Happy Hannukah everyone, to a month of miracles, light and dreams.
In this weeks Torah portion Jospeh is sold and sent to Egypt and the rest of his story is told.
Our Torah portion starts and ends with:” But Adonai was with Him!” All the events that happened to Jospeh were predetermined by God. God stretched out his hand many times to Jospeh. In the midst of prison God helped him. The Apostolic portion chosen is Acts 16:16-40, it recounts Paul and Silas going to jail. Like joseph they suffered at the hands of powerful men in spite of the fact they had done nothing wrong. The Almighty was with them just like with Jospeh. It is hard not to despair when we think of these past and current situations, however we see the righteous in this world will suffer but take comfort and courage that God is always with us. An earthquake opens the prison where Paul and Silas were held, God never let’s go. Yeshua promises to be with us always, even to the end of the age.
I personally believe we are at the end of the age Yeshua was talking about. The darkness is all around us. Our constitution is ignored. We have climate and green agenda being pushed with no viable solutions for our welfare. The dollar is worthless and about to collapse. Yet I still know the light of Yeshua shines on all his children. I have faith and believe that God is in control.
The Hannukah story is about a family, the Maccabees, who defy the Greeks. A much larger foe whose goal was to absorb the Jewish people and culture. A few men, WITH GOD, defeat an entire army and culture over a few short years. The Jewish army was a group of believers who trusted in God. They had faith he would bring them to victory against and much more aggressive and trained military.
I believe this story and the Bible is always relevant to the current time we live in now. Only in a dying world can the light of Yeshua, that shines in all those who hold fast to His teaching and strive to be lights on hill will be able to save our nation. We need to have courage and strength for the difficult times coming. But we also need to incorporate our faith in our daily living to learn how to rely on God. Some examples of this are, if you want a wife, pray, and believe God will send one in his time. If bills need to be paid trust and let God, do it his way, and it may not be in your timing or how you want it to go but don’t give up. Exercise your power as a believer, let God Bless you. Don’t live in fear.
Have A Safe and Blessed Holiday, remember Joseph was a slave and became one of the most powerful people in the world. He saved the Jewish nation. We can save ours but only with Yeshua. Amen