Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Millions of Christians Send Clear Message to Hollywood

Sean Astin in 'Woodlawn' (YouTube)

Millions of Christians Send Clear Message to Hollywood

It's not often that a film centered on the power of prayer breaks big box-office numbers. But that's exactly the case with War Room, a new movie that tells the story of a marital crisis overcome by prayer. War Room, made for just $3 million, has now raked in more than $50 million after capturing the No. 1 spot earlier this month.

And War Room, from the creators of Courageous, Fireproof and Facing the Giants, is not alone. An influx of family-friendly, faith-based films is hitting the big screen this fall, including Captive, featuring the Emmy-nominated David Oyelowo and Kate Mara. The two star in the faith-based crime drama that opened on Sept. 18, where Oyelowo plays a killer on the run and Mara is his drug-addicted hostage. But underneath the gritty storyline, faith plays a significant role.

Then next month, the football drama Woodlawn, starring Academy Award winner Jon Voight and Sean Astin, follows a remarkable true story about how love and unity, fueled by spiritual revival, overcame racism and hate in Alabama in the early 1970s. Opening Oct. 16, the film is already creating buzz.

American Family Association, which often champions for family-friendly entertainment, says the attention to faith-based films this fall is evidence that Christian moviegoers are sending a message about the kind of entertainment they want to see in Hollywood. AFA adds that these faith-based, "good news" films will have an indelible impact on kids, families and society.

"American Family Association takes on many heavy issues in society, but we like to go to the movies too," said AFA President Tim Wildmon. "When entertainment, however, tears down our society and is a negative influence on our kids, we feel we must step in. At the same time, when there are wonderful options for families to watch together, we want to bring these films to the attention of everyone. For decades, the big screen has been dominated by violence, sex, drugs and crime. But this fall, there is a bit of light, and families whose dollars are driven by their values will have some great movie picks this fall. Hopefully, this trend is a glimpse of things to come and our culture will show some evidence of the impact."

Likewise, AFA's own film debut, Summer Snow, went international this summer, with screenings in several countries around the world, including Spain, Brazil, Germany and Turkey, with interest from South Africa, the United Kingdom, Australia and more. Released in the summer of 2014 by American Family Studios, a division of AFA,Summer Snow saw great success in the theater, on DVD and in its television debut on UPtv.

Starring David Chisum, Cameron Goodman, Garrett Backstrom, Brett Rice and Rachel Eggleston, Summer Snow tells the story of 8-year-old Hallie Benson (Eggleston), a small girl with a very big heart. Whether baking cookies for a grumpy neighbor or selling toothbrushes to help a friend, Hallie always thinks of others. Unfortunately, her "creative" ways of helping people often leave her father, Dan (Chisum), with a mess to clean up. Dan struggles to keep it all together after his wife's death. He doesn't cook, do hair or know how to help his three children without his beautiful wife and her unshakeable faith in God.

This past weekend at Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C., where several AFA representatives were featured speakers and moderators, attendees had the opportunity for a sneak peek of Woodlawn, as well as Beyond the Farthest Star, which tells the story of a Democratic senator who burns a courthouse nativity and brings the national spotlight to a forgotten Texas town and a once-famous preacher.

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Tuesday, September 1, 2015

How 'War Room' Became a Biblical Box Office Smash

Miss Clara, one of the characters in 'War Room' (Facebook)

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Outside of evangelical circles, the names Alex Kendrick and Stephen Kendrick are likely to be met with blank stares.

But thanks to low-budget hits like Fireproof and Courageous, the brothers have transformed themselves into Steven Spielbergs of Christian cinema. Their names above the title are enough to open movies that are firmly pitched to the faithful.

This drawing power was firmly on display when War Room, a celebration of the purpose-driven life, stunned box office watchers by nearly dethroning Straight Outta Compton as the weekend's highest-grossing domestic release with its $11 million debut. That's particularly impressive given that the religious drama was playing on a third of the number of screens as the N.W.A biopic.

