2024: Finding God In Your Cooking Pots

On By Ashley GatewoodIn Bread & Butter MorselsLeave a comment

Diligence

What has God given you to do? Whatever it is, no matter how menial it may seem to you, it is tied into your purpose in the kingdom of God. Despise not small beginnings the Bible says. I like that. So we can get busy doing what God has put before us no matter how small, knowing we are building and investing in a much higher purpose for the future.

Be ardent in your work, and you will find God in your cooking pots.

from the film ‘Séraphine’ (2008)

This was first spoken by Teresa of Ávila whom Seraphine requoted.

I like the literary term for ardent: burning; glowing

I like the idea that even through the darkest of nights, if I’m tending diligently to what God has entrusted to me, His glowing fire will be upon my work, be evident in the results of my work, and will light the way of many who are without His light.

And we all know the world is growing darker day by day~

Prayer Is The Honeypot That Reveals Incoming Information

Nothing gets done on earth for the kingdom of God without prayer. There may be people who don’t even believe in God who are fulfilling the plans of God – that’s because there is an intercessor somewhere on their knees praying fervently, being led by the Holy Spirit. I’ve heard it said like this: God will not do anything without us, and we cannot do anything without Him. And isn’t it comforting to know we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Remember this, what God has ordained no one can stop. It doesn’t matter what it looks like right now. I promise you, He is faithful.

Psalm 103: Bless the Lord all ye His angels that excel at the sound of His word. The Archangel Gabriel is a messenger. So he brings answers, visions, prophecy from the throne of God. I’m sure there are others who do this, and I’m also sure we hear directly from God and I know He speaks to us through other people as well. So there’s no lack of avenues to gain revelational knowledge and wisdom. I like the one below from Benny – he is speaking right into my heart.

Paying the Price: Is God in your Cooking Pots?

If we’re going to pay a price, let’s make sure we are paying the right price for the right thing. People are constantly paying the wrong price for the wrong thing because of ignorance. If you’re not praying, what price are you really paying and is what you’re getting rendering a net gain to your life? If we suffer for the sake of suffering, we gain nothing at all. And we do this all the time, it’s the human condition. ‘Why are you cast down, oh my soul? Hope in God.’But prayer causes the answer to excel to our understanding. THIS is the power of God’s divine word when its revelation becomes known to us through prayer.

Let prayer be your cooking pot for 2024. “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27.13-14

I’ll find my answers in disciplined prayer. Where else? He reveals all knowledge to those who ask.

“…never give up. You pray everyday, don’t miss one day because the day you miss is the day you lose. Stay in contact with God, daily.”

Coupling prayer with fasting and you’ll be on a fast track to God’s heart.

May your 2024 be brighter than ever, burn more fervently for the Lord, and may God dance among your cooking pots, all you beautiful people~

Featured Photo by Robson Hatsukami Morgan

Don’t Hold Back What God Has Asked For: Release God’s People When He Calls for Them

On By Ashley GatewoodIn The Organic ChurchLeave a comment

The Privilege of Learning Under Great Ministers

There are certain ministers that in years past have imparted great things to me concerning God and His word. I’ve learned much from them. But there are those with whom God has called us to partner with indefinitely, and those for only a short while.

God, the skillful tapestry Weaver, threads people in and out of our lives at just the right times and seasons. We may have garnered much from those whose thread only remained for a short while, but unless we move where the Spirit moves us, we’ll never grow into the fulness of Christ. 

This is why it’s important that ministers not get offended when people leave and move on with other congregations or ministries. God’s people have grown up under your care and watchful attention. Don’t take it out on His sheep because He is calling them to another field to graze.

And refrain from making excuses like it’s the sheep’s faulty hearing; that God couldn’t possibly call them away from one church and lead them to another. Different church ministries offer varying levels of bread as spiritual sustenance. Don’t be offended that someone has outgrown your level. You’ve done what has been required of you in God’s service. This is a beautiful thing; don’t get greedy or covetous.

God’s People Belong to Him

God’s people don’t belong to any one human being, minister or otherwise. His people belong to Him and He will chose who He wants to partner them with. Ministers need not be possessive over individuals in the Body of Christ. We are all one in Christ, not owned, not collected.

John the Baptist understood this and flourished. Until the day he stumbled and was offended. He ended up bound and cutoff. Is your ministry stagnant? Has it lost the life giving waters of the Holy Spirit? Think about this then and ask yourself seriously if you are not offended by those who have left. Then ask yourself why you feel the way you do and what God is saying to you about it. This is important to your growth and the growth of those presently in your care. 

