Month: November 2019

JOKER-TARDS!

Posted on by BE EXTREME

Joker is a 2019 American psychological thriller film directed by Todd Phillips, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver. The film is based on DC Comics characters and follows Arthur Fleck, a failed stand-up comedian who turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City. Fleck, who lives with his mother, works as a party clown in Gotham City. Gotham is rife with crime and unemployment, leaving segments of the population disenfranchised and impoverished.

Arthur suffers from a neurological disorder that causes him to laugh at inappropriate times. After a gang attacks him in an alley, Arthur’s co-worker loans him a gun. While entertaining at a children’s hospital, Arthur’s gun falls out of his pocket. Arthur is fired.

On his way home on the subway, still in his clown makeup, Arthur is beaten by three drunken Wayne Enterprises businessmen; he shoots two in self-defense and executes the third. The murders are condemned by billionaire mayoral candidate Thomas Wayne, who labels those envious of more successful people as “clowns”. Demonstrations against Gotham’s rich begin, with protesters donning clown masks in Arthur’s image. Funding cuts shutter the social service program, leaving Arthur without medication.

Arthur pursues a comedy show which goes poorly; he laughs uncontrollably and has difficulty delivering his jokes. Talk show host Murray Franklin mocks Arthur by showing clips from the routine on his show. Arthur is invited to appear on Murray’s show due to the unexpected popularity of his routine clips. Before the show goes live, Arthur requests that Murray introduce him as Joker, a reference to Murray’s previous mockery. Arthur walks out to a warm reception, but begins telling morbid jokes, admits that he killed the men on the train, and rants about how society abandons the disfranchised and how Murray mocked him. Arthur kills Murray live on television and is arrested as riots break out across Gotham; one rioter corners the Wayne family in an alley and murders Thomas and his wife Martha, sparing Bruce, who later becomes Batman. (Wikipedia).

Forty-eight-year-old Todd Phillips, the Director, and Producer of Joker has devoted 20 years of his life producing one box office comedy hit after another with flicks like 2003’s “Old School” and 2009’s “The Hangover.” He told Vanity Fair for its November cover story that he is leaving comedy behind because of the “woke culture.” The word “Woke” first came into circulation in the 1800s when it simply meant the state of not being asleep. The Urban Dictionary defines “Woke” like this: “being woke means being aware… knowing what’s going on in the community related to racism and social injustice.”  It has since morphed into a kind of watchword — a call to arms — for groups like the Black Lives Matter Movement, Antifa, and other militant groups.

John Nolte (Twitter @NolteNC) writes, “Now all of that, everything that defined (Phillips) work and passion, has been declared ‘problematic’ by nobodies, by losers whose only skill is tweeting out their mindless cancellation requests.” Nolte continues, “Joker is not tomorrow’s mass shooter. He is the golden calf worshiped by the very same woketard critics looking to blacklist artistic expression; Joker is those on Twitter and on Rotten Tomatoes who have never accomplished a single thing in their own pathetic lives other than to tear those down who have… Joker is the god of those who condemns Phillips for coloring outside the ‘approved’ lines, for putting RESIST signs in the hands of losers, for daring to speak out against the destruction of his beloved comedy genre in America’s new Woketopia.”

WHO SAID IT?

“Uh, Duh… Hey, der, if you do anything wrong in your life, and I find out about it, I’m going to try take everything away from. I don’t care what I find out. It could be today, tomorrow, fifteen, twenty years from now — If I find out, you’re f******g …. Duh … finished.”

Did you guess who said it? Popular black comedian Dave Chappelle said it during his latest Netflix special. Chappelle then asked and answered this question for his audience: “WHO IS THAT? That’s you! That’s what the audience sounds like to me!”

Watching a weekend matinee of JOKER, one can’t help but sense that the movie mimicked Chappelle’s question and answer. In his review of the movie, Nolte (Twitter @NolteNC), quotes producer/director Phillips asking and answering:“Who are Joker’s mindless followers? Who are these maladjusted malcontents, these adult losers who live with their mothers; these useless idiots who exist in literal garbage and keep voting for the same politicians to run their Gotham City…? Who are these crybabies who worship a murderer, these nihilists who hold RESIST signs, who scream KILL THE RICH!, who hate cops, who ‘don’t believe in anything,’ who think something’s wrong with society because they’re not ‘happy all the time’? Who covers their faces with masks so they can riot and go wilding under the pretense this criminal and cowardly behavior is an act of virtue…?” Phillips goes on, “WHO IS THAT? That’s you! That’s what YOU in the audience sounds like to me!”

