Well, after delays due to storms I got home at 3:45am this morning LoL. I spent 7 hours on the same airplane from Salt Lake City, to Memphis, to Atlanta. God is sovereign, and I kept a positive attitude the whole time. Hey, it beats driving from Montana to Georgia! Oh, and THE BRUINS WON THE STANLEY CUP! Wooo!
Okay, now to the Bible stuff, the stuff I originally intended this blog to be about. Hey, this blog's about what God does in my life, and what He teaches me, and this past trip was a great experience from Him :)
I memorized Psalm 15 on Sunday because apparently WFBC peeps were challenged to do so. Even though I was in Montana, I don't fall back from a challenge. If I wrote it here, you'd think I was just copying it out of my Bible, so ask me in person :P I also recited Romans 8 to my mother, brother and sister the other day, so I still have that :) "Oh Lord, who can sojourn in Your tent. Who can dwell on Your holy hill?" (Psalm 15:1). Well, obviously no one is righteous, so no one can dwell with Him. He made a way though. A line in 15:4 stuck out to me. "he swears to his own hurt and does not change." I need to be sure to know the Truth so that I have no shame in it, though others may try to shame me. Isaiah 54:17 says that I will refute any accusation brought against me in court because the Truth cannot be changed. Lies can lead to my death, as they led to Christ's, but the Truth stays true. Jesus faced the false punishments of the world and beat them. Romans 8:14 says that all who are led by God's Spirit are God's sons, which makes us heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Christ in order that we may also be glorified with Him (8:17). Paul goes on to say in Romans 8:18 that "the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Romans 8:32 says that "God did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?" Do you like how I tie almost everything back into Romans 8? I'm glad I memorized it :) I memorized it like a speech though, so I have to look up the exact references :/
Psalm 1 makes it clear that there will be wicked people, and they will be burned like chaff (1:4) I am like a tree planted by a stream that will bear fruit (1:3). I am worried about Satan's attacks that are sure to fall on Camp Icthus, so I pray for God's protection. Satan always undoes himself against me when I work Camp Icthus, and God always comes through. I claim that protection again for these next two weeks. God controls Satan, so I don't have to be afraid. My delight must be in the law of the Lord, and I must meditate on it day and night (1:2). He is my Shield. The theme of this blog is "Sticks and Stones" but I should probably add "Shields" to it too :) I like shields. I'll be highlighting all of the shield references I find as well.
Psalm 2 talks about how God laughs at the rulers of earth who plot against Him (2:4). In Psalm 2:8 God says, "ask of Me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession." I don't want the world, I just want a wife LoL. If God wanted me to win the nations to Him single then I'd do it. I just want His will to be done in me, so that Daddy can be proud of His adopted son. He chose me. He loves me. I want to honor Him in return. Psalm 2:11 says "serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling." It's amazing how we forget to fear God. Jesus took His wrath for us, so we don't have to fear it anymore, but God is still fearsome. His wrath is still on those who haven't accepted His Son's sacrifice and declared for His side. That wrath should drive us out of our churches and Bible study groups and into the world to show those who are still under His wrath that there is a way out! I pray God leads me to do that in some way each day, and not just at camps or in a spiritual setting. Personally, I fear being like Job and having God bring me to within an inch of my life just to make a point (LoL). I also pray that if I do fall into a situation like that that I can endure like Job did. I honestly fear suffering. I mean, come on, suffering isn't fun. "Hey, declare for Christ and suffer!" no wonder the world thinks I'm an idiot! Still, like Paul, I am convinced that the glory that is to come is greater. And, if I'm honest, I wouldn't have life any other way. The storms are going to come whether we want them to or not, but at least I have the Hope that is in Christ Jesus to help me weather those storms. And, if God wishes, He can calm the storm immediately, or not even let the clouds come closer than the horizon. Psalm 2:11 also says to "rejoice with trembling". That's weird. We rejoice because we're not afraid, because we're happy, supposedly. Right? Wrong. Joy isn't based on feelings. Joy comes from knowing and believing that God is still on His throne no matter the circumstances. So, I could be totally afraid and still filled with joy. He will do what He said He will do. He is worthy of fear.
Psalms 3 and 4 are prayers for protection. I pray I never need to plead for protection as passionately as King David did, but it's nice to already have the words. In Psalm 3:3 is the first mention of God being a Shield. Only He can shield me on all sides. If it were up to my shield of faith alone, I'd be vulnerable. I wouldn't last. In 3:4 God answers David's cry for help. I'm overwhelmed that God could hear me, care about me and answer me. His answers may not always be what I want, but He answers. The very fact that God would bother to even say "no" to me floors me. I deserve to be completely isolated from Him forever. Psalm 3:5 gets me because God sustains David as he sleeps. I've prayed for protection while I've slept many times, but my life was never in danger. "Prayer does not replace work; instead it is what makes the work effective". I got that from the footnotes in my Bible :) "Salvation belongs to the Lord" (3:8) I cannot save myself, nor do I deserve salvation. This past week was definitely a mountaintop experience. I don't want to suffer another valley. If I do, I need to be locked into the Holy Spirit and let Him shine through me to push back the darkness. He makes me bold. In Psalm 4 David asks God to answer him again, as He had done before. It's okay to keep asking God. It's better than haughtily expecting Him to answer. I must approach Him humbly, but with confidence. His wrath is no longer on me. I am His heir. A co-heir with Jesus. How will He not, with Jesus, grant me everything? (Romans 8:32). In Psalm 4:8 David mentions again that God can help him sleep. In 3:5 he thanked God for sleep protection and in 4:8 he asks for sleep protection again. This is not a "one-and-done" faith. it is a "moment-by-moment" faith. No matter how I am feeling, I must re-root myself in Scripture. I must delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night (Psalm 1:2). I memorized Psalm 1:2 in Kindergarten oh so long ago!
