About $1440 - Exactly 1440

Time in a day vs. money.  This caught my attention this week, because I just spent about the same number of dollars on appliances, that I pray serve me well into the future.  In my capacity at AllExperts.com, I receive quite a few private questions regarding money.  I received a budget question from a person who makes about that amount of money in a given time frame, as well as someone who recently borrowed that amount, and an individual who needs about that much money, and doesn't have it.

Considering the economy and the fact we are surrounded by temporal things, I would wager to guess, most of us, fit into one of those four circumstances.  This life costs money, and yet we say we don't want to focus on money.

It would appear, somehow in the previous paragraph, four kinds of people are represented, and regardless of need and circumstances, what we do all have in common is the same amount of time in a day.  Time like money, can be invested or spent, however; it cannot be placed in a bank, per se.  Considering interest rates, money really isn't worth saving either, these days . . . yet I digress.

In the four scenarios of the money situations, I spent that much hoping it "serves" me, and very grateful that I wasn't caught up in the rent to own plans that abound.  The person making that much in a pay period was wanting help budgeting to make it work for them.  That individual is probably in the minority.  Most of us don't consider a budget until what we're doing isn't working.  The person who borrowed it, will ultimately be paying a great deal more for that instant fix.  Sadly, our nation's economy is only based upon perpetual motion.  Isn't it interesting that interest rates are so low for saving and so outrageous for borrowing?  The person who needs that amount of money is probably in the mainstream of today.  Sadly mainstream America is now comprised of people who simply do not have the means to maintain the lifestyle that is mainstream America.

We do the same thing with out time.  Hopefully, some of the time we spend is viewed as investing in the long term.  Abraham had that perspective.  We also have to make plans to accomplish.  The Proverbs 31 woman very well, portrays planning.  None of us claim to have enough time and most of us are aware of something coming in which we want to set apart a block of time.   Y'hshuwah demonstrated how to use the time we are given, even when it seems short and we are promised; in union with Him, our need will be supplied.

Time is What I've Been Given

Kingdom Economy addresses time, regularly, because as I've read and written before, I truly do believe time is the currency of the Kingdom of Heaven.  I'm quite certain the currency isn't dollars or Euros, and since the street is gold, even precious metals are only pavement.  Time is what differentiates the spiritual realm from our earthly habitation and those who are citizens of the kingdom now have everlasting life.

We ran an article, here at the Goshen Gazette, a few weeks ago that has had me thinking ever since.  The article was entitled: "The Markings of a Servant's Heart."  That article has really stayed with me as I consider how I use my time and spend the days with which YHWH has blessed me.  It's not so much a tally sheet or score card, as it is an inventory of my own discipleship and priorities.

I'm not a person given to time spent frivolously, but by the same token is my effort of any value?  There are many things I've nearly always considered a waste of time, but are my priorities the ones YHWH truly wants me to have in His plan for me?  I don't like television and I didn't even watch youtube videos until I started the Goshen Gazette and discovered some of our contributors make videos, myself now included.  Information or teaching videos are all I watch.  I, of course, check news sources, so I don't print fables and falsehoods.  Most of my information is obtained through reading.  I read Scripture, Biblical teachings, how-to books and articles. current events, some history, and biographical information.  Anything else feels like a time drain.

I'm sure most would find me as boring as the day is long, but time is such a gift that we so often take for granted.  The great thing about time, when used properly; as well as keeping us occupied and accomplished, actually benefits others.  Which brings me to a full day inventory, not to compare myself to the woman in the article, but we are all called to have a servant's heart.  The servant is not greater than the Master.  I can't imagine Y'hshuwah wasting time.  What did He do to relax?  Seems I remember an occasion of sending his disciples into town while he sat by a well, and ended up having quite a conversation.

I can't picture Him texting, or channel surfing.  I'm thinking if He Facebooked, He'd post a verse or two from the Prophets, and ask only a simple thought provoking question on some of these mile long debate threads.  Y'hshuwah taught us to pray for the kingdom to come and He showed us what it is to have a servant's heart. I'm believing the "be ready" has something to do with that.  On occasion, I've actually had the thought cross my mind, that I don't want to be doing this or be here, when Messiah returns.   I want to be doing something that glorifies the Father, when Messiah returns . . . and I say I'm awaiting that.  It's not about earning or working my way in a relationship with YHWH, it's really just important to my heart.

After reading the article, I know I have done an inventory regarding things that simply don't have any eternal value.  I don't like it when the earthly government wastes my tax dollars and I'm guessing my King doesn't like me wasting His time.

Counting the Cost

As stated in previous articles, Kingdom Economy is time based, rather than monetary, and with a time base comes the need to evaluate effort, energy, and accomplishment.  Debating, discussing, and arguing matters of spiritual importance must truly be assessed.  What is the cost in time and is it worth it?  What did Y'hshuwah do?  I realize there are more "internet teachers" than we can even count now, so if all parties involved are "teaching," who are the students?  Are those with genuine questions getting lost and misled in the debates?  Sometimes I have to wonder.

So often we do spend our time in ways that really render no visible accomplishment and assess that to spiritual seed planting . . . Sometimes that's true, but sometimes that's a religious euphemism.

