R. Frederick Riddle's Blog, page 55
November 13, 2017
Is Writing A Service To God?
Is writing fiction really serving God?
That’s a reasonable question since some people believe that it is not true service. I once was upbraided for writing novels based on the Bible because:
People will mistake it for the truth
Thereby getting wrong doctrine
There are a few things wrong with that view:
The Bible is found in the Bible or Religion section of bookstores not in the fiction section
Novels are found in the Fiction section not in the Religion section
My books state they are novels
My novels are purposely based on Biblical fact and doctrine
My novels flesh out the stories rather than disagree
In other words, no person who has read my books can seriously claim they teach false doctrine. If there is any doctrine in the book it always agrees with the Bible. In fact, I have been told my books “bring the Bible alive!”
Actually one of the reasons for writing Bible based novels is to encourage people to read the Bible; to discover what is Bible fact and what is a product of my imagination. It is always a thrill when someone reads my books and their faith is either renewed or they become more interested in reading the Bible.
And that is a service!
The true test of service, any kind of service, is as follows: Does it
Agree with Biblical facts
Honor God
Inspire people to read the Bible
Inspire people to worship God
Inspire others to serve God
Inspire people to live godly lives
It needn’t do all the above but it should have at least one of the elements. Christian authors, whether fiction or non-fiction writers, have an awesome opportunity to influence people for Christ. You don’t have to be preachy. You don’t even have to write about Bible events or people. But our writings should reflect a Christian approach to life.
My books generally take place before the birth of Christ yet I strive to present a Christian view. So while I don’t mention Jesus, I do mention the Redeemer. In addition, I emphasize the Scriptures (aka the Writings).
So if you’re a Christian author don’t be shy about being one. You have a job, perhaps a calling. Trust His leading and do things His way. And when people challenge you respond in pride, “I write because God gave me the talent and because He wants me to use it for Him.”
– – – – – – –
R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.
div.wpmrec2x{max-width:610px;}
div.wpmrec2x div.u > div{float:left;margin-right:10px;}
div.wpmrec2x div.u > div:nth-child(3n){margin-right:0px;}
Advertisements
Filed under: Authors, Bible, books, fiction, Trusting God, writers, Writing, Writing as a Christian Service Tagged: Authors, Christian, Influencing People, Moral values, Opportunity to Serve, Writing
November 8, 2017
A Journey of Faith
You may have noticed my absence during the past month. This is because of an unexpected journey of faith. So today I’ll bring you up on our recent history by using a recent speech I gave about God’s Provision. Here’s the speech. It makes for a long blog, but I wanted you to hear the full story.
… today’s talk is about God’s Provision, with special emphasis on the period beginning August 30th.
As you listen to the story please understand I am bragging on God. Although we will be mentioned, keep your focus on God and not us.
PRINCIPLE #1: TRUST GOD
“And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” (Luke 6:31)
Called the Golden Rule, we often hear it as “Do unto others as you would they do unto you.” This is a simple rule, yet one that the world at large would call naive. Jesus, on the other hand, gives it to us as a desired characteristic. When we treat others as we want treated we discover most people will reciprocate.
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
This often quoted verse is connected to Philippians 4:15. The Philippians had given support for Paul’s ministry in accordance with Luke 6:31. Paul was promising God’s provision as a reward for their giving. We, as Christians who give tithes and love offerings, can claim this promise. It’s as if every time you give to God, He banks the money on our behalf in a high interest savings or CD account. You get back more than you gave!
But I am not here to give an in-depth study on these Bible verses. Rather, I mention them as a basis for trusting God’s provision.
And we’re not talking only about money. In the Old Testament Daniel trusted God and prayed when it wasn’t safe to do so and in God’s provision He delivered him. Or Daniel’s three friends who trusted God and again in His provision He delivered them.
We have a God we can trust whole heartedly!
PRINCIPLE #2: WAITING ON GOD
In the Bible trusting God is often related to Waiting on God. It is easy to say we trust God, but waiting is another matter.
