YHWH has blessed my life and the ministry in which He's called me, many times over with what I call the Loaves and Fishes blessing. He showed me years ago and led me to teach this principle of faith, when the prosperity teaching was flourishing. I'd truly rather have 12 baskets of left overs of something of actual value, than 100 fold increase of something worthless, like dollar bills!
This past week, I've been blessed to be enjoying one of my granddaughters, and was also visited by my late friend's family last week-end. I think I've seen more people and done more actual speaking to humans in the last two weeks than I've done the first six months of the year! That's not the point of this article, however. I want to talk about the loaves and fishes blessing of multiplication, only this time it was chicken!
Two chickens, some chips and twelve people for lunch. I wasn't quite expecting the size crowd that arrived, but I had prayed that everything would go well, so I believed my prayer had been heard. I got a little shaky when I realized a gallon of lime-ade just filled all the glasses once, but I persevered. There were buns, bread, and crackers, bar b q sauce and spicy mustard. My friend's sister had told me not to go to any trouble, they wouldn't be staying for a meal, so I thought of this as more of a rest stop snack in their travel plans.
Only one pulled chicken fit on the platter. It seemed the more I scrappied it up for sandwiches, the higher the pile became. The other chicken was on the stove, ready for the platter, but it never came to that. There was still pulled chicken left on the platter, as the paper plates began to be thrown away. There were still teen-agers munching crackers and chips, and I started to grab the other chicken, when the everyone said they were finished and thank you. I attempted one last offer and was declined. They had continental breakfast before they got here and dinner plans up the road.
One chicken did in fact feed twelve people and the other chicken, let me tell you. First, I made chicken and dumplings with the dark meat and that covered a dinner and a lunch the next day. I made my now famous chicken taquitos with half the white meat, and my granddaughter just raved. Then she said, I outdid myself, making stuffed kale with the last of the chicken . . . One package of cream cheese took care of both meals, and the difference was quite distinct, yet simple.
The taquitos had cumin and jalapeno, the stuffed kale was spiced with oregano and thyme. The economics of the kingdom is having more left over than you started with!
And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to
heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set
before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. the Gospel according to Mark
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Monday, July 22, 2013
Wealthy Habits
I read an article earlier this week that I truly wanted to link to this blog, but alas, my Google search has resulted in a similar article. Although the article was focused on material wealth, I believe spiritual wealth as well as integrity are a very similar lifestyle. It's so interesting to note the only real difference is the "currency standard" between earthly wealth and kingdom wealth. The discipline is really quite similar. I'll skip through a few of the list items that caught my attention, and include the link.
1. Wealthy people arise early, 3 hours before they are due to work. Consider the time tithe of a 24 hour day. Seeking YHWH early in the morning is highly recommended through His Word.
2. Make a "to do" list. - Seek ye first the Kingdom of YHWH . . .
3. Diet and exercise is important. See Leviticus
4. The majority of wealthy people don't say everything that comes to mind. See Proverbs
5. The percentage of wealthy people that gamble is markedly smaller than those who are not wealthy.
6. Wealthy people have actual goals of accomplishment, not just the next purchase.
7. 80% of wealthy people acknowledge the birthdays of others, at least by phone.
In reading this article, I realized although our society tends to measure wealth in currency and assets, most will not achieve that financial wealth, but in their striving; may actually miss the wealth of the Kingdom and simple honest respectability of values.
http://crasstalk.com/2013/07/daily-habits-of-the-wealthy/
1. Wealthy people arise early, 3 hours before they are due to work. Consider the time tithe of a 24 hour day. Seeking YHWH early in the morning is highly recommended through His Word.
2. Make a "to do" list. - Seek ye first the Kingdom of YHWH . . .
3. Diet and exercise is important. See Leviticus
4. The majority of wealthy people don't say everything that comes to mind. See Proverbs
5. The percentage of wealthy people that gamble is markedly smaller than those who are not wealthy.
6. Wealthy people have actual goals of accomplishment, not just the next purchase.
7. 80% of wealthy people acknowledge the birthdays of others, at least by phone.
In reading this article, I realized although our society tends to measure wealth in currency and assets, most will not achieve that financial wealth, but in their striving; may actually miss the wealth of the Kingdom and simple honest respectability of values.
http://crasstalk.com/2013/07/daily-habits-of-the-wealthy/
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Don't Make Work Out of Simplifying
Don't make simplifying more difficult than need be. Learn what is needed when times get tough, but don't make life unenjoyable or intolerable. We all have different definitions of that, so I'm not going to tell you what you should or shouldn't do, but rather just give some basic food for thought. Knitting socks is something I know how to do, but if all cotton are less than a dollar a pair, and I have a dollar, I think it's insane to make them now. I can't buy the yarn or spend the time for what I can buy right now, but . . . there is a day coming, if I am alive through that time in which I won't be able to buy or sell, then I'll be so happy to know how to knit. I'm not hoarding yarn but I have some . . . and we have it in writing that YHWH can make shoes last 40 years, walking through the desert, so I'm guessing socks in the cold will last if they're needed.
