Frustrating irritations, Flabbergasting Nuisances, and Unbearable Agravants.

I am a simple man, so I would like to think, but like most people, some things bother me more than they ought. These "pet peeves" are few and I have grown more accustomed to them over the years, but they still exist, so here are mine:

Honorable Mention: Procrastination. Don't you hate it when someone does something the last minute. For a completely figurative example, imagine someone is supposed to write a blog post by the end of the month, and everyone else has already completed their blog posts. But not this guy. This one guy just sits around and waits until the last minute on the last day of the month to post their topic update. What a moosh. Am I right? Anyway. That just chaps my hide. Be more responsible for pity's sake.

7. Ignorance. This is a huge one. Whether it is my own ignorance or the ignorance of others, it simply makes me broil. Not knowing something is one of the most frustrating things I face daily. Whether it is "knowing who sings that song that is stuck in my head?" or knowing "what exactly happened last night?" I want to know! But some things are better left unknown, and I have partially learned to accept that. Still, I still want to know, and when other people don't know things that they should know, that bugs me a lot as well. "Hey Phil!" I exclaim. "Yeah." Phil responds. "Who sings 'When the Levee Breaks?'" I ask. "How should I know?" Phil replies. "You are wearing a Led Zeppelin T-shirt, Phil." Seriously Phil you're killing me.

6. Being Sick. I feel like everyone hates this. It annoys me to no end. Being ill is just diabolical. Whether I am regurgitating in large quantities, sending waves of heat off of my forehead like it is an Easy-Bake Oven, or gushing nose-juices like the Niagara Falls, being sick is terrible. I could be doing anything, but instead I am miserable and confined to the couch. Worst ever.

5. People Who Overreact. Jokes are simply jokes. Some are worth reprimanding, but it is okay to jest. Some people need to take a chill-pill. Today's society is too wound up. People's lives have been ruined because of a joke taken too seriously, and that is not funny.

4. Fear. I hate being afraid. I don't get afraid often. Honestly, I am exclusively afraid of heights. Fear is such an overpowering feeling. It leaves you weak and worthless. I fight fear as much as possible. Removing fear from my life is something I strive for. Once fear is removed, one can become unstoppable.

3. Reckless Banter. Whenever I open my mouth and say something I shouldn't. That bothers me a lot. Unfortunately, that happens a lot. Especially, in the heat of debate. I find the best way to handle this "pet peeve" is to use my brain. I wish I could say it works every time, but it doesn't.

2. Disrespect and Defilement. In today's society, nothing is sacred. People are always trying to smudge everything. Everyone has made mistakes, and nothing and no one is perfect (except for God, but I feel like that should go without saying). Why do people feel like they need to uncover every little thing, and invent wild rumors to desecrate someone's image. This happens all of the time. Some people and organizations devote their lives to doing this. Magazines and organizations such as TMZ thrive off of making other people look terrible. How childish.

1. "Pet Peeve." This one is completely irrational, but it does bug me. The final annoyance which irritates me endlessly, is simply, the term "pet peeve." I don't know why, but I just hate it. True Story.

Well, that is it. Vote Herman Cain 2012.

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that awkward moment when you can't remember your code name

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SweetnLowe!

This is your beloved SweetnLowe saying TTFN!

Pet Peeves and Bananas

Ah, pet peeves. They are an odd thing indeed. I've always found it odd we assigned a term to something that crawls under our skin and constantly bugs us. I've never been one to keep tabs on my pet peeves, so I may be scraping the bottom of the barrel by the end of this list. Without further ado, here we go! 

- Using a social media name in conversation

This one is an odd one. I've never enjoyed it when someone says "Oh, I was on Facebook last night." Or, "I love that tweet you sent out on Twitter." Occasionally,  I'm guilty of it myself. but there is really no other way around it in conversation sometimes. Like I said, this particular pet peeve is tough to explain, so I won't even bother. Just know it bugs me. 

- Excessive us of social media

I'm not the biggest fan of social media in general, but even I scroll through what's trending on occasion. However, they're are some people who seem like they can't get enough of it. It's strange. There are so many better ways to interact with someone. Call them on the phone, invite them over to do something, play a pickup game of a sport with them, etc. I hope that social media doesn't become so prevalent in our day to day lives that we forget we can do these things.  

