Friday, September 24, 2010

A God Who Answers Prayer

The Lord is good. He is so very very good. Our God, the God of the bible is a God who answers prayer. Although His answers to prayer may take years in some cases, in many other cases, He is answering prayer every single day. Consider:

Luke 11:2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:“‘Father,a hallowed be your name,your kingdom come.b 3Give us each day our daily bread. 4Forgive us our sins,for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.c And lead us not into temptation.d’”

Each day that we receive our daily bread, is a day of answered prayer. Any what does "daily bread" mean? Well, obviously it means the food you put in your mouth each day, but I would also submit to you that it means everything we need to make it through each day.

In recent days, I have asked the Lord for help just to make it through the next 12 hours at times, and everytime He has come through for me. This writer has received exactly what was asked for. This writer knows for a fact that it was his Lord that answered him.

The Lord absolutely does provide for his people...daily. Another example of this?

Exodus 16:4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. 5On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

6So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, 7and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?” 8Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”

One of the things I have learned about the Lord is that His way most of the time is to provide for us at the point of need, not before, not after, right exactly when it is needed. Does that make sense for a God who requires faith of us? Sure does. Does it make sense when we consider we serve a perfect and all powerful God who can provide at the perfect time, every second of every day without fail? Yep, that makes sense too. The hangup is, will we trust Him? That's the part the trips most people up. They ask, but they really don't expect anything to happen. They really don't believe.

The bible is clear that we are to expect results from our prayer. We are to ask with the expectation of receiving what we asked for:

Mark 11:22“Havef faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23“I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours

We are a needy people, we were created that way. Why? So we would ask, seek, and be knocking (Matt 7:7) constantly on our Father's door for provision. We are to be constantly face to face with our Lord, not only in asking, but also in thanking, praising, in requests of all kinds, in love, in fellowship, in admiration and the list goes on. Everything and anything we need can and will be found at the feet of our Lord who can be trusted to deliver for us. We do have a part to play in our provision though. We are to ask and believe that answers are on the way as we pray. The Lord has commanded us to do many things, those are the things we are expected to do. Read your bible, find out what the Lord has commanded us to do, and do it. Will you be perfect? No, but we are all expected to do and to give and to act with all the strength we have been given today to try to be perfect for Him.

Remember the parable of the talents in Matt 25? Each of us will be responsible to give an account for what we have been given. Some have been given little and some have been given much and we will all be accountable for what we have. Let's do our best, each and every day with what the Lord provides to please Him in every way. His commandments are not burdensome, and He is a wonderful, awesome God. He is worthy of our best.

This is all being written to you today to encourage you to pray and not give up. Hold on. Persevere, be tenacious. Give every ounce of effort you have today to be the person you are called to be "in Christ." Only you know what the Lord has called you to. Understand that we are dearly loved children. Keep the faith.

grace and peace

Monday, September 20, 2010

Pray, Tenacity, Boldness

These three words: Pray, Tenacity, Boldness-are the words that best sum up the theme of what I hear the Lord speaking to me today.

We are to pray, without ceasing, right?

1 Thessalonians 5:16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

In fact, that statement "pray continually" means to pray with tenacity. What does "tenacity" mean? According to the Princeton dictionary online it means: •doggedness: persistent determination.

We've covered pray, tenacity and now we come to boldness and wrap this thing up:

Mark 11:23 "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

As I was running today (as is the Lord's habit with me), He dropped all of this into my mind in a fraction of a second. Look at Mark 11:23 above, what does it say? Say to a mountain go throw yourself into the sea? Do not doubt in your heart and it will happen? That's what it says.

I've been waiting for a particular miracle from the Lord for well over a year now. I have asked the Lord before how it is that someone who does believe, can say to a mountain 'go throw yourself into the sea' and it doesn't happen? The Lord cannot lie, so what's the deal?

Notice that we are told to ask without doubting in our heart and whatever it is we are asking for will be done for us, right? Notice what this Word does not say though....it does not tell us when it will happen.

When things do not happen for people immediately, they give up, especially in today's world. I can tell you from first hand experience that the Lord has already granted me too many miracles in the past to doubt the ones in the future that I am asking for today. To ask for a miracle, you must be BOLD. You must pray, and you must stay at it, over and over and over again. Tenacity is the word that comes to mind because this is a battle that occurs within us day after day. It's a battle in the heart mind and spirit to NOT GIVE UP no matter what.

This brother has decided to fight, to the bitter end. To believe, to pray with tenacity and BOLDNESS to the very end. And this I know, my prayers WILL be answered. That's a fact, based on historical evidence, decades of answered prayer form the streamers that fly from my war banner as I stand on the field of battle we know as 'life.'

The Lord has encouraged me...greatly and now this writer is here to encourage you. Pray, with tenacity and boldness. Enter the Lord's gates with praise and thanksgiving in your mouth. Offer the sacrifice of the fruit of your lips to the God who is worthy to receive it:

Hebrews 13:15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice
of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name.

It was written here recently that we are to 'hang on' to the very end. Grab onto what you are asking the Lord for and do NOT let go..ever. If you ever watch the show on TV called "I shouldn't be alive" its about survival stories of different people who all should have died, but they didn't. One common thread that runs through every story I've seen on that show is: the people decided to hang on to the very end. They fought for every second of life even when everything the world was presenting to them seemed hopeless, they hung on. Almost always, it was in the final hours of their life, that something happened that ended up sparing them from certain death.

