In this recent word from Christine, she writes about this very time period we are in between June 10 and July 9, which is called the month of Tammuz, and shares this:
Pay attention in this season because God is opening our eyes much broader to what is unseen and bringing hidden things to light. (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)
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Biblical Month of Tammuz 5781 = Thursday night, June 10 - Friday night, July 9, 2021.
"The Holiday of the Eyes"
Welcome to Tammuz! This fourth month of the Hebrew year depicts a door which swings wide into a favorite season for many...the season of summer! Summer, or "kaitz" in Hebrew, is often referred to as the "holiday of the eyes." We will see how this expression depicts this month as we cross over its threshold.
Everywhere we look this month, we see the Lord focusing on our vision. Why is He so adamant about where we put our eyes? "The eye is the lamp of the body; so then, if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness..." (Matt. 6:22-23). He knows our gaze will either lead to worship or idolatry.
It was in Tammuz when Israel lost their patience and focus while waiting for Moses to return from Mt. Sinai, and subsequently made the infamous golden calf (Ex. 32). They sought immediate comfort and took their eyes off the Lord. When Moses returned, he could not believe his eyes. He smashed the tablets and destroyed the golden calf. (Photo via Pixabay)
Quick fixes and idols in our lives enslave us. Once idols are exposed and destroyed, we can redirect our eyes and hearts to worship the One, True and Living God.
Fix Your Eyes on the Unseen
So how do we guard these eyes of ours that often get us into a lot of trouble? It actually starts in our hearts: "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it" (Prov. 4:23). Our eyes take in things and deposit them into our hearts. All the issues of our lives flow from our hearts. When we seek His help to guard or "hide" our eyes in this "hidden" month of Tammuz, we actually guard our hearts. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt. 6:21).
The Lord calls us to fix our eyes on the unseen or hidden things. One definition of the word "Tammuz" is hidden. "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Cor. 4:18).
How Do We See Hidden Things?
Jesus said, "...Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed" (John 20:29). How do we see hidden things? His Word tells us that when we turn to the Lord, the "veil" is removed from our eyes – from our hearts (2 Cor. 3:16). As we turn our eyes to Jesus, He enables us to "see" things we could never see with our natural eyes. He opens the eyes of the blind (Ps. 146:8). His perfect light exposes hidden things in our lives that we "just don't see." When He reveals...He heals. He is better than any eye doctor I know (Eph. 1:18)!
I can't help but think of when you remove a pair of eyeglasses to clean them and suddenly realize how dirty they were. You thought you were seeing clearly, but when you take time to wipe them off, you see better than before!
Let us take time this month to stop and look at our lives, frame by frame, holding up each section of our lives to the light of His truth and allowing Him to bring clarity so we can make adjustments. (Photo via Pixabay)
The Lord highlights our right hand and its index finger, which is actually connected with our vision. How so? When we point our finger at something, we are directing one's attention and focus in that direction. The Jews have a beautiful wedding tradition underscoring this point. The bride wears her wedding band on her right index finger which directs her gaze to her bridegroom. How much more does the Bride of Christ need that reminder...to fix her gaze on her heavenly Bridegroom, Yeshua.
"Between the Straits"
Tammuz also means to connect. This is a time where He brings us from one large expanse into another. He does this by taking us through a narrow, protective place. A connection to consider this month is the biblical, three-week "connecting" period called "Between the Straits." This place of the straits is not a place where God withholds things from us, but is a place where He reminds us of our greatest asset, His presence. May our hands be raised in worship and eyes fixed on Him as we move through the straits, for it is a protected, transformational passage of time that will bless us if we have eyes to see and ears to hear.
"For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matt. 7:14)
So where is your gaze? Are you using your spiritual eyes or natural ones? Are you beholding Him or have you grown impatient and turned to a golden calf? Ask Him to reveal any idols you may have erected in your life. How can you practically guard your heart? Ask Him to give you His eyes to see the unseen. Look closely at your connections this month and prayerfully consider your "handshakes." Be aware of this divine connecting time "Between the Straits" and may your eyes ever be upon Him (Ps. 25:15).
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Christine Vales
Email: christine@christinevales.com
Website: www.christinevales.com
The Lord gave Christine Vales a deep desire to serve and point others to Him just before the turn of the century. It has been a beautiful journey and she is still discovering the gifts He planted in her—to use them to serve others and bring glory to Him! Most recently while Christine and her husband, Carlos, began exploring the Hebrew roots of their Christian faith, Christine discovered the Lord's prophetic calendar. The Lord began to stir her prophetic gift through understanding His appointed times and seasons as they were understood by His people, and the need for them to be understood today! After several years of studying and creating her own handwritten Hebrew/Gregorian Calendar, Christine created and released the first edition of "His Appointed Times: Hebrew/Gregorian Calendar & Journal" in 2017. Christine continues to follow His calling in the prophetic, as she has since the beginning of her story, where she faithfully is lifting up her voice to the Lord and raising her eyes to the fields...for they are already white for harvest (John 4:35)!
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This is quite an intriguing word and for the very month we are in. God has gifted specific individuals to understand the Hebraic Calendar and Christine Vales is one of these individuals.