Grow up the people God has given into your care. Teach and nurture them in the capacity God has graced you with, then let them go if God calls them. Don’t be caught holding on to what God has asked for. Joshua chapter 7 is a warning for those who, out of ill-gotten intentions, try to hold on to something that God has asked for. Don’t be that minister.

God’s People are the Focus, Not the Size of a Congregation or its Shepherd

I look back on all I’ve learned, such a rich dining table of God’s best teachers in my opinion, some of the greatest I had seen at that time. But after many years the chair doesn’t fit anymore, the cup’s too small and the yard isn’t long enough to stretch my legs

If only ministers would treat their congregations like growing up any child into a functioning adult, I think the Body of Christ would be far more developed, well-rounded and capable of stepping out in the fulness of Christ.

This is only one way that denominations have hurt the Body, it promotes exclusion and possession or collection of God’s people.

God’s people belong to no one but Him. The shepherds are caretakers, not gods to pledge allegiance to. This is how Lucifer fell from heaven, having taken the praise and glory unto himself and corrupting his merchandise.

Be gracious to God’s people, He does not without blessings from those who put Him first in the kingdom. All other things will be added to you, fear not. He is faithful.

Outside The Church Walls

On By Ashley GatewoodIn The Organic ChurchLeave a comment

Below is a quote I saw today on FB that speaks to the truth of unity in the Body of Christ. I think Christians are not realizing that God is moving outside of the church/noun/place. This next move of God will not be contained or defined by the church building sitting on the corner of Main and Broadway. And this shifting of His presence from inorganic to organic will continue until we are free of the ‘structure’ we’ve created as a mental image falsely defining who and where God is, and instead begin to embrace the truth that God is free of our manmade structures and died to dwell within us, His chosen temples, not those temples made by man’s hands.

“For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” 2 Corinthians 6:16

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16

This is part of a continuation of signs I am seeing outside of the church doors: God moving through men and women who were formerly atheists or agnostic but who have come to know Jesus. These individuals are at different levels of their walk with God, seemingly nomads functioning under the anointing of the Holy Spirit in spite of being outside the church’s rigidity and formality of manmade doctrines; this, however, not in any way disqualifying them from being used mightily by God but by some irony of God, they are being used more so than those within the church establishment. Why would God not choose a vessel, one only He is able create to dwell within, as opposed to a manmade, inorganic structure that simply has not been chosen by God as a place of habitation since Pentecost?

People, not structures, are chosen by God. He will use anyone willing to yield their vessel, their mind and body, to the work of the Lord. I think many members of the church, church leaders especially are completely missing the move of God. Behold, I’m telling you He is doing a new thing…and here we are completely blind to it.

Facebook post (quote not cited, so unknown author):

“The body of Christ is God’s instrument in this earth to promote His kingdom purpose. In order to fully fulfill this, however, we are to be “one heart, one mind, striving together for the faith of the Gospel” (Philippians 1:27). Unity and harmony in the body of Christ should not be a question mark. It is the will of God. Unfortunately, we see the body of Christ constantly at odds with one another. Denominational differences are magnified and small wars are being fought in the body of Christ. Even more than that, in the local church environment, we see people taking pot shots at each other all of the time.

We need to realize that unity is one of the most basic truths about God’s will that nobody can misunderstand. Unity is vital. All believers have enough in common to be joined together because we have Jesus Christ. We have the basis for resolving challenges that face this world. We have to stop focusing on our differences and focus instead on what we know the world needs: Jesus. That’s when dramatic change comes to this earth. That’s when revival, awakening, and outpouring will come.”

-unknown

My thoughts were as follows:

…[this] points to something that is clear as day to me: God is not going to use a church/noun/place. He’s looking for His body in the earth today, the Church/noun/person. For whatever reason, there are many Christians who don’t agree with this, but there’s not much I can do about that. Until we understand that the Church is actually the Holy Spirit living within us, in unity, as one with God and Christ and each other, the Protestants will continue to denominate in vain. God always calls those He will use OUT of the greater whole. Gideon’s 300 men in Judge’s 7 is a type. ““There are still too many soldiers,” the Lord told Gideon…'” Be prepared for God’s move to happen outside of the church/noun/place. And one MAJOR confusion Satan will use is ‘unity among all religions’. This is antichrist in nature for God remains pure, not mixing with any other gods, not mixing salt water into spring water.

