LORD'sDAY extra 4-13-08 That big photo in today's Weekend section of a chimp got my attention to learn of our national sanctuary for those creatures in Shreveport LA, 141 of them living in that unique 200-forested acres. They get the same diseases as people, share 98% of the same genetic code with us and live nearly as long. Their oldest is 76, and their keepers call them by all by personal names. I think chimps are apes with even more intelligence. It recalls for me the 20th century battle over evolution that raised such doubt about a divine Creator. Now I see that a new movie EXPELLED is being released to show how our educational system rejects any "intelligent design" teaching. We seem to have expelled GOD from the science being taught in American public schools. Isn't that an irony when the motto on our money says "In God We Trust." Surely He's letting our dollar shrink (which makes gasoline go up & up) just because it's no longer true. We've trusted in the money instead, so it should say "In this god we trust." We're engrossed in "green" everything now. Yet cash can't save us any more. As I sang at WW Nursing Home I thought to mention the Olympic Torch being carried thru Frisco, that's gained so much global attention. Residents there all see the news, so I also mentioned the issue of the Olympics to be held in Beijing this June. That brought up the Dailai Lama's current visit to Seattle to share Tibet's side against the repression China has imposed on them. So that led on to my mention of the pope's first trip here on Tues. and how he will also go to hold a mass at St.Patrick's in NYC. That all led on up to talk about the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the suject of my closing Scripture song: "He's coming soon (repeat) With joy we'll welcome His returning. It may be morn, it may be night or noon. We know He's coming soon!" Then I closed with a prayer for our readiness to meet the Savior either each indiviually or all together who are still alive on that final Day. C-L.J. Shalom to you readers, JosephA
ANGELFIRE 4-15-08 We learned in church Sunday night that Ray Barnett of WW had finally died after being so badly burned back in January. I had thrown his Daily Democrat for years and we've kept him on the prayer list these past months at Joy Church. Don't know what's become of the dog he loved so much. But the burning ceiling of that house fell down on him when he went back inside to find the pet, which was later rescued by arriving firemen. I got used to seeing that dog come out front each day at newspaper time. But Ray was usually gone to work. Now I miss both of them. Things here in WW are reported in our weekly Gazette, in which Donna Love has a column. As the Chamber of Commerce secretary. she promotes our town's events along with editor Larry Russell, who is always up on what's happening. Now graduation's in sight, but before that comes the WW festive event with those small car races down Kerr Blvd. And up in PV there will be another Brickfest. Semantha Rudd, new up there on the Mainstreet job, tells plans for the greatest one ever. I've even got her to notice the historic tower that I prize so much; and to consider some symbolic additions. Since it was built in 1903, it was a century old when this war in Iraq began in 2003. I had wanted to name it the Shalom Tower before then, but maybe the opposite would be more accurate now, War Tower. Our PV super-hero Geezer painted "shalom" on it a year ago in his comic strip out of kindness to me. Later I conducted that hero's wedding to his sweetheart Faye in the strip. I see Geezer as Mr.Peaceful. He never carries a gun, but has special strength that even old age can't wither. One of the presidential candidates was called "geezer" on the news, since he's the oldest ever to run. That sounded good to me though not said in respect. I remember how Moses was already 40 when he killed that Egyptian and fled into the desert. Then when 80 he returned at YAHWEH's command to lead the 12 tribes out of their bondage and to the Promised Land, which took another 40 years. Some Geezer wasn't he. Of course we all know it's not Moses but Superman that's being represented by that little old bald headed guy (who reminds us seniors of Popeye the sailor man). So if John McCain is also a geezer, let's get him here to PV and show that he's only 72, while ours is nearly 80. So life can just keep gaining in geeze. Does that sound ok to you, Kevin Stark? SoLong/Shalom, JosephA
