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ANGELFIRE 6-03-06 There are twice as many references to earthquakes in the N.T. of our Bible as in the Old, though the O.T. has over three times as many pages (39 books vs 27). "Seismos" is the N.T. Greek word used where Jesus says "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be EARTHQUAKES in various places...These are the beginnings of sorrows (birth pangs)" Mk.13:8. So now there's been one in Indonesia that may yet rival that tsunami of two years ago which was caused by a quake beneath the Pacific. Then Katrina hit us from the sky last year like another, though it was just a hurricane. Next, there was a huge one in Pakistan that drew less attention over here because our own N.O. was in such a mess. Before all these and several others, we can look back to 9/11 almost five years ago now, as a man made earthquake, so to speak. And this war on terrorism is a continuation of it's tremors that keep shaking history here in the final days of time. Some folks still expect a third millennium, but it seems doubtful to me that we'll even get to the finish of this 21st century the way disasters keep happening. And look at the prospect of global flooding that Al Gore's new movie is depicting. Even the oceans are rising up as a consequence of atmospheric warming on Earth. GOD promised such would never happen again from His hand, but this is coming about from man's doing, pollution of the Earth by burning so much petroleum. Yet all we think about is how much more it's costing to fill up our tank with gasoline. Today the gas pump has become a signal of this end time saga, though at least we've now admitted our addiction. AA teaches how that's the big first step toward recovery. I think we might pray the Lord's Prayer each fill up "forgive us our participation in this pollution as we forgive the rip off we're paying for the fuel that make it." Surely hell is a place of total and absolute pollution, addiction, corruption and insanity which we dread to imagine. That report in Tuesday's Democrat from Mr.Wadley's capture in WW II was such a picture, but our faith in the Lord gave us this song back then about Blue Birds Over the White Clifts of Dover: "there'll be love and laughter, and peace ever after; tomorrow, when the world is free. The shepherd will tend his sheep. The valley will bloom again. And Jimmy will go to sleep in his own little room again (repeat)." That's the new world, when Jesus returns and this old wicked one goes into the disposal pit for all eternity. Make ready by "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Heb.12:2) "who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross despising the shame [stinking rot, vile vomit, excrement, impure waste of sin] and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of GOD." We should be thankful for the trash collectors who come twice a week here in WW. Without them, what a stinking situation we'd have to endure. I see them as also servants of the Lord.
General Tommy Franks is to be home here in WW Saurday and I hope meet him. Other well knowns from here are Dr.Donna Shirley of NASA fame who I'm met and Bobby Murcer, a baseball celebrity. Whatta town I'm where Niece and I live, to have such famous alumni. NOW IT'S SATURDAY: I got to shake hands with the general out on the NW corner of WW where a monument is placed to honor his parents. It's where he lived as a child and he shared recollections of that time, even making mention of the big barn his day built there (though it's long gone). My friend Wilburn Davenport had told me how he used to help a 4 year old Tommy take poney rides out there there. Wilburn was about 14. I told the general how my admiration for WW had grown as I've lived here and learned that he, Dr.Donna Shirley and Bobby Murcer all came from here. I also gave him a song I'd written to the tune of SEABEES OF THE NAVY entitled "The Final War (against satanic terrorism)":
We are Spirit banded brothers.
With GOD' Word we build and fight.
Our mission's "CHRIST FOR OTHERS;
work and pray both day and night."
To the Cross which we all remember
add "eleventh of September."
We're the Spirit banded brothers,
band for the way Christ planned!
ANGELFIRE 6-07-06 A word used only twice in the Bible is "r-e-g-e-n-e-r-a-t-i-o-n," once by Paul writing to Titus (3:5) and before that, by Jesus Himself (Mt.19:28) to the Apostles: "Assuredly I say to you, that in the REGENERATION, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." It's defined as spiritual change wrought in the heart of man by the Holy Spirit in which his inherently sinful nature is changed so that he can respond to GOD in faith and live in accordance with His will. It extends to the whole nature of man, altering his governing disposition, illuminating his mind, freeing his will, and renewing his nature. Thus it is Scritural in a myriad of ways i.e. circumcision of the heart, implanted fountain of life, washing from iniquity and purging away transgression. The list goes on and on.
