The sacred-profane dichotomy

Here I will explore a variety of examples, both small and large, that illustrate my ongoing theme that we live in two different worlds at the same time. Perhaps it is part of Satan’s plan to give a dual meaning to every good and true concept and each of us at every moment has the God given right to choose which to believe. Those that suffer from strong delusion aren’t even aware there are other meanings available.

Profane or Secular TruthSacred or Biblical Truth
UniversityChurch
Subconscious or ConscienceHoly Spirit
HalloweenAll Saints’ Day
Sinister (LEFT)Dexter (RIGHT)
Hot WaterCold Water
Ground State or NeutralEnergized or Hot
Christmas (Santa=Satan?)Jesus’ Birthday
Christmas TreeThe Cross
The Easter Bunny that lays chocolate eggs in fields for you to find.The Lamb who takes away the sin of the world
Lording Over: A phrase used to impugn the character of someone in a position of authority.The Lord: Our savior Jesus Christ.
Self Righteous: A criticism for someone with strong beliefs who disagrees with you.Imputed Righteousness: The saving grace received by faith in Jesus Christ and empowered by listening to the Holy Spirit.
Counseling in a psychologists officeConfession in a church or to a fellow believer
Death (abortion or spiritual death)Life (more than biological)
Critical Theory / DeconstructionThe Bible
Inequity: disapproval of natural orderIniquity: another name for sin
With great power comes great responsibility. – Spider ManFor unto whom much is given, of him shall much be required. – Luke 12:48
The patience of Job, used as an example of someone who is patient with other people.The patience of Job, who lost everything he had but kept his faith in God and was restored.
Doubting Thomas: someone who is skeptical and requires “data” and “evidence” to be convinced that a proposition is true.Doubting Thomas: the apostle who wouldn’t believe that Christ had risen from the dead until he was able to see the holes in his hands and place his finger into the wound in his side.
Ultimate Truth: Hasn’t been discovered yet, probably some combination of subatomic particle physics, general relativity, quantum computing and gene coding. Still won’t explain why you exist or what you should or should not do.Ultimate Truth: The Gospel. Explains why you exist, who created you, who His son was and why he came to the earth and died on your behalf so that you could be forgiven of your inevitable sins and remain in heaven for eternity.
Fire Lake: A great song by Bob Seger which no one can apparently figure out the meaning of. Some think Fire Lake is somewhere in Michigan and would be a nice place to vacation.The Lake of Fire: another name for hell, the place where Satan, the Antichrist, the false prophet, and all other unrepentant sinners are going to spend eternity.
Well Versed: Knowing a subject very well – certainly not the Bible but something important like biology or chemistry.Chapter and Verse: Knowing the Bible so well that one can recite passages from memory.

And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Luke 18:6-8
Hot Left, Cold Right

Electrical Outlet Diagram
Electric Outlet Diagram

The spirit of antichrist

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but that it might be made manifest that they were not at all of us.

1 John 2:18-19

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

1 John 4:3-6

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

2 John 1

The spirit of antichrist is rebellious like a wrathful son who doesn’t understand the reasons behind his father’s decisions, and doesn’t comprehend the fullness of a father’s role. Like unto Absalom in The Bible. The spirit of antichrist is jealous like a person who sees the good things God has blessed another person with and covets them for himself. The spirit of antichrist is conceited and believes that it knows enough to restructure the universe better than the way God made it. The spirit of antichrist is vengeful and attempts to punish those who stand in its way. The spirit of antichrist lacks full understanding, and can’t accept the necessity of personal sacrifice – either for humans or for Jesus Christ. The spirit of antichrist is selfish. The spirit of antichrist is obsessed with hate. And the spirit of antichrist seeks control of everyone and everything around it, believing its will is superior to all others, even God, and not counting the cost to any but itself as worthy of consideration.

