A-1 INSIGHT: A Light Response to Rogue One

A LIGHT Response to ROGUE I

I seem to be feeling quite prolific in my writing this Christmas.  I hope some readers received encouragement from my last post. I hope again that this post brings some light to any readers who are followers of the Star Wars series.

Definition of rogue (Miriam Webster Dictionary)

  1. 1:vagranttramp
  2. 2: a dishonest or worthless person :  scoundrel
  3. 3: a mischievous person :  scamp
  4. 4: a horse inclined to shirk or misbehave
  5. 5: an individual exhibiting a chance and usually inferior biological variation

roguish play\ˈrō-gish\ adjective; roguishly adverb; roguishness noun

rogue origin

mid 16th century (denoting an idle vagrant): probably from Latin rogare ‘beg, ask,’ and related to obsolete slang roger ‘vagrant beggar’ (many such cant terms were introduced toward the middle of the 1700s

Definition of REBELLION (Miriam Webster Dictionary)

re·bel·lion rəˈbelyən/ noun

  1. an act of violent or open resistance to an established government or ruler.

“the authorities put down a rebellion by landless colonials”

synonyms: uprisingrevoltinsurrectionmutinyrevolution, insurgence, insurgency; More
  • the action or process of resisting authority, control, or convention.

“an act of teenage rebellion”

defiancedisobedience, rebelliousness, insubordination, subversion, subversiveness, resistance

“an act of rebellion”

OK…if you read my last blog you will know that I am pretty careful what I load my mind with, so it is unusual that I would consider loading up my memory bank with this sort of production. We were invited to join another couple to watch the movie together. There was no hesitation to do that. I attended, knowing my armour was firmly intact and my earplugs were tumbling about my hand in my pocket. This brings to mind the old adage: hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil. There is certainly no way to completely block out the bombardment of data thrown at your brain if you do attend one of these events, but earplugs will dilute the invasion. My husband and I have always enjoyed a movie night out and have thoroughly enjoyed many productions; we are also not shy at all to walk out of a movie if it proves unsavory. With this one I really wanted to know what it was that entertained and attracted so many followers. So, earplugs in place…Let the show begin. Wow! Wow! Wow! That is my bottom line response. Here is my observation of what we have evolved into. Darkness, darkness and more darkness. The darkness was so complete and dense and overwhelming I actually had to leave the theatre about 10 minutes before the movie finished. I literally craved the light!  The depth of darkness was beyond anything I could imagine.

Occasionally, I opened my eyes to see who-was-who and what all the ardent discussions, arguments and fighting was about. I honestly couldn’t tell who the good guys were and who the bad guys were.  They all seemed the same! Darkness fighting darkness for supremacy of an empire.  I think that was what it was all about. I think the good guys named themselves “rebellion”.  Hmmmm….something wasn’t making any sense to me as I continued to try to determine who was good and who was bad.  I think maybe I missed the point and realize now that there were no good guys or bad guys, just situations and striving for dominance and supremacy.  I don’t know if anyone actually achieved that target at the end.  I am sure there must be a Rogue II in the making. Perhaps it would read Rogue II The Continuing Battle for Supremacy.

I hope you are still with me in this as I had a most extraordinary experience the following morning as I was reading one of my favorite books.  I saw something amazing as I read…the movie producers might have added what I read as one of their additional characters and planets in this war for supremacy. Back to the movie. It was like connecting the dots. The Rebels travelled from planet to planet in the empire, gathering their rogue forces together to fight the final battle to take control and rule supreme. So…as I read my story I could see that the characters in my story fit beautifully in the Star Wars theme.  Here is what I was reading; I hope you see the correlation.

The leader of the rebel group headed out to their meeting and training center in order to instruct the group further on how to come together as a force. While their leader taught and counseled, another group of opposers entered the meeting place and confronted the leader with a member of his group of rebels who had broken one of their laws and insisted the offender be punished. There continued a debate back and forth as to what should be done to the rebel for punishment. The rebel leader looked at the opposers and suggested they punish the offender themselves if they saw fit; he didn’t find any fault in the rebel. The opposers feared to punish the law-breaker surrounded by the rebels and left the offender standing in the midst of the group. The leader turned and summoned the offender to join the group and to be careful to keep the laws of their opposers, also he reminded his followers that this law was sent by The Great Leader for their good. and then cautioned the rebel not to break it again. He continued with the briefing. Intimidated by the rebel leader the opposers remained in the back of the meeting room, hoping to find an offense to accuse him….a much bigger prize than one of the rogue followers.

The rebel leader directed his briefing to the group of opposers at the back of the meeting and reminded them: “I am the light of this world: those that follow me will not live in your darkness, but they will have freedom to live in my light.”

