10. Wreck-It Ralph

This was another film that I had been looking forward to for months on end. I’m not as into video games as some other people, but watching this film was still like revisiting my childhood. The heart of this movie is in the right place, with the main message being “accept who you are because you’re a wonderful person just as you are.” A talented voice cast, a sweet story, candy puns out the wazoo, and a fun score by Henry Jackman make this film everything I wanted it to be…and the animated short shown before the film, Paperman, was just as fantastic.

9. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

I was late to the whole “Lord of the Rings/J. R. R. Tolkien” party, having only seen Peter Jackson’s film trilogy in the past two years, but I was keen to read The Hobbit and see the movie as soon as I possibly could. While I was disappointed on my first viewing, mainly due to the cartoony special effects that resulted from the higher frame rate (48fps HFR), this film was a faithful adaptation to Tolkien’s original novel, and the return of familiar faces such as Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Andy Serkis as Gollum is refreshing. The real highlight of the film, though, aside from Howard Shore’s beautiful score, is Martin Freeman, who plays the perfect Bilbo Baggins. While some may find the run time to feel a little stretched, I found it to be justified by the attention to detail to the original novel.

8. The Hunger Games

I read Suzanne Collins’ acclaimed Hunger Games trilogy just a few weeks before I saw the film, and I was hooked from the get-go. The film did a wonderful job of adapting the novel, perfectly capturing the dystopian society introduced in Collins’ literary world. Jennifer Lawrence did a particularly outstanding job as Katniss, and the scenes added by the filmmakers to show the control that the Capitol has over the people of Panem and over the Hunger Games do nothing but add to the story in a great way.

7. Flight

Robert Zemeckis, director of Back to the Future and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, released his first live action film in more than a decade this year. Flight was something I had anticipated for months, and it quite lived up to what I had in mind for it. Denzel Washington gives a powerful performance as a pilot struggling with drug and alcohol addictions, and the film explores topics such as love, recovery, lies, and responsibility. Zemeckis proves that he still has what it takes to direct a top-notch film that focuses on character and story just as much as it does on visual effects.

6. Life of Pi

This is a film that I sort of went to see just on a whim, and I’m glad I did. With gorgeous visuals that looked fantastic in 3D (something I don’t say often), Life of Pi excels the most in its storytelling. While the ambiguity of the ending may not appeal to some people, I found the film to be a thoughtful exploration of faith and of religion in general, leading me to look at my own relationship with God. It sort of melds the biblical Book of Job with Robert Zemeckis’ 2000 film Cast Away, and it definitely sparked my interest in reading the book it was based on.

5. Skyfall

In anticipation of this film, I first watched Daniel Craig’s Casino Royale, which was entertaining in its more muted kind of way, and Quantum of Solace, which was pretty disappointing. I still had high hopes for Skyfall, though, and it exceeded every expectation I had set for it. The action was fun, Javier Bardem as the villain sent chills up my spine (and also brought a couple of laughs), and Daniel Craig and Judi Dench both gave outstanding performances in their respective roles. The length wasn’t an issue to me because I was too caught up in the entertainment of the film to care.

4. Lincoln

Does Spielberg make bad films? I’d answer that with a “no” (I have an argument in favor of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull). With 2011′s War Horse and his newest film, Lincoln, he has taken a step back from the typical sci-fi/action/fantasy films he is known for and has focused more on period dramas – both of which were fantastic. If Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln doesn’t win the Academy Award for Best Actor, I won’t know what to think. Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones also deliver standout performances in a film that is just as engrossing and fascinating in its exploration of politics as a good action film is in its exploration of shooting and blowing things up. Spielberg is a true master.

3. The Dark Knight Rises

Christopher Nolan set the bar high with 2008′s The Dark Knight, and this conclusion to the acclaimed trilogy did not disappoint. Tom Hardy as Bane was sinister and terrifying, Anne Hathaway and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were both welcome new presences, and the return of the familiar faces – i.e. Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman – was satisfying and well-done. The Dark Knight Rises perfectly concluded Nolan’s trilogy.

2. The Avengers

There are so many ways that this film could have gone wrong. I mean, think about it – they took four characters from four separate films and brought them together into one super-film. In the hands of a less-capable director, it could have easily been one of the worst movies of the year, but with Joss Whedon at the helm, it ended up being one of the best. Smart dialogue with exciting action and a great story, The Avengers proved that an ensemble cast like this could work just as well in a film as it does on television.

1. Looper

Well-choreographed action sequences meet a smart script in this film starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis. As a time travel movie, it explores the consequences of our actions and the true cause of evil, and it spends just as much time in contemplation as it does making you sit on the edge of your seat.

Well, there you have it. My top ten films of 2012. What were your favorites of 2012?

“Why do you say that?” my friend inquired.

“This morning I had to deal with a snarly clerk at the post office,” I replied, taking a sip from my water bottle.

“Everyone is wrestling with problems, aren’t they?”

“It seems that way,” I responded, feeling like there was something else coming. “People are dealing with a lot of unhappy experiences.”

“Is the experience the problem?” he prodded.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude towards the problem,” he replied, mimicking captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Carribean.

“So, you’re saying that it’s people’s attitudes that are causing them to be unhappy?”

“Precisely!”

“But, what if you’ve been sent to prison for a crime you didn’t commit?” I figured I had him cornered with that one!

“Victor Frankl, who survived a concentration camp during WWII said, ‘we don’t get to choose our experiences, but we do get to choose our attitude towards our experiences.’”

“So we should be happy under such circumstances?”

“You don’t have to be happy, but you can certainly choose not to be sad.”

“I guess,” I said, still not totally convinced. Then I thought about the movie, Cast Away, and how Tom Hanks’ character, remained positive and never gave up hope, despite his predicament. Even though it was a movie, it served as a reminder that it’s far better to focus on finding a solution to the problem than feeling down because of the problem. Clearly, a positive attitude helped him survive the ordeal.

“All great leaders have a great attitude,” my friend went on.

“That’s true,” I agreed, thinking about Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr and Winston Churchill. I also thought about a guy I used to work with several years ago. He rose very rapidly to become president of the company. The idea of a problem wasn’t part of his thinking. He looked at everything as just something you had to deal with.

“It’s hard to inspire people when you’ve got a bad attitude.”

“Why do some people have good attitudes, while others don’t?” I asked. I was thinking about a guy I had stopped fishing with because he was so negative. Even when he caught a fish he complained, because it wasn’t big enough.

“I suppose it has a lot to do with your family and in particular, the attitude of your parents.”

“Yes, I guess if you’re surrounded by positivism and optimism, you’re more likely to develop a good attitude.”

“Undoubtedly. If I’m with someone who says, ‘I hate this and I hate that,’ I just politely excuse myself and leave.”

“I’m the same way with people who say everything sucks!”

“No point in letting people with bad attitudes bring you down.”

“How can you develop a positive attitude?” I inquired.

“Well, if you’re aware that yours is not ideal and you’ve made the choice to change, then you can do a couple of things. First, use really positive language, words like awesome, fantastic, beautiful and amazing. They’re uplifting and they make you feel great. And second, be kind, complimentary, honest and helpful.”

“Yes, it’s pretty hard to have a negative outlook when you’re being kind.”

“Or when you’re fishing!” he agreed with a smile.

“Having a good attitude is really important,” I proudly observed, enjoying the irony of his last statement.

“It’s everything,” my friend agreed.

Have an awesomely optimistic day!

Anyways, enough with the sarcasm (no one wants to hear a complainer), its the first day and I’m so hungry I kind of feel like Tom Hanks in Cast Away, but no worries, it only gets easier from here! Any help would be much appreciated work outs, tips for dieting, anything? I WILL lose 10 pounds by the end of the month! See ya!

Sabbath Bible Study – CHAPTER XI

[A Study In Getting To Know The GRACE Of GOD]

INTRODUCTION:

Once again, you are welcomed back, Students, for another weekly Study of YAHVEH’s Word, concerning “THE BOOK OF ROMANS:  THE DIVINE GRACE OF GOD” — CHAPTER XI.  Last time, you will recall we studied that FAITH is intricately interwoven with Belief in Yeshua [Jesus], for there is absolutely NO WAY in which one can possess Christian FAITH without such a Belief System being solidly in place.  This Belief System is, then, followed closely by ACTIONS, with the Believer consistently DOING The Will of YAHVEH GOD.  This is imperative for EVERY Believer, and is the reason for this Teacher to take the position that so many, who call themselves “Christians”, are often far from being that which they claim.  Let each of us strive to live in such a way as to exhibit no such flaws within our characters to those that tend to deny our possession of The Savior, as we walk along The Way of SALVATION.

We begin today’s Lesson.

LESSON:

Romans 11:1  “ I say, then, ‘Hath GOD Cast Away HIS people?’ GOD Forbid!  For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.”