Yet the world itself has remained unregenerate since the fall of man, in spite of all our advances of science and technology. A descriptive text from Samuel to David's father says "Man looketh on the outward appearance, but YAHWEH looketh on the heart." And so political, financial or military solutions to world problems don't go deep enough. The UN can only rearrange outward appearances, which is a temporary fix of dangerous situations. Iran wants nuclear energy even though having so much oil, because their leaders could gain more global clout if they had those weapons too. Hamas has now gained control of the PLA because their hatred of Israel got the majority Palestinian vote. Hatefulness is impurity of heart and finally leads to ruin on both sides. Christ has offered humanity the only solution, a new creation. It begins in hearts being yielded to Him, which means the new birth of individuals in all nations. Americans know that those born in this land inherit citizenship here. It comes from the truth of regeneration, all souls reborn through Him will have citizenship in that new world Kingdom that's coming down from GOD out of heaven. Jesus never taught "Christianity," which is one religion among others. Rather He preached and demonstrated the Kingdom of GOD arriving on earth that will fially become complete, as it is already in heaven. That's what believers, pastors (shepherds) and congregations of the faithful are to accomplish before time runs out. Just as AA insists that members "pledge to stop drinking and seek to live a sober and productive life," the church required us to have a desire to be saved from our sins and to flee from the wrath to come. May the LORD bless all congregations, pastors and believers seeking such a goal in PV. To that end, I present "Song With Spoken Word" each Thurs. at 6:30pm KJCS. And let me say "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" to my dear wife, Niece. We live here at the Pinkhouse in WW with our beloved pet, Critter, who somehow stays always young. Maybe it's because we don't know her birthday, so she just celebrates daily. What a threesome we are. Shalom in Christ Jesus our Lord
ANGELFIRE 6-10-05 Here are some of the words to a song my brother John used to play on the piano way back when we were kids: "Light is our bark brothers, rest on your oars. Fair are the winds and the tide...Night's drawing near, stars shining clear, silver the moon in the sky...Down the calm river we glide." I was taking lessons too, but never got to where I could play that one. Years later I just switched to playing by ear and then it was as easy as most other familiar tunes. Now I've written some "Jesus words" to that tune, which I'll sing this Thursday evening 6:30 channel 2 on "Song With Spoken Words" to mark John M. Hazlitt's 80th birthday, which he'll have celebrated Tuesday June 13. That's a long way down the river for both of us, because I'm just 17 months behind. He has our father's full name but I got our mother's maiden one for my middle. And I'm the kid born in PV, as she had also been. Plus, my middle name linked me close to our grandmother Hightower (who came to PV as one of the Allen girls). Now here's a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to JMHjr out there at Estes Park CO.
What's probably the longest running comic strip in America (going back to cave men) has been featuring PV's own Phil Henderson lately. If you read Alley Oop, then you know what a cooking "bender" he's been having in the land of Moo. The aroma of foods prepared for the king Guz banquet there are as powerful as the one's I can recall from Bob's Pig Shop when I started first grade in '33 at the old Lee School, Oh how we kids would drool during recess, when we'd smell the meats that were cooking across highway 77. After the WPA built an underpass, we all thought it was just so we could go safely over there. Now it's famous everywhere because Phil's become a celebrity cook in Moo and the target of Queen Ompa's displeasure. Better read that strip to keep up. I've always liked Alley Oop. Have heard that his name's from the shout our doughboys gave in WW I when they came up out of the trenches going on attack over the top. Had thought it was in French, but can't find that terminology. "Alley" sounds so downright common for a name (as the one running behind your house), and he's just like that. Sort of the way General Tommy Franks seemed when I met him last Saturday here in WW, and gave him the words of a song I'd written to the tune of "SeaBees of the Navy." Shalom
ANGELFIRE 6-14-06 I'll have another guest singer on "Song With Spoken Word" Thursday evening. Last month it was our singing reporter, Jim Richardson with the song "I Believe." I'll mention here at Father's Day that it was my dad's favorite number. So now the singing sheriff, Bill Roady, will be offering a solo before Father's Day. Then next month Oklahoma's singing pastor, Dr.Bob Kanary, has also agreed to appear. So tune in at 6:30pm Thursdays. Also, here are my Jesus words for that one I plan to sing with a tune my brother used to play when we were kids (Down the Calm River We Glide): Jesus Who died on the Cross for our sins, saving His own from the fall, at His last supper said "I'll come again." So we keep answering that call--"Come follow Me and you will see Our home in heaven at last. Treasures laid there are safe in My care. From moth or thief I'll hold fast. Joys that endure, in hearts made pure, all there forever secure."
