The Secret to a Blessed Year - {part 3 of 3} - Declare YOUR Jubilee Prayer + Journal Prompt

Jesus IS the Believer's Jubilee

The prophet Isaiah declares the Messiah's role as the bringer of Jubilee:

   "...He hath sent me...to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord..."

Isaiah 61:1-2

 

Your declaration!

 These are the words that Jesus used to announce the beginning of His public ministry: 

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. 

He has sent me to proclaim - 

freedom for the prisoners and 

recovery of sight for the blind, 

to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Luke 4:18-19

As Christians, we recognize this passage as a proclamation of Christ's victory over death and sin, yet Isaiah is using the language of Jubilee here!  

David Wilkersen, the founder of Times Square Church in New York City, also says that the entry in Isaiah also refers to Christ's ascension into glory!  Using this and other passages, Pastor Wilkersen paints a splendid image in words - 

 a.  The heavenly Father prepared for Jesus a glorious entrance into heaven.  Indeed, as Christ made His ascension, He was escorted by a host of angels and multitudes of chariots:  The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels:  the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.  Thous hast ascended on high...Psalm 68:17-18

b.  Our finite minds can't begin to conceive of this glorious event.  As Christ approached the eternal city of God, riding on His white horse, He was escorted by this huge procession.  And as He entered the gates, the trumpets of God began to sound:  God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet...Psalm 47:5.

This was the joyful sound - the trumpets blaring, announcing the believer's year of Jubilee!  And the sound proclaimed to all humankind, "I have made provision for you - to walk you out of prison, be restored to your family and have everything you need for a fulfilled life.  You are free to live without fear of any enemy.  Enter now into my joy! 

 c.  Paul writes of Christ's ascension: Having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it...Colossians 2:15.  Staggering behind our Lord's triumphant procession was the prince of darkness himself, bound in chains!  And behind the defeated devil - underneath the wheels of the heavenly hosts - were all the powers of darkness, bound and vanquished.  They were being put to an open shame before all those who had died in faith before the cross.

And Jesus entered the gates carrying in his hand a scepter of righteousness - His "rod of iron" with which He rules all nations.  Then, after His triumphant entrance, He took His rightful place on the throne, in full possession of all power, authority and dominion.

What a glorious picture!

Satan is not in control.  

Communism is not in control.

Atheism is not in control.

Terrorism is not in control.

Neither Democrats nor Republicans are in control.

The enemies of Christ exist only by His permission.

And right now they only continue to fill up their cups of iniquity.  

Jesus is in control of all things - and one day, when He is ready, He will

"...dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel..." (Psalm 2:9)

 

Beloved, our understanding of Christ's victory over Satan and the dominion of sin cannot be a vague, confused theology.  We must know and understand the joyful sound!  Satan is totally defeated; he cannot hold us prisoner.  And Christ has freed us by His blood from every bondage.  Now He sits on His throne with all power and authority - offering us peace, joy and freedom!

Journal Prompt:

Write the Jubilee declaration in your journal, on an index card to tape in a strategic location...encourage a friend with it! 

Pray:

Thank You, Jesus, that You have brought me the Good News 

and I have received that Good News!

 Because of You, my broken heart is healing;

I rejoice that I have been set free from bondage;

 and my mind is no longer oppressed;

I thank you that where I was once blind

that now I have spiritual sight.

I declare that the Lord's favor rests on me.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Part 1 can be found here 
Part 2 here

Wilkerson, David. Times Square Church Pulpit Series. 13 October 1997. 
Used with permission - link to Times Square Church here

The Secret to a Blessed Year - {part 2 of 3}

"Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; 

on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land...

~  Leviticus 25:9 

Continuing from yesterday, after a "sabbath of sabbaths", the fiftieth year would be a year of Jubilee.  When the precise time arrived, there would be a sounding of trumpets (the word "jubilee" means "toe clamoring of trumpets.") 

What was this precise time?  At the very hour as the high priest entered the holy place to sprinkle the sacrificial blood - trumpets began to blare all across the land.  The trumpets were heard in every city, hamlet, village, mountain and valley.  Every Israelite knew the meaning of the sound...

What was the meaning of the trumpet sound?

Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants.  

~  Leviticus 25:10

 

The sound of the trumpets announced:

blessings

freedom

liberty

deliverance

 The sound of the trumpets canceled all debts and restored all goods to the original owners.  It freed every servant from every form of captivity and bondage!  It was a new start in life for all people!

Under Jewish law, no man owned any land.  Even though he may have inherited his property, and it remained in his family as long as the family survived, God owned everything.  Every Israelite was to recognize that God possessed the hills, the valleys, the cattle, the wealth of this world - and that His people were only the lifetime leaseholders.  They were to hold onto their possessions lightly.

