Hey You All,
How is it going? Are we back on track?
As for me, think I'm on the right track. In fact, here is something amazing...
Reading a book, "Sitting at the feet of the Rabbi..." I recently discovered that Jesus quoted most frequently from Deuteronomy? Did you notice where God has us reading right now? Deuteronomy! At a time when Easter celebrates the miracle of Jesus, we are right in the midst of the Book that Jesus quoted the most. Somehow I don't think that is just a coincidence!
Wishing you all a wonderful Easter celebration.
Margie
Friday, April 2, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Festivals
Thought I'd share this information from a commentary that certainly helps me understand all that I'm reading...
Regulations concerning Festivals: Leviticus 23–24
God established a religious year for Israel, broken into patterned celebrations which permitted Israel to relive its heritage annually.
Three of the annual feasts were “pilgrim festivals,” during which families were to journey to a central place of worship, later established in Jerusalem. These were times of special joy and celebration, linked with the agricultural seasons, but intended to help Israel relive salvation history and reaffirm commitment to God.
The three pilgrim festivals were Passover, including the week-long Feasts of Unleavened Bread (Ex. 13:3–10; Lev. 23:4–8; Deut. 16:1–8), Firstfruits (also called the Feast of Weeks and Pentecost) (Lev. 23:9–21; Deut. 16:9–11), and Tabernacles (also called the Feast of Booths) (Ex. 23:16; Lev. 23:33–43; Deut. 16:13). During this last festival the people lived outside in rough shelters, commemorating the years of travel from Sinai to the Promised Land.
A vital principle underlying this religious system helps us understand how we can better communicate our own faith.
The principle is expressed in a Hebrew term, zikkaron, which is often translated as “memorial” and means “a reminder” or “a remembrance.” It is used of objects or actions that help Israel identify with some particular religious truth. For instance, the pile of stones beside the River Jordan that commemorated Israel passing through on dry ground is one such memorial (Josh. 4:7).
What was the zikkaron intended to do? It was intended to help individuals who saw or participated in it sense his or her identity with what God had done in the past. In essence the festivals of Israel were designed to help each new generation relive God’s great and wonderful acts for His people. In the festivals that annually reminded Israel of what God had done for them, the people were intended to sense their own identity with their forefathers, and to realize that God had worked His wonders for each one of them!
Festival System
| APRIL (NISAN) | 14–21—PASSOVER: remembrance of deliverance from Egypt; beginning of religious year |
| | |
| MAY (IYAR) JUNE (SIVAN) | 6—PENTECOST: feast of harvest and firstfruits |
| | |
| JULY (TAMMUZ) AUG. (AB) SEPT. (ELUL) OCT. (TISHRI) | 1–2—FEAST OF TRUMPETS ROSH HASHANAH: beginning of civil year 10—DAY OF ATONEMENT 15–21—FEAST OF TABERNACLES: remembrance of the years in tents on the way to Palestine |
| | |
| NOV. (MARCHESVAN) DEC. (KISLEV) | 25—HANUKKAH: feast of lights added in days of Maccabees |
| | |
| JAN. (TEBETH) FEB. (SHEBAT) MARCH (ADAR) | 14—PURIM: added later to remember deliverance under Queen Esther |
Monday, March 29, 2010
Something to Share
Dear Friends,
Just got the following in an email... its so good, just have to share!
Answered ISSUE #41
By:Chris Govekar
Meditation
Isaiah 65:24-Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear."
Paul Harvey tells a story of a man named Jack Wurm, who found himself walking on a beach in San Francisco, California one chilly day in March, 1949. Jack was 55, broke and down on his luck. His restaurant business had just gone bankrupt and he was jobless, penniless and totally without hope. He was walking that beach in San Francisco, praying for a miracle, asking God to help him out of his horrible situation when he came across a bottle with a note inside.