Precious Ones, there are those within the religious World, today, who espouse the belief that the modern day church has REPLACED Israel as THE Chosen People of GOD.  Please allow THIS Teacher to dissuade any one of you of such fallacious teaching.  Nothing could be further from The TRUTH of GOD’s Word.  The nation of Israel will NEVER be replaced within The Heart of YAHVEH As HIS Very Special Treasure (Deuteronomy 32:9-10; Zechariah 2:8).  The TRUTH IS that The Church HAS JOINED THE RANKS OF ISRAEL.  Bear with this Teacher, and this Instructor will very soon PROVE this to be The TRUTH.

Paul, being faced with the belief, of some, that Israel has lost their standing with YAHVEH, deals with this very question.   He refutes this position without any hesitation, for to him such is preposterous.  He begins his argument by stating that he has a very real stake in the matter.  He IS AN ISRAELITE, from the Tribe of Benjamin, Jacob’s youngest son.

2  “GOD Hath NOT Cast Away HIS people which HE Foreknew.  Wot (Know) ye not what The Scripture saith of Elias (Elijah)?  How he maketh intercession to GOD against Israel, saying…”

“THE BOOK OF ROMANS:  THE DIVINE GRACE OF GOD”  —  3/16/2013

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Paul is now in high gear as he embarks upon his explanation of The TRUTH surrounding Israel’s importance to YAH [THE HEAVENLY FATHER and Son].  He says, “Don’t you even know what The Scriptures have said?  Consider Elijah: There was a time when he spoke to GOD, AGAINST Israel, when he said…” 

Romans 11:3  “…LORD, they have killed THY Prophets, and digged down THINE Altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.”

Look at the dark picture that begins to be painted through the Prophet’s words as the Prophet converses with YAHVEH GOD.  He states, “These Men of Israel have KILLED your Prophets, and dug up the stones that established the base and secured YOUR Altar, in an effort to rid themselves of any thought of YOU.  I am the only one who remains faithful to YOU.  Why, at this very moment they are engaged in seeking to put an end to my life.”   Listen to the anguish of his soul, as he trembles before GOD.  This is a man of courage, who is breaking under the severe stress of the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that face him.  He feels abandoned.  Notice that he speaks of the people of Israel, but it is actually YAHVEH WHOM he feels Has Forsaken him, Leaving him without a hope of surviving his ordeal.  He sees absolutely no way out of the gravity of his dilemma.

4  “But what Saith The Answer of GOD Unto him? ‘I Have Reserved To MYSELF seven thousand Men, who have NOT BOWED the knee to the image of Baal [The Sun god - Sunday].’”

Beloved, YAHVEH Looks Compassionately Upon HIS Servant, Elijah, as he pours out his soul to YAHVEH.  In the most Tender, Loving, and Respectful Manner, YAHVEH Interrupts the groaning of HIS magnificent Prophet, and, much as a father would his child, frightened by a thunderstorm, reassures him that he is NOT alone. Everything is all right.  Dear Hearts, there is really ONLY ONE Whom YAHVEH Has Ever Truly Left ALONE.  That One Was Yeshua Ha Meshiach [Jesus The Messiah/Christ], as He hang dying for the sins of the World.  HE Would NOT Intervene In Yeshua’s plight, but for those who serve HIM, HE WILL NOT Forsake them (Hebrews 13:5).  Notice, also, the number of those that belong to the same ranks as does Elijah — SEVEN THOUSAND MEN.  This does not count the number of Women that should also be added to the total.  The number is fairly substantial, this Teacher would say.  Elijah has no idea that such a number of GODly persons exists.  Today, Beloved, some in the Great Grace Bible Study Group might tend to feel that WE, too, are a much smaller group than many religious assemblies, and our Beliefs cause us to stand apart from many of those that do exist.  Why, many persons will tell us that since this is the situation, we are a “Cult”, because we DO NOT espouse a number of the fallacious ideas that they have chosen to embrace; ideas that have absolutely NO basis in The TRUTH, whatsoever.   But know this, Friends — WE ARE NOT ALONE.  YAHVEH Has others that Believe just as do we within this World, even though me might not know them personally, or of their particular whereabouts.  Like Elijah, we might not know WHERE they are, but we Believe in our hearts/minds that THERE ARE such Believers in YAHVEH GOD and HIS Righteous Son, who practice adherence to The Word of GOD and the keeping of HIS COMMANDMENTS  and the elimination of pagan influences from their lives just as we strive to do.

“THE BOOK OF ROMANS:  THE DIVINE GRACE OF GOD”  —  3/16/2013

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Like these Seven Thousand Persons during Elijah’s day, we will NOT bow down to the modern day Baal [beliefs] of this World’s churches!  We will NEVER accept those things that we KNOW contradict the very Teachings of YAHVEH’s Word, in order to be accepted by those who have sold out to Satan’s deceptions.  We will NEVER care about their status, their fame and acclaim, their ill-informed gravitas, their financial standings, or any other considerations with which the World is so enamored.  WE WILL STAND UPON YAHVEH’S WORD!!!  We will NOT be shaken by what our eyes can see, or our ears hear.  We Walk by FAITH, and NOT by sight!  (II Corinthians 5:7)        

Romans 11:5  “Even so, then, at this present time, also, there is a remnant according to The Election of GRACE.”

Paul, continuing his pursuit of convincing his readers/listeners that Israel continues to stand within its original position before YAHVEH, states that there remains a REMNANT, a small number of Israel, who have chosen to come under The Umbrella of GRACE and out of the torrential downpour of sin that soaks this World.  These are a part of The ELECT, who Have Been CHOSEN To Be a part of this Magnificent PLAN of SALVATION That YAHVEH Has Designed For the World.

Romans 11:6  “And if by GRACE, then is it no more of works: otherwise GRACE is no more GRACE.  But if it be of works, then is it no more GRACE: Otherwise work is no more work.”   

Students, allow this Teacher to once again state that ONE CANNOT EARN SALVATION THROUGH WHAT ONE DOES AS A RESULT OF ONE’S OWN “GOOD” ACTIONS.  SALVATION IS FREELY GIVEN, BY YAHVEH, TO THAT ONE BELIEVING THAT YESHUA IS HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO DIED FOR THE SINS OF EVERY MAN, WOMAN, BOY, AND GIRL UPON THIS EARTH.  WHEN ONE POSSESSES AND STATES, OPENLY, THIS BELIEF, IT IS CALLED FAITH, AND IS REWARDED, BY YAHVEH, WITH ETERNAL LIFE TO THE INDIVIDUAL THAT BELIEVES.  All of this is Accomplished Through The GRACE of YAH [THE HEAVENLY FATHER and Son], without one bit of Physical effort on the part of the one who receives it, although it will require the activity of Believing.

If a man/woman were able to WORK and earn something from GOD, the very fact that he/she WORKED for it would negate the reality, or necessity, of The GRACE that produces the item/action.  GRACE IS GRACE because It Is GIVEN, and CANNOT be earned.    

7  “What, then?  Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but The ELECTION hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded…”

Paul inquires, “Now then, what am I saying to you?  I merely state that  the people of Israel HAVE NOT gotten that PLACE/POSITION IN GOD that they thought they had simply because they were Children of Abraham, along with the many Promised Benefits.  However the TRUE BELIEVERS [The New Israel of GOD / The Church / The Spiritual Bride of Yeshua] HAVE received such a status BECAUSE OF THEIR

“THE BOOK OF ROMANS:  THE DIVINE GRACE OF GOD”  —  3/16/2013

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Sabbath Bible Study – CHAPTER XI

BELIEF [FAITH] IN YESHUA.  The simple fact is that much of Israel has not gotten it because they have been Spiritually blind and dead, and WOULD NOT BELIEVE upon YAHVEH’s ONLY BEGOTTEN SON [Yeshua].” 

Romans 11:8  “(According as it is written, ‘GOD Hath GIVEN them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.’”

Students, again this Teacher admonishes us that one must tread lightly through the next few verses of Scripture.  So many have MISTAKENLY taken these verses to say something that they DO NOT STATE, because they DO NOT accept the overall TRUTH of WHO, and WHAT, YAHVEH IS.  IF it is true that YAHVEH Is Not Desirous That ANYONE should die Eternally (II Peter 3:9), HOW could it be that YAHVEH Deliberately CAUSES persons NOT To Understand The TRUTH, as some interpret this verse to state?  This is a ludicrous and blasphemous position concerning the meaning of this verse!  By assuming such a position, persons would believe that YAHVEH, according to many of today’s Religionists, Would Directly CAUSE the deaths of many helpless persons.