"It's a great example of the power of a brand," said Chris Stone, founder of the consumer advocacy group Faith Driven Consumer. "The Kendrick brothers' films have an authenticity with this audience. They have consistently delivered a good product that resonates with the community."

Don't count reviewers among the fans. War Room has a woeful 18 percent "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics like the Los Angeles Times' Michael Rechtshaffen dismissing the film as "mighty long-winded and wincingly overwrought."

Alex Kendrick, a former pastor who handles directing duties on the brothers' films, said the filmmakers are accustomed to the rough notices.

"Critics in Hollywood are rough with us," said Kendrick. "They don't understand why we make our movies or our worldview. But our target audience gets them and that's who we want to draw closer to a walk with God."

War Room, the story of a disintegrating marriage rescued by intense prayer, was produced for a slender $3 million and distributed by Sony's Affirm division. It is on pace to be among the Kendrick brothers' biggest hits, rivaling the $34.5 million brought in by "Courageous" and the $33.5 million generated from Fireproof. It also continues Sony's success with the genre—the studio scored with Soul Surfer and Heaven is for Real, as well as fielded the Kendricks' films.

Credit for War Room's ticket sales surge goes to its cast of African-Americans. That allowed the film to draw from pools of black and white moviegoers, an essential ingredient in its success given that polling shows that African-Americans are more religious than the U.S. population as a whole.

Nearly 90 percent of African-Americans describe themselves as belonging to a religious group, with six out of ten coming from historically black protestant churches and 15 percent hailing from evangelical churches, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. For War Room, that translated to a racially diverse opening weekend crowd that was 36 percent African-American and 42 percent Caucasian, according to exit data.

Dramatic necessity, not commercial considerations, was at the root of the decision, Kendrick claims.

"When we were working on the plot it just seemed more powerful and passionate when told through the perspective of African-Americans," said Kendrick. "I'm not sure it would have been as heart-grabbing if we hadn't done that."

Getting the word out about the picture involved a massive grassroots effort. Facebook was particularly active, as the film's page attracted more than half a million fans, though its presence on Twitter was only marginal. More important was the work that the Kendricks did to raise awareness. The brothers shot set videos to keep audiences informed about the production and prepared packets that they sent to churches that included materials that could be incorporated into sermons prior to the film's release.

"For the Kendricks, the dialog is ongoing," said Rory Bruer, Sony's distribution chief. "The word gets out there and people are talking about the movie for many months before it opens. It all results in a cool crescendo."

Sony largely steered clear of wider-reaching platforms such as television and paid email marketing, and opted for a more conservative release pattern. Instead of debuting the film on 2,500 screens or more, as it would a typical wide-release, the studio launched it across 1,135 theaters that were heavily weighted toward the South and Midwest, where the populations are more religious.

"Films like this have an intense appeal across a narrow demographic," said Seth Willenson, an industry consultant. "You can reach a targeted audience."

War Room is hardly the first faith-based film to break out. Recent releases like God's Not Dead and Heaven is for Real have routinely affirmed the power of this audience. But when Hollywood has tried to commodify what the Kendricks do, by steering clear of the Biblical literalism and trying to make religious stories palatable for secular crowds, the results have been mixed. Noah made money but kicked up a firestorm of controversy with its departures from the Old Testament, while Exodus: Gods and Kings, an attempt to refashion the story of Moses as a Gladiator-style adventure, flopped.

"We're certainly always grateful for themes of redemption and faith in films," said Kendrick. "Where we have problem is when they take our most respected scripture and twist it in a way that is at odds with our beliefs."

Kendrick hopes that studios will take less artistic license with upcoming religious epics such as Ben-Hur and Risen, the story of a Roman centurion tasked with investigating reports of Jesus' resurrection.

"We're hopeful that these will be faithful to scripture or to the original story, and if they are, we will flock in droves," he said.

