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'The New Sons of Thunder'

Posted by Gerard Lee on March 20, 2008 at 2:16am
If the Lord is willing, something exciting will happen in the next several months. There are several hurdles to jump, but it just might be that the comic book Larry Blake and I worked on will see print. The story is called "The New Sons of Thunder". Nobody 'can't write' more than I can't write. We live in a world where unborn children are murdered, where natural disasters kill and cripple, where wars touch the lives of ourselves and our families. So I won't tell you 'try your best and everything will work out'. Instead I will say 'trust God'. But here's the trick, trust God without conditions. I purposed to do Christian comics over a decade ago. I was filthy with sin, broke, jobless...but I loved manga, and I had a deep yearning for God. The two seemed to go hand in hand when I had a completely original(except for every one of you who also came up with the idea) idea, I would make a Christian comic! To make a long story as short as possible, here were some of my misadventures. Since I needed a job, I figured naturally the Lord would find me a paying position. This hope eventually became a demand, and I was bitter when it didn't happen. I felt like I had to get my act together before I could write a Christian comic. After all, if I was going to be inspired by the Holy Spirit, I had to get rid of the sin in my life, right? I felt resentful that I never could make myself sinless, no matter how hard I tried. I blamed God that I felt so guilty all the time. God did not initially bring me a partner. For many years I sat on my idea, feeling like nobody cared, and being confused and frustrated. The wonderful inspiration to do Christian comics turned into razor sharp shards of shattered dreams to cut and make me bleed... I went crazy and got suicidal at one point. I was diagnosed as a paranoid/schizophrenic and had to go on disability insurance. I get some financial support from my family. I hate not working, and I hate being sick in the head so that I can't even go to church. But it does give me time to write. God not only provides for me in spite of my disability, He is using it to make this dream happen. I don't believe non-believing therapists and psychologists have the answers for me. But medications do calm my raging emotions, which I am very glad of. I'm a bit more stable today, and while I backslide from time to time, I keep running back to God. And I finally begin to believe that He actually loves me! Maybe I wasn't ready for a partner way back then. I was very unstable and prone to blasphemy and doom saying. Today I have as a partner, one of the very best, Larry Blake! He is a strong Christian with tremendous knowledge of small press comics and God given talents. Initially I wanted a manga style artist for my stories, so was confused when God brought Larry and his American style of art to the project. Today, I can't imagine anyone else drawing these characters. God had something better in mind than even my fondest of dreams for the project. My dear ones, you can write Christian comics! And I can too. People aren't kidding when they say surrender it completely to God, it's the only way that works.

(Here's the scribble art I did for the storyboards of 'The New Sons of Thunder')

(Here's a photocopy of Larry's work in progress cover for the book) I think there are 3 major things that need doing. Eric Jansen is going to write the presentation of the Gospel and the invitation to accept the Lord Jesus Christ article for the book:) Eric is a devout Christian and very knowledgeable about Christianity! This is the most important part of the book. The story is silly and while it touches on Christianity, it was not written to present the Gospel, but to entertain and befriend the readers. If Larry and I have done our jobs right, we will earn the right to present Eric's proclamation of the Gospel article. The first three stories were approved by the CCAS. Larry has completed the next 3, which I want to have printed all together in one book. So as soon as I get copies of 'book 2', I will get them to the CCAS board and ask for it's endorsement. If approved, the book will be 46 pages of comic art and story, 2 pages of presentation of the Gospel, and the covers. It will be all in black and white. I hope to present a properly formatted PDF file to Joey Endres for him to look over by mid April. If he gives it a green light, off to the printers! It's my fond hope to have 300 copies printed for distribution at the San Diego con as giveaways come July. Please keep us in your prayers:) God bless you all, Gerry Lee
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The Gimoles are finally back!

