M.L.S. Weech's Blog, page 40

Book Review: The Creation Answers Book by Don Batten

[image error]While searching for an apologetics book, I found myself talking to one of the deacons at my church. He happily gave me this book. It absolutely addresses the questions that I was looking for information on.

This book uses geology and other science to defend the historical Biblical narrative.

For obvious reasons, this book will be highly disputed (and perhaps even mocked) by the general community. My response is that like any form of information, it should be read and evaluated for the information it provides. The reader is more than welcome to come to whatever conclusions he wants, but the information in this book is certainly interesting.

The book is outlined by a series of questions like “Does God Exist?” “Six Days” What about the Gap Theory?” and “What About Carbon Dating?”

For someone like me this was an important book to read. I won’t pretend that I’ve studied science more than someone with a degree, but I would at least say that science is a hobby of mine, and I have a very scientific mind. I always seek to understand, and that’s not unholy.

The thing is, schools do a lot to teach theories. But the truth (even science will admit) is that these are only theories. These theories are commonly held and widely believed, but that’s not actually different than any commonly held and widely believed theory. The difficulties Christians might find in proving the Biblical record are only (at most) as difficult as proving several problems that currently plague the scientific, non-believing community.

I read this for the same reason I read science books, to gain information. Of course, as a Christian, I have my opinions, and I invite anyone to read this book and consider its contents.

For me though, this book gave me more targeted things to investigate. The Bible is the only book I intend to believe at face value. Yes, that creates a bias, but that bias is only reflectively different than one who refuses to believe anything the Bible says, which is inadvisable given how much archeology, geology, and historical documentation proves several parts of the Bible and none of those same sciences can disprove any one element of the Bible. Noting a bias is one way to defend against it. This book covers the bias issue as well.

Noting a bias is how one can be objective. If one is aware what they want, they can look more deeply for confirmation. Ignoring a bias is what causes one to simply seek confirmation without ensuring the evidence supports it.

So, if you’re curious as to the creationist view of things, I invite you to give this book a try.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Musings on Christianity 29

What Does It Mean to Live by Faith?

The greatest challenge some may face in becoming Christians is also a mindset that best represents a Christian. Yes, all people should be God-centered but one can not be God-centered without having faith, and that challenges people.

Hebrews 11 is essentially a summary of the Old Testament, but it presents that summary from the perspective of faith. It begins by defining faith.

“Now, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).”

This can challenge some people. What they want is “proof” or “reason to believe.” But if you have proof, you don’t need faith. I don’t need faith to know I’m 5-foot-6 or 178 pounds. I measure my self. I can weigh myself.

Faith is the trust that something is real or will come without any real evidence. When we act on faith, we glorify the God we serve in faith. This, I feel, is the crux of faith and the message of Hebrews 11.

We start again with creation. Scientists have been working to prove one theory for as long as I can remember, and while that theory is commonly accepted, it is far from proven. Why? Where evolutionists rely on evidence they still have yet to find, creationists live by faith. Is it wrong to seek to understand? No, but any evidence I seek is more to defend my faith than to secure it. This is because, “By faith, we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Hebrews 11:3).

To live by faith is to live as God commands, trusting you will receive the promises His word makes. The challenges come when something doesn’t go the way one would wish. I’m not immune to this. I didn’t want my mother to die. I didn’t want the corona virus to attack the world. This leads to the questions like, “why would God … “ and “why do … “ 

I wouldn’t argue it’s wrong to ask questions. Plenty of people asked God plenty of questions through prayer. Even that can be an act of faith. When things happen, and someone prays to God genuinely seeking his comfort and council, they glorify God.

But one can’t become lost because of the lack of answered desires. All of our best promises are to come when Christ returns. There are good things in store for believers, but as long as we are in the cursed flesh of sinful humanity, the pains of that curse will remain. But if we live by faith and walk by faith, the greater promises that will come when Christ comes again are ours.

When our prayers are unanswered, we continue to pray in faith. When our desires are denied, we move on in the faith that those desires weren’t a part of God’s plan. We have faith that God’s plan will lead us to our greatest joy, and that joy isn’t one we will have on this earth. Even if a Christian were to have the most ridiculously happy life a person could imagine on this Earth, not all of those days together would be in any way comparable to a moment in Heaven. People have probably heard the inverse of this from Romans 8:18, but both are true. Nothing is worth comparing, and that is the promise we trust in as we live by faith.