When he picked up the bottle and opened it up, the note he found inside read, "To avoid all confusion, I leave my entire estate to the lucky person who finds this bottle and to my attorney, Barry Cohen, share and share alike." The note was signed by Daisy Alexander and dated June 20, 1937. When Jack looked into the writer of the note, he found that she'd died in London in 1939, the eccentric heiress to most of the Singer Sewing Machine fortune. Even more amazingly, this "last will and testament" which Daisy had sealed in a bottle and tossed into the Thames River in 1937 held up in court and Jack suddenly found himself the recipient of almost $6 million in inheritance. (Paul Harvey, Destiny)
I'm sure that when he decided to walk on the beach that cold March morning, Jack had faith, however small, that God would answer his prayer, but not only did God have a plan, He had a plan He'd put in motion twelve years earlier to take care of a need Jack could never have known he'd have at just that time. We pray, often thinking that God CAN answer our prayers. Sometimes we pray believing that God WILL answer our prayers. How often, though do we pray believing the answer is already on its way, even before we think to ask?
Next time you feel tempted to give up on God and skip asking him to meet your needs, think of Jack and God's promise to Isaiah to answer our prayer even before we demonstrate the faith to ask. We serve a mighty God - before we ask, He's already answering!
©2010 Christopher Govekar ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause. If you would like to receive these devotionals send your name and email address to: danl@firstcause.org and ask to be placed on the distribution list. You can also sign up at our website at Reveration Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.
Just got the following in an email... its so good, just have to share!
Answered ISSUE #41
By:Chris Govekar
Meditation
Isaiah 65:24-Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear."
Paul Harvey tells a story of a man named Jack Wurm, who found himself walking on a beach in San Francisco, California one chilly day in March, 1949. Jack was 55, broke and down on his luck. His restaurant business had just gone bankrupt and he was jobless, penniless and totally without hope. He was walking that beach in San Francisco, praying for a miracle, asking God to help him out of his horrible situation when he came across a bottle with a note inside.
When he picked up the bottle and opened it up, the note he found inside read, "To avoid all confusion, I leave my entire estate to the lucky person who finds this bottle and to my attorney, Barry Cohen, share and share alike." The note was signed by Daisy Alexander and dated June 20, 1937. When Jack looked into the writer of the note, he found that she'd died in London in 1939, the eccentric heiress to most of the Singer Sewing Machine fortune. Even more amazingly, this "last will and testament" which Daisy had sealed in a bottle and tossed into the Thames River in 1937 held up in court and Jack suddenly found himself the recipient of almost $6 million in inheritance. (Paul Harvey, Destiny)
I'm sure that when he decided to walk on the beach that cold March morning, Jack had faith, however small, that God would answer his prayer, but not only did God have a plan, He had a plan He'd put in motion twelve years earlier to take care of a need Jack could never have known he'd have at just that time. We pray, often thinking that God CAN answer our prayers. Sometimes we pray believing that God WILL answer our prayers. How often, though do we pray believing the answer is already on its way, even before we think to ask?
Next time you feel tempted to give up on God and skip asking him to meet your needs, think of Jack and God's promise to Isaiah to answer our prayer even before we demonstrate the faith to ask. We serve a mighty God - before we ask, He's already answering!
©2010 Christopher Govekar ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause. If you would like to receive these devotionals send your name and email address to: danl@firstcause.org and ask to be placed on the distribution list. You can also sign up at our website at Reveration Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Audio Bible
Just in case you would like to listen for some "readings", click on the link under Online Bible Helps at the top of the page above which takes you to Christianity.com's Bible page. If you choose the New Living translation, you can hear the audio when you click on the speaker icon. This is a great way get "fed" on the Word :D Enjoy!
Catching Up and Checking In
Garsh... its almost April! Can you believe it? Seems that this year is zooming along.
Just thought I'd check in and see how you all are doing? Are we catching up? If you are like me you may need to really focus after recovering from Spring Break and preparing for Easter.
Praying for everyone and looking forward to sharing words and the Word with you here soon!
Blessings :-)
Margie
Just thought I'd check in and see how you all are doing? Are we catching up? If you are like me you may need to really focus after recovering from Spring Break and preparing for Easter.
Praying for everyone and looking forward to sharing words and the Word with you here soon!
Blessings :-)
Margie
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