YOM KIPPUR - What is Yom Kippur? - Yom Kippur marks the end of the period of judgment begun on Rosh Hashanah, our final chance to return wholeheartedly to God and receive His forgiveness. On this day God's hands are opened wide, eagerly awaiting our repentance and reconciliation. The Yom Kippur fast begins before sundown, and extends 25 hours until the following nightfall. During the afternoon hours leading up to Yom Kippur, it is a special mitzvah to eat a festive meal. At the festive meal, eat a moderate portion of food so as not to speed up the digestion process. After you complete the festive meal, leave some extra time before sundown to drink. Wishing you a meaningful Yom Kippur! Guidelines for the holiest day of the Jewish year – the Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, is the culmination of the High Holidays. It is the day in which God's love for His people is strongest. We fast, pray, and repent our past mistakes, and God lovingly reaccepts us as His special nation. Following the sin of the Golden Calf, Moses pleaded with God to forgive the people. Finally, on Yom Kippur, atonement was achieved and Moses brought the second set of Tablets down from Mount Sinai. From that day forward, every Yom Kippur carries with it a special power to cleanse our mistakes (both individually and collectively) and to wipe the slate clean.

What is Yom Kippur? Yom Kippur marks the end of the period of judgment begun on Rosh Hashanah, our final chance to return wholeheartedly to God and receive His forgiveness. On this day God's hands are opened wide, eagerly awaiting our repentance and reconciliation. The Yom Kippur fast begins before sundown, and extends 25 hours until the following nightfall. During the afternoon hours leading up to Yom Kippur, it is a special mitzvah to eat a festive meal. At the festive meal, eat a moderate portion of food so as not to speed up the digestion process. After you complete the festive meal, leave some extra time before sundown to drink. Wishing you a meaningful Yom Kippur! by Rabbi Shraga Simmons Guidelines for the holiest day of the Jewish year – the Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur (September 28, 2020), the day of atonement, is the culmination of the High Holidays. It is the day in which God's love for His people is strongest. We fast, pray, and repent our past mistakes, and God lovingly reaccepts us as His special nation. Yom Kippur marks the end of the period of judgment begun on Rosh Hashanah, our final chance to return wholeheartedly to God and receive His forgiveness. On this day God's hands are opened wide, eagerly awaiting our repentance and reconciliation. Following the sin of the Golden Calf, Moses pleaded with God to forgive the people. Finally, on Yom Kippur, atonement was achieved and Moses brought the second set of Tablets down from Mount Sinai. From that day forward, every Yom Kippur carries with it a special power to cleanse our mistakes (both individually and collectively) and to wipe the slate clean. This works on two conditions: (1) We do a process called teshuva – literally "return." Teshuva involves four steps: • Regret – acknowledging that a mistake was made, and feeling regret at having squandered some of our potential. • Cessation – Talk is cheap, but stopping the harmful action shows a true commitment to change. • Confession – To make it more “real,” we admit our mistake verbally, and ask forgiveness from anyone we may have harmed. • Resolution – We make a firm commitment not to repeat the harmful action in the future. (2) Though the combination of teshuva and Yom Kippur atones for transgressions against God, it does not automatically erase wrongs committed against other people. It is therefore the universal Jewish custom – some time before Yom Kippur – to apologize and seek forgiveness from any friend, relative, or acquaintance whom we may have harmed or insulted over the past year. Angel for a Day On Yom Kippur, every Jew becomes like an angel. In the Jewish understanding, angels are completely spiritual beings, whose sole focus is to serve their Creator. The Maharal of Prague explains: All the mitzvot that God commanded us on [Yom Kippur] are designed to remove, as much as possible, a person's relationship to physicality, until he is completely like an angel. Just as angels (so to speak) stand upright, so too we spend most of Yom Kippur standing in the synagogue. And just as angels (so to speak) wear white, so too we are accustomed to wear white on Yom Kippur. Just as angels do not eat or drink, so too we do not eat or drink. This idea even has a practical application in Jewish law: typically, the second verse of the Shema, Baruch Shem, is recited quietly. But on Yom Kippur, it is proclaimed out loud – just like the angels do. What can you not do on Yom Kippur? There are five areas of physical involvement from which we refrain on Yom Kippur: 1. Eating and drinking 2. Washing, bathing and showering 3. Applying oils or lotions to the skin 4. Marital relations 5. Wearing leather shoes Throughout the year, many people spend their days focusing on food, work, material possessions (symbolized by shoes) and superficial pleasures (symbolized by anointing). On Yom Kippur, we restore our priorities to what really counts in life. As Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler writes: On Yom Kippur, the power of the [physical] inclination is muted. Therefore, one's yearning for spiritual elevation reasserts itself, after having lain dormant as a result of sin's deadening effect on the soul. This rejuvenation of purpose entitles