Polycarp 55:

Movie Reviews: Sharing Movies That Speak to the Gospel

2012-01-17T11:31:00.001-05:00

Buck (2011)

Viewed on 1.16.2012 via Netflix Instant Que also on Show Time (until 1.17.2012)

Genre: Documentary
Language: English 
Age Group Best: Highschoolers hanging in the parking lot to Old Men Playing Checkers

Length: 1:28:48

Short Summary-No Spoiler

Buck Branaman is a great horseman, who learned to harness his own pain from his abused youth, in order to train people how to treat their horses with love and respect.

"God had him in mind when he made a cowboy."

Tagline

There's no wisdom worth having that isn't hard won

Why Spend the Time

This book is about way more than just horses. It is about how we deal with people when we are put in the position of leadership. Horses like people need to be treated with the right love and the right respect, this movie has such great heart that it will make you cry.

Personal Reaction

This movie just makes a lot of good "horse" sense, and I regret the time I have failed at being the best man I can be. The best man I can be is a man who understands his flaws and knows that despite or because of these flaws he must carry on. I would recommend this movie to "men's groups" who have the time to watch and discuss this movie. I would love to share this in a community group, maybe even in conjunction with the Samson Society because it shows us that men can get it all wrong and still they must find confidence in the LORD and seek to find repentance in our past mistakes. It also shows the power of fear and how this shapes our relationships with others. The movie also exhibits that a strong man can also be a man filled with empathy towards others, even in his imperfection.

Quote

“I hope the message people get from that episode is that with a horse, or dog or children comes a great responsibility. It’s more than keeping them fed and putting a roof over their heads. And if you fall short the results can be tragic.”

Director:Cindy Meehl

Prodcued By: Cedar Creek Media

Awards: Sundance People's Award 2011

Hot Docs Top Ten 2011

Only sharing movies I love.

Bible Study Tips

2012-01-13T09:49:00.001-05:00


This is the symbol for Human Heart Pride

I find it useful, when studying proverbs, to have a visual guide to each stanza. I will leave it up to the reader to find the symbol that works best for them. For the human heart themes I draw a heart and then put a capitol letter inside the heart. See picture.
The themes include:


Human Heart
Human Heart Pride
Human Heart Anger
Human Heart Broken Spirit
Human Heart Hatred
Human Heart Self Control
Nature of God
Adultery
Drinking
Tongue
Poverty and Wealth
Industry and Laziness
Home Life
Worthy Woman
Marital Matters
parents and Children
The Nation
Numerical Riddles
Friendship
Name

The Bard of Roth Classic Worship Jukebox

2012-01-11T10:13:00.000-05:00

How DO We come to Faith?

2012-01-04T08:48:00.000-05:00

Eric Metaxas conversion story is presented here. He was immersed in his humanistic secular world being a Princeton Grad; but then he had a dream. The dream woke him up to the reality that is found in Christ. It is a moving story... check it out here.

2011-12-28T11:09:00.002-05:00

Revelation 16:20 And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.

The end of revelation 16 reminded me of how my dad and I were playing with a photo on GIMP, and we used Van Gog at its most extreme and it whipped away all of the structures. All that was left was the sand. The sand led to a background which was pure black. If this happened in real life then it would make me crumble to my knees and pray to our LORD for mercy. I should pray like this all of the time.

Reviews: BBC 4 Documentaries: Pop Goes the Bible

2011-12-28T10:57:00.001-05:00

Interesting notes from BBC Radio 4 Documentary of the week POP GOES THE BIBLE. I really thought it was incredibly fun. Check it out!

Review: The Love and Respect Experience by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

2011-12-26T11:38:00.000-05:00

Review to Come.... I will tell you one thing before my more formal review: I enjoyed this book so much that I bought a copy for my kindle.

Review Rewrite: The Gospel According to Jesus

2011-12-19T14:01:00.000-05:00

One of my good friends recommended that I rewrite my review for The Gospel According to Jesus. I hope this review shows a clearer head. I have kept my other Gospel review in order to maintain my credibility and show that at times one does fall short in writing. But the big thing is to get up and do it again. Here is the updated review. Thank you for your timely criticism, I hope this one is more clear.
The Gospel According to Jesus by Chris Seay

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What is the gospel? I had a hard time coming to terms with this question posed by Chris Seay. It is a question that sent me on a year and a half long journey and nearly cost me my ability to stay connected in the flux of my momentary sanity. The book tells of a Gospel that speaks to individuals broken from a rebellion from God, to a place of reconciliation. This place of reconciliation will be a place where a holy people can regain a peaceful relationship with God.

The Gospel According to Jesus, in short, is a brilliant investigation into the Gospel and a stepping stone to a personal journey and revelation into authentic Christianity. He has provided us fellow pilgrims a resource for our Christian Walk.

What I liked about the book:

* The book was a pleasure to read.

* Good resources were provided in the book. I loved the prayers.

* It kindles a search into Jesus and the Gospels and makes you want to dig deeper.

What I didn’t like about the book:

* As a primary guide it falls short in Christian Theology because it is works based.

View all my reviews

Review: The Fight of Our Lives

2011-12-19T11:06:00.004-05:00

William Bennett helped me re-tune to the politicalspectrum in his book A Century Turns, which was published in 2010. Now that it is 2011 and Bennett gives roomfor my fears in the book The Fight For Our Lives. The Obama administration has exemplifiedwhat was wrong with the tenants exposed to me in my 1970’s elementaryeducation, Free To Be You and Me, itallows the Bullies ample room to dictate the rules of the playground.

But instead of Bullies with large arms and NeanderthalThoughts, we have a world being run by the terrorists, and our President andLeaders say, "Hey as long as you don't bother us too much, you are free to be theway you see best. Even when this may be a violent notion towards our people."  As if we areasking, "Does it work for you." 

The United States use to reign in the fight for freedom, now we haveabandoned our post and let the Barbarous Destructive Theologians free reign todo as they see fit.  This is not good,not good at all.  A bully does not changebecause they are cuddled and loved. Bullies change when they know there are consequences to their actions.  This book is a hopeful wake up call to theUnited States, hopeful in waking the United States up before it is too late.  

Violence in Religion

2011-12-19T11:02:00.001-05:00

NPR Discusses which is more violent in nature, Islam or Christianity, with looking at the Quran vs. the Holy Bible.

