10/04/2021

Shabbat Word

10/04/2021

Shabbat Shalom!

Covid-19 continues to ravage the world. Every night, I pray this Psalm for the continued well-being, security and prosperity of Yahuah’s people, Yisra`el, His land, Yisra`el, His set apart city Yerushalayim and my family spiritual and physical.

Psalm 91:1-16

91:1) He who dwells in the secret place of Ha`Elyon,

Will rest in the shadow of Shaddai.

91:2) I will say of Yahuah,

“He is my refuge and my fortress; My `Elohiym, in whom I trust.”

91:3) For He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler,

And from the deadly pestilence.

91:4) He will cover you with His feathers.

Under His wings you will take refuge.

His faithfulness is your shield and rampart.

91:5) You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,

Nor of the arrow that flies by day;

91:6) Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,

Nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday.

91:7) A thousand may fall at your side,

And ten thousand at your right hand;

But it will not come near you.

91:8) You will only look with your eyes,

And see the recompense of the wicked.

91:9) Because you have made Yahuah your refuge,

And Ha`Elyon your dwelling place,

91:10) No evil shall happen to you,

Neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.

91:11) For He will give His angels charge over you,

To guard you in all your ways.

91:12) They will bear you up in their hands,

So that you will not dash your foot against a stone.

91:13) You will tread on the lion and cobra.

You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot.

91:14) “Because he has set his love on me, therefore I will deliver him.

I will set him on high, because he has known my name.

91:15) He will call on me, and I will answer him.

I will be with him in trouble.

I will deliver him, and honour him.

91:16) I will satisfy him with long life,

And show him my salvation (yeshu`ah).”

Psalm 30:1-13

30:1) A Psalm.

A Song for the Dedication of the Temple.

By David.

30:2) I will extol you, Yahuah, for you have raised me up,

And have not made my foes to rejoice over me.

30:3) Yahuah my `Elohiym, I cried to you,

And you have healed me.

30:4) Yahuah, you have brought up my soul from She’ol.

You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

30:5) Sing praise to Yahuah, you set apart ones of His.

Give thanks to His set apart name.

30:6) For His anger is but for a moment;

His favour is for a lifetime.

Weeping may stay for the night,

But joy comes in the morning.

30:7) As for me, I said in my prosperity,

“I shall never be moved.”

30:8) You, Yahuah, when you favoured me, made my mountain to stand strong.

But when you hid your face, I was troubled.

30:9) I cried to you, Yahuah.

To Yahuah I made supplication:

30:10) “What profit is there in my destruction, if I go down to the pit?

Shall the dust praise you?

Shall it declare your truth?

30:11) Hear, Yahuah, and have mercy on me.

Yahuah, be my helper.”

30:12) You have turned my mourning into dancing for me.

You have removed my sackcloth, and clothed me with gladness,

30:13) To the end that my heart may sing praise to you, and not be silent.

Yahuah my `Elohiym, I will give thanks to you forever!

A Word

The minute you start talking about what you are going to do if you lose, you have lost.

Imagine the scene:

It is a fine summer’s day and you decide to take a walk along a cliff top on the coast. You come to a fence with a gate that has a large sign conspicuously posted stating ‘DANGER! Cliff edge liable to collapse. Keep to the path and well away from the cliff edge.” You carry on through the gate admiring the view.

Are you attracted to the edge or the idea of danger? Is it because of the sign or are you that keen to look over the edge? When I was at sea, it was nice to go on deck after finishing work to cool off and look out at sea. However, at night, there was the danger of looking down at the wake passing the ship, especially if there was fluorescence in the water. The sea tends to draw you down and it takes quite an effort to break away. It is the same with a cliff edge.

Great debates have taken place over the years as to whether it is possible to ‘lose your salvation’. This has always worried me in as much as why the question should ever arise. What possible action could be so terrible that forgiveness was not possible?

“but whoever may blaspheme against the Ruach HaKodesh never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.” (Mark 3:29). This is the proof text that is most commonly used to argue for the answer yes to the question. The difficulty arises when defining the word ‘blaspheme’. Normally it is taken as a cursing Yahuah `Elohiym as Father, Son or Ruach. However, this would seem highly unlikely by one who has surrendered their life to Yahuah through His Son, Messiah Yeshua. There are times in every Believer’s life when tragedy strikes leaving the Believer questioning Yahuah’s motives. Take Iyov (Job) for example. He loses his children, his wealth, his status and eventually his health. His wife famously calls him to ‘curse Yahuah and die’ (Job. 2:9). In spite of all that has happened to him, Iyov refuses. Some translations say ‘renounce’ instead of curse. This would make more sense if renounce was substituted for ‘blaspheme against’ in Mark 3:29.

Then again, is this likely? How could a true Believer, having been born again from above renounce their heavenly Father? “Therefore if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17). Surely the old self has died and been replaced by a new self, made incapable of such an act?

Therefore, if this is not possible, what does it say about the person’s original salvation? Surely this must be called into question? “Examine me, Yahuah, and prove me. Try my heart and my mind.” (Psa. 26:2). Yahuah cannot be deceived. Even though a person says a ‘Believer’s prayer’ does not automatically guarantee salvation. The person might genuinely feel as though they are sincere, but a truly wicked heart (mind in biblical terms) can deceive even the person. Yahuah can see into a person’s heart (thoughts) and knows of the person’s intentions in the future.

