​Passover is all about remembrance of God's faithfulness and beginning a new life cycle. As slaves, the children of Israel had no relationship with time because one day was the same as the other. With the Passover, God was marking time and redeeming His people so that they could begin their year with encouragement as they recalled how He gave them new life. It is through remembering the victories of the past that we have hope for the future. Deuteronomy 32:7 tells us, "Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and He will tell you, your elders and they will explain to you." 
 
The yearly tradition of sitting at a table to share a meal and tell the story of freedom for God's people was instituted by the Lord. He said, "This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance...Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt." (Exodus 12:14, 17) The Hebrew meaning of the Passover meal, called "Seder," is "order." It is written in a book called the "Haggadah," meaning "telling," that includes the story from the book of Exodus, an explanation of the meal courses, and songs and blessings. The gathering at the table is for all generations.
 
Asaph, the writer of Psalm 78, tells of our responsibility to bring up the next generation in the knowledge of the truth. Psalm 78:2-7 says, "...I will utter hidden things, things from of old...What we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us, we will not hide from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob (The King James Version says, "He established a testimony.") and established the law in Israel, which He commanded our forefathers to teach their children so that the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands."
 
This year the Passover began on April 12 (Nisan 14 on the Hebrew calendar). Many families sat around the Seder table for the retelling of the story of the exodus and the journey to the Promised Land. We can read how Jesus also celebrated a Seder with His disciples. It would be His "last supper" before going to the Cross. Imagine how he felt knowing that He was destined to be the Passover Lamb in the future and for all eternity. He told His disciples, “’I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.' After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, 'Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.'" (Luke 22:14-17)
 
Many Christian communities do not celebrate the Passover. Long ago Emperor Constantine tried to merge Christianity with paganism by changing the calendar. With the Council of Nicaea, he outlawed Passover and changed the date for celebrating Christ's death and resurrection to correspond with the spring festival of the pagan goddess Ishtar, also known as Easter. Those who refused to stop celebrating Passover were persecuted and murdered. Falling into the hand of Satan, the Church agreed to pronounce a curse on Christians who celebrated the Passover. Satan is still at the forefront of the battle to stop the Passover and taking Communion because he knows that the power is in the blood of Jesus.
 
The blood of Jesus was shed to redeem us from the enemy. Our deliverance comes through the blood of the Lamb on the Cross of Calvary. Every time Christians take communion, we celebrate the Passover Lamb. However, communion celebrates more than freedom from bondage in Egypt; it celebrates our release from the bondage of sin. We can take communion as often as we desire. 1 Corinthians 11:26 says, "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes." Father God is the one who connected the sacrifice of Jesus to the Passover and why He is called the Passover Lamb. For generations to come we must share the power of His shed blood.

​Preparation is a necessity when we desire to move forward into a new season. Scriptures talk about preparation for a meal, sacrifice, battle, building project, and life-style change. Much preparation took place for the children of Israel to come out of bondage in Egypt and for the disciples to be ready for life without Jesus. Since we are at the beginning of a new year and new beginnings in the month of Nisan, it would be wise for us to prepare for the journey. We can learn about how to do this from the Israelites and the disciples.
 
God would begin preparing the children of Israel for their journey out of slavery by bringing upon the Egyptians the last of ten plagues—the death of the firstborn. The Israelites were given several instructions. We can read their first one in Exodus 11:2. "Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold." God made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward them so that they would not leave Egypt without plunder. The next instruction was for each family to take a pure and spotless male lamb into their home on the tenth day of the month of Nisan. (Exodus 12:3, 5) The lambs were to be slaughtered on the fourteenth of the month and its blood placed on the top and sides of their doorframes. (Exodus 12:7) That night they were to roast the lamb and eat it along with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast.
 
