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Dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus, part of the growing repentance remnant, members of His flock, of which Jesus is the Shepherd (John 10:16), Jesus being the first to preach His gift of repentance (Matthew 4:17), now calling on each of us also to preach repentance (Luke 24:47).
As we come into the Feast of Tabernacles each day joy is commanded: Leviticus 23:40: "And you shall take of yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall REJOICE before the Lord your God for seven days."
The joy is appropriate because of our earlier repentance, turning back to God.
There is another Truth, for Jew and Gentile today, members of His Flock (John 10:16).
This Feast points us to Heaven. The temporary booths with branches allow sun and moonlight to come in, reminiscent of the Lord leading His Chosen People by the heavens: "And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people." (Exodus 13:21,22).
This manifestation of God's guiding Presence is now found throughout the New Covenant, not just in the priceless gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit given to true disciples, but in our designation as His disciples as "citizens of heaven."
The Holy Spirit, speaking through Paul to the Philippians tells us today: " For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:20). This is confirmed also in Ephesians 2:4-7: " But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) , and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."
The manifestation of God's guiding Presence is prophesied in Psalm 16:11: " You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
With all the shaking going on (Hebrews 12:25-29) you and I are being trained to be strong and bold for Christ for the Millennium and for eternity. It's all about His Love, and our thankfulness and obedience to His guidance--- in the desert, in temporary shelters open to the heavens, in the trials of this life.
As we grow in His holiness as His Bride, as overcomers, His Presence will be more than a cloud by day and fire by night; He will dwell with us, for eternity: " Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
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Yeshua/ Jesus appeared on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles: "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." (John 7:37-39).
So today, you and I, we who have sincerely repented and are disciples of Jesus, now in His Kingdom, with the Presence of His indwelling Holy Spirit, can each day be channels of spiritual refreshment for others, moving in the ever-flowing fullness of the Holy Spirit-filled life.
Please join me in this prayer: " Heavenly Father, in Jesus' Holy Name, Thank You for Your Presence in my life. Help me be a channel each day of spiritual refreshment to others. Help me receive Your Presence in my mind and heart today. Thank You for Your faithfulness, Lord. Help me take higher ground, all for Your Glory. In Jesus' Holy Name, Amen and Amen."
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