h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well I'm going to try to see Zelda this morning, in the matter which I alluded to yesterday. The extortioner phoned me this morning from work, and I told him no, I'm not prepared to speak to you, you'll be hearing from my attorney. Not very nice. His voice was thick with the thickness; that thickness that comes from Zechariah's pot. Or was it Zephaniah. The thick sound of the defeat of the Cross. Anyway. I will get Zelda to read the SMS's and she can formulate an appropriate and commensurate response.

Got a phone call from Khotso, who is married now, to Anelisa. There's a pretty young couple. They are living in Obs just down the road from here. So one of these days I'll pay them a visit.

Khotso is the artist who illustrated my book of poetry "Dorchester Starlings".

My own book is due out around now. Let's hope there aren't any last minute hiccups. Gavin wants a copy too.

The Holy Spirit gives me joy in my heart and peace in accordance with Philippians 4:7. It is as if he is saying, Leave it all to me; I'll sort it all out.

So praise God for a lovely, uneventful, victorious day in Jesus. And a parking space in Stellenbosch.

Just listened to the last What's In A Word that went out on CCFM. My reading had such energy! Lovely. I was so happy doing that work. Happier indeed than I'd ever been before, and have ever been since. Perhaps the publication of Words will lead to new work. That would be grand. I have always wanted to be on the radio ever since I was a little boy. My dream job it was, to write those pieces, literary criticism, philology and theology, all those things I'm best at, and to read them myself on the radio. It was very heaven. That's why the enemy put a stop to it, of course. I can't be allowed to enjoy life! No no no, that will never do. And things have been pretty flat since then. I've written the second volume of Words, and 5 new tracts, of high quality. I must seek God for more.

It was remarkable that I, with my pretty unusual set of qualifications, should have found a job that suited me perfectly, and which gave me such joy. But God is a God of miracles, and it may be that he has something even better up his sleeve for me to do. We shall just have to wait and see.

I must seek God for another tract today, I think. The first five in the new series were good. Sindi taught a whole class using the "future and hope" one. I just have to wait for an idea. Unless I have an idea, nothing happens. I expect when I marry I shall have a lot of new insights I'll want to write about.

Perhaps one on spiritual warfare, since I have endured so much of it lately. Perhaps one on the -- well I could write on "waiting". Because I've done a lot of that as well. And one on warfare. Also I think many people need to read about our co-crucifixion. Because the obscene ear-scratchers teach Jesus came to give us happytime. Our blessing and happytime are a by-product of our service. Happytime isn't an end in itself.

So all teaching about psychology or being contented or how to be happy etc etc, that's all nothing but obscene scratchings of the itchy of ears. I think that would deal with a great percentage of the books on sale in CUM. Books about how you feel about yourself etc. Similarly I abhor songs about my feelings about God. My feelings change from time to time, but God is eternal. So let us have songs about God instead. Preferably nice weighty theologically rich songs too. Not all this wailing about Jesus and how happy I am. That would deal with a large percentage of the music played on Gospel radio or on offer to buy at CUM. Objectivity in teaching and worship. That's the ticket. Objectivity.

Quite a simple rule. Perhaps we should write a tract about that. But, on the other hand, there is mention of how I feel in places like the Psalms. My soul rejoices in the Lord alway, for example. So perhaps I'm being a bit unnecessary. Perhaps it's just because I personally don't like singing about myself. I don't want to think about myself at all when I'm supposed to be worshipping and praising God. I don't want to think about my response to God, I just want to respond to God, and any thinking I do, or anything that goes through my mind, needs to be about him, rather than myself, or my reaction to him.

Well that's how I think anyway. I don't know.

So I'm still waiting on God for another tract.

Well the deceived one compared me with van Gogh, who also hid himself away in his room. I really don't like crowds. I freak out in crowds. It happened on Saturday. I want to create something. I want to do some proper writing. But I can't think of anything to say.

I could do a tract on waiting. I could find passages in the Bible where someone has to wait for something. And then say that even today, much of our discipleship consists of waiting.

And finish up with the Biblical word for waiting.

I don't know. I'm at sixes and sevens today. It was a very difficult 24 hours. It's been a lot of work, the past day or so. Well, since Saturday really. I still need to rest.

OK well I haven't heard anything from Andrew. I trust he hasn't been holding things up, making them wait before they box the books. This is the very last time I self-publish anything. It hasn't been a very pleasant experience.