a person to special consideration and forgiveness. Structure of the Day On Rosh Hashana, the Books of Life and Death are open and God writes who will be granted another year of life. For many, this decision hangs in the balance for nine days until Yom Kippur, when the final decision is sealed. With this in mind, the prayers of Yom Kippur are designed to stir us to mend our ways: • The Yom Kippur prayers begin before sundown with the haunting melody of Kol Nidrei. The Torah scrolls are all removed from the Ark, and the chazzan (cantor) chants the Kol Nidrei prayer three times, each with greater intensity. • The special Yom Kippur Amidah (standing prayer) incorporates the Al-Chet confession of our various mistakes. With each mention of a mistake, we lightly beat our chest with the fist – as if to say that it is our impulses that got the best of us. • The Yizkor service – said in memory of loved ones – is recited following the morning Torah reading. • The lengthy Mussaf service features a recounting of the Yom Kippur rite in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. A highlight was the High Priest entering the Holy of Holies – the only person to do so, this one time a year. The Mussaf service also records how the High Priest would pronounce God's holy name, and in response the assembled Jews would prostrate on the ground. When reaching these passages, we too prostrate ourselves on the ground. • At the Mincha service, we read the Book of Jonah, the biblical story of a prophet who tried to “flee from God” and wound up swallowed into the belly of a huge fish. • While a regular weekday has three prayer services, and Shabbat and holidays have four, Yom Kippur is the only day of the year that has five. This final prayer is called Ne’ilah, literally the “closing of the gates,” which serves as the final chance to ensure that our decree for the year is “sealed” in the Book of Life. At the conclusion of Ne’ilah, the shofar is sounded – one long blast, signifying our confidence in having passed the High Holidays with a good judgment. • At the conclusion of Yom Kippur, Havdallah is recited over a cup of wine. There is no blessing on spices (unless Yom Kippur was on Shabbat), but we do use a Havdallah candle – which should be lit from a flame that burned throughout Yom Kippur. The Fast Itself The Yom Kippur fast begins before sundown, and extends 25 hours until the following nightfall. During the afternoon hours leading up to Yom Kippur, it is a special mitzvah to eat a festive meal. For making your fast easier, hydration is the key. Avoid coffee or coke, because caffeine is a diuretic. Heavy coffee drinkers can also avoid the dreaded headache by slowly reducing the amount of consumption over the week leading up to Yom Kippur. (See Aish’s “Guide to an Easy Fast”) At the festive meal, eat a moderate portion of food so as not to speed up the digestion process. After you complete the festive meal, leave some extra time before sundown to drink. In Case of Illness If someone is ill, and a doctor is of the opinion that fasting might pose a life-danger, then the patient should eat or drink small amounts. The patient should try to eat only about 30 ml (one fluid ounce) and wait nine minutes before eating again. Once nine minutes have passed, one can eat this small amount again, and so on throughout the day. With drinking, try to drink less than what the Talmud calls "melo lugmav" – the amount that would fill a person's puffed-out cheek. While this amount will vary from person to person, it is approximately 35 ml (just over one fluid ounce) and one should wait nine minutes before drinking again. How does consuming small amounts make a difference? In Jewish law, an act of "eating" is defined as "consuming a certain quantity within a certain period of time." Otherwise, it's not eating, it's "nibbling" – which although is prohibited on Yom Kippur, there is room to be lenient when one's health is at stake. The reason for all these technicalities is because eating on Yom Kippur is regarded as one of the most serious prohibitions in the Torah. So, while there are leniencies in certain situations, we still try to minimize it. Note that eating and drinking are treated as independent acts, meaning that the patient can eat and drink together during those nine minutes, and the amounts are not combined. Having said all this, if these small amounts prove insufficient to prevent the health danger, the patient may even eat and drink regularly. In such a case, a person does not say Kiddush before eating, but does recite "Grace After Meals," inserting the "ya'aleh veyavo" paragraph. Now what about a case where the patient's opinion conflicts with that of the doctor? If the patient is certain he needs to eat to prevent a danger to health, then we rely on his word, even if the doctor disagrees. And in the opposite scenario – if the patient refuses to eat despite doctors' warnings – then we persuade the patient to eat, since it is possible that his judgment is impaired due to illness. Wishing you a meaningful Yom Kippur! Rabbi Shraga Simmons is the co-founder of Aish.com, and co-author of "48 Ways to Wisdom" (ArtScroll). He is Founder and Director of Aish.com's advanced learning site. He is co-founder of HonestReporting.com, and author of "David & Goliath", the definitive account of anti-Israel media bias. Originally from Buffalo, New York, he holds a degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. He lives with his wife and children in the Modi'in region of Israel. https://www.aish.com/h/hh/yom-kippur/guide/ABCs-of-Yom-Kippur.html