Does that mean we are never given assurance? Of course we are. The Bible is full of assurances of faith, and Hebrews 11 is just a short summary of so many examples. Christ being raised from the dead is in itself an assurance of faith, for he was the perfect, sinless man, who lived by faith and walked by faith. So when man, in his wicked rejection of Christ, led him to crucifixion, Christ accepted that humiliation. He walked in faith, knowing he was doing as the Father commanded, and the Father rewarded that faith with the resurrection that thus serves as the assurance for our faith.

So we’re called as Christians to live in faith that if we hold fast to Christ as our hope, we have been saved and are assured a place with him in Heaven.

So we can not allow despair or sadness to take our faith. If it does, then our faith was false, and we never had hope. Please read that carefully. It does not say despair or sadness is a symbol of a lack of faith. What I wish to emphasize is that if despair or sadness can cause one to turn away from faith, their faith was false.

This is what never giving up means. The guy who keeps struggling even when he’s lost 1,000 times shows that he has faith he can win just once. That is faith. The only reason one would have to stop is if he becomes convinced he won’t win. If faith is what keeps us going, than only its absence can be the reason we stop.

I urge you all to never stop. Pray when you are happy, sad, lost, confused, assured, confident, or in despair. Live as Christ lived trusting that you will receive the rewards He promised. Do not let the seasons of this world lead you to forget the glorious eternal life that is to come. Live by faith, and you will be commended.

For our panel: What is your favorite story of faith from the Bible? Do you have a personal trial of faith you would like to share? Does fear or sadness immediately mean you have no faith? How does one endure suffering in faith? Does the absence of answered prayers mean an absence of faith?

Things I Hope to See in Rhythm of War

Greetings all,

[image error]Most people who follow my blog know I’m a huge Brandon Sanderson fan. Well, his newest book, Rhythm of War comes out Nov. 17, so I thought I’d do a blog about the things I hope to see in Rhythm of War.

SPOILER WARNING! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

1. An end to Kal’s trauma: It’s perfectly understandable that Kal had a traumatic life. That trauma came to a head in Oathbringer. I think I’ve reached my limit on Kal’s struggle to save everyone. I’d really like to see him accept that sometimes you lose people you love, and sometimes you don’t.

2. Hoid do something awesome. A while back, we heard, “Hoid would do something awesome.” I believe that was originally intended to be in Book 5, but I hope it’s in this one. What I hope is to see Hoid do some sort of cross-world magic stuff. Like using biochromatic breath or allomancy against some of Odium’s peeps.

3. I want to see how Nightblood got to this planet! Obviously we know where Vasher is but I really want to know how they came to be there and how they got separated. I’m thinking Vivenna had something to do with it. This is probably the thing I’m most interested in at the moment.

4. More intimate battles. The last book, the scope of the battle was huge, and that’s cool, but I’m more a one-on-one kind of guy. I’d really like to see a few of those. I’d also like those fights to display more of the other radiant abilities. I have a good handle on Kal’s abilities, but they currently seem to be the ONLY offensive radiant abilities. Lift I suppose has some abilities that are more visual, but even they seem more defensive in nature, but at least they’re active.

[image error]5.  I want to see Odium throw down. With how powerful everyone else is, I think it’s time for a threat. I want to see Kal get his but whipped (which might contradict what I mentioned above, but if it’s to make Odium a threat, I’m all for it). It doesn’t have to be Kal, but now that the knights had a huge victory, we need to see the Odium and those he’s working with or manipulating show their stuff. Now Sanderson usually does this through subversion. If you look closely at all his books, the good guy hardly ever gets beat. It happens, but it’s rare. I’m hoping to see some bad guy flexing.  I need this personally because Kal (and his order) are pretty much OP at this point. Lift is all but impossible to kill. I’m not asking for a body count, but I wouldn’t be against it. The minimum for me is to see the threat posed. I get Odium’s situation, so I don’t really expect him to do much, but I need someone on team Odium to show that maybe Kaladin and Dalinar aren’t up to the task.

6. I ALMOST FORGOT! I want to see Adolin awaken his shardblade. He knows its name now. He can hear it. I really want to see him become a knight by brining his spren back to life. I almost forgot that because I expect it, but I EXPECT it, so I really want to see it happen.

7. A reunion of Vivenna, Vasher, and Nightblood. Do I need to go farther?

That’s pretty much it. I mean there are several other things I’m looking forward to, but those are the highlights. I don’t necessarily want to see all of these things happen in the next book. (Otherwise, what would be the point of the other six?) But I’d really like to see maybe two of them. If I had to pick which two, I’d say number 6 and 3. Those are the ones I really want, but any of the others in any combination would already make Rhythm a great addition to the saga.

What about you? What would you like to see out of the book?

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Book Review: The Parables of Jesus by John MacArthur

[image error]Image taken from the book’s buy page on Amazon for review purposes under Fair Use doctrine. 

