The further exploits of Sherlock Holmes

For detective/mystery lovers here is a free ebook you'll love! It is further exploits of Sherlock Holmes written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's son Adrian together with John Dickson Carr! The 12 stories feel a bit more updated, and yet they still ring true of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's voice. Click the link below to download in various ebook formats.

https://archive.org/details/TheExploitsOfSherlockHolmes

The stories contained in the collection are:

• "The Adventure of the Seven Clocks" - post-scripted as "The Case of the Trepoff Murder" mentioned in "A Scandal in Bohemia"
• "The Adventure of the Gold Hunter" - post-scripted as "The Camberwell Poisoning Case" mentioned in "The Five Orange Pips"
• "The Adventure of the Wax Gamblers" - post-scripted from "The Case of the Darlington Substitution Scandal" mentioned in "A Scandal in Bohemia" (however, this exploit is not the one mentioned in the Doyle story, but is instead a second one. It does refer to the previous one, though.)
• "The Adventure of the Highgate Miracle" - post-scripted as "The Tale of Mr. James Phillimore" mentioned in "The Problem of Thor Bridge"
• "The Adventure of the Black Baronet" - post-scripted as the affair of "The Unfortunate Madame Montpensier" mentioned in "The Hound of the Baskervilles"
• "The Adventure of the Sealed Room" - post-scripted as the case of "Colonel Warburton's Madness" mentioned in "The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb"
• "The Adventure of Foulkes Rath" - post-scripted as the account of "The Addleton Tragedy" mentioned in "The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez"
• "The Adventure of the Abbas Ruby" - post-scripted as the affair of "The Famous Card Scandal of the Nonpareil Club" mentioned in "The Hound of the Baskervilles"
• "The Adventure of the Dark Angels" - post-scripted as "The Case of the Ferrers" mentioned in "The Adventure of the Priory School"
• "The Adventure of the Two Women" - post-scripted as "The Scandal of the Blackmailer" mentioned in "The Hound of the Baskervilles"
• "The Adventure of the Deptford Horror" - post-scripted as two cases "The Sudden Death of Cardinal Tosca" and "Wilson the Notorious Canary-trainer" mentioned in "The Adventure of Black Peter"
• "The Adventure of the Red Widow" - post-scripted as "The Arnsworth Castle Business" mentioned in "A Scandal in Bohemia"

Word of Faith exposed

Please research the Word of Faith movement! It has deceived literally hundreds of millions of people with a false gospel of name-it-and-claim-it. And it has caused untold damage and destruction!

The theology of WoF allows for the so-called prosperity [false] gospel to function! It's all about commanding God to actualize what you reach for by faith. I've even heard WoF preachers say God MUST obey you when you reach out whether it be for health or wealth or anything.

This dangerous and toxic theology has spread all around the world (especially in Africa), thanks to churches, organizations, and companies based here in America, and has caused devastation. We must oppose the WoF movement!

Note: Many in the charismatic movements, such as the pentecostal denominations, have members who follow the WoF. But not all do. I am a Reformed believer, but all Christians need to make sure that our theology is grounded in the truth of God's Word. We must constantly be on guard against false teachers and wolves who would lead astray our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ! The WoF movement teaches a twisted gospel of greed and materialism. Idolatry epitomized! The only ones who prosper are the preachers and leaders and television and media companies! The Christians who send their money to these charlatans do not prosper.

Here is an excellent 3-hour video that thoroughly documents the theology, practices, and abuses of this movement.

Favorite 80s music

 I was a kid during the 1980s and have fond memories of the music. As an adult, I revisited the music and found it highly appealing. I listen mainly to classical music, but when I'm not listening to classical music I like to hear 80s music. Here is a list of my top 25 favorite songs from the 80s.

Take On Me
by A-ha

Out Of Touch
by Hall & Oates

She's Gone
by Hall & Oates

Private Eyes
by Hall & Oates

Don't You (Forget About Me)
by Simple Minds

Hold Me Now
by Thompson Twins

You Belong to the City
Glenn Frey

In the Air Tonight
by Phil Collins

Your Love
by The Outfield

Safety Dance
by Men Without Hats

Broken Wings
by Mr. Mister

West End Girls
by Pet Shop Boys

Don't Dream It's Over
by Crowded House

I Ran (So Far Away)
by A Flock Of Seagulls

Head Over Heels
by Tears For Fears

Shout
by Tears For Fears

Everybody Wants To Rule The World
by Tears For Fears

True
by Spandau Ballet

Crockett's Theme
by Jan Hammer

(I Just) Died in Your Arms
by Cutting Crew

White Wedding
by Billy Idol

Eyes Without A Face
by Billy Idol

Billie Jean
by Michael Jackson

Patience
by Guns N' Roses

Say You Say Me
by Lionel Richie

Taliban retake Afghanistan

 Kabul is lost and so is Afghanistan! It's back into the hands of the Taliban - the Islamic fanatics who treat Christians and women as sub-human! 20 years of effort wiped out. Very tragic! Watching the desperation of the Americans and Afghanis trying to escape was reminiscent of the fall of Saigon. Like the Vietnam war, the Afghanistan war was a protracted police action without clear objectives to win the war. Afghanistan is very tribal, and I think it was too much to expect a national Afghan army to be cohesive and effective. In the end, they surrendered even with a 5:1 advantage over the Taliban. I think many Americans, like Americans during Vietnam, were questioning why we were even there in Afghanistan. And the historians will probably be wondering as well in coming years. I don't believe this will be the end of American involvement in Afghanistan. They will resume harboring Islamic terrorist groups and could launch another 9/11 style attack on America, so we'll likely return in some form if only airstrikes. For the more cynical I leave you with this chart on poppy (used to make opium and heroin) production in Afghanistan.

