Tag Israelites

Thanksgiving and Leftovers

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

A Turkey.

Image via Wikipedia

Ah those wonderful Thanksgiving dinner leftovers!  They are just as good the day after as the day of, at least in my opinion.  I can eat turkey sandwiches for a week after Thanksgiving and not tire of them.  It is the week after Thanksgiving.  Many have left the warm confines of their homes and ventured out into the wild world of Black Friday.  Some were out at midnight for those specially advertised sales.  Others have been waiting in line since way before daylight.

But not me; nope  I have made it a rule for myself to do everything possible to never even leave home on the day after Thanksgiving.  If at all possible I’m staying in, watching movies and yes, eating on those delectable Thanksgiving leftovers.  I might even watch the news to see how shoppers have fared on their day-after excursions.  Some of the stories are tragic and others just plain old funny.  On either end of the stick I’m glad that I’m not one of the stories.

Now don’t get me wrong.  I don’t have anything against those who enjoy the Black Friday experience – To each his own.  I really hope they find what they are looking for and have a wonderful time in the process.  Folks it just isn’t my cup of tea and I don’t think you’ll ever find me out in the crowd.  If you need me, I’ll probably be right here at home.

The word “leftovers” often doesn’t get the right rating.  A lot of people snarl their nose at leftovers.  In the Bible there were two times when a miracle of Jesus produced leftovers.  Once He had fed five thousand people with a few fish and a few loaves of bread and on another occasion the number was three thousand with the same menu.  Each time there was more leftovers than what He originally started with.  You know what; I think I might have liked to have tried those Heavenly leftovers.

In Nehemiah 12:46 we read, “For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chiefs of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.”  The people were remembering how it had been during the days of David and Asaph.  The offices of the singers were very important to these men in the worship of God.  After their thanksgiving celebration the people of Israel under Nehemiah’s direction were trying to duplicate that so as to re-establish the wonderful worship of days gone by.  In a sense they were making trying to stretch the leftovers of their own worship for the coming days.  I believe that was a good thing.

When we have an unusually good time of worship with our Lord we want to bask in the leftovers of that experience, and we should.  That wonderful feeling of worship and closeness to God is something we want to last on and on.  It makes us to want to stretch that experience until the next one.  It’s a Heavenly leftover that we can always look forward to.

I pray that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.  I sincerely hope that things went well for you and you made memories that will serve as pleasant leftovers for a long time to come.  We should want those kinds of leftovers.  We need to cherish those times and remember them in our hearts.  We never know when tragedy may strike and take away some of those family members we love.  But we can always relive those good times in our minds.

It’s the same with our spiritual thanksgiving.  Those times well spent with our Lord serve as pleasant memories that can encourage us in days to come.  Hold fast to them.  Never forget them.  Keep them close to your heart.  Then draw from them as the need arises.  Of course there will be new experiences in the Lord.  We’ll have more good times to come.  But never forget them and always give thanks.

Jerry D. Ousley is the Author of five books, “Soul Challenge”, “Soul Journey” “Ordeal” “The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional” and his first novel “The Shoe Tree.”  Listen to the daily broadcast Spirit Bread.  Find out more by visiting www.spiritbread.com

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Where Have All the Elder’s Gone?

Allen Frederick 5 Comments

“But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him (2 Chron 10:8).

Map showing the Kingdoms of Israel (blue) and ...
Image via Wikipedia

Rehoboam was the son of Solomon. It appears that Solomon had become heavy-handed in his employment practices by placing an overbearing burden on the workers. This was causing a problem with the northern tribes. Solomon’s heavy-handed dealings had caused the people to seek the government for regress to their grievous. Rehoboam was selected by the people to rule after Solomon died.  The people were seeking relief from the burdensome “taxation on their labor” placed on them by Rehoboam’s father. They were threatening a revolt if their demands were not heard. This was the equal to a threat of a labor strike.

When Rehoboam was selected as the new king, he too was facing opposition to his practices. He had inherited not only Solomon’s throne but also all that Solomon had set in place. Solomon’s rules and edicts were still being enforced, the heavy taxation on Israeli labor was still being exacted. This is why the people came to Rehoboam hoping that he would reverse some, if not all, of his father’s policies to east the burden on the working class.

