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Let There Be Light!

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A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays records: The Feast of Tabernacles is by far the most festive and joyous occasions. History records that four huge candelabra were constructed, lighted, and attended by young men ascending ladders periodically with pitchers of oil to keep them burning. The light from these lamps illuminated the whole city, and around them danced distinguished men with torches in their hands, singing hymns and songs of praise. The dancing as well as the music continued until daybreak. It was an extravaganza.

Some scholars believe Jesus was referring to Sukkot when the following happened in John 8:1-12 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”11 She said, “No one, Lord. And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” 12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” NKJV

Sukkot is a reminder that Jesus has come to shine His Light into the works of the devils darkness: Ephesians 5:8-14 For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [lead the lives of those native-born to the Light].9 For the fruit (the effect, the product) of the Light or the Spirit [consists] in every form of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart, and trueness of life.10 And try to learn [in your experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [let your lives be constant proofs of what is most acceptable to Him].11 Take no part in and have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds and enterprises of darkness, but instead [let your lives be so in contrast as to] expose and reprove and convict them.12 For it is a shame even to speak of or mention the things that [such people] practice in secret.13 But when anything is exposed and reproved by the light, it is made visible and clear; and where everything is visible and clear there is light.14 Therefore He says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine (make day dawn) upon you and give you light. AMPC

Sukkot is a reminder to awake spiritually allowing the Light of Christ to shine into your darkness and the dark works of the evil one. We accomplish this through allowing the Light of His Word to be absorbed into every aspect of our life. This requires the Light of His Word to become more than a Sunday thing and more of a lifestyle thing. Faith, obedience and submission become the keys to unlock the padlock securing the chains of our demonic strongholds. Where His Light shines in us – His Light shines through us – to those who are bound by works of darkness. It is through His Light we are called to destroy the works of darkness. In a sense, we become liberators of captives who have been enslaved to the works of darkness. Sukkot reminds that our liberation is a call to liberate others.

Romans 13:12 exhorts: The night is far gone and the day is almost here. Let us then drop (fling away) the works and deeds of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light. AMPC

Rosh Hashana – Feast of Trumpets and What It Means for Christians

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Happy New Year! (From the Jewish Year 5783 to 5784) – From God, the Father.

Rosh Hashana, in Hebrew means head or beginning of the year, and marks the start of God’s new year as outlined in the Old Testament. Also known as the Feast of Trumpets, it is one of the seven appointed festivals prescribed by the Lord to Moses in Leviticus 23 and ushers in God’s process of renewal for the Jewish people.

The ten days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) – which is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar – are the 10 Days of Awe, or the 10 Days of Repentance. During this period the Jewish people were expected to thoroughly examine their hearts and their standing before God; to repent and to give and seek forgiveness in preparation for receiving God’s forgiveness on Yom Kippur. According to Jewish tradition, the sincerity of one’s repentance and turning to God during these 10 days was instrumental in tipping the Lord’s judgment scale in their favor for the coming year. So, for Jews, God’s forgiveness on Yom Kippur was considered a temporary achievement. In order to keep your place in the Book of Life the process had to be repeated year-after-year.

While the importance of Rosh Hashana, the 10 Days of Awe, and the Day of Atonement in the Old Testament is God’s means of providing a process for his people to achieve and receive forgiveness and right standing can’t be understated, how should Christians view this today? Since we live under the New Covenant does this feature of Mosaic Law apply to us at all?

As a technical matter, no it doesn’t, because as Christians we no longer live under the Law. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” (Gal 3:13) God, through Christ, provided a once-for-all way to forgiveness and reconciliation, “…He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us…” (Col 2:14). In fact, Paul specifically reminds us in Colossians 2:16: “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.” In other words, our concern is no longer festivals and rituals to improve our fallen condition. Our sole focus is faith in the work of Jesus.

Hebrews 10:1-10 summarizes our much-transformed and improved circumstance nicely: For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.’ First, He said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then He said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

So, since these festival days don’t serve the same purpose for Christians that they once did for the Jews, then how should we commemorate these days? By recognizing how God literally fulfilled his Jeremiah 31:34 promise to us: “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” What can be more worthy of celebration than that?

What our God, through Christ, has done in providing a perfect and permanent means for our reconciliation should overwhelm us and fill us with unending gratitude.

For today, let’s meditate on God’s incredible goodness, let’s thank Him and acknowledge the absolute supremacy of Christ as our Savior and High Priest, and ask Him to help us be more like Him. Let’s challenge ourselves and our church family to seek a deeper relationship and a more active, empowered, Spirit-filled walk. Let’s pray against the spirit of complacency and for a new (kainos – recently made, fresh, recent, unused, unworn) spiritual awakening and revival. Amen!?