Review: The Gospel According to Jesus

2011-12-15T09:15:00.001-05:00

The Gospel According to Jesus by Chris Seay

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Gospel According to Jesus is an exploration into Christian Living by Chris Seay. For me, readers although, I cannot say that I am a procrastinator in all things, or that I am unacquainted with doing things on time, yet true to my procrastination in composing this review I felt compelled to procrastinate on writing the review because I could not truthfully write something that I dearly wanted to infuse the knowledge of to others, when I write a review I want it to reflect the author’s intent, unlike so many reviews I have the unfortunate chance of reading, I did not want to have the review not give the author a chance to speak before he has spoken, so as I sat down and attempted to write a review of what Chris has given us, the review fell all to pieces.
I had a hard time coming to terms with the question posed by Chris Seay, “What is the gospel?” This question sent me on a year and a half journey, and nearly cost me ability to stay connected in the flux of our momentary sanity. So, first off I owe Chris Seay an apology that it took almost a year and a half to review his book;    this is not something I am proud of and would like to ask Thomas Nelson and Chris Seay to forgive me for not getting a review written in a timely fashion.   I wish I had an adequate excuse. Or that I could rationalize away my sins. But alas like everything without Christ I fall short again.
That is why I am thankful for the book that Chris has written. His book, in short, is a brilliant investigation into the Gospel and a stepping stone into a personal journey and revelation into what is Christ’s Gospel. He has provided us fellow pilgrims a resource for our Christian Walk.
The Good:
•    The book was a pleasure to read.
•    Good resources were provided in the book; I loved the prayers.
•    It kindles a search into Jesus and the Gospels, it makes you desire to dig deeper.
The Bad:
•    As a primary guide it falls short in Christian Theology.
•    It is written by a pilgrim who is on the journey; the ideas are not concreted by an expert in the field.

Upcoming Thomas Nelson Reviews: The Fight of Our Lives by Wm. Bennett Jr.

View all my reviews

2011-12-13T10:05:00.000-05:00

I am starting a new blog that will begin on January 1st 2012. It will be my journal of creative ideas and short story ideas. I found that Tending Turnips was getting bogged down by two many forms of writing. Tending Turnips is my cultural reviews and book reviews; Turnips 365 will be my attempts at writing fiction for 365 days during the year of 2012.
Polycarp55 is my religious journey.
And words people say is my dictionary of terms I want to share and hopefully remember.
I hope to find the time to write fiction everyday; it does make me a wee bit nervous to try my hand here, but one should feel butterflies, before anything that is worth the time to pursue. Thanks for reading, Gregory D. Rothbard

Bard of Roth's Classic Worship Song Jukebox

2011-12-12T11:42:00.001-05:00

League of Fallen Gods and Godesses Board Meeting

2011-12-12T08:33:00.000-05:00

1
Odin:
(Looking like an elder executive)

We call this meeting to order... due to the affluent copious amounts of prayers that have been coming our way.

2
Thor
I second that motion to bring this meeting to order (laying his hammer down)

Odin
All in favor say aye!

4
(All Members of the League)
AYE!!!!!

5
Frig
(earnestly)
Do we have an opportunity to take away the momentum garnered by this said here Christians. Lately my temple has been empty of converts. Except those watching porno flicks at the Coliseum.

6
Thor
Yeah, Odin do you see a way to stop this onslaught of conversion.

7
Odin
There is hope, in the fact that those who are easily converted often go back into their heathen ways.

8
Frig
Yeah, they still want to...
play with my beautiful curves!

9
Odin
We are currently in the slow Alpha phase, we need to launch project epsilon.

10
Frig
(clearly not listening, and dancing with herself)
High queens will ache with envy
to see my lips of Parthian-red
opening on my pearly teeth,
and gaze at my naked body.

This was a fantasy scene written by me in 2009. I liked it a lot... although there is probably a lot of work to be don on it. Idea was found in Douglas Coupland's Book Microserfs page 153-157.

The Bard of Roth Classic Worship Jukebox

2011-12-12T08:10:00.001-05:00

The Bard of Roth Classic Worship Jukebox

2011-12-07T11:38:00.001-05:00

The following terrible crooner songs were mentioned on the PZ Podcast. I could not resist adding them to my Bard of Roth Classic Worship Jukebox. Did I warn you that these songs are truly heinous?

Kids at Christmas

2011-12-07T11:20:00.001-05:00

Prayer this year is to invest in the child like wonder of Christmas.

 Allow our adult worries to be paused while we celebrate the wonder of our Saviors Birh.


The children were charming. They absolutely refused to resemble their
elders, notwithstanding the efforts of mothers and governesses. In a
jiffy they had denuded the Christmas tree down to the very last sweet
and had already succeeded in breaking half of their playthings before
they even found out which belonged to whom.

Russian Christmas Quote from Christmas Tree and the Wedding by F.M. Dosoyevsky.

Bard of Roth's Classic Worship Juke Box

2011-12-05T10:30:00.001-05:00

Canned Heat going up the country.... We all need a place to escape to, we all long for a place with purity. We are drawn to the romantic moments of our past. The past, we believe, is the one place where it all can be clean and start again. Nostalgia is a drug that emits a heat from the inner longing that can only be filled by Jesus Christ. It is a reconnection that our hearts yearn for in remembrance of the lack of Eden in our lives.

The Bard of Roth Classic Worship Jukebox

2011-11-30T12:07:00.001-05:00

Thanks be to the Record Boxx a German Blog for this Classic Worship Song.

Bard of Roth's Classic Worship Juke Box

2011-11-30T08:50:00.001-05:00

That brazen heaven which stands between us and GOd, can be removed only by the finish of Christ plus nothing on our part.   

Schaeffer, Francis A. True Spirituality. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 2001. Print.

Book Review for The Trouble wtih Paris

2011-11-28T11:03:00.001-05:00

Mark Sayer’s book TheTrouble with Paris examines the way Modern Consumerism has been exaltedto the “New Religion”. Sayers shows thatcorporate America has erected plastic Idols that manipulate consumers to alwayswant more, and more, and even more of that plastic stuff. But just like that song by the Rolling Stones, "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" the believer is left empty. “Humanbeings are used and discarded like Styrofoam boxes that held junk food.”¹

When we worship made things instead of our LORD we are leftwith a hyper-reality. Thishyper-reality is a vacuum that leaves worshipers empty. “Reality is not considered an impediment todesire.”²Corporate America has a vested interest in keeping usunhappy so they can cure this pain by supplying us with endless happy meals witha toy included inside.

Sayer also states that our kill joys happen when we compare ourselveswith the Joneses. When Mr. Jones buys anew Corvette, or moves to the better part of town; he leaves us with our brokendown car, and our adequate house we feel a sense of shame that we are notmaking enough.

The American Debt traders say, “Don’t worry be happy, andbuy this new Chevrolet; if you don’t you’ll regret your life forever!” The market also attempts to terrorize us withtoo many choices, just look down the aisle for Spaghetti sauce. What is the best one? There are way too many to compare, how do wemake a decision without that feeling of guilt? We could stand there for thirty minutes, in order to make a gooddecision.

Death is the spotlight that the creed of hyper-reality is fraudulentand a heretical religion. More money cannotconquer the effects of gravity and the ultimate end from this world. But we can control our expectations.