ANGELFIRE 4-18-08 Another 19 on the calendar recalls again the terror in OKC back 13 years ago. I've said over and over that numerology belongs to the occult world of which we should want no part. Satan comes out of that domain. But even our Holy Bible has a book called Numbers. And the first covenant in it's OT is based on five plus five, the count of fingers on each hand that we've called The Decalogue. And the 24th chapter of Numbers tells of a false prophet named Balaam, that we are warned in our NT 2 Peter 2:15 to shun. Instead of using his own sorcery, the Spirit of Yahweh came on him, so that he foretold the calamity which would befall all those who set themselves against Jacob/Israel. We read that he had been hired by king Balak to curse the Israelites, yet he blessed them instead. So king Balak rebuked and fired him. That shows ANGELFIRE that even in the FLDS cult where TX authorities have taken custody of 416 children, the LORD is showing America how essential is His family design for this "one nation under God." To scramble it the way Joseph Smith taught in his book of Mormon is just wicked. It shows us again what terrible consequences false prophets can bring about, even though some things they taught were true (more later). Our faith must be strong enough to appropriate such paradox, while expelling what is really absurd. I'm hoping to see that movie "Expelled" which has just been released. That meant a student was thrown out when I was in gradeschool. The movie defends teaching divine design in our public education. I'm guessing that this name means Darwinism has expelled even GOD from our public schools. Inwardly we know such would be utter folly. Yet outwardly taking no stand can allow such gross distortions as being seen now in El Dorado TX. Here's the definition of Biblical faith from Soren Kierkegaard (which at first sounds like unknown tongues): Faith is an appropriation of the paradoxical along with expulsion of the absurd, held together by the passion of inwardness." He was a journalist in Copenhagen the first part of the 19th century (and later called father of existentialism) out of his poor health, sadness and deep sorrows. He never married nor traveled, but died there while still a young man. Anguish of soul was his life theme and the quote is from his final work, "A Concluding Unscientific Postscript." He foresaw the collision of religion and science that lay ahead for our civilization. Then false philosophers turned what he'd said into an atheistic existence in what became our beatnik movement of the fifties and a "now" theme for hippies of the sixties. No wonder the multitudes with weak faith want a pope to acclaim. The ambiguity is relieved, but so easily becomes idolatry instead. ANGELFIRE proclaims a Living Christ who is coming back again from Shamayhim. SoLong/Shalom, JosephA
ANGELFIRE 4-22-08 William Penn Jr. was the son of an English admiral who had clout with the British crown. So when William wanted a spot in the New World for his peaceful people's colony, it was granted and Pennsylvania began as about the biggest sized yet. They called their city Philadelphia on the Eastern side, which means "city of brotherly love." Since that's where all 13 colonies held a Congress for our Declaration of Independence, it's gained "Keystone" as a state designation. Like an archeway to the future, our new nation had that special central stone PA to keeps it in balance. "Quaker" was the name of those peaceful people who had such a fear of GOD that they rejected even warfare. Still, it didn't prevent the American Revolution that began from the delegates of the 13 signing a D.o I. written by Thomas Jefferson and issued to king George III from the 2nd Continental Congress there in PhilidelphiaPA. Again today all eyes are on that Quaker State as Hillary and Obama still duking it out there shows how "all is fair in love and war." Of course Democrats love each other; thus the use of ballots instead of bullets. But a famous former president, Jimmy Carter, has sought to find love/peace in the Middle East by talking instead of fighting. And he's already won the Nobel Peace prize through other successful efforts, for he knows that Jesus said at the start of His neo-mosaic "Sermon on the Mount," "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of GOD." That's # seven of the nine Beatitudes in Mt.5. Yet it's not about negotiations, but rather kind deeds. Our forefathers saw the king of England as a tyrant and settled