This evening at sunset marks the beginning of Yom Kippur otherwise known as the Day of Atonement.This a day of solemn assembly, this is a day of fasting and prayer, because, as the tradition has it, this is the day that the fates of all men is to be decided by G-D for the coming year.It is also the day that the High Priest would have made atonement for the sins of the people and himself as well. Over all it is a solemn day and a time of reflection seeking out the forgiveness of G-D of of our fellow man.
I don't know who reads this blog. I don't have a number tracker on this page so people can come and go and I won't know. I don't know whether or not your Jewish, Christian or Muslim. You could be a non believer I simply have no way of knowing.
Some of you who read this I do know who you are because you comment from time to time and it is to you, primarily, this message goes.
First of all, thank you for reading this. I am not a gifted writer as is my brother and my daughter. I write most of the time because I enjoy it and it gives my mind and spirit a challenge, but I also do it as a way to try and make people think, to not just except the traditional norm simply because that is all you have ever known.
Considering some of the comments I have received ,I would say that I have done that on occasion, and while I have not purposely set out to offend I am sure that I have and to those of you who have been offended I apologize. I am not likely to change how I write, but please know that no offense has ever been intended.
I have been belittled by some and called G-dless by others. Some of you have been very gracious even when you didn't understand my point of view. To all of you I say thank you, yes even to those who were not so kind to me, including the Chinese folks who planted a virus on my computer, you are forgiven. Why would I do that? Simple I love all of you and I want the best for you over the coming year and I pray that HaShem smiles upon you with all His grace and mercy.
Joel 2:12-13
Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart,with fasting and weeping and mourning."Rend your heart and not your garments.Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
Today seek out you friends your neighbors and your enemies, seek their forgiveness even if they don't give it to you you have done your part. Seek out HaShem make things right between you and Him, He will forgive.
Today pray for you friends your neighbors and enemies.Pray that they would seek out G-D. Pray for their forgiveness, intercede ,as Moses did, on their behalf.
Today, pray for our nation and our leaders that they might hear the voice of G-D and do what is right, not whats politically correct.
Today pray for Israel and her people that she might live in peace and that the Messiah might come soon to reign.
Why do this? Because as Joel writes "Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
The formula for this is simple; Return to G-d, but how are people going to know to do that if we don't forgive each other and show them what the love of G-D is really about? This is really the message for today. We need to forgive each other and then G-D will forgive us and that in turn makes it possible for us to show the rest of the world what the love of G-D truly is.
So today, put down your politics and your anger, set aside your differences with people and love and forgive each other just as G-D has done for you.
May you come out of this day with great rejoicing in your heart and a greater love for G-D and your neighbors.
Shalom
Friday, September 17, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Who is this amazing G-D?
Who is this amazing G-D that we serve? Who is this G-D that has so much compassion for His idol worshiping children that He practically begs them to return before they suffer. Who is He that He has so much love and mercy that, even in the knowledge of His people turning their backs on Him ,that He tells them that they will return to Him and that He will forgive them? Who is THIS? This is not the G-D that I grew up with, the one that I heard about. The G-D that I heard about had a whip in His hands waiting to strike you down for even the tiniest of mistakes, who seemed to get more pleasure out of our shame then out of our joy. WHO IS THIS G-D!!!!
Hosea 14:2-10
Return Israel to HaShem your G-D for you have stumbled in your iniquity, take words with you and return to HaShem; Say to Him may you forgive all iniquity and accept good intentions and let our lips substitute for bulls. Assyria will not save us we will not ride upon horses,and we will no longer say," O our gods" to the work of our hands; for it is with You that an orphan finds mercy. I will rectify their waywardness I will love them gratuitously; my anger has turned away from them. I will be to Israel like the dew, and he will blossom like a rose bush and his roots will strike out like the Cedars of Lebanon. His tender branches will go forth , and his glory will be like that of the Olive tree and his fragrance like that of Lebanon. Those who dwell in His shade will return;they will revive like grain and blossom like a vine;their repute will be like the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim will say,"what more need have I of idols?" I will respond and I will gaze upon him, I am like an ever fresh Cypress tree your fruit will be provided by Me.Who is wise and will understand these things;who is understanding and will know them? For the ways of HaShem are straight; the righteous will walk in them and sinners will stumble over them.
