Rise of the Planet of the Apes

"YOU'RE TRYING TO CONTROL THINGS THAT ARE NOT MEANT TO BE CONTROLLED"

- from the movie "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"

I remember loving the original Planet of the Apes movie with Charleston Heston. One thing I forgot was how the first movie was so anti-Christian. This is not true of this latest remake which is a prequel to the first movie. One sees a quick picture of a spaceship flying into outerspace to catch the quick reference that this was supposed to represent Charleston Heston and his original crew. What one finds in this prequel is a clever story of how man created his own worst nightmare. Doing something good like finding a cure to altizmer leads scientists to invent a drug that causes a plague that wipes out most of mankind while it gives exceptional intelligence to apes. One also sees the apes also need a kind of savior and one who will lead them out of captivity into the freedom of the jungle once more.

Issues such as good and evil, freedom and slavery, evolution and creation, morality and mores are contrasted in the response of those in the movies as well as the viewers. I have heard several people tell me they are not going to see a movie about apes. But this kind of creative sci-fi genre has a larger story to tell for those who have the time to go see this movie for themselves.

Excellent article on Ancestral Sin

Here is an excellent article entitled "View of Sin in the Early Church" written from an Orthodox Reverend.

I am thoroughly of this viewpoint.

Truth is Unkillable

Anam Chara

I have been looking at Mysticism for some time and while viewing some books on Amazon about Mysticism, I came across this author and went and looked at his website.

Interesting Occurrences

So I listened to two awesome new songs this week.  On Wednesday, I found this one:  Heaven Come My Way by Abandon Kansas from their album Ad Astra Per Aspera (Latin - To the Stars through difficulties - apparently a motto for a whole bunch of different people and one I have not heard but love!)

Yesterday I found this song which I linked in this post as well:  Coming My Way.

These two songs are very uplifting!

Truth is Unkillable

Book Trailers

I have not posted any as I have not made the time too.  However,  I intend to change that slowly and small as God leads and right now, I am going to begin to post links and such to items I find on the internet of value and interest.  I will let Chris carry the banner of original content for now!

Lately, and I am not sure when people started doing this (I am not afraid to admit that I do not follow trends so book trailers appear to have been around for a couple of years at least), I have seen some book trailers that are very profound.  Probably the first one I watched was some months ago, Rob Bell's Love Wins, and while I am not going to offer my own opinion about the controversy as I have not read the book, I will say that it was very moving to me.

A couple of weeks ago, I was looking on the internet for just a book of the gospels.  This is what I found:  The Four Holy Gospels.

Probably close to finding the one above on the four gospels was this book by Jon Tyson and Darren Whitehead:   Rumors of God.  Ironically, when I went to link the trailer, I found out the book released basically this week.

So yesterday, I went to the merry monk's website (He produces Steve Brown's radio programs - I will tell a personal story about Steve Brown later) and on it was this video:  All is Grace.  Now what is interesting on this video in addition to the words, is the song!  The City Harmonic Coming My Way.

I would be remiss if I did not mention four other book trailers (I bought all four books eventually) that I remembered a few minutes after I was going to go read!  I viewed two of these in 2010:  Unchristian (Not sure if it is the official book trailer, but it is a preview nonetheless!), The Next Christians (Actually, I follow this author's stuff on the internet so I bought the book at the end of October 2010 so I cannot actually remember if I viewed a book trailer of it or not).  The next two I did view the book trailers:  Veneer and Quitter

Disclaimer:  These are not meant to be advertisements or anything.  These all moved my heart.

Truth is Unkillable

Communion Meditation

"JESUS CAME TO DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL" - John 3:8

I love the story in 2 Samuel 2:13-17 where David asked for a drink of water from the well of Bethelehem which was totally surrounded by the enemy army of the Phillistines. Three of David's mighty men fought their way through the enemy's camp and brought back David a drink. David was so moved by their willingness to lay down their lives for him that he could not even take the drink given him. These three mighty men of David remind me of three powerful truths for us today.

1. You must know who you are as God's warrior. David's men were completely loyal to David and would do anything for him.

2. To conquer the enemy, you must enter his territory. David's men had the courage to go over to where the stronghold was the toughest and fight.

3. You and God make a majority. David's men knew David and the God he served and they accomplished an impossible task because God went with them into the battle. Three men against the whole Phillistine army!

When it comes to Jesus death and resurrection, we too need to know Jesus is our divine warrior. Jesus overthrew the gates of hell and even conquered death. Jesus knew who he was as God's warrior. Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness and said, "If you are the son of God." Jesus knew he was God's son. Jesus entered Satan's domain. His whole ministry was one of casting out demons, healing the sick, and raising the dead back to life. Jesus came not only to seek and to save the lost but also to destroy the works of the Devil. Finally, Jesus conquered the grave. Not even death could hold Jesus back! Jesus died on the cross so that you could meet his Father.

If God can raise the dead, He can raise an army

"YOU CANNOT COMBAT A STRONGHOLD OF THE ENEMY IN OTHERS IF THE SAME STRONGHOLD OF THE ENEMY IS IN YOU"

When Jesus washed the disciples feet, he told them that one of them was going to betray him and one of them was not clean. If we are going to be used by God, we must be clean vessels to go forth and do battle in God's power. The church is often weak and compromised because the enemy has infiltrated the church rather than the church infiltrating enemy territory. If we are going to be battle ready and put on the whole armor of God then we need to understand that Jesus is our divine warrior. When I pray to put on the breast plate of righteousness, I know Jesus is my righteousness. When I put on the belt of truth, I know Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. When I put on the shoes of the gospel of peace, I know Jesus is my peace. When I put on the helmet of salvation, I know Jesus is my Savior and redeemer. On and on it goes, Jesus is my joy. Jesus is my strength. Jesus is my all in all!

[picture of Michael the Archangel]