The Heart of Autumn
By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Crisp morning breath,
Softening in the noontide,
Deepening with the day,
Redolent in the cinnamon
Of fallen leaves and burning wood.
Fields, once green, then golden,
Now newly frosted,
Gleam in russet-bronze.
The earth’s returned the harvest
And seeks repose.
We, too, desire respite.
Autumn, amber, umber, Autumn,
Golden, flaxen, honey-hued.
Multitudinous tones
Of withered grass, ruddy leaf
And tranquil turf.
O Lord, our God,
Our Creator, our Sustainer,
In autumn, we worship Thee.
The harvester, surveying fallow fields,
Lifts his heart in psalm
For laden cribs and fattened flocks.
The housewife, pausing near the shelf
And fragrant larder
Sings her sacred song.
Young ones, basking in the fiery glow,
Harken to the swirl and plash of storm
And, mindfully, remember Thee.
O Lord, our God,
We worship Thee.
In autumn, we worship Thee.

Ending the Vitriol

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

In this world of incivility, anger and curses, we, as children of God Most High, must learn to speak in the opposite spirit.  We must choose to speak life and blessing and hope and joy and peace and love even in the current political climate.

Proverbs 18:21 declares that both death and life are in the power of the tongue.

We are cautioned many times in scripture to guard our tongues. Throughout the ages, we seem to have forgotten the power of our words. We have forgotten the power of our words because we have not regarded the source of that power.

In the beginning, the power of the spoken word was evident when the Lord spoke

into the formless void and created. We are created in His image and in that image is the power to create through the words we choose to speak.

We live in a world where incivility abounds. As children we often chanted, “Sticks

and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” We chanted to hide the fact that words spoken to us had crushed us emotionally. In truth, broken bones heal more quickly than damaged emotions.

The Spirit of God is grieved when our words create pain and anguish for others

and, therefore, for ourselves. Ephesians 4:30-32 directs, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (NKJV)

Proverbs 10:11 reminds us that the “mouth of the righteous is a well of life.” Our

words can heal. (Proverbs 12:18) Our words can bring joy and gladness. (Proverbs

12:25) Our words can impart grace to others. (Ephesians 4:29) Our words allow us to stand in the presence of God. (Psalm 15:3) By our words, we will either be justified or condemned. (Matthew 12:36-37.) Simply put, God is pleased when we choose to create life with our words.

We are encouraged to speak the word of God over ourselves and others so that

we can more fully walk in His image. We can choose to begin each day with the words of the psalmist, “This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (In spite of what is happening in the world around us.)

Let No Corrupt Word

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

We are currently navigating the maelstrom of political rhetoric which includes some truth and much name-calling, stone throwing and chaos on both sides. As Christians, we are called to be salt and light and ambassadors of the Kingdom of God.

Now, more than ever, we must stand for truth. We must not back away from righteousness. We must be firm in our defense of the things of God and our constitutional right to worship Him. In His Word, our Father has given us strategy for standing.

Much of that strategy is found in Ephesians 6:11-18 (NKJV). Paul wrote the epistle during his first Roman imprisonment.

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

"Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-- "

We do not struggle against flesh and blood. We struggle against spiritual forces of evil. No matter what political forces are in play, what the Word says is right is right, and what the Word says is sin is sin. While standing for the truth of God, we must also stand in the nature of God. Our only offensive weapon is the sword of the Word delivered truth, righteousness, peace, faith.

Among those sinners highlighted in Romans 1:29-31 are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, the violent, boasters, those who are undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful. We must guard against sinking to the level of those who exhibit such behaviors.

We must speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) without resorting to harsh words and name-calling. We can be forceful, even aggressive, without being hostile. In Ephesians 4:29-31 (NKJV), Paul wrote (again from prison), “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.”

Holy Spirit of God, convict us of those times when, in standing for truth, we have grieved You. We repent of the bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and malice that have spewed forth from our inner being. We are reminded that out of our bellies should flow forth rivers of living water. We cry out according to Psalm 78:72, “Oh, God, our heart’s desire is that our government will be led by those who, like David, have integrity of heart and skillfulness of hand. Amen.”

