Book Announcement: On the Cybernetic Circuit

Now out on Kindle!  Ifscapes, Volume 8: On the Cybernetic Circuit

From the book description:

Ifscapes 8 makes the rounds of galaxies and motherboards in the newest installment of the series, On the Cybernetic Circuit. Can a robot really replace a human explorer or astronaut? Will artificial intelligence take over, or is it a figment of the cyborgs’ imagination? Where do AI, androids, and Andromeda meet singularity, sentience, and Sol? From big questions to the big top, the Ifscapes multiverse marches on, sweeping the systems at home and abroad.

In this volume of Ifscapes:

- sail the high seas with unexpected companions

- enjoy an insider’s view of adventure sports and exploits in outer space

- reconsider human nature through a robot’s eyes

- terraform new worlds far distant from the Solar System

- watch artificial intelligence develop from the inside out

- upgrade from settlers’ habitations to epic galactic palaces

Space colonization, star alliances with extraterrestrial visitors, android bureaucrats, and robotic upgrades all feature in this collection of science fiction stories. Interplanetary warfare, incipient empires, shaky federations, and mysterious expeditions are the latest victims of AI-generated mishaps . . . or are they? Plumb the innovative depths of artificial intelligence, natural language processing, human error, convergence, and more in the developing databanks of Ifscapes Volume 8, On the Cybernetic Circuit.

First Coming Christmas Countdown: Christmas Day

The culmination of the First Coming Christmas Countdown: Christmas Day, Dec. 25! (But was Jesus actually born in December? Learn more about His real birthday in A Primer on Messianic Prophecy, Chapter 2, "His Birth.") 

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

Merry Christmas!

First Coming Christmas Countdown, Christmas Eve

Welcome to the First Coming Christmas Countdown, Christmas Eve Edition! Today's special topic is about the name of Jesus. To learn more, look up "Yeshua" in the Primer's General Index or "Zechariah 6" in the Scripture Index. For a bonus, turn to Isaiah 49:1.

21. Dec. 24: Zech. 6:12 - Messiah’s name will be Jesus (Greek Jesus = Hebrew Yeshua = English Joshua) (Matt. 1:21)

First Coming Christmas Countdown, Week 3

The First Coming Christmas Countdown is moving quickly! To get more out of each day's topic, you can go to the Primer’s Scripture Index and look up the pages about each verse.

Week 3:
14. Dec. 17: Is. 7:14 - Messiah, fully God and fully Man, will be Immanuel, God in the flesh (John 1:1)
15. Dec. 18: Dan. 9:25 - Messiah will come in the first century (Matt. 1:17, Luke 1-3)
16. Dec. 19: Hag. 2:7-9 - Messiah will enter the Second Temple (Luke 2:27-52, Matt. 21:12-17)
17. Dec. 20: Is. 60:3 - Messiah will be welcomed by (some) Gentiles and kings (Matt. 2:1-12)
18. Dec. 21: Jer. 31:15 - Messiah will survive a massacre of Jewish children (Matt. 2:16-18)
19. Dec. 22: Hos. 11:1 - Messiah will go to Egypt and later return to Israel (Matt. 2:13-21)
20. Dec. 23: Is. 9:2 - Messiah will be the Light of the World (John 1:4-9, 8:12)

First Coming Christmas Countdown, Week 2

Continuing the First Coming Christmas Countdown! You can find more information on each day’s topic by going to the Primer’s Scripture Index and looking up the pages that discuss each verse.

Week 2:
7. Dec. 10: Is. 11:1 - Messiah will be a descendant of Jesse’s son David (Luke 1:32-33)
8. Dec. 11: Mic. 5:2 - Messiah will be born in the town of Bethlehem (Matt. 2:1-10, Luke 2:4-7)
9. Dec. 12: Is. 53:7 - Messiah will be the Lamb of God (John 1:29)
10. Dec. 13: Jer. 23:5 - Messiah will be eligible to be king in David’s line (Matt. 1:1-17, Luke 3:23-38)
11. Dec. 14: Job 19:25 - Messiah will redeem His people and bring eternal life (1 Tim. 2:5-6)
12. Dec. 15: Is. 42:1 - Messiah will be the Suffering Servant (Mark 10:45)
13. Dec. 16: Dan. 7:13 - Messiah, fully God and fully Man, will be called the Son of Man (Luke 19:10)

First Coming Christmas Countdown, Week 1

We’re in the midst of the First Coming Christmas Countdown! You can find more information on each day’s topic by going to the Primer’s Scripture Index and looking up the pages that discuss each verse.

