The Book Is Better

Have you ever seen a movie that is based off of a book that you’ve read? Sometimes the movie version is pretty spot on and really good because of it. Other times something is lost in the translation from text to screen. And even other times the movie turns into a complete train wreck of the novel. When that happens, fans become irate. Even in the movies that do a pretty bang up job trying to stay true to the book, the diehard fans seem to throw a fit about the tiniest of changes. Take the “Lord of the Rings” movies. When the first one came out, I heard so many reviews from fans that ran the gauntlet. Some were super stoked and liked it better than the book, while others loved it but felt it didn’t hold up. But the die hards were livid. Why were they livid? Well, the biggest complaint I heard was because they left out a character that was a big part of the story. Personally, I don’t see what the big deal was because the character wasn’t essential to the plot and his presence in the book actually annoyed me quite a bit, but those people who were devoted to  the book had come to know and love every aspect of it and any deviation from that standard was completely unacceptable.

Now, while I thought this devotion to a work of fiction to be a little over bearing, I can’t help in retrospect to see how it applies to the very doctrine that so many are spoon fed today. Modern “Christianity” has become the “movie version” of the Bible.  Some teach things that are pretty spot on. While others are looser in their interpretation, and yet others have completely obliterated any resemblance of the original in their take. 

As believers, we have a responsibility to defend the integrity of the Book versus the cinema version as being the absolute. Truth be told, any congregation that exists will never be spot on with the original. We have to make sure we know how the Book is before we can draw a comparison.

  

I make it no secret that I am, and have always been a huge nerd when it comes to comic books. Well, a few years ago they made a movie about Wolverine. I hated that movie with a passion. To me, it seemed like they had an amazing amount of great resources that they could have pulled from to make an amazing movie based off of the source material and they just decided to ignore it and make a dumbed down version. The problem was, people loved it. Why? Because they had never read the years of back story that already existed in the comics. Real fans hated the movie, and people who were casual fans seemed to adore it, so much so that a sequel is coming this summer. ( I will be in line to not see it.) 

The point I want to make is, if you never read the original, what is sold to you looks pretty good. We HAVE GOT TO BE IN THE BOOK! There is no message more urgent than that. It works both ways, even a movie that did a great job translating the book, like “The Hunger Games”, still had to work its way around the narrative and certain changes had to be made to present it to the masses. While they did a good job, it still wasn’t as good as the book. But we have the Book and we can always return to it when we want the real, true to self, version.

Even the Word that we have available to us today can be a little watered down through years of translations and downright manipulation and conspiracy. Certain translations are like reading the “Cliffs Notes” version of the Gospels. We need to take every precaution that we can to try to read as closely as possible to the original. 

So really, I guess it’s not so bad to be that “over bearing nerd” who demands that the story stick to the original. We can all learn from everyone by sifting through the dirt to find the gold. And fellowship is always encouraged, but we have to know the source material or we will buy into any and all garbage that is thrown our way.

One love,

Albert C. Coble

I Would be the Worst Super Hero

When I was a child, and all throughout my adolescence, I would dream of being a super hero.

I loved them all. Superman, Batman, Spiderman, even Aquaman. I collected every comic, toy, and collectable I could get my hands on. And in the interest of being honest, things haven't changed all that much now that I'm in my thirties. I don't buy comics and toys all that much, but I have a nice collection of  Marvel and D.C. clothes... yes, even undies.  

It occurred to me rather recently, and better late than never, that one of the reasons I was so fascinated with all these amazing characters and their fantastic lives is because I wanted desperately to be someone else. Someone better than who I was and who was able to do something worth while in the lives of others. I make it no secret that I have always struggled with a lack of self esteem and a poor self image. But these stories and their characters held a chance for escape from the exclusion and the reality that the underdog doesn't always come out on top, in fact, he hardly ever does. 

Looking back it seems so odd to me that I wasted so much time wishing I could be someone else. That I tried so hard to find my identity in things that could never happen. When it turns out this whole time, I already had an identity waiting for me in the Most High YHVH.  I had spent so much time in make believe that I didn't even read to notice that the most fantastic tales were waiting for me in His word. That He had made me to be someone who, though a part of the greater body of believers, has my own place as an individual set apart for His greater purpose.

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you;
before you were born, I separated you for myself.
I have appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”

These words, found in Jeremiah 1:5, speak volumes.  The El of the universe had each and every one of us planned from the beginning. He made us all unique and with a special purpose to be used in unity with each and every member of the body.  We are, every single one of us, called to a greater calling inside His love.

“For you fashioned my inmost being,
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”-Psalm 139:13

The Psalmist here reiterates the words found in Jeremiah, and vice versa. We were all made with singular care. We aren’t just shoved out of an assembly line. We are all one of a kind. Made with the hand of The Master Craftsman.  The fact that I wasted so many years feeling left out and unimportant is really utterly ridiculous in light of all the words found in scripture.  Abba loves us all and has made us all in His image. Any feelings of worthlessness we may feel are not of Him. He wants every single one of us and has endowed us with the awesome power of His Ruach. 

