I'll be recording my radio show, The Final Cut in Movies, tonight, and we'll be talking Terminator: Salvation! Let me know what you think of it! If I like what you have to say, I might read it on the show! I've also started a discussion topic on my Facebook Fan Page, so feel free to join in! (Also, if you haven't become my friend in Facebook, click here!)
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May 2009
May 28, 2009
May 27, 2009
May 24, 2009
May 23, 2009
The Final Cut in Movies: Star Trek!
The Final Cut in Movies: Putting Science Fiction & Fantasy Center Stage
The Final Cut in Movies is a talk radio show I host that airs throughout the week from 8:00 to 10:00 am & pm on Ad Astra Radio: The World's Premier Science Fiction Talk Radio Network ® (www.adastraradio.com). I also podcast the show each week on iTunes.
On this week’s show, I'll be discussing Star Trek, how to set up a mini-radio studio in a hotel room at MobiCon, and other science fiction and fantasy movie news.
To listen to tonight's show:
- Click here to download this show’s podcast from M. B. Weston's Podcasts.
- Click here to download this show off iTunes.
Missed Saturday's edition of The Final Cut in Movies? Don’t worry, you can catch the re-runs each day from 8:00-10:00am & pm at www.adastraradio.com, or you can download the podcast at M. B. Weston's Podcasts site or by following this link on iTunes.
Fantasy novelist M. B. Weston is the author of The Elysian Chronicles, a fantasy series about guardian angel warfare and treason, which is being adapted into a graphic novel series by Wandering Sage Publications, Inc., with Weston penning the script and KISS comic book artist, Adam Black, doing the art. Weston hosts a podcast on her To Elysia and Back Again blog, which can be downloaded on itunes. Click here for a complete listing of the To Elysia and Back Again podcast episodes. Weston also hosts two radio talk shows: The Final Cut in Movies, an internet radio talk show about science fiction and fantasy movies on Ad Astra Radio, which can also be heard as a podcast on M. B. Weston's Podcasts site or on iTunes and Culture Watch Radio, a show that reviews movies, books, and TV shows from a Christian perspective on southwest Florida's Praise FM 89.5. Weston speaks to children, teens, and adults about writing and the process of getting published. For more information on M. B. Weston, visit www.mbweston.com. Find out more about The Elysian Chronicles at www.elysianchronicles.com.
The Final Cut in Movies: Wolverine
The Final Cut in Movies: Putting Science Fiction & Fantasy Center Stage
The Final Cut in Movies is a talk radio show I host that airs throughout the week from 8:00 to 10:00 am & pm on Ad Astra Radio: The World's Premier Science Fiction Talk Radio Network ® (www.adastraradio.com). I also podcast the show each week on iTunes.
On this show, I'll be discussing Wolverine and other science fiction and fantasy movie news.
To listen to this show:
- Click here to download this show’s podcast from M. B. Weston's Podcasts.
- Click here to download this show off iTunes.
Fantasy novelist M. B. Weston is the author of The Elysian Chronicles, a fantasy series about guardian angel warfare and treason, which is being adapted into a graphic novel series by Wandering Sage Publications, Inc., with Weston penning the script and KISS comic book artist, Adam Black, doing the art. Weston hosts a podcast on her To Elysia and Back Again blog, which can be downloaded on itunes. Click here for a complete listing of the To Elysia and Back Again podcast episodes. Weston also hosts two radio talk shows: The Final Cut in Movies, an internet radio talk show about science fiction and fantasy movies on Ad Astra Radio, which can also be heard as a podcast on M. B. Weston's Podcasts site or on iTunes and Culture Watch Radio, a show that reviews movies, books, and TV shows from a Christian perspective on southwest Florida's Praise FM 89.5. Weston speaks to children, teens, and adults about writing and the process of getting published. For more information on M. B. Weston, visit www.mbweston.com. Find out more about The Elysian Chronicles at www.elysianchronicles.com.
May 19, 2009
May 04, 2009
Galatians 6a: Derek Jeter vs. Ted Williams
This is our last week in Galatians, and this week’s section is called “Galatians Part 6: Your Outlook Affects Everything.
Before I begin, let me state that I am an avid New York Yankees fan, and therefore, I am not a fan of the Boston Red Sox. I must expose my bias before I go on with this next little illustration.
Ted Williams is one of Major League Baseball’s greats. He is the only player to bat over .400 in the regular season during the 1900’s and is truly one of the baseball's most accomplished hitters. He actually has been quoted as saying, “The only thing I want is to be the greatest hitter than ever lived.”