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”(Ps. 27:14)
“Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.” (Ps. 37:34)
“Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.” (Prov.20:22)
On August 30th our landlady came to our door. She was upset and in tears.
I was sitting at my desk working on the computer and saw her through the window.
She’d received a letter telling her the owner of our condo was going to sell and we had 30 days to pack up and leave!
She was so upset that we spent some time assuring her that God would provide for us. She’s not a Christian and probably doesn’t understand the idea of God’s provision.
After she left, both Teresa and I immediately went to the Lord and trusted Him. We could claim these verses and even identify the evil (the owner). But waiting on Him still became a journey of faith.
A journey that was interrupted by Hurricane Irma which sent us to what we thought was the safe haven of Lakeland, Fl. But the eye of Irma, as a Category 1, went right over Lakeland and where we were staying.
We had now personally experienced a hurricane.
Basically we slept right through not knowing it had turned northeast in Fort Myers and was heading our way.
Thus began our wait. It was already becoming frustrating.
And there was more to come.
PRINCIPLE #3: GOD’S THOUGHTS HIGHER THAN OUR THOUGHTS
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 59:9)
Have you ever had a plan that God changed?
We did.
Our plan was simple: Find another place to live and move there. Can’t be more simple than that. But it wasn’t as simple as we thought.
Our first step was to hunt for a two bedroom apartment, or at least a one bedroom.
Everywhere we turned we were met with “nothing available” for at least 3 months for a double. But for a one bedroom it ran anywhere from 6 months to a year!
We tried everywhere. Well, everywhere but the one place we had rejected from the beginning, Murdock Circle.
Although we were familiar with the area we had acquired a dislike based more on rumor and personal opinion than any real facts. It was on the church’s bus route, but so were the other places we checked.
But even there we were met with a waiting period.
At first a one bedroom apartment would not be available until November 12th and someone was already getting ready to sign. By this time God had us right where He wanted us: trusting Him.
We went home to get some additional papers they said we needed.
PRINCIPLE #4: God’s will is perfect and timely
“Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.” Ps. 143:10
“If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?” (Luke 12:28)
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
God had allowed us to check out other apartments.
We had even looked into the possibility of buying the Condo we were living in. But that door was closed right away.
By this time we were praying and seeking God’s will.
The apartment at Murdock Circle is the result. We moved in last Friday (Oct. 27).
But God’s Perfect Plan didn’t simply solve our immediate situation. There was still a time gap of 31 days between leaving Sunshine Villas and moving into Murdock Circle.
Where would we live in the meantime?
We were now highly dependent upon God. We even considered moving into the Homeless Coalition if we qualified!
But then God’s plan began unfolding.
It was as I called it earlier a journey of faith. It was also a journey of frustration!
Once we secured Murdock Circle, we looked for temporary living quarters.
But the 31 day gap was in essence putting us right back where we started and nothing immediately was available.
At this time I approached Pastor Jay about the problem. He immediately got on the phone.
As a result a big break came when we were offered a place to live further outside Port Charlotte. It represented a fairly long drive to the church, but it was affordable and available.
Or so we thought.
The opportunity fell through because the owner had a recalcitrant tenant who refused to leave. This left the owner unable to help us and with an immediate problem of his own.
Almost immediately, within seconds actually, another opportunity arose: the Church’s RV.
It needed cleaned and repaired, but Pastor Jay felt he could get it done in time (we had about a week to go before leaving the Condo). But this proved difficult and there were no guarantees the repairs would work.
Then on Wednesday, September 27 we learned about the camper. This demonstrates another truth about God’s provision. Not only was He preparing us a place to live, but He was providing for the owners of the camper to buy a new home. On Friday September 29th they bought their house and moved in. On Saturday September 30th we moved into the camper.
In the meantime, we rented a motel room at Knight’s Inn in Port Charlotte for three nights. (I usually like Knight’s Inn but I cannot honestly say I would recommend this one. But that’s another story.)
So what can we draw from this journey?
