Monday

Days of AWE

Recently I observed the annual celebration of Days of Atonement also known as Yom Kippur.  People around the world from sunset on Oct. 7 to after nightfall Oct. 8, 2011, spent times in deep reflective prayers and fastings to God. These days are considered to be a time for introspection and repentance, turning from sin and making restitution with God.

A quick historical lesson:

-Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year also known as the Day of Judgment and Day of Remembrance.  It is the first of the High Holy Days also called the Days of Awe which occur in the fall part of the year.

-Yom Kippur- also known as Day of Atonement follows 10 days after Rosh Hashanah.  Known as the Day of Atonement, it is considered the holiest and most solemn day of the year by the Jews. Its central themes include atonement and repentance.

Combining these two events, there is a period of ten days in between both holidays that is, known also as the Ten Days of Repentance.

Churches and synagogues around the world observe these days annually

Noticed my title above, I purposefully selected the words Days of Awe as well as the word celebration.  One might ask why you would celebrate a time of fasting, repentance and basic sadness.  Or one could wonder how can these times of reflections and meditation of shortcomings cause anyone to celebrate? 

True this historical time is a time of mourning but for many including myself, I rejoice!

I rejoice because my joy comes from Christ and what He did on the cross. 

These Days of Awe have left this servant in awe of a holy, just and merciful God!

Thank you God for sending Jesus!  It is because of Your great love and His obedient great work on the cross that sins have been atoned for, and I am forever grateful to Him, joining with the Psalmist in The Great Hallel

                        What can I offer the LORD for all he has done for me?

                        I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.

I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.

O LORD, I am your servant; yes, I am your servant, born into your household; you have freed me from my chains. I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the LORD.”

Psalm 116: 12-14, 16-17 (NKJV & NLT translations)

 Likewise I rejoice in great praise over the power of God’s voice joining King David

“And in his temple all cry, "Glory!" declaring and praising His name forever.              Psalm 29 (ESV translation)

Will you join with me in The Great Hallel, taking the cup of salvation? Receive the work Jesus accomplished on the cross and all it has to offer by turning from your sins, agreeing with God and aligning yourself with Him.  Then your days will be filled in awe of the great holy and majestic God almighty and the great deeds He has done!

Praise His name!
© Copyright 2011 Simone Lake. All Rights Reserved


Wednesday

Wake Up!

Have you ever experienced the need to stay awake for a particular situation, urgent event, or some needed circumstance but your body will not cooperate? Your eyes become dreary, wanting to close and nod off. Your brain switches from alertness into a gradual floating into imagination land and your concentration becomes an invisible fight to keep yourself awake?

WAKE UP! Dear Friends, now is the hour, now is the time for us to expect and to see Jesus. To be persistent in prayer, steadfast in spiritual matters and focused with all of our being by preparing ourselves to meet the living Son of God, Jesus.

Jesus is coming!
Are you ready to meet the living Son of God, Jesus? He promises us that He will return. That since His resurrection, ascension and current seating on the right hand side of God He will leave His current holy abode. Come down to this earth for the last time and gather His own to Himself. How do we know this? Because He tells us in His word that is exactly what he will do. In the chapter 14, verse 3 of the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself and where I am there you may be also and where I go, you know and they way you know.”
Are you ready?
When a loved one comes to your home after being away for some time, wouldn’t you prepare for their arrival? Of course you would! If your son or daughter comes home from college, you would arrange your schedule with work to visit them; you may go to the store and purchase all kinds of things to prepare their favorite food. If your husband or wife came home after a long trip, you might purchase a homecoming gift; clean the house, plan to be together to catch up on lost time.
Are you ready to see and meet the Savior of the world face to face? In order to be prepared to see the risen Savior of God, your heart must be His to begin with.
This task is very simple yet must be sincere.
If you would like the holy triune God, in the person of His holy Son, to come and gather you upon His return, then all you need to do is ask Him.
1) Acknowledge that God is the Creator of heaven and earth and Creator of you.
2) Acknowledge that you are a sinner, that you have fallen short of the mark of perfection, then repent and turn from your shortcomings.
3) Believe and receive Jesus Christ as the Lord (boss overall) of your life and the only way out of a
dedestructive path of sin brought on by our human Adamic nature.
4) Make a decision to serve Him as your Lord and Savior. This day and forever until He comes back
agagain to receive you.
Wake Up! Jesus is coming! Get Ready!

Scripture readings :
Matthew 22
Matthew 24: 27-51
Matthew 25
Joel 3
© Copyright 2011 Simone Lake. All Rights Reserved
To find out more about her speaking engagements, teaching, and writings:
www.simonelake ~ www.facebook.com/SimoneLake ~ www.simonelake.blogspot.com ~https://twitter.com/@Simone​Lake