The Devil's Rules

Ever heard of the Game? You haven't? That's funny, because we all play it. We don't have a choice: if you live life, you play the Game. The opponent is always the same: the Devil. So you sit down at the table and the Devil says, "You pick the rules." There are two books on the table. One says, "God's Rules." The other says, "The Devil's Rules." And you think to yourself: "Well, God's not even playing the game... He's gotta be more of an impartial rule-maker than my opponent!"

So you pick up 'God's Rules' and start to flip through it...
"The Devil always loses.
Anyone on the Devil's team loses, too.
If you sin, you're on the Devil's team.
Anything wrong is sin, down to the smallest mean thought you have."

There are more, but you think to yourself, "That doesn't sound too good," and you put down "God's Rules."

Next you pick up "The Devil's Rules" and start to flip through it...
"You must obey all of the rules.
Anything wrong you do gives you points.
The more points you have, the more likely it is you'll win."
There are more, but you think to yourself, "I think I've got more of a chance to win by 'The Devil's Rules' than by 'God's Rules.'"

You look at your opponent and say, "We'll play by your rules."
And you start to play the Game. It's pretty easy... You just make all possible bad choices, which is kind of fun... You blow through, and soon the Game is finished.

You've got countless points, and you're feeling pretty smug about it. You've beaten the Devil! But the Devil seems unperturbed. He sits there for awhile, letting you gloat inside. Then he starts laughing. And that kind of freaks you out... I mean, shouldn't he be mad that he lost?
And he leans across the table and says, "I win."
"What? But I followed the rules! I made all the wrong choices and got all possible points! I win!"
"Read them again," he offers, and so you pick up the book and flip to the end, where you read the last rule.

And, just to rub it in, the Devil hands you "God's Rules." You flip to the end, where you read: "If you've sinned, turn to God. God will always accept a penitent sinner. God will erase your sin and make it like none of it ever happened. Turn to God, and you'll be on God's team. God's team always wins."

And your heart sinks as he leads you away... You call out, "I'm sorry, God! Help me!"
But the Devil laughs and says, "You chose my rules. God's nowhere in my rules."

The Devil's a liar. He is the father of lies. You can't beat him on your own: you need God. You see, the problem is, if you play by the Devil's rules, you have to play by ALL of the Devil's rules... And the last rule is: "The Devil always wins."

Perhaps...

There are a few things I know for certain:
I know that there is a God.
I know that this God loves me completely, with a perfect love.
I know that everything He says is completely true.
I know that there are people who love me.
I know that there are people whom I love.
I know that each of these relationships is imperfect and tainted by sin.
I know that, through God, each of these relationships has been redeemed for His glory.

Then there are a few things that I hope are true:
Perhaps what I am doing is what God desires for me to do.
Perhaps my plan is in line with God's plan.
Perhaps I will be able to comprehend God's plan in order to keep from hurting the people I love.
Perhaps the people that I love are the people who love me.
Perhaps these relationships will last until God calls me or the other person home.

But, then again, perhaps not...

If not, then I can know of this:
No matter what happens, whether or not my plans work out... Whether or not what I want to happen is what happens... No matter how much I screw up... God's plan is always better for me than anything I can possibly imagine, and I can rest in the knowledge that He is always doing what is best for me, in every moment of my life.

Perhaps I am already tasting the inexplicable nature of God's plan. Perhaps I am already seeing proof in my life that God is unfolding something incredible for me. Perhaps not.

But, if not, I am certain that:
Whatever God has planned for me is so incredibly amazing that no human could ever imagine it.

If what is happening now is His final plan for me, then I am absolutely content, for it is just as amazing as anything I could currently hope for.

'ding 2

In the Dark

To avoid charges of plagiarizing, and so I won't forget to, I attribute the quote in this blog post to Lemony Snicket. It came from the last book in A Series of Unfortunate Events, which is entitled Book the Thirteenth: The End. I personally believe Mr. Snicket to be a master of comedic writing, as I believe is evidenced by this quote from his book.

