Ending to Harry Potter 7 Leaked

So, the latest in news is that some guy who agrees with the Pope that the Harry Potter novels are evil has decided to steal the seventh novel and leak the ending. I've read the letter this guy sent out, and I'm hoping it's a hoax for the said goal. The guy claims that Hermione and Hagrid die. I can see both these deaths happening. Hermione because her death, according to the source, is a sacrificial death (some sort of sacrifice occurs in every book) and Hagrid because he is a minor character. Still, I'd hate to see both of them go. The guy who wrote the letter has terrible English skill, so, for now, I won't give him much credit. Plus, I don 't agree with his assessment of the books at all. I think Christian themes and morals can easily be found in the books. Besides, releasing the ending is just going to make people want to read to confirm whether it's true or not, so the goal of this guy is up in smoke. On another note, people will still read the last book if they are already fans, after all this is the last book in the series. Anyone new to the series will have to start with the first book. I already knew the ending of the first book, from the movie, when I read it, and I still enjoyed it.

Edited (7-23-07): The leaks put out by the guy claiming Hermione and Hagrid die in the 7th book are false. However, other leaks that are photos of the first and last chapter of the book are accurate.

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Anyone who loves Harry Potter will have seen the fifth movie by now, but I figured I'd go ahead and write something about it. Only, that something turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would be. So, enjoy.

I only just got to see it last Sunday on IMAX. "The Order of the Phoenix" does not contain very many special sets or scenes that make it worth watching on IMAX, but it's still a great experience. What I did not understand was why the 3-D part of the film lasted for a mere 20 minutes. If the entire film had been in 3-D it would have been more spectacular. I'm glad they did decide to use it at least a little bit, and for the best part of the entire movie: the Ministry of Magic scene where the battle between good and evil hits its peak. Using visions of a tortured Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, Voldemort lures Harry to the Hall of Prophecies at the Ministry of Magic because He desires to possess a prophecy only Harry can take out of its holding place. Harry brings his closest friends with him, Hermione, Ron, Neville, and new to the series Luna Lovegood. Voldemort and Dumbledore have an ultimate dual during this scene and (spoiler alert) Bellatrix Lestrange kills Sirius. Sirius falls back into an archway in the middle of the room and disappears from site. Harry still hears voices coming from the archway, however. This climactic scene is the only real plot point in the entire film. The rest of the film leads up to this moment where Harry must choose good over evil in order to prevent Voldemort from taking over him.

The film has less of a plot to it and very little mystery. The book builds more on Harry's visions that lead him to go to the Hall of Prophecies, but the movie, with very little time, must choose what is most important to the film. I am happy with what writers and directors chose to keep. In this film you see very little of Harry's friends and professors and lots of Harry. You will find that the development of Harry's character in this film will become very important in the sixth movie. While the fifth installment lacks mystery, it lays the foundation for future installments. Harry deals with his dark side and must choose whether to give in or stand up to evil.

Part of Harry learning to stand up for himself comes from his experience with Dolores Umbridge and the Ministry of Magic. Too proud to admit Voldemart has returned, the Ministry turns to lies and deception to keep up their reputation. They take over Hogwarts in the form of Professor Dolores Umbridge, who tidies things up by enforcing harsh rules, firing some questionable professors, and preventing the students from practicing spells. In response, students form their own secret society where Harry teaches them how to defend themselves against the Death Eaters, or Voldemort's followers. Harry grows as he teaches them, but still struggles with teenage hormones. He gains his first kiss with Cho Chang. On top of this, he still does not know what to do about his violent emotions. He says he's angry all the time and isolates himself from his friends. Luna Lovegood reminds him of the importance of community in fending off our foes. By the end of the film, Harry has a better idea of who he is as a person and of what his purpose is in life. Although it has been mentioned in past films, (spoiler alert) he finally understands that he has something Voldemort will never have: love and friendship. He chooses the good and pushes Voldemort out of his mind. Voldemort leans over Harry and whispers, "You will lose." The Ministry walks in and there's no denying the truth any longer.

David Yates directs the film for his first Harry Potter flick and I have to say I really enjoyed it. While the third film was my favorite, I did not like the direction of "The Prisoner of Azkaban." I would not mind the original director of the Potter films returning, but I also dislike the director of the fourth film. The sixth film should be interesting. I did not like the fifth book much, but loved the movie. I love the fourth book, but hated the fourth movie. I wonder what my impression will be of the sixth movie. The sixth movie is the beginning of the end of the series and cleans off looses ends from the fifth film. It will be important that it is done well and that parts of the book left out are tastefully chosen. One thing's for sure, I hope they bring back Nicholas Hooper as the composer. "Order" has the most beautiful and fulfilling soundtrack out of all the films. It builds off the original soundtrack in small amounts, but contains mostly new material that really connects with characters and events in the film. I highly recommend it. The acting in the film is also worth mentioning. Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson have grown so much in their abilities; it's hard not to like them. Newbie’s also do not disappoint. Imelda Staunton is ironically wicked as the cat loving, pink wearing Dolores Umbridge and Evanna Lynch's calm, strangely pitched voice adds character to the role of Luna Lovegood. It really is the best Potter film yet. Helena Bonham Carter also joins the cast as Bellatrix Lestrange. Considering how few lines she has she portrays a lot about her character just by body language and costume.

