These are days of judgment. In the context of the Days of Awe, a ten-day period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur on the Hebrew calendar, there is judgment involved in evaluating one’s relationship with both God and man. Since judgment exposes sin and provides for its removal, sin’s ability to usurp blessing and perpetuate curse is also removed. Zechariah chapter eight provides a glimpse of God’s plan for the future once judgment is past. Israel is the subject of the passage; after judgment, she can expect God’s presence to be restored to her.

Thus says the LORD of hosts: “ ‘Let your hands be strong, you who have been hearing in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets… For before these days there were no wages for man nor any hire for beast; There was no peace from the enemy for whoever went out or came in… But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘ For the seed shall be prosperous, The vine shall give its fruit, The ground shall give her increase, And the heavens shall give their dew— I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these. And it shall come to pass that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, So I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not fear, Let your hands me strong.’ ” (Zechariah 8:9-13, NKJV)

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem
Father, I pray for the peace of Jerusalem–peace for her borders and peace at her gates. Today I judge myself according to the biblical standard, asking the Holy Spirit to direct me. I remove the influences that grieve the Lord and invite the presence of Almighty God. My expectation therefore is that my seed shall be prosperous, my life fruitful, my labor productive and producing increase and the blessing of heaven all around me.

Amen.

Zechariah 8:9-11

To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him. (Mark 9:12-13, NIV)

Christians believe Elijah “already come” is John the Baptist who came “in the spirit and power” of Elijah. Many agree that the spirit of Elijah is even now among us—that as God’s end-time people, we are carriers of that same spirit and power, likened unto the voice of Elijah and John calling for the restoration of all things.

In John’s ministry we hear the voice of restoration which evil men sought to destroy so they could do “as they wished.” Jesus came and again man did “as he wished” but this time the sinless Son of Man restored to God a people whose very lives prophesy!

We prophesy concerning this restoration, focusing upon possibilities originally delivered to Adam. From that perspective we declare God’s original intent rather than rehearsing man’s choices. The renewed mind is attracted upward – to things above. (Colossians 3:1-3).

Therefore, in prayer declare:
I declare true restoration for my family and nation. I set my affections and focus upon things above–declaring Godly inspiration for my home and for the leaders of my nation. I establish truth as the measure, and invite the “spirit and power of Elijah” to come and reside within the borders of my authority, in my home and in my nation.

Amen – so be it!

Mark 9: 12-13
Colossians 1:1-3

Yesterday at sunset, the Jewish fall feast days began with the Feast of Trumpets, Rosh Hashanah. Today is the first day of Tishrei, the seventh month on the Jewish calendar.

And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy
convocation, you shall do no customary work. For you it is a day of blowing of
trumpets. (Numbers 29:1)

In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a Sabbath-rest,
a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. (Leviticus 23:24)

Trumpets are blown throughout this Jewish feast day, marking the beginning of the Jewish New Year with a day of memorial, a day of holy convocation, a day of Sabbath-rest. It is a time to look carefully at mistakes of the year past, taking action to make changes correcting those mistakes for the future. The changes that begin today continue for ten days known as the Days of Awe (Heb. Yamin Noraim) or the days of repentance. Obviously, the entire world is affected by the richness of this season—the Word of the Lord goes forth from Jerusalem, and many respond and are blessed. Thank God!

We are encouraged along with Israel in this glorious season. Our lives are marked by daily repentance, a reflection of the awe and reverence with which we esteem the Lord. Therefore in this glorious time we declare with the psalmist, The name of the Lord in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem! (Psalm 102:21)

Let’s Pray:
Father, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem and add our blessing to Your blessing upon Your people, Israel. Lord, we delight ourselves in You, delighting in the delight You have for this season. We ask that You extend Your right hand over Israel and the Jewish people everywhere—bare Your arm in their behalf, Lord, and deliver them from every threat.

Amen.

Numbers 29, verse 1
Leviticus 23, verse 24
Isaiah 2:3
Psalm 102:21

The Feast of Trumpets (Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah) begins with the blowing of shofars. Throughout the first day of the Jewish New Year, called “the head of the year,” shofar blasts are heard. The awakening blast calls the people and the land to attention as both a new year and the fall festival season begin.