 Positively Politic 

By Reverend Lonnie C. Crowe

As we move closer to the midterm elections,  we need to  examine our motivations in light of our manners and in light of our vocabularies.  Please note that politic, politician and polite all stem from “Middle English politik, pollitique "of spiritual or secular governance, political, sagacious, prudent," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French politique "of the state, political, of the regulation of social behavior".

In simple English: Tactful and Diplomatic: Acting with smart care and good judgment when dealing with people.

Expedient: Well-judged and appropriate for a specific purpose or situation.

However, it has also come to mean: Crafty or Cunning: unscrupulous.

We must remember the Psalmist’s admonition. "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer."

Remembering also Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 14:40 “Let all things be done decently and in order. May we strive to be politic in the positive sense.

 

Celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles

The Last Great Day

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Leviticus 23:33-36 (NKJV)

³³ Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ³⁴  "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD. ³⁵  On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. ³⁶  For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it.”

Today, Christians who celebrate the Lord’s Appointed Times often refer to the celebration of the eighth day as “The Last Great Day”  in reference to  John 7:37-38 (NKJV) “³⁷  On the last day, that great day of the feast. . . .”  While seven in scripture is a reference to fullness, to completeness, eight is the number of new beginnings.  

In the days of Jesus, God’s people celebrated the eighth day by lighting the temple courtyards with lampstands and torches until it truly shown forth as a city on a hill that could not be hidden.  With much pageantry, the people praised the Lord in song and dance.  Even today, the eighth day is a celebration of light.  The process of creation in Genesis began when the Lord said, “Light be.” New beginnings are birthed in light.

During the time of Moses, the Israelites followed the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.  The wise men followed the light of the star to Bethlehem to worship the Christ child. 

 On the great day of the feast, after the Temple Mount in Jerusalem had been lighted for all to see, Jesus proclaimed, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.", “John 8:12 (NKJV).  (John 7 takes place at after sunset, the beginning of the last day of the feast.  The events of John 8 take place starting early the next morning.  Some would argue that John 8 takes place after the last great day.  However, the biblical day begins at sunset.  In biblical timing, the next morning is still the same day. )

At another time, Jesus spoke to us saying, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 (NKJV)

Just as Jesus is the light of the world, as His ambassadors, we, too, are to be shining lights for the Kingdom of God. 

Another event of the celebration included an offering of water.  The high priest, with the other priests and thousands of worshipers, marched from the Temple to the Pool of Siloam.  The pool of Siloam was a renowned place of healing.  At the pool, the priests filled a pitcher with water and went back to the Temple.  The high priest then poured the water onto the altar. By offering the water, the people were praying for healing for themselves and their land.   The healing of the blind man who washed in the waters of Siloam occurred on the last great day. (John 9: 7-11).  

New beginnings in Scripture often begin with water.  In Genesis 1:1, the Holy Spirit hovered over the waters as the process of creation began.  In the days of Noah, the Lord sent the floodwaters upon the earth, and the earth was recreated.  (Genesis 6) When the Israelites left Egypt under the leadership of Moses, they passed through the Red Sea.  Later, when Joshua led them into the Promised Land, they crossed over the Jordan. Jesus was baptized before He began His earthly ministry.  We are “buried with Him in baptism, in which we also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12.)

Knowing the need for new beginnings in all our lives, ^“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."  John 7:37-38 (NKJV). 

New beginnings start with drinking from the well of the water of life. The result of that experience should be evident in our lives. 

The last great day was also a time for celebrating the Word of God.  Psalm 119 (the longest chapter in the Bible) is all about praising God for His Word, for His statutes and commandments that bring us life, peace and joy. The greatest part of our praise should be for the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us.  Let’s behold and proclaim His glory. (John 1:14).  

Take a few moments and celebrate Jesus who is the light of the world, the living water and the incarnate, life-giving Word of God. Then step forward into a new beginning in Him.

Sukkoth: Feast of Tabernacles
By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Start Date: Sundown on Friday, September 25, 2026. [1, 2]
End Date: Nightfall on Friday, October 2, 2026. [1, 2]

Lev. 23:33-43

Sukkoth, the Feast of Tabernacles celebrates the harvest of the fruit of the land. During this Appointed Time, many people, both Jew and Christian, build tabernacles or huts. Generally, they spend at least part of each day during the seven days celebration in their tabernacle.

Sukkoth reminds us of the forty years Israel spent wandering in the desert and God’s provision. According to Nehemiah, during the forty years in the desert, the people’s clothes did not wear out. Along with manna and water, God provided for all the rest of the people’s needs.