The phrase "in the dark," as I'm sure you know, can refer not only to one's shadowy surroundings, but also to the shadowy secrets of which one might be unaware. Every day, the sun goes down over all these secrets, and so everyone is in the dark in one way or another. If you are sunbathing in a park, for instance, but you do not know that a locked cabinet is buried fifty feet beneath your blanket, then you are in the dark even though you are not actually in the dark, whereas if you are on a midnight hike, knowing full well that several ballerinas are following close behind you, then you are not in the dark even if you are in fact in the dark. Of course, it is quite possible to be in the dark in the dark, as well as to be not in the dark not in the dark, but there are so many secrets in the world that it is likely that you are always in the dark about one thing or another, whether you are in the dark in the dark or in the dark not in the dark, although the sun can go down so quickly that you may be in the dark about being in the dark in the dark, only to look around and find yourself no longer in the dark about being in the dark in the dark, but in the dark in the dark nonetheless, not only because of the dark, but because of the ballerinas in the dark, who are not in the dark about the dark, but also not in the dark about the locked cabinet, and you may be in the dark about the ballerinas digging up the locked cabinet in the dark, even though you are no longer in the dark about being in the dark, and so you are in fact in the dark about being in the dark, and so you may fall into the hole that the ballerinas have dug, which is dark, in the dark, in the park.

As We Near...

I personally believe that Christ may return within this generation's lifetime. With that in mind, it's time to start thinking about more important things than the next big blockbuster, or the next gaming console you're going to get.

One of the most important things to know is what side you are on. There's no neutral side with this one, folks. You're either with God or against Him. I hope, for your sakes, that you're with Him, because otherwise you are going to have a hell of a time in eternity, and I mean that literally.

If you are against God, than stop reading this blog post and rethink your life. If you're with Him, however, welcome to the Kingdom! I don't know who you are and whether or not I've met you, but I'm happy you're here.

Another thing to wonder, for those Believers out there, is what are you going to do for our Lord? He's given you talents, and He wants you to use them for His glory, but it's up to you what you're going to do. Sure, make the next great bestselling book or movie, but put the Gospel in it. Hide in it the message of a God who loves His fallen creation and wants to live in fellowship with them.

Finally, go forth and fight battles for our Savior! There are millions of unsaved humans out there, and all they need is for Christians to come alongside them and fellowship with them. Form friendships with them, but spend time in the Word, lest they pull you away from the faith. Tell them the Good News, and leave it up to our Father to cultivate the seed.

May the Grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, be with you as you go about your daily lives.

Your brother,
'ding 2

Ronald Reagan: Insightful President

(All of the following quotations are from Ronald Reagan.)

"Socialism only works in two places:

Heaven, where they don't need it, and

hell, where they already have it."

"I have wondered at times about

what the Ten Commandments would have looked like

if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress."

"Politics is not a bad profession...

if you succeed, there are many rewards;

if you disgrace yourself, you can always write a book."

"The most terrifying words in the English language are:

'I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.'"

"If we ever forget that we're one nation under God,

then we will be a nation gone under."

America was truly blessed to have Ronald Reagan as President, for however long. He is a fantastic model for any political wanna-be to follow. May God bless every U.S. President with such intellect and insight!

The Embarrassing Episode of Little Miss Muffet

by Guy Wetmore Carryl

Little Miss Muffet discovered a tuffet,
    (Which never occurred to the rest of us)
And, as ’twas a June day, and just about noonday,
    She wanted to eat -- like the best of us:
Her diet was whey, and I hasten to say
    It is wholesome and people grow fat on it.
The spot being lonely, the lady not only
    Discovered the tuffet, but sat on it.
A rivulet gabbled beside her and babbled,
    As rivulets always are thought to do,
And dragon flies sported around and cavorted,
    As poets say dragon flies ought to do;
When, glancing aside for a moment, she spied
    A horrible sight that brought fear to her,
A hideous spider was sitting beside her,
    And most unavoidably near to her!
Albeit unsightly, this creature politely
    Said, "Madam, I earnestly vow to you,
I’m penitent that I did not bring my hat. I
    Should otherwise certainly bow to you."
Though anxious to please, he was so ill at ease
    That he lost all sense of propriety,
And grew so inept that he clumsily stept
    In her plate -- which is barred in Society.
This curious error completed her terror;
    She shuddered, and growing much paler, not
Only left tuffet, but dealt him a buffet
    Which doubled him up in a sailor knot.
It should be explained that at this he was pained;
    He cried, "I have vexed you, no doubt of it!
Your fist’s like a truncheon."  "You’re still in my luncheon,"
    Was all that she answered. "Get out of it!"
And THE MORAL is this: Be it madam or miss
    To whom you have something to say,
You are only absurd when you get in the curd
    But you’re rude when you get in the whey!

Mr. Franklin Revamped

by Yours Truly

Lazy at work, wanting naught but to play,
Makes a man dumpy, grumpy, and gray.