for war as inevitable, to heck with kindness. Just so, the ancient war against sin and satan will only be won through that Blood of the LAMB already shed on Golgatha. It is the only way to real shalom, as souls yield allegiance to the Lord and Savior soon coming back again. I saw where American Jews were upset with the pope over here because of a prayer the Catholic church uses for their being converted to Christ. Have never known of it's being published, but who can prevent prayers said in private? Not even the pope, even if he were so persuaded to try stopping such. The many Jews who are becoming believers today only complete their true identity by accepting their own King (born in Bethlehem), but long rejected by most of Judaism until now. This is their Passover week too, and He the divine Pascal Lamb! Thus ANGELFIRE says yet again, SoLong(Okie talk)/Shalom(Hebrew as GOD's peace)
ANGELFIRE 4-25-08 One feature of Revelation, last book in the Bible, is that it gives more that Jesus said in Person. In my red letter edition, it's full of print in that color, which lends final authority for ANGELFIRE's thinking. Of course I'm familiar with the challenges about it's historicity. And calling it by the plural title of "Revelations" seems like a hint that there may be sanctified imagination therein. Yet it starts as "THE Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place..." Then it gives a blessing to those who read and hear it's words of prophecy, followed by the author John speaking to the churches (of seven coming ages) up to verse 7: "Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see HIm, even they who pierced Him." Then Jesus in person introduces Himself with three reiterations as "Alpha and Omega." "First and Last," and "He who lives, was dead and behold I am alive forevermore" with keys to the unseen realm. Now this reader's also heard claims that John the Apostle couldn't possibly be it's author. Yet re-reading Revelation convinces me that he was, just as the 4th Gospel is also his own testimony. I find that Bible reading will settle the issues of origin for you. In vs's 18 & 19 He says to John "And I have the keys of Hades and Death. Write the things which you have see, ...which are, ...and which will take place after this." Then red letters reappear again in chapters 16 and 22, the latter"s concluding vs 16: "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." Apocalypse is also a name for Revelation, which is the same as Daniel's literary style. And star means a great king in apocalyptic literature, somewhat as it now is a magnificent media figure. That makes me think of the guiding star those Wise Men saw. It was so near and yet from highest heaven afar (recalling when Einstein's theory of circular space in the Universe was new, that the most distant point anyone could possibly see would be the back side of his own head). Our Savior is shining bright out of shamayim. clear beyond all temporal stars, realm of GOD and all the holy angels. And events signal His close return. Come Lord Jesus, as You have preached and Your revelation yet depicts. May our Springfest here in WW and Brickfest in PV serve to foster yet greater excitement about Your glorious parousia. Shalom in Your name, JA
LORD'sDAY extra 4-27-08 You readers know that I keep an eye on that Geezer comic strip. Since my lawyer said the picture of me back when I married Geezer and Faye looked "more like me than I did," I've asked editor Jeff about using it for ANGELFIRE. Maybe we'd need Kevin Stark's permission, since he may be a copyright on it. Comparing Sen.John McCain to our little superhero a few columns back resulted in McCain making a stop in OKC to meet with his campaign supporters. So he should have jogged on down here to our ActionFigure&ToyMuseum, though I wasn't there to suggest it. That would have compared to the reporter Rotary Magazine had doing a story on the old "route 66 highway" that's no longer America's main street. He did stray off to PV and so we're mentioned in the current issue telling about the Rotary Rose Garden here; also a photo of Tony Leddy standing in front of it up there in Wacker Park. Have to say, the picture made me proud of PV and our local Club. And that magazine has a global audience. McCain just missed his great moment, but that reporter found us instead. Now for the BrickFest. Saw some of WW's SpringFest yesterday, but missed the small cars race. Just hope to get a peek of PV's big party coming up Fri.& Sat.
