Hazakti

Not Good

2012-02-12T18:02:00.000-08:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
2/11/12

Yitro, commonly known as Jethro, was Moses’ father in law.

Exodus 18:1, ‘Now Yitro the priest of Midyan, Moshe's father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for Moshe and for Isra'el his people, how ADONAI had brought Isra'el out of Egypt.’

Yitro heard what G-d had done and went to find them! He was compelled to go find Moses and the Israelites because he was a seeker of truth.

Exodus 18:5, ‘Yitro Moshe's father-in-law brought Moshe's sons and wife to him in the desert where he was encamped, at the mountain of God.’

Notice how Moses greets Yitro.

Exodus 18:7, ‘Moshe went out to meet his father-in-law, prostrated himself and kissed him. Then, after inquiring of each other's welfare, they entered the tent.’

Here is Moses right after leading the Israelites out of Egypt and witnessing all the miracles there, but he submits to Yitro out of respect, honor and gratitude.

Moses tells Yitro all G-d had done. Notice Moses was not focused on all he had done or what happened to Moses, but his focus was on the L-rd and what He had done!

Exodus 18:8, ‘Moshe told his father-in-law all that ADONAI had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Isra'el's sake, all the hardships they had suffered while traveling and how ADONAI had rescued them.’

Yitro listened to Moses’ account and then responding in praise!

Exodus 18:9-10, ‘Moshe told his father-in-law all that ADONAI had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Isra'el's sake, all the hardships they had suffered while traveling and how ADONAI had rescued them. 9 Yitro rejoiced over all the good that ADONAI had done for Isra'el by rescuing them from the Egyptians.’

It is at this point we see a remarkable confession! Yitro puts his trust in the G-d of Israel! Now he knows!

Exodus 18:11, ‘“Now I know that ADONAI is greater than all other gods, because he rescued those who were treated so arrogantly."’

He then demonstrates his faith by his works.
Exodus 18:12, ‘Yitro Moshe's father-in-law brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aharon came with all the leaders of Isra'el to share the meal before God with Moshe's father-in-law.’

The Hebrew word for burnt offering is ‘olah’; a sacrifice in which the entire offering was burnt to a crisp with nothing left. This word is related to ‘aliyah’ which means to ascend or go up.

Because Yitro was a seeker of truth, a good listener, one who responded to the L-rd’s word and work, confessed in Whom he placed his trust and was a doer of the word or acted upon it, he had discernment and was able to give Moses valuable advice.

Yitro watches at Moses judges the people.

Exodus 18:13-17, ‘The following day Moshe sat to settle disputes for the people, while the people stood around Moshe from morning till evening. 14 When Moshe's father-in-law saw all that he was doing to the people, he said, "What is this that you are doing to the people? Why do you sit there alone, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?" 15 Moshe answered his father-in-law, "It's because the people come to me seeking God's guidance. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me; I judge between one person and another, and I explain to them God's laws and teachings."’

Yitro announces ‘Lo tov’ or not good! And he tells him why it isn’t good.

Exodus 18:18-19, ‘Moshe's father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing isn't good. 18 You will certainly wear yourself out - and not only yourself, but these people here with you as well. It's too much for you - you can't do it alone, by yourself.’

Why do we wear out and experience fatigue? Do we insist on doing everything ourselves? Maybe we have a ‘savior complex’ thinking we are the only ones who can do whatever it is we are doing. We will wear ourselves out!

Maybe we tend to be like Marta as recorded in Luke 10 rather than like her sister Miryam who sat at the feet of Yeshua. Maybe we are going about ‘nervous service’ trying to do it all ourselves. A good leader delegates to other people things that need to be done so the leader can better do all the things only he can do.

Another reason for burning out is that we tend not to wait on the L-rd. We attempt to do His service in our strength! However, if we wait on the L-rd He promises to renew us!

Isaiah 40:28-31, ‘Haven't you known, haven't you heard that the everlasting God, ADONAI, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not grow tired or weary? His understanding cannot be fathomed. 29 He invigorates the exhausted, he gives strength to the powerless. 30 Young men may grow tired and weary, even the fittest may stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in ADONAI will renew their strength, they will soar aloft as with eagles' wings; when they are running they won't grow weary, when they are walking they won't get tired.’

Another reason for burn out is getting discouraged as we can loose sight of the reward.

Galatians 6:9, ‘So let us not grow weary of doing what is good; for if we don't give up, we will in due time reap the harvest.’

When we obey Him and draw strength from Him, He calls us His special treasure or ‘segullah’.

Exodus 19:5-6, ‘“Now if you will pay careful attention to what I say and keep my covenant, then you will be my own treasure from among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you will be a kingdom of cohanim for me, a nation set apart.'These are the words you are to speak to the people of Isra'el.’"’

In order to avoid ‘lo tov’ or ‘not good’, we must learn to delegate properly. We must pray before picking as Yeshua did recorded in Luke 6. He prayed and was given wisdom and discernment and prophetic insight before choosing His talmidim.

Delegate to those who are people of competence and character; who have been given gifts and have demonstrated wisely the fruits of their gifts. Those who are fearers of G-d, mighty men who are honest and firm men who are faithful.

Moses was humble and took Yitro’s advice!

Exodus 18:24, ‘Moshe paid attention to his father-in-law's counsel and did everything he said.’

Following these examples, wise delegation was recorded in Acts 6 and the Gospel spread.

Acts 6:7, ‘So the word of God continued to spread. The number of talmidim in Yerushalayim increased rapidly, and a large crowd of cohanim were becoming obedient to the faith.’

Let us take heed to this wise counsel.

Further Reading: James 1:21-22, John 9:25, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Malachi 3:17, Revelation 22:12, Proverbs 29:25

When the Enemy Comes in Like a Flood

2012-02-06T13:29:00.000-08:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
2/4/2012

Just three short days after experiencing the miracle of deliverance from the Egyptians by passing through the Sea on dry ground, the Israelites began complaining.

Exodus 15:24, ‘The people grumbled against Moshe and asked, "What are we to drink?"’

How quickly we forget what He has done for us! How can we keep from sinning? Treasuring the Word in our hearts, persevering through trials, singing the Word to Him and even dancing like Miryam did in Exodus 15 can help us keep from sinning.

Psalm 119:11, ‘I treasure your word in my heart, so that I won't sin against you.’

Revelation 3:10, ‘Because you did obey my message about persevering, I will keep you from the time of trial coming upon the whole world to put the people living on earth to the test.’

Colossians 3:16, ‘let the Word of the Messiah, in all its richness, live in you, as you teach and counsel each other in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude to God in your hearts.’

What we celebrate in our victories we often forget in our difficulties! This was clearly demonstrated by the Israelites when they complained to Moses about the lack of water just three days after their deliverance.

Three days before, the Israelites were trapped at the Sea and were overwhelmed in fear as the Egyptians approached. They were certain they would all die. But our end is His beginning if we turn ourselves over to Him!

2 Corinthians 1:9, ‘In our hearts we felt we were under sentence of death. However, this was to get us to rely not on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead!’

When the Israelites were crying out in fear, Moses lifted up the Standard!

Exodus 14:11-13, ‘and said to Moshe, "Was it because there weren't enough graves in Egypt that you brought us out to die in the desert? Why have you done this to us, bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn't we tell you in Egypt to let us alone, we'll just go on being slaves for the Egyptians? It would be better for us to be the Egyptians' slaves than to die in the desert!" 13 Moshe answered the people, "Stop being so fearful! Remain steady, and you will see how ADONAI is going to save you. He will do it today - today you have seen the Egyptians, but you will never see them again!’

When the enemy comes in like a flood, lift up Yeshua; He is the Standard!

Isaiah 59:19, (New King James Version), ‘So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood,
The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.’

Philippians 1:20, ‘It all accords with my earnest expectation and hope that I will have nothing to be ashamed of; but rather, now, as always, the Messiah will be honored by my body, whether it is alive or dead.’

As we lift up Yeshua, G-d takes care of the enemy!

Learn from Messiah! What did He do every day?

Isaiah 50:4-5, ‘Adonai ELOHIM has given me the ability to speak as a man well taught, so that I, with my words, know how to sustain the weary. Each morning he awakens my ear to hear like those who are taught. 5 Adonai ELOHIM has opened my ear, and I neither rebelled nor turned away.’

He listened before He spoke as should we! Weigh your words because words are weighty!

Matthew 12:36, ‘“Moreover, I tell you this: on the Day of Judgment people will have to give account for every careless word they have spoken.”’

The Israelites spoke out of their own flesh and fear and Moses spoke out of the L-rd’s leading and Life.

Moses said five things to the people and then the L-rd said something to Moses.

Do not fear, ‘yarah’, stand yourselves up, ‘yatsav’, see His salvation/deliverance , ‘ra’ah yeshu’ah’, the L-rd will fight for you, ‘lacham’ and you will be quiet, ‘charaysh’.

Just as the the L-rd saw to the deliverance of the people at the Sea, He did so as recorded in Genesis 22 at the provision of the Ram in place of Isaac! The Hebrew word used in this passage is also ‘yarah’.

The word ‘lacham’ is similar to ‘lechem’ or bread in Hebrew, and in this passage can be translated, ‘He will eat the enemy up’; so don’t fear!

When Moses said, ‘charaysh’, he was telling them not to speak or hear; not to communicate at all!

What did the L-rd say to Moses?

Exodus 14:15, ‘“ADONAI asked Moshe, "Why are you crying to me? Tell the people of Isra'el to go forward!”’

The Hebrew word to go forward is ‘nasa’, which means to pull out (tent pegs) and set forward.

There is a time to stand still and a time to go forward. In this case, the L-rd was directing them to go forward so they would not be stuck or paralyzed as they witnessed the great miracle.

The Israelites did go forward; their crossing may have taken the entire night. Notice how they were protected.

Exodus 14:19-20, ‘Next, the angel of God, who was going ahead of the camp of Isra'el, moved away and went behind them; and the column of cloud moved away from in front of them and stood behind them. 20 It stationed itself between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Isra'el - there was cloud and darkness here, but light by night there; so that the one did not come near the other all night long.’

Isaiah 52:12, ‘You need not leave in haste, you do not have to flee; for ADONAI will go ahead of you, and the God of Isra'el will also be behind you.’

When the enemy comes in like a flood, we know that G-d will protect us! Raise up the Standard, pray and go forward as His Body of Believers, in the calling He has for you and in service to Him and to others.

Further Reading: Psalm 27:1-3, 2 Chronicles 20:2-3, 6, 12-17, 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, 2:14-15, 2 Corinthians 7:5, Proverbs 21:1, Revelation 12:9-10,14,17, Isaiah 49:2, John 5:30, 6:63, 12:48-49, Proverbs 10:19, 17:27, 2 Peter 3:16

It’s God and Not Us

2012-01-23T09:49:00.000-08:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
1/21/12

Exodus 6:6-8, ‘"Therefore, say to the people of Isra'el: 'I am ADONAI. I will free you from the forced labor of the Egyptians, rescue you from their oppression, and redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 7 I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am ADONAI your God, who freed you from the forced labor of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Avraham, Yitz'chak and Ya'akov - I will give it to you as your inheritance. I am ADONAI.'"

Traditionally, this passage is remembered during Passover as the four statements or expressions of redemption. When looking more closely at this Scripture, we see there are really seven statements.

He will bring them out ‘yatsa’, deliver them ‘natsal’, redeem them ‘gaal’, and acquire them ‘laqach’ are the four statements and continuing, He says He will be their God ‘haya’, bring them into the land ‘bo’ and give the land as their possession ‘natan’.

Similarly, these statements of redemption signify what God does with those who have put their trust in Messiah! He brings us out of captivity, sin, death and slavery and brings us into Himself.

Colossians 1:13, ‘He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.’ See also Romans 8:15, 17, 29-30.

Before the Israelites were freed from Egypt, the plagues occurred beginning with the Nile being turned to blood and the plague of frogs.

Exodus 8:13-15, ‘ADONAI did as Moshe had asked -the frogs died in the houses, courtyards and fields; 14 they gathered them in heaps till the land stank. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that he had been given some relief, he made himself hardhearted and would not listen to them, just as ADONAI had said would happen.’

Can you imagine the smell in Egypt after the Nile had turned to blood and the frogs were gathered in heaps?

Pharaoh promised under duress to allow the Israelites to be freed, but when the plagues were relented, he didn’t follow through.

The same can be true for us. The principle is that making a promise under duress usually results in a promise broken. We need to be careful what we promise so that we do not attempt to make promises under duress or in our flesh.

Ecclesiastes 5:4, ‘If you make a vow to God, don't delay in discharging it. For God takes no pleasure in fools, so discharge your vow!’

How do we get victory over sin? By being made aware of sin or something more?

1 Corinthians 15:56, ‘The sting of death is sin; and sin draws its power from the Torah.’

Romans 7:8, ‘But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, worked in me all kinds of evil desires - for apart from Torah, sin is dead.’

Colossians 2:20-23, ‘If, along with the Messiah, you died to the elemental spirits of the world, then why, as if you still belonged to the world, are you letting yourselves be bothered by its rules? - 21 "Don't touch this!" "Don't eat that!" "Don't handle the other!" 22 Such prohibitions are concerned with things meant to perish by being used [not by being avoided!], and they are based on man-made rules and teachings.b 23 They do indeed have the outward appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed religious observances, false humility and asceticism; but they have no value at all in restraining people from indulging their old nature.’

The power to say ‘no’ to the wrong thing comes from being around the right thing, including the Word of God and fellowship of believers. Doing the right thing can never be accomplished through the power of the flesh. Being told not to do something or what is wrong does not stop you from doing it.

We want to be infused by Life rather than eliciting guilt!

Victory comes through the Power of the Spirit of God and His Grace! Being around pure and holy love will give you the strength to avoid sin. The flesh is not the answer!

Who hardened Pharaoh’s heart? Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart or did Pharaoh harden his own heart?

It was mentioned that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened nineteen times. It is really not clear whether the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart outright or did God respond by hardening his heart based upon Pharaoh’s decision to harden his own heart?

The question really posed here is the question of Predestination versus Free Will. Volumes upon volumes are written on this subject.

Many Scriptures can be cited on this subject including one that should give us great comfort:

Ephesians 1:4-5, ‘In the Messiah he chose us in love before the creation of the universe to be holy and without defect in his presence. 5 He determined in advance that through Yeshua the Messiah we would be his sons - in keeping with his pleasure and purpose.’

Both His choosing us and us choosing to obey are taught in Scripture.

Deuteronomy 30:14-15, ‘"Look! I am presenting you today with, on the one hand, life and good; and on the other, death and evil - 16 in that I am ordering you today to love ADONAI your God, to follow his ways, and to obey his mitzvot, regulations and rulings ; for if you do, you will live and increase your numbers; and ADONAI your God will bless you in the land you are entering in order to take possession of it.’

Revelation 22:17, ‘The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come!' Let anyone who hears say, 'Come!' And let anyone who is thirsty come - let anyone who wishes, take the water of life free of charge.’

Both Predestination and Free Will are juxtaposed in Scripture!

2 Thessalonians 2:9-14, ‘When this man who avoids Torah comes, the Adversary will give him the power to work all kinds of false miracles, signs and wonders. 10 He will enable him to deceive, in all kinds of wicked ways, those who are headed for destruction because they would not receive the love of the truth that could have saved them. 11 This is why God is causing them to go astray, so that they will believe the Lie. 12 The result will be that all who have not believed the truth, but have taken their pleasure in wickedness, will be condemned. 13 But we have to keep thanking God for you always, brothers whom the Lord loves, because God chose you as firstfruits for deliverance by giving you the holiness that has its origin in the Spirit and the faithfulness that has its origin in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our Good News, so that you could have the glory of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.’

Free Will and Predestination can be compared to a railroad track. Where we stand now, each track is separate, but in eternity, they are together. Also, we can view this issue as passing through a door. The entrance of the door would say, ‘Whosever will may come’ and then once through the door the backside of the door would say, ‘Chosen before the foundation of the world’. It is a mystery.

In conclusion, did Israel get delivered because of their faith? No!

2 Corinthians 1:8-10, ‘For, brothers, we want you to know about the trials we have undergone in the province of Asia. The burden laid on us was so far beyond what we could bear that we even despaired of living through it. 9 In our hearts we felt we were under sentence of death. However, this was to get us to rely not on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead! 10 He rescued us from such deadly peril, and he will rescue us again! The one in whom we have placed our hope will indeed continue to rescue us.’

God had to teach the Jews that He did not need their faith in Him. God breaks our faith in Him, so that we will know what He does is not based upon our faith in Him but His power and will and Spirit.

The end of us is the beginning of God
Further Reading: Isaiah 42:9, 46:9-10, John 1:12-13, 1Peter 1:2, Ephesians 1:3, 2 Peter 1:3-4, Colossians 1:13, Romans 8:29, John 15:16, Acts 4:29, 2 Timothy 1:9, 1 Peter 1:20, Psalm 40:7-8, Exodus 19:4-5, Joshua 24:15, Genesis 2:17, John 1:12-13, 2 Timothy 2:13, Zechariah 4:6

Two Encounters with the Divine

2011-12-12T10:12:00.000-08:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
12/10/11

Ya’akov had two encounters with the Divine; one at Beit-El and another at P’ni-El. When G-d visits us He transforms us! He wants to be with us. We may be wrestling, troubled or have perpetual struggles with the L-rd, like Ya’akov. But G-d doesn’t give up on us!

Genesis 28:15, “Look, I am with you. I will guard you wherever you go, and I will bring you back into this land, because I won't leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

Ya’akov had a dream at Beit-El.

Genesis 28:11-12, ‘He came to a certain place and stayed the night there, because the sun had set. He took a stone from the place, put it under his head and lay down there to sleep. 12 He dreamt that there before him was a ladder resting on the ground with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of ADONAI were going up and down on it.’

Dreams can be prophetic but they can also be derived from fleshly or even satanic influence. We have an ‘ear gate’ and an ‘eye gate’ both of which should be guarded. If we have allowed negative influences in to our hearts and minds, we can repent and be restored and be free of those influences.

It is interesting that the only time the Hebrew word interpreted as ‘ladder’ is used in the Bible is to describe the method or instrument upon which the angels were ascending and descending Heaven. The Hebrew word is ‘sullam’. This ladder originated in Heaven and demonstrates to us G-d reaching down to us! Our remedy is G-d initiated.

2 Corinthians 5: 18-19, ‘And it is all from God, who through the Messiah has reconciled us to himself and has given us the work of that reconciliation, 19 which is that God in the Messiah was reconciling mankind to himself, not counting their sins against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.’

ADONAI appeared to Ya’akov at Beit-El and gave him a promise!

Genesis 28:13-15, ‘Then suddenly ADONAI was standing there next to him; and he said, "I am ADONAI, the God of Avraham your [grand]father and the God of Yitz'chak. The land on which you are lying I will give to you and to your descendants. 14 Your descendants will be as numerous as the grains of dust on the earth. You will expand to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. By you and your descendants all the families of the earth will be blessed. 15 Look, I am with you. I will guard you wherever you go, and I will bring you back into this land, because I won't leave you until I have done what I have promised you." 16 Ya'akov awoke from his sleep and said, "Truly, ADONAI is in this place - and I didn't know it!"

We need to seek G-d presence while in our congregation as well as personally.

1 Corinthians 5:4, ‘In the name of the Lord Yeshua, when you are assembled, with me present spiritually and the power of our Lord Yeshua among us.’

Five times in the vision at Beit-El, the Hebrew word “hinneh” is used impressing upon the reader the perceptive substance of the promise G-d was making to Ya’akov. When G-d was introducing His promise to Ya’akov he kept using this word as emphasis. It can be translated ‘behold’. Where else do we see this perceptive substance used?

John 1:29, ‘The next day, Yochanan saw Yeshua coming toward him and said, "Look! [Behold] God's lamb! The one who is taking away the sin of the world!’

Even with this dramatic experience, Ya’akov didn’t remember so well. Sometimes we are unaware of G-d’s activity and forget!

Genesis 28:16, ‘Ya'akov awoke from his sleep and said, "Truly, ADONAI is in this place - and I didn't know it!"’

Are we aware when G-d reveals Himself to us and even more, do we always remember?

Albert Einstein described time as the fourth dimension. But there is another dimension; the fifth dimension where G-d lives, and He reveals His activity and Himself to us in our four dimensional world!

Isaiah 57:15, ‘For thus says the High, Exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy: "I live in the high and holy place but also with the broken and humble, in order to revive the spirit of the humble and revive the hearts of the broken ones.’

We all need a revelation or encounter with G-d. Can you remember receiving an encounter with G-d and experiencing the House of G-d and Gate of Heaven?

Ya’akov seemingly forgot the promises of G-d and encounter he experienced as recorded in Genesis 28 and we see in Genesis 32, he prays to G-d. He is struggling over Esav’ and he is afraid!

Genesis 32:9-13, ‘Then Ya'akov said, "God of my father Avraham and God of my father Yitz'chak, ADONAI, who told me, 'Return to your country and your kinsmen, and I will do you good': 10 I'm not worthy of all the love and faithfulness you have shown your servant, since I crossed the Yarden with only my staff. But now I have become two camps. 11 Please! Rescue me from my brother 'Esav! I'm afraid of him, afraid he'll come and attack me, without regard for mothers or children. 12 You said, 'I will certainly do you good and make your descendants as numerous as the grains of sand by the sea, which are so many they can't be counted.'" 13 He stayed there that night; then he chose from among his possessions the following as a present for 'Esav his brother.’

We certainly tend not to trust or remember!

Isaiah 30:15, ‘For this is what Adonai ELOHIM, the Holy One of Isra'el, says: "Returning and resting is what will save you; calmness and confidence will make you strong - but you want none of this!’

But G-d promises, Isaiah 32:18, ‘My people will live in a peaceful place, in secure neighborhoods and tranquil dwellings.’

Ya’akov was operating between the flesh and the spirit. He was in trouble! The Hebrew word is ‘t’sara’ which means narrowed, tight, crisis. What is threatening you right now?

Our answer to t’sara is to pray. The Hebrew word is ‘t’filah’.

1 Timothy 2:1, ‘First of all, then, I counsel that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all human beings.’

Our first response should be to pray, not to talk about our issue or to scheme about solving it!

As Ya’akov felt unworthy, he attempts to solve the problem with Esav’ using three strategies:

He prays, he sends gifts and he plans to either fight Esav’ or to escape him.

Based on the strategies he had, he demonstrated that he wasn’t truly trusting G-d. G-d had already appeared to him at Beit-El and given him promises. But now he was scheming in fear of Esav’s potential aggression.

What he didn’t know was that G-d had already changed Esav’s heart! It wasn’t Ya’akov’s plans that saved him but it was his prayer that worked as recorded in Genesis 33.

Before Ya’akov met Esav, it is recorded in Genesis 32:24, ‘and Ya'akov was left alone. Then some man wrestled with him until daybreak.’

Ya’akov was left to himself and look what happened!

G-d contended with Ya’akov and demonstrated that He was truly going to fulfill His promise to Him.

Genesis 32:25-32, ‘When he saw that he did not defeat Ya'akov, he struck Ya'akov's hip socket, so that his hip was dislocated while wrestling with him. 26 The man said, "Let me go, because it's daybreak." But Ya'akov replied, "I won't let you go unless you bless me." 27 The man asked, "What is your name?" and he answered, "Ya'akov." 28 Then the man said, "From now on, you will no longer be called Ya'akov, but Isra'el; because you have shown your strength to both God and men and have prevailed." 29 Ya'akov asked him, "Please tell me your name." But he answered, "Why are you asking about my name?" and blessed him there. 30 Ya'akov called the place P'ni-El [face of God], "Because I have seen God face to face, yet my life is spared." 31 As the sun rose upon him he went on past P'ni-El, limping at the hip. 32 This is why, to this day, the people of Isra'el do not eat the thigh muscle that passes along the hip socket - because the man struck Ya'akov's hip at its socket.’

Looking closely we see that Ya’akov won the match! But sometimes we have to lose in order to win. Our greatest hindrance can be our own strength!

So, ‘the man’ struck Ya’akov’s hip socket. So, in winning he did not really lose because G-d prevailed in his life.

This is where he met G-d and named the place P’ni-El. He had wrestled with G-d and seen His face. Interestingly, the word for face is plural. So really he had seen the ‘faces’ of G-d. G-d doesn’t always reveal Himself the same way all the time. But praise His Name He does reveal Himself to us!

Further Reading: Hosea 12:4-6, 1 Corinthians 15:46-51, Hebrews 13:5, Job 33:16, Numbers 12:6, Hebrews 10:25, Psalm 27:4-6, Psalm 84, Isaiah 14:24,27, Daniel 6:23, Psalm 91:11, Ephesians 3, Isaiah 32:18, Hosea 24:4,

Obedience of Convenience

2011-09-12T15:28:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
September 10, 2011

Deuteronomy 21: 1-14, ‘When you go out to war against your enemies, and ADONAI your God hands them over to you, and you take prisoners, 11 and you see among the prisoners a woman who looks good to you, and you feel attracted to her and want her as your wife; 12 you are to bring her home to your house, where she will shave her head, cut her fingernails 13 and remove her prison clothing. She will stay there in your house, mourning her father and mother for a full month; after which you may go in to have sexual relations with her and be her husband, and she will be your wife. 14 In the event that you lose interest in her, you are to let her go wherever she wishes; but you may not sell her for money or treat her like a slave, because you humiliated her.’

It is very interesting that the Scripture allows an Israeli who goes to war, to take for himself a woman from the goyim to be a wife, as well as the stipulations that are given for the process. Notice, he may find her attractive at the time of war, but G-d issues restrictions for her becoming a wife that virtually eliminate any outward signs of beauty. Her hair is shaved off, her nails trimmed, her ‘prison’ clothes removed (usually her best clothes would be worn when taken into captivity) and she is basically put into seclusion for a month to mourn the death of her family. Then her captor is to reassess his desire for her and either marry her or free her in a respectable way.

This passage, although unusual to our modern day behavior, emphasizes G-d’s truth that infatuation is not love and passion or lust is not love and there should not be confusion about this point. Attraction to a mate should be spiritual first and then physical. Physical attraction is still important, but should not be the primary reason for relationship.

Even our L-rd was not especially physically attractive. Our attraction to Him is spiritual first. There is a distinction made to eliminate a natural tendency for physical attraction alone.

Isaiah 53:1-2, ‘Who believes our report? To whom is the arm of ADONAI revealed? 2 For before him he grew up like a young plant, like a root out of dry ground. He was not well-formed or especially handsome; we saw him, but his appearance did not attract us.’

Recognize that Saul did not obey the L-rd but spared the best spoils of war for himself rather than completely obeying the command.

1 Samuel 15:1-4, ‘Sh'mu'el said to Sha'ul, "ADONAI sent me to anoint you king over his people, over Isra'el. Now listen to what ADONAI has to say. 2 Here is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot says: 'I remember what 'Amalek did to Isra'el, how they fought against Isra'el when they were coming up from Egypt. 3 Now go and attack 'Amalek, and completely destroy everything they have. Don't spare them, but kill men and women, children and babies, cows and sheep, camels and donkeys.'"

Did Sha’ul (Saul) obey?

1 Samuel 15:8-10, ‘He took Agag the king of 'Amalek alive; but he completely destroyed the people, putting them to the sword. 9 However, Sha'ul and the people spared Agag, along with the best of the sheep and cattle, and even the second best, also the lambs, and everything that was good - they weren't inclined to destroy these things. But everything that was worthless or weak they completely destroyed.

Saul spared what he considered the best of everything. He did not obey; he allowed himself to be guided by his senses and the outward attraction of what he saw. Not only did he completely miss a lesson G-d was teaching about the value of inward character but by not obeying G-d to destroy Amalek future generation of Israelites were directly affected through his descendants, namely Haman during the time of Esther.

G-d had made it clear what to remember!

Deuteronomy 25:17-19, ‘"Remember what 'Amalek did to you on the road as you were coming out of Egypt, 18 how he met you by the road, attacked those in the rear, those who were exhausted and straggling behind when you were tired and weary. He did not fear God. 19 Therefore, when ADONAI your God has given you rest from all your surrounding enemies in the land ADONAI your God is giving you as your inheritance to possess, you are to blot out all memory of 'Amalek from under heaven. Don't forget!”

Note that the instruction is to ‘don’t forget’. However, we are to forget when sins are forgiven!

Hebrews 8:12, ‘because I will be merciful toward their wickednesses and remember their sins no more.’

