His Timing Even in Trial
Another New Beginning
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After a year of distracting trial, I began to be excited about studying and writing again! Since this past fall, I have had a profound sense of peace in God’s timing. When I wanted to complete something and my circumstances or fatigue would not allow it, I chose to rest. I tangibly placed the situation or desire in His hands. Intention, not urgency were words that had been impressed upon me by a new friend – and so I gave all my attention to the task at hand and, if it wasn’t possible, I trusted. I literally felt His guidance, saying, “be intentional and thoughtful, listen to Me, and everything will unfold in My timing.”

So, I trusted and began to see amazing things. I will share two:

An October Greeting from Beth Ann
A Restoration of Peace after Long Endurance
A Personal Story
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Dear friends, customers, and subscribers, 
Greetings in the Name of Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah, our Savior, Bridegroom, and King! It is hard to believe it is autumn already! My October decorations are blooming everywhere – the pink daisy mums!

Many of you have become like family to me these past 13 years since the birth of FlowerGirlGreetings.com in 2012 and the subsequent birth of Shale Fragments.com in 2020.

Today, I think of the first verses in the epistle of Paul to Philemon and verse 7 in particular...

Only the Blood
The Slain Lamb is on the Throne
A Personal (but Universal) Testimony from April 3, 1980, John 3:3
Written September 5, 2025, in the waking morning hours
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Nothing could help me. Nothing could wash away my sin, my rebellion against God, my years of ignoring His presence, my rejection of His wooing arms, my silencing of His voice saying, “Come.”

Nothing. No repentance, no half-efforts of human goodness, no sorrow, no money, no fasting, no hours spent in prayer, no display of spiritual gifting. Nothing could remove the embedded, entrenched, stain-filled habits, the petrified grooves that constantly steered me away from the Light. Nothing.

Who is the Apple of His Eye?
A Message for Today
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Contents

• Preface
• Three Religious Books of the First Century
• Rabbi Yeshua and the Torah
• Yeshua and the Hypocrisy of the Religious Leaders
• Today
• Going Forward
• Prayer

Reassurance at Breakfast
Jesus checks in with His friends
An Imaginative Interpretation
(The image above is a photograph I took on the Galilee shore on New Year’s Eve 2019.)
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After Jesus’ resurrection on the Sunday after Passover, that evening, He appeared to His disciples while they were gathered in a closed room in Jerusalem. It was AD 33, and the room was full of the voices of His friends -  wondering, waiting, and questioning. There was so much news, so much to understand, so many emotions to process.

In His Dust – 11. Parables of the Heart and the Kingdom
The Seven Parables of Matthew 13
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To understand the characteristics of the parables of Yeshua (Jesus), please first see the writing Parables – Their Uniqueness and Beauty .

Preface
Previously, we learned the following characteristics of parables:

• Parables are thought-provoking stories that teach and summon a response from the listener.
• Parables are clear and illuminating to receptive, humble, willing hearts.
• As the listener responds with action to the parables, more light comes.
• Parables do not contain secrets meant only for the elite or smart; rather, they invite everyone to engage with them. Their goal is never to conceal. They do not need to be decoded.
• Parables clarify, illustrate, dramatize, and reveal truth.
• Parables are not given to condemn but to call the listeners to repentance.

Thinking rightly about sin and suffering
Lessons from Job
(The image of Job for this writing is a photograph I took of a friend.)
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Since the future is uncertain, we must always be armed with the knowledge of His word. In His truth, we find rest, because we are always ready, and, with it, we recognize false teaching that could otherwise:

• weaken our defense,
• take away our assurance of our standing in grace, and
• make us the enemy’s prey.

I discovered lessons in the book of Job that will arm us. This gorgeous poetry speaks to the connection between suffering, sin, and God’s justice. It is another masterpiece of Scripture from the ancient world! Job holds many lessons, but I will give just a few that expose a certain, present-day, false teaching.

First, I’ll share: 1) a brief summary of the book to see the context, 2) a present-day false teaching,
3) lessons that expose the false teaching, 4) and final thoughts.

Instruction at Breakfast
A Reassurance of His Personal Love
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After Yeshua’s resurrection, on the same day, He appeared to His disciples while they were gathered in a closed room in Jerusalem. There He breathed the Holy Spirit on them (John 20:22). Thomas was not there; he had refused to believe unless he could see and touch the scars in His Master’s hands, feet and side. Eight days later, Thomas was in the room when Yeshua appeared to them again. Yeshua spoke directly to the weakest in faith, asking Thomas to touch His wounds, as if Thomas was the only person in the room. (See also Luke 24:33-53; John 20:19-29)

After that first week, some of the disciples must have travelled the long journey home to Capernaum in the new strength of the Holy Spirit. There, He appeared to them a third time on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, this time to address the personal need of Peter and to strengthen the others that were there.

