Reviews of Christian Books

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

Jerusalem in darkness 

on a cross-work of wood 

one light house at sea.

Study in Joshua Chapter 7:1-26

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

1. 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.  
2. 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.
3. 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. 
4. 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.  
5. 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

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.

1. Specific Instructions by God for Joshuah to follow. Step by step outlined. 
2. Key action is from God: Shouts and the walls come tumbling down.
3. Military formation.  (Arc of the Covenant, followed by Priests blowing horns, followed by the Silent People Walking). 
4. Number Seven, occurs again and again in this passage.
• Seven priests
• seven trumpets
• seven days
• seven circuits of the walls on the seventh day
5. 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. 
6. 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.)
7. The battle is a holy battle not framed by the actions of man.  (Joshua 5:13-15)

II. Patient Waiting: Take Warning

1. 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

Studies in Joshua-3:1-17

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-

1. a huge obstacle, one that we can not conquer on our own.
2. 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

"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

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

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

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)

Classic Worship Songs: Rebel Jesus

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

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)

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