Restoration

The Spirit spoke a clear word to me, and I felt it was a word for most all of us, so I'm sharing it below:

Job 42:10: And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed, the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

My children, this is a critical hour to understand what I did with My servant Job.  Though his friends wronged him and gave him false counsel, it was important that he let go and forgive them. Even beyond that, Job's repentance before Me brought his own healing.  I want to do that for you, each one of you. Search your heart to find that person you have not forgiven. Perhaps the hurt does not come to your mind much anymore, but is there a root of resentment still buried there? Do not let it hinder My blessing! Repent before Me, let go of the loss, the bitterness, and any trace of anger; as you set that person free, you open the storehouse for your own healing and restoration! I called My servant Job to act as a priest before Me and pray for his friends who betrayed him. This is a high calling. Pray for your enemies and those who persecute you. I want to restore your losses.

A New Order

We have had a chance to take a breath, do some laundry, and "change our shoes and socks" (as John says) since our journey from Colorado through Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana and Arkansas. God worked so powerfully through the various stops on this trip that this blog could take up pages and pages if I shared it all! So, I will just give you a few of the glorious testimonies, and then launch into the Shabbat message I believe the Spirit wants me to impart.  And let me quickly add that we DO (by faith) have our tickets for our ministry trip to Kenya, with a departure of May 27, so we certainly still need your help for lodging expenses, food on the trip, and hopefully a worthy gift for the orphanage where we will minister.  If you can make an end-of-the-year charitable contribution to DoorKeeper Ministries, we will greatly rejoice in your offering, and you will, in the Lord's view, be tucked into our suitcases and made fully a part of all that He will allow us to do there to advance His kingdom! Click here for donations, or send a check to DoorKeeper Ministries, PO Box 233, Eaton, CO 80615. Thank you!!!

In Illinois we found my parents in amazingly good spirits, ready for us to join with Mom in celebrating her 90th birthday! She had moments of clarity and great joy as we shared cake and ice cream, presents, singing, and lots of laughter.  This is my favorite picture, which John caught in a tender moment.



In Missouri we had the incredible blessing of staying with two young families - each of whom have four children under the age of 8. They are living out the example of the apostles in the early church, selflessly pooling their resources and sharing all they have with one another. There is no TV in the house and we spent the evening praising Yeshua together with two of the parents on guitars and the children beating drums, shaking eggs and dancing with abandon, as David danced! At the dinner table eight little children sat respectfully and used manners we have not witnessed in years - all showing one another love and blessing - a great encouragement to us about the young families in Messiah!

We ministered again to the Gates to Zion congregation in Columbia, South Carolina, and it was there that the Ruach began to speak to us in a "four-fold witness." We know that scripturally it only takes two witnesses to confirm a matter, so when the thread of this message kept unfolding more and more during our trip, we felt the spirits within us were leaping for great joy!  I brought a message to this congregation based on Isaiah 60:1-2: "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and His glory appears over you." I had not shared the title of this message, so when the children of this congregation came up on the stage just before I was to speak, I was not prepared for what was about to happen! The lights in the auditorium were shut off completely and we were plunged into darkness.  Suddenly each child lit their (battery-operated) candle and they began to sing, "Arise, shine, for your light has come and the glory of the LORD rises upon you!" Needless to say, the hair stood up on the back of my neck and I was overcome with this astonishing "illustration" that YHVH had planned without any of us knowing it!

 My message was a pleading with the people to rend their hearts in repentance in order that we could become a people ready to receive this outpouring of YHVH's glory upon us. He has promised this last-days outpouring of His Spirit in Joel 2, and it is coming! The phrase "glory of the LORD rises upon YOU" should be taken personally! And yet as many of us gather in prayer meetings and cry out for the Lord to visit us with the weight of His glory, or like Moses begged, to "show us His face," we need to understand that if He came in the fire of His glory before we are made ready, it will kill us!

After the message was delivered, pastors Jan and Craig O'Dell shared with us a book they had been reading entitled The Sons of Zadok by C.R. Oliver. We read it aloud on the way home, and our spirits became more and more excited that this must be the breakthrough we have been praying for!  For the last several years I have been calling congregations to see the difference between going to church and asking God to bless and minister to us, and going before His Presence and ministering to Him!  The example I use is found in Ezekiel 44:15-16, which, of course, is taking place during the Millennial Reign: "But the priests, who are descendants of Zadok, and who faithfully carried out the duties of my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from Me, are to come near to minister before Me....they alone are to enter my sanctuary, they alone are to come near my table to minister before Me and perform my service." 

They alone! With all my heart and soul I have sought to understand who these "sons of Zadok" are that the LORD desires to minister to Him in that Millennial temple!  They are a new priestly order - in the Order of Melchizedek! C.R. Oliver writes, "the third millennium will hear a spiritual trumpet blowing. It is a heaven-born sound announcing the rise of the true Sons of Zadok. God has been preparing them in the wings for many years. They are like the hidden multitude of Elijah's day, 'who have not bowed the knee.' They are the Gideon 300, not the 10,000. They are a breed far different than history has ever seen. Willingly they have already counted the cost, and willingly, they will lay down their very lives to usher in the Kingdom of our LORD and of His Messiah."

After this thrilling revelation we received an article over the internet with excerpts from a book by Dr. Rachel Elior, who has been deeply researching the Dead Sea Scrolls and the many references to the purity of the sons of Zadok. In this article she literally takes on the issue of the modern-day folks who are "scanning the sky for the new moon, disagreeing about the sighting among themselves, perhaps even erring."  Is Yah really looking for a new priestly order of people that think this is all about the correct keeping of a calendar and sighting of a moon? Is He concerned about who has it all exactly right, and who has the most knowledge? Is He looking at our heads - or at our hearts?

The response to this question given by our friend Mike Clayton was riveting: "The moon did not hang on a tree for me - Yeshua did."  Selah - stop and ponder that!

Our fourth witness came yesterday in a prophetic word of the LORD delivered by prophet Michelle Holderman. Listen to the confirmations of all I have written above, which appeared in the pages of Michelle's prophecy:
"It's about to get really good for those who are on board with My Order.
I AM calling My prophets to not only rend their own hearts, but to call My people into rending their hearts also (Joel 2). I AM lining up your hearts with My own in what is coming, for a time like no other looms on the horizon.
I AM preparing you to carry such a great message of My heart to those who do not know what - or precisely WHO - they are missing. Yeshua is the message!
All those who in this past season have remained hidden and concealed by My Order are going to be let out and released to serve the people of God.
I AM pouring out a fresh, new sound.
I will awaken this sound through you who are My prophets as you carry My Order to My people.
Your place is before My throne.
Unity and not division among my saints - this is what the times are calling for. All the petty bickering and all the false bearing of witness against one another MUST STOP.
I Am gathering My own to carry Yeshua's message of love and hope to a dying world.
Yeshua is the message!"

Will we desire to become a part of this new Order who will draw near to the Holy One of Israel to minister to Him? Or, will we continue staring into the sky, arguing over the calendar, while thousands die without the True Message?

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and His glory appears over you."


Are you ready????

A Return to Room 110

I have not written for an entire month - and that is because we have been on the road for several weeks. I have had little to no time to sit at my computer and hear what the Lord would have me write, but several things have really struck me in the past few hours and I had to find a few moments in this Meridian, Mississippi hotel to compose a blog message.