Isaiah 43:25, ‘I, yes I, am the one who blots out your offenses for my own sake; I will not remember your sins.’

However, when sins are not forgiven and there is no repentance, we are to remember!

It was over 400 years later that Saul was to remember the what Amalek had done!

Saul did not obey completely and made excuses to Samuel about it. Although, G-d’s heart weeps for those who stray, forgiveness isn’t given unless there is repentance.

Exodus 34:7, ‘showing grace to the thousandth generation, forgiving offenses, crimes and sins; yet not exonerating the guilty, but causing the negative effects of the parents' offenses to be experienced by their children and grandchildren, and even by the third and fourth generations.’
But how great is the forgiveness offered!

Isaiah 1:18, ‘"Come now," says ADONAI, "let's talk this over together. Even if your sins are like scarlet, they will be white as snow; even if they are red as crimson, they will be like wool.’

Colossians 2:13, ‘You were dead because of your sins, that is, because of your "foreskin," your old nature. But God made you alive along with the Messiah by forgiving you all your sins.’

Saul’s heart did not turn toward the L-rd; his obedience was an obedience of convenience! And his disobedience resulted in the kingdom being taken from him. It was then through Samuel that G-d’s vengeance was taken on the Amalekite.

1 Samuel 15:2, ‘Here is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot says: 'I remember what 'Amalek did to Isra'el, how they fought against Isra'el when they were coming up from Egypt.’

Saul was instructed to remember. The Hebrew word used is ‘paqad’ which means to visit or to make a deposit. At Yom HaDin (Judgement Day) the deposit is returned.

So, when we are forgiven, we also are compelled to forgive.

Ephesians 4:32, ‘Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted; and forgive each other, just as in the Messiah God has also forgiven you.’

It is a shame that Saul’s heart never turned to the L-rd for forgiveness. However, it is never too late; we are never too old to turn to Him or to obey Him! What happened to Saul does not have to happen to us.

Further Reading: John 1:9-12, Hebrews 13:4-5, 17, John 3:16-17, Revelation 1:5, Hebrews 9:14, 1John 1:7, Ephesians 1:7

Radically First

2011-08-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

Sermon Notes
Rabbi Ken Alpren
Notes by: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.

Deuteronomy 13:6-8, ‘“If your brother the son of your mother, or your son, or your daughter, or your wife whom you love, or your friend who means as much to you as yourself, secretly tries to entice you to go and serve other gods, which you haven't known, neither you nor your ancestors - 7 gods of the peoples surrounding you, whether near or far away from you, anywhere in the world - 8 you are not to consent, and you are not to listen to him; and you must not pity him or spare him; and you may not conceal him.”’

This portion of Scripture warns us to be aware that you will be enticed away from serving the One True Living G-d. Even our loved ones may entice us away.

Matthew 10:37, ‘Whoever loves his father or mother more than he loves me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than he loves me is not worthy of me.’

Of courser the L-rd wants us to love our families, but this verse emphasizes our radical need to put Him first especially as it relates to our families!

There are several Hebrew words used in the passage of Deuteronomy that are notable in regard to being tempted away from the Truth.

Looking at the Hebrew words in verse 6 of the passage in Deuteronomy, the phrase ‘secretly entice you to serve other gods’, we see “cether’ which means secretly to hide or conceal and ‘suth’ which means to incite, allure, lure or instigate. Literally, this passage cautions us about being secretly allured away or even tricked into serving other gods.

Paul’s writings caution us about the same in 2Corinthians 11:2-3, ‘For I am jealous for you with God's kind of jealousy; since I promised to present you as a pure virgin in marriage to your one husband, the Messiah; 3 and I fear that somehow your minds may be seduced away from simple and pure devotion to the Messiah, just as Havah was deceived by the serpent and his craftiness.’

The reason given in Deuteronomy 13:6 for the caution to be secretly enticed is to go and serve other gods. The Hebrew word for serve is ‘abad’ which means work. What other gods might be be tempted to work for? Money? Success? Power? Influence?

Even John cautions us in 1John 5:21, ‘Children, guard yourselves against false gods!’

Jeremiah 2:5, ‘here is what ADONAI says: "What did your ancestors find wrong with me to make them go so far away from me, to make them go after nothings and become themselves nothings?”’

Independence from G-d was the first sin in the Garden. We want to be like G-d without G-d! There is an allurement to be independent; to fall away from our dependence upon G-d and look for dependence and guidance from other places including ourselves.

We are tempted to serve the gods of others; that is the gods of people that surround us. But the Hebrew in Deuteronomy 13:6 also means ‘after G-d or G-d after’. Our tendency is to serve or worship G-d after He has done something for me or for others. The principle here is to serve and worship Him before He does anything for me! Praise Him and love Him before He answers my prayer or does anything for me or for others!

We need wisdom to be able to put G-d Radically First! Be wary of things that lure us away rather than foster the truth and healthy doctrine. Keeping the L-rd radically first not only entails staying in the truth, but also requires us to letting go or giving things back to Him.

Deuteronomy 15:18, ‘Don't resent it when you set him free, since during his six years of service he has been worth twice as much as a hired employee. Then ADONAI your God will bless you in everything you do.’

The Hebrew word for resent is ‘qasheh’ which means hard, severe, fierce or harsh. Setting things free or giving them back to the L-rd should not be hard for us because when we do, the L-rd will double bless us in all we do.

Three principles can be applied through the process of giving things up to G-d: be grateful for the past, be obedient in the present and be expectant for the future.

Hebrews 12:15, ‘See to it that no one misses out on God's grace, that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble and thus contaminates many,’

We can be grateful for the past regardless of how we have been hurt or mistreated in it; doing so will guard against developing a root of bitterness. Know, like Joseph, that G-d had His purpose through Joseph’s trials to bless others and to bless Joseph.

Genesis 50:20, ‘You meant to do me harm, but God meant it for good -so that it would come about as it is today, with many people's lives being saved.’

G-d can use our brokenness and turn it into compassion for others as we give our brokenness up to Him.

Be obedient in the present! Holding on to people, possessions and places; we need to let them go to G-d will a joyful heart and willingly.

1Chronicles 29:9, ‘The people were filled with joy, because they had given willingly - wholeheartedly they had given willingly to ADONAI; and David the king too was completely filled with joy,’

Abraham let go of Lot, Jonathan let go of his inheritance to David, Hannah let go of Samuel to the L-rd and Miriam let go of Yeshua. We also need to let go of people and things.

Finally, we need to be expectant toward the future. In the passage of Deuteronomy 15:18, we read that G-d will bless us in all we do. Let people, things, past, ourselves and our futures to G-d and He will bless us because we are obedient. He will bless us when we put him radically first in all aspects of our lives!

Further Readings: Luke 18:28-30, Philemon 10-16, 1John 5:21, Jeremiah 2:5, Jeremiah 3:14, 1John 5:16, Hebrews 12:15, Psalm 49, Psalm 51:17, Isaiah 66:1-2, Psalm 139, Romans 5:3-5

Face North!

2011-08-09T13:41:00.001-07:00

Rabbi Ken Apren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
August 6, 2011

D’var is the Hebrew word for the Book of Deuteronomy and means ‘reality or the real thing’ reminding us that G-d’s Word is true and eternal. See Matthew 24:35 and Psalm 119:89. The word deuteronomy is derived from a Greek word which means ‘second law’ and was used to name this book since it is a review of the history of Moses preparing to enter and inherit the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 1:22-23, ‘"You approached me, every one of you, and said, 'Let's send men ahead of us to explore the country for us and bring back word concerning what route we should use in going up and what the cities we will encounter are like.' 23 The idea seemed good to me, so I took twelve of your men, one from each tribe.’

What seemed good in Moses’ eyes certainly was not what G-d saw as right in His eyes. It wasn’t G-d’s plan at all for them to spy out the land prior to taking it. What seems right in our eyes may not be the L-rd’s plan for us.

Proverbs 14:12, ‘There can be a way which seems right to a person, but at its end are the ways of death.’

We are much too quick to act upon what seems right to us without waiting on the L-rd for His guidance and confirmation. We can keep going nowhere or going around in circles like the Israelites did.

Deuteronomy 2:1-3, ‘"Then we turned and began traveling into the desert along the road to the Sea of Suf, as ADONAI had said to me; and we skirted Mount Se'ir for a long time. 2 Finally ADONAI said to me, 3 'You have been going around this mountain long enough! Head north.’

For all practical purposes, the Israelites had been ‘circling the mountain’ for 38 years! Why? Because they had not trusted in the L-rd or believed Him. They made no progress and weren’t succeeding.

Ecclesiastes 1:9, ‘What has been is what will be, what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.’

The Hebrew word used in the passage of Deuteronomy for traveling around the mountain is ‘sov’ which comes from the root word ‘savav’. Savav means going around, vain or futile movement, getting exhausted, going nowhere.

How despairing!

Ecclesiastes 3:15, ‘That which was is here already; and that which will be has already been, but God seeks out what people chase after.’

Through our eyes we are quite limited, but through G-d’s eyes, we are unlimited! Even though there is nothing new under the sun, G-d is over the sun. The circuitous route taken was in the natural realm to avoid the Edomites and in the supernatural realm it was due to rebellion.

Revelation 3:8, ‘"I know what you are doing. Look, I have put in front of you an open door, and no one can shut it.’

When G-d shuts a door, nothing we can do can open it. Many times we try to open a door He has shut and eventually begin to bang our head against the wall so to speak. God is more interested in our heart than to open a door that we are persisting in trying to open. He will keep a door shut so as to affect a change in our hearts and relationship with Him. Similarly, He can open a door when it was not humanly possible to do so. We live a supernatural life as a Child of G-d, not a natural life.

After 38 years of judgement, G-d was still with His people and still imparting their judgement when He said that it had been long enough! Why had they been under judgement for so long? They had not put Him first! They were rebellious, ignoring Him, pursuing their own plans. But G-d wasn’t finished! It wasn’t over yet, nor was it the end of the story.

Finally, after all that time of judgement, circling around in the desert, He said it was time to take the Land!

Philippians 3:13-14, ‘Brothers, I, for my part, do not think of myself as having yet gotten hold of it; but one thing I do: forgetting what is behind me and straining forward toward what lies ahead, 14 I keep pursuing the goal in order to win the prize offered by God's upward calling in the Messiah Yeshua.’

It was time to move on and turn to Him!

He said, ‘Face north’ or ‘turn north’. In Hebrew, ‘p’noo lachem tsaphon’.

‘Panah’ means to turn, and is related to ‘panim’ which is face or faces of G-d; it means to face Him and turn from the wrong direction.

‘Tsaphon’ means north, or hidden, a treasure and in Scripture, north is a picture of heaven!

Isaiah 14:13, ‘You thought to yourself, 'I will scale the heavens, I will raise my throne above God's stars. I will sit on the Mount of Assembly far away in the north.’

Job 37:22, ‘Out of the north comes a golden glow, fearsome majesty surrounding God.’

In Canaanite mythology, Ba’al reigned in the north. Spiritually, Ba’al and false gods are dethroned and the One true G-d assumes the throne. By facing north, false gods are dethroned, whether they be ourselves, sin, others, things or even our past. There are no answers in these things. Face the L-rd! He is on His Throne! Face Him and He’ll dethrone Ba’al and falsehoods and assume His rightful place in our lives!

It is never too late to face north or turn to Him. He can redeem the years the locusts have eaten and turn us around to His plan and future.

Joel 2:25, ‘"I will restore to you the years that the locusts ate, the grasshoppers, shearer-worms and cutter-worms, my great army that I sent against you.”’

Turn toward that hidden place, that treasure, the L-rd.

Further Reading: Deuteronomy 1:20-27, 2 Samuel 7:1-5, Hebrews 12:1-2, Job 23:12, Col 2:3

Going Forward

2011-08-09T13:36:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
July 30, 2011

We all want to know the future! We need guidance and direction not only for our lives, but for our nation and our world.

Scripture records forty-two encampments of the Jewish people in Numbers 33 requiring the people to pull up their tents and then go forth to their next destination.

Numbers 33:1, ‘These are the stages in the journey of the people of Isra'el as they left the land of Egypt divided into groups under the leadership of Moshe and Aharon.’

The Hebrew word used in this passage for leaving the land of Egypt is ‘yatsa’ which means to go out, go forth or forward. And the Hebrew word for pulling out is ‘nasav’.

Numbers 33:2, ‘Moshe recorded each of the stages of their journey by order of ADONAI; here are the starting-points of each stage:’

As with the Israelites, G-d is keeping a record of every start and stop we make along our journey. In this instance He recorded every step from their journey out of Egypt into the Land or Haaretz.

Two important lessons can be drawn from the recorded journey of the Israelites from Egypt to Haaretz. In order to go forward we must pull up or pull out our stakes so to speak and sometimes in order to pull out, we must first just make the effort to go forward. And secondly, the final review of our lives will be recorded by G-d which will include all the steps we took in faith and obedience.

Romans 1:5-8, ‘Through him we received grace and were given the work of being an emissary on his behalf promoting trust-grounded obedience among all the Gentiles, 6 including you, who have been called by Yeshua the Messiah. 7 To: All those in Rome whom God loves, who have been called, who have been set apart for him: Grace to you and shalom from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 8 First, I thank my God through Yeshua the Messiah for all of you, because the report of your trust is spreading throughout the whole world.’

Our sins are not being recorded if we are in Messiah, however, we do experience the consequences of sin and discipline.

Our journey as a country is being recorded as well and it appears we are at a crossroads. Will we, as believers, have an impact on the course of history?

We do have the power to change things, but not in human effort! How then can we affect change? Through prayer and the Word of G-d!

Through prayer we can be in tune with G-d and listen for His Voice. We have power in prayer as the Holy Spirit leads.

G-d answers prayer!

Psalm 30:1-4, ‘A psalm. A song for the dedication of the house. By David: I will exalt you, ADONAI, because you drew me up; you didn't let my enemies rejoice over me. 2 ADONAI my God, I cried out to you, and you provided healing for me. 3 ADONAI, you lifted me up from Sh'ol; you kept me alive when I was sinking into a pit. 4 Sing praise to ADONAI, you faithful of his; and give thanks on recalling his holiness.’

David knew what it was like to have a false sense of security, but then he realized that when the L-rd’s Face was turned from him he was in deep trouble so he cried out to the L-rd and He responded!

Psalm 30:6-12, ‘Once I was prosperous and used to say, that nothing could ever shake me 7 when you showed me favor, ADONAI, I was firm as a mighty mountain. But when you hid your face, I was struck with terror. 8 I called to you, ADONAI; to ADONAI I pleaded for mercy: 9 "What advantage is there in my death, in my going down to the pit? Can the dust praise you? Can it proclaim your truth? 10 Hear me, ADONAI, and show me your favor! ADONAI, be my helper!" 11 You turned my mourning into dancing! You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 12 so that my well-being can praise you and not be silent; ADONAI my God, I will thank you forever!’

Every detail of the Israelites’ journey was recorded; where they came from and where they went. Most of the journey’s record may seem boring or mundane with occasional interruptions recording significant events as with the death of Aaron. But with G-d the entire record is important because as with us, character was being formed through every seemingly boring or mundane start and stop. They continued their journey and didn’t stop and finally reached Jericho where they were to cross the Yarden to reach Haaretz. As with us, we continue as well until we meet the L-rd!

As with the Israelites, we must be willing to pull out and move forward no matter how inconvenient. In faith, G-d gives the ability and He moves us forward to replant; but first we must be uprooted.

Psalm 1:3, ‘They are like trees planted by streams -they bear their fruit in season, their leaves never wither, everything they do succeeds.’

The Hebrew word ‘shatooll’ for planted in this passage actually means ‘replanted’. Clearly, for a plant to replanted, it must first be uprooted! Wasn’t Abraham uprooted from his home to go to the Promised Land? This principle also applies to us.

Hebrews 11 records from an eternal perspective the faithful ones and their obedience. It does not record their sins, faults or bad days, but rather, where they were obedient.
The final review of our lives, as well, G-d will have recorded our steps of obedience and not our sins. He will have recorded every time we trusted Him, when we pulled out and when we went forward. We put our hand in His, trusting His guidance knowing it is the only place to be kept safe.

Further Reading: Psalm 85, Romans 5:1-5, Isaiah 46:10 and Ephesians 1:3-4

Fully Committed

2011-08-09T13:34:00.001-07:00

Sean Bortz
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
July 23, 2007

Numbers 32:1-9, “1 The descendants of Re'uven and the descendants of Gad had vast quantities of livestock. When they saw that the land of Ya'zer and the land of Gil'ad were good for livestock, 2 the descendants of Gad and of Re'uven came and spoke to Moshe, El'azar the cohen and the community leaders. They said, 3 "'Atarot, Divon, Ya'zer, Nimrah, Heshbon, El'aleh, S'vam, N'vo and Be'on, 4 the country that ADONAI conquered before the community of Isra'el, is livestock country; and your servants have livestock. 5 If you regard us favorably," they went on, "let this land be given to your servants as their possession; and don't have us cross the Yarden." 6 Moshe answered the descendants of Gad and of Re'uven: "Are your brothers to go to war while you stay here? 7 Besides, why are you trying to discourage the people of Isra'el from crossing into the land ADONAI gave them? 8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-Barnea to see the land. 9 For when they went up to the Eshkol Valley and saw the land, they disheartened the people of Isra'el, so that they wouldn't enter the land ADONAI had given them.”

Gad and Re’uven were tempted to stay in the lush pastures of Gil’ad because they had much livestock. They weren’t considering the effect of staying east of the Yarden (or Jordan River) or what it would do to the moral of the entire Israeli community and they certainly weren’t thinking about how their actions related to the actions of their fathers just forty years prior.

When the spies had returned from the land, the report of the ten resulted in national fear and rebellion.

Numbers 14:1-3, “1 At this all the people of Isra'el cried out in dismay and wept all night long. 2 Moreover, all the people of Isra'el began grumbling against Moshe and Aharon; the whole community told them, "We wish we had died in the land of Egypt! or that we had died here in the desert! 3 Why is ADONAI bringing us to this land, where we will die by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be taken as booty! Wouldn't it be better for us to return to Egypt?"

Fear led to rebellion and the desire to return to slavery than to trust the Living G-d who had just delivered them!

Forty years later, the little children who were spared were now men with families of their own. They had wandered the desert dependent upon G-d for where to go, what to eat and what to drink. But at the very last step, right when they were about to cross the Yarden, the commitment of Gad and Re’uven was beginning to crack!

Can we not be guilty of the same? Given a view of what we think is important to us, couldn’t we also be guilty of thinking “I’ve got mine!” and our self preservation can become more important than obedience or community preservation.

Gad and Re’uven’s behavior could have brought the whole nation back to ‘square one’ so to speak. But this time, Moses intervened. Over the course of forty years leading the people through G-d’s direction, he had learned a few things about leadership! This time he spoke up and persuaded them to participate in the taking of the Promised Land. He didn’t let history repeat and fail to enter the Promised Land thus averting a national crisis!

Numbers 32:14-23, ‘14 Now you, another brood of sinners, have arisen in your fathers' place to increase still more the fierce anger of ADONAI toward Isra'el! 15 For if you turn away from him, he will leave them in the desert again, and thus you will cause the destruction of all these people!" 16 But they came up to him and said, "Here we will build enclosures for our livestock and cities for our little ones, 17 but we ourselves will be armed and ready for action to march at the head of the people of Isra'el, until we have brought them to their place. Our little ones will stay in the fortified cities here because of the people now living in the land. 18 However, we will not return to our own homes until every man in Isra'el has taken possession of his land for inheritance. 19 We will not have an inheritance with them on the other side of the Yarden, westward; because our inheritance has fallen to us on this side of the Yarden, eastward." 20 Moshe said to them, "If you will do this - if you will arm yourselves to go before ADONAI to the war, 21 and if every one of your soldiers will cross the Yarden before ADONAI, until he has driven out his enemies ahead of him, 22 and if the land has been conquered before ADONAI, and only after that do you return - then you will be clear before ADONAI and before Isra'el, and this land here will be yours to possess before ADONAI. 23 But if you will not do this, then you have sinned against ADONAI, and you must understand that your sin will find you out.

Gad and Re’uven were certainly tempted to stay put in Gil’ad because it was lush and plentiful for all their livestock. When they were confronted by Moses, although tempted to stay in Gil’ad, they chose to be obedient and participate in the taking of the Promised Land.

Temptation is not sin. Yeshua was tempted for in the wilderness after fasting for forty days! The fasting made Him sharp as a razor and when He was tempted he countered the evil one with Scripture. His time of testing made Him sharp and prepared Him for His ministry.

Similarly, we can view temptation as testing without becoming disheartened and decide to be committed to the L-rd!

Psalm 37:5, ‘Commit your way to ADONAI; trust in him, and he will act.’

There are three important facets of commitment; commitment to G-d, commitment to others and G-d’s commitment to each of us.

We cannot be truly committed to Him and others unless we know how committed He is to us!

Luke 14:25-27, ‘Large crowds were traveling along with Yeshua. Turning, he said to them, 26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, his mother, his wife, his children, his brothers and his sisters, yes, and his own life besides, he cannot be my talmid. 27 Whoever does not carry his own execution-stake and come after me cannot be my talmid.”’

The verses in Luke describe the type of commitment about which the L-rd is fostering in us. Looking closely one may be confused about what the L-rd is saying in regard to ‘hating’ your family. What He means is that because we love Him so much and are committed to Him that it will appear as though we hate our family. Of course we love our family. But the dedication and commitment toward the L-rd in comparison to the type of love we have for our family would make it seem like hating them.

Similarly, testing the commitment of His Talmidim, the L-rd says something outrageous.

John 6:53-58, ‘Then Yeshua said to them, "Yes, indeed! I tell you that unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life -- that is, I will raise him up on the Last Day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I live in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live through the Father, so also who ever eats me will live through me. 58 So this is the bread that has come down from heaven -- it is not like the bread the fathers ate; they're dead, but whoever eats this bread will live forever!"’

The type of commitment He wants from us requires us to put all else aside. He wants us to say, “My answer is yes, L-rd, what is Your bidding?”

What type of commitment do we have? Are we like Paul who on the edge of death and danger because of his commitment to the congregations, put his life in danger and went to help them anyway? See 2 Corinthians 11 and Acts 20.

The L-rd is far more committed to us than we are to Him! He is always thinking about us as described in Psalm 40 and He is the defender of our very lives based upon Psalm 27:1.

We should take commitment seriously and be careful not to over commit either. G-d takes what we say seriously; what we say matters. Nor should we be under committed.

What makes commitment to Him, to others, and His commitment to us possible? The answer is love.
John 17:20-23, ‘"I pray not only for these, but also for those who will trust in me because of their word, 21 that they may all be one. Just as you, Father, are united with me and I with you, I pray that they may be united with us, so that the world may believe that you sent me. 22 The glory which you have given to me, I have given to them; so that they may be one, just as we are one -- 23 I united with them and you with me, so that they may be completely one, and the world thus realize that you sent me, and that you have loved them just as you have loved me.”’

G-d’s Guidance

2011-06-12T11:15:00.001-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
June 11, 2011

How does G-d guide us? His guidance was recorded for the Israelites through the desert.

Numbers 9:15-23, ‘On the day the tabernacle was put up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, that is, the tent of the testimony; and in the evening, over the tabernacle was what appeared to be fire, which remained until morning. 16 So the cloud always covered it, and it looked like fire at night. 17 Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tent, the people of Isra'el continued their travels; and they camped wherever the cloud stopped. 18 At the order of ADONAI, the people of Isra'el traveled; at the order of ADONAI, they camped; and as long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they stayed in camp. 19 Even when the cloud remained on the tabernacle for a long time, the people of Isra'el did what ADONAI had charged them to do and did not travel. 20 Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle; according to ADONAI's order, they remained in camp; and according to ADONAI's order, they traveled. 21 Sometimes the cloud was there only from evening until morning; so that when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they traveled. Or even if it continued up both day and night, when the cloud was up, they traveled. 22 Whether it was two days, a month or a year that the cloud remained over the tabernacle, staying on it, the people of Isra'el remained in camp and did not travel; but as soon as it was taken up, they traveled. 23 At ADONAI's order, they camped; and at ADONAI's order, they traveled -they did what ADONAI had charged them to do through Moshe.’

This passage of Scripture is expanded from Exodus 40:38, ‘For the cloud of ADONAI was above the tabernacle during the day, and fire was in [the cloud] at night, so that all the house of Isra'el could see it throughout all their travels.’

Fire provided warmth for the cool desert nights as well as light in the darkness. It may have also kept away wild animals from the people. The cloud by day provided shade from the hot desert sun. The fire and the cloud guided and protected the people and was a symbol of His divine guidance and protection!

The Hebrew word for cloud is ‘anan’ and for fire is ‘esh’. When the cloud lifted the Israelites would set out and when it settled, they would encamp. The Hebrew words used for ‘at the order of ADONAI’ are ‘peh ADONAI’ which literally means ‘at the mouth of ADONAI’. It was at G-d’s word, then, that the cloud lifted or settled!

Not only did the cloud represent the presence of the L-rd but also the word of the L-rd!

Psalm 119:105, ‘Your word is a lamp for my foot and light on my path.’

He guides and directs us through His word and His Spirit.
G-d has a witness of His word through all creation displaying to all humanity His existence. He speaks through His creation! He can speak to us through a sunset or sunrise and we can hear Him say, “I love you!”. Even the clouds moving slowly through the sky can witness to us that He is in control; slow down and don’t worry.

Romans 1:20, ‘For ever since the creation of the universe his invisible qualities - both his eternal power and his divine nature - have been clearly seen, because they can be understood from what he has made.’

The Israelites had to trust and obey the L-rd as the cloud moved at the L-rd’s command.

Numbers 9:22, ‘Whether it was two days, a month or a year that the cloud remained over the tabernacle, staying on it, the people of Isra'el remained in camp and did not travel; but as soon as it was taken up, they traveled.

Do we obey similarly when it may be inconvenient to go or inconvenient to wait? It is too easy to run ahead or fall behind Him! We can move ahead and He has stayed or we can stay and He has moved ahead; whether individually as believers or corporately in our congregations.

The L-rd tells us to obey and He will guide us. His presence was constantly with them as they obeyed Him.

As the cloud He is the protector and as the fire He is the leader. As the cloud He is the gaurd and as the fire He is the General leading the army. We should also be watching and ready!

Mark 13:32-37, ‘However, when that day and hour will come, no one knows -- not the angels in heaven, not the Son, just the Father. 33 Stay alert! Be on your guard! For you do not know when the time will come. 34 "It's like a man who travels away from home, puts his servants in charge, each with his own task, and tells the doorkeeper to stay alert. 35 So stay alert! for you don't know when the owner of the house will come, 36 whether it will be evening, midnight, cockcrow or morning -- you don't want him to come suddenly and find you sleeping! 37 And what I say to you, I say to everyone: stay alert!"’

We can get so busy in our plans and what we are doing that we aren’t watching as we follow our own agenda that we’ve mapped out. We can keep doing things as normal and the L-rd’s presence has left us!

We don’t know when the L-rd returns, but we are to be ready. Similarly, we should be ready in all circumstances whether illness, trial or calamity. Always be ready and always be watching.

Are we available to the L-rd? Are we seeking Him? When we were born again, when we trusted Yeshua as your Messiah, His Spirit lives inside us and now leads us; dwelling in us and directing us!
Romans 8:13-14, ‘For if you live according to your old nature, you will certainly die; but if, by the Spirit, you keep putting to death the practices of the body, you will live. All who are led by God's Spirit are God's sons.’

The Greek word for ‘sons’ used in this passage describe a mature son, not a baby or newborn. If we are mature, we are being directed by the L-rd contrary to our own preferences and that indicates discipleship, growing and maturing.

Galatians 5:18, ‘But if you are led by the Spirit, then you are not in subjection to the system that results from perverting the Torah into legalism.’

The cloud by day and the fire by night reveals that His appearance doesn’t always look the same just as He can direct us differently dependent upon circumstance. Like the cloud, He can direct us to be calm, to bring comfort and conceal versus like the fire, He can direct us to shout, bring us conviction or reveal something once hidden. His Spirit is dimensional and doesn’t always lead us the same way. We need His Spirit to be dimensional; to fill us with love to counteract our fleshly selfishness, to bring joy in the midst of sorrow and to fill us with peace in turmoil. The degree of His Spirit will be made apparent based upon our availability to Him.

He is the first and the last, grace and truth and the lion and the lamb!

Be spiritually led! Let’s be open to be led, limited and enlarged by the L-rd whatever the case may be.

