Engulfed

Two years ago, yesterday, President Obama was inaugurated as president. It has been the most stupefying two years in American history. No one could have convinced our ancestors that the American voters would inaugurate a Sunni Muslim as president of the United States, a known quantity, a Marxist with no experience in business, and little in government. Through his appointments, America has been taken over by socialism without a shot being fired, a type of socialism you find in France, Russia, China.

While most of us have our nose to the grindstone, trying to survive, he and his ilk have increased the national debt to the place that it can never be repaid. In two year times, he increased the debt more than all the presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush. The past two years are an embarrassment to our ancestry, patriots, Christians, hardworking, God-fearing, tax-paying citizens who have defended this country militarily all over the world, and fortresses of decency, responsibility within the borders.

In 1804, President Jefferson, following the Louisiana Purchase, commissioned Lewis and Clark to explore the northwestern frontiers of America. They were given $2500, gifts for the Indians, including silver medals with Jefferson's likeness, medicine and weapons with which to engage the many Indian tribes. Leaving Saint Louis, the 33 in the expedition proceeded to the Pacific, mapping and making historical notes of the many Indian tribes. One of the Indians in the expedition, along because of his knowledge of languages and survival practices, had a knowledge of the Bible, and had a Bible with him.

In Idaho, he presented messages from the “heaven book” to an Indian tribe. They did not forget what he talked about, and would sit around and talk about the messages of the heaven book. Slowly, those with memories began to die, and they realized that they needed the “heaven book” (Bible). Since no one from the expedition ever returned, like the Children of Israel, they decided to send five to find the expedition and bring back a heaven book. The five Indians, Running Bear, Deer with Two Horns, Plains, Grass Dweller, and Horse Runner left to walk the 1,000 miles to St. Louis. One of the five turned back, the other four walked the 1,000 miles, they finally found Clark, not a religious man, who did not own a Bible. Clark was busying showing these Indians off to his fellow Americans...not one mentioned the “heaven book” to the Indians.

Before the four left to return to their tribe, one of them said to a St. Louis newspaper, “we are not interested in your city, your weapons, your way of life, we came looking for your 'heaven book', we want one, and no one seems to know anything about it.

One of my friends, a brilliant doctor, everything in life that one could want, an unbeliever, said to me recently, just before leaving my house, “Tom, don't change, you are the only hope I have.” I think he meant by that, that if I had any doubts about my salvation, he would truly be hopeless, in this world of hopelessness...engulfed by problems in every direction.

As our national leaders smooched the president of China at the White House and elsewhere, I could not help but remember, what I had seen on my several trips to communist China, hopeless people engulfed by a godless, confused, authoritarian, totalitarian, anti-humane servitude to government. Every civilization has been touched by the Creator of the universe, the most isolated Indian tribes, then and now, have their own theory of numbers, know multiplication tables, know about magnetism.

In New Guinea, the natives told me that the sweet potato was an all-sufficient food, I had walked through miles of sweet potato fields to a remote area where a sing-sing festival was taking place. Clad in their bird of paradise feathers, the men separated from the women, these natives were singing and dancing with rhythms similar to those found all over the world. They had never seen an electric light, television set, but had been able to survive for many years without western cultural decadence or technology.

In China, a nutritionist at a well-known university told me that a radish had more vitamin c than an orange. A military officer laughed, telling me about the obsolescence of American aircraft carriers, he said, “with guided missiles, can you imagine how quick we will put them on the bottom of the ocean.” We have become engulfed by our own incompetence.

The greatest tragedy of America's existence, at a time in history when we should have every advantage, every satisfaction in our lifestyle, we are engulfed by insolence, not only toward one another, but toward other nations. We are a profane society, have spit in the very face of the Creator God of the universe. Misinformation has surpassed information, we torture one another with user fees, exploiting each other with interest payments on credit cards, insidious taxation, our jealousies toward one another and the people in the rest of the world, results in our immediate revolution...fight or flight.

We look at everyone as untrustworthy, politicians, merchants, pastors, teachers, even members of our own family. I have been in places in the world where some rode camels, others drove Mercedes. In the same community, they got along with one another, gave the impression of liking one another. Oil comes from the same place that water comes from, the earth, owned by everyone, humanity should be a sharing experience.

The magnetic field of the earth is moving toward Russia. There is still much debate about the true north and the magnetic north, but one thing about which there is no debate, each time there has been a magnetic field shift, there has been horrendous climate changes, not just shown with dead birds, dead fish, dead cows, all of which have a God-given compass, but horrendous blizzards, droughts. You can expect to see food prices increase drastically this year. Biophysics, and all animal activity, bombardment with electrons, like sonar in the ocean affecting the marine life, electricity (something which we cannot even define) is spattering life. God talks to us, but very few want to listen. We need to be engulfed by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.

Crazy

Patsy Cline, who died in an airplane crash in 1963, made the country-western song “Crazy” popular. The song had largely been forgotten until the Ross Perot presidential campaigns of 1992 and 1996. He used the song crazy in describing American actions in almost every area.

For elderly Americans, it is hard to realize that a country which has come so far, made so many accomplishments, recognized throughout the world as the zenith of opportunity, has drifted into such crazy acts. I cannot believe, I refuse to believe, that young minds, knowing the history of development in this nation, this nation's lifestyle and promises, will disappear into the tragedy of history, as have so many republics. Many are searching for answers, Time Magazine has searched for the reasons for cow death in Wisconsin, bird and fish deaths in other states, 40,000 acres of wheat death in Oregon.

By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away. Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. (Hosea 4:2-6)

Around 1350 there was the Black Death in Europe, believed to be caused by the bubonic plague, at other times in Europe, a large part of the population starved from climate changes, agriculture destruction. The Christian believes that God talks with nations through earthquakes, tornadoes, ice and floods. At present, in America, 47 million people are on food stamps, the official unemployment rate is around 17%, the commercial real estate market is the worst in history, more empty buildings than ever before, no shopping centers being built. Such large businesses as Sears, Walmart, Target, experiencing very poor business. The book business, magazines, newspapers failing, we have seen the signals of business failures, deep recession for many years. Those who caused the depression were put in charge of correcting it, like Jesse James appointing friends to ascertain why banks are being robbed.

On 9/11 when our country was attacked, instead of going on a warfooting, the president said, “spend money”. Over and over, the same slop from Washington, nothing is wrong, like a man standing at the car wash telling you that your car is not dirty. Americans have become expedient at putting a smiley face on everything.

In this time of death bias, do not resuscitate (DNR) has been replaced by natural death (ND), abortion has been replaced by pro-choice. In the culture of death which has overtaken our country, evidence today of the clinic in Philadelphia where 8 were killed.

IN HIS SQUALID West Philadelphia black abortion clinic, Kermit Gosnell had a surefire way of dealing with the unwelcome complication of a live birth: He'd allegedly plunge scissors into the squirming newborn's neck, killing it by severing the spinal cord. Sometimes, the elderly physician didn't do this right away. Often, he allegedly gave the chore to his unlicensed office staff. One premature infant wiggled around on a counter for 20 minutes before an untrained worker slit his neck - after first playing with him. Those allegations were among countless bombshells in a 261-page grand-jury report that District Attorney Seth Williams released yesterday.

