Rabbi’s Reflections – Tuesday, October 17, 2023
Shalom,
Before we get into the “meat” of the RR today, I want to address something. If you are a reader of Rabbi’s Reflections, you are (no doubt) also a faithful supporter of both the State of Israel and the Jewish people. Does that mean you support everything Israel (or Jewish people in general) does/do? Certainly not! But that’s true of almost anyone and anything except Yeshua.
Wait, I haven’t yet gotten to the point. I’m trying to say Israel is at war, and although Knoxville is 6,300 miles away from Israel, we can still fight in the war, just on the spiritual side. How do we fight on the spiritual side, fast and pray (any way you like). Tikkun Global has called us to 21 days of fasting (a Daniel’s fast of meats and sweets) and praying. (https://www.tikkunglobal.org/2023 then scroll down to near the bottom until you see the “sign up” link) We are now 7 days into it, but it’s not too late.
In prayer, I recommend praying God’s own promises back to Him. Therefore; I’m going to give you one every day to start the RR for the next 2 weeks. Here is the first one today, please pray into it. Deuteronomy 33:29 “Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by Adonai, the Shield of your help and the Sword of your triumph? Your enemies will cower before you, and you will trample on their backs.”
Pray that Israel will seek the righteousness of God (which is found in Yeshua) so God’s blessings can flow. God cannot bless unrighteousness. Then, through the change observed in Israel, the whole world will see the benefit of following the Jewish Messiah. Even mosques will be filled with Yeshua followers. That’s our prayer.
Life In The Body part 17 – Romans, part 192
Romans 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in shalom with all people.
In the words of Rabbi Avram Belinski (as spoken in “The Frisco Kid,”) “Wonderful, wonderful!” Live in shalom with everybody. Before we can do it, we’ve got to understand what “it” really is. Shalom is complete wholeness, perfection, lacking nothing. James 1:4 And let endurance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
We are all born missing that something, and we spend the rest of our lives looking for it, which is the endurance mentioned in the previous verse. Many people look to fill those hurt places in error through drugs codependent relationships, or other destructive behaviors. It’s really quite simple. What’s missing from the time we are born, is a relationship with Yeshua. So let’s restate our subject verse, giving account for our definition of Shalom.
“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live with all people in the fullness of your relationship with Yeshua, as a reflection of His character in every situation of life.” Yeshua called His way of life a “new commandment.”
John 13:34 “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so also you must love one another.
And, this is immediately followed by a promised blessing that everyone will know… John 13:35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
The commandment to love one another is not new, it is actually in the Torah. Leviticus 19:18b …love your neighbor as yourself…. What’s new is the example Yeshua gave us. 1John 4:9 The love of God was revealed among us by this—that God sent His one and only Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
And the last word for today also comes from First John. 1John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death.
So, let’s live for Yeshua and each other in shalom. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Tue 17-Oct-2023 2nd of Cheshvan, 5784
Ge 7:17-8:14 Jos 10 Ps 10 Mt 8 (1 Pet 4)