In Conclusion no matter who you are or how long you’ve been a believer or how old you are God can be trusted. In our case our plans were constantly changing. While we had no idea how things would work out, God had it all planned and He was in control all the time.
That is the point of this message.
Each one here can probably tell a story about God’s Provision. That is both a joy and a danger. The danger being taking God for granted. Trusting God often involves a deep sense of trust that sometimes takes us where we do not want to go. But God always knows best! …
Today Teresa and I have a new home. Did we do anything great to get it? No, unless you count trusting God. It wasn’t easy to trust Him. Circumstances didn’t always look bright, but He was in charge even when things looked the worse.
So if any of you are facing difficulties, you can trust Him.
God is worthy of our trust!
PRINCIPLE #5: GIVE GOD THE GLORY
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (I Cor. 10:31)
“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” (Heb.13:15)
In other words, when you see the mighty hand of God working on your behalf, praise Him and offer thanksgiving!
One of the reasons for choosing this message was for it to be a public praise of God for His provision. Is our story different from yours? Maybe in details, but the truth is that practically everyone here could tell a story or two of God’s provision.
It is good to reflect back on His provisions, because as long as we live we will face new problems, new obstacles, and new opportunities. While it is true we often fail to meet God’s standards, He never fails to care for us or meet our needs.
I believe the following passage expresses today’s truth about God:
“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.” (Lam. 3:20-26)
We are never too old to be reminded of God’s faithfulness and mercy. I dare say that as we get older, we need to trust God more because we can no longer do the things we once did. So we need to depend on Him more.
PRINCIPLES;
TRUST GOD!
WAIT ON GOD.
HIS THOUGHTS ARE HIGHER THAN OURS.
GOD’S WILL IS PERFECT & TIMELY.
GIVE GOD THE GLORY.
We have a wonderful God!
Thank you.
– – – – – – –
R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.
div.wpmrec2x{max-width:610px;}
div.wpmrec2x div.u > div{float:left;margin-right:10px;}
div.wpmrec2x div.u > div:nth-child(3n){margin-right:0px;}
Advertisements
Filed under: Encouraged, Pray for God's will, Scripture and Commentary, Thankfulness, Trusting God Tagged: blog, Commentary, fiction, God's provision, God's Trustworthy, Prayer
October 2, 2017
How Great God Is!
Today I want to take a little departure from my normal blogs. Instead of blogging about the faith of the Founders of America or about steps in serving God, I am going to blog about how great our God is!
I could choose a number of examples. For instance, I could talk about how God has provided for the establishment of a new church in Lehigh Acres, Florida. Pastor Adam Kruse is the founding pastor of Truth Baptist Church. This represents the first ever church plant by Tri-City Baptist of Port Charlotte, Florida. The story of how this all came about is pretty amazing and demonstrates God’s provision and leading. But that’s a story for another day.
There are other examples, but I am most familiar with our story.
Teresa and I have rented our condo for years. But recently the owner decided to sell and we had to leave. We are experienced in moving having moved four times in the last eleven years, which includes our latest move. I am not going to go into specifics at this time since this journey of faith is not quite over.
And a journey of faith it has been! It seems that every time some kind of obstacle would arise, God has already answered it. Sometimes something would happen and before we could go to God in prayer, the need was answered.
That’s pretty amazing from our viewpoint. But to God it is simply Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Folks, that’s the kind of God we worship. He knows our every need long before the need ever arises and has already provided the solution!
God knew our sin need before He ever created the world. He knew Adam would sin and pass the sin nature down to us. According to Romans 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
But God already had the plan to send Jesus, His only begotten Son, to die for our sins and enable us to live in heaven eternally! He foreknows everything!
Seeing God’s hand at work in other persons’ lives is always a blessing, but it is even more so when His hand is at work in our life. Another example taken from our life took place in 2008. We had visited Florida and saw firsthand what was happening to Teresa’s mother. She was in the first stages of Alzheimer’s and living with her eldest daughter. But that daughter was also dealing with an ill husband who would eventually die of the disease he had.
