Daily Bible Portion (Monday)
Daily Bible Portion - 2 of 7
"COME"
(Weekly Reading>>Exodus 10:1-13:16, Jeremiah 46:13-28, Luke 2:22-24, John 19:31-37)
Dust Bowl of America
In the 1930’s the Southern plains of America plunged into a darkness that lasted almost a decade. It was one of the worst man-made ecological disasters in world history. The plains spread from New Mexico all the way up to the Canadian border. It once boasted one of the richest grasslands in America. It supported vast herds and was home to many Native American tribes. The plains were not noted for agriculture. Very few trees grew due to hash climate extremes of temperature, high winds, low rainfall (only 20 inches), and extended periods of drought. A grass, called Buffalo grass, was well suited for this stark environment. It grew low to the ground (2-5”) and spread out between six to twelve feet. Its thin roots grew to depths of five feet forming a dense sod. This design God created to protect the land and support man and beast if cared for properly.
Due to greed and the heedless action of thousands of farmers, encouraged by their government and get rich schemes, a collection of tragedies resulted that nearly swept away the bread basket of America. With man’s initiative for economic progress, the land was eyed as a viable possibility for growth. Soon the buffalo were eradicated. They were slaughtered for their hides, while government agencies forced the Native Americans into government-controlled reservations for their own protection. Not long after, this sensitive territory now fell open to miss handlers like the cattlemen who wanted to get rich quick. In a short time the grasses were overgrazed. Winters proved too severe for the cattle and as soon as the beef boom started, it was over.
Wanting to profit, government officials now had to figure out what to do with all this land. They reasoned that if the ground could not even sustain cattle they would advertise the plains as a great agricultural opportunity for unsuspecting homesteaders. Unscrupulous promoters promised that rain would follow the plow and soon man began to settle the land, plowing under the hardy buffalo grass (that had taken centuries to mature) to grow wheat. Once man misused the vast plains by tilling and over farming, it was just a matter of time before disaster fell.
World War l created a demand for wheat that made many farmers wealthy. There were several good years of rain, which gave the impression that the climate had changed. This opened up more and more land for cultivation and soon thousands of farmers had planted thousands of acres. These were good years for them. In the late 30’s when the Depression hit, wheat prices dropped but instead of cutting back, the farmers reasoned they should expand. They continued to plow under the sensitive sod exposing the soil in order to plant thousands more acres of wheat that was grown in the same field year after year (no crop rotation), and when the drought hit there was nothing left to hold the soil and soon all they had, perished.
People who lived through these devastating times described unimaginable pictures of crushing poverty as they watched huge dust storms consume their farms and everything they had. Many died from pneumonia brought on by the dust. Animals died where they stood and daylight turned to night as the black clouds consumed the sky. Often, these dense clouds were so thick that the sun was blocked out for weeks on end. No one could breathe or move. The windstorms were like sandblasts against the skin. Sand dunes formed encasing anything left outside. The dust storms were so strong, and with no natural landscape or trees to stop them, they just continued, consuming state after state. Acres of land were affected even as far up as New York. At times ship captains could not see the Statute of Liberty to navigate into New York harbor. They watched as the farmer’s fields were blown right into the ocean. Many lost everything and left the region. A few stayed but were ravaged. The storms continued for seven years. In the eighth year there was a break in the climate and farmers began to practice better farming habits as they started their lives all over again. It was at a cost that would not soon be recovered. As they began to replant a locust plague devoured the first new crops leaving nothing behind.
It is ironic that the Southern Plains is also host to a huge aquifer; an underground layer of water bearing permeable rock from which groundwater can be extracted by way of a water well. The Ogallala Aquifer is part of the High Plains Aquifer System. It is one of the world’s largest aquifers covering an area of approximately 174,000 miles. Today, management of these water levels is being implemented to try and keep a future supply.
If Yahweh’s principles are not observed, we open ourselves up to compromise that will allow the enemy access to erode our lives. Yahweh lays out for us simple effect ways to keep the land healthy and strong, able to supply produce for generations. It all depends on whether or not we will choose to walk in His ways.
Believers in Yeshua who bow down to idols, pagan worship and choose to transgress against Yahweh are serving two masters and will walk in darkness, far from fellowship with Yeshua, the Light of the world.
continues tomorrow...
"COME"
(Weekly Reading>>Exodus 10:1-13:16, Jeremiah 46:13-28, Luke 2:22-24, John 19:31-37)
Dust Bowl of America
In the 1930’s the Southern plains of America plunged into a darkness that lasted almost a decade. It was one of the worst man-made ecological disasters in world history. The plains spread from New Mexico all the way up to the Canadian border. It once boasted one of the richest grasslands in America. It supported vast herds and was home to many Native American tribes. The plains were not noted for agriculture. Very few trees grew due to hash climate extremes of temperature, high winds, low rainfall (only 20 inches), and extended periods of drought. A grass, called Buffalo grass, was well suited for this stark environment. It grew low to the ground (2-5”) and spread out between six to twelve feet. Its thin roots grew to depths of five feet forming a dense sod. This design God created to protect the land and support man and beast if cared for properly.
