YOM KIPPUR - THE MOST HOLY DAY IN JUDAISM

I am posting another message from the travel agent at Bell Wholesale Travel who arranged our 2011 trip to Israel.  I literally got goosebumps when I read this.  I hope those who pop in to my blog enjoy it as well....  I woke up this morning and thought, "The Lord didn't come during the night."  But - He will!!!!   Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

Yom Kippur From several minutes before sunset Tishrei 9 to after nightfall on Tishrei 10 - September 25 to 26, 2012 Shalom:   Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year--the day on which we are closest to G-d and to the quintessence of our own souls. It is the Day of Atonement--"For on this day He will forgive you, to purify you, that you be cleansed from all your sins before G-d" (Leviticus 16:30). Yom Kippur commemorates the day that G-d forgave the Jewish people for the sin of the golden calf.  Forty days after hearing G-d say at Mount Sinai, "You shall not have the gods of others in My presence; you shall not make for yourself a graven image," the Jews committed the cardinal sin of idolatry.  Moses spent nearly three months on top of the mountain pleading with G-d for forgiveness, and on the tenth of Tishrei it was finally granted; "I have pardoned, as you have requested.   From that moment on, this date, henceforth known as the Day of Atonement, is annually observed as a commemoration of our special relationship with G-d, a relationship that is strong enough to survive any rocky bumps it might encounter.  This is a day when we connect with the very essence of our being, which remains faithful to G-d regardless of our outward behavior. And while it is the most solemn day of the year, we are also joyful, confident that G-d will forgive our sins and seal our verdict for a year of life, health, and happiness. For nearly twenty-six hours - from several minutes before sunset on Tishrei 9 until after nightfall on Tishrei 10 - we "afflict our souls", we abstain from food and drink, do not wash or anoint our bodies, do not wear leather footwear, and abstain from spousal intimacy.  We are likened to the angels, who have no physical needs.  Instead of focusing on the physical, we spend much of our day in the synagogue, engaged in repentance and prayer. On the day before Yom Kippur, the primary mitzvah is to eat and drink in abundance.  Two festive meals are eaten, one earlier in the day, and one just prior to the onset of Yom Kippur.  Some of the day's other observances include requesting and receiving honey cake, in acknowledgement that we are all recipients in G-d's world and in prayerful hope for a sweet year; begging forgiveness from anyone whom we may have wronged during the past year; giving extra charity; and the ceremonial blessing of the children. Before sunset, women and girls light holiday candles, and  everyone makes their way to the synagogue for the Kol Nidrei services.  In the course of Yom Kippur, we will hold five prayer services from Tuesday evening to Wednesday evening: Maariv, with its solemn Kol Nidrei service, on the eve of Yom Kippur Shacharit - the morning prayer Musaf, which includes a detailed account of the Yom Kippur Temple Service Minchah, which includes the reading of the Book of Jonah Neilah ("locking") prayer.  Finally, in the waning hours of the day, we reach the climax of the day: the fifth prayer, the Gates of Heaven, which were open all day, will now be closed - with us on the inside.  During this prayer we have the ability to access the most essential level of our soul.  the Holy Ark remains open throughout.  The closing Neilah service climaxes in the resounding cries of "Hear O Israel...G-d is one."  Then joy erupts in song and dance followed by a single blast of the shofar, and the proclamation:  "Next year in Jerusalem!!"    Amen!! G"Mar Hatima Tova!! Madeleine Cohen Bell Wholesale Travel , Inc, & Staff

PERFECT POTPOURRI....

I had a friend who lived in a small town not far from mine when I was growing up. We only saw each other at Youth Rallies and Youth Camp - -  but I cherished his friendship then - - and I cherish the memory of it now. He became a Pastor and just retired within the past year.... I read a post on his Facebook page today that I have to share. 

He states on his post, "Saturday evening my son, Jon, invited us to join he and his wife and son at the water park. They were also taking care of two little girls. The oldest one is 4.  I knew her from when she came to church when I was pastoring at BC Assembly. She saw me coming and she was staring at me.... I asked if she remembered me. She said, "Yes"; so I asked if she remembered my name.   She said, "You are Jesus."

She called me that at church and we all worked to get her to call me Pastor Duane or Pastor, or Pastor Jordan and she finally did, but tonight I was Jesus to her again. In the swing she would say, "Jesus, swing me"; when on the slide, "Jesus, watch me" or "Jesus, help me";  "Jesus let's play hide and seek...." At that park there is a pipe fixed up to transmit voices from about 20 feet like a phone... When she said, "Come on Jesus, let's talk," I thought, 'wouldn't that be good to say to Jesus more often?' What a fun night...."

