Abba Oil

Fires in Israel

2010-12-03T15:04:00.000-08:00

As the Jewish holiday of Hanukah has begun this week, a serious national crisis is unfolding in northern Israel. "More than 12,000 northern Israel residents were being evacuated from their homes as a massive fire continued to rage Thursday night," reports Ynet News. The fire, which broke out near the Druze village of Usfiya in the North on Thursday morning, took the lives of 40 prison guards and injured dozens more.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak spoke with the chief of staff and ordered the army to provide all the forces necessary to extinguish the fire that was raging in the Carmel forest and to care for the wounded. Interior Minister Eli Yishai instructed his office to move firefighter forces from all over the country to the North to help gain control of the fire. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his staff traveled Thursday evening to the area of the blaze, in order to be on top of the situation from the field. Speaking earlier in Jerusalem, he said, "we have never known a tragedy of this scope."

PLEASE PRAY:

*For the fires to be contained and put out quickly
*For the Israelis who have been evacuated from their homes to be comforted and to have adequate housing and all the supplies they need
*For no further evacuations to be necessary
*For other countries to provide Israel needed assistance in firefighting
*For believers in Israel to be able to love their neighbors in real and practical ways during this crisis

Thank you!!

Greetings from Israel

2010-11-27T08:42:00.000-08:00

Shalom from Israel!

We are visiting the Galilee area, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem, enjoying the land and conducting business meetings. During this thanksgiving week, we are so grateful, thankful, and blessed by Yahweh for the calling and privilege to run Abba Oil. Thank you to our customers, intercessors, friends and family for supporting the ministry of His Kingdom!

Month of Av

2010-07-16T20:19:00.000-07:00

This past Monday, July 12th, was the first day of "Av", the fifth month in the Hebrew Biblical calendar. This date is specifically mentioned in Numbers 33:38 as the day on which Aaron, the High Priest died. This is a month which is looked upon with sobriety by many Jewish people—from the first to the ninth, many enter into a form of fasting by abstaining from eating meat.

The three-week period between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av (July 20th this year) is when the First Temple was destroyed and has sometimes been referred to as "Bein haMetzarim"—between the straits. Lamentations 1:3 states, "All her persecutors overtake her between the dire straits."

Because of the many calamities that have occurred to the Jewish people throughout history during or surrounding this period of time, several key leaders in the land of Israel and in the global prophetic and prayer movements see this as a critical time for prayers of protection.

A Time of Attacks

The following are among some of the verifiable events that have taken place within the month of Av itself:

• 586 B.C. & 70 C.E.: Both the first and second Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed during this month.

• 1492, 7th of Av: King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella expelled all Jews who refused conversion from Spain.

• 1929, 17th of Av: 67 Jewish adults and children were massacred by Muslim Arabs in Hebron.

• 1994, 10th of Av: Muslim Arabs bombed the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, killing 86 and wounding more than 300—the deadliest attack in the Diaspora since the Holocaust.

• 2005, 10th of Av: thousands of Jews began to be forcibly expelled from 25 towns and settlements in the Gaza Strip and Northern Samaria, as part of the "Disengagement Plan."

Many "noted seers" have consistently seen this period of time as a season when demonic dark forces have historically sought to take advantage against God's covenant land and people of Israel. This calls for special watchfulness over Israel and Jewish people in the nations, bringing them before the "Father of Lights" according to James 1:17. With this in mind, we are emphasizing special prayer for Israel during the Hebrew month of Av.

Although the name Av is actually a Babylonian name, adopted during Judah's captivity, it happens to bear the same spelling and pronunciation as the Hebrew word for Father. As we pray in our Global Prayer Storm over the land and people at the beginning of this Hebrew month, we can remind God of His word as found in a verse from Jeremiah 3:4: Will you not from this time cry to Me, "My Father, You are the guide of my youth?"

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY:

• That Israel be protected from evil that seeks an occasion to be released against her during these three weeks and throughout this Fifth Month.

• Pray Psalm 118:5: Out of the strait (metzar) I called to Ya (the LORD). Ya answered me in a wide-open place...

*courtesy of James Goll

July Testimonies

2010-07-01T21:13:00.000-07:00

I received the hyssop oil as a gift a few months ago and had only used it once to anoint myself when I was sick. I stored it in my drawer and almost forgot about it. My husband and I opened up our home for prayer last night and the Lord told me to grab it out of my drawer. I opened the bottle in the room where we were meeting to pray and somehow spilled it all over my hands, and a good portion of it spilled on to the floor. As soon as this happened, a tangible prescence of God filled the room and we were all deeply touched by the power and prescence of God! It was truly awesome to have this experience! I will be purchasing more ASAP.

The Lord truly blessed us as we were part of an annual Mother*Daughter Gala earlier this year. We had been in prayer about what gift would be perfect for each of the guests who attended. When we received our answer, it was to give anointing oil. So, we got the anointing oil fragrances Henna and Pomegranate. It was so special. One mother who had not used anointing oil in a long time received one of the gifts and was so blessed. She just kept saying how beautiful the fragrance was and how she was going to use it for everything.

A young little girl heard how her little brother was not feeling well, so she got one of the oils and put it on his forehead to pray for him. It is so beautiful how the oil was sweet and used for so many different reasons. Thank you Abba for your ministry. It truly touches many. Love you much!!

TESTIMONIES

2010-06-09T10:19:00.000-07:00

I purchased from Abba a Frankincense & Myrrh mixture of Bath Salts and Oil. I love, love, love it! It's absolutely heavenly and so wonderful for my skin! It was the salt/oil scrub. Your products are amazing! I received my shipment in about four days from the order date! If heaven smells anything like this, I'm so glad I'll be there, and to smell Jesus' robes of cassia, aloes, and myrrh! Thank you for your amazing products!
~Sue

I received the Ketubah as a gift from a Sister-in-Christ. I didn't want to use it at first because it was such a precious gift to me. When I ran out of my other anointing oil, I had to open it and begin using it. I always anoint my children, husband, myself, our home, items, and also when I pray and spend time with the Lord. There is a significance in the sensitivity to the Lord's presence. My children have been able to sleep much better during the night (they used to wake up in the middle of the night at times.) There is a sense of peace in the home when I walk into our side of the house. It has been such a blessing, and I give God all the Glory and Praise for all of His blessings!
~Stephanie

Pentecost ~ Shavuot

2010-05-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

On the Jewish Calendar, this day is known as Shavuot meaning “Weeks”. Today the Jews celebrate the anniversary when God gave Israel the Torah at Mount Sinai. Since the Feast of Passover until now Jews have been counting for 49 days and or 7 weeks (Counting of the Omar) and today marks the end of the counting of 50 days. The 49 days counted until today are preparation and anticipation of God's word.

