18 Av 5983 / 5 August 2023
Day 217 Readings
EIKEV (Because) Deuteronomy 7:12–11:25
Deuteronomy 9
Israel’s Rebellions Reviewed
1 “Hear, O Israel: You are to cross over the Jordan today, and go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to heaven, 2 a people great and tall, the descendants of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the descendants of Anak?’ 3 Therefore understand today that the Lord your God is He who goes over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the Lord has said to you.
Dueteronomy 11
Love and Obedience Rewarded
1 “Therefore you shall love the Lord your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always. 2 Know today that I do not speak with your children, who have not known and who have not seen the [ae]chastening of the Lord your God, His greatness and His mighty hand and His outstretched arm—7 but your eyes have seen every great [ag]act of the Lord which He did.
22 “For if you carefully keep all these commandments which I command you to do—to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, and to hold fast to Him— 23 then the Lord will drive out all these nations from before you, and you will dispossess greater and mightier nations than yourselves. 24 Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the River Euphrates, even to the [am]Western Sea, shall be your territory. 25 No man shall be able to stand [an]against you; the Lord your God will put the dread of you and the fear of you upon all the land where you tread, just as He has said to you.
Haftarah ‘Ekev: Yesha‘yahu (Isaiah) 49:14–51:3
Isaiah 49
14 “But Tziyon says, ‘Adonai has abandoned me, Adonai has forgotten me.’
15 Can a woman forget her child at the breast, not show pity on the child from her womb?
Even if these were to forget, I would not forget you.
16 I have engraved you on the palms of my hands, your walls are always before me.”
Isaiah 50
7 For the Lord God helps Me,Therefore, I am not disgraced;Therefore, I have made My face like flint,And I know that I will not be ashamed.8 He who vindicates Me is near;Who will contend with Me?Let us stand up to each other.Who has a case against Me?Let him approach Me.9 Behold, the Lord God helps Me;Who is he who condemns Me?Behold, they will all wear out like a garment;A moth will eat them.10 Who is among you who fears the Lord,Who obeys the voice of His servant,Who walks in darkness and has no light?Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire,Who encircle yourselves with flaming arrows,Walk in the light of your fireAnd among the flaming arrows you have set ablaze.This you will have from My hand:You will lie down in torment.
Isaiah 51
Israel Exhorted
1 “Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness,Who seek the Lord:Look to the rock from which you were cut,And to the [j]quarry from which you were dug.2 Look to Abraham your fatherAnd to Sarah who gave birth to you in pain;When he was only one I called him,Then I blessed him and multiplied him.”3 Indeed, the Lord will comfort Zion;He will comfort all her ruins.And He will make her wilderness like Eden,And her desert like the garden of the Lord.Joy and gladness will be found in her,Thanksgiving and the sound of a melody.
B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah ‘Ekev:
Mattityahu (Matthew) 4:1–11;
7 Yeshua replied to him, “But it also says, ‘Do not put Adonai your God to the test.’”[c]
11 Then the devil *left Him; and behold, angels came and began to serve Him.
Luke 4:1–13;
4 Yeshua answered him, “The Tanakh says, ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’”[a]
8 Yeshua answered him, “The Tanakh says, ‘Worship Adonai your God and serve him only.’”[b]
Ya‘akov (James) 5:7–11;
7 So, brothers, be patient until the Lord returns. See how the farmer waits for the precious “fruit of the earth” — he is patient over it until it receives the fall and spring rains.[a] 8 You too, be patient; keep up your courage; for the Lord’s return is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers, so that you won’t come under condemnation — look! the Judge is standing at the door! 10 As an example of suffering mistreatment and being patient, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of Adonai. 11 Look, we regard those who persevered as blessed. You have heard of the perseverance of Iyov, and you know what the purpose of Adonai was, that Adonai is very compassionate and merciful.[b]
John 14:1–31
1 “Don’t let yourselves be disturbed. Trust in God and trust in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many places to live. If there weren’t, I would have told you; because I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 Since I am going and preparing a place for you, I will return to take you with me; so that where I am, you may be also. 4 Furthermore, you know where I’m going; and you know the way there.”
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commands; 16 and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another comforting Counselor like me, the Spirit of Truth, to be with you forever. 17 The world cannot receive him, because it neither sees nor knows him. You know him, because he is staying with you and will be united with you. 18 I will not leave you orphans — I am coming to you. 19 In just a little while, the world will no longer see me; but you will see me. Because I live, you too will live. 20 When that day comes, you will know that I am united with my Father, and you with me, and I with you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me, and the one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
27 “What I am leaving with you is shalom — I am giving you my shalom. I don’t give the way the world gives. Don’t let yourselves be upset or frightened.
