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Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Through a God-Lens ~ Movie Review

TRANSCENDENCE

I have seen the movie Transcendence a few times now. I've watched interviews featuring its director Wally Pfister and cast members Johnny Depp & Morgan Freeman. I've also read and watched movie reviews where people wail on the film for being things like "boring and bland" (see video below). All said and done, many viewers have said there is nothing terribly impressive about this $100 million budget film with a megastar cast.


However, viewed through what I call a "God-Lens," I think this movie is phenomenal! And the fact that it gets such terrible reviews by the general population is fantastically fitting as well. Here's what I mean:

Yeshua/Jesus...the very Son of God, was born in Bethlehem to a lowly carpenter rather than in a king's castle. He came serving rather than being served. Though rich, He became poor for our sake. Rather than overthrowing Roman occupiers who were oppressing His Jewish brethren, He preached that we should love our enemies. And instead of ruling and reigning from an earthly throne, He was crucified and killed.

Eliminate Your Enemy by Converting Your Enemy by Loving Your Enemy

Loving and serving is the warfare of Yeshua and NONE of this was what the Jewish world around Him expected. Instead, they awaited a conquering king who would finally put Rome in its place. This very disappointment probably contributed to Jesus being betrayed by one of his own followers (Judas). He was later denied by his right-hand man Peter. Before this, He was hated by the leaders of His people as they were envious and feared the control He might acquire (Matthew 27:18). This was all despite the many wonderful things Christ did for everyone, making this world a better place. All of this is SO applicable in the movie Transcendence!

Click HERE to visit Plugged In Movie Review Website!

[Spoiler Warning] In this movie, Will Caster (Johnny Depp's character) is easily a type of Christ and the concept of Transcendence itself can easily represent the Kingdom of God through the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. It took Christ dying for the Holy Spirit to become available to all mankind and the same thing happens in this film. Disclaimer: By no means am I endorsing certain actors, "Hollywood" itself or what can come out of it. I'm also NOT saying this symbolism was the movie writer’s intent. I'm merely stepping back & seeing the DNA of Yehovah, The One True God, in all of His creation; including themes that filmmakers put in their films inadvertently.

Back to the story:

The friends closest to Will don't believe he will come back from death. They lose hope and begin to give up until Will makes contact. Eventually, Will appears in bodily form to his followers. As the transcendent "god" of this movie, Will chooses a very humble and unassuming place to begin building his kingdom (Name: Brightwood). Instantly you see a poor and rejected population here. These people are later healed and transformed and then used to help recruit others to receive the same. This is the very nature of the Kingdom of God!

CONCLUSION

I could go on and on with the parallels one could draw from this film but don't want to spoil it for anyone else more than I already have. My recommendation for anyone watching Transcendence is this:

Rather than looking to be highly entertained by thrills (e.g. the great battle scenes of a conquering king), look to gain insight into how God actually operates. Look for Jesus and His love for His church.

Some main God-themes to take away from this film are that Yehovah is good, He is for us and not against us. His motives are pure and He desires that we humans be a part of His process of bringing health & healing to this world and its people. Yehovah desires to transcend and transform us all by giving us supernatural strengths and abilities that go far beyond our own imaginations.

Movie Quote:

Conference Attendee: "So you want to create a god?"
Will Caster: "That's a good question. Isn't that what man has always done?"

Bible Quote:

Temple Attendees: “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”
Yeshua: "Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’?"

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Rescuca: Tale of the Two Hundred (T200)

Rescuca: Tale of the Two Hundred (Volume 2)


Description:

Abigail, beloved of her father, is engaged to marry a man she has never met. She has been raised to honor and respect all of her father’s wishes; including what man she ought to marry.

As his reward for taking part in a revolution, James is one of twenty captains who has found himself exiled to a remote system, imprisoned on Thrae. Bored out of his mind and with no war to fight, James begins practicing secret arts taught to him by Rescuca, his brilliant and fearless commander.

Time and chance would have this disenfranchised soldier happen upon Abigail…a beautiful and very impressionable Numah maiden. Once disgusted by what he called “Numah scum,” James now finds himself captivated by Abigail as she innocently confides in him her struggle to obey her father.