Week 1:
1. Dec. 4: Gen. 3:15 - Messiah will be born of Eve’s descendants and will conquer evil (1 Cor. 15:20-26)
2. Dec. 5: Mal. 3:1 - Messiah will be preceded by a messenger (Luke 1:5-80, 3:1-6)
3. Dec. 6: Is. 9:6 - Messiah will come as a baby boy (Luke 2:1-21)
4. Dec. 7: Is. 7:14 - Messiah will be born of a virgin (Matt. 1:18-25)
5. Dec. 8: Hos. 13:14 - Messiah will defeat death and the grave (1 Cor. 15:55)
6. Dec. 9: Gen. 49:8-12 - Messiah will come from the royal tribe of Judah (Heb. 7:14-16)

November Book Discount through Wipf & Stock

Wipf & Stock special discount now through November 30th!  A Primer on Messianic Prophecy and The Bible and the Holographic Universe are both available for 50% off retail price plus free domestic shipping when ordered through Wipf & Stock’s website or customer service.  To receive the discount and free shipping in the United States, enter the online coupon code “CONFSHIP” at checkout and select Media Mail shipping.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins" (Acts 10:43).

Book Endorsement from Ron Rhodes

 Thank you to Ron Rhodes for his endorsement of A Primer on Messianic Prophecy!

“In A Primer on Messianic Prophecy, Cynthia Polsley masterfully navigates the intricate historical tapestry of the Messiah’s lineage. This book elegantly underscores Jesus Christ as the heart and center of biblical prophecy. Highly recommended.” 

—Ron Rhodes, author of The End Times in Chronological Order

#1 New Release in Christology on Amazon

A Primer on Messianic Prophecy is the #1 New Release in Amazon's Christology department!  Thank you to readers, and please continue to like and share!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/new-releases/books/297490/ref=zg_b_hnr_297490_1

Now Available: A Primer on Messianic Prophecy

A Primer on Messianic Prophecy is now available!  Please like and share, and if this book touches your heart, please remember to leave a review.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Primer-Messianic-Prophecy-Journey-through/dp/B0CKRQPHL3/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=9781666778816&qid=1697842578&sr=8-1

Wipf & Stock: https://wipfandstock.com/9781666778816/a-primer-on-messianic-prophecy/

Coming Soon!

Book Endorsement: Michael Gleghorn

Another thank you, this time to Michael Gleghorn for the great book endorsement!

“In this well-written primer on messianic prophecy, Cynthia Polsley leads the reader through some of the key biblical passages concerning Jesus’ first and second coming, as well as his millennial reign and eternal kingdom. Although one may not agree with all her conclusions, this book will help to broaden your vision and increase your understanding of all those plans and promises of God that find their ultimate fulfillment in Messiah Jesus.” 

—Michael Gleghorn, research associate, Probe Ministries

Book Endorsement for A Primer on Messianic Prophecy: Kenneth Boa

Thank you to Kenneth Boa for the wonderful endorsement!

"Cynthia Polsley’s A Primer on Messianic Prophecy richly nuances and amplifies the life and teachings of Yeshua HaMashiach by contextualizing them in the Jewish understanding of the seven feasts of Israel, the wed- ding ceremony, and the tabernacle. Happily, it also clarifies the usually overlooked distinction between the private and public dimensions of the Messiah’s first and second comings.”

— Kenneth Boa, president, Reflections Ministries

What Is A Primer on Messianic Prophecy?

A Primer on Messianic Prophecy is coming in hardback and paperback this October!  Written for anybody who wants to learn more about Jesus the Messiah, this book is about yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

From the back cover: “An introduction and survey that digs into the Bible’s picture of the Messiah’s entire career from Genesis to Revelation, A Primer on Messianic Prophecy is for anyone interested in learning more about Messianic prophecy, its support for Jesus’ identity as the Christ, and its meaning for our present and future. Exploring the Messiah’s First and Second Comings as they are described throughout the Bible and with attention to archaeology, biblical feasts and the Jewish wedding system, history, and current events, this Scriptural synopsis examines Messianic prophecies that span all of time. Some are fulfilled, yet many are to come. Covering topics from the beginning of creation to the last days and beyond, A Primer on Messianic Prophecy is a foundational and inspirational text for readers wanting a better understanding of the Bible’s intricate inerrancy and picture of the key figure throughout Scripture—Jesus Christ, Lamb of God and Lion of Judah.”

