Remember this Day!

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REMEMBER THIS DAY!

(Passover, the 14th of Nisan, beginning this year at sundown, April 14, 2014)

 

“Remember this day.” (Moses to Israel, Exodus 13:3)

“Do this in remembrance of me.” (Jesus to His disciples, Luke 22:19)

Passover is one of “the Lord’s appointed feasts” (Leviticus 23:4) for all of God’s children, feasts that still have profound prophetic implications for us.  Before you begin the meal, go outside and look at the full moon.  The 14th day of the biblical month of Nisan (also called “Aviv”), is always a full moon, always a light in the sky.  This Passover is the first of four consecutive “blood moons” on Passover and Tabernacles during this year and next.

 

Some may want to enjoy the  “Seder” (meaning “order) with a “Haggadah” (meaning “the telling”), but Scripture, remembrance, and freedom in the Spirit are more important than style.  This day is the most important anniversary date on God’s calendar, a remembering of Israel’s release from centuries of slavery, but also the anniversary of the Lamb of God, Yeshua’s execution – followed three days later by His resurrection.

 

Begin with the “woman of the house” reciting the following prayer as candles are lighted.

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Kings of the universe, 

Who has delivered us from slavery and brought us into freedom through the Lamb of God,

Jesus/Yeshua, the Light of the world.  We honor You, O God, in the lighting of these festive candles.  Amen 

 

Read aloud or tell the story of Passover night from Exodus 12.  (Abbreviated version – 12:1-14, 21-42)

Read or tell the story of Jesus as reflected in John 1:29; Luke 22:14-20; 1 Corinthians 5:7-8; 11:23-26

Like the annual Passover lambs, Yeshua was chosen on the 10th day of Nisan, examined for four days to be sure He was flawless. Pilate had the last word: “I have examined him… and have found no basis for your charges” (Luke 23:14). In other words, “He is a Perfect Lamb, ready to be killed.”

 

On traditional Passover tables: a lamb bone (you may want to serve lamb), “bitter herbs” (horse radish, also parsley to be dipped in salt water to remember the tears and suffering), “charoset” (a mixture of apples, nuts, & sweet wine) to remind us of sweetness & hope even in the midst of suffering, unleavened bread and wine.

Take the wine!  Blessed are you O Lord our God, King of the universe, who created the fruit of the vine! And

who took the Passover wine and said, “This is my blood of the new covenant.” 

(In the traditional celebration, there are four cups: 1) sanctification-cleansing, often accompanied by a ceremonial washing of the hands; 2) suffering-slavery/plagues; 3) redemption-freedom 4) praise-restoration. We may want to remember all four as we take the wine.)

Take the bread!  Blessed are you O Lord our God, King of the universe, who brought forth bread from the earth

and from heaven (There are traditionally three “Matzah,” the center Matzah broken and hidden to be discovered at the end of the meal – for believers this tradition points to Jesus, who was broken, hidden and revealed)

 

Eat together!  Enjoy the meal! Remember!  Rejoice!

During the meal, lead conversations about

our own deliverance from slavery and bondage into the joy and freedom in Messiah

what it means to be “saved by the blood” of the Lamb, passed over by death

anything else the Holy Spirit stirs in you as you share the evening together

 

Some time during the evening read: “Remember This Day”  (below)

 

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.

Impress them on your children.

Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road,

when you lie down and when you get up.”

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

 

 

“Remember this day!”

Passover – 14th Nisan

 

 

On this day, 3500 years ago, lambs were slaughtered throughout Goshen in Egypt.

Hyssop brushes stroked Jewish doorposts with lamb’s blood.

The children of Israel met quietly,

sequestered behind their bloodstained doors,

waiting to be delivered from 400 years of slavery.

 

On this night, 3500 years ago, the Lord went through the land looking for blood on doorposts.

There was a great deliverance, a pass-over.

Firstborn sons were slain in houses where there was no blood.

Wailing and mourning was heard when judgment came in Egypt.

 

On this night, 3500 years ago, freedom was proclaimed in Israel.

Firstborn sons of believing Israel were spared through the blood of the lamb.

The lamb’s blood painted on doorposts brought freedom.

The wealth of Egypt became the wealth of Israel.

Shouts of joy were heard as Moses led Israel out of Egypt.

 

On this night 3500 yeas ago, the exodus from Egypt came suddenly.

For 3500 years believers in God have remembered this night.

 

On this day, 2000 years ago, another Lamb was slain.

Human hearts were stroked with Lamb’s blood and freed from centuries of slavery.

 

On this day, 2000 years ago, the Lord began to look for Lamb’s blood on doorposts of hearts.

There was a great deliverance—a passing over.

 

On this day, 2000 years ago, wealth was restored to the sons of Adam,

Another Moses led another Israel out of another Egypt.

 

On this day, 2000 years ago, Lamb’s blood on the doorposts of hearts brought freedom.

Today…Lamb’s blood is still found on human hearts.

Deliverance is found behind a blood-stained door.

If the doorpost of your heart is stained with Lamb’s blood, have a glorious Passover season.

If not, grab quickly the hyssop and look for the Lamb’s blood.

The exodus will come suddenly and we will be ushered into a whole new glorious future.

The slain Lamb has risen and will return as King of kings and Lord of lords!

 

Blessings!

