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Welcome to Teshuvah Day 39-Days of Awe

Prepare the Way

 

Matthew 3:5-8 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  Produce fruit in keeping with repentance

Prepare The Way

Gates are open

Roads are cleared

With prepared hearts

Call on God He is near

 

Groping in darkness

Knowing we are led

Faithful fearfully

Continuing ahead

The time is nigh

Season is here

Appointment with God

The Way is clear

 

Seek The Lord

While He is near

Listening ears

Perceive and hear

 

The Way is prepared

Gates swung wide

Call on Him

Until we walk side by side

 

© laurette laster

 

Prepare ye the way of The Lord. Do we know what John is talking about? Do we know what He and Isaiah knew and were referring too? They were referring to others being high minded or so spiritually superior that sinners in low places thought they didn’t have a chance of obtaining salvation. John is in the wilderness, the lonely place, the dangerous place, preaching to sinners. When these sinners heard the word preached, they confessed their sins and were baptized.

Matthew 3:5-8 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  Produce fruit in keeping with repentance

 

 

When John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” For this he was speaking from the prophet Isaiah, saying; “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.” John speaking from the prophet Isaiah, “make His paths straight” is referring to the cities of refuge marked off by God when Israel first became a nation. These cities had to have maintained roads and be accessible at all times. When the Israelites came into the land of promise, each tribe was given land to possess.

The Levites, the priests were only given 48 cities and 6 of these were cities of refuge. These cities were for those seeking protection from death, having accidently killing someone. These cities were not for killers who had malice or a murdering spirit. These cities were for those looking for protection from the wrath of a family of the slain person. In this time an eye for an eye was the desire of members of the family. The intention of these cities of refuge was not to defeat or escape justice, but that in serving justice, mercy might be extended to those who were eligible for it. If a person was found guilty of murder then the city of refuge could not save him from the death penalty. If he were acquitted of any malice, he was not freed but was obliged to remain in the city of refuge. Leaving the boundaries of the city would leave the refugee susceptible to the avenger’s wrath.

The cities of refuge had to remain open and accessible day and night. The roads were “prepared” and maintained for easy access. The required width of all roads was 48 feet wide. Potholes or worn areas had to be filled in, thus level, bodies of water had to have a bridge span from one side to the other. All the debris had to be cleared off of the roadway. Each road was marked with sign posts saying; Refuge Refuge; It was the court’s responsibility to ensure the accessibility of the cities of refuge by improving the roads leading to them and posting signs with the words miklat, miklat (“refuge, refuge”) to show the way.

Looking at the account of the Cities of Refuge there are several similarities of Jesus Christ as our city of refuge! Christ is our shield and refuge against the penalty of all of our sins, except those sins that we commit willfully against the knowledge received through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus does not shelter the obstinate or the unrepentant sinner, he does shelter everyone who accepts Him and calls on His name. We must realize that we were born in sin and shaped by iniquity. (Psalm.51:5). Each of us inherited sin through birth after the fall of Adam and Eve. To seek refuge in Christ we must flee from our old life and sinful desires. By doing this we find THE only refuge God has offered which is forgiveness and new life in Jesus. Fleeing to the city of refuge is when we repent and confess and willingly turn away from sin as we flee from the world. We must be honest and earnest in our desire to quit sinning with our body, our mind, and our affections. Like our ancient Hebrew brothers and sisters that sought the city of refuge, believing they would be safe if they could make it into the city, by faith, we now also seek Jesus Christ for the remission and forgiveness of our sins and seek refuge in Him by faith. We are assured that we will find protection if we call on the Name of The Lord but our actions and intentions must show we realize without Christ we are subject to the wrath of sin.  The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.

During the Days of Awe it is believed the books in heaven are open and The Lord God looks over our deeds of the year and is making decisions for the year to come. This is the season of Teshuvah and Return. We show a true desire to change by doing Teshuvah, which is “returning to God’s ways by studying His word. Reading His word we realize we have committed sins we run to our refuge Jesus Christ to repent, asking for pardon and for protection.

This is how we enter into a relationship with our Lord. Once He becomes our strong tower and our refuge we are in covenant with Him. His blood that was poured out on the mercy seat is for the remission of our sins.