We must decide to pray and expect answers. We must hang on to our belief that we will receive what we have prayed for, till death do we part. Doubts do attempt to creep in, and the first thing I ask myself is "has the Lord spoken to me with any reason why I will not be granted my request?" In other words, has the Lord already told me no in one way or another? If I have not heard from the Lord to stop believing, for that thing I am asking for, then its pray and believe till the death.

My experience with the Lord is, He enjoys us asking boldly. He is a BIG God. What is it that we can ask for that's too tall an order for Him? After we ask, we then must believe and not waiver. A double minded man is unstable in all he does, and he should expect nothing from the Lord-James 1:8.

These are the things the Lord and I have spoken together about. Give thanks always, praise Him, He is worthy. Pray continually, with tenacity. Believe with boldness. Raise the dead, move mountains, heal the sick, just make sure that when you are asking you are following the Spirit's voice. My sheep know my voice says the Lord-John 10:27. What is the Lord saying to you today? If the Lord has not told you "no" then its "game on" for what you are asking for and you must stay with it till your eyes see it. The mountain WILL move, but the Lord did not tell you when it will move. That requires patience, and tenacity, belief, faith, alot of praising, and thanking. Remember what He has done for you already and use that to praise and thank Him till you see the answers to the things He is going to do for you if you just HANG ON.

done for today, grace and peace

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Remember and Praise Him

So another Feast of Trumpets, Rosh Hoshahah has passed without the Lord's return. That's okay, we are watching every day. Next year, should the Lord tarry, it will be paid special attention again, and again the next year and so forth till the Lord comes back or this writer dies.

Why pay special attention to things like the Lord's feast days and other things the Lord points out to us in the bible? Because we are told to REMEMBER in a world that likes to forget. How short our memories become. The Lord does something great for us today, tomorrow we forget. Isn't there something terribly wrong with that? You bet there is. In fact, remembering has been one of the themes the Lord has had on my heart for some time now. Why?

Psalm 106 7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.

10And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

11And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left.

12Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.

13They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:


Psalm 111:2The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.

3His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.

4He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.

So, as you can see from the title of this post, the 1st topic is remember. Okay, so we remember, then what? We PRAISE HIM...

There's the "punch line" in all this. We were created to praise him. Read the book of Psalms from start to finish, and what will you see? "Praise Him" written over and over and over again. We are to "enter his gates with praise." Praise Him? That's right, for all the many things He has done, and He continues to do on our behalf. My list of things to thank Him for just for the past month could probably fill up a CD ROM.

When we read the bible, we see men throughout it reasoning with our Lord.
Consider this writer's reasoning with the Lord:

Psalm 88:9my eyes are dim with grief.

I call to you, O Lord, every day;

I spread out my hands to you.

10Do you show your wonders to the dead?

Do those who are dead rise up and praise you? Selah

11Is your love declared in the grave,

your faithfulness in Destructiond?

12Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,

or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

13But I cry to you for help, O Lord;

in the morning my prayer comes before you.

14Why, O Lord, do you reject me

and hide your face from me?

What is this writer's case to the Lord? He tells the Lord "i'm going to praise you, but do the dead praise you?" He argues that if things keep going downhill for him, he will be among the dead and then where will the Lord's praise come from? You might think that's a trivial argument but I would argue that the writer of that Psalm REALLY knew the Lord. He knew which "buttons" to push to move the Lord. Of course, the Lord authored the bible utltimately so there must be a really really important lesson in there for us...

The Lord is calling this writer to the basic fundamental's of the faith, and He is moving me to call you to the same. We don't need an ABC PHD HIJKLMNOP degree from some manmade institution to get it right with our Lord. We are to be like little children, simple right? Yep, until you start listening to other men.

Remember what He has done, for the world, for the brothers, for your fathers, for your family and for you. Praise Him for all of it. If you want to see heaven and earth move before your eyes, then get this right.

Stop feeding yourself earthly garbage like the "news" in any form, and start focusing on the essential few things in life. There are an "essential few" things in life and a "trivial many." Which are you going to spend your time and emotional energy on?

I've been reading a book about the ancient general "Hannibal." As part of the book, the ancient Roman army is described as not being very fancy in the art of warfare, but they were 1. persistent, and 2. very VERY good at the simple things they did. They chose to master a simple few things. They did and they almost conquered the world. We are called to master the simple things "in Christ." Want simple? Remember what He has done and praise Him for it, then watch heaven and earth move.

One last thing. I want to remind you, again....that our God answers prayer. This writer has seen prayer after prayer after prayer answered over the years, and in recent days. These prayers are answered NOT because this writer is something, but because our God does what He said He would do. He is faithful. His Word can be trusted to the uttermost. This writer (perhaps foolishly) has tested the Lord and His Word over the years and I have found them both to be absolute truth, down to the letter.

