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

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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!

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

https://weeklyparasha02.blogspot.com/

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.

To Donate click this link:

https://paypal.me/kenyamission

If you do not have PayPal and would prefer using another donation method, please contact me and I will send you other options.

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"

Parasha Achrei Mot (After the Death)

From Rabbi Jack...

It amazes me how many people are so concerned and hung up on finding and using the name of God. When I tell people that we do not know the name of God, that it has never been revealed to us and that the pronunciation has been lost for millennia, they refuse to accept it.

However, when we read the Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures) in its original Hebrew we find that the tetragrammaton Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay (YHVH) is always used without any vowels. Christian scholars (Jews scholars would never do it), in their quest to know the name of God have added vowels to the tetragrammaton. This is where YHVH developed into Jehovah and Yahweh. These are totally fictitious and bogus names dreamed up by men in their quest to know God's name and do not at all represent the name of God. The fact is, God's name is His character.

YHVH is not a literal name, it is an acrostic and it is inappropriate to add vowels to it so as to arrive at Jehovah or Yahweh. Acrostics have been used in Judaism instead of the sages' real names centuries and perhaps for millennia!

In the Tanach acrostic YHVH was used to represent the Father. Now, in the Brit Chadasha (Renewed Covenant), the Name has been shifted, the Name of Yeshua has now become the important Name. Yeshua is now the Name above every Name. So it is not by accident that the Name of God, YHVH, is no longer spoken or its pronunciation even known! That is why it was never mentioned in the Renewed Covenant even by Yeshua. The Lord did it that way so that the Name of Yeshua would become the new Name, the Name above all Names, the Name that expressed what the Lord was about to do from Yeshua's time forward.

Therefore, YHVH is fully revealed in the Name of Yeshua. The fullness of the Fathers character, the fullness of His power, the fullness of His actions all become explained, revealed and understood through the life and the Name of Yeshua. This is the Name the Farther wants us to use and to come through to get to Him, and this is the Name that He wants us to know Him by today. Yes, we still refer to the Lord as God the Father and we still pray to God the Father, but it's through the Name of Yeshua because that is what gives us the right to come into the Father's presence now. That is why the pronunciation of the acrostic/tetragrammaton Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay is unknown and can no longer be spoken, because the name Yeshua has given us a new revelation of who the YHVH is and what He is doing NOW.

From Ellen...

Hi Ellen here…How was your week? I truly hope and pray your Passover Shabbat weekend was a blessing. It would be great if anyone had answered prayer to let us know that we may celebrate with you and give our God the glory due His name! You know we are all family in Messiah Yeshua. In fact, the bonds that we share are stronger and rightly so than those of our unsaved families because of the commonality of our faith and belief in our Savior.

Jack and I consistently pray for each and everyone of you…those participating in Etz Chaim Kenya and those who have remained with us in Spirit and truth. We ask the Holy Spirit to reveal those things He would have us pray for but also releasing only the prayers He knows back to Him in our heavenly language. If you need us you need to tell us. Yeshua brings His children together so we may support each other in Spirit. Many of us need more than just spiritual support and we of course invite you to bring it to us so we may release it to Him in prayer as well. A closed heart is a defiant heart because it depends on itself while an open heart is proof that the only way through this crooked and perverse generation is through Yeshua and the family He has given to each and every one of us. Please have the courage to open your hearts and invite us in…none of us can do it alone.

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

https://weeklyparasha02.blogspot.com/

CLICK the link below to see the YOUTUBE SERMON OF THE WEEK:

"WHERE GOD WANTS YOU"

https://youtu.be/PqrnF8JF9hA

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.

To Donate click this link:

https://paypal.me/kenyamission

If you do not have PayPal and would prefer using another donation method, please contact me and I will send you other options.

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

Read Parasha

Parasha Commentary

Sermon of the week "Where God wants you"

Pesach 7th Day and 8th Day

From Rabbi Jack...

Shalom and Blessings. The diaspora has an eighth day of Passover which falls on Shabbat this year. The seventh day, Friday, is also a Shabbat, so both days have Torah readings. I have attached commentaries on both readings.

We are aware that Yeshua was crucified on the evening of the 14th of Nisan. The 15th of Nisan is a Shabbat, no work is to be done on this day, it is a Shabbat unto the Lord on which a holy convocation (worship service), is held. The 16th of Nisan is Yom HaBikkurim (Firstfruits). On this day a sheaf of barley was chosen, cut, bundled and given to the High Priest who waved it before the Lord. On the 17th day of Nisan, after being in the grave three days and three nights, Yeshua rose from the dead.

There has always been some controversy of who the day of Firstfruits represents. Most say it represents Yeshua, however, that would not make sense because Yeshua did not rise from the dead until the next day. The only reasonable explanation, backed up in two ways, is that Yom HaBikkurim represents Believers in Messiah Yeshua.