- The modern music industry 

I'm a pretty big fan of music, and if you haven't guessed already, I like the old stuff. The truly good stuff. You see, back in the 50s through early 90s, you had to have true talent to make it in the industry. You had to have a pretty unique voice, play a instrument like a boss, and know to write and produce your own music. Musicians were very well rounded people back in those days. Now days, it seems all you have to do is have a okay voice and be able to show up at a studio to sing some lines of a song that you didn't even write. Why can't people write their own music? I don't see how you could call a song your's and win a bunch of awards for it when you didn't even write your own song. 

- When people shorten a word in conversation 

This one is a big one. I don't like it when people say "Murica, taters, samiches" or anything like that. It's just not right. You should now better at this point. 

- When politicians put each other done in their political ads

I won't go into my political beliefs, but I will say I despise the modern political ad campaign.  I don't what the other guy did wrong. Tell me what you did right. I would rather vote for some who said that they ended world hunger than someone who says you shouldn't vote for the other guy because he didn't end it. 

- When people try and dissect everything 

I get it guys. Some books, poems, and songs are very deep and personal. However, some of them are something that the artist wrote for fun. Take "I Am The Walrus" by the Beatles for example. People have tried and tried to dissect that song and break it down verse by verse for years. The reality is John Lennon (who wrote and sang the song) said he had the idea for "I Am The Walrus" when he heard that people were trying to over analyze the Beatles' songs. So, he wrote "I Am The Walrus" which is a random hogepoge of weirdness. But hey, it's a good hogepoge of weirdness. 

Well, those are some of my pet peeves. As to how I deal with these pet peeves, I pray to God. Sometime, we all need to pray to God and ask him to help us not fret the small stuff. One of the things that can keep you from having a close relationship with him is you stressing over the small stuff. Sometimes, in face all the time, it's best to just let it go and give your burdens to God. Don't worry about them. I gurantee you'll feel a ton better. 

Freshly Yours,
Honeybagel

Pet Peeves, Niggles, and the Perfect Panacea

If you can't tell from the title of this particular post, this session's topic concerns pet peeves, those trivial things in life that somehow have an unruly way of irritating the spirit of man. As we all know, each person has his or her own pet peeves, meaning that some things irritate certain people much more than others. For that reason, we have decided to each share seven of our most potent, provoking pet peeves. Beyond those peeves, we will each share our methods of dealing with those peeves such that we do not attain to undue vexation, because, as we all know, there is no point in that, and being upset by small things has a way of insidiously making a life more miserable and, from a Christian standpoint, less fruitful. Without further delay, let us commence! 

7. Publicly-Exposed Caboose-Cleavage 

• That's right. I'm not very glad to be sharing this, because it is distasteful, but if there is anything that annoys me and makes we want to rant extravagantly, it is people who show their keister-crevasse in public settings. I mean really, it's just disturbing. It is a heinous hazard to society, an odious snare for the innocent and vulnerable eye. You should be arrested for such a crime! Yes, I understand that many people do not have access to clothes that fit them properly. Yes, I know that it is a great bother to constantly be pulling your pants up to prevent such an unsightly sight. But I don't care! Do something. I know that you can keep yourself from being exposed. So, I ardently plea, don't let it happen. It is horrendous! I won't even begin to address anyone who might think it sexy or fashionable. All I can say to them is that they are extremely deluded beyond measure. That is enough. *phew* 

6. Irresponsible Driving Behavior

• No, I am not speaking of the mighty pastime of golf. I am speaking of such things as driving a vehicle above the prescribed speed, multitasking at the wheel, and anything else that is unfit for an individual who is in control of a massive object moving at a considerable speed. To me, personally, this peeve comes from a fairly religious perspective. When I see someone driving in an irresponsible manner I think, "What is wrong with you!? Have you no concern for the sanctity of human life!" I think that driving should be taken seriously, because it is an activity that has the potential to seriously harm the lives of fellow humans, not to mention oneself. Really, people, don't be so dumb. 

5. The Way in which Most People Choose to Use Social Media

• Social Media is a powerful thing. You can do good, and you can learn about people who are different than you, although social media has actually tended to narrow our views. Yet, what do I see when I use social media? Complaints, arrogant and naive comments about issues that are so grotesquely mistreated, selfies (don't even get me started), and the same pointless viral trend that EVERYONE thinks they have a duty to share. It's no wonder that I don't pay any attention to news feeds. It's a bunch of the same old junk that has no real substance. If you're going to share something, make it meaningful. Nobody wants more pictures of your face. (No offense) 

4. Interruptions

• There is nothing so frustrating as being interrupted when you're watching a video with headphones or reading a book. If you're like me, you generally want to avoid interaction with other people in the first place, which makes it so much worse when someone insists on striking up a perfunctory conversation with you when you are concentrated upon studying about telepathic monkeys. I leave you alone, and I would hope that you respect me by leaving me alone. (I want to say, however, that I need people. We all need other people, and it is not good to develop a bitter attitude toward friendly interaction. I have exaggerated to a degree, although I do get annoyed sometimes. Just understand that I do not suppose to be justifying such an attitude toward people. We should all have an attitude that permits us to treat people with love and respect by giving up our time to them and genuinely relating to them, even when we would rather be doing something else.)