The Parables of Jesus by John MacArthur looks at several parables of Christ and breaks them down.

It’s been a bit since I listened to this on Audible, so it’s hard to pick out details.

What I do remember is that MacArthur spent the beginning expressing the value of parables but cautioning that it isn’t the only form of teaching. It certainly wasn’t the only method Christ used, and when he started using them, there was a specific reason.

I think this was the biggest take away for me. The reason that’s so is that I own a MacArthur study Bible, so many of his comments and thoughts are already in the notes of the study Bible. That’s not to say that his detailed analysis full of historical context isn’t great; it’s my favorite part of any of his books. I simply value new information more than information I’ve already consumed.

I do think this would make a great companion piece to one reading the Gospels though. It’s like a study guide or Cliffs Notes for a few specific parables.

This is also a good book to read for someone who wants to focus specifically on the parables. Again, one shouldn’t only obsess on the parables, but a period of study devoted to them is beneficial for anyone.

[image error]As is usual for books by MacArthur, I always enjoy the simple, literal approach  he takes.  Even in parables, he pays close attention to what each figure or subject represented.

My favorite might be the story of Lazarus and the rich man. He provides some interesting insight I found thought provoking. Reading MacArthur’s work is always motivating. I like Biblical books that challenge me to dig back into the Bible, and his books always do that.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Musings on Christianity 28

Are The Old Testament and New Testament That Different?

Before I’d read the Bible, I was very confused between what I had heard of God from the Old Testament and what I had heard of God from the New Testament. Was God full of wrath or love? Was God merciful or judgmental?

Were believers in God to be weapons or servants? How were they related? As with many questions I had, the answers were right there in the Bible.

From Genesis to Revelation, we see the story of God, a perfect, holy being who is just and loving. Before one can even attempt to understand Christianity, one must overcome the preconceived idea that one who loves doesn’t punish. One must overcome the preconceived idea that one who is just lets people do whatever they want. One must overcome the preconceived idea that the choices we receive are a gift, not permission.

In the beginning, God created paradise for man to live in. He gave us a perfect world with a perfect body. He gave us dominion over the land. In this paradise, he gave one, simple rule. Don’t eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge.

Humanity made the choice to eat that fruit. The consequences of that choice are death and pain. This isn’t an unfair punishment; it is the predetermined result of our crime. Yet even in that punishment, there was mercy, a promise, right there in Genesis, that God would deliver us. In this we see God is holy, he is just, he is merciful.

We started off this book asking why bad things happen, but we forget that we make choices all the time. Are you making choices for God or not? When one lives for ones self, they’re turning from God. Turning from God in itself is just a bad plan. Even setting aside God’s holy right to hold us accountable for our actions, if one walks away from God, there is only one other alternative.

People talk about the flood. They mention the rain and the death. I don’t personally recall many references to the reason for the flood.

But are there mentions of devastation and pain in the New Testament? Yes, even setting aside the entire book of Revelation, look at Matthew 24. Jesus himself, the symbol of love, humility, kindness, and compassion, is also the symbol of judgement, power, and righteousness.    

His life was a ministry offering us a very simple choice, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24).”

There again, lies the choice that should affect all other choices. Just as God made plain the consequences of Adam’s choice, so too did Jesus make clear the choice we have.

Over and again in the Old Testament God tells his people to follow him. He delivers them heroes and prophets, judges and kings, and for a time they obey, but as they turn more to their own desires, their hearts harden against God. Just one quick search online reveals 22 instances of the clause “ … the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.”

Over and again God performed miracles and wonders, and those who saw them rejoiced and obeyed for a time, but they would eventually turn to their own hearts and desires.

Over and again in the New Testament, Christ performed miracle after miracle, and some would be amazed. Others still saw an opportunity to gain what they wanted rather than submit to do what he wanted. I’ve often wondered, “How many people who observed Christ’s crucifixion were also present for any one of his miracles? How many people did Christ grant a miracle to then stood there watching as he died on the cross?”

Thematically, I wanted to begin this chapter with what I believe is the most important connection between the Old and New Testaments. In both, a loving, merciful, holy and just God tells us very plainly what we must do to obtain his promises, and in both, a rebellious people turned away. Those who do so make their choice.

The New Testament isn’t a replacement for the Old. Instead, it is a fulfillment. Exodus and Deuteronomy foreshadow Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. The book that ties these together most beautifully is Hebrews. You see, everything about the ark of the covenant was a preview of what Christ did for us.