After Yeshua's death and burial, Believers became the Firstfruits of Yeshua's death on the Cross for our sins. The 16th of Nisan, therefore, was the first day of our redemption. This is further backed up by the fact that the counting of the Omer begins on this day (16th of Nisan). The biblical significance of counting the Omer was and is that it leads up to the 50th day when the Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh, it was Shavuot (Pentecost). The 49 days between the resurrection of Yeshua and Shavuot are designated as the counting of the Omer; days of self-introspection and repentance. We are called during this time to sanctify ourselves through personal revelation by engaging these seven weeks for repentance because God is Holy and Shavuot is all about our encountering God. The counting of the Omer is the leadup to Shavuot which is the climax of God's plan for our final deliverance through Messiah Yeshua.

According to Scripture, on Shavuot two loaves of bread made with leaven are to be waved before the Lord, symbolizing both Jew and Gentile who through Messiah Yeshua's death, resurrection and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit became one new man!

From Ellen...

Hi Ellen here…What an exciting time this is! Yeshua tells us to watch and wait but also to be prepared. Yes, prepared for His coming but most of all to be prayed up! I know it is hard at times to find the time to pray but this is, in my opinion, a requirement to get through this most challenging life. So now you have found those precious moments to speak with our Creator, hallelujah, your mind starts to wander and focus on anything but Yeshua…anyone relating to this? Here are some "D," demons to give the boot, yes that's right to kick out of your most precious time with the Lord…here goes: demon of distraction, get out in the name of Yeshua; demon of division and discouragement, you have no place here, get out in the name of Yeshua; demon of defilement…in the name above all names get out; demon of depression – you are a loser, get out in the name of Yeshua; demon of disappointment, we have no connection to you in the name of the Most High and most of all…demon of deception, get out, you have no place in my life in Yeshua's name! Now get praying and be blessed!!! We love you!

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

https://weeklyparasha02.blogspot.com/

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.

To Donate click this link: https://paypal.me/kenyamission

If you do not have PayPal and would prefer using another donation method, please contact me and I will send you other options.

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

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

Read "PESACH – 7^th DAY"

Watch "PESACH – 7th DAY"

Read "PESACH – 8th DAY"

Watch "PESACH – 8th DAY"

Sermon of the week "Ever had a bad day?"

Harmony of the Resurrection

The accounts of the resurrection of Yeshua recorded in the four gospels can be a bit confusing. That is because no one apostle gives the complete account in its chronological order. Each apostle gives a different piece of the account and when read, it is fragmented. So here is a possible harmony of the narratives of the four gospel accounts of the resurrection of Messiah and His post-resurrection appearances, in chronological order. To save time and space the relevant Scriptures are included, harmonizing the reports and accounts, putting the event into the chronological order they took place. You will have to do the Scripture reading on your own as a personal Bible study.

***The Bible references will take you to the English Standard Version provided by YouVersion)***

1. Yeshua is buried, as several women watch (Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42).

2. The tomb is sealed and a guard is set watch (Matthew 27:62-66).

3. At least 3 women, including Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, prepare spices to go to the tomb to anoint Yeshua (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1).

4. An angel descends from heaven, rolls the stone away, and sits on it. There is a violent earthquake, and the guards faint from fear (Matthew 28:2-4).

5. The women arrive at the tomb and find it empty. Mary Magdalene leaves the other women at the tomb and runs to tell the disciples (John 20:1-2).

6. The women still at the tomb see two angels who tell them that Yeshua is risen and who instruct them to tell the disciples to go to Galilee (Matthew 28:5-7; Mark 16:2-8; Luke 24:1-8).

7. The women leave to bring the news to the disciples (Matthew 28:8).

8. The guards, having roused themselves, report the empty tomb to the authorities, who bribe the guards to say the body was stolen (Matthew 28:11-15).

9. Mary the mother of James and the other women, on their way to find the disciples, see Yeshua (Matthew 28:9-10).

10. The women relate what they have seen and heard to the disciples (Luke 24:9-11).

11. Peter and John run to the tomb, see that it is empty, and find the grave clothes (Luke 24:12; John 20:2-10).

12. Mary Magdalene returns to the tomb. She sees the angels, and then she sees Yeshua (John 20:11-18).

13. Later the same day, Yeshua appears to Peter (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5).

14. Still on the same day, Yeshua appears to Cleopas and disciples on their way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32).

15. That evening, the two disciples report the event to the Eleven in Jerusalem (Luke 24:32-35).

16. Yeshua appears to ten disciples—Thomas is missing (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25).

17. Yeshua appears to all eleven disciples—Thomas included (John 20:26-31).

18. Yeshua appears to seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-25).

19. Yeshua appears to about 500 disciples in Galilee (1 Corinthians 15:6).

20. Yeshua appears to His half-brother James (1 Corinthians 15:7).

21. Yeshua commissions His disciples (Matthew 28:16-20).

22. Yeshua teaches His disciples the Scriptures and promises to send the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:4-5).

23. Yeshua ascends into heaven (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:6-12).

Yeshua was crucified and died on the 14th of Nisan and was resurrected three days and three nights later on the 17th of Nisan. These dates correspond this year with April 15th – April 18th 2022. Resurrection Day this year, therefore, is April 18th. Hallelujah, He is risen!