Battlefield Magazine March 2005 by Jonathan Medina

From the

www.warzoneministries.com

Battlefield March 2005

Stupidity of the Sexes ews Revi

b Bom c i m Ato tle an amite n a p n sm to Di oleon Dy Roots U w o U2 H d Nap ing Crew m ck m ore Mmh mp Rest pin Wre K t a n King Relie eremy C set J Re math e t u M

Bible Study: The Debt

Loneliness : The Epidemic

Challenging those who carry the label â&#x20AC;&#x153;Christianâ&#x20AC;? to also carry their cross.

www.warzoneministries.com

Contents C ontents March 2005

The Juice

drink it up

Stupidity of the Sexes 6- Girls - Internal Beauty 7- Boys - Hell is for Fornicators Bible Study: The Debt 8- Passage /Questions 22- Commentary Feature: 10- Loneliness: The Epidemic

Life as we know it we are alive...right?

Reviews 14- Jeremy Camp: Restored Relient-K: Mmhmm 16- Mutemath: Reset (Spin of the Month) The Kingpin Wrecking Crew: From the roots up U2: How to dismantle an atomic bomb 18- Napoleon Dynamite 19- Computer Geeks Anonymous

The Bubble we call home our christian bubble of protection

Laugh it Up Clown! 20- Who do you trust? - Bob Smiley Ministry Spotlight 23- Warzone Ministries 27- Prayers

Challenging those who carry the label â&#x20AC;&#x153;Christianâ&#x20AC;? to also carry their cross.

From the

Battlefield

Magazine

________________________ Staff Designer : Jonathan Medina Art Consultants: Roberto Comparan Dionne Brocco Editor: Meredith Wyant ________________________ Contributors Writing: Jonathan Medina Meredith Wyant Bob Smiley Photography: Bec Recording (Jeremy Camp Pg.14) Jonathan Medina Artwork: Jonathan Medina Reverend Fun (Pg.21) Financial: Paul Tucker Meredith Wyant Eve Medina Glory Skateboards Transformed Clothing ________________________ PO Box 661 Proctor, VT 05765 802.483.9940 www.warzoneministries.com

Soldier of the Month Name: John Dwayne Kochay Age: 18 (August 19, 1986) Location: Marlboro, NY (Born- San Diego, CA) Favorite Verse: Isaiah 40:31 “Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. ” I like this verse because not only am I an Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America) I really like how Isaiah used the imagery of an Eagle which soars higher than all other birds to relate that to those who put their faith in the LORD. I Dig Warzone Ministries Because: I have seen a heartfelt dedication from the ministry team, not only in wanting to spread the word but also not forgetting “the saved” and trying to help guide them (i.e. Calling me to discuss speaking in tongues :-) ) It has become a great fellowship opportunity (the message boards) and their articles have been helpful (talking to a patient in the back of the ambulance that “God wants you to die”).

We are looking for: Writers, artists, and pop-culture critics who have a burning passion for God. If you ﬁt the description, please contact us. We are also looking for people to join our street team to help promote “From the Battleﬁeld magazine, if you’re interested please contact us. Special Thanks: To my mother and father; my mother for being a continued source of love and comfort, my father for being consistent in discipline and encouragement, and both for teaching me that anything worth doing is worth doing right. To Bob Smiley for allowing us to use his writing without hesitation. His comedy and help have been a blessing to Warzone Ministries. To Saratoga Business Machines for being so helpful. All Scriptures were quoted with permission from American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

Ministry Briefing Hey, What’s up? That’s a rhetorical question, no need to answer. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Jonathan Medina and I am the facilitator here at Warzone Ministries. It is good to have you here for the first issue of “From the Battlefield” magazine. This magazine is the materialization of a long awaited vision; a vision that will bring clarity to your spirituality. We want to help you touch God. We want this magazine to be more than just print and paper, more than just a coffee table decoration. We are going to challenge you to immerse yourself in God’s Word and Will. It’s time to peel away the veil we call reality, and stare life in the face. Take this journey with us, as we explore life and dig for God. This magazine is yours- take ownership of it. Get involved. Show us your needs, so we can seek to fulfill them. Tell us how you feel. I am praying that this touches you in some way. God’s blessings and disciplines be with you. Your Brother, __________________ Jonathan Medina Servant www.warzoneministries.com Vision Statement Picture this; you and a small group of soldiers are behind enemy lines. Every day, you awake to the smell of smoke and burning ruins. You hear gun shots ringing out in a number of directions. The battlefield is saturated with the blood of your fellow soldiers. The enemy is everywhere and restlessly searching to find and destroy you. You and your small group make radio transmissions to the other groups fighting in different areas. The transmissions are diverse and helpful to other soldiers in many ways: warning of dangers, words of encouragement, directions to resources, and even an occasional joke. This is the essence of From the Battlefield Magazine. It’s much like the radio transmissions described above. This is reality. We awake to this battle everyday; in the spiritual realm, the battle rages and it continues without ceasing. Take heart soldiers, if God is for us who can be against us? We are promised victory. Let us press on toward the goal. Battlefield Magazine 5