Gosnell killed "hundreds" of babies and at least two women during abortions from 1979 to last year at his Women's Medical Society at 38th Street and Lancaster Avenue, according to the grand jury. Further, he and his unlicensed, unskilled staff overdosed patients with drugs, perforated their wombs and bowels, and spread venereal disease by using unsterilized equipment, the report said. And although red flags mounted about wrongdoing at the clinic, those with the capacity to stop the carnage, such as the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Department of State, looked the other way, Williams charged.

Gosnell, 69, and nine of his staffers were arrested yesterday morning on charges including murder, infanticide and abuse of a corpse. Williams said he might seek the death penalty for Gosnell in the murders of seven babies born alive and then killed...(Philadelphia Daily News)

Only those who have worked in military hospitals, who have seen the little feet and hands from such butchery can understand man's inhumanity to man, and it is not just the most innocent of life, the elderly as well. As a young duty officer at an Army hospital, I stood with another medical officer and watched the killing of an elderly former surgeon general of the Army. It goes on every day, but most of we “underlings” did not have the political clout to do anything about it. It is crazy, but most Americans want to pretend that these things do not happen. The Democrat party knows this happens, and yet they continue to support such. I do not want anyone who calls himself Christian to tell me he is a Democrat. Even if you do not support horrendous acts you support a party that does. You cannot be a Christian and support the Democrat political party that supports abortion, euthanasia, same-sex marriage and the enslavement of future generations...your own children and grandchildren. Crazier still, using the aborted, dead child, for the growing of vaccines, with which to inoculate children: chicken pox, rubella, etc. Some vaccines are produced from artificial materia media, but most from that of aborted babies.

Commodity prices are the highest in history, cotton and corn is selling higher than ever before. Healthcare is the highest in history, and with the Obama abomination (23,000 pages of government regulations affecting 1/6 of the economy), the nation is apt to sink into absolute depression and bankruptcy. In 1980, the Zimbabwe dollar was equal to the American dollar, today it takes billions of Zimbabwe dollars to buy a loaf of bread. Are we heading in the same direction?

Life is not a destination it is a journey, taking the trip with God gets you through the struggles. Recognize early that it is not your loss, but his faithfulness that matters. The craziest thing in the mind of mortal man is not to take advantage of this power.

Iron Pockets

“Iron Pockets” was a name given to me during my college years by roommates and friends because of my stinginess. These young men had never seen frugality, knew nothing about budgeting, preplanning for everything. I am glad that most young people, then and now, can live life totally at ease. I came from parents, ancestry who had survived hard times, they knew what it was like to be careful of every nickel they spent, preplanning everything. My friends had never seen anyone write down every penny spent, and for what. To this day, I still keep a day-sheet, a daily log (a loose-leaf notebook) right by my bed, where I enter everything spent that day.

I expect my accountant, my stock broker, to keep up with everything that comes in, to keep accurate records of all receipts in my businesses and the expenses of those businesses. I had in my possession, until I sold it, a similar notebook from the Civil War, showing the expenses on one combat unit, food, armaments, clothing etc. You see I believe that much is expected of those who have received much (Luke 12:48). I have been given much, a good mind, good health, outstanding ancestry, election by God, and He expects me to do much with what He has given me, all pre-planned.

King Solomon, the world's wisest and richest man, spoke about thriftiness: He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich (Proverbs 10:4). It is hard to relate King Solomon to the common man, a man with 1000 wives and 700 concubines, 40,000 horse stables which were trimmed in gold, but everything we find in God's Word encourages thriftiness. Even when Jesus fed the thousands, baskets of scraps were taken up and saved.

Going shopping is as foreign to my thinking as going to mars. I hear of people just walking through stores, buying something which they think they want, but do not need. I have been with people in restaurants who just order the most expensive food on the menu and then do not eat it. Perhaps because of my peculiarities, I do not have the occasion to take many out for meals. One time, one of my cousins came by with her nephew. I always order the least expensive items for myself, but since their rich cousin was taking them out, they each ordered the most expensive thing on the menu (I ordered a sandwich for myself). When the nephew's food came, he decided that he did not want what he had ordered. She said, “that's alright, just order something else.” This happens over and over with relatives, they get some sort of thrill in antagonizing a man of wealth and frugality, never realizing that he has his wealth because of his frugality.

My only child's wife, ordered steaks for my grandsons, they did not want steak. I will never forget the ordeal, I said nothing, but she had the pleasure of antagonizing me. The money you spend can never be invested, it is gone forever. You only make money with money; blessed money, money left over after you have given to God. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. (Psalm 37:25)

Physically and spiritually, there is no nation as blessed as America. Many of you think you know something about poverty, but you have never seen poverty. India, a nation of 1,600,000,000 people, the poorest nation on earth, even poorer than Bangladesh. There, I saw families living in cardboard boxes, children eating trash off of the dirty streets. There, as in the Philippines and many other places, mothers search trash cans everyday in order to feed their children.

I heard of one Hollywood movie star who always wears a new pair of socks, every day. I have never had a new pair of socks, except perhaps some that were given to me. Every article of my clothing comes from a thrift store, every piece of furniture in my house comes from a second-hand store, every item on my grocery list is on sale. I have a nice home, I wear nice clothes, and I certainly eat well, thanks and glory be to God, I have learned to care for myself and give most of my income for His service.

Now, this probably seems strange, from poverty as a child to an adult multi-millionaire. You and you alone, will establish your parameters, your values, your ideals of life, your vision for your future. Where there is no vision, the people perish... (Proverbs 29:18) The cell phone which most children own contains more technology than the moon module. We live the information age...excessive information about everything. Just think what this writer, a scientist of 100 years ago, legislators, businessmen would have accomplished with a computer. But they took life seriously, made great accomplishments with what they had.

I have investigated for years, why in every field of endeavor we are not proactive instead of reactive. With our knowledge nations should not be at war with one another, hunger should have been conquered, every child should have clean water to drink. Christian churches should be running over with people anxious to worship a God of grace and glory Who has not only given us every good thing to enjoy, but on top of it all, eternal life in splendor.

A 1964 movie, Dr. Strangelove, starring among others, George C. Scott, tells the story of trying to put the bullet back in the gun...trying to recall a nuclear strike on Russia. Not having thought out the consequences of the action. The 1959 movie, On the Beach, gives us an unforgettable glimpse of what a nuclear strike, anywhere, would do the world, there is a definite need for thinking, planning. Most of our problems comes from stinking thinking.