Every time we take the Lord's Supper, we are reassured that He is coming again. By faith we feed our souls upon GOD's heavenly menu, the broken body and shed blood of His spotless Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. In the old covenant, no mortal ever dared drink the forbidden blood of the sacrifice because of the life that was in it. Such life was too sacred. But that's the source of divine Life in the new. Thus His flesh nourishes and His sacred Blood washes away our sin both outwardly (baptism) and inwardly (holy communion). And as 1 Cor.11:26 says "For as often as you eat of this loaf and drink of this cup, you show forth the Lord's death until He comes." So the regularly repeated renewing is preparation of that final glorious appearing. Our whole Bible ends with His promise repeated "Surely I am coming quickly." Rev.22:20
The name "God" in first verse of the Bible is Elohim, which is plural. It might compare to our last (family) name instead of our first one. But LORD is the personal one for GOD, and that's Who we come to know as "Father" through Jesus. He even noted the holiness of that Name in the Lord's Prayer which He gave, "hallowed be Thy Name." Then Jesus also used an expression of endearment in His Own prayer in the garden, "Abba, if it be possible let this cup pass...nevertheless...Thy will be done." So if we understand that father in Hebrew also means "source," we like the Lord Jesus, can be very intimate with our heavenly Father, and have a divine Source in our lives to draw on. That's a lot more than an unlimited bank account, and even far better in the long run. Shalom
ANGELFIRE 6-17-06 Our local artist, Kevin Stark, has been writing his comic strip "Geezer" for several years now. If you've read if very often you know that the hero is a small senior citizen, a shy little guy who would be often overlooked. But he has an alter ego that's comparable to Superman, the one Clark Kent would become whenever a crisis arose. I think I recall Geezer even "leaping over tall buildings and outrunning speeding locomotives." But I'd never thought of the artist himself being such a superhero. Then I saw the drawing in Wednesday's "Democrat," with a big K right there on his chest. Wow! He had saved himself from an explosion and so the secret is out. What will happen next? And right here at Father's Day. Ta Da! Which I'll interpret as "To Dad."