Thy lovingkindness

The Thy lovingkindness Art Card is from the Thanksgiving CollectionThanksgiving Collection at Flower Girl Greetings.com. It is also available in an Art Card Pack.

The artwork for this Art Card was created with delicate, pointed-pen calligraphy and pansy flourishes on top of a subtle, watercolor landscape. The original measured 12 by 20 inches and was created for a lady who framed it for her wall above her mantle.

The verse is from Psalm 92:1-2:

In His Dust – 10. Parables
Their Uniqueness and Beauty
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One third of Yeshua’s teaching was in parables. The English word parable comes from the Greek parabolé meaning that which is cast alongside, a comparison, analogy, or metaphor. The underlying Hebrew word is mâshâl from the root that means shadow. Mâshâl means a story that teaches a lesson. As you can see in the picture above of the shadows on the snow in my front yard, the shadows are not the real mounds of snow; they are evidence of the mounds. You only see them when the sun shines on the mounds.

In His Dust 
Binding and Loosing
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John’s Lesson on the Mountain
Listen to Him.
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An Imaginative Interpretation of John’s experience on the mountain when Yeshua was transformed before him taken from the accounts of Matthew 17:1-8, Luke 9:28-37, Mark 9:2-9, John 1:4, 14, and Ezekiel 37:26-27 using the Hebrew names – Yeshua (Jesus), Yochanan (John), Kefa (Peter), Ya ’akov (James), Moshe (Moses), Eliyahu (Elijah), Yechezk’el (Ezekiel), and Adonai (Master)

Yeshua took the three of us up a mountain to a secluded place surrounded by tall trees. He had asked if we would accompany Him for a time of prayer. Of course! Father had revealed to us that our Friend was the Messiah! His teaching had penetrated our souls every day as we listened to the life-giving grace that came from His every word. What a privilege that He would ask us to go anywhere with Him! We were eager for each purposeful adventure!

Yeshua's Yoke 
An Invitation to Rest
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Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden,
and I will give you rest. 
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart, 
and you will find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Yeshua (Jesus), Matthew 11:28-30

The Torah is the Law (the first five books of the Bible) or God’s 613 Instructions for Life. Learning and following Torah was an arduous task and responsibility and, therefore, was called The Yoke of Torah.

Guiding Quotes
Florence Allshorn
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After I was born again in April 1980, my heavenly Father began to shape my life in the Spirit. Along with my new-found love of the Scripture (born of His life in me), I read every Christian biography or autobiography I could get my hands on. It is impossible to comprehend the impact these stories had in steering my path.

One very strong influence came from a thin, stained, blue-green linen book called Florence Allshorn by J.H. Oldham. Florence (1887-1950) was a missionary from Great Britain. She not only spent time abroad in Uganda, but she later focused on training young women. Her teaching was nothing less than the most resolute, persistent making of disciples for the King, Messiah Yeshua (Jesus).

Rewards?
He Remembers
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When I was little, I was a Camp Fire Girl. We would earn varied-colored, wooden beads for successfully completing tasks like community service, self-improvement, and learning. The brown, log-shaped beads represented outdoor accomplishments, and the orange, cylindrical beads were given for domestic endeavors. There were red beads for health, blue beads for nature learning, and green beads for handiwork and crafts. Each spring, our leader conducted a ceremony around a campfire where she passed out plastic eggs filled with the beads we had earned. The girls would string the beads and loop them around their necks. Sometimes, when I didn’t earn many beads, I compared myself to others and felt inadequate and behind in the race. Have you ever felt like that?

Trumpets, Cymbals, and Shouts of Praise!
On Yom T'ruah and Every Day, We Celebrate our God and His Return!
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Dear friends,

This year of 2024 the Feast of Trumpets or Yom T'ruah begins at sunset on October 2 and ends at nightfall on October 4! Later tradition recognizes two days for the celebration; however, the Bible mentions only one day in Leviticus 23:24. Yom T’ruâh can also be called The Day of Loud Sound according to the original Hebrew word t’ruâh.