On Passover the Jewish people were freed from their enslavement to Pharaoh... and 50 days later on Shavuot they were given the Torah. On Passover Christians celebrated the forgiveness of our sins and the promise of eternal life through Christ's death, burial and resurrection... and now 50 days later on Pentecost, we celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Outside of Israel, Shavuot is celebrated for 2 days on the 6^th and 7^th days of Sivan. Churches around the world will celebrate Pentecost (the Acts chapter two birthing of the catholic Church in Jerusalem) on this coming Sunday, May 23^rd.
This coming Pentecost Sunday is the annual Global Day of Prayer. On this coming Sunday millions of people around the world will gather in stadiums, churches and homes for repentance and prayer. The Global Day of Prayer started 10 years ago on Pentecost Sunday in South Africa and now includes 220 nations. This annual “Feast of First Fruits” prayer offering to the Lord is a foretaste of the feast to come. Through a global and unified prayer movement God is preparing the bride of Christ for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh.
The Shavuot celebration is the celebration of the wheat harvest and the ripening of the first fruits. This is a time for making a wheat offering to the Lord in the celebration of the Feast of First Fruits. There are Biblical times and cycles for special giving unto the Lord... and we will grow in the Lord through our sacrificial giving. If there are ministries that have been on your heart and you have been thinking about giving them a special offering... now would be the time to do that. The Lord speaks powerfully to us through our prayerful giving.
Meals during this holiday are traditionally based on fruit, vegetables and dairy products.
The book of Ruth (deeply moving story of love and covenant) is read during the Feast of First Fruits. God's Holy Spirit is the only capable Kinsman Redeemer in all the world. Now is the time to re-read and reflect on this amazing book... and to pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2).
May the Lord speak to your heart as you pray and seek Him during the Feast of First Fruits.

*info from Lee Behnken Ministries

Passover: Doorposts

2010-03-29T21:13:00.000-07:00

Exodus 12:7-13

And they shall take some of the blood and pit it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire--its head with its legs and its entrails. You shall let non of it remain until morning, and what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire. And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's Passover.

For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

Matthew 26:28

For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Matthew 27:25

And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children."

Passover: Blood

2010-03-28T19:29:00.000-07:00

Exodus 12:5-6

Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight.

Matthew 27:45, 50

Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

Passover: Binding

2010-03-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

PESACH

The Passover Instituted

EXODUS 12:1-6

Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, "This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.

Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, 'On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man's need you shall make your count for the lamb.

Matthew 26:47, 50

And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people... Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.

Testimonies

2010-03-10T13:58:00.000-08:00

"Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them." Psalm 119:129

John 8:17 "It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true."

"...when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed." 2Thess. 1:10

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony..." Rev. 12:11.

Wow! What a release from heaven above. I've been anointing myself many times per day with the Pomegranate oil. I feel like the many curses have been broken from depression, anger toward my father since a child, bitterness and is in the process of healing me with an increased abundance of Joy, Peace, and over-all "Presence of God." I can hardly wait to use this in my Sunday School class! I am also praying for health in your family and deliverance from attacks of the devil, to set you free from any and all curses that satan has afflicted you with...in the Name of Jesus! ...I am considering selling your products as a business because so many people need them in their lives. I believe in anointing with oil now more than ever before as I see the differance in my own life.

~J.C.

My order of your eleven oil samples arrived today and I cannot tell you how delighted I am! These oils smell fabulous! I will definitely be ordering more of the specific ones that I like. Thank you for the prompt service and the obvious quality of your products.

~Karen

Be BLESSED in the name of Yeshua!

Purim

2010-02-21T13:54:00.000-08:00

PURIM

Adar 14 ~ February 28, 2010

Historically:

The Persian empire of the 4th century BC extended over 127 lands, and all the Jews were its subjects. When King Ahasuerus had his wife, Queen Vashti, executed for failing to follow his orders, he orchestrated a beauty pageant to find a new queen. A Jewish girl, Hadassah (Esther), found favor in his eyes and became the new queen—though she refused to divulge the identity of her nationality.

Meanwhile, the anti-Semitic Haman was appointed prime minister of the empire. Mordechai, the leader of the Jews (and Hadassah's cousin) defied the king's orders and refused to bow to Haman. Haman was incensed and convinced the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination of all the Jews on the 13th of Adar—a date chosen by a lottery Haman made. Purim means "lots." The name commemorates the lots that Haman cast to choose the day most suitable for the destruction of the Jews.

Mordechai galvanized all the Jews, convincing them to repent, fast and pray to G-d. Meanwhile, Hadassah asked the king and Haman to join her for a feast. At the feast, Hadassah revealed to the king her Jewish identity. Haman was hanged, Mordechai was appointed prime minister in his stead, and a new decree was issued—granting the Jews the right to defend themselves against their enemies.

On the 13th of Adar the Jews mobilized and killed many of their enemies. On the 14th of Adar they rested and celebrated.

Currently:

History always repeats itself. Especially for the Jews. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini this week again threatened to destroy Israel and warned that Iran will unveil a "punch" that will stun the infidels in the West. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has announced that Iran will enrich part of its uranium stockpile to 20%, moving steadily and aggressively to creating weapons-grade uranium capable of producing nuclear bombs. Now is the time for us to get on our faces and seek the Lord's grace and mercy for Israel, Iran and the people of the middle east.

Observances:

~Reading of the Megillah (Book of Esther), which recounts the story of the Purim miracle.

~Giving money gifts to the poor.

~Sending gifts of food to friends.

~A festive Purim feast. It is also customary for children to dress up in disguising costumes.

*information taken from Chabad.org and November Communications

Healing

2010-01-30T14:16:00.000-08:00

Our granddaughter

Madalene Grace Hodges

was diagnosed on Sept 4th with T1DM: Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (an incurable disease). This type of juvenile diabetes requires multiple insulin shots a day in addition to multiple finger pricks for blood sugar testing. She is 3.5 years old.

Our family has many people around the world praying for her--a blessing for which we are so grateful. We are seeking the throne of Our God Most High, Jehovah Rapha, for a total restoration of her health. Here is what we believe and are pursuing in the natural and spiritual worlds:

1. It is not God's will for us to live with disease. His will is clearly stated throughout His word--He wills us to have health and life.

~Jer. 33:6 "Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth."

~Jer. 30:11 "For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds."

~Is. 57:19 "Says the Lord, 'And I will heal him'."

~2 Kings 20:5 "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears, surely I will heal you."

~Matt 8:7 "Jesus said to him, 'I will come and heal him'."

2. Yeshua healed everyone who came to Him and asked.

~Luk3 6:19 "Whole multitudes sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all."

~Matt 4:23 "Jesus went about all Galilee, healing all kinds of sicknesses and all kinds of disease."

~Isaiah 53:5 "By His stripes we are healed."

3. The same power of healing is available for us today as it was when Yeshua walked the earth.

~Ex. 15:26 "For I am the Lord who heals you."

~Heb. 13:8 "He is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

~Psalm 119: "Your Word is truth."

~Titus 1:2 "God cannot tell a lie."

~Luke 1:37 "For with God nothing will be impossible."

4. We believe. It is vitally important to believe that God will heal--not just that He can.

~Mark 9:23 "Jesus said to him, 'If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes'."

~Prov. 23:7 "For as a man believes in his heart, so is he."

~James 1:6 "But let him ask in faith with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind."

~Rom. 14:5 "Let each be fully convinced in his own mind."

~Psalm 41:11 "Because my enemy [sickness & disease] does not triumph over me."

