Home > The Clarion

The Clarion, Nov. 2022

---

Welcome

As we find ourselves in the middle of autumn and with the change in weather, we often start putting our thoughts on the holidays that are quickly approaching. Thanksgiving to New Years become a very busy time for us, but after coming so far in the year, it is hard not to begin to reflect on all that has happened this past year. It is amazing just how much really does happen in a year. We have so much to be thankful for as we have lived through this past year. Good or bad, happy or sad, either way, God was there. God saw and He knew, every moment of this past year. So today we are here, only because God has brought us to this point in time. We tend to diminish the time we take once a year to celebrate, not us, not all that we have accomplished, but all that God has accomplished. But for some people they do not have a problem going shopping or watching sports, instead of being with family or friends. The first Thanksgiving was held in 1621 by the Pilgrims in Plymouth. They came through a hard winter with many people dying, and they were thankful that they had made it through the year with a bountiful harvest.

Though it was not called thanksgiving, it was a time of prayer and reflection on all that God had done for them, and so as it was the custom, they  shared a meal. President Abraham Lincoln, in 1863, proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens”, calling on the American people to also, “with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience  fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation…”. Lincoln declared it for the last Thursday in November. Lincoln  was thankful that our country survived the Civil War, with so many lives lost, and so many who lost all, that like the Pilgrims, he saw fit to have a national time of thanksgiving unto the Lord. We have gone through a pandemic, a time of great sorrow, and death in the world, and we also have seen our country so divided over this last year. We have seen shortages, and inflation, and crime soar, so we too, need to come as a country, and  be thankful for all that God has brought us through. Thanksgiving should be a National Day for all Americans to come together and be thankful that we have made it this far.

---

Before Honor Comes Humility

Proverbs 15:31-33 tells us this, “One whose ear listens to a life-giving rebuke will stay among the wise. One who neglects discipline rejects himself, but one who listens to a rebuke acquires understanding. The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, and before honor comes humility.”

No one likes to be rebuked, and no one likes to be disciplined, but as we see, both are necessary before honor can come. So let us take a closer look at what God’s word has to say about all of this. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us,  “All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness;  so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.”

Then he says it again in, 2 Timothy 4:1-2, “I solemnly exhort you in the presence of God and of Messiah Yeshua, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction.”

Titus 2:11-15 also says, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people,  instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age,  looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Messiah Yeshua, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds. These things speak and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. No one is to disregard you.”

So we see that God is telling us to rebuke those who need to be rebuked, but we must rebuke them with great patiences and in love and of course, by the Word of God.  Scripture shows us that discipline and rebuke often go hand and hand.

Proverbs 12:1 says, “One who loves discipline loves knowledge, but one who hates rebuke is ignorant.” Proverbs 13:18 also tells us, “Poverty and shame will come to one who neglect discipline, but one who complies with rebuke will be honored.”

And once again in Proverbs 15:5,  “A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but he who complies with rebuke is sensible.”

Proverb 3:11-18 says,  “My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord or loathe His rebuke, for whom the Lord loves He disciplines, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights. Blessed is a person who finds wisdom, and one who obtains understanding. For her profit is better than the profit of silver, and her produce better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are those who hold on to her.”

So we see that God our Father has to discipline us for our good as  Hebrews 12:7-12 also tells us,  “It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?  But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.  Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?  For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.  For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble,  and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.”

In Revelation 3:15-19 Yeshua is speaking to the church in Laodicea, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.  So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth.  Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have no need of anything,” and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked,  I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to apply to your eyes so that you may see.  Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.” 

So we see that there are times when we must rebuke, and times when we must discipline, even in the church. James 5:20 tells us, “Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” 

To rebuke someone may be difficult, but if it is done in love, and not in malicious intent or pride or even in anger, then it is for the person’s well being.

Matthew 18:15-17 says, “Now if your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother.  But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be confirmed.  And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the congregation; and if he refuses to listen even to the congregation, he is to be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector,” (as a non-believer).

Today we do not deal with sin within the church.  2 Timothy 3:1-5 tells us, “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,  unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,  treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these.”

These are people who are, or even were, believers who sat in our pews. So how can we go to one and tell them of  the speck in their eye, when we have a plank in our own eye? Matthew 7:3-5, says we must first get the plank out of our eye!

Galatians 6:1-10 also says, “Brothers and sisters, even if a person is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you are not tempted as well. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Messiah. For if anyone thinks that he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.  But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting, but to himself alone, and not to another. For each one will bear his own load. The one who is taught the Word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.  Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary.  So then, while we have opportunity, let’s do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”

There is a great reward for those who endure discipline. They yield the peaceful fruit of righteousness  and riches and honor, and those who listen to a rebuke, wisdom, but what about humility?

Proverb 22:4 tells us this, “The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord

are riches, honor, and life.” Again in Matthew 5:5,  “Happy are those who are humble;  they will receive what God has promised!”

True humility leads to repentance.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says,  “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, (repentance), then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Finally,  James 4:8-10 tells us, “Come close to God and He will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom.  Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

Today, open your hearts to what people may say that seems like a rebuke. Don’t be afraid to let yourself be disciplined, and most of all acknowledge your sins before God and He will bring honor from humility.

---

Recipe Corner:         Apple Coffee Cake by My Baking Addiction

Ingredients:  

 FOR THE CAKE:   

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature.  

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar                   2 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups all purpose flour                                           1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons apple pie spice                                     1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup sour cream                                                      2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups peeled, cored and chopped Granny Smith apples

FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar                        1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice                           4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

FOR THE BROWN SUGAR GLAZE:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar                  1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract                              2 tablespoons warm water

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray.

FOR THE CAKE

• In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; about 3 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after the addition of each.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, apple pie spice, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream. Stir in the vanilla and fold in the apples until evenly incorporated into the batter. 
• Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. 

FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING

• In a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, apple pie spice, and butter, and combine with a fork until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. 
• Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

FOR THE GLAZE

• In a bowl, combine the sugar, apple pie spice, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let it harden slightly. Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
• Enjoy!   HAPPY THANKSGIVING…

Hebrew Corner : The Month of Cheshvan

Cheshvan also known as Marcheshvan is the eighth month counting from Passover. Marcheshvan means “bitter Cheshvan” because there are no festivals, feasts or fasts in this month. This month marks the beginning of the cold and rainy season in Israel. The Torah records this about the month of Cheshvan, remember, God had not yet changed the order of the months which was done at the time of the first Passover. Genesis 7:10-11 says this about the flood and the month of Cheshvan, “After seven days the water flooded the earth.  On the seventeenth day of the second month of the 600th year of Noach’s life all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of the sky were opened.”

We also see this in Genesis 8:13-14, one year later about Cheshvan, 

“By the first day of the first month of the 601st year the water had dried up from off the earth; so Noach removed the covering of the ark and looked; and, yes, the surface of the ground was dry.  It was on the twenty-seventh day of the second month that the earth was dry.”

I guess that could be another reason why Marcheshvan is called bitter for it was a time of judgment and hardship. This month is also known for the infamous  “Die Kristallnacht” (Night of Broken Glass) when the Natzi’s began their terrorizing of the Jewish people. Also in this month the pogrom that initiated the Holocaust began with it’s purpose to disarm all German Jews, which was the pretext of genocide of all the Jews. But many Jewish people are hopeful, for they feel one day this month will lose its bitterness when the third Temple will be inaugurated in this month. Many Messianic believers believe this will be the Temple that the anit-christ will defame and Yeshua will restore. 

Revelation 21:3-4 tells us of the time that will follow the Messianic Age when God will remove the bitterness from our lives, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

This is the eight month, the month of restoration.