We have the greatest things in store for us. The best is still yet to come. I feel it is only appropriate to leave you with this:

"...From him who has been given much, much will be demanded..."-Luke12:48b

One love,

Albert C. Coble.

I like to Picture My Jesus in A Tuxedo T-Shirt

We all have our pet peeves. Mine include being touched, seeing the word “redneck” plastered on the windshield of a pickup, DVDs that don’t have English subtitles, Confederate flags, and people taking Slash’s side in the Guns n’ Roses split… I also have an irrational fear of grandfather clocks, but that’s neither here nor there.

The worst one though? The one that makes me madder than a hornet in a tornado? When someone tells me that they lost their faith in YHVH because He “didn’t answer my prayer”. What a load of bunk that is. I mean, really? So, because the Creator of all things had a better plan than what you had in mind, and because He didn’t work like a little genie good will vending machine taco stand Elohim, that MUST mean He doesn’t exist. What horrible reasoning! When did Yah become Santa Claus? What right do we have to put Him in a box and make Him bend to OUR will? Honestly, He doesn’t do that to us, and He very well could, why do we think we have the right to do that to Him? People’s arrogance never ceases to astound and stupefy me. I know I’m not a rocket scientist but come on!

I honestly believe that a lot of the problem stems from a misunderstanding of John 14:13-14:

 ¹³ In fact, whatever you ask for in my name, I will do; so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me for something in my name, I will do it.

Too many people read this out of context and think that Yeshua becomes the go to reference for what they need in their life. When we actually take a look at this verse in context, we see that Yeshua is telling us that what we need in the use of His ministry is what we should be asking for in the first place. Let’s take a look at another verse on prayer from His lips. The infamous, “Lord’s prayer” found in Mathew 6:

⁷ “And when you pray, don’t babble on and on like the pagans, who think God will hear them better if they talk a lot. 8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ⁹ You, therefore, pray like this:

‘Our Father in heaven!
    May your Name be kept holy.
¹⁰ May your Kingdom come,
    your will be done on earth as in heaven.

¹¹ Give us the food we need today.
¹² Forgive us what we have done wrong,
    as we too have forgiven those who have wronged us.
¹³ And do not lead us into hard testing,
    but keep us safe from the Evil One.
^[a]For kingship, power and glory are yours forever.

Amen.’

I love this passage. I mean, look at the words our Messiah uses. From the get go He instructs us how we should come before the Father. First in reverence and respect, then in praise and exultation, then we come to Him with our requests. But notice something about the request segment? Not once does Yeshua give an example of coming to Abba with things for your personal glory or comfort. Every request our Meshiach makes of our Elohim is for YHVH’s glory and the things that are needed to carry on His work.

Invariably, we all come to some point in our life that we feel let down because YHVH isn’t granting our request that we feel is of the utmost importance. I personally spent quite a long time angry at YHVH because my wife and I tried so very hard to conceive. We lost two children before we even knew they were there. I couldn’t understand why Yah would not hear me. Why he wouldn’t heal my wife. Why He felt that we didn’t deserve to be parents. It hurt, and it still does in some ways. I, too, got hung up on the “why? Why won’t you answer my prayer?” nonsense. I was too blind to see that Yah had a different plan than mine and that I had no right to question what His will was. Imagine if Yah granted us everything we asked despite what’s best for our personal interest? I mean, Yeshua Himself pleaded with YHVH at least three times to avoid the crucifixion! Where would any of us be if Yah had been all like, “Well, I know that would be uncomfortable for you so I’m just gonna call the whole thing off and we can go out and get some tea. How’s that sound, son?”  For that matter, let’s take a look at part of Yeshua’s prayer in the garden.

⁴² “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, let not my will but yours be done.”- Luke 22:42

Hmmm… I can’t help but notice how this segment starts and ends… “If you are willing, let not my will but yours be done”. Kinda puts things in perspective, huh? Yeshua was about to face the harshest punishment and possibly the most painful form of execution ever,  and His thoughts were of the Father’s will. The dude was so stressed He was sweating blood, and STILL His prayer was for Abba’s glory before his own comfort.

So, I guess what I’m getting at is that things get hard, things don’t go the way we expect or want them to, but we have no right to deny Abba in the hard times. Our prayers should be like those of our Messiah. We should cling to Abba in the hardest of times. His plan and will is better than ours. His purpose is infinitely more important than our comfort or temporal satisfaction. It is nothing more than pure selfishness and the worst kind of self-idolization to think that because Yah doesn’t work the way we want Him to means He doesn’t exist. ‘Nuff said.

One Love,

Albert C. Coble

 

Peoples is Peoples

This past week was pretty rough.  When I sat down on Sat. the 13^th, I was greeted with the news that a musician I have a lot of respect for passed away. I know we see news of people, especially musicians, passing every day. The reason this one hit me so hard is because, along with many, many others, I had been praying for Chi for a long time. You see, Chi was in a car accident back in 2008 and was in a coma for three years. Around a year ago, he progressed to a semi conscience state and remained in that condition until his death. 