Don’t miss your appointment; Teshuvah during the High Holy Days of Yahweh.

God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you Shalom.

Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette

 

Welcome to Teshuvah Day 38-The Days of Awe

Plant a Seed Reap a Harvest

In my October heart
I feel His tender touch
The one I’ve come to know
That comforts me so much

The warmth of His pure touch
Alive making all things new
That precious sacred nearness
That changes darkest view

Not a matter of climate
Determined with weather or mood
We know there is always hope
And it is found with gratitude

Harvest is coming seed is supplied
Hold steady and do not negate
The course is moving speedily
Plant His truth never debate

For the words of eternal life
In Jesus Christ are found
We must never doubt
His truth completely surrounds

Can we establish eternity
Yet knowing it is real
We cannot  fathom or measure
But to our spirit He reveals

Sow a seed and reap a harvest
Plant and continue to believe
Like earth bringing forth her fruit
It is by faith we shall receive

 

© laurette laster

October 2019

 

This morning I was reminiscing the emotions felt  when the human heart begins to love and trust someone and be safely loved in return. Sometimes we use the terminology “falling in love.” We know we are made in God’s image and likeness, and God is love so actually we are grown and designed with the God kind of love. We also know our God is a jealous God, a consuming fire. That is a picture of the weights or scales of justice.

Do you remember when you fell in love? Do you remember the newness of life your heart felt?  I know I sure do.
The anticipation of when we would see each other again. I would think I can’t wait to tell Greg ‘this’ or I cannot wait to share ‘that’ with Greg, when we talk next. After Greg proposed my mind was thinking of planning our wedding. My thoughts changed and I included Greg’s desires in many of my decisions.  I would wake up excited with a sense of expectation; simply because I had grown to trust and love Greg, and I knew he was God’s choice. Greg and I each had made poor choices in our past so getting it right was vital to our calls and peace of mind.
Oh the joy I felt in my heart, overwhelmed because I loved and was safely loved in return.

How much more The Father safely loves us.

God is love and He wants us to feel the emotion of love and enjoy love, just like Him. He gave us the ability to feel love, to give love and to receive love. We love because He first loved us. Without a relationship with our Heavenly Father we cannot fully experience the love He longs for us to know. This comes from receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior. He is our Bridegroom, Our First Love.

The mystery of Christ and the church, Jesus our Heavenly Groom, and we are His betrothed. Love is covenanting talk and God is our covenant keeping Father. Our Beloved is coming, Don’t miss the Bridegroom’s call.

RETURN to the passion of your first love.
Revelation 2:4 Jesus  says, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” He continues telling us to Repent, Return, and Teshuvah.

Without RETURNING to our first love, with our whole heart and soul, human love is superficial and unsatisfying or perhaps worse a cheap compromise or filler. We are designed by God and therefore fashioned to connect to a sincere love that only God can supply, then  love for other’s will flow (in and out) from this genuine love.

Without genuine love and devotion we have faulty and frail expectations of human love.
RETURN-TESHUVAH, to your first love and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, return to Me.

Don’t miss this season of Teshuvah, my favorite time of the year.
The blowing of the Shofar and its relationship to “Awakening” is very interesting.

The shofar (ram’s horn) is often used as an instrument of spiritual warfare, though it is primarily used to rouse the soul to face reality… Maimonides writes: “There is a hidden message we are supposed to infer by listening to the shofar. It suggests saying: ‘Sleeping ones! Awaken from your sleep! Slumbering ones! Awaken from your slumber! Examine your deeds. Remember your Creator and do Teshuvah.” This idea was earlier stated in the New Testament writings: “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Messiah will shine on you” (Eph. 5:13-14). This theme of “awakening from sleep” is used elsewhere in the Scriptures (John 11:11, Rom. 13:11, 1 Thess. 5:6, Dan. 12:1-2, Psalm 78:65, etc.). The sound of the shofar calls us to return to the LORD and seek His face. And since finding God is our greatest joy, King David rightly wrote: “Happy is the people who know the Teruah [i.e. the shofar blast]” (Psalm 89:16).
Indeed, the word shofar (שׁוֹפָר) comes from a root (שָׁפַר) that means to “beautify,” alluding to the beautification of our ways as we turn to God in Teshuvah, Repentance.
[Hebrew for Christians]

Covenant love is designed to mature and grow while becoming more fruitful each season. This kind of love is sustainable only through mutual affection and adoration. The season of our repentance is a renewing of our vows or a reawakening of our purpose. God’s love will never change, however we can repel His devotion by ignoring His call and disregarding the gifts He offers. If we are truly in love, how can we ignore Him?