Psalm 5:12 is the second mention of God as a Shield :) Psalm 6 is David pleading for God to save him to the point of tears. It is a lament, and I pray I never have to pray that Psalm :/
Psalm 7 is juicy. David seeks refuge in God, but asks for Him to consider his own righteousness. He asks God to punish him for his sins if they are unforgivable. I have prayed that so many times because my sins are grievous, but they are also forgivable and forgiven :) He forgives me and blesses me, even though I don't deserve it! Why? Because of Jesus. King David lived before Jesus, but since Jesus is God and David was a man after God's own heart, he was justified by God. God chose David for His sovereign will, and He blessed and protected him. After David entrenched himself in God again, he asked God to fight for him. In 7:8 David asks God to judge him by his righteousness. But no one is righteous, right? Right. However, God grants righteousness to whom He sees fit. Abram (a.k.a. Abraham) believed God, and He credited it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6; also, in 15:1 God says He is Abram's Shield). In Psalm 7:10 David says his shield is with God. That's 4 shield sightings in 2 days :) Psalm 7:15 talks about how God will lead a wicked man to fall into the very same pit he intended to ensnare a righteous man in. Psalm 7:17 says, "I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High." I do, and I will. Amen.
I have enjoyed this breather. I'm ready for battle these next two weeks. I pray God protects me. I will be out of computer contact for the next 2 weeks, so it'll be a while before I update this blog. Should give you plenty of time to read this horribly long post! I apologize, but then again I don't :P
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Buffalo Jump
Well, my last full day in Montana is a beautiful one. It's still only 4:10pm here, so I've got a few hours left. We're in for the day though. This morning we went to a place 10 miles out of Great Falls called Buffalo Jump. The Native Americans used to herd the buffalo off of the cliff to make it easier to kill them. Brutal, but effective. There was a 3.5-mile round-trip hike to do, so my siblings and I did it. The views from on top of the jump were spectacular. We could see 5 mountain ranges. My camera won't do it justice, though I took pictures anyway. I saw 3 deer, hundreds of prairie dogs, a rabbit and a bunny, and even a rattlesnake. Once again, let me say, it was beautiful! I also duked it out with some mosquitoes :( On the way back, I got to see some F-15s do some quick maneuvers and land! They were on the other side of the car, though, so I didn't get a spectacular view. Still, I got to see some military jets in the sky!
I'll get back to the original intent of this blog hopefully Thursday. I've been reading Psalms, so I'll post my thoughts :)
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
I'll get back to the original intent of this blog hopefully Thursday. I've been reading Psalms, so I'll post my thoughts :)
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
Monday, June 13, 2011
Montana Sunset
Sunset in Montana comes closer to 10pm MT, so it's weird to have sunlight so late. My sister and her husband go to bed at like 8:30, which I guess makes sense because it'd be 10:30 ET. My body's adjusted to the time difference now, and I'm going back to ET on Wednesday.
Today we went back to Giant Springs on the Missouri River. I love the Giant Springs. They pump 150 million gallons of water per day into the Missouri River. Due to the melting snows and the heavy rains, the Missouri is flooding and rushing fast. The wind on the river was crazy too. Still, it was beautiful. I'm continually awed by God's creation. I'm sad I'm only seeing a small part of Montana. I had a friend tell me to go to Glacier National Park, but it's 3 hours away.
Also, today I toured the aircraft museum on base. It's small, but they have interesting planes on display. They have miniature airplanes in the museum building as well. We watched a 20min video about the Minuteman III ICBM. Apparently there are about 150 ICBMs in Montana alone. Malmstrom is a Missile Command base, so there are no jets. With all this sky, I was hoping to see some military jets flying around, but alas, no luck so far :( Oh well, I have one more full day in town, so we'll see.
I love my sister very much, and I'm so excited about my niece/nephew who is on the way. I'm very proud of my brother-in-law for serving his country too. I need to get a summer home in Montana :)
I'll be back in Jonesboro from Wednesday-Friday. Saturday I'll head up to Camp Icthus for two weeks. For those two weeks, I won't be reachable by computer, but I will be by phone. Don't hesitate to text me :)
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
Today we went back to Giant Springs on the Missouri River. I love the Giant Springs. They pump 150 million gallons of water per day into the Missouri River. Due to the melting snows and the heavy rains, the Missouri is flooding and rushing fast. The wind on the river was crazy too. Still, it was beautiful. I'm continually awed by God's creation. I'm sad I'm only seeing a small part of Montana. I had a friend tell me to go to Glacier National Park, but it's 3 hours away.
Also, today I toured the aircraft museum on base. It's small, but they have interesting planes on display. They have miniature airplanes in the museum building as well. We watched a 20min video about the Minuteman III ICBM. Apparently there are about 150 ICBMs in Montana alone. Malmstrom is a Missile Command base, so there are no jets. With all this sky, I was hoping to see some military jets flying around, but alas, no luck so far :( Oh well, I have one more full day in town, so we'll see.
I love my sister very much, and I'm so excited about my niece/nephew who is on the way. I'm very proud of my brother-in-law for serving his country too. I need to get a summer home in Montana :)
I'll be back in Jonesboro from Wednesday-Friday. Saturday I'll head up to Camp Icthus for two weeks. For those two weeks, I won't be reachable by computer, but I will be by phone. Don't hesitate to text me :)
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
Friday, June 10, 2011
Big Sky
It was raining all day yesterday, and I prayed for clear skies. Well today was crystal clear :) I can see why Montana is called "Big Sky Country". The sky literally doesn't end until the horizon. Far on the horizon are big mountains as well. I couldn't see them yesterday because it was raining, but today they were completely visible. My camera couldn't do the vista justice :( I went for a long walk around the base today, and then we went to the river with my sister's dog Argus. The Missouri River is beautiful. The whole countryside out here is beautiful. I just got to marvel in God's creation today. I miss my friends back in Athens, but I absolutely love it out here!
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Montana Baby!
When I was little I watched The Hunt For Red October. Sam Neill's character said "I would like to have seen Montana." My dad would frequently quote that line, so I always grew up with Montana in the back of my mind. I never really thought I'd get out West because I could never really afford the trip. Well, fortunately my sister married an Airman who was stationed in Montana. And, now, I'm in their house on base at Malmstrom AFB in Great Falls, Montana. It's 2 hrs behind my internal clock, so I'm very tired at 9pm Mountain Time.
This morning we woke up early (6am Eastern Time) and went to the airport. We had a 3.5 hr flight to Salt Lake City. We flew over the Rockies and the Great Salt Lake. The Great Salt Lake should be called The Great Salt Sea. It's like America's Dead Sea. I've never seen the Dead Sea, but the Great Salt Lake looks bigger. Also, we call the Great Lakes 'lakes' when they could pass for 'seas'. I guess we do it bigger and better in America. We scoff at the world's 'seas' and call them 'lakes'. The guy sitting next to me on the flight was reading The Gospel of Mary Magdalene. I know nothing about it, other than it's not Bible, so I won't comment on it.