Girls

Internal Beauty

Stupidity of

Have you ever seen those girls with a top that’s a little wider than a stick of chewing gum and jeans that hang lower than a bungee jumper’s plunge? Well. That was me. I always wanted a caring husband who would respect me, and who would love me for me. Why did it seem like guys were only attracted to the way I looked? Yeah, hindsight is 20/20. Now- visualize me in my early 20’s, milk was only 5 cents a gallon and we would take the wagon into town. OK, it wasn’t that long ago. I was a girl with long dark hair, a white t-shirt knotted up past her stomach with hip-hugger jeans. I was dying for some attention, but I always got the kind I didn’t want. Where was that nice, caring guy that I longed for? Let’s face it- what type of guy was I really trying to attract? By looking at me, would a respectable guy even consider me for a long term commitment? I’m sure I didn’t look like the type of girl a guy could take home to his family. I didn’t have any inner substance, yet I was looking for a guy who did. I focused my efforts on my outside beauty, yet I wanted someone to take notice of my inner beauty. Funny how people act opposite from who they really are. Whenever I see these girls walking around in their little cosmo outﬁts, I cringe. They truly believe that their outer appearance is what it is all about. Sorry to shred your seventeen magazine, but it is not. It is now ten years later from those hip-hugger days. It was ten long years of dating the wrong guys. All I can say is: before you take too much pride in your appearance, look at who you are through God’s eyes. We are all of value. We are all loved. Appreciate who you truly are inside, and don’t focus so much attention on the shell. It will only fade with time. Remember to let your true beauty shine through, and only then will the rest all fall into place. Proverbs 31:25-30 25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. Proverbs 31:18-22 26 She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the 18 She senses that her gain is good; Her lamp teaching of kindness is on her tongue. does not go out at night. 19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and 27 She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. her hands grasp the spindle. 28 Her children rise up and bless her; Her hus20 She extends her hand to the poor, and she band also, and he praises her, saying: stretches out her hands to the needy. 21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household, 29 “Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.” for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a 22 She makes coverings for herself; Her clothing woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. is ﬁne linen and purple.

Check-It

I am Meredith-the mother of all things stupid. I have signiﬁcant experience with this topic. I have traveled the road of stupidity for… let’s just say,… a long time. I want to share my wealth of knowledge with you before it’s too late.

f the Sexes

Boys

Hell is for Fornicators

As guys, we have a reputation for having a one track mind, and at one point or another we all have been guilty of that accusation. What does God think of all this sex business? God is 100% pro-sex; after all, He created it for us. Why then does He get angry when we pursue sex before marriage? Here are three reasons why: Before we continue it’s necessary to deﬁne what I mean when I say sex; I mean all types of sexual behavior, not only the act of sex. You could be a virgin and still be in, or pursuing, a sexual relationship. 1) God isn’t saying, “NO”, to sex; He is saying, “Wait.” Having sex before marriage is much like eating a pizza that hasn’t been cooked yet. Imagine that you ordered a “meat lovers” pizza from your local pizza place. The guy on the phone says it’s going to be 30 minutes. Are you going to show up in 10 minuets, and demand that the pizza be taken out of the oven, so you can eat it? Unlike grinding that raw pizza dough and sauce between your teeth, sex before marriage will leave lasting spiritual damage. 2) God is protecting you. Like I mentioned above, sex before marriage is spiritually damaging. The Bible says, “The immoral man sins against his own body.” Sex is more than a physical act, it is the spiritual joining of two souls. Marriage was meant to protect that bond and breaking it will leave lasting spiritual effects. 3) God wants your attention. Imagine what you could do with all the time and energy that you put into thinking about or pursuing sexual relationships. God wants you to use that energy to pursue Him. There is a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Seek God ﬁrst, and your relationships will be blessed (Matthew 6:33). Hell is for fornicators (1 Corinthians 6:9), be sober and vigilant because the enemy is seeking you. Wait on the Lord and His provision, and you will experience life as He intended it. 1 Thessalonians 4:3

Check-It

For this is the will of God, your sanctiﬁcation; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the Matthew 19:5-6 marriage bed is to be undeﬁled; for fornicators and 5 and said, ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL adulterers God will judge. LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL 1 Corinthians 6:18 BECOME ONE FLESH’? Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man com6 “So they are no longer two, but one ﬂesh. What mits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins therefore God has joined together, let no man against his own body. separate.”