Nolte writes, “(Phillips) An artist who turned his legitimate frustrations with the Antifa-Occupy-Black Lives Matter-Resistance crybabies, these anarchist-fascists seek to marginalize men like Todd Phillips for who he is, punish him for his success, and then censor his art… Phillips took all of that and turned it into his muse, not only to create the stunning Joker but to reinvent himself as an artist… Phillips is saying. “Joker is YOU! Joker is the godless god you spoiled losers’ worship; a sociopath who believes in nothing, who wants to burn down society because he’s not happy all the time — your leader is Madness, Anarchy, Intolerance, Jealousy, Envy, Bigotry, and Hate.”

ANY OF THIS RING A BELL?

Nolte and Phillips call them “woketards.” After seeing the movie, I like to call them JOKERTARDS. Do you know any Jokertards? Do you know any “mindless, maladjusted malcontents, adult losers who live with their mothers”? Know or seen on TV any “useless idiots, who hate cops, carry RESIST signs, and who keep voting for the same politicians who have destroyed their cities”? Those who “worship at the feet of Madness, Anarchy, Intolerance, Jealousy, Envy, Bigotry, and Hate”? They are not just living with mother types. Many of these Jokertards are educated business types, media types who have their own shows, and politicians. Heck, some even call themselves “Reverend”. They are so caught up in their hate speech and hate thought that they fail to see that, “Joker is YOU!”

Then there’s THE GUN!

Joker doesn’t get his hands on “The Gun” due to lax gun control laws. The Gun comes to him illegally. The Gun empowers a dangerously mentally ill individual who is not getting the mental health help he requires because he lives in an urban nightmare run by incompetent urban politicians.

Reviewer after reviewer has attacked the movie as siding with Joker, who picks up a gun and lashes out at society to solve his problems. “What movie did these idiots watch? Phillips doesn’t empathize with Joker. He reverse-engineers him. This character has been around for nearly eighty years, so we already know what he becomes. All Phillips does is take him apart, piece by piece, and give us a tour of his mind… Joker is not tomorrow’s mass shooter. He is the golden calf worshiped by the very same woketard (Jokertard) critics attacking Joker … They’re too stupid and too blinded by their own sanctimony to get it: Joker is YOU!” (Twitter @NolteNC)

This not a movie for everyone. Those looking for a superhero thrill-ride need to look elsewhere. Joker is a monster movie. Every shot is disturbing. Arthur Fleck/Joker, Joaquin Phoenix’s performance is a jaw-dropper. Joker warns us of what happens when a society allows the government to control everything. The movie warns that what the government giveth, the government can also taketh away, and take away from Fleck it does, and without his medication and with The Gun, Fleck at long last finds a way to matter.

TRUTH? WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH “CHRISTIANS”?

Whether you agree or not with Phillips and Nolte, the truth is we do live in a society that can’t handle real truth. It seems, over time, the words of the cultist, Aleister Crowley, has made its way into society and perhaps even into the Christian church: “Do as thou wilt which is the whole of the Law” and “Thou hast no right but to do thy will.” In other words, whatever you believe to be “right” is “right” for you. Whatever you believe to be “truth”, that is “truth” for you. How dare anyone question what your “truth” or “behavior” is — even if the person doing the questioning is God Himself.

Tying some modern-day Christian churches to Crowley’s words will no doubt rattle some people and make them upset. But, let’s ask the question: How many Christians and church leaders are there trying to pass off “their” truth, “their” teachings, and “their” rules, as if they came from Christ when in reality, they are man-made-up? Has the church helped to create Jokertards who are Tweeting and Facebooking out their attacks, gossip, and mindless dribble, trying to pass it off as “truth” and something “noble”? Know any Christians who complain about what’s wrong with society and never seem to be happy? They cover their faces with masks, pretending to be Christian by day and someone different by dark? Have we Christians become cowards who are afraid to speak Biblical truth?

Look, I love the church that Christ established and died for. I love to worship a Holy God and listen to Biblical teaching with those who do, too. The TRUTH? Not one time does the Bible mention a building called “Church.” The Church as a building was never the point to Jesus and the early Church. The Church was never about brick and mortar. It was greater than that. The Church is about Christ and His people and a way of being in the world, but not of it. Jesus always taught relationships and Kingdom, not buildings.