I would like to present some examples that I personally believe exemplify this spirit at work in my life. I freely admit that these spring from my individual, limited human perspective but I hope they illustrate what to look out for when facing tribulation. First, the Common Core Standards are full of the antichrist spirit. They take something essentially good, higher standards for education, and run them to an extreme and cartoonish caricature that is so far removed from reality and common sense that they become unachievable. While at the same time removing many of the elements that can bring joy to learning about truth, the human condition, history and the greatest achievements of mankind. I believe the standards were written by people who dimly perceived education as a pointless exercise meant to deny power to the “unlucky” and unfairly reward the students who followed arbitrary rules – therefore, they attempted to redefine and restructure both what was taught and how it was taught to the point where all students would feel exactly the same way. It is a highly conceited, overbearing, jealous, and hateful take on education that does absolutely nothing positive for teachers or students. The antichrist spirit.

I also believe that extreme pandemic lockdowns exemplify the antichrist spirit. Once again, taking something that is essentially good and turning it into something bad by being overly conceited and controlling and not having a full understanding of life – certainly not carrying love of Jesus and obedience to the Holy Spirit. Of course everybody should wash their hands, pay attention to their personal hygiene, cover their mouth when they cough, and stay at home when they are feeling sick. But forcing a nation’s children to stay in their rooms for a year and a half is something only a highly selfish person, dare I say a even a sick person, would think is acceptable. The parents and grandparents in my life gladly accept risk and embrace hard work so their children can have a happy life and a bright future. The negative impacts of these excessive measures are only beginning to be felt, the reverberations will echo through the decades and down family trees for generations to come. But the pandemic will be all but forgotten, until next time.

Let’s hit the heart of the matter, Marxism and communism. This ideology and the political system it inspired are driven by jealousy, lack of full understanding, denial of any kind of sacrifice, misunderstanding of natural order, and screams “I know better than God!” Marx was a man who had the leisure to sit around at university observing society and culture around him with a jaundiced eye, very negative and critical of everything and everyone. Certainly sounds like a wonderful man that everyone would want to be friends with or have in their family. His idea was to turn society upside-down and make it fair. Might as well try to eliminate sin from the world, or sickness, or poverty. One thing Marx clearly did not do was read his Bible or consult with Jesus, or he would have known his goals would never be achieved by man on earth. Instead it has resulted in untold suffering, denial of natural rights, and allowing or placing humans filled with antichrist spirit in positions of untold power. The ultimate expression of communism will no doubt be with the ascension of the final antichrist to power over the world system. May the Lord come and take us before that horrible time!

