29 Jun, 2006
'Superman Returns' Today
Here's some of the early reviews:
Review: Superman Returns
It's no fun being Superman. Your life is a lie, there's nobody you can confide in, you're in love but can't express it, and you're on call 24. ~ Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert
Review: With nod to past, 'Superman' flies
Because he came first, Superman is our base-model superhero. He's not broody like Batman and he doesn't have emotional acne like Spider-Man. ~ The Boston Globe - Ty Burr
As superheroes go, 'Superman' is A-OK
It's good to have him back, even if he is a bit more fragile. Superman Returns (* * * out of four) is a rousing spectacle with a Superman who... ~ USA Today - Editorial Review
Your prediction? Two thumbs up? One down & one up?
Hebrews 11:1
By Faith
11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:32-40
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. (ESV)
WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE QUALITY OF A GODLY SUPERHERO?
Hebrews 11 has often been called the Bible's "Hall Of Fame". The names listed have one quality in common - FAITH IN GOD! These heroes were not super in their own right, but only because they trusted the supernatual God to lead them and empower them!
Basically they were ordinary people doing extraordinary acts because their faith pointed to the Almighty God! Our world today is looking for superheroes. It needs to see ordinary people letting God do something extraordinary through them.
IF SOMEONE DID A "REVIEW" OF YOUR LIFE, WOULD YOUR FAITH GET A "TWO THUMBS UP"? WHY OR WHY NOT?
So how do you connect the truth of God's Story in Hebrews 11 to your story? It starts with faith. Within ourselves, we don't have what it takes. We must ask God to give us the faith we need to be able to believe Him for Who He is and what He wants to do in our lives and through our lives. You don't have to be Superguy or Supergirl! Just let God do His thing in you. And you can apply God's Story by:
- Reading Hebrews 11:1-31 for more stories of God's "superheroes".
- Praying every day for God to help you live by faith.
- Looking for a weekly opportunity to be a "hero" in someone's life by helping them in some way that seems very ordinary to you. Your faith in God may seem quite extraordinary to them!
Spend a couple of minutes in prayer.... Thank God for the stories of faith He has provided in His Word. Ask Him to use these examples to show you how to live by faith. Thank Him and praise Him for the extraordinary ways He has worked in your life. Let Him know that you're willing to honor Him by serving Him even in the "ordinary" details of life.
This whole 3Story way of living will become more and more natural for you as consistently make yourself available to our extraordinary God. He will lead you into opportunities to build relationships with people who need to know Jesus. Focus on knowing Jesus and you'll get to know Their Story.
One idea would be for you to get some friends together to go see 'Superman Returns' and then hang out and talk about it. Here's an excerpt from an article that may make your discussion even more interesting:
MESSIANIC TONE OF SUPERMAN IS OBVIOUS AND CALCULATED
By JACOB ADELMAN Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - As one of society's most enduring pop-culture icons, Superman has often been observed as more than just a man in tights. And as the hype machine shifts into high gear for the upcoming release of Superman Returns, some are reading deeply into the film whose hero returns from a deathlike absence to play savior to the world.
...the comparison to Jesus is one that's been made almost since the character's origin in 1938, said Skelton, author of The Gospel According to the World's Greatest Superhero.
Many simply see the story of a hero sent to Earth by his father to serve mankind as having clear enough New Testament overtones. Others have taken the comparison even further, reading the "El" in Superman's original name "Kal-El" and that of his father "Jor-El" as the Hebrew word for "God," among other theological interpretations.
The preview shows the hero with his eyes closed as the voice of his father — Marlon Brando's, courtesy of 1978's Superman — tells him he was sent to Earth because humans "lack the light to show the way."
"For this reason," continues the voice, "I have sent them you, my only son."
Superman, in the film, returns to Earth after a long absence, a narrative that's been likened to Jesus' death and resurrection.
Article courtesy chron.com, 6/23/06
28 Jun, 2006
Watch Out For Snakes
IMMOKALEE, Fla. - Muffy measured in at 22 feet, 1/4 inch long
- enough to take the title of largest Burmese python on display in
America away from the Bronx Zoo's Lulu. The New York snake had been
advertised as being 19 feet, 6 inches.
But Muffy wasn't ready for her 15 minutes. She fumed, spewing from her nostrils and opening her jaws wide enough to swallow a poodle as she was held down and measured six inches at a time, the News-Press reported Monday.