Yes, early Jewish people offered the blood of rams, goats, and pigeons in sacrifice to God. But no animal’s blood could permanently wash away the sin of man. But Christ, God in flesh, holy and perfect, his blood, one time, can wash all mankind clean.

Blood must be shed for sin, so Christ came down and offered up His.

One of the quips I hear most often is, “love your brother.” Of course you should love your brother. Half of the ten commandments are all about how to love one’s neighbor. But usually, when I hear someone shout out that particular commandment, they’re making a demand. “Give me what I want. Let me do what I want. Leave me alone to do whatever I want.” 

I usually do. But please consider for a moment if what you want is about you or about God. I leave the choice to you. I won’t shout at you or ridicule you. What would be the point? If you insist to do what you want, what would me telling you what you’re doing is wrong accomplish? I’ve made plenty of bad decisions, and several people I love tried to warn me. I did it anyway. Why? Because I wanted to do what I wanted to do. That rebellious attitude might very well be more condemning than any accusation another person could offer. I knew from the beginning what I was doing was wrong. I had people tell me as much. I chose to do it anyway.

But what does it mean to do as Christ said and love your brother? Again, love is sacrifice. It is the giving up of ones self for others, so to demand others capitulate to your desires is the antithesis of love. It is, in fact, selfishness. This culture doesn’t want to see it that way. They want everyone to endure every decision, action, and choice of another person regardless of how it might make one feel.

Reading social media, I see plenty of people demanding something from someone. They demand money from the government. They demand respect from other people. They demand recognition for their work.

What I hardly see is anyone who remembers the rest of that phrase: “Love your brother as yourself (Mark 12:31).”

This isn’t really too difficult to understand, but people demand the first half without any regard to the second. They want others to permit or ignore or get over things without offering the same. They want others to give of what they have “because they need” but they don’t give in faith for others. They want to be loved, but they’re not so willing to be loving. 

This is as true in the Old Testament as it is in the New. The Israelites wanted deliverance, a king, wealth, and prosperity, but they weren’t willing to be ruled, keep themselves from danger and trust in God to provide. Christ offered life, food, love, and mercy, but people wanted validation, to rule themselves and do as they wished rather than what Christ said was right.

God is the same God. Christ is the same Christ. Our choice is our same choice. The reward for that choice (good or bad) is still the same. 

For our panel: Are there other thematic parallels between the Old and New Testament you’d like? There was a lot of focus on thematic parallels, but would you be willing to discuss Hebrews more in depth as it relates the Old to the New Testament? What are some observations you would make that display the character of God is the same between the Old and the New Testament? What are some observations that display the character of man is the same? Why is it do you think that people want to create so much separation between two parts of the same book?

My Top 5 Naruto Arcs

Greetings all,

A slow news week on the writing front allows me to play a bit for my Saturday post. I’m watching Naruto with my sons, which is something I’ve always dreamed of doing. That got me to thinking, “What were my five favorite arcs?”

By arc, I mean a storyline from beginning to end. Maybe one day I’ll do “episodes” or “fights,” but since we just recently finished my number one, I wanted to do this list.

SPOILER ALERT!  YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

This spans the entire Naruto Saga, both Shippuden and the original. You might be shocked by some I leave out. How did I make the list. I just sat there for a few minutes and wondered which five would come to mind. The first five that came up won. That doesn’t mean there weren’t great arcs, but these arcs jumped out at me.

Number 5: The Quest to Save Gaara: I don’t know about you all, but I cry every time Gaara wakes up and sees all those people surrounding him. I have a soft spot for redemption stories, and to see how far Gaara had come was just a great way to really kick off the Shippuden ark. Sure, there was a lot of waiting and way more exposition than I wanted, but we also get Kakashi’s magekyo and the cool puppet fight. It falls short because of the exposition, but it’s definitely worthy of the top five for me.

 

 

Number 4:  The Chunin Exams:  The first reason I love this arc is the sheer number of great fights. If you consider the exams to be from the test of confidence to the end of the Gaara fight, you have a lot of action to go with. I’d rank this in the top five alone just for Gaara, but his fight with Rock Lee and the saga with the third is more emotional to me than I suppose others. The action of each fight and Gaara’s story puts this in the top five, but the lag (how long did that monkey hold that stupid sword for?) it doesn’t get any farther than number four. This is the saga where you learn about the rookie nine and Guy’s team. We meet Lee, who I love. We see Naruto grow and Sasuke’s arc truly begin.