I'm not a Glen Beck newsfan, but did watch him on CNN'sHeadlineNews with a Bible prophecy guy. They talked about Iraq becoming Babylon the Great again, as describled in Revelation. His guest had visited numerous cities over there without any armed guard, and claims that the tourist industry would draw the whole world there in a few years. He says it will be where the AntiChrist appears, and that economics and oil will make the global population become involved. Then he compared Islamic eschatology with the view of Christians, to show so much overlap. Said they got theirs from us as we took ours from the Jews. Then something got so off track to me that I switched away, but wish now I'd stuck it out. Just can hardly take him, but guess I'll have to "take it Beck." SoLong/Shalom, JA
ANGELFIRE 4-29-08 Here's cheers for Barak Obama, who has at last seen through Jeremiah Wright as false. I've previously mentioned Balaam. the O.T. false prophet that even Christians are warned against. His story is in Numbers 22-24, including a prophecy we Christians joyfully claim, Num.24:17 "I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel..." Yet later in 31:8 it says that Moses and Eleazar killed Balaam along with the five kings of Moab, in their raid on Moab. So even though he'd spoken that sign of Christ's birth, he was no Israelite and a wicked soothsayer to the Israelites. And Balaamism is also rejected by several N.T. passages. It's surely from the fact that king Balak had hired Balaam to curse the Twelve Tribes while they were advancing. Even though he'd refused to be paid off, just his using spells and sorcery deserved death. Yet it shows how our LIVING GOD sometimes turns evil to serve His good purpose. "He makes even the wrath of men to praise Him." When I was in seminary back in the fifties, we were just hearing of crisis/paradox theology. It spread over here from Europe after WW II, in contrast to our laid back American liberalism. Most helpful to my faith then was to see that GOD works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. I'd been reared to think He used the good guys in their white hats. But paradox/dialectic was a new slant for this small town trustful soul. And the longer I study the Bible, the more I find therein, even from the very first verse of it, "shemayia and eretz." Seems to be a Hebrew way of knowing which reaches beyond our linear view of things. Linear is more Greek in it's logical sequence of comprehension, cause and effect. It's the way of science and technology, our wave of the future. We try to think smoothly to fit into this world just as we iron our clothes to look nicer, more intelligent, with sophistication. Remember that "wash and wear" decade? As I recall, it was also the era after WW II when minds that were in defiance of conformity became Beatniks, the paradoxical people, a species that vanished when hippies came along. Now it's the generation X all wearing their caps on backward (reminding me of beatnicks) But already they are fading out for a Y or Z to follow. And now we're moving into the digital age, when measurements are very exact. No more approximations nor lucky guesses. No more maybe of close to right or "I guess" answers. Even TV will switch next Feb.17 away from analogical to digital broadcasting, which brings even tiny details into great clarity. We are seeing that mood already in the presidential campaign as statements by each candidate are so closely examined. Makes me recall the Savior's warning, "In that Day each one shall give account of every idle word that they have spoken." So let's use our tongues to glorify the LORD instead of for mostly self profit, like Balaam. Whatever our subject of conversation, may we be mindeful that Jesus is coming soon! SoLong/Shalom, JA
ANGELFIRE 5-02-08 "Perceptivity is the thing. I want you to become perceptive" said professor Matthews at Perkins Seminary long ago. It sunk in on me enough to try ever since. I woke up this morning to think of streets paved with gold, then knew it was about that celestial City of divine destiny. Yet the thought of bricks in contrast, came to my awaking consciousness. The red clay of our state is basic to our BRICKFEST here in PV. Baked into such hardness, these bricks are a stark contrast to gold, which is such a very soft metal. Yet I like to think their redness comes from our state's own name, Oklahoma; though I know it comes not so much from this red earth, as the Red People here. They are OK's biggest minority group, larger than blacks or even hispanics. So our bricks bring out the Indian that's still in us, while also being our "stepping stones" to that City above in a sense of parable (earthly story with a heavenly meaning). Such "gold" is just symbolic of a higher allegiance in the teaching of our Lord Jesus. He said in Mt.6:19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal...For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." The