THE LAST DAY - A Day Of Rejoicing Or Grief? - “When we all get to heaven, What a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, We’ll sing and shout the victory.“ This great day of rejoicing is a day appointed by the Father and that day is a certainty in coming. Everyone who has ever lived will be there. On this last day, the dead will be raised, the living will be changed, all will be judged, the earth will be destroyed and the eternal abode for all will begin. The last day will be a day of gladness. In the Lord’s presence, is “fullness of joy” and at His right hand are “pleasures forevermore”. There will be the ultimate of satisfaction when we awake. On this day, we will enter into the joys of our Lord. We can now and will then rejoice at our great reward. Think of the first time when we actually see our God face to face. Think of meeting our Lord in the air. Think of being gathered to God’s people. Let’s imagine seeing again the righteous who have passed from this life. We can sit down with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all of the faithful. Just think of those mansions that will never decay! Heaven is a place where no sin, sorrow, night, or Satan will dwell. There will be an abundant entrance into a place of abundant life. There is a glory to be revealed in us. We shall appear with the Lord in glory. A crown of glory that fades not away will be received. We will then possess the real hope of glory in Christ.

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The Last Day

A Day Of Rejoicing Or Grief?

By Mike Riley

This great day of rejoicing is a day appointed by the Father and that day is a certainty in coming. Everyone who has ever lived will be there on that day it will be the last day. On this last day, the dead will be raised, the living will be changed, all will be judged, the earth will be destroyed and the eternal abode for all will begin. Think of the first time when we actually see our God face to face. Think of meeting our Lord in the air -  we shall appear with the Lord in glory.  There is sadness awaiting the unfaithful and disobedient. There is a weeping - the last day will indeed be a day of separation, shame, and sorrow for most individuals

 

There’s an old sacred song we sing from time to time that contains the following words in the chorus:

“When we all get to heaven, What a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, We’ll sing and shout the victory.“

This great day of rejoicing is a day appointed by the Father (Matthew 24:36; Acts 17:31) and that day is a certainty in coming (Hebrews 9:27).

Everyone who has ever lived will be there on that day (2 Corinthians 5:10) — it will be the last day (John 12:48).

On this last day, the dead will be raised, the living will be changed, all will be judged, the earth will be destroyed and the eternal abode for all will begin.

Some questions we might ask are:

(1) “Are we ready for that last day?” and

(2) “What will that last day hold for each one of us?”

From the Scriptures, let us note the following observations:

The Last Day Will Be A Day Of Gladness (Revelation 21:4) 

In the Lord’s presence, is “fullness of joy” and at His right hand are “pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

There will be the ultimate of satisfaction when we awake (Psalm 17:15).

On this day, we will enter into the joys of our Lord (Matthew 25:21).

We can now and will then rejoice at our great reward (Matthew 5:12; cf. 1 Peter 1:3-4).

The Last Day Will Be A Day Of Greeting (Revelation 22:4) 

Think of the first time when we actually see our God face to face. Think of meeting our Lord in the air (I Thessalonians 4:17).

Think of being gathered to God’s people. Let’s imagine seeing again the righteous who have passed from this life (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

Just think — we can sit down with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all of the faithful (Matthew 8:11; Hebrews 11).

The Last Day Will Be A Day Of Grandeur (Revelation 21-22) —

Just think of those mansions that will never decay! (John 14:1-3; 1 Peter 1:3-5).

