Have a Spiritually Happy New Year

At this time of year people all over are thinking about New Year’s resolutions, to make new friends, to visit family more, to finish that project, and (my personal favorite) to lose weight and get healthy. But when I say healthy, I mean a Tri-Part (or Holistic) definition of healthy. Healthy in Mind, Body, and Spirit.

Body is the easiest of the three to manage… A little willpower, a little exercise, and POW, you have it.

Mind is a little trickier but still fairly easy, read a good book, listen to good (calming) music, meditate, contemplate, and de-stress our environment, and the mind settles down.

But how do you find spiritual health? That is the hardest to achieve…

Around the end of the year, most of us spend a little time soul-searching. “What did I accomplish in the past year? Thus far in my life? Are my actions consistent with where I say I want to go and who I want to be?” The turn of the year can be a time of real disappointment. It’s in your face: “Another year has gone by, and I don’t appear to be much further along my path.”

We all know we’re supposed to spend time formulating our ‘plan for the new year’. But If we don’t know what we want, how can the universe be expected to support us in manifesting it? So we write out our resolutions and in a short time they are placed in a drawer or discarded completely. Then a year later we revisit or remember them, and not a whole lot has changed.

The major hurdle in Spiritual Growth and Change is to convince the subconscious ego to cooperate with you. Anyone who has tried to do this knows that you have to chip away at it like a stone sculpture, only instead of a chisel, you are given a plastic spoon. It is one thing to KNOW something consciously and quite another to have your ego cooperate with that logical conclusion.

Once you recognize this, and really grasp that your focus needs to be on reprogramming the subconscious, not on changing the outside. If the subconscious ego is mellowed your whole life can change virtually overnight.

This mellowing  is done with gratitude… Be grateful for what you have been given (good or bad [especially the bad]) and thankful for what was not given and the ego has to mellow. The subconscious ego uses loss and frustration to keep you down, there is no loss and frustration in the heart of gratefulness.

Therefor this year in order to find spiritual my health I make the following statements.

I am thankful for the loss of my friend Linda, for it showed me I still have a heart that can feel loss.
I am thankful for my job, for it provides me sustenance while I make newer plans..
I am thankful for my lovely wife Aristia, for she keeps me in check when I wander and loves me even if I falter.
I am thankful for the economy, for it showed me I can manage with less.
I am thankful for God, for giving me this wonderful life of challenges and blessings.

Light and Love,
Rev. Dan

It’s Not About Presents

I read an article on line today and it best speaks on what Christmas is and is not so I reprint it here…

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Christmas is about love, charity, promise and giving

By Gordon Meriwether – Editorial Columnist – Culpepper Star Exponent
Published: December 23, 2010

As the celebration of Jesus, the Christ’s birth, approaches, I again must challenge myself to hold my course remembering what this day is really all about — not about the must-have gift I would give to my family and friends. Let’s reflect very briefly on our Christmas.

Christmas is about LOVE, unconditional, uncompromising love: the love a mother for her newborn Son, the love of a husband for his wife, the love of an ancient people for their God, and the love of a God for His people, sending His only Son to be with us, to be one of us. Love, absolute, unconditional love … today as it was 2010 Christmases ago.  Christmas is about the love we each have for our families and friends, for our community and everything that makes fair Camelot so special. But most importantly Christmas is about the unconditional love God continues to give us each day. Christmas is about love.

Christmas is about HOPE, the hope of a young couple just starting out in their lives together, the hope of a people in their God’s deliverance from their oppressors, the hope in future free of evil and turmoil, the hope of tomorrow. Today, as in times past, Christmas gives us hope for better days on the horizon, days we can we can count on and dreams we can realize. Christmas is about hope.

Christmas is about CHARITY, the charity of an innkeeper in sharing the only available space in town with a young, impoverished traveling couple, the charity of a husband for his wife’s comfort, the charity of the shepherds in praising the newborn Christ, the charity of the wise men in providing gifts to the baby, and the charity of God to send His Son to show His love for His people. I see Christmas charity expressed every day in the kindness and generosity of this community in the outreach to each other in times of trouble and the outpouring of kindness to strangers. Christmas is about charity.

