It’s November already! For those who live north of us November marks the beginning of winter. For those of us who live here in Coastal Virginia November is a fall month of harvest, pumpkin pies, and colorful leaves. Thanksgiving this year is Thursday, November 28th, 2024. November is the 11th month of the Gregorian calendar. Its name is derived from “novem”, Latin for “nine,” an indication of its position as the ninth month in the early Roman calendar. November is the last of four months to have a length of 30 days (the other three are April, June, and September). There is still time to register and attend the MJAA Southeast Reginal Conference in Orlando, Florida next month, December 20th – 22nd, 2024! This conference is a profound way to show your love and support for the Jewish people! To stand with us in solidarity. https://mjaa.org/southeast2024/
Veterans Day occurs on Monday November 11th, 2024. It is an official United States public holiday that honors military veterans, that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day; Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, while Memorial Day honors those who died while in military service.
Both Veterans Day and Memorial Day are associated with sacrifice. Service men and woman who have sacrificed their lives, their personal careers, time with friends, families, free will, hobbies, and interests to support and defend this great Republic. America hasn’t had a draft for the military since 1975. All our armed forces are volunteers. Those who serve do so as a sacrifice. Those who are in our Armed Forces sacrifice their lives, dreams, and hopes to serve their country.
A sacrifice is the personal surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim. To surrender something of great value, to be extremely devoted. Sha’ul talks about sacrifice in his letter to Rome as a foundation of our walk with God. Not merely a Temple Sacrifice but a living sacrifice of our lives to Him:
Romans 12:1. I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice (thusia {thoo-see'-ah}: Sacrifice)—holy, acceptable to God—which is your spiritual service (latreia {lat-ri'-ah}: the service of God, the ministry of God, the service and worship of God according to the requirements of Torah)
This is a loaded scripture that few clergy talk about, most actually shy away from talking about this. This is profoundly contrary to the ever-popular “Prosperity” message. You don’t worship God to get rich! In fact, this says the exact opposite. We are to worship God through a service of sacrifice, in every area of our lives. There is a direct link between military service and this biblical concept. In the Naval Academy, West Point, Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy, or JROTC, Officer Candidate School, or Basic Boot camp in every branch the individual receives lengthy, arduous training to break your will, to remove self, to remove pride, to remove individualism, to build unity, comradery, esprit de corps, and fight as a unit vice an individual. Hair shaved off, same clothes, same language, all done to remove individualism and foster unity. The recruits serve each other in cleaning, housekeeping, and food service. Naval Officer Candidates serve as Midshipmen on naval vessels as crew members over their summer breaks, doing the same jobs as the enlisted.
The military knows a secret that the body of messiah doesn’t and HaSatan does, you can’t win alone. Victory is only obtained by a unified greater body. What we desire to manifest in the lives of others must first be witnessed and experienced in our own life! Motivation builds Esprit de Corps.
It describes the spirit of a body of persons, a group spirit, sense of pride, honor, etc. When a congregation experiences this higher spiritual unity and sense of dedication to its purpose the more it motivates its members to make an impact and succeed. Esprit de Corp takes time but those who are wise will make it a priority to do so. Esprit De Corp brings the congregation to a place of clarity, a place where they clearly see the impact, value, and kingdom purpose of what we are doing, that you are part of something bigger, making a positive change for the Kingdom! Once Esprit de Corps is established it generates its own momentum.
At the individual level the soldier, sailor, or airman doesn’t fight for political idealism or lofty concepts of freedom and liberty for all. They fight for each other. Someone way at the top sets a mission which the unit will carry out together. When the incoming fire begins, the individuals fight to protect and save each other while attempting to destroy that which is attacking them. This sounds basic and simple, yet we in the body of messiah don’t live like this. We tend to be individuals that fight for our own selfish causes, for our own individual desires, motivations, and agendas! We don’t often protect and defend each other (But I will say CZS is very close). Disunity and self are NOT how it is to be in the Kingdom of God. Serving God comes at a great sacrifice:
Matthew 20: 26-28. Among you, it must not be like that. On the contrary, whoever among you wants to be a leader must become your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave! 28 For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve (diakoneo {dee-ak-on-eh'-o}: to be a servant, an attendant, to attend to anything, that may serve another's interests, to take care of the poor and sick) -- and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Coming into the Kingdom of God is coming into Kingdom Service. We’ve had individuals within the military who had a hard time coping, they were incompatible with military life, many were discharged early because they were unable to adapt and learn how to serve. We have the same in the body of Messiah. I can’t tell you the number of people who’ve come and gone through Congregation Zion’s Sake, who have sought to be served, pressed to lead, but were unable to do so. Those who have problems in the military will have problems in the body of Messiah. We must crucify our old ways, thoughts, and actions every day!
Ministering unto God, serving God requires sacrifice. When you come into the Kingdom there is an expectation of sacrifice, changing your actions and life to conform to the kingdom of God. Selfishness, anger, bitterness, grumbling, unforgiveness, dissatisfaction, divisiveness, gossip, slander, lying, stealing, cheating, sexual immorality, addictions, are all love of the world. One’s life must radically change when we receive Yeshua and become part of the Kingdom. You must sacrifice your flesh for service unto God.
Lastly, the National Day of Giving takes place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which occurs every fourth Friday of November. This year, it takes place on December 3rd, 2024. The National Day of Giving, also known as Giving Tuesday or Global Day of Giving follows three major shopping days: Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. It is created to unleash the power of radical generosity by giving a healthy donation to Non-profits and charitable organizations such as Congregation Zion’s Sake.
