Six Things You Can Do Now to Get Ready for Passover and the Spring Feasts

What can we do to start preparing for the Bible holidays of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits?

When you're new to celebrating the Bible holidays, it can be hard to know what to do or how to spend this time. Take some time to consider what your goals are for this year's feast days. Maybe that's doing something for Passover for the first time ever. Maybe that's putting up decorations around your home. Maybe that's taking the week off from work. That could be be traveling to celebrate with a group of believers or inviting friends over to learn about these special times. Whatever your hopes, now is the time to prepare to make that happen.

Six things you can do now to get ready for the Spring feasts:

Prepare your calendar. Different groups use different calendars, but Passover is coming up around the beginning of April. Decide on which calendar you're using and then be sure to clear your schedule then! Put in for time off work, don't schedule any appointments or major home projects then, clear other commitments from your schedule if need be. Let your children's teachers know if they'll be missing any school, etc.

Make plans. Do you want to have your family over for a Passover supper? Invite them and start thinking about a menu. Do you want to celebrate with a group of believers? If so, see about finding a group you can join, and find out when they'll be gathering. Could you invite friends over for a Bible study or see about having your small group have a time of communion and foot washing?

Study to learn about Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Whether this is your first year celebrating or fiftieth, there is something new to be learned this year. Read through the stories of Exodus and the crucifixion. You could also read books on the feasts by Eddie Chumney or Anne Elliott, among others. Studying Scripture always gives me fresh ideas and motivation for honoring YHWH's set apart times.

Do your shopping. Do you want to deck your house in crepe paper and balloons? Or give a Passover themed gift to family members? Do you need to order matzah? Are you hoping to find Passover shirts or signs? Do you need supplies to make Passover craft projects with your kids? Make a list of what you'll need for Passover and Unleavened Bread and get your times ordered or make it a point to go to the store so you don't have to rush at the last minute.

Start getting the leaven out of your house. Go through your cupboards and freezer and see what leavened items you have to use by Passover. Get those used up or donate anything you can't use to a food pantry. Leavened items are mostly breads, and things with breadcrumbs in them such as meatballs or breaded chicken. If you're not familiar with leavening, start learning now!

Take time to spiritually prepare. Removing the natural leaven from our homes is a picture of removing the spiritual leaven from our hearts. Has YHWH been speaking to you to let go of something or an area that hasn't been fully surrendered to him? Pray and ask to see what he wants to do and is doing in your life. Spend time worshipping and studying his word.

Preparing for any of the Biblical holidays is a special thing, but if you're reading this smack in the middle of the week of Unleavened Bread, don't despair! The Bible's directions for these holidays are simple enough so that anyone can participate in them. Start now and do what you can to join in the holidays the Creator made for us and to remember the amazing works of the Messiah that happened during these days!

More posts to help get ready for the Bible holidays:
Preparing Spiritually and Emotionally for Passover
The Beginner's Guide to Unleavened Bread
Kids Crafts for Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits

An Introduction to the Set Apart Times of YHWH

Have you ever wondered what the set apart times are in the Bible? In addition to the weekly Sabbath, there are seven times of the year that YHWH tells us to set apart. These times are special, and not only because we are told to celebrate them. Each holiday has significance historically, prophetically, and in the life of the Messiah. Paul wrote in Colossians that these times are a shadow of things to come. That means we have a lot to learn from these holidays.

The set apart times are:

Passover
Matzah Week / The Feast of Unleavened Bread
First Fruits

Shavuot / Pentecost / The Feast of Weeks

Yom Teruah / Feast of Trumpets

Yom Kippur / Day of Atonement

Sukkot / Feast of Tabernacles

While specific dates are given in Scripture, the Biblical calendar doesn't mesh perfectly with the Gregorian so the dates move a bit each year. 

Needing clarification is the truth that these are not "Jewish holidays." No, no, no. These are part of Scripture, so if you are a Bible believer these are yours, regardless of nationality or bloodline or family traditions. While these have largely only been kept by Jewish people, YHWH never, ever says that only part of his people should celebrate them. Deuteronomy 16:14 expressly tells us that foreigners who join the community of YHWH's people should celebrate these days too, so no matter your background the Creator invites you to these times. He made them for his honor, but also for our enjoyment and erudition. Two of the greatest gifts ever bestowed on humanity - YHWH's instructions for living and the Holy Spirit - were given at Shavuot. The Messiah was born during the Fall Feasts and of course crucified on Passover and resurrected during Matzah Week. Perhaps the most joyous time in history will be on Yom Teruah at the returning of Yahusha. These times are stunning in their significance.