 

 

Number 3: The Naruto Bridge:  I don’t know if anyone else would put this on their top five, but I don’t think I fall in love with this show if I don’t watch that arc. This is the story where we first see the power of the fox. This is where Naruto chooses his ninja way. This is where Sasuke and Naruto begin their rivalry and start to grow together. I also have a soft spot for mentors and students or adopted father roles. As far as a true introduction to the show, I really thought this was a nice launching point for the series. I put this above the Chunin Exams because those exams made us wait an awful long time for the cool stuff. Sure, it was cool when things happened, but man I we every bit as frustrated with the lag of the backstories and that third fight. The Naruto Bridge story was complete and concise, and I give it higher marks for that.

 

 

Number 2: The Asuma Ark: The Rasenshuriken alone would have been enough to get on the list, but man, Shikamaru shines! The way he plotted out that whole fight before even leaving the village is just masterful! The fights are great. Asuma’s death was so tragic (though not the most tragic). Seeing all this come together made for such a rewarding end and a beautiful set up for future arcs.

 

 

Number 1: The Pain Arc: Now, I consider this to be from Jiraiya’s entrance to the hidden rain to Nagato’s Rebirth, you have what I feel is unquestionably the saddest death, the greatest hero moment (Naruto’s return), the best fight amid a host of cool fights, and Konohamaru uses the Rasengan! I haven’t even stopped to talk about Minato’s appearance and reveal. Most fans had this theory pegged, but that didn’t make it any less satisfying.

 

 

I’m sure there are at least two arcs you all feel should go on this list that aren’t here, and I’m not saying they were bad. They’d definitely be on a top ten list, but these always pop right into my head when I think about Naruto. But feel free to give me your list.

Thanks for watching,

Matt

 

Book Review: Trial of Chains by Sohan Ahmad

[image error]Image taken from the book’s buy page on Amazon for review purposes under Fair Use doctrine.

Trial of Chains  is the first book in the Crimson Crossroads saga by Sohan Ahmad: Two brothers, one a slave, the other destined to rule, are separated by a tragedy born of secrets. One young noble is orphaned by the assassination order of a jealous queen.  All of them fall into a life of fighting and blood. Will any of them find peace? NOTE: I’m still reviewing this book because I’ve read it, but it’s out of print at the moment.

Character: I thought the characters were all very sympathetic and memorable. I liked this cast. I’m very done with the dark “everything is murder, blood, and horror” fantasy angle, but this story had a very “Game of Thrones” feel. The author did a good job of revealing each character’s motivation.  

Exposition: I thought this was done well. There are some parts that lagged, and the biggest issue was less about the exposition of plot points and more about occasional soliloquies which felt more like author soap boxing. Still the action and drama of the characters kept me engaged.

[image error]Image of Mr. Ahmad was taken from his Amazon author page for review purposes under Fair Use doctrine. 

Worldbuilding:  This wasn’t as broad as I’d have liked. It wasn’t extremely lacking. I am aware of the politics and some of the geography, but I didn’t get the immersion I really wanted from a story like this. I don’t know how many words this book was, but I needed another two or three thousand to give me some context and history. The people were real, and that’s what matters most. However, the locations felt hollow to me.

Dialogue: This is an area of improvement for the story. The dialogue felt wooden and more like the author trying to push the story forward than actual conversation. As real as the character’s motivations were, their dialogue felt even more off to me. Not all of it was terrible, but there were a lot of segments were the things said were more like “move stage right,” or “the characters have to get to this next location.” There were signs of potential though. The conversation between the king and his son was exactly what it should have been.  

Description:  This was good. It wasn’t too much, which I appreciate, but I don’t think there was enough. I needed to feel the locations more, and I needed to have more senses activated. There was a scene where a sword master was fighting in the woods. That had the amount of description and perception I want. There were reasons for that. The character had an issue which limited his ability and the author had to account for that in the description. I wish he’d used more of that mindset in the rest of the story.

A note on metaphor: So while writing this review, I couldn’t remember why I actually didn’t care for the book. Then I read my own summary and realized it. This author has potential (or had if he’s chosen to step away from the craft), but he used far too many metaphors far too often, especially in fantasy.  I was flat out confused sometimes because I didn’t know if I was reading description or metaphor. This book also had too many proofreading issues. Again, I don’t normally harp on this. I’m not anywhere near perfect, but when there are more than five typos per page, I can’t help but notice, and it can’t help but drag the story down.

Overall: This story was entertaining despite its issues, but it would have been great if those issues (just the proofreading and removal of useless, confusing metaphors) were addressed. Still, if you like the battle and fighting portions of Game of Thrones, this book isn’t such a bad read.

Thanks for reading

Matt

Musings on Christianity 27

You Find What You Seek; Your Focus is Your Destination

Keep your eyes on the road. Keep your eye on the ball. Look before you leap.