3. The Misuse and Abuse of Words/Terms

• I'm no menace when it comes to grammar usage, but I do get rubbed the wrong way when someone uses a word inappropriately. While I am certainly guilty of this myself, some people just seem to have no regard for the proper use of words and terms. For instance, the words literally, ironic, epic, awesome, and love are frequently abused. There are many more, but these surface in my mind readily. No, you didn't literally die because the telepathic monkey was so adorable. No, you don't love grilled cheese sandwiches. (As a general rule, love should be reserved for people, not things.) All I ask is that you think about what you say and choose the diction and syntax that effectively communicates what you truly mean. You're better than that. 

2. Excessive Usage of Cellular Telephones

• This is a real problem. I do my best to understand the situation of people who use their phones excessively, but I am yet to find a valid reason to justify such behavior. Get off the phone! I see people giving their devices far more attention than their human relations. I see people ensorcelled by their doo-dads during Church services. Why is this happening!? I could give a rudimentary explanation of why this is the case, but that isn't necessary for my point. Listen to me now. You need to put down your phone and give it no attention when you are interacting with another person. Have some respect for them and for God as the Creator of relationships. There are, of course, a few exceptions to this rule, but I think it is a good principle to operate by. Furthermore, just read The Shallows by Nicholas Carr. Your technology is changing you, and the results are not all good. Exercise deep thinking and solitude. I find the dependency of people on their artificial brain (which does their thinking for them and is controlled by biased powers) to be quite pitiful, although I am of the same condition to some degree. Just don't use your phones so much. It is disrespectful and produces mental habits that are not so grand. 

1. Lists

• No, I am not choosing this as my last peeve merely because it is literally ironic. It is true. (By the way, this listing is not in any particular order. It's just a list.) It seems like the internet is crowded by a bunch of lame lists that are not so meaningful, or even insightful. Granted, some are funny or beneficial in other ways, but most of them are just lame things that you already knew. Why would you want to read a shallow list about such things? And what about the link bait? They all say things like "7 Fruits That Know How To Spell" or "5 Reasons Why Your Pants Aren't Hip." Seriously. Really. That is straight-up desperate. They are dumb, and they are aware, that is why they use sensational means to attract foolish people. Just give up on the lists are be original and meaningful. 

Well, there ya go, folks. Another lame list on another mediocre blog. I hope the read was somewhat entertaining and/or thought-provoking. You better find some comedy within it, because the second portion of this installment is a bit more serious, as it is meant to proffer a solution to the problem of peeves, a way of handling them well. 

I'm a Christian, and you better know that my solution is going to be centered around fellowship with God. However, or a more pragmatic and secular note, one piece of advice is to consider your blessings when you are annoyed and even attempt to see your annoyance as a blessing. It is hard- for me at least-, but I believe we can do it. Now there is also a religious dimension to that. I guess I can't help myself. Anyways, yeah, that is one thing. Ultimately, it all comes down, for me, to knowing God through Jesus His Son. If you know Him and live in the light of His Word and His will, you won't be paying much attention to this little things that bug you; you'll be too busy paying attention to other little things, like helping people, speaking words of encouragement, meditating on God, and structuring your life around His call. The fact that I am still moved by petty peeves tells me that I have more work to do, more work as is only possible by God's grace and the supply of the Spirit which works in me. That is my challenge. Won't you know God and take up that challenge with me? 

Superbly,

SmoothJazz

The Faithful and Tenacious GIDEON!

