Meat for the Hungry

Indian summer is one of the most beautiful times of the year. Hues of burnt orange , vibrant gold , and rustic red mixed with the last bits of deep green , inspire feelings of warmth and passion. Beginning preparation for the long winter, our thoughts naturally turn to fall harvest. The cool crisp foods of summer give way to pot roast, soup, and of course pumpkin pie. We sip apple cider, mulled or straight, as sweatshirts and fleece become part of our wardrobe. In a seemingly effortless transition, we move from swimming pools and bathing suits to football games and jackets. Nevertheless, it’s not an effortless transition; it requires a conscious decision. We could stay in our bathing suits and freeze, but we don’t – we change with the seasons.

http://9pixs.com/rosh-hashanah-01-rosh-hashanah-in-israel-2014/ Are you kidding? It isn’t  New Year . Well, maybe not, but September always feels like it to me. With a new school year, new church programs, etc, the lackadaisical summer has turned into a disciplined schedule. Nevertheless, September-October is the month Israel celebrates their civil New Year, called Rosh Hashanah. Israel’s New Year begins Wednesday, September 24, 2014, but for them, it’s the year 5775. Rosh Hashanah or T h e F e a s t o f T r u m p e t s is one of the seven feasts the Lord instituted in Leviticus 23. The first feast, The Sabbath, is weekly. Three spring feasts are next, ushering in the religious New Year:  Passover/Unleavened Bread, The Feast of Firstfruits, The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. Jesus Christ, in His first coming, spiritually fulfilled these three. The remaining three are fall feasts, ushering in the civil New Year:  T h e F e a s t o f T r u m p e t s , The D...

  Has there ever been a time when you felt you were just going through the motions spiritually? You pray, read your bible, go to church, and do all the things you know, as a Christian, you are supposed to do, but you’re just not feeling it? Well, welcome to “ F a i t h W a l k ”. Wasn’t it just a little while ago we were standing on that mountaintop praising God, feeling His presence and seeing His hand at work in everything? It seemed like nothing could interfere with our closeness to our Savior. Then, without realizing it, slowly things changed. Emptiness crept in. Our prayers seem to stop at the ceiling not reaching God’s ears. We’re feeling spiritual dreariness resembling this time of year. Our weather is transitioning from summer to fall, from the intense heat of the sun to overcast, damp, chilly days. Gloominess like the groaning of creation, booms in our ears. (Romans 8:22)

Change is in the air – can you feel it? A change of season approaches with cooler nights and shorter days. Our flora and fauna change – fall flowers wear deeper hues and trees sport orange , gold and red leaves. Animals grow thicker coats instinctively preparing for winter. Change is part of our world. Genesis 8:22 says, “While the earth remains, seedtime and h a r v e s t , cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” Nobody experienced more change than Noah and his family. The global flood changed the face of the earth. Nothing remained the same except for those on the ark. They must have felt as though they were stepping out on an alien planet. Nevertheless, Almighty God was there with His covenant and rainbow. He was their one u n w a v e r i n g constant who says, “ I am the Lord, I change not .”

Two weekends ago, I had the privilege of attending the Franklin Graham Festival of Hope in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with my aunt and cousin. As volunteers, we arrived very early and the arena’s immensity stunned me. All I could say was, “Lord Jesus, fill this place with Your Spirit.” After receiving our assignments, people began filling the seats. Soon the entertainment started with music of every genre, mostly appealing to the younger crowd. There was Rap, Grunge, Alternative, etc, and for us ole-folk, earplugs. What a joy to see the kids having such a great time moving to the music of these Christian artists and then intently listening to their testimony. Each artist gave details of their life and the lies they believed until someone introduced them to Jesus. And as He does with everyone who calls upon His name to repent, believe, and receive Him as Savior and Lord, Jesus turned their lives around. They are new creations, who now sing for Him. Each evening, Jesus Christ was...

On a warm summer night, darkness creates a quiet calmness. Chipping tree frogs and crickets break the silence and distant stars sparkle like diamonds on black velvet. “The heavens declare the glory of God…” says the Psalmist, and my breath catches, suddenly comprehending how small I am and how great is our God! In these moments, I understand King David’s proclamation, “Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord God… So let Your name be magnified forever saying The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel…”  Jeremiah agrees, “Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and stars for a light by night…the Lord of hosts is His name.”

       Have there been things in your life you never thought would take place, because you prayed and prayed, but nothing changed? When you began this quest, did you cling to Psalm 37:4’s promise of when we delight in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our heart, only to realize His answer was no or not now? Did you pout and get angry or take matters into your own hands? Did your solution backfire or did you finally accept things as they were?        Imagine Sarah, Abraham’s wife, would answer with a resounding “Yes”, considering the years of praying for God to open her womb. Each month her prayer and anticipation, just to experience great disappointment and pain when conception did not take place. Month after month, year after year, the same thing; after a while it can make you a bit numb and desperate. Finally, as a last resort, Sarah suggested something despicable; something I believe, she would never have agreed to under any oth...