Happy New Year!

Shabbat Shalom!

It gives us great delight to say Happy New Year to all of you! On March 25th, at sunset, the new moon of the first month of Aviv was sighted IN Jerusalem! You know what that means! We’ve entered the time of the Passover season and the time of ridding ourselves from everything that weighs us down (leaven) as to hinder our march forward into all that the King has called us to.

If you think about the leaven, it is used in the Scriptures both as something to be discarded and something to be used. At the Feast of Unleavened Bread, there is no leaven to be found in all your dwellings. At Shavu’ot, we are commanded to use leaven (Leviticus 23:17) for the bread. What is it that determines whether we keep the leaven in or get rid of it? Thats right! It is the timing.

I must give a ‘shout out’ to my wife Rivkah as she has really been hearing from Abba on crucial matters that regard timing. As she has spent time in prayer and in His Word, her ears have become greater refined into knowing the voice of the Shepherd. Even back several months, she felt that this time we are in now, entering into the Passover season, that there would be a shift. Things would not be as they have always been. We now know that what she was sensing is correct because the world has literally changed overnight.

But isn’t that what happened to the Children of Israel? In one night, their entire world changed–from bondage to freedom. They were literally quarantined, by orders of the Most High, to stay inside of their blood splotched houses while the death angel did his duty to destroy those who were not protected.

What is happening now worldwide is not the first time something has affected the entire world. If you think about the great flood, that certainly affected the entire globe. I sense though, that there are things coming upon the earth that will be many “firsts”. We see that in Daniel 12 and Matthew 24–things occurring as never has occurred before or after.

As it was in the days of Noah–of course! A ‘flood’ of fear will strike the people of this world like never before. However, for the people of freedom…they will not be caught off guard. Those that know the timing-who obey the timing of the festival season-who know when to put away leaven and when to bring it back…these will become the “harvestable ones”.

Messiah said in Luke 19:44, that because they did not recognize the time of their visitation, that utter destruction would befall them.

It’s all about timing–knowing it, and being a good steward of watching it. Because his master would be a long time in coming, the wicked servant took matters into his own hands and began beating his fellow servants. You will find this story at the end of Matthew 24. In the story of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25, the only thing that separated the wise from the foolish was that the wise ones had a love for His coming. A love for His appearing is the greatest motivational tool to prepare!

2 Timothy 4:8 KJV says, “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

If the “preppers” prepare by stocking up food and ammo in order to save their own skin, it is an act of love of self. When we, the children of light, are preparing to meet our King, it must be because our love for Him has become greater than the love of ourselves. Remember this one thing…preparedness is an act of love.

If we are prepared now for what is to come, when that time comes, we will only put into action that for which we have already prepared, making the real deal seem as though it is another exercise. I am not certain we will ever be fully ready for all that is coming upon this earth in these last days, but I do know that it will only be our love for the Master that will see us through to the end. His love for us and our love for Him–HalleluYah! What can separate us from that? Nothing!

Our greatest deliverance is just around the corner and only a love to obey His instructions will bring us to the other side. We don’t get to be in control–isn’t that a relief? And those who think they are in control, merely deceive themselves into believing they are free while they spend their days making bricks for Pharaoh.

Blessings and joy!

Chag Sameach and a happy, joyous Passover season to all of you!

With His Love,

Derek and Rivkah

Note: Our calendar has been updated to include all of the Spring Feast dates. Visit it <HERE> or see below for a quick summary.

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New Year: Thursday, the day of March 26th

Passover: Wednesday, April 8th

Feast of Unleavened Bread: Thursday, April 9 through Wednesday the 15th

First Fruits: Sunday, April 12th

Shavu’ot: Sunday, May 31