Christmas is about PROMISE, the promise of new life, the promise of a Messiah, the promise of a world turned upside down, the promise of our God fulfilled in the birth of Jesus, the promise of things to come, the promise of each of us in our future, the promise to care for each other with Christ-like love and compassion, the promise to make the Christ difference in the lives of those around us, every minute of every day.  This is the promise of Christmas.

Finally, Christmas is about GIVING, the giving of unconditional love by a mother and father to their children, the giving of hope to the downtrodden of our times, the giving of charity to the less fortunate, the giving of promise to the community and each other. God has given us ultimate gift: the Birth of Jesus. Christmas is about giving.

This Christmas, like all Christmases in my lifetime, gets caught up in the hustle and bustle of shopping, cooking, decorating and family fellowship. Let’s take the time to remember what Christmas is really about. Join me on Christmas morning in reading out loud the Christmas story (Luke 2: 1-20) and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. — Gordon Meriwether

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I Hope Your Christmas This Year Is Full of Joy and Cheer…

Light & Love

Rev Dan

 

 

Matthew 7 verses 15 – 20

Matthew 7 verse 15
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Matthew 7 verse 16
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Matthew 7 verse 17
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Matthew 7 verse 18
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Matthew 7 verse 19
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Matthew 7 verse 20
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them

This is the one set of verses that are the most often spoken of when they are describing anyone who preaches prosperity.  They call us “False Prophets” yet they fail to fully realize the true value of these words, and ignore the real warning they give.

The truth is there are a multitude of “Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing” out there but FEW of them are preaching Prosperity, that does them no good at all. How can they keep you following the wrong path if you prosper and help others to prosper? How can they tell you of the glory awaiting you if only you judge others and find the faults in prospering others if you have plenty to eat, and warm clothing in the winter...THEY CAN’T!

God gave us a thermostat to gauge the truth of a person’s word, it is known as “Do they Practice what they Preach?“, I call it God’s Thermometer”.

Are the ones telling you it’s OK to be poor in sack cloth or fine linen suits and dresses? Are the ones preaching the “evil of riches” walking and taking the bus or subway, or are they in fine expensive cars. Are the ones calling others “False Prophets” and “Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing” preaching for for little or no recompense and gaining income from other sources, or are the tithings of their followers setting their lifestyles?

If they themselves do not follow the things they say, why should anyone else? They have failed “God’s Thermometer”.

But do not assume that I mean all of the clergy or ministry are this way, Most truly believe that they are correct, I just do not agree that poverty and piety are synonymous. I prefer to trust that that if we help our brother/sister up, we help everyone up. if we help everyone up we help the country up, and if we help the country up we help mother earth up…. It s a “Trickle Up” effect.

All too soon those keeping others poor for their gain will be brought to judgment, but it is not my judgment, or yours. That is God’s job and I prefer to let God decide who is growing and who is going. I just use God’s thermometer to decide who I prefer to deal with, remember “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

Light and Love

Rev. Dan

What is the True meaning of “Thanksgiving”?

Thanksgiving Day in America is seen as a time to offer thanks, a time of family gatherings and holiday meals.  A time of turkeys, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. A time for Indian corn, holiday parades and giant balloons.

The English colonists we call Pilgrims celebrated “Days of Thanksgiving” as part of their religion. But these were days of prayer and meditation, not days of feasting and football. The truth is that our national holiday actually stems from a feast held in the autumn of 1621 by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Tribe. The feast was held to celebrate the colony’s first successful harvest under the tutaledge of the Wampanoag Tribe.

For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November. In a proclamation Lincoln entreated all Americans to ask God to “commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of the nation.”

