On Quiz Bowl and Idleness

2Ti 2:4  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 

Here are some things I need to confess.  I'm not perfect. (I John 1:8-10)  I get distracted by worldly things.  This was even more so when I was younger (perhaps I wasn't even saved back then).

Here's what happened:  For the past 11 months, I have been without a night custodian.  In December 2023, I had to withdraw my participation in the high school's quiz bowl tournament as a moderator, because I had to work overtime as a custodian.  As of yesterday, I now have a night custodian (he's more of a floater, going to at least three schools to help, but hey, it helps).  So, I am able to participate in this year's quiz bowl tournament, and signed up. 

Yet...I have thought about that above verse (of which I have discussed before) pertaining to such an "extra-curricular" activity such as quiz bowl.  Was I sinning by participating in secular activities?  

Honestly, I don't know.  Quiz bowl is no sin in and of itself; how can the promotion of truth be sinful?  I've been wrestling with my participation all day today, and so far, I came to the present conclusion that my participation is better than the alternative: doing nothing (highly discouraged, if not sinful, in Proverbs 19:15:

Pro 19:15  Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger. 

).  [Wait, seriously?  Am I lazy for not doing quiz bowl?  No, I'm lazy if I do nothing after work, chores aren't nothing.]

As of now, I'm writing this blog post.  Yet, on most days, I do jack squat when it comes to productivity.  I once said to myself, "I need to relax in order to get ready for the next day."  This is why I don't do any web development during the week, it racks the brain too much.  But other things?  Perhaps that's for another blog post. (That's probably a good idea, a critique of the 40 hour work week. (See Matthew 20:6,9 and the "eleventh hour".))

So what do I have to do to prepare for being a moderator of a quiz bowl tournament?  Not a whole lot:  Just look over the questions, and make notes on pronunciations, changes in current events (this happened in 2021 when Olaf Shulz took over for Angela Merkel as Chancellor of Germany), the acceptability of certain answers (Octavius vs. Octavian, accepting "Bryant" for "Vanessa Bryant"), etc.  Honestly, it doesn't take that long.

Even the event itself doesn't take that long.  As Sima Guang Hater, a critic of Kansas quiz bowl on hsquizbowl.org has said:

"KS quizbowl consists of 16 questions per round, which are one line long and sorted by category. And 3 of them are math calculation. This has the advantage of allowing tournaments to happen in the 3 hours between the end of school and dinnertime, but is otherwise quite terrible."

Now, does this mean that if something of greater importance comes up, that I'll abandon the quiz bowl event?  Of course.  But until then, I have pretty much committed to it, and barring that something of greater importance, it would be unbecoming of me to abandon it (Numbers 30:2, Romans 12:17).  Correct me if I'm wrong please. (Proverbs 6:23)

Hater, Sima Guang. What’s the Matter with Kansas?, 26 June 2011, hsquizbowl.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=11697.

Is The Economy A Pile of Garbage? So What? This Isn't Our World Anyway.

(Unless specified, Scripture verses are from the KJV.)

Heb 13:14  For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. (ESV) 

One of the YouTube channels I follow is called The Philosophical Gamer, featuring a millennial who long ago has moved out of the United States because the rising cost of living, and other societal issues.  He has videos titled "Gen Z Doesn't Want To Work / Be Slaves Anymore", "Gen Z's Wages Can't Even Pay For The Job Itself", "$50 Boomer Rent vs. $5000 Gen Z Rent!", "How $60,000 Became The New Poverty Wage In America", etc.  

This got me to thinking:  What sort of life does this person want?  The main reason I work, no matter the wage, was, at first, the following:

Rom 13:8  Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 

Now, it's more because of the following:

2Th 3:10  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 

I used to work in order to pay off debts.  Now I work to have the right to eat. 

In my own life, I still live with my parents, because I can't afford the insane rents of this country.  I certainly can't afford to support a family by myself.  If I had to finance another car of similar quality, it would be MUCH more expensive than it was back in 2019 ($14k debt vs., say, $28k debt).  So in a way, I agree with The Philosophical Gamer in that the economy is pile of garbage.  Yet, as a Christian, it doesn't matter, because this isn't our world anyway.  Believers must be willing to endure MUCH MORE than a relative pile of garbage economy (I say relative because there are billions of people around the world who have it MUCH WORSE than I do).  Think of what the Apostle Paul went through:

Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

(2Co 11:24-29, ESV)

If someone were to suffer today like Paul, it would sound more like this:

"I was beaten multiple times.  I was shot multiple times.  Three times the car broke down, and I was stranded on the highway.  I was always in danger from the elements, from thieves, from posers.  I often went without sleep.  I often went without food or drink.  Besides all this, I have a continuing concern for all the churches."

