LORD'SDAY I'm writing on Fri. with note of an hour to be gained back this Sunday as we fall back in the fall. It's so good to gain instead of loose, even though artificially. Yet the real stuff (time) is not man-made. As we learn in cosmology it's one of the dimensions of this Universe of time and space. And it fixed on the speed of light which is 186,000 miles per second. In that famous energy equation from Einstein the letter c is used, Energy equals the mass times the speed of light squared. And c stands for Einstein's Constant. Everything else may vary, but not that awesom speed. So as we get this extra 24 hours lets speed up and step out! Now I'm speaking spiritually, and it surely does come during the Lord's Day. That implies for ANGELFIRE the speeding up of his glorious return. CLJ Day. ANGELFIRE 11-05-10 Now with the mid-term election over, we can speak of something other than politics. It was a disappointment for ANGELFIRE as my home county passed LBD, but majority rule is our law of the land. I had quoted five D words given to me four years ago, DOLLARS DON'T DICTATE DECISIONS OF DESTINY. So I prayed to understand why the vote approved it this time. Dollars may not seem sacred to most readers, but I'm aware of "In God We Trust" that's printed on each one. And I've felt that the Godeye on that Great Seal of our nation is is also divine. So that's why ANGELFIRE tried to avoid the notion that money is tainted with evil. The latter derives from it's use for any wicked purpose. Thus the devil (or d+evil) so often manipulates money for his own goals of deception and ruin. When good and decent citizens are persuaded by clever deception, then barriers go down and he laughs with glee. So ANGELFIRE wants to see Garvin county prosper as we await the Lord's soon return. Prosperity is his gracious gift often even when we don't deserve it. But now that Halloween is past, we'll remember veterans on Nov.11, and be thankful for all of them at a special service in the PV High School that day. Eleventh hour means "just before midnight." And it was used after WW I to date the Armistice to end that huge conflict between nations. The eleventh day of an eleventh month in the second decade of 20th century history was used. We called it Armistice Day but when American took it ourselves, we just said Veteran's Day. But that aura of being near the end of history still glows from the double-eleven-day that we keep. And for Bible believers it glows with the hope of our Savior's soon coming. C.L.J.

ANGELFIRE 11-08-10 With our president arriving today in the land of his childhood, Indonesia, what will it mean that the Earth may shake if that huge volcano erupts as it's been threatening to do for several weeks. We know that the world's largest Muslim national population exists there. So such a coincidence might be seen to bring a dire signal for all mankind. Could Obama be the endtime Leader who unites the nations under a vast rule for law and order like the power of a volcanic eruption? He has certainly sought to gain international good will in the two years so far. In fact he went to India to memorialize Mumbai's terrible attack by Pakistani terrorists, but was placid about the latter's guilt in harboring such terrorists. His attitude of "why can't we all just get along" recalls those days of race riots in America that finally opened the way for him to become president of the USA. The media made him look like the looser here from Nov.2 results, but abroad he could be the rising star of global unity. Yet it could certainly be a false star, not the one of Christmas but the very opposite. ANGELFIRE isn't aware of where he'll go from Indonesia, but somewhere in Asia he'll gain even more fame and acclaim.   I think of the chant of those throngs in Chicago in the fifties when the late Stokely Carmichael was their black leader, "The whole world is watching, the whole world is watching." Obamaism has now become the global sequel with vastly more media coverage. Let's take a look in oUr Bible. as I did in order to write this. I was given Isa.57, not a pleasant chapter to read (some that could not even pass contemporary media codes).  But mankind's fatal turn back to idolatry provokes Almighty wrath. Thus we must seek shelter under the blood Christ shed for us on the cross. SoLong/Shalom from JosephA@webtv.net

ANGELFIRE 11-11-10 As I write this early on Veteran's Day, my mind goes back to my childhood, when the Armistice that ended WW I was observed on this day. It had been signed at Versailles in France 1919ad as an end to all warfare. But instead of a win it was just a truce somewhat like a tied ball game. I can recall from the early 30s how the later formed League of Nations was rejected over here by America. I think the League's motto was "Never Again" (later by Israel for their new state)) but we knew the issues were only post phoned, not settled by all that slick and underhanded negotiation. Yet I heard such great things about Woodrow Wilson that I felt as a child he must be righteous. If war could just be banned from the world then everything would become Godly. How simplistic that view was, but in the thirties it also sounded real good. But