A Testament

In the Garden, man did fall
For eating the forbidden fruit
Death and sin consumed us all

We once walked with God
In the garden of Eden
To survive we'd have to work the clod

This Messiah was foretold
The prophets recorded
In the days of old

He would save the human race
By reconciling man with the I AM
Jesus would die in our place

Truly God and truly man
The hypostatic union
He carried out the Father's plan

He was born in a humble stable
With sheep and donkey
This was no fable

He taught the 12 Apostles truth
And healed and spoke with power and authority
His reputation spread in Judea forsooth

The Pharisees devised a wicked plan
He rebuked them and challenged their hypocrisy
They schemed against the Son of Man

He was judged by Pilate of Rome
And sentenced to death
As recorded in many a tome

On Good Friday He hung on the cross
The God-Man would face God's wrath
Such an incalculable loss

At 3 pm He spoke His last
"It is finished." He cried
His mortal life was now past

Satan was happy
The Nazarene had fallen
He was gloating and relishing the victory

Christ's mother Mary bitterly wept
John took care of her
While her Son slept

But that was not the end
On Sunday Jesus arose and walked again
The laws of physics did bend

Christ the second Person of the Triune God
He defeated Satan and death itself
Him we shall forever laud

Death was swallowed up in victory
The price was paid
To set man free

Free from death, free from sin
Eternal life won for us
By His blessed propitiation

We were lost in a sea of sin
Christ our redeemer
To safety, He pulled us in

We can do nothing to earn salvation
It is freely given by God's sovereign grace
We were elected by divine predestination

Before the foundation of the earth
God determined who would be saved
His own good pleasure won us second birth

By grace, we are saved through faith alone
Not through our works
We are given a heart of flesh for our heart of stone

Repentance is key
Turn from sin and trust in Christ alone
Then you shall have eternal victory

Jesus will return to earth
To finally destroy Satan and all his works
The New Heavens and New Earth filled with mirth

Until then we have a blessed hope
We must live for Christ
There is no hardship we can't cope

So spread the Gospel by mouth and print
To all, you may meet
Oh what a joyous stint

by Zachary Uram, (c) 2021

Life

"Life"

Oh hallowed womb
It must not be a tomb
Let love bloom

Children are a gift divine
Sweeter than wine
They are beautiful by design

Always choose life
The world has enough strife
Husband, support your wife

To abortion, we must say no
It's an evil woe
Life is precious don't you know

No sacrifice is too great
To save a child from this wicked fate
Let your compassion be not late

So save this gift so dear
Love casts out fear
Let the world  hear

by Zachary Uram, (c) 2021

A Polemical Poem

"A Polemical Poem"

The so-called infallible Magisterium

Is in a delirium

Making up doctrine ad hoc

To deceive the flock

Oh the sinister machinations of man

Developed a plan

To control the people

From the church steeple

A lust for power

Conceived in an ivory tower

Oh come out of her I say

Without delay

Join a Reformed church

And leave Catholicism in the lurch

With doctrine so clear and true

You will know what to do

Sola Scriptura rules the day

So join without delay

Repent and in Christ alone believe

No longer can Satan deceive

Priests and bishops have no power to save

You must belong to Christ as a slave

The Pope is not Jesus' vicar on earth

He has no worth

I bid you leave Rome

And come home

Let Luther and Calvin be your guide

The truth they will not hide

Soon you will be a Calvinist and find you are one of the Elect

No longer deceived by the Catholic sect

So begin your journey this night

Being Reformed is such a delight

by Zachary Uram, (c) 2021

Poem - The Eschaton

"The Eschaton"

Do not fear my brethren
Our God is sovereign

We await the Second Coming of the Lord of Lords
He will slay the Satanic hordes

He came as the Lamb, but returns as the Judah Lion
He will reign in Zion

Once the Peace Treaty is made
The timeline is laid

In the Rapture we will fly
To meet Jesus in the sky

Our blessed hope
Not by man or Pope

God's wrath will rain down on the globe
A fate worse than Job

People will flee
But they will find no sanctuary

During the great Millennial reign
We'll sing a joyous refrain

At the Great White Throne
All the deeds of men will be known

Satan and his minions cast into the Lake of Fire
We'll have our hearts' desire

We, God's children, will spend eternity with Him
And so ends my poetic hymn

(c) 2021, Zachary Uram