There is another way of looking at the word ‘blaspheme’. It is through the work of the Ruach HaKodesh, that a person is truly convicted of their sin. It is by the leading of the Ruach that a person comes to know and accept Messiah Yeshua as Master and Saviour. If a person mocks the Ruach HaKodesh, then they are making fun of all the work that is culminated in the act of salvation. The birth, life, death, resurrection and exaltation of Messiah Yeshua is ridiculed. The grace and mercy of the Father is laughed at and ignored or tossed aside. No wonder that this is a sin for which there can be no forgiveness.

“though He was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things He suffered. Having been made perfect, He became to all of those who obey Him the author of eternal salvation,” (Heb. 5:9). Through the obedience of the Son, man has inherited eternal life.

“He distributes freely, he gives to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. His power will be increased with honour.” (Psa.112:9). This psalm describes a Believer and how his righteousness is eternal. This righteousness is not his own but that of Messiah clothing him. The righteousness of the Believer is a result of salvation, both are here called eternal.

Notwithstanding this argument, it has always puzzled me why the initial question should ever arise. In the scenario above, why take any chance that the cliff would crumble as you walk past.

STAY AWAY FROM THE EDGE!

Do not do anything that may cause you to fall.

Nevertheless, whether it is possible to lose your salvation (which I believe you cannot) or not, you first have to be saved.

Everyone has something in their lives that they have done wrong or ashamed of and try to hide it. Are you able to say to the Judge of all, “Examine me, Yahuah, and prove me. Try my heart and my mind.”? It is of no use burying your head in the sand, as there will be a reckoning to come, one day. This is like if you walked along that cliff top and just keep walking until you run out of ground and fall over the precipice. Everything has been done to warn you of your eternal danger. Do not let this moment pass without, at least, taking stock of your eternal status; it does not meet the Judge’s exacting standards. Therefore, seek His forgiveness through His Son, Messiah Yeshua, while there is still time.

HalleluYah

Ameyn

Father, we thank you for the power of your Word and that Word was made flesh in the Messiah Yeshua so that in believing in His life, death and resurrection we may have eternal life with you.

If you want to accept Father’s offer of salvation through the Messiah Yeshua, you need to ask Him in prayer along these lines. You may use these or your own words but they must be genuine as Father knows our very hearts and nothing is hidden from Him.

“Father, I am a sinner who needs forgiveness of my sins through your Son, the Messiah Yeshua. Please forgive me of all my past sins as I accept that, Messiah Yeshua my Saviour, has taken upon Himself my punishment. By your Spirit, help me to live a life worthy of His sacrifice. Thank you, Father, for making the perfect way back to you.”

Remember, the Judge looks into your heart, mind and future.

If you have honestly said such a prayer as this, and truly renounced the sin in your life and accepted Father’s salvation through the Messiah Yeshua, then please drop us an e-mail or call us at FGA to let us know. This helps build up our faith and offers an opportunity to prayerfully support you. Even if you have Believing friends or family, we at FGA would be privileged to pray for you. Please contact us at ezra710@firstgenerationassembly.com. Having believed and prayed, now please find a local faith-based church to attend. Drop FGA an e-mail or call us so that we can rejoice with you and pray and support you over the coming weeks.

If you have sincerely called out to Father for forgiveness, then eternal life is assured. Salvation does not take away the day-to-day questions of life, nor is it a short-cut away from trials or tribulations. Nevertheless, knowing your eternal life is secure, any temporary trial can be overcome by looking at the completed work of Messiah Yeshua.

All blessings to you.

“The fool’s talk brings a rod to his back,

But the lips of the wise protect them.” (Prov. 14:3).

Breaking Matzah

Our Saviour welcomes all His Family to join in this memorial. If you have accepted Messiah Yeshua as your Master and Saviour please take the next few moments to seek Father and to ensure that all is right between Him and you and between you and your Brothers and Sisters. If not, please put this right before continuing.

If you have not yet accepted Him into your life, then we encourage you to seek Him while it is still possible, as time is running out. When He returns or if you pass away then it will be too late. Please do not partake of the matzah and wine as in doing so, it gives thanks for the broken body (matzah) and shed blood (wine) for and a witness of salvation.

On the night of the Master’s betrayal, He took the matzah, blessed it and broke it saying ‘This is my Body broken for you; take and eat it as a memorial to Me.’

Bless the matzah saying: Blessed are you, O Yahuah our `Elohiym, King of the Universe, who brings forth matzah from the earth.

Break and eat the matzah (sharing it if within a group setting):

After the meal He took the Cup, blessed it saying ‘This is my Blood poured out for you for the remission of sins; take and drink it as a memorial to me.’

Bless the wine saying: Blessed are you, O Yahuah our `Elohiym, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Drink the wine (sharing it if within a group setting):

Thanksgiving prayer: Blessed are you, O Yahuah our `Elohiym, King of the universe, who gives us, in Yeshua, all that we will ever need. In your lovingkindness and mercy, you rebuild broken lives. You bless us, in Yeshua, with a perfect blessing. Ameyn.

 Dates to remember

04/04/-22/05/2021 – Counting of the Omer

13/04/2021 – Rosh Chodesh 2^nd. New Moon

Father willing, we will meet again next Shabbat.

“Y’varekh’kha Yahuah v’yishmerekha,

Ya’er Yahuah panav eleikha vichunekka,

Yissa Yahuah panav eleikha v’yasem l’kha shalom.”

(May Yahuah bless you and keep you)

(May Yahuah make His face to shine upon you and show you His favour)

(May Yahuah lift up His face toward you and give you peace.).