Shabbat Word
12/12/2020
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 18:14-30
18:14) Yahuah also thundered in the sky,
Ha `Elyon uttered His voice:
Hailstones and coals of fire.
18:15) He sent out His arrows, and scattered them;
Yes, great lightning bolts, and routed them.
18:16) Then the channels of waters appeared,
The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, Yahuah,
At the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
18:17) He sent from on high.
He took me.
drew me out of many waters.
18:18) He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me;
for they were too mighty for me.
18:19) They came on me in the day of my calamity,
But Yahuah was my support.
18:20) He brought me forth also into a large place.
He delivered me, because He delighted in me.
18:21) Yahuah has rewarded me according to my righteousness.
According to the cleanness of my hands has He recompensed me.
18:22) For I have kept the ways of Yahuah,
And have not wickedly departed from my `Elohiym.
18:23) For all His ordinances were before me.
I did not put away His statutes from me.
18:24) I was also blameless with Him.
I kept myself from my iniquity.
18:25) Therefore Yahuah has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyesight.
18:26) With the merciful you will show yourself merciful.
With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.
18:27) With the pure, you will show yourself pure.
With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
18:28) For you will save the afflicted people,
But the haughty eyes you will bring down.
18:29) For you will light my lamp, `Elohiym.
My `Elohiym will light up my darkness.
18:30) For by you, I advance through a troop.
By my `Elohiym, I leap over a wall. Contd….)
A Word
Old habits die hard
When I first sailed as Fourth Engineer, it was a massive step in my career. This is the first rank as a sea-going engineer that is classed as a Senior Engineer (then comes Third, Second and finally Chief). At sea, I was in charge of the engineroom from 08:00-12:00 and then 20:00-00:00. At 12:00 noon and midnight, the Third Engineer relieved me and he was relieved by the Second Engineer at 04:00 and 16:00. One time I wanted a particular piece of machinery made available for the next watch at 08:00 in the morning, so I asked the Third to tell the Second to have it ready for me. When I came down at 08:00, the Second took me quietly to one side and said ‘You are the Fourth and I am the Second. You do not tell me what to do. By all means you may ask, but you do not tell me what I must do.”
By relating this story you can see the impact it had on me. It was never my intention to ‘order’ the Second, it was that I just was not aware of not what I was saying, of how I was saying it. Ever since that day, even when I became Chief Engineer at sea and a Marine Superintendent when I came ashore, I always ‘asked’ someone to do something. This seemed to get better results than those people who went around ordering people about. On the very rare occasions, I had to pull rank and order a thing to be done, but this was after asking several times. The engineroom staff soon realised that my ‘asking’ was polite way of giving an order.
Some time ago, Ruach haKodesh advised my wife that we had to ‘peel back the layers’ as you would peel an onion. Now, when the Ruach ‘advises’, it is a foolish person that ignores the ‘advice’. However, we were not sure as to what this referred, so we asked according to Scripture, “But if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of Yahuah, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5).
“I know your works, and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them false. You have perseverance and endured for my name’s sake and have not grown weary. But this I have against you, that you have left your first love. Remember, therefore from whence you have fallen and repent and do the first works, or else I am coming to you swiftly, and will move your menorah out of its place, unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” (Rev. 2:2-6). It became apparent that in order to fit into a church, we had been compromising our beliefs. However, as time went by, our beliefs took more and more prominence. It then became difficult to worship and break bread together with people who were ignoring Yahuah’s Word in order, themselves, to compromise and take a more popularist (and thus worldly) view of Scripture.
It was impossible to put ourselves under the spiritual umbrella of the leaders. “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy and not with groaning for this is unprofitable for you.” (Heb. 13:17). Beloved, do you attend assemblies that you find hard to agree with the leadership? I am not talking about a disagreement over what colour to paint the doors or even the direction of ministries that the leadership are going down. Nevertheless, there are areas whereby there can be no compromise. If you can see that their interpretation of scripture is not how you see it or that they seem to be disregarding Scripture altogether, then you must first take it up with the leadership. It may be that you have not grasped the actual truth behind the Word or mistaken their viewpoint. “Let us search and try our ways and turn again to Yahuah. (Lam. 3:20). However, if this is not the case, then you must consider leaving the fellowship, “being eager to keep the unity of the Ruach in the bond of shalom.” (Eph. 4:3). In order to prevent forming divisive factions, you must walk away.
This has happened to my wife and I on a few occasions and it hurts to break fellowship with those you have broken bread with over time. In some cases, it has been like a bereavement, such was the pain.
Beloved, there are two types of false leadership: the foolish and the wicked and we are warned against both of them.
“The fear of Yahuah is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.” (Prov. 1:7). Instruction is part of the meaning of Torah and most churches today are not teaching the plain meaning of Scripture. This may be out of ignorance or following tradition blindly, either does not justify poor leadership. We must re-learn to handle Scripture as the most precious object in the world. When my wife and I first started going to a Methodist church, well before we were saved, the older folk ‘reminded’ you of the sacredness of the Word if you even just put a bible directly on the floor. Do you hold Yahuah’s Word, and hence Yahuah, such reverence as those people did? You should do.
The second type of teaching is more insidious. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the way of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in Yahuah’s Law; on His Law he meditates day and night.” (Psa. 1:1, 2). There are many churches/assemblies/fellowships that are teaching contrary to Scripture. In order to know this requires two things: knowledge of Scripture yourself and being open to the prompting of Ruach haKodesh. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of Yahuah, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1). Teaching can only be propagated either by the Ruach of Yahuah or by the spirit of haSatan. Which spirit are you listening to in your church/assembly/fellowship?
It may be that you are comfortable with the teaching you receive (it does not challenge you). It may be that the teaching is in accordance with what you already believe (tradition of your fathers). It may be that the teaching is new and novel (tickling your ears). If it does not stand up against the test of Scripture/Ruach, it is an abomination and must be avoided like (or even more than) the plague. “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. If anyone adds to them, may Yahuah add to him the plagues which are written in this book. If anyone takes away from these words of the book of this prophecy, may Yahuah take away his part from the Tree of Life and out of the Set Apart city, which are written in this book.” (Rev.22:18, 19). The Messiah, speaking to Yochanan in His Revelation, gives this final warning at the very end of all Scripture; meant for all Scripture, not just the Revelation.
Beloved, although old habits do die hard, are you willing to ignore this warning by Him who loved you so much that He died for you?
What if you have heard the Good News that Messiah Yeshua died to take away your sin, but refused the freely-given gift? What is holding you back? Are you frightened of ridicule from family, friends and colleagues? “But whenever one turns back to Yahuah, the veil is taken away.” (2 Cor. 3:16). Scripture tells that when we are still sinners, we have a spiritual veil over our face, concealing the truth from us. (This is in no way a reference directly or indirectly to any form of clothing.) When we hear the Good News, the Father’s Spirit convicts us of our sins enabling us to confess the sins and seek Father’s forgiveness through the death and resurrection of His Son, Messiah Yeshua. It is Father that peels back the veil so that we can see Him in His full glory and grace, pouring out His mercy and love to all who return to Him.
Have you let Father back into your heart so that He can peel away the sins, the hurts, the depression, the addiction. There is nothing that He cannot take away, if you only allow Him to do it?
Or are you willing to die along with your old habits?
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.
“Whoever despises instruction will pay for it,
But he who respects a command will be rewarded.” (Prov. 13:3).
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
13/01/2021 – Rosh Chodesh 11th. 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 