New Year & a New Look

Shalom y'all and Happy New Year 2016!


As with all "new years"; new things come our way.  We all make many resolutions, and most we don't keep.  The d'var Elohim says:

רַבּוֹת מַחֲשָׁבוֹת בְּלֶב-אִישׁ;    וַעֲצַת יְהוָה, הִיא תָקוּם



Proverbs 19: 21  Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but the counsel of Adonai will stand.


Making plans is always good and important, especially this time of the year.  For us as believers however, we always should remember that our best plans are always subservient to the Will of Hashem. 


I have found that believers often get discouraged when their plans do not succeed...

Proverbs 16: 9The heart of man plans his course, but Adonai directs his steps.

Proverbs 15: 22Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Sometimes we plan, but we fail because we are not seeking "God's Plan" for our lives.  And we often neglect to consult the counselors in our lives.  Our parents, our teachers, our rabbis, and the many Godly friends that the Lord puts into our lives. 


Another reason why people experience discouragement and failure is that they DO NOT PLAN AT ALL!!!  There is a spiritual mistake that many believers make in this area of how to run and live their lives.  They mistakenly think that having no plan at all is in some way "following the Spirit of God".  This is a mistaken spiritual outlook. 


God makes plans.  God has a plan.  God's plan is called THE PLAN OF SALVATION...


Romans 16:26 (AMP)

25 Now to Him who is able to establish and strengthen you [in the faith] according to my gospel and the preaching of Messiah Yeshua, according to the revelation of the mystery [of the plan of salvation] which has been kept secret for long ages past, 26 but now has been disclosed and through the prophetic Scriptures has been made known to all the nations, according to the commandment of the eternal God, leading them to obedience to the faith, 27 to the only wise God, through Yeshua Hamashiach, be the glory forevermore! Amen.

God always has a plan.  He knows the beginning and the end.  He is never taken by surprise.

• It is God’s plan that you are CONFORMED TO HIS IMAGE
• AND TRANSFORMED BY HIS POWER…

If you open your heart, to believe in Yeshua – you can receive this plan of Salvation.  All you have to do is “ALLOW GOD TO COME INTO YOUR LIFE AND ALLOW HIM TO CHANGE YOU”.

• But that means submitting the plan for your life – to become His plan.
• It may have not been in your plan to be saved.
• Perhaps it hasn’t fit your arrangements for your life to conform to Him or to be transformed….

God is a gentleman, and he doesn’t necessarily force Himself on us.  He gives us a choice.

You have to choose this for yourself.  You do have to kind of “give up your own plans” and allow His Plan to become Your Plan – you see?

When you do this – then it is genuine.  Then the changes begin to happen.  The best plan we can make for ourselves this new year is a new look; to look more like Yeshua the Messiah.  To allow Him to come into our lives in greater measure!

That is the plan for us here at Tikvat Yisrael as a congregation.  That we would all together be more like Him. 

This year you are going to see many new things.  It's a new year, with new goals, new challenges.  We are going to end the year with a new U.S. President.  And at Tikvat we are preparing for new things.  Let's be Born anew from above. 

Our new logo is just a symbol of the new things that are coming our way.  I'm excited and proud to serve as your rabbi and under-shepherd here at Tikvat.  Let's get ready for the new things God has for us, and be ready for His Plan for our lives!

amen!