Further Reading: Psalm 19:1-4a, Acts 16:6-10, Psalm 29, Psalm 121, Deuteronomy 8:3, Hebrews 6:12, Matthew 28:20, Ephesians 4:30, 1 Corinthians 10, John 14:17, John 5:24, Ephesians 1:13, 4:30, 1 Kings 17

Multigenerational Congregations

2011-06-06T06:05:00.001-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
June 4, 2011

Numbers 4:21-23, 46-47, 49, ‘ADONAI said to Moshe, 22 "Take a census of the descendants of Gershon also, by clans and families; 23 count all those between thirty and fifty years old, all who will enter the corps doing the work of serving in the tent of meeting.’ ‘The census of the L'vi'im, whom Moshe, Aharon and the leaders of Isra'el enumerated by their clans and families, 47 all those between thirty and fifty years old who were part of those working to serve and working to carry loads in the tent of meeting,’ ‘According to ADONAI's order they were appointed by Moshe, each one to his specific service or work. They were also enumerated, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.’

Seven times in this portion, G-d instructed Moshe to enumerate the priests for service; He specified their service be between the ages of 30 and 50 years old. Each priest served for twenty years.

Within the congregation as with the people of Israel, there is always people of different ages with different responsibilities.

Notice the different characteristics given by the Apostle Yochanan for the different generations.

1 John 2:12-14, ‘You children, I am writing you because your sins have been forgiven for his sake. 13 You fathers, I am writing you because you have known him who has existed from the beginning. You young people, I am writing you because you have overcome the Evil One. 14 You children, I have written you because you have known the Father. You fathers, I have written you because you have known him who has existed from the beginning. You young people, I have written you because you are strong the Word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the Evil One.’

Each of us fit into one category. Where do you see yourself?

Perhaps we are not limited to one category, but we can have different aspects from all three because we have the Spirit of G-d in us.

We can be like little children with an innocence in trusting like a child. We can be strong like the young overcoming the Evil One with the Word of G-d. And we can be mature with the wisdom that comes with spiritual age, fathering or disciplining others.

1 Corinthians 4:15, ‘For even if you have ten thousand trainers in connection with the Messiah, you do not have many fathers; for in connection with the Messiah Yeshua it was I who became your father by means of the Good News.’

As mature believers we should all be pouring our lives into others, not just teaching them but ‘fathering’ them or discipling them.

The Hebrew words for children are ‘yeladim’, ‘banim’ for sons and ‘banot’ for daughters. ‘Narim’ are for the young (wide range of meaning). The Hebrew word for fathers is ‘avot’; and the word for daddy is ‘abba’.

When we are His children, born again by His Spirit, our hearts cry Abba Father!

Galatians 4:6, ‘Now because you are sons, God has sent forth into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit who cries out, "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!").’

Romans 8:15,16, ‘For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to bring you back again into fear; on the contrary, you received the Spirit, who makes us sons and by whose power we cry out, "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!"). 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our own spirits that we are children of God.’

We have a sense of really knowing Him and knowing we are His and experience that wonderful assurance and intimacy with Him!

Another word for father is ‘zaqen’; the root word is derived from ‘zaqan’ which means ‘elder’ of which the root Hebrew word means ‘beard’.

Yeshua began his ministry when He was 30 years old (Luke 3:23). It is also written in the Talmud that one must be at least 40 years old to be considered wise. Notice in the conversation recorded in Gospel of John, the age of 50 was used as a measure of wisdom.

John 8:55-58, ‘Now you have not known him, but I do know him; indeed, if I were to say that I don't know him, I would be a liar like you! But I do know him, and I obey his word. 56 Avraham, your father, was glad that he would see my day; then he saw it and was overjoyed." 57 "Why, you're not yet fifty years old," the Judeans replied, "and you have seen Avraham?" 58 Yeshua said to them, "Yes, indeed! Before Avraham came into being, I AM!"’

G-dly wisdom is not necessarily based upon chronological age, but rather through humility, obedience and submission to our L-rd. Therefore, someone younger can actually be more wise spiritually depending upon one’s relationship and experience with the L-rd.

We all need each other to be healthy multigenerationally and intergenerationally within our congregation. In fact, Yeshua demonstrated characteristics of all three delineations described in 1 John. He had a childlike relationship with the Father (Matthew 3:17), He overcame evil like a warrior (Luke 4:4) and He is One with the Father (John 10:30 and Isaiah 9:6) and fathered disciples.

In the same way, we can exhibit these characteristics as well. But don’t get too comfortable in any one delineation. Rather, let G-d expand and grow us as we follow after Him.

Further Reading: Psalm 71, Psalm 78:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12, Luke 3:23, Hebrews 5:12-14

Enlisted Soldiers

2011-05-31T06:34:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
May 27, 2011
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.

Numbers 1:1-4, ‘ADONAI spoke to Moshe in the Sinai Desert, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month of the second year after they had left the land of Egypt. He said, 2 "Take a census of the entire assembly of the people of Isra'el, by clans and families. Record the names of all the men 3 twenty years old and over who are subject to military service in Isra'el. You and Aharon are to enumerate them company by company. 4 Take with you from each tribe someone who is head of a clan.”’

This census was taken after the Tabernacle was constructed and delineated who would serve as well as provided for the arrangement of the tribes for battle. The priests were separated and counted in a different census and the priests were critical for having
G-d’s blessing on the army.

Those subject to military service were to trust in G-d’s blessings and His strength for winning battles.

Psalm 44:6-8, ‘For I don't rely on my bow, nor can my sword give me victory. 7 No, you saved us from our adversaries; you put to shame those who hate us. 8 We will boast in our God all day and give thanks to your name forever. (Selah)’

Likewise, we are to trust in the L-rd, not our own resources; the victory is not dependent upon us, but on Him!

Notice also that G-d identified leaders for the head of the clans. Similarly, each of us is called to leadership in some form or fashion. He will direct us into leadership and service by putting desires in our hearts that are confirmed through prayer. Don’t wait for someone else to take leadership and know that sometimes G-d is waiting on us to be the leader!

No experience or qualifications needed for leadership. Remember Moses and Gideon? Where they qualified when G-d called them? In fact, G-d receives more glory if we have no ability of our own and when His strength takes over our weaknesses.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10, ‘but he told me, "My grace is enough for you, for my power is brought to perfection in weakness." Therefore, I am very happy to boast about my weaknesses, in order that the Messiah's power will rest upon me. 10 Yes, I am well pleased with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties endured on behalf of the Messiah; for it is when I am weak that I am strong.”’

G-d looks at our heart and loves our faith or trust in Him!

There are several key phrases that appear in the passage when G-d instructed Moses to enumerate those for military service.

The Hebrew used when counting those for military service is ‘shi-oo et rosh’ which means to ‘lift the head of’. G-d counts people and knows every one. He numbers the fighters; those going forth to fight. When one’s head is lifted, it is easy to look into the eyes; to be counted. He is counting them and is counting on them!

Additionally, the Hebrew word ‘paqad’ is used when He is numbering the fighters. ‘Paqad’ means number, but also means visit, look after, and care for. Doesn’t He keep count of the very hairs on our head, tears we have cried and the stars in the sky? He cares individually and counts on those mature enough to do battle. Those mature enough for battle protected the nation, they contributed and worked as a unit just as the Body of Messiah is designed to do.

Many people love to fellowship with other Believers, but fellowship in the Body of Messiah is much more than enjoying social activities together! We are meant to minister to each other and those yet believing, contribute to the Body and get together for eternal purposes.

In the Numbers passage above, if the person wasn’t mature enough to fight, then he wasn’t counted. G-d counted those He could count on!

Is G-d Army a volunteer army? NO! G-d’s Army are enlisted.

2 Timothy 2:1-4, ‘So then, you, my son, be empowered by the grace that comes from the Messiah Yeshua. 2 And the things you heard from me, which were supported by many witnesses, these things commit to faithful people, such as will be competent to teach others also. 3 Accept your share in suffering disgrace as a good soldier of the Messiah Yeshua. 4 No soldier on duty gets involved with civilian affairs, since he has to please his commanding officer. ‘

What kind of soldier am I?

Fourteen times in the passage of Numbers the phrase, “all who go forth to fight” is used; in Hebrew, “kol yatsa’ tsava’”. The word ‘tsava’ is related to the word used to describe the L-rd of Hosts which is ‘ADONAI Tzevaot’. We are in warfare and their is a lot against us!

As we have a Trunity G-d; also called a Uniplural G-d, so also, we war against three main forces which are the world or social culture, the flesh or sin nature and the devil also known as Ha Satan. We fight a cultural war which is external and a carnal war which is internal.

What did Yeshua use against temptation? Clearly in Luke 4 and Matthew 4, He responds with “It is written”. He fought with the Word of G-d as should we!

1 John 2:15-17, ‘Do not love the world or the things of the world. If someone loves the world, then love for the Father is not in him; 16 because all the things of the world - the desires of the old nature, the desires of the eyes, and the pretensions of life - are not from the Father but from the world. 17 And the world is passing away, along with its desires. But whoever does God's will remains forever.’

The answer is to wield the Sword of the Spirit in the power of the Spirit! Many people know the Word of G-d but either don’t believe it to be true or aren’t following His direction and the power is not manifested in them. However, the power is manifested when the Holy Spirit is wielding the Word of G-d through us!

Most of the aspects of the Armor of G-d described in Ephesians 6 are defensive, however, two aspects are offensive; they are the Sword which is the Word of G-d and prayer! Be strong in G-d’s strength!

We are enlisted as G-d’s soldiers! Don’t get side tracked, detoured, or caught up in a lesser battle and don’t quit! Our real battle and focus should remain on sharing the Gospel and making disciples! And ultimately we are against the Adversary who opposes the spread of the Gospel and who is against the Word of G-d.

1 Timothy 1:18, ‘This charge, son Timothy, I put to you, in keeping with the prophecies already made about you, so that by these prophecies you may fight the good fight.’

Remember Yeshua will be returning as a Rider making war as described in Revelation 19!

Exodus 15:3, ‘ADONAI is a warrior; ADONAI is his name.’

He is returning to set up His Kingdom, as His enlisted soldiers let us focus on discipleship, His work and mission and don’t get entangled in lesser things!

Further Reading: Numbers 1:44-45, 1 Samuel 17:32-40, 44-45, Psalm 18:28-29, 31-34, 39; 144:1, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, 1 Timothy 6:12, Psalm 2

The Unbreakable Covenant

2011-05-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
May 21, 2011
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.

Leviticus 26:3-9, ‘"'If you live by my regulations, observe my mitzvot and obey them; 4 then I will provide the rain you need in its season, the land will yield its produce, and the trees in the field will yield their fruit. 5 Your threshing time will extend until the grape harvest, and your grape harvesting will extend until the time for sowing seed. You will eat as much food as you want and live securely in your land. 6 "'I will give shalom in the land -you will lie down to sleep unafraid of anyone. I will rid the land of wild animals. The sword will not go through your land. 7 You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall before your sword. 8 Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand -your enemies will fall before your sword. 9 "'I will turn toward you, make you productive, increase your numbers and uphold my covenant with you.”’

We must consider the seamlessness of the Old and New Testament; realizing there are differences, and know that according to 1 Corinthians 10:11, ‘These things happened to them as prefigurative historical events, and they were written down as a warning to us who are living in the acharit-hayamim.’

Know we are in covenant with the Living G-d, and that blessings and curses depend upon our obedience!

Also, know that He will never leave us or forsake us!

Hebrews 13:5, ‘Keep your lives free from the love of money; and be satisfied with what you have; for God himself has said, "I will never fail you or abandon you."’

The L-rd knows whose are His (2 Timothy 2:19)!

John 10:2-4, ‘“But the one who goes in through the gate is the sheep's own shepherd. 3 This is the one the gate-keeper admits, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep, each one by name, and leads them out.”’

We will be disciplined and chastised, but will never be taken out of His hand and nor can we even take ourselves out of His hand!

Romans 8:38-39, ‘For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers, neither what exists nor what is coming, 39 neither powers above nor powers below, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.’

We are in safe keeping, but that doesn’t mean we should live any way we want to live and in that way, the brit’ or covenant could be good or bad; it could be glorious or disastrous for Israel as well as for us.
Did you know that the L-rd has an order by which He will deal with us; for the Jew first and then the Gentile?

Romans 2:7-11, ‘To those who seek glory, honor and immortality by perseverance in doing good, he will pay back eternal life. 8 But to those who are self-seeking, who disobey the truth and obey evil, he will pay back wrath and anger. 9 Yes, he will pay back misery and anguish to every human being who does evil, to the Jew first, then to the Gentile; 10 but glory and honor and shalom to everyone who keeps doing what is good, to the Jew first, then to the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.’

The Hebrew word for honor is ‘kavod’ and also means weight. Kavod means honor and value but could also mean burden. There is privilege but also responsibility, prosperity and poverty, blessing and frustration, punishment and curse as well as success and disaster.

When referring to Israel, G-d says, in Amos 3:2, ‘"Of all the families on earth, only you have I intimately known. This is why I will punish you for all your crimes."’

Being in covenant with the L-rd is a serious matter.

Why was Israel chosen?

Genesis 12:3, ‘“I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed."’ Indeed, the L-rd has blessed us through Messiah as well as generally, through Jewish people.

We are in relationship with the one and only Living G-d and He answers our prayers!

Deuteronomy 4:7-8, ‘For what great nation is there that has God as close to them as ADONAI our God is, whenever we call on him? 8 What great nation is there that has laws and rulings as just as this entire Torah which I am setting before you today?’

In Leviticus 26 there is a 3:1 ratio of bad consequences for disobedience versus good consequences for obedience.

Our natural tendency is to turn away from Him and disobey. Four different times in the passage of Leviticus 26, He admonishes us to listen and then the bad consequences would stop. His heart is for us to turn and listen! Interestingly, in this passage the consequences get progressively worse ranging from distress, drought, invasion of wild animals, disease, siege of moral indecency, and finally, dispersion with enemies taking over the land.

Even so, our G-d does not give up on us, nor does He give up on the Israelites in Leviticus.

Leviticus 26:40-42, ‘Then they will confess their misdeeds and those of their ancestors which they committed against me in their rebellion; they will admit that they went against me. 41 At that time I will be going against them, bringing them into the lands of their enemies. But if their uncircumcised hearts will grow humble, and they are paid the punishment for their misdeeds; 42 then I will remember my covenant with Ya'akov, also my covenant with Yitz'chak and my covenant with Avraham; and I will remember the land.’

G-d’s door to restoration is always open! He won’t let us go. Can things be difficult and miserable? Yes! But He does bless us when we put Him first! The blessings can be more noticeable inwardly as expressed by Paul in Philippians 4, but G-d knows; He is familiar with the unknown, the unnamed and the unseen.

2 Corinthians 6:9, ‘unknown and famous. And we commend ourselves as God's workers headed for death, yet look! we're alive! as punished, yet not killed;’

We naturally gravitate toward those like ourselves or those who are well known or seemingly important. Even the prophet Samuel and David’s father weren’t looking for G-d to choose David, but He did choose Him.

Messiah Himself had an appearance that was not particularly outwardly attractive as expressed in Isaiah 53:2.

Let us be careful not to miss G-d because we gravitate toward being comfortable and toward those most like ourselves.

Further Reading: Psalm 89:31-38, John 15:4-8, Ephesians 2:11-12, 2 Timothy 2:16-17, Luke 8:18, Hebrews 12, Exodus 19:6, Deuteronomy 7:6-7, Ephesians 3:14, Revelation 1:13-15, Revelation 2:1, Hebrews 6:10, Psalm 139, Romans 16:8-9, Galatians 6:10, Hebrews 6:10, 1 Samuel 16

G-d's Commanded Blessing

2011-05-22T16:58:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
May 14, 2011

In the twenty-fifth chapter of Leviticus, three times the L-rd reiterates that His people not rule over or treat each other harshly; specifically in verses 43, 46 and 53. Interestingly, the Hebrew word used in these passages is ‘perek’ which is related to the Hebrew word ‘parokhet’ used for the curtain dividing the Holy Place in the Temple from the Holies Place.

When used in Leviticus, this word means with rigor, but also may mean to suffocate or stifle. Further in verse 17 of the same chapter, the word ‘yanah’ is used.

Leviticus 25:17, ‘Thus you are not to take advantage of each other, but you are to fear your God; for I am ADONAI your God.’

The instruction here with ‘yanah’ is not to oppress or wrong one another, but to fear G-d instead.

Am I critical or judgmental with others? Do I judge and draw conclusions based on appearances?

John 7:24, ‘“Stop judging by surface appearances, and judge the right way!"’

If I am judgmental I may speak harshly about someone and drive others away from the L-rd!

Romans 14:10, 12, 13, ‘You then, why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For all of us will stand before God's judgment seat, So then, every one of us will have to give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore, let's stop passing judgment on each other! Instead, make this one judgment - not to put a stumbling block or a snare in a brother's way.’ Instead, we are to ‘pursue the things that make for shalom and mutual upbuilding’ as is written in Romans 14:19.

Rabbinical teachings have cited Leviticus 25:17 and in the context, the word ‘yanah’, that our treatment and judgment of others may cause unbearable pain especially when reminding others of past transgressions.

We need to be careful! For G-d Himself says in Jeremiah 31:34 that He will remember our sins no more, ‘No longer will any of them teach his fellow community member or his brother, 'Know ADONAI'; for all will know me, from the least of them to the greatest; because I will forgive their wickednesses and remember their sins no more."’.

Our own judgements will come back to us!

Matthew 7:1-2, ‘"Don't judge, so that you won't be judged. 2 For the way you judge others is how you will be judged -- the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure to you.”’.

Would I want G-d to deal with me the way I deal with others?

In Leviticus 25, the L-rd not only gave instructions on how to deal with others, He also instructed the Israelites about the observance of Sabbath for the land they were entering.

The people would naturally be concerned about how they would survive during the Sabbath year.

Leviticus 25:20, ‘"'If you ask, "If we aren't allowed to sow seed or harvest what our land produces, what are we going to eat the seventh year?"’

What is G-d’s answer?

Leviticus 25:21, ‘“then I will order my blessing on you during the sixth year, so that the land brings forth enough produce for all three years.”’

G-d orders or commands a blessing! He promises something supernatural; something that man cannot do!

Doesn’t this remind us of what Yeshua said?

Matthew 6:31-33, ‘"So don't be anxious, asking, `What will we eat?,' `What will we drink?' or `How will we be clothed?' 32 For it is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. 33 But seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”’

The principle is that G-d honors us when we put Him first, demonstrated by the obedience of the Israelites during the Sabbath year and for us as we seek first His Kingdom knowing that He will take care of us.

Give Him our best first; not the leftovers or something that cost us nothing and He will honor it!

Proverbs 3:9, ‘Honor ADONAI with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your income.’

What about my plans? Do I pray first or do I make plans and then pray about them?

Proverbs 16:3, ‘If you entrust all you do to ADONAI, your plans will achieve success.’

Just as G-d commanded the blessing to provide for His people during the Sabbath, He does so when we forgive and live in unity with one another.

Ephesians 4:32, ‘Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted; and forgive each other, just as in the Messiah God has also forgiven you.’

Look at this verse as it relates to Psalm 133, ‘A song of ascents. By David: Oh, how good, how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in harmony. 2 It is like fragrant oil on the head that runs down over the beard, over the beard of Aharon, and flows down on the collar of his robes. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon that settles on the mountains of Tziyon. For it was there that ADONAI ordained the blessing of everlasting life.’

Unity is costly and requires humility; it requires putting our preferences and rights aside so as to love the L-rd and live together in unity.

In doing so, He commands the blessing! And what a blessing of everlasting life!

Contrast this principle with what happens when we don’t put the L-rd first as described in Haggai 1:6, ‘“You sow much but bring in little; you eat but aren't satisfied; you drink but never have enough; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who works for a living earns wages that are put in a bag full of holes.'"

If we wonder why things don’t work out or our lives are paved by obstacles, we may need to assess whether we are putting G-d first or not! We will not be free of tribulation, but our paths will be easier, better and be less stressful.

The Sabbatical year is known as Shana HaShmita and reminds us that the earth belongs to the L-rd and the Year of Jubilee is known as Shana HaYovel and reminds us that we are sojourners here on Earth.

As sojourners we are are looking toward the true Year of Jubilee or the Ultimate Yovel when we receive the fullness of His Commanded Blessing upon Yeshua’s return!

Revelation 21:3-4, ‘“I heard a loud voice from the throne say, "See! God's Sh'khinah is with mankind, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and he himself, God-with-them, will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will no longer be any death; and there will no longer be any mourning, crying or pain; because the old order has passed away."’

Further Reading: Leviticus 25:1-5, 8-10, 20-21, Malachi 3:8-10, Hebrews 11:13, Romans 2:1, Galatians 6:7, Isaiah 58:13,14, 2 Samuel 24:24, 1 Timothy 2:1, 1 Samuel 2:30, Mark 10:28-30, Romans 8:21, Acts 3:21, Revelation 20:4, Isaiah 65:17, Isaiah 11:6, 2 Peter 3:13

Israel’s Restoration

2011-05-08T20:18:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
May 7, 2011

As we celebrate Israel’s Independence and the unrest in the Middle East, we may be wondering if the current State of Israel is permanent or not.

Amos 9:15, ‘“I will plant them on their own soil, no more to be uprooted from their land, which I gave them," says ADONAI your God.’

At least seven times God promised the Land of Israel to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in Genesis.

The current State of Israel is indeed permanent and it is important that the Babylonian exile and return be distinguished from the current global return to Israel.

Isaiah 11:12, ‘He will hoist a banner for the Goyim, assemble the dispersed of Isra'el, and gather the scattered of Y'hudah from the four corners of the earth.’

What about Yeshua’s return? Does He return before Israel’s return to God?

Let’s explore three scenarios.

The first scenario’s order would begin with Israel’s national restoration, followed by Yeshua’s return and culminate with the revelation of Yeshua’s identity and spiritual rebirth of the people of Israel as described in Zechariah 12:10 which says, ‘and I will pour out on the house of David and on those living in Yerushalayim a spirit of grace and prayer; and they will look to me, whom they pierced." They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son; they will be in bitterness on his behalf like the bitterness for a firstborn son.’

A second scenario would begin with Israel’s national restoration followed by it’s spiritual rebirth and culminate with Yeshua’s return.

Acts 3:18-21, ‘But this is how God fulfilled what he had announced in advance, when he spoke through all the prophets, namely, that his Messiah was to die. 19 "Therefore, repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be erased; 20 so that times of refreshing may come from the Lord's presence; and he may send the Messiah appointed in advance for you, that is, Yeshua. 21 He has to remain in heaven until the time comes for restoring everything, as God said long ago, when he spoke through the holy prophets.’

This second scenario is quite plausible because Yeshua Himself said that His return would occur when His Jewish people would clearly be reborn demonstrated by their expression of praise for His return; which is currently occurring in Israel.

Matthew 23:39, ‘“For I tell you, from now on, you will not see me again until you say, `Blessed is he who comes in the name of ADONAI.'"

However, let us consider a third scenario which begins with Israel’s national restoration, followed by their spiritual rebirth in part, and then Yeshua’s return which then results in a full revelation to the entire State of Israel when all Israel will be saved.

Romans 11:25-27, ‘For, brothers, I want you to understand this truth which God formerly concealed but has now revealed, so that you won't imagine you know more than you actually do. It is that stoniness, to a degree, has come upon Isra'el, until the Gentile world enters in its fullness; 26 and that it is in this way that all Isra'el will be saved. As the Tanakh says, "Out of Tziyon will come the Redeemer; he will turn away ungodliness from Ya'akov 27 and this will be my covenant with them, . . . when I take away their sins."’

Regardless of the exact timing of God’s revelation to His people, we know He will revive His people demonstrated so vividly in Ezekiel 37.

Ezekiel 37:1-3, ‘With the hand of ADONAI upon me, ADONAI carried me out by his Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones. 2 He had me pass by all around them - there were so many bones lying in the valley, and they were so dry! 3 He asked me, "Human being, can these bones live?" I answered, "Adonai ELOHIM! Only you know that!"’

In this passage, Ezekiel is literally placed amongst skeletons; they are all around him and there are a multitude of them; withered and without moisture.

Consider at this point that the Lord Himself asked Ezekiel the question, “Human being, can these bones live?”

And Ezekiel answers, “Adonai ELOHIM! Only you know that!” He wasn’t going to say that is was impossible! No, he knew better and he knew that if the bones were to live, it would be through God and no other way.

What seems absolutely impossible, can be possible through Him! Notice how the Lord brings life into the bones described further in the passage. Through His Word spoken by Ezekiel which is reiterated by the passage in Romans that faith comes from hearing the Word of God.

Romans 10:17, ‘So trust comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through a word proclaimed about the Messiah.’

Ezekiel 37:4-10, ‘Then he said to me, "Prophesy over these bones! Say to them, 'Dry bones! Hear what ADONAI has to say! 5 To these bones Adonai ELOHIM says, "I will make breath enter you, and you will live. 6 I will attach ligaments to you, make flesh grow on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you. You will live, and you will know that I am ADONAI."'" 7 So I prophesied as ordered; and while I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound; it was the bones coming together, each bone in its proper place. 8 As I watched, ligaments grew on them, flesh appeared and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Next he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath! Prophesy, human being! Say to the breath that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Come from the four winds, breath; and breathe on these slain, so that they can live.'" 10 So I prophesied as ordered, and the breath came into them, and they were alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army!’

From this portion of Scripture, a three-fold phase of spiritual rebirth is illuminated!

When Ezekiel spoke the first prophesy, the bones came together and ligaments grew and flesh appeared; there was life, but no breath indicating a first phase. They were living but without the Ruach. With the second prophesy, the Ruach came into them and they stood on their feet, acknowledged and recognized and then thirdly, they were a vast army.

The Hebrew for ‘vast army’ is written, ‘maod maod chayil gadol’ translated, ‘very very great mighty’. Chayil can mean mighty or growing mightily and ‘chayil’ can also mean anguish. We know that through pain the Lord can bring about something mighty as He is now doing. We are witnessing the Ruach of God entering the hearts of His people and they are beginning to stand!

Further Reading: Ezekiel 37:11-14, Hosea 5:15-6:6, Philippians 3:7-10, Psalm 110:1, Proverbs 30:4, Psalm 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8, Isaiah 57:15, John 10:10, Isaiah 64, Psalm 85

Two Great Bible Studies

2011-04-25T13:28:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
April 24, 2011

After the L-rd was raised from the dead, He gave two great and amazing Bible Studies to His talmidim recorded in Luke 24.

Luke 24:1-9, “but the next day, while it was still very early, they took the spices they had prepared, went to the tomb, 2 and found the stone rolled away from the tomb! 3 On entering, they discovered that the body of the Lord Yeshua was gone! They were 4 standing there, not knowing what to think about it, when suddenly two men in dazzlingly bright clothing stood next to them. 5 Terror-stricken, they bowed down with their faces to the ground. The two men said to them, "Why are you looking for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has been raised. Remember how he told you while he was still in the Galil, 7 `The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be executed on a stake as a criminal, but on the third day be raised again'?" 8 Then they remembered his words; 9 and, returning from the tomb, they told everything to the Eleven and to all the rest.”

Notice the ‘two men’ reminded the women what they had already been told by Yeshua.

1 Peter 1:12-13, “For this reason, I will always remind you about these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you already have. 13 And I consider it right to keep stirring you up with reminders, as long as I am in the tent of this body.”

The women were faced with skepticism when they returned to tell the others. The others thought the women were full of nonsense! They weren’t trusting yet.

Even Kefa, although skeptical, ran to the tomb to see for himself and came away wondering what happened.

Meanwhile, the L-rd Yeshua Himself joined two talmidim who were walking to Amma’us.

Luke 24:13-19a, ‘That same day, two of them were going toward a village about seven miles from Yerushalayim called Amma'us, 14 and they were talking with each other about all the things that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed, Yeshua himself came up and walked along with them, 16 but something kept them from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, "What are you talking about with each other as you walk along?" They stopped short, their faces downcast; 18 and one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only person staying in Yerushalayim that doesn't know the things that have been going on there the last few days?" "What things?" he asked them.’

Do you think the L-rd was being intentionally deceptive by asking, “What things?” or was He probing them in order to get them to articulate for themselves the events over the past few days as well as verbally process their thoughts?

He also did not reveal Himself. Is this deceptive or was He allowing them the freedom to speak their thoughts and express their desire for His appearing?