Heaven is a place where no sin, sorrow, night, or Satan will dwell (Revelation 21:4; Revelation 21:27; Revelation 20:10).

There will be an abundant entrance (2 Peter 1:11) into a place of abundant life (John 10:10).

The Last Day Will Be A Day Of Glory (2 Corinthians 4:17)  

There is a glory to be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).

We shall appear with the Lord in glory (Colossians 3:4)

A crown of glory that fades not away will be received (1 Peter 5:4).

We will then possess the real hope of glory in Christ (Colossians 1:27).

The Last Day Will Be A Day Of Grief (Matthew 7:13; Matthew 25:30) 

There is sadness awaiting the unfaithful and disobedient (Romans 2:5; Romans 2:8-9).

There is a weeping spoken of so many times on that day in the New Testament (Matthew 8:12; Matthew 24:51; Matthew 25:30).

The last day will indeed be a day of separation, shame, and sorrow for most individuals.

Brethren and friends, there is a final day coming (Acts 17:31).

Let’s again consider the two questions we asked at the beginning of this short study:

“Are we ready for that last day?”

And

“What will that last day hold for each one of us?”

We each have a choice as to what kind of day that last day will be.

Jesus came that it might be a day of gladness, greeting, grandeur, and glory.

Let’s not allow that last day to turn into an eternal existence of sorrow, suffering and grief (cf. Matthew 8:12; Mark 9:43-44; Luke 13:28; Luke 16:24).

https://gewatkins.net/the-last-day-a-day-of-rejoicing-or-grief/

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https://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2019/05/when-we-all-get-to-heaven-eliza-e.html

CAREFUL EPHESUS - Ephesus was a “good” church, but the risen Lord Jesus had “somewhat against” them. Amid all of their careful attention to doctrine and to purity of leadership lifestyle, they had “left [their] first love.” They had fallen from the deep bond of love they had demonstrated years earlier. The drift away from that “first love” was so serious that the Lord warned Ephesus to repent or He would take away their “candlestick”) — their authority to represent Christ as one of His churches. Cold, precise doctrine must never take away our love for people or for the truth. - “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write;. . . I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.” - This church, founded by the apostle Paul, had grown in its doctrinal precision and careful attention to the words of Scripture. They were intensely focused on purity of leadership and were vigilant against any form of false teaching. Most of us would find that kind of church a refreshing example to follow in these days of indifferent (and often heretical) theology. They hated the “deeds of the Nicolaitanes,” which was a horrible practice that the Lord Himself hated. Peter had warned against this domineering attitude in his first general letter to the churches when he insisted that the elders of the churches should not be “lords over God’s heritage, but [be] ensamples to the flock.” Ephesus was a “good” church, but the risen Lord Jesus had “somewhat against” them.

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Careful Ephesus

Cold, precise doctrine must never take away our love for people or for the truth

.

Ephesus was a “good” church, but the risen Lord Jesus had “somewhat against” them. Amid all of their careful attention to doctrine and to purity of leadership lifestyle, they had “left [their] first love.”

.

They had fallen from the deep bond of love they had demonstrated years earlier. The drift away from that “first love” was so serious that the Lord warned Ephesus to repent or He would take away their “candlestick”  — their authority to represent Christ as one of His churches. 

BY HENRY M. MORRIS III, D. MIN.  

 

 “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write;. . . I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.” - (Revelation 2:1-2)

 

This church, founded by the apostle Paul, had grown in its doctrinal precision and careful attention to the words of Scripture.

They were intensely focused on purity of leadership and were vigilant against any form of false teaching.

Most of us would find that kind of church a refreshing example to follow in these days of indifferent (and often heretical) theology.

They hated the “deeds of the Nicolaitanes,” which was a horrible practice that the Lord Himself hated (Revelation 2:6).

Peter had warned against this domineering attitude in his first general letter to the churches when he insisted that the elders of the churches should not be “lords over God’s heritage, but [be] ensamples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:3).

Ephesus was a “good” church, but the risen Lord Jesus had “somewhat against” them.

Apparently, amid all of their careful attention to doctrine and to purity of leadership lifestyle, they had “left [their] first love” (Revelation 2:4).

They had fallen from the deep bond of love they had demonstrated years earlier when Paul called the elders to Miletus to encourage and exhort them to remain faithful to “all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).