Let US begin to understand The TRUTH of these verses.  When one REFUSES to accept The TRUTH that YAHVEH Presents To that individual, over some protracted period of time, YAHVEH Turns Away From that person (Genesis 6:3  STRIVE – [Heb. 1777: DIYN (Deen) – Plead; contend), Causing, as it were, a type of stupor to befall him/her, similar to being asleep.  At such a point, one becomes unaware of the gravity of one’s standing before GOD.  He/she is “asleep” in his/her sins.  Remember the words of Ephesians 5:14; Romans 13:11-12.  To walk in sins is tantamount to being Spiritually ASLEEP!  A sleeping Man/Woman knows nothing, and has no protection against whatever might befall him/her.  Such a person is completely vulnerable to Satan’s deceptions.

It Was NOT/Is NOT YAHVEH’s Divine Purpose To cloud one’s understanding of HIS TRUTH, but WHEN/IF a person continues to REFUSE knowledge of HIM, HE Will NOT Continue To Offer (Psalm 95:7-8; Hebrews 3:7-8; Hebrew 3:13).  Do you see it, Beloved?  It is the presence of SIN within an individual’s life that CAUSES a person to BECOME hardened!  It is NOT YAHVEH.  When YAHVEH Sees that one is bent upon doing that which YAHVEH Has Said Should NOT be done, or when one continues NOT to do that which YAHVEH Says that one SHOULD DO, such is REBELLION.  YAHVEH Will Turn Away From such a person, Leaving him/her to HARDEN in his/her sins, where one will eventually find himself/herself UNABLE to change.  One will have become REPROBATE, and will be Totally Rejected By GOD (Romans 1:28).  Understand that YAHVEH Simply Advances that which one has already DETERMINED to do.  This is WHAT The Bible MEANS when it speaks of YAHVEH “hardening” a man’s heart/mind.       

9  “And David saith, ‘Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:”

“THE BOOK OF ROMANS:  THE DIVINE GRACE OF GOD”  ---  3/16/2013

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Beloved, the person that consistently sins against YAHVEH will NEVER engage in either a physical or spiritual Fast, because the Fast is indicative of one’s NEED for YAHVEH Within one’s life.  Mind you that the food Fast is not to be confused with dieting --- they are NOT the same, for the food Fast is indulged in because of a request for greater consciousness of GOD’s Will, and an increased ability to surrender to It.  The person devoid of a longing for YAHVEH will gorge himself/herself, for he/she has no awareness of YAHVEH, or of any need to honor HIM through submission to HIS Word.  Greed, of any sort, is NEVER honoring to our GOD.  The one that engages in such seeks to SATISFY a deeper longing within himself/herself that CANNOT be satiated by physical sustenance [food] and he/she will not/does not recognize WHO is missing from his/her life.  ONLY YAH [THE HEAVENLY FATHER and Son] Know How To Fill such a deep-seated hunger.

Another consideration is that, often, persons’ “tables” can be of various sorts:  Drugs, Sex, Alcohol, Shopping, Sleeping, Gossiping, Drinking, Violence, etcetera.  The “table” within a sinner’s life is not merely confined to that of food intake.  In this verse, David is saying, “Let them continue to languish in their sinful ways, ingesting more and more sin, ensnared by their rebellious lifestyles, with time passing, until their deeds are Judged against them.”  

Romans 11:10  “Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back always.”

Students, let us turn to Matthew 13:14-15 to begin our understanding of what David is saying in the verse above.  Can we not see that it is NOT YAHVEH that is doing this to the people?  It is the people themselves!  They have REFUSED to make any effort to understand YAHVEH’s Words/Way, and for THIS REASON HE Has Allowed them to walk in darkness.  Notice How Willing HE Is To Change their circumstances, IF they were/are but willing to obey HIM.  It is no different in today’s World.  Those who will not try to receive HIS TRUTH will be left to wander in Spiritual Darkness, thinking themselves to be wise, but walking a most dangerous road to Destruction.  David’s expression is meant to display the exact same reality, and because of it, the people’s backs are symbolically “bent” in servitude to the heavy burdens of sin which they continue to bear.

11  “I say, then, ‘Have they stumbled that they should fall [and never arise]?  GOD Forbid!  But, rather, through their fall, SALVATION is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them [Israel] to jealousy.’” 

Here, Dear Hearts, Paul conveys the idea that Israel HAS NOT fallen to the extent that YAHVEH Has “Cast them Away” Forever.  They are HIS Children!  HE LOVES them, Deeply.  They have merely ‘stumbled’ long enough that the Gentiles might be considered For SALVATION, which Was YAHVEH’s PLAN From Before Time’s Beginning.  As a result of the many Blessings that YAHVEH Has Bestowed Upon the Gentiles [The United States of America and Believers within other nations], Israel will become jealous of the Gentile’s, and hopefully will turn to HIM, seeking HIS Approval and Blessings upon them, also.

“THE BOOK OF ROMANS:  THE DIVINE GRACE OF GOD”  —  3/16/2013

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Romans 11:12  “Now, if the fall of them be the riches of the World, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?”

Our writer, Paul, continues by saying that the entire World Has Been Blessed [riches] because Israel rejected Yeshua, Who Is The Greatest GIFT that the World could ever have received (I Thessalonians 2:14-16).  Now, then, if the World Has Been Blessed because Israel REJECTED Yeshua, how wonderful will it be when all of those that will, among Israel’s people, ACCEPT Him?  Will it not be far greater for the World?

13  “For I speak to you Gentiles.  Inasmuch as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.” 

Paul makes it most clear, within this passage, that he is directing his comments specifically to the Gentiles.  He states his position for the reason WHY he feels he has the authority to make the statement that he now does:  He is THE Apostle TO the Gentiles.  He Has Been Installed Into his official capacity as an Apostle By The Glorified Yeshua, Himself.   Can ANYONE question the validity of such credentials?  As such, he begins to stress this reality, which serves to enhance [magnify] his position [office].

14  “If, by any means, I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh [Jews], and might Save some of them.”

Paul wants the Israelite people to see The BLESSINGS that have come to the Gentiles BECAUSE the Gentiles have BELIEVED upon The Lord, Yeshua Ha Meshiach [Jesus The Messiah/Christ].  It is his hope that jealousy will ensue, and by this means his people [nation of Israel] will turn to The Lord.  Precious Ones, can we not, again, see how concerned this man is for Israel?  He’s pulling out ALL the stops to win them to Yeshua.  He will leave no stone unturned.  He loves them.  Last week’s Lesson spoke of his willingness to give his very life, if it would mean The SALVATION of his people.  What a man!!!

Can we not see that this man is no clown?  He has no time to sit around telling jokes, and being foolish, or a buffoon.  He is NOT concerned about having a wife, money, fame, power, delving into political and social issues, or any trivial temporal matters.  He is focused!  He is deliberate!  He is on A MISSION For GOD.  He MUST NOT fail!  He WILL NOT be denied the rewards of his quest.  His total consummation is to win Souls for The KINGDOM of GOD.  Should we do less?!?  Remember what Paul admonishes others to do in II Thessalonians 3:9.

15  “For if The Casting Away of them Be The Reconciling of the World, what shall The Receiving of them be, but Life [ETERNAL LIFE] from the dead?”

“THE BOOK OF ROMANS:  THE DIVINE GRACE OF GOD”  —  3/16/2013

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Our Protagonist, Paul, continues with the theme of his discourse.  It was Israel’s failure to love, honor, and obey YAHVEH that ended up with them being Cast Aside, as it were.  This opened the door for the Gentiles to make their ways to The THRONE of GRACE where they could receive Pardon for their sins, and accept The Precious Gift of ETERNAL LIFE Given Through Yeshua.  But notice HOW Paul phrases the last portion of this Scripture: “…What shall The Receiving of them be, but Life from the dead?”   You see, Beloved, NONE OF US will receive this Precious Gift of ETERNAL LIFE UNTIL Israel is BROUGHT BACK into relationship with YAH (Revelation 7:4-8 AND Verses 9, 13-14).  Notice the first two (2) words in Verse 9.  Do you see the order?  Those of Israel must be Saved FIRST, before the Fullness [Total] of the Gentiles Is Brought In [Made complete].

Romans 11:16  “For if The Firstfruit be Holy, the lump is also Holy: and if the Root Be Holy, so are the branches.”

In the first part of this verse, Paul’s reference to FIRSTFRUIT is directed to our consideration of The Glorified Yeshua (I Corinthians 15:23) Of Whose Body The TRUE Church of GOD is a part.  Paul now begins to compare us to the baking of loaves of bread as he states the following: “If the First Loaf that is offered to YAHVEH is Holy [The Body of Meshiach – The TRUE Church], the dough [lump] from which it was baked [Israel] MUST be Holy, as well” (Leviticus 23:16-17).  These loaves are symbolic of The Old Testament Group [Israel] and The New Testament Group [The Body of Meshiach – The TRUE Church].  Notice that these two loaves are waved AT THE SAME TIME, indicating that The Church WILL NOT precede Israel into The KINGDOM of HEAVEN.  The root of the tree [Israel] is Holy, which allows for the branches [The Church] to be Holy, also.  Paul is saying that The Church WOULD NOT have attained the status of Holiness WITHOUT Israel’s part in the entire matter.  Israel is ESSENTIAL to the overall PLAN of SALVATION.   Always remain aware of the fact that it was THROUGH Israel that The Savior came INTO the World.  One might say that in thinking of Mary, Yeshua’s mother, as Yeshua’s “Gateway” into this physical existence, Israel could certainly be considered as “the Path” leading TO that “Gateway”.