We had a 3-hr layover in Salt Lake City with a good view of the mountains. I love the topography of this area because the earth is pretty much flat and all of a sudden MOUNTAINS! No real foothills or anything. I wish I had time to tour Salt Lake City instead of just sitting in the terminal, but oh well. Maybe later. I really need to come out to visit the Rocky Mountain territory. In some way, I've felt a calling to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and I have no idea why. I think the name is just awesome. The flight from Salt Lake City to Great Falls was only about 1.5 hrs and we were on a 50-passenger Delta Connection jet. I sat to a very nice older lady who was born and raised in Great Falls, so she had some cool stories.
I have to say I'm impressed with the town. It's bigger than I pictured it. I can't believe I have a week here! I get to stay on an Air Force Base! I have loved military aircraft my entire life, and even though jets don't really fly out of Malmstrom, they still have a very nice walk-through museum of aircraft. The Montana Air Guard has F-15s too. Number One on my Bucket List is to fly an A-10 Warthog. It probably won't happen, but it's okay to have on my list.
I love my sister, and I have a really good brother-in-law. Also my "nephews" Argus and Chance are good dogs. Argus is a German Shepherd and Chance is an Australian Shepherd. All we need now are some sheep. Speaking of sheep, I need to count some.
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
This morning we woke up early (6am Eastern Time) and went to the airport. We had a 3.5 hr flight to Salt Lake City. We flew over the Rockies and the Great Salt Lake. The Great Salt Lake should be called The Great Salt Sea. It's like America's Dead Sea. I've never seen the Dead Sea, but the Great Salt Lake looks bigger. Also, we call the Great Lakes 'lakes' when they could pass for 'seas'. I guess we do it bigger and better in America. We scoff at the world's 'seas' and call them 'lakes'. The guy sitting next to me on the flight was reading The Gospel of Mary Magdalene. I know nothing about it, other than it's not Bible, so I won't comment on it.
We had a 3-hr layover in Salt Lake City with a good view of the mountains. I love the topography of this area because the earth is pretty much flat and all of a sudden MOUNTAINS! No real foothills or anything. I wish I had time to tour Salt Lake City instead of just sitting in the terminal, but oh well. Maybe later. I really need to come out to visit the Rocky Mountain territory. In some way, I've felt a calling to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and I have no idea why. I think the name is just awesome. The flight from Salt Lake City to Great Falls was only about 1.5 hrs and we were on a 50-passenger Delta Connection jet. I sat to a very nice older lady who was born and raised in Great Falls, so she had some cool stories.
I have to say I'm impressed with the town. It's bigger than I pictured it. I can't believe I have a week here! I get to stay on an Air Force Base! I have loved military aircraft my entire life, and even though jets don't really fly out of Malmstrom, they still have a very nice walk-through museum of aircraft. The Montana Air Guard has F-15s too. Number One on my Bucket List is to fly an A-10 Warthog. It probably won't happen, but it's okay to have on my list.
I love my sister, and I have a really good brother-in-law. Also my "nephews" Argus and Chance are good dogs. Argus is a German Shepherd and Chance is an Australian Shepherd. All we need now are some sheep. Speaking of sheep, I need to count some.
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
To All Things Comes An End
Hello, dear readers. I'm sitting here waiting for my final exam in half an hour. The end of my Maymester. I still feel like I'm in a spiritual "Breather". School has ended for the year. I am leaving Athens for a month. I will go see my sister in Montana (yay!) and spend 2 straight weeks w/ people I love dearly at Willow Falls Camp (Camp Icthus) in Blue Ridge, GA. I leave with no fanfare. I will be back. I'm anxious to see what God will do this month. I pray for Camp Icthus because Satan always launches a huge attack. God always wins a huge victory though. I've never seen the Spirit move like I've seen Him move in the hearts of these 8-12 year old kids. He hasn't really moved in me like He has at Camp Icthus. Don't get me wrong, FCA Camps, Outsiders camps and Rock Haven were powerful as well, but I've been brought to my knees in tears at Icthus.
I love how God tears me apart only to build me back. I may not necessarily be happy, but I'm filled with joy because I know He is real. I know He loves me. I know He will use me. I don't know why He chose me, but I'm just along for the ride. I am clay, He is the Potter. I have no say over what He forms me into. He may form me just to destroy me. He can do that. He is God. He promises good for me. He promises hope and a future. I know what could make me the most happy, but I don't have it. I have Him instead, and He is sufficient.
There have been several dreams in my life that have stood out to me. One of them was last night. I won't describe it here because it's very personal. Let's just say it was the first hopeful dream I've had on the subject in a very long time. Most of the other dreams about it had me in tears. I have no idea what this dream meant, but I know it meant something. I was likened to Joseph in 8th grade because of my servant's heart, but Joseph was also a Dreamer and an interpreter of dreams. I've prayed that God would grow this gift within me. I can blame the dream on my subconscious, but other circumstances surrounding it show me that it wasn't. All I know is that it gave me some hope, and I'm afraid it won't happen. My faith is being tested. My faith isn't really strong, but it is solid. People won't be writing books about my faith, and I'm sure God wonders why my faith is so small, but my faith is rooted in Him. I know He is who He says He is. I know He will do what He promised. I just don't know how or when, and that hurts. My faith and belief are not based on what He can do for me. I don't just follow Him when skies are clear and I'm very happy. I find myself clinging to Him in the storms and when I have nothing else to hold on to. As bad as that might be for me, a life of pure storms is preferable because it's a life spent closest to He who loves me. Sure, I want to be happy and bask in the sunshine, but not at the expense of my relationship with Him.
God knows what He is doing. He gives me dreams/visions/experiences that throw me for a loop so that I will turn to Him for answers. In doing so, I grow. And He blesses me. I love Him for that.
I hope my next entry will be a "hello!" from Montana.
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
I love how God tears me apart only to build me back. I may not necessarily be happy, but I'm filled with joy because I know He is real. I know He loves me. I know He will use me. I don't know why He chose me, but I'm just along for the ride. I am clay, He is the Potter. I have no say over what He forms me into. He may form me just to destroy me. He can do that. He is God. He promises good for me. He promises hope and a future. I know what could make me the most happy, but I don't have it. I have Him instead, and He is sufficient.