5. We speak. It is imperative to speak God's promises and to speak with positive language every day.

~Prov. 18:21 "Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and he who loves it shall eat of its fruit."

~Rom. 4:17 "God, who gives life to the dead, calls those things which do not exist as though they did."

~Joel 3:10 "Let the weak say, 'I am strong'."

~Psalm 103:3 "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases."

6. We act. Our outward actions must be the same as our inward belief. There cannot be any doubleminded nature. We walk in anticipatory hope for the day of total restoration.

~Psalm 31:24 "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord."

~Rom. 15:13 "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing."

~James 5:15 "And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up."

~Rom. 8:37 "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

In addition to proclaiming God's word over Madalene, we are careful to refrain from placing invisible shackles on her with our words and attitudes. We do not call her a diabetic, as that is not her identity nor her destiny. With every injection both she and her mom declare: "I am whole, I am healthy, I am healed!" We do believe that the healing work has already been accomplished, and that the Lord has a specific timing for the manifestation to be revealed. Our prayer is that many people would come to the saving knowledge of Yeshua through her testimony! We eagerly anticipate sharing that news with you!

January Testimonies

2010-01-12T19:24:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!

We are so happy and blessed to continually hear good reports concerning Abba anointing oil. God has richly blessed us and many others through His holy oil. May these testimonies bring you joy and encouragement for 2010. Shalom!

Dear Friend, I just had to write and tell you that I used the 1ml of Frankincense and Myrrh and I don't know if I have ever smelled anything more wonderful. I ordered a 2oz bottle tonight because I just could not wait. Thank you so much for such a beautiful and blessed oil !! God bless you.

~Caroline

This was given to me as a blessing. I first received a sample of the Abba Oil frankincense and myrh on New Years Eve. Well, about 3-4 months ago I had a dream and this is what went on in the dream. There was an altar-call for prayer around the pulpit. When I kneeled on my knees around the pulpit, there was a green leaf hanging off of it. The olive oil slid from the leaf and I was saturated. The olive oil saturated me so much, every time I wiped my face it kept coming. Although this was a dream I actually smelled the scent of olive oil in this dream. I do not believe in coincidence, so Abba Oil is just confirmation for me regarding my dream. I have never heard of this website until the sample was giving to me as a gift. Yes, I did order some oils, and will also be ordering a prayer shawl as well. I thank God for Abba Oil.

~Chaka

Christmas hymns

2009-12-28T21:33:00.000-08:00

In the Christmas hymn "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing", there is this verse:

Hail the Son of Righteousness!

Light and life to all he brings,

Ris'n with healings in His wings.

The Hebrew word for “wings” is very interesting. It is the word kanaph. What is interesting is that we find this word in another place where it means “corners.” Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners [kanaph] of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners [kanaph]" (Numbers 15:37-38). This is the garment that came to be known as the tallit, a prayer shawl. It was a rectangle of cloth with tassels at each corner (kanaph). Each tassel contained a ribbon of blue (a color symbolic of heaven). It was a symbol of the covenant, a reminder of the commandments of God. In Hebrew, it is called a tzitzit and refers to a fringe, a tassel, a lock (such as a lock of hair)—a wing-like projection.

Malachi 4:2 says, "For you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing in His wings (kanaph)". Amazingly, more than 400 years after this was written the prophecy was fulfilled. Matthew 9:20-21: "And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem on His garment. For she said to herself, 'If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well'." She touched Yeshua's garment tassels, the kanaph or wings, where healing radiated out to her.

Look at the names of Yeshua in another Christmas hymn, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel":

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel has come to thee, O Israel.

Festival of Lights

2009-11-24T16:58:00.000-08:00

Chanukah

December 11-18, 2009

On eve of Kislev 25, the eight day Festival of Light begins, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.

History:

More than twenty-one centuries ago, the Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks), who sought to forcefully Hellenize the people of Israel. Against all odds, a small band of faithful Jews defeated one of the mightiest armies on earth, drove the Greeks from the land, reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to the service of God.

When they sought to light the Temple's menorah, they found only a single cruse of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks; miraculously, the one-day supply burned for eight days, until new oil could be prepared under conditions of ritual purity.*

Theme:
Chanukah’s theme is "miracles". During Chanukah Jesus spoke of His miracles: "If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him" (John 10:37-38). Jesus wanted the people of his day to see His miracles and believe in Him as a result. His miracles point to his divine and messianic identity. In this way Yeshua personifies the message of Chanukah: God actively involved in the affairs of his people. Chanukah reminds us that God is a God of miracles, not just of concept and religious ideals. He has broken through into human history and continues to do so today.**

Messianic Significance:
Jesus preached three sermons in which he declared Himself the “light of the world,” and all three could have been during Chanukah. Then Jesus said unto them, "Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them" (John 12:35-36).**

Food for thought:

Was Jesus Conceived on Hanukkah?
Many believe that our Messiah, the “light of the world,” was conceived on the festival of lights—Chanukah. The Bible does not specifically say the date of Jesus’ birth. It was not during the winter months because the sheep were in the pasture (Luke 2:8). A study of the time of the conception of John the Baptist reveals he was conceived about Sivan 30, the eleventh week (Luke 1:8-13, 24). Adding forty weeks, for a normal pregnancy reveals that John the Baptist was born on or about Passover (Nisan 14). Six months after John’s conception, Mary conceived Jesus (Luke 1:26-33); therefore Jesus would have been conceived six months after Sivan 30 in the month of Kislev—Chanukah. Was the “light of the world,” conceived on the festival of lights? Starting at Chanukah, which begins on Kislev 25 and continues for eight days, and counting through the nine months of Mary’s pregnancy, one arrives at the approximate time of the birth of Jesus at the Festival of Tabernacles.**

*Chabad.org

**biblicalholidays.com

Sukkot

2009-10-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

FEAST

TABERNACLES

Feast of Booths ~ SUKKOT ~ Feast of Ingathering

With the final blowing of the Shofar, the Jewish high holy days draw to a close and the focus of the Jewish community shifts from the solemnness of Yom Kippur to the jubilant celebration of the festival of Sukkot. Sukkot begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, which is 5 days after Yom Kippur. Sukkot is the last of the three pilgrimage festivals (Shalosh R'galim).

This autumn harvest festival is known by a variety of names. Like Passover and Pentecost, it has both historical and agricultural meaning.

To give thanks for the fruit harvest and the bounty of nature in the year that had passed. At the end of the year when you gather in your labors out of the field (Ex. 23:16); after you have gathered in from your threshing-floor and from your winepress (Deut. 16:13). Agriculturally, Sukkot is a harvest festival and is sometimes referred to as Chag Ha-Asif , the Festival of Ingathering.

Historically, Sukkot commemorates the forty-year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters. Leviticus 23:43, That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

And the Word will shall become flesh and shall be tabernacled among you. John 1:14

God is our shelter
Yeshua Messiah is the tabernacle or dwelling place of God
He is our high priest

Celebrate this holiday with joy and share in the ancient ways of Yeshua by making a spiritual pilgrimage in your heart. Allow Him to dwell with you!

