“A truly original premise, Tales of a Dim Knight is a light-hearted escape into the world of superheroes and villains with a thoughtful twist as to what matters most in life,” says Jill Williamson, Christy-award winning author of By Darkness Hid
In Tales of the Dim Knight, Mild-mannered janitor and superhero fanboy Dave Johnson gets all his wishes at once when a symbiotic alien gives him supernatural powers. But what’s he to do with them? Follow his zany adventures as he fights crime and corruption while trying to keep his family together and avoid being sued for copyright infringement.

Adam Graham is a regular political columnist for Pajamas Media. His short stories appear in the anthology Light at the Edge of Darkness and in the Laser & Sword e-zine. He hosts the Truth and Hope Report podcast,  Old Time Dragnet, and Old Time Superman. Mr. Graham holds an  Associate of Arts degree from Flathead  Valley Community College with a concentration in Journalism.

Andrea Graham co-authored Adam’s first novel, Tales of the Dim Knight and edits all of his work. Her short story “Frozen Generation” also appeared in Light at the Edge of Darkness. She studied creative writing and religion at Ashland University.

Adam and Andrea live with their cat, Joybell, in Boise, Idaho. They are members of several writers groups, including Lost Genre Guild and American Christian Fiction Writers. Adam is president of their local ACFW chapter, Idahope.

Tales of the Dim Knight releases in print on November 22, 2010 and is out on Kindle and available for other e-book readers. Reviewers may request a print review copy from the publisher, or obtain the e-book version from the authors now by contacting: adam@adamsweb.us

Note print books are expected to ship a week after the release date. You can sample the first chapter of Tales of the Dim Knight at the authors’ website.

Like Tales of the Dim Knight on facebook.

In Church yesterday, we joined a class studying from the Vander Laan series, which gave us a history lesson on guilds in ancient Rome, particularly in Asia minor. These “Trade unions” as the teacher watered them down to, each had a patron god or goddess, and if you wanted to practice a particular trade, for instance, carpentry, you would be pressured to join the Carpenter’s guild, and sacrifice (worship) the patron god of Carpentry. If you refused, the guild would use their collective muscle to ensure you did not make it as a Carpenter. If you attempted to go it alone, at the very least, no one would bring you business in fear of angering the Guild (or it’s god, but same difference to my thinking)

Think guilds are gone? By Heaven, no. We’ve even expanded them into the political arena. We have not one, but two politics guilds in this country. The name of one starts with a “D” and the other starts with an “R” And it seems they have four paths to membership:

What effect has the guild mentality had on modern politics? Adam has the story

—–

You’re a Collie!

No bones about it, you’re a loyal, nurturing Collie. A sensitive breed, you’re always approachable and very in tune with others’ feelings — just like Lassie! Because of your empathetic nature, you tend to be the group psychologist to your circle of friends. Your faithful, easygoing, steadfast personality makes you a wonderful confidant; people love to come to you with their troubles. Bottom line? You’re a star at interpersonal relationships and have a knack for making new friends and acquaintances wherever you go. After all, what’s a Collie without a flock to look after? Since you’re so giving, your buddies might not realize that you need them just as much as they need you, so make sure not to neglect yours truly. Everyone deserves some “me” time. Woof!
What Breed of Dog Are You?

Brought to you by Tickle

Your eyes say you’re Naturally Stunning

Fresh and laid-back, you take the same approach to your makeup as you do to life: Easy does it. We’d guess you’re a no-muss, no-fuss kind of gal who doesn’t like to spend too much time in front of the mirror. But that doesn’t mean you still don’t love to look great. You just do it in your own effortless way.

Truth be told, it’s your grounded nature and straightforward sensibilities that make you so attractive. When someone looks you in the eyes, they immediately sense your integrity and down-to-earth spirit. And what could be more beautiful than that?
What Do Your Eyes Reveal?

Brought to you by Tickle

And oddly enough:

You’re a ESTJ!

That means that based on the standard measure of personality traits, you have a quiet determination and sharp mind — you’re very focused and buckle down when it comes to work. You are the type of person one looks to in a crisis. While others may provide emotional support in a situation, your clear and logical thinking allows you to solve the problem at hand.

You may be firm, but your actions are generally fair. You believe in putting in the work and don’t expect favors to get ahead. Additionally, you want objective feedback to determine your success. You are a careful thinker and get all the details before making any decisions. You don’t jump to conclusions and stick with the facts provided. In other words, you’re the go-to person for the real story, not the spin or gossip. While others may sometimes see you as stubborn, they begrudgingly respect your ethics and straightforward approach.
Career Personality Test

Brought to you by Tickle
Usually, I test as an NF, but that sounds accurate in terms of work . . .

You’re a Visual/Spatial Intelligence!

Others may take their environments for granted but not you. Because of your visual/spatial intelligence you really see the world around you. This strength often helps you better appreciate the beauty and detail in everyday things. From shapes in nature to the structure of a fine automobile, a countless variety of things hold your interest.

Having this particular kind of heightened awareness can allow you to form accurate mental images of existing places and objects. In extreme cases, one might call this strength a photographic memory. Being visually/spatially intelligent also means that you likely have a vivid imagination that can be put to use in a variety of creative or professional endeavors.
The Multiple Intelligences Test

Brought to you by Tickle

You’re an Advisor!

Whether you know it or not, this is the role that is most in tune with who you are at your core. As an advisor, you are a quiet and reserved person who loves to help others achieve their potential through interpersonal connections. Others value you for your wisdom, integrity, and sound advice, as well as your genuine concern for people’s welfare. You are a thoughtful person, trust your gut feeling about things, and have extremely acute intuition. You are somewhat of a poet in your way of thinking, finding beauty and meaning in simple things. Because of your sensitivity and soft-spoken ways, you may experience mood swings and the inability to get out of bad situation from time to time. Just be aware of that and you will get stuck in fewer unsatisfying ruts.
What’s Your Destiny?