Muffy's keepers, Bob Cowlishaw, owner of Everglades Day Safari and Capt. Bob's Excellent Adventure, and Ski Oleski, owner of Lake Trafford Marina, bought the snake five weeks ago from Miami herpetologist Tom Crutchfield.
Cowlishaw says she's young to be that big, and still growing at a foot or two a year.
He says he didn't measure Muffy for bragging rights, but instead to call attention to the problem of pet pythons being released into the wild.
"A person goes to a pet shop and buys a baby python. It's cute. You feed it mice. Pretty soon, you feed it rats. It's not long before this creature is too big for the average person. And it's dangerous," he said.
2 Corinthians 11:3-4
3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. (ESV)
WHO WERE THE "SNAKES" THAT PAUL WAS WRITING ABOUT IN TODAY'S SCRIPTURE?
Paul was writing this letter to the early church in Corinth. He was warning them to look out for false teachers. Just like Eve was deceived by the serpent (Satan), believers were being led away from the true Christ by "religious" people who were preaching ideas that were not based on the Truth of God's Word as revealed through the power of God's Holy Spirit.
Satan is the master of deception. Not much has changed in the last 2000 years. Today, smooth-talking, smart-sounding, spiritual-like teachers and preachers are putting out messages that people like to hear, but they are based on feel-good, politically-correct philosophy rather than the inspired, Holy Word of God.
Part of God's Story is that He gave us His Word and His Son Jesus. And that's the Truth!
HOW DOES THIS TRUTH CONNECT TO YOU AND HOW CAN YOU APPLY IT?
Be careful where you look for spiritual input. There are lots of celebs, events and even churches that are "big" in the news. They can sound pretty good at first, but they are just another form of "spirituality". Religious? Yes. Truth? No, because they are not based on Jesus Christ and the authority of God's Holy Word.
Study God's Word every day.
Talk to God about it through prayer - Thank God for His inspired, authoritative, Holy Word. Ask His Holy Spirit to help you learn the Truth and apply it every day in your life. Ask His Spirit to help you recognize what is true and what is false. Ask His Spirit to help you keep your daily focus on the Christ of Scripture rather than on cultural ideas of who Jesus is and who He isn't.
Now, ask Jesus to show you how to connect the truth of God's Story today and My Story to Their Story.
It starts with prayer. Ask Jesus to give you a heart of compassion and listening ears as you interact with others. Ask them about their spiritual interests. If they seem open to talking about this topic, you could ask them if they think it's possible to really know what is true spiritually? Listen carefully. Be careful not to jump on them with your perspective, but trust Jesus to nudge you if you should share more about your story and God's Story.
If you have a relationship with someone who is really interested in the Bible, you could show them today's story about the snake and Paul's writing. The bottom line is - stay close to Jesus and He will show you how to connect to Their Story.
18 Jun, 2006
Are you wearing your helmet?
Big Ben might ride again, but not without a helmet.That was part of the remorseful message from Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on Thursday, in his first comments since a motorcycle accident Monday left him with multiple head and facial injuries.
Roethlisberger, expected to make a complete recovery, was not wearing a helmet when his motorcycle slammed into a car on Second Avenue at the Armstrong Tunnel and 10th Street Bridge. In a statement released through the team late yesterday afternoon, he apologized to his family, the Steelers organization, teammates and fans.
"In the past few days, I have gained a new perspective on life. By the grace of God, I am fortunate to be alive, surrounded by loved ones and lifted by the prayers and support of so many. I am sorry for any anxiety and concern my actions have caused others, specifically my family, the Steelers organization, my teammates and our fans.
"I recognize that I have a responsibility to safeguard my health in the offseason so I can continue to lead our team effectively. I never meant any harm to others nor to break any laws. I was confident in my ability to ride a motorcycle and simply believed such an accident would not happen to me. If I ever ride again, it certainly will be with a helmet."
Ephesians 6:16-18
16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, (ESV)
If you have been a regular reader of Daily Devos during the past two years, you know how important it is for believers to wear "God's armor". I have used today's scripture several times to remind us about the spiritual battle we face every day. God's power and protection is the only way to win the fight against Satan.
