Messianic Teachings From Nachamu Ami Messianic Synagogue

Have you ever made a mistake? A really big mistake? One so big that you had trouble believing God could still be there for you? Believe it or not, the story of Jacob and his ladder can provide some incredible comfort for any of us who have ever found ourselves having to deal with the consequences of big mistakes. If you’ve ever felt the feeling of distance between you and your Father in Heaven because of something you’ve done, join Rabbi Damian as he reminds us who God says we are and what purpose we have in this life.

Many times when tests come our way we hear voices of discouragement, voices of doubt, voices of anxiety, voices of fear. They all tell us things will only get worse and it's better just to give up than to face the reality of our future. The Midrash, the ancient commentary on the Hebrew Scriptures, tell a story of how HaSatan lured Sarah into believing the worst and how it affected the rest of her life. How will listening to his voice and the voices of fear and doubt affect your life? Join Rabbi Damian as he exposes the lies we have come to believe and encourages us to live overcoming lives of faith.

The name Abraham is synonymous with faith. When we speak about Abraham, we speak about faith. But what about Abraham's chesed, his loving kindness? As much as Abraham had faith, his chesed was just as deep. What lessons can we learn from this and how can we apply it right now? Join Darren Huckey as he brings this important message, “Abraham: Master of Chesed.”

Why does life have to be so difficult? Why do we have to endure so much hardship and suffering? Do we really have to endure so many tests? If God knows how we will respond, why does He allow us to be tested? Wouldn't life be much better without trails? Join Rabbi Damian as he brings the story of Abraham to life and gives us practical advice on how to navigate the tests in our life. Navigating Our Nisayon is a message everyone will benefit from.

The great sage, Hillel, taught his disciples, "If I am not for myself who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? And if not now, when?" How does this connect with Noah and his mission to save the world, and what can Noah teach us about evangelism? Join Rabbi Damian in this unique insight into our mission as disciples of Yeshua and the calling we have to take the light of Yeshua to the world. What does this mean in a Messianic context and in the context of Yeshua's original teachings? Keep listening to find out more.

Sometimes the biblical calendar can be confusing. Sometimes we wonder why it's set up the way it is. Rest assured, however, Hashem knows what He is doing. Sukkot seems to be the conclusion of the fall festivals, but there is one more day that Hashem calls us to remain and linger with the LORD a little while longer. Do you need a long embrace from the LORD? Join Rabbi Damian as he revisits the clouds of the Sukkah and reminds us of the loving embrace of our Creator.

What should be our purpose for dwelling in a sukkah (tabernacle) during the week of Sukkot? What should we be focused on and thinking about? Join Rabbi Damian in this brief message to prepare us for Sukkot.

Judaism makes quite the deal about repentance leading up to and during the High Holidays. Hasn't Yeshua taken care of all of that for us in the Messianic community? Why should we waste our time saying penitent prayers and asking for forgiveness when we have received merit through the atonement of Yeshua? If you have these same questions, Rabbi Damian brings it home with a close examination of John 5 and the healing of the lame man and what may truly be taking place during this auspicious season, particular on Shabbat Shuvah, the Sabbath between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Everyone wants to be forgiven, but not everyone is willing to forgive. How do we deal with this difficult subject? Are we supposed to "forgive and forget"? Are we supposed to forget all of the pain and suffering others have caused us through (God-forbid) physical or sexual abuse? Does being a follower of Yeshua obligate us to forgive and forget horrible moments of suffering in our lives? What happens if we don't? Are we still in Yeshua's care? Join Rabbi Damian on this exploration as he puts a difficult subject into perspective so we can enter the new year with peace, knowing we have properly dealt with the past.

The first two messages in this series we were descending into the depths by taking responsibility for and admitting our shortcomings. We also came to the conclusion that we are in control of our destiny and have the power to initiate change. Now, we begin the ascent towards our future by bringing correction in key areas of our life that will set us on a path of blessing and success. The first step we must take on this path is changing how we view others. Do we have a double-standard of giving ourselves the benefit of the doubt while holding others to the wire? How is gratitude the key to unlocking and overcoming this difficult challenge? Join Rabbi Damian as he takes us from our descent of failure to an ascension toward victory.

Sometimes failure is lurking where we least expect it, and when confronted our natural response is to blame shift rather than accept our own shortcomings. But in order to grow and mature, we have to take the mask off, be honest with ourselves (and with others), and deal with the root issues that have kept us groveling in the dirt for far too long. Do we really have the power to change? It's not an instant process, nor an easy one, but if you choose to endure it you will become the vessel for the purpose you were created.