And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

1 Chronicles 21

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Isaiah 14:12-15

Outline of James

James: The book of James the half-brother of Jesus – an outline

  1. Consider temptations an opportunity to test your faith and increase your patience.
    1. Be patient, and if you need wisdom, ask for it and God will provide it liberally.
    2. When you pray, you must be solid in your faith or you won’t receive anything.
    3. A double-minded man, who wavers in his faith, is unstable in all his ways.
    4. Let a poor man rejoice that he is exhalted, and a rich man rejoice that he is made low;
    5. Just like a flower dries up and withereth away, so too a rich man fades away.
    6. Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for he shall receive the crown of life,
    7. Which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
    8. Let no man say God tempted him, for God isn’t tempted and doesn’t tempt men,
    9. Rather, every man is tempted of his own lusts, which bring forth sin and death.
    10. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh from the Father.
    11. Be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath which worketh not righteousness.
    12. Lay apart all filthiness and naughtiness, and receive meekness that can save your soul.
    13. It is not enough to merely read the word of God, you must also be a doer of good.
  2. Don’t be a respecter of persons regarding wealth or position, but be kind to all people.
    1. Whosever shall keep the whole law, but offend in one point, is guilty of all.
    2. What profit a man who says he has faith, but doesn’t have any good works at all?
    3. Thou believest there is one God, thou doest well: for devils also believe, and tremble.
    4. Abraham offered his son Isaac upon the altar, faith wrought his works.
    5. Rahab the harlot received the messengers, and sent them out another way.
    6. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
  3. My brethren, don’t be a slave to multiple masters, knowing we receive the greater damnation.
    1. The tongue is a little member that can lead us into hellfire, like the rudder of a great ship.
    2. Every kind of beasts, birds, serpents, sea creatures can be tamed by man, and has been,
    3. But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
    4. We use our tongues to bless God, and also to curse men made in the image of God.
    5. Can a fountain be both sweet and bitter? Can a fig tree bear olive berries, or a vine bear figs?
    6. If you want to be wise, show it with a good conversation and the wisdom of meekness.
    7. If you have bitter envying and strife in your heart, there is confusion and every evil work.
    8. Wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, easy, with mercy and good fruits; without partiality or hypocrisy.
    9. The fruit of righteousness is sown in the peace of them that make peace.
  4. Where do wars and fighting between you come from? Isn’t it from the lusts that war inside you?
    1. You lust, and have not: you kill, but can’t obtain: you fight and war, yet have not.
    2. Ye ask but don’t receive because you ask amiss: that you may consume upon your lusts.
    3. Adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?
    4. Whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
    5. The scripture says that the spirit in us lusteth to envy; but Jesus giveth more grace.
    6. God resisteth the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
    7. Submit to God and draw near to Him. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
    8. Wash you hands, purify your heart, humble yourself in the sight of the Lord. He shall lift you up.
    9. Don’t speak evil of your brother, or judge your brother, to judge is not to follow the law.
    10. There is only one lawgiver, who is able to save or destroy: who are you to judge others?
    11. Don’t say what you will do in the future, because our lives are a vapour that soon vanishes.
    12. Instead of evil boasting say, “If the Lord will it,” we shall live and do this or that.
    13. If you know what it means to do good, but you don’t do it, then you are sinning.
  5. Escape now rich men, you should weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon you.
    1. Your riches are corrupted, garments are motheaten, gold and silver is cankered and rusted.
    2. You have heaped together treasure for the last days, stolen from the workers you employed.
    3. You live in pleasure on the earth, have been wanton; condemned the just who don’t resist you.
    4. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Like a farmer waiting for harvest.
    5. Consider the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord, as examples of suffering and patience.
    6. We count them happy who endure, like patient Job who waited for the Lord’s pity & tender mercy.
    7. Do not swear, neither by heaven nor earth nor any other: let your yes be “yes” and your no be “no”.
    8. If you are afflicted, pray. If you are merry, then sing psalms. If you are sick, call the church elders.
    9. Confess faults to one another, and pray for one another that ye may be healed.
    10. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, like Elias who prayed about rain.
    11. He who converts a sinner from the error of his ways saves a soul from death; and hides a multitude of sins.

Philippians Outline

Philippians: Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi – an outline

  1. Introduces Paul and Timothy as servants of Jesus Christ, to the saints, bishops and deacons at Philippi
    1. He says he prays for them and considers them fellow bondservants in Christ
    2. He wishes them to abound in knowledge and judgment, sincere without offense until Christ’s return
    3. Paul explains that his suffering and jailing have served to further the cause of the Gospel
    4. He even welcomes those who preach about Christ out of envy, strife and contention with him
    5. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Paul would rather be with Christ, but knows he still has work to do on Earth, spreading the Gospel and supporting churches like Philippi
    6. He explains the church is not only to believe in Christ, but to suffer for His sake, just like Paul.
  2. There is a consolation and comfort of love and a fellowship of the Spirit, that lets nothing be done through strife or vainglory but rather by having each person esteem others more than themselves.
    1. We should try to be like Christ Jesus, who even though he was God took on the form of a servant and was obedient unto death on the cross.
    2. Wherefore God has also highly exalted and gave Him a name above every other name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father.
    3. Therefore, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
    4. Do all things without murmurings and disputings, to be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.
    5. Shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life, that we may rejoice in the day of Christ, having not laboured in vain.
    6. Paul explains that he will send Timothy, and plans to visit himself, but in the meantime he is sending Epaphroditus who has been sick and they should receive him with all gladness.
  3. Rejoice in the Lord. Beware of dogs and evil workers. Trust not in the flesh.
    1. Paul explains that as a strict Jewish man, he had more reason than most to put faith in the law, but he gave up all those things as worthless compared to faith in Jesus Christ.
    2. Forget the things that are behind, and reach forth unto those things which are ahead, even heaven.
    3. Beware the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, who glory in their shame, and who mind earthly things.
  4. Paul mentions several people by name: Euodias, Syntyche, Clement and beseech them to stand fast in the lord and to rejoice in the Lord always.
    1. Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
    2. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
    3. Whatever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report, if there be any virtue & praise in them, then dwell upon these things.
    4. He thanks the church for supporting him when they had the opportunity, though he has learned to be content in any state whether based or abounding.
    5. I can do all things through Christ which strengeneth me.
    6. Paul closes by thanking them on more time for their sacrifices brought to him by Ephaphroditus.
    7. All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Ephesians Outline