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Tuesday, November 18, 2014

WATCH: Glenn Beck Gets Real About Christian Entertainment

Glenn Beck gets real about the Christian entertainment industry. (Courtesy)

For Christianity to grow, it's vital Christians share their faith, but the problem is that Christians are now preaching to the faithful, Glenn Beck says, especially when it comes to Christian entertainment.

"I go to these movies, and I think, 'Who are you talking to?'" Beck says.

He continued, "I can't bring my friend who doesn't go to church because it's too in your face, and I don't know if church people get that."

Watch Beck talk with Doug Anderson, pastor of Rose Heights Church, about how to reach out to the unchurched.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

God and Atheists in Hollywood by Geoff McClelland

God and Atheists in Hollywood

by Geoff McClelland

Identity Network

Hollywood's Year of the Bible

Earlier this year Hollywood released the Bible-based blockbuster Noah to the tune of $100 million in box office receipts. Christians gleefully anticipated the epic ark-building adventure. But glee quickly turned to ire once the movie premiered. The Noah character was wrong, God was misrepresented, and fallen angels were portrayed as good guys - a few heresy issues.

In retrospect, this shouldn't have been terribly surprising. A self-proclaimed atheist wrote, produced, and directed the movie. Darren Aronofsky is a filmmaker - a great one at that. But a theologian? Not so much.

Another Bible-based movie is slated for release later this year - Exodus: Gods and Kings - which is based on, as you might have guessed, the story of Moses and the Hebrews' flight from Egypt. An even bigger Hollywood talent is producing and directing this one: Sir Ridley Scott. He is not just a great director - he's legendary! However, he is also a self-proclaimed atheist.

What's Going on Here?

The question we ought to be asking here is, "What is provoking Hollywood moguls to produce Bible-based films?" Some suggest it's for the love of money. After all, who in Hollywood doesn't love money? But there are hundreds of movies that don't mention God and still make a lot of money (you may have noticed this.) There's a trend in Hollywood to produce established, epic stories right now. What is more established and epic than the story of Noah's ark? But I don't think this is it either. The answer may not be what you think.

Think about this: The great flood is a testament. Four thousand years of literature across multiple cultures (plus archeology and geology) all indicate that something profound occurred. Aronofsky's movie, in spite of artistic license and flawed biblical accuracy, is one more testament of the flood. Every testimony of God's sovereignty is a strike against the enemy. One of two key factors in overcoming the enemy is "the word of our testimony." Jesus put it more poetically, but He basically said the devil doesn't do the work of God. So it doesn't make sense to hold the position that the devil prompted the making of a movie that testifies against him. That would indicate a house divided.

Likewise, the Exodus narrative testifies of God's faithfulness to deliver His people out of slavery from Egypt. God told the Israelites to remember this throughout their generations by writing it on their doorposts, talking of it often with their children, and setting up stones as a reminder of all that He had done. What is the enemy's best strategy regarding this story? Deny, deny, deny! But make it a major Hollywood movie? Hardly. Any error caused by the enemy in these films is damage control, not strategy.

Are We Living in the Last Days?

The prophet Joel said in the last days God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh! How much flesh? All flesh. That possibly includes everything that has breath. Is God pouring out His Spirit on believers in these days? Of course He is. But everyone is eligible to hear the Spirit of God in the last days (this does not imply salvation.) If "all flesh" includes unbelievers, it would seem even they have the ability to pick up on the unction of the Holy Spirit. Albeit they may neither recognize the source or properly steward the call. Atheists don't believe in God, but that doesn't mean God doesn't believe in them. Could it be that God is planting the desire to retell these biblical stories into the hearts of Hollywood kings who don't even acknowledge His existence?