Even with us, He will probe our hearts and minds and make it seem as though He isn’t near when in fact He is working in His way to draw our thoughts out of us and help us see things for ourselves.

Luke 24: 19b-25, ‘They said to him, "The things about Yeshua from Natzeret. He was a prophet and proved it by the things he did and said before God and all the people. 20 Our head cohanim and our leaders handed him over, so that he could be sentenced to death and executed on a stake as a criminal. 21 And we had hoped that he would be the one to liberate Isra'el! Besides all that, today is the third day since these things happened; 22 and this morning, some of the women astounded us. They were at the tomb early 23 and couldn't find his body, so they came back; but they also reported that they had seen a vision of angels who say he's alive! 24 Some of our friends went to the tomb and found it exactly as the women had said, but they didn't see him."

At this point the L-rd had enough of their unbelief! And then something marvelous happened. He began to open the Scriptures to them!

Luke 24:25-27, ‘He said to them, "Foolish people! So unwilling to put your trust in everything the prophets spoke! 26 Didn't the Messiah have to die like this before entering his glory?" 27 Then, starting with Moshe and all the prophets, he explained to them the things that can be found throughout the Tanakh concerning himself.’

Even at this point they didn’t know if was Yeshua Himself speaking to them.

What verses might He have expounded with them? Perhaps Psalm 118:22-23 from the Hallel about the rejection of the Chief Cornerstone, or Isaiah 9:6 that a child would be born, or Proverbs 30:4 concerning G-d’s Son whom we would surely know, or Psalm 22 written by David describing His crucifixion, or Daniel 9:6 that we had not listened to the prophets, or Psalm 2:7 that ADONAI has a Son and wouldn’t He have expounded the great Messianic prophesy in Isaiah 53 and Zechariah 12:10? Might He also included Hosea 5:15 that He would return to Heaven’s Throne and wait until they admit their guilt and seek Him?

Aren’t our own hearts burning now to have been there with them that day to walk with the L-rd and hear Him speak?

Yet as they approached their destination, Yeshua acted as though He were to continue on without them. Was He disinterested or was did He want them to pursue His staying with them and to demonstrate they wanted to learn more?

Luke 24:28-32, ‘They approached the village where they were going. He made as if he were going on farther; 29 but they held him back, saying, "Stay with us, for it's almost evening, and it's getting dark." So he went in to stay with them. 30 As he was reclining with them at the table, he took the matzah, made the b'rakhah, broke it and handed it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. But he became invisible to them. 32 They said to each other, "Didn't our hearts burn inside us as he spoke to us on the road, opening up the Tanakh to us?"

The entire time they were together that day, Yeshua’s identity remained hidden until He took the matzah and made the b’rakhah! At that point He was completely recognizable to them; they knew it was Him!

They immediately acted!

Luke 24:33-35, ‘They got up at once, returned to Yerushalayim and found the Eleven gathered together with their friends, 34 saying, "It's true! The Lord has risen! Shim`on saw him!" 35 Then the two told what had happened on the road and how he had become known to them in the breaking of the matzah.’

And much to their surprise, Yeshua appeared again!

Luke 24, ‘They were still talking about it when -- there he was, standing among them! 37 Startled and terrified, they thought they were seeing a ghost. 38 But he said to them, "Why are you so upset? Why are these doubts welling up inside you? 39 Look at my hands and my feet -- it is I, myself! Touch me and see -- a ghost doesn't have flesh and bones, as you can see I do." 40 As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet.’

After asking for some food, He began the second portion of His Bible study!

Luke 24:44-47, ‘Yeshua said to them, "This is what I meant when I was still with you and told you that everything written about me in the Torah of Moshe, the Prophets and the Psalms had to be fulfilled." 45 Then he opened their minds, so that they could understand the Tanakh, 46 telling them, "Here is what it says: the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day; 47 and in his name repentance leading to forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed to people from all nations, starting with Yerushalayim.’

It is at this point Yeshua ended the Bible Study with what is known as the Great Commission emphasizing that in His Name repentance and forgiveness of sin should be proclaimed into all people beginning with Jerusalem. The Greek in this passage interestingly also means that this Commission would be ‘ruled’ from Jerusalem. Remember Romans 1:16, to share the truth about repentance and forgiveness of sin in Yeshua the Jewish Messiah to the Jew first and to the nations; to both without the exclusion of either!

Wordfulness will keep us from Worldliness

2011-04-18T21:03:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
April 15, 2011
Sermon Notes by: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.

Leviticus 18:1-5, “ADONAI said to Moshe, 2 "Speak to the people of Isra'el; tell them, 'I am ADONAI your God. 3 You are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Egypt, where you used to live; and you are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Kena'an, where I am bringing you; nor are you to live by their laws. 4 You are to obey my rulings and laws and live accordingly; I am ADONAI your God. 5 You are to observe my laws and rulings; if a person does them, he will have life through them; I am ADONAI.”

Three times in this passage the L-rd says, ‘I am ADONAI’, emphasizing the point that His instruction was for the Israelites not to imitate the Goyim but to follow Him. Our ability to follow Him starts with Him and is not based upon us or our own ability. The passage also emphasizes the He is in our past and our future; where we used to live and where we are going.

As He brings us out of one place and leads us to another, there is no guarantee that life will be any easier! The truth is we are aliens here and are just passing through.

1 Peter 2:11, “Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and temporary residents not to give in to the desires of your old nature, which keep warring against you”

Where is our primary citizenship?

Philippians 3:20, “But we are citizens of heaven, and it is from there that we expect a Deliverer, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.”

He is telling us not to live in our past or even our futures here on Earth, but to live in Him! He is our G-d of the past and future and the only way to be set apart here is through Him and His Word.

Wherever He is leading us here, He is with us. Look closely at Leviticus 18:3, “You are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Egypt, where you used to live; and you are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Kena'an, where I am bringing you; nor are you to live by their laws.”

The Hebrew meaning in this verse literally means that ‘where He is coming, you are coming with me’. He leads us where He has already been. The provision for the Israelites then was G-d Word as it is for us now.

The Word of G-d keeps us and cleanses us. Yeshua exemplified this principle in John 13 when He washed His Talmidim’s feet at Pesach.

When G-d brought the Israelites from Egypt to Kena’an, He brought them from one hostile environment to another. He was with them and wanted them to be set apart and to abstain from the immorality and idolatry of these cultures.

Deuteronomy 28 explicitly details blessings for obeying the Word of G-d and being set apart as well as cursings for complying with the world. We are to be trend-setters, not culture-copiers! We are to implement G-d’s ways and be different because we are already different!

1 Corinthians 5:7-8, “Get rid of the old hametz, so that you can be a new batch of dough, because in reality you are unleavened. For our Pesach lamb, the Messiah, has been sacrificed. 8 So let us celebrate the Seder not with leftover hametz, the hametz of wickedness and evil, but with the matzah of purity and truth.”

The truth is we are already different! We will be miserable if we try to be like those around us anyway.

We are already set apart and we are set apart by His Word! John 17:17, “Set them apart for holiness by means of the truth -- your word is truth.”

Be aware that worldliness is more than our focus and fascination with outward or materials things. Worldliness begins internally with our attitude and values. Do our attitudes and values come from our culture or from the Word of G-d? If from the Word, then our thoughts are pure and our actions will result from pure hearts and minds.

What we want and where we focus our attention are our modern idols. John warned us in 1 John 5:21 to keep ourselves from idols.

So how do we keep ourselves from idols and be full of G-d’s Word rather than full of the world?

G-d is my life. Rather than living in the past or future, I am to live in Him!

How?

Colossians 3:1-3, “So if you were raised along with the Messiah, then seek the things above, where the Messiah is sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Focus your minds on the things above, not on things here on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God.”

Know we are in Him but we also must do as He says and therefore, be more like Him.

When Yeshua prayed for His Talmidim in John 17, He also prayed for us to set apart; sanctified through the Word. His prayer was for us to remain in the world, not be of the world, to be kept from evil while we are here and to be on a Mission with Him to that others would believe and know who Messiah really is.

Further Reading: Leviticus 17:10-11, 14, Jeremiah 10:2-3a, Ephesians 5:1-8, Hebrews 11:13; 13:14, John 15:3, Ephesians 5:26, Isaiah 40:8, Romans 12:1-2, Colossians 2:20, Ephesians 2:6, Colossians 3:8-11, Ephesians 4:23, 1John 2:16, Matthew 13:22, Isaiah 8:11-14, Isaiah 8:18, Deuteronomy 17:14

Distinquished

2011-03-27T20:43:00.001-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
March 26, 2011

Leviticus 11:44-47, “For I am ADONAI your God; therefore, consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am holy; and do not defile yourselves with any kind of swarming creature that moves along the ground. 45 For I am ADONAI, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. Therefore you are to be holy, because I am holy. 46 "'Such, then, is the law concerning animals, flying creatures, all living creatures that move about in the water, and all creatures that swarm on the ground. 47 Its purpose is to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, and between the creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.”

How is one distinguished? We are to be holy, set apart, separate, or other. The Hebrew word used for holy is ‘kadosh’. Our distinction as His begins with what He has done for us rather than what we might be doing for Him. Notice the Scripture says, “be holy, for I am holy.” We respond to His Holiness rather than striving for it.

1 John 4:19, “We ourselves love now because he loved us first.”

The L-rd has already made us holy and our being distinguished or set apart; indeed holy, has to do with aligning ourselves with what He has already done. See 1 Corinthians 5:7.

Our tendency is to turn our obedience into legalism without grace which results in our failing miserably and being phony living a world of contradictions. How do we avoid this trap? Be balanced in obedience, grace and love!

Hosea 11:1-4, “"When Isra'el was a child, I loved him; and out of Egypt I called my son. 2 But the more [the prophets] called them, the farther they went from them. They sacrificed to the ba'alim and offered incense to idols. 3 "Yet it was I who taught Efrayim to walk; I took them by their arms. But they did not know that it was I who was healing them, 4 who was guiding them on through human means with reins made of love. With them I was like someone removing the yoke from their jaws, and I bent down to feed them.”

We are holy, so be holy and don’t be ashamed to stand out, to be separate for G-d’s use and to be unique. We are to be distinguished! See Leviticus 11:46-47.

The L-rd distinguished between the clean and the unclean; specifically, the mammals, birds, grasshoppers and locusts, and fish. The Hebrew word used is ‘badal’ which means to divide, separate and set apart. A derivation of ‘badal’, Havdalah, is used to close out the Shabbat, distinguishing it from the rest of the week.

Being distinguished as His begins with what is permitted as food but goes beyond encompassing both spiritual and physical application. We are to avoid what pollutes us physically and spiritually because we love G-d!

Why not limit ourselves for our Master’s sake and choose to be self-sacrificing for the purpose of His training? When we submit to G-d’s provision, our character is cultivated.

What contaminates us?

James 3:6, “Yes, the tongue is a fire, a world of wickedness. The tongue is so placed in our body that it defiles every part of it, setting ablaze the whole of our life; and it is set on fire by Gei-Hinnom itself.”

Similarly, alcohol, drugs and smoking can be defiling. What do we have an appetite for that properly satisfied, nourishes us, and improperly, contaminates us? Is it movies, music, knowledge, friends, possessions, idle talk and gossip?

We so desperately need discernment, discrimination in order to distinguish ourselves.

James 3:13-18, “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him demonstrate it by his good way of life, by actions done in the humility that grows out of wisdom. 14 But if you harbor in your hearts bitter jealousy and selfish ambition, don't boast and attack the truth with lies! 15 This wisdom is not the kind that comes down from above; on the contrary, it is worldly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where there are jealousy and selfish ambition, there will be disharmony and every foul practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is, first of all, pure, then peaceful, kind, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 And peacemakers who sow seed in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”

What else will defile us?

Familiarity!

1 Corinthians 8:2-3, “The person who thinks he "knows" something doesn't yet know in the way he ought to know. 3 However, if someone loves God, God knows him.”

Familiarity can blunt our ability to learn afresh, to believe, to be healed and to see things from G-d’s point of view.

Mark 6:3-6, “Isn't he just the carpenter? the son of Miryam? the brother of Ya`akov and Yosi and Y'hudah and Shim`on? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. 4 But Yeshua said to them. "The only place people don't respect a prophet is in his home town, among his own relatives, and in his own house." 5 So he could do no miracles there, other than lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of trust. Then he went through the surrounding towns and villages, teaching.”
Being distinguished as holy includes being healthy spiritually as well as physically and being able to discern between what is clean and unclean.

Further Reading: Leviticus 11:1-7, 9-10, Proverbs 2:1-5, 10-13, Job 12:10-11, Philippians 1-9-11, 2 Timothy 2:14-17, 20-21, 1 Corinthians 5, Song of Songs 1:4, Genesis 1:14,19, 1 Samuel 20:23, 2 Corinthians 5:16, 1 John 1:17.

The Great Turn Around

2011-03-22T20:04:00.001-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
March 19, 2011

Esther 4:1-3, “When Mordekhai learned everything that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes and went out through the city, lamenting and crying bitterly. 2 He stopped before entering the King's Gate, since no one was allowed to go inside the King's Gate wearing sackcloth. 3 In every province reached by the king's order and decree, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing, as many lay down on sackcloth and ashes.”

Historically, Ha Satan has raised up people to come against the Jews; notably Pharoah, Haman, Antiochus Epiphanes, Hitler, and in our day, Ahmadinajad. All have been judged by G-d based upon Genesis 12:3, “I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed."

We can’t change the past or even the present, but G-d can add to it and redeem it through our prayers and obedience illustrated so definitively by the story of Esther. The Edict for the death of the Jews was given, but through the prayers and obedience of Esther, Mordekhai and the people, G-d turned the outcome around by an addition to the Edict.

Most recently, we have witnessed much devastation in Japan and other nations with the tsunami and earthquakes. But with His great Grace and Power and through our prayers and obedience to help, G-d can turn the devastation around. We can pray that hearts will be open to Him and that He will use this catastrophic event to draw people to Himself.

Esther 4:10-17, “Then Ester spoke to Hatakh and gave him this message for Mordekhai: 11 "All the king's officials, as well as the people in the royal provinces, know that if anyone, man or woman, approaches the king in the inner courtyard without being summoned, there is just one law - he must be put to death - unless the king holds out the gold scepter for him to remain alive; and I haven't been summoned to the king for the past thirty days." 12 Upon being told what Ester had said, Mordekhai 13 asked them to give Ester this answer: "Don't suppose that merely because you happen to be in the royal palace you will escape any more than the other Jews. 14 For if you fail to speak up now, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from a different direction; but you and your father's family will perish. Who knows whether you didn't come into your royal position precisely for such a time as this." 15 Ester had them return this answer to Mordekhai: 16 "Go, assemble all the Jews to be found in Shushan, and have them fast for me, neither eating nor drinking for three days, night and day; also I and the girls attending me will fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish." 17 Then Mordekhai went his way and did everything Ester had ordered him to do.”

Intercession and intervention go hand in hand. Esther committed to prayer and action. and G-d took what was meant for evil and turned it around.

1 Corinthians 3:19-23, “For the wisdom of this world is nonsense, as far as God is concerned; inasmuch as the Tanakh says, "He traps the wise in their own cleverness,"e 20 and again, "ADONAI knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless."f 21 So let no one boast about human beings, for all things are yours - 22 whether Sha'ul or Apollos or Kefa or the world or life or death or the present or the future: they all belong to you, 23 and you belong to the Messiah, and the Messiah belongs to God.”

He takes the things of this world and makes them ours through prayer and obedience.

When Mordekhai came to the King’s Gate he was dressed in sackcloth and ashes, Esther’s first response was to bring him fresh clothes demonstrating her fleshly inclination to play down the seriousness of the situation. But Mordekhai was serious. He didn’t allow reason to replace necessity nor past experience to alter or replace G-d’s will. He could understand Esther’s feelings, but he wasn’t sentimental. Sentimentality must not supplant Divine Urgency! We have a choice of succumbing to sites and reasonability or to submit to the Spirit of G-d! We can rationalize and be emotional or we can trust and be obedient!

Mordekhai made it clear to Esther that this was her opportunity, but if she didn’t choose to respond that He would not allow her to escape.

Ultimately, she choose to put G-d’s Will before her needs and witnessed first hand His supernatural provision for her and her people!

Why are we where we are today? Who knows, that you’ve come, just as Esther did, to the Kingdom for such as time as this?

Our purpose here is connected to G-d’s eternal purpose and plan. G-d providentially placed you where you are for an eternal purpose.

Notice that Esther did not wait long to repent. She listened to Mordekhai and without making excuses, she acted! She didn’t apologize with morbid regret or wallow in her selfishness or mistrust.

The application in this passage of Scripture is that we all tend to respond naturally first and say “no” to whatever the L-rd may be directing us to do. But G-d loves a heart that turns to Him and responds even regardless of our first response.

This principle is also illustrated by Peter who never apologized to Yeshua or the Talmidim for being a coward or for abandoning them and he wasn’t sentimental toward himself, either. He pressed forward as should we.

Phil 3:13-14, “Brothers, I, for my part, do not think of myself as having yet gotten hold of it; but one thing I do: forgetting what is behind me and straining forward toward what lies ahead, 14 I keep pursuing the goal in order to win the prize offered by God's upward calling in the Messiah Yeshua.”

Esther concluded that if she perished, she perished. The Hebrew word for perish in this passage of Esther is abad which means she is lost, or even that she has already died or dead to herself.

Gal 2:20, When the Messiah was executed on the stake as a criminal, I was too; so that my proud ego no longer lives. But the Messiah lives in me, and the life I now live in my body I live by the same trusting faithfulness that the Son of God had, who loved me and gave himself up for me. See also Galatians 6:14, Galatians 5:24, Romans 6:6 and Romans 6:2

We are here to make a difference. Like Esther we can humble ourselves and courageously go before our King and make intercession, then with His direction, take action and witness His Work on behalf of men to turn it all around; to draw people to Himself and to save them from destruction which was the result of Esther’s intercession and intervention.

Esther 8:17, “In every province and city where the king's order and decree arrived, the Jews had gladness and joy, a feast and a holiday. Many from the peoples of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews had overcome them.”

Be an Esther in your day, make a difference by being in His Presence, praying and taking action as He leads and watch Him turn it all around for His glory!

Esther 9:22, “[to commemorate] the days on which the Jews obtained rest from their enemies and the month which for them was turned from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; they were to make them days of celebrating and rejoicing, sending portions [of food] to each other and giving gifts to the poor.”

Further Reading: Matthew 16:24-26, Romans 9:3, Romans 10:1, 1 Corinthians 15:46, Philippians 3:21, Galatians 3:3

Sanctification

2011-03-13T20:12:00.001-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
March 12, 2011

Leviticus 1: 1-10, ADONAI called to Moshe and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said, 2 "Speak to the people of Isra'el; say to them, 'When any of you brings an offering to ADONAI, you may bring your animal offering either from the herd or from the flock. 3 If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he must offer a male without defect. He is to bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, so that it can be accepted by ADONAI. 4 He is to lay his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. 5 He is to slaughter the young bull before ADONAI ; and the sons of Aharon, the cohanim, are to present the blood. They are to splash the blood against all sides of the altar, which is by the entrance to the tent of meeting. 6 He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it in pieces. 7 The descendants of Aharon the cohen are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8 The sons of Aharon, the cohanim, are to arrange the pieces, the head and the fat on the wood which is on the fire on the altar. 9 He is to wash the entrails and lower parts of the legs with water, and the cohen is to cause all of it to go up in smoke on the altar as a burnt offering; it is an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for ADONAI.

Judaism has been described as a religion of action whereas Christianity has been defined by beliefs. There is something wrong with just believing without action. We are called to a life devoted to Him because we are His.

Malachi 3:16-18, Then those who feared ADONAI spoke together; and ADONAI listened and heard. A record book was written in his presence for those who feared ADONAI and had respect for his name. 17 "They will be mine," says ADONAI-Tzva'ot, "on the day when I compose my own special treasure. I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. 18 Then once again you will see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the person who serves God and one that doesn't serve him.

When we are His, we are distinguished by the fact that we serve Him!

It’s not about what we believe so much as in Whom we believe!

2 Timothy 1:12, and this is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, because I know him in whom I have put my trust, and I am persuaded that he can keep safe until that Day what he has entrusted to me.

The Sacrificial System described in Leviticus illustrates many facets of the Messiah as well as our devotion to Him, our right relationship to Him as well as our service to Him and through Him. They also beautifully illustrate aspects of our salvation and our sanctification.

There were five offerings described in Leviticus; the Burnt Offering (olah), Grain Offering (minchah), Peace Offering (shl’mim), Sin Offering (chatat) and Guilt Offering (asham). The Sin and Guilt Offerings were obligatory; whereas, the Burnt, Grain and Peace Offerings were voluntary.

The Sin and Guilt Offerings or obligatory offerings were required for forgiveness of sin and therefore are representative of our Salvation and the voluntary offerings represent our Sanctification! The Sin and Guilt Offerings signified our need to amend our relationship with G-d and the Burnt, Grain, Peace Offerings reflect our desire to improve our relationship with Him!

The Sin and Guilt Offerings provided atonement for forgiveness of sin and the Burnt, Grain and Peace Offerings resulted in a ‘satisfying aroma’.

The Burnt Offering symbolizes the complete submission or giving of oneself to the L-rd. This sacrifice not only produced a satisfying aroma but was also completely consumed; even burnt to a crisp with nothing left. Oleh is related to ascend or draw near to G-d submitting one’s will completely to Him.

This same principle is illustrated in 1 Peter 3:4, ‘rather, let it be the inner character of your heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit. In God's sight this is of great value.‘ A gentle and quiet spirit is one that is submitted, resting in His finished work as we are in our spiritual relationship with the L-rd as our Husband.

Colossians 2:6, ‘Therefore, just as you received the Messiah Yeshua as Lord, keep living your life united with him.’

And as we live our life united to Him, we are a ‘satisfying aroma’. Don’t we want our lives to be totally His and resulting in a ‘satisfying or sweet aroma’? Totally in His service as described in Romans 12:1? As such we are totally His, pleasing to Him and able to serve the eternal purpose for which He called us. We are available to Him and what He can do through us. That is sanctification; to grow more in Him as we give ourselves to Him!

Further Reading: Leviticus 4:14-20, Isaiah 43:22-25, Isaiah 53:5-8,10, 2Corinthians 2:15-16, Hebrews 10:11-13, 18-22, 1 John 2:1-2, Ephesians 3:11, 1John 3:2-3, Philippians 3:21, Romans 8:29, John 9:30, Psalm 130:4, Galatians 5:16, Ephesians 5:2, Ezekiel 20:41, Philippians 4:18

G-d Wants to Use You

2011-02-28T10:40:00.001-08:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
February 26, 2011

Proceeding the work of the Tabernacle, G-d emphasized the importance of the Shabbat.

Exodus 35:2-3, “On six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is to be a holy day for you, a Shabbat of complete rest in honor of ADONAI. Whoever does any work on it is to be put to death. 3 You are not to kindle a fire in any of your homes on Shabbat."

Acknowledgement of G-d must always be before service. There is always more to do, but G-d says there is a time to stop. He promises that if we honor Him, He will honor us. Our spiritual life depends upon honoring Him before anything else.

G-d called B’tzal’el specifically by name and filled him with the Spirit of G-d!

Exodus 35:30-31, Moshe said to the people of Isra'el, "See, ADONAI has singled out B'tzal'el the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Y'hudah. 31 He has filled him with the Spirit of God -with wisdom, understanding and knowledge concerning every kind of artisanry.

Interestingly, if we look at the Hebrew words used in the the very next verse, it is revealed how B’tzal’el would receive from G-d the knowledge and skill to do the work G-d called him to do.

Exodus 35:32, He is a master of design in gold, silver, bronze.

The Hebrew word ‘chashab’ is used twice in this verse and literally means ‘to think’. So this verse can be translated, “in thinking thoughts in order to do”. The Spirit of G-d fills us and anoints us to think thoughts and think with G-d in order to do something. Thinking is then followed with action.

G-d also put wisdom in Oholi’av heart as B’tzal’el’s assistant as well as the other gifted artisans who they trained. G-d stirred their hearts to work together to build everything for the Tabernacle.

G-d singles out people He calls into His service.

Jeremiah 5:1, "Roam the streets of Yerushalayim look around, observe and ask in its open spaces: if you can find anyone (if there is anyone!) who acts with justice and seeks the truth, I will pardon her.”

Ezekiel 22:30, "'I sought for a man among them who could build a barricade or stand in the break to oppose me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.
Isaiah 59:16, He saw that there was no one, was amazed that no one interceded. Therefore his own arm brought him salvation, and his own righteousness sustained him.

Isaiah 63:5, I looked, but there was no one to help, and I was appalled that no one upheld me. Therefore my own arm brought me salvation, and my own fury upheld me.

G-d wants to use us! He wants to use an individual. And He wants the individual to train others.

Moses was a stutterer, as was probably Paul, Rahab a prostitute, Peter a coward, David an adulterer and murderer, Samson was lustful and wayward, Gideon insecure, Solomon was idolatrous and promiscuous; these were individuals with great weaknesses that G-d made strong in Him through His Grace!

G-d makes us into what He sees us as and made us to be!

As individuals called and saved by Grace, we are then powerful and strong in our prayers.

James 5:16b, The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Prayer works! There is nothing too hard for Him! G-d heard the prayers of the prophets and saints and they were a mess. He will hear our prayers too. Really pray with earnestness and passion.

Cry to Our Father; we can pray intimately and personally especially because we pray through Yeshua the Messiah.

Galatians 4:6, Now because you are sons, God has sent forth into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit who cries out, "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!").

Isaiah 64:8, But now, ADONAI, you are our father; we are the clay, you are our potter; and we are all the work of your hands.

G-d wants to use individuals, and we are also part of a family. Each member functions to serve the Body of Messiah.

Romans 12:4-5, For just as there are many parts that compose one body, but the parts don't all have the same function; 5 so there are many of us, and in union with the Messiah we comprise one body, with each of us belonging to the others.

What is your gift? Our gifts are from Him, He has filled us with His Spirit; but our gifts are not for us but for His Glory through Him and edification of the Body of Messiah! We are not placed here for ourselves, we are not born again for ourselves, and if we are married, we are placed here for our spouse.

We are not here to be served but to serve as He gave Himself to us.

Further Reading: Exodus 35:4-5, 21, 29-31, 34, 36:1-3, Judges 6:11-16, Isaiah 63:5, Ezekiel 22:30, 1Corinthians 12:4-7, 11-13, Ephesians 2:1-5, 10, 1 Peter 4:10-11, 2Corinthians 10:10, 1Thess 5:24, Jeremiah 15:1, Ezekiel 14:14, Romans 8:15, Romans 12:6-8

Oil and Incense

2011-02-20T18:22:00.001-08:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
February 19, 2001

Exodus 30:21-33, and make them into a holy anointing oil; blend it and perfume it as would an expert perfume-maker; it will be a holy anointing oil. 26 Use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark for the testimony, 27 the table and all its utensils, the menorah and all its utensils, the incense altar, 28 the altar for burnt offerings and all its utensils, and the basin with its base. 29 You are to consecrate them - they will be especially holy, and whatever touches them will be holy. 30 Then you are to anoint Aharon and his sons - you are to consecrate them to serve me in the office of cohen. 31 "Tell the people of Isra'el, 'This is to be a holy anointing oil for me through all your generations. 32 It is not to be used for anointing a person's body; and you are not to make any like it, with the same composition of ingredients - it is holy, and you are to treat it as holy. 33 Whoever makes any like it or uses it on any unauthorized person is to be cut off from his people.”

There was not to be anything else made like the Holy Anointing Oil. It was compounded with oil and spices. Holy means not only separation from sin and culture but separation to something; to G-d and a higher purpose. In verse 31 He said it was for Him and it was not to be poured on man’s flesh. Duplication or replication of the Holy Anointing Oil would necessitate being cut off from the people.

The only people to be anointed were the High Priest and the Kings of the House of David were anointed. By application, our High Priest and the King of the House of David; King Yeshua is the Anointed One!

What does it mean for us to live in G-d’s anointing?

Exodus 30:30, Then you are to anoint Aharon and his sons - you are to consecrate them to serve me in the office of cohen.

We have been anointed and called priests as well through Messiah.

1 John 2:20, But you have received the Messiah's anointing from HaKadosh, and you know all this.

1 John 2:27, As for you, the Messianic anointing you received from the Father remains in you, so that you have no need for anyone to teach you. On the contrary, as his Messianic anointing continues to teach you about all things, and is true, not a counterfeit, so, just as he taught you, remain united with him.