I was a quick study in stupidity 101. Regardless of common sense and good advice, I was stubborn in my quest to make poor choices. I want to share with you some things that I’ve learned from falling on my face or watching others fall on theirs.

Bible Study

Scripture \\ The Debt Read the passage and answer the questions afterward. Before you start reading, spend a little time in prayer, and ask God to speak to you through His Word.

one owed ﬁve hundred denarii, and the other ﬁfty. 42 “When they were unable to repay, 36 Now one of the Pharisees was he graciously forgave them both. So requesting Him to dine with him, and which of them will love him more?” He entered the Pharisee’s house and 43 Simon answered and said, “I supreclined at the table. pose the one whom he forgave more.” 37 And there was a woman in the And He said to him, “You have judged city who was a sinner; and when she correctly.” learned that He was reclining at the 44 Turning toward the woman, He said table in the Pharisee’s house, she to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My weeping, she began to wet His feet feet with her tears and wiped them with with her tears, and kept wiping them her hair. with the hair of her head, and kissing 45 “You gave Me no kiss; but she, since His feet and anointing them with the the time I came in, has not ceased to perfume. kiss My feet. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, 46 “You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this 47 “For this reason I say to you, her woman is who is touching Him, that she sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I is forgiven little, loves little.” have something to say to you.” And he 48 Then He said to her, “ Your sins have been forgiven.” replied, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A moneylender had two debtors: Luke 7:36-48

Battleﬁeld Magazine 8

Questions:

Answer the questions here and see page 22 for commentary. Describe, in your own words, how the woman approached Jesus. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ What did Simon have a problem with? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________

How did Jesus respond to Simon? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Identify each part of the parable, what does each part stand for? The Moneylender:_________________________________________________ The Debt:_______________________________________________________ The Two Debtors:_________________________________________________ Which debtor loved the moneylender more? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ How does “the woman’s” attitude contrast with Simon’s? What does this contrast say about her character? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ How does Jesus tie the parable of the debtors to the situation at hand? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________

Do you think that Simon really had less sin than the woman? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ What was Jesus’ ﬁnal conclusion regarding the woman? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________

? ?

Who would you say your attitude is most like: Simon or the woman? Why? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________

How can you use this passage in your everyday life? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Battleﬁeld Magazine 9

Loneliness: The Epidemic

By: Jonathan Medina Loneliness burns in the hearts of the masses. It’s barely recognizable anymore; we pass it off as just a phase or unhappiness. After all, it can’t be loneliness- we are surrounded by people who love us. How can we be lonely with so much loving company? Does loving company cure loneliness?

missing in our lives. It is God’s way of directing us to Him and to godly relationships; just like He created our appetite to make sure we eat. The difference is that instead of food, our loneliness needs Godly relationships to be satisﬁed.

Look at the state of the world today. People are changing spouses faster than they are changing their socks. There are thirteen year old girls having babies. You don’t have to look far to ﬁnd broken relationships; probably no further than your own life. Do you think that this is what God had in mind for humanity? Do you think He wanted humanity separated by broken relationships?

As with everything in spirituality, the secular way of doing things is the opposite of God’s way. Our society teaches us that relationships are about us; that we should exploit other people for our own physical and emotional beneﬁt. Having a relationship is much like mining. You establish a dig and extract what you need, until the dig is exhausted of resources. Self-satisfaction is the focus of secular relationships.

Broken relationships breed loneliness. It’s like that pile of dirty rags down in the basement where all the rats gather. Loneliness tells us there is something

God teaches us how to have relationships through the life of Jesus Christ. If Jesus’ life could be summed up in two words, they would be: selﬂess

Battleﬁeld Magazine 10

sacrifice. His whole life was geared toward saving humanity- by way of the cross (John 3:16-17). That means that everything He did brought Him one step closer to dying for us. Selfless sacrifice is how Jesus conducted His relationships. With His friends, He washed their feet (John 13:5-17). With His Father, He came to earth to do His will on earth (Matthew 26:39). Even with His enemies, He prayed on their behalf- pleading with God to forgive their transgressions (Luke 23:34). Jesus lived in selfless sacrifice. Selfless sacrifice is the missing ingredient in secular relationships, and is the cornerstone of Godly ones. A relationship needs selfless sacrifice in order to function correctly. Imagine a relationship where you depended on the other person to fill your needs; pretty scary isn’t it? Not only are you going to depend on the other person, but they are going to depend on you. Now we are starting to see where the