Likewise, the Lord calls us to attention. He has uncovered our present and is now revealing our future. However, our prioritizing of the unimportant and investing time in temporal work produces a sedative-effect; all that He is doing is given second, third, or fourth place to the demands of the moment—a characteristic common to the sleeping.

The shofar is a ram’s horn, significant in its role on Mt. Moriah when a ram miraculously appeared, entangled by its horn in a thicket, as Abraham lifted the knife over the sacrifice altar and Isaac, his son of promise. The message of Moriah is two-fold: man’s obedience by having heard the Lord’s voice, and the Lord’s voice in response. It would be sad for us if the historical account were altered and Abraham never heard.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
Father, today I pray for the peace of Jerusalem. I ask that You increase the numbers of those who love her, and wake the nations in this season to comfort and bless her. And also in this season, I pray that I will hear the sound of the shofar for my own life—so that, rather than my thoughts being dominated by the cares of the world and lust for things, I will hear you clearly. I ask for the shofar, symbolizing Your salvation, to be loud and clear in my hearing so that every fiber or my being resonates with, and responds to, the sound of Your voice saying to me this is the way.

Amen.

In the fall of the year Jewish people celebrate three important festivals. These Fall Feasts of Israel are powerful reminders of God’s detailed plan for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This year the feasts are in our months of September and October, corresponding to the month of Tishrei on the Jewish calendar:

–September 18 / Tishrei 1-2 (sundown) Rosh Hashanah, meaning Feast of Trumpets the beginning of the
Hebrew New Year. This year Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on September 18, the last day the Hebrew year 5769; and continues until sundown on September 19, the first day of the Hebrew New Year 5770
–September 26 / Tishrei 10, 5770 (sundown) Yom Kippur, meaning Day of Atonement
–October 2 / Tishrei 20, 5770 (sundown) Sukkot, meaning Feast of Tabernacles

Tomorrow evening, Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown and the sound of the trumpet, or shofar, will sound in Jewish synagogues around the world. Christianity is rooted in Judaism and therefore Christians have special love for the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. We understand, honor, and consider ‘holy’ the power of God’s covenant with Israel, both the Jewish people and the land of Israel.

Because the Lord loves Zion, because His heart yearns for Jerusalem, we cannot remain silent. We will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn, and her salvation blazes like a burning torch. The nations will see her righteousness. Kings will be blinded by her glory. And the LORD will give her a new name. The LORD will hold her in His hands for all to see–a splendid crown in the hands of God. (Isaiah 62:1-3)

Amen.

Leviticus 23:23-25
Psalm 122

Technology’s rapid advance creates for us an information flow between nations and entities, enhancing the Christian’s ability to answer the primary calling of prayer. Prayer is simply the power tool for rescue of anyone, anywhere! In prayer we rescue them from oppressions characteristic of given areas. The result of Christian prayer is prophesied by Isaiah to the Jewish people; his prophecy is repeated in the New Testament Gospel of Luke, confirming God’s eternal plan for those anointed by the Spirit of the Lord.

God’s creation groans for the manifestation of His people doing what HIS people do best–by His Spirit through passionate prayer igniting rescue and comfort for all. Passionate prayer is the ongoing ministry and mission of Jesus Christ through those who understand His primary purpose, and their primary calling.

Gratitude for being added to God’s family through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ compels us to pray for all nations and people, especially for the Land of Israel and God’s Jewish people everywhere. Israel, we pray for you today!- not only for peace in Jerusalem, but peace in every heart. We send portions of prayer to you today, passionately praying that you be comforted… that you be protected from harm…that you prosper. We stand with you in prayer, with grateful hearts to G-d for the gift that you are to all nations. Shalom.

Amen.

Isaiah 61:1-3
Luke 4:18-19

A significant sense of the Lord’s order has come. It feels like a push to settle things—to end some, change some, and begin some, as though the Lord is saying, those things in your life that are out of order, I want to come now and quickly bring those things into My order.

One thing out of order is the way we communicate what we believe. I have learned that what I say is what I really believe; that belief and words go together—I can test one by the other. Applying the test to those around me, I know what you believe when I listen to what you say; if you tell me your view and give every appearance of it being as you say, when you speak I know for sure.

Order is established as we speak and an essential element of how things work spiritually is the fact that we do have what we say. Once words are spoken, a harvest of those words follows. Saying is powerful because words are powerful, but the point is that words are a true reflection of what is believed — really.