17  “And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild Olive Tree, wert (were) Grafted In among them, and, with them, partakest of the root and fatness of the Olive Tree;”

Beloved, Paul acknowledges that some of the nation of Israel has been separated from YAHVEH GOD.  Paul refers to them as “branches”, which have been broken off from the main body of the Olive Tree [Israel] to which they originally belonged.   Now, THE HUSBANDMAN [YAHVEH] Takes “branches” From another tree, a Wild Olive Tree [Gentiles], and Grafts them Into the first tree.  As a result, these grafted branches are partakers of all of the same nutrients of which the natural branches partake.   What does this mean?  It simply means that the Gentiles are now recipients of YAHVEH’s Love, Righteousness, Holiness, Peace, Joy, Forgiveness, and Eternal Life, which proceeds up through the tree’s ROOT [Yeshua] (Revelation 5:5; Matthew 13:6; Isaiah 53:2)    Students, it would be advisable if each of you were to read Isaiah 53:2 through the 11^th Verse.

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Romans 11:18  “Boast not against the branches.  But if thou boast, thou bearest not The Root, but The Root thee.”

How easy it is for one to get caught up in the act of boasting.  It is something that the Child of GOD should NEVER engage in doing.  Why?  The answer is that there is NOTHING that anyone of us has that was not acquired through The Providence of YAHVEH GOD:  Our lives, our parents, our children, our health, physical capabilities, our mental faculties, jobs, homes, finances, and more.  We have absolutely NOTHING about which we can/should boast or brag!  YAHVEH Provides To us the very breath that we breathe; EVERYTHING is HIS, including each one of us (I Corinthians 6:19-20; Ezekiel 18:4).

Paul tells us that we are NOT to think that we are special, just because Israel has acted foolishly in its failure to reverence YAHVEH and HIS LAWS and we Have Been Accepted By GOD .  We are NOT to talk AGAINST them, for this would be “Boasting against the Branches [Israel]”.  Paul admonishes us to remember that, in the course of boasting, we fail to take into consideration the fact that Yeshua is The ROOT, That Gives Existence and Benefits To ALL.  We DO NOT support/sustain/hold up [bearest] Yeshua, but He us.  Why, then, and of what, do we have any reason to boast?

19  “ Thou wilt say, then, ‘The branches were broken off, That I Might Be Grafted In.’”

This is WHAT one should say, as a result of being correctly informed about Israel’s position within YAHVEH’s PLAN of SALVATION:  “I am grateful to GOD [YAHVEH] That, In HIS LOVE and MERCY, HE Chose To Place me Into Relationship With HIS Son, Yeshua, because Israel refused to accept Him as Savior.”  Students, let the Members of the Great Grace Bible Study Group reflect hearts of thanksgiving that our GOD, In HIS Infinite MERCY, Has Allowed us To Be Grafted Into the Vine of Spiritual Israel.  Let us NEVER take this valued status for granted.

20  “Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by FAITH.  Be not highminded, but fear [be reverent]:”

Our Protagonist, Paul, states the situation most emphatically.  “Israel would NOT Believe YAHVEH, and do those things that HE Required of them; therefore, HE Broke them Off as though they were the branches of an Olive Tree.  However, you have expressed FAITH in YAHVEH’s Word in that you have Believed in HIS Righteous Son, The Glorified Yeshua, as your Savior.  You should NOT exhibit braggadocio in your attitudes, but hold a great reverence for GOD.”   

21  “For if GOD Spared Not the natural branches, take heed Lest HE Also Spare Not thee.”

Beloved, YAHVEH Is NO Respecter of persons (Acts 10:34-35), for we see that HE Broke Off Israel because of their unbelief.  HE, Being A Just GOD, Will Do the same To us, if we do not walk

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according to HIS Will.  Saints of GOD, we CANNOT afford to THINK that we are Christians, but we must KNOW, by virtue of the fact that we BELIEVE and DO those things that HE Has Told us To do in HIS Word [The Holy Bible].  The End of all things is coming, and many will unsuspectingly find themselves broken off from the True Vine [Yeshua] (John 15:1-5).

Romans 11:22  “Behold, therefore, The Goodness and Severity of GOD: on them which fell, Severity; but toward thee, Goodness, IF thou CONTINUE in HIS goodness: otherwise, thou also Shalt Be Cut Off.”

The Apostle makes a stark comparison:  The GOODNESS versus SEVERITY of GOD.  This Teacher thinks that all would do well to read this verse, frequently; but its meaning is particularly potent for those who would think that YAHVEH Displays ONLY Goodness.  They could never be more wrong in their assessment.  Those of Israel, that failed to honor HIM, Were/Will Be met With HIS Unalterable Severity, which one finds writtern about within the pages of The Books of ISAIAH, JEREMIAH, EZEKIEL, DANIEL, HOSEA, JOEL, AMOS, OBADIAH, MICAH, NAHUM, HABAKKUK, ZEPHANIAH, HAGGAI, ZECHARIAH and MALACHI.  Would YAHVEH Have so much written about those who dishonor HIM, if HE Were Not Sincere About HIS Intention To JUDGE the World In HIS RIGHTEOUS SEVERITY?  

YAHVEH Has Shown To those of us who truly Believe — GOODNESS — but one MUST CONTINUE to live in accordance with HIS Righteous Standard.  One MUST CONTINUE to exhibit Right-Living, or share in the FATE of the Unbelieving Israelites.   YAHVEH WILL NOT Spare those that rebel against HIM.

23  “And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, Shall Be Grafted In: for GOD Is Able To Graft them In Again.”

Does there remain any Hope for the nation of Israel?  Indeed, there is.  If they will but RETURN to THE GOD of their SALVATION, HE Will Abundantly PARDON them, and RESTORE them To their former place of greatness in the World (II Chronicles 7:14; Isaiah 55:7).

24  “For if thou wert [were] Cut Out Of the Olive Tree which is wild by nature, and Wert Grafted, contrary to nature, Into a good Olive Tree, how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, Be Grated Into their own Olive Tree?”

Should a woman love another man more than her OWN husband?  Should a man love another woman more than his OWN wife?  Should a parent love another’s child more than his/her OWN?  Certainly, the answer SHOULD BE “NO!”  How, then, does one think that YAHVEH Could Ever Love others More Than HIS Very OWN?  YAHVEH Can NEVER Love others More Than HE Loves Israel.  They are HIS Precious Ones, the “Apple” [The Pupil] of HIS Eye (Zechariah 2:8).  The Church [Body of

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TRUE Believers/Wild Olive Branches] has NOT replaced, but has JOINED, ISRAEL in this most Elite and Precious Group.  Israel WILL BE Grafted In Again!

Romans 11:25  “For I would not, Brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”

Paul begins to set forth a very great TRUTH for those within the Church at Rome to consider:  it is TRUE that a segment of Israel IS SPIRITUALLY BLIND, at this time ["...blindness in part..."], during these Last Days, just prior to Yeshua’s Return to this Earth, but there is GREAT PURPOSE In YAHVEH GOD Allowing such to be so.  Paul states that while the people of Israel are currently SEPARATED from YAHVEH, HE Is Using this time To Bring Into  HIS Spiritual Fold, those Sheep of the Gentiles that will choose to love HIM and HIS Righteous Son [The Glorified Yeshua Ha Meshiach/Jesus The Messiah/Christ] and honor HIS Words (John 10:16).  Paul makes clear to the Roman Brethren that they should NOT allow themselves to become arrogant [conceits] against the Jews because these Gentiles have chosen to Believe, while the Jews have chosen to remain in Spiritual Darkness and sin, by their rejection of GOD’s Only BEGOTTEN Son.  Paul says that such a state will exist “UNTIL” — UNTIL all of the Gentiles whom GOD Is Calling out of this world of sin and degration have entered into The KINGDOM of GOD, and GOD Says, “It Is ENOUGH!”  

26  “And so ALL Israel Shall Be Saved: as it is written, ‘There shall come out of Zion The Deliverer and Shall Turn Away unGODliness [un-GOD-likeness] from Jacob [Israel].”