I don't push myself forward at all. I find that distasteful. Instead I wait for things to happen. And they don't. The result is that I sit on my tod, going through experiences, and that's about it. It must be a waste of all those gifts my Father kindly arranged for me to have. I just feel that if God wants me somewhere, he'll put me there. I think deep down I feel that no-one really gives a feck about me or my work. I was working, but the enemy shut me down, with the willing and eager help of a believer. Imagine that, a believer doing the enemy's work. Well you can't very well guard against that can you.

In the past jobs have been offered to me by people who had heard about what I can do. Like Hugh phoning me offering me the teaching gig. Or Helga offering me the radio gig. I don't know, I really don't. I despise power and positions of power. I don't react very well to titles. I did try to apply at Radio Zibonele but they never got back to me. Well I've named my universe, as much of it as I can discern. So now it's up to God to put me into a deep sleep and operate on my side and bring me my Eve. I can't go looking for her. The Bible tells us not to. I sit here gradually falling apart while the world gets on with its business and the Christians get on with their heresies and the teacher of orthodoxy is left to rot because no-one wants to hear him. I haven't washed for weeks and weeks. I gave C a copy of my book and she locked it away in a cupboard, never to be looked at again. I ought to be teaching at a Bible College somewhere, Biblical languages and interpretation. I have a unique mix of literary criticism, philology and theology which really works. But no-one wants it. Well people want my books. That's good. But they don't want me. And I feel I need to be wanted to help me write with any proper speed and discipline. With me it's one step forwards and three steps backwards as I go through the same things again and again. This most recent trial has been pretty unpleasant. Let's hope that's all over. People are praying all over the world.

I think waiting is a good subject for a tract. After all, Paul puts patience at the top of his definition of love. Let me see, who waited in the Bible.

Abraham waited.

Noah didn't exactly wait. He had a job to do.

Anna waited, so did Simeon.

Jesus waited (or tarried) until Lazarus was well and truly dead.

The disciples waited in Luke 24:49 "until they had been clothed with power from on high".

"Those who lose their life for my sake will find it." Luke 10:39. I think it's fair to say I have lost my life for Jesus' sake.

Matthew 2:15 Joseph waited until the death of Herod before returning to Judaea.

Matt 22:44 "Sit at my right hand until I have put all your enemies under your feet" - waiting

What a wife endures when a husband is thousands and thousands of miles away. My wife is thousands and thousands of miles away, just down the road, so many many miles awa', awa'.

I wanted to talk to someone whom I liked, and I wrote to her, and she wrote back threatening to take legal action if I wrote again. She also accepted my friend request on FB only to block me immediately I got onto her page. She has treated me not as if I were a demonic witch, but as if she were one.

Then I had a vision in my mind's eye of a Crowleyan satanic witch who identified herself as the woman I liked. But this was a vision of an evil person and I do not believe what an evil person says on principle.

Husband belongs to his wife and wife belongs to husband.

A husband should love his wife as well as Christ loves the church.

Shame, she said. They pity me because I am a fool who cannot die.

A man's body belongs to his wife and a wife's body belongs to her husband. It is a kenotic chiastic relationship based on Christ.

Marriage is her favourite topic. You have to work at it. You have to put a lot of effort into it. Imagine ... a relationship you keep until your dying breath. Children are constant witnesses.

Part of a marriage is building healthy children. Children who can contribute to society. Unfortunately some children leave home with baggage. I left home with a containerful of baggage. "We care," they say. They care.

Her parents left anxiety and fear in the woman. That is not what I want for my kids. That's right. How do you stop your guts from opening the top of your child's head and spilling your fear directly into your children's brains? You can't.

I want to meet her before my looks fade.

I do contribute to society through my writing, which is in demand.

How do I stop my arrogant pride from seeping through my penis into my wife's egg and becoming a hell's-child? How must I prevent my children from inheriting my sin-sick, sad and sorrowing soul? What happens if my son suffers like I suffer and there's nothing I can do to make it better? This is the risk of faith, I just have to ask my Father to give us healthy children.

I'm listening to Odile on CCFM.

I cannot get my head around the fact that it's been a week since Nolita texted me to say she was coming tomorrow. I cannot get my head around the fact that the weeks are running past so quickly. It is blowing my mind.