The good

Mark Sayers brings animportant thesis to the Mass Market Christian.

The bad

The book stumbles in some ofits Theological Presuppositions. I amnot sure that Sayers has a firm grasp on the triune god; it seemed that he madeJesus a separate entity from God. Thisis a classical heretical misstep.

The Conclusion

“Christian Lite” bookthat will sharpen our focus on our relationship to and in Consumer America.

¹Hedges, Chris. "American Psychosis." Adbusters(2010). Print.

Plastic Jesus

2011-11-28T10:03:00.001-05:00

When we put anything above God we make God less than man.

John Owen part 7:16

2011-11-26T13:02:00.001-05:00

Oconnell LG Incredible Melting Man

John Owen part 7a:16

As Larry Kirk in his sermon on 11.20.2011 at Christ Community Church said, Justification only comes in this order: (F)Faith + (J)Acceptance by God (Justification) = (C)results in a changed life of Good works lived for God. The devil inside us all attempts to re-arrange the order of F+J=C; if we attempt this, there is no way out, and the road is a last exit ramp to Hell. Tomorrow we will go further into the argument by John Owens in Chapter 7.

Funny moment on blogging: Chapter 7 became an automated link that took you to a lawyer firm that offered assistance in divorce hearings. So always recheck your posts to see if Google has automatically linked a service not intended for your passage.

2011-11-26T12:22:00.001-05:00

Speak Friend and Enter

There are no secrets, speak of Friend and Enter.

Idea comes from the Sermon by Larry Kirk, on November 20, 2011

Justified!

Series: True Freedom: Paul's Letter to the Galatians

John Owen part 6:16

2011-11-22T10:47:00.001-05:00

2Co 4:15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

Do we go to Church to add anything to the LORD? Nope. But Worship is needed in the renewing of our minds. We are driven to worship something, if it is not God, our LORD, our Christ than we are bound to the wages of sin. The company of believers will encourage us to cling to the LORD in all of our endeavors.

As a man nailed to the cross; he first struggles, and strives, and cries out with great strength and might, but, as his blood and spirits waste, his strivings are faint and seldom, his cries low and hoarse, scarce to be heard; — when a man first sets on a lust or distemper, to deal with it, it struggles with great violence to break loose; it cries with earnestness and impatience to be satisfied and relieved; but when by mortification the blood and spirits of it are let out, it moves seldom and faintly, cries sparingly, and is scarce heard in the heart; it may have sometimes a dying pang, that makes an appearance of great vigour and strength, but it is quickly over, especially if it be kept from considerable success.

A sin left unscratched will not keep that sin from appearing as a rash. We, Christian Men, must use constant diligence in order to search our sin, tell of our sin to other men, and then ask the LORD to show us how to move from that sin. It is a day to day journey into our hearts of darkness. We can not bear this burden. If we do not cling to the cross (and allow Christ to feel us with his love), then we will become mastered by our rogue sins.

This chapter is so rich that I will probably re-read numerous times. It has so much to say but the big idea I cam away with was the above.

Owen, John (2010-07-29). Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers - Enhanced Version (Kindle Locations 696-701). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

αἰχμαλωτίζοντα.
the law - of sin which is in the members of me.

Romans 13:14 But put ye onthe Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, tofulfil the lusts thereof.

Bard of Roth's Classic Worship Juke Box

2011-11-21T10:12:00.001-05:00

John Owen part 5:16

2011-11-17T14:53:00.001-05:00

5:16

Do not be deceived; the seeds of sin lay dormant in your repentant heart. Do not turn away from your daily renewal with God, (E.G. reading the bible, fellowship with other believers, and prayer). God does not cleanse us totally of our sin until the day we meet him (meaning when we die). We must take care to understand that sin's dormancy can erupt when we are tired, over confident, or feeling any extreme emotions. Sin will attack us when we least expect it, like a Terrorist Splintered Cell. We must dust ourselves off, and begin our walk again down the glory-road.

If we sin than we must not give up our desire to be sheltered by God's loving wing.

Comments Desired

John Owen the Mortificiation of Sin part II

2011-11-16T14:06:00.001-05:00

4:16
now let the heart be cleansed by mortification, the weeds of lust constantly and daily rooted up (as they spring daily, nature being their proper soil), let room be made for grace to thrive and flourish, —

Owen, John (2010-07-29). Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers - Enhanced Version (Kindle Locations 559-561). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

If you don't weed your garden than the weeds will choke any of the beneficial soil from it.  So it is with the hearts of man, if you don't feed on the word of god then the daily tribulations will choke off the fertile soil in which you will grow more and more in Christ each day.  Not saying that the end point is determined by our work, but it is a matter of when do you want peace in your life? Do you want to have a life of constant trials and in the end find the Lord has blessed you from the start? The question is time related.   The end point will be God's doing.  Also this does not mean you will be able to walk 100% in pure motives for sin lays dormant (more on this tomorrow).

Comments Desired.

Get Inspired with Mo Leverett

2011-11-15T11:47:00.001-05:00

Check out Mo Leverett's facebook Page to get inspired.
I am thankful for his facebook ministry.

2011-11-15T10:54:00.001-05:00

Wyatt Folds (a retired pastor and good friend) gave me the names for a few classic Christian Apologists.

I would like to see more of these authors read for Libri-Vox. Libri-Vox has helped me read John Owen by listening and reading along with the narrator. At times I pause the reading to look up scripture that is cited in the text, then I continue with listening and reading.

The Names Included: William Guthrie, Murry Mc. Cheyne, Samuel Rutherford, Andrew Bonar, D.M. M'intyre, David Dixon, James Durham, R. Blair, John Owen, Thomas Chalmers, Walter Marshall

Reflections from the Readings of John Owens the Mortificiation of Sin

2011-11-15T10:23:00.001-05:00

3:16 Our bodies can not do the works he had to accomplish in us (Vicarium Navere Operam) without the endowment of the Holy Spirit.   We know the Spirit is alive in us when our bodies groan; when we are plagued by guilt.

It is the spirit that is moving our frozen hearts and melting into us the love of God. This love is a fire and can cause us the same type of pain. that is felt when we come in from the cold. But we must leave the frozen old selves to become one in God's loving design.

And what of those who are determined to do it by their own self, (without the aide of God's Grace)? They will find that the battle against sin waged   outside of Christ is a cycle built on addiction and no recovery.

You can for awhile build an addiction to accomplishment, but these efforts will become cold; thinking that you have conquered the sin you will go back again to your old ways. The feeling of failure will become greater and greater till one day you no longer attempt to stop yourself from your natural desires.

The natural desires of sin are built on a law of diminishing returns. The enjoyment that ones gets from sinning will become more and more dissatisfying.    The only satisfaction to cure the Christ shaped hole in your heart is to repent and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in this life.