In 1948, the year I graduated from high school, the founder of Douglas aircraft established the RAND corporation. The RAND corporation, existing to this day, employing thousands, is a think-tank. Their mission is to explore every attitude, every model of human existence, such as the effects copay has on medical expenses. So simple, when one has a copay expense, one is not as likely to go the doctor. The RAND corporation, and its famous thinkers: Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice, Paul Wolfowitz, ideas and directions after John Kennedy and McNamara had taken over the Pentagon.

The RAND corporation is truly a strange phenomena, mostly from it's systems analysis, research and investigations must reach a certain level of rationale. President Harry Truman objected to many ideas in the RAND philosophy because it was smeared with Christianity. The corporation is financed by the US government plus private finances. RAND aims to solve problems of economics with a heterogeneous look at every area of national and international life. Of course, since 1950, survival from a nuclear catastrophe has been uppermost, strategic contributions towards all space systems, and now involved with energy and intelligence which may keep the world from destroying itself.

The present war on terror has the symptoms of escalating into WWIII...over 1 billion Muslims, over 1 billion Catholics. A treacherous economy in every area of the world, the America dollar will be devalued this year. China expects to determine the global currency rate and we already know there are international efforts towards one world government and one world money. It is time for every man, every government, to do some preplanning for survival. In Christianity, there is a new doctrine of “universal restoration”...that no one will go to hell, all will go to heaven. Do you have an iron-clad risk policy, have you preplanned?

Mortar and Pestle

I have already sold my large collection of mortars and pestles. This is the equipment used by the pharmacist (in England, chemist), in the drug store to triturate a prescription. One mortar and pestle from Afghanistan was a beautiful brass, one from Asia was a beautiful marble, others wonderful and collectible in their own special way. In the mortar, the pestle ground up the chemicals, a thorough mixing.

In this world of political correctness, separation has become enigmatic to the past. Since the Republicans are in charge in the new congress, the Democrats want everyone sitting together, perhaps holding hands, as they listen to the State of the Union message. Liberated women were not satisfied until our military units were thoroughly integrated, now they want women at the battlefront along with the gays, the cross-dressers, and anything else which can assure our defeat.

God started separating things at the very beginning of Creation, light from darkness. He has certainly seen the tares take over His church. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.(2 Corinthians 6:17) Today's church has lost its power because it has been taken over by the world. The conservative political party has lost its power because it has been taken over by the compromisers. When will we learn that cancer cells will destroy good tissue, that typhoid fever cannot coexist with health. The conservative learned long ago, that conservation is a mindset, you cannot be conservative in one thing, liberal in another.

I learned conservation, stinginess, frugality, early in life. I remember standing a room in which my grandmother's casket was located. 80 years later, it is still the most beautiful funeral I ever witnessed. My grandmother always wore a beautiful brooch, the brooch was always pinned on her dress, now it was pinned on her shroud. One of my great aunts put a corsage on my grandmother and told the funeral director in no uncertain terms, “make sure that brooch is removed when the casket is closed the last time.” My own mother wore that brooch, and then my sister, nor did we ever throw away food, clothing, scrap material from the making of clothing (scrap material was used in the making of bed quilts). We did not trot to the doctors office for any little thing. For leg cramps, we used magnesium, for burns we used yellow mustard, for stomach trouble, we used charcoal, remedies that are as good today as they were then.

In the new world order, global dynamo which is taking over the globe, Big Pharma, Big Farming, Big Industry, will do what abortion and eugenics have been unsuccessful in doing so far. With the greatest floods in history in Australia, Brazil, Israel (world's largest food producers), we can expect to see food shortages by April of this year. Remember, there is only enough food in the local grocery stores to last for three days, most food is hauled in by big trucks. As in the case of bio or nuclear disaster, there will be no trucks on the highways.

There was a movie in 1995 called Clueless, I am convinced that the world is clueless about today's problems...climate changes, almost weekly catastrophes, earthquakes, tornadoes, blizzards, hurricanes, etc. To the spoiled, indulged, lazy technology generation, things will never be the same again, as they were, even 20 years ago, one cannot live in a fairy tale except for so long, even the hibernating animal must awaken to reality.

The drug addict, the alcoholic is trying to escape. The alcoholic respects age, only when it comes out of a bottle (Ancient Age, Vat 69, 200 proof). Alcoholism as a disease, is given little significance, since we know it is a neurosis. When I was in Tunisia the first time, Yasser Arafat, was still in Tunis, the gay politician with his blonde German boys, a source of comment in diplomatic circles. Clueless, the Arabs on the west bank accepted he and his perversions without realizing what it was doing to them as a people. Today, that is all over, he is dead, and his “wife” and other assistants living in splendor in European hotels on the American tax dollar. Now as usual, another Tunisian official, as did Idi Amin, and other international tyrants, has fled to their haven, Saudi Arabia. So it is with international intrigue and mixups.

In Shakespeare's play Macbeth, witches danced around a cauldron pot, throwing in things which made the pottage in the pot more exciting. Has mankind reached the place that our only excitement comes from the passion of seeing the world as mixed up as it can possible get without destroying itself.

Surprise and Disguise

Of course, God had my life planned ahead of time, in order for me to understand His greatness, in order for me to understand the conditions of the world, He arranged for me to see the world before I became totally blind. So many have asked me, knowing that I have traveled every continent, “which is the most beautiful part of the world?” It was all designed by God, every acre is beautiful in its own way. When you first see Mount Fuji, you think that the Alps could not be as beautiful, but they are. It is the same with Kilimanjaro in Africa, the Hindu Kush in Afghanistan, just make up your mind to see God in everything.

The story is told of a young boy in east African country of Kenya, one of the poorest, yet most beautiful countries in the world. He made up his mind to find God, his mother packed him a lunch of small sugar cakes and a small container of water. On the beach, he saw an elderly lady watching the birds. He went over and sat next to her and they watched the birds together...neither spoke. Each time he gave her one of his cakes, she would smile. Neither spoke the entire day, finally he got up and went home. His mother asked, “did you find God?” He said, “yes, she had such a wonderful smile.” The old lady went home and her son asked her, “did you meet a Godly person today?” She said, “yes, and he was so young.” Knowing the greatness of God, we fall on our knees, beginning everyday with Him. This will get you up in the morning, anxious for any challenge.

It was such a mother that packed a small boy's lunch, who wanted to go and hear the great preacher, and whose lunch was used to feed thousands of people, just three small fish and some bread. This mother knew that this boy would get hungry, this boy needed to hear God, and it shows us, as if we did not know, that next to God's love is that of a mother. Such is greater than any vista of a mountain, often such spectacular love is in disguise. Mother Teresa showed such love as she washed the lepers in Calcutta.

