Rabbi’s Reflections – Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Shalom *|FNAME|*,
I’m Baaaaaaack!!! After a successful trip to Jacksonville, I’m back. What did I learn? Two things about our interstate road system, one on the way to Jacksonville and the other on the way from Jacksonville. First, don’t travel through North Carolina on I-40 at 5am on Friday, November 15th. You might get stuck in a traffic jam caused by who-knows-what (they may have been repairing a bridge). By the grace of God, after a 30 minute delay, I baled out at exit 15 and went around it. The other thing I learned was on the way back. Do travel through Atlanta on Sunday morning because nobody else is.
What, you were hoping I would get something a little more spiritual from my trip? Good, I did. The theme for the 3 session conference was “Israel and the Coming Worldwide Revival.” (See the poster above.)
Rabbi Trail: Every so often I go on a Rabbi Trail (like now). That’s a rabbit trail to the rest of the world, but when I go on it, it becomes a Rabbi Trail. We like to abbreviate everything these days (lol), so I just call it a Rabbi Trail and “RT.” However; there is another “RT,” and I don’t want you to be confused. The other “RT” is Replacement Theology.
Replacement Theology is the idea that in God’s dispensation of time, the Christian Church (body of believers) has replaced Israel in God’s plan of worldwide redemption. That the biblical blessings assigned to Israel have been sinned away by Israel and now apply to the grafted in people of God. Replacement Theology closes the door on Jewish people by saying that all that is left for Israel are curses.
There is so much more to this, and to the refutation of this. Eddie Hart has written a manuscript on the subject which he has agreed to share with you in the next few days. End RT.
No one could experience the presence of God at all 3 sessions of the Tikkun Conference and still believe the Church has replaced Israel. It is not either/or, it is both/and. It is “yes and amen.”
The most exciting news to come out of the conference is that in February there will be a launching of a Messianic cable TV station in Israel called Shelanu TV (Hebrew for “ours”). The message of salvation will be taken to half of all Israeli homes via cable TV IN HEBREW!
A donor (anonymous) has funded this relationship (between the cable TV network and the Messianic leaders) for the next 7 years. Ron Cantor is heading this up and needs to raise $120,000 to fund the production of the programming for the next year. The first offering on Friday night raised $33,000!
I want to close today with a personal story. About 33 years ago, David Chansky and I were interviewed on a Christian television program. (Do you remember this, David?) We brought the Ohev Yisrael Torah scroll and opened it up to show the viewers what it looked like. Suddenly the phone lines at the TV station lit up (they had about 6 lines) with callers. After a commercial break we found out the callers were Jewish people who were incensed we took a Torah (a sacred object) and opened it on TV.
My question was, “What are all those Jewish people doing watching Christian television? I suspect this is happening more than we think. Jewish people who would never set foot in a church have no problem tuning in (in the privacy of their home) to hear the message of the Jewish messiah.
This is why they chose the name “Shelanu TV.” The message is Yeshua’s message and Yeshua is “for us.” He is Jewish and his message is Jewish and when his Jewish family hear and receive His message, that will be “life from the dead.” (According to Romans 11:15) Isn’t “life from the dead” a very accurate description of revival? Worldwide revival will accompany the return of Yeshua, and His own people will be included.
Revelation 1:7 “Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him, even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth shall mourn because of Him. Yes, amen!”
Receive it! Better get ready. Yeshua is coming.
Week 47
Memory Verse: Colossians 2:6 Therefore as you received Messiah Yeshua as Lord, so continue to walk in Him— 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in your faith just as you were taught, overflowing with thankfulness.
231 11/18 Monday: Colossians 1-2
* 232 11/19 Tuesday: Colossians 3-4
233 11/20 Wednesday: Ephesians 1-2
234 11/21 Thursday: Ephesians 3-4
235 11/22 Friday: Ephesians 5-6
Question of the day: The question of the day is “How?” But before we can answer the question of the day, another question needs answering. “What?”
Answer: And the answer to that question is found in Colossians 3:5a Therefore, put to death what is earthly in you…
Now, back to the question of the day, “How do we put to death what is earthly in us?” The answer is found in the middle of verse 10… “Colossians 3:10 …put on the new self that is being renewed in knowledge…. That’s right, we must walk in newness. Where do we find that newness? In the Word of God. Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
That word “perfect” makes some people stumble. Some teach there is no such thing as “perfect.” But Yeshua is perfect. When we say, “He is our peace,” (Ephesians 2:14) we are saying, “He is our shalom.” He is our wholeness, completeness, perfection, lacking nothing. He is our all in all. In Him is the reality of all things.
We are all born defective. Only Yeshua can heal the brokenness. Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also get rid of every weight and entangling sin. Let us run with endurance the race set before us, 2 focusing on Yeshua, the initiator and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame; and He has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and lose heart.
And that, my friends, is the message for today. Shalom (again).