Recently, a non-Christ-follower said to me: “Tell me, name one (Christian) church in our city that is changing people’s lives in ways that honor your God. There are many organizations that have good people and are doing good things. What are the good people in your churches doing? I hear them complain and tell me what I’m not doing right. I see their social media posts. They are no different than me. They act like they are a god. What makes your Christ’s way the only right way?” When Christians are confronted with these types of questions we are easily offended and begin to, “Uh, Duh… Hey, der….” It was almost like this guy was saying, “Who is the god these mindless, spoiled losers claim to follow? Who are these crybabies who always seem to complain? Who are these people who cover their faces with masks so they can go wilding under the pretense of cowardly behavior and show reverence to Intolerance, Jealousy, Envy, Prejudice, Gossip, and Hate? WHO IS THAT? That’s you! Joker is YOU! YOU are the JOKERTARDS! That’s what YOU IN the CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY sounds like to me!”

We would love to hear your comments and questions to this post. How would you answer my friend’s questions?

If you are not a Christ-follower, know that we would never infringe on your right to believe differently than us. We would like to hear from every segment. Your questions or comments are important to us.

In the meantime, let’s all BE EXTREME!

ARE YOU FREAKING CRAZY? IF YOU ONLY KNEW….

Posted on by BE EXTREME

Here in our part of the world in North Texas, grass fires can flare up at any time, especially during the Summer when it’s hot, dry, and the wind is blowing. Years ago, I read about a large grass fire that swarmed a neighbor’s farm. It took firefighters most of the day to finally get it contained. Days after the fire had been extinguished, it fired back up for no apparent reason. Firefighters realized the tree roots underground had become so hot during the original fire when hot dry air accompanied by winds and low humidity had settled into the area, it provided the perfect conditions for the smoldering embers underground to ignite. Bitterness and anger that has not been dealt with are like that smoldering fire. On the outside, everything seems good. However, deep down in the roots of the heart and mind, the embers of bitterness smolder, waiting to be set ablaze by just the right comment or reminder of someone who has offended us.

Like the picture of Jesus walking beside a German soldier down a long and dusty road, forgiveness is a word that can somehow strike fear in us. “Forgive them? Are you serious? Are you freaking crazy! If you only knew what they did to me! To my family! To my business! How they hurt me.” And yet, God asks us to forgive.

To forgive or not to forgive is something everyone wrestles in life. Perhaps you grew up in a home where hurts and offenses are held onto and even held over you. Maybe a friend or co-worker or relative or spouse has offended and hurt you so deeply that letting go of the pain means letting go a part of yourself. It’s like we keep hurts and faults in a little plastic bag, so they stay fresh and when we feel the time is right, we take those injuries and offenses out of the bag, and relive the pain as if it just happened, and we make everyone involved, including ourselves, suffer through it again.

When the Apostle Peter asked Jesus, “Explain this parable about what defiles a person” [Matthew 15:15], Jesus answered: “19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts and plans, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slanders (verbal abuse, irreverent speech, blaspheming). 20 These are the things which defile and dishonor the man.” [Matthew 15:19-20 (AMP)]. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, ill will, malevolence intent]” [Ephesians 4:31 (AMP)]. Both Jesus and Paul make the point that bitterness, anger, and resentment — unforgiveness — affects who we are and how we behave. The roots of unforgiveness sprout bitterness and anger and feed on continuous animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding, and slander. When unforgiveness takes root, we find ourselves speaking evil and abusive words fueled with every kind of malice, spitefulness, ill will, and malevolence intent. All of which defiles and destroys a person and relationships.

The Bible is full of men and women whose families were dysfunctional and themselves misfits. They knew what it’s like to need forgiveness and the need to forgive and to forgive themselves.