Refugee Ahmed Mansour fled war-torn Sierra Leone a decade ago and lived in limbo in Senegal until he was welcomed to the United States as a refugee. He joined dozens of other refugees from around the world at  a local church. “It’s a time for relief, for refreshment, to feel happiness in your life. To feel at home,”  Mansour said as he celebrated his first Amertican Thanksgiving. –AP..Nov.2010

Many cultures since the dawn of the cultivation of grains have had and still have harvest festivals and expressions of gratitude, but the American Thanksgiving Festival is different. It’s a holiday that all Immigrant, Natural Born, and Native born Americans can adapt to. They may serve different cuisine , say Thanks in a hundred languages, watch Parades  movies or sports… but because it’s a universal experience, it’s adaptable.”

It’s really our only  American myth, It’s just an amazing, very sacred experience. We all, essentially, believe that myth, and by believing it we make it true.

I finish with a piece of prose by by Sara Bennett, Editor for the Bangeledesh International Community News

I Am Thankful … by Sara Bennett
…for the taxes that I pay because it means that I am employed.
…for the help I give or receive because it means that my community has some resources and charity, even if it’s not enough to go around.
…for the mess I have to clean up after a party because it means I have been surrounded by friends.
…for all the quarrels, misunderstandings, and struggles that go on in my family and community, because it means I’m not alone in the world.
…for the clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat.
…for the food and clothes my family has, because it means I have something to eat and wear, even if it’s not enough sometimes.
…for my shadow who watches me work because it means I am out in the sunshine.
…for my shadow because it means I am not in total darkness.
…for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home.
…for a safe place to sleep because it means I have a home, whether it’s a palace, a single room of mud and straw, or a bed in a humanely-run shelter, refugee camp, or prison.
…for all the complaining I hear about government because it means we have freedom of speech.
…for all the complaints I hear against our government, because it means we have the courage to speak out, without or despite fear of persecution.
…for the spot I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking.
…for clean water, whether or not I have to walk a long way to gather it.
…for my huge heating bill because it means I am warm.
…for electricity, gas, wood, cow dung, leaves, or whatever I use to cook my family’s food and keep warm in winter.
…for the lady behind me in church who sings off key because it means that I can hear.
…for the pleasant and unpleasant sights, sounds, and smells in my world, because it means my senses are working.
…for weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because it means I have been productive.
…for the drudgery of farming, household work, employment because it means I am contributing to my family and my community.
…for getting too much e-mail because it lets me know I have friends who are thinking of me.
…for the times I feel overwhelmed by my responsibilities for my children, my parents, my friends, and the needy in my community, because I know that when my turn comes to be dependent, someone will care for me.

Have a Wondrous Thanksgiving…

The Reverend Daniel T. Partiss & Family

 

 

 

 

Total Prosperity in only 3 weeks, Guaranteed… yeah, right!…

Today I had a “Spam ” message posted on my blog that was so offensive I had to write about it …

It was sooooo typical of the people who confuse lots of money with prosperity so I had to write about it… I get hundreds each month on facebook and Linkedin but this was the first dumb enough to try to use my blog to promote their diarrhea …  It read “Total Prosperity in only 3 weeks, Guaranteed” with a link to their total money oriented website (designed to make THEM money not you!)…

How naive does someone be to believe that donkey dung... Guaranteed? What are they going to give you your money back if you are not filthy rich in a week? I doubt it…

Yes, God Guarantees prosperity if you are thankful for what yo have and use it to increase the prosperity of others. But there is no “Quick and Easy” way to get there. There is much Truth in “God Helps those who helps themselves” but I like to say it a different way, “God Helps those who helps themselves and others”

In my own case I take Not one cent as a salary for being the Assistant Pastor of our church So no bundles of cash there… I have a 9 to fiver that pays the bills and gives us insurance…

And I also have 2 Home businesses (both health related, and both  investigated to the Nth degree by me first, to assure they are a viable business and have a reasonable return for efforts) but I know that these need 5 years minimum to grow and flourish.  In the last 6 years now they have made me Debt free from near-bankrupt, and purchased us a home, but their true value is to watch others use our products to get healthier, or join with us and slowly dig themselves out of whatever hole they are in..

