The Temptation of the Hobbit

I was able to see The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. It is an amazing and beautiful movie. It's always nice to see your childhood on the big screen done relatively well. While I was watching the movie, I was struck by one scene in particular. The scene where Bilbo viciously stabs the white spider that comes from up from it's hide away and is heading to pick up the ring. The part that struck me most is towards the end of the scene where he yells, "mine!". It's a very intense scene. But it made me think of how sin holds us the same way.

In the movie, Bilbo turns to the ring for reassurance and refers to it as his courage when talking to Gandalf. We do very similar things when it comes to the sins in our lives. We take our security from money and end up loving it, we call drunkenness "liquid courage" and people often times turn to inappropriate sex to feel loved and happy. When we are challenged on this, we say "Mine!" and defend ourselves in many different ways. In the end though, whoever tries to take our sin and help us to do better we are ready to stab. I know, because I've been there myself.

God provides a way out of every temptation that is here. 1 Corinthians 10:13, "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." With Jesus, we can drop our rings of power and walk away. We can let the webs of time take everything we thought we needed; because in the end all we need is Christ.

Genesis 29 - Leah is a geek girl, she's a source companion, People! {feel it everywhere}

In which we wonder why Jacob doesn’t check, the heart warming makes Anthony puke, The Twilight Zone is your wedding night and the permanent tan of Jesus.
(If you can guess what band provided the Title we’ll give you an internet cookie! :D)

Pride of the Apple Jack

Recently I've fallen victim to the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic virus that is sweeping the internet. As I watch this show I realize the reason why it entrances me to the extent it does is because they are first and foremost morality stories. In Episode 4: Apple Buck Season; you can see the lesson of humility that is also taught in The Bible. Apple Jack tries to harvest the whole farm after her brother gets hurt and can't help her. In her pride she refuses the help that is offered to her twice and refuses to listen when other ponies tell her that she should get help. At the end of the episode she basically ends up falling down and asking for help when Twilight Sparkle insists upon giving it to her.

In The Bible Proverbs 16:18 states "pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." In this case both happen to Apple Jack. When helping Rainbow Dash with her flying she can't concentrate enough to land on the X to launch Rainbow into the air and perform her incredible feats of dare devil flying. When she goes to help Pinkie Pie create wonderful muffins, she is so tired she can't understand what Pinkie is saying and only gets half of the ingredients. What we end up with is earth worm, soda and potato chip muffins instead. When she tries to help Fluttershy with rounding up the baby bunnies, she ends up scaring them all into a stampede that devastates Ponyvilles flowers and crops.

Apple Jack tries to do it all herself and fails miserably. Proverbs 13:10, "Only by pride comes contention: but with the well advised is wisdom." During the whole episode Twilight Sparkle is trying to tell Apple Jack that she needs to let them help her and it becomes an argument between the two of them. Apple Jack standing on her pride and Twilight Sparkle trying to get her to accept what is right, and take the help.

When you rely solely on yourself you cause trouble, disaster and unrest. As Christians we should be careful we do not become like Apple Jack toward each other. 1 John 2:16 says this, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." Be careful Christian that you don't have your Apple Jack moments. When you need help, ask for it. When help is offered, take it. Just like in the end of this episode where all the ponies became closer through their work, you become closer to your Christian brothers and sisters through help and dedication to the Love found in Christ for each other.

Dune "Fear"

Let us paint the picture of fear.  Biologically it's something built into us to give us an understanding of our past pains.  Fears is often caused by a memory of pain, either our own or someone elses'.  Watching Frank Herberts' Dune brought all the old ideas of pain that I used to have back.  Much like the ideas in the movie about pain and fear, I also believed that it was something I could control.  That I could repeat something however many times and the fear would just vanish. My beliefs, however, never rang true.  The more I tried to control my fear the more it grew inside me.  At the time  I even tried the Bene Gesserite mantra for fear:
                                                I will not fear
                                               Fear is the mind killer
                                               I will face my fear 
                                               I will let it pass through me
                                               Where the fear has gone there shall be nothing
                                               Only I will remain.
As silly as that sounds when you live your life without Christ and His nurturing care you will try anything to keep your emotions in check.  After becoming a Christian I learned that fear will not longer have a hold on me.  1 Peter 3:14 says, "But if you suffer for righteousness sake, happy are you and be not afraid of their terrors, neither be troubled."  Such an odd statement can only be followed if I understand that, "The Lord is in the midst of you, He is mighty, He will save..." (Zephaniah 3:15-17) and that He "will help me and I will not fall to my enemies." (Jeremiah 39:17-18 paraphrased).  Once I understand this concept I stand on the solid ground of Christ.  Like Muad'dib I stand boldly and declare the things that are true.  With Christ I say:
                                                 I will not fear
                                                 Fear is conquered through Christ
                                                I will give my fear to the Lord
                                                I will let Christ flow through me
                                               Where the fear has gone there shall be love
                                                Only Christ will remain.