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Ani Mitkaven! Do you remember what this translated Hebrew phrase means? It means, “I really mean it!” Today I want to write about what a useless phrase this really is. The context concerns the gap between what we say and what we do. It is a gap that should not exist. If we have to say, Ani Mitkaven, what about all the times we don’t say it? Should we suppose we’re lying? To God, “words” are not just “words,” they are power and life. God spoke the world into existence. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. And that “Word” was/is Yeshua. That was the beginning of John. The Torah begins similarly … Genesis 1:1a In the beginning God created … 3a Then God said, “Let there be light!” The rest of the creation story of Genesis 1 is filled with the phrase “Then God said.” By speaking, God put in motion the world we have today. The effect of God’s spoken word is power and life, even until today and beyond. We are created in His image, so too, our words have power both today and beyond. Ephesians 4:29 Let no harmful word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for building others up according to the need, so that it gives grace to those who hear it. How many times have we heard the phrase, “There is grace for that?” Believers seem to excuse the sin of speaking a falsehood by claiming grace. Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound? May it never be! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Rabbi’s note: These three chapters of Romans (6,7,8) are Paul’s treatise on being free from sin. Yeshua confirms this … Matthew 5:37 But let your word ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’ – anything more than this is from the evil one. And this verse is consistent with hundreds of other Scriptures, for Yeshua IS the Word. Numbers 30:2 Whenever a man makes a vow to Adonai or swears an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he is not to violate his word but do everything coming out of his mouth. So, what do we do when there is a gap between what we say and what we do? Repent! Don’t just claim grace for that, have a submissive change of heart and make it right, both to God and to men. Let’s explore this again another time. [...]
Today we will illuminate the 3rd stated (by me previously) purpose of Yeshua’s coming. But first, let’s review. Jewish people are usually averse to receiving Yeshua as Messiah, mostly because the rabbis of His day (2,000 years ago) rejected His claim of deity. Yeshua said of Himself … John 10:30 I and the Father are one. When He spoke those words, His hearers knew exactly what He meant. He was making Himself the Echad (One) of Deuteronomy 6:4. But, rather than receive the good news, those leaders rebelled against such a claim. John 10:31 Again the Judean leaders picked up stones to stone Him … 33b The Judean leaders answered, “Though You are a man, You make Yourself God!” And so today, we have a strange situation. Millions of Jewish people have allowed the ancient rabbis to make a critical (life changing) decision for them, without investigating for themselves. Please join me in prayer. Oh Lord, open the eyes, ears, hearts, and minds of Your people, Israel. Bring them (especially their leaders) into your family. Graft in the natural branches and make your family whole. In Yeshua’s name. Amen. 3. He came to provide the perfect atonement. His once-for-all-time sacrifice is the perfect life (sinless without spot or wrinkle, which goes back to the Exodus 12:5 Passover lamb) which was freely given for the perfect life lost (in Adam). This is the only way justice could be achieved (a life for a life). Was Yeshua successful in bringing justice to the world? Yeshua stated His purpose for coming to earth as a man. Matthew 18:11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. (This verse is only found in some manuscripts.) Let me ask you a question. What was lost? God spoke it in Genesis 2:17 But of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil you must not eat. For when you eat from it, you most assuredly will die! But Adam (and Eve) did eat! What died was the intimate, connected relationship they had with Father God. Adam and Eve (and consequently all their offspring, including you and me) became like cut flowers. We look pretty and smell good, but we are dead, rotting and eventually worthless without any connection to the nourishment of the vine. Yeshua had to come, to pay with His own perfect life (to make up for – or atone for – the perfect life lost in Adam) so that we all could live. 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also has come through a Man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Messiah will all be made alive. That is the justice Yeshua achieved through His once-for-all-time sacrifice. The perfect life for the perfect life. We had a sin problem, and you can’t fix a sin problem with a life of sin. Only the Tzadik, Yeshua, could do that. Rabbi Trail: A Tzaddik is one who lives a sinless life, even able to control every thought. No man is a Tzadik. Only God, Himself, could achieve that level of perfection. Many orthodox Jews believe the Lubavitcher Rebbe is that Tzadik. As Messianic Jews, we don’t. Matthew 24:4-5 Yeshua answered them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray! For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will lead many astray. End RT. The enemy thought, if he could just kill the Messiah, that would defeat God’s purposes. But Yeshua rose from the dead in victory over death, a victory that we who believe are still enjoying today. Let’s give Peter the last word. 1 Peter 4:12-13 Loved ones, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal taking place among you to test you – as though something strange were happening to you. Instead, rejoice insofar as you share in the sufferings of Messiah, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be glad. [...]