Due to greed and the heedless action of thousands of farmers, encouraged by their government and get rich schemes, a collection of tragedies resulted that nearly swept away the bread basket of America. With man’s initiative for economic progress, the land was eyed as a viable possibility for growth. Soon the buffalo were eradicated. They were slaughtered for their hides, while government agencies forced the Native Americans into government-controlled reservations for their own protection. Not long after, this sensitive territory now fell open to miss handlers like the cattlemen who wanted to get rich quick. In a short time the grasses were overgrazed. Winters proved too severe for the cattle and as soon as the beef boom started, it was over.
Wanting to profit, government officials now had to figure out what to do with all this land. They reasoned that if the ground could not even sustain cattle they would advertise the plains as a great agricultural opportunity for unsuspecting homesteaders. Unscrupulous promoters promised that rain would follow the plow and soon man began to settle the land, plowing under the hardy buffalo grass (that had taken centuries to mature) to grow wheat. Once man misused the vast plains by tilling and over farming, it was just a matter of time before disaster fell.
World War l created a demand for wheat that made many farmers wealthy. There were several good years of rain, which gave the impression that the climate had changed. This opened up more and more land for cultivation and soon thousands of farmers had planted thousands of acres. These were good years for them. In the late 30’s when the Depression hit, wheat prices dropped but instead of cutting back, the farmers reasoned they should expand. They continued to plow under the sensitive sod exposing the soil in order to plant thousands more acres of wheat that was grown in the same field year after year (no crop rotation), and when the drought hit there was nothing left to hold the soil and soon all they had, perished.
People who lived through these devastating times described unimaginable pictures of crushing poverty as they watched huge dust storms consume their farms and everything they had. Many died from pneumonia brought on by the dust. Animals died where they stood and daylight turned to night as the black clouds consumed the sky. Often, these dense clouds were so thick that the sun was blocked out for weeks on end. No one could breathe or move. The windstorms were like sandblasts against the skin. Sand dunes formed encasing anything left outside. The dust storms were so strong, and with no natural landscape or trees to stop them, they just continued, consuming state after state. Acres of land were affected even as far up as New York. At times ship captains could not see the Statute of Liberty to navigate into New York harbor. They watched as the farmer’s fields were blown right into the ocean. Many lost everything and left the region. A few stayed but were ravaged. The storms continued for seven years. In the eighth year there was a break in the climate and farmers began to practice better farming habits as they started their lives all over again. It was at a cost that would not soon be recovered. As they began to replant a locust plague devoured the first new crops leaving nothing behind.
It is ironic that the Southern Plains is also host to a huge aquifer; an underground layer of water bearing permeable rock from which groundwater can be extracted by way of a water well. The Ogallala Aquifer is part of the High Plains Aquifer System. It is one of the world’s largest aquifers covering an area of approximately 174,000 miles. Today, management of these water levels is being implemented to try and keep a future supply.
If Yahweh’s principles are not observed, we open ourselves up to compromise that will allow the enemy access to erode our lives. Yahweh lays out for us simple effect ways to keep the land healthy and strong, able to supply produce for generations. It all depends on whether or not we will choose to walk in His ways.
Deuteronomy 28:58-59 “If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law/Torah that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, then Yahweh will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues - great and prolonged plagues - and serious and prolonged sicknesses.”
Believers in Yeshua who bow down to idols, pagan worship and choose to transgress against Yahweh are serving two masters and will walk in darkness, far from fellowship with Yeshua, the Light of the world.
Psalm 82:5 “They do not know, nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are unstable.”
Proverbs 2:10-22 “When wisdom [Yeshua] enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things, from those who leave the paths of uprightness [light] to walk in the ways of darkness; who rejoice in doing evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked; whose ways are crooked, and who are devious in their paths; to deliver you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words, who forsakes the companion of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God. For her house leads down to death, and her paths to the dead; none who go to her return, nor do they regain the paths of life - So you may walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the paths of righteousness. For the upright will dwell in the land [light], and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the unfaithful will be uprooted from it [darkness].”
Ephesians 5:8-11 “For you [believers] were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And [believers,] have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”
Proverbs 2:10-22 “When wisdom [Yeshua] enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things, from those who leave the paths of uprightness [light] to walk in the ways of darkness; who rejoice in doing evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked; whose ways are crooked, and who are devious in their paths; to deliver you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words, who forsakes the companion of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God. For her house leads down to death, and her paths to the dead; none who go to her return, nor do they regain the paths of life - So you may walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the paths of righteousness. For the upright will dwell in the land [light], and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the unfaithful will be uprooted from it [darkness].”
Ephesians 5:8-11 “For you [believers] were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And [believers,] have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”
1 John 1:6-7 “If we [believer] say that we have fellowship with Him [Yeshua], and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we [believers] walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ/Yeshua His Son cleanses us from all sin.
John 8:12 “Then Jesus/Yeshua spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’”
continues tomorrow...