Rabbi’s Reflections – Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Shalom,
Happy Veterans Day! And a special “thank you” to all who have served or are serving in our armed forces. Your dedication to protect the cause of freedom is appreciated by all of us who enjoy the benefits of your vigilance. And a special “thank you” to my 3 children who served with distinction.
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Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Wed 11-Nov-2020 24th of Cheshvan, 5781
Ge 24:27-52 Jdg 10-11 Ps 36 Mt 26:1-35 (Ro 7)
Romans 7 is between Romans 6 and 8. (I love sharing truth with you.) The reason I’m making note of it is that these 3 chapters together form a treatise on our battle against sin. Let me pick 7 of my favorites…
Romans 6:1b Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound? 2b May it never be!
Roman 6:6 knowing our old man was crucified with Him so that the sinful body might be done away with, so we no longer serve sin.
Romans 6:15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!
Romans 7:7a What shall we say then? Is the Torah sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the Torah.
Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Messiah Yeshua. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:10 But if Messiah is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit is alive because of righteousness.
Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Ruach you put to death the deeds of the body, you shall live.
We must have victory over sin, personally, communally, and (hard as it may be to believe) as a society. This is our hope. For what do we hope? The coming kingdom, of course.
Romans 8:24 For in hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, then we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
Today I’m seeing this the following with a different emphasis… 1 Corinthians 13:13 But now these three remain— faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love. I’ve always been impressed that the greatest of these is love, but today I’m impressed that hope is among the three that remain.
Below I’ll write “part 2” on why I have hope.
Week 46
Memory Verse: Acts 20:24 However, I don’t consider my life of any value, except that I might finish my course and the office I received from the Lord Yeshua, to declare the Good News of the grace of God.
226 11/09 Monday: Acts 20-21
227 11/10 Tuesday: Acts 22-23
* 228 11/11 Wednesday: Acts 24-25
229 11/12 Thursday: Acts 26-27
230 11/13 Friday: Acts 28
Question of the day: The reading (2 chapters of Acts) tells the story of Paul’s imprisonment, trial (if you want to call it that) and a few opportunities to defend himself. None of that grabbed me spiritually. So the question of the day becomes, “What else would you like to write, Rabbi?”
Answer: You guessed it. “Part 2 – Why I have hope.” Simply put, I have hope because it is a gift from God. Where in the Scriptures does God promise us hope? Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans that I have in mind for you,” declares Adonai, “plans for shalom and not calamity—to give you a future and a hope.” But God promise doesn’t end there… Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek Me and find Me, when you will search for Me with all your heart. 14a Then I will be found by you,” says Adonai.
In Romans 12:12 , Paul tells us to “rejoice in hope.” Then in Romans 15:13 he calls us to “abound in hope.” The temptation is to make hope passive. “I’ll just sit here hoping for something better.” But the Bible never takes us there. Our hope is an active hope. We hope as we participate with God and His plans.
Our hope is anchored behind the veil. We hope for His will to be done on earth. This is the heart of God pulling us forward, not allowing us to go astray. Our hope is expressed in our expectation that God will accomplish every promise He ever made. It is a hope for righteousness to be done on the earth as it is in the heavens.
This is not secular humanism (which expects us to make things better by working harder), but hope is an act of faith that… Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Messiah who strengthens me.
You might like to ask me why I am writing this message today? Because the media (social media and drive-by media both) are strategizing to discourage you. But I’m writing to share the message of God. A message that is intended to encourage you. So, be lifted up… Psalm 24:7 Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, you everlasting doors: that the King of glory may come in. 8 “Who is this King of glory?” Adonai strong and mighty, Adonai mighty in battle!