Message: An exhortation to repent by Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Message: An exhortation to repent

 By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music                                      

Date: September 25, 2025

 

            According to Leviticus 23:23-44 Three Festivals occurred in the seventh month   (Tishri, Sept.- Oct.) 1) Trumpet blasts, 2) Atonements, and 3)Tabernacles. The blowing of a trumpet (The shofar or ram's horn) on the first day signaled the beginning of the civil New Year- Rosh Hashanah (Num.29:1-16). On the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord's Feast of Tabernacles begins, it lasts for seven days.   

  Day of the Lord         

             Joel’s prophecy of future desolation in Joel 2:1-11, the locust army is regarded as a foretaste of an invading army in the Day of the Lord. “Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming.  It is close at hand, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come…”(Joel 2: 1-2) in the tribulation period. The future reference may be to the demon-locusts described in Rev.9:1-12 or to the invasion of the king of the North (Ezek.38:15; Dan.11:40). Resembling the Garden of Eden before the invasion, the land of Palestine will be reduced to a wilderness afterward (v.3). The same disturbances described in verse 10 “Before them the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the starts no longer shine” are predicted in Rev.6:12-13;8:12. The Lord thunders at the head of His army; His forces are beyond number and mighty are those who obey His command. The Day of the Lord great; it is dreadful who can endure it?” (Joel 2:11).    

 Joel’s exhortation to repent

         Joel’s exhortation to repent, he calls to personal repentance that comes from the heart, and call to national repentance in a sacred assembly from which on one, not even babies or newlyweds, would be exempt (Deut.24:5). In Joel 2: 12-14 says,

             “Even now”, declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing –grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God.” (Joel 2:12)

Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. Gather the people; consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber. Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, O Lord. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, “where is their God?” (Joel 2:15-17)

Zephaniah’s prophecy,

Zephaniah predicted the doom of heathen nations, both immediately (as Nineveh, which fell in 612) and in the future (3:8) the book closes with a glorious description of the future Millennium (also an aspect of the Day of the Lord.) Day of the Lord (Joel 2:1-11; Isa.13:6-13) the soon –coming captivity, in which Judah would be the sacrifice and the nations guests in Babylon, was but a preview of the much worse punishment of the still future Day of the Lord (Matt.6:24).

He said, “Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited. On the day of the Lord’s sacrifice I will punish the princes and the king’s sons and all those clad in foreign clothes. On that day I will punish all who avoid stepping on the threshold, who fill the temple of their gods with violence and deceit.” (Zephaniah 1: 7-9)

        “At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, “The Lord will do nothing, either good or bad.” Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished. They will build houses but not live in them; they will plant vineyards but not drink the wine.” (Zephaniah 1:12-13) 

         The great day of the Lord is near- near and coming quickly. Listen! The cry on the day of the Lord will be bitter, the shouting of the warrior there.

             That day will be a day of wrath,

              A day of distress and anguish,

              A day of trouble and ruin,

              A day of darkness and gloom,

              A day of clouds and blackness,

              A day of trumpet and battle cry, against the fortified cities and against the corner towers.  I will bring distress on the people and they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like filth. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath. In the fire of His jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for He will make a sudden end of all who live on the earth.  (Zephaniah 1:14-18)

 Zephaniah’s exhortation to repent

        Zephaniah urges people to repent, and gather together,

             1)  Before the appointed time arrives and that day sweeps on like chaff,

               2) Before the fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you,

              3) Before the day of the Lord’s wrath comes upon you.

             4) Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands.

             5) Seek righteousness, seek humility, perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the    Lord’s anger.   

                   Psalm 81 This psalm, associated with the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev.23:34-43) opens with a summons to praise (vv.1-5), continues with an exhortation to remember(vv.6-10), and concludes with a call to repent (vv.11-16). Verse 3 The New Moon. The beginning of the seventh month, when the trumpet was blown (Lev.23:24). When the moon is full. On the fifteenth day, when the Feast of Tabernacles began. Verse 5 the language they did not know is Egypt was the call to liberation from Egypt of verse 6.          

Psalm 81 :1-16

Sing for joy to God our strength, shout aloud to the God of Jacob! Begin the music, strike the tambourine, play the melodious harp and lyre. Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast; this is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob. He established it as a statute for Joseph when he went out against Egypt, where we heard a language, we did not understand. (vv.1-5).        

He says, “I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket.” In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. (vv.6-7).

Hear, O my people, and I will warn you --- if you would but listen to me, O Israel! You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not down to an alien god. I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. (vv.8-10).

But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices. “ If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes! (vv.11-14).

Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever. But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” (vv.15-16).

