Your tax dollars at work.
Link to Source: https://www.eia.gov/analysis/requests/subsidy/pdf/subsidy.pdf
I have periodically had plenty to say on this subject, below are links to related posts. Today, I just post the above graphic in the hope that your own money will speak to you more emphatically than I can.
First related blog post: (More) Reaping the Whirlwind
Second related blog post: Reaping the Whirlwind
Third related blog post: Subsidized Vandalism
But speaking the truth in love, [we] may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Ephesians 4:15
Truth without love is harsh and grating. (1 Corinthians 13:1)
Love without truth is at least misdirected and without power. Many serious errors are, even now, being promulgated under the banner of “love”. Thus, “love”, absent guiding truth, is not really love but merely fallible human sentiment. (1 Timothy 4:1)
But together! Truth wrapped in love, that is a different matter!
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:32
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins
James 5:19-20
The process takes about fifteen hours in this “commercial” dehydrator. Once sealed in a plastic bag these will keep an incredibly long time. This batch is about half done. Thank you, Jehovah Jireh, (God our Provider)!
Above is a shot of the honey crisp tree this spring. I have been picking apples off of this tree all season to prevent it from overloading the branches. The tree is about ten years old. This is the first season that we have really had a bumper crop.
Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
2 Timothy 1:13-14
For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
Galatians 5:5-6
I am grateful for the loving work of the indwelling Spirit in enabling faith and hope by faith!
Me: Good morning, Jesus!
Jesus: Good morning, Jon!
Me: Thank You for this good word of Paul to Timothy as a reminder that the Holy Spirit is keeping the truth in us and enabling us to hold on when the whole world is overrun by error and even outright lies spoken from places of human “authority”.
Jesus: Here is another passage that pertains to the battle My followers are engaged in:
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
War after the flesh is marked by fear and death and malice. War in the Spirit is characterized by the power of speaking the truth in love. Vanities do need to be destroyed, but the aim is reconciliation.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 John 4:8
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Ephesians 4:14-16
The first thing is aligning (bounding, constraining) your own thoughts to My thoughts. This is My example:
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
John 5:19
I have seen to it that you have the written word.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2 Timothy 3:16
I have set the Holy Spirit, the very power of God, to be in you and to help you.
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you.
John 16:12-14
The battle is first personal. The world will not be helped by “followers” who are off the path. Do not be misled. You are called to speak the Truth. Remember that I Am the Truth.
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Romans 12:3
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
John 7:2-5
Me: Thank You Jesus! I thank you for all these aspects of Your help! I love You!
Jesus: You are welcome! I love you! I remind you of your commission. Do not become so introspective that you neglect others.
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Amen.
Matthew 28:18-20
Frequent travel mode of Covid the Cat. Are we there yet?
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Romans 6
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Matthew 3:11 (John the Baptist, speaking of Jesus.)
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Matthew 28
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Mark 16:16
Because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 3:20-21
Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Colossians 2:12
Me: Good evening, Jesus!
Jesus: Good evening, Jon!
Me: Thank You for these scriptures concerning baptism! I know the baptism of the Holy Spirit is most important. But please explain to me why receiving the Holy Spirit is referred to as a baptism?
Jesus: In water baptism, submersion is symbolic of death and burial of your old sin nature. The old you had to die, and new life had to be born in you. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3) Being raised from the water is symbolic of the new birth in Me. In baptism, then, you participate in my death and resurrection. This is what Paul was saying in Romans 6.
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
John 3
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Ephesians 5
This is My intention: That you be born of the Spirit and that you be washed by the water of the Word and transformed by it through the renewing of your mind. All who are children of My kingdom are growing in life. Giving the flesh to the things of the old life is counterproductive at the least and often destructive.
Me: Thank You Jesus! I love you!
Jesus: You are welcome! I love you!
The aftermath of
I am grateful to have the lawn mower put back together. I pray You will help it to work correctly for a good long time. (Joel 2)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Romans 8
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Joel 2:28
Me: Good afternoon, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit: Good afternoon, Jon!
Me: Seems that what I mind (φρονέω, phonetic: fron-eh’-o) is a litmus test of whether I am walking with You.
Definition: to direct one’s mind to a thing, to seek or strive for; τά τίνος, to seek one’s interests or advantage; to be of one’s party, side with him.
Holy Spirit: Verses two and three are both using the word “law”, but they are showing a contrast between the Law delivered through Moses, which none could keep through human effort, and My work in the heart; the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus − meaning the spiritual principles by which I Am working.
So, yes. The things that are occupying your mind are like a barometer, telling you whether you are intentionally giving Me charge of your heart and mind, or taking charge of them yourself.
Me: Thank You Holy Spirit! I do want You to be in charge! I love You!
Holy Spirit: You are welcome! It is always your choice! I love you!
Missionary Sojourn 