Rabbi’s Reflections – Tuesday, July 21, 2020
Shalom,
“Let go and let God.” I’ve heard that plenty of times. So much, that I felt like writing an RR about it. What does it really mean anyway? Is it just something we can “throw” out there to mollify someone who is hurting? Are there “things” in our lives that God wants us to release? Are my questions starting to “hit home?”
Rabbi Trail: I felt like I heard this subject from the Lord. I still do. When I looked it up on the internet, I found a mixed bag of comments. Some people like it and some people don’t. Like almost everything, there is the real thing (which is of God and full of his Spirit) and the fake counterfeit (which is full of lies and Satanic influence). We will deal with the “real thing.” You know, like Coke used to be. (BTW – Coke never was the “Real Thing”, another RT, but God is…) End RT.
So, let’s break this down into two parts. First there is the “let go,” and then there is the “let God.” In the “let go” category we find lies. “Let go of lies.” That’s easier said than done. A lie is anything that is not spoken by God. Many lies contain some truth.
Satan’s first lie contained truth. Genesis 3:1b So it (the serpent) said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from all the trees of the garden’?” It was a simple question. Satan knew the answer. He was waiting to trap Eve with her own words.
What did God say? Genesis 2:16b “From all the trees of the garden you are most welcome to eat. 17 But of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil you must not eat. For when you eat from it, you most assuredly will die! God spoke this to Adam even before Eve was created from his rib.
Now Eve (who did not hear God directly) misquotes what God said and Satan pounces on it. Genesis 3:2 The woman said to the serpent, “Of the fruit of the trees, we may eat. 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat of it and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “You most assuredly won’t die! And there it is, the lie; Eve believed the lie and ate along with Adam. And we, their descendants, have had nothing but tsuris (Yiddish for Trouble) ever since.
Bottom Line: Let go of that which is not of God. Let’s ask ourselves, what have we believed that is a lie. The answer is not easy. Let the Father of lights expose the lies in our lives. Jacob 1:16 Do not be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18 By His will, He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all He created.
Back to the top of the second part, “…and let God.” Maybe the expanded version should be, “Get out of your own way ‘and let God’ direct your steps.” This is a life verse given to me 38 years ago in a season of prayer. Psalms 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will give counsel—My eye is on you.” Why not ask God for your own life verse? He is faithful.
One last thought on this. Simply “letting go” creates a vacuum that can be filled by either godly or ungodly influence. So just “letting go” isn’t enough. We must enable God by inviting Him to take the “reins of our hearts.”
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, 2a focusing on Yeshua, the initiator and perfecter of faith.
Did you catch that? Focus on Yeshua, He is the beginning, middle and end of every need.
Week 30
Memory Verse: Psalm 51:17 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.
146 7/23 Monday: Nehemiah 13
* 147 7/24 Tuesday: Malachi 1
148 7/25 Wednesday: Malachi 2
149 7/26 Thursday: Malachi 3
150 7/27 Friday: Malachi 4
Question of the day: What is acceptable to God?
Answer: Read Malachi chapter 1; then you tell me. God actually asks a similar question in the next to the last verse… Malachi 1:13b “Should I accept this from your hand?” says Adonai. The prophet is imploring Israel not to offer anything to God except the best. Today we don’t have the priestly sacrifices in the Temple. So then, what is our equivalent?
I’m not speaking only about tithes and offerings (although they are a part of this), but our entire lifestyle of walking with God is our offering. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuzeqmExEqM
In Hebrew we speak of “Halacha.” It means “the way of walking” and it’s the word we use for explaining how we practice our faith. For most of Judaism it’s the rabbis who lived 2200 years ago who determine “Halacha.” For us, as followers of Yeshua, we must allow the Holy Spirit to dictate “Halacha,” not we ourselves, and not ancient rabbis. Our responsibility is to be faithful in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
John 16:13 But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; but whatever He hears, He will tell you. And He will declare to you the things that are to come.
In Messianic Judaism, we have that liberty. The rabbis think that’s our first mistake, but the truth is that’s the part we have right. Freedom to follow Him. And the last word, give Him your best.