There have been several dreams in my life that have stood out to me. One of them was last night. I won't describe it here because it's very personal. Let's just say it was the first hopeful dream I've had on the subject in a very long time. Most of the other dreams about it had me in tears. I have no idea what this dream meant, but I know it meant something. I was likened to Joseph in 8th grade because of my servant's heart, but Joseph was also a Dreamer and an interpreter of dreams. I've prayed that God would grow this gift within me. I can blame the dream on my subconscious, but other circumstances surrounding it show me that it wasn't. All I know is that it gave me some hope, and I'm afraid it won't happen. My faith is being tested. My faith isn't really strong, but it is solid. People won't be writing books about my faith, and I'm sure God wonders why my faith is so small, but my faith is rooted in Him. I know He is who He says He is. I know He will do what He promised. I just don't know how or when, and that hurts. My faith and belief are not based on what He can do for me. I don't just follow Him when skies are clear and I'm very happy. I find myself clinging to Him in the storms and when I have nothing else to hold on to. As bad as that might be for me, a life of pure storms is preferable because it's a life spent closest to He who loves me. Sure, I want to be happy and bask in the sunshine, but not at the expense of my relationship with Him.
God knows what He is doing. He gives me dreams/visions/experiences that throw me for a loop so that I will turn to Him for answers. In doing so, I grow. And He blesses me. I love Him for that.
I hope my next entry will be a "hello!" from Montana.
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
Friday, June 3, 2011
Narnia
I watched Voyage of the Dawn Treader last night. I own all three of the movies thus far. I read the novels as a kid (well, I won't say 'novel' because they're short) and I liked them. There's a lot to pick apart in those allegories. I won't discuss the entire series, and I'll really only talk about the movies in this post.
I'll start with The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. I really really liked the movie. I liked the final battle scene even though it wasn't as violent as it could have been since it was a kids' movie. The same people who worked on Lord of the Rings helped with this one. It was good to visualize Aslan being killed. When he comes back, I get moved. When he roars over the final battle it's chillingly awesome as well. Liam Neeson as Aslan's voice is superb. The music was really good too. I read the book in less than an hour before I saw the movie, so it was good to see more 'meat' put into it while still keeping the main point the main point.
As for Prince Caspian, I really liked the movie. I read some scathing reviews though. I agree that there wasn't any competition between Peter and Caspian. Also, Peter, Susan, Lucy and Edmund didn't really show up until closer to the end of the book whereas in the movie they show up at the beginning. I can see that they're the stars of the franchise, so they need to be in there. There's a lot of backstory to Caspian's upbringing that they left out of the movie. Still, it did seem more real. I mean, how would I feel if I had been a king most of my life only to be thrust back into war-torn England as the same boy I left as. How could I go from king to nobody? Granted, the point of the story is to battle against pride and serve Aslan simply because he's Aslan. Another point of contention was Caspian kissing Susan. That definitely wasn't in the book, but I could see a romance there. It really didn't bother me. In fact, given the circumstances, why not make a move? (LoL). Another point, that I actually did have a problem with, was the night attack on Miraz's castle. That didn't happen in the book, and they'd have no real reason to do so. It was just an added action scene that lost the Narnians most of their army. If there's anything about the movie I didn't like, it was that. Though, Reepicheep tying up the cat was hilarious. I loved how the Telmarines were pretty much Spaniards. Their armor was awesome. It was interesting to see Warwick Davis as the bad Nikabrik. He's usually a good guy like Willow or Wicket. Peter Dinklage as Trumpkin was well-struck. I love Peter Dinklage, and he's an amazing Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones. He was also funny in Elf. Aslan was supposed to pick Trumpkin up in his mouth at the end of the story rather than just roar at him, but oh well. The guy they got to play Caspian was good, even though his accent was kind of hard to listen to. Reepicheep was very well done! The final fight scene was really good. Once again, I was glad that they added some meat to the battle since C.S. Lewis didn't really write about battles. The Last Battle wasn't an actual battle, but more of a skirmish. The battle was more of a spiritual one. Truth vs. Lies, etc. The duel between Peter and Miraz was excellent. I could have used more of the Bulgy Bear, but oh well. It was cool to see that fight, and it was laid out in the book.
Now to Voyage of the Dawn Treader. With the success of Pirates, everyone loves a good ship adventure. This movie was a failure, in my opinion, even though I liked it. 20th Century Fox took over and the difference was noticeable. The CGI was lacking, at best. Caspian switched from a Spanish accent to a more regal English accent. Amazing how an accent can disappear that quickly. Lucy was obsessed with being beautiful, and I don't remember if she actually felt that way in the book. Still, I'm okay with that because it makes sense. They *had* to put Peter and Susan in there, apparently, because if they weren't in there then we wouldn't see the movie. They also *had* to put Tilda Swinton in there. Seriously, the characters seldom last more than one or two books, so why do you feel that you have to tie them in? The Silver Chair will be Eustace and Jill, and no Pevensies. Now, a high mark for the movie was the casting of Eustace. That actor did a very good job, and I look forward to seeing him in the Silver Chair movie. Another high point was Reepicheep, despite the change in voice actors. My favorite scene came at the end at the beach of Aslan's Country where Reepicheep very quickly laid down his sword saying, "well I won't be needing this" as he paddled to Aslan's Country. More on that in the next paragraph. It was cool to see Lucy fight with a sword and bow rather than just sit there with a butter knife. Still, Lucy was an awesome character because she fully relied on Aslan. Anybody can feel strong w/ a massive lion beside you, right! Where Aslan was a central character in the first two movies, he kind of just showed up at the end of this one. Though, he made some good points. I didn't really have any major problems with Dawn Treader the movie, but it was my least favorite of the three.
Silver Chair will translate into an interesting movie, and I believe The Horse and His Boy will as well. However, Magician's Nephew is more story-based than actor-based and Last Battle doesn't have much action either. As I said, the last battle is more of a skirmish. I don't know what they'll do, but I do hope they do a Silver Chair movie. They set up for it with the Dawn Treader movie.
