Parasha Balak

From Rabbi Jack...

Proverbs {3:5} "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; {3:6} In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths."

This Scripture passage recently came alive in our lives. The other week I reported that I had lost my wallet. It was a daunting experience, not because of the loss but because I would have to replace everything I lost. Ellen and I retraced the most likely place it may have fallen out of my tote bag – Assuta Hospital in Ashdod. We checked with the receptionist, we checked with the doctor, with no results. Despite the loss, however, we were at total peace. Yes, though I may not have known where my wallet was, God did. Therefore, I needed not to set my mind on the loss but on the good that God was going to accomplish through its loss.

Wednesday July the 6th a God incident happened. Our Israeli daughter (she adopted us), had a friend that was going to Assuta for a test. She had someone who was going to accompany her but at the last minute that person was unable to go. So, our daughter, who had no reason to go to Assuta and who was available only because it was her day off, offered to join her. While at the hospital, knowing that was the place I most likely lost my wallet, she took a shot and went to the security office to inquire. Sure enough, my wallet was there. Security had my wallet for days and could have very easily contacted me, but did not. It is so encouraging how God worked out all the circumstances in getting our daughter to Assuta, she was the last person we expected to find my wallet.

What good came from this loss? First, both our daughter and we experienced firsthand God's leading and intervention in our lives; our daughter was able to help a friend in need and whoever found my wallet, most likely a cleaning maintenance person, was blessed with the money they found.

We may never get to meet the person who found and turned in my wallet to security, but I believe that God wanted this perfect stranger, someone I would have never met or otherwise helped, to have the money which perhaps they desperately needed. We give God all the Glory!

Hi Ellen here…

I have spoken to you all before concerning what the world has to offer and I reiterate, "All that glitters is not gold"!

Well, today let us talk about hearing and reading. We all know that rock music, especially heavy metal, contains satanic messages. As I was growing up everyone would say of that super talented group, The Beatles, that one of their albums carried subliminal messages, if you played it backwards! Just to make sure, I will give the definition of subliminal; "Perceived by or affecting someone's mind without them being aware of it"…Oh my goodness that is scary. It is not the music that is bad but the spirit behind the music. For example, heavy metal music, if you can call it music, has a satanic spirit!

Now, I will share something that maybe you have not thought of. Hearing or reading messages or teachings from unbelieving religious scholars, although they may seem insightful and harmless, carry an anti-Messiah spirit and really have no place in a Believer's life. Even the most dedicated Believer cannot, at times, discern between spirits when reading or listening to Jewish teaching, insights and commentaries. I have received unbeliever's TED podcasts from friends saying; "Oh you have to hear this amazing message," no I do not! Now, do not be fooled because even some Pastors and Messianic Rabbis are not always spot on with lining up with the Word and Spirit of God.

Brothers and sisters, now is the time to grow up and sharpen the gifts we've already been given…wisdom, knowledge and discerning of spirits. If you want to receive deeper insight into the Word then ask HIM, for our God is a generous and loving God.

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Sermon of the week "Gift of eternal life"

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Parasha Chukat (Statute)

From Rabbi Jack...

Crises happen to us all. I do not think there is anyone who does not experience crises in their life with some kind of regularity. I am experiencing a crisis right now. I lost my wallet and besides the money, I lost all the things people usually carry in their wallet; credit cards, identification card, driver license etc. Ellen and I never leave the house without putting on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-18), so one would think that a crisis, like losing your wallet, would be covered by God. The thing is God uses crises to test where our hearts and loyalties lie.

Colossians {3:2} "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. {3:3} For you died, and your life is hidden with Messiah in God."

If I truly died to myself and my life is hidden in Messiah in God, then I did not lose my wallet, God lost my wallet and if He lost my wallet then He had a plan and a purpose for losing it. Yes, though I may not know where my wallet is, God does. Therefore, I need not set my mind on the loss of my wallet but on the good that God is going to accomplish through it because of its loss.

