Pray for Israel. Daily.

We pray daily for our friends in Jerusalem and all of

Israel, whether "in season or out".

As believers in Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach), 

we lift up our brethren, as fathers in the faith.

The Jewish people have been, and are being used 
by the Lord (Adonai) to show His love and purposes for all people in all nations. We are wise to take heed. 

Steve Martin

I use the above pictured proclamation card in my daily prayer time, from Derek Prince Ministries.You can get a copy for your prayer time (in black and white), if you write to me using the address below.

Blessed are those who pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Blessed are those who bless the Jews, even as Scriptures states in Genesis 12: 3:

"I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed." (CJB - Complete Jewish Bible)

Our love for His people is constant, unchanging, and eternal.

We share His love with ongoing support for our Messianic friends in the Promised Land, Eretz Israel. We welcome all who will join us in expressing His love.

Shalom,

Steve & Laurie Martin
Charlotte, North Carolina
USA

©2013 Steve Martin      Love For His People, Inc.  12120 Woodside Falls Rd. Pineville, NC 28134      

E-mail: loveforhispeople@gmail.com martinlighthouse@gmail.com

Facebook pages: Steve Martin  and  Love For His People       

Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople and ahavaloveletter 

Websites: http://loveforhispeople.blogspot.com         www.loveforhispeople.org

YouTube: Steve Martin (loveforhispeopleinc)

Jerusalem - the eternal capital city of Israel, 

and the King of kings and Lord of lords.

So do we Charlie Brown!

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; those who love you will be serene. PSALMS (122:6) שַׁאֲלוּ שְׁלוֹם יְרוּשָׁלִָם יִשְׁלָיוּ אֹהֲבָיִךְ תהילים קכ''ב:ו Sha-ah-LOO she-LOME Ye-roo-sha-la-YEEM yeesh-la-YOO oh-ha-va-YEEKH

God’s Wakeup Call (Rosh Hashana preparation)

God’s Wakeup Call

Posted on August 9, 2013 by Rabbi Moshe Rothchild in Blog, Weekly Message

On the first day of the Hebrew month of Elul (this past Wednesday),  Jews around the world began blowing the shofar (ram’s horn) in anticipation of Rosh Hashanah which will be celebrated in one month. What is the source of this custom?

Jewish tradition tells us that when Moses climbed Mt. Sinai for a second time after the sin of the Golden Calf, he was accompanied by the sounding of the shofar. Moses ascended to beg for forgiveness for the Jewish people and to receive the second set of tablets. All of this happened on the first day of Elul hence we mark the beginning of God’s forgiveness of the Jewish people by blowing the shofar. We will do so every day until Rosh Hashana.

For the Jewish people this forty day period beginning today and extending to Yom Kippur is a time that has been designated for forgiveness. We do our best to repair our relationship with God and with people. We cannot ask God to forgive us for offenses committed against other people—we must reconcile directly with them.

How did the shofar come to be such a powerful symbol?

Abraham is instructed by God to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. In perhaps the most dramatic moment in human history God tells Abraham to stop just as he is about to plunge the knife in to the neck of Isaac. God teaches us that we are to live for Him and not give up our lives to honor Him. Abraham looks up and caught in the thicket is a ram. Abraham takes the ram and offers him to God as a replacement for Isaac. Abraham has passed the test and demonstrated the depth of his commitment and loyalty to God and at the same time is taught a powerful lesson about life.

The ram’s horn recalls this incredible act of Abraham reminding us of his faith in order to inspire us to higher levels of faith and commitment. We sound the shofar and we are brought back to the great moment where Abraham, the great knight of faith, instructs us.

Another imagery that we find in Jewish literature is the shofar as a kind of spiritual alarm clock. When a person is physically asleep and needs to be up to go to school or work, they set an alarm clock. When a person is spiritually asleep he listens to the sound of the shofar. It is a wakeup call that reminds us not to sleep away our lives in a spiritual slumber. We must arouse ourselves and awaken our souls to God.