The one thing I have noticed in all the heated debates, is what follows.  The division and the discussion about the debate takes precedence over the actual topic, then the decision as to who was right and who was wrong and why, becomes the next topic.    *See image above . . .

To be honest, I am not drawn to conflict.  I do believe I am not to cower, but I don't feel led to force my views upon those who are not asking questions.  I base that idea on Scripture, as well.  I Peter 3:15 says I'm supposed to be ready to give an answer for reason for the hope to anyone who asks, but if they are already sure of their own answers, they aren't asking about my hope.  Have you ever been in a discussion that finally ended and all you could think was, "I want my time back?"  Have you ever found it a relief to have someone give you the silent treatment?  I know I have.

I have reassessed this discussion topic for my own life and the reality is simple.  Time is valuable.  Valuable to all parties in the discussion, but if the discussion is a dead end debate or argument, there is the time of others to consider.  What about the person listening or in the case of internet media, reading this debate?  Have the participants resolved their questions or raised confusion?  What about someone who was intimidated to get in the middle of the "all knowing" discussion?  What about YHWH's plan of edification of the body?  What about "the same Spirit but different administrations?"  What about the passage in James that says "be doers, not hearers only."

We are told the Kingdom of G-d is not in word, but in power.  Maybe the cost of endless debate in the last of days, is getting too costly.  Perhaps it would be more efficient and cost effective for some practical app of the Beatitudes.

It's Not About Ownership

All of this talk of being debt free and now I say, it's not about ownership . . . Ownership is just the "side-effect" of being debt free.  I do, on paper, own my home and the land it's sitting on, but in reality, this country is mortgaged so far in debt, that if the lien holder called in the note, I have no idea what would happen.  I've actually heard non-followers of Moshiach use this reasoning to not bother to get out of debt, as they would have nothing to lose in the event of economic collapse.  For now, I don't worry about what might happen, I live according to Torah and the Native perspective of land, which are one in the same.  Land is not of value for sheer ownership, but rather for what it will produce.  So, I stay productive on the land.

Ownership does require maintenance and accountability.  If I rented, I could call the landlord to fix something, but he'd be expecting a check on the first, even if there was nothing to fix!  The tax man likes to hear from my annually, but if I payed a mortgage, it would be figured in and held in an account, and if I paid rent, the landlord's taxes would be included in my rent.  As long as I live in this world, specifically this country, even though my citizenship is of the Kingdom of Heaven, I will be paying taxes in this life, one way or another.  Messiah was born in Bethlehem because his parents were "out of town" to pay taxes, and the coin in the fish's mouth, to pay taxes!

Possession without payments isn't about acquiring and amassing, but to be debt free from the bondage of a payment plan and interest.  By choosing to own my home, I have shelter and can share shelter without having to meet a monthly payment or rent.  I don't live in a fancy house, but I'm warm in the winter and dry when it rains [if I stay indoors.]  By having no rent or mortgage, I don't have that financial obligation to meet on a regular basis.  Being debt free, frees me up to be able to financially help those who are just getting started or in the case of some, having to start over and rebuild.

 In conducting my affairs according to the guidelines of the Kingdom of my citizenship, tithing is sort of like taxes to the kingdom, but it's a much smaller percentage than what earthly governments demand!  Only by living by YHWH's economic plan, can I live so well in this crazy economy.

Ownership is not about proof of being blessed.  Ownership in our society just means "bought and paid for" and debt free is a definite blessing!

So When Do We Work ?

Once upon a time, long ago when I was a kid . . . and that really is getting strangely distant. I told someone the other day, it used to be when remembering something that happened 20 years ago; it was a memory from my childhood. Now, as memories go, I was on the homestretch of childhood, forty years ago! Yet I digress . . . Back to our "once upon a time," there was a saying. "Man works from sun to sun, but woman's work is never done." Years before that, long, long before me, it was put into writing, "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work."

The industrial revolution and the material boom of the fifties moved folks to town and working six days, changed to a five day work week, with forty regular hours and overtime.

I was just becoming of working age in the mid 70's, when the idea of a four day work week infiltrated our society. Of course, I didn't realize that was actually getting farther away from G-d's plan. It was presented as part of the plan to save the environment and not burn so much fuel, and I think fuel was at a premium then, like heading for 50 cents a gallon. These four day work weeks were still forty hours, though, four 10 hour days.

I didn't really realize until I began writing this how far we've come from G-d's Instruction for work. No wonder Sabbath's been forgotten. Now, we've even moved into the place where some professions work 3 twelve hour days that rotate days on/days off. I believe that is primarily in health care, so the excuse to work Sabbath is "iron-clad" in our society.

As we've moved farther and farther from G-d's plan of work and rest, we find our work hours to be insufficient to support the rest of what we value. The job creation theatrics in Washington are just that, theatrics, and the bottom line is, the more dependent people became upon the way the system began to work, the less the system worked and now the majority are asking the system to provide work.

Although I am not an advocate of greed, big business didn't single handedly kill the economy. The destruction of our economy was a symbiotic relationship of big business wanting more money with less capital outlay and the workers wanting more money with less time at the job.

YHWH's plan of a work week is quite different than our society has designed. The pay scale is different, the benefits are different, but the day of rest is always consistent. His economy doesn't deteriorate and the job itself carries no stress, so there is less need for leisure time and no need for a vacation.