Wake up to a deeper love. Wake up to this rehearsal appointment and seek His face. Wake up to an eternal covenant. Wake up to the upcoming harvest of blessings. The Day of Atonement is almost here, are you ready? Or have you been hitting snooze, thinking there is still plenty of time for me to get ready? Maybe there is plenty of time, and maybe not. But why would we want another season of crops that do not have eternal lasting covenant value?

I know I don’t want to miss this appointment. I want all He died to give me.

 

God bless you and keep you and make his face shine upon you. The Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you Shalom.

Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette

Welcome to Teshuvah Day 37 The Days of Awe

The Leaves will be Falling

 

Soon the leaves will be falling

Summoning change is ahead

Today I no longer fear

Root season doesn’t fill me with dread

I’ve come to understand

In growth and maturity

We must learn to let go

If we are going to have a surety

 

So as the seasons change

I kneel and softly pray

I know it’s time to look inward

To listen to what You will say

 

Seasons come and seasons go

But one thing is determined

He that has began this work

Will openly confirm it

 

God with us who can stop

The winter from turning to spring

So winter and root season

Are lessons to see a new thing

 

 The change may seem solemn

A little dreary now and then

But just snuggle down

This is where real work begins

 

A fire and a cup of coffee

Maybe hot chocolate with some toast

A fire pit and blankets

Snuggle with His book as a guidepost

 

Never allow a change in the weather

Cause you to become sad

Because whatever change He is making

When embraced will make you glad

 

© laurette last

 

Drawing near to Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement, do you feel the excitement? This is the closing of the books, an end to The Days of Awe, an end to the time to plant. This is a “Set Time” an appointment (mo’ed) where we have tuned our hearts to hear from God and return, or Teshuvah to Him.

John the Baptist tells us we are to bear fruits worthy of repentance, Matthew 3:8. We know biblically fruit is a type and a shadow for character traits and inherent actions. Galatians 5:22 tells us; but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. It speaks of what we do daily, when we are with others or when we alone, we understand that God knows all about us so we cannot fool Him.

We began this season of our repentance plowing under any ungodly weeds, cleansing our field which is our heart. We have been busy preparing our field aka our heart, for new seed to be sown. If you have ever physically prepared any ground you know it is hard work.
Though the work is extremely difficult it is equally as rewarding at the finish. Knowing we have peace with God is refreshing. This refreshing makes the work ahead fun and exciting. As Christians we understand that becoming more fruitful means more responsibility. More responsibility requires the help of others.

Change is in the air and our spirits sense the newness of seasons. We can finally feel the change in North Texas. However fall arrived several days ago. Fall didn’t come with a specific feeling or any noticeable or tangible changes, but it did come according to the calendar and set appointment. Fall arrived right on time.

There was so much excitement surrounding the season. I saw many beautiful posts welcoming Fall with baited anticipation of the changes before we had evidence.

And it is with God and His appointments. His appointments have purpose beyond what we can see and apart from our five senses and our feelings. We understand the excitement of His appointments by faith. Our Faith is, He who promised is faithful. If He said it, will He not do it?

Wouldn’t it be sad to plan an anniversary and not have your partner want to come? The season of our repentance isn’t a season to dread, no this is a season of hard work followed by harvest. Like a woman travailing in labor when the birth comes all the labor is forgotten because of the joy of life.

I enjoy the cooler temperatures. This weather often makes us think of snuggling or grabbing a soft blanket for warmth and covering, or making reading a good book by the fire. God wants us to join with Him and is inviting us into a new warmth and covering, His Holy presence. We can grab the best book with have, the bible and snuggle down under His perfect comfort and feel the warmth of His promises as they are planted in our heart.