It would be interesting to hear a psychologist, and I have never known a psychologist or psychiatrist who was not an atheist, explain the humanity between Mother Teresa and the thousands of other martyrs who have given their lives in helping save the lives of others. The pagan, selfish attitude of a Jared Lee Loughner, who like the other killers, did so for the love of killing, the inhumanity of a person killing his fellow human beings. Often, most of the time, people he did not know, people who have done nothing whatsoever to harm him. People, like him, with only one life to live, most of the following we have forgotten, snuffed out lives, their loved ones still remember the loss. (Virginia Tech – 32, San Ysidro McDonald's Massacre – 21, Edmond Post Office – 14, UT Austin – 14, Binghamton – 14, Camden – 13, Starkweather/Fugate – 11, Beltway Sniper - 11, Geneva County – 10, Columbine – 13)

The greatest loss, days following these disasters, the news media, and all-knowing professionals attempting to inform us about the reasons for these disasters. Disasters we forget in a few weeks time. We now know that Jared Lee Loughner had exhibited every characteristic of mental instability, we know that he was Jewish, that the voodoo alter outside of his house was probably under a Jewish festival booth. The most damnable area of our evaluation, politicians exploiting the situation. For instance, four thousand t-shirts on every seat in the arena where Obama spoke, promoting Obama. As Rahm Emanuel, Mr. Obama's chief spokesman had said, “you never let a crisis go to waste.” The poet John Donne told us in 1624 that “no man is an island.”

When anyone kills the least or the best of us, all of us are killed, on any one of these days that these people were innocently killed, over three thousand of the most innocent were killed, I speak of the abortion holocaust of this nation (3,300 of the most innocent, each and every day). If 10 of our largest commercial airliners were to drop out of the sky each day, killing over three thousand innocent fellow human beings, simply because they were in the sky in a plane, we would think that the world had come to an end. There is nothing more sacrosanct, more sacred, more protected, than the sanctuary of a mother's womb.

Please God, tell me how a political party, any democrat can support such a horrendous act against innocents. Please tell me how these same people can shed such crocodile tears at these shootings, when such is promoted by the democrat party, planned parenthood, eugenicists, the academic and black community across this nation. Please tell me what is being preached in black churches, when 99% of blacks vote democrat, 52% of black babies are aborted. Please tell me what is being preached in the Roman Catholic churches, when the most pro-life denomination in the world votes 54% for the democrats. Please tell me the mental attitude of Jews who vote 74% for democrats, THEY knowing what happened in the abomination of Hitler's Germany.

We might not be able to protect others from mentally depleted people who shoot for the love of killing, but we should be able to do something about the killing of the most innocent of life, the future citizens of this democratic republic, doctors, lawyers, teachers, firefighters, and even nursing attendants. This type killing does not go unnoticed by a God of mercy and justice.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (Psalm 1:1) Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? (Psalm 2:1) Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. (Psalm 3:1) Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. (Psalm 4:1)

Don't be surprised or disguised, this country has turned into a civilization of Jared Lee Loughners. I own rental office buildings, every time I meet a person in the mental health field (psychologist, psychiatrist), I realized, once again, that the last place a mentally ill person needs to go, is to someone in these fields. Yet, many pastors, supposedly Christians, will refer people to these non-believing atheists. Symptomatic of what the country is becoming, a tsunami of mental cripples, brought on by drug-addiction, a romance with evil, Satan's concourse of directions to every decadent route on your way to hell.

Turbulence

It took me five years to realize the fact that I did not recognize Benita from her facial features, but from the black and white dress, her Sunday dress, which she always wore when she came to my office. She worked at a Cherry Hospital, a mental hospital, as did her husband, both low paid attendants. She had told me that they had one precious son, who was in college, studying to be a preacher. In fact, he had already graduated from college and was in seminary (United, Trotwood, Ohio), she brought him by at least twice to meet me. A very fine young man, a very fine Methodist minister. He wanted to be ordained in their home church, a small Methodist church called Fellowship. Several of the relatives called, insisting I attend the ordination service and the meal that followed.

The ordination took place at noon on Sunday, the little church filled with excited people. The new seminary graduate, wearing proudly the handle of “Dr.” was an enthusiastic speaker, a tribute to his community, his church, his family. Like so many women, his mother only had one Sunday dress, his father one Sunday suit, because it had taken everything they could rake and scrape for his education, the blessing of this day. It was even more obvious at the home, there was not enough flatware to set the table. They had enough food, but a very humble home. The joy of the occasion was marked by their humility.

Dr. Styron preached that day on death, clinical death, the ticket to a better life. He spoke of the rewards of heaven, the resurrection of Christ and everything that makes Christian redemption possible.

Every time you pass a cemetery, every time you pass a funeral home, as much as you do not want to think about it, you know that death, your death, is inevitable. Many physically plan for it ahead of time, my grandmother kept her burial shroud in her cedar chest. I heard one woman say she wanted to wear a dress in the casket that would not make her look fat. I still do not like open casket visitations or funerals, I believe there should be as much privacy in death as in life...people gazing at you at the worst time of your existence.

I remember my sister's mother in law, and the closed casket funeral, one of the deceased's relatives went to her and said she would like to see her aunt. My sister said to her, “she would have liked to see you the ten years she laid in a nursing home before she died.”

I don't remember the reason, but I was in the hospital one night, and a family I knew asked me to be in the room to be with them, since her mother was dying. The patient, although almost dead, was still aware. We all know that the limbs are the first to get cold, I noticed that the daughter would keep running her hand under the cover to her mother's feet, finally her mother kicked at her. Death for most is a very lonely experience, I can think of nothing any lonelier than death in a traffic disaster, or a home disaster, unable to get help. I still believe the worst death is the long death faced by victims of Alzheimers...dead while still alive. A long, exasperating and expensive experience for the patient as well as the family.

Just as we know death is real, so we know God is real, we make the choice. Before the Jewish slaves left Israel, the blood of the passover lamb was put on the doorpost of every Jewish home. They made a choice, the death angel passed over when he saw the blood.

At the dedication of Solomon's temple (1 Kings 8), Solomon brought the entire history of the Jewish people amid the sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. When the Ark of the Covenant was moved into the temple, the cloud of glory was so great that the scribes could not speak, nor the trumpeters blow their horns. This was the dedication of the world's greatest building, and until this day, considered the world's most expensive building. Books have been written on the building of the temple, the cedar wood from Lebanon, the number of men required not only to cut the wood, but to bring it down the Mediterranean sea, transport it to Jerusalem, where the temple was built without the sound of saw or hammer, cedar wood, gold, brass. The children of Israel knew the prophecies and promises of God, they have experienced the glory, nothing has changed. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

700 years before the birth of Christ, the prophecy of Christ (Isaiah 53). The penalty, the promises, you must take him at His Word, God values His Word more than anything else. (Psalm 138:2) We know the penalty and the promise, we know that by His stripes we are healed, we know we escape death through His blood. If not healed, the ultimate, quickest healing, heaven.

All disciples were martyrs except for John, it took too long for the message to sink in, the eclismic experience of His death and Resurrection changed them totally. They were never the same again, knew they would never see one another again (no method of communication at that time), but each had a mission. Bartholomew skinned alive in Armenia, Thomas killed by a heretic in India, Luke hung in Greece, Mark dragged through the streets of Alexandria, Peter crucified in Rome, Paul beheaded in Rome. All could face death because they knew that Christ was real, they knew Him, the power of His Resurrection, the fellowship of suffering (Philippians 3:10).

