Shabbat Word
15/04/2020
Shabbat Shalom
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).”
A Word
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.
My wife and I were keen boxing fans. In the days of free-to-air terrestrial television, we used to set the alarm clock and wake up in the middle of the night in time to watch contests from America. One early morning call got us up to watch Mike Tyson defend his heavyweight title. I switched on the television and my wife started to make a cup of tea and some toast. The bout commenced, I shouted to my wife to come and sit down. Thirty seconds later the fight was over and I shouted back to my wife not to bother with the toast.
During one fight, my wife looked at me and questioned if it was right that Believers should be watching two men trying their best to hurt one another. In spite of our like of boxing, we stopped watching and have never seen another bout since.
“But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of Yahuah, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from Yahuah, the Ruach.” (2 Cor. 3:18).
Watching boxing is not a sin. However, we were convinced that it was Father, through His Spirit, testing us on our obedience to Him. Where did our hearts lie? Were we prepared to give up something that we enjoyed in order to be obedient? Over the twenty five years we have been going to house/Bible study groups the question often arises:
“How do you know it is the Ruach talking to you?”
It is very difficult to explain but it is usually answered by:
“You just know when it happens.” We always temper this with the caveat that all things should be tested against Scripture.
Over the years, it has been proven that my wife has been blessed with the Gift of Discernment. At FGA we believe that the Ruach can give His Gifts (discernment, a word of knowledge or prophecy, a tongue or interpretation, etc), and does, for a specific moment or task. However, some people have a heightened Gift and are more prone to using it. As with any gift (playing football or the piano, singing, writing or speaking) the more one uses the gift, the better one is at it. We were, and still are, sure that it was the Ruach talking to us.
So what is wrong in watching boxing? For most people, I believe, nothing is wrong. With my wife and I, on the other hand, watching is not a sin, but disobeying the Ruach is. In the above verse quoted form the Second Letter to the Corinthians, Rav Sha`ul (Paul) is telling Believers that, once knowing what our Saviour looks like, through His Word, we should endeavour to become more and more like Him. For He is our perfect Example.
In John’s Good News account (John 14:6-11) we are told that the glory of Father is shown in the Son. So in becoming more Messiah-like, Believers become more what Father had originally planned for Mankind; to be conformed to His (perfect) image (Gen. 1:26, 27). The process by which a Believer becomes more Messiah-like is called sanctification. It is a process; not an event. What was acceptable yesterday (such as boxing) may not be acceptable today and what is acceptable today may be wrong for us tomorrow.
Little by little, the Ruach convicts Believers of areas in their lives that need changing. Sometimes it may be events or people in our lives that cause change. It may be the voice of a preacher or it may be a passage in Scripture, having heard or read it many times before, suddenly takes on a new meaning as a new truth is revealed by the Ruach. Believers should always be on the look-out for those areas in our lives that are not fruitful and prune them out. If Believers are not willing, then Father, through His Ruach will do the pruning and He prunes hard, chopping out all the old, dead wood. Believers are not perfect, but have the perfect Example and it is this that we are called to emulate.
So what about non-Believers?
The process called sanctification has to start somewhere and it starts at salvation. Father does not expect sinners to come to Him in a final, perfect state. However, one of the major excuses of sinners is that they are not ‘good enough’ to approach their Creator. The Good News of Salvation is that everyone born is not ‘good enough’ to approach the Creator but the love of Father knows this. That is why He has made a way back to Him.
All have sinned and are in a position of judgement, condemnation and of ultimate punishment and as such cannot come into the presence of Almighty. “For Yahuah so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). This verse is probably the most quoted verse in Scripture. So in what does the non-Believer have to believe?
The starting point is that everyone needs to realise that they have sinned and their lives are contrary to what the Father wants for our best. He is not a kill-joy, but truly loves us and like all good parents wants only good for His children. His perfect standard is what is best for us but people think that they know better.
We do not!
If we acknowledge that our lifestyles are not what Father wants for us, that we have erred or sinned, then it follows that there are consequences of sin in our lives. The consequences are clearly spelt out to us in Father’s own words – the Bible. “For the wages of sin is death…” (Rom. 6:23a). The first part of this verse tells us that sin is punishable by death. In this context, death is eternal separation from Father and is spent in Hell. This is a place of torment but is not what Father wants for us. It is our choice, our decision where we will eternally end up.
“…but the free gift of Yahuah is eternal life in Messiah Yashua our Master.” (Rom. 6:23b). If Father’s Word was only verse 6:23a then we would all be destined for Hell. Halleluyah! But Father’s Word goes on to say that we all have a choice. To carry on sinning is reject His grace, the freely given Gift that is the Messiah Yeshua, our Saviour.
All that is written above for Believers and the need to constantly examine our lives and remove those areas that are not fruitful really are small changes in order to improve. For non-Believers, this change is an one hundred and eighty degree turn around, called repentance. It is the singular most important and dramatic change in a person’s life. While we were sinners, we constantly had our back to Father and walking away from Him.
Turn back! Father is waiting to receive His child.
No matter how well I write these things down, it is Father’s Ruach that convicts a person of their wrongdoing and reveals sin as it really is. It is the Spirit that causes the complete turn -around. It is the Ruach that reveals our complete dependency upon the Saviour Messiah Yeshua. Although the wages, the consequences, of sin is eternal damnation, our Saviour has taken that punishment upon Himself.
If only we could believe that it was so.
Have you recently examined your lifestyle? What did you think? Are there areas in your life that you could, and should, do without? To what standard do you judge yourself; yours? The world’s? Or Father’s?
There is only one Standard; Father’s Word. There is only one Saviour; the Word made flesh in the Messiah Yeshua.
Believe it or not, the choice is yours.
Ameyn
Halleluyah!
Father, we thank you for the power of your Word and that Word was made flesh in 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 Messiah Yeshua, you need to ask Him in prayer along these lines. Use 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 through your Son, 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 this way back to you.”
Ameyn.
Remember, the Judge looks into your heart, mind and future.
In other words, when you say a Believer’s prayer you had better mean it.
If you have honestly said such a prayer as this, and truly renounced the sin in your life and accepted Father’s salvation through Messiah Yeshua, then please drop us an e-mail at FGA to let us know. This not only builds up our faith, it offers an opportunity to prayfully 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 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. No more question marks on your eternal life, only a full stop. 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.
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.
“Rescue those who are being led away to death!
Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!” (Prov. 24:11).
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.
Please note the up-and-coming special days.
25/04/2020 – Rosh Chodesh 2nd. New Moon.
07-11/04/2020 – Chag Matzot.
12/04-29/05/2020 – Counting of the Omer
29/05/2020 – Shavuot
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 