Silently sundown nears Do you hear what I hear Listen to the sound Festival of Dedication is near
Miracle of miracles Time to persevere Let His Light so shine There is no time to fear
A Festival of Dedication Jesus in the crowd The Light has come They challenged out loud
Tell us now If thou be the Messiah Miracle in their midst Foretold from Jeremiah
There is a God in Israel He is salvations Horn Today in the city of David Behold the King is Born
Sundown nears, my spirit senses His nearness. Jesus Christ is calling His followers to show their discipleship.
Tonight is the beginning of the celebration of the Festival of Dedication. The Light of the World shines brightly. He has arrived and has amply supplied. When darkness attempts to obscure, conceal, dispel or overcome The Light, we know it is time to persevere.
Keep your lamps burning, laurette
“Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.” John 10:22-25 NKJV
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.
Day 48 and the excitement builds. Our risen Savior, Jesus Christ spent 40 days with His disciples, Acts 1:3. After His traumatic crucifixion, their resurrected Lord and Teacher, the Master now teaches them, again. Listening, talking with Him, asking questions, can’t you just picture them, deer in the headlights look on their faces, asking the Master, how will we ever remember all these things? From John 14:26, Jesus assures them.
The disciples were attempting to understand, kind of getting it, but not completely, remembering all those things He said. I beleive the eleven were given a class that we glean from in their writings. The first Holy Ghost meeting.
“Ten Days to Tarry”
They have ten days, choose the twelfth, teach the others all He had shared with them pertaining to the kingdom of God. I beleive they were all in one accord hanging on every word…
Now He had ascended leaving
“Ten days to tarry.”
How can one prepare for what has never been seen before?
That’s exactly what I’m feeling. An excitement, the reason for the warfare, the enemy’s attempt to knock us off balance, make us quit, cause us to give up…
The Count is Crucial
Planting of the seed Entering in the dark damp season Seemingly of no value Without rhyme or reason
We must die to self In order to learn His ways His ways are not ours Measure weeks, counting days
See and glean from weeks Remaining steadfast and accurate To lose count and quit is death His promise is immaculate
When The Day had fully come They in one accord did stand Waited on the gift of the Father Just as Jesus did command
The count now at fifty Observers, could they know They would house the kingdom of God Tongues of fire, The Spirit did show
From heaven poured out Sound as a mighty rushing wind Power from on high to be Called witnesses Of Him
Our Jewish brothers and sisters Will complete what was begun Because the fullness of the Gentiles Is determined by The One
John 14:26 Amplified Bible But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.
I’m counting on it, 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 cause His countenance to rise upon and give you Shalom.
Until next time, thanks for listening with me, laurette
More often than not, we sense change long before we see it. Our reaction, or better yet, our response to change is crucial. I continue to be amazed how something dying mesmerizes me. I know this must be like a soul dying to self or selfish ambitions. Heavens glimpse of repentance…
We may glean a minute understanding of why heaven rejoices.
Upon finding His lost sheep, Jesus said, “”rejoice with Me.“
“I tell you there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.””
What a beautiful site. Soon our trees will be glistening gold.
Glimpses of Ex-Change
Delicate and elusive Difficult to understand Disguised in purpose Expert plan
Subtle and new Glimpses of change Meticulous care The Great exchange
Like seasons on earth, and the work of the trees, we also continue dying to self as part of the process of sanctification. As such, repentance and dying to self is both a one-time event and a lifelong process.
“So with God’s enablement we will move on to deeper truths.” Hebrews 6:3 TPT I’m excited about what next season holds. Deep and profound truths await 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, thanks for listening with me, laurette
This morning, on the patio, I watched as this butterfly tried her wings; over and over; open and close; open and close. This made me think, breathe in, breathe out, repeat.
I’m reminded each season offers us new opportunities, new challenges, higher callings. Coming from the depth of winter root season is like a butterfly, we are coming out of the latest seasonal cocoon.