And so begins the Tale of the Two Hundred as this Nomed captain and beloved Numah daughter blaze an entirely new trail, against all odds and all social norms. But how will Commander Rescuca respond to one of his elite mingling with one of his enemy’s favorite creations? What impact will this love affair have on Abigail’s father and family? Lastly, what action will Emperor Epaga take to safeguard his agenda for Planet Thrae?


----------------


Digital copy of Rescuca: T200 (Volume 2) will be available at all locations where SOTR (Volume 1) is currently sold:


Amazon.com*


Barnes & Noble


iTunes Store (iBooks)


Kobo


*Amazon digital copy only $0.99 after purchase of paperback


Monday, November 9, 2015

Two Sides of the Same Coin

Yehovah...the One True God, seeks worshipers who will "worship Him in Spirit and in Truth" (John 4:24). When it comes to God's Spirit and His Truth, it's not a case of there being one OR the other but rather "two sides of the same coin."




OIL = HOLY SPIRIT | LAMP = TRUTH [OF GOD’S WORD]

In Matthew Chapter 25, we are told a sobering story about five bridesmaids who fail to keep oil in their lamps while waiting for the bridegroom to arrive. Oil in Scripture often represents the Holy Spirit of God (e.g. 1 Samuel 16:13). Earlier in Chapter 7, we are told about people who will have done amazing [spiritual] things on God's behalf (i.e. spoken for God, performed exorcisms & miracles etc.), but nonetheless…when face to face with their Lord, they are rebuked and told to depart from Him. They are reprimanded for being “lawless” or in other words...disobeying God’s Torah (Instructions).

Question: What is the connection being made here between these two sections in the Gospel of Matthew?

Answer: It’s by God’s Truth (the lamp) that we know right from wrong and it’s by His Spirit (the oil) that we understand and are empowered to walk in obedience to those very commands (Psalm 119:105; Romans 8:1-8). When this process is carried out in beautiful balance, the light of Yehovah shines into this dark world. But in terms of shining light, what good is a lamp without oil or oil without a lamp. In either case, one will walk in darkness or without enlightenment. The enemies of Yehovah know this and I believe this is why saints are baited to cling to one side and condemn the other.


In conclusion, let us not fall for the bait of Satan which is accusation and condemnation. Let’s not look at our brother or sister comparatively to see how we are somehow better because we either live a life that looks more holy or on the other hand, seems more spiritual. Yehovah desires that His children be both! We should be spiritually minded and empowered AND also holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16). Again, these attributes are just "two sides of the same coin."


Additional References:
Matthew 7:21-23; 25: 1-13; John 8:12; 18:37; Ephesians 6:12; James 2:14-26; 4:11&12

Saturday, November 7, 2015

NOVEMBER IP2RR WINNERS!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NOVEMBER IP2RR $100 WINNERS:


Shameka C. - Roanoke, VA


D'Carlo B. - Ava, MO



Everyone who responded to this month's Challenge Question had the correct response but only 2 readers replied before the designated cutoff of 7:00 p.m. CST.

To those who did not make it in time, I wish you the best of blessings with next month's challenge question which will be posted (LORD allowing) on Monday, December 7th, no later than 6:50 p.m. CST (7:50 p.m. Eastern). Be sure to FOLLOW me on this blog, Facebook or Twitter and BE READY FOR THE IP2RR CHALLENGE!


Reminder/Hint: December's Challenge Question will be based on Chapter 4 of Rescuca: Savior of the Realm. Chapter 4 is entitled The Axiom and the Exodus.

Listen to Rescuca: Savior of the Realm Audiobook Preview

NOVEMBER IP2RR CHALLENGE QUESTION!

November IP2RR Challenge Question!

CHAPTER 3 - COMPLETED



QUESTION:

Fill in the 2 blanks in the sentence below:


"Caring for the countless creatures and having no other purpose would be thousands of __________, now lulled into a stupor by __________'s Beacon."


To submit your answer: Use this post's comment option, the ip2rr.com Contact Form, or the contact form at the bottom of this blog.


[Spiritual] Food for Thought:

Hebrews 1: 10-14


"'You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.

They will perish, but You remain;
And they will all grow old like a garment;

Like a cloak You will fold them up,
And they will be changed.
But You are the same,
And Your years will not fail.”

But to which of the angels has He ever said:

'Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.'

Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation
?"


Hebrews 13: 1&2

"Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers,
for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels
."