Others suggest that the sounds that emanate from the shofar represent the deepest cry of the human being. Crying transcends words. Words can only reach so far but a cry from the soul can open all doors of heaven. Sometimes we simply do not have the words to express ourselves so we cry to God to express the inner emotions and thoughts of our hearts in a way that can never be achieved through the spoken word. This is what the shofar is. Its sounds reach down in to the soul of man and reach up to the highest places in heaven.

The shofar reminds us of Abraham, it is a wakeup call and it is a cry from the depths of our soul.

Finally, the shofar is mentioned everyday three times a day in Jewish prayer. “Sound the great shofar for our freedom…and gather us in from the four corners of the world.” The shofar is the instrument that will announce the redemption.  It will begin an era where the whole world will recognize God and live in peace. Let us pray that we are blessed to hear the sounding of the great shofar!

Editor's note: I added the following photos (just because I love photos!)  Steve Martin

James Goll - "Making Adjustments"

James Goll

---

Making Adjustments Posted: 08 Aug 2013 01:50 PM PDT In this season of my life, the Holy Spirit has simply stated let go. This season has been a long one and we are not the ones who get to determine “what the directives are” or “how long a season lasts.” He simply wants me to simplify. I am sure you can relate to that. JUST LET GO! In the past year plus, I have “let go” of the EN Alliance, EN Community, commissioning of leaders, let go of all staff buildings, released Compassion Acts to Mark Roye to be its own ministry, sold my family farm, lighting my writing and publishing load, and many other things. Even my last kid got married and moved out!  So the Lord is helping me to go lighter and unburden myself. I continue to work on Health Adjustments and have progress that still needs made in that area. These things are all necessary for me to get repositioned before the Lord for whatever is next in life and ministry. Now “letting go” does not mean I am retiring or quitting – just empowering others and letting some things fall like a seed into the ground. COMMUNICATIONS APPROACH This will be my last posting on my blog for this period of time. Perhaps down the road I will do a Blog connected with Prayer Storm or On the Road with James W. Goll. But that time is not now.  Right now I am letting go of some of my social networking tools and going to major on the ones that are presently fruitful. If you want to receive my weekly FREE MP3 messages and my teachings on prayer, the presence of God and revelatory things, then please go to my main web site at www.encountersnetwork.com and sign up in the upper right hand corner. I will continue my twitter account and my facebook fan page. I will also maintain a presence on You Tube and God Tube while letting some of my other social networking outlets go for now. Please visit my FREE resource section of my web site under the Communications Tab for EN Media. There are scores of free audio and video messages there on demand. I also carry a presence on XP Media and other sources.  But this will be my last BLOG for this period of time. I hope you will sign up for my Free messages at www.encountersnetwork.com andwww.prayerstorm.com as well. Also remember my new online school at www.GETeSchool.com. It is a great tool for mentoring! Thanks for hanging in there with me! God Bless Each of You! James W. Goll Follow @JamesGoll Editor's Note: I have known James (even when he was Jim!), since the late 1990's. He was a speaker and prophetic minister at several Mahesh Chavda Ministries conferences we had. I appreciate all his books (I have them all!), and especially for him being instrumental in teaching the nations, including myself, about the Lord's heart for Israel. Carry on JAMES!  Steve Martin

'A new spirit' among Israeli Arab Christians - ISRAEL TODAY

'A new spirit' among Israeli Arab Christians

Thursday, August 08, 2013 |  Ryan Jones  Israel Today

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Christians

Israeli Vice Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz last month declared that a "new spirit" had taken hold in the Israeli Arab Christian community after meeting with a group of young Arabic-speaking Christians determined to be a part of and to serve the Jewish state.

"Civil courage is a very important thing," Mofaz told Israel's Channel 2 News. For decades Israel's Christian community were too cowed by their Muslim neighbors to openly stand with Israel. "The Christian population is very special," and it is great to see them opening up like this, Mofaz continued.

The minister and leader of the Kadima Party made his remarks following a personal visit to the home of Nazareth-area priest Gabriel Nadaf, who has been actively encouraging young local Christians to join the Israeli army and fully integrate with Israeli society.

During the visit, Mofaz met Regda Jerisi, a young Christian woman who has become outspoken in her intention to voluntarily defend the Jewish state, and has even publicly taken to task hostile Arab Knesset members who dare to speak in her name.