At the beginning of this trip we stayed in a Holiday Inn Express hotel in Highland, Illinois and were given a key to room 110.  It had been a year and a half since I wrote my blog on Room 110 (June 23, 2012), so I didn't think too much about it. But last night we checked into the LaQuinta hotel here in Meridian, MS and were once again handed a key to room 110! I had to return to my June 2012 blog to remember all that the Lord spoke to me about this, and when I read it I realized that He is undoubtedly STILL trying to speak to us through all the busyness, noise, travel, family gatherings and ministry of the past weeks. And it is certainly not just a message for us! From Colorado to Kentucky, Alabama back to Kansas, it is and will be a message that the Creator of the Universe is trying to get through to His people in these days; so I am reposting it here below:

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Room 110

We journeyed to Winnipeg, Manitoba this past week to teach and lead worship with our friends from Voice of Torah.  On the way up we stayed at a Super 8 Motel and we were given a key to room 110.  On the way home we stayed at a Day's Inn and we were given a key to room 110.  As you know, I do not take these things as "coincidences."  The Ruach uses them to give us important messages, if we have ears to hear.  So, when I got home I looked up my notes on the Hebraic attributes of the numbers 100 and 10.  Here is what I found:
100 = Holiness, or "to come closer."
10 = Humility
"Come closer to Me in holiness and humility" was the message of the room keys.  The Father was speaking; this is indeed the KEY to this season, my friends.  It suddenly hit me that He has named us "DoorKeeper Ministries" and He is giving us the key to the Door!  "I tell you, I am the door for the sheep.  All whoever came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door; whoever enters through ME will be saved." (John 10:7-9).

 "Come closer to Me in holiness and humility," says the LORD.  "It is a season of judgment.  I AM drawing lines in the sand between "Ammi" (My people) and "Lo Ammi" (not My people)."  This message begs the question: how do we know who His people are?  What are we to be found doing during these days of judgment, these days in which the God of Israel identifies HIS people?  He has not changed; He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  And when He answered this question in the beginning, I believe He gave a timeless answer (Exodus 31:12-13): Then YHVH said to Moshe, "Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe My Sabbaths.  This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am YHVH, who makes you holy."  Keeping the Sabbaths and the Feast Days of our God is a Covenant SIGN that marks His people!  We may still be in "Egypt" (the world, the nations), but we cannot look or smell or act like Egypt. We must be SET-APART.  This is the very definition of the word "holy" - to be a "peculiar people," defined in 1 Peter 2:9 as "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God."

Are we ready for this season of judgment and separation?  Will we be found with HIS mark on us?  Our walk is not to be a walk of legalism, or a quest for higher knowledge, or an attitude of arrogance and self-righteousness.  Our calling is defined by room key 110: "Come closer to me in holiness and humility!"  This is the key, this is the room for His chosen ones, His set-apart people.  This is where we are to go, pursuing the LORD with all our hearts, minds, souls and strength, bowed low before Him, in fear and reverence.  He is calling us to abandon man's traditions and man's calendar, and hear the clarion call of the shofar to get in rhythm with HIS time, HIS calendar, HIS cycles, HIS feast days! 

I have never felt more urgency than I am feeling right now, to sound the alarm.  Get ready, for the days of judgment are soon.  "Where shall we flee?" people all across America are asking me.  "Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by."  This is the LORD's answer, found in Isa. 26:20.  Even though America will suffer great judgment for her sins, we do not need to run to another nation.  We need to run to HIM - in holiness and humility.

Everyone Hates Us!

I was standing in the kitchen this morning when I heard the distant sound of voices on Fox News from the TV in the living room. Not even certain of what they were saying, I rushed into the living room to hear the newscast, because something had caused all the hair on my arms to stand straight up. It turned out to be an announcement by John Kerry that they had reached a deal on Iran's nuclear program. For the past several days I have been hearing P.M. Benjamin Netanyahu warn the United States and the rest of the world that "this is a very, very bad deal." While the most powerful nations on earth are cozying up to the Islamic nation of Iran, which makes it no secret that their agenda is to wipe Israel off the map, the people of the tiny little nation of Israel seem to stand alone. Surrounded on all sides by Arab nations that despise them, Israelis continue to endure the blare of warning sirens, the blast of rockets, the voices chanting "death to Israel," and the television news broadcasts that show their only ally, the United States of America, making deals with their enemies.

In today's edition of the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, Dr. Haim Shine writes, "There is an alarming straight line that connects Munich 1938 and Geneva 2013. It has been proven many times throughout history that Jews can rely only on themselves."  

Dr. Shine's words really pierced my heart. It took me back to my first visit to Israel about 12 years ago. I had walked down to the edge of the Sea of Galilee to watch the sun set. There were two teenage girls there, perched on some large rocks. They overheard me praying aloud and came near to ask, "Are you American?" I smiled and told them I was. They did not smile back; their expressions were gravely serious. "Why did you come here?" they exclaimed, "Everyone hates us!"  

I've never forgotten that moment. It was as if I understood for the first time what it meant to be Jewish and have the family history that connects Germany of 1938 to our day - and even to the agreements being struck with Iran in Geneva right now, today. And the saddest part of all this is that, as Dr. Shine writes, the Israeli Jews believe that they can rely only on themselves - their military might and intelligence. His article, which you can read here, ends with these words:

"Thank God we now have an independent state with a strong military that can ensure the future of the Jewish people. It is critical that Israeli leaders, both from the Right and Left, now stand united behind the vital interests of the existence of the state. It has been shown more than once in the past that if we stand united, we can overcome all enemies, near and far."

Please, beloved friends, pray that the Jews of Israel begin to rely on the Holy One of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! He alone can overcome all their enemies, near and far. Pray that they would get into the Scriptures and meet Him, the One who saved their ancestors time and time again from every enemy, every calamity, every evil intent to destroy the Jewish race forever. Herod wasn't able to do it; Antiochus Epiphanes wasn't able to do it; even Hitler failed! Though Satan himself wants to totally destroy the people through whom the seed of Messiah comes, we have read the end of the Book and we know that ultimately he loses the battle!

But in the meantime, we need to be in much prayer. 

Father, lift the veil from Jewish eyes, that they might begin to call upon Your Name and rely upon You and Your angelic army. Yeshua, appear to your people in visions and dreams and reveal Yourself as the Messiah they still await. Remember your promises to your people, promises of redemption and salvation.  Give Dr. Haim Shine and thousands of other Jews like him, the assurance that you have not forgotten them!

This is what the Lord says: in the time of My favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you;  I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives 'Come out,' to those in darkness, 'Be free!' Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Thought she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.  (Isaiah 49:8-9, 15-16)

 On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. (Zech. 12:3)

Hear the word of the LORD, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over His flock like a shepherd. For the LORD will ransom Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they. (Jeremiah 31:10-11)

 

 

Let God Be True and Every Man a Liar

Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. (Psalm 5:9)
The poison of vipers is on their lips.  (Psalm 140:3)
Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. (Psalm 10:7)
There is no fear of God before their eyes. (Psalm 36:1)

....ah, but enough about our President and our politicians!!!

Yes, I believe that most of us in this country right now are feeling betrayed and disturbed by the many lies and deceptions we have been fed. Paul said "Let God be true, and every man a liar." But he preceded that statement with this one, "What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true and every man a liar." (Romans 3:3-4). He did not say this to make the point that all people might as well just do and say whatever they like and lie as much as they want; he said it to show that even when we cannot trust one single person, we can still trust God, who is always faithful, always true. He further states in Romans 3:19: "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are within the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God."

Isn't that a grand idea, friends? Perhaps you are as ready as I am for every mouth on TV and radio to be silenced, and the whole world held accountable to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! On this quiet Shabbat day, set apart to our God, I am repenting for even listening to men and seeking them for wisdom. We are living in an age of much increased deception, and unless we are hearing clearly from the Lord, through the Voice of the Holy Spirit, we cannot trust or believe what men are saying, including (perhaps especially) those in the highest seats of government! 