I just had to share the story. It warmed the cockles of my heart. God bless you, Duane! This is a wonderful reminder that we are Jesus with skin on. Often we are the only image of Jesus someone will know before they come to know the real Jesus! What a reminder to live in such a way that our lives are a reflection of Him!  You may be 'Jesus' to someone!

In our lives, Lord, be glorified.  Let the life that we now live honor You and be a reflection of the incredible grace you have lavishly bestowed on us. 

PUT ON YOUR ARMOR!

I am pretty sure I posted an earlier version of this at some point - - but this morning as I read through what I had written previously in my prayer list, I made several additions, and decided to share the updates....

Ephesians 6:10-18

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

We have to understand that Satan’s goal every day of our lives is to destroy us….  TO COMBAT HIS SCHEMES WE MUST PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD:

Ephesians 6:10-18 (armor as worn from top to bottom:)

The HELMET of SALVATION

Salvation is through Jesus Christ alone.  Knowing that protects our way of ‘thinking’ – protects our mind and our soul.  Places Him above all else.  Commits us to submitting our intellect to His sovereignty.

The BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEOUSNESS

True righteousness is imputed through Christ.  It is HIS righteousness, not ours.  We can’t be righteous without having Him as Lord of our lives – but His righteousness infused into us is lived out in intentional holy, right living by his standard.  The breastplate guards our heart!  It protects our emotional submission as well as living out the intentions God inspires within us.

The BELT of TRUTH

Jesus Christ is the Truth.  There is no other Truth.   In addition, telling the truth is important.  The belt of Truth holds one’s personal attire on and in place.  Truth is not subject to or conditioned by perspective. Being committed to Truth compels us to speak the truth of who He is in all circumstances.  It also compels us to be truthful in everything we say. 

The SHIELD of FAITH

Our faith is in Christ alone.  Adhering to that reality and placing absolute faith in God’s sovereignty unconditionally extinguishes Satan’s flaming arrows.  Faith inspires faithfulness and commitment to the Lord.  It also inspires praise.  He is worthy of our praise no matter what our circumstances.  Faith knows that no matter what, He is victor!

The SWORD of the Spirit, which is THE WORD OF GOD

Truth begins and ends with God’s WORD – anything that subverts, abrogates, waters down or adds to God’s WORD is a lie – a pernicious lie!  God’s Word is our daily manna for spiritual sustenance and our source for finding wisdom and spiritual strength.  It is the guidebook for life, and the source of Truth about God’s character and His divine plan.  Everything we believe has to line up with God’s Word, or we are living under a cloud of deception.

SHOES of READINESS that comes from THE GOSPEL OF PEACE….

This means we are ready to partner with Him in doing His work….being about the father’s business; contending for what the LORD contends for (What He revealed to me that He contends for is TRUTH and the SOULS of man).  Wearing shoes of readiness means living in obedience.  This embraces our physical strength and action.  It is the message of the book of James – we demonstrate our faith by what we do….

and PRAY in the SPIRIT.  Be alert.  Keep on praying. 

Don’t give up!  Pray without ceasing!  Drench everything in prayer – the kind of prayer that always submits to God’s will:  Nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be done….  When we pray in the Spirit, God is praying His will through us…. Emotional strength, resolve and sustenance comes through the Holy Spirit.  We align to God in prayer when we are open and sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

The Bible is very clear that "In this world you will have trouble'" - - which is followed by Jesus' declaration, "but I have overcome the world."

Walking the Christian walk doesn't mean things will  go smoothly - - in fact, it means just the opposite.  But - -the good news is that "in all things God works for our good."  It's just that we have a different conception of what would be good for us!  Ultimately, 'good for us' means our eternal salvation.  If it was going to be easy, we wouldn't need armor!  Armor is for a battle - - and we are in one:  the battle for souls, both ours and on behalf of others.  

Lord, help me keep my armor on and not grow lax in the pursuit of Your divine plan...remind me daily to put on Your armor.   It's a minefield down here! 

Happy Birthday Greetings!

Because of Facebook, primarily, I have received a plethora of birthday greetings.  Yes, it is true, today I am 67.

Being the ever-Mr-Spontaneous non-planner, my sweet husband asked me this morning what I wanted to do for my birthday.  I decided on a movie.  I heard that "The Last Ounce of Courage" is a must see - - so, even though the trailer includes the information that part of the story includes a family losing a loved one in war, I want to go see if it is all it is purported to be.  It just came out on the 14th, and I know if I want to see it, I must do it soon....  Good movies don't always stay at the box office long....

