Parasha Achrei Mot-Kedoshim (After the Death)

from Rabbi Jack… Bible link

Nehemiah {8:10} "Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”’ This passage of scripture tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength, but many people confuse joy with happiness. Joy is something inherent with salvation. There is a certain joy in knowing and receiving Messiah Yeshua as Lord and Savior that truly surpasses all understanding. It allows a believer to have joy in the most difficult circumstance because salvation brings along with it the knowledge that no matter what the situation God is in control and has us covered, so there is no fear because He has promised: Jeremiah {29:11} "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Based on this promise a Believer in Messiah Yeshua will never lose their joy. Happiness on the other hand is a human emotion that is easily affected by circumstance, attitude and emotion. It is often difficult to maintain happiness because our minds are constantly inundated with deluded thoughts and we have to constantly seek outside sources to replenish the emotion of happiness. It is a state of wellbeing that ebbs when good things happen or when we get our way and wanes when bad things happen and we do not get our way, it is also dependent on the moment. Not so with joy, it is not dependent on anything external nor can anything external affect or change it. It is totally internal and comes from the Holy Spirit living inside of us. Joy for a Believer is constant throughout life, simply because “…the joy of the Lord is our strength.”

Parasha Tazria-Metzorah (She Bears Seed - Infected)

from Rabbi Jack… Bible link
A favorite topic of discussion by religious people and religious cults is biblical prohibition of cooking on the Shabbat. I would like to address and clarify this topic. Numbers 15:31-36 is about the man gathering sticks on the Shabbat. Clearly, from reading these verses of scripture we see that Moses and the elders did not know what the man’s intentions were, whether it was to gather sticks to light a fire for cooking or to light a fire for working.    Numbers 15:34 “There was no clear instruction about what should be done to him…” The question that Moses and the Elders had, was, ‘was gathering wood a violation of Shabbat?’  Exodus 35:2 “For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a day of Sabbath rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it is to be put to death.” We can see from this scripture that working on the Shabbat carried the death penalty but from the next verse we see that lighting a fire on the Shabbat did not carry the death penalty. Exodus 35:3 “Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.” This verse does not give any indication of the death penalty being required for lighting a fire for cooking. So, we have to conclude that this man was put to death, not because he wanted to cook on the Shabbat but because he intended to work on the Shabbat. Most likely the work he intended to do was related to the building of the Tabernacle. God had just commanded not to light a fire on Shabbat with the intention of working and the work that was implied was building the Tabernacle on the Shabbat. Many people would have been involved in the Tabernacle’s construction; silversmiths, goldsmiths, carvers, tanners, dyers of wool and so forth, most if not all of these tasks would require fire to accomplish. In their zeal to get the job done and knowing human nature, I believe God was reminding the children of Israel that they were not to light a fire on Shabbat to do any work associated with building the Tabernacle. In fact, He felt so strongly about it that He attached the death penalty to it, a penalty, like I said, that was not attached to cooking on the Shabbat!
from Ellen… Bible link
Today we throw words out too quickly.  Sometimes we do not think before we speak and things go haywire. We have thoughts, good thoughts but at times there is a disconnect in how we translate them into words.  The other week was not only Passover but also Easter.  Even though we do not celebrate Easter I kept hearing and reading one word popping up numerous times.  The word was “passion”.  When you hear this word what do you think of?  So, I asked this question of myself and did a little research.  Sadly, the world sees passion more times than not, in a sensual sense, so I did not want to go there.  Where did I go?  I went to the Scriptures and here is what I found.  In John 2.13-20 Yeshua had a great passion for His Father’s house, so he cleared it of man’s corruption.  Martin Luther King Jr. and Eleanor Josaitis were passionate about freedom and equality for people of color. Yeshua had and continues to have the greatest of all passion for His people to be saved, that is his name, SALVATION!  So, I am asking you today…”what is your passion?” I have two wonderful sisters that have a passion for people to be well in more natural ways than with medications.  They study and research their passion continually (BTW they both received Yeshua, hallelujah)!  My husband desires that there be salvation throughout the world, so he studies and researches the Word with insight and passion.  There are chefs who have a passion to continually study food; there are specialized medical doctors who have a passion to research disease and bodily functions; there are gardeners who have a passion to research seeds and flowers; lawyers that continually study loopholes, ha-ha just kidding. So, again I am asking you, “what are you passionate about?”  I ask you to ponder this and take a look at yourself as I looked at myself. I do have one final scripture to share and it is in Titus 2.11-13S: “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say No to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”  I encourage us all to pursue godly passions!
Yours in Messiah Yeshua, "…while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Messiah Yeshua." (Titus 2:13) Rabbi Jack & Ellen
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If you are being blessed by the teachings and commentaries we share, please consider supporting the ministry to Kenya and Israel. We support the needy, the hungry, the elderly and new immigrants (Olim). Most of all we teach and preach the Word of God in both countries and throughout the world. Contact us for more information: daatbina@gmail.com To Donate using PayPal 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 donation options.
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Parasha Shemini (Eighth)