And so this past week I purposed to seek God and His wisdom and counsel regarding the days ahead of us. There are indeed wars and rumors of wars, greatly increased numbers of earthquakes (seven of them in Israel in the past 2 weeks!) horrific storms, prediction of totally incurable diseases (pestilence) and certain food shortages (famine) on our horizon. I can hear the hoofbeats of the four horses approaching. Yet we cannot live in fear - because we know we CAN trust and believe our God and His Word. And this is the word He gave me this week. I hope it will bless you and increase your faith as it did for John and me. As YHVH did before, so He will do again!

Isaiah 4:2-6:
² In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. ³ Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. ⁴ The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a Spirit of judgment and a Spirit of fire. ⁵ Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over everything the glory will be a canopy. ⁶ It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.

The term "in that day" of course refers to the Day of the Lord, the time period of Messiah's return. "The Branch" in Hebrew is netzer, and refers to Messiah Himself. And this entire passage refers literally to Israel, making reference also to "those who are left in Zion and remain in Jerusalem." This speaks of the time following the ransacking of Jerusalem and the captivity of the people. There is a remnant who remain, and they have been cleansed, as spoken of by the prophet Zechariah: "On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from their sin and impurity." (Zec. 13:1).

Over this God-fearing, believing remnant, YHVH will do what He did with the Israelites in the wilderness: He will shield them with a cloud by day and keep them warm and sheltered with a fire by night. The One who was in the cloud and fire of the wilderness will be with His people again at the end time - Yeshua/Jesus, who IS our refuge, our Rock! And the Scripture says "over everything the glory will be a canopy." This canopy refers to the Hebrew word "chuppa," the wedding canopy! It is a picture of the Bridegroom keeping His Beloved Bride safe and bringing her into His wedding chamber.

We must let this beautiful truth comfort us and calm our fears.  Let God be true and every man a liar. Come, Lord Jesus!

Don't Ask for Just a Few!

Shalom friends,
I spent time in 2 Kings 4 this morning and my heart was greatly inspired all over again by the faith lessons given to us in these stories of Elisha the prophet. Oddly enough I seem to be even more moved by the story of the provision for the widow than by the miracle of raising a young boy from the dead! The Spirit spoke fresh revelation to me this morning about the widow's oil!
2 Kings 4:1-3:
The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”
² Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”
“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”
³ Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few.

Don't ask for just a few! Isn't that what we do? If a man of God told me to go to my neighbors and ask for empty jars, I'm sure I would go collect five or six jars and return home, feeling I'd done what I was told. Oh, how we limit God! He knows what we need, and when we trust Him and think big like HE thinks, He is able to open His storehouse and provide ALL that we need and more!

But He had more to show me in this story - 2 Kings 4:5-6:
⁵ She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. ⁶ When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”
But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.

The widow kept pouring and pouring and the oil kept flowing - until when? Until her son spoke out the words "There is not a jar left." Did he speak out a negative word that stopped the flow? Might there have been more jars appear and more oil miraculously flow if he had not spoken an end to it? I'm just pondering this thought that quickened in my heart.  The Scripture does go on to say that at this point the widow went back to the man of God (Elisha) and he told her, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left." Certainly this shows that God did provide for all they needed, as He always does when we pray and act by faith. But I'm just wondering...when her son said "there is not a jar left," did he limit the blessing? I felt the LORD was simply showing me once again the power of our spoken words. He is exhorting us to press forward with a faith we have not had before; to believe for more than enough, to trust Him for a great river when everything seems dried up, to believe for a flow of His oil that will fill our lamps and not cease!

Praise our Mighty King Yeshua! He has provided enough for us to purchase our four airline tickets to Kenya. Now we are believing Him for enough to take care of our expenses for food and also a generous gift for the orphanage where we will minister. Thank you for believing with us and being a part of this still-flowing provision. By faith there is going to be MORE than enough! 

Kelly Ferrari Mills
DoorKeeper Ministries

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The Mark of God

I was given the same scripture twice this past couple of weeks, and I know that in Hebraic understanding when God repeats Himself, it means, "Pay attention!"  I believe this is a Scripture we should be committing to our minds and hearts right now. Our nation is in chaos, and I believe the chaos is going to increase greatly as we come into these next weeks. In my spirit I sense a strong foreboding. John McTernan, who wrote the book As America Has Done to Israel, has an interesting take on it. He writes in his blog that he believes as America is pressuring the "two state solution" to divide Israel and Jerusalem, so this country is about to be divided also. In fact, we already ARE divided politically in what appears to be an impasse that could cause our economy to finally collapse. Is this how the God of Israel will judge this nation? It could be. America has turned her back on God and I cannot see how He can continue much longer to hold back His justice.

Yet, as we ponder these things the Scripture He gave me gives us reason to believe that the righteous - those who have the testimony of Yeshua (Jesus) and keep His commands - will be kept safe.
2 Peter 4:-9: For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into chains of darkness to be held for judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) - if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials..."

HalleluYah! This is a good word, my friends, one that we can hold onto. The Father is looking for those who are "distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men," which we now see all around us, and even in our government. I am so moved by Ezekiel 9:4, which prophesies a time when those who grieve over the lawless people and their detestable acts will be marked with the mark of God: "Then the LORD called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side and said to him, 'Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.' As I listened he said to the others, 'Follow him through the city and kill...but do not touch anyone who has the mark.'"

Interesting that Revelation 9:4 (notice the same chapter and verse!) has a similar prophecy: "They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads." In both these verses we are told that great harm is about to come upon the wicked, and they will be identified as "those who do not have the mark of God." Those who DO have the mark of God will be identified by their righteous lives, and their anguish over all the greed, hatred, violence, and evil they see in the world around them.

Praise God that we do have the accounts of Noah, Lot, and others who were kept safe in the midst of great trials and disasters. We should all be on our knees in these days, weeping over the sin of America, and of Israel, examining our own lives and making sure that we are living according to His commands, and praying that the Holy One of Israel will take note of our anguish and place HIS mark upon us! His mark is a mark of deliverance - even as the children of Israel were told to mark the doorposts of their houses with blood so that the Angel of Death would not harm them. So now, as things begin to collapse around us, we must be ready, as Peter tells us, "to give a reason for the hope that is in us." Yeshua is the reason - He is our hope - His is the blood marking the doorposts of our lives; and we will soon have an unprecedented opportunity to share Him with those over whom we've been weeping.

“Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.” Psalm 37:37

The Warrior Bride

Our Feast of Tabernacles celebration on a beautiful, secluded northern California ranch was truly a "season of our joy." Joined once again with the Beit Yeshua congregation from Reno, we experienced a week filled with lessons from Master Yeshua - and culminating in the unspeakable joy of the Wedding Feast. All week long the Spirit was showing each of us that as we rehearsed this feast, being made ready as a spotless Bride for the Lamb, we needed to get the lessons that the children of Israel learned as they spent time in the wilderness with him.

The first night of the week I had a terrible demonic dream. It was a frightening dream and when I awoke from it, I felt the Holy Spirit was showing me that as the worship leader of the camp, I needed to summon the troops for warfare against every foul spirit that would try to attack, distract, and destroy us as we sought to become the Bride of Messiah. About 40 in number, we gathered that morning for worship and I called each one from the youngest (two weeks old) to the oldest, to prepare for battle. We began to worship Adonai Tsava'ot (Lord of the Angel Armies) in song, prayer, dance, and Scripture. We closed this powerful time of worship by blowing the shofars and literally marching out into the camp, where we anointed all the doors, windows and walls, sealing off the enemy!