You cannot conjure up comfort on your own, trying to understand the actions of God. When a person kills oneself, it is unnatural, it natural to fear death. God in life is a mystery, surrender to mystery. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. (Psalm 116:15)

Split Rail Fences

Before you take any fence down, survey carefully why it was put up in the first place. At a time when national borders are meaningless to some insurgents, at when a time when robbery is on the increase, fences are more important than ever...property fences, even psychological fencing.

In history, we studied Abraham Lincoln splitting tree trunks for rail fences. At that time in history, there was none of the fencing available now, such as the electric fence, and every type of galvanized wire, wood or plastic fences. Our ancestors in Europe used stones and hedges. Both my maternal and paternal families were among the first settlers in North Carolina, (deeds showing their property lines as the first in the courthouse). On the farm where my mother was reared and several of her family generations previously, as a child I was wandering around and found real, authentic rail fencing. These were fences that had been installed by my family many generations ago.

On the farm where my father's family was reared, and his family many generations before, I found some of the oldest barbed wire known to exist. There are antiquarian barbed wire fence collectors, old barbed wire was very different from that which you can buy now.

I have noticed all over the world, with fences in which wood posts were used, often the wood posts would sprout, and a large tree would ensue, forever binding the wire inside the tree. This shows really fertile soil, the difference in a tree and a post is growth. Another lesson, a post installed vertically, the split rail fence, which eventually would decompose, installed horizontally. The vertical dimension is the most important fact of life.

From the earliest farms it only took about 100 years for Mr. Roosevelt and his acreage controls, government trying to stabilize every area of farm operations, farms became smaller and are rapidly disappearing, just as the yard for the home, where at one time you saw children playing, has disappeared.

From the Garden of Eden, before the great flood, after the great flood, the history of the Jewish nation, people from the garden on have been stiff-necked, disobedient. We have seen values deteriorate, the value of self-sufficiency in your own space. One of the greatest fruits of the holy spirit (Galatians 5:22), the spirit of “joy”. There is a difference in joy and happiness, happiness can be very superficial, often does not last very long, joy has a greater meaning, is much deeper, those with joy are easily recognizable, joy is always there. The courts, and indeed most books and academics, treat men as animals, but we men are made in the image of God, and we are capable of present, constant, and eternal joy.

It is the saddest thing of understanding that man so limits himself, so cheats himself of the joy of the unrestricted areas and disciplines of joy in knowledge. The goat, the dog, the lower animals have no appreciation of knowledge, through fences they will learn of boundaries, but the animals knows nothing of boundless joy, limitless eternity, the satisfaction of knowledge. We can see God in mountains and plains, the animal cannot. 60% of all sins comes from words, the lower animal does not talk or understand.

Man is capable of understanding astronomy, stars, planets, weather. The Queen of England, now in Australia is trying to educate her subjects there, about the great Queensland flood. Much of the capital, Brisbane underwater, 3 million evacuated, “there will be a long recovery.” In the United State, snow on 49 states, with inconvenience, school closings, bad roads, would it not be unfortunate that children never saw snow? Just as in Israel, a land which grows tropical fruit, there is always snow on Mount Hermon. Bible writers knew the significance of white snow, covering everything dirty, filthy and dark.

Man is capable of understanding chemistry, the absolutes of the atomic weights of the periodic table, the absolutes of the balancing of chemical equations, mathematical exactness. It does not take the student long to realize that when God created the world and everything in it, he supplied every element, every chemical we would need for our life.

Man is capable of understanding physics, electromagnetic fields, radiation, energy and the equations of forces. Defy these laws of physics at your own risk. In astrophysics we find that there is bizarre weather every 19 years, the magnetic north pole is moving, there is a variation in magnetism. The lower animals cannot understand Newton's Laws of Motion, only the consequences of disobeying them. The student of sociology or theater, can take the easy academic road of life, and understand minor things, but it takes a brain to understand physics...quantum theory, molecular mathematics, nuclear energy. We forget one of the greatest blessings of God, wiring the brains of man so he can understand engineering, mechanics and the natural sciences.

As I heard the brilliant physicians talk about the treatment of the patients involved in the Tuscon, Arizona massacre. I thought of the blessings of those willing to explore the darkness of the science involved. It is a combination, compilation, of printed words, gleamed from centuries of investigation...men and women willing to “split the rails” leading to knowledge that they could use in fencing off invaders and violators of man's morphological intricacies affecting every discipline, every art, every science. The fences of the judiciary, from the first two laws of the garden of Eden, until the 21^st century, those willing to split the rails and establish fences of legal control.

One of the greatest fallen leaders in the massacre was Judge John McCarthy Roll, a father, a grandfather, an active Catholic. This Republican supported the fallen Democrat congresswoman, and was with her on this occasion, as he was on most of her visits. They were friends, friendship that blurred party lines.

Thank God that man is capable of understanding music, balm for the soul. Understanding between people regardless of language skills. In 1883, a magazine was produced called Etude, those of us fortunate to play an instrument are familiar with it's pages. Music is a universal language, the pianist in Moscow uses the same sheets and instrument as the musician in Taipei, Taiwan. It takes one year to build a Steinway piano, each built from scratch individually. First, the soundboard is stretched, the rails are split. Just as the one who plays the keys, just as the one who puts the last coat of varnish on the wood, each important and there is never any doubt about the real thing, the real instrument. Life is a gift, our eternal relationship with our Creator is the greatest gift. How unfortunate that so many act and react as lower animals.

Dialogue

At a time when the perimeters of every airport should be under surveillance, when checked baggage and packages should be scanned or sniffed by a bomb-seeking dog, at a time when Americans are put through scanners like radiated meats and perverts roam their hands around in your clothing. We understand the importance of dialogue, talking to one another.

I have been through many checkpoints in my life of travel, the most famous, Checkpoint Charley, dividing east and west Berlin. How well I remember the dogs, the mirrors, as they looked under vehicles. Of course, the inspections were on the east German side, no one from west Germany, west Berlin were trying to get into the east German, Russian-controlled side, where communism has made a once beautiful city and country a place of wanton desolation.

The story is told of a West German going to work in east Germany, each day passing through Checkpoint Charley. Each day he had a wheelbarrow with a bail of hay. One day a guard said, “I know you are smuggling something.” He and the other guards began to search the hay, “you might as well tell us what you are smuggling.” The west German said, “wheelbarrows.”

Over and over we have seen lives and industries ruined, such as the airline industry ruined because of our failure to communicate. My grandfather was the last farmer to sign Mr. Roosevelt's soil conservation and crop control, local farm legislation, legislation which controlled all farming operations on the family farm, acreage, livestock, marketing. He said, “it is like putting a noose around a farmers neck.” From then until now, worsening with every socialized control, American farming is disappearing. 70% of all produce is now shipped into America from other countries.

