LORD'sDAY, RESURRECTION DAY, SUNDAY, or EASTer That hugge twister that hit St.Louis yesterday was their worse in 44 years. Yet despite all the destruction, no one was killed of badly injured. Amazing proof that that being prepared is worth the effort and expense. Add to that a measure of divine grace and you get a balance to work like everything depended on you and pray as though the outcome in in the hands of the Almighty. Now the final launch of our oldest Space Shuttle Endeavor is to be Fri. or Sat. into an Earth orbit, but not to the ISS this time (the purpose it was made). Rep.Gabby Gebhert will be there also at Ft.Lauderdale to see her asronaut husband take off. Though his task is exciting, it can't be as amazing as what she has already survivie: that bullet clear through her head from cranium in back to forehead in front, left side. No human has lived through such before, so it's a human assisted miracle that compares for ANGELFIRE to that of Easter morning. Our bodies are the seat of each self. When that of our Lord Jesus Christ was in the grave for those twelve hours plus (thus three days linked) his consciousness was gone from it. A sure sign of death is total lack of any awareness. And if our self is not conscious then our being is suspended or concluded, because self and consciousness arre opposite sides of the same reality. Some have equated self with the spirit, thus the notion that he descended into hell. But that's a stretch in my interpretation. Spirit in Hebrew is literally "the breath" just as life equals "the blood." We know that Jesus had shed most of his so that he died. His breath also ceased with his last words and so the self was in suspension/cessation of existence. So those hours between the end of Good Friday and the start of Easter Sunday are total death for our LJC. Then with his resurrection, life is restored to triumph over Satan once and for all. He conquered our ultimate enemy by riding again. And he coming again to complete that victory on Earth.
ANGELFIRE 4-28-11 Let us thank heaven for the rain Garvin county has needed so badly, as we pray now for yet more (but not of flooding as in some spots). Somehow I compare it to the Pentetuch in our Bible since I'm a BB/Bible Believer. It's first five books are Law (Torah in Hebrew) but the fifth one, Deuteronomy, means second Law. It reads like a rewrite of the previous four GnExLvNm and made also by Moses in years after the 4 yh wilderness journey is competed thru the Arabian desert. Now when I was attending Perkins seminary in Dallas way back in the fifties, the J-E-P-D description of Torah authorship said it was composed of four oral traditions later woven all together into one: Yahweh, Elohim, Priestly & Deuteronomic. Thus Deuteronomy was mainly the written fusion together of all four. That way you could see it's last book as supplementary to all four previous "books ojujuf Law." I preferred to consider it strictly Moses handiwork, rather than the later Ezra who had set the Torah down in written Hebrew language; though the latter view does make sense. Some argue that there was no alphabet in Moses day. Ezra was a scjp;arly Scribe several centuries later than Moses. And he lived in Babylon where the Jews had been carried awauy into captivity. Yet there were great libraries there. So he was able to write it all down in order that God's chosen people could go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple of king Solomon. We know that the name Moses means "drawn out" as the Twelve Tribes had been from down in ancient Egypt. And later Ezra means "help" which that priestly Scribe named Ezra gave the Tribes with setting their Law down in written form. His work would finally become the very root of our Bible. He was part of the Sanhedran of Babylon (which exceeded studies at the other Sanhedran in Jerusalem). So Ezra may have written/compiled all records up to his 6th century BC time of the Deuteronomic reform, which is a type of resurrection from death (which the Babylonian captivity signifies). Such signs in history give depth to what we've just celebrated as Easter. And ANGELFIRE had a dream last night of Moses and the burning bush that has prompted all this recall of JEPD (YahwehElohemPriestlyDeutronomic) theory. Evangelicals like myself have been reluctant to accept such theory, but I've always had great respect for Ezra of the Old Testament. His work starting the written Word) signals the final return in glory and majesty of our LordJesusChrist. C.L.J. JosephA@webtv.net AoP and BB