It was an important lesson to us all, that we not just gather to celebrate the Feasts of the Lord with a casual attitude. These are holy convocations for all generations, and we are seeking to be a people set-apart to God; we must not forget that that will always incur the wrath of the enemy!

An article by Francis Frangipane puts it this way:
The Central Issue in Tribulation: Worship
One does not have to penetrate deeply into the Revelation of John to discover that both God and the devil are seeking worshipers (see Rev. 7:11; 13:4; 14:7, 11). Time and time again the line is drawn between those who "worship the beast and his image" and those who worship God.
In the last great battle before Jesus returns, the outcome of every man's life shall be weighed upon a scale of worship: In the midst of warfare and conflict to whom will we bow, God or Satan?
Yet, while this warfare shall culminate in the establishment of the Lord's kingdom on earth (see Rev. 11:15), we must realize the essence of this battle is the central issue in our warfare today. Will we faithfully worship God during satanic assault and temptation? True worship must emerge in the context of our lives now. For no man will worship through the great battles of tomorrow who complains in the mere skirmishes of today."

Amen! We were reminded many times during the week that the Bride of Messiah is probably not going to be dressed in lace and white satin as these great battles are waged. Our dear friend Mike Clayton is often quoted as saying "The Bride will wear combat boots!" That is because the Bride of Messiah is a warrior bride - she is an overcomer - and she carries dual weapons: the testimony of Yeshua and the keeping of His commandments.

All throughout the week we were washed in the Word, and there was unity and the love of Messiah operating in the camp. Our joy truly was made complete when we each walked through the gate into the "Wedding Banquet" and heard our names announced! Yeshua gives a promise to His overcomers in his Word: "I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels."

We feasted on delicious food, enjoyed a magnificent wedding cake, danced before the Lord with all our might, and experienced unspeakable joy. The enemy had been vanquished! The "tribes" were reunited as our men joined together in the Dance of Reunification, the names of each of the 12 tribes written on their arms. 

As Frangipane further stated, "The Lord's purpose with Israel in the wilderness was to perfect true worship, which is based upon the reality of God, not circumstances. The Lord knows that the heart that will worship Him in the wilderness of affliction will continue to worship in the promised land of plenty."

Thank you, Father, for the lessons. Thank you for times in the wilderness, and opportunities for the Refiner's Fire to mold and shape us, no matter how painful. Thank you that our hearts remained steadfast in this Great Feast, and as we came into the Wedding Banquet, we worshiped in the promised land of plenty. Now keep us ever vigilant, still covered with Your armor, joyfully marching on, marching on till your return.. 

Process of Purification

The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." (Luke 3:15-16)

Though there has been fire and water surrounding us here in Colorado this past summer, we are safe and dry and blessed; it has not come near us. It causes me to think about that reassuring phrase in Psalm 91: "A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you."  It leaves us feeling incredibly blessed and grateful to our God that we have somehow been spared the terrible suffering of so many around us.

The fact that these "500-year floods" have happened on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement really struck us as significant. We attended a beautiful Yom Kippur service this morning in Denver and one woman who was rescued by air lift from her flooded home in Estes Park last night, got up and gave a powerful testimony. She spoke about watching the rain fall unceasingly since last Monday night and seeing the waters around her raise higher and higher until she knew they were in great danger. Finally, when she realized they may not escape the rising river, she said she heard the Lord instruct her to go out and stand on a high rock and blow her shofar as loudly as she could. After she did this she and her husband left everything they owned behind and made their way across fallen trees and debris, until they successfully climbed to safety where they could get airlifted out. Some hours later, meeting up with various neighbors who were also rescued, she tearfully told us how these neighbors spoke about the sound of the shofar: "It was the most beautiful sound I ever heard," they told her. "It gave us hope and courage and we sensed it was the Voice of the Lord calling us to come back."

That is what I believe this is all about, really. The beautiful land of Colorado has been scorched with fire and now immersed in water; it is, to me, the Lord's process of purification. I noted that the Boardwalk in New Jersey was immersed in water last year, and now destroyed by fire. Again, I believe it is a message of purification of our land, as well as a call to the people of this nation to repent and return to the God who has so abundantly blessed us through all our history.

Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement. It is the day that the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies to offer sacrifices that would make atonement for himself and for the whole nation of Israel (read Leviticus chapter 16). It is a foreshadowing of Messiah's atonement for us, as he offered His own blood as a covering for our sins. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He enetered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:12)

The news reports tonight warn of another 3" of rain over the rivers of our area in the Colorado Rocky Mountains tonight and tomorrow morning. Pray that the Lord will have mercy and lead many to safety. Pray that the spiritual sound of His shofar will awaken many to their need for a Savior, and cause them to turn to Him in the midst of these great trials. Pray that the people of this nation would enter into a true repentance as this time of "the beginning of sorrows" comes fully upon us.

Our God is a merciful and just God and I believe He is doing a truly purifying work in America because of our uncleanness. Our part is to submit to this purification in repentance and draw nearer to Yeshua with all our hearts and all our minds and all our souls.

Godliness with Contentment

My sister sent a picture of our parents today, which greatly lifted my spirits. She had managed to get them both together outdoors in their wheel chairs today, to enjoy the sunshine and the gentle breeze in the trees. I was blessed by the smiles on their faces, and as I began to pray for them I said, "Father, I thank You that they are learning to be content, even in their difficult situations and their painful separation from one another." I waited, and in the quiet I heard Him reply, "Yes, and you must learn this contentment also."

Paul said, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in every situation." (Philippians 4:12).  He further stated, "...godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Timothy 6:6)

What is this "godliness with contentment?" Godliness here is the Greek world eusebeia, which means piety or holiness - in other words, choosing to be set apart unto God. Contentment is translated from the Greek word auterkeia, which means satisfaction, contentedness, or sufficiency. It means one is entirely satisifed with what he has, content that his circumstances are fully sufficient.

Is that how you feel about your present situation? Or are you continually striving for more, convinced that the "grass is greener" somewhere else, never really satisfied with what you have or where you work or where you live?  I felt the Lord was impressing upon me to take this word to my own heart and to send it out to many others. We are in a season of much chaos, violence, negative news, and fear. Can we, like Paul, choose to find the great gain in "godliness with contentment?" Can we, like my Mom and Dad, decide to be content with whatever situation we are in, and give God praise for the small moments of joy we can find in each day?

Paul says he found the "secret" of being content in every situation. If it is a secret, then it is not something everyone knows, not easily discovered. It is one of those secrets we can only find by digging deep into the heart of God. His heart reveals the fruit of His Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness and self-control. If we learn to practice and focus on these things, we have learned the "secret" of being content in every situation - whether in need or plenty, whether well or sick, whether together or apart. When we set ourselves apart to Him (godliness), He is always, always sufficient for the day (contentment)!

Selah

In the Shadow of El Shaddai

Yes, it has been almost a month since I have written anything. My last post described the heart-wrenching transfer of my parents to Illinois - and it has taken me a few weeks to recover from that journey, both emotionally and physically. I wish I could write that they are doing well in their new place, but the truth is they need much prayer, and I hope you will remember them in your prayers in the coming days. It is clear to me that we got them to this new situation with 24/7 nursing care just in the nick of time. Isn't that so like our God? My mother (Patty) is rapidly advancing into much more severe stages of Alzheimer's disease. My dad (Ed) is now full-time in a wheelchair; two bad falls have disintegrated the lower part of his spine, and he is no longer able to walk. However, my sister is with them daily and she is a powerful prayer warrior and compassionate caregiver, who is pouring out her life right to minister life to them.

