Thankful For The Great Day

There are many great moments in scripture that could qualify for this “Great Day”. don’t you think? Abraham’s choice to go into the wilderness after hearing from God, the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt, birth of the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), the resurrection, and on and on. In my reading this morning I found a place in scripture that actually used these words. It is John 7:37, John refers to the last High Holy Day of the Feast of Tabernacles as that great day of the Feast. I agree with John, this is a great day to me. Let me explain why.

Today is the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles. In Zechariah 14 we see that once Jesus (Yeshua) returns, we will all go to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus (Yeshua) was in these scriptures keeping this Feast which has a High Holy Day on the first and the eighth day, both of which would be considered Sabbaths. And since this Feast lasted eight days, there would be at least one weekly Sabbath during this time period. Near the beginning of the Feast, Jesus (Yeshua) healed the lame man in John 5:8-9 on the Sabbath, for which the Jewish leaders condemned Him. this is where it gets interesting!

In the John 7:10-24, just prior to the “great day” scripture, Jesus goes up to the Feast in secret. In the middle of this week long Feast, He teaches in the temple. When He was challenged by the leaders, He spoke to them about Moses calling for a man to be circumcised on the eighth. He then says if a man is circumcised on the Sabbath so the law is not broken, then they should not be concerned that He made a man whole on that day. For those of us that believe the scriptures show that Jesus (Yeshua) was born on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles (yes, this can be shown in scripture), then that means HE was the man He was talking about – Jesus (Yeshua) was circumcised on the eighth day, the High Holy Day. I suggest that this is why God had this day be a High Holy Day, as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) circumcision.

For me, this is a great day. Our Messiah was born during this Feast, was circumcised during this Feast, preached during this Feast, made the lame to walk during this Feast, and kept the Feast according to the commandments of God.

Yes, this is a great day indeed!

Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You as the Most High. We thank You for these Feasts and ask the You always help us to keep them. We ask that the New Covenant, the Law written in our hearts, would help us to seek Your face every day. In Yeshua’s (Jesus’) name. Amen.

We Are Blessed To Have A Savior

During the daylight hours today we experience the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. This is the fall festival many speak about and is a day when we are build a tabernacle outside our house and dwell in it for the length of the feast. The Feast is seven days plus a High Holy Day on the eighth day. If we follow the lineages and the events in the scripture we can see that Yeshua (Jesus) was born on the first day of Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles) and was circumcised on the eighth day. Both of these are High Holy Days in the scriptures.

We are blessed above all people to have the God of the universe as our Loving Father. We are blessed above all people to have the Yeshua (Jesus) as our Lord and Savior who died for us that we might have forgiveness from our sins and access to eternal life with God.

Today is a good day to reflect on these blessings!

Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You as the Most High God. Thank You for sending your Son to earth on this day some 2,000 years ago. Thank You for allowing Him to die for us, and be raised from the dead, that we might have eternal life. And Happy Birthday, Yeshua (Jesus)! In Yeshua’s (Jesus’) name. Amen.

God Never Forgets

This morning I realized that after writing about my daughter’s birthday yesterday, in the busy-ness of the day, I forgot to call her to wish her a happy birthday. It made me realize how thankful I am that God never forgets. A friend of mine made a comment to me the other day about how busy God must be. She was wondering exactly how it is that God could keep track of everything. What I told her was I don’t know, but I am glad He does.

Think about what an awesome thing it is to serve the living God, and have Him be concerned for us! So caring that He keeps track of our every need. I am so thankful that He is there to watch over us daily, even while we sleep. Just allow yourself to take a couple minutes and think about the expansiveness of God. Overwhelming! Let your heart and lips thank Him for His care for you today.

Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You as our King. Thank You so much for watching over us. Thank You for Your loving kindness and Your mercies toward us. We praise and thank You. In Jesus name. Amen.

God Gives Us Gifts

When we think of gifts from God, often we think of spiritual gifts. I am thankful for those gifts as well. However, today, I want to thank God for the people in my life that have added to my life and the lives of my family. I am thankful for my good friend in Arizona that continues to work together with me toward a better future for our families. I am thankful for the leaders at our church, not because they are always right, but because they are always leaders that God has placed in the church. I am thankful for the people of Bearfruit Films that brought so much to the surrounding communities this summer. I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for the people that are in the school systems in our country trying to help the kids learn. And I am thankful to God for never giving up on me.

Prayer
Father, You are the King. Please bless those that You have placed in my life to help hold me up. Please touch their lives and bring greater joy and prosperity to them. Please bless the leaders at church to know what You are doing and to have the courage and ability to do it. In Jesus name. Amen.

