Spring Forward into Newness of Life

April 16, 2017

From the teaching 'First Fruits'

So the first of the year has returned and we are in the beginnings of the Spring Feast Season.  Lots of cleaning, cooking, and examining going on in my household.  For me Spring was always a joyful time of year as I thawed out from cold winters to enjoy the beauty of YeHoVaH's creation up close and personal.  Like new beginnings and now through observing Passover, I'm reminded of my new beginning in Messiah.  My deliverance from the penalty of sin if I abide in the Holy One. So as I cleaned the leaven from my home last week, I was reminded about the challenge it is everyday to abide in Him.  As long as we live in flesh and blood, it must be subjected to the will of the Father.  Many say that Unleavened Bread is a time to get leaven or sin out of our lives and I sincerely hope people are not waiting to deal with sin until a specific date on the calendar.   Leaven is used in various contexts in Scripture; Matthew 16:6 and Matthew 13:33 are a couple of examples.  The usage in relation to the Feast of Unleavened Bread definitely shows that leaven is something that is not desirable for seven days.  But if leaven represents sin, then why is it not totally forbidden instead of being prohibited for seven days?  I'm not sure. 

Bread was even more of a staple for ancient people than it is for us.  So the making of bread without allowing it to rise took a bit more attention.  I assume it was a deviation from the normal course of action in bread making.  In all the Feasts, Father asks something special of us in our natural dealings.  No leaven, come up to the Temple, live in booths, afflict your soul, do not work, etc.  All of these are deviations from our daily routine.  In all of the many layers of meaning that we can gather from these Feasts, it is a time to stop, remember what He has asked of us, to pay attention to things out of the ordinary.  When we can do that, He will speak to us.  As flesh and blood creatures, we are quick to forget and fall into routines that steal us away from communing with Him.  Several years ago I attended a multilevel marketing meeting with an acquaintance and I felt as though I was at a cult convention.  People were screaming, dancing, and jumping up and down like crazy - just fired up for selling diapers and other products that helped them move up to the next tier of the pyramid.  Let me be honest, they were fired up over money and that BMW of their dreams.  My point is that they had these meeting frequently because they had to keep the members excited about the company.  Now I know why YeHoVaH has a weekly feast, the Sabbath.  We NEED it!  Please, know that I'm not likening YeHoVaH's Kingdom to a multilevel marketing scheme, but left too long without this gift of fellowship with likeminded believers in His Name, we tend to lose our fire.  These Feasts serve a purpose of infusing us and strengthening us in addition to their other functions.  So as we begin this new year, let YeHoVaH forge a new path in your walk with Him.  Is He pressing upon you to be more aware of what you do and why you do things?  Maybe it's time for you to become more informed on the Feasts so you can share with others in bold confidence.  Is He calling you to move into obedience in regards to tithing and offerings?  This next one is not a question, but a declaration that I know without a shadow of a doubt He's requiring of us all.  He is calling all of us to walk this out in our homes with the ones that usually get the best and worst of us.  So pick something that you know He is calling you to drop or pick up and start there.  Make a commitment and to move forward and get out of His way.  Let's move forward out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary - the path of righteousness that Yeshua demonstrated for us and has called us to.  So enjoy your Feasts Brothers and Sisters - as a new lump!

Cassandra



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