In the midst of these past few weeks some of the most prophetically important events I have seen in a very long while have occurred. Though I haven't been writing about it, my spiritual antenna has been engaged and I stand in awe at how the words of the biblical prophets are jumping off the page and onto my television screen in real time! When Secretary of State John Kerry announced to the world that Israel and the Palestinian Authority had resumed peace talks, and "this would be a nine-month process," the Spirit within me fairly leaped! Nine months? Any woman would respond to that with the question, "What is being birthed in these nine months?" As I pondered that I realized that for me the bigger question was, "Where will we be nine months from now?" I went to my Hebrew calendar and counted off the days. Exactly nine months from the date of Kerry's announcement is the first day of Passover! This is startling enough, to think that by this Passover we could potentially have the covenant prophesied in Daniel 9:27, which could include the division of the Land and of the Great City of the King, Jerusalem, as prophesied by Zechariah and Joel! But even more startling than that is the fact established by NASA that on the first day of Passover 2014 there will be a blood-red moon - followed by more blood-red moons (total lunar eclipses) on the first day of Feast of Tabernacles 2014, first day of Passover 2015, and first day of Tabernacles 2015! Additionally, there will be total solar eclipses on these dates as well.  Is your heart pounding a little yet?
Joel 3:2: There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.

God is speaking powerfully in these days and only the people who belong to God are listening.  John 8:47: "He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." I believe that even now, in this very day, God is birthing the True Biblical Israel (or Zion). In 1947-48 there were tetrads of blood-red moons. In that time God regathered His people and birthed the nation of Israel. In this time, I believe He is bringing forth the fulfillment of many end-time prophecies that will birth Biblical Israel - His Kingdom -and this includes the terrible days of labor pains spoken of by Yeshua Himself, as well as Jeremiah and other prophets:
Matthew 24:7: Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of BIRTH PAINS.
Jeremiah 13:21: What will you say when the Lord sets over you those you cultivated as your special allies? Will not pain grip you like that of a woman in labor?

Additionally we are watching Isaiah 19 come into view before our very eyes as we pay careful attention to what is happening in Egypt: An oracle concerning Egypt: See YHVH rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before Him and the hearts of the Egyptians melt within them. 'I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian - brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom. The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring their plans to nothing; they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists. I will hand the Egyptians over to the power of a cruel master, and a fierce king who will rule over them,' declares El Shaddai.  This is exactly what is transpiring right now in Egypt; but lest we lose heart, we read the rest of the story in Isaiah 19 and we rejoice! Open the pages of Isaiah 19 and read verses 18-25. Though the time of Jacob's trouble (which very well could be unfolding this Passover) will be a time of horrific death and destruction, under the rule of a fierce and cruel master, we know that Master Yeshua will defeat all the enemies of Israel, and the birth of His Kingdom will prevail and be glorious!

Isaiah 66: Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of YHVH repaying his enemies all they deserve. Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. Who has ever heard of such a thing? Can a country be born in a day, or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. "Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?" says YHVH. Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?" says your God. "Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her!"

We are in the Hebrew month of Elul, a time of introspection and repentance, just before the great fall feasts begin. Many of us are being greatly tested, both physically and spiritually. May we remain strong and use this time to draw nearer and nearer to our soon-coming King Yeshua. There is nowhere we can run from our enemies - Yeshua Himself tells us "it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth." Then He gives us some very, very valuable instruction: "Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:36) How can we escape? Where shall we hide? The answer to that question is found in Psalm 91. Read it, memorize it, take it to your heart. I believe it is our end-time road map to follow:
He who dwells in the shelter of El Eyon (God Most High) will rest in the shadow of El Shaddai. I will say of YHVH, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust. If you make El Elyon your refuge - then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.

John and I are journeying on, in the Shadow of El Shaddai. We still have a firm commitment to travel to Kenya and seek the lost sheep of Israel in Africa, bringing love and encouragement to the orphans there and much teaching of God's Word to the hungry. Thank you so much to all who have sent us donations.  We lack about $2000 to purchase our tickets and are also hoping to bring a financial gift to the orphanage. Please ask the Holy Spirit how you can help us - any amount matters!

Shalom and be strengthened, for our redemption draws near!

Unthinkable!

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen (my Mom in tears in a nursing home, my Dad bent over a walker, in pain) is TEMPORARY. But what is unseen (the two of them dancing together again) is ETERNAL. 2 Cor. 4:16-18

Their needs were so different, that it had become obvious my 90-year-old parents might have to be separated.  But separation of these two lovers, married almost 69 years, was unthinkable! They had never done anything apart. I remember their blissfully happy retirement years in Mesa, Arizona when Dad once said to me, "There's a men's barbershop chorus here I'd love to join, but I won't cause Patty wouldn't be with me." In the same week Mom had said to me, "They have a ladies billiards club, and that would be fun, but Ed can't join so I won't either." Being together was the one thing they would never relinquish - until now - until life's "momentary troubles" forced it upon us.

Dad and I had toured many assisted living places here in the Greeley, Colorado area where they lived; but either there was nothing for dementia patients, or the cost was completely out of reach. Then the Lord suddenly and unexpectedly opened a window, and His timing was so perfect that we knew we needed to jump through the window without delay. This past week has been the hardest week - mentally, emotionally and physically - that I have ever walked through. In six short days I tossed out what they didn't want to keep, packed up everything else they owned, and loaded it all in a U-haul trailer. John and I drove them 1000 miles east to Carlyle, Illinois where my younger sister and her husband live. There we found a care center with a very nice assisted-living apartment for Dad, where he could still enjoy his stereo, his TV, his library visits, and the fellowship of others - and across the way an Alzheimer's wing for my mother, where she could get the 24/7 nursing care she needs.

The trip there was covered in God's grace, for it was not nearly as difficult as I had expected. We had to lift Mom in and out of the truck each time we had a potty or food stop; and we had to fetch both their walkers from the back and help them negotiate all the unfamiliar walkways and bathrooms; but we kept the car filled with praise, and our hearts filled with hope. On the second day Mom began to cry inconsolably, as if she sensed things were about to be very different. But Dad took off his seatbelt and leaned clear across until he could lay his head in her lap, his hand securely on her shoulder! My tears began to flow then, and haven't really stopped yet.

We all know this move was the "last stop." We all know it wasn't fair that my mother began her life in a hospital polio ward, and is ending her life in an Alzheimer's ward, suffering also from post-polio syndrome. We all know that separating the two of them was a cruel thing to have to do. But God's ways are so much higher than our ways. In a Spirit-filled prayer time with my sister, the Lord spoke to us both and said, "I AM doing these things according to My purpose. Lonnie, you are separated apart now to care for your parents until they die; Kelly, you are separated once again for the call of ministry I have placed on your life - the call to take My Truth to the nations. I am separating your parents so that I can have intimate time with each of them before I call them home - and so that they will learn to depend upon ME. Trust Me. There will be some who will be saved because of My light that shines in the midst of these places."

When I got back home last night my sister told me about the good day our parents had had yesterday. Mom was crying and asking for Dad, so the nurse called his apartment and he tottered across the path with his walker. She brought them ice cream, and put on their favorite CD - one they used to dance to! Then they each got into the two recliners in Mom's room (just like they had here in Colorado), peacefully closed their eyes, and drifted off to sleep, side by side.  Separation of these two lovers? Unthinkable!

 
Shabbat Shalom.