from Rabbi Jack… Bible link

Galatians {2:20} "I have been crucified with Messiah and I no longer live, but Messiah lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." The other day during our visit with a good friend and sister in the Lord, somehow the conversation turned to speaking about grafting. Our host told us that she knows of a person that grafted one kind of fruit tree to another kind of fruit tree and when the graft grew the tree produced two different types of fruit, one type below the graft and another type above the graft. I would have passed over the conversation and probably forgotten all about it, however, the next morning when Ellen and I were listening to a short message by Watchman Nee he spoke about grafting. This farmer had an orchard of plum trees that produced small plums with large pits and were not good for marketing. However, in his orchard was one tree that produced large luscious plums with small pits. So, he decides to graft branches from the good tree onto the bad trees. When the grafts started to grow the bad trees produced large luscious plums with small pits above the graft, while still producing small fruit with large pits grew below the graft. Is this not the principal Paul is teaching us in Galatians 2:20? Before we were saved, Born-Again in Messiah Yeshua, our lives were sin-filled and we produced bad fruit, fruit of selfishness, immorality, gossip, evil speaking and the like. But then when we received Yeshua as our Lord and Savior and He was grafted into our lives, well, “We have been crucified with Messiah and we no longer live, but Messiah lives in us.” The fruit we now produce after salvation is not of our old selves, bad fruit, but it is the fruit of Messiah Yeshua, His good fruit being produced in us!

Parasha Chol Moed Pesach (Passover Intermediate Day)

from Rabbi Jack… Bible link

1 Corinthians {15:17} "and if the Messiah has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins." Passover deals with the death and resurrection of Messiah Yeshua. The fact of the resurrection is essential to our belief as Believers. Sadly, there are many that deny the resurrection and subsequently there are many theories like the "swooning fable," the "stolen body fable" and many others like them. But the fact is the tomb was empty, and the lives of Yeshua's disciples were changed in one day. But the greatest proof of the resurrection is that belief in Yeshua as the risen Messiah has survived 2100 years of doubt and persecution. It has outlived the Roman Empire, Russian Communism and everything in between. As Messianic Believers we remember Yeshua's victory over death for all who believe in Him as Messiah, the Son of God and God in the flesh. But sadly, not everyone believes. Why should we believe in the resurrection? Why should we believe in Messiah Yeshua as the only way to heaven? Do we have to believe in the resurrection in order to be Messianic Jews, Christians? Is the resurrection of Yeshua really that important? There are scholars that say, "it really doesn't matter if Yeshua actually, physically rose from the dead." Is that true? Does it really not matter to us if Yeshua actually, really rose from the dead? Will living in the fullness of life as a Believer be affected if Yeshua rose from the dead or not? Is the resurrection really necessary? I think most of us can agree in the essential belief that Yeshua is the Messiah, which means we recognize Him as our King, the Son of God and God in the flesh. This belief is essential to being a Messianic Believer. Failure to believe these things is failure to believe in Messianic Judaism. But what is also essential to being a Messianic Believer is the belief in the resurrection New birth and living hope are only available through the resurrection of Messiah Yeshua from the dead. As we read in 1 Corinthians, if the resurrection did not happen, then our faith is useless, there is no hope. But He is alive and we do have hope and by hope the Bible means a confident expectancy. We live a better life today because of the confident expectancy we have based upon the truth and realities we have experienced ourselves through the resurrected Messiah. We know NOW that we have a retirement nest egg awaiting us in heaven. We know NOW that our eternity is set with a resurrection that is assured and proven and that enables us to live life in a way that is glorifying to God and a benefit to us.