How many statements do we have out there that reveal the same simple truth? More importantly, why do we need to keep remind ourselves? Even as I type this, more and more come to mind.

While some people take those statements and apply them to businesses or weight loss or scholastic goals, people still sometimes seem determined to focus on the distractions.

If you indeed obtain what you focus on, why focus on fear? If you find what you seek, then one who fears the loss of his possessions or status will inevitably find those things. I’ve always been a driven individual. I have a very limited list of things I focus on. In truth, we should only focus on one thing:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33).”

If one studies that segment (and a few others) more deeply, they all say the same thing. Keep your focus on God.

A God-focused individual may not appear very different in some respects. For instance, God commands us to be submissive and obedient. This means a God-focused individual will be diligent at work and hard working. He’ll be quick to do as he’s instructed. But there will be some differences. A God-focused man won’t participate in the water-cooler talk. A God-focused man won’t be quick to lose his temper or insist on his own way.

I won’t claim to be God-focused. That’s part of the reason I’m writing this. I currently state I have to work to be God-focused. I aspire to be God-focused. I think about God a lot, but I’d be lying if I said he was the focus of my every thought, and that is the problem. 

If I were to console myself, I’d say that when I truly realize I’m not focused on Him, I reorient myself. I just wish I didn’t have to stop course correcting so frequently in the day.

But what does it truly mean to be God-focused? Does a God-focused person just read the Bible all day and pray? Prayer isn’t the formal activity people make it out to be. Sure, I think every person should spend some time of each day kneeling in prayer, but that’s not the only way to do it. Prayer isn’t a posture or position of body; prayer is a mindset, and that mindset is what it means to be God focused.

First, a God-focused individual must passionately study God. A writer such as myself passionately reads and writes. A musician passionately studies his or her instrument. The key to being God-focused above all else is to passionately study God. The way we do this is reading the Bible.

For those who proclaim to be of the faith, consider this: How often do you read the Bible? If you’re a mechanic, you open a manual for a car pretty often. Journalists have to open the AP Style Book each time they proofread their work. A construction man will have to study the schematics for a building. So again, how often do you study the Bible?

If you’re expecting me to give you a “required” amount of study, I’m going to disappoint you. Salvation isn’t a checklist of deeds, it’s a gift of grace from God. What I will say is that if you only read the Bible when someone makes you, I can’t say I’d call you God-focused. A man who hates his job can still go to work. He’s not focused on his work; he’s focused on his status, appearance, or financial well being.

The heart speaks truth.

This is why studying God’s word is the first step. You can’t do what God wants if you don’t know what He wants. You can’t be focused on God if you don’t even know what things God wants you to fix your thoughts on. There’s a verse in the Bible where he literally tells you what to fix your thoughts on (Philippians 4:8). That list isn’t exclusive, but it is instructive.

Just sitting here thinking about things, I know I’m supposed to be loving (Mark 12:31 among others). I’m supposed to be wise (Proverbs). I know I’m supposed to be slow to anger (Numbers 14:18).

Ultimately, I’m supposed to be perfect (Matthew 5:48). The problem is that my sinful flesh makes that impossible. So how do I strive to do that? I focus and study God’s word, using it to guide my actions.

So the second thing a God-focused person must do is apply what he or she learns from the Bible. As one studies the Bible, one must apply the principles and obey the commands the Bible gives. The more one works at doing this, the more one finds ones self living a God-focused life.

I think that’s the battle. Sometimes it feels like every moment of every day is a battle between what I know the Bible tells me I should do and what I do. Like Paul, I too often find myself doing what I don’t want to do. I want to be a more patient man. I want to be a man who’s slow to speak, but my mouth flies open far too much, and I still don’t have a lick of patience. 

Working to improve is an example of being God-focused. Catching yourself doing something against the teachings of the Bible and adjusting your behavior is a great way to glorify God. I’m quite happy when I do this. I’d just prefer not to have to fix my thinking.

This is discipline. We discipline our actions and behavior according to God’s instruction, and the more we discipline ourselves, the more our thoughts will stay fixed on God.

The third thing a God-focused person must do is have a constant mindset of prayer. Again, we’re not telling you to kneel and pray every second of every day. I pray when one of my sons is acting up, and I know I should respond with patience and a calm demeanor rather than raise my voice. I don’t do it physically; I just think, “God, help me to lead my son to you.”

When there’s a disagreement at work, and I feel the old, prideful person I used to be start to get indignant, I think, “God, help me to be patient and kind. Help me to not insist on my own way.” 

Those are statements from 1 Corinthians 13.