verse I skipped is about shamayim, subject of His parables about the Kingdom that's above these temporal loyalties; as well as His Father's own dwelling place with the holy angels. So when you look down at the bricks, look up in heart also to the eternal gold above stored for those who truly seek it. And ten is the number we use for the perfect score; so this Brickfest # 10 sure has everything. PV finally got it all together for 2008; by land or air (Wings Over Brickfest" headline). And then that closing THUNDER IN THE VALLEY sounds forth such finality and completion. Not only like getting hit in the head with a ton of bricks, but also seeing a great bolt of lightning (Angelfire?) from it, and then hearing it so loud too! Wake up world, the K I N G I S C O M I N G!!! I seem to see the squareness of His face surrounded by His hair, and beard underneath it, all in the increasing rust on the East side of our Historic Tower. SoLong/Shalom, JA
LORD'sDAY extra 5-4-08 The variety of cadidates in this presidential race shows the amazing miracle of America: first black candidate, first female to run and then oldest peson also. At first I felt Hillary had it locked up because the female vote is larger, 58 to 42 % as I recall. Then Obama came on with the young folk so strong, as well as Blacks generally. But McCain at age 72 is up here with us senior citizens. And we outnumber each of the other groups. I had though we might even have the first Jewish candidate, NYC's mayor Bloomberg. But that seems out by now; though there's still a physician named Paul running against McCain. Had heard he dropped out, but then his name comes up again. Just the name has appeal for this Pauls Valley person. And for the first time Jewish candidate I'm thinking McCain might ask Joe Lieberman for his V.P. since he was the one that got McCain back into running. Of course he's a Democrat and that might make it impossible, but McCain would really show how he can reach across the aisle to bring side together. And he could still come down here to identify with PV's superhero, Geezer. He'd get a scoop on Dr.Ron Paul that way wouldn't her. Well I'm just having fun spouting off as you might have guessed. SoLong, Shalom JA (may have quit using that JosephA, which was an effort to link my WW name with JA as I'm known in PV. JosephA is also on my email address)
ANGELFIRE 5-05-08 We keep hearing of greater death counts from the Cyclone that hit Mynemar. The first was in hundreds but it's gone on up to thousands, from ten to fifteen, now twenty-two; maybe yet 100,000. Yesterday our First Lady, Laura Bush, spoke to the media asking the Generals in charge there to allow foreign aid into the country (Burma). So last night there was a report they would do so. A military government could fail to show any sympathy for their own citizens by refusing outside intervention. But that's hopefully not the case in Mynemar (pronounce that "me" instead of my). So UN, Red Cross and other NGO's are probably there already. Makes us remember that Tsunami several years ago doesn't it, or our own Katrina down at N.O. too. What a blow the weather can bring! That very term "blow" comes from wind activity, and can be quite lethal for humanity. We think of earthquake, wind, fire and flood as those four horsemen of the apocalypse. Pastor John Hagee down at his Cornerstone Church in TX, claimed Katrina was the very wrath of GOD upon a huge gay parade ready to be held in N.O. back then. He's a key figure in neocon thought (solid backing to Israel), so that may be why GW as a neocon seemed slow to show compassion back then. Basic to neocons is the State of Israel. Showing support there is as important as even Godliness. And no one's tried to claim N.O. was a Godly place. Yesterday we saw our lame duck president GW up there in Kansas for their graduation at Greenburg, in the Roanoak Valley. It marked one year after that town nearly got wiped off the map by only a tornado instead of cyclone/hurricane, thus a whole lot smaller. Yet there wasn't any stigma of wickedness on that town. And now it's risen again as GREEN city America. Right on, Greenburg. Wonder how Hagee interpret's such. It sure fits into Al Gore's secular view of trying to hault global warming. As far to the right as Hagee sounds, I'll still listen to him just as I have to Gore on the left. Both are Baptists if I'm not mistaken (so Christians), same as Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. (Oops, that last one's over the line for me) And today could settle Hillary's aims if Barack wins both IN and NC. He would probably be gentleman enough to share his ticket with her as his v.p. but she surely refuse. ANGELFIRE made a suggestion for McCain about his v.p. on our web site. Unusual, but you can check it at the URL shown below. I appreciate you readers in PV, as well as the many from other places online. We're into the world's eleventh hour! So come Lord Jesus!! SoLong/Shalom, JosephA PS Israel will be 60 years old this Thursday