* Noah was a drunk (Genesis 9:21)

*Jacob was a liar. (Genesis 25:26-34)

*Joseph was abused by his family and sold into slavery. (Genesis 37:18-36)

*Samson was an angry vengeful womanizer. (Judges 13-15)

*Rahab was a prostitute. (Joshua 2)

*King David was a liar, an adulterer, and a murderer. (2 Samuel 11)

*Elijah suffered from depression and was suicidal. (1 Kings 19:3)

*Isaiah preached naked. (Isaiah 20:1-2)

*Peter denied Christ… three times. He embarrassed the disciples and said things he shouldn’t. (Luke 22:54-62)

*The Samaritan woman at the well had multiple partners. (John 4:17-19)

Look, I’m no expert on forgiveness, but I do know what it’s like to forgive and be forgiven. What I have found to be true is this, without a divine transformation authentic forgiveness is incomplete. All of the lives above (and countless others throughout time) eventually found life worth living — they found forgiveness. Forgiveness that came through a holy, loving, and just God. When the power of forgiveness is applied by the Holy Spirit, the power of forgiveness, then, flows from God to you, then, from you to others, and, mercifully, to yourself. That kind of forgiveness is life-changing. Life-altering. Life-giving.

When I choose to become a Christ-follower, something amazing happened. What God promised through Ezekiel the Apostle Paul became true: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My ordinances and do them” [Ezekiel 36:26-27 (AMP)]. The Apostle Paul wrote, “17 When someone becomes a Christ-follower, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun! 18 All these new things are from God who brought us back to himself through what Christ Jesus did. And God has given us the privilege of urging everyone to come into His favor and be reconciled to Him. 19 For God was in Christ, restoring the world to himself, no longer counting men’s sins against them but blotting them out. This is the wonderful message He has given us to tell others.” [2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (NLT)].

“Psychologists generally define forgiveness as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness” (Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley). Just as important as defining what forgiveness is, though, is understanding what forgiveness is NOT. Experts who study or teach forgiveness make clear that when you forgive, you do not gloss over or deny the seriousness of an offense against you. Lewis B. Smedes in his book, “The Art of Forgiveness”, gives us an idea of what forgiveness is NOT: “Let me make sure that we clear up a few misunderstandings about forgiveness. Before we can build, we have to blast. We have to blast away the erroneous thoughts on what forgiveness is not.

1. When we forgive a person, this does not mean we are immediately healed.

2. When we forgive a person, this does not mean we are going to be buddy/buddy.

3. When we forgive a person, this does not mean we surrender the right to restitution or justice when appropriate.

4. When we forgive a person, this does not mean that we trust them, yet.

5. When we forgive a person, we are not avoiding pain, we are opening the door to healing.

6. When we forgive, we take the journey at the pace we are able to handle… the deeper the hurt, the longer the journey.”

The Apostle Paul had the right idea when it came to forgiveness: “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.  Dear brothers and sisters pattern your lives after mine and learn from those who follow our example. For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like His own, using the same power with which He will bring everything under His control.” [Philippians 3:12-21 (NLT)]

That picture of Jesus and the German soldier walking down that long dusty road hangs on my office wall. It reminds me that no matter what state I find myself in, Jesus is willing and able to put my life back together through the healing of forgiveness. I’ve often thought to myself, “What was that was that walk like? What would that soldier and Jesus have talked about? How did Jesus make that (many would include the word ‘disgusting’) soldier feel?” Jesus was the perfect example of how to begin to forgive others and yourself. He said: “41 If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two. 42 Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow. 43 “There is a saying, ‘Love your friends and hate your enemies.’ 44 But I say: Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” [Matthew 5:41-44 (AMP)] I have a feeling Jesus and the soldier talked about life, healing, and… forgiveness.

At Cold Dead Hands religion doesn’t define us, Jesus Christ does. Religion shackles and enslaves folks. Religion manipulates people. As “Christ-followers,” faith lies in our relationship with Jesus Christ and the tenants Christ laid out in both the Old and New Testaments. We would never claim perfection, but we do know forgiveness that runs through Christ and His cross. Like our founder, Patrick James, is fond of saying: “Being a follower of Christ isn’t about being perfect… I’m just an imperfect guy, living in an imperfect world, trying to serve a Perfect Christ. It’s not easy… but it makes a difference in my life. It helps highlight truths… and it helps me to be a better person tomorrow, than I was today.”

Do something extreme today. Let it begin with loving your enemies by praying for those who have mistreated you. As you pray, remember, sometimes the enemy is you.

If you are not a Christ-follower, know that we would never infringe on your right to believe differently than us. In fact, we love hearing from every sector of our readers. Your questions and comments are important.

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with these lyrics. The song is called, “God Only Knows” and it was recorded by the band, For King & Country. It would be worth your time to listen to it on YouTube.

