Letters to the editor

Thank you, Meadow Lake! Wanna get more involved?

Editor:

I would like to thank the Meadow Lake community that came out for our Fourth of July Celebration at the Meadow Lake Community Center.

We had a great deal of fun, and a special thanks to the band Train FY for donating their talents to come and play and sing for us. The band members are Neil Beach, Richard Keller, Angelo Gutierrez and Chris Walsh.

I think that more people should start using new and upcoming bands for their special get-togethers. Call Neil at 865-0835 to book this band.

Thanks also to the Meadow Lake Fire and Rescue Department for coming out and supporting the community. We appreciate your dedication to the community. And a last thank you to the members of the community association — without your hard work, programs like this would not exist.

We are also looking for new members to help with programs and activities throughout the year. So, if you are a resident of Meadow Lake, come attend our next meeting on July 16, 7 p.m. at the community center.

L. Stublefield

Meadow Lake

Be careful at all times, please

Editor:

The News-Bulletin letters expressing shock that fireworks were being sold were amusing. Same with Bosque Farm’s complete ban on them, including the large signs saying so.

It stands to reason that we should be careful and sensitive to dangers, but it should be this way all the time, not just during times of increased exposure. Rules, laws and paternalistic attitudes seldom make anyone any more law-abiding and responsible than they already are, as was evidenced by the number of county-wide banned aerial fireworks lighting up the skies.

We cannot and will not ever regulate our way out of trouble, especially in socialistic manners such as these.

Banning the general public from almost all of their own lands because of fire dangers has been a knee-jerk reaction to an “us versus them mentality” where “us” are those making the rules and “them” are those which must abide by those rules.

The worst fire in New Mexico’s history was started by the Forest Service. The worst fire in Colorado’s history was started by a Forest Service worker. And the worst fire in Arizona’s history was started by a firefighter.

We are extremely grateful to those on the front lines fighting fires, but I hope that some of the maintenance backlogs in federal parks have been extinguished by the others who are not, but I doubt it. They have probably been far too busy making sure most of us are not allowed access.

Because of the ninth-circuit court’s ban on the Pledge of Allegiance, politicians have overwhelmingly been encouraging everyone to defy that ruling — to defy the law. It’s enough to make any person’s head spin, law-abiding and responsible or not.

Michael Dietz II

Peralta, NM

What about angels?

Editor:

I write this letter this morning with a heavy heart; grieved by the article on the front page of the July 6 edition of the News-Bulletin with regards to Mr. Jerry Banister. In the article, Mr. Banister states, “People are out there crying for help and not getting it.” My purpose in writing this letter is simply to let those who are crying for help (know) where they can receive true help.

First of all, please allow me to address the issue of angels. I do believe in angels, I even believe that angels are sent to watch over me. This truth is expressed clearly in 2 Kings 6:17. The issue then is not that I believe in angels, but rather, who do I look to for the inner guidance which is spoken of in the article. It is rather clear that whomever, or whatever, we look to for direction in our lives is the one we worship. Having said this, let us look at what the Word of God says concerning the worship of angels.

In Revelations 22:8 we read, “And I, John, saw these things and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things.” Here we have the beloved Apostle John falling at the feet to worship an angel who had shown him many great and wonderful things concerning the things which were and were yet to come. In verse 9, we read the response of this angel. “Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.” You see the angel here is basically telling the Apostle: “Don’t worship me, for I am only a servant, just as you are. Worship God and Him alone, for He alone is worthy of your worship.” The Lord God himself tells us in Exodus 20:3 (and many other places) “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” If we look to any other being or thing, we have placed a god before Him.

You see, the Bible is very clear that angels are created beings, just as we are — created that is — by the Lord Jesus Christ. The problem is that man in our great enlightenment has “changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” (Romans 1:25). It is so easy for us to remake for ourselves gods, in this case angels, for if we create them ourselves, then we are not subject unto them, but they are subject unto us. We then can do as we see fit, with no responsibility whatsoever.

Now please allow me to get to my stated purpose of this letter, which is to let everybody know where they may find the help which they are crying out for. In Genesis 1:26-27 we read, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Then, in chapter three, we see that Adam sinned, thereby separating man from God. But God in His great love sent His only Son, Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for mans’ sin. This man Jesus was all man and all God. He was born of a virgin, lived approximately 33 years without sin, then, at the appointed time, died on the cross at Calvary. You see, the Bible is clear that there is no forgiveness for sin without the shedding of blood. He was the sinless sacrifice for my sin, as well as yours. After spending three days and nights in the tomb, He was resurrected by the power of God, thereby showing that the sacrifice which was made was pleasing and acceptable to the Father.

As great as this is, it gets even better. For, you see, Jesus did all of this that you might be reconciled to God. John 1:12-13 says, “But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” By the shed blood of Jesus Christ, we have the power or authority to become the sons of God, but we must come to Him on His terms. We read in Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Again, I say, we must come to God on His terms, which is resting upon nothing but the blood of Jesus, knowing clearly that there is no amount of good works which we could do to earn our way into heaven. Rather, we must completely throw ourselves at the feet of the Savior in faith taking Him at His word, for “He is not a man that He might lie.”

Once you have done this, then you may partake of the promises which our Lord Jesus Christ gives us in John 14:15-18. “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” At this time, when the Holy Spirit comes to live within your heart, you will experience the peace that passeth all understanding relying not upon an angel, but upon the one who created you, as well as the angels.

As I prepare to end this letter, I leave you with a choice to make. I take this from two great leaders of Isreal, Elijah and Joshua. From the great prophet Elijah, “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal (or angels), then follow him.” And now from Joshua, who led the Israelites into the promised land. “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Either way, I set before you a choice between life and death. I beg of you, choose life.

Paul Mondragon

Belen