But - - his question triggered even deeper thoughts.  What do I want to do today?

I have always wanted to 'make a difference' in the world.  I still want that!  My expectations of what that means have changed - - but I want to leave the world a better place.

I have given my children a better life than I had (by God's grace).  That was at the top of the list.  I have touched others' lives and they have touched mine.  I know that being here has mattered.  But I'm not finished yet. 

I want to be faithful to share my faith.  Part of my exit strategy for heading toward the final goal is to take more people with me.  I have been too cautious about doing that.  There is always that nagging little voice of caution that people may not be ready to hear - - to look for the teachable moment....  But what I am realizing is that I have to create the opportunities for those moments.  And - - I have to accept that some people will reject the message and me - - that has happened before.  But - for those who are willing to hear - - what a joy for both of us, them and me, to share God's story of the most amazing gift the world has ever been offered. 

God sent His only birthed Son into the world to give eternal life to all who would accept Him.  That's John 3:16 in a nutshell, and it is the Gospel - - the Good News for people everywhere.  There is no other way to Heaven except through Jesus.  Jesus is the only way.  And God provides that way as His gift.  In fact, even though it is hard for people to understand, it was God Himself who became a man - - and took on flesh to become the sacrifice sin demands.  His gift.  His offer to imperfect man.  His salvation.  And He did it for each of us!  What an amazing God.

If anyone happens to pop in to read this, Jesus died for you!!!!  But His death would have meant nothing had He not been raised again from the dead.  He was!  On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead, and was seen by many people before He ascended into Heaven.  And - - He is coming again!  There is so much more....but an eternity with Him is the ultimate prize. 

The time of His coming could be very close.   All the signs of the times point to that being true.  The one thing that keeps me from longing for that day is that there are lots of people I know who haven't made a commitment to accept Jesus.  I don't want people I have known to stand before God one day, point at me and say, "You never told me."  What we each do with the message of God's truth is our business.  We can accept Jesus or reject Him - - but for those who have never heard the story, I want them to hear. 

There is a lot that matters to me - - but that matters more than anything else....  I want to make a difference for eternity....

Rosh Hashanah - - Year 5773 - - began today!

At 6:44 p m - - actual Israel time - - the Jewish New Year 5773 began.  Of course, it was only 8:44 a m here in Washington state....   I was so focused on the idea of Rosh Hashanah beginning at sundown that I had one of those blonde moments that made me fail to factor in the time zone....   I thought about that on my way home from church today -- and laughed at myself.

5773!  And only a country again since 1948.  A nation re-born in a day it is said....but not exactly.  Reactivated is more accurate.

Rosh Hashanah is the celebration honoring God's creation of the world - - but every Feast holds significance in God's design....and the blowing of the shofar aligns with the blowing of the trumpet (or shofar) announcing the Messiah's return!

Happy Birthday, Israel!

May these high holy days be significant to many this year.  It is meant to be a time of introspection and seeking forgiveness....

May it be so....

Jewish New Year 5773

September 16 at sundown is the beginning of Year 5773 of the Jewish calendar.  This email from Bell Travel gives a terrific explanation!

Every feast to date that Jesus has fulfilled has been on the precise date....  It makes sense that He will fulfill this one as well....