Bible Study Together
Numbers 33:29-56
50 Adonai spoke to Moshe in the plains of Mo’av by the Yarden, across from Yericho. He said 51 to tell the people of Isra’el, “When you cross the Yarden into the land of Kena‘an, 52 you are to expel all the people living in the land from in front of you. Destroy all their stone figures, destroy all their metal statues and demolish all their high places. 53 Drive out the inhabitants of the land, and live in it, for I have given the land to you to possess.
Matthew 15:21-28
26 Yet He answered and said, “It is not [l]good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 And she said, “Yes, Lord; but please help, for even the dogs feed on the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed [m]at once.
365 Daily Kingdom Living:
Infinite Wisdom And Strength
Sometimes, when things just don't make much sense, remember the words of Paul to the Corinthians. God can give wisdom and strength because he has infinitely more of it than we have ... and it's never depleted nor diminished in the giving. There's no comparison. It's like comparing a speck of sand with a mountain; a drop of water to an ocean. And it's available to all who trust in Him.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I'm so happy that I don't have to understand everything about you. I can simply accept it all by faith, allowing the Holy Spirit to fill in the gaps. Forgive me for the times I've trusted in my own strength and 'common sense.' May I depend on your uncommon wisdom for the day ahead. In Jesus' holy name, Amen.
Scripture:
Ezra 1- 2
1 Corinthians 1:18-30
26 For [g]consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to [h]the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the [i]insignificant things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no [j]human may boast before God.
Psalms 27
(0) By David:
(1) Adonai is my light and salvation;whom do I need to fear?Adonai is the stronghold of my life;of whom should I be afraid?2 When evildoers assailed meto devour my flesh,my adversaries and foes,they stumbled and fell.3 If an army encamps against me,my heart will not fear;if war breaks out against me,even then I will keep trusting.
4 Just one thing have I asked of Adonai;only this will I seek:to live in the house of Adonaiall the days of my life,to see the beauty of Adonaiand visit in his temple.5 For he will conceal me in his shelteron the day of trouble,he will hide me in the folds of his tent,he will set me high on a rock.6 Then my head will be lifted upabove my surrounding foes,and I will offer in his tentsacrifices with shouts of joy;I will sing, sing praises to Adonai.
7 Listen, Adonai, to my voice when I cry;show favor to me; and answer me.8 “My heart said of you, ‘Seek my face.’”Your face, Adonai, I will seek.9 Do not hide your face from me,don’t turn your servant away in anger.You are my help; don’t abandon me;don’t leave me, God my savior.10 Even though my father and mother have left me,Adonai will care for me.11 Teach me your way, Adonai;lead me on a level pathbecause of my enemies —12 don’t give me up to the whims of my foes;for false witnesses have risen against me,also those who are breathing violence.
13 If I hadn’t believed that I would seeAdonai’s goodness in the land of the living, . . .14 Put your hope in Adonai, be strong,and let your heart take courage!Yes, put your hope in Adonai!
Proverbs 20:22-23 AMPC
Do not say, I will repay evil; wait [expectantly] for the Lord, and He will rescue you.
Dear AVI,
HOLY are YOU O GOD and KING of the Universe!!! YOU are the LORD of my heart, continue O GOD to make me pure and holy and blameless before YOU from now until the day of YOUR Reckoning that everyone of YOUR children has been waiting and expecting so much. O GOD of Heaven! I praise YOU O GOD for YOUR mighty works! I praise YOU for YOUR favor and mercy! I thank YOU LORD for YOUR unfailing love upon me, Help me to keep my eyes focused and fixed on YOU so that I will be crowned by YOUR peace which transcends all understanding. O LORD, here we are without a choreographer in church, to finish the song, please O GOD provide for us the steps we need to finish the entire songs to dance for YOU for our church Anniversary. I ask YOU O GOD, that YOU give us the skills to give YOU the glory that YOU deserve. I am so thankful O GOD that I am back in our church to serve YOU in the different ministry, but I also have this longing to be in Israel and be with the husband YOU have promised me. I will not give up believing that YOU still have the best instore for me so help me to be faithful dear LORD! Help me to be faithful!!! I will continue to dream YOUR dreams for me, to marry Mosab Hassan Yousef or someone similar to him, who would love to live in the Philippines, give us a home in Israel and Philippines LORD, please AVI make things work out for me because YOU are my Father. I pray that YOU enable me to work things out even with the youth team. Please O GOD, help us. Guide us and be our shield. I love YOU LORD, YOU are my strength. Forgive me if I was not patient enough with Jay, but his presence disturbed me greatly and if there is no peace, it's not good to continue with anything so I pray that I will always follow YOUR peace and love O GOD. Surround me secure me with YOU O GOD. Bless this shabbat O GOD and have YOUR way today.
Ba HaShem YESHUA HaMashiach, Amen!