Free Videos from Mark Tredecim- for your enjoyment and edification

It’s good to keep the gray cells exercised by learning something new.  It’s also gratifying when that mental exercise results in a work product that others find interesting, entertaining and beneficial.

That’s been my experience in the past year, thanks to my novel The Great New Deal.  Though I’ve done a lot of non-fiction writing in my business career, it was a new challenge to create a novel.  Especially a novel combining an entertaining fictional narrative, honest political commentary, and Bible-based teaching.  Then came the experience of publishing and marketing the book.  This was followed by the production and marketing of an audiobook edition.  Lots of learning and I’ve made some new friends in the process (people living far away, that I likely won’t meet in person this side of heaven).

My newest venture- creating short videos for internet distribution (currently through YouTube).  My focus continues to be the “Three E’s” of entertain, educate and evangelize.  I’m not monetizing (making money) from these videos and I don’t endorse any products offered in the commercial videos that you might see online.  But I do hope that my videos will introduce new readers/buyers to my writings (Kindle, printed books and audiobooks).

Thus far, I’ve produced three short videos, all available free at YouTube:

“Prologue to The Great New Deal”  — Dramatizes the Prologue and Foreword from the audiobook edition of the novel.

“Far from Shangri-La” — Dramatizes a slightly-abridged chapter 20 from the audiobook edition of The Great New Deal.

“Jesus Loves All the Children in the World” — A simple but profound truth, adapting the popular classic song “Jesus Loves the Little Children” by C.H Woolston and G.F. Root.

I hope you will enjoy these videos.  If so, please give them a “like” at YouTube and share them with friends.  If you subscribe to my YouTube channel, future videos will be available at your fingertips.

You can access my channel at YouTube by entering “Mark Tredecim” in the YouTube search box or by following the convenient link provided below.

Mark Tredecim – YouTube

Video dramatizes the Prologue of “The Great New Deal”

This week I have published a new video called “Prologue to The Great New Deal,” using the audiobook version of the Prologue and Foreword from The Great New Deal and adding dramatic images.  I hope that you will enjoy it and that it will lead you to read or re-read the printed and audiobook editions of the novel.  A convenient link to the video is provided below.  It’s on the “Mark Tredecim channel” at YouTube (I invite you to subscribe to this channel).

Authors use prologues to set the stage for a book.  The prologue to my novel looks back to the dark days of 1939, when the whole world was staggering under the Great Depression.  Japan’s brutal war in China was continuing.  The fascist nations of Germany and Italy and the Communist Soviet Union were oppressing their populations, absorbing their neighbors and threatening to bring war to Europe, Asia and North Africa.

A new American movie, “The Wizard of Oz” provided moments of joy and inspiration during those dark days of 1939.  The Prologue honors this great movie and its colorful characters.  Then it leaps forward 80-some years to another era of struggle, conflict and danger (the period in which the novel unfolds).  In this era, Progressives have gained total control of government and the media.  They blame all problems on Covid, conservatives and Christians but can’t solve the many challenges facing America after multiple catastrophic events.  Crime is rampant, the economy is collapsing, and foreign enemies and plagues threaten America.  Government overreach and tyranny are growing.  But God is still in charge and ordinary Americans are learning the truth: the great battle called the Day of the Lord has begun.  Have faith not fear, God’s still in charge!

The novel provides a (not quite) fictional preview of future history.  This future period may not be as soon as tomorrow, this week or even this month.  Then again, maybe it will be.  The novel employs parody and humor to expose dark political and cultural forces that threaten America.  It connects the events of today to prophecy in the Bible.  Which side will you choose in this great spiritual war?

Convenient link to the video “Prologue to the Great New Deal.”

Special video preview:  “Far from Shangri-La.”

I greatly enjoyed working with David de Berg to create the audio version of The Great New Deal (released in December 2021).  Audiobooks are a great way to enjoy a book, especially while you are “on the go.”  To introduce more people to this audiobook, I’ve created a 10-minute YouTube video from one of the chapters in the audiobook.  It’s titled “Far from Shangri-La.”  For additional dramatic effect (and to accentuate the parody), this has been enhanced with illustrations.

