938768519  Being
decadent is easy.  Evil is everywhere.  It takes nearly nothing to succeed by
cheating, lying, stealing, or selling to the profane nature of humanity.  Violence, sex, anger, hatred,
victimization, and escapism come easy to entertainers and sell easy to a crowd
of nobodies.  The fastest route to
tinsel-town success, the empty kind full of fame and money and no fulfillment,
is to sell directly to the clamoring masses the poison for which their blackened
hearts crave.  The Bible says,
"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men
loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."  Left to our own natures, we love
darkness and actually gravitate toward things that aren't good for us.  I am never impressed with the angry
young faces full of rebellion and hatred that I see on the covers of
entertainment magazines.  All I see
when I look at them is more young people who think they are being creative by
being bad.  It's an old, old story
that is neither innovative nor impressive. 
There is nothing clever or cute about evil.  To court it is to play with fire.   

Thomas
Mann's classic, Doctor Faustus (based on the old English legend of the same name: author unknown), tells
the famous story of a man selling his soul to the Devil in exchange for fame
and fortune as a musical composer. 
In a hollow way the Devil fulfills his end of the bargain, in that the
success in this life that was so dearly purchased is a Hell-on-earth of its
own.  It destroys the character
even before he dies.  This Faustian Bargain is exactly what results
from success obtained the wrong way. 

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7 responses to “Faust’s Bargain”

  1. Ben Grab Avatar
    Ben Grab

    Wow…that was one of the most powerful and well written commontaries on the heart of man that I have read in a long time. Thanks for the reminder!

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  2. Phyllis Hoff Avatar
    Phyllis Hoff

    Chris:
    I agree. This post is powerful, and oh, so true. Unfortunately there is a lot of anger among our youth today. I even see it among
    some of the aged. It is sad that
    one cannot see what a precious gift life is.
    I thank God for leaders like you and Terri and and the rest of the Team who constantly strive to make this life for everyone a better place.
    Thank you so very much.

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  3. Skipper Avatar

    Chris, Isn’t it true that those in pain cause pain. It is so very important that we pray for so many that you have pointed out that cause pain in our society. To pray that they will come to the ONE, Jesus Christ, that can heal all pain. A life that causes pain in others is such a waste. Skipper

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  4. Torence Buss Avatar

    Just what I needed to hear at just the right time. I struggle much with my human nature. It is a blessing to some and a curse to others to be sure.
    A blazing fire may be impressive though it results in ashes where value might have been found. For those who blaze through life without care, they can surely expect to have ashes at the end.

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  5. Jamie Avatar
    Jamie

    Thank you Chris for all you do!! You are an honorable man full of character and integrity. You inspire me every day to be the best person that I can be!

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  6. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    Now that i have started to plug into something healthy for me on a regular bases. This is so much more aparent to me. That as we get older with out the right guiendce we may fall short of what out life is truely suppose to be and go down the wrong path. And the younger generation is taking notice at a earlier age and following in same footsteps do to lack if parenting and the wrong things teaching our kids. But I belive there is still hope. Like the article says we were nor born that way. It is influences of one side or other that put us there. To me this short conversation between my beautiful wife and 4 year old little girl is perfect example of how pure kids are at younger age and with out the right guidance things could follow the article.
    Me is my wife,little girl Sadie
    Sadie:Why does this weather have to be so crazy?”
    Me:because it is changing seasons
    Sadie:well I don’t know why God has to make it be like this.
    Me:It is just the way He made it.
    Sadie:I’m just hitting it to make it stop.
    Me: hitting what ?
    Sadie: my heart
    Me: what is it going to stop
    Sadie: it will make the weather go away
    Me: how is that going to make it go away
    Sadie: because God is in my heart
    I’m glad she knows God is in her heart but I don’t know if hitting Him is a good way to get rid of the bad weather.
    a little high D in her I think.

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  7. tom gavin Avatar
    tom gavin

    AMEN

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