Parasha Beshalach

  

Shalom and Blessings;

I know that we are hearing a lot of negativity coming out about the Covid-19 vaccination, so I would like to give you some encouraging news from Israel. It's been reported by the second largest HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) here that since the first vaccination of people aged over 60, deaths and serious illness from Covid-19 has decreased an average of 60%. This means that with the second vaccination we can expect to see even better, more encouraging numbers. This however, has not stopped the skyrocketing infection rate among the Haredi (ultra-orthodox) community, who by enlarge are rebellious against government restrictions. Ellen and I have received our second vaccination with no side effects, Glory to God!

The Knesset has closed down Ben Gurion Airport until January 31. All passenger flights in and out have been suspended. All border crossings have also been closed. I cannot say for certain, but I suspect that this has been done to give health services a window to vaccinate as many people as possible, while limiting the threat of importing any new virus strains. Of the 9 million people in Israel close to four million have already been vaccinated. It is still not clear if the airport will be reopened on January 31, seeing as the Health Ministry is asking for a month-long closure. In the meantime, Israelis continue to suffer economically, emotionally and mentally. Your prayers are definitely needed and appreciated.

A brief teaching:

Luke (1:13) But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14) He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15) for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16) He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17) And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." 18) Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." 19) The angel said to him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20) And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time."

Have you ever wondered why, after Zechariah asked the angle for a sign as proof of what he was saying was true, that Gabriel made him mute? That question is answered for us in:

Proverbs (18:21) The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Zachariah doubted what the angel Gabriel was telling him; therefore, were he to be allowed to speak prior to the birth of John, the negative words of doubt that may have proceeded from his mouth could have affected the outcome of what the Lord had spoken, because there is power in the tongue:

Our words are powerful and can affect eternity and most certainly the direction of our lives, and the lives of those around us, like our families and children. There is power in the tongue, therefore, Believers must learn to bridle their tongue and always speak positive, uplifting words of affirmation.  

 Visit our blog for more teaching and to view previous Torah commentaries:

https://weeklyparasha02.blogspot.com/

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

 

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House of Prayer

                                                         

Parasha Bo & Semon "Too Familiar?"

Shalom and Blessings

I think the events of the election in the United States should remind us all of a lesson the Bible has been teaching us for as long as we each have been Believers in Yeshua the Messiah.

Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

American Believers were looking to President Trump as the defender of conservative, godly values; anti-abortion, pro prayer in schools etc. Israeli Believers and unbelievers alike were looking to him as the best friend Israel ever had; military support, Jerusalem the Capital, peace with many Arab neighbors etc. The fact is, God does not need anyone to defend His values nor does He need a President to be Israel's best friend. God has supported, defended and watched over Israel since Abraham first left Ur thousand of years ago, and He is still able, willing and capable of doing it. As Believers in Yeshua the Messiah our eyes should be focused on Yeshua and not on man:

Psalm 33:20 Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.

Hi Ellen here…Well another jam-packed week spiritually. I only have a few lines for you today however I believe in my heart we all desire the will of God to be done, here goes… "Be still and know that I Am God; Let go and let God; When I am weak then I am strong; A wise man receives correction; Create in me O Lord a clean heart; Give thanks in all things; Pray unceasingly; Let us not grow weary in doing good; Out of the heart the mouth speak; Blessed are the peacemakers; Forgive them Lord for they do not know what they do…" Keep looking up, Yeshua is coming!

Visit our blog for more teaching and to view previous Torah commentaries:

https://weeklyparasha02.blogspot.com/

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

 

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Listen to Parasha

Listen to sermon "Too Familiar?"

Parasha Va'era & Sermon "Conflict in Marriage"

Shalom and Blessings 

We have no King but God! Nothing is demonstrating the depravity of man and our inability to rule ourselves than what is going on right now in Israeli politics. I liken it to a herd of pigs rolling around in the mud. Political parties are splitting and forming new opposition parties and once loyal party members are now sling sand at each other like children on a beach. It makes one wonder what kind of government will come out of all this when the smoke clears after the March election. God help us! 

