Genesis 1:28 kjv and other ramblings from the mind of me ;)

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, (this is where most stop, forgetting the rest of the passage) and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

So here is where God assigns man as the dominant being of the Earth, and yet man is still in the Garden of Eden, where there is no sin and no death. Now we are still upon the Earth, and some still walk with God (safe bet that everyone here does), and some believe that we should not be the dominant species, and we as human beings should yield to nature. Vast water supplies tied up and farms and families displaced because of a mouse seem to show just how far from Gods will we have fallen. There is even one group trying to convey human rights onto trees. This means that if someone cut down a tree they could be charged with murder. The logging industry is fighting this, but even harvesting firewood could become a criminal act if this gets pushed through.

So plants, and likely animals would have the legal protections of humans, after being deemed humans some time after being born (that's another failing for another discussion, if someone cares to take it up) What would humans eat then? It seems that as a species humans have become too far removed from the farms (or the source of their food if you prefer) which is what has drawn me here. I am 1 generation removed from the family farm (my grandfathers) and find many aspects of farm life are alien to me. It's little things like looking out across a hay field and knowing that in a few days it'd be ready to cut, but it is not yet ready... But that's me, I hear people talking at times who are 5 or more generations removed from the farm who honestly believe that their source of food is the store where it is purchased. My signature line includes part of a passage "Proverbs 28:19 He who works his land will have abundant food..." the King James version says "He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough" Simple enough, I would think. God wants his people to grow their own foods, and be prosperous or at least well fed. What does this have to do with being so many generations removed from a farm? Simple, the inner city is where you find people most likely to be the most removed from the farm. This is where people are packed into housing units that resemble industrial chicken houses, over populated, over crowded, and having a stress filled and seemingly shortened life expectancy, and often a lower quality of life. Attitudes and opinions of city dwellers, when contrasted with the country or farm dweller, are vastly different. It is the city dweller who learns to follow vain persons, and think of how they can benefit themselves before thinking of others. Where the farm or country dweller who is the same age is learning to tend flocks and herds, and how to till soil, plant seed, and harvest food. The children in a city have only a place to go in, or out of and owning land within the larger cities is all but impossible so all the children can do is gather and follow a leader. The trend started 6 or 8 generations ago, perhaps even more, so it will continue and get worse.

What could change this? close this widening divide between God and his creation?

What are your thoughts on any of this?

I'm not sure anything can change this trend on a large scale. However, with the higher cost of food and the expectations that it's going to go up even more, I have seen more people looking into at least raising a garden. As for God's children that are tied up in this life so far removed from God's original intentions, I think it's up to us, as individuals, to help our brothers and sisters in the Lord to understand that God fully intended us to use the bounty of the earth. We share, we teach and we encourage, but bottom line is, I believe God has to show them. That's what happened with me. I was a city girl, born and raised, although both my parents had grown up living off the land by the time us kids came along they worked in the cities. Several years ago the Lord showed me in a vision that I was to prepare. I didn't have a clue why though, but I started researching farming and self sustaining lifestyles. That's also when I started sharing with others I knew what God had shown me. Some also started preparing, others just shrugged it off and continued on their way and some thought I had lost my marbles. One of the reasons this forum exists is because I figured God would send those who were ready to take back dominion and we could find our way, together.

I'm so glad you found your way, and grateful you started this. There are a few I work with who are also looking to be more self reliant and have the land they own feed their families. Many many more prefer to spend their spare time in a bar, and then when they are at work do everything possible to get out of doing their jobs. The stark contrast becomes clearer to me as time passes.