Ephesians: Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus – an outline

  1. Introduces Paul as an apostle of Jesus Christ, blessed to be one of the first who trusted in Him
    1. Starts with a beautiful summary of forgiveness of sins, grace and power of the Lord
    2. Goes on to explain that those at Ephesus also trusted in Christ upon hearing the Gospel
    3. Paul says he is praying for them to receive wisdom and revelation so they can understand
    4. That God raised Jesus from the dead and sat him at his own right hand in Heaven
    5. To be above every name not only in this world but in the world to come.
  2. And you, who were dead in trespasses and sins, walked according to the world
    1. By grace ye are saved through faith, the gift of God: not of works, lest any should boast
    2. Remember that ye were Gentiles, called Uncircumcision in the flesh, without Christ
    3. But now in Christ Jesus ye who were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ
    4. Having abolished the law of commandments, He preached peace to both Gentiles and Jews
    5. For through Him, the cornerstone, we both have access unto the Father by one Spirit
  3. Paul explains that he was ordained to be a minister unto the Gentiles
    1. God has entrusted him with the mystery of the revelation of Christ for dispensation of grace
    2. This wasn’t revealed in ages past to sons of men, but is now through apostles and prophets
    3. Paul refers to himself as the least of all saints, and says don’t worry about his suffering
    4. The Holy Spirit strengthens us with might, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith
    5. Know the love of Christ which passes all knowledge, throughout all ages. Amen
  4. Therefore, Paul beseeches the converted Gentile walk in a manner worthy of their calling
    1. With lowliness & meekness, longsuffering, forbearing in love, endeavoring unity & peace
    2. One body, one Spirit, one hope of calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one father God
    3. Unto every one is given grace the gift of Christ, who descended low then ascended highest
    4. He gave some apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers for perfecting saints
    5. The work of ministry, the edifying of the body of Christ, that we be no more children tossed
    6. Carried by every wind of doctrine, by cunning slight of men lying in wait to deceive
    7. Instead grow up into Him who is the head, Christ, from whom is the whole body fitly joined
    8. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, put on the new man, in righteousness and holiness
    9. Put away lying, don’t be angry, don’t sin, don’t give in to the devil, don’t steal or be corrupt
    10. Don’t speak with bitterness, wrath or malice but rather forgive others as Christ forgave us
  5. Paul gives a prescription for the followers of Christ for their future behaviour
    1. Avoid fornication, all uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking nor jesting
    2. Rather give thanks as becometh saints, for no whoremonger or idolator hath any inheritance
    3. Let no man deceive you with vain words, as God’s wrath comes upon disobedient children
    4. So be not partakers with them, though you were sometimes in darkness, now walk in light
    5. The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth proved acceptable to God
    6. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful, shameful works of darkness, but rather reprove them
    7. Be not drunk with wine, but filled with the Spirit, singing and making melody to the Lord
    8. Submit yourselves one to another in fear of God, wives to husbands as church to the Lord
    9. Husbands love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it
    10. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife as one flesh
    11. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church (the second coming)
  6. Children and parents, servants and masters, principalities and powers, the full armour of God
    1. Any good thing a man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he bond or free
    2. Loins girt with truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with preparation of the gospel
    3. Above all the shield of faith to quench the fiery darts of the wicked, the helmet of salvation
    4. And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, to make known mystery of gospel
    5. Paul introduces his brother Tychicus, with whom he presumably sent this letter
    6. Peace to brethren, love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%201&version=KJV