As I created this video, I was reminded of how life can imitate art.  So many things that I wrote (in late 2020 and very early 2021) in The Great New Deal as fictional parody have become reality in the past thirteen months, or seem to be looming on the near horizon.

You can find this video under the “Mark Tredecim” channel at YouTube.  A helpful link is provided below.

Operation Sonic Boom!

In my novel, “The Great New Deal,” the President announces a recovery plan to address the impact of a cataclysmic event called “The Great Surprise.” That event has nothing to do with any pandemic (though the usual “experts” claim otherwise). The recovery plan is called “Operation Sonic Boom.” Sounds impressive, right? It’s a safe bet that most of the media would say so. But sonic booms are just a big noise, associated with the shock waves created when an object (such as an aircraft or meteor) travels through the air faster than the speed of sound.

The big noise of a sonic boom temporarily gets a lot of attention, but it doesn’t actually produce any benefit or accomplish anything. It may even cause some damage (such as broken windows). Thus, it perfectly described the plan promulgated by the fictional President in the novel. As life imitates art, it might also be the perfect metaphor for the current administration’s plans and accomplishments.

Review of the book “Is Atheism Dead?” by Eric Metaxas

This book is very well researched and documented.  The writing style makes it enjoyable reading.  The positive advance reviews contained in the book are well-earned.  My grade for the book: “Excellent start, but incomplete.”

The book shows how science and historical/archeological work have inflicted mortal wounds upon the dogma pushed by prominent atheists.  But this monster isn’t as near-dead as it may seem- it is at the core of progressive woke activism, which works to create a socialist God-free America.  This infection seems to be very advanced and likely to grow, until it is ultimately absorbed into the Satanic religion of the Tribulation period.

The Excellent Start:  In Part I (“Does Science Point to God?”) Metaxas shows the current scientific analysis and the many scientists pointing to a Creator for everything in the universe.  He presents compelling evidence.  The evidence he cites does show that whole universe (including the life on Earth) had to come from God.

The book presents the case from current science, that indicates everything in this universe must have started with a mysterious big bang, followed by 13 billion years of natural processes.  These are big problems for the atheist pseudo-science cult.  Thirteen billion years doesn’t provide enough time to support their theories about evolution and all the other intricate details of the universe.  They are left unable to explain where life came from or how Earth, of all places in the universe, became the perfect place for life.  The evidence points to an all-powerful and all-wise Creator.

In Part II (“The Stones Will Cry Out”), Metaxas provides substantial evidence (historical and archaeologic) as to the accuracy of the Bible and Biblical events.  Part III (“What is Truth?”) connects Christianity to science and scientists, and deflates various atheistic myths.  Further, Metaxas contrasts the great evils done under atheist regimes (Hitler, Stalin, Mao, etc.) and the goodness that can come only from Christ.

Metaxas concludes the book with these powerful words that connect the shaken disciples of Jesus after His crucifixion to us today:  “But as it happens, God- back then and again now- has revealed things to us that we did not know before, that we could not have known before, that we couldn’t have even imagined.  And based on these new things, then and again now, we can say something deeply and heartbreakingly beautiful and true:  God is not dead.  He is alive.  Rejoice.”

What’s Missing?  Unfortunately, this book does not take the next step, to deal with the gap between the thirteen-billion-year-old universe theory and the timeline established in the book of Genesis (from the Bible Metaxas has demonstrated to be trustworthy).  This theory and Genesis do not agree on the time line for Creation.

Many scholars have done the math connecting the Bible’s historical records of family trees, kingdoms and events, and have estimated that Adam and Eve were created around 4,000 BC.  Count back five more days and you have the start of Creation described in Genesis 1:1.

For example, read Luke 3:23-38.  You’ll see about 40 generations listed from Adam to Jesus.  At first (the patriarchs) some children were born to parents well over 200 years old.  But after Abraham, lifespans and child-bearing-years dropped to be much closer to our current patterns.  If the average generation for the entire Old Testament period is estimated to have been about 100 years, then 40 x 100 = 4,000 years from Adam to Jesus.  The record is clear that Jesus was born about 2,000 years ago.  And 4,000 + 2,000 = 6,000, not 13,000,000,000.

Perhaps God will facilitate further scientific discoveries that will bring updated scientific estimates for the start of the universe to be something closer to 6,000 years.  More likely, this is a mystery that He will not answer for us- He wants us to believe through faith, not just by the works of science.  His amazing Creation is just one reason we should have faith.

