Monthly Archives: October 2011
Of Caterpillars and Death: “Oh, my!”
Steel looked away. “I feel like I’ve only lived for two years, Claire. I can’t remember most of my life. I’m not ready to die.”
He felt her hand on his cheek. “Silly, I don’t want to die, either. I said I’m not afraid to die. Imagine you’re a caterpillar.”
Steel raised an eyebrow. “A caterpillar?”
“Just go with it, Jonathan. Your whole life is spent crawling along a leaf and eating. That’s all you do. You have no appreciation of where the leaf is. You have no idea of how far you are from the ground if you were to fall. You never see the bird that swoops down to devour you. Your appreciation of the universe is limited. And then, one day you feel this horrible sensation of dread. You feel a change coming. You’re going to die. You dread it. You fear it. You go on eating and crawling pretending it’s not going to happen. It happens. You spin yourself into a cocoon of death and know no more.” Claire’s eyes were wide with emotion. The night air grew still and close, thick with humidity. Time seemed to slow.
“And, then Jonathan, you awaken. Your body stirs and you realize you’re no longer dead. Your cocoon falls away and you spread out huge, luminous wings. You crawl away from your death shroud and you take to the air! You’re no longer a caterpillar. You’re a butterfly! You fly through trees and fields of flowers. You see the sun and the stars. An entire universe you never could have imagined is yours to appreciate. And suddenly, you spy a caterpillar crawling along its leaf. You watch your former self and you wonder how you could have ever wanted to stay like that.”
“That is death, Jonathan. We’re fat, clumsy caterpillars waiting for the day of metamorphosis. We fear the cocoon. But, when we emerge on the other side, we’ll look back from God’s eternal perspective and wonder how we could ever have wanted to stay like this.”
I’ve been overwhelmed at the response to this one passage in “The 13th Demon: Altar of the Spiral Eye”. Some say it is “profound”. Others say it is “comforting”. But, why?
Just yesterday, we learned from a very moving testimonial to the life of Steve Jobs by his sister that his last words were “Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow.” What did he see? Did he emerge from a cocoon and see his new form as a “butterfly” free from the confines of this earthly shape? Or, did he see the Creator in all of His splendor, majesty, and grace? No one can say for sure. But, he did see something.
This weekend, I also watched “The Captains”, a documentary by William Shatner interviewing all five actors who have played a captain of a starship in the Star Trek franchise. The most odd person was Avery Brooks who spoke in lilting metaphors and piano riffs and made very little sense whatsoever. The most concrete was Shatner himself, taking every opportunity to tell his own story of his life and how it was affected by his stent as “Captain Kirk”. But, what was most disturbing, most troubling was the answers he elicited from those he interviewed about God and what happens after death. Most answered, “I don’t know.” And, Shatner’s answer was his final lines as Captain Kirk in the ill fated “Generations” Star Trek movie that bridged the gap between the classic Star Trek universe and the Next Generation universe. As Captain Kirk lay dying his final words were, much like Steve Jobs’, “Oh, my!” I guess Shatner was expressing his desire that he hoped something was out there and whatever it is, he will be surprised.
Recently, the Discover channel premiered a show “Curiosity” and the opening episode answered the question, “Did God make the universe?” The physicists and cosmologists on the show were emphatic. There is no God. We don’t need God. The universe made itself. Even Stephen Hawking proclaimed there is no God and heaven is a “fairy tale”.
How then to put all of this together? I would say that each and every person listed above is nothing but a fat, clumsy caterpillar. Of course from our limited perspective, we can say there is no God; no transcendence; no afterlife. After all, what is our greatest desire? As a caterpillar it is to eat more leaves. In fact, give me a rain forest of leaves without predators and all of eternity to eat leaves! Wouldn’t that be the best existence? And, to defend such a Choice, for it is ultimately a choice; a worldview; a personal decision what to believe; yes to defend such a Choice we must say there is no butterfly! There is nothing beyond the cocoon. That makes all of THIS more important; more desirous; more under MY control. For the butterfly lies beyond my control in another dimension of reality that many would called the realm of “fairy tales”.