5773 - 2012 Sunday September 16 at Sundown To Tuesday September 18 after Sundown Shalom to all my Christian Zionist friends: Another year has passed, and the State of Israel is once again threatened for no other reason but fulfilling the will of G-D to live in Peace in the Land that G-D promised to HIS people!  This Rosh Hashanah I will thank G-D for  guiding my beautiful Christian Zionist friends and put it in their hearts to stand and fight and pray for Israel and the Jewish People!  I am so inspired, moved and blessed to have known each and every one of you.  You are an inspiration to me, my family and my friends who have met many of you.  May the New Year be a Year of Good Health! A Year of rejuvenation, A Year of realization of all your hopes and dreams! AMEN.   ...in the seventh month, on the first of the month, there shall be a Sabbath for you, a remembrance with shofar blasts, a holy convocation.   Leviticus 16:24 The name of the month of ELUL (spelled Alef-Lamed-Vav-Lamed) is said to be an acronym of "Ani l'dodi v'dodi li," "I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine," a quote from Song of Songs 6:3, where the Beloved is G-d and the "I" is the Jewish people.  In Aramaic (the vernacular of the Jewish people at the time that the month names were adopted), the word "Elul" means "search," which is appropriate, because this is a time of year when we search our hearts.   Rosh Hashanah is observed on the 1st and 2nd days of Tishrei. In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, literally, "Head of the Year," and as its name indicates, it is the beginning of the Jewish year. The anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, it is the birthday of mankind, highlighting the special relationship between G-d and humanity.  The primary theme of the day is our acceptance of G-d as our King. The Sages teach that the renewal of G-d's desire for the world, and thus the continued existence of the universe, is dependent upon this. We accept G-d as our King, and G-d is aroused, once again, with the desire to continue creating the world for one more year. The name "Rosh Hashanah" is not used in the Bible to discuss this holiday.  The Bible refers to the holiday as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar).  The holiday is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25. The shofar is a ram's horn which is blown somewhat like a trumpet.  One of the most important observances of this holiday is hearing the sounding of the shofar in the Synagogue.  A total of 100 notes are sounded each day.  There are four different types of shofar notes:  tekiah, a 3 second sustained note; shevarim, three 1-second notes rising in tone, teruah, a series of short, staccato notes extending over a period of about 3 seconds; and tekiah gedolah (literally "big tekiah"), the final blast in a set, which lasts 10 seconds minimum.  The Bible gives no specific reason for this practice.  One that has been suggested is that the shofar's sound is a call to repentance.  The shofar is not blown if the holiday falls on Shabbat. No work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah.  Much of the day is spent in the synagogue, where the regular daily liturgy is somewhat expanded.  In fact, there is a special prayer book called the machzor used for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because of the extensive liturgical changes for these holidays. A popular observance during this holiday is eating apples dipped in honey, a symbol of our wish for a sweet new year. Another popular practice of the holiday is Tashlikh ("casting off").  We walk to flowing water, such as a creek or river, on the afternoon of the first day and empty our pockets into the river, symbolically casting off our sins.  Small pieces of bread are commonly put in the pocket to cast off.  This practice is not discussed in the Bible, but is a long-standing custom.  Tashlikh is normally observed on the afternoon of the first day, before afternoon services.  When the first day occurs on Shabbat, many synagogues observe Tashlikh on Sunday afternoon, to avoid carrying the bread on Shabbat.   What Makes Rosh Hashanah Beautiful Religious services for the holiday focus on the concept of G-D's sovereignty.  The common greeting at this time is L'shanah tovah ("for a good year").  This is a shortening of "L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem" (or to women, "L'shanah tovah tikatevi v'taihatemi"), which means "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year." You may notice that the Bible speaks of Rosh Hashanah as occurring on the first day of the seventh month.  The first month of the Jewish Calendar is Nissan, occurring in March and April.  Why then, does the Jewish "new year" occur in Tishri, the seventh month? Judaism has several different "new years," a concept which may seem strange at first, but think of it this way; the American "new year" starts in January, but the new "school year" starts in September, and many businesses have "fiscal years" that start at various times of the year.  In Judaism, Nissan 1 is the new year for the purpose of counting the reign of kings and months on the calendar, Elul 1 (in August) is the new year for the tithing of animals, Shevat 15 (in February) is the new year for trees (determining when first fruits can be eaten, etc.), and Tishri 1 (Rosh Hashanah) is the new year for years (when we increase the year number.  Sabbatical and jubilee years begin at this time). As I dip my apple in honey this Rosh Hashanah, I will be thinking of you. May we all have a healthy and sweet year! Shana Tova Umetuka! Madeleine Cohen and Staff Bell Wholesale Travel, Inc. Toll Free (800) 637-2355  In Illinois (847) 412-0007  Fax (847) 412-0006 E-Mail  reservations@bwti.com   Visit Us  www.bwti.com

A PICTURE WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

This is my thousand for today.   A picture taken at Hood Canal at a friend's summer home - which she calls 'The Lodge.'  I haven't spent much time on the canal - - but I don't think I'd ever seen it so calm.  One of those times of being in the right place at the right time....  

The Book of James

I'm reading James.  What a book!  Written by a man who grew up with Jesus as his elder earthly brother.... 

I need to read the wisdom and nudging of James more often!   He wasn't one of Jesus' disciples....  There is no indication He believed in Jesus until after Jesus' resurrection - - but he became the head of the Jerusalem church and +-32 years after Jesus was crucified, he was martyred for his faith.   We actually know very little about him...but what he wrote was powerful, and in just a few short pages, he speaks volumes.

I have a 'to do' list that needs to be done....just wanted to pop in and leave a note!

Lord, today, be glorified....