Parasha Miketz & Sermons

Shalom and blessings

Concerning my condition; I am taking a new round of antibiotics, number three. Wednesday I had a CT scan to see if the doctors had focused in on the right cause of my illness. They have already ruled out Malaria and Tuberculosis, but have not definitively confirmed Pneumonia. The results of the test showed what appeared to be a serious infection in my lung but they could not pinpoint exactly what it is. I have been referred to a pulmonary specialist in the hospital and I am awaiting an appointment confirmation. Ellen and I feel your prayers and know that through them God is working in our lives. 

Will Israel ever get out of the secular quagmire it is in; a rhetorical question because we know that God is eventually going to "Drain the Swamp." For months, if not years, Netanyahu has been promising to annex the Jordan Valley. Yet again this week for the umpteenth time, he has come up with an excuse to postpone it again. His excuse: "Out of fear that the move would further offend and antagonize The Hague." This seems to be Israel's MO; they would much rather offend the Lord than offend the world stage. Was this not the same mindset that caused Israel's destruction in history past? 

In the past I was critical of those who celebrated December 24th as Yeshua's birthday, primarily because of the day's pagan roots and the historical circumstance that attached His birth to this day. Sadly my shortsightedness had the effect of alienating some of my Christian friends and in a few cases drove a wedge between families. I repent and ask forgiveness for it. I realize now how beautiful it is that the world takes one day out of the year to celebrate Yeshua. It doesn't matter if they are secular or even of another religion, whether they see it as a shopping Day or a gift giving day, the name Jesus is being heard and spoken wherever you go, even here in Israel, and that is glorious. It really doesn't matter when Yeshua was born, what matters is that He was born and on that day Light entered into a dark world. Is that not the theme of Hanukkah as well? Ellen and I celebrate Yeshua's birth every day, so let us join together, Messianic Jews and Christian, as One New Man in Messiah and with one heart declare, "Yom- Huledet Sameach (Happy Birthday)" and Hag Hanukkah Sameach Jesus because He is the reason for the season!"

Do not forget to checkout our Blog and pass on the teachings: https://weeklyparasha02.blogspot.com/

I have attached this week's Parasha, Miketz, as well as part 1 and 2 of the sermon series I shared in Kenya on Joseph. 

Yours in Messiah Yeshua, our Lord, our God, our soon coming King.

Read Parasha

Listen to Sermon Joseph Part 1

Listen to Sermon Joseph Part 2

Parasha Vayshev

Shalom and blessings;

It seems that I underestimated the severity of my illness. I have been battling pneumonia for three weeks now and I am on my second round of antibiotics with only slight improvement in my condition. When I questioned my doctor about it her response was, "This is not a cold Jack it is pneumonia. Recovery could take a month followed by a possible two months of recuperation." 

So where to from here? First, it is looking more and more like we will not be able to attend the Rabbi's conference in the U.S.A. to represent Kenya, a huge disappointment. But we serve an awesome God, and He made a way. He arranged for an elder couple in the Nairobi congregation to be granted visas to the U.S., after being turned down on their first attempt; God always makes a way. God foreknew that we would not make it, so He opened another door so that Kenya can still be represented at the conference. Our tickets are non-transferable or refundable, so we cannot help. This is a huge expense for them, so if God puts it on your heart to help, let us know and we will apply the amount to their expenses, but you must specify it as being for conference expenses. Please pray for Akiva and Hannah, as they travel for the first time to the States. Pray that they find favor with everyone they encounter and build lasting relationships with the Rabbis they will be meeting for the first time. It feels so strange for us not to be there with them to help them navigate through the conference with them. I guess God felt that it was time for the children to grow up and experience Messianic Judaism outside of Kenya without Ellen and Jack being there for support. 

For years Prime Minister Netanyahu had been fending off attacks from the Left. The Leftist news media have not given him a moments rest; false accusations, fake news and negative reporting. Yet despite their relentless pursuit of him, he still managed to run the country into its greatest boom in decades. But the Left never gives up in trying to destroy the Right. No matter how good he has been for the country, for them, he is not serving their social and political agenda, so he must go. The frenzy has now reached into his own party, the Likud, and for fear that he might be a detriment to their winning the next election, they are holding a leadership conference December 26, to try to replace him as party leader. The next national election has been called for March 2, 2020.

The IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) is having its moral fabric chipped away piece by piece. First they gave in to allowing homosexuals serve and now they are offering veganism as an alternate lifestyle. Soldiers can now opt not to wear leather, or any uniforms made from animals products, like wool. They also have the option of being served vegan meals. We know that Homosexuality is an abomination to the Lord, but also, nowhere in Scripture is veganism encouraged, in fact it is discouraged. Every religion, including Yoga that practices veganism is idolatrous. This conjures up visions of Balak and Balaam. The only way the army of Israel could be defeated then, was if they sinned and God turned away from them. The IDF has been invincible in the Middle East because God watches over them. Our enemy the devil is using Balaam's method of sending in compromises to cause the IDF to sin. If he continues to succeed, God will turn away from them as He turned so long ago. Let us pray for the Israeli military. 

Checkout our Blog (https://weeklyparasha02.blogspot.com/) and pass on the teachings: 

Yours in Messiah Yeshua, our Lord, our God, our soon coming King.

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

Read Parasha

Parasha Vayislach & Sermons

Shalom and Blessings;

As I reported last week, I've been very sick and unable to do much… never thought I would be able to get this commentary out, but with God's help I did. The doctor suspected that I might have contracted malaria due to the proximity of my sickness to our return from Kenya and the type of symptoms I was displaying. However, after further tests and a chest x-Ray, I was diagnosed with pneumonia and put on a round of antibiotics. Can't tell you how relieved Ellen and I were when we were told it was pneumonia and not malaria. Believe it or not we started praising God and thanking Him for pneumonia; never thought we'd ever do that.

Kenya has been experiencing very heavy rain. Roads have been washed away along with people and their homes. Sadly there were many deaths. Crops too have been destroyed. The children's home in Migori suffered rain-damage to two classrooms. After government inspection they were declared unsafe and ordered demolished. The home also lost many of its crops to field flooding. This is going to put a hardship on the home, not only have they lost their own production of food but because of the wide spread field damage throughout the nation, the price of food is going to rise. 

We have booked our flight to Kenya for Passover. We arrive March 31st and return May 12th. We're excited to be able to get back there to teach and to preach. Passover is a very special and significant Feast for believers in Yeshua and Ellen and I have a special experience in store for them. Pray for the success of the Passover, we are also using it as an outreach to churches in the area. 

This week not only have I included the commentary on Parasha Vayishlach but I have also included 3 additional sermons shared with Kenya. 

Do not forget to checkout our Blog (https://weeklyparasha02.blogspot.com/) and pass on the teachings.

Yours in Messiah Yeshua, our God, our Lord, our soon coming King!

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

Read Parasha Vayislach

Sermon: The Rock is Back.

The Price is Right

The Ten Days of Awe

Parasha Vayetze

Shalom and Blessings;

I came down with a bad cold and have been under the weather since Tuesday. We expected visitors this week so I prepared the weekly commentary early, Monday. Happily so, because I would not have been able to do it otherwise. We had to cancel our guest but I'm still able to send out this week's teaching. Thank you for your prayers.

Yours in Messiah Yeshua, our Lord, our God, our soon coming King.

Rabbi Jack

Read Parasha