Now, Narnia is supposed to be an allegory about Jesus. Aslan = Jesus. In The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe Aslan sacrifices himself to free Edmund from the White Witch. The White Witch = Satan. Funny how they went with a woman when Satan is seen to be masculine, but oh well. I like that C.S. Lewis went with a lion representation (Aslan means 'lion' in Turkish). Jesus is referred to as the Lion of Judah. However, Satan is also likened to a lion seeking whom he may devour. So, lions are running wild here. In any case, Aslan = Jesus in these stories. The kids are brought to Narnia to reign as kings and queens, but they are still subject to Aslan. That shows that Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Even the highest rulers in our land are held accountable to God, whether they think they are or not. Romans 13 says that all authority is granted by God, and even if we disagree with our authority, we should obey them. So, I am a citizen-soldier of Heaven, but I allow myself to be governed by American laws to the extent they don't compromise my allegiance to God. Aslan blessed the Pevensies as God blesses us. By His Spirit we are allowed to be called His children and become His heirs. We're even supposed to get crowns in Heaven. Honestly, I doubt a crown will have as much value there as it does here, but God was just trying to give us a glimpse and a perception of "awesome" in Heaven (LoL). There is a quote in Prince Caspian where Lucy asks Aslan "why didn't you come roaring in and save us?". Aslan replies "things never happen the same way twice, dear one." That line has been etched on my heart for two years. God does not act the same way twice. I'd love to call down fire from Heaven to consume an offering and say "boo ya!" to unbelievers, but that won't happen. Honestly, I don't need a miraculous sign because I believe with my life that God is real. I want to go back to the happiness I felt in 2008, but God doesn't work that way. If He takes something away, you get something better. Aslan did end up saving the day in Prince Caspian, but not in the same way he did in Wardrobe. Sometimes God takes us on a journey to test us, as in Dawn Treader. There may not be any real, tangible enemy or life/death situation. It may just be a test of our faith. And the end of the journey is Aslan's Country (Heaven). I love the way Dawn Treader portrayed it. You could see the mountain tops past the wall of water, so you know there was a land beyond the edge of the world. I love how King Caspian realized he still had a job to do and was willing to stay on "earth" to do it rather than go to "Heaven". Christians realize that we have a job to do. Our lives no longer belong to us, so we have no right to end them early. Lucy, Eustace and Edmund knew they were going back to England and not to Aslan's Country because they still had jobs to do in their world. Aslan said that in their (our) world he's known by a different name (Jesus) and by knowing him in Narnia, they could know him better in their (our) world. I like thinking of Jesus as a big lion. It definitely helps me feel bold. Still, a man w/ scars in His hands and feet brings me to my knees. And, of course, Reepicheep basically running to Aslan's Country floored me. Here is the King of Mice, very proud and honorable, willing to lay down his sword for Aslan. He knew that Aslan's Country was a great adventure, and that the adventures he'd already lived were nothing compared to that adventure. I love when he just casually put down his sword and jumped into the boat. It really spoke to me. So many times I think of Heaven as an ending. The end of life as I know it. The thought of eternity terrifies me because I cannot comprehend it. I'm scared I'll get bored. I need to constantly be reminded that Heaven will be another, eternal adventure :) I can't wait for the day where I can lay down my sword and just go on an adventure of discovery. Heaven will be eternal joy because God will eternally reveal Himself to us. As we learn more about Him, we love Him more. We'll still be eternally behind God as well. Mind-blowing! Yes, Heaven is preferable to Earth, but I know I still have a job to do here. Eternity will come soon enough. I need to make the most of what time is left :)
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
I'll start with The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. I really really liked the movie. I liked the final battle scene even though it wasn't as violent as it could have been since it was a kids' movie. The same people who worked on Lord of the Rings helped with this one. It was good to visualize Aslan being killed. When he comes back, I get moved. When he roars over the final battle it's chillingly awesome as well. Liam Neeson as Aslan's voice is superb. The music was really good too. I read the book in less than an hour before I saw the movie, so it was good to see more 'meat' put into it while still keeping the main point the main point.
As for Prince Caspian, I really liked the movie. I read some scathing reviews though. I agree that there wasn't any competition between Peter and Caspian. Also, Peter, Susan, Lucy and Edmund didn't really show up until closer to the end of the book whereas in the movie they show up at the beginning. I can see that they're the stars of the franchise, so they need to be in there. There's a lot of backstory to Caspian's upbringing that they left out of the movie. Still, it did seem more real. I mean, how would I feel if I had been a king most of my life only to be thrust back into war-torn England as the same boy I left as. How could I go from king to nobody? Granted, the point of the story is to battle against pride and serve Aslan simply because he's Aslan. Another point of contention was Caspian kissing Susan. That definitely wasn't in the book, but I could see a romance there. It really didn't bother me. In fact, given the circumstances, why not make a move? (LoL). Another point, that I actually did have a problem with, was the night attack on Miraz's castle. That didn't happen in the book, and they'd have no real reason to do so. It was just an added action scene that lost the Narnians most of their army. If there's anything about the movie I didn't like, it was that. Though, Reepicheep tying up the cat was hilarious. I loved how the Telmarines were pretty much Spaniards. Their armor was awesome. It was interesting to see Warwick Davis as the bad Nikabrik. He's usually a good guy like Willow or Wicket. Peter Dinklage as Trumpkin was well-struck. I love Peter Dinklage, and he's an amazing Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones. He was also funny in Elf. Aslan was supposed to pick Trumpkin up in his mouth at the end of the story rather than just roar at him, but oh well. The guy they got to play Caspian was good, even though his accent was kind of hard to listen to. Reepicheep was very well done! The final fight scene was really good. Once again, I was glad that they added some meat to the battle since C.S. Lewis didn't really write about battles. The Last Battle wasn't an actual battle, but more of a skirmish. The battle was more of a spiritual one. Truth vs. Lies, etc. The duel between Peter and Miraz was excellent. I could have used more of the Bulgy Bear, but oh well. It was cool to see that fight, and it was laid out in the book.
