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As the highest Holy day of the year, Yom Kippur, begins and our 10 Days of Awe come to a close, we cannot overstate the solemnity of this event. Since Yom Kippur also falls on the Sabbath, God is clearly indicating to us that THIS YEAR is of extremely high significance in the spiritual world.
In our current culture of hyper-grace, grace and more grace, I realize this is a difficult concept to accept: but at some point the “books are closed and sealed.”
And if you give the scroll to someone who can read, and say, “Read this, please,” they will answer, “I can’t; it is sealed.”
~Isaiah 29:11
During Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, a customary greeting is “May your name be inscribed in The Book of Life” (Shana Tova). This is because rabbis teach that the Book of Life is opened in heaven on Rosh Hashanah, and that it is closed and sealed ten days later on the feast of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).
We cannot continue to mock God and expect that WE will decide when we want to repent…when and only when WE are good and ready. This is AUDACITY. Our eyes will be blinded, the scroll will be sealed.
I tell you, NOW is the time of God’s favor, NOW is the day of salvation.
~2 Corinthians 6:2
work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
~ Philippians 2:12
God will not be mocked.
All indicators point to a confluence of events that Western Civilization and liberty-loving nations are on the tottering edge because of our lusting after evil. The Bible tells us of two sisters who were whores:
Yet even though Oholibah saw what had happened to Oholah, her sister, she followed right in her footsteps. And she was even more depraved, abandoning herself to her lust and prostitution.
~Ezekiel 23:11
This symbolism can mean many things: America and Australia? Greek and Roman based democratic cultures? Europe and the West? Either way, let’s take the message to heart. We must also remember that judgment begins at the House of God (1 Peter 4:17).
In all things we must always look to our Lord Jesus Christ for answers. His ministry arrival was preceded by John the Baptist…clearing the way for His coming. The first words out of John the Baptist’s mouth were: REPENT for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand! (Matthew 3:2)
After Jesus was tempted for 40 days in the wilderness, his very first word was REPENT!(Matthew 4:17). His very last words to His Church were “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: Be zealous therefore, and REPENT.” (Revelation 3:19). We must BEGIN and END with REPENTANCE!
He is coming. Let the mockers mock…
Scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
~2 Peter 3:3-4
God is patiently waiting for all those who will REPENT to come into the fold. He’s also urging those already in the fold to cleanse themselves with the Holy Spirit through sincere Repentance.
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
~2 Peter 3:9
Those of us who understand the times, must carry the banner onward until the end. We must finish the race. We must not only be WRITTEN in the Book of Life, we must be SEALED in the Book of Life as overcomers. Isaiah tells us this is the lot of the wicked who continue on in their iniquity:
May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous.
~Isaiah 69:28
It seems appropriate to end this solemn devotional period of praying, fasting and repentance with some words of wisdom by one of our participants, Annie Cathcart. She is a warrior in the Body of Christ and I am incorporating her devotional into this final closing message.
On this High Holy Day, Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement, the Jewish people had this solemn wish for each other:
“G’mar Hatimah Tovah” or “May You Be Sealed for a Good Year in the Book of Life.”
Make sure your name is written in. But let it also be sealed.
So be it…
Selah.
~Pastor Jeffrey Daly
National Day of Repentance
Intention:
Help us to realize that if we confess our sins and repent of our past, The Lord can change the future of our nations.
Scripture:
Then if MY PEOPLE, who are called by MY NAME, humble themselves and PRAY, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways – THEN I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins and HEAL THEIR LAND.
~2 Chronicles 7:14
Reflection:
Before I became a Christian I worked with young children from broken homes, and I felt it was so unfair that they had such a bad start in life. I felt it was no fault of their own that their parents had mistreated them. Then I read this verse:
And when I punish people for their sins; the punishment continues upon the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of those who hate me but I lavish my love upon thousands of those who love me and obey my commandments.
~Exodus 20: 5-6
Having studied psychology I pondered “If Sin is passed down the generations is it no wonder the world is such a mess today”?
As I learned more about the power of prayer I realized that there is an ‘antidote’ for the way the past affects the future for our families and even for our NATIONS. We can turn to God in REPENTANCE.
If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to FORGIVE us our sin and CLEANSE US from all UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.
~1 John 1:9
I was told about an English family who came to Australia to repent on behalf of a family member who had killed a missionary in this country 100 years ago. After the repentance was carried out the town in which this happened was set free to worship God.
We need to be set free to worship God.
REPENT!…NOW!…
The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you would forgive us our sins and that you would send your Holy Fire into our families and nations to burn up the dross, cleanse us and help us to turn from our wicked ways. We claim this promise today:
But I lavish my love upon thousands of those who love me and obey my commandments.
~Exodus 20:6
We pray this prayer in the Name above all Names, the King of kings, our Lord Jesus Christ. ~Amen
Prayer Points:
- Pray for the next generation and repent on behalf of the last few generations
- Lord we repent that we have not loved You and our neighbors.
- We repent of creating a culture where we have made sport out of God.
- Lord we repent of introducing ‘free sex’ even within the church.
- Lord we repent of not being a good example for our children as far as the use of alcohol, drugs, gambling, abortion and loose morals.
- We repent of not being examples of Holy living to our Children.
- We repent of not spending enough quality time with our children.
- We repent of not taking time to teach them Your Word and principles.
We welcome comments, feedback and insights from all of our participants. Please send them via email to jdalylaw@aol.com.
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