Their Houdini like escape actually strengthens them to make the journey, any assistance and they are doomed. The hard work of emerging strengthens their wings, the drying, the flexing their wings, all of this work is to prepare them to fly.
The monarch migrates back to its place of origin, however this takes generations.
Open, Close, Repeat.
Open, Close, Repeat Breath in, breathe out, defeat Break loose from the cocoon God makes room
Soon you will fly New wings to try This is your fight To help you take flight
Breathe in, breath out Never give way to doubt You’re more than know Soon it will show
With strong wings you will fly For our God has supplied From the dark, submerged A victor has emerged
Keep fighting, you’re are going to break out. I speak blessings of victory over each and everyone of you today.
Psalm 139:16-17
Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me where written in Your book before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!
How vast the sum of them!
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.
Did you know? We get our spring cleaning rituals from our Jewish brothers and sisters? Yes, it is true! This tradition has roots all the way back to Egypt.
We are the church of the firstborn. Hebrews 12
As the children of God prepared to celebrate Passover and the feast of unleavened bread, their houses would be thoroughly cleansed. The commandment and statute of “no yeast for the feast” of unleavened bread, is taken very seriously. As they cleaned their houses, ridding all chametz, so we too thought to cleanse our houses.
It’s time! Passover begins Wednesday night at sundown.
Time to clean this house!
Time to clean this house Out with the yeast Levin is the sin of man That determines to the least
We show ourselves prepared examine every inch Every corner and the cracks Light of a candle, reveals a pinch
We will not be negligent Nor overlook a crumb Satan hopes we’re lackadaisical Presuming we are dumb
We will take a feather Dust this entire place Whisk even crumbs into a bag Outside to burn, leaving no trace
We are not surprised by Pharaohs ploys and tactics God said no time for yeast leaving in haste, departure climactic
Having witnessed every plague Now we know without a doubt God is not slow nor is He slack Making known His power bringing us out
No longer slaves veiled or separated Led out by the power of God Delivering us out of Egypt Eye witness to His power, we’ve been awed
No moaning or complaining Can come across our lips We do not want to be the ones Left to die because we quipped
Give no provision to grumbling Only believe and obey He is going to takes us out But why the longest way
Cleansing us from Egypt’s ways Teaching us how to live as free We are citizens of a different land By faith created to have liberty
He will safely bring us out With His righteous right arm Into the land He promised Safe from all of life’s harm
Poem written by laurette laster @ 2018 March
God is not looking for a perfect people, He is looking for a faithful people who know we need a Savior, Helper, and Shepherd!
Deuteronomy 16:3 ISV You must not eat any yeast with it. Instead, for seven days eat bread without yeast—the bread of affliction—because you left the land of Egypt in haste. Remember the day you went out of the land of Egypt for the rest of your lives.
Proverbs 20:27 KJV The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
Blessings, laurette
L’Shana Haba’ah B’Yerushalayim A picture of final redemption
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
“You are not forgotten, for you have been chosen and destined by Father God. The Holy Spirit has set you apart to be God’s holy ones, obedient followers of Jesus Christ who have been gloriously sprinkled with his blood. May God’s delightful grace and peace cascade over you many times over!” 1 Peter 1:2 TPT
God’s people pushed out, expelled, liberated; wait! They are free but dependant. Like newborns babes.. (1 Peter 2:2), helpless, in constant need. The need for food, water, comfort and provision is beyond their grasp. Obedience is crucial. Their destination is marked. Now completely at the mercy of the God of their fathers. The I Am. God’s people, His children, called to be a holy nation, a kingdom of priests a holy priesthood, according to His foreknowledge (Genesis 15). The groaning, the travailing, God heard their groanings, like a woman in the throngs of labor, He came down to rescue and deliver them, (Exodus 3:8).
