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The First Nightmare

My first nightmare as a child occurred after watching an episode of In Search Of with my father. This particular documentary starring Leonard Nimoy featured Bigfoot and Sasquatch encounters with interviews of eyewitnesses. While drifting off to sleep later that night, all of sudden I found myself running for my life. Bigfoot was chasing me around my neighbor’s backyard as a sprinted, gasping for air as I woke up, sweating from my first nightmare.

When the sun was setting, a deep sleep overcame Abram, and a horror (a terror, a shuddering fear) of great darkness assailed and oppressed him. 13 And [God] said to Abram, Know positively that your descendants will be strangers dwelling as temporary residents in a land that is not theirs [Egypt], and they will be slaves there and will be afflicted and oppressed for 400 years. [Fulfilled in Exod. 12:40,] Genesis 15:12-13.

The book of Genesis contains several firsts in the Bible. According to Moses, Abram has the first nightmare recorded in the Old Testament. As this nightmare was passed down orally from generation to generation, horror and terror are associated with the raw emotions Abram experienced in the passage above. As a great darkness assailed and oppressed Abram in his sleep, God comes to the rescue to explain the meaning of Abram’s first nightmare.

On the same day the Lord made a covenant (promise, pledge) with Abram, saying, To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates—Genesis 15:18

As an adult, I try not to read too much into my dreams. Yet, sometimes dreams serve as a warning to prevent you from doing something God doesn’t want you to do. However, this first nightmare is a foreshadowing of a future event which the author Moses experienced firsthand. Following 400 years of living as slaves in Egypt, God raised up Moses to free Israel from this dark period. The next time you find yourself shaking in your sleep, turn to the Lord in prayer so that you can escape the darkness of future nightmares.

by Jay Mankus

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The Topic that Freaks Churches Out

While documentaries and numerous Cable shows on Unidentified Flying Objects have reduced the stigma on this topic, you will still get strange looks if you appear too excited to discuss aliens and UFO’s. Modern day churches have similar issues that are taboo, especially televangelists who prefer to paint a positive spin on life to maintain online donations. Yet, outside of horror films like the Exorcist, bringing up demons remains a topic of conversation that freaks out most church members.

And Jesus summoned to Him His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of weakness and infirmity, Matthew 10:1.

As a child, I wasn’t much of a reader until I discovered Daniel Cohen. Cohen was the In Search Of author of books. Rather than listen to Leonard Nimoy on television, Daniel Cohen introduced me to mysterious phenomena like the possibility of a Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monter and Unidentified Flying Objects. Subsequently, as an adult, topics like demons and a real-life Devil who serves as the ruler of the air, Ephesians 2:2, doesn’t seem all that far-fetched to me. This belief was confirmed when I was confronted by a demon while assisting Mark, a Stephen’s ministry counselor during a home visit with an alcoholic.

But when the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, it roams through dry [arid] places in search of rest, but it does not find any. 44 Then it says, I will go back to my house from which I came out. And when it arrives, it finds the place unoccupied, swept, put in order, and decorated. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and make their home there. And the last condition of that man becomes worse than the first. So also shall it be with this wicked generation, Matthew 12:43-45.

Perhaps, too many Christians are afraid to talk about demons in public, like the former stigma of opening up about alien encounters. After watching a rerun of Cold Case Files on A&E, the detective interviewed a serial killer who blamed a Succubus, a female demon, for persuading him to rape and kill women. If this is the case, how many other attacks, crimes, and unsolved mysterious can be attributed to demonic influences? It doesn’t take much to look at tragic stories on social media to imagine the possibilities. If Jesus took demons seriously 11 times in the gospel, churches need to unveil this spiritual aspect of life.

by Jay Mankus

Reruns from the Past

Although Trekies will always view Leonard Nimoy as Spock, for me he was the host of my favorite show growing up, “In Search Of.”  One of the few books I read outside of school was by the author Daniel Cohen.  Cohen and Nimoy were a perfect compliment as one researched mysteries like Big Foot, the Loch Ness Monster and Yeti while the other interviewed eyewitnesses  to prove whether or not these legends were fact or fiction.  If you look closely, today’s programs are imitations, re-branding old titles with modern names.

For instance, once In Search Of ran its course in time, Unsolved Mysteries was born passing the torch to a new generation of inquiring minds.  As this became passe, Monster Quest took over with an emphasize on unknown creatures supposedly living in the United States and abroad.  Whenever viewership waned, another show arose like Finding Big Foot, Swamp Wars and Monsters and Mysteries to take its place.  The question must be asked, “are these animals real or is Hollywood deceiving millions annually with reruns from the past?”

If you use the Bible as a reference for history, Psalm 104:24-26 suggests there are creatures hidden from mankind.  The Leviathan is a mythological sea creature, perhaps similar to giant squid or encounters with the Kraken off the coasts of Greenland and Norway.  Despite these facts, the skeptics will continue to doubt until a body is found, clear evidence is captured on film or they have their own close encounter.  Until then, don’t be surprised to see new programs re-branding old titles like reruns from the past.

by Jay Mankus

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