A Month of Praise



August is the time when we are planning the ministry of The Gateway Center for World Mission, www.gatewaycwm.org,  for the year to come.  We look at where we are and what the barriers might be in our way of accomplishing what we feel the Lord is asking us to do.  It is a time to first seek the Lord and endeavor to clearly hear what His plans are, and how we can follow Him in what He is doing.  

It is significant that the month of Elul begins tomorrow.  The month of Elul in the Jewish calendar is a time of both reflection and a time of praise.  It is traditionally the celebration of Moses going up on the mountain for the third 40 day period to receive the Law. 

The customs of Elul are meant to help us tune ourselves  into what the spirit of the Lord is saying and adjust our lives to reflect His purpose and nature.   During this time there is a shout, "The King is in the Field."  Normally to get an audience with the king one had to go through much would only get a short time.   In the month of Elul, the king would come out and pitch his tent among the people where they worked.   Anyone could approach him and make their requests known to him.  Elul is also a time of reflection and repentance to prepare the way for the Day of Atonement .  This is when the high priest would enter into the Holy of Holies offering the sacrifice of the blood of a spotless lamb to wash away the sin of the people and give them a fresh start for the year to come.

Jesus Christ,  our high priest who was the spotless lamb of God, entered in the real Holy of Holies by offering himself and placing his own spotless blood before the Father in atonement for our sin.  We can enter into the Holy Place with confidence by the blood of Jesus.

Psalm 22:3 says that the Lord is "enthroned or inhabits, dwells in, the praises of His people."  In the spirit of the month of Elul the Kingdom Views Blog, www.kingdomviews.blogspot.com, will be initiating a "Month of Praise" to draw near to the Lord and give Him praise and testimony for who He is and what He has done through the ministry.   
Each day will contain a scripture, and/or a brief statement of testimony of what He has done in one of the three major areas of emphasis; "Making Disciples, Transforming Communities, or Expanding the Kingdom of God.  It may also include  an event  in the life of God's people Israel and a thought for reflections, as we endeavor come closer to the Lord and match our journey to His plan. All information about the Jewish celebration of Elul is courtesy of Servant of Messiah Ministries, www. servantofmessiah.org

 We pray you will join us each day to draw near to the Lord, celebrate His faithfulness and rejoice in the goodness of all He is doing.  Only when we walk with Him in what He is doing, can we obtain the fullness of what He has created each of us to be.

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