Brought to you by Tickle

—–

om: Ask Andrea

Lately, I’ve been reading the book Elysse Barrett assisted her father David in writing, Fathers & Daughters: raising polished cornerstones. I would suggest, besides being a beautiful portrait in which their own relationship is offered up as a model of what a biblical father-daughter relationship ought to look like, more than an excellent bible study examining the biblical models, and negative examples, of father-daughter relationships, more than a parenting book that even fathers of sons and future parents should consider, this is a model of how ordinary Christians can take back their culture by changing the way we parent.

My own background both makes clear why this book is needed. Indeed, at twenty-one and single, Elysse’s relationship with her father has left her far better prepared to fulfill her biblical role as a wife someday, than I was, and indeed, reading her book, I still feel like I’m playing catch up to where she is on this issue yet.

On the other hand, my background also makes me fear, in the wrong hands, the model up held could be twisted into something ugly, something, since I’ve had the opportunity to work with and get to know Elysse, I know the Barretts never, ever intended. I’m thinking primarily of those who would attempt to use these teachings to excuse the inexcusable, and those who would use such people to slander the Barretts as well as all who attempt to raise up their children in a biblical pattern. As illustrated by this book quite nicely, though, sometimes, the difference between abuse and good parenting is a matter of degrees—and love.

So let me just reassure anyone reading this book that comes from a dysfunctional, or ultra-feminist, background: they are not at all saying parents have the right to abuse their children. The model this book lays out for us to follow only works with a “godly authority,” a term used in the book, and in context referenced the fact married women are under their husband’s headship and not their father’s, an issue not dealt with specifically, as the book is aimed at Christian Fathers and the daughters still under their headship. Respect is a must with any parent, but this kind of narrowing and authority must, as Mr. Barrett stresses, be laid on a foundation of love.

Indeed, the first task of their model is a father winning his daughter’s heart. A daughter must have the comfort of knowing her father does what he does out of love, with her own interests and protection in mind, not out of his selfish ambition or desires for control, something the Barretts come across as well aware of, it’s simply not the focal point of the book. I especially liked, in acknowledging that not every daughter has been as blessed as she, Elysse offers the hope that God has been known to bring a godly father-figure into a girl’s life where she can’t have that with her own father, and if all else fails, God will gladly fill this role in her life. I can testify it is certainly true. I have many teachers, but only one spiritual father—the Lord himself.

Still, for Christian parents that want their children to grow up with their values, who wish to protect their children from negative influences, but have been scared into exposing their children by accusations of abuse and warnings that being too strict will cause children to rebel (to which the senior Barretts offer up their children as living proof that strict rules combined with love actually reduces the tendency to rebel) and for even young Christian couples laying the foundation to build their family on, for all those who would like to play a part in restoring our nation to it’s Christian foundation, the Barretts have much wisdom to offer–and far more meat than bones.

Praise You in This Storm

words by Mark Hall/music by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms

I was sure by now, God You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it’s still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,

“I’m with you”
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And I’ll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are

no matter where I am
and every tear I’ve cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You

and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can’t find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

Chorus

I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

Chorus

As the Lord reminded me lately, He is still Sovereign, and He has reminded the GOP He alone sits upon the throne no one can cast down. If the conservatives and the GOP don’t take lessons learned to heart and change tracks, America may learn that painful lesson as well. I praise Him, that His throne is forever, and I praise Him, for this Republic. From the beginning, he has given to the people the rulers of their own choosing. Heaven may be a theocracy, but there is no purer form of government on this earth than our democratic republic. We must remember the Rock our Fathers founded our nation on, lest we learn the lesson earthquake victims can attest: a house that forsakes it’s foundation shall crumble.

—–

“Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness,
You who seek the LORD:
Look to the rock from which you were hewn,

And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug.
Look to Abraham your father,
And to Sarah who bore you;
For I called him alone,
And blessed him and increased him.”
For the LORD will comfort Zion,

He will comfort all her waste places;
He will make her wilderness like Eden,
And her desert like the garden of the LORD;
Joy and gladness will be found in it,
Thanksgiving and the voice of melody.
“ Listen to Me, My people;

And give ear to Me, O My nation:
For law will proceed from Me,
And I will make My justice rest
As a light of the peoples.
My righteousness is near,
My salvation has gone forth,

And My arms will judge the peoples;
The coastlands will wait upon Me,
And on My arm they will trust.
Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
And look on the earth beneath.
For the heavens will vanish away like smoke,

The earth will grow old like a garment,
And those who dwell in it will die in like manner;
But My salvation will be forever,
And My righteousness will not be abolished.
“ Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,
You people in whose heart is My law:

Do not fear the reproach of men,
Nor be afraid of their insults.
For the moth will eat them up like a garment,
And the worm will eat them like wool;
But My righteousness will be forever,
And My salvation from generation to generation.”

Awake, awake, put on strength,
O arm of the LORD!
Awake as in the ancient days,
In the generations of old.
Are You not the arm that cut Rahab apart,
And wounded the serpent?

Are You not the One who dried up the sea,
The waters of the great deep;
That made the depths of the sea a road
For the redeemed to cross over?
So the ransomed of the LORD shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,

With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness;
Sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
“ I, even I, am He who comforts you.
Who are you that you should be afraid
Of a man who will die,

And of the son of a man who will be made like grass?
And you forget the LORD your Maker,
Who stretched out the heavens
And laid the foundations of the earth;
You have feared continually every day
Because of the fury of the oppressor,

When he has prepared to destroy.
And where is the fury of the oppressor?
The captive exile hastens, that he may be loosed,
That he should not die in the pit,
And that his bread should not fail.
But I am the LORD your God,

Who divided the sea whose waves roared—
The LORD of hosts is His name.
And I have put My words in your mouth;
I have covered you with the shadow of My hand,
That I may plant the heavens,
Lay the foundations of the earth,

And say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’”

Awake, awake!
Stand up, O Jerusalem,
You who have drunk at the hand of the LORD
The cup of His fury;

You have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling,
And drained it out.
There is no one to guide her
Among all the sons she has brought forth;
Nor is there any who takes her by the hand
Among all the sons she has brought up.