A brief overview of the set apart times:

Passover: In the Biblical year Passover is the very first feast. We see the Israelites keep Passover just before the Egyptian exodus. They were instructed to brush the doors of their homes with blood from a lamb, we are reminded that the Messiah was the perfect sacrificial lamb. That's not just an allegory either, Yahusha was killed on Passover. 

The Feast of Unleavened Bread: This is a week long celebration that starts the day after Passover. Leavened/yeast bread and other products are forbidden this week. As yeast is a very small ingredient that rabidly transforms all the dough, we are reminded that the small things in our life make a huge impact. It was during this week when the Messiah rose from the dead.

First Fruits: This day happens during Matzah Week, but there is a lot of debate as to when. This is when the first of the barely harvest was to be presented before YHWH. First Fruits is the day the Messiah resurrected from the dead and presented himself to the Father. It is also when we are to start counting fifty days.

Shavuot: Fifty days after First Fruits we are to celebrate Shavuot. This is a day of great significance as the instructions on how to live were given at Mount Sinai and then shortly after Yahusha's ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit was given on the day of Shavuot.

Yom Teruah: The first of the fall feasts, Yom Teruah means something like Day of Sounding. All those verses that talk about a trumpet sounding when the Messiah returns? It will happen on that day.

Yom Kippur: Under the Levitical priesthood this was a very significant day because it's the day that the priests made atonement for all of Israel's sin with the two goats. Today we can celebrate that the Messiah has atoned for our sins. Prophetically, it is thought that this will be the day that the earth is judged and the people who have been atoned for by Messiah will be separated from those who have not.

Sukkot: This is a beautiful look ahead to when YHWH will dwell or camp with us. With that in mind, it's no surprise that it is believed the Messiah was born during this time. This eight day celebration usually looks like a camping trip, with the commandment being to dwell in tents. Others build a temporary structure on their property and spend time there throughout Sukkot.

Why should we be keeping the feasts?

-We are told to keep these set apart times forever (Exodus 12:14). And you know what? This isn't a bad thing. These are times of joy. Thinking otherwise illustrates a lack of trust in our Creator, that we could think so negatively about him to believe he is hosting parties just so we can be miserable during them. This is not the case at all. Each set apart time is a gift from him; a time for celebration, rest, joy, thanksgiving, time with family and friends, delicious foods, and fun memories. I refuse to treat that like a burden.

-We see the Messiah celebrating these times in Scripture. He even hosts a Passover meal (also known as the last supper). And he is supposed to be our example, right? So one of the answers to those WWJD bracelets is, "celebrate the feasts!"

-Paul exhorts us to keep the feasts (1 Corinthians 5:8). Even after the Messiah was ascended into heaven we are told to keep these festivals.

-Scripture tells us not to let anyone judge us for doing this (Colossians 2:16). In his all knowing, YHWH knew we would be facing some peer pressure to not keep the feasts. I think that's why in Colossians he reminded us to not let other's opinions make our decisions for us. It's not man's choice. It's YHWH's instruction.

Are there benefits to celebrating YHWH's set apart times?

To quote Paul, "Much in every way." Most people keeping the cultural holidays do so because they feel like they are beneficial. The benefit could be that it's something fun to look forward to, or that it's an excuse to spend time with family and friends or to take a break from work, or that it's a way to celebrate love or show people you care. And these are for times that are man made or have very dark origins. How much more then can the Biblical holidays bring goodness into our lives? Here are a few of the opportunities you will have in keeping celebrating the Biblical holidays.

-Deeper relationship with the Messiah. Everything about the festivals points to him. We are going to get a a better understanding of who he is when we start celebrating the feasts. It gives us a closer look at his life (we know what he was doing at these times of year), and we can prophetically see what his return will be like.

-Taking ownership for faith in a concrete way. Believing and trusting can feel a little abstract at times. It is nice to do something tangible to grow in faith and relationship with YHWH. These are regular times to slow down and refocus on faith.

-Understanding Scripture in much more depth! The festivals are a significant part of both Old and New Testament Scripture. We are going to miss a lot of details if we aren't at least somewhat familiar with what these are. And we know that all of Scripture is useful for teaching, correcting mistakes, and training in character.

