Last Updated: Mar 17, 2022
This is another random blog folks, but at the same time, it is a celebration of individual uniqueness and authenticity. However, what I am sharing is also a double-edged sword so I ask the readers to take that into consideration. Thank you.
Update
Currently, I am having to divide my time into two. During the daytime, I do work relating to my crafts, and during the nighttime (or when I can’t do anything else crafts-related) I work on my website. As of now, I am still trying to set up my workshop so that I can start making stuff but it is taking some time. I have pretty much purchased all of the tools that I will need to start making stuff, and I am slowly gathering up logs here and there to use for my crafts.
Ever since I decided to start my online ministry, I moved to the countryside, and immediately God blessed me with raw materials for the woodworking aspect of my crafts. Because I live in the countryside, there are a lot of folks with trees in their yards, and their yards are huge! 🙂
Well, I am sure the readers have guessed it, but I got to cut some of the “yard” trees with more to be cut at a later time. In fact, the reason for this blog is due to the conversation that I had with the tree owner. But before I tell you about the conversation, I want to take some time to give a little background story to share with you how much God is blessing me.
God’s Blessing
As of today (Aug 20, 2019), it has been a month and 4 days since I decided on this leap of faith ministry (TEoP Ministry), two months and 2 days since I told God that I would focus only on Him, and five months and 16 days since I decided that I needed to become a pastor, and 11 months since I received a vision from God regarding the TEoP Ministry/Church.Â
I am currently living on my savings, which isn’t much, and if I were to spend money on lumber on top of other expenses, I would not be able to sustain this ministry for more than 6 months. However, the tree owner, a month ago, was told by her insurance company that her insurance would not be able to cover trees falling on her house. Therefore, she was looking to have two, tall pine trees, one big, dying pecan tree, and one dead maple tree cut.
Yesterday I went to cut the dead maple tree and came back with two small logs that I was able to salvage. The other three trees, once cut, will sustain me for months. I am sure the readers already connected the two, but the timing of my decision and the insurance company’s memo to the tree owner was just too close to deny God’s help.
Not only that, because I live in the boondocks there are plenty of fallen trees here and there to gather and use. In fact, there was a huge tree that fell recently, right next to the road that I use often, that is just lying around that I could probably cut it up, just as soon as I get permission from the landowner in which that the tree fell. God’s blessing’s aplenty!
Lemming Effect
We live in a society where a lot of what we do is set by formulas and specific recipes. You need a license for this and a license for that, certified for this and trained for that, and so on. This societal trend of “needing” qualification is so great that any service-oriented businesses that are looking to make money over their competitors emphasize how their technicians or service personnel are “qualified” “certified” “trained” “professionals” “authorized” “etc.”Â
They do that because it works! These are advertising gimmicks designed to make common folks think twice about something they have been using for years without any problems to “appear” sub-par as compared to their “qualified” “certified” “authorized” services. The result? Something that didn’t require such words as “qualified” “certified” “authorized” “etc.” in the past must have them, now, in order for it to be sold or serviced. Why? Because that’s how the consumers have been “trained” by businesses to select/purchase goods/services.Â
Above is no different from a Lemming Effect (LE), in which collective actions compel the herd to head in a certain direction, sometimes in a direction that is detrimental to the whole.Â
I’ve mentioned Satan’s effort to deceive the Christians (see Community) with various, less-than-apparent means. The Lemming effect is one of Satan’s tools of deception! Why? LE is, gradually, being used to place limits on people. It’s conditioning (as in training animals) people to think about what’s possible and what isn’t possible. It’s conditioning people to think “what we can do and what we can’t do.” Soon, (it may already have in certain situations/issues) it will be “what we can stand up for and what we can’t stand up for.” Satan is slowly turning people into leaderless herds that are swayed by anything that blows their way.
