The Joy of Forgiveness – Shabbat Shuvah

 On Shabbat Shuvah, the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Rabbi Nathan shares a moving message on forgiveness. Our time ends with a prayer, walking through eight steps to help us forgive more completely. Direct Link to Youtube video of message. Delivered on...
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Rosh Hashanah 5783 – An Address to Ruach Israel

 Etz Chaim Hi! An Address to Ruach Israel, Rosh Hashana 5783 Rosh Hashana is a time of new beginnings. Rabbi Nathan reviews the last few years at Ruach Israel and launches our new theme to take us forward into 5783. Our theme is Etz Chaim Hi, “It is a tree of life to those...
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Erev Rosh Hashanah 5783 – HaShem Melech

 Join Rabbi Nathan as we unpack some of Yeshua’s parables to look for three secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven; Identity, belonging and joy! Direct Link to Youtube video of message. Delivered on Shabbat at Ruach Israel’s Sanctuary on September 25, 2022
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Living the High Holy Days

 Rabbi Nathan takes us from Selichot to Rosh Hashanah through the Ten Days of Awe and on to Yom Kippur. Are you ready? Start here and finish well. Direct Link to Youtube video of message. Delivered on Shabbat at Ruach Israel’s Sanctuary on September 17, 2022
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Isaiah 54: Enlarge Our Tents

 Rabbi Nathan takes us through G-d’s promises to Israel through Isaiah 54. His promises to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, take away shame and disgrace, and renew His eternal covenant. What is Isaiah’s message for us? Direct Link to Youtube video of message....
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Finding the Real You

 “Be who you is, because if you is who you ain’t, you ain’t who you is!” Some people travel the world looking for themselves. Who is the real you underneath everything else? Rabbi Nathan looks at the “True and false self” through the lends...
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How Can Bad Things To Happen To Good People?

 How we answer challenging questions like this impact our relationship with G-d in deep ways. Some people’s faith hinges on this question. Join Rabbi Nathan as he discusses the mysteries of death and suffering in our world and where G-d fits in. Direct Link to Youtube...
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The Armor of the Messianic King: Ephesians (Part 12)

 The Armor of the Messianic King: Ephesians (Part 12) As we continue through Ephesians 6:13-20 we will take a deep dive into the context for Paul’s famous passage comparing physical armor to spiritual qualities. Not only does he draw from Roman culture around him but he is...
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The Resurrection Story Through the Gaps – Harmonizing the Four Accounts

 People have critiqued Matthew, Mark, Luke and John for their different emphasis on how they tell Yeshua’s resurection. In fact, Tovia Singer published a document detailing over 20 “discrepancies” between these accounts claiming the accounts fraudulent....
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Passover for Us!

 Passover for Us! Join us as we walk through the why’s and how to’s of Passover. Why celebrate Passover? How to clean out your Chametz? What are the origins of the Seder? Direct Link to Youtube video of message. Delivered by Senior Rabbi Nathan Joiner on Shabbat...
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The Armor of the Messianic King: Ephesians (Part 11)

 The Armor of the Messianic King: Ephesians (Part 11) As we continue through Ephesians 6:10-20 we will take a deep dive into the context for Paul’s famous passage comparing physical armor to spiritual qualities. Not only does he draw from Roman culture around him but he is...
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Understanding Your True Spiritual Enemy: Ephesians (Part 10)

 Understanding Your True Spiritual Enemy: Ephesians (Part 10) The Book of Ephesians concludes with a bang! This message will begin a new part of the series on a most quoted passage, “The armor of God” in Ephesians 6: 10-20. In Messiah we are called to be part of a Renewed...
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Submit To One Another: Ephesians (Part 9)

 Ephesians 8: Submit To One Another The household codes in Ephesians 5:21-6:9 have been a source of much controversy. From woman’s rights to the horrors of the slave trade, these verses have been used by those in control to abuse the weak. But was that what Paul really...
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Submit To One Another: Ephesians (Part 8)

 Ephesians 8: Submit To One Another The household codes in Ephesians 5:21-6:9 have been a source of much controversy. From woman’s rights to the horrors of the slave trade, these verses have been used by those in control to abuse the weak. But was that what Paul really...
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The Birth of a Son: Isaiah 7:14 & 9:6

 The Authority of the Son: John 5:16-30 Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6 are two of the most quoted texts during the Christmas season. Join Rabbi Nathan as we discuss Christmas and take a look at these two important passages in the book Isaiah from a Messianic Jewish perspective. Direct...
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The Authority of the Son

 The Authority of the Son: John 5:16-30 After healing the man crippled for 38 years at the pool of Bethzatha Yeshua’s authority is challenged by the Ioudaioi — the Jerusalem approved religious authority in the Temple. Join Rabbi Nathan as we open up Yeshua’s powerful words...
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What Does Your Chanukah Menorah Mean to You?