LORD'sDAY 5-01-11 This is also May-Day, the code for disaster in Navy lingo. It can mean fire aboard at least, or abandon ship at worst. In my short time of service it was sounded once there on Navy Pier at Chicago. What a shocking sound and furey it was until we learned it was only a live drill of what we'd aready learned to do. Certainly did give me a feeling for May-Day, May-Day! But we never hear that anymore, even though it sounds descriptive of our Ship of State's financial situation. And if the Shuttle Craft Endeavour had waited one more day to cancel it's launch, there would have been some parallel to it. Now we may just use an older call SOS for the whole space program. Even the cost of that Shuttle orbit was going to cost another billion dollars. So the dream of going on to Mars is fading fast in the economic mess. At least manned flyght seems unlikely, unless an International trip can be arranged somehow. We may have to settle for only getting observatories out, like the one planned for 2014 named The James Wall Space Observatory. It's to be far more than the Hubble that has looked back on all Creation to it's infancy 13G years ago. The JW will peer clear into that first billion years to learn about matter being formed out of energy. It will be combined with several other international space agencies to help cut our cost. Right now we have to rent Russian cargo craft to get to the ISS. So there could be a May Day for our entire space program. But the Creator has an even greater plan for America and all nations, with the return of his Son to reign over a new heaven and earth. Shalom, JosephA#webtv.net BB AoP & WWWatcher
aANGELFIRE '5-2-11 Those tornadoes in Alabama and the South were the worst in 40 years and took a toll of nearly 300 lives. Though it's sad to see, we here in OK have finally been getting the rain so badly needed. PTL for that. Now the burn ban can stay lifted here in Garvin county, even though we have learned to put our trash out on Mondays and Thursdays rather than burn it here in WW. Those lawns are left looking so ugly where trash is burned when allowed by law. And we like to keep our town spiffy to behold. I used to think looks were only superficial, but the longer I live the more I appreciate seeing things neat and in order. Nearly 20 years of driving the paper route in WW may have created that feeling for me. From now on the PV Democrat in only on news racks or delivered by mail. But ANGELFIRE came to know WW as a friendly place. It got so familiar to me that I began waving to everyone. Then many would wave back to me too. Finally it seemed that most waved first and I lifted my hand from my steering wheel as a sign of Shalom, my favorite word from benedictions said at the close of worship services. We call this our city of hospitality, and there is a Bible way to say it..."peace, prosperity and preparation." That third p of shalom is for meeting the Lord when he returns. I learned "Shalom" when I visited Jerusalem years and years ago. The Jews use it there like we say Hello over here (or Howdy in WW). So I've always felt sure Jesus used it to greet the Apostles. In fact, his first word to them after rising from the Tomb was "Peace be unto you." And knowing that he was Jewish, means that the Hebrew word was the one he used. It's full of blessing as well, because prosperity is the fuller meaning. And ANGELFIRE knows that relationship with him makes us ready for that Day of his return, or "preparation". We Christians worship on the Lord's Day not only because it was when he arose, but also since it refers to a final Day of the Lord. To be at peace(shalom) with him makes us ready to be caught up with all other true Bible Believers into his arms forever. As his church, we are the Bride that he's coming to marry. What a day that will be, when our Jesus we shall see. Then he'll take each by the hand and lead us through the Promised Land. What a day, glorious Lord's Day that will be. SoLong/Shalom, JosephA@webtv.net
ANGELFIRE 5-07=11 Has there ever been such a contrast of world figures as seen in the late pope John Paul II and Usamma Bin Lauden now dead? Both were religious strong religious figures that pointed in such opposite directions. Now just a few years after his demise, that pope has been beautified in preparation for official sainthood by Roman Catholics, while the Wahhabi leader shot being shot dead is celebrated by peoples around the globe. The timing of such a contrast provokes memories for ANGELFIRE of my studies in seminary. I wrote my master's thesis on the doctrine of atonement. And the most ancient view was of a battle between Christ and Satan as taught by Ireneus of Lyons. He claimed that the Lord Jesus came to overthrow an evil dominion the devil had gained at the outset of history. It began when Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden. So Christ came to restore the sinless perfection mankind had been given at Creation, which had been lost in the fall. Thus Christ Jesus had taken the warp out of our being at every point with his perfectly sinless life. It was at every juncture in his 33 years on earth that he made us straight again. Such an