Romans {8:28} "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

Barring me finding my wallet or someone returning it to me, I will have to go through the process of replacing the documents I lost. However, because I am dead but now live in Messiah, I can go about the process anticipating a blessing and who knows, maybe the person who found my wallet was blessed by finding the money. Moral of the story; when crises strike, and they will, be encouraged because your life is not your own it is hidden with Messiah in God and He has you covered!

Hi Ellen here…

Why should this week in the news be any different than last week in the news? Good question but the answers differ. Everyone is talking about the chaotic conditions at airports yet everyone is travelling. Last week as we ended Shabbat services with our friends in Toronto, someone prayed for these conditions to cease in the Name of Yeshua and we all said AMEN!

As I write all these things to you a friend who travelled last week from Israel to Wales sent Jack and I serene countryside pictures. Just the other day I looked at the parking lot from our balcony while a family disembarked from an airport van with huge checked luggage as they entered the apartment building across the way from ours. Seems everyone is travelling. My good friend and her husband sent us gorgeous pictures of snow capped mountains in Colorado as the temperatures rise each day here in Israel. Friends of ours are now vacationing in a lodge in Finland. Everyone is complaining but everyone is travelling! I will end this stream of words with Scripture, Daniel {12.4} says…" But you Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge will increase."

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Sermon of the week "A living sacrifice"

Parasha Korah

From Rabbi Jack...

Proverbs {28:13} "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy."

You would not think so, but many Believers in Messiah Yeshua delay in confessing their sin. Yes Believers sin, we all sin in one way or another; an evil thought, an idle word, a wanton look, failing to honor God, sins of omission, unintentional sin and so on. We are not immune from sin. We may no longer be sinners but we still sin. So, we must confess whether we know we committed a sin or not; confession should be standard procedure for a Believer.

A measure of the spiritual maturity of a Believer is the time distance between a sin and confession. The shorter the distance the more mature the Believer. Our goal as Believers in Messiah Yeshua should be confession the minute we sin or the minute we realize we have sinned; it is a Biblical directive. By being disobedient to the commandments of God we invite hell into our lives and into our homes. Confession is good for the soul and it clears and frees up our conscience and our life.

Hello Ellen here…

Jack and I moved to Toronto in 1995 to lead CMY. It was so cold and coming from sunny Florida, it hit us like a brick wall. We began the Lord's ministry and started to meet many people. One of our congregants set up a lunch meeting with a well-known man in Christian circles. Yes, a very interesting fellow and knowledgeable as well. What I am getting to is that at lunch he told us something very interesting as we talked about things to come and the return of Yeshua. He told us about his two daughters, ages 3 and 5 at the time, that he has enrolled in language school to be fluent in Mandarin. We asked why Mandarin and he replied that he believed this was our future. Yes, China has moved into many nations but our God is way bigger than China and we pray for the Believers there. Why am I sharing this? He was preparing his family for what he thought was their future. We do not agree with him about China.

Are you prepared? Are you preparing your family for the coming onslaught? Are you preparing for the return of Yeshua? Listen…if this man could do what he did you can do better. Be prayed up and most of all I say to all heads of households, pray with your families, pray over your spouse and your children, put on the full armor of the God most High, plead the blood of Yeshua over your homes and your lives and follow His lead not mans! This is so important - please…!

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

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Parasha Commentary

Sermon of the week "Bought at a price"

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Parasha Shelech Lecha (Send on Your Behalf)

From Rabbi Jack...

2 Corinthians {5:17} "Therefore, if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

What exactly does Paul mean by this verse because sometimes when I wake up in the morning I sure do not feel like a new creation and when I look at myself in the mirror I do not look like a new creation. So of course, Paul was not referring to a reversal of ageing. No this is not at all what Paul intended when he said that we are new creations.

When God created the earth and formed man from the dust, man lived in a perfect spiritual bond with God. God and man communed together, walked together and were at peace with each other, there was spiritual bliss. However, when sin entered into the world through Adam and Eve's disobedience, all that came to a screeching halt and man was thrown out of paradise to fend for himself in a cruel, harsh world dominated by Satan. That is the world you and I were born into and this is where we have grown up; in a world alienated from God without hope, without a future. We saw ourselves as sophisticated animals that were more intelligent and higher up on the food chain. Like so many of our ancestors we would have continued on in life that way until we died believing the maxim: "Life is a drag and then we die!"