To expect prayer will gain what has been claimed without guarding what we say is not realistic. Belief cannot succeed when the spoken word expresses a different, often opposite, belief; the contradiction would be like trying to ‘go’ while remaining committed to ‘stay.’

In this season of urgency a spotlight has been divinely cast upon all that must come into order. Since light represents exposure, we realize that light has revealed the difference between pretense of belief, and what is actually believed. Pretense isn’t real, it’s pretense.

Order in the individual life reflects consistency—thoughts with actions and belief with words. Interrupt the order and life is not the same. Your life is a story that others read; what you believe should convey naturally in conversation, unlike pretense which is forced. As a Christian, that which you believe is distinctive to a faith that joins you to God’s plan: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Amen.

2 Corinthians 3:2
Matthew 6:10
Isaiah 9:7
Psalm 50:23

The words you say will either acquit or condemn you. (Matt 12:37)

There is a fine line. With every word and action we produce the fruit of our character and those around us realize who we are, who we are not, and where we draw the line concerning the world’s way of doing things. The Bible speaks of a confession of faith not as something isolated or used infrequently; rather, with every word and action we trumpet exactly where our eyes and minds have been.

The line is drawn. The psalmist speaks of a line drawn by the heavens and earth, by the day and night, and by the “speech” and “voice” they represent—of a line that has gone out through all the earth, drawn by their words. If the heavens, earth, night and day are all speaking, and if their corporate voice has an effect upon the earth, then for certain the voice we have become is also speaking.

It matters. Our lives become a composite—spirit, soul, and body, plus everything that has ever happened to us, plus how we have responded to those things. The composite honestly depicts who we truly are, and as Christians we are wise to deliberately submit that composite to the Lord; as we spend time with Him everything we have become is mirrored back for us to judge, whether it is pure and right.

Amen.

Matthew 12:33-37
Philemon 1:6
Proverbs 20:10-11
Psalm 19:4

The Lord ordains purpose for our lives and He did not mean for us to go it alone—we are aimed, sent, and planted. We need “wise” counsel to avoid those emotional traps before they can get a hook in us; and so the pride that breeds in isolation will not gain the rule of our lives. These trick our judgment so that emotional desire takes over.

For every emotional tug that might casue a judgment error, rescue is available if we can just listen to the counsel of God’s Spirit within our own hearts and from those acquainted with Him, and with His counsel. We do not live to ourselves, arbitrarily choosing which path to take, or which direction to go; we are not sent forth to be moved along by personal whim, or to randomly choose or establish our own rule.

In Song of Solomon, the king’s procession “came up from the wilderness” surrounded by sixty armed and valiant men “wearing swords on the thigh”. The entourage meant protection from the fear of night—an attack in the dark of night. Night and darkness suggest something hidden from sight and the provision given was for protection against such threats.

If your day today seems much like a wilderness, remember to guard your heart against the darkness with the entourage of God’s provision. Match your cadence to the Lord’s so that you hear him stepping as you step, surrounded by wise counsel and godly influencers. For us, as for Solomon the king, a wilderness is no place to go it alone.

Amen.

Song of Solomon 3:6-8

Israel’s first mention in the Bible occurs in Genesis 32:28 in the context of a struggle between God and a man named Jacob, who, known for unscrupulous dealings with his fellow man, now stood alone before God.

The encounter and his struggle with God left him with a limp—he would never be the same. That night God conferred upon Jacob a new name: Jacob the trickster-usurper became Israel, prince with God.

A name change was not the only change for Jacob. According to Scripture, Jacob, now Israel walked with a limp for the rest of his life, a result of the flesh-Spirit struggle that ensued throughout the night.

As the sun rose the next day, the man Israel had been changed in the confrontation. He asked for the blessing and God answered by changing his nature, a wonderful compliment for his new name and the destiny implied (Gen 32:24-32).

The story powerfully applies to our lives. The struggle we insist upon is not only with men, but also with God. A change in the struggle is the Lord’s plan: Our determination to continue the struggle is the reason we limp; His determination to love us is the reason we are changed—in a moment, we are changed. (2 Cor 3:18)

Amen.

Genesis 32:28
Genesis 32:24-32
2 Corinthians 3:18