Triumphant in Weariness
His unfailing, nonstop, conspicuous life in us
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Strong friendship in the Spirit is a fuel that the Apostle Paul recognized as necessary for his healthy functioning in God’s purposes. And yet, in the absence of it, he was assured of God’s triumphant presence. In 2 Corinthians 2, the Apostle Paul expresses the sorrow and pain of his ministry. He finally writes, “Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Messiah and when a door was opened for me in the Lord, I had no rest for my spirit, not finding Titus my brother; but saying goodbye to them, I went on to Macedonia.” (2 Corinthians 2:12-13)

2. Overview - b. Five Main Elements
Revelation Pieces and Who We Are
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In the winter I like to put puzzles together. There are complicated puzzles with 1,000 pieces, less complicated with 500 pieces, and easy puzzles for children with 5 or 10 pieces. 

Let’s consider three puzzles all the same size with the same image. One has 1,000 pieces, one has 500 pieces, and one has 5 pieces. The puzzle pieces will be larger the fewer pieces you have.

Engrossing myself in the study of the book of Revelation seemed at first like a puzzle with thousands of pieces. How did they all fit together, I wondered? As I spent more time analyzing the parts, the number of pieces kept decreasing as the size of each piece expanded.

3. Outline - Scene 4 - A High Mountain (21:9 - 22:21)
The Messianic Kingdom
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• Characteristics
• Charges
• Comfort
• Challenges
• Benediction

3. Outline - Scene 3 - The Wilderness (17 - 21:8)
Justice Comes
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• Five Windows of Judgment Closed
• Yeshua Comes – The Conquering Lamb
• Visions and Images of the New Kingdom

What is the Wrath of the Lamb?
Love that Conquers
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There will soon be full vindication of all the evil, oppression, and injustice that has been perpetrated on the earth. The wrath of the Lamb will come, but what does His wrath look like? Join me in reading the full definition and nature of the wrath of the Lamb, the clash of light and darkness, and our future hope! Our understanding will teach us how to walk during difficult days.

Behold, He is Coming in the Clouds!
The Context
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In Scripture, we see two aspects or purposes of Yeshua’s return in the clouds –

• to complete judgment, and
• to gather together His believers to be with Him

Many of the prophecies of His coming, as well as His own accounts given to His disciples, overlap with multiple meanings, echoing in and out in nuances that are sometimes difficult to understand.

3. Outline - Scene 2, Part 3 - An Open Door into Heaven (4 - 16:21)
Yeshua and the kingdoms of the world
How the First-Century, Asia Minor, Jewish Christians Understood the Book of Revelation
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• The Political, Economic, Religious Cult of the Roman Empire (12-13)
• Yeshua in Contrast as the Slaughtered Lamb, King (14-15)

3. Outline - Scene 2, Part 2 - An Open Door into Heaven (4 - 16:21)
Yeshua and the Kingdoms of the world
How the First-Century, Asia Minor, Jewish Christians Understood the Book of Revelation
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• The 7 Trumpets, 7 Thunders, and 7 Bowls
• Three Roles of Faithful Witness 

3. Outline - Scene 2, Part 1 - An Open Door into Heaven
Yeshua and the Kingdoms of the world (4 - 16:21)
How the First-Century, Asia Minor, Jewish Christians Understood the Book of Revelation
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• The Door – An Invitation into the Worship of Yeshua (Jesus) Alone
• Into the Door – The Heavenly Court in the Temple
• The 7 Seals  

3. Outline - Scene 1 - The Island called Patmos (1:9 – 3:20)
The Real-Life World of Revelation 
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• The Historical Context of the Asia Minor Communities
• Descriptions of Yeshua
• The 7 Messages to the 7 Churches

From Passover to Pentecost
A Celebration of His Presence
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All over the world in this year of 2024, Pentecost (Shavuot) is being celebrated in the traditional church on Sunday, May 19, 2024 and in the Jewish community beginning at sundown on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. (These days differ because of the use of different calendars.) So, what does this holy day represent?

The chart below shows the Passover-Pentecost connections and how they foreshadow Messiah’s life. For more understanding, please keep reading below the chart.

Symbols and Numbers in the Book of Revelation - A List
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The Book of Revelation is apocalyptic literature. This genre of writing was pioneered by the first-century Jewish community during Yeshua’s (Jesus) time. We must understand its nature, characteristics, and symbology to interpret the text responsibly. For an overview of this genre, please see my writing The Book of Revelation – 2. Overview - Statements and Sources.

Apocalyptic literature includes symbolic elements that would have been readily understood by the first-century, Asia Minor, Jewish, Christian audience to whom it was written. Following is a list of some of the symbols and their meanings found in the Book of Revelation. You will see that the numbers are not literal but representative.

1b. Table of Contents for the Book of Revelation Shale Fragments Study
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This document is only available as a PDF at this time. It may include more additions as the study unfolds.