I am going to make a forthright call to the printer's to find out the answer to a couple of questions which have arisen in the course of their dealings with the calligrapher. Because someone is taking the piss, and I want to find out who and why. I inherited from my dad the ability to scare the shet out of people on the end of a phone and I might find myself having to employ that technique this afternoon.

Khotso phoned. Had a pleasant conversation with him. He's a nice fellow, newly married, and I know his wife, and I know Khotso, and I know what is likely to happen unless Khotso is firmly but carefully mentored in the Biblical husband-and-wife dynamic. We don't want his wife sitting on his head and playing with his dingle dangle and laughing on the phone to her little friends.

No, Khotso needs some careful discipling as to what headship in Christ means. His wife will get the shock of her life when Khotso mans up and begins to show some headship. She wasn't banking on that. I believe that many young women marry confident that they will be able to control their husbands and manipulate them to get their way at every turn until they decide to divorce and take half his substance.

This must not be allowed to happen to my friend Khotso. I am going to encourage our friendship and I'm going to help him understand and implement the Bible's vision of the headship of the husband over his wife. First thing to understand is "she will desire to control her husband, but he will rule over her". Because that's what the verse means. The word "desire" is teshuqah which has to do with driving a pair of oxen IIRC. Derived from the word for thigh which is the powerhouse of any animal's motive musculature.

His wife was pally pally with Sipho so I know exactly what he's up against, poor fellow.

But he has a friend in me, who is willing and able to help and equip and enable him to take his rightful place as the head of that family. It's a complex dynamic, because he has to die for his wife, BUT this does NOT mean that he rolls over and lets her have her way every time. It's complex and subtle but also powerful. I would love to help and pray Khotso through the learning curve he must immediately take on. For instance his wife has decided she wants a car for Christmas and Khotso can't manage it and is coming up with all kinds of crazy schemes to try to get a car for Christmas. But if A wants something, she will manipulate and manipulate until she gets her way. I know this because I lived with her for 2 weeks; and I know what happens when you deny her something she has decided shall happen. I am telling him, if you cannot manage it, go back to your wife and tell her, no love it's not possible, and re-negotiate a realistic budget for buying a new car for her.

This is where figures are useful. You can't argue with figures on a page. Not even a princess can argue with figures on a page.

So I'll be praying for my friend Khotso and will be by his side to help and advise and teach him whatever he needs to know.

Yes there ARE last minute hiccups.

I have always said I will not believe a word about the completion date until I am holding the books in my hands.

They piss all over Andrew because they can.

They can try it with me. But I haven't had my balls cut off by a manipulating wife. So it doesn't work.

They have been taking the piss out of Andrew all the way along.

Let them try to take the piss out of me. I remember when I lost it in the computer shop and they were practically shetting themselves. I don't take crep from people I am paying to do a job for me.

Unfortunately it is very common in this country.

I'm glad I've waited until middle age before marrying. I've named my universe; I don't have to let a woman name it, and therefore define it, for me. I have named my own universe.

Never get married until you have named your own universe.

THAT is to be my next tract.

Genesis 2:18-20

And the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; let me make him a match, to help him.” And the LORD God formed all the creatures of the field from the earth, and all the flying creatures of the sky, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called the living beings, that was its name. And the man gave names to all the beasts and to the winged creatures of the sky and to all the creatures of the earth; but there was found no match for the man, to help him. (Genesis 2:18-20)


We notice that this passage is about the making of a wife for Adam. Yet before God puts Adam to sleep and forms Eve out of one of his ribs, he first makes all the animals and birds, and brings them to Adam to see what he would call them. This is surely one of the sweetest and most charming passages in the whole of Scripture. I have translated it quite literally; although God knows everything, he gives Adam full reign over his free will and imagination, the opportunity to exercise co-artistry with God over his creation, in naming the creatures himself. Adam was, we remember, as yet unfallen, and had the most brilliant intellect and powerful imagination in history, surpassed only by Jesus himself. The idea of God wanting “to see what he would call them” is a beautiful picture of the relationship Adam enjoyed with his Maker. They are portrayed almost as equals here, as God comes to Adam with curiosity, eager with passionate, kindly interest to see how Adam would use the amazing powers of imagination he had been given. Adam has to give names to all the animals, before God does the first recorded surgical procedure and “builds” Eve from Adam’s side.

What do the animals and birds have to do with the making of Eve? Clearly they have everything to do with it, because their creation and naming are part of the narrative concerning Eve. What we notice in this passage is that Adam has to name his world before God will bring him his wife.