I suppose it falls upon my shoulders to close out this topic. This topic was a tough one for me. I had so many choices as to who inspires throughout the Bible. There are the classics like David and Paul, the lesser known but equally important ones like Aaron and Barnabus, the all around awesome like Daniel, Moses, and John the Baptist. Yet, in the end, I couldn't help but pick the righteous and faithful Gideon. *cue applause* 

Ever since I was a young lad in Sunday School, the story of Gideon always appealed to me. I was a stickler for the battles in the Bible, and Gideon was no different. Here was this average guy who was able to take hordes of well equipped men without using any weapons. This dude was AMAZING! Of course, as I grew older, I came to realize without his well placed faith in God, this guy would've toast. No joke. The Midianites probably would have toasted them over a campfire or something. Those Midianites... 

Anyway, to truly understand why I love the story of Gideon, I suggest you read the story (Judges 6-8). If you don't own a Bible and just reading this blog for fun, I suggest you download a Bible app of the Apple store (it should be free) or just look for it online. Who knows? You could end up liking it. 

To start off with, Gideon was known as a man of faith. Countless times, God asked him to perform tasks that seem impossible and dangerous (tearing down the statue of Baal, taking on an army of the ruthless Midianites using trumpets and clay jars) and although Gideon did question God's motives at times, he ended up performing these tasks and ended being regarded as a hero of Jerusalem.  

One key event that demonstrates how faithful Gideon was to God is when he tears down the alter to Baal his father had built. Now to put this in perspective, imagine your father loved a particular sport team. He spent so much time watching their games that built a man cave all about this team. One day, God sends an angel and tells you that this man cave has got to go so your father can focus more on God. You have to trash and ruin the place so he can no longer use it. Imagine how angry and betrayed your father would be when it was all said and done. No one would want to face their dad like that. Back in Gideon's times, they would've killed him. But, Gideon ignores all of this and tears down the alter to Baal. Naturally, when people find out, they're outraged. People march down to Gideon's house and tell his father what happened. They want Gideon dead. I imagine Gideon's very fearful for his life as well. However, his father manages to subdue the crowd. He tells them they shouldn't kill Gideon because if Baal is truly a god, he'll seek justice on Baal himself. But since Baal was a false god and idol, this never happens. So guess what? Gideon's still alive! Because Gideon put his faith in God, he's still alive. It's a pretty nice story as to how God will even everything out in the end, whether it be in this life or when we finally see him in Heaven. 

Anyway, this isn't the only time Gideon puts his faith in God and prevails. Now it's time to talk about this biggest part of the story in the story of Gideon, the epic showdown with the Midianites. To start off with Gideon only had a twenty thousand or so men. Then God tells him to start testing his men, and (I won't go into detail, you can read for yourself) Gideon ends up with three hundred men unarmed men against thousands and thousands of well trained and equipped Midianites. That's like a level two Cloud trying to take on Sephiroth from the start. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE! Or so it seems. Gideon and his men go to the Midianite camp in the night armed with trumpets and clay jars with torches inside. They blow on their trumpets and smash their jars and shout "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!" All of the Midianites awaken and are scared. They begin to kill each other and run away. The armies of Israel pursue them, and next thing you know, Israel has their land back.

To begin with, I think the story of Gideon is so epic! It demonstrates the power of God and the power of our faith. Gideon was able to use this faith and trust in God and take out one ruthless army. Talk about a story for the underdog (which I always root for). Anyway, the faith of Gideon aside, I feel connected to Gideon. Whenever I feel stressed or worried, I don't even consider praying to God. I only focus on what unwelcome task that lies before me. And sometimes, I do question. I wonder if God truly loves us and why bad things are happening to me. But in the end, I study the word of God (whether it be at church or by myself) and pray and I feel so at ease. Like nothing life throws my way will phase me because I've got God on my side and you have God on your side. Never be afraid of what life throws you because your now one step closer to being with him. I'd like to imagine this is how Gideon felt. Truly connected with God and on top of the world. Oh my, what a wonderful feeling.

Freshly yours,
Honeybagel

SOLOMON THE WISE

 When this session's topic arose, I was indeed excited. "If you could live the life of one Biblical character (excluding Jesus) who would that character be?" Many choices presented themselves before I came to a final decision. The Bible overflows with many excellent heroes, and being any one of them would be epic. Initial candidates included Noah, Ehud, David, Paul, John, Enoch, Elijah, and many others, but after many days of thought, my final choice came down to two. The final two choices were King David, a man after God's own heart, and his son Solomon the wise. The choice was rough, but in the end I came to this conclusion: "David wrote many excellent Psalms, but Solomon, he wrote the Song of Songs." -SweetnLowe (2015). That being said, I will delve into why I believe Solomon would be the coolest character in the Bible to live the life of and take a walk in his legendary sandals.