But to those who join in our search for God’s prosperity with us (In or out of our Businesses) we NEVER pipe sunshine up their buttox with overnight wealth or miracle cures, and we do not BEG or Lie to get people to look at our businesses, that is “bad mojo” of a degree that you cannot believe. I would rather stand with my namesake (Daniel in the Lion’s den) and face the lions than to bring that devil into my house…

We leave the lies and misleading words to self-serving idiots like the one above who posted “Total Prosperity in only 3 days, Guaranteed”. let them fall into the pit they have dug by themselves. Let us find the higher ground and bring prosperity to others as well as ourselves.

light and love

Rev. Dan

Matthew 25 Vreses 19 – 29

Matthew 25 Verse 19
After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
Matthew 25 Verse 20
“So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’
Matthew 25 Verse 21
His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
Matthew 25 Verse 22
He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’
Matthew 25 Verse 23
His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
Matthew 25 Verse 24
“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
Matthew 25 Verse 25
And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
Matthew 25 Verse 26
“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.
Matthew 25 Verse 27
So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
Matthew 25 Verse 28
So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
Matthew 25 Verse 29
‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

First you have to realize the kingdom of heaven is not a place, rather it is a state of existence here on earth… God is the “man traveling into a far country” and we are “the servants” and he gave us “his goods” (Stewardship over the earth, it’s creatures, and each other).

Then he gave the stewards (US) Talents (Prosperity) in varying degrees as a loan in advance for handling his property correctly, but that prosperity is not given out in varying degrees to punish, nor is it done lightly, for it is based on the ability of the person t0 multiply that prosperity (Spread the wealth and happiness).

Alas most people are “He that had received one Talent“, rather than spreading the wealth we bury it in the ground (Hoard it for ourselves). In most cases we DON’T help others with our meager prosperity, exceptng with shallow words, and NEVER-EVER do we take a chance that “giving some of it away” may in turn bring more of it back to us. even though God promised it to us… “As you sow, so shall you reap, even unto tenfold.” Gee,I wonder who said that?

But in life there is always an accounting…

So when the accounting is done Based on your adeptness in the gifting ofpart your prosperity, the increasing of your prosperity begins to happen.If you have been good and increaased the porosperity given you.. then you get more.

But if you hold prosperity to yourself, if you don’t see the God’s true “Big Picture”… eventually you may have money and things, but the truth is that you have lost your soul. You have lost connection to the love happiness, and joy that are part and parcel to true prosperity. Your connection with god’s infinite Spirit is gone.

Thank god and Share your wealth…

light and love,

Rev Dan.

Matthew 18 Verses 19 and 20

Matthew 18 Verse 19
Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 18 Verse 20
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Short, sweet and to the point… But who’s point???
Is it that it takes two or more to create a church?
Is it that when 2 or more are thinking of Jesus or God that his spirit comes to them?
Or is it if two people agree on any thing in prayer, it shall be done for them buy God?

How about All of the above…

It Just Doesn’t Get any clearer than that. When you get a group together and thinking of the prosperity of that group and asking God (By whichever name you call him) to help you to get to that goal then it is done.

Notice it Says “shall agree on earth as touching any thing” and “it shall be done for them.” It doesn’t say “agree on a Good thing” or ‘agree on a pious thing” or even “agree on a righteous thing” just simply “agree on ANY thing” Good, Bad, or Indifferent God gives it to you. and right now there are a LOT of good, fair-minded, god-loving people out there agreeing that they are in a bad way, both in and out of church. So God sees that agreement, and gives them the world they say they want…

Sounds like a catch 22 doesn’t it, In order to prosper you have to IGNORE what you see in the world and imagine it, with others, as being the Utopia you heart desires. but the world is out there, in and out of church, conspiring to keep you right where you are now.

