Illiquidity

Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, Orange County, California

"Widowed, have left the spaces of high heaven and, banished from the sky, have given up my place to harlots; I must dwell on earth, for harlots hold the sky."

- SENECA THE YOUNGER, Advisor to emperor Nero - Hercules Furens

This race is ours to run. No one else can live your life for you. Sooner or later, we must learn, in spite of everything, that we live on the promises of God, and not explanations. This writer does not want to waste his pain hurting others. Look all around you, at those you know and do not know; there is no way for you to know the baggage they carry.

When you stand, watching a parade, you know what is passing by now. You know what went by earlier, but only God knows what is yet to come.

The disguise of looks and money conceals much. There is always fresh meat ready for the grill; it's so easy to find something to criticize. Too much preaching and politicizing involves criticism. The goose guards her eggs; the lioness, her cubs. The politician/ pastor/ bureaucrat is only interested in reelection.

Born in poverty on a dirt road, with no power, phone or water lines, we knew the pleasure of fresh water from a hand pump for drinking, bathing and cooking, We knew how our farm animals enjoyed the fresh water from a hand pump. Seventy percent of the human body is water, and God knew the importance of water. He knew that those who trust in him would never thirst again.

Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.

John 4:13- 14

Two thirds of the earth's surface is covered in water. Salty water from the oceans, evaporating, condensing, and, through the God-given, electrical process of magnetism, pure droplets fall to the earth. They can fall with force (hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.) In everything, God is in charge. He is boss. The entire world of mass and matter is comprised of electrical impulses, attracting and opposing forces, pluses and minuses, the photosynthesis of plants, the homeostasis of animals, the absolutes of God-- magnificent plan of the universe (perhaps this will help you understand the abomination and insanity of same-sex marriage).

Surely the questioning mind of any child born in poverty would ask, "Why me?" Surely the questioning mind of any college student, in the struggle against hunger and poor preparation, would ask, "Why me?" I come from a small country school, with thirteen in my graduating class, proffered into a state university populated by the elitists, those who had won life's lottery.

Everyone comes to the razor's edge, life's time of reckoning. My time happened sitting on a stone fence behind the university library, Wilson Hall. The 21st century's most abused word is "fairness." Is it fair that some born into this world, supposedly children of God, have so little, while others have so much? Is it fair that some born in the world have such good looks, while others' are ordinary? Is it fair that some come from such poor homes, and some from homes of indulgence? Is it fair, because of genes or otherwise, that some enjoy extraordinary health, while others are sickly?

I learned early, even in the conservative-evangelical, almost puritanical country church, that many were just going through the motions. If God is love, and I believe that He is, why so much disparity? My family, those around me, knew that faith is action, based on belief, sustained by confidence. The grace and mercy of God was our wealth. Some of us really believed that the love and kindness of God is better than life. (Psalm 63:3) This country boy, then a university student, then army medical officer, recognized that most people, even members of my own family, even friends and associates, were just playing games with God. Iff those in pulpits, on church pews, or on wall street, actually believed in God, actually believed in an eternal hell, they would spend every waking moment of their life witnessing and working to keep people out of hell-- particularly those they love. As one man told me, "If I really believed in the horrors of Hell, eternal fire and darkness, I would crawl on my hands and knees across the earth to keep people from going there. And, if families and friends believed in the goal of heaven, we would do everything possible to get those we love, there."

This writer has known for many years that Christianity is not real to most believers. It has become a good way of life, even of making a living. The 21st century made a beggar of God. This writer is so disparaged and depressed, hearing preacher after preacher, program after program, presenting the blessing of Gods, and yet take the majority of their program to ask and plead for money. The preacher will use glorious words to proclaim our trust in God, singing "Blessed Assurance," singing "Trust and Obey," yet, on the same purchased radio time, they beg for funds from anyone who will listen. The new twist is matching funds (some wealthy contributor promising a large sum of money to match the paltry donations of others). I saw my poor, hard-working, God-fearing, tax-paying father send much money to Rex Humbard at the Church of Tomorrow in Akron, Ohio. So it was with Oral Roberts, Benny Henn, even that chief-hustler, Dr. Robert Schuler, at Crystal Cathedral (now defunct, his givers divided as eagles, or large givers, and sparrows, small givers). I love the pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, and First Baptist in Atlanta, but even these pastors ask for money. Christians, as well as non-Christians, with any type of procedure or program, should not become involved, unless they know their financial plan. For God to be God, he needs nothing, and God will direct. He is able to handle any amount of money. About three-hundred thousand people in America make over 1 million a year. If these and others believed in God's method of His support, the tithe, God could still handle that much money!

But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

Proverbs 1: 25- 28