Torah passage: Genesis 2:20-3:21.

As I was reading the passages for this week, I was reminded that the Bible is all one story. The story of the Messiah. The Lamb of G-d, who takes away the sins of the world, and whose death brought us life. In this morning’s Torah reading, we read about how sin entered the world, and we also read that the answer, the redemption that we so desperately needed, G-d already had a plan for that.

He didn’t just come up with a plan after the fruit was eaten, He was ready with the solution before sin entered the world. And that got me to thinking about other situations. I might be caught by surprise, but He never is. There isn’t one thing that has ever happened in my life that He didn’t know was going to happen. He has already prepared solutions.

I just need to trust Him.

Shabbat Shalom.

As I read the scripture portions this week, one verse stood out to me. It was Genesis 21:17.
The phrase “in his present situation” got my attention. That tells me that whatever my present situation is, it is always the right time. I don’t need to wait for a better time. He is ALWAYS listening. He is ALWAYS ready to answer. His answer may not come immediately.

In the Haftarah portion, we read about Adonai bringing Israel back Tziyon. And Luke 1:54-55 says “He has taken the part of His servant Isra’el, mindful of the mercy which He promises to our fathers, to Avraham and his seed forever.” Israel has been waiting a long time to be delivered from their present situation, but G-d has a perfect plan and He will bring it to completion.

Let me tell you about a “present situation” from a few weeks ago. We were on vacation. Having a great time. Probably the best time we have ever had on vacation. And then my husband didn’t do something I thought he should have done. And I let my mind dwell on it. And I lost my peace. After about an hour, I prayed and said I want my peace back. Please show me how to get my peace back. About half an hour to an hour later, G-d reminded me of something a friend had shared on Facebook. And I realized right away that I had lost my peace because the thoughts I was dwelling on were the enemy’s thoughts. I allowed his thoughts to be in my mind and it took my peace. As soon as I realized that, I was able to let those thoughts go. And my peace returned.

What G-d taught me through that is that if there is an area of my life where I don’t have peace, it’s because I haven’t made the Prince of Peace L-rd over that area of my life.

Shabbat Shalom.

Deuteronomy 9:4-29. In this Torah portion, we are reminded of some of Israel’s transgressions. As we have been studying the Torah, I have wondered why did G-d choose them? They were obedient and faithful sometimes. But sometimes they weren’t. Sometimes they were so disobedient that G-d wanted to destroy all of them! And there were times when G-d disciplined them. Through all of it, G-d was faithful to Israel. I may not know why they were chosen, but I am thankful that they were. It almost seems like they were chosen because He knew they wouldn’t follow Him perfectly. In our Torah club lesson last week, we learned that He chose Israel and gave them His Torah so that He could reveal Himself to the rest of the world. One thing He has revealed to the rest of the world is that He is faithful. One thing He has revealed to me is that He is faithful. I would like to close with  1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “Now may the G-d of shalom make you completely holy; and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept complete, blameless at the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. Faithful is the One who calls you- and He will make it happen!” TLV. Shabbat Shalom!

In this week’s Torah passage, we read about the many sacrifices that Adonai required from the Israelites. Hebrews 9:13-14 says “For if sprinkling ceremonially unclean persons with the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer restores their outward purity; then how much more the blood of the Messiah, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself to G-d as a sacrifice without blemish, will purify our conscience from works that lead to death, so that we can serve the living G-d!” The sacrifices offered previously could make someone ritually pure, but they couldn’t renew someone’s mind. They couldn’t change a person from the inside out. Yeshua offered himself as a sacrifice so we could be renewed and changed. Romans 8:6 says “Having one’s mind controlled by the old nature is death, but having one’s mind controlled by the Spirit is life and shalom.” Studying Torah is changing me.
My mind is being renewed. I am not struggling to control my mind, and keep myself from thinking things I know I shouldn’t think about. It feels like a miracle to me. And this gives me confidence to trust G-d for other areas of my life as well. If He can do that, then He can do anything. “I will not forget your precepts, for with them you have made me alive. ” Psalms 119:63.