Lord as we prepare to gather this Thanksgiving, we thank You for food and ask you to remember the hungry. We thank You for health and ask that You remember the sick. We thank You for friends and family while we remember the friendless. We thank You for freedom and as that You remember the enslaved. May these remembrances stir us to a sacrifice of service for Your Glorious Kingdom! In Yeshua’s name we pray! Amen.
May you have a blessed and peaceful Thanksgiving!
Rabbi and Rebbetzin Carlson!
Veterans Day occurs on Monday November 11th, 2024. It is an official United States public holiday that honors military veterans, that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day; Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, while Memorial Day honors those who died while in military service.
Both Veterans Day and Memorial Day are associated with sacrifice. Service men and woman who have sacrificed their lives, their personal careers, time with friends, families, free will, hobbies, and interests to support and defend this great Republic. America hasn’t had a draft for the military since 1975. All our armed forces are volunteers. Those who serve do so as a sacrifice. Those who are in our Armed Forces sacrifice their lives, dreams, and hopes to serve their country.
A sacrifice is the personal surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim. To surrender something of great value, to be extremely devoted. Sha’ul talks about sacrifice in his letter to Rome as a foundation of our walk with God. Not merely a Temple Sacrifice but a living sacrifice of our lives to Him:
Romans 12:1. I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice (thusia {thoo-see'-ah}: Sacrifice)—holy, acceptable to God—which is your spiritual service (latreia {lat-ri'-ah}: the service of God, the ministry of God, the service and worship of God according to the requirements of Torah)
This is a loaded scripture that few clergy talk about, most actually shy away from talking about this. This is profoundly contrary to the ever-popular “Prosperity” message. You don’t worship God to get rich! In fact, this says the exact opposite. We are to worship God through a service of sacrifice, in every area of our lives. There is a direct link between military service and this biblical concept. In the Naval Academy, West Point, Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy, or JROTC, Officer Candidate School, or Basic Boot camp in every branch the individual receives lengthy, arduous training to break your will, to remove self, to remove pride, to remove individualism, to build unity, comradery, esprit de corps, and fight as a unit vice an individual. Hair shaved off, same clothes, same language, all done to remove individualism and foster unity. The recruits serve each other in cleaning, housekeeping, and food service. Naval Officer Candidates serve as Midshipmen on naval vessels as crew members over their summer breaks, doing the same jobs as the enlisted.
The military knows a secret that the body of messiah doesn’t and HaSatan does, you can’t win alone. Victory is only obtained by a unified greater body. What we desire to manifest in the lives of others must first be witnessed and experienced in our own life! Motivation builds Esprit de Corps.
It describes the spirit of a body of persons, a group spirit, sense of pride, honor, etc. When a congregation experiences this higher spiritual unity and sense of dedication to its purpose the more it motivates its members to make an impact and succeed. Esprit de Corp takes time but those who are wise will make it a priority to do so. Esprit De Corp brings the congregation to a place of clarity, a place where they clearly see the impact, value, and kingdom purpose of what we are doing, that you are part of something bigger, making a positive change for the Kingdom! Once Esprit de Corps is established it generates its own momentum.
At the individual level the soldier, sailor, or airman doesn’t fight for political idealism or lofty concepts of freedom and liberty for all. They fight for each other. Someone way at the top sets a mission which the unit will carry out together. When the incoming fire begins, the individuals fight to protect and save each other while attempting to destroy that which is attacking them. This sounds basic and simple, yet we in the body of messiah don’t live like this. We tend to be individuals that fight for our own selfish causes, for our own individual desires, motivations, and agendas! We don’t often protect and defend each other (But I will say CZS is very close). Disunity and self are NOT how it is to be in the Kingdom of God. Serving God comes at a great sacrifice:
Matthew 20: 26-28. Among you, it must not be like that. On the contrary, whoever among you wants to be a leader must become your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave! 28 For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve (diakoneo {dee-ak-on-eh'-o}: to be a servant, an attendant, to attend to anything, that may serve another's interests, to take care of the poor and sick) -- and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Coming into the Kingdom of God is coming into Kingdom Service. We’ve had individuals within the military who had a hard time coping, they were incompatible with military life, many were discharged early because they were unable to adapt and learn how to serve. We have the same in the body of Messiah. I can’t tell you the number of people who’ve come and gone through Congregation Zion’s Sake, who have sought to be served, pressed to lead, but were unable to do so. Those who have problems in the military will have problems in the body of Messiah. We must crucify our old ways, thoughts, and actions every day!
Ministering unto God, serving God requires sacrifice. When you come into the Kingdom there is an expectation of sacrifice, changing your actions and life to conform to the kingdom of God. Selfishness, anger, bitterness, grumbling, unforgiveness, dissatisfaction, divisiveness, gossip, slander, lying, stealing, cheating, sexual immorality, addictions, are all love of the world. One’s life must radically change when we receive Yeshua and become part of the Kingdom. You must sacrifice your flesh for service unto God.
Lastly, the National Day of Giving takes place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which occurs every fourth Friday of November. This year, it takes place on December 3rd, 2024. The National Day of Giving, also known as Giving Tuesday or Global Day of Giving follows three major shopping days: Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. It is created to unleash the power of radical generosity by giving a healthy donation to Non-profits and charitable organizations such as Congregation Zion’s Sake.
Lord as we prepare to gather this Thanksgiving, we thank You for food and ask you to remember the hungry. We thank You for health and ask that You remember the sick. We thank You for friends and family while we remember the friendless. We thank You for freedom and as that You remember the enslaved. May these remembrances stir us to a sacrifice of service for Your Glorious Kingdom! In Yeshua’s name we pray! Amen.
May you have a blessed and peaceful Thanksgiving!
Rabbi and Rebbetzin Carlson!
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