“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.” (Eph. 1:17-19).

September 2004 

Dear Friend,

How are you? Trusting that all is well with you and your loved ones. We are all fine, and praising God for the fruit of summer evangelism. Thousands of tracts were distributed this summer, and teams went out to the parks to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to all who would hear. Our Hope Connection prayer partners followed up with phone calls, offering encouragement and hope to these precious souls who received Jesus into their heart. Our Ministries Coordinator followed up with helpful literature to inspire growth and hunger for more of God. What a glorious privilege it is to be able to do this! Thank you for your prayers and financial support! We partner together in this great harvest of souls!

We have so much to be grateful for! Summertime is over, fall is near, and it is harvest time! The seeds that were sown have been planted, some to unfortunately die, some to sprout up and then wither away, but others to rise up strong and bold and beautiful! Can you just imagine the joy our Heavenly Father must feel to see these precious new souls rise up and receive the revelation of their inheritance into their heart? Paul prays for people to receive the “spirit of wisdom and revelation”in their knowledge of Christ, and understanding of God’s power and purpose in their lives. He prayed this for you and for me! After receiving Christ into our heart, we may think “if only I could simply love God and die!”  But God has not designed it that way, He wants us to love Him and live on! He wants us to live forever with Him! But first Autumn comes, and winter is not far behind. We come to the place where we feel dry and barren, and we realize our need for more of God! God purposely allows the winter of our soul so that we can come to the place where we understand the investment He has made in us from the beginning of time.

The way we face life and death changes once we know Jesus personally. As heirs to the riches of heaven, God gives us new courage to press in and take hold of life’s challenges. Today’s troubles are tomorrow’s victories for God’s people! When we take hold of our inheritance, and choose to follow Jesus all the way, no holds barred, we find ourselves marching towards the goal, the prize, which awaits all who press in and never give up!                     

The season we are in now is the season of new beginnings. In the Jewish calendar, September is called Tishrei, and Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year is celebrated this month. A little before sunset on the first day of the holiday, Jews congregate near a body of water, reciting the last verses of the Book of Micah. “He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities.” (Micah 7:19) They conclude with the sentence “He will take us back in love; He will cover up our iniquities; You shall cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” After saying some additional prayers, it is customary to shake the skirt of one’s garments over the water, or to empty one’s pockets, as if physically transferring one’s sins to the river or ocean, so they might be carried out and forgotten. This ceremony is known as Tashlikh (“you shall cast” in Hebrew).

My friend, how much more should we be celebrating new beginnings as we consider what Jesus has done for us, once and for all? “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”  (Hebrews 9:14). By the shedding of His blood, Jesus provided a permanent sacrifice and a permanent covenant bond between God and man. His blood was applied to the very altar of God in heaven where once and for all it obtained redemption of sin for those who receive Him. Glory! This is a perfect month to remember our Jewish roots and give glory to our Heavenly Father Who knew we could never keep every law and commandment. He thus provided the Perfect Sacrifice, His only Son Jesus Christ, to take the punishment that we deserve, so that we can receive the promise of our eternal inheritance. Praise God!

Paul wants us to remember this! He wants us to fully understand as much as we can right now everything that God has done for us. His prayer is that the eyes of our understanding would be opened, so that we can know the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance is for the saints. (Eph. 1:18). Let us pray for this understanding! Let us not take this for granted! This should be our prayer every single day! We should be praying this for our loved ones as well!

Springtime brings us hope; in summer we bloom; in fall we reap. Fall is also a time of new beginnings; we suddenly understand that we can put the past behind us, and make things new. It is a time when we should be feasting on the Word of God, eating it until we are so full that we cannot take anymore. It is a time to become rooted and grounded in God’s love so that when the winter comes, and the storms of life come against us, we are prepared for war in the heavenlies, and for victory. Our strength comes from the Holy Spirit, and Paul prays that we will be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ will live in our heart by faith, and that we will be rooted and grounded in love, understanding all the fullness of God’s blessings, resources, and wisdom. Let us feast on His Word!

God bless you.

Rev. Barbara Anne Yovino, Ph. D.