These two things have come to you;
Who will be sorry for you?—
Desolation and destruction, famine and sword—
By whom will I comfort you?
Your sons have fainted,
They lie at the head of all the streets,

Like an antelope in a net;
They are full of the fury of the LORD,
The rebuke of your God.
Therefore please hear this, you afflicted,
And drunk but not with wine.
Thus says your Lord,

The LORD and your God,
Who pleads the cause of His people:

“ See, I have taken out of your hand
The cup of trembling,
The dregs of the cup of My fury;

You shall no longer drink it.
But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you,
Who have said to you,

‘ Lie down, that we may walk over you.’
And you have laid your body like the ground,

And as the street, for those who walk over.”

Awake, awake!
Put on your strength, O Zion;
Put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city!
For the uncircumcised and the unclean

Shall no longer come to you.
Shake yourself from the dust, arise;
Sit down, O Jerusalem!
Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion!

For thus says the LORD:

“ You have sold yourselves for nothing,
And you shall be redeemed without money.”

For thus says the Lord GOD:

“ My people went down at first

Into Egypt to dwell there;
Then the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.
Now therefore, what have I here,” says the LORD,

“ That My people are taken away for nothing?
Those who rule over them

Make them wail,” says the LORD,

“ And My name is blasphemed continually every day.
Therefore My people shall know My name;
Therefore they shall know in that day
That I am He who speaks:

‘ Behold, it is I.’”
How beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,

Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,

“ Your God reigns!”
Your watchmen shall lift up their voices,
With their voices they shall sing together;

For they shall see eye to eye
When the LORD brings back Zion.
Break forth into joy, sing together,
You waste places of Jerusalem!
For the LORD has comforted His people,
He has redeemed Jerusalem.

The LORD has made bare His holy arm
In the eyes of all the nations;
And all the ends of the earth shall see
The salvation of our God.
Depart! Depart! Go out from there,
Touch no unclean thing;

Go out from the midst of her,
Be clean,
You who bear the vessels of the LORD.
For you shall not go out with haste,
Nor go by flight;
For the LORD will go before you,

And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

—–

And I rewarded her by picking up my back scratcher and feeding the cat.

—–

Today, the United States Supreme Court ruled the monopoly on Godhood held by YHWH Sabaoth, AKA Lord Almighty, unconstitutional. The Court has ordered Sabaoth to break up his holdings into smaller theodoms (not to be confused with the ever-loathed theocracy.) These new theodoms will be governed by disenfranchised deities Saboath’s court-appointed lawyer attempted to argue were mere angels.

The plaintif, Lucifer Diablo, represented by the ACLU, requested the planet Earth be included in his theodom. The court generously left how Sabaoth’s monopoly, which encompasses the whole universe, is broken up to his discretion. In addition, they decided, as Earth is the only planet known to have life on it, it must be divided between the new theodoms.

The defense argued Sabaoth is not subject to the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction. However, the Court pointed out previous judgments against Sabaoth have set sufficient precedent to  apply Anti-Trust laws to the defendant.

The courts gave Sabaoth thirty days to break up his monopoly on the universe, or they would break it up for him. They also ordered him to make public his secret for godhood and ordered him to uphold the inalienable rights of all American citizens, regardless of lifestyle or creed, to hold dual citizenship in the controversial Kingdom of Heaven.

Saboath has refused all media requests for comment. He has also ignored court summons to the hearings and has thus been found to be in contempt of court. An arrest warrant has been issued, but Sabaoth remains at large.

Your Turn: Write the headlines and newsreports covering the aftermath of this fictional case before the United States Supreme Court.

Linked to TMH Bacon Bits

If you need advice from a biblical perspective on anything from what the soul is to martial difficulties, swing on over to Ask Andrea. To get featured on her collumn, just drop her a line

If you’re a publisher, author, or know one, Andrea is also introducing book reviews to her blog. Follow the link for more information and pass it along to the appropriate individuals. Thanks!

—–

Looking forward to my eighteenth birthday on September 7th
Looking forward to starting my first year of college
Looking forward to making new friends
Probably hunched over a keyboard working on a manuscript Ms. Perfection is just now putting to market since she’s spent the last seven years honing her craft.

Thinking people the age I am now are old, a cool old if they deigned to be my friend, but old nonetheless.

What were you doing seven years ago?

Hat Tip: LaShawn Barber

—–

Awake, awake! Stand up, O Jerusalem,
You who have drunk at the hand of the LORD
The cup of His fury; You have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling,
And drained it out. There is no one to guide her
Among all the sons she has brought forth; Nor is there any who takes her by the hand
Among all the sons she has brought up. These two things have come to you;
Who will be sorry for you?— Desolation and destruction, famine and sword—
By whom will I comfort you? Your sons have fainted,
They lie at the head of all the streets, Like an antelope in a net;
They are full of the fury of the LORD, The rebuke of your God.
Therefore please hear this, you afflicted, And drunk but not with wine.
Thus says your Lord, The LORD and your God,
Who pleads the cause of His people:

“ See, I have taken out of your hand The cup of trembling,
The dregs of the cup of My fury; You shall no longer drink it.
But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you,
Who have said to you, ‘ Lie down, that we may walk over you.’
And you have laid your body like the ground, And as the street, for those who walk over.”

–Isaiah 51 (New King James Version

—–

here are the rules: leave me a comment here and I’ll give you a letter. Then you’ll post the results (and these instructions) in your blog. You use the letter you are given and make 10 THINGS from it. It can be anything doesnt really have to be about yourself can be about anything just random 10 words that B is for… or the letter i give you!!!!

This one’s from my sister. She gave me the letter T. And here’s the random answers I got. Guess since it’s the National Day of Prayer….

1 teacher: We have turned from the master and gone after false teachers
2 testimony: We have invalidated our testimony with our fornicating
3 tanack: We have forsaken the word of our fathers* to seek after the gods of this world
4 toddy: We have drunk their toddy and forsaken the cup of our Lord yet partake in it.
5 Tethered: Therefore we are tethered and our children scattered
6 Talon: and the talon of the eagle shall rend his own
7 Teeth: until the land is filled with wailing and gnashing of teeth.
8 Ticket: Yet if we turn our hearts unto him, he shall give us the ticket to life.
9 Toga: And cover our nakedness with a toga of righteousness
10 Tender: And turn from his wrath and salve us with his tender mercies

*the tanack is the hebrew bible

—–

Why do the heathen rage, and the people devise a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
“Let us break Their bonds asunder, and cast away Their cords from us.”
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the LORD shall hold them in derision Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little.Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.

