"Hail to Jesus our King" in high heaven they sing; all those spirits restored in GOD's image and likeness.

Christ will bring them again to a world free from sin; when this earth long corrupted with unrighteous living

is recreated, restored through His love, and at last handed up to the Father above.

Beyond time GOD's family in eternity, Father's home for souls re-born

in the Spirit t'will be.

shemayim is beyond the rim of this material universe and was created by Almighty GOD as a home for Himself and the angels He first made.

ANGELFIRE full length, JULY 7-2-05 & into AUG.

It was such a privilege I had Thursday morning of speaking to a large group of youth and children about our prison ministry at LARC. Brother Shannon had invited mission speakers for each morning, so I told them how I'd been going to that Lexington prison for the past 14 years telling inmates that Jesus loves them. Then I played on the harp I always carry and sang that story from Ge.4 about Cain, who murdered his brother Able. So I told them it showed why so many men are in prison for terrible crimes. Yet the LORD's love can change their hearts when they repent to seek Him, even if they are locked up the rest of their lives. Guess I just "harp" on heaven because I know this earth's so temporary. Yet a nice home in which to live can be a foretaste. Niece has been remodelling homes to sell here in WW the past few years (five now, with this Pinkhouse included) and built one new two story home in PV. So now we're starting our first remodel job there. She can really make a place more attractive, even one looking nice already.

Meanwhile, it's been two and a half years since our space shuttle Columbia's disaster in the final hours of flight. So NASA's going to launch Discovery on July 13 for a 14 day voyage. Remember the one back in '87 that exploded just after launch, when all seven astronauts perished. That was long before the ISS had been built out there. Now it's even starting to age. My own view of space adventure has also faltered with age. The pride I once felt in human achievement (especially American) has yielded to the divine judgement on homo sapiens, "Dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return." Thou our species becomes finally extinct, there will be a new race of re-born beings in Christ Jesus to claim it's inheritance with the Creator in His home beyond this material universe. The name of that place is shamayim (the highest heaven where GOD and the holy angels eternally dwell). Secular science can't detect shamayim but Christ will bring it as a new heaven and earth at His glorious return. Another sign I see of his appearing is that Spain has now joined Holland and Belgium (plus Canada very soon) in accepting "gay marriage." Jesus told that His coming would be as in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah...so at the coming of the Son of Man." Thus, this war on terror to spread democracy can't be Christ's answer, as we see what even democracies are doing. A "free election" even put that Iranian hard liner in office.

Fires in CA, UT and AZ have been raging. And now we have a burn ban in Garvin county. But thank heaven for Tuesday's showers. Rain was sent when we needed it, so let's praise the LORD. Hallelujah!

ANGELFIRE 7-6-05

Niece went over to Elmore's fireworks Sunday night while I was up at LARC. She was really impressed, especially with it's reflection there in the lake below. Then again Monday night was certainly a "wham bam" of heavenly display. I say that in reference to the "home-run" hit by PV's annual fireworks after which the tremendous electrical rainstorm came later in the night. As for the wham, it was a flawless show at Wacker Park and so much more impressive inside Thompson Field. Niece and I had avoided the traffic in past years by just watching from our car several blocks away. But right there underneath the sky rockets made it a far more enjoyable experience. And all the folks packed in the place were decent, courteous, patriotic fellow Americans; no display of the drunken stupor so often seen at major events these days. The applause and cheers of the crowd for each "bomb bursting in air" added so much to what ended with a flaming flag of red, white and blue at the south end of the field. Even the departure traffic went without any rude shouting or honking. The most I heard was some teen shouting "Move on." Then when we got S. Chickasaw, you'd think all of WW had been there from the long line of tail lights visible heading down #77.

But maybe I should have said "double whammie" to express the rest. We turned in before midnight and then then came the bam, which was that storm with so much lightning and thunder. It just went on and on, until Critter wandered anxiously around the Pinkhouse as our windows blinked and walls shook with each loud clap, thud, shock, ripple and rumble. It seemed that nature was jealous of man's orderly presentation and showing how fierce it can be in comparison. But now as I write, the needed rain is falling for which we all should give thanks to GOD. I couldn't hear the prayer at the park last night, but am sure it was to the heavenly Father we can know personally through our Lord Jesus Christ. Accepting Him is our declaration of independence from Satan and his tyranny. Thus we pledge our highest allegiance to the Kingdom of GOD and seek to live in harmony with others, especially those also born of the Spirit. My website begins with a song about that, "The Evangelical Theme." as parallel to our National Anthem.