I found extra meaning in this film because I recently read a book called "Looking for God in Harry Potter" by John Granger. Reading this book and thinking more about the plot lines I found three main Christian elements in the story of this film:

1. Community. Harry tries to go it on his own, but finds he can't. Luna Lovegood reminds him that his friends provide support and loving care to him, encouraging him in his fight against evil, not to mention his fights against his own hormones. In the end, it is the memory of this love and friendship that enables Harry to say no to Voldemort. Likewise, we as Christians have many battles to face. We find support in community. We pray for each other and treat each other as we wish to be treated. We find that we all have a part to play in the building up of the church and no individual God-given gift can accomplish anything on its own. We also find community in the Order of the Phoenix, which bands together to fight Voldemort, as well as in Dumbledore's Army, the group of students Harry secretly teaches when Umbridge forbids the practice of magic. Interestingly enough, throughout history the phoenix has been a symbol used for Christ. Dumbledore also stands as a God-like father figure.

2. Life after death. Harry hears voices coming from the archway that Sirius disappears into at death. From this we gather that there is life after death and we always have something to hope for. Luna Lovegood tells Harry at the end of the film that things have a way of coming back to us in unexpected ways.

3. Good vs. Evil. Like many today, the Ministry of Magic is too proud to admit to its statesments are false and fight evil. Instead, they let evil take over and become evil themselves. Throughout the film, Harry struggles with the possibility that he could become just like Voldemort. A dark side in Harry begins to rise. He questions Sirius, asking why he feels so angry and what exactly the implications of his anger are. Both Sirius and Dumbledore indicate to Harry that everyone has both good and evil in them, it is which side they choose to act upon that matters. As Christians, we find the same thing true with our hearts. We all have a sinful nature that came with the fall. We can't get rid of our fleshly tendencies, but we can choose to say no to the temptation when it comes. It won't stop coming, we can still say no. Satan will try to attack our minds telling us that we, too, will "lose" (and I certainly am prepared to lose everything for God because I know God will provide and that there are more important things than the things of this world and that I have a better life to look forward to in Heaven), but with God's help we can do anything. Once you decide to accept Christ, you belong to Him and Satan cannot take your soul. All he can do is try his best to keep you from bringing others to Christ. We all have the potential to do evil, but it is our choices that matter because God gave us free will.

So, I am a huge Harry Potter fan and I am a Christian. No that is not redundant or contradictory. Harry Potter is a great story that we all can learn from. You'll find that the fifth Harry Potter film will fill you up with a lot to digest. Not just the great special effects (I especially like the transitions, dueling scene, and newspaper headlines) and great acting, but the morals and the continuation of a great story worth watching over and over again.

Personal Monday: What's on Your Shelf?

So, this is a few minutes later after Monday and it is now Tuesday, but I started writing this on Monday so it still stands.

I think a better name for this blog would have to be “On the Shelf.” My life has tons of stuff on the shelf. Books, music, movies, and such are not the only things on my shelves. In truth, we all have our problems that we tend to put away on some sort of shelf. For me the main things I tend to put on my shelves are my eating habits. I’m fat, plain and simple. I don’t rejoice at it and I don’t take pride in it. I try not to let it keep me from living my life out, but I admit I need to lose weight by eating healthier and exercising more often. My doctor tells me I’m very unhealthy. I have high blood pressure and cholesterol. She says she hates to see someone as young as me have such a high heart attack risk. In case you were wondering, I’m only 19. On top of all this, I have other health problems. For example, tomorrow I am having some moles on my back removed that could become cancerous. I joked around to my parents that at least one thing gone wrong with me does not have to do with my weight, but really it’s not that funny. I am unhealthy. I need to get healthy. I need to take things off my shelf and deal with them. It’s spring cleaning time for the rest of my life and I plan to blog every Monday on my progress. Please join me on this journey. I have started weight journals before, but this time I need to get serious. I started this blog because I wanted to comment on various things, but also because I wanted to take a stand. Obesity is a huge problem today. Let’s take a stand against it. I’ve bought a calorie counter book and a journal for logging what I eat and I’m using it.