There are certain things that I do find worth the extra work, even if cheaper is available. Although simplifying doesn't need to be expensive, some items are long term investments and that should be considered. As I've mentioned in Holy Homesteading, I bought a good tiller. I spent the money on what I thought would be a good investment. I didn't go for an inexpensive small replica, but I already knew I liked gardening and I definitely believe one of my jobs as a servant of the Most High Elohim is to maintain a real food supply, based upon creation, not laboratory experiments. I also, however; have an old cultivator that is still in working order and a miniature burrow that can pull a small plow, if gasoline becomes unavailable. I'm not out there in the blazing heat with a 100 year old cultivator and a scythe right now, but I'm glad to have them, if the time comes that I need them. For now, I'm enjoying my TroyBuilt Bronco!
I'm still using an automatic washer and most of the time a dryer. I did have a clothes line that got taken down in a building project, but is going back up, and I'm watching for a wringer washer. If I find the wringer and still have electricity, I'll continue to be using the automatic washer, and even with a clothes line, the dryer is wonderful in January!
There are certain things that I do find worth the extra work, even if cheaper is available. Although simplifying doesn't need to be expensive, some items are long term investments and that should be considered. As I've mentioned in Holy Homesteading, I bought a good tiller. I spent the money on what I thought would be a good investment. I didn't go for an inexpensive small replica, but I already knew I liked gardening and I definitely believe one of my jobs as a servant of the Most High Elohim is to maintain a real food supply, based upon creation, not laboratory experiments. I also, however; have an old cultivator that is still in working order and a miniature burrow that can pull a small plow, if gasoline becomes unavailable. I'm not out there in the blazing heat with a 100 year old cultivator and a scythe right now, but I'm glad to have them, if the time comes that I need them. For now, I'm enjoying my TroyBuilt Bronco!
I'm still using an automatic washer and most of the time a dryer. I did have a clothes line that got taken down in a building project, but is going back up, and I'm watching for a wringer washer. If I find the wringer and still have electricity, I'll continue to be using the automatic washer, and even with a clothes line, the dryer is wonderful in January!
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Talents are the Currency Exchange
Although it may come across that I am wearing out the subject of time, we live in a society in which so much time is wasted, that the value of time bears repeating. It seems time, like so many things isn't really valued until we realize how little we have left . . .
Talents of Biblical proportion, as mentioned in the building of the Tabernacle, the Temple, the Proverbs 31 woman, and Y'hshuwah's parable have been relegated, for the most part, to back burner hobbies. I know, in my own life, when the television went out the door, most of my knitting and crocheting ceased. Since I couldn't stand to just sit and stare at the box, I had a project going at all times. Now that there's no box for staring purposes, I just don't pick up the yarn. I still have the knowledge, so I guess if needed, I could whip out some socks or mittens, but for now, I hope YHWH doesn't count me to have buried it.
I have discovered many other talents that I believe are currently of greater need and they take a great deal of my time.
Talents and abilities were given to us by our Creator to use in this world, not only to be successful in life, but to bring Him glory and honor in our life. I am absolutely not against education, but in many cases, it has become an idol that robs us of using our actual talents. The love of money has truly replaced the good feeling of accomplishment, and sadly, we just spend more money to fill the void of buried talents.
YHWH gave us talents to get us through this world. We can use those talents to actually establish a business or employment and we can use our talents to be less dependent on the world around us, for our provision. With ready made socks and gloves so readily accessible at affordable prices, knitting, sewing, and crocheting may not be a much needed talent at this time, but we are told in Scripture, there is a time coming in which buying and selling won't be an option without eternal consequences.
Many of us have been afforded much grace in the time we've been given, back burner hobbies may well in fact be buried talents that YHWH has entrusted us to use in the way of life He has planned and purposed for us.
Talents of Biblical proportion, as mentioned in the building of the Tabernacle, the Temple, the Proverbs 31 woman, and Y'hshuwah's parable have been relegated, for the most part, to back burner hobbies. I know, in my own life, when the television went out the door, most of my knitting and crocheting ceased. Since I couldn't stand to just sit and stare at the box, I had a project going at all times. Now that there's no box for staring purposes, I just don't pick up the yarn. I still have the knowledge, so I guess if needed, I could whip out some socks or mittens, but for now, I hope YHWH doesn't count me to have buried it.
I have discovered many other talents that I believe are currently of greater need and they take a great deal of my time.
Talents and abilities were given to us by our Creator to use in this world, not only to be successful in life, but to bring Him glory and honor in our life. I am absolutely not against education, but in many cases, it has become an idol that robs us of using our actual talents. The love of money has truly replaced the good feeling of accomplishment, and sadly, we just spend more money to fill the void of buried talents.
YHWH gave us talents to get us through this world. We can use those talents to actually establish a business or employment and we can use our talents to be less dependent on the world around us, for our provision. With ready made socks and gloves so readily accessible at affordable prices, knitting, sewing, and crocheting may not be a much needed talent at this time, but we are told in Scripture, there is a time coming in which buying and selling won't be an option without eternal consequences.
Many of us have been afforded much grace in the time we've been given, back burner hobbies may well in fact be buried talents that YHWH has entrusted us to use in the way of life He has planned and purposed for us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)