They were so much in tune with Paul’s heart for the gospel that they “all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him” (Acts 20:37).

The drift away from that “first love” was so serious that the Lord warned Ephesus to repent or He would take away their “candlestick” (Revelation 2:5) — their authority to represent Christ as one of His churches.

Cold, precise doctrine must never take away our love for people or for the truth.

The Institute for Creation Research (ICR) wants people to know that God’s Word can be trusted in everything it speaks about—from how and why we were made, to how the universe was formed, to how we can know God and receive all He has planned for us.

After 50 years of ministry, ICR remains a leader in scientific research within the context of biblical creation. Founded by Dr. Henry Morris in 1970, ICR exists to conduct scientific research within the realms of origins and Earth history, and then to educate the public both formally and informally through professional training programs, through conferences and seminars around the country, and through books, magazines, and media presentations.

http://www.icr.org/article/10038/

 

THE GOD OF BROKEN HALLELUJAHS - “When the load is more than you can bear, and everything comes crashing down, remember I AM the God of broken hallelujahs. When your memories are painful, when comfort cannot be found, remember I AM the God of broken hallelujahs. I listen to your heart. The sounds of your broken praise always pierce My own heart, for I understand the trials, sufferings, and burdens of this earthly life. I know because I have walked before you. So, when there's nothing left to hold onto, when hope and courage fade, call out to Me and remember, I AM the God of broken hallelujahs.” This is from the heart of Jesus for some very precious people. The Lord says to you, "I AM the God of broken hallelujahs. I AM the God of YOUR broken hallelujahs. When the hardships of this life leave you weary, brokenhearted, and troubled, when the hurt weighs heavy inside, remember that I AM the God of broken hallelujahs. When the struggle is great, and you have no words to speak, remember I AM the God of broken hallelujahs. When you feel you've failed at everything, when the darkness taunts and laughs, remember I AM the God of broken hallelujahs. “A perfect hallelujah is not what I am after. No, it is what's in your heart, beloved; I listen to your heart. The sounds of your broken praise always pierce My own heart, for I understand the trials, sufferings, and burdens of this earthly life.”

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The God of Broken Hallelujahs

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“When the load is more than you can bear, and everything comes crashing down, remember I AM the God of broken hallelujahs. When your memories are painful, when comfort cannot be found, remember I AM the God of broken hallelujahs. A perfect hallelujah is not what I am after. I listen to your heart. The sounds of your broken praise always pierce My own heart, for I understand the trials, sufferings, and burdens of this earthly life. I know because I have walked before you. “So, when there's nothing left to hold onto, when hope and courage fade, call out to Me and remember, I AM the God of broken hallelujahs.”

by Michelle Holderman

 

This is from the heart of Jesus for some very precious people.

The Lord says to you, "I AM the God of broken hallelujahs. I AM the God of YOUR broken hallelujahs.

“When the hardships of this life leave you weary, brokenhearted, and troubled, when the hurt weighs heavy inside, remember that I AM the God of broken hallelujahs.

“When the struggle is great, and you have no words to speak, remember I AM the God of broken hallelujahs.

“When you feel you've failed at everything, when the darkness taunts and laughs, remember I AM the God of broken hallelujahs.

When the load is more than you can bear, and everything comes crashing down, remember I AM the God of broken hallelujahs.

“When your memories are painful, when comfort cannot be found, remember I AM the God of broken hallelujahs.

“A perfect hallelujah is not what I am after. No, it is what's in your heart, beloved; I listen to your heart. The sounds of your broken praise always pierce My own heart, for I understand the trials, sufferings, and burdens of this earthly life. I know because I have walked before you.

“So when there's nothing left to hold onto, when hope and courage fade, call out to Me and remember, I AM the God of broken hallelujahs.

“You will always find Me here."

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not reject. Psalm 51:17

Michelle Holderman

www.theragamuffinsaint.com

Identity Network is a prophetic resource website that reaches thousands of people around the globe and has a subscriber base of well over 170,000 people. Identity Network distributes books, teaching CDs, articles, manuals and music on the prophetic/apostolic move of God. It is founded by Dr. Jeremy Lopez.

www.identitynetwork.net

http://65583.stablerack.com/Articles-?blogid=2093&view=post&articleid=231814&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

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For Those Tears I Died

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