Posted by Mike Bullock on March 19, 2008 at 5:45pm
SECRETS OF THE SEASONS: THE GIMOLESJUNE 08 128 pg FC $12.99written by Mike Bullockart by Theo Bain, Michael Metcalf & Bob Pedrozacover by Theo BainFollow Limmy and Ohgi Gimole on their quest to shut down the machines of winter when Ichabod Cornelius Frost, the nefarious Czar of Winter, refuses to let loose his icy grip in this all-ages adventure from the creator of the critically acclaimed, all ages sensation Lions, Tigers and Bears."9 out of 10 stars!" The Comics Review"Pleasant, smile-inducing and very slickly produced!" Ain't It Cool News

SOTSv1_FC.jpg

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TimeFlyz

Posted by Donald Ensign on March 18, 2008 at 5:17pm

TimeFlyz volumes 1 and 2, 2007, Zondervan, Ben Avery (writer) Adi Darda Guadiamo (artist), black-and-white, digest-sized manga-style book, 152 pages (volume one)/150 pages (volume two), $9.99 each. This is a cute little series that I had trouble getting into, maybe because the protagonist is a ten-year-old girl, and I have very little in common with ten-year-old girls, for some reason. The concept is intriguing, with cybernetic time-traveling flies and a neat little mystery of a plot that has really got me thinking. Adi Darda’s art is a great fit for this book, and the flies each have their own look, although similar enough to cause confusion until they all get sorted out. The plot, however, might be difficult for the target audience to follow, as it delves into history, physics, and time paradoxes, among other things, but could be a fun ride for kids who don’t take all that too seriously as well as those who can invest the mental energy and actually figure it all out. I was also reading the other five ZGN series1 first two issues when I was reading this title, so the subtleties were lost. Ben Avery (fill in your favorite Ben Avery title here “_______________”) is in top form (is he ever NOT in top form? This guy could write the hump of a camel!) with a complex plot, fully realized characters, and a big-bad setup that gives a face to the present threat but leaves the puppet-master in the shadows at least through the second volume. Adi Darda1s artwork is fantastic, rendering the multiple unique cyber-insects, drawing from extreme perspectives, and populating the story with both real historical people (Ben Franklin, Imhotep) and fictional characters, blending the two believably. His cartoony style doesn1t get old, and his mastery of the craft is evident The historical characters play major parts in the story, as someone or something is kidnapping the great inventors throughout time, and we get to meet them as the characters do. It would do the book well to add a page in the back with more information about the actual personalities and lives of these great men (and, I presume eventually women, although the first two books feature only male inventors), as it is vague whether the events actually happened (with the TimeFlyz playing an incidental part) or if these are entirely fictional events. Even something urging the deeper study of the inventors would be a nice resource, but since we are already two issue deep that is perhaps wishful thinking, unless Zondervan can add more content like that to their website for these books which would be nice. Teamwork, a sense of belonging, personality clashes ­ these are issues that a 10-year old could relate to, as we all could to some extent. Two issues into the series and we get all this and more, but the Christian content is spotty at best. Of course, Avery is most likely working up to something, and we do experience Jewish slave life in their Egyptian captivity period, and one of the incidental characters does mention taking comfort from reading Bible verses, but the reader is given nothing overtly evangelical, which may not be on the menu for this particular ZGN at all(or any, so far the three based on Bible characters are all set in the Old Testament and the three modern books each contain some Christian themes but with very little proselytizing, at least at this point in each series). But in the final reckoning, TimeFlyz is a fun, well-written, nicely illustrated book with the promise of a very entertaining climax. Review by Steve MacDonald
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Member #237

Posted by Pastor Martin R. Oakley on March 18, 2008 at 10:48am
Well, I just took a moment to look around this awesome place for us to fellowship and grow together! 237+ members, does that get anyone else right in the heart?Not too many updates. Keep in prayer for Brother Howard Kent and whatever's going on with his heart right now, a mass I believe. I added three images to the photos section, just wanted to put up a teaser for what projects I'm working on right now. Also launched a deviant art page today at http://newgrace.deviantart.com.I'm on Chapter Four of the novel I'm writing entitled TWILIGHT: LITURGY, which is a Supernatural thriller in the vein of Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker. That should be ready for self-publication by August, when everything else launches. I'll be adding illustrations to it also as I go, so it'll be a prose novel with at least one spot illustration per chapter. It's a massive undertaking, but apparently the Lord's in it because as I write and pray the story just keeps coming to me in massive amounts.Uhm......not much else to say today. God Bless!
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Argh.