I’m unsure how the church remains blind to this truth. It’s like we say the words but don’t act out the reality. ‘yes we are one with Christ, the Holy Spirit lives within us’ but then we continue to denominate and say only ‘our church/structure’ will be the one chosen. No, no….God is leaving the church/structure behind. He didn’t die on the Cross so we could go back to temples in the desert where only priests could go into the holy of holies.

No.

Christ died on a Cross to make you and me and all Christians, His creation, His very own holy of Holies. This is the promise. This is what was delivered to us. This is truth. And God is getting ready to manifest this truth.

And my oh my, will it be a wonder to behold:):)

Featured Image by Nick Abrams.

Hiking the Gorge

On By Ashley GatewoodIn Love:: Lifestyle:: HealthLeave a comment

Went hiking this past week with some friends up in Red River Gorge. The day was perfectly sunny, coolish wind and the views were amazing. Here are a few photos I snapped along the way, hope you enjoy:)

The fall colors matched my dear friend’s backpack so well, I had to take a snapshot.

Copperhead Snake…they are no joke, poisonous but are happy to stay off the path and in the brush. This one had a friend off to the side which we failed to notice. Bad move on our part!

Moss is so interesting, I could dive into this little wonder here…

We stopped in to Sky Bridge Station for a delish meal. Nothing there is bad, yummy~

Back into a Painting Mood

The cooler weather gets me in the mood for reading and painting. I’ve been writing most of the year and I’m ready for a break. Maybe a few more submissions and I think I’ll tackle a painting that has vexed me for a decade. Just cannot figure out what it wants to be. So, gonna have to just dive into it. It will likely end up a completely different painting…it’s been 10 years since I last touched it. That’s part of the fun, I never know what these horses are going to do…

36″x42″ Acrylic on stretched cotton canvas

Take care everyone, hope you have a delightful week~

Practical Matters: Houses and Writing Stories

On By Ashley GatewoodIn Bread & Butter MorselsLeave a comment

These past several weeks have been productive. I decided awhile back that it was time to move into a larger home, so I’m focusing on a few upgrades for this house before I sell. Finally the deck is finished, the landscaping completed and the shower retiled.

Mike did a fantastic job! He is the best at what he does and wow, an incredibly hard working carpenter.

I need to stain the deck now but I’m thinking I may hire a professional to do it. I don’t want to ruin it!

The shower tile was also completed.

Halloween Fan Fiction Stories

I think I shall do a small October story series this year on the blog. It’s a fan fiction story I wrote for fun in 2020. It is a retelling of the film, The Shining. There’s no magazine or online publication I’m aware of that publishes fan fiction. Or I couldn’t find it. So I might as well share it here.

The problem is, I want to post each small portion of the story throughout the month but this makes anyone coming to read at a later date view it backwards. Oh well, not sure how to manage that, lol.

Professional Publication Headwinds

Speaking of stories and publication, I’ve been working on submissions for the better part of this year and at least seven months back in 2021. I knew the landscape was quite dicey as far as ideology and political affiliations went. Some of the larger magazines I think are less concerned with pushing a political narrative though they will kill a story if it is a radical activist who wrote it (and it will be the publisher/editor who decides what side of radical that is).

So needless to say, they check blogs, social media and previous affiliations. I was worried about this for most of 2021/22 so I stayed off social media or was anonymous. It was exhausting to be honest. Now, I just post whatever I choose to post, share my thoughts on matters and get on with life.

What else can one do?

Sometimes you just have to give up being accepted in order to gain some small amount of success. The landscape politically, culturally and spiritually is so divided, I just gave up on it.

What really bothers me though is this: now I’m not sure if I’m being rejected due to how bad the writing is or due to my political and spiritual beliefs/affiliations. Ugh….

Future Focus

I’m still submitting but I’ll also submit to some of the Christian sci-fi magazine publications as well. I’ve found a few these past couple of months while using social media sites. And I always have the novel I’ve been randomly working on. Once I get bored of submitting to publications and writing short stories, I’ll switch back to the novel.

Another focus will be finding place to live that’s a bit bigger. And it’s a difficult real estate landscape out there right now. Prices are crazy considering all the interest rate hikes. My price range seems to be a sweet spot for inventory so for now it’s OK. But I’d say in 2024 things will likely change.

Have a great week everyone~

Featured Image by Josh Olalde

The Power of Discernment and God’s Agape Love

On By Ashley GatewoodIn Bread & Butter MorselsLeave a comment

Harmony Throughout the Body

The Lord’s Agape love works in harmony with the gift of discernment to change people’s lives for the good. But if discernment isn’t used in tandem with God’s love it can become critical and negative instead of insightful and positive.

