James 4:7-8 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 

The Jewish month of Elul begins today, Monday, August 25 and extends to September, 23, 2025. What significance does that have for us as followers of Yeshua? Elul prepares the Jewish people for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah (Monday, September 22 – Wednesday, September 24, 2025 or according to God’s Calendar then year 5786). This new year is followed by a ten day period of prayer, self-examination and repentance. It is the custom that during the month of Elul, the celebrations of Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur that a shofar (ram’s horn) is blown indicating that it’s time for the spiritually complacent, those who have fallen asleep spiritually, are needing to wake up. Is this what Paul had in mind when he wrote: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”? (Eph. 5:14) Some may be tempted to say, Well that’s simply legalism; an Old Testament practice. Why do we need to seek God when we already have Him living in our hearts? Which, on the surface, appears to be a good question. Yet, they totally discount the New Testament Scripture that exhorts the same. It’s interesting how we have a selective process of reading Scripture. We often look for the things that support our opinions rather than allowing the truth to change us and lead us to change our thinking and way of living. Case in point? James 4:7-8 was written as an exhortation to the church; people that were followers of Jesus. What did James exhort them to do? Submit, and draw near to God, resist the devil, cleanse your heart, etc. Why would these people, who have Jesus living inside, are temples of the Spirit, have forgiveness of sins, and have been declared that they are not guilty, need to seek after God? For the same reason that “these” people have left Jesus outside of His church service – knocking trying to get in, have become lukewarm in their love and zeal for Jesus, and His Word, have become hard-hearted, and the list just keeps on giving. C.H. Spurgeon was once asked, Why do we need to keep asking to be filled with the Spirit? His response? “We leak!”

I guess a more pertinent question would be to ask, Do you believe Jesus is about to return at any time? Do you believe He will come and tabernacle with us? (indicating the time of year He is planning on returning – the Feast of Tabernacles) Your answers to these questions results in a follow up question: Do you desire to have Jesus say to you, Well done, My good and faithful servant? or Depart from Me I never knew you? Many would say, But I know Jesus. To which I would reply, Are you making Jesus known? Any of us who claim to know Jesus would be about the business of making Jesus known. Any one of us who knows Jesus would be demonstrating their love and gratitude through uncompromised obedience, submission, and surrender to His Spirit and Word. Any one of us who truly knows Jesus would be living a lifestyle of having their thinking, and lifestyles changed to conform more fully to His example and word.

Renewing our seeking after the Presence of Jesus calls us back to True Center of Who we have drifted from. In other words, We leak! Now the question becomes, How do you seek after Jesus? What does that look like in a follower of Jesus’ life?