End Times Follies

Daniel 12 KJV
1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Dan.12.1-Dan.12.4&version=KJV

I have had this sitting in my drafts folder since 2019/12/02. At the time I was thinking about the last verse “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” This fits perfectly into my recurring theme that the more scientific and technological success humans have had, the more likely we are to think we don’t need God to explain anything. Even though neither science nor technology can ever explain why. Never. Ever. Seriously.

But in retrospect now, post or perhaps mid-coronavirus panic, the whole verse takes on a different character. I am not a believer that we are in the tribulation now, but we are definitely in the end times. However, I frequently remind myself that Jesus could come back for us today, or tomorrow, or we might have hundreds of years left, or even thousands for that matter. No one knows the day or the hour. It is tempting to think that we live in especially chaotic or evil times, but if you read the Old Testament you will quickly discover that chaos and evil have been around since the beginning (or perhaps just after the beginning).

So pray, fear not, and try to be sober minded and use your God given common sense. And if you are able, stop voting for people who hate Jesus Christ.

Conan the Barbarian, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and The Mark of Athena

Spoiler Alert: I discuss these plots extensively below and reveal their key points and endings.

Isaiah 22:13 King James Version (KJV)
13 And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+22%3A13%2C1+Corinthians+15%3A32%2CLuke+12%3A19&version=KJV

In the 1982 movie Conan the Barbarian, one of the repeated themes is “Do you want to live forever?” Conan’s companion and lover Valeria eventually sacrifices herself to save Conan, and later returns in a very Valkyrie-esque form to save his life yet again. Note the inclusion of a very Christian theme, self-sacrifice. I realize now that every story out of Hollywood, whether wittingly or unwittingly, includes elements from the story of Jesus Christ – elements from The Bible. Any fictional story that doesn’t won’t have any gravitas, won’t evoke any feelings in the reader/listener/watcher, and won’t ring true.

John 15:13-17 King James Version (KJV)
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A13-17&version=KJV

However, despite including some truth, there are always confusion and lies mixed in as well – again, whether on purpose or not it really doesn’t matter. I often wonder if the people who are drawn into the entertainment industry are those who are attracted to fantasy and repelled by truth. Getting back to Conan, the clear implication is Norse mythology and Valhalla. Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die? If you read the above quote from Isaiah in full context, you will realize that this nihilistic attitude is condemned by the Lord. It’s just another version of anti-christian pseudo-truth confusion.

Isaiah 22:12-14 Amplified Bible (AMP)

12 
Therefore in that day the Lord God of hosts called you to weeping, to mourning,
To shaving the head and to wearing sackcloth [in humiliation].
13 
Instead, there is joy and jubilation,
Killing of oxen and slaughtering of sheep,
Eating meat and drinking wine, saying,
“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.”
14 
But the Lord of hosts revealed Himself in my ears,
“This sin absolutely will not be forgiven you
Until you die,” says the Lord God of hosts.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+22&version=AMP

Before I leave Conan, let me just note a few other items of interest. The bad guy Thulsa Doom transforms into a giant snake, clearly a reference to Genesis. His followers engage in orgies and cannibalism. While speaking to Conan, he calls to one of his loyal followers, causing her to needlessly, pointlessly fall to her death as he explains to Conan that being able to control people’s minds is true power. The Riddle of Steel, “What is stronger than steel? The arm that wields it.” But the sharpest two-edged sword is the Word of God, and it doesn’t call us to control each other but rather to love one another. And I would be remiss to note that Thulsa Doom actually crucifies Conan on a tree, if you needed any more examples of The Bible being used as inspiration for this fiction.