Teresa and I flew back to Michigan concerned but not knowing what to do. At the time I felt that Florida was a nice place to visit but I wouldn’t want to live there. But God had other plans.
Our pastor had dealt with his mother’s Alzheimer’s. So he knew a thing or two about it. He’s the one who told us we needed to move to Florida to take care of her. No sooner had he made this suggestion to us than I immediately questioned it. But each question was answered by God. In one instance He answered a question that I never raised.
We ended up coming to Florida and took care of mom until she died in 2013. Through it all God strengthened us and equipped us to handle her deteriorating condition. His help was always timely.
Teresa and I gave up a lot to move to Florida, but God restored all that and more. We discovered that when you trust the Lord He is more than capable of meeting all our needs and many of our wants!
The title of my blogging site is So You Want To Serve. God’s grace and abundant blessing is in itself all the motivation needed to serve Him. I recently taught a Sunday School lesson on Worshiping God. Some of the reasons I gave for worshiping Him were:
He created the world.
He created man.
He loves us.
He sent Jesus to die for us.
God is so great He deserves our worship. And serving Him is an act of worship!
Are you worshiping God?
– – – – – – –
R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.
Advertisements
Filed under: God is worthy, Life, Pray for God's will, Responding to God's call, Thankfulness, Worship God, Writing Tagged: God's leading, God's provision, How great God is!, journey of faith, Trusting God
September 23, 2017
Pre, Mid, or Post Rapture?
In my last blog (Christian Numerology?) I wrote about the ‘end of the world’ on Saturday September 23rd. We are now past that date and we are still here. But my post raised a question pertaining to the Rapture. It was pointed out that there are three Rapture theories: Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib, and Post-Trib. So let’s explore these a little in reverse order:
Post Tribulation
This view holds that the church will go through the entire seven year Tribulation and then will come the Rapture. While some Christians still believe in this theory it has largely been dismissed. There are many promises in Scripture concerning the Rapture that Post Tribulation either ignores or spins. These are:
3:10
Luke 12:10
Matthew 24:42, 44
I Thess. 4:13-18
1Thess 1:10,5:9
Romans 5:9
Ephesians 5:6
Does belief in the Post Tribulation Rapture mean one is not saved? No! Rather, I believe, it means that they have been taught amiss. A literal reading of the Word of God does not lead to a belief in the Post Trib Rapture.
Mid-Tribulation
This view means the church will go through the first half of the Tribulation, but escape the second half sometimes called the Great Tribulation. But again believers in this theory ignore or neglect important verses. This theory is based on 1 Corinthians 15:52 and in particular “the last trumpet.” They teach that this is the last trumpet of the trumpets found in Revelation. But the problem is that to do that they must ignore the fact that all the other trumpets of Revelation deal with God’s wrath.
The simple fact is that the Rapture is a New Testament subject meant only for the Church. Yet the church is never mentioned again after Revelation 4:1. From then on it is Israel which was, is and will be God’s beloved and chosen people. One of the purposes of the Tribulation, other than to punish unbelievers, is to bring the Jewish people back to Him! (Mt. 23:39; Luke 13:35.)
Pre-Tribulation
This view takes a literal view of the Bible including all the promises. Some of these are:
Revelation 3:10
I Thessalonians 1:10
I Thessalonians 5:9
Ephesians 5:6
Colossians 3:4
According to this view there is no event that must take place before the Rapture occurs. It could happen at any time. This view is also the view of the early church fathers, such as Barnabas (ca.100-105), Papias (ca. 60-130), Justin Martyr (110-195), Irenaeus (120-202), Tertullian (145-220), Hippolytus (ca. 185-236), Cyprian (200-250), and Lactantius (260-330).
I am not concerned whether you agree with me or not. What is important is that if you have received Christ as your Savior (been born again through the blood of Jesus) then you will be Raptured (Caught Up). It is a promise of God to us!
