"Faustus, who embraced evil and shunned righteousness, became the foremost symbol of the misuse of free will, that sublime gift from God with its inherent opportunity to choose virtue and reject iniquity. Faustus had advanced beyond the level of a scarlet sinner — he was a conscious follower of the Prince of Darkness. The fact he could publicly project an Antichrist image with pride, having no fear of reprisal, and his seeming diabolical art of escaping all punishment when others who were considered heretics had burned at the stake for less, would certainly signal that an unnatural individual walked in their midst.
It is true in many respects he assumed the role of the charlatan, yet how apropos, considering his willingness to follow the Father of Lies and deception.
A life of good or evil, the hope of Heaven or the despair of Hell, Faustus stands as a reminder that the choice between these two absolutes also falls to us.
The lofty mind of man can be imprisoned by the artifices of its own making. If there are damned souls in Hell, it is because men blind themselves.”
E.A. Bucchianeri, Faust: My Soul Be Damned for the World
"God is going to invade, all right: but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else — something it never entered your head to conceive — comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choice left?
For this time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it has become impossible to stand up.
That will not be the time for choosing: it will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realised it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last for ever. We must take it or leave it."
C. S. Lewis, 1944
"And because of the increase in lawlessness, the love of most will grow cold. But those who stand firm to the end, will be saved."
Matthew 24:12
It was 'rally mode' in a big way today.
Stocks reached new highs.
The dollar rebounded.
Gold was off a bit while silver rallied a little higher.
Tomorrow will be the Non-Farm Payrolls report for December.
As you may recall the ADP Report showed an unexpected loss earlier this week.
Believe lies and in many cases outright nonsense if you will, if you feel you must, and serve the madness.
You can certainly have no illusions about it now. This is your choice, your Faustian bargain.
Just know what thing it is that you have chosen to serve, and allow to dwell in your hearts.
Have a pleasant evening.
