Chag sameach Yom Teruah and Rosh Chodesh and Shabbat Shalom kol beit Yisra'el!

We are gathered here according to the mitzvah (commandment) in anticipation of the Announcement by Heaven of the Second Coming of Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ). This comes in the form of a very loud and noisy fanfare, which is heard worldwide and well as in Heaven, and consists of the blowing of heavenly silver trumpets accompanied by a mighty shouting by all the hosts of heaven. This will not be unlike the first Shavu'ot when the whole of Mount Sinai shook from the incredidible sound of Yahweh's voice booming the Ten Commandments across the landscape where Israel was assembled, which was accompanied by the deafening sound of what sounded like giant shofar's or ram's horns blasting from all directions. Then, as on the final Yom Teruah, the world will be filled with abject terror. Indeed, the only ones who will not be afraid will be those who are in Messiah Yah'shua (Jesus) for this is the joyous announcement of the imminent arrival of our Saviour at Yom haBikkurim (Day of Atonements) to judge the world!

We are supposed to live every year of our lives in expectation of this event as believers have been doing for centuries. We know the Return of the Master will be announced on this particular day - the first day of the seventh month - and then a few days later He will physically return in great glory to judge the world. Yom Teruah - the Day of Trumpets and of Shouting - is fantastic news for the saved but a day of terror for, and the death knoll of, the wicked. So on this day those who know Yahweh's Creation Calendar and gather in obedience to the mitzvah (commandment), as we are now, do so in the hope that this will the long awaited consummation of the ages. As for Satan and his demons, each Yom Teruah could potentially mark the end for them and is therefore a day they loathe. It's a reason they hold so many dark feasts of their own through their human followers so as not to be reminded. Within nine days of hearing these trumpets they know they are going to be incarcerated - cast down into the pit and be sealed there for a millennium.

The Christian world, which denies that the festivals have any part of the life of faithful believers - aside from walking in disobedience - is walking in greater ignorance than those who faithfully set-aside this day and assemble, for they do not know the time of the year the Master is coming back. Nevertheless, we are to be prepared, so when Paul commanded the qodeshim (saints, set-apart ones) to "be prepared in season and out of season" (2 Tim.4:2, NIV), this is one season he had in mind.

Now we know - because Yahweh has told the true nevi'im (prophets) - that Yah'shua (Jesus) isn't coming back this year. Nevertheless, that does not mean the cycle of festivals is unimportant in the meantime or that we should lower our guard. I know, because last night was a time of great spiritual assault, and those of you who are husbands and fathers, if you were alert, should have been covering your families in prayer because you are the front line. So we are commanded to:

"Look to Yahweh and His strength; [and to] seek His face always" (1 Chron.16:11, NIV)

We are currently in the traditional Days of Repentance known as Teshuvah because this time of the year, in the autumn (fall), is supposed to be a serious time of introspection and getting right with Yahweh before what for Yahweh's people is a Day of Weighing - a Day of Judgment at Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements). The last of these days, between today and Yom haKippurim, are called the Days of Awe or Yammim Nora'im because of what the period of time represents. Will not the qodeshim (saints, set-apart ones) be in awe, knowing Yah'shua (Jesus) will be physically and spiritually present in glory in just over a week?! This is our last chance this year, as a family and as a spiritual community, to get this last year's sins far away, of our souls, so as to remove any and every impediment to the simcha (joy) of a blessed communion with Yahweh at Sukkot - the Feast of Tabernacles - which starts on the second sabbath of this the 7th month.

When we accept Yah'shua (Jesus) as our Master (Lord) and Deliverer (Saviour) and submit to His Kingdom rule through becoming Sons and Daughters of Covenant through compliance with the ordianances such as the divine moedim or appointments, like these autumnal festivals each year, we are giving Him permission to do whatever it takes in our lives, through stirring or shaking, for us to get right with Him.

