Blowing the shofar during Elul in the house of prayer last year.
The fall feasts of the Bible is my favorite season of the year. I especially loved celebrating these feasts in Israel last year. What a privilege! Today is the twentieth day in the Biblical month of Elul, the last month of the Jewish calendar. Elul will end at sundown on September 8th. The next day (Sept. 9) is Rosh Hashana, the first day of the Jewish new year. Rosh Hashana begins the fall feasts of God.
Every day during this month of Elul the shofar is blown and Psalm 27 is read in minyans and prayer groups. Elul is a month of preparation for the Days of Awe between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur culminating on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year. It’s a time of reflection. Elul means “returned with” signifying when the Jewish people returned to Israel after their 70 years in Babylon. Since that time Elul is a month where we “return to HaShem” in repentance. This is a holy month leading up to the most holy month, Tishri. (Next week I will write about Tishri and Rosh Hashana.)
Repentance. It is a word that is not too popular in some circles, especially those who think grace is a free ride to live on the edge of holiness thinking that God will excuse their little indulgences in the world. The Bible doesn’t teach that at all.
“Therefore, my dear friends, since we have these promises, beloved, let us purify ourselves from everything that can defile either body or spirit, and strive to be completely holy, out of reverence for God.” (II Cor. 7:1)
“So that you may be blameless and pure children of God without defect in the midst of a twisted and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the sky.” (Phil 2:15)
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Last Wednesday Judge Vaughn Walker, a California federal judge, issued a ruling in a case that has far reaching implications all across America. He struck down and overruled Proposition 8. (Prop 8 essentially denies marriage rights to same-sex couples.) He further stated,
“Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license. Indeed the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California constitution the notion that opposite sex couples are superior to same sex couples.”
He is basically saying that denying a marriage license to two men or two women is irrational…that it supports the notion that a marriage between a man and a woman is better than a marriage between two people of the same sex. I have read many reports that Judge Walker is gay and is wanting to marry his long-time partner. Ahhh, that explains it. We definitely have some biased judging going on here. But on the other hand, would we expect anything different?
God have mercy on America. We are falling down a slippery slope. This will definitely be appealed all the way to the Supreme Court, and only God knows how those justices will rule. I think there is a very good chance that they will agree with Judge Walker and rule in favor of same-sex marriages.
“Judge Walker in a sole act of imperial arrogance has just illegally crossed the ancient and timeless boundaries of marriage set by the Creator and affirmed by generations, as well as the will of the people of California by ruling against Proposition 8 and striking down marriage between a man and woman.
Judge Walker has “j-walked” across a highway boundary that has preserved society for centuries. We are witnessing the collapse of foundations that have and could continuously secure blessing and protection for our children and children’s children. Most likely this ruling will be appealed to higher courts and end up in a US Supreme Court tribunal.
What can be done at such a time as this?
1. Pray. If there is ever a time in American history that we need divine intervention and an undeserved mercy, it is now.
2. We must, as a people turn from our covenant breaking and our casual treatment of the sanctity of marriage.
3. We must take a bold stand from the pulpits to the polls with an unwavering proclamation of truth, yet without reverting to unrighteous anger and hatred for those who oppose us.
4. We must do the work of parenting by raising up Godly offspring even in the midst of the coming persecution of the church. America, America, how far we have fallen!”
I received the email above from Lou Engle a couple of days ago. I can’t think of a man more committed to seeing America return to Biblical standards than Lou. I respect this man immensely and love his tireless passion for purity and righteousness.
David Sliker, a senior leader at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City put it this way:
“One man did what no Congress & President has ever dared: declare the moral and religious part of marriage as “irrational”, then redefine it for all.
Then, the very next day a small group of men and women appointed a supreme court judge who desires to help nationalize & popularize that redefinition.
Next, another very vocal minority will seek to normalize that redefinition and all will enter into the next phase of history.
Small groups, both the radically wicked and the radically righteous, will determine the course of history from this point forward.”
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Posted in Family on 05. Aug, 2010
Two days ago right around lunch time we heard a knock on the door. One of the kids ran to open the door knowing that I was just a few steps behind them. A FedEx delivery man was standing there holding a large box that looked really heavy. The kids started saying, “It’s Meme’s box!” My mother told us last week that she mailed a care package to us and had put some surprises in it. Everyone was standing around the box waiting for me to tear it open.
I want to interject something here that I have learned over the last year and a half of living overseas as a missionary. Do not underestimate the power of sending care packages to missionaries. Most missionaries live on a very limited budget and don’t splurge on unnecessary items very often. Comforts from home mean more than you can imagine. We have to limit our Mexican food meals because the ingredients here are so expensive. One single can of black beans, IF you can find them, is 5 Euros ($6.50 USD). Corn tortillas only come in packages of eight and cost 3 Euros ($4 USD). And forget about Pace picante sauce. You can’t find that anywhere. We have been making our own salsa, even though you have to search really hard in the grocery store to find a few pre-packaged jalapenos. Care packages mean more than just what’s inside. A lot of time, energy, and money is spent in sending one. That is what brings tears to my eyes when I see everyone enjoying the contents of a newly-arrived box. It’s the thought and love behind it. Ok…now back to my story….
I peeled back the flaps of the box and immediately heard squeals of delight. At the top of the box were Hostess Twinkies and cupcakes, taco shells, corn tortillas, Twizzlers, several boxes of fruit snacks, and a baggie full of flavored lipsticks for the girls.
It would take too long to list everything in the box, but everyone in the family benefited….even the new Vandy baby who is still in mommy’s tummy. As I watched the kids laughing and jumping up and down while going through the items in the box, my eyes brimmed with tears of gratefulness. They are missing their homes, their friends, their church, and also their favorite restaurants. The small familiar items in this box made them smile and feel more at home. This was fun!
Coloring books and sticker books that have kept them busy for hours! (Notice the HUGE container of Pace salsa)
Even fun stuff for the grown-ups!
The little boys loved their trucks and coloring books!
This box truly blessed us, and I want to thank my mom (their Meme) for sending it. She just had a birthday yesterday, so I want to tell her happy birthday! We love her! (more…)