when we got into WW II on Dec.7 in 41, our goal was to gain "Total Surrender" as the Armistice had proven the big sham it always was. Thus we required a full surrender not only by Germany, but later of Japan as well. And we took the whole world's earlier date of 11-11 to signify how ultimate WW III might be. We called it Veteran's Day just as one U.S. city had already been doing. Like Thanksgiving, it's a national holiday that is both sacred and secular. So our separation of church and state is put to the test, though ANGELFIRE feels this day as being more state, then Thanksgiving as mostly church. Nevertheless our entire 11th month foretells the coming end in December (of the entire year). My own late father, John M. Hazlitt, died on Dec.10 after a heart attack in late November. It was 1969 when his life ended, while I was a pastor up at Dewey OK. He had served in the Sea Bees during WW II and been critically injured over in the South Pacific at Rendova of The New Georgia Islands. But he lived amazingy (and walked thereafter with a limp) to become quite involved in PV civic affairs. So it seemed to me that the whole town came for his funeral at First United Methodist Church on that 13th day in December. Both my older brother and I were also navy veterans, but not of combat action as he was. I'll stop at his grave today as I pass Mt.Olivet just to remember that gallant veteran who wrote in the PV Democrat his "Sounding Off" column as JMH. He had also taught the United Bible Class for a number of years, then had a radio program on KVLH. There are copies of his book of poems in the PV library too, "Tangled Twine" by JMH. Come Lord Jesus,   JosephA@webtv.net

LORD'sDay extra As I think about my dream last night, it was surely an echo of the trains hard coming and going through WW at midnight hours. They have to honk-honk their way across town to avoid hitting cars that might be out driving. So I saw a train going clear into the sky and zig zagain back and forth across it. Can't say it it was freight or passenger, but it traveled swiftly go it made me think of angels. When I awoke, I asked the Lord for understanding. Then as I opened the Bible this morning, chap.54 if Isaiah is what was given to me, plus a feeling that I should go to the Church of God for that community Thanksgiving service. Just waiting to see what developes. JA

ANGELFIRE 11-15-10 Because this column which appears twice each week in The PV Daily Democrat and also appears in the weekly WW Gazette, I'm glad it has ties to both papers. But passing of LBD in Garvin county was reported as 52% in the Democrat, while only 51% in the Gazette. Since ANGELFIRE had expected it to fail, I do prefer the latter as showing it barely squeaked by on just one percent. I had to seek counsel from the Lord about it, and have been given his advice about those five words he'd given me earlier: "Dollars Don't Dictate Decisions of Destiny." Now I see that many voters may have honestly felt LBD would bring something stronger than financial gain to Garvin county. It may afford us a better control of liquor (in the short run). If that be so, then the five word affirmation still applies. It was good in my view to see CA vote down any further legalization of marijuana use, even though I did watch a documentary (of it's value) a second time on channel 17 in support of it. I've seen so much poisoned sight and sound by now that I long for those times when there was only radio. Add to that all those TV commercials using up most of each hour. Jumping channels to escape them gets tiresome. And I do reads news on MS-NBC tv to get away, though that's only when in here onLine at our webtv set. From childhood I heard radio and had favorite shows. One was "The Amateur Hour" with Major Bowles. He would let the performer continue if the crowd was happy, but rang a bell to give it the gong if not acceptable. There were great crowds each week by the sounds on the show. And "getting the gong" became a flip phrase for any failure. Guess I'm recalling that because of the vote I've mentioned.   But most of the candidates elected were one's I voted for. Allie Burgin's name made me recall another radio show of Charlie McCarthy the marionette, with Edger Burgin as his creator. The two got into some movies as well, which a few of you old timers can surely recall. Maybe some would call McCarthy a puppet, but there were no strings on him. I sort of compare his to the Charley Brown to be seen in PV, along with Peanuts and other of his friends. I've read about the late Chas. Schultz giving expression to his own inner being in that cartoon series. It has found a permanent place in comics, as you know from the PVDD's Sun. funnies. The reason there's no devil in that cartoon world, as I see it, is because a dog is their central character. Only humans have to be saved from Satan's dominion. So let's keep the faith, dear family in Christ.       AoP Shalom,     JosephA

