The Economy of the Word

Studying the word this morning, specifically the letters to Timothy from the Apostle Paul, I had an Epiphany!

It occurred to me that the current economic crisis we are experiencing might just be one of God's wake up calls to a world that has gotten itself way out of whack in how we prioritize our lives, view prosperity and the purpose of worldly wealth. The Bible is full of examples of situations that occurred on local, regional or even a global scale, which God used to redirect his people. I for one am a believer that God does still work in our world this way, though because of our enlightened condition many of us are blind to those occurrences, or dismiss them after wise secular analysis.

The apostle Paul had direct contact with Jesus after the time he was reported to have descended to heaven and shared much of the same wisdom Jesus imparted during his earthly ministry to his disciples (which are evidenced in his letters). In the first letter to his disciple Timothy (who was leading the church at Ephesus at the time and who Paul considered like a son), Paul shares some of that wisdom when he wrote about wealth and how Tim should deal with the wealthy in his church*:

"Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow (as many of us have experienced first hand over the past year or two). Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage...to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining a life that is truly life!

But if it's only money that people are after, they'll self destruct in no time. Lust for money brings trouble, nothing but trouble! Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after.

A Devote life does bring wealth, but it's the rich simplicity of being yourself before God."

*1 Timothy 6: 6, 10, 17-19 (The Message Bible)

As a nation and culture, do we put too much emphasis on acquisition of wealth and being wealthy? (That's a rhetorical question, in case you were wondering). As the current financial meltdown has shown, our whole economic prosperity was based upon greed and the illusion of wealth on paper, and like Paul wrote, in a cosmic blink of the eye, it was gone and in it's wake left a country...and by association the whole world...in turmoil, despair and regret!

Paul never disparages our right to support ourselves, profit from our hard work or even thrive, but rather this is a cautionary tale about what we do when prosperity comes our way. Do we congratulate ourselves and hoard our wealth, or do we count it as a wonderful blessing which should be shared with those not so fortunate?...and are far to few people doing this?

Of all the wonderful things that Jesus and his apostles shared, money and how we handle our money I believe tops the list of mentions in the Gospels. Both Jesus and Paul were very clear that worldly wealth is transient and for those who believe in the promise of Eternal Life, it only serves our needs a tiny portion of time. In other words, truly important wealth is gained by: Doing good, being rich in how much we help others in need and being generous to a fault. The kind of wealth these actions accumulate is sustaining throughout our Eternal Life...while earthly wealth is only good here and now...which in God's cosmic timetable is only a blip.

It's hard getting your hands around this kind of concept, especially when it runs so contrary to how our world seems to operate. But if you've ever met someone that has made the commitment to this kind of lifestyle, you many times will find a person who has a peace and joy in this life which (excuse the pun) "money just can't buy."

So take stock in your life and examine your faith. Do you truly believe that following Jesus is the way to Eternal Life? If so, Jesus and his apostle Paul have given us a blueprint to how best to enter and prosper in that next destination. Are you prepared to follow their direction?

R. J. Luedke
www.headpress.info

Eye Witness Book Three in production

When I was creating the first Eye Witness book, (A Fictional Tale of Absolute Truth), from 2002-2004, I believed that this one project was the answer to God’s calling for my talents. Retell the Passion story of Jesus, in a relevant, accessible and entertaining way and will hopefully reach a lot of people with the story who might not really delve into it otherwise.

Shortly after publication of this book in 2004, when I was marketing it at conventions, churches and bookstores, I learned that this wasn’t enough. People wanted more. They wanted to know the outcome of this event, which was one of the most relevant in man’s history. People wanted, (needed it seemed), to be able to better understand the effect Jesus’ life-death-resurrection had on the world and his contemporaries, both friend and foe alike. Though to the mature Christian the answers may seems all very elementary, to those who are not yet believers (or skeptics) these answers may be missing or the answers they have heard, confusing to them...and after all that is the kind of person I am writing for.

The more I had people ask me when the next book was coming out, the more I began to ponder this and it all became very clear to me…I wasn’t through yet! Here was one of the world’s greatest action-adventure stories ever written, just waiting in the wings for someone to do a contemporary adaptation of. I am referring to of course…the book of Acts. This book of the Bible contained the answer to most asked question for non-believers…how did this one week two thousand years ago end up affecting the lives of so many people, even today? Thus was born the Eye Witness Trilogy!

I share all this exposition, because it’s that time again gang, when I embark on the most time consuming portion in the creation of one of the Eye Witness graphic novels….the illustration process. Since December 2006, I have been busy writing my screenplay, (I call it a screen-play, because creating a working script for a graphic novel for me, is more in line with that format, than it is to say writing a manuscript for a novel), for the third and final chapter in the Eye Witness saga….Eye Witness: Destiny Road.

For the next approximately 15 months, (depending on life’s diversions), I will be sequestered to my studio creating this, the largest of the Eye Witness books. At over 160+ pages, it will involve close to 1000 individual illustrations. At an average of about 8 hours a day of work, six days a week, that means I am beginning what will be about 3000+ hours of work to complete the trilogy. I don’t share this for any other reason, but to educate those of you out there in the blog-reading audience who may not understand or appreciate what it takes to produce a graphic novel this size.

Starting with this entry I will attempt to let you, the reader, come along for the ride as I am developing this book and see behind the scenes in the process and watch all the prat-falls that can occur along the way. So make sure to visit the blog regularly to see what I am up to and even sneak a peek at some of the artwork as it unfolds.

Robert James Luedke
Head Press Publishing
www.Headpress.info

POPTHOUGHT.COM does review

Joe Hilliard, writer/reviewer at POPTHOUGHT.COM, has just posted a review for EYE WITNESS: ACTS OF THE SPIRIT (www.headpress.info).

To view, go to: http://www.popthought.com/display_column.asp?DAID=1322