You could say the people assembled a “TEA party” to come before the new administration to ask for relief. Their request was straight forward and reasonable.

“Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.” Rehoboam answered, “Come back to me in three days.” So the people went away (2 Chron 10:4-5).

So, Rehoboam asked for advice from the older men who had been a part of Solomon’s reign and then he asked for advice from his younger contemporaries. The elders advised Rehoboam to not be too concerned. They told him to listen to the people, be kind and gentle towards them and they would be loyal workers the rest of their days. He chose not to take this advice. Instead to turned to his contemporaries, those who shared his same ideology and sought their advice. The younger advisors told him to tighten the reigns more, increase their burdens, and make their jobs even harder.  This turned out to be bad advice. As a result, the northern tribes rebelled, and the kingdom was permanently divided.

Does this sound familiar? It should. God spoke to Moses about this when He said:

“The Lord, the Lord, a compassionate and merciful God, patient, always faithful and ready to forgive. He continues to show his love to thousands of generations, forgiving wrongdoing, disobedience, and sin. He never lets the guilty go unpunished, punishing children and grandchildren for their parents’ sins to the third and fourth generation.”Exodus 34:6-7 (GW)

Rehoboam had inherited the failings of Solomon and was given an opportunity to do right and make amends but instead he chose to continue down the path set forth by his father. He continued in the sins of his father.

We, as a nation, have inherited the sins from our father’s, who inherited them from their fathers down to this generation.  The seeds of rebellion planted by our great-grandparents have produced a crop of rebellion against God and a harvest of unrest throughout the land. As a nation we voted in 2010 and in a loud voice declared we wanted an end to the burdensome taxes placed upon us by the government. Our voices, like those who petitioned Rehoboam, have been dismissed and those who brought their petition are treated with disdain and even threatened with worse treatment if they continue to voice their opposition. The TEA Party members are ridiculed and belittled by many in government and instead of heeding the advice of many of these elders in our society, the government seems to think they know best and doubled down on the burdens they are placing on the people.

The strong armed policies of Rehoboam led the Northern tribes separating from the South. We could say Rehoboam caused a CIVIL war to divide the country.

The king refused to listen to the people because the Lord was directing these events to carry out the promise he had made to Jeroboam (Nebat‘s son) through Ahijah from Shiloh. 16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king, “What share do we have in David’s kingdom? We won’t receive an inheritance from Jesse’s son. Everyone to his own tent, Israel! Now look after your own house, David!” So all Israel went home to their own tents.

Basically they went Galt. They took their labor, their wealth, their means and their possessions and went to their own homes. They took care of their own business while Rehoboam was left to rule with an iron fist those who lived in the city. There were more who opposed Rehoboam then he had left to rule. Ten of the twelve tribes of Israel chose to rebel against Rehoboam’s leadership leaving him only two tribes to rule.

17 But Rehoboam ruled the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah. 2 Chronicles 10:15-17

A great many parallels can be drawn from this clash with the tyrannical rule of Rehoboam and the Obama administration. Obama has surrounded himself with those who grew up under the same teachings and share the same ideology. Although they have been approached by those who oppose the direction they are leading this country, they refuse to listen. Obama even refuses to heed the advice of history. He refuses to learn the lessons of other failed societies like Greece and Italy, instead he continues to enforce his policies with a heavy hand. Any who oppose his rule are demonized and marginalized. They are threatened with even harsher treatment.

There is an election coming up in 2012 where once again the people will be able to speak their minds and voice their opinions. They will once again have an opportunity to choose which direction they want to see the country go. Will they choose to change leadership or continue down the path of destruction set in motion by our great-grandfathers? Will we continue to live under the burdensome policies of past administrations or will we seek to throw out these failed policies of the past? Will we once again return to the wisdom of God and seek righteous regulations and just laws? Will we repent of the sins of our great grandfathers and turn back toward biblical wisdom and guidance? Will we demand the heavy yokes of burdensome taxation be removed from our backs or are we going to be beaten into submission by a heavy-handed government?