ANGELFIRE 11-18-10 "There are strange things done in the midnight sun, by the men who moil for gold. And the artic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold. The northern lights have seen queer sights, but the strangest they ever did see was that night on the marge of lake Bregaarge when we cremated Sam McGee..." Such is the start of a long poem of the AK god rush that I memorized as a student at PV High School. Can't even recall who wrote it now, but the current strange events in Alaska have recalled it. Maybe the Republican nominee who lost to an Independent write-in for Seantor can identify with Sam. His name was Joe Miller, but Lisa Murkowski took back the majority vote after he'd got the nomination away from her. So now another lady from up there is on stage for national attention just like Sarah Palin came out to be on the Republican vice-presidential ticket as Sen.John McCain's own choice. Even though she lost, she's become very well known nationally and some Internationally. As I recall, Alaska was the last state added to the USA. Or was it Hawaii?   Either way, the words of our Lord about his Kingdom seem to apply, "the last shall be first, and the first last." He also spoke of the final days of history when odd and strange events would be taking place. Just think of it, all those voters who by hand wrote in Lisa's name which is even difficult to spell. And she beat a good ole "Joe" name too. He may challenge the count over so many who misspelled Murkowski and just not give up without a fight. That would identify him with GI- Joes of WW II fame. But it looks kike she's taken the cake, at least for now. And her star may keep rising just as Palin's has, despite only two years of governorship. Which reminds me that our own Mary Fallin has four ahead of her as the number of females in high office keeps increasing. Even the gender of our President might change in 2012 I'm guessing. But as we gather for Thanksgiving services across Ollahoma and America we can be glad that this is a land of opportunity for all. And we must pray that it be brought back "under God" like we remember the Pilgrim fathers at Plymouth on that very first winter so frigid that many died. They prayed to survive and they were heard because of their continued example of deep trust. So let us keep the faith, brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Thus until his return, Shalom-Shalom (double means perfect peace). Here is a scripture song for this season THOU WILT KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE WHOSE MIND IS STAID ON THEE, (and as a song repeats, then continues)--Oh He is the only perfect resting place. He giveth inward peace. Then once more THOU WILT KEEP HIM IN SALOM SHALOM WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE.  JosephA

ANGELFIRE 11-22-10 What a glorious community Xgiving service that was in PV's First Church of God last Sun. evening. There was standing room only with a sense of unity from being all together. Niece and I were glad to be there while pastors from seven different churches conducted worship with a them "We Are Better Together" with refreshments following. In news of travel for Xgivng Day Thursday, we hear of all the need for pat downs and luggage inspections by the TSA because of terrorism. It's an International threat that air travel has to cope with. But what a blessing aviation has brought to humanity. We should be thankful to our Maker for allowing us to become globally linked and thus "better together." I consider our Historic Tower in PV as a tribute to such modern reality since it was build as PV's water tower in the same year that Wilbur and Orville Wright flew the first power driven air craft, 1903. Here's a record of it from the Internet: The Wright Brothers: Their First Powered Flight ...  On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright added the final piece of the puzzle needed for effective flight: power. In 1902, they developed a successful glider and on which they based their powered version, which carried Orville Wright 120 feet on a flight lasting twelve seconds - the first controlled, powered flight. Later that day Wilbur piloted the aircraft for 59 seconds for 852 feet.12 Their success was not immediately recognized, however. After complying with certain standards, the United States government bought a copy of the Wright brother's Flyer in 1909.13 World Wars and Beyond During World War I, aircraft were primarily used for reconnaissance. However, later in the war pilots found the airplane's success as a bomber against ground targets. Early dogfights consisted of pilots shooting pistols at each other as they passed; later, it evolved into aircraft attempting to out-maneuver each other in order to shoot at the opposing aircraft with mounted machine guns. After the war, civilians feared the airplane's ability to drop bombs from the sky. Gradually, they came to realize the airplane's potential capability in many other areas. The time between World War I and World War II, known as the Golden Age of Flight, marked an era of daring stunts and new services with the airplane. This era includes such feats as Charles Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927, Amelia Earhart's attempt to fly around the world, and other record breaking events. Economically, aircraft gained a new importance by being able to transport documents, things, and people long distances more quickly