Precious Hearts, REMEMBER that YAHVEH GOD Works On A TIME-TABLE.  HE DOES NOT Advance ANY Event On That TIME-TABLE To benefit anyone else.  EVERYTHING works according to HIS PURPOSE: we are BORN when HE PERMITS; we LIVE according To HIS MERCY; we are SAVED By HIS GRACE; we achieve through HIS BENEVOLENCE; we die when HE DICTATES.  ALL Is In HIS Hands.

This verse tells us that The SALVATION of ALL of Israel is also working according to GOD’s TIME-TABLE.  HE WILL Accomplish This Great Feat THROUGH HIS Righteous One — The Glorified Yeshua Ha Meshiach ["...The Deliverer..."]!  Know that It WON’T be accomplished by today’s churches!  It WON’T be accomlished through ANY organization such as The Fellowship of Christians and Jews!  The program On Eagles’ Wings CANNOT make it happen.  Although these might be laudable programs for what they are doing, which stem from the positive intentions of men’s hearts/minds, know that YAHVEH GOD DOES NOT Depend, At All, Upon such endeavors, on the parts of men, to achieve HIS PURPOSE.

27  “For THIS Is MY COVENANT Unto them, when I Shall Take Away their Sins.’”

Here we have just a PART of The NEW COVENANT Being Delineated For us, By YAHVEH GOD, HIMSELF, In these words, Beloved.  This is the part of The COVENANT that applies to the JEWS.  GOD Will SAVE them IN HIS OWN TIME.  This part of GOD’s SALVATION has NOTHING to do with YOU, THIS TEACHER, OR ANYONE ELSE!  It ALL Has To Do With YAHVEH GOD!  HE, ALONE, Will Get The GLORY For Accomplishing This Great Feat.  There are MANY Scriptures which tell us this very thing, which this Instructor CAN supply should some Students request them.  Do you remember what YAHVEH Says In Isaiah 42:8?

28  “As concerning The GOSPEL, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching [regarding] The Election [those Chosen of GOD], they are Beloved For the father’s sakes.” 

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Paul continues to emphasize GOD’s PURPOSE In Leaving the Jews outside “The Ark of SALVATION” at this present time.  This is the MEANING of the statement, “As concerning The GOSPEL, they are enemies FOR YOUR SAKES…”  As long as Israel, or the Jews, are still WAITING for this SALVATION, the Gentiles — you, this Teacher, our children, our families, our friends, our acquaintances — are STILL Being Allowed, By GOD, To Come aboard This ARK of SAFETY That Is SALVATION.

Precious Hearts, GOD WILL NOT Forget Israel.  WHY?  HE Will NOT Forget BECAUSE HE Has Made PROMISES To “The Fathers” — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — Regarding The SALVATION of Israel, and The RESTORATION of the entire Earth.  GOD Had/Has Great LOVE For these three men, and HE Will Remember HIS Promises To them: GOD Is FAITHFUL To HONOR HIS Word.

Romans 11:29  “For The GIFTS and Calling of GOD Are Without Repentance.”

Have you ever been told that if you do not honor GOD HE Will “Take Back” whatever GIFTS HE Might Have Given To you?  Beloved, this Teacher wants you to know, this very day, that such IS NOT The TRUTH.  While persons might mean well when they say such things, they should be very careful NOT to make certain assertions, for, then, they begin to tell LIES on GOD.  The TRUTH is that YAHVEH Can/Will STOP GIVING Out HIS BLESSINGS To a person, but it is Satan who will “Take away” what one has received From GOD.  Do you remember what he did to Job?  It WAS NOT YAHVEH WHO Took Away From Job, Although YAHVEH ALLOWED such to happen.  It WAS Satan who did the deeds.

30  “For as ye in times past have not Believed GOD, yet have now obtained MERCY through their unbelief:”

There was a point, and time, in ALL of our lives when we had NO Belief in This GOD.  HE Meant absolutely NOTHING To us, as we were steeped in enjoying the SINS of this life.  It is because of  the refusal of the Jews to BELIEVE in GOD’s Righteous Son as their SAVIOR, and The GIFT that he gave of his life upon the Cross/Stake at Calavary, that WE, Gentiles, have been able to enter into a RELATIONSHIP [Atonement/At-one-ment] with GOD, Through HIS GRACE [The undeserved POWER and FAVOR of GOD].  This IS GOD’s MERCY Toward US.

31  “Even so have these also now NOT Believed, that through your MERCY they also may obtain MERCY.”

Paul states, “Even to this present time, the Jews have chosen NOT to Believe upon Yeshua Ha Meshiach as their Lord and Savior.  It is BECAUSE of this most unfortunate reality, for them, that the Gentiles have been able to receive The MERCY of GOD’s SALVATION Within their lives.” 

32  “For GOD Hath Concluded [Included] them all in unbelief, that HE Might Have MERCY Upon all.”

Paul continues:  “To begin, YAHVEH GOD Has Placed EVERY person, not only the JEW,  Into the category of an unrighteous UNbeliever, regardless of HIS Great LOVE For The Fathers of The FAITH.  But, GOD Has Done Such With The Intent of Displaying HIS MERCY Toward ALL of the unrighteous of the Earth, and The PURPOSE of Eventually SAVING ALL of them that will Believe.”  

33  “O the Depth of The Riches both of The Wisdom and Knowledge of GOD!  How unsearchable are HIS JUDGMENTS, and HIS Ways past finding out!”

Here, Paul inserts this very insightful thought as he reflects upon How GOOD GOD Is, As Evidenced Through The PLAN of SALVATION That YAHVEH GOD Has Instituted For the World.  This PLAN Exhibits The DEPTH of GOD’s WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE.  Do you SEE, Beloved, that NO MAN could have conceived of, or come up with, this Very Special PLAN?  ONLY YAHVEH GOD Could Have Conceptualized Such An Amazing Reality.  WHO could have known, BEFORE CREATION, other than GOD, that Man-Types would NEED such a PLAN of SALVATION, following the sin that would be committed in The Garden of Eden, and Have That PLAN WAITING For them when the need arose?  How GREAT GOD IS!

34  “For who hath known The Mind of THE LORD?  Or who hath been HIS counselor?”

Paul goes on:  “What man is there who can honestly attest to a complete awareness of HOW GOD THINKS AND ACTS in various situations?!?  Who can FULLY UNDERSTAND HIM?!?  Who is there that can advise and counsel HIM of what HE Should and Should Not Do? 

35  “Or who hath first given to HIM, and it shall Be Recompensed Unto him, again?”

Can it be said that Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and any conglomeration of the other numbers of those with astounding wealth, can make monetary loans to GOD?  Has GOD Ever Been In NEED of such? (Psalm 50:10-12)  Who has ever made a LOAN to GOD so that YAHVEH GOD Has To Repay him/her?  Is not such a question ludicrous in its very construct?  Indeed, it is !

36  “For of HIM, and through HIM and to HIM, are ALL things: To WHOM Be Glory Forever.  Amen.” 

Paul says:  “GOD IS ALL IN ALL!  EVERYTHING Exists BECAUSE of HIM.  It was ALL Created FOR HIM, and Existed and continues to exist THROUGH HIS POWER.  Give GLORY To HIM FOREVER!  Amen.”

CONCLUSION:

Beloved, as this Teacher brings this portion of our Lesson on “THE BOOK OF ROMANS:  THE DIVINE GRACE OF GOD” – CHAPTER XI to a close, this Instructor truly hopes that each of you begins to gain a much fuller understanding of Israel’s role in the overall PLAN OF SALVATION that YAHVEH Has Given To the World.  Always recognize that YAHVEH’s Plans CANNOT be thwarted, delayed, altered, derailed, or ignored.  HE WILL Accomplish ALL That HE Has Set HIS Mind To Achieve.   One may either JOIN HIM, or eventually experience the ravages of Eternal Destruction.  The choice remains for each one of us to make, for our GOD IS THE GOD OF CHOICES.  We will engage in another riveting Study, next time, If YAHVEH So Wills.  We look forward to assembling in the weekly Celebration of YAHVEH’s Weekly Holy Sabbath Day.  Join us, won’t you?

Until next time, Beloved…

 MAY YAHVEH’S PEACE REST, RULE, AND ABIDE WITHIN YOUR HEARTS. 

AMEN

PHILADELPHIA

On this day in 1993, Philadelphia, starring the actor Tom Hanks in the first major Hollywood movie to focus on the subject of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), opens in theaters. In the film, Hanks played Andrew Beckett, a gay attorney who is unjustly fired from his job because he suffers from AIDS. Denzel Washington co-starred as Joe Miller, a homophobic personal-injury lawyer who takes on Beckett’s case and comes to terms with his own misconceptions about gay people and the disease.