–Psalm 2:1-5,12(KJ 21)

If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

–2 Corinthians 5:13-20(NIV)

—–

Kudos to the minutemen for their efforts to errect a fence along the border.

*that goes for all illegal aliens regardless of race, creed, nationality, gender, age, or even sexual orientation.

—–

Bible suggestion number one on getting a good night’s sleep: Get Married.

Genesis 2:21, 22
And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof. And the rib which the LORD God had taken from man, made He a woman and brought her unto the man.

Okay, onto a more serious note.

Here are some good verses on getting a good night’s rest (and causes for the lack there of):

Esther 6:1
On that night the king could not sleep; and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king.

Psalm 4:8
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for Thou LORD only, makest me dwell in safety.

Psalm 76:5-7
The stouthearted are despoiled; they have slept their sleep, and none of the men of might have found their hands.At Thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.Thou, Thou alone, art to be feared; and who may stand in Thy sight when once Thou art angry?

Psalm 127:2
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He giveth His beloved sleep.

Proverbs 6:9-11How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep” So shall thy poverty come as a marauder, and thy want as an armed man.

(There are several proverbs along this vein)

Proverbs 3:24
when thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid; yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

Proverbs 4:16
For they sleep not unless they have done mischief, and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall.

Ecclesiastes 5:12
The sleep of the laboring man is sweet whether he eat little or much, but the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.

Related:

Job 33:14-16

14For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

15In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed,

16then He openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction

Psalm 44:23
Awake! Why sleepest Thou, O Lord? Arise! Cast us not off for ever.

Psalm 78:64-66

Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.
Then the LORD awakened as one out of sleep, like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.And He smote His enemies in the hinder parts, and laid upon them a perpetual reproach.

—–

But, stories like the following from Washington Times collumnist Phil Kent make my blood boil:

The Mexican government promotes reconquista in the Southwest. Isn’t it obvious in many areas that Mexicans are pushing out Americans, refusing to speak English and establishing de facto Mexican enclaves? A growing number of Mexicans despise their northern neighbor. American soccer fans, to cite just one example, have repeatedly witnessed the outrageous behavior of Mexican crowds during the playing of “The Star Spangled Banner,” including cheers of “Osama, Osama”– a reference to the murder of 3,000 Americans on September 11….

A Zogby International poll in 2003 found 57 percent of Mexicans believe they have the right to enter the United States without permission. And 58 percent said the southwestern states properly belong to Mexico. In light of such sentiments, no wonder the Mexican government printed and openly distributed a comic book-style “guide” to “migrants” instructing them where to cross the northern border, melt into U.S. society and how to take advantage of medical, educational and other services.

So, we have streams of people crossing our borders that have no respect for our laws and have no interest in becoming Americans, but are only interested in subversion and otherwise taking advantage of us. Instead of debating whether *illegal* immigrants have rights, we should, as a country, whether you put a “african-” an “italian-” or even a, “latino-” before your “American,” be tossing these reconquistadores out faster than you can say, “Adios!” Any american citizen who supports promotes aids these efforts is guilty of treason and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. At the very least, we should toss them out of public office.

Furthermore, our borders must be secured so they can’t get in and Mexico sanctioned. If Mexico fails to respond favorably, I also humbly suggest we recall our troops that are out fighting every other country’s battle and deal with our enemy south of the border. If we wish to remain a free nation, we also need to get down on our knees and pray to the God of our Fathers, because we’ve never won a war without Him.

You are a Dreamer
#

Your combination of abstract thinking, appreciation of beauty, and cautiousness makes you a DREAMER.
#

You often imagine how things could be better, and you have very specific visions of this different future.
#

Beauty and style are important to you, and you have a discerning eye when it comes to how things look.
#

Although you often think more broadly, you prefer comfort to adventure, choosing to stay within the boundaries of your current situation.
#

Your preferences for artistic works are very refined, although you vastly prefer some types and styles to others.
#

Though your dreams are quite vivid, you are cautious in following up on them.
#

You are aware of both your positive and negative qualities, so that your ego doesn’t get in your way.
#

A sense of vulnerability sometimes holds you back, stifling your creative tendencies.
#

You’re not one to force your positions on a group, and you tend to be fair in evaluating different options.
#

You do your own thing when it comes to clothing, guided more by practical concerns than by other people’s notions of style.

If you want to be different:
#

Your imagination is a wonderful asset, but don’t just dream—be bold enough to take action and explore new things!
#

Consider a wider range of details and possibilities when thinking about the present and the future—don’t be too set in your ways.

You are Benevolent
#

You are a great person to interact with—understanding, giving, and trusting—in a word, BENEVOLENT
#

You love being in crowds, as you feel comfortable enough with people to be yourself.
#

Your caring nature goes beyond a basic concern: you take the time to understand the nuances of people’s situations before passing any sort of judgment.
#

You’re a good listener, and even better at offering advice.
#

You’re concerned with others at both an individual and societal level—you sympathize with the plights of troubled groups, and you can care about people you’ve never met.
#

Considering many different perspectives is something at which you excel, and you appreciate that quality in others.
#

Other people’s feelings are important to you, and you’re good at mediating disputes.
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Because of your understanding and patience, you tend to bring out the best in people.

What do you think? Does this sound like me? If you know me,*hint hint Adam* you can access me here: http://personaldna.com/psychyou-psychme.php?for=e98535576a0c

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Today, I believe a nation does have the right to defend itself, and don’t know if I’d really turn the other cheek if I was attacked (I doubt it,) but in general I tend to be wary of preemptive strikes and even warier of fighting other country’s revolutions for them.

