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Saturday, July 28, 2012
Tisha B'Av
My blog for today is a post sent to me by Bell Wholesale Travel - - the Travel Agency through whom I journeyed on my last trip to Israel (with Christian Coalition of Washington and Rick Forcier as our leader). This post reminds me once again that God is a God of design - - and we should pay attention. The list of awful events occurring on this particular date cannot be circumstantial.
Friday, July 20, 2012
"I DON'T HAVE TIME."
The first two days of this week I was grieving over being a 'disposable friend' - - I won't explain the reasons.... But when I spoke to God about how I was feeling, what He said in reply was, "You are important to me." Wow! Even as I write it, it brings tears to my eyes. Important to God. What a concept! And - - God has a sense of humor.... He gives us purpose which reaffirms our place in His grand plan. That could segue to what He led me to this week as an addition to the things He has already called me to do - - but I'm not going there at the moment.
I was just working on cleaning up emails a bit this morning - - had 98 unread emails in my inbox.... Need to see if I've neglected something important since so many people rely on email.... And in going through the emails found one that touched my heart, particularly in light of the first 2 days of my week, so I will share that - - and get to my next Jewish feast later....
A YOUNG MAN LEARNS WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IN LIFE FROM THE GUY NEXT DOOR
Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday." Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.
"Jack, did you hear me?"
"Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said...
"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.
"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.
"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.
"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important. Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.
As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.
The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.
Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture. Jack stopped suddenly...
"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.
"The box is gone," he said
"What box?" Mom asked.
"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.
It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.
"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."
It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read. Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. "Mr. Harold Belser" it read. Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.
"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.
Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:
"Jack Thanks for your time! -Harold Belser."
"The thing he valued most was... my time"
Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.
"I need some time to spend with my son," he said.
"Oh, by the way, Janet, thanks for your time!"
The greatest gift you can give is your time.
I was just working on cleaning up emails a bit this morning - - had 98 unread emails in my inbox.... Need to see if I've neglected something important since so many people rely on email.... And in going through the emails found one that touched my heart, particularly in light of the first 2 days of my week, so I will share that - - and get to my next Jewish feast later....
A YOUNG MAN LEARNS WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IN LIFE FROM THE GUY NEXT DOOR
Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday." Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.
"Jack, did you hear me?"
"Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said...
"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.
"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.
"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.
"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important. Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.
As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.
The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.
Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture. Jack stopped suddenly...
"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.
"The box is gone," he said
"What box?" Mom asked.
"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.
It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.
"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."
It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read. Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. "Mr. Harold Belser" it read. Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.
"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.
Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:
"Jack Thanks for your time! -Harold Belser."
"The thing he valued most was... my time"
Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.
"I need some time to spend with my son," he said.
"Oh, by the way, Janet, thanks for your time!"
The greatest gift you can give is your time.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
The Seven Jewish Feasts Commanded by G-d (5)
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[The pictures shown are ones I took on the 2011 Tour to Israel. The first two are of the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, and the third photo is of a sign we saw on our walk from the tour bus up to the church. I just thought folks would find it interesting.]
Since the first 4 feasts have already been very
specifically fulfilled by Yeshua (Jesus) it is not a stretch to believe that He
will fulfill the remaining feasts as well - - and this particular feast is the
next one to be fulfilled.
I was alerted to the reality of Jesus' fulfilling
every one of the feasts during our 2011 tour to Israel. While we were
standing outside The Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, our Jewish guide
told us that if Jesus is the Messiah he will return at the Feast of Trumpets.
I don't recall his exact words. I could not wrap my head around what he
was saying. I was preoccupied with taking pictures and my brain was
already on overload, when I heard him state the correlation. I affirmed
that was indeed what he stated after returning home - - then got online not
long after that and did the bulk of the research I have done on the
topic.
My online research states that Feast #5 will be
fulfilled with the rapture of the saints. Feast #5 is: The Feast of Trumpets/ Rosh
Hashanah
(Leviticus
23:23-25, 1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, Exodus 12:2, Numbers
29:1)
Tishri 1 comes in September
or October annually, depending on the lunar calendar, and the correlation that
was made is that when Jesus returns it will be with a shout and the blowing of a
trumpet (which I suspect will actually be a shofar, in keeping with what was
practiced.)
Tishri 1 is the beginning of
the Jewish civil year – but the 7th
month of the Hebrew religious calendar. Tishri 1 is proclaimed as God’s New Year – the anniversary of the
creation of Adam and Eve. Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of 10 high
holy days, which are set aside as The Ten Days of Repentance – days
specifically focused on repentance, which concludes with Yom, Kippur, The Day
of Atonement.
Rosh Hashanah begins with
the blowing of a trumpet made from a ram’s horn (shofar), intended to
awaken the listener from slumber and alert them to the coming judgment.*
Autumn or ‘latter
rains’ begin; time of planting seeds. Deuteronomy 11:14; Joel 2:23
Rosh
Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, falls
on the Hebrew calendar dates of 1 and 2 Tishri. Here are the coinciding secular
dates for 2012 and following:
2012: September 16 (at sundown) - 18
2013: September 4 (at sundown) - 6
2014: September 24 (at sundown) - 26
2015: September 13 (at sundown) – 15
We might want to pay attention to these! Jesus’
track record for fulfilling feasts on the exact date is worth
noting!
The trumpet shall sound. The dead shall be
raised! In the twinkling of an eye!
As the
Jewish faithful proclaim in anticipation: Next year in Jerusalem!