When one incorporates scripture into prayer, it’s stronger. It shows your supplications are a request to do as God wants rather than a demand for God to do what you want. God is loving and generous. He gives such wonderful things to his children (Matthew 7:11). However, He’s not the servant; we are.

We use prayer to lament to God. We use prayer to praise God. We use prayer to offer supplications to God. We use prayer to seek God’s wisdom and will.

We are supposed to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This speaks to a mindset far more than it does a posture. However, one should be constantly comparing ones actions from a Biblical mindset and thinking about God throughout ones life.

That might take someone as legalistic as myself right back to a mindset of, “Then I should just read the Bible and pray all the time!”

Well if prayer is just focusing on God, then a God-focused person will do this instinctively.

It doesn’t mean everyone should strictly grow up to be a pastor. That’d be a fine life occupation indeed, but God didn’t have all 12 tribes of Israel become priests. God wants doctors and lawyers. God wants teachers and farmers. God, in his wisdom, knows what His people need, and He uses people to provide. God provides leaders and artists. God used people to write His spirit-driven words.

This means we need to study our profession. This means we need to do our jobs, whatever they are. Three months ago, who gave a second thought to a grocery store employee? Now we see how critical those people are. How about food service workers? How long will it be now before you throw a fit at a guy who prepared your food? You see, God raises the meek to humble the prideful (Matthew 23:12). 

  

A misguided person will focus too much on the works. However, if works aren’t what lead to salvation, that what you’re doing isn’t actually what matters. What matters is why. Why are you doing it? How is what you’re doing glorifying God? The doctor performing surgery because it will make him enough to buy a car I can’t spell the name of is lost. The doctor next to him performing surgery because he knows God has called him care for the ill has it right.

The teacher working on a lesson plan because that is what will help him earn a promotion is lost. The teacher next to him working because he knows God has chosen him to teach his little children has it right. 

There is another benefit to this.

You see, a God-focused person isn’t anxious. What does it profit a man to fear the loss of money or food? Will worry grow crops? Will concern in itself keep an illness from infecting you?

This fear-focused person isn’t doing anything for God. In truth, such a person is showing a lack of faith. And what does acting out of fear truly do?

A germophobe might never get sick, but he never gets to experience some of the wonderful things God has given him.

Again, this doesn’t mean, “Do what you want.”  That’s not God-focused. It simply means, do what God wants, trusting He will provide and care for you. He will.

Don’t be afraid for your life. I promise, you’ll die one day. But the saved will live again.

Don’t be afraid of poverty. You were born with nothing, and you can’t take any of your money or possessions with you after you die.

Instead, hold fast to God. He is enduring and everlasting. He will give you what you need.

This is a perfect time to fix your thoughts on God. This is a perfect time to look at your life and ask yourself if you’re really serving Him. This is a perfect time to glorify Him by being generous when others seek to horde for their own comfort. This is a perfect time to glorify Him by being grateful for what you have, even if it’s not that much.

Whatever you do, do it to honor Him.

For our panel: Even as teachers and preachers of the word, would you claim that God occupies your every thought and action? How do you reorient yourself if/when you realize you’re not focused on God in a certain moment? Is going to church “enough” Bible study? Is there more one should do to be God-focused? What verses are good to go to, to help one focus on God?

You’re Not Stuck! COVID Delays Don’t Mean You Can’t Do Something As An Author

Greetings all,

[image error]Image by Achim Scholty from Pixabay. 

I want to share a frustration I have with people sometimes.  People can let one obstacle beat them. I can’t go to the gym, so I can’t work out. Really? So lack of access to a gym prevents you from doing pushups or sit ups?

 

I don’t have any ground beef, so I’ll order out. Why? Does ground beef constitute the entirety of your food options?

That doesn’t mean that people don’t face obstacles. It doesn’t mean that those obstacles aren’t frustrating at times. However, we as human beings choose. We choose to let our circumstances defeat us, or we choose to endure our circumstances and move forward in the ways God provides.

As a nation, America is face with more restrictions on their lives that they’ve ever face. The malls are closed. There are no sports. And, for me, all the conventions I had lined up were cancelled. That’s a huge bummer!

[image error]Since conventions are my number one method of sales (and not profit), this means I’m at an extreme disadvantage. The hardest hit is that no sales means no income, which means I can’t save up money for edits on Betrayed. I can’t save for a cover. Even the money I had been budgeting is set aside because we want to be prepared for any true financial issues.

So the challenge question: Does this really mean I can’t do anything as an author? No!

You can too. First, for you hopeful authors who constantly say, “I want to write, but I just don’t have the time!” What, exactly are you spending your time on now? Maybe you’re blessed to still have some form of employment. That’s great. However, it’s not like there’s a game you “need” to catch anytime soon. It’s not like there’s a new movie you “just have” to see.