Now to Voyage of the Dawn Treader. With the success of Pirates, everyone loves a good ship adventure. This movie was a failure, in my opinion, even though I liked it. 20th Century Fox took over and the difference was noticeable. The CGI was lacking, at best. Caspian switched from a Spanish accent to a more regal English accent. Amazing how an accent can disappear that quickly. Lucy was obsessed with being beautiful, and I don't remember if she actually felt that way in the book. Still, I'm okay with that because it makes sense. They *had* to put Peter and Susan in there, apparently, because if they weren't in there then we wouldn't see the movie. They also *had* to put Tilda Swinton in there. Seriously, the characters seldom last more than one or two books, so why do you feel that you have to tie them in? The Silver Chair will be Eustace and Jill, and no Pevensies. Now, a high mark for the movie was the casting of Eustace. That actor did a very good job, and I look forward to seeing him in the Silver Chair movie. Another high point was Reepicheep, despite the change in voice actors. My favorite scene came at the end at the beach of Aslan's Country where Reepicheep very quickly laid down his sword saying, "well I won't be needing this" as he paddled to Aslan's Country. More on that in the next paragraph. It was cool to see Lucy fight with a sword and bow rather than just sit there with a butter knife. Still, Lucy was an awesome character because she fully relied on Aslan. Anybody can feel strong w/ a massive lion beside you, right! Where Aslan was a central character in the first two movies, he kind of just showed up at the end of this one. Though, he made some good points. I didn't really have any major problems with Dawn Treader the movie, but it was my least favorite of the three.
Silver Chair will translate into an interesting movie, and I believe The Horse and His Boy will as well. However, Magician's Nephew is more story-based than actor-based and Last Battle doesn't have much action either. As I said, the last battle is more of a skirmish. I don't know what they'll do, but I do hope they do a Silver Chair movie. They set up for it with the Dawn Treader movie.
Now, Narnia is supposed to be an allegory about Jesus. Aslan = Jesus. In The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe Aslan sacrifices himself to free Edmund from the White Witch. The White Witch = Satan. Funny how they went with a woman when Satan is seen to be masculine, but oh well. I like that C.S. Lewis went with a lion representation (Aslan means 'lion' in Turkish). Jesus is referred to as the Lion of Judah. However, Satan is also likened to a lion seeking whom he may devour. So, lions are running wild here. In any case, Aslan = Jesus in these stories. The kids are brought to Narnia to reign as kings and queens, but they are still subject to Aslan. That shows that Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Even the highest rulers in our land are held accountable to God, whether they think they are or not. Romans 13 says that all authority is granted by God, and even if we disagree with our authority, we should obey them. So, I am a citizen-soldier of Heaven, but I allow myself to be governed by American laws to the extent they don't compromise my allegiance to God. Aslan blessed the Pevensies as God blesses us. By His Spirit we are allowed to be called His children and become His heirs. We're even supposed to get crowns in Heaven. Honestly, I doubt a crown will have as much value there as it does here, but God was just trying to give us a glimpse and a perception of "awesome" in Heaven (LoL). There is a quote in Prince Caspian where Lucy asks Aslan "why didn't you come roaring in and save us?". Aslan replies "things never happen the same way twice, dear one." That line has been etched on my heart for two years. God does not act the same way twice. I'd love to call down fire from Heaven to consume an offering and say "boo ya!" to unbelievers, but that won't happen. Honestly, I don't need a miraculous sign because I believe with my life that God is real. I want to go back to the happiness I felt in 2008, but God doesn't work that way. If He takes something away, you get something better. Aslan did end up saving the day in Prince Caspian, but not in the same way he did in Wardrobe. Sometimes God takes us on a journey to test us, as in Dawn Treader. There may not be any real, tangible enemy or life/death situation. It may just be a test of our faith. And the end of the journey is Aslan's Country (Heaven). I love the way Dawn Treader portrayed it. You could see the mountain tops past the wall of water, so you know there was a land beyond the edge of the world. I love how King Caspian realized he still had a job to do and was willing to stay on "earth" to do it rather than go to "Heaven". Christians realize that we have a job to do. Our lives no longer belong to us, so we have no right to end them early. Lucy, Eustace and Edmund knew they were going back to England and not to Aslan's Country because they still had jobs to do in their world. Aslan said that in their (our) world he's known by a different name (Jesus) and by knowing him in Narnia, they could know him better in their (our) world. I like thinking of Jesus as a big lion. It definitely helps me feel bold. Still, a man w/ scars in His hands and feet brings me to my knees. And, of course, Reepicheep basically running to Aslan's Country floored me. Here is the King of Mice, very proud and honorable, willing to lay down his sword for Aslan. He knew that Aslan's Country was a great adventure, and that the adventures he'd already lived were nothing compared to that adventure. I love when he just casually put down his sword and jumped into the boat. It really spoke to me. So many times I think of Heaven as an ending. The end of life as I know it. The thought of eternity terrifies me because I cannot comprehend it. I'm scared I'll get bored. I need to constantly be reminded that Heaven will be another, eternal adventure :) I can't wait for the day where I can lay down my sword and just go on an adventure of discovery. Heaven will be eternal joy because God will eternally reveal Himself to us. As we learn more about Him, we love Him more. We'll still be eternally behind God as well. Mind-blowing! Yes, Heaven is preferable to Earth, but I know I still have a job to do here. Eternity will come soon enough. I need to make the most of what time is left :)
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Bender Question #2
This is from a conversation Bender and I had on his blog: marmonax.blogspot.com where basically I keep going back to who Jesus was/is and the Crucifixion/Resurrection because without Christ being God and resurrecting, there is no Christianity.
Bender asks:
You say, '[Jesus] can't be truthful about some things and totally lying about the others. Either He's true or He's false.' Simple follow-up: Why?
Jesus made some bold claims. He claimed to have been before Abraham, to be the Messiah (John 4), to be the only way to God (John 14:6) etc. The argument is that Jesus was simply a good prophet, but anyone who read His claims would see that He totally went against the establishment. They killed Him for it too. He was either telling the Truth (which makes Him Lord, and we should follow Him), or He was lying (which makes Him the Devil, and we should avoid Him), or He was a lunatic, who C.S. Lewis says 'equates himself with a deviled egg' (in which case why are we still talking about Jesus 2000 years later?). In the book of Acts, a Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gemaliel tells the religious leaders who were seeking out and eradicating Christians to hold off. Gemaliel's point was that if Jesus wasn't the Messiah then Christianity would just die out on its own. Gemaliel, and Nicodemus, both argued that if Jesus were true then it would be wise to follow Him, and if He were false then it wouldn't matter.
Well, it does matter. I believe He is Truth. Two thousand years later, we're still talking about Him and what He did on the Cross.
