From the Same Litter

The most astounding biological and genetic fact of human life is the very evident birth of children from the same parents who are so very different. The largest cell of a human body is that of the female cell that is impregnated by the sperm of a male, resulting in a new life containing the genetic-hereditary characteristics of both the mother and father. Whether one cell or a million cells later in the gestation period, this is a new life; a new individual, named and selected by God for life. After 37 days, the heartbeat begins, but from the very beginning, one molecule in each cell of that human body contains all the hereditary genetic characteristics of both parents which would fill many pages. This precious child is to be birthed, to be trained, and raised, as we are told, in the very image of God. One would think that the offspring of parents would be very much alike. Even identical twins have their differences.

I have enclosed a marvelous 1989 Abbot painting of a mother dog and her litter. This is sent to you, with my compliments, since I have the complete and wonderful set. But, even in a litter like this, each puppy has his own character; his own behavior patterns. There is not a parent who will read this who will disagree that there is a tremendous difference in their own children. They look very much alike as to physical appearance just as my son and grandsons have certain of my facial characteristics. The older we get, the more we realize how much more our actions resemble those of our parents and grandparents, even to the kindness shown to others.

This very morning, as my driver and I arrived at a fast food restaurant to get some breakfast, I opened my door and a black older woman made my day by blessing us with her greeting and quoting scripture to us about God's blessing. Now, I don't know who this lady is. She did not know me, but one must not go to the depths of Africa to be a witness to the graciousness of our blessed Savior.

Over a lifetime, I have attended many churches. I have given much money to God's work (awards, scholarships, missions, etc.). It is a rare thing indeed for a recipient to even thank me for the generosity of God given and extended through me. I wish I knew there were five people who prayed for this totally disabled, totally blind man each day. The country church, built by my great grandparents in 1874, supported by both parents, parents and grandparents, always showed appreciation for my gifts because I was one of the first to break the cycle of poverty and be able to be guided by God to give. From the time I was in college, the pastors always asked me to give a word of greeting and prayer each time I visited. In recent years, they care nothing about my prayers or my greetings.

The older people in that country church as well as the much larger city churches which I have been associated, know that I have the right to live my life according to God's will; that my trust is entirely in Him. GOD IS BOSS! Most of my relatives, like my friends, just “play church.” God has assured me, that this is the least of my worries. When, this week, we learned of Michael Jackson's unexpected demise, my assistant reminded me of the many recordings which I own along with the almost 50,000 others in my hobby collection and, of course, we have already begun to sell them. My first thought, at his death, was his “soul direction”. If, somewhere, he had learned of sin's ruin and Christ's redemption perhaps in the last seconds he, like anyone else, could have made a “course correction”. Many times, in many places, I have made the statement, if one could ask any deceased person, regardless of destination, “What would you have done differently?” I believe the answer would always be, “Trust in God.” My prayer for my siblings, my cousins, the many with whom I have come in contact in a very busy life that they would find the true answer for living “to God be the glory”.

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. “ 1 Corinthians 10:31

We only go around one time and we know how quick the trip. The precious arteries in our body carry blood 12,000 miles a day. One of the three big ones: heart attack, cancer or stroke, will eventually get most of us. I had a pastor tell me once, “It bothers me when I walk up to a group of men and they cease talking and laughing.” I said, “Don't let this bother you. They are laughing and talking about something which most the time, does not honor God and they honor you and me by knowing such.” This has been my experience, my entire life, even among family members. Most people are much more interested in soap operas, gossip columns, political trash or some overpaid ball player than God's work or His workmanship. If the Governor of South Carolina, if the Senator from Nevada, if many of these other snakes and vipers had any honesty and integrity such as they profess when making promises seeking your vote we would not have a country steeped in bankruptcy, seething with debauchery, actually thinking and hoping that the whores in cat-houses on the Potomac in Washington DC and Jones Street in Raleigh, NC would give you reason to have some patriotic hope for this nation. I told one of my assistants, this very morning, what would people think if she denied food to her young children? Yet, the voters of this nation, having voted for Obama and his ilk, having trusted the lobbyists and their elected protégées, have so indebted this nation that your grandchildren will not afford to eat. Just yesterday, in a vote of 219-212, congress voted in favor of the major energy-climate bill, capping months of negotiations and days of intense bargaining among Democrats. Republicans were overwhelmingly against the measure, arguing it would destroy jobs in the midst of a recession while burdening consumers with a new tax in the form of higher energy costs.

In every century, God's people have been deceived. Moses' greatest problem, when delivering the children of Israel from 400 years of bondage, was the “mixed multitude” interspersed with them, non believers, complainers, deceivers. Today's greatest problems are the deceivers. There is always, a password, to determine if you are in a mixed multitude, just ask, “Are you a saved, born-again Christian?” As in the computer, this password will determine the difference and you are wise to escape the deceivers. “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 To escape deception, to please God, you may lose family, friends, business, you will probably seek another church but God will not hold you guiltless, if you have not placed Him first in your life. Just because you came from the same parents, ate at the same table, does not mean you are related. Be careful who you call brother. The unbelievers in your family, in your church, even in your civic clubs, are not your brothers. (1 Corinthians 5:11) He may have on a Roman collar, he may be able to recite much scripture, but he is not to be called father. (Matthew 23:9)

In this world, corruption, lies, felony, such government acts as the cover-up act of the murder of a president (JFK), the unimaginable cover-up of the Oklahoma City bombing where 169 Americans were killed, the downing of a TWA flight in which hundreds were killed and which cost $36 million tax dollars to bring up 95% of the plane from the New York Harbor, revealing no answers at all, and many other cover-ups of your government, such as the manipulation of oil prices, drug prices, even financial fraud. You may feel like a voice crying in the wilderness, but even if you have no respect left for yourself think of the future welfare of your children and grandchildren.

There is no one word in the English language, that describes the corruption, cover-up insane activity of present day government. To think that we can pay our debts by spending more money, to think that we can pay social security taxes by killing more children and marrying more same-sex individuals, to think we can prosper by making everyone poor is only to verify that it will take the justice of God to purify this contamination.