The time came, in late June, when the influx of Rajneesh started coming into the ranch.  As per my request we received a daily report on the numbers coming into the ranch.

I did find it interesting when we started receiving the population calls.  We were being told there were just a few hundred a day coming onto the ranch, when one day I noticed the Portland Oregonian quoted one of the leaders saying, “we have several thousand visitors coming in daily for the festival.”  I called the Chief and asked which was correct. 

Seems that maybe they were over exaggerating to the media a bit or not giving us the correct information, within the next couple of days I was seeing numbers like 3,200, 2,000, etc. the numbers quickly totaled to the 15,000 – but it never went over it.  Later, after the festival, they would claim they had 20,000 and more come to the festival.

I questioned whether there were even 15,000 people in attendance; we had learned long ago that you could not rely on the honesty of the Rajneesh leaders.  But I never saw them all in one place, many reporters, however, had freer access to the property and they thought there were about 15,000 people at the festival’s peak attendance.

I was impressed with the planning of the festival.  There was no expectation of violence or crime from the followers, but they were concerned, to a degree, of non-Rajneesh attending and creating problems.  The Police would make any arrests then they would turn the prisoners over to our Office.  There were escape routes for the leaders of the commune, but they followed their normal evacuation plans. 

The tents and additional buildings went up in just a few days.  The followers had housing and transportation provided as part of the package.  Followers came from several different countries in Europe, Australia, China, Japan and, of course, both American Continents. 

Very few followers arrived by private vehicle; most came by air or train and public busses into the Portland area.  The organizers would have Rajneesh (school) busses waiting at the Portland airport and other areas for the followers to catch and then ride out to the ranch. 

They would be taken to the processing room, assigned quarters and given their schedules.  On the ranch there were several bus stops within a few yards of where the visitors would be staying.  Busses came by on a regularly scheduled basis and would pick up the followers to take them to the meetings, recreational areas and activities, and to their meals. 

For the most part the festival was uneventful for us.  The appointment of a Sergeant as a liaison with the Chief was a big assistance both for them and us. 

By having the Sergeant go down each day and make himself available to the Police Department it showed we were willing to work with them, and he did a good job of meeting and talking with them.

It also allowed him to get a feel, each day, as to how things were going. If there was any change in the tension between him and the Chief or other irregularities we hoped it would give us some warning of any upcoming problems.

The one flaw, and it was serious, came about with the death of the Japanese National. 

2 Kings 5:20-27  But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

²¹ So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?

²² And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.

²³ And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.

Gehazi, faithful servant to Elisha, allowed greed to enter into his heart.  He had served Elisha many years, perhaps when he heard Naaman offer money to Elisha for his servant and then Elisha refused it, he became angry. 

He looked at that money as his, he was entitled to some enumeration, it was offered for HIM and he should have received it.  It was his due and yet Elisha had turned it down.

Elisha didn’t even discuss it with him, he just said, no.

In thinking about the money he decided he had to possess it.  He left the house and ran after Naaman. 

He then gave to Naaman two lies.  First that Elias had basically changed his mind and wanted the money after all, and then compounded the lie by saying it was going to be given to two prophets’ sons that were coming to Elias.

Naaman, of course, was more than willing to give the items he had tried to give Elias; and gave them, doubling what Gehazi asked for, to Gehazi.

Gehazi had used the name of Elias for his own benefit.  He had used what God had performed through Elias as a means to obtain material wealth for himself.

There is a great danger when we look to the world’s values.  Gehazi knew better, but he was overcome with greed and a feeling of ‘I deserve this.’

When we work for God, when we see the people of the world being made wealthy despite their unGodly ways we must be careful not to allow our heart to turn to the desire for that wealth.

We cannot allow ourselves to benefit from our service to God in such a manner that it brings questions as to what the intent of God is – in going back to Naaman, Gehazi undermined the lesson Elias was teaching.

God’s gifts cannot be purchased with worldly goods.  Did Naaman now feel, even in the back of his mind, that he had now paid for the services of God?  What does that do to his view of God, not to mention His prophet Elias?

It CAN happen to us, we can begin to think we ‘earn’ blessings and we ‘earn’ material wealth because we serve God.  When in fact we are but servants to Him and whatever He deems to give us whether it be worldly goods, or position, we cannot earn it.

He gives it freely, for us to use that HE, not us, be glorified.

When we cheapen the gifts of God, we cheapen God Himself and we lead His people astray.

²⁴ And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.

²⁵ But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.

²⁶ And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?

²⁷ The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

After getting the ill-gotten gains, he hides it.

He then goes on about his business as if nothing had happened.

When confronted by Elias as to where he had gone, Gehazi lied, again and said he had not gone anywhere.

Gehazi, a servant of Elias who had watched him perform miracles KNEW that Elias was a prophet whom God talked to – and he thought he could get away with lying to him.

He couldn’t, Elias knew, and because Gehazi sinned the leprosy that had been on Naaman, was now on him.

It can become so easy to slip away from doing what we know is right before God.  Little things turn into bigger things and before we know it we have created a great divide between us and God.

God wants to give us a means to live.  He wants to reward those that work for Him.

What He does not want is for His servants to go out into the world as say because we are God’s servants we want money for performing the gifts that He has given us, in working for you.

Pastors, Missionaries and others serving God are not paid because they perform miracles, they are paid so they can devote their time in service to Him and to His flock.

God doesn’t want the gifts He gives us to become a ‘circus act’ that allows us to become wealthy.

Gehazi received his punishment, immediately. 

Just because we may not see God’s displeasure, immediately, does not mean it isn’t coming.

There is such a strong feeling of entitlement here in America.

If you have money, position or power then anything you do is okay.

We hear of banks ‘too big to fail;’ people breaking the law and thinking they have no accountability – and we are allowing that opinion to be tolerated.

What we are seeing in government where e-mails are being ‘lost’ and/or destroyed has been an absolute do not, for decades.  Those e-mails regarding government business, or if done on government computers belong to the people.

Now, some may have to be classified for national security reasons, or because there is an ongoing investigation – and yes, I know the government has protected itself from prying eyes using other parts of the law – HOWEVER, those e-mails as well as every other document are not to be destroyed.  Period.

Disobeying the law and then when caught asking ‘so, what?’ has become the mantra of those, who think their position entitles them to break those laws, is becoming more and more prevalent.

We need to hold these people accountable – and government is not policing itself, we need to have people in these positions that are not afraid to hold these people accountable.  Right now there isn’t even enough citizens that say, wait a minute this is WRONG.

The ‘deflate gate’ where the New England Patriots deflated footballs – and now that the punishment, for the Quarterback has come down I am hearing how can they do that to a four time super bowl champion, three time super bowl MVP with dozens of records?

And the discussion steers away from what he did; how he did not cooperate and center on his record as if that puts him in a different class than a player on another team.

Every person that does something wrong is entitled to a fair investigation and hearing.  Those that are somehow ‘big stars’ are not entitled to disobey the rules and then expect to be treated in a special way.

Unfortunately, that worldly opinion of getting away with breaking the rules and then feeling he is entitled to special treatment, also creeps its way into the life of Christians.

These attitudes, if not corrected, are just going to add more fuel to the downfall of America – we will be punished.

It isn’t something new, Elisha walked this earth thousands of years ago and his servant fell to the temptation of trading ‘spiritual’ gifts and position for material wealth.

Let us take great care in our ministry to God and let it not become a means to exact material wealth, or position, from those that think they can purchase blessings from Him, through us.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again