 "In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said, 'Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?' The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, 'Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked...'" (1 Kings 3:4–12).

Ah, Solomon, off to such a strong start. By humbling himself before the Lord and asking for the most valuable thing a man can possess, he immediately gains the approval of the Lord. But as many of us know, Solomon was far from perfect. When David was older the Bible says that he was "unable to get warm" so a super fine honey was brought to David, but he wanted nothing to do with her, so Solomon's older brother, Adonijah who was not given the throne asked for her. Solomon was very disapproving of this. Mainly because Absalom had used one of David's harems to make a claim at the throne in his rebellion. Long story short, Solomon offed his older bro so that there would be no competition. Pretty cold, but hey, you've gotta do what you've gotta do, and Solomon knew all about that. For instance, Solomon almost chopped a baby in half to solve another dispute (1 Kings 3 16-28).

But moving right along...

On a brighter, less morbid note, Solomon was the ultimate and original Playboy Billionaire. I mean, this guy puts guys like Batman to shame. He ended up with around 700 wives and 300 concubines. Wow. There was also a fling with the Queen of Sheba in which the Bible says, " King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired..." (1 Kings 10:13). This also brings up the point that must be made. As wise as Solomon was, he made some foolish choices when it came to women. He married many bodacious babes who led him away from the Lord. The Queen of Sheba was one example of the trap set for Solomon by women. This may not mean anything, but I just thought I would throw this in as a bonus. Shortly after the Bible talks about Solomon's promiscuous activity with the Queen of Sheba among the rest of the many women in his life, the Bible says, "The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents..." (1 Kings 10:14). 

But this brings me to the most important reasons I chose Solomon. 

#3. Wisdom. Solomon was the wisest man on earth. That in itself is awesome. He wrote the Proverbs, a collection of such wisdom so profound that it surpasses even the wisdom of Yoda. And on top of that, if any man in the history of this world has ever come close to understanding women, it was Solomon. He was the wisest man after all, and he definitely spent enough time surrounded by them to figure something out. Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 7:26: "And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her." He also writes of the Godly woman in Proverbs 31:26-30: "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.' Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

#2. The Construction of the Temple. One of the coolest things ever. The temple was such an extravagant and incredible work of art and architecture. It would have been absolutely gnarly to see it, let alone orchestrate its construction, granted David first envisioned the construction of the temple. Such a feat of grandeur, beauty, and power, the first temple simply blows the mind. Built of only the finest materials, the temple was awesome. Cedar and gold everywhere. The only way I can try to make you understand how legendary the temple was is to say it is like the Taj Mahal + the Sistine Chapel multiplied by 1,000. (For more information on the First Temple see 1 Kings Chapter 6).

#1. Songs of Solomon. Alright, alright. At least here me out on this one before you pass judgement. A truly outstanding book. Some see the book as an analogy of God and his chosen people, and while I acknowledge that there is substantial evidence to support that claim. I don't believe it is that. I believe it is simply one of the greatest writings on love ever written. The Bible has many examples of Philos and Agape love throughout both the Old and New Testaments. I believe that Song of Songs is simply God using Solomon to show Christians the importance of Eros. The book portrays two lovers longing for each other, and how they appreciate one another for their physical beauty. Which, in my humble opinion, is just God showing us that it is natural to be attracted to beautiful things. And, Solomon had a way with words that simply blew minds. I mean, this stuff is gold, check out this excerpt from Songs of Solomon Chapter 7, "How beautiful your sandaled feet, O prince’s daughter! Your graceful legs are like jewels, the work of an artist’s hands^. Your navel is a rounded goblet that never lacks blended wine. Your waist is a mound of wheat encircled by lilies...Your neck is like an ivory tower. Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon by the gate of Bath Rabbim. Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon looking toward Damascus. Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel. Your hair is like royal tapestry; the king is held captive by its tresses. How beautiful you are and how pleasing, my love, with your delights!" Beautiful. Absolutely Beautiful.

Of course, some parts of Solomon's life were less awesome. There was the whole idol worshiping thing, and that may have led to the division of Israel. And then there is Ecclesiastes, but other than that. It's all good!

That is all for now folks. Stay funky fresh. R.I.P. Leonard Nimoy and Jagger the 2015 Dog Show Champion.

SweetnLowe signing off! Goodnight and Godspeed.