Steve Jobs triumphed the adage, “Think Different”. It is time for us to think different; think beyond the leaves and the clumsy state of existence and realize there is something beyond us; something that brought all of THIS into existence and something that has prepared an existence as fantastic and unimaginable as a butterfly is for a caterpillar. We are destined for that far country where we will fall at the feet of our Savior and say “Oh wow! Oh wow! Oh wow!”
Welcome Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Blog Tour!
I want to welcome the reviews of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Blog Tour! They will be reviewing “The 13th Demon: Altar of the Spiral Eye” over the next two days and you can find the list of websites performing reviews at this link.
Good or bad, reviews are there for you, the prospective reader to check them out.
Two things.
First, I will be reading an excerpt from my book, “The 13th Demon” this Saturday, October 29th at the Barnes & Noble on Youree Drive in Shreveport, Louisiana from 11 A. M. to 1 P. M. and I will be giving away free tee shirts. More information is available at this link. I hope to see you there! Bring you Nook and you can buy the electronic copy of the book right in the store!
Second, I promised to begin to release some special “Extras”. Check under the “Extra” tab for two things: Deleted Chapters and my short video on the history of human sacrifices and how we, as Christians should respond to such a horrendous practice.
A Book Review — Day 3 of “The Bone House”
The Ending
On this, Day 3, of my review of “The Bone House” I will talk about the ending of this book and how Stephen R. Lawhead brings together many threads, in fact many “ley” lines from the first book and this second book to a satisfying and moving conclusion.
By the time the reader reaches the last third of “The Bone House” the reader has learned of how Mina managed to gain a certain device allowing her to maneuver through the ley lines. The reader also learns of how Kit manages to move beyond his awkwardness and become a seasoned ley line traveler and help locate a key “treasure” mentioned often in the first book.
The reader also learns how the originator of the “skin map”, Arthur Flnders-Petrie manages to secure a family and begin to instruct his offspring in the ways of interdimensional travel. Stephen R. Lawhead brings the four main characters, Kit, Mina, and Lady Fayth together with the villain, Lord Burleigh in a believable and breath taking way. This scene is fast paced and chilling and it ends with Kit discovering an entirely new world.
This final portion of the book is so moving, so achingly beautiful in its description of the pristine world of Kit’s primitive “River City” tribe. Here, Kit finally completes his journey in becoming the man he must be. His physical skills increase. His self confidence grows. And, his spiritual journey reaches a most satisfying conclusion.
For, here among the simple community of this primitive tribe, Kit encounters the Ancient man whose sense of contentment, joy, and balance with the universe is breathtaking. The young men of the Ancient’s tribe build him a Bone House. I do not want to ruin the imagery. You must read of this journey Kit takes with the elder man into the unknown. For here, in final scenes of the Bone House, Stephen R. Lawhead delivers on all of his promises. He shows up the ultimate “treasure” led to by the “skin map”. He answers the riddle of the man whose skin is the map. And in the process, he opens a doorway to an entire multi-universe that the reader cannot wait to explore.
And, the final scene is very fitting as Turms, the Immortal is laid to rest.
All in all, “The Bone House” starts out a bit confusing, but persistence will pay off. Do not give up. One caveat: if you purchase the book on Kindle, Nook, or iBook be aware you will begin reading automatically with the first page. You must back up and read the summary of the first book and the list of characters that appear just after the table of contents. I did not know these pages existed until after I began to write my first review and discovered them on going back to the table of contents. It helps tremendously to review the story of “The Skin Map” whether or not you have read it.
I highly recommend this series of books now named “Bright Empires”.
A Book Review Day 2 — The Bone House
In Day One of my review of “The Bone House”, I spoke about the possible confusion one might find at beginning this novel. But, if you press on, you will be rewarded with a tightening of the focus in the middle of the book. So, today, I will discuss the middle.
Middle
I was somewhat confused in the beginning of this book when Arthur Flinders-Petrie and his wife Xian Li show up before Turms, the Immortal. (Spoilers ahead) Why? Because I was certain Xian Li had died in the first book. And yet, here she was healthy and pregnant in the second book. Well, if you press on, you will learn why and I dare not even begin to hint at the reasons for fear of spoiling a wonderful story.