So get together with you r friends and see your world improving and it will. Believe me I know… My life didn’t start to get us to the freedom I now see until my family stopped thinking how poor we are, and started thanking God that we had it so good…

May god show you all the prosperity you want…

Light and love
Rev.Dan

Matthew 18 Verses 19 and 20

Matthew 25 Verses 34 – 46

Matthew 25 Verse 34
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Matthew 25 Verse 35
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Matthew 25 Verse 36
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Matthew 25 Verse 37
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink?

Matthew 25 Verse 38
When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]?

Matthew 25 Verse 39
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

Matthew 25 Verse 40
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.

Matthew 25 Verse 41
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Matthew 25 Verse 42
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

Matthew 25 Verse 43
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Matthew 25 Verse 44
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Matthew 25 Verse 45
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] not to one of the least of these, ye did [it] not to me.

Matthew 25 Verse 46
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Verses  35 to 40  have been copied and rewritten, made into books, movies, and cards and short stories. It evokes love and caring, and the fact that god watches evven the littlest things we do.

But verse 1 has the prosperous words… that due to kind and considerate actions the do’er is rewarded with prosperity to continue on that road. It does not say that you have to  die and go to heaven, the reward is physical and in the now, but in God’s time not ours.

But come the reward does, first as an all consuming sense of love and compassion, then prosperity and or the wealth to continue doing good for the world. The love and compassion, then prosperity coming from a full and true connection to God’s loving energy.

Then comes the disclaimer… (Yup even God has one) the remainder of this set of verses shows that if you have the means and opportunity to do good for others, and do not do it, prosperity then is removed... not necessarily the wealth or money but the prosperity and peace of mind that go with the wealth.

These persons are constantly driven to get more money and things. They strive for an increased  perception of power and control that never happens, so the replace it with hatred and distrust. All the time trying to fill a void as all consuming aa a Black hole. A void created by the withdrawal of God’s Grace.

Always do good… It’s contaegous..

Light and love

Rev. Dan

Matthew 12 Verses 25 – 29

Matthew 12 verse 25
But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

Matthew 12 verse 26
“If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

Matthew 12 verse 27
“And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.

Matthew 12 verse 28
“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Matthew 12 verse 29
“Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

Here it is not specifically that God prospers you, but rather that prosperity itself is not evil or bad. To Say “prosperity requires a lack of spiritual connection” is the same as saying “Going to church every sunday makes you Saintly,” nothing could be further from the truth. Prosperity is a tool, just like a church is just a building. The truth is in the doing not the talking.

If you do good it is good nothing else, for someone else to look for ulterior motives or a hidden agenda to the doing of good is judgmental and against everything Jesus spoke of. Jesus emphasized this when he stated in another verse “Judge not, Lest ye be judged, and by whatsoever judgement ye mete out, so shall it be meted unto you.” Good is Good, and God is good. Would you see an ulterior motives or a hidden agenda when God saves a dying Child. Is there an even greater evil waiting if God sends Jesus to teach us not to fear death?

Jesus then gives it back to the old Pharisees, as I now give it back to the new Pharisees… If Prosperity Is evil and to be avoided how come some of the richest in any religion are the Ministers and other clergy… I call that “Do as I say not as  do” and i think it is hypocritical. Doing good should result only in doing more good, and should be rewarded with prosperity enough to keep doing good. God looks at the action and uses it to inspire more action.

But Judging is the way of the world and was so in Jesus’ day as well, rather than allowing good for another and not us, we belittle it. To make sure WE are the only ones seen as being good so the prosperity cannot be shared, we drag down and find ways to tear apart the ones who are doing good because it feels good… As Jesus said “Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.”

Let good be good, do not judge it other than praising it =for the good it is, and always strive  to do good and you will prosper…

Light and love,

Rev. Dan

Matthew 12 verse 25
But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.Matthew 12 verse 26
“If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 

Matthew 12 verse 27
“And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.