“Wide awake while the world is sound asleepin’
Too afraid of what might show up while you’re dreamin’
Nobody, nobody, nobody sees you
Nobody, nobody would believe you

Every day you try to pick up all the pieces
All the memories, they somehow never leave you
Nobody, nobody, nobody sees you
Nobody, nobody would believe you

God only knows what you’ve been through
God only knows what they say about you
But God only knows the real you
There’s a kind of love that God only knows
There’s a kind of love that
There’s a kind of love

You keep a cover over every single secret
So afraid if someone saw them, they would leave
But somebody, somebody, somebody sees you
Somebody, somebody will never leave you

God only knows what you’ve been through
God only knows what they say about you
God only knows how it’s killing you
But there’s a kind of love that God only knows

God only knows what you’ve been through
God only knows what they say about you
But God only knows the real you
There’s a kind of love that God only knows

For the lonely, for the ashamed
The misunderstood, and the ones to blame
What if we could start over?
We could start over, we could start over

Oh, for the lonely, for the ashamed
The misunderstood, and the ones to blame
What if we could start over?
We could start over, we could start over
‘Cause there’s a kind of love that God only knows

God only knows what you’ve been through
God only knows what they say about you
God only knows the real you
But there’s a kind of love that God only knows

God only knows what you’ve been through
God only knows what they say about you
But God only knows the real you
There’s a kind of love that God only knows”

BE. EXTREME. TODAY.

Sometimes all I want to do is APPLAUD GOD.

Posted on by BE EXTREME

I used to be an avid hiker spending weeks at a time with friends in the mountains of New Mexico. There is nothing like pitching your tent thousands of feet above sea-level. The air is crisp and clean. Your whole body gives way to a relaxed state. You want to stay there forever.

One night my friends and I were camped in a clearing approximately seven-thousand feet above sea level. We stood outside our tents mesmerized. Speechless. The brightness of the stars — the universe — it’s hard to put it into words the feelings and thoughts gushing through your body and mind at that moment. As I stood looking up at the gathering planets and stars, I closed my eyes and began imagining the God who had created it all standing to address the galaxies. At that moment the universe became quiet. Then all of heaven — stars, planets, moons — suddenly stood and erupted in applause. After a bit of time, I felt the heavens again grow quiet as the universe bowed in worship. In that moment I stood in awe with my hands lifted towards the heavens and repeated the words of Nehemiah: “YOU ARE THE LORD, YOU ALONE; YOU HAVE MADE THE HEAVENS, THE HEAVEN OF HEAVENS WITH ALL THEIR HOSTS, the EARTH and EVERYTHING THAT IS ON IT, the SEAS and EVERYTHING THAT IS IN THEM. YOU GIVE LIFE TO ALL OF THEM, and THE HEAVENLY HOST IS BOWING DOWN IN WORSHIP TO YOU!” [Nehemiah 9:6 (AMP)]

Over the years I have looked into the expanse of the “known” universe and discovered some amazing things. Before the invention of the telescope in the 1600s, stargazers could only count a few hundred stars. In the Old Testament (O.T.) book of Genesis, God compared the number of stars to the number of grains of sand on every seashore (Genesis 22:17). You would think that linking the number of stars in the heavens to the sand on the beach would be an absurd conjecture for a mere human author to make 6,000 years ago and, yet, throughout the O.T. God compared the number of stars to the grains of sand on Earth.

For the next 3 centuries following the invention of the telescope, mankind only knew of several billion stars — still not enough to compare the stars in the heavens to the sand on the seashore. Until 1989, that is….

In 1989, two astronomers, Margaret Geller and John Huchra, discovered a “Great Wall” of galaxies spanning millions of light-years. This “Great Wall” is estimated to be 500 million light-years (3 quintillion miles) long, 200 million light-years (1.2 quintillion miles) wide, and 15 million light-years (90 quadrillion miles) thick.

The “Great Wall” consists of more than 15,000 galaxies, each with billions of stars. Based on detailed measurements of each galaxy’s brightness, astronomers can render an approximate number of stars each galaxy contains. They estimate that this “Great Wall” consists of 1,500 trillion (1,500,000,000,000,000) solar systems! It is not known how much farther the Wall extends due to light absorption in out Milky Way galaxy.