Hmm...just writing this makes me think of another thing:  What if I actually tried to pull an all-nighter, just to see what it would be like?  No, I'm not trying to test God (Deuteronomy 6:16, Matthew 4:7, Luke 4:12, etc.), I just wonder what it would be like to actually experience even a fraction of these sufferings for myself?  Now, I don't dare ask God to do so, because, honestly, I don't think I'm ready, maybe not even willing.  Something I have to work on, I guess.  Perhaps, if it's God's will, He will lead me to the depths of suffering, poverty, sleeplessness, hunger, thirst, cold, pain, etc. and then, while I'm in the middle of all this suffering, He tells me, "You see?  It's possible.  No one can ever say that you never dealt with this."  Again, I don't want to intentionally throw myself into poverty and suffering for no reason.  I want to live my life righteously, and THEN physically suffer as a result of it.  And I want feedback from the world telling me this is so.  This is not an unbiblical concept.  Jesus Himself asked of the Pharisees:

Joh 10:32  Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 

So, if anything, a garbage economy should be welcomed by the Church, because it teaches you not to be attached to this world.  Believe me, it's much easier to follow Christ when times are bad, because when times are good, I'm afraid that people will behave like the Laodicean church in the Book of Revelation:

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

(Rev 3:15-19)

In addition, remember this:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

(Jas 1:2-4, ESV)

"It Is An Evil Time", or Why I Didn't Post During Pride Month (and Digressions About July)

They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them. For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.

(Amo 5:10-13)

Before I get into why I didn't post during Pride Month, let me tell you about a YouTube video I watched from a guy named GradeAUnderA.  I'm not going to post it here, because he's a potty mouth.  Still, he made a video about what he calls a really wild Bible story, the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19 (he didn't mention the Scripture chapter).  He points out the "wild" facts of:

• The people of Sodom wanting to have sex with the angels (v. 5)
• Lot offering his two virgin daughters for the people of Sodom to have sex with (v. 8)
• The angels blinding the Sodomites (v. 11)
• Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt (v. 26)
• Lot's family living in a cave (v. 30)
• Lot's daughters getting Lot drink and having sex with him in order to be pregnant (v. 33-35)

I mention this because it is ironic:  Many people during Pride Month indeed commit lots of sodomy, the sin named after the city that was destroyed.

I also wanted to point out that the fact that the world (of whom GradeAUnderA is) would obviously think of such things happening as wild:

1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 

But I digress.  Why didn't I post during Pride Month?

It's because mainly of Amos 5:13, mentioned in the beginning of this post:

Amo 5:13  Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.

Pride Month is definitely an evil time, a time in which homosexuality and other sexual deviations are celebrated.  Now, I may or may not be correct in my interpretation of that Scripture, but just in case Amos 5:13 means that I should keep my mouth shut on spiritual matters during evil times, I keep my mouth shut on spiritual matters during evil times.  Correct me if I'm wrong!  (Proverbs 6:23)

Which gets me to thinking:  What act of pride goes on in JULY?

Now of this I'm not sure whether I should keep my mouth shut on spiritual matters during the 4th of July.  Yes, there are some who are "proud to be an American", yet, and this is my opinion, I may be totally off base by calling those who celebrate American Independence Day "proud".  Honestly, I really don't think most Americans display "pride" when celebrating their independence from Great Britain.  If you ask the average American, it's just a day off to eat grilled food and shoot off fireworks.  Again, correct me if I'm wrong. (Proverbs 6:23)

Now, one day in particular at this time of year warms my heart greatly: July 2.  Why?  On July 2, 2021, I made my final car payment and became debt-free for the first time in my adult life. (Romans 13:8) It also just so happens to coincide with what John Adams considers the REAL Independence Day (since the actual vote to become independent from Great Britain happened on that day):

“The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.”

