Pastor Don James

Russia heats up and I'm not talking about the Olympics

Things are heating up big time with Russia and I’m not talking about the Olympics.  As a matter of fact they are doing rather poor in the games compared to other years.  So I’m talking about heating up with what could be a new cold war.  I blogged about this a few days ago and so I have been watching this closely… remember we are in the end-times and I personally believe the Prophet Ezekiel prophesied Russia and it’s former satellites will be major players.

Russia has for all intents and purposes invaded Georgia, and several days ago I told you about my worry for Ukraine.  Well I suggest you check out MSN for August 20 and you will note one of the headlines is Russia warning Ukraine about not overstepping their bounds when it comes to the ports in the Black Sea.  Understand these ports are critical to controlling all those surrounding countries who were once a part of the former Soviet bloc.  Watch this very carefully, but i warned about this a few days back and here it is in today’s news.

You may also be aware the USA and Poland signed a missile agreement yesterday that really ticked off Mr. Putin and his cronies!  They have already made threats about stopping it and invading Poland again.  

Well don’t let this surprise you - the Bible said it wold happen.  God just allowed a fifteen year period of cooling off - so the gospel and missionaries could penetrate the former USSR  - PTL - but now things are moving forward just like God said they would!  Stay tuned.

Holy Bat-President!

Well and so it all begins with this presidential race thing huh?  The candidates know people are getting home from vacation, schools are starting back and Olympics are drawing to a close - so let the “real games” begin… the crazy ads, rhetoric, etc.

Of course with Batman all the rage right now - does it surprise you both men mention him as their favorite super-hero?  Check this out…

Our future president’s favorite superhero? Both John McCain and Barack Obama vote for Batman. This is just one of the preferences revealed in a recent Entertainment Weekly article on the pop-culture platforms of our presidential hopefuls.

Can you guess the presidential hopeful favorites?

First movie memory

Obama recalls tearing up while watching this storyof Elsa the Lioness, while McCain remembers shedding a tear at the death of the main character’s mother in this animated classic. (Born Free and Bambi)

Favorite TV show

Obama loves this ’70s sitcom about the Korean War (MASH), while McCain enjoys this 1990s show about nothing  (Seinfeld).

iPod playlist

Both candidates enjoy this Rat Pack crooner.(Sinatra) This political activist singer makes the shuffle for Obama (Sheryl Crow), while McCain favors this Swedish supergroup (ABBA) and this R & B singer (Usher) (who appeared on “Saturday Night Live” with McCain).

Last movie seen

Obama took in the third movie in this trilogy about a green ogre (Shrek), while McCain saw the most recent installment in this movie series, featuring a still-butt-kicking older hero. (Indiana Jones)

Favorite on-screen president

McCain cites this actor’s portrayal of the first black president on “24,” (Dennis Heysbert - Pres. David Palmer) while Obama admires this actor’spresidential performance in “The Contender.” (Jeff Bridges - Pres. Evans)

Ezekiel’s bones are beginning to rattle again.

I have been watching the news with great curiosity when it comes to this Georgia and Russia thing.  As most of you know I was in Georgia just a few months ago and even in the town of Gori which was heavily bombed.

Well this little incursion by the Russians has not surprised me at all – and I have said for several years to keep your eyes on Putin and his puppet leadership team.  Can I just say South Ossettia?  Russia has no more right to go in there and “so-call” protect Russian citizens that it does to invade Brooklyn because of the large number of Russians who live there.

This is the first of several changes in policy that will lead to more advances on other places – and of course I fear for Ukraine – which has millions of “Russians” living in the east part of the country and still speak Russian as their primary language.  I shared with a number of these people in May in the city of Kiev – and they fear Moscow may be up to something.  Well the Georgia thing has proved it… the old saying “a leopard can’t hide his spots” his true.

Twenty-five hundred years ago the Prophet Ezekiel spoke about this in his book (Chapters 38-39) and this is just the beginning.  Watch for closer alliances with Iran to soon take place and don’t take your eye off Israel.  It makes me REALLY  wonder who I want as president in a few months?  It better be someone with guts who can stand toe to toe with Putin and his cronies.  I suggest we watch to see if Russia really does pull back from Georgia.  Stay tuned and oh, yeah, prayed up too!

When will we learn

Well I am writing this at the break of dawn on last day of a great vacation with my family… it’s been a blast.  Now one of the things I love to do when on vacation is read.  So I have already made my way through a John Grisham book about some football player in Italy and last night was putting the final touches on a book about the life of golfer Payne Stewart.

As you are probably aware - he was killed in 1999 in a bizzare plane crash where everyone died on the airplane but the plane flew on autopilot for another 4 hours until it ran out of fuel and crashed.  I still remember the news report and how sad the whole incident seemed.

Well in reading this book about Payne Stewart’s life I was not surprised to read how had grown up in Springfield, Missouri as the son of a champion golfer and how he had excelled in sports.

I was not at all surprised when he also went through all the stages of struggle and growth in trying to make it on the pro golfing tour.  Every time you read about a golfer you are reminded of the millions who play - only a couple hundred make the tour.

Well Payne finally made it after four tries.  He also went through all the challenges of trying to compete and it took him years to win a tournament and nine years to win a major.  But that’s where the story gets interesting because he becomes one of the best in the world even achieving the number one ranking in the world in 1991.  Now all through the 90’s he’s at the top and yet something is just not working in his life.

He has fame, money, a great wife and kids - but he is still not happy!  Oh, dear friends when will we ever learn?  Payne Stewart went through years of this great inner struggle until the year 1998 when through the providence of God and the help of friends like fellow-golfers Paul Azinger and Scott Simpson he finally commits his life to Jesus Christ.

Now most of the book is about his struggles - but it winds up with scores of testimonies about the HUGE personality change everyone sees in his life after he meets the Lord and begins to live for him.  And after all isn’t that what it’s all about?  So when will we ever learn - only HE can truly satisfy!