Ay, poco lips

 https://www.theringer.com/2016/7/12/16036422/new-ghostbusters-gender-wiig-mckinnon-e169d4fafbe

This article makes some good points.  I still don't like the film, personally.  This article points out most of, if not all, of the reasons.  Agreed tho, the ongoing dispute Yates had with the Asian cuisine establishment was funny.  Not funny enough to justify the $150+ million budget and the subsequent cost of a movie ticket (+ possibly the cost of concessions, depending on weather or not you want to do without popcorn or smuggle your own).  (imo)

First things

 I'd heard a commentator on the radio talking about how God created the world before He created man.  And how that's ultimately an act of provision.  Man never had to wait on God before having access to food and art.  Another thought came to mind also, how the Earth being here before man also reminds us of our dependence on something greater than ourselves.  The earth could be, in a way, somewhat of a metaphor for God Himself.  It's an incomplete metaphor but it's not super off.  And to think that we all know Earth was here before any human being.  Even scientists and atheistic philosophers, they know it in their bones.  It's something innate to our being that God has not let depart from us 

A communication barrier, perhaps...

 https://www.npr.org/2023/04/25/1171786870/rainn-wilson-urges-a-spiritual-revolution-in-his-new-book-soul-boom

I think it's sad that so many people are clueless as to The Bible's significance. It's God Himself speaking to us from Heaven. People think they've discredited it by saying "There were other religions before it" and citing all of the similarities between them and Judaism/Christianity. Name one of them that is based on words claiming to be from He who created the world and everything in and beyond it.

Many however are simply lost. The Christianese doesn't make sense to them and many people trying to sour others to believe don't seem to have any sense of understanding of the fact that if you haven't read The Bible and weren't raised in church then there's simply a great deal of anecdotal stories like what largely makes up The Old Testament and some of the New Testament. Genesis isn't meant to be a historical textbook. It does have historical facts in it but that's not the point. History is meaningless without your heart being in the right place. Otherwise people would be reading Church History 101 alongside The Bible like it's just a couple medium sized notches less important. Theology is also meaningless. Theories are just that - theories. If you've gained some insight into God's ways from reading The Bible and understanding it in some powerful way, then great!! That does not need to be preached. It does not need to be explained or talked about to people like it's a sin to disagree with it. What The Bible literally * says *, clear as day without any room for interpretation that's what needs to be focused on. People who go to a church without the cross placed in the center of the building or have church service with dramatic or musical productions are not needing to change churches. They need to be encouraged to stay in His word and bask in His goodness, all the more as much as they can.

I don't know. I understand regular people who go to work and focus on a series of small tasks can be distracted and unable to think clearly enough to present the gospel in an unmuddled succinct manner and not be snipey with people who aren't quick to understand the explanations given. However I've read a handful of highly recommended books and listened to pastors that people rave on about who can't seem to do that and...on one hand, I'm certainly not one to judge. Simply doing research for one sermon, let alone an entire book is more intensive than anything I've ever done and I should be more at peace with these matters and just accept whatever happens for none of us deserve to be saved. The fact that God's word landed on good soil and trickled down through time and space to reach my mom and then eventually me, and countless others, should be satisfactory, and more.

Romans chapters 6 through 8

 I was reading Romans Ch6 a little while ago, and, rightfully so, felt somewhat scolded by the lack of effort I've been putting into my sanctification.  I really had to latch onto the sheer hope that I AM indeed in Christ, since, if I were to merely focus on that chapter, I would not have much reason to do anything but blindly hope.  And I honestly don't think The Bible confirms that I am saved.  I don't know if I'm exhibiting the fruit(s) of the spirit.  Those around me might be better able to say, but there's only so much assurance I can have by the word of other people.  I mean, it's not as if Christians have never been wrong before...there's (supposedly) entire churches that are basically sending themselves to Hell...they certainly don't introduce themselves that way.  I personally am rather annoyed with this consistent belittling of "other churches" I keep hearing, but that's probably not relevant to anyone reading this...

 But it seems like Paul addresses the ambiguity of the Christian's state in Romans 8.  Which, as rotten as it is, does bring me a sense of hope for myself.  I do need to do a better job at laying aside the muck that lurks and flails about within me and say "NO!" to all that.  It is rather selfish to not do so.  I hope I can sometime sooner than later, today perhaps, and onward, find a willingness to say "NO!", to quit giving grimy sins the upperhand.

For my good and His glory.

 

Scream VII; I think we're getting a little off course here (?)