It is true that we do not know the day or the
hour – but even Jesus told us we would know the season, and just as
Daniel realized in reading through the prophecy that foretold when the
Babylonian Captivity would end, so we can read what was predicted over 2,000
years ago, and see that the season is upon us.
All of the major prophecies that had to be fulfilled have been - and are being daily with the
vast increase in knowledge and the disasters in diverse places. All signs
point to Jesus' soon return.
One primary disclaimer I will make is that there are
many points of view on precisely when Jesus will return for His church in
relation to when He will come in His 'Second Coming' to rule and reign for the
1,000-year Millennium. Whatever God does, I know He is the one in charge,
and it will all come to pass in His time and for His glory!
My goal is not to figure out an exact date – but to pay
attention to God’s order and His declaration that ‘we will know the season.’ I think we are there….
Monday, July 2, 2012
The Seven Jewish Feasts Commanded By G-d (4)
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The fourth annual feast to be celebrated was the Feast of
Weeks/Shavuot/Pentecost. The
countdown for this festival began the day after Passover and extended 7 weeks and
a day – so the culmination came 50 days after Passover. It was a feast of
anticipation. My research stated
that in the O T, it anticipated the giving of the Torah to Moses.
As part of the feast offerings, they offered two loaves of
bread, which perfectly represented the 2 tablets on which the original Ten Commandments
were inscribed – and the two loaves can also extend to represent the Old and New
Testaments. It is easy to segue to a parallel of
Jesus as the Bread of Life. Jesus’
life being lived through the body of Christ was fulfilled with the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost
represents the beginning of the ‘body of Christ’ on earth.
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit perfectly fulfilled the
timing of the historical Shavuot. Jesus was seen over a period of 40 days
between His resurrection and ascension – and just before He ascended He told
His disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promised Holy Spirit. Ten days later – on the Day of
Pentecost – the Holy Spirit was given to them as tongues of fire fell on the
gathered group of 120 followers, and those who had come to Jerusalem for the
festival heard the 120 miraculously speaking the praises of God in their
various native languages – languages they had never learned.
I love that in the year Jesus was crucified that He sent the
Holy Spirit on the exact day of the culmination of their annual designated celebration! Over and over God’s intentional
design is apparent. He is a
God of design and order. It is truly
exciting to see the parallels and conspicuous fulfillments!
I know I am just skimming the surface of all that could be
gleaned from the feasts – but a brief overview is my intention. Everything in the Old Testament points
toward Jesus; everything in the New Testament reveals Him. That is what I want to demonstrate.
This is the final feast that has already been
fulfilled. We are still awaiting
the fulfillment of the final three commanded feasts. I’m eager to delve into the feasts that have not yet been
fulfilled. The track record so far
is that every feast finds its fulfillment in Yeshua/Jesus, and that God is a
God of order. With that in mind,
there is an air of anticipation in reviewing the final three feasts!
Sunday, July 1, 2012
The Seven Jewish Feasts Commanded by G-d (3)
Sorry for being so slow at getting this series completed....we are promised an abundant life - - and sometimes that means 'lots of it!'
The first three feasts were all fulfilled in the events of Holy Week, and today's entry brings us to Feast #3, The Feast of First Fruits/ Yom HaBikkurim, The Grain Harvest. It came to be celebrated on Nisan 16, and it honored bringing the firstfruits of the Winter grain harvest to the Temple.
In Jesus' resurrection, as explained in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, He became the firstfruits of those who have 'fallen asleep'. He arose from the dead, and so shall we! He was the perfect fulfillment of these first 3 feasts, and it was no coincidence that He arose on Nisan 16 - - on the third day - - in perfect harmony with the feast being celebrated, with Him as its fulfillment.
Further, it is significant that in John 12:24-25 he said "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." (ESV)
It is no accident that the dates for the celebrations came when they did - - or that Jesus' fulfillment of (1) being the perfect Lamb of God, whose blood was shed for the remission of sins; (2) being the bread of life - broken for us; (3) being the grain of wheat that was the firstfruits of all who would be raised together with Him in eternal life - - all occurred on the precise dates of the celebrations! Jesus is the absolute fulfillment of what was previewed in the Old Testament.
Leviticus 23:9
1 Corinthians 15:20-23
The first three feasts were all fulfilled in the events of Holy Week, and today's entry brings us to Feast #3, The Feast of First Fruits/ Yom HaBikkurim, The Grain Harvest. It came to be celebrated on Nisan 16, and it honored bringing the firstfruits of the Winter grain harvest to the Temple.
In Jesus' resurrection, as explained in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, He became the firstfruits of those who have 'fallen asleep'. He arose from the dead, and so shall we! He was the perfect fulfillment of these first 3 feasts, and it was no coincidence that He arose on Nisan 16 - - on the third day - - in perfect harmony with the feast being celebrated, with Him as its fulfillment.
Further, it is significant that in John 12:24-25 he said "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." (ESV)
It is no accident that the dates for the celebrations came when they did - - or that Jesus' fulfillment of (1) being the perfect Lamb of God, whose blood was shed for the remission of sins; (2) being the bread of life - broken for us; (3) being the grain of wheat that was the firstfruits of all who would be raised together with Him in eternal life - - all occurred on the precise dates of the celebrations! Jesus is the absolute fulfillment of what was previewed in the Old Testament.
Leviticus 23:9
1 Corinthians 15:20-23
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