This , my friends is a G-D, who loves His people! Not only does He plead with them to return, He even tells them what to say to Him when they return.
He isn't interested in their animal sacrifices, He IS interested in their confession of their sins and in their hearts return to Him.
In Verse 5 ( Stones Edition) He says that He will rectify their waywardness. In other translations that "He will heal". No matter how you look at it it indicates the Love of G-D for His people and His great desire for their return to Him.He wants them back and when they return He forgives them! What makes this all the more amazing to me is that He tells them all this, through the prophets, even before they have been carried off to captivity! He doesn't just leave them in the dark with the future, He tells them of their return as well. This seems to be a very common theme through out the prophecies.It is G-D's love for His people being shown.
In Joel 2:12-18 G-D tells His people what they needed to do to avoid the punishment that was coming. He didn't want to punish them at all, He was all about them turning their hearts back to Him. He says right in verse 12 "Even Now" meaning it was not too late even at that time for them to change their ways and return to Him again.
Even now," declares the LORD,"return to me with all your heart,with fasting and weeping and mourning."Rend your heart and not your garments.Return to the LORD your God,for he is gracious and compassionate,slow to anger and abounding in love,and he relents from sending calamity.Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing—grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.Blow the trumpet in Zion,declare a holy fast,call a sacred assembly.Gather the people,consecrate the assembly;bring together the elders,gather the children,those nursing at the breast.Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.Let the priests, who minister before the LORD,weep between the temple porch and the altar.Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD.Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,a byword among the nations.Why should they say among the peoples,'Where is their God?' "
Then the LORD will be jealous for his land and take pity on his people. Joel 2:12-18
What an amazing G-D, He spells it out for them, tells them exactly what it is that they need to do to come back to Him. It wasn't just that one or two people were to gather to ask for G-D's forgiveness but all the people, young, old, bride and bridegroom, everyone was to come, everyone was to fast and all were to seek His ways again and then what happens? Verse 18 "Then the Lord will be jealous for His land and take pity on His people."
G-D takes no pleasure in punishment, he gets no joy in the suffering of His children. He will let things run their natural course if a people and a nation reject Him, but His plea is still the same to us as it was to them, Return to Me with all your hearts and I will bless you!
Micah 7:18-19
Who is G-D like you, Who pardons iniquity and overlooks transgression for the remnant of His heritage? He does not maintain His wrath forever,for He desires kindness.He will once again show us mercy,He will suppress our iniquities. You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Does this sound like a G-D of vengeful wrath to you? Don't take me wrong, their is a day of reckoning coming and man will be judged, but I have come to believe that G-D is much more interested in hearts turning to Him rather then punishment. If He wasn't why would there be so much warning? Why would G-D go so far out of His way to tell the people what they needed to do after they turned back to Him. If He was all about punishment and wrath ,as some would have us believe, then He would have just let His people suffer without giving them any kind of hope whats so ever. Instead He chose to tell them of what was to come and what they needed to do when that day came, which has been going on for sometime now, and He told them about the future blessings that were to follow.
Who is this amazing G-D? Who does not hide His ways from His children who make His ways plain before them? Hosea 14:10 ...for the ways of HaShem are straight; the righteous will walk in them... Jer. 6:16 This is what the LORD says:Stand at the crossroads and look;ask for the ancient paths,ask where the good way is, and walk in it,and you will find rest for your souls... Isa.30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."
G-D's ways are not hidden from us. We can refuse to seek Him out, we can go after other gods if we wish, but His ways are clear and His path is before us.
He loves His children and all His people and He prefers return to punishment, a repentant heart to the sacrifice of bulls. He is truly amazing.
And this heart rejoices in Him.