 What Does Your Chanukah Menorah Mean to You? Rabbi Nathan brings us a reflection on the Hanukkah candles, days past and generations forward. Direct Link to Youtube video of message. Delivered on Shabbat at Ruach Israel’s Sanctuary on December 4, 2021
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Living Differently Together (5:1-20): Ephesians (Part 7)

 Ephesians 7: A Community of Thanksgiving Walk through Ephesians 5:1-20 with Rabbi Nathan. We see Paul’s plan for greed and selfishness – a community renewed in Messiah’s life. This is the seventh message in a series on the Book of Ephesians. The complete message...
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The Misunderstood Emotion of Anger (continued): Ephesians (Part 6)

 This message is part two of “The Misunderstood Emotion of Anger.” In this message Rabbi Nathan zeros in on a plan to practice Ephesians 4:26, “Do not son in your anger.” Drawing off of parshat Toldot we discuss Jacob and Esav as examples of anger handled poorly. Bring a...
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The Misunderstood Emotion of Anger: Ephesians (Part 5)

 Anger poisons communities, families and individuals. It tears relationships apart and damages children. Many people do not understand and do not have a plan for anger in their lives. Today we take a deep dive into Ephesians 4:11-16. Drawing on Paul’s message on Anger in the...
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Abraham’s Hospitality: Parshat Vayera

 Abraham is considered the exemplar of hospitality in Jewish tradition. As we work toward strengthening community join Rabbi Nathan as he explores the value of hospitality through the life of Abraham. Delivered at Ruach Israel’s Outdoor Sanctuary on October 23, 2021...
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Parashat Bereishit (‘In the Beginning”) – בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית

 Biblical Science In the beginning was… Direct Link to Youtube video of message. By Rabbi Nathan Joiner at Ruach Israel, October 2, 2021
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Living on Joy by Rabbi Nathan

 Sukkoth is a Festival about Joy. Journey with Rabbi Nathan from Sukkoth into neuroscience on the role of joy in our brains, hearts and souls! Delivered at Ruach Israel’s Outdoor Sanctuary on September 25, 2021 Direct Link to Youtube video of message.
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How to build a Sukkah by Rabbi Nathan

 Sukkot has three names in the Torah. The Festival of the harvest, the festival of Sukkot and the season of our rejoicing. Join Rabbi Nathan as we take a deeper dive into The meaning if Sukkot and build a Sukkah of joy in our hearts! Delivered at Ruach Israel’s Outdoor...
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The Very Narrow Bridge – A Yom Kippur Message

 The Very Narrow Bridge – A Yom Kippur Message.   Yom Kippur is a day that we rehearse our own death. It is a day where all life collapses all around us and we can touch the true substance of our lives. Rabbi Nathan explores the deeper meaning behind life, death and...
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The High Holy Days Drama

 In his Shabbat message, Rabbi Nathan helps us to prepare for the upcoming Holy Days. From Ruach Israel’s Outside Sanctuary, September 4, 2021 Direct Link to Youtube video of message.
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Pray about all things

 A sequel to the power of a daily prayer time, Rabbi Nathan unpacks verses in Philippians and James which provide a practical roadmap to manage life’s trials and worries. We close with a practical activities that you can bring into your own prayer time to help you “pray...
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The power of a daily prayer time

 Returning from Camp Or l’dor, Rabbi Nathan shares about the purposes of communal and individual prayer and how to establish a consistent and daily time of prayer first thing in the morning. Direct Link to Youtube video of message.
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Tish B’Av – A Day to Remember

 Rabbi Nathan encourages our community to participate in this very solemn day of remembrance, the Ninth of Av Direct Link to Youtube video of message.
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We Belong To One Another: Ephesians (Part 4)

 Who we share life with matters. The Good News is not just a message to share, it is a message our community needs to live. In part 4 of our series on Ephesians, Rabbi Nathan unpacks what “the old and new self” really means in Ephesians 4:17-32. This is the fourth message in...
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