    During three Festivals in the seventh month (Tishri, Sept.- Oct.) Trumpets blasts, Atonements, and Tabernacles, it’s important for us to repent of the sins, pride, wickedness, arrogance, violence, haughty, deceitfulness, drunkenness and idolatry. Seek the Lord, seek righteousness, seek humility, and humble before the Lord, fear the Lord, perhaps we may be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger and wrath. His compassion, forgiveness, mercy may pour out to us and bless us.  Be ready for the Day of the Lord, means to repent your sins, be holy, be pure, be clean, be whole, be true, and be faithful and pursue righteousness. The Day of the Lord is near and coming quickly.  Be ready! 

Bibliography,

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.

 

Message: Our condolence to Charlie Kirk and his family by Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Message: Our condolence to Charlie Kirk and his family

 By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce 

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel music              Date: September 13, 2025     

 

  Our condolence to Charlie Kirk and his family, it was a horrifying assassination on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. He was shot and killed by a valence young man Tyler Robinson during a campus event at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem. When we watched TBN program at 7:00pm, and heard the news, we were shocked and heartbroken by this tragic loss of Charlie Kirk who was only 31 years old, a passionate young brother, who expressed and defended the Word of God and debated for the conservative ideology and notion, he also hosted a TV program in TNB. We pray for Charlie Kirk’s soul to find rest and peace in the arms of God. And the Word of God and his faith in Jesus Christ will be the firm foundation of his salvation; Jesus will face to face meet him, and give him an answer why this tragic loss happened to him?   

In John 17:14 Jesus said, “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your WORD and the WORLD has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.”(John17:13-14).  Jesus Christ does not teach withdrawal from the world but that Christians should be in the world but not of it (vv.14-16). Jesus prayed, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your WORD is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” (John17:15-18).

            Jesus encourages His disciples and followers in Matthew 10:28-29; Luke10:18-20; Revelation 21:4, it states, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.” (Matt.10:28-29).  “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy, nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:18-20).  He will wipe every tear from their eyes; there will be no more death or mourning, or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. (Rev.21:4)

Darkness never overcomes the Light of Christ. The suspect in the Charlie Kirk murder has been identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. Robinson is a Utah resident. President Trump announced that an arrest had been made in the manhunt for Charlie Kirk's murder. By the helper of Tyler Robinson’s father who recognized his photo and confronted him, Tyler Robinson confessed to his father about the killing, and his father encouraged him to turn himself in, and reached out to a youth pastor who knew someone who works in the U.S. Marshals service, the suspect was arrested on Friday. 

 When Jesus said, “I have told you these things so that in ME you may have peace, in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33). There are three aspects of this consequence.

First, general trials that come simply because we live in a sinful world (Rom.8:35-36). But in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. If God is for us, who can be against us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written “For your sake we face death all day long we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

 Second, afflictions that God allows to come into our lives (2 Cor.12:7). There was given Apostle Paul a thorn in his flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment him. Three times he pleaded with the Lord to take it away from him. But the Lord said to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul views physical affliction, (Migraine headaches, eye trouble (ophthalmia), malaria and epilepsy have been seriously suggested (Gal.4:12-15)) as the work of Satan, permitted by God for a good purpose (keeping him humble) it could not be relieved through prayer.(2Cor.12:8).

 Third, Chastisement that comes more directly from God (Heb.12:6) because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son. As Esau (Gen25:33) though he may not have been immoral in the physical sense, Esau was immoral in the spiritual sense, being worldly and materialist

          Today, we take heart! For we know that Jesus has overcome the world. The intercession of the son of God- Jesus had prayed for us 2000 years ago, He prayed for our protection, sanctification, glorification, and unification.

         First, He said, " Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name- the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one, while I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me."

        Second, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the EVIL ONE. They are not of the world even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your WORD is TRUTH. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified."

        Third, "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one, I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

           Christians in this generation, what is the most challenging lesson?  Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount about the characteristics of disciples in Luke 6:22-36 is the most difficult lesson, and challenges disciples to be the doers perfectly as Father is perfect in heaven. How many believers can be perfect to fulfill what Jesus commanded? You may answer “none of us”, for it is too hard to do that, especially when you get hurt. But the Holy Spirit is able to transform your inner being day by day, year after year. Your heart of attitude will be changed by His divine power; the matter is that you are willing to turn your hearts to Jesus Christ and surrender your hurts to the Lord; the Lord will heal you in His time. For by His stripes, you will be healed. 

         This is the great Sermon of Jesus,

         “Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and lead for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.” (Luke 6:22-23) 

        “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:27-31)

         If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:32-36).