"beginning"
B'reisheet (Gen.) Torah - Genesis 1:1-6:8; Isaiah 42:5-43:11; John 1:1-14
5768
As a believer in Messiah one of the most important things that I have learned is that just as we begin again in reading the scriptures each year, we serve a G-D of new beginnings. So many times in our lives we find ourselves in a place where we would love to be able to start again. We have made mistakes and looking back over our situation we think, "If only I could do it over again, I would do things differently." Well one of the greatest things about the G-D we serve is that with Him we can start over. No matter what we have done, no matter what mistakes or failures we have made, we can always turn to Him and change our lives. We must, however, humble ourselves, realize the errors we have made and acknowledge that His ways are higher then our ways. We must desire to live according to His plan. We must turn in faith knowing that it is only through the Messiah Yeshua that we have the opportunity to make Teshuvah and turn back toward G-D. When we become a believer in Messiah the Holy Scriptures tell us we are made new creatures. G-D exchanges our heart of stone for a heart of flesh and we can through the power of His Spirit within us live a new life, having been born anew. As we roll our scroll back to the beginning this week, lets also turn our hearts again to Our Messiah and the redemption He purchased for us.
5767
We have once again rolled our Torah back to Genesis and have begun to read about the creation of the world. There are many theories about where the world came from. These range from the complex to the really weird. However, as Messianic Believers it is with great ease that we read from G-D�s Torah and accept that He spoke the world into existence. Just how His words transformed into what we see none of us understand, nor as mere human beings do we need to understand. What we must do is accept it as truth. Truth is something we have been speaking about often and will continue to do so. Truth does not waver, it does not change and it cannot be compromised. Some of these truths include that there is but one G-D, the G-D of the Torah! That He created all that we see and all that we do not yet see! That He loves mankind! That He loves us even though we have sinned against Him. That all of us have sinned against Him! That He provided a plan for restoration of the relationship between Himself and mankind! That the only plan for the relationship restoration is within His Word! That His word consists of the Tanakh and Brit Chadashah! That His planned called for a Messiah! That His plan also said He would be that Messiah! That the Messiah would be born of an Almah (virgin)!That He (Messiah)would become an offering for our sins! That all the Nations of the Earth would have this relationship available to them! That we as believers have the obligation because G-D has commanded us to make these truths and many other truths known to all who will listen. To compromise on these or any truths from the Holy Scriptures is not just bad theology; it also makes G-D a liar which according to Scripture He cannot be!
5766
This has been a very different Holy Day season for us as a congregation. We have rejoiced together and had some great times of worship and fellowship. At the same time we have had times of sadness and loss, as we had two funerals during these weeks. There have also been many different types of family crisis going on while at the same time we have had many reasons to be joyful. This week we will celebrate Simchat Torah and all who want to will have the opportunity to dance with the Torah. It is during this one festival day that among the Orthodox Jews two things are done that are not done any other time of the year. In Orthodox Synagogues two changes are made; first the Mechitzah, or curtain, between men and women is taken down so that all may rejoice together and second the children are called to the front for the first Alliyah (the honor of praying and reading from the Torah). As I thought about these things this year, I was brought back to understanding that our lives are like the Torah and Simchat Torah celebration. Just as Torah tells of miracles and judgments, life and death, crisis and peace, our lives have these events and many times, they happen at seemingly the same times. We also need to understand that when we rejoice in Torah there are no separations, parents and children, men and women, Jew and non-Jew. It is only when we fully unify as one people that Torah does brings joy rather than bondage. It is only when we are “one” that we can fully understand what a wonderful gift Torah is.
5765
We have once again rolled our Torah back to Genesis and have begun to read about the creation of the world. There are many theories about where the world came from. These range from the complex to the really weird. However, as Messianic Believers it is with great ease that we read from G-D’s Torah and accept that He spoke the world into existence. Just how His words transformed into what we see none of us understand, nor as mere human beings do we need to understand. What we must do is accept it as truth. Truth is something we have been speaking about often and will continue to do so. Truth does not waver, it does not change and it cannot be compromised. Some of these truths include that there is but one G-D, the G-D of the Torah! That He created all that we see and all that we do not yet see! That He loves mankind! That He loves us even though we have sinned against Him. That all of us have sinned against Him! That He provided a plan for restoration of the relationship between Himself and mankind! That the only plan for the relationship restoration is within His Word! That His word consists of the Tanakh and Brit Chadashah! That His planned called for a Messiah! That His plan also said He would be that Messiah! That the Messiah would be born of an Almah (virgin)!That He (Messiah)would become an offering for our sins! That all the Nations of the Earth would have this relationship available to them! That we as believers have the obligation because G-D has commanded us to make these truths and many other truths known to all who will listen. To compromise on these or any truths from the Holy Scriptures is not just bad theology; it also makes G-D a liar which according to Scripture He cannot be!