Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Which do you think is the greater test of faith? Having an empty refrigerator or a full one? Most of us think hardship is what pulls us away from God, but according to the Torah, it may be the exact opposite. The greatest danger isn't when you have nothing, it's when you finally have enough. Join me to discover why in this week's five Minute Torah.
[00:00:26] Shalom and blessings from Shalom Macon, the place where disciples of Yeshua learn, connect and grow. I'm Darren, and before I get into the five minutes of my five Minute Torah commentary, let's cover a few quick facts about this week's Torah portion. This week we are studying the 46th Torah portion and the third portion of the Book of Deuteronomy. We are in the portion of Ekev Deuteronomy 7:12, 11:25 and here are the three things that you need to know about it. Number one spiritual food spiritual service in Deuteronomy 8:3 we find the verse Yeshua quotes, when tempted by the adversary and in the wilderness. Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. This reminds us that the Torah is our true spiritual nourishment, sustaining us in times of need. In verse eight lists the seven species of the land of Israel wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and date honey, symbols of God's blessing and abundance. Number two Love and Fear the Summary of the Torah Many people see the Torah as nothing more than a list of rigid do's and don'ts replacing relationship with rules. But this week's Torah portion makes God's priorities clear. What he desires most is our love, reverence and obedience flowing from the heart, as Deuteronomy 10:12 13 says, and now Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you but to fear the Lord your God? To walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord which I commanding you today for your good. Love and fear are not opposites. Here they work together to form the foundation of true service. And number three the coming Kingdom. Circumcision of the heart God's greatest desire is for his children to love him and walk in his ways. But until the new covenant is fully realized, when our hearts will naturally desire to obey him, we must put in the hard work of training our hearts to submit to his Authority, as Deuteronomy 10:16 commands, so circumcise, therefore the foreskin of your heart and no longer be stubborn. The call to circumcise the heart is a call to remove anything that resists his will, preparing us for the day when his kingdom is fully established on this earth. I have some exciting news to share. My newest book, Lost in Prayer, is expected to be released in just a few weeks on August 4th. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the sedur, wonder why Jewish prayer is structured the way it is, or long to experience a deeper connection with God through prayer, this book is for you. Lost in Prayer is a practical messianic guide designed to help you navigate the prayers, understand their meaning, and discover the beauty that has drawn generations of worshipers into God's presence. While you're waiting for its release, I'd love to invite you to check out one of my other books. Whether it's the Four Responsibilities of a Disciple, Spirit of the Law, cup of Redemption, Eight Lights, or one of my Five Minute Torah books, I hope they encourage you as you continue to grow in your walk with the Lord. This week's Torah commentary is called the Mitzvah of Gratitude and comes from my book 5 Minute Torah I, Volume 1. In Judaism we have the practice of giving thanks after each meal. This is called Birkat Hamazon, or grace after meals. This practice is derived from the passage in our Torah portion that gives the instruction to thank the Lord after eating and you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Deuteronomy 8:10 but isn't it only natural for a person to give thanks for what they have received? Why do we need a commandment to require this of us? Let's take a look at an example from the Apostolic Scriptures that will bring some clarification. And as he entered a village, he was met by 10 lepers who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said, yeshua, master, have mercy on us. When he saw them, he said to them, go and show yourselves to the priests. And as they went, they were cleansed. They then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at Yeshua's feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan then said, yeshua, were not 10 cleansed? Where are the 9? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner? And he said to him, rise and go your way. Your faith has made you well. This is Luke 17, verses 12 through 19. In this incident all 10 lepers were healed by Yeshua, yet only one returned to thank him. In order to understand why, we need to take a peek into a concept in Hebrew. In Hebrew, the expression for gratitude is hakkarat hatov, which literally means recognizing the good. Once we understand this concept, we can find traces of this Semitic expression embedded into our Gospel narrative. And it says that when he saw that he was healed, he turned back to praise God and thank Yeshua. Yeshua asked him, were not 10 cleansed? Indeed, 10 were cleansed. But only one recognized the good that was done to him. What about the other nine? They were like the majority of us. If Yeshua had asked them what they would give to be healed, they would probably have given anything in the world. But once they were healed, once they were satisfied, they quickly forgot their desperate need that existed only moments before. This is why we need a commandment that tells us to be grateful and to express that gratitude once we have satisfied our need. We are a forgetful people, especially when it comes to the blessings poured out on us immediately after the commandment is given. The Lord explains why we are instructed to give thanks once we have been satiated. Take heed, lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and and his ordinances and his statutes which I command you this day, lest when you have eaten and are full, then your heart will be lifted up and you will forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Deuteronomy 8, 11, 12, 14 becoming more intentional is a step toward overcoming our human nature of forgetfulness and ungratefulness. Once we begin practicing the Mitzvah of gratitude, we we will find that we have a more thankful heart. Not only that, but we will be blessed. We will have recognized the good and begun our journey toward a more fulfilling life. If today's teaching challenged the way you think about gratitude, don't stop here. Last week's five minute tour answers another question many believers wrestle with. Are God's commandments really possible to keep? The answer might surprise you. Click the video on your screen and I'll meet you there.
[00:07:06] You.