Parsha Vayikra (And He Called)

From Rabbi Jack...

Revelation {7:1} After these things (that is the complete destruction of everything on earth) I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. {7:2} Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, {7:3} saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." {7:4} And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand, of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:

Before the final catastrophic judgments come upon the earth, God prepares a group of faithful servants who will bear His seal on their foreheads, and they are all Jews. Scripture then goes on to list the tribes from which those sealed will come, but it omits one tribe, the tribe of Dan. It was in the territory of the tribe of Dan that King Jeroboam erected the Golden Calves for Israel (the Northern Kingdom) to worship and this may be the reason they are omitted; the actual reason is not known. Twelve thousand out of twelve tribes make one hundred and forty-four thousand.

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

Yeshua said that the first will be last and the last first. So, the Jews were the first (to them were given the oracles of God), and by their rejection of Yeshua they became the last, but then we are told that the last will be first. The Jews who became last, at the end of the age will become first as they conclude the task of world evangelism. One hundred and forty-four thousand zealous young Jewish boys will be turned loose on the world so as to bring in God's end-time harvest.

Hi Ellen here…

I am sure you all thought I would talk about Pesach but I decided to do that directly on the women's chat for our Kenya ladies. Something else is heavy on my mind. Surely as a couple, that is a husband and a wife, we pray for each other daily…even multiple times in a day. It is easy to pray for our husbands when they are ill or we have a family crisis but what about praying for them just because they are our husbands?

I can recall, like it was yesterday, when Jack was receiving cancer treatment, I prayed fervently all day and even through the night. I knew and I know that God was in and is in control but Abba wants to hear our groanings and supplications as He heals and delivers! Remember ladies your husband is your authority and your covering. In times of peace and good health your prayers need to continue as if there was a crisis. Abba is listening all the time and if there is rebellion, covetousness or even adultery (in thought or dee), lurking at the marriage door…pray it out! Pray as you arise next to your husband; pray as he exits home and is on the way to work; pray for him at his work; pray for him as he returns home and pray for him as you both retire. In addition, if you are not fellowshipping with your husband at his place of worship you are in rebellion and if you are jealous of him as he navigates through the day and you are home you are sinning and if you are sinning you are leaving your door open to an affair. Satan is looking for that ever so small opening to bust in and overtake you for himself!

Yours in Messiah Yeshua, "…while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Messiah Yeshua." (Titus 2:13)

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

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Parasha Commentary (coming soon)

Sermon of the week "The Trumpet Judgements"

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Parasha Vayachel-Pekudei

From Rabbi Jack...

Numbers {21:6} Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. {21:7} The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people. {21:8} The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live."

It is understandable that many who read this passage, relate it to magic or label it as occultic. However, the reality is that this bronze serpent points to Yeshua, just like everything else in the Torah of Moses.

God sent venomous snakes among the people because of their sin. Romans 6:23 says; "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Messiah Yeshua our Lord." This is basically what took place that day. In order for sin to be forgiven it has to be confronted, confessed and repented of. Most of all it requires the sinner to look to Yeshua for forgiveness. As many as do are forgiven and the death sentence attached to sin is nullified. However, this whole process has to be done by faith. Well, is not that what happened when the children of Israel sinned and God's death penalty for sin was unleashed against them? By looking up at the bronze snake, which took faith, the sinner confronted their sin, confessed their sin and repented of it. Not only does this confirm what Yeshua said concerning Moses speaking of Him but it also shows us that nothing has changed; the "New Covenant" merely confirms "Old Covenant" and prior to Yeshua's advent people were saved by looking forward to the cross while we are saved by looking back to the cross.