So there you have it. I hope I haven’t offended anyone, but now you know my position and the position of this blog. I am a fundamentalist; I take the Bible literally except where it indicates otherwise.
– – – – – – –
R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.
Advertisements
Filed under: Bible, Mid-Tribulation, Post-Tribulation, Pre-Tribulation, Rapture, Scripture and Commentary, Truth About the Bible, Uncategorized, Writing Tagged: Christian, Church, Commentary, End of World, end times, mid-tribulation rapture, post-tribulation rapture, pre-tribulation rapture, Rapture
September 21, 2017
Christian Numerology?
The title of today’s blog is Christian Numerology? The question mark is definitive. There is no such thing as Christian Numerology!
Let me explain. While there is Biblical study regarding the meaning of numbers in the Bible, that is not numerology. According to Wikipedia: “numerology is any belief in the divine, mystical relationship between a number and one or more coinciding events. It is also the study of the numerical value of the letters in words, names and ideas. It is often associated with the paranormal, alongside astrology and similar divinatory arts.” But that is not sufficient. Numerology basically takes outward events, etc. and re-interprets the Bible to fit. Good Bible study starts with the Bible and events, etc. must fit the Biblical narrative. That is exactly opposite of numerology.
The reason for bringing this subject up is the recent news and social media talking about September 23, 2017 as doomsday. Supposedly a ‘professional’ Christian numerologist claims that there will be a constellation revealed over Jerusalem. It is further claimed this is predicted in the Book of Revelation. No such prediction is made. If he is referring to Revelation 12:1-2 that is a historical event speaking of the birth of Christ.
But consider this also:
Christ said no man knows the day or hour of the Rapture.
The Tribulation is a separate event.
The Tribulation begins with the signing of a seven year treaty between the world leader (Anti-Christ) and Israel.
Let’s explore these points further.
In Matthew 34:36 Jesus says, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” In other words, we cannot know the date or time no matter how smart we are. God’s Son chose not to know and says only the Father knows. That should settle the issue right there.
The second point is that before the ‘End of the World’ there must first be the Rapture, which can occur at any time, then the seven year Tribulation, and then the Millennium (1000 years). So the end of the world is at least 1007 years away!
The third point is that after the Rapture the Anti-Christ will appear on the scene. We don’t know how long a time there is between the Rapture and his signing the treaty. It could be the same day, weeks later, months later, or even years later. We don’t, can’t know. And because we cannot know this, we cannot know when the Tribulation begins.
So this claim is completely bogus. Don’t be fooled. Christ will return for His church and it could be today, Saturday, or some future day. But it will happen. And the question is not when, but will you be part of that church. Membership is based on a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ, that is being saved by His grace and not your works. He died for all of us and wants us to trust Him for our salvation.
– – – – – – –
R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.
Advertisements
Filed under: Science, Scripture and Commentary, World News, Writing Tagged: Commentary, Constellation, End of World, Rapture, Revelation, September 23, Tribulation
September 6, 2017
What To Do About Bad Reviews?
I have been very blessed that so far I have had only one bad review. Some authors have had more than that, but no matter how many you get it hurts.
So what do you do about bad reviews?
A few years back I received such a review about the novel Perished. Sandwiched between 4 star and 5 star reviews it still offended me. Did I write a nasty letter to the reviewer? Did I erase the review from Amazon?
No, and no. The worst mistake you can make is to remove a negative review. Actually a negative review highlights the positive reviews. Readers will see that lonely negative review and also the positive reviews. And most will rightly decide something was wrong with the reviewer.
The young man reviewing my book actually pointed out the problem in his review. He admitted that he didn’t finish the book. Then he proceeded to tell his reasons for not finishing the book.
And this is where anyone who read the book would immediately know the problem. He not only didn’t read the book to the finish, he jumped around. His main complaint was that some of the characters did not remain true to their characterization at the beginning. I spotted this immediately.
One of the problems with writing historical fiction is that some of the characters in the book are drawn from actual historical accounts. In the case of Perished I was writing about actual Biblical events and people which required the use of real names.