Posted by Billy Wamsley on March 17, 2008 at 9:19pm
My head hurts.

I just had one of the most confusing conversations... ever. I’d try to explain it, but I’m afraid my head would explode.

I hate when that happens.

You know, you are going along, thinking everything is normal, and someone walks up to you, and you think they are normal, and then, suddenly, you are trapped in a conversation you are sure is being spoken in Tolkein’s Elvish language or Sanskrit.

So, you find yourself kinda squinting at the other person, more watching their lips move than listening (because there is NO chance that will help), and maybe praying just a little bit for the sweet release of death before it comes time for you to have to formulate a logical response to a question born of the chaos of the other’s enigmatic mind.

Then, invariably, the creature in front of you stops speaking, obviously awaiting brilliance from your own mouth to flow out. You try to formulate the response, walking that fine edge between saying "I have no idea what you are talking about" and "I’d rather drive a pen into my own ear than continue speaking with you."

And, in appreciation of your effort of trying to be tactful, what do you get? You get a questioning look and are required to try to translate what you just said from English (your native language) to Crazy (their native language).

I have an expression I’ve come up with. I know it is completely original, for it was born of these situations where you are trying to explain something and the other person does not quite have the grasp linear thought to catch on.

It is like trying to teach a horse to knit.

It just popped into my head one day after an exchange with a coworker. I don’t know why I picked that turn of phrase, but it seemed to fit my feelings at the moment quite well.

Now that I’ve vented a little, I just need to relax and desperately try to stop replaying the conversation that inspired this rant in my head. Because, there is still a chance my head could explode.

And, as I said, I hate when that happens.

Type at you later.
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My comic coloring software.

Posted by mike on March 15, 2008 at 8:30pm
Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
This the software that I use to color my art. I find it very very easy to use compared to photoshop 3 elements which I also have but still have not figured out how to color with. Despite it's simplicity I find that I can mimic just about any color technique/ style that you would see in a professional comic done by Marvel or DC.The software also comes with a handy pullout manual and 50 other pieces of art in which ( in PLAY EVENT MODE ) you can see first hand how the art pieces were colored.The only drawbacks that this software has , is that it does not enable custom SHAPED brushes. Sizes- YES. SHAPES- No.And the biggest drawback is that it only works in RGB. Which is perfectly fine for printing at home on your home printer and also posting on the web for your My Space page or webcomic.But to have your work printed at a real print shop you would need software that saves your art in CYMK ( the standard four color mode ).But since I'm not doing any printing this software is perfect for me. If you feel it may be perfect for you , you can visit www.akadotretail.com to purchase it. Akadot retail is a webstore for manga supplies and tones and software.But be forwarned they also sell yaio and similiar style manga. I haven't come across any cuz I'm not looking for it, but they do have banner ads for them.This software usually retails for $125. But the site has web specials very often. I snatched mine up of $65. A great deal if you watch for it.Anyways just thought I would share for those of you who may be starting out. This software is perfect for novices and pros. And No I do not work for this company.LOL
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Random

Posted by Billy Wamsley on March 15, 2008 at 2:58pm
Wow, a full week between blogs. My apologies. I did not intend for that to happen.

It has been a busy week, so this is just a random thought kinda day here at Earth G.

I recieved some software this past week that should help me build my website for The Crimson Scarab webcomic. It took me a while to find a good and reasonably priced program, and it took longer than that to accept that I wasn’t going to be able to take my limited knowledge of page building and do it myself. If you have visited www.crimsonscarab.com, then you’ve seen pretty much the extent of my abilities. Hopefully, with the help of the newly arrived software, you’ll start to see a more dynamic page soon.

I’ve also recieved an amazing book this past week. How To Make Webcomics is the product of four authors, all of whom have successful webcomics of their own. I almost didn’t bother picking up this book, since I’ve been disappointed with the other books on the subject matter I’ve purchased over the last year. Luckily, the site I order my comics from was offering it at a discount, so I bit.

I’m glad I did.

