Today, I was sitting on my porch having my morning coffee, and talking with God, as I usually do. I was thinking about this blog and asking the Lord how to improve it. It was coming across as a BORING collection of facts. It did not convey the excitement I'm feeling in my spirit about this time of year. So, I asked, "Lord, what do you want me to say?"
Last week I promised to tell you about Rosh Hashanah. So let's start with a little background and some fun facts.
- Rosh Hashanah is the start of the Jewish New Year, as stated in the Bible (Leviticus 23:23-31). This year it began at sunset on Sunday, Sept. 29, and ends at sunset on Tuesday, Oct. 1.
- Rosh Hashanah is a celebration of creation. It is considered to be the sixth day of creation when God made his covenant with man by creating Adam and Eve.
- Also known as Feast of Trumpets, because blowing of the shofar signals the beginning of the holiday. In the bible, the trumpet blast was a call for the people to assemble to hear the voice of God. There was an anticipation that the Lord might reveal Himself in power once more.
- It’s the Hebrew year 5780, the start of a new year and a new decade. It is the decade of "Pey" which has to do with mouth and voice. According to Chuck Pierce, pastor of Glory of Zion, "Pey is linked with calling back what the winds have scattered in other seasons. It is also linked with a declaration of our mouth for freedom."
- Immediately after Rosh Hashanah, is the beginning of the 10 “Days of Awe". During this time, the Jews focus their attention on repentance and reflection leading up to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, considered to be the holiest day of the Jewish year. This is when God opens the books of heaven and writes about your life for the next year.
God has good plans for you. He sees your past, present, and future. He wants you to navigate successfully into that wonderful future. He is giving revelation and direction for your next steps and instructions to align you with the plans He has for you.
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So back to what I heard this morning. As you read, think about what we learned about Rosh Hashanah and the Days of Awe. This is what I heard:
"Listen to the sounds coming from my mouth. Speak what you hear and speak what you see. Yes, you can see my sounds. They form in your spirit or mind's eye, and you see them there. I created the world and everything in it with words. They were not empty words, but words that were filled with my power.
As I created, so do you.
Start by allowing Holy Spirit to brood over your situation, just as I had Him brood over the unformed earth. When the time is right, creative words will explode from your mouth with power, and creation will begin!
Don't get ahead of me, let Holy Spirit do his work first. Then, when you speak, there will be power behind your words. Speaking too soon is just making noise. It does not have my creative power embedded in it. That is where you encounter discouragement. You say "Why God? I believed your word, I confessed and declared it. why isn't it working! But you see, you skipped a vital step.
I will deposit thoughts, concepts, or desires in you that will move you into the plans I have for you. Ponder them, meditate on them, use your imagination to see them. Allow Holy Spirit to brood over it with you. You will become so filled that the necessary creative words will explode from your mouth with creative power. Those are the word that will create the future I have planned for you.
Be careful of the words you brood over. Mine is not the only voice but mine is easy to discern if you stay in my Word. I placed the power to create with your words in you. If you brood on what other voices are saying, then your words create something that is not of me. That is why worry is so dangerous.
I long to work with you to create the desires of your heart. Come work with me! Let's create that wonderful life, the abundant life I've envisioned for you!"
Did you get that? He gave me a plan and strategy for the 5780's! The Days of Awe are going to be awesome this year! Can you sense the excitement in the atmosphere? God is speaking to His people more clearly than ever as we enter into the decade of Pey, the mouth.
We don't hear God with our physical ears but with our spiritual ears. Writing is one of the ways that I hear, and the way He spoke to me this morning. You can also expect to hear in dreams, visions, and even in the world around you. Now is a great time to start a new journal. Write everything down, even if you don't understand it.
I believe that over the next month it is important to set aside some extra time to listen to God. 30 minutes a day is a good place to start. Find a quiet place, clear your mind, and be still before God. You can ask a specific question or just ask Him to show you what He has for you. Then write down any words, thoughts, impressions, or any pictures you get. Try to write without thinking too much about it, just let it flow from your spirit. After about 10-15 minutes reread what you have written, and ask for clarification if you need it.
I sincerely hope you didn't find this boring; even though it started that way. Isn't God good? He even cares about the little things, like this blog is interesting and delightful.
I pray that everyone reading this will hear God speaking to you this season. If you would like to share, I'd love to know what you are hearing. Leave a comment or send me an email.
“L’shanah tovah tikateivu v’teichateimu”,
which means “A good year, and may you be inscribed and sealed (for blessing in the Book of Life).”