John {10:10} "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

Those of us that met Yeshua along the pathway of life and accepted Him as our Lord and Savior, through that acceptance was Born Again. The Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) entered our lives and despite the fact that we were living in a world filled with darkness, God's light started to shine in our lives. Essentially, we became a new creation, and reverted back to who we were created to be in the Garden of Eden. We returned to the perfect spiritual relationship with God where we could once again commune together, walk together and be at peace with each other in spiritual bliss. This is what Paul meant when he said: "Therefore, if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new"!

Hi Ellen here…

2 Corinthians {10.5} says: "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Messiah Yeshua."  Does it work? A resounding YES!!! If you are a committed believer in Messiah Yeshua and if you are in this world…you must recite this Scripture, as I do, many times a day. We all know that even though we are of God and serve Him we still have free will, we still have our flesh. Why do wicked thoughts come into our minds? Because the devil does not want us to rest. I am writing this to warn us not to let our guard down ever! The devil seeks to bring us into total chaos so we become distracted and even tormented…a place of no peace in all that. Taking every thought captive requires repentance from sin to faith in God. Ahhh but you say I am not sinning…we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. If you struggle with anxiety and worry in your thought life, which is a sin, then practice taking every thought captive…believe me, it works!

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

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Parasha Commentary

Sermon of the week "A better way"

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Parasha Becha'alotcha (When You Set Up)

From Rabbi Jack...

There is only one way to learn about God and that is by studying His Word. I know that the word study strikes fear in many people's hearts because we had enough studying when we were in school, but the fact is, there is no other way!

My sermon last week was about being a disciplined disciple and I used the Apostle Paul as my subject by whom we can compare his life as a disciple to ours'. God empowered Paul because through his teaching He was going to use him to lead us into becoming disciplined disciples of Yeshua; disciples learn from their Master.

Something that Yeshua said always inspires me to study Scripture, all Scripture, it is when, speaking to the Pharisees He said:

John {5:46} "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. {5:47) But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"

Many churches discount the Hebrew Scriptures (aka Old Covenant) and in doing so they cause their members to focus their concentration and study on the Renewed Covenant (aka New Covenant). However, Yeshua told us that Moses wrote about Him and that should challenge us to Study the Hebrew Scriptures to discover more about our Savior. In fact, I had to become more than just a student, I had to become a miner as I read the Hebrew Scriptures and dig into the Word to extract the gems hidden below the surface. I confess that doing so liberated my mind, inspired my understanding and gave me a perspective of the Renewed Covenant I could have never had if I only studied it.

As a Messianic Rabbi I did many home visitations and somehow every home I visited had a Bible somewhere within my view. Little did those I visited know that I was not impressed by the presence of their Bible but rather by the condition of its pages.

From Ellen...

Hi Ellen here…In 2006 the Lord motioned to Jack and me to go to Nigeria. We had been communicating with some Believers there that had become interested in Messianic belief and worship. The news about Nigeria was unstable and somewhat frightening but if the Lord says so, you go! We began to pray together concerning this trip. One evening a still, small voice kept whispering in my spirit…fast, fast, fast. It was coming to the time of High Holy days, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot. I was elated because I always fast on Yom Kippur, as commanded. Soon, preparations began with one of our favorite times in Ontario - apple picking for honey and apples for Rosh Hashanah; no apples for me, the spirit in me kept saying more than a commanded fast. What to do?

I was flipping through some magazines to take my mind off it all and a small pamphlet fell out…the title, you guessed it; "Fasting for the Nations". I read it in its entirety and was blessed and encouraged. As we celebrated Rosh Hashanah I began to fast for wisdom, safe passage, documentation such as visas, a good price on airline tickets and anything else you might pray for a trip such as this. Lo and behold the fast lasted forty days and nights with ease and joy but more importantly our potentially dangerous and scary trip to Nigeria was one of divine protection and revelation. The Lord brought us through some interesting times and we were blessed.