Scripture tells us, to him who knows to do what is good and does not do it, it is sin. When we know the right thing to do, yet do not follow through with the action of doing good, it creates turmoil in our souls. A soul in turmoil is anxious and unstable. Teshuvah is called a time for the soul. Repentance is a time of ridding our soul of matters offensive or futile to God.
The choices we make affect our soul in a deep way. If our soul feels off course it becomes anxious and troubled. It is an internal condition with external results.  Anger is often the first reaction to an unsettled soul and is the forerunner to guilt. If we are unhappy and troubled because of choices we have made, God Almighty has made a way of escape for us. He beckons us back, He Woo’s and calls us to repent and return, as we talked about yesterday, our Lord knows the dangers awaiting us if we get off course. He knows every ploy the enemy plans to keep us away from our appointed times and our appointment. He has set reminders in the calendar of our soul to return and refresh.
Teshuvah is a time for us to set our hearts toward the affairs of God and ‘Return to the course He has called us to. Turning away from anything we know to be sin.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

11) For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

12) Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

13) You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.

It is the grace of God the leads us to repentance. He Woo’s and draws us, and we must answer. Our answer is determined and defined by our actions. Saying we are seeking God when we do not change will not give us the good fruit that we are born to produce. God is looking for those who are seeking with their whole heart.
If we find ourselves at this point begging God, it will not work. We return, we turn away from sin and return to God. As He leads, we continue to follow believing He has plans for our lives. We make plans to build according to God’s patterns and His desires.

I read a Charles Spurgeon quote yesterday; You must willfully divorce sin before you can come into covenant with and marry Christ.

Revelation 3:19 amplified
‘Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I rebuke and discipline [showing them their faults and instructing them]; so be enthusiastic and repent [change your inner self–your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior–seek God’s will].”

Feeling the tug on our heart according to Revelation 3:19, well that is good news, we are dearly loved. Think about that as we continue this Season of Repentance and Teshuvah leading up to Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement. A sacred appointed time for introspection and readjustment.

Don’t miss your appointment, Teshuvah; it is my favorite time of the year.

God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord life His countenance upon you and give you Shalom.

Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette

Welcome to Teshuvah Day 36-The Days of Awe

Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom

Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from The Lord.

verse 21 Heaven must receive Him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as He promised long ago through His holy prophets.

Come Away with Me
From My October Heart Series

How I love this season
My favorite time of Fall
I remember the drawing

My Saviors tender call

Come away with Me
For private time to talk
Is this why it is the best
Of nature’s spiritual walk

The beautiful sites
The weathers sounds
Leaves are changing
Brilliant colors abound

Come away He is calling
I hear His tender voice
Then I am reminded
We make the choice

So with my choice
Today I choose
In my October heart
My time to use

To seek Him diligently
Oh I must find
Time with Him
Nourishing sublime

Come away with Me
That welcoming draw
But why do I sense it
Strongest In the Fall

Is it because
He set eternity in our hearts
With special times
For us to come apart

A time to cast off
Away with old ways
Enriching our roots
So we can stay

In step and in line
With our call
There is something marvelous
About the season of Fall

As it is in Winter
Spring Summer or Fall
Softly and tenderly He is calling
Calling to one and to all.

Come away with Me He calls
One day we’ll understand
Seasonal changes
Designed by His hand

Autumn season signage
Beautifully designed
And perfectly orchestrated
From His marvelous mind
©laurette laster

2 Corinthians 6:2 For He says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

 

Appointed times; what does this mean for us? Do you think of something upcoming or do you think of something far off? Do you think I need to check my calendar? Do you like many when ask about an upcoming event or when offered an invitation, say let me check my calendar? Or perhaps we are reminded, “I’m not ready.”

The biblical meaning of seasons referred to in Genesis is not as we may think, winter, spring, summer, or fall. Season in Hebrew is a mo’ed or appointed time or meeting. A season or specific time set in creation for a specific purpose, fitting season, season, opportunity, occasion, time.

As I was meditating on God’s calendar and His appointed times I thought how we prepare and make our plans for the appointments we keep in the natural.

Many of us use calendars in our phones. Today’s technology affords us the convenience of electronic devices allowing us to set events and add reminders for upcoming plans.