A week ago I went to the doctor’s office to get a whooping cough shot. Lucky me, I got a small infection from it and for the last week have had a fever ranging from 99.0 to 102.8. I had headaches, I was light-headed, and my whole body was sore. It finally went away yesterday. Still, I’m weak from it. Nevertheless, when a handicap friend of the family called and asked for my help with her shopping, I could not say no. I love this woman and she needs all the company she can get. She has been surrounded by the worst of people and gone through the worst of pains. Today, specifically, her back and her elbows were in a lot of pain. She’s paralyzed from the waist down and goes around in a wheelchair. She needed me to push the grocery cart around and take the groceries into her apartment for her. I’ve done this once or twice before and always have a great time doing it. She’s a great lady to be around, plus it gets me out of the house. My arm was still bothering me from the shot and I playfully teased her about it and my fever. The conversation quickly became a deep talk about the pains of life. This woman finds herself overweight with a broken wheelchair and almost completely broken-down car. She has her own obesity problems, plus she’s almost deaf. I can’t believe how selfish I’ve been lately with my little fever! She plans to get a surgery done on her stomach to help her lose weight. She can’t exercise much because she can’t walk. She can’t even get her own groceries or fill up a tank of gas without help, and here I am complaining about a simple surgery I’m getting done on the moles on my back tomorrow. I think we all need to start taking better care of ourselves and those around us. I am very thankful for what I have in life and I shouldn’t start counting my blessings too soon. You never know what can happen. I’m already unhealthy as it is. It’s about time that I started to take care of what has been given to me, namely my body. Maybe I can take better care of family friends and others if I’m in better shape to do so. It took me about 7 trips to bring in all my friend’s groceries, and she didn’t buy much! I'm tellin' you, I didn't feel much like bringing those groceries in, but I did it anyway. There will always be times in life when we don't feel like doing things. Sometimes we're lazy. Sometimes we're tired. Sometimes we just need a vacation or just need to be able to do something without any extra luggage to carry (in my case it was groceries). Thinking about it, however, I now see that although we may not always feel like doing something, sometimes it just needs to be done. I don't feel like making an effort to lose weight, but I need to. I often won't feel like being a good witness to others. I sometimes don't feel like discussing doctrine. But I need to get over my own feelings. Life will be life. We have purpose in our life and we should not push it aside for personal comfort.

Upcoming Movies

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809355123/video/3365397/standardformat
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809355123/info

"Last Legion" looks interesting. The plot summary says nothing about Excalibur, but the trailer makes it look like it has something to do with both the end of the Roman Empire and with the beginnings of Excalibur. It has that girl from "Bride and Prejudice" in it, but more interestingly it has Colin Firth in it. I'm a fan of Firth, even if not all his movies are good. I'm hoping this will be one worth seeing.

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809420758/info
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809420758/video/3328557/standardformat

What caught my eye with "December Boys" is that it includes Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry Potter. Normally I would not like this sort of movie, but since it has Radcliffe and it seems like a feel good movie I may go see it. I just hope the PG-13 rating for sexual content, nudity, and drugs and smoking isn't too blatant.

Speaking of Harry Potter, I saw the 5th movie yesterday. Look forward to a review tomorrow, hopefully.

Personal Monday: Review of California Driver's Handbook

I had a wierd dream last night. In the dream, I left my driving permit at home and needed to drive somewhere. So, I went ahead and started to drive, but in a training wheel car that resembled a bike. It told police I was a driver in training. There were police out everywhere looking for student drivers. I made too wide a turn and one of them pulled me over, not to give me a ticket, but to make me redo the turn and practice it until I got it right. I never found out how things ended for me, though, because the phone rang and woke me up. Still, in honor of this dream I thought I would post something I wrote last month below:

If there is any person qualified to write a book review of the California Driver’s Handbook, it’s me. No, I do not work for the DMV, and no, I am not a perfectionist driver. In truth, I am very afraid of driving. While still on my first permit, I got in an accident. With my driver instructor, my sandal got caught on the pedal and I pushed the gas pedal instead of the break. This caused me to get into a minor bumper accident, no damage. I cried when I got home. Needless to say time came and went and I did not go for my license. My permit expired. Since then I have taken the permit test two more times and gotten better at passing each time. I always passed, but each time the number of missed questions lessened. I actually was scheduled to take my permit test earlier this month for the third time, but my mom lost my passport. A weeks worth of reading was wasted. Luckily, this time I highlighted the important parts and when my mom found my passport a month later I only had to skip read the highlighted parts. Two days ago, on June 28th, 2007, I took the test and only missed two questions. My picture would have turned out good if my double chin had not shown up. It has a way of coming out like that. I hate being fat, I hope to lose weight. Nevertheless, I will not let my bad health drag me down. I did dream once that my double chin saved me from a man who tried to slit my throat. The knife did not go deep enough to kill me, although I did lose some blood. It’s a real dream I had. Anyway, back to the driving thing. As already stated, I hate driving. I’m always afraid I’ll do something wrong. I remember my first experience with driver’s rage. I pulled over to let people pass, but when I tried to pull back into the lane a driver got mad at me and followed me to my turnoff where he proceed to honk at me and flip me off. I eventually got over my fear and got back on the road, but then college came. When you live in NYC you don’t drive much. Thus, it has been over a year since I last drove and my old fears have returned this summer. Since I am attending a different college this fall, I will need to drive and I will need a car. Needless to say, I have so far avoided all my parents attempts to get me on the road, but I really do need to try. Maybe I should go back to that handbook for some help, but don’t expect a book review of it. I already hate it enough, I doubt I would be able to keep from becoming overly judgmental and bias.