than ever before in such aircraft as the DC-10. When World War II occurred, the aviation industry exploded as it had in the previous World War. Also, other record-breaking flights occurred as a result of the war like the flight of the first operational jet, the Messerschmitt Me-262, and Howard Hugh's giant wooden plane, the "Spruce Goose."14 As for the war itself, the air forces of each major nation arguably played a more important role in the outcome of the war than any other branch. Some battles, like the Battle over Britain, were fought entirely in the air. Conclusion Today, because of aviation, goods and exports may be transported in large quantities quickly and efficiently. People can cross an ocean as large as the Pacific and still land in the same day as when they took off. Also, aircraft have changed the way in which countries wage war upon one another with stealth technology and laser guided bombs. "By the end of the war the aviation industry was one of the world's great industries, employing millions of people, with manufacturing, managerial, and air transportation facilities spread throughout the world. Aircraft had improved tremendously in speed, size, and safety during the war. After the war the aviation industry expanded at an even greater rate than the world's economy. Today the importance of aviation in the economic, political, and social life of man is greater than ever, and is continually growing." Thus because of man's use of his God-given creativity and ingenuity, after 500 years of trial and error, we may soar through the air like many have dreamed... And ANGELFIRE is thankful it has come to pass each time I see the Historic Tower of 1903 still there. May it stand till Jesus returns. C.L.J. SoLong/Shalom       JosephA@webtv.net

ANGELFIRE 11-25-10 Phnom Penh is the capitol city of Cambodia where a human stampede happened Monday amid four million at their annual water festival. Thousands were involved in wild pushing and shoving that left nearly 400 dead and as man more injured Nov.22. That's a nation which already has suffered seven floods and vast earthquakes in recent years, plus other natural disasters. I'd suppose that everybody would be trying to escape from such a home place, even if it was the land of their birth. Surely latent feelings played a roll in all the crowd pressure that trampled so many of their fellow beings in the fearful frenzy. The water festival was for recreation as well as religion. But what a horrible backlash to both quests.. ANGELFIRE tends to see it like a mass suicide where life is already valued far too low. Right before our Thanksgiving Day shows such a contrast our gratitude for life in America. We try to preserve our own and also each other's. Such derives from our widespread belief in God, who gives it first by creation and then more fully to Gospel believers, That's by recreation through Christ Jesus. And such a marvelous gift evokes gratitude/thanksgiving in those who receive it. How significant that our next great holiday celebrates the divine Birth by which God's own son came into our world as one of us: CONCEIVED BY THE HOLT SPIRIT, BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY to live the only perfectly sinless life for those 33 years of his Incarnation. When I wrote previously about The Cremation of Sam McGee I failed to say it was frivolous just to illustrate how southern Sam was. Up north he began wanting to be cremated to get rid warm again. The punch line was when he was finally in the furnace, the author opened it's door and heard him protest "You are letting the cold. Please close it again."   The author had made his joke with an audience that no longer took hell that seriously.   Sam felt like he was back in Tenn. where he came from. But news of that human stampede in Cambodia cannot be cheapened by any humor. It's not a natural disaster like tsunami, hurricane, cyclone, earthquake or flood. It's a disaster of self worth, which is derived from love that comes down from above. ANGELFIRE feels that God used Hebrew for 39 books of the Bible, but then went on to Greek (the most widely known language) for it's final 27 because it contained THE word agape. It gives expression to his heavenly love. There are tow other words in Greek also, philia and eros, that mean love. Yet agape is of divine origin, whereas philia pertains to family ties and eros derives from sexual relations. So AGAPE is what the Gospel story expresses: self giving undeserved love and forgiveness. It's what 1 Cor.13 (though I speak in the tongues of men and of angels...) tries to define in earthly language. Even our wIdespread English doesn't have such a powerful word. So I wonder if John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word" is referring to that Greek term agape. At least we know the O.T. when translated into Greek spread far more widely throughout the nations several centuries before Christ came. And so did the N.T. thereafter. SoLong/Shalom, JosephA@webtv.net PS From reports of crowds crashing into retail stores today, I wonder if that human stampede last Mon. across a bridge to an island beside Phnom Penh was a forecast of this black Friday here in the USA!