 From a business standpoint making a SCREAM 7, 8, 9 & 10 etc , would make perfect sense.  Until a decent script can't be conceived or the audience loses interest, it's just a logical move to keep on with the franchise.  But I think we're encroaching a point where the audience of the SCREAM movies is "taking their love of scary movies too far". Not necessarily being guilty of the crimes of Billy Loomis, but at what point do you get from the point of sympathetic listener to a point where you're paying money to hear your patient cry?  To be clear, I don't think we've reached that point *yet*. SCREAM VI looks to be a very well thought out skillfully made film but I'm wondering how much milk this cow is really able to produce before it gets poisoned and people continue to drink it 

Maybe I'm way off base.  I've read that readers and viewers of horror genre work are actually more sympathetic than many other people and it's possible I'm merely projecting my own feelings of trepidation based on my own fear of myself.  However, there have been numerous instances of people donning the "Ghostface" garb and actually killing other people.  At least some of those people were stuffed with hallucinogenics but not all of them.  And I'm not aware of anything really recent.  And there's always the question of Would they have done it anyway had these films never been made?  In some of those instances I'd say probably yes.  In others I'm not really sure at all.

Rev. lyrics "Great Is Your Faithfulness"

 Great is Your faithfulness, O God my Father;

There is no shadow of turning with You;

You never change Your compassions are always;

As You have been You forever will be.

Refrain:

Great is Your faithfulness!

Great is Your faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see:

All I have needed Your hand has provided—

Great is Your faithfulness, Lord unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Your great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endures all,

Your own dear presence to cheer and to guide,

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow—

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

ceremonially unclean

I remember several passages in the Mosaic law that talk about ceremonial uncleanliness.  One of them was directed at women who'd given birth.  A commentary suggested that God gave that as a blessing so that the mother could have time to bond with the child, which, especially when compared to most people back then, is a heaping helping of compassion doled out by God.  But I have to wonder why He didn't just say that and instead used the word "unclean"  I have to suspect that it's intended to remind us that life wasn't always this way and should not always be this way and doesn't have to always be this way.  In the curses given by God at the fall of mankind, it was declared that childbirth would be much more painful and, prior to the fall, it was stated by God that YOU WILL SURELY DIE.  Neither Adam nor Eve died immediately after having eaten the apple (edit: fruit; Yes, I know The Bible doesn't specify what kind of fruit...), and by today's standards, Adam lived a ridiculously long time, but he did eventually die.  Simply the physical reality of death is absolutely repulsive and horrifying.  Consider the decomposition process.  There's something fascinating about it for sure, but it's not good by any means.  It looks as vacant and sad as you'd think.  And some people wax philsophicaly about "bringing a child to this cruel world"  How about bringing a child into the world that's already dying before it ever had a chance to think about it?  I think God considers all of these things.  These are not light,airy, flippant matters to Him.  

I could be mistaken in my musings.  I don't have the confidence in myself and the airtight closeness to God to declare these things like they're absolutes.  But it does seem like a worthwhile set of things to ponder, if you wanna.

ever more, the faith, in front

 Romans chapter 6, been reading that this past week at the behest of my counseler.  He urged me to extract one principle from the text and try to apply it.

What shall we say then?  Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?  Far from it! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

I confess to You, Lord God, Almighty, that I have not been a good steward of the faith you have showed me.  You have been lavishly kind to me and I have been almost cruel to you, callous for sure, and I ask that You would forgive me for my iniquities and my shallow and short sighted mindset.  Please strengthen me and deepen my love and faith in and for You, so that I may prove myself to be Yours, and not be ashamed at your coming.

in Your Sons' Mighty and Wonderful Name I pray these things.
Amen.

Sense and senselessness

 Romans 6 "You were reaping shame and death by the sins you committed.  Now quit and serve your Lord, Jesus!"

I don't fully understand this bit of scripture.  I guess my heart is not as invested in Jesus as it should be.  I succumbed to sinful carousing this afternoon and I'm already feeling the effects of it.  I read Romans 6 and it just doesn't have the same beautiful ring it did yesterday.  I wish I could &/or would exercise some common sense!!  If nothing else, this chapter faces me with the knowledge that I have been a very poor servant of God, and if Christ hadn't died the horrible death He did, I'd be not only unable to be offered such a position but *if** I were able to apply for the job under such an alternate set of circumstances, I would have been disqualified from it.  Not today, per se, even....my disqualification would have happened years ago.  My emphatic redundant mutterings of "Thank You, Jesus!!!!" ring hollow.  I should be wailing with sorrow.  I am not breathless and knocked out by the beauty and sorrow of "Good Friday", as one of the associate pastors reminded me this past Sunday.  :/