The following year (1990), astronomers discovered more than a dozen other evenly distributed clumps of galaxies, suggesting a structure to the universe that is so regular and immense that it defied the then-existent theories of cosmic origins. A team led by an Australian astronomer calculated the number of stars in the “known” universe to be 70 sextillions. Seventy sextillions is 70 followed by 21 zeros; so 70 sextillions is 70 followed by 21 zeros x 70 followed by 21 zeros (or 343,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000)! One scientist made the statement that this unfathomable number is “more than 10 times the grains of sand on every beach and desert on earth!” In 2003, speaking at the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union meeting in Sydney, Dr Simon Driver said, “The actual number of stars could be infinite. The universe is so big light from the other side of the universe hasn’t reached us yet.”

Mind… BLOWN!

Ready to have your mind blown again? Creation.com writes, “Suppose we used a computer that could perform 10,000 million calculations in one second. Even at this great speed, it would require 30 million years of non-stop counting to count the stars.” The Psalmist wrote, “GOD COUNTS THE NUMBER OF THE STARS; HE CALLS THEM ALL BY THEIR NAMES. Our Lord is great, with limitless strength; we will never comprehend what He knows and does” [Psalm 147:4 (AMP)]. As a Christian author, John Piper, rightly noted in “The Pleasures of God”: “What is this universe but the lavish demonstration of the incredible, incomparable, unimaginable exuberance and wisdom and power and greatness of God! What a God He must be!”

If that weren’t enough, around the 5th century B.C., the first documented reference of the “Spherical Earth” concept was mentioned by ancient Greek philosophers. However, the God of the Bible taught the earth was round in approximately 739 B.C.E.: “Don’t you understand the foundation of all things? Are you deaf to the words of God — the words He gave before the world began? Who else could have done it except God, who sits enthroned high above THE CIRCLE OF THE EARTH…? From such a vantage people seem like grasshoppers to Him. Who else but God could stretch out the skies as if they were a curtain, draw them tight, suspend them over our heads like the roof of a tent?” [Isaiah 40:21-22 (VOICE)]. And long before it was accepted by astronomers, God has repeatedly told us the universe is ever-expanding (Isaiah 42:5; Jeremiah 51:15; Zachariah 12:1). Even Einstein believed the universe was static and should have collapsed on itself. He later admitted his mistake when in 1929, astronomer Edwin Hubble showed that distant galaxies were receding from the earth, and the further away they were, the faster they were moving.

It wasn’t that long-ago scientists insisted the Sun was stationary. Of course, now we know the Sun is traveling through space at approximately 600,000 miles per hour. It is moving through space in a huge circuit. In 1543, Nicolaus Copernicus finally put forth his theory the earth rotated around the Sun. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said this about Copernicus’ discovery: “Of all discoveries and opinions, none may have exerted a greater effect on the human spirit than the doctrine of Copernicus. The world has scarcely become known as round and complete in itself when it was asked to waive the tremendous privilege of being the center of the universe.” However, the O.T. scriptures taught this more than 3,000 thousand years ago: “The SUN’S RISING IS FROM ONE END OF THE HEAVENS, and ITS CIRCUIT TO THE OTHER END OF THEM; and there is nothing hidden from its heat” (Psalm 19:6). There was a time when scientists scoffed at God’s teaching in Psalm 19:6.

We’ve barely touched on the universe and our minds are blown. We haven’t even mentioned the intricacies of the human body or plants or vegetation. Who can fathom those things? When I think about God’s hand in all of creation I can’t help but say, “OUR LORD IS GREAT, with LIMITLESS STRENGTH; WE WILL NEVER COMPREHEND WHAT HE KNOWS and DOES” [Psalm 147:4 (AMP)].

Often times I have wondered, as the Psalmist did: “When I gaze to the skies and meditate on Your creation — on the moon, stars, and all You have made, I can’t help but wonder WHY YOU CARE and are MINDFUL ABOUT EACH OF US INDIVIDUALLY, for we are like specks of dust floating about the cosmos” [Psalm 8:3-4 (VOICE)]. So, why me? Why you? I have contemplated King David’s words many times: “HOW PRECIOUS ARE YOUR THOUGHTS TO ME, O GOD! How vast is the sum of them! IF I COULD COUNT THEM, THEY WOULD OUTNUMBER THE SAND.” [Psalm 139:17-18 (VOICE)].

None of us will ever know why this strong creator God of the Bible cares for each of us. His love for mankind is mind-blowing in itself. Yet, over and over again, God reminds us of His love. All we have to do is look around and, “SEE WHAT AN INCREDIBLE LOVE THE FATHER HAS SHOWN TO US! [1 John 3:1 (VOICE)].