On a more positive note, Ellen and I have received our first Covid-19 injection with no side effects. Our next injection is scheduled for January 25th. Rumour has it that the second shot affects people more than the first but we know how unreliable rumours are today! So far, in a country of only nine million, well over two million have been vaccinated and perhaps by the time you read this newsletter it will be over three million. Sadly, that has not stopped the Covid infection rate here, which despite the lockdown is hovering at five to nine thousand per day. I think this is a sad testimony of the Israeli disregard for authority, especially in the ultra-orthodox and Arab communities. 

Our ministering to Kenya is going extremely well, God is truly blessing us. Our Zoom Shabbat services and Monday night Bible Studies have truly been anointed with excellent participation. This in itself is a blessing due to the lack of reliable online access, computers, smartphones and the sometimes prohibitive cost of data time (internet bundles), our people are facing. Please continue to pray for our Kenyan brothers and sisters as they struggle through these difficult times. 

Hi Ellen here…Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is in me, bless His holy name! Have you ever heard a Scripture or song mulling in your head for days? Well, I have been reciting this first verse of Psalm 103 for many days now and finally decided to read it in its entirety again… hallelujah, how wonderful is the Word… 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His Benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.' All our needs, all our prayers are answered in the first five verses of this beautiful psalm of David…do not forget all that our Lord has for us! He has forgiven us, He has healed us, He has crowned us with love and mercy, He feeds us with good things and He is renewing us each and every day. This is just a reminder that when the Lord puts something in your thinking…go and search it out. Our God most high is speaking to us, reassuring us and renewing us…daily! Love you all in Yeshua. 

Visit our blog for more teaching and to view previous Torah commentaries: 

https://weeklyparasha02.blogspot.com/

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

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Listen to Parasha

Sermon "Conflict in Marriage"

Parasha Shemot & Sermon "Are You Ready For What Is Coming?"

 

Shalom and Blessings; 

In light of everything that is taking place in the world today: The Coronavirus plague, which is wreaking havoc throughout the word, the instability of governments and the uncertainty of what the future might hold, I would like this week to do a teaching on Revelation chapter 7. 

1) After these things (that is the complete destruction of everything on earth) I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2) Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3) saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." 

According to these verses, before final cataclysmic judgments come upon the earth, God prepares a group of faithful servants who will bare His seal on their foreheads, and as we will see they are all Jews. 

4) And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand, of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed: 

Scripture then goes on to list the tribes from which those sealed will come, but as we see the list omits one tribe, the tribe of Dan. Most likely this tribe is omitted from God's list, because it was in the territory of the tribe of Dan that King Jeroboam erected the Golden Caves for Israel (the Northern Kingdom), to worship. I say most likely because the actual reason is really not known. Twelve thousand are chosen out of twelve tribes. 

9) After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10) and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" 

Verses 4 and 9 are joined as one in chapter 7 as cause-and-effect verses; the cause, the one hundred and forty-four thousand; the effect, multitudes of saved standing before the throne of God. These saved are people from all over the world that come to salvation because of the efforts of the one hundred and forty-four thousand Jewish Believers. 

In Matthew 20:16 Yeshua said that the last will be first and the first, last. I am convinced that this passage applies to Israel. The Jews were the first (to them was given the oracles of God) and by their rejection of Yeshua they became the last; but then we are told that the last will be first. What I believe this is saying is that the Jews who became last, at the end of the age will become first as they conclude the task of world evangelism. One hundred and forty-four thousand zealous, young Jewish boys will be turned loose on the world so as to bring in God's final harvest. Now we come to Revelation 14: 

1) Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads. 

This is the seal that we were told about in chapter 7. The seal is the name of the Father. The anti-Christ also places a seal on the forehead of those that belong to him. So, when the end of the age comes there will be one or the other seal on every human being on earth and it may not necessarily be a visible seal. 

2) And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. 3) They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. (They had their own song). 4) These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes (what a testimony). These were redeemed from among men, being first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 

I believe that these young Jewish men are between the ages of 16-17, all boys set aside by God for this specific purpose. 

5) And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God. 

What a glorious picture. In the midst of all the turmoil taking place on earth at the end of the age; the persecution, the suffering, the death, God has those that are His busy at work evangelizing. Brothers and sisters, if you do not have a vision of the throne room of God and its power and His complete control over the affairs of the earth, I think you will be very fearful, disheartened and discouraged by what lies ahead for the world we live in. However, the One who was in the midst of the 7 candlesticks (Yeshua), is also in the midst of heaven. He is totally faithful and when He rides out of heaven on His white horse (Rev 19), His name is Faithful and True, we can trust Him we can put our confidence in Him. 

Hi Ellen here…Wow, quite the teaching written above. I am truly blessed and excited because I have a vision of the throne room of God. 

My message for us in this publication is as exciting but not as deep. We need to prioritize our time so as to come closer to our Lord. Many of us work so I know it is difficult to do all we need to do and then set aside time to pray and study. I am not as successful as I would like to be, but it takes practice…we need to set aside time with God every day, Jeremiah 29.13. I have found that even when getting ready for the office or cooking a meal or doing laundry we can listen to a sermonette from a preacher or even load up on Messianic music full of Scripture. Keep Yeshua the center of your life, Hebrews 12.1-2, make a list of the things that you need to change or get rid of…you will be surprised to see some of the needless things that occupy our time, myself included. Remember Whose you are, 1Corinthians 6.19-20. Do not despise small beginnings… Luke 16.10…you do not have to do this all at once, start small! Finally, surround yourself with like-minded friends, Proverbs 27.17. We are in the world but we are not of the world…love you all! 

Visit our blog for more teaching and to view previous Torah commentaries: 

https://weeklyparasha02.blogspot.com/

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen 

Read Parasha

Sermon "Are You Ready For What Is Coming?"

Parasha Vayechi & Sermon "Yom Yeshua"

Shalom and Blessings; 

Well, it is official, we are heading into another round of elections scheduled for the month of March. Will anything new come of it? Other than the fact that the Blue and White Party (Benny Gantz), is imploding, the Yamin Party (Naftali Bennett) is gaining popularity, and two new parties were formed (one Left and one Right), everything is the same because they all are repeating the same chant "Anyone but Bibi." And yes, the Likud Party (Bibi Netanyahu), will most likely come out of this election weakened. Plus there remains a daunting possibility that Israel will still not have a majority government when the smoke clears. The question then remains; will Israel follow the lead of the other countries of the world and lean Left or will she stand against the tide and lean Right; God knows! 

As conspiracy theories and Covid-19 theories swirl around on the TV, in the print media and on social media, we as Believers in Messiah Yeshua need to be very careful about what we say, what we teach and what we repeat. 

James 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow Believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 

The Greek word translated here as teachers is much better rendered as masters. James therefore, is telling us that those of us who are putting ourselves out there as masters on any subject need to be very careful and 100% sure that we are not leading people astray, because we will be held to a higher accountability. James goes on to say: 

James 3:6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 

God has planted in every Believer the third part of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit's purpose is to lead us (Believers in Messiah Yeshua), in all truth and righteousness. In these very turbulent times, it is in our best interest not to be led by anything or anyone but the Holy Spirit. 

Hi Ellen here…Wow what a busy week, not only attending to the responsibilities concerning the ministry but our everyday lives. Yet through all the business God speaks. For all those who think they are not hearing God's voice I have a little something for you…God speaks to all of us individually and ever so intimately and He speaks corporately as well. Firstly, as you read the glorious Word of our Abba, God is speaking to you, in fact prior to your time in the Word ask Him to open up each line, each verse and each chapter. Secondly God is ever so intimate with us, He knows how we can hear. During our prayer time one morning this past week He showed me something amazing…I asked the Lord, "Where is the breakthrough, when will we see a shift, a move in the spirit realm?" Then I opened my eyes while Jack prayed audibly and there in our entrance foyer was an angelic being sweeping up small dirt particles into our dust bin with our broom…WOW! Our Lord knows us so well. I'm the cleaner so He showed me He is clearing the debris for the coming breakthrough. Stay alert! It could happen at any time. It could occur when you are gardening, driving, working or even when you are putting your makeup on…my husband says, "Stay alert and fly right," and I agree…stay alert and hear your Abba's message just for you. Blessings and love always from me to you! 

Visit our blog for more teaching and to view previous Torah commentaries: 

https://weeklyparasha02.blogspot.com/

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

Read Parasha

 Sermon "Yom Yeshua"