Concerned for them, the time had come, the hard labor, unbearable. The tight place, The Hebrew word for Egypt is Mitzrayim, which translates as “tight place, narrow, straights, blockages. This place has caused them grow, to increase in number, but the time of slavery must end.
The newly born Nation of Israel, the children of Israel are in more danger, vulnerable, at God’s sovereign mercy, fragile covered in blood, by the blood, protected and extremely loved; more than they could think or imagine.
On their way to Mount Sinai. The Law of God awaits. The meeting place. This great deliverance still talked about today. The Exodus, the judgement against Pharoah, pushed out with mighty signs and wonders, the Greatest power shown…
That Is Until… Until the resurrection of Christ. From a borrowed tomb Christ lifeless body is raised to life, raised to immortality by the Power of God! Hope! Expectancy! New Life! The Resurrection Power of our God is here! But there is more. Wait for it.
Tarry here in Jerusalem. Do not leave Jesus said, until you be endued with power from upon high. Would Yahweh share His great power, His resurrection power… Fifty Days. Feast Of Weeks! Counting the Omer! Pentecoste!
The Firstborn! The First fruits!
Oh the excitement is brewing but the journey had struggles, trials, temptations; oh but the hope!
Excerpt from
Carpe Diem He Made a Way
In brokenness and despair, I fell to my knees, I cried out to My Savior, “Oh Jesus save me!”
Do not become hopeless If you are broken or sad He is in the waiting Not angry, nor mad
He made a way Though not easy or trite He knows your victory Is seized by the fight
I’ve come to tell you To pick up that bible Read it for yourself It is totally reliable
Ready to take root His word is alive and powerful Planted securely in your heart Growing where allowable
Our Lord willingly gave His life, The shame and pain The Cross He endured, His blood for our gain.
So I say to you Carpe Diem-and get ready Because God has a plan…. The victory is won already!
Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero. (Pluck the day [for it is ripe], trusting as little as possible in tomorrow.) Horace, The Odes of Horace
“But the truth is, Christ is risen from the dead, as the firstfruit of a great resurrection harvest of those who have died. Even as all who are in Adam die, so also all who are in Christ will be made alive. But each one in his proper order: Christ, the firstfruits, then those who belong to Christ in his presence.” 1 Corinthians 15:20, 22-23 TPT
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
Under harsh circumstances, seemingly intolerable temperature differences, at the mercy of the elements, through all extremes, in good times and bad, but knowing her roots run deep.
Yes! That is it. The game changer. The roots! The tree is held in place by her roots. How deep are our roots? How strong, how deep, how wide? Then I’m reminded. I can’t give up I’m planted. It isn’t really up to me anyway. (Ephesians 3:17-18)
I’m made to weather the seasons, season after season, after season; and so are you. Actually I’ve grown quite strong and if you dare to look, so have you. What meant to break me, has caused me to heal stronger. Like a tree, the strongest winds cause it to fracture, and then heal. At each healed place there is more strength. Without winds of adversity the tree would be soft never gaining the strength to stand and produce. The healed fractures cause the tree to become pliable, able to bend but not break. Supple enough to bend because of the mend, bend but not break. Growing stronger and stronger, becoming more and more fruitful, only with each season.
Don’t be discouraged we are about to be more fruitful than we’ve ever been. We have endured, we have healed, or are healing. This fruit is for those coming behind us. We want it to be the best we’ve ever grown and the sweetest they’ve known. God knew this. Yes, He knows exactly what it takes. Our Master Gardner knows, that’s why we need these extreme almost intolerable circumstances, to make us the most fruitful we’ve ever been. To nourish and enrich those coming behind us.
So as I think about, I do have hope. I pray you do too. It isn’t over, it’s a new beginning.
And I do believe; the best is yet to come.
“And they shall be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated” (Isaiah 61:3-4).