The 13-billion-year theory does not factor in the completeness of Creation.  God didn’t create Adam and Eve as zygotes or embryos.  He created a mature man and a mature woman and placed them in the exact spot that He had in mind on the day that He had planned.  He created mature animals that reproduced after their kind.  Likewise, God created everything else in the universe in the mature and complete state that He intended it to be and positioned everything where and when He wanted it to be.  He created the materials of the universe, formed them as He wanted, and brought energy, life, time and all the other “laws of science” into being.  All in a perfect sequencing and relationship.  Remember, Genesis says that God created both the Earth and light on Day 1.  Then He configured the Earth and established its environment on Days 2 and 3.  It was not until Day 4 (when light already existed) that He created the sun, moon and all of the stars.  And on Days 5 and 6, God created all animal life including man.

Conclusions.  “Is Atheism Dead?” does a great job proving there is a God and that He is all powerful and good.  That is the book’s objective (see “Introduction- The Grand Counter-Narrative”).  But just believing there is a God isn’t enough.  As the Bible says (James 2:19) “You believe that there is one God.  Good!  Even the demons believe that- and shudder.”  Beyond that belief, it is essential that you also understand that there is only one way to be reconciled with God, and that is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Hopefully, Eric Metaxas is already working on another book, where he will fill in these blanks.  “Is Atheism Dead?” is well-worth reading and continues his track record for interesting, inspiring and informational books.

Supply and Demand (Inflation and Revelation)

Introduction:  You likely have heard about “supply and demand.”  I’ve written a short essay that explores how this term applies to both economic matters (including the impact of inflation) and to something even more important- your eternal destiny.  To read the full essay, follow this link: Supply and Demand Essay

The six-page essay explains two Supply and Demand Charts.

To preview the charts, follow this link:  Supply and Demand Charts

Economic:  Economists often refer to the “law of supply and demand” to describe normal human behavior in the buying and selling of goods and services (in free societies).  This behavior is often visually presented in Supply and Demand charts.  Simply put, buyers seek to spend wisely and pay less when they can, while sellers want to price their goods or services to make a profit.  The economist charts show how these behaviors function and how a mutually beneficial balance can occur.

This balancing of supply and demand is one of the ways that our economy balances production and consumption and sets pricing for goods and services.  But it is fragile and can be disrupted by cataclysmic outside forces (e.g., wars, plagues, natural disasters, and bad government policies).

Bad government policies (particularly those pushed by the Biden administration and by “progressive” state and local politicians) are at the root of the current inflation plague.  These have acted to decrease product supplies, increase costs for suppliers, and artificially increase product demand.  The inflation rate is skyrocketing, especially on the everyday items needed by Americans.

As their costs increase and supply-chain problems occur, sellers want higher prices.  Consumers temporarily have more money, so they want to buy more.  But they find product shortages and become anxious.   Eventually a new balance of Supply and Demand occurs- at a higher price and potentially with fewer units sold than before.  That’s inflation.

A big government spending spree is growing the federal budget deficit by trillions of dollars.  It is “funded” mostly through a combination of (1) increased government debt (as the debt ceiling is raised) and (2) excessive “printing” of money by the Federal Reserve.  Massive deficit spending feeds inflation and some day the bill will need to be paid (but progressives hope to push their socialist agenda through before Americans can see the looming danger and stop them).

My 2021 novel “The Great New Deal” is named after fictional future legislation to address a national existential crisis:  decades of deficit spending and “kicking the (debt) can down the road” have pushed the U.S. economy to a tipping point, where America risks a devalued dollar and hyperinflation like 1920s Germany, Zimbabwe (since 2007) and Venezuela (since 2014).  Will this fictional tale soon become reality before our eyes?

Eternal Destiny:  “The Great New Deal” presents another Supply and Demand chart.  It has nothing to do with economics, but is a graphical presentation of God’s End Times plan to rescue people from sin and eternal punishment.  Characters in the novel use the chart as a resource to understand the times they are living in and to share this information with others.

