Shabbat Word
30/03/2019
Shabbat Shalom
Psalm 119:161-168
119:161) SIN AND SHIN
Princes have persecuted me without a cause,
But my heart stands in awe of your words.
119:162) I rejoice at your word,
As one who finds great spoil.
119:163) I hate and abhor falsehood.
I love your law.
119:164) Seven times a day, I praise you,
Because of your righteous ordinances.
119:165) Those who love your law have great shalom.
Nothing causes them to stumble.
119:166) I have hoped for your yeshu`ah, Yahuah.
I have done your commandments.
119:167) My soul has observed your testimonies.
I love them exceedingly.
119:168) I have obeyed your precepts and your testimonies,
For all my ways are before you. contd.)
A Word
Do not hold as gold all that shines as gold.
A few days ago, I had a grapefruit after porridge for my breakfast. As usual, I held the two ‘poles’ between my fingers and cut across the ‘equator’. This ensures that the grapefruit flesh can easily be cut out and eaten. After the two halves opened out, I prepared to dig out any pips. To my surprise, there was not one in the whole fruit. The yellow skin looked the same as usual; the pinky flesh tasted the same as usual but where had all the pips gone to? After a little thought, it was obvious that the grapefruit had been genetically modified so as not to have any pips.
“Yahuah `Elohiym said, ‘Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees after their kind with its seed in it on the earth.’ And it was so. The earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding their Yahuah seed after their kind, and fruit trees bearing fruit with its seed in it after their kind; and `Elohiym saw that it was good.” (Gen. 1: 11, 12). Am I being too picky? After all, it was only a grapefruit. My wife, who does all the shopping, also suggested seedless grapes. What about ‘easy-peel’ oranges or straight cucumbers? It seems that the list is virtually endless where Man has tinckered with Creation. The fruit looks exactly as Yahuah had intended. Nevertheless, the fruit is incapable of producing ‘trees after their kind’. It is sterile; not clean sterile but non-productive. Yahuah has revealed to Man great advances in genetic engineering. You only have to look at the new drought-resistant or the herbicide-resistant crops. However, even these can cause new problems. In the UK, herbicide-resistant rape seed plants can be seen flourishing in the paths and by-ways. By definition, these weeds are difficult to eradicate because of the resistance to the herbicides in common use.
“Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit.” (John 7:17). The cycle of events that Yahuah has commanded is: Tree produces fruit (seed); fruit produces tree. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, shalom, patience, goodness, gentleness and self-control.” (Gal. 5:22, 23). Beloved, how is your ‘tree’? Is it displaying good fruit? With the Spirit the fruit is clearly manifested and those with the Spirit in them will likewise produce good fruit. This fruit will not be sterile but will bring forth new trees in due season.
“By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles? What Believers must be aware of is those amongst the assemblies that look like good fruit, but where is the evidence? False teachers, preachers and pastors teach what people want to hear and this finds acceptance in the assemblies. “For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts.” (2 Tim. 4:3). This fruit is corrupt and can only produce corrupt fruit. “Even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.” (Matt. 3:10). Inside my grapefruit there was no new life.
“I AM the Vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). Beloved, do not let your fruit be sterile but let Messiah reign in your lives and produce fruit worthy of the Vine.
I was thinking over this message the other day when I was pruning some hydrangea bushes. The old flowers were still intact but when I cut them, there was no substance in them and they crumbled as dust. “For all flesh is like grass, and Man’s glory like the flower of the grass. The grass withers and its flower falls.” (1 Peter 1:24). Hydrangeas have a relatively long flowering period. Nevertheless, even this is but a short season. Once the flower has served its purpose, the plant absorbs the substance or goodness back into itself leaving a dry shadow of its former glory.
So it is with Man. Even the man with a long and successful life having wealth and fame has but a short season before the dust reclaims him (Gen. 3:19). The wealth vanishes and even when the fame lingers on it is but a poor shadow of his former glory.
Ameyn
If you want to accept Father’s offer of salvation through Messiah Yahusha, 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 Yahusha. Please forgive me of all my past sins as I accept that, Messiah Yahusha 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 Yahusha, 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 Yahusha.
All blessings to you.
Father, we thank you for the power of your Word and that Word was made flesh in Messiah Yahusha so that in believing in His Life, Death and Resurrection we may have eternal life with you.
“A good name is more desirable than great riches,
And loving favour is better than silver and gold.” (Prov. 22:1).
Breaking Matzah
Our Saviour welcomes all His Family to join in this memorial. If you have accepted Messiah Yahusha 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 of Blessing, 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 Yahusha, all that we will ever need. In your lovingkindness and mercy, you rebuild broken lives. You bless us, in Yahusha, with a perfect blessing. Ameyn.
Please note the up-and-coming special days.
Rosh Chodesh 1st. moon 06/04/2019.
Please note that this is the first New Moon and is the New Year. This is a memorial for the protection of the Jewish people in exile.
Pesach – 20/04/2019
Chag Matzah – 21/04/2019 to 27/04/2019
Counting of the Omer – 27/04/2019 to 15/06/2019
Shavuot – 15/06/2019
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 show you His favour)
(May Yahuah lift up His face toward you and give you peace.)
First Generation Assembly 