Remember and praise. Grace and peace

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Rosh Hashanah 2010 Rapture/Escape From All Watch

This time of year every year should be highlighted for all of us waiting to see that door in heaven opened... (Rev 3/Matt 25)

Jewish Year 5771: sunset September 8, 2010 - nightfall September 10, 2010

The best presentation I have found yet for why we can expect a Feast of Trumpets "escape from all:"

http://www.linkjesus.com/introtrumpets.htm
Summary of reasons why Christians expect to see the rapture happen on the
Feast of Trumpets / Rosh Hashanna

1. All the Spring Feasts were fulfilled at Christ's first coming, and on the exact day of the feast. All the Fall Feasts picture the second advent, and the Feast of Trumpets is the first of the fall feasts, picturing the rapture.
2. The Feast of Trumpets is when the "last trump" of the rapture of 1 Cor 15 is blown.
3. The Feast of Trumpets is known as the Wedding of the Messiah, and the Church is the Bride of Christ, and the rapture is when the Church is caught up to heaven to be wed with Christ.
4. The Feast of Trumpets happens on the "new moon", which is 29.5 days after the last one, meaning it might occur on the 29th or 30th day, nobody knows for sure. "Of that day or hour no man knows" is an expression referring to this feast, and thus, the rapture.
5. "Of that day or hour no man knows, but my Father only" is an expression used by a groom when asked when his wedding will be. He says this because it is his Father that will tell him when his preparations on the bridal chamber are completed and it is time. Again, the wedding pictures the rapture.
6. The "Open Door" of the rapture in Matt 25, and Rev 3, & Rev 4:1 is a symbol of the Feast of Trumpets. [Ezek 46:1] "Thus says the Lord GOD: The gate of the inner court that faces east shall be shut on the six working days; but on the sabbath day it shall be opened and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened.
7. We are told that the new moon and the Feasts of the Lord are a shadow of things to come in Col 2:16,17. Since the Feast of Trumpets is the only Feast of the Lord that falls on a new moon, we should take particular note.
8. There are seven days of awe in between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement. These picture the seven years of tribulation. Atonement pictures Satan being defeated and cast away at the end of tribulaion. If you add the two day Trumpets feast, and the day of atonement, the 7 days of awe are "ten days of tribulation" which might be referred to in Rev. 2:10.
9. In the Jewish Wedding, a marriage takes place over a period of time known as the "bridal week". During the bridal week, the groom and bride have sex in the bridal chamber. At the end of the week, there is a marriage supper. Compare Judges 14, Rev. 19, and Gen. Genesis 29:22-28 This bridal week will be the tribulation week on earth, while the bride of Christ is in heaven.
10. In the Jewish Wedding, the groom comes for his bride "like a thief in the night" to take (size / rapture) her away and into the bridal chamber for the bridal week at his father's house.
11. The Feast of Trumpets is also known as the coronation of the Messiah, when he will start reigning as king, thus the beginning of the "Day of the Lord", which includes the tribulation.
12. It is also time for the bema judgment, or the judgement of the works of the righteous, and judgement must begin at the house of the Lord.
[2Cor 11:2] For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Rapture parallels with the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh HaShana)

Feast of Trumpets in Scripture 51K, 12-15-00 My own study.
Rapture symbols associated with Feast of Trumpets & Joseph in Egypt in Genesis/Psalms
Jesus may have been born on the Feast of Trumpets (or Tabernacles, which sometimes refers to all the fall feasts collectively) (Sept 11, 3 BC.?), which tradition would suggest (the World, Noah, Jacob and Abraham were born at Trumpets and it was coronation day for kings, 1 Kings 1:34,2 Kings 9:13,11:11)
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The Feasts of the Lord, Chapter 7, online book (Eddie Chumney) 79K!
The Feast of Trumpets in the Old Testament (Quotes Eddie Chumney)
No Man Knows The Day or The Hour -->Rosh haShanah (Joseph Good)
Feast of Trumpets "At the instant that the Jewish workers heard the trumpet sound, all would immediately stop harvesting, even if they were not finished (think about that!) and go to the Temple for worship!
In those days, as it is sometimes today, a Jew & an Arab might be working side by side in the fields - but when the trumpet sounded on this particular day, the Jew would stop and go to worship, while the Arab kept on harvesting.
Jesus used this same analogy in Matt. 24:36-44 of the 2nd Coming."
ChuckMissler - The Feast of Trumpets - Koinonia House
Daily Bible Study - The Feast Of Trumpets
Rosh HaShana Information & Links

The Feasts of the Lord essays, relating to the Rapture, by Jackie U's summary of Eddie Chumney's work:

Introduction:
Pesach / Passover
Hag HaMatzah / Feast of Unleavened Bread
Bikkurim / First Fruits
Shavout / Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) Holy Spirit outpouring.
Yom Teruah (Rosh HaShanah) / Feast of Trumpets The rapture; the last trump; wedding of the Messiah; New Moon; Open Door
Yom Kippur / Day of Atonement
Sukkot / Feast of Tabernacles (Booths)

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Is "Date Setting" BIBLICAL? 20 verses say the wise will know!
Does God do things on Appointed Times? 12k YES! GOD IS A DATE SETTER!

then read

http://www.bibleprophesy.org/feastoftrumpets.htm

Feast of Trumpets in Scripture
[Num 29:1] And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.

[Lev 23:24] 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.
[Lev 23:25] Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

[Pss 81:3] Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. KJV

[Col 2:16] Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday [festival], or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
[Col 2:17] Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

[1Cor 15:46] Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

[Num 10:10] On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts, and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; they shall serve you for remembrance/memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God."

[Num 10:2] Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.
[Num 10:3] And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

[Neh 8:1] And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
[Neh 8:2] And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
[Neh 8:3] And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

[Ezra 3:5] And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD.
[Ezra 3:6] From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid.
[Ezra 3:7] They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.

Pss 104:19 He appointed the moon for seasons [seasons--Mo'edim--appointed times]: the sun knoweth his going down.


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Door Opened in Heaven on Trumpets & at the Rapture;
is the rapture into that
Heavenly Mansion / Pavillion / Bridal Chamber / New Jersualem
Ezek 46:1 "Thus says the Lord GOD: The gate of the inner court that faces east shall be shut on the six working days; but on the sabbath day it shall be opened and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened.