After the return from the Babylonian Exile, Ezra read the law and led the Israelites in acts of repentance during the Feast of Tabernacles (Nehemiah 8:8-17). “So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.'' For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.''

"So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.'' And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.

The dedication of Solomon's' Temple also took place during this feast (I Kings 8:2). Later, Josephus referred to the Feast of Tabernacles as the holiest and greatest of the Hebrew feasts.

We often quote 2 Chronicles 7:14, but few of us realize that the context of this passage was the dedication of Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem that took place during the Feast of Tabernacles. “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

For Christians, Sukkoth can be a time when we rededicate ourselves as the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are His people, called by His name. If we want healing to come to our land, the Church must, individually and corporately, humble ourselves, pray and seek a deeper relationship with our heavenly Father. We must turn from our wicked ways, such as fear, anger, self-righteousness and division. Then God will hear from heaven and pour out His forgiveness and healing.

Sukkoth, Feast of Tabernacles, celebrates the completed harvest. The final crop, the fruit of the land, that has been gathered.

The Feast of Tabernacles looks forward to the final spiritual harvest, the great revival to come. The autumn harvest is a forerunner to that time in the Millennial Kingdom when all believers are gathered together and God tabernacles with us. Sukkoth looks forward to the time when believers will rule and reign with Jesus.

Zechariah 14:16-19 is a prophetic word describing the celebration of Sukkoth during the Millennium.
"And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles."


The following Psalm is one that God’s people sang as they passed through the Kidron valley and climbed the Temple Mount to worship during the Lord’s Appointed Times.

Psalms 122:1-9: “I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord.'' Our feet have been standing Within your gates, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem is built As a city that is compact together,
Where the tribes go up, The tribes of the Lord, To the Testimony of Israel, To give thanks to the name of the Lord.For thrones are set there for judgment, The thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.'' For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, "Peace be within you.'' Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.

During this holy time, O Lord, we rededicate our lives to You and rejoice for what You have done, are doing and will do. Amen.

Yom Kippur:  The Day of Atonement

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

            For Christians, Yom Kippur celebrates the atonement of Jesus Christ through His death and resurrection.  Through His atonement, the price for our sin has been paid, and we are reconciled to God.  

            The first step in receiving that atonement is repentance.  Repentance involves a heart change in direction and in life, from sin and self-centeredness to holiness and God-centeredness.  Repentance is the first step toward God, and  involves a permanent change of mind and direction. Romans 12:2 reminds us, “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (NKJV)”  When we have truly repented, we think God’s thoughts about the nature sin rather than our own thoughts.

            In the atonement, we enter into a new covenant with God the Father.  In scripture, Jesus is called “the last Adam.”  1 Corinthians 15:45 (NKJV) “ And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.”  Because Jesus became the sacrifice for our sins, we can walk in fellowship with God just as Adam did before Fall.  The atonement has made that possible because of the Holy Spirit who resides within us.  

            1 Corinthians 15:48-49 (NKJV)  “As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.”  Because of the atonement, we can be like Jesus, full of the fruit of the spirit:
^“22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
²³  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
²⁴  And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
²⁵  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25 (NKJV)”

            In our renewed minds, we then perceive the commandments of God, not as impossible restrictions in our lives, but as the pathway to the abundant life.  We perceive the commandments as beatitudes:  

1.  Happy are those who worship God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. 

2.  Happy are  those who do not allow anything to become more important to them than God is.

3.  Happy are those who understand who God is and do not misuse His name.

4.  Happy are those who keep the Sabbath day holy.

5. Happy are those who honor their Christian heritage.

6.  Happy are those who do not allow hatred and unforgiveness to control their lives.

7.  Happy are those who are faithful to their commitments to God and to one another.

8.  Happy are those who respect the property of others.

9.  Happy are those who do not make false or unfounded accusations against others.

10.   Happy are those who are thankful for the blessing of God in their lives and who do not desire what others have.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the atonement of Jesus Christ that allows me to live in victory over sin and the sorrow it can bring into my life.    I worship You on this Yom Kippur.

Nothing But The Blood by Robert Lowry

What can wash away my sin

Nothing but the blood of Jesus

What can make me whole againNothing but the blood of Jesus