What do we do with failure? We have all made mistakes and had failure in our lives. Too many times we let those failures define who we are. Now that we are in the Hebrew month of Elul, we have an opportunity to use our failures to become the person Hashem created us to be. He wants us to know that He can turn our past failures into the fuel that can change our future. Join Rabbi Damian in part one of this soul-searching series, Every Descent.

What hope does the author of Hebrews offer to his audience? Is it what traditional Christian interpretation has told us or is there something different? Why have so many Christian leaders (especially in recent days) lost their faith? If Yeshua declared "it is finished" on the cross why is there still suffering and injustice in the world today? In the exciting conclusion of our series, A Better Covenant, Rabbi Damian pulls everything together to help us understand the overarching message of the book of Hebrews as well as the hope we have in Yeshua.

If Yeshua wasn't a sacrifice in the literal sense, like we discussed in our last message, then what value was there in his suffering and death? Why did he have to suffer such a horrible death on our behalf? How is Yeshua's death efficacious on our behalf to remove sin and bring us into the World to Come and how does the Jewish concept of middah k'neged middah (measure for measure) help us understand this? Join Rabbi Damian in this explosive journey into the concept of the death of the righteous and how we are recipients of Yeshua's unjust suffering.

Was Yeshua really a sacrifice? Where in the Scriptures do we find that a human qualifies as a sacrifice. Where does it say that human blood is required to satisfy the wrath of a blood-thirsty God? These are difficult and legitimate questions that are often raised by anti-missionaries and skeptics. How does Christianity answer this? Does Messianic Judaism have an answer? Join Rabbi Damian in this honest look at these questions and more to give us a clear picture of Yeshua as the sacrificial lamb of God.

The author of Hebrews uses specific terminology to capture the attention of his audience and make his points clear. There are two Greek words that his arguments hinge on: protos (first) and deuteros (second). Unfortunately, this fact is lost in our English translations, generally due to translation bias. However, they are central to the arguments being presented and we must understand this to understand this book. Also, major English Bible versions do not agree on verb tenses in their translations. Some translations say that the way into the holy place "HAS not yet been disclosed" (Hebrews 9:8) and other translations say it "HAD not yet been disclosed." Some say "as long as the first Tabernacle WAS still functioning" and others say "IS still functioning." Which is it and why do these translations disagree with one another? Join Rabbi Damian as he untangles our English translations to help us understand the true message in Hebrews 9:1–10, and the amazing work of Yeshua.

In our previous installment we began talking about the better promises of the New Covenant. But we left out on critical component. What does this have to do with the Gentiles? How are non-Jewish followers of Yeshua affected and what is so incredible about the promises of this New Covenant for the nations? In this teaching, Rabbi Damian spells out these ramifications, discussing the decision of the Jerusalem Council and Paul's single rule for all of his communities. Join us as we explore how these decisions have impacted the world today and even been twisted into saying that Gentiles have no part and no obligation to the Torah's instructions.

We are excited to present this special message from Dr. Ervin Briones, one of our own from the NAMS Tribe. He pulls no punches in this heart-piercing message of one man's inner transformation into a passionate disciple of Yeshua. Drawing from his own spiritual journey from Catholicism and the Seventh Day Adventist Church to Messianic Judaism, Dr. Briones shows that, if we are honest with ourselves, we all may have a little bit of Balaam hiding within us. We all want to justify our actions and beliefs, even though we know deep down inside what is right. Join Dr. Briones in this message from the heart to possibly discover a little about your own heart.

The author of Hebrews claims that Yeshua "has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises" (Hebrews 8:6). What was wrong with the first covenant that required better a new covenant with better promises? What are these better promises? Have these promised been realized or are we still waiting on their fulfillment? And last, how does knowing the promises of the New Covenant help refute the claims of Replacement Theology? Join Rabbi Damian on this exciting look at the promises of God to His people and how those promises have already come about or will come about in the future.

What does it mean to occupy your space and are we currently doing so? Are we taking up more space than we should? Are we filling the space that we've been given? How does this concept help us understand the dynamics of what was going on behind the scenes in the rebellion of Korah against Moses? Join Lance Slater as he delves into these concepts and more in this contemplative understanding of Korah and our responsibility to occupy our proper space in all areas of life.