Since France helped us win ours, we do have an obligation to “pay it forward,” (we’ve already paid it back twice,) but I’m not sure Iraq fit the bill. I would say that obligation is toward countries already fighting against an oppressive regime. I don’t recall there being any fighting in Iraq before this started, but my memory is short, and there could have been with the Desert Storm operation Bush Senior fouled up. If he’d finished the job, there wouldn’t be a war in Iraq now. Bush Junior, hence, isn’t driven by oil, (have you seen the prices at the pump lately?) but family honor.

That said, my biggest concern going in wasn’t any of that. We may have been physically ready, but we are not and were not spiritually ready and I did not see how we could win a war when we’re offending God. As my jewish latin teacher in high school said, America today is in the same moral condition Ancient Rome was before it fell to the Barbarians. Now we’re also in a war with Barbarians (I mean the Muslim world, not the pro-abortion crowd) and instead of waiting for the Barbarians to sack us, we’ve taken the war to them. Do we think that will make it any better? If we don’t repent, we’re still going to fall.

If we will not learn from Rome, let us learn from Israel. For I tell you truly, the Lord has done as he said he would and gathered his people from every tribe and every nation. But, if we go astray, will we not also come under the same curses he warned our fathers of? It is no secret our nation is in great debt today. That was the first of the curses he warned of.

He also warned of, among other things, that we would be “smitten before thine enemies; thou shalt go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them.” That describes the left in this country to a T. They are desirous to flee from the barbarians (we like to call them terrorists now adays.) Do we think it a concidence, that when our nation served God, we went out as Israel did against Jericho and defeated our enemies, but since we have turned from God, now we are as Israel when the people sinned and displeased God then tried to go up against Ai Only after they repented were they able to go up and defeat AI.

For those of you who don’t want to go read all those links, I believe this next portion (Joshua 7: 2-12, NIV) is most parallel to where we are with Iraq. Different situation, but the principles are the same:

2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.

3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the people will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary all the people, for only a few men are there.” 4 So about three thousand men went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, 5 who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries [c] and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted and became like water.

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the LORD, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Ah, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?”

10 The LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

I believe God has the same word for us today. The good news is Christ has come and fulfilled the Law of Death to bring forth the Law of Love, so we don’t need to light anything or anyone on fire.

But, we must still do as the Lord said to end the curses:

“If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land or if I send pestilence among My people, if My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

–2nd Chronicles 7:13,14

What can a girl conclude? We must be living in two separate, but parallel universes that exist on the same plane. Either that or two separate countries within the same borders. You know, like Palastine and Israel?

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His disciples did.

Check it out (Emphasis added by me):

Mark5:22-24;38-42 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.And Jesus went with him.

And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.

Also note who was with Jesus when he did this: Peter (as well as James and John, but that’s besides the point.)

Act 9:36-42 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive. And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.

Why did Peter put them all forth? The answer is quite simple and it has nothing to do with what the mourners were doing. He put them out because that’s what he saw his Master do. We don’t know what Peter prayed, but it looks to me like he is merely imitating his master. And note he didn’t get the “formula” right: he forgot the phrase “In the name of Jesus” even those who believe we can do miracles today insist is critical.

But think about that last sentence and compare it to the results of Jesus’ miracle in Mathew 9:25,26: “But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.”

When Jesus raises the dead, Jesus is glorified. When Peter raises the dead, again, Jesus is glorified. Not Peter.

Seems to me a few televangelists who do get the formula right could stand to learn from Peter.

To be fair, Acts records another example with Peter:

Acts 3:1-8

Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

So, this time he remembered to say “in the name of Jesus” And this time the people forgot that and marveled at Peter and John. And Peter chastises them in verse twelve, “Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?” And then goes on to give Jesus the glory, preaching the gospel. It’s pretty obvious that Peter hasn’t forgotten before Jesus came along, he was just a smelly, illiterate fisherman.

Some say this was just a sign for the early church, but Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He hasn’t changed, he’s still offering the same gifts he always has so He can be Glorified. It’s our faith that has changed. We no longer believe and even those who do, the most prime examples seem more interested in their own glory. In most cases, Jesus is given lipservice at best, at worst, he’s turned into a tool to build the evangelist/prophet/whatever-title-they-give-themselves’ own kingdom.

Jesus has news for them: Without Him, they’d still be smelly Fishermen. Okay, so that’s not quite how he put it:

Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low. –Isaiah 2:10-12

Bible

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“Join the club. They laughed at me, too.”

“Really?”

“Sure. Read Mathew 9, verses 23 through 26.”

“Uh… okay. ‘And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.’ Oh. I guess they did.”

“Yeah, they kinda crucified me, too, but if you want to get to Heaven, take up your cross and follow me.”

When people laugh at your calling, do like Jesus did. Put the scoffers aside and obey the Lord. Then show them the Glory of the Famous one.

As I commented to Adam, there is probably a reason for the silence and I suspect the reason was there wasn’t anything worth writing about during that time, besides of course the events the scriptures do mention. One reason I suspect this is our friend Luke the gospel writer. From what I know of Luke, if something worth writing a novel about actually happened, he would have dug it up and recorded it in his book in nice gentilian chronological order.

Of course, that does not stop us from wondering or even speculating, nor could Luke have anticipated that 2000 years down the road we would care about the ordinary boyhood trials the rest of the fallen world would’ve afflicted on Jesus, for instance it’s probable that Joseph died sometime between his twelvth and thirtieth birthday.

The truth is, no one knows, that’s why those of us with wild imaginations have been writing stories about the silent years for 2000 years. Still, besides Luke, you also have to consider the reaction to Jesus when he came home to Nazareth during his ministry. The reaction wasn’t, “Oh, Jesus, thank God you’re home, please bestow on us your pearls of wisdom and heal your uncle Charlie, he’s gone sick again.” It was, “Hey! Who does this guy think he is! He’s the local carpenter for crying out loud! Why has he gone off and left his mother and brothers and sisters to play Rabbi?” They talked themselves into such a huff, they tried to stone him. This is not the reaction of people who have been seeing Jesus perform miracles since he was seven years old. While his little brothers may have sniffed and said, “I always knew he had a messiah complex,” they didn’t figure out he really was until their not-so-crazy big brother rose from the dead.

