 |
|
|
In Ancient Footsteps - Elul 2009 #5 Empowering the Believer with Biblical Answers
This is our Set apart time....Blow the Shofar...Be at One with Yahweh Begin this evening by reading Psalm 27 in the twilight of the emerging new moon and then blow a blast of awakening on the shofar (if you don't have a shofar, make a loud noise!) and rejoice for your redemption draws near! Review the list in your journal - are you making any progress on the following topics? Take a few minutes to review the list and your notes that you have jotted down under each one.
Spend a few minutes to reconsider how you can grow closer to the Messiah in each area and how you could have improved on any situations that arose within the day. Did you lose your patience at any time with the kids or your spouse? Were you in a hurry today and didn't notice that someone needed a bit of comforting or just a few kind words? Resolve to be more aware of those around you and their needs - you may have just missed a miracle! Branching Out.....a little further
What is it that you hope to get out of these forty days of return and repentance ... these 'days of awe' so to speak? Do you hope to drop some patterns that you have developed over the years, or commit to spending more time reading the word and understanding its relevance in your life or are you simply trying to understand wha it is we're even trying to do? Well all three of those things are an awesome and mighty task! Someone asked me a question via email - 'So why are we doing this?' Thought maybe I should take a step back and try to explain. You see, for centuries the elect of Yahweh have kept the commandments that He gave to them. They have not questioned them, nor have they thrown them aside in favor of new an exciting worldly customs. They have wrapped their hearts and arms tightly around the Torah and have kept it to the best of their ability thru time times of disaster, hardship and to the point of death. They have repeated the Shema' both morning and evening from time memorial and we would do well to learn from our elder brother! It is time for those of us who claim the testimony of the Messiah to also hold fast to the commandments! Rev 12:17And the dragon waxed wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and hold the of Jesus" Rev 19:10And I fell down before his feet to worship him. And he saith unto me, See thou do it not: I am a fellow-servant with thee and with thy brethren that hold the testimony of Jesus: worship God; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. One of the commandments that the Father has given us is to keep his 'moed' - His Appointed Times or Festivals. The reason being is that He gave them to us so that we would have a 'blueprint' of the timeline of not only the first coming of His revealed Word, but the second coming and the end of days! Why would we, as believers in the Messiah of Yahweh want to discard this heavenly blueprint in favor of an earthly one - and ungodly one at that?! No, my dear family, it is time we get back to the beginning and understand the words in our sacred books from the perspective in which they were written! It is time to define our words in biblical terminology, not in the Roman/Greek mindset that we have been so accustomed to! So again, why do we keep this month BEFORE the Fall Feast Day of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) as a month of repentance and accounting? Well, do you not prepare in advance when you are about to experience the most awesome day in your life? Did you not take months, in fact, to prepare for your own wedding? Well, this is no different - this is the ultimate of wedding plans! We are soon going to be rejoicing at our own Marriage Supper of the Lamb and so we take this time period to reflect on our lives, to clean up our robes and become a spotless bride before the groom returns on Rosh HaShanna - Yom Teruah - the Blowing of the Trumpets! When the Messiah returns at the LAST TRUMP it will be ON Yom Teruah, then the world will be judged on Yom Kippur. 1Co 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last : for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed So this is the time set apart to reflect upon our actions, our beliefs; a time to repent of all our transgressions - whether knowingly or unknown; a time of accounting and a time of returning. Each day is a journey in and of itself and will, if you allow it, bring you closer to the 'true self' that Abba had in mind for you. This month, Elul can be the key to unlocking your inner self. Even the Hebrew letters that make up the word “Elul,” are fascinating. The letters, an aleph, lamed, vav and lamed, are an acronym for the phrase (from the biblical Song of Songs): Ani L’dodi V’dodi Li, which means, “I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me.” This beautiful and romantic phrase represents what our relationship should be with our Creator, it is a parallel to the relationship between a husband and wife, a bride and groom. The Zohar explains that at the beginning of Elul we are achor el achor meaning “back to back” and by the end of Elul we are panim el panim meaning “face to face.” That is an interesting analogy don't you think? But what does that mean ~ back to back? Visualizing that would apply that we are back to back with Yahweh - that basically he has turned his back on us - wouldn't it? If, as we believe the King is in the field during this month, and so accessible, how could we be back to back? As the rabbis go deeper into this picture and the word play on the letters and words, they explain it as a beautiful picture of when two people upset each other, have hurt feelings, and are not willing to let go of their grieveances, so they 'turn their back' to their loved one. As we do so, it is easier to think of the other as 'out of sight - out of mind' - that they have literally turned their back on us as well! But...as time goes on, we relent, we are sorry, we want to 'turn around' and face our grieved partner. So, too, when we have transgressed the loving Instructions (Torah) of Abba, we literally turn our backs upon Him and choose to believe that He has turned His back on us as well. However...we long to return, repent ... to right the relationship - and when we finally take that little step to return....why we realize that He is standing there with open arms all along! We are 'face to face' with the Creator of the Universe! So it is with Elul, our King is walking in the field, easily accessible to all those who 'turn around' and welcome Him back into their lives! So as you reflect on the day's activities, consider whether you are standing with you arms folded and your back to the King ... holding on to a habit, a pattern in your life, a transgression ... afraid to turn around. This is the time dear ones to turn around and run to the King of Kings and fall on your face and repent - for then - only then - will He lift you up and set you in that safe place in the cleft of the ROCK! Elul Recipe - a Cool Treat! Easy Three-Vegetable Kugel Shredded zucchini and carrot add color and lightness to the traditional potato kugel. This fast and simple rendition will likely become a staple of your holiday meals, including Passover. A food processor makes light work of the dish—and there’s no need to clean the work bowl between veggies. For a delicious change of pace, try beets or parsnips in place of the carrots, or swap sweet potatoes for white. 2 medium zucchini or summer squash, coarsely grated Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the zucchini, carrots, potatoes, onion, eggs, garlic, sugar, fresh herbs if using, salt and pepper in a bowl and stir to combine. Fold in the matzah meal and 2 tablespoons of oil and mix together to form a thick batter. Pour 3 tablespoons of the oil into an ovenproof dish, spoon in the vegetable mixture, and then drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the kugel. Bake for 40-60 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the top is golden brown.
|
|
| In Ancient Footsteps Knowing the END from the BEGINNING info@inancientfootsteps.com |
|
How are you doing on your journey into knowing yourself and drawing closer to Abba? Have you experienced a stall yet or are you digging into the revealed Word that Abba has given each and everyone of us. Spending time with the King of Kings and recognizing that He actually does care for every tiny item in your life can be a huge revelation and awakening. Which is what we are expecting when we blow the shofar each day - right?+-