pic taken from: http://calstaging.bemidjistate.edu/en3160f01/bsustudentgallery/driving.html

Beverly Sills

http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/news/photos/sills.aspx

I only just discovered that Beverly Sills recently died. I was a huge fan of hers and loved her voice. She was a brilliant singer and actress and a great personality.

Sunday: The Lord's Day: Trials and Temptations

Just a quick side-note: this is a long post (I don't post long posts very often) so if you want to skip ahead and read other posts I suggest using the archive or labels. Thanks, and I'm open to your comments (I wrote this with my dad's help in 10th grade for Bible class).

Trials and Temptations Sermon
Trials and temptations (Based on James 1: 1-12) Copyright Harmony

A. My message on trials and temptations comes from James 1:2-18, which we’ve already read.

1. With recent events such as 9-11 and a tsunami in the Indian Ocean, many people are asking: Why?

2. Why do we have trials?

3. How do we get through them?

4. What attitude & response should we have?

B. Body

1. Before we can answer this question, we must first define what a trial is.

a. The NAS NT Greek Lexicon defines a trial as:

· the test of a person's fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy

· a temptation, whether arising from desires or outward circumstances

b. Biblically, we must understand that:

· Satan is the Tempter; he, the corruption in the world, and our own, sinful desires create trials, or the testing of our faith.

c. We must also understand that there are different kinds of trials:

· unfortunate circumstances tempt you to lose faith

· uncomfortable duty tempts you to disobey

· good circumstances tempt you to sin

· something good tempts you to pass up the best that God has for you

c. Example

· When I went to France last summer, I expected the best. However, I found myself in a quite different situation. Peers and adults pressured me to drink and smoke, I had to defend my faith, and I had to get through hard circumstances.

2. Attitude

a. We need to look at our trials with Joy.

· James 1:2 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds”

b. When we do not have this attitude of joy, we ask “Why,” and often blame God.

i Example

· In France, I found myself questioning God, asking why He brought me there, why I even wanted to go there in the first place. I was placing blame on God that should have been on my self, even though it was my choice to go there. I was not looking at things with joy.

· I John 2:16 says, “For everything in the world, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does comes not from the Father, but from the world.”

· ii. This “selfishness” of our desires tempts us to stray from what God has planned for us.

Example

· Greg Knapp: Had a sailboat that provided relaxation and family time that he really needed. After becoming a Christian, he realized that the time required to go sailing kept him from going to church. He was tempted by what seemed good in the world’s eyes, but he chose God’s best by selling the boat so he could go to church.

c. God always provides relief from temptation and trials.

i. God provides a “right” decision; you always have a choice.

· 1 Cor. 10:13 says, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

ii. God will help you see the right decision.

· James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

iii. Under hard circumstances, God will help you get through. He can provide the smallest ways to bring relief.

d. Example

· Once again, I recall my experience in France. Even though I had questioned God, I found the strength to put faith in Him. When I was tempted, I said no. When I was homesick or just plain sick of the circumstances, God provided ways to cheer me up. Twice, I saw Christian groups performing in the streets. My parents found a church that I was able to go to. The people at the church were good to me: they gave me rides and invited me into their home for dinner. Finally, the night before my flight home, I could not get a ride to the airport. I tried calling the pastor of the church to get the number of a lady who I knew would give me a ride; but when I went to call her, my phone would not work: I was out of minutes! By this time it was nearly midnight. You can imagine my panic. I gave a final prayer and headed out the door to find a pay phone. As soon as the door close behind me, my phone rang. It was Dorcus, the woman I was trying to call! She drove me to the airport and I got home safely. The Lord provided for me and got me through my trials.

3. God has a purpose for trials.

a. Trials lead to perseverance and maturity. In the end, rewards await us in heaven

i. God can use temptations to test us to confirm the strength of our faith and the sincerity of our love for Him. When the heat is on, we reveal who are and what we truly believe.

ii. Painful situations produce character the same way regular exercise tones muscles. As they say, “No pain, no gain.”

· James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

b. God uses trials to correct and train, because he loves us.

· Hebrews 12:5, 6 says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

c. example

On December 26, 2004 an Indian Ocean tsunami caused destruction, suffering, and death along the shores of Africa, India, southern Asia, and islands of the Indian Ocean.

i. Why?