Sometimes these names were identical to others. So it was possible to have two or more characters with the same name. Now if the reader is following the story as it was written, it is easy to determine which character is front and center. But if you jump around, never a good idea, then you could easily get confused as to which character you are reading about.
So the review was not only a bad rating (2 stars), but it was a poor review in approach and content. One side of me wanted to write him and point out his failings, but I didn’t do that. Why?
Because doing so is not good form. Most writers and teachers of writing will warn you not to criticize the reviewer. It simply offends others.
So I bit my tongue, metaphorically speaking, and left the review there. As I stated earlier it highlights the 4 and 5 star reviews. It becomes a plus and eventually helps the marketing.
Another response though is to take that negative review and ask yourself questions. In this case I asked myself if I could have done a better job of identifying which character was present? Most of the time the answer to that question is yes.
It’s possible that I could have eliminated certain characters and used alternate or even fictional characters instead. Sometimes when complaints come you can rewrite the book or at least certain scenes. The principle here is to treat negative reviews as a learning experience.
You can also treat good reviews the same way. Sometimes a reviewer may point out an error or a problematic tendency in the book even though they gave the book 5 stars. Once again you can take that and turn it into a learning experience.
Which brings me to another point or principle: leaving the negative review in place can serve as a reminder to you (or me) that you can’t please all the people. So don’t take it personally. Instead try to turn it into a positive learning experience both in marketing and in writing. Such an attitude will improve you as a writer.
– – – – – – –
R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.
Filed under: Book Review, books, fiction, Historical fiction, Life, writers, Writing Tagged: Authors, blogging, book marketing, book review, Book reviewers, fiction, Handling poor reviews, Writing
September 4, 2017
I Will Show Forth All Thy … Works
The last part of Psalm 9:1 relates well to one of my favorite verses that inspires my writing, Psalm 71:18b, “until I have shown thy strength unto this generation.”(KJV). Here’s all of Psalm 9:1:
“I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvellous works” (KJV).
Speaking as a Christian author these verses speak volumes to me. Since I believe God called and enabled me to write I feel it is important that my writings reflect His will, plans, and strength. You might say it makes sense since I write novels based on the Bible. But it would be true no matter what I wrote. For example, my novel Dead Eye Will is based on American history not Biblical. But I still wanted to honor God.
I think it can be safely said that authors like Tim LaHaye, Jerry Jenkins, and a host of Christian authors would be like-minded. The truth is that Christian authors are a cut above the average author. Don’t get me wrong, I am not speaking of talent or even smarts. I am talking about that when a professing Christian endeavors to do anything he/she is representing God. That puts a special burden upon us.
How we react to that burden or perhaps I should call it a challenge will impact how well we perform. And the burden doesn’t guarantee success. It is simply a challenge that affects how we approach writing whether it’s a novel or non-fiction.
This principal affects whatever a Christian does, whether a plumber, artist, teacher, CEO, laborer, or whatever. God expects us to put forth our very best and when we do, we reflect His works and His strength. It is our motivation. Because of what He did for us, we want to please Him and to tell others about Him.
– – – – – – –
R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.
Filed under: books, Christian, Christian men, fiction, Historical fiction, Responding to God's call, Scripture and Commentary, Serve, writers, Writing Tagged: blog, Christian, Commentary, how to serve God, showing God's works, Writing
August 29, 2017
Profile in Faith John Dickinson
John Dickinson (1732-1808) was a Revolutionary General, Signer of the Constitution, Governor of Delaware, and Governor of Pennsylvania. More importantly he was a professing Christian. Listen to these words provided to us by Wall Builders:
Rendering thanks to my Creator for my existence and station among His works, for my birth in a country enlightened by the Gospel and enjoying freedom, and for all His other kindnesses, to Him I resign myself, humbly confiding in His goodness and in His mercy through Jesus Christ for the events of eternity.