A Healthy Body and a Well-Lived Life

I was blessed to receive two e-mails today that seemed to bear witness to one another - as two witnesses confirming a matter I have been pondering for weeks.  The matter can best be expressed as a question: "Why is the Body of Messiah in such a state of division and disunity? What argument is great enough to utterly destroy congregations and tear the fabric of God's people completely apart? Are these arguments and disruptions of a doctrinal, theological nature, or are people just getting offended over petty, personal disagreements?"

This is the state of things where John and I live, but we also see it everywhere we travel. Denominations are splitting into more denominations in the Church - and the Messianics are in such disagreement that whole fellowships are dissolving and disappearing so that everyone can go do things their own way.

One of the e-mails I got today included an article by Eddie Santoro, from Jerusalem. He writes,

"The establishment and strengthening of the local congregation was the primary goal of Paul's apostolic journeys, and most of the Epistles are written to local New Testament expressions. The local congregation is God's vessel to express his life on the earth, and it is the "school" where new believers are discipled and older ones can grow and mature.  It is the furnace where we are tested and the fountainhead of any national revival.

God saves people but he does not stop there. Each of us are then called to take our place in this wonderful Body and it is this commitment of love and sacrifice that binds the "living stones" into a dwelling place for God's spirit.

Since the local congregation is so central to God's purposes, it is not surprising that the enemy attacks it. He strikes the shepherds so that the sheep would be scattered. He sows deception and strife into this house which is meant to be filled with love and peace, so that its unity would be destroyed. Since we moved to Jerusalem, we have seen at least three thriving congregations cease to exist.

A healthy Body is not just a good meeting, but also the expression of lives joined together in loving relationship throughout the week. The deepening of the bonds of relationship between members of our congregation is a vital step in advancing God's purposes and a deterrent against the strategy of the enemy to divide."

My friends, it is all about people!  For so long I have been endeavoring to live a life poured out for people, because that is the model our Master Yeshua gave us.  I love Eddie's explanation of this: "A healthy Body is the expression of lives joined together in loving relationship throughout the week." That is the definition of true community from a Hebraic perspective.  Loving fellowship, outreach, and meeting one another's needs is not supposed to be just a one-day-of-the-week thing - it should be our purpose all week long, all month long, all year long!

The other e-mail that really quickened in my spirit was based on a quote by Bill Bullock.  Though I am not aware of who Mr. Bullock is, I certainly agree with him, and I think maybe I'll print out this quote and paste it somewhere in our home as a reminder.  As a people we spend far too much time listening to TV and radio talking heads giving THEIR opinions about everything, and it disrupts the Spirit within us.  I am not interested in men's opinions, I am interested in GOD'S opinion, and I cannot hear Him when there is so much noise and chaos in my world!!

Thanks to Tinah Brown, who sent me Mr. Bullock's quote:

"Well-lived lives are not lived in the world of theory, philosophy, theology, religion, politics or any other form of pontification or dehumanizing generalization. Those who live well-lived lives do not waste time or energy talking about ideas or arguing over whose opinion or political or theological position is right. Those who live well-lived lives spend their precious time and energy focusing on real interactions with real people, with real names, and real life situations that must be dealt with in real time. Those who live well-lived lives see and respond to hurting people, not hateful labels."

Awesome! Now it's time for me to close this so I can get over to my real 89-year-old mother's house and interact with her real-life situation coping with dementia, and give her some of my precious time and energy, because she needs a real-life shower!

God saves his people, but it doesn't stop there. Each of us are then called to take our place in this wonderful Body and it is this commitment of love and sacrifice that binds the "living stones" into a dwelling place for God's spirit.

Shabbat Shalom!

Cling to Him With Every Step

Last evening on Discovery Channel we watched what was, quite possibly, one of the greatest parables the Lord has ever quickened to me.  In awe we watched tightrope walker Nik Wallenda cross the entire Grand Canyon on a small, steel cable, barely wide enough upon which to set his feet.  As he began this "amazing stunt" as many called it, I held my breath and felt that my heart would stop; and then I heard Nik begin to call upon the Name above every name.  With almost every tentative step forward, He praised God and called upon Him for protection, for safety, for the calming of the wind, and for His very survival. "Thank You, Jesus. Oh, I praise You, Jesus. You are my Rock and my Salvation. You have the authority to stop the wind. I give You the glory, Jesus!"

Step by step, for 23 breathtaking minutes, fifteen hundred feet above the rocky canyon floor, he depended upon God. He trusted Jesus not to let go of Him. And over the live cameras that televised this event to the world, He was not ashamed to tell every man, woman and child watching that He depends on God, and not his own ability, to make it to the end.

The wind could have toppled him. His own strength could have failed him, as he was carrying an extremely heavy, weighted bar for balance. If he had lost focus, fear could have taken over and caused him to tumble to his death. But he never stopped praising the One who kept him safe! What a parable this was for us!

My little devotional this morning was what quickened it all to my spirit. It reads, "Fearful, anxious thoughts melt away in the Light of My Presence. When you turn away from Me, you are vulnerable to the darkness that is always at work in the world.  In the world, dependency is seen as immaturity. But in My Kingdom, dependence on Me is a prime measure of maturity."

I'm sure many in the world thought Nik Wallenda to be a fool, crossing the Grand Canyon, calling on Jesus' Name. But we know God uses the foolish to confound the wise! He used this as a testimony, even a teaching, about clinging to the hand of the Savior.

Psalm 62:5-7: "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone, my hope comes from Him.  He alone is My rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. God Most High is my salvation and my honor; He is my Mighty Rock, my Refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him for God is our Refuge."

This life we live is like a tightrope walk.  Some refer to tightrope walkers as "daredevils," and as I heard that term spoken over Nik Wallenda, I rebuked it. He did not dare the devil to kill him...he called upon the only One who could keep him safe to the end of the journey; he commanded the wind to stop in the authority of the only One who controls the wind and the waves; and when he reached the "end of the rope," he kissed the ground, and in tears, gave the glory to Yeshua, His Rock and His Salvation! For me, it was a parable, a lesson, wherein the Lord showed me how to cling to Him with every step, praise Him in every circumstance, trust Him at all times, pour out my heart to Him, and never be ashamed to give Him the glory for everything in my life, even in front of all those who are watching!

If you want to see a short clip of Nik's walk across the Grand Canyon, you can find it here. Turn your speakers up and listen closely, as the audio is very faint - but you will want to hear his words!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVAo5rlKgFc

Restoration Song

I had a dream where large groups of people were moving along toward the same destination. In the midst of this huge throng was a group of people who began singing and praising God in the Hebrew language. I noticed that many around me began to roll their eyes and complain, "I'm not going to try to learn those words in another language! Why should I do that?" Still other groups of people (obviously from other nations) were smiling and intermingling with the group of singers, trying to learn the words. I so wanted to learn the words too, so eventually I separated myself from those who were grumbling, and this was not hard to do, as I noticed they began falling behind all the rest. Joyfully, those of us who joined ourselves to the group of singers began to sing along, and the words came very easily to us.  When we finally reached our destination it was revealed to us that the singers were Jewish and we were singing the repetitive chorus of Psalm 80:3: RESTORE US O GOD! SHOW US YOUR MERCY AND WE SHALL BE SAVED!

I knew that it was a picture of the great Restoration God is doing in the earth today; some will want to sing this restoration song and be a part of what He is doing, but many will not.

Isaiah 11:12-13: The LORD will raise a signal flag to show the nations that He is gathering together again the scattered people of Israel and Judah and bringing them back from the four corners of the earth. The kingdom of Israel will not be jealous of Judah anymore, and Judah will not be the enemy of Israel.