LORD'sDay extra Niece and I plan to head toward B randson MO on Sun. so I write this on Friday. And this is private enough for ANGELFIRE to be open about the Cambodian disaster, which I see resulting from Buddahism. After our two Asian wars, N.Korea and Viet Nam, enough New Age religion had trickeled back with returning troops and their famiies that it became a new addative to our culture. Though some was Hindu, most was Buddish. There is no One Theistic deity in either, though Hinduism has numerous gods and Buddhism came out of it with none at all. Only an all pervading Brahamah/world soul has united Buddhism. But mere meditation replaces I-Thou prayer, and one's state of mind is everything. Thus sin is overcome not by finding forgiveness but by gaining karma earned with good moral behavior. That still leaves the self without eternal affirmation as we have in the Gospel. So things like Cambodia's human stampede are still more likely in America, though worldliness could yet allow such things. And we have an abundance of that, all from the gross materiaism abounding here today. It may not be atheistic, but is nearly always non-theistic and also hedonistic. Of course in Communism it's strongly atheistic as Karl Marx had formulated that ideology in his Kapitol text. It's not as hostile to religion as before the USSR collapsed, but still implicit in China, N.Korea, Viet Nahm, Cuba, etc.

ANGELFIRE 12-01-10 Watching the whole world unfold in news events of historic magnitude seems to this observer like watching the sky. In both arenas it's a search for the meaning & purpose behind all things. This year ANGELFIRE found a web site that avoids astrology, yet shows from Matt. 2, the series of nine texts which define and interpret the Bethlehem Star. Then the series ends with a summary statement that I've posted in my on-line ANGELFIRE. It' as good a link between astronomy and history as I've ever found. If it inspires you, then go to the author's homepage and read the rest of it at Bethlehemstar.com. The later church liturgical season of Epiphany is when that theme is made official. But even in this time of Advent (as we await the Savior's birth), it's a great read about that star the wise men saw in the east. The author of that page makes us see it too in nine points of perspective.Watching the whole world unfold in news events of historic magnitude seems to this observer like watching the sky. In both arenas it's a search for the meaning & purpose behind all things. This year ANGELFIRE found a web site that avoids astrology, yet shows from Matt. 2, the series of nine texts which define and interpret the Bethlehem Star. Then the series ends with a summary statement that I've posted in my on-line ANGELFIRE. It' as good a link between astronomy and history as I've ever found. If it inspires you, then go to the author's homepage and read the rest of it at thestarofbethlehem.com. The later liturgical season of Epiphany is when that theme is made official. But even in this time of Advent (as we await the Savior's birth), it's a great read about the star those wise men saw in the east. The author of that page helps us see it too, in nine points of perspective he finds in Matthew. HomeOverview of web page KING DAVID SAID "THE STARS SPEAK." The starry events you have seen match the 9-point account in The Book of Matthew. A reasonable person could conclude that we have found the Biblical Star. If we have, then you have heard the stars speak. You have heard the celestial fanfare for the birth of a King. The Messiah. You have heard the hushed celestial dirge played out in the sky at his crucifixion. But, what do these things mean?Scroll, or you can click a heading below to jump to a section: The Fuller Message A Clockwork Star The Fuller Message   (top) The Bible says the stars can carry messages from God on high. If that is true, then behind any other message, the fundamental meaning of these events is that God is there. The stars were part of his communication to those living in the Magi's day. Through our understanding of what happened in the sky, he continues to speak to us today.When God called Moses into closer relationship with himself, he used a startling event in the natural world. A bush burned, but it was not consumed by the flames. The burning bush was God's invitation to Moses, an invitation to draw near and to hear a fuller message. When the Magi saw signs in the heavens, they responded as did Moses. They drew near to learn more. The Star of Bethlehem is an invitation for people who see it today, including you. A natural response when you see a sign is to draw near. To want to know more. To seek the fuller message. Most people believe there is a God. Christians, Jews, and those of countless other religious traditions believe that we were created for relationship with our Creator. That is probably why the idea of having a relationship with God sounds attractive to most of us. We're simply built that way. As French philosopher Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) wrote: There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God the Creator made known through Jesus Christ. This religious impulse is durable. History shows that even relentless brutal repression of religious expression cannot drive out human interest in The Existing One. Still, according to the Bible there is a disconnection between God and man. We are interested in God, yes, but we are much more interested in ourselves—this is the heart of what the Bible calls "sin." The Jewish prophet Isaiah describes our sinful self-centeredness this way in the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 53: 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way... The Bible says that spiritual death, separation from God, is the payment we receive for sin. The Apostle Paul says in the Book of Romans, Chapter 6:23 For the wages of sin is death... But if God did create us for relationship with himself, surely he would also provide a way to come into this relationship, to overcome the problem of sin and the spiritual death it brings. The fuller message of the Star of Bethlehem is that he has provided that way. He has provided the Messiah, the Christ. Both Old and New Testaments of the Bible say that this Messiah will willingly accept the punishment for sin in our place. This is God's provision to heal our separation from him. Both of the two verses above state our human spiritual problem—the bad news. But the quotations are incomplete. The verses continue and state the solution to the problem—the good news. They go on to say that the Messiah will bear the punishment for our sin, that we can have relationship with God because of what the Messiah did. Here are the complete verses, with both the bad news and the good. They say God has made a way: Isaiah 53.6: We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him [the Messiah] the iniquity of us all. Romans 6.23: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. So the fuller message of the Star is good news. That Christ, the Messiah has come. The Messiah has paid the penalty for our sins. It is possible to have the relationship with God that so many desire. There have probably been times when you have thought about God and the possibility of knowing him. That is true of most of us. A man found the girl of his dreams. She was intelligent, beautiful, and she loved him. He was convinced that she was the perfect mate. He wanted to marry her. But he never asked her. So, they were never married. Wanting to be married doesn't make it so. You have to decide and then act. Our situation with God is something like that. We feel the God-shaped vacuum. We desire relationship with him. We hear that Christ's sacrifice makes that relationship possible by paying the price for our wrongdoing. But the relationship will never happen unless we decide and then act. Jesus said in the Book of Revelation, Chapter 3: 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. Through Jesus the Christ, God is inviting you into relationship. But you must decide and act. If you accept the invitation, Jesus promises to come and be with you. If you feel God calling you into relationship, you need to decide and to act. You can do this by praying to God right now. Prayer is just talking to God. The exact words you use are not important. God looks at the heart. You can begin your new relationship with God by praying a prayer like this one: God, I want to come into relationship with you. I know that I am not perfect, that I'm a sinner in your eyes. Thank you that you sent Jesus to die in my place, to take the punishment for my sinfulness. Come into my life, Lord. Begin making me the person you designed me to be. Amen. If you have just prayed this prayer, please email us right now, so that we can send you information which will help you in your new relationship with God.   A Clockwork Star   (top) But the Star means yet more. Jesus said in the Book of Matthew, Chapter 10: 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Many have marveled at Jesus' statement—that God's "mind" is so great that it allows his complete familiarity with the creation in all of its detail. We can barely begin to contemplate it. But confronting the Star, we see the same message. For if the Star wasn't magic or a special miracle from outside of the natural order, then it was something even more startling. It was a Clockwork Star. And that is overwhelming. The movement of the heavenly bodies is regular, like a great clock. The Clockwork Star finally means that from the very instant at which God flung the universe into existence, he also knew the moment he would enter human history in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. He marked it in the stars. And from before the beginning of time as we experience it, God knew the very moment when Messiah would breath his last on the cross. Jesus is "the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world." Revelation 13:8 Accept the invitation. Decide, and act. Page 160 back to index159