Hanukkah, or Chanukah as it is sometimes transliterated, falls between 16 – 23 December this year and thus is a beautiful prelude to Christmas. I hope you enjoy these reflections as we open our hearts to the Giver of all good gifts!
The world was created in seven days and, thus, in Hebraic thinking, the number 7 represents the completion of a cycle, and the natural world, which we can experience with our physical senses. The next number, 8, as well as indicating a new beginning, goes one beyond the limits of our senses and represents the transcendent. The unseen realm, which we are aware of and can be touched and stirred by, although we cannot physically touch it. This is the realm of the eternal, which can only be ‘seen’ with the eye of faith.
The eight days of Hanukkah are special days during which we are given the opportunity to "see the light" – both physically and spiritually. We are encouraged to look both within and beyond ourselves and to deepen our understanding that there is so much more to our existence than what the physical realm around us offers.
Each day as we light the separate little lights, and watch as their combined light grows in radiance and beauty, we are called to unite the transcendent with the worldly, the holy with the mundane, the spiritual with the physical.
"The Lord is good, and He has given us light …" (Psalm 118:27).
On every hanukkiah (nine-branched menorah) there is one candle that is distinguished from the others. It is often raised in the center, or somehow set apart from the other eight. This is called the shammash, the "helper" or "servant" candle. This one is lit first every night, and then its flame is used to light the others. It is a beautiful picture of our Messiah and Lord, Yeshua, Who divested Himself of His heavenly glory and became a "servant" of all. Quietly, yet with the radiance of a single candle flame, He became the promised, anointed bearer of light, in whom the Word of life and truth would spread to illuminate the darkness of the world.
Today, by His Spirit given freely to us, the Spirit of the One true living God, we can be transformed and reflect the image of God, in which we were created. As we become more and more like Him, His glory can shine all the more into the world bringing hope in the darkness, holiness to the mundane, and the eternal to the passing and the temporary.
It seems a daunting responsibility, on the one hand, to be the bearers of His glory, His light, but it is a challenge the people of God must face.
"When every holy symbol is fading out of sight,
The children of the morning must stand against the night."
(from Clay McLean’s CD, ‘Against the Night’)
The ideals of this present, polluted age lead to meaninglessness, passivity, and despair. Sin and death reign in the world, and produce a "bent-ness" as opposed to a standing and walking upright with God. The assurance we have, just as the Maccabees of old, is that we are not alone! We do not rely on our own might or power, but on the Spirit of God. Irenaeus, an early Church Father and theologian, wrote:
"The glory of God is the human being fully alive, and the life of the human consists in beholding God."
It is in seeing the glory of God, which shines in the face of Yeshua (2 Corinthians 3:18), and in the resulting fellowship with Him, that we grow into the fullness of being who the Father created us to be as His children. Thus, increasingly, we can reflect His image and glory in the world.
Leanne Payne, founder of Pastoral Care Ministries, captures these concepts beautifully:
"There is the Absolute – ultimate truth and reality. To know and be in fellowship with God is not only to know the Real, but it is to gain the capacity to bring our lives into alignment with it. Our lives then take on the characteristics of that which is beautiful, true, noble, and just … and we become Lights!"
This season of Hanukkah, and the birthing of Yeshua, the Light of the world, prompts us make the constant decision to turn aside to "see" the glory of God. In the Book of Exodus, Moses said to himself, "I will turn aside and I will see this incredible sight – why is this bush not being burned up?" When he did, God spoke to him from the midst of the burning bush.
Let us trust that, by His Spirit, we will be enabled to discern God’s presence, and see His glory in all things and even in the most mundane of places. And, in communion with Him, allow His glory to shine wherever He may take us. For His Name’s sake and the extension of His kingdom in the earth! Amen.
Friday 22 December 2006
Monday 18 December 2006
Christmas Greetings 2006 Animated
Just to keep you smiling!
Click here to view an animated Christmas Card
http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=0258055836
Click here to view an animated Christmas Card
http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=0258055836
Friday 8 December 2006
Christmas Greetings 2006
From
Our Home
To Yours
We wish you
a very blessed Christmas
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
God Our Father’s love
He makes each and every day a time of healing and deliverance for me
He holds me close to His heart and honours His Covenant with me
He has assigned to me my portion of His matchless inheritance
He has set me free from the strongholds of darkness
He has made me His own son/daughter forevermore
My Father loves me and is overjoyed that I have become His child
He leads me and guides me beside springs of water
He comforts me and continually expresses His love for me
He has given me His Word that He will never forsake me, nor forget that I am His son/daughter
He has made me His own - a brand new creation - a born again child of a new and godly race
I Praise and Thank God for what He has done for me!
May Father God bless you this Christmastide
give you His Peace and prosper you
in the coming year.
With our love and prayers
Las & Arlene Ratnayake
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14: 27
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14: 27
Healing in the Glory - Understanding the Start - An Open Heaven
Ian Andrews
08 November 2006
I wanted to give you all some background so that you would know how we came to understand the concept of an open heaven and Healing from the Glory
About 2 years ago we were invited to a church in Nashville TN and prior to the main Sunday morning meeting there was an hour long "soaking" time. Someone prayed over me and for the next hour I had three visions before I was transported in the spirit, not bodily, to heaven, where I learned in a new way, many things that I thought I already knew.
