16/01/2021

Shabbat Word

16/01/2021

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 20:1-10

20:1) For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

20:2) May Yahuah answer you in the day of trouble.

May the  name of the`Elohiym of Ya`akov set you up on high,

20:3) Send you help from the sanctuary,

Grant you support from Tziyon,

20:4) Remember all your offerings,

And accept your burnt sacrifice.                                                                 Selah.

20:5) May He grant you your heart’s desire,

And fulfil all your counsel.

20:6) We will triumph in your yeshu`ah.

In the name of our `Elohiym we will set up our banners:

May Yahuah grant all your requests.

20:7) Now I know that Yahuah saves His anointed.

He will answer him from His set apart heaven,

With the saving strength of His right hand.

20:8) Some trust in chariots, and some in horses,

But we trust the name of Yahuah our `Elohiym.

20:9) They are bowed down and fallen,

But we rise up, and stand upright.

20:10) Save, Yahuah;

Let the King answer us when we call!

A Word

Brand HaSatan: Publications Relations Coup (Part 4)

The following is an imaginary story taking place very early in the history of mankind. It is the fourth meeting between haSatan and a public relations demon.

In a previous ‘meeting’ HaSatan wanted Simple Man to believe that it was, as Yahuah `Elohiym, all-knowing. Although in previous episodes it has been recorded that HaSatan and it demon have knowledge of future events, this has only been done for the sake of the story. It is the belief at FGA that demons, including the chief of demons, HaSatan, do not have any prophetic ability. They are certainly capable of reading Scripture and drawing knowledge from Yahuah’s prophets, but of themselves have no such ability. In fact, the least mature Believer has a greater ability to understand Scripture as they have the Ruach HaKodesh leading them.

Demon: How goes it, boss? All that we have discussed has been put into motion. We now need to start it all off by going public with your image. I am not sure how you want Simple Man to know you.

HaSatan: Almighty is both loved and feared. That is how I want to be.

Demon: There is, of course, a third way. What if we can discredit Almighty?

HaSatan: That is never going to be possible as Simple Man will always believe Scripture!

Demon: Well, if we can discredit Scripture, then we discredit Him.

HaSatan: If we are going to do that, then the best way is to attack the account of Creation. Simple Man was not around, so we will have demons set up experts in sciences that will contradict Scripture. We will drip feed Simple Man a creditable alternative to Creation and have the experts ‘mis-interpret’ their research results.

Demon: Yes, that would work. We could also discredit you.

HaSatan: I am not having that! I want Simple Man to know me; to adore; to worship me.

Demon: Wait, let me explain. If we can make out that Almighty is a myth made up to frighten people to believe Him, why not do the same for you? Almighty is feared by Simple Man who will struggle to understand why he is frightened of something that he cannot not see. We can make you frightening but ridiculed at the same time. Let us create a persona that is horrific for Simple Man to behold. You will be all red in colour; Simple Man hates that colour as it represents shed blood. You must have sharp fang-like teeth; Simple Man relates this to wild animals that will savage and devour them. Instead of a nice crown on your head, let us have you with horns. The more ridiculous you seem, the less likely Simple Man will take you seriously. Simple Man will look upon the one who leads people astray as this ridiculous character. Almighty will have a difficult time to warn Simple Man that you even exist. This will undermine Almighty’s strategy of a tempter and sin that He shows in Scripture. Let us give you a serpent-like tail, as well, because Almighty has put the fear of snakes into Simple Mans’ consciousness.

HaSatan: A sort of double blow. I must have some form of kingly sceptre though, a sign of my authority.

Demon: How about a trident? It is a fearsome weapon.

HaSatan: I like the idea already!

Demon: Almighty is loved; then let us create a persona for you that Simple Man will love. What about a character that the children will love but adults know does not exist? It will be a man that can have supernatural powers to be everywhere at once, knows all a child’s secrets, and gives gifts to those that have behaved themselves, just like Almighty. He will be have no past but just appears. We can even have the man appear at the same time as when Simple Man celebrates Yahuah `Elohiym appearing to Simple Man. If we create such a character for children then make him out as being a lie, then maybe we can do the same with Simple Man’s idea of Almighty.

HaSatan: I will need a name, a proper name not just some title. Almighty has a name, and I want a name!

Demon: What about Santa!

Are you one that celebrates ‘Christmas’ when Santa Claus brings presents? How is it possible that on one day ‘he’ can be everywhere at once so that ‘he’ give ‘his’ presents? How strong is ‘he’ to be able to the weight of all those presents? ‘He’ surely knows when each and every child has been good or bad, doesn’t ‘he’?

Beloved, we are coming into the time when HaSatan is celebrated by the general public: hallowe’en. Do not make the mistake of ridiculing the chief of demons in its character as the devil: red, fang-toothed, horned, forked-tailed, trident-wielding. It is real and most dangerous. It knows that its time is rapidly running out. Until its final incarceration, it aims to drag as many souls down to Hellas it can; and will use any and every trick to do so. Remember this waning when you tell your children of Santa, the easter bunny, the tooth fairy and of Yeshua. When they grow up and realise there is no such thing as Santa, the easter bunny and the tooth fairy, what will they think of Yeshua?

Are you one that will be carving out a pumpkin? Why is it that thousands of tone of food (pumpkin) can be wasted? What you are actually doing is offering up pumpkin ‘flesh’ to the demon that you have just carved. Another harmless tradition? At best, it is a disgrace’ at worst, it is another satanic rite entering into everyday life.

There is only one way to repel the attacks of HaSatan (or more correctly its demons) and that is to have the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) to come to dwell in you. This is one of the results of true salvation in that by choosing to believe in all the promises of Yahuah `Elohiym you are choosing to ignore the lies of HaSatan. There is only one way of salvation and that is to accept the freely-given of Yahuah in His Son, Messiah Yeshua.

Ameyn.

HalleluYah

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.

“No mischief shall happen to the righteous,

But the wicked shall be filled with evil.

Lying lips are an abomination to Yahuah,

But those who do the truth are His delight.” (Prov. 12:21, 22).

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

11/02/2021 – Rosh Chodesh 12^th. 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.).