You can write that book right now.

[image error]What about people like me? Well, the first thing I’m doing is working hard on the outline to Discovered (which looks to be a big one, by far the biggest of the trilogy). The other thing I’m doing is working a bit more on marketing. I’m building more campaigns for Amazon Marketing. Even if no one is buying now (and they are, even I sold a book or two this week), when things start moving forward, I’ll have a new armada of advertisements ready to go.

I’m blessed to be able to telework during this time. I’m still working. Heck, I might be doing more work than I would be doing if the building were open. This means time is still an issue. It might still be the biggest issue. However, what time I do have to myself, I spend on some form of writing. I might also do something else, but I chip away.

In the Navy, a common phrase you’ll hear is, “I don’t care what you can’t do; tell me what you can do.”

This attitude, this frame of mind, is essential. This time in our lives is definitely a challenge. We’re all worried. We wonder if we’ll get sick. We wonder if our finances will hold up. However, if we focus on our problems, we turn a blind eye to the solutions that are out there.

[image error]Image by Steve DiMatteo from Pixabay.

The challenge I offer you is this: Whatever you do, make sure you understand you’re making a choice. Even refusing to do anything or “failing” to make a choice is still a choice.

Naturally, you have the right to choose whatever you want. My problem would be if you try to avoid or lament the consequences of that choice as an excuse for why you can’t do something.

The guy who says, “I could write that book, but I’ve been meaning to watch the entire ‘How I Met Your Mother’ series for years now,” will get no beef from me. However the guy who complains about how he never has time to finish a book while watching that show may get a different reaction from me.

So here are a few things you can do if your finances prevent you from buying a cover or paying for editing services:

Draft another book.

Make revisions on another manuscript.

Study marketing.

Work on building your marketing plan.

Build your email list.

Send your readers an email (man I’m terrible at that).

This period of stress in our lives does create problems, but it doesn’t mean we have to give up on our goals.

I wanted to share these thoughts to motivate you to get moving in some way. This isn’t unique to writing either. Maybe spend some more quality time with your kids. Maybe turn this into an “in home” second honeymoon. Chip away on those home projects you’ve “been meaning to get around to.”

This time is stressful and challenging enough. Let’s use it to look for opportunities.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

 

 

Book Review: Starsight by Brandon Sanderson

[image error]The cover of the book was taken from its Amazon buy page for review purposes under Fair Use doctrine.

Starsight  is the second story in the Skyward saga by Brandon Sanderson.  My review for Skyward is here. Spoiler Free Summary: Spensa’s dream of becoming a hero is only the beginning. An alien visitor appears, giving her the chance to learn about the people who have kept her captive this whole time. She also learns about the entity that is even more horrifying than the thought of humans at war. What secrets will she unveil? Will she be able to protect the secrets she keeps? What doe the eyes of the starts know?

Character: Spensa is still a charming character. She’s growing, which is nice to see. I like MBot too. She’s proactive still, rather like Naruto in a lot of ways. However, she’s growing smarter. She’s forced to teach, and that gives her some tools that she needs. I honestly think seeing her growth from the last book to this one was one of the more interesting parts of the story. The cast sort of splits and expands here. We meet essentially an entire new cast. We don’t cut completely away from the other characters, but they don’t get much screen time.  

Exposition: The exposition of this story wasn’t beyond what I’d expect from a first person narrative. There are, of course, some “conversations” that decently hide the information we’re provided. They’re fun conversations and also reveal character, so I didn’t mind them at all.

[image error]Image of Sanderson by Nazrilof was taken from Sanderson’s website for review purposes under Fair Use doctrine.

Worldbuilding:  This novel expands on the universe and provides insight to “the big bad” everyone is afraid of. In true Sanderson fashion, “the big bad” is never really what people think it is.  This is where Sanderson has always, and will always, shined. This book made me miss Rithmatist (but not enough for him to stop working on Stormlight 4). The slow expansion of the world and it’s secrets is similar.

Dialogue: This is pretty much what I’d expect from any Sanderson story (especially a Sanderson YA story).  

Description:  I thought the description was great. I felt Sanderson was a little understated in his description in the last story, but this gave me the “something” I felt was missing from the last story.

Overall: This is easily the second-best book I’ve read so far this year. It fulfilled a lot of the promises the first book made. It became impossible to stop listening to it (this was an Audible story for me) with about three hours to go. It was a lot of fun. The only demerit I have is the cliffhanger ending. I hate those. I will always hate those. Even with that ending, I still loved it.

Thanks for reading

Matt