Rev 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

Rev 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

[Mat 25:10] And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

[John 10:7] Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
[John 10:9] I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

[Isa 26:2] Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

[Pss 118:19] Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
[Pss 118:20] This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.

[Isa 26:19] Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
[Isa 26:20] Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
[Isa 26:21] For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

[Luke 13:24] Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

[Pss 27:4] One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
[Pss 27:5] For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

[John 14:2.3] In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
[John 14:3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

[Rev 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.
[Rev 21:3] And I heard a great voice out of heaven [great trumpet?] 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.

[Rev 21:9] And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
[Rev 21:10] And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem,
descending out of heaven from God,



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Wedding at a Feast of Trumpets
[Pss 81:3] Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.
[Pss 81:4] For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
[Pss 81:5] He made it a decree in Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a voice I had not known:

[Gen 41:45] And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
[Gen 41:46] Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went through all the land of Egypt.
[Gen 41:47] During the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth abundantly,


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Concealment at the Feast of Trumpets
[Pss 81:3] Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. KJV
[Pss 81:3] Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day. RSV
[Pss 81:3] "Sound the shofar on the New Moon, in concealment of the day of our festival"


03677 kece' {keh'-seh} or keceh {keh'-seh}
apparently from 03680; TWOT - 1006; n m
AV - appointed 2; 2
1) full moon
03680 kacah {kaw-saw'}

a primitive root; TWOT - 1008; v
AV - cover 135, hide 6, conceal 4, covering 2, overwhelmed 2, clad 1,
closed 1, clothed 1; 152
1) to cover, conceal, hide
1a) (Qal) conceal, covered (participle)
1b) (Niphal) to be covered
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to cover, clothe
1c2) to cover, conceal
1c3) to cover (for protection)
1c4) to cover over, spread over
1c5) to cover, overwhelm
1d) (Pual)
1d1) to be covered
1d2) to be clothed
1e) (Hithpael) to cover oneself, clothe oneself

From the above verse and Concordance meaning of the word, one meaning of Trumpets is concealment.

The day is called "the hidden day" as an expression or Jewish Idiom.
The day is referred to as "that day or hour no man knows", because it happens at the first sight of the sliver of a new moon, which can happen on either the 29th or 30th day, and thus, uncertain. Also, this phrases is associated with a wedding in Matt 25:13
The "mystery" of the rapture happens on this day. 1 Cor 15:52
And those caught up in the rapture will be hidden away in that Heavenly Bridal Chamber, the many mansions of John 14:2,3.
[Zeph 2:3] Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger.
[Pss 27:5] For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
[Isa 26:20] Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
In addition, from the above, those in the rapture will be covered by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and also clothed in white robes, the righteousness of the saints.
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Two Main Rapture Verses
[1 Corinthians 15:51] Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
[1 Corinthians 15:52] In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

[1 Thessalonians 4:16] 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:
[1 Thessalonians 4:17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
[1 Thessalonians 4:18] Therefore comfort one another with these words.



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Born Again / Made incorruptable / Baptism
at the rapture on the Feast of Trumpets

The New Moon is "born again" at the Feast of Trumpets.

Believers are "born again" at baptism.

John 3
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

I understand this question "art thou a master of Israel and knowest not these things?" to mean that, Jesus believed a master of Israel should have known about being baptised by water and holy spirit and being born again into incorruption at the rapture to enter heaven.

[1 Corinthians 15:51] Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
[1 Corinthians 15:52] In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
[1 Corinthians 15:53] For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Certainly, at the rapture, the change to incorruptible is like being born again, made new.

[1Pet 1:23] Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

As the moon represents believers; both are "born again" at the Feast of Trumpets.

The moon reflects the light of the sun, as believers reflect the light of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Even the diameter of the moon ALSO reflects the diamater of the sun, when multiplied by 4. The diamater of the sun is 864,000 miles. The diameter of the moon is 2160 miles. Multiplied by 4, the diameter of the moon is 8640 miles. Containing the same 864 number. The 24 hours in a day, multiplied by 60 minutes and 60 seconds give us 8640 seconds in a day.



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The number 4, in Hebrew, is dalet, and is the forth letter of the alphabet, and also means door. Jesus came 2000 years ago, about at year 4000 since creation. The Lord Jesus Christ said he was the door.
[John 10:9] I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

We go through the open door (4, Jesus Christ) at the rapture, on the feast of trumpets, on the new moon.


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The Lord Jesus Christ, like the sun, is the light of the world, and we reflect his light, like the moon.


[Mal 4:2] But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

[John 8:12] Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

[Mat 5:16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.



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The rapture in Rev. 12 is a rapture of a new born child, the Church.

[Rev 12:4] And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

[Rev 12:5] And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Jesus was not caught up to God as a child, and it seems rather pointless to rehash the resurrection with figurative language that does not accurately picture Jesus only. Remember, the Church is also called the "body of Christ". That this is not only describing Jesus is evident in the fact that his bride, the Church also rules with a rod of iron: Christ rules, and we rule as his bride (also with a rod of iron), but the Lord Jesus Christ is the head.

[Rev 2:26] He who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, I will give him power over the nations,
[Rev 2:27] and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received power from my Father;

[Rev 5:10] And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

The "man child" is spoken of in Isaiah as a "nation being born" before the labor pains of tribulation. This represents the rapture before the tribulation; being born, made new, incorruptable, at the rapture.

Isaiah 66:
7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.
8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once?
for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.