Reflections From Reading John Owens the Mortificiation of Sin Chapter 3 Tomorrow Chapter 4 of John Owens Mortification of Sin.

Heaven and Hell USe Of Words

2011-11-01T15:18:00.002-04:00

The use of Heaven(blue) and hell(red) in the Modern Age.
The 1960's was a low period for the discussion of Heaven but it is making a comeback.

So for Heaven's sake say Heavenly thoughts to your neighbor today. And pray for a revival of Reformed Christianity in your Neighborhood. The reason behind this was that I am currently reading Palahniuk's Hell; which sparked a need to look at the use of the words Heaven and Hell. There is no Heaven without hell. No Hell without Heaven.

The Ngram Google Graph maker produced this chart for our viewing.

Faith Moments

2011-10-31T06:46:00.002-04:00

{January1997, Mt. Sinai, 4:30 AM}

We climb Mt Sinai with flashlights in our hands. We cling to the rocks. Camel Jockeys shout in the dim light, “Youwant Camel? Twenty-five dollars!” I reply, “We’re American’s I need no camel toget up this darn mountain.” Our flashlights go out. We stumblefaithfully on.

Do Science Fiction and Religion Mix

2011-10-25T09:56:00.001-04:00

A balance is sought. The world is perfectly imbalanced so our thoughts can at times unravel. AlexsanderDumas Fila said in the preface to his father's The Three Musketeersthat:

"the world ofthought, which includes the world of fiction, is governed by laws that asabsolute and infallible as the laws of the universe, whose equilibrium andharmony I have just now been admiring."*

If one reads sciencefiction one’s thoughts can space out, if not properly balanced by the infallibleword of God. The truth of God balances our perspective on living and dying here in our temporaryworld.

*Dumas, Alexandre. The Three Musketeers. New York: Trident International, 1999. Print.

2011-10-18T12:26:00.001-04:00

In fact, gentle borrower, I have not written a book at all—I have merely cleaned a house. All that is left is out on the clothes line; but it’s good for a man’s vanity to have the neighbors see him—on the clothes line.
-Charles Ives, 1874-1954

Reviews of Christian Books

2011-09-09T11:44:00.003-04:00

A Response to Nate Larkin's "Samson and the Pirate Monks" pt 2

Note to reader-these are my notes to the Samson and the Pirate Monks. I recommend all Christian Men to read this book and then join a group in your neighborhood, it is well worth the time.

Self help books fail, because the actions are are predicated on the individual and not on Christ and his works. Behavior management works for a while but not forever. When we falter, and this is unavoidable, then we are left with only ourselves to save us.

Review of Christian Books

2011-09-09T11:35:00.004-04:00

A Response: "Samson and the Pirate Monks"

Why do we have such a hard time being the saved? We have no problems being the Lone Ranger, but when we need help it remains such a difficult thing. Others force us to see that we can't do it all by lone wolf pride.

As Nate Larkin wrote in the Samson and the Pirate Monks:

the “Path that leads to godliness and freedom” begins with faith in an objective Fact. The ability to recognize and believe that Fact comes as a gift from God. It reaches each of us by personal revelation, like a heavenly visitor arriving at the perfect time, and it inevitably produces surrender.

Larkin, Nate (2007-02-20). Samson And The Pirate Monks (p. 128). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

1655

2011-08-30T08:03:00.003-04:00

Martin Luther in the Pope's Garden

The Bleating calls out.

Anointed and armored,

Martyrs against boars.

Boars in the garden,

Inhabitants of briar patches,

Rooting up roses.
by Gregory D. Rothbard

Bard of Roth's Classic Worship Juke Box

2011-08-13T10:16:00.000-04:00

Michael Franti "Hey World"
Hey world, you know you got to put up a fight
Hey world, you rumble in the jungle tonight
Hey world, keep bringing it the rest of your life
You got to put up a fight.

Hey world, you know you got to put up a fight
Hey world, you rumble in the jungle tonight
Hey world, you're running for the rest of your life
You got to put up a fight.

BOOM BOOM

There's a battle going on in this earth
everyday. Work, school, death, and birth.
There are 6 billion people on this earth,
can you tell me what every single life is worth?

Toke a spliff, look around and see history.
My weapon and my method is no mystery.
I didn't come here to chill. I came here to rock,
to smash the empire with my boom-box.

You got to let go of remote control!

Hey world, you know you got to put up a fight
Hey world, you rumble in the jungle tonight
Hey world, keep bringing it the rest of your life
You got to put up a fight.

Hey world, you know you got to put up a fight
Hey world, you rumble in the jungle tonight
Hey world, keep bringing it the rest of your life
[From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/m/michael-franti-lyrics/hey-world-lyrics.html]
You got to put up a fight.

You know you got to put up a fight.
On a universal mission like a meteorite.
Satellite, laser beam with you in their sights.
And with the patriot act they took all your right.

Don't ever doubt the power of just one mind.
Or the world-wide power of just one rhyme.
Don't ever doubt the force of the bassline.
Or a record gone round to burn the house down.

(You got to let go of remote control.)

Hey world, you know you got to put up a fight
Hey world, you rumble in the jungle tonight
Hey world, keep bringing it the rest of your life
You got to put up a fight.

(All rebel rockers!)

There's a bullet with your name, it's a sign of the times.
It takes nine hundred ninety nine criminal minds.
You got to let go of remote control.
You got to let go of remote control!

Hey world, you know you got to put up a fight
Hey world, you rumble in the jungle tonight
Hey world, keep bringing it the rest of your life
You got to put up a fight.

Bard of Roth's Classic Worship Juke Box

2011-07-18T11:11:00.000-04:00

I wouldn't Die for Your Sins

Romans 5:1-11

I wouldn't die for your sins
'cause what if I lose---and you win?
Our friendship is all that we have in the end
But I wouldn't die for your sins

And I love you with all that I can
And bleed from the palm of my hands
I'll see you in heaven if we both get in,
'cause I wouln't die for your sins
No I wouldn't die for your sins.

And the truth isn't so hard to see.
Come to me I'll set you free
My brothers and sisters, I'll let you in
But I wouldn't die for your sins
No I wouldn't die for your sins.(x5)

2011-07-04T11:27:00.000-04:00

And a no-God cannot save or satisfy the soul. Following a no-God-whatever his name or whatever his religion-will be a wasted life.

Piper, John (2008). Don' t Waste Your Life (p. 38). Good News Publishers/Crossway Books. Kindle Edition.

Genesis 25: Jacob vs. Esau

2011-05-19T07:59:00.001-04:00

Jacob	Esau
Deceitful	Profane
Cerebral	Active Doer
----	Hairy
Values Inheritance	Sells Birthright
Gather	Hunter
Bean Eater	Game-Meat Hunter
Calculative	Impulsive
Matriarachal Approval by Rebekah	Patriarchal Approval by Isaac
Cook	Hunter
God’s Desire	Own Desire
Sleeps in Tent	Sleeps in Field

Haiku for Matthew 27

2011-04-17T13:00:00.000-04:00

Jerusalem in darkness

on a cross-work of wood

one light house at sea.

