Ethan Hawke has made a movie as scandalous as one of the writer's short stories.Why not write something that “a lot, a lot, of people like?” Regina O’Connor asks her daughter, the writer Flannery O’Connor, in the middle of the new biopic Wildcat. The same question might be put to the film itself. It’s not a movie that a lot of people will like. But unlike the author’s mother, I mean that as a high compliment. Director and screenwriter Ethan Hawke has made a film worthy of Flannery O’Connor’s genius.An epigraph from O’Connor’s essay “The Nature and Aim of Fiction” sums up what Wildcat sets out to do: “I’m always irritated by people who imply writing fiction is an escape from reality. It is a plunge into reality.” Fittingly, rather than depict the writer’s life from birth to death, Wildcat uses her fiction to discover what’s real, to “get down under things” to the problem of suffering, the limitations of human experience, the desire for goodness, the habits of evil, and, always present, the longing for God.The result is a movie as scandalous as one of O’Connor’s short stories—“shocking to the system,” to borrow her words. Her devotees will applaud it; most of the audience will be left wondering what just clobbered them.After that opening epigraph, Wildcat rolls a fake trailer for a 1950s-style horror flick inspired by O’Connor’s story “The Comforts of Home.” (A mother brings home a wayward, orphaned teen who tries to seduce her grown son. The son attempts to kill the teen, but shoots his own mother instead.) The trailer, starring Laura Linney and Maya Hawke—who also play the roles of Regina and Flannery— sets up expectations ...Continue reading...

Authored by Frank Fang via The Epoch Times Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, recently warned about China's “breathtakingly fast” development of space...US Space Force General Says China’s Military Developing Space Assets At “Breathtaking Speed”

Authored by Frank Fang via The Epoch Times Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, recently warned about China's “breathtakingly fast” development of space...US Space Force General Says China’s Military Developing Space Assets At “Breathtaking Speed”

Florida Supreme Court Approves Pro-Life Law, But Sets the Stage for Abortion Showdown in November...

The James Webb Space Telescope sees mature stars and galaxies too early for big bang theory.

You Can Trust God with Your MoneyAlan FongThu, 02/15/2024 - 02:00 Wise Financial Practices for Every Christian Is it not one of the great contradictions of the Christian life that we who have trusted Christ with our eternity sometimes struggle to trust Him with our money? God promises to meet our needs, and we all have testimonies of specific times and ways that He has done so. Yet, we still sometimes find a gap between wanting to trust Him with our finances and actually doing so.So what are some of the regular financial practices that help us exercise trust in God?Understand the biblical principle of stewardship? Everything we have—including our earning power and income—is a stewardship from God. Deuteronomy? 8:18 teaches us to “. . . remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth . . . .” It is God who blesses us with jobs and the health to work them. It is the Lord who blesses us with wise choices, good timing, and profitable return on our investments. Everything we have comes from God and belongs to God. He has entrusted us to manage His resources for Him.? Honor God by tithing? The Bible instructs us, “Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase” (Proverbs 3:9). We are to set aside the first 10 percent (tithe) of our income and financial increase (passive income and capital gains) to give to the Lord. The tithe is holy and belongs to the Lord (Leviticus? 27:30). Giving it back to God allows us to see His continued blessing in our lives in a way we would not otherwise see. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachai 3:10).Give generously to God's work? Be ready to give an offering to the Lord over and above your tithe as the Lord impresses upon you to give. This would include participating in special offerings at church as well as regular giving to missions and other special funds through your church. We should “be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate” (1? Timothy 6:18).Create and live within a balanced budget? We must live within our means as well as planning for the future. One of the best ways to do this is to create a budget that takes into account our current income and regular expenditures. Our budget should include categories for both present and reoccurring needs. (For instance, some bills come only once per year, but you can set aside money toward the upcoming bill each month. Additional reoccurring needs that may not be present in every pay check include activities for your children, clothing, etc.) Creating and living within a budget helps guard against impulsive or excessive spending.? Save diligently for the future? Be sure to include savings in your budget. It is wise to save a minimum of 20 percent of your take home pay for emergencies and long-term investments. (Of this 20 percent, many people find it helpful to save up to a certain amount for an emergency fund and then redirect that part of their budget to investments until they need to use their emergency fund.) Any gifts and inheritances you receive can also be saved and invested. If available to you, it's good to participate in your employer-sponsored pretax retirement 401(k) or 403(b) plans, especially when they include matching funds.Do some research on investing basics to learn how to grow your money, and seek counsel for these decisions. Hard earned money is what we are paid for our labor. Smart money is when we have our money work for us. It's a good plan to use hard earned money to create smart money. It is important that you establish predetermined checkpoints to see how well you are on track in accumulating money for your future retirement needs.Pray over every financial decision? One of the great indicators of our faith is our prayer life. Part of trusting the Lord with our finances is seeking His direction in them. When it comes to creating a budget, determining your giving, setting up investments, and making large purchases, be sure to seek God's face and ask Him for? wisdom.Establish a will? It's important that you establish a will and trust for the proper distribution of your assets in the event of your death for the care of your survivors. You should also invest in adequate life and disability insurance to fill in shortfalls in your savings and accumulation goals.Live for eternal goals? Be careful that you don't fall into the trap of living for money and riches. First Timothy 6:9 warns, “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”Trust in God? It's all too easy to begin trusting in our budget or our income to meet our needs rather than trusting in the Lord. But riches are uncertain. Instead of trusting in “uncertain riches,” we should “trust . . . in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17).And you can trust God. You can be faithful in your tithes and offerings, trusting God to provide for your needs. You can trust Him when you are called upon to make financial sacrifices for the Lord's work or to help someone in need. You can trust God when you have a job layoff. You can trust God when the economy is in a recession. You can trust Him when unexpected expenses arise or when your children go to college. You can trust Him if you are called upon to help take care of your parents. You can trust Him to help you make wise choices. You can trust Him in helping you to manage and steward your finances well. Category Christian Living Tags Finances Christian Living

