Category Insights on Scripture

Fighting Temptation

Allen Frederick 1 Comment

’Odysseus and the Sirens’. Herbert James Draper, 1909. Ferens Art Gallery, Hull.
'Odysseus and the Sirens'. Herbert James Draper, 1909. Ferens Art Gallery, Hull.

In the story of Ulysses, from Homer’s Odyssey, he is on his ship, trying to make his way home? He knows he will pass by the Isle of the Sirens, those voices sing out across the sea in such enticing tones that many sailors are led to their deaths on the jagged, rocky shores, never to see home or their destination. Ulysses commanded that his men put wax in their ears so they could not hear those voices and so be led to their destruction. But for himself, he was tied to the mast so that he could hear their singing. He commanded that none of his orders while hearing them were to be obeyed. The voices almost drive him mad until finally the ship passes by, the voices are stilled, and once more his ears are filled with the voices of his wife and son, with home, with his true destination. So many voices crying out to us on our journey,

Temptation has that effect on everyone. When we set sail towards temptation we are fighting a battle that is far greater than our human capacity to endure. Had Ulysses not had himself tied to the mast and told his sailors to ignore his desire to set off after the tempting allures of the forbidden island he too would have made shipwreck along the shores of life’s many temptations.
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Boulevard of Broken Dreams

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“Dream as if you’ll live forever…Live as if you’ll die today”. Elvis, Marilyn, Bogie and James Dean share their common tales in this classic Diner scene painted by Helnwein.

Anna Nicole Smith 1967-2007
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This week Anna Nicole Smith has entered the diner on the “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”. She joins with those whose shining stars where quickly snuffed out at the prime of their lives and perhaps their careers. All had chosen similar paths into this abyss of loneliness and dispare. Though some could say they ought to be admired for their great success, I would have to wonder if, given the chance to do over again, they would trade it all for one moment of freedom from this their glass prison?

This Helnwein picture is a parody of the more famous Edward Hopper’s painting “Nighthawks”. In it we see the lives of lonely souls played out against the stark blackness of a New York City Street. Encased in glass and put on display before passersby and onlookers who see them as surreal yet; to those trapped inside this glass diner, they are all too human.

Smith could best be expressed in the words from the title of the soon to be published ‘tell-all’ entitled “Train Wreck: Anna Nicole Smith Unauthorized”. The silver screen is busting with celebrity train wrecks like Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears and the Simpson sisters – we simply shake our heads and cluck our tongues as we walk by.

Perhaps its time we take a moment and pause, stop star gazing and start feeling the pain of those heading for the “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”. Instead of being onlookers and passersby maybe it is time we stop, look, and listen to what these broken hearts are trying to say. Somebody should consider reaching out a helping hand to heal and to save.
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Pressing on Toward the Mark

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Philippians 3:9-14 (KJV) 9 (King James Version) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Olympian Misses the Mark:

 
 
 
Matt Emmons of the United States shoots at wrong target, finishes eighth. (Douglas C. Pizac — AP)

 

Matt Emmons was just focusing on staying calm. He wishes he had been more concerned with where he was shooting.

Emmons fired at the wrong target on his final shot, a simple mistake that cost the American a commanding lead in the 50-meter three-position rifle final and ruined his chance for a second gold medal.

Ahead after nine shots and needing only to get near the bull’s-eye to win, Emmons fired at the target in Lane 3 while he was shooting in Lane 2. He had cross-fired — an extremely rare mistake in elite competition — and received a score of zero. That dropped Emmons to eighth place at 1,257.4 points and lifted Jia Zhanbo of China to the gold at 1,264.5.

“On that shot, I was just worrying about calming myself down and just breaking a good shot, and so I didn’t even look at the number,” said Emmons, 23. “I probably should have. I will from now on.”

A trained Olympian yet he missed the mark. How many countless hours has Matt spent practicing, taking shot after shot to perfect his craft? How many times as he shot at a target aiming for the bulls eye? But in the one moment that it matter the most his misplaced aim cost him a second gold medal in the Olympics. His shot was good enough to have earned an 8.1 had he hit the right target but instead it earned him no credit at all.

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A Refreshing Look at the 23rd Psalm

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PSALM 23

A special look at one of the most quoted passages of the Bible.

The Lord is my Shepherd
shepherd_1662c.jpgThat’s Relationship!

I shall not want
That’s Supply!

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
That’s Rest!

He leadeth me beside the still waters.
That’s Refreshment!

He restoreth my soul
That’s Healing!

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness.
That’s Guidance!

For His name sake
That’s Purpose!

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Hunger

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Did you ever stop to think about hunger? I mean it is something we often take for granted. I mean we get hungry we eat. After a while we get hungry again. Some are more susceptable to hunger than others. Some can go through a day and not think about food. Others, myself included, enjoy a good meal. The smell of a steak sizzling on the fire or chili simmering on the stove. Yum Yum I can almost taste it now.

Alot of life is something like hunger. Hunger is so ingrained in who we are that we do not think about it anymore than we think about breathing or going to pee. Hunger is a real motivating force though when you think about it. Many people will do many strange things under the influence of hunger. I mean have you ever gotten in the way of someone having a chocolate attack and needing a fix? FOR REAL best get out the way fast. Anyway if we never got hungry how would our lives be different? Would we change the way we act? Would our social lives change drastically? I mean how many events on your social calender has anything to do with food?

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