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THE BOOK OF ELI

January 23, 2010Dear Way Corps,I am rarely surprised by a film, much less spiritually moved. Last night, my daughter and I saw “The Book of Eli,” staring Denzel Washington. It is a modern day parable that powerfully portrays the integrity and power of the written Word of God. “The Book of Eli” is billed as a post-apocolyptic film and the trailers lead one to believe that the “Book of Eli” is in fact a new gospel or book of prophecy for a future age, a common theme in science-fiction and fantasy. In fact, the book of Eli, is simply Eli’s book, a book that happens to be a King James Bible. The future survivors of earth’s nuclear war blamed their plight on God and religion and had systematically burned the Bible. I won’t tell you any more because I hope you will see it for yourself. But I will quote an anonymous blogger who had this to say to some of the critics of the film:“Finally a great film about one man's journey… a commitment to no other man but himself and the Lord... The attacks [Eli’s deadly actions in self defense] weren't toward 'non-believers' they were against the insidious lost... those who could not hear... acting out their vile game of divide and conquer... A woman and her dirty used breasts huddled around menial earthly possessions? What was her survival game? She was on his path twice...how? Eli had a mission and a purpose and was faithful... he was not proselytizing anyone… [His ultimate confrontation was with a town’s leaders], a villain who wanted to use God’s power to control God’s people. When will the lost catch on? You cannot use God’s Word for evil. You can’t create a revival without first repenting. It does not work.Eli gave God the glory and the thanks. His journey was about faith, perseverance and submission. Maybe you missed this...he was blind. And through his transgressions he persevered. The ones that could see were desperate to rape, pillage and be lead astray. Sounds like life on earth today...an apocalypse of the mind is set in motion as soon as someone misses their calling. How many of you are missing your calling...you sure missed the tone of this movie..."I commend whoever wrote that. Now I know many believers who are adverse to Science-Fiction, Fantasy and Horror and you may be among them. If so, I understand your distaste and mistrust of the genres. But if you choose to see “The Book of Eli”, I encourage you to view it as a parable. Remember a Parable is a comparison by resemblance, and in a Parable there is one central point or truth. It is that point that is important, whereas the elements of the story are merely contrivances to carry you along to the meaning. They do not have to be “truthful.” When it comes to the bulk of Sci-Fi and Fantasy, if you try and interpret things allegorically, where everything literally means or represents something, you wont get through the first minute, and if you do, you will probably get it wrong.My research paper in the Corps was on “The Ethics of the Use of Allegories and Fables in the Cinema.” Simply put I looked at the use of Parables, Allegories and Fables (or lack thereof) in the scripture as they were employed in narrative story telling. I then applied those principles to visual story telling, specifically film, to help the reader discern between appropriate and in-appropriate applications of fictional story telling in communicating God’s Word For me the work had great significance, understanding and application. I am a filmmaker and communicating God’s Word in culture has always been my heart’s desire.Like the fictional Eli, my encouragement to the Body of Christ is to find (or find again) your calling, and heed it. Or, as Jesus admonished Simon Peter -Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.” (John 21:18)Truly Yours in Christ,Steven Budlong12th Way Corps
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COWBOY POETRY

PURT NEARBy S. Omar Barker

They called him purt near Perkins, For unless the bugger lied. He'd purt near done most everything that he had ever tried.He'd purt near been a preacher and he'd purtnear roped a bear, He'd met up with Comanchees once, and purt near lost his hair.He'd purtnear wed and heiress who had money by the keg. He'd purtnear had the measles and he'd purtnear broke his leg.He'd purtnear been a trailboss and accordin' to his claim, He'd purtnear shot Bill Hickhock which had purtnear won his fame.He'd purtnear rode the broncs upon which no one else had stuck, In fact he was the cowboy who had purtnear drowned the duck.Now mostly all the cowboys on the Lazy S.B. spread, They took his talkin' with a grin and let him fight his head.But one named Tom Mc Guinness sorta told it to him rough. You're ridin' with an outfit now, where purt near ain't near enough.We tie our lass ropes to the horn, and what we catch we hold. And purt near is one alibi we never do unfold.In fact right now I'll tell you, that no two words I hear, Sounds quite so plain dern useless as that little pair purt near.That’s how old Tom Mc Guiness laid it out upon the line. And like a heap of preachin' talk, it sounded mighty fine.But one day Tom Mc Guiness while a ridin' off alone, He lamed his horse and had to catch some hostile nesters roan.To ride back to the ranch on, but somewhere's along the way. A bunch of nesters held him up, and there was hell to pay.