"I am proud of this position, because I feel that I am a part of the nation, I am Israeli, and with God's help, after I marry, my children will also join the IDF," Jerisi said in an interview with an Arabic newspaper.

Taking aim at Israeli Arab Knesset members who constantly attack the Jewish state, Jerisi said, "I do not understand these extremists who receive everything from the state, but can still betray her."

One Arab MK in particular, Hanan Zoabi, has been on a mission to silence Father Nadaf and put an end to his movement to bring Jews and Christians closer together.

Jerisi responded to Zoabi in an open letter that made waves in the Israeli media:

"Shalom MK Zoabi,

"My name is Regda Jerisi. I am a Christian who speaks Arabic, but not an Arab. I request with all due respect that you not state in the name of the Christians that we are 'Palestinians.'

"Listen well - we are not Palestinians. We are Israeli Christians, and our hearts and spirits are covered in blue and white [the national colors of Israel]."

In his interview, Mofaz said he was "very impressed by the character of Father Gabriel and the young people with him," in particular young Regda.

"Regda and the rest of these young people represent a new spirit in the Christian population," said Mofaz. "Regda and the young Christians are making themselves heard on this matter, and we bless them for it."

That recognition and hope of support from Mofaz and other Israeli officials is exactly what Father Nadaf had been pressing for. The priest warned that if Israel itself did not support this "new spirit," antagonists like Zoabi would ultimately be successful in squashing the movement.

Ahava Love Letter - "Rise Again" (Steve Martin)

"Rise Again"

“"Thus says the Lord God to these bones, 'Behold, I will cause breath
to enter you that you may come to life. 'I will put sinews 
on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and 
put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will 
know that I am the Lord.'" (Ezekiel 37:5-6 NAS)

Dear family of friends,

Listening to singer/song writer Paul Wilbur’s “Song of Ezekiel” sure does excite my spirit. I have his latest project, “Your Great Name” (2013) in my car, and turn it up on the way during the early drive to work (full video below).

Hearing him proclaim that Israel, and I believe the Church as well, will rise again in these last days, to complete the task that was set in place from the beginning of eternity. The Lord God of Israel and the nations has a plan. Check this out.

Ezekiel 37:1-28 (NAS)

“The hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones.  He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry.  He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

And I answered, "O Lord God, You know."  Again He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.'  "Thus says the Lord God to these bones, 'Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. 'I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the Lord.'"

So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.  

Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord God, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life."'" So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.' "Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.

 "Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. "I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and done it," declares the Lord.'"

 The word of the Lord came again to me saying,  "And you, son of man, take for yourself one stick and write on it, 'For Judah and for the sons of Israel, his companions'; then take another stick and write on it, 'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions.' "Then join them for yourself one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.

 "When the sons of your people speak to you saying, 'Will you not declare to us what you mean by these?'  say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will put them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand."'

 "The sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes.  "Say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king will be king for all of them; and they will no longer be two nations and no longer be divided into two kingdoms.

"They will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them.

And they will be My people, and I will be their God. "My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances and keep My statutes and observe them.  "They will live on the land that I gave to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons and their sons' sons, forever; and David My servant will be their prince forever.

 "I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever. "My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people.

"And the nations will know that I am the Lord  who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever."'"

That day has come. In the natural, the Jewish people have, and continue to, return to the Promised Land, where they will abide for eternity. No one or nothing will stop the King of Israel from completing His plan. Not the USA White House, not the Kremlin, not the Beijing government. Not even the devil himself, try as he will.

And as the natural is being restored, so is the spiritual. The Church will be empowered to take the Gospel to the nations, in power and with a revelation of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) love for His nations. We will rise again!

Do not lose hope. Do not grow weary with despair or continue in a depressive spirit. As Bob Mumford used to say, “We have read the end of the Book, and we win!”

Ahava (love in Hebrew) to my family of friends,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA organization. Fed. ID#27-1633858. 

Please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless Israel with our humanitarian ministry. Tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation.