The opposers answered back. “You think you are some great power against us, but you are nothing.”

The leader responded. “Maybe I do think I am some great power, but what I say is true. You don’t know where I have come from in the universe, but I do. You can’t stop me as I come and go, nor can you stop my rebel followers. You can’t see that I am great and I am sent by one even greater than I. You have to join together with each other to say if one or the other is true, but I know who I am because the One who sent me is my witness and he is greater than any of you.”

“Who is this One that you say is so great? “

“You don’t know him or me. But you will.”

His opposers spoke amongst themselves and turned and left the meeting room, not knowing how to retaliate against or refute what the leader spoke.

The leader called out to the backs of the opposers as they retreated. “I go my way in freedom, but you shall all die in your feebleness. Where I go you can’t touch me. You are powerless.”

The opposers mumbled between themselves hoping that this man would kill himself and get off their planet. The leader of the rebels overheard their snide cursings and shouted out after them. “I am from a greater place than this planet. I am not from here and you cannot follow where I go! You could join me and then you would see, but you are lost here without help or power!”

The opposers turned back on him. “Who do you think you are coming here and challenging us? You are treading on thin ice, rebel.”

“I have told you who I am, join me or get out of the way. The Great One that sent me will make a judgement against you and you shall die in your foolishness of defiance against him. I am here to gather together the rebels that will hear the truth of The Great One of the universe. I tell them only those things I have heard from him and they are true. This planet will fall and there will be no help for those who oppose The Great One.” 

The opposers had heard of this Great One. They understood what the rebel leader said to them.

The rebel leader finished with this. “You might succeed in taking me out as you see it, but I live forever and you cannot destroy me. But I have the power and authority of my Leader to take you out forever. I will rise up again, but you will taste death forever. I do only what my Leader shows me, you do only what your leader shows you. I am the light of the universe, I shall live and rule the universe forever; you shall die and live in a place of dark torment forever.”

Then some of the opposers believed the rebel leader and joined with his followers. The leader turned to them and said, “If you continue to learn what I teach you and do what I tell you I will consider you followers and take you where I go and show you The Great Leader. You will understand that I tell you the truth and you will live in my light and be free.”

Those who turned to follow the rebels began to contest with the leader. “We have had a great leader and have always had freedom. Why do you say that we need to be free again?”

“Ah, yes. You have known a great leader and freedom, but you turned away from him and now you do not have the freedom The Great Leader offers you.  You now have a new leader for your freedom and do as your new leader tells you and his freedom changes and shifts. But The Great Leader never changes and his freedom is always the same. Your great leader leads you to darkness to find freedom. The Great Leader leads you to light where you can see and live and revel in his freedom that never changes or shifts. Your great leader must fight for supremacy and rule. The Great Leader does not strive for supremacy…He is supremacy. He is the light and there is no darkness in him. He rules and reigns forever and I rule with him forever. You will die in your darkness, but I will live forever in His light. I have made you free today from the darkness of eternal death. You now have the freedom to live in my Great Leader’s light forever.”

Then the rebel leader concluded. “I know that you come from a great leader that knows who I am and who knows The Great Leader, yet some of you want me dead, hoping to regain supremacy of this planet and don’t follow your great leader as I know him, but have made laws and rules of your own that force followers to submit to your own leadership and you have turned from the instruction of your great leader to the leader of the darkness of this planet. We rebel not against The Great Leader, but against the darkness of the leader of this planet. We bring the light that overcomes his darkness. If you followed the great leader whom you say you follow, you would love me as he loves me. But you follow the ruler and leader of the darkness of this planet and you cannot hear my words and you shall all die in darkness and eternal torment. The leader of the darkness of your planet that you follow is a murderer and his purpose is to lead you to war and death, killing and mutilating and deceiving in order to gain power and supremacy. But he will not succeed against the light.”

He turned again summoning anyone who would step forward. “Is there one of you who can convict me of darkness or lawlessness? I obey all your laws since I came to this planet. I only speak of the light and seek followers who understand The Great One and his ways.” 

Contention arose again as the opposers moved back into the meeting room. “You accuse us of following a murderer. You are possessed with the forces of the universe.

“I am not possessed with any force of the universe, but as I conduct myself I show you The Great Leader of the universe and you do not believe me. I tell you if you turn from the darkness that you follow on this planet and follow me and The Great Leader that sent me, you will never see death.”

“You are out of your mind and for certain you are possessed with the forces of the universe. How can you say you know our great leader and he was dead long before you were even on this planet?”

“Before your great leader was I existed and ruled with The Great Leader. Now you say you know him, but your ways do not tell me that you know him. But I know him. You are liars when you say you know him. I know him because I keep his laws and do his will.”