Tom claimed he hadn't stole the horse, just borrowed it to ride. Them nesters hated cowboys and they told him that he lied.They cussed him for a horse thief, claimed they'd caught him with the goodsAnd set right out to hang him in a near by patch of woods.They had poor Tom surrounded with their guns all fixed to shoot,It looked like this poor cowboy sure had heard his last owl hoot.They tied a rope around his neck and throwed it o'er a limb,And Tom Mc Guiness purt near knowed this was the last of him.When suddenly a shot rang out from somewhere up the hill,Them nesters dropped the rope and ran like nesters sometimes will.When bullets started wizzin' Tom's heart lept up with hope,To see old Purt Near Perkins ridin' toward him at a lope."Looks like I purt near got here just in time." old purt near Perkins said,"To see them nesters hang you." Toms face got kind of red."You purt near did," he purt near grinned, "They purt near had me strung.""You're lookin' at a cowboy who has purt near just been hung.""And also one who's changed his mind for no two words ever said,""Can sound as sweet as PURT NEAR when a man's been purt near dead!"
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NING Virtual Gifts - Deleting soon

This site is practically free. I pay $20 a month to have access to the space where the Way Corps Reunion banner is located and to be able to place the annoying ads wherever I want to. (To go competely ad free is more money.) NING recently installed (without asking us Network Creatorts) a new feature called NIng Virtual Gifts. Here are a couple of links about it. http://blog.ning.com/2009/10/introducing-ning-virtual-gifts.html http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10379290-36.html To me it looks like NING wants to make a profit from this silly feature. They say us Network Creators can "share in the profits" as people pay for these gifts. Ha, ha. No thanks, NING. Nice try Mark Andreesen smile.gif I intend to delete this feature from our site. I just wanted to announce it before I do. Does anyone object? On another note......God told me to tell you to send me ALL your money or he will take me home. (Cash only please.)
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Prayer For Haiti

Please join in with Christians everywhere in prayer for Haiti.The PrayerFather, in this hour of trial for your children in Haiti, we pray that you will pour out your Holy Spirit as the latter rain in that land. Thank-you for casting down the false gods who have ruled that nation for centuries. Be now exalted in Haiti above all gods, and manifest your presence in your people in a new and living way.Father, in the midst of chaos, give your children peace. In the midst of danger, protect them by your angels and cause those who would do them harm to be paralyzed by the fear of the Lord until they acknowledge you as King. In the loss of friends and family, comfort them and strengthen them with hope and courage. In the destruction of their churches, let your people find greater unity in Christ. In the destruction of their government, let them know the true government of your Kingdom and true righteousness.Give them a great increase in faith by meeting their needs when they call upon you. In the midst of famine, multiply their bread to feed the multitude. In the midst of thirst, let their water continue to flow without ceasing and be a river of life that flows out from their midst. Bring forth abundance out of poverty by your creative power operating in them. In the midst of injury and death, give your children a new confidence of faith to heal the sick and injured and to raise the dead.Let there be an outpouring of the Spirit upon Haiti without measure until all the inhabitants of the island proclaim you as their King. Let them repent of the folly of calling upon Satan to deliver them from bondage. Open their eyes to the only source of true Freedom, that they may know the power of the Jubilee.Father, let these birthpangs bring forth a new day, a new Son, a new nation, anointed with the authority to rule and reign over the elements that you have created. Give them the revelation and understanding of what it means to rule, that they may seek to serve, rather than to be served, and to bless, rather than to seek blessing.Let the baptism of fire come down upon your people and upon the entire nation by the Power of the Flame (Isaiah 47:14).We pray this in the name of Jesus. Thank-you, heavenly Father, for answering this prayer.Thank you,Donna (Van Amburg) Edwards
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