The future is ours to choose. Chose you today whom you would rather serve? The slave masters currently ruling  and building monuments to themselves, or rather serve THE LORD who deals justly and rightly?

As for me and my house we will serve the Lord and seek others who are willing to do the same.

This is just a view from the nest. What say you?

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Bankruptcies at all-time High

Allen Frederick 2 Comments

Random ramblings from the resident raptor.

Insight for your “Journey across the Sky”

A View from the Nest www.eagleviews.org


BANKRUPTCIES AT ALL-TIME HIGH

Empire of Debt: The Rise of an Epic Financial Crisis

This topic of bankruptcy caught my eagle eye and I thought I would respond. Many financial talking heads like Larry Burkett and others speak about the Christian’s obligation to repay debts even if they file bankruptcy and that really got me to thinking. When GOD established Israel He instituted laws to regulate the society based on HIS way of doing things. Let’s take a look at what God had to say about this subject of borrowing and exacting usury.

Exodus 22:25 through Exodus 22:28 (NIV)

“If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest. If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it to him by sunset, because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

Again we read:

Leviticus 25:35 through Leviticus 25:37 (NIV)

“‘If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you. Do not take interest of any kind from him, but fear your God, so that your countryman may continue to live among you. You must not lend him money at interest or sell him food at a profit.

Deuteronomy 23:19 through Deuteronomy 23:20 (NIV)

Do not charge your brother interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest. You may charge a foreigner interest, but not a brother Israelite, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything you put your hand to in the land you are entering to possess.

And then there is:

Proverbs 28:8 (NIV) \

He who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.

Now then we see that IF WE Christians were living like we were supposed to be living we would not be in the position of being in debt to THOSE WHO EXACT USURY. We are commanded to take care of our brothers and sisters and to lend without interest so that our brothers and sisters can remain amongst us. I am not going to expound too much on that. I think that is pretty self explanatory. NOW then if someone is in debt what did God say to do about it?

The Year of Jubilee was when all debts were to be forgiven and property being held returned to the original owner. Now then it seems like God had a great way of dealing with borrowing and debt relief. HOWEVER in our modern world we seem to have for-gotten God’s ways and replaced them with a system that exacts usury on its citizenry WITHOUT a method of redemption. I feel that bankruptcy is the closest thing to THE YEAR of Jubilee we have going for us and if a person gets into the bondage of HEAVY DEBT and is being TAXED with HEAVY usury then it is only fitting that there is a way of escape.

It would seem the financial talking heads today are missing this very important portion of GOD’S economy. Take care of our OWN and help our brothers and sisters out without taking advantage of them with excess interest. And if they do happen to get into a mess then in the year of Jubilee which came around once every 50 years then all those debts are supposed to be forgiven.

Interesting, many Christians pray THE Lord’s Prayer which addresses FORGIVING OUR DEBTS as we forgive those who are indebted to us. But then we turn around and exact excessive interest on our brothers and sisters and place them in bondage. THIS ought not to be.

It really is no wonder that America finds itself in a real financial mess. We have been violating the laws of God for quite a long while and it has only led us into financial bondage and an unbridled lust for more. We have been living beyond our means for quite some time and I guess to quote the Reverend Jeremiah Wright “America’s chickens have come home to roost”. Or in other words we have sown the wind and have reaped the whirlwind. (Hosea 8:7)
We can not continue to spend beyond our abilities to repay without ending up in some sort of slavery. Without a remedy of forgiveness those who are thusly enslaved will remain that way until they have paid their debt in full.

A person without good sense closes a deal with a handshake. He guarantees a loan in the presence of his friend. Prov 17:18 (GW)

From the sounds of things Christians should not have a problem with debt if we were living according to the scriptures. What say you?

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)
Related articles by Zemanta

Beware the tax man cometh

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

Insight for your “Journey across the Sky”
A View from the Nest www.eagleviews.org

When someone makes you slaves, consumes your wealth, seizes your property, orders you around, or slaps your faces, you put up with it. 2 Corinthians 11:20 (GW)


How better to describe the current state of our political affairs. Congress keeps enacting laws that are enslaving the population once again and it appears we the people tolerate it.

Why is that?