The angel of death passed over the families of the Israelites when he saw the blood and killed the first-born in Egypt, convincing Pharaoh to release God's chosen people. Early in the morning the Israelites left their homes in Rameses (meaning dissolving evil) and headed toward Succoth (meaning booths). Before leaving, the people "...bowed down and worshiped" (Exodus 12:27) when they saw how the Lord passed over their homes. All Israel left Egypt at the end of 430 years. "Because the Lord kept vigil that night, to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the Lord for the generations to come." (Exodus 12:42)
 
When it was time for Jesus to leave the earth, He had much to tell His disciples to prepare them for their life without Him. At their Passover Feast, Jesus began by washing their feet. This act of humility was to show the disciples that they would be expected to serve others, not to be served. "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." (John 13:15) Next Jesus gave them the rule of love. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34, 36) 
 
Jesus wanted His disciples to know that He was going to leave them to prepare for their futures. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me...I am going to prepare a place for you." (John 14:1, 2) Jesus also needed to explain to them about the Holy Spirit who would take HIs place. "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever, The Spirit of Truth...You know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you." (John 14:16, 17) Finally, Jesus had to warn His disciples that they would experience great grief, but their sorrow would be transformed to joy. "I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy...Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy." (John 16:20, 22)
 
Life is a journey that includes known and unknown. Our job is to trust in the Lord and to consult with the Holy Spirit on how to prepare for our Promised Lands. "The Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8, Joshua 1:5, Hebrews 13:5) As we stand at the beginning of the first month of the new year, let's prepare for the season that is ahead.

​Today we begin a new month, the first month on the Biblical calendar as ordained by God. It seems so appropriate as we look outside and see the budding trees, the blooming daffodils and forsythia, and the robins pecking the ground for worms. Deuteronomy 2:6-8 describes what the children of Israel experienced during this time. "So, the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders." The name of the first month is Nisan which means beginning. God desired that His children begin their new year with the remembrance of HIs mighty signs and wonders that brought to their memory how He set them free from the bondage of Egypt and then began leading them to their Promised Land. Thus, He said to Moses and Aaron, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year." (Exodus 12:2)
 
The month of Nisan has become known as a month of miracles. During this time God was preparing the way for the freedom of the Israelites through a campaign of miraculous signs. These signs came in the form of ten plagues: The Plague of blood in the Nile River, frogs, gnats, flies, death of livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness that could be felt, and death of the firstborn (man and animals). While the Egyptians were contending with these plagues, the Lord made a distinction between them and the people of Israel. There was no plague in the land where the Israelites lived and they watched as God fought for them and prepared the way for them to begin a new life. It was time for them to “spring” forward.
 
Just as the Lord stretched out His arms to show miraculous signs and wonders, He did so on the Cross for our redemption. Jesus said in John 12:24, "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." His desire was to redeem us through our acceptance of His blood sacrifice and repentance for our sins. All creation shows us the process of death and life throughout the year. Now is the season of new life as the blossoms of spring are reappearing.
 
God is calling us to new life during this set-aside time. He has paid a price for us to be free from all bondage and to operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit that He placed within us. Those who start well usually finish well. We must start by acknowledging and thanking the Lord for His deliverance and redemption. Then we should step forward on to the path where we are being directed. Each of us is positioned for victory as we align our lives with God's plans and purposes.
 
Nisan 1 is one of God's appointed times that is meant to draw us into a life-giving encounter with Him. I believe that on God's appointed dates there is a thinner space between heaven and earth and that our pursuit at these times brings His presence. Our goal must be to host His presence and to dedicate our lives to blessing Him and the lost world.

​What is the central issue of our warfare with the demonic realm? This question can be answered with another question: "Whom will you worship?" Will we be faithful to worship the one true God or will we allow Satan's distractions, diversions, and attacks to pull us toward him and his way of life? Let us be reminded that we were created to have fellowship with the Lord, so we were made in His image. (Genesis 1:27) All of us were designed to have intimacy with God and as His image bearers we were given specific characteristics. A footnote to Genesis 1:26 and 27 in The Passion Translation defines God's image in us like this: "It includes personality, the capacity for worship, the ability to make moral decisions, and the ability to reflect God.”
 
We are three weeks away from Passover. If we looked back in history, we would find Moses and Aaron trying to convince Pharaoh to release the children of Israel. God instructed Moses to say to Pharaoh, "The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: 'Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the desert...’" (Exodus 7:16) Why would God want to take His people into the wilderness for this purpose? Perhaps God's desire was to teach His children what true worship looks like. It is true worship that protects us from the enemy of our souls. The Israelites would have a long journey to the Promised Land, one fraught with difficulties and enemy attacks. The soul that is not protected by true worship of the Lord is prime territory for the enemy. True worship of God, not based on circumstances, sets up a barrier against the demonic and gives us victory in warfare.
 
