by donfinto | May 30, 2014 | Uncategorized
Shavu’ot 5774
Pentecost 2014
God is into calendar!
“Remember” is a thread that runs from Genesis to Revelation. From the time God put the rainbow in the sky and told Noah, “I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant” (Gen. 9:16), to the last book of Scripture in which Jesus told the church in Sardis to “Remember…what you have received and heard; hold it fast and repent” (Rev. 3:3), God is into remembering, and encourages us to do the same.
Shavu’ot/Pentecost is the annual remembrance of the giving of the Law on Sinai and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Shavu’ot (Pentecost) following the resurrection of Jesus.
The Biblical calendar date for Shavuot falls this year on June 4. On the Christian calendar, Pentecost is Sunday, June 8. Let’s pray that we will all experience a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit – a deluge of His heart into ours!
Blessings,
Don Finto
by donfinto | Apr 10, 2014 | Uncategorized
What about those blood moons?
(with a correction regarding the meaning of a lunar eclipse)
Monday evening, April 14, 2014, is the beginning of Passover, this year, the 14th of Nisan on the biblical calendar, and the first of four consecutive blood moons on biblical feast days.
A “blood moon” occurs when there is a total lunar eclipse – the earth is positioned between the sun and the moon, the sun’s rays shine around the earth on to the moon, often turning the moon into a red hue. A total lunar eclipse can only occur with a full moon.
The potential importance of blood moons finds its origin in Genesis 1:14, God said that he had put the sun and moon in the sky “as signs to mark seasons and days and years. Later Joel prophesied and Peter affirmed, “The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (Joel 2:30-31 & Acts 2:20). Four blood moons (lunar eclipses) and two solar eclipses will take place during this year and next – all on significant biblical holidays.
On the 14th of Nisan this year (Passover, April 15 – biblical days always beginning the night before) the first blood moon will occur, the second on the 15th of Tishri (Tabernacles, October 9, 2014) of this year. Next year will bring precisely the same occurrence. A blood moon will take place on Passover, Nisan 14 (April 4, 2015) and again on the first day of Tabernacles (Tishri 15, September 28, 2015).
The last time four blood moons occurred on these feast days in two consecutive years was in 1967/1968 during the time of the Six Day War when Israel took possession of Jerusalem for the first time in many centuries.
The prior occurrence of four blood moons in consecutive years on these two feast days was in 1948/49 during the time of Israel’s War of Independence.
Before that time, we have to go back in history to 1493, the season of the Inquisition when the King and Queen of Spain were confiscating Jewish wealth, exiling or murdering Jewish people.
In the midst of these four total lunar eclipses are two solar eclipses to take place on the first day of the biblical calendar, Nisan 1 (March 21, 2015) next year, and on the first day of the civic year, Tishri 1 (September 13, 2015) next year.
Nisan 14, April 15, 2014 – Passover – “blood moon” lunar eclipse
Tishri 15, October 9, 2014 – Tabernacles – “blood moon” lunar eclipse
Nisan 1 – March 21, 2015 – beginning of the year – solar eclipse
Nisan 14, April 4, 2015 – Passover – “blood moon” lunar eclipse
Tishri 1 – September 13, 2015 – Feast of Trumpets – solar eclipse
Tishri 15 – September 28, 2015 – Tabernacles – “blood moon” lunar eclipse
(Remember biblical days begin the evening before)
What does all this mean? Is this God’s proclamation that something extraordinary is going to occur during or just prior to the multiplicity of eclipses? It would seem so, since that is what has happened in the past. Does this mean war in Israel and the Middle East? If so, will the outcome be good, as in the 1948 and 1967 conflicts? Or is greater hardship indicated as in 1493? We cannot know.
Some suggest this could mean the rapture of the church prior to the great tribulation, but I find no biblical proof that we escape tribulation, and Paul tells us that the antichrist will precede Jesus’ return? Do we escape the wrath of God? Yes (See Romans 5:9), but we are continually warned to prepare for hard times, (See, for example, John 16:33 and Acts 14:22, both of which use the Greek word sometimes translated “tribulation”).
So what are we to do? Keep walking strong, pray for victory for all of God’s people, and that millions will come into the kingdom both from Israel and the Jewish people, as well as the nations. Surrender to Jesus! Listen to and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit! Worship! Share the good news! Be prepared to stand strong whatever may come. We have the assurance that in the end all is well.
Blessings!
Don Finto
by donfinto | Apr 6, 2014 | Uncategorized
Life Verse #10: “The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace” [Romans 8:6].
I have these dialogues with the Lord – I hope you do – often when I am reading Scripture.
One day I was reading this verse from Romans, and the Lord called me to pause and ponder – mind controlled by the Spirit.
As I pondered, the Lord seemed to say, “You are trying to live in the spirit controlled by the mind. It’s the other way around. Yes, use your mind to its fullest, but I am not asking you to be controlled by your mind, nor your emotions, but by my Spirit. My spirit in you, when controlled by your mind, will not bring life, but your mind, when controlled by my Spirit that lives within you, will produce life and peace.”
Be Blessed!
Don Finto
by donfinto | Apr 6, 2014 | Uncategorized
Life Verse(s) #8: “How long, O Lord?” [How long will Israel’s eyes be closed?]…“Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted, and the fields ruined and ravaged” [Isaiah 6:9-12].
The land of Israel is longer “ruined and without inhabitant.” The houses are no longer “deserted.” The fields are no longer “ruined and ravaged.” It is therefore time for eyes of Jewish people to be open to God and to their own Messiah.
Tens, even hundreds of thousands of Jewish people have come to faith in the past fifty years since Isaiah’s “until” has been fulfilled. Many of them have interesting stories of how their eyes were supernaturally opened to their Messiah.
This book with the usual black cover is very interesting! I would encourage you to read it.
Blessings!
Don Finto
by donfinto | Apr 6, 2014 | Uncategorized
Life transforming Scripture: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” [Acts 20:35].
When I was in the process of coming to faith, I began to read Scripture in a new way, believing that truth comes from every page.
If I found a verse that I could put into practice to test it and see if it indeed is true, I would try it out to find out if it worked.
This was one of the first scriptures I put to the test.
I always enjoyed receiving, but as I began to test the truthfulness of this word, I found it to be true: We are happier through our giving than through receiving.
Try it! Plan a gift for someone, then compare that to the next time you receive something, and see which “joy” lasts longer and is more satisfying.
Blessings!
Don Finto!