Now, replace "Independence from Great Britain" with "Independence from Debt" and Mr. Adams has captured my sentiment towards that day quite well (other than the "You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not", I am quite enthused, sir).  It's not pride I display.  It's glee.  It's jubilation.  I'm not proud to be debt-free.  I'm happy to be debt-free.  It's a freakin' miracle, as if I was cured of cancer.  Praise be to God.

“A Quote by John Adams.” Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/quotes/7168127-the-second-day-of-july-1776-will-be-the-most. Accessed 30 June 2024. (Yes, I looked this up during Pride Month, but the actual posting of it wasn't until the next day)

Does Romans 12:15 Tell Me To Say, "How 'Bout Them...CHIEEEEEEEEFS"?

Rom 12:15  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 

In a previous post, I mentioned how many non-believers worship the Kansas City Chiefs.  I was all prepared to not get too excited about the fact that they won their second Super Bowl in a row.  

Then one day at work, the above verse came to me.  And I wonder, is it biblical to celebrate a Super Bowl victory with others, believers or not?

What other things do people rejoice about in the Bible?

Well, Luke 15 gives three examples.  There was a party for a lost sheep (Luke 15:6).  There was a party for a lost coin (Luke 15:9).  There was a party for a lost son (Luke 15:23).

Also in Luke, there was rejoicing for the birth of John The Baptist (Luke 1:58).

Much earlier, God made Sarah have a happy laugh, inviting collective laughter, at the seemingly impossible birth of Isaac (Genesis 21:6).

So, what about a group of strangers who play for a local American football team winning a championship against another group of strangers who play for a different American football team?

As long as you don't see Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Isaac Pacheco, Andy Reid, Donna Kelce,  Taylor Swift, etc. as deities, why not?

Besides, even in the Super Bowl, I see the hand of God at work (not that His hand isn't at work all the time says Romans 11:36), in particular, for the fact that this group of strangers who play American football for a team closest to where we live, have won a second championship in a row, reminding me of the following verse:

Ecc_9:11  I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

"time and chance happenth to them all".  Just to refresh your memory, this is the first time in 20 years that any American football team has won two in a row, the previous team being the New England Patriots.

If the Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl next year, this will ring even more true, as the team will be the very first in the history of the National Football League to win three championships in a row, called a "three-peat".  You cannot deny that such a rarity would be a blatantly obvious act of God.

It would also be an undeniable, and blatantly obvious act of God, if, for example, the Kansas City Chiefs miss the playoffs next year, and the Cleveland Browns defeat the Detroit Lions in Super Bowl LIX.

"Shudder the thought!"
"Hey!  Didn't I say we weren't to worship the Chiefs?"

Whoever God wants to win next year's Super Bowl will win, period, whether it be the Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns, Detriot Lions, or even no one (remember what happened to the MLB in 1994?).

What Are "The Affairs Of This Life"?

2 Timothy 2:4 (KJV)

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 

This is another one of those Scripture verses I have been wrestling with for quite some time, and this teaching has come up again while I was at work.

A few days ago, I did a foolish thing.  I applied to many game shows.  My excuse was that I wanted another adventure, with the added possible benefit of winning enough in prize money to cover the trip (which in game show terms isn't much, probably around $1,200).

Today, I received an email from one of the casting companies behind a show, encouraging me to apply when the contestant application was online (prior to this, all it had was an e-mail, casting told me that they were doing maintenance on the site).

I wrestled with the idea of trying out.  You see, the show was to be a spin-off of the show "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?"  This was really tempting since I am a school custodian, seemingly a perfect fit!  

Yet, part of me felt that this was wrong.  Now, in and of itself, appearing on a television program and winning prizes is not wrong (I won a sizeable prize at a trade show last summer).  But honestly, why are you doing it?  Game shows have the egregious appearance of greed (indeed, that was the very name of one such program!), and can easily fit this verse in Scripture:

1 Timothy 6:10 (KJV)

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Even game shows themselves admit to this.  On the very first episode of Jeopardy in 1984, in the category THE BIBLE, the clue read "According to I Timothy, it is the root of all evil."  The contestant correctly responded, "What is the love of money?" to which Alex Trebek concurred with Greg Hopkins on the emphasis of "the LOVE of money".