In the first vision I was in a corridor of a building and there were 3 doors all marked with the words "private" The Holy Spirit asked me if I wanted to see what was inside these rooms and I replied that since the doors were all marked private I did not want to go in. He then spoke and said that the doors were not private to Him, and he would show me, if I liked!
The first door led into a fairly bare office, with just a table and chair, no drapes or curtains, no phone etc. My disappointment must have been obvious as I desperately sought to find something to be grateful for. I was then reminded that there were two more doors, would I like to see inside those and so we progressed to the next door. This office was similar to the previous one but with slightly more equipment, but nothing that one would aspire to! Again, I tried to be grateful for looking at this and once again I failed! I believe God was trying to show me not to be sat isfied with just a little, He is the God of the too much!
I was again reminded that there was one more door to investigate and when I looked inside I broke into a large smile of appreciation, this was a wonderful, plush, well furnished executive office and I loved it. If I was in business today, that would be my ultimate choice of office!! Then the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said that He had shown me the natural world, would I like to see the supernatural world!
I then found myself, as it were ascending upwards and upwards and felt like I was being held by my hands as we journeyed up. Next I was in a large room and I knew that the walls were very, very white, almost transluscent and seemed to be in one large piece. The walls were 22 foot high and there was the most amazing gold filligree about two feet depth all around the top of the walls. I then realised that there was no ceiling to that room.
The Holy Spirit spoke and said "Do you know whe re you are" I replied no Lord, where am I?"
He said, "You are in the angels changing room in heaven" and I knew then that this was not my imagination, as I would never have thought of that !
The Holy Spirit then said, this is where the angels metamorphise or change, do you not understand that I fill the universe but that I also lived inside Mary's womb?
He then told me to look up and I realised that there was no roof on the building and the Holy Spirit then asked me if I knew why there was no roof. Several thoughts came to mind, there is no rain in heaven, so there is no need of a roof or that it was so the angels could fly in and out, after assignments!
Both of these comments were, of course, wrong and I then learned in a new way that there was no limit in heaven, no boundaries, no restrictions. I looked up and could see galaxies in the course of formation! God began a new time of renewing my mind and opening me up to more spir itual truth, thereby increasing my faith for the miraculous.
Sometime later, I was fellowshipping with Pastor Bill Johnson from Redding CA and he asked me if I was just taken for a visit or was God inviting me to come up higher. I questioned him and then prayed to find out what God wanted to show me. Immediately, I found myself back in that same room and to my suprise was invited to look around and see something else.
I then found myself knee deep in blue and yellow flowers, in the most beautiful green rolling hill and valley, the flowers were everywhere. I had a thought, what would happen if I picked some , followed by another thought that I could not do that as there was no death in heaven and flowers die when picked! Immediately I had a very large, oversize bunch of flowers in my hands. They overflowed my arms but miraculously held together themselves without falling to the ground.
The meaning of this experience then became clear. I learned that all thoughts, wishes and desires are granted instantly in heaven but on earth there is always a faith delay! And that God wants to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think!!
I also learned that blue stood for royal power and yellow was the colour of harvest, we are standing in the middle of harvest and there is power there to reap!
More to follow shortly
Ian Andrews
08 November 2006
I wanted to give you all some background so that you would know how we came to understand the concept of an open heaven and Healing from the Glory
About 2 years ago we were invited to a church in Nashville TN and prior to the main Sunday morning meeting there was an hour long "soaking" time. Someone prayed over me and for the next hour I had three visions before I was transported in the spirit, not bodily, to heaven, where I learned in a new way, many things that I thought I already knew.
In the first vision I was in a corridor of a building and there were 3 doors all marked with the words "private" The Holy Spirit asked me if I wanted to see what was inside these rooms and I replied that since the doors were all marked private I did not want to go in. He then spoke and said that the doors were not private to Him, and he would show me, if I liked!
The first door led into a fairly bare office, with just a table and chair, no drapes or curtains, no phone etc. My disappointment must have been obvious as I desperately sought to find something to be grateful for. I was then reminded that there were two more doors, would I like to see inside those and so we progressed to the next door. This office was similar to the previous one but with slightly more equipment, but nothing that one would aspire to! Again, I tried to be grateful for looking at this and once again I failed! I believe God was trying to show me not to be sat isfied with just a little, He is the God of the too much!
I was again reminded that there was one more door to investigate and when I looked inside I broke into a large smile of appreciation, this was a wonderful, plush, well furnished executive office and I loved it. If I was in business today, that would be my ultimate choice of office!! Then the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said that He had shown me the natural world, would I like to see the supernatural world!
I then found myself, as it were ascending upwards and upwards and felt like I was being held by my hands as we journeyed up. Next I was in a large room and I knew that the walls were very, very white, almost transluscent and seemed to be in one large piece. The walls were 22 foot high and there was the most amazing gold filligree about two feet depth all around the top of the walls. I then realised that there was no ceiling to that room.