By far the biggest fireworks this year was our missile that hit the comet "Temple One" which is headed this way. It was like two bullets colliding and took a lot of skill at NASA, though the impact's compared to a mosquito hitting a jet airliner. Still, the accuracy causes me to recall Ronald Reagan's push for an anti-missile missle that would shoot down one headed toward us even after launch. Critics said that would be impossible. But Deep Impact has proven even more successful, as I see it. Right on, NASA. Even a mosquito with a nuclear bomb could destroy a huge aircraft. So we cold stop space objects plunging toward earth if ever that's necessary.

ANGELFIRE 7-9-05

Thursday for London was like Monday had been for WW, the best and the worst in a single day: artful sky display followed by discordant electrical storm July 4th. I woke up Friday morning from a dream that our whole nation was turning back to the GOD of our Bible. Impact of that terrorist attack on London (right after gaining the Olympics) was like the severe electrical storm that had hit us late Monday night after such a pleasant holiday celebration. Citizens of America were getting their eyes open and turning from the Vegas delusion (soul v.d.) has been polluting our culture. Even that little island of Aruba, that Fox News has been calling "paradise" down there, was being shown as "Vanity Fair" instead; a place where our children can get permanently lost. I feel that my dream was an angel sent from the holy One in heaven. Not just down on our knees America, but falling on our faces before Him with repentance of the drinking, doping, gambling, loose sex, worldly pleasure, sensuality seeking craze that has been corrupting our hearts through media and advertising. Even wickedness has been made to look "family friendly." But satan is still the hideous monster that he's always been, "going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour."

"Deep Impact" was NASA's successful probe by an observer craft sent into an approaching comet, "Temple One," which is producing new information about the creation of our solar system. May it also signify a deep impact upon contemporary conscience, leading to resotration of Biblical piety in our national ethos instead of so many pietistic poses. When true Godliness comes in, the unclean and filthy influences are driven out. I'm outraged by all the molestation and murder we've seen. It's a stench that reaches clear on high, and there's hell to pay for it if we don't fall down in fear and trembling before the Almighty Judge.

ANGELFIRE 7-14-05

Countdown has begun for the launch of the space shuttle heading for the ISS. What a sad time that was two and a half years ago when Columbia broke apart to scatter over several states on it's return from so many days aloft, sixteen as I recall. All seven astronauts died because of tile that had come loose at their very take off. Remember the search for all those fragments that continued for months. This crew will be commanded by a female and another will also be aboard. Also a Japanese guy and four more for the usual seven for Wednesday's launch, in spite of hurricane Dennis. Yet a sister storm could cause delay, I'm guessing. It was such a success hitting the comet last week that NASA must feel new confidence for this bigger manned (or personed) venture, even though "Temple I" was millions of miles out in space. That Tom Cruse movie "War of the Worlds" was timed just right. I'd heard the story by England's science fiction writer H.G.Wells even in childhood, and can vividly recall when it used as a radio drama enacted by Orson Wells. I was only ten or eleven. It really put a scare in the air back then as we heard of aliens from Mars attacking earth with death rays. Now we Earthlings are attacking space instead these 67 years later. Right on up Discovery!

Our other shuttles were Challenger and Enterprise, but the former exploded on lift off way back in '87. I was so grieved that I wrote a song to an old tune "Will the Circle Be Unbroken:" Tuesday morning they were going, no one knowing it was farewell. In their places, happy faces, everything was looking swell. In a moment, like Halley's comet, they had risen up on high. When at once all turned a fireball in the sky, Lord in the sky...Littered places on the sea floor strewn for miles and miles around. Only traces of our heroes by the search team could be found. They had vanished off to glory in the twinkling of an eye. And their names all tell the story written there upon the sky. Pretty teacher was the feature that made this flight so much more. Children weeping, kids not sleeping, grief is spread from shore to shore... Lord keep Discovery safe this time we pray so this third time can be the charm.