But, back to Fifth Grader:  There were other obstacles in the way, which in retrospect, I made excuses in my mind for:  Despite me being the only custodian in the building, I still had personal days, which are specifically used for personal business "which can be most properly conducted during school hours", says the district handbook.  Also, despite me looking very unprofessional by going on some fun thing, Fifth Grader might make the school district look good!  (Such a foolish excuse was similarly portrayed in the film Quiz Show, when the producers convinced Charles Van Doren (and Herbert Stempel) that participating in the quiz show fix would be good for the cause of education.)

One thing I haven't yet done:  Prayed.  I made a quick prayer in the office, and an amazing thing happened:  I felt a sense of calm and relief!  I interpreted this as God showing me the outcome of deciding not to participate in this program.  Again, this was my interpretation, but it was consistent with other times I have been involved in life's affairs.  Once they were over, I was similarly relieved.

Later that evening, out of curiosity, I went back to 2 Timothy 2:4.  I looked at the Commentary section of e-Sword which contained the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.  The TSK is simply a resource where you can find linked verses that speak of the same topics.  So I followed the TSK of that verse, under the word "entangleth".  Here are the Scripture texts that were listed (I'm using the ESV here for clarity):

2 Timothy 4:10 (ESV)

10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.'

Luke 8:14 (ESV)

14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.

1 Corinthians 9:25-26 (ESV)

25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.

1 Timothy 6:9-12 (ESV)

9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

2 Peter 2:20 (ESV)

20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

With all this, it has become crystal clear.  Typically, Christians have no business going on game shows, or being involved with any kind of worldly affairs (that are not mandated by Christ that is, good works, letting our light shine in the world, etc. are always mandated).   Worldliness chokes the Word of God, which leads to unfruitfulness, which leads to Hell.

Now, the title of this piece is called "What Are "The Affairs Of This Life"?" As in, how are such affairs defined?  

Honestly, I don't know.  In my personal experience, any worldly enterprise that requires a long-term investment of time, energy, and resources is certainly an affair of this life.  Say I wanted to start a fantasy football league.  Why would I want to do this?  Does this advance the kingdom of God?  Or is this just for me?  In my opinion, such pursuits, if they are for yourself, are a waste of time that I would have to answer for on the Day of Judgment.  Correct me if I'm wrong.

Let's see, another example...worldly business ventures, perhaps?  One example I can recall:  There is this movie company called Legion M where fans can invest money in exchange for shares in their company.  The company, lauded by luminaries such as William Shatner, seeks to give fans more power and control over the studio.  Again, what does all this have to do with following Christ?

I guess the key word here is "entangleth".  Indeed the Greek word for the KJV phrase "entangleth himself with" is literally defined as "entwine".  So, to watch television would not be an entwining.  Attending a folk dance would not be an entwining.  These are one and done events, not requiring further investment.

(Some may say, what about getting married?  I Corinthians 7 covers that concept well.  It is no sin, but can be distracting in your walk with Christ.)

All this fits with the concept of not being attached to the world.  In fact, I Corinthians 7:29-31 says it well:

1 Corinthians 7:29-31 (ESV)

29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,

30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods,

31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

Advice I Need To Give Myself (About Being Single)

You will have "trouble in the flesh".

You will have "trouble in the flesh".

You will have "trouble in the flesh".

How many times do I have to get this through your thick skull?

By the way, I'm preaching to myself here.  It's from I Corinthians 7:28:

1 Corinthians 7:28 (KJV)

28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

Paul is talking about how being married, while not a sin, is a distraction from serving Christ.  He continues:

1 Corinthians 7:32-35 (KJV)

32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:

33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

If you're single, you can focus more on pleasing the Lord.  If you're married, you also focus on worldly things.  Now, Paul isn't suggesting that you're loving the world if you're married.  He's just saying marriage makes things more difficult.  I mean, for men, a wife is still a good thing:

Proverbs 18:22 (KJV)

22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

But we are also warned:

Proverbs 21:9 (KJV)

9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

Ladies, I'm sorry, I don't know of any Scripture verse that warns you against wicked men.  This is all I got.

Anyway, what drove me to write about marriage and being single?  Well, when I feel frustrated that there aren't any Christian women available to date, let alone marry, I listen to a guy named Aaron Clarey, who repeatedly warns that most single women in the modern church aren't even Christian, but simply using Christianity to manipulate men.  Again, ladies, I'm sorry, Aaron Clarey doesn't talk much about how some guys are deadbeats.  Then again, the #metoo movement has that base covered already.  It is a fact that there exists creepy men in this world.