Directed by Jonathan Demme (Something Wild, The Silence of the Lambs) and featuring Antonio Banderas as Beckett’s boyfriend, Jason Robards as his boss and Joanne Woodward as his mother, Philadelphia was nominated for five Academy Awards and collected Oscars for Best Actor (Hanks) and Best Original Song (Bruce Springsteen’s “Streets of Philadelphia”). During his Academy Award acceptance speech, Hanks thanked his high school drama teacher and a fellow classmate, calling them, “two of the finest gay Americans, two wonderful men that I had the good fortune to be associated with, to fall under their inspiration at such a young age.” Prior to Philadelphia, only a handful of smaller films, such as 1986’s Parting Glances and 1990’s Longtime Companion, had dealt with AIDS, which emerged as an epidemic in the early 1980s and was initially heavily stigmatized because it was perceived as a disease of gay people and drug users.

Before making Philadelphia, Hanks, who was born on July 9, 1956, in Concord, California, co-starred in the 1980s TV sitcom Bosom Buddies and rose to fame on the big screen with roles in Splash! (1984) and Big (1988), for which he received his first Best Actor Oscar nomination. Hanks followed his Best Actor win for Philadelphia with a second Best Actor Oscar for his performance in 1994’s Forrest Gump, in which he played a good-hearted man with a low I.Q. who winds up at the center of key cultural and historical events during the second half of the 20th century. With Forrest Gump, Hanks became only the second man, after Spencer Tracy, to win back-to-back Best Actor Oscars.

Hanks was also nominated for Academy Awards in the Best Actor category for his performances in director Steven Spielberg’s World War II drama Saving Private Ryan (1998) and Cast Away (2000), in which he starred as a man stranded on a deserted island. Among Hanks’ other movie credits are Sleepless in Seattle (1993), a romantic comedy co-starring Meg Ryan that was a huge box-office success; director Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 (1995), based on the true story of the ill-fated 1970 moon mission; You’ve Got Mail (1998), another popular romantic comedy co-starring Meg Ryan; The Green Mile (1999); Catch Me if You Can (2002); The Da Vinci Code (2006) and Charlie Wilson’s War (2007), with Julia Roberts.

Hanks, who has been married to the actress Rita Wilson since 1988, made his feature-film directorial debut with 1996’s That Thing You Do!, which he also wrote and starred in. He also co-executive produced (with Spielberg) and directed one episode of the acclaimed 2001 HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, also set during World War II.

a portable toilet washes up on the island, Chuck uses it as a sail in the construction of a raft. After spending some time building and stocking the raft and deciding when the weather conditions will be optimal (using an analemma he has created in his cave to monitor the time of year), he launches, using the sail to overcome the powerful surf. After some time on the ocean, a storm nearly tears his raft apart. The following day, “Wilson” falls from the raft and is lost, leaving Chuck overwhelmed by loneliness. Later, he is found drifting by a passing cargo ship. Upon returning to civilization, Chuck learns that he has long been given up for dead; his family and friends held a funeral, and Kelly has since married Chuck’s dentist and has a daughter. After reuniting with Kelly, the pair profess their love for each other but, realizing a future together would be impossible due to her commitment to her family, they part. Kelly gives Chuck the keys to the car they once shared. Chuck then travels out into the country to return the unopened FedEx package to its sender. The house at the address is empty, so he leaves the package at the door with a note saying that the package saved his life. He then departs and stops at a remote crossroads. A woman passing by in a pickup truck stops to explain where each road leads. As she drives away, Chuck notices the illustration on her truck is similar to the one on the parcel. Chuck is left looking down each road. The camera focuses on his face as he looks toward the departing woman in the truck.watch more ]]> http://castawaymovie.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/cast-away-movie-wallpaper/ Sat, 22 Dec 2012 11:21:00 +0000 suresh76732 http://castawaymovie.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/cast-away-movie-wallpaper/

 Chuck receives a deep wound to his hand. In anger he throws several objects, including a Wilson Sporting Goods volleyball from one of the packages. A short time later he draws a face in the bloody hand print on the ball, names it Wilson and begins talking to it.
Four years later Chuck is dramatically thinner, bearded, his hair is longer, and he is wearing a loincloth. He has become adept at spearing fish and making fires. He also has regular conversations and arguments with Wilson.
After a large section from a portable toilet washes up on the island, Chuck uses it as a sail in the construction of a raft. After spending some time building and stocking the raft and deciding when the weather conditions will be optimal (using an analemma he has created in his cave to monitor the time of year), he launches, using the sail to overcome the powerful surf. After some time on the ocean, a storm nearly tears his raft apart. The following day, “Wilson” falls from the raft and is lost, leaving Chuck overwhelmed by loneliness. Later, he is found drifting by a passing cargo ship.
Upon returning to civilization, Chuck learns that he has long been given up for dead; his family and friends held a funeral, and Kelly has since married Chuck’s dentist and has a daughter. After reuniting with Kelly, the pair profess their love for each other but, realizing a future together would be impossible due to her commitment to her family, they part. Kelly gives Chuck the keys to the car they once shared
.Cast Away Movie Wallpaper ]]> http://castawaymovie.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/cast-away-movie-wiki/ Sat, 22 Dec 2012 11:20:00 +0000 suresh76732 http://castawaymovie.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/cast-away-movie-wiki/

Flying through a violent storm, his airplane crashes into the Pacific Ocean. Chuck is able to escape the sinking plane and is saved by an inflatable life-raft but in the process, loses the raft’s emergency locator transmitter. He clings to the life-raft, loses consciousness, and floats all night before being washed up on an island.
After he awakens, he explores the island and soon discovers that it is uninhabited. Several FedEx packages from the crashed plane wash up on the shore, as well as the corpse of one of the pilots (whom he buries). He initially tries to signal for rescue and makes an escape attempt with the remnants of his life-raft, but he cannot pass the powerful surf. He searches for food, water, shelter, and opens the packages, finding a number of potentially useful items. He leaves one package, with a pair of wings painted on it, unopened.
Cast Away Movie Wiki ]]> http://castawaymovie.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/cast-away-movie-poster/ Sat, 22 Dec 2012 11:19:00 +0000 suresh76732 http://castawaymovie.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/cast-away-movie-poster/

Cast Away is a 2000 drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks as a FedEx employee stranded on an uninhabited island after his plane crashes in the South Pacific. The film depicts his attempts to survive on the island using remnants of his plane’s cargo. Hanks was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 73rd Academy Awards for his critically acclaimed performance.In 1995, Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) is a time-obsessed systems analyst, who travels worldwide resolving productivity problems at FedEx depots. He is in a long-term relationship with Kelly Frears (Helen Hunt), whom he lives with in Memphis, Tennessee. Although the couple wants to get married, Chuck’s busy schedule interferes with their relationship. A Christmas with relatives is interrupted by Chuck being summoned to resolve a problem in Malaysia. ]]> http://moviegeekblog.com/2012/12/19/life-of-pi-review/ Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:44:33 +0000 MovieGeek http://moviegeekblog.com/2012/12/19/life-of-pi-review/ http://lenniechua.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/movie-review-life-of-pi/ Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:13:16 +0000 Lennie Chua http://lenniechua.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/movie-review-life-of-pi/

I’ve been wanting to write a review of the movie “Life of Pi,” which I watched with my wife a couple of weeks back. I am coming from the perspective of someone who hasn’t read the award winning book.

I must say that to me, watching the movie was almost a life-changing spiritual conversion experience. It was a wonderfully uplifting, visually beautiful, thought provoking tour de force of a film, one so unique that it almost will blow your mind away. There are so many films which are basically variations on a common theme, or are just carbon copies of every type of film cliche, but this film definitely is not one of them, with a script that seems to come right out of a different universe. What an amazing timeless tale this is. There have been other wonderfully wacky films which i have enjoyed: for e.g. Being John Malkovich, but this is in entirely a different league. It manages to be so unbelievable, and yet so real and believable at the same time. The relationship between Pi Patel and the untamable lion Richard Parker is so real, just like the relationship between Tom Hanks and Wilson in Cast Away. The acting was amazing, with Suraj Sharma bringing out every ounce of each emotion. (How does one act so convincing as though the lion was really there and not just a CGI creation?)

Above all, this film makes us ponder about life and reality. So often the truth is so much stranger than fiction, and yet we often have a fear of accepting the truth. So which version of Pi Patel’s adventure would we choose to believe?

God doesn’t need proving, He needs to be known and experienced.

RATING:

10/10  To me a perfect film… everything you would want a film to be. Sorry to the animal lovers out there who found the killings too hard to bear.

christmas tree (Photo credit: peminumkopi)

So far the three weekends that followed Thanksgiving have released a grand total of three movies, an average of one per week. Then the weekend after The Hobbit opens there’s a grand total of eight movies being released the weekend before and during Christmas.

Movies as diverse as the Judd Apatow comedy This is 40, the Quentin Tarantino slavery film Django Unchained,  and the Oscar hopeful Les Miserables will be opening. The fact is that the period between Christmas and New Year’s Day is about ten days and is one of the biggest ten days of the year to see movies.