Hosea 14:2-10
Return Israel to HaShem your G-D for you have stumbled in your iniquity, take words with you and return to HaShem; Say to Him may you forgive all iniquity and accept good intentions and let our lips substitute for bulls. Assyria will not save us we will not ride upon horses,and we will no longer say," O our gods" to the work of our hands; for it is with You that an orphan finds mercy. I will rectify their waywardness I will love them gratuitously; my anger has turned away from them. I will be to Israel like the dew, and he will blossom like a rose bush and his roots will strike out like the Cedars of Lebanon. His tender branches will go forth , and his glory will be like that of the Olive tree and his fragrance like that of Lebanon. Those who dwell in His shade will return;they will revive like grain and blossom like a vine;their repute will be like the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim will say,"what more need have I of idols?" I will respond and I will gaze upon him, I am like an ever fresh Cypress tree your fruit will be provided by Me.Who is wise and will understand these things;who is understanding and will know them? For the ways of HaShem are straight; the righteous will walk in them and sinners will stumble over them.
This , my friends is a G-D, who loves His people! Not only does He plead with them to return, He even tells them what to say to Him when they return.
He isn't interested in their animal sacrifices, He IS interested in their confession of their sins and in their hearts return to Him.
In Verse 5 ( Stones Edition) He says that He will rectify their waywardness. In other translations that "He will heal". No matter how you look at it it indicates the Love of G-D for His people and His great desire for their return to Him.He wants them back and when they return He forgives them! What makes this all the more amazing to me is that He tells them all this, through the prophets, even before they have been carried off to captivity! He doesn't just leave them in the dark with the future, He tells them of their return as well. This seems to be a very common theme through out the prophecies.It is G-D's love for His people being shown.
In Joel 2:12-18 G-D tells His people what they needed to do to avoid the punishment that was coming. He didn't want to punish them at all, He was all about them turning their hearts back to Him. He says right in verse 12 "Even Now" meaning it was not too late even at that time for them to change their ways and return to Him again.
Even now," declares the LORD,"return to me with all your heart,with fasting and weeping and mourning."Rend your heart and not your garments.Return to the LORD your God,for he is gracious and compassionate,slow to anger and abounding in love,and he relents from sending calamity.Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing—grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.Blow the trumpet in Zion,declare a holy fast,call a sacred assembly.Gather the people,consecrate the assembly;bring together the elders,gather the children,those nursing at the breast.Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.Let the priests, who minister before the LORD,weep between the temple porch and the altar.Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD.Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,a byword among the nations.Why should they say among the peoples,'Where is their God?' "
Then the LORD will be jealous for his land and take pity on his people. Joel 2:12-18
What an amazing G-D, He spells it out for them, tells them exactly what it is that they need to do to come back to Him. It wasn't just that one or two people were to gather to ask for G-D's forgiveness but all the people, young, old, bride and bridegroom, everyone was to come, everyone was to fast and all were to seek His ways again and then what happens? Verse 18 "Then the Lord will be jealous for His land and take pity on His people."
G-D takes no pleasure in punishment, he gets no joy in the suffering of His children. He will let things run their natural course if a people and a nation reject Him, but His plea is still the same to us as it was to them, Return to Me with all your hearts and I will bless you!
Micah 7:18-19
Who is G-D like you, Who pardons iniquity and overlooks transgression for the remnant of His heritage? He does not maintain His wrath forever,for He desires kindness.He will once again show us mercy,He will suppress our iniquities. You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Does this sound like a G-D of vengeful wrath to you? Don't take me wrong, their is a day of reckoning coming and man will be judged, but I have come to believe that G-D is much more interested in hearts turning to Him rather then punishment. If He wasn't why would there be so much warning? Why would G-D go so far out of His way to tell the people what they needed to do after they turned back to Him. If He was all about punishment and wrath ,as some would have us believe, then He would have just let His people suffer without giving them any kind of hope whats so ever. Instead He chose to tell them of what was to come and what they needed to do when that day came, which has been going on for sometime now, and He told them about the future blessings that were to follow.
Who is this amazing G-D? Who does not hide His ways from His children who make His ways plain before them? Hosea 14:10 ...for the ways of HaShem are straight; the righteous will walk in them... Jer. 6:16 This is what the LORD says:Stand at the crossroads and look;ask for the ancient paths,ask where the good way is, and walk in it,and you will find rest for your souls... Isa.30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."
G-D's ways are not hidden from us. We can refuse to seek Him out, we can go after other gods if we wish, but His ways are clear and His path is before us.
He loves His children and all His people and He prefers return to punishment, a repentant heart to the sacrifice of bulls. He is truly amazing.
And this heart rejoices in Him.
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