Eastern Shore Women’s Conference on November 3, 2007
Need to get your tickets now – so Chick Fil A knows to bring a lunch for YOU.
http://www.easternshorewomensministry.com/

A controversy regarding a movie to be released on December 7, entitled The Golden Compass, has been repeatedly brought to my attention, so I did some research. I have found it beneficial to me to examine these controversies regarding books and movies for myself rather than immediately jumping on the bandwagon of even people and groups that I admire and respect. I urge you to do the same. We can read reviews (and they may be helpful) but remember a review is only as sound as the one writing the review. So to form my opinion regarding the movie, The Golden Compass, based on the book by the same name and authored by Philip Pullman, I read an interview transcript given by Mr. Pullman. You may use this link and read it for yourself and determine if you want your children or your grandchildren viewing this movie or reading his books.
http://www.surefish.co.uk/culture/features/pullman_interview.htm
IDOKs who have been with me a while know that I respect and admire the works of C. S. Lewis … Mr. Pullman does not.

There are others but with just these two passages of Scripture we can see (if we choose to see) the out come of following after sorceries, witchcraft and the like.

Isaiah 47: 8 “ Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, Who dwell securely, Who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, Nor shall I know the loss of children’; 9 But these two things shall come to you In a moment, in one day: The loss of children, and widowhood. They shall come upon you in their fullness Because of the multitude of your sorceries, For the great abundance of your enchantments.
10 “ For you have trusted in your wickedness; You have said, ‘No one sees me’; Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you; And you have said in your heart, ‘ I am, and there is no one else besides me.’
Revelation 18: 21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore. 22 The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore. 23 The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.”
Father, I know You have brought this to us and so we must examine and we are and we ask You for guidance and we pray for courage and strength and opportunity to speak Your Truth to all that You have prepared to listen. And we pray for Philip Pullman. Father, is seems to me that I have seen it over and over that people who deny You so adamantly are those who for some reason or another have issues with You. As in the case of Philip Pullman, he at one time went to Sunday School, and read Your Word so we know he has been exposed to You and maybe Holy Spirit he has even experienced You speaking to him convincing him of sin, of righteousness and judgment to come and thus far he has rejected Your testimony. That is sad and if it is possible, if he has not gone too far to turn back, Holy Spirit, please keep wooing him and so we pray here and now for this man to be saved. And not only him but others, multitudes of others who have thus far said no to You and we pray that You will allow us the privilege of sharing Your Good News with them. We continue to pray for revival in America and for the peace of Israel. And Father, as thousands of children don masks and costumes reflecting the works of Satan and may even participate in activities honoring him, please forgive and redeem them we pray. And we pray for Churches offering alternatives to this, protect and guide and bless these efforts we pray. Please protect our IDOK Troops, keep them safe in mind and body and spirit; continue to woo the lost and protect them and continue to build a deeper love in them for You. And we pray for Brenda especially, relieve her pain. And for the rest listed here we pray Lord, Thy will be done for Jesus sake.
The Peace of Israel Patsy B. Joey and Kathy and family. Kim T. Krystee. Sybal W. Brenda D. Rachel B. Kevin and the children. Lisa’ s Mother. Janie B. W.C. The Ellis Family. Ed Litton and family. Vickie. Lisa W. John Thomas. Cole. Taylor & family. Anita. Kathy. J Lloyd and family. Janet and Steve. Cathy. Toy and family. Katelyn. Caleb and family. Bay and family. Jennifer B. John and Carolyn. Larry and Claudia and family. Jeanette and Earl and family. Libby and family. Callie. Madie. Ruth. Martha F and Bob. Rev and Mrs. Carpenter. Allyson and Glen and family and Kaitlyn. Brittney and Kersten and family. Sharron and girls. Frankie and girls. Sheila and Andy. Carrie and Rachel and Jacob and family. Billy and Gina and boys. Lance and family. Grace and family. Tressa and Brad and family. Cindy K and family. Chuck. Windy and Jared and families. Helen and Dan and family. Jen and Larry and family. Chad and Brittany and family. Mollie and family. Jenny. Julia. Bobbie. Tj. Zack. Phillip. Jessica. Larry. Kayla. Trey. Jacob. Ashely. Lance. Candance. Laura and family. John and Sandy. Bill and Judy. Adam.

The story goes that the recording was made just two months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. And pretty soon it was playing everywhere. The song is a plea from a young Soldier Boy to his girl back home to be faithful and wait for him.
The song reminds me of Scripture. This Scripture:
Song of Solomon 2:
1 I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
2 Like a lily among thorns,

So is my love among the daughters.
3 Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods,

And his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4 He brought me to the banqueting house,

And his banner over me was love.
Any way you read it, the book Song of Solomon is an intimate book (one of the reasons for my hesitation). Certainly it is a book of romance; it’s a book if embraced by BOTH husband and wife they can expect, shall we say a delightful marriage. But I don’t want to talk so much about that. Rather I want us to think about Jesus and His Bride (which would be us – every born again soul). Now read it again.
Can you image an intricately beautiful white lily growing among fields of thorns? Is not that what we are to Him? Among the souls of the world sharp and gnarled with unrepentant sin are we not an intricately beautiful white lily? And can you imagine yourself days and nights lost in a forest, no food, no shelter from either the heat or the cold and then when you are losing hope of surviving, there before you (why had you not seen it before?) is the most beautiful apple tree. It’s branches are full and lush with foliage for shade and fruit for nourishment. So you rush to the tree and there you find shelter and great delight and the fruit of that tree is the greatest taste you have even known. Is that not a description of Jesus when you ran to Him in salvation? And from there He is taking us to His Banqueting House and His banner over us – His declaration over us is that HE LOVES US.
Remember the song? Don’t sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me – till I come marchin’ home again. Could Jesus in this Song of Solomon passage be saying to us – don’t sit under the apple tree with anyone else but ME till I come marchin’ to take you home with ME; keep yourself FAITHFUL to ME; don’t take and eat the fruit of another; stay TRUE to ME; My Proclamation is that I LOVE YOU; I was faithful to you when I waged the war for your soul; I am forever faithful to you; be faithful to ME – don’t sit under the apple tree with anyone else but ME.
Lord Jesus, develop this picture for our IDOKs, develop it for me, Lord be intimate with us; draw us to intimacy with You so strong that we WILL NOT sit under the tree of temptation but will come to ONLY YOU for fruit to satisfy us. We come this morning with these and we pray that each of them will be satisfied with You and only You. We pray for a safe trip home for Matt and Stephanie and the others. We pray for our IDOK Troops for safety for them both on foreign soil and places of service on home soil. Woo each of them to love You more and more and to be faithful to You. Keep Israel safe from all her enemies and bring America to repentance and Lord Jesus come soon and take us to Your Banqueting House. Amen and Amen.

IDOKs Troops -Shaun. Ethan. Christopher. Raul. Robert. Billy. Josh. George. Buddy. Mark. Josh W. James. Bryan. Nick. Hawk. Brant W. Lyndon A. Christopher R.
IDOK Troops leaving shortly for foreign soil: Justin G. Travis N. Albert R III. Joshua M.
Serving Stateside: Jonathan. Jasmine B. Tommy T.
Injured and brought State side: Anthony. Hector
Hospitalized outside USA: Corpl. Light
Military at home adjusting – Tim. Lee. Mack. The 226. Troy. Danny. Drew. Brad. Tommy. Desi.
Civilian in Country-Mike
As I post this it is 91°F partly cloudy in Balad, Iraq & the time there is 3:37 PM AST – on October 24, 2007