So many people where claiming complete healing in our Messiah’s name and I’m sure that they all expected it faithfully. Obviously, Yah’s plan was different from ours and Chi’s heart stopped early Saturday morning. I can only speculate from interviews I’ve read what his relationship with YHVH was, but I also know that Yah has reached people in much worse situations than being in a coma. While I am saddened by his loss, I know Yah’s will was done. So many people came together in prayer and support and fellowship. It will only be when we see the complete picture that we can see all the amazing things that Yah did through his life. 

So that brings me to Monday. I think it will stick with me for the rest of my life. I had no idea that anything had happened. My wife told me as soon as I walked in the door. I immediately grabbed my computer to follow the news as it was breaking.  My heart dropped to my stomach with the first photo I saw. So much destruction and needless loss of life. 

Then the fingers started pointing. Who should we blame? What are we going to do when we get our hands on them? The tragic answer to that came on Friday, when one of the bombers was killed in a shootout with police. The only difference was, when that news dropped what I saw and heard was people celebrating that the man “got what he deserved” and rejoicing in his death. That was the point when my heart broke.

 ^“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some people think of slowness; on the contrary, he is patient with you; for it is not his purpose that anyone should be destroyed, but that everyone should turn from his sins.”-2 Peter 3:9

Now, before I go too far, let me just say that I think that justice was served in the case above. I do not think that it was in the least unjustified. What I am saying is that if the Lord YHVH doesn’t wish that any man perish, then why would we ever rejoice when they do? Every human being contains the breath of our Creator. When they are gone, every chance at redemption and His salvation are gone.

When we look through scripture we see countless examples of praising Yah for the removal of their enemies. In each case I’ve found, none of them ever seem to be celebrating the loss of life, rather the deliverance that Yah has given them. One of my favorite examples is the Song of Moses.

Then Moshe and the people of Isra’el sang this song to Adonai:

“I will sing to Adonai, for he is highly exalted:
the horse and its rider he threw in the sea.

² Yah is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.
This is my God: I will glorify him;
my father’s God: I will exalt him.
³ Adonai is a warrior;
Adonai is his name.

⁴ Pharaoh’s chariots and his army
he hurled into the sea.
His elite commanders
were drowned in the Sea of Suf.
⁵ The deep waters covered them;
they sank to the depths like a stone.

⁶ Your right hand, Adonai, is sublimely powerful;
your right hand, Adonai, shatters the foe.
⁷ By your great majesty you bring down your enemies;
you send out your wrath to consume them like stubble.

⁸ With a blast from your nostrils the waters piled up —
the waters stood up like a wall,
the depths of the sea became firm ground.
⁹ The enemy said, ‘I will pursue and overtake,
divide the spoil and gorge myself on them.
I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.’
¹⁰ You blew with your wind, the sea covered them,
they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

¹¹ Who is like you, Adonai, among the mighty?
Who is like you, sublime in holiness,
awesome in praises, working wonders?

¹² You reached out with your right hand:
the earth swallowed them.
¹³ In your love, you led the people you redeemed;
in your strength, you guided them to your holy abode.

¹⁴ The peoples have heard, and they tremble;
anguish takes hold of those living in P’leshet;
¹⁵ then the chiefs of Edom are dismayed;
trepidation seizes the heads of Mo’av;
all those living in Kena‘an are melted away.
¹⁶ Terror and dread fall on them;
by the might of your arm they are still as stone
until your people pass over, Adonai,
till the people you purchased pass over.

¹⁷ You will bring them in and plant them
on the mountain which is your heritage,
the place, Adonai, that you made your abode,
the sanctuary, Adonai, which your hands established.

¹⁸ Adonai will reign forever and ever.

¹⁹ For the horses of Pharaoh went with his chariots
and with his cavalry into the sea,
but Adonai brought the sea waters back upon them,
while the people of Isra’el walked on dry land
in the midst of the sea!”

²⁰ Also Miryam the prophet, sister of Aharon, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines, dancing, ²¹ as Miryam sang to them:

“Sing to Adonai, for he is highly exalted!
The horse and its rider he threw in the sea!”- Exodus 15:1-20

I’ve always loved this. Throughout the song we see the praise of Yah for the deliverance of His people. Yet, we never see the people glorifying the loss of life.

I guess what I’m getting at is that, life is so special. A great gift from Yah. Yet we treat it so lightly. We thirst for vengeance, yet we don’t blink an eye for the millions of babies that are killed every year in their mothers’ wombs. We don’t blink when we see the numbers of soldiers that have died. We shed no tears for the victims of suicide bombing as long as it’s not in our back yard.  When we’re gone, that’s it. Time’s up. All the chances you had to fall before Yah in repentance are gone. Evil people need their lives more, in some respects, than those of us who know Yah. They need every chance they can get.  Just some food for thought.

One love,

Albert C. Coble