You Can Trust God with Your MoneyAlan FongThu, 02/15/2024 - 02:00 Wise Financial Practices for Every Christian Is it not one of the great contradictions of the Christian life that we who have trusted Christ with our eternity sometimes struggle to trust Him with our money? God promises to meet our needs, and we all have testimonies of specific times and ways that He has done so. Yet, we still sometimes find a gap between wanting to trust Him with our finances and actually doing so.So what are some of the regular financial practices that help us exercise trust in God?Understand the biblical principle of stewardship? Everything we have—including our earning power and income—is a stewardship from God. Deuteronomy? 8:18 teaches us to “. . . remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth . . . .” It is God who blesses us with jobs and the health to work them. It is the Lord who blesses us with wise choices, good timing, and profitable return on our investments. Everything we have comes from God and belongs to God. He has entrusted us to manage His resources for Him.? Honor God by tithing? The Bible instructs us, “Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase” (Proverbs 3:9). We are to set aside the first 10 percent (tithe) of our income and financial increase (passive income and capital gains) to give to the Lord. The tithe is holy and belongs to the Lord (Leviticus? 27:30). Giving it back to God allows us to see His continued blessing in our lives in a way we would not otherwise see. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachai 3:10).Give generously to God's work? Be ready to give an offering to the Lord over and above your tithe as the Lord impresses upon you to give. This would include participating in special offerings at church as well as regular giving to missions and other special funds through your church. We should “be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate” (1? Timothy 6:18).Create and live within a balanced budget? We must live within our means as well as planning for the future. One of the best ways to do this is to create a budget that takes into account our current income and regular expenditures. Our budget should include categories for both present and reoccurring needs. (For instance, some bills come only once per year, but you can set aside money toward the upcoming bill each month. Additional reoccurring needs that may not be present in every pay check include activities for your children, clothing, etc.) Creating and living within a budget helps guard against impulsive or excessive spending.? Save diligently for the future? Be sure to include savings in your budget. It is wise to save a minimum of 20 percent of your take home pay for emergencies and long-term investments. (Of this 20 percent, many people find it helpful to save up to a certain amount for an emergency fund and then redirect that part of their budget to investments until they need to use their emergency fund.) Any gifts and inheritances you receive can also be saved and invested. If available to you, it's good to participate in your employer-sponsored pretax retirement 401(k) or 403(b) plans, especially when they include matching funds.Do some research on investing basics to learn how to grow your money, and seek counsel for these decisions. Hard earned money is what we are paid for our labor. Smart money is when we have our money work for us. It's a good plan to use hard earned money to create smart money. It is important that you establish predetermined checkpoints to see how well you are on track in accumulating money for your future retirement needs.Pray over every financial decision? One of the great indicators of our faith is our prayer life. Part of trusting the Lord with our finances is seeking His direction in them. When it comes to creating a budget, determining your giving, setting up investments, and making large purchases, be sure to seek God's face and ask Him for? wisdom.Establish a will? It's important that you establish a will and trust for the proper distribution of your assets in the event of your death for the care of your survivors. You should also invest in adequate life and disability insurance to fill in shortfalls in your savings and accumulation goals.Live for eternal goals? Be careful that you don't fall into the trap of living for money and riches. First Timothy 6:9 warns, “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”Trust in God? It's all too easy to begin trusting in our budget or our income to meet our needs rather than trusting in the Lord. But riches are uncertain. Instead of trusting in “uncertain riches,” we should “trust . . . in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17).And you can trust God. You can be faithful in your tithes and offerings, trusting God to provide for your needs. You can trust Him when you are called upon to make financial sacrifices for the Lord's work or to help someone in need. You can trust God when you have a job layoff. You can trust God when the economy is in a recession. You can trust Him when unexpected expenses arise or when your children go to college. You can trust Him if you are called upon to help take care of your parents. You can trust Him to help you make wise choices. You can trust Him in helping you to manage and steward your finances well. Category Christian Living Tags Finances Christian Living