-Sharing experiences that those in the Bible had. Keeping Passover is something Moses did. And Miriam and Joshua. And the Messiah and the disciples. King Josiah and Apostle Paul too. How cool is it that we can relate to them in this way? These set apart times bring members of our faith together over thousands of years, and can make Scripture come alive to us.

-Building relationships with other believers. A Passover meal or Sukkot celebration is a great time to journey to be with others in the faith. Sharing these special times together can foster lasting friendships and meaningful relationships.

This is just a brief introduction to the feasts. There is so much more richness to each one! For more on individual feasts, go here.

What is Hallowed?

If you're not familiar with the truth of what happens on Halloween and its origins, check out this teaching from Torah to the Tribes. Human and animal sacrifice, rape, ritualistic abuse, kidnapping, murder, invoking evil spirits. That's what Halloween is.
Yes, you may say, but I'm not celebrating those things.

Sure, but is the occult's black sabbath something you want to associate yourself with? Paul wrote very plainly that he would not do something if it caused his brother to stumble or fall away from the faith (1 Corinthians 8:13). Does widespread Christian celebration and acceptance of Halloween dissuade people from following Yahusha?

Who does Halloween keep from entering the Kingdom of Heaven?

Those in the occult looking for truth. If our holy days aren't distinctly different, how can they know there is a better way?

Victims of ritual abuse. Those the occult has harmed are desperate for healing and the truth and love of YHWH. But if they see supposed Bible believers dressed as witches or churches decorated with haunted grave yards those symbols are enough to trigger panic and anxiety that will keep them far away from the truth.

Women and children who have suffered domestic violence.  Millions of people have been covered in real blood. They have felt terror that those covering themselves in fake blood can't imagine. Does dressing up as a murderer or victim of a violent crime bring life to these precious ones?

Those from other religions that can see no difference in their faith. Acting like the rest of the culture doesn't show anyone who YHWH is. This denies other faiths the opportunity to see truth.

Anyone who can see the hypocrisy of the Christian faith. While most of the church is in denial about it, the rest of the world can see the clear contradiction between the teachings of Scripture and participating in Halloween. This is not exactly a call to righteous living.

There are millions and millions of people who stumble over the fact that those claiming to serve the God of Light participate in such horrible darkness. When we are involved in Halloween we are saying that the day is truly honorable and worth being set apart. That word hallow? Yahusha used it when he prayed, "Hallowed be the name of YHWH." The definition of hallow is literally to "honor as holy." Do you believe that this day of wickedness should be honored as highly as the very name of YHWH? When we participate (in any way, no matter how small) in Halloween (Hallow[ed] e[v]en[ing]), that's exactly the message we send to all of these people.

What about providing safe alternatives to Halloween? 3 John 1:11 says not to imitate evil. Imitating the evil practices of Halloween is not okay if you dial it down to "family friendly." It's still going against what Scripture expressly says and imitating wickedness. The only safe alternative is keeping YHWH's feast days. If you want to celebrate the fall harvest, do it at Sukkot when it's permissible and honorable to YHWH.

Some verses to consider before participating in the black sabbath of the occult:

Isaiah 5:20 - Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light, and celebrate pagan holidays in place of YHWH's moedim.

John 8:12 - I am the light of the world whoever follows me won't walk in the darkness of Halloween.

1 Corinthians 10:21 - You cannot drink the cup of YHWH and the cup of shedim. You cannot live a righteous life and participate in demonic holidays.

Ephesians 5:11 - Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, not even once a year. Instead expose it.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 - Abstain from every form of evil. Even if it's "just for fun."

Yaakov 1:27 - Pure and undefiled religion is to keep yourself unspotted from the world. All the time.

2 Corinthians 6:14 - What fellowship has righteousness with Torahlessness? What common ground is there for keepers of Torah and wickedness? None.

Yaakov 4:4 - Friendship with the world is enmity with YHWH. Even if you're just being friendly as a marketing campaign for Yahusha.

Matthew 22:37 - The first and greatest commandment is to love YHWH. Not to love the things this world does.

2 Corinthians 11:3 - I fear your minds may be corrupted away from the simplicity that is in Moshiach. I'm worried that you're doing things Yahusha wouldn't.

Deuteronomy 12:4 - You shall not worship YHWH in this manner. You can't celebrate something with origins in paganism and have it honor YHWH. He hates it.

1 Corinthians 10:9 - Neither let us test Messiah, as those who were destroyed. Do you want to find out the hard way Halloween celebration is not righteous?