BTW, the crazy part is scriptural, at one point in the gospels Mary and his brothers interupt one of Jesus’ meetings to try and take him home because they think he’s off his rocker.

Then you also have the wedding feast at Cana, the scriptures state this was his *first* miracle. Considering she later decided her boy was nuts, and if anybody should know better it was her, when she said, “they have no wine,” that may have been the first century equivalent of sending your son down to the corner market because you’ve run out of milk. If so, his response may make more sense, since if she was originally asking him to do a miracle, he’s chiding her for asking for a miracle then performing it. Jesus does that sort of thing, but here it makes more sense if she had a natural solution to the problem in mind. For all we know, what he may have been thinking was something along the lines of, “Mom, I invented wine, I don’t need to run down to the marketplace to get some and you ought to know that.” But the fact she may have missed it indicates that nothing this spectacular had happened since the events surrounding his birth.

So, anyway, Welcome to the Apocrypha, Rice, it’s a fun club and no more sinister than the Ultimate Fan Fiction, so long as we don’t take ourselves too seriously and mistake our musings for scripture.

Still, in a way, we can take comfort in the idea of a Christ Child living an ordinary life and growing up to be a carpenter. It means when He came to show us the way, He took no short cuts. He left all His Glory and Power behind in Heaven and lived like one of us–only he was without sin. That’s why he said, “Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world,” because the same power he used is available to us. That’s also why he said the things He did, we can do also. The most amazing thing about “the ultimate supernatural hero” as Rice described Jesus, is that we can be like Him, even in all our human frality.

In my book, the Kingdom of God breaking into our ordinary modern world is the ultimate supernatural thriller. I think it’s time to take God out of the box we’ve stuck him in and start dreaming again.

The Writing Life

Anne Rice, Christ the Lord

His uncle left him on the couch-bed in a private bedchamber. He flung himself down and tried to pray, but his tortured thoughts kept swirling back around the same vicious past.

Later, a knock on the door startled him. He instinctively looked up in the direction of the sound and snorted in frustration at the maddening darkness that greeted him.

His uncle asked, “Josiah? Are you well?”

“Well? I’ve been blinded and you ask me if I’m well!”

The old man sighed. “I’ll take that as a yes. Are you coming down to dinner?”

Josiah stiffened. “A man of your stature would dare dine with the unclean? Bad enough you let one sleep under your roof, now you invite the blind to your dinner table! What would the other Pharisees say?”

“You are my kinsman. I vowed long ago to defend you. Why do you think
your father brought you here? As for those of my sect, leave those
hypocrites to me.”

Startled by these outlandish remarks, Josiah couldn’t think of a response. Instead, he whispered his thanks to God for such an uncle.

“Now, then, come down to dinner,” his uncle said.

He shook his head. “It is not right that the unclean should eat with the clean, but it is right for me to pray and fast in hope of salvation. Even if I could accept your kindness and partake of your bread, you forget, I was a shepherd before I was a blind man. It is my nature to earn my keep.”

His uncle laughed. “A smart boy you are, but not a wise one. What have you done to make yourself unclean? You have done no act, nor have you partaken of any food that would by the law make you unclean. In fact, an act of great honor caused the loss of your sight, not an unclean nature. Tradition assumes the blind and the crippled are that way because of something they or their fathers did. I am convinced the Law of Moses says nothing about such people being unclean, but it does say we must care for the weak and the defenseless. I must admit, I do not know any work the blind can do shy of begging, but I will try. That you have such a strong character is good. Perhaps the Lord will look upon you with favor and restore your sight. Remember Job, my child. God tested Job by removing his blessings and when Job was found worthy and true, he had all he lost restored to him, and more.”

This amazed Josiah. “If God does not restore me, I am honor-bound to die. I warn you, some day my honor may well win out over my integrity.”

“Be a righteous man and the Lord will reward you. As for fasting, if it pleases the Lord, well, but fast on the morrow. You have made a long journey so tonight we feast.”

Josiah hesitated, the incredulity of his uncle’s words haunting his soul. His uncle’s colleagues would be scandalized. To allow his uncle to risk everything for a blinded shepherd seemed immoral, but he had already learned it was nearly impossible to go against his uncle, so however reluctantly, he nodded his consent.

The next morning, he began his fast and knelt to pray, but the humiliating dinner the night before distracted him. His cousins initially refused to eat with him. Only the threat of going without supper and being disinherited silenced them. This last threat still shocked Josiah. As serious an offence as inhospitality was, to threaten to disinherit your sons to honor your blind nephew? Did his uncle really have enough gall to leave everything to him?

It must have been the humiliation his cousins would experience if word of such a thing got out that checked them. As soon as their father died, his cousins would seize the inheritance and toss Josiah out into the street to take up permanent residence with the forgotten ones, though he would die before coming to such an end.

He shook his head, disgusted. He was supposed to be praying, not reliving last night’s horror. He tried to focus, but only managed, “Lord, remember your faithful servant. Please don’t leave me like this forever!” He sighed, gave up his prayer, and began to recite the sickness Psalms, thankful his Rabbi insisted he memorize the Psalms.

His dreams were the sweetest torture. In his dreams, he was back home again. Whole once more, he roamed the valleys and the hills, tending his sheep. He could almost feel little Dalli laying over his shoulder. She was well for a change, so he let her down to play with the other lambs on the last day. Then the lion ambushed them, killing Dalli and one of her friends before he could get to them. As bitter tears filled his eyes, guilt clung to him stealthily. His lying brothers tried to reassure him they managed to bring all the sheep in, but that lion wasn’t the only predator in the area. Without the protection of their shepherd, his flock must’ve been decimated.

In the middle of his third psalm, someone knocked on a door in the distance. A youthful female voice shouted, “Shalom, Benjamin. I have returned.”

Returned? His uncle only had the two sons. Who was the girl?

Several minutes later, footsteps echoed nearby, drawing ever closer until they stopped less than two feet or so away. His instincts pulled him to look in their direction, but he resisted that as well as the urge to check to make sure the cloth tied around his head still hid his ruined eyes from the unwanted visitors. He could feel well it did. “I didn’t say you could come in, or does common courtesy no longer apply to me?” Quiet anger echoed in his voice.

