Avalon Chronicles #208: Alfiie

      Alfie, a 1966 movie starring Michael Caine depicts his character as a self-centered person with a life focused on his own enjoyment, until events force him to question his uncaring behavior, his loneliness and his priorities. At the end of the film, reflecting on his life, how he lacks peace of mind and finally asking the question, "What's it all about?" Sound like anyone you know? 

Composers: Music: Burt Bachrach      Lyrics: Hal David 

               What's it all about Alfie? Is it just for the moment we live? 

               What's it all about when you sort it out, Alfie?

                Are we meant to take more than we give or are we meant to be kind?

                And if, only fools are kind, Alfie, then I guess it is wise to be cruel 

                And if, life belongs only to the strong, Alfie

                What will you lend on an old golden rule.

                 As sure as I believe there's a heaven above

                 Alfie, I know there's something much more, 

                 Something even non-believers can believe in.

                 And I believe in love, Alfie. 

                  Without true love we just exist, Alfie,

                   Until you find the love that you missed 

                   You're nothing Alfie. 

                    When you walk, let your heart lead the way

                     And you'll find love any day, Alfie, Alfie. 

        

                       

Avalon Chronicles # 207: The Woman at the Well

 In our Holy Bible there is related an unforgettable story of an unnamed figure, who encountered Jesus at Jacob's Well in Sychar, Samaria.

My dear wife introduced the message below by stating: "After studying and reflecting on the scriptures of the story of the Samaritan woman that Jesus met at the well (John 4:1-42), I imagined how she might have told her story in the latter days of her life, relating her story in first person singular, recollecting what 'Might have been in her own words.'"

Reflections:

And even now after all these years, I still recall there was such a peace in His presence. When He spoke, my heart felt a strange warmth.

 There was love, understanding and acceptance. All the things which I had been so hungry for, had been striving for and just couldn't seem to find. 

And then there was joy, for no reason, just a deep feeling of well-being. I felt so clean, knowing that no matter what had happened yesterday, all my yesterdays were over and that all was well today and would be well for all my tomorrows.

He seemed to be saying that there was nothing that could not be forgiven, forgotten and erased. That it was possible to turn away from all my failures, to be set free to turn away and to go and sin no more.

          In the light of His glorious presence, all the shadows just seemed to fall behind me.

Avalon Chronicles #206: Prayer of Freedom: Spiritual Exercise for Confession, Repentance and Forgiveness

 A few weeks ago Linda and I watched a youtube program with an interview by Beatty Carmichael, a layman, who has written a book that describes a methodology for healing that he has experienced and has been 90% effective, after he explained it to people and they prayed through the methodology he describes. The book is The Prayer of Freedom.

Linda and I have appropriated its spiritual process to our own lives. I have been in discomfort due to arthritis in both shoulders requiring two sets of injections in my back under the shoulder blades. I have also been impacted in my right hand. I have needed Linda's assistance to help put on my shirt or a jacket. The right shoulder and hand are totally better! The left shoulder still hurts modestly. I am much better!

At 83 I have read hundreds, if not thousands of books and articles on healing, listened to countless sermons, and viewed many Youtube videos. I share with you my overview after all this "learning." This is my story and I am "stickin" with it. 

BIG PICTURE: Lucifer led a revolt in Heaven due to jealousy about Jesus being God's Son, eventually to be released on earth to heal the ills of humanity. Lucifer became the modern day Satan, who revolted with one third of the angels who accompanied him. They began to be Satan's warrior spirits/demonic powers to work over us mere humans, when we err from operating in the manner of living in the image of God in our lives, (ie living without sinning in thought, word and deed).  

Our Lord established a unique spiritual legal system that would be an applicable system of law for humans. One escapes spiritual jail, if we adhere to the following: "You know that your prayers are answered, if you obey His Commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight." About forty years ago I was at a summer conference and latched onto this scripture with alarm. I knew the Ten Commandments were fairly clear, but immediately I was alarmed by the part about "pleasing in His sight." This requirement demands constant reflection and self-discipline.