But, here's my take on why I'm a little leery towards dating, and it all has to do with one single, yet powerful word: DIVORCE.  Divorce is WAY too easy to obtain, and I want to make sure whoever I marry, if I marry, will stick it out till death do us part.  Why am I so serious about this?  Because God is.  He HATES divorce (Malachi 2:16), and if my wife and I divorce, if I marry someone else, I COMMIT ADULTERY. (Matthew 19:19).  If I marry someone who is divorced, I COMMIT ADULTERY. (Matthew 5:32), If my wife marries someone else, SHE COMMITS ADULTERY. (Mark 10:12).  

This is as CLEAR as CRYSTAL! THOU...SHALT...NOT...COMMIT...ADULTERY! (Exodus 20:14)

Which also means the cardiac kind as well! (Matthew 5:28)

Now you're saying, "Woah dude, we get it.  Adultery is bad.  And yes, it does say that adulterers do not inherit the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19,21).  But it's not the WORST sin in the world, is it?"

You're right.  It's not (see Matthew 12:31-32, Mark 3:28-30, and Luke 12:10 for something worse).  Why I am so adamant about avoiding adultery (and also fornication) is twofold:

1. As I've said before, adultery is one of many sins that, in my opinion, is the easiest in the world to understand, because it's made so abundantly clear.

2. Adultery is similar to fornication, which Paul also makes clear is a distinct sin from others:

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (KJV)

18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

So yeah, I'm a little OCD when it comes to sexual sin.  I'm by no means perfect in this (believe me, the temptation to commit cardiac adultery [and/or fornication, I think the context also fits this] exists, given the Internet).

So, yeah, it's much easier right now to be single.  Right now, I'm enjoying my freedom, even to the point of tears, but that's for another day (which I might think about discussing later).

The World Is Still Tempting.

 I've mentioned this verse time and time again: "Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."  It's so seared into my brain that I didn't even bother to get the exact KJV or ESV wording.  It's in I John (let me look it up again...I John 2:15.

When I talk about the concept of "having a life", I mean "embracing the world as if you're a member of it."  That is, being so rooted in this world that the world would easily consider you a citizen.  In fact, Jesus says in John 15:19a:

"If ye were of the world, the world would love his own:"

As a kid, and even as a young adult, I've always felt like I've been on the inside looking out, wanting to join my high school peers in whatever adventures in the world they're going on.  Of course, now that I'm in my mid to late 30s, I realize that those peers have since settled down, so I didn't see the point in chasing their company (these days, there's little need, I work with two members of my college graduating class every day!).  In fact, the two co-workers themselves have settled down with families of their own, so they wouldn't exactly invite me to a beer, they're too busy themselves!

So, who's "inviting me to a beer" now?  Who is tempting me to embrace the world and live a little?  Someone who doesn't exist in real life, yet, if I met the actress who played her, the two could seem identical.  

There's this version of Star Trek that interested me, it's called "Lower Decks".  It features inexperienced Ensigns of a common starship.  I think I myself was on the bottom rung of the career ladder when Lower Decks premiered, I have since moved up to a position comparable to lower management, or in the Star Trek world, at the very least, a Lieutenant.

The main character is a former senior officer named Beckett Mariner, played by Tawny Newsome.  Mariner is regularly a troublemaker who deliberately tries to remain an Ensign, uninterested in advancing in her career in Starfleet.  She is joined by Ensign Brad Boimler, played by Jack Quaid.  He's the guy that plays by the rules, and strives to one day be a starship captain.  He is a fan of Starfleet legends such as William Riker and Beverly Crusher.

The first time I watched the program, I immediately compared myself to Boimler and any "cool" worldly person to Mariner.  In fact, every single person who has told me, "Come on, live a little!" acts just like Mariner.  She...is the one who would invite me to a beer.  (I can say that because during a high school class reunion, there was one person who in fact invited me to the bar, I'm guessing for a beer.)

My carnal self would definitely want to let loose, and she would be my guide.  In fact, near the end of the first episode, Mariner called Boimler her "cha'dich", which is a Klingon term used to mean "friend/disciple".  Boimler would learn from Mariner in her unorthodox ways of life.

Scripture warns against running around with such people:

Proverbs 1:10-19 (KJV)

10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

So yeah, it's not wise to be enticed by someone like Mariner.  OK, what about Tawny Newsome herself?  What's she like?