ANGELFIRE 5-10-08 The state of Israel turned sixty yesterday. It was a dream of the Jewish nation long before they declared themselves on the map as Israel. Known as Zionism, the movement was begun by a famous newspaper man in Europe named Theodore Hertzel. He convened a Zionist congress to meet in Vienna Austria and formulate their plan. I was a student at OU then and had a philosophy professor who led us in discussions of world affairs. He doubted the tiny state could survive against hostility from the surrounding Arab nations that were so opposed to it's creation. But our American president, Harry Truman, gave his approval almost immediately. He'd been reared in Missouri to see Jews as GOD's chosen ones; and he said his mother told him never to forget that. At the time, he was still overshadowed by the great late FDR, who had picked him for vp in '46. Then Truman became just as famous and more so to some of us; though rather crude in his behavior and tastes, he showed the sort of tough command needed for that high office at a dangerous juncture. He even fired Gen.McArthur in N.Korea, who was very popular. Then he stood up to the Russians like Ike Eisenhour a decade later. So ANGELFIRE sees the seed of neocon policy begun way back in '48, when Israel came on the world stage. It looked to us then like David taking on Goliath with only a sling shot. Formerly, Republicans used to try keeping US out of too much national debt, but necons have focused instead on Israel's solvency, especially since Reagan's time. Such stems from that promise to Abraham, given when he paid tithes to Melchizedek, "I will bless him that blesses thee." Since the most high GOD had said it, the way to wealth comes down through Abraham's line. And in his Seed the wealth of all shamayim (mansions galore) would be given to trusting believers. Thus our economy draws power from the Bible if we'll only hold steady. Half a dozen more years and Israel's age will match that 66 of our Book of books, which is double the age of Jesus when He died to pay the debt for lost sinners on the Cross. I see the situation in Burma with all those barriers to aid as a sign of how we are being prevented from having heavenly blessings by demons barricading the Gospel. Even angels can't tear them down only from the outside. We must renounce Satan to allow GOD's goodness and grace flowing into our lives! We can do so with Blood power. So sing of it, "There is power in the Blood of the Lamb." SoLong/Shalom, JA
lORD'sDAY extra 5-11-08 Friday's front page about the isolated tornado NE of PV that struck a couple of days before was scarey but inspiring. That mother knows she and her teenage son certainly had Someone watching over them. Cindy Ward's testimony about Wed. evening claims it was GOD's grace in sparing both their lives in that home; especially those photos of clouds, plus damage left to their home as husband Justin views if later. Providence is very real to them now. By contrast, over in Asia it looks like Mynemar has turned into a super colossal disaster, with the toll up to 23,000 dead from that Cyclone. The militry junta is finally allowing supplies brought in but not any outside workers. Thus the aid is slow in getting where needed. That government sure seems to be void of compassion even for it's own subjects. And to ANGELFIRE, it illustrates how little value Buddhism places on human life. After all, if it just goes on in reincarnations, what's so urgent about preserving the present life. Everyone's thought to have an endless number of them. So there's great need of the Gospel there even as for food and physical supplies. Lord, do open the way for our missionaries we pray. And help us live holy lives back here in Garvin county. I see there's to be a couple of winefests because of the new wineries, one at Lindsay and another on I-35. Just like gambling, you "give 'em an inch and they take a mile." We are fast sinking into greater worldliness. Of course it's the love of money to be made that causes such. Making a buck seems ever finer with our economy now in recession, but loss of divine favor will cost far more in the end. Soon we'll take Vagus as our role model like so much of American already has done. I've seen where the black Mayor Mr.Lagford of Burmingham AL, has set a day of repentance in sack cloth and ashes. In fact the city has burlap bags ready for proper attire to citizens of that crime ridden city on their day set to pray and fast. If only all of U.S. would join that city in prayers for our whole nation! JA
