Rabbi’s Reflections – Thursday, December 9, 2021
Shalom,
Oh my. I had two lengthy zoom calls today and more. This pushed me into a corner to get this RR out on time. So I grabbed the 3 year old RR from December 13, 2018. But I couldn’t just copy and paste, so I “punched it up” a little, and here it is.
Here is my Scripture of the day from YouVersion… Mark 8:34 Then He called the crowd, along with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and keep following Me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.
This made me think, how unnatural it is to “deny” myself. Most of us would probably like to indulge ourselves rather than to deny ourselves. Yeshua had to be obedient in submitting Himself to the Father’s will, so that we could follow Him in it. Luke 22:42 (Yeshua) saying, “Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
When we pray the Lord’s prayer, what does it mean “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven?” Well, that raises some questions. Please follow my line of thinking here.
How is God’s will done in heaven? Answer, “Perfectly.”
How do we define perfectly? Answer, “Immediately and without question.”
Let’s not forget what happened the last time a resident of heaven got that wrong. So we will continue to walk with God until our reality on earth is the reality of heaven, and then we’ll walk some more.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Thu 09-Dec-2021 5th of Tevet, 5782
Ge 45:28-46:27 1 Sa 23 Ps 63 Mk 15:1-24 (2 Co 4)
Week 50
Memory Verse: 2 Timothy 2:15 Make every effort to present yourself before God as tried and true, as an unashamed worker cutting a straight path with the word of truth.
246 12/9 Monday: 1 Timothy 1-3
247 12/10 Tuesday: 1 Timothy 4-6
248 12/11 Wednesday: 2 Timothy 1-2
249 12/12 Thursday: 2 Timothy 3-4
250 12/13 Friday: 1 Peter 1-2
Question of the Day: When we read this Scripture, what are we thinking? 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for restoration, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that the person belonging to God may be capable, fully equipped for every good deed.
Answer: Rabbi Trail: Obviously, the “question of the day” is asked using the editorial “we,” a form of nosism. However; the only thoughts I can provide here are my own. Specifically, it is impossible for me to know what “we” are thinking. End RT.
Now that “we” (now it’s a habit) got that out of the way, today’s reading brings forth many real and practically valuable thoughts. Foremost, we (there I go again) should remember the only Scripture Paul had when he wrote “all Scripture” to Timothy was the Hebrew Scriptures.
Rabbi Trail: Paul never dreamed it was wise to put artificial limits on Scripture. What, only some Scripture is inspired by God? Psalm 138:2 elevates God’s word above God’s own name. Here I found another place where I disagree with the Tree of Life translation. Psalm 138:2b “For You—magnified above all Your Name and Your word.” “AND” is not in the Hebrew and there is no reason to suppose they left it out by mistake. Is it God’s Name and Word that is elevated, or is it God’s Word above all His Name? I prefer the latter. End RT.
Paul warns us of many potential errors in these two chapters of 2 Timothy. Then he tells us to avoid people who make these errors. 2 Timothy 3:5b “Avoid these people!” But wait! Didn’t Paul know we are supposed to love everyone? Yes he does. And his instruction is to be faithful and declare the truth.
2 Timothy 3:14a You, however, continue in what you have learned and what you have become convinced of.
2 Timothy 4:1a I solemnly charge you—… 2a proclaim the Word!
Let me leave you with these words of Yeshua… John 15:18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But you are not of the world, since I have chosen you out of the world; therefore the world hates you. 20 “Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. Yeshua is speaking of a division between persecutors and keepers of the Word. Be a keeper of His Word.
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. The Word of God has the power to transform your life. Receive it and receive the blessing. May the blessing of abundant grace be upon us all. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.