The reason moviegoing at this time is so huge is that everyone at least gets Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off, and that is the minimum amount of days off people usually get. In fact most people get New Year’s Eve and Day off.

In this span of ten days a movie’s box office gets inflated as if it was getting ten free Fridays.  Christmas, which is the biggest box office day of the year,  is bigger than Independence Day and Memorial Day.

Movie studios began to see the amazing box office potential of Christmas and New Year’s when Titanic opened over Christmas and went on to be the biggest box office hit of all time.  Ever since then we have had movies such as Cast Away, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Night at the Museum, and Avatar open at Christmas.

In fact the Christmas weekend when Avatar broke the second weekend record is the highest grossing weekend of all time. It’s then followed by the New Year’s weekend where a movie’s box office often increases from the Christmas weekend before it.

In the past two years after seeing how well films can do, movie studios decided the more the merrier, and more films started opening over Christmas to get that ten day bump in box office revenue.

These ten days of box office lead to an embarrassment of riches as there really isn’t a single type of film you can’t see over this period. Whatever type of movie you want to see, Christmas and New Year’s have it.

Mom: I think it’s like Cast Away, but in space.

Fyi, it’s not. At all. But if they did make a movie like that, I would totally go see it.

Life of Pi is one of those movies that caught me off-guard; I had never read the book, and, while I had seen a trailer or two before other films I’ve seen this year, the buzz on it seemed pretty minimal. As a result, when it was released to critical acclaim nearly across the board, it sparked my interest. I debated whether or not I should read the original book by Yann Martel first, but I ended up going to see the film anyway, and…wow.

I absolutely loved the way that the story was told in the context of the film: an author visits the home of an adult Piscine Molitor Patel, Pi for short, who begins to tell him a story from his teenage years, a tale that he claims “will make you believe in God.” The first half of this film is presented as a flashback, with the story returning to the perspective of the older Pi every now and again, but the flashback eventually becomes continuous to the end of the film. To me, it almost felt like someone was reading me a book that I was simultaneously watching unfold in front of me, much like the 1987 film The Princess Bride, which was also based on a book. This method of storytelling was compelling and had me wanting more; I enjoyed both the flashbacks and the present-day scenes, but I was constantly thirsting for more information.

The story itself is a sort of combination between Robert Zemeckis’ 2000 film Cast Away, starring Tom Hanks, and the Book of Job from the Hebrew Bible. Much like Job, Pi has everything taken away from him as a test of faith, and, like Tom Hanks’ character in Cast Away, he is stranded without any human companion and must learn to survive in less-than-ideal conditions. Throughout the film, Pi talks about his faith in God despite all that has happened to him, and he remains thankful no matter what. It is a testament to his faith that Pi doesn’t become atheist due to all of his struggles, and it made me look inward at my own faith in God…would I remain this loyal to Him in that kind of hardship?

Life of Pi, in addition to having strong roots in religion, is also a visual treat. This is the best use of 3D I have seen since James Cameron’s Avatar was released back in 2009; in fact, this is one of the few films that I would actually recommend seeing in the 3D format. This is a rare instance of 3D absorbing the viewer into the world of the film, allowing us to experience what Pi is experiencing, without becoming a gimmick like so many 3D films fall victim to. With a wonderful performance from first-time film actor Suraj Sharma to go along with the fantastic script and beautiful landscapes presented in the film, Life of Pi is another film worth seeing on the big screen.

-Chad

Rating: 4.5 (out of 5)

MPAA: PG – for emotional thematic content throughout, and some scary action sequences and peril

I’m reading the Artist’s Way:  A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron.  As tonight’s artist date, I set off for Ross to look for my own Wilson, a la Cast Away.  I found a big soapstone starfish, carved in India.  Imagine how far it’s traveled, and now it’s sitting on my tv table.  I need to give her a good face and maybe a hat.  I bet she’d look good in a straw hula skirt.

I have named her Starlin’.

In the film, Chuck Noland gets marooned on an island with no other inhabitants – not even a cute monkey or squacky birds to interact with – it’s pretty much sand, trees, sky, weather, crabs and fish, coconuts, driftwood.  In addition, he’s been launched out of a life that revolves around the clock in more ways than one; his soon-to-not-be-fianceé’s biological clock, his energy constantly put toward work, the way his work takes him from time zone to time zone worldwide (timepieces feature heavily, especially the one his girlfriend gives him, that includes a tiny picture of her inside).  Well, he survives the plane crash and doesn’t get the opportunity to say, folks, I’m going to be a little late, like maybe never, and he finds himself in a perpetual now.  Interestingly, I live in that perpetual now and don’t ‘live or die by the clock’.  In fact, my mental majority is a bit jealous of his time on the island, which for some people like Chuck would be torture but for me would be paradiso, as my friend called it.  My personal hell island would be a setting that forced me to interact with others constantly, as I think it would tank my introvert battery pretty quickly, and I’d become Itsa Nogo, which would be a sad, dull sight indeed.

So why would I need my own Wilson?  If I’m so happy on my little self-made island (my apartment, a cocoon, I will admit freely), what need do I share with Chuck that Starlin’ might elucidate for me?  It starts with the looped thinking of a person deeply and totally alone.  With so little new material coming in, thoughts get reused and become familiar like the dry taste and texture of stale bread.  When you have a Wilson, your thoughts have somewhere to go, and it gives them some currency.  In this way, a new idea comes along – like when Chuck realizes the air getting to his sticks allowed the fire to puff a little – it’s the last innovation to his method that brings him success.  No, I don’t think Wilson gave him the idea; I think the idea was ready to be found or constructed by Chuck’s brain, and it took the outward current of Chuck’s expressivity toward Wilson to make room for the new idea.  It’s similar, in my mind, to the way temperature inversions during fall and spring can cause a lake to turn over.

Let me see some of me out there, and suddenly there will be more me in here.

So it isn’t just about companionship.  If it were, I’d talk to my kitty cats and that would be that.  It’s about creation.  It’s about putting yourself ‘out there’ as it were, literally, and letting new life flow into you – pulling new life from that spiritual inner cambium we all seem to possess in our minds – and wondering who made the cambium, exactly.

Long Train runnin’.

They’ve been reggae and calypso and now they’re up to their third single from their compact disco. Ay dios mio.

Train have been pretty consistent this era in providing some earworms that you can’t help but crank up on the stereo. In January, they unveiled the first single from California 37, a song entitled “Drive By”, and despite some cringeworthy lyrics (I’m looking at you, Hefty bags) it rose to a peak of #2 on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart, top 20 on CHR radio and spent a few weeks on top of my own personal chart. Just a few months ago, Train employed a mariachi band for about fifteen minutes to create “50 Ways To Say Goodbye”, which spent six weeks at #2 on my survey and, again, went top 5 Hot AC and top 20 CHR. I give that one brownie points for using Yom Kippur in the lyrics. The Jew Crew has to stick together, people. Plus, “I Gotta Feeling” with its auto-tuned “mazel tov” and “l’chaim” has been overplayed for years anyways. By the way, are there actually 50 ways to say goodbye? Can someone get Paul Simon on the line or is too late in the evening?

There’s been some shifting around when it came to the third release from California 37. A few months ago, a music video blog reported that a clip “Bruises”, which features Country singer Ashley Monroe, was in production, so I automatically assumed that that was the choice. Several weeks passed and I then noticed that “This’ll Be My Year” was being released to radio in Australia. Hmmm. Well, “Bruises” ended up being a video-only single, and “This’ll Be My Year” is staying down under, and thus, we come to the official third single already at American radio stations: “Mermaid”.

Now, “Mermaid” sounds like your typical Train track. A rolling guitar shuffle. A solid drum beat. There’s no question that they’re developing a sound that’s instantly recognizable. However, this time around, Train have decided to take a page out of the Jimmy Buffett Songbook, past the chapter on the Coral Reefers and onto a riveting description on Shipwrecked Sailors. So, Captain Pat Ahoy, Mateyhan takes a boat (let’s be honest, it was probably an inner tube rather than the S.S. Virginia) to some island that only Johnny Depp knows of. Is that because he’s famous and can afford a private island or because he’s a pirate of the Caribbean?  Alright, so then he’s like, “Oh God, this is just like Cast Away,” which I suppose is good since that won Tom Hanks a Golden Globe but it’s also bad because Johnny Depp wasn’t it. Maybe we can change it to Sweeney Todd. So, then, unlike the movies, some girl washes up and Pat gives her his coat because obviously the water is freezing this time of year. Wait, if she’s a mermaid, wouldn’t she be used to the water temperature? Homegirl needs to like, chill (no pun intended.) Oh, look, a clue. We’re on the Puget Sound. Hold on, I thought this was the Caribbean. Is this really the Bermuda Triangle? Is somebody gonna play the triangle? Help me, help me, I’m all out of lines…

Fine, you can’t overanalyze this sort of thing. It’s a light, fluffy pop song about a future love that washes up on shore; it’s not like it’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” Although, I suppose if this underperforms, you could call it a train wreck (not that I want it to, I’m just saying.) The only other thing I’m going to take issue with is that Pat Monahan wants this girl in 1992, because I’m being honest, that wasn’t a great year for songs about the sea at top-40 radio. The only thing that seems to fit is “Walk On The Ocean” by Toad The Wet Sprocket. Pacific Ocean, perhaps? Or, if you’d rather, the sea of love. Ooh la la. I can imagine a music video going viral already. Pat Monahan’s vocal is solid as usual, the lyrics are more cohesive than usual, and since the band seems to be a streak, then I would assume this is going to be a winner rather than a wipeout per usual. Just keep the life preserver at the ready. You never know when the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” formula is going to be taking on water. –AFS

Purchase “Mermaid” on AmazonMP3.