Those of you who own chickens, have owned chickens or know something about chickens are aware that one way they keep clean is to take 'dust baths'. They make a nest in the dry earth and then shake up a dust storm with their wings, the purpose of which is to get soil particles inbetween all their feathers and onto their skin beneath. They literally cover themselves. These irritate and/or suffocate pests and bugs living in their feathers or close to their skin causing the parasites to let go. Then, when they get up, the chickens have a massive shake down, releasing another cloud of dust into the air. For them it's a bit like taking a shower or having a good airing and must make them feel good afterwards. It stops them from contracting skin diseases and getting ill in other ways.

The Season of Teshuvah is our spiritual shake-up and shake-down time. This is the time, if we are wise, that we give Yahweh permission to agitate our flesh with a view to exposing and getting rid of persistent, clingy sin-areas in our lives. How Yahweh shakes us up may vary from person to person but may come in the form of being assailed by bizzare thoughts and feelings and of having equally bizzare dreams. It may come in physical ways too. During this time of 'exposure' we are given the opportunity to renounce and forsake sin-areas that may have been clinging on in the depths of our unconscience, perhaps stemming from really old sins from many years back. To be ready and worthy to receive a visitation of Messiah, whether in the actual Second Coming, or as a special spiritual manifestation now to give us needed assurance, comfort and - importantly now - marching orders, means spending set-apart time such as days like these in seeking Yahweh's face to know His will and to get a thorough cleansing.

Yesterday we were studying the life of the famous American evangelist, Dwight L.Moody, and one way Yahweh got his attention, giving Him the davar (word) or revelation that he had been seeking for his ongoing life, was to cause his thus-far life's work in the form of various buildings to be burned to the ground in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. It was drastic, to be sure, and sometimes we need drastic events to intervene in our lives to make sure we go in the right direction. It got Moody out of Chicago. On another occasion, after he had embarked on a successful career as a missionary, when he was planning to retire, Yahweh had to once again intervene most dramatically by causing a ship he was sailing across the Atlantic Ocean in to catch fire and start sinking. He learned that Servants of Elohim (God) don't 'retire' - they serve until He takes them home. There are no 'emeritus' posts in the 'club'.

Yahweh is no snowflake and He doesn't pussy-foot around with His people. You should know that much by now, a reason this self-entitled, spoiled, self-occipied, bad-tempered, sometimes violent and whiney generation will never come to know Him until they have been shaken to their very foundations. It's going to be tough for them. This is a reason why Chicago Fires and the like are sometimes permitted in our lives to wake us up and get us going if we are resisting His call.

Yes, we most certainly do need to hear Him, like Elijah, through the "still, small voice" (1 Ki.19:12, NIV), requiring some solitude, fasting, prayer and spiritual sensitivity. But that's not the only way he calls, which is what this particular festival is in part supposed to remind us of. He also makes the world shake violently. He did so in Moses' day and He will do so again in ours. In fact, He has done it throughout history. We meet Him between two poles of experience, the still, small voice and the trumpet-blasting and shouting of Shavu'ot and Yom Teruah, and in multiple combinations and volumes inbetween. He shouts to the dull-of-hearing and to the deaf, and whispers to those who are listening attentively. Sometimes He puts His arms around you, at other times He takes you by the scruff of the neck and shakes you until your head is lolling. Does the method really matter in the long run...so long as you are saved? It really shouldn't matter to you. The wise invest time fasting and praying. He only uses the method you force Him to use to get through to you.

Your life is an awesome thing. Don't waste it or abuse it. Your life can be a marvelous blessing if you will respect Yahweh's wishes for it and just yield to your calling. Otherwise it will be like moving from one whirlwind to the next. And your calling will being you deep satisfaction and happiness! It's not so complicated and it's not really hard unless you have acquired an unhealthy appetite for, and love of, the things of the flesh. Then you're in for a major battle until you have overcome that taskmaster. Please, overcome now, rather than later. Get the junk out of the way so you can enjoy the Divine Rollercoaster!

We struggle with divers sorts of desires but not many check in with Headquarters as often as they should to find out what are kosher (pure) and what are not, and even less whether the kosher ones are actually a part of Yahweh's Plan for you right now or not. Not everything that is lawful is expedient or beneficial to the moment. The particularly stubborn and foolish believer refuses to even listen to Yahweh in case he gets an answer he doesn't want to hear and yet a primary motive for listening to Elohim (God) is surely for our own protection.