Derek Jeter is one baseball’s greats as well. (Yes, I know. He is still playing, which means that we can’t accurately judge just how great he is. But admit it. The guy rocks.) He consistently gets around 180 to 200 hits a season (except in 2003 when he was out for part of the season with a dislocated shoulder), he is a multiple Golden Glove winner, he’s an accomplished base-stealer, and he can bunt. Oh, and he has 4 World Series rings and 2 American League Championship rings. Everyone who knows baseball knows that each season, the one thing Jeter focuses on is winning the World Series.
Both players have talent, but their goals determine how they approach the game. Throughout his career, Ted Williams focused on hitting; fielding simply was not his first priority. Derek Jeter has kept his focus well-rounded: hitting, fielding, bunting. Why? He wants to help his team win the World Series.
How each player views their goals affects:
- how he plays
- how he practices
- how he views other players.
(And oh, yes, we can apply this to our relationships with God and each other!)
Paul has spent the first five chapters of Galatians trying to switch the Galatians mindsets from ardently following the law to achieve salvation to walking in step with the Spirit with joy because we have salvation through God’s grace.
He now tells the Galatians how this mindset should affect their behavior and their view of others. Just like a baseball player, how we view salvation affects how we measure people and treat people. A legalist measures man by the law—by a bunch of do’s and don’ts—which leads to criticism and condemnation of others (and of himself/herself). A legalist focuses on obeying the law instead of on loving his fellow man. A person who believes we receive salvation through grace shows more grace to others. He practices the fruits of the Spirit. He focuses on keeping God in charge of his life instead of on the rules. A gracious person measures a man by his fruit.
Ted Williams never won a World Series. Derek Jeter has won four.
What is your focus?
Prior blogs on Galatians:
- A New Direction
- What is Truth – Part 2
- Galatians 1a: The Context
- Galatians 1b: What Exactly is Grace?
- Galatians 1c: What's Missing from Galatians 1:1-5?
- Galatians 1d: God-Inspired
- Galatians 2a: Double Jeopardy
- Galatians 2b: The Great Council
- Galatians 2c: Justified = Declared Righteous
- Galatians 2d: Dead to the Law
- Galatians 3a: The Standard
- Galatians 3b: Observing the Law vs. Faith
- Galatians 3c: Consider Abraham
- Galatians 3d: The Curse of the Law
- Galatians 3e: The Purpose of the Law
- Galatians 4a: An Illustration from Tommy Boy
- Galatians 4b: Child Heirs vs. Adult Sons
- Galatians 4c: Our Abba Father
- Galatians 4d: The Heart of a Legalist
- Galatians 5a: Two Choices-the Law or Grace
- Galatians 5b: Dueling Natures
- Galatians 5c: Miyagi-do Karate vs. the Cobra Kai Dojo
- Galatians 5d: The Fruit of the Sinful Nature
Pocasts on Galatians:
- Podcast: Galatians 1: Grace vs. the Law
(read a description and download podcast) - Podcast: Galatians 2: No Double Jeopardy
(read a description and download podcast) - Podcast: Galatians 3: The Purpose of the Law
(read a description and download podcast)
Fantasy novelist M. B. Weston is the author of The Elysian Chronicles, a fantasy series about guardian angel warfare and treason, which is being adapted into a graphic novel series by Wandering Sage Publications, Inc., with Weston penning the script and KISS comic book artist, Adam Black, doing the art. Weston hosts a podcast on her To Elysia and Back Again blog, which can be downloaded on itunes. Click here for a complete listing of the To Elysia and Back Again podcast episodes. Weston is also the host of The Final Cut in Movies, an internet radio talk show about science fiction and fantasy movies on Ad Astra Radio, which can also be heard as a podcast on M. B. Weston's Podcasts site or on iTunes. Weston speaks to children, teens, and adults about writing and the process of getting published. For more information on M. B. Weston, visit www.mbweston.com. Find out more about The Elysian Chronicles at www.elysianchronicles.com.
Galatians 5e: Fruit of the Spirit
Read Galatians 5:22-26
We left off yesterday’s blog with the concept that we know that we are declared righteous (justified) by the presence of the Holy Spirit, who indwells those who believe, in our lives. I’m going to re-quote Ephesians 1:13-14 (one of my favorite verses): “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed you were marked in him with a seal the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance…”
We’ve also be discussing two illustrations:
- Miyagi-Do Karate vs. the Cobra Kai Dojo. You can tell which dojo a student belongs to, which master a student has chosen to serve, by how he or she behaves.