About 50 years ago, because of conflicts affecting the Christian church, the Catholic church and the Jewish community, I became active in the National Conference of Christians and Jews, (now the National Conference for Community and Justice), started in 1927 by Supreme Court justice Charles Evans Hughes. Because every religion is interrelated historically, Judeo/Christian, Judeo/Catholic, Judeo/Islamic, all from the same beginnings. It was founded in response to anti-denominational furor around Al Smith was running for President, the conference tried to reach all areas of discrimination, particularly that affecting the disabled, the poor, and those generally disenfranchised because of class.

America is supposed to be a society of equality and justice, but Roosevelt, influenced by such communists as his vice President Henry Wallace, his Chief of Staff Harry Hopkins, Supreme Court appointments such as Hugo Black (member of the KKK), increased discrimination and lack of justice at one of the worst times in American history, the Great Depression. Today, we have a greater need for dialogue than ever before, never has the clamor about things with which we might personally disagree been greater. We seem unable to compromise, even listen, because of the noise of controversy.

I remember in the city of Hong Kong, the noisiest city of the world, how quiet it was to go into a Buddhist temple. I remember how quiet a plane becomes just before touchdown. In a country of the big band sound, fireworks, the constant insane beat and lyrics from radios tuned to low-life radio stations which abound from cars at every traffic light.

The world's attempt to show solace and sadness at times of personal community grief, the effort not to offend anyone at a graduation, this matter of a “moment of silence”. Only one who is blind misses the joy of sight, only one who is crippled misses the thrill of walking. Only one who is deaf really appreciates sound, from the first breath of the new born child, sound. We like sound, because then we know the world is alive. Our blessed Lord said, “he that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:15) At Pentecost, 50 days after our Lord's Resurrection, there should have been more hearing and less talking (tongues). I believe that God wants to hear our petitions, praises, please.

At a recent university graduation, the serenity was ruined by a moment of silence, instead of vocally pleading with God for guidance. Yesterday, Mr. Obama had a moment of silence, concerning the Saturday massacre. He being a Sunni Muslim, as Colonel Kadafi has said, “Obama is strict Muslim, he probably does not want to offend the Christians, Catholics, and other cults of America by participating in a prayer service.” We know that academics, politicians, pragmatists, look upon prayer as a moral superstition. But you will find very few, only those who are truly self-destructive, who do not believe in God. God in the spirit of man is as natural as breathing. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient, being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 1:28-32)

If there has ever been a time when voices should be raised heavenward, seeking the mercies of God, it is now. We have been silent too long. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. (Psalm 2:12)

The Genius of God

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1)

In my long life, I have known very few people who actually knew the magnificence of God. We do what we do because we believe what we believe. Many sincerely believe that they know enough about God so that they go to a place of worship, but very few know the omnipotence (all-power), omniscience (all-knowledge), the omnipresence (forever presence) of the One who stands on the edge of eternity, who threw every star, every planet into space, who counts the very hairs on your head, and like every snowflake, designed you completely different from any of the billions of people who will ever live on the earth. He knows our every thought, stands at the center of everything, knowing both the beginning and the ending of the parade, and to think, simply by believing in His Son, we are joint heirs with His Son, ready to inherit every promise of life, now and eternally.

Before the foundation of the universe, in the sanctuary of eternity, He called us, He did foreknow, did predestinate, justifiy, glorify (Romans 8: 28-30). You do not play church, do not play games with God when you understand His sovereignty, His love, His wrath, He is Boss, He is in charge, all He requires is trust. Of the 1189 chapters of the Bible, the midverse: It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. (Psalm 118:8) His Word is forever settled in Heaven. (Psalm 119:89) Because of His genius, because even God wanted the fellowship of human beings, He made man.

It is a shocking experience for a boy, in this effeminate world, to meet a real man. I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word. I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:97-104) Read these words and learn about a real man.

From the beginning, God separated light from darkness. (Genesis 1:4) He has been the divider of everything, good from evil, bitter from sweet, ugly from beautiful. He came to earth Himself as a baby, put on a tent of flesh, dwelled among us, a God-man. When those He came to save, crucified Him, He left, in His place, His “Holy spirit”, the triune God. God chose for Himself a people, after the Great Flood of 4090 BC, after the people He had designed became so sinful, He destroyed all of them except for eight human beings, and other life which He chose to save. It did not take human beings long, because of the gift of freewill, to sink into sin again. Noah's great grandson Nimrod even tried to build a tower to heaven. From these people in Ur, Mesopotamia, middle east, Babylon, He started His chosen race with Abram, the first Jew. If anyone doubts the Bible, God's Word, you just point to the history of Judaism, three letters: J.E.W.

From natural law, then through Moses, God gave to his chosen race 613 commandments, 10 general commandments, 603 ritual commandments, even then, these stiff-necked rebellious, disobedient people refused to follow His laws, and we have a record, both secular and scriptural of their successes and failures, prophecies and promises. We have a record of this nation's slavery, God dealing with them, their dealing with the seven nations they must conquer in the promised land. After the cross, 33AD, the disciples, the apostle Paul, we have the relationship of the Old Testament law, the Gospels and the church, established by both Jews and Gentiles. The most marvelous story one can ever perceive, the history of the church, was told mostly by the apostle Paul. God's genius in using both unlearned fisherman, and then the most educated man of that time.

God used women in His genius of love, but He chose men, not to be manipulated, confused, to carry on His work. He saw a henpecked Adam, the first man, and His relationship to Eve. He saw an effeminate Ahab and His relationship to Jezebel. He knows that today's church has lost it's power through default (lesbian women, preachers and bishops, homosexuality, pedophilia). He has seen the default of the home, where the father has been put down, where there is a father. He knows that 52% of all black babies are aborted in America, that 47% of all children grow up in homes with just a mother.

We do not need a new book by Mary Baker Eddy, Joseph Smith; the Bible, the Word of God, the manufacturer's handbook, is the answer book for any and every need. When God created the world, the earth, and everything in it, He put every element, every herb, every plant we would ever need for life. The genius of God extends to controlling every cell, every movement of energy, everything that grows, cellular division. Just think, New York City or any big city, millions of building, millions of property features, a city of millions of people, dividing, so exact that every pot of every kitchen is exactly the same. This is what DNA, psychology, our knowledge reveals. We have every technology to make life easier, but human nature has not changed at all, not over the thousands of years in the history of man.

Satan's greatest victory, that men, particularly men supposed to have stoic faith: preachers, priests, can survive on pretending. Not even Luther or Calvin, believers in election, would tell you that one can sin such as adultery, robbery, murder, and then because of election have the eternal security flaunting the gifts and fruit of the holy spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. (Galatians 5:22-23) These words are as important today as 3000 years ago. When we are transformed (Romans 12:1), a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), when we have learned to deny self, we know that in the genius of God there is no limit to His love, limit to knowledge, the Bible a big book, but relevant to every human being. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. (Psalm 63:3)

Survivalism

It does not take much political courage to proclaim, day-after-day, “tax the rich”, when the rich are just 2% of the total vote. The politician had rather have the vote of the destitute, those who believe they have missed out in life's lottery, than the few votes of the rich. I have personally known poverty, and God wanted me to see poverty throughout the world. Traveling the world, villages in Africa, other than topography, looked very much like villages in Asia or even ghettos in Europe. Always without exception, smiling happy children, it was the helplessness on the faces of the mothers of these children with left me so depressed. These mothers had experienced despair, deceit, and depravity, they knew what laid ahead for their children.