· Gregory Boyd, author of Is God to Blame? says, “Because the first humans sinned, the laws of nature have been corrupted and don’t all operate now the way God originally intended them to…. If it wasn’t for the angelic and human rebellion, we wouldn’t have tsunamis or hurricanes or AIDS or anything of the sort.”

ii. God won’t fix the problem of evil because separating good from evil would end the current world system early.

- Judging good and evil before the Second Coming would be like choosing the winner of a ten-mile race after only nine miles.

- God would no longer get to show how He can bring good out of evil

- God’s children would no longer grow

- God’s children could no longer earn rewards

- No one would be left for God to save

· In the Parable of Weeds, found in Matthew 13:29-30, it says, “No, he answered, because while you are pulling the weeds you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”

· Author John Blanchard says, “In short, if God tweaked the laws of nature billions of times a day merely to ensure everybody’s freedom from trials, we would never know which physical laws were operating from one moment to the next.”

iii. In the end, God will judge evil, Christ will come again, and the righteous will be rewarded.

· James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

iv. There are many reasons that we could never understand. It is not up to us to decide what we should and should not know.

· To know exactly why, we would have to know the mind of God

o I Corinthians 2:11 says, “In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”

C. To summarize:

1. You will be tried.

a. Bad circumstances will test your faith

b. You will need to do things that you don’t want to do

c. Desire for good things will tempt you to sin or will keep you from the best that God has for you.

· 1 John 2:15 says, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

2. Choose the right attitude when going through trials and temptations: Joy!

· I Peter 4:13 says, “Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.”

3. Resist wrong attitudes

a. Realize that our desires can be evil and destructive

b. Don’t blame God

c. Don’t expect to know the Big Why

c. When you fail -- and you will -- don’t give up. There is always a way out.

· Matthew 26:41 says, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

4. Persevere

i. You will grow stronger and more mature,

ii. You will gain rewards in heaven

iii. Going though trials won’t last forever.

· In closing, James 5: 8, 11 says, “You, too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”

A. My message on trials and temptations comes from James 1:2-18, which we’ve already read.

1. With recent events such as 9-11 and a tsunami in the Indian Ocean, many people are asking: Why?

2. Why do we have trials?

3. How do we get through them?

4. What attitude & response should we have?

B. Body

1. Before we can answer this question, we must first define what a trial is.

a. The NAS NT Greek Lexicon defines a trial as:

· the test of a person's fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy

· a temptation, whether arising from desires or outward circumstances

b. Biblically, we must understand that:

· Satan is the Tempter; he, the corruption in the world, and our own, sinful desires create trials, or the testing of our faith.

c. We must also understand that there are different kinds of trials:

· unfortunate circumstances tempt you to lose faith

· uncomfortable duty tempts you to disobey

· good circumstances tempt you to sin

· something good tempts you to pass up the best that God has for you

c. Example

· When I went to France last summer, I expected the best. However, I found myself in a quite different situation. Peers and adults pressured me to drink and smoke, I had to defend my faith, and I had to get through hard circumstances.

2. Attitude

a. We need to look at our trials with Joy.

· James 1:2 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds”

b. When we do not have this attitude of joy, we ask “Why,” and often blame God.

i Example

· In France, I found myself questioning God, asking why He brought me there, why I even wanted to go there in the first place. I was placing blame on God that should have been on my self, even though it was my choice to go there. I was not looking at things with joy.

· I John 2:16 says, “For everything in the world, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does comes not from the Father, but from the world.”

· ii. This “selfishness” of our desires tempts us to stray from what God has planned for us.

Example

· Greg Knapp: Had a sailboat that provided relaxation and family time that he really needed. After becoming a Christian, he realized that the time required to go sailing kept him from going to church. He was tempted by what seemed good in the world’s eyes, but he chose God’s best by selling the boat so he could go to church.

c. God always provides relief from temptation and trials.

i. God provides a “right” decision; you always have a choice.

· 1 Cor. 10:13 says, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

ii. God will help you see the right decision.

· James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

iii. Under hard circumstances, God will help you get through. He can provide the smallest ways to bring relief.

d. Example

· Once again, I recall my experience in France. Even though I had questioned God, I found the strength to put faith in Him. When I was tempted, I said no. When I was homesick or just plain sick of the circumstances, God provided ways to cheer me up. Twice, I saw Christian groups performing in the streets. My parents found a church that I was able to go to. The people at the church were good to me: they gave me rides and invited me into their home for dinner. Finally, the night before my flight home, I could not get a ride to the airport. I tried calling the pastor of the church to get the number of a lady who I knew would give me a ride; but when I went to call her, my phone would not work: I was out of minutes! By this time it was nearly midnight. You can imagine my panic. I gave a final prayer and headed out the door to find a pay phone. As soon as the door close behind me, my phone rang. It was Dorcus, the woman I was trying to call! She drove me to the airport and I got home safely. The Lord provided for me and got me through my trials.