This second chart demonstrates the interaction between the “Supply of Sin” (the level of sin evidenced in humanity) and the “Demand for Salvation” (the level of people who are becoming new believers in Jesus Christ) for the time period beginning around 1960.  These are troubling times.  This chart presents the current trends for this Supply and Demand, leading up to the next End Times events described in the Bible: the Rapture, Tribulation and Christ’s second coming.  

The chart visually answers the question, “What is God waiting for?  Why is He holding back on the promised “Day of the Lord?”  It also shows how the severity of the Tribulation judgments accelerates during the seven-year Tribulation, to catch the attention of those who will choose Jesus and punish those who reject him.

Though God will ultimately judge and punish all sin, He has provided the one merciful path to avoid such punishment and gain eternal life.  Jesus Christ has taken on the punishment that is rightfully yours and freed you from death’s sting, but only if you accept His gift.  Do not hesitate, no sins are too great for God’s mercy, when they are covered by the blood of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ.  This is the best Christmas gift you will ever receive!

Merry Christmas from Mark Tredecim                                         

Recommended reading- “Apocalypse Never” by Michael Schellenberger

Michael Schellenberger has written an excellent and important book, “Apocalypse Never” (2020).  It’s well-researched and clear (285 pages with 105 pages of reference notes).  It’s fact-based and well-intentioned.

Environmental alarmists are pushing for massive expenditures (funded by taxpayers) and a major restructure of our energy sourcing.  These would increase the volatility of our economy and bring a lower standard of living.  Students are regularly subjected to inaccurate teaching and activist propaganda about climate and economics, parroted by most of the media.  Before we permit these progressive activists to sell their fables about a coming “green energy utopia,” everyone should read “Apocalypse Never” to get real facts and sound insights.

The book doesn’t dispute the existence of carbon emissions.  But it provides facts that deflate the climate alarmists’ “global warming” and “growing extreme weather deaths” balloons.  It also body slams the methods the alarmists propose for reducing carbon emissions.

If the goal is to reduce carbon emissions, meet our energy needs, and improve the environment, renewable energy sources (wind and solar) are a terrible idea.  Shellenberger points out the terrible net energy ratios from renewable sources (page 191).  Over their lifespan, solar facilities produce just 1.6 times the energy required to create them, wind 3.9 times.  Compare this to ratios of 30 times for coal/oil/gas, 35 times for hydro power, and 75 times for nuclear power.  If you want to reduce carbon emissions, build safe modern nuclear power plants.

Renewables are much less reliable, too.  Renewable power comes with high pollution risk from the materials in their construction and when the spent facilities must be dismantled.

Shellenberger presents the massive land requirements, environmental destruction and visual/sound blight from renewable energy facilities.  Animal and plant life is exterminated or endangered.  He estimates (page 191) that it would require 25 to 50% of the land in the U.S. to meet all of our energy from renewables.  Farewell to national parks and scenic vistas, hello to PPIMBY (Power-Plant-In-My Back Yard).

Shellenberger explains the need for more modern energy and modern farming methods to improve the lives of folks living in underdeveloped nations (better health, greater food supplies, and resilience to deal with weather and natural disasters). He takes on the activists who would deny better lives to these folks while living a pampered life in Europe and America (made possible by modern energy and agriculture).  As a result, people in underdeveloped nations continue to use energy sources and farming methods that endanger sensitive ecosystems and produce higher carbon emissions.

Considering all this, why are people pushing this activist agenda?  The book identifies several reasons.  Some people and organizations are making lots of money (he names some of them).  Some are doing it as a way to gain power or prestige.  Greed, hypocrisy, lust and narcissism are powerful drivers.

For others, this cause has become a secular pseudo-religion, satisfying a personal need for relevance.  Educational activists teach the cult’s dogma to the young.  Politicians and the popular media preach to all of us.  Like the Children’s Crusade of the 13th century, these acolytes are being led down the wrong path.

I agree with Schellenberger’s recommendations for (1) making smart energy choices (hydrocarbons, hydroelectric and nuclear), (2) protecting sensitive ecosystems and (3) advancing the lives of people in disadvantaged nations through the current technologies (agriculture and energy) that benefit the U.S. and Europe.

I disagree with Shellenberger on one very critical matter.  Actually, the events of the Apocalypse are coming soon.  The Bible (particularly the prophetic book of Revelation) describes the period leading to the End Times and the cataclysmic seven-year period called the Tribulation, in which billions of people will perish.

