Parasha Veyeshev & sermon "Watch"

From the Rabbi's Desk

We have small birds, at least two, that come to drink the nectar from the aloe flower blooming on our balcony. We live on the sixth floor and we have often wondered; 'Of all the flowers blooming around us on street level, how these two birds found our aloe blossom amongst all the balconies in our complex of buildings.'

Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

So many people in the world live not knowing where their next meal is going to come from or if they will even eat. Yet these two birds managed to zero right in on a sixth-floor balcony which has one blooming aloe flower.

I think we need to take a lesson from the parable Yeshua has given us on how the heavenly Father cares for the birds. In fact, as Believers in Messiah Yeshua, every time we see a bird it should remind us of how much more valuable we are to the Father than birds, and take assurance that He will provide for all our needs.

Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. 30) And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31) So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Hi Ellen here…Sunday night just before sundown we light the first Chanukah candle. The season of lights is not all about chocolate coins and potato latkes (fried potato pancakes) …oh yes, it is about so much more. I read an article on the month of Kislev and these are some of the thoughts that stayed with me to share with you. In Hebrew kis means pocket and lev means heart. The month of Kislev is a time to reach into the pocket of your hearts and re-examine your desires. I suggest through prayer and quiet moments of sitting at Yeshua's feet that we hold firmly onto those things in our lives that need adjusting; those things that we thought were lost and rekindle our dreams…hold firmly onto the heart of flesh that the Lord replaced our heart of stone with upon receiving Him as our Messiah. In addition, I would ask that the embers of our candles be ignited into a holy fire to light up our lives and be a light to all those around us! No, it is not about greasy pancakes and jelly doughnuts…it is about the Lord!

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

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

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OUR U.S. FRIENDS & FAMILY!

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Parasha Vayishlach

From the Rabbi's Desk

Apparently, there are still many things we as Believers need to be delivered from. One of the most blaring, and the one I encounter all too often is, MAKING EXCUSES.

Luke 14:16) Yeshua replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17) At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' 18) "But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.'19) "Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' 20) "Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.' 21) "The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry….

Notice that all of the excuses the guests gave were legitimate but all the same they were still excuses. Basically, what they all were saying was they had more important things to do than to go to this banquet. I'm sure they all had good intentions and wanted to go and the scripture implies that once they got what they needed to do out of the way, next time there was a banquet they would go, it was just that this time they had something more important to attend to. So it is today when people make excuses, some are very reasonable, while others are out right foolish but all the same, they are all just excuses.

The excuses the guests gave the host in this parable represent three categories of life's excuses. Most excuses that we give fall into one of these three categories; they are identified in Mark 4:19: 1. The cares of the world. 2. The deceitfulness of riches. 3. The pleasures of life.

Yeshua teaches us; "…let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one." (Matthew 5:37). Isiah says; "all we like sheep have gone astray everyone unto his own way." (Isaiah 53:6).

One day we are all going to find ourselves standing before the Lord and we are going to have to give an account for every idle word we have spoken. I pray that when that day comes, we do not find out that we have EXCUSED ourselves right out of the Kingdom of God.

Hi Ellen here…Do you know what your calling is? Each of us is gifted in different areas; some are gifted in many at once and their callings can be for a season. Some may be able to serve in one area for their lifetime and others serve for a shorter time…we are all different. In Romans 12.4-5 the Word says there are many members of the body and all do not have the same function…although one body, many different parts. You have just read a paraphrased version of that Scripture so verse memorization is not one of my gifts! Another thing I would like to mention is that sometimes our "calling" is not something we want to do. I remember when I first became a Believer in Messiah Yeshua my rabbi instructed me to do two things …one was to join the hospital visitation team and the other was to teach the little ones in "Junior Shul." Hospitals, I do not think so, this was one place I did not want to go... I joined anyway. First time out it was difficult to speak and pray for strangers especially those that were in dire situations. God is so good; He took away what I saw and smelt and by the time the hour was over I was elated and could not wait until next time. As for the children, how could I as a brand-new Believer teach anyone anything about Yeshua? Well, I could not at first but the children through their love, playfulness and joy taught me…hallelujah. Take a risk today. Step out in faith and ask the Lord, "what is my calling Abba"?

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;

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Parasha Vayetze & Sermons

From The Rabbi's Desk

I wish I could say that I do not have a care in the world but the fact is I do! So many things weigh heavily on our lives and mine is no exception. Yes, even though I repeat the Scripture; "Cast your burden on the Lord" (Psalm 55:22), to myself regularly, the pressures of life at times still weigh me down.

One of the heaviest burdens that a person can carry is SHAME and GUILT. Many of us, even though we are Believers in Messiah Yeshua and have been forgiven, redeemed and cleansed of our past sin, still condemn ourselves. As a result, some of these sins pop-up in our minds every now and then and cause us to feel shame and guilt. Let me tell you this; Messiah Yeshua, (God in Human Form) did not come upon the earth to save us so that we would remain guilt ridden, in fact He is our Passover "Guilt" (in Hebrew "Asham") offering. That is why the Apostle Paul could say:

Romans 8:1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Messiah Yeshua, 2) because through Messiah Yeshua the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death."

When Yeshua died on the cross for us He took upon Himself both our shame and our guilt. Now that we have made Him our Lord and Savior, He has taken away all those burdens from us. Therefore, if we insist on carrying our old burdens of shame and guilt, we have to take them back from Yeshua because we both cannot bear the same sins. So, either He carries them or we carry them. If He carries them, we cannot carry them, if we carry them, He cannot carry them. However, if we carry them, it is proof that we have not turned our lives totally over to Him.

1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for us."

Who would you rather have to carry your anxiety, shame and guilt, God our you?

Hi Ellen here…You all know how I like to talk about the fruits and the gifts of the Spirit…well there is more. Each morning after Jack and I read the Bible Reading Plan we listen to a teaching from a reputable source, a short teaching which then allows us to study and meditate on the Lord and His Word into prayer. I heard something so profound and marvelous that I had to share it with you. There is more that the Lord has for us in His Word so do not limit yourself. In 1 Peter 1.5-7 it says this "…But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, to brotherly kindness LOVE." That is what it is all about …bottom line…no thrills, chills or vibrations…just LOVE!

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

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Parasha Toldot

From The Rabbi's Desk

What is it in your life that is holding you up, bogging you down and stopping you from serving the Lord with all of your heart, soul and resources?

As Ellen and I are going through some health challenges, God has been impressing upon us that nothing we possess is really ours. We look around at our lives and see all the wonderful things that God has blessed us with, but which in reality are not ours. Yes, we worked, and worked hard for everything we have, but were it not for God giving us the strength, wisdom, health and life itself, we would not have anything, not even the food we eat or the ability to eat it. Nothing is really ours; everything is just on loan to us for a season. As temporary earth dwellers, we are not taking any of it with us into heaven when it is time to go, and those who do not know Yeshua as their Lord and Savior, are not taking any of it with them into hell. In fact, what they hold so precious, hoard and guard so passionately may hasten their going to hell.

Matthew 6:19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20) but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Look around you right now, what do you see that is precious to you, that you would hate to lose, have stolen, give away or give up; material things, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, a pet, looks and so on, and realize that none of them are leaving this earth with you when you pass. So, give them up! I do not mean that you have to physically give anything away but you do have to give them all up in your mind and heart because no one can be tied materially to the earth and expect to receive true and lasting spiritual abundance from God, which is the only things that we will be taking with us into heaven.

Hi Ellen here…Do you get convicted when you read the Word? I know, not all Scripture is intended for that, because there are so many Scriptures of blessings, instruction, illumination, history and much more…but there are those times when we are wavering in thought and deed and bam, a Scripture just opens our eyes and churns in our innermost parts. Well just think on this…when we do err, God in Heaven knows; when we move from faith in Him, He knows; when we sneer at a person or a situation, He knows; when we are called into an opportunity that might take us out of our comfort zone and we walk away, He knows; when someone is hungry and we do not feed them, He knows; when we are called to prayer and we turn away, He knows. God is the Word and the Word is God. Are you convicted now?

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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