September 4th is the first day of the Jewish month of Elul. Elul is a special month, traditionally dedicated to repentance in the lead up to the High Holidays next month. It's a great time to lift up the people of Israel as they are preparing their hearts during the month of Elul: A Time to Turn.

The feasts often start in September, but this year, all the High Holidays will happen in October. Everything will stop for the Fall Feasts, and people postpone all business until “after the holidays”, so it's only after the end of Sukkot that life starts again in earnest. That means it will also be a later time for education facilities to restart, and for the new semester to begin at our Bible College. Please pray for all those who are getting ready to start their studies in this new academic year, and for God to prompt any others who He is calling to set aside time in His word, to prepare for ministry.

Fall is also a time of harvest and ingathering. We often think of the seven species at this time of year, particularly pomegranates and figs which are seen in abundance in the Fall, and have great prophetic meaning.