03/06/2017

Shabbat Service
03/06/2017

Shabbat Shalom!

Welcome to the AT THE CROSS Shabbat Service.
Counting of the Omer ai??i?? Day 49

Psalm 65:1-14

65:1) For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song.
65:2) Praise waits for you, `Elohiym, in Tziyon.
To you shall vows be performed.
65:3) You who hear prayer,
To you all men will come.
65:4) Sins overwhelmed me,
But you atoned for our transgressions.
65:5) Blessed is one whom you choose, and cause to come near,
That he may live in your courts.
We will be filled with the goodness of your house,
Your Set Apart Place in your Temple.
65:6) By awesome deeds of righteousness, you answer us,
`Elohiym of our salvation.
You who are the hope of all the ends of the earth,
Of those who are far away on the sea;
65:7) Who by your power form the mountains,
Having armed yourself with strength;
65:8) Who stills the roaring of the seas,
The roaring of their waves,
And the turmoil of the nations.
65:9) They also who dwell in far-away places are afraid at your wonders.
You call the morning’s dawn and the evening with songs of joy.
65:10) You visit the earth, and water it.
You greatly enrich it.
The river of `Elohiym is full of water.
You provide them grain, for so you have ordained it.
65:11) You drench its furrows.
You level its ridges.
You soften it with showers.
You bless it with a crop.
65:12) You crown the year with your bounty.
Your carts overflow with abundance.
65:13) The wilderness grasslands overflow.
The hills are clothed with gladness.
65:14) The pastures are covered with flocks.
The valleys also are clothed with grain.
They shout for joy!
They also sing.

The Word
Remain or Brexit

To begin with, it is important to draw your attention to the statement on this websiteai??i??s Home Page:
ATC acknowledges politics as the outworking of Biblical prophecy and how it effects the land and the people of Isra`el and the city of Yerushalayim and how it is used for social welfare of the needy in line with the Commandments but ATC is apolitical.

On 23rd. June 2016 the UK went to the polls in a referendum to either stay in the European Union or to come out of it (Brexit). It is not ATCai??i??s purpose to recommend or suggest one political decision over another: and it never will be. What was vitally important is the decision to go out and vote. This holds true for the E.U. Referendum or the Presidential elections in the U.S.A. or any other election. Democracy is a blessing that most of the worldai??i??s people do not enjoy. Please do not waste this blessing. I grew up in a household listening to accounts of my grandparents and how they had to struggle with injustice. Normal working people have not always had the privilege of the vote and it is everybodyai??i??s duty to do so.

I have been asked my opinion as to whether the U.K. should stay in Europe or leave. As always, my default reply is to ask back what does Scripture say on the matter. In the absence of any direct reference, can anything be inferred? Not that I can find. There are many websites that show European leadership as being, at least, ungodly. However, these sites will also ascribe this ungodly behaviour to British politicians. It is not in the scope of this message to comment upon these accusations. ATC lifts up the Good News of salvation rather than try to pull down people of other views. The Light of the Good News is more powerful than the darkness of haSatan.

ai???They have no root in themselves but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble.ai??? (Mark 4:17). ai???Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Messiah Yahshua will suffer persecution.ai??? (2 Tim.3:12). In these two verses, Yahua, through the Master and Sha`ul, promises persecution when not if and will not may occur. Believers are going to be persecuted. At the moment, persecution is mostly verbal and restrictive in the West but is certainly more violent and devastating in an increasing number of countries. It will not matter whether, as a British Believer, you are in or out of Europe, increased persecution is on its way.
Never let it be said that ATC preaches a ai???sugar-coatedai??i?? Good News message.

In the E.U. referendum campaign both the remain and Brexit leaders agree on one thing: the decision to stay in or get out is the most important decision in a lifetime.

It is not!

ai???I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your seed;ai??? (Deut. 30:19). Some decisions have consequences that affect people the rest of their lives. Some decisions (like the E.U. referendum) may have consequences for our children and so must be taken with careful deliberation. Nevertheless, there is one decision that has eternal consequences.

ai???If it seem evil to you to serve Yahua, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amori, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahua.ai??? (Josh. 20:15). Yahoushua was Mosheai??i??s successor and called upon the next generation to make the choice of whom or what to serve. This was what Moshe meant when he called upon his generation to choose between life and death.

Many generations later, a jailer asked Sha`ul and Silas the single most important question there is to ask. ai???…ai???Sirs, what must I do to be saved?ai??i?? They said, ai???Believe in the Master Yahshua the Messiah, and you will be saved, you and your household.ai??i??ai??? (Acts 16:30b, 31).

Imagine walking into a polling booth and looking down upon the ballot paper only to see:
Choice (1): A quiet life, one that allows you to do whatever you want, when you want.
Or
Choice (2): A challenging life, one that promises trials and persecutions.
It would be easy to see why people would put their X alongside Choice (1).

However, leading up to any ballot, there is a period of canvassing. On one side, the candidate promises to give you your heartai??i??s desire. All things are possible, permitted even promoted as being in your best interest.

ai???You are of your Father, haSatan, and you want to do the desires of your father. It was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in it. When it speaks a lie, it speaks on its own for it is a liar and a father of it.ai??? (John 8:44). This ai???candidateai??i?? has a proven record of lying and cannot be trusted. When it does not lie outright, it twists and distorts the truth adding or removing half-truths so that its lie is made more acceptable to its audience. The desires may last a lifetime, but what about afterwards? True, you may not believe that there is an afterlife, but what would happen if there is? The lifetime of pleasure and lack of persecution gives way to an eternity of punishment and torment.

ai???Most assuredly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes Him who sent me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgement but has passed out of death into life.ai??? (John 5:24). This second ai???candidateai??i??, the Master, has already told us to expect persecution. Now here, He promises the compensation for a life of trials; eternal life with Him after death. However, the life of the Believer is not one of gloom and doom. Just the opposite. ai???The thief only comes to steal, kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and may have it abundantly.ai??? (John 10:10). This life of abundance does not necessarily (but also does not exclude) continual wealth and health. It does, however, promise, ai???But the fruits of the Spirit is love, joy, shalom, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.ai??? (Gal. 5:22, 23). This life is one of contentment rather than one of satisfied lusts.

So, if the ballot was to take place tomorrow, where would you place your X? Remember the ai???candidatesai??i?? and their message: where would you place your trust, your eternal destination and status?

Tomorrow never comes; now is the time for salvation. Put your X next to Him who can deliver that which He promises.

Ameyn

Father, we thank you for the power of your Word and that Word was made flesh in Messiah Yahshua so that in believing in His Life, Death and Resurrection we may have eternal life with you.
Ameyn.

ai???Because they hated knowledge,
And didn’t choose the fear of Yahua.
They wanted none of my counsel.
They despised all my reproof.
Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way,
And be filled with their own schemes.ai??? (Prov. 1:29-31).

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