I especially loved being able to set reminders for filter changes, license renewals, vent a hood cleaning, winterizing, and basic R&M issues for my store. By setting calendar reminders I remained current and up to date and there were no surprises when inspections came. I wasn’t caught off guard with a sense of urgency that I had failed to follow through, and we know equipment has a longer life with proper routine maintenance. With this thought I have to ask, do we not think God is smarter than we are and more efficient that any of our manmade systems?

Thinking about basic home or commercial maintenance I’m reminded of God’s spiritual maintenance on our lives and His manufacturer recommendations for continued warranty. He has “Set Times” to reset or for basic maintenance based on the manufacturer’s recommendation for longevity. God knows the dangers of operating without routine maintenance. He knows the dangers we are susceptible too by failing to follow and understand His appointments. By setting and keeping appointments to come away with Him we are in a sense recharging our spiritual batteries, and changing or cleaning our filters, etc.

Recently I was having a conversation and we discussed how the fall has a lonely feeling that creates an emotional draw in our souls. Some become sad, and some experience depression.

Basic human nature has a carnal tendency to take the easy way, or the path of least resistance. Having appointments requires that we make plans and preparations in order to be prepared or ready. How do we prepare when deep is calling to deep? Is this the draw we feel? Is it to indication for us to turn away from trivial or inconsequential matters?

These are appointments with God’s during His appointed seasons. His desire is that we stay focused on Him and His affairs.

We like trees are going to be working on maturing and bearing more fruit each season. In order to grow and mature we need to know and discern our seasons, therefore God has set reminders and appointments in our hearts.

We need time to rest and regain strength in order to bloom and produce. By keeping these appointments we can be sure we are operating at maximum potential. Without set times and time away with The Lord, we put ourselves in danger of forgetting the most effective and crucial requirement we have as believers, the assembly. What is most important?  Time with Him, while being reminded what is important to Him and what he requires. This time away is not only needed it is essential if our lives are to nourish others in our care.

As Christians, we like trees grow and change each year. If not we must examine and locate the problem. As we look over the past year, where we fruitful? Did we grow and produce good fruit? As believers we also have seasons of growth and maturity following seasons of root work. The nourishing and maturing is working during the root season, yet not made manifest or revealed until fruit season.

There is a deep work that should take place in our hearts each year if we are to more fruitful.

Trees have built in calendars and reminders, knowing the maintenance schedule they are instant in season and out of season. Nature has set reminders for all living things. As intelligent living beings, created in His image, we not only need but desire face to face encounters with our Lord throughout the year.

After all do you not find this extremely intoxicating? When we stop and consider He who calls us. The Lord Himself is initiating an intimate relationship and calls us to come apart from the business of our lives, ministries, businesses, or idle insignificant ideas? I encourage you to meditate on having a more intimate relationship with our Creator, Jehovah Jireh, our provider.

I pray that during this season of repentance, we Return and Teshuvah back to our first love. I pray we find Him, Praise Him and truly enjoy these times of refreshing. I pray we come away from this season with a deeper intimacy and a richer more meaningful purpose. I pray we have a new and deeper intimacy with Him. Deeper than ever before, I pray we know Him privately, personally, and publically. He is King of kings and LORD of lords.

I am growing this season and more in Love with Him. I pray you are also.

God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you Shalom.

Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette

 

 

 

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because He does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance

 

Welcome to Teshuvah Day 35 – The Days of Awe

 

At The Father’s Chair

 

In my October heart

I sense the call from Home

Now is not the time

To wander or to roam

Found in His love ready to become

Rooted securely grounded

His plans only good toward us

All His grace hath abounded

We need not be about worry

Nor succumb to dread and fear

For our Heavenly Father

Has called to each one come near

 

It is story time do hear

At Father’s bended knee

The book in His lap is opened

Come and have a seat and join me

 

What you may not know

Inscribed your name in there

It is written in His story

The one He loves to share

 

So gather round dear children

The story is about to begin

Listen as Father tells

The story authored and read by Him

 

 

This story He has written

And etched into the hearts

For others to discover

Exactly, you do have a part

 

What a fabulous story

Read over and over again

It is the redemption story

About a special design and plan

 

Those who came in reverence

With heads bowed down and listened

As He read out loud the names

Written in His palm each one glistened

 

Yes I did see your name

And I know for sure it is there

Come it is time for the reading

Find your seat at Father’s chair.