None At All Exalt Him

In our weekly bible study at the retirement home where my elderly parents reside, we are studying the book of Hosea. I believe the choice to go there (made by one of our students) was definitely Spirit-led, for just this time. Even a current DVD movie on the book of Hosea is getting popular attention. We watched it last night and we were deeply moved.

Hosea, of course, is a book of prophecy, mainly written to Ephraim, the northern kingdom of ancient Israel. But the real definition of this prophetic work is that it is a redemptive love story - a love that most of us cannot comprehend. It is the story of the unconditional love of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob toward His people Israel - even when they were unfaithful to Him and had utterly abandoned Him, to worship false gods. YHVH did not give up on them, even as Hosea (walking out God's message in the flesh) did not give up on his unfaithful wife. What wondrous love is this?

I was captivated this morning by the verse in Hosea 11:7. It says, 'My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High (El Elyon), none at all exalt Him."

I have pondered this verse for three hours this morning, asking El Elyon to show me what this means for us today. Here is what I heard:
You come to me in prayer, but you launch into your petitions for all your needs, as if it is all about you. Even when you pray for the needs of others, you are putting your earthly desires before the praise of the Most High. Come into My Presence with Thanksgiving, and into My courts with Praise! Exalt My Name above all gods, and acknowledge My holiness. Take off your shoes, for you are standing on Holy Ground. Bow before the Holy One of Israel and sing praises unto Me! I long for the praises of My people; I wonder if you remember who I Am. I want you to be all Mine, filled with the light of My Presence. Worship Me in the beauty of holiness! Worship Me and then my ears shall be attentive to your cry.

There is a reason we call it "praise and worship," not "worship and praise." I am grateful for the reminder this morning, from the Creator of the Universe, that I must come into His courts first with the praises of my lips - which then will lead me deeper into the worship of His holiness and sovereignty in my life. Then, as I lift my prayers and needs to him, I will be fully aware that He is the God who created me, who knows me intimately, who hears me, and who answers in His mercy and grace.

Let God Do It!

We invited my 8-year-old granddaughter, Jocelyn, to our home for Erev Shabbat dinner.  Other friends who regularly join us were here, including our dear brother Larry, who is an expert shofar player. After dinner he delighted in giving Jocelyn a lesson on how to blow the shofar, getting various notes, and sounding the different blasts that called the children of Israel to worship or to battle. As I was clearing the dinner table, I heard Larry tell her, "You're trying too hard. Don't try so hard. Just like in everything else, when we try so hard to do it, we're not letting God do it."

Wow, that really hit deep in my spirit! I had recently been through a time of deep confession and repentance over this very issue. I had allowed my fears and concerns over my husband's health and my mother's health to keep me from moving forward in faith on the call to minister in Kenya. It was strange - I had never done this before! In 14 years of traveling the globe for the Lord, I had never allowed fear to overcome faith, but suddenly it seemed the enemy had the upper hand and I was dragging my feet on this mission. Then the Lord began to convict me and cause me to remember how HE had moved in my life when I wasn't trying to take control, and when I was completely surrendered over to Him.

"Don't you remember how I touched John and healed him in that Reno hospital?" the Spirit whispered. "You watched his blood pressure go from 178 to 122 on the monitor when John spoke out his faith in Me. And what about the time in Ecuador when your bus broke down and you were stranded through the night in unsafe territory? Did I not protect you? And do you remember when you taped bibles on your body and went across Communist Chinese borders into Tibet? Did I not speak to you and tell you what to say when you passed through their security? Did I not shelter you when the two men accosted you on the Mount of Olives? Now why are you in fear?"

 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am YHVH, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." (Isa. 43:2-3)

I had been trying too hard to protect everybody. How foolish! Once I surrendered my heart, my life, and the lives of my loved ones again into the arms of my Yeshua, my Savior, the Spirit began to flow again, and the mission moved forward. The pastors in Kenya have an itinerary in place for us now, from December 18-30. We are taking two of our grandchildren and the four of us will fly to Nairobi and then to the region of Kitale, where I ministered several years ago at a pastors' conference. This time we will teach at the Nasokol girls school (1100 students), lead an adult conference for men and women of seven churches, visit an orphanage, and then have several days of preaching and teaching in the public marketplaces, to reach the lost. The donations have begun to come in, and we are about 1/3 of the way there.  We need $8000 for airfare, and more for some guest house meals and lodging expense; not to mention our great desire to take some financial help to the orphanage.

Will it come in? Absolutely! I am out of the way now, so God can move! And I know He can and will move through you! We have supported one another over the years in God's Economy and it is always enough when we each send our part. Donations to DoorKeeper Ministries are now tax deductible and you can send a check to PO Box 233, Eaton, CO 80615, or go to www.doorkeeperministries.com and click on the donate tab.

The days are short now, my friends, and truly the harvest of the nations is increasingly ripe. Travel is more dangerous than it used to be, and the world is much darker; but this means the Light of Messiah in each of us is shining much brighter! Thanks be to God who has given me the victory over my fears and once again called me to Africa to bring His Truth and His Light! We appreciate each prayer and each donation so very much.

And as you face your own fears and concerns in these chaotic times, recall the verses above, and recall our friend Larry's words: "You're trying too hard. Let God do it!"

Blow the shofar in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the Day of the Lord is coming It is close at hand!  (Joel 2:1)

A Mighty Rushing Wind

The blessed Feast of Shavu'ot (Pentecost) has come and gone. Because most of us are not functioning in the agricultural cycles of planting and harvesting that the Israelites carried out, it is much harder for us to discern how we should be celebrating the feasts of the LORD. Yet, two things regarding Shavu'ot are certain: we are called to offer firstfruits to the LORD, and we should be expecting another Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as the apostles experienced on that day!

Leviticus 23:15-17:  ¹⁵ “‘From the day after the day of rest — that is, from the day you bring the sheaf for waving — you are to count seven full weeks, ¹⁶ until the day after the seventh week; you are to count fifty days; and then you are to present a new grain offering to Adonai. ¹⁷ You must bring bread from your homes for waving — two loaves made with one gallon of fine flour, baked with leaven — as firstfruits for Adonai.

The apostles would have counted those fifty days, known as the counting of the omer, and then on the 50th day - the feast of Shavu'ot - they were gathered together.
Acts 2:1-4:  The festival of Shavu‘ot arrived, and the believers all gathered together in one place. ² Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. ⁴ They were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and began to talk in different languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

Last Saturday we went out to a Colorado State Park near a lake and camped out with two dear friends who, like we, were greatly anticipating a fresh outpouring of the Spirit. We were blessed with a campsite very near the water, and we spent the entire afternoon in the Word.  After enjoying a sumptuous banquet of the Scriptures, we all began to question, "What do we need to do to be prepared for a fresh anointing? Does God consider us ready and worthy of such an event?" We all received the same answer as we sought the Lord, and the answer was "teshuva" (repent)! It bore witness with all of us. We needed to be clean vessels before the Father. 

We had a time of precious worship in our little camper that evening, as the feast day came in, and we each offered up to the LORD our own personal confessions of sin, asking forgiveness of Him and of each other. Then, quite suddenly, it began: the mighty, rushing wind! The wind blew so hard I wondered if our little pop-up was going to roll over! The great gusts of wind ushered in the rain - a downpour of heavenly blessing, a sign of Father's cleansing work in each of us.  That night we slept peacefully, confident that we had heard His instruction and received His blessing.

 In the morning we walked down to the lake with two freshly-baked loaves of fine flour. Before we waved them before the LORD, we two couples entered the lake and washed our spouses' feet, asking for forgiveness in any ways we dishonored one another, and then asking the Father to accept US as two loaves - two people joined together as the two sticks of Ezekiel - being restored as one.