Go here for safe ONLINE GIFT GIVING THROUGH  OUR WEBSITE using major credit cards: www.loveforhispeople.org/support If you don't have a PayPal account you can also use your credit card or bank account (where available). 

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc.  P.O. Box 414   Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew - Thank you very much.)

Paul Wilbur - Song of Ezekiel video

 Please share this Ahava Love Letter with your friends.

E-mail: loveforhispeople@gmail.com   martinlighthouse@gmail.com

Facebook pages: Steve Martin  and  Love For His People   
   

Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople and ahavaloveletter

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Ahava Love Letter #66   “Rise Again”  ©2013 Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2013 (08/08/13 Thursday at 8 pm in Charlotte, NC)

All previous editions of Ahava Love Letter can be found on this Blog:

 http://loveforhispeople.blogspot.com   
     

Here are the last few:

The Cities (#65)

How can You Mend A Broken Heart (#64)

Anxious (#63)

Hidden (#62)

Get Back in the Boat (#61)

Need Money? (#60)

Rejected? (#59)

In Your Building – Guard Against Distractions (#58)

Connections (#57)

Your Name (#56)

Lost, But Not Forgotten Friends (#55)

4Him - THE MESSAGE (playlist) - 11 videos

"The Message". Written by Mark Harris, Brent Bourgeois and Chris Eaton. 


4Him
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

4Him


4Him plays at Lifest 2006

Background information
Origin Mobile, Alabama, United States
Genres Contemporary Christian
Occupations Singers
Instruments Voice
Years active 1990–2006
Labels Benson, Word, INO
Associated acts Truth
Website www.4him.net

Members Andy Chrisman, Mark Harris, Marty Magehee, Kirk Sullivan, Jason Barton


4Him was a Contemporary Christian group founded in 1990 in Alabama, USA. The group has a Grammy nomination, ten Dove awardsand three certified gold albums to their credit. The group was inducted into Alabama's Music Hall of Fame, following the awarding of The Governor’s Achievement Award. The group has also been featured performers for popular Christian Evangelist crusaders, Billy Graham and Louis Palau.

4Him disbanded in 2006 to pursue individual careers of ministry and music. They have released 12 studio albums which have produced 27 number one singles.

The group has made sporadic reunion appearances since 2009.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 After disbandment
2.1 Andy Chrisman
2.2 Mark Harris
2.3 Kirk Sullivan
2.4 Marty Magehee
3 Reunions
4 Discography
4.1 Other album appearances
4.2 Video
5 Major tours
6 Awards and nominations
6.1 Grammys
6.2 GMA Dove Awards
6.3 Other awards
6.4 Other honors
7 References
8 External links
History[edit source | editbeta]

Andy Chrisman, Mark Harris, Marty Magehee, and Kirk Sullivan originally met when they sang together in Truth, a Contemporary Christian vocal group founded in the late 1960s and directed by Roger Breland. Truth had a rotating roster of four male and four female vocalists. After three representatives from Benson Records attended several Truth concerts in the late 1980s during which Andy, Mark, Marty, and Kirk performed, Benson approached the quartet saying that they wanted to use the guys to create a new male four-member vocal group under the Benson label. "Where There Is Faith", their first single, stayed at No. 1 on the charts for eight weeks, two months before 4Him left Truth. Releasing their self-titled debut in 1990, they blended the traditions of Christian music's past, with modern pop production and practical lyrics. In 1995, they were featured in the Warren Chaney docudrama,America: A Call to Greatness.[1]

In 1996, with the release of The Message, 4Him changed their overall sound in an effort to keep pushing the creative limits of the group. The guys replaced the over-the-top orchestrations and choral vocal arrangements with a stripped down, acoustic band approach where one of the guys would sing lead and the other three would sing backing vocals. On 1998’s Obvious, each member took more ownership of their music – becoming more involved in the production and songwriting aspects.