(photo of Rodger at Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Sept 2009)

YOM KIPPUR

2009-09-24T20:59:00.000-07:00

Tishrei 5770

September 27-28, 2009

Yom Kippur (Yom ha Kippurim) commemorates the day that God forgave the Jewish people for the sin of the golden calf. Forty days after hearing God say at Mount Sinai: "You shall not have the gods of others in My presence; you shall not make for yourself a graven image," the Jews committed the cardinal sin of idolatry. Moses spent nearly three months on top of the mountain pleading with God for forgiveness, and on the tenth of Tishrei it was finally granted: "I have pardoned, as you have requested."

From that moment on, this date, henceforth known as the Day of Atonement, is annually observed as a commemoration of our special relationship with God, a relationship that is strong enough to survive any rocky bumps it might encounter. This is a day when we connect with the very essence of our being, which remains faithful to God regardless of our outward behavior. And while it is the most solemn day of the year, we are also joyful, confident that God will forgive our sins and seal our verdict for a year of life, health, and happiness.

For believers in Yeshua, both Jewish and non-Jewish, the observance of Yom Kippur can hold special significance. The repentance started at Rosh HaShanah comes to a culmination with atonement ten days later. As with the traditional Jewish community, those ten days (Yomim Nora'im) take on spiritual significance as we meditate on the meaning of the high holy days.

In the Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Talmud), there is a beautiful passage that explains how Jewish traditions of Yom Kippur reflect the assurance of forgiveness rather than despondency or fear of unforgiveness:

"It is customary that if a man knows he has to appear in court for trial, he wears black clothes and lets his beard grow, as he does not know what the verdict will be. However, the children of Israel do not act thus. On their day of judgment they don white clothes, trim their beards, eat, drink, and rejoice, for they have confidence that the Holy One, blessed be he, will perform miracles for them."

L’Shana Tovah Tiktevu
May you be inscribed for a sweet and fruitful New Year in Messiah Yeshua!

take in part from: chabad.org godwithus.org; wordpress.com

Rosh HaShanah

2009-09-17T21:02:00.000-07:00

Rosh Hashanah (Head of the New Year),

aka Yom Teruah (the Day of the Shofar Blast),

begins a 10-day period known as Yamim Noraim (the Days of Awe)

that ends with Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).

Yom Teruah wakes you up, announcing that Yom Kippur is coming, and then the ten days in between become a time of self-reflection, repentance, and getting right with your fellow man.

L'Shana Tova Tikatevu: "May you be inscribed in the Book of Life for a good year" is a traditional Jewish greeting for the holiday, and has special significance when you read it in the context of Revelations 20, just one of several scriptures where the Book of Life is mentioned in the Word: "Next I saw a great white throne and the One sitting on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, both great and small, standing in front of the throne. Books were opened; and another book was opened, the Book of Life; and the dead were judged from what was written in those books, according to what they had done." Or consider from Revelations 21, who can enter the heavenly city? "...The only ones who may enter are those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life."

THE BLOWING OF THE SHOFAR
On Yom Teruah, the sounding of the shofar is a high point of the Rosh Hashanah services. It is very difficult to blow a shofar. The Tokeiah (shofar blower) may spend many hours practicing for his task in the preceding month of Elul.

The sound from the shofar is a series of defined blasts, sounding an alarm and creating a stirring repentant sound of lament. The sound is meant to be a rousing call to repentance on the part of each individual. It is meant to awaken everyone to remind them of the Creator and to inspire them to forsake their evils ways and return to God.

The detailed sounds have been established by centuries of tradition. There are four different sounds associated with the Yom Teruah service:

TEKIAH - A single blast beginning in musical mid-range and finishing as a high note. A pure unbroken sound calling each person to search their heart. The tekiah called the people to attention and gather them unto Moses. It is the calling note to get ahold of your attention. It is seen as the general summons to listen to God, to receive from Him the orders for the day. The prophet Amos asked, "Can a shofar be sounded in the city without the people trembling?" (Amos 3:6)

SHEVARIM - One tekiah broken into three shorter staccato blasts, producing a sighing, groaning sound. The noun shevarim is derived from the root shavar, meaning "to break". It occurs in the Bible, mainly in the singular, in the sense of "breaking, fracture, crushing, crashing." Jeremiah uses this Hebrew word in 50:22: "A sound of battle is in the land, and a great crashing." Do you hear the battle for our souls? ADONAI is near to those with broken hearts; he saves those whose spirit is crushed. (Psalm 34:18)

TERUAH - There are two main variants of the Teruah sound today. One tradition uses nine separate short notes in rapid sequence and the other is a single long call with nine vibrating tones, each producing a wailing lament much like you can hear today from women mourners in the Middle East. Teruah, partly from the Hebrew root ru'a, meaning "to shake, quake, vibrate", has taken on a double meaning: not only the "wind vibration" of the shofar blast defining the holiday "Yom Teruah", but also a human "quaking" before the bar of divine justice. A combination of the Shevarim groans and Teruah wails express the sorrow that comes upon a person when they realize the depths of their sin and their need to repent.

TEKIAH GEDOLAH - A very long Tekiah. This dramatic call requires a lot of practice on the part of the Tokeiah. This prolonged, unbroken sound is the final appeal for sincere repentance and atonement, for the Day of Judgment is at hand. What a Tekiah Gedolah will sound from that angel in Revelations 11 who's proclaiming: "The kingdoms of the world have become the Kingdom of our Lord and His Messiah, and He will rule forever and ever!" Amen.

AVINU MALKEINU
(During the high holidays, Avinu Malkeinu is recited several times. The number of petitions in the full version can range up to 44 requests, but varies with custom. This unique and moving prayer can be found in most Jewish Siddurs. Our version below has expanded upon the some of the original by including the revelation of Yeshua haMashiach and a desire to see the salvation of Israel.)

Our Father, Our King, we have sinned before You. Forgive us our sins through the atonement of Your Son.

Our Father, Our King, we have no God but you. There is no God like you in the Heavens. There is no one else we can look to for help.

Our Father, Our King, deal with us kindly for the sake of Your Name. Look mercifully upon Israel. Deliver her from distress and bring Israel to faith through Your Son.

Our Father, Our King, sound the Shofar for the deliverance and gather Israel from the four corners of the earth.

Our Father, Our King, bring peace between Jew and Gentile and among all peoples through the Prince of Peace, Yeshua haMashiach.

Our Father, Our King, let your Spirit be poured out in the last days that a great harvest of souls might be gathered and that all Israel shall be saved.

Our Father, Our King, may this revival lead to the sounding of the Shofar when we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.

Our Father, Our King, let your judgment fall on the unrepentant and deliver us from their schemes in Yeshua’s name.

Our Father, Our King, fully defeat the plans of the adversary for our destruction and arise and establish your plan for our salvation.

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua has made me free from the law of sin and death that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8)

ELUL

2009-09-02T15:08:00.000-07:00

ELUL:

PREPARING TO MEET THE KING

by Rabbi Barney Kasdan

Ah, summer! It is certainly a favored time of year for many people. The warm weather, outdoor activities, baseball and barbecues (among other things) all add to the enjoyment and break from the routine of the rest of the year. In the Jewish calendar cycle we might be tempted to think that it is also a respite from busy activities and holy days that pack into the rest of the year. But think again.

