Pursue Gold, Eternity Starts Now!
Psalm 45 is one of my favorite Psalms. It’s a picture of Yeshua as the King, and his bride as his queen.
Verse 9 says, “daughters of Kings are among your ladies of honor; at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.”
Wow – that’s us! We’re the bride of the King, we’re the Queen standing in gold!
(more…)I have been crucified with the Messiah, who loved me and gave himself for me.
I have my Yeshua time the first hour and the last hour of every day. But besides that, during this one week, he had been waking me up during the night to show me things about this one specific topic. So on this night when I woke up and heard his instruction, I figured we would be on the same topic.
While I was lying on the bed, he told me to raise my arms. I did that and praised him and told him I loved him. Then my arms got cold, so I turned over and covered up.
But I kept hearing him instructing me to raise my arms. Again I figured he had something he was going to show me. So I obeyed him. And he did!
A Snapshot of Five Servants
Although he already had my full attention, I could hear in my spirit Yeshua call to me by name. My name, Christi, means “like Christ, the anointed one” in Greek. I’ve come to realize that when Yeshua says my name, he’s getting ready to tell me something transformative, to continue transforming me into his image, more like him.
That morning it was servanthood. He has called me his servant, and this is one more tool he wanted me to have. He showed me five servants and asked me what they had in common. Then he asked what each one was known for. The whole lesson took 30 minutes to write, but will serve me for a lifetime in my transformation into his image.
(more…)Month 1 – Preparing Ourselves for the Spring Feasts, Part 1
The Spring Feasts begin with Passover during the Hebrew month of Nisan. On the Hebrew calendar, the Feasts always begin during the month of Nisan. But “Nisan” is a Babylonian name adopted well after the original command to observe Passover. In looking at the Hebrew name of the month, I found it was actually much more – more than a name or even a month. It’s a season, a designation, a process – the understanding of which brought all new revelation about the significance of the Spring Feasts. (more…)
You want me to do what?
Have you ever been in a situation in which you wondered what Yehovah was up to? You knew you were in a specific place for a reason, but not sure what it was. Or maybe you’ve felt you were meant for something more than you’re currently doing and have asked Yehovah to open new doors. You’ve prayed and waited on the Lord for your next assignment. But once you realize what it is he’s asking of you, it seems daunting, more or different than you had in mind. You might feel overwhelmed at the prospect, maybe reluctant or anxious.
Take heart, you’re in good company. Joseph, Moses, Noah, Gideon, even Yeshua – they’ve all been where you are.
Yeshua’s Teaching on Deuteronomy 6-8
Have you noticed that the enemy often increases his efforts just as we’re about to approach a victory? We don’t always perceive what’s happening in the moment, but we notice that things get very difficult. Then all of the sudden, there’s a breakthrough in an area where we’ve been struggling or praying for.
Yeshua’s Ascension Brings a Double Portion on Pentecost
In a separate blog post I discuss how the day of Pentecost/Shavuot kicks-off the new covenant, guarantees our eternal inheritance, and brings new life through the Holy Spirit – enabling us to fulfill our mission and destiny on earth.
As believers in Yeshua, we already carry the Holy Spirit within us every day. But if we’re prepared for it, I believe there’s a double portion of Yeshua’s Spirit poured out on Shavuot. (more…)
Feast of Trumpets: “A day of complete rest for remembering”
On the Feast of Trumpets (also called Rosh Hashanah) we put aside our work and gather with other believers, share a meal, blow our shofars, present an offering and worship just as Yehovah commanded us in Leviticus 23.
But Leviticus 23:24 also tells us this is to be “a day of complete rest for remembering.” Remembering what, it doesn’t say. In fact none of the references to the Feast of Trumpets tell us what we’re remembering.
To get some perspective, let’s go back in time about 3,500 years when the observance of this day was first commanded. (more…)
As Hanukkah’s Candles, We Light up the Darkness
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” Isaiah 60:1
I find no evidence that this passage was originally about Hanukkah. It’s meant as a prophecy about Israel in the Millennial Age. But as I was contemplating the Hanukkah candles, this verse came to mind.
Then as I read verses 2-3, I realized how much this really parallels the idea of the Hanukkah candles:
“See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” Isaiah 60:2-3
I decided to take a closer look at this passage and some of the Hanukkah themes that it contains. (more…)
Preparing to Enter Our Promised Land – Part 2
In Numbers 1-2 God appoints leaders from each tribe of the Israelites, counts the men for military battle and organizes them as to how they are to camp and move. By Numbers 10 they are moving toward the Promised Land. These are our bookends in this study. Everything within this 20-day period can be considered the last minute instructions before the Israelites can move forward.