- The Fruit Tree Illustration. You can tell the type of tree a tree is by its fruit.
The question: How can you tell whether or not the Holy Spirit indwells you?
The answer: By the fruit that grows on your tree.
You walked into that one, didn’t you? That’s right. It’s time for the famous “Fruit of the Spirit” verses! Before I give you the list, please note two things:
- The word Paul uses for fruit is actually singular, meaning this list as a whole.
- This fruit is produced by the Holy Spirit—not by the believer (so that no man will boast).
Fruit of the Spirit
- Love – agape: self-sacrificing, unconditional love
- Joy – chara (the root of the charismatic personality trait): deep and abiding inner rejoicing
- Peace – eirene: inner repose and quietness – even in adverse circumstances
- Patience – makrothymia: quality of tolerance and restraint under provocation. Entertaining no thoughts of retaliation. (Note that this has nothing to do with wishing you didn’t have to wait for a bus. This patience that Paul talks about involves patience with people who might get on your nerves.)
- Kindness – chrestotes: benevolence and generosity in action
- Goodness – agathosyne: righteousness and reaching out to others to do good even when undeserved
- Faithfulness – pistis: quality which renders a person trustworthy or reliable (My second worst trait. This fruit is only a little bud on my tree.)
- Gentleness – prautes: a person who is submissive to God’s word and considerate of others when discipline is needed
- Self-control – enkrateia: self-mastery, curbing the impulses (My first worst trait.)
Remember that it's easy for us to look at the acts of the sinful nature and try to eliminate those from our lives. It's more important for us to start tilling our orchard--develop our spiritual fruit. Concentrate on these things, and you won't have to worry as much about the acts of the sinful nature.
After this, Paul says, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.” He’s not saying, “We’ve killed our sinful nature! We will no longer have its temptation!” He’s saying, “Our sinful nature has already been tried, convicted, and judged.” Jesus has already bore the punishment for it. (See my "Double Jeopardy" blog entry.)
Follow the logic here:
- Evidence of faith is the presence of the Holy Spirit.
- The presence of Holy Spirit will produce fruit. It will produce a changed life—even if the change is gradual.
- Therefore, lack of any type of change in someone’s life may indicate a lack of the presence of the Holy Spirit, which would indicate a lack of faith to begin with.
Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The word for believe Paul uses is stronger than our English word. It means to believe and to act upon. After all, demons believe Jesus is Lord, and…they won’t be saved (if I’m reading Revelation and a bunch of other books in the Bible correctly). I’ve seen many people just “say the words” but not really believe them in their hearts or decide to act upon that belief. Believing in Christ is not a “magic words” thing. It’s not a formula for a “get out of jail free” card. It’s not something that happens because you decided to walk down an aisle during a highly emotional church service. Belief in Christ includes the decision to leave your old life behind and follow Him.
Deeply think about your relationship with God. Run down your fruit inventory and see where you are.
And remember, your faith in Christ, His Death, and His Resurrection is what declares you righteous. Your sinful nature has already been judged. The punishment has already been paid. This fruit is simply evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in your life!
Proceed with joy for the rest of the day!
Prior blogs on Galatians:
- A New Direction
- What is Truth – Part 2
- Galatians 1a: The Context
- Galatians 1b: What Exactly is Grace?
- Galatians 1c: What's Missing from Galatians 1:1-5?
- Galatians 1d: God-Inspired
- Galatians 2a: Double Jeopardy
- Galatians 2b: The Great Council
- Galatians 2c: Justified = Declared Righteous
- Galatians 2d: Dead to the Law
- Galatians 3a: The Standard
- Galatians 3b: Observing the Law vs. Faith
- Galatians 3c: Consider Abraham
- Galatians 3d: The Curse of the Law
- Galatians 3e: The Purpose of the Law
- Galatians 4a: An Illustration from Tommy Boy
- Galatians 4b: Child Heirs vs. Adult Sons
- Galatians 4c: Our Abba Father
- Galatians 4d: The Heart of a Legalist
- Galatians 5a: Two Choices-the Law or Grace
- Galatians 5b: Dueling Natures
- Galatians 5c: Miyagi-do Karate vs. the Cobra Kai Dojo
- Galatians 5d: The Fruit of the Sinful Nature
Pocasts on Galatians:
- Podcast: Galatians 1: Grace vs. the Law
(read a description and download podcast) - Podcast: Galatians 2: No Double Jeopardy
(read a description and download podcast) - Podcast: Galatians 3: The Purpose of the Law
(read a description and download podcast) - Podcast: Galatians 4: The Joys of Adulthood
(read a description and download podcast)
Fantasy novelist M. B. Weston is the author of The Elysian Chronicles, a fantasy series about guardian angel warfare and treason, which is being adapted into a graphic novel series by Wandering Sage Publications, Inc., with Weston penning the script and KISS comic book artist, Adam Black, doing the art. Weston hosts a podcast on her To Elysia and Back Again blog, which can be downloaded on itunes. Click here for a complete listing of the To Elysia and Back Again podcast episodes. Weston is also the host of The Final Cut in Movies, an internet radio talk show about science fiction and fantasy movies on Ad Astra Radio, which can also be heard as a podcast on M. B. Weston's Podcasts site or on iTunes. Weston speaks to children, teens, and adults about writing and the process of getting published. For more information on M. B. Weston, visit www.mbweston.com. Find out more about The Elysian Chronicles at www.elysianchronicles.com.
