Rabbi’s Reflections – Wednesday, August 5, 2020
Shalom,
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Camp update: July ended on a wonderful note with our third annual youth camp, Shomrim Tze’irim. This year the theme was Discipleship Boot Camp, and it was executed with military precision. There were eight brigades with campers, counselors and staff totaling about 50 persons.
Each day of the 5 day camp had it’s own theme/discipline: worship/Scripture/prayer/gospel/discipleship. Every day there was the theme was followed in worship and devotional along with activities and some physical training (of course, it was “boot camp”). The last day started with a forced march in a rain storm to the mountain top where the sun came out along with the victory of reaching the ridge where the view was spectacular, similar to the IDF climbing Mazada.
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This announcement is for ladies. Men, please skip down to the next announcement.
Tikkun America is organizing the virtual LFWC. The Ladies First Women’s Conference 2020 is upon us. Here is the announcement. To register (required) please click here: https://www.livingfreewc.org/
Greetings Ladies,
We are quickly approaching the date for our 2020 LFWC Virtual Conference August 7-9. We are very excited that you will be joining us and we can’t wait to see each and everyone of you. We have a lot of good things in store for you.
We wanted to provide you with a short video of some very important reminders. Click the YouTube link to watch the video.
To join the conference. Use the following Zoom link. You will use this link each day. Information on how to listen in via phone is at the bottom of this email. Please keep this email handy to refer back to as needed.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87131330531
Note: Please make sure when you sign on, that you type in the full name you used to register. For security purposes, we cannot allow anyone to enter who has not entered a full name. No nicknames or device names like, “iphone or ipad” will be allowed.
Blessings to you all and see you soon. LFWC Team
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This announcement is for everyone. Aglow International is now open to both men and women equally (although the leadership is still dominated by women). Click here and read about Aglow’s commitment to Israel and see if you are in agreement. https://www.aglow.org/ministries/israel-islam/why-aglow-and-israel
The statewide prayer coordinator for Tennessee is from our own local “Lighthouse” chapter. Let’s pray along with Mary Bolton and all of Tennessee Aglow.
Prayer for the month of August: “PRAYER COVERING FOR OUR USA GOVERNMENT.” I Timothy 2:1 Therefore, first of all I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made on behalf of all people— 2 for kings and all who are in authority—so we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and respectfulness.
Prayer for the week of August 2-8: “PRAYER FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS STAFF” Psalm 25:5 Guide me in Your truth, and teach me, for You are God, my salvation, for You I wait all day. Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge. His faithfulness is body armor and shield.
These two Psalms were the cry of David’s heart while he was in authority. May President Trump and his staff seek God’s Truth as they make decisions in this season of chaos. Let’s agree together for Chaos to cease and may the Truth of God rule and reign in our nation.
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RR for today… How is it that we can feel so inadequate (from time to time) before the Lord after walking with Him for so long? Paul wrote about it… Romans 7:15 For I do not understand what I am doing—for what I do not want, this I practice; but what I hate, this I do. This is the question I put to my rabbi, David Chansky, (who is a faithful RR reader) back in 1985.
At the time, I had been walking with Yeshua for about 3 years. Instead of feeling closer to God, I was feeling less holy and more distant. So I went to my rabbi and asked him what was going on. His answer surprised me. He said that Yeshua is the light of the world, so the closer we are to Him, the better the light. And the better the light, the more we can see the “dirt” that is our sin.
It is by the grace of God that He doesn’t allow us to see all of our “issues” at once. Three biblical examples come to mind. Deuteronomy 7:22 Adonai your God will drive away those nations before you little by little—you will not be able to put an end to them all at once, or else the beasts of the field will multiply on you. Those “nations” are euphemistic for enemies (demonic sin) in our lives. In the next verse, God promises deliverance… Deuteronomy 7:23 But Adonai your God will give them over to you, and He will throw them into great confusion until they are destroyed. Sin must be destroyed. We are warned by God not to make any covenant with them, but we must destroy them.
The second situation is similar. The Lord takes us through the desert, in a winding route to the promised land. Exodus 13:17 After Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them along the road to the land of the Philistines, although that was nearby, for God said, “The people might change their minds if they see war and return to Egypt.” This is why the Bible begs us in many places to have patience. Isn’t it interesting that young people (who have more time than everyone else) typically lack more patience than most.
The third example in Scripture is that of the prodigal son (Luke 15) who took his full inheritance and squandered it in his immaturity. Then, when he realized his error, he returned to his father, just like we see our sins and turn toward and then return to the light of God. So may we, as well, come to our senses and repent of our evil and impatient ways and return to our Father, Who is always ready to receive us back.
Week 32
Memory Verse: Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men so they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
156 8/3 Monday: Matthew 3-4
157 8/4 Tuesday: Matthew 5
* 158 8/5 Wednesday: Matthew 6
159 8/6 Thursday: Matthew 7
160 8/7 Friday: Matthew 8
Question of the day: Can we go deeper into Matthew 6:6a But you, when you pray, go into your inner room?
Answer: Sure, let’s go. The “inner room” in Hebrew is “Aaron” (meaning closet). This is a reference to the Aaron Kodesh (holy closet), or Ark of the Covenant. That Ark contained the Torah (in the side of it), so bring your Bible when you go to pray.
The Ark contained 3 other items that are also important. The tablets of the 10 Commandments. The “Law” is not done away in Messiah Yeshua… Romans 3:31 Do we then nullify the Torah through faithfulness? May it never be! On the contrary, we uphold the Torah. The Bible repeatedly mentions Yeshua together with “grace AND truth,” meaning “grace and law.” It’s not either/or but both/and.
Secondly, there was the pot of manna. “Manna” means portion. It represents God’s provision for our lives. We pray remembering God is Yehovah Yirah, litterally “God will see to it” but usually translated as “God is my provider.” So we “eat” our daily portion from His Word.
Lastly, there was Aaron’s rod that budded. This represents life from the dead. Aarons rod had no root in itself. We remember we have no root in ourselves. Psalm 100:3 Know that Adonai, He is God. It is He who has made us, and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. We cannot sustain ourselves.
Please read these verses in closing for today. Psalm 36:8 How precious is Your love, O God! The children of men find refuge in the shadow of Your wings. 9 They drink their fill from the abundance of Your House. You give them drink from the river of Your delights. 10 For with You is the fountain of life— in Your light we see light. 11 Continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, and Your justice to the upright in heart.