Rabbi’s Reflections – Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Shalom,
Day 46 of counting the Omer
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹֽמֶר
Baruch Atah Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha-Olam, Asher Kid’shanu B’mitzvotav, Vitzivanu Al Sefirat Ha-Omer.
Blessed are You O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by his commandments and commanded us about the counting of the Omer. Today is six weeks and four days of the counting of the Omer.
Follow up that prayer by remembering a blessing from the Lord and give Him thanks.
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Victory Over Sin part 30 – Romans, part 91
Romans 8:7 For the mindset of the flesh is hostile toward God, for it does not submit itself to the law of God—for it cannot. 8 So those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
The battle for righteousness is spiritual in nature. The “flesh” is not spiritual, but carnal. Just as the reality of our pursuit of righteousness is spiritual, so will the victory also be in the spirit. Yeshua told the Samaritan woman at the well….
John 4:24 “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Then let me ask a question. Since we are fleshly human beings, and the flesh cannot please God, should we, therefore; just give up the pursuit of holiness? May it never be! Yeshua came so that we CAN follow Him in victory, the victory over sin.
1 John 3:8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. Ben-Elohim appeared for this purpose—to destroy the works of the devil.
Yes, we are in the world, but not under its seductive power. This is the essence of Yeshua’s prayer to the Father, just before His crucifixion, as recorded in John 17….
John 17:13 “But now I am coming to You. I say these words while I am still in the world, so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.”
These are the words of Yeshua’s prayer to His Father, while He is still in the world, so that His soon coming crucifixion will overcome the world (it’s sinful temptation) for us. Earlier that same evening, Yeshua spoke to the disciples, saying… John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have shalom. In the world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world!”
Then, Yeshua continues to pray the truth out loud to His Father. Why so? Didn’t they (Father and Son) both know this already? Sure they did, but Yeshua wanted us to hear it, and speaking it out gave His words power. (Same with our own spoken prayers.)
John 17:14 I have given them Your word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world just as I am not of the world.
Then Yeshua caps off His prayer by praying for our victory over the evil one…
John 17:15 I am not asking that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Finally, Yeshua prays the bottom line (“Tachlis” is Hebrew).
John 17:17 Make them holy in the truth. Your word is truth.
We may be made of flesh, but flesh does not define us.
Rabbi Trail: When Brother Yun was asked his name by his Chinese interrogators, he consistently replied, “I am a heavenly man.” https://www.amazon.com/Heavenly-Man-Remarkable-Chinese-Christian/dp/082546207X We were honored to have him come to Shomair and lead us in communion a few years ago. End RT.
Oh, that we would see ourselves in that spiritual way. God defines us according to His Spiritual power. Make His prayer your reality.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Day 46 of the Omer
Wed 24 May-2023 4th of Sivan, 5783
De 16:1-3 Jer 16 Job 36 Ro 16 (Mk 4)