Month number: 12

Number of Days: 29

Season: Summer

Gregorian equivalent: August-September

Maybe in the back of our minds we anticipate the coming High Holy Days in September and October. Yet the spiritual preparation for these important festivals actually begins by mid-August. Since Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are so vital to our spiritual journey, Jewish tradition also mandates that the month before should become a time of spiritual and emotional preparation. It starts with the sixth month on the Hebrew calendar called Elul (this year starting on the evening of August 20). The 29 days of this month is added to the 10 days of the next month (Tishrei) to give us a 40-day period of spiritual contemplation.

Those who attend a weekday synagogue service will notice some distinct additions to help us focus on our personal preparation for the Holy Days. The shofar (ram's horn) is sounded every day during Elul as a wake-up call to consider the state of our soul and our relationship to our Heavenly Father. Likewise it is traditional to recite Psalm 27 following services ("The Lord is my light and my salvation.").
The last week of Elul is emphasized with the reading before the morning services of the Selichot prayers for forgiveness and mercy. The common themes throughout this 40-day period are repentance and preparation to meet our King. While there is a serious and even an awesome side to this preparation reminders of God's love are also evident. We are told that the four Hebrew letters of the word Elul comprise an acronym for the beautiful verse in Song of Songs: “ani l’dodi v'dodi li" (I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine), a clear reassurance of God's love for His people. Those of us in Messianic Judaism continue in various levels of observance of our heritage and certainly appreciate the spiritual lessons found in the month of Elul.

In fact, Messianic Jews and non-Jews have a great additional motivation to value this season even beyond what the rabbis emphasize. It seems that the month of Elul and the 40-day period was observed by our Messiah Yeshua. "Then Yeshua was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He became hungry" [Matthew 4:1-2].

Is there evidence that suggests that this could be the intense time of Elul? I believe the chronological information in the gospels lead us to this conclusion. If, as many conclude, Yeshua was born in the fall during Sukkot or the High Holy Days, then the start of his public ministry would also commence during the High Holy Days as indicated by the statement of Luke 3:23 (that Yeshua was about thirty years old at that time).

This would be the perfect time of preparation and testing for Yeshua, as he was about to embark on his earthly ministry to Israel. In his case, not only did it include the closing fast of Yom Kippur, but an intense fast for the entire 40-day period. It seems the content of Yeshua's early message is also thematically consistent with Elul and the High Holy Days: "Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand" [Matthew 4:17]. Indeed, if the Kingdom is near, all Israel should prepare to meet King Messiah!

As we transition from summer to the Holy Days, may we, the modern day followers of Yeshua, take a fresh look into our hearts and spirits. May these 40 days leading up to Yom Kippur be a time of sober introspection as we evaluate our relationship with God and our fellow man. May this season of Elul prepare us to welcome King Messiah into our midst in a fresh, dynamic way!

ELUL dates of interest*:

1 Elul - Moses ascends Sinai for 3rd 40 days (1313 BCE)
10 Elul - Noah Dispatches Raven (2105 BCE)
17 Elul - Noah Dispatches Dove (2105 BCE)
23 Elul - Dove brings Olive Leaf to Noah (2105 BCE)
25 Elul - The 1st day of Creation (3761 BCE)
25 Elul - Jerusalem Walls Rebuilt (335 BCE)

*Taken from wikipedia

Arab Christians

2009-08-15T20:59:00.000-07:00

THE largest numbers of Arabic-speaking Christians, be it in whole numbers or as a percentage of each country's population, are found in Syria, Lebabon, Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian territories. About 90,000 Palestinian Christians live in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, while 190,000 live in Israel.

And yet compared to Muslims in those countries, the Christians are a small band of believers. Too often they are persecuted, shut-out of communities, and attacked as they are considered traitors to the Islamic faith. They need to be supported, encouraged, and covered in prayer. And they need God's protection to spread the Gospel of Yeshua to their families and friends. Let us pray that the blinders will be taken from all Muslim eyes.

CHALLENGE TO YOU: 30 Days Muslim Prayer Focus

August 22 - September 20, 2009

http://30daysprayer.com/muslim/

The 30 Days Muslim Prayer Focus coincides yearly with Ramadan (a holy month of fasting in Islam).

This prayer movement is currently coordinated out of France (previously from Australia), and has been operating since 1993.

It calls upon Christians to make a concerted but respectful effort during that month to learn about, pray for and reach out to Muslim neighbors—across the street and around the world.

"A fascinating new book, My Enemy, My Brother, has just been published that was written by a Palestinian man who was born and raised in Jerusalem. During the 1967 war, as the fighting between Jordanians and Israelis was at its most intense in the battle for the Holy City, Hanna Shahin begged God to save all the members of his family from death, and if God did that, he promised to serve the Lord in full-time ministry for the rest of his life. In a series of gripping events that Hanna shares in the book, the Lord heard that prayer and answered it in an amazing way. In time, Hanna went on not only to become a minister of the gospel, but one of the most influential Revivalists in the region, using the power of radio broadcasting to beam the good news of Jesus' love and mercy to untold Muslims and nominal Christians throughout the epicenter."

The premise of the book: "We all know how dangerous it is when a Palestinian boy becomes a Radical Muslim and a devout follower of jihad. But have you ever stopped to consider just how beautiful -- indeed, miraculous -- it is when a Palestinian boy becomes a Revivalist and a devout follower of Jesus instead?"

Some Arab Christians of note:

Michel Aflaq - cofounder Baath Party

Afif Safieh - Palestinian ambassador to the U.S.

Azmi Bishara - Palestinian citizen of Israel member of Knesset

Salim Jubran - member of the Israeli Supreme Court

Walid Shoebat - former Palestinian terrorist

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Christians
http://30daysprayer.com/muslim/
http://novembercommunications.net

Tisha B’Av

2009-07-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

Tisha B’Av

July 29-30, 2009

Tisha B’Av (the 9th of Av on the Hebrew calendar) is a day burdened with grief. This day is commemorated with a fast from sundown July 29 to sundown July 30. The fast begins just before sundown, until the following evening, as on Yom Kippur, differentiating it from other fasts that begin at sunrise. The entire book of Lamentations is traditionally read during this fast.

So what happened on this day?

The Lord decreed that all the Jews who were saved from the Egyptian bondage will die out in the desert and be deprived from entering Eretz Yisroel because of the sin of the spies. (Bamidbar, Leviticus 14:26-38).
The first temple, built by King Solomon, was destroyed on Tisha B'Av by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzer in 586 BCE.
The second temple was destroyed on Tisha B'Av by Titus and his Roman soldiers in 70 CE.
In 135 CE, during the time of Rabbi Akiva, the Romans captured the fortress city of Beitar, the last stronghold of the leaders of the Bar Kochba revolt, and Bar Kochba along with tens of thousands of Jews were massacred.
Exactly a year later, the Roman Emperor Hadrian built a heathen temple on the temple mount and rebuilt Yerushalayim as a pagan city, renamed Aelia Capitolina, which the Jews were forbidden to enter.
On this day in 1190, the anti-Jewish riots and the mass suicide of the Jews of York, England, occurred.
On this day in 1290, King Edward I signed the edict compelling the Jews to leave England.
In 1492, by order of the Spanish inquisition under Ferdinand and Isabella, the expulsion of 200,000 Jews from Spain, after centuries of cultural and spiritual growth, occurred on this date.
The First World War broke out on Tisha B'Av.
Fifteen years later, on this very same date, the Arabs began their riots in the city of Yerushalayim, which resulted in great tragedy, including the Jewish massacre in Chevron (Hebron).
Deportation of the Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto began on this day in 1942.

