Tuesday, July 26, 2011

SABBATH TEACHING (PART TWO)

As I was reading Psalm 119:35 (directed from my Jesus Calling devotional), I started thinking about the "commands" of YHWH. I went on to read the whole 119th chapter, and I was reminded about how our obedience is centered around the laws, decrees and commands of GOD, which led me to the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). I began to meditate on how keeping the Sabbath is such a tough law to keep in our society, but it was revealed to me that it is most important to keep as ones who call ourselves "holy", as the scripture says it is the day that the LORD blessed and made holy. Seems the Holy Spirit has been dealing with me a lot on this issue lately (see my last post), and again, the LORD has instructed me to share it with the masses.

Just as I would encourage you not to lie, steal or commit adultery, I'm encouraging you to pray about how valuing this commandment along with the others might further bless your life. Not only is it important, but lawful to "keep it Holy", meaning, refraining from work on that day and focusing only on rest and worship. It is evident how our GOD loves us tremendously to build us in a break (you know you need one), so we have to be sure we don't let the world take it from us, and that we especially don't take it from ourselves. If we continue to allow the world to dictate to us how we are to honor GOD, we will never receive all of the riches that have been promised to those who obey (Deuternomy 5:29; 6:17-19; 11:13-15). I do not want to be in the wilderness forever, I want to cross the Jordan and enter the Promised Land. Don't you?

Beyond The Ten Commandments, the following scriptures are the root sources of the Sabbath law:
Exodus 31:12-18
Exodus 35:1-3

Here's a link to a kids magazine that I love to use to teach kids about the Sabbath. As believers, we are to be like little children (Matthew 18:3), so I believe that we too can benefit from this information - it's simple and concise, with lots of scriptures to help us understand that it's all throughout the "Good Book":

SABBATH FACTS & FUN

KEY VERSES:
“Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.” (Deuteronomy 4:2)

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-7)

“He said to them, ‘Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” (Deuteronomy 32:46-47)