Our society depends on relationships; God created relationships to build community between humans and to connect humanity to Him. We’ve talked more about relationships in this article than we have about loneliness, but that’s the point. Loneliness is simply the lack of godly relationships. God has given us relationships to combat loneliness. If you are lonely, the worst thing you can do is to go out and make new relationships to cure your loneliness. I know it sounds pretty paradoxical, but chances are that if you are lonely, it’s because you have a lot of messed up relationships as it is. Going out and making new ones will not cure your loneliness but will only deepen it. It is time to start repairing the broken relationships in your life- starting with your relationship with God. The ﬁrst step is God. How silly of us to

“He (God) has skillfully crafted the heart of a human to not function correctly without Him. “ breakdown occurs. If you are not filling the needs of others then they can’t depend on you, and they naturally start to take for themselves. The idea is to give, so others’ needs will be met. Think about it- if we get down to the core of relationships, it is really about relating to, or connecting to other people. Anything you do with selfish motives is for you alone; it doesn’t promote a connection with others. Selfishness is “The Anti-Relationship” because it only seeks for itself. Imagine if everyone acted in pure selfishness- there would be no way to build a business, a community, or a family.

think that we could live happily without seeking God ﬁrst. He has skillfully crafted the heart of a human to not function correctly without Him. It’s like trying to use a 9-volt battery to power the remote control because you lost the double A’s. Yeah, you may be able to get some wires and hook it up to the contacts long enough to change the channel, but now you just blew a transistor and the remote doesn’t work anymore- No, I have never done this. The ﬁrst step in curing loneliness is to straighten out your relationship with God. Kneel down, and have it out with

Battleﬁeld Magazine 11

their well-being over your own.

God- bare your soul. Give Him your problems and your trust. Trust that the investment you are making in God will return to you in dividends of wholeness. Getting right with God consists of three steps: repentance, forgiveness, and selfless-sacrifice. Repent. Acknowledge the sins in your life and understand how they hurt your relationship with God. Make commitments to God to live differently. Accept God’s forgiveness. Selfless-sacrifice; live with the goal of pleasing God over yourself. This will do 2 things: This will give you God’s companionship, and it will make a model for the other relationships in your life. The second step on the road to wholeness is repairing other relationships in your life. The steps to repair human relationships are the same as the steps to repair your relationship with Godexcept, it goes both ways. Repent for hurting that person. Acknowledge to them personally that you understand how you hurt them, and make a commitment not to do it again. Forgive them for any wrongs they may have caused you, and accept their forgiveness. Lastly- be selfless, lookout for

I know what you’re thinking: “That won’t work with so and so.” It’s trueyou may not be able to repair all the broken relationships in your life, because it requires the other person to repent, forgive, and to commit to selfless-sacrifice. It’s possible that the other person or people don’t want to repair it. The best you can do is to follow the three steps and to extend an indefinite invitation for them to do the same. Allow time for healing; this isn’t an overnight process. This is something you will have to be faithful to your whole life. Commit to having godly relationships. At this point, if you have taken the things above to heart, and did your best to follow them, you shouldn’t be lonely anymore. Now you can go out and make new relationships for the sake of relationships, for the sake of others, and not to satisfy your loneliness. Loneliness is everywhere, but God has made provisions for our wholeness in relationships. Not with just any relationship: first and foremost, a relationship with Him, then godly relationships with others. If you are lonely, start by getting right with God, then make the existing relationships right in your life, before starting new relationships. Remember- the key to success in a relationship is selfless sacrifice. So go and be a living sacrifice; promote the cure for loneliness by living for others.

If this article was helpful, let us know. You can leave feedback at www.warzoneministries.com under the “Contact Us” section.

Battleﬁeld Magazine 12

Music Reviews

Jeremy Camp: Restored Release Date: 11.16.04 Label: BEC RECORDINGS / EMD Jeremy Camp has released his second full length album- no- the worship project doesn’t count. I dig this album; it has a nice worshipful feel to it and you can really connect with Jeremy’s thankful heart through this CD.

(Adrienne Liesching, formerly of The Benjamin Gate) vocals added a small measure of diversity.

- Restored really isn’t a stretch from

his last album “Stay”. If anything, it feels like Jeremy turned it down a notch. Just like every baritone crooner, Jeremy’s voice wears on you, and it eventually feels like you are listening to the same song over and over again. Come on, don’t get mad- it’s the same with Scott Stapp, formerly of Creed. Spiritually

Musically

+ This is your usual Jeremy

Camp brand rock, with a slightly softer touch. You can tell that this album has some slick production behind it; the sound is very tight. The addition of his wife’s

+ The driving spiritual mes-

sage of repentance and restoration is really what makes this album thought provoking. The words, “Would you take the place of this man? Would you take the nails from His hands?”, from the song, “This

Battleﬁeld Magazine 14

iew v Re nd c e i us Leg

Man” really pierced me. It made Jesus’ sacriﬁce the forefront of my thoughts.