Let's interpret the times. Jesus compared the days prior to His second coming to the days of Noah. The ark underwent construction for the better part of a century, serving as a sign for that generation. The plagues of Egypt were signs to the Egyptians, but they serve as signs to us as well. God used Moses to demonstrate to Pharaoh that the Egyptians' resistance to His will is futile. For some reason, God has chosen at this time in history to highlight these historical events once again as a testimony to the world. And He has made use of the multi-billion dollar worldwide distribution system of the film industry to help with this task.

God is Sovereign

Psalm 135 tells us that the Lord does whatever He pleases, in heaven and on earth. To use an atheist to accomplish His will is not beyond the scope and ability of God. Just ask Cyrus the Great. Over a century before the birth of Cyrus, Isaiah prophesied that he would perform all God's desire; he would declare Jerusalem to be rebuilt and the foundations of the temple to be laid again (Isaiah 44:28). It all came to pass, just as God had foretold, but Cyrus was a Persian king, not a Hebrew. He worshiped false gods - Marduk, Bel, and Nabu - not the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Yet God still chose to use him to fulfill His plans of restoration for that generation.

I can hear some Christians protesting, "What about the bad doctrine and biblical inaccuracy in these movies?" Thankfully God isn't hung up on bad doctrine. We should all cultivate sound biblical doctrine, but we also must realize that everyone is in process. Nobody on earth has infallible doctrine, yet everyone seems to think of himself as the one person closest to it. Pope Francis recently said that if we try to build unity around doctrinal issues, we will only achieve it after the apocalypse. When the criminal hanging on the cross next to Jesus said, "Remember me when You come into Your kingdom," Jesus didn't respond with, "Well, first let's examine your theology and see if you hold correct beliefs."

In fact, the religious leaders in Jesus's day were so hung up on correct doctrine that they couldn't accept Jesus as the Messiah when He was standing right before their very eyes. They said, "No one will know where the Messiah comes from, but this guy is from Bethlehem." "Nothing good can come from Nazareth," others suggested. Some even asked, "Would the Savior touch lepers or heal on the Sabbath?"

What about today? Could strict adherence to doctrinal beliefs blind us from seeing the work of the Spirit as it did to religious leaders in Jesus's day? Oddly enough, prostitutes and tax collectors didn't have a problem with Jesus. They were open to His genuine love and divine wisdom.

The Bottom Line

I believe Noah and Exodus are modern-day testaments to a lost world at a key time in history. But I also believe God is trying to provoke His own people to jealousy through them. In the first century, God used Paul as an apostle to the Gentiles in order that the Jews might be provoked to jealousy. This was His wake-up call to break old mindsets and be open to the greater revelation of His purposes. New wine can only be put into new wineskins. And today is no different. God's ways are still higher than our ways, and He shakes our beliefs once in a while to separate that which is divine from that which is human.

If we want to see Bible-based movies made by Christians that will more closely adhere to the biblical narrative, then we must stop cursing the film industry (which is essentially just handing it over to the enemy). Instead, we should bless it and pray for those God has placed in its midst. This will bring it back under His authority and move us closer to "on earth as it is in heaven." Let him who has an eye keep watch. I believe God has much more to say through the film industry - hopefully through his people, not in spite of them.

Geoff McClelland

www.grasshoppercinema.com

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Thursday, March 6, 2014

J. Lee Grady - Jesus in Movies: Best (and Worst) Portrayals

The Envelope, Please: Best (and Worst) Portrayals

of Jesus in Movies

3/5/2014 J. LEE GRADY CHARISMA MAGAZINE

Hollywood doesn’t always treat religion with respect, but Jesus still does pretty well at the box office when He’s the star. The new film Son of God raked in $26.5 million on opening weekend despite bad reviews. Some critics complained that the guy who played Jesus was too good-looking!

All the concern over actor Diogo Morgado’s hotness prompted two questions: Do we have any clue what Jesus really looked like, and has He ever been portrayed accurately on film? Those who insist that Jesus was not attractive usually quote the prophet Isaiah, who said of the Messiah, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him” (Is. 53:2, NIV). But theologians argue that this was not saying Jesus was ugly—it simply means He was not a rich or powerful leader that people would naturally follow.

