This is an excellent teaching from Christine Vales about the month we are entering into. Christine shares here:
I pray that the lessons Christine shares here will uproot any areas the Lord reveals as we're all moving forward! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)
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Going Back to the Beginning
Katrina and Sandy... Harvey and Irma. These are familiar names of devastating hurricanes that hit the United States within the last decade. 'Tis the "hurricane season" and as you might suspect, this season of flooding is nothing new to the Lord. In fact, it was established long ago on God's calendar. Cheshvan is the month of Noah's great flood, but also the eighth month of "new beginnings." Eight is the number of new beginnings, so let's uncover Cheshvan and see how we can emerge from its waters stronger than ever! (The month of Cheshvan 5779 begins October 10 and runs through November 8, 2018.)
If you have been tracking along with His calendar, you will recall we just completed Tishrei, which means "beginning." Two back-to-back months about beginnings? Is this a typo? No, not at all! In order for us to go back to the "beginning" we have to have a new beginning. If we want to go back to Eden where there was peace with God, we have to have a new beginning. Jesus even said this in the Gospels when He said we must be born-again. This new birth happens when we repent of our sins and receive God's forgiveness. If you have never experienced this new birth through confessing your sins, today is the day of salvation and is the perfect time to become a new creation in Christ (John 3:3-8, 2 Cor. 5:17-21, 1 John 1:1-10).
A Flood and a Fresh Start
Most of us would not associate a fresh start with a flood, but the Lord does. Why did the Lord bring the flood upon the earth in Noah's day? We find the answer in His Word, "And God looked upon the world and saw how degenerate, debased, and vicious it was, for all humanity had corrupted their way upon the earth and lost their true direction" (Gen. 6:12). The Lord saw how lost the world had become back then and brought the flood upon the world in His righteous judgment. "Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under Heaven, everything that is on the earth shall perish" (Gen. 6:17). Genesis 7 reveals the flood began on Cheshvan 17 and rained for forty days and forty nights. As we continue to Genesis 8, we discover it was a year later, on Cheshvan 27, when the floodwaters receded.
I think this is interesting to note: His floods of destruction were followed by even stronger waves of His mercies. "But I will establish My covenant with you, [Noah,] and you shall enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife, and your sons' wives with you" (Gen. 6:18). Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord. The Lord preserved Noah and his family in His ark. The ark is a picture of Jesus and a lesson for us today. When floodwaters rise in our lives, may we run into His presence in the Ark of Jesus and find safety and rest.
Revealing the Roots
What happens when floodwaters move in? They move things around and expose things... like roots! This is exactly what the Lord wants to do this month. He does this in the natural as well as the spiritual. The Lord uses the water of His Holy Spirit to reveal our actual root systems. It is a lot easier to pull out roots when they have been watered or even flooded. Is the Lord putting His finger upon any of your "root" issues this month? He wants to get past the symptoms and down to the root. He wants to uncover roots of bitterness or unforgiveness. He wants to unearth relational root systems with family, friends and others He has put in our lives. He desires to "get to the bottom" of health and financial concerns so we can start anew.
When the Lord reveals something, He just doesn't leave us sitting there with our roots hanging out. When He reveals, He heals and gives us rest. It says in Isaiah, "For the earth will be filled of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. In that day, the Root of Jesse (Jesus) will stand as a banner for all peoples. The nations will rally to Him and His resting place will be glorious" (Isa. 11:9-10 emphasis mine). Let us connect to the Root of Jesse and find our resting place in Him even now.
Just Like the Days of Noah?
Lastly, as we look at the actual calendar of Cheshvan, we will notice there are no "appointed times" cited. No feasts or fasts. Nothing. Silence. For this reason, the Jews say this month is "reserved" for the Messiah. All of the other months of the year are full of feasts and fasts, yet Cheshvan is the only month with a vacancy and plenty of room to host such an occasion. Even the Hebrew letter of the month, "Nun," depicts an heir, an offspring, a son...a Messiah!
Scripture tells us, "For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah" (Matt. 24:37). So do all these things mean that Jesus is definitely coming back sometime in the future in the month of Cheshvan? The previous verse tells us the answer, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone" (Matt. 24:36). No one knows but the Father Himself, yet as Believers, we can know the season and are commanded to be sober and awake, ready for His return at anytime (1 Thess. 5:1-9).
In this month of new beginnings, have you experienced the new birth in Christ? If you feel the waters rising this month, run into the Ark of Jesus. He is your salvation during the storms of life. Remember He calms the seas and will bring you to a safe haven. He is a gentle Master. What root issues is He unearthing in your life? Allow Him to be the Root of your life and may your heart testify, "His compassion never ends. It is only the Lord's mercies that have kept us from destruction. Great is His faithfulness. His loving-kindness begins afresh each day" (Lam. 3:22-23). (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)
Christine Vales
Email: christine@christinevales.com
Website: www.christinevales.com
The Lord gave Christine Vales a deep desire to serve and point others to Him just before the turn of the century. It has been a beautiful journey and she is still discovering the gifts He planted in her—to use them to serve others and bring glory to Him! Most recently while Christine and her husband, Carlos, began exploring the Hebrew roots of their Christian faith, Christine discovered the Lord's prophetic calendar. The Lord began to stir her prophetic gift through understanding His appointed times and seasons as they were understood by His people, and the need for them to be understood today! After several years of studying and creating her own handwritten Hebrew/Gregorian Calendar, Christine created and released the first edition of "His Appointed Times: Hebrew/Gregorian Calendar & Journal" in 2017. Christine continues to follow His calling in the prophetic, as she has since the beginning of her story, where she faithfully is lifting up her voice to the Lord and raising her eyes to the fields...for they are already white for harvest (John 4:35)!
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The storms of life have been raging all around in this shifting and historical time. That's why it's important to know WHO we are anchored to in these days.