By 2004, all four of the guys reevaluated the future of the ministry. After close to seventeen years together, the members of 4Him decided to embark on solo careers.[2] On September 23, 2006, they performed their final concert at Cottage Hill Baptist Church in Mobile, AL, the city where 4Him’s 17-year journey first started. At that concert, various individuals (including family members, record producers, management, and Truth founder Roger Breland) were recognized for their contributions to 4Him’s ministry.
After disbandment[edit source | editbeta]

This section of a biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (May 2013)

Andy Chrisman

Andy Chrisman released his freshman solo effort One in 2004, and is currently worship pastor at Church on the Move, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Chrisman also hosts a syndicated Sunday morning radio show. In 2008, he, along with the Church on the Move Praise Band, released Beautiful Name, a live worship CD.
Mark Harris.

In 2005, Mark Harris released The Line Between the Two and is currently worship pastor/artist-in-residence at Gateway Church in Southlake, Tx. In 2007, Harris won a GMA Dove Award in the category of Inspirational Song of the Year for "Find Your Wings". On September 25, 2007, he released his second album Windows and Walls on INO Records. On October 13, 2011, Harris released his third album Stronger In The Broken Places on Stylos Records.

Kirk Sullivan

In 2010, Kirk Sullivan released his independent solo release Timeless on his website. Timeless contains "Get Down Mountain" (previously featured on the Encore album), a new reworked arrangement of his trademark song "The Basics of Life", and a bonus track of a song recorded when he was twelve years old.

Marty Magehee

In 2008, Marty Magehee released his independent solo release Open on his website. The first single, "Eyes Wide Open", was released to Christian radio in May 2008. The album also included the song "Runaway Train", which appeared on 4Him's final CD, Encore. He is also producing albums for other artists. 2010, Magehee served as worship pastor at Harvest Bible Chapel in Denver, Colorado. Magehee is on the faculty of Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, teaching courses in Worship Band, Studio Recording, Beats and Loops, and Songwriting.

Reunions

After nearly five years apart, the quartet made their first reunion on the K-LOVE Friends and Family Cruise in January 2009.[4] A one-off concert in West Monroe, LA took place in March, and another reunion is slated on Kathy Troccoli's "KT and Friends Cruise" to Alaska in June, 2010.[5] In Spring of 2013, 4Him will perform several concerts on a tour dubbed "With One Voice" together with the group Avalon and solo Christian singer songwriter Cindy Morgan.

Discography

1990: 4Him
1991: Face the Nation
1992: The Basics of Life
1993: The Season of Love (Christmas)
1994: The Ride
1996: The Message
1998: Obvious
1999: Best Ones (compilation)
2000: Hymns: A Place of Worship
2001: Chapter One... A Decade
2001: Walk On
2003: Visible
2004: Simply 4Him
2006: Encore... For Future Generations

Other album appearances

1993: Chain of Grace, Dallas Holm (background)
1993: Faith Hope & Love, Mylon LeFevre
1995: My Utmost for His Highest (compilation), "You Are Holy"
1999: Streams (compilation), "The Only Thing I Need" (which included vocals by Jon Anderson of Yes)
2000: Pure Hymns: The John Tesh Project, featured on "How Great Thou Art"

Video
1991: Face the Nation
1993: The Basics of Life
1995: The Ride Comes Alive
1996: The Message in the Making
2006: Encore (from the Encore Farewell Tour, recorded at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA)

Major tours
1994: The Ride Tour, featuring Kathy Troccoli, Clay Crosse, Greg Long and Steve Geyer
1995/96: The Young Messiah Tour (Christmas)
1997: Co-headlined tour with Point of Grace
1998: Headlined 1998 Spring Tour, featuring Big Tent Revival and Jeni Vernadeau
1998: Headlined tour with special guest Jaci Velásquez featuring Michelle Tumes
2000: Child of the Promise Tour, with Steven Curtis Chapman, Twila Paris, and more
2002: "4Guys And A Fruitcake" Christmas Tour with Chonda Pierce
2003: World Vision 2003 Spring Tour
2006: Encore Farewell Tour

Awards and nominations

Grammys
1997: Grammy nomination – Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for The Message

GMA Dove Awards
1991: Best New Artist of the Year
1993: Group of the Year
1993: Inspiration Album of the Year for Generation to Generation
1994: Group of the Year
1994: Inspirational Album of the Year For The Season of Love
1995: Group of the Year
1998: Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year for "Center of the Mark"
2003: Nomination for Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year