So what can we do?

FAST
PRAY for the peace of Jerusalem and salvation of the Jews
DONATE time and/or money to bless the land of Israel
ATTEND a synagogue service (messianic recommended)
TREAT your body as the Temple of the Holy Spirit
SUPPORT an organization with God-ordained/biblical goals

(One such organiztion is The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement--an organization of Israeli believers--marches to the Temple Mount annually on Tisha B'av (among other dates) to hasten the return of Yeshua. Their goal is "the building of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in our lifetime in accordance with the Word of G-d and all the Hebrew prophets and the liberation of the Temple Mount from Arab (Islamic) occupation so that it may be consecrated to the Name of G-d.")

Tisha B'av is about mourning and remembrance, but it is also about challenge and hope. It's important to understand the past and the history of this day, but it's more important to look forward to the coming of Yeshua, who is the embodiment of the Temple. Our hope and our future rest on the promises of God and His word!

Photo: Destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem, by Francesco Hayez. Notes: From The Voice of the Lord: Messianic Jewish Daily Devotional. This excerpt is by Russ Resnik, the Executive Director of the UMJC; From www.TorahTots.com; from www.templemountfaithful.org;

Testimonies IV

2009-07-05T18:11:00.000-07:00

Please know that the Frankincense and Myrrh oil is great for allergies! I discovered this almost by accident one day when I was sneezing, eyes watering, etc. I had just finished praying with the oil anointed on a handkerchief and all of a sudden the allergies stopped and I was better. I did the same thing on another day when the allergies were acting up and it stopped again. I passed the info along to all the ladies and church people who struggle with allergies.

~Robert

I use these oils for praying for people, the sick, the infirmed, those needing deliverence, for myself each morning as I come into the Holy of Holies with my Jerusalem prayer shawl, etc., and of course for that beautiful perfume which lingers all day.

~Kathleen

I received my order today and want to try them all. Perhaps my favorite is Cassia. I can almost "smell" Him coming! Glory to His Holy name! Thank you for serving Him the way you are by making these, His precious oils, available to people like me. I bless you for that.

~L.

One man was involved in a war where he saw many men killed and had gone into denial. When a friend brought him to me, he opened up immediately and asked if I had any oil for anger. I proceeded to minister the word to him and he bought a roll on bottle of oil. His friend called me that week and said his friend had never opened up to anyone and that he said he felt "safe" opening up to me. I told his friend it was because he sensed the presence of the Lord. He has been using the oil for a month now and I can surely say......he is a changed man. He has bought more oils. He loves Cassia and Myrrh and has been using Hyssop as well. I am so thrilled for him.

~Lynda

Shavuot 2009

2009-05-23T17:42:00.000-07:00

SHAVUOT
May 28-30, 2009 • 5-7 Sivan

The Jewish festival of Shavuot has many names. It is known as an Agricultural Festival, the Conclusion of Passover, and the Commemoration of the Giving of the Torah.

~Agricultural Festival~

Known as the Feast of the Harvest (Hag HaKatsir) or the Day of First Fruits (HaBikurim), as seen in the Bible, Shavuot was a celebration of the harvest. The season of the grain harvest lasted seven weeks, and was a season of gladness. The barley was harvested first and then the wheat. Shavuot celebrated the conclusion of the harvest. According to Lev. 23, two loaves made from two omers of flour (about 7 liters) were offered as a grain/wave offering for this day. In Temple times, Shavuot was one of the three required pilgrimages to the Temple by all Israelite males, with Passover and Sukkot being the other two.

~Conclusion of Passover~

The Feast of Weeks (Hag HaShavuot) concluded the time of Passover. Beginning with the second day of Passover, God instructed the Israelites to count seven weeks, and have a festival that ended the season. The term Pentacost (50 days) was used by the Greeks, and is how most Christians refer to it today.

~Giving of the Torah~

Perhaps the most important aspect of this season was the introduction of Torah (Zman Matan Torataynu). On Mt Sinai, God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses and the Israelites. This association of Shavuot with the giving of Torah is derived in part from Exodus 19:1: "In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt, they came to the Desert of Sinai." Passover occurs in the Jewish month Nisan, then we count thru the next month Iyar, and Shavuot is celebrated in the third month, Sivan. Because of this, the Ten Commandments as well as the Book of Ruth (a story of redemption during the harvest) are traditionally read during this holiday. One commentary states: "On Passover, we were physically freed from slavery; on Shavuot, our freedom is given purpose – we are free in order to serve God according to the dictates of the Torah."

Yeshua followed this same example for these holidays. During Passover, we were set free from the slavery of sin through His death and resurrection, and from Acts 2 we see, our freedom was given purpose on Shavuot - be filled with the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) and go forth into all the nations proclaiming the Good News of Messiah. "And you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, indeed to the ends of the earth!" Acts 1:8

The customary Shavuot greeing is chag samayach (happy holiday)!

Israel's Independence

2009-05-09T17:18:00.000-07:00

MAY 14--Yom Ha'atzmaut--is the day of recognition for Israel's independence as a sovereign state. (Israelis celebrate according to the Hebrew calendar). Out of the ashes of the Holocaust, Israel declared her freedom on May 14, 1948. This year marks 61 years of statehood.

"I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel." Ezekiel 37:21-22

Such a huge fulfillment of end-time prophecy has come to pass in our lifetimes! While we--Greer and Rodger--were only a few years old in 1948, we count it all joy that we should be alive during this great time of God's plan. In the mid-1980s God took hold of our hearts and set them on fire for the land of Israel and her people. Since then we have continued to seek ways to bless Israel and the Jews, through missionary trips, donations, business ventures, and personal relationships. We consider it a privilege.

A blessing for the state of Israel:

May the Lord God protect you from your enemies; may He shine the light of His countenance upon you; may Yeshua the Messiah be received by your people; may you continue to seek His face and follow His commands; may your lands be prosperous and plentiful; may your leaders and soldiers have great wisdom; and may you always bless and praise the name of the Lord.

Happy Independence Day!

