Category: poetry

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

2 Corinthians 7:10 godly sorrow that leads to repentance never to be repented of again, leading to salvation. I would say that is indeed a good sorrow.

“Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to The LORD your God, for He is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.

Welcome to Teshuvah

 

Teshuvah

Repent confess

And start anew

With vows of peace

Yes push through

 

Into the ways

And will of God

Until at last

Your feet are shod

 

Readied feet

Prepared in peace

Appointed times

God’s Holy Feasts

For there is a way

Known to man

The end destructive

Not God’s plan

 

Change your mind

Rend your heart

Today is the day

For a brand new start

 

Laurette laster © 2017 September

 

Joel 2:13 NLT

“Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to The LORD your God, for He is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.

 

 

During the Days of Awe we confess and repent. This is the time the books of heaven are said to be open.

True repentance is never late and late repentance is never true.

Teshuvah, Return, bring forth fruit worthy of repentance.

During this season of Teshuvah we are being wooed to come back to our first love.

The Days of Awe………

Repentance has many sides and one of them is praise. We consider who God is and this leads us to praise!

Realizing God is calling us to return to Him, we are amazed with wonder. When we realize God Almighty, The Creator of the universe and Creator of everything we see and touch, knows our name, it is a game changer.

The wonder and awe of a God, who so loves us, that He is saying, come up here, come meet with Me. I want to meet with you, I long to fellowship with you. The seasons, or appointed times are set in eternity. They come around in order that we may acknowledge who God is, and in acknowledging Him, we return to Him.

Our Father is gracious, forgiving wickedness, sin and rebellion.

Today if you are a recipient of the kindness of God, He is looking for ROI- Return On Investment. It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance.

Can there be good sorrow? The Bible tells of such sorrow.

2 Corinthians 7:10 godly sorrow that leads to repentance never to be repented of again, leading to salvation. I would say that is indeed a good sorrow.

NLT version- for the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There is no regret for this kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

This sorrow and/or repentance will produce 7 things:

1. Earnestness- ready to clear ourselves of the charges against us.
2. Concern to clear ourselves- disgusted with the wrong we have done.
3. Indignation- afraid of reaping what we’ve shown.
4. Such alarm – because of our choices and actions.
5. A longing to see God- understanding that our sin hinders intimacy with God.
6. Zeal- willing to do whatever it takes.
7. A readiness to see justice done and people led away from the enemies snare. We desire to be on Gods side.

Then we know we have done everything necessary to make things right.

When we repent at this level we praise God for His mercy. We understand and know we deserved judgment but instead we received mercy, why, because of His great love for us.

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

 

 

Hosea 14:2 NLT

Bring your confessions, and return to the LORD. Say to him, “Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer You our praises.

Welcome to Teshuvah, Tishri 2 Day 31 of 40 Days of Teshuvah

Thank you Lord

A Sin Searing Revival

 

We need a sin searing revival

To sweep across our land

A revival that will pierce the hearts

Cause brothers and sisters to band

 

“Sin searing revival”

Come forth now and do not stop

Until our enemies be destroyed

From the bottom to the top

 

Out with all this evil unbelief

The fighting and the stench

It’s time to get real church

The enemy of mankind to lynch

 

I’m praying for a sin searing revival

To sweep across our land

Will you join with me

As we unite in prayer and stand

 

Together in prayer we’ll praise

And thank our Father God

That He not only hears our prayer

But listens and He nods

Saying to His counsel

Do you hear My people’s prayer

Answers coming swiftly

Like Fire from The Masters Chair

 

Jesus is our High Priest

He listens as we pray

So we shall not be silent

Offering heaven words to obey

 

Pray and praise and call again

He is signing prayer requests

God is hearkening to our words

Offers freedom to all who are oppressed

 

Heaven moves when we pray

Our words have power and meaning

We cannot sit and wonder

Which direction God is leaning

 

Jesus said pray and believe

Ask without reserve

Because when we pray

We know that He has heard

 

When heaven hears we know we have

The petitions as we await the arrival * 1John 5:14-15

Because heaven is calling out to us

Now church, it is our time to usher in “sin searing revival!”

 

© laurette laster

 

 

A new beginning starts by dying.

In early Morning Prayer, last year I ask God for a sincere revival to hit our hearts and land. As I was praying He interrupted me, and interjected in my spirit; He BOLDLY said, “NO! What you need is a sin searing revival. Yes that is what we need.