The oppressors moved in violently to take the rebel leader to kill him, but he moved freely between them and left the meeting room with his rebel followers.

The Bible: John Ch 8 (as paraphrased: by Alison Teed)

F-3 INSPIRATION: MERRY Christmas Everyone!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Do you hate the feeling of discouragement?  Well, so do I! I can’t stand the invasion of any negative presence in my mind.

  1. Discouragement can affect our judgment in so many ways: actions, words, decisions to mention just a few. I make it a policy now that if I have been overtaken by discouragement (which happens to us all from time to time) it is not a time to make any sort of decisions until I encourage myself again…or someone comes along that encourages me. Then I can see clearly and think clearly to make a decision that is sound and profitable. I have counselled others numerous times to not make emotional decisions: whether it is at a moment of an extreme joyful state or, at a time of a general state of discouragement…or anger…or confusion…frustration. I think one of the worst emotional decisions that we make as a people is separation from our loved ones. I would say after many years as a lay-counselor that 90% of divorces happen during a state of emotional turmoil. I recall our friend, pastor and counselor (psychologist) (Dr.) Paddy Ducklow many years ago encouraging us with these words, “I know that it feels like everything has been tossed in the air and it will never come down again….but it will. You might FEEL like you can’t take any more, but you can.”  His words were true and have sustained us through many trials and testings over the years. Thanks, Paddy!

If you are discouraged today, please know that there is ALWAYS hope for a future. My husband says, “It’s not over ‘til it’s over.” And this is also a powerful truth and encouragement. There have been moments in my life where suddenly all hope seemed to vanish and I was left with a sense of hopelessness. I felt that I would never recover and my life was over as I knew it.  BUT…GOD IS BIGGER THAN ANY DISCOURAGEMENT WE FACE. HE IS A GOD OF RECOVERY, GRACE, LOVE, LONG SUFFERING, COMPASSION, MERCY AND ON AND ON….

God always speaks to me to be “strong and courageous” when I feel knocked down. Believe me, I don’t feel like being strong or courageous when I am sitting in the pit of glum. In fact, I would just as well like to give up and quit. BUT! I know from experience to….

Ps 27:14

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. KJV

Ps 37:7-9

7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. KJV

And my favorite reminder from my God….

Isa 40:30-31

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. KJV

Now…if you are beginning to feel some encouragement and that yukky sense of hopelessness is fading and your mind is clearing and your shoulders are straightening, here are a few tidbits to keep you going and help you completely shed the heaviness of hopelessness…or just get free from the yuks of life:

I have found that each and every time I become discouraged over something God steps in very quickly and speaks encouragement from His Word. Why His encouragement doesn’t just yank me out of me gloomy state, I don’t understand. Somehow it takes His Word PLUS the compassion and mercy of my fellow sojourners to lift me out and send me on my way.  I hope that this post is that additional boost to lift you up and send you merrily on your way.  SPEAKING OF “MERRILY”!    This came to my attention this morning as I was watching 100 Huntly Street.  There was a segment on sharing the original definition of the Christmas greeting “Merry” Christmas. It was a wonderful boost and I pass it on to you.

One Hundered Huntley:

(Paraphrased)

The Christmas greeting Merry Christmas originated about 500 years ago with the first Christmas carol. The definition of “merry” is not referring to happy or even joyful, but its usage was to depict “great (ness), might (iness) and strength”. I love this!  Amen, brother! I can’t wait to wish the next person I see a merry Christmas! A GREAT Christmas…a Christmas full of might and strength!  Amen to all! Even the song “God rest you merry gentlemen” makes more sense. This is a wish for these men to be great, full of might and strength. Awesome!

I decided to take this another step:

Prov 15:13

13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. KJV

Strong’s Concordance: Merry (vs 13 and 15) here is to be joyful, have wealth, welfare, be loving and be well favoured.  But what caught my attention was the word spirit in vs 13:

Strong’s Concordance 7303: a broken spirit = courage (is broken), mind (is broken), breath (is broken)

Wow! That just about says it all.  When we feel discouraged our courage is broken, our mind is broken and even our breath is broken (Have you ever noticed when your breathing becomes shallow?). Give this a little thought and you will get the picture.

Prov 15:15

15 All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. KJV

Well, all of us receive a few lemons and some of us a lot of crap. It’s what we do with those lemons and all the crap that defines us. You know to turn lemons in to lemonade, but have you ever used the crap as a rich fertilizer and grow the best darned crop of lusciousness you ever saw!  Ha, ha, ha on the devil.  Remember…we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, brother, sister, father, mother, our children, friends, spouse or neighbor, but against the forces of darkness in this world. GOD IS GREATER AND SO ARE WE!  Ephesians 6:12-19

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! (from The Willows Freedom House)