Yet, if a person fell into debt - whether through mismanagement, disobedience, sloth or some kind of disaster - there was no provision for bankruptcy.  Let's say a farmer owed someone a large sum of money.  He might have to sell his own children and servants to pay off the debt.  Them, if the farmer fell further behind, he would have to hand over his land, forfeiting all profits from the harvest.  And in an extreme case, the farmer might even have to sell himself to another farmer, just to provide a living.

But when the Jubilee came - in the fiftieth year, after a sabbath of sabbaths - every debt was wiped out!  All leases and possessions reverted back to the original leaseholder.  And that meant the farmer would get his land and his family back!

You can imagine the rejoicing that took place in Israel and Judah when the trumpets sounded!  Families were reunited.  Homes were restored.  It was a time of liberty, freedom, deliverance!  

No planting or harvesting was done during the year of Jubilee.  Instead, it was a time of rejoicing and rest - praising God for His grace, provision and freedom!

The liberty proclaimed at Jubilee was not just an idea founded on faith alone.  It was the law of the land.  

All the debtor had to do to have the law enforced was to stand on it.  One of the duties of the Levites was to enforce God's code; they assured justice was given.  If a debt holder or slave master tried to hold on to the property or persons that had been sold to them, the debtor merely had to declare there was no more legal right over such property or person.  The trumpets of Jubilee had announced the time of release had come!

They could declare:

Nothing in my past can be held against me!

I've been unshackled, delivered!

No one can rob me of my deliverance!

Yet the person in bondage had to act in order to take possession of his freedom or his lost porperty.  He could dance and shout in the synagogue all he wanted, crying: "I'm free!  Everything has been restored!" But until he stepped out and claimed his rights, he couldn't enjoy any of it.

Do you see the significance and relationship to our life in Christ?

Most Christians have not claimed the Jubilee Jesus Christ has given them!  Many think that merely showing up at church or singing praise songs is that "joyful sound" of Jubilee.  But it is much, much more! 

God calls us to appropriate the freedom, peace and glory He has provided for us through the forgiveness of sins.  We are to step out and claim it!

What promises is God prompting you to appropriate 

today, this week, and this year?

Part 1 can be found here 
Part 3 can be found here

Wilkerson, David. Times Square Church Pulpit Series. 13 October 1997. 
Used with permission - link to Times Square Church here 

 

The Secret to a Blessed Year - {part 1 of 3} + a journal prompt

"Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: 

they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance..."

~ Psalm 89:15

One of my favorite preaches, who has passed on to heaven, interpreted this little verse with the following:

"There is a certain, joyful sound that is of such powerful significance, it is the very foundation of victorious living.  And if you know and understand this sound, you will be changed from glory to glory.

All who know the meaning of the joyful sound become self-assured, fearless.  They walk through life with an ever-increasing sense of security.  They are able to overcome depression, even when being sifted by Satan.  Their hearts area steadfast and at rest - because the Holy Spirit has revealed to them the meaning behind the joyful sound!"1

There is a powerful revelation based on the year of Jubilee!

A little background:

The history of the year long festival of "Jubilee" is found in Leviticus 25.  It begins with the year of rest for the land itself that came every 7th year - similar to the day of rest for mankind which came every 7 days.  

It takes a LOT of faith to obey this...no agricultural work was to be done, no intake of crops for food, no grain harvest for livestock, agricultural laborers would have no work!  Think of what must have been going through the Israelites' hearts and minds!  I am sure it would be similar to what we would think if God asked us to do the same in today's world!  Yet the Lord did not leave them with no plan...He promised that He would "command My blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years" (Leviticus 25:20-25).

What is God trying to teach us?

God is setting a principle for His set apart nation - that their provision is always from Him, when they are working as unto Him, AND when they are not working... 

Here is a short list of scriptural examples:

1.  Israel in the wilderness for 40 years - there were no supermarkets and they didn't plant crops!  God rained down manna from heaven and birds fell by the bushel full so that they could have meat.  He caused water to flow from rocks.  And He kept their shoes and clothing from wearing out for the entire 40 years!

2.  Water was turned to wine.

3.  Money was found in a fish's mouth in order to pay required taxes.

4.  5 thousand people were fed with 5 small loaves of bread and two fish.

5.  Psalm 107 lists many such provisions...  

Journal prompt:

{You might consider pausing and making your own list, looking back through your life and seeing, with 20/20 hindsight, how He has quietly provided for you, even in the times that looked darkest...}

Answer this question:  How did He provide an abundance of ____(what you needed)       that you continue to "draw from" today?