Yahweh's voice is given to us to warn us when we are about to do something unwise or to commit a sin. Yahweh's view is comprehensive unlike ours which is really very limited indeed. This is why we must come to learn to listen to His voice as a matter of habit and not simply as a last resort. When we're doing that, He doesn't need to shout and so you can have a relaxed conversation. But when we refuse to listen, we not only make ourselves vulnerable to the many destructive forces in our world but we also make it hard to hear Him above the commotion of the flesh and in our distress.

Yahweh summonses us at this time of the year to devote time especially for serious conversation with Him. Years before I knew about the Torah or the festivals, Yahweh laid it on my heart to set aside the month of September to find quiet time with Him and fast in whatever areas of my life that needed stilling. And, as it happens, the autumn (fall) festivals usually occur in September. It's also the time the Enemy gets very busy with his own devilish mischief, through the satanic covens principally but also in public affairs, making it even more imperative to draw the blood-covering over and around ourselves so that we can hear Yahweh's Voice crisply and clearly, unimpeeded by Satan's commotion-making.

It is particularly important to set aside time with Yahweh when our daily tasks seem dull or tedious so that we can identify the purpose and importance of our work so that He can breathe new life into it. I know people find it depressing to go back to work after the summer vaccation period, particularly here in the northern hemisphere as the warm sunny days give way to the rains and colder weather.

This is a good time of the year to take a spiritual inventory - to take a focussed look at our possessions, relationships, spiritual condition, use of time, goals and the like. As we review these we can organise our time better in serving Yahweh more effectively and thus prevent the boredome that often accompanies those tedious tasks that all of us must undertake.

Above all, this is the time to recultivate gratitude. Cicero said that gratitude was the highest virtue because out of it come all the other virtues. He was right. It is good to take stock and give thanks for all that we have, no matter what adversity we may be surrounded by. Gratitude is a sure bridge to Yahweh. He loves it and so do we when it is given to us. Express it more often, both to Elohim (God) and to one another. Start with your salvation! And if you haven't yet had an existential experience of His salvation, now might be a good time to sincerely ask for one. We all need to know His ahavah (love) for us.

Above all, at this time of great trouble in the world, it is important that you keep your head and don't go following the many deceived teachers and preachers out there. A lot of hype is being made about 23 September, in three day's time. These tongue-waggers, whose minds are darkened, are saying all sorts of foolish things based on some supposed alignment of stars and planets. Some are saying, get ready for rapture, others for the Great Tribulation, others for the Second coming, and others are telling people to move to Petra in Jordan because angels are due to turn turn up to seal them. It's all lies and delusion.

This is not the time of the Gathering of Israel, this is only about the fourth year of the final 40 year-long Exodus, and so much more has to happen before our Messiah returns, foremost of which is the burning out of all the junk in people's minds, hearts anf flesh. The Body of Messiah is currently in one unholy mess and many more years will be needed to get the Remnant into shape. Now's the time to make a serious start individually and in your families.

We have yet to go through the worst violence of a Third World War but even that is nothing compared to what's coming afterwards. This world has yet to return to the kind of global violence and anarchy that prevailed in the days before the Great Flood. We're certainly rushing headlong into it, with no turning back, but the world has yet to be flooded and menaced with nefilim or giants again. We have yet to be given the keys and tools to deal with them, but they are on their way. I know you probably don't want to hear all of this but you have to because there is still so much unbelief about it that has to be overcome and so much preparation that must be made.

Let me end on a word of encouragement because great things await the truly surrendered sons and daughters of Elohim (God). No matter what happens - and the changes that are coming are going to be gargantuan - Yahweh is with His people and these are the things He has promised that you may rely on:

"But now, this is what Yahweh says -
He who created you, O Jacob,
He who formed you, O Israel:
'Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am Yahweh, your Elohim (God),
the Qadosh (Holy, Set-Apart) One of Israel, your Saviour;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.
Since you are precious and honoured in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.
Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'
and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'
Bring My sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth -
everyone who is called by My name,
whom I created for My glory,
whom I formed and made'" (Isa 43:1-7, NIV)