G-d in the New Covenant has confirmed us and given us discernment of error and deception as we abide in Him. We need appointed teachers to speak to us and through the Spirit via the Word of G-d. Only as we abide in Him do we have His anointing, we have G-d’s authority, love, joy, healing and empowerment working in and through us.
In addition to the Holy Anointing Oil, Scripture describes the Incense.

Exodus 30:35, and make incense, blended and perfumed as would an expert perfume-maker, salted, pure and holy.

Incense is pictured like prayers and was offered twice daily. See Revelation 5:8 and 8:3. The Altar of Incense wasn’t very large; only about three feet high and eighteen inches square but the holiest item other than the Ark.

Exodus 30:35-38, and make incense, blended and perfumed as would an expert perfume-maker, salted, pure and holy. 36 You are to grind up some of it very finely and put it in front of the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; you are to regard it as especially holy. 37 You are not to make for your own use any incense like it, with the same composition of ingredients - you are to treat it as holy, for ADONAI. 38 Whoever makes up any like it to use as perfume is to be cut off from his people."

The Incense was ground and beaten finely. Aspects of Incense can be applied to prayer as we are humbled in prayer. As we pray, Satan’s power is defeated. Prayer also purifies our thoughts.

G-d reiterated that neither the Holy Anointing Oil nor the Incense should have anything else made like it.

2 Corinthians 11:3,4,and I fear that somehow your minds may be seduced away from simple and pure devotion to the Messiah, just as Havah was deceived by the serpent and his craftiness. 4 For if someone comes and tells you about some other Yeshua than the one we told you about, or if you receive a spirit different from the one you received or accept some so-called "good news" different from the Good News you already accepted, you bear with him well enough!

Is there another gospel going around today? A fraudulent or counterfeit anointing?

2 Corinthians 11:14,15, There is nothing surprising in that, for the Adversary himself masquerades as an angel of light; 15 so it's no great thing if his workers masquerade as servants of righteousness. They will meet the end their deeds deserve.

There is a movement that illustrates this trend by church leaders to get people in and out of the church building in one hour, to make the services seeker friendly with no mention of sin, to be technically clever and over organized without being Spirit led or desire to spend time in G-d presence in prayer. They twist the Word of G-d to get what they want.

2 Peter 3:16, Indeed, he speaks about these things in all his letters. They contain some things that are hard to understand, things which the uninstructed and unstable distort, to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

Don’t make anything like it and don’t make if for yourself. It will be holy to you but it is for the L-rd! Accept no counterfeit.

Further Reading: Isaiah 61:1-2, 1 Samuel16:1-13, Matthew 7:21-23, 1 John 2: 15-17, 27-28, 2 Corinthians 1:21, Galatians 1:6,7, 1 John 3:16, Isaiah 45:11, 2 Timothy 4:8

Power and Love

2011-02-13T11:19:00.000-08:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Summary by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
February 12, 2011

Exodus 28: 9-12, Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Isra'el - six of their names on one stone and the six remaining names on the other, in the order of their birth. An engraver should engrave the names of the sons of Isra'el on the two stones as he would engrave a seal. Mount the stones in gold settings, and put the two stones on the shoulder-pieces of the vest as stones calling to mind the sons of Isra'el. Aharon is to carry their names before ADONAI on his two shoulders as a reminder.

Exodus 28:15-21 "Make a breastplate for judging. Have it crafted by a skilled artisan; make it like the work of the ritual vest - make it of gold; blue, purple and scarlet yarn; and finely woven linen. 16 When folded double it is to be square - a hand-span by a hand-span. 17 Put on it settings of stones, four rows of stones: the first row is to be a carnelian, a topaz and an emerald; 18 the second row a green feldspar, a sapphire and a diamond; 19 the third row an orange zircon, an agate and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx and a jasper. They are to be mounted in their gold settings. 21 The stones will correspond to the names of the twelve sons of Isra'el; they are to be engraved with their names as a seal would be engraved, to represent the twelve tribes.

Exodus 28: 28-29, Then bind the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the vest with a blue cord, so that it can be on the vest's decorated belt, and so that the breastplate won't swing loose from the vest. 29 Aharon will carry the names of the sons of Isra'el on the breastplate for judging, over his heart, when he enters the Holy Place, as a continual reminder before ADONAI.

The priestly garments contained two especially important items. The first is the ephod commonly known in Hebrew as a vest or ritual vest and the second item is the breastplate or the choshen. This High Priestly Breastplate is known as the Coshen Mishpat or Breastplate of Judgement. The ephod had two straps that went over each shoulder each containing a stone engraved with six of the twelve names of the Sons of Israel. They are Remembrance Stones.

1 Peter 2:4, As you come to him, the living stone, rejected by people but chosen by God and precious to him.

We are chosen; male, female, Jew or Gentile, like one of those stones, engraved and placed in the setting of the High Priest’s garment. We belong to the L-rd. Yeshua is the living stone and we are in Him; like “little Yeshua’s” because we are part of Him. We are sons, and part of His Body.

Hebrews 7:24-25, But because he lives forever, his position as cohen does not pass on to someone else; 25 and consequently, he is totally able to deliver those who approach God through him; since he is alive forever and thus forever able to intercede on their behalf.

Yeshua is our High Priest representing us and ever lives to make intercession for us. We are on His shoulders which speaks of His strength and power. We are engraved, not just written, sealed by the Holy Spirit to the Day of Redemption. If we were just written we could be erased, but we are engraved and belong to Him forever. We are fixed and settled. Our names are engraved on the Messiah!

John 10:27-30, “My sheep listen to my voice, I recognize them, they follow me, 28 and I give them eternal life. They will absolutely never be destroyed, and no one will snatch them from my hands. 29 My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all; and no one can snatch them from the Father's hands. 30 I and the Father are one."

The Strength of the L-rd; He carries us on His shoulders. He completely able to save us and represents us before the Father now. G-d remembers us as His sons and daughters! Yeshua represents us in Heaven and we are here now on earth in His stead!

2 Corinthians 5:20, Therefore we are ambassadors of the Messiah; in effect, God is making his appeal through us. What we do is appeal on behalf of the Messiah, "Be reconciled to God.”

While the stones on the shoulder speak of His Strength, the Breastplate of Judgement was upon His heart and speaks of His love!

Isn’t it wonderful to know that He bears us on His heart? Now the judgement is without condemnation for those in Messiah Yeshua! Judgements have to be thrown out of court because we are made whole, righteous, and justified by His blood. See Romans 8:33,34, 1 Peter 2:24, Isaiah 53 and Romans 8:3,4.

Power and love!

Psalm 62:11-12, God has spoken once, I have heard it twice: strength belongs to God. 12 Also to you, Adonai, belongs grace (can also be translated as love); for you reward all as their deeds deserve.

Carried on His shoulders but borne on His heart!

Further Reading: Isaiah 41:8-9, Psalm 139:16, Song of Songs 8:6, Nehemiah 13:14, Ephesians 1:13-14, Philippians 1:3-7, 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4, Hebrews 9:24, Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 4:30, Numbers 7:9, 1 Chronicles 15:15, Genesis 9:15,16, Hebrews 8:12, Hebrews 10:17, Ephesians 2:10, Hebrews 6:10

Fresh Vision of the L-RD!

2011-01-30T21:08:00.001-08:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
January 29, 2011

Exodus 24:8-11, “Moshe took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant which ADONAI has made with you in accordance with all these words." 9 Moshe, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu and seventy of the leaders went up; 10 and they saw the God of Isra'el. Under his feet was something like a sapphire stone pavement as clear as the sky itself. 11 He did not reach out his hand against these notables of Isra'el; on the contrary, they saw God, even as they were eating and drinking.”

Who sees and who doesn’t see a vision of the L-rd? How do we see the L-rd? We pray that He pour out a fresh vision of who He is on us today!

In this passage 74 people saw Him together; collectively they had a vision of the L-rd. Sometimes, we can’t see Him unless we are gathered together. There is a collective blessing as we gather together and that extends to our family even when they aren’t present.

We experience the fullness and dimension of G-d when we gather together as reflected in Ephesians 1:22-23, “Also, he has put all things under his feet and made him head over everything for the Messianic Community, 23 which is his body, the full expression of him who fills all creation.” Praying alone or at home is not a substitute for coming together; there is a special blessing when we are together where the anointing comes down (Psalm 133).

In the Exodus passage, they SAW the G-d of Israel! The Hebrew word used is ra’ah means to see, to discern the G-d Elohey Israel! Then in verse 11, the passage says they GAZED at Him. The word here is chazah which is like gazing at someone you love or have a longing for, to gaze at with beloved. It also means a revelatory vision of G-d just like when we will see Him face to face. This word is also used in two other passages:

Psalm 63:2, “I used to contemplate (ra’ah) you in the sanctuary, seeing (chazah) your power and glory.” and Psalm 27:4, “Just one thing have I asked of ADONAI; only this will I seek: to live in the house of ADONAI all the days of my life, to see (chazah) the beauty of ADONAI and visit in his temple.”

We see G-d in the Face of Messiah! The Talmidim asked Yeshua to see the Father. Yeshua answered as recorded in John 14:9, “Philip said to him, "Have I been with you so long without your knowing me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”

Now we don’t yet see Him, we believe and trust. We haven’t seen Him yet, but we are going to see Him. We rejoice now without seeing His Face. We see Him now in His Body, in His Actions and His Word!

1 Peter 1:8, “Without having seen him, you love him. Without seeing him now, but trusting in him, you continue to be full of joy that is glorious beyond words.”

When John saw the Messiah in Revelation, he appeared in His glorified state as Cohen Hagadol! John knew him prior to His crucifixion as the Lamb but this time he saw Him as the Lion! He is in place of judgement now!

In Exodus they saw Him by looking upward toward the base of the Throne. When John saw Him, he fell at His feet as if dead and when Isaiah saw Him he was struck with his sinfulness. When we draw near to Him we will be impacted!

There are many passages where it is described that G-d is seen and others where we can’t see or hear His voice. Which is it?

We see G-d in a unique way now through the love we have for one another. 1John 4:12, “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains united with us, and our love for him has been brought to its goal in us.”

Now look closely at what happened in Exodus 8. The covenant was ratified through the shedding of blood and the blood was sprinkled upon the people. They saw from below the Throne of G-d and they knew they were His! They ate and drank at peace under this vision.

Similarly, under the New Covenant, with Messiah’s blood sprinkled upon us, cleansing us from our sin, washing away our past and we are now His!

Have you had an explosion in your heart knowing that He loves you, removed your past and that you can trust Him? Do you know you are His? That is a true revelation or vision of Who He Is!

When John wrote of his vision of Messiah in Revelation, his goal was showing that we might see how Yeshua HaMachiach will reign on His Throne! There was a time in John’s life when he laid his head on Yeshua’s shoulder but now he fell at his feet as dead! We must know Him as Savior but He is also King!

Ephesians 1:17-18, “the God of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, the glorious Father, to give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you will have full knowledge of him. 18 I pray that he will give light to the eyes of your hearts, so that you will understand the hope to which he has called you, what rich glories there are in the inheritance he has promised his people.”

So how do we see the L-rd? In humility as John did while on the Island of Patmos, by participating in the Body of Messiah realizing the fulness of being together and suffer with each other, and by enduring in tribulation because sometimes in the worst conditions G-d reveals Himself to us and to others.

When John saw Messiah as High Priest He was walking among the Menorahs inspecting them to see which lamps are burning brightly or not. Menorahs require oil to burn continuously never burning out. Yeshua himself was trimming the lamps so they would burn more brightly. If my light grows dim, my light can be replaced and we can become complacent indicated by making excuses and justifying myself. Here are questions to determine if I’m staying close to Him. How is my prayer time with Him? Am I hungry to study His Word? Am I witnessing and do I care about the lost? Do I want to be among His People? Do I want more of Him?

Further Reading:
Exodus 24:8-11, Ezekiel 1:26-28, Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, Ephesians 1:15,17, Revelation 1:9-18, Galatians 4:6, Hebrews 10:25, Psalm 27:4, Ephesians 1:23, Psalm 133, John 17:3, Psalm 17:15, Job 19:26-27, Isaiah 33:17, 2Corinthians 4:6, 1Peter 1:8, 2Corinthians 5:16, Judges 6:22, Isaiah 6:5, Genesis 32:30, Deuteronomy 4:12, Exodus 33:20, John 1:18, 1 Timothy 6:16, Exodus 33:23, Job 42:5, Matthew 5:8, John 5:37, John 6:46, Judges 13:22, Revelation 1:17, Hebrews 10:19, Hebrews 8:6, Hebrews 4:16, John 19:30,

Mahn from Heaven

2011-01-18T20:01:00.000-08:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
January 15, 2011

Exodus 16:1-4, “They traveled on from Eilim, and the whole community of the people of Isra'el arrived at the Seen Desert, between Eilim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after leaving the land of Egypt. 2 There in the desert the whole community of the people of Isra'el grumbled against Moshe and Aharon. 3 The people of Isra'el said to them, "We wish ADONAI had used his own hand to kill us off in Egypt! There we used to sit around the pots with the meat boiling, and we had as much food as we wanted. But you have taken us out into this desert to let this whole assembly starve to death!" 4 ADONAI said to Moshe, "Here, I will cause bread to rain down from heaven for you. The people are to go out and gather a day's ration every day. By this I will test whether they will observe my Torah or not.”

The Israelites arrived at the Seen Desert hungry and began to grumble. It was just three days after they had experienced the astounding and sensational miracle of the parting of the Sea. But they forgot and now they were hungry. It is said that the flashy and sensational miracles don’t change us or make for a solid foundation of faith. What changes us is the normal patient and seemingly ordinary work G-d does inside of us; that is what lasts.

Mahn (also known as Manna) rained down from heaven for forty years or approximately 12,520 days! This Mahn from heaven fed 2,000,000 people daily! Yeshua said for us to pray “give us this day our daily bread”. On Shabbat we have Lechem Mishnei which is a double loaf harkening back to the Mahn when a double portion was provided so they didn’t need to gather it on the sabbath. We get our bread now from the earth but it is still from G-d.

Proverbs 30:8-9, “provide just the food I need today; 9 for if I have too much, I might deny you and say, "Who is ADONAI?"And if I am poor, I might steal and thus profane the name of my God.”

Realize that He provides all our needs and we don’t truly “have” anything. Everything is the L-rd’s. When we realize this we know that we can’t loose anything. Interestingly, the word “have” does not exist in the Hebrew language.

“Mahn it is.” The Israelites had no idea what it was and Moshe said, “It is the bread the L-rd gives to you as food.” G-d was faithful to provide!

What are the lessons for us through the Mahn from Heaven?

Dependence - G-d graciously provides and this provision teaches us to depend upon Him and that He is the source of our provision and we are not provided for through our own efforts.
Obedience - be grateful in obedience and gather the Mahn just as G-d said according to need. This principle can be applied in how we each are given different gifts. Use what we are given now. If the Mahn wasn’t used it would rot or spoil. And if we wait to use what we are given we can loose it. (James 4:14) We all have been given different gifts as it pleases Him (1 Corinthians 12). Notably, this double provision of Mahn was before the Law was given; before Shabbat was commanded. The principle is to stop and rest and renew in Him and recognize He is our L-rd and Creator.
Messiah is our Lechem Hachaim or Bread of Life. Daily “bread” meets our needs. He provides for us daily through His Word and provision. To combat daily challenges and needs He provides Himself and His Word daily. We need to “eat” the bread of the Bible daily!

Further Reading: Exodus 16:1-36, Psalm 78:12-25, Matthew 25:14-29, John 6:30-35, Phil 4:19, Psalm 23:1, 1Peter 4:10, Psalm 68:19, Psalm 56:1, Psalm 52:10, Psalm 12:2, Numbers 11:7-8

Living Testimony

2011-01-09T22:07:00.000-08:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.

Exodus 10:21-23, “ADONAI said to Moshe, "Reach out your hand toward the sky, and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness so thick it can be felt!" 22 Moshe reached out his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in the entire land of Egypt for three days. 23 People couldn't see each other, and no one went anywhere for three days. But all the people of Isra'el had light in their homes.”

Note during the plagues in Egypt that some were experienced by Israel as well as the Egyptians and some were only experienced by the Egyptians. Scripture reveals that at the very least, the first three plagues were experienced by both the Israelites and Egyptians.

As believers we are trusted with difficulties, but unlike those who don’t believe, our trials serve as a living testimony of what G-d is doing in our lives.

2 Corinthians 3:2-3, “You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You make it clear that you are a letter from the Messiah placed in our care, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on human hearts.”

We are living letters or testimonies and there is purpose in our trials. One purpose is to minister comfort to others and draw others to Messiah through our afflictions.

2 Corinthians 1:3-6, “Praised be God, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, compassionate Father, God of all encouragement and comfort; 4 who encourages us in all our trials, so that we can encourage others in whatever trials they may be undergoing with the encouragement we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the Messiah's sufferings overflow into us, so through the Messiah our encouragement also overflows. 6 So if we undergo trials, it is for your encouragement and deliverance; and if we are encouraged, that should encourage you when you have to endure sufferings like those we are experiencing.”

What other purpose may our afflictions produce?

Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 humility, self control. Nothing in the Torah stands against such things.”

G-d uses us to a greater degree out of our brokenness. Paul suffered many afflictions and look how G-d used and is continuing to use his life!

2 Corinthians 11:23-27, “I've worked much harder, been imprisoned more often, suffered more beatings, been near death over and over. 24 Five times I received "forty lashes less one" from the Jews. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea. 26 In my many travels I have been exposed to danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the desert, danger at sea, danger from false brothers. 27 I have toiled and endured hardship, often not had enough sleep, been hungry and thirsty, frequently gone without food, been cold and naked.”

However, through all these trials G-d delivered! G-d is always good. What does it mean for G-d to be good? It is not what we think. Divine good works to glorify Him ultimately and create in us a testimony for Him. Trials take us out of our self-orientation and give us a G-dly vantage point. We see things from a heavenly perspective rather than from an earthly perspective. We are being conformed to Messiah and being prepared for eternity (Romans 8:29).

Meditate on Psalm 73. The psalmist begins with an earthly perspective and laments about how easy the ungodly have it and how he, on the other hand, is plagued every morning. He is troubled and jealous of others without pain (in the Hebrew the word amal is used) until he goes into G-d’s Sanctuary and it is there his perspective changes and he perceives their destiny. And there is all the difference. Once his perspective changes into G-d’s perspective he understands that G-d will never leave him but hold him by his hand. He will guide him now and even more, will receive him with honor. He realizes that G-d is for him!

Psalm 73:25, “Whom do I have in heaven but you?” This phrase can also be translated, “Who is for me in the heavens?”

We know Who is for us in the heavens. It is our L-rd and Messiah! He is interceding for us; guiding us and literally holding our hand as we are being conformed and bringing Him glory. May He help us trust Him, yield to Him and be a Living Testimony for His Glory!

Further Reading: Exodus 10:21-23, Exodus 11:4-7, Jeremiah 46:27-28, 2 Corinthians 6:3-10, Hebrews 12:1-6, 11-13

The Way of Obedience

2011-01-07T18:19:00.000-08:00

by Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.

Exodus 6:11-13, "Go in; and tell Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to let the people of Isra'el leave his land." 12 Moshe said to ADONAI, "Look, the people of Isra'el haven't listened to me; so how will Pharaoh listen to me, poor speaker that I am?" 13 But ADONAI spoke to Moshe and Aharon and gave them orders concerning both the people of Isra'el and Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to bring the people of Isra'el out of the land of Egypt.”

Moshe wanted to disobey the L-rd because he wasn’t confident in his ability to speak to Pharoah or in his ability to lead Isra’el knowing they would not listen to him. Moshe was relying on his own ability missing initially that G-d had no intention for him to rely on his own ability but to rely on Him!

2 Corinthians 1:9, “In our hearts we felt we were under sentence of death. However, this was to get us to rely not on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead!”

Do not purpose in our flesh, but put our trust in G-d whose Word and Spirit will empower us to obey whatever He calls us to do.

G-d chooses those who are unable!

1 Corinthians 1:26-29, “Just look at yourselves, brothers - look at those whom God has called! Not many of you are wise by the world's standards, not many wield power or boast noble birth. 27 But God chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise; God chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the strong; 28 and God chose what the world looks down on as common or regards as nothing in order to bring to nothing what the world considers important; 29 so that no one should boast before God.”

G-d ignored Moshe’s excuses. How do I feel when G-d ignores my excuses?

1 Corinthians 15:58, “So, my dear brothers, stand firm and immovable, always doing the Lord's work as vigorously as you can, knowing that united with the Lord your efforts are not in vain.”

Our obedience will not be in vain, but beware that our assignments may no always be outwardly successful.

Colossians 4:17, “And tell Archippus, "See that you complete the task you were given in the Lord."

The most important issue is not outward success but that we please G-d through our obedience!

You may be familiar with a poem by Robert Frost entitled The Road Not Taken. But the road we must be determined to take is the Way of Obedience! This Way will not be without peril nor will it be the Way of least resistance. In fact, we should expect peril and persecution. See 2 Timothy 3:12, Philippians 1:29, and Philippians 3:10

Additional Reading: Exodus 6:6-13, Ezekiel 3:1-9, John 15:18-20, Romans 13:11-14, 2 Corinthians 3:4-5, Colossians 4:17, Psalm 31:15, Philippians 3:8, Ephesians 3:18

Sovereign Providence

2010-12-20T21:00:00.000-08:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.

The story of Yosef displays many principles of G-d’s sovereignty and provision including forgiveness and reconciliation. After twenty-two years of history, the eyes of Yosef’s brothers were opened not only to who Yosef was but how G-d provided for their people through him.

Genesis 50:15-21, “Realizing that their father was dead, Yosef's brothers said, "Yosef may hate us now and pay us back in full for all the suffering we caused him." 16 So they sent a message to Yosef which said, "Your father gave this order before he died: 17 'Say to Yosef, "I beg you now, please forgive your brothers' crime and wickedness in doing you harm."' So now, we beg of you, forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father."Yosef wept when they spoke to him; 18 and his brothers too came, prostrated themselves before him and said, "Here, we are your slaves." 19 But Yosef said to them, "Don't be afraid! Am I in the place of God? 20 You meant to do me harm, but God meant it for good -so that it would come about as it is today, with many people's lives being saved. 21 So don't be afraid -I will provide for you and your little ones." In this way he comforted them, speaking kindly to them.”

Yosef lived through so much and completely understood what it meant to be delivered from evil and experience how G-d used circumstances for good. He lived it after his brothers sold him into slavery and G-d elevated him. His elevation to second in Egypt was not just for Yosef’s own good but for the good of Israel through the provision of their lives through the famine.

Genesis 45:5, “But don't be sad that you sold me into slavery here or angry at yourselves, because it was God who sent me ahead of you to preserve life.”

When Ya’akov died, Yosef’s brothers feared retribution and resorted to scheming and lying out of fear. But Yosef saw through their pitiful lack of trusting the L-rd.

Who do I fear more, G-d or man?

Isaiah 51:12-13, “"I, yes I, am the one who comforts you! Why are you afraid of a man, who must die; of a human being, who will wither like grass? 13 You have forgotten ADONAI, your maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. Instead, you are in constant fear all day because of the oppressor's rage, as he prepares to destroy! But where is the oppressor's rage?”

Why would we be afraid of men? Might we have forgotten G-d? We are wasting emotional energy imagining and fearing events that either don’t come to pass or aren’t even close to reality.

Yosef knew that when his brothers intended to harm him, G-d intended to use him!

This principle will change our lives if we really believe that G-d intends to use us rather than harm us.

G-d is Sovereign!

Many Scriptures illustrate His unaltered character in this regard. Here are just a few: Psalm 115:3, Proverbs 16:9, 2Kings 19:28, Proverbs 21:1, Ephesians 1:11,12 and Revelation 17:17.

Most notably, G-d presided over every aspect of the precarious life of Yeshua. Think of how He intervened in the details of bringing the Messiah safely to birth. How Miriam was called and how she was spared not only by the grace of her parents but provided for through her cousin Elizabeth. She could have been easily quietly divorced by Yosef, her betrothed, but again spared because of G-d’s intervention. At every turn and at every trial, G-d presided over Yeshua; and most especially in His death and in His resurrection.

G-d is always bigger than people!

Yosef said, “It is clear as this day (Gen. 50:17)!” He saw the bigger picture of God’s providential plan.

G-d’s love and grace goes beyond forgiveness to reconciliation. No matter how much I sense my need to be forgiven, He so much more wants to forgive me!

2Cor 5:18, “And it is all from God, who through the Messiah has reconciled us to himself and has given us the work of that reconciliation.” and Col 3:12-15, “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with feelings of compassion and with kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with one another; if anyone has a complaint against someone else, forgive him. Indeed, just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must forgive. 14 Above all these, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together perfectly; 15 and let the shalom which comes from the Messiah be your heart's decision-maker, for this is why you were called to be part of a single Body. And be thankful.”

G-d is Messiah reconciling the world to Himself. Yosef as a type of Messiah illustrated this principle perfectly to his brothers. May we also do so through Messiah’s Grace.

Dysfunctional Families

2010-11-07T23:25:00.000-08:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
November 6, 2010

Genesis 25:21, “Yitz'chak prayed to ADONAI on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. ADONAI heeded his prayer, and Rivkah became pregnant.”

G-d has a purpose in all that happens to us; our difficulties are for a reason. G-d intervened through Yitz’chak’s prayer. What Rivkah and Yitz’chak could not do naturally, through prayer, G-d did supernaturally.

When Yitz’chak and Rivkah were married, Yitz’chak was 40 years old. He was 60 years old when the twins were born. He prayed for 20 years!

The Hebrew word for prayer in this passage is ‘athar’ which means to pray, entreat, supplicate, urge, plead. We are to pray without giving up knowing that G-d’s promises allow for difficulties so we will turn to Him in prayer.

We are all dysfunctional. Right? Things don’t always go according to our plans and our timing!

David was even tempted to believe that others who didn’t even have the L-rd have it all too easy. In Psalm 73, he recounts thinking that the wicked are free of misfortune and keep increasing their wealth. David realized his thinking was wrong when he came into G-d’s presence and was given a heavenly perspective regarding their end and realized it was his poor attitude that predisposed him to envy.

Psalm 73:21-23, “When I had a sour attitude and felt stung by pained emotions, 22 I was too stupid to understand; I was like a brute beast with you. 23 Nevertheless, I am always with you; you hold my right hand.”

David was temporarily short sighted. He needed to see from G-d’s vantage point. Although there was dysfunction with the twins, even from the beginning, G-d’s purpose was being worked out.

Genesis 25:22-26, “The children fought with each other inside her so much that she said, "If it's going to be like this, why go on living?" So she went to inquire of ADONAI, 23 who answered her, "There are two nations in your womb. From birth they will be two rival peoples. One of these peoples will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger." 24 When the time for her delivery came, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first to come out was reddish and covered all over with hair, like a coat; so they named him 'Esav [completely formed, that is, having hair already]. 26 Then his brother emerged, with his hand holding 'Esav's heel, so he was called Ya'akov [he catches by the heel, he supplants].”

Notice even from birth the twins were so different. They were different in appearance and vocation. ‘Esav was a hunter and Ya’akov lived peacefully in tents.
Each of us are uniquely different; we are fearfully and wonderfully made as described in Psalm 139. Do we wish we were different from how we are? Maybe we want to be taller, smarter, thinner, stronger or have different features? If we were to be thankful for how G-d made us, perhaps we wouldn’t envy each other and allow for a root of bitterness to grow as with ‘Esav and Ya’akov.

Perhaps if we were thankful for who G-d made us to be we could allow Him to use us the way He intended; in ways we could only imagine.

We are beautiful as He made us; Jew and Gentile grafted into the Olive Tree as described in Romans 11. There is no need to try to be like others; we need to be who G-d made us to be!

‘Esav and Ya’akov were both oriented on the flesh instead of the spiritual; but with different modes of behavior and focus. ‘Esav was careless with his birthright, he lacked control and was easily persuaded to sell his birthright for a bowl of stew because he was hungry and exhausted, and he didn’t seem to care about G-d. Ya’akov was calculating and planned the method by which he would barter for the birthright and steal the blessing. He was controlling as well and used G-d and godly matters to manipulate for his own desires and purposes.

Watch G-d’s grace in retrospect toward these twins!

Hebrews 11:20, “By trusting, Yitz'chak in his blessings over Ya'akov and Esav made reference to events yet to come.”