In today's story, "Big Ben" apologizes to his team and fans for not wearing a helmet, which led to a significant injury when he crashed his cycle. (Yes Ben, that was dumb. We're glad you have learned your lesson and that you will recover!)
What about us? As followers of Christ, we know we're in a battle. Satan is hell bent on getting us to crash spiritually. When we believe that we're pretty tough on our own and we either "forget" or ignore God's armor, we can plan on serious spiritual injury - not only to ourselves - but it will also affect the rest of our team - Christ's body! How many times do we need to learn this lesson? Maybe some of us need to apologize to some believers around us?
Paul, the writer of today's scripture, understood the spiritual battle that all of Christ's followers face as individuals. But he is calling not only each of us, but the entire Body of Christ to unite together in our war with Satan and his fallen angels.
To win the the victory in spiritual battle, all of us must wear our helmets (and every piece of God's armor) all the time.
Thank God that being part of Christ's team means that you can count on His power to give you protection against the "crash strategies" of Satan. Ask His Spirit to use the truth of God's Word and your faith in Christ to give you victory over the enemy every day. Right now, confess to God any way in which you have not been wearing His helmet or any other part of His armor. Is it your thought life? Is it your relationships with friends, your parents, or boyfriend or girlfriend? Is it pride or jealousy? Is your focus on worldly possessions rather than serving Christ? Confess your struggle and He will forgive you! Thank Jesus that He will help you get your helmet back on and win the battle tomorrow!
- Read the entire passage of Ephesians 6:10-19. Read through Paul's list of armor again and ask God to help you focus on the piece you need the most this week. His Spirit will help you put it on.
- If your lack of using God's armor has affected your relationships with others, go apologize to them and make it right. You will strengthen Christ's "team" when you admit your weakness.
- If you aren't already in a prayer/accountability group, start one with two others at your school, church or work place.
9 Jun, 2006
Dangers of "Huffing"
Even though Paul is talking about the use of alcohol, his instruction also applies to any other drug that influences the mind and body. When I read today's story about 1 of every 5 American teenagers inhaling common household products, I felt compelled to warn you, whether you are a kid, a parent, or a grandparent. This is scary stuff!
Some students are huffing or sniffing just to try it, but many are inhaling because they are stressed, lonely, giving in to peer pressure, or feeling hopeless. Is this you? Do you know someone like this? Look at the notes from Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE: 5:18 Paul contrasts getting drunk with wine, which produces a temporary "high" to being filled with the Spirit, which produces lasting joy. Getting drunk with wine is associated with the old way of life and its selfish desires. In Christ, we have a better joy, higher and longer lasting, to cure our depression, monotony, or tension. We should not be concerned with how much of the Holy Spirit we have but with how much of us the Holy Spirit has. Submit yourself daily to his leading and draw constantly on his power. If you have been able to say no to drug usage, thank God for His strength. If you've been struggling with huffing, smoking, drinking, or some other drug, ask God for strength and for the courage to talk to someone to help you and hold you accountable. Pray right now for a friend or family member who is struggling with the use of drugs and alcohol. Ask Jesus to show you how to reach out and help. Ask His Holy Spirit to fill and control you every day.
Ephesians 5:18
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, (ESV)
By Amy Norton NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - About 20 percent of U.S. teenagers admit they have gotten high by inhaling common household products, and fewer understand the dangers of this practice compared with teenagers five years ago, according to a report released Monday. The findings reflect a drop-off in educational efforts begun in the 1990s to combat the growth of inhalant abuse, says the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, which is publishing the report. Sniffing or "huffing" vapors from ordinary products like glue, spray paint, nail polish remover and gasoline was once a "fringe" activity, said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership. But by the mid-1990s, the practice had "exploded nationwide," he told Reuters Health, and even elementary school children were experimenting with the inhalants readily available under their kitchen sinks. In 1995, the Partnership launched a large advertising campaign that was credited with boosting awareness of the dangers of inhalant abuse -- which include damage to the brain, liver, kidneys, vision, hearing and even sudden death from suffocation or heart arrhythmias. More importantly, surveys found an accompanying decline in the percentage of kids who'd ever tried huffing, from 23 percent in 1995 to 18 percent in 2001. But the new findings, based on a national survey of more than 7,200 teenagers and 1,200 parents, suggest awareness has waned and abuse is on the rise. photo courtesy images.google.com & story courtesy cpyu.org, 04/24/06