The resurrection is also described as being reborn.

[Col 1:18] And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.



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To summarize so far:
The Feast of Trumpets speaks of the moon being reborn.
Revelation 12 speaks of a newly born man-child being raptured.

Rev 12 has actually been playing out in the stars over Jerusalem exactly during the Feast of Trumpets for four years, from 1996, '97, '98, & '99.

The moon was "birthed" between the legs of the constellation virgo, showing that the man-child of revelation 12 is the new moon.

Thus, when the moon is reborn, at the new moon, it is a highly appropriate time for the rapture and resurrection. The Feast of Trumpets is the only Feast on a new moon.

More "birth" scriptures, having to do with the rapture &/or the tribulation "time of trouble":

1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

The tribulation is also known as the "time of Jacob’s trouble"

Jeremiah 30:
6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?
7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.



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From John 3, recall, we see that Baptism is being born again, with water and Holy Spirit.
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Baptism (& being born again) is also a symbol of death and resurrection, which occurs at the rapture.

Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Hebrews 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:



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Finally, one of the most unusual raptures (harpazo) in the Bible is in Acts, at a baptism.

Acts 8
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away (harpazo) Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.


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Rev. 12 in the Stars on the Feast of Trumpets

For the last four years, 1996-1999, at the Feast of Trumpets, Rev. 12 has been playing out in the stars, with the birth of the new moon right between the legs of the virgin, the constellation of Virgo. Once again, this shows that the moon, which is representing the man-child, in Rev. 12, represents believers, who will be caught up to heaven in the pre tribulation rapture on the Feast of Trumpets.

In Revelation 12, "a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars; she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery... And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, that he might devour her child when she brought it forth; she brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to His throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which to be nourished for 1260 days."

Consider the following signs in the heavens that portray the above verses. In the years 1996 to 1999, precisely on the Feast of Trumpets, the new moon is "born" in the constellation of Bethulah (the Virgin) on this date during each of these four years. It will then move directly to the feet of the Virgin within 24 hours. The Sun is just below the horizon, so that Bethulah is "clothed" with the Sun. Positioned over the Virgin's head is the constellation known as "Bernice's Hair". This is the crown of twelve stars! And higher, above her legs, is Draco, the Dragon, poised to devour her child when it is born. The entire scenario portrays the nation of Israel as the woman, giving birth to Messiah, and being persecuted by Satan, who attempts to kill the man child. The child ascends to heaven, as Jesus did. The woman is crowned with the 12 Apostles - or the apostolic ministry. This particular positioning of the constellation Bethulah (the Virgin) - about to give 'birth' to the moon, has never occurred before, and will never occur again, due to the procession of the equinoxes.

I have found the above information in various places on the internet, but traced most of them back to Greg Killian:

Main page:
http://www.tckillian.com/greg/index.html
Info on Rev 12 as a sign in the stars:
http://www.tckillian.com/greg/rev121.html



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The "appointed feasts" moedim

[Lev 23:2] "Say to the people of Israel, The appointed feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim as holy convocations, my appointed feasts, are these.

[Lev 23:4] "These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them.

feasts:
04150 mow`ed {mo-ade'} or mo`ed {mo-ade'} or (fem.) mow`adah
(2 Chr 8:13) {mo-aw-daw'}
from 03259; TWOT - 878b; n m
AV - congregation 150, feast 23, season 13, appointed 12, time 12,
assembly 4, solemnity 4, solemn 2, days 1, sign 1, synagogues 1; 223
1) appointed place, appointed time, meeting
1a) appointed time
1a1) appointed time (general)
1a2) sacred season, set feast, appointed season
1b) appointed meeting
1c) appointed place
1d) appointed sign or signal
1e) tent of meeting

Paul was most likely referring to the Feast of the Lord when he wrote "times and seasons" in 1 Thess 5:1, since he was writing to the educated Jews he converted at the Jewish synagog in Thessalonia. (Acts 17). The Jews would be intimately familiar with all of the Feasts since they celebrated them annually. In particular, Paul was probably referring to that one particular Feast of the Lord related to the subject of the passage which is the rapture. The rapture, of course, is also an assembly, a calling together, a gathering together.

1 Thess 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

convocation:
04744 miqra' {mik-raw'}
from 07121; TWOT - 2063d; n m
AV - convocation 19, assemblies 2, calling 1, reading 1; 23
1) convocation, convoking, reading, a calling together
1a) convocation, sacred assembly
1b) convoking
1c) reading

[Lev 23:21] And you shall make proclamation on the same day; you shall hold a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work: it is a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

[Lev 23:31] You shall do no work: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

[Lev 23:41] You shall keep it as a feast to the LORD seven days in the year; it is a statute for ever throughout your generations; you shall keep it in the seventh month.

statute:
02708 chuqqah {khook-kaw'}
from 02706; TWOT - 728b; n f
AV - statute 77, ordinance 22, custom 2, appointed 1, manners 1,
rites 1; 104
1) statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed
1a) statute

for ever:
05769 `owlam {o-lawm'} or `olam {o-lawm'}
from 05956; TWOT - 1631a; n m
AV - ever 272, everlasting 63, old 22, perpetual 22, evermore 15,
never 13, time 6, ancient 5, world 4, always 3, alway 2, long 2,
more 2, never + 0408 2, misc 6; 439
1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting,
evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world
1a) ancient time, long time (of past)
1b) (of future)
1b1) for ever, always
1b2) continuous existence, perpetual
1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

For those who would say that the Feasts are no longer important, I would ask, what does forever mean?
For those who would say that the Feasts are no longer important because these are Jewish Feasts and not Christian Feasts, I would reply, God said these were HIS feasts, not Jewish feasts!