To name your world is to comprehend it. It is to define it. It is to master it. The name of a person is that person’s deepest essence; not for nothing are we saved by the Name of Jesus. In the Old Testament, the Name of God was another way of referring to his Presence, the fullness of God’s direct self-revelation to us. So in naming his world, Adam is doing a work of creation; he is identifying each creature’s inmost essence, its unique quality, and using his imagination to find a name corresponding to that quality. He exercises mastery over the world by finding out what it’s really like, and making it his own by giving its creatures names he has found within himself, using his powers of imagination and thought. In this way Adam has thoroughly understood the world in which he is placed, but not only understood, but made his own. He is truly the master of his world. He is free to master it according to his own free will in imagination and thought; God is curious to know what Adam will make of the world he has created for him. He doesn’t tell Adam what the creatures are called, but allows him the freedom to name them for himself.

And so it is with all of us. The naming of the creatures is something we all do, as we grow in this world. We gradually form an imaginative picture of the world in our minds, which we use to think about the world and thereby to master it. We each see the same world in our own distinctive, unique way, which we gradually find for ourselves, in freedom. What we "call the animals" is a reflection of who we are and what part we will play in the world we are given to enjoy.

So we notice that the first thing God does when realising Adam needs his Eve, is to create the animals and birds and get Adam to name them all. In other words, before Eve is made and brought to Adam, Adam has first to master the world in which he is placed. It is no different with us today. Before a man can marry a wife, before God brings our wives to us, we too must fulfil our responsibility to name the animals: to understand the deep nature of the world in each of its parts, to name it, to find its essence, so as to master it. First we master our world; then God will bring us our Eve.

It is vital that a man master his world before he is given his wife, because if he doesn’t master the world before Eve comes, Eve will master his world for him and thereby define his world. Eve will become the mistress of the man’s world, and the man’s vision of his world, and therefore his action in it, becomes defined and controlled by his wife. Given the dynamic of the eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil revealed in Chapter Three, it is a disaster for a man that his world should be defined and controlled by his wife. If this is so, the man is quite unable to relate either to his wife or to the world in the way God wants him to, because she will be the head of him, and not the other way round. She will assume mastery over his world, and therefore over him. This is not the Maker’s plan for man and woman. In short, marrying too soon, before the man has mastered his world, is a disaster for the successful negotiation of a true relationship between the man and his wife, with the dynamic God has ordained should obtain in their marriage.

Let unmarried men and women take note. Men, do not seek a wife; let God bring her to you, and only expect him to do this once you have named the animals and mastered the world with your imagination and your mind, so that you can walk confidently in every area of life. Women, do not marry a man who is not the master of his world. If you do, your marriage will not reflect the beauty of what God intends for men and women to enjoy. Neither of you will be entirely content, and the complex and subtle interaction between man and wife will not develop healthily.

In Christ’s Name,
Brother Richard
Word First Ministries

Anabainw en twi kosmwi, ephe he fwne he mikra he dialogizomene ton bion emon. Ouk exestin soi gamein dioti thanatos esti gyne tei kefalei. all' hexeis hetairan! boulomai monon ho ti bouletai ho theos. anabainw gar.

Now the task of the evening is to ensure that my heart remains steadfastly in Jesus Christ the Son of God. I shall never abandon this testimony, that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Remember Clara never gave in to the Dalek programming, even though they put her in a Dalek case. Well I shall never abandon my Jesus. And I don't care what the voices around me say. Because I want Jesus. Jesus is my Lord and God, my Saviour, King and Redeemer. Jesus is Lord. And on the day that I can no longer say that, I shall no longer say anything. Jesus is Lord. Jesus is Lord. Jesus is Lord. The Holy Spirit is Lord. The Father is God, the Source, the Begetter, the Holy One of Israel. The voices around me are confusing me and hurting me. Jesus is Lord. I shall always confess the Lordship of Jesus. Even though my face declare it, Jesus is Lord. Jesus is Lord. I shall keep this testimony until the day I die. Jesus is Lord.

The voices have started saying strange things. But no, I shall not change like that. And if I ever did, it would be against my will. For God the Father himself has chosen me. Jesus is Lord.

The world is changing around me... someone said something about going up in the world. But of course Helga is ignoring me, but you can never tell with Helga what the story is.