I have worked through this, identified and acknowledged my sins of thought, word and deed, and asked forgiveness and repented in the Name of Jesus. If we sin, and do not ask forgiveness in the Name of Jesus and repent, we become subject to disciplining by God, not punishment. Satan becomes the executioner of the discipline and guess who has us on the platform with the guillotine ready to drop? Satan's demonic spirits become the disciplinarians and have authority to work us over with the torments of illness, enotional trauma, addictions and all the evil and painful physical and emotional ailments we suffer.

But, if we pause, reflect on our lives, recall our sins (perhaps ask God to help us with memories of those we had hoped were way in the past), we can one by one confess them, repent and ask forgiveness in the Name of Jesus. When we accomplish that exercise, the demonic spirits must, DUE TO THE SPIRITUAL LAWS SET UP, leave. This then rolls over to the spiritual warfare technique of deliverance for us to order the spirits by name to leave. If you banish them from their assignment to harm and influence you, I believe they may hover around, ready to jump back in. Therefore stay repented! Habitual sin may shut off the pathway to forgiveness. The author of my source book indicated we also may be able to address sins of our family members, but I have no experience with this suggestion. TAKE ACTION, THE CHOICE IS YOURS, TRY IT AND YOU MAY ACHIEVE FREEDOM FROM THE TORMENTS!

Avalon Chronicles #205: Yes, There are Free Lunches

      At age 83, many of my Vietnam War friends have gone on to their eternal assignment. There are still a number that are healthy enough to wake up and get up to join me for a breakfast/lunch. My last two lunches with  Vietnam veterans have included terrific sharing of war and spiritual stories. I have taken to wearing my Purple Heart cap which has "Combat Wounded" emblazoned also.

      At a recent lunch a fellow Army Vietnam veteran joined me. We had a wonderful time of conversation together and when I arose to depart, I noticed a lady seated alone right behind me. I have had printed a tract denoting my Vietnam War wounding and spiritual healing story and I handed it to her. She glanced at it and indicated she was a Navy veteran, who had served in the fleet on a ship. My friend had come beside me by this time. We introduced ourselves as Vietnam veterans. In continued conversation I asked, if she had any prayer needs that my friend and I could pray for her. She indicated she did and mentioned a medical issue. My friend and I both placed a hand on her shoulders and prayed for her healing in the Name of Jesus. We were oblivious to its being a public location. At our age and background, we were not intimidated by the public location for our prayer. My friend went on before me to exit. I took the lunch payment ticket up to the cashier. The Navy veteran came up right beside and asked for the ticket. I indicated it was for two breakfasts. She said it mattered not. She paid the ticket! The younger Navy veteran treated two "old soldiers" to our breakfast! 

     Same restaurant several days later. This time with a Marine aviator Vietnam veteran, who wore his Marine cap. Again tremendous time together. In the course of our time together I noticed another veteran enter with a younger woman. He wore his veteran cap also. I mentioned him to my friend. During our time together the other veteran came over to our table to introduce himself. He was with his granddaughter and indicated he had served post-Vietnam as a Navy submariner. I related my favorite submarine story to him. When I was an employee at the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center I organized veteran history programs. One of the most fascinating stories from a WWII submariner was, when they were surfaced in the Pacific and were attacked by a Japanese fighter plane. The U.S. crew returned fire on the enemy plane and it crashed into the sea with one of the three crew members dying. The other two were brought aboard the submarine on its way to Hawaii, where the two prisoners were to be taken as POWs. One of the Japanese felt it his continued duty to become very belligerent. He was. One of the senior Navy crew members, whose duty was to be responsible for the torpedo tubes, decided to try a special approach to tone down the prisoner. He shoved the Japanese aviator into an empty torpedo tube, locked it shut and began banging on it. Apparently this accomplished its purpose. For the rest of the journey to Hawaii the Japanese aviator was very cowed and submissive, realizing he could possibly be shot out of the tube. The threat worked! Our modern day Navy submariner chatted a modest additional time and went back to join his granddaughter. My Marine friend and I finished our meal and I offered to pay the ticket. He went out ahead of me and I started toward the cashier. She said our bill had been paid! Obviously this also younger Navy veteran had to have been our benefactor! I will never know the names of our benefactors, but I will always remember their generosity. Go Navy!

Full video of the WWII Submariners is at www.youtube.com/combatfaith   Playlists.

"Veteran Stories From the Vault #3 WWII Submarines"