Unfailing Love

When I look at my own ability to love and then I think about how God love’s me, I am both saddenned and happy at the same time. As much as I try, many times my love is conditional. God’s love is not. Even when He has to do something to get us back on the right track, He still loves us. The good news is, because of God, there are sometimes when I do love unconditionally. That is one of the “right tracks” God will always move us toward. Have you ever had one of those moments with a spouse, a child, or a friend where you get to that point where you are on the verge of not doing the right thing, and God pulls you back with that small voice inside, reminding you to show caring and compassion? I have had those moments. And I am so thankful to have had those moments because they help us to remember that God is there, on our side, ready to help us be the people we need to be. And the look in the eyes of the other person at that moment is just so amazing, such a blessing! Those are moments worth living for indeed.

Our God’s love never fails!

Prayer
Father, thank You for Your great love toward Your people. Thank You for reaching out to us when we slip and head down a road of not loving others. thank You for never giving up on us. You are indeed our King, and we praise and thank You for being our loving Deliverer King. In Jesus name. Amen.

Thanks For Men Of Honor

Today, as I look at the recent developments in my life, I am so humbled at what God has done and is doing in my life. I thank God for accepting me when those in power do not. I especially thank God for men of honor, for those that willing choose to stand for what is right, as there appears to be so few.

The men and women of Bearfruit Films, as an example, are men of honor. In the face of an industry that rejects for the most part the simple needs of families, they take a stand. That is not an easy place to be. Yet they stand. It is not well received by their peers. Yet they stand. It is not well received by much of society that clings to the drama of discontent and disharmony and sexual innuendo at best. Yet they stand. This truly is the test for men of honor. They pass.

Prayer
Father, we praise You as King of the universe. You are merciful and kind. You are not mocked. Please bless the men of honor in the earth. Please bless Bearfruit Films, and all who associate with them, cast, crew, and all. In Jesus name. Amen.

Thankful For The Weeds

While I was waiting for my daughter to get home on the school bus I saw that the weeds had grown up quite tall around the bushes in the front of my house. I do not use the front door much, so it is easy for things to change out there without my noticing. I decided to pull some weeds while I waited. There were a lot, and I started to think of just how many there were. Then it occured to me that not only were the weeds mine, but so was the house just behind them.

Suddenly the weeds didn’t seem so bad. My God had provided a place more me and my family to live safely. So what if there were a few weeds. I guess life is kind of like that too.

Prayer
Father, thank You for giving us good things in life that we need. Thank You for the food, the clothes, the place to sleep that you provide. Thank You for those we see every day, and for being a part of each others’ lives. In Jesus name. Amen.

Because God Is Good

As I read Psalm 58 today, I was thankful that God is good. He will defeat our enemies every day before us. He casts down the wicked darkness that tries to rise up against His people. When we follow God, His judgements are against the unrighteousness that is in the earth. The really great news in this is that He helps to deliver us daily. He helps us to find His ways. He has mercy on us when we cry out to Him. This is because we serve a very great and a very good God.

Prayer
Father, thank You for Your deliverance. Thank You for being in our lives. Thank You for always being patient, always calling to us when we move away from Your paths, and always raising us up. Thank You for being the very great and Good God, the King of the universe. In Jesus name. Amen.

Thank You, God, For Bear Fruit Films!

Every day it is good to start off the day, I think, with being thankful to God. As I look into my back yard today, I am thanking God for Bear Fruit Films.

Bear Fruit is the faith based film company that has come to Indiana, to Culver, to film a movie I can take my nine year old daughter to and not have to be concerned about what I may have to explain. In today’s film industry it appears that it takes courage to shoot this kind of film. Perhaps that is why so few do it. The film is called “Little Savages” and has many Disney stars in it, as well as others. They have already brought a sparkle to the eye of many in Culver and throughout the Michiana area.

Thank you Bear Fruit, for your courage.

Prayer
Father, please watch over the production of this movie. Use the production and the end result to draw many to You in a stronger way. Let this be a part of rekindling a sense of family in our homes. Please make sure they have all they need to do this film, and keep everyone in and around it, and their families, safe and healthy. In Jesus name. Amen.

Amazing

Today I am overwhelmed with thankfulness. I look around and see so many blessings for people I know! God is doing marvelous works though and for His people. If we can but trust in Him, He will come though for us. Psalm 117.

Prayer
Father, thank You for this day. Thank You for all that You are doing for those I know and love. thank You for reaching out to them and to me.

In Jesus name. Amen.