Rabbi’s Reflections – Thursday, August 13, 2020
Shalom,
As you may recall, I read Sally McClung’s email updates from South Africa. She is a missionary who is surviving against all odds. Her husband, Floyd, contracted a jungle fever over 4 years ago that has left him in a near vegetative state. Sally herself has been battling breast cancer for the second time. And since the COVID restrictions started 6 months ago she has not been able to visit her husband nor have his caregivers been allowed to care for him. Everyone is isolated and alone, yet surviving. Sally mentioned what comes next in her most recent email.
Season 1 of “The Chosen” is now available. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKYpA3A-4eY In this short trailer there is a line about which I wish to write today. At 1:21 of the trailer there is a statement, “This is different” and Yeshua responds “Get used to different.”
What is different? Living in the kingdom of God is different. Living with Yeshua is different. Hear His words… Luke 11:20 But if by the finger of God I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. And there is more good news… 1 John 4:4 You are from God, children, and you have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
In the first quote, Yeshua is talking about being able to drive out demons. How can He do that? (And how can we do that in Him?) Because our God is stronger than the adversary. Philippians 2:10 that at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow, in heaven and on the earth and under the earth. Did you catch that, “and under the earth?” That means even the demons must bend their knee (an act of submission) to His authority.
Matthew 28:18 And Yeshua came up to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” This verse is the power structure of the great commission. All authority is given to Yeshua. That leaves none for the devil, his demons, nor does it leave any for you and me.
Notwithstanding His delegated authority to us, His disciples. Luke 10:19 Behold, I have given you authority to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names have been written in the heavens. Moving in His power changes everything. Quite a difference. Let’s get used to it.
Week 33
Memory Verse: Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters—and yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.
161 8/10 Monday: Luke 9:10-62
162 8/11 Tuesday: Mark 9-10
163 8/12 Wednesday: Luke 12
* 164 8/13 Thursday: John 3-4
165 8/14 Friday: Luke 14
Question of the day: John 4:31 Meanwhile, the disciples were pressing Him, “Rabbi, eat!” 32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 33 So the disciples were saying to each other, “No one brought Him food to eat, did they?”
Answer: John 4:34 Yeshua tells them, “My food is to do the will of the One who sent Me and to accomplish His work.
The disciples had gone into Shechem in Samaria to get some food for themselves and to bring food back to Yeshua. What was this “food” the disciples didn’t know about? Yeshua explained that He is sustained by doing the will of the Father.
And so are we. We are sustained, nourished, fulfilled, and satisfied by doing God’s will. It all goes back to this… Matthew 6:10b Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And to do God’s will, we have to lay our own selfish will aside. We submit to (place ourselves under) the will of God.
“It’s a heart thang!” God wants our hearts. When He has our hearts, He provides every need. Philippians 4:19 My God will fulfill every need of yours according to the riches of His glory in Messiah Yeshua. And there is also this… 2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that by always having enough of everything, you may overflow in every good work.
When God does anything, it keeps on being done. This is how Yeshua could truthfully say… John 6:35 Yeshua said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty. This is really the gift that keeps on giving (despite what you may have heard in the Christmas Story movie). Receive Him and receive His blessings. He gave His body and blood 2,000 years ago on Calvary and that blessing is still sustaining us now and forever, amen.