ANGELFIRE 5-13-08 Angelfire saw Pentecost Sunday (and Mother's Day) as light shining in the darkness of current calamities around this world: Cyclone in Mynemar, Volcano eruption in Chili, Earthquake in China, Tornados in America including Picher OK being nearly wiped out, plus a small one on PV's northeast side last week. Pentecost's baptism of fire gave birth to the New Israel on a longstanding Jewish holiday. It was 50 days after Passover, the main Hebrew festival of deliverance. Abram had even foreseen such in his vision/dream (Gen.15:17) following an encounter with Melchisedek (14:18) at Salem (Jerusalem). He saw that flaming torch and smoking oven passing between the halves of an animal he had sacrificed. It was GOD coming to the chosen race through blood offerings, then as He did centuries later in the Ark going before them ib which rams were slain, as the "fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day" which led Israel across the wilderness and back to the land He'd given with His promise to Abraham; a land parabolic of the higher one to which His Holy Spirit leads us. So Mother's Day falling on Pentecost Sunday showed the Church as a mother to all all who believe on GOD's Son, Jesus; whose name means "Savior." It's new creation, or the re-creation of that Earth the LordGOD called out of the darkness on Day #1 by saying "Let there be light." Highest heaven, shamayim, was eternal light, the place He and the angels had been dwelling. until darkness/chaos crept in below. His Word was so powerful that it turned the possible collapse (into nothingness) around with a Big Bang. Instead of going into a black hole, it was sent into an expanse that's known as "firmament" in the Bible (outer space). Modern cosmology now sees it as flat, like a saucer, but ever expanding; just as life goes on forever when set free from the Chaos(monster) that can bring us back into the dark void of chaos. Thus that "flaming torch and smoking oven" are even descriptive of this physical universe, at least from Angelfire's perspective. So Come Lord Jesus! Shalom (first used Gen.15:15 of Abraham's proper and orderly demise), JosephA
ANGELFIRE 5-16-08 I certainly don't approve of ever adding to or deleting from Scripture. So forget that this is from Proverbs, because one extra word makes it into a delightful rhyme: "A merry heart doeth good, like a medicine" (should). Gives it such a bounce that I'm still trying to come up with a tune to sing it. With that for today's opening, ANGELFIRE's going to get a bit frivolous on the presidential race. My idea comes from the WW graduation tomorrow night that headlines our Gazette this week. Pictured are the two Valedictorians, a guy and a gal. If that can be done for something as hugely important as graduation, why not politics too? Couldn't Democrats just settle their question of first and second place candidates by letting both be first with a Clinton/Obama co-presidency (her name starting it as old fashioned courtesy to the ladies)? What an astounding FIRST that would be! First ever female plus first black, first time of co-ed candidates. And while we stretch our imaginations, how about reaching across the aisle for v.p. just to demonstrate how big hearted Democrats can be. Ask Dr.Ron Paul to get on board as first medical doctor v.p. candidate, since he's all but forgotten by the Republicans anyway. What a colossal threesome that would be! Almost as colorful as high school gradation, which down here is at 7:30 tomorrow evening (a week before PV's) in the WW football stadium (or auditorium in case of rain). It's the 101st WW class to graduate, which chose some rather strange words to use on their announcements (but I like them): "Through all these years of school, you would think somewhere along the line they would have taught us how to say goodbye." To the 38 of them, and to all the grads of PV or Garvin county let ANGELFIRE reiterate the "goodbye" (contraction of GOD BE WITH YOU) this column has used over and over again--
SoLong/S h a l o m, JosephA,
p.s. It sums up that Scriptural benediction we'd always repeat at the end of Methodist Youth Fellowship when I was a teenager in PV: "May the LORD bless you and keep you, may the LORD make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you. May the LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you p e a c e. Amen"
ANGELFIRE 5-20-08 "Oil For the Lamps of China" was a sympathetic title of some book I never read long ago. But now it's food, clothing and rescue from their Earthquakes. Since that nation turned Communist half a century back, we've felt little pity for them. Still, I recall as a child hearing how many Chinese were starving over there, though we were poor from a depression here. But recently China's been making loans that have rescued our economy. We've also quit calling them "Red China." Now the Almighty is giving us an opportunity to help them in this current disaster, the same as we've been doing in Burma, following their terrible Cyclone. Thank GOD for the Red Cross, Salvation Army and other agencies that will surely be there. Let's lend them our support.