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, thanks for listening with me. Laurette
““Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”” Luke 2:14 NKJV
Peace On Earth
At this special season When gifts are normally given I have my online order ready I am sending it to You in heaven
Is it too late for first class delivery From Your heart to their address You know the ones I pray for Yes I am partial I must confess
I think they’ll be amazed When they see it is from You They’ve been so hurried this season With all the things, so much to do
Lord what is the perfect gift this year, Hope and Peace! Likened to the hush of angels wings Oh yes their spirits will soar With hearts set free to sing
You will be delivering the gift in person Oh no I’m not surprised Why didn’t I think of this Placed right before their eyes
Thank You Lord for taking My online order this late I know it’s so close to Christmas I adore how You relegate
Thank You for Special Delivery Upgraded at no extra cost Free for returning customers Wow! Personalized and embossed
When they see their name Etched into Your palm May their hearts soak in Christmas peace and healing balm
The gift that last forever Offering hope to one and all Yes Jesus was delivered for us Peace on earth, Christmas altar call
Often we find ourselves hurried with last minute shopping and gifts to buy. Making certain no one is without a gift on Christmas Day. I cannot think of anything worse than to have someone in my home or at my gathering that didn’t have or receive a gift. Can you imagine the sting to the one left out? Imagine if you will if that someone were you, or one you loved. Oh our heart would break. We would feel the ache in the heart of one we loved. How much more the Father longs for each of us to receive His gift of salvation. The gift delivered at Christmas is opened at the cross but you must receive to understand and open.
As families gather this year I pray a deep famishing soul hunger engulf those around us. For unsaved or prodigals I pray they realize their spiritual starvation. Like the aroma from the oven I pray a soul hunger is ignited. If there be any in our midst without salvation I pray their soul hungers, sensing the love of Christ-mas. I pray they cry out for their gift, the gift of God’s redemptive love from Christ our Savior. This Christmas let’s not forget the True Gift, the gift of Jesus Christ who came to give light to a dark lost world. I pray we lead others who will pray the sinners prayer. What a gift for our Lord!
Oh yes Father, stir up the gift inside of every believer. Let the aroma of Christmas’ Love cause others to cry out where is my gift? I long for the gift of salvation Lord Jesus! Yes, what a celebration.
Merry Christmas
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
“After this the Feast of Dedication [of the reconsecration of the temple] was taking place at Jerusalem. It was winter, And Jesus was walking in Solomon's Porch in the temple area. So the Jews surrounded Him and began asking Him, How long are You going to keep us in doubt and suspense? If You are really the Christ (the Messiah), tell us so plainly and openly. Jesus answered them, I have told you so, yet you do not believe Me [you do not trust Me and rely on Me]. The very works that I do by the power of My Father and in My Father's name bear witness concerning Me [they are My credentials and evidence in support of Me].” John 10:22-25 AMP
Revelation 1:10,12-13 It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast.
When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest.
I believe in miracles. I believe this is again a year that witnesses miracles of Christmas in the United States of America.
Miracles flow from His hand and from His heart. Israel is the heartbeat of God and of the world. Standing with Jer USA lem and Israel is why we have the miracle oil of God’s anointing to prosper over our Nation. Protect what God loves and God protects everything we care about.
Hanukkah the miracle of rededicating the God’s temple from the defilement of pagan worship...
Feast of Dedication The Feast of Dedication is mentioned in the New Testament Gospel of John 10:22. The story of Hanukkah, which tells the origins of the Feast of Dedication, is recorded in the First Book of Maccabees
Do you hear what I hear?
(From Learn Religion) According to ancient records, King Antiochus IV (who was sometimes called "The Madman") defiled the Temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar and spilling its blood on the holy scrolls of Scripture.
As a result of severe persecution and pagan oppression, a group of four Jewish brothers led by Judah Maccabee decided to raise up an army of religious freedom fighters. These men of fierce faith and loyalty to God became known as the Maccabees. The small band of warriors fought for three years with "strength from heaven" until achieving a miraculous victory and deliverance from Greco-Syrian control.