The book of Romans says it is sinful to worship God’s creation rather than God the Creator.  Nature-worship, secular environmentalism, and secular humanism all conflict with the first two of the Ten Commandments and that is a very bad idea.

In the days prior to the Tribulation, Christians should be good stewards of the environment, good neighbors (helping needful people), and lovers of the truth (rejecting the lies told by progressives and climate activists).

My 2021 novel, The Great New Deal, uses parody to expose the foolishness and danger of climate alarmism and the green new deal.  It also connects the events of today to the End Times prophecies set forth in the Bible.

Remembering America’s Truth Detector

HONORING AMERICA’S TRUTH DETECTOR AND DOCTOR OF DEMOCRACY

Chapter 9 (“The Truth Detector”) and Chapter 10 (“Freedom of Speech”) of The Great New Deal were originally written for my novella, The Brave New Year (published in October 2020), in appreciation of conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh.  At that time, Rush was still hosting his daily radio show (with the help of guest hosts when necessary).

Rush passed away on February 17, 2021 and I decided to adapt these two chapters to incorporate them within my new novel (published in April 2021), which supersedes the novella.  These two chapters are meant to honor the life and memory of Rush Limbaugh.

Sometimes, Rush would speak about growing up in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, his loving family and the lessons he learned (especially from his grandfather).  He told us about his youthful dream to be on the radio and his long, sometimes bumpy path from local radio disk jockey to The Rush Limbaugh Show. 

I imagined the fictional character of 12-year-old Rusty for Chapter 9, thinking about Rush at a similar age, growing up in the heartland of America.  Smart, inquisitive and loving his country and family.

For Chapter 10,  I thought of Rush being one of the masterminds behind the unstoppable USA1-FBCN podcasts and the mysterious unfindable broadcast facility.  Rush’s well-known radio voice and personality provided inspiration to me for the unidentified voice of the first podcast, depicted in Chapter 10.  Rush loved technology and excelled at exposing the foolishness and failings of the left.  I could easily imagine him leading a team to establish an advanced podcast platform, broadcasting truth to everyday people while vexing the people hell-bent on dismantling our great nation.  In many ways, USA1-FBCN would be the logical End Times successor to The Rush Limbaugh Show.

Rush re-invented talk radio with his incredibly-successful national daily radio show.  For three decades, Rush brought truth, encouragement and joy to millions of people, sharing generously of himself and his talents.  He used his sharp mind to assess political and cultural events and trends and to bring his views to the air.  His shows were entertaining, but also insightful.

Listeners felt like they knew Rush, because he talked with them, not at them.  He said what he thought and millions of people agreed with him.  Rush treated on-air callers respectfully and was especially kind and encouraging when speaking with kids.  His love of kids and America was evident in the “Rush Revere” history book series.

Rush also spoke with great love for his wife Kathryn and the team that supported him in the radio show and the many philanthropic and business activities.  Rush and Kathryn were enormously generous in their support of worthwhile charities and successfully encouraged others to join in this support.  During the 2020 “State of the Union” address, President Donald Trump presented Rush with the highest American civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  It was a surprise to Rush that evening, but was very well-deserved.

He sometimes spoke about his battles with deafness and with cancer, but would not let these hardships define who he was.  Rush often shared his belief and confidence in Jesus Christ and now Rush is enjoying eternal life, hearing and speaking with his Lord and Savior.

Take a Look at the Lands Down Under

The Past, Present and Future of Australia and New Zealand

The Past:  In some ways, the histories of Australia and New Zealand mirror the history of America.  They were first colonized primarily by the United Kingdom (including exiled prisoners and indentured workers).  All three countries are currently democracies.  They stood up against the fascist socialism of Germany and the imperial regime of Japan, suffering great losses in WW2.  They had their dark chapters (the past mistreatment of the aboriginal and Māori/Islander populations and slavery in the United States). 

The Present:  Though Americans often lump them together, Australia and New Zealand are actually separated by more than 1,000 miles of ocean.  The climate of Australia is generally similar to California and Mexico while New Zealand resembles the Pacific Northwest and Northern California.  Their combined population is just 25 million people (sheep outnumber humans 6-to-1) and their combined land area is approximately equal to the continental U.S.