Are any of you able to recall that saying, "Sound as a dollar?" It was a fact we could take for granted in days long past, when our economy was based on firm values. Then the politicians showed us how to manipulate those basics until we settled for a Federal Reserve Fund that could ordain the worth of our money up or down. So it controls the power of our dollars here, which still keeps shrinking on the global scale. Back in the 20th century we stood strong and tall, but now we lack financial clout after getting ourselves so very deep in debt. I still remember when president Ronald Reagan first talked about "a trillion dollar budget." Back then we'd also heard Carl Sagan on TV describing "billions and billions of stars in our galaxy," but he never used the "T" word. Then Reagan dropped any call for a balanced budget (which had been in the Republican platform). And trillion has since become a "conservative" word. Later on "compassionate conservatism" was the neo-con lingo to lessen our guilt about overspending. If we borrow to help it surely is better than just to get gain. But more than ever now, we must heed our national motto that's printed on each bill, "In God We Trust." We are here to serve Him and we know His wealth is way above the tiny trillions, clear into infinity; also, that the good news for believers is of You, oh Son of GOD, coming back very soon to take Your church out of this bankrupt, collapsing and perishing world to that deliverance into a Kindgom of the new Heaven and Earth. Glory, glory hallelujah! Shalom, JosephA
ANGELFIRE 5-25-08 Memorial Day seems early because the nearest Monday in May is nearly a week ahead of the original 31st date. So here come the flags to our cemeteries as we gratefully recall those heroes who willingly laid down their lives to keep this a free land. What's done with that privilege is up to us the living. And right now our courts have shocked us in CA last week and TX this one by ruling that gay "marriage" has to be allowed and also that children of polygamy must be returned to cult families from which state authorities had removed them. Can you think of any greater desecration to our national sanctity. Family is so basic to our land of hope and freedom. And both rulings so completely contradict the Book Almighty GOD gave us for guidance. Our Constitution is the document to which all civil and military authorities swear loyalty. Though it doesn't mention Him, it's principals are thus derived or later added. There's been 27 amendments thus far, but now it's clear to ANGELFIRE that one to define marriage (between one man and one woman) is urgently needed. The Lord Jesus quoted Gen.2:24, when He said "they shall become one flesh" meant not only bearing offspring, but enduring a lifetime. That may be more than the law can impose, thus not part of any 28th Amendment. But more and more states keep calling for it, which can't be stalled much longer. We've been spared such calamities of nature as have hit Burma and China, but broken family life can certainly be as great from just human nature. Weather is seen in Scripture as from divine judgement, but shattered relationships are Satan's work. He is chaos unleashed. I was born the year that modern physics learned of The Uncertainly Principal, 1927. Werner Heisenberg was a German physicist who announced his discovery of it in quantum physics, though he would also later head up Hitler's search for a German atomic bomb. (How uncertain that their's didn't happen but ours did). Thus we can see that axiom of nuclear physics in how the Creator left an element of freedom within His handiwork; one that became a "door of possibility" which Lucifer would find and open in Shamayim to set a third of the angelic host against their very Creator. Last week the Vatican's astronomer talked about space aliens and has triggered some thoughts I'll put on this web site. So I'll say more about it. SoLong for now & Shalom in Christ Jesus, JA
LORD'sDAYextra 5-25-08 Here's my reaction in a poem to the astronomer Gabriel; tho who dare disagree with an angel?
The Vatican's skywatch
speaks of others way out there; calling all of them our brothers; no matter when or where!
We earthlings now can wonder just where they could all be in galaxies so separate that none will ever see.
Or if the angel's blundered saying they're like you and me? Has GOD been their Creator or did Satan have a hand? For nowhere are they mentioned in His book on what He'd planned.
They might be imitations of this world's real McCoys, or robots just pretending while making little noise.
SETI has long been listening, a decade now or two; but hasn't heard the signals to prove it really true.
I think 'twas overstated. The pope can do that well; astronomer's elated, if wrong could bring down hell.