In spite of their behavior, Yitz’chak still blessed both of them!

Even so, we must be careful to fulfill G-d’s calling on our lives and our unique purposes He has for us. He has made us each who He wants us to be; uniquely designed and chosen. We should decide to follow Him wholeheartedly to be more like Him rather than measuring ourselves to each other.

Further Reading:
1Kings 18:17-21, Isaiah 45:9-10, Romans 8:4-6, Ephesians 1:4-6, 1Corinthians 5:6, Hebrews 12:15-16, Revelation 1:6, 1Peter 2:9, Galatians 5:6, Hebrews 12:15, 1Samuel 20:18, Deuteronomy 30:4, Song of Songs 4:7, 2Corinthians 10:10-12

Two Remarkable Characters of Character

2010-10-31T19:59:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Summary by: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
October 30, 2010

Genesis 24:1-4, By now Avraham was old, advanced in years; and ADONAI had blessed Avraham in everything. 2 Avraham said to the servant who had served him the longest, who was in charge of all he owned, "Put your hand under my thigh; 3 because I want you to swear by ADONAI, God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from among the women of the Kena'ani, among whom I am living; 4 but that you will go to my homeland, to my kinsmen, to choose a wife for my son Yitz'chak."

We are introduced to Avraham’s servant; a nameless man who Avraham sent on a mission to find a wife for Yitz’chak from among Avraham’s kinsmen after the death of Sarah. Throughout this portion of Scripture, the Servant proves himself a man of G-d; faithful, humble and reliant of the L-rd’s direction.

When Avraham sent him on the mission, he encouraged the Servant to rely on the L-rd and to believe that direction would be given.

Genesis 24:7, “ADONAI, the God of heaven - who took me away from my father's house and away from the land I was born in, who spoke to me and swore to me, 'I will give this land to your descendants'- he will send his angel ahead of you; and you are to bring a wife for my son from there.”

With a positive attitude and expectation the Servant proceeded into homeland of Avraham’s kinsmen. He was determined to stick to the plan laid out for him to find a wife for Yitz’chak. And as he was seeking the L-rd for direction, something amazing happened. The L-rd answered his prayer even before he was finished praying!

Genesis 24:12-15, He said, "ADONAI, God of my master Avraham, please let me succeed today; and show your grace to my master Avraham. 13 Here I am, standing by the spring, as the daughters of the townsfolk come out to draw water. 14 I will say to one of the girls, 'Please lower your jug, so that I can drink.' If she answers, 'Yes, drink; and I will water your camels as well,' then let her be the one you intend for your servant Yitz'chak. This is how I will know that you have shown grace to my master." 15 Before he had finished speaking, Rivkah the daughter of B'tu'el son of Milkah the wife of Nachor Avraham's brother, came out with her jug on her shoulder.

Amazing! Has the L-rd ever answered your prayer even before you were finished praying? Have we noticed that He may be working toward the answer even before we can ask?

Isaiah 65:24, Before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.

Avraham’s servant watched Rivkah’s response to his request for water. Would she follow her provision of water for him with an offer to water the camels as well?

Genesis 24:19-21, When she was through letting him drink, she said, "I will also draw water for your camels until they have drunk their fill." 20 She quickly emptied her jug into the trough, then ran again to the well to draw water, and kept on drawing water for all his camels. 21 The man gazed at her in silence, waiting to find out whether ADONAI had made his trip successful or not.

Yes! She offered to provide water for the camels as well! Not only did she offer she ran to the well and quickly provided the water for all ten camels! Notice her character. She was not sluggish in her response, but quickly provided water even running to and from the well. What was it about his beautiful young woman that would give her the incentive to respond to generously and considerately? Had the L-rd been preparing her to be the wife of His Yitz’chak for her whole life?

Notice the Servant’s response to answered prayer.

Genesis 24:26-27, The man bowed his head and prostrated himself before ADONAI. 27 Then he said, "Blessed be ADONAI, God of my master Avraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love for my master; because ADONAI has guided me to the house of my master's kinsmen."

He worshipped and blessed the L-rd!

Rivkah was included in the decision to become Yitz’chak’s wife. When her family attempted to delay the process, she was given the opportunity to choose for herself and she chose to follow the L-rd and go with the Servant. Perhaps she had confirmation from the L-rd in her heart and had taken note of the Servant’s character so as to feel confident in her choice.

Genesis 24:62-67, Meanwhile, Yitz'chak, one evening after coming along the road from Be'er-Lachai-Ro'i - he was living in the Negev - 63 went out walking in the field; and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. 64 Rivkah too looked up; and when she saw Yitz'chak, she quickly dismounted the camel. 65 She said to the servant,"Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?"When the servant replied, "It's my master," she took her veil and covered herself. 66 The servant told Yitz'chak everything he had done. 67 Then Yitz'chak brought her into his mother Sarah's tent and took Rivkah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. Thus was Yitz'chak comforted for the loss of his mother.

A successful journey and answered prayer provided a wife for Yitz’chak. Rivkah and Yitz’chak were married and Yitz’chak was comforted after his mother’s death. Rivkah and Yitz’chak didn’t know one another at first but grew in their love. Their marriage was successful because of the L-rd’s provision and their dedication to Him and to each other.

The Separation and Reconciliation of Lot

2010-10-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Summary by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
October 16, 2010

Genesis 13:7-8, Moreover, quarreling arose between Avram's and Lot's herdsmen. The Kena'ani and the P'rizi were then living in the land. 8 Avram said to Lot, "Please, let's not have quarreling between me and you, or between my herdsmen and yours, since we're kinsmen.”

The Hebrew word for kinsmen is achim which means brothers or brethren. God’s greatest testimony is the love we have for each other as well as our harmony, oneness and unity in the Body of Messiah. How we fall short! Our Lord Yeshua Himself prayed in John 17:21-23, “that they may all be one. Just as you, Father, are united with me and I with you, I pray that they may be united with us, so that the world may believe that you sent me. 22 The glory which you have given to me, I have given to them; so that they may be one, just as we are one -- 23 I united with them and you with me, so that they may be completely one, and the world thus realize that you sent me, and that you have loved them just as you have loved me.” This oneness will outdo anything the secular world has to offer.

Our adversary knows that when we live in this kind of unity; the unity that only the Holy Spirit can bring, that the world will know the Love of our Lord! So he counters us with discord because it discredits us and our testimony.

Notice in the passage above that the Kena’ani and the P’rizi were living in the land; peacefully and without conflict. It was Lot and Avram who were quarreling!

Genesis 13:9-12, “Isn't the whole land there in front of you? Please separate yourself from me - if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left." 10 Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Yarden was well watered everywhere, before ADONAI destroyed S'dom and 'Amora, like the garden of ADONAI, like the land of Egypt in the direction of Tzo'ar. 11 So Lot chose all the plain of the Yarden for himself, and Lot traveled eastward; thus they separated themselves from each other. 12 Avram lived in the land of Kena'an; and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, setting up his tent near S'dom.”

Avram was “not I-but Messiah” oriented and Lot was “I-not Messiah” oriented. Lot chose the territory by what he thought he’d get for himself and Avram trusted the Lord for what Lot didn’t take. When Lot was taken captive, Avram could have easily said he got what he deserved, but Avram armed his people and went to get Lot out of the mess he had gotten into.

What opportunity do I have to behave like Avram; to show the same grace to rescue someone who has failed? Or have I been rescued like Lot by my kinsmen in Messiah who showed me grace when I had fallen short?
Do we cover and build each other up? Are we quick to judge or do we easily recognize that “it could have been me”?

2Peter 2:7-8, “but he rescued Lot, a righteous man who was distressed by the debauchery of those unprincipled people; 8 for the wicked deeds which that righteous man saw and heard, as he lived among them, tormented his righteous heart day after day.”

Notice the description of Lot in the passage! Three times Lot is referred to as righteous!

Our Lord restores what we have messed up. Can He not mend our bad choices? The answer is YES as we seek Him and go after Him.

An evidence that we belong to Him is that when we do fail (and we will and do), that we are convicted and return to Him.

Proverbs 24:16, “For though he falls seven times, he will get up again; it's the wicked who fail under stress.” and 1John 2:1-2, “My children, I am writing you these things so that you won't sin. But if anyone does sin, we have Yeshua the Messiah, the Tzaddik, who pleads our cause with the Father. 2 Also, he is the kapparah for our sins - and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.”

Our righteousness comes from Him. He is over covering, our kapparah, and we are made holy through His grace.

Conversely, the unrighteous sin without remorse, but the righteous can’t get away with sin (at least not for very long) because like David, the Holy Spirit is in our hearts. See Psalm 73.

So how do we live in the oneness of Messiah? How can we be more like Avram? By putting our flesh on the altar! Avram sacrificed his desires and put his faith in the Lord to provide. His humility and testimony outweighed his preference and prosperity.

Proverbs 22:4, “The reward for humility is fear of ADONAI, along with wealth, honor and life.” Avram operated in God’s economy that as we decrease, He will increase. It should also be noted that if we increase in our own strength, He shall cause us to decrease!

Genesis 15:1-6, “Some time later the word of ADONAI came to Avram in a vision: "Don't be afraid, Avram. I am your protector; your reward will be very great." 2 Avram replied, "ADONAI, God, what good will your gifts be to me if I continue childless; and Eli'ezer from Dammesek inherits my possessions? 3 You haven't given me a child," Avram continued, "so someone born in my house will be my heir." 4 But the word of ADONAI came to him: "This man will not be your heir. No, your heir will be a child from your own body." 5 Then he brought him outside and said, "Look up at the sky, and count the stars - if you can count them! Your descendants will be that many!" 6 He believed in ADONAI, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”

The Hebrew word for ‘look’ is ‘nabat’ which means to gaze, look, pay attention, show regard to, but it also means ‘look down upon’. Avram was dwelling on childlessness, his circumstance and that maybe it was too late for him. The Lord interrupted him and said ‘not so’ Avram! The Lord invited him to see from His perspective, to look at the stars from His viewpoint with eyes that are eternal rather than temporal. When Avram took to heart the Lord’s viewpoint after gazing at the stars and hearing the promise that his descendants would be that many, Avram believed G-d! He put his trust in Him and it was at that point when he rested in G-d’s Faithfulness that it was counted or ‘chashab’ to him as righteousness.

This week, may we have an eternal view like Avram, trusting the Lord and dreaming with Him. His dream for Avram was overwhelming and His dreams for us can be as well. Lord help us be overwhelmed by what we can believe You for!

Further reading: 1Samuel 18:1-4, 20:17, Proverbs 17:17, 18:24, and 16:19, John 12:24, Matthew 16:25, 2 Corinthians 8:9, Philippians 2:3-4, Romans 8:16, Psalm 37:24, Matthew 5:9, Hebrews 12:14, 13:1, Colossians 1:20-21, James 4:10, Isaiah 56:11, 1Corinthians 10:24.

Consider the Latter End

2010-09-13T21:45:00.000-07:00

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!
----------------------------------------
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

The Difference between Tradition and Truth

2010-09-05T15:50:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Summary by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
September 4, 2010

"Today you are standing, all of you, before ADONAI your God - your heads, your tribes, your leaders and your officers - all the men of Isra'el” Deuteronomy 29:10

We are standing in His grace, standing in warfare and standing in our deeds. We stand in His grace positionally, not on our merit or what we have done, but in His righteousness based upon His finished work and atoning sacrifice. Romans 5:2, “Also through him and on the ground of our trust, we have gained access to this grace in which we stand; so let us boast about the hope of experiencing God's glory.” See also 1Corinthians 1:30, 1Peter 5:12, Jeremiah 23:5-6.

When we stand in warfare, His power is made available to us through prayer or ‘na’ in Hebrew derived from the Hebrew word for war. We will also stand before Him in our deeds at the Bema. 2Corinthians 5:9-10, “Therefore, whether at home or away from home, we try our utmost to please him; 10 for we must all appear before the Messiah's court of judgment, where everyone will receive the good or bad consequences of what he did while he was in the body.” See also Romans 14:10-12

Traditions can be good or bad. They are good if they enhance the Word of G-d, provide structure, good memories, give anchor or security to truth, or connect us to family and history. Traditions are bad when they are placed on par with Scripture or even replace the Word of G-d and lead us away from truth or keep us in the dark.

Colossians 2:8, “Watch out, so that no one will take you captive by means of philosophy and empty deceit, following human tradition which accords with the elemental spirits of the world but does not accord with the Messiah.”

What does tradition teach regarding the Yomim Norai’im or the Days of Awe?

It is believed there are three books opened before G-d the Judge during the this time; the Book of Righteous, Wicked and In Between. During the Days of Awe, it is believed as tradition that the books are opened and names are written in the Book of Life based upon three methods of atonement whereby forgiveness can be secured and atonement made. The goal is to have one’s name inscribed and sealed for the next year through acts of repentance (teshuva), prayer (tefillah) and charity (tzedakah) tipping the scales in one’s favor. Psalm 118:19-20, “Open the gates of righteousness for me; I will enter them and thank Yah. 20 This is the gate of ADONAI; the righteous can enter it.”

These are the traditions for attaining atonement and securing salvation based upon tradition. But what does the Word of G-d say?

Psalm 119:89, “Your word continues forever, ADONAI, firmly fixed in heaven.” Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

What are the books from G-d on earth?

The Tanakh consists of the Torah (Law or first five books), Navi’im (the prophets) and Ketubim (the writings) and the Brit Chadasha (New Covenant) consists of the Gospel, Acts, Letters and Apocalypse. And unlike traditional Judaism, there is also the Lamb’s Book of Life (Sefer HaChayim) and a Book of Remembrance (Sefer HaZikaron). See Revelation 20:15, Luke 10:20 and Malachi 3:16.

What does the Word of G-d really teach us about our names being written and sealed in The Book of Life?

Our names are written based upon His atonement for us rather than our atonement for ourselves! Ephesians 1:13-14, “Furthermore, you who heard the message of the truth, the Good News offering you deliverance, and put your trust in the Messiah were sealed by him with the promised Ruach HaKodesh, 14 who guarantees our inheritance until we come into possession of it and thus bring him praise commensurate with his glory.”

Titus 3:5, “he delivered us. It was not on the ground of any righteous deeds we had done, but on the ground of his own mercy. He did it by means of the mikveh of rebirth and the renewal brought about by the Ruach HaKodesh”. See also James 1:18, 1Peter 1:23, John 5:24.

This is the hope we can live in and share with others! There is a way, His Way, for our names to be written in The Book of Life, not just for a year, but forever!

Looking closely at Deuteronomy 30:1-6, we can see that this is G-d plan for His people and for us. Israel was dispersed due to disobedience, she will remember and return to the Land (which is already occurring), she will obey the L-rd because she has returned and He has shown her mercy, her heart will be circumcised, Israel’s enemies will be judged and she will receive the full blessing of the L-rd. The circumcision of her heart and ours is by our Heavenly Moil creating an inward renewal and a desire to please Him than to sin At this point, Israel corporately and us individually will love the L-rd with all our hearts and all our beings and we will live.

Further Reading: Deuteronomy 31:10-13, 24-26, Micah 4:1-2, Psalm 119-9-16, 1Timothy 4:13,16, 2Timothy 3:16-17, Colossians 2:11, Romans 2:29, Philippians 2:13, Jeremiah 4:4, Jeremiah 17:5-8, Isaiah 8:20

First Fruits / Blessing or Curse

2010-09-01T11:48:00.000-07:00

8/28/10 Ki Tavo (When you enter in) D’varim (Deuteronomy) 26:1-29:9 (emphasis 26:1-10; 28:1-2, 13,15,62,64; 29:9;
Isaiah 50:1-28; Hebrews 11:32-40
compiled by Val Waters, sopher (scribe)
Midrash: Seth Budai
Psalm 119:137-144 Shabbat is our resting time to hide in Him, while He strengthens us (D’varim 8:3)
Psalm 121:3,4 We have a BIG God who doesn’t slumber or sleep, so we have no excuses (to give Him our all) because He gives us strength!

Teaching: Rabbi Ken Alpren
D’varim 26 is about the ceremony of First Fruits, or Bikkurim, which is covered in Mishnah Bikkurim 1:3.
Jewish farmers would tie a reed around the earliest ripening fruits from each of seven species (wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates). and at harvest time those specific plants were brought in baskets and put on oxen and led in a procession of dancing and singing to Jerusalem to be presented to the Cohanim (priests) at the Temple. The ceremony included the reading aloud of D’varim 26:1-10.
D’varim 28 is about Israel being given the choice to obey God in the promised land and thus receive His blessing, (v2 “…and all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you…” v13 “and the LORD shall make you the head and not the tail and you only shall be above and you shall not be underneath, if you will listen…”) but if they would choose to disobey God, the curse was also spelled out clearly v62 “then you shall be left few in number whereas you were as the stars of heaven for multitude” v64 “…the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth…”).

Rabbi Ken reminded the congregation that if we honor God with our first and our best as in Proverbs 3:9 our harvest will overflow our barns; and if we give Him the whole (complete) tithe, in Malachi 4: 10, He will open for us the doors of heaven and pour out blessings that overflow!

Often we hear that the Old Covenant just says we have to love God, while the New Covenant says we love God because we want to; this implies that grace wasn’t active until after Yeshua redeemed us. Rabbi Ken pointed out that the Decalogue (Sh’mot 20) begins with “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt” the LORD is saying, I redeemed you…with the implication being that the Hebrews belonged to God, that He already proved his love to His people, and asked for their obedience in return. Grace started with God in the Old Covenant also!

We are considered His holy ones, saints, kiddushim because of of what God has already done through the blood of Yeshua! He has set us apart, wants us as pure fruit, purges out the old leaven (1 Cor 5); we are already ‘matza’ or cleansed of sin!
Positional Truth Experiential Truth
our standing our state
our union our communion
our position our experience
Eph. 1;3, Heb 7:9,10 Col 3:1,2 1 Jn 2:28 Jn 15:5,7,9, Gal 1:6, 2:4, 3:1-5
John 3:31, 8:23 Gal 5;1 Heb 2:1, 2 Pet 1:19

Watchman Nee’s book, Sit, Walk Stand summarizes the book of Ephesians and who we are: with Messiah we are dead, buried, risen and ascended and now sit with Him; we walk in His calling, in health; and we stand firm, not yielding to the adversary.

a brief summary of the three tithes required when living in the land of Israel:
crops 10% to Levites, who in turn tithe to Cohanim (priests)
main tithe, 2% to priests
1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th years, a second tithe, of which 9& eaten by owner (in Jerusalem)
3rd and 6th year, poor man’s tithe, they eat it at home
1 Tim 5:17, 1 Cor 6:17 : also tithing before Torah, Abraham to Melchizedek (Gen. 14).
Abel brought 1st fruits, Cain gave left-overs: we can miss God’s blessing by stingy giving, not freely given
We can bring ourselves as first fruits also…by prioritizing our time spent in His Word! search in it, meditate upon it, read speak it aloud; speak it out loudly! We are told to not neglect hi sword, As a new believer, Rabbi Ken was challenged to spend more time in the word and told that he would get better grades without more time spent in homework, just in the Word….and it worked! We are told to meditate day and night on His Word! 1 Pet 2:2, Psalm 119:11, Ps 1. 5 loaves and 2 fish fed 5,000! God’s power is a mystery to natural man, Don’t skip worship services and expect the blessings: have company? bring them along as a testimony to your faith! Most people try giving on in crises, the LORD asks for your first fruits, not your 2nd, 3rd, or 4th best.
1 Thes 5:17, Luke 18:1 There is no formula that man can copy, the LORD’s blessings and growth and healing are supernatural!

In D’varim 28,29 Three prophecies of Israel’s dispossession are already fulfilled. Two prophecies of Israel’s restoration are already fulfilled, while the 3rd is in the process of being fulfilled. The LORD is drawing, wooing His chosen people back to Israel. Jer 16:14-16 speaks of the LORD sending fishers and hunters to help gather them, and they have also experienced the persecution.

Archaelogists have uncovered a rock engraved with the sh’ma in Hebrew, and a drawing of a mezuzah!

Blessing…D’varim 28:13 “The LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully,”

listen = sh’ma; keep =shamar; do = asah
l’malah = above (ascend, progress; below = l’mattah below, pervert, distort

It’s the LORD’s faith that empowers us. Dan 10 “I am strengthened as You speak” Heb 3:7, Jn 10:3, 10:27; Eph 4:21,
Mk 7:16, Jer 3:22, Ps 24:2, James 1:19, Ecc 5:2

Martyrs had enough FAITH to die! Let their lives be a lesson to us to NOT judge by other peoples circumstances; even Yeshua had no place to lay his head. 1 Cor 4 speaks of his having no dwelling place. The LORD will provide, He will never leave us or forsake us, Ps 19:34 says ‘we will “never see the righteous forsaken”.

D’varim 23:5
the LORD can turn curses int blessings! When we finally wake up spiritually and begin to put the LORD first, then everything will turn around! Neh 13:2, Phil 3:12-14

LORD, we believe Your blessing will overtake us if we “go” after You! Because YOU love us!

Has G-d Divorced Israel?

2010-08-24T21:40:00.000-07:00

taken from sermon by Rabbi Ken Alpren
Summary by: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
August 21, 2010

D’varim Deuteronomy 24:1-4
"Suppose a man marries a woman and consummates the marriage but later finds her displeasing, because he has found her offensive in some respect. He writes her a divorce document, gives it to her and sends her away from his house. 2 She leaves his house, goes and becomes another man's wife; 3 but the second husband dislikes her and writes her a get, gives it to her and sends her away from his house; or the second husband whom she married dies. 4 In such a case her first husband, who sent her away, may not take her again as his wife, because she is now defiled. It would be detestable to ADONAI, and you are not to bring about sin in the land ADONAI your God is giving you as your inheritance.”

G-d’s purpose in marriage was defined with the original marriage of Adam and Eve as described in Genesis 2:18, “ADONAI, G-d, said, "It isn't good that the person should be alone. I will make for him a companion suitable for helping him." and Genesis 2:24, “This is why a man is to leave his father and mother and stick with his wife, and they are to be one flesh.”

It is G-d’s divine plan for us to have a companion and to procreate.

These principles can be applied to His marriage to Israel and to His Bride through Messiah. We are to know Him intimately as first mentioned in Genesis 4:1 “The man had sexual relations with Havah his wife; she conceived, gave birth to Kayin [acquisition] and said, "I have acquired a man from ADONAI." The Hebrew word used in this passage is ‘yada’ which means to know Him. This principle is also revealed in 1Corinthians 6:15-17, “Don't you know that your bodies are parts of the Messiah? So, am I to take parts of the Messiah and make them parts of a prostitute? Heaven forbid! 16 Don't you know that a man who joins himself to a prostitute becomes physically one with her? For the Tanakh says, "The two will become one flesh"; 17 but the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” In this way, we are part of Him and He is part of us.

Secondly, we are to procreate. That is, bring others to know Him. See Proverbs 11:30 and Daniel 12:3. G-d wants us to participate with Him to draw others to Himself which mirrors procreation.

We see in Deuteronomy 24:1, that a wife who displeases her husband is issued a get, or Bill of Divorcement. There is controversy at to the grounds for divorce allowed by Scripture. When is it permissible? We know that G-d hates divorce; it is not what He intended. But there are times when it is permitted due to human circumstances. Messiah answered this directly as recorded in Matthew 19:3-9, “Some P'rushim came and tried to trap him by asking, "Is it permitted for a man to divorce his wife on any ground whatever?" 4 He replied, "Haven't you read that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female, 5 and that he said, `For this reason a man should leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two are to become one flesh'? 6 Thus they are no longer two, but one. So then, no one should split apart what God has joined together." 7 They said to him, "Then why did Moshe give the commandment that a man should hand his wife a get and divorce her?" 8 He answered, "Moshe allowed you to divorce your wives because your hearts are so hardened. But this is not how it was at the beginning. 9 Now what I say to you is that whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery!" Additionally, Scripture cites abandonment in 1Corinthians 7:15. And although not specifically cited in Scripture, abuse, especially when one’s life is in danger, would be obvious grounds for divorce.

It is also obvious from Scripture that divorce is not an option due to incompatibility or if one is attracted to someone else.

Since there are cases when G-d permits divorce, we should be cautiously aware of self-righteousness and choose grace rather than judgement. In the same way, we should be cautious not to advocate it either, but to always encourage reconciliation.

Hosea waited years before Gomer, his wife was restored to him. See Hosea 2:19-20. G-d loves the divorcee. So should we.

Has G-d divorced Israel or has He remarried her?

Clearly, Deuteronomy 24 does not advocate divorce followed by remarriage. So, either G-d has divorced Israel or He never did. We believe Scripture makes it clear that G-d never divorced Israel. He has never left her nor will He ever leave us. See Isaiah 50:1ADONAI says: "Where is your mother's divorce document which I gave her when I divorced her? Or: to which of my creditors did I sell you? You were sold because of your sins; because of your crimes was your mother divorced.” It is understood in this passage that by the L-rd asking the question, He is saying that a divorce document would not be found because He hasn’t divorced Israel. And Jeremiah 3:8, “I saw that even though backsliding Isra'el had committed adultery, so that I had sent her away and given her a divorce document, unfaithful Y'hudah her sister was not moved to fear - instead she too went and prostituted herself.” These passages indicate a temporary divorce; what we would refer to today as a separation.

G-d’s heart was broken for Israel; and He hasn’t given up on her. His heart is for her return. Jeremiah 3:14, "Return, backsliding children," says ADONAI; "for I am your master. I will take you, one from a city, two from a family, and bring you to Tziyon.”

Experientially, the relationship is as if it were dead, but G-d is wooing her back to Him. We believe this is indicative of where Israel and G-d are now. See Hosea 2:14-20. He is wooing her back because He is betrothed to her forever.

Hosea 2:20, “I will betroth you to me forever; yes, I will betroth you to me in righteousness, in justice, in grace and in compassion; 20 I will betroth you to me in faithfulness, and you will know ADONAI.”

We see clearly that G-d is married to Israel, has pleaded with her not to go away but she does. He disciplines her through a temporary divorce and is wooing her back and will rededicate the marriage with her.

His judgement is not final but He judges in order to bring a restoration of the covenant relationship. He deals with the Bride of Messiah likewise. We are joined with Him in Messiah, we are disciplined because we are sons and daughters and because we are His, He woos us back and the fruit of the discipline is righteousness. See Hebrews 12:6-11, Proverbs 12:1, 1 Corinthians 11:32 and 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Further Reading: Romans 8:35, 38-39, Romans 11:1-2, 5

CALLED OR COMPELLED? G-D IS NOT DESPERATE

2010-08-16T08:24:00.000-07:00

D’varim 20:1-9; Read T’hillim (Psalm) 3

“When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses, and chariots, and troops who outnumber you, do not be afraid of them, for the L-RD your God is with you . . . As you draw near to the battle, the kohen shall approach and speak to the soldiers, and say . . . ‘Hear O Israel . . . do not let your hearts faint, do not fear, and do not tremble, nor be terrified . . . for the L-RD your God is He who goes with you to fight for you . . . to deliver you. . . . Who has built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him go and return . . . Who has planted a vineyard? . . . go and return . . . Who has become engaged . . . go and return . . .Who is fearful and fainthearted? . . . go and return.’”

It would seem that in going up against a formidable enemy, one would be eager to recruit the largest number of soldiers possible. Not so with G-d. G-d is not desperate. He is neither desperate for quantity of people, nor for resources. He is content to allow seemingly “needed” people to go home instead of remaining to fight. This would not appear the case with some Ministry organizations, where desperate, guilt-inducing appeals are used to recruit resources of people and finances. Indeed we would learn this principle: urgency is not necessarily spirituality. It can be, but it also often is not. Hasty decisions fostered out of fear or guilt -- prompted through pressure from frantic persons - are usually followed by regret. “He that believes shall not make haste” - Is. 28:16.

God knows that winning requires total focus and devotion. He would rather work with the few who are devoted, then the many who are distracted.
“And Asa cried to the LORD his God, and said, ‘LORD, it is nothing with You to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude.’” 2 Chron. 14:11.
“Then said David to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.’” - I Sam. 17:45.
“Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles.” - 2 Chr. 32:7-8.
“Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. . .” - Ps. 27:3.
“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” - Rom. 8:31.