BUT THIS WASN'T ALL! 

After a cycle of 7 times of this 7 year rest, a sabbath of sabbaths (49 years), there came a very special rest in the 50th year.  There would be the normal 7th year rest, and immediately following, another year of "rest" and much more!  49 years represented an entire generation in Old Testament times - during these 49 years 3 generations would have learned the faithfulness of the Lord, through the sharing of stories and through direct experience.  Yet, only the oldest would have possibly seen 1 Jubilee year!

The anticipation had to be incredible...


Part 2 here
Part 3 here

1.   Wilkerson, David. Times Square Church Pulpit Series. 13 October 1997. 
Used with permission - link to Times Square Church here 

                      

Transformed Through Beholding His Glory {Art Exercise #2}

In my first "exploring purpose through beauty post" I shared about the word "transformation" found in 2 Corinthians 3:18:

We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Here is the relevant part, copied for you:

 The Spirit exhorts us to be transformed and that transformation is by beholding His glory, (not by working out our salvation) -  transformation is a work that He does  as we spend time in His Presence (not a work we achieve in our own efforts!)   And that is exactly what this word “transformed” means! It is metamorphóō (3339 - from 3326 /metá, "change after being with" and 3445 /morphóō, "changing form in keeping with inner reality" – properly, transformed after being with; transfigured.  (Metamorphóō is the root of the English terms "metamorphosis" and "metamorphize.")

So, we are "changed after being with" - and we are being changed as we spend time with Him, with no separation - and that seeing His glory is like looking in a mirror...

To truly see the beauty He has bestowed upon us, we look deeply and intently at Him, and see the truth of our own being reflected in His face...

To see our own beauty, we have to see His beauty...

To put it another way, from the opposite point of view, if we perceive God as a "big policeman in the sky", we may become a "policeman" ourselves, punishing the wrong doing we see in ourselves or in others...or we may become avoidant, trying to elude His imagined disapproving gaze.  Or, if we view Him as being unjust or abusive or uncaring or uninvolved with His creation, we may totally reject Him.  

The transformation occurs when we behold Him as He IS,  

not by beholding some wrong image of Him we have created in our own minds... 

My favorite way of "seeing" Jesus....the Lord my Shepherd

 I actually own prints of the bottom left and center left pictures...

Art Exercise:

The next step in our exploration of purpose and beauty will be to explore the beauty of God.  Jesus is described in many different ways in the Scripture.   Today you will pick one of those ways, and find images and words that reflect that image of Him, and collage them onto a piece of poster board, wood, or canvas.  You don't have to have many, but I would say that the very bare minimum would be 5-7.   Remember to "audition" you collage elements before you fasten them to your base.  You can even use items that fit your image choice, giving your piece a 3-D effect.  

Journal and share what this aspect of God's nature means for you.  This will help you gain deeper insight in how you connect to God.

And of course you can also do this exercise MY favorite way - digitally!  Above is my collage for the exercise - just for a sample...I think I might have to do a more in depth piece to really explore the name...

To help you with this exercise, I am including a brief list of Jesus's names and titles as well as links to a more comprehensive lists.  The Old Testament names always bring images to my mind...and here are some New Testament ones - Bright and Morning Star, Author of our faith (I see words with this name), Peace, the Vine, Friend of Sinners, Light, Light of the World, Living Bread...Alpha and Omega.  There are so many to choose from!

Found on Google

{click on the titles to go to the linked page}

Names and Titles of Jesus - Blue Letter Bible Online

 100 Names of Jesus

 900+ Names and Titles of God 

That's A LOT of information, so to make it simpler to find the description that you wish to work with, try this:  look at the first five descriptions.  Does any of them "speak" to you? If yes, use that particular image.  If no, move to the next five, repeating till you find the image you want to work with.

When you are finished with your collage, consider sharing it on the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CindyFort.at.12Tribes.

We will do some comparison between this collage and the first one soon {if you missed the first exercise, you can find it here or copy and paste this in your browser https://cjfort-artandlife.blogspot.com/2015/03/exploring-our-expression-of-beauty.html. 

The comparison exercise is in my newsletter. You can find it at the archived link here: Part 1 - https://bit.ly/3EkvBq4

                               Part 2 -  https://bit.ly/3YK7ZmS

For future reference...artistic prompts and adding textures

Great creativity prompts!
And MORE "adding texture" ideas!

This is a sketch from a photo of my little girl...I changed out her curls for straight hair - I love the look on her face, and I know I want to turn this into a piece of art of some kind!