The female voice from earlier whispered, “He knows we’re here?”

“Of course, I’m blind, not deaf! I have good ears, a keen sense of smell, and before the lion attack I had excellent eyesight, too. All good shepherds do.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t intend for you to hear that.”

His uncle cleared his throat. “Josiah, I would like you to meet your cousin Rachel, the youngest daughter of Judas Bar-Amos. He sent her to serve here after my Abigail died. Rachel will assist you here and outside the house if you wish to go out. I am a busy man and will not always be here to help you, and of course I cannot expect my sons to be of any use.”

Josiah stiffened. “I don’t need anyone’s help. Now go away, I wish to be alone.”

“All right, Josiah. We’ll leave you for now. Call for us if you want anything.” His uncle’s footsteps retreated. “Come, Rachel.”

“Oh… all right. I’m coming.”

As the footsteps disappeared in the distance, his stomach rumbled.

Ignoring it, he began reciting the healing psalms again, not letting up until he exhausted himself and fell down onto the couch-bed, sleeping like the dead.

To Be Continued….

The sullen young man, trapped by the eternal night which so recently befell him, submitted to the humiliation of allowing his father to lift him from the cart and lead him up the steps of Uncle Benjamin’s home.

He was a shepherd. His father was a shepherd. His father before him was a shepherd, and so was his father before him. Then a lion attacked his flock, killing two young lambs. Josiah slayed the lion, but the stubborn dying beast stole his sight with one final lash at him.

Blinded, he was a disgrace to his family, bringing dishonor where once he was honored. He tightened his grip around his stick, a bitter taste in his mouth. Before his father whittled it down, this instrument was a noble staff to protect his sheep. Now unable to keep watch over his sheep and hence of no use to his family, his father brought him here to Jerusalem, to live out the rest of his days in asylum.

“Just one more, we’re almost there,” his father whispered, then called, “Hail, Uncle.”

His uncle’s voice called back, “Hail, Natan and Shalom, Josiah.”

As Josiah stumbled over the last invisible step, smooth but wrinkled hands clasped his hands, already hardened in his nineteen years by many nights spent with his sheep in the hills of Galilee. His uncle released his hands then and, seizing him by the shoulders, granted him a stunning peck on his cheek right below the blindfold he must have somehow managed to not notice. “My, how handsome you’ve grown. I don’t believe I’ve seen you since the Passover the year of your bar mitzvah, Josiah.”

His father started, “Well, as you can see…”

“Yes, yes, your messenger told me. Don’t worry, he’s safe here.”

“Thank you, Mary and I appreciate this, Uncle. Farewell, I must be off. Take care of yourself and mind your uncle, Son.” His father’s footsteps echoed down the stone staircase.

His uncle called, “Boys, come greet your cousin!”

A young male voice sneered, “Surely you jest, Father. He’s unclean.”

A second added, “Really, Father, offering asylum to a blind beggar. This is too much.”

“Enough! I have given Natan my word. He stays.”

Josiah’s cheeks burned, remembering the ill treatment he received at his cousins hands at the Passover feasts of his childhood. They snubbed him as a shepherd. He didn’t even want to think about what they would do to him now. “I’m tired, may I rest?”

His uncle took his hand. “Yes, here, I’ll show you to your room.”

As his uncle led him, his cousins whispered about him with contempt in their voices. He couldn’t shake the feeling they were staring at him, but couldn’t confirm whether they actually were.

He shook his head in disgust and despair. If only the Law of Moses didn’t forbid the murder of your own flesh. His integrity trapped him into this dishonorable life, yet his honor bound him to leave it. He could sleep in his uncle’s house, but he would have to beg in the streets like the rest of the forgotten ones if he wanted to eat. Never. He may be a blinded shepherd, but a blind beggar, absolutely not. No, he would pray and fast until the Lord returned his sight and if the miracle never came, Lord forgive him.

To be continued….

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I think we do need to diferentiate here between introversion (Adam) and shyness (me.) Shy extroverts, such as yours truly, confuse personality tests and often wind up with an I on our results, since our shyness overules our natural disposition. I think that is what Paul is speaking to when he says timidity is not of God. It also means our truly introverted cousins will probably never leap for joy at a crowd, but while it takes you a lot more work than it would someone extroverted by nature, you don’t have to live like a rabbit all your life any more than an extrovert has to go around spouting every random thought without thinking things through first (but it sure can be fun….)

In truth, though, when it comes to personality profiles, I think no matter what extreme you tend towards, god wants to move you closer to the center. I know he’s moved me. Where I am now, I can take 100 alphabet soup quizes and fifty times I’ll test an I and the other 50 times I’ll test an E, depending on which sides negative tendencies they focus on, cause I, being a fallible human being, exhibit both!

How does one manage to go to two extremes at once? Ack. That’s the story of my life, I guess.

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I’ll reproduce it in the order it appears in my notes:

1 John 4:18a There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear
4:17Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world

4:16b He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him.

For some reason, reading those verses backwards made them make more sense. So did looking up the word judgement in a greek dictionary. For years, I’d been captilizing that phrase, as in Judgement Day, but it turns out John probably had a much more practical day of judgement in mind.

Here’s what Strongs had on that word for judgement. Wait, first I’m going to translate that verse for you, substituting the greek word for judgment. Read careful, now, you all know how funny greek words can be…

4:17Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of krisis, because as he is, so are we in this world.

Yikes! I think we all know what the english cognate, crisis means, but being good bible scholars, lets look that word up, anyway.

Krisis (kree’-sis); Noun Feminine, Strong #: 2920

a separating, sundering, separation

a trial, contest
selection

judgment
opinion or decision given concerning anything

esp. concerning justice and injustice, right or wrong
sentence of condemnation, damnatory judgment, condemnation and punishment

the college of judges (a tribunal of seven men in the several cities of Palestine; as distinguished from the Sanhedrin, which had its seat at Jerusalem)
right, justice

Sounds like the sort of crisis John had in mind was being arrested and tried by civil authorties for our faith (ie, blasphemy, which carried a death sentence in ancient Israel you may recall.) By extension, for us that would include persecution from those our civil authories represent, or rather are supposed to represent (for those of you who flunked civics 101, that would be “We the People,”) but that’s another issue entirely.

