In This Way: Successful Patterns

"Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond and plane trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.  Then he placed the peeled branches in all the watering troughs, so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink.  When the flocks were in heat and came to drink, they mated in front of the branches.  And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted." (Genesis 30:37-39)

Observations:

• Peeled branches and separation worked so he kept working it
• Watchful adjustments built momentum
• Jacob was operating within a crooked system (see Laban in Genesis 30: 31-36)
• Gestation period for sheep and goats is 150 days
• Peeled branches were only during mating season
• Rest of the year was same old same old
• Branches were based on a superstition, not science (see NIV study notes on Gen 30:39)
• Jacob had to be quick only a few days each year
• Dispatch in pattern implementation made a difference
• Male + Female in January = Male + Female + 1-3 lambs / kids in June
• Male + Female in July = Male + Female + 1-3 lambs / kids in December
• 2 animals in January become 4-8 animals by December

Applications:

• Asking God for what I need beats asking the Fat Man for what I need
• God Asks have been working, so I'll keep working a successful pattern
• Maintain structure and build a team at Reliant
• Short term focus may produce long term benefit
• Don't be surprised if crookedness in LPD or Reliant or VOPDM is exposed
• You're working with people, for God
• Patterns of multiplication work in support raising as well
• Patterns of multiplication work in discipleship as well
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Prayer: Thank you for revealing Jacob's use of successful patterns to escape desperate situations