Let's see, she's 4 years older than me (just like Mariner)...OK, while Mariner reminds me of the troublemaker trying to get me into trouble, Tawny Newsome the actress reminds me of Trek clergy.  According to an article by ScreenRant, Mrs. Newsome has an "impressive knowledge of Star Trek", and she is a writer for a new upcoming Star Trek series.  I call her "clergy" because I have given another Star Trek actor a religious title: Wil Wheaton, whom I call the "high priest of geekery".  The podcast The Happiness Lab called him a "geekvangelist", preaching a gospel of loving a niche of the world with reckless abandon, with the example of the fans of Benedict Cumberbatch being called "cumberb****es.".  It is my opinion that Mrs. Newsome would preach a similar gospel, making Trek disciples of all nations.  Why?  I've heard her on other podcasts recommend starting episodes to get into Trek, just as I recommend starting in the book of Matthew to learn about Christ.

OK, so isn't the solution simple?  Just cut yourself off from Trek entirely? (like in Matthew 10:29)  Or at least Lower Decks?  Just writing that makes me think that's a good idea.  Perhaps the less reinforcement of Trek knowledge, the better.  I still have knowledge of Trek, I just don't want it to consume me.

What?  Is Star Trek evil?  In and of itself, I don't know.  Now, I'm not talking about their misguided vision of humanity (see 2 Timothy 3:1-5 to show what humanity will really be like), but rather the fact that it's of the world.  There is much "lust of the eyes", "lust of the flesh", and "pride of life" in Star Trek.

On Desiring Persecution

This topic came to my mind while I was at work, and I had to be honest with myself:  I want to be persecuted for my faith.  In my mind, if I am persecuted for my faith, I know that I'm on the right track.  If I'm never persecuted at all, it is evidence that I don't even want to live godly in Christ Jesus, thus, I am not saved.

It is written:

2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 

If you want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus, persecution is guaranteed.  You don't have to wait for it, it will just come.  Persecution is promised to you.

 

A Reward In Heaven

Plus, if you are persecuted for the Truth, Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven is yours, and your reward in Heaven is great:

Mat 5:10  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 

 

Longing For Persecution Is Good

To desire persecution, actually, is to be in good company, for Paul says:

Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

In other words, Paul longed for this, which includes suffering.  And when Scripture says suffering, they mean ACTUAL, LITERAL SUFFERING.  In the early days of the Church, Peter and the other apostles knew this well:

Act 5:40  And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.  

 

Persecution Is A Mark Of Worthiness

In fact, they considered persecution a mark of being worthy:

Act 5:41  And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

If you are persecuted for your faith in the Word of God, it is in part because you are counted worthy to be so.

 

What Persecution Really Means, and Paul's Example

But back to what persecution really means.  

Firstly, in order to even be in Christ, you must forsake all.  Not just be willing to forsake all, but ACTUALLY FORSAKE ALL.  Jesus never said "be willing", He simply said:

Luk 14:33  So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. 

If you don't forsake all that you have, you are not going to Heaven.  Saving faith and discipleship go hand in hand.  Nowhere in Scripture are there differences between "believers" and "disciples".  If you believe, you will learn from (be a disciple of) Him.

Paul is a textbook example of enduring persecution:

Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
(2Co 11:24-27)

Look at that: Whippings, beatings, stonings, shipwrecks, lost at sea, many perils, tiredness, pain, insomnia (watchings), hunger, thirst, fasting, cold, nakedness.  Today we would equate that to a homeless man.  No job, no car, no shelter, sometimes no food and no clothing.  All in the name of Christ.

We must all renounce everything for Christ, which could include all of the above, being a complete persona non grata in this world.

Yet, what was Paul's response to this?

Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 

Everything means EVERYTHING.  Yet, he has Christ, and because of that, having nothing in this world was worth it.

Now, will every believer suffer in the same way as Paul?  I highly doubt it.  Besides, even if you don't suffer as badly as Paul, even something as simple as:

Luk 6:22  Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 

is enough to be counted as persecution, still worth a great reward in Heaven (v. 23).  Still, we must be open to Paul's gauntlet of sufferings.

So, with the examination of the Scriptures, my desire is biblically sound.  Correct me if I'm wrong (Proverbs 6:23).