[Lev 23:2] "Say to the people of Israel, The appointed feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim as holy convocations, my appointed feasts, are these.

And why did Paul, minister to the Gentiles, insist on keeping them himself?

Acts 18:21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

Furthermore, the Feasts will be kept even in the millennium.

Zech 14:16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

Before someone accuses me of legalism, or preaching works of righteousness, let me say this. The New Testament says not to judge others concerning how we view the holydays.

[Col 2:16] Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
[Col 2:17] Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Romans 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

And that observing or celebrating the holydays is not how one achieves salvation. Salvation is through belief and testimony of Jesus crucified and resurrected. The Feasts, and all of the law, teaches us about Jesus. Just as the spring feasts were prophetic of the first advent of Jesus, so too, I believe the Fall feasts are prophetic of the second advent of Jesus, from the rapture to the second coming and the millennium.



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Awakening is an expression for resurrection.

[Dan 12:1] "At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time; but at that time your people shall be delivered, every one whose name shall be found written in the book.
[Dan 12:2] And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

[Eph 5:14] Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.



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Judgment seat of Christ/Feast of Trumpets
Note the similarities in Neh 8 to the following:

[2Cor 5:10] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Judgement seat means, literally, a RAISED PLATFORM

[Rom 14:10] But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Nehemiah 8:1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.
8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.

The description of the Judgement seat of Christ is completed in Daniel 7, and Revelation 4 & 5, both of which allude to the rapture, revelations 4 starting out with it.

Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

It could be that "to stand before Christ" is a picture referring to the Feast of Trumpets, because of the picture of the people standing before the open books that are read, and the quote by Paul listed above, "we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ". If this is so, then perhaps the sixth seal also refers to the Feast of Trumpets. I strongly believe the rapture will take place before or at the start of the Day of the Lord, which is the day of wrath.

Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

This judgement seat comparison alone has been described as "proof positive" that the rapture will occur on the Feast of Trumpets, because the imagry of the rehearsals and observance of the Feast of Trumpets in Neh 8, and quotes from this raised platform/judement seat, and quotes from the New Testament match up so well.



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The Feast of Trumpets is a Day of Joy
I find it very interesting that the Levites say this is a day of Joy in Nehemiah, because neither Numbers nor Leviticus alone say that this is a day of joy. There must be other verses besides in the instructions in Numbers 10 or Leviticus 23 that say this is a Day of Joy.

Nehemiah 8:
9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

Pss 47:5 God is gone up [ascended] with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.

Psalm 81:1 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.
3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

Pss 89:15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.
Pss 89:17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.

Pss 98:6 With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.



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Apocraphal book feast of trumpet verses:
[1Esdr 9:37] And the priests and Levites, and they that were of Israel, dwelt in Jerusalem, and in the country, in the first day of the seventh month: so the children of Israel were in their habitations.

[1Esdr 9:40] So Esdras the chief priest brought the law unto the whole multitude from man to woman, and to all the priests, to hear law in the first day of the seventh month.



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Various other "trumpet" verses
[Exod 19:16] And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

[Zech 9:14] And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the LORD God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

[Zech 9:16] And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.

[Joel 2:1] Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

[Joel 2:12] Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

[Joel 2:15] Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
[Joel 2:16] Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts:let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

[Joel 2:32] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.



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Day of Atonement: (Comes on the 10th day of the month; there are 7 days between the Feast of Trumpets and this day; 10 days if you include the two day Trumpets Feast, and the one day of Atonement.)

[Isa 27:13] And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

Seventh Trumpet:

[Rev 10:7] But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

[Rev 11:14] The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
[Rev 11:15] And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
[Rev 11:16] And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
[Rev 11:17] Saying, We give thee thanks, O LORD God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
[Rev 11:18] And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
[Rev 11:19] And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.



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Read daily for 30 days prior to the Feast of Trumpets:
[Pss 27:1] The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
[Pss 27:2] When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
[Pss 27:3] Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
[Pss 27:4] One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
[Pss 27:5] For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
[Pss 27:6] And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
[Pss 27:7] Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
[Pss 27:8] When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
[Pss 27:9] Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
[Pss 27:10] When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
[Pss 27:11] Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
[Pss 27:12] Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
[Pss 27:13] I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
[Pss 27:14] Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.



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Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) Events
From Greg Killian:
http://www.tckillian.com/greg/teruah.html