Look at Paul the Apostle who one minute is writing to his beloved church to ‘kick the man out of the congregation’ who was sinning with his stepmother, and the next letter writing, ‘have some mercy, he’s repented, let him back in’. (1 Corinthians 5)

Discernment is a powerful gift and Paul used it well because he was in the presence of the Lord day and night.

The Anointing to use the Gifts Comes Through Time Spent With God In Prayer

We live distracted lives. When we are not walking as closely to the Lord as Paul, we can often get ‘in our flesh’ as it’s called. Our minds shift from spiritual to worldly things, lower elements of life, mundane daily routines and our mind frame shifts from spiritual to carnal.

We can get spiritually lazy when we don’t make time to pray and meditate on God’s word. This is when the gift of discernment can be misguided and become critical and harmful rather than a force for good.

Prayer makes God’s spiritual gifts work optimally for the building up of the Body of Christ. 

Listen to Correction, It Will Lead to Positive Good for All

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12.11

There is a balance that is crucial to master or the Lord will not be able to trust us with more responsibility in the Kingdom of God. What’s worse, we can end up doing harm to the body of Christ instead of good.

And I’m thankful when there is anyone kind enough or brave enough to call me out on my ugliness and lack of self-awareness should I find myself operating in the gift of discernment without the love of God. I see this as God working through others to realign the body of Christ, to which we all belong, and this can only be a good thing for all the body, once corrected.

So that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

1 Corinthians 12:25-27

Should the Gift of Discernment Be Used In Any Other Capacity Than Spiritual?

This is a good question. I think it can be used in all areas of life but it shouldn’t be used as a defense mechanism or as a means to win an argument. It remains a spiritual gift. If we use it outside of its God-given power, it can become a force that tears down instead of a force that gives insight and direction.

It is a powerful gift given by the Holy Spirit that breaks the chains and destroys the yokes of the enemy off of people’s lives.

So make sure the anointing is strong (keep up our prayer life) and that God is behind it. Otherwise it can become a destructive force without God’s love infusing it. Don’t be the stream that runs both fresh water and salty water, as it can spoil the entire flow.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Philippians 4:8

Discerning the Spirit of Transhumanism

On By Ashley GatewoodIn Bread & Butter Morsels, Technology & Humans, The End TimesLeave a comment

Just a quick but heartfelt post to those of us who are seeing increasingly more clearly into the closing of an era and the darkness that’s looming on the horizon. We must rightly discern the spirit of Transhumanism.

As we close this dispensation, expect to see more mixing of the spiritual and religious language of the biblical text into worldly principalities and demonic agendas. Discernment is crucial as many will fall prey to this principality working its way through God’s creation.

The Great Lie will Deceive Many

AI will be be the melding point of transhumanism. It’s already set in motion, the lines bluring between male and female biologically. How can it not be just as easy to blur the lines between artificial human and biological human? Even now, are we not calling ourselves ‘genderless’ and using mere language to define what is reality? This is the foundation of a much greater, more powerful Lie to come.

See how the world so easily accepts this and how biblical truths accurately discern this lie. The Word of God is of supreme importance. Satan is working to dilute the Word’s potency by integrating all manner of other language into it immediately rendering it a false copy of the truth. Artificial language. Artificial existence.

It deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast…

Revelation 13.14

Listen to the words: predestined, (don’t need to be) humble, walls of Jericho, heavenly…

Discernment between the language, the expression of the language (through darkness or by shining light) and the visual is of utmost importance. 

Ask God for discernment. Listen to those who have been given the gift of discernment. Weigh their insight against the word of God, like the Bereans. Don’t be misled by a world who worships their own, Jesus made this clear to us. If they hated Him, they will hate us. If they loved Him, they will love us.

We must learn to let go of acceptance. The Apostle Paul was left be everyone. All but Timothy and a handful of others remained true. The Good News is, Jesus has overcome the world so let us take heart. We have already won the war, we only need endure to the end. Remain faithful and persevere saints. The only way to do this is to pray and stay in His word.

All God’s best to you~

Featured Image by Erick Butler

Unraveling the Future

On By Ashley GatewoodIn Futurism, Speculation, OpinionLeave a comment

Let me concede this: two thousand years ago the Apostle Paul said the end was near. So when I feel in my spirit that we are approaching the end of this dispensation, I check myself thinking perhaps it’s trivial, this uptick in urgency to make some plan for unraveling the future.

