1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear:
During the first great awakening, revivalist George Whitfield was preaching to coal miners in England. He asked one man, “What do you believe?” “Well, I believe the same as the church.” “And what does the church believe?” “Well, they believe the same as me.” Seeing he was getting nowhere, Whitfield said, “And what is it that you both believe?” “Well, I suppose the same thing.”
The majority of the things we believe were told us by someone we deem trustworthy. For example, we believe there is such a place as Zimbabwe because our geography teachers taught us so, but how many of us have actually been to see it? We couldn’t testify from personal experience but we believe it because reliable people have told us it’s true. The same goes for science, space, medicine, history, and the list goes on.
Sadly, one of the things most disputed in the world is the truth of the gospel. And even more sadly, many believers wouldn’t know how to defend it if anyone challenged them.
As believers, we have a responsibility to know and share the truth of the gospel. Let’s pray that the Lord would open up a door to share with the gospel with someone today … and be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us — the harvest is just outside our doors for we were born for such a time as this!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]This week, we entered into the feast of Tabernacles — in Hebrew — Sukkot. Sukkot is known as “The Feast” in which God commands us to rejoice. As we entered this feast of rejoicing on Monday night, I think it is only fitting that we commit ourselves to a life of joy. “But how?” you say. We need to make a choice — a choice to rejoice! Wow, I’m a poet and didn’t know it, lol!
The Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur in Hebrew, was the single most important day during the time of Yeshua (Jesus) and still holds utmost significance in Israel and among Jews worldwide today.
Last night, we concluded the feast of Yom Kippur where Jews throughout the world “afflicted” their souls. However, most kids in Israel look at Yom Kippur as “ride your bikes in the streets day!” You see, Yom Kippur in Israel is the one day when TV and radio stations are completely shut down and the streets are almost completely void of vehicles of any kind. Ironically, some of the only fully operational locations in Israel on Yom Kippur are the hospital emergency rooms – since kids who finally have no restraints on their bikes, skateboards, and roller skates tend to take risks they wouldn’t normally take – it’s Yom Kippur – they have the streets to themselves!
During the feast of Tabernacles in Yeshua's (Jesus') day, the temple priests would set up four great lampstands with golden lampholders, which they would light with the aid of enormous ladders in the Temple courtyard. The lighting of these lamps began the celebration of the "Great Hosannah" (Hoshannah Rabbah, in Hebrew).
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement is upon us. Beginning tomorrow evening, Yom Kippur marks the holiest of all holy days on the Hebrew calendar. It is the anniversary of the fall of man and it is the climax of the time of Teshuvah (repentance). Starting tonight night and into Saturday, all around the world, the religious will fast from food and water and read prayers in the synagogue, as will the majority of traditional Jews.
Rosh Hashanah traditionally marks the Jewish New Year. "Shanah" is a unique Hebrew word meaning "to repeat, revise, or go over again". As we begin the new year, with fall, then winter, spring, and summer, we remember the cyclical pattern of time in God's creation. The nature of life is to repeat itself -- to continue in a cycle, marked by Rosh HaShannah -- a New Year. Although time is moving in a direction toward a definite destiny determined by the Creator, it does so in cycles ... truly, "what goes around comes around".
Earlier this week, we celebrated the Biblical festival of Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) otherwise known as Rosh Ha Shana. What's interesting about Rosh Ha Shana (the Jewish celebration of the New Year), is that it doesn't fall on the first day of the first month. It actually falls on the first day of the seventh month! It's difficult for outsiders to understand this concept, but if we study how the Jewish year begins and how God is outlining this age according to the Jewish feasts it all makes sense.