After regaining the Temple, it was cleansed by the Maccabees, cleared of all Greek idolatry, and readied for rededication. The rededication of the Temple to the Lord took place in the year 165 BC, on the 25th day of the Hebrew month called Kislev.
Hanukkah is called the Feast of Dedication because it celebrates the Maccabees' victory over Greek oppression and the rededication of the Temple. But Hanukkah is also known as the Festival of Lights, and this is because immediately following the miraculous deliverance, God provided another miracle of provision.
In the Temple, the eternal flame of God was to stay lit at all times as a symbol of God's presence. But according to tradition, when the Temple was rededicated, there was only enough oil left to burn the flame for one day. The rest of the oil had been defiled by the Greeks during their invasion, and it would take a week for new oil to be processed and purified. However, at the rededication, the Maccabees went ahead and set fire to the eternal flame with the remaining supply of oil. Miraculously, God's Holy presence caused the flame to burn for eight days until the new sacred oil was ready for use.
This miracle of the long-lasting oil explains why the Hanukkah Menorah is lit for eight consecutive nights of celebration. Jews also commemoratethe miracle of oil provision by making oil-rich foods, such as Latkas, an important part of Hanukkah celebrations.
The Hanukkah menorah, also chanukiah or hanukkiah (Hebrew: מנורת חנוכה menorat ḥanukkah, pl. menorot; also Hebrew: חַנֻכִּיָּה ḥanukkiyah, or chanukkiyah, pl. ḥanukkiyot/chanukkiyot, or Yiddish: חנוכּה לאָמפּ khanike lomp, lit.: Hanukkah lamp), is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day holidayof Hanukkah. Eight of the nine branches hold lights (candles or oil lamps) that symbolize the eight nights of the holiday; on each night, one more light is lit than the previous night, until on the final night all eight branches are ignited. The ninth branch holds a candle, called the shamash (“helper” or “servant”), used to light the other eight.
And now we see our tradition and the birth of Christmas celebration. Jesus Christ is The Light of the World. The light has come and the darkness will not overcome His light or those who walk in His light.
More About Hanukkah
Hanukkah is traditionally a family celebration with the lighting of the menorah at the center of the traditions. The Hanukkah menorah is called the hanukkiyah. It is a candelabra with eight candleholders in a row, and a ninth candleholder positioned slightly higher than the rest. According to custom, the candles on the Hanukkah Menorah are lit from left to right.
Fried and oily foods are a reminder of the miracle of the oil. Dreidel games are traditionally played by children and often the whole household during Hanukkah. Probably because of Hanukkah’s proximity to Christmas, many Jews give gifts during the holiday.
The center or middle candle is called the Helper or Servant candle. In Rev 1 where was Jesus our Messiah standing when John turned to hear the One speaking to him?
“And in the midst of the lampstands [One] like a Son of Man, clothed with a robe which reached to His feet and with a girdle of gold about His breast. [Dan. 7:13; 10:5.]” Revelation 1:13 AMPC
Yes I do still believe, here’s hoping to Heaven you do.
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
“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.”
And the child grew and became strong; He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on Him.” (Luke 2:6-7, 14, 40 NIV)
What a wonderful time to focus on The Gift, The Love, The Delivery, delivered for us, to bring deliverance for us. The Gift from heaven that caused the heavenly host to proclaim in the highest heaven, “Glory to God in the highest”
At just the right time Emmanuel, Christ The Lord, as a babe born in Bethlehem, named Yeshuah by God, came into the earth, born of a virgin named Mary. Could there be a better time than now to worship God for His precious Gift freely given to all who will receive? Yes Christmas is about The Perfect Gift; The Gift from God to man. Religion is man reaching for God; at Christmas God reached down and gave of Himself, touching the world giving The Greatest Gift; Himself; Emmanuel God with us; Oh what a glorious night.
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
Through All Seasons 