The Holy Spirit spoke and said "Do you know whe re you are" I replied no Lord, where am I?"
He said, "You are in the angels changing room in heaven" and I knew then that this was not my imagination, as I would never have thought of that !
The Holy Spirit then said, this is where the angels metamorphise or change, do you not understand that I fill the universe but that I also lived inside Mary's womb?
He then told me to look up and I realised that there was no roof on the building and the Holy Spirit then asked me if I knew why there was no roof. Several thoughts came to mind, there is no rain in heaven, so there is no need of a roof or that it was so the angels could fly in and out, after assignments!
Both of these comments were, of course, wrong and I then learned in a new way that there was no limit in heaven, no boundaries, no restrictions. I looked up and could see galaxies in the course of formation! God began a new time of renewing my mind and opening me up to more spir itual truth, thereby increasing my faith for the miraculous.
Sometime later, I was fellowshipping with Pastor Bill Johnson from Redding CA and he asked me if I was just taken for a visit or was God inviting me to come up higher. I questioned him and then prayed to find out what God wanted to show me. Immediately, I found myself back in that same room and to my suprise was invited to look around and see something else.
I then found myself knee deep in blue and yellow flowers, in the most beautiful green rolling hill and valley, the flowers were everywhere. I had a thought, what would happen if I picked some , followed by another thought that I could not do that as there was no death in heaven and flowers die when picked! Immediately I had a very large, oversize bunch of flowers in my hands. They overflowed my arms but miraculously held together themselves without falling to the ground.
The meaning of this experience then became clear. I learned that all thoughts, wishes and desires are granted instantly in heaven but on earth there is always a faith delay! And that God wants to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think!!
I also learned that blue stood for royal power and yellow was the colour of harvest, we are standing in the middle of harvest and there is power there to reap!
More to follow shortly
Ian Andrews
A Prophetic Word for 2006 - Wendy Alec
Today - dear friend - whatever situation you are facing this Christmas - the Lord loves you - HE IS WITH YOU - He has not forsaken you- You are His treasure - and we place our faith with yours for the turnaround of situations in your life t this time - For you see - the Lord will say to some of you.....
To see the rest visit
http://www.god.tv/RoryWendy/Prophetic2006.php
To see the rest visit
http://www.god.tv/RoryWendy/Prophetic2006.php
"Stumbling" into blessings
...IT HAPPENED, THE FIELD WHERE SHE FOUND HERSELF BELONGED TO BOAZ. RUTH 2:3
Although Ruth started out for one destination, she stumbled into another. Her plan was to pick leftover grain, but she happened to 'light on a part of the field' (Ruth 2:3) belonging to Boaz, and it changed her life. When Boaz called her name, she came from the background to a place of blessing in the foreground. That's how quickly it can happen! Ruth's life had been spiralling downward. Her husband had died. She'd left her old home, and wasn't accepted in her new one. She was in survival mode, making the best of a bad job by gleaning just enough to stay alive. Then God turned things around! The reapers began deliberately dropping handfuls of wheat in her path. She started picking up undeserved blessings. Did you know that God can leave you 'a breadcrumb trail'? After struggling so long just to get by, He'll begin to drop blessings into your path, and all you have to do is keep following. Even though the odds might seem against you today, don't let satan push you back. You've been through too much to be intimidated by him. You're about to come into a blessing that'll change your life. '...along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them...' (Isaiah 42:16 NIV). God can let you 'stumble' into good things; to show up at the right place, at the right time, and meet the right person with the right answer. He has a way of 'tripping' us into blessing. (Word for Today - UCB.co.uk)
Although Ruth started out for one destination, she stumbled into another. Her plan was to pick leftover grain, but she happened to 'light on a part of the field' (Ruth 2:3) belonging to Boaz, and it changed her life. When Boaz called her name, she came from the background to a place of blessing in the foreground. That's how quickly it can happen! Ruth's life had been spiralling downward. Her husband had died. She'd left her old home, and wasn't accepted in her new one. She was in survival mode, making the best of a bad job by gleaning just enough to stay alive. Then God turned things around! The reapers began deliberately dropping handfuls of wheat in her path. She started picking up undeserved blessings. Did you know that God can leave you 'a breadcrumb trail'? After struggling so long just to get by, He'll begin to drop blessings into your path, and all you have to do is keep following. Even though the odds might seem against you today, don't let satan push you back. You've been through too much to be intimidated by him. You're about to come into a blessing that'll change your life. '...along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them...' (Isaiah 42:16 NIV). God can let you 'stumble' into good things; to show up at the right place, at the right time, and meet the right person with the right answer. He has a way of 'tripping' us into blessing. (Word for Today - UCB.co.uk)
Welcome
Welcome to my blog.
Like Barnabas in the Bible this Blog is to encourage you. God loves you and He wants to encourage you. He wants to hold your hand and guide you through life. Only He knows your future.
He says "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.
Be encouraged!
Like Barnabas in the Bible this Blog is to encourage you. God loves you and He wants to encourage you. He wants to hold your hand and guide you through life. Only He knows your future.
He says "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.
Be encouraged!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)