Let’s just say that in the middle of this book, there is a wonderful development in the characters of Kit and Mina. We finally learn how Mina came to be in the perfect spot to rescue Kit from certain death. And, what I love about this story is how this dowdy, frumpy, let’s face it, BORING woman in the beginning of book one has become smart and sassy and very, very resourceful. I really like where Stephen R. Lawhead has taken her in this book. And, this for me is the mark of fine writing; the ability to disappoint me with a certain character only to show how, inevitably, that character can grow and mature and begin to gain my respect. J. Michael Strazcynski did this with G’Kar in Babylon 5 and surprised me with the results. We see the same growth here with the character of Mina. I really like the girl!
Same goes for Kit. Still a bit wobbly and uncertain, Kit rises above his sorrow over the death of Cosmino and follows through with a plan given to him by Mina. And here is the wonder of the second book. I don’t want to give too much away, but Kit must meet with and convince Dr. Thomas Young of the reality of the ley lines. And, in so doing, Kit must then lead Dr. Young to the hidden treasure at the heart of these books. Who would have thought that Stephen R. Lawhead would somehow evoke a wondrous exploration of the reason why man has always built tombs? Sound silly and not at all consequential to the story, but this section thrilled my apologetic heart (apologetics being the field of defending the Christian faith). Here is an excerpt without giving too much away:
“Contrary to what many may think, immortality is not a fairy tale invented to compensate for an unhappy life. Rather, it is the perception shared by nearly all sentient beings that our conscious lives are not bounded by this time and space. We are not merely lumps of animate matter. We are living spirits — we all feel this innately. And in our deepest hearts, we know that we can only find ultimate fulfillment in union with the supreme spiritual reality — a reality that appears, even during this earthly life, to take us beyond the narrow limits of time.”
And so, Kit and Thomas eventually solve one of the great mysteries of this story. But, Kit ‘s story does not end with the discovery. In fact, it only just begins and in the final review, we will learn of Kit’s fate.
Another important development in the middle is the revelation of the origins of one of the book’s main characters. I do not want to divulge which character, but here, in the middle of this book, Stephen R. Lawhead begins to give some humanity to one of his coarser creations. We begin to see the reasons behind the motives; the motivations behind the actions; and the history behind the man.
All in all, good stuff! Well worth moving through the sometimes confusing beginning narrative to get to the meat of the story and the reader will be rewarded for perseverance. In fact, as I said in my review of “The Skin Map” it is almost as if we, the readers, are ourselves being drawn from ley line to ley line, passing through countries now mysterious and now familiar. For eventually, the author brings those lines back together and weaves a grand tale that I can’t wait to finish!
Tomorrow, the Ending!
By the way, if you are in the Shreveport/Bossier City area I will be reading portions of my book “The 13th Demon: Altar of the Spiral Eye” and then signing books at the Barnes & Noble on Youree Drive this Saturday, October 29th from 11 A.M. to 1 P.M. I’m giving away a free tee shirt with each book purchase! See you there!
A Book Review Day 1 — The Bone House by Stephen R. Lawhead
Just back from my book signing in Austin and I had time to finish up the latest book by Stephen R. Lawhead. Here is the first day of my review:
It wasn’t that long ago I accompanied my 20-something daughter to an Anime convention. I thought I knew what to expect. My daughter had talked to be at length about her fascination with Anime but this conversation did not prepare me for what awaited. Walking into the hotel/convention center in Dallas, Texas I was instantly immersed and, yes, assaulted by every sensation in the book. There was the raucous sound of heavy metal rock with Japanese singers wailing away at some song whose meaning totally escaped me. I could feel the hot, humid moisture in the air from thousands of bodies crammed into the building. I could literally taste coconut in the air from one of those scented fog machines. And the sights! Colors, faces, bodies, abnormally distorted weapons, leather, feathers, wigs, you name it. I had never seen anything quite like this. It was disturbing and quite disorienting. And, finally, there was this odd mixture of the odor of makeup, latex, leather, and body odor — I instantly dubbed “Anime funk”. I was so disoriented and confused, I hunkered down in my hotel room and made sure my daughter checked in with me every hour while I tried to ignore the confusion raging outside my door!