This book actually gives me a lot of information I need. Technical questions I had that I couldn’t find answers to are addressed in the book, as well as questions I didn’t even know to ask! It is also a straightforward kinda book that reads easy. I’ve only had it for a couple of days, and haven’t gotten deep into it yet, but I can already tell this is going to be a valuable book for me over the next year.

I have to buy a scanner. My current one has... well, some sort of "burn" mark in the image scan. I suppose, given that it is about 10 years old, it has done its time. Given the cost, along with some other purchases I have to make, it won’t be something I can pick up this week. May be a few weeks away. So, there is a new tentative starting month on the Crimson Scarab... but I’m not saying when yet. I don’t want to say "May" and miss it, and I don’t want to say "June" and procrastinate... so I’m just holding off until I can firm everything up.

Wizard World L.A. is taking place this weekend. So far, nothing I’ve been interested in has been announced. Spider-Man stuff, but I dropped that book.

Alright, that’ll do for now. I’ll type at you later, hopefully not letting an entire week pass!
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My History with Christian Comics

Posted by Pastor Martin R. Oakley on March 15, 2008 at 7:31am
A lot of people have asked me what my history with Christian Comic Books was and is, so I thought I'd start telling the story here on CCAS.I've been wanting to work in comics since I was 12 years old. That's about the same time I found out my cousin Norm Breyfogle worked on the Batman comics. I began to teach myself how to draw and write, wanting to make it big in the industry. Well, God had different plans cause I never made it big in ANY industry, Praise the Lord!My first encounter with Christian Comics came when I met Pete King through e-mail and Instant Message. I wrote several spec scripts for him that were never used, along with several pinups that suffered the same fate. Each story I began to work on I either canceled or he did. I guess maybe I'm the only one who worked with him that he doesn't owe any money to. (JOKE!)I was a huge fan of ARCHANGELS: THE SAGA and still have all 8 issues poly bagged in my closet. I read practically anything I could get my hands on that either had a Christian working on it, or had Christian material published in it. I kept writing and drawing even after Norm gave me a scathing critique that had me in tears.A lot was going on in my life back then as well. I wasn't a Christian, I only playacted the part back then. I was pagan, occultic, through and through. Hal Jones and Jerry Welch had a huge part to do with me starting to realize what I was doing to myself and others. I still remain on very good terms with both of these men to this day. They both planted seeds that the Holy Spirit watered. Others that helped the seeds grow were Ralph Miley (who sent me Proverbs and Parables), George Macas Jr. (whom I will be assissting as he recovers from surgery in April), Hal Jones, Pete King (He wasn't all bad guys, just gets a bum rap half the time.), Kneon Transitt (aka Tom Pratt), Alec Stevens, Bud Rogers, Ben Avery..........Mike Miller.........if I forgot your name, I haven't forgotten the prayer and support you've given me.After I came to know Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour, and was delivered from the Occult, everyone received me with open arms. I began working on books and scripts and drawings but never once finished a project. I'd cancel deals, muck around with funds, and be a general idiot with the way I ran things. I was so immature back then, I shudder to think about it. Yet I kept on wanting to be in COMICS more than anything. It became my idol. Something I put before God.So God removed me from comics after BloodStained Productions, my failed secular publishing house folded. I don't know how long I was in the wilderness. I forget what happened. I only remember that the biggest part of my life in Christ hadn't started yet. I was married to Stephanie, my awesome and supportive wife, we had a son named Judah, yet there was still so much garbage in my life I never really gave it all to God.Until April of 2007. I crashed hard. Attempted suicide and nearly succeeded. Some of you know the whole story, some of you don't. I survived, and gave my ENTIRE life to Christ finally. I entered the ministry. From mid June to late July I was in maryland getting trained. Then I returned home and New Grace Ministries started up thanks to the Lord's leading.Flash forward to this year, God opened the flood gates and provided me everything I need to do Christian Comics as a ministry. I'm working with great people world wide, helping out Kingdom Comics with their anthologies as I'm able to, and will be publishing a few books and graphic novels this year!Well, that's my history in a nutshell. I dunno, maybe it'll help someone out. I just had some time to burn and the Lord put it on my heart to post this.Our ministry's website address is: http://newgrace.wordpress.com
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Now on WOWIO - HeroTV: CAPES