Another movie from 1982 is Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan which I just watched again last night with my son. I was surprised to discern the communistic overtones present in the writing, which were not apparent to me when I was a young man. I realize now that Star Trek is a heavily Utopian philosophy, and that communism is also. “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.” Captain Kirk calls Spock “comrade” at his funeral. There are no individual possessions and everyone follows orders. There is no religion, except for backwards planet-locked cultures, who we are supposed to respect and not interfere with. I’m feeling a little John Lennon “Imagine” going on right now – a wonderful song with a horrible message. Perhaps Gene Roddenberry made the Enterprise a military ship because that gives a certain patina to the authoritarian nature of the society that is presented. There are clearly literary and artistic references within this movie that showcase the intellectualism and love of fiction over reality and truth, witness Khan quoting from Moby Dick and Spock giving Kirk a Charles Dicken’s book for this birthday. But as I stated before, the most moving part of the movie is when Spock sacrifices himself to save the ship from the “Genesis Device” which is a technological artifact that can create life. But instead of pointing to Jesus Christ and The Bible, instead we are fed communism and atheism. Glory to God that He can find a way to use these vessels to carry glimmers of truth.

One final example, my son chose to read The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan published in 2012. It is part of a series of books by Riordan about Greek and Roman mythology. I found it to read very much like a soap-opera, with numerous characters popping in and out of the story line. They travel to many locations and solve puzzles and fight against villains in a quest to defeat the forces of darkness. I just want to point out the multi-theistic nature of Greek and Roman mythology, their gods are very much like people – they fight with each other, sleep with each other and with humans, and interact with the mortal world on a regular basis.

Exodus 20 Amplified Bible (AMP)
The Ten Commandments
20 Then God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself any idol, or any likeness (form, manifestation) of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth [as an object to worship]. 5 You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous (impassioned) God [[a]demanding what is rightfully and uniquely mine], visiting (avenging) the iniquity (sin, guilt) of the fathers on the children [that is, calling the children to account for the sins of their fathers], to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing graciousness and steadfast lovingkindness to thousands [of generations] of those who love Me and keep My commandments.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+20&version=AMP

We are frequently told that our western culture derives from two primary historical branches Judeo-Christian and Greco-Roman. Apparently we get all the civics and science and high culture from Greek and Roman civilization, and all the stuffy old-fashioned stick-in-the-mud self-righteousness comes from Jewish and Christian tradition and theology. But I really wonder about the truth of this common assertion. For one thing, Greeks are known to have practiced pederasty, and women were certainly not full citizens or given full rights. Romans were famously brutal and known for throwing Christians to the lions in the coliseum, not to mention gladiatorial games of death, vomitoriums and public bath houses.

Now to be fair, much of text of The Bible was written in Greek language. Our alphabet and vocabulary has undeniable Greek and Roman roots. And certainly they made important contributions to mathematics, science and engineering and the exploration of the world. But ultimately they were polytheistic and pagan civilizations, just like Conan’s Norse Mythology or Roddenberry’s fictional universe based upon a utopian, atheist, communist vision of the future. And not surprisingly, The Mark of Athena ends with two of the demigods (sons and daughters of gods who coupled with mortals) sacrificing themselves for the greater good.

It would seem that it is impossible to write a story that anyone wants to read without including at least a little bit of the truth. It may be confused, conflated, twisted, surrounded or denied, but it cannot be excluded. This may also explain why people today feel like they are living in two different worlds, those with biblical knowledge can literally hear a different message coming from popular culture than those who deny all truth. I’ve heard the theory that devils have to tell you the truth about what they are doing, like Dracula having to ask permission to enter your house.

Luke 2:14 [Full Chapter]
“Glory to God in the highest [heaven], And on earth peace among men with whom He is well-pleased.”

Deliverance

When you hear the word “deliverance” do you start to hear dueling banjos in your head? If you grew up in America in the 70s you probably do. A pretty disturbing film as I recall. A quick search of the Internet will show up the movie and the novel it was based upon, along with a slew of definitions essentially talking about someone or something being delivered. Look closely enough and you will start to see mentions of being liberated or rescued, but rescued from what? Let’s take a look in the bible

Luke 4:17-19 King James Version (KJV)
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4:17-19&version=KJV

True deliverance is to be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Free birth control for all

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalm 139:13-16 ESV

I know many Christians are very concerned about abortion, and rightfully so. But it occurred to me that there is another issue that may have been affecting our culture even more subtly and for a longer period of time: the birth control pill. A quick internet search will reveal that the invention of “the pill” is universally lauded as a wonderful advancement of women’s rights, equality, preventing so many miserable, unwanted lives of “unplanned” human beings. I am not a theological doctor and have heard some pastors who I respect say there is nothing wrong with birth control in a committed marriage. But I understand enough about human biology to wonder what the effects are of pumping a large and important portion of our society full of powerful, behaviour altering hormones. We outlaw anabolic steroids for athletes because they have negative side effects and seem like an unfair advantage. But again, search for negative side effects of the pill and you will find nothing but glowing reviews of how it prevents everything from cancer to acne. But if you look at the incidence of breast cancer and compare it with the prevalence of hormonal birth control it appears there is some positive association. I don’t have all the answers, certainly, but I am asking the questions. What effect has widespread hormonal birth control had upon society? We lament the breakdown of the family unit, the apparent hedonism of our culture, drugs, prostitution and violent crime, the worshiping of musical and sports idols instead of Jesus Christ. Some point to the entertainment industry: movies, TV, music, video games, etc. But what role has “risk-free” sexual libertinism played in the path of global culture?

To bring it a little closer to home, I personally can vouchsafe that when my wife is on birth-control it does affect her personality, moods, and actions. I think that is what got me thinking down this line of thought. When we were trying to have a child, she was happier, more active, more loving, the food she cooked tasted better, even our children could see the changes. Once she decided it wasn’t going to happen her doctor dutifully put her back on the pill and she became more like my cherished friend and a little less like my loving wife. Yes, this is anecdotal. Yes, it could be me. But think about what is going on societially now: we are preparing to pump hormones into children in an effort to change their birth genders to match their psychology. Is this not the endgame of gender based hormonal treatment? According to medicine, the birth control pill is female hormones, which you would think would make a woman more fertile, not less. It seems to me that birth control pills actually make women more like men, since men can’t get pregnant and view sex as generally risk-free (outside of going to hell which most don’t believe is real).

I’m just saying, its worth thinking about.

The journey is the reward

Let me tackle this aphorism from both a positive and a negative aspect. On a positive note, I get it: stop and smell the roses, enjoy the wonderful little moments in life that come your way like the smile of a child or a hug of long reunion. I believe the Christian formulation is gratitude or thankfulness. We tend to think of prayer as asking for something from God, but that is only part of what is called for in The Bible. The other pieces are praise and gratitude, thanking God literally for everything He has done for you including sending his Son to redeem you from your natural, wretched state of existence. Looking at the world around you, the universe even, and marveling at His wondrous works.

Isaiah 6
2Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

From a critical perspective, there seem to be two types of gnostic religion in the world: those that believe the only point of living is maximum pleasure on Earth, because there is nothing else, nothing after, nothing greater, no meaning other than that which we ascribe and perceive. This is properly nihilism or Satanism but it goes by a thousand names just like its master does. The other type is more properly Buddhist: that life is suffering and undesirable, the only point of life is to patiently ride the wheel of life until eventually, hopefully you reach the status of Buddha and ascend to a higher state of being in the next realm of the multiverse. Frequently such religions include the concept of reincarnation in the neverending cycle of existence – one can either go up or down on the ladder of enlightenment. The problem is that the logical consequence of this line of reasoning is that little we do in our human lives is of any consequence. Evil can be ameliorated with subsequent good. It’s just a learning experience!

This is why I love Christ. His is the only path that simultaneously rebukes our undeniable sinful nature and at the same time holds out His hand in an offer of blessed hope. What you do does matter. The choices you make in life are important. There is a greater meaning to your existence. No, you can’t understand everything or make perfect choices, you’re going to fail. But if you believe there must be more to this life than meets the eye, you will eventually find The Gospel.

He Was There All the Time