All we really know about Jesus’ appearance is that He was born of a Jewish mother and that He seemed to fit in well in Nazareth for most of His life. While Jews living in Israel tend to have olive-colored skin and darker hair, some Jews have lighter skin. And since Jesus didn’t take any selfies in the first century, it is left to our imagination whether He had a beard and long hair or if He had an athletic build because He was a carpenter’s son.

Filmmakers have tried to fill in these blanks for us, and the results have ranged from tasteful to laughable. Here are 10 of the most well-known portrayals of Jesus on film. If you don’t agree with my ranking, from best to worst, feel free to share your opinions.

1. Ben-Hur (1959). There was a time when Hollywood had so much respect for Christianity that it didn’t want to show Jesus’ face. That less-is-more approach worked in this blockbuster, which won the Oscar for best picture. I still get chills during the scene when Jesus gives Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) a drink of water. You only see Jesus from the back, and He never says a word, but Ben-Hur’s life is marked forever by the two-minute encounter.

You can watch the scene here.

2. The Robe (1953). The same subtlety was used in this epic, which was nominated for best picture. Jesus is shown from a distance in two scenes; then during His crucifixion, we only see His legs and feet. The fictional plot tells what happened to a Roman military tribune (Richard Burton) who gambles for Jesus’ robe at the foot of the cross and then suffers from a guilty conscience until he becomes a Christian himself. The movie is way too melodramatic for today’s standards, but it still offers one of the best portrayals of Jesus.

3. Jesus (1979). Critics called this movie “dull” and “monotonous” because it attempted to faithfully recount the Gospel of Luke. But today it is the most-watched movie of all time. Campus Crusade for Christ, which funded its production, says 200 million people have come to faith after seeing it, and it is available in more than 1,000 languages. Remarkably, the guy who played Jesus, Brian Deacon, a Shakespearean actor from England, is a lapsed Catholic who does not describe himself as a Christian.

4. The Visual Bible: Matthew (1993). Few people saw American actor Bruce Marchiano play Jesus in this word-for-word version of the Gospel. The son of a Syrian mother and an Italian father, Marchiano was one of the most believable Messiahs—and his laughter and smiles made Jesus both human and approachable. He was featured on Charisma’s cover because of his talent.

5. The Passion of the Christ (2004). Producer Mel Gibson got in hot water for injecting anti-Semitism into his bloody retelling of Jesus’ crucifixion. Gibson reportedly warned the actor who played Jesus, Jim Caviezel, that taking on the role of Christ might hurt his movie career. But Caviezel’s portrayal remains one of the most memorable, as long as you don’t hide your eyes during the graphic whipping scene.

6. Son of God (2014). The star of this year’s film, Portuguese actor Diogo Morgado, was likely chosen because of his darker features. But mainstream critics have complained that he is way too attractive for the role. One columnist for The Daily Beastsaid Morgado “put the carnal in incarnate.” But to his credit, Morgado gives warmth and nice-guy accessibility to Jesus. He even seems friendly when He’s denouncing the Pharisees or overturning the merchants’ tables in the temple.

7. Jesus of Nazareth (1977). The actor who played Jesus in this classic six-hour TV miniseries chose a more stoic, somber approach. British actor Robert Powell reportedly ate only cheese for 12 days prior to the filming of the crucifixion scene so he would look gaunt. It is said that Powell tried not to blink whenever he was on screen—which gave Jesus an odd, otherworldly look.

8. The Nativity Story (2006). Jesus only appears in this film as an infant (played by a 29-day-old Italian baby) but I mention it because all the actors actually look like they are from Israel. Jesus’ father, Joseph, was played by Guatemalan actor Oscar Isaac, who starred in last year’s film Inside Llewyn Davis. The next time someone decides to cast Jesus, I hope they will consider Isaac—or at least someone with his coloring.

