Shabbat Word
20/03/2021
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 27:1-15
27:1) By David.
27:2) Yahuah is my light and my salvation.
Whom shall I fear?
Yahuah is the strength of my life.
Of whom shall I be afraid?
27:3) When evil-doers came at me to eat up my flesh,
Even my adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.
27:4) Though a host should encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear.
Though war should rise against me,
Even then I will be confident.
27:5) One thing I have asked of Yahuah, that I will seek after,
That I may dwell in the house of Yahuah all the days of my life,
To see Yahuah’s beauty,
And to inquire in His temple.
27:6) For in the day of trouble
He will keep me secretly in His pavilion.
In the covert of His tent He will hide me.
He will lift me up on a rock.
27:7) Now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me.
I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tent.
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to Yahuah.
27:8) Hear, Yahuah, when I cry with my voice.
Have mercy also on me, and answer me.
27:9) When you said, “Seek my face,”
My heart said to you, “I will seek your face, Yahuah.”
27:10) Do not hide your face from me.
Do not put your servant away in anger.
You have been my help.
Do not abandon me,
Neither forsake me, God of my salvation.
27:11) When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then Yahuah will take me up.
27:12) Teach me your way, Yahuah.
Lead me in a straight path, because of my enemies.
27:13) Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries,
For false witnesses have risen up against me,
Such as breathe out cruelty.
27:14) I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of Yahuah in the land of the living.
27:15) Wait for Yahuah.
Be strong, and let your heart take courage.
Yes, wait for Yahuah.
A Word
Sin casts a long shadow
When I was serving my apprenticeship at sea, I was fortunate to have engineers that taught me, not only the technical knowledge and skills required, but also the philosophy behind good engineering practice on board a ship. During this apprenticeship, I was to sail for four trips to South America and back. We berthed at Avonmouth, near Bristol, went on leave for a couple of weeks, then rejoined the same ship ready to sail for South America. While at sea, any work that was done was carried out with the knowledge that we would be coming back to the ship next trip. Therefore, it made us conscious of the fact that to do a second-rate job may cause us additional problems later on in life, not to mention the bad reputation that would result. A reputation (good or bad) lasts long after the work has finished.
Similarly, when my wife was doing her Master’s Degree, her research led to comments from prison inmates. When asked about their school days, everyone questioned could remember their best teacher and their worst teacher. Long after their schooldays, the inmates could recall the character of the best and worst teacher, even if they could not recall their lessons.
“you shall not bow yourself down to them, for I, Yahuah your `Elohiym, am a jealous `El, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me,” (Exod. 20:5). This verse can be seen best in the way many abusive people come from abusive homes; alcoholics coming from alcoholic parents, gamblers from gambling families. So down through the generations becoming ever more difficult to break out of the cycle. Thus, the sin of the forefathers does indeed cast a long shadow. Sin is the responsible of the individual and is not attributable to the father. Nevertheless, we learn how to live our lives by following, either consciously or sub-consciously our parents. Like a bad reputation, sin has the habit of clinging onto a person and is difficult to shake off.
What then can be done about it?
“and showing lovingkindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exod. 20:6). By being obedient to Yahuah. The only way to get rid of a shadow is to have light of such intensity and scope that there is no room for a shadow to exist.
“This is the message which we have heard from Him and announce to you, that Yahuah is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not tell the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Yeshua the Messiah, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:5-9). One of the results of accepting Messiah Yahshua as Saviour is that a line is drawn in the sand of time. Pre-salvation, the shadow of the sins of our forefathers reaches down through the ages.
“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more.” (Heb. 8:12). At the moment of salvation, all our sins are forgiven, not to be remembered any longer by Yahuah.
Do you have any family traits that cast a long shadow in your life?
Do you want that line be drawn and escape from the cycle of sin?
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 