The Truth is that there is a God, we rebelled against Him, He took the punishment for our rebellion on Himself so that we could be reconciled to Him. Jesus came, lived a perfect life to be the blameless sacrifice for our sins. He was crucified, just as He predicted He would be (at least 3 times), and rose again 3 days later, defeating death and sin. That one act fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies and reconciled us to God. A new covenant was established and we have the chance to accept a spirit of adoption by which we cry out "Abba! Father!". Because of Jesus, we can become heirs of God and co-heirs with Jesus. You cannot believe the Bible and not believe Jesus because the whole of Scripture points to Him. The Old Testament details the need for a Messiah. The four Gospels tell about Jesus. The rest of the New Testament tells us what to do about it.
Jesus did preach "good news" in the sense that we should love our enemies, etc. but He also went to the "good" people of the day and told them they were missing the point completely. He gave all honor and glory to the Father in Heaven. I can explain the concept of the Trinity later, but it's basically three levels of understanding God. The Father in Heaven is God in all His glory. The Son is Jesus, who is God in human form (think of it like becoming a dog w/ all the wisdom of a human), and the Holy Spirit is God's power still at work in the hearts of believers. Jesus was basically a human with the full power of the Spirit. He was completely God, but in a human body. He didn't come for a crown, to bring glory to Himself. He came for a cross, so that God would get all the glory. God demanded payment for Sin, and He paid it because we couldn't.
Once again, I believe this is Truth, and I center myself on it. Call me crazy, and maybe I am. I'm intelligent, but I'm not a genius. I have experienced God in a real way in my life, and I cannot turn back.
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
Bender asks:
You say, '[Jesus] can't be truthful about some things and totally lying about the others. Either He's true or He's false.' Simple follow-up: Why?
Jesus made some bold claims. He claimed to have been before Abraham, to be the Messiah (John 4), to be the only way to God (John 14:6) etc. The argument is that Jesus was simply a good prophet, but anyone who read His claims would see that He totally went against the establishment. They killed Him for it too. He was either telling the Truth (which makes Him Lord, and we should follow Him), or He was lying (which makes Him the Devil, and we should avoid Him), or He was a lunatic, who C.S. Lewis says 'equates himself with a deviled egg' (in which case why are we still talking about Jesus 2000 years later?). In the book of Acts, a Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gemaliel tells the religious leaders who were seeking out and eradicating Christians to hold off. Gemaliel's point was that if Jesus wasn't the Messiah then Christianity would just die out on its own. Gemaliel, and Nicodemus, both argued that if Jesus were true then it would be wise to follow Him, and if He were false then it wouldn't matter.
Well, it does matter. I believe He is Truth. Two thousand years later, we're still talking about Him and what He did on the Cross.
The Truth is that there is a God, we rebelled against Him, He took the punishment for our rebellion on Himself so that we could be reconciled to Him. Jesus came, lived a perfect life to be the blameless sacrifice for our sins. He was crucified, just as He predicted He would be (at least 3 times), and rose again 3 days later, defeating death and sin. That one act fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies and reconciled us to God. A new covenant was established and we have the chance to accept a spirit of adoption by which we cry out "Abba! Father!". Because of Jesus, we can become heirs of God and co-heirs with Jesus. You cannot believe the Bible and not believe Jesus because the whole of Scripture points to Him. The Old Testament details the need for a Messiah. The four Gospels tell about Jesus. The rest of the New Testament tells us what to do about it.
Jesus did preach "good news" in the sense that we should love our enemies, etc. but He also went to the "good" people of the day and told them they were missing the point completely. He gave all honor and glory to the Father in Heaven. I can explain the concept of the Trinity later, but it's basically three levels of understanding God. The Father in Heaven is God in all His glory. The Son is Jesus, who is God in human form (think of it like becoming a dog w/ all the wisdom of a human), and the Holy Spirit is God's power still at work in the hearts of believers. Jesus was basically a human with the full power of the Spirit. He was completely God, but in a human body. He didn't come for a crown, to bring glory to Himself. He came for a cross, so that God would get all the glory. God demanded payment for Sin, and He paid it because we couldn't.
Once again, I believe this is Truth, and I center myself on it. Call me crazy, and maybe I am. I'm intelligent, but I'm not a genius. I have experienced God in a real way in my life, and I cannot turn back.
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
Praise and Worship
I have to comment on Praise and Worship. Granted, worship is a daily lifestyle, not just singing songs, but this blog post will be about songs :)
I'm not a big fan of hymns, I'll say that right now. I grew up with the worship pastor saying "Turn to Hymn 3000" and stuff like that. Now, they're poetic and worded very well, but I need a beat. I heard a song on the WOW Gold CD called "Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music?" and I agree. I say if Disturbed converted and played their same genre of music w/ a Christ-centered message I'd know I'd reached Heaven LoL. I also pray Eminem converts and joins the 116 Clique. I pray with faith these things can happen.
In high school, even when I ran from God my Junior year, I went to the church for youth praise and worship every Sunday night. Acoustic and candle-lit. It was an amazing, worshipful atmosphere. Now, I can't sing to save my life. I won't be winning any Grammys in my lifetime. Still, I make a noise that God considers joyful because I'm worshiping Him. When I got to college and stopped going to church, I missed out on corporate worship. I got into Kutless and listened to Christian music interspersed with secular music. I was involved with Team United, the UGA Athletics ministry, and they had guest singers that were good. After college I tried different churches, and the praise and worship led me to Athens Church. I picked Athens Church because I liked the music a lot. Sure, they played some secular or 'crossover' songs, but I really liked the premise of the church. "To Lead People Into A Growing Relationship With Jesus Christ". They brought me back into corporate worship and I grew into WFBC. The AC pastor was happy that I was going to WFBC because I was growing. I love pastors who aren't jealous for attendance. WFBC's worship team is A-Mazing! I love that I was able to be a part of their Watkinsville Worship CD :) We even sang hymns at Fight Club, just us guys, which was great too. The WFBC youth worship team is amazing. At Camp Icthus we just have one man w/ a guitar and he leads us into God's throne room every day. I love it all!