Posted by Bud Rogers on March 15, 2008 at 7:30am

HeroTV: CAPES The Community Comics classic, HeroTV: CAPES is now available as a free digital download over at WOWIO. HeroTV: CAPES is a superhero satire/adventure that examines the concept of a hero in today’s media-crazed culture. Is it by might? Is it by power? What makes a hero? In HeroTV: CAPES we travel alongside a team of reality-show camera operators as they document the day-to-day activities of Metro City’s superheroes. But events of the day take an interesting, and quite telling, turn when Professor Graviton arrives and holds the entire city hostage. HeroTV: CAPES features the creative talents of Ben Avery, Darren Brady, Sherwin Schwartzrock, Bud Rogers, Jeremy Zehr, Kneon Transitt, Jesse Hamm, Brian Proctor, Bill Webb, Joey Endres, Eric Jansen, Don Kelly and Jonathan Koelsch. Originally published in 2003 by Community Comics HeroTV is (c) & TM 2008 Ben Avery
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Does God care when you suffer?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 14, 2008 at 2:34pm
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. Romans 8:18------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The problem of suffering :On my shelf is a little books that asks a big question. It is titled Does God Care When We Suffer? and was written by Randy Becton. Randy is a good friend and a cancer survivor who has spent much of his life ministering to people with terminal illnesses. Randy writes:Of the hard "why" questions, "why is there suffering?" may be the hardest. This is probably because it not attacks us personally, but also because whenever the question is raised, the question of God's part in suffering follows close behind… We are desperate for the meaning behind all this. We seek some someone to blame or deliver us, and that always leads to our view of God.Doesn't God care when we suffer? Of course he does. Then why doesn't he do something about it? He did. Becton sums it up this way:The answer is the cross of Jesus Christ.… From now on all human suffering must be understood in the light of his suffering; it is the source of meaning, hope, and new life for sufferers. When someone cries out, "He doesn't care. He's immune to pain," they are brought to the foot of the cross to see for themselves.… The cross and resurrection hold the key to the mystery of suffering.
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How has God protected us in the past?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 13, 2008 at 3:59pm
Before the mountains were created, before you made the earth and the world, you are God, without beginning or end.You turn people back to dust, saying, "Return to dust!"Psalm 90:3-4 NLT--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Our help in ages past :O God, our help in ages past,Our hope for years to come,Our shelter from the stormy blast,And our eternal home!O God, Our Help in Ages Past, ISAAC WATTS (1674-1748)In 1714, the people of England were anxious. Queen Anne lay dying, and she had no son or daughter to succeed her. Who would be the new monarch, and what changes would that make? Isaac Watts had reason to worry. His father had been imprisoned under the previous regime because his views did not please the ruling family. As a young child, Isaac has been carried by his mother to visit his father in jail. But Queen Anne had brought a new tolerance, and freedom for the elder Watts. Now that she was dying, what would happen?Isaac Watts turned to Psalm 90 on this occasion and penned what may be the greatest of his more than six hundred hymns. In essence, it is a poem about time. God stands above human time, and in Him all our anxieties can be laid to rest. The greatness of our eternal God was a favorite theme of Watts. When the events of the day bring worry, the God of all ages remains our eternal home.
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Have you ever sought advice under false pretenses?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 13, 2008 at 3:30pm
Ten days later, the Lord gave his reply to Jeremiah. So he called for Johanan son of Kareah and the army officers, and for all the people, from the least to the greatest. He said to them, "You sent me to the Lord, the God of Israel, with your request, and this is his reply: 'Stay here in this land. If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you. For I am sorry for all the punishment I have had to bring upon you.'" Acariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kereah and all the other proud men said to Jeremiah, "You lie! The Lord our God hasn't forbidden us to go to Egypt!Jeremiah 42:7-10; 43:2 NLT ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------False pretenses :Johanan and his army officials asked the prophet Jeremiah for guidance from God, but they had no intention of following it. Although they wanted God's protection, they were not willing to obey him. We learn from this experience that God protects those who obey him, but removes his presence from those who rebel against him.When God delivered David from all his enemies—including King Saul—David praised God for his deliverance. David gave God credit in 2 Samuel 22:3 for protecting him from his enemies.My God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold, my high tower, my savior, the one who saves me from violence.Although God will not save us from troubles, he will protect us in the midst of them. In Psalm 91:4, the psalm writer encourages us to put out faith in God's protection.He will shield you with his wings. He will shelter you with his feathers. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
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Have you ever been rescued because God gave you foresight?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 11, 2008 at 1:17pm
The wise look ahead to see what is coming, but fools deceive themselves.Proverbs 14:8 NLT----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Victorious foresightWouldn't it be great to see into the future? To have the ability to bypass future mistakes? In a way, Christians have this ability. God has given us a precious gift—the gift of sight.This "sight" is not like the false sight of fortune-tellers or magicians. It is the spiritual ability to see who is in the future, instead of merely what is in the future. So, we no longer blindly grope around in this life as those who are lost. Christ is our future and our hope.Just as a successful marathon runner knows the location of the finish line before setting goals for the race, we identify Christ as our finish line. This great knowledge allows us to set daily goals for wise living. In the end each day of our lives may be lived victoriously if we remember our final outcome. The Christian's race is already won through Christ's victory on the cross. And when we cross the finish line of life, we will be in Christ's presence.WISE WAYS The next time you feel fear or persecution regarding your faith, remember that Christ has already won the victory!Lord, help me to look ahead to you so that I may live victoriously.
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What About the Trinity?

