Dear beloved: As we look to events of the day, it is important to keep in mind the Main Event that we are to be looking for: the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have just passed through the fall feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles, which all remind us prophetically of the coming return of our Savior. The question for us is this: Are we watching the events of the day and letting them overshadow our preparations to go in an instant when the Lord returns? The apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:51, Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. v52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trump shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed.
Some who are here on earth will not taste physical death, as Paul says, we shall not all sleep. He explains this in further detail in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. v16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: v17 then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so we shall ever be with the Lord. V18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. So Paul says also to be ready, that when He comes it will happen in the twinkling of an eye, a heartbeat, an atomic particle as it moves and joins Jesus in the air. It is comforting as we think about these words, that no matter what happens here in the earth, for those of us who are born again believers we will always be with the Lord, whether here on earth or in heaven with the saints in glory.
In the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13, we see that five are wise and ready for the Lord's return, and five are foolish and were out shopping for oil when the Master came back. This is a picture of what you see in the world today; about half of those who claim to know the Lord are actually ready and watching for His return, the other half are saying to themselves, we still have plenty of time, let's play, shop, party, and have some fun. After all, those serious Christians have been saying for a long time that Jesus is coming back, and look, nothing has happened yet. v5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. v6 And at midnight there was a cry made, behold, the bridegroom cometh, go out to meet him. Well we know that the five foolish had no oil so they missed the coming of the Lord.
Watch and pray, beloved, for the coming of the Lord will be as a thief in the night! Get oil for your lamp now and be ready, it is the midnight hour. God bless you, in Christ, Jim
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Feast of Tabernacles
Dear beloved: We are now midway through the Feast of Tabernacles, or Feast of Booths as it is called in Leviticus 23:42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: v43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. The Lord instituted the Feast of Booths to remind the Israelites that He provided for them supernaturally as they wandered in the wilderness for forty years. He provided manna for them to eat, a food that they had never seen before (Deut. 8:3), and their clothing and shoes did not wear out over those years (Deut. 8:4), and He gave them water to drink from the rock (Exodus 17:6), that they and their livestock would not perish from thirst.
As we think about how God provided for the children of Israel, this is also the time for us to reflect on how God provides for us just as He did for His chosen people. Often we grumble and complain about our status or our provision, or the things that we want but don't have; how easy it is to fall into the attitude of ingratitude. And yet God continues to give us grace and provide for our every need, above and beyond all that we could ever think or imagine.
Prophetically we also see that the Feast of Tabernacles is the fulfillment of all of God's kingdom promises, and that the final outcome of all the prophecies of His word will be literally fulfilled in the second coming of Jesus Christ, when He comes to tabernacle with us here on the earth. John 1:14 tells us that Jesus came to tabernacle, or dwell among us. v14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,(and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth. His first coming He came to dwell for only a few short years, and He came as the sacrificial lamb, the sinless one who shed His blood that through His blood we could all be cleansed and come to know the righteous
ness of God. The second time He comes will be as the Righteous Judge who will judge the wicked and the dead and put an end to rebellion once and for all. He will at that time set up His millennial kingdom reign and prepare the earth for the coming of the eternal, perfect state, the new heaven and new earth, Revelation 21:2. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. v3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Give thanks to the Lord for all that He has given you today, for He is good. Jesus is coming back! God bless you, in Christ, Jim
As we think about how God provided for the children of Israel, this is also the time for us to reflect on how God provides for us just as He did for His chosen people. Often we grumble and complain about our status or our provision, or the things that we want but don't have; how easy it is to fall into the attitude of ingratitude. And yet God continues to give us grace and provide for our every need, above and beyond all that we could ever think or imagine.
Prophetically we also see that the Feast of Tabernacles is the fulfillment of all of God's kingdom promises, and that the final outcome of all the prophecies of His word will be literally fulfilled in the second coming of Jesus Christ, when He comes to tabernacle with us here on the earth. John 1:14 tells us that Jesus came to tabernacle, or dwell among us. v14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,(and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth. His first coming He came to dwell for only a few short years, and He came as the sacrificial lamb, the sinless one who shed His blood that through His blood we could all be cleansed and come to know the righteous
ness of God. The second time He comes will be as the Righteous Judge who will judge the wicked and the dead and put an end to rebellion once and for all. He will at that time set up His millennial kingdom reign and prepare the earth for the coming of the eternal, perfect state, the new heaven and new earth, Revelation 21:2. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. v3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Give thanks to the Lord for all that He has given you today, for He is good. Jesus is coming back! God bless you, in Christ, Jim
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Blow the Trumpet
Dear beloved: We are in the time of the Days of Awe, the Feast of Trumpets, which began on the eve of September 28th, and concludes on Friday eve, October 7th, the Day of Atonement. The Feast of Trumpets is given by the Lord in Leviticus 23:23-25: v24 Speak unto the children of Israel saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. v25 Ye shall do no servile work therein, but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. The blowing of the trumpets had several purposes with the children of Israel: the declaring of a Sabbath or a solemn assembly, a warning of danger and action to be taken, such as calling troops to war, or the announcement of arrival of a king.
For us the trumpet also symbolically does all these things for us, but more than anything else it heralds the arrival and coming of our King Jesus Christ. I Thess. 4:16-18, For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. v17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall ever be with the Lord. v18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. The blowing of the trumpets reminds us that Jesus is coming back and that we should at all times be ready for His coming; we should conduct our lives accordingly, as if He were just over the horizon. Are there things that you would do differently, or people that you would treat differently, if you truly believed that Jesus were coming back this very day?
Yesterday we gathered a group of people to pray over my land and to blow the shofar over the land, to release the Lord's blessing on the land. As the shofar blew out across the land, I could see in the spirit realm the blessings of the Lord piercing through the darkness and sending the enemy running. Just as Gideon went to battle against the Midianites with just three hundred men armed with trumpets, empty pitchers, and torches, he was able to scatter the enemy and rout them; they fell upon each other with swords. Judges 7:20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord and of Gideon. v21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. v22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host, and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zenerath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.
Pick up your trumpet or shofar and blow it over your land, your home, or your city today and send the enemy running. Get ready for the King is coming! God bless you, in Christ, Jim www.gathertheoutcasts.com
For us the trumpet also symbolically does all these things for us, but more than anything else it heralds the arrival and coming of our King Jesus Christ. I Thess. 4:16-18, For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. v17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall ever be with the Lord. v18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. The blowing of the trumpets reminds us that Jesus is coming back and that we should at all times be ready for His coming; we should conduct our lives accordingly, as if He were just over the horizon. Are there things that you would do differently, or people that you would treat differently, if you truly believed that Jesus were coming back this very day?
Yesterday we gathered a group of people to pray over my land and to blow the shofar over the land, to release the Lord's blessing on the land. As the shofar blew out across the land, I could see in the spirit realm the blessings of the Lord piercing through the darkness and sending the enemy running. Just as Gideon went to battle against the Midianites with just three hundred men armed with trumpets, empty pitchers, and torches, he was able to scatter the enemy and rout them; they fell upon each other with swords. Judges 7:20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord and of Gideon. v21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. v22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host, and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zenerath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.
Pick up your trumpet or shofar and blow it over your land, your home, or your city today and send the enemy running. Get ready for the King is coming! God bless you, in Christ, Jim www.gathertheoutcasts.com
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