Most people even so called religious people, pay little attention to what I say or write. One of the first sermons I can remember, as a very small child, probably four or five years of age, a big occasion at the family church which had been built by my great grandparents, both paternal and maternal (1874). A great old preacher, John Henry Worley, whose portrait still hangs in the church, spoke at homecoming. When pastor, he had ridden a horse 30 miles each way to pastor. I still remember on that occasion he had ancient photos of the old people of the church. I remember that he spoke on “ants”, I remember what he said 75 years ago, “go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.“ (Proverbs 6:6)

Many animals are talked about in God's Word, sheep, goats, cows, horses, dogs, etc. but nearly 2,000 years before the birth of Christ, Solomon, the world's wisest man talked about ants. There are many other scriptures in the Bible relating to ants, God knew that the ants could teach much about life.

Ants have a culture of their own, thousands or millions in a colony. There are 15,000 species of ants, all living the same way, some nests just a few inches, some a few acres, all managed the same way. One or more queens, just a few males, all the others females, divided into various work areas, most are workers, going out and finding food which they bring back for storage, some are nurses who take care of the young. The queen has millions of babies, the entire ant colony carefully organized: storage facilities, nursery facilities, part of the workers are soldiers, also females. The wisdom of the ant, they have an assignment in their colony and evidently do not question anything. They are extremely cooperative, a unified entity, nice to one another, and you can be sure that if they find something edible, something good, there will soon be a line of the workers taking it their colony for storage. (Experiment: put a drop of syrup on your kitchen counter)

Ants take care of one another, ants evolved from wasps. The queen and the males have wings, the queen self-disposes of her wings because she will never use them again after she establishes herself in a colony. The ant is the 5th most studied insect; compared to the 23,000 human being genome, the ant genome is so small it has yet to be determined. We do know it is the most phenomenal creature of creation, capable of unusual survival, phenomenal homeostasis.

Human beings become so embittered by our limitations, a matter which we cannot comprehend, all God's business, not our business. I will have many questions to ask God about many things I have been unable to understand here on this earth. I grew up at a time when the disabled and handicapped were cared for by the family. There was no social services, welfare programs to take care of the unfortunates of life...the struggle for survival, the courageous Christian of faith.

Less than a mile from our farm, the John Mayo family, one of the last children born in that family, completely helpless, I still remember seeing the child tied on a chair, in the sun, on the front porch of the house. Unable to walk, speak, see or hear well, the mother of the family had a baby to care for many years. It was the unfairness involving this child, the helplessness of this child that caused the entire family, except the mother, to turn their back on God and the church. It was the miracle of the community that Mr. Mayo, however, would take her to the church every service, and then come back, sitting outside waiting for her after the service.

When asked why the father and older children had turned their back on Christianity, the reply “you can go to our home and see how much God loved an innocent child, and the debilitation it has brought on our mother and the entire family taking care of this sibling.”

I am sure all the family had the friendship of the community, I am sure the mother had the friendship of the church, but they could not understand why, they as a family, did not have the friendship of God and that people in the church and community were so reluctant to help out with this heart wrenching problem. I believe the boy died around the age of 15, having outlived the caring mother and father. There is no doubt that the father cared for the child, the doctor was seen making house calls there frequently. It is my opinion that the father of the child, seeing the caring mother of this child, had reliable, real faith. A small amount of real faith is better than much hypocrisy.

The greatest challenge for Americans in the year 2011, is to become a survivalist nation. Our ancestors knew how to grow things, a turnip patch, potatoes; you should be storing food, making sure you have sufficient medications. At a time when birds are falling out of the sky, a path of dead fish in the river, problems from every direction, making the future very uncertain, surviving globalist imperialism is as important now as survival was after the blight of the civil war even through WWII. Australia is the last country to prohibit genetically modified food, you will need real seed, you will need a culture unpolluted by the eugenicist. Incrementally, America has tried to make you completely dependent on government.

There should be one question at the beginning of every voting ballot, the question: Do you trust the government? Anyone who votes 'yes', their vote should be immediately tossed out, they do not have enough sense to vote. These are the people who will be totally dependent on government, and unable to survive. Get ready for survival, the life you save may be your own.

Epiphany

In two days, some Christians will celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany. Like Thanksgiving, Christmas, real Christians should celebrate epiphanies year round. An epiphany is when you come to a realization, a sudden manifestation, a real experience that should have been clear to you many times before, but hits you in the here and now...a beautiful sunset, the innocence of a small child, the indescribable aroma of a flower, or even good food. Thank God part of the beauty of human existence is the experience of epiphanies.

One of my friends, a well-known minister and his wife were on vacation, traveling to visit their daughter in Tennessee. They just wanted to get away from everything and visit their grandchildren. They stopped in a small town, a small restaurant, and were no more than seated when an older man, clean, well-dressed, came over and greeted them. They thought, “now what does he want, we just want to be alone.” This old man said, “welcome to *name of the town* we are so happy to have visitors. Where are you from, and what do you do?”

Annoyed, my friend told him where he was from and that he was a pastor of a church. The old man said, “I must tell you my favorite preacher story: I was from a very poor home of drunk parents. There was a church up the road and I decided to slip up there one Sunday, sat in the back row but something caused me to go back. I would always get up and leave early, before the pastor came to the door. But one Sunday, he caught me because he came to the backdoor to the give the benediction. He said, 'I see you here every Sunday, and I want to meet you. Whose boy are you?'” I resisted to give my father's name, because he was such a menace in the community. The pastor said, 'I know, we have the same father, the heavenly father.' This pastor started a relationship with me which led to my salvation, even my attending college. Don't ever think you are not important.” Then, the man got up and left.

The waitress had been kind in waiting to take our order until the conversation was finished. She said, “I didn't want to bother you while the governor was talking to you. You know that Mr. Prentice Cooper was governor from 1939 to 1945?” Think of that epiphany, a Christian with a Christian testimony, even a former governor.

I can think of no greater epiphany than realizing the importance of raising godly children in an ungodly world. Satan is using everything wicked to bring mankind down to his level. I have said to my only child, my son, “Satan wants your two sons.” Both of my grandsons were raised on the foreign mission field, where both of their parents were foreign missionaries. Both grandsons are now college graduates. The greatest epiphany in the world for these two boys, like their father, like their grandfather and the ancestry before me, would be for these two boys to spend time on the family farm as did their father. Now in heaven, two have seen their great grandfather, a solid rock of Christian endeavor and endurance. To have seen their godly great grandmother, both nurturing animals and children, plant life, their daily walk in the simplicity of nature. The good earth, God's rewards of sunshine and fresh water.