- None Highlights: Lay Down My Pride, This Man

One Word: Worshipful

Ammunition

Relient-K : Mmhmm Release Date: 11.02.04 Label: CAPITOL The Pop-Punk Christian poster children strike again. I have to admit that I’ve had a secret, unfounded vendetta against these guys. I don’t know what it is, maybe because they came on the scene sounding a little too much like Good Charlotte and looking a little too much like Hansen; whatever the case, RK has proved worthy of some respect.

You may be asking, “Why use bullets as a rating system in music reviews, isn’t that a bit violent?” I have 2 things to say in response. 1) Read the name of the magazine again. 2) We live in a violent word where abortion (killing babies) is a form of birth control, forget about my rating system and go pray for these people. Musically Basically this section is about how the band sounds. We look at everything from production and instrument skills, to originality and style. X1 Sounds like a 2nd grade ﬂute-aphone concert. X2 I hear American Idol is having an audition near you. X3 Hey! That sounds like music. X4 Flippin sweet!

Musically

+ I was trying to write a bad

review for these guys, but note by note, they won me over. Warm vocal harmonies, speedy power chord progressions, and soft keys, blend to make an irresistible pile of pop-punk.

X1 The kind of CD you listen to for three months straight.

Spiritually This section is about the content of the CD. Is it edifying? We look at everything from lyrical expression to doctrinal concepts.

X1 Satan has this one in his CD case.

- The energy of the album can become

X2 Maybe if there was content it would be spiritual.

obnoxious, especially if you are in the mood to relax. Even though RK does well in their musical arena, they didn’t do much to reach from that in this album. It’s easy to spot some recycled melodies and chord progressions.

X3 I feel a pulse! X4 Enough spiritual content to choke a horse*. X1 Jesus would Jam to this CD.

Spiritually

+ This album is more spiritually mature than their earlier projects. The lyrics seem to

*No horses were harmed in the writing of this legend.

Battleﬁeld Magazine 15

Spin Of the Month Mutemath: Reset EP Release Date: 9.28.04 Label: Teleprompt Records Remember that Christian band called Earthsuit? Yeah, me neither, but check this out: the lead singer, Paul Meany, and this drummer kid, Darren King, started a band called Mutemath after the breakup of Earthsuit. The two had been collaborating before the breakup, and decided to make the project their primary focus after the end of Earthsuit. Musically: +These dudes rock. The sound is huge; it feels like you’re standing on the edge of the planet listening to inﬁnite sound waves. This EP has a lot to offer from the soft and simple, to aggressive and complex beat patterns. Amazing vocals and solid percussion drive this EP.

- None

Highlights: OK One Word: SIC

- You still have some of the signature, silly RK songs which do not carry any spiritual worth, like, “My Girl’s Ex-boyfriend.”

Highlights: I So Hate Consequences, Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet, Let It All Out One Word: Fun The Kingpin Wrecking Crew: From the Roots Up Release Date: 1.14.04 Label: Independent “I get on stage ready to do battle,” Darren Elder, the drummer for KPWC, told me backstage last summer. This mentality shines in their CD from the roots up. It’s a brutal assault of jazz, hip hop, driving guitars, and smooth vocals. Musically

Spirituality: + Well written and thoughtful lyrics speak of redemption and our identity in Christ. This EP is reﬂective of Christian thought in an approachable package. This works out well, since they are planning to release their full length album on Warner Brothers, a secular label.

- None

reﬂect growth, by speaking of pain, failing, and the necessary shaping that God must do with us.

+ This CD was a refreshing

change for my ears. I was so used to nu-metal Christian knock-off bands that it was nice to hear some guys with a unique style. Kingpin’s unique style makes their music hard to classify. It’s groove based music with elements of Jazz, Funk, Hip Hop, and Rock; it all mixes nicely for an edgy, textured sound.

- At times the album seems a little too busy. There is a lot of music going on, and the focus seems to fade. Battleﬁeld Magazine 16

Spiritually

+ There is no mistake that

this is a Christian album. These guys aren’t afraid to wear their faith on their sleeve. It’s good to hear a band say Jesus’ name every now and then, instead of hiding behind insinuations and imagery.

- None

Highlights: Cardiac, Dark Clouds, Soldier One Word: Style U2: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb Release Date: 11.23.04 Label: INTERSCOPE RECORDS Seriously, who can dis U2 now-a-days? These guys have been making music longer than I’ve been alive. Their latest effort has much to say about who U2 is. The cover photo depicts 4 rockstars with nothing to prove, and the CD in the case backs it up. Musically

+ This album has a subdued,

but seductive quality to it. It is basically an album of U2 just doing their thing- making great music. Some of the CD feels like old U2. Some of it echos “Everything you cant leave Behind”. All in all, it’s a good CD.