Don Finto

 

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#LifeVerse 5

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#LifeVerse 5: “The LORD said to Moses, ‘This applies to the Levites. Men twenty-five years old or more shall come to take part in the work at the Tent of Meeting, but at the age of fifty, they must retire from their regular service and work no longer. They may assist their brothers in performing the duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves must not do the work. This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites” (Numbers 8:24-25).

 

This is a life-changing verse for some of us who are “maturing!”

Don’t get too carried away with the word “retire!” You notice that these 50 year olds still “assist” their brothers in performing the duties! This is an intergenerational scripture. The important message is not as much about chronology as it is life-purpose. God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is a God of the generations, and wants us always to be interested in raising up the next generations. There should come a time in our lives when we are more passionate about the next generations than in our own personal performance.

In Bob Buford’s book called Half Time, he suggests that in the first part of our lives we are concerned with success, but then, like half-time in a ball game, we become more interested in significance than in personal success. We want to finish the game well.

Who are the younger men and women around you who need to be encouraged and assisted into the fullness of their destiny? (Even if you are only in your 20s or even teens, there are those younger whom you impact with who you are.)

 

Blessings,

Don Finto

 

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A Cheerful Heart is Good Medicine

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“A cheerful heart is good medicine.”  Proverbs 17:22

Let me give you a nice “holy land laugh!”

When Tod and I arrived (with Micah and Steve Allen), our phones were not working, because of a new ruling about foreigners’ telephone accounts in Israel. So we had to wait to get new Sim cards for the phones. As a result we could not get in touch with friends,nor they with us. On the day I got my phone updated, I sent out a short email to let some of our friends know that we were in the country for a few days.

The note I thought I wrote was very simple. “Tod and I in the country until Saturday. We had to get new numbers. Mine is …; his is….”

Just as I pushed the send button, I noticed that Spell Check had changed “Tod” to “God,” reading “God and I in the country until Saturday. We had to get new numbers. Mine is … his is…”

It was late at night; I had blind-copied everyone, so I could not even remember who all I sent it to, so I simply thought, “Oh, well,” and laughed myself to sleep, in anticipation of the emails I would get the next day!

Here is a sample:

From John and Una Gere, Wow! Can we give out God’s phone number to anyone, or is private!!!!!   I remember His old number was JER333 (call unto Me and I will answer thee…..)

Gabriel Leonhard: I’m so glad that you brought God with you!  🙂 and Micah too…

Shira Sorko_Ram: Dear Don, I have ALWAYS wanted God’s direct line!  Thanks for His and for yours!

Israel Pochtar: Wow… amazing to hear you’re here in the land with God J How did you get his personal number?:)

Have a blessed day! And laugh a little!

Don Finto (@donfinto)

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Let There Be Light!

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Greeting in Yeshua’s name!

It is with great joy in my heart that I share this guest post with you from Tod McDowell, Co-Director of the Caleb Company.

He has a heart of gold and a deep desire in his heart to see Israel and the nations transformed by the glory of God!

Blessings,

Don Finto

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 Let There Be Light

“When God said, “Let there be light,” He created the sun and all the other fiery planets that gave forth light.

We may forget that biblically speaking when light is referred to, the only source of light was fire. There was no electricity!

We are called to be the light of the world. And to be light we need to be ignited. We only shine God’s light when we are on fire and burning for the Lord.

John the Baptist was called a burning lamp and blazing torch and those in his day enjoyed the light exuding from him. John 5:35.

That is why in the book of Acts 2:1-3 when the disciples were infused with Holy Spirit there were white hot flames of fire over their heads. This metaphor of light that was long prophesied was manifesting in the Spirit and in the natural.

My prayer is that we would receive the fire of God through fresh outpourings of Holy Spirit.

As Matthew 25:1-10 reveals, one of the keys to burning for the long haul is to pay for jars of oil which I believe is our individual personal intimacy. We can’t get this from others, from a church or ministry, or from receiving a prayer of impartation, but rather we must pay the price of personal sacrifice and worship, and by devoting time to sitting at the feet of Yeshua.

May we be ignited by His Spirit to be burning lamps and blazing torches in our day!”

Blessings,

Tod McDowell (@todmcdowell)

“Equipping God’s people with His heart and purpose  

for Israel and the nations.”

If you would like to make a contribution, you may send by mail to:

Caleb Company, PO Box 493, Thompson Station TN 37139-0493

or by going to the Caleb website: http://calebcompany.org/give

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These Dry Bones!

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Have you read Ezekiel 37 lately?

I just prayed my way through it.

Oh, yes, there is a hint of the fulfillment when Judah returned from Babylon, but there was much more.  Ezekiel speaks of a time when the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and the southern kingdom of Judah, based in Jerusalem, will become one.

That promise is happening through the return of the Jewish people from the nations – without regard for whether they were from the northern tribes or from the southern kingdom.

But Ezekiel gave another promise. The breath (that’s the Spirit) of God will be blown into the regathered Israel.  If He can perform the miracle of bringing the Jewish nation together again after centuries of being dead, then He can perform the miracle of breathing His Spirit into Israel!

I read through the chapter and then put my hand on the book and looked up to God. “Remember what You said? I’m standing here, along with thousands of intercessors all over the world, watching to see when and how You will do this.

I trust You to fulfill Your Word!

 

Blessings,

Don Finto

 

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