3. God has a purpose for trials.

a. Trials lead to perseverance and maturity. In the end, rewards await us in heaven

i. God can use temptations to test us to confirm the strength of our faith and the sincerity of our love for Him. When the heat is on, we reveal who are and what we truly believe.

ii. Painful situations produce character the same way regular exercise tones muscles. As they say, “No pain, no gain.”

· James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

b. God uses trials to correct and train, because he loves us.

· Hebrews 12:5, 6 says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

c. example

On December 26, 2004 an Indian Ocean tsunami caused destruction, suffering, and death along the shores of Africa, India, southern Asia, and islands of the Indian Ocean.

i. Why?

· Gregory Boyd, author of Is God to Blame? says, “Because the first humans sinned, the laws of nature have been corrupted and don’t all operate now the way God originally intended them to…. If it wasn’t for the angelic and human rebellion, we wouldn’t have tsunamis or hurricanes or AIDS or anything of the sort.”

ii. God won’t fix the problem of evil because separating good from evil would end the current world system early.

- Judging good and evil before the Second Coming would be like choosing the winner of a ten-mile race after only nine miles.

- God would no longer get to show how He can bring good out of evil

- God’s children would no longer grow

- God’s children could no longer earn rewards

- No one would be left for God to save

· In the Parable of Weeds, found in Matthew 13:29-30, it says, “No, he answered, because while you are pulling the weeds you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”

· Author John Blanchard says, “In short, if God tweaked the laws of nature billions of times a day merely to ensure everybody’s freedom from trials, we would never know which physical laws were operating from one moment to the next.”

iii. In the end, God will judge evil, Christ will come again, and the righteous will be rewarded.

· James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

iv. There are many reasons that we could never understand. It is not up to us to decide what we should and should not know.

· To know exactly why, we would have to know the mind of God

o I Corinthians 2:11 says, “In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”

C. To summarize:

1. You will be tried.

a. Bad circumstances will test your faith

b. You will need to do things that you don’t want to do

c. Desire for good things will tempt you to sin or will keep you from the best that God has for you.

· 1 John 2:15 says, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

2. Choose the right attitude when going through trials and temptations: Joy!

· I Peter 4:13 says, “Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.”

3. Resist wrong attitudes

a. Realize that our desires can be evil and destructive

b. Don’t blame God

c. Don’t expect to know the Big Why

c. When you fail -- and you will -- don’t give up. There is always a way out.

· Matthew 26:41 says, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

4. Persevere

i. You will grow stronger and more mature,

ii. You will gain rewards in heaven

iii. Going though trials won’t last forever.

· In closing, James 5: 8, 11 says, “You, too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”

Movie Saturday: Evan Almighty Review

Considering the dirty jokes of the first “Almighty” movie, “Bruce Almighty,” and the unclean humor of other films of Steve Carell (“40 Year Old Virgin”) you would not expect the second “Almighty” film to come out clean either. Surprisingly enough, “Evan Almighty” cleans up pretty nicely. Not only that, “Evan” also keeps to Christian beliefs and contains many Christian themes.

Newly elected congressman, Evan Baxter (Steve Carell), must make good on his promise to change to world, but he knows he can’t do it alone. His new job keeps him from spending time with his family. When his wife (Lauren Graham) tells him she prayed for the family to grow closer Evan decides to do a little praying himself and asks God for help. Of course, help never comes in the way we would like it and God (Morgan Freeman) responds to Evan’s prayers, making Evan the modern Moses.

First, God sends Evan several clues pointing to Genesis 6:14 which says, “Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch.” Next, Evan receives tools and wood from a company whose logo is a gopher. God, himself, shows up every once in a while to remind Evan of his assignment. Two by two, animals start to follow Evan wherever he goes. Evan tries to ignore God’s instructions, but the animals and a beard and long hair that grow back when cut and shaved get Evan in trouble at work. Evan’s wife leaves him and takes the children with her for a while. God gives her a pep talk to convince her to return. Everything seems wrong. God tells Evan He only does the things He does because He loves His people, but Evan does not understand and wishes God would love him a little less. Finally, the flood comes.
As a Christian, I worried that the flood would come from rain and wipe out a lot of people, thus ruining God’s original promise never to flood the earth again. The flood in “Evan” has little to do with rain, however. It does rain for ten minutes, but not enough to flood the earth. God does not commission Evan to build an ark to save a family from eminent doom and God does not condemn the world to drowning. Instead, God uses Evan to preserve the beauty of His creation. Another congressman (John Goodman) wants to make profit off of development in national parks and has already damned up the local river to make room for the valley Evan lives in. He also tries to get Evan in on his scheme, but God has other plans.

While I am no “tree hugger,” I do recognize that God commissioned humanity to take care of the earth. Yes, we are dominant over the rest of creation. Creation has its purpose, but as stewards of God it is also our job to take care of God’s creation.