Sonshine, I am very, very happy and thankful you found your way and started this forum. When I was pregnant for my second child, who turned 31 on December 23rd, I became intereted in being more self-reliant out of pure necessity. I had canned before but it was more of a novelty but then, in 1981, I didn't have a choice. So, I took the bull by the horns and started down the self-reliant road and I've been doing it ever since and I've never been sorry. Most people I know think I'm off my rocker too but I don't care. I feel this is where God had lead me. When I first joined the Messanic group in 2010 some of the ladies started talking to me about things I liked to do and I started talking about being more self-reliant. From that conversation came a whole new beginning for two of them. My friend Ginny had a smal garden that year and canned everything she could think of. They are now looking at a piece of property that they can buy and have gardens, barns and animals so they don't have to depend on stores. They are planning on doing this as a group and even though I'm not going there to worship anymore they still stay in contact with me and want me to come be with them. God lead me to them and he lead me away from them to where I am now and I know He had a purpose in doing that. I doing a bible study of The Bible In One Year and I just finished The Book of Genesis and I finally got it this time. God gave us everything on this earth to care for and be good stewards of and boy has the human race gotten away from that.

I found a series of YouTube videos yesterday done by a family and it was called pocketsofthefuture and he explained why that name. He said that when it all crashes there will be pockets of people just like us all over who will be able to help teach those who don't know how to survive.

So, thank you again Sonshine for starting this forum. I know it has been a great help to me.

good intro video ... the goats are cute!! What breed are those??

here's a link for anyone interested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLwdXpuWJww

backtotheland wrote:Sonshine, I am very, very happy and thankful you found your way and started this forum. When I was pregnant for my second child, who turned 31 on December 23rd, I became intereted in being more self-reliant out of pure necessity. I had canned before but it was more of a novelty but then, in 1981, I didn't have a choice. So, I took the bull by the horns and started down the self-reliant road and I've been doing it ever since and I've never been sorry. Most people I know think I'm off my rocker too but I don't care. I feel this is where God had lead me. When I first joined the Messanic group in 2010 some of the ladies started talking to me about things I liked to do and I started talking about being more self-reliant. From that conversation came a whole new beginning for two of them. My friend Ginny had a smal garden that year and canned everything she could think of. They are now looking at a piece of property that they can buy and have gardens, barns and animals so they don't have to depend on stores. They are planning on doing this as a group and even though I'm not going there to worship anymore they still stay in contact with me and want me to come be with them. God lead me to them and he lead me away from them to where I am now and I know He had a purpose in doing that. I doing a bible study of The Bible In One Year and I just finished The Book of Genesis and I finally got it this time. God gave us everything on this earth to care for and be good stewards of and boy has the human race gotten away from that.

I found a series of YouTube videos yesterday done by a family and it was called pocketsofthefuture and he explained why that name. He said that when it all crashes there will be pockets of people just like us all over who will be able to help teach those who don't know how to survive.

So, thank you again Sonshine for starting this forum. I know it has been a great help to me.

In response to the part I've bolded, God has always had a remnant of people who listened and prepared. I use to have a yahoo group called, The Remnant. It was started at the beginning of my journey. Since then God has given me more direction on what the remnant should be doing, basically, getting back to the basics. Not just with homesteading, but in our walk with the Lord. Studying the word, prayer, witnessing, teaching, ect.

Thanks for posting the link Keith.

you're welcome

Genesis is my favorite book of the Bible. When i read it I can't help, but see how special man is to God; How special I am to God!

He Gave us dominion over his creation, and intends for us to take care of it, take care our selves, and take care of our families. Proverbs 13:22 "A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just." This verse is not talking about money. It is talking about (amoung other thing) the family farms you are talking about, skills, knowledge, a legacey of being faithful to him, and a good name. Proverbs 22:1 "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold." Ecclesiastes 7:1 "A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth."

These are the things we should work for, and desire to pass down to our children. We should also work to have more than we need so we can pass the extra to the gleaners. Leviticus 19:10 "And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God." Deuteronomy 24:21 "When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow." I was raised on this concept, my dad always told me that the secreat to a good garden was to give at least 10% of it away. This holds true in all aspects of life. The comedian Jerry Clower said "there is no limit to what can be accomplished, if it doesn't matter who gets the creadit", but better yet if God gets the cridit!

Sorry to turn a post into a sermon, I kinda have that habbit when I talk about the Lord. I said all of that just to say that I agree with you.

God bless,
Chad