We also must heed those signs in so many yards "Pray for our troops." It looks like we've settled into a long war with terrorism and we'll need divine help to hold out. Nothing in my lifetimes seems as Satanic as these suicide bombers. It's the ultimate expression of hate to be willing to blow yourself up just to take out others too. The only place I've found in Scripture to compare is when Samson pulled the supports from under that stadium causing all those Philistines to die in the fall, though it killed him too. His hair had grown back so that his strength was restored. Thus Israel counted Samson a martyr for the LORD. As a Nazarite (separated one) from birth, he had also abstained from alcohol or gambling (Baal worship, as I see it).

ANGELFIRE 7-16-05

A headline this Friday morning says "Shuttle Launch in Limbo," which is just another name for Neverland. It makes me think again of Michael Jackson. So I'd rather say Discovery is just "on hold." Jackson has joined O.J.Simpson as a bygone celebrity. But Discovery still has glory days ahead despite all the delay, in my opinion. In fact NASA had not announced take off for Wed. but had called it an "attempted launch." So it still could go up as soon as Sunday. Wouldn't that be just right, heading for the heavens on Resurrection Day! Every Lord's Day tells us that Christ will soon return from beyond the sky, where He has been with the Father since His ascension. He defeated evil, but taught us to pray "Our Father...lead us not into hard testing, but deliver us from the evil one." So the devil is still throwing his weight around to causing great harm. But his days are numbered. Maybe Garvin countie's stolen bull dozer will be soon found that disappeared on 4th of July weekend. But just stealing it was a hellish deed and the culprits should be caught too. The county commissioners have offered a reward. Then we see that crook who led WorldCom into financial disaster will have to serve 25 years in prison. So greed gets what it deserves, some here but mostly hereafter. He wept in court, though I think it was for his sentence instead of the losses to others. The Lord would forgive (because His precious blood has paid for all our sins) if that ex-CEO truly repents and looks to the cross. Yet the others financially ruined are not likely to do so. Still that prayer Jesus gave the Apostles also says "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Forgiveness toward others is essential in the Kingdom, even if difficult to give from the heart. Lord keep us mindful of our own faults before judging others harshly.

WW's steakhouse was run for 30 years by Corene Abbott, but is now been sold. What a fine place it's been. I recall how badly it was damaged in that severe ice story of 2000. But Corene had it renovated and back in business even better than ever. Now it's been purchased by a Stratford lady and will be open again soon I hope. Another new feature in WW is our Horse Arena that's out east of First Baptist and nearly as large as the church building there. It's painted blue in contrast to the red brick on WW's newest church house.

So many special events happen in PV that I juat can't keep up with them. The Toy and Action Figure Museum seems to be foremost. Yet my favorite is the Old Tower. I toy with it in my mind when it comes in view, recalling days as a teen when I'd stand underneath and imagine it was a space ship while I looked up. That was in the era of Buck Rodgers and Flash Gordon, if anybody can remember those comic strip action figures. So the tower's my toy.

The L.A. police have had enough of an image problem and now it's a hundred times worse with the shooting of that toddler, along with her crazed father. I always lean toward officers of the law and know that they must be heart broken at such a calamity. So GOD help our police, especially in that notorious city of such lawlessness. May their new hispanic mayor bring more order.

ANGELFIRE 7-20-05

The findings about those four suicide bombers of July 7 in London are ominous. They were British citizens born right north of the metropolis at Leeds. Talk about treachery and betrayal! At least the 19 of our 9/11 attack were from abroad, nearly all Saudis. Now it's learned that three of the four had visited Karachi, the metro of Pakistan where so much terrorism is being fostered that even our closest allies and Tony Blair are wondering if they can afford to stick with us in stamping out terrorism. As I ponder the start of this new century in 2005, I see that 9/11 was right at the outset in it's very first year. All that excitement in 2000 about the Lord's return was a year pre-mature. It was only the end of an old century. Now century 21 has shifted from a cold war to one against satanic assault from abroad and right at home. London's bombing are a hundred years after the Communist named Lenin slipped into Russia from Paris on a mid-night train and and began the Revolution from Moscow. It took most of the 20th century to bring down his evil empire. But now an Arab religion is seeking the same hateful intimidation of mankind. Spain was the first to knuckle under, but I pray that England won't be the next.