Study in Joshua Chapter 7:1-26

2011-04-04T11:20:00.002-04:00

God will Find It ALL OUT

See the folly of those that promise themselves secrecy in sin. Te righteous God has many ways of being to light the hidden works of darkness....We must pray with holy Job, Lord, show me wherefore those contendest with me.

Shinny Things

Suffering comes when the heart walks after the eyes... (if our eyes wonder) than we shall be sure to weep for it.... that which is pleasing in the commission, is bitter in the reflection. (Matthew Henry 223)

Man's Image Accountability

You are not reducible. You are not a net zero, or a number (0 or 1) in a hyper-textual-networked-machine. You are the sons of God representing his glory here in this battle torn world. As a son or daughter of God we are accountable for all our actions. We are his, when aligned with him, ambassadors in a fallen world.

We have been crucified with Christ so that we are no longer enslaved to sin.

Our sins in Christ have been paid, so don't waiver, don't store away secret sins, and attempt to cover your tracks. This is something that can not be done, for God digs and exposes all of our sins.

Romans 8:1 We are accountable for our actions.

The Real Battle Royale

Deus Contra Mundum: God Versus the World (of Man)

Hugh J. Blair in his commentary on Joshua states: "Israel was now a nation, and the sin of the individual was the sin of the nation until the nation repudiated it and expedition was made." pg 241

To The Arguement: This is Just Old Man, Old Testament God

Not so, look at Acts 5:1-11 God cares about all of our sins. And will be patient until the right time to root all of them out... on his prescribed day....

What can I do about this

Align your mind through the renewal of it in God's word-first thing in the morning and in the afternoon, and before one goes to bed. God's word is something that will arm us with all that we need to walk in this world of the walking Dead.
Run Rabit Run Run Run from all of the sins of the world. Don't allow the sins to croch at your door. Root it out, like a hog does to the brush, and find out all that needs to be repented, find the roots and dig them out.
Find a good church, a group of confessing sinners who understand the sinful nature of man, and understand that it is a big deal to sin. But being sinners they can support the sinner out of genuine love.
Accountability buddies who will keep us on the straight and narrow road; for along our adventure there will be many things that may tempt the eyes.
Remember that ye represent not only yourself, but also the holy journey of others... you can't help others if you can't help yourself. And we all need each other to get through this war of the spirit.

The Message on Joshua 7:10-13

^10-12 God said to Joshua, "Get up. Why are you groveling? Israel has sinned: They've broken the covenant I commanded them; they've taken forbidden plunder—stolen and then covered up the theft, squirreling it away with their own stuff. The People of Israel can no longer look their enemies in the eye—they themselves are plunder. I can't continue with you if you don't rid yourselves of the cursed things.

¹³ "So get started. Purify the people. Tell them: Get ready for tomorrow by purifying yourselves. For this is what God, the God of Israel, says: There are cursed things in the camp. You won't be able to face your enemies until you have gotten rid of these cursed things. (The Message)

Read the Passage-Joshua 7:1-26: ESV Passage

Message Passage

Picture was taken by Jessica Baylor Rothbard at the Sun And Fun Air Show April 3 2011

Redeemer Presbyterian Roasted the Whole Hog It was Delicious.

Studies in Joshua 6-No April Fools Joke

2011-04-01T10:08:00.004-04:00

Outline from Emanuel Presbyterian and Charles Drew on Joshua 6

I. God Alone Brings Judgement

(Fighting without and fear within) 2 Cor 7:5)

This was a great test of faith, and a great glory to the almighty God. Usually when we come out of a holy victory we are prone to sin, which we will see in Joshua 7:1-26.

Specific Instructions by God for Joshuah to follow. Step by step outlined.
Key action is from God: Shouts and the walls come tumbling down.
Military formation. (Arc of the Covenant, followed by Priests blowing horns, followed by the Silent People Walking).
Number Seven, occurs again and again in this passage.

Seven priests
seven trumpets
seven days
seven circuits of the walls on the seventh day

Everything is devoted to destruction. This is not their battle for their needs or wants, they are to destroy it all. This is not about your gain its about God's Judgement. (Joshua 6:17-21 and 26).

Also had they taken gains they would risk Jericho's illness and contamination.

The battle itself is not the focus (Joshua 6:19-20) The focus is not on soldiers and their battle; its on the glory of God, his strength alone. (The soldiers are silent witnesses.)
The battle is a holy battle not framed by the actions of man. (Joshua 5:13-15)

II. Patient Waiting: Take Warning

6 Days the people marched around Jericho! Why did the people of Jericho not repent and come towards God! God waits to fill up the people of Jericho with total lack of God. (Genesis 15) "Inequity of the Amorites is not yet complete." (Joshua 11:19-Gibeonites made a treaty of peace with the Israelites.) People of Jericho may have had an opportunity to repent, but the people of Jericho failed to do so.

Put your lives in perspective.
Inequity fills up, there is time to repent before Judgement.
Taking out the weeds may take out the wheat.

III. God's Mercy Is Great and God's People are Truthful

God's kindness brings a sinner to repentance.

Rahab the prostitute was spared from the destruction of the people in Jericho.

Hebrews 11:31

Acts 14:31

God shows the weight of a Devine curse, where it rests there is no getting out from under it; for it brings ruin without remedy.

M., Henry,. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible: Nelson's Concise Series. City: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000.

Note in I Kings XVI:34 Ahab rebuilds Jericho, this was against the warning sent by God to never rebuild the city again. Ahab sacrificed two of his sons in order to rebuild this once mighty city. Ahab became a curse without remedy.

Connection to Your Life:

What does it mean that God is the sole Judger and Executioner in Joshua?

Where does prayer belong here?

What does it mean to be silent, and when does man need to speak up?

What does it mean that we are people of peace?

What's keeping you from repenting and coming closer to God?

Where are you not being transparent in your Christian Walk?

What do you do when you are away from godly friends, your curtains are drawn, and no one knows but you and God, that you may need to repent of and walk away from? (Be sober minded.)

Joshuah Fought the Battle of Jericho by Mahalia Jackson

Classic Worship Songs: Doxology

2011-04-01T09:38:00.002-04:00

Studies in Joshua-3:1-17

2011-03-31T08:51:00.010-04:00

At thy voice of thunder so fearful they be,
         That in their great raging they haste soon away.

Joshua 3:1-17 To cross over the Jordan. The symbol of all the mighty rivers we must cross. Lets love each other as an army of believers who all have Jordans to cross.