I bring this up because I had the same initial reaction on opening up and beginning to read Stephen R, Lawhead’s newest book, “The Bone House”. I have been waiting for the next book in the series after “The Skin Map” by Stephen R.Lawhead for a year. That book was fascinating but left me scratching my head and dangling from a cliff almost as abruptly as the time I sat in a darkened theater and watched Boba Fett fly off with Hans Solo in carbonite and realized I wouldn’t know anything for another 3 years!
Whoo! That was one long sentence. And so is the beginning of “The Bone House” by Stephen R. Lawhead. I will divide my three day book review simply into Beginning, Middle, and End. For each section of the book had a decidedly different effect on me.
Beginning
First, let me say without reservation that if you have not read “The Skin Map” you will be instantly lost at the beginning of the “The Bone House”. It literally picks up right where that book left off. No preamble. No backflash. No shortened explanations. You just dive right in.
Mina, who reluctantly accompanied her boyfriend Kit through “ley” lines into parallel dimensions and ended up in Prague of 1607 was last seen in her coffee house/pastry shop having glimpsed a strange device constructed by an alchemist for the villainous, Lord Burleigh. Kit was last seen trapped in an underground treasure room of an ancient Egyptian tomb with his dead great-grandfather Cosimo and his friend, who had located the tomb where the mysterious “skin map” had been hidden only to discover it had been stolen. And, that book ended with Mina suddenly and unexplainably appearing at the locked gate to the treasure room to free Kit, who she had not seen since arriving in Prague.
Confused yet? Not if you read “The Skin Map”. But, you will be if you don’t. So, go read that book immediately or you will be totally lost. It helps that there is a prologue of sorts, “Previously” that does summarize the events of the first book. But, even reading through this and the list of characters did me little good for some of the beginning. Suddenly, we were meeting some new characters such as Archie, the orphaned bastard child of aristocracy. And, Dr. Thomas in Egypt of the 1800’s. Oh yes, and a mystical pharaoh/priest of ancient Egypt, Turms,the Immortal, the very one whose tomb Kit was subsequently locked in centuries later.
Now, don’t give up on me. Lawhead’s command of language is exquisite. The words roll along on the page like a musical melody. His descriptions of historical settings are so spot on, you can see and hear and smell all of the sensations. And, his dialogue is very witty and distinctive. It’s just there are so many characters coming back into the picture from “The Skin Map” at different locations and at different times in their lives, you can get very confused. I found it hard to keep them all straight.
But, if you stick with the story, it all begins to come together in the middle, which I will talk about tomorrow.
In summary, the beginning of “The Bone House” is a direct sequel of “The Skin Map”. I would highly recommend the reader read the first book before diving into this book. The author assumes the reader understands “ley” lines and “inter dimensional” travel and the concept of parallel universes all with striking similarities but slight differences. If the reader has not read the previous book, there will be a temptation to set the book aside and there is simply too much “magic” in this story to not enjoy this second book. It does get more understandable and all is explained in the middle of the book. Also, the spiritual “message” of this book comes to light in the middle and it is a fascinating discussion. You don’t want to miss it!
By the way, I have accompanied my daughter to 5 other Anime conventions and they no longer disturb and confuse me. I look upon them as a wonderful opportunity to explore a complex array of humanity and mine those depths for characters and stories. You should feel the same way about “The Bone House”. Enjoy and explore the complexity of this wonderful story!
Come back tomorrow and I will show you what you will miss if you turn away from the door to “The Bone House.”