1 Timothy 4:1 - In the latter times many will depart from the faith, giving heed to the teachings of shedim, believing it's okay to do things YHWH warns against.

Deuteronomy 18:10 There should not be found among you divination, enchantment or witchcraft. Whoever does these things is detestable to YHWH. Even if it's what everyone else is doing.

We have all participated in things that don't honor YHWH, but we can stop today! Do you believe that the power of Yahusha fully overcomes darkness or not? Because if it does our lives and holidays should demonstrate that.

Giving When You Don't Have the Finances

Money and giving. No one likes to talk about either. We feel guilty when we don't or can't give to a worthy cause. It's hard to admit our finances aren't flowing as freely as we like.

But both are still important.

Several years ago I read a book about a man who was given the task of overseeing an $11,000,000,000 fund for philanthropy. That's a dream job! Who wouldn't love to give away billions of dollars to different organizations? How would you spend that kind of money? Would you give clean water to the masses? Maybe open a free hospital? Build schools?

We would all love to be able to give away serious money. I've given so many $25 donations where I would have loved to fund the whole project. Have you had moments like that? Wishing you could cover a mission trip for someone or write a check to take care of that local radio fundraiser? No matter how large your budget is for giving most of us still have a budget. There's only so much we can give and still pay our bills. And for most of us it's not as much as we'd like.

Giving is important. Why? Not because congregations "just want your money" but because giving is vital for the Kingdom of Heaven to spread. Supporting ministries and organizations that are doing things we believe in is essential to share the truth of Scripture. Still, finances are limited formost of us so I wanted to share some more creative ways to give.

1. Give what you can. Can you come up with $5 a week or $10 a month to give away? If so, do it! For me, it's fun to research and learn up about different organizations to support. Learn about a certain issue every month or so with your family and then together choose where your money will go.

2. Pray. We may not be able to meet every need we encounter but we do know the one who can! When you hear of a need take a few seconds to ask for YHWH's provision. Put a few organizations on your prayer list and make it a habit to ask YHWH to meet their needs, to bless the work that they're doing, and to give the staff wisdom.

3. Volunteer. Most non-profits live or die on their volunteers. There are so many ways to get involved, even if you only have a few hours here or there to spare. Check with your congregation or a nearby nonprofit to see how you can help. Often they could use a hand with everything from office tasks to promotions to manual labor to specific skills like photography or web design to event setup and clean up. Volunteering is also a great way to learn about an issue and to meet new people.

4. Like and share updates. Interacting with your favorite organizations on social media means free advertising for them. Hit the like button the next time you see an update on Facebook and that means more of your friends will see it to. Retweet a blurb from an organization to share with your Twitter followers. Tag your favorite for-good company or non profit in your Instagrams when applicable.

5. Make a purchase from a for-good company. The next time you need to buy something do some research to see if you can find what you need from a business that is working to change the world. If you need a gift for a friend look for a scarf that sends children to school; if your workplace needs more coffee, suggest buying fair trade; if you need a new shirt considering buying one from your favorite ministry or NPO.

6. Donate items you don't need. Coats and clothing can be given to a homeless shelter, furniture and household items can go to an organization that helps with immigrants resettling in your area (check with a college to find one), food pantries will accept non perishable foods as well as kitchen items, in most cases. Many thrift shops have a philanthropic mission, look for one in your area--and do what shopping you can there.

7. Sign your grocery store card up for community rewards. This is where a percentage of what you spend on groceries is donated to the charity of your choice! Kroger does this and so does a local store in my area. Head to their website to link your card with your favorite charity.

8. Write a letter to a person imprisoned for their faith. Voice of the Martyrs has a program where they help you write letters to prisoners to encourage them in their faith. It takes about five minutes to complete online and print. You'll need to mail it which typically costs $1 or $2.

9. Host a party with a purpose. Give meaning to your next get together by sharing about your favorite non-profit, encouraging people to sign up for their newsletter, and by asking everyone to donate a few dollars. Or ask friends over to cut shoes for Sole Hope or to stuff action packs for Voice of the Martyrs.

10. Lobby your congressmen and women. Most of us would donate money to an organization that fights human trafficking but sadly many of us wouldn't take five minutes to contact our senators and representatives to ask them to support anti-trafficking legislation. It is simple to ask your congressmen to support the same issues that you do. They can be contacted via their website or by calling their office to leave a message.