As we draw closer to end times, we can count on increasing warfare. What or who will we worship during these times? Worship is a part of the culture of heaven, and it is God's desire, as expressed in the prayer taught to the disciples, that His "will would be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) Revelation 7:11,12 describes what takes place in heaven. "All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God saying: 'Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!'" But there is a worship that blesses God more than what comes from thousands of angelic hosts. It comes from earth through those who are faithful to worship the Lord amid trials, tribulations, and suffering. When our spirits worship God during our battles, we give God pleasure, and He is drawn toward us.
 
The purity of our worship will dictate its fragrance. I have long desired to have a deeper understanding of the verse in John 4:23. "Yet a time is coming and has now come when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." May I suggest that when we give God glory in the middle of pain and suffering, our love comes forth as true worship. We must look at every difficulty as an opportunity to become the kind of worshipers God desires.

​If you have not checked out the cam of the eagles Jackie and Shadow at Big Bear Valley, you must do so. This couple has been together since 2018. They are called a mated pair since they have nested at Big Bear each year. Only two chicks successful appeared in this time period and were named Simba and Spirit. They grew up and left Big Bear Valley. This year Jackie laid three eggs, all of which successfully hatched the first week of March. Now the light gray, fuzzy hatchlings are being cared for by their mom and dad.
 
As I have been watching the interaction between this mated pair, I have seen how they cooperate with one another in building their nest, incubating the eggs, and caring for their young. I read that their ability to work together indicates a strong bond between them. Now Jackie and Shadow have the challenge of protecting their babies while a heavy snowstorm covers the nest area.
 
The couple shares nest duties. When Jackie is covering the babies with her feathers, Shadow keeps vigil on a perch next to the nest. The view of the valley below is stunning with Big Bear Lake and its tree-lined hills visible through the branches where the nest sits. Looking at Shadow dutifully caring for the family shows me how well he carries out his responsibilities as a father as they are spoken of in the Bible.
 
While sitting on his perch, Shadow watchfully protects his family. Jesus prayed to His Father about his disciples: "...Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one." (John 17:11) Shadow is an excellent provider for his family. I love it when the cam captures him flying into the nest with a huge fish in his mouth that he slaps down next to Jackie. Matthew 7:11 asks, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him?"
 
As the three little eaglets grow, they are beginning to develop their own personalities. It seems that one of the three is a rebel and wants to poke his head out from under the wings of Jackie or Shadow. That little one is gently disciplined and taught by his father with a push of the beak. The Bible says, "Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not turn from it." (Proverbs 22:6) Hebrews 12:6 tells us that our Father "disciplines those He loves..." and we can see how wonderfully Shadow cares for his young ones.
 
We know that Shadow will never leave or forsake his children. He has loyalty and purpose built into his being. As the eaglets are raised, the parents will give them examples of how to thrive so that when they grow up, they too can parent their own young ones. Proverbs 20:7 tells us, "The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him."  
 
There we have it—a godly example of how to be a good father from our national bird, the eagle. Father God loves us unconditionally, and we see selfless love in the eagle parents. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God." (1 John 3:1a)

​God has a position and destiny for every individual on the face of the earth. We are positioned for the purpose that God ordained for us. He consecrates us and sets up apart to influence those around us. The Bible gives us examples of individuals who have had "mantles" placed upon them. A mantle is a calling, an anointing, or transference of spiritual power and authority given to someone by God. We can look at the lives of Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Elijah, David, and Esther, to name a few.
 
One of the great modern-day prophets, Kim Clement, who is now in heaven, made a statement about the ways our lives unfold in alignment with our destinies. He said, "Your destiny dictates your present circumstances." He points to Joseph, Israel's favorite son, and reminds us that his destiny lay in Egypt. Joseph even named his second son Ephraim as a reminder of his call. He declared, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering." (Genesis 41:52) Had Joseph not been in Egypt, he would not have been able to rescue his family from the seven-year famine that came upon the land.
 
Since Purim will be celebrated this week with the telling of the story of Esther, let's investigate how she was called to suffer for the salvation of her people. She and her people had been exiled to the Babylonian empire. Having lost her parents, a cousin named Mordecai took her under his wing to care for her. Esther's birth name, Hadassah, was changed to the Persian name, Esther. In changing her name, Esther's nationality and family background were concealed. God made Esther "lovely in form and features" (Esther 2:7) so that when the king was looking for a new queen, she was chosen as one of the candidates for consideration. As Joseph's destiny lay in Egypt; Esther's destiny lay in the citadel of Susa in the Persian empire. She was positioned for a purpose.
 
The call of Esther was one that would require humility and sacrifice. She would live in the king's palace as part of his harem. For one year she would undergo beauty treatments to prepare for one night with the king. Esther won his favor and was chosen as his queen. But, just as Esther received a promotion, a test would come. The enemy saw her destiny and plotted to destroy her promotion. Candice Smithyman wrote in her book, 365 Prophetic revelations from the Hebrew Calendar, "We are never truly promoted until we are faced with a situation where we have to stand for righteousness."
 
Stand for righteousness Esther did as she was faced with the possibility of death for herself and every Jew in the kingdom because of an evil decree from the king's chief noble, Haman. Mordecai said to her, "...If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish, and who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14) Esther determined to go before the king to save her people.
 
We can see how Esther served God and those around her so that she could attain her God-ordained destiny. She had been appointed by and established in her position by man so that God could use her in her calling at the right time. It was not until Esther had been tested that she received her spiritual promotion, her mantle was secured, and a miraculous turn of events occurred. We too can walk in miracles when we embrace God's call on our lives, live by faith even during times of testing, and position ourselves in the presence of our Lord. We have been commissioned to carry Christ's love. This is confirmed in Ephesians 2:10. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (NKJV)

​God is for us and not against us. (Romans 8:31) He even encourages us through each month on the Hebrew spiritual calendar. The first day of the last month on this calendar occurred at sunset on Friday night. Its very name, Adar, means strength and shows us that God wants us to finish the year with strength. Nehemiah 8:10 lets us know that "The joy of the Lord is our strength." Psalm 16:11 tells us that it is the presence of the Lord that brings this joy. A footnote in The Passion Translation explains that in Hebrew there is no word for "Presence," so the passage uses the word face. "For You bring me a continual revelation of resurrection life, the path to the blessing that brings me face-to-face with You." 
 
Can you imagine being face-to-face with Jesus and what that would do to our feelings of joy and peace and our growth in faith? Isaiah 61:2 and 3 instructs us to comfort those who mourn by bestowing on them "a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." While it is the intention of the Lord to lead us into joy and blessings, we must be aware that our enemy is always attempting to remove us from God's timing so that he can destroy our strength.
 
The Jewish people will be celebrating the festival called Purim on the 13th and 14th of this month. Every year on these dates they remember the plot of Haman the Agagite against the Jews who were moved into the Persian Empire, which is modern-day Iran. Haman's ancestors were enemies of Saul and the nation of Israel. Their hatred for the Jews was manifest through Haman who cast the lot (called Pur) to select the 13th as the day when those in the Persian kingdom could kill the Jews according to a royal decree.
 
None of this caught God by surprise. He already had a plan to raise up a young orphan girl named Esther (meaning star) to save her people. To do this she had to become part of the royal harem. After twelve months of beauty treatments, she would be called to the king, probably much older than her, to please him in whatever way he desired. Her sacrifice is unthinkable! She would lose her virginity and become the possession of the king.
 
After her night with the king, Esther was named queen but was only permitted to see him if called upon. Becoming aware of Haman's evil plot against the Jewish people, Esther became an advocate for them and fasted and prayed with them for three days. The plan was for Esther to go to the king without being summoned which could mean death for her unless he extended his golden scepter. Knowing this, Esther sent a message to her people: "...I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." The favor of the Lord was with her, and the king gave her permissions to write another decree that allowed the Jews to "attack those seeking their destruction." (Esther 9:2) "This happened on the 13th day of the month of Adar, and on the 14th, they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy." (Esther 9:17)
 
Ester 9:23 says, "The Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun..." The celebration continues to this day. In Israel, the Jews party in the streets, dressed in customs of the characters in the story and "booing" when Haman appears. Sadly, the anti-Semitic spirit lives today through Hamas. I would imagine that the joy meant for this season will be tempered by the sorrow of the great losses that have been inflicted on the people of Israel. May I suggest that we pray for comfort, peace, and strength for the Israelis, especially during this season? Perhaps God will raise up another advocate for His people.

​Included in the short list of animated films up for an Academy Award is a thirteen-minute film called "The 21." It was put on the Internet for free screening on February 14 - 17, 2025 as a way to honor those who were martyred by ISIS ten years ago. After I viewed the production, I wanted to learn more about the cinematic approach to telling this story.
 
Producer of faith-based Hollywood films, Mark Rodgers, desired to create a film with three objectives: (1) Those who view the film would have "a deeper understanding of our own Christian heritage in this region." (2) "It would be wonderful to see this film be promoted widely so that people inside the Church can see the courage and the faith of the martyrs and be encouraged in their own faith." (3) It is hoped that the film would "promote a freedom of religion that people can practice whatever they want to believe without persecution." He and his team also desired to produce a truthful account of the events from the time the Coptic Christians were captured until they were martyred on a beach in Libya that would counter the propaganda video produced by ISIS.
 
Because of the gruesome nature of the story, Mark Rodgers and his partner Mandi Hart did not think a typical documentary would be appropriate. Through prayer, God gave Mark an idea to make a short, animated film. The animation is done using Egyptian iconography; iconography being the use of visual images, figures, or symbols to represent certain action or objects. One of the benefits to using this type of animation is that its producers could project the spiritual images of angels and Jesus that ISIS terrorists saw intermixed with their captives. It says on the film's website (the21film.com) that seventy artists and animators from over twenty-four countries worked on the film. 
 
The word Copt is an ancient Greek word meaning Egyptian. Copts declare John Mark, author of the Gospel of Mark, as their founder and first bishop sometime between AD 42 and AD 62. They tend to emphasize meritorious works in salvation along with liturgical rituals rather than salvation through a personal relationship with Jesus. They believe that Jesus is God Himself, the Incarnate Word. Copts are the largest Christian denomination in Egypt and the Middle East.
 
When ISIS began their reign of terror their goal was to cleanse North Africa of Christians. In December 2014, they captured twenty-one Copts and placed them in an underground prison. Initially they were offered money to deny their faith. When this did not happen, ISIS began torturing them by making them pull heavy bags of wet sand down the beach. If they fell, they were beaten. Cold water was poured on them regularly so that they could not sleep, and their skin was cut with sharp knives. Their methods of torture only drew the men closer together, and they prayed, "Lord have mercy." When they did this the earth shook, and the terrorists were fearful. Every Copt was fitted with an orange jump suit and marched down the beach. It is reported that the terrorists saw angelic figures with the men and that the sky seemed to change color. One by one every Coptic Christian refused to deny Christ, and one by one they were beheaded.
 
Psalm 116:15 says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants." The Passion Translation says it this way: "When one of God's holy lovers dies, it is costly to the Lord, touching His heart." We know that God's heart was touched on this costly day. Pray that the death of these men will not be in vain and that the film will impact many. May we be faithful witnesses to the unbelieving individuals around us and never be tempted to deny our Lord no matter what the consequences.

​Every season of the year has its own unique beauty and purpose in life. This truth came to visit me on Monday morning when I looked out the window and saw the trees around our property encased in ice. Every tree branch was covered in crystal and shown like diamonds as the sun rose in the sky. God used these trees to speak to me of His splendor and remind me that "there is a time and season for every activity under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1) He works in our lives in unique ways according to the season we are living in.
 
In the plant kingdom, winter is a season of rest. Without rest the trees would not be able to go through another year. Winter is a time of restoration from the year before and preparation for the year to come. Dormancy is part of the normal growth cycle. Arborists say that cold winters are better than warm ones for trees, because the cold is effective in killing insect eggs or diseases. This allows the trees to emerge in the spring ready to sprout new growth without hindrances from prior year's problems.
 
How have you experienced the winter seasons in your life? You may ask, "What does that look like for me?" These seasons are when we feel stripped of security or the familiar. This could happen through the death of a loved one, a breakup of a friendship, the loss of a job, financial difficulties, the completion of a major project, or confusion over the purposes in our lives. This is a time when it is wise to drive our spiritual roots deeper into the soil of God's presence by reading His Word, being still before Him, worshiping, and praying. God frequently uses winter seasons to give us dreams and visions and inspirational thoughts. Like the tree, we must use the winters of our lives as a time of rest. It is time to reset our focus on God's plans for our future and to shake off the difficulties of the past.
 
God never wastes a season. The Holy Spirit uses winter to teach us lessons from the past and help prepare us for what He may be doing in the next season. A winter activity for those who grow trees is pruning. Without its leaves, the structure of a tree is clear, and the pruner can see how to remove excess growth and unhealthy branches so that the tree is well shaped and strengthened. A Biblical passage in John 15 compares Jesus to a vine and explains how Father God prunes Him. "I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful...No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15 1-5)
 
Like the trees encased in ice, when the Holy Spirit uses the winters of our lives to train us and give us revelation, we become more beautiful. That is because the light of our Lord begins to shine from us as we draw closer to Him, and we radiate His beauty to others. In the quieter seasons of winter, it is important for us to draw close to the Lord and focus on what He is doing with us. As He draws us closer to Himself, we must let the Holy Spirit do His work. He will blow through our limbs and the caverns of our minds to cleanse and refresh and prepare us for a fruitful future.

​God speaks through the fire! An article published in "All Israel News" and written by their reporter Jo Elizabeth reveals the miraculous hand of God in the Los Angeles, California fires. The "Eaton fires" burned 14,000 acres in the Pasadena area. Homes, houses of worship, and stores were decimated. The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center was in the path of the fire, and the roof and three walls crumbled to the ground. However, one wall remained standing.
 
Before the fire hit the Temple, some of the congregants were able to save thirteen Torah scrolls. After the fire, these people returned to the synagogue to find it completely destroyed except for one wall. The fire burned the sheetrock and stucco off the standing wall but left a mural of what looks like a Biblical scene from ancient times in Israel. A member of the synagogue and professor of Hebrew history, Kristine Garroway, was "stunned" by the mural. She estimates that it dates back to the 1920s and said, "It feels like this is a phoenix that's risen up out of the fire."
 
For me, the interesting part of the story is that no one in the Synagogue was aware of the presence of this mural. It lay hidden behind the wall and depicts Middle Eastern men and women along with animals and trees. A large palm tree is etched in the center of the picture. The Biblical meaning of this tree did not escape the congregants. According to The Prophet's Dictionary, written by Paula Price, Ph.D., a palm tree is a symbol of victory and triumph over death. It also signifies resurrection and ascension. Palm branches were used in the celebrations of military triumphs in Biblical days. Jesus rode a colt into Jerusalem as the Son of David and King of kings and as a proclamation that He is the One who conquered sin and sickness. The people laid their cloaks at his feet and waved palm branches as He went by and praised God by declaring, "Hosanna! Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord..." (Mark 11:9)
 
Psalm 118:26 and 27 recounts a Passover celebration in Jerusalem. "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord, we bless you. The Lord is God, and He has made His light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession." Revelation 7:9 and 10 refers to the saints of the Lord at His throne celebrating their victory over the devil. "After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in loud voices: 'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'" 
 
The revelation of the mural on the Temple wall has been a great encouragement for the community of the Jewish faith in Pasadena. One member believes that this mural is teaching them a lesson that they can overcome hardship. Another called the discovery "a miracle." Still others think that the picture portrays Israel's 40-year wandering in the desert and believe that the time of their discovery is "profound." Like the Israelites, the Jews from Pasadena Temple have been displaced and are wandering until they can find a new home. Their leader, Rabbi Joshua Levine Grater says, "We're a people of history. We know in Jerusalem and the land of Israel that you find murals on top of murals and stones on top of stones. The fact that this was a hidden mural...is a very Jewish idea."
 
Those of us who belong to The Church need to be praying for the Jews in this season. God has a home for them in heaven with Him, but they have not yet discovered the way to find it. Will you join me in praying for the salvation of the Jewish community? Let us pray that their blind eyes would be opened to the truth that their Messiah, Yeshua, is waiting to introduce them to Father God in heaven.