Now, for all the links:
In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
Book link – http://www.amazon.com/dp/159554805X/
Author’s Web site – http://www.stephenlawhead.com/
Participants’ links:
http://noahsreads.blogspot.com/ Noah Arsenault
http://tessbissell.wordpress.com/“> Red Bissell
http://www.oerkenleaves.blogspot.com/“> Thomas Clayton Booher
http://rbclibrary.wordpress.com/“> Beckie Burnham
http://morganlbusse.wordpress.com“> Morgan L. Busse
http://csffblogtour.com/“> CSFF Blog Tour
http://jeffchapmanwriter.blogspot.com/“> Jeff Chapman
http://carolcollett.wordpress.com/“> Carol Bruce Collett
http://www.kcreviews.blogspot.com“> Karri Compton
http://www.scificatholic.com/“> D. G. D. Davidson
http://tweezlereads.blogspot.com/“> Theresa Dunlap
http://projectinga.blogspot.com/“> April Erwin
http://vicsmediaroom.wordpress.com/“> Victor Gentile
http://going-greene.blogspot.com/“>Tori Greene
http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/“> Ryan Heart<
http://fantasythyme.blogspot.com“> Timothy Hicks
http://www.christopherhopper.com/blog/“> Christopher Hopper
http://thequietpen.wordpress.com/“> Janeen Ippolito
http://thewriterssword.blogspot.com/“> Becca Johnson
http://www.spoiledfortheordinary.blogspot.com/“> Jason Joyner
http://www.molcotw.blogspot.com/“> Julie
http://carolkeen.blogspot.com/“> Carol Keen
http://krystisbooks.blogspot.com/“> Krystine Kercher
http://mharvireads.blogspot.com/“> Marzabeth
http://www.katie-mccurdy.blogspot.com/“> Katie McCurdy
http://www.shannonmcdermott.com/?page_id=189“> Shannon McDermott
http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/“> Rebecca LuElla Miller
http://www.bookwomanjoan.blogspot.com/“> Joan Nienhuis
http://www.chawnaschroeder.blogspot.com/“> Chawna Schroeder
http://reviewsfromtheheart.blogspot.com/“> Kathleen Smith
http://www.mindsinger.com/“> Donna Swanson
http://www.rachelstarrthomson.com/inklings/“> Rachel Starr Thomson
http://www.epictales.org/blog/robertblog.php“> Robert Treskillard
http://christiansf.blogspot.com/“> Steve Trower
http://frederation.wordpress.com“> Fred Warren
http://christian-fantasy-book-reviews.com/blog/“> Phyllis Wheeler
http://www.theravenquill.blogspot.com/“> Nicole White
http://finishedthebook.blogspot.com/“> Rachel Wyant
Are Demons Real?
I often get asked if I believe demons are real.
I was an intern just seven months after my graduation from medical school rotating through the emergency room. It was a cold February night and a raging icestorm had transformed Shreveport, Louisiana into a crystalline wonderland. Unless you were driving in the stuff or if you were homeless. Dozens of people were crowded into the emergency room waiting room trying to stay warm. The ER was divided into the surgical side and the medical side. If you were a victim of the “knife and gun club” you came to the surgical side. If you could walk through the door under your own power, you came to the “Walk In Clinic”. This is where I found myself on that cold, frigid morning.
“Groundhog, it’s your turn to see the next psych patient.” One of my team members informed me. I never figured out why my nickname was Groundhog, but it was appropriate given it was Groundhog day, albeit only 2 A.M. I reluctantly got out of my chair and headed to the far hallway where we kept the crazies. My job was simple. Evaluate the patient to make sure the “psychotic” behavior wasn’t induced by a medical condition and if not, then call the psychiatry resident to come and admit the patient to the psych ward.
I should have known something was up the minute I rounded the corner of the coldest hallway in the winter. Two policeman were leaning against the wall and neither one would meet my gaze. In fact, they were nervous, if not downright frightened. I looked down the hallway toward the examining room and noticed a sheen of water on the floor. The fluorescent light fixtures had been broken and shattered tubes hung from exposed wires sometimes sparking as I made my way through the inch deep water toward the examining room.
The door to the room was ajar and when I stepped it, I was met by chaos. The sink had been partially ripped from the wall and water was gushing onto the floor. The mirror had been shattered into a million pieces and mirrored glass covered everything. Something sharp had ripped open the cover to the examining table and its stuffing filled the air with particles. Our “Wood’s” light, a black light used in the diagnosis of skin fungus, hung by a wire and the black light made the gases from the broken fluorescent light bulbs glow with an unearthly purplish hue. And, there wasn’t a patient in sight. However, from behind the examining table in the back corner I head a raspy, deep throated breathing.
It was a rapid breathing, a guttural exhalation and inhalation like some rabid beast was waiting to rip out my throat. Slowly, I stepped around the end of the table. Crouched in the far corner was a tiny African American girl probably in her early twenties buck naked with her back to me. Her rib cage was retracting with each beastly breath.