Posted by Donald Ensign on March 11, 2008 at 10:30am

What About the Trinity?, (2007), Amazing Facts, Inc., Jim Pinkoski (writer & artist), 56 pp., b & w., $3.95 In 1999 Intervaristy Press published Dr Doctrine's Christian Comix #3: On the Trinity written and drawn by seminary professor Fred Sanders. This book was an educational comic whose cartoon sheep host, Dr Doctrine, does a historical survey of how the doctrine of the Trinity was elucidated from scripture. Sanders format is somewhat similar to that used by Scott McCloud in his Understanding Comics and Making Comics volumes. Sanders includes one page shorts on how different theologians have spoken about the Trinity, sections on how the Trinity has been represented in Western art and Trinity Math--examining the paradox of the Trinity. Christian artist and cartoonist Jim Pinkoski working with two pastors has produced another educational comic book on the Trinity. The pastors are Doug Bachelor (the head of Amazing Fact, Inc. ministries) and the late Harry Anderson. Pinkoski uses these two men as co-lecturers/teachers to guide the reader through the numerous points of theology contained in this publication. This book is more of an illustrated lecture than a true comic book. It is very text heavy and while Pinkoski strives valiantly to make the text as visually interesting as possible one wonders if straight prose would have been more effective and efficient. The view of the Trinity presented here is orthodox and our two lecturers take great pains to show how the Trinity is supported from scripture. They also discussion how the doctrine of the Trinity was formalized by the early church (Nicaean Creed). Pastor Batchelor gives some analogies from the physical universe on how the Trinity might be understood (p. 45a). He also deals with early heresies and certain unbiblical doctrines concerning the nature of God( p. 43, 53). Only rarely does the Seventh Day Adventist orientation of this publication come into play as it did with Pastor Anderson's criticism of pre-tribulation teaching (p. 17-18). To this reviewer this seemed a doctrinal rabbit trail better examined at length in another publication. Jim Pinkoski is to be commended for dealing with this very important and vital Christian doctrine and presenting it in visual form. For those who do not want to tackle this formidable and often difficult to understand teaching in a strict prose format this illustrated lecture "comic" would be a good place to start. Amazing Facts, Inc
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'Then Who's? Who's?!'