And I thought that is exactly what we need. Oh God send us a sin searing revival.

 

When He does this, I realize how changing our confession, and the words, changes every part of what we are asking The Lord for. Then we are indeed praying according to His will. Listening to His heart cuts through the chase. I still pray and desire a sin searing revival.

What does sincere mean? Who decides what is sincere? How do we measure a person’s sincerity? What is the difference between genuine sincerity and an outward appearance of sincerity, with an attempt to deceive?

Sincerity does have a measurement and is seen by others if it is genuine. True sincerity is seen in our actions or should we say by the changing of our actions, brought on by a change of perception in our mind. The word repentance comes from the Greek word metanoia.

According to New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology Zondervan

The Greek word metanoia is not a compound word of meta and noia. Meta means “with or among” but noia is not a Greek word. The Greek word for mind is nous. The two compound words comprising metanoia are meta, “after or with,” and noeo, “to perceive with the mind.” Thus metanoia literally means “after perception with the mind.”

We return after we understand or Teshuvah through seeking understanding of God and ask what does it mean?

Realizing God has a plan and a purpose that we do not perceive and interpret correctly, is the time to die to our overrated thinking system, and confess we do not understand.

Jesus describes perception while teaching his disciples in Matthew 13:13-15

“Therefore I speak to them in parables because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled which says: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing and their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.

 

All new beginnings start with dying. As fall changes come we are again reminded that repentance is a beautiful time. Before casting off the leaves a tree pulls the nutrients from the leaf and stores the nutrients in the heart or root system.

Isn’t that what we should do? Take an accounting of the previous year. Take the good stuff we’ve learned, like nutrients into our soul as lessons learned before letting it go. Every circumstance, even the harshest ones, has something good with it. The worst experience can teach us priceless lessons. Like what we do not want, while the sweetest lessons leave us hungering for more.

Is this what Romans 8:28 means? “Now we know that for those who love God all things are working together for good-for those, I mean, whom with deliberate purpose He has called.”

All things, what are all things? Would they include the good and the bad, the bitter and the sweet, the challenging and the easy, the wanted and the unwanted? I believe the answer is yes.

So as we take words and our confession during The Ten Days of Awe I pray we repent and ask God to send us a sincere and genuine SIN SEARING revival. revive us

Hosea 14:2 NLT Bring your confessions, and return to the LORD. Say to him, “Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer You our praises.

1. Personally
2. Within families
3. Neighborhoods
4. Cities
5. Counties
6. States
7. And our Nation

Then we will see genuine change. These are perilous times but God has called us to meet with Him during His High Holy Seasons and Mo’edim. He is calling the congregation to appear before Him.

 

Don’t miss your appointment. Teshuvah 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 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 30 Tishrei 1, 5780

Today is Tishrei 1, 5780 on the Hebrew Calendar.

 

New Season

 

Plowed and turned, ready anew

My field is ready, new season in view

Those who seek now shall find

The law of love on hearts will bind

 

At your command, meditate and grow

Studying Your word, so I may know

No more side roads or detours

It is only with your word, I confer

 

Receive my orders and assignment

My steps are planned, now in alignment

Not your acts, it is for Your ways I long

Hearts get ready to sing a new song

 

There is a place You  created

How long oh Lord I have waited

To hear you say and call for me

Speak my name and off I’ll be

 

At your instructions, joyously obey

Yes I’ll observe to follow in Your way

laurette laster © 2017

 

 

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.

For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.””

Joshua 1:8-9 NKJV

 

 

Is this Due Season…………….. We know it absolutely is due season. The question is what have we planted? We shall reap (whatever we planted) if we faint not. If you decide you do not want to reap what you have planted you have an appointment with The Father to repent and replant your fields.

Welcome to the New Year, time for agricultural planting.

Blowing the shofar sounds the alarm, wake up the sleeping, and notify them of the time (wake up to the dangers of attack by the enemy. Repent and return to the call of God. Receive His offer to take our position and receive assignments, become vineyard workers), out of their slumber.

We are told to produce fruit worthy of repentance. It is about the Lords timing and His seasons.

kai·ros is aa propitious moment for decision or action!

 

STRONGS NT 2540: καιρός Kairos fitting season, season, opportunity, occasion, time.