[Governments] could not give the rights essential to happiness… We claim them from a higher source: from the King of kings, and Lord of all the earth.
Known as the “Penman of the Revolution” because of his twelve letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, Dickinson was very involved with the revolution and the establishment of a new nation. Consider:
Member of Continental Congress.
Signee to Continental Association.
Drafted 1774 Petition to the King.
Member of 2nd Continental Congress.
Wrote Olive Branch Petition (to the king).
Wrote final draft of Declaration of Causes and Necessity of taking Up Arms.
Wrote the Model Treaty.
Wrote first draft of Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union.
Member of 1786 Annapolis Convention calling for Constitutional Convention of 1787.
Dickinson’s religious affiliation was Quaker, Episcopalian. In his Last Will and Testament, he wrote: Rendering Thanks to my Creator for my Existence and Station among his works, for my Birth in a Country enlightened by the Gospel and enjoying Freedom, and for all his other Kindnesses, to him I resign Myself, humbly confiding in his Goodness, and in his Mercy through Jesus Christ, for the Events of Eternity
This was a man who practiced his faith. He had strong views and he put them into action even at the risk of life and limb. We owe a debt to men such as he!
– – – – – – –
R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.
Filed under: Christian, Christian men, Christian profiles, Faith of our fathers, Founders Faith, men of faith, Our nation's Christian heritage, Profiles in Faith, Profiles of Faith, U.S. constitution, Writing Tagged: Articles of Confederation, blogging, Christian, Commentary, Constitution, Founders Faith, Governor of Delaware, Governor of Pennsylvania, Signer of Constitution
August 28, 2017
When I consider Thy heavens
“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?”
This passage is deep with a rich supply of theology and application. But I want to zoom in on the first part: “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained.”
The pride of men is such that they see all the handiwork of God, but refuse to believe that it was created by God. That view has pervaded our schools, government, and some churches. But the truth is that God is the Creator!
As a Christian author I have more than one motive for writing. Like all novelists I write to entertain, but I also have a Christian motive: Psalm 71:18b, “until I have shown thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.”
I don’t know what your motive is, but I imagine that assuming you’re a Christian you want to be a witness and to influence people for Christ. That doesn’t mean your book(s) have to preach or present the gospel, but it does mean that your book(s) should reflect your Christian beliefs.
As an example, I write historical fiction, primarily Biblical, while my wife is writing her first novel which is a mystery aimed at teens and adults. My Biblical books are based on actual events recorded in the Bible, whereas my wife’s novel will reflect modern living. In other words, we are writing for two entirely different genres.
Let’s get back to my books. My writings explore the relationships man has had with the Creator. Since my books are based on actual events they also include actual people some of which are good and some bad. Exploring this relationship excites me. It takes me deeper into God’s Word, which not only benefits the books but it benefits my own spiritual journey.
The worship of the Creator has been and still is a foundational doctrine for the Christian faith. Only the Creator has the right to be worshiped. Not only that but He has the right to demand our obedience to His will! He didn’t create us and then walk away. Every day He watches us and takes pleasure in us when we do His will. And I find that to be a blessing and an encouragement rather than a threat.
– – – – – – –
R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.
Filed under: Bible, Christian, Christian men, Creation, Encouraged, fiction, Genre, Historical fiction, Life, Scripture and Commentary, Writing Tagged: Authors, Christian, Christian writing, Commentary, fiction, Genre, motivation, novels
August 25, 2017
How I Wrote Perished Part II
Back in July I wrote Part I about writing Perished. I had intended to write Part II before now but got a little sidetracked by other projects. I did write about Noah, but Part II is actually about the research involved in writing the novel.
Research is almost a dirty word, but it is necessary for both the non-fiction and fiction writer. For a novel to connect with the reader it needs to have actual facts. I use two methods of relating the facts:
To tell pertinent facts before and after the story (such as seen in the World of Noah and the Ark).
To include facts within the story (a practice I use in all my novels).
But how did I get the facts?
There are a number of ways.