- None

“I AM”, Yahweh, and Jesus. If I didn’t know any better, I would think this was a Christian album.

- I do have to say, a couple of their

songs don’t really lyrically make sense to me. Come on now, don’t look at me like that. Who really does understand this stuff? Probably not even Bono, himself. It’s just like a bunch of cool and suggestive words arranged in no particular order. Highlights: Sometimes You Can’t Make it on Your Own, Yahweh, All Because of You. One Word: Gripping

t Nex

th... n o M

The OC Supertones: Faith Like a Child David Crowder Band : Sushi and Sunsets Kutless : Strong Tower Seventh Day Slumber: Once Upon a Shattered Life The Mars Volta: Frances The Mule

Spirituality + This is one of the most spiritual albums U2 has released. The album is saturated in Biblical imagery. It references

Jennifer Lopez: Rebirth If you are an under-appreciated music critic and you think you’ve got the stuff to write for “Battleﬁeld” magazine, then drop us a line.

Battleﬁeld Magazine 17

DVD Reviews Napoleon Dynamite: Comedy

Rated: PG Distributed By: Fox Searchlight Directed By: Jared Hess

There I stood, staring at the screen... blinking, as the credits rolled. “What was that?”, I thought to myself. There I was, waiting for something to happen, and the movie ended with no such luck. I thought back over the movie and snickered at some of the scenes, but was still confused about what the point was exactly. Now here I am- 3 weeks and 17 viewings later. My name is Jonathan Medina, and I am addicted to Napoleon Dynamite. OK, it isn’t quite that bad. After watching the movie a second time, I really got a chance to focus on the character development, instead of the plot. Once you get past the fact that essentially nothing happens in this movie, you can truly enjoy the characters and its dry brand of humor. The Story: The movie is basically a couple weeks in the life of this high school kid with the personality of a slug. His exploits range from working on a chicken ranch

Staring: Jon Heder as Napoleon Dynamite Aaron Ruell as Kip Jon Gries as Uncle Rico Efren Ramirez as Pedro Tina Majorino as Deb Haylie Duff as Summer Shondrella Avery as LaFawnduh Emily Kennard as Trisha to asking a girl to the dance. At the end of the movie... Just kidding, I won’t ruin it for you. The Skinny: The movie doesn’t seem overtly offensive. It was a surprisingly tame ﬁlm in my opinion (see disclaimer below). Check this movie out, if you don’t get it the ﬁrst time (like me), watch it a second time. If you don’t get it the second time, what you need to do is: stay home, watch reality TV, and promise to never go into a video store again. Disclaimer: Because I have been de-sensitized by the full assault of society’s pop-culture, I cannot provide an accurate representation of this movie’s offensiveness. If you want something like that, then check out http://www.pluggedinonline. com

Battleﬁeld Magazine 18

iPod Shufﬂe It’s been 7 years since the iPod shook the digital music world with its whopping 4GB storage capacity and its drool worthy design. Since then, many other equally, attractive designs have been released. This includes the iPod Photo and the iPod Mini. The latest addition to the iPod family is the iPod Shufﬂe.

us o m . y n A C.G. eeks Ano

rG e t u p Com

Top 5 Spyware Killers Is your computer running slower than death? Do you get mobbed by pop-up ads every time you get on the net? Sorry to break it to you, but you probably have a fat case of spyware infection. Don’t freak out, we are here to help. Here are the top 5 weapons in your armory of spyware killers: Microsoft AntiSpyware (Beta): Just when you thought it wasn’t safe to surf the web anymore. Microsoft to the Rescue. http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx Windows XP Service Pack 2: If you have Windows XP, have this installed. It makes your computer a fortress against spyware slime. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/default.mspx

The Skinny: + The iPod Shuffle is a dream come true for the broke college student or the financially disadvantaged writer (like myself). It packs a punch for the price and comes in two models: the 512MB model is priced at $100 and the 1GB model at $150. The unit is very light and measures smaller than a pack of Trident gum, which makes the perfect music companion. Unlike its predecessors, the iPod Shuffle connects via USB (instead of Firewire) and comes with Apple earbuds.

- This iPod is missing the usual LCD

display, which makes it a little harder to navigate. In order to get to a song on playlist two, you need to thumb through playlist one ﬁrst. Its small size makes it the prime target for a careless music lover to lose, or for a lurking thief to snag.