“Ma’am, I am Dr. Hennigan. How can I help you today?” I said with trembling lips. My heart was racing and my mouth was dry.
She spun around quickly and with a twisted, feral look on her face hissed at me and shoved her clawed hands at my face. I will never forget the sound of her deep voice or the look of absolute madness in her eyes. But, more than anything, I will always remember the unmistakable sense of evil that emanated from this tiny girl.
I stumbled my way out of the room and fell in the cold water. The policemen came and dragged me from the hallway. With shaking hands, I dialed the psychiatry resident and informed him of his new patient. “You might want to pick up a priest on your way down.” Was the last thing I told him.
Later on, I learned the girl had no drugs in her system and once she reached the psychiatry floor, she calmed down but continued to exhibit bizarre behavior. She did not fit any prescribed psychiatric profile and I never found out what happened to her.
Since that time, I have learned to listen to the still, small voice within me that groans and moans in the presence of evil. I believe it to be the Holy Spirit. There have not been that many incidents in my life like the one above. But, they have happened and I am convinced beyond any shadow of a doubt that evil is real and I have dwelt for a moment in its presence.
Do I believe demons are real? You bet you, I do. I have met them. I have faced them and run away. I have struggled in the presence of their evil auras and I have fought them away with prayers and scripture. This is why I write about demons and angels. We must understand who are enemy is. We must be aware of the war that is raging around us for our very souls. To deny evil is real; to ignore the existence of the Enemy’s soldiers is to have already surrendered the world to the forces of evil. The question is: Do You Dare Look Evil in the Eye?
The fight goes on. Whose side are you on?
Don’t forget I will be in Austin at LifeWay Christian Book Stores this Saturday, October 22, 2011 from 1 to 3 P.M. and here is a flyer with the information:
Book Signing this Weekend in Austin!
I will be signing books at the LifeWay Christian Store on MoPac and here is the flyer for the event:
AUSTIN_Bruce Hennigan Book Signing_MP(2)
If you are in the Austin area come by and see me. I’m giving away free tee shirts with each book purchased.
Here is my daughter, Casey, modeling the tee shirt.
I’ll see you there!!!
Who Should Read “The 13th Demon”?
This past weekend I spent driving from Birmingham, Alabama through Talladega, Alabama up through Chattanooga, Knoxville, and on into Lexington, Kentucky. I had the honor of meeting some very dedicated and wonderful people at Crossroads Christian Church for the “God in the Dock” Apologetics Conference. I had the pleasure of meeting the organizer of the conference, Clint Field and watch his joy as people showed up and mostly filled the seats in the auditorium.
Clint had invited me to bring my book, “The 13th Demon” to the conference since portions of the book are based on apologetic principles. For more on apologetics, click on the tab labeled “Apologetics” on this page. Now, I knew this was risky. I have organized our own conference in Shreveport and I’ve been to my share of larger conferences. Fiction books are not the usual fare at these conventions. The books that are sold at the vendor tables involve science and doctrine and theology and logic and philosophy. And while many atheists would call any connection between the God of the Bible and sound science and history “fiction” these books are far from something you would curl up with in front of a fireplace with a cup of hot tea.
However, I did manage to sell a few books and the questions about the books caused me to pause. Who is my audience for my book? Who would want to read “The 13th Demon”? Here are my answers to that question for those of you still wondering if this book is for you.
Who Should Read my Book?
1 — Men, in fact, manly men, tough men, men who dream of being tough, in fact anyone who enjoyed any of the Bourne movies. I told one person at my table that Jonathan Steel was like a “Christian Jason Bourne”. Jonathan Steel is one tough, angry man with skills that will definitely protect him against just about any assailant. But, he does have a soft side. He is a Christian. He thinks!
2 — Women will enjoy this book. I told one teenage girl there was a “bit of romance” in the book and her mother jerked it out of her hand. I shook my head and told her it was in anyway related to the “Twilight” series. There were no doe-eyed girls mooning over sparkly skinned guys. But, there is a growing love story in the book. Four very strong women populate the world of Jonathan Steel and one of them is very evil!
3 — Teenagers will enjoy the book. Why? Because one of the main characters is a teenager and he will become a recurring character. As my editor told me, “every teenager is a hero is his/her own mind”. So, if you are a teenager, check out “The 13th Demon” and ask yourself how you would react if you were chased by a giant . . . sorry, “Spoilers, Sweetie”!