The Conversation
Our conversation was something related to the above. Some of the topics were a bit personal and require some background info so it will not be mentioned here, but what I can mention are things relating to this ministry.Â
To abandon a paying job to start this ministry, from a practical standpoint, is a foolish endeavor. Since we are on this topic, even my plan for the ministry and church can be seen as just an ideal dream that will not pan out. As such, I will not be angry at anyone for thinking such and even mentioning them to me for my own good. However, I believe that God will provide and that God will meet and fix (or send to me someone who will), all the deficiencies there are in my plan. Why? Because God is not limited by the formulas and recipes of people. Why must I explain more about God’s omnipotence? Why explain an absolute?
This world that we all are living in is, in reality, no different from an illusion. Yes, in order for my physical self to live in this materialistic world, I must make enough money to support myself and my future family. But as Christians, looking at forever, limiting ourselves to the worldly standards in a physical world that we will only reside, at max, 100 years…. Isn’t that sad?Â
Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy (where Satan and his minions destroy), and where thieves (big companies) break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).
Condition of Our Hearts: Part 1
Let’s say that God didn’t call me to do what I am doing right now. Continuing on this path, as a result, I may end up suffering needlessly, and I may end up, in a worst-case scenario, like those who are homeless.Â
Deuteronomy 10:16 says, “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.” This scripture was told to the Israelites, through Moses, but similar sayings have been repeated throughout the bible to the Israelites. “Rend your heart and not your garments…” (Joel 2:13).
God looks at the condition of our hearts. In my zeal for God and His Kingdom, if I suffer in this world of illusion, will God scold me? No, He will not. Will He put me in hell? No, He will not.
I am looking at it forever. Why do I care about my physical condition while living (but a moment, as compared to forever) in this world of illusion? If anything, I am storing up treasures in Heaven…through my so-called foolishness and an ideal ambition of becoming a good shepherd for the Kingdom of God.Â
In the bible, conditions of people’s hearts were such that they were rigid. The people of Israel had stiff hearts. Though the reasons may differ, some Christians of today have rigid hearts as well, a rigid heart of fear and hesitancy. The reason? The LE, as explained above. (At this point, I can’t provide all the examples of LE’s and explain them to the readers. Plus, the chances are, even if I explained to them people will not hear. )
Condition of Our Hearts: Part 2
“Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘”You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s hearts has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them'” (Matthew 13:13-15). I will write a post regarding this scripture at another time.
Jesus explained the above prophetic scripture from Isaiah with the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:18-23).
What I want to focus on is the 23rd verse that says, “But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.“
Jesus said that those who can’t hear or see are that way because their hearts have become calloused [rigid]. Following along those lines, what, then, would be the condition of the hearts of those that the 23rd scriptures say? Certainly not “rigid” right? But I am not done here! The key takeaway point from this scripture is the following:
What does the “produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown,” signify? “Well, duh, growth?” says the reader. Haha. Yes, but who allows the “growing?” God does. In John 15:1, Jesus mentions that He’s the vine, God’s the vine-dresser, and we’re the branches yielding fruits (or no fruits, depending on the condition of our hearts).
God won’t use those who has no capacity to grow, and growth is dependent upon the condition of our hearts. God can’t use people with rigid hearts!
Closing
In a way, if I turn above right around, people of this world are trapped by the illusion of this world into thinking about storing up for “a moment” versus storing up for “forever.” Am I wrong? I don’t think I am.
The world’s ideal (Satan’s ideal) is to limit us. If we come to a point of accepting those limits, all we become are people of rigid hearts who can only think about things of this world. Isn’t that what Satan wants? God can’t use people with rigid hearts that can’t see beyond the limits set by Satan. God can’t use people who are trapped to help free other trapped people. Blind can’t lead a blind.
Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).
We are trapped in this world of illusion, but if we are truly disciples of Jesus, we should be free of this trap because the truth would abide in us.
Russel
Disclaimer: I did mention that my message, today, is a double-edged sword. In my effort to offer even a tiny bit of spark, I don’t want to lead others into making foolish decisions. Being different is only good if it produces results. One thing one must be sure of is that when one takes a less-traveled road, one should be prepared for the consequences of that decision. But most importantly…Consult God first!
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