A brother in Christ

Jesus Fast Guidelines

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We are amazed at the response of tens of thousands who are joining together for The Jesus Fast. Prayer and fasting are gifts from God to reset the compass of our hearts toward Him and focus our intercession for a breakthrough. I believe these next 40 days will shake the nations and prepare us to be sent into all the world to proclaim the Good News! I know many of you are doing your very first extended fast.  Praise God for your obedience!  Please read over these guidelines from my website and prepare your heart and body in these next days leading up to the fast.
With this call to enter into extended fasting, we must prepare ourselves adequately so that the fast can honor God and fulfill its purpose. I want to share some thoughts from our own experiences to help and encourage you.
 1. Seek medical advice if you are older or have health challenges 
2. Fast and pray to humble yourself and purify your worship – In Fasting we are not trying to get something from God; we are seeking to realign our hearts’ affections with His. We do holy violence to the “pleasures which wage war against the soul,” opening the way for a greater submission to the Holy Spirit. Lust is a perverse form of devotion. Fasting enables us to cleanse the sanctuary of our hearts from such idols.
 3. Take time to pray and read the Word – This may seem obvious, but busyness and distractions can keep you from devotions. Reading books with testimonies of victories gained through fasting will encourage you. Register at TheJesusFast.com to schedule your fast and receive encouragement by email.
 4. Have a clear target for prayer focus – Without a vision (a clear, prophetic prayer goal), the people perish. During a fast, I have four or five prayer goals I have clearly articulated. When I am not deeply motivated by a clear goal, I usually fast until breakfast! Write down your vision so you can run with it.
 5. Do the fast with someone else – Two are better than one! We encourage young people to talk this through with their parents before starting the fast. Parents and kids should consider fasting together.
 6. Do not give in to condemnation if you fail – The “to fast or not to fast” dilemma can be a major tool of the enemy. Even though you may fail several times, God always extends grace. Hit reset and resume right where you left off.
 7. Husbands and wives, consider sexual abstinence for the sake of prayer (1 Corinthians 7:5)
8. Determine the length in advance of the fast, not after you start• – A total fast is without water. This is extremely hard on the body. Do not go beyond three days.
• A water-only fast is a very challenging but deeply spiritual experience. Many people can endure forty days on water alone, though this is dependent on one’s weight and metabolism.
• A fruit and vegetable juice fast allows you to enter into fasting but still gives enough energy to function. Most people can do a forty-day juice fast. Out of consideration for their health and metabolism, I encourage teenagers to drink juice and protein drinks to sustain them.
 9. Prepare physically – Two days before your fast, limit your intake of food to fruit and vegetables. Fruits are natural cleansers and easy to digest. Stop drinking coffee before the fast. Prepare yourself for mental discomforts such as impatience, crankiness, and anxiety. Expect physical discomforts. You may experience dizziness, headaches and different kinds of pains. The headaches are not necessarily a sign to stop fasting. Your body is working to cleanse itself of impurities.
 10. Prepare for opposition – On the first day of your fast, you can bet doughnuts will somehow show up at the office or in class. Your spouse (or mom) will suddenly be inspired to cook your favorite meals. Take this as encouragement from God to press ahead! Many times you may feel increased emotional tension at home. My fasts are just as difficult on my wife as they are on me. Satan tempted Jesus on His fast, and we must expect the same. Discouragement may come in like a flood, but recognize the source and take your stand upon the victory of Christ.
 11. Fast in secret – Do not boast about your fast, but do not go to extraordinary lengths to mask it when people inquire; if necessary, just let them know you will not be eating. The bigger deal you make of it, the more attention you draw. Be discreet, be transparent, then move humbly along.
 12. Break the fast over several days with fruit juice and/or light soups
On a light juice fast or a water fast, your digestive system shuts down. It can be dangerous if you eat too much too soon. Break such a fast gently with several days of diluted, nonacidic juice, then regular juice, followed by fruit and vegetables. When breaking one of my early water fasts, I ate too much too quickly and almost needed hospitalization. Be careful!
 13. Feel free to rest a lot and to continue to exercise
14. If you are pregnant or nursing, do not fast, PERIOD
15. Expect to hear God’s voice in the Word, dreams, visions, and revelations – Daniel prepared himself to receive revelation through fasting (Daniel 10:1-3). Scripture also speaks of a fasting reward (Matthew 6:18). Expect God to fellowship and communicate with you in special ways.
 16. Breakthroughs often come after a fast, not during it – Do not listen to the lie that nothing is happening. It is my conviction that every fast done in faith will be rewarded.