God’s love calls out to us every day. He wants us to “comprehend with all God’s people the WIDTH and LENGTH and HEIGHT and DEPTH OF HIS LOVE [to FULLY EXPERIENCE HIS AMAZING, ENDLESS LOVE]” [Ephesians 3:18 (VOICE)].

As a Christ-follower, I am constantly reminded and overwhelmed by the greatness of God. There are times when I look at the night sky and all I want to do is applaud God. To stand in that moment applauding, lifting my hands, and worshipping the strong creator God. Yet, as Louie Giglio says, “Singing stars and earth’s ovation cannot drown God’s desire to hear your voice. In the midst of a miraculous and immense symphony of praise, God is still mindful of you, going to extraordinary lengths to give you life and breath through His Son (Jesus Christ).”

At Cold Dead Hands we are not about religion. Religion binds and enslaves people. Religion manipulates people. We call ourselves “Christ-followers.” Our faith lies in our relationship with Jesus Christ and the tenants Christ laid out in both the Old and New Testaments. Like our founder, Patrick James, reminds us: “Being a follower of Christ isn’t about being perfect… I’m just an imperfect guy, living in an imperfect world, trying to serve a Perfect Christ. It’s not easy… but it makes a difference in my life. It helps highlight truths… and it helps me to be a better person tomorrow, than I was today.”

If you are not a Christ-follower, know that I would never infringe on your right to believe differently than me. In fact, I love hearing from every sector of our readers. Your questions and comments are important.

In the meantime, whether you are a Christ-follower or not, I hope these words will encourage you. They might even motivate you next time you find yourself under the dome of galaxies.

“ON YOUR FEET NOW — APPLAUD GOD! SHOUT JOYFULLY TO THE LORD, ALL THE EARTH. SERVE THE LORD WITH GLADNESS and DELIGHT. BRING A GIFT OF LAUGHTER, SING YOURSELVES INTO HIS PRESENCE WITH JOYFUL SINGING. KNOW and FULLY RECOGNIZE WITH GRATITUDE that THE LORD HIMSELF IS GOD. HE MADE US; WE DID NOT MAKE HIM. WE ARE HIS — HIS PEOPLE WE ARE, HIS WELL-TENDED TO SHEEP. (Therefore), ENTER HIS GATES WITH A SONG OF THANKSGIVING and HIS COURTS WITH PRAISE. BE THANKFUL TO HIM, BLESS and PRAISE HIS NAME.” [Psalm 100 (MSG)]

“THANK GOD BECAUSE HE IS GOOD, because HIS LOVE NEVER QUITS. TELL THE WORLD… ‘HIS LOVE NEVER QUITS!’ And you, clan of Aaron, TELL THE WORLD, ‘HIS LOVE NEVER QUITS!’ And YOU WHO FEAR GOD, JOIN IN, ‘HIS LOVE NEVER QUITS!’ PUSHED TO THE WALL, I CALLED OUT TO GOD; FROM THE WIDE-OPEN SPACES, HE ANSWERED… GOD IS MY STRONG CHAMPION… FAR BETTER TO TAKE REFUGE IN GOD THAN TRUST IN PEOPLE; FAR BETTER TO TAKE REFUGE IN GOD THAN TRUST IN CELEBRITIES… I WAS RIGHT ON THE CLIFF-EDGE, READY TO FALL WHEN GOD GRABBED and HELD ME. GOD IS MY STRENGTH, HE IS ALSO MY SONG, and NOW HE IS MY SALVATION… I DID NOT DIE. I LIVED! And NOW I AM TELLING THE WORLD WHAT GOD DID… LET US CELEBRATE and BE FESTIVE… GOD IS GOD, HE HAS BATHED US IN LIGHT… O MY GOD, I LIFT HIGH YOUR PRAISE. THANK GOD — HE IS SO GOOD. HIS LOVE NEVER QUITS!” [Psalm 118 (MSG)]

Therefore, “PRAISE GOD, EVERYBODY! APPLAUD GOD, ALL PEOPLE! HIS LOVE HAS TAKEN OVER OUR LIVES; GOD’S FAITHFUL WAYS ARE ETERNAL. HALLELUJAH!” [Psalm 117:1-2 (MSG)]

BE. EXTREME. TODAY.