Please keep this book in your prayers and stay tuned for updates, book reviews, and more!

Book Announcement: Coming in October 2023!

A Primer on Messianic Prophecy: 
A Bible Journey through the First and Second Comings of Christ

Soon to be available wherever books are sold!

Book Announcement: Spurious Passages

Announcing Volume 7 in the Ifscapes series: Spurious Passages!

Now available on Amazon:

The multiverse of the Ifscapes series continues to expand with Volume 7, Spurious Passages. What’s real and what’s fake in the range of many universes at once? Can the casting company find a proper Odyssean actor with suitable knowledge of the Bronze Age and Homer’s Cretan Lie? Is interplanetary warfare an empire’s endgame in the age of hover technology, upgraded centurions, and legions from the edge of a known universe? It might take bureaucrats in a conference call or soldiers on a military campaign to find out.

In this volume of Ifscapes:

- take on artificial intelligence at home and abroad

- survive the hazards of the Battle of Mons Olympus

- trek through the jungle with bots, robots, mysterious explorers, and other castaways

- travel unbeaten paths of ancient-world outer space tourism

- sit in on behind-the-scenes commentary of imperial proportions

Passages through space, time, intergalactic settlements, and satire meet with humor, androids, alien invasions, and the intrigues of AI in this latest installment of Ifscapes, where travelogues of Horace and Vergil, the Annals of Ennius, and Tacitus’s histories fit right in with the many possible worlds of androids, colonization, multiple selves, cybernetics and neural implants, and other dimensions. Drama, action, surprise endings, and comedy are all on the table and the travel itinerary in Ifscapes 7, Spurious Passages.

Celebrating Decade Day

People call it your “Alive Day:” the annual anniversary of the day you survived a massive accident and/or injury.  My Alive Day this year is an even more significant one.  It’s a “Decade Day.”  June 15 marks ten years since my family’s car was struck by a distracted driver and I sustained a spinal cord injury.

This Decade Day hasn’t come easily.  Ten years down the road, we’ve dealt with broken bones, life-threatening complications, internal organ collapse, and invisible health crises.  But in the midst of it all, we’ve continued to see something far more important: God’s faithfulness.  “Thus far the LORD has helped us” (1 Sam. 7:12b).  A Ph.D., ten books, speaking opportunities, 3,652 days, and countless other literal miracles and blessings later, I am thankful for the Author of life, the wonders He has done, and the family and friends He has granted.  Every breath is a gift, and I want each one to count as much as they did when I was struggling to take them ten years ago.  Life is precious.

Every breath of your life is also a precious gift, and there’s no time better than the present breath to reflect on the bigger picture of your life.  You never know what could happen in the next ten seconds, much less the next ten years.  And the next ten seconds matter!  What makes you ready for them?  What do you believe about the future, and why?  Do you have a firm source of hope beyond yourself, this day, or this moment?  These are important questions to ask, with even more important answers.

Whatever your past, wherever you were ten years ago, and whoever you are today, this is a special day for you, too.  After all, as long as you have air in your lungs, it is a day that you are alive.  Stop today to take a breath, be thankful, and think about what — or rather, Who — has brought you this far.  “[F]or I now whom I have believed” (2 Tim. 1:12b).

Happy Alive Day!

Note: Yesterday, June 14, was Flag Day in America.  While it has spread into the SCI community, the term "Alive Day" was originally used to celebrate the survival of veterans.  Thank you to our veterans, heroes whose lives we celebrate every day.

National Space Day 2023

Ifscapes travels into the multiverse (explored in The Bible and the Holographic Universe from a non-fiction perspective), but as the series shows, there's a lot to be said about travel into the universe!  If you haven't heard, May 5, 2023 is National Space Day.

Some fast facts about space:

- "outer space" popularly begins at the the Kármán line, about 62 miles above the surface of Earth.

- space is a deep vacuum, but not a perfect one.

 - if two pieces of one type of metal touch each other in space, the two pieces stick together in a process called cold welding.

- the first spacewalks occurred in 1965.

- it takes Jupiter almost 12 years to orbit the sun.

- 25 of Uranus's 27 moons are named after characters from William Shakespeare's works.

- Voyager I was launched in 1977 and crossed into interstellar space in 2012.

- Alpha Centauri is the star system nearest to us.

- the first cat to fly in space was the French feline Félicette (1963).

- Lucian of Samosata (second century A.D.) wrote about a space battle in his True History.