One cannot compete well if divided in commitment. This is why the L-rd tells many to go home - but without condemnation - for G-d is not desperate. We do not serve the L-rd in our humanity’s capacity because we are compelled out of obligation. We serve Him because we are called through His Word of grace which imparts Divine capacity (Acts 20:32). The kohen (priest) spoke G-d’s Word to the people, the officers echoed it, and the people were empowered and released from fear. As the Kohen Gadol (Great Priest) speaks to me, I am strengthened and can do all things through Him (Dan. 10:19; Phil. 4:13). For freedom, Messiah has set us free . . . that we might attend upon the Lord without distraction (Gal. 5:1; I Cor. 7:35).

Spiritual authority is empowering, not demolishing. It does not feel the need to contain and control, but is anointed to release, to energize, to mobilize (2 Cor. 1:24; 10:8). God does not corral us out of desperate urgency, but He calls us and furnishes us through grace - for He knows both who will win, and how to win.

Rabbi Ken Alpren

G-d’s Purpose to make us like Messiah

2010-08-02T10:30:00.001-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Summary by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
July 31, 2010

Deuteronomy 8: 17, “you will think to yourself, 'My own power and the strength of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.'”
Deuteronomy 9:4-6 "Don't think to yourself, after your God has pushed them out ahead of you, 'It is to reward my righteousness that ADONAI has brought me in to take possession of this land.' No, it is because these nations have been so wicked that ADONAI is driving them out ahead of you. 5 It is not because of your righteousness, or because your heart is so upright, that you go in to take possession of their land; but to punish the wickedness of these nations that ADONAI your God is driving them out ahead of you, and also to confirm the word which ADONAI swore to your ancestors, Avraham, Yitz'chak and Ya'akov. 6 Therefore, understand that it is not for your righteousness that ADONAI your God is giving you this good land to possess. "For you are a stiffnecked people!”

The Israelites were about to take possession of the land. It was his provision for them given by grace. They didn’t deserve the land nor had they earned it. However, his warning to them is interesting because he tells them ahead of time that they will think it was based upon their own merit that they were given the land or because of their own righteousness. He knew they would be inclined to forget him and the gift he had given.

We also need to be careful and listen to these warnings and remember what G-d has given us is by grace as well. If we think we accomplished something on our own or that we deserve something we are indicating that our hearts are going away from G-d and trusting in ourselves just as the Israelites would have done after G-d gave them the land.

How can we avoid this inclination and be aware of our own spiritual health? When we are spiritually healthy we will be hungry for G-d and hungry for his word as well as being willing to serve others. We cannot separate our love of G-d from the Word of G-d. Deuteronomy 8:3 tells us we live by everything that comes from the mouth of G-d. Also, in Colossians 3:16, “let the Word of the Messiah, in all its richness, live in you, as you teach and counsel each other in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude to God in your hearts.” Our hunger for G-d and G-d’s Word will also be demonstrated by our meditating upon it as we think about it and talk about it. Receiving G-d’s word in our minds and hearts is like eating and drinking and serving others is like exercising. We will be healthy spiritually practicing these two basic principles.

Likewise, it is important to balance our spiritual and physical wants and needs. Deuteronomy 8:3, “He humbled you, allowing you to become hungry, and then fed you with man, which neither you nor your ancestors had ever known, to make you understand that a person does not live on food alone but on everything that comes from the mouth of ADONAI.” There is no condemnation in wealth, only becoming a slave to wealth. Only living for G-d will satisfy and we live for G-d by receiving what he has for us through circumstance and through his word as well as giving. The danger comes when we begin to think we accomplish things in our own strength.

In the passages of Deuteronomy 8, G-d is testing and humbling. Two tests were delineated; adversity and prosperity.

Looking at adversity testing, we can rebel or submit, despise G-d or seek G-d, have illusions of abandonment or trust G-d, and become negative or bitter or become more Messiah-like. And looking at prosperity testing, we can forget G-d or remember G-d, have illusions of security or thank G-d for what he has provided, become lukewarm or become more Messiah-like.

Why does G-d test and humble us?

Psalm 119:67, “Before I was humbled, I used to go astray; but now I observe your word.” and Psalm 119:71, “It is for my good that I have been humbled; it was so that I would learn your laws.” Our testing focuses us on spiritual and eternal values. Testing and humbling us shows us he truly loves us and we are his. Hebrews 12:5-6, “Also you have forgotten the counsel which speaks with you as sons: "My son, don't despise the discipline of ADONAI or become despondent when he corrects you. 6 For ADONAI disciplines those he loves and whips everyone he accepts as a son." He tests and humbles us to do us good in the end to make us Messiah-like and to ultimately give us rewards at the Bema.

Know this - our testing and humbling is purposeful and G-d’s provision is to bring us good in the end. Deuteronomy 8:16, “who fed you in the desert with man, unknown to your ancestors; all the while humbling and testing you in order to do you good in the end.” The meaning of good in the end here is in the intensive form which means he really means to do us good. G-d wants to do good for us in the end and make us Messiah-like. 2 Corinthians 2:15, “For to God we are the aroma of the Messiah, both among those being saved and among those being lost.”

DISAPPOINTMENT

"Disappointment--His appointment,"
Change one letter then I see
That the thwarting of my purpose
Is God's better choice for me.

His appointment must be blessing,
Though it may come in disguise
For the end, from the beginning,
Open to His vision lies.

"Disappointment--His appointment,"
Whose? The Lord's who loves me best,
Understands and knows me fully,
Who my faith and love would test;

For, the loving, earthly parents,
He rejoices when He knows
That His child accepts unquestioned
All that from His wisdom flows.

"Disappointment--His appointment,"
"No good things will He withhold."
From denials oft we gather
Treasurers of His love untold.

Well He knows each broken purpose
Leads to fuller, deeper trust;
And the end of all His dealings
Proves our God is wise and just.
---Edith L. Young

Further Reading: Deuteronomy 8:15-19, Psam 66:10-12, Job 5:17-21, Hebrews 12:5-11, 1Peter 2:2, James 1:21, 2 Timothy 4:3, 1 Timothy 5:17, 2 Timothy 2:19, 2 Corinthians 4:15-16, Proverbs 3:11-12, Romans 8:28-29, 1 Peter 1:6-9, 1 Corinthians 3:13-15, James 5:11, Job 23:10, Psalm 18:35, Philippians 1:6, 1 John 3:2, James 5:11, Job 42:10, Job 8:7, Psalm 138:8, Proverbs 24:16

Un-Answered Prayer?

2010-07-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

7-24-10 Parasha: D’varim 3:23-7:11 V'et-chanan (and I pleaded)
Sermon by Rabbi Ken Alpren
both summarized by Val Waters, scribe

In D’varim 3:23 Moshe seems to be negotiating, even trying to manipulate the LORD, begging Him to change His mind and let Moshe go into the promised land across the Jordan. We know that he wasn’t allowed to go because he struck the rock rather than obeying the LORD and simply speaking to the rock. However, in verse 26, Moshe even seems to be blaming the children of Israel for the LORD’s anger at Moshe! He told Moshe, “Enough! Speak no more to me of this matter”!

Do we, when we are disappointed by circumstances, shift blame, or even recriminate others?
Or do we blame ourselves, and get depressed, even despair?

The LORD told Moshe to lift UP his eyes to the west, the north, the south and the east; and to behold with his eyes the promised land. He was told again that he would not be crossing over the Jordan. And immediately the LORD tells Moshe what he is supposed to focus on in v28: ‘But charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go across at the head of this people, and he will give them as an inheritance the land which you will see.’

Moshe was to put his focus and efforts on preparing Joshua to lead the children of Israel into the land of their inheritance!
He was to be saying to Joshua:

"here’s what you are to do" / command (tzvah)
"I’ll help (train) you" / strengthen (chazak)
"you CAN do it!" / embolden (amatz)

We need to get our eyes off of our own responses to circumstances and off of ourselves!
Remember, is something cannot be changed, it’s time to move past the disappointment and onward to fulfilling
God’s perfect plan!

Rabbi Ken shared a story of a man in prison who refused to work of the Lord’s day. He was beaten until he was paralyzed and could only move his neck. He couldn’t even feed himself. The prison conditions were desperate, and the prisoners would often sit near him because he was serene and joyful. He would tell them if the outlook is bad, try the “up look”! He reminded them of Stephen’s stoning in Acts 7. Everyone one had abandoned Stephen, but he looked up and was blessed to see Yeshua in heaven!

We need to focus on encouraging and helping others to inherit the promises!

-------------

Val Waters, scribe

G-d’s Temple: Tisha B'Av

2010-07-18T22:49:00.001-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Summary by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
July 17, 2010

Deuteronomy 1:2, “It is eleven days' journey from Horev to Kadesh-Barnea by way of Mount Se'ir” and Deuteronomy 2:14, “The time between our leaving Kadesh-Barnea and our crossing Vadi Zered was thirty-eight years - until the whole generation of men capable of bearing arms had been eliminated from the camp, as ADONAI had sworn they would be.”

The journey of eleven days took the Israelites 38 years to complete. Deuteronomy 1:26, “"But you would not go up. Instead you rebelled against the order of ADONAI your God.” This verse points to the reason for their delay. When we rebel we open ourselves up to the demonic realm and come outside of G-d’s protection and authority. However, when we humble ourselves, we are under His protection and covering.
1 Peter 5:5

The Israelites weren’t thinking clearly and actually thought that the reason they were brought out of Egypt was because G-d hated them! Clearly, the opposite was true! He is a father to them, a warrior for them, but they did not trust Him (Deuteronomy 1:26-30).

Isn’t G-d for them and isn’t He for us? Romans 8:31, “What, then, are we to say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Nothing is too hard for Him! Jeremiah 32:17, 26. How quickly we forget who He is! Galatians 1:6-9

The Israelites rebelled, didn’t trust or believe Him and the Decree was given that they would not enter the Promised Land as recorded in Deuteronomy 1:34-40. This Decree was given on Tisha B’Av.

Tisha B’Av is day of mourning for events that led to the loss of Jewish independence with the destruction of holy Temples; both destroyed on Tisha B’Av.

Isaiah 66:1-2, “"Heaven is my throne," says ADONAI, "and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house could you build for me? What sort of place could you devise for my rest? 2 Didn't I myself make all these things? This is how they all came to be," says ADONAI. "The kind of person on whom I look with favor is one with a poor and humble spirit, who trembles at my word.”

Isaiah 57:15, “For thus says the High, Exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy: "I live in the high and holy place but also with the broken and humble, in order to revive the spirit of the humble and revive the hearts of the broken ones.”

We are G-d’s Temple! He wants to dwell in people! In 2 Samuel 7:11-16, G-d told David through Natan that He would build a house for David; that the house and kingdom would be set up forever.

Ephesians 2:21-22, “In union with him the whole building is held together, and it is growing into a holy temple in union with the Lord. 22 Yes, in union with him, you yourselves are being built together into a spiritual dwelling-place for God.”

Not only are we G-d Temple but we are His Temple in UNION with others. This is key. Yeshua prayed that we would be one with Him, “that they may all be one. Just as you, Father, are united with me and I with you, I pray that they may be united with us, so that the world may believe that you sent me.” John 17:21. This is the greatest testimony of G-d’s love in us that we are in unity and love with other believers.

When the Tabernacle and the Temples were in place, there was a feeling of unity among Jews and Gentiles who worshipped there. It was a dominant, central feature of Jewish life. Imagine how grand the Temple would be were it built today as compared to the remnant as it exists today at the Western Wall.

It was heartbreaking for the people that the Temple in its physical state was and remains destroyed. So, then, we must ask ourselves the question; how do we respond to a disaster, a catastrophe, a trial or when something we don’t expect happens? Do we panic, blame, complain, become angry, get depressed, fall into despair? It has been said that we shouldn’t have remorse for the past or fear of the future but that we should live in the present. But the Word of G-d says, none of that! It says we should live in the eternal
G-d!

Deuteronomy 33:27, “The God of old is a dwelling-place, with everlasting arms beneath. He expelled the enemy before you and he said, 'Destroy!”

Psalm 90:1, “A prayer of Moshe the man of God: Adonai, you have been our dwelling place in every generation.”

Should we not ask Who instead of why?

2 Timothy 1:11-12, “It was for this Good News that I was appointed a proclaimer, emissary and teacher of the Goyim; 12 and this is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, because I know him in whom I have put my trust, and I am persuaded that he can keep safe until that Day what he has entrusted to me.”

Turn to Him in prayer, turn to Him in repentance, turn to Him without condemnation and turn to Him for conviction! Turn to Him for hope and promises! There is no condemnation in Him, rather He provides a way or a door out. In conviction, He provides atonement and a way out through redemption and produces victory from it.

So, be united in love with one another because G-d’s dwelling in us depends upon our unity and our unity depends upon our humility! Philippians 2:1-5

Further Reading: Deuteronomy 1:1-3, 22, 26-36, Psalm 27:4, Psalm 132:1-5, 7, 8, Isaiah 64:11 and 66:1-2, John 17:23, 2Cor 6:16, Ephesians 2:20-22, 1Cor 10, Romans 8:31, Psalm 115:3, Isaiah 40, Jeremiah 32:17,26, 1Peter 2:5, 2Cor 6, Psalm 132, Psalm 27:4, Isaiah 64:11, Colossians 3:1-3, Joshua 7, Joel 2:25, Psalm 133, Romans 6:4,5, John 14:23

Voice of Precise Silence

2010-07-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Summary by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
July 10, 2010 Sermon

Numbers 32:1-7, The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks, saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were suitable for livestock. 2 So they came to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community, and said, 3 "Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon-- 4 the land the LORD subdued before the people of Israel--are suitable for livestock, and your servants have livestock. 5 If we have found favor in your eyes," they said, "let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan." 6 Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, "Shall your countrymen go to war while you sit here? 7 Why do you discourage the Israelites from going over into the land the LORD has given them?

The descendants of Gad and Reuben requested to live on the east side of the Jordan. Their decision led to the loss of their inheritance and they were the first to be carried away as captives. See 1 Chronicles 5:26. Deborah sang about the indifference their separation caused in Judges 5:16-17. It was the appearance of the land and the appeal of it’s greenery that enticed them to settle there. Had they consulted and heard from the L-rd or where they going after their own desires? Messiah warned us not to judge by appearances; “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment." John 7:24; see Is. 11:3.

Judging by appearances instead of seeking G-d’s direction will more times than not lead to wrong conclusions. And judging brings judgement upon ourselves “Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, passing judgment; for when you judge someone else, you are passing judgment against yourself; since you who are judging do the same things he does” Romans 2:1.

Did you know that G-d keeps a journal of the choices we make? We will stumble, but, thank goodness for His ongoing grace that when we do sin we have an advocate. Ps. 37:23-24 and 1John 2:1.

How are we to be discerning and make decisions in accordance with His will? Take a look at how the L-rd spoke to Eliyahu in 1 Kings 19. He said, "Go outside, and stand on the mountain before ADONAI"; and right then and there, ADONAI went past. A mighty blast of wind tore the mountains apart and broke the rocks in pieces before ADONAI, but ADONAI was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake, but ADONAI was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake, fire broke out; but ADONAI was not in the fire. And after the fire came a quiet, subdued voice.”

The Hebrew words for “quiet, subdued voice” are “demamah, daq kol” which can also be translated as “voice of precise silence”. It is in this quiet place that we can discern His voice like deep calling to deep, Psalm 42:7. His voice causes us to look within and evaluate ourselves and others and then look to Him for answers and direction. Hebrews 4:12, “See, the Word of God is alive! It is at work and is sharper than any double-edged sword - it cuts right through to where soul meets spirit and joints meet marrow, and it is quick to judge the inner reflections and attitudes of the heart.”

Isaiah 26:3, "A person whose desire rests on you you preserve in perfect peace, because he trusts in you.”

Seek Him in silence; it is where we will precisely discern His voice.

Further reading: Ezekiel 13:1-3, 6-8, 2 Cor 11:1-4, 2 Tim 4:1-8, Isaiah 11:3, 2Cor 5:7, Matt 7:1-5, 2Pet 3:18, 2Cor 5:18-21, Matt 9:12-13, Ps 119:133, Ps 139:3, Job 31:4, Prov 16:9, Ps 37:23, 1Jn 2:1, 2 Cor 11:1-3, Jn 15:3, 2Tim 4:1-4, Eph 3:11, Rom 11:1-4, Ps 42:7, Ps 23:2, Ps 119:11, Isaiah 30:15, Ps 46:10, Gen 3:8,9, Deut 4:12,33, Isaiah 6:8

The L-rd turns a Curse into a Blessing

2010-06-28T05:46:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Summary by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
Numbers 22-24
June 26, 2010

Numbers 22:5-8, He sent messengers to Bil'am the son of B'or, at P'tor by the [Euphrates] River in his native land, to tell him, "Listen, a people has come out of Egypt, spread over all the land and settled down next to me. 6 Therefore, please come, and curse this people for me, because they are stronger than I am. Maybe I will be able to strike them down and drive them out of the land, for I know that whomever you bless is in fact blessed, and whomever you curse is in fact cursed." 7 The leaders of Mo'av and Midyan left, taking with them the payment for divining, came to Bil'am and spoke to him the words of Balak.

King Balak entreated Bil’am to curse Israel. He sent messengers to bribe him. When first approached, Bil’am sought G-d’s counsel and was told not to go. King Balak then persisted and sent more messengers with more money for Bil’am. Bil’am then sought the L-rd to see what else He had to say. Perhaps He would allow him to go after all and indeed He did allow him to go, but His anger flared up against Bil’am because he went.

Bil’am had his mind made up about going to curse Israel at the request of King Balak. So, upon Bil’am second request, G-d permitted him to go. But then His anger flared against Bil’am. Why would G-d tell Bil’am to go and then get angry with his going?

What am I called to do and then don’t do? What do I choose instead of obeying G-d’s perfect will for me? What else does G-d allow me to do even though He isn’t pleased with my decision? Even so, G-d can allow or permit our decision; our disobedience, but He can also redeem it. He can reestablish and restore what is lost! We can turn back to Him in humility and choose to be obedient.

Bil’am was blinded by his greed and covetousness. He didn’t listen to the L-rd. He persisted in his will to go and G-d would not allow him to curse His people. Remarkably, G-d used a donkey to accomplish His will; a talking donkey no less! G-d can use anything to work His way in this world and in our lives.

Numbers 22:12 God answered Bil'am, "You are not to go with them; you are not to curse the people, because they are blessed." The Hebrew word for curse here is ‘arar meaning to bind, made powerless and to immobilize. Whereas the word for blessed is barak which means to kneel; in humility upon kneeling the recipient is endued with power for success. When we are humbled under G-d’s power we are in a position to receive His blessing.

Conversely, when we are proud as will Bil’am He will resist us! Bil’am had his own agenda and was intent upon his own purpose. Even the donkey had more discernment than Bil’am!

Numbers 22:31 Then ADONAI opened Bil'am's eyes, so that he could see the angel of ADONAI standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, and he bowed his head and fell on his face.

What does the L-rd want to open our eyes to see?

There are four revelations our open eyes should ponder this week. Firstly, the finished work of Messiah. The work is done and we are complete in Him. When we recognize this and know we are truly blessed we will experience an explosion in our hearts for Him. See Colossians 2:10. Secondly, our eyes need to be open to the Hebraic roots of our faith; the reality of our faith is Hebraic not Hellenistic. See Romans 11 and Ephesians 1:17. Thirdly, we need to see Israel’s place in G-d’s heart. G-d disciplines and restores; He will never relinquish His promises to Israel. He will never give up on them or us. Fourthly, our eyes need to be open to the ripe harvest fields. We are called to be fishers of men, to share our faith and be a shining light. All of us are called to be fishers of men as part of our discipleship. See Proverbs 11:30, Daniel 12:3, John 4, Matthew 9:36 and Psalm 126.

L-rd please give us hearts to obey you; that we would not want our own way or seek you to tell us what we want to hear as Bil’am. Help us be a vessel of blessing!

Further reading: Micah 6:3-6, 2Cor 10:3-5, Eph 1:3-7, Joshua 7, 1Sam 30:6, Joel 2:25, 2Peter 2:15, Jude 11, Rev 2:14, John 10:10, Deut 23:5, Jas 4:6, 1Tim 6:9-12, Rom 2, Matt 7:1-15, 1Cor 15:46, Isa 53:1,

The Red Heifer and the Copper Snake

2010-06-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Summary by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
Numbers 19-21
June 19, 2010

Numbers 19:3-6 "This is the regulation from the Torah which ADONAI has commanded. Tell the people of Isra'el to bring you a young red female cow without fault or defect and which has never borne a yoke. 3 You are to give it to El'azar the cohen; it is to be brought outside the camp and slaughtered in front of him. 4 El'azar the cohen is to take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle this blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. 5 The heifer is to be burned to ashes before his eyes -its skin, meat, blood and dung is to be burned to ashes. 6 The cohen is to take cedar-wood, hyssop and scarlet yarn and throw them onto the heifer as it is burning up.”

Numbers 19:9 A man who is clean is to collect the ashes of the heifer and store them outside the camp in a clean place. They are to be kept for the community of the people of Isra'el to prepare water for purification from sin.

The Red Heifer’s blood and ashes mixed in water were used for cleansing from sin. These passages can be related to washing through the water and the word as noted in 1John 1:7, Hebrews 9:14, Ephesians 5:26, John 15:3 and Psalm 119:9. The Red Heifer is ‘parah adumah’ in Hebrew. There is speculation and folklore concerning the Red Heifer, but as related to Messiah, it represents the combination of our cleansing through the Word of G-d and through the Blood of Messiah.

After ADONAI had given the regulation for the Red Heifer, the people quarreled against Moshe because they had no water as they entered the Tzin Desert. Numbers 20 “Why did you bring ADONAI's community into this desert? To die there, we and our livestock? 5 Why did you make us leave Egypt? To bring us to this terrible place without seed, figs, grapevines, pomegranates or even water to drink?"

Every day for nearly 40 years G-d had provided for their existence, but they had grown familiar and complained instead of being thankful. They could have cried out to G-d for water and provision. Ultimately, their behavior and Moshe’s response was disastrous. Moshe struck the rock instead of speaking to it as instructed by ADONAI and acted above the reproach of G-d toward the people. The consequence for Moshe was that he would not be admitted to enter the Promised Land. James 1:19-20 - “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

Subsequently, when the people were led on a detour they complained and their tempers grew short in Numbers 21 and this time G-d sent poisonous snakes.

Numbers 21:5-8 The people spoke against God and against Moshe: "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt? To die in the desert? There's no real food, there's no water, and we're sick of this miserable stuff we're eating!" 6 In response, ADONAI sent poisonous snakes among the people; they bit the people, and many of Isra'el's people died. 7 The people came to Moshe and said, "We sinned by speaking against ADONAI and against you. Pray to ADONAI that he rid us of these snakes." Moshe prayed for the people, 8 and ADONAI answered Moshe: "Make a poisonous snake and put it on a pole. When anyone who has been bitten sees it, he will live."

Yeshua made reference to this event and related it to His atonement as recorded in John 3:14,15 “Just as Moshe lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life.”

The snakes were sent as a discipline to bring the people to repentance. When the bronze snake was lifted up on the pole, they were to gaze at it. What did they see? They saw their own sin on that pole lifted up and then they received the healing for their sin. Why did Yeshua relate the serpent to Himself? Did He not become sin for us? When we look up at our sin on that stake, do we not see our own redemption?

The people were dying from snake bites and the remedy was to look up in their dilemma to who could deliver them. People are perishing as we were without the L-rd.

Isaiah 45:22 Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God; there is no other.

Yeshua is pleased when through our own reconciliation with Him that we can bring others to reconciliation. Just like Moses lifted up the Bronze Serpent, we can also be the vehicle to lift up the Name of Yeshua to those who are perishing. Let that be our heart’s cry this week.

2 Corinthians 5:18 And it is all from God, who through the Messiah has reconciled us to himself and has given us the work of that reconciliation

Further Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:5-10, Isaiah 52:7, Genesis 21, Exodus 17:6, 1 Corinthians 10:4, Psalm 18:1-3, Proverbs 14:17, 29, Ephesians 4:26, 1Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 7:25, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Isaiah 53, Hebrews 12:6, 2Kings 18:4, John 8:24, 51.

Divine-Appointed vs. Self-Appointed Authority

2010-06-14T20:36:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Ken Alpren
summary by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
Numbers 16 - 17:8
June 12, 2010

Numbers 17:6-8 Moshe spoke to the people of Isra'el, and all their leaders gave him staffs, one for each leader, according to their ancestral tribes, twelve staffs. Aharon's staff was among their staffs. 7 Moshe put the staffs before ADONAI in the tent of the testimony. 8 The next day Moshe went into the tent of the testimony, and there he saw that Aharon's staff for the house of Levi had budded - it had sprouted not only buds but flowers and ripe almonds as well.

Moshe trusted G-d to reveal to all the people who He chose for divine-appointed authority. A staff from each tribe was brought to the Tent of Meeting; each staff symbolized authority and leadership for each tribe. Not only did the Aharon’s staff sprout [perach], and blossom with open flowers [tsuwts], it had ripe almonds [shaqed] on it. Shaqed is taken from the primary root Hebrew word shakad which means to wake, watch, awake, be alert.

Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your lives, as people who will have to render an account. So make it a task of joy for them, not one of groaning; for that is of no advantage to you.

Jeremiah 1:11,12 The word of ADONAI came to me, asking, "Yirmeyahu, what do you see?" I answered, "I see a branch from an almond tree. 12 Then ADONAI said to me, "You have seen well, because I am watching [shaked] to fulfill my word."

What was it that prompted Moshe to demonstrate so clearly to the Israelites his dependence upon G-d to choose leadership and that indeed it is G-dly leadership he desired? Earlier in the passage Moshe’s own authority and Aharon’s authority had been challenged by not only members of the Israelites but those in high esteem in the community. They were jealous and discontent with where they were in their journey to the land that flows with milk and honey and what their appointed authority and duties were. They wanted to be more prestigious and powerful. So they decided to take matters into their own hands.

Numbers 16:1-5 Now Korach the son of Yitz'har, the son of K'hat, the son of Levi, along with Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av, and On, the son of Pelet, descendants of Re'uven, took men and 2 rebelled against Moshe. Siding with them were 250 men of Isra'el, leaders of the community, key members of the council, men of reputation. 3 They assembled themselves against Moshe and Aharon and said to them, "You take too much on yourselves! After all, the entire community is holy, every one of them, and ADONAI is among them. So why do you lift yourselves up above ADONAI's assembly?" 4 When Moshe heard this he fell on his face. 5 Then he said to Korach and his whole group, "In the morning, ADONAI will show who are his and who is the holy person he will allow to approach him. Yes, he will bring whomever he chooses near to himself.

G-d passed judgement upon Korach, K’hat and Datan, their families and the 250 that supported them. The next day Korach, K’hat and Datan and their families perished when the earth beneath them spit and they went down alive into S’hol! And the 250 who supported them were burned alive while holding their censors in front of the Tent of Meeting.

If that wasn’t enough for the people to realize that G-d had indeed appointed Moshe and Aharon, the people continued to grumble and complain against Moshe and Aharon. The judgement of the L-rd continued with a plague. Moshe interceded and Aharon ran into the middle of the assembly with incense and made atonement for the people. He stood between the living and the dead and the plague was stopped. Otherwise, many more would have perished. G-d’s judgements during these events resulted in the death of approximately 15,000 people.

The intercession of just one person can make a difference. Many times recorded in the Word, G-d has acted upon the prayers of one person including Avraham, Moshe, David and Paul. As believers, we are His chosen people, set apart and holy and He hears our prayers. Just like Aharon stood between the living and the dead, we can as well because our authority to do so is G-d-Appointed.

2Corinthians 2:14-15, But thanks be to God, who in the Messiah constantly leads us in a triumphal procession and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of what it means to know him! 15 For to God we are the aroma of the Messiah, both among those being saved and among those being lost.

We can join G-d in his work; not based upon human ingenuity. We can join with G-d in what He is doing! However, we must be careful not to get swept up in something of human origin. How can we discern His leading and be a part of what He is doing? Pray, go the the Word and get counsel from a divinely-appointed leader. Remember that joining Him in His work is a process demonstrated so beautifully in Aharon’s staff. The staff showed a process of budding, blossoming and producing fruit. Be patient in the process.

Further Reading: 2 Samuel 15:1-6, Galatians 1:1-2, Hebrews 13:7,17, Isaiah 2, Micah 4, Zechariah 14, Isaiah 40, Romans 14:4, Psalm 105:15, 1 Timothy 2:4, 1 Peter 2:9, Ezekiel 22:30, Jeremiah 5:1, Isaiah 59:16, Isaiah 63:5, Isaiah 53:12, Romans 9:10, Malachi 2:6, Jeremiah 1:11,12, Philippians 2:15,16, John 6:63, 2 Corinthians 3:6, 2 Timothy 3, 2 Samuel 15:25-26, Acts 19:11-20, Hebrews 12:2

Do I See Through a Lens or a Prism?