2. Overview - e. Four Scenes or Movements
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The following distinct scenes are sections of John’s letter that are separated by one literary signal – the author’s words “I was in the Spirit” said four times. They signal a new location and how John received the material. They were auditory and oral signals to the hearers and readers that a new scene was beginning.

2. Overview – Themes
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Two Core Themes, Four Theological Themes, and Four Themes in Yeshua's Teaching Reflected in Revelation:

1a. Preface
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After completing a long, delightful lecture series on the book (scroll) of Revelation, words cannot express how excited I am to share it with you. As I soak in the truth of all I have learned, I realize I have only touched the very tip of a very large iceberg, and I continue to find connecting echoes throughout Scripture that further deepen the insights. My goal is to share what I’ve learned about the life-changing messages of this letter in a way that brings hope, rest, comfort, and challenge as the original author intended.

The artwork associated with this study is a heavenly landscape with a glassy sea – The Kingdom of Shalom. The portrait of Dwight Pryor in this Preface was drawn from a video clip of Dwight teaching using charcoal on black, textured paper.

Because lectures are different than books, I have taken notes, pared them down, and reordered the learning in a way that I could grasp it. First, I would like to share with you The Credentials, The Reason for the Study, A Key Verse, and A Summary of the purpose of the book.

2. Overview – John's Four Sources
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2. Overview - f. Who was the Apostle John?
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We know that when we receive a letter, the meaning changes completely when we know who it’s from. We could be ecstatic about a letter from a special friend, but maybe not so with a letter from our boss. Understanding the Apostle John (Yochanan) will help us to understand how the Asia-Minor Christians in the seven churches may have received his apocalyptic letter. We will also understand the impetus behind his writing. So, who was John? What was he like?

2. Overview – Four Statements
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The book of Revelation or John’s Apocalypse (Unveiling) is a promise of blessing with the purpose of comforting and challenging the First Century, Asia Minor, Jewish Christians (FCAM JC) whom John pastored. It is the announcement and promotion of the gracious salvation of Yahweh’s Kingdom of Shalom meant for those who follow Yeshua (Jesus), the Slaughtered Lamb. In it, God’s Kingdom collides with the kingdom of chaos and darkness, and we learn what it means to live as His Faithful Witnesses (FW) in this world.

Map
The 7 Christian Communities in Asia Minor (modern western Turkey) and the Island of Patmos in the mid AD 90s
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His Table
An Unsurpassed Invitation
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Yeshua (Jesus), the Only Begotten of the Father, our Bridegroom, has come and secured our intimate union with Himself by His blood. By His suffering and death, He has covered our debt of sin and waywardness that kept us from Him. We stand in His presence forgiven and beloved!

Mary Stayed
The Adoration and Tenacity of Mary of Magdala
An Imaginative Interpretation of Mary's last week with Yeshua (Jesus)
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Singer, songwriter, and author Michael Card said, “The best way to love someone is to listen to them. The best way to love God is to listen to Him. Your imagination integrates your heart and your mind. The Bible is aimed at your imagination.”

Listening
A Personal Story and Devotional
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Years ago, I was asked, “What would you like people to say about you at your funeral?” The answer that came immediately to my mind shocked me. It also gave me a new focus. The answer – I would like just one person at my funeral to say, “She heard me.” In other words, “She listened and valued me.”

I never thought of myself as a good listener. Because of my visual nature, I take in a lot of information in my environment and find myself working hard to focus away from the details of my surroundings to assimilate the words of others. And so, along the way, I gathered listening tips that resonated with me. I even made a bookmark to remind myself of them. Although I still rush in to get a word in edgewise, I find myself calmer and more interested in others than in being heard. But I still have a long way to go! Here is my list on how to be a good listener along with other thoughts and Scripture.

Songs of Heaven
Worship Before His Throne
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My desire was to create a song sheet so we could join with the voices of Revelation in heaven in worship to our King. We could push our voices out with a new melody that may form a song to Him! We could sing the words or say them out loud, wrapping our hearts around Him in devotion!

The song sheet is on the next page. Each song is prefaced with the ones who are singing it. But first, here are brief notes to give understanding. It is important to note that apocalyptic literature includes many symbolic elements that would have been readily understood to the first century Asia Minor audience:

Abiding Tools
A Scripture Study in John 15:1-17
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Written September 2004, revised August 2020 and January 2024

Hudson Taylor was the founder of the China Inland Mission. At his death in 1905, there were 125,000 Chinese Christians in the mission – a fruitful life! But Hudson writes about a time in the early years of his ministry when his life was marked by exhaustion and deadness in his spirit. He belonged to God, but he was not experiencing the joy and rest God promised. He said, “I prayed, agonized, fasted, strove for faith, read the Word more diligently, sought more time for meditation, but all with no benefit.”