For one who is educated, with a life spent in the complexities of the trillion industry of death and disease, the epiphany of health care has been an awakening. Why not treat life instead of disease? Why cover up symptoms, intermediate relief, just to have someone coming back? The greatest player in the New World Order is Big Pharma. Have you noticed the proliferation of drug stores in your community? The same Greek root-word describes both pharmacia and sorcery. The purveyors of death have captivated pharmacy schools, healthcare schools. Since healthcare depends entirely on government grants and largess, no one questions anything anymore, we have become a “pharmaholic” society. Even the big three: heart attack, cancer, and stroke, all controlled by phamaholics. Six million Americans are alcoholic, at least 50 million Americans are pharmaholic. A pharmacist moved out of my building, his library was mostly pharmacy manuals and sales catalogs. The tragedy, pharmacists are educated by Big Phama, prescribers of pharmaceuticals, doctors of every discipline educated by Big Pharma.

It all started in the garden, eating the wrong things; when did you hear that cancer thrives on sugar? Sugar, one form or another, usually fructose, is added to every processed food. God installed filtration systems in our body such as the liver, because He knew the earth would eventually be turned into a big garbage can. If any sick among you, let him pray, if any afflicted (James 5:13, Isaiah 53) Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.(1 Peter 2:24)

Remember when you go to the communion table, you celebrate not only Christ's remission of sin, but His healing of your sickness. America has become a wilderness of corruption, the most blessed nation, corrupted by those not only content to pick your pockets here, but send your means of making a living, your job, over seas. In traveling the world, every continent, I've seen American industry and know-how everywhere. Most religious denominations were started in America, and you would be amazed to see how many churches, most of them cults are strewn around the islands of the South Pacific.

In November, a Carnival luxury cruise liner was stranded 200 miles off of the California/Mexican coast. These 4500 people aboard were imprisoned in a prehistoric world of eating cold food with none of the air conditioning by which we all have been spoiled, without power they had none of today's excesses, games, television, computers, even swimming pools. In an century of enlightenment, when we know more about microbiology than ever before, spoiled people have not learned yet that the swimming pool is a cauldron of disease.

It should be an epiphany to any thinking person that we cannot live without convenience...computerized cash register, instant gratification everywhere. It should be an epiphany that with all our knowledge, billions on research, and the history of human reactions, if drugs are bad for you, don't use them. Alcohol is a drug, 50% of all murders attributed to alcohol, 50% of all divorces are alcohol-related, 60% of all emergency room visits alcohol-related, 75% of all prison cells filled by those who could not control alcohol. Like smoking tobacco, now limited in every way, if these drugs are so bad for you, why not make them totally illegal? We are like sheep and as the great radio commentator Edmond Murrow said, “we are sheep ruled by wolves.”

Personal Inventory

It is the second decade of the 21st century. Those of us who have been around for a long time need to take a personal inventory pertaining to our optimism for the future. I had just turned eight years of age when my grandmother Morris died. The wonderful things I knew about her had just been emphasized by those who knew her much longer. She was from one of the first families of the state, the Lucas family of Wilson county, prominent landowners. I can only remember two deaths before hers, hers was the first showing of “old family class”, a huge service in large family church. I had never seen a beautiful casket and flower arrangements before.

At that time in history, the body was always brought back to the family home, and people came in to pay their respects. My grandparent's family home was on main street in town. I remember having eased back into the living room to take a look at the beautiful setting. I heard two ladies, women I did not know, not family members, standing by the casket...I remembered my grandmother as a vibrant, imposing personality, well-educated for her day, able to handle any situation...one of the women said, “if only she had more love and less fear.”

We are told 365 times in God's Word not to fear. But in uncertain times, in an uncertain world, up against Satan, the world, and the flesh, it is difficult not to fear. Having seen the realities of life, knowing the hardships of family life in that time in history, she probably never had the comfort of complacency. The harbor is very comfortable for those who have never been out in the storm. Today's Christian extends the Christian faith as far as the worship sanctuary...sitting in a comfortable, air-conditioned building, soft-light from expensive stained-glass windows, anthems from trained voices and expensive, soothing instruments, seminary-trained words from one of sartorial splendor who exercises care that no one's feelings are abused. All just blind, deaf, dead “hearers” of the Word, the speaker wants laughing and clapping, agreement and love.

Her father, elder P.T. Lucas (this writer gives two Elder P.T. Lucas pastoral awards of $3,000 each to two NC pastors each year, selected by their denomination) who had survived the Civil War, raised twelve children, and traveled the state in horse and buggy establishing churches while dragging crippled arthritic limbs. He was finally bed-ridden for one year before death, although leaving behind an estate for each child.

One of his daughters, Aunt Sadie had owned one of the more beautiful homes in the state near her father (my great grandfather): beautiful flowers, lawns extending to the highway. As was the case with Madeline Mary O'Hare, lawyer from Austin TX and one of the most famous atheists in the world. In both cases, a firm believer and a firm non-believer, people who did not agree with them would drive over their lawns, destroying their property. My grandmother, like others of her time, knew the disparagement of the political system, locally and otherwise. Life was hard and just like today, Satan's followers were riding high. Satan is a cruel slavemaster, but she, like my other grandmother, and women before them knew that there is no slavery like that of the liberated or non-liberated woman. When Christ lived, all women were just slaves...my grandmothers were not allowed to vote until 1920.

Satan is not intimidated by words, he only understands and fears God's Holy Word. God has put limits on intelligence, but not on ignorance. It has never ceased to amaze me that anyone with one cell still functioning in the brain would not fear more about their eternal life than their casual attitude about the things of this world. You cannot obey the first commandment unless you have your freedom in Christ. If you want to lose your freedom, start buying Satan's lies. The greatest example of servitude, Christ washing the feet of Judas.

It is around the communion table that you experience true worship. My choice of all advice from my personal inventory of advice: at this beginning of a new year, worship Jesus at the communion table, whether in your home or at the church, whether alone or with others, just as often as possible. The archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Roan Williams said, “draw near to the Christian experience by praying our Lord's Prayer as often as possible.” Our Father who art in heaven... (Matthew 6:9-13). God is as close as the dew on the grass, if you want Him to be; I wish for you that personal relationship.

Europe is having the worst winter in 500 years, snow and ice from London to Moscow, two Russian icebreakers desperately trying to rescue 550 Russians in 3 fish vessels in the Okhotsk Sea. We do not have any certainty about what will happen from one day to the next, there have been such uncertainties in my lifetime. This past weekend, 5,000 blackbirds and 100,000 drum fish dead in Arkansas. The federal government blamed the dead birds on a storm. There was no storm, the enlightened have known about the chemtrails/chemistry of the atmosphere. The enlightened have known about the chemistry of the rivers.

Satan uses every evil to drive people down to his level. You cannot be all that you can be until you escape the tares and cares of the world. Satan has had enough influence on us, it is time to get on with our life.