9. King of Kings (1961). This MGM epic was a hit when it came out, but critics threw eggs—partly because they thought the American actor who played Jesus, Jeffrey Hunter, looked too young. The movie was laughingly dubbed “I Was a Teenage Jesus” for that reason. His blue eyes and reddish hair should make me question who was responsible for casting this movie. (Trivia: Hunter also appeared in the original TV pilot episode of Star Trek.)

10. The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965). This was perhaps one of the oddest choices ever made in casting Jesus Christ. Actor Max von Sydow, who would later play the priest in The Exorcist, was from Sweden—giving us the most blue-eyed Jesus ever filmed. (The cast also included John Wayne as the Roman centurian!) I put this movie at the bottom of my list because even though we don’t know for sure what Jesus looked like, I’m positive He was not a Swedish blond.

So actors from Sweden, England, Portugal and the United States have played Jesus. Next time, when it is time for the casting call, I vote for an Israeli.

J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at@leegrady. His favorite movie of all time is To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), for which Gregory Peck won the Oscar for best actor. Lee’s favorite movie of 2013 was the Jackie Robinson biopic, 42.

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Thursday, February 20, 2014

Israel to invest NIS 22m ($6.25 million) to bring film shoots to Jerusalem

Israel to invest $6.25 million

to bring film shoots to Jerusalem

NBC series ‘Dig’ to be first to benefit from government initiative that will provide funding for international movie and TV shows

BY SPENCER HO February 20, 2014 The Times of Israel

Natalie Portman in Jerusalem's Nahlaot neighborhood directing a

scene from, 'A Tale of Love and Darkness,' February 11, 2014

( Photo credit: Yonatan Sindel/Flash 90)

The Israeli government and Jerusalem Municipality finalized plans for an initiative to invest NIS 22 million ($6.25 million) in movies and television series that film in the capital, Jerusalem City Hall announced Thursday.

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The investment “will strengthen the television and film industry in Jerusalem and bring numerous investments to the city, creating new employment opportunities and attracting more investments and productions. In addition, the branding and advertisement of Jerusalem and the State of Israel in the world will bring increased state revenues and to the city, tourism, culture and commerce,” City Hall said in a press release.

In order for projects to qualify for funding, they will have to invest at least NIS 25 million ($7.1 million) in Israel, with NIS 4 million ($1.14 million) specifically earmarked for Jerusalem, and the main plot line must take place in the capital. The grant is capped at 25 percent of the production costs in Israel and Jerusalem.

Productions can qualify for grants of up to NIS 14 million ($3.98 million) in the first year and NIS 8 million ($2.27 million) in the second year from initiative partners the Finance, Economy, Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs and Tourism ministries — NIS 3 million ($854,014) in the first and NIS 1.7 million ($483,820) in the second year — along with the Jerusalem Municipality, which will contribute NIS 1 million ($284,656) each year. The Jerusalem Development Authority is also a partner in the initiative.

The first television series to benefit from the initiative will be the upcoming NBC detective series “Dig,” which will bring an investment of tens of millions of dollars to the country, according to City Hall. The series will be produced by the Israel-based Keshet Media Group and co-written by Gideon Raff of the popular US television series “Homeland,” which was based on an Israeli television series and has filmed segments in Israel.

Universal Cable Productions, the studio behind “Dig,” acknowledged in a statement the “true collaboration between the Ministers of Economy and Jerusalem, Tourism, the Deputy Minister of Finance, as well as the Mayor of Jerusalem to foster the expansion and diversification of Israel’s economy.”

“Dig” stirred up controversy in December when Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the PLO Executive Committee, called on NBC to scrap all plans for filming in the City of David National Park near the walls of the Old City. Much of the action of the show, which follows a US FBI agent who stumbles upon a massive conspiracy while struggling to solve a murder, is slated to be filmed within the walls and tunnels of the park.

