Monday, September 13, 2010

Consider the Latter End

9/11/10 Ha Azinu! (give ear!) Parashot: Dvarim (Deuteronomy) 32:1-52 (emphasis on verses 5-6,10-15, 18, 20, 29, 31, 36. Haf Torah: Hos 14: 1-9, Joel 2:15-17, 21, 23,27. Brit Hadasha: 1 Jn 1:6-19, Rev. 22:1-5, 12,13.
Message: Rabbi Ken Alpren, summarized by Val Waters, Sofer

Rabbi Ken began by reminding us that 2,996 people were killed, representing 70 different nations 9 years ago today, when Al-Queda attacked the World Trade Center in New York City using 2 hijacked public airplanes ( (3rd plane hit the Pentagon, and a 4th landed in PA field, unsuccessfully attempting to hit Washington D.C.). He asked us if we remembered where we were when we first heard about the attack, and shared that at that time he was ministering in FL, and later learned that the facility where he had taken one flight lesson was also had been where the Al Queda pilots had been trained.

Yom Teruah, last Thursday, the Jewish month of Tishri began, and this current Shabbat is Shabbat Shuvah the Sabbath of return to the LORD. Currently Jewish people are preparing their hearts in repentance for the 10 days of awe (Yamim Noraim) that lead up to the annual ‘national’ repentance and forgiveness that occurs next Shabbat, on Yom Kippur,
We are to ‘give ear’ to the farewell song of Moses, because it was not just a ‘feel good’ song, but a TRUTH song, including the children of Israel’s need to be wise and prudent so they could heed the LORD’s warning of their latter end in the song. verses 5,6
“They have acted corruptly toward Him, They are not His children, because of their defect; But are a perverse and crooked
generation. “Do you thus repay the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is not He your Father who has bought you? He
has made you and established you.’
Moses adds in verse 29: “Would that they were wise, that they understood this, That they would discern their future!”
Hosea adds in 14:9: “Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; Whoever is discerning, let him know them. For
the ways of the LORD are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But transgressors will stumble in them.”
D’varim 8:16: “In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He
might test you, to do good for you in the end..”
James 5:11 “We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome
of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”
Proverbs 5:4, (bitter as wormwood),
2 Peter 2:20 (the last state is worse)

We cannot forget that sin has a pay day…the wages of sin are death: on Yom Hadin, the Day of Judgment. We must consider the end of all things.
Ecclesiastes 12:14 “For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”

With all of this in mind, we were told to remember that the Hebrew word SHUV, which means to turn, can mean both turning TO the LORD and also AWAY from Him.

There is always purpose in the LORD’s plans for us…He brings and allows circumstances to remind us to turn TO Him; Joel 2:25 promises that the years the locusts ate will be restored to us, and lists several kinds of locust destruction!
King David had a heart after God, yet he sinned. But David always wept over his sin and repented and KEPT after the LORD, and came back into close relationship with Him. In D’varim 23:5, we remember that the LORD God was not willing to listen to Balaam “but the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the LORD your God loves you.”

Yet it still comes down to whether or not we chooses the LORD. Either way, judgment is coming, Everyone will be judged. Do we want to live our lives in such a way of relationship with and obedience to Him that we are not ashamed when He returns? We are all hypocrites at times, but do we want to live a life of hypocrisy?

1 John 1:6,7 “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;
but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of
Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

1 John 2:28 “Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in
shame at His coming.”
Or do we want the full reward, when Yeshua says: “well done, good and faithful servant”? Praise the LORD, for we have been a faithful advocate in Messiah Yeshua who helps us! We are to lean on Him, for He NEVER quits on us!

Proverbs 24:16: “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.”
Jude 24: “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory
blameless with great joy,”
1 John 2:1 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an
Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous”
Hebrews 11:25 “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives
to make intercession for them.”
Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”
1 John 4:17 “By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is,
so also are we in this world.”

Even thought, we know through Ecclesiastes 12:13 “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.”, we are free to speak of His love and our salvation, because, just like Him, Yeshua, we are accepted by the LORD, in His righteousness!
Joel 2: 26,27 “You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied And praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt
wondrously with you; Then My people will never be put to shame. Thus you will know that I am in the midst of
Israel, And that I am the LORD your God, And there is no other; And My people will never be put to shame.”

This was also predicted through Moses in his farewell song!
D’varim 32:39 “‘See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is
I who heal, And there is no one who can deliver from My hand.”

And what do we receive, through Messiah Yeshua, like Him? Resurrection from death…to eternal life! We were delivered unto death so that we could LIVE for Him!

2 Timothy 2: 11,12 “It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will
also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;”
Philippians 3:10,11 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being
conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Hosea 6:1 “Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.”

The LORD is concerned with our growing. He uses what others mean for evil and He means it for good. The growing, however, is often only found through PAIN! and Later we have the GLORY! (Romans 8:18) Remember Joel 2:25 lists all 3 kinds of locusts…and concludes with “My great army which I sent among you.” the LORD SENT the army! He wants NATURAL love and patience killed in us so that we can have and walk in and share SUPERNATURAL love and patience!
Galatians 2:20, John 3:30, 2 Corinthians 2:10-12. All of this so we can be LIGHT!!! To the world!

Daniel 12:3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Phillipians 2:10-12 ” Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among
whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will
have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.”

We are not here for ourselves, but for the LORD and for others. May we have such a moment to SHINE for them!
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our guest worship leaders for this Shabbat were Zemer Levav, please enjoy their music as we did www.zemerlevav.org

also show at the service, Matisyahu’s video of One Day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRmBChQjZPs

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