Testimonies III

2009-04-29T18:38:00.000-07:00

I just want to tell you how awesome it is to know there is a website we can go to and know without a shadow of a doubt it is lead by the Holy Spirit. The Lord had dropped into my heart to anoint my friend's feet. I didn't know how to go about doing this or even where to get anointing oil for this. I did what I knew best - I prayed and asked the Lord if this is His will for me to do, to please show me where I can get the anointing oil. Faithful as He is, He lead me to your site. I was blessed beyond measure. As I was placing the order, I felt the Presence of the Lord all over me. Since then, my friends visit and order from your site. It is awesome that as a Gentile, I am able to receive blessings such as these from God's Chosen People. Bless you and may your ministry continue to flourish and bring God all the Glory, Honor and Praise He deserves.
~Nellie

I love the scripture references on your website- I have actually gained new insights. Thank you!
~Christena

Thank you so much for all you did on the shipping and we LOVE our oils and the especially the Amphora. We are making this a very special gift to a very special Church. Be blessed in knowing that your company has been a blessing to us. God's blessings on you all personally and on your company.
~Ron

Holocaust Remembrance

2009-04-25T12:12:00.000-07:00

Women and children survivors in Mauthausen speak to an American liberator through a barbed wire fence. Mauthausen, Austria. May 05, 1945-May 07, 1945. USHMM, National Archives and Records Administration

Tuesday, April 21, was national Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The internationally recognized date comes from the Hebrew calendar and corresponds to the 27th day of Nisan. It marks the anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising. In Hebrew, Holocaust Remembrance Day is called Yom HaShoah.

From the beginning, God's chosen people have always been a target. Countless atrocities and prejudices have been launched against the Jews, and they still continue today. As we all know, history repeats itself.

The Holocaust demonstrates one of the greatest lessons about individual responsibility—that each of us has the choice to act or not to act, and that there are consequences to our decisions. What we do—or choose not to do—matters. God has given us all free will, and to that effect it can be used for great evil or for great good. There will always be a host of people who follow after strife, pursuing evil as if it were a calling. As believers it is our responsibility to live out the words of Micah 6:8.

He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Choose to be a blessing to God's chosen ones. Stand up for righteousness, especially when no other voice is doing so.

Healing the World

2009-04-05T18:09:00.000-07:00

TIKUN OLAM

The Jewish term tikun olam means "healing the world". While there is more than one interpretation of this teaching, the one that stands out to us is environmental mindedness. It is a practice that began in the garden of Eden, in fact. Genesis 2:15 says, "Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it." When we were in Israel inspecting the olive groves from which we get our oil, it became tangibly clear that we--Rodger and Greer as well as "we" Christians--need to become more active about this. Tending an olive grove takes committed work and genuine care!

It is our duty, and our privilege, to take care of this earth. To till and to tend. The current trend in our country is to "go green", which means to be environmentally minded in all that we do. Renew, reuse, recycle. Even people who don't believe in God or "a god" are active in taking care of the earth---more so than most Christians. It is unfortunate that this global awakening and progress came from the hearts of non-believers, as the earth is clearly a gift from our Creator. Instead of contributing to the destruction of our waters and land we need to use the wisdom and resources God gave us to preserve the earth.

We all need to join in and fulfill our primary purpose!

We all need to be good stewards of our land!

Many, many opportunities exist to till and to tend. Till by gardening, composting, and planting trees. Tend with solar panels, biodegradables, and cloth bags. There are countless websites and organizations dedicated to this very purpose. Once you practice tikun olam you will experience the joy that God gives when taking care of His beautiful creation. Pray and be active in your pursuit of healing the world---in your country and in Israel. When you do, you will be blessing and giving glory to Him.

How will YOU act upon Genesis 2:15?

Some sites to consider:

www.treesfortheholyland.com/

www.greenzionism.org/

www.tikkunministries.org/

Testimonies II

2009-03-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

Additional testimonies to praise the name of our God!

While taking care of grandchildren my 6 yr. old grandson brought me a small vial of pomegrante oil and asked if I would put it over him like I did one other time. I asked if that was the scent he wanted, and I shared what it meant. He said I want the one that you said it was strength; I said that would be in the green bottle. So he brought me Cedars of Lebanon and I anointed him and prayed as they have just started to go to visit their father and it is difficult for them. Then his little 3 yr. old brother said, me too grandma. My husband and I are opening a small boutique in our home with your products and homemade Restoration Quilts with scriptures on them. Thank you for this Most Holy product! Blessings and Shalom! ~Beverly

I recently purchased both the Frankincense & Myrrh anointing oil with deanters. I have used (and deeply benefited from) both oils. I have anointed myself and my property--to the extent that I have not had any serious illness, nor has anyone littered on my property since I anointed my property. Thank you. ~Catherine

Thank you for your prompt delivery of my oils. Secondly, myself and two other friends had a prayer time and anointed ourselves with your beautiful oils. When we first unpacked them we were like three little girls in a lolly shop...smelling and savoring the aroma. Thank you for stepping out in faith and seeking the Lord and doing something that is uniquely wonderful. I pray Dueteronomy 28: 1-14 over your business, your family and staff. May the 'blessings' of the Lord be in abundance, because of your obedience to Him. God Bless. ~Lynda

Testimonies

2009-02-17T11:02:00.000-08:00

Here at Abba Oil, we receive many testimonies from around the world regarding God's work through our anointing oil. We believe that He uses the fragrant anointing oil for healing, deliverance, protection, and salvation, all of which have been testified to throughout the nations. Below are some testimonies that give glory to God and that lift our spirits as we strive to follow the Holy Spirit regarding the blessing of anointing. He alone is the reason we can all testify!

Just a quick note, I received my order of Frankincense & Myrrh ... Excellent product quality. I have anointed myself each morning for the past 25 days & believe that the LORD GOD is doing a great work within my soul for healing mental affliction. Awesome fragrance! I have experienced a noticeable effect upon my emotional limbic system and now have a peaceful feeling. Thank you for being "faithful" and providing a valuable service. May the LORD GOD truly bless you and your business. Blessings to you as the LORD GOD is watching over you! ~Chuck

Not too long ago I was told by my mother's cancer doctor that her diagnosis of stomach cancer had come to an end--she would be with Jesus within 2 months. She has had this cancer for over 3 years now. I anointed her with the hyssop and frankincense oils, and prayed with the faith of a mustard seed. Here it is more than a year later and she's still alive. The presence of the Lord grows stronger each day and each time I anoint her. I smell Him, feel Him, and know that His Spirit is working through the oils. She also had a very large ulcer on her leg that was supposedly not healable. After anointing the sore directly with the oils, in 2 weeks it has closed up and the skin has covered the wound. The oils are God's healing gift to all today. God is the ultimate Dr.--you never need a second opinion! ~Daphne

Rod and I are ministers of Restoring the Foundation, and we have found that the enemy really does not like the smell of these oils. [The demons] flee rather quickly as they are confronted with this heavenly scent. We use it for this and to anoint people after they received ministry to be "all that God our Father wants them to be" and to receive all He has to give them. Thanks for listening to the Holy Spirit while preparing these oils. ~Brigitte

For a long time, I had desired "real" anointing oil of my own, but was not sure where to get it. Then a friend of mine gave me a bottle of your "Frankincense and Myrrh" a few years ago as a gift. I began anointing myself with it. I sensed a stronger presence of God's Spirit with me, especially during challenging times. I bought more oils (every fragrance) from you, and my husband and I began anointing our children with it at bedtime and blessing them. They love it and they will come and get us every night at bed time just to be anointed and prayed over! Also, we use it to pray over our home and property boundaries. We can literally sense God's protection and peace over us and our home when we do this. Thank you and blessings. ~Rachelle

Galilee

2009-01-25T09:32:00.000-08:00

OUR day trip to the Galilee turned out to be the highlight of our stay here in Israel. The weather was unbelievably mild and very sunny for January. We had the delight of walking through the olive grove, located right across from Mount Tavor (Tabor--the Mount of Transfiguration scene), from which our beautiful golden olive oil is obtained. The view at the very top of the grove provided a breathtanking panaroma of the fertile valleys of the lower Galilee with the Sea of Kinneret (Galilee) shimmering in the distance.

