"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." ~ Colossians 1:13-14
Alternative Reality - Vote No on 3
Please watch and share this important video on Michigan's Proposal 3
“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” ~ C.S. Lewis from Mere Christianity
Breakfast in the sukkah on our deck. Scott builds it, I adorn. We'll soon take it down until next year.
The Season of Our Rejoicing is coming to a close. Today is the final day of the seventh appointed time on God's calendar. The seven-day holiday of Sukkot concludes at sundown.
But almost as mysteriously as the High Holy Days began with Yom Teruah/Day of Trumpets (commonly known as Rosh Hashana/Head of the Year)...
"...have a day of sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts." ~ Leviticus 23:24
...the Feast is extended one more day...
"‘So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days; the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest." ~ Leviticus 23:36
Wait, "seven days", but then there's an "eighth day"?
God is a God of mystery as much as He is a God of revealed truth. This Eighth Day (Shemini/Eighth Atzeret/Assembly, literally Tarry) is His desire for us to embrace MORE of his goodness, to linger with him just one more day after a full three weeks of reflection, repentance and rejoicing. I love our God!! He is so generous and gracious!
Even the shape of the numeral 8 hints at its symbolic meaning. God beckons us to remember, we are made for eternity.
"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' Then he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'" ~ Revelation 21:3-5
Isabella snapped this photo of the full moon at 5 a.m. on October 10, after exiting the tent we slept in in our backyard. I woke her to go inside because I felt like a popsicle. She said it was the best night of sleep she'd had in a while. Camping out during Sukkot is a special tradition we've shared for years.
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." ~ 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
“Our hearts are restless, until they can find rest in you.” ~ Augustine of Hippo (354–430), in Confessions
Cal Zastrow, Glory!
My brother in Messiah, Cal Zastrow (right) is a Christ-loving husband, father, grandfather, gospel-preacher, missionary and abolitionist who is a model activist, agitator and servant of the LORD.
I met Cal a few years back while ministering on the abortion mill sidewalk in West Bloomfield. He is most often smiling, proclaiming the goodness of the LORD and offering words of encouragement from the Bible. He is bold in preaching the gospel and he calls out to men and women entering the abortion mill, warning them, begging them graciously to choose life and to come and talk.
Last week, a dear friend and I spent the day in Bay City with a group of other believers, supporting Cal as he turned himself in to the FBI and was arraigned on federal charges for blocking access to an abortion mill last year (see photo below). On October 12, it was a joy to be with a number of other like-minded brothers and sisters who regularly pray and act on their desire to see legalized baby killing ended.
Three full-time missionaries from ONElife for Life were present in Bay City, along with many others who are committed to sidewalk evangelism/abortion mill outreach. The youngest supporter, four-year-old Micah, fell asleep snuggled next to his dad in the courtroom.
Cal and ten others, including his daughter, appeared in Tennessee federal court on Friday. I'm not sure where this is headed, legally. I do know that that these 11 individuals are bold and merciful believers in the gospel of Jesus/Yeshua and they have interposed, putting themselves in harms way to prevent the killing of the innocent. The LORD has and will surely continue to bless them for their obedience and sacrifice.
Read more about all of these faithful rescuers HERE. Read more about Cal Zastrow HERE. He is a man on a mission--one who boldly proclaims that he would rather spend eternity sure that he's done all he can to prevent the shedding of innocent blood than sit idly by while the most defenseless among us are slaughtered.
Eva Edl was also one of the eleven who was arrested. She is a survivor of communism who escaped from Yugoslavia's concentration camps in the wake of World War II. In "one of the darkest hellholes of a communist death camp, Eva found Jesus," the 87-year-old's biography says.
Eva "felt the call of God to lay down her life to rescue unborn children, just as others laid down their [lives] to rescue her." Now known as a pro-life icon in the current rescue movement, Eva has been arrested at least 46 times for blockading abortion clinics. Eva's actions epitomize Proverbs 24:11.
"Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, 'But we knew nothing about this,' does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?" ~ Proverbs 24:11-12
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