How personal and intimate this Shavu'ot celebration was! We knew the Spirit had visited us in the wind and in the rain, and again in the lake. Tearfully we climbed back up on the bank and waved the loaves of bread as an offering to YHVH, feeling overwhelming gratitude that our Abba was looking down on His children with joyful approval. We are not in the Land - we are in exile - and none of us have full understanding how to keep these wonderful festivals; yet, it reminds me of little children who make a card for their daddy's birthday and scribble all over the paper and make funny pictures. Does the daddy disapprove because he can't read the scribbling or understand the pictures? Of course not! The daddy's heart is melted because his little child did the best he could to show his love for his father.

I pray that our Abba Father's heart was melted as we worshiped and confessed, and washed feet and waved the firstfruits offering of bread before Him. I pray that the couple who came walking by and curiously watched us will want to discover what we were doing, and come to the LORD because of it! I pray that the mighty wind and the outpouring of rain were signs that we are being cleansed, healed, restored, and made ready to be the Bride of our soon-coming King!

God's Rest

The times are getting exciting and intense; many are entering into much anxiety and fear based upon the news and the violence that surrounds us. Yet, today's Torah portion from Leviticus 25, about the shmita, or sabbatical year, and the yovel - or jubilee year - is one that brings great joy and shalom.

Leviticus 25:1-7:  And the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, ² “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give you, then the land shall keep a sabbath to the Lord. ³ Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather its fruit; ⁴ but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath to the Lord. You shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard. ⁵ What grows of its own accord of your harvest you shall not reap, nor gather the grapes of your untended vine, for it is a year of rest for the land. ⁶ And the sabbath produce of the land shall be food for you: for you, your male and female servants, your hired man, and the stranger who dwells with you, ⁷ for your livestock and the beasts that are in your land—all its produce shall be for food.

The instruction to the children of Israel was that they plant their crops for six years, but then let the land rest in the shmita, the seventh year. This year was to be a shabbat to the LORD.  This word shabbat is Strong's #H2323 and it means to cease, desist from labor, and rest. Because we live in a society that does not comprehend this word, it is very foreign to us, and its deeper spiritual meaning escapes us. We have to go back to Genesis 2:2-3 to see where God originally established this pattern of shabbat, or rest, on the 7th day (which, of course is our present Saturday). What was this pattern all about?

I would submit to you that it is all about trust. From the beginning our God has been trying to teach us to fully trust in Him for everything we need and with everything we have. Even in current Israeli culture the majority of Jewish farmers and vineyard owners do not practice the shmita rest for their land. It has been reported that many of them actually "hire the land" out to foreigners during shmita years so that technically they are not planting the land - somebody else is! Do you think this fools the Creator of the Universe? I think not - because on the other hand, those in Israel who have returned to the keeping of the shmita (seventh) year, letting their land rest and not planting at all, have reported up to 800 times the quantity of produce in following years!  They trusted in God to provide for their seventh year, in order to feed their families and their workers, and our faithful God did not disappoint!

In Leviticus 25:8-13 the children of Israel are instructed about the 50th year, or the Jubilee year: 
And you shall count seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years; and the time of the seven sabbaths of years shall be to you forty-nine years. ⁹ Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout all your land. ¹⁰ And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family. ¹¹ That fiftieth year shall be a Jubilee to you; in it you shall neither sow nor reap what grows of its own accord, nor gather the grapes of your untended vine. ¹² For it is the Jubilee; it shall be holy to you; you shall eat its produce from the field. ¹³ ‘In this Year of Jubilee, each of you shall return to his possession. 

Julie Parker writes in her wonderful Torah study, Sheepfold Gleanings: "Jubilee was announced to Israel on the Day of Atonement/Yom Kippur - the Wedding Day, in the seventh month on the tenth day, when atonement was made. A trumpet was blown to proclaim liberty, freedom and release for people suffering economic and social hardship.  Everyone who had sold their family property had it restored to them, all land was given back to its original owners and those who had been forced to sell themselves into slavery were released. The land of Israel was never to be permanently sold. The children of Israel were and are to be YHVH's caretakers of the Land. The Israelites could not buy up the land of Israel because the Land itself belonged to YHVH! He is the owner of the land of Israel. It is HIS to give and by His grace and mercy to lease it out to the children of Jacob as their inheritance (Leviticus 25:23)." 

This led me to think about our Shabbat celebration with some friends last night. After lighting the candles, singing some songs of worship, and then entering into the throne room of the Lord for prayer, all four of us began crying out to Him in passionate pleas for our unsaved children and grandchildren. John and I had done this many times before for our families, but never with so many tears and unbridled passion! We were reminding the Lord of the brief space of time we believe there is left for repentance and salvation; but then, the Lord began reminding us of something we may have forgotten: our children are not really our own, they are His. Everything we have - our lives, our money, our wives, our husbands, our children, our jobs, our time and our abilities are all from Yehovah. He has "leased" these people and things to us for a time, so that we can care for them. But we must trust in Yeshua - the Kinsman Redeemer - to redeem them in His perfect time. 

Julie Parker also writes, "According to Yovel (Jubilee), the people will also be returning to their allotted tribal lands. In Scripture, those who return will do so by the power of Yeshua, our Kinsman Redeemer, and by the price He paid for us that opened the way for the right of redemption under the law of the Yovel year. The Law of Redemption is Yeshua; He has provided the way back home!"

Isn't this glorious news? We who are grafted into the Olive Tree of Israel through our belief in Messiah Yeshua, and keeping of His commandments, will, in God's perfect timing, find our way back home! I know many of you, like me, are homesick, now more than ever. This world is not our home! But one thrilling day in a Jubilee year yet to come, we will be "returned to our allotted tribal lands" and enter God's true Shabbat, His perfect Rest!

During one of our Monday bible study classes with 18 elderly folks at a retirement home, we read Luke 22:29-30:

²⁹ And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, ³⁰ that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” 

One of those in the class, who happens to be a retired Lutheran pastor in his upper 80s, raised his hand, a look of great concern on his face, and he said, "Why would we be judging the twelve tribes of Israel if there's no one there to judge?"
My heart sank with sadness at this prevalent example of replacement theology. This pastor had been taught - as most in his generation had been taught - that the Church replaced Israel and the Jews and they would have no part in the Kingdom! When we explained to him that he is blessed to be grafted in to Israel through Messiah, and the root supports him, he does not support the root (Romans 11:18), he was quite distressed!

How blessed we are to remember that Yeshua is our Root, our Kinsman Redeemer, who still holds to and operates within the calendar set forth at Creation! Rest assured that even though we have no accurate account of when the next Yovel year is, we understand its spiritual meaning and apply it to our lives. As we keep the weekly Shabbats, we enter into God's rhythms and cycles. As we count the Omer from Unleavened Bread to Shavu'ot (Pentecost), we move in His rhythm to prepare our hearts and minds for the coming Outpouring of the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit). And as we lay our ambitions, our goals, our hopes, our lives, and even our children, on the altar, we can truly take a deep breath, separate ourselves from the world's system, trusting fully in the Creator of the Universe - and REST!

Shabbat Shalom,
Kelly

P.S. If you are interested in an incredible weekly Torah study, visit www.sheepfoldgleanings.net

Also, I would encourage you to again visit our friend Edgar's website for all-natural, chemical-free hair and skin products. We want to support this humble believer in Yeshua, who is making these wonderful, pure products, now including shampoo, conditioner, and kosher soaps. Visit his site at www.bellasshampoo.weebly.com. And if you would, please pray for his wife who is very sick in a Denver hospital.  Thank you!