Tishri (Ethanim) Always has 30 days. Mazal is Maznaim (Scales). Tribe is Dan.
1rst Moon is in Bethulah.
New Moon. Numbers 10:8-10
Yom Teruah (Rosh Hashanah). Leviticus 23:24
The month of the strong - 1 Kings 8:2
The new year for Kings begins. Mishna: Seder Moed: Tractate Rosh HaShanah: 1:1
The Awesome Days / Yamim Noraim, day 1.
Period of teshuvah / repentance day 30.
Adam and Eve are created, it is the sixth day. Sanhedrin 38b
Cain and Abel are born. Bereshit Rabbah 22
Noah's birthday. 1st day of the 1st month, 1056 AM (ATB, pg.307[33]). Genesis 8:13 (Seder Olam;Radak)
Noah has dry land. Noah removes the cover of the ark and dispatches the dove. Genesis 8:5, 8:13 Rashi
HaSatan stands before HaShem to accuse Job. Job 1:6, Targum Jerus
Rebecca and Leah are remembered. (Tanhuma, Vayera)
Sarah conceives Isaac. Yevamot 64b
Rachel conceives Joseph. Genesis 30:22ff is read (Rosh HaShannah 10b) Yevamot 64
Pharaoh's cup bearer and baker have dreams related to their judgement. Oznaim L'Torah, Rosh Hashanah 10a
Joseph was released from prison. Rosh Hashanah 10b-11a
Pharaoh freed the Israelites from Slavery. Rosh HaShannah 11a
Plague of wild beasts begins (Plague number 4). Exodus 8:24 Zihron Yemot Olam
Moses is up on Mount Sinai, the third time, to get the second set of stone tablets. - day 30. Exodus 34:1
Hannah conceives Samuel. Yevamot 64 1 Samuel 1:2-10
Nabal refuses to feed David's men. Abigail did feed them. 1 Samuel 25:1-35
David is forgiven after sinning with Bathsheba. Shabbat 56a
Elisha prophesied the birth of a son to the Shunamite. 2 Kings 4:16, Zohar, Be-Shallah
Daniel 7:9-14 took place on this day. (seated for judgement) Joseph Good
Daniel sees a vision of judgement. Daniel 7:9-10
Zerubbabel brought the first offering on the new altar in Jerusalem in 538 BCE, Nehemiah 8:2
Daily sacrifice restored by Zerrubbabel. Talmud Zevachim 62a
Ezra begins to reads the law to the people in 444 BCE. Nehemiah 8:2
Revelation 4:1-4 took place on this day (seated for judgement) Joseph Good
Burnt offerings begin before Ezra's foundation. Ezra 3:6
Herod slays the children trying to kill Yeshua. Matthew 2:13-23 (see the haftorah for the second day.)
John the Baptist wants to know if Yeshua is the "expected" One, after raising widow's son. Luke 7:11-35
Judgement of the righteous Revelation 20:4-6
The resurrection of the righteous. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, I Corinthians 15:51-57
Remembrance of the fathers Revelation 21:12-14
Coronation of the King Revelation 11:15-18
"The day of the Lord" begins on this day. Zephaniah 1:14,16
The revelation of Yeshua took place on this day. Revelation 1:9-11
Torah section for the first day is Genesis 21:1-34, Numbers 29:1-6. Haftorah is 1 Samuel 1:1 - 2:10.
Torah section for the second day is Genesis 22:1-24, Numbers 29:1-6. Haftorah is Jeremiah 31:1-19.
Torah section, in the triennial cycle, is year 1: Genesis 30:21 - 31:2. Haftorah is 1 Samuel 1:11, Psalm 25
Torah section, in the triennial cycle, is year 2: Leviticus 6:1-11. Haftorah is Jeremiah 7:12-34
Torah section, in the triennial cycle, is year 3: Deuteronomy 4:1-49. Haftorah is Joshua 20:8, Psalm 123



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I don’t know if this is a rapture, but it certainly is a resurrection:
[Ezek 37:1] The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
[Ezek 37:2] And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
[Ezek 37:3] And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.
[Ezek 37:4] Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
[Ezek 37:5] Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
[Ezek 37:6] And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
[Ezek 37:7] So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
[Ezek 37:8] And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
[Ezek 37:9] Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
[Ezek 37:10] So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
[Ezek 37:11] Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
[Ezek 37:12] Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
[Ezek 37:13] And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
[Ezek 37:14] And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.



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I'm not sure if the saints of the Church age will be judged at the same time as the Old Testament Saints.
[1Cor 15:23] But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

Remember, there was no punctuation in the Bible. So, it could read like a list, "Christ, the first fruits, afterward they that are Christ's at his coming"

The term firstfruits applies not just to Christ, but to the Bride as well:

[Rom 16:5] Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

Also, there is a distinction between Old Testament saints and our age:

[Mat 11:11] Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.



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The 5 verses in Psalm 100 point to the pre trib rapture. The tribulation is described is Psalms 101-107.

[Pss 100:1] Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
[Pss 100:2] Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presencewith singing.
[Pss 100:3] Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
[Pss 100:4] Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
[Pss 100:5] For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

1. The joyful noise is the trumpet blast of the rapture, heard around the world.

The Feast of Trumpets, on the first day of the seventh month, is a joyful day.

2. "Come before his presence" and "with singing" is similar to other rapture expressions and descriptions of being in heaven:

[Pss 100:2] Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

[Revelation 4:1] After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

[Isa 26:20] Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

[Rev 5:9] And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

[Rev 14:3] And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

[Rev 15:3] And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

And this "song of Moses" being sung, is a reference to psalms 90-100.

3. At the rapture, people are reborn, or made new.

[Pss 100:3] Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

[1 Corinthians 15:51] Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

4. The gates entered are a symbol of the Feast of Trumpets, like the "open door" symbol of the rapture.

[Pss 100:4] Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.



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There is much, much more scriptural imagery that would be fulfilled by a Rapture on the Feast of Trumpets. Not all of the imagery in the New Testament that refers to this Jewish feast is not described in full detail in the Old Testament of the Bible, it is difficult to know and understand the imagery and symbols surrounding the Feast without resorting to descriptions of Jewish Tradiations. There is much more in the oral traditions, and in the Talmud. I have tried to keep the focus on what scriptures in the Old Testament actually say. There is plenty of more study one can do on this topic.
From scripture we know that the Rapture is the wedding of the Church, the Bride, to Christ, the bridegroom. Further, it is the feast of trumpets that is described when the rapture is said to happen at the "last trump". You can find scriptures about the last trump being at the rapture, but there are no scriptures that say the "last trump" occurs during the "Feast of Trumpets".