I think I’m still half in shock from the nervous (breakdown?) tension instilled all throughout 2020-22 until just recently when all voices are being heard instead of only the propaganda channels the government was allowing.

Listening to the Spirit of God

That being said, we must do as the Lord leads because only He knows for sure when and how the future will unfold for us and the generations to follow. Revelation warns us it won’t be pleasant once the Tribulation starts.

The warning signs that the Tribulation is drawing near can be found in the Trumpets in the preceding chapters of Revelation. And the descriptions of each Trumpet’s events are clearly what is happening in the earth now.

The Four Hosrseman were released centuries ago.

The Urgency in My Spirit

I have two urgent thoughts and feelings that I feel called to do. Share as much as I can about the word of God, scattering those teachings on platforms known and unknown, and prepare, as best as I know how, for my own livelihood. Now this is probably the more trivial part, leftover anxiousness from the plandemic, but I think I shall pay attention at least in part.

Take a listen and I’ll share my thoughts below.

We all have heard the sentiment given by the elites, Klaus Schwab to be specific: “You will own nothing and be happy.”

The video states that one way they will take our homes is by requiring upgrades to be made to bring homes into ‘net zero’ compliance forcing homeowners to shoulder the financial responsibility.

What’s worse, people who own a home, mortgaged or fully paid, will likely have to borrow from the equity in their home to make the upgrades, going further into debt. The minute they default the banks will swoop in and voila, you own nothing at all. Except a big pile of debt.

If you cannot manage to live in a house like the one below, then dying would be preferable according to the elite like Kamala Harris crying ‘there are too many people on the earth’.

This will take wisdom to sort out even for those who can afford the upgrades or who also own investment property. If the current tenants can’t afford the cost of increased rent after upgrades are made and they are evicted, who’s left to afford the rent? Then owners of property are left with empty houses. Not good.

How Much Dependence Will Lead to Abuse of Rights?

It got me thinking about my house. This and the fact we’ve had several storms which knocked out our electric three times this year for longer than two days. I had zero ways to cook, keep warm or keep cool.

All the electric runs above ground in my neighborhood. I don’t have a fireplace in my house. I do have a decent sized yard to plant a garden. But I’ve decided it might be best to move into a house that better suits my needs. Especially since the Invisible Tyrannical Hand keeps messing its fingers about in our personal pies.

This is the same hand, by the way, that will have free reign once the Tribulation starts. Thank God we will not be here for that fellow brothers and sisters. Though I do have some empathy for unbelievers, I have zero empathy for the culprits and leaders who will join up with the antichrist when he manifests in true form.

God help the people of the earth.

What Type of Property to Buy

So, back from Revelation and to my house in 2023…

You would need a water source and filters (good luck with that), a fireplace (or fire pit but it will get cold outside), and land to plant a garden. A pool would be convenient to stay cool if everything is shut off in the heat of Summer. I’ve seen property like this for sale that isn’t outrageously priced. For me, the fireplace is the only non-negotiable at this point. I’d need semi-country. I don’t think I could handle fighting off Sasquatch in the deep woods of Appalachia…

How Much Should It Matter?

Anyway, just some thoughts I’ve been having for the past couple of YEARS. God, perhaps I can shed this entire train of thought and just roll with the punches. Aren’t there better things to be doing for other people? Jesus didn’t have a home. Won’t they just fine me for using my fireplace anyway?

No more burning wood! The planet is dying and it’s your fault for breathing!

**billionaire Invisible Hand flies off to another continent to play environmental disaster Evangelist, bicycle in-tow**

Do we have to be prepared for everything? Pluses and minuses on either side I suppose.

Having some manner of eco friendly energy might be a good idea. The less reliance on Big Brother the better.

Or I could resign myself to whatever comes next and buy a condo in the city….with a bike…

Or become a nomad…with a horse…

Or buy a boat and live on the sea, they’d perhaps never find a spec in the Pacific Ocean.

Then I’d probably never find myself out there either. That would be a terrible death just floating at sea. I mean, if Robert Redford can’t do it, I sure as hell won’t try.

Hope everyone is enjoying their life and not having all these strange thoughts of a crazy future, haha.

No wonder King Solomon said that ‘in much wisdom is much grief’. Maybe I should strive to know a bit less. Though I sure don’t feel smart enough as is.

I know, I owe you a post about atheists…I’ll get to it eventually.

Featured Image by Cindy Tang.