Shabbat Word
13/03/2021
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 26:1-13
26:1) By David.
26:2) Judge me, Yahuah, for I have walked in my integrity.
I have trusted also in Yahuah without avering.
26:3) Examine me, Yahuah, and prove me.
Try my heart and my mind.
26:4) For your lovingkindness is before my eyes.
I have walked in your truth.
26:5) I have not sat with deceitful men,
Neither will I go in with hypocrites.
26:6) I hate the assembly of evil-doers,
And will not sit with the wicked.
26:7) I will wash my hands in innocence,
So I will go about your altar, Yahuah;
26:8) That I may make the voice of thanksgiving to be heard,
And tell of all your wondrous works.
26:9) Yahuah, I love the habitation of your house,
The place where your glory dwells.
26:10) Do not gather my soul with sinners,
Nor my life with bloodthirsty men;
26:11) In whose hands is wickedness,
Their right hand is full of bribes.
26:12) But as for me, I will walk in my integrity.
Redeem me, and be merciful to me.
26:13) My foot stands in an even place.
In the congregations I will bless Yahuah.
A Word
The past is a statement: the future is a question.
It is that time of year when most people look back over the last year and to reflect on what has gone by. It is also the time when people look forward and think of any new year resolutions for the coming year.
Looking back, it is easy to remember what went on last week, last month even to last January. This can be likened to a statement. All that has happened is over and done with and there can be no going back to change things. These are all ‘statements’ ending with a full stop.
The future is a totally different matter.
Most people have a reasonable idea what they are going to do tomorrow, but there can be no absolute certainty, so this course of action ends with a small question mark. What about next week or month? There is more uncertainty and any course of action must end with a bigger question mark. What about next year? The further away in time, the more uncertain is the course of action hence a much bigger question mark. There are too many unknown factors that can influence the future.
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow let us go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain.’ Whereas you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapour, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. For you ought to say, ‘If the Yahuah wills, we will both live, and do this or that.’ But now you glory in your boasting. All such boasting is evil.” (James 4:12-16). The non-Believer may question whether this is relevant to them as they do not acknowledge Yahuah `Elohiym, so why should theylook for His approval.
“He spoke a parable to them, saying, ‘The ground of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly. He reasoned within himself, saying, ‘What will I do, because I do not have room to store my crops?’ He said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. I will tell my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ But Yahuah said to him, ‘You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared — whose will they be?’” (Luke 12:16-20). In this short parable, Messiah Yeshua warns against presumption. Whether or not a person is a Believer is irrelevant; everyone is in the hand of Yahuah `Elohiym. The Master is not condemning the provision for the future. In fact this parable may be taken as a warning to look forward and plan wisely, but with consideration as to the priorities of life. If this rich man could not know of the unfolding of Yahuah’s will for the man that very night, what confidence have you for your future? Next week? Next month?? Next year???
What about your eternal future????
You can take away all the question marks and replace them with a big, full stop. This is accomplished by not relying on uncertain, future events but trusting in a past, once for all, completed act. “As Moshe lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:14, 15). By trusting in the life, death of Messiah Yeshua on the cross at Golgotha and His resurrection, there is the end to any doubt.
Can you guarantee being alive this time next year when you cannot even guarantee being alive tomorrow? There is no guarantee that the offer of salvation will still be available tomorrow. Time is rapidly running out. NEVERTHELESS THERE IS TILL ENOUGH TIME LEFT TO SEEK SALVATION: IF YOU CHOOSE THIS DAY.
“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.” (Matt. 7:7, 8).
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.
“Do not boast about tomorrow;
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.” (Prov. 27:1).
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
27/03/2021 – Pesach
28/03-03/04/2021 – Chag haMatzah
04/04/-22/05/2021 – Counting of the Omer
13/04/2021 – Rosh Chodesh 2nd. 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.).
First Generation Assembly 