We learned from the owner of the grove that this area, as well as the entire nation of Israel, is experiencing a severe drought. He estimated that the sea is 20 ft below its normal level, which translates into a dramatic water shortage for the irrigation of the olive trees, almond trees, grape vineyards, winter wheat and all other crops grown in that region. As we continued our tour we prayed over the land and asked our Father God to open the windows of heaven and bring the much-needed rain. We would implore everyone who reads this to join with us in praying for the waters to fall from heaven--that He would bless the land with rain.

at the olive grove, inspecting and praying over the olives

All in all, our time here in the Holy Land has been tremendously fruitful and blessed. We leave knowing that God continues to have His hand on this promised land, in times of drought as well as rain, conflict as well as peace. And we are thankful that the fighting in the south has stopped. We commit, as always, the Israeli people and the Palestinian people to God in prayer. May His kingdom come, and His will be done.

Many thanks to those who covered us in prayer during our weeks in Israel. Blessings to you all.

Shalom.

Shalom from Israel

2009-01-19T12:22:00.000-08:00

Shalom and greetings from Israel! We made it here a few days ago and have been traveling the land, meeting with our Israeli business associates for olive oil as well as talking with local Jewish people along the way about the current situation here. We have much to share!

When we first arrived we stayed at a convent in a neighborhood in southwest Jerusalem called Eim Kerem (the place where John the Baptist was born). Sixteen nuns welcomed us, ten of whom have taken a vow of silence--not a lot of kibitzing! From there we traveled to Israel's southernmost city of Eilat, which is on the northern tip of the Red Sea. Here the weather was warm and sunny, and we took a couple of days to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Then we drove north to Ashkelon, a city north of the Gaza strip and one of two major cities where Hamas rockets have hit repeatedly. (See the map on the blog titled "Gaza"). During a business meeting with Israelis the air raid siren went off signaling incoming rockets from Gaza. We were escourted quickly--within 15 seconds--down to the bomb shelter in the bottom of the building, but before we could get there we heard the rockets explode not too far from us. A bit chilling and definitely sobering. God is faithful to us (todah rabah to Yahweh!) and our group was not hurt in the least. The next day we were having lunch at a restaurant in Ashkelon when once again the sirens wailed. We got up to move somewhere safe, but this time our friends explained that the rockets don't hit that part of town. The residents there have lived with rocket fire from Gaza for years despite the fact that Israeli civilians and military no longer live there. Even though there is currently a cease-fire rockets still sail across the border. The Israelis we spoke with do not believe that there will be peace as long as Hamas is functioning. In their opinion (and ours), it's pure rhetoric. Plain and simple, they are a terrorist organization intent on killing Jews. Having gone through these incidents in Ashkelon makes us so much more aware of the stress that these families go through each and every day with incoming rockets 20-30 times in one day! Please pray for the Israelis who live close to the Gaza border.

We are now back in Jerusalem, where it's been rainy and cold (a typical January day here). Soon we will be heading north to the Galilee region to inspect and pray over the olive groves where we obtain our olive oil. Please pray for us as we continue to travel and meet with Israeli friends and associates--for our protection as well as God's hand on Abba Oil.

Blessings!

Gaza

2009-01-09T12:12:00.000-08:00

OF GREAT importance to us at this time is the current conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza strip. With rockets sailing east toward Israel and bombs being sent to the west in Gaza, many lives are on the brink of eternity. Already, more than 1,000 souls have been lost.

Gaza is a small area in the southwest part of Israel, boardering the Mediterranean Sea. It's approximately twice the size of Washington, DC, with 1.5 million people living there. The unemployment rate is huge--nearly 50%. Mostly it's an agricultural land, producing olive oil and citrus fruit. Throughout its existence, Gaza has been controlled by Egyptians, Ottomans, Philistines, Jews, Turks, and British entities. Israel took control in 1967. Most recently however, Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, but tension between the two peoples has not abated.

Unlike other Palestinian groups that fight against Israel, Hamas has been deemed a terrorist organization. Sadly, the militants of Hamas hide among the civilian population, making the number of casualties much higher than need be. The Gazans, like us, want to live in peace alongside their Jewish neighbors. It is the fundamentalist groups like Hamas that seek to stir up conflict and perpetrate war. They are determined, at cost to their own people, to follow after strife.

To be sure, God loves both the Israelis and Palestinians, and while there may never be love between the two peoples, we are instructed in God's word to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. This means, of course, that we need to pray for the lives of civilians, government officials, and military personnel, whether Israeli or Arabic, Jewish or Muslim. Please join us in lifting up the nation of Israel in prayer, covering God's chosen people. Pray that the leaders of Hamas would be exposed. And for the salvation of souls on both sides of the conflict.

And please pray for us, Rodger and Greer, as will travel to Israel soon for business purposes. We will have photos in the next blog along with current information on what is happening in the Holy Land. Shalom.

Blessings!

Welcome to the Abba Oil blog!

2009-01-02T12:31:00.001-08:00

Shalom and Happy New Year 2009!

We, Rodger and Greer, are excited to be starting a blogspot for our customers, friends, and fellow devotees to Israel. On this site we will be posting a variety of information about the company, Israel, other countries impacted by Abba Oil, prayer requests, and more. As always, we welcome your thoughts and comments. May you be blessed by the Holy One this year!

To begin, although the past year offered many financial challenges, God kept His hand on Abba Oil to ensure its prosperity and well-being. He is currently expanding our boundaries in foreign countries, such as Korea as well as ones in Africa. This is our 12th year in the business and we are excited to see where God will take His anointing oil. We are planning a trip to Israel this month, and will post more blogs during that time.

On a personal note, our two youngest daughters were married in the summer of 2007. Bridget and Brandon married in the beautiful mountains of Keystone, Colorado. And Courtney married Doug on the gorgeous island of St. Thomas. Both weddings were spectacular and we are blessed to have 2 new sons-in-law.

Bridget and Brandon

Courtney and Doug

And this past summer we were blessed with the addition of another granddaughter, named Hannah (older sister Madalene is 2), born to Tristan and Tyler.

Hannah Elizabeth

Madalene and Hannah

Above all, God continues to draw us near, giving us wisdom and direction concerning our role in the advancement of His kingdom. Exciting times are ahead, and we are honored to be a part of His plan to bring hope and salvation to a needy world. And we are thankful for the hundreds of lives with whom we have connected over the years, as well as for the ones to come! Shalom.