THE SHOFAR
Good News for the Assembly of Bet Yeshurun No. 305
/ August 27, 2011
Calendar of Events
08/27/11 Praise, Worship, Teaching & Fellowship 1:30 pm
08/30/11 New Moon (Six) Feast Day Celebration 12:00 pm
09/03/11 Praise, Worship, Teaching & Fellowship 1:30 pm
09/10/11 Praise, Worship, Teaching & Fellowship 1:30 pm
09/17/11 Praise, Worship, Teaching & Fellowship 1:30 pm
09/23/11 Open for Bible Study 8:00 pm
09/24/11 Praise, Worship, Teaching & Fellowship 1:30 pm
Scripture Reading Cycle for the next 14 Days
Etz Chayeem Hoo (He Is a Tree of Life)
Deuteronomy7:12-16:17
I Samuel 20:18-42
Isaiah 49:14-51:3; 54:11-55:5
Luke 4:1-13
John 3:36; 7:37-52; 10:10
Romans 8:31-39
1 Corinthians 5:9-13
Colossians 3:25; 1 Peter 1:17 on being fair and impartial:
Hebrews 11:8-13; 12:1-29
1 John 2:18-24; 4:1-6
Matthew 6:33; 1 Thessalonians 4:1–2 on being blessed because of righteousness, obedience
Matthew 24:11; 2 Peter 2:1–22 on false prophets in the end times
John 14:15; 1 John 2:3–5; 1 John 5:3 on loving YHVH by keeping his commandments
Romans 2:5–11 on judgment against the wicked
Romans 2:28–29 on circumcision of the heart
Hebrews 4:1–10 on rest in the spiritual Promised Land
James 1:27 on caring for orphans and widows
James 2:15–16; 1 John 3:16–17on helping those in need
Revelation 3:14–22 YHVH chastens whom he loves
Revelation 18:4; 2 Corinthians 6:17 don’t be like the surrounding pagan nations
Prepared?
And YHVH spoke unto Moses, saying, “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh moon, in the first day of the moon, you shall have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall do no servile work therein, but you shall offer an offering made by fire unto YHVH.’” (Leviticus 23:23-25)
Leviticus 23 proclaims all the Feasts of YHVH which we are to keep as holy convocations. In a few weeks, Bet Yeshurun Assembly will celebrate the 1st day of the 7th moon. On this annual holy day we will blow trumpets, shout for joy, put away our work, and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to YHVH Elohim (Numbers 29:1-6). .
By following the pattern of feast day appointments, we become the Bride, the set-apart Israelites, the Church (Ecclesia), which is getting ready for the wedding date with Yahshuah, our Groom. The festivals are dress rehearsals of when Yahshuah intervenes in our lives. We don’t want to be late in celebrating YHVH’s appointed dates. We also are to be prepared and to meet Him on Yah’s schedule.
This Feast has several names. In Hebrew, it’s “Yom Teruah”, which means day of shouting. In Greek; it’s “Keleuma”, which means to cry out, hail, shout, incite (1 Thes. 4:15-17). In English, it’s called “Feast of Trumpets” or “Day of Blowing”. In Rabbinic traditions it’s “Rosh Hashanah” (Jewish New Year Day). This Feast isn’t really the start of a new year. In Yah’s calendar, a new year begins in spring (Exo. 12:2).
Yom Teruah is a unique feast in that occurs on the New Moon. Several Feasts like Passover, Unleavened Bread, Sukkoth occur around the time of a full moon phase. This feast is different. It is on a day when no light reflects from the moon. It also marks the start of a month when we prepare our hearts for Yom Kippur and Succoth, holy days that picture Yah’s judgment upon earth and His 1000 year reign.
Yahshuah taught His disciples about this Feast (Matt. 24:29-51). He emphasized the need to be prepared for it to come at any time It will be a glorious day when the Groom comes for His Bride. Sadly, not all the bridesmaids will become and stay ready for the wedding feast (Matthew 25:1-13). Believers should prepare to embrace the spiritual purpose behind this festival every day, not just annually.
Extend Love to All
“And may Adonai make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.”
(1 Thessalonians 3:12)
Paul prays that the Thessalonians grow in love toward each other and toward all people. His reminder to their church is a reminder to our Assembly, too. We are to be more than a loving community of fellow Believers. We are to be a loving community which extends love beyond our own members.
As Believers, Paul challenges us to love “all”. That group we may encounter includes the oddly dressed stranger who crosses our path. It may be an elderly woman who we feel we have nothing in common with. It might be a young child who irritates us with their antics during Assembly services. It might be a family member who has squandered their gifts. It might be a neighbor who is richer or perhaps poorer than we are.
Reflect upon how you can extend love toward someone who looks, thinks and believes differently from you. Then do something today that shows love toward others whether in our family, circle of friends, neighbors, strangers, even an adversary.
Inspired from an article by Melannie Svboboda
I said a prayer for you today
I said a prayer for you today
And know God must have heard.
I felt the answer in my heart
Although He spoke no word!
I didn’t ask for wealth or fame
(I knew you wouldn’t mind)
I asked Him to send treasures
Of a far more lasting kind!
I asked that He’d be near you
At the start of each new day
To grant you health and blessings
And friends to share your way!
I asked for happiness for you
To all things great and small –
But it was for His loving care
I prayed the most of all!
Announcements
YHVH’s Set Apart Days
Bet Yeshurun is planning its 2011 celebrations of Yom Teruah (“Day of Shouting”), Yom Kippur (“Day of Atonement”), and Sukkoth (“Tabernacles”) after each week’s fellowship meal. Please join us over the next few weeks as we discuss what Scripture teaches about these festivals and how we will obey YHVH’s commands. (Lev. 23:23-44)
Friday Evening Gatherings
The Bible studies on the Book of Proverbs are scheduled to resume this fall.
Special Message about Sister Ellen
Today is Sister Ellen’s last day with Bet Yeshurun Assembly before moving to the country of Jordan. Ellen has touched the lives and hearts of many brothers and sisters during her time with us. Her passion for Scripture and her boldness to speak what the Holy Spirit places upon her will be greatly missed. Please continue to pray and intercede on her behalf for Yah's perfect will during her next mission in the Middle East.
Thoughts for Meditation
“It is not that we keep His commandments first, and that then He loves; but that He loves us, and then we keep His commandments. This is that grace, which is revealed to the humble, but hidden from the proud.” Augustine Aurelius
“[Christians (BELIEVERS) etc, at their best, know that often they don't know. They do not have all the answers. They do not have God in their pocket. We cannot answer every question that any bright boy in the back row might ask. We have only light enough to walk by.” Howard A. Johnson
“The purpose of religion -- at any rate, the Christian religion -- is not to get you into heaven, but to get heaven into you.” Frederick W. Kates
“The chief pang of most trials is not so much the actual suffering itself as our own spirit of resistance to it.” Jean Nicolas Grou
“There is a joy which is not given to the ungodly, but to those who love Thee for Thine own sake, whose joy Thou Thyself art. And this is the happy life, to rejoice to Thee, of Thee, for Thee; this it is, and there is no other.” Augustine Aurelius