Galatians 5d: Fruit of the Sinful Nature
Read Galatians 5:16-18
This is some cool stuff in this passage. When Paul says, “Live by the Spirit,” he uses the word peripateite, which means keep on walking. Let’s translate: “Keep on walking in the Spirit, and you will not gratify (or indulge) the desires of the sinful nature.
Think about this. In the Karate Kid, Daniel Laruso (an illustration used in our last blog) choose to place himself under the authority of Mr. Miyagi as his student. Daniel avoided the authority and the teachings of the Cobra Kai Dojo, and therefore found it easier to walk in the ways of Mr. Miyagi. Make yourself a student of the Holy Spirit instead of a student of the world.
Who is your master? Understand, your master is not the one you claim is your master. Your master is the one you obey.
Read Galatians 5:19-21
Here Paul lists of acts of the sinful nature. This is the stuff that our sinful nature wants us to indulge. I’ve listed the word used, then the Greek word, then the actual definition. (I go into more detail on this week’s podcast, which I will post later on today.)
- Sexual immorality – porneia (hmmm, what English word has this root? Think hard!): all types of illicit sexual relationships (which I will not go into here).
- Impurity – akatharsia: moral uncleanness in word, thought, and deed.
- Debauchery – aselgeia: open, shameless, brazen display of impurity evils. The Caesar, Caligula, comes to mind.
- Idolatry – worshipping other gods.
- Witchcraft – pharmakeia: Witchcraft. The word for witchcraft is actually the root of our word pharmacy. No, that doesn’t mean medicine is evil. During Paul’s time, witchcraft often included (and still often includes) the use of drugs to create trances, hence the same root. I find it interesting that witchcraft was so known for its drug use that the term for witchcraft included the root for drugs. When it comes to witchcraft and drugs: Just say no! (Sorry, a little 80s humor, there.)
- Hatred – echtrai: (plural) feeling of enmity between groups. Watch yourselves, political nuts. (I’m very much a political nut, so I’m allowed to say that.) We cannot be feeling hatred for the opposing party. Believing they are wrong or misguided is one thing, hatred is another.
- Discord – eris: tension or strife resulting from a lack of agreement. In English, this is a musical term. Think about how you feel when your cat runs across a piano. Discord!
- Jealousy – zelos: sinful, self-centered jealousy
- Fits of rage – thymoi: outbursts of temper (duh!)
- Selfish ambition – eritheiai: working to get ahead at an other’s expense. I clarify this on my podcast, but I’ll clarify it a little here. There is nothing wrong with trying to make a better life for yourself. Working hard, creating great marketing plans, taking risks—those things are not what Paul is talking about. He’s talking about selfish ambition. Getting ahead at the expense of others. Lying, cheating, stealing, etc. Enron comes to mind here.
- Dissension – dichostasiai: difference of opinion. Now differences of opinion are fine and often healthy, but fostering them and rubbing them in? Not fine. Stirring the pot just to make people argue? Not fine. It annoys people and creates dissention. It turns a happy gathering into angry people. If you want to make people think, start a blog. Don't destroy unity.
- Factions – haireseis: forming small groups within a larger one causing conflict. You will see this in church splits a lot. You also see it with teenage girls. (No offense, ladies, but remember that Gossip Girls was written for our gender. They don't have a Cliques series or a Gossip Girls series for men.)
- Envy – phthomoi: evil feeling, wrongful desire to possess what belongs to someone else. Envy is a quiet killer that destroys someone by eating him alive from the inside. If I had to pick a movie to illustrate envy, I’d pick Alien. Don’t indulge your envy. Living off that little monster for decades will make you a very miserable, twisted person when you are older.
- Drunkenness – methai: excessive use of alcohol.