I wish non-believers would just sit in on a worship session at WFBC and see. Ray Boltz (sad) said "You can sing about love, but there is no greater Love. You can sing about passion, but there is no greater Passion..." Mankind sings about love, sex, money, drugs, loss, heartache, etc. but the outpouring of song to the Creator is by far the most beautiful. Vocal praise and worship cements me in the faith every time I participate in it. We'll spend eternity singing God's praises as well. "Revelation Song" and "From the Inside Out" make me tear up every time I sing them as well.
I could say more, but I just wanted to state something.
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
I'm not a big fan of hymns, I'll say that right now. I grew up with the worship pastor saying "Turn to Hymn 3000" and stuff like that. Now, they're poetic and worded very well, but I need a beat. I heard a song on the WOW Gold CD called "Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music?" and I agree. I say if Disturbed converted and played their same genre of music w/ a Christ-centered message I'd know I'd reached Heaven LoL. I also pray Eminem converts and joins the 116 Clique. I pray with faith these things can happen.
In high school, even when I ran from God my Junior year, I went to the church for youth praise and worship every Sunday night. Acoustic and candle-lit. It was an amazing, worshipful atmosphere. Now, I can't sing to save my life. I won't be winning any Grammys in my lifetime. Still, I make a noise that God considers joyful because I'm worshiping Him. When I got to college and stopped going to church, I missed out on corporate worship. I got into Kutless and listened to Christian music interspersed with secular music. I was involved with Team United, the UGA Athletics ministry, and they had guest singers that were good. After college I tried different churches, and the praise and worship led me to Athens Church. I picked Athens Church because I liked the music a lot. Sure, they played some secular or 'crossover' songs, but I really liked the premise of the church. "To Lead People Into A Growing Relationship With Jesus Christ". They brought me back into corporate worship and I grew into WFBC. The AC pastor was happy that I was going to WFBC because I was growing. I love pastors who aren't jealous for attendance. WFBC's worship team is A-Mazing! I love that I was able to be a part of their Watkinsville Worship CD :) We even sang hymns at Fight Club, just us guys, which was great too. The WFBC youth worship team is amazing. At Camp Icthus we just have one man w/ a guitar and he leads us into God's throne room every day. I love it all!
I wish non-believers would just sit in on a worship session at WFBC and see. Ray Boltz (sad) said "You can sing about love, but there is no greater Love. You can sing about passion, but there is no greater Passion..." Mankind sings about love, sex, money, drugs, loss, heartache, etc. but the outpouring of song to the Creator is by far the most beautiful. Vocal praise and worship cements me in the faith every time I participate in it. We'll spend eternity singing God's praises as well. "Revelation Song" and "From the Inside Out" make me tear up every time I sing them as well.
I could say more, but I just wanted to state something.
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
June!
Well, dear readers, it is a new month. I got 14 posts in during May. Not bad. I realize that my blog posts go hand in hand with my Scripture reading. Lately, I confess I've been slipping in my daily Bible time. Seriously, if I'm going to step out here like this and put my warfare in writing, I have to be founded on the Rock.
I am constantly confronted by my inadequacy. I am no Mark Driscoll or Francis Chan, or any other pastor of a mega church who has a podcast and a few books to his credit. I would like to be! I have deep respect for these men. David Platt, John Piper, Tim Keller, et al. They've done the work. They've searched the Scripture. I love to hear Ravi Zacharias debate. I cannot believe how foolish I am.
I look at the Psalmists and they only had like the first 5 books of the Law to go off of. So did Joshua and Nehemiah when they read the entire Law aloud after their victories. They brought everything back in and rooted it in God and His precepts.
Satan looks at me and laughs because he knows all he needs to do is ask me about deep theological issues. As long as he can get me discussing ancillary issues that I know nothing about, he can keep me effectively sidelined. What he fails to remember is that even though I am not a genius, I am a smart kid. I did well in school and even attended the Governors Honors Program (that was a total God thing because my friends, like Bender, will tell you that I was in over my head the first day or two of GHP LoL. I still made a great slideshow though!) I am an intelligent person. Intelligence doesn't matter when you mention God though. The world finds God foolish. All of the credentials in the world and "God" is enough to make you dumb, or at least not worthy of serious consideration. I daily question my beliefs, and the amazing thing is God comes through and teaches me new things every day. It's all about Scripture because Scripture breathes God anew every single day. All of my beliefs are based on it. If it proves to be wrong, well I'll deal with that if it comes, but for now it's all I need. He is all I need.
So, I hope to share with you what God is doing in my life, one step at a time. This is just fair warning though, I will be gone most of this month. I'm flying out next Wednesday to visit my sister and brother-in-law in Montana! After Montana, I'll spend 2 weeks at Camp Icthus with some old friends and new. I hope to have a lot to write about after these events, and as always give all glory to God.
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
I am constantly confronted by my inadequacy. I am no Mark Driscoll or Francis Chan, or any other pastor of a mega church who has a podcast and a few books to his credit. I would like to be! I have deep respect for these men. David Platt, John Piper, Tim Keller, et al. They've done the work. They've searched the Scripture. I love to hear Ravi Zacharias debate. I cannot believe how foolish I am.
I look at the Psalmists and they only had like the first 5 books of the Law to go off of. So did Joshua and Nehemiah when they read the entire Law aloud after their victories. They brought everything back in and rooted it in God and His precepts.
Satan looks at me and laughs because he knows all he needs to do is ask me about deep theological issues. As long as he can get me discussing ancillary issues that I know nothing about, he can keep me effectively sidelined. What he fails to remember is that even though I am not a genius, I am a smart kid. I did well in school and even attended the Governors Honors Program (that was a total God thing because my friends, like Bender, will tell you that I was in over my head the first day or two of GHP LoL. I still made a great slideshow though!) I am an intelligent person. Intelligence doesn't matter when you mention God though. The world finds God foolish. All of the credentials in the world and "God" is enough to make you dumb, or at least not worthy of serious consideration. I daily question my beliefs, and the amazing thing is God comes through and teaches me new things every day. It's all about Scripture because Scripture breathes God anew every single day. All of my beliefs are based on it. If it proves to be wrong, well I'll deal with that if it comes, but for now it's all I need. He is all I need.
So, I hope to share with you what God is doing in my life, one step at a time. This is just fair warning though, I will be gone most of this month. I'm flying out next Wednesday to visit my sister and brother-in-law in Montana! After Montana, I'll spend 2 weeks at Camp Icthus with some old friends and new. I hope to have a lot to write about after these events, and as always give all glory to God.
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
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