4 — Median and Senior Adults will enjoy this book. Two of my favorite characters surface in this book and will be with us in the future. One is Jonathan Steel’s mentor, a Yoda like Einstein look a like with a definite attitude. The other is one of the warmest people you will ever meet, Dr. Liz Washington. If she doesn’t melt your heart . . . sorry, I don’t want to give too much away.
There, I hope that gives you some idea of the broad based appeal of my book. I know it is a bit scary. It is supposed to be. It is, after all, about spiritual warfare and the forces of evil. But, the story is ultimately about forgiveness, sacrifice, and unconditional love. It is worth facing the creatures that lurk in the dark shadows of Jonathan Steel’s world to see the Light that God brings to that darkness. Take a chance!
God and the Twilight Zone
This coming weekend, I will be in Lexington, Kentucky for the “God in the Dock” Apologetics Conference featuring Frank Turek. I am blessed to have been invited to this conference to display my book, “The 13th Demon: Altar of the Spiral Eye”. My book, as I have said in previous blog posts, centers around apologetic truth, or the truth of the science and evidence behind Christianity. One of the terms I use in the book, is “extra-dimensional” in describing God and the angels. I didn’t make this up. This aspect of God is well discussed in such sites as Reasons to Believe and Reasonable Faith. But, before I go into more detail on this issue, let’s look at some Bible verses:
Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Psalms 90:2
God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. 1 Timothy 15b-16a
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:15-17
He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 2 Timothy 1:9
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14
- “You ARE God” — Notice how this verse says that “before the mountains were born” with that past tense word “were” is followed by a present tense description of God. This implies God cannot be called a “was” but always is called an “is”. In other words, our conception of time does not fit God. We exist in a single dimension of forward moving time. For us there is always yesterday, today, and tomorrow. But, for God, time is something different from our concept. God moves through time like we move through air. He cannot be confined to yesterday. He exists. Period.
- “Lives in unapproachable light” — Einstein established that if anything in our three dimensional universe ever achieves the speed of light, it will be simultaneously at all points in the universe at all times in the universe at once! And, Einstein established, despite recent scientific experiments claim, that nothing can ever travel faster than the speed of light. The speed of light is “unapproachable”. I find that very interesting considering how many times God is associate with light throughout the Bible!
- “He is before all things” — Pretty clear. Jesus, as the incarnate being of God, is before all things. Notice the present tense again. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as our Triune God exists before and outside of everything in our universe. God is transcendent. God exists outside of our three dimensions of space and one dimension of time. Which He would HAVE to do if He created our universe and its four dimensions of space time.
- “Before the Beginning of time” — interesting that Stephen Hawking way back in the 1970’s won the Nobel Peace Prize for Science for establishing as a fact that when our universe came into existence, all of space and time began. Before that creation event, time did not exist. This verse describes that time had a beginning thousands of years before Hawking confirmed it!
- “I AM” is probably the best description of God in the Bible. God can’t say “I was” or “I will be” because for God, there is no confinement to time as we understand it. If man had made up God, how in the world would he have conceived of these extra-dimensional descriptions of God when those concepts were as foreign to ancient man as moon travel dynamics.
You see, science has established that the universe had a beginning and the entity that brought the universe into existence had to have existed outside and before the universe. In other words, had to be outside our dimensions, or extra-dimensional. Another word to describe that entity is “transcendent”. This is a term that only the God of the Bible can claim as true. God is truly the transcendent Creator of this entire Universe.
12th Demon?
Many are asking about the 12th Demon. On Amazon you can still find copies of my self published second book in the series, “The 12th Demon: Vampyre Majick”. This book has been PULLED from publication and has been substantially rewritten and will be released by Realms in October, 2012.
The order of the books will be in decreasing numbers, e.g., from 13 down to 1. The higher the number, the earlier the book in the series. Also, you may find copies of “The 13th Demon” with a blue cover from iUniverse costing over $25. DO NOT buy these books. They are supposed to be off the market and the new version from Realms is the authorized, revised version.
Bruce Hennigan 
You must be logged in to post a comment.