Is My Light Bright?
You are the light of the world!... Let your light shine!... (see Matthew 5:14-16)
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In my writing Anchor Awareness, I shared this prayer from a friend who is going through a huge trial: 

“God, use this difficult event to bring glory to Your Name. I pray that people would see things in us that would point them to You, that Your light would shine so brightly in us that people are blinded by Your majesty, and that You would take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it to good.”

Then, a brother read the prayer and responded with these words and question. I think this is a common question among believers, and so I asked for his permission to share it:

Anchor Awareness
Our Sure Hope
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Yeshua (Jesus) said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again.” (John 3:7)

When we receive Yeshua, we are born again (see John 1:11-13). God creates a new heart in us. (2 Cor. 5:17)

Through our new birth, He seals us in Him with an imperishable seed by the Holy Spirit. (1 Peter 1:23)

We are anchored in God. He is our Anchor.

We are in Him (Colossians 3:3), and He is in us (Colossians 1:25-27), and He is with us (John 14:16-17).

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us...” (Hebrews 6:19)

Hanukkah, Blossoms, and Yeshua 
Let us hear His voice
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The menorah (or lampstand) that was in the Tabernacle of the Lord is described in Exodus 25. It was created of solid, poured gold with gold almond blossoms for the cups of the candlesticks. For our Hannukah art card, I painted the almond blossoms to be alive – white with pink hues.

Almond trees bloom in the late winter in Israel and are the first blooms of the year. They signal the celebration of Passover which occurs on the first full moon of spring. The Hebrew word for almond means eager anticipation, wakeful hastening, and readiness – all descriptions the Israelites needed at the first Passover when the Lord delivered them from their enemy.

His Name 
Why is it so important?
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People in the Bible have called God by many names that express the aspect of His character they experienced. They are beautiful names and are the reason I created The Hebrew Names of God Collection of art cards. God’s three most used names in Scripture are Yahweh, Adonai, and Elohim. The translators of my Bible (NASB) use the uppercase GOD and LORD to designate His Name Yahweh. They use the lowercase Lord to designate Adonai and the lowercase God to designate Elohim. I love this tool because it informs me of the aspect of His character the author is expressing. Today, I want to focus on His Name Yahweh.

A History of Israel and the Palestinians
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I transcribed this message from a portion of a message by Pastor Gary Hamrick of Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, Virginia entitled Israel, Hamas, and End Times, October 15, 2023. To listen to his entire message, click here https://cornerstonechapel.net/teaching/20231015/

Clear Vision
Our Critical Need
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Yeshua (Jesus) gives us clear vision to navigate the maze of influences and information that surround us. He intimately knows our unique personalities, emotions, and responses (Psalm 139:1-4). He is the Light of the world! His word is a lamp to our feet and a sharp, two-edged sword that distinguishes between what is pure and what is evil, between truth and subtle lies, between the excellent and the unimportant, and between pure and impure motives. In His light, truth stands out starkly in our field of vision.

Our Banner Who Gathers Us 
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Dear friends… beloved of the Lord,
We grieve together for our brothers, sisters, and all people in the land of Israel. The depth of evil that took place on October 7^th is incomprehensible. We pray together for the survivors to be protected and, if they do not know Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), that they would come to know Him during this time. May they see Him in dreams and visions and in the pages of Scripture. May they be drawn to Him by the Father and see Him clearly as their Savior with spiritual eyes and receptive hearts. He is the Only One Who can save them now and for eternity. We pray for a spiritual awakening and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit across the land of Israel!

Intimate Counselor 
Our Exquisite Time with Him
I will counsel you with My eye upon you. (Psalm 32:8b)
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There is something about a thing being common that takes away from its exquisiteness. In nature, there are no two things alike. The examination of every flower presents a breathtaking unique capsule in time. This fall, the butterflies, praying mantis, bees, and grasshoppers were fascinating in their detail.

The Day of Loud Sound
Yom T’ruah and why I love it!
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As I write today, I am aware that excellence and accuracy were instilled in me, and I’m thankful for that. But we know that life is most-often not accurate; we can only do our best and then rest in Him – Best then Rest, how is that for a motto!? So, I offer this writing, not to be accurate, although that would appear to be my intent, but to simply share the joy that came as I studied these things; my study left the picture in my mind of us praising our King, dancing with all our might! And so, I will dive in…