- Orgies – komoi: drunken carousing
- Etc. i.e. this isn’t a complete list.
(I just realized that I am probably going to come up on some pretty interesting Google searches with this list.)
I’ve noticed two things about this list that bear scrutiny:
- Many of these are heart conditions rather than behaviors. Hatred, discord, jealousy—these things are attitudes that affect our behavior.
- Envy and jealousy are on the same list as witchcraft and sexual immorality. Think about this: how many times have you heard Christians get up in arms about sexual immorality and Harry Potter? Now, how many times have you heard the same reaction geared toward envy? And what about dissension? We allow the gossip, the slanderer, and the argument-starter free reign without even a good sermon illustration to knock them back into place before they destroy an entire church. (Sorry, but picking “pet sins” to blast while ignoring others annoys me.)
Look at the above list and see if there are any areas in your life that you might need to stop indulging. I know I’ve got a few areas that need work.
Paul goes on to say that: “Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. This is where the arguments start, and it’s important to read this verse within the context of Galatians as a whole. Paul has just finished spending four chapters saying our faith declares us righteous—not our works. So what does he mean here?
I have two comments on this. Before I give them, bear in mind that this is a controversial verse and that some people will disagree with me.
- Newsflash: we’ve all lived like this. We’ve all experienced envy and jealousy. We’ve all had impure thoughts. Paul has already covered that. Yes, people who live like that will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. They will be declared guilty. And that includes each human being on this Earth. However, Paul has already told us that those who have professed faith in Jesus Christ have been declared righteous (justified). Paul gives us a similar list in I Corinthians 6, and in verse 11, he says, “For that is what you were. But you were washed. You were sanctified, you were justified [declared righteous] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
- We know that we are declared righteous (justified) by the presence of the Holy Spirit, who indwells those who believe, in our lives. In Ephesians 1:13-14, Paul says, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed you were marked in him with a seal the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance…”
The above lists are part of that sinful nature that all of us still struggle with. There is a difference, however, between living a brazen lifestyle and struggling with a weakness. If your lifestyle is like the above, then may have the wrong fruit growing on your tree, meaning, you’re the wrong tree. You’re attending the wrong dojo. You’re submitting to the wrong master.
We have dueling natures within us. Live by the Spirit. Make the Holy Spirit your master. Walk in step with the Holy Spirit. More on this in tomorrow’s blog.
Prior blogs on Galatians:
- A New Direction
- What is Truth – Part 2
- Galatians 1a: The Context
- Galatians 1b: What Exactly is Grace?
- Galatians 1c: What's Missing from Galatians 1:1-5?
- Galatians 1d: God-Inspired
- Galatians 2a: Double Jeopardy
- Galatians 2b: The Great Council
- Galatians 2c: Justified = Declared Righteous
- Galatians 2d: Dead to the Law
- Galatians 3a: The Standard
- Galatians 3b: Observing the Law vs. Faith
- Galatians 3c: Consider Abraham
- Galatians 3d: The Curse of the Law
- Galatians 3e: The Purpose of the Law
- Galatians 4a: An Illustration from Tommy Boy
- Galatians 4b: Child Heirs vs. Adult Sons
- Galatians 4c: Our Abba Father
- Galatians 4d: The Heart of a Legalist
- Galatians 5a: Two Choices-the Law or Grace
- Galatians 5b: Dueling Natures
Pocasts on Galatians:
- Podcast: Galatians 1: Grace vs. the Law
(read a description and download podcast) - Podcast: Galatians 2: No Double Jeopardy
(read a description and download podcast) - Podcast: Galatians 3: The Purpose of the Law
(read a description and download podcast) - Podcast: Galatians 4: The Joys of Adulthood
(read a description and download podcast)
Fantasy novelist M. B. Weston is the author of The Elysian Chronicles, a fantasy series about guardian angel warfare and treason, which is being adapted into a graphic novel series by Wandering Sage Publications, Inc., with Weston penning the script and KISS comic book artist, Adam Black, doing the art. Weston hosts a podcast on her To Elysia and Back Again blog, which can be downloaded on itunes. Click here for a complete listing of the To Elysia and Back Again podcast episodes. Weston is also the host of The Final Cut in Movies, an internet radio talk show about science fiction and fantasy movies on Ad Astra Radio, which can also be heard as a podcast on M. B. Weston's Podcasts site or on iTunes. Weston speaks to children, teens, and adults about writing and the process of getting published. For more information on M. B. Weston, visit www.mbweston.com. Find out more about The Elysian Chronicles at www.elysianchronicles.com.