Posted by Gerard Lee on March 11, 2008 at 5:56am
There's this awesome scene in Zeferelli's "Jesus of Nazareth" when Pontius Pilate finally relents to the harassment of the Sanhedrin and sighs "All right. I'll see him. Your Jesus." And the representative retorts 'Not -our- Jesus!'Pilate shouts 'Then who's? Who's?!'For all that Zeferelli's "Jesus of Nazareth" was flawed, it has some awesome scenes.I haven't been around lately.I once told Geoff Brenneman 'Burn down your Christianity, and whatever is left is left, rebuild on it', or that was what I meant to tell him. So much attaches to the Bible's messages. Look at your local Christian bookstore. If the Bible is completely accessible and comprehensible to each and every person, why do we have a million Bible commentaries and other interpretative books coming out of our ears?Of course, the hardest question in the world is 'How do I know God's will for my life' in terms of specifics. 'Thou shalt not kill' 'Love thy neighbor as thyself'But Lord, do I go to this college or to that? Is this the job you want for me? Will I ever marry, or do you want me to be single?I have never understood Jesus' words about The Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, unless He literally meant that speaking certain words damns you utterly. My psychiatrist told me that the inability to see an intended message because of a fixation on actual wording is a sign of mental illness.So, in utter terror and fear, I reasoned, 'Only people filled with the Holy Spirit can rightly interpret Scripture. Since I may or may not have blasphemed the Holy Spirit, I can't trust my own judgment. Therefore, I must find Christians who I respect, and let them interpret the passage for me. If I believe in God, He will surely guide them, if not me.'I found several different interpretations of the meaning of the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Some said it could only be done in the physical presence of the Lord Jesus, and could not be done today. Some said it represents a continuous willful rejection of the testimony of the Holy Spirit of Lord Jesus. Others said if you care about Jesus it was proof you hadn't done the deed, for the Holy Spirit testifies of the Lord Jesus, and only through Divine Inspiration do you call Him Lord.I had my doubts. Why did they have different interpretations? I trusted Chuck Smith, Chuck Swindoll, and Dr. McGee. Was it possible that they were all right? A gem has many facets, but is one gem. Or was there some underlying human sentimentality clouding their vision?Now, last year I wrote an installment of 'The New Sons of Thunder' that was inspired by Saint Joan of Arc. It had some Catholic non-essential beliefs in it, like the visitation of Saints and such. Nothing foundational to Salvation was violated, but I guess there was a lot of 'a protestant's view that the grass is always greener on the Catholic's side of the fence' sentimentality in it.People were kind and gentle in correcting me. The problem is, I'm not sure I agree with them.Am I falling into error, or growing? Is protestant evangelical Christianity the whole picture of God? Do the Catholics have nothing to teach us?And I have realized, I came to depend too much on others to tell me what Christianity is. Brothers and Sisters, do you see the trap? The foundation may be The Lord Jesus, but we need to burn down the hay wood and stubble we heap on top of it from time to time.Who's Christianity do I believe? Who's?!It must be mine. Never mind if no one will publish my story. Or if I lose friends. God and Christianity must be big enough to meet me where I am, to call me home to Lord Jesus, or it is ultimately irrelevant to me.Well, I've babbled long enough today. Maybe I will come back later:)Gerry Lee
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How have our spiritual ancestors suffered?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 10, 2008 at 1:52pm
Another beast…ordered the people of the world to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life. He was permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die.Revelation 13:11, 14-15 NLT-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Great PersecutionWhen Diocletian became emperor of the Roman Empire in 284, Christians were encouraged because of rumors that his wife and daughter were believers. And, in fact, during the first nineteen years of his reign, Christians lived in relative peace and prosperity.Gradually, life became more difficult for Christians. Deciding that religious unity would strengthen his empire, Diocletian published three edicts to guarantee the supremacy of the Roman state religion.On February 23, 303, the day of the Roman feat Terminalia, an edict was posted that ordered all copies of Scripture to be burned, all churches destroyed, their property confiscated, and Christian worship forbidden. The Great Persecution had begun.In early 304 another edict insisted that everyone in the Roman Empire sacrifice to the Roman gods. Every Christian was in jeopardy. Finally, the years of the Great Persecution ended with an edict of toleration by Constantine in 313. It granted religion liberty to Christians and pagans alike."…we decree still further in regard to the Christians, that their places, in which they were formerly accustomed to assemble…shall be restored to the said Christians, without demanding money or any other equivalent, with no delay or hesitation… For by this means… the divine favor toward us which we have already experienced in many matters will continue sure through all time."
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