God Bless the Jews of Israel!

For further study, there are Feast of Trumpets stories in Leviticus 23, Numbers 10, Neh 8, 1 Sam 20, Psalm 47, Psalm 27, Psalm 81, Psalm 118



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Not sure yet how, or if, this verse has anything to do with the Feast of Trumpets.
[Isa 57:1] The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
[Isa 57:2] He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Disconnect From the World

As I was out for my daily run today, the Lord gave me some instruction. I ran by a girl who probably walked half a mile without ever looking up from her ipod/blackberry/you name it device. This called to mind many of the people I see today who are never present to us in the body because they are always wanting to be connected "virtually" so they can be somewhere else. Have you seen these people?

I was around this one guy recently in a social setting and he could not talk to you for 3 minutes without picking up his iphone or whatever it was to check to see if "anything new" was there for him. These people have become "connected" to the world in a way that has almost because like a crack cocaine addiction.

If you have been reading here recently, you know that the Lord has specifically directed me to disconnect with the world. What does that mean? 100% boycott of all "news" whether it be lame stream media or "alternative" media. All of it: boycotted. No iphone, no blackberry except to check it once in a long while for mandatory work related issues, that are by the way, not every 3 min.

What's the effect of disconnecting from the world? Quieting the mind and spirit. The Lord speaks to us in a still quiet voice, how are you going to hear Him when your mind is full to overflowing with the absolutely useless worldly sewage that all forms of "news" and current events provide you?

What about being a "watchman?" Glad you asked. Many people today consider themselves "watchmen" for the Lord, but they have it all wrong. We are told to "watch" and be "ready," I think we can all agree on that, but watch what? Did the Lord ever instruct us to "watch" the flesh, the world and satan? I don't think so. The bible tells us that we are not unaware of his (satan's) devices, but it never tells us to fix our gaze on him perpetually does it? No, it doesn't. So again, watch what?

Proverbs 8:34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.

1 Peter 3:1 that even if some of them disbelieve the Message, they may, apart from the Message,be won over by the daily life of their wives, after watching your daily life ...

Watching at HIS doorway, watching OUR DAILY LIFE. Doesn't sound like eyes stuck on the flesh, the world or satan to me...

And what about this "disconnect from the world" business?

Romans 12:5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each ... ... In the same way, even though we are many people, we are one body in the
Messiah and individual parts connected to each other.

Ephesians 4:16 from whom the whole body, fitted together, and connected by every joint of supply,according to the working in its measure of each one part, works for itself ...

Hebrews 6:9 But we are persuaded concerning you, beloved, better things, and
connected with salvation
, even if we speak thus.

We are in the world but not of it. We are in the world but "connected" to Christ, who is our salvation. What happens when we are connected 24/7 to the world?

Colossians 2:19 He has lost connection with the Head, from whom ... ... and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body.

For a full discussion and understanding of who and what we should be connected to as believers, go re-read John 15 in its entirety. It's about the vine (Jesus) and the branches (us).

Remember Lot's wife. Remember the warnings we are given in Luke 17 and Matt 24 to not go back down into your house to get anything or come back from the fields to get anything on "that day." On the day the Lord comes for us, if we look back, because there is something within us that just "has to connect" with the crack cocaine intravenous mainline that so many people get from the world today, well, I think that's going to end tragically.

We are in the world but not of it. We are watching, at the Lord's doorstep, not the world. Anything that we need to know, the Spirit will provide. Take that attitude of faith when it comes to needing to know what "news" is afoot today. I am absolutely 100% confident that on the day I stand before the Lord, one of the things I will not be chastised for is "disengaging from the world." Do we still love people? Yep. Do we give? Yep. Do we work? Yep. Are we PRESENT to the people around us instead of being somewhere else via social media/the internet. YEP. Do we listen? Yep, one of the deepest human needs is to be heard and deeply undestood, and only a fully "present" person can do that, a true rarity in today's world.

I think you get the point. I begged the Lord to remind me of all these things when I sat down to write since He seems to like to speak to me when I'm out running. I guess that's one of His and my favorite times to talk :-)

Just wanted to share what was given to me today. Keep the faith, grace and peace.

Sunday, September 05, 2010

Encouragement to Pray

Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ... Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. ...

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

I want to encourage you today, to pray and not give up. Our God is a God who ANSWERS PRAYER. If there is a theme to my life, any common thread at all, it would be that this God that we find in the bible has stood by me and has heard and answered my prayers over and over and over again.

This writer must remind you, that I am nothing. The focus here is a faithful God who does what He said He would do. We have been given many promises and our God intends to fulfill everyone of them.

PRAY without ceasing, and offer your prayers with faith.

It is this writer's experience these days that the Lord is doing a work of encouragement. That encouragement has filled me up and is overflowing now to you. What more can be said about this? Ask, seek, knock. Do not give up. Persevere, remember the story of the unjust judge. Be obedient.

I routinely ask the Lord about the future, as I have recently about the feast of Trumpets coming up this month. What am I hearing about it? Nothing. What I am hearing from the Lord is to persevere in the basics of the faith, the fundamentals. Pray in faith, believe that you have received what you ask for. Simple and straight from the Word.

Why have I not heard anything about the future? I believe its because if we take care of the fundamentals today, the future will take care of itself tomorrow.

grace and peace