 

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2:6

 

On Rosh HaShanah it is said three books are open in heaven. The Father looks over the books to seal the fate of each person for the coming year. The book are closed and the plans for the coming year are sealed on Yom Kippur.

The blowing of the Shofar during the days of repentance is a wakeup call for our soul. Just as we set an alarm to wake up, allowing time to prepare for work and the day ahead, God has designed a wakeup call and an alarm for us. This alarm is so we make certain we are bathed (sanctified), dressed (In His Righteousness), and ready to go.

The period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is known as the “Ten Days of Repentance” (“Aseret Yemei Teshuvah”). According to traditional Jewish teaching, God opens the Book of Life each year on Rosh Hashanah to inscribe a person’s fate for the coming year, but does not seal that fate until Yom Kippur, the “Day of Atonement.” The Days of Repentance thus offer an observant Jew the opportunity to atone for past misdeeds, seek forgiveness, and mend his or her behavior through the practice of Teshuvah, or “return.”

Our repentance toward God does not repair our misdeeds with others. We are required to go and ask them for forgiveness as well as forgive others.

Called the season of repentance or the time of return, is time given to seek the Father and His face. Face to face is a term that is defined as in His presence. Realizing we are going to reap what we’ve shown makes us reflect on our actions of the past year.

I pray you have done so well that you are asking for a double portion and a bumper return. However if this isn’t the case, there is time to repent. We can always repent, but the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is a special sacred season (mo’ed or appointment) set by God. If you find yourself in a waiting season, I pray strength for soul and calm for your heart.

As we read and study The Lord’s word I pray we experience and hear a loving Father telling a beautiful story. His story about how His people realized His great love for them and returned home. At The Fathers call we anxiously return to Him.

Repent and return, He is about to read from the books and He has relented and left us a blessing.

Joel 2:13-14 (NKJV) So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him— A grain offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God.

God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord cause His countenance to rise upon you and give you Shalom.

Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette

 

 

 

Welcome to Teshuvah Day 34 The Days of Awe

Acts 20:20-21 How I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house,
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:21-22 Is the law then against the promises of God?

The Days of Awe

Be open my heart

To God’s perfect law

During this season

Ten Days of Awe

Written and stamped

Before my face

I’m returning to You

Back I trace

 

In meditation I consider

All You have done

From beginning to end

The rising of the sun

 

A time of dancing

And a time to shout

The Lord renown

Is calling out

 

Blow the shofar

It is My decree

And I’ll remember

You’re calling for Me

 

Come now come quickly

The way is open

Invitation spoken

Loves pure devotion

 

This time is sacred

And set is the course

Repent and return

Finish regret and remorse

 

For only pure hearts

My people do know

Is to them the climb

I can bestow

 

My face new heights

Will come into view

When onward then upward

You push on and continue

 

laurette laster © 2017

Numbers 10:9 NLT
““When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies who attack you, sound the alarm with the trumpets.
Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies.”

Psalms 24:4-5 NLT
“Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?”
“Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior.”

Often we may see the scriptures as Old and New forgetting this is one book. We know that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. I love what the apostle Paul said in Acts 20:21 posted above. As he is nearing the end of his ministry, the apostle Paul summarizes his doctrine and his gospel as he says in one sentence, I have taught repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

As we talked about earlier this season of Teshuvah, repentance is the key to The Door, opening the way, clearing the debris, revealing The Way to a journey of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.  Without repentance you can work the doctrines of a church and a religion, but with true heartfelt repentance we have access to a very real, intimate relationship with our Father in heaven. A relationship by returning to what pleases our Father and doing what His word says.

I read recently “Plowing”  is the word given to another prophet for the year 5780/2020. And those that have read my blogs this season, know The Lord began Teshuvah using poetic parables, teaching how to plow and clear our fields. To have an intimate relationship with our Lord, we need to be rid of old dead stuff and thinking, the overgrown weeds, scrub brush and unkempt fields. How can we see what is of Him if our fields are cluttered with old stalks and dead stuff? This is our season to prepare and plant for a new harvest.