Australia and New Zealand feature beautiful scenery, geologic wonders, and exotic wildlife (scenery from the Great Ocean Road in southeast Australia provides a backdrop for this website’s home page).  Their people are heavily concentrated in the urban areas along the coasts.  Prior to the pandemic, these were great places for tourists to visit (friendly to Americans), but I wouldn’t recommend traveling there now as their governments’ response to the pandemic has been overbearing (an Australian friend recently said “the people in charge have gone bonkers”).

All three nations are in the crosshairs of Islamic terrorism and the Communist regime of Red China.

The Future:  They have something else in common- nothing in the Bible suggests any important role or special privileges for Australia, New Zealand or America during the impending End Times events (the final chapters in the war between good and evil).  Instead, the Bible prophecies focus on the Holy Land and adjoining territories in Africa, Asia and Europe.

This suggests that Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. will be removed from prominence before the Tribulation begins or during its early days.  The judgments described in Revelation will apply globally but some areas may be particularly impacted by the upcoming plagues, wars, famine, environmental disasters, geologic disasters, and strikes by astronomical bodies described in Bible prophecy.  For example, Revelation 6:14 talks about a great earthquake (early in the Tribulation) where “every mountain and island will be removed from its place.”  Ten chapters later, the Bible describes an earthquake that’s even greater.  The death and destruction during the Tribulation will be horrific.

The evil government and false religion led by the Antichrist and False Prophet will encompass the whole world- distance won’t protect the Aussies, Kiwis or Yanks from Satan’s minions.  Only God can protect you.

But wait, there is still hope!  In an instant, Jesus Christ will collect all Christians through the Rapture.  He will take them to the safety of Heaven prior to the horrors of the Tribulation. 

Further, during the Tribulation, God will send evangelists and messengers throughout the whole world delivering the Gospel message.  The people left behind into the Tribulation will have the opportunity to accept Jesus as savior, but the window of opportunity will be brief.  (Sadly, many people will reject this final invitation and seal their eternal fate- the Lake of Fire).

Folks in Australia and New Zealand who wish to learn more about these upcoming End Times events should consider reading my novel The Great New Deal.  The Kindle version is available for purchase at Amazon.com.au, but Amazon currently does not ship the paperback version “Down Under.”

Do you want fries or salad with your elephant?

How do you eat an elephant?

(One bite at a time).  That proverb is commonly thought to be of Chinese origin. 

Elephants are amazing creatures created by God and they are already endangered thanks to ivory poachers and other bad actors.  So I recommend you do not patronize any restaurant that has elephant on the menu.

Instead, I encourage you to read a great book by Vicki Croke (2014), “Elephant Company.”  It tells of historical events in Burma during the Second World War, as the British battled the evil Japanese Empire.  But the best parts of the book tell of the interaction between the elephants and their handlers (elephants served as the heavy construction equipment for the British and Burmese) and the interactions between the elephants themselves.  The intelligence and personalities of the elephants are presented and some events may bring a tear to your eye. 

This proverb is a word-picture for how to take on a seemingly-impossible task or project: one bite at a time.  Many people have “read the whole Bible” on their “to do” or “bucket” lists, but they are intimidated by the 1,100 pages of small font and never get around to doing it.  Good news:  various Bible publishers offer ways to read the whole Bible in a year.

Tyndale House Publishers does an especially great job at this.  They offer the “One Year Bible” in various translations and formats so that you can find the one best suited to you.  These take the complete Bible and sort it into 365 daily readings.  Each day you read something from the Old and New Testaments, Psalms and Proverbs.  For example, on March 17th you would read Numbers 26:1-51, Luke 2:36-52, Psalm 60:1-12 and Proverbs 11:15.  Typically it takes around 20 minutes for the daily reading.  The “One Year Bible” format makes it easy to keep your place in the book and stay on track.  I like this approach so much that I made the “One Year Bible” a story element within my novel The Great New Deal.

If you are interested in reading the Bible, you may want to do it soon.  The Bible is already banned in many countries and unfortunately there are many in this country who would like to do so.  In the future time period depicted by The Great New Deal, the Bible will be banned (or totally re-written by those in power, in furtherance of their evil intentions).