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. (Genesis 1:28-30)

Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. (Genesis 2:15)

“Tend” and “keep” also mean to “serve” and guard.” In Numbers we see that these same terms are used to describe the priest with respect to taking care of the temple. Adam served as priest over all creation. Humanity should serve and guard the earth. We are unable to keep God’s original commandment to Adam to serve and guard the garden because of the fall. Our fallen, sinful nature keeps us from expanding the garden to the entire earth, but we can still strive to take care of God’s creation. That includes our fellow human beings. Christ brought hope, establishing the beginning of a new kingdom that will one day enable us to live in the perfect garden state once again. See Romans 8 for more detail.

Creation also forms a type of revelation that reminds us of our creator.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (Psalm 19:1)

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. (Job 12: 7-10)

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" (Revelation 5:13)

“Evan” also gives a description of God that does not hound the Bible or make fun of it. When God talks to Evan’s wife he comments on how most people think of Noah and the Ark as a story of condemnation, but in reality it is a story of love. God loved Noah and his family. He saved them from the flood. In the process, Noah’s family became closer. God explains that while everything seems so terrible at present, He is merely answering prayers. He asks Evan’s wife if a mother prays for the family to get closer together whether He would bring the family close or give the family the opportunity to grow closer. If a congressman asked for help in changing the world should God change the world in a flash or give the congressman the opportunity to change the world? Here we find that God answers our prayers, just not always in the ways we expect.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? (Matthew 7:7-9)

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. (Matthew 21:22)

In His talks with Evan, God tells Evan the way to change the world is with one act of random kindness (ARK) at a time. In other words, God wants Evan to learn to do the right think and to think of others above himself, another Biblical principle.

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:34-40)

We find another Christian lesson in “Evan” in Evan’s reluctance to building the ark. God has a purpose for Evan’s life, but Evan does not want any part in it. Building the ark pushes Evan into hard times and trials. Friends at work make fun of him and his family almost leaves him. Despite his dragging of feet, Evan finds he cannot get away from God or God’s purpose. God is everywhere and no matter what you do He will always bring about His purpose. This reminds us of stories like Jonah and Esther. Jonah did not want to go to Ninevah, but God sent him there against his will and consequently saved many people. Esther took a risk and did the unthinkable to save her people.

When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." (Esther 4:12-16)

Evan also feels unqualified and ill-equipped to change the world once he gets into office. Although he wears a mask of pride, things are not as great as they seem and he goes to God in prayer for help. There are two things to learn from this. First, we learn that when we go through times of trouble, we can take our mask off and go to God for help. Second, we learn that God created us for a purpose. Sovereign and in control, we can always trust in God that all things will come out for the good.

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother's womb. I will ever praise you. (Psalm 71:6)

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. (Psalm 139:13)

But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. (Exodus 9:16)

God is mighty, but does not despise men; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose. (Job 36:5)

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands. (Psalm 138:8)

I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills {his purpose} for me. (Psalm 57:2)

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. (Proverbs 19:21)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

In some areas “Evan” misses. It forgets God’s ultimate purpose: to declare His glory and the hope we find in Jesus Christ. “Evan” hits the mark in many areas, but it never mentions Jesus and places God’s job around human needs. Besides this, one has to wonder if God would actually ever appear in person. God hardly ever fully appears in the Bible. The people of the Old Testament were not allowed to approach God improperly. If you mishandled the ark of the covenant you would die on the spot. Priests would wear a string around their ankles when they went into the holy of holies once a year. If they died in the presence of God others could pull their body out. Moses saw God in the form of a burning bush. Jacob wrestled with God, but this is the only place you really find someone in the full presence of God in person. Keeping God in person form with supernatural powers does not seem so bad when you consider how a loud voice from the heavens would make the film cheesy. The film also forgets that God does have wrath, He's not all happy man. In reality, He did judge the people of the earth with the original flood, but He loved the people of the earth as well. God showed His perfect judgment and good will with the flood.

The film does have a few inappropriate moments. One of Evan’s sons makes one or two crude comments. Evan finds himself naked in front of the mail lady when he tried to sneak his way out of building the ark to go to work. Lastly, a few mild swear words pop up here and there. Despite these few elements, “Evan” comes out fairly clean and will not offend Christian movie goers. So if you are a fan of "Bruce Almighty" and can't nejoy a movie without a bunch of lousy sex jokes, don't go see "Evan."

The acting is excellent. Wanda Sykes adds punch when needed and John Goodman once again tackles the role of the badguy. Nice to see, or rather hear, him in something other than the Dunkan Donuts commercial for once. Overall, the script is well written, the comic relief is well placed, and the audience is unlikely to fall asleep. "Evan" even ends with a rainbow and doves. How appropriate for a happy ending.