“Such a production will legitimize the annexation of Jerusalem and the destruction of the authenticity and character of the occupied city. Any business or organization that deals with Israel in Occupied Palestine is in flagrant breach of international law, conventions, and consensus, respectively,” Ashrawi said. “It is evident that these efforts coincide with Israel’s intensive and accelerated efforts to annex and ethnically cleanse Jerusalem. The choice to film the series in Palestinian neighborhoods in Jerusalem is designed to endorse the occupation and the bitter reality experienced by Palestinian Jerusalemites.”

For its part, NBC denied there were ever any plans to film in controversial areas.

Debra Kamin and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency contributed to this report.

Read more: Israel to invest NIS 22m to bring film shoots to Jerusalem | The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-to-invest-nis-22m-to-bring-film-shoots-to-jerusalem/#ixzz2tsrbcCxX
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Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Bill Yount - Favored To Live

Favored To Live

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 10:44 AM PST

Dear friends,

I am honored to be a regular author now on Spirit Fuel. The Spirit Fuel network is a Christian content network with the genre niche of the supernatural. The website address is: http://www.SpiritFuel.me

I faced my terror by night. It was afraid of me. And the arrow that flies by day. It missed me. You may wonder what my terror and arrow was. Just terror and an arrow. That’s all it was. ( Psalm 91:5 )

Jesus’ birth takes place at night. ( Silent Night, Holy Night ) The darkest night in history, filled with terror. It moved satan to kill every two year old boy and younger in Bethlehem. He dreads heaven coming to earth. But the Father whispers, “Can’t touch Him!” As believers satan targets us also. If it’s the darkest time in your life, be encouraged. Jesus is about to show up. I find Him in my darkest moments. That’s when I’ve gotten to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings. Fear not, He will come and save you.

In a recent movie the lead actor battled untold suffering and terror. The end was a bloody finish. Her youthful, battered body laid lifeless, turning the theatre into a morgue. After what seemed an eternity, her eyes popped open and she lived. I found out later she was favored to live through her ordeals so she could star in the next movie series. Looking back over my life, I can relate to this. Yes, I have survived everything so far and am an overcomer. God has favored me to live through the hardest times. You too. He has another series of our life to be lived.

Our times are in His hands. ( Psalm 31:15 )

Walking On Giants

In Charleston, South Carolina, a little boy about four years old walked over, looked up at me and said, “You are little!” I said to the pastor standing beside me, “What did he say?” The pastor said, “It sounds like he said, “You are little!” It made the boy feel good since he was so short. But it humbled me. It made me think. We should look at our biggest giant or mountain and say, “You are little! You are little compared to the God inside of me!” It will humble any mountain or giant to fall. What mountain or giant will the Lord raise you up to stand on top of this coming year? What stormy seas will He cause you to walk on?

On the sea of Galilee, famous for storms, I asked the Lord a question. “Lord, are we near the place where Peter got out of the boat and walked on the raging sea before he fell?” The Lord answered me. “What do you mean Peter fell? This is the sea where Peter walked!” As though He didn’t remember Peter falling. Peter sank but he walked on water.The eleven sat in the boat living in regret.The terror of that storm paralyzed them. They missed that once in a lifetime opportunity. Sinking is better than sitting. When life is over we won’t regret taking a risk for God and sinking. We will regret sitting. And God won’t remember us sinking.

The Stage Is Being Set

When it looks like it’s impossible for me to win, God is setting the stage for something greater. For many the stage is just being set. The curtains have not yet been cracked open. God is still moving behind the scenes to place us front and center. That’s why we haven’t been heard from yet. Isn’t it the stories in the Bible of the people who looked like they would never make it, that builds our faith the most? The Lord writes their heroic exploits beginning with them knowing the agony of defeat. Silent nights of terror with trouble becoming their friend. No hope of ever fulfilling their purpose. Be encouraged. God is not through writing your story.

Blessings,

Bill Yount