Adaware: This tool scans for spyware and terminates it. Rated top 5 by download.com. http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/ Spybot Search and Destroy: If adaware doesn’t get it, chances are this will. http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html Spyblaster: This tool protects your computer from byte-sucking parasites, even if you use Mozilla. http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/ Battleﬁeld Magazine 19

Laugh it up clown! Christian Classiﬁeds GodMan Seeks Bride. Hello, my name is Jesus. I am looking for someone to spend eternity with. Must be ready for a life commitment. Preferably broken from other relationships. Man or woman, all ethnicity, all ages. Must be submissive. If you’re interested, Pray. King Solomon Seeks Wife #902. If you’re into fast horses and huge palaces, then I am the man for you. When I am not running my enormous kingdom, you can ﬁnd me curled up in my study reading a nice scroll. Must be able to get along with other wives and concubines. 1st Man Seeks Steak Lover. I enjoy walking in the garden and naming animals. Seeking a woman who is not constantly on fruit diets. Must be able to follow SIMPLE instructions from God. A tremendous fear of snakes is preferred.

Who do you trust? Who do you trust? Do you trust your dad when he says, “There’s no cars coming, go ahead and cross the street”? I didn’t the second time. Do you trust your doctor who says this isn’t going to hurt and then harpoons you with a needle so big that he has to stand in the next room to work the plunger part? Do you trust your best friend not to tell anyone about the time you cried during the movie “Babe” when the farmer shut the gate and, as the crowd went wild, said, “That’ll do pig.”? Uh, not that that happened to me, I’m just wondering, in a world that is full of murderers, thieves, and car salesmen, who do you trust? I don’t trust my son ever since he walked up behind me with a hammer and asked if he could comb my hair. I don’t trust my dog who wouldn’t bark at a stranger breaking in through the window but barks at me every time I get up off the couch. Thank goodness I don’t do that that often. Oh, and if you are a burglar, I’m just kidding. My dog is very mean and could kill you, trust me. When the Post Ofﬁce says they will get your package there in two days but then asks if you want to buy insurance and a tracking number, doesn’t that arouse suspicion? When they stamp “Fragile” on the box with your porcelain Elvis plates and then turn and throw it across the room into a big bin, do you lose hope? There are many people trying to sell you worthless junk and they all

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use the “Trust Me” approach. Have you really ever needed to cut through your shoe with a knife? Have you cut your hair with a vacuum cleaner lately? Are your thighs mastered yet? Telemarketers get to me through TV, Phone and Computer. I get more spam mail than the people that actually work at a Spam Factory. And for the record: No, I don’t need golf balls, a mortgage, or the X-cam video!! I already have 2 of each. It’s got to the point where you can’t trust anyone. Of course, people can trust me. For instance, I never told anyone about Matt Morginsky of the Supertones, losing a game of basketball to a 12 year old girl in Indiana. Matt knows he can trust me with that secret. And I would never shamelessly try to use people’s trust to get them to buy things. For instance, I haven’t even mentioned my comedy album “I’ve Got A Funny Feeling About This” which is still in stores. In fact, I think they’re all still there. Actually, the only thing that you can really trust in is God’s love. He’s never broken His promise and He isn’t trying to sell anything. He just wants your love. But don’t take my word on it, talk to Him yourself. You wont regret it, trust me! A special thanks to our good friend Bob Smiley for letting us print this. Check him out and keep clean comedy alive. Comedian Bob Smiley lives in Texas with his two sons and incredibly beautiful and talented wife, who writes all his short bios that appear at the end of his articles. For more laughs or to order his comedy DVD, go to: www.bobsmiley.com

Comments: I don’t think this kid is going to sell much lemonade.

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Bible Study // Commentary Bible History 101

Luke 7:36-48 Commentary Describe, in your own words, how the woman approached Jesus. Once this woman learned of where Jesus was, she sought Him out. She approached Him with humility and brokenness as she wept at His feet. She abandoned her pride to show her sorrow, and her hunger for forgiveness. What did Simon have a problem with? This is where Simon gets a little snooty and says to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.” Keep in mind how he views the woman and what this means about how he views himself, that will come in handy later. How did Jesus respond to Simon? Jesus who makes it a habit to answer people’s thoughts and muttering, tells Simon a parable. Identify each part of the parable, what does each part stand for? My interpretation of this passage is based on the situation at hand and what Jesus says in regards to the woman’s forgiveness. The Moneylender: God, since He is the only one with the power to forgive sin. The Debt: Sin The Two Debtors: This is where it gets interesting. Do you think that the amount of debt is really the amount of sin forgiven? Let’s read on before we answer that.

Denarius of Tiberius Cesar pictured above.

Denarius: (containing ten), Authorized Version “penny,” (Matthew 18:28; 20:2,9,13) a Roman silver coin in the time of our Saviour and the Apostles, worth about 15 cents. It took its name from its being ﬁrst equal to ten “asses,” a number afterwards increased to sixteen. It was the principal silver coin of the Roman commonwealth. From the parable of the laborers in the vineyard it would seem that a denarius was then the ordinary pay for a day’s labor. (Matthew 20:2,4,7,9,10,13) Smith’s Bible Names Dictionary 1863

Which debtor loved the moneylender more? As Simon answered, it was the one who owed more. How does “the woman’s” attitude contrast with Simon’s? What does this contrast say about her character? The woman approaches Jesus understanding that she is lacking in her life; that she needs forgiveness. Simon sees himself as not needing Jesus, but instead having Him for company, as if they were equals. There is no record of Simon treating Jesus’ visit with humility; rather the opposite, as Jesus listed in verses 44-46.