Hi Ellen here…

Do you all look at the "Status" on your WhatsApp? This click on our phone tells us myriads about the people posting and what they decide to show the public.

The posts are usually short videos, Scripture quotes, greetings for the new day and salutations for the close of the day, birthday and anniversary blessings and many more. My husband and I post invitations to Bible study and Shabbat services and we highlight coming events having to do with our kehila (congregation). I especially like when someone posts blessings and beautiful words to their spouses and children on important occasions.

There are posts that I do not like such as how to increase your finances, conspiracy theories and selfies taken to exalt oneself or even worse to exude sensuality and financial gain and guess what…by Believers!!! There are some people in my life that I have blocked because of sexual explicitness and religious beliefs that do not line up with ours. I am saddened by the boldness women show concerning their bodies and through these things their hearts. 1Corinthians 6.20 says; "Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." Modesty is not only buttoning the top button on your blouse or tugging at the hem of your skirt. Modesty is a state of mind and spirit. As a born-again Believer would you speak profanities and curse words? Why then do people show their bodies in suggestive ways? I think there are unresolved issues in one's life when these things are done. Be blessed that you are beautiful to look at but remember beauty is fleeting…let us not be conformed to the world and let us not open the door to the evil one, remember Satan is just waiting for any small opening so he can barge in and cause chaos in our life.

Yours in Messiah Yeshua, "…while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Messiah Yeshua." (Titus 2:13)

Rabbi Jack & Ellen

Read Parasha

Parasha Commentary

Sermon of the week "The Lull Before the Storm"

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Parasha Ki Tisa

 

From Rabbi Jack… Bible link
James {4:3} “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” The greatest barrier to our receiving answers to our prayers is pride. If we can get that barrier out of our way, there is a better chance of God answering us when we pray. There is no doubt in my mind that pride holds our prayer life back. Pride is satanically inspired. The first manifestation of pride took place in heaven when Lucifer tried to raise himself above God. So, we need to recognize that if an angel, one as exalted as Lucifer, can succumb to pride in heaven while being daily in the visible presence of God, how much more susceptible are we here on a sinful earth. How does pride hinder our prayers? By causing us to pray selfishly; asking God to supply our needs and our wants without regard for His Will. It is praying what I call ‘Bless Me Prayers’ where we are so concerned with self and the difficulties and the needs we have, that we neglect to include in our prayers the needs and difficulties others are experiencing. Pride is the opposite of humility. Humility seeks the welfare of others above its own welfare and it submits to God’s Will above its own will. Remove pride from your life and you will remove your greatest barrier to answered prayer.
From Ellen… Bible link
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore, from now on you shall have wars.” (2 Chronicles 16.9).  There were lots of bad kings in the Hebrew Scriptures. In fact, more bad than good, so when Hanani the prophet came to King Asa and told him he messed up by not relying on the Lord he lost the battle with the King of Syria.  In turn King Asa was so angry with the seer that he put him in prison.  God is not looking over all the earth to find us messing up.  Read the Scripture again…our God is looking for those whose hearts are loyal to Him.  God is totally and completely sold out for us.  God offers His full support to us.  God is our ROCK on which we stand.  He is always with us and desires to be our firm foundation!  God is not looking at us so we will fall, He is looking at us to see if we will trust in Him.  We all know all the wonderful Scriptures and I paraphrase ‘trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding’ and ‘do not put your trust in princes or in men but in the Lord your God.’  He is not testing us concerning our trust.  He is not trying to trick us.  Our Lord our God is waiting on us to see where our trust and loyalty is.  Let us completely trust in Him so we will not be foolish and live in war.
Yours in Messiah Yeshua, "…while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Messiah Yeshua." (Titus 2:13) Rabbi Jack & Ellen
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Read parasha	Parasha commentary	Sermon of the week “The 4 Horsemen”
If you are being blessed by the teachings and commentaries we share, please consider supporting the ministry to Kenya and Israel. We support the needy, the hungry, the elderly and new immigrants (Olim). Most of all we teach and preach the Word of God in both countries and throughout the world. Contact us for more information: daatbina@gmail.com To Donate using PayPal 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 donation options.
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