11. Use GoodSearch or AmazonSmile. GoodSearch is a search engine that donates one penny for every search you make! While a penny is not a lot, it does add up. In less than two years my searches have generated over $150 for organizations of my choice. Also did you know about AmazonSmile? It's just like the Kroger community rewards, where they will donate a percentage of what you spend to a charity you select. You can also use GoodShop which is compatible with other stores besides Amazon.

12. Participate. This could be as simple as sending an email saying, "Thanks for what you do, I believe in you," or sharing about a fundraiser online. Go to events and awareness nights hosted by non profits (they are often free), search out ways to get involved and do what you can.

Do you have a favorite creative way to give? Please let me know below!

What Kind of Modesty Does 1 Timothy 2:9 Mean?

This post takes a look at the Apostle Paul's admonition for women to dress modestly and sensibly in 1 Timothy 2:9. By examining the context of these words we will see that the modesty Paul is referring to is financial modesty. While being dressed appropriately is important, the Bible also teaches that how we dress and do our hair shouldn't be about showing off, or creating a culture of haves and have-nots. 

"Likewise, the women, when they pray, should be dressed modestly and sensibly in respectable attire, not with elaborate hairstyles and gold jewelry, or pearls, or expensive clothes." -1 Timothy 2:9

What kind of modesty does this verse refer to?

The common understanding is that Paul meant women should cover their bodies. A bikini is obviously not an appropriate choice for a congregational setting. That makes sense. I'm not arguing that women shouldn't be appropriately dressed. But if that's his point why doesn't the verse go more like this:

"Women should dress modestly and sensibly in respectable clothes, not with low-cut tops, short skirts, or spandex outfits."

Am I alone in thinking that would be a better fit for the first part of the verse?

"Not with elaborate hairstyles and gold jewelry, or pearls, or expensive clothes."

What if Paul meant financial modesty?

Expensive means the clothes cost a lot of money. As do gold jewelry, and real pearls. An elaborate hairstyle implies you are wealthy enough to pay someone to do your hair--whether a hired stylist or a servant--or at least that you are wealthy enough to have plenty of free time to do it yourself.

Think of a time you felt conspicuously under dressed. What was that like? Stressful? Humiliating? My husband and I were once riding an elevator in a fancy Chicago hotel to a restaurant a few floors up. Aware of the ambiance of the hotel we had dressed up--at least we thought so. The elevator made a stop before our destination and we were joined by several couples who were in ball gowns and tuxedos. I had never felt so out of place or embarrassed.

Once we discovered the other couples were headed to a formal ball a few stories up, we were able to laugh it off (really, it was a very audible sigh of relief). But I remember the stress that gripped me of being awkwardly out of place, like I didn't belong.

And I was just going to dinner. Imagine if that happened to someone seeking the presence of YHWH.

Is Paul instructing us not to dress like we have lots of money? You know how it is, ladies. Fashion is a contest, or at least a clique. We notice how other people dress and worry what they'll think of our outfit. We see what popular women are wearing and make a mental note to track down a floral dress or a striped top so that we can emulate them. How many times have you stood at your closet in the morning and thought, I wore that Tuesday so I can't wear it again today? For the majority of women our wardrobes are determined by what we imagine others will think, as much as they are by our own opinions. We see trendy clothes on others and wonder how they have time to shop so much. We go shopping with friends and are pressured into making a purchase we don't love or that costs too much. We try and style an outfit differently so that no one notices it's the same top we wore last week.

"But my clothes aren't expensive." You may have gotten great deals on your outfits, but do you need 35 of them? In a world of fast fashion that is dirt cheap, variety is the new expense. This is where dressing sensibly comes in. Is fast fashion and its offenses to rights of workers and the environment a sensible thing to be involved in? Some stores release new items every week with the intention of making you feel out of style and in need of a wardrobe update. Those who follow along and keep up with all the trends can inadvertently send this message to those that don't: You're out of style. You are not enough. You don't belong.

What if Paul was trying to promote an environment that was free from this kind of distraction? I am all for looking nice. But what if when we prepare for congregation we choose to focus on our hearts being in the right place, rather than our hair? What if we work to empower women in our congregations and churches to worship YHWH free from those plaguing thoughts of comparison? Just as we make sure to dress modestly to not distract men as they worship and learn the word of YHWH, we can dress financially modest to not distract women as they do the same.

Related posts:
The Real Meaning of the Story of Mary and Martha
The Myth and Meaning of I Do Not Permit a Woman to Teach
What the Bible Says about Rape and Sexual Assault