The Seventh Day
"Remember to dedicate the Sabbath day: You are to labor six days and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work-you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the foreigner who is within your gates. For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy." (Exodus 20:8-11 NLT)
And so, we set aside Sunday to go to church, to praise and worship God. Most of us grew up understanding this concept whether we went to church every week or our family considered itself to be of one or another of a long list of religions. Some were Baptist, some Congregationalists. Others were Catholics or Lutherans or Episcopalians or even Jewish, or one of hundreds of other names. Day seven was key to meeting our obligation to God.
We did our thing all week long, but on Sunday we turned into the person we knew our tradition expected. We dressed in our Sunday best and off to church we went. For some this may have been a Saturday experience, but it was once a week, every week. As time went on, some fell out of step with tradition. They began to make an appearance only on special days like Christmas or Easter.
Then we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We became born again; a new creature, alien to our old life. Yet, most of us remained seventh day people. We continued to do our thing during the first six days, put on our Sunday best, and head to church to be the best person we could in our traditional ways.
I am sure God likes our seventh day worship. He enjoys every time we worship Him for He made us to worship Him. But there is more…
He wants seven day Christians. We are to praise and worship Him all seven days, not just on Sunday. We are to put on our Sunday best in attitude all week long. Everywhere our feet tread we will not be alone. Our relationship with Him is a 24x7 affair. The Holy Spirit is always at our side ready to give us direction, ready to comfort us in our trials and encourage us through all situations.
A Sunday relationship is good and I am not suggesting giving it up. It is a time we gather with others and share testimony of how we obeyed Him and how He has worked in our lives since the previous Sunday. It is time to share in corporate praise and worship. This might be two or three gathering in a home or hundreds or even thousands in a large church building. Whether two or three or thousands, it is His church worshiping Him.
Let’s be seven day Christians every week.
Monday, October 10, 2005
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Relief
As I was praying yesterday, I got one word: relief.
I asked Him what it meant and I heard this:
“You have labored long and hard.
I have heard your prayers.
Relief is on the way.”
The dictionary defines relief as freeing someone from anxiety; a release from anxiety or tension, or the feeling of release, lightness, and cheerfulness that accompanies this. It goes on to call it a factor that end anxiety; a factor forming a contrast to the general character of something else, especially something that breaks the monotony or tension of a longer experience. It can also be a diverting contrast; a factor forming a contrast to the general character of something else, especially something that breaks the monotony or tension of a longer experience.
Whatever you have been dealing with; what you have been trying to give to Him so you could move on… He has heard you and relief is on the way.
R
Ecclesiastes 8:6
Yes, there is a time and a way for everything, even as people's troubles lie heavily upon them. (NLT)
There is a right time for everything. Ecclesiastics speaks to this. Many remember it as part of a popular song of the 70’s. As believers we have a responsibility to be the new creature, to allow God to remake us into the image of Christ.
E
Romans 4:1-5
Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us – they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (NLT)
We must look to Him knowing He is with us in any battle, which comes our way. With this knowledge, we are to endure to the end. We will get through it. We will succeed. And He will change us along the way as we take on more of His character.
L
Romans 8:35-39
Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? (Even the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.") No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NLT)
Love is reflected in love. What we give out we will receive. It is so easy to be on the other end of that. When others attack us our natural inclination is to attack back. It takes much prayer and a strong character not to reflect what is coming at us. We are to be a reflection of His glory to others, not a reflection of the enemy. And nothing can separate us from His Love.
I
Revelation 21:6-7
I am the Alpha and the Omega – the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give the springs of the water of life without charge! All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. (NLT)
Our inheritance is from Him. We are the chosen ones, the ones to receive eternal life. As we allow Him to change us, to mold us, we become more Christ like on the outside for others to see. Our new man, the person created when we were born a second time, that goes on to be with Him forever. If we expect to spend time with Him then, shouldn’t we get to know Him now?
E
Romans 1:10-12
One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. For I long to visit you so I can share a spiritual blessing with you that will help you grow strong in the Lord. I'm eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other. (NLT)
2 Corinthians 13:11
Rejoice. Change your ways. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. (NLT)
We are to encourage others as He encourages us.
F
1 John 1:6-7
So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. (NLT)
Acts 2:42
They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord's Supper and in prayer. (NLT)
Fellowship with our Christian brothers and sisters is an important part of our time on earth. We are to give each other relief and encouragement daily. Fellowship is not just a time spent on Sunday mornings.
And our fellowship with God is key to our eternal fellowship, to our salvation.
2 Corinthians 13:13
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (NLT)
As I was praying yesterday, I got one word: relief.
I asked Him what it meant and I heard this:
“You have labored long and hard.
I have heard your prayers.
Relief is on the way.”
The dictionary defines relief as freeing someone from anxiety; a release from anxiety or tension, or the feeling of release, lightness, and cheerfulness that accompanies this. It goes on to call it a factor that end anxiety; a factor forming a contrast to the general character of something else, especially something that breaks the monotony or tension of a longer experience. It can also be a diverting contrast; a factor forming a contrast to the general character of something else, especially something that breaks the monotony or tension of a longer experience.
Whatever you have been dealing with; what you have been trying to give to Him so you could move on… He has heard you and relief is on the way.
R
Ecclesiastes 8:6
Yes, there is a time and a way for everything, even as people's troubles lie heavily upon them. (NLT)
There is a right time for everything. Ecclesiastics speaks to this. Many remember it as part of a popular song of the 70’s. As believers we have a responsibility to be the new creature, to allow God to remake us into the image of Christ.
E
Romans 4:1-5
Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us – they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (NLT)
We must look to Him knowing He is with us in any battle, which comes our way. With this knowledge, we are to endure to the end. We will get through it. We will succeed. And He will change us along the way as we take on more of His character.
L
Romans 8:35-39
Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? (Even the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.") No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NLT)
Love is reflected in love. What we give out we will receive. It is so easy to be on the other end of that. When others attack us our natural inclination is to attack back. It takes much prayer and a strong character not to reflect what is coming at us. We are to be a reflection of His glory to others, not a reflection of the enemy. And nothing can separate us from His Love.
I
Revelation 21:6-7
I am the Alpha and the Omega – the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give the springs of the water of life without charge! All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. (NLT)
Our inheritance is from Him. We are the chosen ones, the ones to receive eternal life. As we allow Him to change us, to mold us, we become more Christ like on the outside for others to see. Our new man, the person created when we were born a second time, that goes on to be with Him forever. If we expect to spend time with Him then, shouldn’t we get to know Him now?
E
Romans 1:10-12
One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. For I long to visit you so I can share a spiritual blessing with you that will help you grow strong in the Lord. I'm eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other. (NLT)
2 Corinthians 13:11
Rejoice. Change your ways. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. (NLT)
We are to encourage others as He encourages us.
F
1 John 1:6-7
So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. (NLT)
Acts 2:42
They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord's Supper and in prayer. (NLT)
Fellowship with our Christian brothers and sisters is an important part of our time on earth. We are to give each other relief and encouragement daily. Fellowship is not just a time spent on Sunday mornings.
And our fellowship with God is key to our eternal fellowship, to our salvation.
2 Corinthians 13:13
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (NLT)
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