Let's take the cartoon in fun, but in the Bible fathers are taken seriously: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are the grandfather, son and grandson who set a faith pace for all generations to come. Though they had yet to know the Father, He became identified as the GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and then YAHWEH (the One who is) revealed Himself centuries later to Moses in a bush that was on fire but not consumed by it. So Moses is a father figure for the Jews, while the Muslims look to the God of Abraham with that Arabic name of Allah(an almighty being who rules subjects but begets no children). We Christians approach the Supreme as Our Father through Jesus the Savior, Who came to earth the very Son of Yahweh. Our good news from heaven is all about the life and crucifixion demonstrating on earth the Father's almighty agape in giving such a well beloved only Son. There are bloody superheros in the Bible i.e. Samson, Gideon, David. But Jesus is far more profound than those fighters. He surely didn't come to save Himself nor to use military conflict, but to die the death /pay the penalty owed for sin by a world lost in wickedness, with His own blood (and never shed another's). Thus all who turn to Him as Savior and Lord are inwardly reborn becoming divine offspring of GOD through the Father's only Son, Who was begotten in eternity before creation and conceived in time/history by the Holy Spirit within Mary's womb. He will soon return as King of kings and Lord of lords. Shalom
ANGELFIRE 6-21-06 I can remember when the start of summer gave us kids so much gladness. School would be out and the family might go somewhere special. Don't recall it being a vacation but just a trip. And air conditioning was rare, though we'd get by with our water drip/fan evaporative window coolers. And the only news was heard instead of seen, since TV hadn't yet arrived. In fact, cars didn't even come with radios. They had to be added extra. And the rural community where we lived still had no electricity, so our family radio was battery powered. I just got an email from a long ago pal who mentioned the Aladdin lights we used. They were so much better than the old kerosen wick lamps. But summer days meant happy times way back in the thirties. And the humor of Oklahoma's own Will Rodgers helped us forget the hard times we were enduring. Now we dread trying to beat the heat that summer brings. And we've learned about the entire planet getting hotter each year, so that we expect the next summer to set new temperature records. That the world's to end in fire according to Scripture is becoming ever more clear. I hope to see Al Gore's new movie about it, though his answers probably won't be very credible to me. Our spiritual environment is far more urgent than the physical world, in my view. If humans remain unregenerate fallen creatures, their stewardship of the Creator's material handiwork will remain only for greedy and self seeking goals. The price tag at each gas station already tells me that every time we need a refill at the pump. Now the fear that N.Korea may have nuclear missiles which could reach the US recalls my youth days in CA during WW II. We always had to drive with headlights dim because the Japanese might attack our west coast as they had Pearl Harbor. So everyone kept their lights low, whether on byways or even highways. I have feelings more of winter than summer time for those long ago days when I worked at Moore Dry Dock of Oakland one summer, then Kaiser Ship Yard of Richmond the next (both on the Frisco Bay). Then I was stationed at Treasure Island the third year, in the Bay for shore patrol duty along Embargadero St. in Frisco. As President GW was speaking to the Merchant Marine Academy on Monday, I recalled how much trouble those guys gave us because they claimed to be civilians and that we had no authority over them. Things sure looked military where the president was speaking there on Long Island. I got my fill of it (not booze) when we patrolled so many bars and honky tonks which our navy sea mates patronized. We S.P.s just carried billy clubs as weapons into those night clubs. Everything would get quiet as we entered and the bar tender usually offered us a free drink, since he knew it would discredit any authority we had. Then the music would rise up again as we were leaving. Thus I got an early taste of what police have to endure, and it helped me see life from their side. So I still do. And with crime increasingly rampant, they need and deserve our prayers while we await the return of that one with final authority, coming on the white horse of Rev.19:11-15: "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns...and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations" to purge them of hatred and evil attitudes that have resulted in this global war on terrorism. Note that the weapons depicted above are mighty because they are spirital ones rather than carnal as stated in 2 Cor.10:4ff. I've dredged up from memory the words of that song my brother John could play on the piano so well as a kid, so here they are for his 80th: "Light is our bark brothers, rest on your oars. Fair are the winds and the tide. Gentle waves beaking across the near shores, down the calm river we glide. Night draweth near, stars shining clear. We're in the boat on each side. Soon we'll be going way out in the flow. Somewhere beyond to abide. Night draweth near. Stars shining clear. Silver the moon in the sky. Soon we will be where we fuly can see all of the sweet bye and bye."