Season 4 of the popular Jesus show, now in theaters, takes a turn for the serious. CT reports from its premiere and press junket in LA.

Season 4 of the popular Jesus show, now in theaters, takes a turn for the serious. CT reports from its premiere and press junket in LA.

Some species of deer grow full sets of antlers every year. Learn what stem cells have to do with this.

. . . and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.by Phil Johnsonavin Ortlund has written a blogpost titled "Should Churches in California Defy Government Restrictions? A Response to John MacArthur." Time won't permit me to go through his entire post, but I want to clarify one point that Ortlund gets wrong, because it's a crucial one, and I've seen it repeated several times on Twitter. (I've even had a couple of angry emails from people who think John MacArthur said what Ortlund claims he said.) Since it's the starting point of Ortlund's blogpost, much of what he writes in the piece hinges on his misunderstanding of a partial quote he has pulled from MacArthur.Ortlund writes, for example, "To claim that those complying with the government restrictions 'don't know what a church is and . . . don't shepherd their people' is both unhelpful and unkind" (italics added). MacArthur made no such blanket statement, but Ortlund seems to believe that's what he meant, and Ortlund feels personally targeted by it.Here's what John MacArthur did say, with a little bit of context:Churches are shutting down. Large churches are shutting down until (they say) January. I don't have any way to understand that—other than they don't know what a church is and they don't shepherd their people. But that's sad. And you have a lot of people in Christianity who seem to be significant leaders who aren't giving any strength and courage to the church. They're not standing up and rising up and calling on Christians to be the church in the world.—John MacArthur (2 August 2020)As the context plainly shows, Pastor MacArthur was talking about pastors who are doing what Andy Stanley and JD Greear have done—namely, they have stopped gathering as a church and made small home groups a long-term substitute for congregational worship. And they say they have no intention of re-gathering the whole flock until sometime in 2021.MacArthur's remark was not about masks and social distancing. It wasn't aimed at churches that have continued to gather the flock by moving their services outdoors or off site. And let's be clear: That would exclude Gavin Ortlund from MacArthur's censure. In his blogpost, Ortlund himself says, "Our church has chosen to meet outdoors." Wonderful. He is to be commended for that. But would Pastor Ortlund not actually agree that it would reflect an unbiblical notion of what the church should be if he had given up on the duty spelled out in Hebrews 10:25—which (by the way) Ortlund himself lists first in his list of "four biblical values that should inform our decision-making in this situation"?No one who is making a good-faith effort not to forsake the regular assembly has any cause to feel insulted by John MacArthur's comment. I'm convinced that no one who is listening carefully to what Pastor MacArthur is saying (and what he has said—repeatedly—about Grace Church's response to the indefinite extension of the quarantine in California) has any cause to feel targeted—unless they are arguing that long-term closure of churches is the right response to the pandemic.I admit, it did surprise me last week when Jonathan Leeman, Editorial Director of the 9Marks ministry, indicated he appreciated JD Greear's approach, implying that canceling congregational worship for the rest of the year is a viable (perhaps even better) answer to the quarantine than John MacArthur's decision simply to open the doors of the church and allow the congregation to come. Leeman himself had previously written an excellent article, "The Church Gathered," defending the priority of the congregational assembly.In the discussions currently taking place in various Internet forums, it seems there is no shortage of church leaders who, faced with the pragmatic difficulties of the recent pandemic, have adopted the view that it's just fine for a pastor to make plans not to gather the flock at all for the better part of a year. Those who think that way ought to feel the sting of John MacArthur's rebuke. The prevalence of such thinking among evangelicals is a disturbing reality, and one that shouldn't be glossed over or downplayed just because someone's feelings might accidentally get hurt.MacArthur was absolutely right in what he said. Those who think closing churches for the remainder of the calendar year is a good plan frankly don't have a biblical understanding of what the church is to be. The fact that so many in current positions of church leadership don't see that sets up a scary scenario for the future of the evangelical movement.