Other awards
1990: CRR (Christian Research Report) Reporter Poll – Best New Artist
1991: CRR (Christian Research Report) – Best Group
1992: CRR (Christian Research Report) – Best Group
1993: CBA Impact Award – Total Promotional Campaign, Music: The Basics of Life
1994: CCM Magazine – Song of the Year: "For Future Generations"
1995: American Songwriter – Christian Artist of the Year
1996: CCM Readers' Poll – Favorite Long Form Video: The Ride Comes Alive

Other honors
RIAA Certified Gold Album – The Basics of Life (1996)
Featured performers with the Louis Palau crusade and the Billy Graham crusade
Performed at "Sold Out 1998" Promise Keepers conference the day before the Super Bowl
Co-host of the 1998 NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) Bobby Clampett/4Him Pro-Am Classic Golf Tournament, and have co-hosted every year since
The song "Ride of Life" was featured in chiptune form on a NES game by Wisdom Tree, on a cartridge which included their game Sunday Funday

The Jewish Calendar - Holidays

The Jewish Calendar

BY STEPHEN J. EINSTEIN AND LYDIA KUKOFF

Jews often say: "The holidays are late this year" or "The holidays are early this year." In fact, the holidays never are early or late; they are always on time, according to the Jewish calendar.

Unlike the Gregorian (civil) calendar, which is based on the sun (solar), the Jewish calendar is based primarily on the moon (lunar), with periodic adjustments made to account for the differences between the solar and lunar cycles. 

Therefore, the Jewish calendar might be described as both solar and lunar. The moon takes an average of twenty-nine and one-half days to complete its cycle; twelve lunar months equal 354 days. A solar year is 365 1/4 days. 

There is a difference of eleven days per year. To ensure that the Jewish holidays always fall in the proper season, an extra month is added to the Hebrew calendar seven times out of every nineteen years. 

If this were not done, the fall harvest festival of Sukkot, for instance, would sometimes be celebrated in the summer, or the spring holiday of Passover would sometimes occur in the winter.

Jewish days are reckoned from sunset to sunset rather than from dawn or midnight. The basis for this is biblical. In the story of Creation (Genesis 1), each day concludes with the phrase: "And there was evening and there was morning. . ." 

Since evening is mentioned first, the ancient rabbis concluded that in a day evening precedes morning.

The list of the Hebrew months (below) and the holidays that occur during these months also indicates the corresponding secular months.



For the counting of months, Nisan--the month that begins spring--is considered the first. However, the Jewishyear is reckoned from the month of Tishri--the month that begins autumn. This would seem to be the superimposition of one calendar system upon another, which took place during the Babylonian Exile (sixth pre-Christian century).

According to Jewish tradition, history is reckoned from the time of Creation; Jewish years, therefore, are numbered from then. For instance, Israel declared its independence on 5 Iyar 5708 (corresponding to May 14, 1948). The year 5708 (and every Jewish year) was figured by commencing the count from the beginning of Genesis.

Christian custom has been to divide history into two periods: before the time of Jesus (called B.C. = before Christ) and after Jesus' birth (called A.D. = anno Domini = in the year of the Lord). Jewish books generally refer to these periods as B.C.E. (before the common era) and C.E. (of the common era).

The subject of the calendar is rather complex. We have, therefore, touched only its broadest outlines.

Taken from: http://www.reformjudaism.org/jewish-calendar

Zola Levitt TV - "Righteous Gentiles" Ride Again

Reconstruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem

This seven minute video is a great overview of the planning going on today for the reconstruction of the Holy Temple (HaBay'eet or The House in Hebrew) in Jerusalem.  As you can see, most of the furniture and accouterments of the Temple (the golden menorrah; the table of showbread, the arc of the covenant, the priestly garments, etc.) have already been completed.

What I find particularly fascinating is that both Jews and Christians have an increased sense that the coming of Mashiach (Messiah) is near.  I don't think this is a random coincidence.  The Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit) is speaking to His people, Jew and Gentile alike) that His appearing will be soon; or as the Jewish people say, "speedily, and in our day".

Shalom,

~Bill Duerfeldt