In Part 1, we referenced Hebrews 3-4, in which Paul points out,
“it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, God again set a certain day, calling it ‘Today.’ ” … “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;”
The last minute preparations in how to enter our Sabbath rest in these last days are the same for us as they were for the Israelites in Numbers 1-10. These are our instructions for what is required in order for God to fulfill His promises to us. (more…)
Preparing to Enter Our Promised Land – Part 1
Numbers 1 begins the culmination of God’s main purpose for the Exodus: entering the Promised Land. Hebrews 4 tells us we are still headed for the Promised Land, calling it our Sabbath rest. Numbers 1-14 are the last few weeks before His grand plan is finally realized. The first 10 chapters provide an outline of how to prepare to enter the Land – for the Israelites, and for us today. These are the last few instructions for following God’s presence into our land of blessing and abundance. (more…)
Why Count the Omer? Part 2: Nine Days of Prayer
In Leviticus 23:15 God instructs us to count the seven weeks (49 days) that occur before the Day of Pentecost (the 50th day) also called the Festival of Weeks and Shavuot in Hebrew. But counting days with no explanation? Why would this be important to God and to us?
For the Israelites, it pertained mainly to their harvest cycle and offerings to be presented. For us living after the time of Yeshua, and the giving of the Holy Spirit to the disciples, we can see the spiritual implications of this count. We know that on the 50th day after Yeshua’s resurrection, something unimaginably wonderful happened: The pouring out of the Holy Spirit not only on the disciples, but on all those who come to faith in Yeshua as the Messiah! The implications of that day reverberate even stronger in these last of the last days. The 50th day is one I want to be prepared for every year. (more…)
What’s in Your Toolbox? Hearing God’s Leading
Have you ever had someone give you a scripture saying they believe the Lord wants to use it to speak to you, yet it doesn’t seem to fit anywhere in your life? Hold it. I mean literally hold onto it – write it down, log it, memorize it.
I have a wonderful friend who has often done this for me. At times, the scripture or insight exactly fits with what I’m facing. Other times we talk through it and can’t seem to connect the dots. But I know she is a woman of God gifted in intercession and speaking into my life and others’. So I hold on to it.
One such scripture was Isaiah 30:21:
With your ears you will hear a word from behind you: “This is the way; stay on it, whether you go to the right or the left.”
Our Spiritual Journey Inside the Tabernacle – Part 9: The Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat
To this point in this series we’ve see how YHWH has gone to great lengths to create a path for sinful man to approach His holiness – all with the goal of having His children dwell with Him continually. This path has led us through the fence surrounding the courtyard, progressing past each piece of furniture in the tabernacle, into the Holy Place and even beyond the thick, heavy curtain that separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.
In this spiritual journey, we’ve entered into a special partnership with YHWH to bring about His will on earth. Now we’re ready to receive new revelation of our role with Him. We’re ready to approach His very presence – the Ark of the Covenant. (more…)
Our Spiritual Journey Inside the Tabernacle – Part 6: The Table of Showbread
Inside the Tent of Meeting
So far in this series, we’ve seen that through the functions of the tabernacle’s fence, the bronze altar, the bronze basin and the menorah behind the veil of the Holy Place, God has provided us with faith to believe, the payment for our sin, cleansing with the blood of His righteous Son and a transformed mind, illuminated with a spiritual perspective.
Once we get to this point and begin seeing the world around us from our new spiritual perspective, we realize all that’s available to us in the Spirit. We realize God is much bigger than we thought. The world and life in general is not what we thought. It’s a whole new paradigm. (more…)
Our Spiritual Journey Inside the Tabernacle – Part 4: The Bronze Basin
Inside the Tabernacle
In Parts 2 and 3, we’ve looked at God’s gift of faith that enables us to enter through the fence enclosing the tabernacle, representing His kingdom. We’ve been forgiven because He offered His own Son at the Bronze Altar.
Saved and forgiven – this is a great place to be. Some people stay at this place for years, maybe forever. But God has so many other gifts He wants to provide us to bring us into deeper intimacy with Himself. (more…)
Abiding in Yeshua
Not long ago I saw a documentary featuring the gray whale migration from Mexico to Alaska. A mother and her new calf, born just a few months earlier, were passing off the coast of Monterey, California, when they were attacked by a pod of killer whales. The story showed the hunting strategies of the six killer whales and the rare escape of the two grays.
Since an adult gray is far too large for a killer whale to overtake, the baby calf was the prey. The main strategy of the killer whales was to separate the calf from its mother. A brutal struggle went on for hours. With the two grays becoming weaker and weaker, I couldn’t imagine how the two whales would ever rid themselves of the strong and determined predators. (more…)
Messianic Sabbath 