Elijah

Elijah 

So, the first topic for the magnanimous month of March is a bit more serious than those previous. We have all agreed to write about an individual who is recorded in the Bible and has inspired us. Many names came to my mind: Enoch, Esther, Hazelelponi (just for the sweetness of the name), Paul, etc. However, after I thought for several minutes, I realized that I should surely write about the prophet Elijah. So, without further to do, let us commence! 

(Let me first say, for anyone who questions the validity of the Bible's content, that I will encourage you to read the stories yourself. I'm not saying that you will be convinced or anything, but I want you to experience what the Bible has to say. Furthermore, I gladly and sincerely declare that I believe that the stories in the Bible are actual historical events concerning people who actually lived on this earth and experienced the Lord, YHWH. I don't hold this belief blindly, for I have sufficient reason to believe that the words of the Bible are trustworthy. The Biblical accounts and records of history have been repeatedly affirmed and corroborated by archaeological findings, more so than any other ancient document that I know of. THERE IS NO BOOK LIKE THE BIBLE. Written over a nearly three millennium by a multitude of people, yet possessing amazing unity and coherence, it is truly a beautiful thing, serving to reveal an even more beautiful God and Father and telling the story of His relation to man, the great story that reaches its climax on the cross. Enough for that digression.)

Elijah. What a man. Where do I begin? 

First of all, his story is in 1 & 2 Kings. I confess that I am not familiar enough with the whole story to give you chapters and verses for everything. I may even get some things mixed up. That's why you ought to investigate for yourself. Seriously, you should look it up. I suggest https://www.biblegateway.com/. Also, a prominent reason that Elijah's story means so much to me is that it is brought to life in the book "Elijah" by William H. Stephens. Check that out too.  

Anyways, I better get focused and say something of affect. Elijah lived in a very serious time in Israel's history. Their kingdom was divided, and the disease of idol worship was an epidemic among the people. King Ahab made deals with rich foreign countries at the request of their daughters- particularly Jezebel-, and he allowed the introduction of false gods into Israel's culture. While lip service was still paid to YHWH, nearly nobody truly worshiped Him anymore. Even many of the priests turned their hearts to idols. Ahab had temples erected for these false gods- namely, Moloch (god of war) and Asherah (goddess of fertility)- and the people went bonkers for these false gods. Stephens's book even describes a fictional, though accurate, story of a wild, wicked orgy of hypnosis, dancing, and sexuality that transpired outside a temple in an Israelite town. By the way, the story is told from the perspective of a priest of God who wanted to taste the occult activities for himself. Pretty bad stuff. Upon that, Israel even faced some military threats. This was truly a decisive time, a time when the TRUE GOD graciously and mightily acted to save His people from completely forsaking all knowledge of Him. And, as He often does, God uses a human agent to accomplish His purposes. Elijah. 

Elijah was called from the life he knew, the life of a desert-dweller, to enter into the chaos of Israel and to speak the strong message God had for them. He was appalled by the wickedness being done among a people who claimed to serve YHWH, and he spoke the truth with admirable, courageous boldness. Everyone must have thought, "Who is this burly, hairy, loud, wild man who stands before Israel and its king with such terrible boldness?" He really was hated by many people. He stood firm to God's truth and the calling with which he was called, even when the entire nation was swept away with frenzied idolatry and wickedness. He suffered from loneliness, because few others loved God. He was falsely accused and treated as a nut everywhere he went. Nonetheless, he only concerned himself with the task God had given him. And God, as always, did the remarkable. Seriously, I have a feeling of awe right now as I consider the fire from heaven engulfing the drenched altar. AMAZING! God is amazing! Nevertheless, even after that event, the people and the king failed to remove the wickedness from among them, and many returned to idol worship, although God's purpose was achieved and a remnant remained. 

So many parallels exist between our cultural situation and Elijah's. (Note: I speak as one living in American culture.) All around us, people give their allegiance to idols, things that will never satisfy, and we must stand firm in God's call and speak boldly of the the One who is truly Lord of all creation. We also see from Elijah's story that our message will often not be received well at all. Quite the opposite, actually. Yet, we see that if we are faithful God will do what He must do, He will reveal His glory in the most unexpected, powerful ways. For these reasons and more, I admire Elijah the man. Yes, he had existential doubts and times of disillusionment and self-pity, but he was courageous enough and bold enough to be used by God at a time when his nation needed to know the power of the Lord, which they had exchanged for the nothingness of false gods. Will we allow God to use us to impact our cultures for His glory? Will we take a stand? Will we answer the call? Elijah did. 

Superbly,

SmoothJazz

Also, Elijah was a great cross-country runner. 

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