Read the Bible accounts (assuming your book is based on the Bible).
Read history books.
Do a deep internet search.
Use logic based on historical facts.
If you are writing about the Bible it is obvious that you need to spend a great deal of time in the Bible. In the case of Perished I not only spent time in the Book of Genesis but I used other books in the Old Testament and New Testament that related to the subject. That required a great deal of time and effort.
The second item mentioned was reading history books. Not cover to cover but selecting those portions dealing with the subject. Depending on how many books you research this could take some time.
The third thing mentioned was do a deep internet search. By deep internet search I simply mean using search engines, such as Google, to search out the subject and find relevant resources. But a word of caution. While the internet is a rich source of information there is also false information. For example, there are sites that are anti-Bible. Some are self-proclaimed, but there are others who are more subtle. So you must be discerning. Find reliable resources such as Answers in Genesis and Institute for Creation Research. There are others but these are extremely reliable.
But it is the fourth item I want to spend some time on. While the Bible is true and accurate it only relates information that God wanted us to know. The whole purpose of the Bible is to show us our sin and need for a Saviour and that Christ is that Saviour. So it only relates the historical facts needed.
When writing Perished I ran into a big obstacle. While the Bible gives us a lot of facts about the world existing before the Flood, it doesn’t break it down for us. Added to this is the lack of secular history, especially anything reliable. A good example of unreliable secular history is the history of Egypt. If you want to spend a day or so struggling to put it all together try understanding Egyptian history in the light of world history. Very difficult.
So I was faced with a big unknown. I knew that the people from Adam to Noah were very intelligent and built cities, but I had no historical proof. That gap has been filled by man with evolution, which is strictly theoretical, unproven, and contrary to the Bible.
So how did I resolve this issue?
Let me give you a challenge: Find a history book that you think is reliable and start reading from known history beginning with Nimrod and other world leaders. Study the civilization that existed. Take a look at the:
Government.
Arts.
Industry.
Warfare.
and more.
I think you’d agree it was a very developed society. Now take a look at the preceding civilization. Evolution teaches eons of time, yet there is no real evidence that conclusively shows evolution. Instead there is evidence of a worldwide cataclysm, which we know was the Flood. So we arrive at a question: How did mankind go from a caveman society to a sophisticated society? Or, Biblically speaking, how did the world recover from the worldwide Flood which destroyed everything to a sophisticated society?
We are speaking of a 300 to 500 year time span. How is that possible? Well, logic tells us that it is impossible for that degree of sophistication to develop in such a short time from virtually nothing. BUT if Noah brought the knowledge over the Flood to the new world then everything falls into place!
And that opens up a window into the past!
It occurred to me that if I looked closely at the first 300-500 years after the Flood I had a window into what the previous civilization was like. While scientists never seem to consider such a fact, the movie industry easily adopted it. The movies I have watched, anyway, have shown a society that was quite sophisticated. Not because the industry believed the Bible, but because they had to use what they knew.
So when studying the ancient past prior to the Flood we have a window that shows us what that world was like before it was destroyed. And thereby I was able to construct that world within the pages of Perished.
Which is what research is all about. Now most of the time research isn’t so complicated. But it is needed! When someone buys a novel they want to be entertained, but they also want the world it takes place in to be accurate, true, and with some detail.
When I wrote Dead Eye Will, which took place during and after the War of 1812, I had to do a lot of research. Since most of the story took place in Ohio, Michigan, and portions of Canada I had quite a lot of research. But once again it involved three items – reading history, deep internet research, and logic.
Is it worth it?
My answer is as follows: By far most of the readers have rated my books 4 and 5 stars. One of the reasons was that I brought the story alive. The reader was able to enter the world and almost participate in it. And that is what any author wants!
– – – – – – –
R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.
Filed under: book research, fiction, Historical fiction, Noah and the Ark, World that was, Writing Tagged: Adam, Ancient Civilization, book research, Civilization, Noah, Perished, The World That Was, Why does fiction require research?, world before the flood, World history
