CHARISMATICA » Biblical Calendar

Dueling Prayers: Changing the Spiritual Climate of America

Michael — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 06:23:16 +0000

(Muslims Praying in Washington DC -by talkradionews via Flickr)

There is a lot of praying going on in America lately. Last week 60,000 or so showed up in New York’s Time square to pray for America. Also 2 million or so students showed up at the flag poles at their schools to pray.

Then last Friday 3,500 Muslims showed up at the Capitol to ‘pray for the soul of America’ while probably hundreds of thousands of Christians were recruited to pray for the Muslims. It was sort of like ‘dueling prayers’ over the future of America.

I don’t believe that any of this is by accident.

I know that many Intercessors across the land have been particularly inspired lately to pray for America like they never have before. In my own home church Pastor Mike asked congregation and the leaders to pray and fast from sundown Sunday through sundown Monday evening (which significantly was on Yom Kippur) for the future of America, for the church and the ministries, and particularly for our area and for revival.

We are beginning a new year on the Biblical calendar and the spiritual climate of America seems to be up for grabs. It really is a time to pray in earnest for the future of America and for the American church.

Re: Yom Kippur- The Biblical Day of Atonement

Michael — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:35:03 +0000

(Yom Kippur service -runneralan2004 via Flickr)

Today is Yom Kippur –the Biblical Day of Atonement—actually it began yesterday evening at sundown on Sunday September 27 and ends at sundown today –Monday September 28.

Most associate it with being a Jewish holiday and that it is—the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. A day when Jewish folk fast & pray and take a look at their lives-particularly the last year and commit themselves to do better—they seek forgiveness for sins committed against others (beforehand) and against God. Traditionally it is also the day when God decides the fate of each human being over the next year.

You might ask—What does that have to do with Christians?

In one respect, what Jewish folk do on this day should be an on-going process for Christians-we should always be seeking to reconcile ourselves to those around us and we should continually be asking for forgiveness from our Heavenly Father in the name of His Son Jesus.

However, it is always good to recognize that today is a special day on God’s Biblical calendar. While we may not want to celebrate the special days like Jewish families do, there are still important Biblical principles to be learned and observed non-the-less.

I know quite a few prophetic ministers who take this day in particular very serious and usually spend it in prayer and fasting—believing that it is a time of evaluation—a time when ministries are pruned or expanded.

In my own life, most of the significant changes having to do with ministry seem to always happen this time of the year.

Blessings, Michael *Top

Yom Kippur: The Biblical ‘Day of Atonement’

Michael — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 14:46:10 +0000

Today, October 2, 2006, is a special day on the Biblical calendar-named Yom Kippur, or in English-’The Day of Atonement’. It is the most important holy day of the year for Jews. It is day when Jewish folk consider their sins, ask for forgiveness and look for ways to make amends in the year to come. Many wear white shirts or clothes on this day to symbolize purity and to acknowledge the Biblical promise that sins will be made white as snow. Observances traditionally held in synagogues or temples, end with the blowing of the shofar.

While Christians do not traditionally recognize the special days or events in the Biblical (Jewish) calendar, ‘Messianic’ Christians do, and many others are enriched by the symbols, and find significance in the times and seasons that are represented. The Lord’s Supper and The Resurrection cannot be completely separated from ‘The Passover’, and the ‘Day of Pentecost’ is one Biblical/Jewish day still recognized in the church calendar.

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