I have experienced many Divine Encounters with the Lord. Most of them were in response to my desperate cry to Him for help in threatening situations through receiving different types of healing, miracles of provision, hearing His Voice and even angelic help. But the one I am about to share was initiated by the Lord to me for His specific purpose and calling.
So, why take so much time talking about Divine Encounters? I have been blessed to have had numerous ones, many of which are presented in detail in my book, Encounters with the Living God. One such encounter occurred three years ago on the Biblical calendar Elul 1. On this historic day, in 2017 a total solar eclipse was seen across much of the United States. Interestingly, it began on the West coast at exactly the same time the sun was setting in Jerusalem on Elul 1 which begins 40 days of introspection and repentance in preparation for Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Ten days prior to Yom Kippur is the Feast called Rosh ha Shannah. Following Yom Kippur is Sukkot or Feast of Tabernacles. (These will be explained in detail in future blogs.)
On that Elul 1, in 2017 I was prompted to turn on the Weather Channel and watched the solar eclipse take place from city to city. As the sun’s light was totally eclipsed and darkness covered the earth beneath it, my body began to tremble almost violently from head to toe. From deep within my soul, a groaning and wailing erupted with sobbing that crescendoed into the “song of the Lord.” This Scriptural passage from the Book of Joel that years earlier I had heard the Lord singing to me and had set to music, came forth with intense passion. It was followed by many other such passages from the Prophets Isaiah, Zephaniah, Hosea and Jeremiah. As the light from the sun once again was shining on the earth below, the trembling subsided. I was held spellbound to the Weather Channel and watched as each city where cameras had been waiting for this phenomenon to take place broadcast the event over and over again as it crossed the United States. Each time the sun’s light was extinguished, the trembling and wailing burst forth from the core of me. It happened over and over again.
That day marked a ‘line in the sand’ for me that changed my life forever. That day, I distinctly heard the Lord call me to learn and follow the Jewish essence and way of life that has been lost to most Christians throughout the centuries. Almost immediately, He directed me to a Messianic Jewish Synagogue that embraced all Yeshua taught about living Biblically and exemplified what the Kingdom of God in the World to Come will look like - Jewish and non-Jewish believers, both true to their identity and purpose, living in perfect unity under the rule of Yeshua Messiah, the Messiah of Israel.
I had always heard His purpose for me was to be a peacemaker who facilitated the unity in the Body of Believers that Yeshua had prayed for in John 17. Now, more clearly, I understood His urgent time sensitive move within His Body was to send many equipped with the unifying message of the God of Israel who sent His Son, the Messiah of Israel to draw together both Jewish and non-Jewish believers together in the full understanding of who He is, the Messiah of Israel who is also the Savior of the World. His return will come when ALL His people come together as One Body in Him. As I am not Jewish, but have always identified more with a Messianic worship and understanding of Scripture even before being taught of the rich heritage so sadly not known by most Christians, I understand how I can be used to be His voice of Shalom to the non-Jewish expression of His body known as the Church. I will expound more upon that in future blogs. Stay tuned as this is merely an introduction to a series of blogs to bring a broader understanding of the times in which we are living. This Thursday marks the 1st of Elul on the Biblical Calendar. This begins the preparation for the Fall Biblical Feasts.
All those who want to experience and “encounter” the Lord through His pre-ordained Feasts are welcome to come along on the journey with me.
Shalom