2540 kairós – time as opportunity. 2540 /kairós (“opportune time”) is derived from kara (“head”) referring to things “coming to a head” to take full-advantage of. 2540 (kairós) is “the suitable time, the right moment (e.g. Soph., El. 1292), a favorable moment” (DNTT, 3, 833).

limited) period of time: (1 Corinthians 7:29); plural the periods prescribed by God to the nations, and bounded by their rise and fall, Acts 17:26; καιροί καρποφοροι, the seasons of the year in which the fruits grow and ripen, Acts 14:17

 

Luke 3:8 NIV

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

 

Luke 3:8 New Living Translation

Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.

 

What a perfect explanation of Teshuvah

 

—————————————

 

According to Chabad.com

The High Holidays are a time of personal introspection and soul-searching. We are enjoined to make up a mental balance sheet listing all of our spiritual shortcomings and accomplishments during the past year.

We take time to contemplate our choices: where did we make the right ones, and where, unfortunately, the wrong ones? How can we do better in the year ahead? In this accounting, we need to take personal responsibility; at some point, we need to do this alone.

 

————————————-

 

Don’t miss the season, the Kairos and appointed time of Teshuvah , my favorite time of the year.

 

 

This is the day of coronation for the king.

 

Make the decision to crown Jesus, Lord and King of your life today. You alone must decide.

 

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 Elul 29

Elul twenty nine

The last day is here

Oh the divine goodness

Harvest is so near

 

When we began the season

He taught us with rhyme

Teaching us to become fruitful

Abiding in “The Vine”

 

This Vineyard is on loan

But requires constant tending

But I’ve enjoyed every moment

The Fruit shall be never ending

My tattered work clothes are perfect

The gloves, boots, and shovel

Because He knew what I needed

For the lessons we would uncover

 

Elul twenty nine

What a remarkable season

We shall go rejoicing

And repentance is the reason

 

Jesus said repent

For the kingdom of heaven is nigh

Likened it to a Vineyard

And now we know why!

 

This time established precedence

Working the vineyard continues forever

Yom Teruah the Blowing

When we abide with Him forever

 

© laurette laster

 

 

Wow, what a splendid month of Elul. A few days before the month of Elul began the Lord poured out the first 12-14 poems (I don’t exactly remember the number) that I posted, I was completely amazed. I’ve never had anything like this happen before. For about an hour and half I just sat and typed these words into my phone, day by day and truth by truth, they just flowed.

He began to tell a story as I penned or typed the words. He told a story about working the fields or vineyards, preparing them to plant. He told the story of a younger me, how overwhelmed I was at the beginning seeing the overgrown field representing the damage caused by my old unrepentant heart. I hadn’t known about the things of God and had a field of weeds of scrub brush. He continued to tell about meeting me daily as we visited and did the hard work of repentance and Teshuvah. How I love this season and a never ending newness He brings.  He used stones, weeds, and scrub brush to represent the hardness of my very damaged hurting heart. He showed me and taught me about hearts of un-forgiveness, resentments, jealousy, envy, blame, or half heartedness teaching these will not allow a heart in that condition to be fruitful.

 

As I began to write I saw that the work clothes required were provided by Him, that He was with me every step of the way. The work was a joint venture with Him teaching me why the hard places had to be plowed under, repented of. Each year He teaches me new and deeper truths about Teshuvah.

Tonight at Sundown, my husband Greg and I, were teaching on Yom Teruah, The Bridegroom and the Bride and the catching away.

Yom Teruah, the Hidden Day, The Day of The Great Shout, The Blowing of The Shofar,

No man knows the day or the hour when the Bridegroom will return.

Matthew 24:36 WNT “But as to that day and the exact time no one knows–not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

 

Welcome Tishrei 1, 5780 in the Hebrew calendar. The Days of Awe are here and Elul 5779 is in the books and the year of 5779 has come to an end. 5780 is going to be a year of uncovering foundational truths and taking back what the enemy has stolen. Keep your work clothes handy, it isn’t a time to be lax, we must be about the Father’s vineyard. The precious fruit on the vine is for Him.

Prepare to be in your vineyard and tend it day and night. L’Shana Tova as we abide in the Vine.

