Monthly Archives: September 2023

A Good Seal…

Yom Kippur – the last reflection from our worship community. Again, the basic ideas of this reflection were taken from AISH and compiled by one of our community leaders.

Create in Me A Clean Heart Oh Adonai and Renew a Right Spirit Within Me

Psalm 51

Read Psalm 27 Daily

10 DAYS OF AWE

Al Chet Prayer

The Goal of Al Chet Is to Get to The Root of the Problem.  To become more like Yeshua and to become conformed to His image and Torah is a process, it does not happen overnight.  The key is never to give up, because He does not give up on us.  We are all under construction and a work in process and this is the time to do spiritual house cleaning.

We are now in the last of the 10 days of awe, a time to measure our spiritual growth and make amends where needed prior to Yom Kippur.

My Spiritual Annual Review Days of Awe Day 10:

Confession

“All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.” (Isaiah 53:6)

Looking back over the past 40 days, I can rejoice because of the Ruach HaKodesh’s leading and correcting in my life areas that are contrary to what I desire and contrary to His Word.  Looking back over the last 40 days, I need to agree with (confess before) God certain issues in my life.  In the next year, I need to overcome temptations in my life that have held me captive.  I will commit to have my leadership or someone I trust to hold me accountable for my actions in the next year.

#40. For the sin we have sinned before You in the matter of extending a hand;

And for the sin we have sinned before You through confusion of heart.

FOR ALL THESE, O GOD OF FORGIVENESS IN YESHUA’S NAME, FORGIVE US,

PARDON US, ATONE FOR US THROUGH THE BLOOD OF YESHUA OUR MESSIAH.

I want to end with ‘Confusion of the Heart” because all sin is a heart issue.  We need to look deep into our hearts and ask God to heal us from all issues within our hearts that have caused us to sin.  Many of these issues stem from a wounded heart that needs to be healed.

There are almost 800 verses in The Bible that deal with the heart.  From the very beginning when sin entered through disobedience – Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

The whole point of the 40 days of Teshuvah is:

Ps. 139:23, 24:  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts; And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

The Good News is He wants to heal the wounds within us if we will let Him.  Thank G-d for providing Atonement for ALL of our sins through the blood of Yeshua our Messiah.

Is. 53:5:  But he was wounded because of our crimes, crushed because of our sins; the disciplining that makes us whole fell on him, and by his bruises we are healed.

40a. For the mistakes we committed before You in extending the hand.

Ask yourself:  Have I withheld from touching things that don’t belong to me?  Have I stretched forth my hand to the poor and the needy?  Have I joined hands with wicked people?  Have I extended my hand to help in community projects?

40b. For the mistakes we committed before You through confusion of the heart.

The Sages tell us that ultimately all mistakes stem from a confusion of the heart.  This is why on Yom Kippur we tap our chest as we go through this list of “Al Chets.”

Ask yourself:  Have I not worked out issues because of laziness?   Have I made mistakes because I emotionally did not want to accept what I logically knew to be correct?  Have I properly developed my priorities and life goals?

In Him,

Dr. Dee

Al Chet

Shalom Everyone,

We have been reflecting on our walk with HaShem during these 10 days of awe and on Monday, 9/25 is Yom Kippur – The Day of atonement. One of our congregational leaders has been sending daily reflections taken from Aish as encouragement for us to look inward. Our inward reflection is a way to examine what we need to work on in the coming New Year. As believers in Yeshua, we know we are dependent on Him to shed light on the dark areas within our hearts and to assist us in growing to be more like Him in order to please Abba. Below is one of the many reflections we received. I hope you will be blessed by the encouragement.

Create in Me A Clean Heart Oh Adonai and Renew a Right Spirit Within Me

Psalm 51

Read Psalm 27 Daily

Al Chet Prayer 

The Goal of Al Chet Is to Get to The Root of the Problem.  To become more like Yeshua and to become conformed to His Image and Torah is a process, it does not happen overnight.  The key is never to give up, because He does not give up on us.  We are all under construction and a work in process and this is the time to do spiritual housecleaning.

#27. For the sin we have sinned before You through haughtiness/arrogance.

Definition of haughtiness:  Webster’s 1828 Dictionary:  HAUGHTINESS, n. haughtiness.  The quality of being haughty; pride mingled with some degree of contempt for others; arrogance.

Isa. 2:11:  The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

When you look up scriptures referring to haughtiness, it always refers to those who are rebellious against G-D and His Ways and contempt for His people.

Jer. 48:29:  We have heard the pride of Moab (he is exceedingly proud), his loftiness, and his arrogance, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.

Haughtiness is a form of pride as well.

Prov. 8:13:  The fear of the LORD is to hate evil:  pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the forward mouth, do I hate.

Prov. 11:2:  When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

Prov. 13:10:  Only by pride cometh contention:  but with the well advised is wisdom.

Prov. 14:3:  In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride:  but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

Prov. 16:18:  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

So what is the “cure” for haughtiness, arrogance and pride?

Humility:  Definition of Humility – YESHUA

Phil. 2:8:  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

James 4:10:  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

1 Pet. 5:5, 6:  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder.  Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility:  for G-D resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of G-D, that he may exalt you in due time;

Matt. 18:4:  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

To walk in humility is to die to SELF or the ME, ME, ME, I, I, I syndrome.

Self-Conceit

Self-Righteousness

Self-Exaltation

Self-Consciousness

Self-Pity

Self-Destruction

Self-Centeredness

Matt. 23:11:  But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

Matt. 23:12:  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

28. For the mistakes we committed before You by being arrogant.

The trait the Torah uses to describe Moses is “the humblest man.”  Humility is a key to spiritual growth, because it allows us to make room in our life for other people – and for G-D.

Ask yourself:  Have I made others feel lowly in order to raise myself higher?  Do I dress and speak in a way that draws extra attention to self?  When walking through a door, do I usually go first, or let others go first?

In Him, 

Dr. Dee