Listen, I am fasting every Wednesday when Etz Chaim prays as a family in the evening. I am asking you for only a one day fast. Want a blessing or a much-needed breakthrough? Fast with Etz Chaim Kenya and we will pray for you as well. Blessings and love, always in Yeshua!

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

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Parasha Commentary - coming soon!

Sermon for the week "Listening for God"

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Parasha Naso (Take)

From Rabbi Jack...

James {1:2} "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,".

When we read that Believers are supposed to be joyful in all circumstances it can be misleading and even troublesome because there are many circumstances in life that are not joyful. Everyone goes through times of sadness and disappointment. So, if and when we experience such times and misunderstand what the Lord means by joy, we can judge ourselves, judge others and be judged by others. However, God knows that there are going to be times of sadness and disappointment, so He cannot be talking to us about rejoicing when we are in trouble or when we are going through an extreme trial because then we would be sadists.

There is a reason we should be joyful in extreme circumstances because they are a test of our faith and when our faith is tried, patience is perfected. James explains it to us in 1:4 when he says. "But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." Basically, we are being told that we have to grow up in the things of God. For that to happen we have to be tested. If we are never tested in areas of our lives that bring sadness or disappointment, we will never develop patience, and if we never develop patience we will be lacking in maturity; trials are the way God develops our faith. If we want to mature in the things of God we have to go through some sadness and disappointment producing tests. So, God is not saying that we have to be joyful when we are sick or when we lost our job or when we broke a bone or when we are in pain, or when a loved one died, but He does want us to be joyful in the fact that these things, and the many others we will we encounter in life, have the ability to strengthen our faith and perfect our patience. Godly joy is an attitude we choose, impatience and complaining is an attitude we should lose!

2 Corinthians {6:10} "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

From Ellen...

Hi Ellen here…Cancer! A word that brings fear, disbelief and uncertainty. I have a friend who has survived it and does not even like to say the word. I can relate and do not blame them at all. So many are afflicted with this insipid disease. My husband who has survived stage 4 cancer and thrived is now at the tail end of experiencing a secondary attack…so where does it end? I am writing to you concerning this subject to apologize. Firstly, because sometimes this is the only thing I speak about and honestly think about, but this is not who I am. I am a daughter of the most High God and He is bigger than all disease.

We continue here to experience this pandemic of Covid but everyone is ignoring it. No, my friends, it has not left yet and continues to infect and kill people. Am I concerned? Yes! When I go out, I continue to mask up and honestly sometimes I am the only one wearing one. If I get infected and bring Covid home, my husband could get infected and it could be very serious for him. But this is not who I am. I am a daughter of the King! What am I getting at here? I am not very sure exactly but I know we are all still flesh and fall so short of the glory of God. Oh yes back to my apology…not to you but to Abba in heaven because He has told me He will never leave nor forsake me and He has equipped us to handle all these things as we await His return. I am sorry to lay all this on you but we all fall so short of His glory. I guess these blurbs do not have to be uplifting all of the time…so I apologize.

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

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Parasha Commentary

Sermon of the week "Stay Balanced and Focused"

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Parasha Bamidbar (Numbers)

From Rabbi Jack...

Being thankful is the cornerstone of a Believer's life. As part of our Shabbat liturgy, we recite a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving that I would like to share with you:

"We gratefully thank You, for it is You Who are the Lord, our God and the God of our forefathers for all eternity. Rock of our lives, Shield of our salvation are You from generation to generation. We shall thank You and relate Your praise for our lives, which are committed to Your hand and for our souls that are entrusted to You; for Your miracles that are with us every day; and for Your wonders and favors in every season – evening, morning, and afternoon. The Beneficent One, for Your compassions were never exhausted, and the Compassionate One, for Your kindness never ended. We have always put our hope in You. Everything alive will gratefully acknowledge You, Selah! And praise Your Name sincerely, O God of our salvation and help, Selah! Blessed are You, O Lord, Your Name is 'The Beneficent One' and to You it is fitting to give thanks. For all these, may Your Name be blessed and exalted, our King, continually forever and ever.

Psalms {119:71} "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes."

In this psalm David is expressing thanks to God in his affliction. Normally, in our affliction we tend to question God. However, David recognized that in comparison to his good times, He learned more about God and His statutes when experiencing affliction.

1 Thessalonians {5:18} "in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Messiah Yeshua for you."

Notice that the Apostle Paul wrote, "in everything give thanks" and not "for everything give thanks." This relates to what David was saying in his psalm. Affliction will come into all of our lives, but we are not to be thankful "for" them, rather we are to be thankful "in" them because in them we too will learn more about God and His statutes.

From Ellen...

Hi Ellen here…Well it was no coincidence, in my opinion, that the Rabbi spoke about marriage last Shabbat. The Holy Spirit moves in our lives very gently and very lovingly. I say this because we are soon to celebrate Shavuot, also known as Pentecost in Church circles. We have an opportunity to reaffirm our relationship, commitment and dedication to our God Most High on this festival. What is Shavuot? Briefly Shavuot is the giving of the Torah and the giving of the Holy Spirit to His people. Shavuot is also a marriage, a marriage between the Lord and you and me!!! How glorious this is. I implore all of us to search back in our memories to the time we first said, "YES LORD!" That incredible day when the Lord changed you and me from the old self to the renewed self…for me firstly I went from frantic to peaceful and yes, He miraculously delivered me from smoking that very same day. Let us all come before our bridegroom this Shavuot and renew our marriage vow to our God Most High!

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

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Parasha Commentary: Coming soon

Sermon of the week "Cohabitation"

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Parasha Bechukotai (By My Regulations)

From Rabbi Jack...

How grateful are you? Most of us say our prayers before a meal, giving thanks for the food God has provided, some, like Ellen and I also say a prayer of thanksgiving after we have eaten. We base this practice on the Bible verse:

Deuteronomy {8:10} "When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land He has given you."

But is food the only thing we are to be grateful for? When we consider that everything we are, everything we have, our lives themselves are all a gift from God, food is only one of the many things we should be grateful for. I know this may sound silly and maybe in my effort to explain I am stretching the point, but have you ever been constipated and in distress? Are you grateful for the times you are not in distress? We have so much to be grateful for and we should not only be grateful for food without acknowledging our gratitude for all the other things in our lives. I believe in doing so we are speaking blessings into our lives because when we acknowledge God as our source for everything, even the silliest things, we are acknowledging His supremacy over our lives and our total surrender to Him. He promised:

James {4:10} "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."

Many of our deficiencies in life are due to us focusing too much on complaining about what we do not have and not enough time on being grateful for what we do have.

From Ellen...

Hi Ellen here…I was meditating on humility the other day and did some research on it. C.S. Lewis said: "True humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less." This quote opened my eyes to many things and even opened my eyes to things in my life! We can heal by humility, by acknowledging that we do not have it all together. Know the difference between self-confidence and pride; seek to value others more than ourselves; spend time listening…to others not ourselves; be grateful; ask for help!

Did you know that there is false humility? False humility is pride in disguise…you know, attempting to appear humble, we all know what the Bible says about pride. I saw a sign that said "Humble yourself or life will do it for you." For many of us humility is one of the hardest traits to develop because it has to begin with recognizing that we are not always right and we do not have all the answers…this can be very challenging and humbling. When my mother-in-law was in an assisted living facility I stayed with her many times. It was a great place and they offered many lectures, entertainment and so much more. One of my favorites was a geriatric psychologist who would come with uplifting lectures. He said some incredible things and one stuck in my head, he said "If you always need to be right then something must be wrong." I have so much more to say but this is a blurb and not a sermon so I will end with this…Pride comes before the fall, and nobody wants to fall.

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

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Parasha Commentary

Sermon of the week "Overcoming the sin of anger"

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Parasha Bahar (On the Mount)

We are not paranoiacs, but there is so much danger out there that Ellen and I always take extra caution when going outdoors. Not because of terrorists, not because of Covid-19, although these are factors to consider, but because of the spiritual oppression that is lurking outside of the confounds of our prayed-up home. Hopefully all of us are anointing and praying over our homes so as to keep them as a sanctuary of God's shalom (peace). However, once we go outdoors, we enter into the realm of the world, the realm of Satan. I am sure King David never left his palace without an entourage of security guards, yet, from what he wrote, he knew physical security was not the only protection he needed, that is why I believe he wrote:

Psalms {16:1} Keep me safe, my God, for in You I take refuge.

Psalm {32:7} You are a hiding place for me; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with shouts of deliverance.

Psalm {5:11} But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love Your Name may exult in You.

David obviously was in the practice of asking God for His protection in all circumstances. We can take a lesson from David because this is a good habit for us all to get into.

Before leaving the house Ellen and I put on the full armor of God (Ephesians {6:11}), and if Ellen is leaving the house alone, I always pray the Aaronic Benediction over her (Numbers {6:24-26}). If we commit our ways to the Lord, no weapon formed against us by Satan or anyone of his demonic powers or principalities will prosper against us and we will be safe and secure under the shadow of His wings!

Hi Ellen here…What is the first thing that comes into your mind when you hear the name Hannah the Prophetess? I asked someone and they said; old. When I hear her name, I think; perseverance. Hannah was married seven years then became a widow and for the remainder of her life ministered before the Lord in the Temple. In Luke {2:37} it says that she did not depart from the Temple but worshipped, fasted and prayed day and night. She was waiting and at 84 years of age she saw the Lord! When she saw Yeshua as a baby, she said in Luke {2:38} all thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Israel…WOW! My point is this…would you or I for that matter wait 84 years for anything? You all have had the same experiences as I, waiting for the check-out at the grocery store, waiting for your doctor's appointment, waiting for the bus, waiting, waiting, waiting! In this fast-paced world I cannot conceive of any of us being comfortable waiting even for 84 minutes let alone 84 years. But here is a widow waiting with her head to the Temple floor fasting and praying, probably over 100 years of age by the time the Messiah arrived.

Do we have a level of commitment, dedication and perseverance in our believing lives such as Hannah? I myself cannot answer an honest yes…we need to check ourselves continually. We need to anticipate the return of Messiah every moment of every day. We need to raise the banner of commitment in our lives to the Lord higher and higher. Are you with me?

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

💗 Please consider supporting the ministry to Kenya and Israel. In Kenya, for the poor and orphans and in Israel for the elderly poor and sick.

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Parasha Commentary

Sermon of the week "Man-pleaser"

Parasha Emor (Say)

From Rabbi Jack...

I do not know; maybe it is only happening with us in Kenya, but I sense a demonic spirit of the lack of commitment, lack of caring and total complacency among God's children. Is it because we have lost sight of the reality that one day every one of us is going to die and have to stand before God in judgement? It sure seems that way, so let me remind us:

1 Corinthians {3:1} Brothers, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Messiah. {3:2} I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. {3:3} You are still worldly….

1 Corinthians {3:11} For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Messiah Yeshua. {3:12} If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, {3:13} their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. {3:14} If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. {3:15} If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

Like it or not we are all going to face death, it is inevitable, none of us are leaving this earth alive! Seeing that this is a fixed reality, is it not reasonable that we should all prepare ourselves for the inevitable, now? We buy life insurance and we buy burial plots in advance knowing that one day we will die, but how many of us prepare our spirits and souls for death?

Ellen and I have been to houses of mourning where people remark on how nice the funeral service was, how well the preacher and people who gave a word spoke of the deceased and how many friends attended ("The hall was full," they say). But the reality is, it is not how great our sendoff was here on earth, it is how we are welcomed into heaven after death that matters. The lack of commitment, lack of caring and total complacency while we were alive here on earth will not cut it with God when we stand before Him in heaven!

Hebrews {12:27} Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. {12:28} Therefore, since we are receiving a Kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. {12:29} For our God is a consuming fire.

From Ellen...

Hi Ellen here…It is on my heart to deliver to you all today something we already know. Read with me in Ephesians 2.8-9: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. Sometimes as believers in Messiah Yeshua we lose sight of the glorious encounter we had at the time of salvation …we become entangled in teachings and instructions of man and not of God. God is simple, God is basic and God will never lead you astray but sometimes we all need to go back to basics. There are many cliches, sayings in the West that many of our African family may not apply as Jack and I do, but here goes anyway… "The World Owes Me A Living:" Not so, no one owes us anything. "Keeping up with the Joneses:" Do we really need all the things in our lives that others have? Are we looking at the house across the street and lusting for it while sitting warm and protected in what we already have…I am not going to go on because I think we all know what is being said here? God has a free gift for all of us, no charge, no work, no lusting…only faith in His grace which is sufficient for us. Stop thinking that; "The grass is greener on the other side of the fence" and start looking up! Rid yourself of anger, jealousy, anxiety, revenge and receive His embrace of forgiveness and most of all His unconditional love. This is the time of your salvation, hallelujah!

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

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Parasha Commentary

Sermon of the week "Live for an audience of One"

Parasha Kedoshim (Holy People)

From Rabbi Jack...

Sometimes I wonder if as Believers we have truly grasped and understood the difference between the Letter of the Law and the Spirit of the Law. Legalists get so hung-up on the Letter and it so blinds them that they miss the Spirit. For instance:

When we read 1 Corinthians 11:3-16 the context is submission to the God-given order and "chain of command." Paul is using a "covering" on a woman's head as an illustration of that order, headship, and the authority required by God. The key verse of this passage is 1 Corinthians {11:3} "But I want you to know that the head of every man is Messiah, the head of woman is man, and the head of Messiah is God." The implication of this verse is found in the rest of the passage. The order is: God the Father, God the Son, the man or husband, and the woman or wife. The veil or covering on the head of a believing Corinthian wife showed that she was under the authority of her husband, and therefore under submission to God. The relationship God has with man is something the angels watch, admire and learn from (1 Peter 1:12). Therefore, a woman's submission to God's delegated authority over her is an example to the angels. The holy angels, who are in perfect and total submission to God, expect that we, as followers of the Messiah, do the same.

God's order is that the husband is the head of the wife as God is the head of the Messiah, but there is no inequality or inferiority implied. This is not a passage that teaches that a woman is inferior to a man or that she should be submissive to all men. It is teaching God's order and spiritual headship in the marriage relationship. In the Corinthian culture, a woman who covered her head during worship or when she was in public, displayed her submission to the authority of her husband.

In today's culture we no longer view a woman wearing a head covering as a sign of submission. In most modern societies, scarves and hats are fashion accessories. However, a woman has the choice to wear a head covering if she views it as a sign of her submission to the authority of her husband. It is a personal choice and not something that should be used to judge someone's spirituality or submissiveness to all men. The real issue here is the heart attitude of obedience to God's authority and submission to His established order "As to the LORD" (Ephesians 5:22). God is far more concerned with a heart attitude of submission than an outward display of submission via a head covering.

1 Timothy {2:9-10}, "I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God."

The Spirit of meaning here is that we, men and women alike, are not to attend church to draw attention to ourselves as if we are at a fashion show, but always to conduct and dress in a way that draws attention to Yeshua. It is more of a heart issue, that reflects our relationship with Yeshua, than an appearance issue.

From Ellen...

Hi Ellen here…Did you ever wonder??? I was preparing to clean my bathroom and truly, I try my best to use natural products but I have this Israeli chemical cleanser that I like, so I clean with it. I took some time to gather what I needed like paper towels, sponges and all that and I glanced at the spray bottle and I wondered. I wondered about its boast of killing 99.9% of germs. What happens to the .1 % of germs that lingers and multiplies and becomes huge so that soon after you need to clean again with the 99.9% product. This brought to mind the Scripture in Galatians 5.9: "A little leaven leavens the whole lump…"

Wow, what a wakeup. I have always known that if there is unconfessed sin in our lives or false teaching is taking root in our spirit…it grows and grows and grows, if not taken captive quickly and given over to repentance and asking the Lord to forgive. So, it is not only about germs and bacteria in our bathroom or yeast fermenting in our dough. Take careful heed to all that I have written and take that little .1% of sin in your life and repent! God is quick to forgive so let us be quick to turn it all over to Him. Blessings, we love you!

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

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Parasha Commentary 

Sermon of the week "Manipulation"