All I simply need to do is live for Christ, which means doing the radical (even Luke 12:33 is on the table!).  I hope and pray I am given the will and the action. (Philippians 2:13)  I don't need to worry (Philippians 4:6) about whether or not persecution will come.  If I'm living for Christ and following His Word, IT WILL COME.

 

On Freedom

 Gal 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 

I know that this verse is inconsistent with the story, but it is a reminder of something that I treasure in my heart.

For over half my life, one of the biggest desires of my heart (Psalm 37:4) was freedom.  It didn't matter in what form it came, if I knew I had freedom, it was bliss to me.

I was reminded of that today when watching the news.  There was a college student that walked hundreds of miles in more than a fortnight to reach his destination school, all to raise money for the homeless.

This lit a fire in my heart, not the matter of the homeless (which I also have a heart for), but the mere idea of just simply...walking.  Walking...to wherever you need to be.

In the winter, when spending the night in town, I usually walk to work.  It was about a mile each way, and it took between 20-30 minutes.  There is a bike trail in town that I use.  Still, it felt good not to have to drive to work.

Anyway, I had this idea:  Why not try to talk to a nearby town from where you currently live?  I currently live in the country.  The nearest town is between 4-6 miles away.  Walking will take me about two hours one way.  I thought to myself, "Why not?"  There is also a trail that I use near home.  I used that trail one time to bike to that town, just because I could.  The round trip took about two hours.  So again, why not?  

Other kinds of freedom I enjoy is being able to do things without modern technology, or buying things at the thrift store instead of buying them brand new.  Maybe it's contentment that I love (Hebrews 13:5). Perhaps it's God opening my eyes to practical ways of living I've never previously considered.

Right now, this is the best I can do to articulate the positive feeling I have right now.  Yes, there's much negativity to report in the world, especially in modern Christianity.  The deluge of false churches and false doctrines (Jer 5:27a  As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit...) are an obvious testament to that.  Yet, not everything in life is doom and gloom.

Oh, here's something to chew on regarding those negative and positive times:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
(Ecc 3:1-8)

Why I Am Single

 I am currently 36 years old.  I have no wife, and no kids.  Sometimes, people would ask me why I'm still single.  Some might ask me if I had a girlfriend yet.

Here are the facts:

I am not looking for a wife.  I used to be desperate for one (I will admit that), but I've stopped looking because:

1. It's just not worth it given the divorce statistics.  God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16).  That, and I've heard too many horror stories of child support, alimony, custody battles, etc.  No thanks.

2. I don't have the time, energy, and resources right now for modern courtship, which actually is unnecessary.  If you find a biblically eligible spouse, and you both are seeking marriage, particularly if your reproductive regions are sounding their alarm bells, why wait?  Get married, even if you have to elope!  It is better to marry than to burn. (similar to I Corinthians 7:9) 

3. I highly doubt any woman would want me as a husband anyway.  Firstly, I must be married to a believer (like I Corinthians 7:39), otherwise it's no deal immediately.  Secondly, she must be either never before married, or widowed.  Again, if she's been previously divorced, it's no deal immediately, for if I married her, I would be committing the sin of adultery (Matthew 5:32, 19:9, Luke 16:18).  Thirdly, as a believer, she must adhere to the biblical roles of a wife, just as I must adhere to the biblical roles of a husband.  This is where I'm likely to be given a hard pass:  

Did you know that in the Bible:

* A wife must submit to her husband, which includes obedience (with the exception of sin) (Ephesians 5:22-24, 33, Acts 5:29)

* A wife must be silent in church (I Corinthians 14:34-35)

Now, to give equal time to the husband, the husband must:

* Provide for the wife, through love, nourishing, cherishing, etc. (Ephesians 5:25-33)

* Not be bitter towards his wife (Colossians 3:19)

* Give honor to his wife (I Peter 3:7)

In the secular world, all this is known as Wheaton's Law, which says "Don't be a d***".  I emphasize this because many people think that a woman submitting to her husband means that the husband is like some mean taskmaster who cracks the whip.  HE IS NOT!  If he was so, his own prayers would be hindered (I Peter 3:7).  So, there is incentive for the husband to show kindness to his wife.

In conclusion, in the eyes of God, the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church. (Ephesians 5:23)  Christ provides for the Church (v. 25-30).  The Church obeys Christ. (v. 24)

Now, you try finding a woman, especially in America, that believes these things.  Good luck.