Could it be that we are so fearful of self-rule that we would much rather put up with those who tell us what to do and how to do it, when we can do it, for how long we can do it, and for how much?

Is the thought of freedom that frightening that we prefer the government enslaves us with burdensome taxation and regulation?

Are we no longer the land of the free and the home of the brave? Why is it we allow our potential political leaders to slap our faces and ridicule our way of life and make us feel guilty for living in such a great nation? They hold us up to national disgrace when they march on the world stage and belittle the American way of life. And we the people sit back and take it.


But the people refused to listen to Samuel. They said, “No, we want a king! Then we, too, will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us, lead us out {to war}, and fight our battles.” 1 Sam 8:19-20 (GW)

I feel our nation like Israel before, has also rejected the guidance and direction of God, and has instead substituted the rule of the government in place of the rule of God. Listen to what Samuel told the Israelites the rights of a king were. What they had to look forward to by choosing to be ruled by a king. Does any of this sound familiar?

The Lord told Samuel, “Listen to everything the people are saying to you. They haven’t rejected you; they’ve rejected me. They’re doing just what they’ve done since I took them out of Egypt—leaving me and serving other gods. Listen to them now, but be sure to warn them and tell them about the rights of a king.” Then Samuel told the people who had asked him for a king everything the Lord had said. Samuel said, “These are the rights of a king: He will draft your sons, make them serve on his chariots and horses, and make them run ahead of his chariots. He will appoint them to be his officers over 1,000 or over 50 soldiers, to plow his ground and harvest his crops, and to make weapons and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters and have them make perfumes, cook, and bake. He will take the best of your fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his officials. He will take a tenth of your grain and wine and give it to his aids and officials. He will take your male and female slaves, your best cattle, and your donkeys for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks. In addition, you will be his servants. “When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king whom you have chosen for yourselves. The Lord will not answer you when that day comes.” But the people refused to listen to Samuel. They said, “No, we want a king! Then we, too, will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us, lead us out {to war}, and fight our battles.” When Samuel heard everything the people had to say, he reported it privately to the Lord. The Lord told him, “Listen to them, and give them a king.” Then Samuel told the people of Israel, “Go {back} to your own cities.” 1 Sam 8:7-22 (GW)

In spite of all these warnings the people still wished to be ruled by a king. Their reasoning was the king would fight all their battles for them so they would not have to. Is that not the state of America today? Is it not true that far too many are seeking HELP from the Government, too many rely on the king to fight their battles for them. They reason they should not have to face any adversity because it is the government’s job to take care of us. Too many feel that the government should take care of all their concerns. This comes at a great cost, that of enslavement and lose of identity. We are fast becoming a dependent nation, a slave nation, and not an independent one. Just like the Israelites of old we too are starting to look like all the other nations around us. Instead of being that beacon of hope for the world, our light is fading fast and growing eerily dim.

Our problems are not because he have an elected government. Our problem is we have elected to be governed by a king and not the King of kings and Lord of lords. We have elected to reject Christ and God’s ways for an established kingdom made in the image of other nations. We have gone the way of Israel of old. In forgetting God, we have chosen instead to be governed by the dictates of man and thus we have reaped what we have sown. We have forced God out of our political process and in the process we have replaced Him with those who have no moral compass, who seek to enrich themselves as they enslave the populace.

However, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear {their prayer} from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their country. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (GW)

There is hope however. If those of us who are Christian, and have a relationship with God, would repent of our disinterest in governmental affairs, acknowledge that our nation has strayed from God, sincerely seek once again to be ruled by God and involve Him in our life and decisions, turn from our wicked ways, then God will hear from heaven and forgive our sins and heal our land. It is up to those of us who believe God and His word. We have for too long remained silent while the nation’s moral fiber continued to decline. Slave or free, rich or poor, life or death, the chose is ours to make or forsake. Either way we make a choice. Choose to do nothing and we become as nothing. Choose instead to obey God and seek His face, and desire to do things His way, and we reap instead life and health, blessings instead of curses, hope to replace despair.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Psalm 33:10a (GW)

And if it seems evil to you to be the servants of the Lord, make the decision this day whose servants you will be: Joshua 24:15a (BBE)

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)

Related articles by Zemanta