interpretation is called "recapitulation atonement" and is basic in pietism. Of course the cross and resurrection still climax the divine Incarnation. But everything Jesus said of did was also part of our redemption so that we are enabled to imitate his life as well as trust in his sacrificial death to save us. The recapitulation theory of Atonement has not been heard as much as the satisfaction view which places it's focus on his death on the cross; nor the moral influence one which just says it was his example. But perhaps Bin Lauden has caused us to take Satan seriously again. And such swings us back to the earliest theory, recapitulation. He is with us in each choice to be made giving power to resist the devil and live out the Kingdom of heaven here on earth After her big wedding in London, Kate had just three words to say, "I'm so happy." Here they are in this lirrle song for you BBs: I'm so happy and here's the reason why, Jesus took m burdfen all away. Now I'm singing as the days go by, Jesus took my burdens all away. Once my heart was heavy with a load of sin. Jesus lifted all and left his peace within. Now I'm singing as the days go by, JESUS TOOK MY BURDEN ALL AWAY. Hallelujah! SoLong/Shalom, JosephA@webtv.net
ANGELFIRE 5-12-11 Now we know that Newt Gingrich will be running for president next year. And it seems likely that Sarah Palin is likely to try since she's speaking of possible others. And we've had a black president but not a female one. There are several ladies who might run, but Sarah has the head start in name and fame. But ANGELFIRE is wary of politics because there is a power called Satan who sneaks in sooner or later. His name means "adversary" and appears late in the history books of the Bible. 1 Chron.21:1 Some claim that Job mentions him earlier, but Job was written still later. The Chronicles are a rewrite of 1 &2 Samuel & 1 & 2 Kings. Thus our text is a a rewrite of 2 Sam.24:1, that shifts David's bad choice from Yahweh to Satan. David order a census to be taken, which showed weak faith. But "Satan" had not yet become a name in Israel's history. In Eden it was simply "the serpent," then called the devil. But later faced as the Adversary. I recall a book The Creator and the Adversary published in my seminary days. The author claimed he was advocating dualism, but answered "So what? It was a basic reality to face." But the Bible is strict monotheism. So there's no other God. Others contend that he's fallen humanity, personified. Yet he's a super human power. And you can't destroy him like we did ObL by shooting. But the Gospel enables him to be bound by the blood of Jesus for believers. He will yet be at work in politics and world affairs until the Almighty casts him into the bottomless pit after our Lord Jesus has returned for his church. So COME LORD JESUS! Let's sing together--They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and no faint. Teach us Lord, teach us Lord how to wait. SoLong/Shalom, JosephA AoP & BB ps The space shuttle Endeavor is set for another try to launch on Monday. Let's pray for thst international crew to be sage on their orbital journey pround Earth. ANGELFIRE 5-18-11 I've just read a TV headline "Trump Pulls Plug on Plans to Run" so I guess we will loose an exciting personality from the politics of 2012. Now that both he and Huckabee have withdrawn, ANGELFIRE feels a woman may be the next one in line to begin challenging president Obama. There are several possible ladies already in sight as we dump the Trump. He seemed to be the winning card for Republicans, but now he claims business to be his first love. Did you know that he may not even be a billionaire as we'd assumed for so long. Seems it could be that he's a skillful actor who allows his famous name to be used on building constructions all over the globe. There are now dozens of "Trump Towers" going up in major cities of the world. So mear fame of name can create wealth, as we've learned from Hollywood here in America. Yet even that can be fragile wealth which gets temporary glory easily. Just look at the former governor of CA, Arnold Schwartzneger, who has been finally forced to admit he fathered a secret illegitimate child ten years ago while being married to his present wife, who is now about to divorce him. How can marital affairs get so confused? And how can children survive it? At least with Trump it was only or mostly money. So that makes me wish he had stayed in the race for 2012. And now Arnold can just go back to movies. All this should serve to warn us to keep our eyes on the LORD JESUS. He's the Savior and LORD, and will return very soon! Even with such a national debt hanging over the US, his blood has bought us a place in the coming Kingdom of GOD. And our 14 trillion national debt is a pittance compared to his heavenly wealth. SoLong/Shalom, JosephA@webtv.net AoP BB