Listen to “Mermaid” on YouTube.

• Genre: Drama
• Rating: R for graphic scenes and nudity (in the first 10 minutes!)

Screenwriter, John Gatins starts off the story about an alcoholic and recently divorced airpilot. It’s clear that this guy is just going through the motions of life, living numb and really not caring too much about many people. However, since it’s Denzel you look past him being a selfish prick and immediately are intrigued by his character. We see the plane go into an immediate frenzy while heading toward Atlanta. It almost reminded me of a Final Destination movie to where you see that the people in this tragic accident have no hope or way out.

“Houston…we have sort of a problem.”

Although a hard scene to watch, it was well directed and portrayed by the actors in this movie by showing us how some may react during the last seconds of their life. Fortunately Whip (Denzel Washington) somehow and someway safely (almost) lands the plane. Initially everyone looks to him as a hero, but after further investigation of his alcohol and drug use, the media questions whether or not the plane’s accident was a result of his drunkenness (or high state).

“Aye…I got this.”

So we watch as the drama unfolds as the media begins to figure out that Whip is a walking drunk. What I liked about this movie was that we sort of got to see what it’s like in the day in the life of an addict. Many don’t realize that addiction is a disease and that it’s not easy to just “stop” doing something one day. Denzel really dug deep into his character as you got to see different versions of himself around other people in his life. This included his old friend Charlie (Bruce Greenwood – Super 8), his comic relief drug dealer Harling (John Goodman – Argo) and of course drug addict and love interest Nicole (Kelly Reilly). Each interaction served a purpose because you got to see how each of their words effected the outcome of the movie. And for once, it has an unpredictable ending.

The Bad

Not every Denzel film is going to be perfect. In fact I can name a few that are far from it, however in this film I only had a few questions about certain things. I am not sure if this would have played an important part of the story, but I wanted to know what really set Whip to the edge. We got a glimpse of his family (Wife and son), but we did not get a clear picture of what led him to that path.

“Hey boo..”

I also felt that toward the end it started to drag on a bit because there were a couple of scenes that could have been edited out for smoother purposes. And men will most likely disagree with me on this but [SPOILER] during the beginning of the film, we saw nudity for what seemed like 15 minutes and I felt like that could have been cut down a little. Again, that is just my personal opinion on the matter, and for you men out there I am sure you will have no problem seeing a gorgeous woman nude during the beginning.

Concluding

I walked out of this movie feeling as if something heavy had hit me. I actually the the same feeling after watching the movie American History X. The movie really digs deep into your subconcious and you will ask yourself what you would do in the situation. You will see Whip encounter things that he could walk away from as a free man, but is it worth it? You see a man transition from being self-centered asshole to breaking down into a possible savior. It may evoke some personal feelings you may have felt in your life time. Either way, I can see this film affecting many on an emotional level thanks to the wonderful team with this film.

Here is what’s not allowed:

Your significant other; a man or a woman; pocket pussy or vibrator.

I think I just placed severe limitations.  I require entertainment, firearms for food, and toilet paper for my delicate tushy.

I would bring an unlimited supply of Charmin Ultra Soft 2-Ply, a rifle with a scope with a generous supply of ammo, and a ping pong table.

I believe I will find a monkey that I can train to play ping pong with.  That will supply adequate entertainment for a long time.  I am too lazy to fish as Tom Hanks did in Cast Away and will require a rifle with a scope to snipe fish and other animals so that I can sustain my hunger.  And the toilet paper is self-explanatory.  Nobody wants a rash on their butt cheeks.

Since I set a rule of only 3 types of items, I will have to find a way to protect myself from the sun.  My Russian genes do not let me tan normally.  Frying hurts and I do not like resembling a lobster.  I will have to find something on the island to use as sunblock.  I will also have to find shelter.  My monkey will help me build a forte.  A forte with a moat.  Hmm, I did not think all this through.

What would you bring to a deserted island?

Plot: The story of Pi (Suraj Sharma), and how he got shipwrecked on a lifeboat as he struggles to survive both the elements, and a fierce Bengal tiger that has also survived the accident.

If you ever wanted to see a Jungle Book sequel in which Mowgli and Shere Khan become best friends, then this is your movie. But if you aren’t one of those people, you’ll still find director Ang Lee’s latest opus, Life of Pi, to be quite enjoyable, even if it does feel like a JV Cast Away. And while there’s no Wilson the Volleyball, there is a terrifying Bengal tiger to keep our protagonist busy. And it is the relationship between Pi and the tiger, who’s oddly named Richard Parker, that absolutely drives this film.

What makes this relationship so powerful is that they actually develop it back when Pi is a child. Pi from a very early age is fascinated by religion. This makes him very different from his father Santosh (Adil Hussain) who’s very much a science guy, all about facts and reason. And yes, there is a lot of religion Vs. science in this movie, but it doesn’t distract from what’s important, and that is the character of Pi. But there’s a very intense scene between the child Pi and his dad that centers around this tiger that is so gut-wrenching, it makes Pi’s reunion with Richard Parker years later that much more interesting.

The bulk of this film is spent on a lifeboat with Pi and Richard Parker. Imagine being alone on a lifeboat with a tiger at close proximity for many weeks…and that’s where the power of this film lies. Ang Lee does a great job of getting a wide variety of emotions out of this conflict. Sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s suspenseful, and sometimes it’s downright terrifying. These guys could basically pass for The Odd Couple — they have to learn how to survive with each other, and seeing that develop throughout the film is incredible to watch. And when this relationship finally comes to an end, it was an incredibly satisfying climax.

But as much as this was the film’s biggest strength, it was also it’s greatest weakness. Even though watching Pi and Richard Parker interact was fascinating, the film drags quite a bit. There are just so many times we can watch Pi being really uneasy about this tiger who could snap at any minute. While I joked earlier about this being a JV Cast Away, I was really only half kidding. While the relationship between Tom Hanks and the volleyball certainly isn’t as deep and layered as it is with Pi and Richard Parker, I have to say that Hanks and the volleyball kept their bond more entertaining all the way through. And the fact of the matter is that the majority of this film is pretty much a one man show, and while Suraj Sharma is great as Pi, he can’t carry a movie like Hanks can.

One of the other strengths of this film are the aesthetics. The film looks gorgeous, and there is some absolutely breath taking cinematography. Just watching some of the images at sea is mesmerizing. And I can appreciate the visuals in a movie like this, because it never takes away from the character or story, which is why I shrug my shoulders at something like Avatar. The only problem is that these visuals are really repetitive. How many times do we need to see the water glow as an army of fish swim around in it? How many times do we need to see sharks circling Pi’s lifeboat? It does get a little tiresome, and adds to the film dragging on.

Speaking of fish, there’s a crap load of animals strutting around in this movie. And while I’m sure a lot of it was CG, it was nice to see animals act somewhat like real animals as we are so over-saturated with animals who are played for comedy in all forms of media. As the ship that Pi is on goes down, there are animals we see struggling to swim, and the way they move and act adds a lot of uncomfortable tension, and I mean that in a good way. Before it’s just the tiger, there’s a few other animals left on the lifeboat with Pi that add to this great tension, including an injured zebra, and the biggest jackass hyena ever to appear on film. In this sequence, we also get one of the greatest close up shots of all time that will really knock you on your ass. I won’t spoil it, other than it involves the tiger.

If you want to watch a movie that is light, colorful, and makes you feel all inspirational, then Life of Pi is your ticket. There’s a lot of power to this movie, but despite some good back and forth conversation between Pi and his dad in the first act, it doesn’t really get going till mid-way through. The acting is solid all around, but nothing to write home about. There’s also an twist they pull at the end that I felt was really unnecessary. It’s like the script had reached it’s natural conclusion, but the writers got all antsy and had to add something else. It’s a very good movie, but a few tweaks away from being great.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10 (Very Good)