Strangers to the Earth

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Proverbs 4:23

Almost everyday, I think of this Bible verse. Why? Because it is one of the hardest things to do today in this broken world.

Most of it comes down to the idea of secular humanism (born out of the Enlightenment Era)  - rejecting a divine ruler and using human reasoning as the basis for morality. It is sad when a kid cannot openly pray in school because it is considered offensive. It is sad most songs on the radio are filled with vulgar language and topics because that is what sells today. And it is sad that some Christians are made out to be hateful for condemning a particular sin that goes against the masses.

As you know, I do not have a problem admitting my struggles. My goal is not to come off as self-righteous or preachy in my posts. We are running the race together, side by side. 

I will be the first to say, guarding my heart is one of my biggest struggles. I am distracted by the beautiful things on Earth everyday. I listen to that music I was talking about earlier (having heard all of Eminem's songs). I expose myself to TV shows and movies constantly that are not considered Christ-like. I do things on the weekends a typical college student does.

My focus is on what the Creator has made instead of the Creator himself. It is so easy to give into the World.

Every time I cave into that shiny object in front of me, it steals my heart away from God. This is not to say I am intentionally conforming to this secular society. It has become the culture that surrounds me and sometimes I feel is it impossible to escape.

Growing up, I would think to myself, Why is God trying to ruin my good time? Why is he trying to steal my pleasure away from me? After doing some digging, I see it and it is simple.

The things on earth are not meant to satisfy us... God is. Only He promises eternal life. About a year ago I came across this quote and it hit me hard:

"The fullness of joy is to behold God in everything." When we get to God, it is supposed to be the fullness of joy and pleasure forever!

Hebrews 11 brings up some big names like Abel, Noah, and Abraham and has this to say about them:

"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth." Hebrews 11:13

Strangers. These people lived like strangers to the Earth only welcoming foreign things from a distance. They stood their ground and lived by faith alone.

Because it has become more clear to me than ever, it is time to refocus on what is really important: The temporary things on Earth that offer no spiritual satisfaction or the loving God that promises an eternal life filled with joy and happiness. 

I think the answer is pretty obvious, right? 

Best "Halloween" Movies

In honor of Halloween right around the corner, I have decided to compile a list of my top 5 Halloween movies. Not being a big fan of horror movies, this was pretty difficult for me...with a couple of creepy ones, most of them are family-friendly.

5. Halloweentown (1998)

I have fond memories of a young kid watching this movie every October on Disney Channel. Up until that point (around 6 or 7), I always had the idea that monsters were scary and wanted nothing to do with them. Halloweentown changed my perception and all of a sudden they were magical and cool. Even though it is considered a "kiddie" movie, I still make it a point to watch every year.










4. Psycho (1960)

I have never been into black and white movies being only a handful that I enjoy. Most of them I find it hard to sit through. After watching a phenomenal show called Bates Motel on Netflix, a modern prequel of the movie Psycho, I had to check out the so-called "classic". Before watching this movie, I had seen the iconic shower scene spoofed so many times. After seeing it for the first time, the scene was very creepy, mainly because of the musical score everyone has heard by now. I found it silly that we see blood going down the drain, but the woman had no actual knife wounds but that's the 60's for you. Even though I do not find the movie that scary on today's standards, Alfred Hitchcock is credited for setting the tone in modern horror for good reason.






3. Signs (2003)

I consider Signs the first true horror movie I saw. When it first came out I was 9 years old and I remember my oldest sister, Janet, seeing it in theaters and talking about how great it was, so we ended up owning it on VHS. I watched it and it terrified me as a young lad! Some truly scary scenes like the birthday party really stuck out to me. As I've gotten older I've recognized the humor and the spiritual themes of the movie. Ultimately, it's the story of a priest losing his faith after a traumatic experience and his journey to regain what he lost. Director M. Night Shyamalan was in his prime at this time.






2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)


Some are probably thinking, "What does this have to do with Halloween?" Well everything of course. It has trolls, witches, goblins, giants, and more! Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is arguable the best out of the series. Chris Columbus captured the magic of the book perfectly. The cast was spot-on and the whimsical feel of the movie was magical to say the least. To tie it in even more with Halloween, a big scene of the trio (Harry, Ron, and Hermione) taking down a troll takes place Halloween night. This film sparked my interest in the world of Harry Potter and still continues to this day.








1. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

This is more of a TV special than a movie, so why is this number one on my list? Because it's awesome! I, along with many others, make this a yearly tradition to watch. It's a simple, yet timeless tale.