​The ninth month on the Hebrew calendar, Kislev, is called the month of miracles. This is because of the miracle of the oil that occurred during the second temple period. The altar of the Lord had been overtaken by Greek invaders led by Antiochus Epiphanes. That altar was desecrated when Antiochus decided to sacrifice a pig on the altar of burnt offering in 167 BC. In addition, he erected a statue of the Greek god, Zeus, on top of the altar. Then he looted the temple treasure and burned copies of the law.
 
Hundreds of years before this event occurred, the prophet Daniel wrote about it, calling it "an abomination of desolation" in Daniel 11:31. A priestly family of Israelites called the Maccabees would not sit still as their temple was being defiled, and so went to war against the invaders. After three years of battle, they overcame and recaptured the temple. The first order of business for this priestly family was to cleanse and rededicate the temple. Thus, we have the celebration called Hanukkah which means "Dedication."
 
A new altar was built and the temple restored. The priests remade the holy vessels and brought back the lampstand. The miracle of Hanukkah occurred as the Maccabees searched for oil to light the lampstand. Only one vial of oil was found that had been approved and sealed by the high priest. This would only keep the lampstand burning for one day. The priests decided to light the lamps anyway. To their delight, that one vial of oil kept the lampstand lit for eight full days, the amount of time needed to prepare more oil. It should be noted that the number eight is the number of new beginnings. How significant! This miracle happened during the month of Kislev. The celebration of Hanukkah begins on Kislev 25 on the Hebrew calendar. In 2025 that is December 15 on our Greek-based calendars.
 
The lampstand that was used in the temple had seven branches. The Menorah used today has nine branches, one for each of the eight days that the lampstand was lit and one center candle called the "Shammas" or "Servant" candle. It is the middle candle that is used to light the other eight candles. Those of the Christian faith should see the significance of the Servant candle and its position above the other candles on the Menorah. For us, it represents the Light of the World, Jesus. He made His identity clear in a declaration from the Temple. "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
 
When Joseph and Mary came to the temple to bring a sacrifice of two turtle doves and to introduce Jesus, they encountered Simeon. The Bible says he was "just and devout," and was waiting to see the Lord's Christ. When he saw Jesus he took Him in his arms and said, "Lord, now You are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word: For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel." (Luke 2:29-32 - NKJ)
 
It is revelation that turns on the light. As the "Servant candle," Jesus/Yeshua, came to light the world. He lights one candle at a time with the oil of His Spirit. As the Maccabees rededicated the temple, we must rededicate our temples. The world is becoming increasingly darker, which gives us the opportunity to shine even brighter. We have an unlimited supply of oil from the Holy Spirit that is meant to be used to glorify God and show the love of Christ to those around us. Jesus said, "You are the light of the world..." (Matthew 5:14) Why not be a part of this miraculous month by letting your light shine?

​With Thanksgiving upon us I want to give my thanks and praise to the Almighty God of creation who loves me like I was His only child. Through the years of my life, I have seen His constant faithfulness, and though I may not fully understand everything that He does, I trust Him because I see that "He has done immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine..." (Ephesians 3:20)
 
How does one give thanks and praise to the Lord? Psalm 22:3 says that God "Inhabits our praises," and that is my heart's desire. He made it clear to the prophet Samuel when he was going to anoint one of Jesse's sons to be king that appearance is not important to Him. "...The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)
 
If God is looking at our hearts, what does He see? Hopefully, our hearts reflect Psalm 9:1. "I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart. I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praises to Your name, O Most High." With the Psalmist, may we lift our hands to His Most Holy Place proclaiming, "The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy, and I will give thanks to Him in song." (Psalm 28:7)
 
When I contemplate the best way to give thanks to the Lord, I feel inadequate in being able to fully express my gratitude. This past week I have been listening to Brandon Lake's song "Gratitude." The words do convey my feelings beautifully. May I suggest that you listen to the music with the words to get the full effect:
 
Verse 1:    "All my words fall short; I got nothing new. How could I express all my gratitude?"
Verse 2:    "I could sing these songs as I often do, but every song must end and you never do."
Chorus:     "So I throw up my hands and praise You again and again 'cause all that I have is a
Hallelujah. Hallelujah! And I know it’s not much, but I've nothing else fit for a king      except for a heart singing Hallelujah. Hallelujah!"
Verse 3:    "I've got one response. I've got just one move with my arm stretched wide;
       I will worship You.
Chorus:
Bridge:       "So come on my soul. O don't you get shy on me. Lift up your song 'cause you've
                    got a lion inside of those lungs. Get up and praise the Lord."
 
It is true that our words may seem inadequate, but when they are delivered from our hearts to the heart of God, He is well pleased. King David wrote Psalm 138 to express his thanks to the Lord. It is a good one for us to adopt: "I thank you Lord, and with all the passion in my heart I worship you in the presence of angels! Heaven's mighty ones will hear my voice as I sing my loving praise to You. I bow down before your divine presence and bring You my deepest worship as I experience Your tender love and Your living truth. For the promises of Your word and the fame of Your name have been magnified above all else!" (Psalm 138:1-3 - TPT)

​The third of the fall feasts begins at sundown on Monday. Called Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles, its main message is that God desires to dwell with His people. Jesus/Yeshua is the consummation of the holiday as He "tabernacled" among us. Sukkot is the pinnacle of the Jewish calendar and is referred to by God as "The Feast." The week-long feast commemorates a time when God dwelt with His people in the desert. Moses reviewed the commandments for the Feast of Tabernacles with the Israelites before he left them. Here is how it is written in Deuteronomy 16:13-15. "You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress. And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates. Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses, because the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice." (NKJV)
 
There are several themes to the festival of Sukkot that we will review:
Joy - God commanded that the Jewish people take four species (Leviticus 23:40) and wave them together before Him in rejoicing. The Jews use an etrog (large lemon-type citrus fruit), a palm frond, a willow and myrtle branch, and tie them together into what is called a lulav.
 
Ingathering - Sukkot is the celebration of agricultural harvest. This gathering of the harvest represents what will occur when the fullness of the Gentiles comes to faith in God and makes room for the return of the Jewish people to faith in their Messiah.
 
Dedication - In 1 King 8:2 we can read how King Solomon selected Sukkot as the time to dedicate the temple and bring the ark of the covenant into the inner sanctuary of the temple.
 
Light - During Sukkot four huge golden candlesticks were set up on the court of the Temple. Four young priests would climb ladders placed by the candlesticks as they carried about 7.5 gallons of pure oil to light the bowls at the top candlesticks. The light from those four candles lit the entire courtyard in the temple in Jerusalem. Many would dance in the night, holding bright torches and singing songs of praise to the Lord.
 
Water - In the last day of the festival the priest would go to the Pool of Siloam to draw water. They brought it back through the Water Gate and poured it on the altar. Prayers thanking God for the harvest rain would then be prayed. It was during this ceremony that Jesus declared, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." (John 7:37, 38)
 
Nations - Through the prophet Amos, God promised that He would raise up the fallen tabernacle of David. "In that day I will restore David's fallen shelter. I will repair its broken wall and restore its ruins, and will rebuild it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all nations that bear my name." (Amos 9:11, 12) The theme of Sukkot will be fulfilled according to Zechariah 14:16. "Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, The Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles." 
 
As the Jewish people are building their Sukkahs, or temporary booths, and live in them to remember their ancestors' journey through the desert, we must pray for them to be awakened to the truth of their Messiah who came to tabernacle with us.

One of God's greatest desires is for intimate communion with His children. Thus, He "created man in His own image." (Genesis 1:27) In the cool of the day God came to walk in the garden with Adam and Eve. God is still coming to meet us and looks forward to drawing near during the three fall feasts. Monday, at sunset, the shofar will be blown to signal the beginning of the Jewish new year 5786. The Head of the Year, or Rosh Hashana, is also called Yom Teruah, The Day of the Blowing. The ten-day period from Rosh Hashana to Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement, is referred to as "The Ten Days of Awe." These days are a time for introspection, repentance, and renewal.
 
Rabbinic Judaism memorializes Rosh Hashana as the time when the world was created. It is the beginning of the Jewish calendar year when counting the Sabbaths and the numbered years. Genesis 22, the chapter in the Bible that tells the story of Abraham's obedience to God when he was asked to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, will be read in synagogues. God will be praised for His substitutionary atonement (a ram in the thicket). For Believers in Yeshua, there is greater significance to this story as it was a foreshadow of what Messiah would do for us. "The Lord caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him." (Isaiah 53:6) Let us remember that the spiritual application of God's word for our lives has never changed. The blowing of the shofar 100 times is a mighty call to learn from the past and look forward to the future.
 
Considering the events of the past two weeks, I believe that there is a prophetic significance to the new year 5786. Many prophets will be focusing on the Hebrew meaning of the numbers in the new year, especially the six and eighty. The Jewish system assigns a numerical value to every letter in their alphabet. The sixth letter in the Hebrew alphabet is "vav" and is shaped like a hook or connecting rod used to join words or concepts together. Some call the connecting rod a hinge. When we look at Genesis 1:1 we see that "God created the heavens and the earth," and He connected them together. The prayer Jesus taught His disciples is written in Matthew 6. Verse 10 demonstrates God's desire to connect heaven and earth. "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Jesus came to earth to restore the connection between heaven and earth through His redeeming blood on the Cross. Rabbi Jason Sobel points out that since the number six is pictured as a hinge pin, we are being called in this year to change. This is the year of the "turning point."
 
The blowing of the shofar is a wakeup call for us. The truth is that without repentance there is no revival. It is time for the Church to wake up and declare truth. This is shown in the number 80. Eighty is "pey" in the Hebrew alphabet. Hence, we are in the decade of "pey." The Church must raise its voice and speak truth for us to turn toward the Lord's direction. Let the shofar blast remind us to lift our voices to call for an awakening in our land. It is time to turn toward righteousness and justice. Without transformation our nation will falter. Patricia King, in her yearly assessment of what is to come in 5786, says we must avoid the evil that tries to hook us and be firmly connected to God. Divine alignment with Him will help us purify our hearts and keep our speech and actions in heaven's flow.
 
Let us declare this new year of 5786 as one of preparation for the coming of the Lord. We must be ready to go to battle for the plans and purposes of God as we prepare for His coming. 

​Our founding fathers knew that God was orchestrating the destiny of America. The plans they made for our future were heavily influenced by this truth. On July 4, 2025, our president started a celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation which will occur on July 4, 2026. It is common, as we come to a crossroad, to look back in history and forward in time. We must learn from our past and plan for our future.
 
I hope that we can agree that our Founders were deeply influenced by Judeo-Christian principles. They recognized that God's hand was with our fledgling nation to protect and encourage us. They overcame impossible odds only by the help of God. The liberties that we have clearly come from the God of the Bible. On July 4, 1776, our nation declared through its leaders that it would no longer be a colony of England, but an independent nation. Leading citizens, at their own peril, signed the Declaration of Independence. Fifty-six members of the Continental Congress willingly placed their signatures on this document giving Britain notice that they would be the leaders of an independent country. The last sentence of the Declaration of Independence reads, "...for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."
 
In our 249 years of living out what some called "The Holy Experiment," we have had a multitude of challenges and struggles. Some of these have made us forget our "high calling" to take the gospel of the Kingdom of God to the ends of the earth. Others intentionally embrace a divisive spirit and worship false idols. Rifts between people groups in our country have tested the rule of law and made some forget the importance of personal responsibility and the dignity of an individual. The prophet Micah gives us direction through the words in Chapter 6, Verse 8 of his book. "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." 
 
On July 4, 1926, Calvin Coolidge spoke in Philadelphia, PA, to acknowledge the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. He said, "If we are to maintain the great heritage which has been bequeathed to us, we must be like-minded as the Founders who created it. We must not sink into a pagan materialism. We must cultivate the reverence they had for the things that are holy. We must follow the spiritual and moral leadership which they showed. We must keep replenished, that they may glow with a more compelling flame, the altar fires before which they worshiped."
 
The words that President Coolidge spoke in 1926 bear repeating. We must remain true to the principles upon which our nation was founded. As President Trump began to celebrate the anniversary of our country, he reminded us that "We are one nation under God." The milestone anniversary that is coming upon us could be an opportunity for a national reset. It is a reminder of the importance of our faith in God and that none of the blessings we have received can be maintained without thankfulness to Him. Our responsibility is to educate the next generation about our founding and the sacrifices that were made to secure our freedoms. We must reflect on our nation’s freedoms and give thanks to God for our Judeo-Christian roots and all the blessings that He has poured upon us. Let us remember what we are told in Psalm 33:12.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord..." Amen!

​At its core, being a father means one who forms and nurtures another human being. What generates these actions is love. To experience true love, we must look to Father God. He is the One who takes immense joy in pouring out His love upon us. He tells us in Song of Solomon that He takes us to His banqueting table and that His banner over us is love. We were made in His image which means we are made to receive and give love. True love transforms a person.
 
Sadly, many in the world today do not understand the true meaning of love. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us that if we "have not learned to love, we are nothing." It goes on to define love: "Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one's achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up. Love never stops loving..." (Verses 4-8 - TPT) 
 
May I suggest that it is the enemy of our souls who has twisted the meaning of true love. Because so many children have not received or are not receiving the love they were made for, they are buying into lies and looking for love in the wrong places. A primary purpose for fathers is to give their children love. Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, reports in an article from June 10, 2025, that nearly one-quarter of children live apart from their biological fathers. He writes, "A child without a dad is five times more likely to experience poverty, nine times more likely to drop out of school, and far likelier to battle identity confusion." I would also add that the terror organizations across the world have been able to entice young men into their communities who are looking for acceptance. These young people are confused about their identities and truth, so they willingly obey commands from mentally unstable leaders to carry out unthinkable violence.
 
For those of us who are Christians, we have a dual responsibility: We must abide in the love of our Father so that we can give that love away. John 15:9-13 quotes Jesus: "I love each of you with the same love that the Father loves me. You must continually let my love nourish your hearts. If you keep my commands you will live in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands, for I continually live nourished and empowered by His love. My purpose for telling you these things is so that the joy that I experience will fill your hearts with overflowing gladness! So this is my command: Love each other deeply, as much as I have loved you. For the greatest love of all is a love that sacrifices all..." (TPT)
 
Let's think about what Jesus did for us. Could it have been the love of our Heavenly Father that gave Him the strength to complete the call on His life? I believe so. Also, let us think about the depth of the love of Father God who was willing to sacrifice His precious Son. He did this for us! It is my prayer that we will spend part of Father's Day contemplating the great love of our Heavenly Father and that we would be intentional about loving someone else who is in our lives. Here is what Tony Perkins says about the great need in our country for father figures:  "America needs men who understand their purpose, love sacrificially, and lead spiritually." Amen!

​ 
The significance of God's timing and His coordination of events speaks loudly about His brilliance. On this very night, the 6th of Sivan, the third month on the Hebrew calendar, we should be aware of the "trifecta" of events that converge. They are all about the physical provision, revelation, and power that God gives His people. In Scripture, He commanded them to appear before Him three times a year to celebrate His goodness and align their lives with His timing. The first of these three feasts is to remember God's deliverance from Egypt and is called Passover or Pesach. Next comes Pentecost or Shavuot. On this day, the children of Israel brought to the temple the firstfruits of their wheat harvest and gave thanks for God's physical provision.
 
It is no coincidence that the Lord chose the day of firstfruits to give Moses and the Israelites the law of the Old Covenant. God gave Moses a reminder and a promise in Exodus 19:4-5. "You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagle's wings and brought you to Myself. Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." In Exodus 19:16-18 it is reported: "On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled...Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace; the whole mountain trembled violently." Then the ten commandments were engraved in stone.
 
About 1,400 years later Jesus was born. He came as the fulfillment of the law. (Matthew 5:17, 18) His life was one free from all sin, as He perfectly kept both the letter and the spirit of the law. Christ's life and death met the requirements of the Old Testament law. His death and resurrection removed the law as a way of coming to God. It was replaced with salvation by faith in Christ's finished work on the Cross. Jesus broke down the divisions between God and us to bring us peace with Him. Here is how Ephesians 2:14 and 15 puts it: "For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace."
 
For forty days after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His apostles and gave them a command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift My Father promised, which you have heard Me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit...You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:4, 5, 8) Their waiting was rewarded on the day called Shavuot (meaning weeks)—seven weeks from the Sabbath of Passover week—plus one day or fifty days. The Spirit of God descended to fulfill Pentecost (meaning fifty). "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." (Acts 2:1-4) Here we have God's provision of power, boldness, and revelation. It was the day when the Word and the Spirit came together as one.
 
The third commanded feast, Tabernacles, will not take place until the fall when we begin a new year on the secular Hebrew calendar and a time to repent for our sins and rejoice in the glory of God. In the meantime, we have much to contemplate. Jeremiah 31:33 tells us that God fulfilled His promise by writing His law on our hearts. Let us give thanks for all of God's promises and remember the "trifecta" of provision: Harvest to physically sustain us, Torah to guide and nourish us spiritually, and the Holy Spirit as the Lord's guiding, sustaining, and nourishing presence with us. Let us also cry out to the Lord for a fresh infilling of His Spirit and an illumination of the Scriptures.

​It was in the late 1860s that Americans began to give tribute to fallen soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers and flags. The day on which they did this became known as "Decoration Day." This special day started to morph into something bigger for the nation. On May 30, 1865, Union General John Logan called for an official day of remembrance to honor those who died in the Civil War. It was in 1968 that Congress passed the "Uniform Monday Holiday Act" which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May. But it did not become an official federal holiday until 1971. Our celebrations today include parades, picnics, and events honoring those who died in the service of our country. It is a sacred tradition for the president of the United States to place a wreath on the tomb of the unknown soldier. Also, our American flag is supposed to be at half-staff until noon on Memorial Day.
 
All these traditions are meant to bring to mind the brave people who fought valiantly for our freedoms. God recognized how important it was for His people to remember the ways in which He rescued and provided for them. That is why He told the children of Israel to pick up stones from the bottom of the Jordan River after they had crossed over into the Promised Land. God said, "Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over and put them down at the place where you stay tonight." (Joshua 4:2, 3) Joshua, their leader, told them the reason God instructed them to collect these stones. He said they are to "serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord...These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever." (Joshua 4:6-8)
 
The twelve stones taken from the Jordan River were set up at the camp called Gilgal. I think it is no coincidence that the name Gilgal means, liberty, wheel, or sacred circle. Joshua told his people, "In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when He dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God." (Joshua 4:21-24)
 
There is such power and encouragement in remembering the unfailing love of God! This is especially important when we are going through difficult times. When we look at a reminder of God's presence in and promises for our lives, we are able to move forward with assurance. Whether we have a written journal or a symbol to look at, it is wise to practice a way to remember God’s faithfulness. We also have the responsibility of telling the next generation about God's love and faithfulness. Visuals are always helpful in telling a story. King David wrote Psalm 145 with this in mind: "Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend Your works to another; they will tell of Your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and I will meditate on Your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of Your awesome works, and I will proclaim Your great deeds. They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness." (Psalm 145:3-7) We must ask ourselves on this Memorial Day weekend, “How are we remembering the faithfulness of God in our lives?”

​Did you ever ask yourself, "What was the purpose of the Cross?" Father God sent His son, Jesus, to redeem mankind so that we could be in right relationship with Him. Father covets fellowship with us, but there was a price that had to be paid for redemption. The price to buy us back from the enemy was the blood of Jesus, the sinless, spotless Son of God. His sacrifice demonstrated His love for us as He became our Passover Lamb. Mathew 27:45, Mark 15:33, and Luke 23:45 all describe how the sky darkened at noontime until three o'clock while Jesus was being crucified. At the very same time, the high priest Caiaphas was slaughtering the pure, spotless Passover lambs that were brought to the Temple. It was the blood that covered sin in the Old Covenant, but under the New Covenant with Jesus, our sins are forever taken away.
 
When the darkness ended Jesus cried out from the cross: "It is finished!" (John 19:30) He accomplished His assignment on earth. The power of what Jesus, our Messiah, did was reflected in what happened next. First, it is recorded in Matthew 27:51 that at the moment Jesus took His last breath "the veil in the Holy of Holies was torn in two from top to bottom." (TPT) Rick Renner, in his book Paid in Full, gives us some staggering information: "The massive, fortified veil that stood before the Holy of Holies was suddenly split in half from top all the way to the bottom!" Rich's research into Jewish writings found that the veil was "60 feet high, 30 feet wide, and an entire handbreadth in thickness." (page 215) In addition, Matthew 27:51 and 52 records: "The earth shook violently, rocks were split apart, and graves were opened. Then many of the holy ones who had died were brought back to life and came out of their graves.” (TPT)
 
Three days later these amazing events were to pale in comparison to what God did. The body of Jesus was placed in a tomb. At the request of the Pharisees and chief priests Pilate agreed to seal the tomb and send soldiers to guard it. The day after the Sabbath, "Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to take a look at the tomb. Suddenly, the earth shook violently beneath their feet as the angel of the Lord Jehovah descended from heaven. Lightening flashed around him and his robe was dazzling white! The guards were stunned and terrified--lying motionless like dead men. Then the angel walked up to the tomb, rolled away the stone, and sat on it!" (Matthew 28:1-4 - TPT) It was impossible for death to hold Jesus in the grave!
 
The angel told the women, "Run and tell His disciples, even Peter, that He is risen. He has gone ahead of you into Galilee, and you will see Him there, just like He told you." (Mark 16:7 - TPT) We can only imagine the excitement of these women as they tried to tell the disciples what had happened. Disciples John and Peter decided to go to the tomb to see for themselves and found things as the women had explained. There are many eyewitness accounts of Jesus appearing to His followers. Mary Magdalene, two disciples walking to Emmaus, and the eleven disciples, to name a few, had the privilege of talking with Him. Before leaving the earth Jesus gathered His disciples together to commission them. He said, "I have given you all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 - NLT)
 
One day Jesus will return as the victorious King of kings and Lord of lords. In the meantime, as the Body of Christ, we have the responsibility to spread the Good News. At the right hand of God the Father, Jesus sits as our Great High Priest and intercedes for us. He is standing by to give us "help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16) The resurrection of Jesus is the very hope and foundation of our faith. Let us remember His everlasting sacrifice and love and join our fellow Christians in living a life that reproduces His example.

​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.