In Luke chapter 6 we find a pattern to emulate. The pattern is as follows: pressures lead us towards prayer and  intimate prayer leads us into the Presence of God. We might call this the three P’s of our spiritual success: Pressure, Prayer and Presence All of us face difficulties, and when we do it is always recommended that we look to Yeshua, the author and finisher of  our faith. In Luke chapter 6, verses 12 through 17 we read how our Lord went to pray and on the following day he  accomplished a crucial decision in choosing of His talmidim, It was around that time that Yeshua went out to the hill country to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.  When day came, he called his talmidim and choose from among them twelve to be known as emissaries: Shim‛on,  whom he named Kefa; Andrew, his brother; Ya‛akov; Yochanan; Philip; Bar-Talmai; Mattityahu; T’oma; Ya‛akov Ben-  Halfai; Shim‛on, the one called the Zealot; Y’hudah Ben-Ya‛akov; and Y’hudah from K’riot, who turned traitor.” Read the full article here: March ’23 Issue 19 [...]
Let’s look at the second purpose for Yeshua’s first coming in our quest to answer the question, “Was Yeshua successful?” 2. He is the image of the invisible God. Since we can’t see God and live, Yeshua came as one of us so we could see the image of God manifest on earth. It is a common Jewish objection to believing in Yeshua, the scriptures preclude seeing God. Moses asked God to show him His glory. God answered him … Exodus 33:20 But He also said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live.” Yet there are plenty of times and places described in the Bible where God did appear to people. And it wasn’t just onesies and twosies either. Exodus 24:9 Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up. 10aThey saw the God of Israel. 11bSo they beheld God, and ate and drank. I have to ask, “With Whom do you think they were eating and drinking?” My answer is Yeshua, what’s your answer? Maimonides wrote his 13 principles of faith, considered to be the essentials of Judaism by much of the orthodox Jewish world. About 1,000 years ago, he wrote principle #3, which starts with the phrase, “I believe in God’s non-corporality,” meaning God cannot have a body. He wrote that one to refute the possibility that Yeshua could be God. But Maimonides went on to explain that he intended to show that God doesn’t get tired, nor is He in any way affected by physical occurrences. Clearly, since God is the creator of all things, if He wanted to create Himself a body, He could. In fact, it was necessary to prove something. God created the world to have fellowship with man. He placed man in the garden and gave him dominion over all of creation. But through rebellion, sin entered the world. God had to send His Son to conquer sin. Only Yeshua, the only man without sin, could complete the assignment given to father Abraham. Genesis 17:1 When Abram was 99 years old, Adonai appeared to Abram, and He said to him, “I am El Shaddai. Continually walk before Me and you will be blameless.” Abraham wasn’t perfect. Neither were Isaac or Jacob, and Jacob’s sons were far from perfect. In fact, instead of getting more perfect (blameless), each generation became less perfect. God needed to intervene. His intervention was to send His Son, Yeshua. Does it sound too good to be true? Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest He become angry, and you perish along your way – since His wrath may flare up suddenly. Happy is everyone taking refuge in Him! If being right with God depends on us, we will always come up short. Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not from yourselves – it is the gift of God. Still sound too good to be true? It’s not just New Testament. Psalm 81:11(10) I am Adonai your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. Thank You, Lord, for Your completed work. John 19:30 When Yeshua tasted the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. Thank God, it is finished. [...]

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