ANGELFIRE 6-25-06 So the old Alvis Hotel is going to be restored! That will add greatly to PV's appearance right where so much traffic goes by on highway #19(Grant blvd.). The history that Julie Barnes gave in Wednesday's Democrat was very interesting. I grew up just seeing it as a hotel, and nothing more. Had not imagined it began way back in the 1800s built by a Calvin Grant (or C.J.) whose large black tomb stone is on the left just a short way inside the main entrance at Mt.Olivet. Since my late beloved uncle Dick (C.W.) of Ft.Arbuckle ranch was married to my mother's sister Kathryn, I feel kinship to the Grants every time I visit the Hightower plot just across from their's in the cemetery. In fact my sister Rebecca Jane is named after our great grandmother, (largest marker on the Hightower site where grandmother Amy is also buried beside her husband, Edward Glen). My mother's name was Blanche, but dad always called her "Becky." I guess he got that from her grandmother's name. This reminds me of how I enjoyed that book of PV history "Shadow of an Indian Star" by Mr.&Mrs.Wm I.Paul III of Stratford. The title came from a hope civic leader Sam Paul once expressed for OK to become officially an Indian state in the USA. But it is only unofficially. I recall uncle Dick being part Indian. He could tell tall tales of cowboys and Indians, strange animals and freakish things, that charmed us kids by the hour. My brother and I spent one whole summer down at Arbuckle ranch attending a Woodland country school that was over toward Hennipen. Think I was in second grade and John in third. My only licking at school was there by a Ms Katel (who knew the other kids resented us being town boys from PV). So just for tossing a pencil across the room to hit the wall, which I had admitted, she made me come up front and bend over her desk as she gave me whacks with a paddle she kept there. It wasn't the paddle but the humiliation that hurt till I've never forgotten it. Now, maybe the resurrected Alvis Hotel will "grant" healing of that memory for me.
The other book I just read is "American Soldier" by General Tommy Ray Franks. It pulled world events together following 9/11 so that the war on terrorism makes sense. I pass the WW marker of his birth place each day on my route and keep recalling how he described September eleventh as "a crease in history." And when I iron my jeans to wear on the route, I try to make the crease on each leg sharper just to have a military look (like the number eleven of 9/11). I'm a sailor instead of soldier, so Popeye's song comes to my mind: "I fight to the finish cause I eat my spinach, I'm Popeye the sailor man." So my spinach is daily Bible reading. Shalom
ANGELFIRE 6-28-06 If this global war on terrorism is the trumpet sound for Armageddon, then all our anguish about getting out of Iraq is only going to continue as warfare just keeps increasing. Nothing will heal the Arab-Israeli conflict until our Lord returns, though the EU, UN, Iran/Korea are playing major secular roles in the buildup. I happened onto an old move a few nights ago entitled "Paths of Glory." Had seen it as a young minister back in the fifties when the star, Kirk Douglas, played an officer in the French army of WW I. He had to cope with a corrupt military command that would sacrifice their soldiers to be killed by the Germans just for their own fame. It's title is from that famous poem which I later read at the author's grave side when I was on tour in England: "The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power and all that beauty, all that wealth 'ere gave await alike the inevitable hour: THE PATHS OF GLORY LEAD BUT TO THE GRAVE." Two world wars in that previous century didn't bring shalom on earth, nor even a subsequent Cold War. The latter was quite different from the first two and now we're in a war that's completely strange though similar somewhat to Viet Nam. Makes that movie about WW I seem like the "good old days" of fighting a known enemy. But it showed an inner pride/foe existing even back then when things appeared outwardly as black or white. Now we know there are all shades of darkness involved. Even political ones. So we must keep our hearts attune to the Lord Jesus Christ who said "seek ye first the Kingdom of GOD and His righteousness" (Mt.6:33) while we await His return (with all the holy angels" Jude 14). "Coming from out of the eastern sky" pertains to the daily news, which begins at dawn (and is no longer news by sundown). Our faith is based in historical fact rather than on imagination. Thus we look for an unfurling of the divine purpose now reaching it's fulfillment for mankind. With another space launch going to the ISS, I'm feeling some doubt that homo sapiens will be allowed to extend their dominion over other worlds beyond planet Earth. Yet my mind may just be too small to grasp what the Creator has in store. But we'll be focused on America (as His miracle) during "Song With Spoken Word" on KJCS. And our guest will be a local singing pastor, Brother Bob Kanary. I've had a reporter, a sheriff, and now a minister of the Gospel. So tune in tomorrow at 6:30pm and sing along. Songs of praise are a weapon against Satan's evil spell. Shalom