According to Charles Drew in his Sermon Study of Joshua the Jordan represents-

a huge obstacle, one that we can not conquer on our own.
Obstacles in our lives that are more than annoying.

Up stream should not make you fear, for the LORD has already made the truth occur, he has a plan, he has a will, and his will is always done to the Glory of his name.
The arc goes before us in all that we do, even in brushing our hair.
He bears the hard rain himself so the flood dissipates.

Golf and Water Hazards

If you look at the Water Hazard the ball is a magnet to the water. I was afraid of hitting trees when I played junior golf. One day, I wanted to impress my golf mates, so I took out my driver; swung hard, and hit a tree; the ball came back onto us, and we all ducked and covered. I saw the tree as an active Ent that would step in the way of the ball and throw the ball back to me. I gave the tree way too much power, a power that day that made us duck. I did not look towards Christ's loving grace as already gone before I even started the swing of the club....And then I felt embarrassed and continued to play lousy, for I gave all my fears way too much power. If you allow the Devil to hang around, he will make your life Hell.

Christian Verse

2011-03-24T08:45:00.002-04:00

"Most glorious Lord of life, that on this day"

Most glorious Lord of life, that on this day

Didst make thy triumph over death and sin,

And having harrowed hell, didst bring away

Captivity thence captive, us to win:

This joyous day, dear Lord, with joy begin,

And grant that we, for whom thou diddest die,

Being with thy dear blood clean washed from sin,

May live forever in felicity:

And that thy love we weighing worthily,

May likewise love thee for the same again;

And for thy sake, that all like dear didst buy,

May love with one another entertain.

So let us love, dear love, like as we ought,

Love is the lesson which the Lord us taught.

Wm. Kethe

2011-03-23T11:10:00.001-04:00

I really like the sound here and the images they present.   It is an awesome verse   by Wm. Kethe, authored in c. 1560.

5  He groundeth the earth so firmly and fast,

That it once to move none shall have such pow'r
         The deep a fair cov'ring for it made thou hast,
         Which by its own nature the hills would devour. 
   6  But at thy rebuke the waters do flee,
      And so give due place thy word to obey:
         At thy voice of thunder so fearful they be,
         That in their great raging they haste soon away.

Wm Kethe

Classic Worship Songs: Naked Pentecostals in a Pontiac

2011-03-06T13:16:00.000-05:00

No, this isn't a joke. You'll find a wonderful pome about a police chase to start us off and then you'll find three newspaper articles covering naked Pentecostals -- who aren't just naked, they're naked for Jesus!

Twenty Naked Pentacostals in a Pontiac
Author: Chris Stuart, 1994
Album: Lonesome Town
Artist: Cornerstone
1995 Folk Era Productions

I was thumbin' my way down to Baton Rouge,
Standin' on the side of the road,
When a car pulled over and a voice cried out,
"We'll take you where you want to go."
I jumped inside, but to my surprise,
They were naked as a poor man's toes.
It was a tight situation when the whole congregation
Said the devil was in my clothes.

Twenty naked Pentacostals in a Pontiac,
   Brothers and sisters shoutin' in the back,
   Elders in the front, choir in the trunk,
   Twenty naked Pentacostals in a Pontiac.

The sermon that morning was on Adam and Eve
And the ways of the dreadful snake,
Everybody was clappin' when the preacher pointed at me,
My body began to shake.
I threw off my shirt, and my shoes and my socks,
My jeans and my BVDs.
We were all in the nude, shoutin' "halleloo!"
And singing "Sombody Touched Me."

CHORUS

We had the cruise control set to fifty-five,
When a Smokey got on our tail,
He pulled up beside, his eyes got wide,
And the siren began to wail.
We ran off the road toward the tree of life,
Lord, the future was looking bleak,
We hung on and prayed, everybody was saved,
'Cause we all knew how to turn the other cheek.

CHORUS

Deli World Faith

2011-03-03T08:57:00.001-05:00

The daisy and selfishness

Published on February 10, 2011 in 20 SECOND Stories and Stories. 114 Comments

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Illustration by Ken CraneThis was from Paulo Coehlo one of my favorite authors. I did not write this... though I wish I had
Wowzer this so speaks to me... and my felt need to be self loathing. I am just a Deli Clerk among Deli Clerks.... hmmmm! At least there is a need for Deli Clerks.

“I am a daisy in a field of daisies,” thought the flower. “Amidst others, it is impossible to notice my beauty.”

An angel heard what she was thinking and commented:

- But you are so pretty!

- I want to be the only one!

In order not to hear any complaints, the angel carried her off to a city square.

Some days later, the mayor went there with a gardener to make some changes to the square.

- There is nothing of interest here. Dig up the earth and plant geraniums.

- Hold on a minute! – cried out the daisy. – You’ll kill me if you do that!

- If there were some others like you, we could make some nice decoration – answered the mayor. – But there are no daisies to be found around here, and you on your own do not make a garden.

Then he tore the flower from the ground.

Classic Worship Songs: Redemption Song (Bob Marley)

2011-03-02T11:36:00.002-05:00

Classic Worship Songs: Rebel Jesus

2011-03-02T11:34:00.000-05:00

The Rebel Jesus (jackson browne)

All the streets are filled with laughter and light
And the music of the season
And the merchants' windows are all bright
With the faces of the children
And the families hurrying to their homes
As the sky darkens and freezes
They'll be gathering around the hearths and tales
Giving thanks for all god's graces
And the birth of the rebel jesus

Well they call him by the prince of peace
And they call him by the savior
And they pray to him upon the seas
And in every bold endeavor
As they fill his churches with their pride and gold
And their faith in him increases
But they've turned the nature that I worshipped in
From a temple to a robber's den
In the words of the rebel jesus

We guard our world with locks and guns
And we guard our fine possessions
And once a year when christmas comes
We give to our relations
And perhaps we give a little to the poor
If the generosity should seize us
But if any one of us should interfere
In the business of why they are poor
They get the same as the rebel jesus

But please forgive me if I seem
To take the tone of judgement
For I've no wish to come between
This day and your enjoyment
In this life of hardship and of earthly toil
We have need for anything that frees us
So I bid you pleasure
And I bid you cheer
From a heathen and a pagan
On the side of the rebel jesus.

Born into This: Thursday Bible Study

2010-12-02T10:34:00.001-05:00

Genesis 20:
Time: 1 Year.
Place: The Gerar
Characters: Sarah, Abimelech, Abraham.

Abraham ventured forward into Gerar, staying there for a whole year.

Gerar was a place where he was a stranger with a wife, a stranger who was the sole one responsible for how well his family dwelt in the land. He felt that God could not be in this place. Gods ruled the household; Abraham's household was far from this bleak barren less land. I do know this feeling at times; my home in Longmont Colorado is far from my home in Lakeland Florida.