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How does Jesus tie the parable of the debtors to the situation at hand? He clearly identiﬁed the woman with the debtor who owed more, and Simon as the one who owed less. Do you think that Simon really had less sin than the woman? How can we gauge Simon’s sins? We can’t. The real truth is in the attitudes of both Simon and the woman. Here is what we know: Simon had sin (Romans 3:23), Simon didn’t feel the same way about his sin, as the woman did, or he would have approached Jesus in the same manner. I would say the real importance was not how much either of them had, but rather how they viewed their sin. If we see how ugly our sin truly is, then this will help us to see the true nature of God’s forgiveness. When we understand God’s forgiveness, our love for Him will grow. What was Jesus’ ﬁnal conclusion regarding the woman? He forgave her sins. It’s comforting to know that if we approach Jesus in humility, and brokenness He will forgive us. Who would you say your attitude is most like: Simon or the woman? Why? This is a personal question. Look at how you view your sins, and how you treat your time with Jesus. How can you use this passage in your everyday life? You can really take a hard look at the sin in your life. Don’t pull any punches, be as hard on yourself as you are on others when judging their sins. Try to see your sins, even the ones you see as “little ones”, as God sees them. Approach Jesus with an understanding that you are in debt to Him, and that He loves you, and offers forgiveness for that debt.

Ministry Spotlight Warzone Ministries

What’s in a name? Everyone asks what is up with the name. Warzone and Ministry are two words that don’t usually find each other. The concept is spiritual warfare. There is a war raging day in and day out. We are living in a spiritual warzone. The purpose of our ministry is to make Christians keenly aware of this war, and to prepare them to do battle. What’s up with “God wants you to die?” This was a campaign that we did; it was really about dying to the flesh on a spiritual level. Galatians 2:20 says “it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me..” We should set our focus on the spiritual realm and understand that if we want to live, we must first die. Just recently I was watching the “Band of Brothers” series on DVD. In the third episode, they are in a trench, bullets are whizzing above their heads. Blythe is terrified, gripping his gun and hiding in the trench. Pierce comes up to him and says “You don’t get it, do you? You have to fight like you’re already dead.” It was only when Blythe counted himself dead, that he could help the rest of the company in battling

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the enemy. What do we do? Our mission statement is to challenge those who carry the label “Christian” to also carry their cross. Our Website- www.warzoneministries.com has a plethora of information: articles, Bible Study questions, teachings, web resources, and a lot of other cool things. Free Bibles – We don’t believe anyone should have to pay for the Word of God. We ship free Bibles and study material all over the United States. Community – We host a forum on the web where people can go for: answers to spiritual questions, web resources, and a spiritual support community. Battleﬁeld Magazine – We print this magazine and pack it with things to help you grow in your relationship with God and His people. We do all these things to help you grow and to also empower you to help others. Maybe you’re that 15 year old girl who was witnessing to her friend and wanted to get her a Bible, but you have no money or transportation. All you have to do is punch her address into www. warzoneministries.com.

reads the magazine for the bible studies in it. You might even be that small group leader looking for bible study questions to go over with your group. Whoever you are, we want to help meet your spiritual needs. The Future The future has much in store for the Warzone Ministries community. The Regiment Groups We are working on a curriculum for small groups for distribution. We will make contacts with small group leaders all over the United States and send them the curriculum to start a small group with. We will support the group with our resources. The Compilation CD We support independent music here at Warzone Ministries; this CD will be a collection of independent music that we support. A Stronger Website In 2006, www.warzoneministries.com will launch a new, stronger, and more interactive website. Keep Warzone Ministries in your prayers.

Maybe you’re the late night web warrior surfing through the endless pages of useless information on the web, and you stumble into www.warzoneministries.com. You might find an article or a topic in the forum that helps you understand God better. You could be that college kid who Battlefield Magazine 24

Do you want to receive “From the Battlefield” Magazine every month for “whatever you can afford?” OK, here is what you do: - Cut this page out- I know, it’s painful but it must be done. - Cut the cards out - follow the dotted line. - Fill out your information - with a pen. - Buy a stamp and put it on the back- I know 37 cents is a lot, but see if you can get a loan or something. - Put it in the mail and wait by the mail box for your first issue. Don’t be selfish. Hook one of your friends up, that’s why there are two.

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