Next month the Jewish population of Israel will have become greater than that in America. Jews played a role in the founding of this USA and once outnumbered the citizens of Israel just in NYC alone. I'm thinking it was the reason that city was the target of 9/11. Now I compare it to London in the 19th century where Karl Marx had to flee from Paris to spread his Marxism, along with Engels who helped him write the Communist Manifesto. The reason Hitler hated that ideology so much was that he considered it a Jewish plot (Marx was a half Jew). Now anti-semeticism has fueled Arab hatred. Being "the chosen people" has carried a strong onus, yet being kind to Israel gained the US divine favor I think, which we'll loose it if we yield to this terrorism. I even question our pressure on Sharon to vacate the West Bank and allow a Palestinian state. The current demonstrations in Israel show strong opposition from Israelis basing their land claim on the Bible's promise to Abraham.

Islam, an Arab religion originally, looks to Ismael (son of Hagar the Egyptian) as it's link to Abraham. He was Abram's first born, thus entitled to the inheritance instead of Isaac (according to the Qur'an). But the Bible said that he would be "a wild ass of a man." That seems to have prevailed as the radical part of a faith that has spread far beyond just Arabs; much in the way our Gospel has spread to far many more than just the Jews, where it began. Abraham has certainly become what the LORD promised, a father of many nations, but we need GOD the FATHER's help right now, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: GOD of the Bible, who sent His son Jesus (soon to return). Come Lord Jesus, we pray.

ANGELFIRE 7-24-05

Most of us haven't even learned the name of e-Bashir, ruler of Sudan. But now that he's making apologies to our Secretary of State Rice, we've started to notice him. It's sad that the genocide being conducted in that largest nation of Africa for the past several years had not gotten nearly as much news. But now the crime of nearly a million Christians being murdered by militants from Darfur's Muslim government is hitting us in the face as a blatant demonstration of fanatic Islam to which the Sudanese e-Bashir has at least turned a blind eye; but more likely has assisted. Militias have been destroying the villages of Christians down south while we spend 700 million to build refugee camps there for those who escape. But it's taken this present insult to really get our attention. Since our pledge is "freedom and justice for all," Sudan may yet become as much a focus as Iraq in the war against terrorism. We do know that it's where OBL got his early training after he was run out of Saudi Arabia, and from where he went to Afghanistan to aid the Taliban. So watch out now for Sudan. Our Petagon has renamed it as The Global Struggle Anaginst Violent Extremeism. I suppose that's so we won't think of Iraq as a war that must be completely won before troops come home in victory parades. The power of imagery is great through media all over the world.

So China has de-linked it's currency from our dollar? Their joun has become so strong that bus more and their economic power will increase. Yet as the dollar declines over there, prices of goods and services from here will soften. So it may help us cut the trade deficit some. I wrote last time about the collapse of Communism, but that was looking east toward the former Soviet Union. In fact, it's still strong for over a billion Chinese behind us, across the Pacific. Armed with nukes and missiles to reach clear across this far is something to make my generation turn around. Viet Nam should already have taught us, but globalism absolutely demands it despite the Bible's centering on Jerusalem, or that garden "eastward in Eden." And another thing China has is enough cash to buy all our major oil companies with their estimated seven hundred billion in hand. Seems that they all have "two cars in every garage and a chicken in every pot" by now, thanks to American customers buying so much made in China stuff.

Right here in PV we have so much to celebrate. Last Saturday it was a party at the Willows for Ruth Long who turned 100. I can recall the variety store they ran downtown when I was a kid. It was a couple of places west of First National Bank and just past Oneal Jewelry; but on the east side of Uncle Virgil Goodpasture's shoe repair shop, where I worked after school. Carley and Ruth were at their store each day and their son, the late Carley Jr. who became a dentist, was my classmate and friend. Another Ruth in PV a decade past 100 now is Mrs. Ferguson. So PV is like Shangra La (valley of the blue moon), where long life prevails if you stay. That's why I like to hang around here. And since the arts council began, there's always something new on the agenda. And there's photos in the Democrat if you miss anything. As we become a Valley of the Arts, let's faithfully remember THE ARTIST who showed us heaven with His parables and in His own life, the Lord Jesus Christ. Maybe we can live long enough to behold His coming, because He promised to return someday soon. Glory!