With that in mind, let’s read that passage in order, with the word judgement untranslated, one more time:

1 John 4:16b-18a He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of krisis, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear.

On a careful read of verse sixteen, again you have to take his thoughts backwards, it seems the secret to perfect love is dwelling in God. What he’s saying is when you keep your focus on Jesus, his Spirit dwells in you and perfects your love so you may have boldness before those who’d condemn you for your faith because perfect love leaves no room to fear them.

By the way for those of you who have 2 Tim 1:7a memorized, like me, as “God has not given us a Spirit of Fear,” the word for fear there and the word for fear hear are two different words. The word for fear in 2 Tim 1:7 literally means timidity (sorry, KJV fans, the NIV is actually right on this one,) the greek word for fear in 1 John 4:18 is where we get the english word “phobia” from. Combine crisis and phobia and God’s not just offering us shy folks boldness on Judgment Day, but Every Day.

Jesus Christ’s greatest victory came out of his greatest defeat–betrayed by his own and crucified. I won’t compare them, that wouldn’t be fair to Brandi, but the same principle applies. The days ahead may be dark, but God will bring the victory on our “third day,” just as He did for His Son.

Today, we are as David when he fled before Saul. God has rejected the old king and annointed a new, but the old still sits on the throne. By the way, I’m not talking about Ms. Jordan, this is much bigger than one city council race. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Some reading this are probably thinking: Jesus is the King, the Son of David, the Branch of Jessie. Yes, He is, and we are His body. That’s why we’re a republic, beloved. The throne belongs to all of us.

Brethern, take your eyes off what you see around you and remember God’s promises. His arm is not shortened. Do not let the Prince of this Age decieve you, things do not have to just get worse and worse until Jesus comes back. Letting the world go to pot will not bring him back one second sooner, all it will do is put us through more misery while we wait for the appointed hour–which no man knoweth.

It’s time the Church shrugged off her apathy and took a stand. The Darkness has retreated every time we have.

“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

–James 4:7b

I’m sure the question being whispered around in Evangelical circles, especially among our friends with Rapture Fever, is whether America’s prices going up is somehow a sign of the end times. Now, if the whole world had been ravaged like this, they might have a point, but let me join the brave few in saying what Jesus said 2000 years ago: Don’t Panic.

Perhaps this IS a divine judgment or warning, but could someone please tell me why American Evangelicals are so self-important to think every act of God(to use insurance-company speak)that afflicts our nation means we’re gonna fly up to Heaven tomorrow and take time to fold our clothes while we’re changed in a twinkling of an eye?

Sorry, pet peeve.

Anyway, I have news for our dear friends. We’ve been in the Last Days ever since the Temple fell in 70 AD. They won’t believe me, they’re apt to just quote the same verses I was paraphrasing when I quoted Jesus as saying Don’t Panic, Matthew 24:1-8–

And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately *, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be ? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Funny how we’re reading the same passage here and hearing two different things. They see a list of signs that prove we’re gonna fly away any minute, I’m reading Jesus saying bad things are gonna happen, don’t worry about it, not every tribulation that comes your way means the second coming is tomorrow. In others, Guys (i.e., the twelve), chill out, the temple being destroyed doesn’t equal the end of the world. In fact, it’s only the beginning. You’ll have at least two thousand years more to go after the temple’s destroyed.

Of course, He does go on to answer the question about the end. I guess that’s where the confusion comes from.

Regardless, let’s stop blaming this on Bush, on the government in general, and/or on the second coming, and start asking ourselves why it looks like a tribulation (versus the Great Trib) is coming down on our nation.

By the way, the Lord tells us the solution way back in 2 Chron 7:13,14: “If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

This is not the end of the world, I promise. But, America could be another story if we the people (who are called by His Name every time someone calls us a Christian Nation) don’t get down on our faces and repent.

By the way, for those who care, I’m technically an evangelical myself. I’m not a preterist, either, but post-trib, non-eminent. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, don’t worry about it. It’s not really all that important. At least Paul didn’t think so. In I Cor. 2:1,2 he writes: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”

Strangely enough, Paul’s opinion on the End Times didn’t make the list.

tags: Hurricane, End Times, Left Behind

1) If you carry the laundry downstairs instead of throwing it down like your husband told you to, you’ll sprain your ankle and have to wear an ugly, hot, itchy, ugly, heavy walking cast for four extremely long weeks.

2)That the pilot of your airplane is drunk and suicidal.

3)That the surgeon in charge of your heart transplant got a C- or lower in medical school in all courses relevant to your surgery.

4) Stress can kill you and/or wreck your marriage

5) Your spouse has homicidal, abusive, or homosexual tendencies.

6) Your spouse went through sex-change surgery.

7)Your $3000 diamond ring doesn’t float.

Electric appliances falling into water can kill you

9)Carrying objects downstairs can cause falls.

10) There really is a Hell.

tags: List,top ten

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
“and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

I can’t help but wonder if that has anything to do with the devestation down in New Orleans today. In fact, if I understand, the worst part of it was the aftermath, which was mostly, if not all, a result of the moral foundation of the city, or, if it’s reputation is not faulty, the lack there of, rather.

Or maybe it’s just the story of the foolish man who built his city below sea level in the path of hurricanes between two large bodies of water being held back back by walls not built to withstand hurricanes. Who if I understand is planning to rebuild in the exact same spot hoping maybe next time the levees will hold.

Oh yeah, I might do that… in a game of Civilization. At least there only pretend people drown while the trapped surviors forget things like “thou shalt not kill” and “thou shalt not steal.”

Also, while we’re talking about hurricanes and morality, ktvb.com has the following quote: “As bad as it could have been, we came out of this in pretty good shape,” said Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who called the absence of widespread fatalities “miraculous.”

Is it just me, or does Texas also have a much stronger spirtual foundation than New Orleans?

tags: Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita