Friendships Being Born

True friendships are a wonder.

It’s so hard to comprehend

How two souls meet each other

And make themselves a friend.

Truly, they are mysterious,

New friendships being born,

Somehow, gaining parentage,

Emerging as they form.

New life, full of potential,

Ready to grow and to become,

From the hearts of former strangers,

Something familiar– somehow one!

Cherel S. Justice

Radical Islam Exposed

The Fight Of Our Lives by William J. Bennett and Seth Leibsohn is a Churchillian call to avoid the dangers inherent in trying to appease one's mortal enemies and it calls us all to an awareness of who that enemy is: Radical Islam.

Bennett and Liebsohn report that in spite of all the politically correct newspeak abroad today, Islam is not a religion of peace and the Koran is not a peaceful book. The authors do an excellent job of exposing the truth about this widespread deception. No matter how many times a lie is stated, and no matter whose lips the lie comes from, it is still a lie.

This book documents and details the changes in our country since the 9/11 destruction of the Twin Towers in NYC.  It reviews the original "War on Islamic Terrorists" stance of President Bush which was later followed by his "Islam is a religion of peace" speeches. It reviews President Obama's cozy relationship with Muslims and his refusal to even use the word terrorism in association with Radical Islam and how that policy permeates his administration.

In spite of the documented terrorist attacks in the USA (see the enlightening chapter on the Fort Hood massacre by a Muslim extremist) and worldwide by Radical Islamists (which have increased during Obama's Administration), Homeland Security leader, Janet Napolitano believes people who oppose abortion, and people who oppose illegal immigration, and our war veterans, are a greater threat to our national security than are Muslim extremists who hijack planes and kill innocent people with bombs.

So what's going on here? If you are wondering why leftist journalists coddle and promote Islamic causes such as the 'Ground Zero' Mosque, consider what they have in common: "the narrative of anti-Americanism, the narrative of 'blame America first', the narrative that America is more to be faulted for the sins of the world than praised for the successes in it."

If you are curious about how we got enmeshed in this deadly cycle of political correctness concerning Islam, this book is for you. To remain free we must know who our enemies are and put up our best defense against them at home and abroad. A huge part of our defense involves knowing and speaking the truth. We need to know our godly history and teach it to our children.  Has America made mistakes? Of course, and the authors acknowledge that truth! But, she was founded on godly principles and has acted upon those principles throughout her history, however imperfectly at times.

By the grace of God, we are the most free nation on earth and have been a beacon of hope to the world since our inception. With God's help, we must defend and preserve that freedom and that hope, or lose it. So, if you are not faint of heart and you are concerned about the issues we face, you might want to read this book. I recommend it.


I received  a free review copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I received no compensation for them,

Grateful

When I was wounded in my spirit,

Alone and wondering who cared,

Without direction, ever searching,

Needing someone to be there;

Others turned away and left me

Trying to make it on my own,

But you came along beside me

Sharing love I’d never known.

Receiving love revived my spirit,

And I rejoiced to find a friend.

My life will never be the same,

And I’ll be grateful to the end.

Cherel S. Justice

The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity;

but a wounded spirit who can bear?

Proverbs 18:14

I Will Remember

You've never been so far away

My heart could stand to let you go.

There's never been a single day,

A love for you, I didn't know.

All through the years, I've thought of you

As quite different from the rest.

Someone special, someone dear, and

Always the noblest of the best.

You've been a friend to me in ways

That are not easily explained.

Your life inspired me to improve;

Encouragement brought needed change.

And still today you bless my life

By who you are and what you say.

I will remember– ne'er forget.

So, as a friend, I'm here to stay.

Cherel S. Justice

When Death Has Died

The fearful end of life for which we grieve

Is death which comes so unexpectedly.

Slow and unlearned are taught to leave this life,

And learn as well as any erudite.

Assured it is and cannot be denied,

Or yield to arm of force or plea of bribe.

Death comes to all at the appointed hour,

To saints and the undone with equal power.

So, trust the Father if gifted you have been,

When shadows grow and darkness hastens in.

 

You are fulfilled, so don't deny your worth,

If you contented served from your new birth.

His ways are high. His timing for your best.

And knowing this, when Death has come you're blessed.

Look to the Father of eternal light.

His Daystar's ever bright in darkest night!

And then, as Death comes welcomed to your door

(The numbered days of earth to be no more),

With Paul, you can esteem this life worth less

Than gain of heaven's resurrected rest.

There, all men being bought and fully tried

Are free eternally and Death has died!

Death’s End

His ugly head crushed neath the conqueror's feet.

His key retrieved from Satan in retreat.

Bound and held with dark companions,

Hell and Grave.

Ne'r again to rob the land of godly saved.

To God Be The Glory!

Cherel Justice

Use A Friend, Lose A Friend

As you know from my last post, I just finished reading Doing Virtuous Business by Dr. T.R. Malloch. Being a book on business, you wouldn’t expect to find insight on friendship, but that’s just one more benefit I gained from reading the book. And, I’d like to share some of his comments with you.

To give some context for the quotes: Dr. Malloch deals with the benefits of the free market that go beyond the expected. He says, a business man may go into business to meet a need and end up making a lot of money. The profit is the outcome of meeting the need. And so, all capitalistic endeavors don’t start out as get rich schemes, contrary to what critics would say. Dr. Malloch illustrates this principle by discussing the unsought benefits derived from friendship.

“Consider friendship: The person with friends has help in his time of need, consolation in despair, and fellowship in rejoicing. In everything he attempts, he is better off than the friendless person, and all his burdens are more lightly born. But this does not mean that he values his friend merely as a means to achieving his own selfish goals. On the contrary, he values his friend for the particular person he is and without thought of benefit… The person who treats another as a means to his own goals… is not treating the other as a friend. And if you do not treat someone as a friend, he ceases to be one.”

“Friends are useful, so long as you do not make use of them! Treat someone as a friend, value him for what he is, and he will repay your friendship a thousandfold. Treat him as useful, however, and he will soon cease to be so.” 

One might think this would be obvious to all but it isn’t. Some people lose relationships like water off a duck’s back and never understand what happened. If you are having relational difficulties, you might want to ask yourself, “Am I a user?” or "Am I being used?"

Dr. Malloch concludes his thoughts on friendship with, “only the virtuous have true friends.” Much to think about.

Feel free to leave a comment if you have some insight on this topic.

Doing Virtuous Business by Theodore Roosevelt Malloch

Doing Virtuous Business by Theodore Roosevelt Malloch is a refreshing book. Dr. Malloch says, "the creation of wealth by virtuous means is the most important thing we can do for ourselves and others, for our society, and for the world at large."

At a time when capitalism is being criticized and undermined by mistaken economists, misguided politicians and falsely called "liberal" professors (they certainly aren't for freedom); we need a voice to clarify what's at stake. This book does just that.

What is capitalism? Dr. Malloch says, "Capitalism--just another name for the free economy--is a system in which capital is held in private hands, and in which people are free to spend it, waste it, invest it, accumulate it, and share it as they choose. In the nearly century-long contest between capitalism and communism, capitalism triumphed... because it alone expresses and preserves the gift of human freedom."

Those who long for socialism cry out for poverty and servitude unawares! Dr. Malloch makes the case that only "virtuous" capitalism can produce the wealth needed to raise the human race out of poverty. And, contrary to what you may have heard, capitalism is first and foremost based on virtue. "A free market depends upon honesty and accountability; it also tends to produce these virtues." Why? Because, in time, a free market will expose frauds.

Contrary to the "TV caricature" of businessmen as being "pragmatic and self-seeking athiest(s)", he says, "sociologists discovered that, next to military officers and church professionals, more business people attended church every week than any other elite: twice as many as congressional aides, four times as many as news-media professionals, and nine times as many as elites of the TV and movie industries."

Dr. Malloch gives us a detailed description of the virtues of business: faith, honesty, gratitude, perseverance, compassion, forgiveness, patience, humility, courage, respect, generosity, discipline, chastity and thrift. This section alone makes reading the book worthwhile. And, he follows up with many examples of these virtues being practiced by businessmen and corporations today.

Oh, one more topic.  If you need a refresher course on the true meaning of social justice, this book's for you. There's so much good information here, you can't go wrong in reading Doing Virtuous Business!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Forgiveness Flows Out of Gratitude

I was reading a blog that was questioning the need to forgive. Questions were raised, such as, Why should we forgive? Shouldn’t the offender say they are sorry and ask for forgiveness or make restitution?  And the concern was stated: To forgive is to act like the wrong never happened. And they ended with, ”Give me a reason to forgive.”

I posted a comment on that site, which follows. But, in my comment, I failed to address the assertion that forgiveness is acting like the wrong never happened. And since this is a typical concern, I would like to respond. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ has never been forgotten. Neither God nor man thinks it should be. And yet Jesus forgave those who crucified Him and asked His Father to forgive them as well.

Forgiveness doesn’t require forgetting what happened. It does, however, release one from the pain attached to the memory. And it allows the forgiver to treat the forgiven as if they had not been wronged by them.

My Comment: “Jesus is the only pure innocent person who ever lived. When He died on the cross, it was for our sins. He had no guilt of His own. In the process He prayed, “Father,  forgive them for they know not what they do.”

They knew they were behaving as barbarians.
They knew they were killing an innocent man.
They knew they were wrong.
But they didn’t know He was God in the flesh.
They didn’t know He was dying in their place.
They didn’t know they were party to the greatest crime in history!

All criminals have some level of knowledge about their wrongness but they also have some blind spots. For whatever reason, they lack compassion and empathy. They cannot put themselves in their victim’s place. At some level, “they know not what they do.” They do not fully realize the consequences of their behavior for their victims or themselves.

This does not excuse the behavior. It does not exempt them from prosecution to the full extent of the law now and the Judgement of God in eternity if they fail to repent. But it does broaden our thinking and may stir our own compassion and empathy. Outside the legal system, only those among us “without sin” are allowed to cast stones. God says, “Vengeance is Mine says the LORD. I will repay.” No one gets away with anything. They face God now or in the end.

In Matthew Chapter 6, Jesus said for us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Then He followed with the statement, “If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Jesus also told a parable about how upset a King became when he forgave one of his debtors a huge debt and that fellow went out and refused to forgive another man of a tiny debt (by comparison). We are in that situation. We are all debtors who must look to God for mercy, and He says those who will not extend mercy will receive none.

True forgiveness flows out of gratitude for forgiveness received. No other source of forgiveness is strong enough to release “heavy” debts.

I pray forgiveness will flow in and through the reader in need of it, by the grace of God. I am sorry for your pain. God offers you release and peace through forgiveness.”

I know a lot more could be said about this subject and I welcome your comments.

Response to "Message In The Movie" Comment

I received a comment concerning my blog called Message in the Movie. It was dealing with the Shyamalan movie, The Sixth Sense. The commenter's concerns are listed below and my response follows.

A Christian shouldn't watch such movies.
It sounds demonic.
God doesn't speak to us through movies.
God speaks through His Word and the Holy Spirit.

"Thank you for your comment. I understand where you are coming from. This movie has been out for many years and I had never seen it until recently because I had no desire to. But, as I said, I watched it with someone who wanted to see it and was surprised by the message I found in it. 

I’m glad you have high standards for your viewing. I’m very particular myself. I’m not attracted to the dark side for entertainment because I don’t find it entertaining. However, in this case, I didn’t think a Shyamalan movie would be extreme. I wasn’t sure what to expect and I did find a spiritual message in the movie. I stand by that. There are spiritually dead people all around us who do not recognize that they are spiritually dead and do not, therefore, see the spiritually dead people all around them. This is sad. It’s even sadder that Christians often fail to see the spiritually dead people all around them and miss opportunities to minister to them.

Movies are messages. A movie was never made that didn’t attempt to convey “something” to the audience who viewed it. But, what we get out of a movie depends on what we bring to it. I’m sure most of the people who watched The Sixth Sense did so for entertainment purposes only and didn’t analyze what they got out of it. I, however, never watch or read anything without thinking about the message being conveyed. That’s why I am not attracted to the dark side. I don’t like their messages. I’m also not attracted to most of what passes for entertainment today because, again, the messages aren’t usually godly. The “angel of light” movies probably have a more insidious affect on people because they are affected unawares. Their morals are eroded in a subtle way view after view.

The Holy Spirit is engaged in our lives and speaks to us about all the activities we engage in. If we are listening, He leads us into all truth. Some of that instruction tells us what to avoid! I’m glad you are sensitive to that guidance in your life. I try to be as well.

Thank you again for your comment."

I decided to turn my response into a post because these concerns are legitimate and deserved an answer. I think this is a healthy dialogue and this may help shed further light on this topic for others who may have comments or questions but didn't share them.

Please feel free to express your interests, concerns or questions about any of my blogs. I would appreciate the feedback.

Thank you and God Bless!

Friends and Family

If you’re thankful for the saints of old
Who walked along the pilgrim road,
Helped make the path, and clear the way
So you could walk it.
Then it’s your turn to do the same,
So your loved ones will trust His name,
As they see you live for Him,
And not just talk it.

 

You can cross over there
If you’ve been faithful.
You can cross over there
If you’ve been true.
And the greatest joys you’ll share
With your Lord over there,
Are friends and family you brought with you.

 

Cherel S. Justice

The Language of Flowers

Jonquil

Alas, my poor heart
Is revealed in red carnations.
Dark thoughts of begonia
Arise from marigold’s grief!

Hydrangea’s heartlessness
And foxglove’s insincerity
Leave love-in-a-mist’s perplexity
To confound without relief!

Distrust of lavender and
Uselessness of meadowsweet
Override persistent petunia’s
Pleas to never despair.

The counterfeit mock orange
Continues to deceive
And the uncertainty of convolvulus
Is always there.

No balm of sympathy or
Comfort of scarlet geranium
No message of iris or
Plea to auricula will do.

Because I feel forsaken
As the garden anemone, and
As jonquil, I desire a return
Of affection from you!

Cherel S. Justice

I've written several poems in florigraphy, the language of the flowers. This use of the flower language was discovered in Turkey and brought to Europe in the 1700s. I love flowers and was fascinated when I discovered that it was a common practice in Victorian-era England to let the flowers do one's talking.

What could be more romantic than to use flowers with designated meanings to share one's deepest feelings, hopes, desires, dreams or even disappointments? We still give red roses to express love and yellow roses for friendship but we have, for the most part, let this beautiful art slip away from us. So sad! There are over 600 flowers with meanings to choose from.

If you'd like to read a short article and view a Flower Meaning Chart, use the following link.    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_of_flowers 

or  for more info visit  http://www.languageofflowers.com/ .

There are many sites and books to choose from if you'd like to revive this beautiful and romantic art in your life.

Charts will differ depending on country of origin. Lily of the Valley means Trustworthy on the wiki chart but Return of Happiness (which makes more sense to me) on others.  Enjoy!!!

Oh, by the way, Jonquil is the flower for March, making it my husband's birth flower. The meaning suits him-- and probably most guys!   :-)

No Pleasure In Renegades

Obama's Secret Service Code Name is Renegade. It means "lawless one". Consider such a name for the Chief Executive of our country. His main responsibility is to uphold the constitution and make sure our laws are enforced.

"We The People" (all of us) are to live under The Rule of Law. He is to enforce the Rule of Law!

Believe it or not, The Rule of Law, when it is properly enforced, insures our freedoms. It means that all persons, regardless of their position or wealth, are to abide by the same laws. And those laws are not supposed to discriminate either by favoring the rich or the poor or differentiating among people based on any other standard. They are supposed to be equitable and insure opportunity, but not outcome.

In other words, The Rule of Law protects our "right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". But, it does not attempt to insure our happiness by forcing any standard of equality among all people. Why? Because forcing a standard among us would rob us of freedom, thereby restricting our pursuit of happiness.

We are living in perilous times. Many voices in our society are calling for “collective salvation”. Our president’s voice is among them and he has unlawfully appointed many Tsars in his administration to push this agenda. Be sure, anything that is coercively collective denies individual rights. You may as well take your number and get in line because your name and your desires will no longer matter.

Read Anthem and Atlas Shrugged  by Ayn Rand or watch the Atlas Shrugged movie when it comes out on April 15th, 2010.  Collectivism (socialism, communism) assigns responsibilities and denies rights. There is no other way to make all people equal. And, even then, the masters will be unequal at the top!

Remember Animal Farm. The motto started out,  “All animals are created equal.” and ended up as, “Some animals are created more equal than others.” Collectivism never works! How many times will people fall for the lie? Collectivism brings misery for the cooperative and death for the rest. Please wake up!

Our “renegade” president has shown himself unwilling to enforce The Rule of Law. He pushes his own agenda through Executive Orders and refuses to enforce laws he doesn’t agree with. Lawlessness will lead to anarchy and then to totalitarianism– unless God intervenes on our behalf. (Look what’s going on in Wisconsin where other renegade elected officials are refusing to fulfill the jobs they were elected to do!)

I’ve talked of all this without even mentioning our country’s debt level. “The borrower is servant to the lender!” Our political leaders have “borrowed” us into a position of servitude if we don’t get this situation turned around soon. Who do you think we’ll be serving?

The Unions are Collectivist Strongholds! They serve neither their members or their bosses. They are part of a larger scheme to bring America to her knees. Again, please wake up!

We must not leave God out of this picture. A nation never fell without falling under His judgement. He is patient and merciful and waits until “the iniquity of the Amorites” is full. But, at some point, it’s FULL and He brings judgement.

We must repent “For Our Nation” for turning away from God by shutting Him out of our schools and public life and neglecting Him in our homes and churches. We must repent “For Our Nation” for the abomination of abortion!  We must repent “For Our Nation” for any abusive foreign policies in war or otherwise.

Personally, we must repent for failing to respond to the cries of the widows, the orphans, the immigrants, the ailing, the downtrodden and the dispossessed– for lack of loving our neighbors as our self! And we must repent for unclean speech, selfishness, slander, greed, laziness, violence, pornography, spiritual pride, etcetera.

We are in the midst of a spiritual battle. The Righteous Judge is at the door! He is the Ultimate Law Giver and He takes no pleasure in renegades. He is shaking all things to purify His people and to bring in a great end time harvest of souls. Please wake up!

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 NIV

The Christ

Can one so limited as man

Complete a task so great?

Convince a world steeped in sin

That someone came to die for them?

Where could one start to tell about

A God who took on flesh,

And leaving glory in its place

Came down to see men face to face?

What words would do to half describe

The trade He made that day,

In shedding glory without end

To wear a robe of flesh like men?

How should someone present the news

About the life He lived,

How He, when tempted and tried like men,

Lived victorious over sin?

Who would believe such a report?

Anyone could, I certainly did!

It wasn't just the way He lived,

But how He died and rose again!

The truth of the whole matter is,

However it is told,

That Jesus Christ, God's only Son

Prepared the way for everyone.

He lived a pure life without sin.

He was crucified and rose again

To give to us eternal life!

And, if we believe, we'll never die.

Cherel S. Justice

Loneliness and Inger Stevens

Loneliness

Youthfulness appears to leave me

While sheer loneliness deceives me.

Would have me believe no one cares

It's true no paramour is there.

And yet I've friends of which to speak,

But their devotion must I seek

For assurance in my despair.

T'would be my proof that someone cares.

At last I hear a friendly knock,

My chamber door's the only block

Between myself and peace of mind

(If it, in truth, is someone kind).

I raise the latch, Oh! my despair!

As of before, there's no one there.

'Neath the mantle the fire is bright,

Again I rest amidst warm light.

It's warmth is nice and yet I crave

To be removed from mood so grave.

I, abhorring such single plight,

Am often feared of solo nights.

Unrare, the silence shouts to me,

"Remove yourself and be set free

From evil and unloyal friends

Who leave you to this dreadful end.

Dared life its goodly measure match,

'Twould from your heart paean songs dispatch!"

And yet I strive to pull away,

I long to see another day.

When friends have gone and darkness falls

I can't resist the voice that calls.

I have in dreadful seclusion

An unbearable delusion.

I'm all alone at ending time

To be cut down at early prime.

Accord with life, which now I lack,

Leaves apathy my mind to rack.

Soon Fate shall want its payment paid

For which my life was only made.

I'm unsure of another dawn

Because from mankind I've withdrawn.

A seed so lonely entered me

That through illogic fear I see.

The growth brings unjust invasion

And prods with gentle persuasion.

Former friends, I believe, are gone.

No longer I crave another dawn.

The oleander's taste is sweet

When taken for some goal to meet.

More dread to live than fear to go.

Alone in life... I won't have it so!

Cherel Justice

2/23/71

I wrote this poem when I was in High School and I heard about the suicide of Inger Stevens. She was beautiful, talented and successful. But reports said she was lonely. And, being without friends she gave up on life and overdosed on drugs and alcohol.

At the time, I couldn't understand why she had no friends. Now, of course, I've come to understand that genuine friendships are not that easy to come by-- even for average people-- but especially for the rich and famous. It's nearly impossible for them to trust that someone wants to know them for who they are and not for what can be gained by a relationship with them.  

I was moved by her death and wrote this poem to express its impact on me. 

I do not approve of suicide or think it is a solution to any problem. Everyone suffers from loneliness at times and we all needs friends. Checking out is not the right option.

It was God, in the beginning, Who said,"It's not good for the man to be alone." And it was God Who created Eve to help dispel Adam's loneliness with her companionship and the children she bore him. The family brought community into the world so that none of us would have to be perpetually alone. 

But aloneness and loneliness still affect individuals today. And, I believe a relationship with Jesus Christ is the real solution because He is the only One Who can be there for us in every situation of life. He is "a friend that sticks closer than a brother." He is a "very present help in the time of trouble." He is "the lily of the valley and the bright and morning star."  He will "never leave you or forsake you." There is no place so low He can't reach you, and there is no place so dark He can't find you. And, best of all, He always has time for you!

I wish Inger Stevens had known Him. Her loss of life was a tragedy; but then, the needless loss of any human life is a tragedy. Jesus came to the earth and died for us that we might have life as stated in John 3:16.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him might not perish but have everlasting life.

If you are lonely and you haven't trusted in Jesus Christ, I pray that you will. And then, you should connect with a group of believers. Don't suffer silently when your needs can be met and you can meet the needs of others. After all, you aren't the only one who is lonely. Someone needs you in their life before they decide they can't take it any more.    

The Joy of Monogamy!

At a time when immorality is commonplace and fidelity to one partner is considered outdated, it's refreshing to hear someone so eloquently defend the value of God's monogamous design for marriage. And do so out of a sense of grateful wonder. 

Unless you are already a reader of  G.K. Chesterton, I imagine you will be as surprised and delighted as I am to find such an exuberant declaration of appreciation by a man for the privilege of having a wife! The following statement by Chesterton is from Orthodoxy. 

Keeping to one woman is a small price for so much as seeing one woman. To complain that I could only be married once was like complaining that I had only been born once. It was incommensurate with the terrible excitement of which one was talking. It showed not an exaggerated sensibility to sex, but a curious insensibility to it. A man is a fool who complains that he cannot enter Eden by five gates at once. Polygamy is a lack of the realization of sex; it is like a man plucking five pears in mere absence of mind.

Surely one might pay for extraordinary joy in ordinary morals. 

Chesterton has a way of making commonsense observations sound like the wisdom of the ages. He takes us back to the basics even as he makes us feel we have become privy to a brand new discovery. When we view things through his eyes we become as little children with the ability to take joy in life's everyday events as if they are the gifts of an eternal Christmas morning!

We have become too mature when we can no longer see and enjoy the wonder of having been given a marital partner to share our lives with. And, we've become too proud when we lose the ability to be grateful to God and our spouse for such an undeserved blessing. And, we've become fools if we think playing by His rules of morality will hinder rather than enhance our lives and our relationships.

During the millennial reign and beyond, (Jesus) will be called Wonderful Counselor... Isaiah 9:6.
Why not take His advice now and save yourself a lot of heartache. Unless you are in an abusive relationship, be thankful for and exclusively love the one you're with!

Rebels are losers!

As I said in another blog, I've been reading Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton. I'm quite taken with his reasoning and his illustrations. I want to share an excerpt from the chapter entitled Ethics of Elfland. He's discussing the ethical lessons he learned from fairytales as a young child, which seemed more reasonable to him than any wisdom found in the "modern" books he read in his adult years. He's responding to the modern notions of rebellion for the sake of rebellion-- the casting off of all forms of restraint for the sake of personal "liberty".   

This is the tone of fairy tales, and it is certainly not lawlessness or even liberty... Fairy godmothers seem...strict... Cinderella received a coach out of Wonderland and a coachman out of nowhere, but she received a command--that she should be back by twelve. Also, she had a glass slipper; and it cannot be a coincidence that glass is so common a substance in folklore. ...

For this thin glitter of glass everywhere is the expression of the fact happiness is bright but brittle... I felt and feel that life is as bright as a diamond but as brittle as a window-pane...

Strike a glass, and it will not endure an instant; simply do not strike it, and it will endure a thousand years. Such, it seemed, was the joy of man... on earth; the happiness depended on not doing something which you could at any moment do and which, very often, it was not obvious why you should not do it. Now, the point here is that to me this did not seem unjust.

If Cinderella says, "How is it that I must leave the ball at twelve?" her godmother might answer, "How is it that you are going there till twelve?"

For this reason... I did not feel disposed to resist any rule merely because it was mysterious. 

Now, Chesterton is loquacious, so this is a very short version of his lessons from the nursery but I feel it is profound in its simplicity. And, the truth shared is powerful! When God told Adam and Eve to refrain from eating the fruit of one tree so that they might live, it may have seemed mysterious to them, but it was for their good. And, every instruction that has come to us from God since that time has also been for our good. When we resist His instructions and break His "glass" commandments, we shatter our own hopes of happiness. Look around. Look within. 

Rebels are losers! Choose life!

Nietzsche's Insanity vs Faith and Reason

In my last post I talked about the true source of wisdom and understanding as stated in Job 28:28.

"The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding."

And today I add a warning from Paul. "Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ." Colossians 2:8

We are living in perilous times.  Cultural influencers long ago forsook the fear of the Lord and embraced evil in the guise of high-sounding nonsense.

Ungodly philosophers and the so-called scientists, known as evolutionists, turned their backs on the revealed truths of Christianity and set about to change the world system by undermining truth and replacing it with their own ideas which were often influenced or dictated by evil spiritual forces.

They deceived themselves and turned their deceitful philosophies loose into society through books and lectures and foolish college professors who taught the nonsense to their adoring and unwitting students.

I've been reading Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton. It was written in 1908 and is a deep and rich source of information concerning the causes of the downward spiral of society over the last hundred years. Even in his day the spiritual rot was evident in England and he could foresee the cultural decline we are dealing with in the West today.  He said, "In so far as religion is gone, reason is going." How scary is that? (Contrary to what ungodly thinkers spout, Religion aka Faith and Reason go hand in hand and cannot be successfully separated for long.)

In Orthodoxy, Chesterton spoke of Friedrich Nietzsche and his "preposterous" ideas. Now, I'd heard of Nietzsche and was aware of the notoriety he gained by proclaiming "God is dead." But, I knew nothing else about him so I became curious when Chesterton mentioned how his life ended. He said, "Thinking in isolation and with pride ends in being an idiot. Every man who will not have a softening of the heart must at last have a softening of the brain." And that sent me into an Internet study of the man. And this is what I learned.

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was a German philosopher and philologist. He was the son of a Lutheran pastor. His father died when he was four years old and he was raised by his believing mother and other devout female relatives. He rejected his father's faith due to academic influences in his college years and became a lifelong rebel against Christianity. He then spent his productive years seeking to undermine the foundations of Christianity and traditional morality. He felt that traditional morality was okay for the masses but rejected the idea that one standard of morality could fit all persons. Thus, superior men are essentially a law unto themselves, and are free to be who they are.

"Nietzsche's atheism — his account of "God's murder" (section 125) — is a reaction to the conception of a single, ultimate, judgmental authority who is privy to everyone's hidden and personally embarrassing secrets. His atheism also aims to redirect people's attention to their inherent freedom, the presently-existing world, and away from escapist, pain-relieving, heavenly other worlds."  Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

For all his high-sounding nonsense, he had no power to control his own circumstances in this life, much less, in the life to come. He was plagued with physical problems and held captive by philosophical deceit. His own pride would not allow him to yield to a higher power than himself-- yet it could not preserve him.

On Jan 3rd of 1889, he suffered a psychotic breakdown. He was only 44 years old when he lost his mind and he continued in "demented darkness" until he died on August 25th of 1900.

What a personal tragedy for Friedrich Nietzsche! And what a national tragedy for us today. Our colleges, even Christian colleges, are teeming with ungodly professors who indoctrinate unsuspecting students into these vain, anti-Christian philosophies. By offering them "freedom" from all moral restraint they lead them away in the chains of spiritual darkness.

Ungrounded young people are like dry sponges. They'll soak up anything you immerse them in-- especially if it sounds like fun and brings them temporary pleasure. Be on guard!

My purpose is that (you) may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that (you) may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that (you) may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. Colossians 2:2-4

Precious Peridot & Purest Gold Not Enough

I love rocks. I frequently bring rocks home with me when we travel.  They seem to be a personal and permanent connection for me with where I've been. Of course, colorful and unusual rocks are more attractive to me so I buy tumblestones, polished stones, geodes and gemstones. But, I've also picked up common stones from important places like the Sea of Galilee, Qumran, Masada, the Dead Sea, Jerusalem; and, from many other places.

If Israel has an abundance of anything, it's rocks. The Jews even bring them to place on the graves of loved ones because they last longer than flowers. Makes sense to me. I feel a connection with them.  

I love gemstone jewelry as well. Precious metals and jewels are great. The bigger the better! For me they represent God's secret handiwork. God filled the earth with precious metals and gemstones. They are hidden treasures available to those who are willing to pay the price to obtain them. One can either labor for them, risking life and limb, or one can pay the asking price once they've been discovered, recovered and refined to reveal their beauty and value. But it was God who created them: to Him be the glory! They are small reminders of the wondrous, beautiful things He has provided for our future life.

My appreciation of stones is not unique or rare. It's been in vogue for thousands of years. In fact, Job talks about mining the earth for metals and gemstones in the 28th chapter of his namesake book in  the Old Testament.  Let's read some of his comments from the New Living Translation. 

“People know where to mine silver and how to refine gold. They know where to dig iron from the earth and how to smelt copper from rock.They know how to shine light in the darkness and explore the farthest regions of the earth as they search in the dark for ore. They sink a mine shaft into the earth far from where anyone lives. They descend on ropes, swinging back and forth.  (vs 1-4)

People know how to tear apart flinty rocks and overturn the roots of mountains. They cut tunnels in the rocks and uncover precious stones. They dam up the trickling streams and bring to light the hidden treasures."  (vs 9-11)

This is quite impressive for what we think of as primitive times. They could mine silver, refine gold, dig up iron, smelt copper, light the darkest regions of the earth, sink mine shafts, cut tunnels and dam streams to obtain hidden treasures prepared by God.

Consider their efforts and their dedication to the task, and all for earthly rewards! Now consider how God sees all this focus on the pursuit of earthly treasures while we fail to comprehend our need for something that's even more difficult to find and more precious to obtain. His wisdom and understanding!

After Job says men know where to search for earthly treasures, he continues with,  “But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding? No one knows where to find it, for it is not found among the living. (vs 12-13)  Precious peridot from Ethiopia cannot be exchanged for it. It’s worth more than the purest gold." (v 19)

Job says, we don't know where to find wisdom and understanding. He says it's not an earthly product! And, if we found it, we couldn't afford it. There is nothing on earth worthy to exchange for it. Sounds hopeless, doesn't it? Looks like we might have to live without them. 

But then, Job continues his discourse,“God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found... (v 23)  And this is what he says to all humanity: ‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding."  (v 28)

So, here's the bottom line! God and God Alone has Wisdom and Understanding. HE is the ALL-WISE GOD. Wisdom and Understanding reside within and emanate from Him! Thus, they can only be accessed by someone in relationship with Him-- someone becoming like Him! And this kind of relationship with a HOLY GOD  is only available to those who fear (reverence) God and forsake evil.

The invitation is open to all. Wisdom and Understanding are available. How will you respond?