Missed a week so going into August on this page

ANGELFIRE 8-3-05

Kofi Annon's been back in the news. It seems he's always a gentleman and has welcomed John jBolton, our newly appointed delegate, to the international body. Of course everyone knows Bolton will be a thron in the side of the UN's secretary general. So play acting is on the world stage for sure. But there's likely to be fireworks quite soon.l Donald Trup has also stepped out with his offer to refurbish the UN building there in NYC at thal the cost Annan was given by contractors. Trup has a twoer there that he built, plus a lot of other real estate. So he'll do it just at cost, which can save big money. But that famous "your fired" language might be intimidating to Kofi, though all the "oil for food" scandal makes it seem appropriate. Of course there's 190 nations playing at the able besides the US. But Donald may hold the "trump" card as a bilionaire. Money talks loudest everywhere. CNN's Sunday night show "Is There Anyone Out There?" was provoked by the shuttle Discovery being docked at that International Space Station where seven newcomers joined the two already aboard. I was once quite excited by SETI (search for estraterrestial intelligence) but have become jaded with the quest. In fact, that whole hour of TV seemed like a rerun I'd seen before. Of course I'm concrned about the shuttle's safe return. We all are! But to keep tuned to remote regions of the universe in hope of getting an intelligent signal seems to get more unlikely each year. NASA funded the project for a while, but now it's only kept alive with donations. That seems like the making of a cult to me. Such would attract those who dismiss the supernatural but replace God and His angels with beings that evolved from this material universe. Thus the physical realm ontains all that truly exists. And that's back to 19th century Marxism I say. Phooey and hogwash.

ANGELFIRE 8-6-O5

Discovery is set to return from the ISS early Monday, after the space walks to check it's safety. Atlantis had been the designated rescue craft even though NASA's whole fleet was grounded. Had that been necessary, I guess NASA would have made an exception. Now the ISS has been re-supplied and things are back on track after the repair job in space. We can start taking note of Mars which rises out of the southeast around ten each night, to keep moving higher toward the moon until Aug. 27, when it will make it's nearest pass (as it does every 79 years). Though we call it the Red Planet, the color will be bright yellowish orange. Since astronauts won't be headed there for several decades, I've heard the proposal that a one way trip is possible sooner, at much less cost. What a pulpit Mars would make from which to change that planet's name to Shalom. It's red could then represent the precious Blood once shed on the Calvary to win man's redemption from sin and wickedness. A senior citizen, for whom time is running out, might get this glorious opportunity. It would sanctify future space missions to the renamed "Shalom," a doorway to possible colonies there and beyond.

Here in WW we look for the Steakhouse to reopen Aug.15. Corene Abbott, it's former owner, has suffered another stroke and is with her daughter down in Louisiana. The new owner is Sherry Hillis, who will move here from Stratford. I met here a couple of weeks ago and told her how much the Steakhouse means to WW and our surrounding towns and how glad we were that she's putting it back in business. R.P.Quinlin now has moved to the Sherman apartments. He's a friend of mind and Corene's husband.

I didn't get over to Stratford's peach festival nor to Maysville's Wiley Post celebration, but liked the photos and write ups the Democrat carried. We have the finest team of reporters and best editor ever. Each edition of the paper is a treat for me to read. Sometimes this column is cut short, but I know that helps me keep readers. Folks shy away from reading a very long article. And those who want the rest can find it on my web page usually at the bottom. So I'm glad for those of you who punch it up because I have to pay to keep it on-line. My reading on the Internet lately has about Artificial Intelligence. We all know about "smart" machines, but I hadn't realized preparations are already made for actual "thinking machines." There's a Singularity Institute that envisions superintelligence which will solve the complexities of our existence. I tremble as I read, lest it's a form of idolatry to make such plans. But they are working on a global network that will constitute an ethically based "mind" that's being created. No, it's not science fiction. AI is moving into AGI, artificial general intelligence. The latter connects all human knowledge into a central network via the Internet. May this project see Jesus as Lord of all i.e. "But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Cor.2.16 PAGE 104 TO 103