Matthew 12 verse 28
“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Matthew 12 verse 29
“Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

Here it is not specifically that God prospers you, but rather that prosperity itself is not evil or bad. To Say “prosperity requires a lack of spiritual connection” is the same as saying “Going to church every sunday makes you Saintly,” nothing could be further from the truth. Prosperity is a tool, just like a church is just a building. The truth is in the doing not the talking.

If you do good it is good nothing else, for someone else to look for alterior motives or a hidden adjenda to the doing of good is JUdgmental and against everything Jesus spoke of when he stated in anoother verse “Judge not, Lest ye be judged, and by whatsoever judgement ye mete out, so shall it be metted unto you.” Good is Good, and God is good. Would you see an alterior motives or a hidden adjenda when God saves a dying Child. Is there an greater evil waiting if God sends Jesus to teach us not to fear death?

Jesus then gives it back to them… As I give it back to the new Pharacees… If Prosperity Is evil and to be avoided how come some of the richest in any religion are the Ministers and other clergy… I call that “Do as I say not as  do”

Doing good should result only in doing more good, and should be rewarded with prosperity enough to keep doing good. God looks at the acttion and uses it to inspire more action.

But this is the way of the world and was so in Jesus’ day as well,rather than allowing good for another and not us, in order to make sure WE are the only ones seen as being goood so the prosperity cannot be shared, we drag down and find ways to tear apart the ones who are doing good because it feels good… As jesus said “Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.”

Matthew 15 Verses 32 – 38

Matthew 15 verse 32
Then Jesus called his disciples [unto him], and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

Matthew 15 verse 33
And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

Matthew 15 verse 35
And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

Matthew 15 verse 36
And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake [them], and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

Matthew 15 verse 37
And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken [meat] that was left seven baskets full.

Matthew 15 verse 38
And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

The Story of the loaves and fishes shows how Gods gifting really works, yet most see it only as a miracle. by giving away their left over food, Jesus fed the multitude, but not just enough to get by, not Poverty rations for all, but with full and proper abundance. The multitude ate their fill, and there was enough to feed Jesus and his followers for a week. Jesus didn’t “hope there was enough”, He didn’t have committee meetings to determine the best recipients for the food. Jesus did not did not worry about “if this is gone now we may not have enough to eat tomorrow”. He just dolled out the food with thanks and praise to God, and God gave back abundance.

Our problem in today’s world is aggravated by the fact that societal wealth has been stripped away, that neighbors helping neighbors seems passe, and that the gap between wealth and poverty is expanding so fast that the idea of a “middle class” is almost as ludicrous as the idea that “Social Security” is a good retirement income. When society fails to help itself, when greed circumvents compassion, the only thing left is poverty, both physical and spiritual.

But The Loves and Fishes proves otherwise, All you have to do is love God enough to give some of what you have so in some way help someone who has less then you. God’s Promise of Abundance then Kicks in and starts the ball rolling that will eventually return that gift to you in abundance.

My Wife an I have a tradition. at Christmas  we take someone who is alone or feels without hope or home, and we invite them to spend Christmas with us. Not just a meal, not just a few hours, not just a present.  We have the come over and spend  Christmas eve, Christmas day and the “Family Gift opening” at my Mothers home. The strange thing is, my family gets involved too, they treat the person as if they were always members of our family, they give them a Stocking, some small gifts, and a couple of days without worry. Imagine how wonderful a world it could be if everyone had a similar tradition for all the holidays instead of just Christmas.

I don’t tell this to “blow my horn”, I use it as an example that it isn’t hard to find a need and fill it, you just have to do it is all. I do not expect to “win favor with God” for doing it, how can I? I already have Gods love and promise of abundance. How can anything I do, or say, or even write surpass that gifting.

Whenever you have a chance to give some little piece of what you have away, don’t question, don’t worry, don’t discuss, just do it.. You May not see the return immediately , so don’t look for it or expect it. Just to know that god promised it is enough. Just do it and thank god you have enough to do it.

Light and love

Rev. Dan