Abraham attempts to take matters into his own hands. He like all of us should have learned by now that it is never good to take matters into your own hands. Why did he not trust God? What was his deal?
First, Abraham did not have the hindsight that many of us have. He was born into a household where Pagan Self Actualization was the Modus Operandi. The Pagan World View had warped his point of view. He was looking into the world with what he thought was clear eyes, but was actually a fun house view point. He knew that many Gods were involved with man's fate. Fate was clearly in the hand of the individual so the individual was responsible for shaping the future. One was rewarded for how well one choose to live in one's "Choose Your Own Levantian Adventure".
So Abraham continues to be between two worlds, the one distorted one, or the truth found in the LORD. As M. Henry says, "We often trouble ourselves, and even are led into temptation and sin by groundless suspicion."
It matters that the truth prevails through the dimly lit horizon.

Mulengro: Charles De Lint (Review)

2010-11-20T12:36:00.005-05:00

Mulengro Charles De Lint (Review)

Mulengro by Charles de Lint

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mulengro is seeking vengeance and purification of the Gypsies (Romany) who have gone astray in modern culture; will the Gypsies be able to stand up to this dark force?

I enjoyed the thought that everything is possible, and our eyes can't perceive everything rationally. The book's flow is one that is not easily put down.

This book examines clearly what is real and what is more real... Jeff can't believe his eyes. Modern science excuses this as him having a concussion. But the gypsies see another world... and their eyes have not been so conditioned as the non gypsies.

"A Question of seeing Gaji only saw what they wanted to see." p.191

De Lint’s master stroke in Mulengro is, 360 degree POV, and shifting perspectives. He shows character motivation for all of his characters, none of the characters are flat-cut out props.

The tension builds with the shifting of viewpoints, growing deeper and deeper into the climax of the story. But then when the tension rises to its highest point, De Lint inserts an amusing comment from the talking cat Boboko.

One even knows the motivation of Mulengro the evil one, and can't but help thinking, “hmmm maybe he is right to do what he is doing. Haven’t the gypsies gone astray in modern life, shouldn’t he want to purify the gypsies from gypsies who have gone astray."

Mulengro symbols the righteous soldier of God, who cleanses cities of the ills of man. He is what man without Christ have to look forward to. Thank you LORD for having mercy on us sinners.

Mulengro is addictive fiction, exploring the interplay between the life of the gypsy and the life of the modern man.

What does it mean to purify a race to make a stronger group? How does a community get pulled away from its clear roots? What rips the goodness out a community?
God's mercy reigns. God without mercy is shown clearly in the man in black, Mulengro. God's righteousness would put us all to death for betraying God's commands. We all deserve death by the firing squad; for we are all traitors to God's kingdom. But God loves us so much that he sent his only son to die for us and take the pain for us. I am thankful for God's loving grace in my life. Thank you LORD.

#95 on the Modern Library Readers Top Novel List

Stranger in a Strange Land Review of...

2010-11-19T12:00:00.007-05:00

Stranger in a Strange Land: Review of....

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Heinlein in Stranger in a Strange Land he interweaves human relations, large ideas and (theology),. The title to this story was inspired by the book of Exodus in the Old Testament.

The story a Stranger in a Strange Land takes place in a New America, that is one world ordered hegemony. The world has made missions to mars and has set up a space colony there. The space colony had been deserted on the planes of Mars. The man from mars is found after many years of exposure to an alien race. The climax resolves whether Michael Valentine Smith will be excepted by the people of Earth. At times this book gets bogged down in Heinlein's philosophy, so it can be a difficult read.

What I liked about the book is its deep analysis of Faith. Heinlein first looks at the cult of the Fosterites. A cult where everyone is happy, and everyone thinks as a one happy unit. (I would like to go deeper into describing the Fosterites, but I am afraid that this would lead you down a rabbit hole and would maybe bore you deeply.)

Then he looks at how Michael Valentine Smith twists the Abrahamic religions to make a cult that combines elements of Confucius, Buddhism, Hinduism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, and Judaism.
The religion is based on the wisdom of the old ones . The perfect wisdom of the elders is not to be disputed at all. The cult members become entwined by a sharing of water together. They see each other as all Gods. Thou art god and so are my Guinea pigs and Lovebird.

The religion replaces God and put man in God’s place, this allows man to worship created things.Because man is now God like, the divine things are the things that connect man in deeper communication. Sex is seen as sharing deeper with many people. The communal orgasm is sacred, a great religious experience. Cannibalism is the holiest way to die for it is taking the spirit of the other deeply into the body of the collective .

When God’s proper place, to be above all, is replaced all is left in Chaos. A chaos I imagine to be like the ending of the Demolished Man by Alfred Bester. This chaos is a place of no form.
"The snake eating its owntail, makes a circle, alpha and omega, a process, a spin." (Krysia Jopek pg 4)*

Confucius	Wisdom of the Old Ones
Budhism	I am only that I Grok
(Brahman Hindu)	We are all Gods (not Imago Dei, but really God's)
Athenian Greek Goddess Cults	The Power of the Orgasm
(Native American Ritual)	Drinking (like Deer Hunter) deep into the collective body…

Stranger in a Strange Land raised the questions:

What does it mean to be both God and man?

Why could not Joseph and Mary give birth to the messiah?

Why did it need to be a virginal birth?

What becomes lost when the Messiah is merely a superman?

*Krysia Jopek Maps and Shadows (Los angeles California: Aquila Polonica, 2010), 4.

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Thursday Bible Study 6 Am Panera Bread (Genesis 20)

2010-11-18T08:31:00.003-05:00

* Abraham walked from land to land doing at first what God had told Abraham to do. But was Abraham perfect in his obedience? Nope! This is shown in Genesis 20 where the basic story line is: (The Beginning) Abraham a stranger in a strange land, walks into the kingdom of the Philistines and the household of Abimelech.

(The Middle) Abraham begins to doubt and creates a schema apart from God that will have him tell Sarah, pretend that you are my sister, and that way they won't kill me for having such a beaudacious wife." Abilimich* takes Sarah into his household.

(The End) God intercedes in a dream and tells Abimilich that Sarah is actually Abraham's husband. God also tells Abimilich that peace will only come if he asks Abraham to petition God in prayer, on his behalf. HE also tells Abimilich that Sarah is to be returned to Abraham immediately. The household is restored and the Good Old Philistine Times continue.

Strange story and what is God actually telling his people here? The first thing that was clear to me is that Abraham is a priest, and a prophet. The second thing that is clear to me is that Abraham even though a holy man, the father of the faithful, is not perfect in his walk with God. However, an imperfect priest should not be "condemed as a hypocrite who fall into sin, if they do not continue in it." (Matthew Henry)** As long as the priest is moved to repentance he can petition God on the behalf of others.