 

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

 

I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who continues in me and in whom I continue bears abundant fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

 

Welcome to Teshuvah Elul 28

Elul twenty eight

Today and one more

So much accomplished

The sacred time with Him how I adore

 

What a time in His Torah

With my Savior and King

His lessons and teachings

Have been heart cleansing

 

The field will be sprouting

There is new Life all around

It shall be a glorious harvest

The precious fruit abounds

When looking unto Jesus

Faiths Author and Finisher

Has made known this season

He is my vineyard replenisher

 

It become blatantly apparent

Why I was unable to be fruitful

Because without abiding in the Vine

All work is completely futile

 

© laurette laster 2019

 

While turning my thoughts to the Fall Feasts and many traditions in the USA, I realize more and more why God hates mixture. In the book of Revelation He says I’d rather you be hot or cold because lukewarm is a mixture or a hint of both. Have you known people you’re not really sure who they are? Jesus tells us to let our yes be yes and our no mean no.

The State Fair of Texas just kicked off this week. I’ve noticed for several years that many traditions we have seem to mimic our Jewish Ancestors and the deep Jewish roots. And if I am correct, they are certainly defiled.

I don’t believe it has been done with malice but I do believe it is Satan’s strategy to take us slightly off course. Our ignorance has kept us veering further and further off course until someone discovers God’s truth and begins to live by His truth.

The word ignorance is to ignore. See how a simple truth has gotten way off from what God ordained and called.

The booths at carnivals sure look like the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths, but the meaning now carnal, relating to or given to worldly desires and we call them carnivals. Go figure.

Could this be a coincidence? Is this a coincidence? The word carnival was first used in the 1600’s. I certainly am not against the fun of Fairs and carnivals, do we glimpse where this originated? At State Fairs there are jelly making contest, fruit dish baking contest, and other crafts. All of these following the fruit harvest. Classic movies show how the fairs were community events, bringing family’s outdoors, together. These were fun festive times, to show off their cooking skills and other talents.

I truly believe today’s celebrations has its beginnings in God’s original Feast and mo’eds.

When doing the work of repentance we denounce the fleshly carnal desires, turn back to God, and His ways. God is the originator of good times and festive events. Any time we bring our sensual desires into the equation we will get off and miss the mark. Sin is called missing the mark, we see how being slightly off at the beginning can cause complete shipwreck in a few generations. I love when I begin to see that God’s original design is everywhere. Satan corrupts through slight deviations, hoping we don’t notice. His tactic hasn’t changed since the garden. When we ignore God’s laws and commands it takes us into complete ignorance followed by judgment.

I’ve recently learned that compasses have two North’s. Did you know that? I did not know this, or if I have ever learned this I’ve forgotten. There is North, and there is true North on compasses.

So there is almost going God’s way and there is His Way that is Absolute Truth. The Truth we know is Jesus Christ. He did not abolish the law He fulfilled the law in love. He made a way that we can repent and escape judgment. He laid down His life, any who repent have redemption and the remission of sin. And that is the gospel and the good news.

As the month of Elul draws to a close we look toward The Ten Days of Awe, a time of introspection. Earlier this month I thought about our Jewish brothers and sisters coming back after captivity. In the book of Nehemiah, as Ezra read from the Torah, the people wept, hearing the words from the Torah cut to their heart. Can you remember a time like this? I sure can.

I remember when I realized how far off I was and how generational ignorance had taken a toll on our family. It only takes one to Teshuvah and return and begin to pray for your loved ones.

So 40 Days of Teshuvah, the days of the Hebrew month of Elul added to The Days of Awe, leading up to The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur. Think about this. To be certain they didn’t get too far off they added extra time to the season of our repentance, additional time spent with our Lord. How can we go wrong becoming radical? I know I would rather ere on the side of doing more than hoping I can slide by. But the truth is, love makes you long to stay. When we are in love we look forward to talking to our loved one. We look forward to sharing special events and happenings from our day. Isn’t it nice to get a call or a text, saying I love you. That is the heart of Teshuvah. I pray you have grown to love the Lord more this season than ever before. We are called to bear fruit and this is seasonal and continuous.

I pray we do not ignore the love of our Savior and how God has prepared a way that leads to our bearing much fruit by abiding in The Vine. Jesus said, apart for Me you can do nothing. The definition of the word futile means to be of no kingdom use, God forbid. God is all about His kingdom and we are commanded to be fruitful.

The sweetness God requires is that His people bear much fruit by abiding in The Vine.

Don’t miss this sweet season, the Season of Teshuvah, The Season of our Repentance, 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 cause His countenance to rise upon you and give you Shalom.

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