2010-06-06T22:02:00.000-07:00

Sermon Notes from Number 13 & 14
6/5/10
by Rabbi Ken Alpren,
summary by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.

Numbers 14:8-9, “If ADONAI is pleased with us, then he will bring us into this land and will give it to us - a land flowing with milk and honey. Just don’t rebel against ADONAI. And don’t be afraid of the people living in the land - we’ll eat them up! Their defense has been taken away from them, and ADONAI is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”

The word “if” here is taken from the Hebrew “im” and means assuredly or a sure thing. Kalev and Y’hoshua knew that G-d was assuredly pleased with them and had given them the land. But the promise of the land was conditional; it was based upon the condition of choosing not to be in rebellion against Him.

Kalev and Y’hoshua had G-d vision; they based their perception of G-d and His promises on His word and their experience with Him. They had personally experienced deliverance from Egypt and been provided with manna and received water from the rock. Their vision was on Him and what He could do and promised to do rather than on the obstacle of going into a land where eyes without this perception said it was too hard and that they were as small as grasshoppers in the estimation of the current inhabitants.

What about the ten other spies? How did they see G-d and the situation?

Numbers 13:27-29, “We entered the land where you sent us, and indeed it does flow with milk and honey - here is the fruit! However, the people living in the land are fierce, and the cities are fortified and very large. Moreover, we saw the ‘Anakim there. Amalek lives in the area of the Negev; the Hitti, the Yvusi and the Emori live in the hills; and the Kena’ani live by the sea and alongside the Yarden.”

The Hebrew word translated to “however” in these verses is “ephas” meaning but or nevertheless. The remaining ten started out with what was positive about the land but negated their report by saying... nevertheless... and imparted fear into the hearts of the Israelites with the word of their report. They were looking through a prism of fear and the power of their words penetrated the hearts of the people.

Isaiah 51:12-13, “I, yes I, am the one who comforts you! Why are you afraid of a man, who must die; of a human being, who will wither like grass? You have forgotten ANONAI, your maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundation s of the earth. Instead, you are in constant fear all day because of the oppressor’s rage, as he prepares to destroy! But where is the oppressor’s rage?”

Do we have G-d’s view of adequacy and sufficiency or do we have fear? Our fear may be from looking through the prism of hate, envy, lust or as with the spies - unbelief. Due to their unbelief an entire generation was condemned to death in the desert and their going into the promised land delayed by 39 years!

Do I want to be found looking at obstacles or trusting Him? He expects us to remember how He has brought us thus far and He expects us to trust Him! Does G-d and His Spirit not affect our situations? Am I so unique that He would neglect me? NO! Let’s choose this week to rest in His faithfulness to us! Let’s remember His word and his promises and be steady, sure and stable in His grace.

Further Scriptures for meditation: Daniel 3:17, Exodus 14:13-14, 2Kings 6:16, 2Chron 32:7,8, Proverbs 18:21, 1Sam 14:6, 1John 4:4, 2Peter 1:4, 2Chron 20:6, 15 and 1Sam 17:47

Righteous or Wicked Residents?

2010-05-03T15:04:00.000-07:00

ARE RESIDENTS IN MURFREESBORO MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN RESIDENTS IN NASHVILLE? ARE RESIDENTS IN NASHVILLE MORE WICKED THAN RESIDENTS IN MURFREESBORO?

After all, one city suffered flooding rains, while the other only above average.

While I would not negate the likelihood that weather-related disasters are Divine calls to regional and national repentance, we must never presume that individually these incidents indicate personal sin or righteousness. Listen to the following lesson taught by Rabbi Yeshua:

Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. “Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
- Luke 13:1-5

Rather than speak of judgment, we should always see another’s disaster as an opportunity for us to come to their aid. We are called to rescue others, to strengthen them in dealing with tragedy and loss, crisis and hardship.
“So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Gal. 6:10).
“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Now you are Messiah’s body, and individually members of it” (I Cor. 12:26-27).

How can we mobilize ourselves to help? Bail out water from basements, move items, bring food and water, shelter our homeless? While this may need to happen now, we can also plan to go after Shabbat Service Saturday to homes in need.

This Thursday, May 6, is the National Day of Prayer. We can show our seriousness to seek God’s Face and favor for our Land by gathering with others at the Grand Ole Opry for the evening, as well as other locations. As this week’s Torah portion teaches in Leviticus 26:40-46, we need as did Israel, to turn to God for His forgiveness and healing. If we confess, He will remember. We confess our rebellion and unfaithfulness; He remembers His covenant. Nationally we may be under judgment. But repentance will bring healing to our land. The Lord will restore us and realign us from our selfish ambitions to His eternal purpose.

First Fruits Rejoicing!

2010-04-06T00:09:00.000-07:00

Shalom Mishpacha shel Kol Dodi (Family of KD),

How grateful we are for this past weekend! After a wonderful “Resurrection” Shabbat Morning Service, filled with worship, a special song from Russ an’ da band, and teaching on Yeshua’s Resurrection from a Jewish perspective (order the tape from Nathan - 615-974-3819) - that evening we had the best congregational Passover Seder I can remember!

So many helped and made it so special. We laughed, we cried, we sang, we learned. The food was delish - yea Chef Laura! JoAnn shared a glorious testimony of God’s miraculous healing hand through prayer! I mentioned in the Shabbat sermon that God wants to use signs and the Scriptures, wonders and His Word - in convincing people of His reality (e.g. Yeshua used both in Luke 24). Yes, on our Seder night we made new friends, as we enjoyed spiritual Family. But nothing can top the testimony of Jill and Michael, which I share now with you. In Jill’s words:

“We had such a fantastic day yesterday! That was our first Seder as a family and it was very moving. When we arrived home I asked the kids what they had learned and the conversation took a delightful turn when Jason, our 5 year old, asked to pray to receive Yeshua. Praise the Lord! (Our older two children Cassie and Noah had previously prayed likewise.) SO many reasons for praise!!”

When I spoke with Jill about it the next day, she said, “First fruits!” - which is exactly the case!

The day of First fruits follows Passover and Unleavened Bread. The people of Israel were always to bring the first and best of their harvest to God in biblical times (Ex. 23:19); God would bless them and much more would follow. When we give our first fruits to the Lord - much more will follow (Prov.3:9-10).

Yeshua was the first fruits from the dead when raised by His Father - many more will follow (I Cor. 15:20,23). Our new birth through God’s Word makes us first fruits to God (Js. 1:18). We’ve received the Ruach (Spirit) of the Lord as the first fruits of much more to follow. I remember giving my life to the Lord in a predominantly Jewish and secular high school - I was the first fruits in my area - and many more followed! We had a revival in our school! The household of Stephanas was the first fruits of Greece to the Lord (I Cor. 16:15), and Jason’s new birth is the first fruits of this 2010 New Year Passover season to God (Ex. 12:2) - Halleluyah! Many more will follow!

Actually, several more already did, as three people came forward to give their lives to Yeshua after our Passover Presentation at El Shaddai Spanish Congregation on Sunday!

While we count down the fifty days until Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks, we look forward to observing Yom haShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), and celebrating Israel’s Independence Day, both in April this year.

There’s no better time than to be found praying with HaShem’s Kiddushim (saints) beginning this Wednesday from 6-7:30pm - read Acts 1:12-14, 2:1. This was what the early followers of Yeshua were doing, and look at how God responded!

See you Wednesday evening & blessed First fruits!

Rabbi Ken Alpren

So Who Eats Matzah Balls, Anyway?

2010-03-29T18:57:00.000-07:00

This week is Pesach (Passover), beginning tonight, Monday evening at dusk. Depending upon how you observe it, I’d encourage you to remove the leaven (chametz - yeast and fermenting products) to an “out-of-sight” location, or trash it if it’s going to go bad anyway after a week. Then open your first box of matzoh and get excited about eating only unleavened bread for the week!

If you get a late start on it - that’s ok! God looks at the heart and our desire to please Him. Removing the leaven is mentioned in Ex. 12:15, 18-20, 13:6-7 and also by Yeshua and Paul in Mt. 16:6, I Cor. 5:6-9, & Gal. 5:9. You’ll be surprised how hard it is to not eat bread and yeast products, especially if out for a snack! But that’s the beauty of it. Every time you realize you can’t eat that ‘burger on a bun’, or that bowl of cereal, you remember that you love God more than your belly, pleasing Him more than pleasing your flesh, and the joy is in that decision to refrain and replace BECAUSE YOU LOVE HIM! Do I receive extra points with God for doing this? No. But I do increase within, strengthening my spiritual self, my ‘new man’. I recommend carrying around a container with matzoh when you’re out and about, so you’ll have it ready.

Bread was first made in Egypt, and leaven represents pride, malice, evil, hypocrisy, and erroneous teachings. Our decision to not eat of it for the week is a renunciation of the old life and darkness from which we’ve been redeemed. Our eating matzoh is an embracing of Yeshua who is the bread of life, a proclamation of our new life in Him. It was a dramatic deliverance when G-d called us out of darkness into His marvelous light, transferring us into the kingdom of His Son (I Pet. 2:9; Col. 1:13). Unleavened bread represents humility, sincerity, and the truth about grace. Like Yeshua, who was without sin, it does not ferment. He came in humility, to sacrifice His life (Zech. 9:9; Is. 42:2-3; Mk. 10:45). Eating it also signifies our readiness to leave this life instantly and meet Him when He calls us to do so. It is both retrospective and prospective.

Now the next part: what do you like to put on your matzoh? Eat with your matzoh? Make with matzoh meal? Let’s send in our favorite complement to our matzoh or recipe and share ideas together! Not being much of a chef, I love making matzoh brie - scrambled eggs w/ matzoh mixed in (soak in milk first). But mostly you’ll see me eating peanut butter on matzoh a lot this week!

This coming Shabbat we will focus on the Resurrection of Yeshua, the Lamb of God (Seh HaElohim). Though He would actually have risen this coming Thursday, April 1 (as I understand it), we will take this opportunity to remember, review, and rejoice in this historic and eternal event. Did Yeshua actually redeem Israel? Are there reasonable arguments substantiating His resurrection? What was the ancient Jewish or rabbinic view of a future resurrection? What did this event mean to His Jewish followers, and what does it mean to us? Would you pray with me that the Lord would speak, and bring an awesome visitation and illumination of His resurrection?

Oh, and of course I can’t wait to see many of you at one of our congregational seders, April 1 & 3! "Shevet achim gam yachad" (Ps. 133:1)! [Seders are listed on our website: www.koldodi.org].

Chag Pesach v’T’chyayah Sameach!
(Happy Passover & Resurrection Holiday),

Rabbi Alpren

Dayenu!

2010-03-17T01:32:00.000-07:00

How grateful to the Lord I am for our Kol Dodi Family. God has truly given us a remarkable group of individuals with hearts who “give themselves first to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God” (2 Cor. 8:5). And He continues to call more “set apart ones” to come, be planted, and flourish at Kol Dodi (Ps. 92:13).

A great example of this is Joy’s testimony of response this past Shabbat when, at Service’s end, she asked for volunteers to help at the upcoming Passover Seders. “So many of you answered the call to help”, she wrote. I counted at least twenty names.

It reminds me of a portion out of this past week’s Parasha, in Exodus 35-36 when Moses had called for the people to bring an offering and their skills to assist in constructing and decorating the Mishkan (Tabernacle) with it’s furniture and priestly garments.

“Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the LORD’S contribution for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments.”
“And they said to Moses, “The people are bringing much more than enough for the construction work which the LORD commanded us to perform.” - Ex. 35:21; 36:5

The response was so abundant that he finally had to ask them to stop! Dayenu! i.e. enough for us (the Hebrew word “dye” is used)! We sing the joyous song every Pesach during our Seder. “You have done for us more than we deserve, O’ God” - I call it the Romans chapter 8 of the Seder.

The Torah mentions three qualities of heart that were expressed in the Jewish people’s response to Moses’ call. I mentioned them Saturday, and will do so again here:

Chacham Lev
Nasa Lev
Nadav Lev

Wise hearts, Uplifted hearts, and Willing hearts.
Divine Intelligence, Divine Enthusiasm, and Availability to the Divine.
And how are these qualities acquired? By:

my submission to the Word of God - being teachable (James 1:21; Jn. 8:31-32)
my yielding to the Spirit of God - being prayerful (Eph. 5:18-20; Jn. 6:63)
taking my place with Messiah on his Tree - dying to self (Gal. 2:20; Jn. 12:24)

I believe that the response and blessing at Kol Dodi is due to people who are praying , hungry hearts for God, and healthy Biblical teaching. It is God’s chen (grace), not a formula. We must grow in both solidity as well as fluidity, in structure with great flexibility.

That is why we have initiated our Discovery and Network Classes, defining what it means to be Family, learning individual gifting for service, and more.

“I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth”, said the Sh’liach Yochanan (Apostle John) - 3 Jn. 1:4.

I feel the same way about our Family members at Kol Dodi.

Shavua tov b’Yeshua,
Rabbi Ken

M’at, M’at

2010-02-15T09:04:00.000-08:00

God is not in a hurry. Such is the title of a book by long time pastor and radio host, Dr. Warren Wiersbe.

The Lord would prefers to build a solid foundation slowly, as opposed to a soft foundation swiftly. God can do more with a few who are pliable and humble, than He can with many who are proud and adamant (Jdg. 7:4,7).

Poor and hasty construction has cost many a life during natural disasters in places where strict building codes either did not exist or were not enforced. How sobering are Yeshua’s words in metaphor in Matthew 7:24-27 when he warns of building a house upon the sand vs. a rock.

How many marriages entered into through sweeping infatuation, have ended up in painful divorce? How many speeding tickets have been issued, or worse - accidents suffered - due to rushing to save ten minutes!

“I will drive out the occupants of the Land that I am giving you,” said the Lord to Israel, “but not in one year - not all at once - m’at m’at - little by little, and you will gradually inhabit the Land” (Ex. 23:29-30). “I’m protecting you from what you cannot now understand. You think you can handle it all now, but you cannot. The beasts of the field will take advantage of the vacant areas and destroy you! No, I will intentionally hold you back, limit you, yes, even frustrate you - and wait until you are fruitful enough (mature) to possess the Land.”

Rabbi Paul cautions concerning being too quick to place someone in a position of authority (I Tim. 5:22); not to give a new believer responsibility over others (3:6). One paraphrase states, “lest his head get in the clouds and the clouds get in his head!”

Why does my prayer go unanswered? My goal go unrealized? My dream seem so delayed?

God is wiser than I am. He knows what is best for me - and for others whom I will affect (Rom. 11:33). He knows that an oven is to be preferred over a microwave.

“I’m ready Lord!”, we insist. “Now is the right time!”, we presumptuously proclaim - as if we are smarter than He. “No, you’re not (ready). You are not fruitful enough yet (v.30) - you do not evidence the fruit of a self-sacrificing love which serves others, expecting nothing in return” (Gal.5:22; I Jn. 3:16; Is. 42:1, 52-53; Jn. 13:15-16).

Like Peter, we think we are ready. “Why can I not follow You right now?” (Jn. 13:37). “You will, Peter - but not yet.” (13:36).

Be faithful in that which is least, and you will be one day promoted and given responsibility over much (Ps. 75:6-7; Lk. 16:10; 19:17). Do not despise the day of small things (Zech. 4:10). The Lord may be protecting you from the beasts of the field. M’at m’at.

Rabbi Ken Alpren
rabkba@gmail.com

(Children's) Shabbat School!

2010-02-08T23:29:00.000-08:00

Dear KD Family,

I want to relate how Shabbat School experienced this historic day as well.
I was teaching, so I didn't know what had occurred until I listened to the CD of the service.

Our lesson was on listening to the voice of God. The older children made a prayer journal and the younger kids completed a craft around the verse," Speak Lord your servant is listening."
[That day, I was not as prepared as usual, so was praying all morning for the Lord's guidance. Without worrying about it, I simply did what I had planned and followed what came to mind!]

After they had finished, we sat on the floor in a circle to pray and I asked if anyone wanted to share what they had written in their prayer journals. After a long pause, Cassie said she didn't have a prayer exactly, but she wanted to share her dream. She said she wants to be a singer when she grows up. So I prayed for God to give her wisdom and insight on how to sing to glorify Him. The children were very quiet again. Then Lexi said she wants to be a policeman, and Luke said he wants to be a fireman. Soon everyone had shared their dreams and we prayed for each person to be led by God to grow into the dream that God has given them. Then we moved on to acting out the crossing of the Red Sea. It didn't feel prophetic or historic, but God met us as we moved through our morning!

Shalom to all,

Ginny Powers

Thank you, Ginny. Your ministry and oversight of the children's ministry (SS) is so weighty before God. What an impact you and those investing their lives and God's Word in our children has!! I am so jealous (w/ a godly jealousy - 2 Cor. 11:2). We impart not only the gospel of our God but also our own souls, because they are dear to us (I Thess. 2:8).
rk

An Historic Shabbat at Kol Dodi

2010-02-07T22:08:00.000-08:00

Shalom KD Family,

We witnessed an historic day this past Shabbat. As Dr. Finto said, mark the date - February 6, 2010. A nearly packed shul experienced the undeserving and overwhelming Presence of God.

I asked Val Waters if she would attempt to write a synopsis of the event. When the Living God speaks, it truly is eternal Event, as the word D'var in Hebrew indicates. It is active, not static (Heb. 4:12), and we are brought by His Ruach (Spirit) into a separation (Holy) unto the Eternal One who IS the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and will ever BE. This happened in a most significant way this past Shabbat, as a new covenant and covering was publicly pronounced.

Val's summation is superb - far better than my memory would have been able to recall. I have added some of the gems I had written down from Dr. Finto's message - but I believe it was recorded and you can secure a copy at Kol Dodi (see Nathan).

If you were there, you may be able to add something else - please feel free to do so.

We have great days to look forward to if we walk closely with Him:

"Be strong (in Messiah's grace - 2 Tim. 2:1) ... keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep ... what is written ... that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn, so that the Lord may carry out His promise which He spoke concerning me (you)..." (I Kings 2:2-4).

Rabbi Ken
rabkba@gmail.com
--------------------------

Covenant blessings for Kol Dodi!

When Pastor Don Finto came to speak at Kol Dodi for Shabbat services on February 6, 2010, we expected, as always, to be blessed by prophetic pearls of wisdom from the written Word. Before Papa Don spoke, however, he wanted to ask our forgiveness! He said that as member of the Toward Jerusalem Council II, and involved in gathering with Jewish and gentile leaders all over the world, he recently had recognized that he had never honored the Kol Dodi congregation, and he wanted to correct that error by apologizing to Rabbi Ken and his wife, Frances, and also to the members of the congregation!

He then publicly affirmed Ken and Frances’s ministry, and said that a prophetic word had been spoken during a prior gathering of believing and non-believing Jews and other gentiles about honoring leaders. The prophetic word was that Don was to spread a tallit (prayer shawl) over Rabbi Ken and his wife Frances and declare his Caleb ministry would stand as a covering for Kol Dodi and Rabbi Ken and Frances’s ministry!

Don said he felt he was to use a tallit that he and Joseph Shulam and carried with them in Jerusalem over the years. Don and Todd prayed over Ken and Frances, and asked the LORD to create open gates from heaven to allow a fullness of His power over Kol Dodi and all of Nashville! Don emphasized that he was covenanting with Kol Dodi and with all Jewish believers, to encourage their willingness to express themselves as Jews in their worship of Yeshua! He said that the Jewish expression of worship of Yeshua today helps reconnect today’s Jewish believers with the original Jewish believers, the followers and disciples of Yeshua Himself.

Papa Don described this covenant as correcting a previously established connection between believing Jew and gentile believers was based on what Asher Intrater had called the wrong kinsman-redeemer. Just as Ruth’s husband’s closest relative was not willing to take her as a husband, and the right of kinsman-redeemer then passed to Boaz, the original idea for Jewish believers involved giving up their Jewishness and being ‘converted’ to Christianity. They were to be blended into a church body, no longer recognizable as Jews. Asher then symbolically re-covenanted with Don (as a gentile) saying that he needed to bring the fullness and completeness of being a Jewish believer in a Jewish Messiah and thus add blessings to the church body. This fullness and richness of the Jewish expression of our Jewish faith is what Don was now covenanting to cover and bless.

The shofar was blown at the end of the ‘covenanting’ and the mishpochah, the family of believers, spontaneously broke into a clap offering unto the Lord! This was truly an exciting and momentous day for Kol Dodi!

Val Waters
February 6, 2010
---------------
Some of Dr. Finto’s nuggets from his message (which was recorded – see Nathan for a copy):

• We can only enter into covenant with believers (Messiah’s Body); we have relationship w/ non-believers, but not covenant. My pastor used to say we have a ministry to unbelievers, but fellowship only w/ believers – same truth said another way. Don mentioned this in connection to his relationship to the Jewish Community and leaders at large, vs. the Messianic Community.

• Read the entire Word (Gen-Rev) throughout the week, always, even if it seems laborious at times. Grab hold of its treasures.

• Dreams in the heart – “God-dreams” – don’t stop praying regarding them – even if it takes several decades for a dream to be realized! Stand on the Word of God! He related this to the time when synagogues will believe in Yeshua, including here in Nashville! There will be a remnant of believers in every ethnic group in the world! I would add that P. Richard Wurmbrand had the same vision and writes of it in his book, Christ on the Jewish Road.

• There will be a restoration of power seen and experienced in the Body of Messiah. Moses didn’t hear God’s voice for 80 years, but then he did!

• We must ask God to fill us with compassion – His compassion for others. This will bring the power. I would cite that the Scripture says “Yeshua was moved with compassion” and “virtue (power) went out of Him” to heal. As Don said, the two are inseparable. If there is something in my life preventing this from taking place – some sin – agree with God about it and let God cleanse and use me. We are to provide a landing pad for the Holy Spirit, said Don.

• The Book of Revelation is a book about Passover. As with the plagues in Egypt, some affected Israel, and some did not. We will experience tribulation and be affected in the upcoming confrontation between good and evil. But we will be spared from wrath. God’s wrath will not affect us (because of Yeshua).

• As Moses’ hands were held up by Aaron and Hur, and thus Joshua won the battle (Ex. 17) - so we will only win the battle inter-generationally. It took both generations working together to win.

• We need to share the burden – God’s leader cannot bear it alone (Ex. 18).

Fear Not

2010-02-02T11:45:00.000-08:00

Sunburst קרן שמש from Rabbi Ken:

A brief testimony and Holy Scripture prescription to infuse hope and trust as we pray for Ted’s healing:

Timothy (Timothy & Marnie have been visiting KD from Bell Buckel this last month) mentioned to me that their two year old grandson, Gaven, was healed of eczema after we prayed over him the Birkat Yeladim (Children’s Blessing) and laid hands on him at Service two weeks ago. The chronic skin disorder has been with him for a very long time, and Timothy said it is miraculously gone since the prayer!

Ex. 14:13-14 "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. . . The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

Is. 51:12-13 "I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid of a man who will die, and of the son of a man who will be made like grass? And you forget the Lord your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth; you have feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, when he has prepared to destroy. And where is the fury of the oppressor?”

I John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

Speak these words aloud! Meditate upon them (I Tim. 4:15). Let the Creator, our Redeemer, and His power define and determine our reality - not what we see and fear from the inferior oppressor! For all the promises of God in Him are Yes and in Him Amen to the glory of God through us (2 Cor. 1:20)! Amen.

Rabbi Ken
rabkba@gmail.com

Softening a Hardened Heart

2010-01-30T21:48:00.000-08:00

This weekend’s storm has provided a blessed sanctum from the Lord - a special Shabbat with our families, a time to be together, slow down (except when ice-sledding!), be quiet, to hear from the Lord, and be refreshed.

“The Lord shut him [Noah] in” - to the ark, after he entered in obedience (Gen. 7:14). He “closed them in” [the children of Israel (b’nai Yisrael)] between the desert and the Sea of Reeds - after vacating Egypt (Ex. 14:3). Elisha “shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the Lord” in order to bring the Shunamite’s son back to life (2 Kg. 4:33). Yeshua “put them all out” when he brought the young girl back to life (Lk. 8:54).

This week’s parasha, B’shalach, has many wonderful lessons. Let me share a couple of thoughts with you.

Ex. 13:21-22 “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light… He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night before the people.”

How amazing it is that despite our unfaithfulness to Him at times, He will ever remain faithful to us (2 Tim. 2:13). He has sealed us with His Holy Spirit for the day of redemption, and will never leave or forsake us (Eph. 4:30; Heb. 13:5). Simply read Ps. 139 for elaboration.

Ex. 14:4 “And I will harden Pharoah’s heart.”

I was recently very convicted by the Lord that I had unconsciously given place to a cynical and critical spirit. By not consciously bringing my frustrations, hurts, and particularly the people from whom I experienced them, to the Lord, I had gradually become hardened. How frightening a revelation it was! “Neither give place to the devil” (Eph. 4:27). “… looking diligently … lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled” (Heb. 12:15).

If we do not spend intentional time in the presence of God, under the fire of His Word and Spirit, we will become increasingly hardened by life - by people’s actions towards us. We analyze rather than love - rationalize rather than sacrifice. And when we think and speak and act out of a critical or cynical spirit, the Lord Himself withdraws and isolates us. I.e. He leaves us experientially, though not positionally, temporarily, though not permanently. He will “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (Eph. 5:11). God leaves me alone.

When b’nai Yisrael came to Marah and could not drink the bitter waters, they murmured against Moses. The Lord’s answer was to reveal a tree (Heb.= eytz) which in turn was thrown into the waters, and the waters were made sweet (Ex. 15:22-26). I must “toss the cross” into my bitter situations - and they will indeed become sweet! The tree / cross (I Pet. 2:24) is not only Messiah’s death for me, but my death with Messiah (Gal. 2:20). “But God forbid that I should glory except in the tree / cross of Adoneynu Yeshua ha Mashiach, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14). I am only here to manifest His light, reveal His chesed v’emet (grace and truth), show forth His love - to make the invisible God visible.

If we draw near to God, He will draw near to us (Js. 4:6). Repentance brings purification and restoration. The Lord will soften my heart, and make me a source of life and healing to others. “You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail” (Is. 58:11).

Rabbi Ken Alpren

rabkba@gmail.com

God's Treasure

2009-10-26T13:27:00.000-07:00

“You are our glory and our joy! - I Thess. 2:20

God’s treasure is not a chest of gold and silver, but people, who are of inestimable value. Humankind uniquely designed and created for partnership with Him (B'raysheet 1:26). The redeemed ones, washed with the Lamb’s blood, out of every nation, tribe, people and language (Rev. 7:9, 14). “They will be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “on the day when I compose My own special treasure” סגלה - prized and protected possession (Mal. 3:17).

Here at Kol Dodi - our congregation plant in Nashville - God is sending jewels of all ages from many backgrounds and locations. And if the jewel is in the rough, how much more a privilege to be given the task of partnering with the Lord to fashion it into a shining one! “For we are His masterpiece - poem (ποιημα), created in Messiah Yeshua for good actions, which God prepared long ago to be our way of life” (Eph. 2:10).

Its one tiny moment in time

For life to shine, to shine

Burn away the darkness

You’ve got one tiny moment in time

For life to shine, to shine

To burn away the darkness

I will be light

-Matisyahu

Rabbi Ken חנן

Regarding David Wilkerson's Recent Prophecy

2009-03-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

“Now brethren, concerning the coming of Adoneynu Yeshua Mashiach (our Lord Jesus, Messiah) ... we ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter ...” - 2 Thess. 2:1-2

Some may have found themselves frightened or unsettled by David Wilkerson’s recent prophecy. Some may have scoffed at it. Others have moved into panic mode.

We are certainly entering difficult times (2 Tim.3:1) nationally & globally. While I have not yet run to Walmart, I believe the time is short (I Cor.7:20) and we need to stay close to the Lord in His will - hearing His voice.

Being moved out of complacency and recognizing the importance of redeeming the time is always good (Eph.5:16), but let us remember that the wisdom from above is first pure, peaceable, and gentle (Js.3:17).

So don't strive - or panic. Let the Lord be your fear (controlling focus and influence) - not anything else - and He will be your Sanctuary (Is.8:13).

Rabbi Ken