coney Island and other places grew in popularity as rides were added. Carnival booths transitioned into offering prizes and rewards other than cigars which enticed men, women, and children to try their luck at winning. The phrase “Close, but no cigar” became more popular beginning in the 1920s even up to the 1970s as people began to use and apply it to other life situations concerning not achieving a planned goal, a near miss, or hoped for expectation. For instance: You were one number off from winning the Powerball lottery. You almost got the job, but they hired someone else. You overslept and missed your bus, train, or plane by one minute and it left without you. You were outbid by $500 on your dream home by another buyer. Your team missed winning the big game by one point. You lost the election by 10 votes. The list of circumstances and “Close, but no cigar” moments continues, but I’m sure you understand my point.

Life also has those “Close, but no cigar” instances which involve narrowly escaping tragedy and a brush with death. As a retired truck driver with a 50-year career, I’ve had many such instances. I recall the night I was driving across Nebraska on I-80. I was tired and had dozed off and had drifted from the right lane onto the left lane shoulder. I was awakened by a huge bang and the realization that I had hit a bridge. I immediately pulled back to the right shoulder and stopped to investigate the damage, expecting to find parts missing and fuel leaking. To my surprise the only things missing were some chrome lug nut covers from the steer tire, a small step on the fuel tank strap which I had left in the down position, and some scuff marks on the drive tires. If my reaction had been to turn the steering wheel even a fraction to the left when I hit the bridge, the outcome would have been tragically different. God had intervened and spared my life as He had done so many times before and since, because He had greater plans for my life and a purpose for me yet to discover and fulfill. Psalm 31:14-15a But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, you are my God.” My times are in Your hand.

On Saturday, July 13th, 2024, former President Donald Trump was giving a campaign rally speech in Pennsylvania. A lone gunman perched on a rooftop a mere 50 yards away opened fire. At the very instant the gunman pulled the trigger, Donald Trump had inadvertently and unknowingly slightly turned his head, and the bullet only grazed his right ear. Whether or not you believe in God or miracles, there is no doubt in my mind we all witnessed one that day. God supernaturally intervened and spared Donald Trump and the nation from an otherwise tragic outcome. “Close, but no cigar!” Never in the history of our country has there been such vicious and blatant attempts by a current administration, fake news media, and members of a political party to discredit, hinder, remove, or destroy a candidate of an opposition party. They will stop at nothing to assure they remain in power to implement their ungodly, anti-American, twisted and perverted woke ideology and agendas. The devil and the forces of evil have become their puppet masters manipulating their minds and controlling their actions. Whether it be through importing millions of illegals to gain votes, engineering election results in their favor because they cannot win in honest debate. They weaponize the FBI and CIA and use the courts, liberal prosecutors, and judges to turn simple misdemeanors into felonies against anyone who opposes or tries to expose their unlawful deeds. Not to mention all the just plain irrational and stupid stuff they do which lacks any common sense. The mainstream news media is a poor excuse for any kind of legitimate unbiased journalism. They have no credibility because lying is their native language. All to which I and millions of other God-fearing homegrown American patriots say, “Enough is enough.” There is a line in a song that we used to sing in church in the 1990’s: “I went to the enemy’s camp, and I took back what he stole from me.” We will take our country back. Know this you self-proclaimed wizards of smart on the Left; I believe God’s hand and anointing is upon Donald Trump to win the presidency in 2024 and to begin to turn this nation back from the disastrous self-destructive course you’ve put us on. Therefore, no demon or Democrat can stop Him (God), and you try at your own peril. Psalm 37:12-15 The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to slay those who are of upright conduct. Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. Psalm 105:15 Do not touch My anointed ones and do My prophets no harm. The uninformed will say, “I can’t vote for Trump given his past.” A skeptic may ask, “How can God who is Holy, anoint and use a person like Donald Trump with all his faults and past failures?” The answer is quite simple for both, “You don’t know God, the Bible, and how He often uses imperfect people to accomplish His will”.

The Bible is full of “Close, but no cigar” instances when God miraculously intervened so that His plan would be accomplished. He delivered his chosen people from their bondage as slaves in Egypt through many miracles. Moses, an imperfect man, led them out by way of the wilderness until they came to the Red Sea. As Pharaoh and his army pursued, God sent a pillar of fire to come between them and the Israelites. God told Moses to lift his staff and the Red Sea parted before them, so they were able to cross on dry ground. God removed the pillar of fire and Pharaoh continued his chase. When the Egyptians were in the middle of the Red Sea, God brought the waters back upon them and they all drowned. Sorry Pharaoh, “Close, but no cigar!” In the book of Esther there was this guy named Haman. He was a close advisor to King Ahasuerus, and he hated the Jews. He schemed up a plan to have them all killed on a certain day, especially Mordecai, who wouldn’t bow down to him. Haman had actually built some gallows on which he planned to hang him. Through a series of events God intervened through Queen Esther and the plot was thwarted. It was said to Queen Esther that she was “born for such a time as this”. The king ordered that Haman, and his sons were to be hung on his own gallows. Too bad Haman, “Close, but no cigar”, and you reap what you sow. Many times the religious leaders tried to kill Jesus. On one occasion they led him to a cliff to throw him off, but the Bible says he passed through the midst of them. Luke 4:28-30 Then all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way. John 10: 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. (vs 39) Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand. Sorry guys, “Close, but no cigar”. As Jesus stood before Pontius Pilot on trial, Pilot boasted of his power and authority to either crucify or release Him. (John19:10) Vs. 11 Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.” God’s plan for Jesus was yet to be accomplished. Even as Jesus hung on the cross and died, the devil, his demons, and the religious leaders thought they had won. “Close, but no cigar!” Three days later Jesus came back to life defeating sin, death, and the devil, as was God’s plan since the beginning when sin entered the world through the fall of Adam and Eve.

Jesus through His shed blood and by dying on the cross for our sins in our place, became the only way for us to be saved and have eternal life. All you need to do is believe that and receive Him into your heart by repenting and asking Him for forgiveness and to save you. You can’t earn it, religious ceremonies and good works are useless, so stop trying and start believing. Someday you will die and stand before God and must give an account of your life and what you did about Jesus. Which would you rather hear? “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into heaven” or “Close, but no cigar”. The choice is yours to make or miss, but don’t wait until it’s too late, because the devil has a plan to take you out. 1 Peter 4:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.