Disney Musicals

Hollywood has given audiences a lot of remakes of musicals lately. I hate to say it, but it all started with Disney. As much as I like seeing musicals appreciated in society once again, I must admit that I have not liked Disney since I was a child. Sometimes I’ll watch the Disney Channel, but I really don’t see anything worthy in it. I miss the family friendly aspect of it. These days all you see is a teenage friendly channel. I’ve seen better efforts come from Disney in past years with the weekly movie on ABC, but there has not been much of that going on lately. I miss the days of the Mickey Mouse Club, Anne of Green Gables, Zorro, and old shows. Even the Broadway shows have deteriorated. Tarzan was a flop. It closed on July 8, 2007. Mary Poppins is doing well, as well as The Lion King, but Beauty and the Beast is closing this summer. I love Beauty and the Beast, but late productions of it have lacked energy and good acting. I’m finding that only original casts are any good, and Tarzan did not even have that. Disney shows are choppy and half the time are cheesy. As much as I like "High School Musical," I can't help but think it makes fun of old fashioned Broadway. I don't think we need new, modern shows like "Spring Awakening" that lack any moral. In my eyes, these are the end of the Disney days. I’m sure it will exist a lot longer, but without the integrity it once had. I miss the days when shows were clean and taught kids good morals. That was the original Disney.

I was reminded of this when I checked out the Disney remake of “The Music Man.” The Disney TV musicals have kept fairly clean and family friendly, but their casting remains unimpressive. Besides this, when was the last time they made a musical movie? The last musical they made was “Once Upon a Mattress.” While I dislike the Disney musicals (they have not made a good one since “Cinderella,” and even that was not as good as the original Julie Andrews version), I wish they would make more of them instead of playing all these soap operas and sex driven TV shows.

In a more specific look at “The Music Man” I recommend watching the original instead of the Disney version. Maybe what we need is more promotion of the old films rather than the creations of remakes that include all the modern day politically correct add ins. The acting in “Music Man” definitely fails. It starts out on a good foot with the train scene where all the salesmen are chattering about Professor Harold Hill, a con man who takes their business away when he fools towns into thinking he can start a real band with their young ones. After this scene there is not much to look forward to. There are a few scenes here and there that are memorable for their dance content, but overall the film bores audiences.

Kristin Chenoweth plays the hard to get librarian, Marian. Hill must woo her in order to keep her from telling everyone he’s a con man. I do admit I find it refreshing to see Kristin Chenoweth in a clean role where her boobs aren’t hanging out, but her acting also fails. She’s not strict enough, no matter how wonderful she sings. When she does sing her acting improves. I find it amazing the way she speaks with such a babyish tone and then opens her mouth with such a beautiful voice. She also has little chemistry with Matthew Broderick, the leading man. What little chemistry we see from any of the characters in this film comes from the beautiful sets, costumes, and direction. Chenoweth finds her fame in her origination of the role of Glinda in “Wicked” the musical. Ever since she left “Wicked” all she’s done is sex appeal roles. To think, she calls herself a Christian!

As for the leading man, Matthew Broderick, whose name precedes the title of the musical because of his fame, he does not even come close to impressing viewers. Broderick has never come across as manly. The only performance I’ve ever enjoyed of his was when he played wimpy characters in the movies “The Producers” and “Stepford Wives.” Broderick does have a good voice, but Hill’s songs are mostly talk singing.

I do enjoy Debra Monk’s performance as Mrs. Paroo. More recently she’s performed in the new Broadway musical “Curtains.” I had the pleasure of seeing her in “Curtains” earlier this year and she is brilliant. Her acting varies from role to role. She’s one of the few actresses out there who get so in touch with their character they look and sound genuine. She can really make you feel involved in the plot.

However, the small parts are played without any chemistry at all. The chorography is one of the few pluses. Kathleen Marshall, known for the current director and chorographer of the upcoming musical “Grease”, choreographed the movie and did a good job. Too bad the acting didn’t match. Even Victor Garber failed to impress as the mayor of River City.
Stick to the original.

Potential Aida Movie

http://www.cinematical.com/2007/07/07/beyonce-in-talks-to-lead-disneys-aida-source-says/

I love the music in Disney's version of Aida (even if the opera is better), but I never actually saw the musical on stage. I've only listened to the recording. I think I'd be open to a movie version of it. I guess disney is considering making their own musical movies. Musical movies has been a trend lately. Hairspray and Mamma Mia are on their way to the bigscreen. I'm glad to see how musical movies have progressed since "Moulin Rouge" came out, which was a total laugh, but the musicals today lack the classic, clean humor and light heart aspect of older musical films, but it's still nice to see them appreciated again. It does seem strange to me that Disney would choose to do a movie version of Aida, however. If I remember right, it was not out for very long and did not get very good reviews. I'm not too keen on Beyonce playing the title role, either. She has an ok voice, but she's a terrible actress. Plus, I hate how she dresses: just like all teenage girls today she refuses to dress modestly. I can only hope.