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Notes From the Pastor

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God’s Calendar and Appointments (All Scripture!)

2 Timothy 3:16-17 states: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

When the above reference was first penned by the Apostle Paul, there was not yet a New Testament division in what we call the Bible. The Scriptures for New Testament believers, the followers of Jesus, was what we know as the Old Testament. This has profound implications for modern day believers who have assumed and been taught the Old Testament books of the Bible no longer apply. Jesus did not come to create a new religion. His goal was to change the hearts of all who were willing and set them free from the oppression of religion – rules without relationship; lies that stemmed from the Garden of Eden’s “fig leaf” religion: do this – to be…like God. What was Satan’s original lie? Did God really say? In other words, do not trust God, His Word, His Love and His Truth – and you can become your own self-centered, pride-filled god. Trust your god-like self to become good like God. 

The root of this lie has made its way into the heart of many a church-attender and infected Jesus’ family with the virus of religion. The good news is that Jesus and His Word still have the power to emancipate those who long for liberty and deliverance from the chaffing shackles of flimsy, fig leaf religion. They recognize something is missing in their day-in day-out routines – the fig leaf formats, practices, and routines that lack the ability to cover their sin and lead them to a living relationship with the Godhead.

This very God-breathed scripture states in Leviticus 23:1-2: And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.

The Hebrew word for feast means appointment, or appointed time. Thus, in the Word of God we not only have His words, thoughts, and heart for His people, we have God’s Calendar Book. His Book of Appointments.

Chosen people Ministries: The holy days are prophetic in nature, and over the course of the year, provide a roadmap to redemption; Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, the New Year, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles. They are similar in that each one involves worship, offerings, a rest from labor, and usually a reminder of a great event in the history of Israel. It is important to note the Hebrew word translated as “holiday” in Leviticus 23 is better understood as “appointments.”

Add to the weighty significance of these facts the startling realization that on every appointment designated by God in the Old Testament, an event of eternal consequence occurred. Passover (Pesach) ~ Crucifixion of Jesus; Seven Days of Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzatot) ~ the Sinless Life of Jesus; Feast of First Fruits ~ the Resurrection of Jesus; Pentecost (Shavuot)~ Birthing of the New Testament Church with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit; Yom Kippur or Atonement ~ Jesus making us at-one-with the Father in a moment. There are only two feasts, two of God’s Appointments that have yet to be fully realized: The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). The season of the Feast of Trumpets, is also recognized within the time frame of the 10 Days of Awe, prophetically symbolizing when the rapture of every believer, Jesus’ Bride, will occur. Can you picture this? Imagine being “snatched up” (raptured)during this season of prayer, fasting and seeking to be near Jesus. Add to this the culminating crescendo of the final appointment, the Feast of Tabernacles, when Jesus will return with His Bride to rule over the earth. Now imagine during this time, the trumpet being blown. What action do you want to be found doing? Would you want to be in the process of preparing yourself to meet face-to-face with Jesus? Can you think of a better way to spend your time? Would it be absurd to believe that God is loving and knows that when we see Him face-to-face, we won’t want to be hanging our heads in shame? Would it be absurd to believe that He desires to see His children lifting their heads up to see and welcome Him when that trumpet blast is first heard? 

3 Times A Year

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Three times a year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed (Dt. 16:16 AMPC)

Tomorrow night we are going to celebrate Pentecost which is a holiday, or holy day celebrated by Jews and Christians every year. The Church holiday bases their date of Sunday, May 31 on the Gregorian calendar, whereas the Jewish date of Friday-Saturday, May 29-30 is based on God’s calendar. I say God’s calendar because if we believe the Word of the Lord to be true – from “Kiver to Kiver” (Cover to Cover) – then we also believe that God gave these feasts and festivals to His people for a purpose. Now when I say, His people, I am referring both to Jew, and those who have been ingrafted into the Fig Tree that Israel is through the righteousness of Abraham. We have become the circumcised of the heart and God’s Law has been written upon our hearts. The question is, How does all of this apply to the modern day saint in the 21st century?

Recently I was convicted by the revelation that in two out of the three feasts something significant happened. (I could make an argument for all three but I will spare you the details. Suffice it to say that an argument could be made that Jesus was actually born during the Feast of Tabernacles based on several prophecies regarding Jesus being Immanuel – “the God Who Tabernacles or Dwells with His people“) We know that Jesus was crucified during Passover, and the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost. It is my opinion that Jesus will return during the Feast of Tabernacles. Again this would take a great deal of time to explain but I’ll leave you with a little tidbit of information to consider: Why did the Jews lay down palm branches when Jesus was entering Jerusalem? (Palm branches were specifically used during the Feast of Tabernacles). My answer would be, that the Jews associated the Palm Branches with Tabernacles, or Sukkot, and with the coming of the Messiah. My conviction expanded into the realization that if God told His people that they had to gather on these three significant holidays, and on two of the three holidays Jesus appeared, then it would behoove us believers to also gather on the three holidays for Inspection (Passover, and Ridding ourselves of the yeast, or leaven of sin); for Dedication and Consecration (Pentecost was an offering of the very best of their first fruits from harvest); and lastly, for Preparation (Tabernacles was preceded by Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement in which the people sought to draw near to God, repent of sin, and prepare for God drawing near to them). Thus, by the Grace of God, and His Spirit our church will celebrate these three readying ourselves for Christ’s Return.

If we are practicing all three then we too will be prepared when the Trumpet Blasts sound from the Heavens and the saints are gathered to meet Him in the air. May the Spirit of Revelation set us free from the powerful delusion that has come upon the mainstream church that does not love the Truth, or know (ginosko) Him. Lord willing I will see you tomorrow night for our Pentecost meal.