A secure relationship with Jesus Christ is so comforting and freeing. Having the assurance of eternity with God, as believers there isn’t a greater joy or peace. This is the healing balm healing our heart. However being free actually is an opening to a deeper longing. Knowing others have not yet received the grace and freedom brought through salvation, causes a deep yearning. We sense the heart of our Father urging us to pray and intercede for the lost. A healed heart has a longing for other hearts to be healed, and come to the saving knowledge through faith, in our Lord Jesus Christ. Our salvation is just the first step to true freedom. As a believer in Yeshua it is impossible to know peace until our loved ones are saved. The apostle Paul said he preached repentance to God and faith in Jesus Christ.

Repentance is not groveling over past mistakes. When I talk about repentance I am not suggesting this behavior. My past sins are repented of and I am forgiven and cleansed, I am certain of this. I no longer worry I have to do something in order to pay God back. We cannot pay back if we wanted to. Forgiveness is our free gift given to us when we receive the gift of salvation through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. However fully seeing and comprehending the price Jesus paid, we are (or should be) cut to the heart, realizing we owe ALL to God, after becoming a new creation we are ministers of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:19-20 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.…

Are we interceding for the lost, and for our Nation? If not we do need to repent and begin to intercede. We have the gift or eternal life, we should go tell others. Some of the best messages are taught and use words only when necessary.

Galatians 3:21-22 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord cause His countenance to rise upon you and give you Shalom.

Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette

 

 

Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

Teshuvah; return, repent, rebuild, restore.

 

During the Days of Awe

Season of our repentance

During The Days Of Awe

To know You and be known

Hungering for more as You draw

 

Certain all is well

Touched by Your hand of mercy

Longing to be closer still

This season has such urgency

 

I sense Your tender call

To know You and be known

Lord open wide our hearts

Turning to You alone

May The Days Of Awe

Be effective and evident

Knowing and being known

Hearts become affectionate

 

Season of our repentance

During The Ten Days Of Awe

Longing for more of You

Drawn by relationship not law

 

© laurette laster

 

Reading from the book of Nehemiah, we learn that Nehemiah is allowed to leave his position as cup bearer, for the king, to rebuild the wall and gates around his beloved city of Jerusalem.

 

What a tender yet beautiful picture, realizing the utter destruction and consequences of their sin, God draws Nehemiah to return. He is willing to return and aid in the restoration, this is one part of the work of Teshuvah.

As we begin to understand the spiritual condition of our United States, realizing we have become slack in our boundaries, seeing we are without walls and gates, we cry out to God for His great mercy. A repentant heart cries out for mercy and restoration. A repentant heart’s desire is to say, Oh Lord what must I do. To become part of a needed solution, we seek God for the restoration of all things. We cry out for the merciful Hand of God to cover us, knowing that sin deserves judgment.

Nehemiah hearing reports of his home land, we see him repenting for the sins of his father’s and the sins of the Nation.

Nehemiah is challenged by Sanballet’s threats, an attempt to stop the work. Nehemiah is wise to the fact that Sanballet hires other men to distract him. Nehemiah continues his work to rebuild the wall and the gates of Jerusalem. Nehemiah has set his affection and devotion to the work of rebuilding and restoring the walls that God has placed in his heart, determined he will not stop.

 

Then Ezra, the Priest, begins reading from the book of the Law of Moses. The people are cut at their hearts and cry at the hearing of the words from the Torah. The people of God wept as the high priest read from the book of the law being sure they understood what was taught.

Oh God, I pray for a harvest of tenderness of hearing Your word.

 

Reading further we discover the time of these events, it is during the Fall Feasts.

 

As we Teshuvah we too are readying ourselves to become wall builders, repairing gates. We begin to see in God’s word that we have a kingdom purpose to set things right. As it is in heaven so shall in be on earth; isn’t that the prayer Yeshua taught. As we study the scriptures we realize there is work to be done.

 

The Ten Days of Awe are a sacred holy time. These are God’s appointed times and His Holy Festivals.

Do you sense the draw of The Father’s heart? I sure do……………………………………..

 

So many of our Fall traditions in the United States come from these mo’eds. When we understand this, it becomes even more real to us.

 

Don’t miss your appointment; your field assignment is amazing. Teshuvah, is my favorite time of year.

 

“When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!””

Nehemiah 4:20 NLT

 

God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord cause His countenance to rise upon you and give you Shalom.

Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette