​Some scholars believe that the daily reading of Psalm 27 during the month of Elul is what is needed for preparation of the Jewish high holy days. In fact, they say the phrase "my light" in verse one is a reminder of Rosh Hashana, and "my salvation" a reminder of Yom Kippur. Verse five says, "He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle" which refers to Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles. All this aside, Psalm 27 is a powerful Psalm to read at any time of the year. This Psalm is one of adoration and the truth of who God is in our lives. A key to remember as we search the depths of Scripture is that adoration brings revelation and revelation brings intimacy.
 
Psalm 27 is one that brings adoration to God through declaring who He is and what He has done. We are given the key to conquering fear in verse one. "The Lord is my light and my salvation—in whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold (a place of refuge and defense) of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?" The author of Psalm 27, King David, was familiar with being hunted down. When he wrote about evil men advancing against him or an army besieging him, he was living his life running from King Saul who wanted to kill him. Despite the battle David was in, he expresses his first priority: "to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." (Verse 4) Here is how The Passion Translation says it: "Here's the one thing I crave from God, the one thing I seek above all else:  I want the privilege of living with Him every moment in His house, finding the sweet loveliness of His face, filled with awe, delighting in His glory and grace. I want to live my life so close to Him that He takes pleasure in my every prayer." 
 
God has a perfect place for us to run to when we are in trouble. That shelter is His tabernacle where He sets us "high upon a rock." (Verse 5) Think about that picture of being placed on a high rock. This placement keeps one above their enemies, out of their reach. The result should be that we will "sacrifice with shouts of joy." (Verse 6) The Passion Translation says, “Triumphant now, I'll bring Him my offerings of praise, singing and shouting with ecstatic joy!" 
 
Next, David makes a plea to the Lord:  "Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, 'Seek His face!' Your face, Lord, I will seek." (Verses 7, 8) He remembers how he had been rejected by his family and the hurt that this causes. However, the Lord fills every void that we have in our lives. David recalls the hope he has in the Lord. He makes a request of the Lord:  "Now teach me all about your ways and tell me what to do. Make it clear for me to understand, for I am surrounded by waiting enemies...Yet I totally trust in you to rescue me one more time, so that I can see once again how good you are while I'm still alive!” (Verses 11, 13 - TPT) The classic statement in verse 13 is rendered like this in the NIV. "I am still confident of this:  I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."
 
Psalm 27 ends with a word of advice that I am sure David learned through his years of battle. "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (Verse 14) The Passion Translation says, "Here's what I've learned through it all. Don't give up; don't be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting—for He will never disappoint you!"
 
David had a great deal of experience in waiting for the Lord. Afterall, he was anointed to be king of Israel as a young man but was not able to sit upon the throne until age 30. His waiting was not easy, as we have already noted. King Saul was after him during most of his wait. Waiting for God takes perseverance and patience. During these times of waiting, we must remember that the Lord uses them to teach and prepare us for what is ahead. We must make good use of our seasons of waiting and walk in the revelation He gives us after taking shelter in His tabernacle.

​For the first time in 22 years a plant, misleadingly named the Century Plant or Agave americana, came to bloom this summer at Longwood Gardens. The plant originally got its name because scientists believed that it only flowered every 100 years. Longwood's Century Plant is growing in their "Silver Garden" greenhouse along with many other succulents. Botanists tell us that the plant will continue to bloom until October. The blossoms are green and yellow clusters that look similar to broccoli flowers. The staff at Longwood first noticed the flowering stalk in February. Every day during that month the stalk grew five to six inches a day. Eventually, the crew of workers had to remove a pane of glass from the greenhouse roof so that the plant could continue to grow.
 
Since the Agave plant only lives to bloom once in its entire life, it is called "monocarpic." It will die after it blooms because it dedicates all its energy to producing its blossoms. However, when it is finished blooming the gardeners at Longwood will save the flower heads and dry them to be used in the Christmas display. A new Century Plant will be planted in place of the current one, and plant lovers will begin waiting for another blooming season. The new plant will probably be an offshoot from the "mother plant" which is called a "pup." The small offshoots are tiny clones of its mother. Gardeners dig out the pup with its roots and plant it in another location so it can continue to grow.
 
The life of the Century Plant reminds me of the life of Jesus. After He quietly grew from a child into a man, He bloomed during the last three years of His life. He was sent to earth from HIs heavenly throne to display the beauty of heaven and to "plant pups" close to Himself that would be able to root and be established in new locations to demonstrate His love. This is what is says in Paul's Ephesians prayer:  "...And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:17-19)
 
After His death, Jesus left His Holy Spirit to empower us with life without Him. The residue of His bloom is to be used to display the beauty of Christ in the world around us. Jesus told His disciples this before ascending to heaven. "But 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 1:8)
 
Can you see yourself as a "pup" of the Lord? That is what we are! Each of us has been planted in a different location to demonstrate the love of Christ and bloom where we are planted.

Proverbs 147:9 tells us, "He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call." I watched this proverb in action over the last few weeks. There is a small birdbath on our deck that we can see from our living area. One day, as I looked out the glass door, a raven came to visit the birdbath. In his mouth was a huge, hard piece of bread. He brought the crust to drop into the water. While he waited, he took several sips of water. Then he removed the crust from the water and ate it. I have seen this bird repeat these actions three times. The intelligence of this raven is amazing! Yet, why should I be surprised? God made him that way.
 
The raven is written about in several Bible stories. Noah took ravens on the ark with him. After the rains stopped and as the water was receding, Noah sent out a raven. "It kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth." (Genesis 8:7)
 
In 1 Kings 17 we are introduced to Elijah the Tishbite, a prophet who was not popular with Ahab, King of Israel, or others because of his prophecies of warning. The Lord sent Elijah to a brook in the Kerith Ravine to protect him. God said, "I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there." 
(1 Kings 17:4) Scripture says, "The ravens brough him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook." (1 Kings 17:6) I find it interesting that God provided for Elijah's needs in the most unexpected way. I am not sure why He used what was considered an unclean bird by Israel to bring food to Elijah. I wonder if Elijah would have known what God asked Job. "Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?" (Job 38:41) God wants us to trust Him even when what He does seems strange. He has His reasons for doing everything. Our job is to trust Him.
 
Jesus talked about ravens in Luke 12:22-26. ".... I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. Consider the ravens:  They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?" Think back on what the ravens brought to Elijah. Where did that bird get the bread? Did it come from someone's table? That might be a likely conclusion. Ravens are known to be intelligent. "Treehugger" reports that "Not only can they figure our puzzles surprisingly quickly, but they learn from past experience to build on their conclusions about how to get what they want."
 
These stories of the raven should encourage us. The Lord loves us and knows what we need. Worry should not be a part of our lives. Jesus told those who followed Him, "Don't let worry enter your life." (Luke 12:29 - TPT) "Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself." (Matthew 6:34 - TPT) We need to be reminded of these words of advice from time to time. I am grateful for the visit from the raven. 

The Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders (ACPE), led by Cindy Jacobs, had much to say about the events of July 13. Fifty prophets from around the world gathered and shared their impressions of what they are hearing from the Lord. Afterward they made public their points of agreement. Their belief is that the enemy is working hard to destroy America but by the spring of 2025 there will be a shift to righteousness in our nation. In the meantime, we must be vigilant in prayer, to fight the good fight of faith.
 
These prophets agree that the Scripture that stands out for this season is Isaiah 30:21. "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the way, walk in it.'" We must be praying that the Lord would open our ears to hear His directions as this is a critical season in our nation. As we know, had Donald Trump not moved his head at the exact second that he did, he would be a dead man. The prophets believe that this is a sign that the headship of our nation will shift. God has not forgotten America, and His plans and purposes will not be changed. He is the one who "changes times and seasons; He deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him." (Daniel 2:21, 22)
 
Exodus, Chapter 3 tells us how Moses had to turn aside on Mt. Horeb to meet with God at the burning bush. Because he did this, Moses received a word from the Lord, assuring him that He had seen the misery of His people in Egypt and that He intended to rescue them. (Verses 7, 8) Could it be that the Lord has seen the plight of America and intends to rescue us from the grip of evil? Let us pray to this end. Let us turn aside to listen to directions from God for our future. Revelation 2:7 tells us, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
 
A reminder came from ACPE that when Jesus was being arrested at the Mount of Olives, his disciple Peter used his sword to cut off the right ear of the servant of the high priest. The servant's name was Malchus, meaning "king." When Peter did this, because he was offended, he stopped the servant's ability to hear. But Jesus wanted the servant to hear and know Him. He healed and re-created the ear of the servant. (John 18:10, 11, Luke 22:50, 51) Can we look at the injury to Trump's ear, which is being healed, as a sign that God wants him to hear both physically and spiritually? Definitely, it is true that God wants all of us to hear Him. "My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27)
 
The ACPE reminds us of how the priests in the days of Moses were consecrated. "Slaughter it (a ram), take some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons..." (Exodus 29:20) This ritual was also used to cleanse those who were diseased so that the priests could make atonement for them. (Leviticus 14:14, 17) The ACPE also pointed out that Exodus 21:2-6 explains how a Hebrew servant could declare his desire to stay with his master instead of being set free in the seventh year of service. "Then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life."
 
 
We have much to consider and pray about. The most encouraging word is that after a time of chaos and turmoil we will see a shift to righteousness and justice in the spring of 2025. In the meantime, we must pray that the pierced ear represents a pierced heart. Right now, the tongues of all those who want to be leaders of our nation need to be tamed. James tells us that it "...corrupts the whole person..." (James 3:6) We must also pray that a spirit of humility falls on everyone for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6) Peter admonishes, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time." (1 Peter 5:5, 6) Our prayers need to be not only for ourselves but for the generations to come. Our young people need to be awakened to the truth. The ACPE says we have received a wake-up call to the seriousness of this hour. Let us remember Peter's warning:  "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." (1 Peter 3:12) Awaken, people of God, and let our prayers turn us from evil to righteousness and justice. 

​Psalm 33 comes to mind as I contemplate the events of last weekend. "Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm. The Lord foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the people. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance. From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth--He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. No king is saved by the size of his army, no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in HIs unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine." (Psalm 33:8-19)
 
Prime Minister Netanyahu said it well..."The shooting of Trump is an attack on America and an attack on democracy." Our country got a wakeup call on Saturday, July 13, when a 20-year old man climbed up on a roof and shot Donald Trump as he was making a speech in Butler, PA. Details as to who he is and why he would do this are slim, but his actions have awakened the people of America. My hope is that everyone will contemplate their frailty and open their hearts to the Eternal God who holds our lives in HIs hands.
 
Job said, "He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success." (Job 5:12) After spending time in considerable suffering and complaining to his friends, Job acknowledged that he had been talking over his understanding. Also, after meeting the Sovereign God and realizing that God was with him through it all, his testimony was, "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2) Several verses in Proverbs agree with Job's testimony. "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." (Proverbs 16:9) "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord." (Proverbs 21:30)
 
None of us can presume on tomorrow or even the next minute as the attempt on Donald Trump's life so visibly shows us. James 4:14 warns, "But you don't have a clue what tomorrow may bring, for fleeting life is but a warm breath of air that is visible in the cold only for a moment and then vanishes!" (TPT) The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that God makes everything fit together in its timing. He says, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1) Chapter 8, Verse 6 says, "For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter."
 
The life of Donald Trump has been spared by our Sovereign God. Dutch Sheets articulates the perspective of many: "If Trump ever questioned God's hand and destiny on him, he should now be fully assured of it." President Trump himself recognizes the protection of God and the mandate that he must move forward. He wrote a social media post that says, "Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will Fear Not, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness...In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win. I truly love our country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin."
 
What should our response be in light of the events of July 13? May I suggest that we live every day as if it were our last. The Psalmist reminds us that our days are numbered. (Psalm 90:12) We must use every opportunity to love and encourage those around us and to nurture our relationship with the Lord. Let us also pray for protection over, wisdom to infuse, and fear of the Lord to overtake those who are running for office and who have a call on their lives to lead America into the future. Another quote from Donald Trump should be kept in mind. "None of us knows God's plan, or where life's adventure will take us. But if the events of last Saturday make anything clear, it is that every single moment we have on Earth is a gift from God.”

We should not live in the past but learn from it! This is the clear message from the month of Tammuz, the fourth on the Hebrew calendar. There is wisdom in looking to the past so that we can discern what God is trying to teach us. One of the reasons I keep tuned in to the Hebrew calendar is that it gives me direction each month on how to live my life for victory. The prophet Hosea warns us: "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.”  (Hosea 4:6) When we are aware of the patterns of the Biblical calendar we are prepared for battle and poised for victory.
 
The Jews have a day of fasting on the 17th of Tammuz. This marks the day when the Romans breached the walls of Jerusalem in 70 AD. There is another fast that occurs on the 9th of Av, the fifth month, because both Temples were destroyed (in different years) on the same day. We need to be on guard during the month of Tammuz as our spiritual enemies want to repeat history. They will be pushing to entice us into destroying our spiritual temples and our walk with the Lord. Chuck Pierce of Glory of Zion Ministries calls this month "The Filmstrip Month." Our lives tell a story as we learn the pattern from the past and look at the "slides" of events that have occurred and are linked together. We can also learn from the Israelites, as they are the people who are the "root" of our Christian faith. (Romans 11:17, 18)
 
It was during Tammuz that the Israelites were waiting for Moses to return from his meeting with God on Mt. Sinai. They became impatient and looked for immediate gratification and comfort. In their desire they did not remember their past when God freed them from the bondage of Egypt with plunder, led them through the wilderness, and provided for their every need with water, manna, and quail. He even gave them victory over the Amalekites who attacked them. Psalm 78:42 puts it this way:  "They did not remember His power—the day He redeemed them from the oppressor." The children of Israel chose to worship an idol, a golden calf that they crafted, instead of God. Idolatry always leads to destruction and desolation. Our enemy, the devil, want us to repeat the pattern of idol worship and places before us a plethora of ways to shift our focus from the worship of the One True God. We must be on guard, especially during this month. 
 
Each month of the Hebrew calendar is associated with a letter from the Hebrew alphabet. Tammuz is connected with the eighth letter of this alphabet. It is called "Chet" and looks like a doorway. The letter means "life" or "wisdom." It is significant that the Lord Jesus became a doorway for us. He led us from sin and death and into a life of peace with God. Here is what Jesus said about himself:  "...Most assuredly, I say to you, ' I am the door of the sheep...I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." (John 10:7, 9 – NKJV) It is only as we worship the one true God that we will find the door to peace.
 
All of us could make some adjustments in our lives to move toward God's direction. This is the time to look at what has happened in the past so that we can chart the course for the future. We must investigate the trials, battles, and blessings. We must recall prophetic words of direction for our lives. Our life's story is not complete. The way to walk in the right direction is to dedicate ourselves to worshiping the Lord so that we do not develop a "golden calf." We must guard our mouths making sure that the words coming out of it agree with the Kingdom of Light. God wants us to shine this month as Moses did when he entered the Lord's presence. (Exodus 34:29-35) Let us stay on the ancient path and walk in the good way so that we find rest for our souls. (Jeremiah 6:16)

​Friends of ours who are missionaries in Kenya had to be particular about the way they built the foundation of their home. It sits on the Rift Valley on land where the earth's tectonic plates move apart or rift. The rift is approximately 5,950 km long and runs through eastern Africa up to the Red Sea and into Western Asia. The tectonic plates are constantly in motion, shifting against each other in the fault zones. Since the foundation is the lowest part of a building, it interacts with the soil and transmits the load of the structure to the soil below. Homes built in the Rift Valley need a deep foundation that is reinforced with extra rebar. Some have expansion joints (springs that function as shock absorbers). 
 
The Bible records the words of Jesus about wise and foolish builders in Luke 6. He was talking to the crowds of people, sharing with them about how to live godly lives. He told them, "Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against the house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. (Jesus) But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently, and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great." (Verses 47-49- NKJV)
 
As Christians we must also establish a sturdy foundation to endure the shakings of our age, the attacks from the demonic realm, and the trials that come our way. We started building our foundations when we professed faith in the Lord Jesus. We must be continually adding to our faith through standing firm in our belief that God who "calls us is faithful, and He will to it." (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
 
Isaiah 28:16 and 17 have words of encouragement for us. If we embrace these verses they will help to build our faith foundations. "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line. This verse introduces the word “trust." It is our faith in the Lord that helps us to trust in Him.
 
Isaiah 33:6 ushers in another aspect of foundation building. "He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure." The fear of the Lord means we are in awe of Him and that we have a deep reverence and respect for Him. There are many benefits to having the fear of the Lord. Here are a few:  "But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love." (Psalm 33:18) "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them." (Psalm 34:7) "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom..."  (Psalm 111:10) "Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to Him." (Psalm 128:1) "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge..." (Proverbs 1:7) "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death." (Proverbs 14:27) "The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble." (Proverbs 19:23)
 
To add strength to our foundations we must be in The Word daily, infusing ourselves with His truth. I believe that as we walk out His Word, the quakes and shakings will not make an impact on our foundations, and we will be able to stand through trials and temptations. It would be faith-building for us to meditate on 1 Peter 1:3-7 this week. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." Let this truth be a shield and fortification for our faith foundations.

​"You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." So said Martin Luther King, Jr. When I read this quote I thought about Bowman's Tower in Washington Crossing, PA. In 1929, the construction of the tower was begun on a site that may have been the lookout for George Washington before he and his troops crossed the Delaware River on Christmas eve in 1776 to march to Trenton and surprise the British army. When the tower was completed in 1931 as a commemoration of the American Revolution, it was a 125' tall stone tower with a 24-foot squared base and a spiral staircase of 124 steps. The tight spiral of the stairs requires one to keep climbing to see more stairs. The climb is arduous but certainly worth doing as there is a fourteen-mile view of the surrounding landscape and River that is breathtaking. A point of interest is that 28,300 seedlings were planted around the Tower after its completion to reforest the hill upon which it was built.
 
Taking the first step in any endeavor is the hardest part of getting started. For those who believe in the kingship of Jesus there is an element of trust involved in stepping out in obedience to what God desires. Psalm 9:10 puts everything into perspective. "Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You.” Psalm 62:8 is similar. "Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge." Proverbs 16:20 gives further insight. "Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord."
 
Once trust is established, a journey begins that is accomplished one step at a time. Each step takes more courage and determination but also increases revelation. We must remember that the Lord has a path for us to walk. He does not leave us without assistance. In his discourse to his friends, Job asks a question:  "Does He not see my ways and count my every step?" (Job 31:4) Job's friend, Elihu answers this question when he declares, "His eyes are on the ways of men; He sees their every step." We are completely dependent upon the Lord to direct our steps. Proverbs 20:24 explains our journey. "It is the Lord who directs your life, for each step you take is ordained by God to bring you closer to your destiny. So much of your life, then remains a mystery!" This verse from The Passion Translation comes with a footnote. The Aramaic of the last part of this verse reads, "So what man is capable of ordering his ways?"
 
Great question!! "What man is capable of ordering his way?" We are totally dependent upon the Lord to set our course and direct our paths. One of the ways in which He helps us is through His Word. The Psalmist says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (Psalm 119:105) As we ready ourselves to take the next step toward our destinies, let us remember Proverbs 3:5, 6. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." In addition, I would encourage you to pray a daily prayer that I believe will help us take our next steps. "Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I entrust my life." (Psalm 143:8)

​God calls them festivals or feasts. They are explained to us in the book of Leviticus, Chapter 23. Three times a year, Jewish men were commanded to go to Jerusalem to give an offering to the Lord. Passover or Pesach, Pentecost or Shavuot, and Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot are called "Pilgrim Feasts" because of the requirement for men to present themselves before God. All three of these feasts have to do with harvests and honoring God's provision, The feasts, in Hebrew, are called Moedim, which means "Appointed Times."
 
At sunset next Tuesday, the celebration of Shavuot will take place. Beginning on the day of Firstfruits or the day Jesus was resurrected and the day the firstfruits of the barley harvest were brought to the synagogue, Jews began to count:  "Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord." (Leviticus 23:16, 17) We can read about the expansion and fullness of Shavuot in Acts, Chapter 2. What happened in the upper room in Jerusalem reenacted what happened on Mount Sinai.
 
Some of you may be asking why we should be celebrating Shavuot next week when the Church did so on Sunday, May 19. This is because the Church's traditional celebration of the resurrection of Jesus follows the Greek calendar instead of the Hebrew one. Their fifty-day count started much earlier than the one that started the second day of Passover. Since I grew up in a traditional church and understand the difference between the two calendars, I choose to remember both dates and believe all Christians should do likewise. On the Hebrew calendar, Shavuot falls on the sixth day of the third month of Sivan.
 
Initially, Shavuot was a celebration of the wheat harvest. Added to it was the remembrance of this time when Moses received the two tablets with the laws of God written on them. Two is a significant number during this festival. Two loaves of bread with leaven in them are waved before God as an offering and can have several meanings. They could represent the two tablets of Torah containing the ten commandments. We could also conclude that they refer to two gifts--the gift of the law and that of The Holy Spirit. (Ruach Kadosh). Others believe that the two loaves are symbols of Jew and Gentile as the one new man written about in Ephesians 2:15. This reminds us that God fulfilled His covenant with Abraham to bless all nations through him. (Genesis 12:3) Since leaven symbolizes sinful humanity, we are reminded that the Body of Christ or The Church is made up of sinners but redeemed by the Lord.
 
God selected the day when the people in Israel would be gathered to celebrate the wheat harvest to pour out HIs Spirit. Acts 2:1 says, "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place." The description of this continues in Acts 2:2-4. "Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violet 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." This is a picture of what happened on Mount Sinai. "Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire." (Exodus 19:18)
 
When Moses came down from the mountain, he saw the Israelites worshiping a golden calf that they built. Three thousand people died on that day because of their sin. However, on the day when the Holy Spirit was released, three thousand Jews became believers in Yeshua. Redemption has always been God's plan. Shavuot has been compared to a wedding for it was on this day that the Jews became "The Bride of Messiah." The Spirit of God wrote the law on the hearts of His people as Jeremiah 31:33 prophesies. The law of love became a priority. As we remember how God empowers His people during this season of Shavuot/Pentecost, let us thank Him for the harvest, recommit ourselves to His Word, and celebrate the gift of His presence through the Holy Spirit.

Two places in the Bible talk about the leaves of fruit trees being for healing. One is Ezekiel 47:12 and the other is Revelation 22:2. I thought about these verses as I read a story by Will Dunham in the Sunday, May 5, 2024, newspaper, Bucks County Courier Times and Phillyburbs.com. He wrote a story about a male Sumatran orangutan named Rakus who lives in a protected rainforest in Indonesia. Rakus got into a fight with another male orangutan in June 2022, and sustained an injury below his right eye. What amazed the scientists is that he looked for and found a plant known for its "pain-relieving properties and for supporting wound healing due to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antioxidant qualities."
 
We are told that 'the orangutan chewed the plant's leaves to produce a liquid that Rakus repeatedly smeared on the wound and then applied the chewed-up plant material directly to the injury, much like a wound plaster administered by doctors...Rakus also ate the plant, an evergreen vine commonly called Akar Kuning--scientific name Fibraurea tinctoria..." An evolutionary biologist and author of the study said, "To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of active wound treatment with a plant species with medical properties by a wild animal." The report says, "His behavior appeared to be intentional. He selectively treated his facial wound on his right flange with the plant juice, and no other body parts. The behavior was repeated several times, not only plant juice but later also more-solid plant material was applied until the wound was fully covered. The entire process took a considerable amount of time." The wound closed within five days.
 
Scientists surmise that Rakus learned this behavior from other orangutans in his birth area. This plant, found in Southeast Asia, is used in traditional medicine to treat conditions such as malaria. They go on to explain that "orangutans have high cognitive abilities, in particular in the area of physical cognition. They are known to be excellent problem solvers. Wild orangutans acquire their skill sets via observational social learning, and skills get passed on from generation to generation."
 
Ezekiel 47:12 tells us, "Along the banks of the river, every kind of fruit tree will flourish. And their leaves will never wither, and abundant fruit will always be on their branches. Each month they will bear a fresh crop of fruit because this life-giving water comes from inside the sanctuary, and their fruit will be good to eat, and the leaves will bring healing." (TPT) Revelation 22:1-2 confirms this Scripture. "Then the angel showed me the river of water of life, flowing with water as clear as crystal, continuously pouring out from the throne of God and the Lamb. The river was flowing in the middle of the street of the city, and on either side of the river was the Tree of Life, with its twelve kinds of ripe fruit according to each month of the year. The leaves of the Tree of Life are for the healing of the nations." (TPT)
 
God takes care of every need that we have and has compassion for every creature He created. Isn't it amazing that this orangutan had the intelligence to find a plant that produced leaves for the healing of his wound? We too have healing tools within our grasp. When we need healing, we must claim the Word of God that says, "By His wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24) Then, be willing to wait for God's perfect timing for the manifestation of His promises."