Abraham sin was walking in doubt of God, and taking manners into his own hands.*** God had promised in Genesis 15:15 "As for yourself, you shall live go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age." Yet, Abraham doubted. Yet, Abraham created a schema, here's the story we will play, and this is our roles. Yet, Abraham put his family in danger because he did not pray for God to tell him how to remain calm as a stranger in a troubled land.

Man has a need for spiritual restoration. This need leave us requiring a greater perfected pastor, rabbi, priest, who can truly petition God on the naturally sinful man's behalf. This perfect redeemer is Jesus Christ. Thanks be to the LORD's mighty plan to restore his kingdom into a state of shalom.

*(The name means-the (divine) king is my father).
**Henry, Matthew Commentary on the Whole Bible (Nashville Tennessee: Thomas Nelson inc, 1997).
***(I am sure there are other sins to mention, but for this discussion lets keep it simple.).
Questions:
Does the goal justify the means?
What is Abraham's idea of God?
Why do we feel it necessary to self justify when we don't see the answers before us, especially in matters of faith?

Bombing Hatred

2010-10-25T09:35:00.002-04:00

I need to check my assumptions and fears. I recognized this on a recent flight back from San Francisco.

I sat next to a Woman who was veiled (western style). My fears all of a sudden streamed up. A psychologist may say that I suffer from "Xenophobia!" I would say I suffer from too much information on how others mistreat the west and how all of our lives are at jeopardy every single day.

The tension become higher when she left her back pack under her chair, and moved up to be with her manager. The tick tock tick tock of the imaginary bomb, locked inside her back pack frightened me.

"Oh my God I am going to Die!"

I told myself, "Be Brave!"

Paranoia started sending alarms to do something about the matter.

"Oh my God I am going to Die!"

But I did not want to invade her privacy, so I just sat there and prayed.

"Lord please protect me from the evil of the world."

My wife Jessica laughs at the story and thinks my fears are based on an active imagination and a saturation of alarming news coverage. It also did not help that the security at the airport was on high alert. Also flying in a tin can is never an "Awe Shucks, lets lay back in my hammock as the world goes by." An airplane defies the laws of tradition, and proclaims that a big thing, bigger than any bird, can spread iron wings and fly in the air.

There was s just too much stimuli to ignore things properly.

I may have acted differently if the passenger was reading a bible and wore Western dress. The incorporated westerner is not any more tame than a Muslim, we all have the potential to do our brothers and sisters harm. Just because it looks like a good, non poisonous thing does not necessarily mean that it is non poisonous. We however must look at our degrees of hatred that lie inside of our hearts and put them to the light of truth. Only in the light do fears go away, and we grow in Christ. By the way of course it was my imagination and nothing happened on my flight... but "Oh my God I am going to Die!" fear seemed real at least for five minutes.

I settled down and continued reading my book "Stranger in a Strange Land".

Gospel Beginnings.

2010-10-12T08:47:00.003-04:00

The gospel is a hard nut to crack into exact, precise words. The gospel is understood best by continually reading Romans 1:1-21 [for about seven times during a week of intense study], but by the end of that time you would probably be exhausted and not be able to come up with a precise definition of the gospel. The gospel is the pivot point of Christianity.
But to begin our picture lets paint a story;
Once upon a time, and still to this day man (lets call him Adam) was sinful. Adam worked as a mechanic in a sinful machine. Each machine part was tainted with sinful dust, which added more and more dust, and made piles of dust each and every day (365 24/7).

No matter how hard Adam tried to get rid of the dust, the dust was always there.

God had kept an eye on the machinery of man and was not pleased with the continual accumulation of dusty particles. God will call him El, knew that the only solution was to help man with the dust problem. El knew he was the only hope for man. So the lone gun man El, sent his Logos-Son-Jesus into the factory. Jesus turned over the factory and busted the machinery into tiny pieces. The machinery would no longer be able to produce the sinful dust that had so plagued man.
Man was/is stubborn and it took time for man to see the awesome power of Monkey wrenching Jesus.
Some men even went and started building more machines.
So Jesus proclaimed, if you join that crew you can not be part of my kingdom. Jesus came to adopt man into a kingdom absent of dusty machines.

{The Beginning}

I know that there are flaws in my story, so write me and discuss where you may have a problem with this explanation:

On a Grey Distant Planet

2010-10-12T08:11:00.000-04:00

On a grey planet of a little no named star, lost in a galaxy tucked away, in some dusty corner of a universe; lived a bushwhacker. The bushwhacker desired not to be a hermit. He dreamed of one day having people join him on his journey. But the man knew that sometimes all you have is Christ and tiny footsteps.

That's why this Bushwhacker is happy one others contact him, and he can remember the gospel again and again. I hope to see you here on this path and joining me in exploration of our faith.

Mad Men Bent on Anarchy

2010-10-11T14:03:00.000-04:00

Morality According to God: A graphic representation of chapter 2 *He Is There and He is Not Silent by* Francis A Schaeffer	Abstract	Particular
Impersonal	Dada: Nothingness Defines the World. Anarchy	Dictatorship: The Dictator decides what is best for the people. Hobbesian Politics: One man over the population.
Personal	Socialism: Greatest Good decides what is best for the people.	Judeo-Christian World View morality is personal and particularly prescribed by a loving God, told to man in the entire Christian Cannon (AKA the bible)

Man was created by God in his own image, in his own image God created man, but because we rebelled we became abnormally bad and become more sinful as time progressed. Till the day we awaited a cure that could only be found in Christ. If the cure is not Christ than all is lost and we might as well call ourselves mad men bent towards anarchy.

2010-09-30T11:42:00.002-04:00

The light rail stopped at the Denver Auraria Higher Education Center. The students were pushed this way and that at the light rail, we were all expecting to be taken on home to a place without hurts.

Our hopes were high, but these hopes have been pushed this way and that. People have lost faith in a turning around and stand still watching the sand granules slowly slip through the hourglass. Americans are beginning to feel discouraged.

Harold Myra published the bookThe One Year Book of Encouragement, in order to provide a life line from the traumatic state in the United States today. Myra sees that Christians need “refreshment …in the deep authentic rivers of our Christian Heritage.”(v) He sees the insight of our Christian Heritage as authentic because the truth from these authors was “hammered out on the anvil of life’s realities.”(v)

The book succeeds in providing encouraging and challenging thoughts for people amidst the tension of today’s economic recession. The author includes scripture verses that encourage the reader to look deeper into the word of God. Also the author models a prayer each day that will encourage your prayer life.

This book is a keeper and a definite cluck.

Personally, I look forward to starting my day each day by reading an encouraging word from this book.

Bard of Roth's Classic Worship Juke Box

2010-09-27T10:34:00.001-04:00

Sometimes I get so teed off, that I want to put
on a head band and be a Ninja?! I would sneak
into your bed - room and
read all of your dirty magazines!